CR84FN & Card patterns Sketch

Hi all, today I managed to make something for CR84FN colour challenge, and used the Card Patterns Sketch for some inspiration. My mojo has been sadly lacking this week, but I think today's challenges have ignited that all important spark!

Here's the inspiration:



And here's my take:



Using a white card base, I clear embossed some flourishes by Waltzingmouse Stamps, and then used the resist embossing technique to add colour to the card using distress inks in Scattered Straw and Dried Marigold.


I then cut a patterned panel from a My Mind's Eye paper stack, and stitched around it in grey thread.
I then stamped the Hero Arts butterfly in Memento London fog, onto kraft card, and coloured with Staedtler Ergo Soft Pencils. I then mounted the butterfly onto a panel of paper from the same stack,and added some gold stickles for some shimmer.


I then embossed some yellow Core'dinations and sanded back to reveal the paler core, stitched around this edge, and mounted onto the first panel.

Then taking some Silky Gold Crush from the Ribbon Reel, I ruffled a panel of ribbon, tied some grey seam binding and yellow baker's twine around it and then mounted this onto the card.

Finally I added some Tiny Tags in yellow gingham and kraft, topped off with pearls. As a final flourish, I topped the embossed flowers with some gold stickles.

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Antique Engravings - Hero Arts; Tiny Tags - Papertrey Ink; Flourishes Scallops & Dots - Waltzingmouse Stamps

Ink: Scattered Straw, Dried Marigold Distress Inks; Memento London fog; Memento Rich Cocoa

Paper: My Mind's Eye Lost & Found - Sunshine; Yellow Core'dinations; White Card Base

Other: Stickles; Yellow Bakers Twine, Gold Silky Crush, Grey Seam Binding - The Ribbon Reel; Sewing Machine, Grey Thread; Pale Yellow Pearls from stash; Crafts Too Floral Embossing Folder


It's been a beautiful sunny day here in West Berkshire, and to make the most of the weather, we took a trip to Avebury in Wiltshire, to see the stones and to visit the Manor which has recently been renovated and opened to the public. I took a few pics of the site, and was pleased to find clumps of snowdrops and crocus, a sure sign that Spring has sprung!



Snowdrops...



Crocus...



The church, look at that beautiful blue sky!




One of the renovated rooms at Avebury Manor has hand painted wallpaper. It was made in China, by Chinese artists, and when I saw this being created on the BBC programme about the renovation, I just had to come here. It is truly beautiful, and I know took many patient hours depicting all the different scenes.



This is a wider view of this room, with the table elegantly laid.



Upstairs we found the Queen Anne Bedroom, decorated in the style of this era. A bit rich for me, but very beautiful.

Well I won't bore you with any more, thanks for stopping by and well done for getting this far! LOL!

Pauline

Ewe and Me...

Hi all, I have a card for a couple of challenges today, I'm on a bit of a spring pastels roll and just had to join in at Color Throwdown this week with their wonderful pastel palette.

I was also inspired to use a new set I had got before christmas, with the new challenge set today by CAS-ual Fridays, which is looking for a play on words in our creations.



And here's my take:




I have used the very lovely set Lil' Buddies from Waltzingmouse Stamps. This set is stuffed with punny sentiments, and I took a while to choose this particular one - indecisive? Me? Maybe..




I stamped the trellis background directly onto a white card base, cut a pale blue panel, and stamped the heart frame onto a piece of white square card.



Then stamped the sweet little lambs in Memento London fog, cut out and mounted on top of the frame with some foam pads.

Before adhering to the card base, I wrapped some yellow baker's twine around the base, and added two fancy twine bows, topped with a gemstone.


Supplies Used:

Stamps: Lil' Buddies, Pic-Nic Patterns - Waltzingmouse Stamps

Ink: Scattered Straw, Dried Marigold Distress Inks; Memento London Fog

Paper: Core'dinations blue card; Neenah Classic Crest White

Other: Yellow Baker's Twine - The Ribbon Reel; Gems from stash


I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

CAS-ual Fridays - Use a Pun

Color Throwdown

Papercrafting Journey - Make it Cute

Crafty Catz - I Spy ..B for Bows, Blue and Bling!

Thanks for stopping by,

Pauline

DYSU # 60 - Distress

Hi all, it's another new challenge today for DYSU, and this week, we would like to see your creations distressed!




For my card today I have used a petal point card base, and distressed a piece of patterned paper from My Mind's Eye, and then layered two smaller panels in green patterned paper from Papermania.



Then, using a digi stamp from Bugaboo Stamps, " Coffee Time -Thanks a Latte", printed this onto Neenah Classic Crest and coloured with Promarkers and Flexmarkers. Then cut with a nestie label, and layered this onto another patterned label using paper from My Mind's Eye.



Added this to the card, and topped with some paper roses from Hobbyhouse and Prima, and a cherry blossom from The Ribbon reel.



Finally distressed the sentiment label, added some green twine from The Ribbon Reel, and some flat back pearls from Kaiser, and a Prima crystal.


These are our sponsors this week:

Bugaboo stamps



Crafty Emmas Store

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Coffee Time - Thanks a Latte - Bugaboo Stamps

Ink: Distress Ink Old Paper

Paper: Neenah Classic Crest - Crafter's companion; Papermania Regency A5 paper Pack; My Mind's Eye 6x6 Vanity Fair Paper Stack

Other: Prima Say it in Crystals; Kaiser Flat back Pearls; Twisted Burlap Cord - Olive - The Ribbon reel; Oval Leaves, Green - The Ribbon Reel; Ivory Cherry Blossom - The Ribbon Reel; Paper Roses - The Hobbyhouse; Olive Gold Dusted Rose - Prima; Petalpoint Card Base - Craftwork Cards


I would like to enter this into the following challenges:


Lilypad Cards - Patterned paper

Simon Says Stamp challenge - Use 3 different papers

Thanks for stopping by,

Pauline

PDCC #119

Hi all, I have a card today for this week's Play Date Cafe, a colour splash of black, white and Hot Pink.



I have used a floral brocade stamp from Hero Arts, stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black, then coloured the flowers using pink Promarkers.


I added a Licorice twine wrap and tiny tag, with some little black crystals from Prima.

Thanks for stopping by,

Pauline

The Ribbon Reel Challenge # 22

Hi all, today brings us another fortnightly challenge from The Ribbon reel Challenge Blog, and this week, it's the lovely Helen's turn to set the challenge.


Helen has asked that we take inspiration from the photo - use kraft, white, blue or aqua with a touch of red & use natural twine/twill.



I have made a card that could be used for a number of occasions - birthday, a new job, a gap year leaver, or just a Hello friend!

I've used a stamp set from Pink Paislee called Nantucket, and stamped the background using the text, shell and starfish stamps in Frayed Burlap and Weathered Wood Distress Inks. I then distressed around the edges in Stormy sky D.I, and stitched this onto a kraft panel also distressed with inks, with some aqua thread.




I then stamped the red Waltzingmouse label in Ladybug Red onto some more kraft, and cut using Nestabilities labels 10.



I added the sentiment stamped in Stormy Sky, and layered this ontop of the stitched panel, after wrapping some aqua sheer ruffled ribbon and some red Baker's twine, from The Ribbon Reel shop.

I then added two little bows in some natural button twine, and topped them off with some aqua cherry blossoms topped with stickles and crinkled seam binding, all from The Ribbon reel shop.


I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

Tuesday Throwdown - Use Twine

The Pretty Little Ribbon shop - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz - Favourite Things, Ribbon, Flowers and Twine

One Stop Craft Challenge - Create Your Own Background

The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Bingo - Ribbon, Flowers, Glitter

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Nantucket - Pink Paislee; Very Vintage labels 10 - Waltzingmouse Stamps

Ribbons/Twine: Aqua Sheer Ruffled Ribbon, Aqua Seam Binding, Ivory Button Twine, Red Baker's Twine, Cream Cherry Blossoms - The Ribbon Reel Shop

Paper: Kraft Bazzill Smooth; White Linen card base from stash

Ink: Stormy Sky, Weathered Wood, Frayed Burlap, Antique Linen Distress Inks; Ladybug Red - Memento

Other: Sewing Machine, Aqua thread.


Do stop by the rest of the D.T for some wonderful Distressed/ Weathered inspiration!

Thanks for stopping by,

Pauline

WMS Blog Party

Hi all, I'm back!! We returned from The Gambia at 2.00 am this morning, so I'm slightly bleary eyed!

Fashionably late to this month's blog party at Waltzingmouse Stamps, when I went away last week I didn't have time to create a card so I had resigned myself to not joining in this month :-( However, I was delighted to find we can link up until 6.30 pm GMT tonight, so I pulled out a few bits and pieces!

This month's theme is 'Spring', my favourite time of year.




Being short on time (two suitcase won't wash themselves!), I used the little floral image from Spring Baskets that was already coloured, attached this to the little basket which had already been stamped and cut with a nestie oval, just had to do a quick bit of shading with my Promarkers.



Used a pre-cut fancy tag, and stamped the sentiment in Paris Dusk, added a few blue gems...



Attached the basket oval and sentiment to a polka dot piece of Kanban card, which I had already cut to size for a different project but didn't work out.
Finally I stamped the butterflies in Paris Dusk onto a white Linen card base and voila! All in all, it took me around 20 mins! That is a record for me!

I'm also entering this into CES Challenge for Spots and Dots, and I Love Promarkers Challenge which is looking for Nature.

Well, The Gambia was gorgeous, but as you can imagine, we saw such grinding poverty that a lot of the population have to live with. The education has to be paid for there, and quite literally, they have nothing to work with. A couple of the residents in our hotel had been to The Gambia many times before, and always bring paper pads and pens to distribute to the local village schools. 25% of the children there can't afford to be sent to school, and they desperately want to learn. It really made me appreciate the quality of life we have here, and the fabulous chances our children receive, we are so lucky.

We are going to collect the kids at lunchtime today, they were staying with their grandparents in Southampton, I can't wait to get some cuddles with them!

I'll be round to blog hop tomorrow, as I really must have a bath, get the washing on, do some shopping, and get my babies!

Thanks for stopping by,

Pauline

Charisma Cardz #6 - Happy Anniversary

* Please scroll down for my DYSU post xx*

Hi all, today brings us another challenge from Charisma Cardz, and Joanne has chosen the theme this week - Happy Anniversary. We would love to see your creations featuring a theme of happy anniversary, which is handy for me as mine and my hubby's is coming up quite soon!




I have used a Meljen's Designs image of these cute bunnies. I coloured them with promarkers, and cut using Nestabilities circles.




The papers are from Trimcrafts First Edition Range - Love letters, an amazing stack filled wioth stunning papers, some double sided and others glittered and embossed.



The sentiment is fromWaltzingmouse Stamps, and cut using Nesties again, and layered onto a fancy die cut from Cuttlebug. it was one of the first sets I treated myself to when I first got my Cuttlebug, and am ashamed to say I haven't used it on a card before!



To finish off I layered some beautiful lace threaded with Rose petal seam binding underneath the image and some pink chiffon through the sentiment panel and finally added two small gold star beads to the corners with a couple of pink gems and gems to the edge and sentiment.

Our Sponsors this week are:

Meljens Designs

Bunny Zoes


Supplies Used:

Stamps: Digi Bunny Stamp - Meljens Designs; Frame It - Waltzingmouse stamps

Ink: Rich Cocoa - Memento; Antique Linen distress Ink; Versamagic Pink Petunia

Paper: Neenah classic Crest - Crafter's companion; Love Letters Paper Stack - Trimcraft First Edition; Peach textured card - Papermania

Other: Lace trim, Rose petal Seam binding - The Ribbon Reel; Pink gems from stash;



Thanks for stopping by,

Pauline

DYSU #59 - Layers

Morning all, today brings us another new challenge from DYSU! This week we would like to see Layers on your creations - the more the merrier!



I have used a very sweet image from The Paper Shelter, called 'The Final Touch'. I used a pre-coloured digi image, and I'm so glad I did, as I would never have been able to do this fabulous image any justice at all!

I printed the coloured image 4 times, and then set about deciding where I was going to define my layers with them, so I could decoupage them up.



I cut the base image with a Go-Create shaped die, and layered up the cut out images.



I chose some sweet papers to match by Wild rose Studio, and some pink twill from The Ribbon Reel.




The bow is topped with a jewelled brad, and as a final flourish, I added some gems to the layered background papers.

Here are our sponsors this week:

Little Miss Muffet Stamps




The Paper Shelter


Tickled Pink Stamps



Supplies Used:

Stamps: 'The Final Touch' digi image - The Paper Shelter

Paper: Candy Floss paper stack- Wild Rose Studio

Other: Pink twill - The Ribbon Reel; Jewelled Brad from Stash; Pink and Blue Rhinestones from stash

Thanks for stopping by,

Pauline

DYSU #58 - Love

Morning all, today brings us another challenge from DYSU, and it's all about....



Yep, we want to see your love themed creations, break out those hearts, and pretty papers and get creating!

Here is my Love themed card:




I have used an adorable little girl from Birdie Brown, and coloured her with Promarkers.
I cut her out using Nestabilities, and layered onto some matt silver card by Papermania.



I then created a layered rectangular panel using my square nesties, and just extending the dies before the full cut as I don't have any rectangular dies in my collection yet!




The patterned paper is by Echo Park, called Yours Truly - Blossoms.
The text side appears to be love letters written by servicemen during WWII, and makes for very touching reading. I almost didn't cut this paper up, it's so gorgeous, but I have a habit of hoarding and am resolved to using what I have this year!




Before layering together I tied some red and cream striped ribbon from The Ribbon reel, and tied a fancy bow, and added a little sentiment label using Papertrey Ink stamps.

I then attached this to a petal point card base, and added some red gems along the points.

Our sponsors this week are:

Birdie Brown


Through The Craftroom Door



Supplies Used:

Stamps: Girl with Rose - Birdie Brown; Tiny Tags - Papertrey Ink

Ink: Memento lady Bug Red; Versafine Smokey Grey

Paper: Yours Truly - Blossoms - Echo Park; Matt Silver Card - Papermania;
Neenah Classic Crest Card - Crafter's Companion

Other: Petalpoint Cardbase - Craftwork Cards; Spellbinders Classic Ovals S4-110;
Spellbinders Classic Scalloped Ovals S4-111; 9mm Grosgrain Stripe Red/Ivory - The Ribbon Reel; Red Gems from stash.


I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop

The City Crafter Challenge

Cupcake Inspirations

Tuesday Throwdown

Party Time Tuesdays

Lilypad Cards Challenge

One Stop Crafts Challenge

I Love Promarkers

Well, I'm just about packed for our trip to The Gambia, just got to pack the toiletries and certain medications! I don't know how I'm going to cope without being able to craft for a whole week, but I have a couple of scheduled posts ready to go for next Thursday's DYSU and Charisma Cardz challenges, so I hope you manage to drop by and say hi! I will be taking my iPad, but have no idea whether the promised wifi will work or how reliable it is.

So I have a really fun day planned - cleaning, stripping the beds, and cleaning! But then that's it for a week lol! Not looking forward to the 4.30 am start tomorrow though, I just hope it doesn't snow or our flight is delayed from Gatwick.

Hope you all have a fab week,

Pauline


Thanks for stopping by,

Pauline