Look Who's 2

Evening folks,
I didn't want another day to go by without a post so that's why I'm here so late. 
Now where was I ...... the weekend seems a bit of a blur, it went by so fast. 
I did manage to do some baking on Sunday, and lets just say, there's not a lot of it left!  There's still some of the cakes, but the scones were lucky to see the day out - well they were only small.  And we had to try them while they were still warm, with raspberry jam and clotted cream - Yum! Yum!  (will be making more of those!!)

a little bit of Afternoon Tea

It's been a funny couple of days here on the island.  Autumn is most certainly on the way, there's a definite chill outside.  We even had hail this afternoon - inbetween glorious blue skies and sunshine.   That's the Isle of Man for you - changeable!

Luckily I haven't had to go too far, I've been busy in the old craft room.   Alex's birthday cards needed making and I wanted to do something a bit special.
Here's the results ..........

He's 2 on Friday.   He really likes Thomas the Tank Engine at the moment so I decided to go for a train, and make a little mini book style card, with some photos in there.
The chipboard bases are from Craftwork Cards, you can find them on their website here .  They come in a pack of 6 and are such a great size - I used the large version.
The papers are from The Paper Company, with a few other bits and bobs added on there as well. 
There's lots of inking around the edges, dotting and dashing on everything too.  I had so much fun with this.

I used 3 of the trains, and decorated both sides of  them, and everything's held together with a couple of  decorated bookrings.

The cute giraffe on the front cover and the parrots were stamped using a Creative Expressions unmounted stamp set, and all the lettering was done using the Cricut - a mixture of Wild Card (for the Happy Birthday) and Kate's ABC cartridges.

The little owl on the final page was made using the Stampin Up! Owl builder punch.  I love this little guy and he had to make an appearance at some point.  The photo on the page was taken on our recent visit to the Bird and Owl Sanctuary, the look on Alex's face is priceless, I couldn't not use it.

The whole thing took a while to complete, but it's been worth every minute.  I just wish I could be there to see the look on his face when he opens it.

I also made him a card from his Uncle Christopher ........

...... isn't he sooo cute!
When I saw this in one of this month's craft magazines, I just had to give it a go.
This little guy is from the October edition of Papercraft Inspirations.  He's been created, along with some other little friends, by one of the team on the magazine - Angela Poole  .....

He was really easy to do, you get all the templates in the magazine, along with the instructions.  
All the cardstock I've used is Bazzill Basics and the rest are pieces of scrapbooking papers from my bit box.

I do like my craft magazines.  It's a habit I picked up while working in a craft store, and can't seem to kick it.  There's the one I read EVERY month (Craft Stamper), the rest I pick up occasionally.  I used to read them all when I was working.  Well, they were there and I needed to know what the rest of the craft world was up to, plus you can always pick up some handy tips and techniques. 
And, when you'd been doing samples week in, week out for catalogues, shows, TV, classes etc., etc., you sometimes needed all the help you could get.  In fact, even now, on the occasions when Mr Mojo has taken himself off, and gone AWOL, I have been known to flick through my old magazines for inspiration and ideas.

Speaking of magazines, that's me done for the night.  I just need to parcel up these cards then I'm off to bed. I've got a copy of the Seasonal Stampin Up! Catalogue to go through.  It's full of brand new products and as I'm booked on an SU workshop on Saturday, I have to look through and see if there's anything I need to order.
Also,  I've got an early start tomorrow, I have to be at the Post Office first thing (hope it's not raining). Then I think the rest of the day will be spent catching up with Blog Challenges again.  I've got a Twinchie to do, this months Penny Black Saturday Challenge entry, and, I still haven't done my Timmie Tag - well we are only half way through the month, there's loads of time yet!

Thanks for popping by.  See you all again soon

Night, night!

Linda

x

Here's one I made earlier ......

Morning!
How's your Sunday going?  Hope your's is nicer weather-wise than what we've got here - RAIN, RAIN, and more RAIN!
My day's got off to rather a late start, had a lovely lie-in (well ... it was a little late when I finally snuggled under the duvet last night - or should I say this morning).
I'm the only one up so I'm taking advantage of this quiet time.  There's nothing to rush for today. We were going to go to a special Harvest Time Farmers Market over in Castletown later on, but looking at the weather I don't think we'll bother.  So,  I've got my morning coffee and would you believe a LIM card for this weeks challenge to share with you.
Yes, you read that correctly.   My Less is More entry is DONE!  

It's unheard of for me to have this ready by Sunday (the challenge only comes out on a Saturday morning) but here it is ...

Ok! Ok!  I confess.  It was already done. (I hope that's within the rules)  This is one of my latest Indigo Blu cards and I think it fits the challenge so well.  It's the first proper look at the brand new Christmas stamps too.

It's Week 85 - Theme week, and our theme is to incorporate an OVAL somewhere in the design.

Ta Da!! - one oval used.  There is a little bit more on the design than I normally do for this challenge but I think there's still enough white space there, (I hope there is anyway) and there's not too many embellies, we'll see.

The little winter scene has been done using stamps from the new 'Looks Like Rain, Dear' set by Indigo Blu. This is a fab collection of stamps that has a bit of everything on there.  There's a couple of larger images, a lovely flourish you can use all year round for backgrounds etc., a festive verse from my favourite Christmas story - Twas the Night Before Christmas, and you get lots of little stamps  you can create your own little winter landscapes with or use on their own to make smaller cards, or tags.
For the design I've used a Nestabilities die to cut and emboss my oval.  Then, with the die still in place I've built up my scene using Distress ink and a couple of paper masks to create the moon and the landscape.  The reindeer and the trees are just stamped in black Versafine using first and second generation stamping. A little touch of ultafine glitter has been added to highlight.
The Merry Christmas sentiment is also a new Indigo Blu stamp, and is large enough to use on a card on it's own if you wanted to.  I've inked it up using two colours - Crimson Red and Olympia Green Versafine.  A few gems have been added for the holly berries, and a pretty red satin bow finishes the whole thing off.
I do hope this is not too much for the LIM girls.  It was nice to have a design that fit the bill when the challenge was announced, and not have to rush and squeeze something in on the last minute.  It's another busy week ahead so time is something I'm not going to have a lot of. 
Before all that kicks off though I'm taking a day out of the old craft room, catching up with the usual day to day stuff and I'm going to do some baking.   It's not something that I'm really good at, but I like to keep trying - practice makes perfect and all that!   Unfortunately I didn't inherit my mother's, or my grandmother's baking skills.  I love cooking,  it's just the sweet stuff I have a problem with.  That's not such a bad thing though, I'd be the size of a small house if  I was any good!!  My efforts do always get eaten though, so they can't be that bad, I think it's just me, I'm too critical!

Time I got out of my PJ's I think.  Enjoy the rest of your Sunday. 

Thanks for popping by.

Linda

x

Anything But Square

Happy weekend everyone,
Now here's a rare thing - a weekend Blog post from me.  It seems so long since I started a Saturday morning off chatting to all my Blog pals.  I'm already on my second cup of coffee so here we go ......

The birthday cards arrived on time - yeah!  Always a bonus when that happens!  I spent most of yesterday making two more that have to go next week.  By tea time I was covered in glue and paint.  Not quite sure how that happened, I only used a tiny bit of acrylic paint, but there you go. A little sure does go a long way!   I'll let you see them when they're finished.

On to something that is finished though, my entry for the latest challenge over at In the Pink
This time the challenge is ......
                        Anything but Square
and of course to use lots of PINK.  

The pink bit was easy, what shape to go for took a while longer.  In the end I went for one of my oversized tags - they're not square.
I did cheat a little with this, I must confess.  I have a 'Save it for Later' box that's full of stuff that's been started and then put to one side for one reason or another.  There's die cuts in there, background card that I've made and then not used, toppers that have been stamped and coloured and then I've changed my mind about, you know the sort of thing I mean.  Anyway, I had a look through and found a little Tilda image that I'd stamped and coloured using Copic pens, and it was in shades of pink.  Yes! There was my starting point, well it saved me a little bit of time.
This is how she's ended up .....

sweet!

It's a while since my Magnolia stamps have been out.  I haven't really done super-cutesie recently.
The tag measures just under 8" (including the fancy border) by 4" so not small.  You'll need a BIG box to put this baby on!
The papers are from the 'Chanteuse Collection' by Kaisercraft, and they are gorgeous.  Lots of shades of pink mixed with browns and greens, really pretty. I added in a couple of punched borders, and did my faux stitching around the edges.
The Weathered Clock was cut from white card and then Worn Lipstick Distress ink was added around the edges, and also used to colour the hands.   You can just about see there's a touch of Fran-tage embossing enamel on there too, in the Shabby Pink, with a touch of Aged Silver. (I did warn you, it's my new obsession!)

It's just peeping out from behind the paper flowers, and there's also a little bit at the top too.
I added some pink vintage seam binding, a little bit of lace, and a piece of tulle net.  Some paper flowers, the cream ones tinted with pink ink, a few punched leaves and a vintage key finish it all off.
Looking at it, it doesn't look that pink.  I hope it's pink enough for the challenge.
Now I just need that special gift to put this on - who's got a birthday coming up?

Well I suppose I should  get out of my PJ's and get on with enjoying the weekend.  Not sure what we're doing yet, I'm sure we'll find something.

Enjoy your weekend.  I hope it's a good one.

Bye for now

Linda

x

Happy Birthday Dad!

Morning folks,
Friday again.   The weeks are just flying by!  I'm looking forward to the weekend though, nothing planned this week (makes a change) so we're just going to see what happens.

It's Stephen's Dad's birthday today - Happy Birthday Dad! (don't think he reads my Blog, but you never know, so I'll say it just in case!).
Now you know I don't make a lot of MEN cards - they always prove a bit of a challenge.  So I couldn't exactly go to my card supply and pull one out ready to go in the post.  I had to get my thinking cap on, put aside my pink inks, ribbons and lace (oh no!) and make one.
Here it is .......

Indigo Blu does it again!  I love these stamps, they're great for mens cards.  I used 'Take the Time' (my favourite, favourite set!) for the pocket watch and the cogs (both embossed),  'Grand Tour I' for the air ship (coloured with Distress markers),  Map - background for one of the layers, and the splodge from 'Yorkshire Evening Post' on the backgorund paper.  This is one of those really useful stamps to have in your collection, it's great for backgrounds, or adding that distressed, aged look to a project - I love it!
I used papers from the gorgeous 12x12 Ledger Pad by Prima (the brown square is from my bit box - not sure where that came from), the Weathered Clock, and the wings on the pocketwatch (Tim Holtz Sizzix dies) are cut from Kraft-core cardstock.
The picture isn't brilliant - sorry about that.   The lighting is rubbish in our house, but as I wanted to get the card written and in an envelope ready to go, it was taken about midnight.  Anyway, you can just make out some 'Fran-tage' embossing on there. (If you click on the picture you can see it a little bit better).   This is my current obsession, so no doubt you'll be seeing a lot more.

I've had the powders for a while but hadn't really used them.  After watching Fran last week on C& C I decided to get them out again and play. 
This is what I used .......

They're Embossing Enamels, which give a 'shabby chic', vintage, aged look.  They're a little bit different to your normal embossing powders, they're thicker, chunkier crystals mixed in unique colours to give a worn look.  The one I used on Dad's card was the 'Aged Silver'.
The cogs have been stamped in Versamark then Fran-taged.   Then I've just rubbed the Versamark pad along the bottom corner of the brown layer, sprinkled the Fran-tage on top, but didn't brush off the excess, then heated from underneath.  As the powder starts to melt you can add more on top until you're happy with it.  I think it's a fab effect.
I bought the set because I wanted to try a few of the colours (well I couldn't just get the one pot now could I!)  They do come in bigger, individual pots too. Once these have run out (which won't be long the rate I'm going) I shall be restocking my favourites and more.
I bought mine from The Stamp Man.  It's a great little craft store, fab service too.  They also have FREE P&P on orders over £20, even to the Isle of Man! 
They stock the full Fran-tage range, all the glitters and fragments too - gorgeous!  They also have some fabulous stamps on there, why not take a look.

Speaking of deliveries to the IOM, look what my lovely Postie brought me this morning ......

oooh .......  a box from 'Art From the Heart'.  What could possibly be in there .....

...... my first pieces of the yummy new Christmas Idea-ology from the King of Distress - Tim Holtz!  Can't wait to play with those trees.  I've got my hands on the new Metallic Distress Stains too, and the glitter.  Exciting or what! Just need the new Alterations dies now, and the paper stash, and the trinkets, and the chit chat and ......... best leave it at that I think!
There was also the Daily QVC Delivery (as my other half likes to call them!).  This isn't exactly true anymore, I was the QVC Queen at one point but I don't shop with them that often now.

I do still have to have my skin care fix every now and again.  Well, I need all the help I can get!

On that note I'll say Cheerio!
Thank you so much for popping by, and thanks for all your lovely comments this week.
Hope you all have a great weekend.
Crafty hugs from a rather breezy Isle of Man

Linda

x

Just the one layer

Hi folks,
Wasn't sure where to start this morning, no urgent items on the 'To Do' list, nothing that needs to go in the post as soon as, and no rushing around like a headless chicken - absolute bliss! 
So it was breakfast in bed, followed by a second cup of coffee, a good old catch up with emails and stuff, my morning chat with Lauren, and now I'm ready to start the day (a little later than usual)
  
Yesterday afternoon was spent catching up with Blog challenges - well making a start at least.  I did manage to get one finished though .....
It's everybody's favourite week over at Less is More.
Yes, it's the
                        ONE LAYER CARD
with the focus this week being on
                              FOLIAGE

In some cases a One Layer card can be harder to do than one that's mat and layered to the hilt, and embellished with everything you can think of.  It can take a bit of planning before you start - how to create the 'layered' look, and add a bit of depth (masks/stencils come in handy here, and use of inks)  What needs to be done first to get the right look. And of course no embellies! (Oh no!)  On the other hand, this style can be so quick and easy to do, but still have that Wow! factor.

This weeks effort is somewhere in between.  It took me a little while to decide on the design, mainly because I couldn't find a stamp I was happy with.  Then of course, what colours to use.  I think I'm still a little bit in my pink phase - a least one shade seems to sneak into whatever I'm doing.

This time it was Spun Sugar, teamed with Tumbled Glass and a little bit of Milled Lavender.  The Distress Inks were brushed onto the card through a mask/stencil I'd made using a Nestabilities die.
My foliage stamp is from a Hero Arts clear set called Delicate Leaf Clusters (one of my favourites), and the sentiment is from Share Laughter (also by Hero Arts).  Both were just stamped in black Versafine ink - simples! 
Obviously you could choose any colour combinations for the inked panel, I always tend to use three.  And your panel could also be any shape you like.

I must admit I quite like the one layer weeks, they make a refreshing change.   The CAS designs are always elegant and make great cards for any occasion.  Why not pop over the LIM site and take a look at the inspiration from Chrissie and Mandi and the fabulous entries that are already on there - make a cuppa first though, there's quite a few!

Thanks for popping by.  I'll be back tomorrow with a card that's definitely NOT one layer - it's one of those rare offerings from me - one for the guys!

Have a great day, and ooh ..... don't forget the girls from Stamp Addicts, Sarah and Vicky, are back on C& C this afternoon - 4pm and 6pm - with their Birthday Bonanza show.

See you later

Linda

x