Ready for the party!

Hello, I'm back again with a new challenge for everyone over at Polkadoodles!  And this week our challenge is  'The Colour Purple'.

I decided to make a gatefold card for this one, and I've used one of the gorgeous digi images from the Polkadoodles cd 'Fredericka' - and this elegant one is called 'Debutante'

I've coloured the image with promarkers 

The beautiful backing papers are from the Polkadoodles 'Cherryblossom Lane' cd. I've added some Marianne die cut flowers, and the leafy flourish is a JoyCrafts die.  I've added some dark purple ribbon and some purple gems from stash. 

Hope you'll pop across to the Polkadoodles challenge blog and see the fabulous inspiration from the DT!  And there are some great tutorials appearing on there now for some ideas and inspiration.

And there is also a fabulous new cd coming from Polkadoodles which is on a pre-order called Bonbon Belles - and if you pop across to the Polkadoodles website HERE you can link up to a great preview of what's on the new cd with Nikky on a YouTube video!  A great idea so that you can have a look at what's on the cd before you buy! 

Back soon,

Kim x 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:-

CharismaCardz - divas

Crafting with Dragonflies - card for a girl

FabnFunky - girly

Har Me Hearties!

Hello all and yippee it's Friday! I hope you've had a good week and have something nice to look forward to over the weekend!  It looks like we might get some nice weather - although a bit hotter for my hubby as he heads off to Abu Dhabi again on Sunday for 5 or 6 days for work!  I've offered to go as bag carrier (as he seems to stay in nice hotels!) but no luck so far! He went 3 times last year and I never got invited lol!

Anyway, as it's Friday it's time for a new challenge over at CraftyCatz! And this week our lovely Nick is hosting the challenge and has given us the theme of 'storybooks/nursery rhymes'!  We're sponsored this week by the brilliant Bugaboo

and I've used one of their images for my card

Think I'll call this one 'Treasure Island' lol!  I've coloured the digi with promarkers 

The backing papers are from K&Co with embossed deep red coredinations card in the background. The 'map' was a digi image from the computer, and some buttons from stash.  So quite a simple card from me - but I quite like my pirate! 

So do pop over to CraftyCatz and join us with your storybook/nursery rhyme themed creations! 

Back soon,

Kim x 

Up in the sky...

Hello all and I hope that your week has been going well. It's my son's half term week from school so a bit more of a relaxing one for me too - although with everyone at home then I feel as though I'm working as "Kim's Cafe" along with "Kim's Cabs" i.e. providing a continual stream of food and lifts lol!

Anyway, before I head off for another 'brisk walk' (!) I thought I'd share a card with you that I made with a gorgeous digi from Mo's Digital Pencil called 'Dream'

Isn't he gorgeous? I just love the expression on his face!  I've coloured the image with copics and promarkers and, for once, was quite pleased with how he turned out! (Although I'm not as convinced about my layout!)

The backing paper is from K&Co, and you can tell I made this before I put away the Inkylicious sentiment stamps I recently got from Joanna Sheen (see previous blog post lol!) - and I just loved the words on this one too! 

I've added a wooden peg, wooden button, burlap and seam binding ribbon from stash! 

Hope you like this little chap too! 

Back soon,

Kim x 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:-

CityCrafterChallenge - burlap

CreativeCraftChallenges - for the fellas

PartyTimeTuesday - anything goes

CraftYourPassion - natural materials (burlap, wooden peg & button)

CupcakeCraft - boys

Herecometheboys - buttons

Imagine what you could do....

Hello all in Blogland and I hope that your Monday has gone well? We've had quiet day - with rain! - but just glad that we enjoyed some sunshine yesterday (and yes, the bbq did come out!).  Tilly the Dog and I have just been out for our evening walk, despite the drizzle, although I have to say that Tilly is not really an 'all-weather' sort of dog, and is quite keen to get home again when we're out in the rain!
Today's card is something a bit different from me and was made for someone who is a photographer, and I wasn't quite sure what to make for him, as he wouldn't particularly want fuss and flowers! So I decided to go for distressed sepia tones and saw this great freebie digi of a vintage camera.

The backing papers were from stash and I've had them so long I can't remember where they came from! I've added plenty of distress inks round the edges. The sentiment stamp is an Inkylicious one from Joanna Sheen (and I just love the wording on this!) and the 'film strip' prints were also images downloaded from t'internet, resized and distressed!  I've added twine, brads and some seam binding from stash and the wooden tile is from CraftyEmblies.

and the inside decorated to match. 

Just hope the photographer likes it! 

Back soon,

Kim x 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:-

CraftinDesertDivas - twine

Created with love - at least 3 layers

LexisCreations - focus on the sentiment

MelonheadzFriends - male/fathers day

Places to go....

Good morning all and I hope that your weekend has been relaxing and enjoyable! It's a Bank Holiday weekend in the UK so I'm hoping that the weekend will carry on for another day yet lol!  We had lovely warm sunshine yesterday and although it's a bit cloudy this morning I'm hoping that the sun will break through again. Mind you, after watching the awful consequences of the tornado in Oklahoma this week I said I wouldn't complain about our weather again, whatever we get!
And thank you for all your lovely comments - I just want you to know that they are all read with pleasure and appreciated SO much!
I've promised a BBQ today if the weather is ok - so we'll no doubt end up with the usual 'cast of thousands' as my hubby puts it! My daughter's boyfriend has now finished his finals at Uni so is back with us again (he's been very busy revising, a very studious boy!) and my daughter only has a couple of exams left. My son has finished school for half term and should also be doing some revising as he has exams in a fortnight. He did tell me last night that he was revising his Latin with his mate on Skype - but I don't think it lasted long because then I heard his guitar strumming again! Sigh.
Anyway, I just wanted to share this card with you using Stella from Bugaboo digi stamps!  She's great! I just love her attitude (in fact, I think I'm probably Stella in real life!)

I've coloured the image with promarkers and flexmarkers 

The backing papers are from First Edition, with some sheer ribbon from Joanna Sheen and eyelets and gems from stash. 

Hope you enjoy what's left of your weekend! 

Back soon,

Kim x 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:-

CraftyRibbons - anything goes with ribbon

SouthernGirls - spotty or dots

CardMania  - spots and/or stripes

CraftyBloggersNetwork - 3 in a row (gems,stamp,ribbon)

A babe on the beach!

Well, I'm back again - and it's time for a new challenge over at CraftyCatz!  And this week our lovely Jac has challenged us to come up with some 'fancy folds' - so we want to see some varied card designs!
And we're sponsored this week by Alota stamps!

For my card I've used a fabulous digi stamp from Mo's Digital Pencil called 'Little Umbrella'

Oh, I just love that attitude - she makes me smile every time I look at her!  I've coloured the image with a mix of copics and promarkers

It'd be nice if the weather was like that this weekend - although I still wouldn't be baring all in an Itsy Bitsy Polka Dot Bikini!  

The papers were freebies with a magazine and thought the spots and stripes fitted a 'beach' theme quite well!  The sentiment stamp and ticket die are from Whimsy - with a fabulous Mae West quote!  The ribbon and gems are from stash. 

So do have a look at the fantastic inspiration from the DT over at CraftyCatz and then join us in the challenge! 

Hope you have a great weekend - bikini or not! Back soon,

Kim x 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:-

BearlyMine - anything goes

Card Mania - spots and/or stripes

KaboodleDoodles - stripes and/or circles

The Squirrel and the Fox - here come the girls

Button it up!

Good morning and I hope that your Friday is starting well - and a Bank Holiday to look forward to (well, for those of us in the UK!). Let's just hope that we don't get typical British Bank Holiday weather and that the sun actually shines lol! It'd be nice to wheel the bbq out at some point!

As it's Friday it's time for a new challenge over at Totally Papercrafts - and this week the theme of 'Buttons' has been chosen by me!  And it's something of a sad challenge for me today as it's my last one as part of the DT at Totally Papercrafts.  I've been on the DT nearly a year and it's been a brilliant time!  And if you fancy joining a great Design Team they're having a DT call at the moment so do check it out!

Anyway, onto this week's challenge

I've used a gorgeous LOTV stamp called 'Pompom' (another 'oldie but goodie'!) and coloured her with promarkers, with some added glitter - well, fairy wings have to have some glitter don't they?

The flowery paper is from MME 'Miss Caroline'. I've added some DooHickey die cut 'doily flowers' with button centres. The teal ribbon is from stash. 

Hope you like it! And I hope you'll join in with the challenge at Totally Papercrafts! 

Back soon,

Kim x 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:-

Creative Moments - circles

Pennyspapercrafty - circles

CraftySentiments - buttons

PaperPlaytime - buttons or brads

I'd like you to meet Lulu!

Hello all and I hope that your week has been going well? Thankfully we've had sunshine today but quite a brisk wind (just sent Him Indoors down the garden to fasten panels back on the greenhouse roof!). I've had stinking headaches again - have been on permanent painkillers from doc for 'chronic headaches' as he called them (you're telling me!) but not so good today and to add to general feeling of well-being I had a visit to the dentist today too! Anyway, less moaning! And I'm glad to report the dentist didn't need to do anything and the headache has eased a bit this evening.

I'd just like to share another of the gorgeous new releases from Whimsy Digital with you and this one is from Kathryne at StampArtDesign and this little cutie is called Lulu! 

I've coloured the image with promarkers and flexmarkers

The backing papers are from First Edition. I've added a Memory Box 'arboscello tree' die cut and the DooHickey 'lovely fence'. Then some punched flowers with pearl centres.  The sentiment is also from Whimsy. 

Do go over to Whimsy and have a look at the fabulous releases for May - there's something for everyone! 

Back soon, 

Kim x 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:-

LEJ Designs - die cuts/punches

Get Inky - die cuts

Songbird Challenge - flowers

ILovePromarkers - anything goes

A Fairy Birthday!

Hello and just a quick post from me this evening (phew!).  Hope you've had a good start to the week. Just the usual here - apart from today was my daughter's first exam for her 2nd year at Uni so a few nerves. But she was ok when she got back (she's living at home this year!) so fingers crossed for the next 5 exams!

I made this card for a friend's daughter who is 11 today - happy birthday Imogen!

I've used LOTV stamp 'On tiptoes' - which I make no apology for using numerous times! I love this stamp! I've coloured it with copics and promarkers and added some glitter and pearl drops. The sheer ribbon is from Joanna Sheen and the pearl pin is from stash. 

The backing papers are from K&Co, and I've added Marianne die cut flowers and swirl. The sentiment is also from LOTV.  I've made this as a criss cross style card with a Tonic punched edge.

And thank you for all your lovely comments on yesterday's card - and I obviously struck a chord when I mentioned weight/exercise!  It seems many of us are in the same boat!  But Tilly the Dog, Lauren and I enjoyed our walk last night - and we went with my friend Sarah and her gorgeous Newfoundland dog, Monty - and I thought you might like to see a pic of them together! 

This is Tilly and Monty together (with my friend). As you can see, there is a bit of size difference (!) but they get along brilliantly - until Monty decides that Tilly would make a good girlfriend! Then he licks her ears for her - and she's such a flirt she seems to enjoy it! Oh joy! 

Anyway, back soon! 

Kim x 

Definitely NOT CAS!

Good morning Blogland!  Thank you so much for all your kind comments on Friday's posts - and about the tutorial!  And it was lovely to read that someone has already tried it!  I hope your weekend has been going well and you've spent it doing something enjoyable! I managed to catch up with a friend over coffee for an hour or so yesterday which was lovely and am hoping after the dreaded h****work is done today that I can manage to fit in a bit of crafting. Then it'll be time for the 'brisk walk'....  
I'll confess.  Last year I'd lost quite a bit of weight (nearly 3 stone in actual fact!) and felt so much better for it.  But, confession time, over the winter months and through a freezing cold start to this year, I'm sad to say that just over half of that has crept back on. I'd like to know who made tasty puddings, chocolate, cheese and butter on fresh bread such fattening things to eat?  It's so unfair! (I sound like my teenage son!).  Anyway, I've decided that I really need to get back to healthier eating and do more exercise (such a dirty word). So my personal trainer (aka daughter) now comes with me and Tilly the Dog on a brisk walk for a couple of miles and we've decided that if we do this 3 or 4 times a week then it must be good for us. Surely.....   Not sure my puffing and red face is the most attractive feature, and Tilly the Dog is not impressed by not being allowed to stop and sniff every lamp-post, wall, blade of grass, etc., en route and being told to "Come on Tilly, stop dawdling!" by the Sergeant Major (aka daughter again! she's a very strict taskmaster).  And we'll probably be taking my friend Sarah along with us tonight as well! Sigh.  As I say, I just keep telling myself that it's doing me good.....

Right, Sunday morning waffle over with!  I apologise to my new followers too - I'm afraid that particularly the Sunday morning posts tend to be a long-winded affair with a lot of mindless chat so I don't blame you if you scroll down over that!  But thank you so much for taking the time to follow my little blog!

This card is one I made for a friend's birthday and I just love the Wee Stamps images - this one is Peggy

and it's definitely NOT a clean and simple design lol!  I've coloured the image with promarkers and copics with a little pencil

The backing papers are from LOTV with flowers from WOC. The lace is from stash. I've added Poppystamps 'meadow leaf' die cuts and the bunting is using Whimsy stamps and dies. 

And the inside to match.

Hope you like it! 

Back soon,

Kim x 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:-

CraftyCalendar - blooms and blossoms

One Stop Craft - anything goes

Delicious Doodles - lace

ABC Challenge - not just one - 3 or more embellishments (flowers, lace, die cuts)

Freshly Brewed Monthly challenge - flowers

The Stamp Spot - feminine creations

JoannaSheen Challenge - girls, girls, girls

3 2 1 at CraftyCatz!

Hello, I'm back again - but I promise it's a shorter post than earlier!  If you haven't seen it - my Polkadoodles DT card is below together with my very first attempt at a tutorial that is also on the Polkadoodles site. If you get chance, I'd love it if you could have a read through the tutorial and let me know what you think - does it make sense? is it too long? too many pics? too easy? Thanks!

But it's time for a new challenge over at CraftyCatz - and we had some fantastic entries last week (and such a lot!) with our anything goes challenge! This week our challenge is '3,2,1' - so we want to see 3 of something, 2 of something and, yes you've guessed it, 1 of something! Easy!

I've used - 3 buttons, 2 papers, and 1 image and I've used LOTV stamp 'Yee Haa!'

I've coloured the image with promarkers and copics

Aren't they just the cutest pair! When Tilly the Dog was a puppy and Jack was 6 years old. I used to come home to find the dog dressed in football shirts, Jack would be getting her to ride on his skateboard, playing football, etc.!  All little boys need a dog really! (Especially one as daft as ours!). And now my cute little 6 year old boy has been abducted by aliens and they've left a towering, continually hungry and grunting male that vaguely resembles him, I have to say that Tilly the Dog still gets the most attention from him! 

The backing papers I've used are NitWit ones, with some added stitching (although don't look too closely, it went a bit wonky!).  I've added a Sizzix die cut star and buttons from stash!

So do have a look at the fantastic inspiration from the DT - and join in with your own 3,2,1! 

Back soon,

Kim x 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:-

LOTV Challenge - Boy oh Boy

Charisma Cardz - no digis allowed

Paper Shelter Challenge - anything goes

Creative Craft Challenge - just checking

Inky Chicks - blue & brown

Spring Colours!

Good morning all and whatever your weather - the good news is 'It's Friday'!  It seems to have been a busy week this week and I'm hoping that we don't have too busy a weekend!  There'll no doubt be the usual taxi/catering/PR services required (along with housekeeping!) but I'm hoping I can get a bit of crafting time too!
And as it's Friday it's time for a new challenge over at Polkadoodles and this week the challenge is a great one for everyone - 'Spring Colours'! Nice and easy - so do have a look at the great inspiration from the DT and then join in!
For my 'Spring Colours' creation I've made what I call a 'Criss Cross Gift Card' using the Polkadoodles 'Cherryblossom Lane' cd available HERE - and there are some gorgeous images and papers on the cd suitable for all projects and occasions!

And over at Polkadoodles we've started doing some tutorials as to how to make different projects that will help give us all a little inspiration, especially when Mr Mojo goes walkabout!  This week I've done a tutorial on how to make this gift card.  Now, this is my first attempt at a tutorial so please be gentle with me - and I would love to get your feedback on whether it's ok and particularly if it makes sense lol! 

The tutorial is below! 

**************************************

This is a little tutorial on what I’ve made for this week’s challenge and what  I describe as a ‘CrissCross Gift Card’ !  And there are quite a lot of pics so please bear with me!  The papers and topper I’ve used are from the Cherryblossom Lane cd – with some added wording on the topper.

I’ve started with :-

2 x 6” square card blanks 

or  2 x A4 sheets of card, cut to 148mm x 295mm and scored & folded in half

2 (or more) sheets of design paper

A topper of choice

Ribbon or twine, embellishments, etc.

Cut the fronts of the two card blanks at a diagonal and keep the offcut pieces.

Trim a 2cm wide strip from the long edge of the offcut triangle pieces.

Cut and stick the design papers to fit the two front triangles on the card, the inside square of one of the cards and the two smaller triangle pieces

  

Edge the triangle edges with border punches, edge dies or lace, etc.  Then glue the two base cards together so the front flaps overlap.  The smaller triangles are then glued on the inner card along two sides (probably easier to use double sided tape to do this – not sure it shows up too well on the photo!)

I’ve mounted the topper onto some coloured card, then used a length of sheer ribbon that wraps around the card with plenty of length to tie a bow.

And this is the finished card with some buttons added for embellishments!   The inner triangles form a pocket that could take a voucher or gift card – as this is a ‘garden’ themed card I’ve added a packet of flower seeds!  But it would be great with different papers and topper and a gift card added for a teenager, or Christmas papers with vouchers inside!  A nicer way of giving a little gift!

   

Hope you liked the tutorial! 

Back soon,

Kim x 

You've got a friend!

Good morning and I hope that your week is going well.  Just thought that it's been a while since I added any cross stitch to my little corner of Blogland so am sharing a pic of a little coaster that I made with a cute design on!

I quite like making these small items (quick to finish lol!) and good for using up odds and ends of fabric and threads!  I've added an extra page to my blog with pics of other finished cross stitch pieces and other crafty bits.  I have a number of 'UFO's' (unfinished objects!) that I really must try and get completed - but am knitting a cardigan for my daughter Lauren at the moment (when I'm not playing with paper and pens).  I'll add more pics to the needlework page as I come across them! 

I'll be back tomorrow with a couple of DT makes - and my first tutorial (scared person here!) so please be gentle with me!  

Kim x 

Butterfly Kisses!

Good morning all and I hope that your day is looking brighter than it is here - drizzly rain at the moment - ugh!  Just wanted to share a card with one of the new digital stamp releases from Whimsy Stamps before I start doing all the jobs that seem to magically appear on the days I'm not at work!

This is Butterfly Flourish from Chrissy's Digis
 

I've coloured the image with promarkers and added some crystal glitter on some of those wonderful swirls. I then used some craft wire and little beads on the antennae. The backing paper is from Whimsy digital papers collection - Michele R Designs 'Flight of the Butterflies' - and I've used a little distress ink on the edges. I love the soft vintage feel to these papers!  The sentiment stamp is also from Whimsy.

I've added some pearl 'drops' on the butterfly body, some pearls from stash and some sheer ribbon from Joanna Sheen. I seem to be going through a 'blue/teal/turquoise' phase at the moment lol! 

Hope you like the butterfly - and don't forget to have a look at the gorgeous new releases from Whimsy! 

Back soon, 

Kim x 

Lots of flowers

Hello all and just a quick post from me this evening (thank goodnes I hear!).  Thank you for all your good wishes about Tilly the Dog - who is now feeling much better! And thank you so much for all your lovely comments too!
My daughter's boyfriend wanted a card for his grandma and I didn't get much notice! But as he's in the middle of his finals at Uni I'll let him off for not remembering until the day before he needed to post it lol!  But we decided she wouldn't particularly want a 'cute' image and then, as if by magic, the postman delivered a cardmaking magazine and there was a great little kit as a freebie from Hunkydory!  Just the thing!  So a quick card was put together and we're just hoping that grandma likes it!

I've added some mirri board, ribbons, butterfly embellie and some gems

Something different for me - a confirmed stamper and colourer (is that a real word?!) - but I thought it made quite a nice quick card! 

I'll be back soon,

Kim x 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:-

Love to create - flowers

Craft-DeeBowz - handmade bow

CardMania - flower power

April (No, I know it's May now...!)

Good morning all in Blogland and I hope that your weekend has been going well? It's a peaceful Sunday morning here - daughter has gone off to work on her weekend job and son stayed at a friend's last night, so hubby and I are having a (rare) quiet morning with tea and newspapers! How civilised lol!  Tilly the Dog has been a bit poorly this weekend - but as I've tried to explain numerous times to her, drinking dirty water from the pond and hoovering up any scraps (and bird food in the garden) is not a good combination and is bound to lead to tummy upsets.  So, as I do whenever she's had a poorly tum, she's been on a chicken and rice diet for a day or so.  I think she does it on purpose now as I'm quite sure that she'd like to stay on a chicken and rice diet for quite a while..... Hmmmm!  She's a lot bouncier now than she was 24 hours ago but whenever I mention going back on the doggy biscuits she assumes the "Woe is me" expression. She'd be an Oscar-winning performer, and definitely has a touch of the Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond about her!  (Sorry, for younger readers you might need to Google that one!).

Right, apologies (yet again) for all the waffle! I really must stop wittering on!  The card I'd like to share with you today I made with one of the more recent releases from Mo Manning called 'April' and she is just the cutest!

I'm definitely not a CAS sort of gal! 

I've coloured the image with a mix of copics, promarkers and flexmarkers

The gorgeous backing paper is MyMindsEye Miss Caroline range and I just love the combination of colours, peachy pinks, yellows, greens, teal, etc.! 

I've mounted the stamp onto a Spellbinders floral oval. The peach ribbon is from stash and the rich teal coloured ribbon is from CardCraftUK. The gorgeous watering can charm and peachy Prima flowers were from some fabulous blog candy goodies I was lucky to win from Eileen. I've added a button from stash. 

And decorated the inside to match! 

Hope you like it. 

And I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend. 

Back soon, 

Kim x 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:-

Papertake Weekly - anything goes

Colour Me Creative - anything goes

MyTimeToCraft - show us the inside

Our Creative Corner - anything goes

SugarCreekHollow - spring flowers

Jellypark Challenges - Girly Girl

StampinfortheWeekend - button it up

Divas by Design - anything goes