Clean & Simple!

Good morning and the week seems to have passed in a flash once more! I can't believe that it's Christmas in just over 5 weeks - how scary is that???
Anyway, as it's Friday it's time for a new challenge at Totally Papercrafts.  And this week was definitely a challenge for me!  Our Lovely Lisa has chosen the challenge 'CAS - Black & White'.  Now I browse around lots of blog out there in Blogland and some people do fantastic CAS cards, but when I try it mine always look unfinished!  But, I thought I'd be brave and have a go...

I think I managed the Black & White - but the CAS is probably a bit dodgy.... I don't think my crafting brain is geared to a clean and simple layout. 

Anyway, I've used a tree stamp and sentiment both from Chocolate Baroque, with some added pearls and gems on the tree. These are matted onto silver mirri card, with some b&w gingham ribbon (from Joanna Sheen).  The die cut flower was made with a Sizzix die. 

So after all the huffing and puffing while I tried to decide what to do, I was quite pleased with it when I'd finished, although it's perhaps a bit on the simple side! 

So I do hope that you'll join in with us this week at Totally Papercrafts.  I'd love to get some more CAS inspiration from everyone! 

We're sponsored this week by 

I'll be back soon, 

Kim x 

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

Crafts and Me - non-traditional Christmas colours

PennysPaperCrafty - anything goes

CraftySentiments - christmas

Oops!

Good morning and hope that your weekend is going well! It's a bright & crisp morning here (for 'crisp' you can translate 'down right freezing'!). There was a good layer of ice on the car this morning as I gave my daughter a lift to work - bbrrrr! But at least the sun is shining and I can cope with the cold a lot better when it's bright - so much better than grey clouds and rain.

Today's card features a gorgeous little cutie stamp from LOTV (do they make any other sort of stamp...?) called 'Ooops'

Oh I recognise that expression so well! 

Any of you that have children will, I am sure, have experienced those "It wasn't me!" moments - or was that just mine..? And I have to say, without fear of discrimination here, that we had (and possibly still have!) more of those moments with my youngest son than the girls.  I remember many incidents so well...., the blocked sink (due to cotton ear buds being put down the plug hole), the mysterious stains that appear on soft furnishings that seem to uncannily match whatever food or drink has just been consumed in the vicinity, coming in to find Tilly the Dog dressed in football shirts, etc. One abiding memory is of finding scratches on a highly polished table that I'd inherited from my late mum when I began to polish it one day. When confronted my son gave the usual "It wasn't me" response - which would have perhaps have carried a little more weight had he not actually scratched his own name into the varnish.... Sigh. Perhaps that's why I love the LOTV and Mo images of little boys! 

I've coloured this little rogue with promarkers and pencils.  The backing papers are from First Edition 'Birdsong' with some added stitching and all edges distressed with 'Antique Linen'.  Then I've added bakers twine and a button.  The ticket was made with a Whimsy die and then letters added with Sizzix rub-ons. 

And the sentiment is printed from the computer

and with a little pocket inside! If it wasn't for reviving cups of tea I would have given up long ago! 

Anyway, apologies once more for the waffling post! And thank you for sticking with me! 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend - and hope the sun is shining wherever you are!

Back soon, Kim x 

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

CraftyMess - anything goes

Craft Your Passion - hip to be square

2SistersChallenge - anything goes

Divas by Design - anything goes

Nativity Time!

Good morning all and hope that you've managed to stay reasonably dry? After my efforts in the garden at the weekend, I now look out and it's like looking over a flood plain! The problem is that our house (&garden) lies in a 'dip' so water all runs down to us - so my little pond is now a considerably bigger pond than it was a few days ago! And all my baby frogs will be finding themselves in flower beds and looking confused! Sigh.

Can I just say a big thank you for all your supportive comments about my card for the Joanna Sheen DT challenge. I'm not too confident as the standard of the final group is incredibly high with some stunning work, but I'm just very pleased to have got through to this stage. We'll just wait and see.

On to today's card. I'm hoping this scheduled post works ok as I know blogger has been playing up a little bit lately - but I'm at work an extra day this week and this was the best way to fit a post in! I've made another Christmas card - using another LOTV stamp! This one is called 'Mary and Joseph'

Now this particular image brought back lots of happy memories of watching the children taking part in various nativity plays at playgroups and primary school - and always so sweet! We had some giggles remembering some of the performances, but one that springs to mind was Jack taking part in one at playgroup when he was 4 years old. As his birthday is September, he was always one of the oldest children taking part in these things, and proudly announced to us that he had been given a role in the Nativity play - "I'm playing the Angel Gabriel - and that means I'm in charge"! Just about sums him up really.....lol!

I coloured the image with promarkers. The papers are from First Edition and GCD. I've added Marianne die cut poinsettias and a Sizzlits snowflake die cut - and there is a lot of Stickles added to various things! The sentiment is from LOTV - love these grungy Christmas ones! And I've added a star brad and some pearls and ribbon from stash. 

Hope you like this cute little card! 

Back soon, Kim x 

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

CraftRoom Challenge - childhood memories

PartyTimeTuesdays - anything goes

Love to Create - anything goes

TheCraftyPad - inspired by a song (Mary's BoyChild !)

CraftyHazelNutsChristmasChallenge - nativity

BearlyMineChallenges - add a sentiment