Snowflakes, Stars & Sentiment

I'm back again with a new Friday challenge over at CraftyCatz!  We had some great entries last week - so pleased that Mr Random chooses a winner!  This week our lovely Dianne has chosen the challenge of
"Snowflakes, Stars and Sentiment" - so we want to see all three of those elements on your creation!

I've used one of the gorgeously cute new digi stamps from Whimsy on my card today, from Chrissy's Digis called 'Star of Bethlehem'.  I've coloured the image with soft pastel colours of promarkers with a chalked 'sky' and some Stickles on the star!

The snowflake backing paper is from LOTV. I've added some hessian mesh, some pretty lace, a sheer ribbon bow and a wooden star button from Crafty Emblies. 

The sentiment is from Chocolate Baroque - distressed around the edges. 

I think it has quite a 'gentle' feel to it - if that makes sense lol! 

Hope you like it! 

So get in the festive mood with the snowflakes and stars and join us at CraftyCatz!

Back soon, Kim x 

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

CraftyBloggersNetwork - Christmas anything goes

LadyBugCrafts - snowflakes

ThePaperGirls - christmas

TheCraftyPad - christmas

CraftyCreationsChallenges - Christmas is coming

All Stitched Up!

Good morning all - can't believe that it's Friday again already! Mind you, it has seemed a very long week at times.... We've had the builders in all week as our bathroom is having a very long-overdue makeover and has been stripped back to bare brickwork!  Yesterday I thought they were taking part in a Guinness World Record challenge of 'how many builders can you fit in a bathroom' - with a plumber, joiner and two plasterers! Sigh.  And it's a very long day when you have no loo! I just keep thinking "It'll all be worth it"!

Anyway, as it's Friday it's time for a new challenge over at Totally Papercrafts.  And can I just say a big warm welcome to our new DT members at TPC! This week our lovely Susan has challenged us to get 'Stitched Up' - so we want to see some stitching (either real or faux) on your card.

We're sponsored this week by A Day for Daisies, and I've used one of their images 'Mum Girl' 

I've coloured her with promarkers.  The backing papers are from First Edition 'Summer Breeze' - with added stitching of course! 

The flowers are from Wild Orchid, with Poppystamps 'meadow leaf' die cuts. The corners are from Spellbinders 'Persian Motifs' with added pearls. 

Hope you like it! 

So do join in with us at Totally Papercrafts this week! 

Back soon, Kim x 

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

Anything Goes Challenge - stitching

Craft Room Challenge - punches & die cuts

IncyWincyDesigns - square cards

CuteCardThursday - girls only

Divas by Design - 2 or more patterned papers

Merry Christmas Cross Stitch!

Good morning all and hope your week has started well? The weather here is pretty dreadful with wind and rain - I much prefer cold crisp mornings, frost and sunshine!  Our builders are in doing our bathroom - with lots of banging, drilling and thudding going on. I keep repeating the mantra "It'll all be worth it" - but I wish I could fast forward things a bit! It does make you realise how much we take things like constant running water and a flushing toilet for granted!  Tilly the Dog has been great, she loves having visitors in and tries to help (whether they want her or not!) so my main challenge is to keep her out of the way. Poppy the Grumpy Cat however, spent most of the day yesterday grumbling and in a sulk under our bed. Oh dear.

Anyway, just thought I'd share a bit more festive cross stitching with you today. Over the past couple of years I've made quite a few (well, a lot really lol!) of these little padded hangers, many of which we have up at home at Christmas and quite a few have been given to family and friends. Although I enjoy a big project, it is very rewarding to make these smaller items as they are quickly finished!

This is roughly about 4" square, stitched on 14 count aida. I've added some sparkly thread in with the red embroidery threads for the lettering and some red beads for the holly berries

So they're quite quick and easy to do, but do look cute especially either hanging from the tree or hanging round the fireplace (which ours are!). 

Hope you like it. Well, I'd better go and get the kettle on again for the builders! 

Back soon, 

Kim x 

I'm entering this cross stitch in the following challenges:-

Inspire me Fridays - anything goes

Little Miss Muffet Challenges - textiles

Pin and Tack Blog - spark your creativity anything goes

Time for apple pie

Good morning all in Blogland and hope that your weekend has been going well. It's a quiet Sunday morning here - at the moment. It probably won't last long though! My daughter has headed off to work (she does a weekend/holiday job whilst she's at uni) and my son and his friend (who stayed over - we call him our 'other son' as he seems to semi-live at our house) haven't emerged from the pit yet. As 14 year olds with a new X-Box game they were pretty occupied last night - until the Big Bad Bear (i.e. me!) said they'd got to turn things off and get to bed! Spoilsport!  But my hubby and I will probably be clearing stuff out today - we've got builders coming in tomorrow to do some long-overdue work on our bathroom and much as I'm looking forward to it being done I'm dreading the mess and upheaval. However, Tilly the Dog will enjoy having workmen here - there's always the chance of some extra fuss and attention and she's always willing to sit and share their lunches with them if given the opportunity! Poppy the Grumpy Cat hates workmen though and will probably spend most of the next week or so grumbling and growling. I've got visions of her heading off down the road with her belongings tied in a knotted handkerchief....!

Anyway, on to today's card. I thought I'd share with you the card I made for my eldest step-daughter Charlotte's birthday that was last week

I used a Sarah Kay stamp 'Time for Apple Pie' and coloured her with promarkers and pencils

And for once I was quite pleased with my colouring (I'm usually my own worst critic!).  The backing papers are from Teresa Collins and First Edition, with coredinations card for matting & layering. I've used a Spellbinders floral oval die, with some added stitching and lace.  The little wooden embellishment is from CraftyEmblies, and the heart die is a Marianne one.

The scrummy flowers are from Wild Orchid of course

and the inside was decorated to match

I was quite pleased with the red and beige colours together, I think they worked ok. 

I hope you like it! 

Well, I'd better set off with a very big rubbish bag to start clearing out - it's amazing how much clutter one family can accumulate! 

Back soon, Kim x 

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

Divas by Design - anything goes

Creative Belli - fruit (apples)

PennysPaperCrafty - anything goes

Craft Punked - anything goes

Jellypark Challenges - I'm hungry (food or drink)

Papercrafting Journey - anything goes

Cards by Lady Anne challenge - anything goes

Let's see some sparkle!

Hello and I'm back again as it's time for a new challenge over at CraftyCatz!  And this week the challenge is a nice easy one for this time of year - 'Let's see some sparkle'!
We're sponsored this week by

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

I've coloured the image with promarkers and then added LOTS of Stickles...

I just wish all the glittery bits would show up better on my pics!  I've also added some pearl drops for the snow. 

The glittery green backing paper is from K&Co with some spotty ribbon from Joanna Sheen.  The die cut Christmas trees came from my stash and I've had them so long I've forgotten where I got them!  The cute little silver snowman was 'robbed' from some Christmas decorations.  I've noticed us crafters can never look at things properly - we always look at them and starting calculating how we could use them in our crafting....

So I do hope you'll get carried away with the glitter and join us for some sparkle at CraftyCatz.

Back soon, Kim x 

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

Tuesday Alchemy - anything goes

MyMumsCraftShop - winter wonderland

ThereSheGoes - let it snow

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

Birdhouses!

Hello to all in Blogland and just a quick post from me today (thank goodness I hear the cry!).  It's one of those days where there seems to be a stack of jobs in front of me - and only limited time (and limited inclination!) to do them. Sigh.
I decided to make a 'criss cross' card today - not sure what the proper name for them is but that's what I call them!

Apologies for the rather gloomy photo - not sure whether to blame the pretty dismal daylight we've got at the moment, my camera (or rather, my son's camera!) or the rubbish photographer....

I've used a Little Claire design stamp 'Birdhouse Garland' and coloured it with promarkers. 

The backing papers are coredinations card and Teresa Collins dp.  I used a Tonic punch for the border edges and some sheer ribbon from Joanna Sheen as a 'tie' 

Then inside I've used a Spellbinders die and Marianne dies for the bird and birdhouse. 

I've kept to quite autumnal colours - but perhaps with the grey skies I should have gone for bright vivid colours lol! 

Anyway, I'll head off and attempt to get on with jobs. I'll try to get around everyone's blogs over the next day or so - life seems to have taken over a bit at the moment as it sometimes does. 

But a very big thank you for all the lovely comments that you leave on my little crafting creations! Without that sort of encouragement I don't think I'd have as much enthusiasm for doing the crafting! 

Back soon, Kim x 

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

Craft Room challenges - dies/punches

Tuesday Alchemy - anything goes

CraftyCardmakers - more than one punch/die

Love to Create - fancy edges

Paper Playtime - autumn colours

The Crazy Challenge - decorate the inside