Flowers for you

Good morning all in Blogland and hope that your weekend has been going well. It's a frosty but sunny morning here in north west UK - much nicer than grey & wet! I don't mind the cold as the trade off is we get the sunshine too! I'm sure my husband is grimacing somewhere as he probably knows that if it's a sunny Sunday morning that means there are more jobs somewhere in the garden to tackle. We haven't got a big garden but there always seems to be some things that need doing. It's not really his favourite occupation - unless he's chopping something down or starting a bonfire! - but I feel the need to get it tidied up before winter. As I do point out to him, one of his working departments at home is 'Parks & Gardens' (along with 'Taxi Driver', 'DIY Call Out', 'Computer/Internet Specialist', etc....). As I'm kind (!) I'll don my wellies first and make a start - then remove him from his Sunday papers and he can come out and help with the heavy duty bits! After housing the usual band of teenagers yesterday afternoon and for tea, it's quite nice to spend some time pottering outside - teenagers don't 'do' gardens (well, mine don't) so I'm usually permitted some peace out there.

Anyway, enough waffling from me! On to today's card. I've used a stamp I bought a while ago from Joanna Sheen - 'Basket of Flowers'

I coloured the image with promarkers and then added some Glossy Accents to the flowers - but with my photo skills this doesn't really show up!

I decided to make this into a 6" square gatefold card for a change. The backing papers are from First Edition 'Birdsong' with some coredinations card for matting and accents. 

I've edged the opening sides with lace, and added a sheen ribbon tied bow to the side. The corners are from a Spellbinders die using 'Persian Accents' and the leaves are using a Marianne die. The flowers are from WOC and CardCraftUK.  At the back of the card I've added a Marianne die cut heart (to hold the ribbon in place!)

I thought I'd share this one with you today as it features stargazer lilies on the stamp which were one of my mum's favourite flowers. Today marks 10 years since she passed away, and we made sure there were stargazer lilies at her funeral. She loved all flowers and this sort of card would have been perfect for her. 

I can't believe 10 years has passed so quickly - and I still want to ring her up or pop round, particularly when the kids have done something clever/funny/annoying! Well, that's what mums are for isn't it? 

So, I'm not ending on a mournful note. She hated people to be miserable! So we're all smiling today as we remember her! Make sure you smile for someone today.

And can I just say a big thank you for all the lovely comments you've been leaving - they mean so much! 

Sorry for the long and waffling post (although nothing new there!). 

Back soon, Kim x 

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

Joanna Sheen Challenge Blog - Down in the garden

Delicious Doodles - flowers

StampinfortheWeekend - feeling floral

PaperPretties - flowers

JellyparkChallenges - pink it up

ArtImpressionsChallenge - pink

No Squares!

Yes, it's me back again! Friday also means a new challenge over at Totally Papercrafts. Thank you to everyone who entered my challenge there last week for pastel colours - nice to know they're popular with lots of other people too!
This week the lovely Susan set the challenge of 'shaped cards' - i.e. no squares. Now this was definitely a challenge for me as 99% of my cards are square! Oh dear.  So I decided I'd go for something completely different - and made a hanging decoration instead!

And I must admit that I really enjoyed making something a bit different!  So I used two of my favourites of the new LOTV stamps - 'My Little Tree' and 'Christmas Star' - and one of the grungy sentiments. (Although when I showed this proudly to my hubby and said it was for a 'no squares' challenge he helpfully pointed out that the sentiment was a square... I won't repeat my response...! Sometimes you wonder why you bother!)

I've coloured the images with promarkers and pencils, added plenty of stickles and then added pearl pen 'snow'.  I've added gingham ribbon from stash and then a few roses from WOC - a few red ones and then a couple of ivory roses sprayed with Cosmic Shimmer spray.  I think it makes quite a nice hanging decoration - and nice to display some of the cute images! 

Hope you like it. So do pop over to Totally Papercrafts and get some 'no squares' inspiration from the fab DT!

Back soon, Kim x 

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

JustKeepOnCreating - christmas

SimonSaysStampChallenge - glimmer/sparkle

Createdwithlove - christmas

TuesdayAlchemy - anything but a card or tag

PapertakeWeekly - anything goes

HollyJollyChristmas - glitter/bling

Fab'n'Funky - no patterned paper

Autumn Golds!

Good morning and hope that your Friday is starting well.  I'm hoping that today proves a bit better than yesterday, as I started with a humdinger of a migraine at 5am which carried on more or less all day. What a waste of a day feeling so c**p! Sigh.

Anyway, no whingeing today, and as long as I can get away without one of my more or less constant headaches then it'll be a good day!
And as it's Friday, it's time for a new challenge over at CraftyCatz.  There were some fantastic entries for the lace and bows challenge last week - and congratulations to the winner. It's always such a pleasure to browse around people's blogs and see the variety of crafting creations.
The challenge this week, chosen by our lovely Janette, is 'Autumn' - so a nice easy one for you! Our sponsor this week is


and I've used a StampFairy image for my card.

But considering our 'autumn' up to now perhaps it should just feature rain & water lol! But I loved this cute simple image, and her little teddy! 

I've coloured the image with promarkers. The backing papers are from American crafts and a freebie spotty one. The ribbon and button are from stash and the mulberry flower from WOC. I enjoyed making the leaves, with white paper coloured with a Big'n'Juicy pad 'spice' to get the shades of colours, then cut with Spellbinders 'Fall Foliage' dies. 

Hope you like it! 

So do pop over to the CraftyCatz challenge blog and have a look at the great things produced by the DT - and by our new DT members! 

Back soon, Kim x 

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

CraftyCreations - colours of Fall

ILovePromarkers - autumn colours

SassyCherylsChallenge - lets think about Fall

Pinspirational Challenge - photo inspiration

Without the rain...

Good afternoon all and hope that your week is going well. My household seems to be chugging along in it's usual fashion, although we're all getting a bit fed up of this rain we're getting!  Tilly the Dog is definitely not keen - and to top it all we had a few flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder last night which she REALLY doesn't like! I sloshed down the garden this morning in my wellies to feed the birds and even they all looked at bit bedraggled & depressed! Sigh. The sun has come out at the moment but I keep seeing big black clouds looming over us and then another downpour. It's really not doing much to help my mood at the moment so feeling rather grey inside too....

So, with the rain in mind, I thought I'd share this little card with you

This is a digi from Sassy Cheryl - 'Charlie's green umbrella' - although my Charlie has a more aqua coloured one lol! 

I've coloured the image with promarkers and picked a different colour combo for this one - aqua and peach - and think it works quite well.  The swirl and flowers are from Marianne dies with added pearls and the sentiment was just printed on the computer! The gorgeous papers are from a First Edition pad called Summer Breeze that accidentally fell into my basket when I last visited my local craft shop CardCraft UK! Sometimes it's a curse and a blessing to have a craft shop nearby!

So quite a simple card from me today, but hope you like it.

Back soon, Kim

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

TheCrazyChallenge - handmade flowers

CardManiaChallenges - handmade flowers

Through theCraftRoom Door - anything goes

A&T EmeraldFairies - flowers

A Christmas Tilda - and a cute baby!

Good morning all and hope that you're managing to face Monday with a smile! The weekend always passes too quickly, but thankfully I have the house to myself for a while today so chance to catch up on a few jobs - and then hopefully do some crafting! Not sure I can survive the rest of the week if I don't get a quick fix of crafting - oh, the torment of being a craftaholic lol!
Just a quick card to share with you today. I bought this stamp ages ago and it is a Christmas Tilda - 'Tilda with ribbon' - but whenever I've used it it's not been for a Christmas card! So this is it's first outing actually on a Christmas one lol!

I've coloured her with promarkers and pencils.  The backing papers are from Dovecraft 'Vintage Christmas' and the ribbon and lace are from Cart-Us. 

I've added a LOTV 'grungy sentiment' - just love these! - and a Marianne die cut swirl and poinsettia. 

I know, it's another red & green Christmas card! - but I do quite like these muted shades. I promise to do better next time and make a few Christmas cards that feature other colours! 

I'm entering this card into:-

Amusing Challenges - anything goes

Dynamic Duos - colour challenges

Fat Pages & Cards with Attitude - anything goes

As I mentioned in my post yesterday I was off to visit an old friend (although she'll thump me for calling her old! - I mean old as in terms of we've been friends for a long time!). I was staying with her when she went into hospital to have her daughter 24 years ago - and now her daughter has had a baby girl Grace. So I went to Manchester yesterday to meet baby Grace and have a cuddle! 

now isn't she cute? Grace is 10 weeks old now and just gorgeous. There were problems when she was born and she's had to undergo scans and all sorts, and still has more to face, but we're all praying and hoping that she's fine. And yesterday she was just perfect!  I took a few baby knits with me for her

and thankfully they fitted! Just thought I'd share such a cute little face with you to cheer a grey Monday! 

Hope your day goes well, 

Back soon, Kim x 

Just relaxin'

Good morning all in Blogland and I do hope that your Sunday looks a bit brighter than it is here! Grey skies and rain really don't inspire much 'get up and go'!  I hope that your weekend is going well. I'm planning to head off to Manchester (about an hour's drive away) later this morning to see one of my oldest friends and meet her new granddaughter. Ooh babies! I love babies. Although having been there and done that a couple of times (and got the t-shirt smelling of regurgitated baby milk!) I really wouldn't want another one - although that would be a minor miracle at my age lol! I've got my little bag ready of goodies I've made for baby Grace - two bonnets, a cardigan and a baby blanket. I do enjoy crochet and knitting but particularly like making baby things - probably because they're quick to finish lol!

So before I escape from husband, teenagers and dog for a few hours, I thought I'd share a quick card with you today that I made with a lovely stamp from LOTV - 'Lazy Afternoon'

Now that's what I call the ideal way to pass a few hours!  Given a choice (!) I like to spend a little time with the Sunday papers at some point in the day, maybe tackle the crossword just to check if my brain is still working (not always a certainty) and possibly have a little snooze as well (a very rare occurrence, only if everyone else has cleared off for the afternoon and Tilly the Dog decides to leave me in peace). Sigh.

I've coloured this cute little chap with promarkers. The gorgeous leafy backing paper is from the LOTV Nitwit paper pads, with an embossed panel of coredinations card lightly sanded back. I've added a little ribbon, some hessian and a few buttons from my stash. The sentiment is also from LOTV. 

So a fairly simply card - but a long waffling post as usual! Sorry! 

Do enjoy the rest of your weekend. I must remember to take a pic of the baby knits before I head off - just hoping its not driving rain on the motorway as I'm definitely a wuss at driving in heavy rain!

Back soon, Kim x 

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

ATCs & Cards with Attitude - anything goes

Charisma Cardz - for the guys

I Love Promarkers - male

Patties Creations - anything goes

Crazy4challenges - leaves

Lavender Lace

Good morning - yes I'm back again!  As it's Friday it's also time for a new challenge over at CraftyCatz - and it's our lovely Sassy who has picked this week's challenge which is 'Lace & Bows'.  So that was a bit of a challenge for me - NOT! As a self-confessed ribbon & lace addict, I was pretty sure I could find something to use....

The DT have made some fabulous creations for inspiration so do pop over to the CraftyCatz challenge blog and have a look - and then join in!

My contribution for this one is

I've used this sweet image of Bella and Bronte from Mos Digital Pencil - aren't they so sweet! 

I've coloured the image with promarkers and pencils. The backing papers are from LOTV Nitwit pads, with some stitching around all the edges. I've added some purple ribbon and lace from my stash and some sheer ribbon from Joanna Sheen. I've added a Marianne die cut swirl and some gem 'flowers' from my stash. The pin is a self-made one using some beads from my never-ending box of 'bits and bobs'! 

And as I couldn't think what sentiment to add, it hasn't got one on - yet! 

I hope that you like it.

Back soon, Kim x 

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

MosDigitalChallenge - ribbons & bows

CraftyCardmakers - lace & stitching

Inky Impressions - animals

Whimsy Inspirations - anything goes

Creative Card Crew - purple

Crafty Bloggers Network - purple