Hanglar Stanglar Traditional Crimbo

This card took several weeks to complete, my time management skills at the moment are all out of sync.  I have made this to add to the cllection for sale in aid of Macmillian.

Mixture of papers used most I believe are from DCWV.  The ribbon is floristry ribbon and was laying around the craft room shouting to be used.  Thee hanglar stanglar image was coloured using ice and cool grey promarkers with just a hint of oink for her cheeks.  I love the contrast of greys vs the reds.

Inside view of card of which I repeated the sketch to compliment thr front of the card.

hugs

Kerry x <3 L

Christmas beginnings...

Just started on my first set of Christmas cards for 2012.  This year I  am creating cards for work and donating 25p from each card or card pack to one of my colleagues charities Macmillan, specialising in help, assistance and nurses for Cancer diagnosis within the UK.

 

This lovely Whiff of Joy image was coloured using Promarkers and carefully cut out.  Papers used were DCWV Rose tinted Christmas and Marianne's Scandanavian Christmas.  The card was then embellished with snowflake die cuts, icicle and pink stickles.

The pinks and contrasting bluesare a different take on the traditional Christmas colours, but still a nice wintery festive card.

More to upload

Kerry x

Long time too long

Glad to back after so long.  My college has finished and I graduated with high marks and flying colours.  Must admit I had lost my crafting mojo but I think sometimes we are all guilty of that.

Preparing for Christmas now and have prestamped  some hanglar stanglar and Nellie snellen images, although I have been asked by a colleague at work to custom make a birthday card for their grandson!  Which I am really excited about and has given me that kick up the backside and a new lease of creativity.

I shall update my progress for you accordingly to share and enjoy.

Laters

Kerry x

Campaign to save Ditchy and Salty radio careers

This is an announcement, Ditchy and Salty, 2 North West UK Sony Award Winning Radio Presenters were axed from their Award Winning Show by new Executives to Real Radio.  As part of this campaign we are lodging support for a new New Home for these most respected and popular gents to present Together once more.

If you have a twitter account please retweet #saveditchyandsalty #thenorthwest3
If you are on facebook please join Save Ditchy and Salty Page

Want to know who they are?  Ditchy and Salty can be found on youtube.com and Real Radio

Thank you

Merry Christmas Everyone!

It has soon come around and again we are in estive spirit, for those who may no longer be with us in body enjoy your party in the sky.

Merry Christmas Crafters!

Kerry

Whiff of Joy Blog Hop 30th Nov - 5th Dec.

Today is the first day of Whiff of Joy's Blog Hop, but that's not all from December 1st you have a chance to 'open the advent calendar' and win prizes too!  Pop over to Katharina's Blog HERE and have some fun!

Congratulations Mr & Mrs Penn!

Apologies my fellow bloggers, but it seems real life sometimes consumes you and does not really want to let go, but here I am for a few moments or too.

Firstly, I would like to congratulation two of my university buddies on finally tying the knot after 9 years together.  As they added, having the little Baby arrive kind of sped up things and here they are now Husband & Wife.  As with crafty tradition their gift from myself and my DH was hand crafted.

The papers are from my own stash.

Stamped Image is from LOTV and coloured with Distress Inks.

For added effect I used icicle stickles and some fun braid.

I also decorated the inside of the card to comliment the front.

With a few more 'events' in my diary I will be crafting a few more goodies too, so hold on.

My mug!

I have not long joined the Docrafts creativity club and as part of your welcome gift you get a mug.  Just so the dear husband didn't get any ideas, ith permnant marker I clearly stated that this mug was mine!

As you can see it's a bit messy too! 

Back to University.

I've decided to go back and study, like the first time around and £19,000 debt wasn't enough.  Nope I want out of this country and a career change too!  My first degree well everyone does Psychology and a Desmond two two was quite respectable despite the lack of studying, this time it's a first class or nothing.

The subject?  Environmental Science, was always good at science.  The Open University is great as it allows study part time while we all have to work full time just to stick Petrol in the car thats gets us to work, crazy ey! 

So i'll be a lot busier than at the moment, but I'll still try and find some time to relax by participating in blog challenges and stuff.

Best Fishes with Oliver's Orchard

Mr Citylink man came and collect the skis, they are now on their merry little way to Scotland, oh yes, that is part of my mum's eternal junk. Just a hockey stick to go now!

Now, the lovely people over at I<3 Promarkers  are giving us all free reign with 'Anything Goes'.  Mine goes a bit like this, after having my feet eaten by loads of tickling little fishies and nearly screaming the shopping centre down with laughter, it gave me a thought of inspiration.

'Best Fishes' on your birthday

Now this stamp is from Oliver's Orchard.  On a lovely warm summer's day fishing for tiddlers ready to put in your glass jar and take home.  I love the fact that the shoes are hanging in the tree.

The papers are from making memories, photo corners from We R memory keepers, felt ribbon from papermania, image was coloured using my trusted promarkers.  All backed onto a 5 x 5 kraft cardstock card.







Even the inside is decorated, just to finish it off.  It makes a change to make a boy themed card as really everything is almost cute and girly.

TOMIC: To Faux Stitch or not to Faux Stitch

It's great when your parents know how to buy on eBay but haven't got a clue when it comes to selling - in comes useful daughter!  Yes, that is how I have spent most of the morning, packaging and waiting.  Although I did obviously squeeze in some room for a card.

Down at The Official Magnolia Inspiration Challenge Blog , which is only 8 challenges old, it is stitch or Faux stitch which begs the Shakesperian question: To Faux stitch or not to Faux stitch?  I Faux stitched.

My stamp was chosen from the Raising the ceiling Collection, gave myself two colours Pink and Black, then got crafting.

Papers are from Dovecraft 'Funky Vintage', Coredinations and The Paper Mill Shop.  A square card was used in creating the easel shaped card.  Spellbinders large Classic squares & Large Scallop squares were used to frame Tilda.

                   

A dragonfly charm was added the the pink bow to compliment Tilda and well, it looks pretty.  Tilda was carefully coloured using Promarkers and you can see the light source was central.

The flowers were plain white, with a bit of distressing they become a lightly mottled grey and with the pink and white tea roses went well to accent the die cut swirls.  The base part of the card also has a swirl and flower with the sentiment 'best wishes', by keeping it simple, you are not drawn away from the main feature of the card.

Oh and some faux stitching around the edges too! 

Christmas in July.

I finally finished my large Lickle Ted cross stitch and it is now mounted in a lovely red 8x8 aperture card.  Carrying on the theme of Christmas in July is I <3 Promarkers challenge for this week, it also coincides with Wild Orchid crafts and LOTV new releases out on 25th July.

My bargin ebay purchase from the Lili of the Valley outlet store was used, 3 cute polar bears hiding in and around their igloo!  Out come the stickles He He!  I went all pastelly and girly for this one, papers are from Dovecraft and Papermania, sentiment stamp found in a bargin bucket and of course my trusted Promarkers.

I also matched the inside the card with the same decorated paper, added some faux gems and a snowflake embellishment to accent the card.

Looks like they are upto no good or playing hide and seek?  Stickles crystal and blue were used and it got quite messy!

Oh the weather outside if frightful............

LOTV: Pink N Blue

Ha ha!  Finally back on blogland.  My disappearence was down a) visiting the family b)big clearout of the loft aka the craft room c) a pile of washing.

Using my free gift, 20 Lili of the Valley Images, with my Papercraft Inspirations magazine I set upon this weeks LOTV Challenge , theme Pink & Blue, two very complimenting colours.  I had the idea of a type with an added dimension, so I made a window step card, inspired by a card made for Hunkydory.

My card started off life as a 5.5" x 5.5" square card, turn it around add a folded consatina and it stands sterdy.  The flowers are handmade by myself and have been inked using Distress ink pads.

I used Spellbinders Dahlia die for the aperture and acetate for the 'window'.  I love this image and with a bit of help from Bev Rochester and her Youtube tutorial I create a cloud background and a grassy foreground.

Here is a side view of the card, just to give you an idea of the depth and dimension.  The edges of the 'window' have been stickled twice, complimented with a small 'Happy Birthday' sentiment.

Adios Amigos Hasta Manana!

Day 8 in the Big Brother House.

Oh yes, that what it feels like!  Okay some of it was self inflicted (overtime) but I have just spent the last 7-8 days in work.  Went to a wedding do last night and now back in work.  Grr does it never end?

However, this week I'm just admiring the cards and challenges due to wait for it......another week load of shifts at work, but don't be despaired I am currently 3/4 way through my cross stitch Work In Progress of lickle Ted in a christmas suit.

Happy 12th Birthday to my Sister Kay too!

Daisy Chains & Butterflies.

You can tell I have been back at work, as I am falling behind on my personal goals to do at least a blog challenge a week.  I have finally finished and photographed my LOTV card from DT Donalda's Sketch over at Lili of the Valley, also going to include this one for the lovely people over at I <3 Promarkers .  In saying that I feel that this is my best card to date, even if it did take me three days to make!







I love the pastel colours and I am so surprised that everything went so well together.  The cardstock is Papermania Capsule and from my own stash.  I distressed the edges using the blade of my craft knife, sewn most edges and then stickled.

Lotv Daisy Chain stamp was used, how adorable is the bear?  Do you remember making daisy chains in the summer?  I do.

Promarkers used ; Bear - Sandstone, Ivory and Blender pen.  Girl - Cinnamon, sandstone, Vanilla, Cornflower, Pastel Blue, Primrose, Cobalt blue.  Grass - Forest Green & Pear Green.











The Velvet Butterfly compliments the cards overall atmosphere and is from Papermania's Henbury Lane Collection.  Happy Birthday Sentiment is from Pink Parfait by Forever Friends.





Now for my latest trial and error technique, I had some flourishes thstw ere die cut and had the outline left on the sheet so, I taped the sheet to my cardstock used my Zig glue pen and traced the flourish, lifted the outline and sprinkled extra fine blue glitter over.  That is ho I achieved the glitter swirls on my card.  Impressive!

The cream bobbly ribbon was 49p from the Works in my town and I have glued and half sewn this to my main element.  To be honest I feel well proud of this card.

Trying to catch up with the world of blogging now.  Adios Amigos!

LOTV & A SpoonFul of Sugar.

Good Morning and what a lovely wet & dismal day it is going to be!  Got a plumber sorting out a leaky sink at the moment, fingers crossed everyone.

Onto one of my favourite blog Challenges, A Spoonful of Sugar.  It's Ribbons and bows time, out come my Lili of the stamps again!  Wahoo!

LOTV Bunny Balloon & Birthday recipe stamp, simple colours that are bright and bold as well as happy!

Gorgeous little grey bunny!  Coloured using Promarkers ; Cool greys 1 -4, Poppy, Burgandy, Blender Pen, Rose Pink, Dusky Pink, Lilac. 

Crystal stickles for the icing on the cake!  A single red ribbon gives extra detail.

Lili of the Valley's Birthday Recipe Stamp, background is Shades of Orange Blending Box using a blender tool, embellished with two black gems.

I definitely enjoyed making this card as my practice sessions using the promarkers seem to be paying off,  especially the shading.

Right off to see what the plumber has done.  Tarra!

Yo Ho, A Pirates Life For Me!

First night back at work after a week off feels like Chinese water torture, however I made it through the night unscathed.

Definitely in a better mood today, so I thought I'd have an entry in Lili of the valley's Weekly Challenge, #101,   the theme : Bring on the music.   I love DT Donalda's example with one of LOTV newest releases of stamps, of which I may have been party to purchasing some on release day *looks all innocent*.

Talking of which I used one of the new Boy stamps *Pirate Bear* how cute is he?

Promarkers used ; Forest Green, Pear Green, Cornflower, China Blue, Cinnamon, Sandstone, Vanilla, Pastel Biege and Coral.  Background was distressed inked using Antique Linen and Tumbled Glass.

Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life for Me!

Yes, that is the song from Pirates of the Caribbean - Top Films.  I kept the card quite simple, added the words Yo Ho, Ahoy with Loopy Lou from Doodlebug Design and some hessian string.  Papers are from a selection from Dovecraft.

Can you tell I have been practising using Adobe Photo Elements?  Yes, I have been using online tutorials to take better pictures as well as editing and watermarks.  All the links are saved in my favourites - memory like a sieve!!

Anyway Keep Crafting Tarra!

Back to Normality with Just Magnolia.

It's been a crazy few weeks, with summer colds and my 30th Birthday.  Tonight I am back in work so I had time to make a little project for this weeks challenge over at Just Magnolia.   When I first glanced at the challenge I thought, what the hell is paper piercing?  Then a second look it actually said paper piecing * slaps hand against forehead *

With about an hour spare I thought I've not got the energy to make a card so I decidied upon an ATC-style project.  I was given some vouchers for my birthday and treated myself to an oriental Tilda wearing a geisha outfit, as I had bought a load of oriental papers back from Japan a few years ago.  I choose some cherry blossom paper for her outfit, brown for the edges and a rich red for her flowers all from The Far East Mat Stack from DCWV.

Here came the fun part, I first stamped Tilda onto 300gsm watercolour card as my base, colouring her face using promarkers and her hair using watercolours.  Then stamped on every sheet of patterned cardstock, then sought to cut very delicately around the edges.  The key to cutting is to allow the paper to move and NOT the scissors!!  A lesson well learnt!

 

Assembling Tilda was very much like decoupage but without the height of silicone glue or foam pads.

Promarkers used for Face & Skin : Ivory, Satin & Pastel Biege.

 

The background paper was part of a selection brought back from a Trip to Japan in 2008.

The DCWV Cardstock is textured and gives an extra dimension.

Until Next Time Tarra!

Summer Cold and Runny Noses

The second cruise was exciting and exhausting, pics to follow.

However, myself and my Dear Hubby have been battling against the good old common cold, sounding like dogs with frogs in our throats and we could both win the coughing for England contest.  With this I have not felt like crafting which gets me down a bit so instead I ordered the summer club stamp set from Magnolia and 3 new LOTV stamps to cheer me up!

Tarra for now

A May Magnolia.

Despite the rain yesterday, I still managed to be in the spring mood to create a card using my Magnolia stamp.  It's great when an idea floats into your head and you think, yep that colour and that colour with that piece of this and that, then you come to do it and you just can'r get it right or it's not how you have the image in your mind.  Well, that is what is happening to me at this moment in time.  Bring out the band for CONFUSED dot com.

However, pulling my brain together (somehow) I managed a simple-ish card.

 

Parenthis shaped card, covered in paper from my own stash.

Spellbinders Scalloped Ovals Large.

Colouring medium Promarkers:

Skin = Coral, Dusky Pink & Blush

Clothing = Duck Egg, Cool Aqua, Pastel Blue, Cinnamon & Sandstone.

Hair = Umber, Walnut, Shale, Sandstone & White Sakura Pen

Paper Tea rose flowers from Hobby craft, pink stickles to glitter egdes.

Two handmade tissue paper roses spritz with cosmic shimmer mica mist.

Liquid Pearls for around image.

This card I would like to enter into the Just Magnolia Challenge 105 Anything goes with optional real or faux stitching.