Before it's too late ....

I just thought I would post these photos of some Christmas trees that I snapped whilst on my little holiday to New York City at the beginning of December. I know the decorations have to be down by 6th January so that is another reason to post them today, the 4th.

Empire State Building foyer tree



Crowne Plaza Lobby tree (our hotel)

Rockerfeller Centre tree before ceremony

and after the ceremony (sorry it is a bit fuzzy - my camera skills are nil haha)


Random trees - don't know where from haha

Same with this Father Christmas (although he looks glum I rather like him)


This one you can EAT!!! yum yum

Ok that is all my holiday Christmas trees thanks for stopping by. See you soon.

- x -

Make a date ...

and that is exactly what I have done, 366 to be precise. :)

I didn't bother to buy inserts for my Filofax style diary this year I decided to make my own. Well I have reams of coloured paper and thought I had better start trying to shift it! I used Publisher and messed around with a table until I got something that I liked then I just copied onto both sides, cut in half and punched holes with my Cropodile and Bob's your Uncle! The only thing is I have to add the dates and the month to the first day but nevermind it will keep me out of mischief.

Flowery Fun

Wanted to show you a journal page I started ages ago (in the Summer!!) and was prompted by the lovely Kaz to finish it with one of her journal ideas over on the Bubbly Funk forum. Thanks Kaz for the nudge with the pokeystick haha.

I have used various shades of pink ink, both spray and pad kind, and then used all the flower stamps I own and added some chipboard shapes. I found out that felt can be cut with my Sizzix machine so cut some of those out too.

Lindsay I have practised my lettering again *blush* and will try to better it each time.

x Happy New Year to you all. x
Oh and did you see the spectacular firework display from the Thames last night? I thought it was superb and really put me in the mood for the Opening Ceremony on the 2012 Olympic Games.

:)

Journalled Christmas

I thought I would share with you today my 2011 Christmas journal page. These have been done in my SMASH Book so you don't have to create a background as they have patterned paper pages.

I have been practising my fancy lettering using this fantastic new book from Lindsay Ostrom which I bought as a Christmas present to myself tee hee. I have quite a few of Lindsay's books but couldn't get this one over here in the UK so bought directly from Lindsay and boy am I glad I did as she personalised the envelope in her wonderful style. :) Thanks Lindsay and yes I will "practise, practise, practise!".



Happy New Year to all you out in blogland, I hope you have a healthy and prosperous 2012.

Christmas Eve

Wishing all my blog readers
a wonderful Christmas &
a joyous New Year.
I hope to be blogging again
very soon after Christmas.

Smile .....

Here is a journal page that I finished yesterday night. The prompt came from Bubbly Funk forum from the very talented Kaz. The prompt was the quote, "Life is short ... so smile while you still have teeth!"


Must admit I still do this in old magazines now tee hee!

I Remember ...

Is the Gorjuss challenge and I have just made it under the wire! phew!

My journal page is inspired by The Cat In The Hat and I have designed my page to look like the front cover of the book using the same colour scheme. The red is a Copic pen and the turquoise is a Ranger Dabber that was applied with a brush as it has clogged up but being ever thrifty I eek the paint out with a paint brush! haha.


Do visit the Gorjuss blog and see what the Design Team have come up with and some other fantastic entries. New challenge up tomorrow.

Fantastic Felties

That is what the challenge is this week over on the Daring Cardmakers Blog and I have created these two birthday cards.

I cut the hearts using my Sizzix machine and some Sizzlet dies then I embroided with thread and used cross stitch, running stitch and French knots to decorate them. The papers are from Bella Road "Everbody Loves Christmas".

Do visit the DCM Blog for lots of inspirational ideas and why not join in yourself - you have until Friday until the next challenge is posed.

Colouring in

Well I recently succumbed to the temptation and bought some Copic Sketch Markers and today I had some time to play with them. Still a novice and learning how and what to colour in with them.

I now realise that I haven't got many colours that blend together so my palette is very limited. Oh dear I need to buy some more hahaha.

Here are my efforts from this afternoon.


I realise that I don't have any colours for hair, hence her rather pale brown hair. The shading didn't go right on the bottle of fizz but as I said this is my first real attempt.

Night-time Christmas

Here are three cards for Christmas I made last night. I think these sort of cards are called "scraplings" as they are the scraps cut off of bigger cards? I'm sure if I'm wrong someone will correct me - (please) :)


Again quick and simple designs using papers from Bella Road, "Everyone Loves Christmas" and bits and bobs lying around my desk and drawers. Need to have a good de-clutter I feel.

Thanks for stopping by and maybe even leaving a comment.

A Christmas Card

Today I want to show you the Christmas card I made for Kathy's Waffle Sketch 2 Circles 2 Go and as it happens also is the Daring Cardmakers Challenge this week! Double whammy!


I have used papers and stickers from Echo Park Paper Co "Everyone Loves Christmas by Bella Road" and just followed the sketch. Easy, very easy indeed.

Now visit both of those wonderful blogs and see what inspires you!

Spooktastic?

Well my kids don't think it is spooky enough! haha.

I have made this card for the Tando Spooktastic Challenge which finishes at the end of this month.

I've used a Tando house and fence that I inked and used Distress Ink on the hill and for the sky. The bats were hand drawn. As I recently purchased some Copic pens I thought I had better start to use them so tried to make a cobbled path effect with them. Then stamped lettering as I'm not sure whether Halloween is a "happy" time hence the question mark. haha.

I'm back

after a long blog absence ..... sorry Miss! ... I have something I have created to blog about.

I have made a card for the Totally Gorjuss Challenge 102 which this week is a Bingo board. You have to choose 3 elements from that board and use them on your project. I chose stars, buttons and pearls and made this card. Quite manly I thought and will come in useful later on in the month for my bil's birthday.
A very simple and quick card to make so I guess I will be making more in the future. Thanks for stopping by my blog and why not pop over to Totally Gorjuss and take a look at their challenges to.

By the Skin of my Teeth ...

... I've just got time before the next DCM Challenge comes out. Just! haha

This weeks' challenge was to feature a candle. I love making these candle cards they are so quick to make and use up lots of little pieces of lovely cardstock in my bits and pieces folder. So happy days all round.
So do pop over to the Daring Cardmakers blog and have a go at their challenges you won't be disappointed.

Two days in a row?

haha .... Well I sat at my craft desk with it's mountain of stuff on it and thought I had better use some of it up. The cards I made used up scraps of paper and odd sized cards I had left in my blank card box. I also found some sentiment chipboard that I thought I had better start to use. Very simple cards and can be used just as notelets.

Whilst sorting through my chipboard I came across this Tando swirl and thought I want to use this and with this grey/silver card blank I thought they worked well together. I inked the swirl with distress ink and added the blue gems. Then I found a chipboard sentiment to adhere to the corner.

I Used A Sketch

Hello you lovely lot. I've been away a little while getting back into the routine of school life :( and I also picked up a bug from somewhere so was feeling under the weather and not very creative.

However, last week I hopped over the Kathy's Waffle Sketch File and found inspiration to make this card.

I've used some new glitterised (think I might have made that word up tee hee) paper from SEI (I think) and some ribbon from my tangled box of ribbons to make this birthday card. I love the colours and hope the recipient is happy with the card.

Please do give Kathy's blog a look as there are some great ideas and a new sketch every month.

Gorgeous!

I bet that made you want to read on? haha

Well on Saturday a new Totally Gorjuss Challenge was set number 96 and I have made a card already! Yes don't faint, I've actually got in before the closing date.

This week the challenge was to use a sketch and there is a prize too for the lucky random winner so do please go along and have a go at this challenge.

Thanks for stopping bye my little blog. :)

Seeing Pink!

Happy Bank Holiday Monday to all those in England - true to form the weather is dull so I thought I would brighten up this blog with some pink!! Always a cheery colour I feel.

This first card is one of my newly acquired stamps and it is so easy to colour in - I've used Distress Ink pads and my water brush.


The second card is a pink Christmas card, another coloured with Distress Inks and the "wonder" brush. The ink splodge on this one was made using a stencil to spray through. Here is the stencil - ok it is waste from some Grungeboard but I think it looks pretty. Look out for this being used more in the future.

Feeling Krafty

Well what about this then? I've made a card for the Daring Cardmakers challenge before the deadline!! I am really pleased with myself, hahaha.

The challenge was to use a least three natural items to make a card entitled Feeling Krafty. I wanted to use some suede from an old pair of boots that were beyond repair, so I knew that the colours where going to end but quite masculine. My other natural ingredients were the twine and the shell buttons.

It felt quite wrong cutting into the suede but I consoled myself knowing that I was recycling and that the boots would of just ended up in the bin! Not a very good place. I also recycled a clothes label that came from one of my husband's shirts.

What do you think?

Thanks for looking and do visit the DCM Blog for more loveliness and inspiration when you tour the rest of the team's blogs.

Banksy - Daring Cardmakers

Think I have just got in under the wire for the Banksy challenge on the Daring Cardmakers Blog?


I haven't made a card more like some artwork on card - does that make sense?

Thought I would use a sign and play about at bit with it. I've tried to imply that the wording on the sign has been iced on the cake especially for the birds to eat! haha and I've placed it against a fence to get the graffiti effect.

Well I hope it fits the challenge and do check their blog tomorrow for a new challenge.