'Just For Fun'

Well I never...

2012-01-27T08:21:00.000Z

Another honour ... two in one week! Ant and Dec eat your hearts out!

This time I reckon the cuteness of Eli probably had a lot to do with it, but it's still absolutely wonderful to be picked out at Crafty Ann's Challenge.

You can see the post and the rest of the Top Three here.

Hope your Friday starts as brilliantly as mine.

Ann xxx

oh my goodness...

2012-01-26T23:22:00.000Z

I am so pround of this...

Still consider myself an absolute beginner when it comes to scrapbooking so what a fantastic surprise to be picked out and featured at Lasting Memories with this page. It really has made my day.

Needed something like this to cheer me up too as I've just done 3 really long overnight shifts at work and come home today feeling really poorly. Not sure whether I'm overtired or I've caught a bug. Hopefully a long sleep will put me back on track.

Hugs to all.

Ann xxx

Peach Bellinis Page 2...

2012-01-22T14:49:00.000Z

Been oh so busy at work that this is first chance I've had to complete my double page spread and it has been so hard to do. I had absolutely none of the dark mustard paper left to mat and layer on so had to resort to cutting the stripes of mustard from a sheet of striped paper and strip mounting my photos and journalling. Eeek not easy and my results are not as perfect as I would like, but oh well the memories are preserved and the page finished.

Apologies for the flash reflection on the glass - no time to take another photo.

My materials are the same as in my post here and with luck I can enter my page for the following challenges...

Lasting Memories - Time for a recipe (journalling includes recipe for Peach Bellinis)
Practical Scrappers - Clean and Simple
CES Challenges - anything but a card

This is the finished two page spread...

I'm doing lots of extra shifts this coming week so probably won't be around. So missing having loads of time to craft, but oh well hopefully things will soon be back to normal and I won't be trying to do two jobs at the same time.

Have a fun week.

Ann xxx

Embossed 12" strips tutorial...

2012-01-18T10:41:00.000Z

When I was making my Peach Bellini page the other day I needed a 12" strip embossing to give some texture to the top of the page. At the time I had thought that I wouldn't be able to hide any joins so I was a bit perplexed about how to achieve this and then I had one of those lightbulb moments that come along now and then.

I may have seen this done on someones blog or somewhere, but I really can't remember doing so. I'm hoping that it will be new to most people, but if not ah well! If you have done this on your blog and I'm not giving you credit then I do apologise, but it's not done intentionally and I really can not remember seeing a tutorial for this anywhere.

Here goes...

Step 1 - a torn piece of 12" long paper ready to be embossed

Step 2 - preparing the embossing folder.

This is the scary part. My daughter was sat scrapping at the side of me and couldn't believe what I was doing. 'Eeeeeek' she said 'You've just said you use that every day and now you're attacking it with a craft knife!'

Be brave, but be very careful too and don't blame me if it all goes pear shaped. The thing to do is to cut a slit along the fold of the embossing folder. I would say leave at least an inch (maybe more) at each side of the folder uncut to keep it's strength.

Step 3 - slide in the paper strip as normal and emboss the first part.

Step 4 - thread the strip through the opening in the fold of the embossing folder so that the embossed part is sticking out of the end. To ensure that all the embossed dots line up on the finished piece it's a good idea to locate the top two rows of embossed dots done in the previous run through and emboss them again. You should be able to feel the pattern fall into place.

Again run the piece through your machine.

Step 5 - Move the piece up to emboss the last little part of your strip. I found that because the embossed paper was being threaded through first none of the embossing became squashed, but if this does happen you can place the part over a section of dots and use an embossing tool to press them back into shape.

Here's the finished piece.

Hope this tutorial has been useful to you. Here's the finished scrapbook page.

As you can see in the end I could have embossed small pieces and hidden the joins under the photos, but how useful is it to be able to do the whole lot in one go?

Please be ultra careful if you do decide to cut any of your folders as I really wouldn't want anyone to ruin a cherished folder.

Big hugs

Ann xxx

Peach Bellinis...

2012-01-15T07:37:00.000Z

Yet more time spent scrapbooking holiday memories. I never realised before (always a bit slow in some obvious things) how much scrapbooking makes you relive the holiday. I really feel like I've been away this week and that's just what you need in the middle of winter.

I am really proud of this page for three reasons ...

it's been put together using really cheap paper that I've had for years and years so my Use it up pledge is being adhered to.
it was inspired by a sketch in a fantastic book that Laura bought me for Christmas - Scrapbook Page Maps by Becky Fleck - a wow of a book!
I've only had two sheets of the dark yellow so I'm having to pull all kinds of tricks out of the hat to enable me to do a two page spread.

Only showing page one today due to having to go to work (so inconvenient) page two will have be completed another day.

Check out the long strip of embossed paper - 12" long with no joins under the photo! To be honest I didn't realise when I was doing the strip it was going to have parts under the photo or I would have had joins. Ah well it led to a clever idea for doing extra long strips easily. I'll share that as soon as I get some photos done.

Materials...

think the papers are by Papermania from way back and are not the quality they produce now. Very thin which meant I had to attach the base layer to plain card so that it would carry the weight of the other items.
Button from stash
Ribbon - Bazzill Basics - a present from my crafting buddy Max.
Letters cut using Cricut machine

Challenges...

Simon Says Challenge - Spots and Stripes
Challenge up your life - Bingo - line ribbons, buttons and diecuts
Little Claire's - Anything but a card
One Stop Craft Challenge - on the spot and ribbon

Well better get a shower and get off to work. Have a great day all.

Big hugs.

Ann xxx

Holiday memories...

2012-01-11T14:14:00.001Z

Had two fabulous days scrapbooking holiday photos alongside Laura. So brilliant to work side by side chatting about the holidays we shared last summer at the same time as scrapping the photos. Huge amount of photos to do though - good job it's fun.

To create this page I used a sketch I picked up from a challenge last summer so I reckon I'm just a tad late to enter! I had the sketch printed out on a scrap of paper stored with the photo, but I really can't remember which site it came from. Great sketch anyway.

The card I've used is by DCWV and the fabulous matching brick patterned paper happened to be in my stash - not sure what company, but isn't it a good match?

Other materials...

Cricut to cut title letters
Xyron Design Runner to print journalling on tiny scraps of card
Xcut star die

No challenges - sigh!

Back at work tomorrow so it may be weekend before I get anymore crafting done. Might get chance to hop around blog land though hopefully.

Have fun everyone.

Hugs

Ann xxx

Here comes Eli...

2012-01-10T19:34:00.000Z

Well I couldn't last any longer without a piccie of my little hero could I? Using the sketch from Sketchy Thursdays as a starting point I created my page in Serif Craft Artist (yes that programme again!). I've actually missed loads of parts of the sketch out as I wanted to keep the page really simple, but the basics are there.

The papers, materials, frame and embellishments were all created by my friend Ann Whitfield at Crafty Ann's Digi Shop - isn't she brilliant? I love the ready trimmed frame - so cute! The kit is a new one to the shop and has loads of stuff in it. A really good buy methinks.

It worked perfectly in Craft Artist. It's the first time I've used other digi kits rather than the ones by Daisytrail and I don't think there will be any stopping me now. So easy to take the images into Craft Artist and use them in just the same way as Daisytrail ones.

Challenges...

Crafty Ann's - Hot Stuff (Eli and the red vibrant paper)
Anything Goes Challenge - anything goes
Bearly Mine - Anything goes
Ladybug Crafts Ink - New Stash (new digi kit)

Love and smiles

Ann xxx

Dancing the day away...

2012-01-10T08:23:00.001Z

This the facing page to the one I did yesterday which is in the post below. Again created in Serif Scrapbook Artist. This time I used a sketch from Sketches in Thyme.

I really liked this sketch for it's lovely clean lines and will be using it with real scrapbook papers and a holiday photo later today.
UPDATE...
Seeing as the page is finished it may as well be added to this post.

This project matches a page I completed just before Christmas. I wanted to keep it very clean and simple again so that the two would go together.
The strips were embossed using the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder and to add more texture and interest to the vertical lines I punched holes and threaded ribbon through. Afterwards I added a little bling. The title was printed on acetate and then attached. As to the journalling - well I'm afraid my nerves just couldn't take touching the page with a pen and it really wouldn't have matched up anyway. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
Guess that's two whole pages not featuring Eli - oh my goodness that is so strange. He'll be featuring again soon you can be sure as I haven't done anything with the pics of him in his elf outfit yet and those are just so cute.

Have a wonderful day whatever you are doing.

Hugs Ann xxx

Still scrapping...

2012-01-09T11:13:00.000Z

I'm still working my way through all the Christmas photos with a view to treating myself to having them printed in a photo book. Today sees some cherished photos of Laura posing with Gran on our belated Christmas day celebrations. Check out Laura's hat well it just had to be pink didn't it?

My layout came from the stunning sketch at Stuck on U Sketches and again I used Serif Craft Artist to create my digital page.

Additional Challenges...

Pollycraft - Anything but a card
CES Challenge Blog - Anything goes

Have a fun week everyone. I've actually got three whole days off - bliss!

Hugs Ann xxx

Our little Super Star...

2012-01-06T08:32:00.001Z

Another page showing Eli in his snowman hat. I'm trying to get all my Christmas pages done so that I can have them printed in a photo book. There are some amazing offers at the moment and the one I had printed by Trueprint before Christmas came out so well. One thing that gets me down with scrap booking is that you always need two pages on the same theme if you're going to put them in books and sometimes I only really need one for the photos I have.

Wonder if this gets to other people too!

Again it's a digitally created page using Serif Craft Artist - oh my I just love what you can do with that programme. Thank goodness I bought some extra digi kits before I took the oath (see post below).

My page is also for the challenges at...

Crafty Ann's Challenge - HOT - hmmm hot red and one hot guy when he grows up!
Crafts and Me Challenges - anything goes
Papertake Weekly - anything goes

Have a fabulous weekend everyone. I'm working again. Covered 49+ hours this week - no wonder my crafting time is suffering. Hopefully I will have a few days next week to play big time.

Hugs to all.

Ann xxx

Use it up!

2012-01-04T08:51:00.001Z

I've taken the pledge!

No more craft stuff (for a little while at least). Oh my - think I may need to go to a group and sit in a circle to discuss this. However, when it gets to the stage of buying something you can't put in away cause there is just no space or even worse you buy something and then realise you already have it the time has come for serious measures.

So for the next few months I'm using up - I'm shopping in my own cupboards, but more importantly instead of trawling the internet for stash I'm going to craft and play with what I have. The economy will have to survive without my help for a little while.

If you want to join in and take the pledge too check out Fran's blog Crafty Me for to find out more.

Hugs Ann xxx

More Christmas Scrapping...

2012-01-02T07:03:00.000Z

Just when Eli thought it couldn't get any worse I found this oh so cute hat with a snowman on the top. I think when he grows up and sees these pics he will probably fall out big time with his Grannie Annie, but oh well I'll talk my way out of that when the time comes.

Again I've used Scrapbook Artist to digitally create my page. I'm learning all the time though and so proud of myself as in this page I've actually created my own frame for the photo to snap into. Cool eh?

The sketch I've used is a fab one by the team at Sketchy Thursdays. Really enjoyed using this one.

My page is also for the challenges at...

Craft Your Days Away Challenges - Snowmen

Have a great day. I'm working all week so crafting time is going to be severely limited, but hopefully I'll be able to play a little.

Ann xxx

Oh my goodness it's 2012...

2012-01-01T09:23:00.001Z

Happy New Year to everyone. Let's hope it's a good one for us all. One of my many New Year resolutions is to use more of my stash especially new stuff as sometimes I buy things and find a space somewhere in the craft room and simply never get round to using them even though I love the stamps to pieces. Really silly to buy and never ink up so to start the year I've made a card using a really cute Molly Bloom stamp that Santa brought me. I really love this stamp as it has so many possibilities. I think it would fab paper pieced and would decoupage quite well too.

I used the sketch from Papertake Weekly as a basis for my design and papers that have been in my stash for a long, long time. I like to use vellum over highy patterned paper as I love the way you can still see the design on the paper through the layer. In this case I found a matching blue vellum to use. The image was coloured using Promarkers and die cut snowflakes and gems complete the card.

Additional Challenges...

Stuck on U Sketches - Snowflakes
Rainbow Lady - Your Choice

Think I may start my other resolutions (less red wine and more healthy food) next week. LOL! Have a great day whatever you have planned for the day.

Love and smiles,

Ann xxx

Wonderful Christmas...

2011-12-29T12:51:00.000Z

Just popped in to say that I hope everyone has had a Christmas as wonderful as I have. Didn't start celebrating till Boxing Day when we were all free from work, but it was worth the wait as it was just so special to have everyone together.

Took masses of photos of you know who! Well he's just so much cuter than us groan ups and far more fun to scrap book. To create my latest page I used Serif Craft Artist software and a sketch from Stuck on U Sketches.

My page is also for the challenge at Simon Says Challenge where the theme is Anything Goes!

Just in case I don't log in again before the New Year starts I'd like to wish everyone a very very Happy New Year.

Love and laughter.

Ann xxx

Happy Christmas to all...

2011-12-21T07:50:00.001Z

Oh had such an awful few days after being struck down by one the nasty flu viruses going around at the moment. I was even feeling too ill to go online - that is bad! However, started to feel a bit brighter yesterday and made a start on scrapping some photos of Eli's last visit. Not too convinced about the results, but I faffed around for ages with this page and this was the best it got.

Luckily while in bed suffering I managed to watch some Serif Craft Artist programmes on Create and Craft so I now know how to use shadows, scissors to create material frayed edges and how to do phrased a much faster and neater way so maybe there is a good side to being confined to bed.

I used the fab sketch at Creative Scrappers for my initial inspiration and incorporated the word 'WONDER' from the theme at the Bird is the Word Challenge blog. I must admit that at first my interpretation of 'wonder' was meant to be the way Eli was completely mesmerised by the tree and baubles, but as I started journalling it sort of changed into a 'I wonder what I can get away with' thing.

Other challenges include...

Anything Goes Challenge Biog - anything but a card
Crafty Card Makers - use it three times (my photo frames and the embellishments on them are all used 3 times)

Think this may be my last posting before the big day, especially seeing as I haven't been able to get anything done for the last few days I need to catch up fast, so I would like to wish everyone visiting my blog a very happy Christmas and let's hope that the New Year brings better things for all of us.

Whoops just sneaked back to show page two of Eli exploring the Christmas tree. This time I used a sketch from Sketches in Thyme as a basis for my design. It was really fun to have the star as a matt to layer the photo on.

Love and laughter and wishing everyone absolutely the best Christmas ever.

Ann xxx

Santa Baby!

2011-12-12T15:56:00.001Z

Bought two Christmas CDs this year and both of them have that really earthy 'Santa Baby' song on them so I guess the title for this page comes from that.

Again it's Eli in his Santa outfit on Grannie Annie's knee and again using Serif Craft Artist to create a page to face the one I did yesterday.

I used this fab sketch from Sketchy Thursdays as a starting point.

My scrap page is also for the challenges at...

I did it Creations Challenge Blog - Santa's getting ready.
Paper Sundaes - anything Christmas

Wishing everyone a wonderful week.

Ann xxx

Ho Ho Ho!

2011-12-11T20:10:00.001Z

Hands up all those first time Grandma's who can resist buying the gorgeous Christmas outfits there are in the shops for babies these days. Hmmm, not a single hand in the air! I certainly can't resist and have already bought a Santa suit and an elf outfit that are just too cute for words. When Eli came for a few hours the other day the poor wee man just had to try this outfit on.

I have a feeling that in years to come I may not get away with this sort of thing so I better make the most of it now.

I created my 12" x 12" page on Serif Craft Artist using a fantastic sketch from Stuck on U Sketches.

My page is also for the following challenges...

Pollycraft - Christmas Fun
2 Sisters Challenge Blog - Christmas
Crazy4Challenges - It's Santa

Hope you have all had a fantastic weekend. I've been working, but I've now got 5 days off in a row. Wow, how great is that? Maybe I will finally be able to finish making and writing Christmas cards and wrapping presents. Only 13 days to go - eeeeeeeeeeek - need to get organised.

Ann xxx

Happy Christmas Auntie...

2011-12-03T16:51:00.001Z

Eli may be only 6 months old, but already he knows that Grannie Annie will make him all the cards he needs to send out at a very good price - FREE!. He's even conned me into buying all his gifts too, but he's just so cute I really don't mind at all.

This card is for him to send to Auntie Laura, who is quite famous for being rather fond of pink and bling so I'm hoping she will love this 8" x 8" card.

The stamp is a Nellie Snellen cutie that I treat myself to last week from the Joanna Sheen Special Offers section. I'm always popping in there as you can pick some amazing bargains. At the moment she has some fabulous silhouette stamps on offer at way less than half price. I coloured the stamp with my new Fleximarkers alongside original Promarkers. I must say I love the new brush tip.

Other materials used...

DCWV papers from way back when
organza ribbon and gems
Xyron Design Runner to create personalised sentiment
snowflake dies

Challenges...

Joanna Sheen Challenge Blog - Christmas Wishes
Crafty Ann's Challenge - Bingo and my line is glitter, presents and ribbon (the present is the star for the squirrel)
Raise the Bar - Christmas
Hanna and Friends - the sketch.

Thank you for looking and for all the very kind comments. It so great to know that somebody out there likes what you create.

Christmas hugs - only 22 days to go!

Ann xxx

Friday again...

2011-12-02T07:31:00.006Z

Oh my the week's are just flying by and I really don't seem to have much spare time at all. I really need to have some hours for some fun crafting soon.

At Bah! Humbug! this week our theme is Cute Critters - I'm thinking there will be thousands of entries as it's a theme everyone will love. For my card I chose to use a House Mouse decoupage sheet by Joanna Sheen. I'm not over keen on printed decoupage but this set came free with a mag subscription so I thought I would give it a go. The images are really large so unless you're doing a massive card they don't need much else adding. This card is an A5 so as you can see the image almost fills the front. I used Pepper and friends papers to go alongside the image as they seemed to match up well.

A Marianne die cut holly branch and tag with ribbon completes the card.

Do pop over to Bah! Humbug! to see the fab work of our guest designer and my pal Max.

Have a great weekend.

Ann xxx

Yeah, it's Friday...

2011-11-25T07:24:00.000Z

and I'm working all weekend - Booo! Hiss!!

However, before I go I must show my card for our challenge at Bah! Humbug! This week our theme is Fabric. Hmm, something a little different and maybe more challenging perhaps. I had so many thoughts for this including altering one of my thousands of bags for life into something far more Christmassy, but in the end I decided to make a card for a crafting friend.

My original idea was to use an organza bag as part of the card and fill it with charms for her to use in her craft projects, but the bags I had were either too big or too small so in the end the bag has just one item in it - a wine glass charm ring. This way she can either use it on a glass or pull it apart and use the tiny corkscrew (how cute is that?) and beads on cards, etc. I think she will love it.

To attach the bag I punched two holes in the front of the card and then threaded and tied the bag strings inside. Then I added a ribbon to jazz up the front and hide the fact I made the holes too big - must do better next time!

I matt and layered the other papers on top after cutting an apperture in the front of each one and added a die cut frame to draw the eye to the focal point of the bag. Bling and silver peel offs and sentiment finish the card off.

Other challenges...

C.R.A.F.T Challenge - Unusual Christmas Card
Charisma - Snowflakes

Have a good weekend everyone whether you are working or playing - it's all good!

Ann xxx

whoops running out of time...

2011-11-21T14:49:00.001Z

Must post my cards for St Luke's Charity tomorrow so this afternoon I've been trying to put some quick cards together and also sort out some from boxes to send off. I only hope they arrive on time as I believe they are organising a fayre on the 27th November.
As Christmas cards are usually sold in sets I decided to make a set of 5 shaped snowflake embossed cards. The base is from a Dovecraft set of pre-embossed ones - well it had to be something quick as I've just done the long shift at work so brain cells are decidedly lacking at the moment.

Each of the snowflakes is a differently colour and although simply made using a Marianne snowflake die, some fabric snowflakes from my stash and a brad in the centre my daughter said she liked them so they must be okay as she's really quite choosy.

In addition to being for the challenge at St Luke's Charity Cards Challenge my cards are also for the challenges at...

There she goes clear stamps - a set of five easy cards (sorry only took photo of 3 - trust me there are five altogether)
Quirky Crafts -Clean and Simple

Luckily I also managed to find quite a collection of other cards surplus to my needs and will be enclosing those in the parcel too. Just hope the post doesn't let me down.

love and smiles

Ann xxx

Paradise...

2011-11-18T14:06:00.001Z

After trying to find space for some beautiful new designer papers I bought this week I thought it might be an idea to do some 'real' scrapbooking for a change instead of using Serif Craft Artist and having the whole page printed.

Typically I ended up not using any of my patterned paper at all, but two plain blue sheets of 12" x 12" card by DCWV and a amazing sketch from Sketchy Thursdays.

It was quite nerve wracking to cut my 6" x 4" photos down to just the 3" x 3" that eventually turned out to be the right size for the layout, but I'm glad I did now as I love they way they turned out. After trimming I matt and layered each photo on to white and the same navy paper as my base colour.

The title and journalling, which if you look carefully at the sketch, had to include a list, was planned on Serif Craft Artist (hmm still ended up using it for one part of the page after all) and then printed on Inkjet Acetate before being laid over the light blue. Then I attached the photos and strip of embossed card on top.

I didn't add any extra embellishments as I really liked the simplicity of the page. Hope others do too!

My page is also for the challenges at...

Crafty Ann's Challenge - Monochromatic (eeeeek well it is apart from photos)
Scrapbook Sisters - Anything Goes

Wow - three posts in one day! I'm on a roll which is about to come to an end as I am working all weekend.

Ah well needs must have a good weekend everyone.

Ann xxx

Once Upon a Sketch...

2011-11-18T08:33:00.001Z

Since becoming addicted to Scrapbooking I've tracked down some amazing blogs and one of them, Once Upon a Sketch, have a special give away this week in addition to the usual amazing samples by the DT. Do check it out, but don't win it cause I would rather like to do that. LOL.
Love and smiles.
Ann xxx

Bags and Boxes...

2011-11-18T08:17:00.000Z

Oh my doing 24 hour shifts can really tire you out! Having said that I really should do my design team projects earlier than the day before. Hmmm, less grovelling and trying to make excuses for a very quick effort for this week's Bah! Humbug! project on the theme of bags and boxes.
My bag is a recycled one from last year. I don't know about you, but I always save pretty bags as with a new tag they can look as good as new.
My tag was created using a computer generated label and sentiment. Then using a clear Santa stamp which I've had some years and absolutely love I stamped Santa in the correct position, coloured using Promarkers and then glittered to add some oomph. Then I cut into a tag shape and mounted on to a snippet of red card (yes Jules I'm really trying to not break into new card when I only need a tiny bit) before mounting on white again so that the back could be written on easily. A very simple project easy enough to do even when you just want to curl up and go to sleep.
Alongside Bah! Humbug! my project is also for the following challenges...

Jules Crafty Snippets - use your snippets
Crafty Ribbons Challenge - anything but a card
Crimbo Crackers - make it sparkle
Creatalicious - make something for Christmas that sparkles

Maybe I'll get round to doing some boxes when I'm fully awake. We'll see and in the meantime do pop over to Bah! Humbug! to take a look at the fabulous work of my team mates.
Have a great day.
Ann xxx

Variations on a theme...

2011-11-15T11:04:00.000Z

Rather than put away the images left from the sheet of Kanban toppers and then not be able to find them ever again I decided to use up both the toppers and the remains of the red gingham paper. I used the sketch from The Sweet Shop - love their sketches - to create a card for Gran to give Eli at Christmas. The papers are all the same ones as I used here and the personalised sentiment was created using my Xyron Design Runner.

My card is also for the challenges at...

Make it Monday - Anything goes
Designed to Delight - Baby

Card number two was made using the last of the toppers and the snippets of red gingham I had left. I'm really trying to use things up these days instead of storing or throwing away. Thank you Jules for keeping me on track with your Crafty Snippet Challenge. My card is also one of the ones I will be sending to St Luke's Charity Cards for their fundraising sale.

Back to work tomorrow so I may be quiet for a few days. Enjoy your week everyone.

Ann xxx

Eli and Gran Part Two...

2011-11-13T18:15:00.000Z

Here's the facing page to the 'Cherish' page I created last week. I used the sketch from Sketchy Thursdays, but left out the title due to lack of space and already having a title on the facing page. I really love these two photos that give the impression of Eli and Gran having a long conversation.

Again I've used Craft Artist and tinted the photos in the back ground to match the papers on the page.

My page is also for the challenges at...

Squiggles and Giggles - Anything but a card
Inspire me Fridays - Anything goes

Ann xxx

1st Christmas...

2011-11-12T10:19:00.002Z

Phew, five days away with the ladies I support at Mencap has left me feeling really tired and quite shell shocked. Good job I did my card for our challenge at Bah! Humbug! before I left. This week we are thinking 'Baby's First Christmas' and I've done a card for a friend at work's daughter who has been so kind passing things on for Eli. It's a quick card as it had to be done in among the packing. Thank goodness for Kanban toppers eh? I actually got the set of toppers that this one came from in a goodie bag at a craft shop sometime ago so it was really good to get chance to use it at last.

After perusing the challenge list at Feline Playful I'm entering my card for the challenges at...

Wags and Whiskers - Christmas
4 Crafty Chicks - Baby
Samuel Taylor's Monthly Challenge - Christmas

Well I have 4 days off now so maybe I will be able to get some serious crafting done if I can tear myself away from the Krispy Creme doughnuts that I bought on the way home that is and then of course there is bottle of wine down in Tesco's with my name on it (after the week I've had will one be enough - better get two to be on the safe side - LOL).

Have a great weekend everyone.

Big hugs.

Ann xxx
PS : Totally thrilled just found out I made the Top Three at CD Sunday with this scrap book layout - cool eh?

Cherish...

2011-11-05T19:34:00.001Z

Another page created on Serif Craft Artist. I'm loving using this and the best part of all is that there's no tidying up. Yeah no bits on the floor - no DST everywhere and no mounds of stamps, ink pads etc to put back in their homes. There really is quite a lot of perks to digital scrap booking.

Most of the elements in this design were freebies from a very talented member, called Trulytango, on the Daisytrail Forum. I love the large heart embellishment she created and I managed to create the smaller heart with matching stitching myself. I also added a pearl embellishment to each heart to add both add detail and ensure they blended together.

My latest page is intended for the challenges at...

Lasting Memories Scrapbook Layouts - Cherish
Squiggles and Giggles - Go Dotty
Cooking it up with Katie - Anything but a card.

ooooooooooops almost forgot to say to create this page I used a fabulous sketch I found at Bo Bunny. There are some amazing designs on there - truly inspirational and also full of real depth which you don't really get with digital. Love all the samples they have using Scor buddy - do check the work out it's amazing.

Have a fun Saturday night everyone.

Ann xxx

Let it snow...Let it snow...Let it snow...

2011-11-04T07:41:00.000Z

Noooooooooooo! I don't mean it really - only on cards and films and maybe a touch on Christmas day, but not enough to make it difficult for everyone to visit their loved ones.

As you may have already guessed our theme this week at Bah! Humbug! is Snowmen - a favourite theme of mine. There are just so many gorgeous stamps and digis around. Everytime I think I can't possible need anymore I see something irresistable.

The stamp I've used this week was actually a carboot bargain buy. It's a 1999 vintage Penny Black and only cost a pound! How lucky was I to find it lurking under a pile of decoupage sheets on a stall?

I've used double sided designer paper with burgandy trees on which I thought echoed the trees on the stamp and the other side of the paper to matt and layer on. I've also used the plain side to create die cut Marianne snowflakes.

The glitter on the card doesn't show up that well in the photo, but I used fine glitter on the trees and Diamond Dust around the snowmen's feet and it really does sparkle.

My card is also for the challenges at...

Crafter's Companion Monthly Challenge - Let it Snow
4 Crafty Chicks - die cuts
Crimbo Crackers - Anything Goes

Have a good weekend all.

Ann xxx

Be afraid...be very afraid...

2011-11-01T13:25:00.001Z

Someone is teething - eeeeeeeek! Check out Eli with his special Halloween bib that Auntie Laura bought him.

Again I've used Serif Craft Artist and the sketch from Stuck On You Sketches.

I feel happier about my interpretation of the layout this time. I think using the same (or virtually the same) photo three times was far easier as I didn't have to worry about part of the photo being covered plus I think it adds impact to the main photo.
I've even completed the facing page using a sketch from Sketchy Thursdays.

I was so pleased to see this sketch as it meant I could focus on my favourite photo and really have it large on my page.

I'm still loving using Craft Artist to create pages, but will be using the real stuff as soon as I have a bit more time. I do think the Craft Artist software is helping me to learn more about scrapping though as it's so easy to move things around and change colours etc. It's really good fun.

My pages are also perfect for the challenges at...

365 cards - Smile (checked the rules and scrapping is allowed and what better smile than a baby's)
Hooked on Crafts Challenges - Halloween
Pollycraft - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Have a great day all and thank so much for the lovely comments about Eli. I think he is super cute too, but then I am a little bit biased.

Ann xxx

More Playing...

2011-10-31T06:30:00.000Z

Here's the facing page to yesterday's quick (not that quick as once you start playing with digital crafting it's all too easy to while away the hours) page about Eli.

Again created using Craft Artist and the digi kits available at Daisy Trail. Both pages are 12" by 12". I use DS Colour Labs to get them printed as they do an amazing job.

I'm entering my latest page into the following challenges...

CD Sunday - cats and using a CD to create your project
Come and Get it Challenges - Anything Goes
Dream Valley Challenges - Anything Goes

Got a whole day off tomorrow - can't wait, but meanwhile I better go and have a shower ready to set off to work. Have a good start to the week everyone.

Ann xxx

Playtime...

2011-10-30T19:57:00.001Z

oh so long since I did any scrap booking and I have so many photos of Eli and holidays to catch up on. Eeeeeeeek need more hours in the day methinks! After getting home from work today I decided to chill out and use a sketch from one of my favourite blogs, Stuck on You Sketches to do a page about Eli playing on his jungle play mat. I'm using the term 'playing' very loosely here as it's more a case of grap an animal and gum it into submission, but hey it's all good fun.

My page was created using Serif Craft Artist - ideal for those times when you're just too tired to get the real papers and embellishments out. No tidying up to do just a case of closing down the computer and off to bed - brilliant.

Goodnight all.

Ann xxx

Friday ... Bah! Humbug! time...

2011-10-28T07:10:00.019+01:00

This week we are focussing on die cuts as our main theme for Christmas cards. Check out Max's design and our fab guest designers here at Humbug Hall.

Stunning eh?

For my card I used a Cuttlebug dove die and embossing folder that I have had for ages and not got round to using. Don't know why because I really like it especially with the added pearls. I also used some die cut swirls created using one of the many fabulous Marianne dies available. The base card is called Ice Gold due to the gold shimmer running through it which you can just about see in the photo.

My card is also for the challenges at...

Charisma Cards - Anything Goes
Dutch Dare - Pearls and Swirls
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Crafty Sentiments - No designer paper

Have a fabulous weekend everyone. I'm working most of it so no crafting time unfortunately, but maybe next week.

Ann xxx

Halloween's Coming...

2011-10-27T20:02:00.000+01:00

While getting ready to go out this morning I saw a couple of perfume freebies lying around that had been added as little gifts to my Avon order. Ooooooooh I thought - how cute would they be as little Halloween treats?

So with not much time to spare before I needed to go and catch the bus to meet my daughter I set about altering one of them. Now bear in mind I did this one really quickly and used Poundland bat stickers and snippets of card and paper left on my desk from my last Halloween project I was really quite pleased with how it turned out and Shelley absolutely loved it. Bless her she never once said 'I'd rather have chocolate'.

I'm almost ashamed to show my five minute effort, but honestly with more time I reckon you could really go to town with these sample cards and even with stamping and colouring they would still be a fairly quick project.

Challenges...

Stampinsanity Stamp Company - Trick or Treat
Crafting for all Seasons - Halloween
Fab 'n' Funky Challenge - Hubble Bubble Toil and Trouble
I brake for challenges - Halloween
Jules Snippets Challenge - use snippets

I may be back with a more detailed version another day, but meanwhile as Shelley got her treat just check out what I bought for Eli. How cute is this and only £2.50 from Tesco too? Can't wait to see him in it.

Hope everyone has had a great day - do pop by tomorrow as it's the start of a new week at Bah! Humbug! and this time we are having a cool easy peasy challenge.
Ann xxx

Crafting Time...

2011-10-24T10:09:00.000+01:00

Yeah, I managed to steal a little time in my craft room yesterday and played around with a really easy peasy sketch I found at the Clean and Simple Challenge blog. It's a fab sketch with just so many possibilities.

On my first attempt I decided to go for polka dot flowers and use a snippet I had left from a sheet of black and white spotted card I used some time ago. Still got a full sheet left, but using the snippet means I can save that for another time. The sparkly line, sentiment and dots in the middle of the flowers are all from the Anita's Glitterations range. I did try to do a single layer - simple card, but the desire to mat and layer on to sparkly black to match the peel offs got the better of me.

My card was made with the following challenges in mind...

Crafty Ann's Challenge - Clean and Simple
Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge - Happy Birthday
Less is More - Polka Dots
Jules Crafty Snippet Challenge - use your snippets

My second card using the same fab sketch is a Halloween version. I really love orange and black together. This time the sentiment was computer generated and printed on to orange card. The two fence pieces were cut using a Cuttlebug Halloween die that I've had ages and the cat came from a sheet of stickers that I think originated at Poundland and that came to light recently in one of my many tidying up sessions.

This card is for the following challenges...

Sentimental Sunday - Halloween plus sentiment
Allsorts Challenge - Halloween
Alphabet Challenge Blog - Soon be Halloween.

Well better go and get ready for work now. Have a good start to the week everyone and thank you so much for all the lovely comments I receive. Really appreciated.

Ann xxx

With Men in Mind...

2011-10-21T11:00:00.000+01:00

Oh it's Friday again and usually I'm a happy bunny as it's Bah! Humbug! day, but this week today is the day that Max is going home after her stay at my house. So sad! Think I will hide her car keys when she's not looking and make her stay for at least another week.

While she was here we spent a day crafting together and used a couple of my stamp sets to create our cards for this week's challenge at Humbug Hall. Check out Max's creation here - love the way she used the hat stamp and made it dangle on the guy's foot. So spot on for a typical man on Christmas Day.

For both our cards we used stamps sets by Papermania and a little Christmas hat stamp that is from a set by Stampin Up and one that seems to get used in conjunction with so many other stamps it's unbelievable.

Think my designer paper is one from a HOTP pack and the embossed card is one from my stash that is many years old.

My card is also for the challenge at ...

ABC Challenge - use your old stash - everything I've used is old even the brad has been in my collection for ages and never quite made it on to a card till now.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Love and Smiles

Ann xxx

Christmas nibbles...

2011-10-14T07:01:00.001+01:00

This week at Humbug Hall we're thinking about the special foods we eat when celebrating the holiday season. Many years ago I bought an amazing ready made ginger bread house from a local bakers and since then I've intended to have a go at making my own. It's just been one of the many things I haven't had time to do. However, when I saw this cute little mini ginger bread kit unopened at a car boot recently I just couldn't resist it. According to the write up on the back of the box it even has two cute little pot chimneys to use. Cool eh!

Anyway, I decided to make a little gift bag to wrap it in and hang it on the Christmas tree as a little gift for someone (maybe me!).

I made the bag using some Christmas paper I've had for some time and the little tag was cut out from a full sheet of tags in the same paper pack. The ribbon handles do match in real life (honest), but it didn't matter how many times I took a photo the flash seemed to light up the red ribbon making it look really bright when in reality it's a dull red like the designer paper. Think I spent more time trying to get a photo than making the bag. Sigh how silly is that?

My bag is also for the challenges at...

ABC Christmas Challenge - use your old stash (paper is really old)
More than favours - Treat bags or boxes

Have a great week everyone. I just know mine is going to be extra special as Max, my Humbug Hall buddy is coming to stay. Oh my goodness how much trouble are we going to get up to?

Watch out world, Max and Ann are going to be in the same wing of Humbug Hall - eeeeeeeeek - squeel - that means loads of crafting, fun and maybe a sudden unexpected red wine shortage hitting the head lines here in Yorkshire.

Just can't wait till tomorrow!!

Ann xxx

ooooooooooh I'm all sparkly!!

2011-10-07T06:38:00.002+01:00

Yes there is glitter in my hair, on the carpet and even some on the rabbit! How it got there I don't know, but it's all in a good cause as this week at Humbug Hall we are glittering and sparkling everything. If you have time do pop over to the hall as alongside Max's fab creation you may even see the family heirloom tiaras being worn - you never know! Also, as it's a new month we have a new guest designer and a prize on offer. Please visit Bah! Humbug! to get the full story.

Card recipe...

Green sparkly foam - oooooooh really lovely and textural - from Poundland I think!
Huge snowman stamp by and American company but picked up at car boot sale for a pound
Black basic card
Fake brads made using hole punch
Promarkers for colouring
and of course tons of glitter!

Challenges...

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - bright colours
Simon Says Stamp - sparkle and bling
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Crafty Ann's - a Christmas Song - 'Noel' and 'Let it Snow'

Have a great weekend everyone. I'm working most of it - seem to be doing way too much of that lately. Must cut it out - it's seriously affecting my crafting time.

Ann xxx

I'm back!...

2011-09-30T06:25:00.009+01:00

Sheesh where did September go? Well, I suppose I spent most of it on holiday and I must admit I had an absolutely wonderful in time in the Dominican Republic - sigh - so missing the sunshine and palm trees. The rest of the month was taken up with washing, packing and work and it just flew by. Thank goodness my super buddy Max was able to keep Bah! Humbug! running single handed. I owe her big time!

Anyway, I'm back now and ready to be challenged by our weekly Christmas theme at Humbug Hall. This week sees us thinking about the 'Navity'. My card uses an image from a sheet I printed years ago when I was on the Design Team at Ooh la la Creations. See if you keep your print outs long enough they do eventually get used! The card I made at that time using the largest image on the sheet can be seen here. For my new card I used one of the smaller images and matted it on to an embossed layer made using the Swiss Dots folder. To get the size I had to feed the card through the machine 4 times -eeeeeeeeek! The sentiment was printed on to one of the scraps of green card left over using my Xyron Design Runner.

Do pop over to Bah! Humbug! to both join in and check out the fabulous work by my team mates.

My card is also for the challenges at...

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Love that silhouette
Celebrate the Occasion - any occasion - must use ribbon
Shopping our Stash Weekly - Black and White plus one other colour.

Have a great weekend everyone. I'm going to be making some Halloween cards with the ladies at work using some fabulous plastic skeletons I found at Poundland - so cool and 24 in the pack so quite a bargain. Fingers crossed that the idea I have for using them works - if it does watch this space.

Ann xxx

Bah! Blast from the Past Humbug!...

2011-09-02T08:03:00.000+01:00

Card making - Crafting - what's that? Where are days going and why am I meeting myself coming back all the time? I really don't know and as to the silly person who decided to rearrange all her craft stuff (yet again) and now can't get it all back in the cupboards or find her desk I really don't know what to say about her.

I guess by now you will have sussed why I've decided to display a 'Blast from the Past' for this week's challenge at Bah! Humbug! I'm showing two cards made some time ago, but ones which I really both enjoyed making at the time and also still like, because let's face sometimes when we look at things made a while ago they don't look too good.

Our theme this week at Bah! Humbug! is 'TEXT'. I love playing with text especially when you can use the 'o' in words to create a shaker/apperture effect as in my first 'Blast from the Past' card.

On my second card I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder on thick vellum to create a frame for the text. I haven't used that folder for ages - must use it soon.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and do pop over to Bah! Humbug! to see what my talented buddies have been up to.

Ann xxx

Italy MIni Album...

2011-08-28T16:09:00.002+01:00

Just finished this mini album for my friend Anne, who I went on holiday with earlier this month. I used one of the brilliant sketches at Sassy Lil' Sketches as the basis for the front cover. It's only a small album - just big enough to take 6" x 4" photos matted and layered on to designer paper, but I think she will love it. Well I hope so anyway.

Here's a peak of the inside which I've kept really simple - well it had to be I've been at work most of the time since last Thursday.

All the papers I've used are by Kanban and I've kept to the monochromatic colour scheme.

I'm also very proud to say that thanks to Jules at Always with a heart I'm really trying to use 'snippets' left from other projects. I do tend to be quite a wasteful crafter and although I don't throw the snippets away - they go to a good home (the ladies I work with at Mencap) I really should use more up myself. So check out my frame and butterfly cut from this small left over piece of black glitter card...

Think using it definitely qualifies me for this week's Crafty Snippet Challenge.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend and special wishes for my friend Max and her daughter who are over in Ireland. Check out why HERE - wow how cool is that?
PS: The 'T' in 'ITALY' has been suitably told off and is now standing up straight.

Bah! Humbug! Day

2011-08-26T06:47:00.009+01:00

Yeah we're still filling our boxes with cards ready for the Christmas Season over at Humbug Hall and this week sees us 'Bringing on the Girls'.

Another quick card from me this week as I have so many scrapbook projects on the go that I'm not wanting to break off to do cards at the moment. My 'Bring on the Girls' card was made using papers and an image from a magazine freebie some time ago. I've mounted it very simply, added some embossed snowflake triangles and tons of glitter. The girl so reminds me of Becky from the Shopaholic books.

As I've started joining in the challenges at Jules Crafty Snippet Challenge I used all the tiny bits that were left including the leftover strip of embossed snowflakes to make a tag. So proud to say that the bits going in the bin today are so tiny that they would only make cards for 'The Borrowers'.

My card and tag is also for the challenges at...

Divas by Design - Christmas in August
Clear it out - Glitter it (paper and image from very old mag)

Have a fun weekend all and do pop over to Bah! Humbug! to check out the superb creations by my buddies.

The Future is Mine...

2011-08-23T09:54:00.001+01:00

Well I've had another go at the sketch at Sassy Sketches...

I was determined to use that cloud idea and seeing as Eli was with me over the weekend I had chance to take some photos. Annoyingly some have not worked due to using a setting on the camera that sounded good, but in reality produced fuzzy pics. Not to worry the ones I took on the normal setting have worked fine.

My whole page was created using Serif Craft Artist. That programme is so much fun. I find myself playing for hours with all the different effects. The page is 12" by 12" and I will be saving it until I have done a few and then I will send it to be developed at DS Colour Labs who were recommended on the Daisytrail forum. I had my first pages printed there last week and the results were fantastic. Great service too with packaging that meant that the prints couldn't possibly get damaged in the post.

My page is also for the challenges at...

Incy Wincy Designs - anything but a card

Here's the facing page that's hot of the press. Same programme of course and I've used some elements from the first page to tie the two together.
Hope you like them.

Have a fabulous evening everyone.

Ann xxx

Kos Harbour...

2011-08-20T07:56:00.000+01:00

More real scrapbooking. I'm totally obcessed with scrapbooking at the moment. I must get round to doing some birthday cards this next week or I will be loosing some friends and that would never do. This page was inspired by the sketch at Sassy Sketches. My version is lacking the fab clouds that were on the original, but my excuse is that there were no clouds in Kos just beautiful clear blue skies. Sigh wish I was back there!

To team my page with the one facing it I had to use some of the stripey designer paper and seeing as I only had tiny scraps left it could have been a problem. I did think about doing some paper weaving, but then hit on the idea of the patchwork effect which even meant that I could save paper by not using any where the photos were going to be placed. Clever eh? Jules at Jules Crafty Snippets Challenge will be so proud of me.

My page is also for the challenges at...

Paper Crafting Journey - Anything Goes
For Fun Challenges - a Scrap Page

Have a great weekend everyone. Eli is coming to stay so as you can imagine I'm so excited. Wonder if he's ready to do some crafting yet - no 10 weeks might be a bit early - maybe next time he stays. LOL.

Ann xxx

Something new...

2011-08-19T14:41:00.000+01:00

Something new...

is our challenge at Humbug Hall this week and yes even though I am broke due to buying baby things everytime I go anywhere near a shop or online I did splash out a whole pound and bought myself this amazing stamp set. What a bargain?

The stamps are quite small, but actually perfect for making smaller cards to give to 'not quite so close' friends and family. Due to Bah! Humbug! I have loads of very special cards and really need some more basic ones,

The cards are tiny and could even be used as large gift tags perhaps. Each one measures 3.5 " by 3.5" and they were fun, quick and very easy to create. The papers are by Dovecraft and were also a pound from the same shop.

Have a great weekend whatever you are up to. Eli's coming to play so I'm really excited.

Love and smiles.

Ann xxx

New Playmate...

2011-08-17T07:59:00.002+01:00

While sat at a bar on the hillside in Zia waiting to see the famous view of the sunsetting over the coastline Laura made some new friends. Good job she only had a small bag with her as I think this guy may have ended up being smuggled on to the plane home. What a cutie?

To create my page I used a sheet of paper from a fabulous new paper pad I've just bought by G.C.D. It's called Homespun Chic in the Melody Ross Designer Collection and has probably been out ages as I got it at a bargain price as usual. Can't afford to buy things when they are first released - what a cheap skate!

It's double sided paper but I've only used the one side of this sheet with it's fabulous flowers that have a shiny coating on them almost as if they have been varnished or embossed with extra thick embossing powder. I mat and layered my photo in matching colours and then slit around the flowers so that I could tuck the photo underneath. The bird was also already part of the designer paper. Eeeeeeeeeek didn't leave me much to do really did it.

I knew I want to have cat prints on the page so after much cupboard searching I found a punch bought many years ago and started punching the paw prints out in the same paper as my matting and layering. Then I remembered the Xyron Design Runner disk (that was part of a set and one I thought I would never use) with pet sentiments. Eureka I spotted the 'Pounce' one and realised that it would be too small printed on my page, but with the power of the Cricut I could cut the letters and a circle for the 'O' and then punch the paw print inside. Yay I'm so pleased with the result. One of those moments when things come together with very little hair pulling out!

Sorry for rambling! My page is perfect for the challenge at Stuck on Sketches where they have started a new challenge for people to encourage the use of die cutting machines.

I'd also like to enter the challenges at...

Creative Craft Challenges - Anything but a card
Try it on Tuesday - Anything goes
Bling it on - challenge to have things beginning with ABC on project ...A = artwork, B = bird and blooms, C = cat.
Sir Stampalot - Whatever you fancy!

Well I'm off to do the facing page to complete this project. Have a great day everyone.

Later in the day and here's page two!

I was really lucky to find some WR Memory Keepers ring bound scrap books at TK Max a little while ago. They had 10 pages in them, but they weren't the normal type of scrap book page. Each page has a long slot at the top and 4 clear pockets for 6" by 4" photos. At first I didn't think they would be any use, but actually I love them, because it means I can plan one full normal 12" by 12" scrapbook page and then on the other side use the 'strange' page to show some of the other photos. The top slot gives a space to be a little more creative. On this page I've used the stripey designer paper and edged it with paw prints using the Xyron Design Runner. I printed the sentiment 'Can we take one home Mum?' on to acetate and attached it to the top of the paper.

Love and hugs,

Ann xxx

Bah! Humbug! Day...

2011-08-12T06:55:00.002+01:00

Our latest challenge over at Bah! Humbug! is Kiss-mas - ah mistletoe everywhere and everyone puckering up for their loved ones. No wonder I picked this oh so cute image by Forever Friends as a centre piece. I teamed it up with lovely Pepper and Co Christmas papers. The frame was cut out using a Wizard die and the sentiment on my tag was printed using my Xyron Design Runner.

My card is also for the challenges at...

Fab 'n' Funky - It's Christmas
Ooh la la Creations - Christmas

I'm working till late today so won't be able to do any blogging. Looking forward to seeing everyone's romantic creations though. Do check out what Max and our totally wonderful guest designers have been up to though if you get chance.

Ann xxx

All tuckered out...

2011-08-10T14:49:00.000+01:00

After all those cuddles and playing Eli was just plain tuckered out. I've just completed this page to go alongside my first page about his visit HERE. It's a sort of before and after double page spread. Again I used Serif Craft Artist to create the page. Just love that programme. I've actually uploaded all the 12" x 12" pages I've completed so far and sent them off for printing at DS Colour Labs. Hopefully they will turn out really well and I can add some bits and bobs and put them in my album.

My page is also for the challenge at...

Make it Monday - anything goes

Have a great day everyone - I'm off now to do my card for the new Bah! Humbug! challenge on Friday.

Ann xxx

A real page...

2011-08-09T15:21:00.003+01:00

Yep I've actually broke away from using Serif Craft Artist and actually used real papers and embellishments for once. Very brave of me I think especially as I included some of my own handwriting too. Not sure about that, but my daughter always says that it makes the page more personal. I'm undecided as I like things just so and my handwriting wobbles especially when I'm trying to be my neatest.

Yet again I used the sketch from Stuck on Sketches and this time (even though not an essential part of this week's challenge) there are plenty of die cuts.

Materials used...

Cricut Story Book cartridge to cut letters and large mount
Cuttlebug dies for shells and starfish
Starfish charm (from Primark bracelet)
Sizzix die for wave swirl
double sided card from massive pack from Costco

My page is also for the challenge at Rainbow Lady's challenge blog where the theme this week is a special island. Thank you Cynthia for coming up with the perfect challenge for me to showcase a page about my recent holiday on the very beautiful island of Kos.

and here comes the new improved version...

printed journelling and a couple of extra starfish. Think I'm happier with the result now. What do you think?

The little 'Goodbye' was printed using my Xyron Design Runner so it was worth spending a fortune on that piece of kit after all. LOL.
Thanks for all the lovely comments about Eli on my previous post - so kind.
Ann xxx

Back from holiday...

2011-08-09T08:02:00.003+01:00

and of course just had to see Eli. Here he is having a cuddle with Auntie Laura. We are all absolutely besotted by him.

My scrapbook page is yet another created using Serif Craft Artist and I used the latest sketch at Stuck on Sketches as a starting point. I have a 'real' traditional scrapbook page on the go that also uses this sketch, but it will be another few days before that one is finished.

I haven't got a printer caperble of printing 12" x !2"so I'm saving these pages and intending to have them printed professionally when I have enough to make paying the postage worthwhile. When they are printed I'll probably add some gems or something a little 3D to perk them up. We'll see.

Hope everyone is enjoying the summer even if it is a little cold here in England.

Ann xxx

Popping by again...

2011-07-29T08:37:00.000+01:00

That's two days in a row, but I did think that as I was around I really ought to show my card for this week's challenge of lace at Bah! Humbug!.

I used my new lacé die to create a centre piece. The double sided card I used is some I have had for some time and is a stunning peacock blue on one side and silver on the other just perfect for lacé work. Don't know about anyone else but I still have the brass templates for doing this technique by hand. I was never quite good enough with the craft knife and mine always looked a bit tatty, but these dies make it so easy. Having said that I don't think I would want to pay the full price for one and am so glad that my local craft store always has some good bargains.

It's a shame that there isn't much space left in the middle of the die cut. I found it hard to find an image small enough to go in the centre so in the end I just added a small snowflake and left the card very simple. I don't think it needed masses of embellishments. I will add a Christmas verse to the inner sometime soon.

Gonna disappear again for a while now.

Do pop over to Bah! Humbug! to take a look at what the rest of the team have created.

Love and smiles.

Ann xxx

Just popped by to say...

2011-07-28T01:30:00.003+01:00

Eli is six weeks old now and spent a whole day with his doting Grandma last Saturday. I'm totally besotted - I think I love him more than I love rubber stamps! Eeeeeeeeeeeek that is a lot!
Maybe even more than I love scrap booking with the amazing Craft Artist programme by Serif. That programme is totally addictive and is the explanation of why I am still on the computer at one in the morning.

To create my page I used the brilliant sketch at Stuck on Sketches. I found their blog on Feline Playful and I'm so glad I did as the work on show by the DT is fabulous and the sketch was just so brilliant in giving me a starting point for a Craft Artist page.

At the moment my page is waiting to be printed, but when it is I intend adding some bling to the flower centres and maybe other spots too.
This is the matching page. I have to come clean and admit that this one was created using one of the predone pages on Craft Artist as a starting point, but a girl has to learn somehow and they are sooooooooooo useful and quick to do.

Hope everyone is having as brilliant a time this summer as I am. Don't seem to be getting much done, but busy all the time. How is that possible?

Take care.

Love and smiles.

Ann xxx

Acetate on show at Bah! Humbug! ...

2011-07-01T06:09:00.000+01:00

Oooooooooooh love acetate. Infact I've just ordered a huge batch of inkjet printable, but naughty Mr Postman didn't deliver it in time for our challenge this week at Bah! Humbug!

I decided to go for a very simple card using a Marianne/Nellie Snellen die to cut out a silver mount and white cuttle bugged circle. The snowflake was cut out of glitter foam using one of the snowflakes in a Marianne set. A gem in the centre and silver border peel offs and sentiment finish the card.

The only draw back with acetate is that you have cut more sections to give a neat finish to the inside of the card, but using die cuts makes that so easy as the shapes are exactly the same size.

My card is also for the following challenges...

Divas by Design - Die cuts or punches
For Fun Challenges - Christmas

Have a fun weekend everyone.

Ann xxx

Quick run to Primark!...

2011-06-30T19:08:00.000+01:00

Popped in to Primark yesterday as I saw the sale sign and in the past I've had some great jewelry items for using on cards, but this time I hit the jackpot! How gorgeous is this necklace and charm bracelet? Reduced to just one pound each! Yeah - fantastic!

Tried to publish this post this morning, but naughty Mr Blogger wouldn't let me so if there are none left you know who to blame.

Check out the super size charms on the bracelet - oh so gorgeous for both cards and scrapbooking.

Quite nice as a bracelet for on holiday too. Maybe I'll wear it before breaking it up.

Hope if you like them they are still available at your local Primark.

Ann xxx

PPPick up a penguin....

2011-06-24T05:18:00.001+01:00

Yeah I'm back with Bah! Humbug! It felt so strange last week to let the side down and not have a card to show. Not like me at all and I guess I must still feel guilty as this week I have two samples for our theme of 'Penguins'.

Both are very easy cards using some scenic background paper from a card making magazine quite some time ago and some cute felt penguin stickers by Papercellar. I don't normally buy stickers, but I must admit to being addicted to goodie bags and there always seems to be an odd pack lurking in the bottom of the bag. Actually I rather like these penguins as they have a lovely fuzzy texture which obviously doesn't show up in the photo.

Card number 1 is just very simply trimmed, matted and layered to within an inch of it's life and then a few gems added plus a simple sentiment.

Hopefully in addition to Bah! Humbug! it fits the bill at these additional challenges...

Christmas Cards All Year Round - Anything Goes
Creative Craft World - Christmas in June

For card number two I used the brill sketch at Sketch and Stash. The backing paper for the penguin is the remaining part from my first card and the snowflake paper was from the same magazine. Both the papers and the penguin stickers have been in my stash for some time so I guess they will count as my neglected stash for the challenge. I've added some embossed white snowflake card, gems and an organza bow.

Have a fabulous weekend everyone and hope to see you joining in with our theme of penguins at Bah! Humbug! Don't forget to pop over there and check out what Max and our super talented Guest Designers have been up to.

Ann xxx

Happy Father's Day ... Grandad...

2011-06-16T08:01:00.000+01:00

Here's the second card I made for Eli to give his Grandad. It had to be a quick card as at the moment as you can imagine crafting is not very high on my priority list and it's way below the very important task of cuddling Eli.

As on my card yesterday I've used an image from the Forever Friends CD simply matted on to nestie scalloped and plain circles. The base card is one of the large scalloped circles folded in half that I bought at Stamp Magic last Sunday topped with yet more of the fab paper from my Makin Memories paper pack.

A really quick card, but I think Eli's Grandad will approve.

My card is also for the challenges at...

Little Red Wagon - for Dad (or maybe Grandad)
My Mum's Craft Shop - spots and dots
Papertake Weekly - Dad's and lads
Cupcake Craft Challenges - boy oh boy

Off to do some shopping before going for more cuddles now. Have a great day all and thank you for all your wonderful comments about how cute Eli is. If you didn't spot the photo check out this post right HERE! Ah how cute is he? I'm one very biased Grannie!

Happy Daddy's Day...

2011-06-15T05:58:00.005+01:00

Here's the card I've made for baby Eli to give his daddy on Sunday. I took it to show him today and he really gurgled so I think he liked it. Mind you at 4 days old I suppose it could have been wind causing the half smile and little gurgle!

I used the fab sketch at Sketch and Stash as a starting point for the design importing the Forever Friends bear image into Craft Artist to get it the right size. The striped and plain card are by Makin Memories. Love their paper packs. The stars were cut out on my Cricut machine at the one inch setting and of course I used the Swiss Dots folder to add texture. I really must use some of my other folders as I have so many, but always seem to reach for the same one.

Here comes a long list of challenges as nearly everywhere are asking for Father's Day cards so here goes...

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Father's Day
Craft Us Crazy - Father's Day
Paper Play Challenges - Father's Day
Alphabet Challenge - Father's Day
Come and Get it Challenges - Father's - eek no - it's green, brown and blue!

Phew that's enough for one card methinks. Will be back with Eli's card for his Grandad tomorrow.

Have a fun day all.

Ann xxx

Whoops forgot to say that my new stash (for Sketch and Stash) is the paper pack by Making Memories. It was a bargain buy from Craft Superstore and is just fabulous stuff.

Baby Boys are just so darn cute...

2011-06-14T07:13:00.000+01:00

Well as a new Grandma I just had to create a couple of baby cards didn't I? This one was inspired by designer paper from the DCWV Nana's nursery paper stack. I've only got the small pack so was a little bit restricted by the size I could make the card.

It's quite an unusual colour for babies really, but I think I like it for a baby boy. I created the washing line using chopped down barbeque skewers and resized the little digi baby grows on Craft Artist before adding the text.

Wouldn't it make a great card for twins - two pink - two blue - or even a mix I think would work really well?

My card is for the following challenges...

Craft Your Days Away - Monochrome
Crafty Emma - Inspired by a Movie - Baby (grows) day out!
Poodles Parlour - Anything Goes

and here is somebody far cuter than any card...

Introducing Eli Ryan...

How totally adorable is he and clever too as at only a few hours old he realised that it would save him a fortune if he asked Grandma to make him a card ready for Dad's day! I better get this blog post finished and get into action.

Have a fabulous day full of cuddles.

Ann xxx

Whatever!...

2011-06-10T05:11:00.001+01:00

I think our topic at Bah! Humbug! this week may cause some groans as we are asking our wonderful participants to think about ...

Teenagers!

Eeek! Yes, even the word can strike terror into parents who have bin there, done that and talked to the hand on far too many occasions.

After much thought I decided to go for that magic ingredient that is sure to be a success with most if not all teenagers ...

Money!

Last week I bought the old red Sizzix die that cuts pockets with the intention of using it on real denim and seeing as there was an old pair of jeans waiting to be thrown out I didn't waste any time giving it a try. Positioning the die on the hem line meant that my faux pocket was already hemmed and all I needed to do was stitch it on to white card. I would have loved to have used a bright red thread, but as it's so long since I've done any sewing I had to make do with the thread that was already in the machine. On the pocket corner I attached two red brads to resemble the rivets you might get on a real pocket.

Inside the pocket just peeking out is Santa who was stamped, coloured using Promarkers and cut out before being glued to the inside of the pocket with his naughty or nice list.

The card had to be a large size 8.5 x 8.5 to give enough space for both the pocket and Santa's hat, but that also gave the opportunity to use a designer paper with teenagers in mind as if you get up close and read the text it's just full of kisses and candy. What more could any teen ask for? Quite a lot probably knowing what they are like, but this will do for starters.

I added a sprig of holly cut using a Marianne die to just add a touch of zing to the pocket. Hope you like the finished result. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone else's ideas for teenage cards too.

My card is also for the following challenges...

Crafts and Me - Stamp Something - oooooooooh what a lovely easy challenge - thank you - thank you - thank you!
Oldie but Goldie - Lots of layers and an old stamp - my Santa is quite old. Think the last time he played out was on this post.
Creative Stamping Friends - a gift package
Blog-o-doodle - use more than one die cut (holly and denim pocket)

Off to work now but will be back later to see what everyone is creating.

Don't forget to pop over to Bah! Humbug! to see what Max and our brilliant guest designers have come up with.

Have a great day.

Ann xxx

I'm a new mummy...

2011-06-08T07:00:00.001+01:00

Whoops that title will have sent some of my friends into shock. No of course I'm not, but I'm hoping to be a new Grandma very shortly. EEEEEEEEEEeeek - listen out for the screams!

While doing my boring food shopping in town yesterday I noticed that our Hallmark shop had a sale on and when I saw two 'new mummy and daddy' pottery badges reduced to 50p each I just couldn't resist. Unfortunately, they didn't have a Grandma one so I guess that's a project for another day.

The badges were a bit tricky to fasten to the card circles without creasing the card, but I think they were worth the effort.

The designer paper is from the Nana's Nursery stack teamed up with green card from my stash.

Challenges...

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
CPS - Card Sketches - great sketch
Craftroom Challenge - Anything Goes
Stampfairy Challenge - Welcome a New Arrival

and challenges for card number two...

Tanda Teaser - Dad's the Word (or maybe Daddy will be fine too)
Creative Inspirations - Card for Daddy

No top tips for today as I have now done a whole two days with no accidents with paint or varnish. Maybe I should have kept that quiet as I may be tempting fate. Have a great day all and do watch this space for more baby cards and news.

Ann xxx

A simple birthday card...

2011-06-07T00:52:00.002+01:00

Recently I picked up this fabulous Hero Art clear stamp set full of elephants at a bargain price. Here is my first card made using the set. I used the elephant stamp that has a bold outline and stamped it on to floral paper so that I could paper piece the design.

Challenges...

Sketch and Stash - I used their fab sketch (new stash stamps - old stash Marianne die)
Corrosive Challenge - Summer Colours
Charismas Cardz Challenges - Something that flies (Dumbo)
Cupcake Challenges - things with tails

Have a good week everyone and today's top tip is 'If you lend a large can of black outdoor metal paint to anyone and they give it back to you in a carrier bag do not trust them to have replaced the lid tightly'. I speak from experience when I say a carrier bag full of black paint is not easy to sort out without getting covered and my finger nails may never recover from this latest disaster.

Ann xxx

Surprise - surprise it's Bah! Humbug! Day! ...

2011-06-03T06:05:00.001+01:00

Well the biggest surprise for me is that I'm managing to focus to type this post. What with long shifts at work - looking after my mum and discovering that's not a good idea to store your Crafter's Companion Glitter spray on the same shelf as your spectacle cleaning spray it's been quite a week!

As you may have guessed our new challenge at Bah! Humbug! is 'Surprise' and our new guest designers have really blown our socks off with their designs. You must go and take a look at their brilliant work.

My card was made when I stayed with Max earlier this year and we played with brass stencils, embossing paste and glitter. Check out the feather card that Max created HERE. The reindeer is a stencil by Marianne - isn't it a wowza? I just love it and Max and I had such a great time trying it out in different colours. Must admit the purple creation got my vote as the best.
To add a surprise element to my card I may add purple and silver Christmas snowflake confetti to the inside of the card when I send it.

Think my card fits the following challenges as well as our own...

Bling it on Challenges - Embossing (paste with glitter added)
Christmas Cards All Year Round - anything goes

hmm just in case you're wondering about the glasses - yes they looked stunning when accidently sprayed with glitter varnish, but poor visability was quite a problem. Luckily the day was saved by applying turps to the affected areas and praying it didn't damage the frames.

Have a good weekend everyone and remember this Top Tip do keep your craft stuff on seperate shelves to spectacle cleaning solutions, deoderants and the like.

Ann xxx

Corrieshallock...

2011-05-31T18:46:00.001+01:00

Well I've finally done the second page of my double page spread of photos taken at Corrieshallock in Scotland. I used the brilliant Serif Craft Artist programme again. I can't believe how much fun it makes scrapping and as a bonus I really think I'm learning tons of techniques that I can use in real paper designs too so it's all good.

The page is 8"x 8" so is easy to print out on a normal printer and after printing I matted on to green card and added gems and a real organza bow. So far I'm not really pushing the caperbilities of the programme as far as I should, but I am loving the results anyway and can learn as I go along.

The facing page I have shown before but after buying a new Marianne butterfly die I've added that to the page for a bit more depth.

This is a photo of the two pages together.

Another thing I really like about this programme is the fact I can easily do another copy for my friend without putting in a massive amount of effort. As I do my scrapbook I'm also printing extra pages as I'm thinking a finished book about our trip will make a lovely birthday gift for her.

I think my pages are also suitable for the following challenges...

Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Lace - on second page at lower edge is digital lace.
Karber Challenge - anything goes
The Emerald Fairies Challenge - anything goes

Have a great week everyone.

Ann xxx

Well I never...

2011-05-29T14:18:00.001+01:00

I've created something other than a Christmas card! I've actually fit quite a bit of crafting inbetween shifts these last few days. Even had a play with my marbling inks, but the least said about them the better. I suppose the silver will come off my kitchen work top eventually.

Anyway less rambling and on to today's card which is a so easy to do quick card that my daughter needed for a friend of hers who really likes cute stuff. What could be cuter than Forever Friends so I got out my CDs printed an image to decoupage and the matching backing papers. In the words of my famous friend, Max, 'Biff, baff, bosh , a bit of added glitter' and the jobs done.

My card is also for the following challenges...

Two Sisters Challenge Blog - Anything goes
Crafty Calender Challenge - Teddy Bears
Crafting for all seasons - Anything Goes

Have a great day.

Ann xxx

Bah! Humbug! Day...

2011-05-27T06:49:00.011+01:00

Friday again and so much on at the moment on top of feeling quite over worked, tired and very much under the weather, but no way could I let my dear friend and partner in crime Max down by missing one of our challenges.

This week our theme is 'Sleigh Bells Ring', which sets me off singing 'Sleigh bells ring - are you listening?' Love that Christmas song, but unfortunately it's one of those that once in your head continues for the rest of the day. Eeek sorry in advance if that happens to you.

My card is quite an easy one using a fab stamp by Hampton Arts that I've had a long, long time. Oh I love this stamp - so little to colour and yet so effective and so well drawn. Just look at those expressive eyes!

The papers were in a magazine and my favourite part is the bell, which actually rings and was originally around the neck of a delicious chocolate bunny.

My card is also for the following challenges...

Your Next Stamp - I did start with this sketch but lost the oval along the way and completely forgot the brads in the top left corner. Great sketch though and will be using again soon.
Crafting for all Seasons - a new challenge with the theme of anything goes
C.R.A.F.T. challenge - recycle (my bell)
Crafty Hazel's - Let's see some scallops

Have a good weekend all.

Love and hugs

Ann xxx

oh my goodness...

2011-05-20T08:17:00.005+01:00

This card nearly sent me insane yesterday. Oh so many things went wrong along the way and what seemed like a good idea was a nightmare to actually create. All I wanted to do was create a turning circle with Santa flying through the sky outside a window - it all proved a bit too much for my over worked brain!

Although in my defence I must say that the circle does turn, by pushing the part on the outside on the window on the right hand side and Santa does fly through the sky twice alongside a message saying 'Santa Claus is coming to town.'

Here's a list of things that either proved incredibly fiddly or difficult or both...

Had to print the sky background three times - once for bottom half of window, once for top and once for turning circle so why did my printer decide to do the circle a different colour to the rest which meant I had to start again?
Clear rubber Santa stamp would not stamp well on the card I had printed on.
Had to reprint the circle with a Santa sleigh image but couldn't find a really good digi.
It took 9 attempts to get the both the sentiment and the sleighs the right way up and travelling correctly - by that time I was knee deep in paper and ready to cry.

Things that did make me happy...

planning the design in Serif Craft Artist and then printing out the parts needed worked well
the curtain pole - a kebab stick cut down with beads on the end. I knew that awful necklace bought at Primark would be useful one day.

So by now you've probably guessed that our theme this week at Bah! Humbug! is kinetic cards - cards that have moving parts or rock or even explode into action. Wowza, I bet we're going to be blown away by everyone's designs. I'm 100% sure that everyone will do a better job than me as I really don't like my card. I learnt a great deal while making it though and it's definitely one of those 'can do better next time' cards that we all need to do from time to time.

Hugs and Smiles

Ann xxx

Blatant copying!!!

2011-05-19T16:21:00.001+01:00

Sometimes you see a card with such a clever technique on it that you can't help but have a go yourself. Recently I saw a stunning card by Sylvie at Gibmiss where she had used lots of different sized flowers and linked them together across an aperture. I thought this was a really wonderful idea and just couldn't resist doing my own version. Thank you so much for the inspiration, Sylvie.

My flowers were cut out of gold mirri card in three sizes using my Cricut machine. The card is 6.5" by 6.5" which will give you an idea of the size of the aperture. It took a lot of flowers and a lot of patience too, but I do love the effect. I matted the heart piece onto white vellum using foam tape to give depth to the design and then matted it onto gold mirri. A sentiment peel off and gold brads in the corners finish the design.

Do check out Sylvie's fabulous card which is a white on white stunner - just beautiful.

My card is for the following challenges...

Fab n Funky Challenges - Make your own blooms
Papertake Weekly - Bloom and Grow
Paper Pretties - Use flowers on your card

Will be back with my Bah! Humbug! challenge card tomorrow. This week is quite a tester - it certainly tested me to the limit.

Hugs and Smiles

Ann xxx

Bah! Humbug!!!!!

2011-05-13T19:01:00.001+01:00

is what I think about Mr Blogger's behaviour - two posts - all my comments for Bah! Humbug! entrants gone. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Two hours catching up on comments after a long shift at work all now lost - not a happy blogger bunny!

Somebody will not be getting a Christmas card from me this year - not that Mr Blogger did last year either, but that's not the point.

Don't trust this to post or stay posted so I'm not linking it to challenges or anything and my other posts can stay lost cause in the words of Catherine Tate 'Am I bothered?'

Have a great weekend all.

Ann xxx

Happy Nurse's Day...

2011-05-09T12:32:00.000+01:00

I was under strict instructions when my daughter left for work this morning that a card was expected by the time she got home. Whoops, I'm failing badly in the 'yummy mummy' stakes this week. Had to do this quick card at the last minute. Thank goodness for being able to buy digis, etc online and have access to them immediately. The image and sentiment I've used are both from a set by PC Crafter. I took them into Craft Artist to both plan the design and match up the backing paper to the image. Just love that function on Craft Artist.

My card is also intended for the challenges at..

Use it Tuesday - dig out your bling (gemstones on sentiment and corners)
Craft your Passion - use gingham

Sending love to nurse's everywhere - very much overworked and underpaid. Have a lovely day whether working, like Laura or celebrating.

Ann xxx

More Scrapping...

2011-05-07T12:30:00.002+01:00

Just a quick post to show my latest scrap page about my visit to Scotland. Again done on Serif's Craft Artist and mat and layered after printing. I also added gems around each of the frames to give a little 3D oomph.

My page is also for the following challenges...

ABC Challenge - Around the world

Paper Crafting Journey - Bling

If the shoe fits - Going Green

Hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend. I'm working most of it, but have got a little free time as well.

Almost forgot to say...
Happy National Scrapbooking Day!

Ann xxx

Bah! Humbug! ... Recycling Week...

2011-05-06T05:16:00.099+01:00

Thinking about how much broken jewelry I have used on cards this week it will probably come as no surprise to you all that our new theme at Bah! Humbug! is Recycling! There are just so many things that can be reclaimed and used on cards or perhaps recycling to you means reclaiming something old and giving it a new lease of life. As I had already worked on a couple of cards with recycled items on them I decided to go on a hunt for something to revamp.

I was over the moon to find this black material jewelry box in our local Help the Aged shop. At 99p I think I got an absolute bargain with the thrown in pleasure of helping a charity at the same time.

As it's quite a small container I knew it wouldn't be big enough to store all my selection of brads, but thought it would be perfect to store my Christmas themed ones. I'm still working on finding a storage place for each and every item in my craft room. It's marathon, but I guess it will be worth it in the end.

As the box is covered in a black woven fabric I didn't want to start using any type of glue that might soak into the material and spoil it so I decided to use gold holographic sticky backed plastic with a Cuttlebug die of a Christmas street scene. I cut the strip of houses three times and linked them together around the base of the box. Sadly Mickey Mouse on his sleigh (from the same die) wouldn't fit so I had to be content with just the moon in the sky.

This is the inside of the box complete with brads.

As you can see in the next photo the top section lifts out to reveal more space below. Just enough space to fit everything in and maybe now they are all in one place I'll use them more instead of always reaching for either a plain gold or silver circular brad each time.

Hope you'll have time to join us at Bah! Humbug! this week. I can't wait to see what items are given a new lease of life or find their way on to cards.

If you do join us this week you might want to join this challenge at Creative Craft Challenges where they are also thinking about recycling.

My altered jewelry/brad container is also for the challenges at..

Charismas Cardz Challenge - No cards allowed.
Divas by Design - Anything Goes
Craft your Passion - Anything Goes

Enjoy your weekend everyone.

Ann xxx

Strathpeffer...

2011-05-05T05:03:00.001+01:00

Oh, I am so enjoying using Serif's Craft Artist although I must admit it did some naughty things on me while I was creating these two pages (like crashing and then later printing the same page twice), but it's so good that I can live with little misdemeanors along the way.

First page is one of me sat in the little square drinking coffee (yes coffee Max you heard correctly) accompanied by the biggest cherry muffin you have ever seen, while page number two shows some photos of other buildings in the town.

I've added my own die cut flower and swirl and brads to give a bit more depth to the page. I'm also tending to mat and layer the printed piece on to card too.

I'm entering my pages into the following challenges:

Crafts and Me - Swirls (only a small one but it is there with the flower - honest!)

ABC Challenge - Two or more images hope scrap booking counts)

Top Tip Tuesday - Open Challenge

At this rate I might even finish a whole album before the next holiday. Have a good day all. I'm back at work today so crafting is going to be tricky over the next week, but hopefully I'll sneak some in somehow.

Hugs and smiles.

Ann xxx

Happy Birthday Laura...

2011-05-04T06:25:00.001+01:00

Yep today is the day and I've finally finished both cards and wrapping. I made this gift bag/pocket to hold some little surprises for her. The idea and instructions came from one of last year's card making magazines and it was very easy to do. The only problem being that it needs a whole sheet of 12" x 12" double sided paper so it's quite an extravagant little bag really. Cute though - well I think so!

The stamp is a Penny Black which I've coloured with Promarkers. I've loved all the cards by Lorraine at Lorraine's Loft recently where she has edged the image with ink and Stardust Stickles so I thought I would have a go too. I used chalk and the only Stickles I have which is Icicles and I think it worked reasonably well for a first attempt. Lorraine's are scrumptious though so do check out the link if you have time.

Additional materials:

Sei 12" x 12" double sided paper
Nellie Snellen scalloped edge die and nestie
shredded paper and tissue for wrapping gifts

Challenges:

Papertake Weekly - Anything goes with the option of something round on your project (my die cut mat and image)
Penny Black at Alllsorts - Shape up
Sweet Stampin Challenge - try something new (paper folding a gift container)
Crafty Ann's Challenge - fancy folds
Ladybug Crafts Ink - Going Dotty (pattern on paper is formed by dotted line - hope it shows in photo)

Have a great day everyone whether you are celebrating or not. It's my last day before heading back to work sigh. It has been so nice to be able to fit some 'playtime' in.

Ann xxx

Would you be tempted?...

2011-05-03T19:08:00.000+01:00

Having used two old bits of Laura's jewelry this week I couldn't help but notice this stunner of a necklace she wore today. Oh so tempting - check out the clock face - so Tim Holtz and there's a another smaller version hiding in there somewhere too.

I wonder how long it will be before her fiendish Mum gets to use the bits and bobs on cards and scrapping.

Ann xxx

Happy Birthday ...

2011-05-03T10:49:00.001+01:00

Another card for Laura's birthday tomorrow. This is the one I've made for Grandma to give her. Again Sweet Pea Stamps and this image actually has an amazing sentiment included with it which I intended to put on the front of the card, but there just wasn't enough space so it's had to go on the inner. It reads...

' May the wings of a butterfly kiss the sun.

And find your shoulders to light on.

To bring you luck, happiness and riches .

Today, tomorrow and beyond.'

Note yet more cast off jewelry being used. When Laura first showed me her butterfly necklace a year or so ago I must admit my eyes lit up at the sight of the 20 or so butterflies dangling down from it. She knows me so well and said at the time 'You're not having it yet!' I laughed and said it looked quite fragile and would get tangled in her hair. Naturally this comment was met with a huge scowl and I fell quite low in the 'yummy mummy' league for a while. Anyway a year later and it finally bit the dust and was relegated to the craft collection - yeah - how cool are these butterflies?

I must admit that Laura added the chain from the necklace to a scrapbook page she was working on last week so that makes me feel a little less guilty.

Additional materials:

Promarkers of course and a touch of chalk
Marianne circular frame die and nestie circle
Beautiful shimmery butterfly paper by Sei
Blue ribbon - oh the joy of ribbon sorted on to cards (see this post)
Happy Birthday sentiment
Gems and Spray and Sparkle (silver) to add oomph
Swiss Dots Cuttlebug folder

Challenges:

In a Sweet Pea Dream - Anything Goes (hope it's okay to enter again)
Sweet Pea Stampers - Recycling - the butterfly - again second entry hope that is okay.
Passion for Promarkers - Fit for a princess (think it fits as all granddaughters are Princesses in their Grandma's eyes)
Try it on Tuesday - Something old (the butterfly) - something new (the stamp)
Sketch and Stamp - original sketch used was from there, but I must come clean and say I lost a couple of the elements from it. Sorry!

Well cards done and dusted now on to the gift bags. Have a great day everyone.

Ann xxx

Laura's Birthday...

2011-05-02T16:40:00.001+01:00

Wow, it's not until Wednesday and already I've finished her card! This has got to be a record as normally I have to get up at the crack of dawn on the day to finish (or even sometimes start) the card. Not this time and I was even organised enough to buy this oh so cute stamp from Sweet Pea Stamps about a month ago knowing it would fit the bill for her birthday perfectly.

The papers I've used are from a collection I bought at a car boot sale recently so I really don't know the company, but they are scrummy. The sentiment stamp was part of the same set by Sweet Pea stamps. I really love their stamps and the range is just growing and growing all the time.

Additional Materials:

Flower and leaf embossing and cutting punches
Martha Stewart lace dollie border punch
Promarkers (naturally)
pink ribbon (yeah - not white or cream or black - due to new ribbon storage I a can actually find matching colours -yeah)
Cricut to cut ovals large enough for the stamp
glitter, gems and recycled solitary ear ring courtesy of Laura (perhaps Mummy should not be happy when daughters loose ear rings, but sometimes I just can't help feeling a little bit pleased. Watch out for the broken butterfly necklace coming soon).
Swiss Dots embossing folder

Challenges:

Sweet Stop Challenge - provided the fantastic sketch for the card.
Practical Scrappers - Birthday Cards
Pollycraft - Anything Goes
Sir Stampalot - Magical Worlds
In a Sweet Pea Dream - Anything Goes
Sweet Pea Stamps Challenge - recycling - a solitary ear ring see photo below...

and just to prove it's on the card...

I really must invest in some jewelry pliers as my finger is going to be sore all week now after bending the metal flat at the back of the flower.

Two posts in one day. Aren't holidays just brilliant?

Hope everyone is really enjoying this lovely sunny bank holiday as much as I am.

Ann xxx

Scotland...

2011-05-02T07:29:00.001+01:00

All the years that people have raved about how gorgeous Scotland is and I've listened patiently, but inside I've thought 'hmmm, but it's cold and wet!' What a mistake! This year I've made two trips north, one to my great friend Max and one on a coach trip and on both occasions I've been absolutely blown away by the fabulous scenery and the friendly people too. Naturally Max and her family are top of the list when it comes to great people.

Last week I went on a five day coach trip to Strathpeffer. It was brilliant and I took loads of photos. Yes Max this time I not only took my camera, but actually remembered to use it too! Having said that my first page about my trip actually uses one of the postcards I bought while away. I thought this one with the coach suspended at the top of one of the peaks was really funny.

I created the page in Serif Craft Artist and after measuring my postcard I left a white rectangle on the page so that the post card could be added after printing. The tartan paper is from Crafty Ann's Digi Shop. I just love the way you can transport a backing paper into Craft Artist and then using the dropper tool make other items on the page match. I used the dropper tool to match the textured lilac backing paper with the tartan and then teamed the ribbon up with the thistle. Such a clever programme.

My scrapbook page is also for the following challenges...

Rainbow Lady - Take a town, country or city break. (what a great challenge!)
Pile it on - Time to Travel

Well, 3 more days till I'm back at work. I might even be able to fit some more challenges in this week. Need to do some birthday cards and fast too as it's my daughter's birthday on Wednesday. Eeek better make a start.

Have a fabulous day everyone.

Ann xxx

EEEEEEEEEEK it's Saturday!...

2011-04-30T10:55:00.001+01:00

Just got back from a fantastic five day break in Scotland and I'm afraid my scheduled Bah! Humbug! post just didn't happen! Think I'm to blame not Mr Blogger, but no worries as I can post my cards now and with all the celebrations that were going on yesterday I doubt very much if anyone even noticed my lack of posting.

Our challenge this week is 'Pleats and Ruffles' and luckily while doing my mass ribbon sort out recently I found this amazing ribbon with a cord running through it that could be pulled to scrunch up the whole ribbon eventually forming a sort of circular rosette. I attached a gemstone brad to the centre and kept the whole card fairly simple so that the focus is on the ribbon. I had intended this to be the sort of card to have in your card box that could be used for any celebration near Christmas, but my daughter (alias chief critic and top advisor in these matters) says it's much better as a Christmas card.

My second sample is another gift bag. This time I pleated a 12 inch strip of Christmas designer paper to create a ruffle and attached this to the a tag for the bag. A snowflake brad attached with pinflair glue finishes the tag off.

Additional Challenges:

Crafty Ann's - Fancy Folds - my fancy folds are on the rosette tag on my bag

Have a great weekend everyone.

Ann xxx

Good Friday - Good Gracious...

2011-04-22T03:04:00.002+01:00

I'm still doing Christmas!!! Are any Easter cards made? No! Oh my - better shake myself today or it will be too late. All birthdays, anniversaries and any other events are just going to have to be cancelled while I catch up with myself.
One thing I never miss though is our challenge at Bah! Humbug! and this week we are featuring the man himself - no not Tim Holtz - Father Christmas! My image is a rubber stamp my daughter bought many years ago from Lakeland when they used to sell craft items. I remember her saying at the time he would be wonderful to layer up and he certainly was. I had intended to make a gift bag and matching small gift card, but somehow the card ended up bigger than intended and had a style of it's own. No worries they will both be used.

My gift bag was created using the sketch at Sketch and Stash for inspiration. My stamp is the old stash and the oval Nellie Snellen die new stash.
Additional challenges...

ABC Challenge - S for sparkle (glittered hat, beard and gems on holly)
Promarker Challenge - anything goes

Have a fabulous Easter weekend everyone.
Ann xxx

Bah! Humbug! Day...Christmas Stockings...

2011-04-15T05:54:00.020+01:00

Wow Friday again I just can't believe how quickly these weeks fly by. This time our challenge at Bah! Humbug! is on the theme of Christmas Stockings and for my card I've used die cut decoupage, papers and sticky ribbon all from the Pepper and Friends range. For the first time ever I can actually say this die cut decoupage worked and was a pleasure to use. The papers in the range are a great match too and make putting a card together a breeze.

Additional materials...

sentiment stamp by Waltzing Mouse
white star eyelets, white brads and white organza ribbon
Swiss Dots embossing folder

Additional Challenges...

Fab 'n' Funky - Spotty and Dotty
My Time to Craft - On the Spot
Papertake Weekly - Dimension

Have a great weekend everyone.

Ann xxx

Sentiment Stamp Storage Ideas...

2011-04-11T13:49:00.001+01:00

One day soon (or maybe not that soon but one day) I will be completely organised, but at the moment any free time seems to be spent sorting craft items and trying to find better storage solutions. I must admit that last summer I started putting all my sentiment stamps on to EZ mount with the idea of storing them in plastic boxes. This was okay, but took ages, cost a fortune in EZ mount and it took up quite a lot of space.

As you can see in this photo of the box open showing the inside complete with stamps and reference card the stamps are going to need trimming a little as the ink was catching the edge of the EZ foam quite a bit. I also find that the stamps are not 100% reliable at staying stuck to the inside of the box so you get an odd one that falls off when you try to close up. Really annoying so all in all not bad storage, but not perfect.

This morning while shopping at Tesco I saw this nifty little wallet meant for storing business cards and wondered whether it would work for storing the sentiment stamps that I had still waiting to be EZ mounted.

I know from trying a similar idea with other rubber stamps a while back that you need to allow plenty of space for the stamps or you end with a book that opens up rather like a star card. So although there are a lot of pages in the book I had to cut quite a few out and I actually only left 4 pages in each of the four sections. Doing this allows the book to close properly. My book is not full and it may be that I will need to cut another page from each section, but for the moment I'm leaving them in and waiting to see if it will work.

The pages are easy to cut out as the sections are welded in place and removing some pages doesn't mean that the rest become loose.

This top view photo shows the sections and the amount of space in the spine. There was another wallet on sale that actually was much nicer looking but had no space in the spine. This would have been okay for business cards but not for storing rubber.

There are quite a lot of pages wasted really as the photo above shows, but I may put these to one side in case I can think of a way of using them. With 4 pages in each section there are a total of 16 pages meaning that 64 stamps can be stored.

Before trying the EZ mount and box idea I bought lots of storage wallets like the ones used for trading cards and business cards that could be used in a ring binder. I found that the stamps make the pages rather heavy and 'pull' too much on the binder so this system didn't work too well either.

Hope this little article about my further sorting and tidying exploits has been of help to someone. While shopping this morning I also replenished my paper clips so I'm off to do some more ribbon sorting now. Groan!!!

Have a great day.

Ann xxx

Oh what a tangled web we weave...

2011-04-09T14:28:00.002+01:00

Can't believe I'm still working on sorting out my craftroom. So determined to kick things into shape, but today has been a real toughie as I'm transferring ribbon from coat hanger storage that just took up so much space on to cards that I can keep in a drawer. Rapidly loosing the will to live and still all the red, gold and silver ribbon to sort out. Eek!!

How lovely will it be to open this drawer to find the right coloured ribbon. It may even mean that I break away from my addiction to using white, black or cream all the time.

Ann xxx
PS: Just a little foot note - Susan commented...

'How do you keep your ribbon from creasing when you fold it like that ? l bought some in a packet last week and on opening it, the ribbon was creased at every fold ?'

Susan I don't worry about the creases in my ribbon anymore. One of my Christmas presents was a really tiny mini hair straightener and it is just amazing for straightening ribbon in seconds. Best craft gadget ever.
Rita said ...
' it must have been quite a job.'
It certainly was and is - ran out of paper clips around 5 o'clock yesterday. The pack of 200 I bought wasn't enough. Eeeek can you believe that?

Friday again...

2011-04-08T01:08:00.001+01:00

So that's means it's Bah! Humbug! day and this is one week where I really felt like saying Bah! Humbug!, stamping my feet and scowling like a mad women. For some strange reason I decided on Monday that my craft area needed sorting. Hmm, bad idea as it is now the end of the week and what could have been a small job is turning into a marathon. If I had tried to enter 'What's on your Workdesk Wednesday' this week it would have been more a case of 'What desk? Where? Not good and it meant that to complete my card for this week's challenge of 'Candy Canes' I had to take all the things I needed downstairs and work on the dining table. So guess what - now the downstairs is a mess too now. Sigh!!

Ah well less rambling and on to describe what I've done for my candy cane card. I wanted to use the candy images to make a frame that had a love heart shape to it. I also thought that making the heart an apperture with a romantic image inside might work well. The image I've used is one from the Hallmark Forever Friends CD which I copy and pasted into Craft Artist so that I could play around with the heart and apperture idea.

My original thoughts were to have the image on the card inner and the apperture on the front, but of course I realised that it would mean cutting through far too many layers. Instead after printing and cutting out the apperture piece I matted it on to the cute bears image using a double layer of foam pads to really raise it up and give a nice window effect. After completing the card I realised that I could have kept the original opening idea by making the apperture and image a small card on the front of the main card and have fastened with a ribbon. Maybe next time I'll try that.

The papers are by We R Memory Keepers and I chose the fab glittery paper as it made me think of rolled up candy canes. A peel off sentiment, and stamped sentiment mounted on a matching snowflake complete the card. The red panels are embossed with Swiss Dots, but unfortunately they don't show up very well in the photo.

Additional Challenges...

Inspirational Card Sketches - fab sketch used for this project
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes and something new (my paper)
CD Sunday - for someone special (possibly for daughter and boyfriend - will need to decide nearer Christmas)
Christmas Card Challenge - Stitching (mine is faux - hope it counts)

Have a great weekend everyone. I'm hoping to complete my craft sort out so that I can actually do some fun playing. Have missed entering so many of my favourite challenges recently. Perhaps I will be able to catch up next week.

Ann xxx

Happy Mother's Day...

2011-04-03T19:48:00.001+01:00

I was really late making this card - something else to blame Max for!! Eek poor Max. I made it this morning before my mum came to my house. It had to be something quick and easy so I used an A4 decoupage sheet that my friend Susan gave me at the NEC. It's a Debbie Moore image and one that once cut out works really well on a large square card.

Love the glitter effect on the frame. It isn't actually glitter but it does give that effect. I added a feather and a gemstone to the glam lady costume and border and corner peel offs finish the card. I haven't put a sentiment as my mum puts the cards out and they stay out. She still has a Halloween House Mouse card on her sideboard.

Challenges...

Sir Stampalot - Ladies and Fashion
Creative Inspirations - Mother's Day
Paperplay - for Mum

Hope everyone has had a day as fabbie as mine even though I've cried three times today it has been really special. The first tears came when my eldest daughter sent me the most sentimental and soooooo sloppy text. The second was when I rang my own mum who had no idea what was going on when I told her it was Mother's Day and I loved her and the one that really got me was when I put my hand on my youngest daughter's tummy and felt my grandson move for the first time. That has got to be one of the best Mother's Day presents ever.

Ann xxx

Oh my goodness ... an award...

2011-04-03T19:25:00.001+01:00

Oh my goodness how special is this? Cat at Catnaps Jewelry gave me this award and said 'I chose sites that inspire me and yours is one' - oh my how wonderful to have that said about your blog. Thank you so much Cat - I really appreciate that comment and the award.

Now there are a few rules to this award.
Thank the person who sent it to you ~ yep done that.
Tell Us 7 things about yourself ~ yep done that.
Send/Reward this to 15 bloggers ~ oooooooooooh will have to get my thinking cap on.

1. I am a mother a soon to be Grandma and responsible for my mum who needs someone to remember things for her.
2. I love creating things and for the last ten years or so papercraft and rubber stamping have completely taken over my creative time.
3. I really want to get into Scrapbooking more - have the papers and albums just need to shake myself and get going?
4. I am addicted to red wine.
5. I love holidays and am always ready to book another.
6. I have some very special friends and I couldn't survive without their love and laughter.
7. I love soppy films and can cry at the drop of a hat.

Here's my list of inspiring blogs...

Joanne at Ambrosia and Iron
June at Yorkie Lover
Debbie at Wiccababe
Claire at Waltzingmouse Makes
Helen at Fiddle Fart
Mel at Mel Stamps

oh my goodness 15 is a lot to link and I am running out of time so I will be back later with more super talented crafters.

Ann xxx

Bah! Humbug! Day ... Cards to make you giggle!

2011-04-01T07:09:00.005+01:00

Ooooooooooooh this week my first two cards for our challenge at Bah! Humbug! are quite hot stuff - maybe too hot! I do hope nobody will be offended by my fun take on our theme of 'Cards to make you smile or giggle'. Both of my cards certainly made Max smile when she saw them and Laura has already ear marked both of them as ones to send to her friends next Christmas.

I must come clean and say that at one stage we, the devilish duo at Humbug Hall, had it in mind to post a pretend challenge entitled 'Naked Men'. It was to be our very own April Fool's Day joke, but in the end we decided that it might be a little bit too naughty even for us.
My first card uses a photo taken from a newpaper article some years ago which I imported into Serif Craft Artist to add the holly in the appropriate places. Tartan backing paper by Kanban and a computer generated sentiment 'Have a jolly holly Christmas' completes the card.

My second card is even more raunchy. I think staying with Max in the Scottish wing of Humbug Hall has had a bad influence on me because I don't usually do cards like this! Honest!! On this card I used the same photo, but printed it on photo card and then stamped and cut out little Christmas hats to cover the parts that needed covering. Eeeeeeeek!

My last card for this week's challenge features another cutie with no clothes on! Don't panic, as this time it's my favourite Christmas House Mouse and the Santa hat is firmly placed on his head and not covering any other body parts.

This guy always makes me smile and the thought of him eating so much sherry trifle that he's got a permenant smile and very wobbly legs is such a lovely thought I had to incorporate it onto my card. The backing paper is from the new Joanna Sheen CD which features papers and inserts to use alongside House Mouse stamps. I imported the backing paper into Serif Craft Artist and used the tools in that programme to make my inner frame and added the words too before printing out. As most of the layers are done in Craft Artist Programme and printed this card is flat enough to escape the cost of a large letter stamp, but having said that I do like the depth given by 'real' matting and layering and would, if I was doing the card again do it differently.

My cards are also for the challenges at...

For Fun Challenges - Christmas
Christmas Card Challenges - no stamping- first two cards
Sentimental Sunday - Cute and Cuddly - the mouse of course!!!
Crafty Ann's Challenge - Elvis Song - 'Santa Clause is back in town'
Rainbow Lady's Challenge - A night at the movies - 'The Full Monty'

Have a wonderful weekend everyone. Sadly I will be heading home tomorrow after spending a whole week with my dear friend Max in Scotland. Having looked forward to this for so long I can't believe the week has passed by so quickly. Thank goodness she will be coming to stay in Yorkshire before the end of the year.
Ann xxx

Bah! Humbug! Challenge ... Christmas Trees...

2011-03-25T06:33:00.001Z

Wow a really easy peasy week at Bah! Humbug! this time. Christmas Trees - how much scope is there in that theme? For my card I used a Dreamweaver brass stencil, embossed it using my Big Shot and then coloured using ink dusters and shades of green Adirondack ink with a touch of yellow for the star and brown for the base. The strip of green in the lower part of the card was scored on my Scor pal and then pleated. I attached it using Pinflair to give the pleats support.

Spotty paper by DCWV I think!

Additional challenges...

CCEE Stampers - Create a Christmas Card
Crafty Purple Frog - Green
Some Odd Girl - Pleat Something

Have a great day everyone. I'm off to the NEC so I'm really excited. Do try to pop over to Bah! Humbug! if you have chance. It's the last week for our Guest Designers and they have really gone out with a bang. Their contributions this week are totally mind blowing.

Ann xxx

Bargain alert ...

2011-03-22T13:25:00.000Z

Just the other week I used some really fab puffy glittery stickers on some holiday pages here. I bought them at one of the pound shops, but I know a few people went in to get some and they just weren't available. Anyway today I popped in to 'The Works' and found they were selling the same stickers even cheaper - yeah - so I went a little mad and bought a couple of alphabet sets, a zoo set and a funky flower set. The sea creatures was on sale too, but naturally I already have them.
Happy bargain hunting.
Ann xxx

Molly Bloom Day...

2011-03-21T11:15:00.001Z

Only just finished the project we did in the morning on the Molly Bloom workshop I went to at the Craft Box at Elsecar last Saturday. I don't think I'm cut out for these workshops as I found it so difficult stamping and colouring on the card provided. In the end I bought some good quality card in the shop and stamped the images to colour at home, which I've just finished doing.

Wow, matching the colouring to the patterned paper was tricky and I'm still not totally satisfied with the results, but they are passable. I love the work that Clare, the designer of the Molly Bloom range does and was thrilled to be able to go on the course. However, going on this day out has made me realise that I really don't like following someone's design even if they are brilliant. It takes the excitement out of a project.

I did enjoy the day though and learnt a quite a useful few things...

how to do this funky button and ribbon embellishment - very useful as you only need tiny bits of ribbon

how to create a cool basic basket and cover it with designer paper
that Art Glitter glue is magic for attaching braid to tops of baskets
that punched strips are just amazing for creating handles

This is the other side of the basket showing the boy and the hen. All great stamps for creating fabulous scenes. Our afternoon project used even more of the stamp range and was truly stunning. I may be showing mine later in the week if and when I finally finish it.

I'm not entering this project into any challenges as it's not my design. I'm thinking these stamps would match up brilliantly with that bird house I bought at Poundland the other week so maybe I'll get round to doing that time permitting and if I have any spare images left.

Have a great week.

Ann xxx

Bah! Humbug! Day... Metallics...

2011-03-18T06:42:00.002Z

Had a fantastic week away at a friend's house so not much time for crafting, but found time of course for our latest challenge at Bah! Humbug! This week our theme is 'Metallics'.

I decided to head for something I haven't used for a long time - Art Metal! I first used this stuff when I bought my Wizard machine many years ago and loved the way it embosses using brass stencils. Having said that although it embosses beautifully it can also be quite tricky to use because it also marks easily too, but I think it is worth the extra effort.

Additional materials used...

gold metal brads
papers by HOTP
xyron design runner for the sentiment strip (again wow that's 3 times now - could this be worth the investment?)
snowflake die cut using Marianne die
cream organza ribbon and lace
green embossed card and cream pearlescent paper

Additional challenges...

Charisma Card Challenges - Use diecuts (my snowflake)
Crafty Purple Frog - Green projects
Delightful Challenges - Show us some green
The Pixie Dust Studio - Go Green
Crafty Hazel's Challenge - Go for Gold

Have a fabulous weekend everyone. I'm going to a craft day with Claire of Molly Bloom stamps so I am sooooooooooooooooooo excited. Hopefully I'll be able to show my makes on Sunday, but don't hold your breath as I've heard we're using Aqua markers and that will be completely new to me and probably a disaster, but we'll see.

Love and hugs

Ann xxx

Bah! Humbug! Day ... Apertures

2011-03-11T06:30:00.037Z

A very quick post from me today as I'm off to work shortly. This week at Bah! Humbug! sees us using apertures on our cards. Something I don't do as often as I should as they can be quite effective. I decided to make my aperture a mouse sized one and create a mouse hole on the front of my card using part of a nestie circle.

I tried to make the front look like wall and skirting board. I suppose if the proportions were as in real life the skirting board would be far bigger, but I think it works okay as it is. The little sign was printed on the computer and the holly was made using a punch.

On the inside the image from a stamp set by Joanna Sheen was coloured using Promarkers with a touch of Sakura white glaze pen and some glitter. The sentiment is from the same stamp set.

My card is also for the challenges at...

Fab's Big Christmas Challenge - curls (will be on my next creation) or pictures (on this one)
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Christmas Sparkles - Predominantly red and green

Have a great weekend everyone. I'm working most of it, but have a whole week off to look forward to. Yeah!

Ann xxx

Scrapping with help from Poundworld...

2011-03-09T18:58:00.003Z

I'm not actually sure whether the glittery puffy stickers that I've used on these two holiday scrap book pages were from Poundworld or Poundland, but aren't they just fabbie? I bought them last week when the challenge at Daring Cardmakers was to use something from a pound shop, but as per usual I didn't quite finish my projects on time.

I've got loads of them left including some really funky crabs that my daughter wants for her scrapbook.

On my first page I printed some journaling on to acetate and then mat and layed this to match the rest of the page before attaching it to the organza ribbon.

On page two I am so proud of the fact that I remembered to use my very expensive impulse buy toy - the Xyron Design Runner. Again I printed on acetate and then lay the strip across the page fastening it behind the paper. The bubbles were some embellishments that were in my Graphicus Goodie box and I love them so if anyone knows their proper name please let me know cause I've only about two left and I don't know what to ask for in craft shops.

Can't believe I'm being brave enough to put photos of me on here! Please keep eyes focussed on the cute octopus or fishand not me!

Challenges...

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

Have a fantastic evening everyone.

See you on Friday hopefully for the new challenge at Bah! Humbug!

Ann xxx

Pound Shop bargain alert...

2011-03-08T16:13:00.001Z

Having a really busy week this week so haven't got that much time for crafting, but just look what I picked up at Pound World on the way to work yesterday. A card board weather resistant bird house! How cute would this be with added digi characters and flowers maybe?

It's on my list of things to do, but I wanted to put a post on here just in case anyone wanted to buy one themselves. By the time I finish mine (if I ever do) they may not still be on sale.

This is the bag they are sold in and they are really easy (speaking as someone who didn't get round to reading the instructions) to put together. There were two versions in the shop I went to. One was a tudor house (as in the photo) and I can't remember the name of the other, but it's kinda barn looking. I must admit I was disappointed because neither are the lovely bright colours of the example on the packet and I'm not sure whether painting them would work or not. Will have a think about that.

At Poundland I found a gorgeous card of ribbons just right for all the Spring theme challenges in blog land at the moment. Well at least they would be if I had time to play.

As both Pound Shops are very near to where I wait for the bus to work I seem to pop in them more and more just lately so maybe there will be regular updates on things to watch out for. Just waiting for a bus seems to be costing me a fortune! I might as well tempt everyone else to spend too.

Ann xxx

Birthday Time...

2011-03-07T12:17:00.000Z

Oh my goodness it's not today, tomorrow or even this week and yet I've actually finished my daughter's birthday card. Yikes, this has to be a first as I'm usually at the very last minute. I suppose I have to thank Cynthia at Rainbow Lady's Challenges for the inspiration as the theme over there this week is 'masked ball' and as soon as I saw it I remembered how much Shelley loved the masks on display when we visited Venice. Another thank you has to go to Christine at Lady Lace's Crafting Space as she jogged my memory about the Debbie Moore images on this theme. Crikey this post is beginning to sound like an Oscar ceremony!

Anyway less rambling and more detail. These are the materials I used...

image and diamond backing paper from Debbie Moore's first magazine
green and purplish card
purplish vellum attached over the diamond paper using brads. Used this so there would be a shadow of the diamond pattern coming through
diamond embossing folder - Cuttlebug
corner die cuts by Spellbinders (cut smaller than actual die)
gems and organza ribbon

Being so organised and doing my card extra early I even had chance to do a special inner. Shelley will be so impressed as she's all too aware that normally I get into such a flap at the 11th hour. Again the image is from the magazine. I used the Hallmark card making CD to create the sentiment.

My card is also for the challenge at Crafty Ann's where this week the challenge is to create a birthday card.

Have a fab day everyone. The sun is actually shining today in South Yorkshire - maybe Spring is finally here. I do hope so.

Ann xxx

Bah! Humbug! Day... Embossing...

2011-03-04T05:39:00.004Z

Well, Friday again and time for a new challenge at Bah! Humbug! This week we are focussing on embossing. Another challenge that will give all our supporters tons of scope as there are so many kinds of embossing. On my card I went for the easy peasy lemon squezy kind and used embossing folders. I used a large 5 x 7 folder for the woven effect on the glitter card and because the design is a repetitive one I was able to reposition the folder to emboss an even larger area. I've also used my Swiss Dots folder to emboss the strip across the middle of the card. The circle die cut frame is by Marianne and also has embossed edges.

Other materials used...

Milli clear stamp by Penny Black
border punch
pink card and silver mirri card
gems and organza ribbon
tag die by Cuttlebug

Other Challenges...

Cutie Sunday - favourite stamp (well it is today - tomorrow may be a different one)
Sentimental Sundays - Anything goes plus a sentiment - Happy Christmas on tag
Sweet Stamping - Oh so girlie cards
Flutter By Wednesday - open theme - with angel

Christmas Challenges...

ABC Christmas Challenge - Embossing and 3 different embellishments (ribbon, gems and tags)

Have a fantastic weekend everyone and be sure to check out the work of our Guest Designers at Bah! Humbug! They have submitted some stunning creations.

Ann xxx

Oh my goodness...

2011-03-03T11:14:00.000Z

So much to do and so little time. I so want to keep joining in with the challenges at Less is More, but this week has flown by so fast.

Anyway this morning I pulled out some square punches, some ready folded tall narrow cards and set to work. It actually took me about 10 minutes or so to make this card - okay don't all shout 'Yes and you can tell!' I am actually quite proud of it and I really feel like I'm beginning some grasp the concept of 'less is more' a little better. Thank you Chrissie and Mandi at the challenge blog. They are a real inspiration.

The pearlescent pink card was punched 3 times using a large Papermania punch bought in a sale some time ago and then I added a pearlescent white inner and added gems in the right place to match up with the design on the front. A peel off greeting between the squares finishes the card off and makes it suitable to send at any time to a friends or family.

The line is not in the middle as the punch would only reach so far into the card. To make them central I would have had to do some matting and layering and I really wanted to use the inner with the gems on and keep the window effect. I think the slightly off centre works, but what do you think?

I know I probably could have done loads better and experimented more given time, but at least I've joined in. The photo is a bit naff too - so sorry.

Additional Challenges...

Papertake Weekly - Anything goes plus something old (my prefolded cardstock and matching envelope has been in drawer for years - in a Lakeland pack and they stopped selling craft stuff a while ago now.)

Ann xxx

Well can you believe it?...

2011-02-25T15:03:00.000Z

At Humbug Hall there have been all sorts of creaks and groans about one of my cards for this week's challenge of 'Things that fly'. Some of the suggestions put forward have had me in stitches! 'Is it a Tardis?' asked one person. Another suggested that the letters were Airmail so that's what made it count for the challenge.

Eeeh what are you all like? Me and Max have had such a laugh about this. I'm so glad I went for the robins and not my Christmas Hoot the owl stamps. Yes, as shown by the big red arrows I've put on my card photo using Serif Craft Artist, there are two robins on the top of the post box. I know a magnifying glass might be needed to see them, but they shrunk while I was making the card - honest!!!

The scope for the challenge this week at Bah! Humbug! is really enormous. I can't wait to see what creations everyone comes up with and as Max is still banned from crafting due to her poorly arm checking out the latest creations really brightens her day. She is storing up all the wonderful ideas for when she's finally allowed to craft again.

Thank you all for joining each week and sharingin your talent.

Ann xxx

Bah! Humbug! Day.,..Things that fly...

2011-02-25T06:20:00.006Z

Well, okay normally when you think of Christmas cards and the subject of things that fly you might think of doves or angels or something along those lines, but no, normal things like that didn't enter my head. I think in my case it's not a case of thinking outside the box, but more a question of living outside it!!!

Hmm, yes my card for our theme of 'Things that Fly' at Bah! Humbug! this week involves PLUTO! He is flying - well it was that year that Father Christmas had flu and Mickey Mouse had to stand in at the last minute - you must remember that. Laura (of 'it would be better in pink' fame) came into the craft room as I began working on this card. Can you see the influence? She insisted on black glitter card and really bright pink - eeeeeeeeeeeeeek - she has already requested this card to be saved to send to one of her friends.

Materials used...

Cuttlebug Mickey Mouse die
black glitter card, silver mirri card and pink pearlescent
tiny stars - Nellie Snellen die
black gems and black organza ribbon
cuttlebug embossing folder - basket weave?
silver peel off sentiment
8.5 x 8.5 card base

Additional Challenges

Creative Card Crew - Fantasy
KB Cute Monday Challenge - use glitter
Ooh La La Creations - Pink, pink and more pink
Crazy 4 Challenges - Use dies

My second card for the Bah! Humbug! Challenge of things that fly requires people to be really observant. Yes it's a post box and yes it's a snowy scene, but check out the top of the post box. Two ROBINS and they fly don't they? Oh my goodness by now you are probably thinking who let her on the Design Team? LOL - I know that everyone of our fantastic participants at Bah! Humbug! will do a 100% better job than me. I can't wait to see their cards, but maybe they will forgive me for my dippy entries this week. Fingers crossed!

Materials used...

Cuttlebug embossing folder (basket weave?)
image and sentiment taken from magazine freebie from way back
white, red and dark blue card
silver ribbon and silver corner peel offs

Additional challenges...

Two Sisters - Embossing
Party Time Tuesday - Anything goes

Have a great Friday everyone and if you have time do pop over to Bah! Humbug! to check out the challenge.

Ann xxx

A very quick calender...

2011-02-22T11:49:00.000Z

Whoops, I've been in Poundland again! They have these really cool perspect frames in all different sizes supposed to be for photos, but basically you could frame anything in them. The plastic is bent over at the bottom so you can stand them on a desk. They are really easy to use as basically it's just a case of slipping your work in between the plastic layers and whatever you slide in can be changed really easily.

I bought a couple of small ones and have made a little House Mouse calender for March. I've used a birthday image as for one thing it's my daughter's birthday in March and also I thought I hadn't got a Spring themed stamp. I've now found one, but I'll be able to use that for April so no worries.

Materials used...

plastic frame from Poundland
monthly calender found by Google and changed a little using Serif Craft Artist - also added some images for special events in the month
House Mouse stamp
pink/lilac reversable card
border die by Cuttlebug
Promarkers
pink organza ribbon

Challenges...

House Mouse and Friends Challenge - use your favourite stamp (sorry guys this isn't my all time favourite - I just couldn't choose - love them all!)

Ann xxx

An Award...

2011-02-22T08:17:00.000Z

I'm sure I've had this award a few months ago, but that doesn't stop me from being really pleased when several blogging buddies gave it to me over the last week or so.

Thank you all so much.

The award involves posting 7 things about yourself and passing the award on to 7 more super cool bloggers. Well, as I have done this one before I'm going to move straight on to the facts about myself and miss out the passing on part. I do hope nobody will mind.

Here goes...

I've just taken out my recycling bin and am really worried because nobody else on the avenue has. So does that mean that they all know something I don't or was I so tired after work yesterday that I slept right through Tuesday? It is Tuesday today isn't it?
I love soppy romantic films. I've just watched 'Letters to Juliet' - complete rubbish really but wow the scenery was fantastic and wouldn't it be wonderful if everything had a happy ending in real life as well ?
I'm going to Scotland soon to stay with my wonderful friend and partner in crime at Bah! Humbug! Can you imagine what a week that will be?
I'm also going to the NEC in March, but I'm only going to look because I'm saving my pennies for Scotland.
I love reading and have so many books that it's just unbelievable. I'd quite like a Kindle, but am not going to buy one until I've read the 200+ books in the house so it might take quite a while and there may be something even more wonderfully techie out by then.
Did I mention I was going to stay with Max in Scotland ? Squeeeeeeeeel!
I spend way too much time on the computer - blog hopping - forum checking and generally messing about.

Have a great Tuesday (?) everyone.

Love and hugs

Ann xxx