Laura's Birthday...

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...

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!...

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