Better Late Than Never ...

Hello Everyone - I'm sorry I haven't been around much over the last few weeks - time has just flown by! I hope you've had a wonderful Christmas and I wish you all a very Happy New Year!

We've had a good Christmas - fairly quiet and stress free (well stress free once Santa had delivered his presents (LOL!), just a lovely family time! We managed to get the Wii set up and working on Christmas Day, which really pleased hubby and son, and I set up the puppet theatre for my daughter to play in.

Anyway, better late than never, I am showing the cards and presents I made for teachers this year. I used the Crafters Companion Popcorn Christmas CD to make the cards and boxes - and then we made shortbread cookies and cranberry and white chocolate chip cookies. This wasn't my original idea - I was going to make little boxes to put pocket tissues in, but my son thought that was a really naff idea!!!

That's it from me for now - I'm going to start making a photo calendar for my husband's parents - just didn't manage to get it done in time for their Christmas present - so, hopefully, it will be finished ready for a New Year present!

I do hope to be around again soon.

Love, Andrea xx

Sketch Saturday - Matching Cards and Pressies

Happy Wednesday everyone.

Two of my daughter's classmates had a joint birthday party yesterday, so I made matching cards and pressies for them both. Only thing is, I used the same wrapping paper for both presents, and wrapped them at the same time, and then forgot which was which - der!!! I did apologise to the Mums in case I got them wrong!!

For the cards, I followed the sketch on this week's Sketch Saturday Challenge. I rotated the sketch to fit the image, which is Queen Charlotte from Whiff of Joy, coloured with watercolour paints and pencils. After stamping Charlotte, I masked her and then stamped a present, so that she had something to sit on. I printed the sentiments on the computer. The pink papers are Kay and Co, and the lilac ones were from Lakeland. The gems are dew drops - maybe they're a bit big for the cards really!

And I decided to make matching photo hangers as part of the presents - can you see now why I panicked a bit when I couldn't remember which was which after wrapping?!!!



Well, I hope you like what I've shown today - I was pleased with them and I hope the girls like them!

I hope I don't have to make any more birthday cards for a while - I must get on with Christmas cards - I thought I was doing well, but I'm not - gonna have to end up buying some cards to give I think!

Hope to see you again soon.

Love, Andrea xx

Snips, Snails & Puppy Dog Tails!

Hello Everyone

Happy Tuesday to you all. I have been busy crafting for a few days - making cards and pressies for my daughter to give to some of her classmates for their birthdays. Who's allowed people to have birthdays just before Christmas when I should be making Christmas cards and pressies, and we've only got 24 days to get ready - scary, scary, scary (LOL!)

The first card I'm showing today is the card Eleri gave to a friend on Sunday. I am entering it in this week's Cute Card Thursday Challenge which is to make a card for a younger boy.


I have used my Ollyfant Autumn 2 set of stamps again, this time the boy - I masked him and then stamped the leaves and toadstool (which is hidden behind the puppy!) - and the puppy has been stuck on with a little spring, so you can bounce him about a bit to make him look like he is juming up! When I've seen the photo, I'm not so happy with my colouring, and I wasn't too sure about the faux buttons, but I didn't have time to be too fussy!! Just before putting the card in it's envelope, I decided to add some faux stitching around the image, which made the card look more finished (but my camera's battery had died so I didn't have time to photograph it again!!). Does anyone else do that - think a card is finished - and then at the last minute, decide to add something else???

Ooohh I nearly forgot!! I used the sketch over on Friday Sketchers this week, so I'm entering this card in that challenge too.

I'm sitting here having a major panic - as I've just realised I have a new baby card commissioned, I wanted to make some jewellery for Christmas presents, and I haven't even started to make the usual photo calendar for my husband's Mum and Dad - crikey, where is the time going - I've also still got lots of presents to buy - now breeeaaaathe!!

Eleri has another joint party to go to after school today, and I'm hoping to post the cards and pressies I made to show you later today or tomorrow, so see you soon!!

Sorry about the long post - I've blabbed a bit!!!!

Love, Andrea xx

It's Just Too Windy For Brollies!!

Well, that's the end of my week off - back to work tomorrow - and I haven't done a quarter of what I intended to do! But at least I've started my Christmas Shopping, and got a plan for the Christmas cards I'll need to post out - just got to get stuck in to making them. Trouble is, my daughter has been invited to two birthday parties next week (one is a joint party), so I have three birthday cards and presents to make now!

Now, onto the cards I want to show today. I decided to use the same stamp set and idea for my other November birthday cards as I showed in my last post - Ollyfant Autumn 2 stamps, and fly away umbrellas on penny sliders - I'm loving putting moving elements on my cards at the moment, but I'm running out of pennies (LOL!)

This first card is the card I made for my goddaughter - she was 20 this week - crikey, that makes me feel old - I remember holding her as a baby!!

My second card is the one I have made for my mother-in-law. I've used a pin for the first time on a card, and added a bead to it - I'm quite pleased with how it turned out, and I hope MIL likes her card!

Well, that's it from me for today - I'm going to hoover upstairs before going to collect hubby from work - I'm being kind today and not making him walk in the rain!!

See you soon!

Love, Andrea xx

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge #58

Hello folks - Happy Monday - but what dreadful weather we're having here in Wales!
Hip hip hooray though, I have the week off!!! Just a quickie post before going off to dye my hair, and then plan a few Christmas cards!

This is the second of a small batch of November birthday cards I need to make - I am going to enter it in this week's Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge which is Four Seasons. I have chosen to make an Autumn card. I have used an Ollyfant stamp (Autumn 2, which includes a boy, girl, umbrella, dog, hedgehog and a mushroom - what a fantastic deal!). The poor girl looks so windswept, and her umbrella is blowing away in the wind (another penny slider) - I was so pleased with the way this worked! I thought the background paper looked as though it was a bit 'blowy' too!



I made the charm using a HOTP sentiment stamp, and added some glossy accents and seed beeds to it, and also glossed her boots. Her coat and the umbrella were paper pieced - I was going to add glossy accents to them too, but I was afraid to in case the paper curled up - one to try when I have more time if something goes wrong (not for a last minute card!!).

Well, that's it from me for now - may be back later!

Love, Andrea xx

Charisma Cardz Challenge #45 and Cute Card Thursday Challenge #86

Well, hello everyone - hope you are having a fantastic weekend! Sorry I haven't been around for a while - I just seem to have lost my mojo at the moment - but I have had to get my act together to make some birthday cards.

This is the first one I have made. I am going to enter it in this week's Charisma Cardz Challenge - Merry and Bright, but I'll understand if my entry can't be counted towards the prize cos it's not a Christmas card. My take on the challenge is to use bright colours, and have the girl merrily cartwheeling across the card! I do love the way these penny sliders work, and they are so easy to make!

I'm also going to enter it in this week's Cute Card Thursday Challenge, which is Glitter Me Silly - I have glittered the papers for the number and the slider, and the flower is also glittered. The girl has been painted with pearlescent paints.

Ingredients:

Pink Card, Ribbon, Butterfly Charm, Glitered Flower all from my stash
Patterned Paper - Kay & Co Sparkly Sweet, glittered with Crafters Companion Spray and Sparkle Gold
Stamp - Upside Down from Diane Duda for Sugar Nellie Stamps

Damn!! I just realised I forgot to change the month on my watermark on my photo - but I have only just made the card, I promise!!

Well, I hope you like my card. I'm hoping that this is the start of finding my mojo again because I'm hoping to get some Christmas cards made this week! I have a week off work (yaayy!!), with the intention of making some cards and buying (or maybe making) some presents.

Hope to see you again soon!

Love, Andrea xx

Hooray! A Card To Show...

Well hello and Happy Sunday - I hope you are all having a great weekend! They fly by much too quickly for me!

I have at last managed to finish a card that I can show you. This card is for my brother who is 40 tomorrow. I like making this style of card for special number birthdays - as the numbers fit perfectly on the back panel. I have used Sports George from Dottie Downloads, but I made him a bit too small I think, and I used the wrong red for his shirt, but it doesn't look too bad does it?? I've decoupaged George up a little bit. The papers I've used for the numbers and the strips are Basic Grey Cupcake.

Anyway, I hope my brother likes his card! I'd best go now 'cos hubby's just gone to work and I should be getting on with the housework (yeuk!!) before visiting grandparents this afternoon.

Hope to see you again soon.

Love, Andrea xx

Friday Sketchers & Charisma Cardz Challenges

Happy Wednesday crafters!

I'm so disappointed today - my husband has spoken to his boss and arranged the day off work so that I could go to the Hobbycrafts show in Birmingham on 5th November. But, when I phoned to book my place on the coach trip, they told me they had a misprint in their leaflet - they are going on the Sunday not Thursday. And my husband is working all weekend because they are stocktaking, so I can't go on the trip :(

Anyway, I'll show you my card - maybe some lovely comments would cheer me up!!

I have followed the sketch on this week's Friday Sketchers challenge - loved using this one. And I have stamped Miss Anya 3 times, coloured her with my watercolour pencils, and decoupaged her up, so that fits this weeks challenge over on Charisma Cardz. The papers are My Minds Eye Magnolia, courtesy of Fran (I love these papers). The sentiment is from Papermania. Ribbon and gems from my stash.

The image below is meant to show the decoupaged Anya (doesn't show it very clearly though!).


I hope you like my card, and I look forward to you popping back again sometime to see what I've been up to!

Love, Andrea xx

Matching Card and Present

Hello Everyone - hope you're having a wonderful Wednesday!

I am showing today the matching card and present I made for my daughter to give to one of her friends.

The patterned papers are Kay and Co Sparkly Sweet, the image is Queen Charlotte from Whiff of Joy coloured with watercolour pencils and sakura stardust pens. I've added adhesive pearls from Papermania to the flowers and the top of the card.

I'm not so sure about the lettering I've used at the bottom of the door hanger - but it was after midnight when I was making this and I really needed to get to bed (and as usual was doing it last minute - needed to take it to school in the morning!!).

Hope you like what you see. Please pop back again sometime soon.

Love, Andrea xx

Anyone for Anya and Simon Says Stamp Challenges

Hello and Happy Saturday everyone

I hope you are having a fabulous day - I'm having a fairly lazy day - done the shopping, two loads of washing, and cleaned the bathroom, planning to do some ironing this evening!!!

I am entering two challenges today - Anyone for Anya, which is funky flowers, and Simon Says Stamp, which is to stitch it up.

I have made a bookmark to match a card I made a couple of weeks ago - my flowers for the Miss Anya challenge are the flowers on the background paper and in Miss Anya's basket, plus the punched flower I have put under the eyelet at the top of the bookmark. My stitching for the Simon Says Stamp challenge is the faux stitching I have doodled around Miss Anya.

Here is the inside of the bookmark - sorry about the way I have taken the photo - a bit skew wiff! (I couldn't work out how else to photograph the inside (lol!)). The sentiment is a clear sticker which I found in a scrapbooking kit I've had for absolutely ages - I thought it was perfect for my niece who is turning 12 this week!

Anyway, I hope you like what I am showing you today. Please pop back to see me again soon!

Love, Andrea xx

Just Magnolia Week 23

Hello Fellow Bloggers

I hope you have all had a good day today. I actually managed to go shopping on my own, and didn't have to rush back to collect the children from school - hubby had the day off work too, he's cleaned the carpets, washed curtains and cleaned windows, and now gone to Morrisons to return the carpet cleaner and buy some ingredients to bake a cake (his first attempt has only turned out about 1cm deep (aaaaahhh! he's really disappointed!) But I can't say anything, my cakes never turn out very deep!

Anyway, now to my card today - it is for the Just Magnolia Challenge 23, which is a sketch by Bev. I loved using it, and I'm pleased with the way the card has turned out. I have stamped Tilda, coloured her with watercolour pencils, and decoupaged her up.

Just to update you re. my Mum - she came out of hospital on Tuesday evening after being in hospital for almost a fortnight. She has undergone lots of tests, and is waiting for some of the results, the results that have come back so far have all been inconclusive - the doctors do not yet know why she developed fluid on her lungs. She is supposed to go back into hospital for some further investigation and is waiting for a date. But she seems well in herself and is just extremely happy to be home!

Anyway, best go link my card to the challenge. Hope to be back soon.

Love, Andrea xx

Whiff of Joy Challenge 47 ... Get Well Soon Mum

Hello Everyone

Happy Monday - the start of another week which is bound to fly, just like they all seem to at the moment!!

The card I am showing today is for this week's Whiff of Joy challenge, which is a colour theme - teal and orange. I don't think I would have put these colours together, but I am so pleased with the way my card has turned out.

The photo doesn't do it justice really - mind you, do my photos ever show things well? - no, me thinks!! I love these papers - I'm sorry I don't know what set they are from as they were in some candy I won, as was the charm. I have used WOJ's Fred Celebrating Elephant stamp, coloured with watercolour pencils and sakura stardust pens - he is such a cutie! I don't have any die-cutting machines so I have cut the circles - to hide the mess, I distressed the edge of the white card with a ruler and then inked it - the orange circle was cut with scalloped edge scissors, and then I punched holes all around it. I love the flowers on this card - they were punched out, and then I folded them to give them some dimension and make them stand out from the backing paper a bit. I didn't have any teal coloured gem stones, so I coloured some, but they are looking a bit green!! I added orange dew drops on the corners. Ribbon is from my stash - only have a small strip left now (boo hoo!)

I have made this card for my Mum, who is in hospital at the moment - absolutely climbing the walls because she really wants to come home!! She went in last Wednesday night with fluid on her lung - we were hoping she could come home today, but the doctor has said that there is still some fluid on her lung and they are waiting for some test results - hopefully, she will be allowed home tomorrow (fingers and toes crossed!!). Get Well Soon Mum!

So I decided to make a gift bag to put some goodies in for Mum whilst she is in hospital. It is a box in a bag, and the instructions are here - thanks Tab for pointing this one out for us :)

As I was making it, I thought I should have cut the paper down, not used the full 12in piece (only realised that after I had glued the paper to the box at the bottom) - but then when I started filling it, decided it was a good job I had used the full piece!!! Afraid I didn't have time to do any embellishing really - thought it was more important to fill it and take it to hospital - but then the paper didn't really need much embellishment. I just added some chipboard die cuts, fastened on with eyelets, to put the ribbon through.

(Do you know what??? - it took me about 3 minutes to remember the word chipboard then (lol!) - why does that happen??? Or is it only me that it happens to?).


That's it for now - I need to go and get some tea! Hopefully, see you again soon.

Love, Andrea xx

Friday Sketchers Challenge #68

Hello, and hope you've had a Happy Wednesday!

I have used the sketch over on this week's Friday Sketchers challenge blog - I love sketch challenges, as it takes away some of the decision time for me!

I have inked up another of my Miss Anya stamps (I just love these stamps - just adore their hair!), and coloured her with my Sakura Stardust pens (which adds a bit of shimmer and glitz) and watercolour pencils. The papers are Kay and Co, the ribbon is from my stash, the flowers are care of Fran's candy, and I made the charm using one of my daughter's broken bracelets (sssshhhhh! don't tell her - she hasn't noticed yet!!). I distressed the edges of the papers a little bit, still not brave enough to do it very drastically (lol!). I've added papermania gems, and the sentiment is a stamp, which I stamped and then wrote over with a Sakura Stardust pen.

Anyway, I think that's it for now - I'm gonna leave the room as cricket is coming back on the television (oh no, sorry, it's football - no, a different coloured football team, now a different match! Can you tell - my hubby's got hold of the TV remote? Back to cricket again!). I'm off to do some crafting.

See you soon.

Love, Andrea xx

Just Magnolia and Spoon Full of Sugar Challenges

Hello everyone - hope you are all well today!

I am hoping to enter my card today in this week's Just Magnolia challenge (which is ribbons and bows) and the Spoon Full of Sugar challenge (which is distressing).


I have used the Magnolia stamps I recently won in Tab's candy - I have decoupaged Tilda (first time I have tried decoupaging a stamped image - quite pleased actually), and I masked her to add the strawberry to make it look as though she was leaning on the strawberry (first attempt at this too, and I think it could have been a bit more central). I then stamped the sentiment onto shrink plastic (first attempt at making my own charm for a card - not over impressed with it as I have not cut it out very well - uneven cutting seems to show up more after it was shrunk!). As I was adding the charm, I somehow managed to upset my bow and I can't get it to look good again (oh well - if I try anymore to put it right, I'll end up with no bow at all I think!)


I have distressed the edges of the image and the patterned papers (which are Kay and Co) a bit and added red ink - I'm not brave enough to do it too much yet, but I hope it's enough to be entered in this week's Spoon Full of Sugar challenge!

The layout I used was last week's Papertake Weekly sketch, but I didn't finish the card in time to enter that (just don't know where time goes!).

I've just realised that I forgot to glitter Tilda's wings, so I'll do that when I've finished blogging this evening.

Anyway, must go and link this post to the challenges before it's too late! Hope to see you again soon.

Love, Andrea xx

I need a rant...!!!

Oh, I've not had the best of bank holiday Mondays today! My husband has been working, and I decided to get the house cleaned. Then I heard my daughter and her friend say something about putting the 'cum powder back (that's talcum powder in little girl speak!). So I firmly told my daughter she was not to play with the talcum powder, and she was not to go in my bedroom again. But then about 10 minutes later she comes downstairs covered in talc again - I went into her bedroom and discovered that they had not just been playing with the talc, but also with water!!! There was sticky talc all over her toy cooker and dishes, her carpet, her bed, the bathroom sink and towel rail, and on my dressing table - GGGrrrr (angry mummy!). So she is now banned from taking friends up to her bedroom!

Then, this afternoon, they asked if they could do some painting. So I thought it wouldn't be wise to give them the big paint pots, just gave them a small watercolour pallette to use. Then I took something upstairs and, whilst up there got a bit distracted and did a bit of tidying in my daughter's room (again!!!) (I couldn't have been more than about 5 minutes), and when I came downstairs - a guilty little girl ran across the kitchen back to the table - I walked into the kitchen, and then took a sharp and noisy intake of breath (do you know the one I mean? haauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhh!!!! - there was blue, brown and black paint splattered right up the wall and the cupboard! So they are now banned from painting together too! And I had to spend another 10 minutes trying to clean the wall - whilst desperately trying not to cry (actually a few big tears did fall!!)

All I want is a nice clean, tidy house, and obedient, well mannered children, who realise when they have made a mess and tidy it up without being told to do so - I think I'm asking too much aren't I!! Quite often, when my daughter looks at me, I can see her thinking - "Oh no! What have I done now! Is she gonna rant again?" And, she can have such a beautiful, angelic face on times!!

Anyway, I did manage to get downstairs reasonably tidy, dusted and hoovered before my hubby got home - and we had a nice roast beef dinner with yorkshire puds (mmmmmmm!!!). But I've still got upstairs to do tomorrow!!

I'm about to start making a card now - that should make me feel better! Actually, I feel better after the rant - thanks for listening!!

Oh! - I heard Michael Macintyre talking on the radio this morning - and he was saying how he is not able to have a phone conversation with his wife without her stopping to tell one of the children off!! OMG - How true is that? (I thought it was very funny anyway!)

I'm gonna go now! Speak to you soon!

Love, Andrea xx

Birthday Gift

My daughter went to a birthday party last Saturday, and had a thoroughly wonderful time. This is the card and gift I made for her to give - not the Barbie Princess doll Eleri wanted to give but I really hope that Nia liked this birthday gift.

The papers I have used are Kay & Co, which have been paper weaved for the photo holder. The stamped image is Queen Charlotte from Whiff of Joy, coloured with water colour pencils. I have made the frames using my Keepsake Majestic Board (oval frame on the card) and my Ultimate Pro (for the photo holder), and have stamped and heat embossed swirls onto the frames, using Versamark and clear embossing powder. The alphabet on the card is printed from my Cute Companions CD, and on the photo holder they are from a scrapbooking kit I have.

I decided not to add a birthday sentiment on the front of the card - I thought it could then be used as a door plate - but I printed an insert with a verse for the inside.

Thanks for looking - I hope you like what you have seen. I think I'll be making more of these photo hangers for gifts.

Hope you can come back soon.

Love, Andrea xx

Oh! I am a Dope!!!

I'm feeling such a dope! My blog photos are never particularly good are they, but have you noticed the ones on my Simon Says post below? The photos are looking particularly foggy at the top aren't they?

Well, I've been thinking that I had ruined my camera on Sunday - I must tell you - we went to watch the Walking with Dinosaurs Live Arena Show - it was absolutely fantastic, with real 'live looking' and life size dinosaurs moving around (all done by robotics). It really was awesome and, if you have the chance to go and watch it, just go - or at least look at this dinosaur live website. Anyway, I had my camera on throughout the show and kept it on as we were not supposed to use flash and I was worried that I would keep forgetting to shut the flash off if I kept switching the camera off! And I have been thinking that having it on for so long had overheated it or something :(.

But then, yesterday when we were in the park, I noticed that the lens was particularly smudgy, so I gave it a bit of a rub with my t-shirt and hey presto! the photos are not foggy anymore - happy me! :D

I don't think it's going to make me a better photographer though! (LOL).

Anyway, must go and wash up and put the rubbish out, then I can get on with some crafting!

Hope to see you soon!

Love, Andrea xx

Simon Says Challenge

As ever this is a last minute entry!

The latest challenge on the Simon Says Challenge blog is Anything But a Card. I took inspiration from Abbys Garden and decided that I would love to make a hanging photo frame for my daughter's bedroom.


I used paper weaving for the background - it took me ages to work out why I was not getting the pattern I wanted (ie every other blocks of colour) - I did eventually realise that I needed to have one patterned paper across the top, and then weave horizontally with the other patterned piece! The papers and embellishments I used are from an old Kay and Co scrapbooking kit. I have added glitter glue to my daughter's name and the embellishments.

Because I wanted to enter this in the Simon Says Challenge (and I'm not sure whether there has to be stamping on the project), I thought I'd better do some stamping - so stamped some swirls with versamark around the frame - I think you can just see it in the photo below. Just need to add my daughter's photo, et voila, it's ready to hang!

I'm also going to enter this in Penny's Challenge.

And this is the end product with a photo added!


Eleri and I are both pleased with how this has turned out, so I think I'm going to make one for her friend whose birthday is coming up.

Thanks for looking! Look forward to being back again soon.

Love, Andrea xx

Friday Sketchers Challenge

Hello everyone! I am entering this card in this week's Friday Sketchers Challenge (I hope I'm not too late!)

I have used a Dottie Download (Sports George) from Charmed Cards and Crafts, and have decoupaged him up a bit. I have used a white gel pen to add white stitching to the red panel, to make it look like a cricket ball! The card is not quite finished yet, because I have not been able to decide how to add the sentiment or whether to add other embellishments - don't think flowers will work for a 17 year old nephew somehow (LOL!) - my mind's working overtime trying to come up with something, but I've got another week to work on it!

Well, that's it for now - hope to see you again soon.

Love, Andrea xx

Engagement Card

Well, hello peoples! After yesterday's glorious day, we are back to rain today - typical, 'cos I had to work yesterday and again yesterday evening! Never mind, not working now til Monday - I just hope the weather picks up again.

Anyway - to the card I want to show you today:

This is the card I made for my cousin, Jo, who got engaged a couple of weeks ago - congratulations to Jo and Christopher.

The base card is from Crafters Companion, and I have embossed the heart shape and the edge with my Ultimate Pro. I made a little charm with a heart shaped pearly bead and some seed beads, and hung it on the ribbon. The champagne glasses are outline stickers stuck onto the cream card and cut around.

I have made a shaker for the inside of the card, again using my Ultimate Pro, and the 'movers and shakers' are seed beads and some kind of shiny confetti (sorry I don't know what the proper term is!). Then I've added an insert with a verse.

I hope Jo and Christopher liked their card, and I wish them all the best for the future!

Well, that's it for now - I'm gonna do a bit of bloghopping before I need to do some tidying (uugghh!!)

Love, Andrea xx

Tab's Double Candy

Just a note to say pop on over to Tab's Magnolia Creations to check out some gorgeous candy x2. Whilst you're there, check out Tab's work - absolutely stunning! I find her work so inspirational, and her blog posts always make me laugh!

Tab also has another blog Tabby Craft Designs where she shows even more wonderful work, and more funny postings! She also has an online craft shop, which I think offers excellent service!

So pop on over to Tab's blog, and grab yourself the chance to win some gorgeous Magnolia stamps and other goodies - on the other hand, maybe you shouldn't, then I might have more chance of winning (LOL)!!

Love, Andrea xx

The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge #43

I have just found this challenge blog at The Secret Crafter. I loved the sketch so thought I'd have a go.

The image is from the Hope and Grace set from The Greeting Farm, and I have paper pieced her clothes (my first attempt, and I'm quite pleased with it!). I received this set of stamps, and the papers and the charm all in the candy I won from Fran a couple of weeks ago. The flowers were punched, and I've added dew drops to the centres.

The weather is absolutely gorgeous today, so I think I ought to attempt to do some gardening, or window cleaning! I'd much rather be crafting, but we should really make the most of the sunshine when we see it, shouldn't we???

Hope to be back soon!

Love, Andrea xx

Racing Driver

Hello - I'm back! Don't you agree - my photos are clearer when they are taken outside?- and this one didn't blow away (see earlier post!), although the wind did pick up as soon as I walked outside!!

I have made this card for my nephew who will be 5 on Tuesday. The image is from the Sports George download from Dottie Downloads at Charmed Cards and Crafts - they are great for making male birthday cards. Because I wasn't feeling 100% when I was making this, and a bit lazy, I have used one of the pre-coloured images - and just added some glossy accents to the visor on his helmet. The papers I have used are from Basic Grey Cupcake paper pad. Then the 'webby' strip is actually some plasterboard jointing tape from a DIY shop (isn't it amazing what you can use for crafting (LOL!) - this stuff is brilliant as it is already sticky - and is good for using on football cards (eg for the net), and just adds a bit of interest to a card really! I found the checkered flags on google somewhere. Coloured a peel off, and added some gem dew drops to represent the starting lights (hadn't got red ones so coloured some pink ones with red permanent pen).

I am actually quite pleased with the card - very quick and simple to make - it even perked me up a bit so that I was able to make something else as well ... not just one card in an evening, which is all I usually get done! (good job I don't try to make a living out of my cardmaking - I'd have to charge about £15 per card (LOL!)).

Anyway, it's late and I should get to bed - hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Love from

Andrea xx

Baby Congratulations Cards

At last, I've had some time to download photos, and add a post on my blog! Where on earth does the time go - just flies!! We are a slightly poorly household this week - my son had croup in the night on Monday, and has not been himself since really - he has a cold, and has been suffering with a headache on and off for a few days ... then yesterday I woke up with a really sore throat ... and my husband also has a sore throat and a headache - but there are no other symptoms so not the dreaded swine flu!!!

I could not believe it last week - I won some candy from the fabulous Fran over at franmade (if you get chance, please take a peek at her blog - I find her work so inspirational). I could not believe the amount of goodies when I opened my parcel - thank you so much Fran, you have been so generous {hug}. And the parcel arrived at just the right time - I had decided that I needed to buy a teddy stamp to use on new baby cards as I couldn't find the right topper for a new baby card I was making - and guess what ... what I thought was the perfect stamp was in my bag of goodies - fantastic!!! This is everything I received:

So I managed to finish the baby boy card I had been asked to make, and I was then asked to make a baby girl card as well. The base cards have been printed using a Crafters Companion CD, and I have folded them into the spring up shape, shaped the top by embossing with my Ultimate Pro and cutting around it, then stamped and embossed the teddy. On the boy card, I used peel offs around the edge, but used glitter glue on the girl's card. I punched out some little feet and glittered them up to add to the girl's card, and also added some onto the tag. Then made boxes to match. The boy card went down well, and I hope my friend likes the girl card! Well, here are the pictures - (anyone who has seen my blog before will know that my photography skills are not brilliant ... actually, I blame the lighting inside my house ... I get better photos outside, but when I tried to photograph cards outside this afternoon, they blew off the table ... I had a brilliant side and bottom shot!!! ... oh the mishaps of a crafter and blogger (LOL!))

Well, that's it for now - sorry this turned into a long post! I do have another card made ready to photograph (hmmm ... should I do it now - it's not so windy? - think I'll give it a go!!). Hope to be back again soon.

Bye for now!

Love from
Andrea xx

New Challenge Blog

There is a new Challenge Blog due to start on 15th August - Bizzy Becs Creatalicious Challenges. It will be a monthly challenge, on the 15th of each month - and it will be an anything and everything challenge, which sounds fun and interesting - I can't wait to see what people come up with!

There is some blog candy on offer to celebrate their launch, which closes on 13th August. So pease click on the link on my sidebar to pop on over to the blog and find out more about it. They are also looking for some additional DT members.

Love from

Andrea xx

Whiff of Joy New Release Candy

Katharina, over at Whiff of Joy, is celebrating the release of a new set of stamps with some candy. But you'll need to be quick - the candy closes tomorrow (26th July).
Good luck to everyone who enters!
I have been joining the Whiff of Joy Blog Hop this evening - wow, there have been so many fabulous creations made using the new party animal stamps which have also just been released!

Andrea xx

http://katharina1704.blogspot.com/2009/07/whiff-of-joy-elisabeth-bell-fall-stamp.html

The Sugar Bowl Challenge 14

I am entering this card in the latest Sugar Bowl Challenge. The challenge is a sketch, with the option of including sparkle.

The image I have used is Daisy on Trike, and I think she looks so gorgeous when she is coloured - this is the first time I have inked this stamp up! The sparkle I have used is gems, pink glitter board, organza ribbon, sentiment embossed with holographic embossing powder, and I have added shine to Daisy's hair, necklace and flowers with my Sakura clear stardust pen! Maybe I have gone over the top a bit with sparkle, but the card is for my 4 year old niece, who loves sparkle so I think it's allowed!!

You might notice that the matting and layering is not very even! But, I made this card last night after returning from our neighbours' barbecue (I'd had a couple of (large) glasses of wine, and I'm not very used to drinking these days - I don't think I was really very safe to be using cutting equipment - I could hardly see straight, never mind cut straight (lol!!). Anyway, I managed to get the card finished in the end, and I feel fine today!!!

This is the first time I've entered the Sugar Bowl Challenge - I'll have to make sure I look out for more!

Must go now - we have another barbecue to go to - if the weather stays fine enough!!

Bye for now!

Love from

Andrea xx

Teacher Presents

These are the post-it note keyrings I made as end of year gifts for my children's teachers. I found the tutorial for them at http://chicnscratch.typepad.com/chicnscratchlive/2008/04/new-sizepost-it-note-keychain.html.

I also made the little gift pouches out of handmade papers, using a template from one of my Crafters Companions CDs.

I hope the teachers like them! I certainly do, and they were so easy to make.

Well, that's it for this post, but I'll soon be back to post a challenge card.

Love

Andrea xx

Sketch Saturday No. 58

I have used this week's sketch over on the Sketch Saturday Blog for this card for my son's class teacher. It is very similar to the one I used for my daughter's teacher (see earlier post). I loved this sketch too, and I'll definitely use these again. The stamp is a Sugar Nellie Daisy, coloured with watercolour pencils. The papers are Basic Grey Cupcake, and I think the swirls on the backing paper match well with Daisy's hair!! I have threaded some seed beads onto an eye pin and added them to the butterfly charm (think you can juuuusssst see them!). I hope the teachers like their cards!

I'm going to attempt to make some post-it note key rings to give as presents to the teachers and teaching assistants - must get them done tomorrow evening, so just need to go and look again at the tutorial I found (hope I can find it again!!). I may even be able to show them to you later in the week!

Hope to see you again soon.

Love from

Andrea xx

Truly Scrumptious Challenge 10

I have used the sketch over on the Truly Scrumptious Challenge Blog for this card for my daughter's class teacher. I loved the sketch, and am pleased with the way the card has turned out. Part of the challenge is to use some of your neglected stash, so I have used my Sugar Nellie Daisy stamp which I ordered from Funky Kits ages ago, and this is the first time I have inked it up (so she has defenitely been neglected). I also found these Papermania die cut flowers which I have had for a looooooooonnnng time in my stash. The charm is made using some beads from a broken bracelet which belonged to my daughter (and I nabbed whilst she was asleep - naughty Mummy! (lol) - she hasn't noticed yet, but I know she will when she goes to sign the card!!). The papers are Kay and Co Sparkly Sweet ... again!!!

Anyway, thanks for looking and I hope you are able to look at some of my other cards, and pop back again soon!

Love from

Andrea xx

Whiff of Joy Challenge 37

Good evening folks! I have managed to come back again - have also managed to put that load of washing in the machine, and do a bit of ironing (but not yet finished - still hoping to finish it before hubby gets back), so I must be quick with this post.

I am entering this card for this week's Whiff of Joy challenge - which is a recipe - 3 patterned papers, 3 flowers and 1 ribbon - I hope the fact that I have used the ribbon on two panels is OK?!

I'm not sure what the image is called as she was sent to me by someone - I do think she's so sweet, the papers are Kay and Co Sparkly sweet. I have decorated the inside using the same layout, but did not use ribbon inside and only one flower, so hope that doesn't count me out either!!

Here's the inside:

I hope you like my card - now I must go and finish that ironing!!

See you again soon.

Love from
Andrea xxx