Stormy Weather

With the weather being so awful yesterday I took the opportunity to make another card.

I'm really starting to enjoy making this style of card.

I used:

Paper = Basic Grey
Cardstock = DCWV
Labels = Around The Block
Brads = Papermania
Flowers = Local craft shop (then inked)
Frame = X-cut shape cutter and scallop scissors
Embossing = Cuttlebug folder
Image = Casual Tilda, coloured with Prismacolors and blended with Zest-it.

Today's efforts

Today has been a much better day, despite the manic tree die cutting session. I am pleased to say that all, grass, trees and fairies are now done!

I had a chance to play with another new Tilda today. Not as good, (in my opinion) as yesterday's but I really do struggled with this Basic Grey paper. Pink is a colour that I don't enjoy working with either but nevermind.

I do like these Prima Flowers though, I really ought to buy some more soon and I adore adhesive gems.

I've been very naughty...but paid the price today!

I ordered a few Magnolia stamps this week when I said I was going to watch my spending...tut tut. I did all the housework and washing last night in case postie was kind enough to bring my goodies today.

I was woken by my husband who had a parcel for me...yay...my Tilda's had arrived. So I got dressed after cooing over them in bed (not sure I should really be telling you that!) and got myself ready for a day of card making.

Hubby had other ideas though :( Whilst I was out of the way he decided to make a start on clearing his area. He sculpts wargaming miniatures, is incredibly dis-organised and we share the space (opposite ends of the table). So there was "his" stuff everywhere, at one point I was barricaded at one end of the room pleading for him to let me out so that I could "powder my nose"! Two and a half hours later he was finished. We ate lunch, which "he" made and then I started stamping up my new Tilda's.

Just as I was finding my mojo our sixteen year old announces that she needs help cutting some bits out for homework using "my" Big Shot! I asked her to give me a mo and duly packed all my stamps away ;( Well nothing is ever as simple as it seems. She needed lots of trees, grass and a gingerbread house but couldn't define how many lots was! As she is visually impaired I had to give her a lot of help. After two hours she was flagging and said "lets carry on tomorrow" (oh dear and there was me hoping I could get it out of the way in one hit). It has now transpired that she will need a total of 1 Gingerbread House, 33 pieces of grass and 57 trees as she is making a book with twelve A4 pages!!!

Anyway by the time all this was done with and I had all my stamps out again it was dinner time! So to cut a long story short, one card has taken me twelve and a half hours to make today...I'm pleased with it though as it's for my other daughter's 10th Birthday.

Ooh...the postie came...at last!

I've been like a school girl recently waiting for the Postman to arrive with my Nestabilities from the US. They arrived today so I have been playing around with them. I am still wondering whether I need the tan mat to use them to greater effect with the Big Shot. I think I'll just carry on playing around for a week or two and see what I can achieve before spending anymore money, after all I could buy a well needed stamp instead!
The Front

The Inside

The image is a Penny Black stamp, coloured with prismacolors (using Zest It), cuttlebug embossing folder (perfectly paisley) on the front of the card and Nestabilities have been used to frame, mount, mat and layer various elements.

It's arrived...

...my replacement Magnolia stamp. I was unfortunate enough to recieve a poorly cut summer tree in my last order. Thankfully Joanna Sheen is a star and managed to track down another for me. Her service is second to none and I would recommend her site to anyone.

Last night myself and Rik went out on the town with a few friends to see a couple of local punk-ish bands. We moved on to the local nightclub where people started to get a little bit silly so Rik and I decided to return home at a very respectable 1am. We walked in to be greeted by a huge row which lasted until 3am...kids eh? I kinda wished we stayed out a bit longer now but it would still need sorting so better to get it over with. This morning our world is still a little tense so I have immersed myself in a spot of card making just to reset my balance.

I don't get them...

...Sugar Nellies that is. I don't know what it is about them I just can't find a way to give them any life or feeling. I do like the Simon and Lola stamp I own but the others I have don't inspire me. They're a bit flat, lacking in movement and emotion. Whenever I use them they look as though they're all lined up waiting for the firing squad! Ummm, doesn't say much for my skills, does it?

Luca Nellie

Simon & Lola

Oh how time flies.

You know how it is, you create a blog so that you can keep track of projects and creations only to find that three months has past and you've neglected it.

I was lucky enough to recieve a Bind It All machine on Boxing Day from my wonderful Father. I have had so much fun with it. I haven't had the time to make anything too elaborate but have made some mini books, a calendar and right now I'm making more mini books for my daughter's birthday loot bags. So far it has been a breeze and a whole heap of fun!

I am spending most of my time making cards for a local charity. They have helped over the past 12 years with my daughter's cancer. I realised that we hadn't done any fundraising for them for quite a while so thought that selling a few cards would be a good start. Early days but they seem to be going down well.

I am still really loving the Magnolia stamps, just can't get hold of them quick enough. They seem to be in stock for all of a couple of hours and then fly straight out of stock again but there does seem to be more on-line stockists emerging so hopefully I'll be able to get my hands on some more tilda's soon.