Cute Card Thursday Challenge #1

Something new for me, my first EVER blog challenge! I'm very nervous but willing so please be gentle lol!

The challenge this week is to create a card with the theme as New Beginnings/First, the only other criteria is that the card has to be cute.

I have used:
Whipper Snapper - Sorry Pup stamp
K&Co paper
DCWV cardstock
Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder
Prima Flowers
Cats Eye fluid chalks
Assorted brads
Prismacolor pencils and Zest-It to blend

In for another battering

It looks as though we are going to be hit by more strong winds tomorrow, so far (touch wood), we have been ok. My husband did inform me this morning that he had to retrieve our 2' X 6' tool shed as it was partly in our neighbours garden. We built it together about three years ago to cover a gate between the two houses. Our only plan was sketched on the back of a receipt and we had much fun painting it so I would be very upset if anything happened to it in this bad weather.

This card was a challenge because I find it difficult to work with orange (I think that I am also wishing for warmer weather).

I used:
Paper = Basic Grey & Papermania
Cardstock = DCWV
Brads = Papermania
Flowers = Papermania
Ribbon = Papermania
Adhesive Stones = Papermania
Rub-ons = Printed on the PC
Frame = X-cut shape cutter and scallop scissors
Embossing = Cuttlebug folder
Image = Raincoat Tilda, coloured with Prismacolors and blended with Zest-it.

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.