Knuston Hall Open Day - August 2011

Today was Knuston Hall's Open Day and I was lucky enough to be able to have a stall there.  We arrived at 9.30am and started setting up the stall.  I was anxious I hadn't got enough stock as with mum's death other things had to take priority but I managed to get some cards made whilst I was away last week and Marjorie and Carol gave me some as well.  I also took cards that had been sent to me previously by Lorraine so all in all I managed to fill the two large tables.

My eldest son was a car park attendant volunteer for the day whilst my youngest son and husband helped me on my stall.  People gave such nice comments about the cards on the stall - so these comments need to go to you Carol, Marjorie and Lorraine.  It was a long day as the Open Day was open from 11.00am to 4.00pm.  The highlight of my day was when I had a visit from Irene, a Crafty Ann's Design Team member.  She popped along last year as well so it was nice to see her again this year and have a bit of a natter and walk around.  The day though was tinged with sadness and very difficult to get through at times.  My mum was a volunteer for Knuston Hall and should have been helping out in the lobby giving details of their courses to people.  I could have easily said I wasn't doing it - I have to admit it did cross my mind on many occasions in the last month - but my mum brought me up to not let people down and if I hadn't have gone I would have let the charity down and my mum.

They didn't have such a good turnout as last year as the weather wasn't as sunny but I sold just under £70 worth of cards so I gave them back £35 to go to the charity they have chosen for the event.  The other goes back into the kitty for more provisions and I need to get on and make more supplies at some stage.  My husband won a purse and a bottle of white wine on the tombola and then won fourth prize in the raffle which is a dinner for two and a talk so all-in-all a very good day.

Thank you again to those that helped with cards for the stall, the moral support of the visit of Irene (and she did come with some goodies and cards for me to use for my charity work) and to all of those in Blogland that have encouraged me to still do the stall in difficult times.

A Wonderful Week in Northumberland

On Saturday we returned from a wonderful week away in Northumberland.  We stayed in a caravan belonging to the lovely Sharon Duncan and family.  All we will say is that we've stayed in many caravans but this is the BEST by far.  I would recommend it to anyone.  I certainly didn't want to come home but I'm sure my eldest son wouldn't have liked it (this was the first time he stayed at home on his own), work wouldn't like me not turning up to work next week and I don't think Sharon would have appreciated a squatter!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were blessed with good weather.  It wasn't scorching but we only had rain for a while one night, a few spots of rain when in Edinburgh and rain overnight on the Friday before we came home.  We managed to visit places like Berwick-upon-Tweed, Eyemouth, Seahouses, Newcastle, Alnwick and Edinburgh.  The highlights for me were being by the sea, visiting Newcastle (as I remember seeing the Tyne Bridge on Byker Grove when I was growing up), seeing the sealions in Eyemouth, visiting Edinburgh again and by meeting up with Carol who is a fellow Crafty Ann's Design Team member and having afternoon tea with her.

Our time away was good and just what we all needed as the last two months have been difficult after the sudden death of my mum.

Crafty Ann's Challenge - 26 August 2011 - It'l be all white on the night!!!

 

We had a lovely selection of cards/projects this fortnight so make sure you go and have a look to see who the winner is.

This fortnight Crafty Ann has challenged us to "it'll be all white on the night!" - yikes!!!  I have only done a few of these cards and really struggle but this one seemed together easier than the others.  Maybe it's having more practice.  For my Christmas card I decided to use Crafty Ann's new poinsettia with a gold frame.  It's gorgeous and couldn't resist.  I printed it out three times so I could do decoupage.  I have then used various pieces of white card and put them through different Cuttlebug embossing folders and put a white sparkly Stickles around the edge.  I then used a Marianne Designs flower die and cut out two big and two small, added a white card candy to the centre and the same Stickles over it to bring it together.  The card is finished off with a Crafty Ann's ticket sentiment and some white ribbon.

Sweet Pea Stampers - 19 August 2011

Another fortnight has come along and it is time for another challenge for Team A.  The topic for this fortnight is "fly me away" so we want to see some wings.

I decided to make a door hanger calendar to go on my stall on bank Holiday Monday.  My Sweet pea Stamps image I have used is called Forest Blue and is designed by Ching Chou Kuik and she was one of my first Sweet Pea Stamps and still a favourite.

I coloured the wooden hanger with Tim Holtz Spiced Marmalade and Mustard Seed distress ink.  I then tied on various different ribbons/fibres to the top of the hanger.  The image I coloured in with Promarkers and then die-cut and distressed the edges with Spiced Marmalade.  The image has been mounted on top of two large flowers.  The hanger is finished off with some gems, chipboard shapes coloured in with Promarkers, Marianne Designs die-cut, calendar tab and some flowers that I brushed on Spiced Marmalade Distress Stickles (and I also painted some on the fairies' wings).

I am entering this project into the following challenges:

Challenge up Your Life - No patterned paper
Allsorts - Anything but a card
Ribbon Girl - Project with ribbon
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Some bling
Whoopsi Daisy - Anything goes

Craft Your Passion - Anything but a card

Marianne's Design Divas - Anything goes

Pollycraft Monday - Distressing

The Crafty Pad - Cute and girly

Papertake Weekly - BINGO board  - ribbon, blooms and gems

Shopping our Stash - Your weakest link - one of them HAS to be Sweet Pea Stamps!!!

Creative Craft - Anything but a card
Paper Variety - Threads
My Mum's Craft Shop - Summertime
Papercraft Star - Photo inspiration 
Try it on Tuesday - Anything goes
Shelly's Images - Anything goes
Paper Playtime - Anything goes
The Stamp Man - Anything goes

The Crafty Purple Frog Challenge - 18 August 2011

Well we had a gorgeous array of "anything but a card" projects over the last fortnight.  Make sure you have a look at the blog to see the names of the winners.  The challenge topic for this fortnight is "hot, hot, hot".

 

For my card I have used the image called Red Hearts and I have chosen the decoupage sheet.  I used a red and white flowered cardstock as the basic idea for the card.  I then used up scraps of red and red/gold scraps of paper and card and embossed some red mirri card.  I have used an old book, die-cut some flower shapes, coloured with two shades of red promarker, scrunched them up, kept them together with a brad and then edged with red Stickles glitter glue.  My card is finished off with ribbon, stitching, pearls, gold tassel and Craftwork cards die-cut sentiment.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Inspire me Friday - Anything goes

Just Some Lines - Embossing

Totally Gorjuss - Round and round

The Crafty Pad - Cute and girly

The Pink Elephant - Stitching

Papertake Weekly - BINGO board - ribbon and buttons and free (pearls for me)

Shopping Our Stash - Your weakest link - Flowers along with many other things

Tuesday Throwdown - Non-stamped sentiment

Creative Card Crew - Handmade flowers

Flutter by Wednesday - Punches/die-cuts 

Ruby's Rainbow - Stitching 

Meljen's Designs - Sparkle, shine and glitter

4 Crafty Chicks - Where's the metal?

Papercrafting Journey - Anything goes

Craft us Crazy - Anything goes  

Ai Factory - Anything goes

Rainbow Lady's - Your Song Choice - Lady in Red

My Son Starts a New Job Today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Today sees the start of my eldest son's new job.  He left his "old job" yesterday and starts the new one today.  For his card I have used a Papernation decoupage image of a man in his suit and with a mobile in his hand.  For anyone that knows my son wherever he is, his Blackberry isn't far from him!!!  I have made the card with some different cardstock and used the backing paper that came with the decoupage.  I made some Nestabilities mats for the image to sit on, the smaller of which I put through a star embossing folder.  I have decoupage the image with foam pads to get some height.  The card is finished off with some ribbon, star gems, sentiment off the computer, insert (from Joanna Sheen's Precious Petals CD) and some fibres.

My husband and I are so proud of our son and I know his Nan would have been as well.

I am entering this card into the following challenges.

Ribbon Girl - Project with ribbon

Pile it On - Blue, blue, blue

Crafts and Me - Blues or blues/greens

Scrapbook Sisters - Card Challenge - Blue

Papercraft Star - Photo inspiration
Papercrafting Journey - Anything goes
Craft us Crazy - Anything goes  
Ai Factory - Anything goes

Aud Sentiments Challenge -18 August 2011

Well you certainly don't make life easy for us at the Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog as we had a wonderful turnout of entries for the challenge last fortnight.  Click here to see if you are a winner.

This fortnight we are lucky to be sponsored by Whimsie Doodles.  They have a gorgeous array of images to choose from so you must go and have a look.

For my card I have used the margarita's image and coloured the image in with Promarkers, cut out with my new X-cut doorhanger die, inked the edges to distress a little and then put Glossy Accents over the glass to make it more realistic.  I am not sure why the card turned into green based - maybe it was the two pieces of paper I spied that I won in blog candy.  I couldn't decide so I used both - the check one is from Lime Twist by My Mind's Eye and is a double-sided piece of paper with trains on the other side.  The one that looks like limes is from my Basic Grey Lime Rickey paper pad.  With the Basic Grey off-cuts I used a small X-cut circle die and cut them out and mounted on foam to add some dimension.  The card is finished off with some mirri card cut with an X-cut die, get well sentiment off the computer, glittery Henbury Lane brad, ribbon, flower brads and small circle brads.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Sew Many Challenges - Three or more brads

Inspire me Friday - Anything goes

Fussy and Fancy Friday - Use a lot

Totally Papercrafts - Food and drink
Crafty Emma - Mix and match

Totally Gorjuss - Round and round
My Time to Craft - G is for .................... - My theme beginning with "g" is green
Your Next Stamp - Fruit inspiration
Simon Says - Food and drink
Papercraft Star - Photo inspiration 
4 Crafty Chicks - Where's the metal?
Papercrafting Journey - Anything goes
Craft us Crazy - Anything goes 
Ai Factory - Anything goes 

Get Well Card

A friend's husband had a knee replacement this week.  When I saw this image in the Teddy Bo Store (image is Teddy Bo-063) I couldn't resist buying it to colour in and make into a card for him.  isn't he so cute and he looks like he's struggling a bit trying to get used to crutches.  I have coloured the image in with my trusty Promakers, cut it out with a Nestabilities die and then distressed with my Tim Holtz Tumbled Glass and Faded Jeans distress ink pads.  I have used various pieces of blue scraps of paper from my stash to keep it quite manly looking.  The card is finished off with some ribbon, gems and a Papermania stamp for the sentiment and I have decorated the card inside to match.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Pixie Dust - Boys will be boys
Crafty Sentiments - Punches and die-cuts

Crafts 4 Eternity - Photo inspiration

Fussy and Fancy Friday - Use a lot - gems for me on this one - I think I need some therapy as I have used 8 gems on one card!!!

Mark's Finest papers - Distress our cards

Pile it On - Blue, blue, blue

My Son's Birthday Card

My blog has felt a tad neglected but in the last 10 days I have only made 2 cards as I have had my sister and her three children staying so they could do some more work on clearing my late mum's house.  My craft tardis has been shut a lot of that time so it isn't very happy with me but that is what sometimes has to happen ie life taking over.

 

 

One of the cards I made was for my son's 19th birthday yesterday.  The backing paper/toppers was a freebie from Crafts U Print.  My son has been car mad from an early age.  I decoupaged the main image up three times to give it some height and also cut out plenty of extra cars to use on the front, inside and back of the car.  They were a bit fiddly to cut out in parts but well worth it.  I printed the sentiment off the computer, cut it out with a Spellbinders oval scallop die and then used my Tim Holtz Tumbled Glass distress ink and cut and dry foam whilst the stencil was still in.  I like this effect as it looks like faux matting and layering.  Overall apart from the decoupage and embellishments from the sheets ie flags/ribbons, the card was kept very minimalist as that is what he likes.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Happy birthday

Anything Goes - happy birthday/celebration

Tuesday Throwdown - Birthday
Crafts and Me - Make it count - hope adding 19th birthday is OK of it not delete
Divas by Design - Birthdays

Charisma Cardz - Distressing

Pixie Dust - Boys will be boys

Crafts 4 Eternity - Colour recipe

Mark's Finest Papers - Distress our cards

Totally Gorjuss - Round and round
Pile it On - Blue, blue, blue

Crafty Ann's Challenge - 12 August 2011 - Scallops and/or fancy borders

Yet another array of gorgeous entries we had in the last fortnight.  Go on over to Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog to see the winner.  The challenge that Crafty Ann has given us this fortnight is "scallops and/or fancy borders".

For my card I have used one of Crafty Ann's pre-coloured image of bluebells.  I have cut around the image and matted it onto two die-cut mats, one scallop and one rectangle.  The backing papers are two blue Crafty Ann's abstract papers which has been toned in with some blue card.  The border I have cut with an X-cut die and I chose this as the peaks had scalloped edges.  Next came the hard bit - I sewed in beads to all the holes in the die-cut border - tiny seed beads in the small holes and then larger beads in the larger holes.  The card is finished off with a Crafty Ann's ticket sentiment and lots of gems.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:


Craft Your Days Away - Birthday celebrations
Cupcake Inspiration - Photo inspiration
Birthday Sundaes - Birthday cards

Sentimental Sundays - Flowers

Incy Wincy - Something old, something new - old is the beads and new is the gems

Cupcake Craft - Sew mad - I have hand sewn on all the beads

Crazy Challenge - Embossing

Lollipop Crafts - Monochromatic

Shopping our Stash - Dogs or digis or denim

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Happy birthday
Anything Goes - Happy birthday/celebration

Tuesday Throwdown - Birthday

Pixie Cottage - Sketch and/or say it with flowers

Divas by Designs - Birthdays
Crafty Sentiments - Punches and die-cuts and sentiment

Do You Stack Up? - Emboss it

Sarah Hurley - Stitched up - all my beads were hand stitched onto the card
Crafty Catz - Emboss it
Crafts 4 Eternity - Photo inspiration
Fussy and Fancy Friday - Use a lot - gems for me
Inspire me Friday - Anything goes

Sweet Pea Stampers - 4 August 2011

Times are changing over the the Sweet Pea Stampers Challenge Blog.  Instead of a challenge being posted every fortnight there will be a new challenge every week.  The Design Team have been split into two teams.  The challenge for this week is called "sweet and bright".

For my card I have used a Sweet Pea Stamp image by Ching-Chou Kuik entitled "Purple Comfort".  She's a gorgeous image and those cats with their wings are so sweet.  I have coloured the image for a change with watercolours to give a different effect.  I used some backing papers a friend gave which were a freebie with a magazine subscription.  They are certainly bright and cheerful.  The co-ordinating cardstock used was influenced by the colours of the paper.  The piece of mirri card had a design on it I didn't like so I put it through an embossing folder with a scroll image - perfect.  The card is finished off with some flowers cut out of the backing paper embellished with gems, die-cut butterfly and scrolls, ribbon, lace, ribbon slider and a die-cut sentiment from Craftwork cards.


I am entering this project into the following challenges:

Just Some Liines - Outdoor/Summer colours

Fashionable Stamping - Anything goes
Cutie Sunday - Flower power
Gingerloft - Make it sparkle

Sparkles Forum - One for the girls

Craft Your Passion - Anything goes

Kaboodle Doodles - In the garden

Papertake Weekly - Anything goes and option of metal
Just Tracy's Monthly - Happy birthday 
Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT - Favourite stamp - this is one of my favourite Sweet Pea stamps - who couldn't like those cute cats?
Crafts and Me - Anything goes
I Love Promarkers - Things with wings
Craft us Crazy - Anything goes in August
Papercrafting Journey - Photo inspiration
Ai factory - Anything goes
Raise the Bar - Anything goes
Inspire me Friday - Anything goes
Card Making Mamas - Birthday cards

Aud Sentiments Challenge #34 - Merry Christmas

Another fortnight has blown by.  We had some gorgeous creations for the last challenge.  Click here to go and see the winners and also to see the Design Team creations for this fortnight's challenge of "Merry Christmas".

 

This fortnight we are lucky to be sponsored by The Stamping Boutique.

Here is a bit of information about The Stamping Boutique:

I'm Tracey Malnofski, the artist and owner of The Stamping Boutique.
My team and I are very happy to sponsor Aud Sentiments.
My store has been open since September 2009.
I've worked for InStyleStamps, Squigglefly, and TheDigiShack.
I'm a professional artist and an active member of the Artist' Guild in my community.
I have quite a busy household with a husband, 3 teenagers, 5 mini-dachshunds and an Appaloosa mare. It's noisy, but I love them all.
I'm truly blessed. 

"The Stamping Boutique" is dedicated to quality products and original artwork.
We not only provide wonderful digital images in our store, but also several lines of red rubber images. Our designers are chosen for their character and personality,as well as, their beautiful designs. We work hard to give you our very best."

For my card I have used the image called "Snowfriends". Aren't they such gorgeous snowpeople. For a change I have coloured my image in with watercolours for a totally different look.  I have added some dimension to the image with some glitter glue and also some Polar White Flowersoft.  I have used two different backing papers from my stash - not sure of the make as they aren't in a packet.  I had a piece of holographic card that had got a bit dog-eared so I put it through an embossing folder.  It's amazing how it will bring card back to life.  The inside of the card matches the outside apart from the image as I like things to flow through.  The card has been finished off with some peel-offs, lots of white card candy to represent snowballs and a die-cut sentiment from Craftwork Cards.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

Frosted Designs - Cicles
Fussy and Fancy Friday - Christmas in July
Sew Many Challenges - Anything goes
Joyful Stamper - Anything goes
Sweet Stampin' - Christmas in July
Crafty Emma - feeling the Blues
Totally Gorjuss - Christmas in July
Craft Your Passion - Anything goes

Papertake Weekly - Anything goes and option of metal
Paperplay - Christmas in August
Craft us Crazy - Anything goes in August
Do it with Digis - Christmas in August
Papercrafting Journey - Photo inspiration
Ai Factory - Anything goes
Crafty Sentiments - Christmas