Too much Grog!

We are halfway through our Masculine challenge over on the Teddy Bo blog, and for todays card I have used another old image. He's one of my favourites.

My friend and I always swap humorous cards for each others and our hubby's birthdays, so this card is going to be for Dave her better half!

Image TB_042 - Coloured in Photoshop

Papers - Bad Sass - Sassy Designs

Silver Card Candy

Satin ribbon, Grosgrain ribbon, buttons, black cord and Fleur de lys charm - Meiflower

Many years ago whilst on holiday in Oban, Scotland, I came across a card shop selling some fab, funny medieval cards, I bought a few, but before I gave them away I jotted down the verses and this is one of them. 

There is another inside the card which reads ;-

Whilst others may have spent some groats,

On gifts both bigge and small,

thy won't be too surprised to know,

I've got thee bugger-all!

Hope he likes it!

Pop over to the challenge blog and see what the rest of my fabulous teamies have been up to.

You still have until Sunday 5th August to get your challenge entries in and be in with the chance of winning five fantastic Teddy Bo images.

Thanks for stopping by,

Colette xx

A Quiet Moment and Vintage Hat IV

Today I have a couple of cards to show you using digi stamps from Jackson's Digital Expressions, I am lucky enough to have been chosen as one of their featured designers for the month of July and got to play with some of the month's new releases.

I would have loved to have made a couple more cards as I was given five images to choose from, but my chest infection has really knocked me back and I've only managed to get two made.

Image - A quiet moment - Fine Arts by Robert Jackson - coloured using Photoshop

Papers - Bailey - Sassy Designs

Wordart - Freebie - Create with TLC

Grosgrain ribbons, buttons and cord - Meiflower

Image - Vintage hat IV - Fine arts by Robert Jackson - coloured using Photoshop

Papers - Royalty - Sassy Designs

Wordart - Freebie - Create with TLC

Border - Memory Box - Meridian Border

Gems, Grosgrain Ribbon, Diamanté oval buckle - Meiflower

Make sure to check out the challenge blog for some gorgeous DT creations and their Anything Goes challenge, and the store for all the fabulous new releases.

Thanks for stopping by,

Hugs,

Colette xx

Phew!

The fates are definitely conspiring against me at the moment, I am off on my holidays in a couple of weeks, and have been trying to get a bit ahead of myself, so that I can schedule some posts while I'm away, but first I got struck down with a pretty bad chest infection (100% better now, just the cough lingering) and then this weekend I have managed to get the tummy bug that is going around.

I had just about given up on getting this post done today, but I'm feeling a little better this evening so thought I would get stuck in.

Last weekend I missed the Clipart Fairy workshop, so this weekend I decided to make a couple of cards with some of the kits that were used at the workshop. I made two cards yesterday, but then last night in bed inspiration struck for a third, and today I have managed to get it made.

Here are the original two first, both pretty simple as I wasn't feeling too great.

I  printed one of the designs from the kit onto linen card and made a square card base, I then matted and layered some co-ordinating papers onto this, adding the two ribbons. I made up the oval, with a paper, the rosebud image and my wording, printed it onto linen card, cut it out and then used my Quickie glue pen to go over the roses, before applying red glitter. I attached the oval to the card with a double layer of foam pads, then added the bow, charm and gems to finish off.

Papers, tag and image - The Clipart Fairy (can't find kit in store at moment)

Wording - computer generated

Rosebuds - stash

Cream satin ribbon, red organza ribbon, heart charm and gems - Meiflower

To make this card I re-sized and then arranged the image to the right hand side of an A4 page in Photoshop, added the yellow gingham behind and then printed out. It was scored and folded on the A4 half fold line on my scoreboard, I cut around the edge of the bear and cut an semi-arched shape at the top of the card. I printed out extra images of the bear for decoupage, (altogether I have about five layers, doesn't show up too well in photos though), then printed another design from the kit onto both sides of a piece of A4 paper, trimmed, folded in half and added as an insert, so that some of the contrasting design showed down the right hand side and across the top.

I added glamour dust to the flower centres and swirls and some lilac pearls to the dots in the design.

Bear Image and Papers -Waistcoat Ted Kit - The Clipart Fairy

Pearls - Meiflower

I really wanted to use the Pilot Ted kit too, but I wanted the plane to look like it was flying in the air, it must have been on my mind when I went to bed last night because I woke up this morning knowing exactly what I wanted to do, and here it is.

I made an easel card from acetate, covering the base with a design from the kit printed onto linen card, I re-sized the insert panel and used it on the underneath of the base to cover where the sticky tape showed through. I used the decoupage from the kit for the  'happy' and plane, and the clouds are from a Nitwits kit, the large cloud with the writing on, stands up from the base and helps to hold the card open. I love the way it turned out!

Papers, image and decoupage - Pilot Ted Kit - The Clipart Fairy

Clouds- At the Park - Nitwit Collections

Wording - computer generated

Martha Stewart Scalloped Punch

Grosgrain ribbon - Meiflower

My daughter Meg joined a disabled drama group a couple of weeks ago and they have made a film which they are showing at a little cinema in Liverpool town centre tomorrow evening, and the families have been invited along to watch it, I have my fingers (and everything else LOL!) crossed that my stomach will have settled down enough for me to get there.

Thanks for popping by,

hugs,

Colette xx

D'Arcy's Diaries and Complete Cardmaking

A while ago some of the D'Arcy's Diaries and Teddy Bo DT members designed cards for Complete Cardmaking magazine, well our issue finally came out this month and as well as showcasing our cards there are step by step instructions, and, the magazine comes with a free CD which contains all the digi stamps used as well as the coloured versions (some coloured by me), papers and some word art (again done by me). The disc also contains digi images and papers from some other companies too.

How thrilled was I to find one of my cards as the main feature on the front cover woohoo! 

My second card is also there along the top.

Anyway, with feet back on the ground here is my card for the new challenge at D'Arcy's, which this time around is

Monochrome

Although Gayle is now back from her hols she has been struck down with a kidney infection, so once again we have no new images and are using past releases, I have chosen to use one of the very early ones and it's called My Heart.

Image DD_02 - My Heart

Papers - Grayscale - Sassy Designs

Wordart - Moments in Time - My Memories

Swirl #4- Joy Crafts die

Flowers - Scalloped Posie - Memory Box

Silver pearls and ribbon - Meiflower 

Check out the D'Arcy challenge blog to see the rest of my teamies fabulous creations.

Hugs,

Colette xx

Teddy Bo Masculine Challenge

This is just a quick post as I am still under the weather, just can't seem to get my chest clear, sound like I smoke about 50 a day and I've never smoked.

We have no new releases today as Gayle has just returned from her holidays with a Kidney infection and isn't very well.

Our latest challenge over at Teddy Bo is

Masculine - use buttons and string

which has worked out perfectly for me, as it is my other half's birthday today (Happy Birthday Eric) and I have used an old Teddy Bo image to make him a card. He is currently having guitar lessons, so I thought this image was perfect. 

Image TB_042 

Papers - Musical - Sassy Designs

Sizzix circle die

String, Buttons and guitar charm - Meiflower

If you love digital papers, then check out the Christmas in July sale at Sassy Designs,

which runs until 31st July.

Everything in store is priced at $0.25,which means that you can get, for example, 12 packs of paper, for only $3 which is roughly £2, each paper pack has at least nine papers, often more, so that's a lot of designs for a little money, bargain or what?!

Thanks for stopping by,

Colette xx

A bit late but......

I thought better late than never!

I should have posted this card on Teddy Bo Tuesday, but had a very busy day Monday (hospital appointment in the morning and then my daughter was performing at the DaDa festival (Disabled and Deaf Arts) Monday evening), so although I didn't do much more than sit around all day, I was shattered when we got in at 10pm monday evening, as I was starting to come down with my chest infection, and ended up going straight to bed, and hadn't been near the computer until yesterday.

The challenge over at Teddy Bo is still Christmas in July and I used one of the latest releases for this card.  I kept the layout quite simple and dillied it up with lots of gems.

Image - TBea_213 Christmas - Coloured in Photoshop

Papers - Chilly Milly Digital Scrapbooking Kit - Liella Designs

Square die - Marianne Square Frames LR0234

Snowflakes - Spellbinders create a flake 1 and

Whimsy designs - Winters Jewel 1

Gems - Meiflower

Just a short post as I am still suffering with my chest and feeling pretty grotty.

Hugs,

Colette xx

Creative Stamping magazine - Issue 5

I haven't been too well this week, I'm suffering with quite a bad chest infection, which is why my poor blog has been a bit neglected. Although I am still feeling rough, I thought I would show you some D'Arcy's Diaries cards that I have just had published in Creative Stamping Magazine - Issue 5.

Image DD_032

Papers - Echo Park - Splash

Martha Stewart half daisy border Punch

Spellbinders grand nesties - Scalloped Oval

Marianne designs - Rose and Foliage dies

Gems, Pearls Ribbon and Anchor charm - Meiflower

Image DD_034

Playdate papers - Dani Mogstad

Buttons - Stash

Cord and charm - Meiflower

Image DD_015

Papers - Echo Park Springtime

Magnolia Doohickey - Swirly butterfly

X-cut butterfly punch

ribbon and Pearls - Meiflower

If you haven't seen the magazine yet, there are some gorgeous Art Deco stamps that come free with it.

hugs,

Colette xx

Here's a few cards made with two new Clipart Fairy kits, Girl with Bear and Hold my Hand.

I bought a set of card templates and this Easel and Spring card was amongst them, I quite liked the look of it and decided to give it a go.

Kit - Girl with Bear - Clipart Fairy

Card Template - Heavenly Craft Templates

Swirl - Elegant Scrollwork - Memory Box

Flower - Marianne design - Chinese Rose

Butterflies - CC Cutters

Circle and scalloped circle - Lifestyle Dies

Gems, black metallic cord (butterfly head and antenna) and ribbon- Meiflower

*********

A square card

 Kit - as above

Martha Stewart Border Punch - Layered  Arches

Roses - Marianne Designs- as above

Filigree corners - Lea'bilities - Border/Corner curve

Butterfly - EK Success - Medium Butterfly punch

Ribbons, pearls and gems - Meiflower

*********

An A5 portrait card

I did some paper tearing to make the snowdrifts, used my quickie glue pen to roughly draw lines across them and sprinkled with glamour dust for an icy effect. I also glamour dusted random snowflakes on the background paper and used Polar White flower soft for the pompoms and and hat trim.

Kit - Hold My Hand - Clipart Fairy

Bianca Snowflake - Memory Box die

Ribbon and jingle bells - Meiflower  

*********

A5 Landscape card

Kit - as above

Martha Stewart Border punch - layered arches

Ribbon and Jingle bells - Meiflower

*********

Thanks for stopping by

hugs,

Colette xx

Happy Diamond Wedding Anniversary Mum and Dad

This week over at D'arcy's Diaires there are no new releases as the boss is on holiday, and the design team decided to choose their favourite stamp from past releases and showcase them, there was only one choice for me and here she is.

I think I may have gone a bit over the top with the embellies on this one, I've die cut swirls, flowers and shells and added lots of glitter and bling.

Image - DD_32 with bubbles - Coloured in Photoshop

Papers - Always There - Eve Kipler

Large circle - Lifestyle nesting lace circles die

Flourish - Freemont Crest - Memory Box dies

Swirl - Die-namics Fancy Flourish

Rolled Roses - Marianne Designs Chinese Rose

Shells - Marianne designs Sea Shells

Border Punch - Martha Stewart Half daisy

Ribbons, Pearls, gems - Meiflower

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges.

Creative Card Crew -  #14 Swirls & Pearls

Deep Ocean Challenge -  #28 A Sea Of Love

Make it Monday - always Anything Goes

Tammy Scrapin Corner - Anything Goes

Pile It On - It`s a Shore Thing

Inspire Me Fridays – Always Anything Goes

Pop over to the challenge blog and check out what the rest of my fabulous teamies have been up to.

Also, today my Mum and Dad-in-law are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary, and I thought I would take this opportunity to show you a digital scrapbook page I made a number of years ago about their wedding day, and to wish them the happiest day and send them lots of love.

Geoge and Lil are the couple on the right, sadly Cyril passed away about 12 years ago and because they had always shared their big anniversaries, George and Lil decided to go away for this one, as they didn't want the rest of the family to make a fuss.

Hugs,

Colette xx

Christmas in July!

Team B are hosting the Teddy Bo challenge for the next two weeks and the theme this time around is

Christmas in July

so here's the chance to get your first 2012 Christmas card made, unless you are super organised and have been doing them since January.

I went for a really quick and easy card this time around, after colouring the image in Photoshop I printed it straight onto Linen card from Paper Mill Direct, adding the wording and snowflake border first, cut the card in half to make 2 A5 pieces, scored a line 2cms  in from the LH edge of the blank piece, applied double sided tape to the scored section, and then stuck them back together again to make my A5 landscape card.

I added a crystal cabochon to the centre of each snowflake and voila! one quick and easy card.

Image TB_137 coloured in Photoshop

Wording - Computer generated

Snowflake border - Santa and Friends - Kay miller Designs

Crystal Cabochons - Meiflower

I was playing around with the printer settings when I printed my card and the one above was printed as plain paper but I selected vivid instead of natural. The colours seemed to come out a bit deeper, so I printed a second card on the plain paper setting, but selected my usual natural, to see if there was much difference.

As I had two cards printed and they are so easy to put together I decided to use the second print too, but this time around I attached metallic silver ribbon across the front of the card before sticking the two pieces together, and added a bow and some jingle bells.

Details as above except Ribbon and Jingle Bells - Meiflower

Check out the rest of this weeks Christmas releases here

and don't forget to pop over to the Teddy Bo challenge blog for more details about the challenge and to take a look at Team B's fabulous creations.

Thanks for stopping by,

Colette xx

Crockery! and Cards

I'm later than usual with my Clipart Fairy post this week, mainly because I have had a manic weekend, but here it finally is.

I used two kits this week Teacup Teddy and Cherish the Moment and made two creations with each.

I decided when I saw the Teacup Teddy kit that a teapot shaped card would be good, so went hunting the internet for a template, and came across a site called My Time Made Easy, which sells downloadable templates for various types of gift packaging, where I spotted a gorgeous Teapot gift box, as I don't have an electronic cutting machine I bought the PDF version, which you just print and cut, but they have versions for different machines too.

Kit - Teacup Teddy - Clipart Fairy

Template - Tea for You - My Time made Easy

Flower - made up of various mulberry flowers layered together - Stash

Mulberry leaves - Stash

Gems and Butterfly (decorated with stick on gems) - Meiflower

to go with the teapot how about a plate.

I used a card I had been given for my birthday as a template for this card and put the design together in Photoshop. Although you can't tell from the pic the teacups are all layered up.

Kit - Teacup Teddy - Clipart Fairy

Flowers - X cut punches

Sequin butterflies, ribbon, Teapot charm and pearls - Meiflower

With the Cherish the Moment kit you get a free rocker and I used that for my next card although I made up my own topper.

Kit - Cherish the Moment - Clipart Fairy

Punch - Martha Stewart half daisy border punch

Swirl - Marianne Creatables

Butterflies - X cut punch

Ribbon and gems - Meiflower

and finally I made a 14cm x 17cm card blank and layered up papers from the kit for this one.

Kit - Cherish the Moment - The Clipart Fairy

Punch - Martha Stewart half daisy border punch

Ribbon, Pearl oval buckle, Butterfly (decorated with stick on gems) - Meiflower

Keep checking the Clipart Fairy blog this week as the Fairy had a birthday on Friday and there is a rumour that she will be giving freebies away this week.

and Meiflower have a fantastic 25% off sale on their Polka dot ribbons.

 

After a busy weekend, with not much time for crafting I am now playing catch up, but should hopefully be here tomorrow for Teddy Bo Tuesday, with my first Christmas card of the year,

catch you later,

Hugs,

Colette xx

Pearls and Swirls (without the swirls oops!) Mid challenge reminder

Well where is the summer?, come on, who pinched it?, give it back!, people are starting to think I look tanned, but I'm just going rusty with all this rain we are having LOL!

I think the rust has reached my brain, because we are halfway through our Pearls and Swirls challenge at D'Arcy's Diaries today and I forgot to put a swirl on my card, it's only by sheer luck, that it has pearls on it, as I was planning on using gems but went for pearls at the last minute.

The paper has dotty swirls, so I am going to count them as the swirly part of the challenge theme.

Image - DD_064 "Flower Girl" (seems to be popular this week, check out the challenge blog and you'll see what I mean)

Papers - Eat Cake Digital Scrapbooking kit - Kristin Cronin-Barrow and Krystal Hartley 

Senitment - freebie - Create with TLC

Ribbon and Pearls - Meiflower

I don't know what's going on with that ribbon, in real life it matches the dress perfectly, but as soon as I take a photograph it seems to mysteriously change from a peachy pink colour to a more orangey colour, spooky!!!

Pop over to the challenge blog and check out the rest of my fabulous teamies wonderful creations!

See you soon,

Hugs,

Colette xx

Beautiful Blogs

I'm so excited!, my blog was chosen as one of the featured blogs in this months Papercrafting Inspirations magazine, which goes on sale today. A big hello to anyone who has dropped by after seeing the article,(if you are looking for the card featured, you will find it here)

Here is the page from the magazine, with my card over there on the left, the polka dotty one.

I also thought I would take this opportunity to show you a wedding card I made recently and which I haven't had the chance to blog until now.

Digi image - Here Comes the Bride - Karen's Doodles - Coloured in Photoshop

Digi Papers - Sugar Pie (retired) - K. Cronin-Barrow

Martha Stewart Punch

Sentiment - computer generated

Butterfly - Magnolia Doohickey - Swirly Butterfly

small butterflies - X cut punch

Ribbon, Pearl heart buckle and gems - Meiflower.

Thanks for stopping by,

hugs,

Colette xx

Let's Celebrate - Mid Challenge Reminder

Another Tuesday, another Teddy Bo Card, we are half way through our Let's Celebrate challenge, so there are still a few days left to get your celebratory entries in and be in with the chance of winning your Fantastic Five Furry Favourites!

For my card this week I have used American Bo, (brilliant for all those 4th July cards), but I've de-America'ed!?!?!?!? him, I love the image but don't have anybody American to send him to, but he just looks so jolly, I thought he would make a brilliant birthday card.

I paper pieced the flag, digitally, adding some birthday text.

Image - TB_204 - altered

Papers and Birthday Subway Art - 12 Months Birthday - Penny Springmann

Eyelets - stash

Cord and Pearls - Meiflower

Make sure to pop over to the Teddy Bo Challenge blog and check out the rest of my fabulous teamies wonderful creations.

Thanks for dropping in,

Colette xx