Day Dream Believin'

On Wednesday evening I went to the Echo Arena here in Liverpool, with my friend Julie, to see the Once in a Lifetime tour, featuring Les Mckeown's Bay City Rollers, Showaddywaddy, David Essex and The Osmonds, we had a fabulous time reliving our teenage years, we were on our feet all night dancing and singing along to all our favourite hits, unfortunately I paid for it on Thursday with achy feet and a sore throat, (need to remind myself I'm not a teenager any more LOL!)

It's time for another challenge over at Paper Creator and this time we have an easy peasy theme -

Anything Goes

We would love you to play along and the lucky randomly drawn winner will get a £10 voucher to spend in store, you don't even have to use Paper Creator products, but if you do you will get two entries in the draw.

I've made an easel card using the gorgeous Sassy Cheryl Day Dream Believin' illustration, as these images are pre-coloured they are really useful for putting a card together quickly, and there is a fab selection of images in store to choose from.

Digital illustration - Day Dream Believin' - Sassy Cheryl at Paper Creator

Digital Papers - Carefree - Oohlala at Just So Scrappy

Lifestyle Nesting Floral doilies

Lifestyle Nesting circles

JoyCrafts - Fantasy Butterflies

Die-namics Upsy Daisies

Punch Bunch Starburst Punch (flower centre)

Paper Artist - 2 Lacy borders

Sentiment - Computer Generated

Pearls - Meiflower

Pop over to the challenge blog and check out the fabulous inspiration from the rest of my teamies.

Thanks for popping in

have a lovely weekend,

hugs,

Colette xx

Walk like an Egyptian

Over at the Paper Shelter this week, it is my teams turn to host the challenge and our theme is

Travel and Transportation

now this could be something typical of a place you would like to go, or have been to, or some mode of travel or even just the colours of the flag of the country, so there's plenty of choice and The Paper Shelter have a fabulous range of digi images that would be just perfect for this challenge, and if you play along and win using a Paper Shelter image you get to win a $30 gift certificate to spend in store, if you win using any other image you still get to choose 3 digital stamps from the store.

I've used the gorgeous Walk Like an Egyptian for my card.

I love Egypt and anything to do with it, taking my first holiday with my hubby there in 1988 , where he proposed to me on our balcony at the Cairo Hilton, overlooking the river Nile, on the first night we were there. We were married just over twelve months later and will be celebrating our Silver wedding in September so we haven't done too badly from it.

Anyway, enough of the claptrap, here's my card -

Digital stamp - Walk Like an Egyptian - The Paper Shelter

Digital Papers - Norval - Sassy Designs (got a massive sale on at mo, paper packs only $0.28)

Heiroglyphics background -  Google search

Tonic Geared border punch - Diamond border

Stick on gems and square coloured dazzles (clear but coloured with Promarkers) - Meiflower

I made the jewelled Ankh by roughly drawing it out to the size I wanted and then placing my image over a piece of gold card and using a small embossing tool to draw over it, pressing gently and leaving the design lightly etched into the gold card, I then used this  as a guide for placing my gems.

I am entering this card into the following challenges

Fan-Tastic Tuesday -  Must Be Square or Rectangular #41 Anything Goes

Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge - Anything Goes

Party Time Tuesdays  - #178 Anything Goes

Through The Craft Room Door  - Always Anything Goes

Crafting from the Heart - Always Anything Goes

Craft Your Passion - Bold, Beautiful, Bright Colours

Ditzie Digi Designs – Anything Goes
My Craft Creations Challenge - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore - use a stamp or digi stamp

Rhedd and Rosies challenge blog - Anything Goes

Pop over to The Paper Shelter challenge blog and check out the fabulous inspiration from the rest of my teamies, you won't be disappointed and don't forget to enter the challenge.

Thanks for popping in,

have a lovely day

hugs,

Colette

Tutu sweet!

I have my grandson Charlie here this morning, his dad is a nurse and is working nights this week, so I have him for the next three days from about 8am, within half an hour of arriving he has already eaten - a piece of toast, a bowl of cucumber! 2 biscuits, half of my cereal, a banana and has just come running in with a punnet of plums, oh and he's also had breakfast at home before his mum dropped him off - I think I'm going to have to take out a second mortgage to keep him fed this week!

Today I have a card to show you with a cute ballerina digital stamp I found in an Etsy store called Alicia's Cute Shop, the stamp also has a little bunny on it, but I left it off for this card.

Digital Stamp - Ballerina with Bunny (without Bunny) - Alicia's Cute Shop

Papers - Isn't she lovely digital scrap kit - Just So Scrappy

Spellbinders nestabilities - Opulent Ovals

Sizzix sizzlets - small tags

Ribbon, gems and charm - Meiflower

Sentiment - computer generated

I am entering the following challenges - 

613 Avenue Create - #77 Anything goes plus Option : Pink

One Stitch At A Time  - #218 Anything Goes

Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge - #33 Anything Goes

Sister Act Card Challenge - Cards. - # 62 - Anything Goes

The Stamping Boutique - #22 - Card for a Child

Aud Sentiments Challenge -  #109 Two Word Sentiments

Thanks for popping in,

hugs,

Colette xx

What football?!?!?!?!?!?!

Someone told me the other day that there was a big football competition going on - can't say  that I've noticed!!! Hahaha!  it's only on the television every hour of every day practically, or all over the newspapers, even Mr Google reminds me about it every time I load up the internet and see the Google sign doing football-y things.

If you can't beat them then join them, so here's a card I made recently using a Sassy Cheryl illustration called - The game is in the Player - which is available at Paper Creator.

I made a sort of offset shaped gate-fold card using the Sweet Dixie football die on one "gate" and the Sassy Cheryl illustration on the other, the wording was computer generated, the papers, trophy image and sentiment tag are all from a digital scrap kit called Kickin' it by Crazy 4 Monograms and the ribbon and football shirt charm are from Meiflower.

Hope you've had a lovely weekend and enjoyed all the gorgeous sunshine

and lets hope we have more of the same for the coming week, although to be

honest I suffer from terrible hayfever, am blonde haired and very fair skinned so

one minute in the sun and I look like a tomato which then fades away back to my lovely natural

milky white colour : (  my nose goes to it's turbo sneeze setting and Niagara falls pours

from my eyes, apart from that I really enjoy it Lol!

Thanks for dropping in,

hugs,

Colette xx

Baby girl card

Here's a text conversation I had with my daughter Stacy on Tuesday, while she was in work and I was looking after her youngest boy Charlie - the first text came through about 1pm  

Stacy "Hi mum, you don't happen to have any baby girl cards made do you/ we are going to visit David and Sam's new baby this afternoon when I finish work and pick Will up from school, and I would prefer to give a handmade card rather than a shop bought xx"

Translation - off to see friends new baby and if you have a card made it saves me having to go to shop to look for one and pay for it!

Me - Sorry no, I don't have any baby girl cards made.

Stacy - Oh! well is there any chance you could make me one quickly and possibly personalise it at the same time, it doesn't have to be too fancy xx

Translation - I really really don't want to have to go to the shops and it would look like I've really made an effort if it's personalised, and I still wouldn't have to pay for it!

Me - Well it would have to be quick and simple as I only have about an hour and a half to get it done xx

Stacy - Yeah, that's great, thank you sooooo much, you're the best xx

Translation - Woohoo, I knew she would do it, free card and now it will be personalised too, I'm gonna look like a fab friend. LOL!

Luckily I already had the image coloured up and Charlie had just fallen asleep, I knew I had about an hour before he would wake up again, so I set to and this is what I came up with.

Charlie woke up just as I was about to photograph the card and I spent the next five minutes trying to take pics in between him pushing his cars up and down the worktop in front of my makeshift photo studio.

Stacy loved the card, but as expected, she never offered to pay for it - LOL!

Digital Stamp - Baby Bear Scales - Di's digi downloads

Die cut frame - Lifestyle nesting square doily

X-cut punch - Petal large and medium

Ribbon, acrylic dummy charm and stick on gems - Meiflower

Thanks for stopping by,

have a lovely day,

hugs,

Colette xx

Cuddlebug Sweet Sarah

A few months ago I came across a blog called Cuddlebug Cuties, as well as lots of interesting items to peruse there is also a huge amount of freebie girlie digi stamps for you to collect. You have to go quite a way back to find them all (there really is a huge amount) but it's definitely worth doing. 

On my card today I have used Cuddlebug Cutie Sweet Sarah

Digital stamp - Sweet Sarah - Anna Stillwell at Cuddlebug Cuties

Digital papers - Sunny Days - Oohlala Scraps at Just so Scrappy

JoyCrafts 1201/0082 Flower border

Couture Creations Fantasia Collection - Ivy Set

Die-namics Dainty Bows

Stick on Pearls - Meiflower

Sentiment - computer generated

I am entering the following challenge with this card -

Through The Craft Room Door  - Always Anything Goes

Tuesday Throwdown  #200 Celebrations
Through the Purple Haze  - Anything Goes

Ditzie Digi Designs  – Anything Goes

Thank you for stopping by and taking a look

hugs,

Colette xx

First Holy Communion

On Saturday we went to the First Holy Communion of Chloe and Keiron, my friend Donna's twins. Chloe had told her mum which image she wanted me to use on her card, as she said it was very much like how she was going to look on the day, so being the kind of person who likes to do as they are told LOL! I used the requested image and even took it a step further by using ribbon to try and represent the skirt of her dress.

Chloe and Keiron

Chloe's card

Digital Stamp - My Besties Princess Sparkle

Memory Box - Melinda Corner

Spellbinders grand impressabilites embossing - Flower Delight

X-cut palm punch - Heart small

Lots and lots of glamour dust

Ribbon, gems and cats eye dazzle - Meiflower

Keiron's card

Digital stamp - Holy Communion set - Karens Doodles

Poppystamps dies - Grand Gothic Arch

Chalice and wheat - Lea'bilities Special Occasions 1

Leaves - Cheery Lynn Olive Branches

Ribbon and cross charm - Meiflower

Thank you for dropping in and taking a look,

hugs,

Colette xx

Happy Fathers Day!

It's Fathers day here in the UK today so I have a couple of masculine cards to show  you.

I made the one with the moustache for my daughter to give to my hubby, but was inspired to make a second after I had decorated the inside of the first,( which I forgot to take a photo of) the non-writing side of the inside is pretty much the same as the front of the second card, just not layered up with foam pads.

We only needed one card and given the choice Meg picked the World's Best Dad card, so I shall put the other one away for next year.

Papers - For Him digital scrapbook kit - Oohlala Scraps at Just So Scrappy

Sentiments - Computer generated

Tonic layering circle dies

Ribbons and pearls - Meiflower

I made up my toppers in Photoshop and printed them out along with all the papers, before matting and layering them up to make the cards, I printed out a second moustache and 2 crowns, and added the second moustache to the topper with foam pads. 

I shaped the crowns and atttached the first, over the sentiment with foam pads, making the middle a double layer so that it would hold the rounded shape, then repeated the process with the second crown, it really stands out from the card in real life. The only extras I added where a couple of stick on pearls to the crown card and black satin and black gingham ribbon to the moustache card.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look,

hugs,

Colette xx

Wedding Stepper

Today we are off to celebrate my friend Donna's twins' Chloe and Keiron's First Holy Communion,( I will show you the cards I made for them next week), but before we go I thought I would give you a quick reminder that there is still a week left to get an entry into our Wedding/Anniversary challenge over at Paper Creator, and show you a wedding card I've made using one of topper sets available in store.

Wedding cake topper set - Paper Creator (Topper set contains a sheet of toppers in various sizes and a matching backing paper)

Sentiment - computer generated

Memory Box Sofia Heart die - I pushed out the middle, rubbed it over with a pink pearly ink pad and then pushed it back in again.

JoyCrafts 1201/0083 Flower Border

Die'sire - Elegant Frame

Ribbon,wedding rings diamante embellishment, pearls and gems - Meiflower

Thanks for popping in,

Have a lovely weekend,

hugs,

Colette xx 

Summer time

It's team B's turn to host the challenge over at The Paper Shelter this week and this time around our theme is

Summertime

We would love for you to share your summery creations with us, and be in with the chance of winning a $30 gift certificate to the store if you use a Paper Shelter image, or 3 digital stamps of your choice if you use any other image.

I've made a really simple card today, just the image, sentiment and sunshine bunting.

I came across the sentiment on my travels around the world wide web, and when I saw the theme for this week's challenge and found the gorgeous Summer Holidays digi-stamp in the Paper Shelter store, I knew they would go together perfectly. 

The bunting was made with bakers twine and die cut suns.

Digital Stamp - Summer Holidays - The Paper Shelter

Sentiment - computer generated

Lil Inkers Sunshine die - small

I am entering my card into the following challenges -

Craft Room Challenge - Sun Sand & Surf

Fan-Tastic Tuesday -  Must Be Square or Rectangular #39 Anything Goes

Through The Craft Room Door - Always Anything Goes

Crafting from the Heart  - Always Anything Goes

Ditzie Digi Designs  – Anything Goes

Glitter n Sparkle - #88 Use a Digi

One Stitch At A Time  - #216 Use A Digi

Scribble and Scrap - Always Anything Goes
Sentimental Sundays - must include Sentiment - #210 Anything Goes

Pop over to the Paper Shelter challenge blog and check out the fabulous inspiration from the rest of my teamies, and don't forget to link your summery creations up to our challenge.

Thanks for dropping in,

hugs,

Colette xx

Dragonfly Birthday

Well here we are another week closer to Christmas!  It will soon be time to get started on your festive makes LOL! but before all that I have a birthday card to show you today.

I printed out the background paper and sentiment and the rest was done with dies, punches and a little bit of faux stitching.

My little dragonfly is a Penny Black die -I cut it twice from pearl card, painted it with various distress inks, brushed the wings with a Wink of Stella clear glitter brush and then layered one on top of the other.

Spellbinders 5x7 Reflective Moments die

Penny Black Creative dies - Flutters

X-cut palm punches - Petals, medium and small and Daisy, small

Stick on gems - Meiflower

I am entering my card into the following challenges -

Dragonfly Dreams  June – Things with Wings

Open-Minded Challenges - #12 Something with Wings

Paper Crafting Journey - Perfect in pink
Cute card thursday - Perfectly Pink
Hobbybook designer challenge - Show us Flowers (at least 3)

Thanks for stopping by,

hugs,

Colette xx

Wedding/Anniversary challenge

Traditionally, June has always been the most popular month for couples to get married, although it seems nowadays that trend is changing to July and August, but do you know why it used do be June?,  ... no? well let me tell you - firstly, the month of June derives it's name from Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage, so in ancient times it was thought that couples who married in June would be blessed with prosperity and happiness, there was also more practical reasons why June was the chosen month, brides married in June were likely to give birth to a first child in Spring (also thought to bring good luck) and recover in time for the autumn harvest!!! and during medieval times a person's annual bath usually fell in May or June, meaning that June brides still smelled relatively fresh on their wedding day LOL!

If you do happen to be making cards for a June wedding or wedding anniversary then we would love you to play along with this month's challenge over at Paper Creator as our theme is...

Weddings/Anniversary

You don't have to use Paper Creator products to play along, but if you do you get a second entry into the draw. The lucky winner gets £10 to spend in store on Paper Creator goodies.

As I don't know anyone who is getting a bath this month (hehe!) I have made an anniversary card, using a 6x6 quick card kit, I printed out the topper a second time and using some purple card from my stash made a matching wine bottle tag. I also added a scalloped border behind the sentiment using the same card.

Celebration 6 x 6 quick card - Paper Creator

Purple and lilac card and buttons - stash,

Sizzix embossing folder - came free with Big Shot

Die-namics Rustic hearts

Cottage Cutz - Heart doily

X-cut Scallop border punch

Ribbon and gems - Meiflower

I had printed out the matching envelope and was just about to start cutting it out when I suddenly thought to myself - oh piddily-pooh!!! (not my exact words but clean enough for the blog hehe!) I realised that as I had arranged the doily heart over the top and side of my card it would no longer fit in the envelope, but being a typical crafter, who hates to waste anything, I came up with a cunning plan - I punched a couple of scalloped borders and then cut them to size and added an extension to the bottom of the envelope front and the top of the envelope back (luckily the width was  just about OK if I put the card in the envelope very carefully).

You can just see a little of the 'extension' showing at the bottom of the envelope on this picture, and I even embellished it to match the tag.

Don't forget to pop over to the challenge blog and check out the fabulous inspiration from the rest of my teamies.

Thanks for dropping in, 

Have a lovely weekend,

hugs,

Colette xx

If you've got it, flaunt it!

Today's card uses another of the All Dressed Up images I coloured in October last year and finally got around to making up into cards.
The black "lace" is a Lifestyle die, I have matted the image onto black card and attached to card with foam pads, punched out the flower shapes and circles, die-cut the letters, then layered them up to make the alphabet buttons, which are fixed onto the card with foam pads to add dimension. I added a stick on gem between each letter. The sentiment was written on the computer, printed and then cut out with an X-cut die (I usually scan the die and take it into my graphics program, where I use it as a guide for the placement of the writing), which I then matted onto black card and cut around to leave the small border (the next size die up left a bigger border than I wanted).

Stamp - Wear with style girl 3 - All Dressed Up

Paper and stitching - Oohhlala digital scrap kit - Just So Scrappy

Lace Border die - Lifestyle die

X-cut Nesting dies - Bloom

X-cut palm punch - Flower - large

X-cut circle punch - medium

Die-versions Little Lizzie Font

Sentiment - computer generated

Stick on gems - Meiflower

I am entering my card into the following challenges

All dressed up - Bling it up (crystal between each letter, hope that's enough)

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Digi Makeover Challenge -  must use digi - Anything Goes
Ditzie Digi Designs  – Anything Goes wk5

Robyn`s Fetish - #214 Anything Goes

A Creative Romance - Girly Creations

Craftitude -#66 Anything Goes/Add dimension

Left of Center Creative Challenges - #32 Girly

Sister Act Card Challenge - #59 Anything Goes

Suzy bee's blooming challenge - #31 Layer it up

thanks for stopping by,

hugs,

Colette xx

Nautical H

Today I have another one of my 'H' cards to show you, this one was actually my first attempt.

Many years ago when I used to do lots of cross-stitching, one of my favourite artists was Faye Whittaker and her All Our Yesterdays collection. I made up quite a few of her designs (and still have some in the cupboard waiting to be started) so  I was really pleased to discover that there was a Paper crafting CD containing her images (seems it's been about for a while, but I've only just discovered it). I immediately ordered it, and as soon as it arrived I made the following card, using one of the images.

Image - Faye Whittaker Collection Papercraft CD

Digital papers, sentiment and banner - The Coastal Collection - Nitwits

Anchor button and Ribbon - Meiflower

Thanks for stopping by,

hugs,

Colette xx