Card sketches ahoy!

Although I use a lot of sketches for layouts (well I start off using them and often veer off dramatically) I don't use many for cards. Perhaps because I can't see past the simplicity of the sketch. But I love Lucy Abrams' cards and sketches so decided to have a little play with two of the sketches she produced this week and never mind if they were simple - or used stars like the sketches did.
What I am most chuffed about is finishing up a 6x6 pad which I have had for ages at the same time. Only loads more to go before I need to buy any.....
This is the first sketch

 and my card which is pretty much the same

This used a MME pad (still a few sheets left in this one). Plus a veneer arrow dyed with Heidi Swapp yellow mist (prettier in real life); a Spellbinders star die and a Clearly Besotted stamp

 and here is the other card sketch which I used twice

 

 This is my favourite card of the three - using an Echo Park pad, Clearly Besotted stamp again and some butterfly punches

I decided not to outline the papers in anyway for a change and am now itching to go back  and give more definition. I will leave it though and instead focus on the fuschia close up which features Glossy Accents

I must use sketches more often!

Stripey

I've been having fun with stripes this week along with the other Daring Cardmakers

I do so love stripes. And dots. And here I have managed to make stripes from dots. I used some papers from an Authentique paper pad ("Strong"). I cut strips of various sizes, inked the edges and then glued them to a scrap of cardstock. Using a spellbinders die I cut out a large star from the centre. I then stuck smaller strips of the papers onto more spare cardstock and die cut a smaller star.
I mounted the frame and the star using foam pads. Very thin foam pads. Probably too thin (trying to avoid the card being too thick to post on a normal stamp) as you can hardly see any dimension at all.

Even close up.
A gem and a Simon Says Stamp phrase on a die cut pennant were the finishing touches.

I've been making some layouts for Quirky Kits again this month. There are a few kits left if you are quick but you can also sign up to the next rather lovely offerings from Leo. Here is a peek at some of my work but do go and look at the blog for more details and to see what Leo and Nikki have made too

Pop the kettle on

it's time for tea.
If you come to our house be advised that the best tea is made by Phil and not me.
It is a well known fact.
He gets fed up every now and then of being chief tea lady and so I get a turn.
And then he remembers why he makes the tea.
He thinks I do it deliberately but I try really hard to make him a lovely cuppa.

All of which is to explain why I had to choose tea as the answer to "What's your tipple?", the question asked by Kathy on Daring Cardmakers last Friday.

Pedants may notice that it is a mug and not a cup, but cups are just not big enough in my opinion.
Plus I had only had a mug die anyway.

I used just one paper pad on this card - Crate Paper DIY Shop which is this fabulous eclectic mix of papers.
But I made up for that with lots of dies from different companies.
QK mug
Cuttlebug stamp die
Spellbinders square die
PTI word "you"
MFT fishtail die

All with Distress Ink round the edges.
The heart is a little punched one covered in red stickles. When it dried there was a bald patch which I covered with a gem!
"You" is all sparkly in real life as I used a Wink of Stella glitter pen on it and added glossy accents on top.

The reason why my Daring card is late this week is that I spent last week drinking lots of cups of tea (mugs really) with two angels. We talked and read proper books and wrote and walked. Best study week ever (apart from missing my family and bumping my head. I lay back on a bed forgetting that there was actually a wall behind me. I had a real eggy lump for the rest of the week. I was impressed). We stayed in a rather gorgeous cottage in a perfect little village called Hartington on the Staffordshire/Derbyshire border.

Its all coming back to me now

the notion of blogging!
Although I may not get the chance at all next week again. I always have a lot to say but so often don't seem to have the hwyl to do it (Welsh word meaning "a stirring feeling of emotional motivation and energy") But after such a long hiatus I do want to be creative again. And with this lovely colour inspiration from Nat as the first Daring challenge of the year how could I resist?

 Although you should have seen me despairing over all the lovely bits and pieces I had pulled out and didn't seem able to put together. Finally I ended up with something like this

Isn't that lace amazing? I have no idea where I got it from but have been hoarding it for ever so decided to let some of it go. The papers are from Fancy Pants and Websters Pages. I also used some Tea House Bridge buttons, a Simon Says Stamp sentiment, Cuttlebug embossing folder and dies by Dienamics and Spellbinders. When I first thought I had finished it all looked a bit flat so I added some Glamour Dust swirls with a glue pen. It is VERY twinkly now.

Do have a look at the blog which features some awesome cards by the Daring creatives. And I hope to be here again soon!

1/12th of a year

since I last blogged.
I know, I know, I know.
But sometimes, when you spend a lot of time writing for work, writing for fun just isn't, well, fun.
And it may be my age catching up with me but I have found this Christmas period tiring in the extreme.
Anyway that is all so last year!

I have been doing some crafting to show in the future but I will also give a quick catchup on some of what I have been up to in the last month or so of crafting
First of all some of the Quirky Kit pages I made with the last kit. I am most proud of the cross stitched using aida one

Then here is this years Christmas card. Which was only made possible by the viscious bug that laid me low so that all I had energy for was cutting and sticking (mostly from a prone position). The die cut piece is a Silhouette one which was cut in different colourways from Fancy Pants paper. I felt it needed a little something so then went around the edge with a black pen. And added several different drops of Stickles, Beads and Liquid Pearls

I made an Advent Journal. All the pages and writing are done. But not every page has a title yet (they are being die cut in a time consuming matter) and not all have as much bling as the first few pages

I really love the big gold circles made from swooshing Stickles around and would like to add more of this on some of the pages. My Advent Journal had enough pages to take up two years worth of Advent which is rather lovely.
And finally - a holiday page that uses up bits and bobs from my ever expanding stash

Now that all would have been better spread over several blog posts during the month.
But it wasn't.
Happy New Year!