Tuesday Taggers - Happy Autumn!

I've also made a card for this weeks Tuesday Taggers Challenge, but never got around to taking a picture of it until today - too busy reading what everyone else has been up to, to look after my own blog!

I've used the Harvest Delights from the Nitwits Collection, a firm favourite for this time of year! I've used some Distress Ink (broken china) on the edges to soften them a bit. Also used silicone glue for the first time instead of the 3D foam squares, and boy, does that stuff stink! Much easier for adding dimension on bigger images though. I'd still be peeling the backing off my foam pads if I'd used them....

Note to self....

Remember to wear a painting pinny and rubber gloves when using Cosmic Shimmer Mists....
Anyway, here is the result of my foray into the art of spritzing:

It's for the Cute Card Thursday Challenge and you had to use a clock or something to do with time, and so the first thing I thought of was the nursery rhyme Hickory Dickory Dock, might have something to do with having an 18 month old!

The little mouse and the clock were both free clipart images I searched for on Google images, and I've given them a bit of a dusting with some blending chalks. The Cosmic Shimmer colours were Meadow Lush and Mallow Blush which is a bit of a tongue twister! The paper is from a Papermania A5 pad, by Tina Higgins, I randomly bought in Staples.

Need to go now, and try and get the stuff of my hands before work tomorrow....

We're born, we live, we die-cut?

Ok, starting to think a diecutting machine is a craft essential, and as Christmas is coming (at an alarming rate), it might be a good thing to put on the old wishlist. But here's the thing, which one? Cuttlebug, Sissix, Craftrobo, Cricut....
What does everyone else have? Think it'll mainly be used for scalloped circles and squares, so Nestabilities?
The cost is rising fast!

Quirky Challenge

Having only just entered one Quirky Challenge, it's now time for another! Although to be fair, that's only because I stumbled across it a day before it was due to finish! I've decided not to make a card for this one, I have made a little name plate for my son's bedroom door. I've made a couple in the past for friends - great presents for little ones and new babies, but had never got round to making one for poor Thomas!

The recipe for this challenge is to use:

• Stitching (real or faux)
• Lace (paper or real)
• At least two different buttons.
• and finally a colour: teal or turquoise.

I think I've managed all that! I've used my Nitwits again, this time from Bear Necessities which has a lace frame, plenty of buttons, turquiose paper and faux stitching.

I use 160gsm supersmooth paper/card to print the images on, then cut them out and layer them up and mount the whole thing onto thicker card (quite often a cereal box!), punch a couple of holes and hang it up with some ribbon. 

Hope you all like it!

Ooooh haven't I been busy today?!

Really should get to bed but have to post another couple of challenge entries! Here's my entry for this weeks Penny Black Saturday Challenge, this little cutie is called "Bee-have" and I thought he looked very chilled out, making the most of the Indian Summer! The weather was actually pretty much like that here today, frosty first thing but with bright blue skies all day.

I stamped him with Black Soot Distress Ink, and waterbrushed it out with a touch of Brushed Corduroy, and then he's been buffed with Vintage Photo. I've layered him up on some suitably Autumnal paper from my stash and a bit of ricrac ribbon. I like using "Thinking of You" as a sentiment because you can use it for so many different occasions.

Gorjuss Cards!

There's some really great Christmas cards entered into the Totally Gorjuss Challenge this week, and as I have finally managed to make a couple of Christmas cards I thought I'd chance my arm and enter too! I've been using a Nitwits Collection called "Still Joyful Hearts" which came free with Simply Cards and Papercraft issue 76 magazine. It's a lovely range with soft pastel shades of blue, lilac and green, and the freebie pack had loads of background papers and toppers in it. I personally think the little snowman is gorgeous :)

I could probably manage to make all my cards this year just using the one kit. I know that's a bit stingy but I am Scottish!

Anyway, here's my card

Bit of glitter glue on his hat, some 3D foam pads and double sided sticky tape and it's job done.

Sketch Saturday - blobby Autumn

Had tea and biscuits with my mum today :) she had a really bad heart attack last October, and she's just starting to feel better now, she still can't cuddle the baby though as he's too heavy for her, even to sit on her knee. However she was pleased to know that he can say "Nanny" even before he can say "Mummy"! How come I'm the least important (POUT)? Anyway, been crafting away on the Saturday Sketch as well today and here it is

I made it using a Nitwits digikit called Harvest Delights, doesn't feel like I've crafted anything unless I cut everything out and layer it up though! Also added a touch of gold glitter to the sunflowers and the heart (although it does now look a bit more blob-like than heart-like. "I blob Autumn" doesn't quite have the same ring to it). Added some little square brads to the corner too.

This was the sketch to follow:

Quirky Crafts Challenge

I've been bloghopping again and found this Quirky Crafts Challenge, it finishes on Sunday so had to be quick! I've been shopping in Perth today and bought some Distress Inks, so had to have a play about with them. I used a Personal Impressions image, which is supposed to be a Christmas stamp, but I can't do Christmas yet, so I've made it look quite Autumnal (I hope....!).

I used Vintage Photo, Broken China, Peeled Paint and a touch of Brushed Corduroy on the roof, brushed out with a water brush. Can't remember what the backing paper I used was - it came from a 6 x 6 pad and the front cover has long since wandered off. Also used some brown parcel paper, and an Anna Griffin swirly stamp - which didn't quite work out as I'd hoped, but hey, you live and learn!

I think it would work quite nicely for an older gent - pity it's not my Dad's birthday until May! This is the sketch the challenge is based on:

Cute Card Thursday

Bloghopping is great, it gives me a reason to make something pretty everyday! Today I have made my first entry for Cute Card Thursday, following their nice and simple sketch (although it does include a dreaded circle, boo, hiss) and I've used an image from a free download called the sunbonnet girls, you can download it here.

It's an absolutely gorgeous collection, and you get loads with it, background papers, images, flowers, ribbons and so on. I admit to having a bit of a fetish for papers with spots, stripes, ginghams or plaids. I would dress from head to toe in gingham if I could pull it off without looking like a total idiot.....

Christmas Crackers!

Still finding making christmas cards in September bizarre and slightly disturbing! The couple of feeble attempts I have managed are only fit for those teetering on the edge of my christmas card list. Oh well try, try and try again....

Done!

Whew, done my card for the Tiddlyinks Challenge 22 following the sketch as best I could. The digi image of the basset hound was a "try me" from their website, which I thought was marvellous. I'm not a very flowery frou-frou crafter and like things quite simple and understated. Sneaked in a bit of ribbon though! I coloured the image with promarkers and also had a bash with some water colour pencils in the back ground, only because I'd just bought them!

I'm also entering it into the Tuesday Taggers challenge for this week, with the theme Anything Goes, which is sponsored by Ribbon Oasis. I've had a look at their site and I didn't know there was that much ribbon in the world! They even have some in the shape of little baby feet, and angels playing trumpets! The mind boggles trying to work out how on earth they can make them like that.....

Tuesday Challenges

Left it a bit late to get started tonight - been looking online at new laptops (wishful thinking). So, the plan for tomorrow is to make something for the Tuesday Taggers Challenge and also the Tiddlyinks Sketch Challenge, as the Tuesday Taggers one could be anything, I might be able to do just the one and enter it in both. At least the Tiddlyinks sketch has no circles!

Penny Black Saturday Challenge is very challenging

For some reason I just cannot get my head around the sketch for this weeks challenge, see here, I've fussed and fumbled through a couple of layouts and have now given up in a huff. It doesn't help that it's based around a circular image, I don't have a diecutter and my freehand circle cutting is shocking.

So I then decided to make some Christmas cards. That was equally frustrating! I'm just not in the "Christmas Zone" despite there being Christams Puddings in Tesco already. Can we not get Halloween out of the way first? I am very uninspired today!

Spyders Corner Challenge

I mentioned that Spyder had a great elephant digi a couple of weeks ago, here is a "new baby" card I made for a friend using it, I'm going to enter it into her latest challenge...
I printed the digi image 3 times, once on plain paper, once on the blue dotty paper, and lastly onto the gingham paper. I coloured in the plain image with my promarkers, and then cut an elephant out from each of the patterned papers and just layered them on top. Didn't bother with the 3D foam, think it looks fine just flat. I layered it up on some bright pink paper, and covered a 135mm square card with chocolate and pink spotty paper (looks a lot darker on the photo). Bit of ribbon and a sentiment stamp, and "Bob's your uncle", as they say. Why do they say that?

Loving the Nitwits

Anyone seen the Nitwits range? I got some freebies in one of the craft mags a couple of months ago, and been downloading them like crazy ever since! Seen some kits on QVC too, but I prefer playing about with the digi images...Nitwits blog can be found here. The images are so cute!

Less Blogging = More Crafting?

My cello bags have finally arrived from ebay - although, to be fair, it did take less than a week, I'm just not very patient. So first job of the evening after "baby in bed" routine, was to label my first ever ATCs and get them into an envelope ready to post in the morning. I even had the stamps and everything!

After that I had a go at making an entry for the Tuesday Taggers blog, theme of the week was "Diamonds are Forever", so first thing I thought of was holographic paper. Which I happen to have in my stash, so off I went and here's what I came up with:

 The elephant came from Spyders Corner, she posted a freebie digi stamp when she reached 300 followers a couple of weeks ago, not sure if it's still available or not. I'd made a lovely card with it using paper piecing and had an elephant left over, and thought the plaid paper was also a bit "diamond-ish".

Anyway, that'll do for now....

Adding Links is jibberish

Is it just me or could they have made it so much easier to add links? Bet it was designed by a man.....

Hello World!

Everyone seems to have a blog, so thought I would be a "sheep" and follow the herd. Not sure if I've got much of interest to say, but hey ho. Today has mainly been taken up with running round after Josh who's 18 months old. He's discovered he likes to through things down the stairs, and has been hurling all sorts of household objects over the baby gate. He's also discovered how to remove the saftey covers from the electricity sockets. It's naptime now so I should get a few moments of peace. Hubby has man flu today, so is hunched up on the sofa under a blanket feeling sorry for himself.
I usually use this time to do some cardmaking or browzing other blogs, probably should do housework but it's just not going to happen.
Also waiting for ATC stuff to come that I ordered from ebay last week, so I can get my cards sent in to swap.