Monday 31 March 2014

Happy Holidays

Well, it's the last day of March, and the first day of British Summer Time yesterday, so naturally I've got a Christmas card to share with you today !!!   :0)

The papers are actually from the gorgeous new Wild Rose Studio Antique Library pad, and along with being really versatile for any occasion, this script one also seemed appropriate for the image of Maya the Elf, checking the list of who's been naughty or nice for Santa.



All the items on today's card are from The Stamp Basket, who incidently have just added added further reductions in the spring sale - there's now 25% off 125 products including ALL Memory Box and La La Land Craft dies.   Check out all the sale details here.
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Friday 28 March 2014

Kitty Picnic

I'm in springtime mode today with an image called Kitty Picnic, and lovely sunny papers from the new Wild Rose Studio Peach Blossom pad.  The dies are also quite spring-like with the rose circle and bird tree. The image was actually quite a large one, so there wasn't much space left for me to splatter the card with too many embellishments, so I just sneaked in a trio of pearls into the bottom corner!




Card Recipe, featuring items from The Stamp Basket:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Thursday 27 March 2014

Pots of Love

The new challenge at As You Like It Challenge has given me the perfect opportunity to play with another stamp I've not used before.  The theme is to showcase your favourite animal, and mine has to be kitty-cats!

I've used a sweet little image by Lili of the Valley and painted with DI reinkers in some dusky pinks.  The papers are also from LOTV, and are my current favourite pad.

There is also a brand new challenge starting today at  Crafty Little Fairies, where the theme is tags, so I've created a little tag using the sentiment that came with the image.  I punched a hole in one end and threaded through a couple of strands of pink twine, inked around the edge, and popped it on the card using some foam pads.  I thought it looked a bit like a plant pot tag, so it kind of matched the plant pot theme in the image and gorgeous floral papers.



Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
  • LOTV Ideas to Inspire - Bingo (Ribbon, Pearls, Flowers)
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Monday 24 March 2014

Peaches and Cream

I've got another Wild Rose Studio hat-trick today, image, papers and dies are all from the recently released set.  I really like these little swirly designs, and the subtle colours.  I've teamed it with pale ribbon, pearls and some cream cardstock.



Card Recipe, featuring items from The Stamp Basket:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Sunday 23 March 2014

Cute Owl

I'm totally addicted to my new Purple Onion Designs stamps. The ones that I've chosen are quite dinky, but they can be combined to create little scenes, or are great for tags, decorating boxes, C&S cards etc.  They're all just so adorable too, and I've already ordered 2 batches.

Yup, it's an addiction, but one for which I seek no cure!

Here's a cute little owl on a branch. I've given him some background clouds, lots of white space, and relatively few embellishments (well, it's not many for me!) to really make him stand out.  I've even found some owl themed papers in my paper pile that I've not used for a while.  The owl paper is actually a bit sparkly, but that's not shown up particularly well in the photo.


Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Saturday 22 March 2014

Good Luck Barry

I've got a 'just for fun' card to share today, and it features Barry the bear.  I've not used him for a while so it was good to see him again!  Green isn't a colour that I use a lot, as it's not one of my favourites, but these papers are so pretty that I didn't mind!



Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Friday 21 March 2014

Something a little different ...

I've got something a little different to share with you today.

Inspired by the pretty Wild Rose Studio Bluebell papers, I've got a bit carried away and forgotten the image!!!  ;0)



Card Recipe, featuring items from The Stamp Basket:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Thursday 20 March 2014

Tag Team

We're down on the farm this week at Crafty Little Fairies and I've made a trio of tags using Penny Black farmyard animals doing a variety of antics.

The images are actually from the 12 Days of Christmas transparent set, but as I've not included the matching sentiments (6 Geese a-Laying, 8 Maids a Milking and 11 Pipers Piping) they can pass as everyday-images.

I like the quirky image of the sheep playing the bagpipes, but that goose's expression as she's pointing at the egg made me chuckle.  It looks like she's saying 'What!  You expect me to lay one of these?!"

I do admit that it does look rather large for the poor old girl, as it's almost the same size as her head!

So, does anyone fancy an omelette!!  :0)




Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday 19 March 2014

Festive Robins

I'm not actually sure if I've used this stamp before.  I've had it for months (I think I got it last Easter), and had my eye on it for a while before then.  But, like most of the stamps I buy, it went on the pile of 'to be used' before more were popped on top, and it moved down the pile out of sight.

But I saw it there in my catalogue and decided it would be perfect for today's theme of "Friends and Family" at ABC Christmas Challenge.  It's a versatile image that I decided was ideal for a couple, because it's not too feminine, and is quite traditional rather than cute.

I've kept the embellishments fairly light too, just a spot of lace, and a button tied with some red twine.



Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Tuesday 18 March 2014

C&S Bunny

As this project is to support the 'metal' challenge at Top Tip Tuesday, I had to pop on a little embellishment in the form of a heart charm, but otherwise, this is about as C&S as I can get, as it's almost a flat card.

Along with the lack of fuss, even the colour scheme is simple, and the charm uses the same pink monochromatic colour scheme as the rest of the card.


Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Monday 17 March 2014

Picking Flowers

I'm using my first pages of the lovely new Wild Rose Studio Antique Library Paper pad today, and all I can say is every page in this set is going to be used (and that's quite unusual for me, because there's usually some pages that I am not so keen on).  Not so with this pad, they're all lovely.

I've also used my new Wild Rose Studio Corner Flourish die, and boy, does this die cut well.  All those fiddly bits inside the flowers just fall out so easily, it is lovely to use.  I've used two of the die cuts, and they just overlapped by a few millimetres, so I snipped off a small smidgeon and you can barely see the join as they shape around the card base.  I've popped different sized pearls into the middles of each flower.



Card Recipe, featuring items from The Stamp Basket:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Saturday 15 March 2014

Daisy

If you don't like purple then I suggest that you read no further, as there might possibly be a small glimpse of purple in today's card.  And after yesterday's card, you may feel a bit "purpled out"   :0)

I've used a new La La Land heart ribbon corner which is really pretty, (even if it is a lot smaller than I thought it would be when I ordered it!) but it's also barely visible in the photo as I used shimmer papers to cut it out, and only the top right hand corner one actually shows up, and even then only slightly, so you have to look closely!  There is also one in the top left corner. Honest!  :0)

While on the subject of dies, there is also a sale on all the new Wild Rose Studio dies at The Stamp Basket.  But the sale is only for this weekend, and ends on until Sunday, so get your skates on and grab a bargain.

Well, as I said above, there's a small sprinkling of purple in today's card, mainly inspired by the pretty Wild Rose Studio papers.  This project is to support the Mother's Day challenge at A Gem of a Challenge which starts today.

I'd planned for this card to be fairly flat (ie, suitable for cheapskate-posting).

But then I forgot, and added the flowers.

D'oh!!!



Card Recipe
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Friday 14 March 2014

Purple Bluebells

I'm back in full Wild Rose Studio mode again today (another hat trick with image, papers and dies all from the WRS new release).  I'm also back in purple mode so prepare yourselves for some purple overload!

I wasn't sure how to use the new Flower Circle die at first, then I realised I could put a circle sentiment inside it, so I printed out a sentiment to fit, and it's perfect.  :0)

These dies are also on 10% discount at The Stamp Basket this weekend only so pop over to the shop before Sunday to grab them while they're on offer.

I also wanted some purple seam binding to match my colour theme, but didn't quite have the right shade, so I improvised, using some cream and running a purple copic over the top (using the wedge end of the marker).  It coloured really easily, and because I could use the same copic as I'd used in my image, the colour matched perfectly.

OK, brace yourselves.  There's a small sprinkling of purple coming up ...




Don't forget the Spring Sale at The Stamp Basket.  It's still running so pop over to grab some bargains!


Card Recipe, featuring items from The Stamp Basket:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Thursday 13 March 2014

Dreams and Wishes

I've been using my DI reinkers again today, because the new challenge at As You Like It Challenge is to showcase your favourite colouring medium.  Well it's been my new year's resolution for 2 years running to get more practice water-colouring with these pesky inks, so today I've reached for the paintbrush instead of the Copics.  Some of my favourite designers watercolour with the DI reinkers, and they are lovely to use, and quite satisfying (when it goes to plan), although they take a lot longer to use than the markers.

The image is one of my new Sugar Nellies called Dreams and Wishes, and oh boy is she a large image.  I've chosen her for my project because the challenge which starts today at Crafty Little Fairies is Wings, so she fits the bill perfectly.   I hope you like her as much as I do.


Card Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Monday 10 March 2014

I 'Deerly' Love You - and a SALE!!!

OK, You have permission to groan now, because I'm really scraping the bottom of the barrel with these 'deer' v 'dear' blog post titles!  Last one, I promise.  ;0)

Today's card features another new Wild Rose Studio image called Bluebell with Friend, another of the new paper pads (Peach Blossom) and another of the new dies.

The papers are just to pretty to cover up, so I've used a spot of lace, some cream seam binding and added some more interest with a bit of stitching, rather than lots of embellishments.

By the way, there's a huge Spring Sale at The Stamp Basket at the moment, so grab a crafty bargain and stock up on those bits you've been drooling over before they're all gone!!




Card Recipe, featuring items from The Stamp Basket:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Saturday 8 March 2014

Yup, another clock (but she's adorable so it's allowed!)

Remember the clocks I made last year?  Well I've got another one to show you.  This one is a real sweetie featuring an adorable Sugar Nellie image called Rosie.  I've used a purple colour scheme on this version, and added lots of purple embellishments;  a butterfly, twine, button, flowers, glitter and pearls.

If you want the clock template, then head back to my clock tutorials here (for the 3,6,9,12 hourly template) and here (every hour template).



Project Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting.
Annette
xx

Friday 7 March 2014

To a 'Deer' Friend?

Oh deer.  Sorry I mean, Oh dear!  Apologies for the lame blog post title  ;0)

Today showcases my first play with the new Wild Rose Studio Bluebell images.  And I have to say, they are CUTE.  I particularly like this one with Bluebell looking at the little squirrel on the branch, and wanted to use this image to make a card for a special friend who's been a real rock for me recently.

I coloured the image in colours to match the pretty new Wild Rose Studio papers.  Even the hubster was looking at the papers saying how much he liked them.  Now that is a first!

To top of the WRS hat-trick I've also used one of their new dies, and chalked the flowers in purple and leaves in green, again to match the papers.  Because the paper designs are quite detailed, I didn't want to hide them up with lots of embellishments (plus the recipient is a C&S kind of gal) so I just added a bit of natural coloured twine (which I coloured with the wedge end of a purple marker), and secured it around a purple button.

The button actually looks really pale in the photo because the light is shining off it, but it's actually a bit darker in real life.  A little trio of dinky purple pearls and some pale green liquid pearls on the die and image finished it off.

Wow, that's fairly C&S for me - not even a smidgeon of ribbon or a sprinkling of flowers!



Card Recipe, featuring items from The Stamp Basket:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Thursday 6 March 2014

Bambi

I'm really loving these Purple Onions Design images at the moment and am on a mission to ink up the ones I've bought recently (even though I've not used all the ones from my first order yet!).  Anyway, today's theme at Crafty Little Fairies is a song or film theme, so I've used Laurel the reindeer to represent the movie "Bambi"

The papers decided the colour scheme, but I'm afraid I can't remember what they are.  I think they were in a magazine, but I just can't remember the manufacturer.  If you recognise them, please let me know and I'll link them up properly.  I thought that the little trees on the paper complemented the trees in the background of my image.  I fussy-cut out the reindeer and layered him onto foam pads in front of my snowy trees.



Card Recipe, featuring items from The Stamp Basket:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Wednesday 5 March 2014

Karma in a Box

I recently went on a 3 day break to North Devon, and even though I wasn't able to do any crafting while I was away, I still managed to get in a bit of crafty shopping!

And if you don't believe in Karma, then this little anecdote might change your mind ...  We were wondering round a little town, and it was tipping down with rain so we were looking for a cafe.  Hubby was in a strop trying to find a cafe on an app on his phone, with no phone signal.  And so I was stroppy because I was getting soaked while he kept saying "hold on, I'm seeing where we are".   So, he told me to take shelter from the rain while he tried to get a signal.  So, I nipped in the shop he'd stopped outside, mumbling to him that I was 'taking shelter, just as he'd asked'.   Guess what type of shop it just happened to be!  Karma at it's best!   :0)

Ok, it was only a small shop, but had lots of lovely crafting stuff; a few stamps, papers and embroidery threads, but also some lovely little trinket boxes to decorate.  Well if there's one thing I like, it's boxes!  So I was in heaven.

I picked out a small little wooden box, with a magnetic fastening, just begging to be decorated.  And today I am sharing what I did with it.  It's also perfect for the new "E for Enclosed" challenge at ABC Christmas Challenge.

It's quite a small box, so I've used one of my new Purple Onion Designs stamps called Snowy (Winter Owl).  He's quite a small image, but is perfect for this dinky box.  I've distressed the edges of all the papers I've used to decorate the sides and lid with, and added some italic script washi tape around the sides and across the top panel.  Finally I added some white pearls to the lid, and the front, which provides a bit of grip to lift the top up.





Project Recipe:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Tuesday 4 March 2014

Snowy Trio

The new challenge at Top Tip Tuesday is 3, 5, 7 which I actually thought I would find quite difficult.  But when I put on my thinking cap, it wasn't too bad.

I used a lovely image from Purple Onion Designs, which included 3 snowmen (and 3 trees!) so that was the 3 covered.

I then realised that if I used one of my favourite shaped card bases, there are 6 pointy bits (technical term) on the base and I usually put a pearl on each one, so if I put one more pearl in a corner, that would be the 7 covered.

So I was just left with the 5.

Well, after thinking I could add 5 snowflakes, but then disregarding that because the image is quite large and I didn't think I could fit in 5 die cut snowflakes, I had a brainwave!

I used 5 Colours; red, green, blue, orange and brown.  Genius!!!  ;0)



I stamped the image twice, and fussy-cut out one set of the snowmen.  I then raised them up on foam pads to create more texture on an otherwise quite simple card.



Card Recipe
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx



Monday 3 March 2014

Bunny Thanks

I've used a lovely Docraft stamp and a simple masculine layout and colour scheme.  The bunny reminds me of Peter Rabbit form Beatrix Potter and he's been coloured in blues to match the papers.  The sentiment is a Memory Box die.



Card Recipe, featuring items from The Stamp Basket:
I've been inspired by:
Happy crafting
Annette
xx