JOURNEY INTO THE UNKNOWN

When I saw this photo of my granddaughter riding her bike, even though it's not a good photo, I had to scrap it. I wanted to try my hand at layering as it's not a technique I'm very successful with. I'm not sure I've cracked it yet either lol, but I'm getting there. Papers are K & Co's Brenda Walton 'Mira'. I cut the title on my Craft Robo. I cut 3 in card and layered them up to be a bit thicker and then covered them with one cut in paper. The embellishments are all cut from sheets of paper within the pack. Some lace and a couple of buttons finished it off.


Journalling reads:
This isn't the best photo in the world, but when I saw it, it captured something in me. As I looked at you riding into the sunset, I wondered where life's journey would take you. Where will you go to? What will you see? What will you be? A doctor? A lawyer? Maybe an artist? Or, maybe you'll be content to just be a wife and mother. Who knows?

Wherever you go and whatever you do Mia, I hope and wish for you that your journey through life has so many more ups than downs and that you will find happiness and fulfilment in everything, big or small. Learn to trust and never be afraid of asking for help if you need it. Stay strong through all the downs and you will come out the other side. Be yourself Mia, because you are beautiful.

Entering into:
SIMON SAYS STAMP - Anything goes.
INCY WINCY #130- Anything but a card.
MAKE IT MONDAY #73 - Anything goes.
PAPER PLAY #4 - Lovely lace.
OUTLAWZ - Anything goes with red.

BACK TO CHILDHOOD.

It's challenge #101 over at I ♥ PROMARKERS THIS WEEK and the theme is Pink & Purple. We are sponsored by the lovely DIGI DOODLE SHOP and when I saw this set of images, I thought I'd do something different from a card and use them. Everybody that's seen them so far have all commented on how it took them back to childhood. I too remember cutting them out of my weekly comic and spending many a happy hour with them. No computers then eh? lol. Hopefully my 4 year granddaughter will like them too when she's next here.


Entering into:
CHARISMA CARDZ #3 - Pretty in Pink
SIMON SAYS STAMP - Anything goes
DAISY DOODLES #51 - Anything goes
INCY WINCY #130 - Anything but a card
MAKE IT MONDAY #73 = Anything goes
DIGI DOODLE SHOP #92 - Anything goes
CREATIVE INSPIRATIONS PAINT - Pink

MOTHER LOVE

My grandson Aidan with my daughter, just before Christmas. I'm trying to get myself back in scrapping mode as I haven't done any for months and I've shed loads to catch up on. Papers are from Paper Trunk, the 1974 collection.

DO WHAT YOU WANT!!!!

Wooohooo!!!! Remember THIS? Well, I've signed up for another of ANDY SKINNERS superb online workshops. This time it's 'Timeworn Techniques' covering everything from rust, to copper patinas to chipped old paint. Can't wait until next month when it starts.

This month's challenge over at I ♥ Promarkers is our 100th so we're doing everybody's favourite theme...Anything goes. Our sponsor is DIGITAL DOWNLOADS with a £10 spend.
As we didn't have to use a sponsor image, I was able to revert back to my fave style..eclectic with a bit of weird and darker colours. The clock lady stamp is by Paper Artsy and this was masked off and over stamped with Pipe Man from Zettiology. The sentiment is by Rivercity Rubberworks and my papers are MME Lost & Found 'Breeze'. I just love the greens in this pad. The velvet ribbon has been in my stash for years and the brown dotty one is new. I finished with three eyelets, as I haven't used them for ages but didn't think pearls were quite right.



Entering into:
CRAFTY CARDMAKERS #59 - No floral embellishments.
HAUNTED DESIGN HOUSE #116 - Freakishly Chic
LEXI'S CREATIONS #56 - Anything goes.
LET'S INK IT UP #19 - Anything goes.
MAKE IT MONDAY #72 - Anything goes.
PINK ELEPHANT #131 - Fave colour.
ONE STITCH AT A TIME - Anything goes.
CRAFTY SENTIMENTS. - Anything goes.
ANYTHING GOES #58 - Anything goes.
PAPER MINUTES - Anything goes.
CREATIVE INSPIRATIONS PAINT - Birthdays. TOP 3.
PARTY TIME TUESDAYS #51 - Birthdays.

Oooops! It's #99

I forgot to do my blog post. Doh! It's challenge #99 over at I ♥ PROMARKERS and this week the theme is Cute and Cuddly. Our sponsor this week is STAMP FAIRY with a $10 gift certificate for our winner. I used her image 'Molly through the year - November'. I reckon it's cute, but not so sure I made it very cuddly, lol.

Shhhhh! IT'S A SECRET!

It was secret santa time again and I racked my brains for what to do for my friend Karelyn on my craft forum. Then, I saw some of these house shaped shadow boxes and so I did one of them for her. I covered it with paper and then inked and sealed it. The wood frame itself was painted with acrylic paint, textured paint, metallic paint and then sealed. As usual, odds and sods were added. I filled the tiny apothecary bottles with micro beads, stuck some charms on, did some dye cuts with grungepaper and inked them, stamped my greeting with my Waltzing Mouse remedies stamp and painted the spools. The 'flowers' are done with my Tim Holtz die and the lace and other bits were in my stash. I'm well chuffed with how it turned out and I really struggled to part with it, lol.







Entering into:
CREATIVE INSPIRATIONS PAINT - Anything goes. TOP 3
SPARKLES #27 - Anything BUT a Christmas card.
THE CRAFTY PAD #152 - Anything but Christmas. TOP 3.
ALLSORTS #134 - Blue and Brown.
MARKS FINEST PAPERS #87 - Anything goes.
SECRET CRAFTER #166 - Anything goes.
MAMI DOODLES #40 - Altered Art/Home Decor.
JELLYPARK CHALLENGES - Anything but a card.
STAMPIN' FOR THE WEEKEND #23 - Anything goes.
FAB 'N FUNKY CANDY CHALLENGE.

SHAPE IT UP..

Hellooooo peeps. It's been a bit of a poorly time in this house so far this week, but finally I can get my I ♥ PROMARKERS card up. Challenge #95 this week is to make a shaped card and we're sponsored by the lovely JOANNA SHEEN. I used one of my own templates, available HERE and made an open book type card. It's the first time I've used it for a proper paper card and I have to say, I'm really pleased with it.




My papers are K & Co Handmade Speciality, Tilda is sitting on a piece of card punched with Martha Stewart's heart edge punch and the sentiment is from the fabulous Waltzing Mouse 'Rescue Remedies' set. It's a lovely sentiment to celebrate a friends birthday with. Punched leaves, flowers, lace, pearls and a charm finished it off.
Entering into:
ART IMPRESSION STAMPS #43 - Try something new.
CUTE CARD THURSDAY #194 - Anything goes.
COOKING IT UP WITH KATIE #86 - Anything goes.
DIVA'S BY DESIGN #16 - Anything goes.
WHIMSEY STAMPS #18 - Patterns and Pearls.
PASSION FOR PROMARKERS #129 - Celebrations.
MAKE IT MONDAY #66 - Anything goes.
CRAFTY BOOTS - Anything goes.
PAPERTAKE WEEKLY - Anything goes (option of a dangly).
CRAZY CHALLENGE #96 - Anything goes.
CRAFTY CREATIONS #147 - Card with Sentiment.

SNOWMEN & SNOWFLAKES.

Those of you that know me will know that I really, REALLY don't like making Christmas cards, but sometimes...we've just gotta do it. This week for challenge #94 over at I ♥ PROMARKERS the theme is snowmen and snowflakes. I was under orders but once I'd decided I wanted to go purple, it wasn't too bad, lol. Our sponsor this week is ROBYN'S FETISH and we were given her snowmen images to work with. I have to admit though, they are rather cute.

I combined two of the snowmen in Photoshop and cut them out and I also designed my own paper as I don't have much Christmas stuff. The frame is a Martha Stewart PATP and I cut the centre out with a nestie. The sentiment is also one of my own design and you can get this on a sheet of 15 different sentiments from DIGITAL DOWNLOADS.


Entering into:
SASSY CHERYL #92 - Winter.
MAKE IT MONDAY #65 - Anything goes.
ANYTHING GOES #55 - Altered corners.
CREATIVE CARD CREW - Monochromatic.
JENS DIGI STAMPS - No red or green.
PARTYTIME TUESDAYS #44 - Anything goes.
CRAFT YOUR PASSION #86 - 'Tis the season.
HOOKED ON CRAFT - Winter Wonderland.
POLLYCRAFT #120 - Winter fun.
PAPER SUNDAES #97 - Winter Wonderland.

ANYTHING GOES..

I've been a bit lax with my blogging lately, but then again, I've been a bit lax with everything. I have, regrettably, stepped down from one of my DT's, The Crafty Pad but hopefully now, I'll have a bit more 'me' time as my crafting passions are changing again. I tend to go through phases, lol. Why not pop over and see my parting post, it's a tutorial for a lovely little cross ribbon folder. You can also find it at Make Something Nice too.

Anyway, on to the reason for this post. Challenge #93 over at I ♥ PROMARKERS and the theme is Anything Goes. No doubt we'll be inundated, lol. Our sponsor this week is the fabulous Judy over at DIGI DOODLE SHOP and we, the DT, all used one of her images.

I hate making Christmas cards, so I chose to use this lovely image called 'Weighing In'. My papers are Papermania 'Hanoverian', I really like the vintage feel to these papers, Martha Stewart deep lattice punch, turned upside down, and everything else from my stash.


Entering into:
CRAFTS AND ME #62 - Shabby Chic/Vintage
PAPERCRAFT STAR #72 - Anything goes.
LOLLIPOP CRAFTS #58 - Anything goes.
SISTERHOOD OF CRAFTERS - Polka Dots (girls dress).
CREATIVE CRAFT CHALLENGES - Free for all.
SASSY CHERYL #91 - Anything goes.
MAKE IT MONDAY #64 - Anything goes.

LOVE YOUR LAPPY..

Challenge #91 over at I ♥ PROMARKERS this week is to follow a sketch. You can see the sketch on the Promarker blog. It's a nice one, so come and have a go with us. Our sponsor this week is LETRASET with a pack of Promarkers.



This image is one of the wonderful Mo Manning's and the sentiment is one of my own design, available HERE. The frame is Spellbinders 'Ornate Artisan Tags and Accents' and I cut the top off. Papers are MME 'Quite Contrary' and the flowers and ribbons are from my stash.

Entering into:
ART IMPRESSIONS - 2 or more ribbons.
CCCE STAMPERS - 3 different shapes. (squares, fancy, oval)
DUTCH DARE - Punches/die cuts.
RAINBOW LADY - Pink and green.
STAMPAVIE - Anything goes.
DIGITAL TUESDAY #136 - Anything goes.

A MINGER AND OTHER STUFF....

They (whoever 'they' are) do say that it's the little things that please, well, I think it's possibly true. I've just won a brand new pair of Next jeans for my Granddaughter for £2.50 on Ebay and it's made my day, lol. I hardly ever bid in an auction 'cause I never win (lost 3 cardigans already) so I'm well chuffed today.

Anyway, who's the minger? Well, this is he:


My 19 month old Grandson Aidan. Absolutely filthy, but obviously enjoying himself, lol. He also has this face that he puts on when you ask him to do his 'thinking face'. Finger on chin, eyes skewed and eyebrows up....gorgeous, lol. All papers and embellishments are Echo Park 'Little Boy'.

Entering into:
BIRD IS THE WORD - Adore. (hope this qualifies, I have used 'adorable' in my text).
CRAFTING WHEN WE CAN - Anything but a card.
CREATIVE INSPIRATIONS PAINT - Anything goes.
SIR STAMPALOT - Blue and Green.

What else have I been up to? Well, I decided I wanted rid of the table that I craft on and I wanted a long work surface instead.



So, I popped off to B & Q and brought myself this home. I love it and it's a great surface to work on. I've got plenty of room in there now too.




Today sees the start of Challenge #146 over at THE CRAFTY PAD and this weeks theme is paper piecing. The sponsors this week are LETRASET and CRAFTY RIBBONS. All the design team used 'Sammy Scarecrow' available from THE CRAFTY PAD DESIGNS.


I used my Promarkers to colour parts of him but his clothes and hat and the backing papers are from K & Co's 'Urban Rhapsody' pad. I used a Martha Stewart punch for the lattice and a Marianne D die for the leaves. In my stash I found what I thought was some rafia, but I think it's brown paper made into a trim actually. I'm really not sure, lol.

Entering into:
COME AND GET IT - Autumn.
ONE STITCH AT A TIME - Use a digi.
CRAFT YOUR DAYS AWAY - Autumn.
MARK'S FINEST PAPERS - Fall.
CRAFTY CATZ - Anything goes.
INSPIRE ME FRIDAY'S - Anything goes.
PIXIE DUST STUDIO - Paper Piecing.

TAG IT!

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since I blogged ....life and stuff but this week over at I ♥ PROMARKERS, it's challenge #89 and the theme is tags. Make a tag or add a tag of some sort to your project. I'm loving tags at the moment, I seem to just 'flow' with them. Our sponsor this week is DIGI DOODLE SHOP and the prize is a $10 spend in the store. Judy has some fabulous images, you really should take a look. I chose to use 'For My Love' and I split the elements for my tag.


I covered my tag with text paper and inked it well with Walnut Stain distress ink. The smaller tag was done the same, but I stamped on this as well. The cardboard strip was one of those rip strips to open a cardboard box and the sentiment strip is another piece off some junk mail that I kept. The pen nibs, key and corner were in my stash and when I'd coloured the image, cut out and split the pieces, I covered the candle and ink pot with Diamond Glaze.

Entering into:
SIMON SAYS STAMP - Anything goes.
TOTALLY PAPERCRAFTS #89 - Layer upon layer.
ANYTHING GOES #52 - To the Letter.
BEARLY MINE #22 - Anything but a card.
CREATIVE CARD CREW - Fallin' for You.
PARTY TIME TUESDAYS #39 - Anything goes.
HOUSE OF GILLIE - Recycle and Texture.
MAKE IT MONDAY #60 - Anything goes.
LOLLYPOP CRAFTS #54 - At least 3 embellies.



Also this week I want to tell you that there's a two week competition running over at THE CRAFTY PAD. It's based around stitching and wall hangings and there's two great prizes on offer, so why not pop over and join in. Crafty Ribbons are giving some fabulous new design ribbons and buttons and Debbie at The Crafty Pad Designs is giving her complete set of Sewing Images AND her dress form trio too. Definitely worth an entry folks.

YOU.

I was in scrapping mode last night so did this layout of my 4 year old granddaughter, Mia. Papers are MME Lost & Found 'Blush' and I painted the chipboard pieces with acrylic paint, dotted them white and sealed with mod podge.

FROM THE GATES OF HELL!!!!

I've just done an online workshop with the amazing Andy Skinner. This guy is awesome if you're into altered stuff. This is my very first attempt at 'properly' altering a bottle. I started with an empty sherry bottle:


and finished at the gates of hell.



I totally enjoyed doing this and truth be told, I don't think I ever want to make another card again, lol.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME.

Well, at least, I hope so, lol. I'm on a diet AGAIN! and I really want to be this shape. It's challenge #142 over at THE CRAFTY PAD and the theme is vintage. The DT all used Debbies trio of dress forms available from THE CRAFTY PAD DESIGNS. These images are on sale for 59p at the mo, so why not treat yourself. We're sponsored this week by CREATIVE CRAFT WORLD and there's a £10 spend for the winner.



As soon as I saw the image we had to work with, I knew just what papers I would use, (mind you, I'd rather stroke than use these papers, lol). They're from MME Lost and Found 'Blush'. It's a totally fabulous pad. I printed my image onto acetate and made a slightly raised frame from it. The sentiment is my own design and the flowers, as always, are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

Entering into:
DI'S DIGI DESIGNS - Girly.
ONE STOP CRAFT #152 - Anything goes.
FAIRY FUN FRIDAY #63 - Girly.
INSPIRE ME FRIDAY #27 - Anything goes.
DELIGHTFUL CHALLENGES - Make it dimensional.
ONE STITCH AT A TIME #83 - Anything goes.

SPOOKY!!!!

Wednesday again already and time for another challenge over at I ♥ PROMARKERS. This week is challenge #86 and the theme is Spooky. Our sponsor is JOANNA SHEEN with a £10 spend again.

I'm a bit of a misery and I just don't 'do' Halloween so I don't own an image or anything to suit. Off on a web search, but as always in the end, Elizabeth Dulemba came up trumps with this witch. The papers I also made myself as that's something else I had none of and the black cat is a photoshop shape. The sentiment was a freebie from Limited Runs Digi Stamps.

ONE FOR THE BOYS.

It's challenge #141 at THE CRAFTY PAD this week and the theme is One for the Boys. Debbie has recently released a Pocket Watch and Steampunk images over at THE CRAFTY PAD DESIGNS and the DT worked with them. I have to say, I really love these. There are so many things I'll be using them on.

Fed up with making cards, I thought I'd make a tag for a change. It's a nice six incher which I took out of a Junkitz tag book that had been in my drawer for a couple of years. I figured I'd never make the book, so just get on and use the tags, lol.


I started in Photoshop with a six inch rectangle and placed some of the digi elements where I wanted them. Doing it this way ensured that my DP would be printed exactly how I wanted it to be, (not realising of course, that most of it would be covered up, lol). I printed this onto copy paper, then stuck my piece of DP over it and ran it through the printer again. Edges were all inked with Walnut Stain distress ink.
I printed two sizes of watch faces and the ruler and inked them. The vintage image was actually from some junk mail about a lottery, so I kept the leaflet knowing I'd be able to use it. Recycling at its best eh? The black clock hands were cut on my Robo and the gorgeous reinforcement ring is a Tim Holtz Ideology bit. I found the sentiment in some more long forgotten stash and inked it and finally the watch face and little watch parts are from my stash.

Entering into:
CRAFT YOUR DAYS AWAY #30 - Tag it.
SUGAR CREEK HOLLOW - Trash to vintage.
ONE STITCH AT A TIME #82 - Use a digi.
PAPER SUNDAES #89 - Lots of layers.
CARD AND SCRAP #17 - Distressing.
CREATALICIOUS #26 - Anything goes.
ONE STOP CRAFT #151 - Just for men.
STAMP, SCRAP & DOODLE - Anything but a card.
INSPIRE ME FRIDAYS #26 - Anything goes.
SIMPLY CREATE #53 - Older than 6 months.

A DISTRESSING DAY.

Well, not for me lol but challenge #85 over at I ♥ PROMARKERS this week is distressing. One of my fave techniques, I just love the tatty look. We're sponsored by the lovely Judy at DIGI DOODLE SHOP and there's $10 to spend for the winner. Judy has some fabulous images so if you haven't been before, you really should take a look. All the design team used one of her images this week, and I chose to use 'The Day Off'.


My papers are all from the Basic Grey 'Recess' pad. I scuffed up all my edges using a scissor blade and inked all the edges with my walnut stain distress ink pad and a little black soot too. The birds were done with a Marianne Die, one in paper to flip and one in black card and the little swirl at the top left was also a Marianne die, but I just used the top of it. The sentiment is my own design.

Entering into:
DIGI DOODLE SHOP #76 - Autumn colours.
GINGERLOFT #25 - Vintage or Distressed.
ANYTHING GOES - Anything goes.
PARTY TIME TUESDAYS #35 - Anything goes.
MAKE IT MONDAY #56 - Anything goes.
OUTLAWS 26th sept (Greeting challenge) - Anything goes.
WOODWARE USA - Fall.
CARD CUPIDS #38 - Fall.
THE SQUIRREL AND THE FOX #1 - Anything goes.
FRESH BREWED #66 - Fall/Autumn.
ONE STITCH AT A TIME #81 - Favourites.
HOUSE OF GILLIE #17 - Fall.

I'M IN STITCHES.

It's challenge #140 over at THE CRAFTY PAD and this week it's STITCHING. We want to see stitches on your cards. The sponsor is CRAFTY SENTIMENT DESIGNS and 3 digi images of your choice is the prize for the winner this week.

To make my card, I designed my own papers.


All of the elements (see below) were taken into Photoshop, resized and placed around the paper and I used this as my background. The patterned paper was also done in Photoshop and I used a border punch and pearls to just enhance it a little. The buttons were stamped and cut out and a piece of lace finished it off.

Debbie has just released some new silhouette images with a sewing theme, and this week all the design team used the sewing machine and elements.


You can buy the images separately or as a set, so why not pop over and treat yourselves.

Entering into:
MY SHERI CRAFTS #69 - Sew Simple.
SHOPPING OUR STASH - No colouring. (T3)
OUR CRAFT LOUNGE #84 - Patterned paper.
WAGS 'N WHISKERS #63 - Lace.

YOUR NUMBER'S UP!

It's week #84 over at I ♥ PROMARKERS this week and the theme on your projects is to include a number. The sponsor this week is CRAFTY EMMA and there's a £10 gift certificate for the winner.

I thought about doing a card with a birthday number on it, but then decided to think outside the box a little, so this is what I came up with. I love steampunk but don't find it easy and the same goes for monochromatic (hence some colour added, lol) so combining the two was a bit of a challenge for me.


My papers are MME 'Gertie'. I used two embossing folders, Cuttlebug 'Clockworks' and Tim Holtz Alterations 'Collage', both lightly sanded. The steampunk girl is from the wonderful Krista Smith and the clock and gears are from Kim Lariviere. I have lots of watch parts in my stash, so I added a few of those too. I don't really know why I stuck the doily on, but hey ho! it's too late now, lol.

Entering into:
CRAFTS AND ME #53 - Stripes.
DIGI STAMPS 4 JOY #28 - Anything goes.
FAB 'N FUNKY #91 - A hard theme.
PAPER SHELTER #32 - Anything goes.
MAKE IT MONDAY #55 - Anything goes.
ANYTHING GOES #50 - Anything goes.
SCRAP CREATIONS - Anything goes.
DAISY DOODLES #42 - Raise it Up (Embossing).
HOUSE OF GILLI #16 - Embossing.
MAKE MY MONDAY #16 - Metal steampunk.
THE SQUIRREL AND THE FOX #1 - Anything goes.