In The Frame

What an eventful evening yesterday, I had car problems at 5 past 5, always just when the garages are shut, lol. So I phoned my students and luckily managed to catch them all before they left their houses for the class. I didn't know how long I'd be or whether it was serious. Still, it could have been worse, it didn't actually break down the exhaust just fell off and made an awful noise. I had been wondering what that funny noise was on my way into town too and thinking I'd have to get Matt to have a look. Anyway, the nice man from the rescue service came and took the hanging half of the exhaust off and I could drive it tentatively, and noisily, home. The joys of having a car of a certain age!

So instead of teaching last night, I started going through my storage boxes in my craft room to have a clear out. Of course now its a huge mess but I do have a big charity shop pile and the bin's a bit fuller.

Back to cardmaking, which quite frankly, is much more interesting than cars or tidying up.

Lynne set the fabuloso dare this week to use a frame... and I'd just got my paws on some delicious frame stamps from doodlebug. This is my favourite from the set, I just love its doodle appearance. I also used BG Recess papers, Dovecraft brad and stamps from Duo Designs and Hampton.
A Christmas one too, even though I'm in disbelief at the shops being full of Christmas nonsense already.

DCWV paper, cuttlebug snowflake embossing die, bosscut reindeer and Studio G sentiment stamp.

Right, I'm off to the garage now!

AGM & CPS 31

We had the AGM for our Crafts Association last night. Lots of progress being made and its great to be involved. If you're in Angus and you make things get in touch to see what the Angus Crafts Association is all about! Even if you're not, the website's worth a look, there's some amazing talent in the county. Anyway back to what I've been making, other than a mess...


This is my card for CPS 31, better late than never as they say. I love these papers, by Pink Martini, and they're the perfect match for a ribbon set from Ribbon Oasis. It's a but of a tenuous link to the template but there you go!

I'm off to spread some crafting fun now, and its messy classes today...fab!

Vroom Vroom

This weeks Little Extra is trains, planes and automobiles, anything with transport! Meanwhile isn't it cold and windy, going to have to get the wooly jumpers out very soon. Still, when it's raining I don't feel like I'm missing the sunshine by being in my craft room. Back to the card...

Shash : Cuttlebug dies, a Hero Arts stamp, Recess BG Paper.

Not a girly girl!

Happy Birthday Tash! Thanks for a great night out.

It's always a little tricky to make cards for Tash as she's even less of a girly girl than me and flowers are out of the question, lol. Here's what I came up with this year inspired by the fashion for skulls. It's a font called Skullcaps and each letter is a skull with different eyes. You can get it here. I printed one letter at about 220 points.
Other bits I used: Dovecraft papers, white gel pen, sizzix star die, Penny Black Licorice Alpha and some spotty ribbon.

Charity Begins at Home

Gillian set the fabulously daring challenge this week, to go Charity shopping for stash! This is the first card idea I came up with...
Now I have to say I'm a bit funny about breaking useful stuff, even if it is second hand, and especially books. I asked if they had any incomplete jigsaws I could buy and books that were falling apart, and they did, so I didn't have to destroy a cartoon jigsaw or desecrate a book. They did look at me like I was slightly mad but hey ho. The slide thing is from a strange chain link belt thing which I can't imagine anyone ever wanting to wear but theres nowt strange as folk...

Anyway, I stamped onto paper torn from the book (gulp - vandalism!), inked and stamped the jigsaw piece and taadahh... I don't like it, lol, but I thought I'd share it anyway as it did lead me on to greater things, well a couple of cards I like much more!

So this time (er... Midnight last night) I coloured some of the pages with Adirondack ink, some watered down to get different tones. Then when it was dry this morning I stuck it to card and stamped my lush new Purple Onion heart stamps and cut them out. A little Elsie Rub on a stitching stamped border and a result I like!

And a bonus card with the leftover hearts!

Basic Grey... Joy!

Whoohoo! I made it into the Basic Grey Gallery! I love their papers so much, what a buzz! This is the card I submitted and it's shown here, using the gorgeous Phoebe papers. It makes cutting up those papers worthwhile... This was actually made for Jo's frills dare ages ago, *blush* but better late than never eh!

Golden

Wow! So many wonderful one word cards, thanks for sharing and if I haven't stopped by your blog yet I hope to very soon.

Todays Little Extra is in the same theme...a word challenge, GOLDEN ...


...and Golden Sunshine is what sprung to mind for me, a busy little card with lots of ribbons, texture and golden yellow tones.


I Used: MM foam Alpha stamps, Brilliance Ink, QK Sunshine dies, Cuttlebug Swirl Embossing Die, Bosscut Apricot Alpha, berisfords ribbon, some eyelets and a clip

In A Word

Wowee, I can't believe its been so long since I blogged, it just seems like half an hour to me. The wedding was wonderful, absolutely perfect despite the genuine Scottish weather, yes it rained like Monsoon season only not so warm! Luckily I had the forethought to buy a big white brolly and a snuggly pashmina and got to use them both. We havent got the pics back from the photographer yet but as soon as we do I'll share them! Meanwhile here's one from Lynne! Anyone watch heroes? We had the idea to try and get a pic like the sketch as soon as we heard it would rain!


Thank you all for your good wishes, cards and gifts, you know who you are and it meant so much knowing people from all around the world were thinking of us.

Its so good to be back in my craft room amongst all my paper and ribbons, after about 10 days in Greece I did get pangs for my paper, although lazing around in the sun was a pretty good alternative! Straight back into it and its my turn this week to set the dare, I'm really looking forward to seeing what you do, as always the design team have flabergasted me with their gorgeous cards, they never cease to amaze me, have a look at them all on the Daring Cardmakers Blog.

This week I dare you to use a Word as the main focal point to your card. It can be a name, a greeting or just a word that inspires you. You can use other text but only one word as a main embellishment. So dig out your dictionaries, die cutters, alphabet stamps, rubons or download a funky font and show us what you can do!I used Scrapworks Ethan Kate papers, I love the colours, ribbon from Ribbon Oasis and a Hero Arts Pattern Alphabet stamp set in brown onto plain turquoise card and cut out.