Curtain Call challenge

Todays card is for the Curtain Call inspiration challenge inspired by this photo:

I've recently bought a banner die from Papertrey Ink and am using it on lots of cards (see yesterday's card too!) The stamps are from Clearly Besotted - I think it was one of the first stamp sets I bought from them.

Autumn leaves

Today's card has an autumn theme.

I'm entering it into two challenges:
1. Clearly Besotted - background stamping
2.CAS-ual Fridays - Fall colours and a leaf

Hoppy Birthday

Another couple of cards using Clearly Besotted stamps. This little frog is so cute and also good for male cards. The first card I've entered for this week's CAS(E) this Sketch challenge:

A trio of frogs on this card:

Clearly Besotted August challenge

This is a last minute entry to the Clearly Besotted challenge this month. The challenge has been open for two weeks and I decide to post my entry during the last four hours!! I made these cards over a week ago, but I'm not good at getting round to photographing or posting them.
Here's the inspiration colour palette:

My first entry - just using pale pink and grey:

and my second entry using most of the colour palette:

GCSE Results

My littl'un got his GCSE results today. He did well and got the grades he needed for Sixth Form. I'd prepared some Well Done cards in readiness - I sent some to my friend's daughter and my neice last week for their A level results as well.

Boy versions:

Girl versions:

The speech bubble die cuts are from Clearly Besotted Stamps 'You Said It' dies. I am addicted to this company's stamps and Steph sells matching dies for every stamp which makes life so much easier. My son is off to Nando's tonight (where else?) with his friends to celebrate their results!

Banners & Flags

No posts in a month, then two in one day!!
The challenge on CAS-ual Fridays this week is Banners & Flags and I made this card today. It was a bit fiddly, but I love fiddly - I find it therapeutic. The papers are from Craftwork Cards, and the sentiment is from Clearly Besotted stamps (I love that font).

Father's Day

I really love making cards and scrapbooking but HATE making men's cards. I start off making something masculine looking and have to resist the urge to cover it in pink/sparkly gems/flowers! I started this card with some Hot Off The Press papers and added some leaves and a sentiment from Clearly Besotted's range of stamps and dies. I stamped grey Stazon ink onto kraft card and really liked the effect. This card is still growing on me, but I'm pretty pleased with it. It's not my usual style either so it was a bit out of my comfort zone (you know, the cards where you play about with them for ages, then have to walk away and make a cup of tea, then come back and poke it around a bit more....)

I'm entering this card for the first Clearly Besotted challenge (seeing as I sweated so much over it! Lol).

Orange tulips

I've not posted for so long on here. Work has been hectic - I normally work three days a week, but have been working full time and some weekends for the past couple of weeks. A real shock to the system! All is back to normal now though, so I hope to be posting on a more regular basis.
A friend from work has had a knee operation and will be out of action for a couple of weeks while she recovers, so I made her a card to lift her spirits.

I'm looking forward to taking part in a few challenges again, especially as I've just had a delivery of new release stamps from Clearly Besotted this morning!

Case Study #135

Two blog entries in two days! I should be writing a 2500 essay for a work qualification I am doing, but making cards is so much better!
I love the technique used on this weeks Case Study challenge. I tried something similar (but easier) on a sympathy card.

I love the soft pastel shades on this card. I resisted finishing off with a few crystals on the butterflies as it's a sympathy card and I wanted a plainer look.

Lime and Black

The challenge on Less is More this week is Lime and Black. I've made this card using the negative die cut (which apparently is 'on trend' right now) and some patterned paper. I love this look - it's so quick and easy but looks so effective.

Soft Yellow & Black

A quick card for the Dynamic Duos challenge this week. These are PTI stamps. I've used this card design for sympathy cards before in black and white, but never used these colours before. Mmmm. Let's just say it's growing on me!

Chipboard challenge

The challenge over on CAS-ual Fridays this week is to use chipboard in your card. I made this colourful card from Die Cuts With a View Green Stack papers and matching chipboard birds.

Colour blocking

Just a quick card featuring colour blocking for this weeks CAS-ual Fridays challenge.

Happy Mother's Day

It's Mother's Day in the UK today and I've been round to my Mum this morning with some flowers, a card and a homemade bakewell tart. We visited my Mother in law in the week as well with her card and present.

Have a good Mother's Day today if you are a Mum, have a Mum or are missing a Mum. xx

Happy Anniversary

A very simple card to show you today which I'm entering into the CAS(E) this sketch challenge this week. I used Clearly Besotted stamps 'Paired Up' for this and it was so quick to make.

White on kraft

I dug out my white ink pad for this card which I've entered into the CASE Study challenge this week.
Here's the inspiration card:

And here's my card:

Girly Birthday card

Just a quick post today to show you a card I made for a 15 year old's birthday. She was thrilled with it.

Tulips

More cards from my favourite stamp set at the moment - Spring Blooms from Clearly Besotted stamps. I can't praise these stamps enough. They give beautiful results every time. The polka dot paper & sentiment stamp is from Papertrey Ink.

Daffodil

With the weather improving this week and daffodils starting to appear, I thought I'd make a spring card. I used the stamp set Spring Blooms from Clearly Besotted stamps. I've made a few cards already with this stamp - not bad considering it was only released on the first of March!! I'll post some more pictures of the other cards too during the week.

I've entered this card for the Dynamic Duos challenge this week too.

Banner cards

It was my son's birthday and my friend's 60th birthday this week, so I made some banner cards. Quick and easy to do, they can suit men or women's birthdays.

We dropped my son off at Harwich last night so he could catch the ferry over to Holland for the start of his Europe trip. During the next two weeks he will be visiting Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Warsaw, Moscow, St. Petersburg and Copenhagen. I gave him such a big hug last night when we saw him off!

I've had a delivery of new stamps arrive this morning from Clearly Besotted Stamps, so I'm going to have a play with them. Have a good weekend.

One paper - Two challenges

I have a few teenage nephews, neices and friend's children that I buy birthday and christmas presents for. Teenagers are so difficult to buy for and they always want money rather than a present (I miss the trips to The Early Learning Centre looking for fun presents for them all!) so I made a money wallet type card. I was inspired by the CAS(E) this sketch challenge this week.

I found some old Sassafraslass paper and came up with this.

I was on a roll then and with the same paper came up with another card inspired by this weeks CASE Study challenge card by Teri Anderson.

Here they are together.

Go See Do

My son is off to Europe and Russia for a couple of weeks soon. It's his first proper holiday on his own. There's so many places in the world he wants to see and he loves photography, so he'll have loads of photo opportunities. I made him a card to wish him well.

I've also entered it in the CAS - Colours and Sketches Challenge this week using these colours.

The challenge on Less is More this week is 'Up in the air' so perfect for that challenge as well.

Shades of Blue

It's my Mums birthday this weekend, so I made her this card in 3 different shades of blue. I used Verve stamps - I think they look so elegant.

I'm also entering this card for this weeks CAS - Colours and Sketches challenge.
Another view in closer detail:

Good Luck card

I was asked to make a large leaving card for someone at work so came up with this.

I'm also entering it in this weeks CAS-ual Fridays challenge.

Valentine

This is my entry for this weeks CAS(E) this sketch! challenge.

I used my PTI Tree Tops stamp set and kept the colours to black, white and red.

The snow has melted here now and the temperature is rising, so spring may just be finally on it's way.