Daffodil box

Hi Everyone
My next door neighbour had made crocheted daffodils, so I asked her if she would make one each for my SIL and 3 nieces. They are a special memory for them of my brother.

I made a favour gift box by Crafticious and used daffodil DP paper by Julie C Designs.  I had just the right colour green tissue paper and made a topper with Spellbinders Moroccan Accents added to ribbon.

Another Sympathy card

Hi Everyone, I'm sorry, another sympathy card, I am still surrounded by the sad phase I have been in the last couple of weeks, this time another neighbour.  Paper Garden Products came to the rescue again, with everything including the cut file for the frame in the Water Colour Blossoms kit.

http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-39-anything-goes.html  Anything Goes

A 50th birthday card for a man

Hi Everyone, a beautiful day here today quite mild about 14C, and sun! at least most of the day anyway :)

My card today is another commision, I was asked to make a card for a man whose trade is a carpenter on his 50th birthday. She didn't want a sloppy card, but a humorous one. This is what I came up with.  The digi is a stamp from Tiddly Ink Stamps, love he has a toolbox too, I used various digikits, the "wood" paper is is by Just so Scrappy from the kit Bella Grace. The wooden numbers are in the kit Daffodil Day by Aimee Harrison. If you'd like to know more of the kits I used please ask!   I love putting together lots of items to make a scene or picture.

I did this in Photoshop i.e. colouring the digi, making the wood and the rest of the items with a "perspective" view, paper piecing "Joe" and a few more things before printing it all including another layer of the items in the "shed" to 3D them all.  I also made the inside, hopefully" look like the corner of the "shed".

http://tiddlyinkschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-129-birthday-challenge.html  Birthday card

http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-224.html  Anything Goes

http://pattiescreationschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-88-anything-goes-must-always.html  Anything Goes with image

http://sisteractcardchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-50.html  Card challenge

Mothers Day & bird war?

Hi Everyone,

I have quite a picture heavy post, 3 cards with a story and a seagull story, so you have been warned!

Firstly my cards, I was asked if I could make 2 cards for Nana on Mothers Day which should be of "fit" children, I knew they did a Karate type sport and found these wonderful digis from Dearie Dolls.

Well, presumption is a fine thing!! I knew she had a boy and a girl so of course a separate boy and girl card for Nana - Yes? - NO.  I emailed her to tell her I had the cards and would meet her a few hours later, she said she was glad as she had to post one!!!!!! POST? - PANIC, it seems that both grandmothers are known as Nana and one lives in England, talk about mad rush, I had to make another card for the post which included both images, find a layout, find papers, can I find any I "like" of course not. Then phone calls to answer due to our recent loss etc etc, more PANIC, I have to meet her in an hour oh! No!  Thank goodness I did it in time and enough so that I had to wait 10 minutes for her whew!

Thankfully she was over the moon and thrilled I gave her 3 cards "as the children would love to give the one Nana a card each!" (which was my original thought!) Oh! I really don't like panic makes like that, as I fiddle and faddle in PS usually and take quite a few hours on each card, it's my playtime. It's my own fault I know, I should have asked and listened. Panic over - BREATHE!

Here they are.  I love the digi stamps from  Dearie Dolls, assorted DP's and embellies, all done and digis coloured in PS, to make this just a little shorter, I won't list the DP's, but if anyone is interested in which papers I used, please contact me.

Inside it says - Just like you!

Inside says - You're the Best Nana in the world.

Who is loved more than she knows? - You Nana.

Now for the Seagulls story

We heard a huge commotion a couple of days back and sounds like screaming, we, hubby and me, looked out of the window and on our opposite neighbours roof were "The Seagulls" in an almighty tug of war as you can see here. It lasted for about 10 minutes. I had better apologise now, for my sense of humour with the following comments :)

She says - C'mon on boys I'll choose who I go with!

She says - You are going to fall off the roof if you continue like this.

She says - Behave yourselves, one of you will
break your beak, then what will you do?

 Magpie - crazy birds!

She says - I'm glad it's all over.

Yellow feet  - Told you I would win, now get out of here, before I push you off the roof!

Pink feet - aaaaaarrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhh! I am bigger and he still won!

http://crafts4eternity.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/r169-special-mums.html  Mothers Day

http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-224.html  Anything Goes

http://deliciousdoodleschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-81-mothers-day-or-special.html  Mothers Day

http://jellyparkchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/mothers-day-challenge.html  Mothers Day

DSC #81

It's time for a new challenge at

 Digitally Sweet Challenges

the Theme is 

Add a Frame to your project

sponsored by Stitchy Bear's

My DT post today is "Floozy" a fabulous image from Stitchy Bear's, the green background and the paper pieced dress are also from Stitchy Bears.  I colour matched them both in everything else, including the "Sprung" lace which is by Aimee Harrison, the music and flower overlays are by Miriam Freebies.  I coloured it all in PS.  Another modest comment. - I LOVE her!

Sympathy card

Hi Everyone, we are having wonderful sunny weather  at the moment, with a few hail showers LOL. and a real chill in the air, not as bad as you poor people over the pond though.  Hope you are all safe and warm.

My DT post today is a very simple, but a needed card I'm sorry to say, we as a family are surrounded by sadness with relatives, friends and colleagues passing on.  This is one for a neighbour. Very simple, I needed it in a hurry as we hadn't been told and the funeral is tomorrow :(  Don't you find life is like that sometimes?

All I did was arrange the Paper Garden Products DP and frame, from the "That's Life" kit, layout onto the card in PS and print it onto the card, I then added the beautiful butterfly from the Wildflower kit and 3D'd it and the sentiment is from the Coneflower digi stamp kit.  Simple but effective I feel.

http://eclecticellapu.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/now-for-something-different.html  The Purple Team "Flowers & Butterflies" - Yep!

http://glitternsparklechallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-77.html
Use some blue - Yep!

Engagement card

Hi Everyone.  Thank you for your sentiments on my Dear Brothers passing.  I really appreciate your kind thoughts.

Thank goodness for crafting to take my mind it all.  My "take my mind off" card today is an Engagement card requested by one of the girls in the office for her son.

The image is a free digi from the wonderful Dearie Dolls it was already coloured so no real thinking there, the red dot paper is by Summer Driggs, the larger back paper is just a red shape added in PS and I added an overlay of hearts by Marisa Lerin", I "Stickled" the hearts and added tiny eyes and a sentiment, all done in PS, then printed and mounted onto black card and placed onto the card.

 I used this sketch,

OK it's not quite the same, but I glued the dot paper in the
wrong place, my mind is off somewhere else!









http://whimsiedoodles.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/new-challenge-seeing-spots-and-
winners.html    Spots - Yep!

http://cardsgalorechallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/using-stamp-or-digi-stamp-anywhere-on.html  Digi stamp - Yep!

http://feelingcraftychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/march-challenge-use-digi-and-bling.html  Digi and Bling - Yep!

http://doodlepantryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/doodle-pantry-digital-challenge-44.html  Any Digi Goes - Yep!

Memoriam

Please accept my indulgence in posting a memoriam to my dear dear Brother who died this week.

DSC 80

Hi Everyone hope you are all well.

My DT post today

It's time for a new challenge at

 Digitally Sweet Challenges

the Theme is 

WANT TO BE A STAR

- add stars to your project.

sponsored by Lacy Sunshine

Everything is made and coloured in PS, the great little ice cream cone is my DSC watermark, isn't it the cutest?  It was made by Denise Pustelniak at DSC.
The papers and embellies are by Craftastical the image is Emily - Raining Frogs by Lacy Sunshine. The star shapes are from PS default shapes.

C'mon everyone, you know you want to get into digi, have a looky at what the Teamies have done at DSC it doesn't have to be 100% digital, but you get a little extra if it is.  Everyone is welcome, check it out.

PGP Bakery Box

Hi Everyone, sorry for my AWOL, but have had sad issues to deal with.

Anyhow enough of that, this post is picture heavy.

I have a lovely box for you today,  the box is a cut file by Paper Garden Products, such an easy box.  I didn't even think of it as a DT post until I had finished it, because, I needed a sweet (candy) box, (I got 6 Ferrero Roche choccies in it for a little gift I was giving.)  The tag and lattice cut file is included so no thinking LOL. The paper is from the PGP Flower Tea digi kit, which I had leftover from another project.

I added Papermania punched flowers and leaves, with a little gem and a ribbon on the tag to finish it off, I really love this box. Inside I added purple tissue paper I forgot to take a picture of the choccies in it, covered with the tissue.  Have I said I LOVE this box?

 I have had a new daylight lamp from my son as a birthday present, it is WOW, no more worrying if it's dark when I take my piccies.  It's one from the Royal National Institute of Blind People, I had it off Amazon as the gift to me was a voucher.  I tried a new layout for showing my projects off, I think I like it, what do you think?

I added the lattice to the lid and rounded the corners,
rather than add it to the back of the box.

Digitally Sweet #79 Black and White and One Other Colour

Hi Everyone.

I have been absolutely thrilled to be invited to be part of the DT of the Digitally Sweet Challenge Group

My first project is this card layout.  I have used papers and elements by Summertime Designs and the super cat is by Julie C Designs.  The sentiment is by Create with TLC.  Of course it's been done in Photoshop, all I have to do is arrange them onto a layout separately, print them, place them onto cardstock and I have a card. :)

Birthday card

Hi Everyone, another post today as I didn't think the tutorial was a "real" post LOL.

I have made a card for my Great niece, who loves Unicorns.  Seeing as she is now a teen, I thought that I would do something a little more grown up for her.

I found this fab digi by Jade Dragon at Deviant Art. which suited the bill exactly. I coloured in Photoshop as usual, matching the freebie blog hop DP colours by dream4everdesigns at PixelScrapper.  

I layered the image onto DP paper, card to match and used my new toy Mini Perfect Layers rulers to get the right size on each layer, (I LOVE it.)   I added a gold shape with her name and age, wrapped the layers in shiny craft thread, also a freebie with a magazine, years ago, I also threaded a button with it. And added lots of Stickles. Glad she doesn't view my blog, however her Nan does, so NO telling Anne. LOL.

I'm entering the following challenges

http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-312-girls-girls-girls.html  Girls Girls Girls - Yep!

http://craftycreationschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-258-happy-birthday.html  Happy Birthday - Yep!

http://digistamps4joy-sa.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-87-add-birthday-sentiment.html  Add a Birthday Sentiment - I hope her age and name count, if not my apologies.  - Yep?

How I did the Framed picture!

Hi Everyone, what another wonderful day, Oh! I can so easily get used to this instead of the horrible weather the last couple of months and as the jet stream seems to have moved North we have a few days of it to come, thank goodness.

Today I am going to TRY and let you see how I did my framed print HERE in Photoshop CS5.  I don't profess to be anything other than an enthusiastic user and can only let you know how I do it, it's not the way of the professionals and probably no one else, but this is how I did this particular finished image.  I should have taken a screenshot as I worked on it, so this is a memory tutorial. Perhaps I will be able to do better next time? IF this is helpful.

I used 2 digi stamps from Margy at Digistamps4joy, one the boat and it's background and one of the beautiful lady.

This is what I started with, a plain image of the boat stamp.

I then started by duplicating a new layer to colour. I used my "paint can" and brushes to fill the areas with colour, then used my Burn and Dodge tool (the hand image in the tools palette) to get shadows on the sea and mountains.  

I duplicated the layer again and colour filled the sky with orange. I then "multiplied" the layer.

The next step was to make the water a reflection of the sky, so I duplicated the sky and orange fill mask, and flipped them vertically.  I have hidden the orange fill for you to see the effect.

4 /This is the layer with the orange fill shown, which is now a sky reflection in the water.

5 / You may notice that the original stamp has been moved to the top of these layers and is in "multiplied" mode. This enhances the drawing lines.  I added a circle shape for the sun and erased the areas on the sea, coloured it to match the sky and "dodged" it to give a glow. The sky has also had a burn and dodge treatment.

I added the second digi stamp and duplicated her before colouring her. I then coloured the first layer of her with the paint can, selecting different colours.

I  placed the duplicate layer on top of the first and "multiplied" it. This emphasises the black lines.

I added a wood effect to the boat ('cause I could), sized and erased where necessary. Then changed it to overlay.

The sand was added and I used burn and dodge to enhance all layers.  I also "dodged" at the water edge to whiten and simulate waves onto the beach.

I think that was it, yes! it took time, and I suppose I haven't included everything, but hope that you can identify the work space and put 2 + 2 together.

If you still don't "get it" I would happily answer any questions you have.  Perhaps if you ask in your comments then other people would learn as well, maybe even me LOL.

Frame print

Hi everyone, well my 2 days back to work are over for this week whooppeeeee! so hopefully the next few days will be sunny and Springlike so I can enjoy them.

My project for today is something that I tried to put on a card, but as yet haven't been able to get it together, so I am going to post it, if you like, in it's "unfinished" form.

I saw the boat as a freebie with Margy at Digistamps4joy and immediately thought of a stamp with a woman I had been fortunate to have picked as a winning prize, I loved it so much, however it's the first time I have used it. I am thrilled with the combined stamps as a scene.  I coloured it all in Photoshop, I think I am starting to get the hang of it now LOL.  I added a frame by Just so Scrappy, which I cut up in PS to fit the "painting".  This is purely digi at the moment, if I get a card done I'll post again, some thinking has to go into this.

I am going to enter

http://digitallysweetchallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/dsc-78-inspirational-photo.html  Inspirational photo - I have used most of the colours _ Yep!

Spring flowers

Hi Everyone, sorry I haven't posted the last couple of days, but I have had the most wonderful birthday weekend, with loads of visitors. 2 of my grown up (20 & 15) Great Nephews called yesterday and stayed so long talking to us and my Brother and SIL that the chicken I had for lunch was slightly overcooked, but so what, when it was a pleasurable time and not even a special birthday, but with lots of cards, presents and 5 vases of flowers, whew, I Loved it.

Anyhow, lets get on with a card, as you can expect this was not done over the weekend, and, to try and get me up to date with posting, I decided to show you a card made a few weeks ago.

The digi is a freebie I had from Simply Cards and Papercraft magazine a while ago, could even be last year.  I think this little elf is so cute, I decided to give him a big shadow and coloured it all in PS, I added an Embossolicous folder to the corner, the gingham is cherry paper from JSS, the yellow paper is yellow striped paper - baby by Pixelberrypie. The green circle is a doily cut by Cards by Bird and the sentiment were cut out on my Cricut.  Then of course added glitter to make it sparkle, well it is Spring, OK at the moment in the UK, maybe not everywhere in the world LOL.

I'll enter these challenges

http://doodlepantryblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/doodle-pantry-digital-challenge-44.html  Any digigoes - Yep!

http://ladybugcrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/march-challenge-spring-is-here.html  Anything Goes - Yep!

http://lacysunshinechallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/lacy-sunshines-challenge-28-use-spring.html  Use Spring Colours - Yep!

http://glitternsparklechallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-75.html  Anything Goes - Yep!

Acetate and flowers

Hi Everyone, what a beautiful day day we have had with 14C it was a beautiful Spring day, however this evening is reminding us Winter still hasn't gone.  It's worth it for the day we have had though.

Onto my card, my offering is something I haven't done before, but I saw the idea from here. All flowers and tag are from Paper Garden Products  I cut out all the layers and added them to acetate, that I had cut to fit the Papermania 8 x 8 card. Of course it had to have some bling and glitter.  The background paper which is on the main card is also PGP which I faded slightly.  I'm quite pleased with the result, and think this would work on smaller cards too.  It was great to have the cut files to match, in the kits too.  The ribbon I hoped would look like a butterfly perched on the tag?

Challenges I am entering
http://totallypapercrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-209-female-birthday-must-have.html  Female birthday must have number or birthday sentiment - Yep!

http://sisteractcardchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-47.html  Anything Goes - Yep!

http://scrapping4funchallenges.blogspot.ca/2014/03/challenge-12-flowers.html  Flowers - Yep!

http://craftitudechallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-60-anything-goes-or-add.html  Anything Goes or add a little green - Yep!

http://paperprettiesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/paper-pretties-wednesday-challenge.html  Lots of Layers - Yep!

http://inthepinkchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-39-mothers-daycard-for.html  Mother's Day or Special lady - (Special Lady) - Yep!

Boy birthday card

Hi Everyone, can't believe it, another beautiful day, housework done with windows open and washing done and dried outside, which is such a pleasure, nothing like the smell of clothes dried outside, well, OK,  maybe I can think of a few others LOL.


Here's my card for today, the image is, of course, by Elizabeth Dulemba, have I said before I love her images? LOL.  She has fabulous images in her free colouring pages, she also has a gallery so you can add your projects to it, even your children's projects with her images.  Oh! yes and she is still looking for Christmas projects of her images to add to her gallery, so all of you ladies & gents who are making for this year, why not take a look and see what you can use. If you sign up for her newsletter you get a freebie attached.   I digress.

 The card is for my Great nephew, whose parents usually take the 2 boys away for their birthdays, his brother's birthday is 5 days later, (better get on with that too).  I used elements and DPs from the Aloha digi kit by A-Manda Creations, I backed them with navy card that I have had for years and years.  The tag is from the kit For the Love of by Kimeric.  I added Stampin' Up twine for the tag.

http://pileitonchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/pile-it-on-9-sweetsoft-or-boldbright.html  Sweetsoft - Yep!  (I hope)

http://cardsgalorechallenges.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/using-stamp-or-digi-stamp-anywhere-on.html  digi

http://paulaholifieldcrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/albc-are-we-there-yet.html  Are we there yet? - Yep!

More Daffodils!

Hi Everyone, a beautiful afternoon, with a Springlike quality, blue skies, sun and hubby getting the garden ready for Spring flowers.

My card today takes up on the Spring like feeling I have, you know I love my daffodils, so couldn't resist using Paper Garden Projects Daffodil stamp AGAIN, I know, Again, but it is beautiful.

I have used multiples of the digi, coloured on PS, then added a Victorian fence cut on my Cricut with an SVG file from Quilling patch and grass an SVG from Cards by Birds and of course a quote from William Wordsworth, it had to be didn't it?

The grass looks on a slant, but I have measured it, and it isn't - honest!

I'll be entering the following challenges

http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/week-161-colour.html  Yellow and Green - Yep!

http://www.scribbleandscrapcrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/challenge-13-always-anything-goes.html  Anything Goes - Yep!

http://cagichallenge.blogspot.ca/2014/03/flowers-galore.html  Flowers galore - Yep!

http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/week-248-spring-is-coming.html  Spring is coming - Yep!

Who would have thought this sky last evening would bring such a beautiful day today.
 This is looking over the mountain to the sea from our house.

Mini Album

Hi Everyone, weather today is - you've guessed, it's raining! oh! well I suppose I had better get on with some crafting, such a shame LOL.

Picture heavy! is one that I have never done before, but as Cathy at Paper Garden Projects had the template and cutting files HERE, (which includes instructions and photos) I thought at least I would try, and I really had fun doing it, not difficult at all, in fact quite easy and quick, the hardest part was choosing which of her beautiful papers to use.

I took photos of how I did it and then part of the way through my camera battery gave out, so I haven't shown how I placed the papers or how they cut out, but I am sure 99% of you would know how anyway.  Here goes.

My little project a Mini album. I didn't make it too wintery, as we haven't had much cold this Winter, so added the parasol/umbrella to show what an awful amount of rain we have had - record levels since the 1700's, with high winds and and an awful amount of flooding which has lasted 2 months and more for some poor people.

The papers I used are from the flower tea set ki, of course by PGP, (even the cut letters are included in the file.) The parasol is from a template I have had for years and years is by mareda (msuttles) -07  Oooops just noticed, I didn't add the centre to the 0 duh!  I have to confess I love love this and so thrilled to have actually done it, I know I will make more in future.

Placing the folded first page to the hinge

glue added to fold it over the hinge to hide it, I nearly always use PVA glue for my projects and cards.

glued and first part of the hinge hidden

second page added 

repeat as for first page, ensuring you don't glue onto the space, left for adding embellishments inside.

first and second page completed.

All pages added and showing the space left between each page for inside embellishments

 Camera went at this point, so I couldn't show the hinge cover being glued. I added the storm sea photos I was able to get.

http://www.thecraftgarden.blogspot.ca/2014/03/march.html  Pastel colours - Yep!

 http://craftyhazelnutspatternedpaper.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/craftyhazelnuts-patterned-paper-march.html  Patterned paper - Yep!

http://whimsiedoodles.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/new-challenge-abc-anything-but-card-and.html  Anything but a card  - Yep

http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2014/03/himcr-139-spring-colors.html  Spring Colours  - Yep!

http://thedoodlegarden.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/doodle-garden-challenge-1-anything-goes.html  Anything Goes  Yep!

http://thedoodlegarden.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/doodle-garden-challenge-1-anything-goes.html  G for Girls - Yep!