Valentine: Love Is All Around

This my quick Valentine's Day card to the most patient and wonderful husband in the world! He is a very good tea maker and always takes the dog for a walk at the weekends so I can enjoy a nice lie-in lol. Sometimes its the simple little things in life which mean the world, and its nice to acknowledge and appreciate all the little things people do 364 days a year.

Here is a Valentines Day Card I made recently:

The sentiment is a stamp by Penny Black inked up with Papermania Pigment Ink followed by a liberal scattering of Personal Impressions Clear Embossing Powder before heat gunning. The paperstock and cardstock used has been embossed in a Cuttlebug machine.

Products & Materials used:

Sentiment/Greeting: Penny Black Inc "All Around" (W/Mounted 3807C)

Papermania Black Pigment Ink

Personal Impressions Clear Embossing Powder

Papermania Dome Stickers PMA560 Pink Hearts 

Nestabilities: Standard Circles & Lacey Circles

Gems: Eastern Treasures (Clear) & Papermania (Pink)

Cuttlebug Embossing Folders: Swiss Dots & Heart Blocks

Paperstock: Anna Griffin 12x12 Pink Paper (retired)

Cardstock: Paper Cellar Pink Pearlescent Card & Black corrugated card (Stash).

Just a quick and simple card, really liking the pink, kraft, black and touch of green. Somehow it just really comes together and goes some way towards using all my scrap pieces of paper and cardstock.

That's all for now,

Daffodil x x x

Monkey Business

I've managed to squeeze time to make a card in the last fortnight, although I've encountered several mishaps with glues : ( I have given up on Silicone glue, its now officially relegated to Room 101. I'm also a leaf punch short after breaking one trying hopelessly to punch through handmade glitter paper (from experience this is not recommended).

The layout for the card is from Sketch SaturdayChallenge (Week #138)

This is a card I made using all my tiny scraps left over from a sheet of MME 'Bloom & Grow' Collection. The image is from a wood mounted stamp by Whipper Snapper Designs called 'Swinging Monkey' CY905 which I recently bought in the Sir Stampalot January sale and coloured with Copic Ciao pens: E35 Chamois, E33 Sand, E21 Baby Skin Pink & G00 Jade Green for highlighting.

The biscuit coloured card, glitter paperstock & gems are from the craft section of Poundland, mostly the 'Crafty Bits' mixed bags (contents vary) for £1. The self-adhesive gems are sold in packs of 110 in various colours and available at selected Poundland stores. These bags are great value provided you have a die cut machine or punches as most of the contents is the residue from die cut sheets but the paper is mega glittery and I find it doesn't come off on your hands! : ) The biscuit cardstock has been embossed in the Cuttlebug using Swiss Dots folder. Flowers are Prima Marketing.

Until next time!
Daffodil x x

Thanks for your Kindness

Hello again! Just thought I would post a card that's taken some time to put together to thank someone for remembering my birthday at the end of June. I've finally managed to get my hands on some EZ mount to make use of a second hand sugar nellie stamp purchased from ebay.

The papers are all (apart from silver mirricard) from My Mind's Eye 'Bloom & Grow' collection (6x6 paper pad) which is available to buy from The Glitter Pot (£3.99, great value for money, perfectly scaled for card makers and good quality paper. I used a black dew drop Memento 'Tuxedo Black' ink pad to ink up a Sugar Nellie stamp called 'Bunny with Flowers' and coloured in the image with Ciao Copic pens. Flowers are by Prima, brad centre by Papermania, leaf frame made by placing one fo the Sizzix Sizzlits dies from the 'Flowers, Branches & Leaves 3 Die Medium Set'. Sizzix Sizzlits dies work just as well as Cuttlebug dies in the Cuttlebug, cheaper and designs are larger in size. Orange Organza ribbon is by Chatterbox and image embellished with flat backed pearls secured by using Anita's 3D Clear Gloss Finish as an adhesive. To frame the card, I have hand drawn stitches using a green and orange metallic gel pen.

As you can see, the inside of the card has also been completely decorated as its an extra special card! Inside I have used the remnants from the sheets, cut labels for messages using the 'Nestabilities - Labels 1 die set) and some green Papermania flower and leaf shaped gems for a little bit of sparkle : ) 'Best Wishes' is from a See D stamp set (can't recall the name sorry) and the main message inside is by Penny Black Inc is a wood mounted stamp. Thanks for visiting!

Daffodil & Buster Doodles

x x x

3 Challenges in 1!

Hey, Sorry I haven't been posting in a while but as I work full time finding time to craft during a work audit is nigh impossible. The elements in this card I made gradually when I managed to catch some 'crafting moments' but it really only came to fruition when I was looking at the challenge blogs. This card is for my patient, caring and loving husband who actually encourages me to buy more stash! I've entered this card for 3 Challenges:

• Penny Black Saturday Challenge #35 ~Romance (Although its late!)


• Card Positioning Systems #102 ~ Sketch


• DutchDare ~ Buttons & Bows

The stamps featured are all Penny Black Inc, main is called 'Love Graffiti' and wording from the 'Every Which Way' Critters set. Main image coloured in with Touch, KureColor and Whispers pens. The 'Love' glittered heart has been created by embossing red card using a Cuttlebug embossing folder and cutting it out before layering it and carefully finishing it with a coat of red glitter glue (leave to dry!). White frill border is using up scraps of white card (how many of them do stampers collect LOL), running them through the Cuttlebug with the borders range of embossing folders and cutting it out carefully. Joined both to create a space for a strip of red polka dot paper salvaged from a Christmas card (thrifty don't you think?). Paper is Papermania 'Warm Tones' paper collection.

Well, you either love it or hate the colour combo as my husband hates pink so I was forced to go with a purple and red combo. Please let me know whether you love or hate it LOL!

Words Of Comfort

Sometimes, words cannot express what the heart feels. 2009, has started on a sad note, having been informed my favourite aunt on my father's side (his cousin) has sadly lost her battle against vaginal cancer having endured endless chemotherapy treatment cycles. I remember her fondly, especially her support and words of comfort towards our family when my grandmother passed away during my teenage years. Her passing has brought a mixture of feelings; sadness for her family and all who have been privileged to know her through the years and the fleeting feelings of relief she is no longer in pain and suffering. I hope she is now resting in peace.

In UK, I have found difficulty sourcing welsh greeting cards for special occasions so I made this card to send to her family at this difficult time. I used a retired Anna Griffin 'Sloane Roses' paper and die cuts, an off cut of cream smooth/ satin conqueror paper embossed in the cuttlebug to create a frill effect, a strip of black card embossed with the Swiss dots border folder and some pink organza ribbon. As its a sympathy card I decided against using iridescent glitter glue to accent the chrysanthemum flowers. 'Gair o Gysur' translated in English means 'word of comfort' and inside the sentiment 'Gyda Phob Cydymdeimlad' means 'with every sympathy'.

For further information about cancer, go to:http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=341&template=1

Blue, White & Red Magnolia Tilda

Criss Cross

Blooming Marvellous Birthday Blooms

Last night I decided I would christen my new cuttlebug and what better reason than to make my mother's birthday card. Given I only started the card late at night it invoed some quick thinking, so I decided to use a 'patchwork' sheet of paper from Papermania's Exquisite Paper Collection, embossed a piece of scrap peach pearlescent card with the Cuttlebug embossing folder, attached and layered two prima flowers in beige and pastel pink with sticky dots to the centre. I then stamped Magnolia's Tilda with Magnolia flowers onto cream cardstock, several times to create layers (head and shoes) and watercoloured the image with W H Smiths Watercolour pencils. I decided against using prisma/ gamsol tecnique as I was extremely short of time (aren't we all! LOL) and would have had to wait for it to dry before glueing. Once dry, I stuck Tilda with sticky dots and then layered the pieces. Finally I thought I would add an epoxy/ dome Papermania Heart and embossed the 'love' heart using my new bug friend on antique gold pearlescent card and cutting it into shape. Inside the card, I stamped a 'Happy Birthday' sentiment (All Night Media Stamp which I love dearly!) with a Whispers Port Wine ink pad. A simple but effective card! Now its posted I hope she loves it just as much as I do!