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

Flu-ed Out!

This post is overdue, the only one in our house without swine flu over the christmas period was the dog! Christmas was a wash out in every sense of the word, with no inclination to eat Turkey & Venison. There is always next Christmas!

In my last post, I referred to a 'green project'. Here it is, a project involving reusing a glass Kenco Coffee Jar to package a Goody box. The jar was decorated and filled with Max Factor goodies as a thank you gift to my lovely Mother in Law Jules. She is the lip gloss, eye shadow & mascara queen!

Main view:

Products used include: Magnolia Tilda Hugging Bunny stamp, Copic Ciao Pens, Spellbinders Nestabilities Large Scalloped Circles, Fiskars border punch, handmade glittered papers (£1 discount store), Fancy Pants (retired, no idea which collection), flowers by Prima Marketing Inc & Mulberry Crafts UK (Dahlias), ribbon (stash), Papermania Gems.

Side view:

Back view:

Hope in these hard times this has inspired you to create your very own gifts!

Until next time,
Daffodil x x x

Birthday Boy is 2!

This is a card I made for my nephew who was 2 in late October. I thought instantly of my Magnolia stamps for this card so I opted to ink up Magnolia's 'Summer Edwin' and 'Rufus' who looks very like Buster!.

Outer:
Image stamps are Magnolia - 'Summer Edwin' & 'Rufus', coloured using spectracolor (similar to prismacolor) and Sansador technique. Gold glitter on Edwin's wings is PeeWee.

Sentiment is by Penny Black Inc.

Ceramic Star can be bought in a pack in your local £1/99p stores, 3D Clear gloss used as an adhesive.

Dotty Ribbon is by Papermania.

Patterned Paper by K&Co.

Green cardstock by Cordinations, embossed with Cuttlebug 'Happy Birthday' folder.

Inner:

Images: Magnolia's 'Love Muffin' decorated with assorted gems, gold PeeWee glitter , blue glitter glue & white liquid applique for texture to the icing. Sentiment is by All Night Media from 'Expressions Stamp & Embellishment Kit'.

Handmade green paper/ cardstock from multipack, embossed with Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' folder.

Patterned paper by K&Co.

Nestabilities Scalloped circles & Labels 1 die sets.

That's all for now!

Daffodil & Buster x x x

It's A Boy!

This card was handmade before christmas to celebrate the birth of my BIL's second son.

The stamps are Happy Hoppers by Stampabilities, the main image on the front of the card is called 'Yaaaawn' (HMGR1018) and the inner image is 'Sleepy Head' (HMGR1016). Both images have been coloured in with spectracolor pencils (old version of prismacolor pencils!) and Sansador odourless spirit. 'It's A Boy' sentiment is by Anna Griffin and a stamp I have had for years, so can safely assume it would be retired by now.

Cardstock is a double sided 12x12 sheet by Papermania, Border stamp by Papermania (free in a Goody Bag) and epoxy stickers by Papermania. Gems from Tesco Craft Basics set, sentiment stamped using Hot Off The Press stamp set (2nd hand stamp set from ebay) and all flowers by Prima Marketing.

That's all for now.

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

Mother's Day

Here's some cards I made for my mother-in-law and mother for Mother's Day earlier this year, around the time we were arranging moving home.

The first card is made using a Mother's Day kit from Papermania, die cuts, basic pink paper roses and prima flowers.

Papermania die cut letters have been embellished using some old odd gems (round and heart shaped pearls, gems) and glitter using Anita's 3D glossy accents as an adhesive and gloss to give the letters a raised look.

Lime green patterned ribbon is by Chatterbox.

The inside is decorated using the remnant paper strips from the kit.

The second card was made for my mother for Mother's day. Magnolia Tilda stamp used called 'Well Dressed Tilda' and coloured with Ciao Copic pens. Tights pattern accentuated by using white 3d liquid applique and then when dry coated with iridescent glitter glue. Papers by K& Co except pink glitter card which was bought in an independent stationers called 'Lorimers' (sold as single sheets). Card has been embellished using basic pink paper roses, prima flowers, pearl hearts and white Papermania self-adhesive pearls. The sentiment is a die cut from the Papermania Mother's Day kit.

The inside of the card has been decorated using a sheet for green polka dot paper from Craft Creatives Decorative Paper Stack (available from Tesco Superstores - Acid&lignin free!), pink glitter card, remnant strip of K&Co striped paper, white organza ribbon .

Kind regards,

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!

Blue, White & Red Magnolia Tilda

Acetate Magnolia Tilda Christmas Card

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!

'Taylor' Your Christmas!

Hi Folks! Last night I was unable to sleep sniffling and coughing so I gave Taylor's TECC44 Sketch a go using my treasured 'Colour My World' Christmas Papers. I finally found out who had manufactured them having raided 'Lorimers' a couple of months back and also they're available online through selected retailers - CraftAtHome & CraftworkCards. I've only managed to get hold of a few sheets in some of the ranges which have some fab names: Tutti Fruitti, Winter Wonderland, Plum Pudding & Cupcakes! When I saw Taylor's sketch I couldn't think of anything I would rather use for it. If you want the sketch, it on her blog under Fri 11/28 post.

Other materials used in this include Anitas Snowflake Peel Off for the centre, Selected Papermania Adhesive Gems, Pilot Pink Gel Pen (Stitching Effect), Silver Glitter Card, Kanban Pearlescent Rose Card, Liquid Applique, Iridescent Glitter Glue, Papermania Glittered Vellum, to make the circular frame I used a die cut, covered it in Ink It Up Silver Pigment Ink & Heat It Up Holographic Embossing Powder before melting. Sorry for the long list of materials but I do believe you should share how you've managed to create something - rest assured it isn't a marketing plug!

All things merry and bright!

Well, this week has been uneventful having been ill at home and not working. Off for another week after having flu and a chest infection until next monday so I made this card whilst resting in bed. I used up a tiny scrap of a sheet in the discontinued Papermania Contemporary Christmas (Red/Green), hand cut into a circle. This was then glued onto a pillarbox red paper (velour texture) and then I stitched around it by hand using pillarbox red embroidery thread found in the bottom of a sewing drawer! Decorate with prima flowers in lime green, glitter red & white and Papermania snow gems where the paper features snow falling. To create the band running along the card I split a sheet of the velour type paper (join disguised by the circular topper), dry embossed a piece of iridescent vellum and glued the Papermania Ho Ho ribbon using double sided tape (less messy than using glue and glue pens). The greeting at the bottom is heat embossed using a See D stamp. Ink the stamp up with Ink It Up Red Pigment Ink and liberally sprinkle Heat It Up Red Tinsel embossing powder. Gently tap with your index finger the card to remove excess or use a make up brush before using the heat tool to heat it up. Hey presto... simple modern christmas card!