Monday 29 April 2013

Umbrella Man and Rainbow Flowers

Hi all,

Another Monday has come around and it's time for a new Crafty Cardmakers challenge.

Our hostess this fortnight is Tracey and her theme is "April Showers Bring May Flowers".  She would like to see a project which "includes an image of something rain related and is embellished with at least 2 flowers".

I've made a tag featuring Mr Umbrella Man and a rainbow of flowers ...





TH Umbrella Man is stamped with archival black and clear embossed. 
Rain splodges stamp is from Stampin Up French Foliage, silver embossed.
Puddles made with a versamark pen, silver embossed.
I then inked over the tag with various DI's.
Script stamp is Andy Skinner.
Quote is by Dolly Parton - Ha, bet her feet never get wet!


Our sponsors for this challenge are 
who are donating a $10 gift voucher
who are donating a £10 gift voucher



My tag also fits the current challenge over at Fashionable Stamping, which is "Sentimental".

Hope you can join us this time over at Crafty Cardmakers.

Thanks for popping in,
See you all soon,

Suze xx


Monday 22 April 2013

Masculine Dynamic Duos

Hi folks,

Another quick CAS card - I'm on a roll! Lol!  

This time it's for Dynamic Duos

Challenge 49 - Basic Black and Basic Gray (dessert option: masculine)



It kinda makes a matching set with my previous card!
I used Stampin' Up French Foliage (leaves are stamped in Basic Gray and the splodges are in black), mounted onto Basic Gray and Black Card. Diecut letters are also Stampin Up.

Okay, I'm off again.  I need to quickly make tea for my daughter and myself and then my son will be arriving home from his 3 day Duke of Edinburgh camping/hiking trip.  No doubt he'll be full of stories.  Well, either that or I'll get nothing out of him and he'll just crash out on the sofa!

Thanks for popping in.

Suze xx


Stamped Sentiment Technique

Hi everyone,

Goodness knows what happened to last week, I was so busy with 'kids' stuff that the week flew by in a flash, however I was a good girl this morning and did some H********K so I though I deserved a little 'me' time to join in with the Less is More challenge.

It's a 'CASE' week and Chrissie and Jen have provided us with a choice of two cards to case.  I've gone with Chrissie's card cause I've been dying to have a go at this stamped/raised sentiment technique.  

My card also fits with the Addicted to CAS challenge which is "Flower".

Here's my card ...





I have to say I think it would be easier to do if I'd had individual letter dies.  I ended up placing my letters onto the acetate sheet from my stamp-a-ma-jig, then stamping the (Hero Arts) image on top, then using the acetate sheet to align the stamp onto the card base. (confusing I know!).


I then embossed a circle around the stamp for more interest and added some bling. (Ink is SU Rich Razzleberry).

I think also it might look better with a more solid stamp as my sentiment seems a bit too camouflaged by the 'open' design of the stamp.

Okay, that's me for now, hopefully I'll manage a bit more crafty time this week.

Thanks for popping in,
Take care

Suze xx

Monday 15 April 2013

Inspired by a Movie

Hello again,  yes, I know, I'm like a bus (no, not the back end of one!) but for the fact that I haven't posted in ages and here I am, with two posts in one day.

I've got a card for the new Less Is More challenge which is inspired by "A FILM".  Easy enough you say but when it's one layer week, it becomes a real challenge. But challenges that make you think are the ones that I like best.

Anyhows after having a few ideas but then realising I didn't have the stamps to match, I did a quick googly search and came across this poster for the film Victor, Victoria


I don't think I've seen this film - but I do have the samps ...


A simple CAS wedding (or anniversary) card.  The moustache stamp was bought in New York (never used!) and the lips one is by Stampin' Up (never used!).  Both images are clear embossed so they're shiny IRL.  The font is Edwardian script.

Thanks very muchly for popping in, got a school meeting tonight but will be round to visit you later.

Take care
Suze xx

Card & Wallet & Some Scottish Scenery

Happy Monday folks,

It's a lovely sunny day with us here today, a tad on the windy side but as they say, "great for the washing"!

Time for a new challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and this fortnight out hostess is Carole.  Carole would like to see a Card or a Tag, with matching Gift Wrap, Bag or Box.

Recently a very good friend celebrated her silver wedding anniversary and so I made a card with a matching gift wallet.







The hearts on the card were cut with my Silhouette machine from thick wrapping paper, which I then matted onto white card and silver miri, then added some bling and a PC generated sentiment.

The money wallet is made from the same paper and I just added a fancy blingy embellishment - cause she's that kind of gal!

Our sponsors for this challenge are:
The Paper Shelter with a $20 gift certificate


and Woodware Craft Collection with a £12 gift voucher





This weekend my husband's boss was over from Houston and so we took him out for the day to visit one of the local Whisky distilleries for a bit of whisky tasting.  (I'm not a whisky drinker so I was the chauffeur!) Then we went to Balmoral Castle (where the Queen likes to have her summer holidays!) 








The Balmoral Estate is situated right by the River Don Dee (oops!) and there has been such heavy rain and a quick thaw of the mountain snow that the river was really high and fast flowing







and this is one of the "Queen's Trees" - thought you would like it Valerie - it's looking at you!



Okay folks, thanks for bearing with me through this long post.  Do pop on over to Crafty Cardmakers and see the lovely cards and gift boxes the ladies have made.

Take good care and see you soon.

Suze xx

Wednesday 10 April 2013

Just dropping in to say Hi

Hi folks,

Just a quick post to say we're back from out little Paris trip. It was lovely ... but it was freezing!  Hence, there wasn't much leisurely strolling and taking in the sights - it was brisk walking, and "ooh, that's nice", then "lets find somewhere to warm up and have a coffee"!

View from our apartment
We had a lovely apartment with a great view of the Eiffel Tower.  We were on the top/6th floor and although there was a tiny lift which could just about accommodate one person at a time, we decided to "take the stairs" - all 120 of them!  Needless to say, I've come back from Paris a tad fitter than which I went!

So with this new found energy, I'm in spring cleaning mode.  Yesterday I recovered my dining room chairs (well, admittedly mum did most of the work - she's good at that kind of thing), then I Vaxed/shampooed the dining room carpet and went and bought paint to freshen up the woodwork.

So there won't be much crafting going on over the next few days - I've got to do the clearing out whilst I'm in the mood!






I'll leave you with a couple of pics - how fab was the bedroom wallpaper in our apartment - aren't these the same as the Hampton Art stamps?







and I loved this "lock" bridge at Notre Dame






Well I'll love you and leave you, if I stay at this computer any longer that'll be it - spring cleaning out the window!

See you soon,
Take care
Suze xx


Monday 1 April 2013

IT'S A FUNNY OLD WORLD

Yeuch, what's that on your face - is it a booger!

Ha, ha, ROFL - Happy April Fool's Day!

I know, I know, very childish, but with those of you who have young kids, I'm sure there's been great hilarity in your household today!

Okay, time to be serious and it's time for a new challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and your hostess this fortnight is "MOI"! (that's me practising for my holidays - can you guess where I'm going!?)

Being the first of April, I picked the theme "HUMOUR" - add a touch of humour to your card - something silly - something sarcastic - googlie eyes!! 

Here are a few cards from me ...



Dog stamp is Inkadinkadoo. Sentiment is computer generated. DP is Stampin'Up

Same but different!



and this one is for my Mum & Dad's 53rd Anniversary.  
Made using the Stampin' Up Owl Punch


Our sponsors this time are:




So come on - I know you all like to have a bit of fun - give me a giggle and post your creation on the CCM Challenge (and remember it doesn't have to be a card).

Thanks for popping in, I hope wherever you are someone or something makes you smile today.

PS. We're off to visit "Paris in the Springtime" for a few days. I'm so excited, the kids and hubby have been before, but this will be my "premier voyage"! So If I don't see you before I go, I'll catch up when I get back.


Take care and au revoir!
Suze xx