Craft Your Days Away DT card

I'm back today with my DT card for Craft Your Days Away for our new challenge which is:

Just for men/boys + buttons

We are sponsored for this challenge by Crafty Emma's Store who's offering a £10 prize for a lucky winner to spend in her store.

Well, I could only find one green button so I've have to do boys & button.  I've chosen to use an Edwin stamp which I've coloured with pro markers.  The papers are from DCWV and the circular sentiment stamp is one that I've had for ages.  I think it may be from Stamps Away.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Just Magnolia - Green

Thanks for stopping by today,

Amanda

Ruby's Rainbow - DT card

Tracey has set a lovely challenge for us all this week at Ruby's Rainbow - she has chosen "Lace" so I thought that was a perfect opportunity to use one of my Tilda stamps.  To be quite honest, I had this one as part of the Tilda stamp club about 18 months ago and until this week, I'm ashamed to say that it had remained un-inked.

Have a peep over at the challenge blog to see what fab creations the team has come up with for this challenge.

Onto my card - here's what I used:  Tilda stamp coloured with pro markers, papers from Dovecraft Tea House pad, Fizzy Moon flowers and button and a Marianne die.   The lace was just from the haberdashery stall at the local market.  For the layout I used inspiration from one of my Tilda magazines - I think I should have embossed the white circle though.  I'll do that next time!

Thanks for looking today,

Amanda

Craft Your Days Away DT card

Our new challenge at Craft Your Days Away is STITCHING.  It can be real or faux (as I've done on this card).  We are being sponsored for this challenge by The Pretty Little Ribbon shop who are offering a prize pack of lovely ribbons and embellishments.  Take a look at our challenge blog for all the details and to look at the super creations from the DT.

I've coloured Tilda using pro markers and I've used paper from the Dovecraft Back to Basics pad.  The little ribbon roses are from Papermania and the circular greeting is a digi from Sentiments for You.

Thanks for looking,

Amanda

My first card of 2012

It has been such a nice change to make a card that wasn't related to Christmas - I think I was totally exhausted of snowmen and red/green and even glitter.  Not a sprinkle of glitter on this card!

I used one of my most favourite Tilda's for this card - I have so many Tilda's still un-inked; something that I must rectify this year.  I added a few tufts of grass and a butterfly from another stamp set and I have coloured the image with pro markers.

One of the things I've decided for this year is to try and make the insides of my cards as nice as the outsides.  You can't see much on this picture - but its a start!  The pretty papers are Dovecraft and they are from the Tea House pad.  The flowers are from my stash and there's just a couple of dots of pink card candi too.

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Sweet Sketch Wednesday - I used their sketch
Robyn's Fetish - Anything goes
Secret Crafter - Anything goes
Stampin' for the Weekend - Anything goes
I love pro markers - Anything goes

Thanks for looking today,

Amanda

Craft Your Days Away DT card - pink, blue and brown

We have a great colour challenge for you over at Craft Your Days Away challenge blog.  DT member Angel has set the challenge for the next fortnight and she has chosen:

PINK, BLUE and BROWN

So, lets see what you can come up with for this challenge!

Simon Says Stamp are sponsoring this challenge and are offering one lucky winner a $10 voucher to spend in their store.

Here's what I've used on my card - my favourite Tilda stamp (bridesmaid Tilda) coloured with pro markers, some freebie papers that came with a magazine ages ago, Spellbinders oval and scallop oval dies, Sizzlits flourish die and flowers, pearls and ribbon from my stash.  I've just added a bit of faux stitching and a touch of pink stickles glitter too.

I am going to enter thism card into the following challenges:

Di's digi designs - Anything goes
Ellephantastic - Here come the girls

Thanks for stopping by,

Amanda

Tilda with flower pot card

This was the Tilda stamp that made me give into temptation after I had made a little pact with myself not to buy any more until I had inked up and used all of the others that I have bought.  I spotted it on a few blogs and it was a case of needing it, not just wanting it - you're with me on that one, right?  If you scroll down a couple of post you will see when I inked it up and added a little bit of grass and a butterfly that has been in my collection for almost 20 years.  I'm really pleased with how this one has turned out and I'm liking the bright summery colours at the moment!

Here's what I've used:

Magnolia stamp - Tilda with Flower Pot, coloured with pro markers

Pink paper by Anna Griffin

Flower paper by My Mind's Eye

Martha Stewart scallop lace heart punch

Happy Birthday stamp by Stamps Away

Tape ribbon (don't really know the correct name for it) - recycled from a sewing kit that it was wrapped around

Buttons and pearls from stash

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:

A spoonful of sugar - anything goes
Anything goes challenge - Bingo (I chose Ribbon, flowers and Punches)
Claudia and Co - girl's birthday card
Cupcake craft - in the garden
Creative cowgirls - anything goes
One stitch at a time - anything goes
Pear Tree designs - use a stamped image
Divas by Design - anything goes

Thanks for looking!

Amanda

My newest and my oldest stamps working together

My newest Tilda stamp arrived yesterday from Sunrise Crafts  - Tilda with Flower Pot (yes, I gave into temptation again!).  I ordered it on Thursday so I was almost lurking behind the front door on Saturday morning ready to pounce when the postman called!!!  I was having a play with my stamps this morning and looking through my folder of stamps when I re-discovered two of the very first stamps I ever purchased in a teddy bear kit nearly 20 years ago.  This was when I first dabbled with rubber stamping - before I got the bug BIG TIME!  The little tuft of grass and butterfly probably haven't been stamped by me for over 15 years but they are perfectly sized for Tilda's and I think I'll be using plenty more of them from now on.

So, Tilda looks lovely all on her own but I always struggle with drawing something for her to stand onto.  I don't really like to see her floating in mid-air so I usually just draw a straight line - but not any more!

I made a little mask by stamping onto a repositional note and cutting around her foot area.

Who would have thought that this 20 year old, tuft of grass stamp could make such a big difference?  (They were originally a foam mounted set but I ripped the foam off and mounted them onto E-Z mount to use with my acrylic blocks).

Do you agree with me that Tilda looks so much better now that she has something to stand on?  The butterfly finishes the little picture off perfectly too.  Okay, so it may be obvious to some of you to do this - but for me it was a bit like a light-bulb moment this morning and I'm just glad that I can make use of some of my older items too!

Right, that's it for me - I'm off to colour this new image in now.  Time for you to hunt through your stash for a tuft of grass stamp!

Thanks for looking,

Amanda

Tilda with Christmas Presents

I've hardly done any crafting this past week - the weather over the Easter break has been absolutely amazing and so we have spent much of the weekend in the back garden.  We had a new fish pond last autumn and so we have had to do some finishing-off work and have planted around the pond too.  I'm really pleased with it; I just hope the heron doesn't visit us again!  Even Monty, my agorophobic cat, had a little walk onto the patio - he couldn't go on the grass though - he completely freaks out!

So, with the weather so warm, I had to cool things down a little by making a Christmas card.  I haven't used my Tilda's for quite a while too and I love this Christmas one.  (Might be time to buy a new Tilda stamp or two!)

Here's what I've used:

Tilda with Presents stamp by Magnolia, coloured with Pro Markers

Marianne doily die

My new Christmas Fancy papers by Dovecraft - half price sale bargain!

Cat's Life Press - circular sentiment stamp

Flowers, ribbon and jewels from stash

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Sketch and Stash - free sketch challenge (I used sketch #11 and my new papers)

Party time Tuesdays - Anything goes

Wee Memories - Anything girly
Sparkles - Anything goes
Delicious doodles - Anything goes

Thanks for stopping by,

Amanda

Pretty Pink Tilda

I am a little late posting this card that I said I'd made - after work I have been to visit my grand father who has celebrated his 89th birthday today.  Unfortunately, he is quite poorly and the years are starting to show now.  I was just happy that I was able to see him on his birthday and share a "wee dram" of Teachers whisky on his birthday with him (his favourite tipple!).  I made a card for him but was in a bit of a late minute rush and didn't take a picture.

I am back to my favourite girly and glitter!  This Tilda card is possibly my favourite Tilda stamp and you'll see it in a few place on my blog.  I've coloured it with pro makrers and used my free Wild Rose papers that I had a couple of week's ago.  The puch around the page is by Martha Stewart and the doily die is by Marianne.  The flowers are from Papermania/my stash, as is the sentiment stamp.  The flourish die is a Sizzlits and it has been sprinkled with Glamour Dust.  The hearts embossing folder is from Papermania.

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Just Magnolia - I used their sketch
Wild Orchid - Anything goes
Passion 4 Pro markers - Sugar rush
I did it creations - Punches or dies
Ooh La La - Pink, pink and more pink

Thanks for stopping by!

Amanda

Craft Your Days Away #14

We have a lovely new challenge for you over at Craft Your Days Away - for this fortnight we have a fab sketch created by DT member Joanne. 

For this challenge we have Crafty Emma's Store return as our sponsor - she has some wonderful crafty bits in her store. 

I have used a Tilda stamped image that I received as a RAK from MissyB so I'm not sure what the name of it is.  The image has been coloured with pro markers.  I have used papers from the Pink Petticoat Vintage Rose Collection pad which was a free cover gift with the current issue of Quick Cards made Easy.  They are lovely soft pastel, floral papers but you'll have to be quick if you want to get the magazine and free papers - they are only on sale for another 8 or 9 days!  I have used my new Martha Stewart pansy punch around the page paper punches.  The liittle ribbon flowers are my Papermania and I have layered them up with some others from my stash.

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Lollipop Crafts - Use your favourite colouring medium - Pro markers

Whoopsi Daisy - Free and Easy

Digis with Attitude - Cleaning

Charizma Cards - Spring has Sprung (Spring Cleaning!!!)

Don't forget to come and Craft Your Days Away with us!

Amanda

Tilda again!

My second orange and green card in a week ... is there a bit of a colour theme going on with me?  No, I just hadn't put the Sizzix paper pad away from the last card I made and I was too lazy to go upstairs and find some new papers.  February seems to be a busy month for birthdays for me so I need to get focussed - only a two day working week for me this week, so hopefully I will manage to get a bit of crafting time to myself.

I had made this card using the Sketch and Stash sketch but forgot to upload it last night before the close of the challenge - oops!

I used my new Marianne doily die, MS border punch, woodward Grass paper punch, Tilda stamp, and a digi sentiment (can't remember where it came from, sorry).  The image has been coloured with pro markers and the papers are from Sizzix Earth Tones pad.

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Pile it on - Punch it

Totally Gorjuss - As you like it

Scrap, Stamp & Doodle Saturday - Punchy challenge

Penny's Challenge - Anything goes

Thanks for stopping by,

Amanda

A new card from me at last!

Happy New Year Everyone - all the best for 2011!

Finally I have managed to make a card for some challenges - it seems like ages since I made a card. I don't really "do" new year celebrations so I had a lovely quiet New Year's Eve at home,  making a couple of cards and having a play with some of my new craft stuff.  I won a voucher from One Stop Card Crafts in a recent challenge and placed my order a few days ago.  The parcel of goodies arrived yesterday and it was just waht I needed to give me a bit of inspiration again!

I think that I am totally done with red and green and Christmas for quite a while now so I wanted to make something completely different.  Yellow is not really a colour I go for but I am really pleased with how this card has turned out.   I've used my favourite Tilda with Curls stamp and coloured her with pro markers.  I have used some of my new Diamond Stickles to add a bit of sparkle to the distressed edges and the border punch is from Martha Stewart.

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Sweet Sketch Wednesday - I used their sketch

Just Magnolia - Anything Goes

Cutie Stampers - Lucky Charm

Incy Wincy Designs - Distressing

Cards and More - Distressed

I love pro markers - Anything goes

Passion for Pro markers - Anything goes

Die Cut Dreams - Girlie

Crafty Emma's - Anything goes

Thanks for looking!

Amanda



My favourites of the year

I hope you all had a really great Christmas - I had a nice, quiet family Christmas with lots of lovely pressies.  The snow has meant that I haven't ventured too far from home; fortunately it has started to melt today, which is a good job as it is back to work tomorrow for me!

I can't do any crafting at the moment, my craft table (AKA dining table) is having to be used as a proper dining table over the Christmas holiday so I decided to look through my blog and pick out my favourite projects from the past 12 months.  I would like to thank everyone who has visited my blog and a big thank you to my lovely followers too.  So, here goes, as we say Bye Bye to 2010 ....

January

This tiny bear that I made is almost my favourite one so far, but not quite.  I won't be parting with this one for the forseeable future.

February

Pollycraft digi images are amongst my favourites and I just like the bright, fresh colours on this Easter card.  Oh no, I can't believe we'll be making Easter cards in just a few weeks!!!



March

This panda is definitely my favourite teddy bear that I have made.  She is about 6 inches tall and is even prettier in real life and she won't be leaving my collection, ever!

April

I love this Whiff of Joy rubber stamp with a plate full of warm cookies, plus it is purple and has some lovely glitter paper on too.



May

Same stamp as April's favourite card.  I did say that I loved that stamp!

June

June was a great month for me - my family went on our first cruise around the Mediterranean and loved every minute.  I was also asked to be a DT member for the One Stitch at a Time challenge blog and this was my first card.  I don't really make many male cards but I did like this one - the beer monster image is by Pollycraft.  I'm sure that we all know a Beer Monster, or two!

July

I fell in love with Magnolia's Tilda stamps earlier this year and this one is still one of the favourites in my collection.



August

I didn't get too much crafting done in August because this was the month that I had corrective laser surgery on my eyes - the best thing I ever did and I only wish that I'd have plucked up the courage to have it done sooner!  For August's favourite it was almost a Tilda Christmas card, but this one just beat it.  I really like this fairy digi, which is from Pollycraft, I like the natural colours an the slightly vintage style paper by My Mind's Eye.

September

Another Tilda card for September's favourite.  The scallop circle cards were a challenge prize from Die Cut Dreams and I must find them out to make some more round cards.

October

It is another of my hand made teddy bears for October's favourite.  It is made from a lovely soft mohair and, at 10" tall, is one of the larger bears that I have made. 

November

My cousin got married in November and this is the card that I made for her.  Lili of the. Valley are amongst my favourite stamps and I also love the circular date stamps by Cat's Life Press.

December

Shame on me - I've just noticed how little I've have posted in December.  I'm sure so many of you are in the same position though - spending weeks getting ready for Christmas.

Anyway, here's December's favourite - my DT card for the current Craft Your Days away challenge.  I've recently discovered Pink Gem stamps and this reindeer image is a real cutie!

So, that's my review of my blogging year.  I am going to have a look at some of your blogs now and try and catch up with what everyone has been up to.  I would like to wish you a Happy New Year and look forward to another year of crafty blogging!

Thanks for looking,

Amanda



It's Snowing and Fab 'n' Funky GD

It is snowing (again) outside and so my Tilda snowdome is very apt for today!  I am very honoured to have been asked to be a guest designer over at Fab 'n' Funky Challenge blog.  They are celebrating their birthday this week and so have a Happy Birthday challenge and an amazing blog hop with some wonderful prizes.

I hear you ask, why a snowdome for a Happy Birthday challenge?  Well, I think they must have changed the theme of their challenge from what I was originally asked to make, to coincide with their birthday celebrations.  So, my snowdome may not be for a happy birthday, but who cares?  I am just so pleased to be a GD at Fab 'n' Funky!!!

I used a Tilda stamp from the Magnolia Winter Stamp Club and she is coloured with pro markers and added Stickles.  The snowflakes are an x-cut punch, covered with a textured "snow" paint with jewel centres (although they don't show up too well on the picture).  The blank snowdome was only about £2 from The Range Home and Garden - but I think they are fairly readily available at most photo processing shops too.

Do take a look at the Fab 'n' Funky challenge - they are a great talented bunch of ladies over there! 

I am going to enter this into the following challenges:

Corrosive - Things that move (the snow moves when you shake it!)

The Crafty Pad - Snowflakes

Crazy Challenge - Anything goes

A Crafty Little Place - Anything goes

City Crafter - Blue Christmas

Hope the snow's not too bad where you are!

Amanda

 

Jam Tilda for Sweet Sketch Wednesday

Where on earth is the time going lately?  I have only managed to make one card this week and there doesn't seem a spare minute in the day!!! 

I have spent this morning at my youngest son's primary school as it was "Praise assembly".  Each class teacher chooses the children from their class who have excelled at school and deserve an extra special praise.  My son was praised for his excellence in literacy skills and received a Head Teacher's certificate and a leather commemorative bookmark.  I wasn't the only proud Mom in school this morning but your own are always the best!

I have made today's card using the sketch over at Sweet Sketch Wednesday and so I am entering this card into their challenge.  I love using orange and green together and Autumn is a great time and there are some lovely shades of orange and green in the garden right now. 

I have used Jam Tilda which is a stamped image given to me be a friend, Missy B and it is coloured with Pro markers.  The papers are from My Mind's Eye and the swirly ribbon runch is a Martha Stewart one.  The "grass" punch is by Woodware and the retro flower and butterfly punches are by Papermania.  I have also used a bit of card candy and dew drops from my stash, together with the obligatory dusting of glitter!  The sentiment ticket was a freebie and is from Sentiments 4 You - thank you Jenny for sharing that with us on your lovely blog.

I am also entering this card into the following challenges:

I love pro markers - Autumn
Sweet Sketch Wednesday - I used their sketch
An oldie but a goodie - Add a butterfly
Craftalicious - Anything Goes
Riley & Co - Colors of Autumn
Flutterby Wednesday - Must have a butterfly, fairy or angel
Moving along with the times - Use pro markers.  They have a great prize for this challenge and are being sponsored by Letraset - you must check this challenge out!

Thanks for looking,

Amanda

My Tilda With Curls card

I think that this Tilda stamp is my current favourite, although I am eagerly awaiting the delivery of the Tilda stamp club.  It's the first time that I've bought the TSC so I am keeping my fingers crossed that there will be some lovely stamps in there - I know that it has Christmas Tilda's in it.  I'm sure that I won't be disappointed.

I have had this image coloured for about a month now but my crafting MOJO has definitely been AWOL these past few weeks - must do something about that!  The challenge this week at the Secret Crafter is "Distressing" so I just couldn't resist making a card for their challenge.

I have distressed the edges of the papers with my scissors and inked around to add to the distressed look.  I bought the Prima flowers from the Secret Crafter and I love their "aged" look too.

Here's what I've used:

Stamp - Tilda with Curls, Magnolia, coloured with Pro Markers
Paper - Persimmon paper pad by Papermania
Flowers - Prima
Sentiment stamp - Hot off the Press
Roses amd pearls from £1 shop

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Distressing
Crafty Cardmakers -Step Away from the Square
Gingerloft - Glitter or Bling (glitter on the wings, roses and sentiment
If the Shoe fits - Distressing
Sweet Sketch Wednesday - I used their sketch

Thanks for looking,

Amanda