A Papertake Weekly Sneakie Peekie :)

Morning sweet peeps and hope you are all OK today xx

It’s that time of the week when we head on over to the Papertake Weekly challenge and this week our theme is

Buttons, Bows & Bling

and it’s ever so easy – you just need to include one, two or all of them in your work.

Simples!!

And here’s ….

… what I did.

Now if you’re thinking that you haven't seen that image before, then you would indeed be right because it’s one of the brand new Lili of The Valley Christmas images. You are sooo going to love this cute little lot and if you keep your eyes peeled on the DT blogs over the next few weeks then you’ll see lots of other sneak peeks as well.

The image I used is called

The Perfect Tree

and I coloured it with these Copics -

Skin – E000, E00, E13, R00, R02
Hair – E31, E35 
Squirrel – E07, E08, E97, E99
The rest –E23, E27, E30, E31, E35, E39, E50, E99, G99, R05, R14, R17, R27, R59, YG00, YG03, YG95 
and I outlined everything with Glamour Dust.

The papers are Lili of The Valley Simple Joys – proper Chrimbly colours these :)

I also added some Liquid Pearls to look like falling snow.

I made the tree using Dee's Distinctively - Christmas Stacker Tree Dies and did a bit of sanding on the edges!!

 

The bow was made using a Creative Expressions Craft Dies by Sue Wilson – this is Finishing Touches Collection - Classic 3D Itty Bitty Bow.
And I topped it with a Wooden Star Button  from The Ribbon Girl.

That sweet curvy sentiment is also a LOTV newbie so keep your eyes peeled for those as well.
I thought it mirrored the Spellbinders Curved Borders 1 perfectly.

If I made this again, I would add an extra white mat behind the green to make it stand out more.

So there we are all done for today.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my sneakie peekie and don’t forget to check out the other Papertake girlies cos there’s some fabulous stuff over there.

Have the best day and huggiest of hugs to all xxx

Thank You

Good morning sweet peeps and a very happy Sunday to you - I hope that you are all having a fab weekend : )

It’s time for another ‘Lovely Lili’ challenge over at The Ribbon Girl blog and our challenge is a lovely one indeed because it's all about saying

Thank You

It’s always nice to say thank you I think – if only some people in our village would remember this when you let them through even if it is your right of way - (ooh it is one of my pet hates!!).

We have 2 fab prizes for you -

A LOTV stamp of your choice

and a £10 voucher towards a spending spree at The Ribbon Girl

I think you may be surprised at my card today because it was one I did when I fiddling with the shabby chic /vintage thing a few weeks ago  and here …

... it is.
And not an image in sight!!! .

One of the designers whose cards I just adore is Klaudia and my card here was inspired by a card that she did.
So I must say thank you to her first  for the inspiration I have gotten from looking at her beautiful work xxx

The papers I used are the gorgeous Lili of The Valley Antebellum and I inked and distressed them to within an inch of their lives.
They can take it lol!!

The sentiment is from the LOTV Set 58 - Pretty Grungy - Good Times set.
I stamped it straight onto the paper and then punched it out.
It looks like it is at a very dodgy angle in this pic but it isn't IRL – it’s just how it looked from the angle I took the pic!!

I used a mixture of home made paper flowers which I made using Tim Holtz Tattered Florals and others which I got from Mary at The Ribbon Girl.

The flowers from Mary are -

 Tiny Pink Rosebuds, White Starburst Stamen, Pink / Pale Pink Beaded Berries, White Beaded Twirl, 10mm Pink Open Rose, White Floribunda Rose, Floribunda Roses Raspberry Ripple, Darjeeling White Blossom Flower, White Kort & Godt Chrysanth, Rolled Paper Flowers - Ivory Roses Kort & Godt.

I also used  White Seam Binding which I dyed using a Cosmic Shimmer spray.
I spritzed it with the spray then scrunched it up and left it to dry and it dried all lovely and crinkly.

I also used 12mm White Cotton Lace and White Tulle.

The leaves are Tim Holtz Bigz Garden Greens and I die cut them from white card then used some Distress inks and Cosmic Shimmer spray on them so that they looked a bit variegated.

I was quite pleased with how this turned out and it’s given me the confidence to try another card like this s0 watch this space!!
I think I can see an improvement from my last attempt which I’m happy about.

Right I'm off to do some more colouring  - I can’t say what of just yet but it is seasonal, ho ho ho (hee hee heeee).
Then I have to finish, nay start, the grey wicker heart wall hanging thingie which I bought months ago for our bedroom wall.
It needs a bit of tarting up with some floral what nots and ribbon or lace then it can be hung up.

Dicky Mint is at work today and I did my housework (yawwwwwn) yesterday so that  I can have a whole day to craft. Well, that's the plan but Sod’s law that it won’t pan out like that – it never does : 0)

Have a great day whatever you are doing and huggiest of hugs to all xxx

It’s Just NOT Fair :(((

 

 

 

Good morning sweet peeps.
Dawny P here and a happy Thursday to everybody.

I did the dreaded weigh in on Monday and I was not a happy bunny.
More of that in a sec.

It’s my turn to do the post today over at the DTDF Cutey Craft blog and my card features a very sweet lil poppet called Dawn : )

She’s Little Dawn to be exact (oooh I wish!!) and she’s a Nellie Snellen image.

Her full title is Little Dawn - Watering and here’s …..

… what I made with her.

I coloured her with the following Copics -

Skin – E000, E00, E13, R00, R02
Hair – E31, E34, E35, E50
The rest – E30, G0000, G000, G21, G94, YG00, YG03, YG95, YR02, YR04, YR20, YR61
and I outlined her with Glamour Dust.

The papers are from an Echo Park Sweet Day 6x6 Pad – such sunny colours : )

 

I thought I’d add a few clouds to mirror the paper here and these were made using the Joy Crafts Clouds set.
I gave them a bit of bling as well (sometimes I just can’t help myself!!).

 

These blooms were made from the paper pad and I used a Die-namics Rolled Daisy die. 
You can just about see the Francesca Border here and there’s also some leaves which I punched from a Martha Stewart Punch - Frond Branch.

 

 

 

I made a little bow arrangement thingie using some 23mm White Organza Ribbon, some Peach Seam Binding, an Aqua Small Striped Button and a bit of string I found in the bottom of my haberdashery stashery!!!

The ribbons and button are from my lovely Mary over at The Ribbon Girl.

 

I also used some DCWV hessian paper but I have to say I am not at all fussed on it if I’m being honest.
I couldn't get it to cut very well through the die cutting machine and it didn't guillotine well either – sorry, I’m just sayin peeps!!!

 

Well I was not happy on Monday I can tell you.

On Sunday, Rich and I sat discussing the weight loss thing – he is on the diet as well – and he fessed to having had  a Freddo bar AND a ruddy Ripple this last week. Well I told him that that was his weight loss down the Swanee fo sho. And then  proceeded to feel vey smug because apart from going out last Tuesday, I have stuck religiously to the diet.

So Monday is our weigh in day.
Guess who hadn't lost a single bloody ounce and guess who had lost 2lbs?

So the tables were well and truly turned and it was his Lordship's turn to feel smug while I just felt thoroughly hacked off.

Not a single drop of vino has passed my lips in weeks, no cakes, no choccie, no biscuits, no nothing.

I could have cried.

I was probably being paid back for being a smug old smart ass.
That will teach me I guess.
Next time I will just smile sweetly and say well done dear for having all the choc and 25 portions of pudding and  a huge plate of ribs with JD sauce (while I just had steak and veg) and still managing to lose weight while I have lost nowt, yadda yadda.

I’m not at all bitter, (cry cry) !!!

I haven’t told him but I had a sneaky weigh in this morning and there’s a 1lb gone – woohooooo : ))))

Right I’m off.

I’ll see you soon as soon,  have a great weekend and huggiest of hugs to all xxx

 

As Clint Would Say, Are You Feeling Lucky?

 

Good morning everyone, and I hope that you are all OK today.

This post is going out at 7am on the 7th day of the 7th month – lucky seven if you are superstitious (I am a bit!!). 
But as it happens, if you are after some new Lili of The Valley stamps then you are indeed in luck.  Before I get to me project, check out the pic above and if you want more details, then bob on over to the Ideas To Inspire Blog and check it all out.

What a lovely way to start the week with some good news.

And doesn’t it make a change!!!

Ok now for today’s project and here ….

… it is.

I’ve made a window box using our beautiful Antebellum papers and apart from the leaf vine and grass, everything here is made from the pad.

I really like this pad – it ticks so many boxes, pardon the pun!!

Can you imagine that wood on a vintage Christmas card?
I whispered that last bit – oooh it’s a bit too early for that sort of festive talk!!

The actual window box was made using an Eileen Hull Window Box die which is made by Sissix.
Isn't it fab peeps : )

Not only that but it’s so easy to put together – I LIKE that.

I made a blind using a MS Doily punch and the teeny flowers were made from the middle bits of a Susan Tierney Sunflower Thinlits die – they're the tiny little brown bits you can see in the middle of this flower here …. .

Now before you think that I have wayyy too much time on my hands to sit and shape every one of those tiny things, the way I did this was to die cut it (they are all together on one die – you can see what I mean on the pic),  but before I popped them out, I positioned the die over a moulding pad (or you could use an old mouse mat) and I popped them through with a small embossing tool.
They shape as they drop out – easy peasy.

 

The grass and leaf vines were cut using Memory Box dies – Lavish Branch and Grassy Border.

 

And the flowers were just made using a medium Woodware punch

 

So that’s me done for today.

Did you watch the tennis?  Talk about nail biting and tense. I have to admit that I would have liked to see old Roge win if I could have chosen and indeed if you had been near our house as this awesome match was going on then you would no doubt have heard old fog horn Lil here cheering him on!!

It wasn’t to be.

But for all of us tennis fans, above anything else, it was one of the best finals I’ve seen in many a year – truly a fantastic game of tennis.

Right, I’m off to do the dreaded weekly weigh in – it’s just a short hop to the bathroom lol. I’ve been good apart from (there’s always an ‘apart from’) going out for dinner on Tuesday and even then I had diet Coke and only a few chips (she say, polishing her halo!!).

I’ll let you know tomorrow if the results were good or bad.

Till then have a fab day and huggiest of hugs to all xxx

Game, Set & Match :)

Good morning sweet peeps and a very Happy Sunday to everyone.

Its time for our monthly card challenge over at The Ribbon Girl blog and our theme is

Summer

 

As usual our card Challenge is sponsored by our lovely friends at Lili Of The Valley and The Ribbon Girl and we have 2 fab prizes up for grabs -

 

 

So what did I do then?

Well, I thought, what could be more summery than tennis?
Very topical, and I will be glued to the telly for the final later.

So …

… here’s my card.

I used Tennis Tilda and I coloured her with these Copics -

Skin – E000, E00, E11, E13, R00, R02
Hair – E31, E35, E39, E50
The rest – B0000, B000, B00, B05, G99, YG00, YG03, YG95

I’ve outlined the image with glitter and added some to the lacy bits of her dress and the racquet strings.

The gorgeous papers are Shabby Shack from Lili of The Valley – I love the clean crisp look of these papers.

A beautiful bow made with 32mm Celery Green Pure Silk Ribbon – this stuff is pure gorge.
You can also see the 38mm 'Phoebe' White Guipure Lace, Apple Green Tiny Ric Rac,  5mm Mixed Greens Self Adhesive Pearls,  and I chopped up some White Rose/Pearl Organza Ribbon to top the bow.

I also added some of it to these …

… flowers here.
I quite like the way they look on their own  : )

I made some little tails for the flowers using the ric rac.

Here, I gathered up some 32mm 'Anne' Antique White Lace and glued it to the back of this panel.
All these beautiful goodies are of course from Mary over at The Ribbon Girl

The sentiment is from the Lili of The Valley Sentiments to Fit Scroll set which I adore – you probably noticed lol!!!

I can almost smell the grass with those pretty green colours.

So that’s the old card done for today.

I’m so looking forward to the tennis later even though we won’t be having our usual food fest (I usually do us a yummy picnic style late lunch to go with our Pimms and strawbs and cream). We will be having the strawbs but it will be low fat cream this year. Not that I mind cos I am sticking to the diet this time. I tell you peeps, I have found some lovely recipes on the SW website and we have actually been eating really well AND losing weight.
It's win win fo sho!!!

I don’t mind who wins today although I do have a soft spot for old Rog the Dogdge.
But it’s the kind of match I enjoy best when you are non – partisan

Right on the note I’m off.
It’s our monthly card club tomorrow and I’m in the middle of doing the prep.
Enjoy your day whatever you are doing and love and hugs to all xxx

Little Limey Tilda

Morning me darlins and hope that you are all OK today xx

It’s my turn to post over at the DTDF Cutey Craft blog and today I’ve gone a bit Magnolia!!

And here’s …

 

... my card – nice and bright and sunny and more like my usual style : )

The image I’ve used is Special Moments - Tilda with Spitz Pocket – she is sooo sweet – and I coloured her with Copics in the following colours -

Skin – E000, E00, E11, E13, R00, R02
Hair – E31, E35, E39, E50
The rest – G99, E50, R05, R17, R59, YG00, YG03, YG95

I’ve added just a tiny bit of glitter today – just on the lacy bits of her dress and her socks.

 

 

These lovely sunny papers are Bo Bunny Alora 6x6 Pad – I really like the zingy colours here.

The borders were cut using a Magnolia Doohickey Die - Scalloped Stitch Lace die – sooo lovely : )

The button is from The Ribbon Girl and it’s a Medium Black Polka Dot Button which I topped with some twine from a Green Mix Hemp Twine card and a 5mm Red Crystal Self Adhesive Gem

The button matches perfectly with this bow made from 16mm Black/White Spot Grosgrain ribbon.
I put a bit of White Tulle behind it and added a sweet little Lili of The Valley tag made from SET 24 - Sentiment Tags

 

 

 

I made the flowers from a six petalled flower punch and chopped in between 2 of the petals then overlapped the petals either side of the cut to form a 5 petalled flower with dimension.  Then I just added some gems and some leaves made with a Martha Stewart Punch – Frond Branch

 

 

 

So that’s my card today.

Just before I go, I thought I’d share a pic of these two little treasures ……

…. who were as good as gold while we had them.

Bless their little hearts, how could I have even thought for one minute that they could be anything other than little angels!!!!!

Enjoy the rest of your day and see you soon as soon..

Huggiest of hugs to all, especially these two : ) xxx

It’ A First lol : )

Morning peeps and hope you are all OK today xx

Oooh blimey, I hardly know where to begin with today's post.

But we’ll start at the very  beginning as Julie Andrews once said!!!

It’s time to head on over and catch up with what's been happening with the Papertake Weekly girls and as it’s the first one of the month (and can you believe we are now over half way through this year, it is sooo scary!!), we have our usual

Anything Goes

theme and here’s ….

… my card.
Except it isn't a card at all, it’s actually an 8x8 canvas.

Yes it’s my first proper attempt at mixed media – oooh please don’t laugh!!.
I’ve been fascinated lately with the work of lots of mixed media artists and I really do have craft envy when I see their work.

So I thought I’d have a go

Now, it isn't perfect, I know that.
But I’ve never been one of those crafters who have to make sure that everything is just right before it goes on public display.  
So  I made it for the challenge and on here it must go!!

I’ll try and explain what I did although to be honest, a lot of it was winging it and although I had a plan of sorts when I started out, this has deviated a bit from the original!!

I got the canvases from Wilkinsons - they are cheap as chips and just the job : )

The papers I used are Lili of The Valley – Antebellum.
I know I bang on about it on the telly but they really are fab for this sort of stuff.
They are quite hardy but they fold like a dream.

I inked and distressed the edges then I stamped a few bits on to the top layer using some butterflies and keys from LOTV Set 66 - Grunge Elements and also some script from Set 57 - Vintage Backs – Script.

Then I added some white dots using Gesso and the end of a paintbrush before adding water to the edges and curling the paper in ….

… as you can see here.

I also added a chipboard hinge which I painted with Gesso first.

 

LOTS going on here.

First layer down was some pretty lace from The Ribbon Girl – I used Flora – and also some Diamante Trim. Then I topped that with a die cut Sizzix Frameworks Die - Lattice by Tim Holtz which I sprayed with some Cosmic Shimmer spray. I still have the evidence on my nails – it will not come off so if you are using this, here’s a tip….. 

… wear rubber gloves!!!

Once that was dry, I rubbed the edges with some gold gilding wax before I stuck it down.

Then I die cut a couple of Tim Holtz Flourishes (jeez, Kath would be proud of me lol) and glued them together because I didn't have a chipboard one. Then I painted that with Gesso and inked and distressed the edges.

Down that went.

The I stamped the sentiment onto paper – I used Set 63 - Quotables - Go For It -  did the inking and distressing thing and stuck that down onto some contrasting paper.  Before I stuck them down properly, I tucked some Cheesecloth Fabric behind it which I’d sprayed lightly with some gold glitter spray. It’s very delicate and you can barely see it but it gives a soft glimmer to the fabric which I like.

The flowers started out as Floribunda White Roses which I sprayed with Cosmic Shimmer spray – this is the colour of one my nails btw.

I also sprayed some leaves which I found in my stash as well. It could have been worse - I could have had green nails then it would actually look like I had a fungal nail infection or something – ugh!!

I finished it off with a couple of bows made from Seam Binding, a key which I painted, distressed then rubbed with gilding wax, and tied on with some rusty red twine.

Phew -  I think that’s it.

A LOT of work and as I said before, the result isn’t perfect, but if / when I do more, I can hopefully see an improvement.

I’ve spent quite a few days just fiddling and generally ruining my nails with all sorts of inks, pastes and gilding waxes and the likes. I’ve really enjoyed it because it is sooo different for me and I think I learned a lot from the experience. You will see one or two other things as the weeks go on as a result of those fiddly days and I can see that I have gotten a bit better.

Right that’s me done for today.

I’m typing this on Sunday before the onslaught of my two little darlings coming to stay for a couple of days. There was no way on God’s green earth that I could have typed this with them here or just after they’ve gone. I thought a bit of forward planning was in order. I love them both dearly and with every fibre of my being, but I am always shattered when they've been to stay. There’s a reason that we don’t have babies at my age and I know exactly what that reason is as I’m waving the goodbye!!!!.

I hope you've enjoyed my little experiment today (!!!) and I’ll  see you on Thursday if not before.,

Enjoy your week and hugs to all xxx