Thursday 29 April 2010

Hello Strangers!!


Sorry I haven't blogged much this week, but I was unwell last week and then everybody else decided to be unwell this week( aaaaaarrrrgghh!). I think I've caught up on washing now so I can relax a bit and get some crafting done!
This card is for 2 challenges this week( and apologies to the other challenges I usually join but have missed, I'll be back next week).
The 1st is for Flutterby Wednesday#107 set by Debby, who wants us to keep it clean and simple. Now anyone who knows me will appreciate what a struggle this is for me haha! but I've tried honest! No matting n layering, no bling, no ribbons, no overstamping.... Just the image printed straight onto the base card and coloured(subtley I think). A bit of inking round the edges and I have stamped and cut out the 2 flowers in the corner for a little dimension.
That brings me to the 2nd challenge, which is for Cute Card Thursday #110 Make your own eg. embellishment, backing papers whatever, as long as something on your card you made yourself. Hence the 2 flowers, which I have stamped onto co-ordinating paper and cut out. Technichally I suppose I made my own image as it is a combnation of 2 different designers. The swirl is from Airfactory and the Butterfly is from Tiffany's Garden both acquired through the Freebie Digi stamp site.
And a quick reminder that this Sunday is the launch of Cowgirl Up's new challenge blog, so drop by and leave some love!
Love as always Gina x x x

Monday 26 April 2010

Fearn and flowers



Just 1 card today as spent most of it washing up after sick offspring (2 lots of bedding + several cuddly toys, yuk!), but I did get to play with this little ray of springtime. Her name is "Fearn" and she is from the "Lily Bean Fairies" collection at Tales from Pollycraft. Fearn was a freebie, but her sisters are still available. The retro flowers are also a Pollycraft digi stamp which I bought as part of a set called "Sweet Dreams Springtime Retro".
The actual Pollycraft Monday challenge#41 was to "make your own flowers" and I got a bit carried away haha! I made my own flower background paper by resizing the flowers and arranging them randomly, then I printed another sheet of the same flowers to cut out. Then I thought "why cut when I could tear?" I think this gives them an extra funky look. They are fixed in place, at different heights (flat, 1mm, 2mm) with tape and sticky pads. I tinted them slightly with a yellow copic marker, and Fearn got a fantasy flower garden to die for!
If you do pop over to Pollycraft check out the stamp image they've made and are selling to raise money for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Fund. It's only £1.50 and every penny goes to the fund.
love as always Gina x x x

Sunday 25 April 2010

Sun is Shinin' an I'm feelin' good!




2 cards again today, it's the only way I'm going to catch up this week again!
The 1st is for Bah! Humbug!'s challenge#15, Pretty in Pink, which I've managed to combine with Fab's Big Christmas Card Challenge#16, Snowflakes/and embossing. the "pink" speaks for itself, and the embossing technique I've used is powder and heatgun(snowflakes on backing paper).
The 2nd card covers 3 challenges + DT requirement. Not Bad!(definitely not planned haha!)
The image I've used is called Garden from Cowgirl Up Stamps, and I've been wanting to use it for ages!
There isn't actually any black on this card, it is how the silver mirror board has reflected in the scanner. I originally hadn't included the "Holes" challenge, but Then I was left with an interesting piece of waste after punching the dots I needed for the sketch layout, so waste not, want not!
Love as always Gina x x x

Saturday 24 April 2010

I caught a "puter virus"





Hubby says its because I spend more time with puter than him (cough, splutter!) Struggling to concentrate but couldn't stay away. Ooh yes! I won another prize from Prairie Fairy! Thanks Roberta I will email later. As it happens 1 of the cards I've made is for Prairie Fairy Fun Fridays week#16, Distressing. The image is Jerry giraffe, from Prairie Fairy, and the Layout is from Flutterby Wednesdays#106, Sketch by Mercy (butterfly charm).
The 2nd card is for MAWTT challenge#43, which is a Sketch and the theme Animals. Not thrilled with my colouring on this one cos I couldn't remember where the black bits go on a panda (blaming virus), but the image is another of Sliekje's cuties.
No, brains gone awol again. got to lie down now. Catch you later.
love as always Gina x x x

Wednesday 21 April 2010

Not a Card!


Just had to share these wicked images with you that I chose as my prize from Bugaboo Stamps last weekend. The characters are called Stella and Gus, and can be found in a whole range of situations. I've used the png images over my own photos then coloured with copics. I just think they are so funny!
Love as always Gina x x x

Tuesday 20 April 2010

Butterflies!

Hi Folks! This evenings post is a card I've made with my latest Cowgirl Up Stamp "Tricia" I thought it was time I made a "pink" card again and she just seemed to inspire me. I've printed the png onto a soft butterfly background and then coloured her with copic pens.
The challenges I'm entering her for are Tales from Pollycraft#40, Sketch by Sue, and Critter Sketch #10, use 10 elements. The 10 elements are; 3 background papers/3brads/1 flower/1 circular butterfly(cut in half), 1 sentiment and 1 image(tricia).
This card also fulfils my 1st obligation to Cowgirl Up as a new DT member, but lets face it, using these gorgeous images is hardly a chore haha!
Love as always Gina x x x

Monday 19 April 2010

Vintage Man



Hi everyone! Todays card is for Ooh-La-La Creations challenge#52, Vintage man. The challenge we all struggle with "men's cards"! I suppose if they reacted in some way we would have a clue what they liked, but generally you just get "nice, thanks" when you ask them if they like it. My man is quite well trained now so it's a bit easier, apparently most men don't mind a few flowers on their card so there's hope for us all haha!
I've used Scrappy Sketch Sunday's layout, and the image is from "The Graphics Fairy". I used my fiskars lattice punch on the horizontal band(not too lacey) and the castle bakground paper is from My Craft Studio's Walk in Wonderland cd1. A few copper brads and a flora doodle coloured to match to finish. Enjoy!
love as always Gina x x x

Sunday 18 April 2010

Cowgirl Sunday Challenge Blog



Morning folks! Sunshine again!!! So I thought I better blog before I disappear into the garden again(ooh! sounds like I "need" a laptop?). The great news is that CJ of "Stamp'en with Cj" is finally setting up a challenge blog, due to start Sunday May 2nd, and I will be working on her DT :D
So with that in mind, Iv'e used my Fav "Cowgirl Up" image "Lou" for this card. I've used the png image and overlayed it onto a black n white lilypond image (I'm lovin' png). This is a great technique if you struggle to cut out delicate images, cos you can add colour after printing and not chop the fiddly bits off by accident.(works on coloured backgrounds too but you have to put them together in a graphics program)
The challenges I'm entering this card for are Prairie Fairy Fun Friday week 15: Eyelets and string, and MAWTTcallenge#42 : Clare W's Sketch
Hope you like, and see you at CJ's in May! Love as always Gina x x x

Saturday 17 April 2010

Another sunny day,another xmas card!



Quick post , with quick card today. To be precise Fab's Big Christmas Card challenge this week was to use a kit card, you know, the ones we buy but never get round to using! I do that quite a lot! This kit was called Elegant Ladies from Create and Craft, and I'm pretty sure it's discontinued. Shame really because it is quite beautiful. From a set of 32 cards this one has a "twist -apage" topper. Add a peel off greeting and" jobs a good un" The other part of the challenge was to add dimension, so 2 birds with 1 stone as it were!
Cool news "I WON A PRIZE!!!" I won 3rd prize in the Bugaboo Blog Hop we played last week, and I've already chosen my 2 free digi stamps, so look forward to using them soon. For now Shrubs to prune and vegi patch to dig!
Love as always Gina x x x

Friday 16 April 2010

Kitty's Nativity



I know, the sun's shining (no guesses at where I've been all day so far) and I have another christmas card to show you. I'm entering this one in 2 challenges today.
The 1st is Cute Card Thursday#108, "touchy feely". The tree is scattered with seasonal flowersoft, and 2 of the kittens are raised up with silicone glue.
The 2nd is for Bah! Humbug! challenge#14 "Santa Paws" which was to make a card using cute critters that make you go Awwwwwww!
These 3 little kittens are another masterpiece by Sliekje, I htought they looked like the 3 kings, and I can see a collection coming on! The blue background is the inside of the card as I have cut around the tree to make a shaped card.
hope you like it! love as always Gina x x x

Thursday 15 April 2010

YEEHA!!!


I'm so excited I could Squeal!! i've been chosen to join the Design Team at Stamp'en with CJ. Now you all know I've been trying out, but I didn't believe I'd actually get picked, and as you aslo know, CJ's "Lou" stamp is my favourite ever image! So "squeeeeaaaallllll!" I think I'm entitled to that one.
Thank you everybody for your support and good wishes, and I'll try not to disappoint!
Loads and loads of love as always Gina x x x

Wednesday 14 April 2010

Catching up nicely!



Phew! Managed to get another 3 challenges sorted with this card. The "Happy Couple" are by Marjie's Malarkies. Marjie has 2 cds for sale with loads of Bobby and Lotty images, they are a real cute couple so you might want to check it out.

Now this card nearly got out of control, Digital Tuesday challenge#54 set a paper piecing challenge and I thought Marjie's little creations would be ideal for this kind of project. I thought I could combine it with the coulor combi from Critter Sketch Challenge#9 Pink/Purple/Green. So good so far! Then I thouhgt Bee Crafty Downloads#28 engagement/wedding/anniversary. Brilliant! But I forgot about my patchwork fetish! I printed the image out onto several different papers (one plain white for base image) and started cutting out all the little sections to rearrange and overlay. Took me 2 hours to decide which pieces to use.....

Anyway, I think it turned out good in the end. Hope you like it!

love as always Gina x x x

Tuesday 13 April 2010

Scrappy's Pollycraft Fairy


Strange title I know, but my hands and brain hurt from digging compacted clay loam for 4 hours! The title is to remind me which challenges I'm entering her in!!! This little lady is called "Retro Melody" and she is from Pollycraft. Pollycraft challenge#39 is a colour combi, Pink&Brown + green or yellow. Guess which I picked? I thought the colours sounded retro so she fit the profile perfectly for me.
The layout is from Scrappy's Sketch Sunday#105(nice one Scrappy) at Catch the Bug Challenge Blog. I'd also like to enter this card for Prairie Fairy's Fun Friday Challenge,#14,which was an inspirational photo of some flowers that included pink and golden yellow with brown centres.
Phew! Sorry folks, a bit tired now so I'll catch up tomorrow.
Love as always Gina x x x

Sunday 11 April 2010

I caught a little bug!



Hi Folks, late one today! You know us gardeners, a merest hint of dry weather and we're out there mowing and digging to our little hearts content!
Any way, spent last night blog hopping over at Catch the Bug Challenge Blog and part of the challenge is to create a project with a "bug" on it. This little guy is the Friday Freebie from Bugaboo Stamps so I just "had" to use him. I decided to try something a bit different so I imported the png image into my graphics programme and lay it over a colourful background. The image (bug/leaves/jar lid/ribbon) stay white, but the background shows through the jar! How cool is that! Then I just coloured the white bits. A bit of ribbon and a ladybug charm, and a sweet little get well card is complete! Loved making this, hope it's in time for the challenge.
love as always Gina x x x

Saturday 10 April 2010

What a glorious day!



How mental do I look today? The weather is absolutely glorious, I've been out all day and yes the sun has burnt me (forgot to put on sun block), and I'm posting a "snowy" christmas card! It's my entry for this weeks Bah! Humbug! challenge#13, "Tags and Labels".
I've used the "Steel Grey and Brads" theme again that Fab's set us earlier this week, but this time I've used 3 of the 7 "Bunny Tiles" that Jodie at Bugaboo Stamps gave us a short time ago (no I can't remember exactly when "school hols!" but I think they were for easter?) I think the spotty background to them looks like snow falling, and that the bunny has his face pushed up against the window. I layered them onto tags made from grey pearlescent card, punched some snowflakes from a scrap of holographic paper and attached them to a white ribbon with silver brads. The background paper is from MCS Walk in Wonderland cd. I'm amazed at how much expression you can get from just eyebrows and ears!
Love as always Gina x x x

Friday 9 April 2010

A Load of old Bull!



Sorry quality on pics not too good today, rushing to blog before hubby gets in. This is the latest wedding anniversary card I've made for him! He's a taurean and I know this will amuse him. I hide cards in his work bag so that he finds them while at work(AH! Well soppy I know!). We don't make a fuss, but I like to remind him how special he is(AH! Getting smushy now!) I've tried to get a closer pic to show the foiling on the red bits, but it was a bit lumpy to get in the scanner. Hope you can make it out.
The image is this weeks freebie from Dezinaworld, and it works really well to describe our relationship hahaha!
I'm also going to enter it for this weeks MAWTT challenge#41 set by Clare C, which is to make an easel card.
Hope you like it, love as always Gina x x x

Thursday 8 April 2010

This one's for Annie...


Todays card is for my neice Annie. Every year I make her a card with faeries and/or Daisies on, so this image from Prairie Fairy really hit the spot for me! She's actual called "Daisy Fairy" perfect!
I'm using her for 3 different challenges.
The 2nd is for Cute Card Thursdays challenge#107 "Mono Mania" where you have to use shades of one colour. I used green (but I couldn't do a daisy without a hint of pink on the petals sorry)
The 3rd is for Prairie Fairy herself, who gave us this image to try out for her DT call. You don't have to apply for the DT to use the image but as she gave it us for free it seems cherlish not to! Thanks Roberta she's lovely!
I think that's it for now, sure I was going to mention something else but it's gone..... must be my age hahahaha!
love as always Gina x x x
I Remembered! The background image is from MCS Walk in Wonderland cd, printed on watercolour paper which gives it a really "soft" appearance. And I did alter my comments from word verification to moderation, but "lost"? some comments which made me feel bad so I switched it back.

Wednesday 7 April 2010

Fab's Big Steel Brads!

Hi folks! Less stressy day today. Shorty had to go to the hospital with a suspected broken ankle, but it turned out to be torn ligaments. Just as painful, but I can send him back to Uni without worryng to much. And Chunky Monkey managed to upgrade X-box in 5mins and only disconnected the tinternet once! Chunky Monkey's best friend turned up for breakfast! A text from his mum said "send him back if it's too early" but once there here I find it's easier just to keep them. I told him we're going to nickname him "Tapeworm" cos he's always saying he can eat anything and not gain weight hahaha! So with Shorty on his bed "facebooking" and Chunky Monkey & Tapeworm wrestling on the trampoline, I've been able to make 5lb of Blackberry Jelly(jam with the bits seived out), a fruit slice and a card for my blog!!!
It's for this weeks Fab's Big Christmas Challenge#14, Big Brads and Steel Grey. The image and papers are all from various MCS cds, matted and layered with silver mirror board. The Brads were plain silver metal, so I put small double-sided rub ons on them and added white glitter. I think it came out quite well! What do you think?
Love as always Gina x x x

Tuesday 6 April 2010

3 into 1 can go!



I've been reminded why I hate school hols today. I only didn't wash yesterday (yes I did 2 loads easter sunday!), and I had to do 3 loads today, 1 of which included 4 pairs of my youngest sons trousers??? Anyway, that hasn't left me much crafting time, so I managed to get 3 challenges into 1 card.
1st I've used "Scrappy's Sketch", over at Catch the Bug Challenge blog. Then I've taken the colour scheme from Digital Tuesdays Challenge #53, which is blue and white+1 other colour(I picked green). Actually I've used less white than I'd intended, hope no one minds? Kept getting inturupted by various family members. Why don't "mealtimes" exist during school hols? And the 3rd is the theme "April Showers" from Ooh-La-La Creations challenge #51.
Seriously loosing the plot now as they're "updating the X-box" which keeps disconnecting me from tinterweb. Is there a punctuation logo for "tearing my hair out!!!"
The Image I've used is called "Audrey in the rain" by Tracey Malnofski over at Epiphany Art.
Oh! They've given up on x-box update and decided to watch sport instead, so connection fine now, hoorah!!! Anyway, enough whining from me, at least it's not raining hahaha!
Love as always Gina x x x

Monday 5 April 2010

Easter Bunny


Hello everyone, todays card is for the Its A Crafter's Companion Challenge #7. They've just asked for a final Easter card, so I've incorporated it with this weeks Critter Sketch Challenge #8. They have provided a layout and requested the use of Gingham in some way. The gingham background paper, and the Peter Rabbit decoupage are both from the Crafter's Companion/ Beatrix Potter Collection/Peter Rabbit cd. The decoupage is actually on a rectangular background, so I shaped the base layer using an oval punch. I think it works quite well. The wavy border is a piece of brown bazzil with gold organza ribbon gathered behind it. Thr little green leaves are waste from a corner punch.
Love as always Gina x x x

Saturday 3 April 2010

Doodling Favourites



I've made this card today for Wendy at Digital Doodling , she is a lovely lady who has drawn many beautiful free images for us to use.
The images I've chosen are "Country Tilly" and "Little Bess", and I printed them in different sizes to make a family group.
I've combined them with 2 other challenges for this week, which are Sketch Saturday#97 "Terry's sketch", and Prairie Fairy Friday Fun week 13 "Texture". The sketch speaks for itself, and for texture I've used leather effect background paper, felt flower punched ribbon and cuttlebugged paisley folder bazzil. The figures are curled and mounted with silicone glue to give them dimension, and the little sentiment tag is layered. Some bling and a ribbon, job done!
Love as always Gina x x x

Friday 2 April 2010

Thank goodness it's Friday!





Never quite sure if I like school hols or not? On the one hand, no stressful mornings trying to get youngest to school on time, but on the other.... no that works for me, til he gets bored of course. But he's recently shown an interest in my copic markers so that gave me an excuse to buy some more haha!
The 1st card is for 2 challenges, Cute Card Thursday challenge 106, who wanted easter/oval or eggshapes, and MAWTT challenge#40, who gave us a sketch + pink and brown +ribbon. The easter bit of the challenge gave me chance to use another of Sliekje's images. Isn't he just adorable in pink?
The 2nd is for Bah Humbug! challenge 12, who asked us to make a card using some form of "embossing". I've used my cuttlebug to emboss the tree, and my Keepsake board to emboss the ribbon border. I then sanded lightly to highlight the images.
If your going away for the holidays, have a great time!
love as always Gina x x x

Thursday 1 April 2010

For Lynne





2 cards again today folks! 1 for a new challenge I found yesterday called "Flutter By Wednesday" who asked for a card using blue/green and white as your colour scheme. Their challenge rule is that your creation includes an Angel, a Fairy or a Butterfly, nice theme I thought, so it gave me chance to use this little guy from Sliekje, she has some really cute images for you to use so pop over and check them out. The text stamp is by Crafty Individuals, and the butterfly stamp from Joanna Sheen's Flower Fairy stamp collection.
The 2nd card is for Lynne, a very special lady who runs a craft shop I use. She gave some of us white felt flowers to play with last week, so I coloured it with chalk inks and overstamped with a large background print and adirondak winter sky. The image is this weeks freebie from Dezinaworld, so cute! It's a "thank you" to Lynne for encouraging me to use more vibrant colours, bold patterns, and bling, and for making me use pink! She's a lovely person who I'm proud to call friend!
Love as always Gina x x x