Just having fun...

Grabbing the odd half hour to play is a necessity for me....

as is grabbing a bargain, so when I got the chance to

 buy 4 sets of X-cut shadow box dies for under £36 I didn't

even try to resist(normal price £19.99 each)

I find theses sets are so useful as they cut apertures 

and can be used individually as well as to make scenes.

I like to make my own background card using inks on plain paper... 

 cos it's messy...and I love messy :D

 I cut the layers I wanted out of plan black card...

 I only used 3, and made the "sky" around the distant trees wider

 before sticking a bit of the "sky" backing card behind the windows 

to give the effect of reflection(or house lights).

 I also sent for some SO SUZY sentiment stamps last week....

*though postage charges from US made them twice the price*

worth every penny lol

 They even added a sweet freebie "Spring Time Hugs"

*what a lovely thing to do*

I will definitely be buying more...struggled to only choose 3 lol

and arrived in perfect time to have fun with a few challenges.

Combining:

The Paper Shelter Challenge #290 Sentimental

Shopping Our Stash #299 A Rose by any other name

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers # 82 E is for Elegant

Fab n Funky # 347 In the Garden

 Made using 

Tattered Lace dies 

My Paper Stash "Rosie's Delight"

So Suzy sentiment stamp

Enjoy :D XXX

Colour me Happy..

Did I say how much I love this time of year???

*even thought the leaves have hardly turned at all yet here*

This panel is inspired by the following challenges;

Passion For Promarkers # 368 All things Bright and Beautiful

(Autumn colours)

Tuesday Throwdown # 316 Festive Pumpkins

Through The Craft Room Door # Anything Goes

(this weeks sponsor Bugaboo stamps)

Paper Shelter Challenge # 269 Halloween

I started by building a scene with my X-cut Graveyard die set, 

using inks and the waste of the inner die to create a misty background.

 Next I replaced the waste for the top layer and added interest to the

outer frame by stamping with various plants and leaves...

 now that looks so much creepier to my eyes mwahahaha....

 Not exactly difficult choosing  "autumnal" colours with my

stash of Promarkers...

and I had a sweet little witch image from Bugaboo that I've been dying to use.

 The phrase "festive pumpkins" made my mind wonder to Christmas...

so my little witch is building a "snowman"  out of Pumpkins :D

So to those who stress over MY favourite celebration I say...

Enjoy :D XXX

Not so "clean" and simple...

Today's card was inspired by 3 challenges;

Passion for Promarkers # 364 Clean and Simple

Tuesday Throwdown # 312 Easel Card

and Shopping Our Stash #270 Fairies and Angels

 First I need to apologise for the photo quality...

I seem to have been a little shaky this morning.

This is supposed to show how I embossed the blank card

using Sheena Douglas' "Vine" folder.

 I stamped the "Rosehip" fairy

from Crafter's Companion Fairyopolis collection

 used a heart shaped X-cut die to cut it out...

 and coloured with my promarkers.

 I kept the colour palette pretty simple and used the blender pen 

to soften areas of her dress and the rosehips .

 I couldn't leave the white card white...

so I chose an ink that matched one of the pens

 adding it sparingly around the edges and over the embossed areas

To make the "stopper" I cut 3 small hearts,

layered them to make 1 thicker heart

and coloured to match the rosehips.

I real life it doesn't look as "scruffy",

but then I 'm not a particularly 

"clean and simple" person lol

Enjoy :D xxx

*now I am feeling the urge to make a doll...

with Tim Burton in mind*

Variety being the spice of life...

In case anyone was wondering, I do still make cards for special occasions.

 Next week is my MIL's 85th birthday, so I get to make something "pretty" :D

LOC's challenge this week is Hip to Be Square so that gave me my choice of shape.

 The trouble with having so much "stash" is that you forget what you have...

and I found this lovely collection of papers from Debbie Moore and one fit perfectly for the current challenge over at Crafting When We Can # Things with Wings.

 and I have just bought the "Graveyard scene" die set from X-Cut.

 Now I know what your thinking.."graveyard scene fr MIL's birthday card?"

 but you don't have to use all the layers.

I just cut the railings and the tree layer...

 to form a frame around the song bird on the background paper :D

 No MIL card is complete without a few flowers...

 so I coloured some paper ones with watered down inks

(top one was my tester)

 I used some pointy petals as leaves and gold liquid pearls to add texture and interest to the flower centres(as well as dotting patches on the flat background paper)

Just a little tag for now as I will personalise it after hubby has approved.

It is tricky taking photos of projects using mirror/satin card, but I hope you can still see the colours clearly.

Enjoy :D XXX