52 Cards Challenge wk6: using a collection pack

For this weeks challenge Nat asked us to use a collection pack to make a card. I do not have full collection packs and only a few 6x6 paper pads. Then last week I was naughty and purchased the Glitz Hello Again collection pack as I have had my eye on this for a while, and had intended to use this for the challenge. Then when I was over at my mums I noticed the Tilly Daydream collection she had brought have price. The images of this collection are so cute and even though the majority of them are autumninal or wintery there are a couple you could use all year round. So I changed my mind and "borrowed" some of the collection to make a birthday card for my friends daughter who is 6 in a couple of weeks. 

I matted the topper on to some gold mirror card and matted this onto some of the paper from the collection and then onto a kraft card blank. I used a Martha Stewart punch to punch some butterflies from some more paper from the collection and finally added some ribbon from my stash. 

Kitty Heaven

Once a month, or when we can, my friend Gemma & I set each other a sketch  which should include an element of that persons choosing. This month was Gemma's turn. She chose this sketch and said we had to include some bling

I looked through my photos and decided on two photos from my pre Christmas trip to London with my friend Nicola. The photos were taken in the toy department in Harrods where I was in Hello Kitty Heaven! 

I used a piece of 7 Dot Studio paper mounted onto pink card as my base which had a cool brick and mist effect on it. I decided to draw colours from the Elton John style Kitty (which I wished I'd brought) for my layout using papers from Echo Park, American Crafts and Dear Lizzy. On the reverse of the blue Echo Park paper were some chalkboard speech bubbles so I decided to cut two to add to my clusters. 

For my title I didn't have enough letters to make the title I wanted to use so I decided to colour some white Thickers with some Picked Raspberry Distress Paint I had just brought. Even though they are a bit patchy the colour matches perfectly. 

While trying to decide what bling to use I came across a pink flourish I've had for ages. As I was holding over my paper trying to figure out how to use it I noticed a section of it resembled a heart, so I cut it apart and used this on the layout.

52 Cards Wk5: Valentines Card

For this weeks 52 Cards Challenge Nat dived into her prompt jar and pulled out three prompts for us to use

The first idea which springs to mind on seeing these prompts is obviously Valentines Day. Luckily for me on Tuesday I room delivery of the Beloved paper pad from Fancy Pants which has some lovey dovey Valentines designs but also some which can be used all year round which is why I brought it (that and also to make my order of page protectors look more interesting lol). So using my new papers and some glitter card stock, once I could find it, I made this card for Ian. 

I didn't want it to be too pink as obviously it is for a guy and not for me lol, so I chose the blue triangle paper to sit with the gorgeous watercolour effect heart paper. I used some XCut nested heart dies to cut the hearts from glitter card, I've noticed in using my Big Shot more since making cards which is good. The heart trim is from a roll I've had in my stash for ages. The sentiment is made using Authentique letter stickers. 

A spot of Sunday baking

Remember last year when I said I was going to learn to bake and make a cake a month? Well me being me that never happened! I had other things going on leaving me with little time to myself but it was mainly due to me worrying that I would mess it up, it would taste awful and be a black burnt mess. That's the kind of person I am, I think about things too much rather than doing them. 

Then this week my dad had some test results back which showed he was borderline diabetic which made him reevaluate what he eats. He read that bananas contain a lot of sugar so the bunch he had brought for his weeks pack up was goring spare. A couple were turning very ripe and being a fan of banana bread I decided to have a go at making one. 

So I called on Queen Mary Berry and while it was pouring with rain this morning actually baked! Me Mrs can't cook, never learnt to cook! I'm rather chuffed with the finished result and can report it taste as good as it looks and smells. 

52 Cards Wk4: picture inspiration

This weeks prompt for the 52 card challenge is to draw inspiration from this picture 

I kept looking at this picture over and over again and kraft jumped out at me straight away as to did the lace doily. I was certain I would definetly run with these two ideas but I kept changing my mind and eventually made this card 

After looking through Pinterest I like cards with white embossed elements to them and as I want to use my embossing folders more I ran with this. I chose a polka dot folder as this mimicked the dots on the cookies and then instead of using a doily I used a Martha Stewart lace edge punch for a lace effect. 

Whilst deciding what to do all week I came across a pack of MME embellishments I had brought on impulse from Create & Craft some time ago but have never used. The embellishments picked up both the colour scheme and the small flowers from the picture so I added one of these along with some ribbon I received in an old kit but had never used. 

Ice cream in the park

Well my crafty mojo doesn't seem to be going anywhere at the moment and I like it! This week I've managed to do the weekly challenge over on UKS. This weeks challenge was set by the Scrap Apples who gave us a list of elements from which we had to choose three. The elements were: 

1. Hot tropical or warm summer colours

2. Ribbons or flowers

3. Birds or butterflies 

4. Sparkle and bling

5. Break open new stash after the holidays

6. Use your favourite photo from 2013

7. Ice cream 

8. Sand or water

9. Frame the photo

10. Scrap lift someone else's work

When I saw this list I knew straight away which photos I wanted to scrap. Last year when Jojo and I went to London we stopped and had an ice cream break on the deck chairs in St James's park. I then decided I wanted to use a sheet from the Hello Again collection from Carta Bella which came in a Kit, a collection I love! After pulling a sheet from Amy Tan which matched perfectly I made this layout. 

I couldn't fully decide which other element I wanted to use and as it turned out I went for two, butterflies punched with a Martha Stewart punch and some bling in the way if sequins. My title is made up from some glitter foam Thickers, stickers from Studio Calico Sundrifter & stickers from Authentique. I also used some coloured doilies from Dovecraft and cut Sparta from Elle's Studio. 

52 Card: Wk3 a birthday card for dad

This weeks prompt for the 52 card challenge is this sketch 

This is a nice clean sketch and I used it to make a quick cars for my dad's birthday which is today

I borrowed (well I say borrowed but it's not as if I can give it back lol) a Kanban topper from mum. I thought this suited dad well as he is an aging rocker/biker, and even though he's just turned 62 he recently had the Nirvana greatest hits cd for Christmas! I used a scrap of Echo Park Halloween paper to fit with the rock star theme. The small alphas are from Glitz Designs, I had to stick them onto another scrap so they would not get lost.