To Bead Or Not To Bead - WOYWW #202

That is the question!

And the answer.................most definitely yes, as you can see on my table today.

 If you’re wondering why on earth I’m showing you my table, it’s because it’s Wednesday and that that means it’s  What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday.
Follow the link to Julia’s blog, you can join in too.

Anyway, back to my desk and a complete change of direction for me this week.

I’ve been looking out for some Blue and Green costume Jewellery for my holiday and while I was out shopping a week or so ago I came across the almost perfect set in M & S. A necklace and bracelet in just the right shades, but I say almost perfect because I was also looking for a couple of pairs of earrings to match and couldn’t find anything.

In the end extravagance got the better of me and I ended up buying two sets of the Jewellery , only to pull one set apart to make the said earrings and possibly another bracelet or two.

You’ll notice from the picture that I’ve also pulled out some Blue and Green beads from my stash, which I’ll try and incorporate into the bracelets.

I’ve hit a problem though and am not making very much progress at the moment because on looking through my bead box I realised that I don’t have any small jump rings, so I may need to pop to Hobby craft or The Range before I can actually finish them off, but as you can see I’ve got two pairs of ‘dangles’ ready and waiting to be attached to the findings.

I did also managed a couple of cards this week.

First, the 60th Birthday card I was about to start on last week for a friend.

I think the birthday boy liked it and the celebration meal on Saturday evening went down well……..especially the cupcakes that his daughters gave him!

The second card is very simple design that I've made loads of times and is very versatile.  It's for my Goddaughters birthday tomorrow.

Well, that’s it for another week, I’ll be stopping by your desk later to see what you’ve been up to.

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your comments, I love reading them all.

Happy Crafting!

Sue

x

Feeling Old

At the start of October my big brother will be sixty five and he’s decided to take retirement.

He made the decision to pack up this year after the firm he works for moved premises, which changed his five minute commute to a forty-five minute one on a day  (which are few and far between) and up to an hour and twenty minutes on a bad one, which turned out to be most days.

I  am pleased for him because he really hates all the extra time spent traveling but the thought that he's retiring makes me realize that we are the older generation now, which is not a nice thought. But then again, there’s nine years between us and I’m still the ‘baby’ of the family really so I guess I shouldn’t let it get to me too much…….not yet, anyway!

So, with his birthday and retirement in mind I need to make two card for him and there’s also the possibility that my other brother will ask me to do the same for him too, so this morning I thought I’d get a head of the game, just in case.

For my starting point I decided to use this template from the Here Come The Boys  challenge.

I thought I would go with a vintage feel and have used up lots of my old stash, some of which has been hanging around since I started making cards seven years ago, like the lovely old car.
That was a sheet from a book of Heritage Vellums by Hot Off The Press.

Other old stash includes the papers that are from the DCWV 'The Natural Stack', the tiny brads and the three buttons which I've given a makeover to by colouring them with Promarkers.


I’m entering this into the following challenges:-

Hooked On Craft– Cards for men

Kaboodle Doodles – Tribute to Someone Older 

I actually love the sketch so much that I made another birthday card using it but I can’t link this one to any of the above challenges because it doesn’t fit the brief, but I just wanted to share it with you.

For this one I’ve used a scrap of old ‘In the Meadow’ paper from Daisy Bucket and combined it with some of the new Craftworks Cards Distressed Pad and also a greeting and some paper from their Sweet Pea Collection.


Thanks for stopping by and ..............

Happy Crafting!

Sue
x

On A Roll!

Well I’ve definitely taken up the challenge and am on a roll, so here’s another card in the same shades of Blue for the Creative Craft Challenges 2 and Tuesday Throwdown challenges.



I’ve used another stamp that was free with Craft Stamper, embossed the image with clear embossing powder and added some flat backed pearls that I’ve coloured with Promarkers.

Happy Crafting!
Sue
x

Very pleased to say my card was the randon picked winner of the challenge.....Yah!

Monochromatic - Hip to be Square

I always find monochromatic cards a bit of a challenge so when I saw that  Creative Craft Challenges 2  had that as their theme this week I just had to give it a go.

Here’s what I came up with:-

It was simply water coloured squares that were matted on Blue card. I've then stamped and embossed the flowers (Free Craft Stamper stamp) and mounted them on 3D foam over the top.
It's finished off with a Craftworks Cards greeting in the centre.

I'm also linking  this card to  Tuseday Throwdown - where the theme is 'Hip to be Square'

Happy Crafting!

Sue

x

Hydrangea

I’ve been playing around this afternoon with a stamp that I’ve not used for such a long time that I had to clean about half inch of dust off of it before I could ink it up.

Ok, that is a bit of an exaggeration, Lol, but it must be more than a year ago that I used it last and I don’t know why because I really love this stamp. It’s ‘Hydrangea’ by Rubber Stampede and it lends itself to so many different projects but today I made a simple birthday card

My starting point was this sketch from Sunday Sketch and Stamp.

The image was stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and then coloured with Promarkers and some Stickles for a touch of sparkle.

It’s then been layered over a Papermania ‘Book Print’ background sheet that’s been coloured with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink, a plain White piece of card that’s been embossed in the Couture Creations ‘Waterfall’ folder and a band cut using a Martha Stewart punch which has an Organza ribbon and bow tied around it.

For the finishing touches I’ve added a birthday greeting and a Peel-Off butterfly which has been stuck onto Acetate, coloured with Promarkers and finished off with some more Stickles.

As well as Sunday Sketch and Stamp I'm also entering this into the following challenges:-

The Stamp Man - Anything goes / Summer Colours
Penny Black and More- Summer Blooms
Frosted Designs Stamping
Crafty Ribbons Photo Inspiration

Thanks for stopping by and........................

Happy Crafting!
Sue
x

More Flowers

It’s all this rain we’re getting….it’s making the flowers bloom faster, Lol!

Actually I’ve made another card for Crafty Cardmaker’s and Crafty Calendar, where the challenges are Handmade flowers and Flowers in Bloom.

This time it's an easel style in shades of Pink.
 


 
I've used large White Papermania blooms for the base of my flowers and given them a good going over with Distress Inks and Glimmer Mist. I then cut some Hydrangea flowers using a couple of Martha Stewart punches and built them up on top, finishing with an Opaline just for good measure.

Have a great day and thanks for your visit.

Happy Crafting!

Sue

x

Say it with Flowers!

And that’s exactly what I’m doing with this card. 

It's made using my recently purchased Marianne die and has flowers with handmade elements making it eligible for the challenge over at Crafty Cardmaker’s where the challenge is to create your own flowers and Crafty Calendar Challenge where the theme is Flowers in Bloom.


It's for an 80th birthday and is made using my favorite base material, Acetate. I can’t get enough of this at the moment and I’ve decided that I’m going to make some of my Christmas cards this year using it.

The larger flowers have been die cut, embossed and inked and them smaller die cut rolled roses adhered to the centers and finished with some Stickles for that added sparkle.

Thanks for stopping by and …………..

Happy Crafting!

Sue

x


Edit

I'm pleased to report that my card was chosen as the winner of the Crafty Cardmakers challenge.

WOYWW #157 - Shopping…..don’t you just hate it!

Nearly forgot to do my WOYWW post today as I’ve been out shopping for ribbon and after trawling the shops most of the morning I come back without any.

There’s a little stall in the inside market in Romford that I like to get my reels of ribbon from and I went over there on Monday only to find it was closed, so I’ve been back this morning and still no luck. Hobbycraft didn’t have any either which leads me to believe there’s been a run on White satin ribbon for some reason, so now I’m just going to order it on line and have done with it.

But having made the trip especially to get the ribbon, there was no way I was coming back totally empty handed so I treated myself…as you do…..to a couple of new Marianne dies, just to cheer myself up.

You can just see them sitting on the corner of my table, waiting to be played with.

I stocked up on some Acetate sheets too because I seem to have an addiction to making acetate cards at the moment………you’ll see what I mean in a minute!


Monday was my last crafting day with Lythan and we had a lovely time together.

As mentioned last week, I took some card kits that I’d put together with me to make up, two of which were acetate cards.

Then I made this one when I got back home but it's not quite finished.  I still need to add a '60' to the little square panel in the centre.

Last but not least I have to thank Annie and Jo for the beautiful dumfling ATC’s that arrived in the post last week.

Annie's is the White flowers on the Blue background and Jo's Red on the Green background

They are absolutly beautiful girls and I will treasure them and add them to my little collection of your work that I already have. 

I wasn’t actually going to take part in the swap this time but both these lovely ladies were happy to send to me and be patient enough to wait for a little something in return from me in a week or two, so thank you so much girls.

I’ve already made a start on the ones I’ll be sending, so you shouldn’t have much longer to wait.


So that’s it for another week.
It’s weigh in at Slimming World tomorrow and after the weekend celebrations I’m really not looking forward to getting on those scales, in fact, I’m seriously considering giving it a miss and spending the morning over at The Stamping Ground visiting everyone’s desks instead……….do you think they’ll miss me!


Have a good week until next time.
Happy Crafting!

Sue

x

Panic Stations! WOYWW #145 & Daring Cardmaker's

Yep, it was most definitely panic stations at 8pm last night here at Sue's Krafty Kards, when I managed to chuck a cup of Black coffee all over the Beige carpet in my lounge.

I had just made the drink and settled myself down with some stitching when I thought to myself, if I didn’t move the cushion I'm leaning against it was going to fall over the arm of the sofa.  No sooner than the thought crossed my mind, that’s exactly what happened, taking the full cup of coffee with it.

I mopped it up as best I could with loads of cold water…….do you think I remember what’s the best thing to use on coffee spills.......….and then phoned the carpet cleaner guy who used to do dads carpets for him and he came out first thing this morning and treated the spill for me. It looks like it’s all come out but it’s hard to tell while it’s still wet. He didn’t have time this morning but he’s coming back next week to clean the whole carpet for me, so hopefully it will look as good as new when it's done.

Anyway, on to why I’m here and as we all already know Wednesday means a day of blog hopping around the craft desks, kitchen tables and floors for the craft world to see what everyone is busy working on this week.
Julia has all the details of how to join in over at   The stamping ground   so why not pay her a visit and join in the fun.


My own desk has the remnants of a little challenge I set myself this week.

When I made this card on Sunday I got out four coordinating 12 x 12 papers from my MME ‘Complete Boy’ stack and also one sheet of 12 x 12 from the Costco kit to use for some matting.

Incidentally Sandee  was saying that she would like to see the layering close up, so here you go Sandee.

I’m not sure that it shows up very well in the picture but there are four different layers there.


So as I was saying, I made the card and instead of putting the remaining papers away again I decided that I would try and use them up straight away and made six more cards.

I’ve used some Rub-On’s on these first two that I brought what must be around five years ago and put away in the cupboard because I didn’t know what to use them on.
As it happens the colours in them are a great match for the papers, so maybe I must have been subconsciously saving them for this moment.  I’m really pleased with them anyway!

I’m linking this one to the  Daring Cardmakers  challenge this week which is all about 'Tessellation'.  Basically it means creating a pattern with shapes that fit together on all sides and the background layer of this card is made using 9 x 4cm squares.

On the next one I’ve used the TH tattered Flower die as the main focal point.

My final three cards are a copy of a fab design by Jo Kill that was in Papercraft Essential recently. Hope you didn’t mind me high jacking your design Jo?

I did email Jo yesterday to ask if it was ok to show these, seeing as it’s her design but as yet I’ve had no reply so I hope it’s ok.

I’ve made mine so that each one opens a different way. 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a 'Crafty' week ahead.

Sue
x

Sir Stampalot Challenge

My last card this evening is for the Sir Stampalot challenge this month.

Their theme is “In the Garden” so I think my butterflies and flowery background should just scrape through!

For this one I thought I would have a little go at one of the Distress Stain techniques in the last Craft Stamper.
You have to cover the card with your chosen colours of stain and while it’s still wet you ink your stamp with Picket Fence Distress Stain and stamp over the top.
As it dries it seems to sink below the coloured ink.

This card also uses an old template from CPS, which I've turned on it's side.

Going Buggy Challenge #2

I’m on a roll this evening and finished another challenge card.

This one’s for Going Buggy and the theme this month is Lace and Butterflies.

I just happen to have two beautiful butterfly stamps that stack together and I’ve not used them for a while so I’ve given them an airing.

I’ve stamped with VersaMark and embossed with fine Gold embossing powder and then coloured them with a combination of Pearl Ex-Press Watercolor paints and Promarkers.

My lace border was cut using a Martha Stewart “punch around the page” set and I’ve used an old template from CPS

Talking of Promarkers, Enfys also has a fab prize draw over at Going Buggy thanks to Letraset.

It’s not Promarkers, but the new Flexmarkers, …….a whole set…….that’s 90 pens……… and the colours match the Promarkers perfectly apparently, so a nice addition to have if I’m lucky enough to win them.

Waltzing Mouse Challenge #85

Waltzing Mouse    have a fab template challenge  this week.

It’s ages since I’ve played along so I thought I would join in and given the unusual tempretures we’re having at the moment,  I was inspired to go with pretty Spring colours and flowers.

As you can see, I’ve flipped the template round 90 degrees and used the border and flowers stamps from the Waltzing Mouse “Say It With Style” set of stamps.

Monochromatic

Monochromatic describes paintings, drawings, design or photographs in one colour of varying shades of one colour and that’s exactly what the challenge over at Sir Stampalot Challenge Blog is this week.

As you can see I’ve gone Pink tones, inking directly onto the card and stamping over the top, which is something I don’t do very often.



Ingredients:
Stamps
Artemio - Modern Grasses
Craft Stamper – Free Flower Stamp

Inks, Paints & PensRanger – Distress Ink (Victorian Velvet, Tattered Rose & Spun Sugar)

SundriesCraft Creations – White Hammer Cardstock
The Range – Smooth White Card
Anita’s – Tiny Gems
Craftwork Cards – Birthday Greeting
The Paper Studio – Pearl Brad
Dovecraft – Glitter Glue (Crystal)
Ribbon
Blooms