For my mother-in-law

Good morning

Today I thought I would share the card I made for my mother-in-law for Mother's Day. She reads my blog so I have waited a few days to make sure she sees it before I post it.

For this card I have used - 

• ivory centura pearl
• papers from Sara's signature collection - Shabby Chic
• Tattered Lace tri fold card die
• Tonic's bountiful bouquet corner die
• Sara's signature collection - Shabby Chic lace doily and classic lily die sets
• Sara's signature collection - Shabby Chic cherished memories stamp and die set
• Sara's signature collection - Shabby Chic buttons and linen script ribbon

I cut the lilies twice, shaped them, layered them up and added some distress ink to the outer edges.

I added the Tonic corners to opposite corners of the card.

I used both the 6 inch and 12 inch paper pads from Sara's Shabby Chic collection.

Thank you for stopping by today.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Happy Mother's Day

Good Sunday morning folks

And a very happy mothering Sunday to all you mums and grandmas out there.

This is the card I made to give my mum - 

My mum loves Hunkydory cards so whilst on a recent visit to my son in Preston I visited Inspirations and bought this kit.

For this card I have used - 

• Hunkydory's special days - A relaxing day card kit
• silver mirri
• silver gems

It is a busy weekend here in the UK as the clocks went forward an hour and now it is Mother's Day. As it is early my children are not yet awake but I do hope they have remembered.....

Enjoy your day

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Four little unicorns

Good morning folks

Today's card is another made for one of my daughter's friends. This time the request was unicorns so this is what I made - 

I used Stamping Bella's set of unicorns and unicorn sentiments and coloured them with the following Spectrum Noir Colourblend pencils - 

• taupe, pewter, smoke, petal, sangria, cranberry, fuchsia, tangerine, poppy, rose red, seafoam and carnation

I also used - 

• watercolour card
• white linen card
• pink core'dinations
• Spellbinder's circles and scalloped circles nesties
• Spellbinder's classic rectangles marge dies
• Embossalicious clouds embossing folder

I made the background ages ago and have completely forgotten what I used to create the background, sorry.

Thank you for stopping by today.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Primrose Lane

Hello folks

A while ago I bought this kit from Hunkydory with a view to making it into a birthday card for my uncle. I will share the card I made for him after his birthday but I wanted to share the other cards I made with the kit -

For all of these cards I have used - 

• Hunkydory's Primrose Lane - A village stroll card kit
• gold mirri
• white linen card
• kraft card
• gold gems

I love Hunkydory's kits. They always make such amazing cards in a very short space of time.

Thank you for stopping by today.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Always be yourself

Hello folks

The decorators have finished - yipee. We are just waiting for the carpet fitters now although they are unable to come until next week so a little while to wait yet. Now I just need to get new curatins and light fittings.
Here is another recent make - 

I made this little 5 inch square card using a cute little stamp set called Unicorn sentiments from Stamping Bella. I stamped the unicorn onto Neenah card and coloured with Spectrum Noir pens and Sparkle pens - 

• unicorn - DP2, DP3, DP4, IG1, IG3, IG5, cosmos and crystal clear Sparkle pens
• sky - moonstone
• ground - sterling silver and crystal clear

 I also used - 

• matt black card
• white/hint of silver centura pearl
• canteloupe Memento ink
• scrap of patterned paper from my stash

I added a shadow of crystal clear Sparkle pen but it looks a bit odd on this photograph. It does work in real life I promise.

That's all from me today.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Epic birthday

Good morning

How are you? Work is still on going in our house but the decorators will only be with us for one more day and then we just have to wait for the carpet fitter to arrive. 

I have been trying my hand at a mixed media canvas which is at the white stage - not really sure how to proceed now. Do I splodge paint on or should I spritz with ink? I just keep staring at it hoping inspiration will strike.......

Now onto my card for today. This is a card made for my youngest son's friend who was 12 - 

I have used - 

• Sara's signature collection Just for men urban paper pad
• Neenah desert storm 
• scraps of black, silver, red, blue, yellow and green card
• Die-namics game controller die
• Die-namics game on stamp set
• X-cut stars die
• Tonic star strip die

This die is great for raiding your scrap box.

I stamped the sentiment onto Neenah desert storm card and then cut out in a banner shape.

Thank you for stopping by today

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Love life

Good morning everyone

Well the carpet is now booked so it is all systems go to get everything completed before he arrives. I am getting excited now, it has been a long time aince we had any major work done on our house and although I hate the mess it creates it is wonderful when it is finished.

I am going to try and tackle a mixed media canvas to complete our room so today I am going to be playing with ink, stencils and texture paste - wish me luck.

Today's card is a recent make for my husband's teenage neice - 

For this card I have used - 

• Sheena's A little bit sketchy Live stamp set
• watercolour card
• Spectrum Noir Sparkle pens - fig, macaroon and crystal clear
• white linen card
• matt black card
• Sheena's Day of the Dead floral fiesta stamp and die set
• Textures snow embossing folder from Crafter's Companion
• dazzler from the Hobby House

I stamped and heat embossed the sentiment onto watercolour card which I coloured using the splodging technique.

For the background I coloured lines of colour onto the watercolour card with my Sparkle pens and then applied water to move the ink around the card. Once it was dry I ran it through the embossing folder and then sanded the colour back.

That's all from me today folks. Enjoy your Sunday.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Purple haze

Good Saturday morning to you all

Our home improvements are moving on a pace. 50% of the decorating is complete and the carpet man is on his way to measure up for carpets and wooden flooring. The house is in chaos and although my craft room is always messy I struggle having a whole house of chaos. No matter how hard I try I cannot keep the house tidy. But the end is in sight (or so I keep telling myself) and by Easter I am hoping to have it all complete.

Because of the chaos, and indeed to escape it, I have been hiding in my craft room whenever possible so I have lots to show you over the next few days.

My mum loves Hunkydory cards so for her Mother's day card I purchase a new kit. I made 4 cards from the kit (I'll share my mum's card once I have given it to her) and these are the other 3 - 

For this DL card I have used - 

• Hunkydory's Special days - A relaxing day card kit
• silver mirri
• silver butterfly charm from the Ribbon Girl

A second DL card made using - 

• Hunkydory's Special days - A relaxing day card kit
• silver mirri
• silver gems
• Spellbinder's sentiments 2 die set

And finally a 5 inch square card made using - 

• Hunkydory's Special days - A relaxing day card kit
• silver mirri
• silver gems

Thank you for stopping by today

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Anything with wings

Good morning folks and a very happy Friday

There is a new challenge at Alphabet Challenge and this fortnight it is - 

Anything with wings

This is my card for the challenge - 

I have used Flights of Fantasy - Niamh stamp by Morgan Fitzsimons (available from Crafter's Companion) which I have coloured with Spectrum Noir pens, pencils and Sparkle pens - 

• skin - FS2, FS4, FS9, CR2, TN2, saddle brown and peach
• dress - HB1, HB2, HB3 and violet pearl
• hair - GB8, GB10, EB8 and coffee bean
• wings - crystal clear, boudoir and sterling silver Sparkle pens
• flowers - CT1, CT4, GB5, OR1, BO4, JG1, JG4, cinnamon and canary jade
• lips - CR1 and CR5
• sky - TB1

I have also used - 

• lilac centura pearl
• white linen card
• Paper flowers paper pad from First Edition
• scraps of white core'dinations
• Spellbinder's grand decorative ovals 1 die set
• Spellbinder's botanical bliss labels 54 decorative elements die set
• Sara's signature collection - Shabby chic chic butterflies die
• Tonic's Nuvo drops - bright gold
• silver gems from my stash

Butterflies cut from scraps of white core'dinations.

I do hope you can join our challenge this fortnight, why not pop over to the website (here) to see what the rest of the team have made.

Thank you for stopping by today

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Happy Birthday

Hello folks

A little while ago I bought the new Tonic magazine, mainly to see what free gifts were included and whether it was worth the £12.99 price tag. The die included was substantial, the papers were of a good quality and the stamps stamped perfectly everytime. Two embossing folders were included but I haven't used them yet. The magazine itself is packed with ideas on how to use your free gifts and there are only a few adverts. I would definetly consider buying this magazine again.

Here is one of the cards I made using the magazine and it's free gifts - 

I have used - 

• free gifts from Tonic Design Collection magazine issue 1
• Tattered Lace pearl flourish 8
• Sara's signature collection - English Country Garden grand floral die
• Tonic layering circles and scalloped circle die sets
• gem from my stash

In the magazine the card had a ribbon bow on it but I decided to add a few die cuts instead.

Even the sentiment came with the magazine.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenge - 

http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk - ladies and girls

Thank you for stopping by today

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Metal work

Good morning everyone

I treated myself to a few of Sheena's word stamps recently and this is one of the cards I made whilst playing with the stamps. I was inspired by the Inkoids boards on Pinterest.

For my card I have used - 

• matt black card
• platinium centura pearl
• Pebeo silver renaissance gold and old gold gilding wax
• Textures pebbles embossing folder from Crafter's Companion
• Sheena's A little bit sketchy - Live stamp set
• Sheena's Time traveller geared up die set
• silver embossing powder

I heat embossed the sentiment onto matt black card

Thank you for stopping by today

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Inky fun

Good Sunday morning

I have bounced back from my disappointment by crafting and playing with my stash and this is what I made using my Spectrum Noir Aqua pens to create the background -

I have used - 

• watercolour card
• Spectrum Noir Aqua pens - sunflower, evergreen and bud green to create the background
• silver embossing powder
• Penny Black dance, sing, love stamp
• Indigoblu wild meadow stamp set
• black and green core'dinations

 I heat embossed the sentiment and dandelions with silver embossing powder.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenge - 

http://sirstampalotchallenge.blogspot.co.uk - close to nature

Thank you for stopping by today

Crafty hugs

Lesley

When is a gift tag not a gift tag?

Answer - when it is a card!

Hello again. Yes I know I am spoiling you with two posts in one day but there is method in my madness. Yesterday I recieved an email and unfortunately my time on the Spectrum Noir TV design team is up. So I am sharing my last ever samples for the DT and here it is......

I have used - 

• Modern Mandala foil transfers
• rose gold foil
• Colourista dark exquisite florals pencil pad
• Spectrum Noir metallic pencils - rose gold and green
• matt black card
• rose coloured mirri card
• Go Kreate tags #1 die set
• Sara's signature collection - English country garden flutter away die
• Embossalicious Flutterby butterfly embossing folder
• Sara's signature collection - birthday party scattered dots embossing folder
• black ribbon and pearl from my stash

Hopefully I have left the team on a high. It has been great fun and I have really enjoyed being part of this team. I will continue to use my Spectrum Noir products as I do really love my pens and pencils but now my colouring will be purely for pleasure.

Thank you so much for stopping by today.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Foiled hearts

Good morning folks and a very happy Saturday to you all

Today's card is another sample I made for Sara's recent HSN 

shows - 

For this card I have used - 

• Modern mandalas foil transfers 
• silver foil
• matt black card
• silver mirri board
• Spectrum Noir metallic pencils - blue, green, light blue and silver
• Die'sire essentials hearts dies
• Sara's signature collection - Love and romance - In love embossing folder
• silver gems from my stash

Thank you for stopping by today

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Crafter's Companion Foil transfers

Good morning folks

Friday already, the weeks are flying by. Spring has definitely sprung, most of the daffodils in my garden are blooming and the mornings are getting lighter which always lifts my spirits.

My hospital trip went well, the problem is fixable and in no way sinister which was a huge relief. I am just waiting for an appointment for some vocal training.

This week Sara has been on HSN in America launching some foil transfers and foil from Crafter's Companion. This is one of the samples I made for the shows - 

I have used - 

• modern mandala foil transfers
• rose gold foil
• matt black card
• pink mirri board
• Spectrum Noir metallic pencils - pink and green
• Die'sire Rosie create-a-card die
• Sara's signature collection - English country garden - flutter away die
• Sara's signature collection - birthday party - scattered dots embossing folder
• Die'sire Oval accordian create-a-card die 
• pearl from stash

I am sure that Crafter's Companion will be bringing these transfers and foils to Hochanda soon.

Enjoy the rest of your Friday

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Side stepping

Hello folks

Happy hump day. I am off to the hospital today for some investigation work into my dodgy throat and voice. Hopefully they will be able to tell me why I keep losing my voice.

Today's is another half term project made using my die collection only - 

I have used - 

• Crafter's Companion's side stepper card blank
• Die'sire create-a-card Birthday star die
• Sara's Signature collection - Just for men urban paper pad
• Die'sire esstentials star dies
• white linen card (from Crafter's Companion)
• tea dye distress ink

I cut directly into the card base, embossed and then inked through the die to add definition.

That's all from me today. Enjoy your day.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Dance, sing, love

Hello and a very happy Sunday to you all

It has been a while hasn't it? We are currently having some home improvements so my craftroom is no longer available to craft in. There is stuff everywhere, the house is in chaos but hopefully the final result will be worth all the mess.

Today's card is one I made during my recent break from school - 

For this card I have used - 

• Penny Black's Dance, sing, love stamp
• Pretty Posy paper pad from First Edition
• Green core'dinations card
• Spellbinder's Botanical Bliss label 55 and decorative elements die sets
• Tonic's dotty lace border punch
• ribbon and pearls from my stash
• spun sugar distress ink

I would like to enter this card into the following challenge -

http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.co.uk - anything goes

Thank you so much for stopping by today.

Crafty hugs

Lesley