End of a busy week (nearly)

Good afternoon folks

Well it is nearly the last day of my half term holiday and what a busy week it has been. I have put the garden to bed for the winter, scrubbed my house, caught up with my ironing backlog, bought new winter clothes (although I am struggling with buying some new work tops - being of a certain age I cannot wear jumpers during the winter but that is all that is for sale in most of the shops - I need short sleeved tops!), had a much needed hair cut and most importantly of all done some crafting. Lots of Christmas cards to be honest, I just need to photograph them all now.
Today's card is the last card made using my Crafter's Companion 3D embossing folders - 

For this card I have kept it nice and simple and have used - 

• Poinsettia 3D embossing folder
• matt black card
• gold glitter card
• gold mirri card
• Gemini festive words 1
• Pebeo gilding wax

I am back off into my craftroom now; Fiona is on the telly and I have a card to make for my youngest son's birthday.

Enjoy your day.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Wonderful wishes

Happy Monday folks

Yes I know - two posts in as many days! Well I am on half term holidays!!!!

Yesterday was my mum's birthday and this is the card I made for her - 

This was quite a tricky card to photograph because of the acetate front so here is a flat shot - 

I have used - 

• Hunkydory's floral favourites deco-large - floral fancy
• gold mirri card
• acetate
• gold gems from my stash

A close up of the decoupage.

I am once again running mum's taxi service; this time I am off to the airport to drop off my eldest. Then I think I try and do a little crafting.

Enjoy your day

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Two fer

Good Sunday evening to you all

Apologies for the lateness of this post I have been running Mum's taxi service today along with all the other Sunday chores. 

I have yet another Christmas card for you today but I thought I would spoil you and share not one but two Christmas cards - 

Here is the first - 

This is another card made using 3D embossing folders from Crafter's Companion. This is a list of the products I used - 

• decorative holly 3D embossing folder from Crafter's Companion
• Spectrum Noir metallic markers - burnished copper, silver ingot, jade green, green citrine red garnet and pewter
• silver Pebeo gilding wax
• matt black card
• jade centura pearl
• Sara's signature collection luxury matt and glitter card
• Gemini festive words 1

And this is the second card -

For this card I have used - 

• decorative holly 3D embossing folder (again)
• gold Pebeo gilding wax
• matt black card
• gold mirri 
• black ribbon from my stash

Well I must dash as I am missing Strictly. Have a good week.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Let it snow

Hello folks from a very wet and miserable Manchester.

What a difference in the weather this week. We have gone from summer to autumn and now we have winter all in the space of one week. Consequently I am snuggled up in my crafteroom trying to tidy it and then make a couple of cards that I need for next week.

Today's card is another Christmas one - 

For this card I have used - 

• matt black card
• Sara's signature collection Winter wonderland luxury matt mirri card
• Shimmering snowflakes 3D embossing folder from Crafter's Companion
• blue topaz Spectrum Noir metallic pen
• Pebeo silver gilding wax
• Die'sire Let it snow die
• Spellbinder's snowflake view die set
• gems and ribbon from my stash

I coloured the small snowflakes and the centre of the medium sized snowflakes with the metallic pen and used gilding wax everywhere else.

Well those cards are not going to make themselves. Have a lovely Sunday.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

3D poinsettias

Good morning folks

Well I didn't manage to make any cards yesterday on national cardmaking day but I am in my craftroom today. I am not however, making cards - doing alterations. Something I hate doing as you always uncover some dodgey stitchery mess whenever you unpick something. I would rather make a garment from scratch than alter a shop bought one. but they are for my dad so I will persist.

Today's card is one I made over the summer - 

I have used a Crafter's Companion 3D embossing folder which I then coloured with my Spectrum Noir metallic pens (love these pens!!) The products I have used are -

• Poinsettia frame 3D embossing folder from Crafter's Companion
• Spectrum Noir metallic pens - pewter, burnished copper, red garnet, silver ingot, jade green, green citrine and gold nugget
• Gemini festive words 1 die set
• matt black card
• gold mirri
• jade centura pearl

This is a really simple card to make but the effect is stunning (even if I do say so myself).

Right, that's your lot for today. Back to my sewing machine. Enjoy your Sunday and thanks for stopping by.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Timeless

Good afternoon folks

Happy cardmaking day! I would love to say that I'll be crafting today but unfortunately I have some chores to complete before I can retire to my little piece of crafting heaven.

This is a card I made for my brother-in-laws birthday - 

In the summer I visited Phil Martin's shop in Sheffield and this card is based on one of the cards on display in the shop. I have used - 

• Phil Martin's timeless classic background stamp
• Phil Martin's timeless small square frame stamp
• Phil Martin's timeless small oval frame stamp - the sentiment only
• Phil Martin's boxed in stencil
• Cosmic Shimmer texture paste - copper
• Cosmic Shimmer metallic gilding polish - copper
• Copper detail embossing powder
• matt black card
• wooden embellishments from my stash

I rubbed the gilding polish over the black card to create the copper card. I did this so that the shades of copper would match and as all the mirri card I had in my stash just wasn't quite right.

I stamped all the stamps with Versamark and then heat embossed the copper detail embossing powder.

That's all from me today folks. I hope you are able to enjoy some crafting time on this special day for all of us crafty folk.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Happy Anniversary

Good afternoon folks

How are we all? I am spending my Sunday catching up with household chores and my blogging. Today's card is a wedding anniversary card I made for my sister-in-law - 

I have used - 

• kraft card (to make the card base and cut the champagne bottle)
• Sara's signature collection - rustic wedding 6 inch paper pad
• Crafter's Companion's rose garden embossing folder (to emboss the front of the card blank)
• Tattered Lace ornamental hearts die
• Tattered Lace love is in the air sentiments die set
• Tattered Lace champagne bottle die
• Tattered Lace champagne glasses
• lace and pearls from my stash

I removed all the flowers and foliage from around the champagne glasses.

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

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Christmas snowflakes

Good morning folks

I do hope this post finds you well. I am sat in my dressing gown watching the lovely Lisa from Creative Expressions on Hochanda, browsing through my card photos and I have discovered a whole load of cards that I have not yet shown you. I started my Christmas cards in the summer holidays and this is one of the easier ones I made - 

I have just noticed how wonky that looks - I hope it is just the camera angle! For this card I have used - 

• matt black card (from Crafter's Companion)
• gold glitter card (from Crafter's Companion)
• gold matt mirri (from Crafter's Companion)
• Shimmering snowflakes 3D embossing folder (from Crafter's Companion)
• Pebeo antique gold gilding wax
• Downton Abbey ornate oval frame die (from Crafter's Companion)
• Gemini festive words 1 die set (from Crafter's Companion)
• Spellbinder's snowflake die
• black organza ribbon from my stash

 I love these 3D embossing folders but have only just realized that I was using the wrong sandwich in my Gemini, thank you Fiona. It should be one clear cutting plate, magnetic shim and thin plastic mat. I was using just the cutting plate and the pastic shim so the emboss is not quite as deep as it should be.

I think I was possibly a little heavy handed with the gilding wax it some areas of the embossing. I need to remember less is more.

That's all from me today folks. Enjoy your Saturday whatever you are upto - I am off to buy new curtains for my Hubby's study.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Another Oops

Good afternoon folks

Well I am late again for my Alphabet Challenge blog post. Wouldn't mind but I have had it made for ages and the photo submitted. The days just run away from me, I lose track of dates and times all the time - it is awful. Do not know what is wrong with me, I used to be such an organised person but now my life is chaos and I never know what day it is or why I am stood in a room. 

Anyway enough of my memory issues, here is my (belated) DT card for the new challenge at Alphabet Challenge Blog - 

 The new challenge is M for monkey. I have used monkey fun stamp from Your Next Stamp which I coloured with Spectrum Noir Sparkle pens - 

• crystal clear, smoked quartz, cosmos, rose quartz, moonstone and pink champagne 

I also used - 

• Sheena's stamping card (for the background)
• clear embossing powder
• Sheena's Sparkle pens - warm basil, green pickle and glacial pines (for the background)
• white linen card
• Tomic layering circles die set

I made the backing paper using Sheena's stamping card and Sparkle pens, heat embossing the leaves with clear embossing powder and applying the Sparkle pens mixed with glycerine. I then coloured the leaves with a darker green Sparkle pen.

That's all from me today folks. I am off to tackle the housework and make some more late cards!!

Enjoy your weekend

Lesley

PS. why not pop over to the Alphabet Challenge blog and see what my fellow teamies have made for the challenge. Maybe join in the fun too. You can reach the blog here.

A floral favourite

Good afternoon

Sorry for my blogging silence. I am back and work now and have had to have lots of early nights to prepare myself for work each day. Those 6 weeks holiday certainly take some getting over!

Today's card is a commission I made some time ago but I always like to delay posting them for as long as possible to give the person chance to send it to the recipient.

 The front of the card is half acetate which is difficult to photograph so I have included a flat shot too (below).

Flat shot.

For this card I have used - 

• Hunkydory's Floral Favourites pretty in pink deco-large
• Hunkydory's Floral delights card stack
• Hunkydory's Floral delights inserts and paper pack
• Hunkydory's construction weight acetate
• white Centura Pearl
• gold mirri card

Closer detail of the deco-large.

As the deco-large was so deep I made a box instead of an envelope. I decorated the box using the Floral delights paper pad.

Flat shot of the box.

That's all from me today. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

A spectacular day

Good afternoon

It is a bank holiday here in England and as usual for a bank holiday it is a grey, wet, miserable day. I have ventured out to do some food shopping but otherwise I am staying in where it is warm and dry.

This is a Father's day card I made for my children to give to their dad in June - 

 This is the first shaker card I have made and unfortunately I think I needed to clean the acetate with an anti-static bag because the little die cut keep sticking to the acetate. You live and learn.

For this card I have used - 

• Man of the moment stamp and die set from Papercraft essentials magazine (also where the inspiration for the card came from)
• Spectrum Noir pens - EB2, EB3, EB5 and EB8
• Sheena stamping card
• blueprint sketch, wilted violet and salted ocean distress inks
• grape jelly and Danube blue Memento ink
• scraps of blue, light blue, black, white and orange card
• acetate from Crafter's Companion
• stars mirri from Hunkydory
• Tonic layering squares and circles die sets

 The sentiment came with the magazine.

I created the background by applying the distress inks first and then stamping the stars randomly over the background.

That's all from me today. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

You passed

Hello folks

What a lovely damp bank holiday weekend, must be time to go back to work!!! The new term begins in a week so it is heads down to complete some more Christmas cards and get the school shoe shop done (hate this job although I only have to buy one set of school shoes - there are some advantages to children getting older)

I made this card a while age to celebrate my second son passing his driving test. After a very stressful time (which included someone driving into the back of his lovely new car before he even passed his test) we were very pleased when he passed first time.

 To make this easel card I have used - 

• Die'sire create-a-card Timepiece easel card die set and Square accordian die set (the nesting squares only)
• white centura pearl (for the card base)
• Stars mirri from Hunkydory
• Sara's signature collection - Just for men brights paper pad
• Clarity Stamps letterbox stamp set
• Ladybug Memento ink
• Onyx black Versafine ink

The base of the easel. Stopper made using the nesting squares from Die'sire Square accordian die set.

 Easel part of the card.

Thank you for stopping by today

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Black and gold

Good afternoon folks

I hope this post finds you well. I am holed up in my craftroom dodging some torrential rain showers. I do wish this weather would make up it's mind, one minute beautiful sunshine the next grey/black sky and torrential rain.

Today's post is another card I made for my daughter's birthday - 

I have used a Paper Artsy stamp called Eclcctrica 3 (EDY20) which I coloured with Copic and Spectrum Noir pens - 

• skin - E000, E00 and FS9
• hair, clothes, hearts and tree - GG1, GG2, GG3, GG4, GG5, CT2, CT4 and GB5
• ground - C00

This is a tri-fold card so here are photos of each of the panels

I have also used - 

• white centura pearl (for the card base)
• liquorice sherbet paper pad from Papermania
• black core'dinations
• Happy everything sta,p set from Honey Bee stamps
• 3D arch die set and pearl foliage die set from Tattered Lace 

Thank you for stopping by today.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Oddball Sparkle fairy

Happy Saturday folks

I hope you are all well. I thought I would share one of the cards I made for my daughter's birthday (yes I have recovered from her party and so has the house) - 

The stamp I have used is Oddball Sparkle Fairy from Stamping Bella which I have coloured with Copic and Spectrum Noir pens - 

• skin - E000, FS9 and TN2
• wings - IG4, IG6, IG8 and IG10
• dress and tights - LV1, LV2, LV3, IG2, IG8, IG9, IG10 and C00
• hair - LV1, LV2, LV3 and true black
• eyes - LV2, LV3 and C00
• shoes - IG8, IG10 and true black
• fairy dust - LV2, C00, true black and IG3
• ground - BG1 and BG3
• sky - BGR1

I have also used - 

• beyond the shore paper pad from First Edition
• Tattered Lace nested rectangles die set
• Stampendous royal purple crushed glass glitter
• Tattered Lace torn edge tall slim dies
• purple satin ribbon and gem from my stash

That's from me today folks, enjoy your weekend.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

K for kraft card

Good morning

As it is Friday there is a new challenge at Alphabet Challenge and we have reached the letter K. The new challenge is 

K for kraft card

Here is my card for the challenge - 

For this card I have used - 

• framed poinsettia stamp from Woodware 
• Spectrum Noir Sparkle pens - spun gold, sage and hearth
• white embossing powder
• white centura pearl
• kraft card
• Neenah desert storm card
• Nordic Christmas embossing folder from Crafter's Companion
• double stitched rectangles die set from Sue Wilson
• poinsettia die from Sue wilson
• Christmas flowers die set from Tattered Lace
• pearl/gem from the Hobby House

 I stamped the image using Versamark and then heat embossed with white embossing powder.

I cut the poinsettia and foliage from the Kraft card and the centure pearl and arranged it as shown.

For added texture I embossed a piece of kraft card with an embossing folder.

Why not hop on over to the Alphabet Challenge blog to see what my fellow teamies have made for the challenge and maybe join in the fun. You can find the website here.

Thank you for stopping by today

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Autumn

Good morning folks

Arr morning already; last night was my daughter's birthday party - 20 teenagers singing and dancing till the wee small hours. I can no longer cope with partying all night especially on a week day so this morning you find me rather bleary eyed. 

Here is today's card - 

The stamp I have used is Little Darlings - Autumn which I have coloured with Copic pens and Spectrum Noir pens - 

• hair - E35, E37, E29 and C10
• skin - E000, E00, FS9, R11 and CR1
• eyes - E35, C10 and white gel pen
• clothes - BO2, BO3, BO4, EB1, EB2, EB5, EB7, EB8, OR1, OR3, GB5, GB7 and GB10
• leaves - OR1, OR3, GY1, GY4, TN5, TN8, AG2 and AG5
• ground - AG2, AG4 and AG5
• rake - EB5, EB8 and IG4
• sky - IB1

I have also used - 

• Sara's signature collection - Autumn morning 6 inch paper pad
• LOTV grungy sentiment stamps 
• ribbon from the Ribbon Girl
• metal button (free with a Craft magazine)
• ground expresso distress ink

That's all from me today. The house is very quiet so I am going to try and catch up with some sleep. Enjoy your day.

Crafty hugs

Lesley

Friday Sparkle

Hello folks

Sorry I have been quiet for a while; we are doing some redecoration and that has been taking up a lot of my time. I am just waiting for the carpet fitters to arrive now so that we can start putting everything back into the room and tidy up the rest of the house. 

Today's cards are a few more I have made using Hunkydory products - 

For these cards I have used - 

• Rose gold moments - Leave a little Sparkle card kit from Hunkydory
• Rose gold mirri from Hunkydory

That's all from me today. Hopefully the carpet fitters will be along soon.

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Crafty hugs

Lesley