Golden Wedding Anniversary Card

My Daughter-in-law asked me to make a card for her Grandparents' Golden Wedding which is coming up towards the end of February and I thought the new Elusive Images Harlequin Rose stamps would be perfect. This themeplate is available from http://www.graphicus.co.uk/prodpage.asp?ProdID=2605.

Firstly I made the topper for the card by stamping the image in Versamark ink and embossing with Gold Detail EP. I then sprayed with Glimmer Mists in Gold, Copper and Sage and finally sprayed a puddle of Copper and one of Sage onto my craft mat and used an ordinary paintbrush to add extra ink to the rose and leaves of the image and I 'mopped up' the ink that was left with a piece of lace I wanted to use. Finally I used my Inkssentials white opaque pen to highlight the corner swirl and areas of the rose.

After matting and layering the topper I again used Versamark and Gold Detail EP to stamp and emboss the lovely border from the same stamp themeplate onto parchment and cut it out to give a scalloped edge (idea 'borrowed' from my friend Jo on the Christmas card she sent me and posted earlier). I used a very pale green/gold pearl card for the base card and randomly stamped the single rose with Versamark and embossed with Clear Detail EP.

I posted both these photos because the first one shows the image and colours a little better and the second one shows how the Glimmer Mists shine so beautifully. I put the sentiment for the card inside instead of on the front.

Finally, because I offset the fold in the card so the front was smaller than the back (I wanted the lace to lie on the back of the card) I had to make an envelope. I used Grungeboard numbers and embossed them with Gold Detail EP. I then sprayed a tag using the same three colours of GMs and stamped and gold embossed another of the images from the Harlequin Rose plate.

I hope this card lives up to the occasion but I did enjoy making it.

The stamps, Glimmer Mists, Versamark, Inkssentials Pen and tag can all be found at http://www.graphicus.co.uk/. Anything else was already in my craft boxes.

My First Christmas Card for 2009

I made this card from some bits I stamped before last Christmas but never got to use. The 3 Christmas trees were stamped from Elusive Images Christmas Flourish Themeplate available from http://www.graphicus.co.uk/ using Versamark and Black Magic EP from the Sprinkle and Sparkle Fab 4 EPs available from Joanna Sheen (http://www.joannasheen.com/craft-supplies/sparkle-n-sprinkle-embossing-powders/fab-4-embossing-powders/) for the 2 stamped onto white card and a white sparkle EP which I can't remember where I got it from, for the one on black card. The ribbon came from http://www.peartreeyard.co.uk/ which is an Aladin's Cave which my friend Jo took me to when we met up for breakfast, chat and buying crafty goodies (what more could a craft addict ask for).

So I've made a start on next Christmas's cards!

Handmade Christmas Cards from Crafty Friends

I know it's a bit late but better late than never. It's the first chance I've had to post these lovely cards which I received from Graphicus Guild Chat Group members and I will treasure them. The first beautiful card is from a lovely lady called Rosie (http://rosie-ramblings.blogspot.com/) who is such an encouragement to other members of the group with her kind words and little tips.

This 2nd card is from my lovely crafty friend Jo (http://littlepeachtree.blogspot.com/) who gives me such a lot of encouragement. The way she stamped, embossed and cut out these snowflakes and the vellum border is so neat it looked as though they were die-cut.

And last, but not least, is a beautiful card from Phree (http://inkstainsurvivor.blogspot.com/). A lovely lady who sent me some lovely words of comfort when my four legged friend died last October. Her triple embossed panel on this card is gorgeous.

Thankyou so much ladies. These cards will definitely NOT be going to the recycling bin!

Cards I Made a While Ago

As I've had hardly any time at all for crafting for about 5 weeks , I've just been looking through my photos to see if I had any half decent ones of cards I made last year. These are some I made for a local stamp company called Stamp to Your Arts Content. Unfortunately, they do not sell their stamps online but have a craft shop attached to their stamp manufacturing premises in Huthwaite, Notts.
I had to use a particular set of papers and embellishments and unfortunately I can't remember whose they were now and their own set of 'girlie' stamps which were mainly shoes, bags and some quite catchy sentiments.
This first one is a sort of card within a card and I added my own ribbon and adhesive stones. I knew I had seen a tutorial that gave me the inspiration for this type of card ages ago and I've just spent over an hour searching for it so that I can give credit where it is due. The designer is Maria Bell and she has a wonderful blog at http://cardinspired.blogspot.com. The particular post is dated Wednesday, April 25, 2007.


This 2nd card was supposed to be understated and I stamped the shoe twice onto acetate and coloured the front of one and the back of the other with Sakura Pentouch to create a pair.
I think I used Sakura Stardust pens to colour this image.
This final one is multi-dimensional and I have no idea what style of card you call it. but it folds up to look like a little book.

None Christmas Cards

This was a Wedding card I was asked to make by my daughter's friend and as the wedding was between Christmas and New Year she asked for something with a wintry feel to it. The snowflake stamps are from Elusive Images and the 'Love Happens' stamp is Inkadinkado.

This was for my granddaughter, Isabella's 1st birthday. I have rarely made 'cute' cards and found it really difficult but I'd best practice as Alexa is 1 in March. As you can see I used Magnolia 'Tilda' stamps and some beautiful Heidi Grace papers which I bought from QVC ages ago and could only now bear to cut into them. They came with sheets of various stickers and chipboard embellishments, some of which I added to the card.

My Best Christmas Gifts

At the risk of being boring, I have to post a few photos of my two little beauties who made Christmas an absolute delight this year.

These were taken just over a week before Christmas on Isabella's First Birthday.

These next ones were taken amidst the Christmas chaos of 6 adults, 2 babies and 3 dogs in a relatively small bungalow.

Here the girls are modeling their Christmas outfits. We all thought they looked as though they were wearing a uniform for a very posh nursery school

and finally, the newest member of our family. Snoopy, who's helping to fill the big hole left when Benni died in October.

Bye Bye Christmas for Another Year

Today I started a chore which always makes me a little sad - putting away the Christmas decorations. I dislike January and February intensely because after all the lights and decorations have been put away everywhere looks so drab and gray. I love Santas and snowmen and Christmas trees (of all kinds) and lots and lots of twinkly lights. It takes me and Hubby about 5 days between us to get everything set up and I now have him trained to save a couple of annual leave days from work because we can nolonger do it in a weekend. Anyway, as I now have a blog, to cheer myself up over the next couple of dreary months I've taken some (loads actually) photos. I couldn't take many of the Santa and snowmen ones where they are usually positioned because the light was wrong but here they come - Santas on Parade.
If you're a Bah! Humbug! sort of person I would advise you to leave the blog now. Tee! Hee!

This last one is musical and plays 'We wish you a Merry Christmas'Now it's the turn of the snowmen :-)

There are more snowmen but thought I'd taken enough piccies of them.

Next come the trees

I have another fibre optic one in the dining room, but it didn't like being photographed. Did I hear someone shout thank goodness?

This last tree is far too big for our bungalow but it's my favourite so it goes in the conservatory. It's safer in there too, because most of the decorations are glass, and as previous visitors to my blog will know I have two baby granddaughters.

And a few of those glass deccies. I also have a thing for angels and there is one inside a bauble and a reindeer in another.

And finally my twinkly lights. Firstly the coloured lights (they are still quite subtle) are all at the back of the house and you can see my big tree inside the conservatory.


and the front is all white lights. This is where I have my real Christmas tree, outside the front door. This year we went very twee and had two reindeer. It doesn't really photograph very well on the front because there is a street light right next to our drive which illuminates the bungalow and also the reindeer look quite garish when in reality they are just right.