Craft Your Days Away - Shades of Grey + One Other

Morning!

I can't believe I haven't posted for two weeks - how rubbish am I?  I just seem to have been so busy.

Anyway its time for a new challenge over at Craft Your Days Away.

The challenge for this fortnight is Shades of Grey + 1 Other, so why not pop over and join in - there are some amazing creations from my teamies.

We have a fabulous sponsor for this challenge - it's The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop and their fabulous prize is a ribbon and embellishment bundle.

Here's my card for this challenge:

I've realised it's nearly Christmas so I've made a Christmas Card (ok - I know it's not but I do need to get a wiggle on with my Christmas cards). I've used a cute Pollycraft image and the snowflakes are chipboard shapes covered in blue glass embossing powder. The snowflake paper is simply some snowflakes stamped in black ink onto the grey card.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges

Willow Sketchie - Christmas in July
Paper Play Challenges - Christmas in July
Card Crafters Circle - For Children
Cardmadfairy  - Christmas in July
Ladybug Crafts Ink - Christmas in July

Anyway thanks for looking - I need to go and tidy my house now as my sister is coming to stay with us this weekend and my house looks like a bomb has hit it.

Hope you all have a good weekend!

Julie xx

Edited to add challenge entries - as I finally got my house tidy!

Craft Your Days Away - Doilies and Lace

Morning!!

Hope you are all ready for the weekend with your wellies and raincoats... where on earth has our summer gone??

So it's time for a new challenge at Craft Your Days Away. This fortnight the theme is Doilies and Lace, and has been set by the lovely Berit.  There is a super prize for this challenge - which is a selection of doilies, lace and pearls!


Here's my card:

I made this card a while back as my friend was due to have her baby and I wanted to personalise it - but the baby is now 13 days late so I've not been able to yet!!  It seems like the baby is well and truly settled in.   I think she's off to the hospital tomorrow so hopefully she won't be kept waiting to meet her baby much longer!  But if you could all send the baby some pain-free eviction vibes that would be great!  I suppose it's only a good thing that the weather has been so rubbish - being hot and very pregnant in the summer is no fun!

The papers are from a First Edition stack called Sweet Owl and the digi is from Pollycraft.

So why not pop along and join us, there are some fab creations from my teamies for you to see.

Thanks for looking!

Julie x

Baby Boy

Evening all!

Here's the card I made last week for our friends who had a new baby.  I thought my little boy was pretty huge at 9lb 9oz - but their little boy was 11lb!!!!!!!!   How amazing.  I'm sure they're going to be fab parents!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Cupcake Craft - Bright as a Button
Sassy Cheryl's - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Southern Girls - Oh Baby Baby
Stampin for the Weekend - Show us your style (cute, and fairly simple)

Thanks for looking, have a great week!


Julie x

Happy Bird-day!!

Evening!

It's my very lovely Mother-in-Laws birthday tomorrow and here's the card I made for her. Tonight I've heard some wonderful news that some friends have had a baby boy so once I've posted this I'm off to my craft centre (read dining room table) to make a lovely new baby card tonight.  

How cute is that bird paper - I'm pretty sure it's a single sheet from Echo Park. The cute charm is from the Ribbon Girl website!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Craft Your Passion - Things with Wings
Cupcake Craft - Birds of a Feather
Sassy Cheryl's - Summer
Woopsi Daisy - Things with Wings
My Grafico - Bright Summer Colours
Creative Craft Challenge - Tweet Tweets

Thanks for looking!!

Julie

Craft Your Days Away - Teddy Bears

Morning!!

It's time for a new challenge at Craft Your Days Away  - this fortnight our challenge is Teddy Bears!

This time we are sponsored by the Stamp Fairy with an amazing $10 voucher as a prize for the lucky winner!

Here's the card I made for this challenge using a lovely stamp fairy image - this card is for Aunty Ruth - it's her birthday next week,

It's a bad photo from me for a change!! But how lovely is that spotty yellow ribbon..  The papers are from a new stack - First Edition, Family Ties!

Really hope you can join us, there are some fab creations from my teamies - why not take a look.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - Bingo (Ribbon, Die Cut, Buttons)

Aud Sentiments - Bingo ("Happy", Ribbon, Die Cut)

Card Mad Fairy - Girly Challenge

St Luke Challenge - Furry Friends

Thanks for looking - have a great weekend!

Julie xx

Birthdays ...

Hi,

It was my friends birthday last week and I'm going to see her tomorrow so I started to make her a cake and I managed to burn the motor out on my electric mixer, there was smoke coming out of it!  Never mind it's done a good job - I've had it about 10 years and it was only a basic on that cost about £5!!

 So I've had to mix by hand which has made my arm sore and swap from chocolate frosting to chocolate ganache - big shame!!

Anyway here's the card I made for her birthday:

I'm quite pleased with the way this came out.  The digi is from Digi Stamp Boutique, and the papers are from one of the new stacks I've bought. These are First Edition - Sweet Owl, so so cute.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Lollipop Crafts - Flowers in Bloom
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes
Lexis Creations - Happy Birthday
Reasonable Ribbon - Flowers and Ribbon
Freshly Brewed - Pop It
Digi Stamp Boutique - Customer Images
Bunny Zoe - Girls, Girls, Girls
Everybody Art Challenge - Sketch


Thanks for looking!

Julie xx

Morning!!

Actually I'm still in bed and this is a post I scheduled last night as it's my turn to have a lie in this morning.

I haven't posted for ages - partly due to the fact I've been away on holiday with my family which was wonderful, and partly due to a tea cosy and the WI taking over my life.  It was our County Fair this week and I entered a crocheted tea cosy.  I was up until 2am one morning hand stitching about a billion sequins on it!!!!  I didn't win anything but got some good feedback.

I've actually had chance to sit and make some cards today and realised I've really missed it.  Tonight I've been trying out some decopatch and decorated a photo frame, unfortunately I think I may have found a reason to buy even more beautiful paper.

Anyway today is Saturday and it's time for another challenge at Craft Your Days Away.

Today the challenge was set by me and I chose a bingo challenge. I feel ever so important as I get to choose a top three!! Here's the grid, it's a fairly easy one, I hope!! :

This challenge we have a fabulous sponsor:

So here's my card - hope you like it.  I though it was about time I used one of a my faviourite Heather Ellis Images.  The sentiment is a freebie from Birds Card - there are tons of freebies on this site - it's amazing!

I've gone for a line down the centre: Pearls, Ribbon/Lace and Glitter.

Once again though my rubbish photography has let me down as the Designer Paper is covered in glitter and is so lovely and sparkly, as well as a just a bit more glitter round the sentiments and some on the bird just to top it off.

Really hope you can stop by and join in with us this fortnight.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Aud's Sentiments - For a Child's Birthday
Southern Girls - Things with wings (The little bird, plus butterflies on the DP)
Little Miss Muffet - Rainbows, Clouds or Wings (The little bird, plus butterflies on the DP)
Bizzy Becs - Colour

Thanks for looking:

Julie

Craft Your Days Away - All Creatures Great and Small

Morning!!

This week has been so hectic so it was quite a nice break to just sit down and do some crafting.

It's time for another amazing challenge at Craft Your Days Away!!!  Yippeeeeeeeee!

This fortnight our challenge is "All Creatures Great and Small" and we are sponsored by the amazing Meljen's Designs, who were very kind and gave us some beautiful images to work with.

So here's my card - how cute is that cat!!!

We would really love for you to come and play along with us too - so why not stop by and join in!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - Cute Cute Cute

Lexis Creations - Lace and Ribbon

Sketch and Stash - Sketch (it's all been in my stash for a long time!! Apart from my lovely new image!)

Creative Craft Challenge - Anything Goes

Really Reasonable Ribbon - Mother's Day / Feminine + Ribbon

Simply Create Too - Mother's Day / Feminine

Stamping for the Weekend - Layer Upon Layer

Thanks for looking - have a great weekend. Let's hope the sun hangs around so we can go on a nice family picnic!!

Julie xx

Sunflowers

Hi,

I'm just stealing a bit of time this afternoon while the children finish their nap - hopefully I'll be able to get this posted before they wake.

I've also been catching up on all the blogs I follow - I seem to have had no time at all recently so have been making up for it this afternoon.

This card is to go into the stash of cards we are putting together for our Woman's Institute members birthdays.

This little cutie is a from Pollycraft, the DP is Dovecraft (Tea Party I think!) and the big sunflower is from some blog candy I won ages ago!  Although just looking at it - I've no idea why I've coloured her shoes blue - I suspect she's been taking fashion tips from my three year old - some of her clothing combinations are a little strange!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Lollypop Crafts - Anything Goes
Sassy Cheryls - May Flowers (hope this counts as I have NO idea when sunflowers come out!)
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdown - In the Garden
Paper Sundaes - Ribbons and Pearls
Really Reasonable Ribbon - Mothers Day / Feminine + Ribbon
Little Miss Muffet - May Flowers
Southern Girls - Get Your Girly On

Thanks for looking - hope you've all got something lovely planned for the bank holiday!

Julie xx

Craft Your Days Away - For Children

Happy Saturday!

Hope you've all got something nice planned for the weekend. Today will see me buying some gold wool to crochet a tea cosy - how random!  I've never made one in my life but in a months-ish time it'll be entered to the a competition at the Staffordshire County Show - so no pressure!  How hard can it be?! (Although, I think I may be bitten off more than I can chew here!)

A fabulous new challenge launches today at Craft Your Days Away.

This new challenge is For Children, which is fabulous, even better is our amazing sponsor Bugaboo who are providing a great prize of 7 images (how will you choose?)

So here's my card:

I used an image from Bugaboo called Kidz Boy Balloon, my papers are Gracie Taylor - Playtime, for the denim paper and Papermania - Happy Birthday to You for the lighter paper.  The cupcake is cut with a Marianne Die and I used the world's supply of Glossy Accents on the balloons!

So why not pop over and see the rest of my teamies creations and then play along with us - I can't wait to see what you create!

I'd like to enter this card in to the following challenges:

Ladybug Crafts Inc - Birthday Cards

Passion for Promarkers - Cut it Out

Stampin' for the Weekend - Sparkle and Shine

Thanks for looking, hope you all have great weekend!

Julie x

Birthday Girl

Hi,

I've had a busy weekend, yesterday we had our first WI cake stall, we did great and could have easily sold twice as much!

Today we've been to a birthday party for my friend's two year old, which was in a children's gym.  My two had a great time and have had a nice early night tonight!!!

Here's the card I made for Dot - the birthday girl.

I got a new pad of paper on my outing to The Range this week and I've used it here for Dot's card.  It's by Grace Taylor, and is called Playtime (and it was only £9.99 for 100 sheets!).  It's perfect for children's cards!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Craft Your Passion - Use Die Cuts and Punches
Our Creative Corner - Butterflies
Paper Sundaes - Let's Get Cute
My Grafico - Fun and Games
Ladybug Crafts Challenge - Shapes
Di's Digital Designs - Let's meet your animal friends
Sassy Cheryl's - Butterflies

Thanks for looking! Hope you have a great week!

Julie xx

Guest Designer - Lexi's Creations

Evening!

A week or so ago I won a guest spot for Lexi's Creations .

Their new challenge is: Use Your Punches and Die Cuts.  I don't have many punches so die cuts it was! (Note to self: Get hold of Husband's Shiny Credit Card to fix this crafting emergency soon!)

Here's my card; the image was very kindly provided by the sponsor of this challenge Fairy Dust Crafts and is called Auri.  

I love this ruffled ribbon - I must get some more (in a range of colours just to be on the safe side) as it looks great!

Why not stop by the Lexi's Creations Blog and play along with us!  Thanks for letting me play along with you!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Auds Sentiments - Spring / Summer Colours

Little Claires - Doing the Rounds

Bizzy Becs - Add Some Texture

Thanks for looking!

Julie

(Edited to add challenge links - as I forgot - DUH!)

Craft Your Days Away - Use Metal

Happy Saturday Everyone!

I've been a terrible blogger recently - but I seem to have had no time at all to just sit and have a good nose round everyone's beautiful blogs!  So if I follow you and have been neglecting you recently I apologise!  Hopefully after this weekend - things should calm down a bit!

Anyway it's time for another design team card for the fabulous Craft Your Days Away!  This time our challenge is to Use Metal and we are sponsored by Sassy Studio Designs.

Here's my card for the challenge:

So it's time to dig out those charms and metal embellishments - it would be really fab if you could join us this fortnight - I can't wait to see what you create!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenge:

Sassy Cheryl's - Anything Goes

Thanks for looking

Julie x

Here comes the Easter Bunny

Morning Everyone!

Hasn't the weather been amazing this week?  I think I may have even got the tiniest hint of a tan!

Firstly I'd just like to say hello to my new followers: Joanne, Bunny, Sarah, Helen and Berit - thanks for stopping by my blog!

Today I want to share with you all my second design team project for the amazing Craft Your Days Away.

Our theme for this fortnight is Easter and we are sponsored this time by The Stamp Fairy who is giving $10 voucher to our lucky winner!

We don't normally give Easter cards in our family, for us Easter is generally all about the chocolate and getting together as a family - so instead I've made an Easter Basket for my lovely children. How cute are those little fluffy chicks! 

Although I suspect that I may need to help my children eat those eggs so they don't go off  / make a mess / make their teeth fall out / some other rubbish excuse to eat my children's chocolate.

I love my bee ribbon, so when I saw this honeycomb paper I knew I had to use them both!  To make the basket I found a tutorial here.  It's really simple to make.

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges:

Pollycraft - Chocklit
Sassy Cheryl's - Easter Parade
The Pixie Cottage - Cuddly Critters
Lexis Creations - Easter
Creative Craft Challenges - Anything But a Card
One Stop Craft Challenge - Easter
Allsorts - Photo Inspiration
Simply Create - Eggs or Bunnies

Anyway - thanks for looking - why not join us at Craft Your Days Away this fortnight for our Easter challenge - we'd love to see you there!

Julie xx

Mothers Day

Hi,

It's been ages since I last posted a card - our whole house has had the lurgy over the last week or so, I'm much better but still only have half a voice!

Here's my latest card - its for my lovely Mother-in-Law for Mother's Day.

I love this little person dressed up as a Bee, it's a Birdie Brown image, if you don't have any of these images you really should pop over and check them out! I also love my new Bee ribbon it's so cute.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Cupcake Craft - Going Dotty
Papertake Weekly - One of the Girls  / Mum
One Stop Craft Challenge - Mother's Day + Ribbon
Lexis Creations - Mothers Day
Ladybug Challenge - Anything Goes
Card Mad Fairy - Mums the Word

Thanks for looking!  I'll probably be back later on to share with you all the card my little girl made this morning for her Grandma!

Julie xx

Some Presents, Some Exciting News and a Card

Hi,

I have had an amazing week!  Firstly it was my birthday (21 again!) and I got a new all singing and dancing paper trimmer from my husband (I picked, he paid, ha ha!).  The girls from work were amazing and I was given a little sewing machine so I can now do stitching on my cards. I have made the rather large assumption that I will be able to take it out of the box and be a pro right away... so it may be a while before you see any stitching on cards!

Yesterday I got the exciting news that I had been successful in the DT Call for Craft Your Days Away!  I'm so pleased - especially as there are so many talented crafters out there!  My first card for them will be on the 17th March - I can't wait to find out what the first challenge is!  Also my card got picked for their top 3!

So here's a card I made last night - it's for my Sister-when-my-brother-in-law-finally-puts-a-ring-on-her-finger-To-Be.  It's her birthday next week.

I used the sketch from Papertake Weekly, I think I'll add that to my file to use again as the card came together quite quickly!  The image is from The Stamping Boutique and the papers are MME.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Sassy Cheryl's - Spots and Dots
Everybody Art Challenge - Monochrome
Papertake Weekly - Sketch
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Paper Sundaes - Circles
Lexi's Creations - Monochrome
Ladybug Crafts - Pink and Girly
Catch the Bug - Anything Goes

Thanks for looking!

Julie! x

100th post!

Hi,

This is my 100th post!! You poor poor people having to put up with my ramblings for the last 100 posts! Thanks for sticking around and for all your help and comments - it means a lot.

Here's a birthday card I made earlier today:

How cute is this little girl on the swing. I had a go at paper piecing again for her top and hair band, it's such a great technique.

Sassy Cheryl - No Embossing
Everybody Art Challenge - Sketch
Allsorts - It's Your Choice
Our Creative Corner - Over the Edge (the flower and the shoes peeking over the the edge of the circle die)
My Grafico - Flowers
Ladybug Challenge - Spring is in the Air
Craft Your Days Away - Paper Piecing
Stamping for The Weekend - Bingo (Flowers, Die Cuts, Polka Dots - on her dress!)

Thanks for looking!

Julie

Good Luck Card

Hi,

I've had no internet for almost two weeks as my router(?) was broken, but I'm back!  I did try to post via blogger mobile - but it wouldn't upload my post.

I made this card about two weeks ago for friend at work who was leaving us to go and live and work in London.

I used some glossy accents on the four leaf clover and had a go doing a swirly pattern with my Bazzill jewel templates.  The lovely papers were free in a magazine, and the image is Pollycraft.

I'd like to enter this card in to the following challenges:

Do You Stack Up - Layers
If The Shoe Fits - Anything Goes
Saturday Challenge - 3 in a row (swirls, gems and ribbon)
Allsorts - Anything Goes
Bee Crafty - Miss You

Thanks for looking - enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Julie x

Happy 3rd Birthday

Evening!

Have you all had fun in the snow?

I took my little Emily a birthday party yesterday for one of her little friends who is three, and here is the card I made for her:

The papers are from Papermania and the image is from Pollycraft, with a whole load of stickles on the sunflower!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Sew Many Challenges - Birthday

Sassy Cheryl's - Punch and something shimmery

Catch the Bug - Anything Goes

Allsorts - Free and Easy

Sundays With Crissy - Birthdays

Thanks for Looking!

Julie x

New Baby Girl

Evening!!

Is anyone else cold??  I'm frozen!

I just wanted to share with you all my first commission ... actually, calling it a commission sounds far to exciting. I was showing off the gift box I made the other week to people at work and one of my colleagues asked if I could make a card for her friend who is having a baby girl. So here it is:

The image is a new digi I bought especially for this card from the DigiStamp Boutique.  I also made a quick and simple tag to match it using the same image and pink scalloped circle as on the card with a quick eyelet and a spare piece of ribbon.

I've gone for some simple paper piecing - my new favourite technique!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Pollycraft Monday - Favourite Things (Paper Piecing - my new favourite!)
Lollipop Crafts - Anything Goes
Passion for Promarkers - New Beginnings
Do You Stack Up - Ribbons
Saturday Challenge - Ribbons
Sketch N Stash - Free Choice Sketch  (Number 75! + New Digi) -


edited to add:  oops I forgot to add the picture of the sketch I used!! My Bad - sorry!

Thanks for looking!

Julie x