Lack of blogging!

Yes I have no ipad and the blogging goes to pot!

This is mainly as my phone is also dying and this is now the only way I have of taking pics so apologies for my absence!

I will be back in blog land soon I promise!

Catiecuddles
x

Time to play

The challenge this week at Lili's little fairies is "playtime" so I decided to share this card I made from the beautiful Easter stamp.




Obviously it's completely out of season now but thought it was the perfect image to use! I kept the card design quite simple with the top note die to cut out the image which I watercoloured with derwent pencils.

Then I chose a bright harlequin paper for the background which has matching colours from the colours I chose from the eggs. And then a bright blue card blank to finish it off!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

- Apologies for typos and clear grammatical errors ... I'm too lazy to check my stuff! Lol! :)

Brights?

The challenge at crafty sentiments is to use bright colours so I went for this bright pink card featuring some bugaboo stamps!

I used a scalloped card blank and some dp I had printed off from a digi kit I have... No idea where from ... Could be a serif one?
I coloured the digi image from bugaboo using promarkers and then cut round the image and added the printed sentiment label. Finally in the top right I added three black pearls to add some bling and balance the card out.
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
- Apologies for typos and clear grammatical errors ... I'm too lazy to check my stuff! Lol! :)



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

- Apologies for typos and clear grammatical errors ... I'm too lazy to check my stuff! Lol! :)

Some art journal fun

Not a card for this post but a spread in my art journal that I am creating from a notebook I record challenges in and keep track on what I am upto craft wise!

I created the front cover sometime in December on a notebook I got from paper chase. I've then been using it since march to keep a note of challenges and make it easy for me to keep up with what's got to be done, e.g. Card orders etc.
Then once the pages are not required I'm sticking them together to make them stronger. And the spread I'm sharing with you is the first pages inside.

The outside of the journal is quite muted so I went for a colour explosion on the inside. First I mod podged some patterned paper from a magazine which had squares and stripes with polka dots etc. Then I gesso'd over the top with a thin layer as the paper was shiny and this way I could add the watercolour paints more easily. I added the colours blending them as I went. I then used my favourite stamp ... The tree swing from the Forever Young stampin up set and stamped it in one corner. I then added the doodled borders and a sentiment which one of my beautiful circle journal sisters sent to me ... Lynn.
Then I moved onto the left hand side and decided to doodle some hanging hearts and the. Took the flower which was still peeping out from the background paper and over doodled with some coloured pens and added the stem and leaf and the word growth .. I guess I think it represents the fact that this will be the growth of my art journalling.
I then took some sticker letters which another beautiful circle journal sister ... Becca ... had put on one of my Christmas presents to add the journal title and did some ... You'll never guess ... Journalling! Well almost ... Just an introduction really but it's a start!
I'm sharing this via the following challenges ...
Craftycardmakers ... Not a card, tag or ATC
Craftymess ... Paint
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
- Apologies for typos and clear grammatical errors ... I'm too lazy to check my stuff! Lol! :)

An incy wincy sketch

Yet another beatrix potter card to share with you ... This time following the sketch over at Incy wincy challenges

I mirrored the sketch but kept it fairly close in design. I used the scalloped edged card blank for a change and added the pretty patterned paper as the background panel. I added the beautiful ribbon rescued from some packaging, and the sentiment label. Then the decoupaged panel which I added the white mount to and corner rounded the edges.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Romance

Romance is the name of the game for the challenge this week at ABC challenge blog. So I decided to submit this card for the challenge.

The image was taken from a card my parents gave me for recycling. I matted this with the red card and then added the sentiment label, the punched stamped heart image and the red ribbon bow.

Finally mounted it all on the pale grey card blank.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The sport of fishing?

The challenge this week at cards for men is sports with a sentiment ... So I have a hunt through the cards I've made recently and decided on this ... With a fishing theme under the wondering ... Is fishing a sport? Well it is now in my head!




Regular visitors may well be a little bored of these Beatrix potter decoupage creations by now ... But still got a few left to share!

Used the papers to create the background, added some hessian I found in my stash to add interest and then the decoupage topper. Finally a foiled sentiment.



Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Princess m shares her creations

As most of the recent cards I have shared on this blog have been as a result of princess m's crafting session for fathers day it is now time to share some of her creations. Unfortunately two had already made their way into the envelopes by the time I took pics ... But there you go!

So here is a birthday card for one grandad and a fathers day card for another grandad and one of course for daddy!











And one of the princess concentrating on the decoupage!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Plaids with Jeremy?

What more could a frog ask for other than a warm sunny day to read the paper outside on the windowsill! I do love beatrix potter and the way her imagination worked!

Yes I have another card from the decoupage kit chosen by princess m for some cards she wanted to make for fathers day and grandad birthday cards.


This one is a beautiful Jeremy Fisher image which I decoupaged subtly with the pin flair glue gel, and then used the coordinating papers in a check and a plaid design to mount onto the pale grey card blank.

Simple and beautiful.

I am entering this for the challenge at 2sisters blog of plaid or stripes.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

A journey

Had a bit of a mad day today with far too much work to fit in the day so had to bring work home for the weekend which may well stop craft for the weekend so I thought I'd share something I made last weekend which meets the challenge over at Alphabet challenge of Journey.

The card is one of the beatrix potter ones I made from the kit princess m and I bought. I mounted it to the side of the card blank and then layered up the papers and added the topper and a satin ribbon embellishment with the little printed sentiment.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Fathers Day

Time to share the card I made for my dad for fathers day




Given princess m wanted the beatrix potter kit to make her cards for fathers day and her grandads birthday ... Both her grandads have birthdays close to fathers day so June is a busy card making month for me and the princess... I decided to stick to a similar theme.

I chose the classic Peter rabbit image and decoupaged up with the pin flair. I added this topper onto a strip of the image paper and chose some dotty blue paper to make the tags. Finally I added the pearls (because I can't help adding something to pretty it up). I decided against stamping the sentiment on the front as it didn't quite seem to work ... So I saved that for the inside of the card instead.

I think although this is a pretty card it will work for my dad and so it qualifies for the cards for men challenge of a fathers day card.


Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Stampin queens sketch

Another sketch and another lili of the valley image to play with! This time the sketch is courtesy of Stampin Queens.





I did change the sketch a little as wanted to use this image and the top note die to cut it out. But I think the sketch is still visible ... Just about!




I used the bright scraps of paper left from other card making pursuits! And added the bakers twine and finally mounted the die cut image over the top.

I hope you like it.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Patriotic anniversary

Well this is the best I can do for the patriotic challenge of red blue and white for Cupcake craft challenge this week.



I used a topper cut from another card my parents had for their anniversary.

I mounted this onto the red and blue panels on the scalloped card blank and added the cute blue buttons and the sentiment diecut.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Masculine?

The challenge this week over at Pink Elephant is to create something masculine which is always challenging when all I want to do it make something pretty. However I had a delve into the box of bits and found this card topper cut from another card and thought it would meet the challenge.

So first I created the card blank from some blue pearlescent card stock. Then created the panel of the check paper to provide the background, I then created two bright blue cardstock ribbons and then mounted the topper panel which included some raised sails for the dimension, I then added the die cut sentiment topper from a pack I purchased at the weekend from hobby craft. I think they are papermania ones. And finally the little blue button to finish it off.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Christmas card swap

Yes I am at it again ... Proposing a swap with absolutely no idea of what I am really doing! But it worked last time so this time I am trying again ... But with loads of time for you to get involved!

So what is this about? Well we need Christmas cards every year and sometimes it's good to get some inspiration from others and what better than to have their actual cards in your stash of cards to use to send and inspire you! Last time the three lovelies who were involved all created something really different and I loved being inspired by them and the fact I got to keep cards for myself!

What do you have to do? Well first tell me you want to join in! Email me at catiecuddles@yahoo.co.uk and tell me you want to join in by the 30th June 2012.

You then have until the 31st July to make and send me five Christmas cards (with envelopes please) ideally the same or at least similar to help me fairly distribute.

Once I've received the cards, then I will send you back five different cards for you to stroke and admire and send out at Christmas time... Oh and feel pleased that you are another five cards down on the number you need to make and it will only be August.

Tempted? Have you any questions? If you have, please either post a comment here or email me and I will happily respond.

And for those of you tempted to know what I will make for the swap ... Well I have already made something ... Just to share with you for now ... Whether you will get this in the swap is as yet unknown but as a little flavour of fun instore ...



Hope you come and join in with the fun.
Take care and happy crafting
Catiecuddles

Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Jeremy goes fishing

This weekend the princess and I have been home alone as the hubby is off at a festival of rock (Download) enjoying beer, mud and Metallica amongst others. I had, in my opinion, a far better weekend hanging out with the princess shopping and crafting... Only slightly marred by feeling unwell from what I think is a cold trying to emerge.
We even paid a visit hobbycraft and amongst other essentials we bought a Beatrix potter decoupage kit where we both did some each ...

I can't share her creations just yet as she was making cards for fathers day and birthday cards for her grandads as they both have birthdays at the same time as fathers day! But I will share once the cards have been received!
Anyway I knew that the challenge at cute card Thursday was water based so I figured some Jeremy fisher wouldn't go amiss.

I used Pinflair glue gel for my decoupage (princess m was using sticky foam pads) and this one had its own die cut oval to sit in. I used some complimentary papers underneath and a blue card blank and added the little blue flower despite the fact this is really a male card. I will add a sentiment topper too once I get them to hand ... Nothing is ever to hand in my craft space as everything has to be out away.
I love the shadow this picture has captured as the sun came out this afternoon so I took my cards outside to photograph them to get some decent light for a change! Just seeing the shadow cheers me up that maybe summer is here? Nah ... It will only have been a momentary thing ... Forecast is rain, rain and more rain for the rest of the week!
So I hope you like my Jeremy fisher card and thanks for popping by to see me! I made a lot of cards today so no doubt it will keep blogger busy for a few days as I post them all!
Take care and happy crafting!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

52 card pickup

I got a little comment from someone on another post who suggested that they would love to see me enter a card at their blog ... So I went to investigate and discovered no challenge other than to create a card a week ... Well funnily enough that was quite easy as I am always making cards and generally far more than one a week so I decided to enter this card this week ...



I used some cute polkadoodles paper, a square of blue card, a ribbon and a sentiment die cut topper. Finally all mounted onto a grey card blank.

And what is the challenge I hear you say ... Well I don't but I imagine you might be interested ... Well the clue was in the title of the post ... 52 card pick up

Enjoy!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Purple loveliness

The challenge at Dillybeans this week is to use purple so I pulled out this card I made a couple of days ago to blog ...



It's another Lili of the valley image coloured with promarkers and die cut using a Nestie (label 2). I chose two lilac and purple coloured patterned papers to layer up in the background on the purple card blank and then added the little purple bow made from one of my stock of hanger uppers!

Cute and simple.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Color throw down

Today i have a terrible headache but have managed to survive shopping with the princess and now am ready to brave a party for the rest of the day but decided to stay away from alcohol whilst I feel rough.

Just got enough time to post this card to meet the challenge over at color throwdown

this is the colour inspiration...




And here is my card...




Some patterned paper mounted on black onto a white card blank. Then the lili of the valley image coloured with promarkers and die cut with the top note die. Also two paper ribbon tags created to add the texture and interest.

Cute image.

And now time for some pain relief before me and the princess set off for our friends house.



Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

ATC swap ... May ... Flight

The lovely Tracey who owns Running with Scissors, hosts a monthly ATC swap with a theme and last month I shared with you the Earth ATCs I made in celebration of Earth Day.

Well May saw the anniversary of the first female pilot to cross the Atlantic so Tracey's theme was flight in whatever way you can interpret it.

I don't know why but the Dylusions stamps were the ones I went to straight away even though I have plenty of other bird and butterfly and even plane stamps! So I took some Kraft card and stamped the birds from set and the flower in crumb cake ink. I then stamped the flower again in the Baja breeze onto the blue polka dot paper from a magazine. I then fussy cut the flowers taking the inner edge of the stamp as they are sort of double lined sketchy stamps. This I then affixed to the flower that was stamped off the Kraft. I then mounted the Kraft onto the blue spotty paper with a small mat showing. Then mounted the whole thing onto the ATC blank.

It was at this point I realised that one of the requirements of the swap was to include silver so then I had to have a think about the way to progress it.

So I decided to hand draw the birds again with a white opaque pen and then added some decorative peel offs and a silver card candi to finish them off.





Hope you like them. The ATCs I received in return were just stunning ... Well done everyone involved. Can't wait to look at what June's swap is and get mine done for that too.

Happy crafting.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Leaping into summer from spring

I created this card a few days ago and realised it was perfect for the Vibrant colours challenge at Pink Elephant.

I chose the LOTV rabbit image with the daffodils and die cut it Using the lovely Top Not die. Although the rabbit image itself is quite soft as i watercoloured the image, I love the zing of the daffodils in the bright grass.

I then layered it up into a bright orange card, with an orange checked paper behind it. Then I added the zingy yellow flower and button with the little die cut leaves and a sequin centre.

All in all perfectly vibrant and bright! Now all I need is it to be actually summer. Today the weather here has been appalling with rain and cold ... Yu would never guess it is June. Fingers crossed for a change in weather very soon back to warm and sun!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Is it time for a playdate?

It was for me!
Well a Playdate cafe challenge at least!

The challenge was to use this photo and colours...




This is the closest I could get with the colours and hopefully it's enough to enter the challenge as I did end up with some slightly non neutral colours in the mix too!



I chose the Lili of the Valley image which I had coloured with promarkers and then die cut it using the top note die. This i kept to the colours in the picture with the aqua and pale brown. The spotty paper is also aqua (although a bit brighter) and I die cut this shape too which is a wobbly rectangle. The card blank represents the 'poolside' as the challenge suggests and the only difference is there is a bit of pink with the other strip of patterned paper and the yellow flower. I added these I felt it just needed that other pop of colour too.

If its disqualified so be it ... I still love this card ... Again it's these adorable images that are sooooo easy to use and adore!


Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Crafty mess ... Me?

Well actually at the moment the house is a bit of a mess as I've not really tidied up properly for weeks... Maybe this weekend?

But in reality the blog post relates to the challenge blog craftymess and the challenge this week is Fantasy.

I have another Lily of the Valley card to share with you for fantasy ... This time a fairy...



I am really pleased with this card and how it turned out although it is another one that is simple! A panel of the patterned flower paper in the background on a glossy card blank (that had seen better days!) with another panel of lilac on top. Then the die cut image using the beautiful top note die from stampin up. The image is coloured using promarkers. I added some stickles accents in purple on the skirt patches and silver along the wings. Then the die cut sentiment circle from craftwork cards and a little bow in purple satin ribbon (hanger upper from a dress).

Such a pretty little image. I am so so tempted to buy some Lotv stamps ... But must step away from purchasing at the moment as the Harrogate weekend with my lovely circle journal gals is looming and no doubt there will be many purchases that weekend to make up for some frugality now!

Last post from me this morning. Now need to get out of bed and get ready for work. Another hard hard day in the office to get through... Only a three day week but enough work to last for at least seven! not sure when I will get to craft again ... Maybe friday night as a reward for surviving work ... But more than likely will be collapsing in bed instead!

Happy crafting all!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

An exceedingly quick manly man card

The challenge at p (still loving the name of this blog) is to submit a manly man card and so I thought I would share this card I made using up some of the gifted cards to be recycled that a colleague gave me.




I took the image from the front of the card of the rather sober looking gents and cut it down a little. Then I used two different grey colours to mount behind the image and a craftwork card die cut sentiment circle. I thought the colours matched the suits colours perfectly. I love the formality of the image as a sober card for an older gent ... Or to be teamed with a rude insert comment for a less sober younger friend! Either way manly man card here I am! Lol!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Butterfly crazy

Crazy4challenges is running an add a butterfly challenge at the moment so I am sharing this cutesy card with you that I made a couple of days ago when playing with the Lotv images iPad in the stash.




It's a really simple card with the image watercoloured, then die cut. Another die cut of patterned paper behind and then a square of more patterned paper to mount onto the light grey card. A button and some twine added as the final embellishment.

Enjoy!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Stripes and a new discovery

A few weeks ago I was blog hopping and discovered a digi image store I fell in love with ... That's right ... Digi images that I immediately bought a couple of on pure impulse despite the fact my printer is broken and I never ever remember to print things for cards but I saw them and fell in love so tough! As it is I spent a good hour this evening colouring a full page of the two images I bought ready to make into cards ... But I am not sharing that right now for two reasons ... A) they are Christmas images and B) they are not finished.

But now I have held you in suspense ... Dilly Beans... Please go have a look ... I am sure you will fall in love with one or more of the beautiful images.

So why am I mentioning this now? Well because there is also a challenge page that I am entering this card for although I am not using a dilly beans image on it... But believe me I will be using these images soon cos they are soooo fab!

The challenge is stripes and this card has the most fabulous striped ribbon on it!



It's another LOTV image, die cut with the top note die and layered in a piece of patterned paper, with a wrap round of the fab striped ribbon and a smart folded type bow and then onto the peach card blank which has a pearlescent finish to it.

I hope you like the card ... But I also hope you go visit the dilly beans store and look out for my cards using the images soon!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Just dropping in for cake

Now strictly speaking I made this card with no challenge in mind but when I spotted the challenge at chocolate, coffee and cards (they have so got me pegged with the name of this blog!) which has the following photo as inspiration I immediately thought of this card I had made so it is time to share it!







With the colours and the spots and dots and of course the cake it fits the bill perfectly in my opinion!

The image is a LOTV one from a freebie pack in a magazine of images ready to colour which I then die cut using the top note stampin up die. I watercoloured this one with watercolour pencils. Then I layered this (using pin flair glue gel to give it dimension) onto the brightly coloured patterned paper. Then I added the die cut circle sentiment topper from craftwork cards and the little bow in satin ribbon (a hanger upper cut from a cardigan!). Finally affixed to the white card blank.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Friendship

I adore the image I used for this card and I so reminds me both of my princess m and her friends and me as a child with my ickle cus having tea parties in our posh frocks!!

So when I saw the challenge at Tuesday Throwdown I knew immediately which image from LOTV I was going to use!





I kept the palette of colours quite simple taken from the colours I had used when colouring the image with promarkers. I had die cut the image with the wobbly edged rectangle (technical term!) and layered it up on the delicate lilac patterned paper. I also wrapped a purple satin ribbon around (think this was one of those hanger uppers you get in clothes that I had cut off!) (yes another technical term!) and tied a bow around it at the top. Then I added the die cut sentiment circle from craftwork cards. Finally mounted all of this onto the purple card blank.

I am so pleased with this card... Simple, pretty and elegant in my very humble opinion. And for those who know my princess ... The girl with the scraped knee is so her!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Going green

Evening all... A quick blog post here to bring you a card I made to suit this weeks challenge at fab and funky ... Go green.

I took one of the Lili of the valley images I was playing with over the bank holiday of the rabbit in the acorn cup which I had die cut using the fabulous top note stampin up bigs die. I love this shape and the stitch effect pattern around the edge. This image was coloured using watercolour pencils so is quite delicate. I layered this up on some green card from the scraps box and then some polka doodles tree patterned paper in the background from a freebie batch with a magazine (I love polkadoodles stuff). I wrapped some pale green paper ribbon and the bobbly trim around the card layer and added the three green sequins. Finally finished it off with the die cut sentiment topper from craftwork cards. Then all of it mounted on the white 5x7 card blank with the border at either side.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Flower and butterfly beauty

The challenge at come and get it is flowers and butterflies... And I immediately knew that I wanted to use this image!




I die cut the image and some backing patterned paper in a slightly larger size. I then took another patterned paper and cut two strips to go across the back and then layered it all up on the bright blue card blank.

Also entering it to the anything goes challenge over at Papertake Weekly challenge.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Hats off to the jubilee celebrations

Well the bank holiday has been spent mainly watching the jubilee celebrations ... On tv! And as I type this I am waiting for the queen and family to arrive on the balcony of Buckingham palace. Think I may be coming to the end of my patriotism but I have to say it has been a weekend to make me proud to be British!

Anyways ... As we watched the concert recorded from last night this morning I made up some cards. I had been sorting out some freebie papers from magazines and cutting them into smaller chunks and die cutting some panels etc. and so I grabbed these and some lili of the valley images that I had coloured ages ago ... Back in feb actually when I was off sick from work and coloured things in whilst in bed.

I then had a nosey over at the challenge at My Time to Craft... Handbags or hats and immediately thought of the image on this one ...



With soft greens and blues in the image I chose two different patterned papers and layered the image up onto the blue card, and then onto the card blank in the bright blue colour. I then added the yellow paper flower and button for the centre and the craftwork card sentiment die cut.

Also entered for the anything goes challenge Secret Crafters Saturday Challenge.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPad