Forever Friends for Mothers Day

I bought an A4 Forever Friends paper pad recently and decided to decoupage the images within.
This first one I cut at 6" square and matted onto an 8x8 card covered with the floral paper from the set. I then cut out some extra flowers and added them over the corner.



The image below was cut into a square and mounted onto another square which I edged with my new Round the edge Martha Stewart punch. Again I layered this onto an 8x8 card covered with another of the floral papers. A few punched retro daisies and butterflies surround a disc ready for a message.



I loved this image and used most of the image background. I used a Martha Stewart deep edge punch along one edge and added some plain pink from the pack behind. A few card candy finished the edge. Stamping up scalloped circle and circle punch are ready for a message on this one too.



And the last one I kept tone on tone. I punched the edge with the other Martha Stewart deep edge punch and put the same blue backing paper inside the card. I used the retro daisy punch in 2 sizes and added the SU layered circles ready for a greeting. Card Candy was added along the punched edge and in the smaller daisy centres.

Another TSV - Tim Holtz

TSV on Tuesday was this kit by Tim Holtz.

Contents were his new book which is fab plus lots of mediums to play with.

I'm looking forward to trying out some new techniques.

Fave Colours

Hi Girls,

Please tell me your fave colours :)

Fairy Dust

Another image of Lynn's cut out and coloured here with copics and mounted onto some scraps left from the February Scrapaholix kit.
The message was from a stamp I've had for a while.

Easel Cards

Had fun making these easel cards, which I learned how to make at Julie Hickey's workshop recently.
Stamped images kindly given to me by Lynn - Thank-You! and coloured with my copics.
Papers from BG Sugar Rush for this first one plus some flowers from my stash. Butterflies cut with the Martha Stewart punch recently purchased.

Side view showing the card candy providing the hold point.

The papers below were leftovers from the February Scrapaholix kit by UpsyDaisy (thought she was a character from In the night garden!) Again punched with Martha Stewart Punches and flowers from my stash tinted with Copics and chalks.

The hold point on this one was the birthday greeting which I added stickle accents to.

A Challenge

Anyone up for a challenge?

I was asked to make some cards for an ex-colleague of mine. She looked at my website and asked me to use the image below, Penny Black's - Evening Glow, but to make her into a skiier!



The ladies the cards are for will be 40, so I decided to adapt the image as requested but leave the "glam" factor. I stamped the image 4 times and coloured them in with my copic markers.
Then I cut skis from white card and coloured them pale blue. I decoupaged the dress and front leg onto the base image then added the skis, drew in the ski poles and added glitter for the earrings and necklace.



To finish the cards, I used BG Sugar Rush papers and alphabets.
I edged the paper with my new Martha Stewart deep edge punches, stamped trees (Clarity Stamps) and added card candy



These are the finished cards which are 8x8in.



Now, the challenge, just for fun, choose any stamp at random and make it into a ski themed card. The results should be very interesting :)

My Guy

Lynn very kindly gave me some stamped images recently and I coloured this one using my copic markers. I am pleased with the way you can shade things so easily without leaving brushstrokes.
I used some paper from Jill's (Cardinal Colours) that I bought ages ago for male cards and added some buttons to finish.

Made this for Roberts birthday on Thursday so will add message later :)

St Pauls Cathedral

On my way back to the station tonight, I passed St Pauls Cathedral (as always) but today it was still quite light. I thought I'd try taking some pictures from the bus. Most were just blurry messes but this one, I think, came out really well. I like the way the rain outside and on the bus window distort the image, and thought it quite "arty" :)

Sunrise

I wanted to share this photograph with you.
I was walking to the station the other morning @ 6.45am and loved the light though the trees of the sun coming up. I took this pic really quickly with my i-phone and when I looked at it on the train, was surprised with the orange globe hovering over the street.
It's the streetlamp but I love the way the photo has caught the light and the glow of the orange and made it look like its just floating in the air.



It reminded me of Harry Potter, waiting for Dumbledore to put out the lights.

Here come the girls - Scrapaholix February kit

This months kit used Rub-onz which is a product for creating your own images, like Safmat.
I used the images provided with the kit to add the flourishes.

The LO was based on two February Page Maps.







The scalloped edge was created using my new Martha Stewart deep edge punch - I LOVE IT! :)

I already had my title in mind before these photos were taken. I wanted to have a series of images of us, Lynn, Denise and I, walking towards the camera but, as usual, the battery run out on my Lumix with rapid shot! Robert made a valiant effort with his mobile phone but the images were too blurry to use. I was only able to use the two as above. Never Mind - next time.

Valentines Day

Yes, I have been spoiled again today. A dozen beautiful red roses plus chocolates were delivered this morning.
I know it's all commercial etc etc etc, but let's face it girls - who wouldn't be happy to receive these :)

Julie's Workshop

Lynn, Jill and I went to Julie Hickey's workshop today in Horley.
We had a fabulous time as always and here are some photo's of us beavering away.












Jill and Lynn














Julie with Jill, and me :)

This is one of the projects we made, all with the beautiful CWC products. It's the first time I've made an easle card and think its very effective.






Thanks Julie, another great workshop!

Martha Stewart Goodies

QVC had a TSV on Wednesday last week and I just couldn't resist. Here's what I got.










The value was outstanding as each set had a "round the page" punch set, a deep border punch and an image punch with 3 stamps in the top.
Here are the 2 sets along with a circle cutter I also bought. It's really clever the central disc rotates and has holes like a spirograph into which you put the blade and turn to create perfect circles. Will let you know how it works later!

9 years ago

Thought i'd share one of the first pages I made.
I got the idea from watching a Rosemary Merry hour on QVC and loved the way the photographs were laced together.

Inspired by Lynn

I have been following Lynn's 52 walks on her blog and it inspired me to share the following which I shall call Lunchtime Walk :)

I have always been interested in architecture and love the way old and new nestle alongside each other.

The building I work in is quite modern in design and shape with 2 entrances, one on Holborn as below.

Today I went in search of Hotel Chocolat to get a Valentine gift for my husband and walked along streets I've not been down before. I found a new complex of offices with shops along a walkway,

ultra modern in design, with a light sculpture above. I have zoomed a picture to try to show the blue neon lights below. I usually see these on the bus back to the station and in blues and reds.

At the end of the row I found a seating area with a grass sculpture and took the following photograph. I am really pleased with the composition of this picture and also quite surprised how well it came out as I was quite conscious of standing capturing the image with my i-phone. Some people can be very funny about being included in an image.

Back on Holborn, I passed the old Prudential building which stood out beautifully against the blue skies. It now belongs in part to the De Vere group who have function rooms inside.

Further along is a very old Public House called the Cittie of Yorke.

This really shows the contrast between old and new and I'm not sure they actually work next door to each other.

I found the following via Google:

The site of a pub since the 15th century, the Gray's Inn Coffee Shop was built here in 1695. Coffee was introduced to Britain in the mid 17th century and became the fashionable drink. Many coffee shops were the offshoots of taverns (sound familiar?). They sprang up all over London and sold beer and wine too. The Coffee Shop was set back from the road, with a garden at the front. This was built upon and after various incarnations and expansions the whole site was redeveloped in the 1920's.

I have been inside this pub, many years ago, with my brother. It's very strange with wooden floors and little "rooms" with seating, lots of old barrels too.

I hope you have enjoyed this little trip around Holborn and may do some more next time I venture somewhere new.

Keeping it simple

Sorry, not the best image.
A colleague at work asked me to make a very simple valentine card, very plain with 2 hearts on the front. Here is the result. I had to stop myself from adding to it :)
Those who know me, know that I follow the "less is more" rule, but even I wanted to add to this...a little card candy? a little stickles? Something? But, I followed the brief so hopefully she will like it.

Terries 50th continued.

Continuing with the album I am creating for my Sister-in-law, I made this double page spread
using some papers from my stash along with some from the BG Sugar Rush collection.
I used my new Martha Stewart all round puch to create a frame for the photo of my niece and great niece - love the way it works.

Let there be Love....

Another great day at Jill's yesterday (Cardinal Colours) with the focus on Valentines cards.

The first one however, was made today. I embossed some bazzil squares with hearts and mounted them onto a DL card then added papers to create a chocolate bar. Glitter chipboard letters saying "Love" were added to the front along with 2 punched hearts in silver.
Red paper from FF Christmas paper pad worked perfectly here.



One of my favourite stamps here by Stamping Bella. I just love the images created by them, so cheerful and fun. Stamped onto a circle and coloured with copics, the mounted onto BG Sugar Rush paper onto a 6x6 card with punched flowers and card candy. Was pleased with the way the words fit with the image.



More BG Sugar Rush paper here on a 6x6 with square aperture.
Hearts cut with a cricut from Red Bazzill and gold mirri card wrapped with red satin and dotted sheer ribbon (Cardinal Colours). A spiral of gold wire was added across the wrap - thanks Jill for searching your stash to find it for me :)
Finished with some gold card candy and smaller gold and red hearts.



Sugar Rush was obviously pick of the day...the following card used the same elements as above with the addition of some stickles on the hearts for accent.



Elements the same again with the addition of a button and pearl headed pins from my stash.



Last but not least, the heart cut with the Cricut cardridge within a circle.

After a rather slow start yesterday, I was pleased with the results. Perhaps the Mojo is on its way back!