First Card of 2010 and some News

Good evening everyone.  Has life settled back down again after all the festivities?  We took our deccys down today, it feels like we have loads more room now LOL!  Have been busy on this little blog today and made several changes.  However my blog lists playing up so will have to look at that!   Still working on the loan laptop and am REALLY missing my own machine!  Hopefully it will be returned all fixed later next week - fingers crossed.  As some of you know, I went through FOUR laptops last year.  This loan laptop has kept crashing on me since yesterday so who knows - I might be on the start of breaking last years record!!!!  I just look at them and they break LOL!

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I had a wonderful e-mail last night inviting me onto the DT over at The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge.  Of course I snapped their hand off, but I did wonder if they'd gotten mixed up with someone else LOL!  I am sooo excited to be working with such a talented bunch of ladies - my first DT call - SCARY!!!!

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I made my first card of 2010, sat crafting with Emily as she made not only her first cards of the year, but also her first entry into a challenge!!  Quality time!!!

My card will be entered into the following six challenges:

Sketch Saturday - Sketch

Magical Crafts Fortnightly Challenge - Thankyou

Totally Gorjuss - Thankyou

Crazy 4 Challenges - Polka Dots

Sketchy Colours - Yellow, Pink and Bronze

Stamp Something Challenge - "New Somethings"

I used on of my favourite but recently neglected stamps for this.  The large flower is new as is the ribbon bow flower in the centre.  Coloured with chalks, copics and my new set of watercolour pencils - yes, I'm an old fashioned gal at heart!  The sentiment is also new.

RECIPE

Papers - Basic Grey and My Mind's Eye

Stamped Image - Sarah Kay

Sentiment - Craftwork Cards

Paper Flowers - Prima

Ribbon Flower - local haberdashery

Bronzy Metal Corners - stash

Card Candy

I hope you like what you see.  Thankyou for stopping by my little bit of peace and quiet here in cyberspace!  Take care

Mel X

Something Special - A Retirement Card

Evening everybody, are you all ready for Christmas?  I've still got a bit of shopping to do, trying to crack on with the wrapping for now!!  I've a few more cards I want to make before Christmas.  Once they're done I intend to pack away most of my craft stuff to the loft outta the way til after all the festivities.  I don't have my own craft room so this plan should hopefully ensure the dining room remains tidy!

This card I have done for my mum's best friend who turns 60 at the end of December and retires on the 4th January.   I am entering it into the following challenges;

Magical Crafts Fortnightly Challenge - Special

Allsorts Challenge - Pearls and Swirls

Stampin' for the Weekend - Blue and Brown

Daring Cardmakers - Going Dotty

Totally Gorjuss - Free and Easy

Quixotic Challenge - Lace

The layout design is my own.  I decided against any sentiment on the front as I think that may detract from all the elements - I think my craft stuff  kinda exploded on it a bit LOL!  The insert inside reads

"Congratulations on your Retirement,

time now to spread your wings and let the fairy

within you fly"

The flourish is gorgeous but quite big and I cut it to use in the two area here.  The flourish was also quite expensive but I LOVE the effect so think am gonna get creative with a pencil and create my own in the New Year.

I have also gone round the edges of the cardstock and papers with my uni silver paint pen to give a slightly gilted look to the edges.

RECIPE

Image - Mo's Digital Pencil

Colouring Medium - copics, water colour pencils

Blue Cardstock - Stash

Papers - My Minds Eye and HOTP

Border Punch - Martha Stewart

Leaf Punch - Leone Em

Flowers - Prima

Pearly Flourish - Prima

Lace - local haberdashery

Card Candy

Glamour Dust

My mum's friend has been ill lately so I hope this cheers her up and that she can soon wave goodbye to the pressures of work, really enjoy her retirement and let her hair down.

Thankyou for stopping by my little haven in cyber space.  I hope you like what you see!  Take care and happy crafting. 

Mel X

A Christmas Card for Mum

Hello again!  I'm back with second card today - must be on a roll!!  This card is for my mum and stepdad and is my first 8x8 card!  I love the size of it but think I'll still save them for special occassions.  I've used one of the wonderful images from Mo's Digital Pencil!   I'm sure mum'll love it as she prefers all the cute images - just need to finish it off with a decent insert and verse.  This will be entered into the following challenges:

Friday Sketchers - Sketch

One Stop Craft Challenge - Christmas Love

Saturday Spotlight with Hidden Potential - The Music Within Your Soul

I have flipped the sketch onto its side and added an additional flower.  I love this image myself as they appear to be carol singing.  I LOVE listening to decent carol singers at this time of year and all the old Christmas favourites sung by Nat King Cole and Dean Martin!  

The red papers are from K&Co and I think the green ones HOTP.  I've gone round all papers and card with my gold Uni paint pen to give a slightly gilted look.   The ribbon is from my stash.  Flowers are from prima and the leaf punch is by  Leone Em.  The flower punch is by woodware.

Thanks for stopping by, take care and happy crafting!

Mel X

Three in One Challenge Christmas Fairy

My second card today is yet another image from Mo's Digital Pencil.  This one is from the children to their Nanna!  Emily chose this image because she thinks Nanna Doreen'll like it as much as she does!! This will be entered into the following challenges:

Mo's Digital Pencil - "Someone Special"

Friday Sketchers - Sketch

Saturday Spotlight with Hidden Potential - Christmas Flowers

The script on for the sentiment was done on the laptop.  The leaf wings of the girl and the bottom of her dress have been glittered with glamour dust!

RECIPE

Image - Mo's Digital Pencil Too

Papers - Basic Grey

Bow - stash

Colouring Mediums - copics and watercolour pencils

Card candy

Flower Punch - Woodware

Flower - Prima

Now all I have to do is put in the dreaded inserts which I find soo tedious and boring!  Never mind - see you all tomorrow and thanks for stopping by!

Mel X

Dottie's World and Sketch Saturday

Afternoon everyone. What a lovely day it is today, glorious sunshine and quite warm too! The children both returned to school today after being unwell since Thursday! I'm now relishing a bit of peace and tranquility, catching up on some crafting! I've another two challenge card, this one's for

Sketch Saturday - Sketch

and

Dottie's World

The challenge over on Dottie's World this week, was set by Nicole and she wants to see the colours Red, White and Black. Of course, a Charmed download must be included! For this I've used the scruffy pup from the Charming Xmas download collection. Isn't he cute! Actually,my golden retriever Murphy, was the inspiration here, as he nicked Ethan's sandwich bag off the worktop this morning, there's NOOO way I could leave meat unattended when he's around!!

I've used my new punch I only bought yesterday and some bling I've been dying to use! Underneath the silver brad is a black punched snowflake. The pawprint is a stamp made by a local crafter I've known quite a few years and she's now set up in business with her own rubber stamp designs, - certainly one to keep an eye on!!!

RECIPE

Download - Charmed Cards and Crafts
Colouring Mediums - Copics and watercolour pencils
Cardstock - stash
Punches - Martha Stewart, X Cut and Woodware
Ribbon - Papermania
Flowers - stash
Bling - Prima
Snowflake brad - Papermania
Pawprint stamp - Oakhouse Studio
Sentiment - done on laptop

Thankyou for stopping by my place in cyberspace. Hope you're having a great day whatever you're doing! Please feel free to leave a comment as I love to receive them!

Take care everyone and happy crafting!

Mel X

Another 2 in 1 Challenge

Afternoon everyone. I'm gradually catching up on all the crafty items I'm wanting to do, but then another week will begin and I'll have to start all over again LOL!! I'm on a weeks annual leave at present so no work and STILL there are not enough hours in day!! This card is for two challenges

Roses on Paper - "It's Nearly Halloweeeeen!"

Inspirational Card Sketches - Sketch

RECIPE

Stamp - Magnolia

Halloween Script Paper - Making Memories

Star cardstock - DCWV

Plain purple cardstock - Sizzix

Punches - Woodware

Flower - Prima

Brad - Doodlebug

Colouring mediums - chalk, copics, sakura and

watercolour pencils

Sentiment - Craftwork Cards

Glitter - Art Institute

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy what's left of the week. Happy crafting everyone and take care.

Mel X

2 in One Card Challenge

Hi Everyone. The nights are certainly drawing in now and its getting much nippier outside!! I've put the fire on to keep me cosy!!. Here are the two challenges for which I'm entering todays card...

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Sketch

Rosie Dee's Challenge Blog - "Carrot, Courgette and a Flower"

RECIPE

Stamp - Penny Black - Dressed to Scare 2533H

Card Stock - Sizzix

Black & Green Paper - Pink Petticoat

Sentiment - Craftwork Cards

Punch - woodware circle, large & small daisy

Flower - Prima

Ribbon - from my stash

Colouring Mediums - watercolour pencils and copics

I hope you're all well and keeping warm! Keep crafting!

Mel X

Dotties's World Competition

Over on Dottie's World, TWO sets of the new Pixie Chicks CLEAR STAMPS are going to be given away to celebrate the launch of some of their designs in physical form!! To be in with a chance of winning, four consequetive challenges were to be entered!

26th September - "Charmed I'm Sure

4th October - "Going round in Circles

11th October - "Halloween - ish"

18th October - Autumn / Fall

The first of the challenges I initially submitted as e-mail then, within hours of starting my blog - DISASTER - the hard drive crashed and died!! I lost all my images (sob). Now using Mr Blogger's tempermental machine. I will be so glad when I get my new one. The lovely Karen at Charmed Cards and Crafts has sorted me out with my digis so I can come out to play again and I'd better catch up - fast!!! So below is the last of the four challenges posted 18th October . The immediate three posts below are in order, for the other three challenges involved in this competition!!

"Autumn / Fall"

This is the final and most recent of the four challenges, posted 18th October. For this we are required to get inspired by the colours green, yellow, orange and deep red and use at least one or two of them. As gold suits these colors so well, this is to be included. That can be some gold embossing, a ribbon a paper or what ever you want and of course 1 charmed digi download has to be included.

RECIPE

Patterned paper - Basic Grey

Sissix Oval Nestabilities

Cardstock from stash

Colouring Medium - watercolour pencils

Flower - Prima

Chipboard - Making Memories (I think)

Ribbon - local haberdashery

Card Candy

I hope you have all had a great day. I am slowly catching up with the crafting I am wanting done. Hopefully, there will be further posts later in the week. Thanks for stopping by and happy crafting!!

Mel X

"Charmed I'm Sure"

This is the first of the challenges, posted on 26th September. This was my final e-mail entry before starting my blog, but thought I'd still post on here - full house then!! This was an opportunity to show off our 'dangly bits' and as usual at least one Charmed download was required. I layered the image for this to give the dress and mask some dimension. The small key charm was from my stash and the beads were a freebie from a magazine, (forget which), that I've had for ages!! The bodice was coloured and glittered as was part of the skirt.

RECIPE

card - craftwork cards

papers - Basic Grey, wisteria

flowers - prima

card candy - craftwork cards

pearls - my stash

Charms - key and beads - from stash

colouring medium - copics and art institute glitter

Mel X

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H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y E M I L Y !

This was Emily's birthday card as she loves these images by The Greeting Farm.
Perfect for a nine year old don't yer think? This card will be entered into Roses on Paper Challenge
having used the colours of orange, brown and green and using a sketch from another challenge. Mine is from Inspirational Card Sketches
and their Sketch No 37

RECIPE

Cardstock - craftwork cards
Papers - Basic Grey 'porcelain bloc'
Ribbon - papermania
Flowers - Prima
Card Candy

Thank you for stopping by

Mel X