Here Comes Summer

Good morning everyone hope that you are enjoying the week so far. Today sees the launch of Crafting by Designs Challenge Here Comes Summer. The sponsor for the challenge is Robyn's Fetish Stamps



So why not pop over and have a look at the challenge and also the chance to win some of these great digi stamps.
I choose a design called Waking Up Birdie. hope you all like it.







Card Recipe

6x6 Card Craftwork Cards

Kraft card Red card and Blue paper all from my stash. I Think the paper was free in a magazine.

Image Waking Up Birdie Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps painted with Copics and  Pro markers

Spellbinder Circle and  Scalloped circle dies

Memory box Summer Border

Fence die Crafty Sentiment Designs

Small bird die Marianne

Sentiment Computer generated

Charm, buttons, ribbon and  twine from my stash

I hope you find time to check out the challenge I really enjoyed making this card .

I'm entering this into Crafty Sentiments Designs Summer , Whimsey Stamps challenge Tic Tac Toe Summer ,Die Cut, Sentiment and Live and Love Crafts Summer Garden





Coffee Break

Good morning all my lovely followers and friends. A special welcome to my new followers Melanie and Annie and my new Google + followers Gail, Annie and  Maxim. I hope you all enjoy my posts and continue to visit my blog.

My card today is quite a simple design and one I made a while ago as a sample for the ladies and  gent at my craft group to make.
Unusually for me its an image from an old die cut sheet from LOTV that I'd had for ages think I bought it at my first ever trip to GNPE. so no colouring here!!

Card Recipe

6x6 blank card Craftwork Cards

Papers from an old Docrafts  Papermania V&A pad

Brown card from my stash

Die cut image LOTV Coffee Break

Spellbinders square scalloped lace die

Martha Stewart punch doily edge

Lace from Dainty Crafts Washington

Cream flower from The Hobby House at GNPE

Brown flower and pearl from my stash

Sentiment LOTV Everyday Grunge Messages

Memento ink pad Rich Cocoa

 

Hope you enjoy this quite simple card .I've not had time for much new stuff as I'm still doing the wedding invites but on the last lap currently doing the inserts. I'll have a bit more time then to do some of my own crafting .I've got quite a few new crafty things not had time to play with yet . It will only be short lived as I still have the Order of Service to do only 80 not bad if you say it quickly!! I have really enjoyed making them and am sure I'll be very proud when I hand them over to Rosie and  Scott.

 

Hope you are all having a good weekend the weather has been great must have brought it back from Cyprus with me. I'm now going to catch up on the holiday ironing deep joy I don't think!!

 

 

 





Hello I'm Back From Holiday

Good morning to all my lovely friends and followers this is a very quick post just to let you all know I have been on holiday in Cyprus for 10 days. I hoped to keep up to date but the hotel wifi was rubbish so  I just did lots of other things instead.
I notice I have some new followers so will welcome you all properly in my next craft post.
In the meantime thought you'd like to see these fab photos from our hotel room and the stunning terraces.
I'll start to catch up over the next few days and  looking forward to seeing all of your amazing craft
creations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love and Hugs Carole x

 

 



Memory Tag for Fiona "Memories Last Forever"

Good morning to all my fantastic friends and followers and a special welcome to my new follower on Google+  Kate. Thank you for following my Blog and I hope you continue to visit and enjoy my posts.

Today I'm posting a tag I made to give to my Daughter in Law Fiona last Monday in memory of her Mum Iris who sadly died unexpectedly three year ago. Those three years have gone by so fast and Fiona misses her Mum so much. This was something I wanted to make for her just to show I cared and was thinking about her.

 

 

 

Tag Recipe

Tag template from the internet

Papers LOTV

Timeless Victorian

Iris Digi Stamp from Pinterest and then cut out.

Painted with Promarkers and Copic pens

Background image is LOTV stamps Old Romance

Lace Dainty Crafts Washington

Pearl trim Hobby Craft

White ribbon Live and  Love Crafts

Metal Charm Dawn to Dusk Crafts with computer generated Iris name.

Cheese Cloth WOC

Organza flowers cut from Ribbon local store Boyes

 Viva pearl pen used on Cheese Cloth

Sentiment tag computer generated and cut with Spellbinders labels 18 die

 

 

 

 

I hope you are all enjoying a fantastic weekend and getting time to craft. This image is featured on Crafting By Designs  today they have a lovely post to welcome their new designers.

 

Thank you to all of you who commented on my Aurora Wings card the comments were fantastic you are all so kind and lovely. Love and  Hugs Carole x

I'm entering this into The Papertake Weekly Challenge Lace and Pearls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Aurora Wings Bluebell Sprite

Good morning to all my lovely friends and followers. I hope you are all having a good week .If you are visiting from Crafting By Designs you are very welcome to my blog. My card today is a design post for Crafting by Designs today sees the launch of the monthly Challenge Anything Goes. My card is made using a stamp from one of our sponsors Aurora Wings . Its the first time I've used their stamps but I was impressed by the fabulous images a fantastic selection .I really struggled to decide which one to use but finally settled for Bluebell Sprite .

 

 

Card Recipe

Blank card Craftwork Cards

Papers LOTV Bonnets and  Bows and Crafty Individuals Shades of Summer
Spellbinder die Labels 18 

Digi Stamp Bluebell Sprite Aurora Wings painted with Promarkers and Copic pens

Image sprinkled with Frantage vintage white from Live and  Love Crafts

Sentiments LOTV Everyday Grunge messages stamped with Memento Paris Dusk blue ink

Lace and pearl trim from Whitby Crafts

Flowers Wild Orchid Crafts and my stash

White rolled flowers made with quilling tool

Tim Holtz white card

Tim Holtz paper distress tool  

 

 

I hope the you get the opportunity to look at the Anything Goes Challenge  there are some great prizes and it runs for a month so lots of time to enter..

 

Enjoy the rest of your week and  hope you find the time to do some lovely crafting.

I'm entering this into Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge Anything Goes, Papertake Weekly Challenge Anything Goes with a Summer theme and A Creative Romance Anything Goes

 

 

 



 

 



Birthday Card for Val

Good morning to all my lovely friends and great followers I hope you have all had a great week. Before I start my post I want to give a special welcome to my latest follower Annie thank you so much for joining my blog and  I hope you continue to enjoy my blog posts.
The card I'm posting today was one I made a little while ago its a 65th birthday card for my friend Val. She celebrated her birthday last Thursday. The card is a bit of a different colour scheme for me but I liked the finished result See what you think.

 

This is the matching box

 

 

 

Card Recipe

Blank 8x8 scalloped card from Craftwork Cards

Navy Card Tim Holtz

Die cut corners from ebay

Spellbinder Floral oval dies

Marianne die

Sentiment computer generated

Flowers WOC and  my stash.

The cream flat flowers are from The Hobby House at GNPE a while ago and the centres are coverd in pink seed beads

Viva pearl pen pink

Pink pearl string from my stash. I wish I could remember were I bought it as its very fine and I love it on cards.

White gesso on flowers

 

 

I cut the bottom floral oval die in half to extend it and make a bigger oval design a technique I saw on the Create and  Craft.

I spoke to my friend on her birthday an know she loved the card I was just relieved it arrived safely and not damaged.

 I hope you are all looking forward to the weekend. I've got some workmen here cleaning all our block paving so hope to do some shopping when they finish. I'm also doing appeals all next week so lots of reading still to do but I'm getting there.

Thank you all for the lovely comments you have left recently I really appreciate them especially on my first design post as its quite a big thing doing your first project. Enjoy whatever you have planned and I hope it involves some crafting If I get any time it will be wedding invites for me.

 

 



 

 

Anything But a Card

Good morning to all my lovely Friends and Followers. Also a very special welcome today to my new follower Jackie thank you for taking the time to follow my blog I hope you enjoy my posts.
 My post today is my first design team post for Crafting By Designs so a special welcome if you are visiting my blog for the first time from Crafting by Designs.
The Challenge this week is Anything But a Card. I'd bought a kraft card heart a while ago at the craft shop in Whitby North Yorkshire so decided to make use of it and make a wall hanging. I hope you all like it.

 

The second photo shows the side of the wall hanging which is not visible from the front and  the photo below shows it hanging on the wall.

 

 



 Wall Hanging Recipe

 

Heart shape from Whitby Crafts

Stamp Nellie Snellen Sweet Elin I won this in my lovely follower Mags Birthday Candy Draw.

Image painted with Distress inks

Sentiment stamp Indigo Blu

Papers Baskets and Bunnies Lili of The Valley

Spellbinder scalloped oval die

Lace, crochet flower and twine from my stash

Blue organza flower ribbon Boyes my local craft store

Flowers Wild Orchid Craft

Card Tim Holtz

Blue wooden hearts Whitby Crafts

Blue resin flower from the Mags Birthday Candy

I also used white gesso to prime the base of the heart before decorating it.

Tim Holtz paper distress tool used on the edges of the papers from Michaels Florida USA

 

 

I hope this inspires you to join in the challenge it can be fun to do something other than a card so why not give it a go and be in with the chance of winning some great prizes. This is the challenge badge and link. The Challenge runs from the 28th May for a week.

 

                                                               Crafting by Designs

Good luck if you do decide to enter and  even if you don't please pop over as the blog is well worth a look.
I'm entering this in Deep Ocean Challenge Wings
Deep Ocean Challenge





 







Wedding Day

Good evening all my lovely friends and followers and an especially warm welcome to my two new followers Kristie and  Jackie. Thanks so much for following my blog and I hope you continue to enjoy my blog posts.
My card today is another Wedding Card I made this as a commission for my friend to give to her Son and new Daughter in Law. She asked for silver and white so here it is.





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There is a matching box but for some reason I forgot to photograph it.

 

 Card Recipe

8x8 white card Craftwork cards

Silver Mirra card GNPE

Mr& Mrs Die from ebay

Marianne swirl and  leaf dies

Memory box bow and heart die

Heart punch do crafts

Sentiment computer generated

Lace and  gems from my stash

Roses WOC

Other Organza Flowers Boyes

White linen card from The Paper Man Washington

 

 

This card and my earlier Wedding Card were for the Wedding we went to at the weekend so cannot finish without a couple of photos. The first is my friend and  I we have been friends since we were 5 so just a couple of years !! she was the Groom's Mum and the second is the lovely Bride and  Groom. Kathey looked so beautiful it was such a pretty dress. These are just family photos I am certain the professional stuff will be amazing.

 

 



 

 

 

We had a fabulous weekend the venue was so special but its Wednesday and I'm sure I'm still recovering from the amount of Champagne I drank.

 I'm so sorry its been a week since I posted anything but I came back from the Wedding straight into doing appeals for the School Admissions so I've finally got round to posting. I've tried to keep up with all my followers and  friends blogs and there have been some fantastic posts recently .Thank you all so much for the amazing comments you all left on my Wedding Card post last week. I entered it in some challenges and got a Top 3 at Crafty Sentiment Designs so I was really pleased with that .

 

I hope you enjoy the rest of the week we have had great weather so hope it lasts till the weekend. Enjoy your crafting.

 



 



 

 

 

Wedding Card

Good afternoon  to all my lovely friends and  followers. I want to give a special welcome to my three new followers, Jim, Wendy and  Darnell I am delighted that you have decided to follow my blog and hope that you continue to enjoy my blog posts.

Before I show you my card I have some exciting news to share. A couple of weeks ago out of the blue I received and amazing email from Doris at Crafting by Designs asking me if I would like to join their design team. You will recall I did a Guest Designer spot for them in March but never in a million years did I expect anything like this to happen. I have accepted and will start my first projects later this month so watch this space. if you are interested in looking at the site this is the link Crafting by Designs

Now for my card I made this awhile ago as we are going to a posh wedding in London on Friday and  this is the card I've made to give to Dave and Kathey for their Wedding Day on Saturday.

 

 

This is the matching Box

 

Card and  Box Recipe

The stamp is LOTV Mr and  Mrs painted with Promarkers and Copic pens

Blue Card Tim Holtz

Papers LOTV Shabby Shack

Sentiment stamp Wedding Day LOTV others from my stash I think from a Docrafts very old set.

Spellbinder Floral ovals and circle dies

Lace from Dainty Crafts Washington

Pearl trim and  organza trim from my stash

Flowers Wild Orchid Craft, Boyes, and  the lace flower from Dainty at Washington

Heart Charm from Ross Paper craft Show

Tim Holtz paper distress tool.

 

I hope you enjoy this post I am looking forward to the Wedding we are staying at the wedding venue in Portman Square W1 a gentleman's club all sounds very grand. I've hired a fab fascinator and got a new posh frock so I'll post some photos next week.

 

Enjoy this rest of the week everyone and  hope you get to do lots of crafting I haven't got so much to post at present as I'm interspersing my own crafting with the wedding things. Thank you for all your fabulous comments on my last card they were so kind.

 

I'm entering this card in the following challenges The Ribbon Girl Lili Challenge Pearls, Crafty Sentiments Designs Flowers, Live and Love Crafts Challenge Collage Inspiration, Bunney Zoe's Challenge Flowers and Charms and Papertake Weekly Challenge Pastels.

 

 



 

 

 



 

 



A Special Birthday Card

Good afternoon to all my lovely friends and  followers. I've finally got round to posting something, had a bit of a week lots of appointments and  things going on. Before I start my post I want to give a big welcome to my latest follower Jim thank you for following my Blog and I hope that you continue to enjoy my posts.
My card today is more my usual style so really enjoyed making this one . The stamp is LOTV that I won last year in the Theme Thursday draw. The stamped strip across the centre is an inspiration I've taken from Becky Hetherington's Blog Attic Crafter. The link is in my Blog List if you want to take a look a great idea and  a fabulous Blog.

 

Card Recipe

7x7 card made from cutting down an 8x8 the image looked lost on the bigger card

Papers Timeless Victorian LOTV distressed with paper distress tool

White card Tim Holtz

Stitched with sewing machine and white topstitch thread

Spellbinder Floral Oval die

La La Land Banner die

Sentiments LOTV

LOTV stamp Cake Glorious Cake painted with distress Inks and  sprinkled with vintage white Frantage. The cake glorious cake sentiment comes with the stamp so excellent value.

Lace is from Dainty Crafts Washington

Organza flower ribbon and pearl trim from my stash

Flowers Wild Orchid Craft, Boyes and my stash.

Glamour Dust on wings and  cake

 

 

I'm plodding along with the Wedding Invites and doing OK currently deciding on the insert wording and font. I've still got loads to do but enjoying making them and they look lovely suppose I would say that !!. The ribbon I ordered arrived yesterday so now have all the materials for the Day Invites Evening Invites and Order of Service over 200 cards.

 

I hope you all enjoy what's left of the week and you all had a great bank holiday weekend. I'm at a governor conference tomorrow so that should be interesting.

I suppose I cannot end my post without mentioning my husbands football team Sunderland who have just saved themselves from relegation in great style. My husband is a life long supporter and goes to all the home matches so he is on cloud nine right now. Is this the time to ask him for the diamonds and designer bags !! The last match of the season is Sunday so a nice crafty afternoon for me.

Thank you to all of you who commented on my last post I had some great comments so lovely.

 

I'm entering this card in the following Challenges LOTV Fairies http://ideastoinspire.blogspot.co.uk/p/challenge.html Crafty Sentiments anything Goeshttp://craftysentiments.blogspot.co.uk/ Whimsy Stamps Use Two Dies http://whimsyinspires.blogspot.co.uk/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Topper Card

Good morning all my lovely friends and  followers I hope that you have had a good week . The week just seems to have flown and  I cannot believe that its May already although I have noticed that a lot of the web pages have Christmas stuff on them always a sign we are getting towards the middle of the year. Its so sad when we haven't even had our Summer hols yet!!. Never mind enough from me this is a card I've made as a sample for the lady who runs our craft group its quite a simple design as the group will make this at one of our meetings in June and we have very mixed abilities and some may choose to select a different topper. I used a Hobby House topper first time I've used one although I've had them ages and I'm  quite pleased at how quick they come together. Don't think I'll stop painting my images though but they do make a lovely quick card and  such cute images.

 

 

 

 Card Recipe

6x6 Blank card Craftwork Cards

Green Paper an old Docrafts pad

Embossed background A4 Dottie embossing folder

Spellbinder scalloped circles

Green Bazzill Swiss Dots Card

LOTV Sentiment Tags stamped in Brown Memento Ink

Ribbon and  gems form my stash

Image The Hobby House

Glamour dust on image

 

This is the first time I've used the LOTV sentiment tags they were out of stock for a while but managed to get them recently. I think they will be very useful lots of varied sentiments

 

 

Hope you all have a great bank holiday weekend I've not got a lot planned so hope to catch up on some crafting I have a couple of birthday cards to make and also I'll do some more work on the wedding invites .

 

Thank you all for the fabulous comments on my last post so kind of you all. Love Carole x

 

 



 



 



Twins 50th Birthday Cards

Good evening to all my friends and  lovely followers and apologies for taking so long since my last post. Firstly I would like to welcome my new follower Elizabeth Thank you for following my blog and I hope you continue to enjoy my posts.

My cards today are a commission I have made for a friend. They are for her twin nieces who are 50 soon. I was asked for the design of the pink card I made a while ago and  she wanted them the same but in different colours. She suggested yellow and  blue but my pearlescent paper was very gold looking not yellow at all so I decide to use lavender instead.

These are the two cards and  matching boxes.

 

 



 

 

 

The Matching Boxes

 

 

 

 

 

 Card Recipe

A4 Regency embossing folder came with my Ebosser

Pearlescent paper Anita's

White card from stash

Heartfelt Creations Aster Die

Happy birthday die cut from ebay

Butterflies Martha Stewart punch Michaels USA

Pearl trim from Whitby Crafts

Pearls from Stash

 Sewing Machine and  White topstitch thread

8x8 cards Craftwork cards

8x8 boxes Stella Crafts

 

I have got some cards made but unfortunately cannot post them yet and also I'm doing stuff on the wedding invites at  the same time. spent a while sourcing all the products things change when you want craft stuff in large quantities. I'm getting there and I 've got some stuff on order . I had a great day on Sunday went to Ross Papercraft Show at Sunderland. with my friend Barbara I think it was the best Ross show I've been to lots of demos Phil from Create and Craft was there and of course got some great bargains. I picked up some nice card and lots of lovely embellishments.

 

Hope that you are all doing Ok and having a good week with lots of crafting. I hope to get some done tomorrow. fingers crossed.

 

Thanks for all your great comments on my recent post I really have appreciated them Love Carole x

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

Austin Mini Cooper Man Card my 100th post

 Good afternoon to all my lovely friends and followers and a special welcome to my new follower on Google + Emma. I've finally gotten round to doing this post the weekend seems to have passed me by and I did do a lot of crafting but some of it was commissions that I cannot post at present. The card I'm posting today is a man card yes a man card. I made it a few weeks ago not decided on a recipient yet but have a few male birthdays coming up. The stamp is a one I've used before but it does make a good man card especially if they like cars or have ever owned an old style mini.

 

Card Recipe

8x8 Card Craftwork Cards

Papers from my stash think the checked was from a magazine

Red card and Kraft card from Ross paper craft show

Mini stamps Papermania painted with distress inks the small mini covered in glossy accents

Silver embossing powder around the image

Red mesh trim Live and  Love Crafts

La La Land Banner die

Card Candi Craftwork Cards

Charm and twine from my stash

Silver peel off letters on banner from craft shop in Whitby ages ago.

 

 

I hope that you enjoy this card as I know we all really love making men cards !!  I hope you all had a lovely weekend doing what you enjoy and so sorry for those of you back at work I used to hate the first day back after holidays awful.

 

I hope to get something else done to post later in the week . Thank you all for the lovely comments you have left on my last couple of cards it means a lot to me.  Finally just to say to Debra hope you are going along Ok and that you feeling better very soon I miss your lovely cards.

  

Enjoy the rest of the week I'm doing appeals all day tomorrow but hope to go card hunting on Friday to get the right colour for the wedding invites I am doing.

 

I've just realised as posted that this is my 100th post on my blog. Wow that's a milestone .

 

 



 

 

 

 

Happy Easter

Good morning to all my lovely friends and  followers and a special welcome to my three new followers Sharon, Carole and Julie. Welcome to my Blog and I hope you enjoy my posts and  being a part of The Things I Love. I've had quite a busy week doing some prep work for the Wedding Invitations so have not had much time to do my crafting. My post today is a bit different its a stitched card I did when we were away in the Peak District in March. Its a gorgeous pattern from Stitching Cards . I've mounted it onto a card and added some simple embellishments Well for me they are !!!

 

 

 

 

Card Recipe

8x6 Deckle edge cream card Hobby Craft

Pattern Stitching Cards http://www.stitchingcards.com/

Thread Anchor Marlitt Gold, Bronze and  Green

Border bronze peel offs

Green card Bazzil

Spellbinder die

Computer generated sentiment

Daffodil flowers from my local store Boyes

Pearls Kanban

 

 

I hope that you all have a great Easter weekend I've not got a lot planned except a bit of gardening and a hairdressers appointment on Saturday. I don't like the Bank Holidays much as everywhere is always so busy. I also need a hat for a Wedding in May so may try and get an appointment at the hire place I've used before. I'm also trying to get all my commissions done so I can get them out of the way before I need to start the Wedding invitations.

I'm out with my girlfriends tonight so that should be lovely its the first time this year we've all managed to get together. So lots of chat and glasses of wine I think.

 

This post has taken ages Blogger was really having an off day with my photos !!

 

Enjoy the weekend and  all that lovely chocolate and  goodies on Easter Sunday.

 

I'm entering this in Crafting by Designs Anything goes Challenge http://craftingbydesigns.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/april-anything-goes-challenge-continues.html

 

 



 

 





Golden Wedding Card and Box

Good morning everyone I hope that all my lovely friends and followers are doing well.Sending Special Get Well wishes to my follower Debra who is not too good at the moment hope you are getting a little better every day.
I've had quite a busy week at the weekend my cousins son and his fiancée asked if I would do the wedding invites for their December wedding Its going to be on the 22nd December which just happens to be my birthday isn't that lovely. So most of the week I've been sourcing products to make the samples of the design they like its going OK no doubt in time they will appear on my blog.
The card today is a Golden Wedding card and is a commission. I used some lovely Ruby Rock It paper called Arcadia for the backing and used a computer sentiment. I want to thank my follower Pam for the inspiration for the beaded flowers and the sentiment design.

 

 

The paper is a very pale gold but not shown up that well in the photo although the other elements have. Strange how some things don't like the camera.

Card Recipe

8x8 card Craftwork Cards

Ruby Rock It Paper Strikes Garden Centre Stokesley

Gold Mirra card my stash

Spellbinders Floral Oval die

Marianne die

Lace Dainty Crafts Washington

Flowers Wild Orchid Craft and the Hobby House

Organza flowers my local store Boyes

Gold beads from my stash

Viva Pearl Pen Gold

8x8 Box Stella Crafts

 

 

I'm doing some more work on the wedding invite samples later and also have a few more commissions to finish so after my Thai Chi class this afternoon I'll be crafting.

 

Enjoy the rest of the week and special thank you for all the lovely comments you have all left recently they do make my crafting so worth while. Love Carole x