Kool Kitty Musings

Birdies...

Just a quick post to share my card for today's Card a Day challenge at 2Peas, I also combined it with the colour inspiration challenge over at Kristina Werner's blog. :o)

Prompt: "Hello Birdie" - Inspiration: 4 decorative edges, chipboard letters, and/or a sticker element elevated with foam 

 

So it's pretty clear my inspiration was the birdie bit!

 

Paper: Sassafras Lass
Stamp: Papertrey Ink
Label: Martha Stewart
Flower: Prima
Other: Ribbon, Promarker pen (used to tint the flower edges too)

So, it looks like a snow day tomorrow, will be working from home and not slipping about on the ice! 

 

Back to the sketches...

I've combined the CaD challenge for January 5th with CPS sketch 148. Over the summer I had a lend of that very nice SU big shot die that so many people have and cut about 60 odd labels from various scraps, it's very nice flicking through the pile of labels and finding some nice gems!

Prompt: "Happy Bird Day" - Inspiration: Bird, a square card, and/or sentiment in a circle using 2 different fonts

I think I've actually ticked all the boxes this time! Shocking! hehe

Paper: Prima
Rub-on: Prima
Stamp: Papertrey Ink
Other: Ribbon, Stickles

It's a shame that American Crafts green cardstock doesn't photograph as well as the red ribbon, the colour is much nicer in real life.

Well, I think that's it for the day. No doubt the actual creating of things will slow down over the next week and I hope I manage to get up at 7 tomorrow, as I've got rather used to late nights and late mornings! lol

Oh and I have seen that BBC 2 are showing Nurse Jackie tomorrow - this series has been recced to me from the US so I'll be checking it out. :o) Hopefully it will be good, I am still waiting for a UK station to show United States of Tara, from what I saw it was a great series!

It's another Showtime show and starred the delicious John Corbett - yum!

Who also played the lovely Aidan in Sex and the City (and who I much preferred to Big!). One of my favourite scenes of theirs was this one...
   

Getting ahead

Since it's back to work tomorrow and in the evening I believe I'll be taking the Christmas decorations down, then I thought I'd best make another card!

Prompt: "To You From Me" - Inspiration: Matching color cardstock & ribbon, complementary colors, and/or 2 different pattern & color papers

So while I had those Provocraft chipboard bits still out, I found another more apt crown, and used it! And yes, still loving my Earth Love mini deck.

Paper: Cosmo Cricket
Embellishments: Provocraft
Stamp: Hero Arts
Other: Satin ribbon, Promarkers
 

And while I'm apparently ahead, I think I've time for one more card. 

Hm... downsizing?

I was trying to find some items to use on the challenge for today's CaD card over at 2Peas, only to find that the chipboard accents I wanted to use, I'd already used. Since the packet was almost empty I transferred the remaing accents to another packet and used the packaging for my card instead!

Prompt: "Backwards in Heels" - Inspiration: Stitching, a favorite female driven quote, and/or a crown

So at least I managed the crown bit!

Background: Packaging from Provocraft
Stamps: PSX
Other: Button

 

I've not used those alpha stamps in quite some time, I remember back in 2003/04 when they were all the rage!

And finally...

Here's the last one for today. :o) Very simple, but I just love those journaling cards for making cards!

Prompt: "Together Forever" - Inspiration: Layered tags, one scalloped edge, and/or pearls

Stickers: Doodlebug, KI Memories
Other: Prima journaling card (Nancy Kubo), 3D glitter paint

I rather love those glitter alpha stickers from Doodlebug. :o)

Buttons galore!

So the next card... And these prompts can be interpreted in any way...

Prompt: "Thanks A Bunch" - Inspiration: Thank you, lots of blue, and/or a button & flower combo

Think I managed to tick that flower/button combo box!

Paper: Cosmo Cricket, Sassafras Lass
Stamps: Papertrey Ink
Buttons: Papertrey Ink
Other: Bling crystals

The buttons are rather gorgeous eh? And I finally cracked open my Cosmo Cricket Earth Love paper pad. :o)   

The start of the Card a Day cards...

And long may they continue!

So here are my cards so far for the challenge over on 2Peas.

The card kicking it all off:

Prompt: "Let it Snow" - Inspiration: use snowflakes, a flourish, and/or stripes.

 
Papers: October Afternoon
Stamp: Papertrey Ink
Rub-on: Basic Grey
Other: Stickles + 3D glitter paint

The little house is supposed to be in a snowglobe. :o) Next cards to follow...
 

Want to make a card a day?

Or even a few a week?

Well I have found a great challenge on 2Peas that you can stick to, or join in at your leisure. The prompts posted so far sound very flexible, so I think I will try and make a few cards for the challenge this evening. Check out this week's thread here. If you're thinking of taking part let me know as I'd love to check out your creations. :o)

In other news: Have been to the gym and finished all my work so consider myself to have met my non-creative goals for the day! It's snowing again so wonder what the weather is going to be like come Monday, please let it be painless morning traffic to work.

And tonight I am not going to lose a few hours of my free time playing Freecell! Ooops!

Just another 16 to go!

Yes, 16 more cards made this year and I will have hit my 209 in 2009 target! It can be done!

Here are today's creative efforts...

This one was in response to last weeks sketch of at CPS (#145) and it's one of the BG stickers mounted on the matching chipboard which I coloured in with a turquoise promarker, it looks very nice in real life offset against the turquoise.

Then while I had that BG stuff out, I made another one.

Quite a whopping bauble there!

And next, I checked out the current dare over at Darking Card Makers... Going dotty, but I had to go with a Christmas theme to get those cards made! LOL

Those Anna Griffin rub-ons are rather handy!

Oh, and I still love those little MM tags, wish they made more tags like this in some funky colours.

I really love these Signature greeting stamps - they are perfect for so many cards!

Now, if this next one doesn't shout Christmas I don't know what will!

 
I've still got a fair bit of this Love Elsie fabric paper left over so will get using it soon!

 

While the Love Elsie was out, I made this card:

Those Paperchase badges finally got used on a card!

And finally, a little snow... who knows we may get some this week!

 
Love those KI glitter snowflakes.

So there we go... I just need to get writing them next! LOL

But first, X Factor final time!

Quick catch-up

The other night I finally managed to sit down and make something, things have just been a tad hectic recently... but here we go:

 

I went to town a bit on the stickles and liquid pearls but I rather like the effect on the tree. :o)

 

Then I checked out the latest recipe challenge over at Sketches by Tamara (#50), this week it was to use:

• Hardware
• Notebook paper
• Dry embossing

  

All the elements are there and I finally used one of those fab kraft corrugated cards and my silver forest friends rub-ons.

Right, I'm off to watch the tail end of the Apprentice (blimey what a show tonight, it's always hilarious on the shopping channel task...).

Mmmm pink and lime...

There's something very satisfying when working with this colour-combo - and I love the shade of lime in the Urban Prairie line... yum!

So with that in mind I decided to give these colours an outing for this week's recipe challenge over at Sketches by Tamara:

 

But can you spot the elements? Well they're all there...

• Chipboard - check!
• Buttons - check!
• Flowers - sneaky check!

 

Right, Apprentice time!

Finally...

I've started my Friends Marathon - had the full series boxset since the late January sales and still hadn't had chance to sit down and get them on the DVD player.

So in the land of multi-tasking I've got up to season 1 episode 3 and made a card whilst watching!

 

This one's for this week's recipe challenge (#48) over at Sketches by Tamara.

The challenge was to use red, round and ricrac. :o)

Just can't give it up!

... October Afternoon apples and the Detours line in general! I just love it. :o)

And what better excuse to use some of my fave bits than for the current card sketch challenge on the OA blog:

 

Oh and of course any excuse to use that border punch!

 

Right, time to watch Ashes to Ashes!

And the rest...

Here are the other cards I managed to make yesterday - any excuse to play with the new stash and gadgets!

 

The cut-out chipboard is actually a page from this mini-book by Colorbok which seems to be based on The Animals of Farthing Wood - the line is called Friendly Forest, and was all on clearance at Michaels. I picked up the photo mount pad, flocked stickers, chipboard book, journaling cards, silver rub-ons and some of the chipboard embellishments. So plenty to be getting on with!

The rest on this one is scraps except the Martha tag.

 

Then I made a card for the current recipe challenge (#47) over at Sketches by Tamara, it called for pink, a butterfly and glitter!

 

I managed to use up some old MM twine and play with some new October Afternoon paper (mmm arrived yesterday) and the new EK Success notepad punch. Love that!

 

And for this month's card challenge on UKS I needed to add some texture so those new flocked stickers were most handy!

 

They really are lovely, but I think that was the loveliest one on the sheet apart from the birdie one, and the background tag is a journaling card from the same line.

Border punches deployed again!

 

And last but not least, I didn't fancy chucking away the scraps, so made a little notelet:

Chickies!

I almost forgot that I had these Pink Paislee stamps for Spring and hadn't used them until today! shocking eh?

But here's an Easter card for the UKS spring sketch challenge. :o)

 

Rather cute with those American Crafts papers:

Sidetracked

I was kind of sidetracked this afternoon when making my cards as I was watching Cranford on Virgin's TV choice service and so glad I managed to watch the entire series in one go! Kleenex was definitely needed in the last episode, but I got slightly distracted along the way when I was supposed to be making these...

First up a card for Becky's new addition:

 

I love those Nancy Kubo journaling cards - so handy for cards like this because they are totally cute!

 

Next, I had a browse of the current sketches that are out there, and tried to come up with something for this week's CPS sketch (#110) and I wanted to keep it simple...

 

Well, I don't think it gets much more simple than that, but I love these Hambly rub-ons for simple card accents. :o)

 

The SEI Allie's Wonderland cardstock sands back so nicely that I had to get the papers out to play with too:

 

I used my newest Paperchase purchase on this one, little kitty embellishments:

 

And last but not least, the current Daring Cardmakers challenge is to feature fruit on your card, well definitely a time to get out the October Afternoon apples:

  

I even used one of my Suki labels and stamped an apple and greeting on it. You can't really see in the pic, but I shortened the front a bit for the decorative edge to stand out more:

   

I still have some Banana Frog projects to upload here, but will save that for another night this week - musty tidy up now! :oO

Catch up and TV

Sundays are becoming a regular ole catch-up day for cardmaking - and this one is no different...

Here's my interpretation of sketch #87 at Sketches by Tamara:

 

Once again delving into the scraps! A bit of Scenic Route this time. :o)

 

Next up, this week's recipe challenge (#40):

 

The challenge was to use at least 3 patterned papers, stars and staples...

 

Then I spotted that the latest CPS sketch was up (#108):

Again with the old stash... I don't think I used anything squeaky new on this little lot. :oO

And as for TV... When oh when will the United States of Tara come to our UK screens??? From what I've seen it's an ace show, and what's not to love about a regular fix of John Corbett - I've missed him on regular TV ever since Aidan and Carrie broke up - mind you one of their big fights had to be the most hilarious thing in the entire history of SATC.

October Afternoon...

I am getting slightly impatient with them over their new release... just when is all that lovely stash going to be available to actually buy??

In the meantime I have had to content myself with using a combo of my favourite paper lines, including bits n pieces from Destinations! Yummo!

This card is in response to the March card challenge over at UKS:

 

One of the many scallop matchbook cards I *had* to buy in Florida last time as I loved them so much, only thing is I've hardly made a dent in the pile!

Woohoo!! Finally some productivity!

I had the radio on, managed to have two DVDs playing in the background (The Illusionist and some Renee Russo big family comedy... I forget the name), went out and about with my new camera in the garden... and still managed to be slightly productive this afternoon whilst keeping an eye on the slow cooker!

And... I was on a scrap mission with these cards too - not cut into any new sheets of paper or cardstock - left-overs only!

First up CPS sketch #107:

 

Some of that lovely Crate paper in preparation for next Sunday!

 

Then I spotted a scrap of that SEI foiled paper - too nice to add anything to that paper I like it so much. *Ü*

 

Then I checked out the current dare over at the Daring Cardmakers blog - ready, steady, cook! To use 3 different papers, at least 1 button, chipboard, ribbon and any additional element...:

 

I love a bit of October Afternoon, and finally used one of those birdie chipboard accents I've been lugging about in my tote to every crop since I bought them. LOL

 

After that I had a peek at the Mojo Monday blog to see if there was a sketch I'd missed, yep, the current one (#77)!

 

I love those Chatterbox journaling accents...

 

Then I went by the Sketches by Tamara blog, and had a go at sketch #86:

 

Lots of rub-ons on that one, Hambly and MM!

 

And last buy not least, Inspirational Card Sketches sketch #7:

 

Quite like how the Chatterbox journaling thingy goes with those AC papers:

 

Well here ends another Sunday evening, and boo hiss the last Larkrise tonight with JD riding off into the sunset! Gaaaah! I hope since they've left the door open for him, he may come back in series 3 and hopefully, finally... he and Dorcas will finally be on the same page at last!

Back in the swing of things...

I looked up some current challenges and sketches and decided to go with the current recipe challenge over at Sketches by Tamara, recipe 39 called for a project featuring black, a punched border, and a button trio...

 - check!

 

Checkity-check!

Best go get my gym bag packed now, then I must stay awake to watch big bang theory! :o)

Long time no post eh?

And not much to report - have been down out with a cold the past week - and even at yesterday's crop I was less than productive on the layout front, but not the shopping front... LOL

But I suppose I should share my meagre output, it was my layout for week four's scrap like you mean it over at UKS.

 

There's little old me in my Mothercare pushchair (not designed with the wonderful suspension of my friend Karolina's Polish push-pram thingy!) tucking into my yummy fresh rye bread.

Lots of American Crafts stash with a dash of October Afternoon!

Today I went for a fast shopping trip - bought a spring coat (turquoise don't ya know! And looks lovely with my red shoes - er kind of like the LO above...) and these took my fancy in Paperchase:

 

Cute eh? Plus this...

 

I wonder what's in there...

 

At last a home for them, where I can easily find the colours I'm after!

And last but not least - I see it's March already!

My one weakness...

Aside from Lark Rise to Candleford on a Sunday night (thank heavens there still seems to be hope for Dorcas and James! :thud:)... seems to be satin ribbon at the moment! LOL

I've made a couple of cards today between watching DVDs (not going to admit to just what I was watching... but I am sure Banana Frog Bev would approve of one of them!), this one is in response to recipe challenge #35 over at Sketches by Tamara:

 

The challenge was to use hearts, ribbon and patterned paper - well my hearts are actually from the patterned paper but to be sure I cut a spare one out!

 

Good old owl stamps - still plenty more to try from that little spree!

And here's an interpretation of the current sketch challenge over at the same blog, sketch #82:

 

I just love that apple lace cardstock... yum.

Feeling green

Just a quick update with my card for the current Daring Card Makers dare - to go green!

 

Sassafras and my new big oooooowl stamp. :o) And I went and tried out my promarkers on this stamp - not bad on the back of plain old Bazzill!

A little Oriental influence...

So having finished off all my file organising on the PC, I finally got down to tackling my to-do list... I have many a challenge/sketch card to do to keep on top of 209 in 2009 - so decided to check out the current Daring Card Makers dare, to create an Oriental card without red or black. :o)

And I decided to go with these Basic Grey papers that feature a pattern that reminds me of Japanese cherry blossom:

 

I am rather loving satin ribbons at the moment... nice wide ones too - the shades are much more subtle in real life too....

Sunday catch up

I just love Sundays sometimes! And especially a relaxing one finally spent reading my book from cover to cover!

After finishing that late this afternoon I got got a little card made for a certain new addition to the Banana Frog fan club, Trish's new baby boy!

 

Banana Frog stamps used are Tiny Type and Postage

 

And yesterday's crop did at least end in a layout! LOL It's week 4's Scrap Like You Mean It challenge - and Shimelle's sketch.

 

Afraid the photo isn't too great as it's quite dim lighting in the evening.

Proof....

Oh, poor Zoe last night, having to put up with my creative inadequacies! She did about five billion layouts while I ummed over this one. I had a LO in my mind, then it just all went to pot, it started off being Lily Kate paper, then it wasn't, next I dragged out more paper, October Afternoon, and tried the Lily Kate again, then I added some MM paper, then dragged out the Lily Kate again - still determined to use it!

In the end Scenic Route came to the rescue and we have October Afternoon, MM and Scenic Route in what looks like the simplest LO in the world, yet due to indecision took an entire evening to create! LOL

Anyway, the whole idea behind it was that I wanted to do Shimelle's week 3 challenge - use chipboard but also finally get these photos scrapped before Becky has baby 2 in oh 7 weeks time! hehe

Had a lovely breakfast with Angela and Becky in the morning and so I was off on my creative plans by the time I got my stash packed to head to Zoe's.

The thing doesn't scan well at all due to the lumpy bits and the scallop white background, so here it is photographed - also not the easiest thing to photograph!

 

 

In the meantime I have a fair few things of a creative nature to get done today, so best get dressed and started! ;o)

Crossed off the list!

Back on this page I set out my 10 things to do before popping my clogs... well one of them was to see Pink Martini live in concert. I bet you can guess where this is going!

Wish granted Nov. 2007 at the Sage Gateshead in a totally amazing concert - I can't wait to see them live again and hope they're working on some new material! :oD

Only thing was, I wasn't allowed to take photos in the hall. We had an amazing box so close to the stage, but next to me stood one of the ushers or whatever they're called and he had the eyes of a hawk - this is all I managed to snap!

Oh and the scrap like you mean it challenge included hearts, managed to put a few subtle ones on there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Think I might get on with some cards next...

Oliver Swift

So Shimelle's first challenge was to scrap your favourite colour... hm hard to tell these days, but if it's a Bazzill shade, then the KI Green Tea shade is my all time favourite! And colour set 4 in those American Crafts cardstock stickers are my quickly becoming my favourite alpha stickers!!

 

Bit challenging to remember how to scrap in the style of the rest of this album over a year plus on! I had to dig out all the stash for it too... but I can't believe I've still not scrapped my car, it was such a milestone passing my test and getting little Oliver Swift... :oD Mind you he is in real need of a good wash right now from all the salt on the roads!

 

 

 

And so the retro KI continues

Not got as much in the Christmas line, but I suppose enough to be getting on with for now so had a go at the Nov. sketch challenge on UKS.

Just a teeny update

I tried to be good and make a card for the October card sketch challenge on UKS the other night, and here it is - not strictly according to the sketch but it meant I managed to play with my new Romance papers from American Crafts. ;o)

And some doodlebug frills for good measure, not forgetting the glossy accents!

Creativity and clear-outs

OK, so yesterday I wasn't that creative. When I got all my stash out at Zoe's I realised I had forgotten one vital item from the stash arsenal for doing my project - the cropodile!

So no hole punching in the mini-album pages.

No biggy, I could always make some cards, I thought.

But no, because guess who, for the first time in her life, had not packed even ONE sheet of cardstock??

So instead, I watched X-Factor, got Scrapbook Trends out to flick through, then watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding while Zoe did a gazillion entries in her albums. ;o)

Oh, and anyway, it's not like I'd have got anything done since Miss Lola was in the mood for some napping, slimey chew toy retrieval, and cuddling until Zoe got the square punch out and she took exception to that! So really, it's all Lola's fault... LOL

Anyway, today after watching the last few episodes of the Closer season 4 (OMG what a mid-season cliff-hanger they've left it on until January!) I got down to some card challenges.

Here's CPS sketch #84:

• Jest Charming mini-paper bag
• October Afternoon and GCD patterned paper
• Hambly rub-on
• Papertrey Ink and Pink Paislee stamps

And here's a card for the September card challenge over at UKS.

• American Crafts patterned papers
• Poppy Ink fabric and buttons
• KI Memories alpha stickers
• Stamped background with Papertrey faux ribbon stamps
• Cuttlebug butterfly

Right, and as for the clear-out. I think I'm going to go through my half-used Poppy Ink kits and divide up the stash a bit... Wish me luck, it may take me some hours! ;o)

Retro stash time...

With some old KI Grateful papers! I bought them for a reason, yet still haven't done a layout with them.... but it's very autumnal right now so decided they could get used on a card instead!

• KI Grateful papers
• Maya Road rub-ons
• EK Success alpha stickers
• Doodlebug buttons
• Prima flowers
• Bling!

So this card is based on CPS sketch #83 but also done for this week's prompt at card paper scissors. :o)

Anyway, off to watch some telly, just need to stay awake enough to watch all of Medium!

Better late than never...

Managed to make a card for this month's UKS sketch challenge using some of my leftovers Metropolitan papers before cracking open the big pack! It's based on a current card sketch from Becky Fleck:

• American Crafts papers and Thickers
• Maya Road chipboard bird
• Heidi Swapp chipboard accents
• Pink Paislee and Papertrey Ink stamps

Right, off to watch Medium!

Christmas comes early-ish

Just keeping on top of a couple of challenges in one card - it's been a while since I did a Rudolph Day challenge, so Jo's prompt for today was perfect: to make a Christmas card without using traditional colours of red, green, or gold.

I went for aqua and brown!

• K&Co. paper
• Papertrey Ink stamps
• Starlight Stickles
• Nestabilities

If a cat has nine lives...

How many has it's owner got??

Because I think I lost one of my cat-owner's nine lives this morning when I had to take Kizia to the vet's to get her weepy eye looked at. All was going OK (I should have sensed something was about to happen!), until I had to get her cat box with her unhappy self inside out of the boot... she managed to escape the well-locked cat box just as I was setting it on the ground and made a run for it in Sainsbury's car park. Thankfully I was parked near some hedges and trees at a wall and a lady helped me get her calmed down enough that she could get her out of the bush and we got her back into the cat box. Kizia was in shock, her little heart beating away and I was in panic mode - the car park isn't too busy thankfully but if I'd parked anywhere else she'd have been running amongst the cars and we'd have never got her back. Anyway, she's had her antibiotics jab and has to go back Monday for eye drops and there will be a biiiig luggage strap around her cat box to prevent any further escape attempts. I don't think either of us wants to loose another life after this morning's trauma!

But anyway, onto nicer things... A couple of cards for some of Jo's challenges over at card, paper, scissors:

The challenge here was to use two primary colours together, mine: red and turquoise blue. ;o)

• American Crafts Thickers alpha and accents, plus badge
• Doodlebug patterned paper
• Michaels bling and flower

Next one, I can't stop using October Afternoon every now and then - Detours is my favourite line - especially these papers and bits!

The challenge here was to use texture, mine was using KI lace cardstock - apples are just perfect with that October Afternoon line! ;o)

• Patterned paper, rub-on and jelly accent: October Afternoon
• Lace cardstock: KI
• Alpha stickers: Carolee's Creations

That's all for now!

Leisurly Sundays

Finally managed to catch up with some DVDs I had to watch and read Nora's 2nd instalment in the Sign of Seven trilogy from cover to cover this morning, and have played a little card catch up, but my creative heart wasn't really in it as have been having some more issues with the new PC, but the fault is just occurring with PowerDVD so will see how I go watching DVDs on the PC via Media Player now... so far so good on that front.

Anyway, the cards....

• Scenic Route cardstock
• Basic Grey rub-ons
• Stickles

This next card is based on a card sketch for Scarlet Lime and uses the April kit plus a few extra bits:

The challenge on the 12 at Scrapper's Daily Dose was to create a card smaller than 4x4:

• KI Memories paper
• EK Success alpha stickers

This next one is based on CPS sketch #64:

• Basic Grey papers, tag, alpha stickers, rub-ons
• Michaels fabric ribbon

Challenge for the 14th was to create a card where the only embellishments were buttons:

• KI papers and alpha stickers (not embellishments in my eyes! :oP)
• Doodlebug buttons

This next one is for Sketch This #49:

• KI papers, tag and alpha stickers
• Doodlebug buttons
• Making Memories flower

And finally, another card where I (badly) attempt to make something using KI Fire papers...

• KI papers and tags
• American Crafts ribbon and brads
• SEI brads
• Stickles

The end for now... off to watch the rest of Indiana Jones. Looks like we'll be having a family outing to see the new Indy film next week or so... and then not long until Sex and the City is finally out!!! Woohooo!!!

Quick creative update

As I type this my poor feet are slowly recovering from a day spent traipsing around Newcastle in search of some new shoes/cardies/tops for the summer.

All I bought was a bottle of coconut milk lotion from The Bodyshop, and a couple of Reese's White chocolate PB cups...

Ma managed to buy a new pair of nice shoes in Clarks and we had lunch at Gospoda, the little Polish restaurant in the centre. Very nice food indeed, and ma was very happy that she had a taste of home that she didn't have to cook. lol

We never managed it to the Polish deli, but snagged the last two loaves of Kolos rye bread in Fenwick's - our trip would have been a bitter disappointment had we not come away with the bread!

Anyway, I've managed to get a couple of cards done tonight, just 13 cards behind now on the CAD front!

This one was for the monthly card challenge on UKS:

• Patterned paper by American Crafts, Scenic Route and Jenni Bowlin
• Chipboard from American Crafts
• Fabric flower embellishment and button from a recent Scarlet Lime kit
• Pink Paislee stamp
• Bling crystals

Not sure about how this one turned out...

• Scenic Route and K&Co. papers
• American Crafts chipboard
• Around the Block labeling tape
• Hambly rub-on

This and that

First up today's card... prepare for some vivid colour exposure (I was feeling the need, what with the gorgeous weather we've had - all pre-summery)!

• Bazzill bling
• Tinkering Ink papers
• KI lace cardstock
• Banana Frog Paper Chains and Greenwich Park stamps

This card is also based on one of the Card Maps sketches from this month's card challenge on UKS. :o)

Anyway, while I was creating this I had a very vivid music flashback to my days living in Grenoble back in 98/99 as I unearthed my CD of Manau's Panique Celtique (French rap crossed with some celtic folk beats - see, Irish music was everywhere in the late 90s even in French rap!). "Mais qui est la Balette?" is still my favourite track, it ends up being like a funked up version of Frere Jacques...

But I digress, I had my fix of Manau and then worked through my general playlist, but ended up skipping loads more tracks than I listened to. Looks like I could do with creating a new general playlist of stuff I want to listen to right now...

Have a list of new tracks I want to download, even that "I want to marry a lighthouse keeper" from the M&S ads, lol, there's also Galway Girl, Sweet Like Me (Gabriella Cilmi), Fascination (Alphabeats), American Boy (Estelle) and I need to check to see when the new Moby album is out. Apparently this one is his best release since Play.

Well since I lived off Play for about 6 months in 2000 I do believe I'll need to check this out! Nothing has topped it yet, but then again Extreme Ways is in a league of its own...

And as Sarah so rightly reminded me... Madonna's new album is fast approaching. I'm afraid I don't think she can top Confessions for me. I LOVED every track on that album, there isn't a duff one on there and I think it is just my style of music... all superb... I've heard the new single and I'm reserving judgement until I hear more from the album... I'm a bit worried there's going to be more talking than singing on this, and more beat than tune, but let's see - I hope it'll be another fab one!

A few cards

Caught up with some CAD challenges and other sketches... phew!

First up back to the 31st of March where the challenge was to use "Just for You" on your card... OK mine was rather loose on the wording, but I based it on CPS sketch #58:

• Mustard Moon, Sassafras Lass, Narratives papers
• Banana Frog stamps: Greenwich Park and Paper Chains
• American Crafts velvet thickers (with lots of scrappy glue to aid adhesion!)

The challenge for the 1st was to create a card for a teacher, had to cheat a bit here...

• Crate papers
• Basic Grey rub-on
• PM buttons

I set the challenge for the 2nd - to use Stickles....

• Junkitz papers
• Sizzix die
• Stickles galore
• SEI ribbon

And today's challenge was to use a journaling spot on a card, based it on one of the card maps in this month's card challenge on UKS:

• Scenic Route papers
• Jenni Bowlin journaling tag
• Making Memories mini alpha
• Prima flower
• Bling

An endless circle...

I seem to be stuck in an endless circle of catching up on challenges of late! Never managed my Rudolph day challenge cards today, just catching up on the card a day challenge and a couple of new challenges posted by Renee over on the card studio designs forum.

So back we go to the CAD challenge for the 27th, the challenge to use a new purchase on your card:

• Bazzill scalloped cardstock
• Basic Grey papers
• Making Memories button
• Papertrey greeting
• American Crafts thickers
• Brand new Sizzix die :o)

No challenge posted for the 28th so I did Renee's card sketch using last month's PI kit - one day I am sure I'll make a layout with it, but really need some inspiration from the DT to get me started! :o)

• Elsie papers
• Making Memories button embellishment
• May Arts ribbon
• Gill's birdie stamp
• Papertrey greeting
• Nestabilities

The challenge for the 29th was to use black, blue and ONE star:

• KI cardstock
• Basic Grey rub-ons
• Ancient Jones Tones star
• Nestabilities

I posted the challenge for the 30th, to use kraft cardstock/embellishments, and have twinned it with Renee's product challenge - to use 3 different lines:

• Stampin' Up cardstock
• Scenic Route paper
• Basic Grey rub-on
• Unknown gems

That's basically it for today! Hoping I manage to wake up on time tomorrow now that the clocks have changed, I was still asleep at 9 this morning. :oO

As promised..

Card catch-up from the other day...

First up back to the CAD challenge for the 10th of March - yes I fell so far behind - to use pink and green:

• Making Memories patterned paper, metal greeting, flower, button
• Stickles
• Michaels ribbon

CAD for the 11th was to use die cuts in some way:

• Cuttlebug font and Asterisk dies
• Basic Grey patterned papers
• American Crafts alpha stickers

No challenge posted the 12th, so filled in with this card...

• Basic Grey background paper
• Doodlebug buttons and rub-ons

Then for the 13th, the challenge was to create a baby boy card... I was running low on inspiration on this one, so it's a tad boring! LOL

• Basic Grey papers and alpha stickers
• Lil Davis chipboard
• Papertrey Ink stamps

No challenge on the 14th either, so just used an old Self-Addressed kit for a little play...

Then the CAD challenge for the 15th was to use Scenic Route:

• Scenic Route papers
• Prima flowers
• Heidi Swapp stamp
• Queen & Co. brads

The CAD challenge for the 16th was to use black and white as the primary colours... hm... I just needed some zinging lime green in there as well!

• KI Memories background paper, block stamps, greeting stamp
• Prima flower
• SEI brad

And now we come to the Run Rudolph Run spectacular as there were no CAD challenges until the 21st... all very simple too... Lots of KI, Papertrey stamps, Stickles...

The end!

Creative Sundays...

When the weather is really nothing to talk about there's nothing better than a day of leisure, especially if it's a Sunday!

I started off the day by reading Born in Shame (last book in the Irish Dreams trilogy) from cover to cover this morning and then finally got dressed around lunch time... LOL

Then after re-homing all my stash I'd packed for the crop I got busy catching up on the CAD challenges I'd missed the past few days whilst watching Save the Last Dance 2.

Anyway, here's the first one - February 1st's challenge was to create a card using flowers, I twinned this with the CSD product challenge #2 to use Basic Grey:

• Basic Grey patterned paper
• Heidi Swapp chipboard flower
• Bling crystals
• May Arts ribbon
• Papertrey Ink greeting

Then yesterday's card is twinned with CPS sketch #49, the theme was to use ribbon:

• Crate Paper patterned papers - card blank made from the orange paper, the green already had the reverse of the scallop edge cut from it when used on a LO ages ago...
• Apricot satin ribbon
• Kopp Studio Designs tag and rub-on
• Papertrey Ink greeting

And last but not least, today's CAD challenge was to use Basic Grey, so out came the Mellow 6x6 pad from the class at Whim-so-Doodle - I am determined to use it all up! ;o)

• Bazzill scalloped cardstock for the card blank
• Basic Grey patterned papers
• Queen & Co. felt ribbon
• Papertrey Ink stamps

Hopefully back tomorrow with more card making, gym in the evening but dentist's in the morning first thing... gah... all on a Monday - LOL if it wasn't bad enough that it was just plain old Monday tomorrow!

Cards, Rudolphs, Sketches... and flat tyres

Heck it feels like one of those days... I'll be starting off my day tomorrow at the tyre centre getting my wheel/tyre fixed/replaced on the car. This morning on the way to work there must have been a shed load of something on the road as by a few minutes from parking up there was a knocking sound coming from the back of the car. Once parked I opened to boot to see if there was anything knocking about that could have made the noise, and there were a few things... so after work I took the culprits from the boot and secured them, but the noise persisted and I just knew 10 minutes later that it was definitely something far worse, yep... a puncture. Managed to get home in one piece and the emergency wheel is now on. And there is a huge chunk of steel bolt in my nice wide almost pristine wheel!!! Grrrrrrrrrrr... not sure whether they're be able to fix it or whether I'm in for a new Continental tyre tomorrow, or what, but great start to the weekend!

However, I've spent the evening forgetting about that and getting on with Jue Jue's Rudolph challenge on UKS. The aim is to make some Christmas cards on the 25th of each month, so that come December there won't be a mass panic! Well I managed to twin this challenge with my Card a Day project and a couple of sketch challenges I wanted to do:

This one is also for sketch challenge #7 on the Card Studio Designs forum:

• KI Memories all the way!

This is just a random one using more KI papers, MM buttons, Anna Griffin rub-on and Papertrey greeting.

This is one for yesterday's card a day challenge, to use ricrac!

• Basic Grey patterned paper and die-cut stickers
• Autumn Leaves stamp

Another CAD card, this time the challenge was to use an epoxy sticker!

• Love Elsie patterned paper, epoxy sticker, stickers, chipboard buttons
• Papertrey greeting
• Mini-alpha stickers
• Cuttlebug font

And last but not least, the latest sketch over at CPS - sketch 48! Basic Grey and Papertrey again. :o)

Right off to tidy up!

Card a Day 15

Just playing catch-up now - it's been a hectic few days!

 

This time the theme was "Just because" and I killed two birds with one stone by creating this card for the product challenge on Card Studio Designs - the challenge to use 7 Gypsies, well I managed that with a bit of 7Gypsies paper. ;o)

• Daisy D's and 7 Gypsies patterned paper
• Lil Davis chipboard
• Scenic Route kraft cardstock
• Papertrey Ink and Gel-a-Tins stamps
• American Crafts rub-on
• Making Memories brads
• Spotty ribbon gathered trim

Busy day with the stash...

I've been catching up today with a few card making projects. For some reason I'm just not in a scrapping mood and have been quite happily cutting into "Scrapbooking stash" - even new stuff - to crank out a few cards! hehe

So here are a few more:

Used up some Rob 'n' Bob papers on this one so fits this week's UKS Use Your Stash challenge!

Rather like how this one turned out - I really liked that Sasafrass paper but wasn't sure what to do with it on a LO, so onto a card some of it has gone! And the KI rub-ons and ice dot matched perfectly!

Here's the first card in this week's DCM dare to use the same stash to create 2 cards (with different greetings). The stash was Scenic route tree kraft paper, Hambly gold birdie rub-ons and Paper Tray greetings (by Papertrey)....

Think that's it for now!

Long Sundays...

Got to love them eh? Especially when the clocks go back! Have spent the day catching up with a few things, but also visited the gym then set to having a rather relaxing day. Copying tunes, searching for new tunes that I want to download, reading, making a few cards and watching Take the Lead.... which thankfully had an excellent Tango scene... god I just love the Tango!!

Anyway, on the card front, I first made this one for the DCM Ribbons galore challenge - lots of AC Christmas ribbons - 6 styles, together with Doodlebug Christmas paper and KI Christmas chipboard shapes, oh and lime green stickles!

This one is for the Card Designs Studio Mix it up challenge to combine SEI, Basic Grey and Heidi Swapp.

The background paper is SEI, the pink paper (from Gypsy) and edge rub-ons are BG, and the greeting is Heidi Swapp... for some reason the rub-ons I bought in the original release are actually starting to rub-on now! Go figure!

Anyway, off to tidy up and consult the DVD library! The TV verdict comes in tomorrow night, so I may be TV shopping one day this week. :o(

Some cards...

This is what happens when you have no telly... you end up going back and watching more Grey's Anatomy Season 4 - I am totally up-to-date now... Blimey the wait for new episodes is going to be agonising! LOL

Anyway, that meant that I didn't start doing anything remotely creative until laaaaaate this afternoon. So once creativity decided to descend I thought I'd have a go at the sketch challenges on the Card Studio Designs forum - and of course it's Christmas all the way! I rather like how the first one turned out, but the one with the fab GinX papers just didn't work for me too well... hm... Will try using them again, but with a different look. :oD

And I rather like the look of using the Cuttlebug embossing plate directly with the card blank - and hurrah there is the retro KI I now have a few sheets of - just love winter stripe!

The Jury is still totally out on how effective the glitter rub-ons from MM are - I bought a fair few packs last year and they just look dull to me except in their packaging.

Anyway, off to watch some DVDs on the PC before calling it a night.

Less chat...

Here are a few of today's cards finally uploaded!

First up, gotta start with the KI right? Bit of a dull photo, but anyway, here's a close up of the aperture which has a piece of acetate in it:

I got the new stamps out too - well I'd already used one for the background on the greeting above, but I needed to try that birdie!

I was then in need of a snowflake fix and just had to reach for my set of Banana Frog Blizzard stamps!

I love the other snowflake design in this set too, it's great for really subtle and delicate snowflakes... alas you can't really see the delicate look in the next one:

I stamped very pale lilac pigment ink onto a shimmering card blank - it looks lilac in one light and cream in another. Then I embossed the snowflake with turquoise glitter/clear embossing powder, added a bit of bling and the greeting. Looks very subtle in real life and glitters quite nicely when the light catches it! Honest...

Then it was time to use the retro baubles set again, this time with light pink and light green ink for a bit of a non-traditional colour mix!

But I could leave the Blizzard set alone for long and decided to try my hand at this week's Use Your Stash challenge manufacturer - American Crafts! I have so much of their ribbon, but no papers (at the moment) so it's a bit hard to get the perfect colour match, but yep, time to use up that ribbon! hehe

More AC ribbon this time combined with AC white Eddie rub-ons. The scallop background is one of the snowflakes from Rhonna's set stamped in brown staz-on.

Anyway, off now to tidy up the chaos!

Spooky stash

Well still being sans voice I decided to just be quiet tonight and tidy up a bit after the bomb site left in this weekend's wake!

Oh, and do a card for the October card challenge on UKS. To use Halloween colours for a non-Halloween card... and it just so happens I had some Halloween papers in mind (from the time KI was actually making Holiday papers - not that I'm bitter or anything... :oP)

Used BF Super Star stamps for the stars and PaperTrey for the greeting.

Tomorrow night I will definitely need to hit the gym after all that food from the weekend... but I feel it time for a cup of tea and vegging whilst watching the rest of America's Next Top Model!

A couple more...

So here's the card I made for the UKS use your stash card challenge - Basic Grey this week - a nice op. to use up some left-over Skate Shoppe from a Self-Addressed kit.

I did my cutting into a brand new sheet of BG last week after all ! Here's another scrap of Phoebe paper used up from that for a quick notelet:

And finally Sketch This card #22! #23 is already up on their blog so I've no chance of catching up now until I'm back from my hols!

Right, best get back to my washing pile and then finally get tucked up with my current read - nearly finished it and dying to keep going, but I must get the to-do list completed before I disappear into it. :o)