Mothers Day Magnolia

Only one more day to go and then we've got 2 weeks off school (apart from 1 day when I'm doing study support for some of the kids who have exams soon).  I must admit, as much as I love my job, I'm looking forward to getting some time at home.  A major spring clean is on the cards, I think!

You might remember that I did a bit of stash shopping recently (understatement of 2011) and I treated myself to some Magnolia stamps and Prima papers (among other things!).  Well I made myself cut into this gorgeous Prima paper and I think it goes quite well with my new Tilda.

I went for another easel card because I just like making them! I also think they show off the DP really well.  I used my Timmy thingy on the Bazzill base and on the DP and edged everything with Walnut Stain distress ink.  Tilda has been cut out with a Nellie's die and coloured with Copics; I added some stickles to the flower centres and the frill on her dress.  I threaded American Crafts peachy pink ribbon through the holes in the die cut and tied this in a ribbon at the bottom. I used the same ribbon on top of the lovely lace which I got from Wild Orchid Crafts.  I added another bow to use up the last bit of ribbon and put a flower in the centre.  The flowers are also from WOC, as are the pearls in the corners of the card. 

Finally the little sentiment was free in a magazine - I just added a pearl to match the others on the card.

I'm going to enter this card into the following challenges:-

Magnolia Stamp Lovers - use ribbon

Just Magnolia - Bingo (gems, flowers, ribbon and lace)

Cupcake Craft Challenges - Flowers for Mum

Stampin' for the Weekend - For Mum

Enjoy your evening and thanks for stopping by!

Hugs,

Tracey xx

CES Challenge - Die Cut Crazy

I bought this lovely Sugar Nellie digi stamp a little while ago but have only just got around to colouring her.  I think she's so pretty!

I coloured the image with my palest Copics and cut her out with a Nestie.  I then used a Stempelglede stamp with pink and olive distress inks to grunge up the edges of the die cut a little bit.  The DP is Julianne, from one of the new K & Co packs which I put onto a Bazzill base.  I used a Tilda border die to cut the contrasting strip from Sassafrass Lass paper. 

The swirls are cut from Bazzill using Marianne dies and the flowers are, as ever, from Wild Orchid Crafts.  The ribbon is by American Crafts and was my last strip in this colour, so I hope I'll be able to get some more!

I'm entering this in this week's CES challenge - "Die Cut Crazy". 

Enjoy the rest of your evening!

Hugs,

Tracey xx

Sweet Stampin' Challenge

Team Carrie's turn over at Sweet Stampin' this week and the theme of the challenge is the Weather!  We'd love to see your creations featuring our great national obsession.  Hopefully most of you will have seen some sunshine at last this week.  Here in SW Scotland we've had a much better day with some bright sunshine although it's still bloomin' cold!

Our sponsors this week are Whimsie Doodles

 and Digis with Attitude

Click on the piccies to see their fab ranges of stamps, digi and rubber.

Do hop over to Sweet Stampin' to see what Team Carrie have created this week to inspire you!  We love coming to see what you have made, so do come and join us this week!

Hugs

Tracey x

Lovely hAnglar Only - Red, White and Black

It's a colour challenge over at Lovely hAnglar Only - you need to use only red, white and black (or grey) on your card.  I've been seeing one or two twisted easel cards but hadn't tried one myself, so I thought I'd have a go at one for this challenge. 

I wish I could say that they're any easier to photograph than ordinary easel cards, but I can't! 

I used Pink Petticoat papers (love the gingham) and layered these onto white Bazzill. I added a strip of Doodlebug red ribbon to both panels of the card and put a red gem in each corner.  I stamped my hAnglar girl onto white card and cut her out with a Nestie.  She's been coloured with Copics and then put on a black base cut from a Nellie's die.

The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts - I used ivory coloured poppies, cherry blossom and tiny roses.  The sentiment is a rub on which has been cut out with a Nellies die.

Quite a simple card, really and she's already been put to use - it's my friend's daughter's 12th birthday today and these colours are just perfect for her.

I did a bit of stash shopping over the weekend (the last for a while, honest!) and my order from the Glitter Pot arrived today.  There are the most gorgeous Prima papers - it's going to be a struggle to cut into them, I can tell you!

Hugs,

Tracey xx

Back in my comfort zone!

Girlie cards are really my thing.  I do love making them and this one was no exception. I followed the sketch for this week's challenge at Lili of the Valley and chose an older stamp for my image.

I used Promarkers for my colouring this time and added some Stickles to the flowers and wrapping for the bouquet.  I cut the image out using a Nellie's die and added gems from Wild Orchid Crafts around the edge.  The papers are from Magnolia and all of the card is Bazzill.

I used another of the Lili of the Valley circle stamps in the right hand corner - I do like these, they are so handy.  The sheer ribbon and flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and the heart pin is from Quixotic Paperie.  Finally I stuck on a couple of Doodlebug gems in opposite corners.

I managed to get the hAnglar Easter set yesterday on Ebay - how lucky was that!  They look so cute with little bunny ears - I can hardly wait for them to arrive!

I'm going to have to get a grip now and stop spending money on stash for a while, although I'd love some of the Lili of the Valley clear stamps when they come out.  Plus I can't resist Magnolia stamps ... or hAnglars ... or nice papers... there's no hope for me is there?!

Hope to be back later this week with a hAnglar to show you!

Hugs

Tracey xxx

hAnglar Alert!

hAnglar Easter kit is on Ebay now!  Direct from Sweden, £33.  Be quick!!

Tracey xxx

Sweet Stampin' - Slugs and Snails and Puppy Dogs' Tails

The theme over at Sweet Stampin' this week is "Slugs and snails and puppy dogs' tails".  We'd love to see what you can come up with for boys and my lovely teamies have contributed some great ideas to help you get started. 

Now you all know that I struggle with male cards - I always have trouble making something for my son and his friends even though you'd think I'd be used to it by now.  Anyway, this project was no different - could I find an image...  Well, not until I had a look at the digis at Sugar Nellie, where I found this little monkey.

I coloured him with Copics and grunged up the background a bit with distress ink.  The mat is Bazzill Bling which I ran through an embossing folder and the brown dots are Pebbles Inc.  All of the papers are from Pink Petticoat - it's so handy just being able to print off what you need - and the ribbon is from my stash (possibly Doodlebug).  I love the tile sentiment - it's an old KI Memories one from a pets collection. 

The big dilemma with boys cards is what to put on as an embellie - certainly not flowers, particularly with this theme! I opted for buttons which I threaded with some orange twine before sticking to the card with decoupage glue. 

I can't say I'm entirely happy with the thing but I'll be back in my comfort zone shortly as I've got a few girlie cards to make - what a joy!

It's thick, freezing fog here this morning but we've been promised a lovely day - I just hope it warms up a bit.  I've got some serious baking to do tomorrow as we've got a 50th birthday at work and that's a great excuse to eat stuff with chocolate in it!

Enjoy your weekend, whatever you're up to and thanks for stopping by.

Hugs,

Tracey xxx

A Simple Tilda Card

Nothing too fussy today, just a fairly straightforward Tilda card.  I had started to make this for last week's Just Magnolia challenge and then couldn't get the card finished in time.  Never mind, this week's challenge is Anything Goes so I can still use it!

I think this is such a cute Tilda and she's lovely to colour - I used peachy pink Copics and Diamond Stickles on her dress and bows.  The image has been lightly edged with Antique Linen distress ink and put on a circle of Bazzill which I then stuck to a doily from Joanna Sheen.

  I used the last of the peachy lace (still can't remember where I got this!) to wrap round two layers of double-sided October Afternoon paper. The sentiment is from Lili of the Valley.

I made the flowers from Prima petals which I layered up; I sewed a button in the centre and sprayed the whole thing with Glimmer Mist.

I'm entering this card in the Just Magnolia Challenge (Anything Goes + optional glitter) and the Magnolia Stamp Lovers Challenge (Buttons and Bling). 

Before I go, could I ask you to hop over and see my friend Elise.  She's a lovely lady who makes the most delicious cards and she's battling the Big C.  She has a four year old son and it's so unfair that she has to go through this when she should be enjoying being a mum.  Elise has had chemo and is going into hospital for surgery on Wednesday 9th March.  If you get a spare minute, could you hop over to her blog, Paper Love Affair and send her a cyber hug.  I know she'll appreciate it.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs

Tracey xxx

Sweet Stampin' Challenge - A Sketch by Jo

Over at Sweet Stampin' this week we have a wonderful sketch by Jo for you to follow.

Good, isn't it?  Follow the link and take a look at the cards my Teamies have made - believe me, they're fabulous!

Here's my interpretation of the sketch. 

I decided to make an easel card 'cos I just love 'em and I had this fabulous Bo Bunny paper burning a hole in the drawer.

I don't normally go for such bright colours but I just love this double-sided paper - I'll have to see if I can get some more!  I used another Lily of the Valley stamp from the last collection and coloured her with Copics. I used gold Stickles on the dandelions and Glamour Dust on her wings. 

I cut a Whiff of Joy ticket using their stamps and die and gave it a good doing with some distress ink (went a bit mad here, actually). I had some Making Memories co-ordinating ribbon left from when God was a boy and put the ticket on this using a couple of yellow brads.  The pale yellow scalloped Bazzill border was cut using a Magnolia lace die and the scalloped circle is a Sizzix die.  Finally, the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

I hope I can get some crafting time tomorrow.  I started a card for last weeks Just Magnolia challenge but couldn't get it finished on time, so I might try to get that done and put it in this week, as it's an Anything Goes challenge. 

Enjoy the rest of your Saturday!

Hugs,

Tracey xx