A NEW YEAR - A NEW ATCAS CHALLENGE!

Hi lovely friends, followers and bloggers - thank you so much for visiting! 

Wow - we are already into the second challenge of 2014 at Addicted to CAS - how quickly the time flies.

In keeping with the "New Year", our talented  Teamie and Host, Shana, chose this Code Word ~

 You can interpret the Code Word in any way you wish, but please remember, to be eligible for a winner's prize your card design must be 
CLEAN AND SIMPLE with lots of empty space!

Here is my take on the Code Word ~

Recipe:-
Gingham paper - Pink Petticoat
Vintage Pram - Anna Griffin stamp
Black Archival ink
Spellbinders circle die
Sentiment - "New Baby" set by Kars
SU Linen Thread
Border punch - Fiskars
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Our sponsor this fortnight is Deedee's Digis - our winning CAS Perfectionist
will receive 3 Deedee's digi sets of their own choice.


Looking forward to seeing your Clean and Simple creations!
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I would like to enter my card into the Less is More "Baby" Challenge.
(Sorry Chrissie and Jen -  I know it's a while since I joined in)!  

PINK VALENTINE !

Hi lovely bloggers, friends, and followers - I'm sure you all know that Valentine's Day is almost here! 

Our challenge at In The Pink this fortnight is - you guessed it - PINK VALENTINE!

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 In order to have a chance to be chosen as a Perfect Pinkie, please remember to use lots of PINK on your creation, plus the required challenge element. 
You can find out who our "Distressed" Perfect Pinkies are if you pop over to the blog!

For my card I used SU Pink Pirouette and Whisper White cardstock.
The Nestie die is Fleur de Lis Squares (a lovely gift from Santa!), attached with 3-d pop-ups.
PSX stamp - Victorian Filigree Heart, inked with black Archival.
SU "Full Heart" punch, pin-pricked around the edges, curved slightly, then attached with silicone glue. 
Sentiment - two separate stamps from Anna Griffin.
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My card is entered into the following challenges ~
Addicted to CAS - Code Word "heart"
Lexi's  Creations  - Valentine/Love.

Thank you for popping by, and a warm welcome to my new followers, Sylvia and Hetty.

Love and hugs ~

A SKETCH AT LESS IS MORE

Hi lovely bloggers!  What a wet and windy day -  I hope you are all safe and well, wherever you are. 

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Chrissie and Jen have given us a fab. sketch to work with this week at
  Less Is More. and the sketch must be followed "as is".  Pop over for all the details and some gorgeous card inspiration.

Recipe ~

Cardstock - SU Crumb Cake and Real Red

Heart, and Square "Stamp" dies - Cuttlebug

Linen thread - SU

Sentiment - Anna Griffin

Charm from my stash

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The definition of LOVE is from my tatty old Pudsey Grammar School dictionary (and I'm talking 50+ years old)!   I have occasionally cut out parts of the original pages to use on cards, but it seems like sacrilege, so I

photocopied this one, and added some Antique Linen DI. Much less stressful! 

Does anyone else feel bad about cutting old book pages? 

PS: you can read the definition if you click to enlarge!

Happy Crafting peeps

Hugs ~

PUNCHES AND DIES AT IN THE PINK !

Hello lovely bloggers, followers and friends - I hope you are all having a happy week.

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For all those lovers of Pink, it's In The Pink challenge time again, and we would like you to use PUNCHES AND/OR DIES on your project, (plus lots of PINK of course), and it doesn't have to be Clean and Simple this time, so you have no excuse for not joining in the fun!  Do pop over to ITP to find out who the CAS Perfect Pinkies are!

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Must admit - I went a bit overboard with the amount of dies and punches used!

Dies used:-

Memory Box Madera Corner

Tim Holtz Tattered Florals

Sizzix Ornate Frame and Ovals

Nestabilities  Fancy Tags 2

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Punches Used:-

Anna Griffin Butterfly

Martha Stewart Eyelet Lace

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Papers: -  Craft Creations

Sentiments:-  HOTP and Anna Griffin

Ink:-  Memento London Fog

Finished off with Machine Stitching, Pin Pricking and a little Glamour Dust.

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I'm so looking forward to seeing all your beautiful creations!

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I would like to enter my card into the Penny Black and Allsorts challenge - 
Any Die Will Do!

~Happy Crafting~

A BOOK CARD FOR SOMEONE SPECIAL, AND A BABY CARD FOR LESS IS MORE!

Hello lovely bloggers - it seems Summer has finally arrived in the UK - yaaay!! I hope you are all enjoying the sunshine wherever you are.

I have TWO projects to share today - the first is a very simple little card for LESS IS MORE.  (Better late than never)! 
Chrissie and Mandi's theme this week is a BABY card, or CHILD'S card.
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Please be warned - this is a "photo-heavy" post - sorry! 
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For my LIM card, I used some leftover gingham snippets (Craft Creations), trimmed with a Fiskars border punch. 
The vintage pram stamp is from Anna Griffin, the sentiment is from a New Baby set by Kars, both inked with Jet Black Archival. (The image is much clearer when you click on the pic.)!
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I am popping over to  Di's Playground to share this card with the playmates!

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My second project is a Book Card. This is for my DIL's birthday next week - I've been intending to have a go at making one of these for ages, and my DIL's birthday has spurred me on - she loves all things vintage, shabby-chic, fairies etc., and I know she will appreciate it.
 If you would like to make one of these, there is a fab. tutorial on Sandie's wonderful blog http://delightfullycrazytoo.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/vintage-book-card-tutorial.htm
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I would also like to enter this Book Card into the ALLSORTS 3rd Birthday Blog Hop Challenge,
and OCC - Shabby Chic Theme.

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Update - June 2nd - My Book Card was awarded a Top 5 Badge by the ladies at Allsorts. Many thanks!

Front cover:-

Inside:-

The Nestie oval will be personalised before giving the card to

my DIL. 

This was rather difficult to photo - the punched border on the shadow box looks more like pale blue than the real-life shade of pale cream, and the "hinges" on the back cover are dark grey IRL, not blue! 
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Items used:-
Papers from Prima (but I think the back cover is Basic Grey)
Tiny flower punches - SU Boho Blossoms and EK Success Retro Flower.
Pearls and ribbon from stash.
Tons of Glamour Dust!
Martha Stewart border punch - Floral Vine.
Tonic Studios Butterfly punch.

DI Inks used - Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Faded Jeans.
Memento London Fog.
Nesties dies -  Ovals and Fancy Tags Two.
Cuttlebug fancy corner die.
Stamps -  Layers of Color (Birthday Wishes), Indigo Blu Wild Meadow (Swirl).
. Crafty Individuals (Dream a Little Dream). Kaisercraft Botanical.
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Many thanks if you are still with me!  Have a wonderful weekend.
Love to all ~

MASKING THIS WEEK AT LESS IS MORE ..........

Hello lovely bloggers everywhere - hope your week is going well?
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Just popping by to share my make for this week's challenge at LESS IS MORE. Our lovely LIMette Leaders, Chrissie and Mandi, would like us to do some Masking, so I decided to use a technique which involves three stamps.
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 I am sure lots of you will know how to do masking with three stamps, but for those of you who would like the details, I will pop them below.
Update - March 30th - My card has been ShowCASed - whoo-hoo! 
Thank-you Chrissie and Mandi !

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 1. Stamp the Torn Aperture onto a piece of cardstock.

2.Stamp again onto a piece of paper (larger than the cardstock).

3. Cut out the aperture centre only. (mask #1).

4. Place mask over the image you stamped onto the cardstock.

5. Stamp a suitable image over the mask (I used Hero Arts Gracious Lady). 

6. Remove mask. 

7. Stamp aperture once more onto paper, then cut around the image. Do not cut out the centre.(mask #2).

8. Place  mask #2 over the entire image which you stamped onto cardstock.

9. Stamp a background image (I used Inkadinkado Lace 90355).  Remove mask. 

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I would love to know if anyone else has used this Artifacts "Torn Aperture" stamp in the past?

Here it is (looks a bit strange doesn't it)!  I bought mine several years ago, but I've checked and it is still available from The Stamp Bug online shop.

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On my card I also used Versafine ink pads -  Crimson Red and Smokey Gray.  Copics here and there to give some shading.

Red Bazzil cardstock.

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The Anna Griffin sentiment stamp was also masked - the full wording is Forever and Always, so some cellotape over the unwanted bits before inking does the trick! (Remove cellotape before stamping - but I'm sure you know that)!!!

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Apologies for the looooooong Post!
Enjoy the rest of your week ~ love to all  ~

"JUST ONE WORD" .......

Hi there lovely bloggers - hope you had a wonderful Christmas?  
Have all those mince pies sent Mr. Mojo to sleep?  Yep - same here!
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Fear not - the lovely Chrissie and Mandi - those fabulous  Less Is More Divas have given us all a kick-start with a fab. challenge - to use "JUST ONE WORD" on your card. 

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Recipe: -

Very Vanilla SU cardstock

Inkadinkado stamp, which I have used on my blog a couple of times before - sorry, but I love it!

Stamped with Ranger Jet Black Archival ink then brayered with Weathered Wood DI to give a cloudy effect. (I think there may be a couple of thumb prints in there too but they are of course meant to be small clouds)!!!

A soft touch of Victorian Velvet DI to colour the dress.

"Forever" from the Anna Griffin stamp"Forever and Always". ("and Always" was masked with sellotape before inking, then removed before stamping).

The finished piece was layered onto black card and attached with 3-d foam pads.

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I would like to enter my card into the following Challenges:-
Dutch Dare Challenges - Favourite Things (This "Monsieur and Madame" stamp, and Distress Inks).
Creative Inspirations - Anything Goes.
The Artistic Stamper - Vintage.
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Hi and welcome to my new Followers Kim, Shirley and Laura.
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Love to all, with wishes for a happy, healthy and peaceful 2012.

BLING IT ON ............

Hi there lovely bloggers - hope the week has started well for you. 

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Before I post my card for this week's LESS IS MORE CHALLENGE, for anyone visiting Harrogate, (in Yorkshire) a new branch of Samuel Taylors opened 8 weeks ago on Commercial Street. I found it quite by accident on Saturday, as it's a street I don't often go down - but of course I will now!  Maybe I'm the only person in the area who didn't know about it, but I thought someone out there might welcome the news!!

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OK - down to business - the Lovely Mandi and Chrissie have asked all Limettes out there to use BLING on their cards this week - yaaay how could anyone resist ! 

So peeps - when I popped into Samuel Taylors in Harrogate on Saturday (ha-ha)! I just couldn't resist buying this fabulous Indigo Blu stamp - she is called "Rebecca - Snow Queen". 

Ink used - Ranger Archival Jet Black.

Soft touch of Weathered Wood Distress Ink on the background applied with Cut 'n Dry foam.

Sentiment - Anna Griffin

Pale pink and blue gems from stash (they are much more sparkly in real life)!

Cardstock from Stampin' Up.

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I would also like to enter the following challenges:-
Glitter Fairies - "Non-Traditional Christmas"
Craft Your Passion - "Tis The Season"
Dream Valley - "Sparkle".
Stamptacular Sunday - "Anything Christmas" (with a stamp).

Have a great week everyone ~ 

CHRISTMAS COLLAGE

Hi there lovely Bloggers - wow, we have sunshine in West Yorkshire today, and here I am making a Christmas card - doesn't seem right somehow!!  

Anyway, this will be a rather quick post (sort of) or I shall  be too late to enter my card into the Collage Challenge at The Stamp Man , so here goes!

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 Recipe:-

Base card - Real Red from Stampin' UP

Backing paper - Bo Bunny

Machine stitching

Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel on the top corners (applied over a Versamark ink pen)

A distressed snippet from my (very) old school dictionary - the meaning of Christmas

Nestabilities - Labels One

Distress Inks - Antique Linen, Vintage Photo, Brushed Corduroy, Fired Brick.

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Stamps from:-

Anna Griffin (angel)

HOTP (tiny words)

Crafty Individuals (vintage text)

Chocolate Baroque (Holly)

Layers of Colour (main Christmas sentiment and Post card stamps)

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Do pop over to The Stamp Man Blog - the DT inspiration is fabulous.
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I would also like to enter this card into the following challenge :-
Samuel Taylors - Christmas.

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Last but not least - a warm welcome and a huge thank-you to my new followers.
PS: Won't be around for a few days (unless there's an Internet Caff in Scarborough!)

~ Love and Hugs ~ 

SEEING DOUBLE AT LESS IS MORE THIS WEEK!

Hi peeps - sorry I haven't been around for a few days - had a very busy week with family "things"! 

Just managed to squeeze into this week's LESS IS MORE Challenge, which is SEEING DOUBLE SEEING DOUBLE!

This reverse stamping technique is one which I haven't used for ages - it's similar to the brayering reverse stamping technique, but I have used a very old Hero Arts "Shadow Stamp", which is basically a plain square of wood-mounted rubber. The Anna Griffin blue pram was inked up with Versafine Majestic Blue, then stamped onto the Shadow Stamp. The image on the shadow stamp was then stamped onto the card. This "reverses" the image.  The pink pram was stamped with Staz-on Blazing Red, directly onto the card.

The Twins stamp is from a New Baby set by Kars.

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A warm welcome to my new followers - Elizabeth and Maria.
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Have a wonderful weekend ~ love to all,

CRAFTY SNIPPET CHALLENGE WEEK #30, AND A FIRST FOR ME!

Hi peeps - I am just popping by to share my very first "Crafty Snippet" ! 

In case you're wondering what that is - do take a peek at Jules' beautiful challenge blog Always With a Heart which I discovered recently. The challenges involve using up snippets of paper, ribbon, or whatever you have in your mountain of leftover stash - well, we crafters can never throw anything away - right?!

It was a bit scary, not using colouring pens, but I enjoyed the challenge and the re-discovery of long-forgotten bits and pieces! So, here is my (very simple) card!

The Hydrangea was part of an Anna Griffin die-cut decoupage sheet which is about 8 or 9 years old. I curved the layers slightly and applied silicone glue, to give a bit of depth.

The vintage text paper is a leftover from a very old 12x12" pad - name unknown! Torn and distressed around the edges with Vintage Photo DI.

Sentiment - Hot off the Press, inked with Timber Brown Staz-on.

Two pieces of blue ribbon leftovers.

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~ Love to all ~

ANYTHING BUT A CARD AT MOVING ALONG WITH THE TIMES!

Wow lovely bloggers - that's another week gone by,  and time for a new Challenge at MAWTT, - this week we would like to see "Anything But a Card", which is the lovely Pami's choice

Our fabulous Sponsor this week is

Every Crafts A Pound
 Full details can be found over at MAWTT.
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My DT project is a mini concertina folder, for recording those all-important, special occasion dates you just don't want to forget.

Recipe:-
All cardstock from Stampin' Up.
Distress Inks - Vintage Photo and Brushed Corduroy.
Front cover: - computer generated wording on small Nestie "Labels 4".
Flourish stamp - Stampin' Up
CB Corner die,  cut from Gold Japanese Washi paper.
Ribbon - had it for ages!
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Inside: -  Floral paper - Anna Griffin, over-stamped with Crafty Secrets "French Mail" set, and Text stamp from Crafty Individuals. The folds and outer edges of the pockets are machine-stitched.
Twelve large Nestie "Labels 4" diecuts (3 in each pocket), with Tim Holtz months of the year Tissue Tape on each one.
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Thanks to all the lovely crafters who entered last week's challenge - there were some amazing projects once again. Look forward to this week's entries - and don't forget peeps - NO CARDS!!
I would like to enter the following Challenges -
Dream Valley - Stamp Something.
Craft your Passion -Anything Goes


Love to all ~

THANK YOU or CONGRATULATIONS AT LESS IS MORE !

Hi lovely bloggers - almost at the last minute, here is my card for this week's

challenge at Less Is More, which is a choice of "Thank You", or "Congratulations". 
The photo is not very good at all - I always struggle with white card and pale cream card - (this is Very Vanilla from SU). After taking photos in a tent, outside a tent, swinging from the chandeliers, I decided this one was the best of a very big  bunch!
 

So, back to the plot - I bought this stamp a few years ago to make a special card for my eldest Granddaughter, Grace. Why? because in the centre of the frame was the word "Grace" - see, there is method in my madness (sometimes).  You can see what I mean from the photo of the stamp below.

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I masked the word Grace before inking the stamp with Versafine Vintage Sepia. After stamping the frame, I stamped Thank You in the centre.

Both stamps are by Anna Griffin.

Pale pink chalk has been swirled around the image. An embossed frame was created around the edges of the card, using an Eazi-Score Board.

Light brown pearls added to each corner. 

So peeps, if you would like to take part in Chrissie and Mandi's fabulous Less is More challenge, do pop over and join in the fun. (Warning - it can be addictive).

Love to all ~ 



DT CARD FOR OSAAT - NEW BEGINNINGS!

Hi peeps, here I am again!  Wow - two posts in one day, that's a record for me!!

So - here is my DT card for this week's challenge over at OSAAT. The theme is New Beginnings, which gives you quite a wide range of options - new home, new baby, new job, new love - oooh the list is endless!! Can't wait to see your wonderful projects, and thanks to everyone who took part in the fun last week - your creations were fabulous!

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This week's prize is a £10 voucher from our wonderful sponsor Joanna Sheen to spend in her on-line shop.

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My take on the theme, is the beginning of a new season - Winter into Spring, when the new green shoots and tiny buds start to appear. (I love Spring)!

I have used a beautiful tree image from a digi set by Gingerloft, available to purchase from Stitchy Bear Stamps (please see the link in my sidebar).

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The Winter tree scene is sprinkled here and there with Glamour Dust, and the Spring tree is the same image with Distress inks for a hint of colour, Copics to create some tiny flowers, and a kiss of craft chalk for the sky.

SU card for the layers, and some green Anna Griffin ribbon to finish.

The sentiment is computer-generated.

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Did you know that OSAAT will be ONE YEAR OLD

on Feb. 14th?

Have you picked up your

1st Birthday Bash banner yet? 

If you want to know what this is all about - pop over to

OSAAT  for the details ~  there are prizes to be won.......!!

Wishing you all a splendiferous week!

SENTIMENTAL SUNDAYS - INSPIRED BY SONG - I AM BEAUTIFUL (no matter what they say)!!

Hi peeps - how are you all? Warm and cosy I hope.

This is NOT a Christmas card (hurrah I hear you say!) -    it's this weeks DT card for Sentimental Sundays and there's a great theme for the Challenge ~ "Inspired By Song" (plus a sentiment), and this is my take on the Christina Aguilera song "BEAUTIFUL". Would you believe it - this song choice was my hubby's idea!!

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There were lots of fabulous entries again last week - thanks to everyone who took part, and we look forward to seeing what you come up with for this week's fantastic challenge. For full details, FREEBIE SENTIMENTS, and some great DT inspiration, just click the link above to take you there!

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My card recipe:-

A beautiful digi image from the oh-so-talented  Mo Manning

Ann Vento Sentiment (part of a fab. set) - can be found here

Image coloured with Copics - background coloured with

blue craft chalk, applied with a cotton-wool ball.

Edges inked with Broken China DI, and Versafine Vintage Sepia.

Papers - Stampin UP

Corner punch - Anna Griffin

Ribbon, eyelets and Glamour Dust - from stash.

I would like to enter this into

Challenge 62 at Mo's - Fantasies and Fairies.

(I think this Prima Ballerina in her fab. tutu might be a fantasy for some of us)!! and also at

Allsorts 

~ Free and Easy ~ Anything Goes.

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Have a wonderful, stress-free, "pre-Christmas" week.

Love to all who visit -