Mojo Monday 167

Hey all, I thought I would give Mojo a go late last night, around half 1 this morning actually, as I couldn't sleep and I needed to keep my hands busy. I sort of changed the sketch a little to suit what I fancied doing. Infact, I liked the layout so much I made two. :)

Here is the one I would like to enter into Mojo Monday 167

For this card I used some My Minds Eye patterned paper 'The Merry Days of Christmas', which is from last year I think. I love the cool blues and burnt reds they use in this series. I cut a snowflake from American Crafts cardstock with my Making Memories slice, and adorned it with Star Dust Stickles. The sentiment was generated on the computer, distressed with Old Paper Distress Ink, curled and cut and place into position. I added the ribbon and buttons as extra little embellishments. I love the addition of the staples, pearl and linen thread. :)

And here is the card I made following the same design..

This time using papers and a rub on from Basic Grey - Eskimo kisses collection, which is also from last year.

Thank you for stopping by! :)

Stay safe and warm. xo

Mojo Monday 166

Hey all, like.. I know its Sunday, but I just come across the new sketch for Mojo. So I thought I would give it a go, just in the nick of time.

I knew I wanted to break out the new Pyrus 6x6 paper pad from Basic Grey, and the whole card evolved from there.

Here is what I eventually come up with..

If you would like a list of any of the products used, please do not hestitate to leave a comment.

Now I'm off to try and design a useable watermark for my images, as I want to start posting them on Facebook, to try and get them a little bit more 'out there', but don't want people stealing!

Hope you are all well on this snowy afternoon!

xo

21st Birthday Card

So, it is yet another one of my close friends 21sts on the 8th of December, so I thought I best squeeze in a card for her while I could. I wanted to keep it very simple, as it was a card size outside of my comfort zone, again.

Here is it..

I wanted the main focus to be on the age 21 and I think I achieved that. She loves all things pink, I think, well, I hope, so I made this one of the main colours for the card. I used a cute little Circle of Friendship stamp from Stampin' Up to adorn the centre of my Prima flowers. I added a few swirl pearls here and there and clear embossed the card base with Hero Arts Polka dot stamp.

Me & a few close friends are all grouping together to buy her a bracelet from Pilgrim Jewellery, and although you get the bracelet in a gift bag, I wanted to add a little something extra. This is following the same idea I used for a previous friends birthday gift, although hers had a handmade flower with a brad centre (damn, I wish I had taken a photo, but it was made about 20 minutes before I took her gift and card round to hers).

I have been card making all day today since I got up at 9. I have made 3 cards, some of which may be making an apperance on here, depending on whether I can get enough good light for a photograph (I must invest in a decent camera). It is still snowing here, people have been trying to dig their cars out but have had little success. I'm glad I have the freezer stacked up, I may not make it to uni tomorrow. LOL.

xo

My First EVER Commissioned Card

So, one of my Mams old friends has asked me to make him a card, from him and his wife to his son and his DIL. Well, wow. :)

I wanted to keep it simple yet make it elegant, but not making it too busy.

Heres what I came up with..

These pictures show the front, inside and back of the card. I made sure I stuck to the few basic rules, make sure lines were cut cleanly and straight, ensure stamping was tidy blah blah, as all of this makes even the simplest card look outstanding. I printed the inside of the card, I used Microsoft Office - Word to design it.

I hope it hits the mark, the guy is paying after all, although I haven't quite decided how much I want to charge him yet! LOL.

Please let me know what you think, and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to leave a comment or drop me an email at loulouwas@hotmail.com

Thank you for looking, and stay safe. xo

Dear Diary

Hey all, back in October I told you I had bought a new Academic Year Diary, mainly for uni, but also for a variety of other stuff that goes on in my life. My memory is like a sieve and I need to write everything, literally everything, down if I have a hope in hells chance of remembering it. The other diary I had, which I loved, was only A6, and waaay to small to jot everything down.

So, here is its new re-vamped self.. (don't get your hopes up..)

Nothing extraordinary or unique, but at least now people know who it belongs to. The plain black of before was just boring and life less. I used some Cosmo Cricket mini letter stickers, as well as some adhesive pearls of various shapes and sizes. I cut the Kraft label with my Slice and stuck it all together.

Gunna quickly type up another post with a few cards for ya.

Weather update: snow is practically up to wheel arches on cars that have not been moved today. The pathways that I cleared this morning are well and truly buried aaaand, its not looking to promising a night. It hasn't stopped snowing since quarter to 8 tonight. Joy.



Snow Days/Nights

Hey guys. Wow - its been a loooong time since I last posted, for that I apologise, but these past few weeks have been H-E-C-T-I-C to say the very least. I have been snowed under, quite literally, with travel, uni work, house work, the lot. The weather here is gradually getting worse. It took me almost 50 minutes to travel a 10 minute journey yesterday. The roads are terrible, and the paths even worse. Although I'm glad to say that doesn't stop me going out, I'm just sure to drive with extra care and caution.

Yesterday was the day of my dissertation presentation. For starters, I didn't even know if I would be able to make it into uni, so I got up really early, half 6, (not that I got a whole load of sleep - due to worry) to ensure I gave myself plenty of time to travel. Good job I did, as the traffic on the roads was sooo slow, and the metros were delayed. Great. Aside from all of that, I think my presentation went ok, we should be finding out our marks sometime next week, so fingers crossed! :)

Here are a few pictures. Firstly I wanted to share with you the weather around my area.. dense snow fall. I {love} it.

This all started onnnn.. Wednesday night/Thursday morning, and its steadily getting deeper and deeper. Me and a few of my neighbours have been doing our best to keep the paths clear, but at intervals throughout the day and night more snowfall arrives and out efforts are wasted. But, I don't mind, I LOVE this weather. Its so peaceful and picturesque, and darn chilly, which is just my cup of tea.

As for cards..

These are two I made whenever I got a spare 5 minutes to sit down, hence the relative simplicity of them. They don't follow a layout, they are more like elements placed strategically on the cards, but I think they work well. :) They aren't my usual size, in fact they are 5 1/2" squares. I love the detailing on the buttons on the mitten card, adorable. As for the bauble card, I think that is more suitable for an older recipient, due to the traditional colours and the elegance of it. If you want a supply list, please do not hestitate to leave a comment or drop me an email at loulouwas@hotmail.com. Thank you.

Thats all for now, I'm sure I'll be back a little later with some pictures of my first ever commissioned card, as well as a 21st birthday card for another of my friends.

Hope you are all keeping warm and well. I hope the snow isn't as bad in other parts of the country, we are almost at a stand still!!

xo

Mojo, Stash - Just Allsorts

Hey all, I have a few things to share with you in the post today. I have been rushed off my feet at uni, and gave myself a well deserved day off yesterday, and now its all back to rush rush rush. Its my friends 21st tonight, so me and all of our friends are going round hers to give her her present before she hits the town. So I'm writing the post while I make my tea.

First up, some new stash/tools I ordered from QVC not too long ago. I mentioned earlier on my blog that I was really interested in trying out the new WRMK Sew Easy tool.. so I decided to order it, and I don't regret it one bit.

WRMK - Sew Easy Tool + extra heads + floss

MME Lush Collection - Blue

Here are two recent (Christmas - because you can never have too many) cards.

This is the card I would like to enter into Mojo Monday 164. I tried my new Sew Easy tool out on this project. I am loving the results, it was so quick, easy, simple, effective. Wow! :) So much value for money. I am really impressed. All the negative comments this tool has been receiving is extraordinary, but I have experienced nothing of the sort.

Going through my stash I come across this adorable little creature from Basic Greys - Eskimo Kisses woolies! :) How cute please? So I decided I had to use him on a card. I wanted to keep it pretty simple so all eyes were on Mr. Deer! :)


Close up of the silver embossing. :)



If you would like a list of any of the products I have used to make these two cards please feel free to leave a comment of email at loulouwas@hotmail.com

Remembrance Day 11/11/10

In Flanders Field
by John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
that mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset flow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,
Though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Cats Whiskers Blog Candy

Due to my blog hopping addiction, I seem to come across some very generous people who are willing to give away 'blog candy' every now and again, and it seems this lady is no exception!

This is a quote from her blog post:
"I have decided to split the candy into 3 so you have 3 chances of winning,
The first prize will be the main candy consisting of
2 – Spellbinders Dies
2 – Spellbinders Impressabilities
12 x 12 Pad of  25 Tilda  Double Sided Sheets of Backing paper
2 sets of Pergamano Fairy Stamps
2 sets of Magnolia Flowers
1 Tilda with Christmas Tree Stamp

The Next Prize:
4 stamps of your Choice from Lili of the Valley

And Lastly

A collection of Flowers and Lace from Wild Orchid Crafts"

You can check out the post here.

Marvellous; who am I not to enter!! :) The numbers are well into the 400s now.. infact.. very nearly 500!! So good luck to all those who have entered!

xo

New [To Me] Products

FISKARS BORDER PUNCHES

I use mine.. all - of - the - time.

I have:
Scalloped Sentiment
Apron Lace
Threading Water

I signed up to Two Peas in a Bucket Newsletter late last year sometime, and I get regular newsletters. It appears there are some new Fiskar Border Punches on the market!! :D YAY!!



Notebook Border

 

    

Postage Stamp

 

In Stitches


Not sure when these will be available in the UK, soon I hope!! I {love} border punches!

WE R MEMORY KEEPERS - SEW EASY

I first came across this product in Papercraft Inspirations December Issue 80 on page 12. Wow, it looks awesome. I love the look of real stitching on cards, but I do not have the money to go out there and buy a sewing machine just for my card making. I have a feeling that I would be crap at it anyway. So up until now I have had to stick to faux stitching with a white gel pen. It does look good, but it doesn't have the same depth and texture as real stitching. I have giving real stitching a few attempts on my card, but laying out the mat so you know where to place your holes, then pricking all your holes individually can take forever, hence why just small areas of my cards have been hand stitched previously, and this is also how I know I love the effect! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IxJOQxRnFA - Check out this post to see how this tool works.

Interchangable heads along with a foam mat for proper use
 and a choice of emboidery floss/thread,
also included is a needle with an extra large eye to make threading
all that more easy!

SASSAFRAS ROSEY ENTWINED BLOOMS



By looking handmade the take all the fuss out of making your own embellishments and letting you get on with other areas of crafting on projects. Perfect for those quick makes

DOODLEBUG NIGHT OWL BRADDIES


I know Halloween has been and gone, but these little cuties could be used on cards all year round!

NEW BASIC GREY COLLECTIONS

Curio

Marjolaine

Basic Grey NEVER let down, these two collections look gorgeous and refreshing!! :)

DeLovely

So.. last friday, I told you I had been testing myself, by trying to use up some of the Cosmo Cricket DeLovely Collection pack which I have had for a while now. I don't know why, but I find it so hard to find any inspiration from these papers. They are lovely to look at, but don't seem to work on any of my card designs!!

Here is a small peek at the cover page of the collection pack..

Soo.. great bright colours your thinking.. right? Well yeah, I agree, but goshh.. are they hard to use on a design. I thought I would give it a go anyway. Here are the results..

The bird is one off the element sheet :)

Yellow paper distressed with Faded Jeans Distress Ink

A Vellum Belly Band with a Scalloped Heart over top.

Hmm, I keep looking at these cards, and apart from the one with the little bird, I think the others are going to have to be given a little time to grow on me. Ahh well, I did try. & my supplies have diminished, if only slightly! LOL.

xo

Autumnal Thank You

Made using Basic Grey - Indian Summer 6x6 paper pad. LOVE this paper. I have had it since I first started crafting, and I'm very very frugal with it, hence how its lasted me so long. Just over a year infact! :)

Here is the card, I plan on entering it into Cupcake Craft Challenges - 'Thank you with Autumnal Colours'.

The colours used in this paper pad totally remind me of Autumn, and boy.. do I love autumn!! The colours, the temperature, the occasions (Halloween, Bonfire Night [doubled up as the Anniversary with my boyfriend.. :D]). Wonderful season indeed.



Anyway, that should be it from me for now. I'm busy busy busy this weekend, birthdays, deadlines, labwork, xmas shopping. I'm gunna be in need of a full 24 hours sleep, but I can only dream!!

Take care all! Thanks for stopping by.

xo

[P.S Onken Coconut Rich & Creamy Biopot Yoghurt - thank you so much for getting me through the day, I couldn't have done it without you, you are utterly delicious].

[P.P.S Oh, I almost forgot. For those of you who are interested and actually care about.. stuff.. um.. my visit to the Waste Management Plant - OBriens - today, REALLY opened my eyes to the scale of our waste problem. Yikes, lets hope we meet the 2012 targets set by the EU, or we're in serious trouble].

WOYWW 03/11/10

Evening. Hope you are all well.

I'll apologise now for the quality of the picture, the lighting is all wrong. I am crap at taking decent photos.

I've had a long day today! Booo!! :( Up at 7, at uni for half 8. Lectures fro 9 right the way through til 1 with no break. My brain can not take in any more information today!!

Onto the picture of the desk then ay..?

So I guess I should best talk you through what is acutally on the desk, as I doubt many of you will be able to or will want to decipher that m.e.s.s.

So, centre stage is the current assignment of the week, Environmental Impact Assessments. Yack. Along with files for the module, note book and sticky post its! The sheet of paper lying under the pen is a 'Food Diary' or more specifically a 'Waste Food Diary'. For the next week, me, and the rest of my Waste Management class, have to record a diary of the food waste we throw out, including, what that food waste was, how much of it was thrown away, the reason for it being disposed and where it was disposed to, i.e bin or composting.

Under the big file is the most recent issue of PaperCraft Inspiration {love} I got a mini Tonic snowflake punch with this issue, which I plan on using to make the confetti for shaker cards, which will be a first for me, when I get round to it.

On the left hand side of my mouse is my 18Month diary, which I still havent go round to decorating, boy, I can see a reoccuring theme here.. and to the right hand side is my BEAUTIFUL PaperChase pencil case!

To the very top right hand corner of the picture is my 'paper bin', which in reality is a tiny little basket which sits on my desk all the time and any paper waste I have, whether it be from crafting or receipts or what have you.. goes in there. This sits on top of my three tier Really Useful Box unit. Below that is my xBox remote and an Ariel Excel Tabs box, which has been converted to ProMarker storage case! :) I have been slowly labelling little circular labels, well I say labelling, what I mean is colouring in. That way I can see at a glance which colours are which from the side of the box without having to take them all out! Handy! :)

What else..? Not much more of any interest, the majority of things, such as my Corner Chomper and stapler are always sitting at my desk, so you have probably seen them all before. To the right of the picture is my charger for my Making Memories Slice, along with some parcel tape and some average cellotape on a big roll, which I HATE!! I have a mini dispenser, but I need to get around to buying a refill.

Ok, I'll leave it at that. If there is anything else you are dying to know about or if you can't see anything clearly, please feel free to email me. loulouwas@hotmail.com

Best go get ready n tided up from tea. I had Chicken Tikka Masala with Naan bread and boiled rice. Yummy. Made by my fair hands.. with a little help from Sharwoods of course. I have darts again tonight, although this time it is our knockout game. Yikes!! :) Wish us luck.

I will try to get around as many desks as I can, but no promises, I am rushed off my feet with deadlines, but I MUSTMUSTMUST squeeze some card making in between, so that takes up pretty much all of my time!!

Take care! Lou. xo

Mojo - Bonfire Night

Hey all, this card was put together last night, but I wanted to wait until there was natural day light in order to take the photograph.

Man I was annoyed with my first attempt at this, I coloured the image in beautifully (if I do say so myself!!) only to go and spoil it while attempting to add fireworks to the background with stickles. Never again. Those little pots of glitter are NOT, I repeat NOT suitable for detailed work, at least not with my skill anyway. [Does anybody know a way of  applying stickles in very - very - thin lines?] Although I think it has something to do with the type of stickles I used.. 'Distress Stickles' which are matching in colour to the Distress Inks, boy, the nozzle on those bottles are large!! I definitely think the nozzles on those stickles are wider than standard stickle nozzles. So instead of spoiling another image I decided to use a stamp from Hero Arts - Holiday Dolls, its sorta like a spiky shaped thingy, anyway, I thought they would pass as fireworks in the background, as the white card looked slightly bare without them!

Anyhoo.. onto the card..

 

I gave this a go using some of the new ProMarkers I have recently bought, see this post for details on which ones I got. This stamp is g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s, I love her little hat! :) A lot of time and effort went into this card, more so than my usual cards, aside from the fact I had to colour in the image.. twice.

I'm loving that ribbon I used, the colour goes with absolutely everything, its sorta like the Kraft of the ribbon world. LOL. Its nice for tying too; it does as its told. Check out the shine I added to the candy apple with the ProMarker blender then I added glossy accents to the whole apple and toffee, hehe. Aaaand that pearl flourish? New for me, but I'm loving how it makes the image pop! :D

I plan on entering this into:
Mojo Monday #163

Supplies
Solid card stock: SU! - Garden Green; Rymans 200gsm White
Patterned paper: BG - Origins
Stamps: Pink Gem Designs - Guy Fawkes Milly; Hero Arts - Holiday Dolls
Ink: Memento - Tuxedo Black; SU! - Rose Red; Pumkin Pie; Crushed Curry
Ribbon: Gisela Graham - 39545; PaperMania - Hamstead Fabric Ribbon
Stickers: Jenni Bowlin - Reverse Brown letter stickers
Tools: WRMK - Corner Chomper; MM - Slice (Fa La La)
Miscellaneous: white gel pen; Staedtler triplus fineliner - brown; pearl flourish; various ProMarkers; Ranger - Glossy Accents

If you like to know any of the colours of the ProMarkers I have used, please feel free to email me @ loulouwas@hotmail.com :)

Thats all for now! Darts again tonight, we're away, but we're only at the pub around the corner from my street, very convenient - i.e no last minute rushing around trying to find my darts sack etc! :)