No blogging for a while - been very busy at work and also we had a few days away in Blackpool.  We enjoyed freak weather - very sunny and warm considering it was the end of March and Blackpool looks so different in the sunshine.   A couple of photos below show a fabulous sunset which we saw every evening and Blackpool tower with a blue sky in the background.

Blackpool Sunset

Blackpool Tower

March 2012

Came back home to "normal" weather - cold, raining, windy but also back to crafting.  Here are a couple of Easter cards I made - one for my friend Anne and another for her mother. 

Made with free papers and images from Simply Cards and Papercraft magazine.  The papers are from Nitwit Spring Whimsy collection.  For the first card the backing paper was a scrap piece of paper from stash.  Also used flowers, scalloped circular die cut and candi from stash. 

The second card was made with free papers as above and just added Happy Easter sentiment stamped on to card and also added gems. 

On return from Blackpool I had to make a Pearl Wedding Anniversary card for a work colleague (had completely forgotten until the day before).  Here it is.  Again I used scraps of paper, die cuts ribbon and pearls in my stash

Cafe Culture

Not much blogging recently (or crafting for that matter) as I have been busy with work and family.  However, I have had time to go through my stamps in an attempt to organise my craft room.  I found a wooden stamp which I bought from Hobby Craft about 2 years ago.  I did use it once when I first bought it but as I was very new to colouring it didn't turn out very well so gave up on it.  So, I got out the Pro Markers last week and made 2 birthday cards with it.

I used a backing paper given free with a magazine andsome embossed white paperwhich again I found.  I think I borrowed the embossing folder from my friend Anne and I'm afraid I can't remember the name of the folder.  I really must begin to make a note of what I do when I do it!!  At least I have used up bits and pieces of paper just lying around!  

The backing paper on this one belong to a set of free papers in a magazine a few months ago (again I found this while organising my room). 

I do love this image - it makes me wish I was the lady, just done some shopping and sat outside a cafe, drinking coffee and watching the world go by.



Artist Trading Cards

As I said in my previous post I have started to make ATCs once again.  I did start a couple of years ago and did take part in a few "swaps" and then card making took over.  I have joined a Swap Group at the request of Lisa from "Swap A Smile" and really enjoying making ATCs once again. 

I made this with a freebie stamp from Quick Cards magazine using Promarkers to colour the image.  I coloured the background with Memento Bamboo Leaves stamp pad, just roughly brushed over the card.  I then added the image and stamped the sentiment. 

This is an ATC I made for a swap, the theme being January Snow.  I used my own photo of a Robin, cut down to ATC size, added a punched border top and bottom, added flat silver gems and stamped sentiment. 

The next few ATCs are some favourite ones I made for swaps a couple of years ago

Happy New Year 2012

My very first post of 2012.   Had a very quiet Christmas and New Year, no work, not doing much at home and not even doing much crafting.  However, I did make a birthday card on New Year's Eve and so this is my first card of 2012.

I used a free stamp from Cardmaking and Papercrafts (I think), coloured with water pencils.  Stamped on to a die cut card and mounted on to striped paper, then on to Papermania card blank.  Added ribbon and embellishments. 

I have also started to create ATCs again and am really enjoying this.  I joined Swap A Smile group and now swapped 2 ATCs.  

Recycled Christmas Cards

Been very busy for the past few weeks with work, home, seeing friends and so on.  I was asked by a friend to make half a dozen Christmas cards some with a religious theme.  I really couldn't find a stamp to use even though I have boxes of them.  In the end my friend Anne helped me out by giving me some images cut out of last year's Christmas cards.  Instead of using them as they were I scanned them into the computer, touched them up and cropped them, then printed out a few. 

I used the above three images for 3 cards.  I also used up quite a few "left over" bits of backing paper from my "scrap" box so felt I had done my bit for the recycling cause. 

These are the finished cards

I was really pleased with the cards even though I had not created the image.  It was still good fun matching them up with papers and embellishments.

More Flower Photo Cards

I am really enjoying making these flower photo cards - not sure why I haven't done this before even though I have thought about it many times. 

 Please see my new page - My Flower Photos - for more details of my original flower photos

This one I made at the weekend using a photo of a tulip, used a square die cut, mounted on to another die cut embossed, then on to a square of gold mirror card, then on to green paper.  Added ribbon bow (I love this colour) and sentiment printed on Safmat and mounted on to white card, then gold mirror card.

Below is another card I made using my flower photos for a Do-Crafts challenge.

I did make a card prior to this which I think could be used as a

Christmas card as well as a general card.

Flower photos and cards

I have been interested in photography for a good number of years now and although I am not an expert I do really enjoy taking photos, especially close up flower shots and landscapes.  I'm hopeless with portraits to the point that my friends and family usually turn away when I appear with the camera!! I have only recently been utlising my flower photos with card making and it seems to work quite well. 

This is my latest card made with one of my photos. 

Made with white card, matted with pink paper, then Me To You, Especially for You embossing folder in white.  I then mounted my photo on to white card and added heart shaped gems and sentiment.

This is the original photo taken in a makeshift light box.  I then manipulated it with photoshop as below which I trimmed to fit on the card:

This is another card I have made with my flower photos but I can't seem to find the original. 

This I made with cream card, floral backing paper, spellbinders nestie (I love this shape) and a smaller nestie with the sentiment.  Then added border, ribbon and candi.

Hope to blog again at the weekend.  Back to work tomorrow.  xxx