Fancy Folds

Good morning all and welcome to this weeks MMM challenge which is to show some fancy folds on your cards or projects.
Here's mine

 

Products
 Stampendous Jumbo Cling
Dylusions Ink Spray: fresh lime, lemon zest and bubblegum pink..... I only own these three but can't wait to get more.
Archival black
Viva Pearl pen: black 
Cartridge paper
Green fine wire
Gems.

 
I blanked off the top of the card before stamping with Archival black. I then stamped the hydrangea onto cartridge paper that had been prepared with dylusions ink  which I'd spritzed onto a craft sheet then mopped up with the paper. I then cut out the flower head.  I also stamped onto the reverse of the paper and cut out... then stamped again in a random fashion onto the coloured side of this so that I could cover the back of the flower... sounds a bit jumbled but I think you'll get the picture
  I stamped the image onto green prepared paper and cut out the stem and leaves.

The butterfly was stamped twice and layered for dimension.  The sentiment is from a mystery bag of homeless stamps ... I put the strays into this bag when I have lost the original packaging  :o)

The team have as usual provide you with lots of inspiration do pop across to MMM have take a look.
 Congratulations to everyone who joined in last weeks "make your own background" challenge you were awesome ... it was sooo difficult choosing just hree...
 Thank you for stopping by, your visits are important to me and are much appreciated. I hope this week I get round to visiting you.
 Have a good week
xx Suzi B xx

Challenges
melonheadzfriends: Fancy folds.
paper playtime : more than one fold.
Simon Says Stamp and Show: Colour

Primrose Day

Hello and welcome... tomorrow is my older sisters birthday it just so happens to be Primrose Day as well. My dad always used to say to  Anne ( my sister who is 5yrs older than me and a fabulous artist ... jealous? who moi?.... just a bit ..) that her birthday was also Primrose Day. I never gave this a second thought until I decided to google... this is from Wikipedia
Primrose Day is the anniversary of the death of British statesman and prime minister Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, on 19 April 1881.^[1] The primrose was his favourite flower and Queen Victoria would often send him bunches of them from Windsor and Osborne House. She sent a wreath of primroses to his funeral. On this day Disraeli's statue in Parliament Square, London is decorated with primroses, as is his grave in Hughenden, Buckinghamshire.
I then searched the Internet for a Primrose rubber stamp and found one  by Hobby Art. here's the card.... which  I am not too keen on.. 

 To be honest... this is the updated version

I cut out the leaves and shaped them to add more dimension

Here is the original

Now I'm thinking perhaps I should've left it alone....I know you lovely people will say which you prefer but I don't have time to redo it. I'm off to see Anne tomorrow. She lives a couple of hours away in a place called Warsop near Mansfield. Nottinghamshire. We used to have a lot of fun together, travelling around etc etc

but since she became ill with severe heart and lung problems, it has all been curtailed.... I miss our times together but when we do get together although less frequently we have a great time with many laughs.. especially when our younger sister, Eileen joins us.

Here she is the last time we spent a few days in North Wales, in fact in the same year (2007)  she was confined to a wheel chair... This photo was taken at the bottom of Mount Snowdon, North Wales. I made a srap book for her with all our escapades in glorious colour.. lol






Thank you for looking.
 xx Suzi B xx

Coulor challenge at MMM and bling alert

Especially as it's time for another Make My Monday challenge. This week Caz would like you to use the colours

 Brown and Blue

 

I found this a  quite tricky... not colours I normally use or put together... so thank you Caz for making me "think". 

Products

 DP:  Blue: Hot off the press

         Beige and Brown: The Scrap cake

 Stamps: SU Fresh Vintage

Versafine Vintage Sepia

Butterfly: Joycarfts 

Bits and pieces from stash.

The gorgeous scrap of coffee coloured guipure lace came from Fougeres Northern France... the shop I bought it from was amazing,  full from top to bottom of wonderful, expensive lace etc.I am too mean to use more than a scrap... I love it. The team at MMM have as usual  made some stunning pieces to inspire you pop across and take a look.

I would like to congratulate all who took part in last weeks make your own background paper you produced some amazing art... our job choosing the top three will be very difficult...

Look forward to seeing your brown and blue creations. have a good week

xx Suzi B xx

Challenges

Lexi's Creations: add lace and/or ribbon

Make it Monday: Always anything goes.

Grungy Aviator

Hello and welcome it's been a lovely, partly sunny, pleasant day here in Crewe , hope its been good where you are. It was my grandson, Shaun's birthday on the 7th...
here's his card.

 The awful thing is , Shaun hasn't had his card yet or his gift... I was ill last week and am only just about catching up.. tut tut.

Actually looking at this card now... perhaps he should have had it when he was 12! :o)... it will make him smile I'm sure... it's all tongue in cheek. Shaun is waiting to go in the air force as an aeronautics engineer. he has wanted to work with aeroplanes... especially jet fighters since he was just a small boy.

I'm sure his dad or himself will come up with a better way of closing the little booklet.


Products
Stampendous: Flying Machines
Delta: Travel map
IndigoBlu: sentiments and tickets 
The Stampsmith: Catolina Postal: postcard.
Paper Artsy: Minis.scientist, numbers and cogs
Craft Stamper: Pocket watch and Tempus fugit
Hobby craft:  aeroplane.
Couture Creations Embossing folder: Ascension.
DI: Vintage Photo
Verasafine: vintage sepia.
Kraft Card
Light green paper from an old Management Co. folder
I can't remember where the letters for "Shaun" came from.
 Thank you for looking... I really appreciate your visits and look forward to reading your comments.
 take care
 xx Suzi B xx

Challenges

It's all about the vintage: Travel

Whew! only just made it...

Morning all...  It's that time of the week again at MMM ... time for a new challenge. the lovely Fliss is our hostess this week and she would like you to

 Make Your own Background... 

no patterned papers must be used.

 

I used a Crafters Workshop  template over watercolour paper then spritzed with various Glimmer Mist and Sticky Fingers ink then sprayed with water, left to dry before removing the template. I then adhered it to white card , then onto a Kraft Card base.

 The butterfly is from a Marianne Creatables die, cut from backing paper made with a Tim Holtz mask and DI's. To give a little sparkle I sprayed it with Plasticote gold sparkle. the body is made from a small hatpin and seed beads. It is adhered to a Marianne Craftables doily type die cut

Backing paper made with TH mask and DI's

There are lots of inspiration and different techniques for making backing papers over at MMM. Hope you join us we'd love to see your designs and techniques.

 have a great Monday ... guess what it's sunny here in Crewe at the moment... hope it stays around :)

take care 

 xx Suzi B xx 

Challenges

 Country View Crafts: Butterflies

One Layer

Hellooo and welcome again to the  Make My Monday challenge which this week is hosted by Jacqueline and she would like to see a

One layer CAS card

A quick and simple card from me this week.

All images from Chocolate Baroque stamped onto pale cream water colour paper with Archival black ink  then coloured with Derwent  Inktense water colour pencils.... Sentiment and Ladybird added...voila... done!

Thank you for looking, pop across to MMM to be inspired by the fabulous artwork from the DT
Hope you have all enjoyed the bright but cold ( here in the UK) Easter. I over did the chocolate!... did you?

xx Suzi B xx

60's scooter

Hello,  happy Thursday to all.
 On Tuesday my friend Desi asked me to make a 60th birthday card for her brother-in-law, Peter. Her  brief was....  it must have his name and a scooter on the front... no pressure then!
Here's what I came up with.

What do you think, will they both like it?
The chevron stamp is part of a free set from a new stamping magazine called.. Get Stamping, scooter stamp is from Hobby Craft and the letters belong to a set from which I've lost the packaging. All stamped with Kaleidacolor: Spectrum. I used Glossy Accents on the scooter and letters. My Glossy Accent  is a bit discoloured cos I made the mistake of putting a hat pin in the top to stop it clogging .. but it went a bit rusty and coloured the glue... shan't do that again! but I think it looks OK. The banners are drawn freehand with a discreet 60 added.

 Bye for now
xx Suzi B xx

Literature Inspiration.

Hi folks welcome to another challenge at MMM. It's Mynnettes turn to host and she would like us to be inspired by a Book called Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. The inspiration can come from 

the book cover or from the story.

A little bit about this story:
"The Waverleys have always been a curious family, endowed with peculiar gifts that make them outsiders even in their hometown of Bascom, North Carolina. Even their garden has a reputation, famous for its feisty apple tree that bears prophetic fruit, and its edible flowers, imbued with special powers. Generations of Waverleys tended this garden. Their history was in the soil. But so were their futures. A successful caterer, Claire Waverley prepares dishes made with her mystical plants - from the nasturtiums that aid in keeping secrets and the pansies that make children thoughtful, to the snapdragons intended to discourage the attentions of her amorous neighbour. Meanwhile, her elderly cousin, Evanelle, is known for distributing unexpected gifts whose uses become uncannily clear. They are the last of the Waverleys - except for Claire’s rebellious sister, Sydney, who fled Bascom the moment she could, abandoning Claire, as their own mother had years before. When Sydney suddenly returns home with a young daughter of her own, Claire’s quiet life is turned upside down - along with the protective boundary she has so carefully constructed around her heart. Together again in the house they grew up in, Sydney takes stock of all she left behind, as Claire struggles to heal the wounds of the past. And soon the sisters realise they must deal with their common legacy - if they are ever to feel at home in Bascom - or with each other."
 For my first card I chose the story for my theme

This lovely  Crafty Individuals stamp was given to me  by Carol to use for my DT piece for  The Cubby Hole Shop. It was just right for Mynnettes literary inspiration challenge.
I used Whispers Strokes direct to the stamp  then stamped onto water colour paper which had been spritzed with water.

 I highlighted with more colour and with a white highlighter pen here and there before distressing the edges, then shading with blue and green DI's before mounting onto a slightly larger piece of card which was also distressed.around the edges.
I made  the backing paper by laying a Crafters Workshop template over water colour paper and adding various colours of chalk with stubby, stiffish brushes.

I added the main image, a doily (I imagined having a nasturtian salad for tea ) die cut from Tim Holtz and flowers punched with the Martha Stewart hydrangea punch. then added the tiny bee... one of my favourite little freebies in a selection from Crafty Individuals..
 I think the apple trees are represented on my card  by the trees with the hearts... very special apples!.

 My second card is inspired by the Book Cover which I will also enter into

   LIM challenge. Use Beads

although I'm not sure Chrissie and Jen will think it fits the bill... here's hoping

I used the same template and chalk but this time onto black card then embossed with the Craft Concepts Dandelion Whispers. Cut the butterflies from a Joy Crafts die from the left over DP from the first card. which had also been over stamped with a script.

I sprayed the DP and the butterflies with Plasti-kote gold glitter

I used a small gold hat pin with gold seed beads for the lager butterfly's body and used gems for the smaller ones
 Here's the book cover.

Pop across to MMM to see the wonderful inspiration provided by the team.
 I'm out with some of my girl friends today celebrating my birthday which is tomorrow ...you know the usual, a little bit of shopping, a little bit of coffee, a little bit of food and a little drop of wine!! we go on the train... so no one has to abstain... good hey? Then tomorrow I'm out with another girlfriend! how lucky am I..lots of lovely friends.
 take care
xx Suzi B xx....

CAS Monochrome challenge at MMM

Good morning, happy Monday to you all... and being Monday  it's time for another challenge at Make My Monday. Jacqueline our lovely leader would like to see a Clean and Simple card or paper craft project in

 MONOCHROME

using  varying tones of one colour.

Hope you like mine

 

Main image: Dress Up from Paperbag Studios stamped with Vintage Photo DI onto white card that has been distressed with  DI's Tea Dye and Vintage Photo . The Kraft card layers have been given the same treatment. 
 I wrapped this gorgoues, ... well actually ...I don't know what its called but I love it. I'm hoping Carol from the Cubby Hole where I origanally bought it can get more. I'm calling it twine ribbon.

***

 This is what the "twine ribbon" looks like before I start "messin" with it.

It's about 4cm ("2 1/2") wide but I love cutting it down and using thinner pieces with lots of lovey frayed edges plus I pull out single threads which make fabulous knots and bows as seen on this card.

Do you like what this little minx has done to her hat? so now that her hat is OK she's putting on her lipstick!

***

Isn't she gorgeous?

Pop across to MMM to see the  inspiration provided by the rest of the team.. enjoy!!
 take care
xx Suzi B xx

Challenges
Moxie Fab World:  Ombre... graduations of the same colour from light to dark. Not sure this fits the bill, fingers crossed.
4 Crafty Chicks Challenge: Clean and Simple
Ink on my Fingers: Brown

Spots and Stripes

It's one layer week at LIM and Chrissie and Jen would like to see

 SPOTS and STRIPES

Here's mine.

 

Products/method

Designs by Ryn: patio Stone CM-T6. Stamped then masked before stamping ,

Judikins Large background stamp:2639J..  just at the bottom

Sakura jelly roll pens used to add colour.

Greeting...  I've forgotten where this is from...

15cmx 15cm black card base

I also randomly added colour onto the patio stone

Thank you for looking

xx Suzi B xx

Mid Week Motivation at MMM

 Hello  and welcome  here's my mid week motivation for 

Make My Monday. 

Hope it inspires you to join in with this weeks  heat embossing theme.

Products/ method

Stamps:  

Paper Artsy Hot Picks HP1011EZ,  and Diamonds/Script stamp 96756-P

Stamp Camp; background behind the flower and base layer

Pink Paisley: little star cluster on the base layer.

Distress inks: peeled paint, crushed olive,barn door, dried marigold, rusty hinge, vintage photo,     

                        squeezed, lemonade and mustard seed...... swooshed and swirled on every thing..

DP: Kaiser Craft Vintage Timeless

Stamping Up Whisper White pigment ink

Adirondack: Lake Mist dye based ink

Stampendous detail white EP

Word Stamps... unknown.

 Lace and pearls  from stash

Flower bud is  the dried centre of an orchid flower.

This is the base layer before adhering to 15x15cm card. Actually I added more DI's after this photo was taken.  I just kept adding different colours until I was happy with the results. I repeated this on three layers.
 I added some creamy/white lace before attaching to the card base.

Matting layer for the main image... showing the DP
Only just visible on the finished card.

hidden message ....  :)







Dried flower bud

Challenges

Crafts and Me: Ribbon and lace. I used lace.

Paper Pretties: Make your own background.

Its all about the vintage: Spring dreams with lace

Thank you for looking I would love you to join in with us .
 click here MMM .
xx Suzi B xx

Turn up the Heat

Hi all,  we could certainly  do with some heat here in the UK  its  flipping freezing but in the hopes it will warm you up  ;) I would like to see you use 

Heat Embossing 

on your projects for this weeks challenge at Make My Monday 

here's mine

Products/method

Clearly besotted: Leafy Accents stamps and die. Embossed with green EP

La Blanche: Bloom. stamped with Vintage sepia, once onto cartridge paper and once onto acetate, embossed with clear EP, coloured and cut out 

Crafty Individuals: The little bee was a generous freebie

Hobby Craft sentiment

Derwent Inktense water colour pencils.

Clear and green Embossing Powder

Versafine Vintage Sepia. for the bloom, sentiment and bee

Viva Pearl Pen: copper. flower centre

I made a bit of a mess usingg the Pearl pen but I quite liked it so didn't feel the need to do all again! well the acetate bit ... which can be tricky  cos it's difficult to stop the stamp from sliding around.... managed in one take.. whew!  although not easy to See in this photograph I coloured both cartridge paper and acetate

Both layers of card and acetate can more easily be seen in this photo.

As usual we at MMM look forward to seeing your creations and as usual you will astound us with embossing variations.

 We are delighted to have three new DT members 

 Jaybee, Rosie and Laura 

  pop across to MMM to see all the DT's wonderful inspiration.

 have a good day, take care.

 xx Suzi B xx

Wednesday Craft Group.

Hello to everyone and thank you to all my recent new followers, you are very welcome 

 I voluntarily run the craft group at an assisted living complex here in Crewe. This is the card the ladies made today.

Products/ technique
Stamps:
Personal Impressions: Tattered Butterflies. These were stamped directly onto the card then masked.
Clearly Besotted: Leafy Accents stamped three times in different directions over the masked  butterflies with  DI Peeled Paint.
Versamark: Onyx black
Diamond Glitter Glue
Sentiment from Tattered Butterflies
 Bling from stash.
 The butterflies were then stamped onto patterned DP, cut out, layered up but only with small amount of glue in the centre of the butterfly so that the wings... flutter :) Then a small amount of glitter glue swooshed over the wings.

Hope you like it... the ladies of the group loved it... One of them is not a crafter... (until now tee hee I think she may be on the slippery slope to saying "but I NEED it!") this is only the third card she's made... She made two one to send to a relative in America, who can't wait to see what she's been up to and one to keep cos she liked it so much and wanted to keep it... she was thrilled with her achievement... isn't that lovely.
 I really love the leafy accents from Clearly Besotted ... after I received the stamps I discovered that a die is available too... that came today (very quick service only ordered it yesterday) but too late to share with the group... watch this space ...
take care
xx Suzi B xx

Nature Trail at MMM

Good morning... hope you all had a good week end. Did you manage to get out and about whilst the sun shone? ... that's for us in the UK.... the sight of the sun is rare indeed... the sad thing is we Brits love it!!! any excuse to to be out and about or just AL Fresco meals/picnics.  Ooh heck I'm getting carried away, it wasn't that warm.... I can dream!

 This week though the theme at Make My Monday
is

 Inspired By Nature 

 

 Here's mine, hope you like it. I had Spring in mind.... still dreaming :)

 

Products

Stamps:  Stampendous Cling Bird Frame

               Paper Artsy Nature USNT3

               Lisa Pevelka Love Letter.

Versamark Vintage Sepia.

Distress Ink Antique Linen....main image

Derwent Colour Soft pencils.

Cartridge paper.... main image

Kraft card

Blue card

Cream textured base card

Bits and pieces from stash.

Silicone glue.

I layered up the nest, then added some tiny little seeds that were in a nature type craft pack that I found ,ages ago in a charity shop. I coloured them with acrylic paint.. blue and whiet mixed. I put the paint into a jam jar lid ( I often use lids of various sizes and origins for glue, paint etc... very handy when you only need a tiny amount) I rolled the seeds in the paint with my fingers.  I think they look more authentic with some of the base colour showing through... authentic! who am I kidding!  I also added white feathers.

I shaped the eggs and added a broken Star Anise from the same pack as the "eggs" 
I like the fact that you can see the shiny seeds inside

Take a look at the DT's inspirational art .... see you soon, I hope :o)
Thank you for your kind comments it really does mean soo much!. I know lots of you look and don't comment....  but it's lovely to know that you came by... thank you.
 xx Suzi B xx