Tea anyone?

I was asked by one of my regular customers to make a Birthday card for her Sister. I am still rummaging in my stash and decided to use one of the free downloads from Making Cards.

This ties in rather nicely with the new challenge at

Which is buttons or ribbon  (remember to tell us why)

My "go to" finishing touch is definitely ribbon. When seam binding first became fashionable I think I bought every available colour and still have masses in my vast collection. It's so easy to tie into a perfect bow and always looks amazing. These days though I buy white and colour with alcohol markers as necessary!!

It is much larger than I would usually make (A5) so I filled it out a bit with complimentary coloured mats and cut a doily using my Gemini. The sentiments were stamped using stamps from a couple of free sets, so a freebie all round, except for the seam binding.

We are still without rain in our part of the UK. I am actually missing mowing my lawn  now and all  Bowie and Bumble's favourite streams, except one, have dried up. They do have a paddling pool but won't use it so it is becoming very useful for me on extremely hot days!! It has been a little cooler the last couple of mornings so Surprise and I enjoyed an hour out and about yesterday. Looks like it's hotting up again at the weekend though.
Have a good one when you get there xx

Some challenges

Crafty friends #88 - Food/drink
Double D Challenge - Tea and/or coffee

Cutie Pie BINGO!!

Hello everyone. 

Eyes down, look in...it's BINGO at the Cutie Pie Challenge

Here is my cutie using the middle row - buttons, ribbon and die cut

I have been trying to use more of my stash lately and in this case coloured the sweet stamped image with my Lyra Rembrandt pencils. I used the stamp packaging for inspiration, colour wise, and was reasonably satisfied with the result. Oops I have just noticed that I didn't finish cutting the tails of the kite...never mind!! Blue is a colour that I don't really use, except for Christmas cards, so that stretched my creativeness a little too.

That's me for today. See you soon xx

Some challenges

Love to craft #24 - Anything goes
Craft-Dee bowZ - July Challenge
Crafty Catz #42 - Anything goes +/- Summer fun
Cardz  4 galz #75 - For a little girl
Cute Card Thursday #537 - Anything goes

AYLI Favourite Celebration

My word, don't these weeks fly by? I am here again to encourage you to join in at

As You Like It Challenge

where we are sharing our favourite celebration.

For me it has to be Birthdays, boring, I know, but it is always a lovely opportunity to make a one of a kind card especially for "that" person. In this case it was for a friend who just doesn't "do" cutesy or fluffy!!

She does, however, love her garden, the content of which this year is pink and green so this paper pad from The Range was a perfect choice.

The jaunty angle here shows the dimension and detail on the die cut butterfly and stem.

See you soon xx

Some challenges

Try it on Tuesday - things with wings

Crafty cardmakers #215 - At least two dies or punches
( three different dies and a punch for the corners)
Pennys paper-crafty challenge #387 - Anything goes

Blue and White - Christmas with The Cutie Pies

Ho, Ho, Ho...it's Christmas time again!! I so look forward to sharing my card for this challenge as it means that there is one less card to make!!

The theme this time is

BLUE and WHITE

I loved colouring this chap although he was not what I intended to use. Unfortunately my printer would not play nicely so I was unable to use an image from our sponsor

Anyway, all's well that ends well. Replacement cartridge received so I am back in business!!

It seems so wrong to be excited about Christmas cards when we are enjoying such settled weather here in the UK. My animals aren't particularly happy and don't quite know what to do with themselves and spend their day seeking shade as the sun moves around the garden. It's a relay in the mornings, the dogs get walked at 5.30am (yes...really!!) then I ride Surprise. It's really lovely at that time of day and at the moment the hedges are full of honeysuckle which smells amazing. 

Hope you will join us this time, just remember to use a cute image...simple as that!!

See you soon xx

AYLI Embossing

Hellooo everyone. It's time for your fortnightly conundrum from 

... this time it's EMBOSSING, dry or heat we don't mind!!

For me it has to be heat embossing as I find the melting process magical, even after many years of doing it, and I love the silky smooth feel of the image once it has cooled.

While I was sorting my stamps last week I found a Sheena Douglass set that was free with a magazine so used that for my card today. Heat embossed with a white powder and then I simply inked a background. I should do this more often as it was really therapeutic .

I couldn't leave without showing you my little helper, Bumble, photobombing or should that be

 photo Bumbling!! It was just as well Bowie was bird watching at the time otherwise the card might have been in danger of being squished!!

I hope you will manage to join in.

See you soon xx

Some challenges

Crafty Cardmakers #214 - Wet or dry embossing