Grandma´s Wallpaper

I think I am entering my "Black and White "phase.

I just love the simplicity of these two colours, perhaps enhanced slightly by another. I am also in love with the "Grandma´s Wallpaper" papers from Pink Petticoat, so have designed two cards based around these two themes.

The card has first been scored using my new Eazi Scorer, and then I have matted a delicate rose from Crafty Ann, onto Swiss Dots cuttled card, on top of black and white Grandma´s Wallpaper.

The gems are from my stash.

Here is my second card

The BP is the same black and white from Grandmas Wallpaper at , Pink Petticoat and the matts are firstly white Swiss Dots, the plain black card,  and the two more cropped images from Crafty Anne, coloured using my Marvys, the flowers are Primas, and the sentiment is computer generated.

I´m having to stop myself from doing more black and white.............it´s a struggle!!

Sympathy Card

I have really been struggling to define my style, having taken a break from cardmaking for almost a year.

I have looked at so many blogs, and admired the creativity of so many talented people, and I think was in danger of falling into the trap of trying to do things that are not "ME".

My dress style is unfussy, strong colours, with the odd bit of bling. I was never a frilly flouncy child, preferring to be mucking out horses than ballet dancing in a tutu.

My daughter is the same....she hated frilly dresses and dolls as a child.

What I am getting at, I suppose, is that for me to try and emulate those very ornate, and without doubt beautiful card creations I see, just wouldn´t be ME, and that´s why I struggle so with them.

So my style, if I have one, is going to aim for simplicity, and the "less is more" approach. 

Now of course this may just be a copout.................but I was so discouraged last week that I couldn´t put anything together resembling the things I saw on so many super blogs, that I almost gave up before I´d begun again. Surely a hobby isn´t supposed to make you feel that way??

Anyway, I have found some wonderful encouragement from my friend Anne, at Wicked Designs, and also from Ikki´s Cuttlebug Cupboard........who shows how you can make wonderfully elegant cards with my little Bug.

My inspiration for this card came from Ikki..................one needed quickly by a friend.

The white linen card was run through the Swiss Dots folder, and, (while I am awaiting delivery of my EaziScore Board) I drew lines with my trusty ruler and embossing tool!

The image is "Bluebells" by Chris Dark, coloured with Marvy Le Plume pens, the ovals done with the Nestabilities scalloped Ovals, and matted onto some blue card in my "scraps" box.

The sentiment is computer generated. 

So I am scouring the internet, and my bank accounts, for more toys for my "Bug", and more Marvy Le Plume pens.

 

A few more for sale

Just to show that I haven´t only made one card in 3 weeks (!), I have been making a few for the local bar that sells my wares, so here are a sample.

This was made following a sketch on The Sweet Stop Challenge blog (Sketch 47).

I am not confident enough to actually enter a challenge because I don´t think my work is good enough, but I welcome the ideas the challenge blogs generate.

The papers and image are from Gina Jane at Daisy Designs, and have been "livened" up a little with Sakura pens.

 The posy is by Crafty Ann, and has been coloured with Marvy Le Plume pens. I am debating whether to buy some Copic markers, but as they are so (relatively) expensive and my colouring in wasn´t good even as a child, I may decide to leave stamping as the 99th string to my cardmaking bow...LOL. The papers are by Cuddly Buddly, and of course the white card has been embossed using the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder

And finally, another very simple card:-

 This has been made with the border using Cuddly Buddly papers, and then run through my Fiskars border punch, the flowers are by Prima, and the ovals cut on my bug with Nestabilities ovals. The gems are from stash.(And the middle one has moved overnight!!!!)

Birthday card for my daughter

At last I can show the card I made for my daughter Sally´s birthday. She has just texted to say she has opened it.

As always I have to apologise for the very poor photography - if I say so myself it doesn´t do the card justice.

and here is the inside :-

The image on the front.........well what can I say? It is by the exceedingly talented Mo Manning of Mo´s Digital Pencil shop, and I swear she has caught Sally EXACTLY as she was at 2 years of age. There is a series of 4 in the Terrible Twos range, and they are all wonderful. She has been watercoloured and had Stickles glitter added to her hair bobbles.

The image on the inside is a free digital stamp called Amelia, but I can´t find where I got it from. (Note to self...........better cataloguing needed!) Her evening gown has been glittered, and her earrings "stickled"

The papers are Basic Grey Two Scoops, the borders  cut with my only decent border punch (Fiskars) (another note to self - more stash needed!!!)

Flowers from stash.....(eBay I believe) 
Ribbon from Ribbon Oasis.

Sentiments and lovely verse, by Diana Merino,  computer generated.

She likes it!!! YAAY.

More Wedding Stationery

I have spent the last few days trying to redesign this blog..............you can see the results here. I´m still not 100% satisfied with it, but it takes me such a long time to work out the "computerese".........just as well I´m retired.
I have also been preparing things to make more cards for my local bar, so I thought I´d post some more of my wedding designs.

Belleza

Cariño 

Eleganza

I hope you like them.

 

 

Other stuff

At the moment I am working on a very special card for a very special little lady.............my daughter Sally, whose birthday is coming up soon, so I can´t post it yet.

However, I do have some more work I can show...............some of my wedding stationary designs.

I have a website, which is "under construction" but here are two of my designs:-

Preciosa

Amada

I also now have a Followers "widget".........so please do follow me.................it will encourage me to blog and make more cards if I think people might be interested.

Mother´s Day Card for a Child

Well, as promised here is a card for a little boy to send to his mummy.

Once again, it is a terrible photo I´m afraid. My house has virtually NO natural light, and the flash on the camera seems to overexpose the card.

Still I hope you get the gist.

 

And here is the inside:-

  

BP and image from Cuddly Buddly Mother Bear Designables

Blue and Brown cardstock - Bazzill

Blue Heart Brad - Stash

Baby and BP highlighted with Sakura gel pen.

Sentiments computer generated.

Gold mirri card - Kanban

I also have the card as a baby girl bear too.

My Comeback

Well, so inspired have I been by reading other cardmakers´ blogs,(especially my friend Anne at Wicked Designs) I have actually made 3.

I have a card box in one of the local bars, run by my friend Chrissie, and she tells me that they need some Mother´s Day cards, so that´s what I have started on.

The photos are terrible, I´m sorry, but I just wanted to post them as soon as possible

I´ll try to redo them tomorrow.

Here´s the first:-

 

And here´s the inside:-

 

The second one is a similar theme, but in a different colour scheme:-

 

And internally:-

 

And the final one for today:-

 

And inside:-

 

For the technical details:-

BP are all by Cuddly Buddly

Sentiments- computer generated

Border- Fiskars

Flowers from stash

Liquid pearls

Gems from stash

Well...................it´s a start

 

Ready To Roll

Well, well, well.

Only 2 years since my last blog post!!!!

I don´t think it would be fair to do a 2 year update, but my interest in cardmaking has waxed and (at the moment) waned.
I am getting lots of inspiration from blogs I follow, particularly from my cardmaking friend Anne, whose blog is at Wicked Designs.
I hope to be making cards again soon.