Non-Challenge Cards - May 2012

It is the last day of May 2012 and here is a post of the cards I created that don't fall into any challenges this month....

Beware, this is a picture heavy post - You have been warned!

Created using a Lili of the Valley stamped image (from a magazine) and floral paper from a 6x6 paper pack (which also came free with a magazine) 

Created using a topper from one of the Trinitage sheets, mounted on Gold and then Red cardstock.

This time I used the main Trinitage image and followed the instructions I was give at a recent Workshop at LLindas Cards & Crafts

This card features an image from one of my CDs (but I cant remember which), I used gold cardstock at the top and a co-ordinating patterned paper at the bottom (from a Me To You paper stack). 

In fact this card was finished with the words 'Golden Wedding Anniversary' for a work colleague to give to a family member - Sorry I forgot to take a photo with the sentiment added.

This card was made for a work colleague, his dream would be to own a VW Camper van.  The image is a Digi Stamp from Little Claire Designs.

Another Digi Stamp from Little Claire Designs, this time used on a Retirement Card

WOYWW 30 May 2012

I can't believe May is nearly over!! I just hope that the summer is better than the Spring we have had so far LOL.  I don't mind Rain, I rather like the Sun, but it would be nice to get a mixture of the two rather than just 1 or the other!

Ok, I had better move onto the subject of Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday - Today is the 3rd Birthday of WOYWW & as part of the Birthday Celebration Julia has organised a Artist Trading Card (ATC) swap as well as the normal look round the desks.

Up to now I had never really attempted ATCs but decided that I would give it a go & try something new.  So if you are the person sending me your ATC please drop me an email (address shown in my Profile) and I will send you my address.

As for my desk this week, it is a mess...

I was at LLinda's Card & Craft shop yesterday for a 1 day workshop and had a great time, but only had time to dump the cards & bits I brought on the table last night.  Add to that general bits & bobs that need to be put away and you get a mess - well it is messy for me LOL.

WOYWW - 23 May 2012

I can't believe it is Wednesday again, and this week there is a difference.  The sun is due to shine & we might have the hottest day of the year so far :)  Yesterday we reached 24oC: the washing dried in no time & we cut the lawn.

I have not got creative with the way in which i have taken the picture of my workdesk today, but it's contents are very creative LOL.  To see more examples of Creativity (or to just be nosy) have a look at the Stamping Ground Blog.

I have had an idea for a while but I was trying to think how to make it work, I think I have now figured it out!  I cut out the 'Tree' from my Memory Box die & I wanted to use the cutout as a mask.  I had tried to use acetate sheets, but they were all creased & did not cut fully :(  I then decided to just use card stock, this did work.

Then using my distress inks I had a play on a left over bit of paper... I tried using my 'Cut & Dry Felt' but only managed to damage the die cut, so I decided to use the little 'finger foam thing' (I can't remember the real name' from Stampin' Up) to apply the ink - this did work well :)

After trying this technique with both the negative & positive image I think I prefer the effect of the Positive image (using Scattered Straw ink).

Amazing Tutorial by Dawn Griffith

One of the blogs that I follow is Dawn Griffith (Dawns Stamping Thoughts), Dawn is a Stampin' Up demonstrator & uses their products (but you don't have to).

I think that she creates great Tutorial Videos, all of which are available on YouTube & the latest one she has posted is a 'Double Peek a Boo Card'.  After watching the tutorial I feel that I too could create a card like this - but I would take longer than it took Dawn!! LOL

This picture is taken from the YouTube video & shows the finished card.  The 'Peek a Boo' part of the card is great & not something that I would have ever thought of. 

I really don't understand how people are able to think of an idea and then work out how to fold/glue the card stock to create an amazing card - however I am really glad that people like Dawn are willing (and able) to share these creations with us without that ability.

I won't spoil the surprise, but if you want to view Dawn's tutorial you can just click HERE.

Meanwhile this weekend I need to create 3 card (Birthday, Retirement & Get Well Soon) before Monday... I need to get my thinking hat on & fast!

Just to make you smile

As I mentioned on my last post today we are at Spalding promoting Adult Learners Week.

A copy of 'Let's Make Cards' had been put on a table to encourage people to try a new skill.

This picture is of 2 staff members having a go at creating a card each... I must say that listening to the conversation was funny.
Helen T

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

Adult Learners Week

In the UK this week is Adult Learners Week, and work has arranged 2 events.

To day we are in Spalding & tomorrow is Louth.

Here are a couple of pictures. Our team is representing the e-Learning & Media Production Team.

We have Green Screen technology along with examples of e-Learning & productions we have completed.
Helen T

Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device

WOYWW - 16 May 2012

Many thanks to those who left comments on last weeks 'Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday' post.  I featured a photo of my desk from a different angle, which prompted many comments.

I can reveal that no ladders, steps or other VPED (Vertical Position Enhancement Device) was used LOL - it was just little me!

So this week I took the same photo again, but this time asked DH to take a photo of me taking the photo - are you confused yet???

Photo taken by me

Photo of me taking the Photo above :)

All I did was to hold the camera above my head, although it did take a couple of pictures before I got one I was happy with.

My Desk up close

So what is actually on my desk... Well have I my latest CD 'If flowers could talk' that has not made it onto the shelf yet, the box of Mica powers & the folder beside it (containing the Memory Box die) is ready for the Crop this evening.  then you will find some scraps of 'Watercolour Paper' that I was just playing with - but I was not very happy with the outcome :(.  Finally at the end of the desk is a pile of completed cards, just waiting to be put away in either the box for me to keep or the box to be sold/given to charity.

So quite a busy desk - & Many thanks to DH for his help with the photos :)

Flower Power

Don't you just love it when you sit down and an idea just pops into your head and before you know it you have a finished card!!!!!

Well this happened this afternoon... I took a quick look at the Sweet Stampin' Challenge blog to remind myself of this weeks challenge.

This weeks challenge: FLOWER POWER!  So we want to see your projects with lots of flowers on please, It doesn't have to be a card, scrapbook pages, altered items etc are all welcome so long as you've stamped something!

So I sat at my desk and opened my folder of stamped & coloured images to see what I could find.  This image from Little Claires jumped out at me, I then used the colours of the flowers (coloured with my ProMarkers) as the basis for the rest of the card.

As the colours I was using were strong I decided to use a plain cream coloured card & as the image & flowers looked lost I added a 'doodle' border.

I really do like this card & I think that it might just keep this one in my box LOL

3 Stamps...

Over on the Less is More Blog the challenge this week is...

Here we are again with your favourite of all our challenges... the wonderful 

ONE LAYER CARD

This time we have the stipulation to

USE THREE STAMPS

not four, not two... but 3!

 

Now I am getting better but I always find that One Layer cards are hard work.  Something always goes wrong & I have to start again.

 

This week was no exception.  I decided on my 3 stamps (that was the easy part) and started work...  I have used the Little Claire Designs stamps for both the owl & the branch, I stamped them first & coloured them using my ProMarkers.  The last thing to add was the sentiment - & I was not happy!!!!

 

It looked a bit to heavy (or blurred) and I did not like it - being a One Layer card I could not just stamp the sentiment again and stick it on top, so I started again!

 



Attempt 1

For attempt number 2 I used the same stamps but this time did not colour any of the image until I had stamped the sentiment.  This time I decided to use shades of Brown for the owl.

Attempt 2

Looking at both cards side by side I think that I may have been able to get away with the first attempt - It is just be being too picky.

 

What do you think???

My New Stash

I just could not resist Joanna Sheen's latest CD (if flowers could talk).

The strange thing is that when my order arrived I found a pack of ProMarkers in the packet as well - I wonder how they got onto my order???

Well... I could not resist them either LOL

WOYWW - 09 May 2012

Well it has reached Wednesday again :) with the extra day off on Monday this week is shorter than normal and as a result Wednesday seems to arrive soooo quickly.

As is now habit I took a quick picture of my desk & workspace this morning before leaving the house.  If you have not seen or taken part in Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday go and have a look at Julia's Blog (Stamping Ground) to find out more.

You will be pleased to know that the bin was emptied last Thursday evening and all of the rubbish was put out ready to be collected :)

The bad news is that I spent time crafting over the weekend... and it is full again LOL - I just can't win!!!!

After crafting on Saturday I was in the mood to tidy... so while it lasted I made the most of it. The result is the tidy desk you see here - but I guess it won't last too long LOL.

Happy Wednesday :)

Fairies

Last Wednesday the I Love ProMarker blog issued their weekly challenge...

The theme for this week is 'Fairies'.

How you interpret this is completely up to you, as long as you make sure you follow the theme and you MUST use either ProMarkers, FlexMarkers, AquaMarkers or Trias on your work

It just so happened that I had coloured a 'Lili of the Valley' Fairy last week (this image came in a pack of images with a magazine a while ago).  This was then taken out of my coloured image folder & used on a card...

The image was coloured with a selection of ProMarkers and mounted on orange card stock (the edges of which were distressed with 'Pumice Stone' distressing ink. This was then raised up with foam tape.

I also used the same orange cardstock in a embossing folder (you can't really see it too clearly but the card has cracked slightly giving white flecks throughout the design).  The matt was

To finish off the card I use some Card Candi in 2 corners.

Less is More - Yellow

On Saturday I visited the Less Is More blog to find out what the challenge for this week is...

This week we are back to a colour challenge and the chosen colour this time is 

Y E L L O W

Other colours may be in evidence as long as the main focus colour is yellow.

 

Ok, Yellow... this is one that I can do (without too much trouble - LOL)!!  But I did not have a set idea of what I want to create at that point, so I decided to wait until inspiration struck.  

 

On Saturday afternoon I was printing some flowers from the 'From the heart of the Garden' CD and one sheet included 3 small images (predominately yellow in colour), I decided that these would be the centre point of my card.

 

 

I matted the images on white card and added a strip of Ribbon between them, finally I coloured a Peel-Off black and placed it above the images.

 

WOYWW - 02 May 2012

Now we have started in May I hope that all of the rain drys up and we are able to get some Spring weather - I really am fed up of the rain!!!!

Ok, back to the reason of this post, it is Wednesday and therefore time for a sneak peak at crafting desks everywhere.  So if you would like to join in you will be more than welcome, just pop and see Julia at Stamping Ground and add your post to 'Mr Linky'.  Or if you prefer, just be nosey and leave comments on the workdesks you see.

My desk this week looks as if a bomb has hit it...

but there is area reason... honest!

Yesterday afternoon I had an afternoon off work, using some Lieu time that I had built up.  I have decided that the Lieu time is going to be spent on doing things for me, so I booked a Craft Workshop :)

Over at Laneham, Notts you will find Llinda's Card & Craft shop and she does a great number of workshops covering a wide variety of papercraft & jewelry making.  So yesterday afternoon was "Working without templates  - Using Hougie board – Cards & Little gifts" (I also have a full day booked at the end of the month for "Creative Stamping - Men & Boys").

During the afternoon I created 3 cards and 1 gift as well as paper templates for 2 further cards.  All work was done using the Hougie Board and some die cuts.  But before everything got just dumped on the desk (I have not had time to put everything away yet!!!) I did take photos of what I had made.

So here goes (this bit is picture heavy!)...

The first card was done using a 'Trinitage' sheet, and a 'squeze card' - out of all of the cards we created this was my favourite & I really don't want to give this one away.  It was so simple to create and mega effective (so I brought a pack of 8 Trinitage sheets - I just HAD to!!!)

Looking from the front

Looking from above, so you can see the 3 layers (background & 2 front layers)

 The second card was what I think is called a Waterfall card, this one did not get decorated/finished during the workshop but will probably be used as a template.

Using Double Sided cardstock to get the contrast in pattern/plain colour

Next was a gift, a holder of the little packs of tissues you get to go in your handbag (although this would quickly get damaged in mine LOL

Very simple and effective!

 And finally we created a 3D window card, using a selection of white & patterned paper.  

From the outside the card folds flat to fit into the envelope - good new for the cost of postage LOL

When open the window section opens out and you see the patterned paper.  Before you say anything I know that my squares are not lined up, we used a square die and the Cuttlebug (when I do this again I would prefer to use a knife & ruler) - but you get the idea :)

Yesterday was a great day and I now have so many ideas buzzing around in my head - I really need to be sat at home at my craft desk and not at work - but never mind, I can still dream :)

Happy Wednesday - don't forget after lunch the week goes down hill LOL!

 

Month In Numbers - April 2012

As it is now the end of the month it is time to look back at April 2012, along with Julie over at the Notes on Paper Blog (If you want to view other Month In Numbers posts or find out how to take part take a look at Julie's blog).

I have found it very difficult to create a list of numbers for this month, and even more difficult to use photos, in fact you will only see 1 photo as part of this post.  Hopefully May will generate more numbers than April, although I do wish that I had a way of being able to record the amount of rainfall we had this month!!

1 Easter Egg - DH & I decided that we would only have 1 egg each.  Unfortunately I was in such a hurry to eat mine that I forgot to take a photo LOL. 

30 Hours - the number of hours that DH was in hospital for this month, Ok it was 1 overnight stay.  His kidney stone is now smaller than it was and further treatment will be needed over the next 2 months.

4 Hours, the length of time that I had to wait between DH texting me to say he was going to surgery and finding out that he was back on the ward safe & sound.

2 Family Birthdays and I created cards for both of them!  So far this year I have created cards for each person, this is a challenge that I set myself at the beginning of the year.  1/3 of the year completed on 2/3 remaining :)

27 April is DH's last working Day! Although his birthday is not until August he starts life as a Retired person this month.

12 is the number on the front & back of my new Honda Jazz, collected yesterday. 

My new pride & joy :)