Lucy's Cards - First Challenge

Lucy Abrams set her first challenge recently on her blog here.  I first came across Lucy through the Hero Arts Flickr Group - she is amazingly talented and posts daily inspiration on her blog.

This is my entry for her first challenge - the aqua looks very blue in the photo - bad lighting here...! sorry! 

Supplies: PP from Jen Allyson's Freebie Kit here, CC Designs Swiss Pixie,

Hero Arts Holiday Sayings, Papermania gems, Copics and machine stitching.

Thanks for peeking and hope you have a great week.

Another Birthday Card

This card went off to the US on Wednesday to a very good friend for her Birthday.  It is a textured card blank by DCWV in a lovely shade of brown.  Then used the threading water punch by fiskars on the base cardstock.  Added pp from Making Memories (just chillin' range).  Added misc. orange ribbon.  The image was stamped on watercolour paper and coloured with promarkers, then the edges were torn and adhered to the cardbase with pop dots.  I added pearls by Papermania to the finished card.

Thanks so much for stopping by. 

Another Christmas Card share

Made this card using the beautiful stamped image that Jane sent me.  Just adore this image by CC Designs.  Thanks so much Jane.  I coloured it with colouring pencils, cut it out and added it to the base with pop dots, the background paper is from Making Memories - Just Chillin' range, the lime green paper is some origami paper that I picked up years ago and has been floating around in my stash and it is matted on textured cardstock from Papermania.  The little stars are gems from Papermania too.

Supplies - Swiss Pixie by CC Designs, pp by Making memories,

misc and Papermania, gems by Papermania and misc brads.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend and thanks so much for stopping by.

Happy Thanksgiving and a new Paperplay Challenge

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, hope all my American friends and family have a terrific day and wonderful weekend.  Thinking of you all across the miles and miss you lots.

This week's Paperplay Challenge is set by DT Member Sandie and we would love if you would play along.  This week she would like you to follow this sketch. You can flip/rotate it as you wish but you must be able to see the original sketch.   Have fun!!

Here is what I came up with for this Challenge - A Thanksgiving Card, (of course).

Supplies: Alison Spelman's Zeke the Turkey, Rough Riders Digital kit by Sande Krieger,

Nov 09 freebie kit by Eric Hernandez, Gold Pearlescent cardstock, buttons by Jane, paperclips and embroidery floss

I loved using Alison Spelman's digital image in last week's challenge so I used "Zeke the Turkey" this week - another great image available from StretchnBubbles.  I used two other digital kits in the card - both available free from twopeasinabucket.com.

The tag is from a Sande Krieger free digital kit - "Rough Riders" - available here and the sentiments are from a Erica Hernandez November 2009 Freebie available here.

The buttons were a gift from my Hero Arts FLICKR friend - Jane, which she made herself.  Thanks for stopping by, hope you will play along.  Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Thursday!

Cupcake Greeting!

Made this for my SIL's birthday tomorrow.  Love the plum colour of the Papermania Chatsworth Vintage Collection with the tiny pink polka dots.  Used some textured cardstock in pink underneath.  Stamped cupcakes on the cardstock, adhered with pop dots and used Ranger Stickles to give them a little sparkle.  LOVE these trinket pins by Maya Road and used one to add a little birthday banner.  Hey presto... a card done!

Supplies - Papermania cardstock and Chatsworth Vintage Collection,

Maya Road trinket pins, Cupcake stamp by Katie & Co - sweetie

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Wednesday... half way through the week... yipee...!  Schools reopened too woohoo!

Moxie Fab World - Christmas in the Old Country Challenge

I was blog hopping and happened upon the Moxie Fab World challenge this week - Christmas in the Old Country Challenge.  What fun!.  Some AMAZING inspiration from all around the world.  So I came up with this card for the Challenge.

Supplies: Papermania Joyeux Noel Paper, Red cardstock, Misc Ribbon, Hero Arts smooth gemstones and pop dots!.

I also embellished the envelope with an ornament cut from the patterned paper.  Also entering it for the Papertake Weekly Challenge this week.

Thanks for visiting.  Hope your week is going well.

Happy Monday and Everything but the Kitchen Sink Challenge!

I just found this challenge site - Everything but the Kitchen Sink and after seeing Kathy amazing entry for it, I knew I had to have a go!.  Did a little adaptation on the sketch...... !

Supplies: Papermania Joyeux Noel Paper Pack, gold pearlsecent paper,

Red Cardstock, Red Ribbon, Hero Arts smooth gemstones

Due to the Civic Emergency in place in the city my boys are off school today as their school is closed.  Don't know if I will get much cardmaking done!!! Thankfully it continues to be dry and the sun has peeked out for a little while this morning. 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Hero Arts Trimming Challenge

So eventually I have managed to clear some of my desk and found LOTS of scraps to put together on a card for this week's Hero Arts Challenge - trimming.  I had some patterned paper by K&Co but only a few inches wide so I had to cut it and hide the gap with the flower from the HA poetic petals digital kit.  I had it printed and die cut with my nesties labels one but decided to cut it out after colouring with copics.  Had enough ribbon to stretch across the card but not enough for a bow!!!  I used a pearlescent card as my card base which doesn't show up in the photo.

Supplies: Hero Arts Poetic Petals Digital Kit, Copics, PP by K&Co, textured cardstock by Papermania,

Plum ribbon by Papermania, Hero Arts Smooth gemstones, Fiskars Threading Water border punch

Hope you like it and thanks so much for stopping by.  Dry here again today with only the odd rain shower.  Flood waters are receeding but the City is still in a state of Civic Emergency.

Cards Magazine - December Issue

Imagine my astonishment, excitement and glee when I spotted the December issue of Cards Magazine in my local newsagents this morning.  I have previously checked and the magazine was not distributed in the Republic of Ireland... but woohooo..... things have changed.

and imagine my delight when I opened page 12 and saw a card from my HA Flickr Friend - Sally Sherfield.  I am so thrilled for Sally and off to email her now.

Lots of other amazing creations and I know I will spend hours pouring over it.... notable names in the issue include Mary MacAskill, Ashley Newell, Nichol Magouirk, and Kandis Smith to name a few.

Happy Saturday - hope you have a great weekend.

End of the week - Happy Friday Card!

Well thankfully the sun shone here today but most of all there was no rain, which is quite important given that much of the City is under water!.  Floods have damaged a huge area and there is more rain forecast for tomorrow, I am thankful we live on the top of a hill and are safe. 

I think Alison Spelman's digital images are darling (StretchnBubbles) and this was the freebie from last week - "Jillyan & Kit".  She is sponsoring the Paperplay Challenge this week and the winner gets 4 free digital images from her store.

Supplies - Jillyan & Kit digital image from StretchnBubbles,

PP by K&Co Carolyn Gavin, Textured cardstock by Papermania, Ribbon by Anita's,

Sentiment Message Tag by Daisy & Dandelion, coloured with promarkers and copics,

white gel pen and machine stitching.

I didn't have time to make a card before the sun went down, so I had to take this shot with my flash.  Thanks for stopping by.  Hope you all have a great weekend.

"Read all about it" - this week's Paperplay Challenge

A new Paperplay Challenge this week - Week 42 set by DT Member Julie.  It is entitled "Read All About It!!".  She wants you to use some form of booktext - for example: vintage booktext, script background stamp or newspaper text.

This week our sponsor is Alison Spelman. Alison has recently set up her own digi image store and is offering 4 free images to the winner.  Alison also offers a free digi image each Wednesday on her blog so make sure to go check it out. Click here to check out her store/blog.

                                                                                 Sneak Peek - scroll down to see the completed card

I used one of Alison's images - "cowfarm" to create my card.  When I saw it, I just laughed... so fun!.  I decided to print the image twice, colour it and adhere it with dimensional adhesive i.e. pop dots, foam pads.   I used promarkers to colour him with some white gel pen highlights.  I added a page from a vintage french/english dictionary under his arm (it actually is the page that includes "turkey!").  I also printed off turkey facts from the internet and made them into columns to look like newspaper print before ageing with Tim Holtz tea dye distress ink.  Hope you like him!

Supplies: Digital "cowfarm" image from StretchnBubbles, promarkers, white tall card blank,

machine stitching, foam pads, white gel pen, vintage dictionary page

Hope you play along.  Happy Thursday - thanks for stopping by.

Cork Week 2010 Website goes live!

Two posts in one day...woohoo!!! For those of you who have been over to check out my blog profile you will see that listed amongst my hobbies are sailing and photography.  You may also have noticed that on Monday I featured a photo of my budding sailors!

I am delighted to let everyone know that the new website for Cork Week 2010 went live this afternoon.  It has some amazing video footage of the 2008 event, useful information for sailors for the 2010 event and information for non sailors attending the event too.  James O'Sullivan of jamjodesign did an amazing job on the build. 

Earlier this month Cork City was named in the Lonely Planet Guide as Top 10 Place to visit in "Best in Travel 2010".  Roll on July 2010!

Moxie Fab World Tuesday Trigger and Creating Keepsakes have a new blog!

Have been meaning to take part in the Tuesday Trigger over on Moxie Fab World for a while, but never seem to make the deadline and this week is no exception!.  Saw this Trigger photo last week and it has been rattling around in my head.

so I created this last night with a stamped image that Jane very kindly sent me.  It is by CC Designs from their November releases - CC Designs Swiss Pixies, Santa Birgitta Rubber Stamp.  I am now a fan too!
Very bad light here today because it is dull, dreary, damp and did I mention raining!!!! so you can see the difference in the two photos I took one after the other!

Supplies : CC Designs Swiss Pixies -  Santa Birgitta Rubber Stamp, Colouring pencils,

Hero Arts Holiday messages Clear Design set, PP from the freebie over on 2peas by Jen Allyson,

machine stitching and a tall card blank. 

You might also be interested in:

Was over on Jennifer McGuire's blog and I spotted that she mentioned that Creating Keepsakes have a new blog.  Went to check it out - love it already.  If you want to check it out click here.

This week's challenge on Hero Arts blog is to use "trimmings" on your cards.  You know all the left over pieces you have lying around your craft table?  yeah, those bits and pieces!  So I haven't managed to create something for it yet but hopefully will upload a card later.

Thanks for stopping by, hope you have a great Tuesday.

Wet, blustery November day

The pitter patter of rain on the windowsills continues day after day and it is hard to remember that we had any dry, sunny days recently.  So I went searching for some photos from earlier in the year when the weather was a little kinder! - this one was taken in September! 

The boys enjoying a light wind day - Sept 09

Happy Monday everyone, hope the weather is kinder where ever you are.  Hope you have a great week.

Hero Arts ATC Swap

Happy Friday everyone.  I mentioned the Hero Arts Artist Trading Card (ATC) Swap which was held last month but didn't want to post the goodies that arrived on Tuesday in case everyone hadn't received theirs.  I think everyone has at this stage, so here is a photo of the beautiful creations by some of the members over on Hero Arts Flickr Group.

Hope you all have a great weekend and thanks so much for stopping by.

New Paperplay Challenge - A Recipe!

Okay... so newbie DT enthuasism....my first Paperplay DT Card! It is Week 41 on Paperplay Challenges and the challenge is set by Kate, it is a recipe - use 2 pattened papers, 1 ribbon and 3 buttons in your project.  Add some creativity and mix it all together!.

Here is what I came up with using Bella Boulevard patterned papers that arrived from 2peas yesterday.  I just love the flowers and stripes, I added three fimo buttons in the shape of flowers that I made myself with the fun Forever Friends Birthday Bear stamp that came free in this month's Creativity Magazine.

Supplies: Bella Blvd PP  - Honey I'm Home Range, Fiskars Threading Water Border Punch,

Forever Friends Birthday Bear, Fimo buttons by me!, promarkers, embroidery floss and misc ribbon

Hope you will play along - check out some more Design Team inspiration here.  Thanks for stopping by.

October Card Chain Challenge - look what arrived!

As you know I took part in Deborah's Card Chain Challenge in October and sent a card to Dawn in NZ.  I got a card today from the very talented Jane in Croatia.  Look what arrived with the beautiful card which she made - some of her stunning fimo buttons (they are just perfect! and I love them), digi images and other goodies.  If anyone is interested in her Fimo Buttons she is selling some over on her blog here.

Shot of Jane's beautiful card.

Thank you Jane.  Happy Wednesday everyone.  New Challenge on Paperplay tomorrow - watch this space!.  Thanks for stopping by.

Hero Arts ATC Swap and this week's Challenge

I took part in Hero Arts first ever ATC Swap that happened in October and my envelope containing 10 ATC's just arrived through my letterbox.  It contained beautiful miniature works of art.  I won't share them here today as all of the group haven't received theirs yet and I don't want to ruin the fun of opening the envelope for them.

Instead I will share a card I made for this week's Hero Arts Challenge - glitter!!!  Made a Baby Girl card and added glitter to Mom & Dad's eyes as "twinkles"!

Supplies - Hero Arts Big Owl, Hero Arts CL305 for Baby Owl, PP by K&Co,

Textured cardstock by Papermania, Foam letters by Papermania, Misc pearls,

white gel pen and fimo buttons by me! and Glitter - "Stickles" by Ranger Industries

Thanks for visiting and Happy Tuesday!

October Card Chain Challenge and Paperplay DT Announcement

I took part in Deborah's Card Chain Challenge for the first time in October.  I had to make a card with a specific colour palette or sketch with thanks/gratitude as the theme.  The recipient of my card was the lovely Dawn in NZ.  She sent me a note yesterday to say that my package had arrived to her home safe and sound.  That postie was super speedy given that I only posted the package on November 2nd. 

Here was the card which I made to send her.

Supplies - Kraft card blank, Hero Arts Flower Wallpaper, Hero Arts Butterflies, Sentiment Hero Arts CL139

and pop dots

I also submitted another entry for the Hero Arts "unexpected" colours challenge this week.

Supplies - PP by Papermania, Ribbon by Papermania, Share the Joy Cling set by Hero Arts,

Sentiment from Hero Arts Holiday Sayings Set, Star stamp by Forever Friends, Fimo buttons made by me!

and white embroidery floss.

I don't know where I was yesterday! but I managed to miss the Paperplay Challenges DT Announcement.  I made the Design Team....woohoo.... will be doing the happy dance all day.  I am so thrilled.  Check out the blog / challenges here.

Hope you have a great week.  Thanks for stopping by!.

Hero Arts Challenge - unexpected

Here is my entry for this week's Hero Arts Challenge - unexpected colours used on a holiday card.  I hope to get a few more entries completed before the deadline but this is my first attempt!

Supplies - white cardstock, Share the Joy Clings - Hero Arts,

Holiday Messages - Hero Arts, pp by Autumn Leaves (Heather Bailey range),

pink organza ribbon by Anita's

Hope you are having a great weekend.  Thanks for stopping by.

December Daily 2009

Some digits I picked up yesterday for my December Daily Album -

will either paint them , cover them in patterned paper or maybe stamp on them!

I have admired Ali Edwards for many years and have visited her blog and admired her journalling and memory keeping.  She is currently constructing her December Daily 2009 album and invites everyone to play along.  She has set up a Flickr Group where you can get inspiration, upload your creation and create/journal every day during the Holidays.  Part one was "gather" and part two is "construct" your foundation pages.  I am awaiting my delivery from 2peas which contains a Chatterbox canvas album that I have decided to use for my album.

Pop on over to Ali's blog to check out her 2009 album and her completed December Daily 2008 Album.

Also, check out 2peas today - it is Digital Scrapbooking Day today - 7th November.  There is a big sale, free kits and online chats with some of the Garden Girls.  Enjoy your day.  Happy Saturday.  Thanks for stopping by.

Photographs!

For those of us who enjoy taking photographs I think our biggest fear/dislike is standing in front of the camera ourselves.  It is usually rare to catch me anywhere near the front end of the lens unless I am cleaning it!  but, needs must and this morning I had to stand and smile while my hubby and boys tried to make me smile at 8am!.  All will be revealed in due course.... I needed a head and shoulders shot.  Suffice to say it was an unusual way to start the morning!.  I did update my Flickr buddy icon (as I had a new headshot)!

Thankfully though I always have willing subjects!!! Two shots from Halloween that I think you might enjoy!

Spiderman and Elmo!!!

A Hug for Elmo !!!???!

Hope your day is going well and thanks for stopping by.

Blog Award

I have just received this award from the lovely and very talented Sally. Thank you so very much Sally.

It's an award that`s connected with a few rules:-

Pass this award on to five people, post on their blog to let them know you left this award, and then answer a list of questions in ONE word.

1. Where is your cell phone? Somewhere!
2. Your hair? Straight!
3. Your mother? Amazing
4. Your father? Brillant
5. Your favorite food? Italian
6. Your dream last night? None
7. Your favorite drink? Coffee
8. Your dream/goal? Happiness
9. What room are you in? Homeoffice
10. Your hobby? Papercrafting
11. Your fear? Failure
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Here
13. Where were you last night? Home
14. Something that you aren't? Perfect!
15. Muffins? Cupcakes
16. Wish list item? Time
17. Where did you grow up? Ireland
18. Last thing you did? Bloghop
19. What are you wearing? Jeans
20. Your TV? On
21. Your Pets? None
22. Friends? Lots
23. Your life? Full
24. Your mood? Happy
25. Missing Someone? Hubby
26. Vehicle? Renault
27. Something you are not wearing? Shoes
28. Your favorite store? Papersource
29. Your favorite color? Orange
30. When was the last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? Thursday
32. Your best friend? Brillant
33. One place that I go to over and over? School
34. Facebook? Yes
35. Favorite place to eat? Anywhere!

Now to pass it on, I visit these blogs whenever I can and they are always an AMAZING source of inspiration. Drop by and check out their amazing creations.
1. Jenn
2. Shanna
3. Tiffany
4. Lucy
5. Kathy
 
Gotta go cook dinner!  Thanks for visiting.

Fimo Buttons

I decided to give making Fimo buttons a go!  A very talented and creative lady - Jane over on the Hero Arts Flickr Group kindly uploaded a demo on her blog.  She makes incredible fimo buttons in every shade imaginable.  Saturday night I cooked up my first batch and used them on two cards which I included in this week's Hero Arts Simple Holiday Challenge.  Thanks for visiting.

and here are the cards I made - simple holiday cards.

A little retail therapy!

Went shopping yesterday and purchased the new Basic Grey 2010 Calendar Kit.  I had wanted to check it out since I first saw details about it a number of months ago.  You have to read very small print on the side of the box to discover that it contains a spiral bound calendar, 85 adhesive chipboard elements, 40 die cuts, 59 cardstock stickers and 39 rub on elements!!!!  Each month/page is a "mini" scrapbook project.  I opened the packaging and took some photos of the fun items it contains.  Will let you know how it works out.

Basic Grey 2010 Calendar Kit

Also picked up an Artist Trading Card (ATC) storage holder made by Papermania, which holds 72 ATC's.  Stateside a lot of crafters store their traded ATC's in baseball page protectors, which unfortunately we don't have in Europe.  I recently took part in a Hero Arts ATC Swap (worldwide swap) so this holder will be very useful.  Hero Arts hope to hold another ATC Swap soon - so watch here for further information.

Papermania ATC Storage Holder

Hope you are all having a good weekend.