The finished package!

Forgot to post the photo of the final package yesterday after I completed the teacher's gift card set.  I made a tag to go on top with a vintage puffy flower made from a french/english dictionary which was nicely aged!.  The "thanks" sentiment is from Hero Arts and I added machine stitching to keep everything in place.

The button is from my stash.  Thanks so much for stopping by.  Hope to post another card later today - have to run some errands this morning.

Set of Cards - Teacher Gift

Hard to believe that we are at the end of another school year - my DS's finish on Wednesday - woohoo!.  Looking forward to getting to spend fun times together without the daily chore of homework and assignments.  We are all looking forward to getting to spend time on the water, play outdoors and generally have fun - therefore my blog will suffer and I won't be here as often as I would like... but hey!  it's only 8 weeks and I have set up some auto posts so that I can truly focus on my boys.

Want to share a set of cards that I made yesterday morning for one of my DS's to give to a helper in his school.  I used the new DeLovely range from Cosmo Cricket - boy do I ADORE these new papers.  I only purchased a 6x6 mini stack so I managed to get two cards from each sheet of 6x6!  

I used kraft card blanks with matching kraft envelopes.  Used my "ruffled bloom" stamp from Stampendous and coloured them with copics in YG03, B02 and BG15 and also a promarker in Cerise (as my copic in that shade was dry!).

I added machine stitching, gems from Papermania and Hero Arts, glossy accents (on one flower centre) and the sentiments are from Hero Arts, PTI and Papermania.

The kraft card blanks are from Paperchase (sold in Ireland through Awear).  I then packaged them up in a clear box from Clear Bags and made a thank you tag to attach.

I am entering them into the challenge on my partner in crafting crime which is school, teacher or student inspired creations.  Thanks so much for peeking - hope you have a wonderful day.

New Baby Girl Card with SRM Stickers

I made this card using a wonderful baby sentiment from SRM Stickers - thanks Jenyfur.  I followed the current trend of ruffled tissue/crepe paper and made a paper ribbon with stitching which I ruffled whilst stitching... not clearly evident from the photo.  The light is AWFUL here today... raining, overcast, cloudy, dull ... more like a November day.. so sorry about the colour tones!

The patterned paper is Basic Grey - sugared (from my stash) with the matching chipboard and buttons.  I layered it on some Bazzill dotted swiss cardstock and stitched the edges.  Added some fine cotton thread around the neck. 

Thanks for peeking.... off to make more cards with SRM Stickers - they ROCK!  You can buy them online or find a stockist near you.  Hope you have a wonderful week.

Sketch Saturday - Week Four

It is so hard to believe that the month of June is nearly over..... my time at Sketch Saturday just whizzed by.  Thanks so much for having me as a Guest Designer - I had a blast.

  This week's sketch is here

and here is what I did with it.

Supplies Digital image from Tales from Pollycraft, pp Cosmo Cricket - Early Bird, 

textured cardstock by Papermania, pearls by Papermania, 

image and pearls coloured with copics, misc buttons, 

misc ribbon from stash, pop dots and glossy accents.

This sketch was so much fun to work with.  I used a digital image called "New Home" that I got as a freebie recently over on Tales from Pollycraft (thanks Paula!), coloured with copics, added glossy accents and matted and layered with cardstock/patterned paper from the Early Bird range by Cosmo Cricket.  I then Added some ribbon from my stash along with matching green buttons (unknown source! again from my stash).  I used copic YG03 to colour the pearls the same shade of green in the digi and hey presto... card done!.

Again I would like to thank Paula for inviting me to be Guest Designer for the month of June - I really enjoyed my time on Sketch Saturday.

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you get time to play along this week. 

Mami Doodles - new digital stamps released

 

It's Friday and time for Mami Doodles new release.  The super talented Elisa has been very busy creating wonderful fun summer images.  This is the latest - Lil Mimi in the Beach.  You can find her here. I have created two cards - the first is using the image Lil' Alex with bucket.

Everything seems to be getting a coat of glossy accents at the moment!!!!  LOL!!  The bucket and spade got a coat so they are wonderfully shiny.

Added some red buttons and yellow machine stitching with a Papertrey Ink sentiment.

The second card is also for this week's challenge on Mami Doodles - Using this photo as inspiration.

The challenge is to create a card/project using "blue, white, green with a hint of red!"... think I reversed the red and green a touch!!! oopppsss!!!

Used Elisa's new image - Lil Mimi at the Beach.  I hope you get a chance to play along with Mami Doodles new challenge this week.  I am entering these cards into Daisy Doodles Creative Challenge - It's Summertime.  Hope you have a wonderful weekend and thanks so much for stopping by.

Paperplay - "It's sunny here!" and a digi freebie!

This week's challenge on Paperplay is "It's sunny here!".  Your card/project must incorporate either the sun or sunglasses.  We are very kindly sponsored this week by Bunny Zoe Crafts and the prize is $15 Gift Certificate. 

Supplies: pp from Cosmo Cricket DeLovely range, 

sun FREEBIE digi image from Tiffany Doodles, clouds from digi kit "Fun in the Sun" 

by Holly Brooke Jones, sentiment from HA stamp set CL184, 

Bazzill dotted swiss cardstock, machine stitching and pop dots!.

Made the first card using the new DeLovely range from Cosmo Cricket and machine stitched the card with a beautiful yellow thread.  Coloured the pearls to match before adhering them to the card.  The Sunny Face is a digital freebie available on Tiffany Doodles - click here.

Made this second clean and simple card using one of the new SMIRK stamps.

Supplies: Anita's A6 white card blank, memento black ink, 
SMIRK stamp, Hero Arts smooth gemstones

and copics

The sentiment reads - "Ignore the Rain, look for the Rainbow".... how true is that!.  I added some Hero Arts smooth gemstones, coloured with copics and hey presto.... quick and easy.

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you have a chance to play along with the Paperplay Challenge this week.

Happy Anniversary!

The symbol for 45 years of marriage is sapphire.  I found the nearest thing in colour in a Bazzill dotted swiss cardstock and added a handmade fimo button in the shape of a heart!.  The colour looks wonky in this photo but I can't retake as I have already given the card to my parents who celebrate their 45th Wedding Anniversary tomorrow.

I added cream flowers from prima and Hero Arts, Pearls and cream brads.  I would have preferred the chipboard numbers to be a different colour but simply didn't have time to change them... made this in a severe hurry!!!  Not necessarily as I would have wanted ... anyhow

Happy Anniversary to two wonderful parents.  Hope you have a great day.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Fun Funky Flower Card!

Made this card using the wonderful digital kit called "Fun in the sun drawings" by the super talented Holly Brooke Jones. 

Supplies: Digital Kit - Fun in the Sun Drawings by Holly Brooke Jones, 

Bazzill dotted swiss cardstock, Spellbinders curved rectangles, 

copics, glossy accents and white cardstock.

I just love pink and orange together... can you tell!!! LOL!!!  Coloured with copics and added some colouring pencil shading.  Then got busy with my glossy accents!.

Am just loving this kit and have several more made to share with you. 

I am dashing out the door to my DS's end of school performance.... "Billy Bee has lost his buzz!".... they are all going to be dressed in bee costumes....!!! so sweet!!!  He has been very busy practicing his lines and songs..... so adorable.  Hope you have a wonderful Tuesday.

Welcome Little One!

A Baby Card which I made using a freebie image from Tales from Pollycraft. Paula had this as a freebie a little while ago.  I coloured it with copics and added some white gel pen detail to the Mom's skirt.  The sentiment was computer generated - Kristen ITC and I used my Spellbinders Labels 8.  Used a black card blank to give it added impact - not your typical Baby Girl Card!.  But I know the perfect new parents for this card!

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you have a great start to your week.

Sketch Saturday - Week Three

 

 

Can you believe - it's Saturday again!.  Week three of my Guest Designer spot.... this week's sketch for Sketch Saturday's Challenge was a real fun sketch to work with and I decided to make it into a Birthday Card for my nephew who is turning TWO!

Supplies: OA Buddies stamp kit by The Greeting Farm, sentiment button 
by Tales from Pollycraft, pp by Cosmo Cricket - the boyfriend range, 
pp by Making Memories - just chillin range, 
copics, pop dots, quickutz cookie cutter circles and scrabble 
letter stickers by Jolee's boutique/EK success.

I am discovering it is very difficult to photograph a card with a window in it!  I decided to incorporate a window within the sketch design and adhered my coloured image (Oliver from OA Buddies kit by The Greeting Farm) inside the card.  I used Cosmo Cricket patterned paper from The Boyfriend range and the notebook page is from Making Memories - Just chillin' range. 

The sentiment was a freebie from Paula on Tales from Pollycraft a number of months ago and I coloured it to match the papers/image.  I also added freehanded tiny dots around the image to match the sentiment button.

Thanks so much for stopping by today and I really hope you get a chance to play along with Sketch Saturday this week.  Full details are here.

Another view of the card!.  Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Deirdre

A couple of things and a freebie!

I want to post about a couple of things today!.  Firstly - as you know I have been Guest Designer for Sketch Saturday for the past few weeks as a result of Paula's invitation.  Paula is ULTRA talented and does freebie digital images on her site on Fridays.  I just HAD to post today's - she is called "Flo - the simple things". 

If you would like to download Flo - just go to Paula's site - Tales from Pollycraft.  Wouldn't she make the perfect Dad's card from a little girl?.

Secondly - SRM Stickers are doing a blog hop and featuring the new Cosmo Cricket Range - Delovely and boy is it LOVELY!!!!.  Be sure to check it out and start on Jenyfur's blog here.

My DS's are winding down from school, although over a week still left to go... I may not get a chance to post here as much as I would like but will still be keeping an eye on all my friends blogs!.... my craft space is in the attic and boy, is it hot here in the Summer.  So I am going to try and get out and have fun with the boys during their holidays.

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful Friday/weekend.

Paperplay - "something old from your stash!"

This week's Paperplay Challenge is set by the super talented Julie.  She says "it's easy to be seduced by all the lovely new products, but this challenge is to use something very old from your stash.  Could be the first papers you loved and didn't want to cut into, or what were cutting edge embellishments.  Drag them out and use them!!!" - she is right!!!

I used a paper stack that has been in my stash for a while - Cosmo Cricket Earth Love and cut into it!.  I machine stitched around the edge and added tiny beads from Rayher called papillon because of their shape (think I may have picked these up on holidays in France a while back!!).  I adhered them to the centres of the dandelion seed puffs with glossy accents.  I then added a chipboard shape from the same range by Cosmo Cricket.  Sentiment is from Papertrey Ink.

Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope you get a chance to dig out some of those long forgotten papers/embellies/buttons/ribbons and use them this week.

Happy Birthday Card

I have been "oohing" and "aaaahing" over Alice and Lucy's creations using this "Watercolours" kit by Jen Martakis - so I just went and bought it..... and do I LOVE it.!  Printed out some last night (the pp under the images not very evident in the photos ... and I'm hooked.  I had to make a belated! birthday card for my SIL (she just visited - so I can post it now!).

supplies: Digi kit Watercolours by Jen Martakis, Bazzill dotted swiss cardstock, 
embroidery thread, papermania pearls, computer generated sentiment 
with scrubble font and machine stitching.

Added some embroidery thread as a bow to it, which I coloured with a black sharpie!.  I just adore this aqua colour and really enjoyed making this card.  Thanks so much for stopping by... going outside to work in the garden as the sun is shining and the skies are blue.

Male/Teenage Birthday Card

As you will know by now - I adore the stamps in this set from The Greeting Farm - "My Guy Ian".... and I think it is the PERFECT stamp for a teenage boy!.  Cut a circle from Bazzill dotted swiss and added Papertrey Ink vintage buttons in Ocean Tide with embroidery floss.  Sentiment is from Papertrey Ink - Blooming Button Bits stamp set.  All on a black textured cardstock base by DCWV.

I am entering this into Crafty Angels Challenge - your favourite stamp and Crafty Cardmakers - Cards for Men Challenge and Cupcake Craft Challenges - One for the Boys..

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

Card Share as promised... better late than never!

Supplies:  Tiffany Doodles digital image - cake04, copic RV04, 

diamond stickles by Ranger, Bazzill dotted swiss, machine stitching, 

ribbon by SMIRK, Number from Sticky Stax by Colorbok and pop dots.

A quick and easy 40th Birthday card I made using a digi from Tiffany Doodles.  I printed the digi twice on cardstock and cut out the cake with the plate once and just the cake the second time.  Matted and layered on dimensional adhesive (pop dots!).  Then coloured and added diamond stickles.

Thanks so much for peeking.  Hope you are having a good start to your week.

It's Monday and there's a deadline!

So it's Monday - I have 757 photos to process that I took on Saturday at my DS's Street League Finals Day (no, they were not all of my sons!!) LOL!  Got nabbed to take shots of every child getting their award/medal/plaque etc... and took some action shots during the day too. 

So hopefully I will get a chance to post a card later but have to meet a deadline with the 757 photos!!!!  No pressure!!! ha ha!

Not a happy day here... Cork were beaten by Kerry yesterday in the Munster GAA Football Senior Championship Semi Final Replay!!!  - no rivalry between the two counties which is a great thing!! (tongue in cheek here!).

I have been reading/hearing from my Chicago friends that there have been HUGE celebrations in the city following the Blackhawks win of the Stanley Cup after a 49 year championship drought.  Woohoo!!  Would love to be there... miss you guys.

Kathy's Blog Anniversary and Giveaway

My blogging friend and Dream Team buddy - Kathy is celebrating her blog anniversary and has this amazing giveaway of yummy Hero Arts goodies on her blog here.  Be sure to go check it out.. she creates amazing inspirational eye candy on a daily basis.  You can tell that I am a HUGE fan.

Be sure to check out her blog The Daily Marker for some wonderful creations.  I have my fingers and toes crossed!!!  The chance to win ends on July 7th - the date of her first blog post.  Happy Anniversary Kathy.

Sketch Saturday - Week Two

Where did the week go?  Week Two of my Guest Designer spot on Sketch Saturday already!  I am sooo enjoying myself. 

 

Here is what I came up with.... used one of Paula's cute monsters from her Critters and Cogs set and he is called "Star".  I threaded the star on some embroidery floss and tied it around his finger removing the digi image part completely.  I coloured him with copics and used pp from Sassafra Monstrosity range. I cut him out, layered him on Bazzill dotted swiss cardstock in black and then matted and layered using Papermania textured cardstock in various colours.  I also used my machine to add some stitching.  Then I added some stickles to the star and perfect pearls to his teeth to give added/raised dimension. 

Hope you get a chance to play along with Sketch Saturday this week.  Check out the challenge and DT creations here.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Mami Doodles - Fun boy images

Can you just imagine my excitement when these two cutie pies arrived into my inbox from Elisa..... SO ADORABLE.... I just screamed in delighted.  You can never have enough little boy images to play with when you have two smallies!  The first is Lil Luke goes fishing and the second is Lil Alex with a bucket.  There are now released and available at Mami Doodles.

So I started playing straight away - and here's what I came up with.

 Supplies:  Mami Doodles digi image, PP by SMIRK for him range, 

ribbon from SMIRK, Spellbinders curved rectangles, 

sentiment computer generated, copics, glossy accents and pop dots.

I coloured him with copics, cut him out, added white gel pen accents and glossy accents to his wellie boots and the cute fish.  

Thanks so much for peeking - be sure to pop over to Mami Doodles to check out this week's challenge here.

 Have a great weekend, Deirdre

Paperplay - "Home"

This week's challenge on Paperplay is set by DT Member Evonne.  She has chosen the theme of "Home" - cards or LO's inspired by something in your home.  The challenge this week is very kindly sponsored by Simon Says Stamp.

I used the stamp set - On my couch from Papertrey Ink for this card as I recently needed to send a get well card to a friend.  I stamped the image on white cardstock with dark chocolate ink, added the feet! and stamped the sentiment directly on to the card.  Cut out the sofa with a scissors... don't have the die cut to match this set yet! and added it to the card with pop dots.

Thanks so much for stopping by and I really hope you have a chance to play along with Paperplay this week.

Happy Tuesday

An incredibly quick and easy card to share today.  Made this using pp from a 6x6 mini deck of Earth Love from Cosmo Cricket.  Added machine stitching around the edge and then adhered to the white card blank.  Sentiment from Papertrey Ink and the chipboard is from the Ready-Steady-Chip set by Cosmo Cricket to match the paper range.

It was a three day weekend here in Ireland so today is really a Monday !!! you know, housework and laundry after the weekend!!  Better go do some work, thanks so much for stopping by.