I'm back!

Hi there everyone.  I am back!!! after two and a half weeks in one of my favourite places - Chicago!

We spent time visiting our old neighbourhood, showing the boys places we used to bring them, visited best friends in their lake house in Michigan and had one of the most memorable weekends of fun and frolics.  My boys thought it was "the best".

We watched the Chicago Air and Water Show.

We visited the Shedd Aquarium.

The "Jellies" exhibition was amazing.

and of course... we had to visit Wrigley Field and support the Cubs.

and I took lots of photos! (my reflection taken in the "Bean" in Millennium Park, Chicago).

We had such an amazing vacation - hope to post some more photos, but for now want to try and catch up with things in blogland and the laundry!

Thank you for stopping by my blog and special thanks to Lin, Barb, Wendy, Elizabeth, Donna, Simone, Alexandra, Jane, Joey, Anne, Dawn, Virginia, Ger, Jessie, Yvette, Chelsea, Ren-Yi, Tiffany, Maggie, Kathy, Emma, Sally, Sheila, Judy, Heather and Petti for leaving sweet comments on my posts while I was away - I really appreciate them all.

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

Welcome Baby Amelia

Supplies:  October Afternoon pp, MemrieMare ribbon on Etsy, 

A Day for Daisies digital image, Spellbinders Labels Die, pink 

cardstock for matting by Canson, Docrafts Card blank, copic markers, 

computer generated sentiment and font - Aquarelle.

I made this a while ago for a friend to welcome her new Baby Niece into this world.  I paired a pink ribbon with a softer tone of pink to create a contrast (I'm not really a pinky girly girl!).  

I used a beautiful digital image by A Day For Daisies.  If you are not familiar with ADFD be sure to check out their site here and they also have a group Paper Craft Planet and Simply Scrapping Crafts.

Thanks for peeking and I hope you have a wonderful blessed day.

So Sweet!

Supplies:  Docrafts white card blank, brown and red textured 

cardstock, SRM sticker and sentiment.

Quick Summer time card share - I adore strawberries and as soon as I saw this yummy strawberry sticker by (SRM) I knew I wanted to create a CAS card to showcase it.

Thanks for peeking - hope you are having a wonderful Summer's day.

Paperplay - Recipe

Supplies:  Kaisercraft pp - Bubblegum Hills collection, Imaginsce flower and pearls, 

I-Rock heat setting tool, JSL freebie digi, buttons from stash, pop dots, 

Stamp runner adhesive by Tombow, Lace from Craft Brulee, and Daler Rowney

Bristol Board for printing digi image.

It's Paperplay Challenges time again.

This week the challenge is set by Céline and she wants us all to use a Recipe - 3 different embellishments, 2 patterned paper and 1 lace.  We are very kindly sponsored by Just Some Lines.

I used a freebie image from Just Some Lines called "Modern Flowers" and selected a portion of it to print three times.

I then cut it into 2.25 inch square, added embellishments (buttons, pearls and flower/section of lace) and matted them on orange cardstock.  I decided to create a tall card for this challenge as I hadn't made one in a while.

You might recall I also used this freebie image back in February to create a fun set of clean and simple cards here.

Thanks so much for peeking.  Hope you get a chance to play along this week.  Be sure to check out all the deets and DT creations here.

Wedding Card

Supplies:  AC ... Papermania pink ink, Papermania Sheer Ribbon, 

Black and hot pink Canson tinted board cardstock, Quikutz Polka dot 

embossing folder, Papermania pearls, Memento tuxedo black ink, 

Spellbinders heart dies, Maya Road flower stick pin, heart shaped stick pin

X-Cut scallop border punch and pop dots.

Quick share - a wedding card because we are well and truly in wedding season here in Ireland now.  

This is a 6 in x 6 in card (finished size).  I used hot pink (non traditional!) with black for a punch of colour.  I picked up a set of American Crafts stamps - Boutonniere collection.  I created the graphic pp by stamping black ink on the pink cardstock.

Thanks for stopping by - I really appreciate it.  Hope you are having a great week.

Thank you for being YOU!

I love this sentiment - it is a freebie available from Marit right here.  I love what Marit creates and she has some adorable sentiments for download available.

I needed a friendship Thank you Card! and here is what I made.  I adore the fab "trimmings" by Tim Holtz and I left them "naked" / uncoloured for this card.  Used this wonderful BG pp and clear gems that I coloured with a copic marker (YR23).

You know me.... I have to add machine stitching!  I added the stitching in a pale green thread.  Thanks so much for peeking and I hope you have a great day.

Thanks

 Supplies:  Papermania Textured cardstock, PTI Dark Chocolate ink and 

chocolate cardstock, Papermania Stamp set, SRM Sticker - Thanks, fine 

detail cutting scissor, Fiskars Upper Crest border punch, Docrafts card blank, 

machine stitching, clear embossing powder and versamark ink.

I was playing around with clear embossing powder and decided to create an embossed background for some "furniture".  Not very evident in the first shot - so here's a close up.

I dug out my Chatsworth Collection stamp set from last year featuring this furniture by Papermania, stamped with Dark Chocolate ink and cut out.  Added some machine stitching (slightly wonky straight line!! oops!)

Thanks for peeking, hope you are having a great day.

New Baby Girl

Supplies:  BG pp and chipboard bird - Sugared Collection, Canson pink 

cardstock, computer generated sentiment, Spellbinders Blossom Dies, 

Embroidery Floss, X-Cut scalloped border punch and machine stitching.

Quick card share today - Baby Girl card I made a while ago to be sent to Australia!.  I used some of my stash - BasicGrey Sugared Collection pp and chipboard bird.  Added machine stitching on to pale pink Canson tinted board cardstock.  

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

Bó Trace in the Irish Examiner

My photo (above) is in the Irish Examiner today as one of the two featured Readers Photos.  They captioned it Bó Trace! (Bó is the Irish for cow).

I took the photo last Monday of boats racing under Sherkin Island and The Beacon, Baltimore, West Cork during Baltimore Regatta/Calves Week.

Hope you have a wonderful day - thanks for stopping by.

Happy!

Supplies:  Penny Black Hedgehopper, PTI clouds die, Sentiment  - SRM Sticker, 

Textured cardstock - Papermania, Kraft card blank, copics, 

Tombow adhesive tape runner, pop dots and glossy accents.

This cute hedgie just makes me smile!  

For this card I cut off the trailing hearts, added glossy accents to his glasses/goggles and the spinning propeller.   I adhered the plane and one of the clouds on pop dots for added dimension.  Love how large this SRM Sticker is - you can find it here.

Thanks so much for peeking.

Paperplay - Christmas in August

 Supplies:  CB Embossing Folder - dots and stars, aqua, kraft and pink 

cardstock - Folia, Spellbinders pinking circle dies, Kraft card blank, 

SRM sentiment sticker, Digital image - Mia Skating by Jane Beljo, pp - 

Cosmo Cricket, stickles, crackle medium and glossy accents - Ranger, 

Cloud die - PTI, pop dots, copics and adhesive.

It seems so strange making Holiday cards in August! but that's the challenge over on Paperplay Challenges this week.

We are very kindly sponsored by Simon Says Stamp.
The random winner will receive a $15 gift voucher for the online store.

I used a wonderful digi "Mia - Skating" by Jane Beljo for this card.  Layered and cut cardstock with my Big Shot for the background.  I then used a cloud die by Papertrey ink to create a glittery cloud - "full of snow".

I first used crackle accents and added peewee glitter to it.  After it dried the glitter was still very "loose" so I added a layer of glossy accents on top to "seal" it.  Also added a layer of glossy on top of the stickled heart on Mia's t-shirt and ice skates.

Challenges
Simon Says Stamp - Christmas in August
Wee Memories - Dare to Colour (no less than 4 colours)

Thanks so much for peeking, hope you get a chance to play along this week.

By Lori Designs - amazing August Release

You will know that I am a huge fan of By LORi Designs/Lori Boyd - her August release is just amazing.  She has created the most amazing Summer Lollipops! (shown above).  Even the names make me smile!.

This month she has released Family Blessings Bundle, School Days Bundle and lots more of absolutely adorable digis that you know you want!.

Be sure to pop over to her blog or shop and take a peep and let her know I sent you.  There is lots and lots of eye candy and inspiration.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Calves Week 2011

Racing at Baltimore Regatta/Calves Week 2011 got underway on Monday with lots of spectators (and others) having a bird's eye view from The Beacon. The view is across the channel to Sherkin Island.

Couldn't resist this shot - it was all set up when I got there, a small herd of cows lying on the grass surrounded by cliffs enjoyed the humid air and little bit of sunshine.

 

The Beacon, Baltimore, West Cork

 

One of them even posed for a photo!

Thanks for peeking - hope you are having a good week.