28 November 2012

If you don't believe, you won't receive!!!


Just stopping by today to say a very quick hi to you all and to pop on my card that I made for The Sugar Bowl challenge.  Yes I've left it very late again but I'm sliding in at the very last minute!
 
I won't beat around the bush today, so here it is:-

 
When I was a rummaging among my stamps I came across this little fella and would you believe he had never been inked up.  Yes I know terrible isnt it and he's such a cutie pie too and lovely to colour.  He's been coloured with distress markers and the papers are old Papermania ones although I seem to have covered most of them up! 

 
The normal close up.
 
Okay not much waffle from me today, I've got conservatory windows to be cleaning before the decs go up at the weekend.  Yes I'm nutty but every year my windows and all those other niggling little jobs like skirting boards etc have to be cleaned before I will even entertain putting them up!
 
All being well I should be back soon.  Take care folks and happy crafting.
 
Ann-Marie
xxx

25 November 2012

A Christmas Carolling

Hello all, I hope you have been enjoying your weekend.  My little girl is on a Beavers outing to Paultons Park today.  Apparently it is a huge gathering of all the beaver groups in the area and around 2,500 are converging there so all I can say is I'm glad I've not picked today to go there!!!.  She hasn't got good weather for it as its piddling down but she'll get wet anyway on the rides.  So as its quiet here at the moment I thought I would take the opportunity of jumping on and showing you the card I have just finished. 

 
Okay so I've used a Lili of the Valley image all coloured with copics.  The Basic Grey papers 'Jovial' have had another outing I do so love these.  The poinsettia is my usual Marianne Design die and the edges have been inked up with a cherry blossom from WOC in the centre. 

 
A little side view.  As usual the inside has been decorated to compliment the front. 

 
Lastly a close up of the adorable image.  I've added glamour dust to the fur trims and snow and added liquid pearls as the falling snow.
 
Challenges I would like to enter:-
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Okay since starting this post my peace has now been shattered as hubby and son are back from their boys outing to the cinema to see Skyfall so no doubt they'll be wanting their tea!!
 
Enjoy the rest of your day and happy crafting.
 
Take care.
Ann-Marie
xxx
 
 
 

23 November 2012

My first snowman shaker card

Hello everyone and a big yeh its Friday no school run for two days and if we wear the kiddies out enough a possible lie in!!!
 
Just popped in to show you my first snowman of the season and he's so adorable too and I made him into a shaker card.  I can be quite picky about snowmen and Father Christmas stamps.  This Whiff of Joy stamp is the only snowman I possess and as yet I have no Father Christmas stamps.  I've got a picture in my head of what it should look like but haven't found one yet that lives up to it!
 
Anyway, enough waffle here's my card:-

 
I used a Whiff of Joy image and would normally have coloured him in icy blues/greys but fancied a change so he's been coloured in traditional colours with Distress Markers.  Papers are an old Anita's Classic Christmas red paper pad.  So far this year I have not bought any new Christmas papers (well except digi papers but they don't count right?!?!).  They've all been matted on to kraft and the shaker frame is made from kraft also.  Didn't use glitter inside the shaker but went for little tiny stars as I find glitter especially the extra fine stuff can stick to the acetate.
 
 
A bit of a side view.  Flowers are a mixture from stash and WOC.  The pine cones are some we found on our trip to the park the other day and the branches are a Tim Holtz bigz die.  The gorgeous pearl swirls are from my candy box I won from Laine.

 
Lastly a little close up.  Sorry the picture is not that good but I kept getting shine from the acetate when taking the photo.  
 
Challenges I would like to enter:-
 
 
 
 
 
Have a great weekend folks, good luck if you're out Christmas shopping but if not I hope you manage to sneak in some crafty time.  I may get the Christmas decs down on Sunday depends on whether I manage to get the inside of my downstairs windows cleaned in time.
 
Take care.
 
Ann-Marie
xxx
 

20 November 2012

Silent Night

Happy Tuesday to everyone I hope you are all well.  Its really miserable here today all dark and rainy so I have no intention of venturing out the door until 3pm when I have to do the school run.  How are you all doing with your Christmas preparations? I have a few cards done but as for presents I have the sum total of one best get my behind in gear me thinks! 
 
Anyway, I wanted to show you my latest card so here are some piccies:-

 
I used a Magnolia image this time and she has been coloured with distress markers and thankfully this one didn't end up in the bin!  Now would you believe the colour I used on her wings is the same as the lighter colour on her dress but once I'd added stickles it changed it.  The music sheet behind is the 'Silent Night' Magnolia stamp.  Papers used were some old Hot off the Press ones.  I decided to use a larger doily behind but had the great idea of glittering the whole thing first now that was messy!  My die cut heart is one from a set of three Marianne Design dies and I glittered that as well. 

 
Added some lace and ribbon, twine and little silver bells, a die cut message with wreath charm and dirtied it all up with Tim Holtz walnut stain.  Flowers were a mixture of Prima and WOC.

 
Last piccie is a close up of the adorable image and I think you can just make out the sparkly doily and heart.
 
Challenges I would like to enter:-
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Catch up with you all later.  I hope you manage to get some crafty time in.
 
Take care.
 
Ann-Marie
xxx

13 November 2012

Knitted with Love

Hi guys I hope you are having a good start to the week.  I know I know you probably didn't expect to see me back for a day or two but I made a card for The Sugar Bowl challenge and I was determined not to leave it till the very last minute to enter this time, so here it is.

 
I used the adorable 'Knitted with Love' stamp and she can be found here coloured with copics.  Used the fab sketch at The Sugar Bowl and kinda followed the optional colour scheme.

 
My Martha Stewart branch punch got a major working out and I layered it up around the image.

 
Lastly a close up of the sweet image.
 
Okay folks so now I'm sat in my little crafty abode thinking I want to colour up another image but really need to get the hoover out.   I wonder how quickly I can whip round and make the  place presentable, one dose of speed cleaning coming right up!!!!
 
Take care.
 
Ann-Marie
xxx

12 November 2012

'Rockin around'

Hi everyone, just a quick pop in today to show you another Christmas card I've just finished.  I'll keep it brief today as a little behind.

 
I used a Belles n Whistles image ' Rockin Around' coloured with copics.  Papers are a download from Nitwits all matted onto kraft.  A fab Memory Box die and I added little clear gems, a Whimsy corner and Magnolia Doohickey border die.  Sentiments are old die cuts and poinsettias are Hero Arts with twinklets.
  
 
A side view.  The inside has been decorated to compliment the front.

 
Final picture is a close up of the image.
 
Challenges I would like to enter:-
 
 
 
 
 
Okay, time for me to dash.  Catch you all soon.
 
Take care and happy crafting.
 
Ann-Marie
xxx
 
 
 
 

9 November 2012

Sparkly Tilda

Hello everyone and happy Thursday to you and its nearly the weekend so a big yeh there and I think the kiddies are looking forward to it too they're a bit tired this week they always are the first week back after a break.
 
Anyway moving on to why I popped on here I have another card to share with you all and its a Crimbly one - no surprise there then!!!

 
My yummy papers are Dovecraft 'let it snow' and they are all glittery.  Now these papers could be from last year or even the year before and are a prime example of how I can't bear to cut into gorgeous papers.  I've added a punched border around the edge for a change and the sentiment is an old Anna Griffin die cut.
 
 
I've used a Tilda again and would you believe that this little beautie had not even been inked up before now how bad is that. Anyway, slightly different this time I normally use Memento tuxedo black to stamp with but this time went with London Fog and I sort of like it - well I don't dislike it I suppose its just different it certainly gives a softer look. Again she has been coloured with copics.  I have added a mixture of Twinklets and Glamour Dust all around the edge of the circle and all the flowers have been Glamour Dusted and edges of the papers Stickled so this ones really sparkly!!
 
Challenges I would like to enter:-
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Okay its about time I went to bed now so I shall wish you all goodnight and take care whereever you are.
 
Happy crafting.
 
Ann-Marie
xxx
 

5 November 2012

I'm on a roll!!

Hello my friends happy Guy Fawkes night to you.  Its a beautiful night for it here all chilly willy so you can wrap up all snuggly and warm and have hot choccy and marshmallows mmmm...........We're not out tonight we celebrated on Saturday and went to an organised event at Luke's school which was great fun.

Anyway as the title would suggest I really am on a roll with my Christmas cards I still don't think I will have enough but it will certainly take a little of the pressure off closer to the big day.  I tell you I am so so excited I think I'm probably worse than the kids and the decs will be making their way down from the loft in the next 2 or 3 weeks, can't wait.
 
 
I'm back with the Maggies again today and I've done a bit of masking and gone with a non traditional colour scheme this time.  I'm still learning with masking it took a few attempts to get it right.  I showed this one to hubby and he just said "well thats lovely but why is she sat on a fireplace? to which I replied she's Tilda thats what she does doh!!! and I think I must have given him a filthy look because he then just scuttled off! 

 
A close up of the images coloured with copics.  She's been sufficiently Stickled and I've added tiny red gems for berries on the holly.

 
Lastly a side view.  The fabulous snowflakes die at the top is a Tim Holtz die and was in the gorgeous candy I won from Laine and this has been on my wish list for so long so thank you Laine big hugs.  The poinsettia is my usual Marianne Designs die and the swirl is Magnolia doohickey.  Papers are My Mind's Eye 'Wonderful Winter' and are lush all glittery and sparkly.  Sentiment is from Whimsy stamps.
 
Challenges I would like to enter:-
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Okay must dash going to spend a bit of time with the hubster don't want him feeling neglected and all and when he's gone to bed I can scoot back in my craft room he he!
 
Take care and happy crafting.
 
Ann-Marie
xxx
 
 
 
 
 
 

2 November 2012

Edwin for a change!

Hello and happy Friday to you I hope you're having a good one.  
 
A quick post from me today as my youngest is a tad full on today I don't think she's stopped talking since the minute she woke up and I think my ear is about to fall off he he!!!  So I thought I would quickly pop on here and show you my latest card and then I've got some sparkly bling stickers to make with her.
 
 
I used the Magnolia night scene and Edwin for a change all coloured with copics.  For some reason I really struggled with the background this time I used so much ink trying to get the sky right I'm still not 100% happy with it but I'm not tinkering with it anymore!

 
A bit of a side view.  I've decorated the inside just to compliment the front.  Most of the flowers are from WOC with just a couple from stash.  I've used my Cheery Lynn Designs fanciful flourish and added a few pearls.

 
A close up of the images.  I used some liquid pearls for the falling snow and glamour dust on the trees, snow and star.  Papers are my old Hot off the Press pad.  I'm trying to be hard on myself and use some of my papers up as I can't keep hoarding it all I'll just run out of space and then I'll have a reason to buy some new ones - see there is some method in my madness!!!!
 
Challenges I would like to enter:-
 
 
 
 
 
 
Okay I'm going to dash as I keep getting a little visit from some impatient little girl whose dying to make something blingy.
 
Take care wherever you are and happy crafting.
 
Ann-Marie
xxx