Sunshine!

The very heavy rain last night (which I was expecting to have today) has shifted most of the snow and we've had a bit of welcome sunshine this morning.

I popped out with Mum to Montacute House, a National Trust property which is just down the road, for coffee and some fresh air.

After a stroll we also had the option of a free tour of the house which isn't fully open through the winter as it is in its conservation period so was really interesting and I learnt some things I didn't know about the house and its history.  Although I visit a few times a year to wander in the grounds I don't often go in the house - always the way when you live near something.

Obviously after a tour we had to have lunch as well so a lovely morning out - on with the crafting now!

Woodland Folk

This is a card I made for a friend using DOCrafts Digital Designer.

I printed out the decoupage sheet on a sheet of A4 and set-to with the scissors!
There are 5 layers and it took longer than expected going round all the tufts on the animals and the little flowers & leaves in the trees.

Having said that I am pleased with it - aren't they cute?

I mounted the finished piece on orange card and layered on to a card which I covered with a piece of paper from the Woodland Folk paper pack.

Furnished with Love

Yesterday Jo finished another challenge on her facebook page (I was lucky enough to have been picked out of the hat last week for my kraft & white CAS card).

This week the theme was love.

I decided to make a quick card using a Stampin' Up set I acquired recently called 'Furnished with Love.
It has a few images and amusing sentiments in it - I will try & make some more to post sometime.

For this card I have layered some heart paper on red card and cut an aperture in it before layering that to the base card.

I stamped the toaster image, coloured with copics and punched out, layering on another punched circle in matching red card.

The sentiment has been stamped, punched out and layered with another SU punch.

Hope everyone is keeping warm - will be interesting to see what the weather is doing when I wake up for work tomorrow!

Coaster Set

Another week bites the dust.

Today's post is a present I have finished this week.

I've had these coasters a while - because of the paw prints I decided to add some stamped pictures with a cat & dog theme for a present.

I have used Penny Black transparent stamps from the Bubbly & Critter Party sets.  I've then coloured them with copics and on 3 of them have added some glossy accents for a bit of shine.

I made the box with the help of my lovely SU simply scored - the base is light blue which matches the layers on the top.

I've then used the leaves from the bird punch and the blossom punch and some circles to finish off the decoration on the top which snuggly houses the set of coasters.

Clean and Simple

A very quick & easy card today.
Whilst trying to get a bit of order to my crafting I have been browsing on blogs and facebook pages.

I have been keeping an eye on Jo Dumbleton this week as she has been selling some of her old SU stamp sets - like I need any but I had to have a look.  It has inspired me to dust down some and have a play.

On Jo's facebook page she set a challenge too yesterday for a CAS (clean and simple) card.  I have actually been playing with a few commissions today (in between some constructive craft tidy) so literally made this quickly.

I also wanted to try the kraft/white colour scheme as I saw some cards at Christmas that used it and they were lovely.

I have used the Happy Birthday from the SU Sassy Salutations set which I've heat embossed with some fab fine white WOW powder.  I've layered this up and put it over a strip of punched dotted scallop ribbon border and finished with the now discontinued SU photo corner punches.  It's not amazing but it's ok and I will definitely use the colours again.

I am also entering this for Addicted to CAS Challenge 4 - Embossing.
Karen over at Serendipity Dragonfly is the host for this challenge - I might even try another!

Trio of Quilled Flowers

I am still here!

A busy few days trying to find bits and pieces & do make samples for tonight and get some 'blue peter' pieces ready.

I gave a talk, demo & practical to the local branch of the Wrens Association.  I used the same card design I used for a talk last year but chose 5 instead of 6 petals and had sold most of my samples so have made a pile more this week.

It's a simple little design and I've already added a pot as there isn't time to quill that as well.

Everyone that had a go took home a finished card - some with alternative takes on it & many quite inspired to have another go which is a good nights work.

Tomorrow night more scampering to find items required for Crafty Bunch (and attending Crafty Bunch obviously) and hopefully back to some more posting later in the week.

Rainbow Bracelet

I had today booked off from work (don't want to overdo it first week back!).  After a quiet morning and actually buying some fresh food (haven't had to cook for nearly 2 weeks) I bumped in to fellow blogger Val at our local craft establishment at lunch today - got to keep up with what is available!

After lunch and a browse I had decided that this afternoon was for me not to make a card for anyone or get involved in tidying but to make something 'just because'.

Whilst browsing some bead patterns, something else I have not done for ages, I found this kit which I think I might of got for free with a magazine subscription some time back.

The picture on the kit has always looked a bit too bright but on examination I found the dagger beads were smaller than expected and the instructions looked fairly easy so I had a go.

The kit is 'Rainbow Circles Bracelet' from Beads Unlimited - I could tell you how complicated it was but luckily it was quite straight forward and I am quite pleased with it.

There were enough beads to make it longer but I have quite small wrists so stopped at this point - I now have a jewellery bug to add to my cross stitch one I developed over Christmas!