Wednesday 31 December 2008

Di Hickman Dec #4 & #5



Catching up with Di's sketch cards again! Here are the last 2 from last week and today - you can find this week's sketch HERE.

These are both pretty much exclusively Doodlebug supplies - I just LURVE Doodlebug!

I've been busy this week, adding more to my MISI store and listing some old stash on ebay, UKS marketplace etc.

So it just remains for me to wish everyone a Happy New Year - hope 2009 is a good one for all!


Lou xx

Thursday 18 December 2008

Di Hickman Dec #3


Here's my sketch team card for this week's fabby sketch on Di's blog.

Once again, I've used the scrumy Be Merry papers from My Minds Eye, along with one of the snowman die cuts and a Rusty Pickle "Let it snow" sticker, finished off with a bit of doodled stitching, which I'm very into at the moment for some reason!


Lou xx

Friday 12 December 2008

Papertake - Dawny's Sketch #4


Here's my take on this week's gorgeous sketch from Papertake. I've used Basic Grey Periphery papers and an Imaginisce Bazzill bling blossom, and the brad is from Dovecraft.


Thanks for looking

Lou x

Penny Black Saturday #26


Here's my take on the sketch from Penny Black Saturday, which I've flipped. I've used Cosmo Cricket Hello Sunshine papers, making memories ribbon and a cuddly buddly sentiment stamp - along with one of my favourite PB's - just how cute?!


Thanks for looking

Lou x

CPS #94


As per my post the other day I've made the time to do some challenges this week - and realised just how much I'd missed them!

So here's my take on the latest fabby sketch from CPS - a nice simple "Get Well" card, using Dream Street Gracie papers - and this will be joining all my other cards in my MISI store.

Thanks for looking

Lou x

Thursday 11 December 2008

Di Hickman Dec #2


Here's my sketch team card for Di's latest sketch. I really loved this sketch and it came together really quickly!

I've used the gorgeous Be Merry range from My Mind's eye (possibly my favourite range this Christmas!) and the "Peace on Earth" sticker is from Rusty Pickle.

You can find this and all Di's sketches on her blog.

Monday 8 December 2008

A mammoth task!

So today I decided to photograph all my cards to put in my MISI store - and my god I never knew there were so many *and that's after 2 craft fairs* eek!
Anyway, I did it, and now I've just got to upload them all!
So I've no more stuff to make for fairs, and only the family Christmas cards to make - so I thought it was time to start doing some challenges again!
So I've been trawling my favourite challenge blogs, noting down challenges and printing off card sketches, and tomorrow I'm going to lock myself away and create - so watch this space!

Sunday 7 December 2008

A new venture!



I mentioned a few weeks back that my first craft fair was coming up - well it was last Saturday and it went very well!

Whilst there, a lady (who bought a fair few bits!) informed me that her school was having one this Saturday and did I want to attend? Well, yes! So I spent all week replenishing my stocks, and had a very successful day yesterday too!

So, on the back of this success, I've decided to sell online too, and have set up my own MISI store, which you can find here:


Here's some pics from last week's fair - shame I didn't take some at the end to show how much I sold!

Lou xx




Saturday 6 December 2008

Well that didn't work!




So much for scheduling my cards for Di's sketches!! I'm now very behind, but I promise to try harder!
So here are the cards for the last 3 sketches - this week's sketch is one of my faves (the baby card) and I actually sold this card last weekend (more about that in the next post!)






Thursday 13 November 2008

More Layouts!





Yep, I did get some scrapping done at the weekend - but the weather has been too pants to get a decent pic until today (and even now it's not that great!)

Anyway, the first layout is my take on Rachael's class on the Scrummy Stash Cafe blog. I've used Basic Grey periphery papers (from the SSC kit) and the photo is of my Dad and my paternal Grandad who died in 1989. The title is appropriate as I'm a real Daddy's girl (still!) and as a little girl, the only person who came close to my Dad was my Grandad, so this was quite an emotional picture to scrap to be honest.

The next layout is another one of me as a bubba with my Daddy and our dog, Clare. I just love this picture! Not sure on the papers as they're from a kit (can you tell I'm trying to use up all my kits?!) but I think they're from Dream Street.

And the final one is of my gorgeous Ash on his birthday this year. We were in Florida, and this pic was taken at about 8.30am in the Disney Hollywood Studio's carpark on our way into the park. I've used some Creative Imaginations die cut ledger paper and the gorgeous Sassafras Happy Place papers - I love how they match so well with Ash's shorts!
Lou xx






Di Hickman Card Sketch Nov #2


This is my first go at a scheduled post, so let's hope it works!

I keep forgetting to share my DT cards for Di's sketches, so I thought if I schedule them as I upload them, I won't forget - well that's the theory!


So here's my take on Di's latest sketch - and hurrah! It's not a Christmas card!! I've used K&Co Wild Saffron papers, rub ons and felt embellishment, and the sentiment rub on is from Pebbles inc.


Lou x

Sunday 9 November 2008

I'm still here!

Life has been CRAZY busy at the moment! I've (somewhat stupidly!) booked to do a Christmas Craft fair on 30th November, so I'm madly trying to sort out stuff to sell, and seriously fed up of Christmas cards right now!!

I'm also going to try and shift some of the mountain of Birthday, Thank you and the million other cards I have stock piled, as well as some altered gifts - will share some pics soon!



Anyway, here's my DT card for Di Hickman's latest sketch, as well as last week's card. Di's also looking for a guest designer for December, all you have to do is create a card using one of her fab sketches - you can find all the details HERE.


I'm going to have a break from the Christmas madness today and do some scrapping, so I'll share that and some other layouts I've done soon!!

Lou xx

Saturday 25 October 2008

As promised.....



..... here's the layouts I've done this week.

The first one is of me (again!) in a towel toga - a bathtime tradition. When I showed this to Ash, he commented "Aww, aren't you cute - but you have got big ears!" The cheek! They're not big now, so I guess I grew into them! For this I've used Basic Grey Offbeat papers - LOVING this collection!

The next one is a layout of my gorgeous fella and his obsession with orange clothing - he even has orange pants!!

This was a totally planned layout - when I saw these Prima Dude papers and chip buttons a few months back I immediately thought of Ash - then made him pose for a photo shoot, as it's one of those things about him that I wanted to record.

The last layout is my take on Maria's latest class on the Scrummy Stash Cafe blog. The picture is of me and our family dog that I grew up with "Clare dogs", who was like my bodyguard and playmate!

The class was to use up scraps and I've used up some Sassafras, BG Offbeat and Fancy Pants scraps.

TFL

Lou x

Friday 24 October 2008

Di's latest Sketches

Been ages since I blogged again as stooopid BT have been buggering about with our phone line! Luckily it's all been fixed now though.

Here's my take on this week's sketch from Di, which you can find here. I really loved this one, it just came together really easily!

And here's last week's sketch:


Yet another Christmas card, which I've taken a break from this week as I'm getting sick of them! I've made about 75 so far, which sounds like a lot, but my Mum wants 100, Ash needs them for work, I need to make my own for family etc. - and I may be doing a Christmas craft fair too! Glutton for punishment!




Will be back tomorrow to share a couple of layouts I've done this week!




Lou xx

Friday 10 October 2008

Di Hickman card sketches






As promised in my last post, here's all the cards I've made so far for Di's sketch team (in reverse order with the current one first). You can find all the sketches on Di's blog, and a new one goes live every Wednesday.
Lou xx

I'm Back!!

Warning - LONG POST ALERT!!

Wow - can't believe it's been 2 months since I last blogged! Don't know where the time has gone.

The first 2 weeks of September, Ash and I spent in Orlando, which was just fab - and yes I did buy lots of stash!! As well as lots of clothes, shoes - well you get the idea!

Despite all this gorgeous new stash, I've done very little creating until this week - think I left my mojo somewhere over the Atlantic! However, I knuckled down this week and did a layout for this week's Scrummy Stash cafe challenge to use fancy edges. And here it is:


I'm not sure if I'm 100% happy with it, but I find the best way to cure a lost mojo is to work through it! For this layout I've Sassafras Sunshine Lollipops papers, as well as some Basic Grey Offbeat (that I bought in Florida!) and Thickers for the title - including the new puffy ones which I just love - they remind me of the stickers you used to get in the 80s!


As you all know I'm obsessed with American Crafts thickers, and I brought no less than 21 packs back from Orlando with me!!


The other exciting news, is that just before I went on holiday I had an email from Di Hickman asking me to be on her card sketch team! Needless to say I accepted straight away, and I'll pop the cards in another post.


Di's sketches go live every wednesday and they are sooo fab to work with - make sure you check them out!


Well, it's good to be back and if you've made it this far - well done! LOL


Lou xx

Saturday 16 August 2008

SSC - Maria's class


Maria set a class based on the most amazing layout this morning - and whilst my take is no where near as gorgeous as the original - I am soooo pleased with it!


I've used Sassafras papers - yes AGAIN? I hear you groan!! Just wait until I get my hands on the new collections - I want them ALL!

Maria had used a grass stamp, which I didn't have and I didn't fancy drawing my own! So I cut this out on my cricut using Plantin school book cartridge. Alpha stickers are Doodlebug and the flowers are a mixture of an Autumn leaves stamp and Sassafras stickers.

Wednesday 13 August 2008

Tilda & Co #31


This week's challenge was to make a Christmas card - quite appropriate considering how freezing cold it is at the moment - feels more like December than August!!


Here's my card, using Fancy Pants Holly Jolly papers.

Sunday 10 August 2008

Scrummy Stash Cafe - Bling!


This week's SSC challenge is to use bling - and I just had to use this pic of my little man taken this morning.

Now, today is Todd's birthday, so we took him down the prom for a nice long wander round, a nice cold drink by the lake, and a little photo shoot!

This is my favourite pic of the day, and as I've said in the journalling - can you believe this dog is 12 years old?!

I've used Fancy Pants True papers, K&Co Wild saffron rub-ons, chipboard buttons and felt flowers - with some lovely bling on them! As well as some glittered brads and some other random flower stickers covered in glitter and bling - and of course the obligatory Thickers for the title!!

Karen's 3D challenge


This is it - my last entry for the SSC cyber crop!

Karen's challenge was to make something 3D, so I've whipped up this little gift bag.

The papers are We R Memory Keepers Vintage Brass, along with a Basic Grey chipboard tag and some gold organza ribbon.

Vanessa's class - UTEE


My penultimate SSC cyber crop project!


Vanessa's class includedusing UTEE and this is something I've never tried, in fact I don't even have any UTEE so had to use regular clear embossing powder.

So I pulled my heat gun out of hibernation, and had a go on this chipboard flower, that I've used as a centre for a fabric bloom. I stamped into it with a Paper Artsy swirl stamp. (It is actually pink, but has come out a funny colour in the photo)


Thanks for the great instructions Vanessa - really enjoyed learning how to do this - even if I did get in a real mess! LOL


Right, now to finish Karen's 3D challenge - then I'm all done!

Thursday 7 August 2008

Theresa's class


Here's my entry for Theresa's "folding" challenge - and yep, sorry, another pic of me as a little 'un! LOL

This picture is very special to me - I am such a Daddy's girl - and of all the photos of me and my Dad taken over the last 27 1/2 years this is my favourite!

As it was taken on the beach I decided to combine it with Theresa's challenge and make some windmills (or pinwheels if you're American!). You can just see the windmill in the corner of the pic - always had to be bought one when we went to the beach!

I've used Making Memories Noteworthy 2 papers and scalloped velvet ribbon, Rusty Pickle trims, HOTP Great big brads and rub ons. The title is a My Minds Eye Transfer title - no thickers for once! LOL

Tuesday 5 August 2008

Angie's challenge - eyelets


Angie's challenge was to use eyelets, something I don't do too often I must admit! However it was perfect for this photo of me in my leotard and ballet shoes aged 5 - I put the eyelets through the bottom of the scalloped heart, then threaded the ribbon through to look like the ribbons on my ballet shoes!


I've used 3 sheets of Bazzill (plain black, scalloped white and scalloped heart) and the patterned papers are HOTP Bohemian sarapapers. The swirl stamps are also HOTP, journalling stamp is Stamps Away, trims are Rusty Pickle, K&CO Wild saffron brads and surprise, surprise - thickers for the title! LOL

Rachael's challenge - adding dimension


Another Scrummy Stash Cafe cyber crop layout!

Rachael's challenge was to add some dimension to your layout. Now this is someting I *love* doing! Most of my pages have lots of layered papers etc. but I think I've outdone myself with this one - a total of 10 layers!

I've used the following papers:
SEI Winnie's walls
SEI Doodley-doo boy
Sassafras My Dearest
Sassafras Pocketful of rosies
Creative Imaginations scalloped ledger
Thickers for the title (as always!) as well as some MM tiny ledger alphas (totally addicted to these too at the moment!).

The chipboard swirl was painted with expresso paint dabber, sponged with white chalk ink, then covered with diamond glaze for yet more dimension!

Sunday 3 August 2008

Maria's Class


My god - I don't think I've ever spent so long on a layout! LOL, but I must say I just love the finished result - thanks hun!


The first part of the class was to print your own overlay, and this was fun! I knew the picture I wanted to use, so created this overlay in Word (very simply!) using autoshapes - to look like bubbles!


The papers I've used are Basic Grey Euphoria, along with Doodlebug alpha stickers and buttons, Rusty Pickle chipboard, Autumn Leaves journalling and swirl stamp, and a HOTP swirl stamp.


So that's 5 layouts done so far this weekend - on to the next one! You'll be so sick of seeing pics of me as a kid before long! LOL

Vanessa's sketch challenge


Here's my take on the fabby sketch provided by Vanessa, using a fab pic of me at just 2 and a half - where has the time gone?!


I've used Sassafras Sunshine Lollipops papers and cardstock stickers, some felt fusion, Rusty Pickle chipboard, MM tiny alpha stickers and foam letters from the poundshop!

Samm's distressed flowers class


Samm gave a great tutorial on how to make this cute little distressed flowers, so I whipped up this thank you card with mine!

Papers and ribbon from a HOTP Personal Shopper kit and a Pebbles inc. rub on.

Maria's challenge - who are you?


Maria's challenge was to scrap a pic of yourself, along with 5 words that describe you. So here I am!

I've used Love Elsie Claire papers and ribbons. The chipboard frame is by Fancy Pants and I painted it with a citrus paint dabber, then added a coat of pink Blonde Moments acrylic lustre over the top. I've used jewelry box thickers for the title (my fave!!) and added some felt fusion, Creative Imaginations chipboard flowers and MM Noteworthy glitter clear die cuts.

Saturday 2 August 2008

Angie's Class


First up on the SSC Cyber crop schedule today was a fab paper piercing class from Angie.


Now paper piercing is not something I've tried before, and I love trying something new (and I like this as it's quick! LOL).

TOP TIP TIME: Just thought I'd share this - if you don't have a piercing mat, Angie suggested an old mousemat, well I didn't have one of those either - so I used an old pizza box - worked perfectly!!


Anyway, for this LO I've used Fancy Pants Botanical papers, die cuts, ribbons and rub ons, Making Memories velvet alpha stickers and teal tiny ledger stickers and some bazzill bling blossoms.


Off now to start work on Maria's challenge!

Rachael's Friday class


As promised last night, here's my take on Rachael's fabby class last night - all about adding depth and dimension.

I didn't have any sequin waste so had planned to use paint and bubble wrap instead, then I didn't have the right colour paint, and being the impatient person I am, I just replaced the paint effect with a contrasting paper with a distressed edge.

For the bottom of the LO, instead of handcutting some flowers, I used the cardstock stickers, raising some of foam pads for added depth.

Thanks for a fab class Rachael - really enjoyed it and love the final result!!

Supplies:

Papers & Cardstock stickers: Sassafras ~ Ribbon & tiny alphas: Making memories ~ Alpha stickers: Doodlebug

Friday 1 August 2008

Samm's card sketch challenge


Starting tonight until Sunday night, the girls over on the Scrummy Stash Cafe blog are running a cyber crop - and I'm determined to fit in as many classes and challenges as I can!


It kicked off at 6pm with a class from Rachel, but I'll have to blog that in the morning as it's too dark to get a decent pic now!


Next up was Samm's fabby card sketch challenge, and here's my take on it. I've used Scrapworks Seasons of joy papers, K&Co Peppermint twist chipboard stickers and a Bo Bunny rub on. The frame was cut on my cricut using the Accent Essentials cartridge.

Monday 28 July 2008

Scrummy Stash Cafe - Paper weaving


Vanessa set a great class with paper weaving on the SSC blog this Saturday, and as I'd never done it before (well not since I was at Primary school!!) I thought I'd had a go. I'm pleased with the end result, and I did enjoy it, but don't think I'd do it again in a hurry - a bit too time consuming for me. I am the world's most impatient person and I like quick results!!


The papers and ribbon I've used are from a HOTP Personal Shopper kit and the epoxy stickers are from The Paper Studio.

CPS #75 & Papertake Cool Yule!


Papertake's challenge this week was to make a Christmas card, which is great as I'm trying to do this for most of the challenges I enter to get a bit ahead this year!

I've used this week's CPS sketch for the layout.

Papers are KI Memories, tag is K&Co Peppermint twist, and some Felt fusion.

Friday sketchers #12


Here's my take on the latest sketch from Friday sketchers. I've decided to make xmas cards for most of the challenges I do from now on as my Mum wants at least 100 - and I've got far too many other cards knocking around now!!


For this one I've used Dovecraft papers, HOTP cardstock embossed with a Cuttlebug folder, a Doodlebug snowman sticker and a Bo Bunny rub on.

Wednesday 23 July 2008

Papertake sketch


Papertake also had one of Katharina's wonderful sketches this week, and I really loved this one! The background paper is 3 bugs in a rug blossom, scalloped paper is Making Memories from a journalling notebook and stamp is Penny Black.

Spoonful of Sugar #9


This wee Spoonful of Sugar had one of Katharina's fab sketches - and here's my take on it, using Nellie holding flower, HOTP papers and prima flowers.