Use Your Dies

The New Southern Girl's challenge starts today and the theme this time it 

"Use a die cut"

For my card I used "Need for speed", an image from one of the sponsors this time, please check out the challenge blog for full details of the challenge rules and all of the sponsors this time.

I'm using this card for the following challenges:-

WWC111, Masculine,

TT335, Dimention,

IWD, Happy Birthday.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Anything Goes With The Southern Girls!

It's time for a new challenge at, Southern Girl's and the 

theme this time is

"Anything goes"

As usual there are some great sponsors this month, check 

out the challenge blog for full details.

If anyone fancies sharing some tips on photographing a 

layout, I'd be very pleased, 

it's something I always struggle with!

I'm using this layout for the following challenges:-

CGC87, Anything goes,

IDCB101, Anything goes,

TT309, CAS.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

The Challenge Has Begun!

The new Lavinia Challenge has started! join us on Face book to find out all about the rules and how to enter.

"Any Colour Goes"

For my card I stamped white card with my favourite "Background Script" I then used a die to cut out the three hearts.  I stamped the flowers adding gems to the centres and added die cut letters. I stamped pierced the focal panel with "Willow" then the hearts were added using foam pads.

I'm using this card for the following challenges:-

Crafts Boots, Something for the lady,

DVC126, Mother's Day,

DD, Use a die cut,

Allsorts 353, Feminine,

CCC March, Mum.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

All That Glitters

Happy 2016 bloggers!

December ran away with me, one day maybe I will be organised but 2015 seemed worse ever. Maybe it was the fact that as usual I left my cards till the last minute to make.

This is never a good idea as Christmas is also one of the busiest times of the year at work also, all I want to do when I get in at the end of the day is sit in the chair and stay there.

Then I had this bright idea that instead of buying presents for the little ones in the family, I would make them, why oh why did I decide to do that!

Don't get me wrong, I stretched myself thin but I wouldn't want it any other way the presents were all made,wrapped and delivered in time and I even managed to make the post!

If I remembered to take a photo I might even show you what I made another day.

Anyway, this design of card happened entirely by accident, I'd used my ScanNCut to cut the words, glued two together to give a little depth whilst still being thin enough for a standard postage stamp. To add some sparkle, I sprayed glue over the cut then sprinkled with glamour dust. When I picked up the word, the paper scrap looked so pretty, leaving the word plain which lead to the idea of  glittering directly onto the card blank. Unfortunately the camera doesn't pick up the shadowing that was left where I offset the word showing a thin unglittered area.

Not bad for some last minute makes.  

I'm using these cards for the following challenges:-

Avenue613, Anything goes, CAS,

CCC140, Square cards,

CHNC, Christmas,

CTC, Sparkle.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Brusho Love

We've been having some internet issues lately so there's been very little blogging opportunity for me. 

I made this one a few weeks back and I have to say I rather love it. I had the idea in my head and just went for it. Initially the heart focal was going to be just the lined paper that I had been ripped out of a little scrap book to make space for thickness of the papers and photos. I die cut lots of hearts, folded them in half  and glued them all together using only a thin line of glue down the centres. I inked the edges and placed them but wasn't happy with the look so I  decided to spray them with water and sprinkle with red brushos. Then the magic happened purely by accident, I got out my heat gun to dry them quickly and the heart really puffed up giving the perfect look. I faked the stitching down the centre by piercing with my pattern makers tool and adding the inky stitches.

I'm using this card for the following challenges:-

Little Red Wagon 316, Technique,

TCA4, Die cuts,

CCC100, Sprinkle.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Hot, Bright Colours With Lavinia.

The new challenge starts today with Lavinia Stamps, and the new theme is 

"Hot, Bright Colours"

I stamped the frame using "Background Script" then inked the edges with orange and pink, the "Zen flowers" were stamped and shaded with the same inks. "Thank you" looked rather harsh when I'd stamped it in black so I softened the look to suit the rest of the card by dotting over it using a white chalk pen.  

I used the same "Background Script"stamp on my tag along with two stamps from the 

Gorgeous newly released stamps

,"Dragon pods" and "Seasonal words".

I'm using these for the following challenges:-

CCAM, No patterned paper,

GCC22, No patterned paper,

WLTC18, Anything creative.

If you fancy the chance of winning the £40 prize voucher, all you need to do is get creating using your Lavinia stamps, Lavinia digis or Lavinia dies, you don't even need to have a blog to enter as email entries are accepted.

Thanks for stopping  by,

Julie.x

Lavinia Flowers.

It's time for July's challenge at Lavinia stamps, and the theme this time is

"Flowers"

For my first card I used  

"Background script" along with a dandelion from the set.

I love this script stamp!

Another computer generated message, hand cut and "tied" to the stems.

For my second card

I've embossed the script this time using clear embossing powder, I then inked over my card using distress inks.

I added a bit of interest using gilding flakes over double sided tape.

We would love it if you joined us in the challenge this month, just ink up your Lavinia stamps to be in with a chance of winning a £40 Lavina voucher. You don't even need a blog to enter as email entries are accepted.

Thanks for stopping by,
Julie.x

Bloomin Birthday Card.

Not a lot to say about this card, it just happened, rare for me but no sleepless nights planning it in my head, no hours of paper shuffling, no piles of disguarded offcuts, just a one take creation!

I'm using this card for the following challenges:-

GCC14, ladies,

CAGI, Got Flowers,

PBAM, Dies and punches,

Allsorts 310, Diecuts.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Sketchy Cards For A Challenge!

Yes it's me back again for another challenge to get you ready for tomorrow's National Scrapbooking Day blog hop with

Spielgel Mom Scraps and Southern Girls

 this time you are challenged to make cards using either or both sketches.

Here's the first sketch.



and the card I told you about at 8am this morning.

 I used my gorgeous Lavinia stamps for this card,

 I rather like this card!.

And here is the second of the sketches.

Again I used my lovely new script stamps, 

I LOVE THIS STAMP!

We would love it if you joined in with the fun!

I'm using these cards for the following challenges:-
Kitty Bee 46, Girly cards,
Craft 309, Add a charm, use metal,
Allsorts 309, April showers bring May flowers.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Fancy A Treasure Hunt?

As National Scrapbooking Day is almost here, 

Spielgel Mom Scraps and Southern Girls

 are challenging you today.

The third of the challenges is a treasure hunt.

We would love it if you joined in with the fun!

You need to use a project that's still in it's packaging, an office supply, something gold and some cork.

My first ever Bind it all project!

I hadn't got any cork embellishments so I took my craft knife to a cork to make the centre of my flower.

The pages are Kraft envelopes, folded and covered with DP.
It's all ready to add photos and embelishments!

I need to do this sort of thing more often!

It's amazing how many bits and pieces you can use up.

Mini books make excellent gifts too!

I'm using this mini book  for the following challenges:-

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Lemon And Lime

It's time for April's Challenge at Lavinia and the theme for this month is

"Lemon and Lime"

I made two items using the theme this time using a selection of Lavinia stamps on my card.

I trimmed into my "Alura" die cut to create my tag adding some stamping to the background, in my head I envisaged that the gorgeous fairy is collecting dew drops falling from the branches above her, I do love this die!

I would like to enter the following challenges:-

CFAS99, Animals,

LRW283, Animals,

Simon Says, Happy Birthday,

TSOC, Fly with me,

Cards and more, Tag,

TIOT, wings.

If you fancy joining in with the challenge this month, all you need to do is follow the theme and break out those Lavinia Stamps or Dies, you could find yourself winning a

£40 voucher!

There's no need to have a blog to enter as 

email entries are accepted!

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Gorgeous Grunge

I thought that I'd share a card I made the other week using the Stamping Up set, Gorgeous Grunge.

Great for a simple card for a male especially when it's teamed up with some die cuts and washi tape.

I'm using this card for the following challenges:-

BS138, Anything goes,

CCC, For a boy,

Polkadoodles 12, Birthdays,

CBD, Male.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Flowers And Pearls

I thought I'd share a Mother's Day card that I made, I slightly borrowed the idea of inlaying my flower diecut behind a heart frame but I altered it to suit my design as I wanted to be able to see through the heart so layered my die cut between my heart apertures, it took some working out but once I'd done it I went straight on to use the idea to make another card which I will share in a day or so.

I added a few pearls to set off my design.

I'm using this card for the following challenges:-

Allsorts 302, Flowers and pearls,

C4ER217, Mums,

C4AS97, Girly girls,

FBD, Flowers.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Lavinia, You're A Gem!

Morning! 

It's time for a new theme at Lavinia and the challenge that we are setting you this time is 

"Add a gem"

So really simple, just make something using your

 Lavinia stamps or dies 

and add a gem.

You don't even need to have a blog to enter and be in with a chance of winning a £40 Lavinia voucher as you can simply email in a copy of your make and we can add you to our blog!

I used my latest crafty buy to colour my images this time,

Spectrum Noir Aqua markers.

I need some practice but I'm already feeling the love!

They are so different to Copics that I'm used to using but I love the look that they give. When I coloured the Lily image, don't ask me why but I felt the need to distress all of my edges, something that I hardly ever do, I just feel that it suits the water colour effect of the image.

The second card I simply cut out my image using the ScanNcut and coloured it in.

I'm using these cards for the following challenges:-

AGOAC139, CAS,

ATCAS58, Distress,

SCYS9, Birthday,

LIM213, Makes me happy. (my new Aqua Markers)

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Two Hearts.

Not much to say except I got my long neglected ribbler from the shelf and ran my die cuts through it.

I'm using this card for the following challenges:-

S&CI2, Love,

CC103, Hearts,

CFAS, Have a heart,

CM61, Anything goes love,

DCA, Heart,

DOC97, Love,

TT231, Love.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Put A Sock In It!

In reality, I put a pair of socks in it lol!

A little personal joke with my nephew means that I always give him a pair of socks at birthdays and Christmas and now that he is getting older, I tuck some money inside them instead of putting them with his present.

I made this box to put them in, the panel with the greeting on slides up to allow the narrow box to open.

I wish I'd thought to take a side view photo.

I'm using this for the following challenges:-

CUYL7, Box,

SPHD19, Male,birthday,diecut,

PDELP, 3D project.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Happy Boxing Day!

Morning all, and Happy Boxing day, I hope you all had a lovely day yesterday!

I thought it was about time I shared a card, not quite sure whats going on with me at the moment, I just seem to have lost my drive, I just don't seem to be able to craft, when I do get the time to do it, lots of cutting,shuffling and sticking goes on, closely followed by a bit of sulking and ultimately throwing my creations in the bin. 

This card was made back at the beginning of November.

I'm using this card for the following challenges:-

DBD, Anything goes,

LRW269, Happy Birthday,

PPC 208, Anything goes.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Celebrate With The Southern Girls!!!

Can you believe that the Southern Girls are starting our

 100th Challenge!

So Team Trace and Team Lou have joined together to

celebrate the occasion!

Both teams are using the digi images of Lacy Sunshine, one of this challenges sponsors.

I am using Tilly Dinosaur.

I'm using this card for the following challenges:-

CCC277, Embossing,

Double Click, Happy Birthday,

FabNfunky 239, Die Cuts,

CSD, Diecuts.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x