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Hull, East Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Saturday 26 February 2011

Happy Birthday Marg.

This is my second post today. For my Less is More card please scroll down.

I was asked by a work collegue to make an 80th birthday card for an aunt.. After all the CAS cards I have been making lately I couldn`t wait to get the ribbon and lace out.

I have used the same papers from The Shabby Princess as I did on a previous post mainly because they are gorgeous and were perfect for the ribbon and flowers.

The ribbon is fabulous and sparkly but is a pig to make a decent bow with, I think it took longer to tie that than it took to make the rest of the card. Anyway I`m pleased with the end result. I just hope Auntie Marg is too.

The ribbon is from Boyes.
The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and my stash.


Well we had a brief glimpse of spring the other day and my forsythia is bursting into bloom so that must be a good sign. The down side is that it shows the dust in the house. Sooo with that in mind I`ve actually started spring cleaning. Not that I`ve got far... I`ve managed to clean the windows and all the paintwork but then the craftroom called and I had to answer, as you do. I`m sure the muck will still be there tomorrow.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Less is More wk 4 ...3 squares.

Happy saturday everyone.

This weeks on Less is More we have to make a card with 3 squares on.
I must admit I`ve really struggled with this one. I`m not particularly happy with my card, one of my squares has a wonky border that I didn`t notice until I uploaded it onto here. I might do another one yet.

The sentiment is computer generated.
I`ve scored some lines above and below the sentiment to take the plainess off a bit.
The flower stamps are Waltzing Mouse Big Blooms and I have used the smaller of the flowers.
Two have been stamped in Versacolor, Peony and Orchid and the 3rd in Memento Rose Bud.
They were cut out with a square punch and matted ( badly) onto some burgundy card. They have been placed using foam pads.

Once again I want to thank Mandi and Chrissie for starting this challenge blog. I had a record 52 comments for my last submission. Thank you to all of you who came to visit my little blog and left a comment. I`m chuffed to bits.
I did try to visit everyone and leave a comment and if I missed you out I`m really sorry, it wasn`t deliberate. To all those who only got a two word comment I apologise too. It`s not that  your cards weren`t fabulous it`s just that after the first 30 or so my fingers start to give up. It did get a bit like the `Magic Porridge Pot` in asmuch as the more comments I left, the more entries there were. I promise to do better this week :)

To all of you who sympathised with my cremated chicken last week, it was fine. A bit dry and a lot darker than it should have been but it was edible. I am much more relaxed today thank goodness.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Thursday 24 February 2011

Happy Anniversary Picture Perfect Creations.

Good evening all!

I hope the weather where you are has been as good as it has been here. Warm sunshine, hardly a breeze, I could almost imagine spring has sprung. The down side ofcourse, is that the low sun shows up all the dust but that`s for another day.

I finally had time to make a card today. Next week is the 1st anniversary of Picture Perfect Creations challenge blog and they have given us this fabby colour scheme and asked us for anniversary cards.

Here is my card,
I`ve concentrated on the pink so that could make it a frilly feminine card.

The card base is pale grey.
I`ve used Sweet Summer papers from TheShabby Princess. The floral one is matted onto white card.
I made a panel with the distressed striped paper, punched along the bottom edge with a Martha Stewart Doily punch then matted it onto some pale grey card leaving a thin border along the top edge.
I added a white ribbon then placed it with foam pads.
The sentiment is from a Rubbadubbado magnetic set, cut out with a nestie circle then placed onto a lacey circle in grey. This is also placed with foam pads.
I added a white bow and a small pink rose  to finish.

I really enjoyed making this card after the CAS ones of the last few weeks.

Thanks for popping in Lynne xxx

Monday 21 February 2011

Getting that `Oscar` feeling...

Good morning all. Happy monday (is there such a thing?)

Over the last week and particularly this last weekend I have been honoured to have been awarded no less than
4 blog awards. How cool is that?

I was given this one,   
by three of my new found ( and admired) blogging buddies from the Less is More 
challenge.
Thank you so much to ........Kellylouj
                                           Viv
                                           Sue

The conditions of this award are..

Step 1 - Make a post linking back to the person who gave you the award! 
Step 2 - Share 7 random things about yourself
Step 3 – Award 15 recently discovered bloggers with this award
Step 4 – Contact these bloggers and tell them they’ve won the award.
Because I recieved 3 of this award I hope I`m not supposed to multiply my conditions by three, `cos it aint gonna happen folks.
I`m having trouble finding 7 interesting things to say as it is. Here goes,

1/ I`m a dedicated Hull City fan although I don`t go to many matches anymore.
2/ I love reading crime books. The goryer (?) the better.
3/ I left school at 15 with no qualifications but in 1996 I did an English lang/lit course and got an A.
4/ I`m a chocoholic (who isn`t)
5/ It will be my 35th wedding anniversary in April.
6/ I`m addicted to crafting ( obviously)
7/ I`m also addicted to blogging and blog hopping, so much so that my hubby, son and youngest daughter clubbed together to get me a Netbook for Christmas so I can access the internet whilst still being in the same room as the rest of the family.

I am awarding this to the following bloggers,

Laura

Anne 
Silvie ( Gibmiss) 
Lynne K 
Stamping for pleasure 
Mass of hair 
Jose 
Angelnorth 
Craftilicious
Irena`s creations
Mau
Katalytic


Ok so I know there are only 12 there but this is so difficult. If I`ve missed anyone out I apologise. It`s not that I don`t like your blogs, it`s just that my fingers are dropping off and my head is going mushy.

The next award comes from the lovely Jennibee

Thank you so much. 
In accepting the award I've had to agree to the following conditions:
1) You have been tagged, do you want to accept? YES! then create a post on your blog and post the love blog photo.
2) Link back to the person who gave you the award and say if you accept.
3) Choose 3-5 of your favourite blogs to tag, link these in your post too and tell the lucky people they have been tagged.

The aim of this award is to bring unknown good blogs to light, so we're asked not to tag somebody "with 3000 followers". 
I am awarding this one to the following.


Beate
Vicky
Lynn



Right I think I`ve done all that right. I need a coffee now.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Saturday 19 February 2011

Less is More #3 Spring.

Good afternoon all!

I hope I find you well and the weather isn`t too bad where you are. It`s pouring down with rain here and freezing cold but we did manage to avoid the snow thank goodness. I can`t believe last wednesday was so spring like, warm(ish) sunshine all day. I`d convinced myself that spring was here to stay. Just shows what I know eh!.

Which brings me nicely to this weeks challenge over at Less is More
the theme this week is spring.
Here is my card,

 Now if anyone dares to tell me that CAS cards are quick and easy, they just might get a slap. This one has taken me hours. It`s not as if I don`t do CAS, I do. I like CAS.
It started when I tried to do my sentiment on the PC. Thats something else that I do quite often but usually I cut them out with nesties. This time I wanted it at the bottom of the card but my software has such a large margin where it won`t print that it finished up nearly halfway up the card. I don`t have word installed on this PC, maybe I should get it. After 6 failed attempts I resorted to inking up my trusty Flourishes Tag Lines again.
Then I coloured my tulip, which is by Elusive Images and is part of a medalion set, in maroon.
Looks gorgeous but somehow not quite spring like enough.
I stamped the tulip again and got a blob of ink alongside the image, so 3rd time lucky I decided to go with golden yellow and highlights of orange.
Even the scalloped border along bottom didn`t go right first time but luckily the swiss dots folder is long enough for me to cut a bit off the bottom and do it again.
 Anyhow this is the finished result and I`m pleased with it. I did have a moment with Mr Blogger but that`s sorted now. Phew!!!
The ribbon btw is from Poundland.
I`ve just cremated the chicken we are having for tea so I think it`s time to post this and I`ll be back later to show off with some awards I have been given.
Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx








Monday 14 February 2011

Just playing around

Good afternoon all.

I`ve been looking at all the entries for this weeks challenge on Less is More 
and quite a few of them have block inked shapes behind the image. Now I`m sure you all know by now that I`m crafting on a budget ( aren`t we all?) apart from the fact that I like to be..frugal..shall we say...and I`m a bit loathe to spend money on something I might not use. So, I thought I`d have a go at improvising to see how it went.
I cut an A4 card into 2 to make 2 A5 cards, then placed an acrylic stamping block on one of them to draw a rectangle ( I traced so far down then moved it along as it wasn`t as long as I wanted it to be) then cut the shape out with my craft knife. I placed the card with the hole in it over the card I wanted to stamp onto and used it like a stencil to chalk up my rectangle. I used a deep orange, then orange followed by a bright yellow. Because I used chalk instead of ink it gives a more subtle effect I think.
I then stamped my Inkadinkado Delicate Branch stamp in black Stazon,  over the block of colour.
I used a papertrey sentiment but it hasn`t stamped as dark as the main image so it`s no where near good enough to enter in a challenge but for a first effort I am quite pleased. In fact if it wasn`t for the sentiment and a little imperfection in one corner of the block I would go so far as to say it`s better than my entry in this weeks challenge. I might just have to find the time to do it again and re enter. Please let me know what you think, should I go with it or should I stop being greedy and spend some money on the real thing lol.?


I`m really enjoying these challenges at LiM. I know it`s only the second week but because we`ve all been in it from the off it somehow feels familiar and comfortable. Can`t wait for next weeks.
EDIT. I`ve had second thoughts and decided, to hell with it I`m going to enter, imperfections and all.
Thanks for popping in ...Lynne xxx

Saturday 12 February 2011

Branching out....

Good afternoon folks.

It`s week 2 over at Less is More and this week we are asked for a one layer card using either a tree or a flower.
To my shame and embarrassment I have to admit that I don`t possess a tree stamp. Isn`t that terrible?
I have lots of flower stamps and make lots of cards with flowers but I fancied a change. What I do have though, is Inkadinkado`s Delicate Branches and branches come from tree`s, right? So that`s what I`ve used.

It`s another of my brothers birthdays coming up soon so I`ve made this one for him.


I`m not 100% sure about this one and I`ve looked at some of the other entries so I`m not over confident. I might attempt another before the weeks out.

Naturally, being a one layer CAS card is was very quick and simple to make.
I used pale blue base card.
My sentiment is computer generated which I did first to get the placement right.
Then I stamped my image in black stazon.
I then cut the card to the correct size and scored some lines at either side and along the bottom edge to give it some texture.

Before I go I have to give a massive thanks to Chrissie and Mandi for starting this challenge. Since submitting my entry in the first ever Less is More challenge my ratings in UK blogs have gone up from nearly 700 to less than 400, I have gained 5 new followers and had the most ever amount of comments since I started blogging.
Thank you girls!!!

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Thursday 10 February 2011

Curtain Call Act 68

Good Evening Friends.

I haven`t had the time to join in with a Curtain Call challenge for ages but when I saw this inspiration piccy
I knew I had to make the time. Those colours are fab and should be so easy to work with.
Here is what I came up with,

I`ve gone with my Flourishes Gerbera Daisy stamp again simply because I love it to bits. Unfortunately the flowers look quite lilacy on the photo when in fact they are pink.
I started with a 5" square white card. I cut another square slightly smaller and scored some lines down one side before matting onto some green card.
I added my ribbon, then placed it onto the base card using foam pads.
I cut my stamped image out with a circle nestie and matted that onto a Lacey circle cut in green. I used foam pads to place that too.
I made a bow and added some hot pink flatbacked pearls in two corners to finish.
Oops, almost forgot to mention the ` friend` stamp. That is from the Gerbera Daisy set too, stamped in black.

All in all I`m quite pleased with this one for a change.

I never realised how addicted I was to blogging and blog hopping until our internet connection was lost yesterday. We were only offline from mid morning until early evening and I was at work in the afternoon but at one point I thought I was going to need councilling. How sad is that? I worry about myself sometimes.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Monday 7 February 2011

Another Valentine`s card, A brand new challenge blog and an award.

Happy Monday All!

I have today off so it`s very happy for me. All my household chores are done so I`m crafting..yaaaay!

While visiting you all over the weekend I popped into Sarita`s Blog 
to check out her latest stunning creation. If you haven`t already found Sarita, check her out, she does the most amazing artwork. Anyway while there she told us about a brand new challenge blog called Simply Less is More.
The remit is CAS, clean and simple with lots of white space and, this week, using Black, Pink and White.
Sooo I just had to give it a go didn`t I. This is what I came up with.

This has to be the quickest card I`ve ever made. I must admit I found it quite diffucult to stop myself adding just a few pearls or gems or maybe a bow but I was very, very good and stopped at clean.

I used one of the Elusive images hearts with flourish stamped on black card and embossed with pink EP and placed it using foam pads.
My sentiment is Flourishes Tag Lines stamped in black.
I scored some lines just above the sentiment to give it some texture and that`s it.

I also got a lovely surprise from my blogging buddy Karen 
who has given me this award,
In accepting the award I've had to agree to the following conditions:-

1) You have been tagged, do you want to accept? YES! then create a post on your blog and post the love blog photo.

2) Link back to the person who gave you the award and say if you accept.

3) Choose 3-5 of your favourite blogs to tag, link these in your post too and tell the lucky people they have been tagged.

As the aim of this award is to bring unknown good blogs to light, please don't tag somebody with 3000 followers.
There are so many fantastic blogs that I follow or check out but ofcourse I can`t choose them all so I`m giving this award to...
Katina
Natasha
Julie

Enjoy the rest of the day. Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Saturday 5 February 2011

Crazy 4 Challenges 73

Good afternoon all!

I`ve found another new to me challenge blog, Crazy 4 challenges.They are asking us for Valentines cards. Now this is quite fortunate as my son is here today for the footy and asked me to make a card for him to give to his fiance.
Here is my card,
Apologies for the photo, it`s pouring with rain here and the sky is a very dark, threatening grey.

Rachel my future DIL, isn`t a pastelly sort of girl, she loves bold bright colours so I`ve gone with a rich deep red. She also doesn`t do too fussy so I`ve kept it quite simple ( for me ).
I`ve used the Swirls cuttlebug folder on white card and matted that onto some dark red card.
The stamps are from Elusive Images With Love stamp set, stamped in clear ink onto dark red card and embossed in white EP.
I used the Spellbinders Classic lace die again with dark red card.
I punched out some leaves and added a dark red rose.
The sentiment is Flourishes Tag Lines stamped in clear ink and embossed with Moon Glow EP in Razzleberry/ Plum.

Not a lot to tell you today so I`ll get off and I might fit another card in before tea.

Thanks for popping in...Lynne xxx

Tuesday 1 February 2011

Just Add Ink #53 - An Inspiration Challenge

Good Evening Friends.

A late post from me today but I wanted to enter my card for the Just Add Ink challenge. It`s my first time with this challenge but hopefully not my last.
We were given this gorgeous piccy with instructions to make a card or project using the colours or flower or just something that made us happy.

As soon as I saw this I thought of long, hot summers. And what do we do in the summer? We go to the beach ofcourse. Oh how I long for warm sunshine.....
Anyway, enough of my daydreams, here`s the card I came up with.
It turned to be one of those cards that almost makes itself.
The yellow paper is some that I`ve had for years and with a bit of imagination looks like combed sand.
The blue DP is Papermania Blueberry Pie Collection that I bought a couple of weeks ago and when I first clapped eyes on this sheet I thought of water.
The Image is Inkadinkado Down by the seaside and I`ve been dying to ink them up for weeks.
I found some Starfish beads in a mixed pot that I bought years ago from The Stampman and I think it just adds the finishing touch.
I used a Spellbinders Scalloped border to represent the sea lapping the shore and finished off my image with a lacey circle in bright yellow.
All in all I`m pretty pleased with the result, mainly I think because it tells me that spring isn`t that far away :)

My working week is still annoying me and I`ve had my day off changed, so tomorrow after going to see Dad,
Alan`s taking me to York for the afternoon and while we`re there I`ll just have to pop into the designer outlet and buy some more coloured card. Hopefully this will inspire me to come up with some more creations .

Thanks for popping in....Lynne xxx