Tinkerbell for Dutch Dare

Hi everyone, it's time for a new challenge over at Dutch Dare. This week we'd like you to use stitches - either real or faux. We're being sponsored by Sassy Studio Designs, who very kindly gave me this image to play with...

I've coloured her using copics and given her glitter wings. The backing paper is from the Forever Friends Pink Parfait A5 paper pack, matted with lime green card. The sentiment is from a pack by Docrafts Papermania. I hope you'll pop over and check out the inspiration from my fab team mates. We're also looking for some new DT  members, details with the challenge here. 

I would like to enter this for the following:-
Joanna Sheen - Citrus colours
4th Lady Anne's Challenge - monochrome
Make it Monday - Anything goes

Thanks for visiting. I had a lovely evening with my mum yesterday. She made a card to give to my dad for their anniversary which is in early august. They'll have been married for 54 years. I'm going to try to cool down now. I've got up to date with all the ironing and it's like an oven here in my craft room. I was going to make a Rogan Josh for tea but it's far too warm, think I'll have another salad.

See you soon
Helen xx

Show us some layers

Hi everyone, the new challenge has just started over at Ruby's Rainbow. This fortnight we'd like to see layers in your creations. Here's my little piece of inspiration...

I've used the House Mouse cd....again. It's my favourite at the moment. Starting from the bottom I've got black card, then Forever Friends backing paper (Summer Time), then a doily, then sparkly purple ribbon, topped off with the image and finished with a couple of Spellbinder Floral Corners. I've then added a sentiment and a few silver pearls. Now it's your turn...

We're also looking for 3 new members for our design team. We're sad to see Ang and Angelique go and wish them luck in their future endeavours. If you think you'd like to join our team please go visit the challenge to read what will be required. We're a lovely bunch, even if I do say so myself, lol.

I would like to enter this card for the following:-
House Mouse - Sparkle
Make it Monday - Anything goes

Thanks for visiting. I'm hoping to have a craft evening with my mum tonight so I'd better tidy my craft room so two of can fit in here! See you soon
Helen xx

Another House Mouse Birthday card

Hi everyone, here's the other card I said I'd share. This one's for one of my daughter's friends who is 19 tomorrow...

Again I've used the House Mouse cd, adding First Edition backing paper, lemon glitter card (Spellbinder die), Sparkly ribbon, flower shaped buttons and a couple of flowers. The sentiment came free with a magazine ages ago and has been lurking in my stash waiting for it's moment. Here's a couple more piccies...

I would like to enter this for a couple of challenges :-
Joanna Sheen - Citrus colours
House Mouse & Friends - Add some sparkle

Thanks for visiting me again. I really appreciate your comments and encouragement with my crafting. I've been through a few mojo-less weeks but hopefully things are looking up. I won't be crafting tomorrow though as I'm going to Silverstone for the day with my hubby Ted and brother Paul. Just need to decide what on earth to wear!

See you again soon
Helen xx

Chill out on your birthday

Hi everyone, another beautiful day. I want to share of couple of cards with you this afternoon. Here is the first, the second will follow in another post...

The image is a cutie from the House Mouse Triple cd, which seems to be my favourite at the moment. The backing paper is First Edition and I've matted with black card for contrast. I've also matted both the image and the sentiment using pink glitter card. For additional sparkle I added a layer of pink sequinned net behind the image and finished off with a flower with a gem in the centre and a pink love heart. This is for my God-daughter's 17th birthday on Sunday. Here's a close up of the image showing the sparkle a bit more...

I would like to enter this for the House Mouse Challenge, which is to add sparkle.

I would also like to enter this for the following:-
C is for challenge - Summer
Make it Monday - anything goes
Creative card crew - The great outdoors

Thank you for visiting. I'll be back shortly to show you the other card.
Helen xx

My altered box

Hi everyone, I'm back to share the box I've altered. It started life as a plain mdf box which my hubby bought me from The Hobby House. I needed a box to hide my medication in so I wanted it to fit into the kitchen, where it will live on the oak breakfast bar.

I'm really pleased with how it came out. I wanted a bit of a vintage look to it so I covered it with papers from a 12x12 First Edition pad called J'adore. I've used frayed burlap distress ink on all the edges.

I've used Flitter Glue and 'Chariot of fire' Mega Flakes to add gold around the edge of the top. I also added some micro beads using the really sticky red double sided tape. The doily is from The Hobby House and has been knocked back slightly with distress ink so it wasn't bright white. I've used some die cut flowers (HOTP free with Simply Cards and Papercraft), adding an organza rose to the centre of one and buttons to the centre of the other two. I've finished off with some leaves and a couple of gold and pearl wires. Here are a few more piccies...

Finishing touches include an ironwork die cut (Spellbinder), inked gold with a Hobby House gold pearl added, and a string of cotton daisies around the lid. I've really enjoyed making this and also have a book shaped box waiting to be decorated.

I would like to enter this for the following:-
The Hobby House - Vintage
Make it Monday - Anything goes
Inspire me Fridays - Anything goes

Thanks for visiting. I hope you're all enjoying this lovely weather. Think it might be a bit warm at line dancing this afternoon...oh well, might melt a bit more fat!

Helen xx

Autumn colours for Sparkles

Hi everyone, there's a new challenge started at Sparkles Monthly Challenges. This month we'd love to see your creations using Autumn colours. Here's my little bit of inspiration...

I've used my House Mouse triple cd to create this one, matting with a rusty brown/orange card. I've added some ribbon to the corners of the image and made a bow using some netting which used to contain oranges. I've added 4 gold pearls to the sentiment and mounted it with foam tape. I've made an anniversary card as I have a couple in mind to receive it in October. We're being sponsored by Di's Digis with a fab $10 prize so now it's your turn.

I would like to enter this for the following:-
Crazy challenge - without stamps
Make it Monday - anything goes

Thanks for visiting. I'll be back soon to share my altered box. See you soon
Helen xx

Pickles flies the banner

Hi everyone, it's my Father-in-law's birthday today. He loves planes so I've been saving this digi, which I won over at Lacy Sunshine a few months ago...

I coloured him with Copics and cut him out, mounting him amongst the felt die cut clouds using foam tape. I stamped the sentiment and made it into a banner flying behind the plane. I've used glossy accents on his goggles. I would like to enter this for the latest challenge at Lacy Sunshine, which is Anything goes with a hand coloured image. I would also like to enter this for Here come the boys - anything goes. 

Hope you're all well and enjoying the lovely weather in the UK. Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you all again really soon. Happy crafting...

Helen xx

Tic-tac-toe for Dutch Dare

Hi everyone, there's a new challenge over at Dutch Dare. This week we have a tic-tac-toe board for you.

STITCHING  (real or faux)	BLING	RIBBON
FLOWERS	BUTTONS	DISTRESSING
Card For A Child	BRADS	Birthday Card

We're being sponsored by the fabulous Saturated Canary, who very kindly gave us an image to work with. I used Grad Girl 2013.

I chose the top line - stitching, bling and ribbon. I've coloured the image using Copics and used Messy Rabbit backing papers (from a cd). I've used self adhesive heart shaped diamonds.The red ribbon features the stitching and I've added spotty washi tape to the centre of it.  I've used black card to mat everything. The card itself is 8x8. This is the first of a few graduation cards I'll need to make in the next few months as my eldest daughter Rachel has just graduated, along with quite a few of her friends. I'm really proud of her for getting a 2:1 in Early Childhood Studies. She's currently enjoying a week's break in Majorca. The house seems strangely quiet without her. It didn't take long to get used to having her home again once she finished university. Today I've spent the day with my younger daughter Nikki and had a lovely time just mooching round a shopping outlet. We really must do it more often.

I would like to enter this for the following:-

Through the craftroom door - Anything goes

Paper Makeup Stamps - Anything goes (use a digi)

Love to create - Ribbon and bling

Make it Monday - Anything goes

MarkerPOP blog - Use markers (copics)

Thanks for visiting. I hope all of you in the UK are enjoying the lovely weather. Hope I'll see you again soon.

Helen xx

A recipe for Ruby

Hi everyone, there's a new challenge over at Ruby's Rainbow. We have a recipe for you... Emboss, ribbon and self made backing papers. Here's mine...

The backing started out as white card and has had 3 shades of distress ink blended on it. I've stamped the feathers in both black and platinum and then embossed it with dots. The sentiment is by Sheena Douglas, as are the feathers. Now it's your turn...

I would like to enter this for the following:-
Make it Monday
Vintage stamping - Pretty in pink


Thanks for looking, I hope to see you again soon xx

Happy 70th Birthday

Hi everyone, I'm here to share a card I made for my sister-in-law's mum, earlier this week. I've used the House Mouse triple cd for this one...

I've added some ribbon, a doily and some pearly wires (don't know what the proper name for these is). I used black to mat everything as I think it's a great contrast to the pink. I added glitter peeloffs for the age.

I would like to enter this for the following:-
House Mouse and friends - Food

Thank you for visiting, I don't seem to have been crafting much lately, although I have recently had a week away in Lanzarote, followed by a weekend in London to see a show. I also took my daughter Rachel back to Derby to visit a mother and toddler group she had been volunteering with (or Rachel's fan club as I now call them) and to collect the last of her work from the university. She's got a 2:1 in Early Childhood Studies but we have to wait until January for her Graduation ceremony. We're really proud of her and I know her dad would have been too.

Hopefully I'll get some more cards made soon, as well as get started on a scrapbook of Lanzarote. Probably not today though...I weeded the patio yesterday and have overdone it and caused my fibromyalgia to flare again. Enjoy the sunshine everyone...

Helen x