Thursday 30 August 2012

Been 'binged'again

Just popping on to say I've been 'binged'again. This is the second time this c:&p piece of software has taken over my browser and made it impossible to do anything on my pc. If I could get hold of the little piece of sxxx responsible I would wring their neck or worse. Very very cross, need my pc to make a job promotion application and now I can't do it. so unless hubby can work a miracle before we go on holiday on Saturday that's me screwed. It wouldn't be so bad if  it even did anything useful itself! Rant over, had crap day, this is icing on cake. Could cry. Honestly.

Wednesday 29 August 2012

Mooooore cards

Really, enough is enough. But all my commissioned cards are now completed. Here are the last few.

First yet another 21st card (surely there can't be anyone left?).

I had a very specific brief for this, a babycham glass (used Clearly for Art to make it 3d, not sure if you can see from the photos) with pink flowers cascading out of it, a 21, a name, more pink, bling and a key. I've just noticed I have forgotten the key. I did make one and covered it with glitter glue. Now I wonder what that's got stuck too?





A quick Kraft stepper card using digital images from a Popcorn CD. He's a cute little Teddy isn't he?  The colours on tis came out quite well, but I'm actually having some probs with my printer getting 'true' colours. More IT I've got to get to grips with before I just give in and get a new one. Sigh.

And finally the last of the wedding cards, simple white on white again. It feels a little unbalanced to me but will have to do.

Right, off to make spoon puppets. My life is never boring is all I can say.

What's on your Workdesk, Wednesday? # 169

Weddings. Yep still doing those celebration commissions.

Regular visitors will note I have a new covering for my desk - the crazy Noah's Ark design was befuddling my poor old brain so now have gone for a plain black. Makes me feel more in control anyway and easier to see little bits. Unless they are black of course.
This isn't a commission card, just using up a stamped image and I'm going to finish it off with two dangly hearts which are crrently drying.


When I was asked to make wedding cards there were two designs I wanted to try out.

First I wanted to use this gorgeous LOV stamp and here is the card I made for my friend. It's a bit more traditional than the one on my desk!!

I was asked to make two cards for the same couple so I needed to ring the changes and decided to use a car template from Anna Marie Designs. I saw Anna Marie demonstrate using this template a while ago and have always wanted to use it on a card. Not very original I know, but I put my own slant on it by making it into a twisted easel.

I cut the template out on white card and coloured with distress inks.and I'm afraid I only used ready made flowers. But the box worked out just fine for a change!!

After finuishing these I had a sudden panic attack thinking the LOV image might not be appropriate so I made a third card in a more traditional white on white style. Unfortunately can't show that as camera has died, maybe tomorrow!!

So why am I rabbitting on about desks and what's on them? Hop on over to The Stamping Ground and read all about it. It's an international desky show n tell that occurs every Wednesday. Be there or be square. LOL, Cinds


 

Tuesday 28 August 2012

Try it On Tuesday - Travel Theme

Although I have lots of 'Paris' themed travel stamps, I didn't want to use them for this project as I am actually off to Paris in the next few weeks (just for a day trip) and I thought I would try to make a little scrapbook when I got back. (I know, pigs might fly). Sooo, as I would love to see Venice I thought I would make a little Venice themed tag as my DT submission.

Of course the prolem then was I didn't have enough Italian bits and bobs so had to improvise.
I googled a map image and overlaid it with a mysterious 'door' collage image I have to make a digital background, printed off stamped, coloured and distressed. I used a 'door knob' photo from some Crafty Individual papers and stamped the gondola and coloured. To bring the two textures closer together I print-magicked them both, added some lace and made the little mask from a clay face I had in my stash.

Maybe I'll save it to use on the scrapook page when I do actually get there!!

SoI do hope you will join in with us at Try It On Tuesday this fortnight. Your project can be anything you like as long as  you keep to the travel theme.

And don't forget the rules, the most important of which is you must only link to five challenges. Remember our top 5 picks get an entry in the monthly prize draw and the chance to be a guest designer.

Other than that, have fun and the DT will be round to see what fantastic creations you've come up with this time.

Ciao, Cindy 

Monday 27 August 2012

Beach Huts

I made this card for my best friend who has a findness for beach huts - in  fact when I saw this Michael Powell stamp a couple of months ago I bought it with her in mind.


The stepper effect was a bit of a challenge (as ever) so after a couple of attempts I decided to go with the Debbi Moore school of card making - I was watching her the other day and she said   'I never measure' . So abandoning the wonky ones I just did it by eye - and voila it worked. Not sure it would help with the boxmaking though.

Backing paper is Crafty Individuals, colouring - promarkers.

Bye for now, Cindy
 

Sunday 26 August 2012

Art Draw winner for August

Well this month the random thingamy chose no 2 which is Elizabeth aka the Silver Scrapper.  Not many entries this month but I suppose that means everyone has a better chance of winning!!

I have emailed you Elizabeth, if you could let me have address I'll get it off to you before I go away. Thanks to everyone for taking part and I hope to upload the September art draw in the next couple of days but you know what I'm like with timing.......

 

Friday 24 August 2012

21 at last.

Boy am I tired. So will keep this short. Soooo busy at work, stupidly put my hand up for extra hours, am running two kids activities every week plus bounce and rhyme and story times......craft room full of half finished commissions....a million birthdays looming....BBQ Saturday...  holiday next weekend..........don't even mention the ironing.... ................
and my darling Chelsey was 21 yesterday.
 

 Here she is with her bessie mate when we out for dinner last night. Aren't they beautiful? She still looked this beautiful when she got in at 3 in the morning after celebrating a little harder than planned. (Was supposed to be a quiet night then a big blow out on Saturday). Not quite so good at 5am when she had to get up for work with just an hour's sleep but still pretty gorgeous. How do I know? Well I was there both times, which probably isn't helping with the general level of tiredness!!

But of course there was a card -



and another one I had to rustle up for her brother (who, by the way, is perfectly capable of making a pretty neat card himself) because men are absolutely hopeless even when tasked with one simple job - buy a card for your sister's 21st. Still at least he took the time to to write something suitably annoyingly younger brotherish inside.



Thannk goodness for those Octopode digis is all I can say!!

Finally, a quick reminder that you have three more days to join in with the giveaway which will be drawn on Sunday so that I have time to get it in the post before my hols as I am working most of next week. Not many entries, so  the chances of winning are pretty good......

Still got loads to do, including preparing for a crazy kids event tomorrow. Right, off to find out how to make a paper plane.....

Cindy x

Thursday 16 August 2012

Quick Post - 'Bee the best you can Bee'

Well I promised you's see some new Octopode images now I have some new digis compliments of Lily Chilvers at The Octopode Factory for my winning TOFF entry..

I couldn't resist using this little guy on a quick ATC. Now, what to make with the other two?

There'll  be a new fortnightly challenge along tomorrow so why not join in?

Now, off to tidy my  desk and have a peep at those new stamps that arrived today.....

So many stamps.... so little time.....

Wednesday 15 August 2012

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday? # 167

Stood on a chair to get a different perspective this week. On my desk you can see some completed commissions for a 25th aniversary and 21st birthday. (Don't know what it is about this year, it's all celebrations and numbers!! Still got a 21st, a pearl wedding, 2 wedding cards and a birthday to do and that's just August!!). And the failed box/envelope for the 21st, I did measure it honest guv...... but it's too short  for the card by about a centimetre. I have no idea why I am so bad at making envelopes. I have decided that now I've done it I'll cut down a card blank to fit!!


OK four attempts to get this photo loaded up the right way. Why does that happen? No, don't tell me I am technologically challenged enough as it is. Pc, Ipad, smartphone ... as my OH says there is no point having a smart phone with a stupid person using it. That smarts, but has an element of truth. But I digress, after redoing the box/card today I have to prep stuff for a pop up card class tomorrow for my kids (pile of cards to left) and for a bit of light relief last night I stamped some images using my new Michael Powell stamp which I hope to make into cards. I have had it about 6 weeks and this is the first time it's seen ink. Poor show. But that's my desk this Wednesday, and I'm going to be working here for most of today Yay!!

Why am I sharing? Well every Wednesday we have a little crafty desk bloghop hosted by Julia Dunnit of Stamping Ground. Trust me, it's now a world wide phenomenonemonmenm...whatever.
Pop on over to Julia's for the complete list and join. Bare your desk if you dare.


Happy WOYWW

Tuesday 14 August 2012

Try it on Tuesday - Sketch Challenge

Gosh these fortnights fly by so fast!!

The current challenge at Try it on Tuesday is a Sketch challenge.

I had to make a commission card for a friend and thought this layout might work for that and so my DT submission this week is this 21st birthday card.

I picked up the rose embossing folder this week in a sale (can never resist a bargain) and am very pleasedwith it - I have quite a few folders but am very lazy sometimes at getting them out but I really like this one.

Went a bit mad with the flowers but I think it's near enough to the sketch!!

So why not join in this week - it doesn't have to be a card as long as you stick to the sketch!!

And don't forget the rules, the most  important of which is you must only link to five challenges.  Remember our top 5 pics get an entry in the monthly prize draw. 

Other than that, have fun and the DT will be round to see what fantastic creations you've come up with this week.

Sunday 12 August 2012

Too much Olympic watching.....

coupled with Jury Service means my blog has been much neglected of late. As has the craft desk. But here's a few of cards that should have all arrived by now. Still stuck on those Octopode digis. And it's not going to stop because I won the TOFF Challenge with my pastel tag so have some new free digis to come! How awesome is that? The current challenge is 'wings' and you don't need to use Octopode images so why not join in?






However you will be relieved to know that I have had my stamps out as well recently and a serious amount of inks and paints went into some of those backgrounds. I haven't gone completely digi and don't think I ever will. Hybrid is so much more fun. See ya soon, Cindy x

Wednesday 8 August 2012

WOYWW #166

Been AWOL so long I have no idea what peeps have been up to but thought I would post today although being on Jury Service means I won't have a lot of time to visit myself (Oh all right, I admit it, I may be watching the Olympics)  - but I will visit over the weekend if I don't get a chance today.


So a big mess is all I've got to show you although I did make some ATCs this evening and also played with some Indigo Blu Stamps. I've been using up some of my vast stash of shiny/coated card (I had dreams once of becoming a brayering queen but it's only been out of the box twice in three years and Ithink my big and juicy pads may just be dry and wrinkled) and experimenting with a technique in this month's craft stamper. Because I don't have any outstanding commissions, birthdays or other projects to get on with. I'm rebelling. However I'm really not sure how it got in this mess (it's even worse to the right), I thought I had tidied up. I have bought some new scissors since I saw you last. With blue polka dots. A girl can never have too many scissors I feel.  And yes I am taking this photo Tuesday night but trust me it ain't gonna change tomorrow.

Anyhow, would love it if you have time to say 'hi' and if you don't know what I am talking about then hop on over to the 'Stamping Ground' where the splendid Julia Dunnit will reveal, I mean will explain all. That's all, gotta go and catch the bus and do juror stuff.

Happy WOYWW, Cindy
(NB: If you have time, cfheck out my Art Draw - top right or post below. And if you are the person who won it last month - Helen, that'll be you then - can you let me have your addy please or I will have to re-draw)

What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday? #771

  Morning deskers, welcome to our weekly Wednesday Blog Hop - WOYWW. Here's the link to the one responsible, the lovely   Julia at Stamp...