Autumn Abundance

Another fabulous day here with Anna and the abundance is the food as well as the beautiful Autumn scenery.  So we started the day with fresh fruit and then crafting.  Then we popped out to lunch to The Wheatsheaf at Oaksey, another great find by Anna.  We started with the sharing platter, devils on horseback, ducks egg scotch egg, olives and home-made bread - yum.  Then we both had the beef roast dinner and everything that was served was perfect.  As we were full we left having dessert until we got back, but I'm sure it would have been delicious.

Here's what I made after we got back.  I was inspired by the front cover of a recent Papercrafts magazine and a card by Maile Belles and decided to have a play but went all pink.  The pinkness was inspired by the challenge at:

Stamp Something - Stamp something pink
Chicken Soup - recipe #18 - the patchwork effect is what inspired me.

Supplies used:

Card - Papertrey Ink

Ink - versamark

Embossing powder - clear

Stamps - fancy flourishes, round and round

This card was inspired by the challenge at:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - zig zags - those butterflies are definitely zig zagging

Supplies used:

Card - Papertrey Ink

Ink - versamark

Embossing powder - clear

Stamps - Penny Black -  Butterflies and Happy Birthday

You know what I'm like when I like something, so here's a third card using the same technique.  I'm popping this one into the challenge at:

Card Patterns - sketch #88

The wording under the Sending You says "a hug with a fold in the middle"

Supplies used:

Card - Papertrey Ink

Ink - versamark

Embossing powder - clear

Stamps - Penny Black -  Rose, Papertrey Ink - Big & Bold Wishes

One last card for today, to wish you a Happy Halloween, inspired by the challenge at:
Totally Gorjuss - Spooky

Hope your day has been Spooktacular!

xxx

I love an adventure

I've been working at home today and thought that would be it.  But after a phone call to Leann we realised that we could have a little meet up in Peterborough.  She's down there for the TV tomorrow and it's on my way to my demo, so I'm off to meet here for dinner and a good old catch up.

In the meantime I'll leave you with this card. inspired by challenges at:

Penny Black - don't be square

Creative inspirations - get well soon

CRAFT - shaped card

Supplies used:

Card front - craftwork cards

Papers, stickers - echo park "a walk in the park"

Stamp - Penny Black "in a pear tree"

Also it's my Dad's birthday today, so Happy Birthday Dad.

I'll be back tomorrow with news of my adventure.

xxx

A Blustery Day

The dark nights are starting to really draw in and it's been really blustery here today, so were definitely well into Autumn.  Yep summer has come and gone in the blink of an eye.  So in celebration of Autumn here's a card that was inspired by challenges at:

Sir Stampalot - autumn breezes, button and bow

Penny Black at Allsorts - colours of Autumn

Stampin' for the weekend - autumn inspiration
Ooh la la - nothing floral

Papercraft Star - challenge 16, sketch, I flipped the sketch 90 degrees

Supplies used:

Stamp - Penny Black - majestic, PTI round & round

Card and paper - some very old Gin-X. see it's worth saving that old stuff

Leaves - PTI die

I love the argyle paper on this card as it makes me think of cosy jumpers.

This week I'm back to my healthy eating and making sure I do my steps every day.  I don't know why I let it slide as I feel so much better when I'm doing some daily exercise and eating well.  Will I ever learn?  I doubt it!

xxx

Going Up North

Today I'm off up to the office for a couple of days, so before I leave here's a couple of cards I wanted to share with you.  I have had my Papertrey Ink supplies out again - they just make crafting so easy - I like easy!

This card was inspired by challenges at:

The Playdate Cafe - colour challenge - red, turquoise, leaf green, black, white

Charisma Cardz - sketch

MelJen Designs - recipe, 1 ribbon, 2 flowers, 3 brads - I promise there's two flowers, they're just layered on top of each other!

Totally Papercrafts - happy birthday

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - anything goes

Supplies used:

Stamps - PTI wishing you

Inks - PTI ripe avocado and pure poppy

Scalloped card blank - craftwork cards

Patterned paper - PTI Beautiful Blooms

Brads - Bazzill

For this next one I've gone a little bit Christmassy.  It was inspired by challenges at:

Penny Black Saturday - sketch

Just us Girls - colour challenge, red, green and black

Cute Card Thursday - tweet or flutter - I went flutter with my little bird

Stamptacular - grid challenge - spot the grid paper in the background

A Passion for Papertrey - hip to be square - I can see at least 3!

Supplies used:

Stamp - Penny Black in a pear tree

Ink - PTI ripe avocado

Patterned paper - PTI, beautiful blooms, 2008 bitty dots basics, 2008 bitty box basics

Lots of adhesive gems and some black stickles and of course some gingham ribbon

See you in a couple of days.

xxx

It's nearly crop time

Another busy day here but I managed to find time this evening to finish the second layout for crop this Saturday.  So again I used the Sakura Park papers from Kaisercraft.  I did add some chipboard letters and extra clear gems to finish this layout.
The finishing touches were inspired by the challenge at:
Tuesday Taggers - Diamonds are Forever - well there's lot of diamond style bling on this layout.


I'm loving this pocket card, I really enjoyed decorating the outside to match the inside.  It's funny where a trigger can take you:
Moxie Fab World - Tuesday Trigger - this trigger just had me set about making a totally girly project with a bit of red thrown in.

This outside of the pocket card and was inspired by the challenge at:
Chicken Soup - recipe #10 - those handbags had me searching through my stash for the handbag charm I knew I had somewhere and started this whole card off!

The inside was inspired by

ICS - sketch #83

Stamp with fun - sketch #76

Penny Black at Allsorts - punch away

She's a Penny Black stamp - evening glow and I used my Copic Ciaos to colour her:
Skin - E00, E21, RV10
Hair - Y21, YR31
Dress - R27, R29
Stool - C3, C5, C7
Gloves and shoes - 100
Pearls - Prima
Punch Martha Stewart
I used my very last scrap of paper to make this card and was inpsired by challenges at:
2 sketches 4 You - Kazan #61
One Stop Craft Challenge - fashion throughout the years

I found some 7 Gypsies texture rub-ons and added black velvet to it.  It's that piece on the right and was so easy and not messy to do.

The stamp is an old one that really belongs to my lovely friend Anna and I "coloured" it with my Copic Ciao's and glitter:

Skin - E00, E21, RV10

Hair - E08, E11
The message stamp is Papetrey Ink from Just the Ticket set.


Thanks to all those who've wished me a speedy recovery for my neck, it's much better today and I'm going to have a hot stone massage tomorrow, just to help it on the mend.
xxx

Innocent Smoothies

Today, Anna & I went to Ruskin Mill for lunch.  The food there is amazing, it's all organic and home made.  Today we both had the feta cheese and tomato quiche with lots of lovely fresh salad.  As we didn't have the rather delicious looking cheesecake we both felt quite angelic.

After walking into Nailsworth and back again, I'd done my steps for the day.  On the way back we set up a photo shoot for some Innocent Smoothie Hats, that Anna's Mom had knitted.  There was quite a menagerie.

All I can say, is that there's always one!  The elephant had big ideas!!

He then thought playing in the bullrushes would be fun.

He then persuaded Mr Octopus and puppydog to go leaf hopping!

 

After the excitement we rounded up the animals and headed back to Anna's to do some card making.  I did one lot of magazine work before having a play with this gorgeous new range, Winter Joy from Bo Bunny.  I had the goodies for a commission and was just using up some of the left overs.

This card was inspired by challenges at:

Penny Black - purple, cream and brown

ICS - sketch #81

I love this Penny Black stamp, it makes making Christmas cards so quick and easy as it's a solid image.

This next card was inspired by challenges at:

A Spoonful of Sugar - sketch challenge

Creative Inspirations - Christmas in August
Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Winter Wonderland

For dinner we had salad, but Anna made it super special by serving it on individual wooden platters so we could eat it in front of the TV whilst watching X factor.  I did have a glass of fizz with it, but that's what weekends are for.

Crafting should have resumed but we were sucked into watching the Bourne Ultimatum with some blog updating.  Off to craft now.

xxx

I love my hairdresser

I've been to the hairdressers tonight, a good job as my fringe was becoming more of a curtain that anything else!  As I got there I realised I was starving as I'd had no lunch!  So Kay's Mum who owns the shop only went and made me crumpets with jam on along with a cup of coffee.  How's that for service.  As always Kay did a great job, a little bit shorter again at the back and made me laugh lots too!  She says she'll talk me into getting it razored yet!!

As for dinner tonight, I've found a new Slimming World recipe this week.  In the meals for a fiver book - thanks JP.  So here is pork and thyme meatballs in a roasted vegetable sauce, served with linguine.  Totally yummy and even better, it's freezable - not that there's any left!

No dessert tonight but a little treat of some card making, only one card but it's ever so cute and inspired by challenges at:

A Spoonful of Sugar - sketch challenge

Cupcake Craft - Lace

Charisma Cardz - Easel Card

My Time to Craft - Farm Fever - my little sheep who lives on a very pink farm!!

Penny Black at Allsorts - Glitter & Glitz - I promise the patterned cardstock is very glittery and all those pearls add a little more glitz.
Creative Card Crew - Cute & girlie

Thanks for popping by, it really does make my day.

xxx

From one show to another

Today was another great day with the end of the wholesale show and breakdown followed by the set up of the consumer show.  So I said goodbye to my friends at October Afternoon - Kim your whole range is delicious, Glitz designs - you girls are crazy, My Little Shoebox, lovely new friends, Penny Black, Shanda and Susan you're both delightful.

I'm sure I'll make some new friends over at the Supershow.

Not many photos today as we were busy moving the booth from one hall to another but I did get to play with the new eCraft machine from Craftwell , I can't wait to get my hands on one of these beauties.  I also have some delicious October Afternoon paper to play with and a copy of the Card Style magazine from Papercrafts.
Poor Papertrey Ink still hadn't got their pallets of product delivered as we were leaving at 7pm but as I stood on their stand wondering what I could do to help they appeared.  So although they'll have a late night at least they'll have a stand full of gorgeous product tomorrow morning.  It was definitely a day when good things happened when I was around - spooky.

After a busy day what do the Crafter's Companion team get up to - dinner in one of our rooms of course.  Pizza for some but salad for Leanne and I.

I'll try and get into the Consumer show early tomorrow and let you know what's happening.  Luckily with me working I won't have time to go shopping so I'll come home solvent!

xxx

Home Sweet Home

After a small delay we made it back home in the afternoon.  After packing my demo bag for tomorrow and catching up with a few things, I decided to make a couple of cards before Steve got back from cricket.

This one was inspired by the challenge at:
Sweet Stampin Challenge - colour challenge - brown, blue and green
Isn't that sheep so cute.  He's from a set of Penny Black clear stamps and just makes me smile.

This card was inspired by the challenge at:

Allsorts - embossing

I used some pre-embossed card that I'm loving using at the moment.

The elphants are from a Woodware clear stamp set and have been stamped onto the base card and then again onto lovely Basic Grey Koishi paper, before being cut out and layered onto the stamped base images.

Now I'm home and got a full craft room of stash I'm almost overwhelmed, so instead I just used some of the stuff I'd had in my holiday crafting box!
Have a great weekend.
xxx

Just the one

I'm still trying to catch up from having a day off last week and being out for a day.  A three day week sounds like a good idea until you have the work for five days and a bit more to fit into it.

Having a bit of me time still matters though and here a little card I made tonight.  It was inspired by challenges at:

Meljen's Designs - sparkle, glitter and bling.  There's glitter on the patterned paper, the stamped image and even the white flowers, plus there's gems at the bottom

The Pink Elephant - sketch challenge

Peny Black Saturday Challenge - sketch challenge

The Penny Black stamp image has been coloured with Copic Ciao markers.  The paper is DCWV and the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

I must get an early night, one of these days!

xxx

Bliss

For me getting out for a walk is a fabulous way to start the day.  I feel I've achieved something before I've started the day.  This morning I'd done my daily step target (6,000 steps) before breakfast!

So I know I've got homework to do today but I thought to get in the zone I'd make a couple of cards for a couple of challenges:

This first one was for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge but now I've re-read the challenge I'm not sure it will qualify as there's only butterflies on it and no bees, although I'm sure there's the letter "b" hidden in the pink scroll detail somewhere!

I'm also entering into Stampin for the weekend challenge 36 - ribbons and bows.  As lots of my cards have ribbons and bows on this challenge was right up my street :)

 The second card is for Cute Card Thursday, just a little Easter card with a cute Penny Black stamp.  It's coloured with Copics.  The little scalloped card was made using my nestabilities.

So after this post my computer is being turned off until I've finished at least one piece of homework.  So wish me luck and hopefully I'll be back soon!! :)