Patchwork 'N Stitches.....

Evening all, and thanks for popping in to see tonight's post.

This is the second card made for 

Oak House Studio

I love the colours on this one, it's so bright, on what's been a very wet, gloomy day.

Don't forget you can win these stamps if you click on

 http://oakhousestudio.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/new-era.html

All you have to do is leave a comment on the above 'post'....the winner will be announced on Monday 4th Feb. This means you could have the stamps and be using them in time for Valentine's Day.

If you can't wait until then, and want to buy them now, at a reduced price of £9  (for 18 stamps....that's only 50p per stamp!) your payment will be refunded if you are lucky enough to win.

 

The black, and white 'linen' cardstock is from
Papermill.

I first inked the card with Colour Chemistry

in Citrus Yellow, Golden Oak and Green

 Then I overstamped with hearts and buttons from the above set....and 2 other stamps from a different collection

 Some of the stamps were heat embossed with Colour Chemistry embossing powder.

  

9 squares joined together with the faux stitching stamp, a few of the buttons mounted onto foam tape and a computer generated sentiment, voila!

A bright cheerful card which could be used for Valentine's Day or Wedding Anniversary.

Hope you like it.

Don't forget to enter the 'give-away' 

xx
 I'm entering this card into the following challenges :-
365 Cards
LEJ Designs
Loves Rubberstamps
Paperminutes
Party Time Tuesdays
Shopping Our Stash
Sweet Stamps
Tammy's Scrapin' Corner
Make it Monday 

My very first card for Oak House Studio....

Morning everyone, and welcome to my new followers, so good to see you here.......

Today sees my very first post for Oak House Studio, a Yorkshire based company specialising in Stamps, Inks and Embossing Powders, in fact everything you need (or want) to make gorgeous cards with.

The first card is just a simple, unfussy one to show how lovely the products are.

 

The lovely 'heart' stamp set (18 stamps on the sheet!) can be found Here 

Checkout at the end of this post how you can win these stamps.

The fab quality Embossing Powder can be found Here (this powder is extra 'fine' and brilliant for use on very detailed stamps) 

The coloured background squares were made with Colour Chemistry inks Here and I've used the colours Jubilee Red, Citrus Yellow, and Golden Oak. Sprayed on then dabbed off with kitchen roll to give a softer effect.

A very simple sentiment and background was all I needed to show off the lovely colours.
Black card and white linen cardstock from
Papermill

I've got a few more Valentine cards to show you over the coming days, so hope you'll keep popping by the Oak House Studio blog Here to see all the upcoming competitions etc.  You could even win this Stamp set by checking out the facebook page of Lynnda, Oak House Studio owner Here

Thanks for all your amazing comments on my last few posts......overwhelming!

Barbara xx
I'm entering this card into the following challenges :-
ABC Challenge
Artistic Inspirations
Creative Creations
Creative Cutting
Pink By Design
Make it Monday
The Pink Elephant
Bearly Mine
Die Cuttin' Divas
Loves Rubberstamps 

Some Good News........(and a card)

Afternoon everyone, from a now very wet Wiltshire....honestly, we're never happy are we? Personally, I couldn't care less what the weather does, as I'm cosy and warm in my craft room, but it's awful for those who are badly affected or those who work outside,,,i.e my son! Training dogs outside in this rain is awful, hey-ho!

Well, I've had some nice news this week.....Lynnda Worsnop from Oak House Studios has asked me to be guest blogger for February on the OHS blog, to say I'm thrilled is an understatement!

 I've been beavering away this weekend making some cards with Lynnda's lovely products....I think they'll be on her blog in time for Valentine's Day. Lynnda also has a Facebook page where she runs competitions for 'FREEBIES' (we all love these, don't we).....pop over and 'like' the page in readiness for the next 'giveaway'

Oak House Studio - Facebook page

Ok, onto today's card.......One of my lovely cyber-friends, Di, asked me to make a card for her daughter. I made a few for her to choose from, and this was one of them. (I'll show you the one Di chose later in the week.)

Flowers always look pretty... think some of these were from Wild Orchid Crafts

Sons are miracles too, though.....for all those like me who don't have a daughter :(

However, I now have a lovely daughter-in-law, Emma, and a grandaughter due in April, so that will make up for all the years I couldn't buy PINK !! (Sorry Nick xx)

I wanted to keep this card very 'soft', so didn't use too many embellies.....hope you like it.

I'd just like to say a big THANK YOU for all the wonderful comments on my last blog page....I was overwhelmed and so pleased you liked it

xxx








I'm entering this card into the following challenges  :-
Cheery Lynn Designs
Daisy Doodles
House of Gilli
Love to Create
Make it Monday
The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop
Unstampabelles

Back to my fave colours.......

Evening all, thanks for popping by again, hope you're all keeping warm.  

Well, tonight's card has been made using my favourite colours, and if you're a regular visitor, you'll know what they are ;-)   I enjoyed making this card, 'cos I've used all the things I love to mess on with........

I started off with white card from Papermill  and inked, sprayed and splodged!

Distress inks, Cosmic Shimmer embossing powders, and Cosmic Shimmer pearlescent mists

The rose, leaf and chain started off life as part of a necklace

I love adding Freshwater Pearls to my work.....the wired ribbon is my favourite at the moment....it 'stays put'!

Look how thick the embossing powder is.....it's my all-time favourite, and I've tried loads.

The stamp I've used is by IndigoBlu, think it's called 'Ice Maiden'.....Instead of using it in the normal way, I stamped it so the face is looking at the back of her own hair, strange, I know, but can you see what I mean?

Look at the shine on the embossing, I love it!










I hope you like this card as much as I do.......please leave a comment if you've enjoyed looking.

I love reading all the comments, and I never mind if they are complimentary or critical......It's only criticism which helps us improve!

Until next time, take care....

Barbara x
I'm entering this card into the following challenges :-
Craft Room Challenge
Through the Craftroom Door
Created With Love
Cutie Pie Challenge
Eureka Stamps
Kaboodledoodles
Love To Create (Orange, Yellow and Gold)
Make it Monday 

            

Something a bit different....for me, anyway

Evening all, hope you've had a good day.....

How's the weather for all of you? Our snow was just melting nicely but tonight it's snowing quite heavily again.  However, it's crafting for the rest of the week, as I have absolutely nowhere I need to go, yay!

Today's card is something a bit different for me...a bit of Vintage! Now I don't 'do' Vintage as I never seem to get it right.....I study other blogs, and sites, and see some amazingly gorgeous cards, but my efforts always seem to lack something. anyway here it is, see what you think......

The design was printed onto my fave 'linen' card from Papermill

Some of the prints were freebies, but I don't know where from, sorry.

Ribbon, lace, roses, charms and pearls from my stash. 

Got to say I'm not happy with it, I don't think it 'gels' somehow, but as I'm not sure how to change it,  I'm leaving it the way it is!

Thanks for all the comments on my last few posts, especially my last one about Max, I was touched....

Stay safe and warm,

Barbara

xx
I'm entering this card into the following challenges :-
Created with Love
Kaboodle Doodles
Make It Monday
Pretty Little Ribbon Shop
Tammy's Scrappin' Corner
City Crafter
Through The Craftroom Door

Happy (and sad) memories...

Hi everyone, from a still snowy Wiltshire....... I expect by now you've all experienced some snow no matter where you are....Just the perfect day to craft.

I'm a bit sad today as it's 2 years since we lost our beloved GSD, Max. He was an amazing dog, suffered quite a lot with various problems, (which were kept at bay of course, with meds) but never changed his wonderful temperament towards us.  This is Max below when he was 2, same age as Finn is now, coincidentally....wasn't he just so handsome?

We still miss him and think of him every day, we loved him so much......happy AND sad memories.

He was 12 when he died and I like to think he enjoyed his long life with us, we certainly enjoyed having him....

My card today was inspired a little by Max, because he was a lovely old friend.

I have used the negative part of the die-cut this time, instead of just popping the die-cut on top. It was quite tricky at first, especially lining up the bits which were unattached, but I do like the effect. The sentiment is from Visible Image.

 White and black cardstock from Papermill

Somehow, my beautiful flourish die has been 'creased', resulting in a little mark on the design (bottom right-hand corner).....*note to self * 'take more care of dies'!

3 simple pearls to finish....didn't think it needed anything else.

Hope you like today's card.....

Catch you all soon, stay safe and warm

xx
I'm entering this card into the following challenges :-
Less is More
Stamping Sensations
Kraftin' Kimmie
Sentimental Sundays 

Baby It's Cold Outside........

Hi everyone, and again, welcome to my new followers, hope you're all staying safe and warm. We still have a lot of snow here with more forecast over the next few days, but we're managing fine.....as long as we can get out for the quiz tomorrow night, I don't mind having to stay in the rest of the time!

I've made tonight's card for friends of Nick and Emma, who've just had their 1st baby. We were at their wedding 3 years ago and Nick was Best Man, so we know them quite well. Tom and Jo now have a lovely baby boy called Felix....glad he arrived safely before all this snow.

I've had this sweet little stamp for ages, sorry don't know the maker. I've coloured with Promarkers.

The 'Baby' die is from Marianne, and white card from Papermill

A large 'flourish' die from Cheery Lynn, a Martha Stewart punch,  a 'Nellie' fancy circle die and a few bits from my stash and voila!

I decorated and personalised the inside to show Felix's full name, date of birth and weight.

Hope you like it, please leave a comment if you've enjoyed looking.

Well that's all for tonight, catch you all soon,

....stay warm.

Barbara

xxx
I'm entering this card into the following challenges :-
Tammy's Scrappin Corner
Krafty Hands challenge
 Stamp Your Life
Crafty Ann's Challenge  (2 papers, 0  flowers, 1 image, 3 different embellishments)
Joyful Stamper
Simply Create Too

Keeping it simple.....

Hi everyone.......I'm trying to keep to the promise I made myself to blog at least every 2 days, so this is just a very quick post today. 

It's weigh-in tonight at 'fat-club', so I'm eagerly looking out of the window hoping it's started to snow.....it'll be a great excuse not to go! LOL

  I've actually been very busy this past week or so, and have made lots of different types of cards. I can't show them yet as there's lots going on in my crafty world that I can't share at the moment.....so you'll have to be patient until I can reveal all!

However, I can tell you that I've been asked to join the lovely team of crafters over at 

The Perfect Sentiment

and will be doing my first card for them in February. I think most of the Design Team are American ladies, so it will be great to be inspired by their way of crafting.

Anyway here is my (very) simple card, suitable for a teenager, just made for my stock. 

Backing paper and bits from stash.

Navy 'linen' basecard from 

Papermill 

(part of my 'years supply' win)

Guitar music sheet from Google and the image was coloured with Promarkers. I'm trying to do a bit colouring every night, hopefully to improve on this shambles! Definitely need more practice.

Right, that's it for now....hope to catch you tomorrow night, sometime.

Stay safe and warm,

Barbara xx
I'd like to enter this into the following challenge :-

Stampavie
Joyful Stampers
Simply Create Too 

Inspiration Day........

Morning everyone, from a very wet  (and snow-free) Wiltshire. I can't believe the fuss that's been made of the fact it's snowing in some places....the media are carrying on as if we've never seen snow before. After all, it IS Winter, haha.

However, if YOU are suffering because of snow,  take care and stay warm xx

Welcome to all my new followers, there's been quite a few of you this past couple of days, which is lovely, thank you xx
Anyway, today is Inspiration Day over at
Crafty Bloggers Network
The theme this month is FLOWERS and we've been kindly sponsored by
Mulberry Crafts
Here is my 'Inspiration' card

Some of the flowers I've enlarged, simply by sitting them on a bigger base.

I love this Happy Birthday, it's from
Stamp-it, an Australian company.

The cardstock is from
Papermill, (of course)









Hope you like it......Please leave a comment if you've enjoyed looking.
Barbara
xx
I'm entering this card into the following challenges :-
Challenges 4 Everybody
Dream Valley Challenges
Order of the Opus Gluei
Quirky Crafts Challenges (New items are some of the flowers and leaves)
The Squirrel and the Fox
Allsorts Challenge
Catch the Bug

Another Clean and Simple......

Morning everyone, it's Friday....Yay! ......Not that Fridays are any different for me than other days, apart from Alan is working from home today and we have the weekend ahead ;-

Anyway, I won't waffle on....today's post is very quick as I want to catch a couple of challenges before they close.

Just a clean and simple Valentine's card to enter in the challenges below.

Knew I'd find a use for all my millions of seed beads :)    The sentiment is heat embossed....this is still one of my favourite crafting techniques.    

Hope you like it xx  Back later......

I'm entering this card into the following challenges :-

Less is More 

Creative Moments 
Allsorts Challenge Blog 
ABC Challenges 
Divas By Design 
Artistic Inspirations 
Pan Pastels 
Delightful Sketches 
Happy Campers 
Simply Create 
Hotshot Crafts 

 

 

When Black Meets white........

Evening everyone and welcome to my new followers.....It's so nice to know you take the time to pop in now and then to see what I've been up to.

Well, I've had quite a productive couple of days.....lots of new cards to show you over the next few days, but first a card especially for the challenge at 

Less is More

This week they are asking for Black & white with a dash of one other colour, so I've used 2 little scraps of teal coloured ribbon as my bit of colour.

Base card is white 'linen' from

 PapermillDirect

The flourish stamps are from Inkadinkadoo, I think.

The lovely sentiment stamp is from

Stampendous

Hope you like my clean & simple card, 

catch you all tomorrow

Barbara

xx

I'd also like to enter this card into the following challenges ;-

Creative Moments

Simon Says Stamp
Pile It All On
Allsorts Challenge Blog
ABC Challenges 

Crafty Bloggers January Challenge.....

Happy Monday everyone.....don't all groan at that comment, haha.

Today I have a card to show that I've made for the Crafty Bloggers Network DT......

We were given a bag of flowers and ribbons to use from Mulberry Crafts, our sponsors for January, and they're so pretty.  

The theme this month is 

SAY IT WITH FLOWERS

Decided I would make a 'window box' and fill it with lovely Spring flowers.....All the recent rain has been making everyone so miserable, I thought looking forward to Spring would be nice.

These little flowers are so cheerful.

The sentiment is computer generated

I love this ornate window die from Spellbinders. I just popped some 'curtains' behind the frame, to brighten it up.

The white 'linen' card is from  

PapermillDirect

(of course)

Hope you like my little window scene, I think it brightens up a dull morning!
You might notice that I've removed a couple of leaves from the 'snippet' pic.....they just didn't look right, and I'm a bit 'finicky'

Enjoy your Monday everyone, catch you all soon

Would love to hear what you think of my pretty window box.

Barbara 

xx
I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges :-
ABC Challenges
Artistic Inspirations
Creative Creations

Incy Wincy Designs  (My new item is the Spellbinder Die)
Lexi's Creations
Make It Monday
Unstampabelles

Lots Of Things To Brag about! .......

Morning everyone, it's Saturday, whoohoo!

Well, what an exciting day I had yesterday.........but first I want to share some fantastic news I got just before Christmas.  I'm thrilled to say that I won a year's supply of cardstock and paper from

 PapermillDirect,

 my favourite supplier of card. I use their 'hammered' and 'linen' card on almost every card I make. One of my Christmas cards was chosen as the winner, so, to say I was thrilled is an understatement!

Yesterday morning, another of my cards was posted on Papermill blog and then last night, I saw that my Wedding Anniversary card for Nick &  Emma has been 'showcased' on the blog at

Less is More

So proud that people are seeing my creations, and liking them.

Anyway, today sees the start of our Twinchie challenges for 2013, this month it's Anything Goes.

These are my DT twinchies for January......hope you like them.

This is the truest fact of Christmas LOL

Faffy, but I like the little 'inked' stars.

Heat embossed with Cosmic Shimmer.

Well,  hope you've enjoyed hearing my good news, and seeing my little twinchies. Please do try to join in with the challenge, and pop over to see the rest of the Design Team creations.

Catch you all soon

Barbara xx
I'm entering these twinchies into the following challenges ;-
2 Sisters Challenge Blog
Catch the Bug
Charisma Cardz
 In The Pink
Link Up For Pink
Simply Create

The first challenge of 2013 from Cards-Galore....

 (please scroll down for my January DT card for  

The Cupboard Trilogy)

Well, this card is my second DT creation today, this time for the January challenge at 

Cards-Galore

The theme is Anything Goes, so lots of opportunity to enter this time.....

I chose to make something a bit different.....for me. Quite colourful with lots of different stamps and masks.

Indigo Blu, Lavinia & Chocolate Baroque 

Stamps

Computer generated sentiment

Lots of Cosmic Shimmer 

embossing powder

Dylusion Inks used with an 'Imagination' mask

 for the background

Well folks, that's it for today. 

Hope you've all had a very nice, relaxing 1st day of the year....we took Finn to the beach and walked about 3 miles (so that means I can have some sweeties tonight, haha)

Catch you all in a couple of days.

Barbara xx
I'm entering this card into the following challenges :-
Divas By Design
Freash Brewed Designs
Inky Impressions
The Artistic Stamper are asking for 'Your Favourite Stamp'
One Crazy Stamper
The Crafters Cafe
Unique Crafters

New Year....New Start

Morning everyone,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The sun is shining for a change and the sky is blue, so we're packing up a little picnic, and  heading off to the beach with Finn. 

First though, I wanted to share with you my very first DT card of 2013. This month, the challenge at 

The Cupboard Trilogy 

 is 'Lead By Example'......so I thought what better way of starting off the new year than to use up some of my scraps of card and paper. I don't know about you, but I keep almost every scrap, and now I'm running out of space in my craft room.... soon I'll be buried under a mountain of pretty paper, so if I don't blog for a while, you'll know why.

 This card has used up some tiny peices of green 'double-sided' paper for the foliage.....

....... and scraps of red card for the roses.

  I have actually made 3 new year resolutions....

No. 1 .......use up what I have in my craft room before buying more (don't think I'll stick to that!)

No.2........ stop PROCRASTINATING ( I'll never stick to that!)

and

No.3........lose weight (might have more success with that....after we've finished all the goodies, haha)

So, onto the finished card, I know it looks a bit 'Christmassy', but I think I'll turn it into a Ruby Wedding Anniversary card, and make a little box to go with it...What do you think??

  The topper is a 'tongue in cheek' comment and I'll change it for something different later.

Don't forget to pop over to The Cupboard Trilogy and join in the challenge.....maybe you've made a similar resolution to me, haha.

Back later with another DT card.....have a good day xxx