I'm back!

Have you missed me? Well, maybe not as I left quite a few scheduled posts for while I was away, but Mark and I have just got back from a wonderful holiday in Portugal. We stayed in the town of Tavira, on the eastern edge of the Algarve, a beautiful, tranquil historic town completely different from the sun-and-sand resorts further along the coast. Our hotel was a converted monastery, the Pousada do Convento da Graca where breakfast was served in the beautiful cloisters

The town was full of beautiful buildings - I think my crafting is going to be influenced by the tiled walls and shabby chic doors with peeling paint and beautifully tended metalwork. You can read more about our trip and see some of Mark's stunning photos over on his blog.

Anyway, we're home, the laundry mountain is dwindling and I'm able to start crafting again. I've eased myself back into it with a very clean and simple card using a set of NBUS Anita's stamps that I was given a while ago. I made a one layer card, stamped in Versafine and coloured with markers, with ruled lined to emphasise the cherry border and make it look as if it is another layer, and glossy accents to highlight the cherries.

I am sharing this with

Less is More - one layer, Sweet Things

Creative with stamps - Fruit  

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - D is for Drunk

It's time for our latest challenge at The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers, and  it's a theme very dear to the heats of all the Sistahs - D is for Drunk.

Doesn't Edna make a classy drunk? Unlike the gentleman in my image, printed from the CD "The Wine Buffs" by Katy Sue designs/

The image, sentiment and papers are all from the CD and I've added some wine-red ribbons. I chose the stitched ovals  and wood effect paper for the die cutting because it reminded me of the huge wooden barrels that wine is matured in.

Something Blue for Fathers Day at Cardz 4 Guyz

Here in the UK, Fathers Day is on June 18th  this year, so our new challenge at Cardz 4 Guyz is "Something Blue for Fathers Day".

I'm not a fan of making Fathers Day cards, since my own father passed away 17 years ago,  but I've made a very simple one to share with you.

The central panel is made with a set of Studio G sentiment stamps and a Kaleidacolor pad. I added two pockets - after all, what dad doesn't have to constantly dip into his pockets where his offspring are concerned? - made using some peel offs from a very old set I got from QVC many years ago. A bit of layering and some silver Candi because it is reminiscent of jeans rivets to go with the jeans pockets. Job done!

Pearls at Ooh La La Creations

Our new challenge is just going live at Ooh la la Creations and this time the theme is pearls.

I decided to make a tag instead of a card, for a change.

The image and papers are from the CD Yesterday's Memories, which you can buy here, on a large kraft tag and I have added some replica cigarette cards and embellishments from my stash. The filigree embellishment is one I have had for years, but you can get hold of very similar ones on the Ooh La La website

Things With Wings at Quirky Crafts

Today is the start of our June challenge at Quirky Crafts, and this time it is my turn to choose the theme,  so I have chosen Quirky Things With Wings.

Our sponsors this time are Limited Runs and Bugaboo, and for my card today I have used Limited Runs image Dragonfly #1 which is a very quirky dragonfly!

I've teamed it with a selection of papers from an old K & Company stack, coloured it to co-ordinate and given it a die cut mat, then added a stamped sentiment and some dragonfly brads from my stash.

Shabby Chic at CD Sundays

Today the theme at CD Sundays is Shabby Chic.

When I think Shabby Chic, I think Debbi Moore, and today I've used the Shabby Chic Paris Bookazine CD, one of my favourites.

I had a lovely time making this! First I covered my card with one of the background papers then sanded all the edges to distress them. Then I stamped the Paris scene from the Tim Holtz Skylines set onto another of the background papers. That, the two poster style toppers and the border are all cut from sheets from the CD and distressed with a V-shaped distressing tool. The pink rose scrap is from yet another of the background papers, roughly torn to shape. I fussy cut the roses from one of the design sheets and added a die cut bicycle and a penny farthing button, then finished off with a handful of pearls.

I got a bit carried away with the printing and printed out far more than I needed, including a few sheets I didn't cut into, so watch out for more Parisian fun coming along on here soon!

Non-traditional colours at Sparkles Christmas

It's time for our new challenge at Sparkles Christmas and today we would like you to use non-traditional Christmas Colours.

Now Black is definitely not a Christmas colour, but teamed with Silver I think it looks very stylish, and I've used elements from old Kanban and Hunkydory kits to make a gatefold card using these colours.

I had also intended to cover the insides of the two gatefold panels with the black and silver paper, but then I realised it would leave nowhere for the sender to write!