I've had a really crafty day...

Its the first day of the half term holidays and so having let my boys have a day on the wii, and now watching a dvd with popcorn I have spent most of the day crafting.

Firstly, I have made some Jingle Beans for Christmas, using some Ikea spice jars, and a huge box of jelly beans that I bought in Makro:

I've managed to make 4 out of the box using the white, red and green beans, and will just have to eat the other colours! The box of beans cost £3.44, and the jars were 4 for £1.99, so I reckon each jar has cost me about 93p. I've made the tag on the front on the computer printed out on photo paper cut with a circle nestability, and used the scallop nestability to cut out the red backing scalloped circle.

Then I with the boys I made some chocolate cookies, which are absolutely yummy!

And, finally, I have made a couple of baby cards for a friend who is expecting at the end of next month. She doesn't know what she is having, so I have made one of each:

The pink one has been made from circle and scallop circle nestabilities, which arrived at the weekend and I am already hooked using them! One of the scallop circle was then put through the cuttlebug with 'swiss dots'. When I went to buy some bits and pieces from one of our local shops I spotted the teddy and hearts ribbon and just had to have some. It is fab so I bought pink and cream. For the blue one I didn't want to use circles, so have just matted some different shades of blue card together, and rounded the edges with a corner punch. All the card,ribbon, gems and peel offs are from my stash.

My latest cards this week.....

Have had a really busy week with work lately, but have managed to make a couple of this week, the fist one being needed to post out before the post strike started.

This one is for my 17 year old neice who lives out in Greece. She is not really a 'girly' girl as she hates pink, and purple, so I have coloured the image in paintshop pro on the computer using greens and blues. The larger green card backed onto the white square card, has been cuttle bugged with swiss dots, and the smaller one is handmade paper which I found in a large pack in Poundland. The black ribbon running along the bottom is just from my stash.

This second card is for my Childminders daughter who turns 11 next week, and the image is the same as the one above, but has been coloured with pink and grey. Again the backing card has been put through the cuttlebug with swiss dots, and I have matted the image on silver card, and added some ribbon, and a flower with brad to finish it off. I'm really pleased with how these cards have turned out, and will definitely be doing some more like this.

It took me the best part of a night to cut out this decoupage castle for one of my best friends little girls birthday in December. Again really pleased with the result, and know her mum will appreciate the effort that I have put into making this card. The backing card and peel offs are from my stash. Again the castle was sent to me by Maria from MSE a while ago.

Finally I sent Rusty over at MSE my halloween card and sweets for her kids, and this is the card I made to go with the parcel. This is made completely from off-cuts that I had from other cards, and the butterfly was in my stash but was sent to me with a craft swap stash a little while ago. The backing card for the butterfly was run through the cuttle bug with swiss dots and matted onto silver card. The pink boarder at the bottom is an off cut that has again beein put through the 'bug' with a flower embossing border.

Will get on and make some cards over the weekend, and will post some more up soon.

This week's entry into the CCC Challenge..

This week's theme for the Creative Card Crew Challenge is Scallops, so here is my entry, and it also my entry for the MSE 'Halloween and Monster' Challenge.

The backing paper and which picture were free downloads of the net, and I have used paintshop pro to colour the witch in. Pretty pleased with how it has turned out.

Here's my challenge card for this months Autumn challenge over at Crafty Place:

I've made the card from 'hammered' cream card, and the patterned paper was sent to me from a stash swap so not sure what it is.

I've added an iridescence flower to the middle of the patterned paper, and another 4 on the bottom of the card. The patterned paper is backed onto some brown card, that I have run through my cuttlebug using swiss dots, and the brown border at the bottom is just an embossing board folder that I have also run through my 'bug'. The ribbon is from my stash.

Hope you like it and I have caught the essence of 'Autumn'.

Had a craft morning today

Have spent the morning, working out how many birthday cards I have to make between now and Christmas and it is 25 eeek. So I have this morning made a start and come up with these. Both are in the same style and I have used my swiss dots for the cuttlebug directly into the card:

I made the DL cards from A4 card stock, and mounted the images onto gold card, which I have picked up from a local fare at 5p for an A5 sheet. The butterfly is from basic grey Sultry and was one of the chipboard shapes. The pot of flowers and ribbon came as part of a CP stash swap a while ago. Everything else I have used has come from my stash.

This card is one for this months CP card swap entitled 'friendship'. The image is a Gorjuss Girl one, and since I don't have any promarkers, I have used paintshop pro to colour it in on the computer. I'm really pleased with how it has come out, and hope whoever receives it in the card swap likes it too.

More cards using my....cuttlebug!

After a really busy week at work, I have managed to spend this morning making some cards using my recent purchases of a cuttlebug, corner punch and square cards! I found a craft shop near me last weekend, so went and purchased some embossing folders for the cuttlebug, and was given a loyality card where when I get 30 stamps I get a £10 voucher. I wanted to get swirls but they had very limited stock, as they had been to the show at Sandown, so ended up buying a swiss dots folder. Have really enjoyed using the cuttlebug this morning and have made these cards. The first one is for my mum, to go with the swing card I made her for her birthday a couple of weeks ago, and is just a card to put some theatre tickets in. The paper is basic grey 'sultry' and everything else has come out of my stash.





This is the second card I have made for my Aunt's birthday next week. Here favourite colour is green and she loves anything spotty, so I have created the swiss dots backing paper using the cuttlebug and added some green spotty ribbon to the bottom, and thanks to flourgirl on MSE have backed an image from pinkpetty coat to some scalloped circles. The 'Happy Birthday' is a peel off from Anita's.







I have also had a go at making a coaster calendar for my desk at the office - thanks for the coasters 'Rusty'. I found this relatively easy to make. I really like it, even though it looks a bit plain. Would like to make sum more, and try the matching post-it pads.

My sons best friend's birthday card...

Been busy again, making another birthday card. This time it is for my son's best friend Alex, who is a mad Harry Potter fan. Really pleased with the way it has come out, and it is thanks to my OH working his 'magic' on paintshop pro. I'll find out on Monday if he likes it.

REALLY AM ON A ROLE THIS WEEK

I've spent all evening making my mum's birthday card. I wanted to do something different, and have taken inspiration from September's card swap challenge over on Crafty Places and I have come up with this. I think the papers used are basic grey sultry, and the rest of the bits are from my stash. Have to admit that I found cutting out the template quite tricky, but once you suss out what you are doing it is quite easy. Covering the card in paper was I guess the most difficult bit. I got the template from here.

Christmas Cards for the Troops

I've finally had some time this week to belatedly, complete a challenge set by Marg over at MSE, to make some Christmas cards for the troops. They are all made using card that I already had and the toppers are recycled from some gift cards, my kids got last year. I kept them as I knew they would eventually come in handy!


I am back with a vengence creating cards - thought my mojo would never come back! I've made this for a friend who is getting married at the weekend. Again everything used is from my stash, and the ribbon is the same one she has used for her wedding. I think it has come out really well. I hope she likes it.

NEW CARDS TODAY..

Had some time to make a couple more cards today. This this one is my favourite - it was for my aunt and uncles wedding anniversity. Peel off and ribbon from my stash, and swirly 'handmade' paper from a pack I bought from The Works.

This one is for a friend, who likes gardening:

This one is for a friends little girl who has just turned five. Thanks to Maria for the template a while ago.