Joy To The World

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Today is the day of celebrating Christmas with your families and loved ones and it is really one of my most favourite days of the year.

The BBQ, the ham, the pool, Love Actually.

It really is the BEST day.

I am here to share the Christmas love with 2 cards made with the Penny Black stamp set, Joy to the world.

This first card feature the gorgeous little hedgie that comes in so many of the Penny Black sets, and  I just love him.  He is coloured up with alcohol markers.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges...

Penny Black Saturday challenge - Christmas or Winter CLOSES 5/1/17

Crafty Calendar - Christmas Time

Hiding in my craft room - Any Holiday

Crafty Hazelnuts - Use a Sentiment

Pile it on - Celebrations -closes 8/1/17

My second card uses the Santa and reindeer images from the set.

I have added hills using Stitched Hillside Borders from Lawn Fawn

Thanks loads for joining me today - I will let you get back to enjoying your Christmas day.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges...

Penny Black Saturday challenge - Christmas or Winter closes 5/1/17

Crafting when we can - Christmas closes 7/1/17

Fashionable Stamping Challenges - Christmas - closes 8/1/17 

Heartful Stamping challenges - Anything Goes 2/1/17

Pile it on - Celebrations - closes 7/1/17

SGC - Anything Goes with All Dressed Up

Hi Lovely followers :)

This fortnight over at Southern Girls Challenge the theme is Anything Goes again.

We have been sponsored by All Dressed Up for this challenge.

I chose to do a fairly CAS card for me using Christmas Deer .

I used KaiserCraft papers from a last years Christmas release.

The image was coloured with Copic markers and the sentiment was cut with my silhouette cutter.

Thanks loads for dropping by,

Lou

I wish to enter my card in the following challenges...

All Dressed Up Challenge - Anything Goes closes 15/01/17

Christmas Sweet Stamping - Inspired by a song (Winter Wonderland)closes 12/01/17

Crafty Creations - Any Holiday (Christmas) closes 4/01/17

Simon Says Stamp - Make it sparkle (sparkly sentiment)

Diecuttin Divas - Santa or Reindeer

ASnowflakes Promise - Winter

Merry Christmas to EWE

I have been busy beavering away making Christmas cards.

A fun task when you have such cute stamps and dies to work with.

When I saw this Baah Humbug Christmas stamp and dies set I knew they would be perfect for sending out this years Christmas Salutations.

I stamped the images with alcohol marker friendly ink then die cut with the corresponding dies.

Once they were cut I coloured them and glued them down.

The sheep is adhered with foam tape to add dimension.

I added the bakers twine and drew lines around the white mat to finish the card.

Thanks for dropping by and I hope you are having a fabulous Christmas Day.

Bizzy Becs Anything Goes

It's our last challenge for the year over at Bizzy Bec's

As always the theme is Anything Goes.

I went for a Christmas theme using Baah Humbug stamps and Dies from LawnFawn, available of course in the Bizzy Becs Shop

I stamped my images with Memento Black ink  then cut them with the corresponding dies.

I had prestamped and edged the mat card with Stitched Borders Dies.

I then foam mounted the sheep and added the diecut hat and bell.

I then adhered all my layers and added the star ribbon.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today and I hope you will join in at Bizzy Becs with us. 

A Bloobel Christmas at SGC

HI :)  Over at Southern Girls this fortnight we have another Anything Goes Challenge.

One of our fabby sponsors is a fave of mine Bloobel Stamps.

I have used one of the Bloobel images on my card....

I used Promarkers to colour my image and the papers are an older MME line.

The clear drops are from Stampin Bella from YEARS ago, I just rediscovered them in a craft drwer.

The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

Thanks loads for dropping by 

Lou

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges...

The Crafty Addicts - Xmas Papers

Allsorts Challenge - anything Christmas

The Pencil Case - Anything Goes

Craft Rocket - Wintertime

Passion for Promarkers - 3 fave colours- Red, Grey, Brown

Colour Crazy - Anything Goes

Pop It Up With Southern Girls Challenge

This fortnight at Southern Girls the theme is about popping things off your projects.

I went for the obvious and popped the image and sentiment up with foam strips.

The image is called "Baby Elf" and is from this challenges sponsor Julia Spiri

I gave the promarkers a break this time and used my copic markers instead, because I have more greens and browns in my copic collection.

I used the sketch from "Feeling Sketchy"

The sentiment is from Hero Arts and I bought it about 8 years ago  and can't for the life of me remember the name of it but it has loads of "Thinking of You" stamps in it.

Thanks loads for dropping by

Lou

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges...
Julia Spiri Challenge - Tic Tac Toe - Blue, Image and Flowers
Feeling Sketchy
Crafty Gals Corner - Anything Goes

Wish Big at Bizzy Becs

Hi, I am here to today to share my Bizzy Bec's DT project with you.

For this card I aimed to make a quick and easy shaker card,  ummmmmm, so didn't turn out that way.

I will share a tip with you that I learnt this week as I decided to change.  DO NOT use mono glue or Tacky glue for shaker cards.  It does not dry properly and remains sticky or tacky.  So your sequins will stick to any of the mono or tacky glue that has slipped out from the layers.

II ended up taking my card to pieces and salvaging the image to start again.

Here is the finished card....

All the items I used that are available from Bec's are pre-order.

Product from Bizzy Bec's with links.....

Penny Black Wish Big clear stamp set (which is on special at the moment with free shipping in Australia)

Lawn Fawn Lawn Cuts Stackable Circle Dies

Wild Rose Icing On The Cake paper pad

I coloured my image with Letraset Promarkers.

Thanks loads for dropping by

Lou

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges....

Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes

Craft dee Bows - Handmade bow

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Fall colours

Passion for Promarkers - Fall Colours

Dream Valley - One for the girls

Love to scrap - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps -Lots of Layers

Crafting when we can - No square cards 

Bizzy Bec's Anything Goes - 5 Today

Today is my baby boys 5th birthday it is also the day that Bizzy Bec's October Anything Goes Challenge.

I am sharing my boy's birthday card for the challenge....

I have used the following items from Bizzy Bec's on the card....

Wild Rose - Fox on a branch stamp

Lawn Fawn Big Scripty words Stamp

Lawn Fawn Big Scripty words Lawn Cuts Die

I watercoloured the stamped image with shimmering H20 watercolours.

Thanks loads for dropping by,

Lou

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges...

Inky Chicks - Animals

Sunnyday Crafting - Anything Goes

Artistic Inspirations - Anything Goes

Ellibelles Creative Moments - Critters and Creatures

Pretty In Pastels With Southern Girls Challenge

This fortnight at Southern Girls we want to see pastel colours on your projects.

We are lucky enough to be sponsored by Art By Miran.

I have used an image called Gentle Astrid....

I used a selection of different lines of paper collections.

The banner and "hello" are both diecuts.

The image is coloured with promarkers.

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges....

Passion For Promarkers - Spots and/or Stripes

Art By Miran Challenge - Anything Goes

Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes plus a sentiment

Crafty Girls Challenge - Anything Goes

Digi Choosday - Anything Goes

Shimmering, Shakin Yay Kites

Hi I am here with you on this drizzly, cold spring day.  At least it is in my part of the world.  A perfect day for crafting on the upside.

I am sharing my Bizzy Becs DT card for this month which uses the totally versatile,

extremely cute Lawn Fawn Yay, Kites stamp and Yay, Kites Lawn Cuts

For my card I decided to make a scene shaker card. 

I stamped the kite and clouds on the card base and coloured with Shimmering H20 paints, then I cut the glitter card for the frame and adhered the acetate to it.  I then added my foam tape to the base so it couldn't be seen and poured in the sequins and flattened them out so I could stick the frame and acetate on.

I then stamped and cut the "hello" and squirrel and glued them to the top.

The pic above shows the sequins all shaken out, cute hey?

Thanks loads for joining me today and I hope I have inspired you to make a shaker card of your own

Lou.

CAS Card for Bizzy Becs.

Hi, I am here today to share a Clean and Simple but effective card with you.

I normally do layered cards with a cute image in the middle and I would say that cute and layered is definitely my "style".  However sometimes the person or mail restrictions just don't lend themselves to a frou frou card.

This is when CAS cards come into their own for me.

I decided that a simple but pretty Thank You card was what was required for this post.

So here it is....

I have used Flower Festival by Penny Black for the image,the set has a lovely selection of flowers to choose from.  Since I adore yellow I chose the marigolds. I stamped the image onto Neenah Cardstock and coloured it up with Shimmering H2O watercolours.

The die I used is similar to the Frantic Stamper Accessory Words #3 die.

I popped up the butterfly with some foam tape to finish.

I hope I have inspired you to try something different and step out of your comfort zone.

Lou

Anything Goes at Bizzy Becs

Another Anything Goes challenge is live for the month over at Bizzy Becs and we would love for you to join us.

Each month one lucky participant wins a mystery prize of a die or stamp.

Here is my DT inspiration card....

Bizzy Bec's Items Used

Stamp - Stamping Bella -  Sally and her Snail

Lawn Fawn - Stitched Border Dies.

I coloured my image with promarkers and the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

I wish to enter this card in the following challenges....

Passion For Promarkers - Favourite Things - Bright Colours and Flowers :)

Inky Chics - 5 or more flowers

Lemon Shortbread - Anything Goes

Crafting By Design - Anything Goes

The Paper Shelter - Anything Goes

Flying High with Bizzy Bec's

Hi, I am here today to share a birthday card with you, made with wonderful products from Bizzy Bec's Store.

I had loads of fun with this card, although there was a touch and go moment which I will tell you about shortly...

I started with a 6x6 base which i then sponged with dye ink to make the sky background.

I then stamped Ramona and her teddy by Stamping Bella on to Neenah Heavy Weight Cardstock with memento ink.  I then coloured up my image with my promarkers, and here came the touch and go, the blue part was originally pink, but when I had finished the image I realised how hideous the pink looked with the rest of the colours so I coloured over it with blue markers.  Luckily it turned out ok :)

I then fussy cut the image and put aside.

Next I cut my Memory Box Puffy Clouds and Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillsides.  I inked the edges on the hills to give them some definition.

I then stuck everything down on the inked card base and drew a frame in with white pen.

Then I decided it needed a sentiment so I embossed Happy Birthday with Lawn Fawn Big Scripty Words.

I hope you get a little inspiration to make a scene of your own on a card.

Lou

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges....
Card & Scrap - Anything Goes
The Crafters Cafe  - Clean and Simple
Crafty Calendar - Punches and or Dies
Fantasy Stampers - Clean and Simple
Dragonfly Dreams - Anything Goes

It's A Floral Frenzy At Southern Girls....

The new challenge went up yesterday over at Southern Girls and we want to see flowers.... Lots and lots of flowers.

We are being sponsored for this challenge by Polkadoodles which is where that delightful image on my card comes from, her name is Winnie fruit punch and there is a great collection of images with her doing allsorts in the webstore.

I actually made this card at our monthly Otane Scrap day so it was kind of a limited supplies challenge for me too ;)

I coloured the image with promarkers and the sentiment and dies are from Stampin Up and the papers are October Afternoon from a 12x12 collection.

A very sweet Australian lass is now the proud owner of this card as she was here on holiday when her birthday arrived. 

Thanks so much for visiting my blog and I hope you will come and play along at SGC

Lou

I wish to enter the following challenges
Fab n Funky - 2 or more DPs
Addicted to stamps - Anything goes
Craft Rocket Challenges  - Anything Goes
Aud Sentiments - For a girl
4 crafty chicks - summer
The paper shelter - summer days
Lil red wagon - summer  Top 3

Anything Goes at Bizzy Bec's

Our new challenge starts today at Bizzy Bec's 

As always our challenge is Anything Goes so it makes it nice and easy for you to play along.

This is my card for this month...

I have used...
Pre Order Penny Black Fairy Sweet
Corner Die similar to Wild Rose Corner flourish

I used papers from Simple Stories and the image is coloured with copic markers.  

I cut the hello little one on my silhouette.

Thanks loads for dropping by to visit

Lou

Yay Kites

Hi, Louise here today to share with you a card made with the Lawn Fawn Yay Kites stamps and die sets.  These are available now for pre-order over at Bizzy Bec's shop.

This was my first time actually using a stamp set with a matching die and it was pretty simple.

My only tip would be use washi tape to hold the dies in place when cutting.

I coloured my images with markers and foam mounted some of them against the base of the card.

For the hills at the bottom of the card I used Stitched Hillside Borders also by Lawn Fawn

Thanks for joining me today and I hope you enjoyed my first post as a member of the Design Team  at Bizzy Becs :)

Lou

Card and Cupcake Box Set

Last year I was on a design team for a stamp illustrator and she asked me to make a project for her online magazine.

The magazine took nearly a year to go live and I was pretty disappointed that she hadn't let me know that she wasn't using my project or I could have posted it last year!

Anyway I will share it with you now and just to let you know the recipient thought it was fantastic so I guess that is what matters.

 So starting off with the card.....

Continuing with the cupcake box...

and here is the set together :)

I was thrilled with how they turned out and I for one am proud to share them.

Thanks for dropping by,

Lou

I would like to enter these in the following challenges...

Let's Color Linky Party

Get Creative Challenges - Bingo - Purple, Doily, Stamp  Top 3:)

Crafting From The Heart - Anything Goes

Craft Your Passion  - Anything Goes

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

Crafty Gals - Shimmer and Shine

Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp - add some shimmer

The Kids Are Alright - Southern Girls Challenge

The new challenge is up over at Southern Girls Challenge  and this fortnight we are all about kids.

We have 2 fantastic sponsors offering prizes and one of those is Julia Spiri.  

I used one of Julia's images on my card...

Isn't she cute :)

I used a sketch from I Heart Sketches for my card.

I have coloured her with Copic markers ad added stickles on her wings.

I added some accents with a Bo Bunny pearl pen.

The papers came from a 6x6 pad called My Girl by American Crafts

I used a couple of dies and the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

I hope you will come and play along with us.

I would also like to enter the following challenges with my card....

The Crazy Challenge - Tic Tac Toe - Ribbon, Digi, Flowers

Our Crafty Corner - Anything Goes

Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes

Addicted to Stamps - Flowers

Crafting For All Seasons - Make It Girly

Bizzy Bec's Challenge - Anything Goes

It is time for the monthly challenge to start over at Bizzy Becs and extra exciting is I am now on the DT for Bizzy Becs :)

I have used a few pre-order items from the store for my card.

Gorjuss Girl Stamp pre order- The Collector

Wild Rose Papers - Annabel's Meadow

Marianne Designs preorder - Doily Die

I hope you will come and join in the challenge with us and make sure and check out the res of the DT ladies cards.

Card Class Update

 Recently I participated in a class called Clear and Sheer at Online Card Classes.  I don't know what possessed me to sign up as I have never been fond of using vellum and a lot of the samples included vellum.

I tried my hand at some of the techniques, while some I still need to do, with varying degrees of success .   I will talk you through them as we go....

This one I liked :)  This was basically watercolouring a card base and adding a small piece of vellum over the top.  I used a stamp by Tim Holtz andcoloured the images and background with shimmering H2Os.  The sentiment was embossed with Zing ebossing powder and is a hero arts sentiment.

 I enjoyed making this one too, although it is pretty much a direct copy of the sample.

I diecut everything on my silhouette portrait.

The cards below are tragic!!!!  But I will share anyway to show what a complete stuff up I made.

They are supposed to be ombre effect on vellum using spamp pads, while in actuallity they are just a freaking hot mess.   Jennifer McGuires looked great though ;)

Anything Goes wth Southern Girls - Thoughts on 40

This fortnight Team Lou are up over at Southern Girls Challenge and for this one it is a nice easy Anything Goes Challenge.

I have decided to share my "Thought's On 40" layout which I did as my kit swap at last months Otane Crafts Scrapbooking Swap.

The photos were taken on my 40th birthday which was a day I had been dreading for MONTHS.

Turned out it wasn't so bad.

I was building it up to be some horrible day but it was just the same as any other and I still feel the same as I did when I was 30, just with a bit more life experience and less tolerance for dickheads.

I also couldn't really give a fat rats arse what people think or say about me anymore.

I have friends, really good friends and they and my family know me and that is what matters and if other people think I am not good enough to talk to or want to talk about me, whatever.

I am happy with who I am, I love my family, I care about my friends and I have a great life :)

So there you have my thoughts on 40. LOL

I hope you will come over and join us at the challenge and play along

Lou.

A Day Late.....

a buck short, I'm writing the report, on losing and failing.  When I move I flailing now. 

Blink 182

There you go, start your day with a little punk rock I always say :)

Anyway, I am a day late with with this card for the southern girls challenge.

This fortnight is the turn of Team Lou (yep my team),  and we want to see patterned paper on  your project.

YEP, that's it, add some patterned paper and you could be into win a prize from Lacy Sunshine or Pppinkydolls.

I have used a Ppinkydoll image on my card.

Her name is Fifi.

When I started this card I knew exactly who I was making it for which made life a lot easier.  My dad wanted to send my Aunty a card as she has been in hospital unwell, she is home now though so that is FANTASTIC!  So this card is her get well card :)

I used some paper out of my stash and cut the base using a cut file from the Silhouette Design store.  SO EASY!

I coloured my image with my birthday promarkers (better than copics IMO)

and the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

Thanks loads for dropping by and I hope you like my card,

Lou

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges....

Simon Says Stamp - Lets do the Polka
Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes
4 Crafty Chicks - Get Well
Aud Sentiments - Anything goes
Crafting With An Attitude - Anything Goes

OAC Kit Swap #2 and the Blatherings of a Soccer Mum

This is the second layout I completed from the OAC kit swap.

I used quite an old photo of Will from when he had his curly locks.

Man his his was CUTE!

This kit was put together by Robyn for us all.

The papers in this kit were from KaiserCraft and the letter stickers are both American Crafts Thickers.  The letters came from my stash.

Yesterday we had Soccer grading day, it went pretty well.

Although this year I found things more stressful as i actually had to go!  Normally I just send hubster along with the boys and stay home with the two littlies.  But this year,  I had to go as I am now part of the soccer committee.

Oh well, I guess the things we do for our kids hey?

Thanks for visiting,

Lou

OAC Kit Swap Layout #1 and some fantasy tv programming love.

In my last post I showed my layout for the OAC kit swap.

Today I am sharing a layout I completed with Raewyn's kit.

The photo is of my kids and my close friend's children.

I am not sure what the papers are that were included in the kit or the diecut, BUT I love how this turned out :)

I am also so excited as we have re-signed up with Neon TV this month so we can watch season 6 of Game of Thrones.

Even more exciting is they have a new show starting at the end of April based on Terry Brooks Shanara series YAY!   I am looking forward to that and hope it lives up to my expectations.  I kind of thought Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy would be made into a series first but hey ho, I will take what I can get.

Thanks for dropping by,

Lou

Such A Useless Blogger!!!!!!!!

I don't know what is up with me and blogging at the moment!

I have been creating, I have actually been doing HEAPS of scrapbooking.

I joined a kit swap with my fellow scrappers from the Otane Arts Center where I attend a monthly scrap crop.

This is the layout kit I gave to the participants.... 

It was made with an older collection from Kaisercraft and silhouette cuts.

I will share some of my layouts made with kits I received in the swap in some upcoming posts.

Thanks for dropping by,

Lou

On A Wing And A Prayer....

Hi, so you may remember a couple of cards ago that I mentioned that I send my Brother and SisterIL's cards together?

Well here is my brothers card....

A bit different to my usual style but I am pretty happy with how it turned out.

I have used an image from Sassy Cheryl called A Wing and a Prayer.

I coloured with copics this time, although  am now preferring my promarkers to colour with.

The background is prismacolor pencil.

I cut the hill with my new Lawn Fawn border dies which I was inspired to buy by Karen who makes LOADS of amazeballs cards with them.

Thanks loads for dropping by :)

Lou

Crafty Kiwi Mama: Blogaversary - Candy

My good friend Wendy is having a fantastic giveaway on her blog - make sure and go and check it out at ...... Crafty Kiwi Mama: Blogaversary - Candy:

A Bubble Kind Of Wish

Hi lovely Peeps :) It is such a stunningly beautiful day here today.

I won't make this a long post as I want to get outside and enjoy it before it gets too hot.

Today I have a card made with a Lia Stamps image coloured with promarkers to share with you.

I have used a sketch from Paper Play Sketches for the layout...

I have used papers from the My Girl stack by American crafts and the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

The beautiful sequins are from SpiegelMom Scraps.

I am entering in the following challenges apart from the sketch mentioned above....

Creative Moments - Anything Goes with optional sentiment on front

Allsorts Challenge - Feminine 

Crafty Friends - Flowers

ADFD Card For Carolyn

Way back in January it was my sister in law's birthday. And last week it was my brothers.  Me being quite a bit Scottish descended I don't like to waste money, so I always send their cards together.  I know, tight aye ;)

I have recently rediscovered my love for A DAY FOR DAISIES stamps, I used to use these ALL the time but then I started doing more DT work which meant I had to use certain images and many of my much loved stamps and companies were put on the back burner.  Well now I'm back (haha just had a Gloria Gaynor moment) and embracing all those stamp companies I love.

For this card I have used an image called "A Special Flower" I have coloured her up with promarkers....

The papers are MME Stella & Rose - Mabel. The flowers are from Fancy Pants

and I cut the sentiment on my silhouette cutter.

Thanks loads for dropping by,

Lou

I would like to enter the following challenges....

A Day For Daisies - Dimensional Flowers

Passion For Promarkers - Girls Only

Artistic Inspirations Challenge - Anything Goes

Crafty Boots - Something for the ladies

Crafty Cardmakers - for a special woman

Shopping Our Stash - No White Paper

Inky Chicks - Ribbon or Lace

Mad Keen Hunter Layout

Yesterday was the last Saturday of the month so that means Otane Scrap Crop day.

Yesterday was my second time and I love it!!!  I blasted out 3 and a bit layouts.  Today I am sharing one which is based on a sketch at STUCK?! Sketches

Here is my layout....

and here is the sketch I followed...

I have flipped it as you will be able to tell.

I used papers from Fancy Pants' Happy Go Lucky collection.  I would normally have sewn the circle with a sewing machine but since I was at a crop and didn't see the sewing machine in the corner until I was onto my third layout I have used bakers twine.

The alphas are thickers and the other bits and pieces are all from my stash.

Thanks loads for dropping by

Lou

Ode To Summer.....

I think this year has been the best summer in absolutely ages!

Lots of lovely swimming weather along with enough rainy days to keep our tanks ticking over without the water tanker being called on. 

So as a little homage to the gorgeous summer I have created this card using the sketch from Sketch Saturday 

The image is from All Dressed Up and the papers are Stella & Rose - Mabel by My Minds Eye.

I cut the sentiment on my silhouette.  The image is coloured with Promarkers which I just picked up for a bargain from a lady on a colouring group on FB.

Thanks loads for dropping by to see my summery card.

Along with the sketch challenge mentioned in my post  I would also like to enter the following challenges...

Passion for Promarkers - Luscious Locks

Crafting with friends - Anything goes

Brown Sugar Challenge- Anything Goes

All dressed Up Challenge - Anything Goes