Sunday 23 February 2014

Lovely Layers…

 

 

Hey everyone, have you had a nice weekend?

I had a fab day crafting in the attic yesterday   …all day!

Keith getting this bike is the best thing ever because he’s spending so much time in the garage surrounded by his oily parts. He says “I’m sorry I’m neglecting you” and I say “oh it’s fine” …and really I want to jump up and down and go “yippee, more crafty time for me!!”

 

**

 

I’m super late with my post for Papertake Weekly (sorry dawny) but there is still plenty of time to enter

This week it’s a theme that suited me right down to the ground…

 

Lovely Layers

 

I always put lots of layers on my cards and this one is using the new papers and art pads from Lili of the Valley

I have to be honest I had my doubts about this Father Knows Best pad when I first saw it, the colours looked very dark. But, once I got playing with it I love it, the dark colours used with the lighter ones give you a fabulous palette for all your male cards

The James image is from the new James and Jenny art pad

 

PTW 46 - Lovely Layers

 

It’s a simple card, lot’'s of layers using the papers

The matt for the image is using a Spellbinders blossom die, I stamped around the edge of the circle with one of the elements from the Grunge Swirls set just to add a bit of interest

The greeting is from the Handwritten Phrases set

Finish with a bit of lace, a button and some twine  …you’re done!

 

**

 

Hope you like it, pop over to the Papertake Weekly blog for details of the prizes, how to enter the challenge and also lots of inspiration from the fab design team

 

**

 

Here are a few more piccies of my banner from the hop on Friday, my light went just as I was taking the pictures so they were a bit rubbish!

I’ve hung it along the front of a bookcase in the Lili of the Valley shop…

 

February Hop - Banner 2

February Hop - Banner 5

 February Hop - Banner 4  

 

 

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday everyone, thanks for stopping by

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday 21 February 2014

DT Blog hop…

 

 

 

Morning crafters, blimey can you believe it’s Friday again, where do the weeks go? 

Nearly time for another Lili of the Valley product launch so the DT are holding a hop to hopefully give you a bit of inspiration for using the fab new papers and art pads which are available to buy on the website from midday on Monday

There are 6 gorgeous paper pads, 5 new art pads and also another set of their popular sentiments tags, I use mine all the time and this new set has tags for all your family members  …I know that they are going to be so useful!

*

Just ‘hop’ from one blog to another following the links and leave a comment on each post, hopefully we can give you lots of ideas along the way

As always we have some hidden prizes, we don’t know where they are so do be sure to visit and comment on every blog

We will let you know on Monday morning which were the ‘lucky’ blogs and the winners will be drawn at random from all the comments that were left on those blogs

We have a full set of the 6 new papers to give away, 2 lucky winners will each get 3 pads

...and there will be a 3rd prize of a set of the new family tag sentiment stamps


Here's a list of all the blogs taking part, and remember that you will need to visit them all and leave a comment on each one to have the best chance of winning;

 

Ideas To Inspire

Anne (you’re here)

Becky

Dawny

Debbie

Dena

Elise

Fleur

Gretha

Jen

Kathy

Mary J

Mindy

 

*

 

I decided to make a Lili of the Valley banner for the shop using my favourites of the new papers – Shabby Shack

Sorry about the rubbish pictures, my light bulb died just at the wrong moment and I couldn’t find anywhere with any decent light

 

 

   February Hop - Banner L February Hop - Banner O February Hop - Banner T February Hop - Banner V

 

 

February Hop - Banner

 

 

I cut the letters on my Cricut and used a Magnolia Doohickey stitched border die at the top

The little flowers are cut with an EK Success retro flower punch

I’ll change the pictures if I can take some better ones this morning in the daylight. I just realised too that I forgot to take a picture of the back, the reverse has the blue spotty paper. I made both sides pretty and then it can hang in the window

 

*

 

Hope you like it! Hop along to Becky's blog from here    ....and if you get lost you can start again at the beginning and pick the links up from there

Before I go, don’t forget to stop by the Ideas to Inspire blog on Monday morning when you can find out who the lucky winners were of the prizes before the new products go on sale

 

Enjoy the hop everyone, good luck  …and have a fabulous weekend

PS. If you’re not a follower of my blog then please add me. I’ll have some candy soon if I can get a few more followers (I’m only a few thousand behind the rest of the team!!)

 

 

Tuesday 18 February 2014

Colour Challenge - Red

 

 

 

Hey everyone, what you been up to? The weather has been a bit better and dare it say it …has actually felt a bit Spring like at last

I had a good day at the NEC and my hip was fine, whatever went wrong seems to have righted itself. I’m keeping my orthopaedic appointment in few weeks time because something wasn’t right and I think I still need to get it checked out

We didn’t win at the craft awards, we got to the top 3 in our categories but were pipped at the post by the create and craft heavy weights. I’m obviously biased but I think our stamps are the best and there isn’t another range to compare for variety or quality  …aah well, maybe next year!!

 

*

 

Time for a colour challenge at the Ribbon Girl challenge blog and this month’s is…

RED

 

As always there are some prizes up for grabs and loads of gorgeous inspiration from the design team

I used the James with heart image from the new James and Jenny art pad which is out next Monday

 

February - Red

 

The sentiment is from the handwritten phrases set and the papers are also from the new release, this is the heartfelt pad

There’s a little tag tucked away that you can’t see on the picture, it was made with a doohickey ‘so wrapped’ die

 

I used (of course!) some fabby ribbon and lace from the Ribbon Girl;

Claire ivory embossed tulle

Teresa lace

American seam binding

 

The Ribbon Girl store is closed at the moment but will be open again soon so you can get all the gorgeous goodies

x

 

That’s it from me, I have a night with the girls now so a few glasses of wine, a lovely meal and lots of girlie chat… I hope you’re all having a lovely evening whatever you’re doing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday 15 February 2014

With A Heart….

 

 

 

Good morning crafters, did you get spoiled yesterday for Valentines day?

We don’t usually do anything special, we used to go out in the old days but now we just send each other a card. Keith is quite good and he buys me flowers regularly, and if he doesn’t I just buy my own because I love having them around

 

Because we’re feeling all romantic the challenge at Papertake this week is

With A Heart

You just need to include a heart somewhere on your card or project, as always there is a fabby prize up for grabs and some lovely inspiration from the design team

 

*

 

I chose this little image from the new Bunnies art pad, it’s one of 5 new pads from Lili of the Valley 

Did you see them on Create and Craft? It was a fab show but they had to pull the scheduled afternoon show because most of the items sold out. We’re hoping there will be a repeat so I’ll let you know – otherwise you’ll have to wait until the 24th February to get them as they were exclusive to C&C until then

 

 

PTW 45 - With A Heart

 

 PTW 45 - With A Heart 2

 

This little image is so cute, perfect for Mothers Day or a Mum’s birthday   ….or just to say I love you Mum

I made a little circle easel card, I used to enjoy making these shaped cards and haven’t done one for a while

I also used some of the gorgeous new Lili of the Valley heartfelt papers

After I’d taken the picture I put some glossy accents on the hearts and the jar for a nice finishing touch

 

Here’s a list of the other supplies;

Lili of the Valley scroll sentiments

Tulle

Spot organza ribbon

Sweetheart blossoms and rosebuds

Nellies circle dies

Spellbinders classic circle dies

 

*

 

Hope you like it, thanks for all your comments I love to read them and will get round your blogs soon to see what you’ve been up to

I’m at the stitches show tomorrow and then it’s the craft awards tomorrow night, both at the NEC. We’re not going for the full day, my hip is a bit better but I don’t know how much walking I’ll be able to do and don’t want to push myself. It should be good, Lili of the Valley are nominated for a couple of awards for best blog and favourite stamp range and my lovely mate Dawny is up for best designer   …fingers crossed that we’ll win!

 

Have a great weekend all

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday 11 February 2014

Lovely Lili challenge…

 

 

 

Hi everyone, thanks for stopping by and I hope you’re all well this evening?

I’m watching the Winter Olympics as I’m writing this post, the snowboarding, and I’m enthralled by it   …wow, it’s unbelievable what these kids can do!

 

*

 

There’s a new 'Lovely Lili' challenge at the Ribbon Girl and this week we’d like to see your Lili of the Valley projects with a romantic theme to them

Full details are on the Ribbon Girl challenge blog along with some amazing inspiration from the design team

 

*

I decorated some tea light holders with the new Heartfelt papers

They sold out on Create and Craft yesterday but you don’t have long to wait, they will be on the website and in the shop on February 24th

 

 

01 February - Romance

 

01 February 3 - Romance

 

 01 February 2 - Romance

 

 

The cute tealight holders are from Artemio

I covered them with the paper using Mod Podge and made a base from card which I also covered

I trimmed them with some gorgeousness from the Ribbon Girl shop;

2 row diamante trim

tulle

rose organza ribbon

ruffle edge sheer ribbon

silky crush ribbon

crystal and diamante embellishment

flat back pearl trim

cotton lace

8mm flatback pearl

crystal spacer

 

*

 

Hope you like them, have a great night everybody

 

 

Saturday 8 February 2014

Anything Goes week …

 

 

Hey crafters, what you up to? I’m trying to sneak in a morning crafting before Jess gets home after lunch

She’s coming home this weekend and I’m excited to see her as always! I really don’t know how I went all those months last year without seeing her when she was in Stratford, her being just an hour away is so much better. Her horse slipped last week and they fell and he rolled on top of her, luckily everyone was ok but she has one friend with a broken collar bone at the moment and another just had to be air lifted to the hospital with a badly broken leg. She loves working with the race horses but it can be dangerous and it is quite worrying for us

 

Joe came home after a couple of nights away, as a few of you said he soon ran out of money and clothes! He missed his train one night so rang for a lift  …and it was never mentioned again that he’d left home lol!

 

*

 

Onto this weeks challenge at Papertake Weekly and as it’s the first one of the month we have our usual

Anything Goes

This week there is an optional extra to make a shaped card

I sort of took the option, it’s still a square …but with a little extra panel

 

PTW 44 - Anything Goes x

 

 

DSCF5950

 

I used one of the new Lili of the Valley art pads which will preview on Monday on Create and Craft, this one is called English Charm and the papers are from the new Timeless Victorian pad

I stamped the words with the Handwritten Phrases set in distress ink to match the purple on the image and the papers

Finished with some tulle, flowers and pearls, it’s a quick and easy card and I quite liked the shape of it

 

*

 

That’s it from me, hope you have a great Saturday everyone

 

 

 

Sunday 2 February 2014

Fab LOTV candy …and new sketch challenge

 

 

 

Good afternoon everyone, it’s a beautiful day here today, feels like Spring although it’s still very cold. I miss pottering in the garden and am looking forward now to some better weather, everything looks so bare in the Winter with no flowers

 

My hip is much the same, nothing showed up on the x-ray which I don’t know is good or bad. Hopefully that means it’s nothing serious but on the other hand if they can’t see a problem will it be harder to convince them that something is not right? Anyway, watch this space I’m at the Dr’s on the 10th to be referred back to orthopaedics. Thank you for all your lovely comments, my blogging friends are so kind

 

*

 

 lotvblogcandyevent880

 

There’s some fabulous news at Lili of the Valley, from tomorrow there will be blog candy EVERY DAY!

Makes sure you stop by the Ideas to Inspire blog each day and get your name in the daily draw

Here’s a little banner, if you didn’t get it already make sure you put it on your own blog!

 

 lotvblogcandyevent220

 

 

So, onto this week’s challenge at Papertake Weekly and as it’s the last one of the month we have a fabulous sketch for you ….

 

 

This is sketch #86 but if you would prefer to use another sketch then please feel free to use any Papertake Weekly sketch you fancy because we’re having another ...

Sketchie Free For All

All you have to do is to use a PTW sketch (it MUST be one of ours please) and just add the number of the sketch you’ve chosen when you post the link back to us

To make life a bit easier there is a sketches page at the top of the blog here and there are lots to choose from

As always, please feel free to resize, flip and rotate the elements - as long as you can still see the sketch it’s acceptable

 

I chose to use the new sketch it’s a great one, I did the first version and then thought it was missing something so I added a couple of flowers. I could have easily kept going but I made myself stop!

 

 PTW 43 - Sketch 86

 

PTW 43 - Sketch 86 2

 

 

Here’s what I used …

Lili of the Valley art pad Party & Cake

Lili of the Valley scroll sentiments

Lili of the Valley grunge elements (stamped around the edge of the image)

EK Success corner punch

Gorgeous papers from The Girls Paperie (vintage whimsy)

Pleated pink ribbon, white organza, flat back pearls and white velvet all from the Ribbon Girl

Flowers from stash, I think they might be Prima

Liquid pearls

 

*

 

Hope you like it, thanks so much everyone for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your Sunday