Ladies who lunch!

Hello there,

I have another layout to share with you today; I know, shocking isn't it!  I actually managed to get two layouts finished in one weekend a couple of weeks ago, I was so excited!

This layout was created with some leftover papers from a crop class and so I cannot claim the design to be entirely my own as some of the elements were from the class.  However the class was for a double page spread with just one photo on each and partly because I didn't have all the papers necessary and partly because, unless the photos are absolutely glorious (and these weren't), I prefer to condense my photos on to one page if I can. My apologies for the quality of the photo, it is much more vibrant in real life, obviously I got my lighting wrong!

'Ladies who Lunch' by Kate Holliday

The large butterfly was stamped using the IndigoBlu 'Big Butterfly' rubber stamp onto patterned paper and the title stickers are from Simple Stories 'Good Day Sunshine Cardstock Stickers Expressions' which has about 4 alphabets on - so useful!  I'm afraid I don't know who made the papers as they were part of the class kit.

I had a few scraps of papers leftover so was able to create this card also.

So satisfying to use up scraps :).

Thank you for looking and I hope you have are managing a bit of crafting time.

Kate xxx

Finally scrapped!

Hi Everyone,

I have a layout to share with you today.  I have had these two photos of my son making pancakes on Shrove Tuesday earlier this year that I have been thinking of 'scrapping' for a while but couldn't quite decide how to place them.  Anyway I came across a sketch that seemed to offer a solution and after that it seemed to easily slip into place.

'Flippin' Good' by Kate Holliday

The photos weren't great but I have so few of my son now that he is older that it is lovely to include the ones I do have.  Apart from being very pleased that I had got round to scrapping these photos I was also very pleased to use up some very old papers I had in my stash - always satisfying!

Happy Crafting!

Kate x

Just a little 'Thank You'

Hi Everyone

Back in the summer I decided it would be really helpful to have a collection of 'Thank you' note cards to hand.  I wanted to keep things simple and I also kept the embellishing to a minimum because I wanted to be able to send the note cards by normal post rather than paying extra and these are what I came up with.

And here they are in more detail...

They were all created from my scraps box but I did use papers from the same ranges on each card to give a co-ordinated look and also to help keep things quick.  To embellish I used punches, doilies and my sewing machine.  Because I kept the basic design the same they were really quite quick to make up but I was really pleased with the effect at the end and hopefully the recipients appreciated them too.  Sadly I have almost run out now and this is a reminder to make some more!

Happy Crafting!

Kate xx

Fondant Fancy

Hi

I seem to be averaging about one post every two months lately which, admittedly, is not impressive! Note to self: 'Must do better'!!!

I have a card today for you which is one I created back in July.  I saw a tutorial here for a swing card and decided to have a go.

I was quite pleased with how the die cut swing part worked.  I adapted the card to suit the die I had and it was quite fun to make.  May well give this one a go again.

Materials Used:-
Stamp: Stampendous Icing Fluffles
Papers: Echo Park Beautiful Life Stripes
Sentiment Stamp: Lili of the Valley Handwritten Phrases
Pens: Promarkers

Happy Crafting!

Kate xx

Handbag Fun

Hi,

I have a little handbag card to share with you today that I created this for a friend's daughter who recently turned 14.

I used a coredinations cardstock which I used with an embossing plate that I then lightly sanded.  The flower is one of the Tim Holtz dies that I used with some co-ordinating scraps of patterned paper and a pearl brad for a button.  The ribbon is a very pretty reversible satin that was just the right width.  It was a very simple make and I might make a couple more up to have in stock!

Happy Crafting!

Kate xx

Forgotten Card

Hello Everyone,

It has been a while I know and although I have done quite a bit of crafting one way and another I don't seem to have finished much! Hopefully this means that, at some stage, I will have lots of finished projects to share but that day is not yet here!!!  However, when looking through my photos I found this card that I made some months ago but hadn't blogged so at least I have something finished to share with you. The image is a Lili of the Valley and the papers are free ones from a magazine (always satisfying to use those) and the sentiments are also Lili of the Valley.  

I coloured the image with my promarkers and used my spellbinders dies to cut the circle and scallop circle. The tag was a pre-printed one with the papers so that was nice and easy and the rest is just layers.

Hope to be back soon with some of those finished projects.

Happy Crafting

Kate xxx

Autumn Love

Hi Everyone

Today a layout.  I have signed up for an online class with Big Picture Classes and this one is Art + Science of Scrapbooking which is advertised as '16 brain-boosting challenges to strengthen your creative process'.  I decided to take a class because it gets your mojo going again and gets you in the flow of creating which I decided I needed.

This layout is in response to Stacy Julian's challenge to look through your patterned papers and find one that reminds you of a place or a space.

The background paper is an old Basic Grey that I have had for years and the colours made me think of these photos.  Whilst in the end I didn't actually make the story about the place (they were taken at Cliveden) I did get me talking about my favourite season and what it is I love about it.  The other papers and die cuts are Fancy Pants 'Summer's End' which were in my scraps bag and I thought the colours picked up on the background paper perfectly and I am always pleased to use up scraps!

Hopefully there will be more layouts to come!

Kate xx

Another Card in a box!

Hi Everyone

My son thinks I am going a little over-board with these card-in-a-box designs and he could have a point.  However once everyone has had one I will probably get bored!!

This one I have created for my little Godson who will be 10 today.  I have actually made two as my other Godson loves dogs and although his birthday isn't until October I know I will be very glad when the time comes!
 

 This last one shows the decorated envelope!

The image is a Lili of the Valley, as is the sentiment.  The papers are very old ones, possibly Papermania but not sure exactly.  The stars were part of one of the patterned papers but as they were only paper I had to stick them all onto card and then cut them out a second time which was somewhat time consuming but I was pleased with the effect, so worth it.

Have a good rest of your day.

Kate xx

Ruby Love

Hello Everyone

Today I have a layout to share with you.  This is one I have had at the 'nearly finished' stage for several weeks but only yesterday found the time to finally finish it.

The layout is about my daughter's love for her first car 'Ruby'.  The papers are really old Cosmo Cricket 'Joy Ride' that I have had in my stash for ever!  The sweet little cars are Studio Calico Wood Veneer Shapes - Transportation which I just love, they are so much fun.  I have coloured them with my Promarkers to tie in with the theme.  The tag tucked behind the photos contains some journaling.

The circles are Prima stamps that I borrowed from someone at a crop I went to a month or so ago.  They are quite distressed so when I wanted one or two more I just made my own; I am good at distressed!!

Hope you are having a good day.

Kate xx

For You Card

I have a birthday card to share with you today that I created a couple of weeks ago for my lovely friend Nicky. 

I confess that it was a design I found on Pinterest and adapted so that I could use materials that I had.  The flowers and background leaves are IndigoBlu stamps 'Blooming Great'.  The patterned papers are from the Prima 'Anna Marie' range and the die cut leaves and sentiment are Stampin Up.  The ribbon, cardstock and string are all ones I had in my stash.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Happy Crafting!

Kate xx

Beautiful Butterflies

I have been loving making these Cards in a Box and have made a couple more recently.  The first was for a friend's daughter who turned 18 and the second was for my niece whose birthday it was on Thursday.

As you can see, both have used the same papers which are from an old Bo Bunny range, one of which had a sheet of glittered butterflies.  I cut out loads of the butterflies and some have been attached to acetate strips so that they can 'fly' a little higher!  As you can see from the second card, I also decorated the envelope witha  few more butterflies!  

The link for the card in a box tutorial can be found here.  What I love about making these cards is that they are so simple but have a real 'wow' factor!

Have a great day!

Kate xx

Happy Easter!

Rather late in the day but I hope you have had a great day and are enjoying an extra long weekend.  We have had family over yesterday and today which has been lovely but I am looking forward to a quiet, relaxing day tomorrow!

Just have a couple of, non-crafty, photos to share with you.

These first two are my little Easter tree display.  I have been collecting the eggs and various other ornaments ever since my brother and sister-in-law lived in Vienna about 10-12 years ago and it is very fashionable in both Austria and Germany to have an Easter display.  It gives me a great deal of pleasure each year and each year a little more gets added!

These are Simnel Cakes which I baked for the first time this year.  There are two as I gave one to my Mum instead of chocolate and the other we kept for ourselves.  I was very pleased with how they looked although I think I slightly over cooked the cakes!  The 11 marzipan balls on the top represent the 11 apostles (not 12 because there isn't one for Judas as he betrayed Jesus!).

Will try and be back with some actural crafting photos very soon.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Kate xx

Time for a cuppa?

Hello Everyone

My usual erratic blogging!  Anyway, I have been busy creating and made this card a few weeks ago using one of my favourite Stampin Up sets 'Tea Shoppe'.  I love this colour combination of blue and brown and chose to re-stamp the flowers from the cup pattern onto blue card to give a bit of a lift and added a little gem in the centre of each flower.  The die-cut patterned paper was a scrap from my scraps bag and I stamped on the blue cardstock background with the little flower stamp.

Have a good day and 'Happy Crafting'.

Kate xx

Geometric

Hello Everyone

I recently treated myself to some of the lovely new releases from the Stampin' Up Spring/Summer Catalogue and this card uses the triangle stamps from the 'Geometrical' set.

I got the inspiration for the triangle card from a browse on Pinterest here. As you will see the lady actually created a triangle box but I decided that a triangle card would work well. However, actually creating the triangle shape for the card proved a lot harder than I expected - who would have thought a triangle would be tricky?!!  However, I am really pleased with the final card (nearly a complete copy from the one on Pinterest as you will see!) which sits nicely in a 6" square envelope which I also decorated to co-ordinate (see above). I used Versa Magic Dew Drop Inks in a selection of colours which seemed to work well and I will certainly be creating more triangular cards now that I have a template!

Happy Crafting!

Kate xxx

Christening Card

Hello Everyone,

Last weekend our Great Niece was Christened.  I find it hard to believe that I am old enough to be a 'Great Aunt' but life can be cruel!! However, as our lovely Great Niece is extremely cute and was an absolute angel all through the service and afterwards at the reception being a Great Aunt to her is actually rather a pleasure :).

I created this little card for her to mark the occasion.

The image is a Forever Friends stamp borrowed from my lovely friend Tracy which I coloured with Promarkers and I used Spellbinders ovals and scalloped ovals to frame the image.  The beautiful papers are from the Bo Bunny Country Garden Range and I used 'Cut Outs' and 'Glimpse' and it is all inked with Black Soot Distress Ink.  The little tag and sentiment are both Lilli of the Valley from their 'Babies Companion Set' and their 'Greetings Postmark Set'.  Lastly the ribbon is faux silk ribbon with just a little embroidery silk to attach the tag.

Happy Crafting!

Kate xx

Card Class

Hello Everyone,

I haven't actually disappeared off the face of the planet although it probably seems that way!  I have been busy crafting but just haven't quite fitted blogging into my schedule, sorry!

A couple of weeks ago I was really excited to be attending a Class at Sir Stampalot which is 'up' in Peterborough (up for me anyway!).  It isn't a shop that is exactly on my doorstep but I particularly wanted to attend as the class was being taken by 'Crafty Lou'.  Lou, or Louise Molesworth, is an extremely talented lady whose work I have admired for a while.  She is on the Design Team for both Lilli of the Valley and Sir Stampalot and she uses Distress Markers mainly to colour her images and I love the way her cards are so detailed without being over-the-top.  I hadn't used Distress Markers so was keen to learn from Lou and here is the card we created in the class.

And a couple of, slightly out of focus, close-ups so that you can see the layering and the attention to detail.

The class was three hours long and even then I didn't quite get finished although almost.  The colouring on Tilda was my first attempt at Distress Markers and I was quite pleased although it is a long way from being perfect.  I have now had to treat myself to some Distress Markers so that I can practice; life is hard!!

Happy Crafting!

Kate xxx

Card in a box!

Hi Everyone,
I have a couple more cards with you to share.  I spotted these 'cards in box' here and here a few months ago and fancied having a go but it has taken until now for me to get round to it.  A tutorial can be found here.

This first one, I have done with a slightly more feminine slant and used my favourite, of the moment, 'Surprise' stamp from Lili of the Valley.  The papers are some very old DCWV from my stash and the border star punch is a Martha Stewart and I had some small pieces of glitter card that I used to match the glitter on the image.

and a close up!

 and it even folds flat to go in an envelope - how cool is that, such a clever design.

This second one was made with a boy in mind but could be for either.  Unfortunately I didn't get it finished before the light went this evening so please forgive the poor quality of the photos!

These papers are some old 3 Bugs in a Rug - love using up some of my stash!

I had such fun creating these and have plans for a whole load more .... but then I dream a lot!!!

Hope you are having a good day.

Happy Crafting!

Kate xxx

Fashion

Hi Everyone

Over on the Winter Wonderland Blog they are having a few weeks where you can create a card other than a Christmas one and their current Challenge is 'Fashion' and here is my interpretation.

         

I love this image, one of my favourites from Lili of the Valley, that I have had a while (not one of my recent sale purchases!) and I thought that a little girl dressing up, complete with pearls etc would fit the 'Fashion' remit - hopefully!  She is coloured with Promarkers and I used Liquid Pearls on her necklace which gives them a slightly 3D effect.  The papers are old K&Co that I had in my stash and I have once again used the Grunge Ticket and Words from Lili of the Valley.

Thank you for looking and I hope you have a good day.

Kate xx

Happy New Year!

Hello Everyone

I hope you have all had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed seeing in the New Year?

I have just realised that I didn't manage a post at all in December - indicative with how busy everything is that month I suppose but anyway, here trying to do better, I have a couple of cards to share with you.

They are both using the same 'Surprise' stamp from Lili of the Valley which was one of my purchases in the sale they had at the beginning of December.  I have two mens birthdays on the 9th December; my father-in-law and my uncle and I thought this image would suit a man perfectly.

This first card required posting and, as is my want, I had left it until the last minute so didn't have time to add any glitter to the icing.  The second one had some glitter added which I think really lifts the image.  The papers I have used are all old scraps I found in my stash.  The sentiment stamps were also new purchases from Lili of the Valley (keep telling myself I don't need any more stamps but just couldn't resist!) and they are Grunge Ticket, Grunge Words for Ticket and Greetings Postmark - all of which I can see myself using over and over again.  Both images were coloured with my Promarkers.

I hope you have a really enjoyable day.

Happy Crafting!

Kate x