Lauren Payne was 21 yesterday

How time flies.  This cute little babe that I held at 1 day old turned 21 yesterday.  Lauren is our niece, studying music and drama in Bath.  A very accomplished performer on the outside but a girly girl within who still loves cute bears, pretty colours, and Playmobil.  Much like the rest of us in a lot of ways where we substitute Playmobil for  rubber stamps and crafting items.
Her Mum told her they were going for a Happy Meal and then to the park to play on the swings and then feed the ducks to celebrate yesterday but I think they went into London for a meal and a show. 

I made two cards for her - one from her Nan and one from us.  The one from us has the drama / music on the outside but her 'other side' on the inside.  The digital sentiment is from Raindrop Echo Designs and the stamp is from Butterfly Kisses.  I hope a digital sentiment is enough for WT354 challenge.

The greeting is computer generated and the stamp is from Lili of the Valley.




















The card for my Mum to give her is the one below.  It uses Tatty Teddy and papers from the Me to You collection.

Lauren - if you are reading this - May God bless your future and bring you and those you love happiness.

OCC - Home for the Holidays

This week's OCC challenge is to use something in your home decorations as inspiration for your card.  I was given a wonderful snowman trio last year when we spent Christmas with our friends in Minnesota and I have used this as the inspiration for this card along with these cute stamps from High Hopes.  The card is actually hanging on our lounge door.

The images were stamped with Memento black and coloured with Copics.  All the ovals were cut with Nestabilities

FOSTV Challenge Week 13

The challenge this week at Friends of Speedy TV is to make a Winter Card or use the colour blue.  I am sorry my card is not very inspiring - all the getting ready for Christmas seems to have sapped my creative energy.  I need to get it back again as I have an engagement card and 21st card to make, plus some thank you cards. 

I do hope you find time to join in the challenge.

Happy Christmas

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

May God be with you all this Christmastime.

FOSTV Challenge Week 12

Wow - what a busy weekend!  This is the only card I found time to make in between all the shopping, dog walking, housework, gift wrapping and of course going to the local amateur panto.   I was inspired by the Stampin Sisters in Christ post to use this sentiment - if you are a Christian or needing some true perspective on Christmas in this current economic climate please go and read that post.

The words are from the Marks Finest Papers New Pines set and they are embossed in gold.  Spellbinders dies have then be used to create the panels and the flower.  This week's FOSTV challenge is to make a CAS card - I hope this counts.

Marks Finest Papers - December Blog Hop Day 3

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's December Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Pucker Up Featured December 13

Pussy Willows Featured December 14
Ice and Snow Featured December 14

New Pines Featured December 15

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! We will announce all four winners on December 16, 2011 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. The winners will be chosen at 11PM EST on Thursday December 15, 2011.

Lois
Vicky
Anne
Connie
Linda
Karen H.
Patty P.
Geri
Dawn M.
Marilynn
Chrissy
Karen K.
Pam
Debbie
Brenda T
Bonnie
Harriet
Tammylee
Silvia
Mark's Finest Papers

My card uses the Pine Cones coloured with Copics and with some added distressed stickles.  The paper is from K & Co.  It is one I will need after Christmas.

Marks Finest Papers - December Blog Hop Day 2

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's December Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Pucker Up Featured December 13

Pussy Willows Featured December 14
Ice and Snow Featured December 14

New Pines Featured December 15

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! We will announce all four winners on December 16, 2011 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. The winners will be chosen at 11PM EST on Thursday December 15, 2011.

Lois
Vicky
Anne
Connie
Linda
Karen H.
Patty P.
Geri
Dawn M.
Marilynn
Chrissy
Karen K.
Pam
Debbie
Brenda T
Bonnie
Harriet
Tammylee
Silvia
Mark's Finest Papers

My card today is a simple one made using the Pussy Willow set.  I want to do more with this set but I a really short of time this week.  It is a great set though and makes me think of Spring - it also makes me want some Pussy Willow in my next flower arrangement but I might have to wait a bit!

Marks Finest Papers - December Blog Hop Day 1

Hello! Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's December Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Pucker Up Featured December 13

Pussy Willows Featured December 14
Ice and Snow Featured December 14

New Pines Featured December 15

Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! We will announce all four winners on December 16, 2011 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. The winners will be chosen at 11PM EST on Thursday December 15, 2011.

Lois
Vicky
Anne
Connie
Linda
Karen H.
Patty P.
Geri
Dawn M.
Marilynn
Chrissy
Karen K.
Pam
Debbie
Brenda T
Bonnie
Harriet
Tammylee
Silvia
Mark's Finest Papers

I have made a card using the Pucker Up set that was waiting for me when I got home from Florida yesterday.  The sentiment inside is "Throw them back and demand CHOCOLATE!"

__._,_.___

Florida Nuthatch - FOSTV Challenge Week 11

Well week 11 of the Friends of Speedy TV Challenge is to make a Christmas Card - now go on you must need one more - so join us with this week's challenge please.
My card was made while we were away in Florida, which incidentally was a wonderful trip, and is therefore limited by what I took with me - far too much according to the hubby! Actually the ribbon was bought there - we used it on some Christmas gifts for our friends and this bit found its way onto my card.

The card uses the Nuthatch set which I love and was photographed out in the shrubs by the beach - hence the shadows.  Thanks for looking

Mojo218 & Farewell Florida

Heading off to the airport very soon so it is farewell to Florida and off back to a chilly UK.  This is one of my last cards and is for Mojo218.  Yesterday was a cloudy day and quite humid so I dived inside the house and created this.  With the limited supplies I had - everything cut with scissors - it didn't turn out too bad.  The image is a free one attached to a recent Card Making and Papercraft Magazine.


 Here is a detailed look at the image

Jugs 113

Our time in Florida is coming to an end but this is another card I have made while we have been here.  The friends that shared most of the time with us told us that their daughter's boyfriend turns 30 this month so this card is for young James.  I have used the Jugs113 sketch and improvised with things I had to hand like some ribbon used on Christmas parcels!  The stamps are from Marks Finest Papers and I have used Distress ink, Memento black and Copics.

OCC - High Hopes Snowman

The OCC challenge for this week posted on Saturday is a sketch .

I used this High Hopes snowman that I had pre-stamped to make this card based on the sketch.  I have limited supplies with me but I have used my new punch and some pretty ribbon on the bottom strip.  I have also tried to match in my gems and add a little stickles to ad some bling!  Thanks for looking.  Janine

Marks Finest Papers - Friends of Speedy TV Week 10 Challenge

This week's Friends of Speedy TV Challenge is Silhouettes.  I made two tags rather than a card - please join us on the challenge this week.  If you visit the Home of Speedy TV website you can find all the Friends of Speedy TV challenges listed. 

As you may have gathered from my recent blog posts we are away right now so all my posts use less dies, punches and general crafting items than I would normally - certainly more challenging!  In the UK Holidays are what you take as a break from work i.e. what I am doing right now.  The tag at the bottom has been attached to a gift for a friend we are with who is originally from the UK - hopefully it will remind her of the beach chairs from this week when she gets back to a very cold Minnesota.  The thread on the tags is dental floss coloured with copics - didn't have anything else to hand!

I also made this card but it is not silhouette like enough so I am posting it as an after thought!

Elves in the Snow

Another version of the digital elves from Bugaboo stamps.  Coloured with Copic markers and mounted simply with just some polka dot organza ribbon as my decoration.

High Hopes Snowmen

I have been trying to get the last few cards made while I relax.  I only have access to the stuff I brought with me and the papers etc. I picked up in the local stores so the cards are quite simple.

Fulham supporter (black and white)

Chelsea supporter (Blue)

Happy Advent

We are now in the run up to Christmas, where we celebrate our Saviours birth but we are fortunate enough to be enjoying some sunshine in Florida and enjoying the beauty of creation.  I want to share with you all this wonderful sunset which we enjoyed today.  My photo doesn't capture the sound of the waves and the stillness but gives a feel of the beauty I hope.