A number one Hit and some christmas cards.

 My sons friend Greg Holden has just had a Christmas number one in The Netherlands with his Charity single "The Lost Boy" in aid of the Red Cross.
Here is a link to his website which contains this track and more  http://gregholdenonline.com/
you can also purchase the track through itunes.

We are so thrilled for Greg, he has worked really hard and at last its beginning to pay off!!

 I thought I would add a few more of my Christmas cards from Flickr friends...

This card is from Jo isn't it cute and her colouring is amazing.  Thanks Jo..

This second card is from Heather in Ireland another really cute card and it has added sparkle on the wings.. Thanks Heather.

Finally this card is from Rosemary she sent this card as part of the flickr Christmas card exchange, such a pretty card . Thank you Rosemary.

I hope you have all had a great Christmas and wishing you a fabulous New Year,

A card for two challenges.

Just a quick post tonight as I am heading out to a school Christmas party to mark the end of term.  I have made this little card for two challenges using my new Hero Arts "Village" stamp.
The first challenge is the colour splash over at The Play Date Cafe. 

The second challenge is this weeks CAS-friday challenge which is to create a card with a matching envelope.

I now have a busy few days ahead of me doing the last minute preparations for Christmas.

If I don't get a chance to blog again I would like to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  Thank you for all your kind comments over the last 12 months I really appreciate them all.

A Partridge in a Pear Tree.

Just a quick post today as my DD is due home from University today and I am so excited, I haven't seen her foe a couple of months and we have lots to catch up with.

Yesterday I had time to make a card for this weeks Tuesday Trigger at Moxie Fab, I saw the photo and fell in love with the stunning cushion.

Here is my card although I am not happy with the photograph, its a dull rainy day here and I just can't catch a good image.

The little stamp is one I have had in my collection for a while, its made by The English Stamp Company and as you can see is a lovely image of "a partridge in a pear tree".  I have stamped and embossed it in silver on some PP and then layered onto some silver card. I then added some stitching with a silver pen.
The background flourish is by Hero Arts and I have just stamped it in silver on white and layered it onto some blue card.

Looking forward to breaking up for the holidays tomorrow and I have two weeks off, Yipee!!!

New stamp!

 As soon as I saw this fabulous video on the Hero Arts Blog I really wanted to get my hands on the new Large Flower Background stamp from the  Hero Arts 2012 catalogue.  Luckily my favourite online UK stamp store The Glitter Pot had a delivery of stamps last week.  Unfortunately its about a hour and a half from me so I wasn't able to get there myself for the new stamp release, but second best I ordered online!!

I decided to make a small set of thank you cards using three colour ways. 

The first uses the same technique that Shari used in the video.

For the second I inked the stamp with Versamark ink and then Black memento ink and heat embossed with clear powder.  I then painted the images with Distress inks.

The last one is heat embossed in gold and then lightly sponged with Spun Sugar and Bundled Sage distress ink.

At last I have finished all my Christmas cards so it was fun making something different.
Hope you are all having a great weekend and you are all ready for the holidays.

Another card set and some cards from friends!

My  DD is currently in a school in Cheddar, Somerset just finishing her first teacher training practise and she has asked me to make her some Thank You cards.  Well as she is only 23 I wanted to make something young and funky so I chose these three bright colours ( not my normal choice of card base I usually stick to white).

I was really pleased with the final set, quite simple but they remind my of some stunning Indian sari fabrics I have seen.

As you can see bright fuchsia pink........

bright lime green.......

and bright blue....

I am adding this set to the current challenge over at the Hero Arts Blog (Card sets).

I was lucky enough to receive two beautiful cards in the post this week, the first is from Dawn in New Zealand and I wish you could see this in real life it has the most amazing sparkle to it!

The second is from Jacqueline in France, this is beautiful so soft and delicate. 

 Thanks so much ladies!

Sorry for the long post today.

Stamping Class!!

Last Thursday I ran a little card making class at home for a few work colleague's but we all got so carried away making up the samples I had made, that I forgot to take a photograph of everyone in action!! So instead here is a photo of the resulting mess after a fun evening.

The first card we tried was the wreath design, this was an easy one to start with as its only distress ink sprayed with water and stamped on to the card.  Then you just add the buttons, ribbon and bling.

The second card was a bit more challenging as it has heat embossing and dry embossing, all the ladies that came were complete novices but they made some fabulous cards to take home.

All in all it was a real fun evening and they have already asked if I will do it again!!

The background trees are embossed with green metallic powder and then run through the embossing folder that had a little Tumbled Glass distress ink patted on to it.  We tore strips of paper for the snow and added some sticles for shimmer.  The trees have been stamped and embossed with Silver Sparkle.

Hope you are having a great weekend and are not to busy in the run up to Christmas!!

Card sets!

Part of this months Hero Arts Challenge is to make card sets, I have made quite a few sets in the past check here and here and here.  They make fabulous little gifts and are really easy to make.  My favourite is to make a one layer card.

First you mask round the edges of the cards with low tack tape and then stamp your design and distress in various colours. 

 The Hydrangea image is then stamped over in a slightly darker colour and then you can remove the masking tape.

 I have made four cards in four colours, I just need to make a small box now and I have another gift ready for a friend!!

Moxie Fab Challenge!

 Moxie Fab World  have lots of different challenges running at the moment, one of them is to make a card using the inspirational photograph below.  Don't you just love that herringbone jacket so pretty.  I was immediately inspired by the green and white and then noticed the gorgeous brooches and pearls.

I love making small cards and the shape of this has also been inspired by the brooches.




















I have spent today trying to write some of my Christmas cards,  I love making them but writing them and then putting on the addresses is a bit of a chore!!lol.

Buttons!!

I have been having trouble with some missing mojo lately, but at last I think its on the way back!!  I created this CAS card for the current button challenge over at the Lily Pad Blog.  Something quite simple to get the creative juices flowing again!!

I am also adding this to "The Random Fun Challenge" over at Moxie Fab World.

I have added different green Distress inks to the wreath stamp from Hero Arts and then spritzed with water before stamping to give a water colour effect.  I have then just added the ribbon, buttons and bling!!
  I have been wanting to get my hands on the Hero Arts Village stamp for ages after seeing all the fabulous cards Jacqueline and Franziska from the flickr group have been creating.

Imagine my excitment when Clare offered to send it to me after seeing it on my wish list at the flickr site.  Thats what I love about the group everyone is so kind and so generous in many ways.  Thank you so much Clare I am having lots of fun inking it up.

Here is another card I have made with the stamp, this time a Christmas themed one, I know this stamp is going to be so versatile!!

Hope you are enjoying your weekend, I am getting ready to do a small stamping class next week, its my first and I am both excited and nervous!!