Couple of Christmas Cards..................

After a bit of a crafting break I thought I'd better get on with my Christmas cards - it is nearly September after all!

I ordered some Craftwork Cards stamps from QVC and here is my first attempts with them....

Think they're both quite self-explanatory!

Photo a Day Challenge - May (Day 2)

I've missed day 1 but here's day 2 of the challenge - the theme is 'Skyline'.

This is a photo I took a few years ago in San Francisco.

The challenge can be found here at 'Fat Mum Slim' blog.

Day 23 April Photo A Day Challenge - Vegetable

Day 23 and the topic is VEGETABLE

Day 21 and 22 - April Photo A Day Challenge

Day 21 - Bottle

Day 22 - The last thing I bought .............

(This was the last item to go through the till at the Supermarket yesterday)

The challenge can be found here.

Day 20 April Photo a Day Challenge - Something I drew ...........

My mission at the start of the challenge was to improve my camera skills and this used a new technique for me (bulb setting!!!!)

Incase it's not too obvious ............ it's a Christmas tree!!!!!

I holed myself up in the downstairs loo (no windows, therefore pitch black) and used a torch to create the effect.

Good fun.

xxx

Day 18 & 19 April Photo a Day Challenge

Day 18 - Hair

Colourful display of hair products .............

Day 19 - Orange .........

Day 17 April Photo a Day Challenge - Something you don't like........

Don't think this needs any explanation .................. !!!

The photo challenge can be found here at Fat Mum Slim blog

Day 16 April Photo a Day Challenge - Flower

No flowers in the garden yet so had to improvise ...............!

Day 15 April Photo a Day Challenge - Sunset

So hard today - the sunset wasn't very exciting. A bit yellow in amongst the clouds! 

But, to stay true to the challenge I took the photo of today's sunset - enhanced it a bit (okay, a lot!) and this is what I came up with............

I nearly didn't put it up because I really wanted to put this one on (but it was taken about 4 years ago in San Francisco!)...........

Day 14 April Photo a Day Challenge - How I feel today...........

Good day today - off to Glasgow to see Cirque de Soleil followed by a meal and a night at a hotel.

So .............. this is how I feel .......!!!!

Enjoy your weekend! 

xxx

Day 13 April Photo a Day Challenge - Something I found ...........

Today I found a lovely recipe for Hungarian Goulash - it was absolutely delicious!

It was from a recent Mary Berry book.

Day 8 to 12 of the April Photo a Day Challenge

Playing catch up again! The challenge can be found here.

Here goes.......................

Day 8 - Inside Your Wallet

Day 9 - Younger You (Drawn by my Dad)

Day 10 - Cold

Day 11 - Where You Ate Breakfast

Day 12 - Stairs

Day 7 April Photo a Day Challenge - Shadow

The topic today is shadow and all hopes of a lovely photo out in the sunshine were dashed because of the weather!

I had to resort to a torch against a blank wall - the silhouette is a 'Smoky Man' bought on a trip to Germany a few years ago. You put a fragranced cone inside them and set it alight - it just smokes and the smoke/fragrance comes out the mouth of the figure. This 'Smoky Man' is a Pharmacist which is my job.

The challenge can be found over at Fat Mum Slim blog.

Day 4,5 & 6 April Photo a Day Challenge

Missed a few days uploading because of no internet connection so here are my photos for days 4 to 6 of the Fat Mum Slim photo challenge.

Day 4 - Someone who makes you happy....... (my nephew)

Day 5 - Tiny.............. (a little model of our house)

Day 6 - Lunch

Tomorrow's theme is 'shadow' - hoping for some sunshine!

Day 3 April Photo a Day Challenge - Mail

Day 3 and the topic is 'Mail' over at the Fat Mum Slim blog.

I didn't get any post today (nothing unusual for a Tuesday) so here is a photo of our village post box.

Not great quality - taken with a phone!

Day 2 April Photo a Day Challenge - Colour

Not the best photo today - taken through a window!

Love these little Goldfinches - every time I got the camera set up they would fly away.

Day 2 of the Fat Mum Slim April Photo a Day Challenge (Theme - colour)

Something a bit different ...............

In an effort to improve my photography skills I have decided to take part in a blog challenge.

The Fat Mum Slim  challenge is to take a photo everyday with a theme.

Today's theme is 'My Reflection" and this is my photo...

We were out for a walk today and came across a fairly still area of water. The weather was beautiful.

Not sure I will manage every day but I will try.

xxx

Less is More Challenge - week 56

A quick Christmas card to enter into this week's 'Less is More' challenge where the theme is 'Don't Scrap It'.

I used up some scraps of linen card and diecut them with the Memory Box Snowflake Border. The greeting is a stamp from Anna Griffin - stamped onto another bit of linen card and matted onto a scrap of red card.

I could do with a whole year of challenges like this to use up the scraps!

xxx

Another card inspired by one on Pinterest!

Was browsing Pinterest the other night and found this fabulous blog:

http://shellypop.com/

She had made this card which I loved.

So .............. I decided to have a go and make one similar (I had the same flourish die from Memory Box) so just had to organise some snowflakes. I used my Spellbinders snowflake die and a red felt snowflake from John Lewis.

I added a bow with bakers' twine - would have prefered a button but I didn't have any suitable ones (an excuse now to go shopping I think!)

Memory Box Country Landscape Die

I had been wanting this die for a while now after seeing lots of lovely cards on Pinterest using it.

So, last week, I took the plunge and purchased it. This is my first attempt using it - a very simple card.

The background is blue mirror card - the photo makes it look almost black!

Think I would go for a smaller greeting next time but that's me being critical.

Fiona x

Less is More Challenge - week 53

This week the challenge at the Less is More Challenge Blog is a colour one.

AQUA

I didn't think I had anything in this colour but it's amazing what you can find when you start looking!

I saw a lovely card here (great blog to visit) and this is my version of it. I'm thinking that there may be too many layers/embellishments to be a 'less is more' card but it's done now. It's a snowy day here in the Scottish Borders so snowflakes seemed a good starting point.

The snowflakes are made using a Spellbinders die (with various brads in the centres from who knows where!) and the embossing folder is from Stampin' Up. The greeting is Anna Griffin's - had to stamp in black as I didn't have any aqua ink and my silver is all dried up.

Enjoy the snow!

Today (10th Feb 2012) I decided to do another version of this card in red.
Here it is:

Not sure which I prefer but perhaps the aqua one which is a bit of a surprise for me as I love red, especially for Christmas cards!

Festive flourish and Baubles

Yesterday I was having a look around Pinterest and I found a lovely card here on a blog by a lady called Julie (Thoughts that Stick blog).

I had some Holly Flourish stamps that I have never used so I got them out and this is my version.....

The flourishes are from Dovecraft and the papers and sentiment are from Stampin' Up.

My stamping is a little bit messy in places but I quite like the finished card.

Fiona x

Less is More Challenge - week 52

It's been a while since I entered this challenge and as I was needing some inspiration to get me going again with my Christmas Cards I thought I would have a shot.

I try and make one Christmas Card every week (as part of a Challenge over on Docrafts) which in theory should mean that I avoid any last minute rush (worked last year!)

So here is my card ............. it is a sketch challenge this week.

Details of the challenge can be found on the Less is More blog.

I masked off an area and, using Memento ink and a brush, coloured the area. As I was doing this I realised that the brush still contained some gold perfect pearls powder but I think it adds a nice effect - maybe not too clear in the photo. I then used a darker ink to stamp the snowflakes and greeting.

Finally I used the paler ink to lightly stamp a snowflake over the greeting.

xxx

First Post of 2012!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I'm back! 

Can't believe it's been so long since my last post but with Christmas etc it's been a busy time.

Finally got my craft stuff out today and this is what I came up with......

It's a white on white card - the light is not great today for the photo!

The tree was cut using a Memory Box die which I bought at SECC in October - first time I've had it out and was a bit of a pain to use. Had to use my craft knife in the middle section.

I still love it though - will just need a bit more practice.

The sentiment is from Stampin' Up and the flat backed gems from Kars.

xxx