Tilda Holding Bunny - Magnolia Down Under Challenge #8

This weeks challenge was:-

"was set by our DT member Kristy aka Princess as you would had noticed I call her… It’s a cute theme, almost a mouth watering one really….. Cupcake…."

When I looked at the DT's sample cards I thought wow, how am I going to do this challenge, as they had these cute Magnolia cupcake stamps. But when I looked again I saw that some of them had made their own cupcakes and added Magnolia Images, this is what I choose to do .....

I searched google for cupcake templates and the search came up with this blog Mel Stampz, my oh my, this blog is a such a source of information, she links 100's of blogs that have tutorials, videos, templates, etc Mel has also featured her amazing creations. So I found this blog Outside the Lines ... and her template for a cupcake card Here!

WOW is this girl fantastic, I have become a follower there are sooo many beautiful creations on there!!!!

What I used:

Card Image is stamped on: Stucco
Cardstock: Die cuts with a view - Old World Stack
Stickles: Crystal and candy cane
Ribbon: again robbed off a box of chocolates
Sentiment: Printed on computer
Distress Inks:
Faded Jeans, Fired Brick, Black Soot, Antique photo, Walnut stain, Tattered Rose, Scattered Straw, Antique linen.

TFL
xxxx

Tilda Holding Lilacs - Basic Grey Challenge #31

This is the challenge this week:-

"This weeks challenge is is a firm favourite for a lot of people (including me), so for this weeks challenge we would like to see some paper piecing in your creations :), please remember though that you must use at least one item from Basic Grey somewhere in your creation, and most of all have fun creating"

So I have paper pieced Tilda, I have stamped her 4 times on 3 different Basic Grey papers and one time on DCWV:-
I then cut out the parts that I wanted from each paper:-

Shoes - Die cuts with a view - Old World stack
Jeans and hair bow - Basic Grey - Infuse - Condense
Top - Basic Grey - Mellow - Birch
Flowers - Basic Grey - Mellow - Slack

I then stamped Tilda on to some Stucco, I glued each piece over the relevant stamped piece. I coloured Tilda's face, arms, hair and wings as usual. I have Tilda mounted on some 3d foam pads to add some depth.

I then used the 3 Basic Grey papers for the background too, along with the brown cardstock I had in my stash.

The bling swirl I have used is done by freehand. I have an Xyron 150. I pulled a blank piece through, took of the clear top and then stuck crystals top side down randomly on the sticky side, I then passed the whole lot through the Xyron 150 again, now I have sticky crystals, and then I just stuck them down on the card in a swirl.

WHAT I USED:-

Cardstock - white and brown from stash
Patterned papers - as above
Flowers - Prima - Artful Collage
Stickles - Crystal
Ribbon - stole from a box of chocolates, lol
Pen - White Sakura glaze pen
Stamp - My Sentiments Exactly - birthday wishes
Ink - Stazon - Black
Xyron 150 (thanks Tracey)
Distress Inks -
Worn Lipstick, Tattered Rose, Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy, Vintage Photo, Weathered Wood

All bought at Tracey's shop except were stated!

TFL
xxxx

A little toot for me!

I entered the Magnolia Down Under Challenge last week with this card.

See full post here

I didn't win, but I got placed in the top 3! Yipee!!! So I get a blinkie to post on my blog!

I would like to say thanks to all who voted me one of the top 3, it was so cool to see my name!

xxxx

Get over to Katarina's blog NOW!!!!!

Whiff of Joy are releasing their new summer stamp kit on the 4th of May, but you can pre order NOW!!!!!! by going to their online shop

and some more good news Katharina is going to make 2 stampers very happy by holding a blog candy and giving away 2 summer stamp kits

This is only opened until the 4th May so hop on over to Katharina's blog NOW


xxxx

Love the way U smile

As I have said in a previous post, Chloe hasn't smiled properly for photos since getting her braces, on Easter Sunday I managed to snap this beautiful shot of Chloe. I brought the photo with me to Tracey's Time for U Crop, but the papers and cardstock I had picked out just weren't talking to me. Then last night as I was checking my bloglines I saw that Ruth has set up a challenge blog for vintage layouts called A Vintage Affair. So of course I had to go check it out. And the first challenge was to lift the following page

I thought Yeah, that could work, so the following page happened. I actually do have journaling on the journaling block hidden behind the photo, which just basically says how I miss Chloe's beautiful smile and I am so happy to see it back. As you can see typical of me, I followed Ruth's layout as near as possible as I could. Need to break out of that habit, lol

Please do go check out A Vintage Affair, as I am sure it is going to be very popular once the word gets around.

What I used:

Die Cuts With A View - Old World Stack - Textured Paper
Prima Painterly Petals
Papermania pearl brad (Ireland)
Vintage Lace
Crystals
The journlaing block and title - Bo Bunny's A gift of love cut out sheet (part of Tracey's April kit)
Tim Holtz Burshed Corduroy Distress Ink
Heart Charm

All bought at Tracey's shop unless otherwise stated.

TFL
xxxx

Willow with Cookies - Whiff of Joy Challenge #26

Again another card for the stock pile, yeah!!! I am entering this into the Whiff of Joy challenge! And we were to use Black and White with ONE splash of colour!!! What is it with these challenges at the moment, bring back the sketches, my poor brain is going into overload!!! Seriously I am enjoying these challenges.

The paper I used was a mistake buy, I think it has been in my stash for 2 years and the worse thing is I bought a pack for Ruth too!! Well they looked good on the outside of the pack (sorry Ruth).

See what I did???? I decorated the inside too!!!!!!!!!!!

I used a stripy dotty strip of paper as a paper ribbon underneath the lace. Willow is mounted on 3D foam pads, one flower is stuck to the edge and the other two straight to the card.

What I used:

Image:- Whiff of Joy - Willow with Cookies - bought from the Whiff of Joy on-line shop
Card image is stamped on:- Stucco
Black and white paper:- Haven't got a clue (bought at the Range)
Lace:- Boyes
Flowers:- Punched using green and yellow daisy punch - Woodware
Pearl brads:- Papermania - Bought in Ireland
Pearls:- Mark Richards - Pearl Self adhesive
Charm:- flower charm - Creative charm
Stamp:- Birthday Wishes - MSE CC104
Decortive edge - Princess blade on Woodware paper trimmer
Stickles - Crystal
Distress inks (really, really short only 3)
Fired Brick
Tattered Rose
Black Soot, and that's it!

Please note: unless stated otherwise all stash was bought at Tracey's shop

And now for some very exciting news!!!! Please Read

Check out the fantastic new blog that my SIL Ruth has set up, its called A Vintage Affair and it is all to do with Vintage layouts, not may posts on there at the moment, but that could be because it has only being going since Friday!!! Ruth is also incorporating challenges once a month, the first challenge is posted! Be sure to add A Vintage Affair to your blog roll and bloglines, it is sure to become a very popular blog!

TFL
Helena
xxxx

TILDA HOLDING LILACS - Magnolia Down Under Challenge

This card is made for Kellie's Magnolia Down Under challenge. I have made this card for no one in particular. I am GOING to try and build up a stock of cards for birthdays. Well here's hoping, lol

The challenge was Sepia, wow I found it hard! I did manage to sneak in some Stickles!

What I used:

Image stamped on Stucco
Stamps: Tilda Holding Lilacs and Key
Papers: Basic Grey - Infuse and Daisyd's Autumn collection (thanks Kels) and a freebie Nancy Watt collection from Making Cards - ; ) thanks you know who!!!
Flower: Prima Artful Collage
Brad: Woodware
Stickles: Crystal
Happy Birthday Peel Off
Ribbon - I have had for ages, I think it's off a box of chocolates, well no surprise there then, lol
Distress inks
Dusty Concord, Milled Lavender, Shabby Shutters, Peeled Paint, Tattered Rose, Antique Linen, Tea Dye, Walnut Stain, Old Paper, Vintage Photo

All bought from Tracey's shop unless stated otherwise

TFL
xxxx

Magical Moments ....

What do you think??? Not my usual style, huh? and I didn't use a sketch. I have found bucket loads of inspiration from Paulien van den Bosch's blog, if you haven't been do go, she is such an amazing crafter. I have wanted to do a page like this for ages, but was too afraid that it wouldn't look right, as in my pages there are usually very few embellishments. But with this page, because obviously Chloe is dressed as Tinkerbell I threw everything at it except the kitchen sink. I don't think my page is anywhere as good as Paulien's but I am quite proud of it as a first attempt. Oh and I added Stickles to Chloe's wings in the 3 photos, something I had never done, I usually leave the photos alone, some inking and maybe a little distressing on the edges but the actual photos I don't touch.

Chloe actually likes the final result, whoooo whooo

When I first started this page I started it at the Crop 4 U run by Tracey at her shop on Friday afternoons, the page was my usual style. Last night I started it again and the above layout just happened, lol, well it was about 2:00 am when I finished it. The ladies at the crop wanted to see the finished layout. LOL they are going to get some surprise.

For the story and some more photos of the story behind Chloe dressed as Tinkerbell go HERE!

And just a few close up shots of all the charms on the layout.

(there are 5 charms alone in this photo)

And of course a close up of Tinkerbell, the real one!

What I used: (where do I start, lol)

Cardstock: -Bazzill
Patterned Paper:- Making Memories
Flowers:- bucket full of flowers, mostly Prima and small flower buds from Tracey's shop, big flower buds from Michael's in Georgia, some from charity shop flowers stripped down and two of my very own crochet flowers (first time using them, probably because I could hid them, lol,
Tinkerbell Image and saying:- Disney
Stickles: - Crystal
Journaling pen:- Sakura green pen (Thanks Ruth),
Brads - Papermania Antique Pearls (Boyles)
Crystals - all are Mark Richards (Alpha letters, crystals and pearls)
Lettering - Cuttlebug die - used it at the crop - Combo Love Language
Ribbon - Green ribbon
Beads - Bought form all over the place and I have them forever

Charms:- These were all bought at Tracey's shop - Creative Charms - dragon fly, reach high, butterfly, glazed hearts and flowers. Princess crown, silver heart with circles underneath, made with love and princess and fairy images, these were bought at a Craft warehouse by Tracey and there is no makers name on them, a little tip for you, if you are lucky enough to live near Tracey's shop, look on the counter near the till, there is a box full of charms, mmmmhhhh

I think that's it, but if you spot something and I haven't it listed, please let me know and I will find out. Again all bought from Tracey's shop unless I have stated otherwise

TFL
Helena
xxxx

Lots and Lots of photos .....

Following on from the last post .... this is how I altered the lantern.

Below are photos of the lantern that Debbie from the library, she runs an after school craft club. I went a few times with the girls last year, and I even directed a class. She gave me the lantern at Christmas as a thank you, I was so very touched at her thoughtfulness. Unfortunately with Aimee going to another school, we can't make the afternoon club anymore!

When I saw the lantern I knew straight away wanted I wanted to do with it, turn it into Tinkerbell's house! I knew it was going to take a long time to do, so I waited until this half term get started on it. It took me days, I only finished it tonight and some of the stickles was still wet while taking the photos, there was a lot of drying time in this project, which I sooo hate!

I took the lantern apart and nearly ended up in hospital when the knife slipped a few times!!! I discarded the candle holder as the mushroom would be too big in the house.

I painted the house with a green acyclic paint, before painting I mixed in glitter with the paint, even though you can't really see it, it does "bling".

I did the same with the roof, you can see it better in the photo below. I was going to decorate the roof too, but decided not too.

While waiting for the paint to dry, I re-visited my childhood and played with paper mache. I made these strange things below, which I painted green and glued to the side corners of the house. (See second photo below, I have it arrowed) I wanted to put a lot of flowers on the house, but had no way of attaching them. You can hardly see them now!

Now to the egg!

This is how the mushroom first started out, a polystyrene egg shape. I chopped it in half to make the mushroom.

A close up of the "mushroom" that Tink is sitting on, (see below) as I mentioned in the last post I forgot to take a photo before I added the flowers. I painted the ""egg" with red acyclic paint and then added cream paint as dots, I then stuck a whole load of flowers and leaves of all different sorts around the mushroom! I also glued a rose bud to Tink's hand!

Nearly there, at last!

In the photo below you can kind of see the Daisies that I stuck on the back panel sides of the house. Also the photo shows in more detail the flowers, butterflies, dragonflies that I stuck onto the house.

Now all I had to do was glue the top part to the bottom part, without knocking everything off, lol!! Manged it, phew, then I stuck a whole load of flowers and leaves around the base of the house, and stickled them!!!!!!

I used silicone glue for everything on the house, if you would like more details or the product names (if I have them) on any materials that I used please contact me, as I am not going to bother to put a product list as it would take me forever to do so!

I am still not finished with it yet, I want to add more butterflies, dragonflies and ladybirds to it, I could get them online but I want to see them IRL before I buy. The black and red butterflies were in a pack that I got ages ago, it did have white ones but I used all them on other projects! The dragonflies I have had for ages and you can often see them popping up on my cards or layouts, all I done was twist the pins off the back of the brad and glue them down with silicone glue. Ladybirds I had none :( thought I had. I will take photos of the house when I add more to it, this could be a long process. lol.

If you have read all of this thank you so much!

Helena
xxxx

My Project!!!!!!!

FROM THIS .......




TO THIS .....




AND A PIC OF MY HALF POLYSTYRENE EGG



D'oh to me I forgot to take a pic of the mushroom before I covered the bottom half in flowers!!!

I don't like the Tinkerbell that is sat on top, I searched the E-bay for one and could only find ones that I didn't like, so when I find one I will replace this one and maybe make the mushroom smaller!

These are the only photos in this post, in my next post I will have all the photos of it been made, as there are a lot of photos, I didn't want to bore anyone who just wanted to have a look at the house!

Oh BTW DH won't let me keep it in the lounge, I think he thinks it's to girly, anyways I was making it for Aimee's room so yeah I have overdone the flowers and the colours, I think if I was making it for the lounge it would be more subtle!!! And yeah I went mad with the stickles Well Tinkerbell is a blinging girl, lol!!!!!

TFL
Helena
xxxx

Wedding Card #2

The nursery teacher is getting married during the summer and seeing as I already was making a card for my colleague I decided to make the nursery teacher at the same time.

The shape of this card has been inspired by Tracey, she made a beautiful one for her Grandfather's birthday go here to see the card.

I never realised how hard it was to take photos of the glitter and mirror card that I used on both cards, it took me numerous shots to get half decent photos, so please excuse that some of the shots are of the card lying down, lol

What I used:

Card stock - White card, gold mirror card, gold glitter card, gold pearlscent card
Ribbon
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Birds and Swirls
Sizzlits Dies - Wedding (Cut on my Cuttlebug), Tag
Bling - Mark Richards Crystal Stickers
Senitments - Inkadinkadoo Wedding/Marriage Stamps
Ink - Brilliance Teardrop - Galaxy Gold
Liquid Pearls - Gold Pearl

Again all the above (except the Sizzlits Dies) were bought at Tracey's Shop, Running With Scissors,.


TFL
Helena
xxxx

Wedding Card #1

A very simple matting and layering card. I was asked by a colleague at work to make a wedding card for her.

How much do you charge for cards??? How much would you charge for a card like this??? I am curious how much crafters charge for their cards, cause I am clueless!!!

What I used:

Card stock - White card, gold mirror card, gold glitter card, gold pearlscent card
Ribbon
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder - Birds and Swirls
Sizzlits Dies - Wedding (Cut on my Cuttlebug), Tag
Bling - Mark Richards Crystal Stickers
Senitments - Inkadinkadoo Wedding/Marriage Stamps
Ink - Brilliance Teardrop - Galaxy Gold

All the above (except the Sizzlits Dies) were bought at Tracey's Shop, Running With Scissors, LOVE THAT SHOP!!!!

TFL
Helena
xxxx

Chocolate at 7:00 am in the morning, ick!!!!!

I would like to wish all my family, friends and all those lovely people who come and visit my blog

HAPPY EASTER!

Woken up at 7:00 am this morning, by a very eggcited little girl!!!

"Mummy look The Easter Bunny has left me a letter again this year, come on help me read it"!!!!!

The Easter Bunny has visited our little family since Chloe was young enough to believe and old enough to hunt. He always leaves a letter with some clues eg "I wonder if your Daddy's computer is on, oh no I have said too much"! This year I am very proud of Chloe, Aimee and I have been sleeping on the lounge sofas over the last few days as Aimee has a cough and it seems to be the only place where she seems to get any peace! I had a rough night with her and didn't get a chance to hide the eggs, but Chloe woke up early and got all the eggs hidden, and wrote the Easter Bunny letter! How cool was that!

Another proud mummy moment: At my school the kids were asked what does Easter mean??? We got eggs, chocolate, Easter bunny, etc were the answers. I was curious so I asked Aimee that evening when she came home "Jesus died on the cross on Good Friday and came back alive on Easter Sunday"!

And just a few photos of our morning!!!
Thanks to Tracey, Mark and Ruth, Aimee's Teachers for the eggs and thanks to Mum, Dad and Aunty Eily for the beautiful clothes that they sent from Ireland
and I better not forget the "Easter Bunny" for all the eggs and all the hard work this morning!
xxxx

And I got a Ferrero Rocher Giant egg mmmmmhhhh, did anyone watch Britain Got Talent last night, see the guy who said the world record for eating Ferrero Rocher's is 7 in one minute, I am going to try that later on tonight, will report back on how I do, lol!!!! The girls got me a Rolo and Maltesers egg!!! Oh and that is the beautiful Orchid that I got on Mother's day at the Farm, see HERE for farm photos,

Well have to get us ready to go to Church.
Happy Easter
TFL
Helena
xxxx

A little update, I took these photos before we went to Church

This is one of the pretty dresses my Aunt Eily sent for Aimee, unfortunately it is a horrible here today, so I put a long sleeved top and some leggings on Aimee. When I had her dressed and about to do her hair, I thought oooh plaits should go just right with this outfit, what do you think??? My aunt also sent some ribbons and Aimee wanted them in her hair, I thought "how cute is that", you don't see that very often anymore.

So angelic ........ yeah right, lol!!

And a very rare photo, a photo of Chloe actually smiling properly! Her braces are working so her teeth are improving and so is her self esteem!!! I have missed seeing this smile in photos

Again, thanks for looking
xxxx