THANK YOU

Hi Everyone

Happy Monday!

I hope you all had a lovely weekend. 

Mine was weddings all the way!  A final collection saw my journey with one "happy couple" come to a close.  That always feels quite sad as we do build up such a lovely relationship .. .. this particular couple I have been working with for quite a while now and I can remember their first enquiry as if it was yesterday!  Time really does fly!

Their happy day is very close now .. ..  I am just hoping the sunshine is going to stay around for them.

So once everything had left the house for that wedding, I unpacked my next set of boxes and spent my time progressing the next wedding - working on the dining room table with the patio door and windows open.  I love it when the doors are open and the garden feels like an extension of the house.  A glance to the right lets you see the summer flowers and the birds feeding and drinking.  Simple pleasures!

I am on the final stages of this wedding too .. .. so everything for the Church service and the reception is left to complete and then that will be "bye-bye and happy wedding day" to another lovely couple.

I do love my wedding work and have been deliberating as to whether I dare do the next two wedding fayres I have paid deposits on.  My time is still being shared between home and Mum and to be honest I don't think our routine now will ever change.  Mum is possibly as strong as she is going to get.. .. but that is wonderful .. .. she has fought hard to get back to where we are and I am very proud of her.  Lots of folk would have just given in and sat there moaning.  But she is made of strong stuff and usually manages to surprise me most weeks with something new she has achieved.  I feel we may always be going on our "wheelchair excursions" but that is fine.  It is good exercise for me .. .. and I do need some!!  Just a bit worried about the days that winter will bring .. .. I might have to exchange the wheelchair for a sledge!!  Now there's a thought.  LOL!!  

Anyway, time for today's share .. .. which is a thank you card I am going to ask Sally-Ann if she would kindly add  to the DigiStamp Boutique Facebook Page.

I have decided that with everything else that is happening at the moment continuing on the DT with DigiStamp Boutique is going to be rather difficult for the time being.  There is so much wedding work looming that it isn't fair to remain on a DT if you can't give 100%.  

I don't do Facebook .. .. for some reason I avoid it like the plague .. .. so I can't reply and thank people personally.  That is why I have made a parting thank you card for all the lovely visitors who have called by there and acknowledged my projects that have been posted.

So my last official DT card might have been posted .. .. .. but don't worry.   I will still be creating with Sally-Ann's gorgeous images and sentiments .. .. I love them too much to stop .. .. and she knows she is free to lift them from my blog if there are any she wants to share.  It will just be a case of me creating when I get chance.  I am very fortunate in that the door has been left open for me to return to the DT (thank you xx) .. .. so it doesn't feel quite as sad and painful as it might.  Just a bit sad and painful!

So here we go:

This used:

Image:  Digistamp Boutique "Truffle Heart"
Sentiment:  Digistamp Boutique - one of the sentiment in the "Special Occassions Messages" Set.  I used it (along with a heart) to create a sentiment sheet of backing paper
Backing Papers:  Make and Create - Mix & Match "Sweet Garden Roses"
Sizzix Die "658226" Botanical Flourish (treated to a few layers of clear embossing powder)
Hobby & You:  Flower Punch
Do Crafts Punch:  Flower Doily
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Buttons
Crystal Glamour Dust
Worn Lipstick Distress Ink
Ribbon
and an un-branded tag die from E-Bay.

.. .. and that is me for today.

Back to the wedding work for a little while now .. .. 170 hearts to stick down!!  LOL!! and I also need to get in touch with a new bride that I have been recommended to.  Can't wait to learn who the kind person is that recommended me!  See .. .. there are still kind people in the world!

Enjoy the rest of the evening.  It is looking like we might be going to get a few drops of the "wet stuff" .. .. which the garden will be very grateful for.

Hopefully catch you again soon.

HAPPY NEW HOME DIGISTAMP BOUTIQUE

Hi Everyone

My apologies for being absent from my blog for a while .. .. ..  lots of lovely wedding work and a couple of hospital appointments with Mum have been keeping me well busy!

But I am here now to let you know that

DigiStamp Boutique has moved home today!!  

The lovely Sally-Ann is taking up residence with Lili of the Valley and going forward her gorgeous images are going to be sold from there.

To celebrate the launch there are two new gorgeous characters added to the range.  A cute hippo and a beautiful mermaid .. .. and because I couldn’t decide which to play with .. .. I played with both!  LOL!!

This used:  

Image and Sentiment DigiStamp Boutique "Mermazing Mermaid" 

Backing:  Created with Distressed Oxides: Twisted Citron, Faded Jeans and Broken China and splatters of water

Sizzix Thinlits Dies:  Garden Greens
Glitter Card

ProMarkers

Crystal Glamour Dust

Metallic Cord

Charm

Pearls

My Trusty Sewing Machine

Dimension Pads

Peel-Off Circles

I created the background first and then once well dried printed the sentiment directly onto it.

and this is my second card.  Such a cute little character. :

 This used:

Image:  DigiStamp Boutique "Hippo Birthday"
Sentiment:  DigiStamp Boutique "Hippo Huge Wishes"

Backing Papers:  Make and Create "Sweet Garden Roses"

X-Cut Corner Rounding Punch

First Edition Craft "Bunting Die"

ProMarkers

Crystal Glamour Dust

Chalk

My Trusty Sewing Machine

Ribbon

I really enjoyed making these little creations.  One card that I simply coloured and layered up and another where I had fun inking up an ocean background  .. .. and that is me for today.  

It just leaves me to wish a 

"Happy New Home" to  DigiStamp Boutique!

BESTIE

Hi Everyone

Happy Sunday .. .. .. and happy July too!  

That means another month has flown by in the blink of an eye!!!

One of my lovely happy couples came to collect their invitations this morning so that was another line I was able to cross off my crafty do list.  One little line of writing on a list .. .. but hours and hours of work!

So with a nice clear dining room table I decided to bring some supplies downstairs and get some of my general orders crossed off my list .. .. they certainly get crossed off much quicker than the wedding work does   .. ..  but the general cards are just a short reprive .. .. it will be weddings for nearly the whole of July.  

This one is a lovely flat card that is nice and "postal friendly".

this used:

Image:  Digistamp Boutique "Alyssa"

Sentiment:  Digistamp Boutique "Large Girly Word Art" set 

Backing Paper:  Dovecraft "Serendipity"

ProMarkers

Crystal Glamour Dust

X-Cut Palm Punch - Small Daisy

My Trusty Sewing Machine

Pearls and Ribbon from my crafty stash box

Love the large sentiment image (which being a digi image is re-sizeable) .. .. especially liking the watercolour look.  It comes as part of a set of four sentiments in a variety of colours.  

Time now to do a little bit of gardening .. .. which I have been threatening to do all week and have got nowhere near.  In fact I had better hurry up and get it done as it looks like we might be going to have a spot of rain this evening (not that any is forecast).. .. .. but it would mean the plants and the very brown lawns will get a much needed treat!!

So that is me for today.  Catch you again soon.

MR & MRS

Hi Everyone

Happy Saturday!

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend .. .. full of sunshine!

My day has been full of wedding work .. .. so to round it off nicely I had a quick play and created this:

This used another of the lovely new June images from Digistamp Boutique (you can also get Cute Mrs & Mrs and Cute Mr & Mr .. .. and they definitely are cute):

Image & Mr & Mrs Sentiment:  Digistamp Boutique "Cute Mr & Mrs"
Swirly Congratulations Sentiment:  Digistamp Boutique Quick Print Plus Sentiment Set "Congrats"
Backing Paper:  First Edition Paper "Sweet Nothings"
First Edition Dies:  Nesting Doily
ProMarkers
Ribbon
Pearls
Glossy Accents
Crystal Glamour Dust
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Dimension Pads

and that is me .. .. flying by the seat of my pants because we are meeting friends at 7.30pm and I still need to make myself look presentable.

Catch you soon .. .. have a lovely evening!

DISTRESSED BIRDCAGES

Hi Everyone

Happy Thursday!

I hope you are having a lovely bright sunshine filled day.

It has been lovely here .. .. but with a gorgeous breeze too.  Just perfect.

Dropping in today to share another of the new images from Digistamp Boutique .. .. ..

This used:

Images:  Digistamp Boutique "Distressed Birdcages" and "Pretty Flowers" (coming soon)
Sentiment:  Digistamp Boutique "Quick Print Plus Birthday Sentiments"
Backing Paper:  Created in Craft Artist 2 using the Distressed Birdcage, Single Bird and Pretty Flowers
X-Cut Embossing Folder:  Polka Hearts
Poppy Stamp Dies:  Stitched Market Tags
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
ProMarkers
Ribbon, Twine and Pearls
Dimension Pads
My Trusty Sewing Machine

and that is me for today.  I really enjoyed making my own backing paper .. .. I must do that more often.

Many thanks for all your lovely comments on my last post. All very much appreciated.

Enjoy your evening and I will hopefully be here again soon with another creation.

NEW RELEASES FOR DIGISTAMP BOUTIQUE

Good morning everyone

Bright and early for me today .. .. .. for a change!!

It must be because I am excited to be sharing one of the new releases from DigiStamp Boutique.

I have used another of the "new style" of images that Sally-Ann is so brilliant at creating .. .. but I am showing how I have used it in two different ways.

This is my first card which for me represents the beautiful sunshine we have been experiencing recently .. .. and I have simply matted a layered the scrummy image and added a sentiment from the set along with various little embellishments.

and for my second card I indulged myself in a little inky playtime ... .. and have turned the background into a moon.. ..

These two cards used:

Image and Sentiments:  DigiStamp Boutique "Large Flower Panel Set"
Background Papers:  Docrafts "Kraft Notes"
Distress Inks:  Stormy Sky, Dusty Concord, Mermaid Lagoon and Iced Spruce
X-Cut Punch:  Corner Rounder
X-Cut Mini Die:  Moon Gazer
Inkylicious Duster Brushes
My Trusty Sewing Machine
Ribbon, Cord, Charm, Button, Flower and Pearls from my Crafty Stash Box

I love both cards but enjoyed playing with my inks on the second one very much.  To create this look I printed off the brown version of the image firstly onto copy paper and then onto smooth white card (the set has brown, green and grey/purple options within the set for you to choose from).

I cut the moon from the photocopy printing and used a temporary glue runner to attach it as a mask over the moon on the printed card.  I then used duster brushes to add colour in bands across the image starting with the lightest shade at the bottom and working up. 

Once happy with the inking I then removed the mask and added a little ink to the moon image so it wasn't too stark.  It was just a case of trimming and layering the panel up then.

So what do you think to the cute little rabbit die?  I saw it cut out on an inspiration board at a local craft store (the die cuts the rabbit and the flowers) but it was never in stock.  It sold as quickly as it arrived!!  Then one day .. .. in an attempt to take Mum somewhere "different" I took her a drive out to a garden centre for a bite to eat and a nosey around .. .. and guess what?!?!  There the little beauty was.  Just one solitary little rabbit sitting waiting just for me!!  I love him!! 

Anyway, there we go.  Two ways to use a digi download.  One for if you are in a bit of a rush and one for when you have the luxury of a little "playtime".

Can't wait to play with the other new releases Sally-Ann has created .. .. .. but first it is back to wedding work.  I have two weddings in July and am chipping away at Order of Services and venue stationery for those.  So, I had best get on.  

Have a great day and thank you for calling by to see what I have been up to.

LIVE YOUR LIFE

Hi Everyone

Happy Friday!!  I hope all is well with you all.

Another of my weeks have disappeared in the blink of an eye .. .. but having said that I have got lots done on the wedding front!  So lots of happy "happy couples".  Yay!!

Before I get started onto today's wedding list though I had an early morning "watercolouring session" .. .. and I quite enjoyed it!!

Here is what I created . .. . which is for taking over to the CAS Watercolour Card Challenge where the theme for this month is "Ocean".

This used:

Image:  Digistamp Boutique "Bon Voyage Set"

Sentiment:  Digistamp Boutique A4 and quick print "Birthday Sentiment Set"

Distress Ink Pads:  Mermaid Lagoon, Stormy Sky, Peacock Feathers, Spiced Marmalade, Twisted Citron and Abandoned Coral

Josy Rose:  Nail Heads

Dimension Pads
Crystal Glamour Dust

My Trusty Sewing Machine

.. .. and that is me for today!

Just off to link up to the challenge and then time to start cutting lots more ribbon!!

Have a great weekend everyone when it arrives!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Hi Everyone

I hope you are all having a good day ... ... ... especially all of those Dad's out there who will be being spoilt (I hope) for Father's Day, which we are celebrating today here in England! 

Our youngest Son requested a card for Mr Heart and this is what I created for him to give - 

This used:

Sentiment Image:  Digistamp Boutique "Special Dad Circle"

Backing Papers:  From my never ending box of off-cuts

Josy Rose:  Nail Heads

ProMarkers

My Trusty Sewing Machine

Twine 

Dimension Pads

I haven't been able to link to the little beer bottle, glass and "cheers" sentiment and that is because it isn't available just yet.  It will be the free image that people will receive who enter the Facebook competition run by Digistamp Boutique (details at the top of the blog).  But don't worry if you don't do Facebook or don't want to enter the competition because it will be on sale come July . .. . ..  I know it is certainly going to come in super useful here that's for sure.  

The label on the bottle comes blank and you write on it whatever you want it to say.

So that is me for today.  It just leaves me to link up to a couple of challenges:

Cardz for Guyz:  Challenge 196 "Father's Day"

and of course .. .. my personal favourite:  Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge 328 where you simply have to use snippets of leftover card, ribbon, fabric .. .. in fact left over anything .. .. ..to make a project to share.

Have a lovely day everyone.

PAPERCRAFT INSPIRATIONS - ISSUE 179

Good morning Everyone  .. .. happy weekend!

A while back (even before my Mum was taken poorly) I was asked if I would like to do a commission for Issue 179 of Papercraft Inspirations .. .. using their cover gift .. .. and of course I jumped at the chance.

What a fabulous cover gift is was too.

As with all things magazine wise they work months in advance and although I worked on the commission .. .. what feels like a lifetime ago now .. .. the magazine is still in our local shops but I am guessing that Issue 180 won't be far off being released.

This is one of the projects I created for them and shows the inside and the outside of a bookfold style card:

I really enjoyed the commission and this is the fabby free Oriental inspired gift I used.

Spoilt for choice as to what to use first!!

So that is me for today .. ..  and now I am changing into wedding mode!  Lots of card cutting, printing and ribbon tying to get through this weekend!

Who would have thought all those years ago that what started as a lovely little hobby would turn into a "real job".

Enjoy your weekend everyone.

AND A BIT MORE CHRISTMAS

Hi Everyone

Happy Thursday .. .. (why does it feel like it should be Tuesday?!?!?)

I hope all is well with everyone .. .. and if not that it improves very, very soon.

I am trying to get a few Christmas cards put to one side .. .. but this year I doing something different to normal.  I am making ones to put to one side for our own use.  Normally I make for customers first and ours end up being made in one mad rush come early December.  

But this year November and December are going to be swallowed up by wedding work, so I need to be working on Christmas whenever I get chance.  Good job I love making Christmas cards.

So here we go with today's creation:

This used:

Image:  DigiStamp Boutique "Large Christmas Pups"  

Sentiment:  DigiStamp Boutique taken from "Annie All Occasions"

Background:  DigiStamp Boutique "Snowy Backgrounds"

X-Cut Die:  "Happy Christmas" (which includes the scrummy little holly die")

ProMarkers

Crystal Glamour Dust

and that is it.  Another for my Christmas box.

.. .. .. and for anyone else who is in Christmas mode (or who like me collects images when they are a bargain) .. .. .. DigiStamp Boutique have 30% off all of their Christmas images/sentiments until the 17th June.

A bit blustery here .. ..  and not much sunshine .. .. Mum is going to need to be well wrapped up for today's outing .. .. but with the wind behind us the wheelchair is going to flow well.  (But not too good when the wind is head on!!!).

Enjoy your day everyone.

Hoping to catch up with everyone's blogs soon!!!!