Yours Truly

Thinking of you

2012-01-16T16:59:00.000Z

Much as we love this hobby of ours, making sympathy cards is something we never like to do - I made these in the run up to Christmas.. which somehow made it even worse. As little as I like purple (sorry Purple fans!) it always seems fitting for a condolence card...

Card Details:

Stamps: Round & Round (PTI)

Card: Rustic White/Plum Pudding (PTI)

Ink: Plum Pudding/Basic Black (PTI)

Other: Corner Chomper/Circle dies (PTI)

Card Details: (all PTI)

Stamps:Harvest Berries

Card: Rustic White/Plum Pudding

Ink: Plum Pudding/Basic Black

Love is in the Air!

2012-01-11T21:43:00.000Z

So Christmas ends and Valentines is already around the corner! I know that we Brits don't celebrate Valentines as much as our US cousins do but I think the idea of sending cards to friends and family on Valentines Day instead of just the object of our desires (!) is a nice one.

So to get you in the mood, over at A Passion for Papertrey we have dedicated our new challenge to a Valentines card, check out the blog for further details and to see what you could win;)

Here's my sample - a CAS that will soon be winging its way to a friend...

Card Details: (All supplies PTI unless stated)

Stamps: Heart Prints
Card: Stamper's Select White
Ink: Raspberry Fizz/Hawai'in Shores/Basic Black
Other: Adhesive gems (Hero Arts)/Corner Chomper

Hugs,

Pool Party

2012-01-08T19:26:00.002Z

Before Christmas my lovely friend Emma sent me a sample of the new SU colour 'Pool Party' and I instantly fell in love - she knew I would!

I quickly sent off for ink, ribbon, card (anything I could get my hands on!) and have been using it a lot - it's the perfect colour, inbetween PTI's Hawaiin Shores and Aqua Mist - thank you SU!

Here's a simple thank you card I made with it, and the beautiful Manhatten Flower embossing folder... a fab Christmas present from a fab friend;)

Card Details:
Stamps: Thank You Messages (Hero Arts)/Little Labels (PTI)
Card: Stamper's Select White (PTI)/Pool Party (SU)
Ink: Pool Party (SU)
Other: Manhatten Flower Embossing Folder (SU)/Corner Chomper/ Little Labels Tag (PTI)

Hugs,

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T10:13:00.000Z

Happy New Year! I hope 2012 brings you everything you could wish for!

Hugs,

so it ends

2011-12-28T20:14:00.005Z

Greetings all! Well that's Christmas over for another year... after all that prep it really flies by doesn't it?! I had a lovely few days with friends and family and hope you did too.

So is it too late to share a few last Christmas cards?!

I made several square cards with the same design but different colours and different images from Tiny Treats: Christmas, here are a couple:

And one final card made with the beautiful PTI snowflake die and Aqua Mist felt...yum!

Enjoy the last few days of 2011!

Hugs,

Christmas Eve Eve!

2011-12-23T18:27:00.000Z

Happy Christmas Eve Eve everybody! Surely it's not this long since I last blogged?! The last few weeks have flown by, and now today finally it's time to kick back and relax!

Even though the final posting date was Tuesday I was still making the last of my cards yesterday morning...oops! They just might get there.. maybe?!

I've had great fun playing with PTI's Holiday Lights set, so many possibilities! Here are a few I made:

Card Details: (All supplies PTI)
Stamps: Holiday Lights/Think Big Favourites 8
Card: Stamper's Select White/Rustic White/Pure Poppy/Aqua Mist
Ink: Spring Moss/Aqua Mist/Pure Poppy/Basic Black

I'm sure I'll have a few more cards to share tomorrow, enjoy your evening!
Hugs,

Christmas and vampires

2011-11-18T12:32:00.000Z

Happy Friday all! We've been having some internet problems recently, does anyone else go into a mild panic when they can't go online for a few days?!! All sorted now (fingers crossed) so I wanted to share my card for our current challenge on A Passion for Papertrey. We've chosen a nice easy Christmas theme for this challenge - a way to kick start your festive card-making if (like me!) you've barely thought about it!

I went for a clean layout of traditional Christmas colours, nice and easy to re-produce:)

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Wreath for All Seasons/Think Big Favourites 8Card: Stamper's Select White/Pure PoppyInk: Pure Poppy/Ripe Avocado/Basic BlackOther: Scallop Die/Ripe Avocado Twill

This afternoon I'm heading off for a girly weekend with Caryn and Aimes... any guesses about what film we're getting just a bit excited about seeing?!!

Be still our racing hearts!!

Have a fun weekend whatever you're doing, and for all the Twilight fans - enjoy the film!

Hugs,

A colour challenge

2011-11-04T16:43:00.000Z

Happy Friday all!! Just popping in to share my card for the new challenge over on A Passion for Papertrey - a colour challenge this time round:

Not too scary we hope!! Here's my sample - I inked up my new Harvest Berries set which I LOVE!!

Card Recipe

Stamps: Harvest Berries/Think Big Favourites no 2
Card: Vintage Cream/Dark Chocolate (PTI)
Ink: Melon Berry/Ripe Avocado/Dark Chocolate (PTI)
Other: Corner Chomper/Pearls/Copic Markers

Have a safe bonfire weekend if you're in the UK - I'm off on a salsa dancing bootcamp this weekend! (Not, as my housemate joked, a weekend of dancing in boots!)

Hugs,

Mini Card Monday

2011-10-24T09:11:00.000+01:00

Well it's not exactly ice lolly weather here, but today's Mini Card Monday cards use an adorable lolly stamp from My Cute Stamps that lovely Aimes lent me, thanks hun! Just a reminder of summer on this cold, windy autumn day!

Stamps: My Cute Stamps, Hero Arts, Card: Orange Zest, Summer Sunrise, Raspberry Fizz, Other: Copic Markers

Hugs,

Mini Monday!

2011-10-17T16:49:00.000+01:00

Happy Monday everyone! I'm developing a little love affair with mini cards - when you're short of time, or mojo, they're so easy to whip up, and so super-cute. So to share my new addiction I though I'd share them with you on 'Mini-card Mondays'!

Here's one I made for my dad who had a bad cold recently - I'm not sure if you can see from the picture but I used a teeny piece of real tissue to come out the top of the tissue box :)


Recipe: Stamps: Feel Better (Kim Hughes) Card: Kraft/Vintage Cream (PTI) Paper: Bitty Dots (PTI) Ink: Antique Linen Distress Ink/Memento black

Hugs,

Geometric challenge

2011-10-14T17:25:00.000+01:00

Hi all! I'm just getting back into the swing of things after a fabulous salsa holiday in Mallorca last week - throwing 260 salsa dancers together in the Spanish sun, dancing all day and night makes for a very fun holiday. Lots of laughs, lots of happy memories... dancing is the best thing for the soul!

So when I was away I didn't get to post my card for the latest challenge on A Passion for Papertrey. I had a lot of fun making my card, breaking out my Tranquility Trilogy set and dies for the first time. I die cut and stamped the triangles, then arranged them to make a hexagon.


Recipe: Stamps: Tranquillity TrilogyInk: Ripe Avocado, Versafine black Card: Stamper's Select White/Ripe AvocadoOther: Double Ended Banner Dies/gems So if you're stamping this weekend and have some PTI supplies to hand why not join our challenge?! Wishing you a lovely weekend! Hugs

Hugs

2011-09-26T15:02:00.001+01:00

Happy Monday everyone! Yesterday morning saw me dancing around my craft table in my pyjamas to the Rocky Horror Show soundtrack, I'm sure much to the annoyance of my neighbours. Next week I'm off on another Salsa dancing holiday in Spain and the fancy dress night is a Rocky Horror theme so I was just getting in the mood!

I still haven't worked out my RHS costume (don't worry, I won't share any pictures of me in fishnets here!) but I did have a productive crafty morning. I haven't shown my Waltzing Mouse Stamps any love for a while so I grabbed my Frame It set and made a card combining the following two challenges:

Color Throw Down challenge:

Waltzing Mouse Sketch Challenge:

Resulted in this card:

Recipe:
Stamps: Frame It (Waltzing Mouse Stamps)
Cards: Vintage Cream, Dark Chocolate (PTI)
Ink: Memento black
Other: Bitty Dots Paper (PTI), Circle Nestabilites, Double Ended Banner Dies (PTI), Copic Sketch markers, Argyle Impression Plate (PTI)

Have a good week!
Hugs,

Miraculous

2011-09-25T20:55:00.001+01:00

Well, this is a minor miracle. I have made a Christmas card in September! That, I'm sure is a first. Now to keep them coming instead of waiting until the middle of December as I normally do!

This is my sample for our current challenge on A Passion for Papertrey - to make a card featuring a tag. I went for on of my favourite festive colour combos - red, cream and kraft.

Recipe:
Stamps: Tiny Treats Christmas, Fillable Frames 9
Card: Kraft, Vintage Cream
Paper: 2008 Bitty Dot Basics
Ink: Memento black, Vintage Cream
Other: Fillable Frames 9 die, Pure Poppy button, twine, Corner Chomper, Copic markers

Got to dash, Downton Abbey is about to start - I'm a sucker for a good costume drama!

Hugs,

Remembering

2011-09-11T22:40:00.000+01:00

Inspired by...

2011-09-09T07:55:00.000+01:00

Is it really Friday already? I can't keep up with how fast these weeks are flying by! I've had a cold all this week so everything seems to be taking that bit longer to get done, including this blog post!

Firstly a big cyber hugs to my lovely ladies Aimes and Caryn who I shared a wonderful girly break with last weekend - we hired a cottage near Stratford-upon-Avon and had a fabulous few days chatting 'til the early hours, long lunches, evenings spent stamping and lots and lots of giggles!!

During the weekend we all made our cards for this week's challenge on A Passion for Papertrey - it was so fun stamping together! The challenge this time round is to make a card inspired by a member of the PTI Design Team.

If I ever need inspiration I always head straight for Maile Belles' blog - I love everything about her style. This is the card that I chose for inspiration:

And here is mine:

Card Details:
Stamps: Aloha
Card: Vintage Cream/Dark Chocolate
Ink: Memento black, Dark Chocolate
Other: Vine Die, Argyle Impression Plate, Copic Sketch Markers, Corner Chomper

Have a great weekend!

Hugs,

2011-09-02T12:28:00.000+01:00

Happy Friday all! I hope you've had a good week and are all set for the weekend! I've just about recovered from a fun fun fun few days last weekend.... can I share a few pics with you?!

So Friday we set off on the Eurostar from London to Paris:

Wandered around Montmatre, and visited the Sacre-Coeur:

Then headed to...

... to see The Foo Fighters who were amazing!!

What a night! (well apart from being trapped in a broken lift for an hour back at the hotel!!!)

Saturday was spent exploring the beautiful city - I just love to walk, walk and walk some more when I visit cities. I also made a pilgrimage to...

...home of the best macaroons in the world. Oh and the prettiest, hmmm and probably the most expensive but hey look at this beauty:

.. I stared at it for way too long before I could bring myself to eat it!!

On Sunday we hopped back on the Eurostar (ok, missed the Eurostar but caught the next one!!) back to London, and headed for Reading Festival. Those who know me will know that I am just a bit of a Muse fan, so by this time was getting (unbearably so I'm told lol!) excited!

And finally - the highlight of my weekend, my beloved Muse live at Reading!!!!

Amazing, amazing, AMAZING!!!!!

Ok, deep breath!!!

...and finished off the weekend with a trip to the Notting Hill Carnival:

This weekend is going to be a bit quieter! Whatever you're doing have fun!!

Hugs,

Challenges

2011-08-23T09:05:00.002+01:00

Sunday was time for me to sit down and make my card for our new challenge on A Passion for Papertrey, and in spite of some new Papertrey goodies I still felt pretty mojo-less. So I used a couple of challenges to try to locate it;)

I combined the current Play Date challenge - to use navy, leaf green and bubblegum pink:

... with the current CASE Study Challenge - to Case one of Chupa's cards. There were so many to choose from but this one jumped out at me:

Put the two together and this is what I came up with:

Stamps: Beautiful Blooms/Think Big Favorites 3

Not sure about that pink, but hey challenges are meant to push your boundaries a bit aren't they!

Hugs,

ambitions

2011-08-21T08:46:00.002+01:00

How often do you have crafting ambitions that never come to fruition? For me it happens regularly - big ideas for an upcoming celebration that, short of time standing still for a few ~~hours~~ days, realistically just aren't going to happen.

I'm working on not beating myself up about these times, and also at not being just slightly envious of those super-women bloggers who, it seems almost daily, create stunning cards, cakes, and home decor for every possible event going. Did I mention that they have jobs, children and still manage to do this? Maybe they just never sleep.

In the past month I have not once but twice (*gasp*) resorted to buying cards because I haven't got round to making a card. Even a good friend's 40th birthday recently. I somehow felt I'd failed her... I know I'm not the only one!

So here are two cards that are the result of a 'failed' crafting ambition - a magazine call for sewing inspired cards that I never quite got around to entering...


Stamps: Lawn Fawn

Stamps: Lawn Fawn

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Hugs,

Stamp sale

2011-08-13T22:21:00.000+01:00

Hi all, just a heads up that I'm in the process of a big clear-out and have listed some crafty bits and bobs on ebay here - Papertrey, Stampin Up, Martha Stewart, Hero Arts and many many more! I'll be adding lots more in the next few weeks so keep checking if you fancy a bargain!

Carrot and Orange

2011-08-12T07:19:00.001+01:00

Happy Friday everyone. What a bizarre week it has been. I don't think anyone who lives in England thought we'd ever see the scenes we witnessed this week. I turned on my tv on Tuesday night to see shops on the road where I used to live in London on fire and looted. Unbelievable.

But it's at times like these that I think the simple things in life like crafting and cooking bring even more comfort than normal. I managed to find time to do both this week for my dad's birthday. I was trying to stay away from the blues and browns (yawn!) I always head straight for when making male cards, so instead based the colour scheme on the flavour of the cupcakes - carrot and orange!

Card details:
Stamps: Tiny Treats Birthday
Card: Stamper's Select White, Orange Zest, New Leaf
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Other: Copic Sketch Markers, Double Ended Banner dies, Limitless Layers 1 3/4" dies, Arglye Impression Plate

This is also my card for our brand new challenge on A Passion for Papertrey - check out the challenge here, and the prize you could win;)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Hugs,

My first necklace!

2011-08-05T08:01:00.000+01:00

Happy Friday all, nearly the weekend! Thanks to a dear friend of mine I made my first foray into jewellery making recently. Now Kat can whip up beautiful beaded necklaces in no time at all, but me... well it took me pretty much all day to make this necklace and ear-rings set for my mum, but she was a great teacher (and needed some patience!) and we had a lovely day beading and chatting. I love how it turned out... I can see that beading could get as addictive as stamping. And bead-shopping as addictive as stamp-shopping!!

Of course I had to make a card to match the necklace so I used my fab PTI cupcake die - I'm SO in love with this die!!!

Stamps: Big birthday wishes, Card: Hawai'in Shores, New Leaf, Paper: Green Boutique, Other: Ricrac die

Have a great weekend!

Unpacked...

2011-07-30T17:47:00.001+01:00

Happy Saturday all! It seems longer than a week ago that I moved house, thank goodness it's over for a while. Tell me I'm not the only one who is astounded by how much 'stuff' they own when you pack it all up! So I'm being ruthless and having a good clear-out, it's very cathartic isn't it? Bags of clothes ready to go to the charity shop (why do I hang on to stuff that I haven't worn for years?!) and boxes of craft stuff to sell... more on that soon;)

The property we've moved to is just down the road from where we were; a very sweet cottage with a lovely atmosphere, and look at some of the beautiful flowers we've inherited in our new garden:

Oh and good news... I've unpacked my stamping supplies so hoping to get inky this weekend:) Happy weekend folks!

Stop and smell the flowers

2011-07-18T20:52:00.000+01:00

Hands up who needs a few extra days in the week! I'm a bit snowed under at the moment - work, study, planning classes, organising concerts - oh and am moving house at the weekend... not much time to play or craft :(

Work calls but here's a little card I made recently for a friend - she likes green!

Stamps: Sweet Fleurs (Hero Arts) Through the Trees (sentiment - PTI), Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Antique Linen Distress Ink, Card: New Leaf (PTI), Other: Copic Sketch Markers, rhinestones, twine (PTI)

Reminds me I must make time to stop and smell the flowers this week - I hope you do too!

Hugs,

a concert

2011-07-13T08:21:00.005+01:00

Hello all, how was your weekend? Our concert in Oxford went really well, we were so lucky to have the opportunity of singing in Merton College Chapel - a haven of peace away from the very bustling streets of Oxford in tourist season!

Merton College Chapel, Oxford

Our poster in the chapel

And here we all are in concert dress before the concert:

So it's time for another challenge over on A Passion for Papertrey, and it's all about summer!! Mine is an invite to a summery pool party in zingy colours - nice and simple! Head over to the blog for more details about the challenge, and to see the fab prize you could win!).

Stamps: A Day at the Beach, Polka Dot Basics
Card: Stamper's Select White, Hawai'in Shores
Ink: Raspberry Fizz, Hawai'in Shores, Memento Tuxedo Black
Other: Raspberry Fizz ribbon, nestabilities

Have a good week!

Hugs

A message for you...

2011-07-08T23:48:00.002+01:00

Stamps: Lawn Fawn, Card: Aqua Mist (PTI), Notecard: Amuse

... to wish you a happy weekend! I'm off to the beautiful city of Oxford tomorrow to sing in a concert - the last concert of the season, if you happen to be in Oxford tomorrow evening we're singing in Merton College so do stop by!

Hugs,

A tree themed birthday

2011-07-05T19:55:00.000+01:00

Good morning and happy Tuesday - I hope you had a good weekend! Mine was super busy because I spent the whole weekend recording a CD! I'm very privileged to sing for a wonderful choir called 'Harmonia Sacra', a small group of 25 - 30 singers from across the South West specialising in early music. We meet a few times a year for intensive reahearsal weekends that culminate in a concert.

This was our first CD recording, and although it was a very long weekend's work (and we were singing entirely in Russian!) it was an amazing experience and something very special to be part of. I'll let you know when the CD is out!

So do you remember it was Aimes' birthday a few weeks ago? Now I know she received her parcel I can share what I made for her:

Recipe: (All PTI unless otherwise stated)
Stamps: Through The Trees, Tiny Tags
Ink: New Leaf, Fresh Snow
Card: Kraft, New Leaf, Fine Linen
Other: sewing machine, New Leaf ribbon, twine, New Leaf button, Limitless Layers Dies

I worked the theme of the card and tag around the wee gift inside the box - a necklace with a tree on it - another lovely Etsy find. I do love supporting individual artists instead of the high street!

Hugs,

A corner of London

2011-06-29T20:51:00.003+01:00

Hello lovelies, how is your week going? I was up in London yesterday on a course so took the opportunity to take a friend to one of my favourite corners of the capital:

Neals Yard. Image: Jonathan Gregson

Walking into Neal's Yard feels like stepping into another world, away from the hustle and bustle of touristy Convent Garden - a historic and funky courtyard with a hippy edge, full of natural health shops and vegetarian restaurants including my personal favourite, The World Food Cafe. See the open windows in this picture? That's the cafe - I urge anyone who loves world food to stop by!

Neal's Yard. Image: Mikelo

The cafe is run by husband and wife team Chris and Carolyn Caldicott and not only feeds (sorry for the pun!) my love of world food but also my love of travel photography. Chris Caldicott is a travel writer and photographer whose stunning images adorn both the walls of the cafe and the pages of their beautiful cookery book - it makes me want to pack my suitcase every time I look at it!

So it's time for a new challenge over on A Passion for Papertrey and this time round we're focusing on borders - check out the post here for more info.

I went a little scallop crazy for my sample, and yes I forced myself to use purple - but only because it was made for someone who loves it!

Recipe:

Stamps: Birthday Bash Sentiments/Make a Wish

Ink: Plum Pudding/Memento Tuxedo Black

Card: Stampers Select White

Paper: Bitty Dot Basics (plum pudding & black)

Other: Medium Scalloped Die/black Copic Sketch Marker

Right I have some tennis to watch now! Have a good rest of the week!
Hugs,

Birthday lady!

2011-06-21T08:21:00.002+01:00

Today is my dear friend Aimes' birthday. We met on a stamping forum a few years ago, got chatting and sharing stamped images and I'm blessed that we became good friends. Here is a pic of us getting inky earlier this year on a girls weekend with Caryn (who took the pic!) - what a fun weekend that was!

Happy Birthday lovely lady! I hope you have a wonderful day (even if you are working!) and can't wait to catch up with you soon. I hope your parcel arrives soon!

Hugs Kate x

Tennis anyone?

2011-06-20T16:16:00.000+01:00

Ah, it's the start of my favourite fortnight of the year. Pour yourself a glass of Pimms, dish yourself some strawberries and cream, grab your raincoat.. it's Wimbledon time again! (If I could embed music into this post you'd be listening to the theme tune right now!)

www.wimbledon.com

These two weeks remind me so much of my dear late Grandad who was such an avid tennis fan that he would take his annual leave over these two weeks so he could watch every second. I also had a great (and rather eccentric!) Aunt who used to hide behind the sofa if anyone called at the front door during the fortnight.... no time for visitors when Wimbledon is on!! Will you be watching? Who do you want to win? Will we have British champion for the first time in about a thousand years?!

Hugs,
Kate x

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T19:04:00.001+01:00

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful dads in the world! Here's the card I made my dear dad. He's had to undergo medical treatment recently so all the more reason to let him know how much he means to me...

Recipe:

Stamps: Masculine Motifs (PTI)

Card: Kraft/ Enchanted Evening/ Fine Linen (PTI)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento )/Enchanted Evening (PTI)

Other: Nestabilities (Spellbinders)/sewing machine

My family are big cricket fans so tucked inside were tickets to for him, my mum and me to go and see a 20/20 cricket match this Friday... so far all the 20/20 matches at Somerset have been rained off so pretty please can it be good weather?!

Bye for now,

Quick birthday wishes

2011-06-17T17:32:00.000+01:00

Hooray, it's Friday! Just popping by to quickly share a clean and simple card made for a recent challenge on A Passion for Papertrey. Turquoise and lots of white.... two of my favourite things:)

Recipe:

Stamps: Modern Basics (PTI)

Ink: New Leaf(PTI)/Aqua Mist(PTI)/Memento Tuxedo Black

Card: Stampers Select White/ Hawai'in Shore/Aqua Mist (PTI)

Other: Corner Chomper/Beautiful Blooms Dies (PTI)/Buttons - New Leaf & Aqua Mist

Have a good weekend - it's pouring here in Somerset but I'm doing a fair weather dance for Monday because it's the start of an exciting fortnight... any guesses? ;)

I'm back!

2011-06-14T19:39:00.001+01:00

Hello hello blogland! My few months' break from blogging last year turned into a longer break that I'd anticipated but it's time for my comeback haha!

Life got very busy at the end of last year and, more than that, I lost my crafting mojo and also my love of blogging, so I decided to have a break for some time out and to reflect on why I wanted to blog. My blog was just a place to showcase my cards and felt like it was becoming a chore so I knew the best thing was to step back from it for a while.

During that time I took a fabulous online blogging course which re-inspired me and made me realise I wanted my blog to be more personal rather than just a place to show my cards. I'm still not sure what my blog is going to become - I just know it didn't feel like me so hopefully that will change a bit:)

I also had my blog re-designed, there is still a bit of tweaking to do on the other pages but I love the look of it - a big thank you to Kelly at Creative K for designing it just how I wanted.

Stamping will still be at the heart of my blog and be warned - I have a BIG backlog of cards I've made over the past few months to share! But for now it's time for a new challenge over on A Passion for Papertrey - check out the blog for full deets, here is my sample:

Card Recipe: (All supplies PTI unless otherwise stated)
Stamps: Scattered Showers
Ink: Ripe Avocado/Tuxedo Black (Memento)
Card: Kraft/ Ripe Avocado/ Stamper's Select White
Paper: 2008 & 2009 Bitty Dot Basics
Other: Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers)/Ripe Avocado Twill/sewing machine/Tag Sale 2

Thank you for your emails asking if everything was ok with me during my absence. It feels good to be back blogging and to be amongst my lovely bloggy friends again :)

Hugs,

Forgotten birds...

2010-08-12T19:48:00.013+01:00

One of the best things about challenges is, not only do they force you to break beyond the comfort zones, they also make use stamps you'd totally forgotten about!

The current Embellish challenge is a fun one: a pink, brown and green colour scheme that had to incorporate birds:

Even though I've used the birdhouses from PTI's Birdwatching set a few times, I'd totally ignored these super-cute birds! So glad I re-found them!

Recipe:

Stamps: Birdwatching (PTI)
Card: Stamper's Select White/Dark Chocolate/Raspberry Fizz(PTI)
Ink: Colorbox Chalk
Other: Ric-Rak die (PTI)/Raspberry Fizz & New Leaf buttons (PTI)/Corner Chomper

Oh and I wanted to thank the ladies from Embellish for picking me for their top picks for their previous challenge - thank you gals!

Thanks for stopping by!

Summer birthday

2010-08-10T16:02:00.005+01:00

Greetings from a very grey and wet corner of England! What happened to our summer?!

Yesterday was time for us to set another challenge on A Passion for Papertrey, and this time we've plumped for a 'long or tall card' theme. I felt in the mood for a bright, summery birthday card for my sample, and chose PTI's 'Take Three: Spring' set.

I'm afraid to say I didn't use any Papertrey inks on this card. If you're a member of the PTI forum you'll know what problems the company has had with their ink formulation, to the point of withdrawing all bar a few of their inks while they work on a new formula.

While the inks I used may not be an exact match for PTI colours, they are close enough and it was very satisfying to get a lovely clean image using chalk inks!

Recipe:
Stamps: Take Three - Spring
Card: Stamper's Select White/Raspberry Fizz
Ink: Colorbox chalk/Versamagic/Versafine Black
Other: Corner Chomper/Swiss Dots Cuttlebug Embossing folder

Thanks for visiting today!

Kate x

Sit back and relax...

2010-08-02T23:15:00.010+01:00

Hey there, I hope you're having a good week so far! Work deadlines and revision for upcoming exams have left little time for stamping but I did get the chance to sit down over the weekend to make a card for my dad's birthday - it's just taken me three days to get around to posting it!

I was totally uninspired when I sat down to make it, as is usually the way when I have to tackle a card for the opposite sex, so I used a few challenges for inspiration:

Stacey's Stamping Stage colour challenge:

... and the Card Positioning Systems sketch:

And this is what I came up with - one of Karen Lockhart's fabulous-to-colour images (how inviting does this chair look?!) paired with a setiment so apt for a workaholic like my dad!

Recipe:
Stamps: Adirondack Chair/Sentiment (Lockhart stamps)
Card: Kraft/Stamper's Select White(PTI)/Night of Navy(SU)/Lagoon (Memory Box)
Ink: Memento black
Other: Copic Sketch Markers/Night of Navy ribbon(SU)/Cuttlebug embossing folder/corner chomper/linen thread(SU)/Enchanted Evening button(PTI)

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you have time to sit back and relax too!

Kate x

Embellish Challenge

2010-07-29T22:52:00.008+01:00

Hey! I was just about to go to bed when I realised I hadn't entered my card into the current Embellish challenge.

I must say that I did find the colour scheme quite a challenge, but in the end quite like how it turned out! Here's what I came up with - it's the first time I've used my new Funky Flowers set from WPlus9, love those retro blooms!

Recipe:

Stamps: Funky Flowers (wPlus9)
Ink: Memento brown
Card: Kraft/Dark Chocolate/Orange Zest(PTI)
Other: Ric Rak die(PTI)/Sitckles/Copic Sketch Markers

Thanks for visiting today - I can't believe it's almost the weekend already, I hope you have a good one!

Hugs, Kate x

Friends...

2010-07-28T11:53:00.004+01:00

Hi peeps! How is your week so far? This is the first chance I've had to sit down and blog after my fabulous girly weekend with my best blogging buddies Aimes, Caryn and Steph. It was the first time we'd met up since last November so there was much excitement in the air!

As a group of Twilight-obsessed gals we planned our weekend around a trip to see Eclipse:

.. can you believe I managed to wait two whole weeks after the release to see it so I could see it for the first time with them haha!

Here we are after watching (or rather drooling over!) the film at Bluewater:

..and after having the best ice creams ever!

More shopping on Sunday - Aimes and I trying on the same top in Karen Millen!

Caryn giving a cookery demonstration!

...and Caryn, Aimes and myself in matching t-shirts haha!

What more could you ask for from a girly weekend than shopping, cocktails, a good dose of Edward and Jacob and lots and lots of laughing! Thanks for a great weekend gals, love ya!

In honour of our weekend, Aimes and I decided to give Monday's new challenge on A Passion for Papertrey a friendship theme. I used the adorable car image from Enjoy the Ride, paper piecing parts of the car with Beautiful Blooms papers - very flower power don't you think?!

Recipe:

Stamps: Enjoy the Ride, Friends til the End
Ink: Memento black
Card: Stamper's Select White/Hawaiin Shores/Pure Poppy
Papers: Beautiful Blooms
Other: Enjoy the Ride die/Rik Rack die/Copic Sketch markers

Thanks for stopping by today - I hope your week is filled with fun and friendship!

Kate xx

Pull up a chair

2010-07-21T00:23:00.010+01:00

After several weeks of blazing sunshine we've reverted back to a week of grey, drizzly days, so I've really been in the mood for lift-me-up cards, brightly coloured cards.

This card is my very belated sample for our current challenge over on A Passion for Papertrey, which time time around is to use a die. I used the chair die which matches the On My Couch set, to make this super cute polka dot armchair, all ready for someone to curl up in with a big cug of tea :)

Recipe:
Stamps: On my Couch
Card: Stamper's Select White/Raspberry Fizz
Ink: Raspberry Fizz/Summer Sunrise/Aqua Mist/True Black
Papers: Bitty Dot Basics 2009 - Summer Sunrise
Other: Raspberry Fizz ribbon/Labels One dies

Thanks for dropping by!

Kate x

Cupcake birthday

2010-07-15T19:20:00.009+01:00

Hello there! How's your week been so far? I've just got back from a lovely few days staying with my best friend, Ashley, in London - it's pouring with rain now, but the weekend was a scorcher! Lots of fun times catching up, and playing with her 2-year-old, who is my adorable surrogate 'niece' - shouldn't it be her on the motorbike in the playground, not me?! -

It was Ashley's birthday on Tuesday, and as someone who runs her own cake-making business, it seemed fitting to give her a cupcake flavoured card:

Recipe: (all PTI unless stated)
Stamps: Bitty Baby Blessings/Vintage Picnic (sentiment)
Ink: Memento black
Card: Stamper's Select White/Pure Poppy/Hawai'in Shores
Paper: Beautiful Blooms
Other: Copic Sketch Markers/ Circle Nestabilities/Hawaiin Shores ribbon & button

Thanks for stopping by!

Kate x

About a boy

2010-07-10T08:16:00.005+01:00

This seems to be the summer of baby boys! Several of my friends have been blessed with bundles of baby boy joy in recent months so I've been putting my baby stamp sets to good use. This card is for dear friends in the US who recently had a beautiful and teeny little boy - four weeks premature but doing well!

Recipe:
Stamps: Baby Button Bits/Polka Dot Basics (PTI)
Card: Stamper's Select White/Kraft/Spring Rain
Other: Copic Sketch Markers/Circle Nestabilities/Spring Rain Button and Saddle Stitch Ribbon

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend - I'm singing in a memorial service this morning, then off up to London for a few days to stay with my best friend for a weekend of barbeques and sunshine!

Have fun!

Kate x

To a rose...

2010-07-07T15:47:00.004+01:00

Hey folks.... what's your current favourite stamp set? Mine has to be Claire's fabulous Roses in Bloom set, I can't get enough of these fabulous blooms!

Here's a card I made for a dear elderly friend of my mum's who has a cottage garden overflowing with roses - I coloured the roses with Copics, cut them out and layered them up:

Recipe:

Stamps: Roses in Bloom(WMS)/Damask Design(PTI)
Card: Stamper's Select White/Plum Pudding
Ink: Memento black
Other: Copic Markers

Have a great day and I hope you have time to stop and smell the roses!

Kate x

I'm back!

2010-07-05T08:05:00.004+01:00

Hello and Happy Monday!!!

Well it's been a few weeks since I blogged - I'm not sure why, I just felt like I needed a break. I sat down a few times to post, and even had cards to show but it just didn't happen. Instead of putting pressure on myself to post I just decided to take a bit of time out and now I feel fresher and ready to start again. A blog-holiday isn't a bad thing!

I've been loving the World Cup (the less said about England's performance the better!) and Wimbledon, and am already suffering post-Wimbledon withdrawal symptoms.... did you watch the final yesterday? This man is the most amazingly talanted and natural sportsman, and a real gentleman to boot, I'm just in awe of him - congrats Rafa!

So I have a few cards to share with you, made a few weeks ago - the first is the birthday card I made for my dear blogging buddy Aimes. I tried to include all the things that she loves - green, buttons, kraft, glossy accents and a stamping theme:

Here's a close up of the glossy accents on the jars:

Recipe:

Stamps: Studio Style
Card:Kraft/Vintage Cream
Ink: Memento black
Papers: Pretty Pastels
Ribbon: Ripe Avocado Saddle Stitch
Other: Glossy Accents/Copic Sketch Markers/Ripe Avocado buttons

And this is the card I made for our current 'summertime' challenge over on A Passion for Papertrey - there's still time to join in :)

Recipe:
Stamps: Aloha/Background Basics - Retro (PTI)
Card: Stamper's Select White/Raspberry Fizz/Hawaiin Shores (PTI)
Ink: Memento Black/Simply Chartreuse (PTI)
Other: Rick-Rack die(PTI)/Copic Markers/Corner Chomper

I'll be back on Wednesday with some more cards, til then enjoy the sunshine!

Kate x

For a boy

2010-06-22T21:36:00.010+01:00

Just in the nick of time to enter this card for Lucy's current challenge - she picked a yummy colour combo which I thought would be perfect for a baby boy card:

Recipe:
Stamps: Baby Button Bits/Polka Dot Basics (PTI)
Card: Kraft/Stamper's Select White/Spring Rain (PTI)
Ink: Memento Black/Spring Rain/Antique Linen Distress Ink
Other: Copic Markers/Spring Rain button (PTI)/Linen Thread (SU)/Labels & Circle Dies

I'm off to London to stay with friends tomorrow so I'll look forward to catching up at the weekend!

Kate x

Happy day!

2010-06-21T13:17:00.016+01:00

Why is it a happy day?! Well, there are a couple of reasons - firstly today is the start of my favourite fortnight of the year....

(Image courtesy of AELTC)

...new balls please, it's Wimbledon!! Time for the whole country to go tennis mad and immerse ourselves in this most wonderful sporting event - I won't be going this year but I'll be watching every minute I possibly can:)

A love of tennis is definitely in my blood - for all of his working life my dear Grandad, a fantastic tennis player who is sadly no longer with us, used to take his two week holiday from work over Wimbledon so he could watch the whole thing! I'm sure my Grandmother would have liked to have gone away but Wimbledon was the priority!

It's also a happy day because it's my dear friend Aimes' birthday - Aimes and I 'met' online a few years ago, hit it off immediately and our friendship has grown ever since. She is now my partner in crime over on A Passion for Papertrey, and aside from being a fabulous crafting buddy is one of my dearest friends - many is the time we ring each other to discuss blog business and two hours into the phone call still haven't got around to it!

Here's a pic of us from last November when we met in the flesh for the first time!

Happy Birthday hun! Hope you're having a fabulous day and I can't wait to see you in July!!

Ok, so onto some crafty talk! Yesterday afternoon I managed to drag myself away from the glorious sunshine into my craft room, and with nothing specific to create I decided to combine the current Embellish challenge:

..with Claire's WMS sketch challenge:

..and came up with this. It was quite fun to make a baby card with more unusual colours!

Recipe:
Stamps: Baby Button Bits (PTI)
Card: Melon Berry/Vintage Cream/Spring Moss
Papers: Bitty Box Basics - Lemon Tart
Other: Copic Markers/Melon Berry Saddle Stitch Ribbon (PTI)/green button(Hero Arts)/Oval Nestabilities/Swiss Dots Embossing Folder/Cuttlebug

Thanks for stopping by today!

Kate x

Back to Black

2010-06-17T10:45:00.005+01:00

Claire's new sketches are fast becoming one of my must-play challenges, here is this week's:

I wanted to use Waltzing Mouse's Very Vintage Labels 4 set so I flipped the sketch around. It struck me that there's a touch of the English flag about this sketch - or maybe I'm just seeing so many flags flying on cars for the World Cup!

Recipe:

Stamps: Very Vintage Labels 4 (WMS)/Damask Designs (PTI)
Card: Stamper's Select White/True Black (PTI)
Ink: Versafine black
Papers: Bitty Dot (PTI)
Other - Labels 4 die/paper flowers/brads

Thanks for visiting today, and I hope to see you soon!

Kate xx

A single layer

2010-06-16T20:44:00.004+01:00

Hello and happy Wednesday! This week is just flying by - I have a concert on Saturday and we've had two rehearsals this week already. Concert weeks are quite tiring but we're singing some absolutely beautiful music so it's all worth it!

So we've just set a brand new challenge on A Passion for Papertrey - this time it's all about one-layer cards. They sound simple and I'm a big fan of less is more but in truth they're quite challenging!

I went for a circular card for my sample, using the super cute car from PTI's Enjoy the Ride set - so quick to make, I simply stamped and coloured the car with Copics and a white gel pen, drew a black circle to frame the image, and inked the edges with Distress Ink:

Recipe:
Stamps: Enjoy the Ride
Card: Kraft
Ink: Memento/Antique Linen Distress Ink
Other: Copic Sketch Markers/White Gel Pen/Circle Nestabilities

Thanks for stopping by today!

Kate xx

In a snap...

2010-06-11T23:24:00.008+01:00

Just back from the cinema, and about to go to bed when I remembered I hadn't posted my entry for Stacey's Stamping Stage most recent colour challenge:

I paired it with a Clean and Simple Stamping - sketch (Fall to Layout 93) to whip up this card - sometimes I can spend so long (more time than I care to admit!) fussing over a card that it's very satisfying when you have a colour scheme and a sketch to work from and it all comes together in a snap!

Recipe:
Stamps: You're Dandy (Practicing Creativity)
Card: Stamper's Select White/Spring Moss/Spring Rain (PTI)
Ink - Night of Navy (SU)
Other - Adhesive Pearls/Spring Rain Buttons

I'm VERY excited about the start of the World Cup, and it's less than 24 hours before England's opening game against the USA. I love my US friends dearly but in this case I'm not going to wish you too much luck (nothing personal you understand!!). I know the opposition will be tough and it'll be the start of some nail biting matches! Have a great weekend peeps!

Kate x

A new leaf!

2010-06-10T08:48:00.008+01:00

Phew, what a busy busy week! I've been so looking forward to today - I had a work deadline yesterday, now it's all done and I'm treating myself to a day off, and to catch up on blogging and blog-hopping!

So guess what?! I've made a card for some challenges and am actually posting them before the closing date (see my resolution from the previous post!). I've recently fallen in love with Claire's Waltzing Mouse Stamps and was very excited when she announced the WMS Sketch Challenge blog!

Here's the first sketch:

I combined the sketch with the current Embellish Challenge -

... and came up with this, oh how I love to colour this gorgeous rose!

Recipe:

Stamps - Roses in Bloom (WMS)/Vintage Labels (PTI)
Card - Lemon Tart/Dark Chocolate/Melon Berry/Stamper's Select White (PTI)
Ink - Memento Black/Melon Berry (PTI)
Ribbon - Melon Berry (PTI)
Other - Melon Berry & Dark Chocolate Buttons (PTI)/Labels One Dies/Copic Sketch Markers

I've been wanting to paint my sitting room for ages and as it's a rainy ol' day I think today could be the day - I've found some paint that is JUST like Aqua Mist, and you know how much I love Aqua Mist..... ;)

Thanks for stopping by!

Kate x

Altered...

2010-06-04T10:02:00.001+01:00

I am oficially hopeless!! I made my entry for the last Embellish challenge (that closed yesterday) and totally forgot to post it!! How many times have I done this?!! Time to turn over a new leaf methinks!!

So this was the challenge:

I've been needing a new pen pot for my desk and after I recently made some muffins using these -

I decided to alter the empty pot.... add some pretty papers, some ink and stamps and it became this:

Recipe: (All Papertrey Ink)

Stamps - Polka Dot Basics
Card - Kraft
Papers - Pretty Pastels
Other - Butterfly Die/Rick Rack Die/True Black Twill

....my pens now have a home :)

I hope you all have a great Friday - I'm driving to Swansea today to sing in a concert this evening. We have a 3 hour rehearsal this afternoon, then perform tonight. I lived in South Wales for four years (I was at Cardiff University) and driving back over the bridge brings back many happy memories!

Kate x

Cursing Chipboard!

2010-06-01T17:12:00.006+01:00

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a good Bank Holiday yesterday (and Memorial Day for my US visitors!) I dragged a friend to see Streetdance 3D at the cinema, he wasn't that keen on going but he actually really like it haha (not that he'd probably admit that to his mates)! Of course, I loved it - anything to do with dance y'know!

Yesterday was also the day for us to set another challenge over on A Passion for Papertrey. The challenge is to use chipboard on a project, and I have to say I was cursing our choice after a while as I just couldn't get anything to go right... tell me I'm not the only one that happens too?!

After a few attempts I settled on my PTI Everyday Buttons set and, given my earlier attempts, am happy with how it turned out :)

I coloured the chippy flowers with my Copics to match the Hawai'in Shores in the (DELICIOUS!) Dotty Biscotti papers:

Stamps: Everyday Button Bits
Ink: Colorbox Chalk
Card: Kraft/Aqua Mist/Stamper' Select White
Papers: Dotty Biscotti
Other: Chipboard flowers (SU)/ric rak die/adhesive pearls (Hero Arts)

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

Kate x

Birthday Girl

2010-05-28T08:01:00.007+01:00

Yesterday was my lovely, and oh so talented, stamping buddy Emma's birthday - Happy Birthday my sweet, I hope you had a lovely day!!

For Emma's card I used my new Enjoy the Ride set with the fabulous matching die - I'm so in love with this cute car! I'm also loving Hawai'in Shores teamed with Melon Berry and made a matching notebook for Emma to write her stamping wish lists in!

Recipe: (PTI unless stated)

Stamps: Enjoy the Ride/Fresh Alphabet/Polka Dot Basics/Journalling Lines
Card: Stamper's Select White/Hawai'in Shores/Melon Berry
Ink: Hawai'in Shores/Melon Berry/True Black
Ribbon & Buttons: Melon Berry
Other: Felt/Cuttlebug Flower Dies/Copics/Enjoy the Ride Dies/Circle Nestabilites(Spellbinders)/Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder

I used Taylor's current sketch challenge for the card - here's the sketch:

... and the card:

The notebook:

I die cut the notebook covers and all the pages using Papertrey's Tabbed Mini Book Page, then stamped the inside covers with 'Polka Dot Basics', and all the pages with with the line stamp from 'Journalling Lines'.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!!

Kate x

Fabulous flowers....

2010-05-25T15:45:00.014+01:00

So how's your week going? Mine is flying by, so much to do and not enough hours in the day!

On Monday I had a press ticket to Chelsea Flower Show - I'd never been before, and while I'm not very knowledgeable about gardens it was a fabulous event, and I've never seen so many celebs in one place! All the gardens looked spectacular, of course aided but the 30 degree sunshine!

Here are a few pics - I wouldn't mind a garden like one of these!:

There were so many incredible flower displays, here are a few of the main tent:

... and a few vegetables!:

... and finally, how about a dress made entirely of real roses!

Ok, onto a card! This one is for the last Clean and Simple Sketch challenge - I used my cute Waltzing Mouse Stamps L'il Buddies set:

Here's the sketch:

..and my card:

Don't you love that sentiment!

Thanks for visiting today!
Kate x

Summer Days....

2010-05-23T14:14:00.006+01:00

Hi everyone, I hope you've had a fabulous weekend! I'm sure if you're here in the UK you'll have been enjoying this amazing heatwave we've been having - I can't remember it being this hot for years! (And I have the sunburn to prove it lol!) I adore our seasons, but I'm a summer kinda gal and I'd be happy if it stayed like this until September... ok, pigs might fly but it's nice to dream!

As much as I love making cards, this card is one that I never like making - a sympathy card for a dear friend. I kept it very simple, just enough I hope, to let him know he was in my thoughts and prayers.

Recipe: (All Papertrey Ink)

Stamps - With Sympathy/Mega Mixed Messages
Card - Vintage Cream/Plum Pudding
Ink - Ripe Avocado/Plum Pudding/True Black
Ribbon - Ripe Avocado

Time for me to go to bed - good night all!

Kate x

L'il buddy

2010-05-19T07:37:00.000+01:00

I've been having so much fun playing with my new Waltzing Mouse Stamps! This card was made with the L'il Buddies set (Claire crams in an amazing number of stamps and sentiments in one set!) and is for the Embellish current challenge:

I have to say I struggled a bit with this colour combo but I guess it's good to try new things...?! The two circular layers in the centre are popped up with foam dimensionals to comply with the dimension part of the challenge :)

Recipe:

Stamps: L'il Buddies (Waltzing Mouse Stamps)
Card: Terracotta Tile/Stamper's Select White/Dark Chocolate
Paper: Pretty Pastels (PTI)
Ink: Memento Black/Memento Brown
Other: Copic Sketch Markers/Foam Dimensionals

And this is my card for our current challenge on A Passion for Papertrey - it's all about 'Your Favourite Colour' and after much deliberation between my two favourites - Aqua Mist and Hawai'in Shores I went for the more recent addition to my colour collection :)

Recipe:

Stamps: Asian Fusion/Polka Dot Basics/Mega Mixed Messages
Card - Hawai'in Shores/Stampers Select White/True Black
Ink - Hawai'in Shores/True Black
Other - Corner Chomper

Ok, it's way past my bedtime so I'll bid you goodnight!!

Kate x

My First Waltz!

2010-05-17T07:30:00.007+01:00

Happy Monday everyone! How was your weekend? On Saturday I went to a really fun knitting workshop in Bristol - a friend taught be to do the basics a few years ago but the most I've been able to do is Cast On, Cast Off and Knit Stitch so when I saw this course I thought I'd try to expand my repertoire!

It was a fun day - basically a group of girls, sitting round a table chatting and knitting and I'm pleased to say I my knowledge increased ten-fold, and maybe someday I'll progress past scarves!

On Friday I had a very exciting mail day - my first Waltzing Mouse Stamps arrived! I've long been a fan and admirer of Claire's work and stamps and am now the proud over of a few of her fabulous sets. And I received them just in time to join in today's blog waltz!!

This month's waltz is a birthday theme, and I used
WPlus9 Studio Colour Challenge for my colour scheme:

Here's my card... that rose is such a stunning stamp so expect to see a lot more of it!

Recipe:

Stamps: Roses in Bloom/Very Vintage Labels 4/L'il Buddies - sentiment (All WMS)
Ink: Enchanted Evening (PTI)
Card: Stamper's Select White (PTI)/Spring Rain (PTI)
Other - Lemon Tart ribbon (PTI)/Labels 4 Dies (Spellbinder)/Yellow Pearls

To see more fabulous WMS inspiration check out the WMS Forum!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!

Kate x

Time for tea

2010-05-12T19:36:00.002+01:00

I've been stuck at home for a few days with a stinking cold, but it has meant that I've been able to immerse myself in the extraordinary unravelling of our General Election - the past 24 hours have been so historic and so exciting!

It's also meant that I've had a chance to finally sit down and catch up on everyone's blogs, there are some amazing creations out there and now I can't wait to get in my craft room at the weekend!

This is a card I made for a dear friend a few weeks ago - you know how some people just 'own' a colour, well my dear friend Susie 'owns' green. She also shares my affection for teapots, so her card had to feature a green teapot!

Recipe: (All Papertrey Ink, unless otherwise stated)

Stamps: Tea for Two/Vintage Labels
Card: Kraft/Vintage Cream
Paper - Pretty Pastels
Ink - Spring Moss/Antique Linen Distress Ink (Spellbinders)/Memento Black
Other - Labels One Dies (Spellbinder)/Sewing machine/Vintage Cream Buttons

Thanks for stopping by today!

Kate xx

Day tripper

2010-05-10T19:57:00.013+01:00

Hi y'all! I hope everyone had a fab weekend! Has anyone else been totally wrapped up in our Election? I'm a self confessed news-junkie and have found the past four days absolutely extraordinary and so very exciting! Like the rest of the country I have no idea what form our Government is going to take but the coming days are going to be intriguing!

I had a fab time staying with my best friend in London for a few days. On Friday we were glued to the election coverage on TV from 6am for the rest of the day, but the day before, when she was tied up with work, I took myself off for a day in the big smoke to catch up on some of my favourite places:)

First stop was the Victoria & Albert Museum to see the Grace Kelly exhibition:

I'm a big Grace Kelly fan, and with High Society being one of my all-time favourite scenes it was magical to see a few of the dresses she wore in the film in the flesh:

Then I headed for a shop I've been waiting to visit in London for a long time - for years I've drooled over Anthropologie online and when I've visited their stores in the US, but now we have a shop in London! I love their style, their super-stylish ways of designing their shop interiors:

Then, after a quick stop off at Lauduree for the best macaroons in the world...

... I headed for Liberty's, primarily to visit the haberdashery department - I knew they carried a fabulous stock of Amy Butler fabrics, aren't they scrummy!

After much deliberation I treated myself to a few metres of a gorgeous aqua material, trouble is.... it's too pretty to cut into!

Then after a trip to a few of my favourite bookshops and also Blade Rubber Stamps (how exciting to shop for stamps in the flesh and not online as is the norm for me!), I finished off my day at the Irving Penn photography exhibition of portraits at the National Portrait Gallery:

(Portrait of Josephine Baker)

What a lovely day!

Having been away for a few days I didn't get any stamping done over the weekend, but last week I made my sample for yesterday's Stamp With Us challenge - this time it was a colour challenge based on this photo:

Here's my sample:

Recipe:

Supplies:
Stamps - In the Stars (SU)
Card - Whisper White/Real Red (SU)
Ink - Real Red/Yoyo Yellow/Lovely Lilac (SU)
Other - Corner Chomper

The rest of the DT's fabulous samples are on the Stamp With Us blog - be sure to check them out!

Thanks for visiting today, have a great week!

Kate x

Hi and bye!

2010-05-05T08:22:00.004+01:00

Just stopping by to say a quick hello, before I disappear again for a couple of days! I'm off to London for the rest of the week today so blogging has taken a bit of a back seat while I rush around to get work finished before I go. I'll be back on Sunday and look forward to catching up on everyone's blogs then!

In the meantime if you're a Papertrey Ink fan we set a new challenge on A Passion for Papertrey this week - this time it's all about friendship :)

Here's my sample, using the beautiful In Bloom set, which I just love to colour :)

Recipe:
Stamps - In Bloom
Card - Kraft/Aqua Mist
Ink - Memento Black
Other - Copic Sketch Markers/Glitter/EK Success border punch

Have a good week, oh and don't forget to vote tomorrow... just sayin';)

Kate x

Hoppy Day

2010-04-26T17:08:00.004+01:00

Here are the last of the cards I made with PTI's Green Thumb set - I love 3 x 3 notelets, they're so useful to keep on hand for emergency notes. The sentiment is from the Pond Life Sentiments set, I thought it went brilliantly with this cute little grasshopper!

Recipe: (All Papertrey Ink)

Stamps - Green Thumb/Pond Life Sentiments
Ink - New Leaf
Card - Stamper's Select White/Green Boutique
Other - Circle nestabilities

I had a lovely afternoon yesterday playing in my craft room.... expect to see a lot of Hawaiin Shores around here soon!

Thanks for visiting and have a great week!

Kate x

Simple Thank You

2010-04-25T21:33:00.006+01:00

Just in time! This is my last-minute entry for Kristina's single layer challenge - I love making one layer cards and kept this one very clean and simple :)

Recipe:

Stamps - Hero Arts/Pti
Card - Stamper's Select White (PTI)
Ink - Memento
Other - Copic Sketch markers/corner chomper/adhesive gems (Hero)

Thanks for stopping by!

Kate x

Birthday Boy

2010-04-25T10:59:00.004+01:00

It's time for another Stamp With Us challenge, and this time around it's a nice and easy Birthday theme. I made my card for a special birthday boy in California... Happy Birthday Colin!!

Recipe
Stamps - Crazy for Cupcakes
Card - Whisper White/Brocade Blue/More Mustard
Other - Real Red striped ribbon/Corner Chomper/Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder/red button/Maya Road Chipboard/Copic Sketch Markers

Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT samples and details on how to enter the challenge on the Stamp With Us blog.

I also want to say Good Luck to everyone who is running the London Marathon today! I've been watching all morning, it's such an amazing, human event with so many heartwarming stories, I guess it would be wrong to say have fun...!

Kate x

Strawberry Fields

2010-04-24T09:15:00.002+01:00

Here's another card made using Green Thumb, it was made totally with Embellish Magazine's previous colour challenge in mind, but I forgot to post it in time to enter!! Oh well - but that the colour challenge was Kraft, Red, White and Black will explain the red and black strawberry!

Recipe: (all Papertrey Ink)

Stamps - Green Thumb/Polka Dot Basics
Ink - Pure Poppy/Memento Black
Card - Stamper's Select White/Kraft/True Black
Other - Pure Poppy twill riibbon/circle nestabilities

Last Green Thumb cards tomorrow! Have a lovely Saturday!
Kate x

Swoon!

2010-04-22T18:27:00.003+01:00

I am officially in love!!! When I opened the Papertrey parcel that landed on my doorstep a few days ago and saw the new Hawai'in Shores colour I squealed in delight, it's just THE the most GORGEOUS colour!! My addiction to all things turquoise and aquamarine is probably quite well known by now and this scrumptious SCRUMPTIOUS colour has leapt to the top of my favourite colours list - along with Aqua Mist of course ;)

So here's another card made with the Green Thumb set I was playing with at the weekend - clean and simple, featuring Hawai'in Shores - I just love that sentiment!!

Recipe:
Stamps - Green Thumb
Ink - Hawai'in Shores/Versafine Black
Card - Stamper's Select White/Hawai'in Shores

Thanks for visiting me today, it's almost the weekend!!

Kate x

Green Thumb

2010-04-20T07:54:00.009+01:00

It's a day late but I hope everyone had a great weekend! At the end of last week I popped down to Cornwall to catch up with a couple of old friends. Good times :)

On the way back home I stopped in Topsham, South Devon, to meet my parents for a birthday lunch for my mum. It's such a pretty little town, right on the estuary and full of gorgeous shops! I was very good this time, but in the antiques centre I did pick up a couple of very old cookery books (I have a 'thing' about cookery books!) and a vintage camera to add to my (small!) collection:

On Sunday I sat down to make my sample for our new Passion for Papertrey challenge which this time round is all about flowers. Looking through my Papertrey stamps I came across my Green Thumb set, which was one of the first PTI sets I ever bought - three years ago! I'm ashamed to say it's hasn't seen ink for a long time, so I had a good play and will be showing you a few cards made with it over the rest of the week!

Recipe:
Stamps - Green Thumb
Card - Stamper's Select White/True Black/Spring Moss
Ink - Summer Sunrise/Melon Berry/Orange Zest/Terracotta Tile/Spring Rain/Antique Linen Distress Ink
Other - True Black gingham ribbon/Spring Moss button

Thanks for stopping by today!

Kate x

Fizzing

2010-04-14T08:47:00.005+01:00

How about a bright and cheerful Raspberry Fizz card today?! I embossed the dots from PTI's Dot Spot set onto the Fizz cardstock, then used the new Fillable Frames stamps and die (no. 1) for the focal point. Simples!!

Recipe:
Stamps - Dot Spot/Fillable Frames no 1 (PTI)
Card - Stampers Select White/Raspberry Fizz
Ink - Versamark/Versafine black/Raspberry Fizz
Other - Fillable Frames no 1 die/felt flower/white e.p/corner chomper/white grosgrain ribbon/white button

Gotta dash, see you soon I hope!

Kate x

Sympathy Tree

2010-04-10T17:23:00.005+01:00

What a glorious day!! One of the real benefits of having long, cold winters is that it makes you appreciate beautiful, warm days like this SO much more!!

I was feeling so summery during the week that I bought the first bottle of Pimms of the year! Guess what I'm doing tonight? ;)

Here's a card I recently made for my friend Jules, who sadly recently lost her dear grandmother.

Recipe:

Stamps - Hero Arts
ink - Memento black/Antique Linen Distress Ink
Card - Kraft/Pretty in Pink/Colorbox Chalk Ink - brown
Other - White gel pen/Copics/embroidery thread/pink button

Now, where's that Pimms....!!

Kate xx

Easter tidings

2010-04-05T10:09:00.003+01:00

Easter is one of my favourite times of year - hope and expectancy for the rest of the year, spring flowers in bloom, warmth in the air and perfectly shaped and irresistibly tactile Easter eggs :)

I hope everyone had a good Easter Sunday - after a big lunch I still had room to feast on chocolate and the simnel cake I'd made on good Friday :)

My dear friend Emma has some fabulous bog candy on offer at the moment - she's celebrating her blog's 1st anniversary, if you don't have her on your favourites list you should have!! She's one of the most original crafters I know, and a wonderful friend to boot!

Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful Bank Holiday Monday!
Kate x

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T11:29:00.009+01:00

A very Happy Easter to you! Just a quick post before I rush off to cook lunch to share a few Easter bit and bobs...

This is the card and matching basket I made for my mum, of course it's filled with choccolate eggs :)

The card:

Recipe:

Stamps - Amuse
Card - Real Red/So Saffron/Cosmo Cricket paper
Other - Real Red ribbon/white gel pen/oval nestabilities/Oval punches/Copic Sketch markers
Template - PTI

And to match the Easter card from my previous post I made an Easter basket, filled with nuts this time. Here they are together:

Wishing you a very happy Easter Sunday... and plenty of chocolate!!

Kate x

Take three bunnies

2010-04-01T19:28:00.003+01:00

Today I'm showing you my attempt at a male Easter card! Using my usual 'go-to' colours for men's cards of kraft, shades of brown and blue. Should I spice it up a bit?!!

Recipe:

Stamps - Take Three Spring (PTI)
Card - Kraft/Stamper's Select White/Bitty Box papers (PTI)
Ink - Clorbox chalk
Other - Kraft ribbon (SU)/square punch/corner chomper/White gel pen

Wishing you a wonderful bank holiday weekend!

Kate x

Easter Glory

2010-03-31T16:30:00.008+01:00

Can you believe it's Easter week already? In spite of supposedly being spring we seemed to have reverted back to winter weather here in the UK, with much of the north, Northern Ireland and Scotland suffering terrible gales and snowstorms. I think everyone is ready for some fine weather!

One of my mum's friends from church recently asked me to make her a selection of Christian Easter cards - I used this set from Cornish Heritage Farms, I think I'll get lots of mileage out of it.

Recipe:
Stamps - Glory of Easter (CHF)
Card - Vintage Cream/Gold (PTI)
Ink - Encore Gold
Other - Oval nestabilities/Cuttlebug Embosssing folder/gold brads

Recipe:

Stamps - Glory of Easter (CHF)
Card - So Saffron (SU)/Vintage Cream (PTI)/Pretty Pastels paper (PTI)
Other - Spring Moss ribbon (PTI)/Copic Markers/Spellbinder Labels Dies

Recipe:

Stamps - Glory of Easter (CHF)
Card - Kraft (PTI)/Stampers Select White (PTI)/Night of Navy (SU)
Other - Copic Markers/Prismacolor pencils

As always thank you for visiting - I hope everyone's Easter plans are going smoothly!

Hugs Kate xx

Lacey teal

2010-03-28T11:12:00.003+01:00

Good morning! Today is one of my favourite days of the year! Why? Because the clocks went forward last night (did you remember?!) which means the days are drawing out and spring MUST be here!

I made this card for Caardvarks' current challenge which is to make a card using lace - I found this beautiful teal lace in my ribbon basket so made a card based around it :)

Recipe:
Stamps - Fern/Script background (Hero Arts)
Card - Kraft (PTI)/Taken With Teal (SU)
Ink - Taken With Teal (SU)
Other - teal lace/sewing machine/gems/butterfly punch/Stickles

Wishing you a wonderful Sunday - I have nothing more planned than a big Sunday lunch and an afternoon's stamping, bliss!

Kate x

Magic Toadstool

2010-03-25T19:00:00.007Z

Just a quick post to share another CAS card for Lucy's current challenge - I hadn't used this toadstool stamp set before. It's super fun to colour and I bet there's a lot of fairy magic going on under there!

Recipe:

Stamps - Mushrooms (Hero Arts)
Card - Stamper's Select White/Pure Poppy (PTI)
Other - Gingham Ribbon/Pure Poppy button (PTI)/Square Nestabilities

Have a good evening!

Kate x

Happy colours

2010-03-24T18:31:00.007Z

Lucy's current challenge is to make one of my favourite types of card - CAS. Clean designs appeal to my eye, and I like that they are quick to make ;)

Recipe:

Stamps - Asian Fusion (PTI)
Ink - Orange Zest/Raspberry Fizz/Aqua Mist (PTI)
Card - Stamper's Select White/Aqua Mist (PTI)
Other - Oval punches (SU)

I'm hoping that after my Salsa class tonight I'll be able to kick back with a nice glass of vino and enjoy (or should that be 'swoon over'?!) my new New Moon DVD. Of course I rushed out to buy it on Monday when it was released but haven't had a chance to watch it yet!

As I was buying it, I was understandably shocked when the lady serving me looked nonchalantly at it and asked me: "So, is this any good then?" !!!

When I'd recovered my composure after the thought of any red-blooded female NOT having watched Twilight or New Moon I took the matter into my hands and *think* she might have got the message that her life - and daydreams! - were not complete without it hehe! (And yes I am, and always will be Team Edward!)

Here's another PTI card using the same fabulous colour combo of Orange Zest, Aqua Mist and Raspberry Fizz. It was made for our current 'Easter or Spring' challenge over on A Passion for Papertrey. I love these colours, they make me happy:)

Recipe:

Stamps - Take Three Spring
Ink - Summer Sunrise
Card - Stamper's Select White/Summer Sunrise/Raspberry Fizz
Paper - Pretty Pastels
Other - Summer Sunrise & Raspberry Fizz buttons/corner rounder punch

Thanks for stopping by - I'll be back tomorrow with another card for Lucy's challenge!

Kate x

Woody Thanks

2010-03-22T16:14:00.002Z

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had a good weekend. On Saturday the choir I sing in performed a concert in Exeter Cathedral. It was a lovely setting, gorgeous acoustics and the concert went very well. We're a chamber choir of around twenty voices so with only four or five voices per part there's no resting on your laurels!!

But on Sunday my recurring neck problem reared it's ugly (and very painful!) head and I spent most of the day drugged up in bed and sadly had to miss a big family party. The only upside was that I managed to make a few cards in the evening!

This one is for last week's CAS challenge on Splitcoast - to make a card using Green and Brown. Not my normal go-to colours but I quite like it...

Recipe:

Stamps - Hero Arts
Ink - Colorbox chalk
Card - Dark Chocolate/ New Leaf (PTI)
Other - New lead button/Spellbinders Circle Nestabilites and Tag Die

Thanks for stopping by today!

Kate x

Double challenge

2010-03-18T18:17:00.008Z

I made this card for two challenges last week but never got around to posting it for them! The colours of lemon, moss, pink and melon were for the last Embellish challenge. Using more than three colours always challenges me but I like how it turned out :)

Recipe:

Stamps - Asian Fusion (PTI)
Ink - Sweet Blush/Spring Moss(PTI)
Card - Stampers Select White/Melon Berry/Lemon Tart (All PTI)
Paper - Pretty Pastels (PTI)
Other - scalloped border punch (SU)/Copic Sketch markers

The sketch was for the Clean and Simple Stamping sketch challenge (no.80). Love their challenges - just my style :)

Thanks for stopping by - I'm desperately trying to fight off a cold in time for a concert I'm singing in on Saturday so it'll be a quiet night in with a DVD and a hot toddy for me. Wishing you a good evening too... it's almost the weekend!!

Hugs Kate x

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig

2010-03-16T16:47:00.013Z

Happy St Patrick's Day to you all, and especially to my Irish Friends!

I've always adored Ireland - the landscape, the music, the traditions and, of course, the craic ;) - hopefully I'll be able to have a sup of the dark stuff tonight to celebrate ;) It's a funny thing that we British tend to celebrate St Paddy's Day more than our own national day!

When I was first asked by a friend to make her a Christening card with an image of rabbits at the bottom of a cross (to match a painting of a rabbit she was giving her grandson) I didn't think I'd be able to do it. But then I came across my PTI Bitty Baby Blessing set which by chance contained the perfect size bunny!

Recipe:

Stamps - Everyday Blessings(PTI)/Bitty Baby Blessings(PTI)
Card - Stamper's Select White/Aqua Mist
Paper - Pretty Pastels
Other - Copic Sketch Markers/Oval Nestabilities/Aqua Mist Twill ribbon (PTI)/computer generated sentiment

To stamp the bunny in reverse so it faced the other I simply stamped it on a spare flat piece of rubber, then stamped that onto the image - the outline was slightly faint but nothing going over it with a Copic Pen couldn't fix (and WAY better than my drawing skills!)

I'll leave you with my favourite Irish Blessing - and may the luck of the Irish be with you today!!

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields,
And until we meet again,
May God hold you
In the palm of his hand.

Kate xx

Boats and dancing

2010-03-15T08:14:00.019Z

Happy Monday people! I hope everyone had a lovely weekend and a belated Happy Mother's Day to all you mummies for yesterday!

I had a fabulous time at the end of last week feeding two of my favourite hobbies (other than stamping of course!) - photography and dance. On Thursday I started a two day landscape course based in Whitstable, North Kent. Such a picturesque seaside town. On Friday we were based at the White Cliffs of Dover and, of course, it poured with rain but we couldn't complain as we were there the same day that Christine Bleakley was water ski-ing the channel - bbbrrr! Just looking at the water made me shiver!

I was with a group of lovely people, had a fun few days and learned a lot from the tutors and the rest of the group. I took A LOT (!) of pictures but will only bore you with a few :)

Early Saturday morning I left North Kent and drove across London to Olympia for Move It 2010 - a buzzing three day dance exhibition. They ran an amazing selection of classes every day in every dance style possible - I took Ballet, Argentine Tango, Sequence Dance and a double Salsa class, at the end of which my feet were killing me!

In between classes I watched some of the AMAZING showcase dances on the main stage, including Matthew Cutler from Strictly and one of the most beautiful: Sarah Lamb, The Royal Ballet's prima ballerina performing The Dying Swan. Isn't she stunning!

Enough of my babble.... onto a card! Yesterday's Stamp With Us challenge was to make a male card so I immediately reached for the Cheers To You set. Can't go wrong with a few pint glasses for a fella can you?!

Recipe:

Stamps - Cheers to You
Ink - Memento Black
Card - Whisper White/More Mustard/Close to Cocoa
Other - Copic Sketch Markers/Circle Nestabilities

Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT team's cards over at the Stamp With Us blog.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Hugs Kate xx

Spring Clean

2010-03-09T09:39:00.005Z

Rush, rush, rush!! That's what the past few days have felt like - trying to get work and various projects finished before I head off to Kent for a few days for a photography course. Then on Saturday I'm going to 'Move It' - the UK's dance exhibition/show at Olympia, London - I've signed up for lots of classes, can't wait!!!

So yesterday we set a new challenge on A Passion for Papertrey. This fortnight we're having a Spring Clean - asking you to have a rummage through your craft supplies and use something that's been gathering dust!

For mine I used some alpha stickers - I went through a phase of buying them ages ago but hardly ever use them. I used the fab new Dot Spot set in my favourite Aqua Mist :)

Recipe:

Stamps - Dot Spot (PTI)
Card - Vintage Cream/Kraft (PTI)
Ink - Aqua Mist (PTI)/Antique Linen Distress Ink
Other - Sewing machine/Felt Alpha Stickers (American Crafts)/Aqua Mist buttons

Enjoy the rest of your week and I'll catch up with you at the weekend!

Kate xx

In Bloom re-discovered

2010-03-07T10:41:00.006Z

Happy Sunday! Another beautiful sunny day here in the south west and in spite of the nip in the air, and the frost, the crocuses are opening and it looks like spring might FINALLY be on the way!

I'd forgotten how much I loved my Papertrey 'In Bloom' stamp set - just so beautiful to colour - here I've simply coloured it with Copics, cut it out and mounted it with dimensionals:

Recipe:

Stamps: In Bloom (PTI)
Ink - Memento
Card - Stamper's Select White/Sweet Blush
Other - Copic Sketch Markers/Cuttlebug embossing folder/adhesive pearls

Have a lovely day and enjoy the sunshine!
Kate xx

My dear...

2010-03-04T13:25:00.004Z

Just a quick post as I rush out the door - I was going through some of my Hero stamps the other day and realised I haven't inked up this cute deer for a while:

Recipe:

Stamps - Deer, backgrounder and sentiment (Hero Arts)
Ink - Color box chalk/Memento black
Card - Stamper's Select White (PTI)/Memory box
Other - Copic sketch markers/buttons (PTI)/sewing machine/Spellbinders labels die

Got to run, have a good day!

Kate xx

Dydd Gwyl Dewi Dedwydd!

2010-03-01T07:48:00.005Z

...which apparently is how you say Happy St David's Day in Welsh! (Of course I had to Google that because my knowledge of Welsh extends to about four words!)

So a very Happy St David's Day to all of my Welsh friends! I spent four fabulous years at University in Wales and have a very soft spot for the beautiful country.

It reminds me of a Welsh friend on a paper I worked on in London who used to leave a daffodil on every single desk in the office on St David's Day, so here is one for you!

And a bright and cheery card featuring Papertrey's Through the Trees set - nice and simple, I just embossed the tree and sentiment onto Raspberry Fizz cardstock.

Recipe:

Stamps - Through the Trees/Frinds til the End
Card - Raspberry Fizz/Stamper's Select White
Ink - Versamark
Other - White embossing powder/white twill ribbon

Have a great week!

Kate xx

Stamp With Us challenge

2010-02-28T16:31:00.003Z

Hi everyone - I hope you've all had a good few days and good weekend. I had a great time staying with friends up in London and am feeling very inspired after the fabulous Travel Writing course I went up there for. Plus I came home with a brand new, shiny iMac computer hee hee! (I'm a bit of an Apple fan!)

So today's Stamp With Us challenge is to use this sketch:

Now I have to start by saying I don't really like this card! It just doesn't feel like 'me' and it didn't turn out how I wanted but I didn't have time to tinker with it so there we are!

Recipe:

Stamps - Baroque Motifs/Circle of Friendshop
Card - Kraft/Very Vanilla
Ink - Bordering Blue
Paper - Bella Bleu
Other - Kraft ribbon/square Nestabilities/blue brad/circle punches

Don't forget to stop by the Stamp With Us blog to check out the other DT cards and details on how to enter.

I'll be back tomorrow with something I'm a bit happier with!

Hugs Kate xx

Inspired by...

2010-02-24T09:39:00.004Z

A card inspired by the fabulous Jennifer McGuire - I was browsing through some of her work and loved her simple, one layer cards using pencils to colour on kraft cardstock.

Recipe:
Stamps - Hero Arta
Card - Kraft (PTI)
Other - Prismacolour pencils/white gel pen/corner rounder punch

Did anyone see Tim Holtz demoing his and Ranger products on QVC last night? Apparently he only does one UK show a year, I couldn't believe how fast things were flying off the shelves! I treated myself to one of his new books- they were selling by the thousands!

I'm off to London today for a few days to go on a journalism course - I'll catch up with you all at the weekend!

Kate xx

Blog Candies!

2010-02-24T09:02:00.002Z

I'll be back with a crafty post later on, but for now I wanted to share some blog candy links that some of my fabulous blogging friends have on offer:

Jo has an amazing 'Flight of the Butterfly' kit!

Karen has a very generous prize!

And don't forget Aimes' candy too!

Hugs, Kate x

Snow and cupcakes

2010-02-22T16:43:00.014Z

Happy Monday, I hope everyone had a good weekend! Have I ever mentioned how much I love dance and that I'm a huge Strictly Come Dancing fan? (OK I think I may have lol!) So imagine what a fun night I had on Friday seeing these two:

Not a great picture I know so you might not be able to tell that it's Anton and Erin from Strictly! My mum and I had tickets to see one of their touring shows and they were...amazing!!! Fabulous big band, amazing dresses, incredible dance routines and Anton is HILARIOUS!

It's blooming freezing still isn't it.. I'm wondering if winter is ever going to end. We had snow here in the West Country but it didn't settle. On Saturday I went up onto Exmoor to do some photography and was amazed at how much snow there was up there - I'm sure you're sick of snow pictures but isn't this beautiful:

And isn't he (or she!) cute!:

Onto a card - for one reason and another I didn't get my entry into last week's Stamp With Us challenge on time so here's my take on the inspiration photo that was set.

Recipe:

Stamps - Crazy for Cupcakes
Card - Whisper White/Kraft/Sage Shadow
Paper - Kaleidoscope
Other - Kraft ribbon/Pretty in Pink brads/Copic Sketch markers/Stickles/rectangle Nestabilities

We've also just set a brand new challenge over on A Passion for Papertrey - this time round it's all about black and white cards. Here's mine: (details of the card and challenge are on A Passion for Papertrey)

Thanks for visiting today!

Hugs, Kate xx

Dotty Dress

2010-02-17T07:49:00.004Z

Just in time to enter Lucy's current challenge - this time it's all about polka dots (yum!) so I used some more gorgeous turquoise Jenni Bowlin Mini Papers to paper piece this dress. A turquoise polka dot dress... heaven!!

Recipe

Stamp - Inkadinkadoo/Hero Arts (sentiment)
Card - Stamper's Select White (PTI)/Tempting Turquoise (SU)
Paper - Jenni Bowlin
Other - scallop border punch/turquoise brads/oval punches (SU)

Thanks for visiting!

Kate x

Felted flowers

2010-02-14T10:47:00.004Z

As part of Papertrey's Febrauary countdown, Nichole Heady set a challenge yesterday to create some floral embellishments and use them to make a card. Having re-discovered my felt collection recently, I decided to make some felt flowers using two colours that quite closely match my two favourite PTI colours - Aqua Mist and Raspberry Fizz:

Recipe:

Stamps - Vintage Picnic (sentiment)(PTI)
Card - Stamper's Select White/Aqua Mist/Raspberry Fizz (PTI)
Paper - Bitty Dots (Aqua Mist)
Buttons - Raspberry Fizz (PTI)
Other - felt/Cuttlebug flower dies/Cuttlebug/Spellbinders tag dies

I cut the flowers with my Cuttlebug flower dies, and sewed them together with a Raspberry Fizz button in the centre. Here are the rest of them, stuck on an acetate sheet all ready to use on more projects!

More 'felty' projects coming your way soon lol!

Have a fantastic Sunday and thanks for visiting!

Kate x

Felt inspiration

2010-02-13T08:35:00.004Z

Aah, don't you just love Saturday mornings!! This is the first weekend this year I've been at home and it just feels like such a luxury to have a whole weekend stretched ahead of me - now I just need to fill it productively!!

In spite of a very busy week I did manage a bit of crafting a few days ago - I've been SO excited about Papertrey Ink's big countdown as part of their 3rd Anniversary. So many exciting new products!

I'm particularly excited about the felt - so in anticipation of getting my mitts on some PTI felt (Aqua Mist felt... ooh, my heart's all a flutter!!), I reached for my felt collection and used my heart nestabilities to create an embellishment for a card based on this Card Positioning System's current sketch challenge:

Mmmm, don't you just LOVE those Jenni Bowlin mini papers!! I bought them about a year ago and have finally made myself cut into them.... doing my best to break my hoarding tendency!!

Recipe:

Card - Stamper's Select White/Dark Chocolate (PTI)
Paper - Jenni Bowlin
Other - Felt/heart Nestabilities/Dark Chocolate ribbon and button (PTI)

I hope you have a fun and productive weekend!!

Hugs Kate xx

Purple birthday

2010-02-07T23:52:00.004Z

In keeping with being a big sports fan I'm trying to watch the Superbowl from the US, but not too sure I really understand many of the rules!!

Here's a birthday card I made for a friend a few days ago - she ADORES purple which I always find challenging.... it just never really done much for me! But as always it's good to work outside of our comfort zone as in the end I ended up really liking this card - it's all Papertrey Ink including those lovely new pastel papers. I took this in very bad light - it's much more purple IRL!

Recipe: (All Papertrey Ink)

Stamps - Everyday Button Bits
Ink - Spring Moss
Card - Plum Pudding/Stamper's Select White
Paper - Pretty Pastels
Other - Plum Pudding and Lavender Moon buttons/Plum Pudding/Circle Nestabilities

I might even start using purple a bit more..... maybe!!

Hugs, Kate xx

Last minute tiger

2010-02-06T23:37:00.000Z

Have you had any last-minute card panics recently?! You know the ones - you look in your diary and realise you should be posting a birthday card in half an hour for it to arrive tomorrow morning but you haven't even made it yet?!

This card was made in one such panic - for my dear friend Steph's son's 4th birthday. I don't own a huge amount of cute, child-friendly stamps but happened upon this cheery Penny Black tiger who seemed to fit the bill. A very simple card which came together quickly and just in time to catch the post!

Recipe:

Stamps - 'My Bengal" (Penny Black)
Card - Stamper's Select White(PTI)/Basic Black(SU)/Pumpkin Pie(SU)
Other - Black ribbon (PTI)/Rectangle Nestabilities/Copic Sketch Markers

Thanks for stopping by!

Kate x

I Thank You

2010-01-31T10:19:00.004Z

Just a quick post because I'm watching Andy Murray play Roger Federer in the finals of the Australian Open.. it's not looking too good for our Brit boy at the moment though!!

Today's challenge on Stamp With Us is a 'Thank You' theme - I've had this Say It With Scallops set since the Stampin Up catalogue release in October and haven't used it yet! I love that the stamps fit perfectly within the Scallop Square punch... anything to make life a little easier:)

Recipe:
Stamps - Say it With Scallops
Card - Night of Navy/Kraft/So Saffron/Whisper White
Paper - So Saffron DSP
Other - Night of Navy ribbon/Scallop Square Punch/Scallop Border Punch/blue brads/Cuttlebug embossing folder

Don't forget to check out the Stamp With Us blog for full details of the challenge and for the rest of the DT's cards.

Right... back to the tennis! C'mon Murray!!

Have a great Sunday!

Hugs Kate xx

Embossed...

2010-01-28T23:13:00.004Z

Is it Saturday already? I have no idea where the past week has gone!

This is a card I made for my dear blogging friend Caryn, and is also my (very belated!) sample for our embossing challenge on A Passion for Papertrey (where you'll find full details of the card).

I forget how much I love to emboss white on darker backgrounds and really must do it more often:

I also want to say a HUGE congrats to Aimes, one of my bestest blogging buddies who (AGAIN!!!!) won one of the main categories for January's Guest Star Stamper prizes - way to go hun!!

Have a great weekend everyone - and stay warm, it's freezing in the south west today!

Hugs Kate xx

Bad blogger!

2010-01-27T10:28:00.005Z

HELLO!!! After a month's break from blogging I'm happy to be back! I had a fabulous few weeks visiting California - wonderful memories with family and friends, and while England was knee deep in snow I was enjoying some much needed winter sun!

Since then I've been trying to catch up with work and admin and moving house, leaving little time for crafting but I'm glad to say everything is calming down now and I'll be back to blogging regularly - I've missed everyone!!

While I was away my dear friend Aimes did an AMAZING job keeping our Papertrey blog going - one of the benefits of her being snowed in for days was that it gave her time to make some FABULOUS cards!! To say thank you I made her this card - which also is my sample for our current 'nature' challenge. Full details of the card is on A Passion for Papertrey.

I also want to thank my lovely blogging friends who sent me birthday cards on Saturday! I had a fabulous weekend and I just loved receiving your stunning creations - thank you for thinking of me *hugs*!!

I hope to be able to visit everyone's blogs later today - I can't wait to catch up all your fabulous creations!

See you soon!

Kate x

Happy New Year!

2009-12-28T16:16:00.003Z

Recipe:
Stamps - Santa (Hero Arts)
Paper - Cosmo Cricket
Other - Aqua Mist ribbon (PTI)/Copic Markers/White gel pen/sewing machin/red brads/oval punches (SU)

So this my last Christmas card of 2009 to share, and now 2010 is just around the corner!

I'll be away in the US for the next two weeks so if I don't get a chance to stop by your blogs over new year I hope you all have a fabulous time and that 2010 is a healthy and happy year for you all - see you in the new year!

Kate x

Festive tidings!

2009-12-27T10:00:00.011Z

A very belated Happy Christmas everyone! I hope you all had a fabulous day - I had a lovely time with friends and family and way too much food and drink!

I'm currently running around doing last minute packing and ironing as I'm headed off to LA for two weeks tomorrow to visit friends and family, I'm so excited because it's been a good few years since I visited them!

So here are a few more of this year's Christmas cards:

A trio of cards made using Stampin Up's Merry Moments papers and Tree Trimmings set:

And each one up close:

And some Papertrey cards made using the Holiday Button Bits set:

I'll have one final Christmas card to show tomorrow (if you're not too Christmas-ed out!) - til then, take care!

Kate xx

Not long!

2009-12-23T13:30:00.010Z

Happy Christmas week everyone! Deary me, I've been a bad blogger recently! The past few weeks have flown by - so much to do! I hope you're all enjoying the run up to Christmas and are not too stressed out!

Here are a few more Chrissy cards that have finaly been sent! This is another Lockhart angel stamp, just love colouring these:

..close up:

Recipe: Stamps - Angel (Lockhart)/sentiment - Amuse Card - Blue Bayou (SU)/Jolly by Golly (Cosmo Cricket) Other - Blue Bayou ribbon/Labels dies (Spellbinders)/Copic sketch markers/blue brads

And here are some cards I just posted on A Passion for Papertrey - I ADORE these cute little gingerbread guys!

.. close up:

Recipe: Stamps - Holiday Button Bits/Fancy Flourishes (PTI) Card - Scarlet Jewel/Ripe Avocado (PTI) Ink - Versafine/Versamark Dazzle/Colorbox - Chestnut Roan Other - Scarlet Jewel buttons (PTI)

I'll be back tomorrow (OMG Christmas Eve!) with a few more Christmas cards - enjoy your day!

Kate x

Jolly Angel

2009-12-04T16:36:00.009Z

Happy Friday! How is everyone? Not too many coughs and colds I hope :) I've had a cold all week which won't shift and is just really annoying me now! I'm really going to try to take it easy for the next few days as I'm going to Paris on Sunday for a few days with a friend. We only decided to go last night... I love impulsive travel plans!!

Here are a few Chrissy cards I made with the yummy Jolly by Golly Cosmo Cricket papers and one of the beautiful Lockhart angel stamps - I just love colouring these. (They're from Ellen Hutson in the US)

Close up:

Recipe:
Stamps - Noel Angel (Karen Lockhart)
Ink - Memento black
Card - Vintage Cream (PTI)/Blue Bayou (SU)
Paper - Jolly by Golly (Cosmo Cricket)
Other - Martha Stewart border punch/Labels Dies (Spellbinders)/Copic Markers/Blue Bayou ribbon

Here are the samples I made for our current challenge at A Passion for Papertrey - our theme this fortnight is 'Oh, Christmas Tree' - nice and easy for those of you who came to Steph's PTi Make and Take last week ;)

Close up:

Have a great weeekend everyone and thanks for stopping by today!

Kate xx

Wonderful weekend!

2009-11-30T15:27:00.040Z

Hello and Happy Monday everyone! I had such a fabulous weekend with Steph, Aimes and Caryn -I can't believe it's over already! We all met at Steph's on Friday evening, and from the very first second got on like a house on fire!

Friday evening we all stayed up late putting the finishing touches to the packages for Steph's Papertrey Make and Take - here's me, Aimes and Caryn doing some last minute stamping in Steph's AMAZING craft room!

Then Saturday morning came (after not much sleep lol!) and we were out the door early for some last minute food shopping for the afternoon, and on to the hall to prep for all our stamping guests!

There was 29 of us in total - here we all are raring to go!!

It was so fabulous to meet so many familiar faces from blogland!

Here's Claire:

Alex:

Judith:

Ally and Jeanette:

Kim (right) and my lovely friend Jo (a fellow West Country girl!), who I've had the pleasure of previously meeting and hope to meet up with again soon {hugs!}!

And finally Steph, Aimes and I with our lovely friend Dawn - poor Dawn has been ill for several weeks so it was fabulous she could make it!

I'm sorry we weren't able to get pics of everyone but we were running around so much and just didn't get around to it! Steph and Caryn both have lots more pictures on their blogs too!

Steph had prepared some fabulous projects using Papertrey Ink products for the Make and Take - here's what we made:

The afternoon went way too quickly and sadly we had to say goodbye to everyone - thank you so much to everyone who came, especially those who made long journeys, hopefully you all enjoyed your afternoon!

But for Steph, Caryn, Aimes and myself the weekend was still young! On Saturday evening we had a girls night in - PJs, chocolate, champagne and chatting into the early hours!

On Sunday we were up early again to head to Bluewater for breakfast, a touch of shopping and .... NEW MOON!!! We are all HUGE Twilight fans (although the girls don't seem to understand that Edward is ALL MINE lol!) having read the books very recently and had been bursting with excitement about it for weeks!

Here we are at breakfast:

(left to right: Aimes, Steph, Caryn and myself)

Aimes and myself!

Aimes, myself and Steph

Needless to say the film was amazing, and we all reverted to being hysterical teenage girls! It's team Edward for me all the way, and I had to have a stiff drink at the bar afterwards to calm my emotions lol!!!

Phew, what a wonderful weekend! Thank you so much Steph for being such a wonderful host and for all your hard work and generosity; and to Aimes and Caryn for being such wonderful company, I feel so blessed to have made three such wonderful friends thanks to this fabulous hobby of ours!

OK, slush fest over lol!

Kate xx

Typical...

2009-11-25T18:39:00.006Z

Sod's law isn't it - the most exciting weekend of the autumn (a weekend with Steph and Aimes, and Steph's PTI make and take day) is two days away and I wake up this morning with a raging sore throat and feeling terrible... I will NOT be ill lol!

Here's a little card I made for a friend's two-year-old daughter - pink and yellow is still my go-to colour combo for girls!

Recipe:
Stamps - Gina K
Ink - Memento tuxedo black
Card - Pretty in Pink/So Saffron/So Saffron DSP
Other - Circle nesties/Copics/gingham ribbon

Thanks for stopping by, and if anyone can send me a miracle cold cure I'd really appreciate it!!
Kate x

Recipe Challenge

2009-11-22T08:52:00.001Z

Happy Sunday! Time for another Stamp With Us challenge, and this week it's a recipe one:

-3 stamps
-2 papers
-1 stamp

I normally find the recipe challenges tough but this one came together quite quickly:

Recipe:
Stamps - Scandinavian Season
Ink - Real Red
Card - Very Vanilla/Old Olive/Chocolate Chip
Paper - Merry Moments
Other - Real Red ribbon/Real Red brads/square nestabilities/crafter's tool kit/scallop edge punch

Don't forget to check out the Stamp With Us blog for the other DT cards, details on how to enter the challenge, and also how to be considered for a place on the DT!

Thanks for visiting today!
Kate x