A Love Meringue!

Hello from drenched, dripping Dublin! Special kind thoughts go out to readers adversely affected by current appalling weather. If the sun shines on you however be sure to soak it up and enjoy!

It's a love/wedding card from me today, all in lovely white/creamy tones, and yes I do love meringues!

I recently was very lucky to receive a phenomenally generous giveaway from the lovely Cathi. Amongst the huge haul was this gorgeous large rose that I have built the card around.

Used a Martha Stewart punch on base card edges with lots of card and doily layers then laid thereon. Whilst I wanted a vintage look I didn't darken too many edges as it seemed better to keep it pristine. The two hearts are cut with Sizzix die 'Primitive Hearts' and dotted around their edges with Waco pearl pen. Added lots of Snow-tex and Frantage to rose and hearts. The little metal words (by Making Memories) are painted with white pearlescent mix. Added some Frantaged Magnolia and MFT die cuts with lots of ribbon, lace, tulle and pearls to make it pretty!

It's really lovely to see you have visited - thank-you for looking.

Nicola x

I wish to enter card to the following challenges:
Vintage Café Card Challenge - Flower Parade - Rose
Sugar Creek Hollow - Love and Adore
Simon Says Stamp Monday - Love Notes
Inspiration Journal - Show It With Words
The Ribbon Girl - Hearts
Craft Room Challenge - Ribbons and Lace
Crafty Hands Challenge - Shades of the Same Colour
A Creative Romance - Show Us Some Love
Kort o Mania - Laces and Ribbons
Allsorts - Love is in the Air
Simon Says Wednesday - Have a Heart

The Scissors

Hello again. Thank-you so much for your visit.

I'm tight for time today so will keep post short. I needed to make a card for a lady who is setting up a new hairdressing salon. Wasn't sure what to do but the inspiration photo at The Shabby Tea Room this week gave me lots of ideas. Here is my card:



This is The Shabby Tea Room photo:

The background paper provides a mirror shape (to echo the glass jars in photo and of course perfect for a hairdressers). I've used some Spellbinders dies for the layers including one from the new Imperial Gold series. I think that using the recommended Junior Magnetic Placement Mat really does make a difference when using this die. The outer swirls are from a Memory Box die. The papers are by Melissa Frances (5th Avenue) and Maja Design (Vintage Summer) and some Bazzill cardstock. I've inked most edges with Distress Ink in 'Victorian Velvet'.

The scissors charm should suit for hairdressing! It's available at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. I've attached a little metal tag that says Congrats. I lightly sprinkled / melted some Frantage for some pretty bling and completed with some flower embellishments (available from Cottage Crafts).

Thank-you for stopping by and huge thanks in advance for any comments that I am lucky enough to receive.

Wishing all a lovely weekend.

Nicola x


I wish to enter card to the following challenges;
The Shabby Tea Room - Beautiful Spring
Vintage Cafe Card Challenges - "Your Inspiration"
The Perfect Sentiment - Make It Feminine
Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes With Ribbon
Happy Campers - Use Lace
MilkCoffee Challenge - Lace and Pearls

Birthday Boy!

Hello and welcome! Thank-you all so much for your phenomenal response to my last post (here) and a warm welcome to my new followers. I truly appreciate each and every one of you.

This week I had to make a dreaded masculine card - I find these so difficult! Not surprisingly, it didn't go according to plan either! But never mind, here it is;



The part that didn't work out was that I wanted to colour the embossed/raised edge ridges in blue. I attempted markers but couldn't maintain a clean even pattern. I then tried to ink inside the embossing folder prior to embossing but couldn't achieve clean lines so had to abandon after several messy attempts. Maybe I should buy an ink brayer? Or go back to the classroom!

The ingredients:
Embossing Folders are from Sizzix Mail Set (I fussy cut out the embossed wings)
Stamps: Paris metro map by Artemio (Paris by Night) is tucked into the envelope and Kaisercraft 'Postmarks' for main image - all stamped in DI Salty Ocean
Papers: Melissa Frances (Countdown to Christmas) and Blue Faux Leather Paper from stash
Embellishments: Wheels are by Karen Foster Charms, Zipper is by Prima Junkyard Findings, Metal tab is by Making Memories
Cardstock and Brads: Bazzill
Blue Velvet ric rac by May Arts and Satin Ribbon from stash

Thank-you so much for visiting.
Nicola x


I wish to enter card to the following challenges;
Lawnscaping Challenge - #53 Texture
Crafty Cardmakers - Masculine Birthday feat. tech/gadget
Cards for Men - Monochrome
Anything Goes Challenge - Make It Manly

Best Pals

Hi there and welcome to another blog post.

Unusually I'd like to say a little bit about myself personally. I've been living with ongoing serious illness for several years and achieve a certain level of functionality by maintaining a quiet and carefully paced life. Starting up my blog last September was a big undertaking for me but all the extra activity has been taking its toll healthwise. Unfortunately I have decided to resign from my Design Team post at Eclectic Ellapu and I thank Elaine and all the ladies there for being so understanding. I hope you will also bear with me as I won't be making so many visits to your blogs over the next while but I do hope to be able to keep making and posting my little card productions.

So without further ado, here's my card today made in a shabby style;




I've decorated the side panels with Dreamweaver texture paste through a Crafty Individuals 'Leafy Border' mask. The last time I applied texture paste over distress inks I found that the paste absorbed the ink but this time I wanted to keep the raised paste white so I waited till the paste was dry and then sponged over a blend of distress inks to colour the cardstock panel, wiping the raised paste with a baby wipe as I went along. The paste acted like a resist and remained white. Tore the cardstock whilst wet to give a ripped shabby look.

The centre panel is layered with some aqua tissue paper and then some scalloped doily strips. I've stamped the central image (Crafty Individuals CI-084) using Coffee Archival ink. I restamped a couple of times onto some patterned papers (Melissa Frances and Maja Design) and then paper pieced dresses onto the little girls. Also arranged some roses in the flower basket. I cut a frame from Silver Stardream CS using a Spellbinders die and then dry embossed this. Added frantage in shabby blue and blue fragments to add further interest. I then shabbily painted some corrugated cardboard with Paper Artsy's Snowflake paint and sprinkled more frantage. Decorated further with metal charms from Nunn Design and a broderie anglaise bow. Finally dabbed some metal words (by Making Memories) with Brilliance Ink (Pearlescent Chocolate) to highlight.

Wishing you all a lovely day and thank-you so much for your visit.

Nicola x

I wish to enter card to the following challenges;
Crafty Individuals - For My Friend
The Shabby Tea Room - A Silver Lining
Sugar Creek Hollow - Metal Mania
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Metal-ology
Vintage Stamping Challenge - Blues, Brown and Beige
Stampin' for the Weekend - Distressed
Happy Daze Challenge - Love Is All Around
365 Cards Word Wednesday - Sister
Addicted to Stamps and More - Vintage
Polkadoodles and Studio 12 - Shabby Chic

Loving Wedding Wishes

Hello again. Thanks to all for very welcome comments on my creations so far. Today I'd like to share a wedding card I've made.

I've used a cream Bazzill cardstock as base. I cut a rectangle of SEI Velvet Paper (Coconut)and shaped the top two corners with Fiskars punch. I also used a Martha Stewart edge punch and threaded organza ribbon thru the punched paper. I cut another rectangle of SEI Velvet Paper (Porcelain) and attached vintage lace to it using Basic Grey brads. Added a cream skeleton leaf that I had rubbed with gold gilding paste by Lefranc and Bourgeois. Then, I wrapped a tag with a luscious silk based paper that is gold embossed with wedding rings theme, this paper feels like fabric. I wound two different types of lace across centre and base of tag. Added a little bouquet of white roses with cream satin ribbon wound around stems. I painted three Making Memories wedding 'metal word fetti' with a pearlescent mix I made from Perfect Pearls. Used a narrower satin ribbon to hold the 'word fetti' together. Again used the gold gilding paste to age the 7 Gypsies 'French Enamel' - Je t'aime. Made a bow with my Boweasy using May Arts Silk ribbon and topped that off with a Prima white cameo rose. Added more little bows and crystals to top corners. Finally punched two velvet hearts and decorated them with pearls.

I'm entering this card to the following challenges;
Sir Stampalot Challenge - September - Photo Inspiration
http://sirstampalotchallenge.blogspot.ie/
Southern Girls Challenge - Bling Bling
http://www.southerngirlschallenge.blogspot.in/
The Pink Elephant - Wedding/Anniversary
http://thepinkelephantchallenge.blogspot.ie/
Creative Harmony Blogspot - Almost White
http://creativeharmony.blogspot.ie/
Live and Love Crafts Blogspot= Lovely lace, terrific trim
http://liveandlovecrafts.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/challenge-3-lovely-lace-terrific-trim.html
The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop - Lace and Pearls

Hope you have a sunny day to complete a happy weekend!

Tuxedo Elegance

Greetings from Dublin. Today's card is on a theme that is always tricky to do i.e. cards for males.

I used a Bazzill white cardstock than has a self pinstripe texture for the base card. I then cut out a rectangle of White SEI Velvet paper to form the "shirt" and decorated with 3 ruby red gem brads as "buttons". I've cut out the "tuxedo" shape from Black SEI Velvet paper. It was easiest to cut twice - back to front - so that both left and right sides and lapels matched. I slit one lapel fold and insered a metal index tab from Making Memories. Then, using Versamark and Judikins "Black Diamond" embossing powder, I stamped and embossed a triangle of white SEI velvet to form the "Handkerchief" (Music Stamp by Anna Griffin 580K21). I added a lovely satin faux bowtie. Finally, I punched the two bottom corners to finish.

I'm entering this card in the following Challenges;
Unique Crafters Challenge - Anything Goes
http://uniquecrafterschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/
Hooked on Crafts Challenges - Cards for Men
http://hookedoncraftchallenges.blogspot.ca/
Creative Crafts Challenges 2 - All About The Boys
http://creativecraftchallenges2.blogspot.ie/
Sweet Stamps Blog - For The Guys
http://sweetstampsblog.blogspot.ie/

Many thanks for checking out my blog