Bold Blooms

Well all my stuff is unpacked and put away, so I was able to make a couple of cards yesterday.

Here's a nice happy start to the week, the tulips were cut from the cricut lite Bloom cartridge at 4", and shadowed in black.................

The sentiment is American Craft Thickers, they are felt letters. Papers are by My Minds Eye, and the card was made from Gemstones card from Jo-ann. I added a few doodly black dots here and there. I really like these lite cartridges, the layering is superb on the three I bought.
So today will see me madly trying to complete a magazine commission, and I have some samples to make as well. I need to get them done so that we can get down to London to see those grandbabies. Mike and I went out to a garden centre, he parked the car whilst I dashed inside. When we got out I looked around and walked confidently to a dark blue car 'where are you going?' he asked. Yes, I had forgotten that our car here is dark green, the blue one is in the USA - my body is here, my mind is still somewhere Mid-Atlantic.

Funky Hand Challenge - Happy New House

The first of the month means it's time for a new challenge over at Get Funky. This month, the challenge is just that - NEW

so it can be a new baby, new job, new car, new beginning, new husband/wife/lover/cat/dog or just new house as I did.

The papers are all from the brand new CD Colour Me Happy, which will be released this month, there are some fabulous coloured ginghams on there, and you all know how I love gingham. The house was resized with one little click, and I dragged the bird across so that it was joined to the house, then cut it out in red gingham, which I had printed onto cardstock, and the spotty paper. The fence was cut using my Cricut (Lite cartridge, Bloom)

As usual, you have to use at least one Funky Hand product in your design. I often get asked about mailing costs from the UK, Anice gives FREE shipping to anywhere in the world. The winner of the challenge gets a £20 (about $30) voucher to spend at Funky Hand. You have a whole month to come up with a project as well. Good luck!

We have just arrived back, shattered, but had a good (boring) flight, and yes, it was 'chicken or beef'. It will take me a couple of days to sort myself out I think.

Tilda and Bloom

Here's another card made with that fence from the Bloom lite cartridge. This time, I used it as a perch for Tilda, who was coloured with copics then cut out. The fence was cut at 3" and shadowed in taupe. Papers are by My Minds Eye.

I cheated and gave her a nose! some of the Tilda images are just too much for me with no nose or mouth. I heard that the concept is that they are all angels, and angels speak with their hearts not their mouths. Seems a bit far fetched to me, but there you go, mine has at least got a nose.
I am so busy here, trying to pack a quart into a pint pot............one suitcase has already made the journey up to the supermarket to be weighed, luckily it came in at a few pounds under - I soon fixed that by stuffing more craft stuff down the sides of the case
I was doing a last minute shop, one place I was in was quite quiet, and I had a little chat to the checkout person. She was asking about my accent/where I lived/how long I was here for..........the usual questions. I said I would be back in the UK on the 1st July. 'oh good' she said brightly 'you'll be back for the 4th then'. Well, yes, but we won't be celebrating a whole lot over there!

TPE Challenge - Pink and Black

the Pink Elephant challenge this week is Pink and Black, so I came up with this card. The birdcage and bird are from the cricut lite cartridge Bloom, cut at 4" in black, and shadowed with white.

I added a tiny spray of white roses which I swiped with a pink copic marker to add a tinge of pink. I left the card blank without a sentiment, as it comes under the 'useful for so many occasions category'. In case the lady from Starbucks who takes her caged bird out for a coffee is reading this, this one's for you honey.

I am beginning the big clean up/packing marathon ready for our return to the UK next week. I went out for dinner with my Thursday craft group, we all sit around making cards for about seven hours each week, and they had gone out and purchased a shop card which they all signed for me. Lovely thought gang, and much appreciated, but, ermm, what exactly are we making all those cards for every week? Mind you, they did write 'handmade card' on the envelope to try and fool me........................I will miss them and our Thursday get=togethers when I am back in Blighty.

Happy Birthday Gwendydd

Today is my sister's birthday - Penblwydd hapus cariad (that's Welsh for happy birthday)

Here's her card. I used one of the new cricut lite cartridges called Bloom, and cut the gate at 3", shadowed in black.

The little boy is a stamp by Art Impressions, I thought he would look cute peeping through the gate. I traced around the shape of the gate and cut out the front of the card, then covered it in green paper (all papers Colorbok). I then cut an arch out at 5" for the inside of the card

I added a brad for the handle of the gate
I then flipped the gate and cut another one for the inside...............


the sentiment oval is by Craftwork Cards

I am really pleased with her card, unfortunately she will not get it in time - I spent ages doing it, put it in a padded envelope, took it to the post office and jumped through all the hoops - customs forms in triplicate, airmail stamps, etc etc. Yesterday, it was returned to me as 'undeliverable'. I don't think it had left the US, so some hapless mailman has been scratching his head wondering exactly where Worcestershire is in the USA. So it will travel back with me next week, she will just have to have another birthday celebration then.


Here is a sneak peek at Kiki's birthday card - it's not her birthday until August, but I made this one early, and I think she will love it. To see the card go to Scrappy-go-Lucky yes, I used the pens again

I'll be back tomorrow, have a great day - it's the first day of summer today