Sending Sunflower Greetings!

Here is my entry for the Totally Papercrafts challenge which this week is 'cute and cuddly'. I used a Crafter's Companion Popcorn the Bear Cd but to make it a little different I decided to make a shaped card in the form of a sunflower to mimic those on the Popcorn patterned paper. The base card is Bo Bunny's Double Dots and I cut the sunflower shape in brown card from a Papermania template - I then cut the patterned paper slightly smaller and mounted them together - one on the front of the card and one inside. I decoupaged the bear slightly on the front and added a little Glossy Accents and made a small round panel on the inside to write my greeting.

Anyway, hope you like this fun idea!

Karen x

I'm a Winner!

Hi Everyone.

Well, I've had a really productive week this week and also had some lovely news. First I was lucky enough to win the House Mouse Monday Challenge with my card Welcome Spring and secondly I was chosen as one of the Top 3 vintage artists over at the Simon Says Stamp and Show blog with my layout Musical Duo. I'm really thrilled and am busy beavering away behind the scenes with more crafty projects that I'll post shortly.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by.

Best wishes

Karen x

Once Upon a Sketch

Hi Everyone

Just wa

nted to let you know that there is a fab new Sketch challenge site over at 'Once Upon a Sketch'.

Any type of craft from scrapbooking and cardmaking to altered art can join in as long as you follow the sketch and add some journalling. At present there is a great prize on offer sponsored by the Scrapbook Nook if you sign up to follow the blog and spread the

word so why not pop over there and have a

look around.

Bye for now

Karen x

Musical Duo

Evening All!

Tonight I'd like to share another of my family history pics. This time from a musical branch of ancestors which is quite a novelty as there are hardly any with musical ability amongst us!! I used the lovely Mama Razzi papers from Bo Bunny along with a musical themed piece from 7 Gypsies where I tore and inked the edges with Distress Inks in walnut stain and slotted it behind the pattern on the Bo Bunny paper - I like the effect! The journalling card which I also inked and musical twill are also 7 Gypsies whilst the little flower embellishments are wooden but I'm afraid I'm not sure who makes them. The metal embellishment says 'Life is Treasured By Moments' and is hung from a little brass buckle.

The fabric letters I stamped lightly before sticking them onto gold card to create a title and threaded them onto string to make a banner. I love the colour scheme of this layout and hope you enjoy it too! I plan to enter it in the Simon Says Stamp and Show challenge which this week is to 'show a word' - of which mine is 'musical'.

Thanks for looking.

Bye for now

Karen x

Welcome Spring!

Hi everyone! Today it was time to pull out my favourite House Mouse stamps and create a card for the House Mouse and Friends Challenge which this week is to 'Welcome Spring'. This little stamp shows a mouse sheltering from a shower underneath a daffodil which I've coloured with pro markers. The papers are Papermania and the little crocheted butterfly is Maya Road with an additional wee gem of bling!

Hope you're having a good weekend!

Bye for now

Karen x

Shells and Stars

This is another card I made using a new set of Joanna Sheen stamps which all have a beachy, sealife theme. I stamped the main image with Walnut Stain Distress Ink and then pulled a little of the colour in with a paint brush. I then added Perfect Pearls to add shimmer and micro beads to create a sandy look. The image was layered on gold and white card before adding addition stamped elements of shells and starfish. A Martha Stewart punch helped create the insert. I love the limited colour palette of this card and hope to enter it in the Simon Says Stamp and Show Challenge which this week is to 'Show some Stars'.

Bye for now

Karen x

Spring Bunny

Hi Everyone.

Today I'd like to share with you a little card I made using a diddy little rabbit from Penny Black. The challenge at the Penny Black Saturday site this week is to have a green theme so I thought this would work perfectly. I coloured the image with Pro markers and layered it on My Minds Eye paper before adding a little bling and ribbon. A really simple little card but I like it. I also hope to enter it in the Stamp Something challenge which this week is to create 'Something Sweet'.

Thanks for looking - I'll be back later to show you some Joanna Sheen Design Team work that I've completed with a beachy theme.

Bye for now

Karen x

Memories in the Making

Hello Everyone.

Today I thought you might like to see one of my vintage layouts featuring my Great Great Grandparents. the photo really leant itself to sepia colours and the fabby Mama Razzi papers from Bo Bunny were just perfect. I layered up the central image and added the elements and papers popping out from underneath to create a collage effect. Postcard pieces, stickers, ribbon and lace all help to 'set the scene'. The image of the steam train was actually a modern one from an old leaflet but I aged it with Distress inks. The fob watch was cut from Graphic 45 paper and Glossy Accents helped to give it a shiny dial. I then added a chain coloured with Alcohol inks and a little heart charm to create a fob. The description was printed on the computer, cut into individual words and coated with Glossy Accents to give a tile effect.I hope you like this layout as much as I do. If you've not tried scrapbooking your vintage family photos yet - then give it a try. Its quite addictive once you start!

Best wishes

Karen x

Springtime Gift card Holder

Evening Everyone!

Tonight I'd like to share a little project with you that I hope to enter in the 'By the Cute and Girly' Springtime Challenge for March. I made a gift card holder and envelope using Papermania's lovely Henbury Lane papers as I thought the flowers, colours and birds looked quite springlike. The little card opens up to reveal a place to pop your gift card and write your sentiment and the envelope is held together with a belly band decorated with flower stickers from the range.

Once I'd sussed out the dimensions it was pretty simple to make and makes a simple gift card look a bit more 'fancy'! Hope you like it!

Thanks for looking and enjoy the rest of your evening!

Bye for now

Karen x

Spring Bunny

Evening Everyone!

Tonight I'd like to share a little easel card I've made using the Martha Stewart 'Cherish' punch to give it a lovely shape. I chose Spring colours and used DCWV papers from their 'Posies' stack. The image is a little Penny Black bunny coloured with Pro markers and the flowers I punched and layered myself before adding a gem in the centre. I made it into an Easter card and used the sentiment and some ribbon as a way of making the easel stand up. Hope you like it!

I'd like to enter this into a few challenges:

• Penny Black Saturday's 'More than one fold' challenge.
• Sir Stampalot's 'Spring is in the Air'
• Penny Black at Allsort's 'Welcome Spring'.

Thanks for looking!

Bye for now

Karen x