Monday 27 June 2011

Ribbons, Bows, Stitches and Sketch - What a Challenge!

Well I finally found the time to make and blog my challenge entry.  I adore this stamp from LOTV and I wanted something not too overdressed to show her off.



I used some old papers that I had in my stash from the 'Nitwit' Collections, I love the subtlety of them.  I layered the panels onto silver mirri card and hand stitched each layer with silver thread. (hope you can see it OK, daughters fancy camera's battery ran out, so I had to rely on ol' faithful - LOL)


I used two layers of ribbon, one of 'pink tulip' seam binding from Wild Orchid Crafts (WOC) and the overlaid is an organza polka dot ribbon
, again from my stash.  I used one small rose from WOC, which I blinged with a little crystal stickles.  The sentiment is an LOTV layered onto silver mirri.


The image was coloured with my favourite Copics and Promarkers, which I find work really well together.  I used Neenah Card stock for the image as I find that this is best with the marker pens.  I used a couple of gems in baby pink and crystal on the image, and one in her hair, which was layered on silver mirri card.  I couldn't leave the inside out, so here it is.


The inside reflected the front in the three panels in a co-ordinating paper with a punched card topper to write.  The sentiment on the inside matches the one on the front carrying the theme through.


I have decided to enter this into the following challenges:

Lili of the Valley - Follow the Sketch 
Crafts and Me - Stitches


I hope you like this as much as I enjoyed creating it, I'd love to know what you think

Have a Good Week

Don't forget the Sunday Sensations Magnolia-licious Candy, see the link on the side bar.
Wishing all you crafters a great week :)

Saturday 25 June 2011

Jacque's Joie de Vivre- Sweet Stuff

Go look at Jacque's Joie de Vivre blog and view her 'Sweet Stuff' candy - http://jacquesmagnolias.blogspot.com/2011/06/lotv-doggie-delight-and-winner-and.html or see link in the side bar

Bunny Zoe and Crafty Calendar

Well I saw these challenges and thought yay; good excuse to use one of my favourite digi stamps from Crafts and Me and for a change I thought I'd make and easel card. I then also saw The Cheerful Stamp Pad Challenge and the creative juices got flowing.


The image has been stamped on Neenah paper and coloured in with a combination of Copics and Promarkers.  I also, antiqued the paper by blending Tim Holtz's, Antique Linen over the base card.  The fairy wings were finished with crystal stickles, to give that magical feel.  The backing papers are from a pack by Dovecraft called Fantasy which I had in my stash.





Crystal embellishments were added in a swirl and also to the base of the easel, to add a bit of bling.  The flowers used were from Wild Orchid Crafts and I added Crystal Stickles to these too, for a little bit of something special.






I used a LOTV sentiment tag, which fitted the theme perfectly. I was pleased with my card but more importantly, I hope that you like it too.

So this card has been entered into:
Crafty Calendar Challenge - Things with Wings 
Bunny Zoe Challenge 13 - Fairies
The Cheerful Stamp Pad Challenge 20 - Things with Wings  

Monday 20 June 2011

Kim's Crafter's Companion & Simon Says Stamp Challenges

 I made this card for Crafter's Companion Monthly Challenge 'Here Comes Summer' and also 'Simon Says Stamp' Bingo Challenge.


I used the SWALK, 'You Are My Sunshine' stamp, fitting for the title. I thought the girl looked so sweet and countrified in her summer dress which I wanted to carry through in the theme of my design.
  I used blue gingham paper that I found in my stash and complimented this with a polka-dot ribbon and punched scalloped card. 


I used square, scalloped nestabilities to mount my image and for layering. On the yellow layer I added Tim Holtz ' Wild Honey' distress ink to add dimension and the blue layer was made by blending Tim Holtz 'Faded Jeans' distress ink.   I used a mix of copic and pro markers to colour her in and used glitter glue to add sparkle to the card.  I used the wording from the SWALK stamp, cut it roughly into an arch shape to compliment the summery, shabby chicness  and then added rose glitter glue to make it shine. I added buttons and adhesive pearls from 'Wild Orchid Crafts' to embelish and because I wanted to carry on the cuteness.



For my finishing touches I used 'Wild Orchid Crafts' roses which I coloured using a pink copic and added a few dabs of glitter to each one to make it look extra special.


Of course, the inside has to look just as good, so I used paper found in my stock and layered a complimentary piece of yellow card which I scalloped sing an EK Success punch, following the theme from the front. I added the LOTV stamp 'Dreaming of Summer Days' to a piece of distressed card and  finished it off with glitter pens. 

I have also entered this in the 'Simon Says Stamp' Challenge - let's play Bingo!
The card fits into the Bingo Challenge with it's 'Buttons, Pearls & Shapes'

Hope you like it!

Jacque's Joie de Vivre

Came across this blog whilst surfing the net http://jacquesmagnolias.blogspot.com/ and just fell in love with the designs.  Jacque's designs for LOTV, Just Magnolia and hAngler and sTangler Challenge Blog and Wild Orchid Crafts, to name a few and her use of colour is really inspirational.  See the Blog Candy at the side too!

Sunday 19 June 2011

Lili of the Valley Challenge - card by Kaz

I made this card for Father's Day and thought I would enter it for the LOTV Challenge 'Bring on the Music'.  http://liliofthevalleythursdaychallenge.blogspot.com/


I used the LOTV stamp 'Lazy Afternoon' as my image as I thought it would fit perfectly with my other elements.  I used Copic Markers to colour the image, which I matted and layered on to gold mirri card.



I used cream vintage seam binding from Wild Orchid Crafts, which I coloured with Tim Holtz 'Wild Honey' Distress Ink.  The guitar embellishment is one that I had in my stash.

The score music is actually my daughters own composition called 'Free'.  Rachel writes and performs who own music and I thought it would be great to use one of her pieces as my backing paper.
http://rachelbrett.com/www.rachelbrett.com/Welcome.html


I completed the inside of the card to match the front and I was really pleased with the outcome (sorry the photograph was a bit dark).


Hope you like it too; please let me know on my comments - thank you :)

Love to Stamp

Have really enjoyed looking at the fabulous new images from 'Love to Stamp'.  They are perfect for all occasions and can't wait to get using them.  I loved the images; fun, carefree, & sassy; all sorts for all occasions.  Also, the designs are excellent as they show how different colour ways give such a different feel for a card.

Provocraft - Brilliant

Just have to leave a quick note to say how fantastic Provocraft have been to me.  I recently lost my cable which connects my gypsy to my new cartridges.  I was really stuck without it, anyway, I contacted Provocraft who were really brilliant and have sent me a new cable all the way from the USA at no charge.  I had already registered my gypsy and cricut create etc. Their customer service has been superb and I would certainly bu from them again.

Friday 17 June 2011

Girlies enjoy Sir Richard's WTA Party






The Girlies and Sam Branson, who signed a card for the 'Starcards Charity'.














And with George Lamb














And with Laura Wright too









There were many more photo's and they had a fantastic evening and thank the WTA & Sir Richard Branson for the invite







Thursday 16 June 2011

Sir Richard Branson's WTA Pre-Wimbledon Party

Well my hubby and my two girls are off to Sir Richard's Party tonight, I'm sure they will have a fantastic time.  I unfortunately am unable to go as I'm not fully recovered from a recent op.  They have been so excited and had fun getting ready - they looked stunning.  Very proud Mum and hubby looked cool too!

Monday 13 June 2011

Charity Events

Slow day today but tomorrow will be busy as the Tennis has come to Eastbourne and through the 'Starcards Charity' http://www.starcards.org/StarCards/Home.html, which my husband created 9 years ago, Victoria Azarenka will be visiting our local school to meet the pupils - wow :)

My husband has raised £65,000 to date for Great Ormond Street Hospital through his charity and has also organised many fun filled events for the children (patients) and their parents, staff, etc. including a Party at the top of BT Tower, attended by celebrities, including Disney's Bear in the Big Blue House, a trip up the Thames on HMS Cornwall in 2004, tickets for patients, parents and staff, for various music gigs held in Hyde Park, etc. to name but a few.  He runs the charity in his 'spare time' but says it's all worth while and always finds a visit to the hospital very humbling.  Please check his website out, link above.  All of the signatures are genuine and authenticated with photos of the celeb with card.

Wonder what he has planned for the 10th Anniversary of Starcards :)

Kim's been playing again today and decided to change the background of our blog - hope you like the design.

Saturday 11 June 2011

Hubby cooks!

Yeah! Hubby did the cooking tonight, so I thought I would share his recipe :)  This is a very flexible recipe, his own, which can be made in any size quantities, so you choose :)

Chicken Pesto & Spicy New Potatoes
All quantities (except the chicken) is to your own personal preference

Ingredients
Chicken Breasts
Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Paste

Baby New Potatoes
Lime Zest
Red Chilli
Coriander
Spring Onion
Butter (approx. 2-3 tbsps.; but enough to bind all the ingredients together)

Fresh Green Salad - whatever you would like to put in it.

Method:
1. Dice the chicken, or cut into strips, which ever you prefer and coat the meat in the pesto.
2. Cook the new potatoes.
3. Pan fry the chicken in a light spray oil, moving the chicken frequently for even cooking.
4. Chop the red chilli, coriander and spring onion, finely and mix together with the lime zest and butter.
5. Prepare a fresh green salad
6. When the potatoes are cooked, drain and then toss them in the chilli butter dressing; or you can serve the potatoes on their own with the chilli lime butter in a separate dish, so that the diners can chop up their potatoes and add the chilli lime butter as they wish.

Plate up and enjoy - yum! :)




Friday 10 June 2011

Lavender Bags (mini cushions)

Fancied making something pretty, so made lavender bags. I love the smell of lavender.
Take a look at them on our floksy site http://www.folksy.com/shops/KazBeeCrafts

Followers pictures

And another success - worked out how to get our follower's pictures to display.............  previously showed as a green box with an egg in it (well that's what it looked like) - not a good look. 
Soooooo glad I can see the adorable westies though - beautiful :)

Now on with some craft - patchworking, me thinks.

Thursday 9 June 2011

Stretching and Centering

Yay! Finally I did it. 
 After spending a few hours prowling through the web for some way of enhancing our blog. I have finally stretched the layout and centered my Banner. Now I think it's time to rest ready for some serious crafting tomorrow. 

Charity Knitting

Well Kaz has been knitting most of the day, making little hats for the Innocent 2011 challenge.  10 made so far, but still plenty of time to complete some more as they don't have to be submitted until October 2011.  AGE UK have details on their website if you're interested http://www.ageuk.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer/get-knitting-for-the-big-knit/  .  It's a great way of using up all the odds and ends of wool that you probably have in your stash and all in aid of a good cause.  Let you know how we progress as the days go by.

Blogging!!!

Decided to start a blog, as Kim and I make loads of crafty goods and have for quite sometime, well I have for about 40 years!!!!!  I first started knitting at the age of 5 and it was my Dad who taught me.  He was the only one who had the patience.  Several years later................... and my love of crafts has never changed and I always like to start a new challenge.  My daughter Kim loves crafting with me and so we decided to start our blog and join the crafty bloggers :)