The joys of being self-employed....

...is that sometimes the work runs out and I know I am going to get a few days at home to sit and craft to my heart's content ! I would like to say a warm welcome to my new followers. Well, it feels like we are all new here togther cos I haven't been doing this blogging long but really enjoying it now I am getting going. So watch out over the next couple of days. More cards coming up !

What to do with things I have too much of....

In the spirit of using more of my stash before buying things to add to it I had wondered what to do with the bags of Card Candy I had bought from Craftwork cards...all very pretty but I didnt think I would ever get through them. Then in a local craft shop I saw a lady making little flowers using the candy as petals. The finished results are cute.

You begin with punching out a circle, blobbing glue in the middle and arranging three circles much like this:

Next you keep gluing in more circles around the central three to create petals, much like this:

 

When you are finished you can add into the centre any little gems or pearls you like...

They look quite cute grouped together with other embellishments :)

Another Friday sketchers challenge

well fresh on the success of winning the challenge last week (its randomly picked so cant claim too much credit for creating a stunning card !), I have decided once more to enter the friday sketchers challenge. This weeks sketch really suited a simple idea I had for a male birthday card....and the end result is:

I have used a Kenny K digi image coloured with copics and Basic Grey papers.

Taken.

Simon says stamp challenge

I saw this Simon says stamp challenge and it is for the colours coffee and cream....just the very title makes me think of sitting down with a nice latte or bubbly cappuccino !

I knew I had some papers in my stash from way back when - yep I know - I have an awful lot of those ! So I got to work and this is what I came up with:

The image is a LOTV stamp, coloured with copics. The papers are from an old SEI pad and also a pad called Ella Blue by gcd studios. The flowers are all from Wild Orchid Crafts.

half term rainy days

Would have been so nice to not have had rain today ! But even so, me and my little lad have been keeping ourselves busy...several rounds of board games and some plaster of paris dinosaurs waiting to set before painting, and I get to sit and have a coffee and finish off a card!

And today a card for boys - makes a refreshing change ! Once more I am using up paper from my stash - this time sheets from "Pocket full of Posies", an old Die Cuts With a View pad. A charming Lily of the Valley stamp and a Whimsy die and die cut.

It feels quite summery - wishful thinking on my part I believe ! This can be found entered into the Make it Monday challenge.

Taken.

friday sketchers challenge

Thought I would have a go at this seeing as today is rainy rainy rainy ! Thought the layout was lovely so using up yet more bits of paper I have had hoarding for ages and a pretty Lily of the Valley stamp.

What I should be doing today....

...is finishing the editing of a report on some rather amazing finds from an excavation in my area. Thats my job - archaeologist. Hence the digger part in the title of my blog. Mind you it has been some time since I was actually out in the field digging myself. Think back 10 years or so to Vietnam. Present day will find me more cosy in an office handling wonderful (and the not so wonderful) items of Prehistoric, Roman, Anglo-Saxon and Medieval date - and then buffing up reports on them. In truth I am almost done and will finish soon, have just lost my mojo for editing since this morning. Possibly something to do with feeling harrassed when leaving the house to get the little one to school and general onset of PMT !!! Well that's my excuse and I think I shall stick to it !

I cant even colour in some nice stamp images cos my copic blender pen ran out yesterday and I feel crippled without it ! Nevermind, three on order so I will be back in action in no time.

In the meantime I can sit here and enjoy a latte (thanks to the gods that invented Nespresso machines !) and think on what needs to be done. Enough thinking might actually achieve results.

Valentines

I can now post the Valentine's day card I made for my beloved husband....didnt want to do it earlier as he might have had a sneak preview hehe.

Now whilst I love stamping I didn't have a stamp that was just "right" so I opted for an image from Debbie Moore's cd called Masquerade. The papers I have had in my stash for ages - they might be Bo Bunny; the swirl is a Tim Holtz die  and the little embellishments are ones I have had for a while, plus flowers from Wild Orchid site.

In terms of crafting, one of my new years resolutions was to begin using up some of the papers and embelishments I have been hoarding. I do have a tendancy to hold onto things too long because they are pretty and shiny....much better to share them with others on a card ! Or use them on  a scrapbook page I can keep myself :)

Taken.

Another day and another card

This one I made just before Christmas for my little boy's teacher....really loved the Websters pages for my cards this year. They are gorgeous. What a shame I only found them when I had almost finished making my cards - good thing is I have lots to spare for this year and even some cards left over. Now that hardly ever happens ! And it seems the perfect entry for Loopy Lou's Magnolia candy :)

Taken.

what to do when feeling ill...

well make a card of course hehe. Had today off work with a cold and sniffling like a good 'un so set about distracting myself making a card and here it is....very spring like !

 

Have decided to enter this one into the Colour create challenge which was lemon, green white so seemed kind of fitting :)  

Taken.

More cards done

Just a quick little posting to add more cards to my site here - all images have been coloured using copic ciao markers, finding these really good to shade with.

Taken.


This last one I really like the colours for - the scrap of paper has been in my stash for years so finally happy to be able to use it. I have listed it on ebay