It's been a while

Hello my friends,I'm such a bad blogger it's been nearly a year since my last post oops!  I have been card making but have never got round to posting my makes. I have also been laid up for 2 months with my back,I was unable to sit at my desk to craft which was more painful than my bad back. I did teach myself to crochet with the help of a fantastic YouTube by the name of Bellacoco and I'm now on the way to a blanket made from granny squares. I am hoping to spend some time this weekend putting up some photos of my makes so keep watching this space.

Dawn x

Football Boy

The older my nephews are getting the harder it is to think of cards to make for them. Their passion is football like hundreds of other little boys I'm sure but I still find it hard to think of new ideas and of course they expect Auntie Dawn to come up with another exciting card. This year I thought a door hanger would be a good idea so he could display love of football for all to see. I used a digi stamp boutique image coloured wth promarkers, for the background I used x cut hexagonal dies and some die cut footballs. The letters were cut using sizzix Fruit Smoothie letter dies.

 I hope he liked it.

Dawn x

Exciting new craft shop in Kings Lynn

I'm so excited to let you all know of a new craft shop that has opened in Kings Lynn Norfolk. The shop is called Sprinkle Twinkle and is certainly a very sparkly piece of glitter in a dull business park, I thought we had the wrong place when we drove into the business park but boy was I surprised when I gingerly opened the door. I was warmly welcomed by Natalie and her partner and offered a drink straight away, I had my family in tow (much to their disgust! "not another craft shop mum") Well luckily there was a TV and drinks for them as well, obviously to keep them entertained while mum spent money. Oh I wish I had a large bank account I could have spent a fortune. Natalie had so much to choose from and lots of American brands i.e. Lawn Fawn, that are hard to find in the UK without paying a fortune for postage. They have a website for online ordering at www.sprinkle-twinkle.co.uk so please do take a look and if your in the area pop in to see them it is a lovely place it's bigger than it looks on the website.

Happy crafting

Dawn x

Fakenham Fire

Well what a week it has been for Fakenham in North Norfolk UK. We are a small market town in the beautiful North Norfolk conservation area. This week one of our major buildings along with other buildings either side were burnt to the ground in the worst fire fire in 100 years for Fakenham, luckily no body was hurt. The building was occupied by the Factory Shop chain but owned by a local family who also have a business in the town, it has been heart breaking for everyone especially for those who have list their homes above the shops. One the the shops next door was a small independent gift shop/ art supplies shops where I bought alot of my card and essentials, I will miss them so much as they do not plan to set up again in the town. 

I have been busy this week as being half term holidays I have been at home ( I work in a nursery school), I have made a couple of cards and lots of tealight gift boxes ready for a village fair.Thanks to Pootles Papercraft Youtube channel for ideas.

Small boxes holding 3 tea-lights

Medium boxes hold 4 tea lights in dark blue box and 2 large tea lights in light blue

Long boxes hold 4 tea lights

Indigo Blu free stamp with Simply Cards and Papercraft.

 

 

Shaker Card using a Wee Stamps digi image

Paper piecing card using a Little Claire Stamp

Thanks for looking

Dawn x

Promarker Storage

Hello,
Just had to show you all my Promarker storage idea as I was so happy with the finished project. I had been storing my pens in elastic bands and vertically in a box since I started buying them but recently I have been using the extra thin nibs that you can buy separately. Well every time I went to use one the ink had accumulated in the lid, now I not sure whether you are meant to keep the thin nibs on the pens but I am sure it's was the fact I had them stored vertically rather than horizontal. I had been watching Sam of Pootles Papercraft on Youtube and she makes all different types of boxes, I managed to adapt the slim line embossing folder box to hold 12 Promarkers stuck three together and built it up into the box. I then used some aperture framing card to make the outside of the box and decorated with 12x12 papers. I haven't done it too fancy as I have other things on top and at the sides of it on my desk but it has worked a treat.It should fit all 148 original colours (I only have 15 to go)plus I have 12 special editions in it too.

Hope you like it, and do take a look and the wonderful Pootles Papercraft on Youtube such an inspiration.

Dawn. x 

Happy Easter

Happy Easter!

The sun is shining here in North Norfolk today and really I should be in the garden but my craft room was calling. I live near a chocolate factory and they have a seconds shop where you can buy unpackaged chocolates. I follow the wonderful Sam Donald (Pootles Papercraft) on You Tube where she makes all shapes and sizes of boxes, the egg box was originally for a cupcake soap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7RwJ-9D5mA but with a bit of jiggling with the size I could fit my Easter egg in it, and the bunny box is one of Sam's fold flat boxes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_xl01cxGlc
do take a look she makes the most amazing projects.
I hope you enjoy the rest of your Easter break.

 

Dawn x

LOTV'S Bingo challenge

This is my first time in entering a challenge and what could be better than a Lilli of the Valley challenge. I have only recently purchased a selection of their stamps and hooked already. This lovely little fairy reminded me of someone I know so couldn't resist making this card. Do pop over and have a look at their website where you will will find it hard not to buy.  http://www.liliofthevalley.co.uk/

Enjoy!
    x

Why Oh Why!

Why on earth did I start this job? I got up this morning and thought it's about time I cleared out my craft room and made some space for new goodies. Well, I'm halfway through and feel like giving up. I think I have made a bigger mess than I started with. I also keep findings goodies that I forgot I had and need to just have a quick go before putting it back to be forgotten again. I plan to get this finished at some stage tonight unless it gets the better of me.

Please Mummy give me LOVE!

All or nothing!

Well it's been so long since I lasted posted, I thought, a new year a better blogger but unfortunately it just hasn't happened as yet. My excuse is that I have been very busy at my full time job looking after the children and staff at the nursery. I have however made some cards that I hope you will enjoy looking at today. With the weather being so horrible at the moment and being half term, I am hoping to have time for a play in my craft room so maybe just maybe there might be some more posts next week but please don't hold me to it!

Enjoy and take care
Dawn x

Stamps - Kanban Crafts

Stamps - Hexley Transport by Inky Doodles and Sentiment by Dreamees

Stamps - Sheena Douglass 'Falling Feathers'

Stamps - Aly's Inky Fingers 'Fluttering Flourishes'

Stamps - Aly's Inky Fingers 'Fluttering Flourishes'

Christmas Cards

Well I've eventually done it, made all my cards and gifts. I can now sit back and relax, well until the Christmas dinner needs cooking. I'm sitting here in my craft room listening the the wind howling and the rain lashing at my window. The lights keep flickering so I hope I get chance to finish this post before we have a power cut!
I am not going away to relative this year the four of us are staying at home to enjoy some time together.(it's also a great excuse to play with my new crafty things that I'm sure my husband has spoilt me with!)
I hope you all have a relaxing and Happy Christmas and maybe enjoy some craftiness.
I leave you with my last few cards.

 
Dawn

Christmas Cards

Once again I'm totally late with getting my Christmas cards done. What are we, 24 days until the big day and I'm only just starting. My desk looks like a bombs hit it and I've only made 2 cards. Looks like it's a trip to the card shop again this year much to my husband horror, especially after taking me to the big craft show at the NEC in Birmingham so I could buy goodies to make my cards with, oops! Well there is always hope for next year!
I will leave you with a couple of pictures of my Christmas offering, I have used http://www.dreamees.org.uk/snowglobe-1472-p.asp, Snow Globe stamp and http://www.card-io.com stamped onto papermania card stock with versa colour inks. Silver mirri card and basic burgundy card stock. The snowflake embossing is a freebie folder on a recent magazine and the punch is from X Cut.
I hope you enjoy!

Dawn x

My first Christmas card this year.

Settlers of Catan

Good afternoon, 
Today I thought I would share a card that I was asked to make for a work colleague of my husband. She requested an Anniversary card with Settlers of Catan as the theme, who? I asked just Google it was the reply from my husband. Well, after researching the game this was the card I eventually arrived at, not sure if it does the game justices as it appears to be a very involved type of board game. I stamped the hexagons then re- stamped using various background stamps to get the different terrains required. The mountains were sponged using distress inks and torn paper.

Stamps - Hexagons by Dreamees

Ship a Free gift on Cardmaking in Easy steps Aug 12

Inks - Tim Holtz Distress Ink various browns

Numbers- Free number stickers (very old never used but must have!)

Sentiment - Computer 

Thanks for looking. 

x

Christmas Birthday

Good Afternoon I hope you didn't suffer too much damage from the recent storm, the only damage I had was a circle punch slipping out of my hand and knocking over my coffee!! luckily it missed my card creation.

I had a lovely day in my craft room but by the time I had tidied it up I only had time to make one card. I am really enjoying the digi stamps from Wee Stamps at the moment so today I show you another Rowan Fairy but in a different colour scheme, ideal for a Christmas card or a December birthday.

                                          Image - Rowan Fairy Wee Stamps

                                          Colours - Promarkers

                                          Die Cuts - X cut Vintage Notes Doily

                                                        Mariannes Creatables Leaves set LR0226

                                          Designer Papers - Back to Basics Christmas Dovecraft

                                          Flowers - Handmade X cut Retro Flower, Tonic Mini snowflake

Hope you like it and do visit Wee Stamps website to see the rest of the lovely digi stamps.

Dawn x

Surprise in post

What a lovely surprise I had today, my darling husband has bought tickets for the NEC show in November. As I have a disc problem in my back he has also booked very kindly booked a hotel for the weekend as well so I don't have to travel most of the day before walking around the show, now that's love or is it, that he wants the spa and swimming after the show!
I can't wait to go and find all the new crafty things that I just need to to finish that card!! as I can never find them locally. Shhhh! don't tell hubby that I have so much stuff already that I could probably hold my own exhibition.

A pretty little card for now , using Wee Stamps Digi image  http://www.weestamps.com/
"Rowan Fairy".

Dawn x

Comments please

I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who visits my blog. It would be lovely to have some comments left,so please don't be shy.
Dawn x

Marianne Butterfly

Today I have a lovely Marianne design butterfly card for you all, I do love this butterfly. I have found it much easier to use with wax paper as a release aid due to the intricate detail. I have inked the oval using Adirondak ink ( stream), gave it a spritz with some very watered down pearl all purpose acrylic paint, then stamped the flowers in memento ink and the adirondak. It needed something to lift the colour so I have gone back to using silver mirri card, I haven't used this for a long time. The background is embossed using a crafts too embossing plate and punched band is an x cut border punch.

 I do hope you like and thank you for looking.
Dawn x

Where's summer gone?

Hello my lovelies!

It really is time I got myself organized with putting posts on my blog, I have just been so busy with one thing and another that the time flies past. I do wonder how some people can find the time to update their blog everyday, they must be very clever and they do videos too!

Today I have a few cards that I have been trying to upload for a little while but my computer seems to be sooo slow I gave up, but today I have a bit more time so am trying again(fingers crossed it will work).

Chronology Stamps by Docrafts



Fabulous Fashion by Katy Sue



Free stamp from Quick cards made Easy
stamp designed by Elizabeth Bell

Hobby Art Ltd. Harbour

Thanks for looking.

Dawn x

Sunset Butterfly

Just a quick card today, inspired by our lovely hot weather here in the UK.

Tim Holtz Distress Inks  - Fired Brick

                                           Scattered Straw

                                         Dusty Concord

                                           Shabby Shutters

                                        Docrafts BirdSong Clear Stamps

                                        Friskars Border System Punch

                                        Marianne Design Butterfly die CR1205

Enjoy the sun!

Dawn x

Card for Promarkers

Hi,
We are so lucky here in the UK at present with some beautiful sunshine albeit we can't always cope with the heat as we are not used to it. I have put the sunbathing on hold and come to think of it the cleaning too! and been on a hunt for some card to use with my promarker pens. I have been lucky and found some very reasonable card in Staples (Norwich) a pack of 50 sheets of A4 210 gsm by Stephens, it feels as if its coated but don't quote me on that, for £5.50. I am using it at present and very pleased with it, no bleeding and good blending, I will have to go and get some more quick before they run out.
I couldn't resist buying some other goodies too, X cut nesting hexagon dies, First Edition J'adore paper pack, Fiskars Corner Punch(scroll), Fiskars Notebook punch, Fiskars Interchangeable Border Punch starter set and extra cassette. I also bought this week 7 packs of Promarker fine nibs from Joannna Sheen too. All I have to do now is continue to work to pay for my addiction to buy craft goodies.
I had better start making some cards now to post to my blog.
See you all soon with some creations.

Dawn x

Aly's Inky Fingers DT cards

Yay! I'm back,
with some lovely Design Team member cards for Al'ys Inky Fingers.
I was so lucky that Aly asked me again to make some more cards for her appearance on Create and Craft channel Thursday 27th June. She has some lovely new sets available from her website http://www.alysinkyfingers.co.uk/ I have used Country Buddies and Fluttering Flourishes.
I hope to be back on form and start posting more on my blog now that my back is getting slightly better. Two slipped disc's, I didn't realise it would be so painful but OUCH! it does and it really restricts what you can continue to do with yourself, but I'm not going to let it get me down.

Dawn