Getting back on board with blogging

I've been a bit of a naughty blogger reently and not managed to update as often as I would like. In a way it's a good thing as it means I'm so busy, but it also means that my busy-ness hasn't been through cardmaking, which I am sad about. I hope to have a good session this weekend though and build up my cards for upcoming craft fairs, so I should be able to build up a stock of photos to share in future!

It's my dad's birthday today. I sent his pressie and card in the post so I hope they arrived safely and on time! I got him a Lewis Hamilton McLaren baseball cap, which I know he will appreciate and use. He likes to wear a cap when he flies his model airplanes. I bought him one from the MotoGP at Donington Park many years ago, but it is a bit knackered now, to say the least! So the new Hamilton one should keep him the sun out of his eyes this summer.

I also sent him a card using the Motorcycle stamp from Stampin' Up!, but I have already shared that with you (it was the swap I made for the Jems when the Mini Catalogue came out).

So instead, here is a card I made for Helen's dad, who had his birthday a few weeks ago.



This is the Sail Away stamp, another of the single ones in the new Mini Catalogue. I knew the page from the Newsprint DSP with the maps on would be perfect, but unfortunately I only had two tiny scraps of that one left, so I just scrumpled and inked them up and had them poking out from behind the image.



I used the Top Note Die and Square Lattice Embossing Folder in my Big Shot to make a nice background. Then I used the Jewellery Tag punch to make the label and attached it to a button with Linen Thread.

Daddy Helen was pleased with it, I am told!

I have lots of exciting WI news to share with you, but I think I will leave that until tomorrow as we have our Buns & Roses meeting tonight and there'll be more gossip from that too!

Read more...

Ahoy there!

I'm all at sea with today's card. Ho!

My friend Fay asked me to make a card with a boat for a friend of hers who loves sailing and luckily, the Stampin' Up! Mini Catalogue 2011 has a fab new stamp called Sail Away.

I saw this design on the SplitCoastStampers site and just loved it, although it turned out to be quite time consuming because of all the different elements.



The edges of the sails were coloured in using Blender Pens and the three stripes of cardstock were run through the Big Shot using the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder.



These were matted on to Whisper White and Crumb Cake cardstock then I tied some of the Real Ride Striped Grosgrain Ribbon around and ruched it using some Linen Thread.



All this also made the front of the card quite heavy, so I added a piece of Whisper White to the inside to balance it a bit and added a little stripe in opposite corners to complete the nautical theme.

Fay loves it and rekons her friend will too, so the hard work does pay off!

I have just passed one year of blogging, so to celebrate I have some surprise blog candy up for grabs. Please check out Friday's blog candy post and leave a comment to enter! You have until midday on May 6th.

I'm back at home for a few days at the moment and although I'm still battling with some sort of illness (the cold has now developed into a poorly tummy) I am managing to get in some quality time with the family, including Bodd! Pics coming tomorrow!

Read more...