Tuesday 30 October 2012

Tooth Fairy forgot me again...

Before I get to the cards I thought I would give you an update on my painful tooth, having not had a tooth removed since I was seven I thought it would be painful for a few days but quickly discovered that in the majority of cases the pain is gone by day three, so I found myself at the dentist again seven days later where he explained I had a severe infection that needed treating with antibiotics again. So i am sat here now on two strong courses of antibiotics, I had to miss my friends Hen Night as I wasn't well enough to go and I have been looking forward to it for months too. But I decided that sitting here feeling sorry for myself wasn't going to make me feel better so I tidied my craftroom, ok I cleared a space so I could get in and sit down.

I spent a lovely morning in my newly tidied craft room on Sunday making Christmas cards. I decided to try one layer cards and a quick and simple design and although the masking was a bit of a disaster I like the newer version more. All of these were made using one stamp set (home for christmas by Papermania) and five inks. I started with Papertrey inks in "simply chartreuse" and "scarlett jewel" and then progressed to "toffee crunch" and "teal zeal" from memento. I made 5 in total but decided to be organised and wrote them out and even sealed the envelopes all before I realised I hadn't taken any photos doh!!!.






Ingredients:
Images & Sentiments: "Home for Christmas" Papermania




Sunday 28 October 2012

Nordic Reindeer

Another hexagon christmas card albeit a very different look and colour scheme than the last one. I have used the new Pink Petticoat nordic reindeer in boutique blue and this colour matches perfectly the "Elegant Evening' Papertrey card stock.

I used the hexagon impression plate to cut the pp paper then inserted them back into the correct place and added the blue on top, I like this look and can see it being very versatile. It doesn't take very long and is in fact very therapeutic a bit like a jigsaw puzzle lol.

The baubles are stamped and embossed in silver although it looks gold on the photo, I was stuck for a way to stop them looking like they were hanging in mid air so used a peel off, can't believe this is the first time I have used one in years when they used to be used on every card.


Ingredients
Image: Papermania "Home for Christmas" Stamps
Sentiment: "Gingerbread Lane" Papertrey Ink
Papers: "Nordic Reindeer" Pink Petticoat
Cardstock: "Elegant Evening" Papertrey Ink

Saturday 27 October 2012

A New Baby Boy

I made this card a while ago, in fact when I made the matching baby girl one as I just knew my friend on work was having a boy. I was prepared to make a girl one in case I was wrong but I wasn't lol.

I used my go to baby papers from Nit Wit and this fab image from Di's digi downloads, love the dino and dummy so cute. These do seem to be my go to baby image at the moment.


Ingredients
Image: "Babysaurus" Di's Digi Downloads
Papers: "Baby Boy" Nit Wit
Cardstck: Snippet Folder
Sentiment: Taylored Expressions
Brad: Eyelet outlet

Challenges: Snippet Playground

Friday 26 October 2012

Hexagons everywhere

Well I have been using my new hexagon die and stamp set from Papertrey ink and am very impressed with both. For my first card I used patterned paper from the snippet pile and some green and red card, the green has been stamped with versamark so that it stood out a bit more, I have made several more of this style since and tried different looks as this one is a little dark for me. I used a greeting from Papertrey and embossed in white, I used (for the first time) an embossing pen to draw the lines and for a first attempt I quite like it, must remember to use the anti static bag though lol.


Ingredients
Image: Pollycraft "Chester with Cane"
Sentiment: Papertrey ink "think big favourites 20"
Papers: Nit Wit "Sugar Cookies"
Cardstock: Stampin Up "Real Red", Core'dinations green

Challenge: Snippet Playground

Edited: I have entered Sarn's Rudolph Challenge, thought it about time I get started lol.

Thursday 25 October 2012

Petal Fresh

I loved this set when it was released by Nit Wit and I couldn't believe that they would release a set with my favourite flower on my birthday so it seemed wrong not to buy it, so why I ask myself has it taken me nearly four months to use it lol. I love the fresh blues and greens of this set and I teamed it with craft for a different look. Ok so confession time I had been trying my new dies with scrap card and this die cut somehow stuck itself to the paper and I couldn't get it off so I thought go with the flow and make it into a card and I am so pleased I did as I also get to enter the snippet challenge yeah.

I have missed being in my craft room and even though I have been home a while it has taken a bit to persuade me to venture into the messy space. I bought so much I have nowhere to store it and I am in need of a clear out but I just know that once I start I will go off on a tangent using things I had forgotten about and will end up in a bigger mess than the one I am in at the moment lol.



Ingredients:
Image: "Miss Anya" The Greeting Farm
Papers: "Petal Fresh" Nit Wit
Cardstock: Kraft from Recollections
Sentiment and Die cuts: MFT
Embossing: Geometric circles from Provocraft

Challenges: Snippet Playground

Sunday 21 October 2012

And I'm back

Well I am back from a wonderful Florida holiday, really needed to rest and relax this time as not had the best of times since I was last there. The jet lag is nearly gone and I am starting to unpack all the goodies I bought and have a proper play, no cards yet but there will be soon I promise.

Life is never simple though and Thursday I had to have a tooth removed, my first removal since I was seven and I had no idea what to expect. I thought I would be fine to go shopping and have coffee with friends in the afternoon how wrong was I. I have very strong teeth and bones and I thought the poor young dentist was going to put his back out with all the pulling he had to do, in the end he cut the tooth into pieces and removed it that way, didnt feel a thing until a few hours later and man oh man is it painful but at least it is out.

Thursday 18 October 2012

MFT Shop Haul

Now I couldn't very well visit Florida and not stop into the MFT shop in Eustis could I. Had a fantastic time and was made to feel very welcome and Martin entertained hubbie while I shopped, was funny though when I couldn't find a die I wanted and everyone started looking only to find it directly in front of my face lol.

So onto the haul, I had a list but you know how it is there is always things that in person are more tempting than on screen and this certainly happened here.

Thanks so much for looking

Wednesday 17 October 2012

All that Scraps Haul

I placed my first order with all that scraps.com and was really surprised how little I needed to spend before there was free shipping, I only ordered three things but am really pleased with them all. I saw the birthday sentiment stamps at a Bristol Playday when Tanya was using them and I thought they were perfect, the little fairies are so dinky and cute and I even asked Mary how big they were before I ordered them and finally more Christmas sentiments cos you can never have too many words lol.

Hope you enjoy watching and I will be back later with a few more haul videos.



Tuesday 16 October 2012

Second Papertrey Ink Haul

My second order is smaller than the first one and is mostly the new release stamps and dies with a few inks for good measure.

I wasn't sure if I would like the cardstock and now wish I had ordered more, oh well there is always the next trip.

I so wish I had bought the harlequin plate and stamps now, maybe there is time for a third order lol....

Thanks for looking

Monday 15 October 2012

Michaels and Joanns Haul

Today I have a small haul from the local Michaels and Joanns, the items are from my first shopping trip at each although there have been several trips to each since lol.

I will post a final haul video when I get home as I have coupons for 50% off at Michaels that start on my last day and of course I can't waste them lol

Thanks for looking



Sunday 14 October 2012

Walmart....oh my

So I think if I keep buying I will run out of room but there is always space for a bargain. Walmart had the 97 cents items again and I couldn't resist getting a few....



Saturday 13 October 2012

First Papertrey Ink Haul

So I have been watching lots of Papertrey Ink hauls, mostly Michelle from the Card Grotto and thought I really should order a few of their products as everyone seems to rave about them so this is my first haul from them. In fact I was so impressed with how quickly this arrived I placed another order to so expect to see that one very soon.

In my first order I ordered mostly stamps and matching die sets oh and of course some cardstock and ribbon.

Thanks for looking

Friday 12 October 2012

Man v food

Hi everyone
On Monday we visited Yoders Amish Restaurant in Sarasota as featured on Man v Food and had a fabulous breakfast, we enjoyed it so much that after shopping we went back for Dinner.

Below are the before and after shots of both mine and hubbies breakfast. Hubbie had the raspberry and cream cheese French toast and I had the apple fritter French toast.

Before
After
Below are the before and after shots of both hubbies and my dinner, pressure cooked fried chicken is simply the best. We ordered pie as well but had it to go as we were so full. I had strawberry rhubarb and hubbie had red raspberry.

Before
After



Wednesday 10 October 2012

Taylored Expressions Haul

By now from my lack of posts you may have guessed I am on holiday, I arrived over a week ago and have been shopping and chilling ever since, I have been trying to visit and comment but sometimes pie gets in the way lol.

This is the first of several haul videos I have made as I went a little bit mad with the craft online shopping.

I placed my first order with Taylored Expressions in April and was so impressed I knew I would be back for more. There was a special offer on copics so I ordered quite a few and also some of the new memento colours and I had to try her dies as well. Only 1 stamp set and no paper pads this time, I am ashamed to say I haven't cut into any of the ones I bought in April, must stop hoarding paper Amanda lol.


This is the first of several haul videos I have to show you, I haven't filmed all the smaller hauls so will do a further one when I get home.



Friday 5 October 2012

Happy First Birthday

Little girl cards are so much fun to make and this one was no exception. I used a gorgeous saturated canary image and the card came together really quickly once I had decided which girly papers to use. I am ashamed to say this is the first time I have used this paper kit, in fact I forgot I had it and was about to buy it again, I really need to make myself a system that means I remember what I have. I have lists of pens & inks so I don't duplicate but papers and images is a whole other ballgame, especially as most of my stuff is digital. Any organisation or memory tips will be appreciated.


Ingredients:
Image: "Baby Cakes" Saturated Canary
Papers: "Tippy Toes" Nit Wit
Cardstock: Gemstone Core'dination
Dies: Paperdoll MFT Stamps



Tuesday 2 October 2012

And breathe....

Well this year the event at work was even better than last year and I even got to see some of it too. Normally I spend the day sorting the last minute stuff out but this year I was all done before the event even started. 

I always enjoy the opportunity to see people and chat that I don't normally get the opportunity to.  Hopefully everyone else enjoyed it as much as I did. So I suppose I had better start planning next year now lol.

thank you for bearing with me, just need to catch up on some sleep and I will be back visiting you all.

hugs

Amanda