Lili of the Valley - Challenge 75 - Bevs sketch

The talented Bev Rochester has provided the sketch for the Lili of the Valley challenge. Lovely simple sketch that helped me create this card. One of the inspectors I work with is retiring at the beginning of December, so I used Bevs sketch to create his card. I've used Lazy Afternoon stamp, I love this stamp and it is so suitable for male cards. The papers are Basic Grey Wisteria and I've used one of the new circular stamps. These stamps are brilliant. There is a stamp for every occasion.

Sweet Sketch Wednesday #77

At long last I've made a card and not a christmas card for a change. My friends daughter will be celebrating her 19th birthday soon. I've had this Kenny K image for a while and I bought it especially for her birthday. Arlanas sketch gave me the inspiration to get creating. The digi image is called Star and I've used Basic Grey Wisteria papers and one of my new Lili of the Valley circular sentiment stamps. I've used Glamour Dust to give the top of her boots a bit of bling, but unfortunately you can't really tell in the photo.

The 'Singing Ringing Tree'

Today we travelled to Burnley, Lancashire on a beautiful chilly day to go and see the 'Singing Ringing Tree'. High above the town stands a panopticon - a unique musical sculpture in the form of a tree bending against the wind. As the wind blows it produces a low and mellow hum through the pipes. It was amazing to see (so unusual), and even tho' there wasn't much wind, just our luck, you could still hear the noise, quite haunting really. The site says the folklore and mythology surrounding the 'Singing Ringing Tree' involves handsome princes, beautiful princesses and wicked dwarves. I remember a tv programme when I was a child called the 'Singing Ringing Tree' and used to love it even tho' it was slightly scary. Anyway we had a lovely day out.

Sweet Sketch Wednesday #74

Arlanas sketch this week gave me the inspiration (again), to make a birthday card. I've been itching to use this image as I think the 2 little girls are just so cute. I've been saving it for my Aunties birthday, and her birthday is next Friday so at long last lol.

I have used Papermania Rose Garden papers, the image is a Mo Manning digital image called two tu-tus. I have used Polar White flower soft on their tu tus, and glamour dust on their wings (no sure tho' whether you can see it or not), and the flower is from Wild Orchid Crafts. I'm not sure tho' whether the flower is just a little bit too big for the card.

Sweet Sketch Wednesday #73 & Mos Challenge #55

At long last I've made a card. Feel like I haven't made anything in ages. Truth be told tho' I've been nursing an inflammed coccyx and that was pretty painful, so I haven't been able to sit in my craft room for a while. Yet again Arlana has provided another inspirational sketch on Sweet Sketch Wednesday. I've used another of my favourite images and its Mo's digital image Bismark. How cute is he. The background papers are a download I bought from Pink Petticoat called Large Snowflakes. They are brilliant as they come in every colour you could think of. I used my Cuttlebug embossing folder for the embossed snowflakes, and added Glamour Dust to my Martha Stewart snowflakes. I love how the dust gives them such a christmassy look. I'm also entering this card into Mos Challenge which is Pick a Season. As if you can't tell, I've chosen Winter.

Sweet Sketch Wednesday 71

Arlana has provided another brilliant sketch for this weeks challenge. Her sketches really help me when I have to create a card. For a change its a birthday card I've made instead of a christmas card, but looking at the christmas cards I've made I need to get cracking and make quite a few more. The paper I have used is Papermania Blueberry Hill, and the sentiment is by Craftwork Cards. This is the first time I have tried an image out of the frame using a Nestie and I'm really pleased with the result. Crafting people are so kind the way they share techniques on the net, that's why I was able to try that technique. I also got a chance to use my new Lacey Circle Nestie.

Sweet Sketch Wednesday #69 & Charisma Cardz Challenge #39

Another lovely sketch has been provided by Arlana at Sweet Sketch Wednesday. I've been dying to ink up my new Lili of the Valley Stamp Christmas Candle. My friend Michele kindly got it for me the last time she went to the Harrogate show. How cute is she. I have used flower soft on her hood and the bobbles at the end of her scarf. I've also used glossy accents on the candle flame and stickles Xmas Red on the holly berries. The papers are by Dovecraft called Winter Wonderland. (I actually found a crafting shop when we went to Llandudno lol). The white poinsettia is from Wild Orchid Crafts, how gorgeous is it. I have come to the conclusion tho' that I do not have a decent set of stamps with christmas greetings, I had to use a peel off for the Merry Christmas and am a bit disappointed in it. I will have to rectify that. There is also a challenge over at Charisma Cardz which is Christmas Crafting, so I am going to enter this card into that as well.