Home Sweet Home

Hey!

OK, apologies for being a naughty blogger. You just wouldn't believe how much I'm up to my eyeballs in work at the mo! Seriously, I can't believe we're only on week 2 of a 6 week term! Bring on the bank holiday weekend LOL!

So I'm gonna confess that I'm sharing a card today that I made ages ago. I hadn't got around to uploading it seeing as Royal Mail became a Royal Pain in taking ages to deliver it to the intended recipient! I nearly thought it was a gonna but it just took a very long detour around the UK or was sat in a sorting office just waiting for it's time to come...

Card Recipe
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Daily Designs/Daily Designs Sentiment/Polka Dot Basics II
Ink: Versamark/Papertrey Ink Dark Chocolate
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink Dark Chocolate/Aqua Mist/Raspberry Fizz/Kraft
Accessories: Papertrey Ink Raspberry Fizz Grosgrain Ribbon/Martha Stewart Border Punch/Cuttlebug/Nestabilities/Promarkers

This card was made pre-apron lace punch purchase, so I just layered a dotted scallop border close to the aqua mist cardstock to try and create the same effect. No where near as fab as the apron-lace punch, but it kept me happy until I had that new toy in my possession *grin*

Sorry 'bout the quick post today! I'm hoping your week is going well and I'll hope to catch up with y'all at the weekend. That is, if I've survived this working week LOL!

Catch ya later!
Aimes
x

Dad...

Hey!

TGI Friday, Peeps! They always say the first week back is the highest hurdle to jump, and I have to agree! I'm sooooooo ready to chillax (and fingers-crossed that the weather forecast was right and it's gonna be a sunny weekend!)

Along with a spot of chillaxing, it's also my Dad's birthday. Don't tell him, but we've bought him a present that I just know he'll love, and I'm not ashamed to say I'm proud because he's one tough cookie to buy for LOL! I know I wouldn't be too fussed with the entire John Wayne collection on DVD, but he'll love it!

Anyways, as you've guessed, cue another masculine card...


I always find Dad so tough to cater for. For once, I can't rely on my beloved Star Prints for him because they're just not 'him'! I did however dig out the same tree stamp that I used for his card last year but made it look very different by just embossing with Clear EP. That's the thing I love so much about stamps, you can definitely get your penny's worth with 'em!

I'm totally into 'woodgrain' images too at the mo, they're everywhere around Blogland aren't they?! Well I really do want the new Woodgrain PTI set but seeing as I don't own that yet, I tried my hand at rooting out an old embossing folder and dragging a Versamark pad over the raised bits to add definition. It's nowhere near as cool as the stamps, but it'll hold my craving for a while at least ;DCard Recipe
Stamps: Hobby Art Trees
Ink: Versamark
Papers: PTI Dark Chocolate/PTI Scarlet Jewel/Craftwork Cards DP
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Nesties/Cuttlebug Embossing Folder/Clear Detail EP/PTI Spring Moss Grosgrain Ribbon/PTI Button/PTI Twine/Transfer Letters

Oooh and the card is totally based on the current sketch over at 2S4Y, as soon as I saw it I just knew I had to play along!

Before I love ya and leave ya, I had a package today that I'm just dying to share with y'all...it came all the way from Canada! Yup, it was some scrummy Blog Candy from my buddy Maureen! Oh it is delicious! It contains some gorgeous papers/stamp set/flowers/ribbons/buttons and a fabulous embossing folder and Martha Stewart punch but d'ya wanna see the thing I got soooooooooo excited about and squealed with delight over....?

Yup! Official mittens from the Winter Olympics! How cool are these babies?! Oh I love them sooooo much that I might just have to wear them through summer LOL!

...and one more thing that I'm super proud of is owning the CARDS mag which featured not one, but TWO of Maureen's stunning cards! I hope she'll remember me when she's super famous!

Thanks so much, Moe! You're a real treasure!

Well I'm off to put my mittens back on - believe it or not, typing is practically impossible with 'em on LOL!

Catch ya later!

Aimes
x

Pretty Petals...

Hey!

Happy Monday! It's been back to work for me today, no doubt that within seconds it feltl like I was never away! Though we're minus a few members of staff due to that volcano causing chaos with flights! Another local school was shut today due to lack of staff!

So today is the start of a new challenge on our PTI blog! For the next fortnight we wanna see flowers on your creations. Kinda fitting seeing as the flowers are starting to bloom around here - could Summer actually be on it's way soon...?

Anyways I betcha expecting a card featuring the flower from my treasured Friends 'til the End set aren't ya?! Well I wanted to surprise you a little and had a go at making my own flower...


I've seen a few of these kinda flowers around Blogland. They're pretty easy to make; just die-cut a few flowers out of tissue paper, fold them up and stick them onto a die-cut card flower base. Finish off with a button and twine and voila!

Card Recipe
(All PTI Supplies)
Stamps: Background Basics: Text Style/Turning a New Leaf/Damask Designs (sentiment)
Ink: Smokey Shadow/Spring Moss/Versamark
Cardstock: Lemon Tart/Stamper's Select White
Accessories: Vellum/White Tissue Paper/Lemon Tart Button/Jute Button Twine/Cuttlebug/Nestabilities/Apron Lace Border Punch

FYI I think you could easily skip the folding part and just cut a loada tissue flowers and layer them on top of each other. Maybe ruffle the layers a little for a little texture...

This card is also for the Papertrey Peeps Challenge #5 (hopefully!) it's a little late but I hope it still counts!

And just to totally rock at qualifying for challenges with one card, I hope this qualifies for the current EBTKS challenge which features a sketch from my fab blog buddy, Ann!

Thanks so much for stopping by and hope you have a fab week! Even though I may not be able to comment so much with work in full swing, thanks to finally discovering Google Reader you can be rest assured that I'm checking out your posts!

Catch ya later!
Aimes
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Machiney and Me - Round 2

Hey!

Welcome to the sequel to 'Machiney and Me'! LOL! Yup, I'd had enough rest this week to be ready for Round 2. Seeing as Machiney had helped me get a Top Crop spot I felt I owed him a second chance. So I did what most of you suggested and re-threaded him and bunged the tension down a few notches.

Wanna see the results?


I think this could be the start of a beautiful friendship....*grin*


I know, it's by no means perfect stitching but it's zig-zag stitching nevertheless! Sorry for the dull pictures today, the sun shows no sign of visiting Sheffield today :o(


I'm still on a bit of a kick using the Around and About Sentiments as trails after my Butterfly Card. A fellow PTI Peep took it one step further and used the sweet plane from Tiny Treats and thus this card was born! Thanks Sharron ;D! I've seen these clouds created on a few cards recently so tried it out myself. Just cut a couple of Scalloped Ovals and sponged Spring Rain ink around. The best thing is, that because skies are pretty random you can't go too wrong with the placement of the clouds...

Card Recipe
(PTI Supplies)
Stamps: Around and About Sentiments/Tiny Treats: Valentine/Polka Dot Basics II
Ink: Spring Rain/Versamark/Memento Black
Cardstock: Stamper's Select White/Pure Poppy/Spring Rain
Accessories: Clear EP/Machiney/EK Success Border Punch Embossed Scallop/Corner Punch

This card is winging its way (Get it?! Wingin?! Oh never mind!) to my not so little nephew, Harry. He's in double figures now and that's kinda freaking me out! Since when did all my nieces and nephews start growing up so fast?! I actually think some of them are more mature than their Aunty Amy now!

*sigh* is it really Friday tomorrow?! Where has my week gone!? Guess it's time to cram in all the work I should have done over the holidays into the last few days...though I'm sure I can squeeze in a bit more time to get inky ;D

Thanks so much for stopping by; I really appreciate it! Hope you have a super weekend!

Catch ya later!
Aimes
x

Time to Party!

Hey!

Happy Monday! Happy for me because I've got this week off work too - woo hoo!!! Not that I hate work, I just like to have some quality inky time on my hands :D

Speaking of inky time (clever link, huh?!) I've been super busy this weekend not only enjoying the glorious sunshine but also taking part in the current Embellish Challenge. I'm a newbie to the Embellish challenges, but I've been admiring them from afar. I'm soooo glad I got the chance to play this time though.
The challenge is to incorporate party themed projects within this colour scheme. I was completely taken with left pic and in particular that red branch. I loved the way it balanced the picture and so this is what dictated my theme! Now if you took a peek at our dinning area here you'd know that this challenge was sooooooo my kinda style! We don't host parties as such, but that colour scheme is practically our whole dining area LOL!

So wanna party?! Well I'm no master-chef, but at my dinner party I could promise you a few paper-crafted accessories to help you feel welcome!

Firstly, you'd get an invite:


The Grungeboard 'P' is coated in Prisma Glitter - it sparkles so much IRL but my photography can't capture it! Now don't be fooled by the main panel either - that piece of 'black card' with red vines on is not dp but made using a emboss resist technique. I stamped a few vines together on PTI's Pure Poppy Cardstock, embossed with clear ep and then sponged black ink over the top. I was pretty impressed at the outcome...so much that I went ahead and made a few more things for 'my dinner party.'

So secondly and thirdly, as a guest, you'd get a personalised place card and little treat holder!


OK so the treat holder contains red buttons; I didn't have any black and red sweets on me LOL! But I'm guessing you'd probably be more happy with some PTI Pure Poppy Vintage Buttons than you would some sweet treats right?!

So here it is altogether! Obviously you wouldn't get a 'Chris' place card (unless that's your name!) but I like the fact that I can actually use this for a romantic meal (minus the buttons though - don't think he'd appreciate 'em!)



Supplies
Stamps: Inkadinkado - Delicate Branches
Ink: Versamark/Memento Black
Cardstock: PTI Kraft/Pure Poppy
Accesoreis: Clear EP/Cuttlebug/Nestabilities/PTI Pure Poppy Grosgrain Ribbon/PTI White Snow Twill/Grungeboard/Prisma Glitter/White Transfers/White Gel Pen/Treat Tube/Pure Poppy Buttons LOL!

So have I got you as a guest then?! It may look oh-so-sophisticated but on the menu will be take-away pizza LOL!

Catch ya later!
Aimes
x

P.S Just found out my Sending Sunshine card is one of Taylor's Top Crops! Guess I better kiss and make up with Machiney LOL!

My Doofus Moment!

Hey!

OK it's nearly Friday, Peeps! Still kinda sad this week has flown by so fast but happy at he same time that I get to spend a weekend with some nice company. I do get bored if left on my own for too long LOL!

Before I start with my card, I just wanted to say thanks so much for all the advice about my sewing disaster! When Machiney and me are back on speaking terms, I'll try adjusting the tension etc.... I might forgive him tomorrow ;D

So today I had a shock revelation and the first of two doofus moments...I'd missed my SIL's birthday!!!! Eeek!!!! Maybe I'm too reliant on my mum reminding me LOL! Anyways, cue a mad dash to my crafty corner to try and rustle up something quick-smart....


I spotted this card by super talented Maile Belles and was inspired to splash my flutterbys with colour too. Kinda reminds me of those paintings you used to do at school where you paint half a page, fold your paper over and admire the symmetry when you unfold it, KWIM?

These are no ordinary flutterbys btw; check out the super, duper sparkles on these pretties! Totally covered them with a good dollop of glossy accents and then added a good powdering of ultra fine prisma glitter. Think I went a bit OTT with the sparkles but I needed to add something to that scalloped border and well...with glitter in one hand, Scor-Tape in the other, it just made sense at the time!

Super, super, SUPER shiny sparkles *grin*

Card Recipe
Mainly PTI Supplies
Stamps: Butterfly Dreams
Ink: Memento Black/Versamark
Cardstock: True Black/Raspberry Fizz
Accessories: Cuttlebug/Medium Scalloped Die/Judikins Glitter/White EP/White Gel Pen/Glossy Accents/Scor-Tape

OK funny story, I dashed to the phone mid-glitter phase and have managed to cover all of my guy's desk in the stuff! He then came home from work tonight, has used the phone (and grumbled a little about the sparkles on his desk) and is now himself covered in sparkles and doesn't know it! LOL! Should I tell him....? Nah, it's too funny to watch him sparkle away!

Sorry, I digress! With so many sparkles on this I've decided to enter it into the Paper Crafts Connection April Gallery Challenge which is to show your creations that contain bling and sparkle. I think this may qualify ;D

Now normally, I'd add some yummy ribbon with a bow but this needed to be a flat card (thanks to Royal Mail and me only having some small stamps!) Speaking of ribbon, I've not forgotten about my bow tying tutorial; just gotta get my guy to install the drivers on the computer he's rebuilding; I'm currently bloggin' via laptop!

Thanks so much for stopping by, I really appreciate it!

Catch ya later!
Aimes
x

P.S My second doofus moment today was that I've only just discovered Google Reader - D'oh! What an amazing tool, why didn't you guys tell me how fab it was?! This should mean I can scoot around Blogland in super-quick time because and visit you all more often! Yay!

Machiney and Me!

Hey!

Can you believe we're half-way through the week already?! Typical that time flies by when you're off work eh?!

This afternoon I decided that I would be brave...I braced myself and got ready to tackle...the sewing machine. Now Machiney (as I like to call him sometimes) and me haven't seen eye to eye in the past, but I was willing to put that behind me and make amends...well it started so well but ended with me saying "It's not me, it's YOU! *Grrr!*"

Well let me get onto the card first...



This idea popped into my head courtesy of Taylor's Sketch Challenge #107. It's been ages since I've played along with a good ol' sketch challenge so this made a nice change!

I had fun making use of my recent purchase of that Martha Stewart Border Punch (from my trip the other weekend) I'm planning on making a cute set of cards with that baby if time slows down a little!

So you're left wondering...what's so wrong with the stitching?! Well the running stitch around the edge went OK...though I confess I did it without using the pedal and just by turning the wheel with my hand (otherwise Machiney just goes waaaaay too fast and things end up really wonky!). But the problem starts when trying coax Machiney into doing a ZigZag stitch. Machiney is really temperamental, sometimes he just happily zig zags away but mainly he doesn't. I find the underside of my stitching is an OK zig zag stitch but my top layer looks like this:


Hmmm not too zig zaggy to me :o(

So believe it or not I held my layer of card to the window and with a pencil managed to draw a line where I wanted the zig zag stitch to be and then ran my cardstock underside up through the machine (does this make sense?!) and it came out wit an OK zig zag stitch where I wanted one!


Obviously this isn't the best solution and it only works if I can draw a guide on the underside of my project! Is it me? Is it machiney? Are we just destined to be apart? If anyone has any pointers I'd really appreciate them! Oh and machiney is a John Lewis own brand one but pretty much identical to the Janome Mini Sew.

Anyways enough of my battles, I've survived round one, just not sure if I want to enter round 2 LOL!

Catch ya later!
Aimes
x

Card Recipe
Stamps: PTI Friends til the End/Debbi Moore Designs - Sunshine
Ink: Adirondack Slate/Latte
Card: Basic Grey Gypsy/Bazzill Basics Dotted Swiss
Accessories: Sewing Machine/Martha Stewart Border Punch/Cuttlebug/Nestabilities

Butterfly Trails....

Hey!

Happy Easter Monday - hope you're having a good one if you've got today off work! I won't rub in that I've got two weeks off LOL!

It's another Monday where we host a new challenge over on our PTI Blog! This fortnight we're challenging all of you to dig out some material and feature it on your card/creation.

I'll confess that I freaked a little when Kate suggested this idea, I'm no seamstress! However I do have some felt stashed away so figured that it was the perfect opportunity to dig it back out, use it up so I can justify a purchase of some PTI Wool Felt, and play with my new PTI Butterfly Die too! She's been waiting so patiently, fluttering her wings every now and again just to remind me that I hadn't used her yet! (Yup, my flutterby is definitely a female btw!)

Still practising at the photography set-up here; my living room colours coordinate with this card beautifully LOL!

Card Recipe
PTI Supplies
Stamps: Around and About Sentiments
Ink: Ripe Avocado
Card: Dark Chocolate/Vintage Cream/Turning A New Leaf DPs
Accessories: Butterfly Die/Cuttlebug/Paper Piercer/Brown Felt/Ripe Avocado Button/Jute Button Twine/Dark Chocolate Grosgrain Ribbon/Fiskars Apron Lace Border Punch

I made her antennae out of the ribbon twine, super duper easy and looks pretty sweet too methinks! Oh and that bow...well on my trip out the other weekend with my Mum I was whinging at how I tend to suck at tying pretty bows with tails tucked nicely behind the loops and she came up with the perfect solution! It's super easy and you probably know already but if you're intrigued, I may try to do a tutorial or even a video....even if I do hate the sound of my own voice!

I had the idea to use Around & About Sentiment as her butterfly trail at some random hour in the night as I was trying to sleep; I think it kinda works even if it took me ages to try and curve the sentiment nicely on my acrylic block! Just think, you could have this idea featured on a card for nearly any occasion with that super-useful set!

So anyways, I'm really hoping you can play along with our challenge, maybe even be a bit more daring than me and use some fabric or maybe cheat a little by using a pre-made material embellishment (Think about those gorgeous crocheted flowers you can buy!). We've now decided to feature the top 3 world-wide entries on our blog with the prize of a super new blinkie I've created! This way everyone can share the inspiration and play something whether you're a European Peep or not!

OK so that's enough babbling from me today, if you've even read this far LOL!

Catch ya later!
Aimes
x

P.S Check out one of my bestest bloggin' buddies, Emma's delicious Blog Candy she's got on offer to celebrate her Blog Birthday! Even if you've not got a sweet tooth still pop across for some seriously inspirational creations! This gal's got more talent than I could ever dream of having!

Happy Easter!

Hey!

Happy Easter! Hope you're all having a wonderufl Easter Sunday! For me I confess that I have acquired a nice pile of scrummy chocolate eggs and I'm yet even nibble on one (I'm so impressed at my willpower! LOL) I know that I'll find it nearly impossible to put half an eaten chocolate egg down so best to wait until I can share with someone ;D

No Easter card from me today though, in fact something entirely different!


This card was for the fourth challenge issued by the Papertrey Peeps group. We had to pick one of Nichole Heady's creations from the previous two releases and CASE it with the added catch of NOT using a stamp set released from that month! Why oh why did they have to release my two fave sets of the moment (Butterfly Dreams and Studio Style) in the same month?! I found it so difficult to tear myself away from them but I was really drawn to the simplicity of this card and desperately wanted to CASE it!


Hmm...now I look at Nichole's card I really do need to add some ink around the edges of my Kraft panel! It's the little touches that your eye takes in but hardly notices that totally make her cards work. I'm off to take my little card for some more inking this afternoon LOL!

(OK, so after adding a touch of ink to the edges here's the final card!)

Card Recipe
All PTI Supplies Unless Stated
Stamps: Friends 'til the End
Ink: Versamark (Antique Linen Distress Ink after re-touch!)
Cardstock: White Blank from stash/Kraft
Accessories: Detail White Embossing Powder/Promarkers/White Gel Pen

Friends 'til the End is just one of those sets that I love to play with *sigh*. I love the sentiments, the font and the endless opportunities for a good colouring session or paper piecing session with those flowers and leaves!

Now I'm starting to learn a little more about photography. I'm completely inspired by the way I see creations photographed. Seeing as my Mini Eggs props keep disappearing, I'm pretty sure that I'll always have a stash of buttons on hand ;D

Becky Oehlers has posted some fab tips about photography, I recommend you take a peek here! I know my photography has a long way to go but nevertheless I'm enjoying the learning curve!

Catch ya later!
Aimes
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