November Challenge at TSC...

Just a quick stop in as i'm currently trying to decorate my upstairs, and when I say trying I really mean its trying me, damn fibro is in full on flare up mode and my hips albeit I know they are broken already feel like shards are flying off at hitting every single nerve in my back and legs and that someone has a really jagged knife and constantly twisting it every which way in them, but i'm determined to get it done before I get the Christmas decorations out.
I have been crafting in between attempts with the paint brush and emulsion and currently have a few projects that are laying half done on my table. One of the projects that have been completed is the one I want to share this evening...

This is a recycled pringles tube and is just the right height to hold my longer paint brushes in, I have several of them that hold other long crafty supplies in, even a couple in the food cupboards with spaghetti in, they really come in handy for so many things, that's my excuse for munching my way through them anyway :) It has firstly been covered in white paper and then with the red that is an a4 sheet width way on and then trimmed slightly on the length to fit overlapping a wee bit. A white panel was cut and edged with a black and red marker and placed in the centre of the tube to make the awesome image from the lovely Tamara at The Stamping Chef really stand out. I then cut lengths of ribbon that also says 'Keep calm and craft on' on it from the London Line (which I think is a docrafts product, I know I purchased it at The Range anyways), and added it to the bottom of the tube and with a double bow tied at the top.

Before I go, I would like to wish all of my american friends a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look.

Love and hugs

Natasha xnx

Leaves Are Falling...

A quick card that I made using a wonderful image called 'Growing A Flower' from A Day For Daisies that was printed on Neenah classic crest card in Solar White and coloured with spectrum noir pens, I had made a list of all the colours that I used on a piece of paper but I can't for the life of me find it so its no doubt been thrown in the bin with the 'too small to use again' scraps and the backing from the double sided taped that was used to stick the image and matting and layering down. The leaves are fussy cut from a sheet of ivory cardstock that was embossed using a Sheena Douglass folder called 'Ivy' I think, it was a free gift included with the first edition of 'Crafters Inspiration' from Crafters Companion which was released for christmas last year, obviously that issue is no longer available but issue 3 has just been released and it contains some really great gifts including two cd-roms, an Die-sire Embossalicious embossing folder, stamps, beading kit and a paper pack that is jam packed full of beautiful papers that can be used for many occasions all year round. The sentiment is one from the very generous Paulette over at Create With TLC who as daily freebies on her blog as well as an etsy store full of awesome images and sentiments so be sure to stop by and have a look and don't forget a thankyou if you take any of her digi's.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look at my project, its very much appreciated as are all the wonderful comments that you leave.

Crafty Hugs
Natasha
xNx

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

spectrum noir challenge - orange

pan-pastel-uk challenge - falling leaves

my creative moments (wordplay saturday) - anything

2 sisters - anything-goes
the squirrel and the fox - things with wings
ooh-la-la creations - things with wings
totally gorjuss - wings and things
tammy scrapin corner - autumn colours
kaboodle doodles - earth tone or color
make my monday - texture (leaves are all dry embossed to give texture)
artistic inspirations challenges - anything goes
c.r.a.f.t. challenge - autumn/ halloween/ thanksgiving
glitter n sparkle challenge - add orange (made Top 3)
stamp and create - fall or halloween
chocolate,coffee & cards - autumn
feeling crafty - autumn
memas crafts - october challenge coat of colors

Sending Hope...

As many people already know October is a huge month of awareness for many charitable causes, a few of which are close to my heart but a lot of these get overlooked by a bigger, more well known cause... Breast Cancer Awareness.  There are a couple of people in my life that are surviving or currently going through this horrible disease so when I made this card I was thinking of them, as well as all the women around the world that are battling and surviving.
I had meant to post today's card last week but with one thing and another it completely slipped my mind, I swear I'd lose my head if it wasn't screwed on.

The image is from the lovely Tamara at The Stamping Chef which can be found in store along with many other awesome and unique designs both for awareness causes and every day use, was coloured with my spectrum-noir pens. It was matted and layered on a pink paper from my stash and blue card that was purchased at the papermill, the butterfly card is one i've had for a wee while from Kanban and everything else including the ribbon, charm and gems were stuff that i've had lying around in my stash just crying out to be used on this card. The overall size is 8x8 inches

On one last note ladies, be sure to check regularly and get your mammograms

Thanks for taking the time to stop by.

Hugs

Natasha xNx



I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

link up for pink
bearly mine challenges - ribbon/string/twine
DL Art - linky pinky party bca month long
brown sugar challenge - challenge-63 anything goes
stampin for the weekend - anything goes
wags n whiskers - challenge-114 pink breast cancer
tuesday throwdown - challenge-168 awarness
love to create challenge - challenge86 -breast cancer awareness (Winner of 5 Eureka Digistamps)
live and love crafts - challenge16 use pink
parade your crafts - PINK PARADE CHALLENGE
my creative moments - wordplay saturday - anything

A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes...

I love this line from the Disney movie Cinderella which as been used as the sentiment on today's card...
I followed the latest sketch from Donna at bearlymine challenges

I know that i'm really close the the deadline but I can just about scrape in so here it is

The image used is one from the amazing artists at A Day For Daisies called Hepburn Dress which as been coloured using Spectrum Noirs. The papers which are matted onto mirri board are from a HOTP Artsy Collage book that has been in my stash for lord only knows how long but it might give you a hint if I tell you that the copyright on the inside of the front page says 2003 so I think that after 10 years I should put them to some use lol. The sentiment came from this book too. The checked piece used behind the focal image is from a Paper Celler 6x6 stack called 'Checks', there is also a piece of angel hair paper behind that, and a squared of embossed silver card that is hiding behind the flowers, I kinda sized it wrongly when I measured it up not realizing the size of the flowers. The flowers were made up by myself a while ago, the deep purple one in the centre was cut using the XCut Glorious Gerbara dies and the pale one were cut by hand. The flourish by the flowers was cut using the Sizzix Corner Flourish 2 and then cut in half and added at either end of the flowers. The ribbon and button came from my stash. The overall size of my card is 8"x 8".

Thanks for stopping by and looking at my project. I really enjoyed this sketch  and am sure it will be one that I will use again.

Wishing you a wonderful evening.
Hugs

Natasha xNx


I will be entering this into the following challenges :-

Bearlymine Challenges - Challenge104 Sketch
Through the purple haze challenges - Inspired by song/book/film
Southern girls challenge - Challenge78 - World in Monochrome
Avenue613 - Challenge 38 - Anything Goes
PaperMakeUpStamps - Challenge107 - Anything Goes
A Day For Daisies - Buttons and Bows
Oldie But A Goodie Challenge - Dies-and Punches

With Love - Book Card

Todays card was made as a retirement gift for the SENCO at my childrens primary school that as done an awful lot for all my kids, especially my youngest William, who after fighting for years alone to get him the help he needed both at home and school with his special needs she didnt give up and made sure that she could do everything in her powers and beyond for him to get the extra care he needs to help him to make the slow and steady progress that he is doing at the moment. Its going to be really hard on William when he goes back to school in September for him to adapt to a new senco tutor (he doesnt take to well  to change) but the wonderful Mrs Hannant has assured him that she will be back at times to help in to settle with the new teacher. She will be missed very much in her retirement by so many people.

For this card I have used hunkydory toppers from the Flutterbye Wishes collection and papers from Wild Rose Studios Butterfly Garden paper pack. The cardstock is Adorable Scorable again from hunkydory. Ribbons are from my stash that were bought from my local haberdashery. flowers are from  iamroses.com if i'm not mistaken. To make the book pages effect I used my Hougie board to do concentina folds before gluing it all together.

I am really happy with the way this project turned out considering its the first time that I have attempted this style of card.

Thanks for taking a few minutes to visit. Hope you enjoyed looking at todays project.
Love and hugs to you all

x Natasha x

I would like to enter this project into the following challenges:-

craft your passion challenges176 - summer-flowers
qkr stampede - anything goes
Through the craftroom door -august-20-27-challenge... anything goes
paper-crafting journey - anything goes
crafty ribbons challenge - anything goes with ribbon
avenue 613 - challenge-34 - anything goes or create your own challenge
papertake weekly - flower-power

Flutterbye Wishes

Todays card is made using the Flutterbye Wishes kit from hunkydory, 

silver mirri board, 

clear acetate, 

cream coloured hammered textured cardstock

baby pink organza ribbon 

3d butterflies from stash 

The bow is also decorated with a calla lily and smaller ribbon bow.

This card is a pretty straight forward  easel card that is so easy to put together and was loved by the recipient which of course is the reason why I love to make and send cards.

Thanks for visiting

Hugs

Natasha

xNx

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges :-

Through the Craftroom Door - Anything goes

creative fingers challenge blog - anything goes

Delicious Doodles Challenge - Butterflies

One Crazy Stamper - Birthday

Really Reasonable Ribbon - Things With Wings

Seemacrafts - Butterflies

Crafty Ribbons Challenge - Anything Goes (with ribbon)

In The Pink Challenge - Birthday

Stamping Sensations August Challenge - Things with wings

Pool Party...

A quick post to show a wee kiddiewinkles pool party invitation. The image used is a freebie from crafty sentiment designs that was given as a gift kinda thing to take part in their current challenge which is 'Summer Holiday'. I coloured Harriet with Spectrum Noirs, and a wee bit of glitter added to the water to look like the ripples. The sun was dry embossed with a sizzix folder (cant remember the name but it was part a multibuy pack) and then fussy cut before the lemon coloured glitter was added to the centre. The circle behind the lower side of the image was also dry embossed with a forever friends folder that as tiny wee sailboats on it although it is pretty hard to see in the pic. I think when I replicate this invitation for my neices birthday party I will definitely print the sentiment off but for the time being this will have to do as the damn printer is having a moment of PMT me thinks lol.

Thanks for visiting

Natasha xNx

Glittery Fingers...

Good evening crafty friends, just a quick check-in between projects. I've got a few birthday cards to make over the next couple of days, and then to start on the christmas cards (I cant believe where this year as gone).

With the weather being as horrible as it as been lately I really fancied changing the dark and dismal mood in the house with 4 bored and chilly kiddiewinkles by bringing out the craft supplies along with lots of glitter and shiny gems. I left them to glitterfying everything in sight including the table, carpet, themselves and the poor poor dog (who usually looks really butch and macho being an american bulldog) and their own creations whilst I added some colour and sparkle to a project i was working on for my nan...
The black outline around the floral image is from the Aqua Glass outline stickers range (iris-rose), which I started to colour using  Papermania's Dual-tip watercolour markers but didnt like the effect that it gave me as it seemed to fade into the sparkly background so out came the Smirk's Premium glitter markers to bring out the idea of what I now had for the focal point of my card. Finished off with a few gems threaded onto silver 'stretchy stuff' (its a technical term... honest :) ) and a couple of cute 3D butterflies strategically placed on both the image and sentiment I think my card turned out ok and almost added a bit of warmth to the ice cold sun that could be seen peeping through the clouds.
Anyways that me shifting my backside to the next project before my mojo disappears completely and seeing as I currently have no idea at all where to start on what should be my husbands birthday card, i'm gonna need every last bit I can conjure up.
Have a wonderful evening people, see you all soon.


Natasha xNx

You Are My Sunshine...

A quickie post from me this morning with a card I made during the wee small hours after receiving the adorable 'Icecream Sunday Harriet' from crafty sentiments designs.

Pretty straight forward using scraps that torn to make the sunny seaside background, pastels were used to colour the sky effect. Spectrum noirs were used to colour the gorgeous Harriet. The sentiment was simply printed off the pc and matted to match the main image. The ribbon wrapped around the main matting to create the double bow was also some that I had in my stash that was picked up from the local haberdashery. Not very helpful when it comes to the supplies list I know but nothing used to make this card was actually in the original packaging and with my head being the sieve that it is I cant remember where stuff came from. Nevermind, its the meds... honest lol ;) 

Which reminds me, its time to go and take my next dose of pills so i'll be away for a wee lie down whilst they kick in and hopefully will get back to some crafty therapy later on, i've already got a pile of pictures ready to colour and a few ideas floating about that empty space in my head. 

Wishing you all a wonderful day.

Crafty hugs 

Natasha xNx

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges :-

Fun In The Sun at Crafty Sentiments Designs

Her Comes Summer at Craft-room Challenge

Welcome Summer (challenge 54) at Deep Ocean Challenge Blog

Fun In The Sun (rcc82) at Ribbon Carousel

IBSIC #54 - Hope Happens

Hi friends

Just popping in with a quick card that I have made for the current Inspired By Stamping Inspiration Challenge

So heres my card...

Apologies for the poor picture quality, typically I couldnt find any charged batteries for my camera and my mobile's camera is a wee bit dodgy so to speak.

Anyways onto what has been used to make my card  -

IBS Fancy Label Dies 1
IBS Elegant Flowers Stamp Set
IBS Beautiful Iris Stamp Set
Creative Expressions Bakers Twine (primary colours)
Paper Roses Small & Large from stash (small ones edged with Spectrum Noir CT4)
Yellow paper from Born To Shop 12' x 12' paper pack
Green & White dotty paper from stash
EZ Chalk in yellow
Tim Holtz Distress Ink (wild honey)
Crafters Option Plate Pigment Ink (alpine)
Ink It Up (black)
White flat backed Pearls from stash
White cardstock

I think thats everything, I'll try to get better pictures in the morning when hopefully there will be a decent natural light but wanted to post before the challenge closed.


Updated Pics

Thanks for looking and happy crafting!

Natasha  xNx

BitterSweet - Something A Little Different...

Hi folks,

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the weekend. I'm spending it with the hubby, kids and not forgetting the Atlas, our American Bulldog fur baby just trying to relax and get over yet another hectic week, oh the joys but I wont depress you with all of that lot.

I've had a few crafty ideas that i've been playing about with when i've had chance... cards mainly as Abigail-Megan (my eldest daughter) has been taking over the sewing machine, probably for the best seeing as my wrist is still splinted. She's been doing alsorts on there and loving every minute, its so nice to see that the kids all enjoy being creative too especially being that I cant always get out and about and do things too strenuous with them. Anyways back to what I was on about... Abz had spent some time making denim and canvas bags whilst I was struggling to come up with an idea for the image of the week that was given to us over at The Stamping Chef fan page on facebook by the very generous Tamara, it got to a point of driving me batty, I was completely stumped but then the lightbulb in my head shattered as I was sat staring into space surrounded by fabric cutoffs, bits of thread, already done bags and Abigail calling Mummy every couple of minutes... Here's the final result...

I printed the gorgeous Bitter Sweet image onto T-shirt transfer paper and coloured with my Spectrum Noirs and Promarkers, added pink gems to the image by the 'pink and grey swirly things' (not exactly sure what theyre actually meant to be but swirly things sounds good lol) , stitched a small piece of bright pink organza to the where the veil is drawn and finished with a tiny pink satin ribbon. The phrase is written on with S.N's, I was going to print it on the transfer paper and add it that way but after it took me ages to pick the tiny bits of interleave off the image cos the damned thing had no intentions of coming off in one piece like it was supposed to I gave up and kinda cheated a little. Im actually really liking this piece and am happy with the way it turned out, especially for a first attempt. I may even get to use it myself... if I can prise it away from my girls.

Im now away to order some more transfer paper (i'm under order haha) and play some more whilst I wait on  Paige-Rheannan and Billyboo getting home from Liverpool. Suppose I should also prepare dinner at some point too - unless I can persuade the hubby to cook it for me, there's something sexy about a man in the kitchen ;)

Thanks for stopping by and sharing in another of my crafty moments.

Have a great day/evening wherever you are.
Love and hugs

xNx

Dream, Wish, Sparkle...

Quick card made using the beautiful 'Lost Fairy' image from over at The Stamping Chef.

 Please excuse quality of pics and the dodgy cutting etc, i was using one hand, my left wrist and arm is acting up after a blumin fall so I currently have a splint and sling on.

 I think this ones pretty self explainatry but the size is A5, coloured with Spectrum Noirs, Promarkers and Stickles and embossing of words and on wings are done in silver Heat It Up. I'll no doubt play with her a bit more when I have by wrist back cos I dont feel like i've done her justice although im sure my eldest daughter will love her , her fave colour is purple and she adores faeries.

Take care
Hugs xNx