Glamorous gardening - in monotone .......

There is a new challenge over at Papertake Weekly - sponsored by Lili of the Valley the challenge is anything goes with the option of using a monotone colour scheme  -  I really enjoyed making this easel card in shades of lavender - my number 2 favourite colour (pink is my favourite) and was amazed how it all came together.

 I used a LOTV 'glamorous gardening' die cut, which I trimmed slightly and matted onto lavender card cut with a nestie.  The lace is wide 40mm white cotton and the ribbon is sky mauve.

I added lilac and white 13mm saddlestitch on the base, hung a watering can charm on the top with plum Divine Bakers Twine and distressed the papers with some purple ink.  The flowers are from stash, all in shades of lavender and I added clear gems to the centre of each with glossy accents.

The sentiment was stamped in purple ink and is by Papertrey Ink

I always have problems finding pretty papers in lavender/lilac/purple shades but have got some on order and can't wait for them to arrive!

See you soon, Mary G x

A mini vinage style winter wedding card and box set ..........

I based this vintage style mini card project on the sketch over at Papertake Weekly - please pop over and take a look at the wonderful cards made by the design team

This winter wedding card and box set is for Clare and Joseph who are being  married on Friday.  The card is a vintage style mini card using a portion of a LOTV die cut on kraft background.

I went overboard with embellishments and used ivory tulle and white crazy mesh to compliment the bride's veil on the die cut, a die cut swirl and a beautiful diamante snowflake stick pin.

I wanted to use pale pink pure silk ribbon but it was too wide for my mini 4 inch card, so I hit on the idea of twisting it - it worked a treat, then I added dusky rose tiny ric rac, some cream cotton  lace and some mulberry flowers which were distressed with tea dye ink.  The background papers were all machine stitched to kraft card.

Because this is for a wedding I went to town on the box and tried to make it very pretty so it would be kept for a long time.  Mulberry rose, silk ribbon,  etc plus clear crystal Zva swirl with a little kraft tag.

A photo of the card inside the box

To the inside of the card I added this lovely passage from Corinthians which begins 'Love is patient, love is kind .....

 I wish Clare and Joseph all of God's many blessings and a lifetime of happiness

Lace, silk ribbon, Zva crystals, diamante stick pin, ric rac, tulle, crazy mesh and mulberry flowers are all from Ribbon Girl

I am enterng this card into Totally Gorjuss challenge 'for someone special'

See you soon, MaryG x

Vintage style Christmas mini card and box set ........

There's a new challenge over at Papertake Weekly - Last Christmas (card of the year)  - and  this is my take on it - a mini card and box set - this is especially for my sister who dislikes flowers on cards so this one has a couple of green leaves and some stamens coloured red with a Copics pen!  I used some 32mm cream vintage style very fine cluny lace, black stripe twill, 7mm red satin, part of a Zva clear crystal swirl and some cream mini pom pom trim, all from Ribbon Girl.  It's amazing how much stuff I can cram on to one of these little 4 inch cards!  All the edges were distresed with Tea Dye distress ink.

The lid was enhanced with more black twill and cream lace plus Venetian Red Vintage Style Seam Binding and small silver jingle bells

I made the tags with a Papertrey die and rubber stamp and as usual the box is made to measure.  All the background papers (Authentique) are machine stitched onto kraft card and the 2 and 5 are tucked behind the ribbon.

Please pop over to Papertake Weekly and take a look at the fabulous projects by the Design Team - I bet you've got time to get one more card made before Christmas for this challenge and there's a great prize as usual!

See you soon, Mary G x

When is a card not a card ...............

When is a card not a card ....... when it's a gift card holder

This is my DT project for this weeks Papertake Weekly challenge. Please pop over and be inspired by the fabulous DT projects - and the prize this week is a £10 voucher to spend in the Ribbon Girl online store  I used a diecut LOTV image enhanced with plenty of Stardust Stickles, the die ccut images are so handy when you're in a bit of a hurry!!

I adhered the image to the card via a flap and underneath made a little pocket to hold a gift of money

I was pleased with the end result becaue the card can still be on show as any normal card would be.

I used red and white pencil stripe ribbon, 18mm white cotton zig zag lace, a small red and white polka dot button and some natural button twine - all from http://www.ribbongirl.co.uk/ (and my sister will be very impressed that I made a card without using any flowers on it!! lol)

See you soon, Mary G x

Anything goes with the option of sparkle ........

The challenge over at Papertake Weekly is anything goes with the option of sparkle, and as I love sparkle, glitter and bling I went to town on this card and co-ordinating box! 

ps  Can you see that large clear stick on gem trying to make a bid for freedom down at the bottom right hand corner?  I stuck it back on, and wished I had noticed it before editing the photos!

I coloured the image with Copics pens then glittered with Stardust stickles, added some white traditional fan pattern Cluny lace and some 12mm silver lame ribbon (which I coloured with a Copics pen to tone with the backing papers - which means you can have glittery ribbon in any colour you fancy!)

My usual flowers consists of 30mm and 13mm white mulberry roses with white pretty blossoms.  I tied a double bow with Wavecrest Seam Binding and added a snowflake charm and a silvery blue star pin.

Continuing on with the 'sparkle' theme, I added parts of a Zva sparkly flourish to my hand-made box (my box making skills are improving every day!!)

Seam Binding, Cluny Lace, Snowflake Charm, Mulberry Flowers, Star Pin and Zva Flourishes are all from http://www.ribbongirl.co.uk/

I was pleased with the end result and will put this in my Christmas card pile for someone special.

See you soon, Mary G x

A cute Sugar Nellie ......

I love my new Sugar Nellie stamp - I made this card for the challenge over at the sugar bowl challenge blog, 'clean and simple' following the sketch. 

I coloured her with copics and added loads of Stardust Stickles

I usually add as much stuff as possible to my cards, but to comply with the 'clean and simple' aspect, I only used one small paper flower with one purple two tone pretty blossom (from The Ribbon Girl) and I cut two leaf and heart branches with my Magnolia die.  Then the whole card was lightly sprayed with irridescent sparkle!

See you all tomorrow with a new challenge at Papertake Weekly and the Jingle all the Way to Christmas challenge at the Ribbon Girl!
This card has also been entered into the PanPastel Challenge

Mary G x

along came a spider, and sat down beside her ......

So glad to see the gale force winds have died  down - much chillier this morning, but clear and calm, let's hope it stays that way.  Another little treat bag today - this time with the addition of legs  -  both from Papertrey Ink dies.  The eyes are a small circle of white card with a black dewdrop stuck on.  On the handle I used tiny orange ric rac; 5mm orange and white gingham; narrow satin and purple loopy trim, all from here

'Spooky Hues' is the new challenge over at Papertake Weekly this week - please take a minute to check out the fabulous work by the PTW Design Team - the prize this week is a halloween themed mini ribbon kit from

See you all tomorrow

Mary G x
Edited to say that I prepared this post early this morning and left it to publish at 12 noon - it was calm etc at 7am but as I write this it is lashing down with rain and the wind is howling!!

Winner of Papertake Weekly Blog Hop Prize

The winner of the £10 voucher to spend in the Ribbon Girl online store is you

Magagi

Please contact me to arrange your prize

and there is a new challenge on the Papertake Weekly blog which is to make a card using 3 shapes

 - here is my card

This cute image is from LOTV and I coloured her with Copics.  The sentiment is from Pink Petticoat, printed onto Safmat before sticking to plain white card matted onto a scrap of the striped paper from the semi circle.

I used a square for the background, a semi circle at the left hand side, and a rectangle in the centre - also added my favourite magnolia doohicky swirle and made a pretty little paper flower by punching plain white paper then adding a two tone purple pretty blossom and tied a lovely bow with the 25mm orchid large spot satin ribbon - flower and ribbon both from Ribbon Girl 

So what are you waiting for -  pop over to Papertake Weekly to see the awesome projects from the Design Team and to find out if you have won a prize in the birthday blog hop!

Mary G x

A little sewing project ........

I fancied sewing something so had a look through our fabric and fat quarters and chose a pink flower fabric from here for the outside and a pink and white stripe cotton fabric from John Lewis for the inside.

It's a while since I stitched anything apart from stitching on cards, but got the hang of Andreas sewing machine and was quite pleased with my first effort.  The pattern is from a Tilda book and I finished off this little needle case with a sparkly flower button and a scrap of 7mm pink satin ribbon, both from Ribbon Girl.  Inspired by my needle case, I attempted a make up bag, picture later in the week ....

I'll be back later with details of who won the Papertake Weekly Challenge Blog Birthday Hop prize from my blog and a new challenge for you!

Mary G x