Springtime means tulips to me ......

Ribbon Girl are sponsoring this weeks challenge over at Just Magnolia and hAnglar sTanglar with a £10 gift voucher - the theme is Spring and this is my guest DT card. 

I coloured the cute image in with copics.  Tulips are my favourite springtime flower and they are featured on the background paper - Springtime by Pion which I got from my friend Jean 

I added a doohickey Magnolia swirl, and a cuttlebug corner all cut from green card plus peach coloured pearls from stash, 32mm cream vintage style fine cluny lace and peach seam binding ribbon.  The lace, ribbon and stickles are from here

The mulberry flowers are tangerine pretty blossoms from here plus other flowers from WOC, and the leaves are punched with my very useful MS punch!  I added a touch of stardust stickles to the flowers for extra springtime sparkle!

Well the weather here in the UK has been more like Summer than Spring and I hope it lasts for a few more days - make the most of it

See you soon, Mary G x

A Wedding gift box card .............

This wedding card has a little box inside for a small gift - the paper is by Pion from here and I added 32mm cream vintage style fine cluny lace and Rose Petal seam binding which I wrinkled for added effect.  I added my usual mulberry roses and doohickey swirls plus a Zva pearl swirl and some dark brown pearls from stash.  The round sentiment is a LOTV stamp cut out with a nestie. 

Lace, seam binding, mulberry flowers and pearl swirl all from here

 Just untie the ribbons and it opens like a book - it was tricky cutting out the shape in the box for the mount and then adding the acetate sheet but I think it looks quite nice.  This box card looks like a book when it is closed up and I am entering it into this weeks Daring Cardmakers challenge 'box of tricks'

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Andrea and I had a fantastic day at the NEC yesterday - we met up with some absolutely lovely ladies including Kath, Dawny P  and Tab from the Ribbon Girl DT plus Jane of Millies Marvels, Kim Piggot, Jo of Boots the Monkey plus Anne and Lucy from LOTV - crafters are such lovely, lovely people!! I am hoping that one of you girls can give me a copy of the photos taken in Wetherspoons so I can add one to my blog! 

See you soon, Mary G x

You are a peach ..........

I made this card for the challenge over at Lils Little Fairies ' peaches and cream' - I used a LOTV diecut of this cute little girl with her pet sitting next to a pot of flowers.  I cut it down a little to fit inside this pretty heart edged nestie.  I decided to make a step card and used Pion papers on a dark peach card background.  All edges were inked with a new white dabber from Tim Holtz - if only I had realised that the top was not screwed on securely, it wouldn't have dripped down my hand, my cardigan, the table, the floor, Andreas hands ........ oh dear  -  thank goodness for paper hankies!! and I'll not forget to check next time I use it.

I added Peach seam binding and cream 18mm zig zag lace plus a pretty blossom flower.  The main card was finished with three stick on pearls from stash.

The sentiment from Papertrey Ink was stamped in cocoa brown ink and the inside of the card was decorated to compliment the front.   The ready printed die cuts are a real boon when you need a card in a particular colour  (especially as  I had already decided on this particular Pion paper - I just matched up the colours with the printed image - simples!

Buttons, bows, blooms and bling .......

The new Papertake Weekly challenge is to make a project using buttons, bows, bling and blooms - wow, just up my street!  Please pop over and check out the super projects from the DT girls - I'm sure you'll be inspired to get cracking and search through your stash for suitable embellishments!

I stitched Pion papers to kraft card for the background, and stamped up one of my new Magnolia mini stamps (Tilda in the  Garden) which I coloured with Copics then cut out;

Blooms: white pretty blossoms from Ribbon Girl and Burgundy Rosebuds from stash

Buttons;  A single oblong shaped pearl button from a pearl mixed bag

Bows: Posie Vintage Style Seam Binding with natural button twine.

Bling: Part of a Zva clear crystal flourish

I think that's everything!

Thanks to Jan at Middlesbrough crop who showed us how to make the miniature step card.  The hearts were cut with nesties and all edges were distressed with tea dye ink.  The inside of the card has been decorated with matching papers and another heart for the message to be written and there is also a matching glassine bag which has been decorated  with the Posie seam  binding.

 

This photo shows the 'step' better - I will be making more of  these (in fact, my sister Jackie who usually dislikes cards with flowers (after spending a lifetime as a florist working with 'real' blooms) has asked for a similar card for her birthday in February !!) 

Pearl button, Pretty blossoms, Seam binding, Zva flourish and Button Twine are all from Ribbon Girl

and finally, I would like to thank everyone for leaving such nice comments on my vintage style cards - Andrea says my head will swell! 

I love making them and as I am rather 'vintage' myself, I think I have found my niche!

See you soon, Mary G x

Yes, it really is St Nicholas walking through the snow .......

I don't usually make Christmas cards in January, but this is a new year and I will be making a couple every month so I have more than enough when the big day arrives.  Here is another vintage style card using fabulous Pion papers, Rose Petal vintage style seam binding, dusky rose mini ric rac and 12mm cream picot cotton lace.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink stamped with cocoa brown ink onto kraft card.   (To everyone who knows Andrea, don't worry, I have bought her some more papers to make up for all the sheets I have 'borrowed' from the ones I bought her for Christmas :-)

The papers were stitched with the sewing machine and I added mulberry rosebuds from my stash plus some tea-dye distressed white pretty blossoms and greenery made with Magnolia doohickey dies.

I decorated a glasssine bag for the card, but would post it out in a sturdy mailing box.

 The Ribbon Girl is giving a prize on the ABC Christmas Challenge today so I was invited to be a Guest DT and this is my card.  If you enter every fortnightly challenge you will have 25 cards ready for next Christmas!!  I will be joining in for sure!  Why not pop over - there are some fab prizes to be won and wonderful Christmas cards from the Design Team and Guests
I have entered this card into the Christmas Card Challenges Blog - a card using lace

Ribbon, lace, blossom flowers, ric rac all from Ribbon Girl

Vintage Style Mini 'New Baby' Card and Pouch Set ..............

The challenge at Papertake Weekly is to make a project for something new, eg a new baby, a new house or similar, or to use something new on your project -  so please pop over and be inspired by the excellent projects made by the ladies on the Design Team.

I chose to make a 4 inch mini card and pouch set for a new baby and couldn't resist using more of Andrea's new Pion vintage style papers (I'll buy you some more Andrea, promise!!) I absolutley love them and they just inspire me to keep making more cards and boxes/card pouches - I've got so many ideas going round in my head!! I should have bought myself some for Christmas when I ordered Andrea's lol.  All paper edges were inked with tea dye distress ink

The ribbon is rose petal vintage style seam binding, 16mm cream fine fan pattern cluny lace and pale rose pink tiny pom pom trim. I used a Pion printed tag and added a Pink Petticoat sentiment printed onto Safmat.  I tied a pale green button from the Pastel Mix selection with natural button twine, then added some white pretty blossom flowers with green leaves punched with my MS punch.  The Pion papers were stitched by machine to the kraft background and the final item was a portion of a Zva pearl flourish!

The little paper bag pouch looks so pretty with the lace, seam binding, fine cluny lace and sentiment.  The edges of the bag were distressed with tea dye distressing ink to age it.  If I was mailing the card, it would be carefully packed in a sturdy 6inch cardboard box. 

All ribbons, lace, twine, buttons, mulberry flowers, pom pom, Zva flourishes and the 6mm double sided tape I used are all from The Ribbon Girl online store.

See you soon Mary G x

Vintage look sparkly mini card and box set ........................

During our Mother/Daughter crafting time at the weekend, I followed Andrea's lead and tried my hand at making tiny 4 inch cards and I thoroughly enjoyed making this little vintage pink and sparkly set. 

This card and matching box took longer to make than the 14.5cm card I usually make, but I think it was well worth the extra effort.

I achieved the vintage look by distressing everything with  straw/brown distressing inks.  The background paper (a digi download) is machine stitched onto kraft card and the little tag is cut from a scrap of kraft using a Papertrey die then stamped with a Papertrey sentiment.

I cut up a Zva clear crystal swirl and added a couple of pieces to the card.  I used mauve scallop cotton lace, posie seam binding and pale pink mini ric rac, then added 25mm and 13mm pink/white mulberry roses with white rosebuds and rose leaves (all distressed) with green leaves cut with my Martha Stewart punch (which seized up at the weekend, I hope I haven't worn it out !!)

I spent ages making and decorating the matching box - as you can see the top of the box is just as pretty as the actual card (which has machine stitching) and even the sides of the lid and the inside of the box have been decorated  - I think it would make a lovely little keepsake box.

I will enter this set into the Cupcake Challenge which is to make something sparkly
and into the Pixie Dust Challenge (Sparkle and Bling)

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 new baby card - and the River Tyne at Night .....

This card is for Sue and Joe who now have another grandson - congratulations!  Following the coffee and cream theme over at this week's Just Magnolia and HS Challenge I coloured the hanglar image with copics and matted it onto plain brown cardstock. I used oloroso seam binding and cream traditional cluny fan pattern cotton lace - both from Ribbon Girl.

The Hanglar baby boy was coloured with Copics and then loads of Stardust Stickles to make his wings and his hat sparkle!

I found two flat flowers in the stash drawer and added a jewelled brad ring (not sure what its called) which I remember buying from The Hobby House at last years NEC show, and a pretty jewelled brad from my stash, naturally I added just a little Stardust Stickles to make the flower shine!
I will enter this card into the Just Magnolia challenge Anything Goes with the option of Coffee and Cream

We went out for a meal to our favourite italian restaurant last night and walked along the quayside on the Newcastle side of the Tyne - Andrea took these photos with her phone, but the quality is not bad at all

The Sage - it looks like a massive ocean liner and isn't the reflection lovley - to anyone who hasn't seen this in real life, during the day time the Sage looks like a gigantic slug, the roof is rounded shapes of grey glass.

Most of you will recognise the Millenium Bridge - looks spectacular at night!

See you all tomorrow

Mary G x

Cupcakes and Seam Binding Give Away ...

15th February 2011  -  Over at the Ribbon Girl blog there is a chance to win the gorgeous cupcakes (above) made by our very talented friend Gail together with 4 packs of seam binding - better hurry, the winner will be chosen on Saturday evening because the Ribbon Girl Colour Challenge begins on Sunday 20th February!