Be my valentine ..............

This weeks challenge over at Papertake Weekly is  'Anything Goes' - optional extra is to add a heart or do a 'love' theme' sponsored by Lili of the Valley  - this is my DT card and I've added a heart and gone for a valentine theme.  The background papers are all from Pion - I hate cutting into the double sided papers 'cos I don't want to cut up whatever is on the reverse side - nail biting!! but I do like them!  The central 'heart' image which was cut from a Pion tag.  All of the papers were stitched to dark purple card with pink top stitching thread.  I used 18mm cream vintage style lace and a Zva clear crystal flourish together with some beautiful wide mauve taffetta ribbon which ties really nice bows and goes perfectly with the papers and background card.

I added green leaves cut with my good old Martha Stewart punch, a pink/white 30mm rose, purple pretty blossoms, pink rose bud, small and medium purple two tone rose buds plus a couple of burgundy rose buds (these were from my stash) which pick out the red of the central heart.  The purple 'leaves' are actually petals taken from a Magnolia flower cut from the dark purple card - I think it ties everything together.

I made a box for the card featuring the same lace on all edges, plus the mauve ribbon on the top, more vintage style lace, a purple mulberry pretty blossom and a magnolia flower cut from the dark purple card and highlighted with stardust stickles.
I'm entering this card into Charisma Cardz Challenge 'Vintage'
Deep Ocean Challenge 'Love'
ABC Challenge 'Pairs' (2 hands, 2 burgundy rose buds, 2 purple pretty blossoms
Scr@p Cards Challenge Blog

Taffeta ribbon, mulberry flowers, Zva Crystal Flourish, Cream Vintage Style Lace are all from The Ribbon Girl online store

My valentine and I have been married for just over 40 years and I'm sure he'll like this card!

Keep warm in this freezing cold weather and I'll be back soon

Mary G x

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

My favourite LOTV stamp ................ and inspiration from Lucy

This weeks challenge No. 2 over at Lili's Little Fairies is 'Your Favourite LOTV Image' and I've used mine here - the three little angels are so cute and I made quite a few Christmas cards with them.  I coloured them with Copics and highlighted with Stardust Stickles.    The background papers are  Pion and I used the sewing machine to stitch them.  Leaves and greenery punched with my favourite Martha Stewart punch - which is getting very difficult to press down, I hope it isn't going to break!

Ribbon Girl are giving a prize of lace, flowers and ribbons and LOTV are giving a £10 voucher for their online store.  Andrea and I were both delighted to be invited to be Guest DT this week. 

The vintage style cream fine cluny flower edge lace, the Zva clear crystal swirl, 30mm Mulberry rose, buds and Pretty Blossom flowers are all from Ribbon Girl.

Lucy has been inspiring us to get crafting with some photos on her blog - this clean and simple card is what I was inspired to make after seeing yesterdays photo of the bookcase, thanks Lucy - I've entered this into Deep Ocean Challenge Blog - Lots of White

See you soon, Mary G x

Happy Birthday Andrea .......

Happy Birthday Andrea!!

I've made you a pink and black birthday card using a Lili of the Valley image which I coloured with copics. I used spotty pink organza ribbon and sections ofa zva clear crystal flourish

The flowers are a 30mm pink/white rose, 20mm pink rosebud, white pretty blossoms and 13mm pink/white roses while the leaves are made with my new Magnolia leaf dies and my Martha Stewart punches.  Ribbon, Zva and Mulberry Flowers from here

The sentiment is a LOTV stamp cut with plain round nestie on scalloped black background

I hope you enjoy your day crafting with the girls down in Middlesbrough

love from Mam xx

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