Top Tip Tuesday #27

Good Top Tip Tuesday Morning To You All :)

 

Wow, what amazing buttons you all delivered last week,
they were fab!

Pop over to TTT now to see if you were one of our winners or if Samantha picked you for one of her Top 3.

This week we have an awesome tutorial from the wonderful Paula.

Have you ever wanted to create your own backing for your cards but not quite sure what technique to use - Paula's is amazing, you'll love it!

LOOK...you could create this......................

 

To go with Paula's 'Polished Stone' technique she has chosen a theme of 'Nature Inspired' cards, so lets see those leaves, spring themed or cards using natural embelishments: wood, twine, sand......

We want Nature INSPIRED cards please,
not just an odd flower or 2 ;)

We have more amazing sponsors this week with LOADS of prizes - pop over to see what!

Don't forget to follow the rules -

Link your project NOT your blog

Include a link to Top Tip Tuesday in your post

No more than 3 entries

and

Add your project by 9pm Mon April 4th so we can see all cards before picking the winners!

If you have Word Verification please consider turning it off and just having Comment Moderation - It takes soooo long to comment when you need to type illegible letters - and that's if you don't click off before you've noticed them! Yes I've done that many a time ;)

For My Mum...

Had a little play today with a couple of my NEC goodies - how amazing would it be if money were no issue...I'd have been able to buy everything I wanted and had it delivered home in a taxi so I didn't have to carry it!

As it was I'd spent out after 2 hours (we weren't going to be there as long as I'd hoped, so I'd 'ran' around worrying I'd run out of time - then I had to sit outside for 1 1/2 hours cos I'd only have got depressed seeing more things I wanted!

Next time I'm going for the weekend and at least a 3 lap 'pootle'!

So on to my card.....

I used my new MS Punch-around-the-page, so easy to get a great look! and TH Adage Tickets on this card.

As well as a LOTV Die-Cut image, WOC Flowers, Ribbon from my stash, liquid Pearls and Stickles.

I use my sewing machine to sew around the Gemstones card backing piece and Cuttlebug die-cut letters for 'mum'.

Some Challenges I'd like to enter...

Lili of the Valley - Punch it!

Pollycraft - Pearls & Swirls

Simon Says Stamp - Mother's Day / Girlie

Truly Scrumptious - Tag (TH Ticket?)

ABC - Quilting / Sewing

 

Allsorts - For a Special Lady

A quick Wedding card....

One of my best 'customers' in work today asked of there was any chance I could do a Wedding card by Friday! She usually gives me plenty of notice so of course I said yes ....even tho I'm not in work on Friday, so had to do it tonight to take in tomorrow!

I knew I'd use one of my LOTV Die Cut images as they make the most wonderful cards when you've not got time to stamp & colour ...plus my colouring never looks as pretty!

I popped over to LOTV Challenge Blog to get some inspiration and Bev's sketch was just perfect - I'm too late to enter the challenge tho :(   ...I do wish the days wouldn't all roll into one!

As I was looking through some of this week's entries I came across a wonderful card by Laurie, it is absolutely beautiful - I had to try really hard not to get my CB out and emboss the panels - she's just done it all so perfectly.

I found my silver embossed wedding card and decided to use that..............phew, urge to mimic Laurie's card over!

I've used WOC Lace, Gemstones Cardstock, swirls that were sent as a RAK so not sure what Die they are!, LOTV Die Cut Image and Sentiment Stamp (I just LOVE these!!!) and MS Heart Punch.

Thanks for popping by, not sure if I'll get to do any blogging tomorrow as I'm travelling to mums after work to go to the NEC with her on Friday.....Yeh, my 1st Craft Show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some challenges I'd like to enter my card into......


Wild Orchid Challenge - Dieing to Punch it out!

Stamp Something - Something Sweet

Exploding Box - 1st Birthday

Good evening all, hope you are all well :)

I'd like to share my latest project with you, an Exploding Box for the 1st Birthday of a work colleague's son. Mum was so organised and e-mailed me 12 photos titled from 'newborn' to '11 months' so I thought that was a perfect opportunity to create something that documented his first year - each photo has the corresponding age on a little tag.

I've blocked out his face as I know they don't put photos of him on FB. 

The box has 3 layers of photos - each one decorated with an assortment of gems, buttons and charms.

The centre piece of the box is taken up with a gorgeous poem.

I'd like to enter this box into the following challenges.....

Simon Says Stamp - 'Happy Birthday'

Truly Scrumptious - Tag it!

Stamp Something - Something Sweet (I've not actually stamped anything so hope it's ok!)

Sentimental Sundays - Let's Get Sentimental

 Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Anything but a Card!

Top Tip Tuesday #26

Good Top Tip Tuesday Morning to you all!

Did you enjoy those amazing Gift Boxes from Heike last time - weren't they fab???

Have you 'popped over' to TTT yet to see if you are one of our lucky winners or one of Heike's Top 3?

This week it's my pal Samantha's turn to astound us with her knowledge!

............................

"Hi Everyone its my (Samantha) turn to set the challenge this time
and its my first tutorial at Top Tip Tuesday! ekk!
The Tutorial/s are based on altered buttons.

The challenge I am setting you is

"Show me those Buttons"

Use 3 or more buttons on your project!

Optional extra
Alter your buttons and show us your before picture
on your blogs and your after on your project linked to the challenge.

Our awesome sponsors are

http://www.stashbooks.com/
http://stitchybearstamps.com/shop/

Get ya cuppa tea....I have been working on this for a while so hope you enjoy it!"

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Now you'll have to go over to Top Tip Tuesday to have a looksee!!!!!

Here's what I did.......................

Before

 (sorry for the awful pic - camera batteries ran out so had to use my phone!)

After

(got batteries for camera now!)

Top Left - took off knitted covering

Top Right - Stamped, heat embossed, added Gems

Bottom Left - Nail Polish & Twinklets

Bottom Right (Fabric Covered) - Coloured with Promarker and covered in Crackle Glaze!

I haven't managed to get around to using them on a card yet - but I altered them!

More Green!!!

Well, it is St Patrick's Day!

I've used one of my gorgeous Penny Black Stickeroos for this card - so please don't think I've coloured this cute little frog to perfection!

I've followed a couple of challenges for this card and have listed them all below.

I've used... Gemstones Cardstock (I don't know what I'll do when my stash of 8 12x12 stacks runs out - and believe me it wont be long!!!), French Lace Doily, LOTV Sentiment, home-made ribbon flower and lace from WOC.

Some challenges I'd like to enter...

Penny Black Saturday - Green

Sketch Saturday - Sketch

Allsorts - Luck o' the Irish (or lots of green)

Simon Says Stamp - Happy Birthday

Irish Dancer - Green this time!

Here it is.... the Irish Dancer in green for Mo Manning's challenge this week!

I just love colouring this gorgeous little girl - I 've even lots of different colour ones ready to put more together like my red one in the post below - hopefully get those done at the weekend.

Mo's gorgeous image can be found here. The paper is from First Edition 'Love Letters' and I've used my trusty Gemstones for the matting.

I even managed to make another green one to fit in with a couple of other challenges too....

Challenges I'd like to enter my Green Irish Dancer cards into......

Mo's Digital Challenge - A Bit of Green

Stamp Something - Green & Cream (2nd card - although it's more of an 'off White!')

Allsorts - Luck o' the Irish (either card!)

Cupcake Inspirations - (1st card) Green, touch of Pink & Irish!

Top Tip Tuesday ...Still Time

Just a reminder that this week's 'Birthday' challenge over at Top Tip Tuesday is actually running for 2 weeks

Pop over to check out the tutorial and tips.

Don't forget you can add up to 3 projects :)

C&S Irish Dancer!

A quick uploaded before I retreat up the wooden hill!

Here's one of the cards I've made tonight - since discovering this style of 'directly and indirectly printed image' card many weeks ago I just love to do cards with all of those amazing Digi Images available out there.

For this one I've used one on Mo Manning's incredible images - I just love MM!

My daughter is an Irish dancer (I MAY have mentioned this before!) so I feel right at home with this image (I can almost hear the 'repetitive hum' of the competition music as I use it!)

I'm going to do another one tomorrow in green so I can add it to Mo's Challenge this week (I forgot to check the spec before my red pen jumped into my hand!)

I wanted a 'true' red to match the matt so actually used a Staedtler 'Triplus Fineliner' Pen to add the colour!

Thanks for popping by and see you soon :)

A busy Weekend...

I've managed to get 14 cards made this weekend for my 'box' in work - Most of them were made using Penny Black Stickeroo's - don't you just love Stickeroo's!!!!

I decided I'd best make another card for a challenge tho so had a look at a few of my favorite challenge blogs and came up with this....

I've used  LOTV Die Cut Image, Papers from a freebie magazine stack! Doily, Gemstones Cardstock, Pearls and WOC Flowers with some Twinklets.

Sketch & Stash - I'm too late - that's what you get for getting engrossed in Crufts!!!!

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

ABC - P is for Pearls

LOTV - Say it with Flowers 

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Flowers for Mum

Top Tip Tuesday #25

Good Top Tip Tuesday morning to you all :)

Have you popped over to TTT yet to see if you're one of this week's lucky winners?

Heike has written our tutorial this week and are you in for a treat - She has shown us how to make a stunning 'Gift Box'

It is just amazing and you have to give it a go!

This week we are sponsored again by.....

Robyn's Fetish

and

Our challenge this week is....

'Birthday Celebrations'

How simple is that!

Don't forget tho - only 3 entries, make sure you add a link back to TTT in your post and no back-dating.

Leave a Top Tip in the comments section over at TTT and you have another entry for another prize!

The card I've made for this week's challenge is using one of the gorgeous digi images from Robyn's Fetish that we were allowed to play with - and this was a treat

(or should I say a 'tweet'...sorry!!!) to colour!

She is called 'A little Birdie Told Me' and I really wish I'd incorporated that into the sentiment - but I forgot!

I used Gemstones card as the backing piece, 2 patterned papers from CraftWorkCards 'Vintage Rose' paper stack (that was a freebie with a magazine this week!), some gorgeous rainbow ribbon, pearls, some punched flowers and a punched butterfly.

This was also my first time to 'doodle' around the edges of the pieces and I'm quite pleased with how it turned out!

I used my Prismacolours to colour the image and Promarker to add the blue 'Ready Brek Glow' around the image.

(Not sure if you'll all know what I mean by that...so have a look here!)

I used some 3d Gloss for the flowers, wings, beak and tail tips.

Some challenges I'd like to enter my card for...

Simon Says Stamp - Recipe; 1 image, 2 patterned papers & 3 ebellishments (flowers, pearls and ribbon)

Creative Inspirations - In the Garden

Cute Card Thursday - Signs of Spring

Dutch Dare - Who's who in the zoo! (any animal)

Friday Sketchers - Sketch

Stamping for the Weekend - Springtime

Cupcake Inspiration - Flowers and Colours from inspirational photo

Ellephantastic - Cute with a Butterfly

I think this is the most challenges I've ever managed to squeeze into one card!

Mo's Irish Dancer!

How cute is this little darling!

My daughter Ceri, has been an Irish Dancer for over 12 years after joining a class that Kate, her cousin was attending (you may remember me getting 'stressed' over Kate's Wedding Stationery last August).

We've travelled all over the country for competitions and go to Ireland every year for the Championships.

Now Kate has started her own class and Ceri is going along to help out - tonight was the first class and they had 20 Irish Dancer wannabes attend! Kate popped in to see me after and said it went really well :)

This is the card I made for Kate to give her a little bit of moral support - she was so nervous, bless her.

I used Prisma Colours to colour Mo Manning's gorgeous Irish Dancer and blended with Sansador (Reminder to self - DO NOT chalk edges after using Sansador....Yucky patches, not nice!)

The sentiments were done on the PC and the papers are from, yes you've guessed it - First Edition Desert Blooms!

The flowers were simply punched and a brad used for the centre. I couldn't find any suitable ribbon so went with a line of DST covered in Glimmer Dust. A sweet little clover charm and a 'home-made' (mini punched heart) clover leaf.

Some challenges I'd like to enter my card into...

Mo's Digital Challenge - Spring Colours and Homemade Flowers

Allsorts - Make your own Flower

Top Tip Tuesday

Good TTT Morning!

 

Really quick post this morning (my Internet was playing up last night) to remind you to pop on over to Top Tip Tuesday to see if you were one of our lucky winners in our 'Bling it On' challenge and to find out what treats are in store for you with this weeks challenge!

I've got to run to work now - but will be back later and update on this weeks sponsors :)

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I can't believe I didn't start this post this morning with a St David's Day greeting!

Dydd Dewi Sant Hapus

Now I can spend a little more time adding a few more deets for this week's challenge!

The amazing tutorial this week is by the wonderfully talented Eiglas - you just have to pop over to see what she's created - she is showing us how to make her Tim Holtz Techniques Folio, if you love projects to really get your teeth into, you're going to LOVE this one!

The Top Tip Tuesday Challenge this week is to use your favorite technique or embelishment.........how hard is that - good job you can have 3 entries!

I made a card using my favorite technique, and for those of you that have been visiting us over at TTT for a while you may not be surprised when I tell you it's recycling!

The only things used for this card that are designed for card making are the white card blank and the peel off in the centre of the flower (and of course the sentiment and the flower stamps).

The backing 'kraft' is one of my favorite Recyclables - the board from an A4 rigid Envelope. The backing paper is from a box of chocs my DH bought me for our Anniversary last week and the cord is from..............................I haven't got a clue - I have a bag full of bits of string and cord and other 'tie-able' bits that get picked up on my travels!

The backing image on the chocolate box paper is a FREEBIE digi image from one of our fantastic sponsors this week...

Dew Drop Craftz

(Unfortunately they appear to be updating their website at the moment - add them to your favorites and pop back soon)

Our other wonderful sponsor this week is...

 

Don't forget there are plenty of ways to win a prize!

• 3 Entries with you favorite technique and/or embelishment
• Leave a Top Tip in the comments section of this week's TTT post

PLEASE make sure you link to your post and not just your blog and also make sure you have added a link back to TTT in your post.

We would also apreciate it if you turn off Word Verification (you can change it to Word Moderation if you want to vet comments as they come in), it takes so much more time to leave comments when WV is on....and I know in the past I have clicked past the 'add letters' bit as that window was out of view!!!

Thanks for your patience with my TTT post this week - I just hope someone does actually come back to re-read it..........

...................................anyone there?????????????????