Happy 25th Birthday Tash

It is a very good friend of our's birthday today and this is the card I have made for her. We were supposed to be seeing her tonight but that got cancelled so we will be giving it to her on Monday morning.

The papers were from my Crafts Beautiful sub gift, the flower is a new one bought today by Petaloo, the big brad is HOTP and decorated with one of their rub-ons. The bracelet is looped through the card and can be worn.

The buckle is an embellishment I bought from Ebay and can be removed as it is there only for card decoration.

Been to Hobbycrafts at the NEC

I went to the NEC today all on my own !

It was only the 2nd time I have driven on the motorway and the 1st on my own and I really enjoyed it. Having the Sat Nav makes a massive difference as I can concentrate on my driving more as I don't need to worry about maps or anything. However there was a traffic jam on the M42 for about 20 minutes and we came to a standstill. I couldn't believe I had to stop the car on a motorway. It was a bit weird to say the least doing stop start, stop start in 1st gear. It was like reliving driving into Birmingham city centre for the 1st time yesterday - the traffic was appalling....

I was very good buying wise. I renewed my subscription to Crafts Beautiful magazine and got a great storage tote and loads of goodies, wicked gift loads of stuff I can use in it. I also ended up with 4 of their goodie bags and got absolutely loads of freebies from them.

Picked up some bargains in the way of ribbons, A4 plastic storage boxes, Penny Black stickers and some Papermania bits and pieces.

Got some nice stuff from Debbie Moore, some beautiful little acetate images and some deep embossing powder. Also got some large Heidi Swapp flowers and a couple of bits from the Craftwork Cards stall.

I couldn't believe how much it cost to park though £8 !!!! And how big are those car parks ? I was a wee bit worried that I wouldn't be able to find the car so had used a couple of things as landmarks and they led me straight back to my car. I was well chuffed !

Ali's 50th Birthday

This is the most ambitious project I have done so far and I am so amazingly proud of what I have made.

The book was inspired by an article in Papercraft Inspirations and is called a meandering book. The original project was made using a single piece of 12" x 12" cardstock cut into a particular design using a template supplied in the magazine. I had a go at this and decided for this it was going to be too small so made one using the same design but with 5.5" square pages instead of 4"

The idea was that each family member would have a photo on one of the flaps and there is a tag behind each which has special birthday sentiments that each person wanted to have included. There are also photos with her husband and behind these poems and a sneaky tag from me. There is also a fold in the very centre of the card which hides a sentiment from all the family.

This was a very special project for someone I know so it made it a more personal thing to do. When I first made the size of card I thought it was going to be too empty but by the time the papers were added, then the photos and tags it became a lot fatter and we struggled to close it. You wouldn't believe how heavy it turned out in the end. I made a box for it and wrapped it in tissue paper for presentation.

The fastening was made using a velcro square which is hidden under the flower '0' in the 50. I have beaten my previous best for Prima usage - 90 on this project not including the other flowers on the front !

I have been told it made Alison cry for ages and she won't take it out of the house so no one can see it unless they come round.

Please see below a slideshow with all the photos of it. The ribbons that are sticking out are where the tags are hidden.

Happy 40th Birthday Tina

It was my next door neighbour and very good friend Tina's 40th Birthday last Sunday and I made a folding card for her.

I had never seen this type of card before until I joined the Just Bex forum and it was one of the challenges for September.

Unfortunately I was unable to complete the challenge in time to get some points but it goes to show that some ideas do stick in there !


The card was made using papers and embellishments from the recent Crafty Bitz TSV from QVC. In fact it has to be a world record for me as it was delivered on the Friday and I started using it the following day.

The birthday sentiment on the front is a Cuttlebug embossing folder, the number stickers are Papermania and the present die cut is from a Let's Make Cards kit.
Inside the rub on quotes are from DCWV and the Birthday Rules sentiment is from a HOTP book and I chalked it to add colour.

I really enjoyed making this card and think it is a style I will be making more of in the future.

It amazed me how quick it was to put together once you had chosen all the elements.

I've Passed My CPC

I've got some absolutely wonderful news.

I've passed my exams and gained my CPC which is a Certification of Professional Competence in Road Transport & Haulage.

For 3 whole weeks my life revolved around a 2 week course and revising for 3 exams I sat on the 7th September and on Thursday night I got the results I have been waiting for. I passed all 3 papers on the first attempt which is rare as the numbers to achieve a pass are so high.

This is now a stepping stone into a much more responsible role and the ability to go into transport management.

For a woman in a predominantly male profession it is vindication of all my hard word and a massive confidence boost.

I am very proud of what I have achieved, but still can't quite believe it.

RAK Card

This card was made for a forum friend who is going through a tough time at present. I found this sentiment as a free download on Melanie's blog and thought it was appropriate to her. (Check out this blog, there are some wonderful word art freebie's on here)

The backing paper is a freebie from a magazine. The sentiment is printed on photo paper and matted onto silver card from my scraps box. The stars are from the Prima Christmas baubles and I highlighted the large stars on the sentiment with a fine glue pen and glitter.

Di Hickman Challenge October #3

This card was made using the latest template from Di Hickman. The butterfly image is a decoupage that I downloaded from a very talented lady called Valita Reynolds quite a while ago. I've had it printed on semi gloss photo paper for about a month now and made it for a forum friend.

The image has 5 layers in some places but I have used low profile 3D foam tape to reduce the bulk for posting.

The black and gold cards used for layering are from my scraps box, the vellum I have had for about 3 years and never used ! The large flower is Papermania, the small one is a Prima. The gems are from Paperchase and the sentiment is a DCWV rub-on.

This is a very sophisticated card for me, not my usual style LOL. Also there is a lot of blank card I really had to fight the urge to put something there ! But I think it looks a lot better that I didn't !

Christmas Gift Tags

Another challenge on Just Bex is to make 3 gift tags, and you could do it 3 times to get a maximum of 3 points.

This first batch are from some Margaret Sherry decoupage that came free with one of the magazines last year. I have recently gone through all my free papers to pull out the Christmas ones to try and start using them so this was a good place to start.

I may use these on Christmas cards yet, I haven't decided.

These ones are simple Christmas Tree die cuts wrapped with tinsel.

The irridescent tinsel is from Boots, the red and green was from hair scrunchies that I took apart.
I spent 50p and got yards and yards of the stuff.

These ones were made from a pack of cheap Christmas cards I got in the January sales. The images were chunky and bold and I thought they would be nice to decoupage. I have added a bit of bling to the holly for berries.

The girls on the forum have made some lovely ones so far which are great for special people. The ones I have made are quite basic, but suitable for the bunch of people who don't even bother looking at them and certainly wouldn't realise they have been hand made !

Swing Card

Another Just Bex challenge to make a 'swing' card. One of the members Sadie had uploaded drawings and instructions of how to make this style of card and it was really easy to make as long as your measurements are accurate.

I have often admired this style of card thinking it would be difficult, but it isn't at all, and it looks fantastic. I think I may be making more of these.....

The paper is DCWV 2006 stack, more red from my scraps and Papermania stickers for the sentiment and snowflakes.

The snowman is another freebie scrapbooking printable.

Friday Night Challenge - Santa Baby

Friday Night Challenge for the 19th October on Just Bex was to make 5 cards with Santa on them.

This card was made using DCWV paper from 2006 stack. The image was from an old Christmas Card and the red paper was from my scraps box, which I am desparately trying to use some of.

This card was made using a Cuttlebug embossing folder which I inked in red to highlight the embossing. I coloured in his hat with a glitter gel pen. The white trim is applique embossing fluid which is raised and has a nice shine to it. The beard is a glitter snow writer pen, but I didn't think it was glitter enough so added more ! Santa is layered onto one of those Kanban pop out frames.

The paper is from a scrap paper kit from Home Bargains last year and is holographic.

The top and bottom edge of the card have a dotted line using the gel pen but it hasn't scanned in as shimmery as it is in real life.


This card was made using DCWV 2006 pad again, Papermania ribbon. The santa image is cut from a magazine advert.





This card was made using another Cuttlebug image, a large embossing folder for the background paper highlighted with silver ink. The sentiment is a recycled Christmas card matted onto a silver scrap of card.


Cuttlebug embossing folder has made an outing on this one as well, highlgted with a blue ink. Santa is a layered Sizzlits diecut, the sentiment is an old card and the patterned paper is from some gift bags I spotted in Asda yesterday. I have lots of little pieces so you will see it popping up regularly.

Loving doing these challenges, getting my Christmas cards made early for a change.

Big Challenge Polka Dot Spots

It's Big Challenge weekend on Just Bex and there are oodles & oodles of challenges. I don't think I will have time to be able to do them all, but I am having fun just the same and getting some more Christmas Cards made.

This challenge was to make a card with polka dots or spots on.

The paper is DCWV 2006 stack, the letters were cut from a magazine article and the snowflake is from an old Christmas card.

Old & New Challenge

Recent challenge on Just Bex is to make 2 projects, one using old paper that you don't like and don't want to use - the other using new paper (that you probably don't want to use either !lol)

Now I ABSOLUTELY HATE pointsettias, I honestly don't know why but I cannot stand them. Last years Christmas DCWV stack had this image x loads of sheets. I had managed to get rid of some of them in a paper swap, but was still haunted by the remaining 2 every time I dipped into this pad.

I therefore decided that I would make a card with them for this challenge and ged rid once and for all. I used one as the base and the other I painstakingly cut out and decoupaged with the leaves at different heights to show better dimension. At one point I actually wished I'd got another sheet as it felt a bit stingy with 2 layers, but I think it has worked really well and you can see so much depth to it.

I accented the veins in the leaves with my Sakura fine tipped glue pen and glitter.

I'm in 2 minds whether to put a sentiment on it or not as I think it might spoil it if I do.

For the new one I have used a lovely design from the new DCWV Christmas stack, it's a totally different kind of paper for me but I really like it.

The sentiment is a freebie scrapbooking printable I've collected from goodness knows where. It is printed on photo paper so looks a bit shiny. The flowers are more of those lovely Primas, with glitterglue and gold glass beads in the centre.

I really like how fresh this design looks and very modern.

I am enjoying doing these challenges as it really makes me think about different styles and designs and I am sure some of it must sink in somewhere :)

Memorial Bookatrix

One of my colleagues had asked me to make a very special bookatrix but it needed to be waterproof as it is being used as a memorial plaque at a service next week. Family from the UK & Australia are attending and she wanted something special to commemorate the special people who died.

I made the bookatrix pages as usual and laminated them. I hadn't got a clue whether it would work or not but I am really pleased that it did.

The floral embellishment is Prima Pointsettias and the other embellishments are Papermania brads. The green stick is so that it can be pushed into the ground and this is made from wooden dowel and covered with florist's crepe tape. This is stuck on the back with a liberal amount of glue from a hot glue gun.

1st Birthday Card

I have been commissioned by a colleague at work to make a card for a 1 year old and the brief was aeroplanes.

I bought the Cuttlebug die and thought I would have a go at making a larger version with Captain Jai flying it. (thanks you to computers and printers it was an easy task to make a template)

Items used were Papermania rub on's, scraps of card and paper and Cuttlebug die. The white plane looked a bit bland so I used little star peel offs to decorate.

I am really pleased with the result, I hope Sobia is too.

The Dreaded Lurgy

Have been suffering with a cold this week which has floored me to be honest. I've not had a good year with colds and flu, something that rarely happens. Over the last week I've alternated between good days and bad days where then symptoms seem better and then come back with a vengeance.

I've been drinking honey and lemon in hot water and that has really helped soothe my throat, but I hate the taste of honey !

On Wednesday I'd had so little sleep the night before that my husband told me I should stay at home as I wasn't safe to drive. It was only when he point blank refused to get in the car with me that I thought maybe I should go back to bed. I realised after having been asleep most of Wednesday that he was right, but it really hurt at the time.

All this lurgy has left me with no time for crafting so catching up this weekend.

Mary Poppins

Let's Go Fly a Kite, Up to the highest height... come on sing a long with me if you know the words.

My wonderful hubby bought tickets for us to go the theatre in London last Saturday and we had a wonderful time. I loved the film and have seen it many times, but the musical was just MAGICAL !

I was crying pretty much all the way through, some sadness (Feed the Birds gets me every time!) and sheer happiness at how wonderful the whole thing was.

There were loads of kids there and they were really well behaved, but y0u could tell the difference in the ages by the oohs and ahhs. The likkle kids loved it, the big kids were too cool to care either way. This big kid enjoyed every single blooming minute of it and at the end Mary Poppins flew over the audience, was not expecting it and it was truly wonderful.

We'd had a walk around Covent Garden beforehand and had a look at the little craft stalls. I was amazed at how expensive some of it was, purely for the benefit of the foreign tourists I think. We went and had some lunch whilst listening to classical music being played outside. It was lovely just to spend some quality time with my baby to celebrate out 6th wedding anniversary.

Unfortunately coming back on the train my throat was getting very sore. One of the manager's at work has had a pretty bad cold and it was looking like I was getting it too. By the time we got home I was just wanting to get to my bed, where unfortunately I spent most of Sunday.........

Sports Car

This is the card I have made for our friend Hazel who likes sporty cars.

I used a template from Papercraft Inspirations for the car with vellum windows.

The wheels are Papercellar chipboard circles with silver marker and I used HOTP big brad flower transfers for the wheel spokes and Paperchase gems for the middles.

The sentiment was just the back one in the middle but layered it twice to make it stand out better.

F1 Themed Card

One of our very good friends had asked me to make a card based on Formula 1 for his girlfriend.

I made the background paper by listing all the constructors and drivers in the current season and separating them with a car from a wingding alphabet.

I printed off various pictures of F1 drivers past and present onto photo paper and used a banner for the sentiment.

World Card Making Day + Di Hickman Sketch

Apparently the 1st Saturday in October is World Card Making Day - how cool is that?

Now I was extremely busy yesterday shopping in Birmingham with OH and we were in Starbucks having a caramel Frappucino (heaven......) and sharing a blueberry cheesecake and I found out that we were going out that night for a curry with some friends who couldn't make my birthday the week before.

All of a sudden my indulgent card making evening had disappeared ! I couldn't possibly pass up the chance to make a card for such a prestigious day so I started it before I went out and then carried on when I got home.

It just happened to coincide with the latest sketch challenge on Di Hickman's blog. Funny that !!

So I made the card to give to my husband to thank him for being such a kind considerate man and for giving me lovely birthday gifts and surprises.

Leaving to Have a Baby Scrapbook

I have been Commissioned by my work colleagues to make a card for one of the girls who is leaving to have a baby and decided I was going to do something a bit different.

I have ended up making a scrapbook style book where there are plenty of spaces left to write messages inside.

I used one of those little scrapbooks from Poundland as the basis for my book and embellished it using paper, stickers, ribbons and rub-on sentiments.

I have created a slideshow to show all the pages of the book.

Another Just Bex challenge

A very good friend of ours has just left where we work to make a huge lifestyle change, part of which is to spend more time sailing which is one of his passions.

This card was made to tie in with the tearing challenge on Just Bex.

I used a Sizzix die to cut out the boat and embellished with DCWV paper for the sail. The anchor, sunshine and sentiment are from Let's Make Cards stash.

The 'waves' were formed from papers torn on a Fiskars edge tearer, a free gift from subscribing to a magazine years ago and never before used !

The patterned paper is from a Papermania inspirations pack, and the other papers are vellum from Paperchase who do big sheets of vellum wrapping paper and I bought loads of colours from them.

The likkle man is Sizzix bity shapes which I bought from Ebay some time ago. I don't use them very often and as there are so many dies you would need to buy I felt this was the most economical way of buying them.

6th Wedding Anniversary

Friday was our 6th Wedding Anniversary.

Basically I was dreading turning 30 and we were going on holiday to America, one of those 3 centre holidays New York, Las Vegas & Los Angeles. It had been booked for ages and 6 weeks before we were due to go he announces that we are getting married in Vegas on my 30th Birthday.

After picking up jaw from floor my task was to get it booked and it was to cost less that getting married at the Stratosphere hotel where we were staying.



All told our wedding cost £500, photos, outfits, ceremony etc all in and it was the most wonderful and romantic day and passed without a hitch.

This is the card I made to celebrate our anniversary which tied in with a challenge on the Just Bex forum. I love it when I can do a 2 in 1 card !

I made it as a 3 layer card so the hearts were cut like windows getting ever smaller.

Layer one at the top the stamped image is a Penny Black from a forum swap.


The hearts were cut using a Fiskars template. The top layer is a vellum paper that I bought at the NEC. The other gems were used to hold the paper down at the corners and hid a bit of adhesive.

The second layer is a card insert with another heart cut out and the sentiments are DCWV rub ons.

The third layer is the inside of the insert with another rub-on and the domed sticker is Papermania to add texture and make it really stand out.

Happy Birthday to Me

Have just celebrated my 36th birthday and been having a wonderful weekend.

Have had some smashing pressies and some wonderful cards and feel very, very lucky indeed. My husbad has arranged for me to have a makeover session with a photo shoot which I am really excited about and my bits are on the way to have a computer upgrade.

Celebrations have lasted all weekend and I feel like I have a neverending birthday.

I am a very lucky lady :)

Di Hickman Sketch September # 2

Needed to make a birthday card for the 10 year old girl next door so used Di Hickman's September # 2 sketch as inspiration and it also ties in nicely with a older Just Bex challenge.

The backing paper and brown flower paper is HOTP from the most recent QVC TSV cardmakers pack. The other 2 papers are Making Memories Cosmopolitan. The ribbon is Papermania layered on some metallic paper from the HOTP kit. The flowers are Sizzix die cut at the top and Prima'a at the bottom. Gems are from Poundland and the sentiment is a rub-on from Lets Make Cards

Just Bex Challenge Trimming the Tree 5

This card is a mixture of the old and the new.

The sentiment and the image are from old Christmas cards. The backing paper is from DCWV and the embossed snowflakes are a sizzlits embosslits die which cuts and impresses at the same time. These are highlighted with a little silver ink to make the pattern a bit more defined.

When I was off work with my back I plonked myself in front of the TV and cut loads of shapes and embossed loads of Cuttlebug folders ready for Chrismas cards si it was nice to have them to hand.

Just Bex Challenge Trimming the Tree 4

This card uses my favourite Cuttlebug embossing folder, the snowflakes are bootiful, and highlighted with a little ink they stand out that little bit more.

The backing paper is DCVW. The tree is a decoupage made from 2 of the same images from recycled Christmas cards. This is mounted on corrugated cardboard for added texture.

The ribbon is the printed flocked stuff that Papermania brought out last Christmas that I hadn't used yet and the sentiment is one from my old stash and I know I got it from the NEC but have no idea who from !

Just Bex Challenge Trimming the Tree 3

This is a less is more card, something very unusual for me ! I don't tend to do classy and sophisticated and great admire people who do it so effortlessly.

There is a lot of blank space that is just screaming for something to be stuck on it !

This card is a mini DL size with a Magic Motif Tree, green embossing powder and gold 3D paint for the baubles.

The sentiment is a Letraset rub-on

Just Bex Challenge Trimming the Tree 2

Card 2 uses a Dovecraft backing paper overlaid with a Craftwork cards printed vellum.

The tree is a 3D embellishment recycled from an old Christmas card.

I am lucky that I work with some great people who give me their cards after the event and I get some great bits and pieces to use on my cards.

I like to do my bit for the environment where I can, and free crafty stuff can't be too bad either :)

Just Bex Challenge Trimming the Tree 1

This challenge was to make 5 christmas cards, but they all had to have a tree on them.

Card 1 uses DCWV backing paper, the sentiment is from an old Christmas card and it is embellished with brads from the Lakeland January sale

These are the first Christmas cards I have made. usually I am starting making them at the end of November so this is all a bit strange for me !

A Double Challenge Card

This card fulfils a challenge from Just Bex and also Di Hickman. The layout is Di's and Bex's was to use Spots, Stripes and Waves

The background paper and card are from a freebie with Crafts Beautiful magazine. The flowers are Prima's, the brads are HOTP and the chipboard shape was from Poundland. The rub on sentiment is a Rotal & Langnickel one that was a bugger to release off the backing sheet.

Just Bex Challenge O's & X's

Been catching up with challenges on Just Bex. This one was to make a card using a template as a guide with a O's & X's background.

The background was made from 2 DCWV Peeking posies papers with silver tape over the joins. The stamped butterfly is one that I bought from Stamping Caz when she was having a shop clear out. This was layered on holographic card which was from a paper hanky box. The card is embellished with gems from Paperchase.

I'm loving doing these challenges :)

Happy Birthday Phil

2nd Aston Villa card made for a very good friend's birthday in a couple of days. Happier with this 2nd attempt as I have tweaked the template and the shape is a lot crisper. I used the same chipboard letters as last time but I'd run out of some of the white letters and had to paint some of the other ones white. I also trimmed them down so they look more like the font the sponsors use. I also added a label at inside of the neckline and a Nike Swoosh. I suppose I should have a go at the Birmingham City strip to keep the other Brummie team happy !

16th Birthday Commission

I was commissioned to make a girly card for a 16 year old and I had to include her photo in it - this is what I came up with.

I used DCWV Peeking Posies cardstock for the main background and cut the 16 from chipboard. I made a template from the Arial font at 500 for a finished A5 size card and covered the chipboard with HOTP paper from the Garnet Cardmakers pad.

I used alphabet beads for the name on the '1' and secured with wire through the flower and shape.

I used the most Prima flowers ever in one card, 40 in total and secured them with brads through the shapes. These are on 3d foam to raise them. The paper was embellished with some tiny Papermania gems and a birthday sentiment.

This also ties in nicely with one of the older challenges on Just Bex which I am planning to work my way through !

I've Been Tagged

I've been tagged by Leigh



1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) Butch Punto

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) Lemon Meringue Oatmeal-Raisin

3. YOUR "FLY Guy/Girl" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) ACRU

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) Pink Pig

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born) Jane Leeds

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) Amaja

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put "The") Black Coffee

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) Gerald Cliff

9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy) Paris Chocolate

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother's & father's middle names ) None Stuart

Everyone seems to have been tagged lately so I am not going to nominate anyone.

Well chilled out and relaxed

Yesterday my MIL and I went to Eden Day Spa at Hoar Cross Hall. My hubby had given me £100 of vouchers for my birthday last year and they were about to run out.

I had a lovely massage using lovely Thalgo oils. It was very relaxing and I almost fell asleep ! I previously was never the kind of person who was interested in being messed about with, going to the hairdressers was torture enough so the thought of a massage was not appealing in the least. This was until I had a massage in Gran Canaria last year and I was a changed person forever.

The one thing I have always wanted to do is go in a flotation tank. The thought of being in a totally dark enclosed space and floating with relaxing music is something that I have wanted to do ever since I saw it on one of those spa programmes on satellite TV years ago. OH had found out that Hoar Cross Hall did it and that is the reason why he gave me the vouchers. I couldn't book it until I got there so there was SOME doubt that I would not be able to do it, but I am glad to say that I was able to. It was the most wonderful experience and I just totally switched off while I was in there.

The food was fantastic, it was like being in a 5 star restaurant and the facilities throughout the whole spa were wonderful. If anyone gets an opportunity to go it is well worth it.

OH got me a Tom Tom as I am not good going to new places, but that made it so much easier and getting there and back was a breeze. It made me a lot more relaxed knowing I hadn't got to keep referring to maps and when I got back home I was really chilled out and still grinning like a cheshire cat.

The deal from Paul was I had to be able to drive myself to the Spa and as I kept failing my driving test and time was knocking on I was getting more and more doubtful that I would be able to do it. My confidence is growing all the time as I expand my abilities and I feel so much more positive about myself and how far I have come.

Today I feel like a new person and cannot tell you how good that feels.

Aston Villa Shirt

This card has been made for Paul's uncle who is a huge Aston Villa fan.

It is hinged at the top of the neck so it can stand up.

I used claret card to cut the shirt shape and layered with the blue arms and the stripes and neckline in the colours of the club shirt. I printed a small emblem on photo paper and used chipboard letters to add the club sponsor and name on the back of the shirt.

It is not an exact copy of the shirt as the font isn't right, some of the sponsor info is missing and I missed off the Nike 'swoosh' but it is a pretty good facsimile of the real thing.

When I showed it to Paul he just said WOW. I have never had such a strong reaction from him so know I have done well. As I know many Villa fans I am sure I will be making more of these and improving on the design.

Sam's 30th

It's Sam who we work with's 30th birthday and I was asked to make a large card that everyone could sign as they had done a collection.

This card WAS going to be about 8" square but the size of the chipboard letters dictated that it was going to be a finished A4 size. I am fortunate that there is a small art shop in Birmingham and they had 300gsm A3 card in white and black so I bought a pack of each as I usually get asked to make A4 size photo collage cards when someone leaves. My hubby Paul is generally known as the unofficial company photographer at work's functions and over the years we have built up quite a collection of staff members both past and present.

The card was covered in DCWV Peeking Posies, the chipboard letters are from THAT QVC scrapbooking kit. The '3' is formed from Primas decorated with Paperchase stones. The '0' is glitter cardstock cut with a Sizzix die, backed with 2 sizes of Flowerz and held together with a HOTP big brad and rub on.

The candle is from Asda, the present sticker is Papercellar and the cake was from Home Bargains.

There are about 30 of us all going to Leicester for the weekend later today. We are going out for a meal and will go out nightclubbing so it should be a good night !

Happy Birthday Donna

September is a very busy month for me birthday wise with all 3 kids next door's birthday's within 5 weeks spanning end of August to end of September. This is the card I made for Donna who is a funky 22 year old.

The backing paper is from an issue of Let's Make Cards. The 'D' was made from printing out a font at 450 points, placing template onto chipboard (back of a writing pad to you and me) and then sticking this to DCWV Peeking posies paper. I then coated with 2 layers of UTEE and sprinkled with glamour dust. The ribbons on the shape are also DCWV.

The complete circle on the backing paper I highlighted the edge with a fineliner and used a Papermania epoxy sticker to embellish. The Prima's are one of my newest purchases which are textured from Craft Obsessions and the pink gems are from Paperchase.

In hindsight I think it would have looked better if I had only used 2 ribbons as you can't really see the shape at the top and bottom, but overall I am very pleased with it.

1 card down, loads and loads to go........

Normal Service has resumed

I have had to pretty much stop doing anything recreational over the last few weeks as I have been studying for a Certification of Professional Competence in Road Transport & Haulage 'affectionately' known in the trade as a CPC.

I have been on a 2 week course and today I have taken my exams - 3 papers in all. As well as doing the classroom based course I have had to do a tremendous amount of studying each night and the whole weekend. I only hope that this has all paid off and I pass they exam.

Unfortunately I won't get the results for about 8 weeks so tonight I'm going to the pub to celebrate and leaving the car at home ;)

This all means I now should have a lot more free time for cardmaking and it's a good job too as September is a very busy month for me as there is a lot of birthdays and anniversaries (including mine)