Down on the farm!

Normally I formulate a card design in my head, sometimes I'll sketch it out but I never design as I work and usually complete a card in one sitting (last night the juices were flowing and I stayed up until 2am!).

This week was the exception, I knew I wanted to use the Harvest Blessings set, in particular the image of the tractor on my Dad's Fathers Day card - as he has a small farm.

So I started by stamping it out... then thought I would make it into a pop up card... and that was the end of day one.

Throughout the week I added bits and pieces. Turning the card into a barn - I just love the little mouse from Life In The Forest peeking out from the grain sack made from a short piece of Burlap Ribbon tied with some Linen Thread.

The barn doors and walls are of course made from the Hardwood stamp, with Candy Dot door handles.

Once I had mounted the tractor and finished the front of the card, I felt the inside needed a bit more attention. In a flash of inspiration I thought how fabulous the Word Bubbles framelits would be as tractor smoke - and the sentiment from the corresponding Just Sayin' stamp was just perfect.

Finally I thought I would use the Banner punch from Saleabration to decorate the bottom - If you missed it during SAB - don't despair. It will be back in the main catalogue later in the year.

That Sketch Alphabet is such a useful size!

I can't wait to give it to him now! I'm sure he'll love it. I just need to make sure I don't put it in one of "those" safe places you can never remember. Hope you've had a good weekend!

Sunny Sunday - World Map v Open Seas and Friendship Preserves v Harvest Blessings!

I don't know about you but I have woken up to gorgeous sunshine this morning. I finally stopped crafting at 3am and discovered lots of other crafters were still on-line. Are we all insomniacs?

I did get lots done and I have 2 cards that will just make it into the challenges for this week by the skin of their teeth!

I have been doing a lot to promote my Stampin' Up! business the last few days and I am amazed at how far and wide you all are. The US, Australia, Malta, Germany, France, the Netherlands... I just couldn't say how many more - I just want to say a huge thank you to you all for following me and I hope you share my posts with your friends - that would be awesome!

The first card today is for the Freshly Made Sketches challenge, as soon as I saw the sketch an idea began to form - it uses one stamp I hadn't opened yet and one I hadn't used for a long while - and I created a masculine card... always useful!

I started by stamping the World Map on Crumb Cake card stock, then dabbed various colour stamp pads on the same stamp and stamped that on Very Vanilla. I cut out a circle with my Circles Framelits and stuck it down. I decided to put it not quite central so I could add the ship from The Open Sea.

Lastly the band is Soft Brown Sugar with Very Vanilla and the sentiment from Blooming with Kindness stamped in Baked Brown Sugar too. Here is the Sketch -

The second card is for the Pals Paper Arts challenge and will hopefully appeal to my American friends - we don't really celebrate Thanksgiving here in the same way, though the churches and schools celebrate Harvest Festival.

The two stamps I used were the 'Hello' from Friendship Preserves, cut out using the co-ordinating framelits and the pumpkins and apples from Harvest Blessings.

The image is coloured using my Stampin' Write markers in Pumpkin Pie, Pear Pizzaz and Baked Brown Sugar.

The textured mat is Baked Brown Sugar cardstock run through the Square Lattice folder which I think has a suitably rustic look. Especially when combined with the strands of Linen Thread.

Another card suitable for either gender.

I'm off to do some household chores now including de-frosting the freezer as 'someone' didn't shut the door properly yesterday (he hates it when I say 'someone' as 'he' knows it's him!).

Enjoy your sunday!

Paula xxx

What! Monday already!

Well another weekend bites the dust! The good news is Chris has an appointment with the Orthopaedic Surgeons this afternoon, so hopefully we'll get some news on his back. I also managed to get all my housework and other chores squared away on Saturday and had Sunday completely free!

I spent an hour with my 89 year old grandmother... it's so sad to see her deteriorate, mentally in particular. I'm really not sure she knows who I am any more. But I spent most of the day with my five year old niece who is a breath of sunshine and loves crafting! We took the dogs for a walk and spent time in my craft room making cards. I managed to make seven cards yesterday so have a post for every day this week.

This card was made using the Harvest Blessings Stamp set and Parker's Patterns Designer Series Paper from the Spring/Summer Catalogue.

I am entering it in the Freshly Made Challenge for this week. #75 Check out the challenge here

This was the Sketch - 

And here is my entry...

Hope you have a fabulous week! Not long 'til the weekend! 

xxx

Stampin' Up! Harvest Blessings

Now, living in rural Buckinghamshire I know a fair few 'country folk' and lots of the guys I know are into machines and engines.

When I saw this stamp set - I fell in love. What a perfect set for the men in my life. Not romantically of course!

So here is a simple card made using the Harvest Blessings Tractor, the Woodgrain Embossing Folder and the Labels Framelits. The Early Expresso card stock that I have embossed is the special Core'dinations stock that is sanded after embossing to show the lighter core.

I love this rustic look!

Perhaps you would like to make this card at a party? Why not give me a call and see what days I have free! 01844 342494.

Paula xx