HAVING A PAR-FECT DAY

My hubby is a VERY avid golfer and plays every weekend, more so if he gets the chance, so for his birthday I’ve made him an explosion box card using the cake tier design again (see my very first post for my other cake tier box).

I really enjoy making these sorts of projects and this one was a nice one to do. I only used two tiers of the cake instead of three to make it easier to fit inside the box once my little golfer was added. The grass took the longest to do, all those little snips! BUT the result is worth it.

Cute isn’t he!

I am sure he’s going to like this. It’s always difficult to know what to buy him so this will go some way to make it special for him.

As always, thanks for looking!
Zoe  X

ENJOY LIFE

Isn't the weather just fab at the moment.  Hope you're making the most of it... roll on the bank holiday weekend!

Today’s card is all about glitter. I recently bought some fantastic glitter tubes by Martha Stewart from QVC and they have now arrived (been on wait list for ages). There are some pretty bad quality glitters out there, I know because I’ve owned a few of them but these are lovely. The glitter is really fine and comes in tubes which either can be poured straight from the tube or open a little tab on the top and you can sprinkle them out.

The paper I used is from DCWV and it’s from the Luxury Stack collection. I stamped the star image and the sentiment (both PTI) using an Essential Glue Pad and then sprinkled them with glitter. Punched out the star and popped a glue dot behind to raise it from the card.

Sorry about the quality of the photo on this one. Battery was running low on the camera so was trying to get this one in quick before it died on me.

Hope you like it.

Zoe x

FINDING JOY - IT'S IN THE LITTLE THINGS

I adore ribbon and use it whenever I can.  I get a lot of my stash from ebay because I can get 5-20 metres from £1.20 upwards depending on the design.  I found a great shop on there and I use her all the time.  I have so much ribbon I am rapidly running out of space to store it.  For that price you'd expect it to be pretty ropey stuff but its actually really nice quality.  This is one from my most recent purchase. 

I used Berry Sorbet cardstock and stamped the background using Spots & Dots, both PTI.  The three images are from SU and where stamped in crisp white ink.  I used my Cool Grey No 1 (C-1) copic to highlight the rightside edge of each image to make them pop (sorry not very clear in the photo!), then mounted onto the white cardstock.  The sentiment is Hero Arts.  Finally I added the newly purchased ribbon and I was done.

I now have a MASSIVE pile of ironing to contend with (I just can't wait to get on with that - NOT!) so I'm off to stick on a DVD and get stuck in. 

Hope you have a better day planned than me!

Zoe

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SMILE · LAUGH · GIGGLE

Been a very busy day today.  It's my day off work and I spent it in the garden, weeding and pruning some bushes that have become a bit wild and out of control.  I like a bit of gardening when I get the chance but confess that my back is killing me and my hands are covered in scratches from the all the thorns.  Looks really attractive! 

Anyhoo, just thought I'd share a quick card with you before I crash on the sofa with a VERY large glass of wine!

Today's card is all about sending a little happiness and it's a simple one. 

I used some lush background paper and punched out four squares using a 2" punch then matted them to some black cardstock. Stamped my sentiment (Hero Arts) on white card and punched out with my ciricle punch and co-ordinating scallop edge punch in black card again. Added some foam pads to the back of the circle to raise it from the card. Then simply tied some ribbon around the base and attached a little charm with some twine.

That's it for today. 
Have a great evening everyone.

Zoe x

YOU HAVE TO KISS A LOT OF TOADS…

I LOVED this stamp as soon as I saw it and just had to use it as soon as it arrived.  It's by Rachelle Anne Miller and she has some really super cute designs to choose from.  I didn't make this card for any particular purpose I just HAD to try this stamp but I'm sure it will end up being put to good use at some point!

Again, copics used to colour these little critters and some American Craft papers and card stock.  I was unsure about the colours I ended up using but actually really like it now its all put together. 

Off to surf the web now for some more of her designs!

See ya soon

Zoe

BELIVE IN YOUR DREAMS

Yep, its another butterfly card!  

This one is based on a design I saw recently which is what got me thinking about the die set sitting in its box gathering dust.  I can't tell you how often I buy something and then don't use it for ages - in fact I pretty much forget about it until I come across it looking for something else.

This is the largest of the three dies that come in the set.  Its a little too big for a 3x3" card and too small for a 6x4" one so I've made my own envelope to fit this.  I then stamped the card using Aloe Vera by VersaMagic which gives a chalky finish.  The sentiment is by Hero Arts. 

I stamped a scrap piece of paper with a design by PTI in black ink and then punched out the smallest of the 3 dies from it.  I then punched out the die again using really thick tracing paper and ran a line of silver Stickles glitter glue around the edge.

I think green and black work really well together and I plan to make a dozen of these cards with different sentiments to put in a presentation box.  Will share once completed.

Take care all

Zoe x

MORE BUTTERFLY MAGIC

These Spellbinder dies are being put to good use!  Here another one made with the middle size die from this set.

The papers I’ve used are from a collection by American Crafts called ‘Everyday’ and they have some really bright funky coloured designs in there. I’ve chosen a couple of the more restrained ones for this card.

I placed a small section of the blue patterned along the bottom edge of some white cardstock and punched the butterfly out. I then adhered a different paper to the back of the punched out section and tied some brown embroidery thread around it. Finally I stamped the sentiment and then fixed it all to the front of my card which I mounted with brown cardstock.

OK I’m off to get breakfast started. My tummy is rumbling so better get cracking!

Bye for now
Zoe

BUTTERFLY BLUE

I've been making the most of the Spellbinder butterfly die which I have had for a while.  For today's post I used it to add a solid element to my card.  I stamped the background design using Heidi Grace 'Flourish' stamps with different shades of blue from a range of Brilliance inks.  These are my favourite inks of all time.  They are so clear and come is such a great range of colours that I can generally find something to match any cardstock I might have around.  They also dry really quickly so I'm not hanging around waiting to finish off my card.

The white cardstock used here is textured so the effect is not quite flat but I like that.  I think it gives it a more distressed, almost canvas like look.

I sell a lot of my cards locally so I try not to make them too occassion specific which seems to work really well.

Hope you're having a good day.

Zoe

TO YOU FROM ME

A very quick post today. Popping down to Surrey to see my mum for a few days but wanted to get something posted before I go.


This is the card I’ve made for my Mum to go with a little pressie I have for her as she’s been ill lately. The cardstock is Berry Sorbet from PI and the flower stamp is from SU. Really quick and easy card to do and just finished off with some lush polka dot ribbon. I think she’ll like it. She keeps all the stuff I make for her and she has a nice collection already!

Sorry so brief again– got a 4 hour drive down the M4 to cope with – in the rain!

Zoe x

JUST A LITTLE SOMETHING

It’s Papertrey Ink day today – I’ve used everything from their range of gorgeous stuff and I am currently saving to buy up some more of their stock!    I saw a card similar to this a while ago and based this card on that design. I was unsure about the colours working together but I think they really do.

I used Polka Dot Basics to stamp the front of card in white ink and used Berry Sorbet cardstock for the inside of the card. Their Button stamps are great and I used one of them here using Moss Green ink. Punched out the design with my spellbinder, popped on some buttons, attached some ribbon and I was good to go.

Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your day.

Zoe  X

SOARING BY

As promised, here is the first of a small batch of cards I’ve been working on recently. Blue and orange is one of my favourite colour combinations and I use it quite a lot in layouts and on cards. The stamp I used is not mine but a friends who is just starting out in stamping. She wanted to make a card for her son’s birthday to start her off so I borrowed it for a while (sorry can’t remember who the stamp is made by).

I stamped the image onto to white cardstock, used my spellbinder to cut the shape out, coloured it with my Copics and chalked round the edge to finish it off. The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink and the polka dot paper is American Crafts. I stamped the sentiment, used a fancy corner punch on each end and ran my ribbon through it. All done!

I really like this one – probably because it’s all blue and orange!

Short and sweet today – off to walk the dog. He’s been stuck in the house all morning bless him.

Hugs
Zoe x

I AM STILL HERE BUT...

Where does the time go?  I've been so wrapped up lately in one thing or another that I've completely negelected to make any posts! 

I've had a dreadful cold for the last 2 weeks and its still hanging in there despite all the pills I'm popping to get rid of it.  We missed a friends wedding in Italy due to the ash and hence our flights being cancelled, had sick pets and expensive vets, a broken tooth and an even more expensive dentist and whilst all that was going on I've been really busy designing and making up a load of menus for my friends restaurant which opens this weekend.  We'll be making lots of visits there this summer I'm sure (will my diet ever start I wonder!?)

Anyway the upshot of all this is that I have nothing to show you.... YET!

However, I'm working on some cards at the moment and will be sharing them with you over the next week so please pop back again soon and check them out.

Hope you had a great bank holiday weekend, despite the weather!

Hugs
Zoe
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