Stitching and stuff

I am more likely to use a needle in non-card making projects...

for instance last Christmas I made this for my sister and family - my great nephew was not phased by the fact that Santa's sleigh was pulled by a kangaroo - I originally bought the kit for the picture in Australia and then developed it into an advent calendar!

Also in the Autumn last year I knitted and crocheted items

 for the Portsmouth Museum of the Royal Navy Yarnscape...

Here is a collage that was on show at the Museum - I hope to try and visit this Summer!

And then quite recently I had a go at my first quilt - a tipsy 9 patch,

 using lots of fabrics I had in my 'sewing stash'.

Anyway I have seen so many lovely cards and ATC's using stitchery I thought I would try and use more...

For instance my aunt sent me this lovely fuchsia card that she made for my Birthday...

and then a friend gave me this as a 'farewell' card...

So...here are some of the stitchery cards I have done...some ATC's in February

and then a cross-stitched ATC yesterday...

Finally, the two cards I have made for Sketch'n'Scrap Challenges this week,
 have stitched pockets attached.
 These were purchased, but I could have stitched them myself had my machine not been in storage!!

I wrote about the first card in my last blog but the second is made following this sketch -
 Sketch'n'scrap Card Challenge #6.

 Here is my card:
The papers are from 6x6 pads in my stash,
 the stamps from 'Keep Stamping' magazine and Hobbycraft.

Happy Crafting!

Sketches

 I quite like following sketches to make my cards. The above picture shows 4 cards I recently made for a PPS Dubai blog featuring a card sketch challenge

The following sketch is for Sketch~N~Scrap Card Challenge #5

This is my take on it...

Funnily enough I used a tag on it - I now find the Challenge #6 also includes a tag -

 maybe I will have a go at that tomorrow!!

I used a purchased stitched pocket over banners of scrap papers.

 The tag was stamped using a stamp from 'Get Stamping' magazine.

The ribbon, gems and butterfly were from my stash...in fact the butterfly was attached to a present I recently received - nothing is ever wasted in my house!!

Happy Crafting!

Emma's Crafty Challenge #18

Just a quick post to show you
 one of the cards I made today... 

This is my entry for Emma's Crafty Challenge #18

Lace and Pearls

I used a square pre-folded card matted with a pretty paper and embellished with a decoupaged image.

I added gold and cream lace, large pearl brads and gems 

(these were mainly acquired in Naif Street Souq in Dubai!)

and a little gold butterfly from my bits and bobs!

Hope you like it!

What have I got to use?

Well, my 'mega-stash' is now in storage in Abu Dhabi,

 packed and ready for instructions for our next port of call.

I was then onto my 'micro-stash' in the hotel - mainly my 'ideas' box containing scissors, glue dots, double sided tape, washi and a few embellishments, a few card blanks and a 6x6 pad...

I still managed to make a few cards - these were two:

The first one consisted of various layers of items that I had made for a tutorial for PPS Dubai

 using Hero Arts Dye Inks.

The second one was to illustrate a sketch, again for PPS Dubai.

This was the sketch:

and this was my card just using paper shapes, washi and a couple of flowers from Naif Street Souk.

I am now back in the UK and on to my 'mini-stash'!!

So far I have made these cards:

This was for a quickie 30 minute challenge - I think this took about 15...

The image is a 'Bugaboo' digi - 'beachbaby' coloured with Promarkers.

This one I made yesterday and I put it on Very quick card for a Digi Darla Challenge.

Finally this card is to submit to the Cards Galore 'Copy That' Challenge' 

I have used Delicious Doodles 'Butterfly Border' image (which I won recently!)

So...I am crafting again...what I miss most so far is the brilliant white glue (made in Korea) I used to use in Abu Dhabi - cannot find anything as good yet. So far they seem too wet...

Any way, will post again soon!

Happy Crafting!

Very quick card

It has been a while since I have written a blog - but I am now back in the UK. I was staying with my daughter for the last couple of days - now I am back at Mum and Dad's.

Anyway I wanted to have a go at this sketch...

I had seen it on the Digi Darla Challenge Site a little while ago.

This is my very quick card - the image is the Digi Darla Birdhouse and flowerpot, coloured with Promarkers.

The 'doyley' is a stamp I have in my stash.

 The layers are papers I have in my scraps and some die cut borders.

I am submitting this to Digi Darla's Challenge #71

I would like to say thank you to Digi Darla for all the Digi Darla images I have - I have enjoyed using them!!

Happy Crafting!

More crafting in the hotel...

We are currently staying in the Trianon Hotel, Abu Dhabi...

We leave on Saturday to go back to the UK for a while - then my husband Kevin will start a new job in Mumbai - exciting times ahead!

Anyway my resources in the Hotel are minimal -  and in fact they are diminishing fast!

But I have still been able to make a Birthday card for my nephew, mainly layers of paper and a few bicycle brads - but I like the sentiment
'may each road lead to where you want to go'
It feels quite appropriate as we are just on the move...

I am going to submit this card to My Craft Creations: Special Occasions Challenge

And of course I could not NOT join in on the Monday Mojo #300 celebration
This is the Sketch:-

And here is my take on it - layers of pretty paper, ribbon and a 'Tim Holtz' rosette

but the main image is a real pressed Malaysian orchid...

Finally I noticed that "Catch the Bug' had a colour palette challenge

What lovely colors! Unfortunately I have no facility at the moment to print out a 'bugaboo' image - my card is just layers of pretty papers from Amy Tangerine. However it does meet the Catch the Bug Challenge colour choices!

And for me it is quite appropriate "Happy New Home!"

Happy Crafting!!

Nearly moved out!

Some of you know I am in the process of moving out of Abu Dhabi...

Here is my craft room - never seen it so tidy!!

And here it is all packed up...

When will I be able to play with my stuff again??

Anyway my husband cannot believe that I am still crafting...

but last week my friend Lizette and I had our first go at 'Gelli' at Creative Hands in Dubai...

 I can't wait to have another go...

But in the meantime, what should I do with my first examples?

I decided to make three tags.

The first one I overstamped with Indigo Blu's 'Blazing Poppies' in Hero Arts Dye Ink 'Brown Bark'

I then added ribbons, flowers and a 'Tim Holtz' Rosette.

My second one - I added the 'caged bird' (from the Tim Holtz die) which was variously

 stamped & distressed & embossed!

A rosette, flower and other embellishments added to the picture...

I am of course finishing these in the hotel before we fly out at the end of the week!
 My third one...just added a few feathers, lace and a butterfly.

Here are all three...

I have also just finished my last two blogs for PPS Dubai - look here this month

Happy Crafting!