Happy Tuesday and 52 Cards Challenge - Week 12

Isn't the weather wonderful? Spring has truly sprung, the burst of colour from spring blooms, the shock of pink from the cherry and almond trees, green grass and the dawn chorus, it has to be my favourite season!

Without further ado, here is my entry for this week's 52 cards challenge;

and here is the inspiration image

Now, I am going to admit to cheating a little with this challenge, the card was already in process, all the pieces were ready, it just hadn't been assembled, plus it kinda goes with the orange and the yellow in the inspiration picture.

This is a card for my mother-in-law, whilst I like the colours I am not too happy with the Coming Up Roses stamping, I just can't seem to find the right balance with it. I bought the gathered fabric ribbon on sale, it was the only colour they had that I liked, after using it on this card I knew I needed some more and luckily when I went back they also had it in white, it adds such a soft feminine touch.

Speaking of spring, I thought I would share some of my favourite spring photographs from my hometown.

Happy Tuesday, I hope spring has sprung in your neck of the woods!

Ang x

52 Cards Challenge 2014 - Week 9/Taking Inspiration..

For the 52 Cards Challenge this week Nat has chosen the following picture of a beautifully decorated cake as our inspiration.

Elements to be inspired by in this pic:

• Colours - white/mint/pink/gold 
• Embossing 
• Doilies
• Ruffles/pleating
• Ribbon
• Fancy buttons/brads
• Pearls 
• Dimensional flowers

All of these elements spoke to me and said 'Mothers Day Card' (Mothers Day in the UK is on Sunday the 30th of March) I had also been reading one of my favourite blogs by a wonderful Polish cardmaker,  Dorota_MK who makes the most stunningly beautiful cards, tags and projects, I decided that I would also make the card inspired by her style, taking elements from a number of her recent projects and this is what I came up with!

To me that equated to lots of layers and little details like the distressed edges, the vellum doily, the gold glitter swirls, sigh, I really enjoyed making this. It's not my usual style but I loved using some of the pretty embellishments I have accumulated over the years and my silhouette certainly got a workout with the swirls, feathers and rose. I wish I had as much time to devote to every card as I did on this. I think my mum is going to love it!

I need to plan something similar for my Mother-In-Law so watch this space! I am also having fun with Chalkboard products that I hope to share later in the week.

Thanks for reading,

Ang.

A Tale Of Two Mum's

I know, silly title, but it's the best I can come up with this Sunday afternoon! September was a busy month for birthdays, my sweet nephew, my mother-in-law and my lovely, wonderful Mum.

This was a card that I just kept adding to, sometimes I need to learn when to say stop! I had a play with my new fresh cut florals stamp set and dies from Wplus9, they are so beautiful and so much fun to play with.

This is the card that I made for my mother-in-law

Florals again, quite predictable from me, this time I used Cutting Garden stamps and lots of patience cutting them all out :)

Thanks for looking,
Ang x

Two cards for two Mama's

I have so many birthdays in September, 6 at the last count! My beautiful mama's is on the 6th and Mr Paper's Mama is on the 18th so I was tasked with making two very special cards.

I tend to keep lapsing back into the same style, shabby chic but with a cleaner edge, I love it so much and I think they look so pretty that I can't help myself, it's like falling into a comfortable armchair. I need to start making things outside my comfort zone otherwise I will get stuck in a rut and that's not good!

Here is the card I made for my mum

I had to walk away from it because I just kept adding more embellishments and I think I nearly 'over egged the pudding' Supplies used: Paper; Making Memories, Flowers; Making Memories, Prima, Imaginisce, Lace; Crafty Templates, Frame; Melissa Frances, Letters; American Crafts.

This is card number two

Supplies used: Paper; MME, Sticker; Stampendous, Flowers; Prima, Lace; Crafty Templates, Badge and Letters; American Crafts.

I love them both although the blue one just edges it for me, I love flocked paper, especially when it is damask!

Happy days :)

A Special Lady's Birthday

I was going to give my mum a card that I made a while ago that she really liked, but decided she required something a bit more special. So for her birthday this Sunday I came up with this:

My first full acetate card.  I used the same template as the Celebrate card for the inside paper, added a Bo Bunny dotted card strip on the front used with my new Martha Stewart Doily Lace punch (oh how I love it so!) some grosgrain ribbon, a K&Co butterfly, a beautiful paper rose I found on etsy a while ago then added a handmade beaded embellishment and some sparkle stones. I was so pleased with how it came out, almost exactly as I had imagined it!

To while the time away while making some of these recent cards I have become addicted to the Gilmore Girls tv programme and I am working my way through the boxset. Has anyone else watched it? I just want to pack my bags and move to Stars Hollow!

Duly Noted

It's my wonderful Mum's birthday on Sunday and I wanted to make her a little something. I knew right away that I wanted to create a set of notecards after my first attempt the other day with the sunflower ones.

I have a box of gorgeous K&Co Madeline chipboard butterflies and a paper pad that I have been waiting to use so I went ahead and created some simple notelets using the papers, a butterfly, ribbon and a sentiment. I made 2 each of three designs complete with lined matching envelopes. They measure 4 1/4in x 3 3/4 in.

A bigger picture can be seen here. I love them, they are such a cute size and perfect for a quick little note. I also made a box using Chatterbox papers, sizzix die cuts and ribbon which I think she will love.

I want to keep it for myself now! I guess I'll just have to make another one :)

Looking back: A couple of 'lifts'

I love Melissa Phillips' cards at Lilybean Paperie, they are just beautiful and one of my favourite places to visit for inspiration, however I always come away scratching my head thinking 'huh' how do I try and incorporate that into my cards and I feel a little intimidated.




I saw this card and filed it away in my favourites to try and replicate it. I created the blue version last autumn when I first started getting back into card making and the red version was for my mum's birthday. I still love the blue one, it was my first attempt at sewing on a card and it came out pretty good by my standards!

This is my little look back at some of my older cards.


I used my favourite reversable Mambi paper, velvet paper, blooms from Tesco hand inked and a Imaginisce cordurory brad, I love those things!


Basic Grey Urban Couture paper, stamped and embossed with copper powder and perfect pearls, hand dyed bloom, sizzix flower and copper cut over funky foam with my bigshot all edged with copper krylon.

Who provides you with card inspiration?