Tag Tuesday " Snow, Sports and Games "

It seems that Tag Tuesday may just become an addiction! Another one ! I had such fun not only taking part but seeing all of the beautiful entries , such stunning work. If you haven't been by  then I urge you to pop over , you will be amazed and inspired. I was really impressed I can tell you but that's more than can be said for my dogletts Rosy and Bailey who where banned from crafting den due to copious amounts of glitter and glue attaching themselves to every object in the room. When they where finally admitted entry they still managed to get all blinged up even after I had hoovered ! If you have ever seen a porky French Bulldog and a tiny weeny pinscher sporting glittery fur and depositing it all over the house then you can well understand why they where locked out in the first place !

The theme this week is " Snow, Sports and Games and  for my tag  I decided to go in the opposite direction and steer clear of the sparkly stuff, that and the fact that the other ladies do it so much better !

This is quite a large tag and as you can see my icicles are defying nature and growing out towards the side , I am using my " artistic license  " here, I  did try them in more natural positions but well, they just looked too" normal " I used some foam dots between the layers to give the illusion of dimension. The whole tag was created solely with the aid of my Silhouette machine not a stamp or even a jot of glitter in sight !  The sentiment such as it is  and for those of you like myself suffer from bloggers blindness is a compilation of  words relating to the theme, snow, ice, skating , sledding, you get my drift  ( pun intended ) . Anyways hope you like it !

Am also linking this to Paper Creations Ink who are asking us to use die cuts/punches on our work 

Just one more thing the greenery is not part of the tag ...... what you had guessed that already, of course , silly me !


Right am off to visit you all and ooh and ahh at your wonderful creations

Until next time..........

Marie

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 59 No Floral Embellishments.

The day did not start off on the right foot  we had an earthquake this morning in Thessaloniki at around 5.30 am,  not a big one but enough to wake us and move our bed around a little. Now anyone who lives in areas where earthquakes are prevalent will tell you that it is not so much the shaking that is scary ( and I'm talking about the buildings here not me ) its the loud noise it makes. Needless to say didn't get much sleep after that waiting for the after shocks ( there where three ) .  On to happier things !!


Today is my first Design Team piece for Crafty Cardmakers and  I am so excited to part of this wonderfully talented team of ladies and gents ( well gent actually ) nice to have a guy on the team.

Our challenge which has been chosen by the lovely Fiona is  " No Floral Embellishments " Fiona has this to say : You can use flower backing paper, flowers in your image but NO floral embellishments of any kind, (  so please read the small print lol! ) my words not Fiona's 


Our fantastic sponsors are :  One Stop Card Crafts who are offering a ten pounds gift voucher and Digi Doodle Shop who are offering a ten dollar gift voucher which can be redeemed at their stores.

 

So without further ado here is my DT piece

 

Here I have used paper from the Pyrus paper pad and embossed it with this lovely Sizzix embossing folder. I then paper pieced the pears using  the same DP,  added red and green stickles to the little birdies and the flowers and distressed and coloured the edges. Would also like to link this to Allsorts challenge blog who are asking us to create a card using paper piecing .

 

Here I have printed a floral image from my Silhouette onto silk fabric. For the rest of my card I have used felt, the frame was cut using one of my spellbinders dies and the border with Sizziz floral and scallop die. I double embossed them both with another favourite sizzzix embossing folder using SU Rich Razzlebury ink which just about shows up on the photo ! My little birdie from Silhouette also printed onto silk and sits  atop the frame it has been a while since he made an appearance and has been begging to get back into the lime light !

I do hope you will pop over to Crafty Cardmakers to see what the other members of the design team have come up with to inspire you and maybe even take part you could be one of our lucky winners !

Right am off to give Rosy and Bailey ( the dogs ) a bath they are still blinged up from their close encounter with the glitter !

Take care

Marie

Snow !

A great big hello to you all !

Just popping in quickly as I am in a bit of a mess here ! Having decided to try a few new techniques ( and of course I have chosen the messier ones)  I am surrounding by an array of projects  which are spread out all over the place at varying drying  stages. Rosy and Bailey my two dogletts have been banished from my crafting oasis and are sitting outside my door moaning and scratching to get in. Now they would normally be in here sleeping soundly at my feet but the little so and so's have been known to eat a couple of my projects in the past, feigning sleep they wait until I leave the room and then pounce ! I am taking no chances this time " three times bitten four times shy " I know it should be once bitten but I fell for their cunning plan on three occasions ! Anyway I digress ........

I discovered a few days ago a fabulous new challenge group called Tag Tuesday who every week will be inspiring us to make a tag,  their theme this week is snow. I urge you to pop over and check it out as it is packed full of very talented ladies ( didn't see any guys ) and amazing inspirational creations . I have to say I was a little intimidated at first but what the heck, nothing ventured nothing gained so I decided to do a little venturing.

I also discovered ( I'm doing a lot of this lately )  another very interesting group of gals DYSU challenge blog who have Let it Snow as their theme,  they have also very kindly provided us with a gorgeous photo to inspire us .

Sorry for the poor photos just getting dark here in Greece so had to stick the tag in the plant pot near the window to try and throw a little light on it !

The base is grey card which I smeared with Gesso then added a layer of UTEE mixed with a little glitter. I used the same process on the die cut snow flake curtsey of my Silhouette . I was going for an icy look so added only one layer of UTEE this gives a sort of crystal effect not that you can tell from my photo. I embossed the white card  and added glossy accents to the branches and then covered them with glitter . The stuff is everywhere ! No doubt I will have two very blingly dogletts as soon as they gain entry into my crafty den which by the sounds of them will be any minute now as Rosy the porker of the two is throwing all her weight against the door !!

Right am off now to get the Vacuum and remove some of this fairy dust from my surfaces. Will be by later for a nosey at all your fabulousness !

Don't forget to visit Tag Tuesday and DYSU lots to see and be inspired by

Take care

Marie

happy New Year and Exciting News !

HAPPY NEW YEAR !! excuse me for the belated new year wishes but I have just returned from a little sojourn to the hot thermal springs in Poza Northern Greece  ( more of that in another post ) ) but first I am literally bursting to share with you some exiting news ........I am now officially a Design Team member for Crafty Card Makers,  yippty doo  !! I was so excited when I I found out a few days ago that I did a lap of honour around my living room dogs in tow yapping and squealing ( the dogs not me ) although I did let out a little squeal I must confess. I would just like to thank Lin for giving me this opportunity to be part of this fabulous team and I look forward to working and learning from the other talented members. Our first challenge goes live on the 9th of January so I do hope you will pop over and visit and maybe even take part.


More fabulous news over at Get Creative,  this is what our fearless and fabulous leader has to say :


we were so ecstatic with the participation in our October challenges that we are going to start of the year with another month of challenges similar to that of October. Every few days there will be a new theme either for cards or layouts chosen by the design team you will have  up until the 31st of January to upload your entry. The winner will be chosen by the Design Team and the prize will be :
...............................................

......................................................................

guest designer 

on 

Get Creative

 for the entire month of March

In March I am giving the design team the month off!!!

and in their place will be 12 guest designers 

.i.e the 12 winners of the 12 challenges set in this month

It doesn't end there.....

all the participants of the challenges

will be then placed in the random generator

and one lucky winner will win a fabulous prize

from

Sfragidomania

Now doesn't that sound like fun !! and I get the month off too !!! Believe you me there are some exciting challenges this month so I do hope you find time to take part.




Last but not least and this has nothing to do with card making its just a shout out from a proud mum. My sixteen year old son and his band Chinese Basement will be making their Television debut tomorrow evening on national Television  on one of Greece's most popular satirical programs called Radio Arvilla  so for any of my Greek followers who watch the program please tune in if you fancy a little alternative listening .


Well that's all from me and not a card in sight ! Look forward to catching up with you all now things are back to normal and am so pleased the new year has started on such a great note !


Take care


Marie

Anything Goes !!!!

Good morning , good evening and good afternoon to you all. I trust you all had a fabulous Christmas and are recovering nicely. Last week for me was bittersweet with my mad dash to London ( for five hours ) for the funeral of my dear friend Robert and then back home to Greece to work around the clock and be cheery in my shop. I have to say that there was so much love in the church for this beautiful man it was more a celebration of his life and we all felt his presence around us.

Anyway like most of you not really had much time for crafting let alone blogging and my commenting has been willy nilly ( craftingclaire will put me right on the spelling `). So when I popped in this evening to see what was going on I saw a few challenges that I could participate in. Hence the title of my post " Anything Goes " The craft room ( whom I love by the way ) and Top Tip Tuesday both understanding how we are feeling at the moment have decided to be lenient with us and and given us free reign ! So no excuses for not entering !

I thought I would share some cards for Christmas that I made but didn't have time to blog. I know I have missed the boat and should have moved on to Easter or at least Valentines but it is a pity not to share these little beauties with you. In other words didn't  have time to make anything !

Have used Waltzing mouse stamps on both cards DP papers and pearls from my stash and Tim Holtz on the edge dies.

Another one of my creations !! my 20 year old son Alexi who stepped into the breach and took charge of our shop while we went to London he had never worked there before and believe you me it was a very daunting task. We received glowing reports on our return from friends and customers we are so proud of him.

In January I will be celebrating my first year anniversary of crafting and blogging and am close to the 200 follower mark so will be putting together a little blog candy , so do pop by in the new year if you have the chance. I would also like to say a big thank you to all my followers and to all of the wonderful people I have met in the last twelve months you have made my life so much richer and ~I feel truly blessed. Wishing you all a fabulous new year , the best of health and a little love in your lives



Right am of to bed ! four more days of constant work and then with 22 friends we are off for a little trip for new years to an outdoor spa in the mountains.

Oops nearly forget , do pop over to the Craft Room and Top Tip Tuesdays to see what their fabulous design teams have come up with.


From me Tara ( as we scousers say )

Get Creative December 20th Card Sketch

As you are reading this I am on my way to London for the funeral of Dolly's husband Robert unfortunately due to business commitments we can only stay for the service and will be returning to Greece  the same day so my post may be a little early.

Over at Get Creative it is the last challenge of the year and we are asking you to follow the fabulous sketch below.

Now I think you will agree it's quite an easy one and for those of you who are ahead with your Christmas preparations we would love for you to have a go !

 

I used Metallic paper to make a rosette using my TH die  which I then edged with some glitter. Waltzing mouse stamp for the sentiment ( I love their stamps ) I created my own DP with the aid of my Silhouette and used my spellbinders dies to cut the background.

 

Here I used various DP's but don't know whose as the cover has fallen of the pad , now how did that happen !!!, Spellbinders die which matches perfectly with the Waltzing Mouse sentiment, did I mention I love their stamps ?   Websters pages pearl in the corner and a little inking around the edges.

 

Here I used a TH embossing folder for the background some red felt for the base and once again a Waltzing Mouse stamp for the sentiment I think it's from their Around Christmas Time set ( did I mention I love their stamps !!! )  a little ribbon a little bling and a tiny pearl and that's me .....all done and dusted !

Do pop over to Get Creative to see what my fabulous team mates have come up with to inspire you

and why not take part.   We are being sponsored by Unity stamps so you never know you may be lucky and win a prize ! There are currently three other challenges running at the moment so you have until the 28th of December to upload your gorgeous creations.

Well am of to catch a plane ( this is becoming a catch phrase of mine )  Wishing you all the best of health first and foremost, love and peace and for those who celebrate wonderful holidays with your loved ones.

Before I go thought i would share a few pictures of my Christmas lights with you. Although to  be honest these ones are in use all year long !

 

My tree which looks tiny in this picture but is in fact four meters tall, we had to cut the top as it was hitting the ceiling !! it has over eight hundred lights and all the decorations I made myself out of felt and there are about to hundred of the things !!

Take care my lovelies x

Marie

WaltzingMouse Card Sketch Challenge and The Craft Room Die Cuts and Punches

As many of you will know my blogging and creating has been a little lackadaisical of late due to my frequent visits to London due to the ill health of my friend Dolly's husband . Yesterday he lost his battle and is now sleeping soundly with the angels. So once again I am of to London to say my last goodbye to our dearest and oldest friend ( he was 54 ) A beautiful man who touched our life in so many ways and was brave and dignified and even kept his lovely Irish sense of humour right up until the end,  we will miss you Robert.

Now.... er hum she says clearing her throat on to happier things. I recently bought some fabulous stamps from the very talented Claire at Waltzingmouse, I had been ogling her wares ( sounds a bit dodgy ! ) for quite some time and well I just had to have some  as you do ! I love her style and was so excited when I got my grubby little mitts on them. I had been wanting to take part in one of her challenges for quite some time and now I can ! Its a sketch challenge and I have to say sketches are a little difficult for me but this one was quite easy so I had a go.

Here is my take on the sketch

The Waltzingmouse stamp I used is from the set Around Christmas time and it has so may fabulous stamps I didn't know which one to choose for the best. I stamped it with Melon Mambo ink from SU added a little glitter to the berries and when It was dry added tons of Glossy Accents. Do pop over to Waltzingmouse to see what the DT members have come up with to inspire us, I have to say they are a jaw dropping bunch of extremely talented ladies and I am in awe of their creativity.

Another favourite challenge site of mine is the Craft room and their challenge for the next two weeks is to use die cuts and punches . The lovely Nikki has chosen the theme and a great one it is too ! As you can see a lot of die cuts on the above. I have used the Tim Holtz rosette die for the centre I added two together and then edged them with green stickles. Have used my Spellbinders circles for the base of the stamp and the TH on the edge brackets die for the top. My trusty Silhouette provided me with the bottom corners . The photo does not do it justice I have to say in the flesh it looks quite grand ! Do pop over to The Craft room to see what the lovely DT have created for us I am sure you wont be dissapointed.

Right  of to work now I am working seven days a week for the next three weeks,  one of the joys of owning a jewellery shop ! So as you can image not a lot of time left over for anything , so am apologising in advance for my lack of commenting and what not .

Do hope to be back more cheerful and bright in the new year, love to you all and my very best wishes for a happy and healthy Christmas for all who celebrate.

Take care

Marie