Mothers Day & Mum's Birthday

Mum's birthday always falls close to Mothers Day - there was one year I remember it being on the same day!  As someone who finds it difficult to think of one present to buy her I really struggle to find two! 
I thought things were going well this year because she dropped some "hints" - well when I say hints - she sent loads of links to ebay items as she wanted to increase her "Old Country Roses" china collection.  The more I spoke to her though, the more fearful I became of buying the wrong thing - there's so much to bear in mind - whether its a first or second, whether its vintage or the new stuff.  In the end, I couldn't take the stress o have said I'll give her some cash to buy what she really wants.
I had to give her something to open on her birthday though so I made this......I was supposed to be making something else to go in that box but realised too late that an essential component was missing.  It's on order now so I'm hoping it will arrive in time for mothers day now.

Thanks to Debbie for the tutorial on this card and box in one

Mum made me laugh - she carefully pinned her ribbon brooch on to her jumper but soon realised she had placed it somewhere inappropriate.  I said I'd have to make her another for the other one.

Papers are coredinations jewel and crate paper blue sky collection.  Cutesy owl from Craftwork cards coloured in with my trusty promarkers.

I can't post her mothers day card yet as she sometimes checks my blog but Mum did ask me to make a card for her to send to my Granny.  So here it is.........

 

You'll see a lot of those card candy flowers over the next few days - they're on all the cards I've made today and another I have in mind.  They're so simple to make - 5 candies right way up with one upside down in the middle.  I've placed a 'jewel' in the middle of this one but I think it looks better with a pearl - you;ll see once I can post the other cards!

The butterfly was my bragain of the day - from home bargains - where else?.  It cam in a box of 6 - wired, probably for easter bonnets I'd guess.  All 6 for 69p!

Clearing the decks part 2

This was lurking on my desk last Wednesday but I hadn't wuite finished it.  It's for a friend's stepdaughter who is 6 and likes pink and pink and PINK!

This took me very much out of mcomfort zone but I hope it will be ok

I have one more notepad order to do for her older sister and then I think I'll put them away for a while.  Ithink I may have had enough!

Ladies Day

Don't worry I haven't been squandering my "hard-earned" cash at the races but the cards I've made today have definitely been for ladies.  I enjoyed making that purse card yesterday so much that I had to make another one. 
Then I made another card using a die cut from my super stash from Cazarol to make this card

And finally, I made another covered notebook but this one is a gift so instead of showing it to you, I'll show the others that I've made.  I bought the plain notepads for 99p for 20 in Home Bargains and have had loads of fun covering them (as has "& son" - must get some more!)

Glutton for punishment

Well after all the soul searching about knocking my friends Christening card off the "to-do" list, I put myself back to square one today by deciding that i HAD to make a card for my sis for when she goes away. So back to 2 cards to make then. I got them both finished but suspect I'll be up till the wee small hours now - I promised myself I'd stop a 8pm - yeah right!

Both cards are pocket cards but they're very different.

First up is the one for my sis. She's being deployed on Tuesday to somewhere grim and is coming to say goodbye and drop her boys off in Wales at the weekend. I'm planning on putting a teabag and verse in the card on the front - we girls like our "nice cupsy-tea". Main paper by doodlebug.

The last card of mine for a while is for my boy - I ummed and aahed about what to make for him as he's my crafting buddy - its nerve wracking - I guess a bit like when you gie a card to someone who yo know makes cards themselves. He's my best critic. I even considered buying a card from him from the shop because I thought the task was too much!

Anyhow, I made him a pocket card in the end with some paper that he knows is saved for best so I'm sure he'll appreciate it. The lift off tag is going to have a secret message on the back - written with his UV pen just as soon as I can sneak it out from under his pillow. The papers, tag and die cuts on this one are by Cosmo Cricket - Cogsmo: Cogs.

Kitty Catrin is nearly 1!

Doesn't time fly - seems like only yesterday that she was pregnant but my best friends little girl is nearly 1. I'm travelling down to Cardiff over bank holiday weekend to attend her Christening and its her birthday the same weekend. I had planned to make 2 cards but I'm feeling a bit jaded and stressed so I've decided to make a birthday card and give her a shop bought Christening one. It's a cop out but I still have to make a card for "&son" before we go away on Friday and I only have 1 evening left to do that - I'm going to see U2 on Thursday!



So here it is.

Shiny card (what is the technical term for that? - its popped out of my head for a while!) and dark pink layer are off-cuts from smirk. Number 1 is cut from a 3 bugs in a rug paper. Card Candy from papercraft cards.
Have a vague idea what I'm going to fo for "&son" but it's not fully formed yet. I'm thinking pocket card.... but what to put in the pocket. hmmmmmm.......

Good Luck

My youngest sister flew out to Germany this morning for an interview at a German school. She has another (in Germany) at the end of the week so this was a good luck card for both of them.

I made it using Penelopes Potpourri: Perfect Petals by s.e.i. The pink spotty paper is the reverse side of the floral one.

Help! I've gone all girly!

2 girly cards in one night. Thanks again to OAP's stash swap, I seem to have got a bit carried away with the pink.

The first card is my entry to the MSE 'sketch challenge' - thanks Flourgirl!.

I've used some pearlescent pink paper and paper lace from OAP's stash and some of the Crate Paper that I nought from 3 Jolly crafters in their Bank Holiday sale. I've never used crate paper before but am very impressed with the quality. The floral paper is called 'Rain'. The dotty one 'cloud' They're both from the blue hill collection - wish I'd bought more!

The second card is similar to the fathers day one I made but I though I'd try and see whether it worked hinged the other way - and it does. This one's going to go in the craft box at work.

Mum's on the Mend

Mum's out of hospital.

They kept her in overnight because they were worried because she couldn't remember anyhing about her fall - she fell of a wall in the garden - about 3ft tall - cut her head open and cracked some ribs.

I couldn't visit her as the hospital has a rule that no children are allowed on the wards- I can see their point in some ways but really what's a single Mum to do when she needs to visit someone!

This is the 'Get Well' card that I made for her in lieu of a visit. I made it using stash from the Crafty place stash swap - Thanks Toni!

You can't really tell but its decoupage - I love the card blank - its pearlescent pink.

Shadow Frame for my sis's B'day

It's not quite ready but I'll be picking up the real photo for the middle just before I go away so this was poss my only chance to take a piccy before I give it to her. If I get chance I'll update it.

My sister's birthday was deemed an important enough occasion for me to cut into my belove Mr Cogsmo papers from Cosmo Cricket - well she's worth it! The wording down the far side says 'Boys are 90% mischief and 10% dirt. I think those figures need checking

I've also uploaded her birthday card which is a little more refined and sophisticated - but not as much fun!

Those robots with my nephews faces in them make me chuckle every time I look at them!

More Birthday cards

Made a few more cards for the box at work from scraps of paper I had hanging around. The black and pink one was made using a DCWV card blank I bought when they were on special offer a while back, a little tag with a brad and a strip from some 3 bugs in a rug paper I bought during my Easter weekend stash splurge.

I literally made the other 2 from scraps of paper and they should look like birthday cakes. I made the pink one first and then had a go at the second to see if I could make it work with more masculine colours. I think I nearly did it but it will have to do!