Papertrey Ink October Blog Hop

"This month it is all about breaking out of your comfort zone and trying out some non-traditional color schemes for a holiday card or tag!"

Having just got back from holiday I didn't have a lot of time to get my card done for this month's blog hop so I went with a clean and simple design using these colours - so pretty to look at but I found it hard to put the turquoise in!

I used this layout from  Maile Belles from her October release projects with the Bells & Boughs stamp set and matching dies.  I think this will be good to mass produce and change the colours up a bit for variety.

Thanks as always for stopping by today!

Anniversary Trip

 

It has taken me an age to get this post in order but I wanted to share what a fantastic trip Paul and I had for our 25th wedding anniversary to New York and Boston.

 

It all started with our gorgeous daughter giving us two of her free flights on Virgin Atlantic and we were very happy to have an up-grade to business class!

 

 

 

 

We had three nights in New York and I got to see all the places I had dreamt of! 

 

My favourite building was the very pretty Chrysler Building - so shiny in the blazing heat .....

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had to go to Central Park which I will always remember as the place where I lost my expensive glasses and had to spend the next few days wearing prescription sunglasses  day and night until I could get a new pair made up and sent on to Boston by UPS (who then lost them!)  It's not so cool wearing sunglasses to read menus when you aren't a celeb.

 

 

 

 

 

We had a great trip out to Liberty Island on the ferry and then on to Ellis Island  - the heatwave hit the city that day and it was such a relief to be out on the water.  Paul has edited out the  tower cranes from around the statue as the platform was being refurbished when we visited.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I like this one of Paul and I with  the city and the new building at Ground Zero so high in the background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is so hard to get a picture of the Empire State Building from down below - Paul got into trouble at the top in the viewing area for trying to get his head and camera out of the railings to take pictures of the view from the top!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leaving Times Square behind we drove up to Woonsocket in Rhode island which is just on the boarder  with Massachusetts.  We stayed in this gorgeous heritage bed and breakfast called The Pillsbury House for 6 nights.

 

 

 

 

Woonsocket was a great base to see both States - we started off in Boston and loved every step of the Freedom Trail that we walked - our guide book said it would take 90 minutes but we managed all day with so many stops for cold drinks and photographs.  A few favourites were Quincy Market .....

 

 

 

 

The Old State House of 1713 .....

 

 

 

 

 

North Bridge in Minute Man National Historical Park ...

 

 

 

 

and a little memorial at the bridge commemorating the British troops that fell there....

 

 

 

 

 

and finally a must to for me in Concord - Orchard House - the house of Louisa May Alcott and her family, a fascinating look at how she lived and where she wrote.

 

 

 

 

 

When we got back from our jollies my Mum and Dad  held a champagne tea party in their garden to celebrate our special anniversary

 

 

 

 

And do take a look at the beautiful cake that my dear friend Pam made for us - check out the stunning peony flowers which she created!

If you made it this far - thanks for indulging me!

Some Hero Arts and Gina K

When we were in the US recently I did buy myself a [few] crafty bits including some Spellbinders dies and these lovely frame its stamps and dies from Hero Arts.  This dogwood card was my first play with them and I can see them being a real favourite!  So easy to stamp first and then die cut rather than the other way around.

Next up I used another old favourite stamp set - A Year of Flowers from Gina K - in a trellis with lots of masking.  All the other supplies are from Papertrey Ink, and I stamped the quatre foil die cut with the wood grain stamp.

I think this will fit in again with the anything goes over at a Passion for Papertrey too.

Right - better head off - work tomorrow!

Together Forever Gift Card Holder

We had the most lovely day yesterday - some good friends renewed their wedding vows in a beautiful 11th century church in Oxfordshire. 

This is a little gift card holder I made with a big shout at Debbie Olson's example here but not as classy!

A Bit of Background Basics: Rainbows

A few cards made with Background Basics: Rainbows tonight.  I have had these on the camera for a week and forgot to download them - until I was looking at a Passion for Papertrey and remembered there is an "anything goes" challenge which I meant to go in with.

This first one was stamped in winter wisteria and lavender moon - but beware leaving your stamping out on the table in bright sunlight - or this is how badly it fades!

Hibiscus burst and raspberry fizz next...

and finally aqua mist and Hawaiian shores.

Thanks for stopping on by - it has been a beautiful, hot weekend here that's gone all too quickly!

Copic Marker Storage

I just wanted to share with you what my clever man made for me this week.  I have been after a  way to store my Copic markers and get them out of the old decorated baby formula cans (which are about 20 years old now as that is how old Felicity is!)  and make it easier to select the colours I need.

  

If you fancy having a go yourself (or like me have a handy man!) the cabinet is 328mm wide x 215mm high x 162mm deep and made from planed quality softwood.  The shelves are tilted back slightly to  stop the pens falling out if I need to move it onto the dinning table aka my craft table.

And here it is all filled up and with plenty of room for a few more!  I have now done a very rough sketch for a revolving ink pad storage container and given Paul another challenge - watch this space!

Papertrey Ink July 2012 Blog Hop

"This month's inspiration is all about pairing up beautiful summer colors as this wonderful season begins to come to a close".

I think I managed to get all the colours in with this one tonight!  Sorry about the poor photo - it's late here and the sun has gone down for the evening.

I got the trusty Rosie Posie set out for the card and stamped in berry sorbet, summer sunrise, melon berry and chartreuse inks and the sentiment is from Simply You.

Thanks for stopping by - enjoy the hop!

Lovely Layers Thank You

A quickie post before I head off to bed - some little 4.25" x 4.24" thank you cards using the Lovely Layers stamps and dies.

It's fun to mess around with different colour combinations!

A very busy crafty weekend but a good one!

First Hexagons

Before all the Stamp a Faire festivities I broke out the Happy Hexagons and the cover plate die.   I think this is the most fiddly card I have ever made and it took ages - but I like it now it's finished and when I have a few spare hours I will make another!

I used plum pudding, winter wisteria, hibisbus burst, autumn rose and simply chartreause inks and the sentiment is from another new set to me called We Go Togther.  Thank goodness for Nichole Heady's placement guidelines - it did take the guess work out of where to put each patten!

The latest challenge over at A Passion for Papertrey this fortnight is anything goes - so here goes!

Stamp-a-Faire Closing Ceremony

What a day!  Although we were halfway around the world from most of our on line friends we had a ball! 

Betty we all missed you and hope you had a good trip!

After all the eating and drinking, chatting and watching tutorials we managed two cards each - not sure if that is a good total or not but it sure was fun and a BIG thank you to Pam for hosting us in her home in the beautiful village of Bourton - on - the - Water in the Cotswold's.

We didn't get a parting shot of us all or the messy table but I'm putting up this card this afternoon as I did manage to finish it this morning.

This is my take on Betsey Veldman's card for the ribbon challenge - minus the ribbons!  I did try making loopy ribbons today but they didn't work, no way, too big!  So I used a little butterfly punch with some bitty dots paper.

Many thanks for popping by this weekend - I know the girls would really appreciate any love you would like to leave them!  Didn't they do good??

Stamp-a-faire Closing Ceremony - Pam

   Here is Pam's pretty card that was made for the ribbon techniques challenge but she decided that buttons would look good instead - she and I having reservations about them fiddly ribbon flowers!

Pam used a winter wisteria card base with orange zest and chartreuse inks and the sentiment is from the  Daydreamer set.

Stamp-a-faire Ribbon Techniques - Julie

I think Julie may have found a new hobby!  Check out these pretty ribbon flowers which she made after watching Besty Veldman's tutorial.

Julie used a spring moss card base with accents of berry sorbet and turning a new leaf leaves.

Stamp-a-faire Ribbon Techniques - Mary

                                                             

Our next challenge was the ribbon techniques and after looking through the videos we chose besty's ribbon flowers.  To say we struggled with them was an understatement - well apart from Julie who you can see above!

Mary used plum pudding with fresh snow ink, lemon tart card and her little purple striped ribbon for the flower.

Morning Make and Take - Julie

How is this for the first time Julie has ever stamped??   Talk about a duck to water!  This gorgeous card was made by stamping Pretty Peonies in Raspberry Fizz ink and outlined in Plum Pudding.

So talented!

Morning Make and Take - Mary

Mary has gone bright and bold with her beautiful card using Simple Sunflowers.

Mary used summer sunrise and raspberry fizz with a little new leaf - love this card!

Morning Make and Take - Pam

This is the lovely Pam's creation and she has used Pretty Peonies in Hibiscus Burst and Winter Wisteria and a die cut peony to add that final bit of omph!

Very elegant Pam!

Morning Make and Take - Chris

Well we have spent so long chatting, eating lunch and messing around we have just got around to photographing our creations!

Here is mine ....

I used Rosie Posie with a think big favourite and a few raspberry fizz buttons.

Thanks for dropping by to look at what we have done today - we are having great fun!

Stamp a Faire 2012

Meet the Cotswold Crafters all ready for Stamp a Faire!

We have had our breakfast of crossaints and coffee and are all ready to rock and roll.

We have all come down to Pam's in the beautiful village of Bourton - on - the - Water.  Mary is on the left from Catshill in Bromsgrove, Julie on the right from Rubery in Worcestershire, Pam is behind at the back our host for the day and little! old me in front.

Looking forward to having lots of fun!