Button it...

My eBosser has arrived !  Thursday night it was going back because I thought it was pants.  Then I realised that I was using the shim instead of the embossing mat, and once the tears and tantrums subsided, I made friends with it.  Now we are going to get along just fine.  Actually better than just fine.  I love my button embossing folder.
Mo Manning sent out a request for inspiration not so long ago.  I wanted something sewing or quilted related.  Well I'm not sure if she noticed my request, or it's just a coincidence, but this lovely image appeared on her site.  As my mum is always asking me to design a quilting card for her to give to her friends, it was a must for my collection.  Thanks Mo.

I wish I could get my camera to take decent coloured photos.  This is such a warm card, yet looks cold here.
The sketch is courtesy of a different source for a change.  Thanks Sweet Sketch Wednesday.

In addition to their challenge, we are in to the following for this card too:
Make it cute at Pink Gem
Oh so girly at Sweet Stampin'
Cute as you like at Crafts 4 Eternity
E's for button embossing at Mo's Digital
Ribbon or lave at Paper Crafting Journey
Anything goes with ribbon at Crafty Ribbons
Anything goes at Simons Says
Bingo board at Passion for Promarkers (die cut flowers, free and glitter)

Keep the creativity flowing folks.

The girly said yes...

A friend has got engaged.  At last.  She had already set the date for the wedding.  Anyway, what an excuse to colour this lovely image from Prairie Fairy.  I'm still trying to make my own flowers and I attempted a lace one again.  Then I gave it a quick blush of colour with a Panpastel.

And here's hoping I have a yes in one of the following...
Sketch Saturday
Pearls and Lace at Dream Valley
Ribbon or lace at Paper Crafting Journey
Flowers at Crafty Boot

Panning for pastels...

Oh boy - there's been an expensive week in the Bartlett crafting house.  I purchased my first set of Panpastels.  So much so, I've sent out a request to friends stuck for ideas for my birthday...Amazon vouchers so I can buy more !  I'm very much learning with them, and the talent out there for using them is amazing.  Something to aspire to.  In the meantime, I hit on an idea to colour my distress edges...so I did.  The photo doesn't do the edges justice,  but I'm pleased with the effect.  I blended the pastel green and blue to get a deeper green that was more in keeping with the green paper.
Image is courtesy of Krista.

So I'm placing her in the following challenges:
A touch of green at Panpastel UK (I know, it really is only a touch of green Panpastel)
Butterflies at Passion for Promarkers
Flowers at Crafty Boots
Favourite embellishment at Scrap Creations (my most used flower punch ever!)
Anything goes at I Love Promarkers (and I do!)
Colour challenge at Fab 'n' Funky
Go green at Milk Coffee
Spring colours at Card Makin' Mamas (although here in the UK, spring colours would be grey)
Child's play at Stampin' for the weekend (and adult play too)

As for the other expensive Bartlett purchases...well they arrive next week I hope.

Happy crafting folks.

Feathers for sis

I've been itching to use this Saturated Canary image since it was released.  I had to wait until my sister's birthday to use it.  My thanks to Sketch Saturday for the card design.
I've been toying with the idea of buying a Grand Calibur for a while.  I see all you challenge bloggers using the die cuts time and time again.  I have a Cricut though and there comes a time when you just have to make the best of what you've got.  I had one of the first Sizzix die cutting machines, and then I bought the Big Shot.  I have masses of dies, all unused because I bought the Cricut.  So I've talked myself out of it and instead I purchased the electronic version of Ornamental Iron 2 on instant download to my Cricut Craftroom.  I cut out the swirls and I'm pleased with them.  Not as nice as the Spellbinder dies, but I do seem to have card envy (actually, I think that might be craft envy full stop!)

 Let's see how we do in the following challenges:
Read all about it at Saturated Canary (I used a page of a book as a paper)
Up, up and away at Top Tip Tuesday (feathers in the image)
1, 2, 3 at Paper Take Weekly (1 image, 2 die cuts and 3 ribbon flowers)
Add a sentiment at Fab 'n' Funky
Anything goest at Cute Card Thursday
Flowers at Fussy and Fancy (home made ribbon flowers)
1, 2, 3 at All Sorts (see above)
Put on some pink at Divas By Design
Pink at Fashionista

A rushed job...

I'm off to Glasgow in the morning and had to make a birthday card to take to work before I leave.  So I'm not writing much here.  Image is courtesy of Kenny K, and the sketch is the one from Sketch Saturday for this week's challenge.

In addition to Sketch Saturday, I'm in for the following challenges too:
Lace and Pearl at Kenny K (that's a homemade flower out of promarker coloured lace)
Ditto above at I Love Promarkers
For a lady at All Sorts
Something Old at Cute Card Thursday (the pearl button)
Pastel Colours at Fab n Funky