A Two Challenge Combo, and A New Toy

This week I've managed to combine two challenges into one card.
Keryn set the dare over on Daring Card Makers...

It's Keryn here this week and I've been lucky enough to get my hands on a 'Big Shot' die cut machine and I'm loving it. I want any excuse I can find to make cards, well anything really using die cuts. This week I want you to play with me. Dig out your dies and your die cut machine. Cut shapes of any size and theme you please and use at least one on your card for this week.

 I combined it with Kazan's sketch over on 2 Sketches For You and came up with this:
 

Ingredients:
Dies (as per Keryn's dare): Nellie Snellen frame (painted with acrylic and sanded); flowers made with Cuttlebug asterisks; Sizzix flower pot; Quickutz grass
Cuttlebug embossing folder
Poundland gems
Ribbon from stash
Papermania paper
Pen stitching

As well as card making, I'm trying to expand my crafty repertoire and this week I acquired this..

..Mum's old sewing machine.  It's older than me, but still works a treat (and weighs a ton).

No more pen stitching on cards for me, I'm going for the real deal.  I've even bought some separate needles to use on paper.

I've not just got the machine for my paper crafts, I am attempting to make a dress! It may take some time as the last time I did any sort of dressmaking/machine sewing was at school in about 1987, and I think my Mum ended up finishing it off!

Cheers

Ruthie x

With Love Card

A couple of pics of a card I made today:

Ingredients:

Paper - My Mind's Eye (magazine freebie :-) )

Cuttlebug embossing folder
Quickutz leaf die
Paper roses made using Cuttlebug scalloped circle dies and Papermania brads

Vintage ticket designed in Photoshop and cut with a Sizzix die

Ribbon from stash

Pins from local market

I think Spring may have finally sprung.  Mr Crafty Blogger and I took advantage of the lovely sunny weather we had a lunchtime today and went out for a walk.  

As always I took loads of photos and thought I would share this one: 

Thanks for looking,

Ruthie x

Easter Gift Project

My latest confectionery based craft project, a 'milk carton' gift box filled with chocolate easter eggs:

Ingredients:

Milk carton box made from recyled kraft card stock with an aperture cut using Nestabilities. 

Border punch - Fiskars Threading Water/Scalloped Laced
Printed paper - Papermania
Quickutz die (bunny and tag)

Nestabilities circles an ovals dies

Mini bulldog clip from Wilkinsons (Right Price range - 20 for 80p, bargain!!!!!)

Thanks for looking,

Ruthie x

A Few Recent Projects

Here's some pics of my recent projects:

Free Standing Pop-up Card:

Ingredients: Papers - My Minds Eye (freebie with February's Card Making and Papercraft magazine), Cuttlebug, Quickutz and Nestabilities dies, Poundland stick on gems, Hobbycraft ribbons, Fiskars scalloped lace punch and finally a dreaded peel off!

The tutorial for the pop-up card is from Splitcoast Stampers HERE.

Easel Birthday Card:

This was a card I made for my mother in law's birthday.

Ingredients: Papers - My Minds Eye (freebie with February's Card Making and Papercraft magazine), Nestabilities dies, Cuttlebug embossing folders, butterfly punches, Fiskars scalloped lace punch, scrabble tile letters (Papermania I think), paper flowers from Sarah's Cards, Papermania pearl brad, lace from my local market and Making Memories pom-pom ribbon.

The easel card tutorial is also from Splitcoast Stampers HERE

Mother's Day Card:

Ingredients: Papers - My Minds Eye (freebie with February's Card Making and Papercraft magazine), Nestabilities and Quickutz dies, Cuttlebug embossing folders, paper flowers from Sarah's Cards LTD, Papermania pearl brads, Hobbycraft ribbon and heart pin from my local market.

Valentine's Day Projects:
For Mr Crafty Blogger's valentines card I decided to get my camera out and do a photocard. 

The first challenge was where to find Love Hearts sweets following the demise of our beloved Woolworths.  Fortunately Wilkinsons have stepped into the breach and I was able to get a few packets to set up my photo shoot:

About 500 photos later I managed to get this picture:

I cropped the picture down and printed it onto canvas paper (Aldi special buy a few weeks ago) to produce the final card:

The photo was post processed using  Coffee Shop's Butterscotch vintage action followed by a bit of my own tweaking.  If you use Photoshop Elements (as I do), you really need to visit Rita at the Coffee Shop blog, as her actions are FREE and they all work in PSE!!!! 

Mr Crafty Blogger did not fully escape my paper crafting.  I filled a Kilner jar with is favourite chocolates and made a little tag.

Ingredients: Cuttlebug and Quickutz dies, scrap paper and cardboard, Papermania stamp, ribbons and button from stash.

Mountain Rescuer's Birthday Card:

If in doubt with a man's birthday card, go back to the old faithful Sizzix doll dies!

Ingredients: Sizzix doll and winter clothes dies, Quickutz tools and toolbox dies, Dymo tape, Cuttlebug embossing folder, embroidery floss.

Thanks for looking,

Ruthie x

Fabric Not Felt

Just a quick post to show you a card I made for a colleague who had her first baby last week.

A bit of a departure for me as I didn't use any patterned paper or felt, just plain cardstock and some gingham fabric. I also dug out my Quickutz Bunny die, which is my usual standby item for new baby cards.

Ingredients:
Pink gingham fabric
Quickutz bunny die
Nestabilities oval dies
Safety pin from a pound shop pack
Ribbon from stash
Inking and pen stitching

Hope your Monday is going OK,

Ruthie x

Why do men have birthdays?

Well I know why, but it's really hard work making men's cards. (Well I think it is!)


Anyway today is my FIL's birthday so I can't really get away with not doing a card. I opted for the easy option of the word 'Dad' and a beer. A winning combination in my book when it comes to Dad cards (unless the dad is teetotal of course).



Here is the finished item (poor light strikes again):




Ingredients:
Basic Grey 'Infuse' papers
recyled coffee cup liner
Chipboard letters cut using the Cuttlebug red tag sale alpha
Quickutz beer mug die
Screw head brads from Crafts By Carolyn
Inking and stitching


Also just a quick thank you to everyone who has left comments on my blog, I love reading them. It's also nice to know that people appreciate my attempts at crafting and rambling.

Got to go and make tea, I've promised Mr Crafty Blogger a chicken pie (his favourite). Oh what a domestic goddess I am :)

Cheers

Ruthie x