Birthday Time

I've been having a lovely time getting all inky, playing with my Noor design die's, & Frantage..... Messy distressed embossing powder to the uninitiated!  Added a gorgeous stamp to the envelope, which I highlighted the flowers of, using Sakura pens.  The image is from Lily of the Valley.  Thanks for stopping by. 

Happy Birthday..

to my very good friend..... who is 60, well at least she was on Monday!  had supper with her & some girlfriends on Tuesday night to celebrate!  I made her a card using the lovely Romance paper pack from Joy Crafts along with the dies.... my absolute fave...the butterfly - theres a matching border too!! some glitter of course - one can never have too much glitter - even in January! I made some roses using the roll up roses die, and added the Dutch Doobadoo texture paste, also from Joy crafts shop.... maybe its a bit plain tho"? what do you think?  Thanks for stopping by......

Great Start to the New Year!

Happy New Year friends & followers! May 2015 be kind to us all, may we all be healthy, happy & winners in the great lottery of life! 

I had a lovely suprise on opening my emails, to find I had Won a prize in the Noor UK Christmas Challenge - a £20 gift voucher to spend in the shop...... Well, I had a lovely time! One or two items sort of slipped into my shopping basket!  So, for anyone who missed it, here is my creation - 

Thankyou to Tracy of Crafteeze / Noor UK.

Can't wait for my parcel to arrive..... Wanna play with the January Challenge in the theme of Love! 

Thanks for visiting. Xx

Quilted Baubles.... Not just for Christmas!

These are fairly simple to make, look great for Christmas, Easter too! Obviously in different colours!! Being a Monro - yes, their is a clan - but the rebels spell their name differently!! We have a 'family tartan', so just for good measure, I've made some in our family tartans too.  The paper Roses are made with the Joy Craft rolled up Roses die with Dutch Doobadoo texture paste & glitter on top! 

The quilting is done with 2" squares of fabric, lots of very fine (lace) pins (26 x 0.55 - I have found these to be best, as they go through the multiple layers of fabric.  Styrofoam balls or eggs form the centres. 

Photoshopping!

I found a gorgeous frame in a store while I was visiting friends, it cried out to have a little 'alteration'! So, using a beloved JoyCrafts butterfly die, some flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts & a little Dutch Doobadoo texture paste.... Oh yes & the inevitable Glitter!, here is my effort!  Hope you like.  Do visit my blog..... CraftyTart.blogspot.com 

Time to clear the decks!

Here's is a little something I created for my niece for Christmas, all in the theme of their recent wedding.   I'd show another one, (but that niece hasn't seen it yet!)

As we head in express train like fashion towards the New Year, I confess I should be ashamed to post pictures of my craft room, it's in such a mess! So.... For 2015 my intentions (resolutions always go by the wayside, don't they!, & I like to be different - well, I don't like being predictable at any rate.....), anyway back to intentions..... I am going to have a clear up.  Was so busy making & getting ready for Christmas & have grandkids coming to stay after the New Year, before they go back to school - but after that....... The black bags had better be ready!

Still on the subject of 'Good Intentions', I saw an article yesterday about creating a jar.... where everytime you do something to be proud of, you write about it (not like War & Peace, just a line...) & put it in the jar.... Gives you something fabulous to read on the eve of New Year 2015!  Could make fabulous scrapbook pages!!, and besides....making & decorating this project, well..... It's an excuse to procrastinate..... Or avoid the clearing up!, but when I get to it, the clear up that is, & it could be painful! Anyone got a need for lots - & I mean lots, of small storage pots?! TTFN. Happy NewYear! 

Here's one I missed! Christmas Crackers...... (Isn't everyone?!)

Christmas is coming....... yay!!

Eons ago, I had three shops - Florists shops, and the lovely girlies who worked with me are all friends, we get together regularly, tonight is our 'works party'!, it got postponed last year, 'cos we were all poorly :-(      Anyways, tonight I am looking forward to. We all make a contribution to dinner..... bring drinks, chocolate [well, what's a party without chocolate?!], cheese platter & so forth. DOH is cooking!! Bless him.  The girlies have to bring their own Christmas Cracker - I made them a template..... they have to fill and decorate it.  Easy Peasy?!! So, here's my effort. Gotta love the JoyCraft dies!!!

Joy craft dies used
0384-Embossing Roses Roll Up Die
0037-Vintage Flourishes Leaf 
0303-Embossing Circle Die [all gathered up into a rosette]
then add a little Texture paste, a dash of glitter, some pearls & a bell........ Hey Presto!

Hope you like.  Happy Christmas :-)

Christmas Challenge.....

A little something I made..... Some of those dies were, I am certain, naughty little Elves!!, they leapt into my shopping cart, so in the spirit of joinings in.... Here's my first ever entry into a design challenge, this is for Noor UK .... Would I like to be on the DT? Sure I would, I might have one or two of the dies!! & the papers are soooooo gorgeous!  Add a little distress ink... & some shabby chic Frantage, a dash of gesso...... Oooooo!!   The content of the gift box is a quilted bauble I made, with the added adornment of paper roses.  

Fabulous Workshop

Where does the time go? What with very special parent birthday, grandkids school Christmas plays & prepping for Christmas..... It's been really hectic! The last weekend of November is now a distant memory!, but I had a wonderful creating day with Tracey from Noor Design .... we made the most Awesome card.... yes it really did take all day to make just one! great fun with the colouring and cutting and chatting & talking... comparing notes etc. etc.! & using the scrumptious Noor dies! One or two might just have leapt off the shelf into my shopping basket!

Tracy with her finished sample!

Spurred on by all of this.... I have made a piece for the Christmas Craft Challenge...... More to follow!

Thanks for stopping by..... TTFN. 

It must be Love....

I love flowers, so it stands to reason that I'm gonna love the Sakura flower and Heart Petal flower punches from Kuretake!, emboss them on your mat, & hey presto you add 3 dimensions to your card in an instant!  I made the heart background using a Kuretake Brushable pen - these are great - you can bend the nibs without doing any damage to them!  Added a little Made with Love charm to the bottom square just for added pizazz!+ 

Enjoy! xx