Crème de la Crème

Confession time - I love patterned paper but don't always use it once I've bought it. New rule - I have to use up what I've already got before I buy any more.  With that in mind, here are two simple cards which use a couple of the patterns in DCWV's La Crème stack.

C'est très facile, n'est-e pas?  Well, that about exhausts my French, so au revoir til next time.

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Make it Monday 63

Can't remember the last time I participated in one of these but here is a tag featuring a glittered butterfly which fits the challenge this week - to make a glitter die cut. Perfect for Sophie's birthday coming up in a few months.

I used my new xyron sticker maker and then cut the butterfly with my cricut. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it would cut through a layer of cardstock after it had been through the sticker maker. Now I'm visualising lots of die cut glittered letters!

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PTI blog hop challenge April

Ages since I've taken part in a blog hop but I managed to get a card ready this month. I recently bought Rosie Posie which seemed to fit in really well with the inspiration photo:

And here's what I came up with:

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Take 2: poppies

Thought this was rather an appropriate stamp to use for an Anzac Day post. Anzac Day is our Remembrance Day and takes place on 25 April each year. The date was chosen to commemorate the anniversary of the landing of New Zealand and Australian soldiers – the Anzacs – on the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915.

So here is Hero Arts poppy background stamp used two ways.  The poppies on the second card were a bit fiddly to cut out but I like the effect.  The bookprint is from an old paperback version of Don Quixote that was looking suitably aged.

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It's beginning to feel a lot like... Christmas?

I've been trying out a few things for Christmas. This is a tag which features PTI's Star of Wonder.  I used Heather Nichols cracked glass technique using UTEE (ultra thick embossing enamel)  which she describes here.

I quite like the effect, but am not sure whether I'll be making a lot of these as the central element was quite time consuming. The one thing I had trouble with was getting the image back in the UTEE quickly enough to coat it with another layer of powder before it cooled down. I found it was easier to let the image cool, then coat it in versamark again.

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Other - SU ribbon, heat tool 

Mini album journal

A while ago I bought a couple of Jenni Bowlin Hodge Podge books. These have a great selection of interesting looking book board, heavy card stock and transparency pages, as well as extras such as seed packets. At the time I probably had the idea of making a mini album but never got round to it! Rather than make an album for photos, I decided to make a mini journal. Haven't made many mini albums but it was a lot of fun!  Here are a few of the pages:

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Other - SU cardstock, Pink Paislee Sweetness Clear Cards

Hoarding - good?

Well, not always, but sometimes you realise it is a good idea to hang onto things for a while. In this case, I'm talking about some material I've had in my sewing drawer for more years than I care to remember (probably about 7?).  This week, I finally got to use it!  I recently bought this duvet cover:

 and realised that I had several shades of green fabric that I could turn into a matching cushion. All I needed to buy was a small piece of blue fabric and a zip and here is what I whipped up:

Christmas ornaments

I've decided that this year I'll be sending ornaments instead of Christmas cards. I got the idea from Erin Lincoln - you can check out her great post here.

I've decided to make two different versions - one with the angel and one with the pine bough and stocking from Love Lives Here: Holiday.  I used PTI coasters for the ornament base and a slightly thinner chipboard for the angels.

Here is my angel production line:

And here is one of the finished ornaments. I've stamped a sentiment on the back and there's also room for the name of the recipients or a short message:

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Scarborough Fair

I had a great few days exploring Scarborough and Whitby during my time in the UK.  No fair (apparently it was last held in 1788) but lots to see in both towns.  We had tea at the Grand Hotel (top left) which is sadly not as grand as it used to be in its Victorian heyday.  But the walk along the promenade was still dramatic (especially given the stormy weather!) and an added bonus was the presence of a police box or, perhaps, the Tardis. I don't think there are many of these left now.

Vienna layout

I knew some of those stickers I've been hoarding had for a while would finally come in handy. Here is one of my layouts from Vienna which features a cute vintage style postcard I used as a journaling spot.  I try not to hang on to too much clutter, but it's ironic how I always 'need' something the moment I've finally had a clear out!

I {heart} Memory Box dies

I've only recently discovered Memory Box dies, including their Madison window dies which you can check out here. I've just made a couple of cards using the small window and window box and can't wait to make some more. I can think of all sorts of possibilities including using the window shutters and designing some fantastic indoor and outdoor scenes. Or what about a wreath on the window for a Christmas card?

I used the wildflower patch die for the flowers in the window box and used this great tip on the Poppy Stamps blog to keep the flowers in one block which makes them easier to use.

I sure hope Memory Box keep producing some more great dies!

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Iconic London

I wanted to use a tube map in a layout so what could be more appropriate than pages which feature some of London's 'icons'. 

Did you know:

• The first combined map of the London Underground was published in 1908 by the Underground Electric Railways Company of London and several other companies using the 'Underground' brand as part of a common advertising initiative.
• The first diagrammatic map of London's rapid transit network was designed by Harry Beck in 1931.
• Removal of the River Thames from the September 2009 version of the map was met with general disapproval from most Londoners and from mayor Boris Johnson. The river was quickly reinstated in the following edition of the map 3 months later.

Thames Path

One of my favourite things to do in London is to walk along the Thames.  The Thames Path actually runs for 294km from the river's source in the Cotswolds to the Thames Barrier.  I stayed closer to home and explored the Path in and around London. Here are some photos from the South Bank.

What's in a name?

Time for another layout. One thing I love about England is the place names and of course there are lots of interesting names on offer in London. Here is a small selection.  What about 'Cloth Fair', a street in the City of London where, in medieval times, merchants gathered to buy and sell material during the Bartholomew Fair.  Or 'Little Britain' which used to be the name of the district around this area and was mentioned in Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations as the location of Jaggers' office.