A new little creation

Hi you all! It's evening here in Kalmar and it has been warm today. Spent a few hours outside working with my flower pots and getting some seeds into the dirt, finally. Now I am freezing like crazy, heat chills I guess. Paying with some back pain but it was so worth it for once. I'm a happy gal! :)

After having this card working little by litte during two weeks or something, it's finally finished. I normally colour my images without any idea of which papers to go to the image, and so I did this time. But for once I was lucky and had just the perfect match for the image. Love it when that happens. It's not the first colour choice I would normally make either but you end up in your comfort zone way too often, at least I do. So this was a nice break from all pink and blues. :)

The image is by Sugar Nellie and is coloured with my normal Letraset family. The back ground is made with Prisma Pencils and an eraser to soften it all down. I am heavy on hand when I colour. LoL The designer papers are from My Minds Eye and the paper pad called Stella and Rose Hattie Papers.

I followed the sketch from CLP challenges as I always love those and try to play along with at least one card each month. A bit in the nick of time this month. :) Anyway, flowers from WOC covered with some gesso, a key charm, a feather, two different kind of lace, a ball ribbon, some diamond dust here and there and some pearls from Magnolia. I think that is about it... Have a lovely evening!

Love n hugs
Marie

Challenges for this card
Passion for Promarkers - Ribbon, lace or twine
CLP challenges - sketch
Sugar bowl - Anything goes with Sugar Nellie image
I love Promarkers - Use Dies (but no punches)
Simon Says - Anything goes
Creative Moments - Lots of layers

Feeling a bit prickly

Morning everyone! I had promissed myself not complaining about how I feel here on my blog as I might scare you off, but today is one of those days when it hurts everywhere and therefore I feel abit prickly. I made something good out of it actually as I needed to rethink my Paper Shelter card for this week and went with a cactus card instead of a fussy and fancy card. Sometimes something not so good can get turned into at least something creative. LoL

The card is actually a part of one of the lovely TPS images. It's half of the motive from "How you're doing?" image. I took it and enlarged it, and did tons of cutting and colouring. If there was one day I really wanted one of those electrical cutters like Cameo or Siluette or what ever they are call them was when I made this card. LoL

The card is coloured with my Letraset family and I have actually not added one single decoration for this card. Instead I went with cutting and raising parts of the image. It's a light card that will easy on postage when I send it to one of my friends around the world. I took some inspiration from the flower pot cards that is around the blogging world when I made the card. And when I thought I was finished I realized how little space it was to write on, I added a flap that at least doubled the writing space. Considering how my last month has been I am fairly happy with my card, even if it might be a little too simple.

However, I hope that I can inspire you to think outside the box a little bit. I love this whole image and I love the look of this cactus, as it somehow reminds of the old Disney drawings. Don't ask me why, it just does, and it suited my mood very well, feeling totally off. And at least it made me smile making it. :)

As always we have our gift voucher up for grabs this week over at the Paper Shelter. It's worth $30 and it can be yours if you play with any product from the Paper Shelter. Playing with another brand gives you the chance of winning three digis of your choice.

Love n hugs
Marie

Challenges for this card

A second post for today

Hi again! Yeah, I know, I'm back again with a second card for today. I thought I get one more card into the passion for promarker challenges before it closes. Besides that I wanted to try getting my photoediting software to work, and it does! Whohoo! LoL

This is a really simple birthday card that I made the other day and the photo is horrible, but maybe you can pretend it's a good one? The card stock that looks yellow on the picture is acually cream and not that strange looking. I had to take the picture in really bad light so this is what I ended up with. The text sentiment is made with my grand dads old dynamo writer, it got a little shiny but it's black IRL. Some glossy accent on the goggles and the watch hanging from the neckless.

The doggy from Kenny K's is coloured with my Letraset family and the dp's is from a friend and I got them ages ago. Needed to find the proper image for the faux looking leather papers and all other fun stuff being in that little kit. I think I need to make another card with the same stuff different look fairy soon. Love the look of the doggy by the way. He is smashing! The sentiment says "Better late than never". My cousin's youngest son had his birthday about 10 days ago and I had everything prepared for it. Had made another card, but as I was running late because my youngest thought he would help opening the lottery tickets, I needed to go back to the store. Took a bit longer than I had planed, there for a new card.

Ok, it's time to get Philip's leg stretching done. He plays so much soccer during the days that we need to stretch him every night. And that his leg muscle are a bit short in this young age comes from the fact that he was born with club feet. So even more important do deal with it now. It's no fun but we don't tell him that and make a good thing about it instead. After all Messi, Zlatan, Robben and all the other big stars has to do the same when they have been working their magic. LoL Thank you for sports and a five year old who really loves it!

Love n hugs
Marie

Challenges for this card
Passion for promarkers - Anything goes (entry 2)
Created with love challenges - Atleast 3 layers
Cup Cake Craft Challenges - Boys
Paper makeup Challenges - Anything goes
Songbird challenges - All creatures great and small
CAS on Sunday - Make it Masculine

Monday again

Good afternoon everyone. I bet you thought I have fallen of the Earth as it's forever since I did any postings here. LoL It kind of feels like I have, I have managed to get myself a new / old inflammation in the left shoulder and don't have much control over that arm at this point. Oh well, this is a long spring or whatever it should be called as it's so wet and so cold that it's looking more like fall to me. I wouldn't mind that if the air had been a little clearer and higher. That wonderful time will come as well, sooner or later. 

I am also in the process of changing computer as it feels like the old one is going to die any minute now. Now a good idea with an inflammation in your shoulder, but a girl has to do what a girl has to do. And that is let your partner help even if it take a bit longer. LoL

Anyway, a new challenge up over at the Crafty Card Makers today. We what you to make a Tri-shutter card. I think almost every one of us in the team made it for the first time, but if we can figure out how to make it, so can you. It was great fun to make this card, and it's not the fold that causes "problems", it takes a bit of time to get all the decoration panels cut. LoL But it was so worth it. Great fun!

For this weeks creation I have used a digital image from Teddy Bo. Isn't it lovely? It's coloured with my Letraset family, mainly the new wonderful spring and summer set. The colours are to die for in this set. Just love them. Designer papers used is from Nit Wit Collections, but I can't remember which one. But it sure is bright and cheerful. A few old flowers from Prima is used to decorate the whole thing with. It was lots of fun to make the card and I will sure try to make a few more of this model. Now here is what Lin has to say about our challenge for this week. We will be back on June 3 already with a new challenge for you all. And this is what Lin has to say over at our challenge blog:

"Annette would like to see a tri-shutter card with a stamped image, either digital or rubber, with an added twist of using the colours Blue, Yellow and Green. 

Please ensure your card includes a stamped image to qualify for a winner or Top 5 slot, whether you add the twist or not is up to you. 

PLEASE BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE RULES BEFORE ADDING YOUR CREATION AND CHECK IT MEETS THE CRITERIA AS LAID OUT ABOVE - ANY ENTRY NOT COMPLYING WILL UNFORTUNATELY BE DELETED

We are sponsored by  

DI'S DIGI DOWNLOADS

with a $10 gift voucher 

I have been drawing since a child and studied graphics at College many years ago, I now work as a Medical photographer part time but my love was always drawing. I started cardmaking about 4yrs ago when I bought my daughter a cardmaking kit which we did together, but I’m afraid I got the bug! My daughter preferred scrapbooking. I then started looking online at other blogs and this then became my passion and I loved sharing my cards with likeminded people.
I love stamping and loved finding images, but sometimes I could not find what I wanted so I started to draw myself.
This then has become my second addiction and I have never looked back, I love thinking of new images, and its just fabulous to see others take them and make them into beautiful works of art. 

Long may it continue!

And also by

HOBBY ART

with this fabulous prize:-

Anna's Collection Oriental and a Colorbox Chalk Queue.

 As a family business we're a friendly, helpful, bunch at Hobby Art.  All our stamps are designed by us and manufactured in Britain. Look at the gallery on my blog -jennymayes.com - for lots of card ideas using the Hobby Art range.  We're pleased to sponsor the Crafty Cardmakers Challenge and look forward to seeing the entries.   

Good luck everyone.  Jenny and all. X

You may have noticed we are not taking our usual two week break between challenges because somebody (okay me) got the dates wrong with our lovely sponsors and it was easier to just move our challenge date to accommodate. So we will be back on 3rd June with our next challenge. 

 Watch until we reach August, when I move it all back again!"

This post might look a bit strange as I was working with two computers at the same time and it kept messing with me. I have not got all my pictures over to the new one yet, but I am doing my best. Luckly for me I was ready in plenty of time with this challenge card and could pick it up from there now when the old PC starts to refusing me access to my own files. LoL Anyway, I hope you give this folding technic a chance and come and play with us. I even tried to keep with the colours that was added as an option. 

Ok, I hope to see you over at CCM and that I get both my shoulder and new computer fixed soon because at the moment they both drives me nuts, not to speak about the bad internet connections, but just a few more months and then it will be gone as well. Yeah!

Love n hugs
Marie

Challenges for this card
Passion for Promarkers - Anything goes 
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything goes
Dream Valley Challenges - Animals
No Matter Which Challenges - Things with Wings

Mid week card

Good morning and happy spring everyone! This day is starting with a two hour crafts meeting at my rehab centre. Rehab centre you ask, well yes. No rehab as trying to stop using drugs or anything like that. It's a rehab center for those of us that has been unemployed for a long time because of our illnesses or people that want to try to get back to a working life again. And for me that would be a dream. I have 7 (!) different diagnosis at this point, but I refuse to give up the idea of working again. God only knows where the doctors find them all. Next time I get one, I will say no thanks, I've got my share already. Do you think that will help? LoL Somewhere there has to be a little job for me as well. On my really bad days I feel like Marie, the walking diagnosis, on the good days I feel it's only words, but it's getting harder and harder to feel that way. As it seems like each time I see a new doctor he or she has to ad something new to my journal. So sick of it, I think I will call them findings in the future so it doesn't feel so dramatic. LoL That was this weeks nagging and now we can move on to the important stuff; the card for today!

I made this card about one and a half month ago for my youngerst son Philip on his 5th birthday. Soccer has become an obsession with both my boys, and Philip has also got lost in the ice hockey world. Were will this end? Anyway, as sports is the main thing in both their lifes sport related images is always welcome around here, and when Veronica over at the Paper Shelter sent me this totally wonderful image, my life was saved. He even comes in two typs of shirts, one striped (just like the one FC Barcelona used to wear) and one plain. You know the Paper Shelter is found in Argentina, and one of the worlds greatest players comes from that country, yepp! Messi it is and tell me a soccer fan that doesn't love him? LoL

However my little player is coloured like the Swedish team captain Zlatan. Also a big favourite around here. The designer papers are from Landstoken if I remember right. As it is for a young boy I have also kept the card fairly simple. I turned the dp around and found a few bigger soccer balls on that side, so some die cutting (the star die used for the border is from Magnolia and perfect for all boys cards) and I got myself a lovely soccer border paired up with some black, white and green card stock. Card candy representing balls in the corner, and a few alpha stickers that says "Happy Birthday" below the image and 5 for his years in the right bottom corner.

And as it is Wednesday it's time for a new challenge over at the Paper Shelter and this time we doing the easiest one. Not really a challenge, more of a linking party. LoL Anything goes for this week my friends. And as we normally get flooded with this challenge theme we will only be leaving one comment each for each entry from the theme. Normally you would get two, but all our "anything goes" challenges the team only has one number each to comment on. With that said, I do hope you come and play with us. We have our normal gift voucher up for grabs worth $30 if you play with our brand, the Paper Shelter products. Playing with another brand gives you the chance of winning three (3) digis of your choice. Not bad is it?

Love n hugs
Marie

Challenges for this card
Allsorts  Challenges - Sports
Crafts and Me challenges - Use a digi
Simply Create too Challenges - Anything goes
Creative Moments - Circles (Hope all my soccer balls are counting as circles)
I love Promarkers - Simple does it (hope it's simple enough)

Technic challenge

Good afternoon every one. Hope you had a wonderful weekend and that you saved up some energy for the week to come. I'm really feeling tired and well not bad, but not good either. Low might be the word I'm looking for here. Oh well, life goes on and hopefully I catch up with it soon. It would be nice to be if not on the same page, at least in the same book. ;)

As there seems to be a little baby boom going on in the family, I had made another baby card using one of the wonderful images from Bildmålarna, Sweden. That is if you can call two babies for a baby boom? The paper pad used is from First Edition; the Sweet Owl pad. Lovely pink and browns in this pad. I don't like the glittered or embossed papers that much as it always seems to be too much of it, but in small pieces I can use them too. Or give them to the kids... isn't that using too? LoL

The image is coloured with distress inks this time and the splatter in the corners is made with a stamp from Stempelglede. Love that set, it's so useful. The technics I have use for my card is embossing (both wet and dry). The middle panel is dry embossed with a heart embossing board, the big butterfly is wet embossed in white. All edges is distressed with walnut stain from T.H. I have used the shrink plastic to make a few heart embellishments and tied them to the scrappers floss I added to the card. Also tied a bow around there as it looked a bit empty. I did also die cut some flowers and added to the mix. The dies used are from Magnolia, and so is the big butterfly. The smaller ones are made with a M.S. punch. A few pearls added to the mix and I was done. I so regret adding the scrapping floss, but as it was stuck, it had to stay. LoL

Anyway, it's time for a new challenge over at the Crafty Card Makers and this period we are having a technic challenge for you all. You have to pick three of the technics from a list choosen by Sharon. Take a look down here for what technics you have to pick from. Or even better check out the Crafty Card Makers challenge blog. For me it was lots of fun to bring out the shrink plastic again after all those years actually. LoL But it was a lot harder to colour on than I remembered. LoL

This is the list and don't forget to tell what technics you have used. It's not easy to see all the lovely details of your creation in the photos from time to time. 

Embossing (dry or wet) 
Distressing 
Masking 
Making your own flowers 
Paper piecing/patchwork 
shrink plastic

Sponsoring us this time is 

Milk Coffee Digital stamps

with five digis of one winners choice

Sir Stampalot

with a wonderful pack of Fran-tage Mica Fragments.

(Check out the challenge blog for more details)

So don't be shy and do come and play with us over at the Crafty Card Makers this period. You have two weeks to enter our challenges and that gives you plenty of time to come up with some lovely creations for us to see. I for sure can't wait to see what you come up with and make to inspire me. After all that's why we love our challenges isn't it? To see what everyone else comes up with and to get challenged from time to time. 

Love n hugs

Marie

Challenges for this card

Make it Monday - Always anything goes

Creative Creations Challenges - For a Child (mine is very young but still a child) 
Cup Cake Craft challenges - Lots of Layers
Eureka Stamp Challenges - Baby or pregnancy card
The Crazy Challenge - Baby card

Happy birthday

Hi there! After tons of pain in my back I have managed to sit up for a while today and be a little creative. Have finished Philips invitations for his very belated birthday party, and then kind got stuck in the birthday theme. Well, not only because of that. The lovely people over at PFP has birthdays as their theme this week as well, and I wanted to join them once again. Even if I don't manage to play there each week, it's still my favourite challenge blog and has been since I started this journey.

So a Lili of the Valley image is the main focus of this card together with a sentiment stamp from Bildmålarna, Sweden. Love that one even if it plays with me each time, it always seem to get wryly. Me or the stamp? LoL The little doll, well fair is coloured with my Letraset family and some glossy accent and diamond dust on her wings.

Papers use is from an old Prima Pad called Sweet Fairy. Flowers are from WOC. The butterflies is made with a Martha Stewart punch. Pearls are from Bunny Zoe and the hearts are from Prima as well. The swirly stuff and "dotty mess" in the corners are from Stempelglade. A doily is also hiding under the flower decoration. A tiny bit of frosted lace and Chrystal stickles is also used on the butterflies and flowers.

Ok, my friends. It's time to finish off the invitations for the party and get them out to his friends. And maybe, just maybe I manage to get some ironing done as well. But the weather is lovely even if the wind is cold and I might sit on the patio for a while instead. We are lucky enough to have the sun on there from early morning to late night.

Love n hugs
Marie

Challenges for this card
Passion for Promarkers - Happy Birthday (with sentiment)
Paper Take Weekly - Anything goes (second entry)
Wild Orchid Craft Challenges - More than three different flowers

A new one, not that old

Hope you're having a great weekend. We are doing a long weekend here in Sweden and today I have been able to relax a bit as I managed to take control over my Bronto phobia. Sounds dodgy doesn't it? It means unnatural fear of thunder storms. I think this is the only diagnosis I am happy about. LoL Not being so scared as I am but the fact that my former psychologist took the time to find a name for what I am suffering from made it a big thing. She wasn't the first psychologist that I went to, to get some help, but she was the only one interested enough to find out more about it. It actually made me feel normal. LoL

The bad thing about is phobia is that it really doesn't even have to be a thunder storm going on to trigger it all. Just the thought about it, can make it pop and so it did the last two days. Just the threat of a thunder storm coming this way, made me paralyzed for about two days. It's so annoying waisting two whole days on something that never happened. But even with relaxing exercises and breathing exercises, I wasn't able to stop the reactions in my body this time. Crap! LoL  On the other hand, it passed on both side of my little part of the world so I was just lucky this time, maybe? :)

In April my olderst, Willy managed to go to at least one party each weekend. I wonder if that was planned from all his friends? I made a whole bunch of birthday cards and I have not shown them here yet. I have actually lost a few of the photos, but at least I can show one of them here for now. Saving the others.

The image is from Teddy Bo & Bea, isn't it a real cutie? I have shown another card earlier with this image when I was on the Bearly Mine team. I had not tried them before that but actually fell in love with them, and got myself a few more of them. So now you know, I am no longer a part of the BMC team as it was time to go our separat ways. I still miss it and had a really lovely few years on that team, but now on the other hand I might find another team that I can join when I feel a bit better in my joints and my feelings isn't that hurt. I might tell you about it another time, but for now we leave it like this. :)

The little cutie is coloured with my Letraset family and some Prisma pencils. I have used another bear for the designer papers. It's from the Me to you range, Spring Chic. A fabby pack of pastel / spring coloured designer papers. And they where on sale over at the Glitter pot. LoL As this card was for a 7 year old that I really don't know at all, I stayed out of embellishments, except a few pearls. After all I had to make 5 birthday cards for that weekend. Three for Willy's class mates and two for my nieces. All of that has finally settle and now it's not that many birthdays as it seems. Doing happy dance about that, I can make what ever cards I feel like. LoL

Ahh, good to get some of all this out. If you managed to read all of this, I am impressed. LoL I can never write short I'm affraid. :) A letter writer by heart and soul. LoL

Love n hugs

Marie

Challenges for this card

Paper take Weekly - Anything goes

Make it Monday - Always anything goes

Crafty Catz Challenges - Anything goes

An oldie but a goodie?

Hello and happy Saturday to you! Hope you have a sunshiny day where ever you are. Have spent my day so far working out at the gym and then replanted all of my geraniums that I was seeding about a month ago. They have grown fine at least the fresh seeds, and then there was a ton, well about 30 cuttings that needed to be replanted. I am a bit late with my flowers, but it was so cold earlier. I am probably going to have a blooming fall this year, hope it stays warm. LoL

I have a few old cards and then I mean old. The one I was going to show now is from last summer. But it fits my mood today. Doing the replanting made me think about my granny and granddad so it was a few relaxing hours spent with the flowers. We had my grannys funeral two days ago, and it was nice to have that done. It even felt good sitting in the chapel listening to the priest. It was a nice moment actually and it feels good to know that she has come to rest. She was on her 99th year, so she deserves her rest.

The priest even gave her a new hobby. Suddenly she was a master "knitter", "crocheter" and "embroiderer".  Let me tell you that I have never seen my granny with a ball of yarn, so I looked like a question mark just like the rest of my cousins and brothers wondering what we have missed. She did sew from time to time as I still have doll's clothing and sheets she made for my dolls, but the rest, she only did when she was young. Her hobby was playing cards, on the lotto and the soccer leauge. Not knitting! I was about to burst out in laught when he told that but manage to keep calm in time.

Ok, I have my old card to show as well. It's made with a few stamps bought from Joanna Sheen as is very simple and calm. That's why I choose to show it today. It's coloured with my distress inks. And I have just used some ribbon for decoration here. It was to my dad on his birthday last year and I never got around to show it here for some reason. Also water to me is very relaxing and pieceful.

Anyway, have a wonderful weekend and relax enjoy life and get some sun! :)

Love n hugs
Marie

Music time

Morning everyone and happy May to you all! Hope you are doing fine and having a good day so far. Well, mine has just started, but I think I will do a restart on it and go and rest for a bit. It was a late night the other one with tons of pain and really lots of thoughts running around in my head. At least I had my "crafting cat" with me. It's he who normaly walks right into the paints and glitter and make me start all over or drown my creations in more flowers and glitter.

Today however have left the glitter out of the card and worked with some crackle paint instead on the cello. Had a friend in school who played that instrument with such a joy. And her cello was old and a bit cracked in the varnish. I always found that beautiful for some reson. It look like it had character and had lived a life of it's own. So the image used for this weeks challenge over at the Paper Shelter is called Cecilia and is a real classy one in my mind. The image reminds me of my friend.

Will try to retake the photo later. 

Having a really sunny start of the day and it got a little bright, and yes I was running late with this card, even if I started it weeks ago. LoL

I have paired the image up with some designer papers from Glitz called "Hello Friend". I loved the soft colours in this pad, but being me I couldn't help making them a bit more dramatic by using a dark coral coloured card stock together with pink. And even if my photo doesn't show it, they actually match really well. I have used a bunch of flowers from Kort och godt together with a mix of flowers from WOC and I am roses as well. Some Prima swirls, pearls, lace, charms, glas leafs from Magnolia and a feather from stash complete the whole creation.

The prize up for grabs this week is a gift voucher worth $30 if you play with a TPS image and three (3) digis of your choice if you play with another brand.

I hope that you will come and join us in our new challenge which is set to "Music Maestro" this week. We want to see some music on your card. A musical image would be great but we settle for designer papers and embellishments as well. We are not that picky but if your creation doesn't follow our theme it will not be put into the draw for the chance of winning our lovely prize.

And something else that really doesn't have anything to do with my creation today. I just want to say thank you one more time to all of those that left my kid Willy a comment on his card the other day. He was thrilled and embaressed at the same time as he doesn't like being in focus. When he made the card he said I want to try to win something, and then he is so lucky that he does just that. Got picked as the winner over at High Hopes that also offered him a guest designer spot. My heart is warmed, thank you to all of you.

Love n hugs
Marie

Challenges for this card
Papertake Weekly - Sketch time (Have used the new sketch, but turned it upside down)
Crafts and me - Floral Frenzy
Digistamps4joy - For a special lady / mothers day (This card is for my cousin on her upcoming birthday)
The sisterhood of crafters - Anything goes
Digital Tuesday Challenges - Distressing (all the edges done with distress ink walnut stain)
Everybody art challenges - Pearls
Party Time Tuesdays - Anything goes