Thank Fairy it's Friday!

It's been a long week what with one thing and another. Forum swaps, wasps, birthdays, wasps, ATC's to post, and wasps ... but more about them later. As promised... here's the Fairy Castle, I printed from the CD-Rom free with Complete Cardmaking Magazine with your PC There's two castles, this one you can print straight onto card and cut round it or as you can see in the other picture (I printed it on to glossy photo paper) you can fix it straight onto a blank card, which I did, using 3D foam pads. The wording is from another decoupage sheet of a slightly smaller castle. (also on the CD) You can just see the insert that has a tiny fairy castle printed on it too. It's quite cute, isn't ? What little princess wouldn't love this card! I guess it looks as if a three year old stuck the stars on but I got carried away with the PVA glue! I don't use PVA glue that often. It sort of curls the card, have you noticed that? I think a Jolly Nation Princess would go with this, don't you. Well, that's the girls sorted, how about a Space Rocket for the boys tomorrow?
That's it! Sort and sweet today. (you're going?) Yep, that's it. (really? You're actually going. You're not going to tell them how your dad came round first thing this morning with his smoke gun?) nah...save that for tomorrow!
Can you hear voices?? Must be the fairies...

Cute and Square Christmas Card

I know, I know...this isn't a Fairy Castle! It's a Christmas card. Honestly, the Fairy Castle will appear here very soon...at least by next Tuesday... I just found this card and thought it fitted in with a challenge over on Fab's Big Christmas Cards Challenge. (try saying that fast tens times) All the card has to be is cute, square, and a Christmas Card, and I think this one ticks all the boxes. Penny Black images, Whispers pens to colour, Stickles Glitter glue, Pink Petticoat papers covering a dark blue blank card and a peel-off sticker. (I drew in the musical notes.)
Sorry about the picture quality but it was taken before 'Blogworld' and I wasn't too bothered about what was going on behind! At least it's only a couple of pepper pots...and not the washing! (Or John...in his underwear...)

Lisa's Lovely Lolly

I've been really lucky this week with loads of crafty goodies coming through the post and not just crafty magazines where it's September already!! but lovely forum swaps with added surprises from little trinkets and papers to pages of Mr Men! (I'm a fan!! Thank you 'J'!! Who wears a Purple Hat! You know who you are!) And!!! Some lovely candy, or should I say lolly, which I won over on Lisa's lovely blog. Thank you!! And now for....The Fairy Castle that I promised the other day....ummm not quite finished...back later!

A Little Bit of Beatrix Potter: ATC's

Sorry, I haven't finished the 'Fairy Castle' but I have made these ATC's for a Quirky forum swap. The theme was animals and I remembered that (squeaking madly) bag of Beatrix Potter toppers I had a few weeks ago (free with a crafty magazine) still unopened and thought, ah! I'll use those. The only trouble was, I didn't have anything for the background, so I quickly drew my own and came up with a background that continued through both ATC's.
I wasn't sure about them at first, but I think they're okay, they've kinda grown on me now. There's a bit of 3D-ing going on. I coloured the background with my NEW ProMarkers (whoohoo!) but then, scanned the finished drawing through my computer and printed it out. Why? (mainly because I'd only drawn it on paper (Tesco Finest) and the Promakers had bled through it a little. I then did a bit more touching up with the colour and added a dragonfly and a couple of butterflies. I hope who ever gets my swap likes them...or maybe they're looking at them right now and thinking,
'Oh no, I hope I don't get those!'

***

Back tomorrow with pictures of my lovely pressies from Lisa over on Allissa's Designs. Pop over and say hi and if you join her merry band of followers, you might be in with a chance to win some lovely pressies too!

CD-ROM Papers

I don't usually buy 'Complete Cardmaking with your PC' magazine as it's a little more that I usually pay and quite a lot 'thinner' than other Crafty mags and I was thinking, 'hmmm, I could buy something crafty instead.' But there was something pink and shiny on the front cover, so I succumbed and bought it. It came with a free CD-Rom which appears to be packed with loads of digital elements to download and print again and again.

I Googled the mag, part of the Crafts-on-the-Net- group and was very surprised to see, what looked like, the same mag with CD-Rom advertised on their own website for quite a lot more! (and it had sold out!) *Since typing this the price has been changed
Check out the link, there's a forum (I'm there somewhere) and a gallery with plenty of lovely makes to give you ideas and, if you hunt them out, freebies!
I've looked at the pictures in the mag, but I still need time to study the words! There's two Crafters Companion designs sets from their Boys and Girls (Space rocket and pretty pink Castle) collections to print out with toppers, backing papers, inserts and other elements. So now I'm beginning to think this buy was a very good bargain! I made this card really quickly for a forum birthday, as I was waaay behind with my makes again. I used the paper from the 'Summer Fun' collection, which also includes letters and numbers and there's 'Cherry Pie', that also has lovely bright colours...
Okay...are you paying attention? Who can spot my (deliberate) mistake?
Before I go I'd like to welcome two new followers to Spyder's little dusty Corner! Yayyy!! (actually if you could see, it's really Spyder's very messy, paper up to my ears, I can't find the cat, corner. Anywaaaay, a big (((wave)) first to Johanna of Johanna's Creative Garden. Johanna makes lovely cakes, uses her cross-stitch-to decorate her cards and also her avatar, called The Kiss, was cleverly made by her too! (I'm rubbish at sewing!)
"Hi!" and a big (((wave)) to Kirsten from Kirsten's Krafty Place, which most of you must know as she has a trillion followers and is busy doing all sorts of crafty things everywhere! Pop over to see her lovely blog, don't forget to wish her a Happy Birthday and see what lovely blog candy she has for some lucky winner! That is it for now...I'm going to play with the 'post time thingy, and set this Post to appear round about 8.30 tomorrow morning. I've only just found out you can do that! With any luck this will magically appear while I'm on my way to work! More ATC's tomorrow.... that's if the Aliens don't come back, and maybe a card using something else from the CD-Rom. The fairy Castle perhaps!?!
Oh, did you spot the mistake???? Haha...No! I'm not telling!!

The Wasp's Nest

I was feeling quite good today. The aliens hadn't landed, the rain had stopped, the fish were behaving and just a little wind blew the beans about a bit, so I thought, (which is always a bad sign) I'd get out in the garden and cut the beech hedge. It was looking like it needed a hair cut. First I jammed the lead for the electric hedge cutters in the front door, coursing the glass to crack. This should have been a warning! But no, off I went with the hedge cutter (armed like something out of the chainsaw massacre) and attacked the hedge with the zest of a happy hare, cutting it like a knife through butter. Frog the cat came out to help. And then it happened. "OW!" yelled me, and dropped the hedge cutters. Suddenly I was surrounded by two dozen very angry wasps! Frog the cat ran away . Luckily I was only stung once, as I retreaded waving my arms and yelling,
"Agh! Go away!!" The wasps returned to their newly built home. One stayed on guard and any attempt by me to finish cutting the hedge was met by a dozen yellow striped guards waving their stingers at me! So...of course I just had to take a picture!

Five Blog Awards!

Sorry I'm so late with these blog Awards, I've not feeling myself...and I'm beginning to wonder who it is I am feeling. Have you ever got up in the morning, looked down at your feet and wondered, '"Who's are those, they're not mine!" No I wasn't wearing my Winnie the Pooh slippers, but enough of that! Blog Awards!!
I've been Awarded these five Awards earlier this month from four lovely bloggers. Josefa Laura from Mi Sello Personal, Queenie from Queenies, Liz over on Lace Ribbons & Bows and Sylvia. Thank you so much for thinking of me!
Here's just a few lovely blogs I'd love to pass them on to (more to follow.)
Sylvia For her kind words and support!
Josefa Laura, pop over and see these amazing hand drawn cards!
Kaza For giving me my very first Award!
Liz for her ATC blog
Gez always amazing things going on!
Rita More lovely makes. I love the Gift Card holder!
jacqui who has fantastic goings on over on ber lovely blog
Deanne and Cazzy for putting up with my mistakes on the Quirky Forum and for their lovely makes! (I can never find anything!)
Ju for a little bit of Cornish Mist and some lovely cards
Riet for an amazing blog and her many comments!
Shirley, nannieflash for an amazing variety of lovely makes
Lorraine for all her brilliant makes and inspiration!
Saskia Gorgeous crafty makes, and not just cards.
Patti truly amazing works of art
Chris from twinklesglow-glowbug. Some truly lovely cards.
Rose. Because I love all her wooly things!
Mel who I can't find at the moment...Found you!! Love the bunny in the watering can, so cute!
Ellie over on Love*Laugh* Love, Lovely cards and a snowman freebie!
Tracy over on magical-kardz and doubling up as victorianangels! At last I've found a link! Lovely blog!
Charlotte (who hates spiders!) but has an amazing blog full of lovely things!
Priscilla, for all your hard work!
Tinker&Co for all their lovely freebies and also lovely shop too!
Please pop over and see all these lovely blogs.More will be added as soon as I can find their links.
You may (or may not!) take any one of the above Awards, place it on your side bar with a link back to me and pass it on to ten blogs of your choice. Thanks for popping by...back later with a few more, when I've found their links... and, with any luck, a card!

Birthday Candy Over on Tinker & Co!!

All you have to do to win some lovely Candy is to pop over to Tinker & Co (have you downloaded the freebies yet?) and link this lovely Candy to your blog! Those who become followers will get TWO entries into the draw as a special thank you for keeping your eyes on Tinker & Co! Click the link below, to take you there! ....race you!!

clipped from tinkernco.blogspot.com you will receive: 1 8x8" chipboard 6 page album with three rings 1 6x6" chipboard 6 page album with two rings 2 metal butterflies in green oodles and oodles of ribbon in varying patterns, widths and lengths, in pink, orange, shades of green, lemon and white 1 A6 sheet of our build a flower stamps, beautiful stamps very versatile 1 2x2" tinker Die, of our logo birdy. Die is the same thickness and tolerance to that of quickutz 10 C6 cards petaloo pink and red flowers 10 a6 pattern matts 1 cd tin for altering housing our logo chipboard birdies packet of velvet flowers, in pink, green, white and honeydew melon packet of patterned chipboard flowers selection of plain chipboard flowers and 1 cd containing our soufle range of papers and alphasets. Winner will be announced on the 1st September, so get posting your links.

Art Freebies: A right old mix

Art Freebies: A right old mix
Blog Candy Alert!
Pop over to Art Freebies and say Hi to June. She has a fantastic new layout on her wonderful blog and loads of amazing art freebies!!
Check out all her wonderful makes and while you're oogling at Junes lovely works of art, check out her fantastic Blog Candy too!
Don't forget to say hi and leave a comment and to let her know what you do with those freebie downloads!
Back Later with Blog Awards!...But now it's time for a cup of frothy coffee and a chocolate bisqwit or maybe a Kitkat!

Tinker Brown, Penny Black Shaker

In between chasing my fish and taking their pictures (they smiled...see below!!) I've been blog hopping. Have you been over to Tinker and Co yet? This is what I made with the lovely Freebie Papers. Aren't they great! They're called Vintage Dad, but I think they could be used for anyone or anything. Of course, I had to make another shaker card. Don't forget there's a tutorial at the bottom of the blog for those of you who think it's too fiddly. No it's not! It's easy! I teamed the papers up with a couple of Penny Black Stickeroos, some brads, a flower made with three, no four Woodaware punches and some lovely spotty brown ribbon from my stash. I also did some swirls with a glue pen and added some gold glitter. The Happy Birthday is a clear stamp from Papermania. I've added some tiny stars to the beads... wish I'd put more in now, but they kept rolling about! Now, as I said before, I've been blog hopping...and found two challenges one over on Saturday Challenge to include spots and stripes! Fancy that! And the other on Creative Card Crew for Pokadots. So I think I might enter this card into their challenges. Yes? Okay! The inside? oh yes...I made that with the odd bits left over and did a bit of doodling to make the squares look like pressies, then scanned the finished page, saved it to my computer so, when I'm in a hurry and in need of a brown insert to a card, I'll have one already made. Now then, this is between you and me...looking into my Crystal ball I can see into the future and sometime in August I will find another challenge blog for this card! The Challenge will to be to make a brown card for Dad and have some metal on it somewhere. Well...I thought (or will think) this is most definitely brown and those brads are metal and the papers are called Vintage Dad and I will be giving this card to my dad when it's his birthday, so, if you're reading this now wait til August and then pop over to Bizzy Becs Creatalicious Challenges and join in! You've been forewarned so you'll have plenty of time to make a card!!
If you have scrolled down today, you'll find a 'Clip it' from Sylvia's blog, she's been playing with shrink plastic don't forget these 'clip its' are from other people's blogs (It's alright, I asked first!) and if you're feeling very energetic, and scroll a bit further down you'll see I've been awarded two Awards from the lovely Josefa Laura. Please pop over and see her lovely blog!
I was hoping I'd have time tonight to give out some Awards, but Fire Fox or was it Blogger (!?!) has already crashed once tonight, so I won't tempt fate! Be back tomorrow with the Awards! Right...I'm off to Saturday Challenge first! Thank you for stopping by!

Tinker & Co: Vintage Dad Freebie

Tinker & Co: Vintage Dad Freebie

Tinker & Co have done it again, they come up with some lovely freebie papers(**this link is now closed) and ribbons in creams and browns for us to make something fantastic! Click on the link to take you straight to The Tinker blog to find the ribbons, scroll down to 'older posts' to find the papers. Don't forget to leave a comment and later go show them your makes!!

My Shaker Card is coming up next!!

Fishy Fish!

Okay. The fish are at it again!! I guess it's our fault because over the weekend we had to cut down, or more like chop down, the iris's and long grass, which grow around our small pond as the wind had flatten it so badly we couldn't see the pond at all. To the four fish, three frogs and seventeen newts, who live in the pond, it must have been the equivalent of having a small forest come crashing in through your living room ceiling!! So now, only the water lilly is left, meaning....the fish are feeling frisky again. I've had to put a garden rake down at the shallow end, (their favourite end) to stop them actually leaping out! They are quite clever but watching a fish wiggle and splash about in little or no water,, across the rocks until it reaches and falls a short way into the 'ditch', just gives me goosebumps!! And finding them in the 'ditch' which leads to the well, (a dustbin in a hole in the ground where the pump is kept) gives me the hebbie-jeebies too! But, as I have said before, they have this knack of getting my attention when they are in trouble. Anyway, meet The One That was Black, she's the one calling for 'Help!' The One That was Orange, now Pink, he's the one chasing her. The One That Doesn't (bought with The One That Jumps, who we no longer have) and the little one, The One with the Tail (because it's tail is long and pretty) After the excitement of the frolicking fish, this beautiful electric blue damsel dragonfly appeared.

Back later with a card and a link to some Freebie Papers!

Sylvia's Peacoock Lady

Isn't this fantastic! I found it over on Sylvia's lovely blog Poppy's Paper Craftpatch and asked if she'd mind me 'clipping it' to show you all. After my poor attempt at shrink plastic last week I thought you'd like to see how it should be done!
This is what Sylvia wrote explaining how she made a simple piece of plastic into a lovely topper for her card....

clipped from sylvia-anne-poppyspapercraftpatch.blogspot.com Thought I would share this little bit of Fantasy with you , which I made today using shrink plastic, just for a change. It's a bit fiddly to work with, but great fun when it starts to curl, at which point I usually come out in a hot sweat (or maybe that's just my age). I love this Elusive Images Peacock Lady stamp from Glenda Waterworth, and have set it onto a very simple background so as not to detract from the image. (To be honest, I just couldn't find anything in my stash which looked "right")! Parts of the headdress were coloured with Sakura Gelly Roll pens. The piece was edged with gold Krylon then finished off with a coating of Diamond Glaze and a light sprinkling of Glamour Dust whilst wet. The turquoise Bazzill card was wrapped with gold thread, and two tiny beads were added, also on gold thread. Thanks for popping by - Hugs, Sylvia xxxx

Lovely Awards from Josefa Laura

I consider it a great honour to be given not one but two lovely Awards by Josefa Laura Fernandez, and if you pop over to her wonderful blog Mi Sello Personal, you'll see why!
Every card is hand drawn and painted and magically brought to life by Josefa Laura, creating scene after scene of adventures in her life and her family and friends. Every card is a mini look into a theatrical world with little paper people acting out every day to day life!
Living in Queretaro, Mexico she has an unique way of bringing life to paper, paint and card. Her lovely cards are truly amazing and very different!! Thank you Josefa Laura, I will place these Awards on my side bar with a link back to you!
Now go over to Mi Sello Personal right now and get inspired!

A Pink Petticoat Papertake Challenge

Just had to have a go at this, I only found it an hour ago! (Even though I did have an email a couple of days back...I forgot!) Not a brilliant picture seeing it's midnight! It's for a challenge over on PaperTake Weekly Challenge. So I might be too late... I followed a sketch and at first I thought you had to use Pink Petticoat papers, but after having a shifty at some of the other lovely cards, it seems you don't have to. Anyway...I used Pink Petticoat papers and the little bird image is Pink Petticoat too. The sentiment was typed on my laptop. I used Nestabilites, a Woodware punch and a cuttle bug die-cut run through my BigShot for the shapes and Ribbon from my stash. I really want to add something else ... not sure what though. Mock stitching? Maybe. I'll post a better picture tomorrow when the sun comes up and include the inside too...
(And as if by Magic!!... more pictures appear... much better!)
Wow, is this the shortest post ever??? No... (of course not!) Just noticed we have a new follower!! "Yahoo!!" Hiding out the back with no picture is 'watchthisspace.' A big ((wave)) "Hi!" and a warm welcome to 'watchthisspace'!!
I'm so glad blogger has decided to use yellow writing on the follower box again, for a while it was black, did anyone notice? Really hard to see when your background's black too! As soon as I can find a link to you 'watch-this-space' I'll pop over and say hi and put a link here too, so we can all nip over and see your blog! Okay, that's it, past my bed time!! Catch you all later. Thank you for stopping by. Night night!

A Quirky Funky Tilda

A Quirky Funky Tilda...Get it?! No? Well, I thought it was a good title. Made me grin. Then most things do. Sandals with socks. Small wigs on big heads , and false teeth worn upside down... long story...

Quirky because it's for a challenge over on the Quirky Forum. Funky, because all the papers are freebie downloads from The Funky Fairys and Tilda... because there's a hedgehog on the front. Just kidding! (Double checking you are actually reading this!) There was a sketch to follow... which I followed, until it gave me the slip down a very dark alleyway and I wavered a little with the added flowers. For the insert (which I've left blank for the moment) Tilda was made a little smaller on the computer, then added to the finished page, which was scanned and saved so it can be used again. The insert inside this card though, is the original.
I used ten (!) Woodware punches on this card. (If you count the one on the back you can't see) I've just treated myself to one of their new ones. It's called 'Huge'. Here's a picture of it. I had to put the others in too, otherwise they'd get jealous and jam next time I use them...
I also did a bit of cheating... I cut the middle out of the first piece of backing paper. There is a name for this, but I can't remember what it is at the moment. Well, you're not going to see that there's a great lump missing out of the middle as it's covered with two other layers. I used the bit I cut out to make the flowers.
While I've been blog hopping I found another challenge, which has used this same sketch, but for the life of me I can't remember who or where it was... so, pop back later to see if I've found it, or, better still, maybe you know where and who!

I found it...Pink Elephant....last month! Bit late for that one, but they have a good one going on this week for Dustin Pike fans...
AND thank you to Cheryl!! The act of cutting out the middle of your backing paper (so you can use it on other things) is called gutting!!