Thursday 31 March 2011

BIG SURPRIZE



Yours
kitten xx

Do You Stack Up? #13 Clear, light pink and mauve

Do You Stack Up? challenges are getting a great following - thanks to you all for joining in with us every week.  We try to make it fun and there are some amazing prizes from some of the best digi designers around.

This week is a real hunny too

This week we have prizes from Blackleaf Studios - the Lantern set some of us have used(which is so pretty)
Digis With Attitude - are giving 10 Canadian Dollars to spend in their shop

Stitchy Bears Stamps - who also have a gift voucher up for grabs



The image I have used is Egg Hunt from Stitchy

This site is great - it is a whole collection of artists, each with their own different style and ideas - so you get a huge choice of designs all in one place.

You know me - not much of a pastels person really - I had to force myself not to add the brights.  Loads of layers cut with nesties and fanned out over the background.  The tiny stars are the packets of sequins that you can get to sprinkle on tables and put in parcels.
I bet you are wondering - "where is the clear - she's missed it"!

Not at all - Granny has been cut out completely and is glued to an acetate strip that is hinged on the right side of the card.  It is such fun - she waves about in the breeze.


Love it!
your kitten xx

Wednesday 30 March 2011

Blog prize

Hay I got tagged - how cool is that?!

Erica ( http://ericamartyn.blogspot.com/  ) tagged me - so I have to share (hope I get this right)

3 names I am known by - pandy (yeah obvious that one) - kitten (to my on line friends - princess if we are not on first name terms) - Darling (from my lovely mad old goat)

3 places I have lived - there have been loads - but - Winchester (as a kiddie) - Brighton (as a mad person) - The Lake District Kendal (now - and I just love)

3 places I have worked - Southampton (for the buzz) - Eastliegh (for the memories) - Grange (for the sunshine)

3 things I watch - NCIS (adore Abbey) - Chanel 4 news (they explain things) - Jeremy Kyle (are those folk really real!!!)

3 things I love to eat - Smoked  Salmon - pate on toast - salad (yes - truly - any kind)

now I have to pass it on to 3 people
http://personalisedweddingguestbooks.blogspot.com/
http://www.densinkyfingers.blogspot.com/
http://spyder-spyderscorner.blogspot.com/
I hope I got all the right - better tell them then!

Yours
kitten xx

WOYWW

You have been lulled in to a false sense of tidiness and order on my desk these past few weeks.  Neat and orderly is not how kitten's world operates

- this is more normal
and I haven't even got out today's projects yet.  It does not matter how hard I try to 'work neat' and 'finish and tidy' - it in't gonna happen.
 
so what's on my work desk? - half finished accounts - yesterdays card - new net book to set up - some of the summer themed stuff I am using in my Summer Tags project - some stamps that I got free with a mag last week - a paper pad I bought the other day - the cup of tea is fresh though ;-)


Yours
kitten xx

Tuesday 29 March 2011

new cards

It has been a funny old day today.  I actually won something in a blog hop - and I was just so thrilled.  Then they said I couldn't have it because I live in the UK - even though I was more than willing to pay the postage.  They said it was in the terms and conditions - never thought about it - I am used to blogs being worldwide these days - especially if it's a big company.  Can't tell you how disappointed I am.

Still never mind - onwards and upwards - I treated myself to a magazine.  I don't often buy one - just to pricey for me (you can get loads of paper for the same cost) - but I like this one best (Card Making and Papercraft),  there was a really pretty spring stamp set for free.on the front and some paper flowers to make inside which are really smart.

Not tried the flowers yet - but I did make a set of really pretty little spring note cards with the pretty little animal stamps
These cards are only A7 size - so really dinky and not much space for shading and blending - but they are darling.
The papers are the new DoCraft Pampered Pets - it is fabulous backing paper.  Subtle pastel shades in flowers, leaves and brocade patterns which sink into the background and let the over patterns/papers really stand out

Yours
kitten xx

Copics

I really do understand that althoug I love my Copics I will never get tot he top of the tree



Unbelieveable copic work in greays from Heather Gordy - look and drool girls - look and drool

Yours
kitten xx

Sunday 27 March 2011

Stretch N Bubble - summer tags

I had such a super little day yesterday - just buzzing about getting stuff done - it got too late for me to post.  So here is yesterdays post as a quickie before I use up todays bounec

Summer tag #2
This background is a new embossing folder - just could not resist the little ships.  There are several companies making embossing folders now not just cuttlebug etc, and there are some really super ones about (and much cheaper - I do think Cuttle bug had shot themselves in the foot only doing sets of 4).

The sandcastle is Stretch N Bubbles - HERE - made quite small and coloured with copics, then sprayes with Adirondac spray wash (I see they have just relaunched those - I have the original ones - lovely and messy).  I cut out and layered the front bit with the 2 towers for a bit of dimension .

Right I am off ro sweep a bit in the garden - have a great day all
.

Yours
kitten xx

Friday 25 March 2011

Hubby's work

I have been working on a commission all day - so will show you that later.
In the mean time - have I shown you the Christmas card hubby did for me?

How cool is that?
Looks soooo like me
He did it in about 15 minutes
Don't you just hate him!!!!

Yours
kitten xx

Stretch N Bubbles

Alison is back - so are the $1 digis!!!

Today - this darling little fishy

Yours
kitten xx

Thursday 24 March 2011

Do You Stack Up? #12 SHINE ON

Hello everyone :-)
Wohoo, here we are again, ladies! Thanks for all the rockin entries for our challenge #11 "Add a bow", you really blow our minds! And HELLO to all the new players and faces here at DYSU Challenge blog! Please make sure to read our rules carefully as only those entries will be available for winner/ top 3/ guest design that fit the requirements. If you have any questions left, do not hesitate to contact us before entering the challenge. Soo, what comes up next?! Challenge theme?! Oh yes, you´re right!!! Here we go:



This week our sponcers are the Digi Doodle Shop - who are donating lovely prizes


And Heather Ellis's Digi Stamp Characters - who are donating more goodies

The image I have used is from Heather Ellis - and adding the Bling is my faverate thing.  I made the seahorses several different sizes so that they would look like a family.  The card stock is cut from Bazzil Basics - dotted Swiss - in a dark blue,  I embossed the edge of the card with a dot border and a swirly border.  The 'seaweed' is made by running a tinck line of pva and covering with glitters.  The blue is a beadazzles and the gold is quite a thivk chunky glitter.  There is glitter on the dot and swirl raised  borders and gems too.

oh and the seahorses have gold tummies - that enough 'shine' for you :-)
kitten xx

Wednesday 23 March 2011

Art Project

Last year I did The Stations of the cross - following Tim Holtz Christmas tags project (which you can see here).  This year I am doing The 12 Tags of Summer based on his 2010 set of Christmas tags.

Here is the first one

- The background is a mixture of inks with clear pearl embossed clouds

- The house is based on the Cuttlebug Halloween one. Embossed with the branches folder first - painted - sanded - then the house - cut out - inked over.  I think I did it 4 times until I had a colour I liked.

- I thought that fiber looked a bit like bunting.  The picket fence is a die - and stands out a bit

I need a project to get my teeth in to - and I love getting my inks out and learning new things.

The original 2010 tags are HERE - so have a look and copy along


Yours
kitten xx

Tuesday 22 March 2011

Stretch N Bubbles

This little shoe is from Stretch N Bubbles - HERE


All I did was to outline the shoe in gold metalic.  I coloured the fluff - punched a few holes - and threaded fluffy fibre through them.  You can't see the detail - but all the papers are edged in gold metalic and the image and text are matted with mirror gold.  The tiny spots are gold pearl drops

I wanted to keep the fluffy look - and I think it looks really cute
Challenges
Bunny Zoe - loads of pearls - pearl drops by the ton!
Craft Your Days Away - for a special lady
Crafty Creations - Mother's Day
My Time too Craft - Ladys day


Yours
kitten xx

Monday 21 March 2011

DAY OFF

Monday is kitten's day off - just poping in to share this

Mo Manning has an image for $1 to raise money for Japan
 
here is the link  -  WHAT'S COOKING?
 
Now go and get one!



Yours
kitten xx

Sunday 20 March 2011

New card

Something really, really silly today.

I love words and text - letter forms just fascinate me - guess that's why I keep returning to my calligraphy

I found this - rm - 'wording'?? and scribed it up.

It's a poem

-

-

in Klingon.

It is a list of actually pretty words like Beauty - grace - Seduction -Charm - something I really don't think of about Klingons.  They are from Star Treck in case you don't know - the bad tempered ones with the horny faces!

I just thought it was a bit fun and silly

Yours
kitten xx

Saturday 19 March 2011

Stretch N Bubbles

Hurry - Allison is back and I have some new images to play with.

So I have this darling Ark

in the shop HERE




And another trick with your digis - you can change the colour of the lines.  If you use a publishing program you will find a button called 'recolour image' - click on it and choose the colour you want the lines, and match them to your paper.

This has brown lines
And this has blue
It is a wonderful quick and easy way to change the look

Yours
kitten xx

Friday 18 March 2011

Blog Award

wow - wow - wow - I got a blog award - how cool is that?

Pauline gave me this award - thank you so much huni

The story goes that this blog award has the purpose of bringing to light bloggers who are creative, make wonderful creations, but have less than 300 followers. And the rules ask that you

1. Thank the person who sent you this blog.
 
2. List 7 things about yourself .
 
3. Send this to 15 bloggers.

soooooo
1 - check

2 - 7 things about me.
  1. My dogs rule - OK!  We are a real pack house - they boss my hubby about something wicked - and yes they share the bed
  2. I have Fibromyalgia, CFS, ME - and really struggle through the day - hence crafting is my sanity - I try to make something every day
  3. I started my love of calligraphy in the 1990s when pub chalk boards were all the rage - I have a portfolio of pictures taken of chalk board work I did then
  4. I love to cook - use to do all my own baking and preserving - and still cook most meals from scratch
  5. And I love my garden - it's huge - and my summer house is my hiding-hole -
  6. We live in the Lake District in the UK - just drop dead gorgeous!!!
  7.  I am sooo spoilt - my hubby is an artist to and MAKES me buy craft stuff
3 - pass it on - that's hard!!  Stretched the remit to include blogs other than cards/papers

Colleen - Such an inspiration
Spyder - Just love the way she thinks!
Delicious - not sure if it is suposed to be yummie - but it is
Julie - simple and elegant - stuff I can't do!
Jessica - great ideas
Scrappy - loads of variety
gunvor - again - loads of interisting ideas
Helen - such pretty work
Dot - something totally different
Lilli - Hey - we are so worth it!
Stampin sisters - A huge range of beautiful work - and beautiful words
Julia - Love the WOYWW - but all the other stuff too

That's all I can do - my other fave blogs come in at over 300 followers - and that's not allowed
Paul
Sweetpea
Suzanne

phew - did I make it!!!

 

Yours
kitten xx

Stretch N Bubbles

It's Friday - and Alison is back after a horendous couple of months - - and





Yours
kitten xx

Thursday 17 March 2011

Do You Stack Up? #11 ADD A BOW

How time flies! Our layers challenge is already at an end and again we had an awesome amount of entries, you guys rock! Thanks for all your lovely comments you leave us each week here and on facebook, we really appreciate it! And as you might have noticed we also love teasing you a bit *haha* We are planning some nice things here, so better watch out, ladies!


But we also got some sad news to share: DYSU Design Team member Pauline is stacking up with us the last time. Thank you, Pauline for all the inspiration and joy you shared! You wil be missed!

Please check out her great creations on her blog :-)

Now - are you ready for this week?  - We expect great things from you all :-)
Our sponcers this week are Jelly park - who are giving 10 YES 10 didgis

And Robyn's Fetish - who are giving either 5 digis or 4 digis and 1 paper pack


The image I have used is this pony from Robyn.  I wanted to keep it very plain and simple, so that it would be suitable for a chap as well as the pony set.  It has quite a bit of texture - the backing paper is hand made and printed, and I tore it to make it fluffy and the cream/peach card is embossed


kitten xx

Wednesday 16 March 2011

WOYW

I am dead impressed with the pop up card - dead easy - and sooo effective.  The hardest part is getting the tag lined up straight when you wrap it in the box part.  I have been tinkering all day - I am really getting into the 'decorating' bit


The tutolial is from Split Coast Stampers Sharing with WOYWW again this week
Yours
kitten xx

Stretch N Bubbles

I wanted to do something a bit different today and I found this tutorial for a simple standing pop-up card on Split Coast Stampers.  This is a GREAT resource site by the way

I used the 'Steve' image from Stretch N Bubbles

to make a boy's age card - I thought they would enjoy pulling the tag to make the picture go up and down




Yours
kitten xx

Monday 14 March 2011

Day off

Monday is kitten's Day off

It has been georgous here today - sun out and shining like a trooper.  I have been pottering about in the garden tiding up arround my simmer house.  Can't wait until it's warm enough to sit out.  Going to have my nails done tomorrow - she is gonna kill me!!!
Yours
kitten xx

Sunday 13 March 2011

Sunday

Well that's the year started!  Not a bad little day really - only down side - really cold - it did not snow though,and the rain held off until 2pm - so that was great.  Sold a little bit - the old goat was kept busy, and we packed up and came home about 3pm.

we came back home over the top fells, past Orton and through Tebay.  Stunning - just out of this world - talk about God's good country.  Not a soul on the top fells.  It is the strangest area - creepy almost - left over from a distant age defiantly.  The rock formations almost look like building remains - and because because the whole area is so high - you feel you are looking over the whole world.

I am just going to chill for the rest of the day   Watch telly - catch up on line - not do much really - just rest up a bit

Yours
kitten xx

Saturday 12 March 2011

Summer House

I am at a show today - so I thought I would put together a few summer house photos.  I still have a bit to do - but so far

It is hidden away at the bottom of the garden

I am replacing the blue with the green - still need to get a blanket of 2 - and the picture needs to go on the wall

Loads of storage space to hide things in

I am going to paint something on these panels - something Chinese looking probably.

If we get a bit of decent weather nest week I will get round to finishing the painting and get the cleaning done - then all we need os the summer 

Yours
kitten xx

Friday 11 March 2011

Stretch N Bubbles

Since I started decorating my summer house the weather has turned again - sorry about that folks.
Well as I am in summer mode - and it's raining and hailstones - picked a summer image for Stretch N Bubbles today

and I wanted to try out the slanted easel card.

I do like easel cards - you get extra space to play with.





Closed - the rosette is hand made from co-ordinating paper - and the centre is a bottle cap.  TOP - did you know you can run bottle caps through the Cuttlebug to flatten them?

Standing up -  I could not decide whether to keep the base straight to the shelf - or the twist straight.  O ended up keeping the base straight.  I think I prefer the normal straight ones - but either way - I love this style
Entering challenges
Tuesday throwdown - all the papers are left overs out my box (another + about this style)
Simon says - anything goes
Papertake weekly - Zingy Lemon
Stampsmith - Try something new - this is my first twisted easel - and my first small easel :-)
Paper playtime - are using digis

Yours
kitten xx

Thursday 10 March 2011

Do You Stack Up? #10 LAYERS

Hope you all had fun with our 'Green' it challenge - some amazing Green going on there
so - ready for this week?


This week our sponcers are Lilli Of The Valley - who are donating prizes


 And Limited Runs Digis - who are giving you more prizes


The image I have used is from Lili of the Valley - available as an unmounted rubber stamp HERE

What do you do when the theme is layers - and you usually use layers - awnser - ADD MORE LAYERS!!!

This fairy screamed out at my to layer it.  The oval has the fairy as the background - then I cut out her skirt, arm, and loads of wing pieces and built it up.  this is such a gergous image to work with I have used it several times now and it is aways a joy to colour.



Hope you like it - now your turn to build up some layers

kitten xx