Struggling with a Photo Card!

It seems ages since I last posted,but I haven't really had chance to craft the last few days so I've got nothing to show you.I've been asked to do a photo card by my daughter's friend for her boyfriend who's away in the Armed Forces and I'm really struggling with it.She likes my style of cards and wanted me to do a shabby chic one but so far I've only got the photo and a Tim Holtz metal frame on it. I nearly always put flowers or bling onto my cards but do you think I could put a grungy inked brown paper bag flower on a card for a big strapping soldier? I would value your opinions on this.
As I said in my previous post I was at Bromsgrove Crop on Saturday,it is such a friendly crop and the ladies are so lovely,we have such a giggle and I always look forward to going.I probably talk more than scrap but here's the other layout I did.

Again I used Girls Paperie-Paper Girl,I know it's getting boring now but I have nearly run out,I'm just using scraps now.I am thinking about buying the range again though,what do you think on buying the same papers twice or should I look at another paper range.I used white Prima flowers and sprayed them with Tattered Angel Rose Tea,I'm just loving Glimmer Mists at the moment,I just want to spray everything.You can't see on this photo but on the other white flowers I used Spun Sugar Distress Ink on the edge of the petals.
I've had a great day today,my friend Rach asked if I wanted to go down South to visit LB Crafts with her,she said I would love it and didn't I just! They have got the best selection of stamps that I have seen,lot's of altered items and plenty samples to look at with different techniques to try. Lin is so knowledgeable about all the products and techniques and was very patient with all the questions we were throwing at her.As you can see I had a very productive shopping trip with a few more Glimmer Mists to add to my collection,paints,Tim Holtz buttons (a must have),stamps (as if I needed anymore) to name but a few things.

LB Crafts is in a small market town called Olney near Milton Keynes and after we'd spent an hour or so in the craft shop we left our baskets behind the till and went off to get some lunch at a tea room.After a wonderful lunch we had a look around the town where there was some fabulous little gift shops with unusal pieces of jewellery,perfumes and knick knacks.We also visited a chocolate shop and treated ourselves to a few belgian chocolates and then went back to LB crafts to finish off.It was well worth the drive down there and would recommend anybody to go and spend the day at Olney.
Hopefully on the next post I will have the photo card finished,I don't think I've struggled so much with a card before.
Thanks for stopping by!
xxxxDebxxxx

CCCB#11-Shades of Green

This week's host at the City Crafter Challenge Blog is Linda and she chose to do a gorgeous colour challenge using 'Shades of Green'.One of my favourite colours is green from pretty soft sage green to vibrant lime.
It was Bromsgrove Crop today,not many was able to make it this month so it was a lot quieter than usual but everybody is so friendly and lovely we still had a great day with the usual banter,lots of laughing and I got my layout done for this week's challenge.I love this photo of my Daughter when she was a bridesmaid,she looked so sweet in her dress and wings.
Here's the layout that I did using Prima papers,the chipboard butterfly is from Tattered Angels and sprayed with Tattered Angels Honey Dew Glimmer Mist. Libby came up with the title 'Spread your Wings' for me which I think is perfect so thanks Lib!

Thanks Linda for a great challenge!

TFL
xxxxDebxxxx

Sketch Inspirations #130

If you like using sketches take a look at Sketch Inspiration,there is a new sketch every week and loads of sketches  from previous weeks.If you upload your layout to the gallery you get the chance to win a fab prize from the sponsors of the week as well as looking at all the other layouts on there,it is a great source of inspiration. Here's this weeks sketch:

Forever Blowing Bubbles

Lastly, I'd just like to share some photo's with you that I took when I went for a walk with my friend the other day.I see this poppy field every day and kept saying I must bring my camara,well this time I did.I'm not a brilliant photograper.I only point and shoot,but I am really pleased with how they turned out.

 TFL
xxxxDebxxxx

Popsicles and Pinwheels

This week at The Shabby Tea Room there is a great summer themed challenge with gorgeous bright colours,think hot pink,lime green and turquoise. Here's the photo inspriration for this fun challenge.    

I had great fun making this card,I use to make pinwheels for my girls when they were little,so when I saw the photo I knew I wanted to have a go at making a pinwheel for my card. I used Cosmo Cricket 'DeLovely' papers and the stick for the pinwheel is a kebab stick wrapped in ribbon.

Thanks Debbie for another great challenge!

Back Soon

xxxxDebxxxx

Another Gorgeous Sunny Day!

I'm just loving all this glorious sunshine we've been having lately,it makes you feel so much happier when the sun is shining.I haven't had to be stuck in the kitchen making dinner,I've been cooking outside,lots of BBQ's around friends houses,having drinks in the pub beer garden,good times!
I've managed to do a couple of layouts this week,the first one I did was from a sketch that I saw on Morag Cutts blog. I love to have a look on Morags blog,she does some gorgeous layouts and cards.

I turned the sketch on it's side:

I used my April Scrapagogo kit for this layout and even used a bit of glimmer mist.Thanks for the great sketch,Morag,and hope it becomes a regular thing on your blog.
The next LO is done using a sketch as well,as I was blog hopping last week I came across this sketch blog Sketch Inspirations. It's a fab place for inspiration with lots of LO's to look at and a new sketch every week. It's great to look at other LO's and see how other scrapbookers have used the sketch.

I used papers from The Girls Paperie and lots of flowers!

I'm off now to enjoy some more of the sunshine and hope it's shining where ever you are.

Back soon!
xxxxDebxxxx

CCCB#10- Pink,Purple and Pearls

The theme this week at City Crafter Challenge Blog is Pink,Purple and Pearls which is perfect for me been a 'Pink Girl',June choose a gorgeous photo from Leslie at A Creative Mint for inspiration.

I decided to do a layout for this week's challenge and saw this sketch on Julie Bonner's Blog so used that as inspiration too.

My Baby Sister

I added pearls to the paper doilley and put a piece of lace underneath the torn paper.The PP was My Minds Eye and Girls Paperie.

Lastly, I'd like to thank the DT from CCCB for choosing my Venice themed card as their winner last week,I was very honored and I've even got a prize heading my way,how exciting!!!
Thank you for leaving such lovely comments,I do appreciate them.

TFL
xxxxDebxxxx

Week 15 'Cottage Comfort'

The challenge this week at The Shabby Tea Room is to use this photo and /or stripes as inspiration.

Here's the card I did using a stamp from Penny Black and water colouring it with Tim holtz Distress Inks.I used some twill tape and frayed the edges laying it underneath the stamped image.I love the alphabets from Cosmo Cricket with the woodgrain effect,they go great with my tree image.

Back soon!
xxxxDebxxxx

6.17 Sketchy Thursdays Challenge

Here's this weeks sketch: 

I enjoyed this sketch as I normally only use the one photo so it was good to get an extra photo on the page. The photo's I used on this layout were taken on Jodie's 20th Birthday,she didn't like the thought of not been a teenager anymore so she calls herself  a 'Twenteen'.

The papers are Melody Ross 'Homespun Chic' and the borders are 'Artsy Urban' also from Melody Ross.I used part of a Prima felt strip to mat the small photo.The flower was made from a brown paper bag (my favourite way to make flowers at the moment) and then added a Prima swirl.

TFL
xxxxDebxxxx

Card Patterns Sketch #69

Here's this weeks sketch at Card Patterns.

It's one of my very good friend's Birthday today,so when I saw this sketch I knew I wanted to use it to make her Birthday card.She loves cutie cards so I used the Lily of the Valley fairy stamp and Basic Grey Lemonade papers. I coloured her in using Pro-Markers.

Pinder likes lots of  glitter so I added plenty of it!!!

Sending you lots of hugs and fairy magic!!!
Happy Birthday,Pinder

xxxxDebxxxx

CCCB#9 - Venice,beyond Gondola

Kirsty from City Crafter Challenge Blog has picked Venice as the theme for this weeks challenge. I got really excited when I saw what the challenge was because I knew I'd got some Venice themed papers stashed away somewhere that I'd never used.Venice is one of the places on my list to visit,it seems such a beautiful,romantic city,who knows one day I may get there!
Kirsty posted a beautiful photogragh of Venician masks for inspiration.

I really enjoyed doing this challenge as it was something a little bit different to what I'd normally do,in fact I ended up making 2 cards! Here's the first card I made with the Crafty Individuals 'Travels in Italy' paper pack and coordinating stamp.

I picked my favourite paper with the mask on as the background and stamped onto the tag in Milled Lavender Distress Ink.I edged the tag in Dusty Concord and added a flower,swirl and sentiment.
I made the flower from a brown paper bag,punching out about 8 scalloped circles, stamping them with a text stamp,add a brad and scrunch all the layers up then open out.The swirl is a Tim Holtz Grungeboard Element painted gold and distressed with Dusty Concord.
The next card I made was for Fathers Day using part of the same stamp and some Tim Holtz sheet music from the Lost and Found paper pack,then added some buttons.

Back Soon!!!
xxxxDebxxxx

The Shabby Tea Room #14 'Summer Fun'

At The Shabby Tea Room this week it's all about having fun in the sun and this week the weather has been gorgeous,not sure how long it will last though!So we need to make the most of it,we've managed to get a couple of BBQ's in this week and just made the most of been in the garden.One of my favourite things to do in the summer when my children were younger was to go to the park and play on the swings with them.How I miss all that now they're all grown up.
I've done this Birthday card for my lovely friend Maria who's on her holidays so hopefully she won't be looking on here and see the card before she opens it.  

Maria adores Magnolia so I used Summer Tilda with Bow colouring her in with distress inks and stamped the Magnolia Tree Swing and cut it out with a craft knife.The patterned paper I used was from the Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety and Material girl range .
Where the rope is on the swing I wrapped twine around it to give a more realistic look and a bit of texture. I then scattered tiny Prima flowers around the tree and added some pearls.The Fabulous Friend stamp,oval punch,scallop oval punch and the border punch are all from SU.

Happy Birthday,Maria.

TFL
xxxxDebxxxx