House Mouse Easter Bags - Thursday 5th March 2015

Hello Friends!

A much brighter and more cheerful subject today! Tonight is craft group night and our groups are going to be decorating bags for Easter gifts/eggs. These are the two I've made as inspiration for my group:

We are using these cute Stampendous House Mouse stamps, featuring Monica mouse. 

I used a polka dot mask on both bags, inking them up and then ran it through the Grand to   emboss it, imprinting the ink on to the card. I gave the yellow card a much lighter covering on ink (I used Mustard Seed distress for this one and Peacock Feathers for the first one). It's Spring, I wanted them to have bright and cheerful seasonal colours.

I stamped the design and coloured them both with distress inks, using them as watercolours and then die cut using Spellbinders Labels 17.

To make the flowers I used Spellbinders Carnation Creations. I wanted a large  Springlike bloom, so I followed a tutorial to create it as a carnation or peony like flower and used paper for more 'movement'.I inked the edges using distress inks to give a touch of colour on the edges of the petals.

I made the tags using Labels 17, but left the end of the die overlapping to create the fold.

Whilst I was using these stamps I made some cards, gift bags and boxes, which I will share later,

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Love and Hugs

Carole X

Santa's Little Helper - Tuesday 7th August

Good Morning Friends and a very big welcome to my new follower!

How is everyone enjoying Team GB's success at the Olympics over the weekend? I was so happy to see Andy Murray win the Gold at Wimbledon and yesterday, my favourite sport, Show Jumping won the Gold too! I was especially happy for Nick Skelton, he was one of my equestrian idols in my teens, a true legend and to think not so long ago he broke his neck, almost died and had to retire...such a sporting hero!

It's back to Christmas today! This little Maxwell House Mouse stamp is one of two that are going feature on most of my Christmas cards to post this year (the other is an LOTV stamp). I send a lot of cards and make them all, so except the more elaborate ones for close family and friends, I have to batch make a lot of cards, so go for a simple stamp or one of my own designs (but I don't get time for that lately). I'm not going to be showing my batch cards on here, in case anyone who is getting one sees them (!) but this is one of the cards I've made for my 'selling at a craft fair' etc box.

I love House Mouse and feeling a bit 'sad' that I've not had time to enter one of their challenges for a few weeks - guesting as a designer for them a few months ago was awesome. This stamp is called 'Santa's Little Helper' and the card is tiny, made on 4 x 4 card stock.

I stamped Maxwell with Memento and coloured him with Promarkers, then die cut him using the Spellbinders Heart Circles die, shading the edges with spun sugar distress ink. I also cut a piece of red paper using the Heart Squares die. I covered the card in the same red and then cur four triangles from stripy Christmas paper and used them to mat and layer over the base card. I used a Martha Stewart punch for the decorative edge and cut a strip of patterned paper to divide the card. The poinsettias were cut in glittered felt from the Spellbinders Poinsettia die and the flourish is a die cut from my little box of random pieces I've cut and not used.

Thanks for stopping by!

Carole X

PS Photo a Day for 8th August - today's topic is 8 O'Clock...I'll be on way to work then, so will have to tweet today's photo instead!

House Mouse Challenge HMFMC123 - Saturday 7th July

Hello Blog friends,

First of all, thank you for all your lovely comments on my last post 'Silver Lady' - it really was great fun to make, I hadn't embossed such a large area in ages and I was sure I was going to make a mess whilst doing it and have to start over..but it worked first time!

So to my first post for a few days..work has been very busy and so has my craft room! Lots of projects on the go, as well as preparing for our next card making class in August...more on that later this week...

Today's card is my entry for the current House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge, with the theme 'Let's Get Fruity'. I love House Mouse stamps and am building up a collection, but apart from a Christmas stamp, I didn't have one fruity themed stamp, so I had to improvise!

I love making House Mouse cards that have movement...after all little meeces are always scurrying around aren't they? For this card I pictured our little friends having made their way into a cellar or outhouse where a grape harvest has been stashed. I don't know about mice, but our pet hens would have a field day. We have a very productive grape vine growing all along one side of our garden and they are already jumping up at it trying to grab a grape (even though the grapes are still tiny!).

I used a grape stamp and stamped it several times, then coloured it with Promarkers. I used a 6x6 card, layered it with dark green card and then took some Coredinations paper, which I ran through the Grand Calibur with a brick effect mask and then lightly sanded it. Having tied green ribbon around the card, I matted and layered the base cards and then cut out the stamped grape bunches and layered them at the base of the card. For the little mouse in the front, I adapted a Christmas stamp, where the mouse is holding a little red berry and then I added another sleeping mouse (obviously over indulged!) and finally my jumping mouse.

The little mouse who is trying to press the grapes all on his own, is attached to a piece of acetate (actually a strip from a Spellbinders back as it's nice and strong) and I have left a tab at the base of the card where he can be pulled up and down or moved backwards and forwards. 


Thanks for stopping by!
Carole X

I would like to enter this card in the House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge

No HMFMC123 - Let's Get Fruity

http://housemouse-challenge.blogspot.co.uk/

House Mouse DT card - Monday 18th June

Good Morning Bloggers!


Today's card is my second and last as guest designer for June's House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge and what a pleasure it  has been to create these cards. The theme for the current challenge is 'Cool drinks for hot summer days' and this is my contribution...

Having made it, I of course realised how hard it was going to be to photograph...oops!


I got it into my head early on that I wanted to create a bottle shaped card (never again!), so I drew a template and cut out one bottle from white card  and attached card that I had printed with backing paper from the House Mouse CD, then I cut a second bottle.I wanted to use acetate, but didn't have any heavy enough to support the card, so I used packaging from a Spellbinders Grand die set (I always keep the packaging for this type of project). I joined the two together by leaving a flap on the acetate which I stuck between the backing paper and card, so that it doesn't show.


For the design I merged two House Mouse stamps, coloured them with Promarkers and cut them out. Although it doesn't show in the photo, the image with the pink parasol is slightly in front and I made an extra parasol. I added some cosmic twinkles to the drinks and the ice and a few extra touches of  sunglasses and a star fish embellishment from stash.


Thanks for stopping by...you can enter this challenge at

http://housemouse-challenge.blogspot.co.uk/

Carole X

House Mouse - Tuesday 5th June

Hello Blog Friends,


I hope you have all been enjoying the Jubilee Weekend....our garden party fundraiser yesterday was brilliant and the sun actually came out to allow us to actually have a garden party! Our family, friends and neighbours were all so generous with their donations of both money and cakes, we all had a lot of fun and even some catching up with friends we hadn't seen in ages. We also raised £152, which for a small number of people was amazing.


Today I have a special card....as a recent prize-winner in the House Mouse Monday Challenge, I was invited to be a guest design teamie for June..how exciting because I love House Mouse, so it has been an honour to be asked to design two cards for them this month.


This is the first one is for the current challenge 'Here Comes the Sun'...

I chose the 'Parasol' stamp for my main image and made a frame card using linen textured aquamarine. I started off making it in a lighter coloured card but then decided this gave more of an effect of our little mice being by the sea! I coloured the stamp with Promarkers and cut out and coloured an additional parasol to add a layer and give it even more dimension. I cut the image and the aperture using Spellbinders labels 24 and although the photo doesn't really show it, I distressed all the edges of the card and aperture with shabby shutters distress ink.  The little mouse lying down is from the same stamp set, but the one with the flower 'sun hat' is from the `Spring' collection: Daffodil and the greeting is from another summer set: Drinks. The jumping mouse is from 'Sew Mice' and I just added the flower.


To finish off I added a strip of  Coredinations polka dot paper, which I sanded and three little gems. The greeting is stamped with Perfect Medium and embossed with 'Carnival' embossing powder by Papermania. I die cut it using Spellbinders Lacey Ovals.


Hope you like it! This challenge runs until.....


Hop over  to    http://housemouse-challenge.blogspot.co.uk/    to take part and Good Luck! I'll stop by and look at some of your creations (I'm told as a guest teamie I'm allowed!)


Thanks for stopping by,
Carole X

Circles of Fun! HMFMC120 - Weds 30th May

Hello Blog Friends!

I've been 'missing' for a few days, but instead of being out enjoying the sunshine I've been busy in the craft room! Today's card was made for the current House Mouse Challenge, "Circles/Polka Dots and all round Fun".... and it was just a so much fun to make! I decided to go to town on the circles theme as you can see..maybe a bit OTT, but I was having such a good time I just couldn't stop!!!

First of all I stamped the Autumn Tumble design...I coloured it with Promarkers and decided to turn the autumnal berries into summer fruits (well why not?) - these little mice are having a bit of summer frolicking :). I punched it with a circle punch and then cut two slightly larger Spellbinder Teardrop Circle dies in a plain green textured card. I then cut more from the same set of dies in a mixture of cream card, coredinations polka dots and the same textured green.

For the main background of the easel I used the polka dot card...I love this coredinations pad, when the dots are sanded and raised the effect is fabulous and so tactile, I really wanted this to be a tactile card....with movement...

Now to put the card together...I adhered the image to one of the teardrop circle dies and the fixed a brad to the back centre. Then I took the second die cut of the same size, pierced a hole in the centre and threaded the brad through. Once the circle was fixed to the card with the brad, it would turn around when touched so that the mice actually spin!

I did exactly the same with the remaining die cuts, which are fixed with brads so that all the circles turn.

I know still photos don't really explain, but hope they help with the imaginations!

To finish off I used cream card as the main card 'blank', covered the base with some green and pink dotty paper from stash...perfect as the hint of pink co-ordinated with the berries! Some polka dot ribbon was tied around the easel and I added a green button from my button jar threaded with bakers twine, to the bow.

Finally I found a huge green button, added a bit of bakers twine and sewed it to a scalloped polka dot circle. The cream teardrop circle and bakers twine were coloured with shabby shutters distress ink.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Carole X

I would like to enter this card into the

House Mouse Monday Challenge

"Circles Polka Dots and all round Fun: HMFMC120

http://housemouse-challenge.blogspot.co.uk/

House Mouse Bookmark - Thursday 17th May

Morning Blog Friends!

Today I'm sharing the second of the corner bookmarks I made a few days ago...

  .

Using one of the tiny House Mouse Worker Stamps, coloured with Promarkers, I die cut this using Spellbinders Heart Squares. The base of the book mark is covered with purple card, which had been cut with Grand Scalloped Rectangles and  embossed with one of my M-Bossabilities dies. This was then decorated with ribbon and bordered with card cut from a Martha Steward border punch. 

I am really fond of this little stamp, these worker stamps are really handy parts of stamp sets.

Is it possible to have a day when you are 'crafted out'? I think I might have come almost close yesterday! I work three days a week, which means that I usually get Wednesdays and Firdays to craft (and theoretically do housework!). Yesterday, I had 5 large commission cards to make and I started at 7am, then  I had an early work meeting at home with some colleagues, that lasted just under 2 hours...then back to cards. I did actually get the cards made, which amazed me - usually with commissions I ponder over design for days, then take hours just to make one, whether it was because it was urgent and there was a deadline or they were almost all for the same person who has regularly ordered cards for a number of years so I was feeling more confident, I just don't know....but that's not the end of the story...

After preparing and cooking our evening meal I had to head off to a friend from the library's house ( I work for a charity based in the local library) as she was hosting a Stampin' Up party...so more card making! I think by then  my mind was just not feeling very arty, so just as well it was all quite basic! But also a very social, fun evening with friends from my workplace.


 I don't drive (I know! Awful isn't it? Passed when I was 18 but just never took to it, scares the heebie jeebies out of me and I have have tried to break my fear several times), so Tom had to pick  me up (that's the worst thing relying on husband and friends for lifts, the guilt aspect can even stop me doing things!). As he has a big thing on at work today and I was...wait for it...having to come home and finish a card I'd started for a friend, I left at 9.30pm, which was a shame but couldn't be helped.

So at 11pm last night I was just finishing a card and no kidding, I dreamt card designs last night....shame I can't remember them this morning! Now I have to go get ready for work...have  good day all!

Thanks for stopping by,
Carole X

Jumping for Joy! - Thursday 3rd May

Hello Friends!

Today's card takes me back to my favourite little crafty creatures..those darling little House Mice. I am building quite a collection of these stamps, thanks to Joanna Sheen introducing us to them some time ago now.

This is one of my most recent acquisitions and I think the reason I like this one so much is because I like having a 'play' with the jumping mouse!

For this card I decided on a twisted easel design: I die-cut the shape using polkadot card and Spellinders Grand Labels 23 and I covered the base of the card with a lightly patterned paper from stash. I also cut another Labels 23 in this paper to tidy up the back of the easel.

The image was stamped using Memento ink and coloured with Promarkers. I cut out the images, separating the jumping mouse. I also stamped the sentiment and another 'mouse in a thimble' image from the set and  coloured him with Promarkers and cut it out.

I took a  white Jellyroll pen and drew faux stitching around the base of the card and the die cut. The pincushion element of the stamped image was placed on the die-cut and fixed with 3D foam, leaving a gap in the centre that is sealed off to prevent any sticking. I taped a strip of strong acetate to the back of the jumping mouse and threaded this through the gap...now all you have to do is move him up and down like he's jumping!

A button tied with bakers twine and some stitched ribbon was added to carry through the sewing theme and the little mouse is the card 'stopper'

Thanks for stopping by!
Carole X

I'd like to enter this card in The House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge:

Anything Goes


http://housemouse-challenge.blogspot.co.uk/

Mice Day! - Friday 20th April

Hi Friends!


I'm back! Sorry to have been 'away' all week, but it's been a busy one and whilst I've managed to dip into and try to comment on all of the blogs I follow, there has been no time to update my own.


Today's card is a simple one, I just made whilst setting aside a small amount of time to just play with design a few weeks ago...


I first of all stamped this cute little House Mouse on Coconut White card, which I just love for both stamping and die-cutting. It's available through Creative Expressions. After colouring the mouse with Promarkers, I die-cut using Labels 24 (Spellbinders) and shaded the edges with a mix of Worn Lipstick and Spun Sugar distress ink. All the coloured papers I used were from a pad that was free with a magazine recently. I first of all stuck the pink paper to the front of a 6x6 card blank and then using Labels 24 again, cut into the front of the card. This left me with an aperture and a spare die-cut shape.


The die cut shape was used to mat and layer the original die-cut, after first shading with worn lipstick ink. 

I covered the inside of the card blank (the side facing the aperture) with yellow and pink paper from the same pack and mat and layered the other die-cuts on top to fit snugly within the aperture, adding a few gems and a little cosmic twinkles.


Finally I cut some bunting from the yellow paper and attached it to the front of the card with some ribbon and a few tiny brads. I stamped the sentiment on one of the smaller dies from labels 24 and shaded the edges.

Have a good Friday and thanks for stopping by!
Carole X