Madcap Manor

Here's a birthday card for a friend of my daughter! The dancing girl is Penny Black. She's one of the first stamps I bought, must be 3 years ago now, when I was just starting. The Penny Black Saturday Challenge this week is for zig-zags. Can you see the zig-zag pattern on the girlie's top and trousers? Cute, eh? The bp, which is only just visible, is also zig-zaggy, and came from an old mag, and of course I've also used the MS zig zag punch on the blue card (from stash). I think that's enough zig-zags! I'm also entering this into the Oldie But A Goodie challenge, which wants butterflies. I love the MS butterfly punch! I've stamped them from the pink matting card, ang stickled all over, then curled up the wings for dimension. You can just see the small Retro flowers that they're sitting on. The great sketch is Sunday Sketch and Stamp which I am just in time for! The one new item I used is the nestie, isn't it pretty? I distressed the edges with Spu...

Another thank you card for a colleague of my olde manne (mediaeval spelling because my kids think we're as old as Chaucer.) I made this last week for the LotV challenge, but I left it a bit late and then a friend came for tea so I missed the deadline, chiz. I haven't got many of the details because I had a Big Tidy-Up today and I must have chucked the details. The papers are from a mag, the fairy's been coloured following the great video by Laila on Youtube, and the flowers are Wild Orchid Crafts. Yes, I have surrendered and bought some of their gorgeous, gorgeous flowers! The sentiment is Penny Black (I love this font, so elegant.) So where's the history, you ask? Well, I've been watching Michael Woods' history series based on the village of Kibworth, which is coming to an end but still available online on iPlayer. Brilliant, brilliant series! I have just learned that a friend of my daughter was a)a Norman Knight in a re-enactment in an early episode; and b)met...

My Dad will be 91 on Saturday! His sight isn't too good, so I've gone for texture. The PB candles are gold-embossed and coloured in with Promarkers - Blue Pearl, Orchid and I can't remember the third! There's a mat of purple mulberry paper, and gold card edged with one of my fave MS punches. Fab'n'Funky Challenges has a 'Clean and Simple' Challenge, so I'm entering this card. The photo is a bit too pale, the background card is Deep Purple though it looks more blue here. Sorry I haven't been around recently, the Old Man and I went to visit our son, who lives with his girlfriend in a lovely village halfway between Shrewsbury and Oswestry. We were lucky with the weather, for once! Shropshire is so, so beautiful, especially with the leaves turning and the Welsh Mountains on the horizon. Coming home we got stuck in 4 traffic jams! It hosed down with rain, too. I was bawling my eyes out (my baby boy! All grown up!) as you do. I did it when he went to...

I loved making this card! The butterfly is Hero Arts and I've had it for ages, it looks as if it's made of embroidery and lace, so I coloured it very lightly. It demanded the MS lace doily punch!! Promarkers are: Blue Pearl, Lush Green and Pastel Pink. I stamped and coloured twice, then cut out one and decoupaged it, leaving the wings free, which I curled upwards. I stickled the edges of the wings and the peacock-feather spots. The sketch is from this month's CLP Challenge . The papers are MME, a freebie with a magazine, and I love them! I wish they'd come out brighter, but I had to take the picture in artificial light. That's my excuse anyway! The text is PB, the flowers are Prima, the little brads and olive green paper are from stash. I'm going to pour myself a glass of vino and watch Inter Milan v Spurs! Thanks for looking, and have a good evening. (Come on you Spu-urs!) luv, Mags x ETA: Oh dear. 8 mins played, 1 goal down, goalie sent off. Goodbye, you Spu-...

Here's a second birthday card I made for another of my Sunday School kids, whose birthday is this week. It's for Penny Black Saturday Challenge which this week has a great sketch! It's one of those sketches that can be stretched for an A6 card, and it also shows off this yummy paper (Basic Grey 'Origins.' The sentiment is supposed to read 'Hoppy Birthday' but my enthusiastic springing lines under the O make it look like an I, chiz! Isn't the frog cute? He looks so happy jumping in the water! I used my Woodware corner punch on opposite corners of the image and sentiment, and stickled them. The ribbon is Hobbycrafts. Thanks for looking, and have a good evening. It's nearly halfway to the weekend! luv, Mags x Recipe: Promarkers Lush Green, Leaf Green, Vanilla Sentiment stamped with Woodware oriental alphabet

Here's a card I made for one of my Sunday School kids. She has just turned eleven - where does the time go??? The image is The Greeting Farm Hope and Grace - I snaffled the last one at Dies to Dies For mwahaha! I can't remember where I got the sketch, which is rather a striking one, I think. All the pink and lilac papers are from stash. I used Nesties for the circle and punches for the squares, and stickled all the frames. I also stickled the MS butterflies! I'm entering this for Cute Card Thursday I managed to throw out the list of Promarkers used - what a plonker, eh? Hope you're all having a good day - it's cold in Herts, but the sun is out, huzza! Thanks for looking luv, Mags x

Look, it's another Christmas card! Well, I do love these cute Penny Black Christmas Critters ! I'm entering the Penny Black Saturday Challenge with this. 'But the PB challenge is to use more than one PB stamp,' I hear you cry! 'Where oh where is the second one?' It's the music background! It's from the Clearly in Love set. I stamped it several times in a row, embossed it in black, and sponged with Tea Dye and Antique Linen to age it. I'm ridiculously pleased with how it looks! I went round the image with Broken China Distress Ink, brushing rather than distressing to give a rough-and-ready frame to the little mice. The sketch is a lovely one from Friday Sketchers , nice and simple and ideal for the man I've made it for, who sings in our Church choir. The bp is from stash - might be Papermania - and has the words of various carols and Christmas songs printed on it, though it's not awfully clear. I used Promarkers (surprise!) and stickles, st...

Look what Christine gave me! Isn't that kind? I should have posted it some days ago, but I've not had much time online recently - sorry, hon! Isn't it annoying how life gets in the way of blogging??! I'm meant to pass it on to inspirational blogs - well, all of you are inspirational and I love looking at your wonderful creations!! luv, Mags x

Joey has some fab candy here If you don't know her blog, do hop over thaere and take a look. I really like her creations. luv, Mags x ETA the link seems to be b*ggered so here's another: here Hope this works! Where are my children when I need to do complicated things on the computer??!!

Morning, all! Well, at last there's a little bit of sunshine out there, though it's co-o-old! I refuse to put the heating on until the end of October: luckily I have some thick woolly socks to keep my tiny toes toasty-warm! Might have to dig out the thermal undies soon, too! This looks like a simple, quick card for The Penny Black Saturday Challenge doesn't it? You would not believe how long it took me! First I went for a hexagon, and produced weird shapes unknown to geometry. Aha! Try an octogon, Mags, all you need do is slice off the corners, thought I. HAH! I'd failed to consider that all 8 sides have to be the same length, and the angles have to be just right, too. I never was much good at Maths. I managed, eventually! Anyhoo, the card is going to a colleague of my hubby's, who has a birthday next week. I like making cards in general, but making one specially for a particular person gives it an added zing. Ok, have a good day in the sunshine and thanks for look...

Just a quick post before I zoom off to the Toddler Group! It's another grey, damp day, but seeing the children and their mums having fun always brightens things up! Another faded piccie, I'm afraid. This adorable manga princess is a Sugar Nellie image, and the sketch is from The sugar Bowl Challenge You can just about see the end of the ribbon on the left hand side! Papers are K and Co, from Hobbycraft, where I also got the ribbon. Promarkers are: Blush, Dusky Pink, Pastel Pink, Tulip Yellow, Gold, Orchid and Powder Blue. I stickled her dress trimmings and headdress. I'm really pleased with this one! Thanks for looking. ok, gotta go. Have a good day, folks, and keep smiling - the rain has to stop soon!! luv, Mags x

The light was terrible today, and this piccie is rather faded! This is for the ABC Christmas Challenge which this time is 'T is for Tree.' I've used 2 tree papers but the one on the right is covered by the image - oops! These Penny Black hedgies are having such fun! I cut the purple mat with my Woodware Fingerguard trimmer, which comes with various slot-in cutters: this one is Twist. It's meant to show the speed that the sledge is travelling at! Papers are DCWV Rose Tinted Christmas and Christmas Blues - so pretty, and a change from red and green (though I love red and green, too!) The snowflakes are a Marianne die, the gems were a pressie from my daughter, and I've glamour-dusted the snowflakes and the snow and fur on the image. I added the little tree stickers on the sentiment because I thought the card wasn't 'tree-y' enough, but I rather like them! I am so enjoying having my craft room back! Thanks for looking and have a good evening! luv, Mags x Pr...

I love this little chap, he's so happy! I just wish the colours had come out better in the photo: irl they are brighter, and the glitter gleams! I'm entering the Whiff of Joy Challenge which this fortnight is for a thank you card. The sketch is Papertake Weekly which is a great one for showing off pretty papers! The gorgeous glittered papers are from the DCWV 'All Dressed up' stack which I've had for ages, but I've been so reluctant to cut them because they are so glittery and gorgeous! The unglittery stripy piece is from stash, and I'm rather pleased that it matches so well. Matching papers always takes me a long time! I'm sorry I haven't been around lately, but my sister's been staying and since my craft room is also the spare room I haven't been crafting for over a week! Hope you're all keeping well, and thanks for looking luv, Mags x Recipe: King's Jester Charlie by Whiff of Joy Promarkers: Satin, Dusky Pink, Pastel Pink, Cinna...