Madcap Manor

Hi, guys, and welcome to my new followers! Nice to see you! My lovely friend Jacqui gives me a lift to and from the Toddler Group 3 times a week, so I wanted to make her a card. She has an adorable little dog, who is a lot hairier than the one in this 'Penny Black' image, but it's the thought that counts! Papers are Basic Grey 'Pyrus' apart from the doily, which was cut from a snippet with a Marianne die. I also used a Memory Box die for the green flourish. Flowers and lace are from stash. I paper-pieced the dress and handbag and used Speccies for the rest. The image mat is distressed with Tea Dye and there's a line of stickles round the edge, too. I'm entering this into the Penny Black Saturday Challenge which this week has this great sketch! I hope you're all having a good week - it's one day nearer to the weekend! Huzza! Thanks for looking! love Mags B x Spectrum Noirs: TN1, 2, 3;FS2, 3, 6; DG3; CG1, 5

Just had a brief visit from my son, who made a wrong turn going from Gloucester to Shrewsbury (west) and ended up here in Hertfordshire (east.) What a numpty!!

Look who's sponsoring Dream Valley Challenges this fortnight! It's Bugaboo Digi Stamps ! A lucky winner will get $21 to spend in their online store! So get crafting your card, layout, altered item - whatever strikes your fancy as long as it follows the theme Just For Men If anyone wants to 'try before you buy' there's always a 'Friday Freebie' available on the Bugaboo website, too. Here's what I did. This groovy dude has been hanging about on my laptop for quite a while - isn't he cute (in a totally Goth way, man!)? I used the current sketch at Sketch and Stash and used papers from a Bo Bunny pad, called 'Blast Off' that I got last year. The stars were cut from a scrap of holographic gold card using an X-Cut die. I also used my faithful old Martha Stewart zig-zag punch. The ribbon and gems are from stash I'm trying very hard to use up my stash and not buy anything new - I haven't any room for anything new!!!! I can't list the S...

Hi, guys! It's been a grey, wet day in S-E Hertfordshire, with a bitter wind! Just the kind of day for staying indoors in the warm and creating something springlike! This image is 'Fall Willow with Baby Turkey' from Whiff of Joy but I think she looks fine on a Spring card. I used the sketch from the current Whiff of Joy Challenge . ETA: I made a boo-boo with the sketch, I'll have to try again! What a twit! The papers are Basic Grey 'Sugar Rush,' I love the orange and green, nice and bright! I distressed the edges, and the oval image mat, with Old Paper DI, then went round with Glossy Accents and added Glamour Dust. The flowers (which I stickled) and gems and lace are from stash. The tag is a Whiff of Joy die, and the sentiment is a Penny Black stamp. I felt much more bright and cheerful when I finished, though maybe the brightness is because my jeans are Glamour Dusted, too! Tomorrow it's time for another Dream Valley Challenge and you'll be really ple...

Evening, all! I intended to spend half term crafting, but the best laid plans of Maggies and men gang oft agley! Partly that's because of the dreaded Housework, partly because... (drumroll!) I have a Kindle! Being me, I also ordered a proper book at the same time, and both arrived in the same box, which amused me. So this card has taken me 3 days to make! The sketch at Sketch Saturday looks really daunting at first - lots of circles! I actually like it a lot, though it took me a long time to find embellies for the smaller circles that I liked. The image is another elegant lady by Christina Dee from Tickled Pink Stamps I thought she'd look good as a bust. She is coloured with Promarkers, and Speccies for her hair. The bow at her neck and the candy canes are Glossy Accented, and the lace on her outfit is covered with Glamour Dust. I cut her out (mainly because I made a right pig's ear of distressing round the image) and put her on foam pads for dimension. I offset the green...

LotV is offering one lucky person the chance to win all their new release! Details on the Ideas to Inspire blog here

I know, I know, this is meant to be a blog for my cards. But this picture is just too cute not to share! love Mags B x

Why does Mr Blogger keep telling me I don't follow any blogs?????!!!!! He knows nowt! love (but not to Mr Blogger!) Mags B x

This is the card I made for ye Olde Manne's birthday. He does not do cute, or flowers, or bling, or ribbon! The image is by Whimsy Stamps and I used brown memento ink to stamp it. The background paper is a scrap by Kay and Co. I used a Tim Holtz die for the cogs, which are made with another snippet, and distressed with Vintage Photo ink. He really likes it!!! And I'm rather chuffed at how it turned out, too! My, it's cold! I hope you're all wrapping up warm. Be careful on those slippery roads! My neighbour's son took the corner into our cul-de-sac a bit too fast and began sliding sideways - luckily he straightened up before clipping any parked cars! My heart was in my mouth!! Thanks for looking, and stay warm! love Mags B x

Just a very quick post, my Internet access is very spotty at the moment! We have a new challenge at Dream Valley which is 'Valentines.' The sponsor this fortnight is the wonderful Joanna Sheen and the lucky winner will have £10.00 to spend on her online shop! My card is made with a sweet Whimsy Stamps Valentine girl, which I was lucky enough to win on one of their blog hops! The papers are Nitwits, they're nice and bright! I used Speccies (which Joanna Sheen has in the online shop!) but forgot to make a note of which ones - sorry! Flowers are from Wild Orchid except the rosebuds, which are from One Stop Card Crafts. The heart pin is so old I can't remember where I bought it! Ribbon is from stash, threaded through card cut with a Nesties tag die. Have a look at the wonderful work of my talented teamies, and don't forget, it doesn't have to be a card for any DV challenge - craft however your mojo inspires you! Thanks for looking and stay warm! love Mags B x

Hi everyone! Isn't it cooooold?! Here's a cheerful springtime card for the current Penny Black Saturday Challenge and this time the theme is 'Floral Frenzy!' I love this little hedgie surrounded by flowers, saying hello to a bee, it makes me think of springtime. The sketch is from Sketch Saturday and at first I thought it would be tricky with the diamond shape, but in fact it all came together very nicely. I layered the image on green, pink and green card, because the original diamond was too small, but I rather like the effect. Papers are Basic Grey 'Porcelain.' The swirl is cut with a Marianne die, and the flowers with a medium Retro punch, using the same papers. The sentiment was a magazine freebie, the gems are from stash. I stickled the bee's wings but didn't add any more bling because I didn't want to cover the pretty papers too much. The white velvet ribbon is from Hobbycraft, and I used a Woodware punch for the brown leaf-shapes behind 3 of...