Madcap Manor

Hi, guys! I hope you're having a good weekend, even though today was cloudy and chilly! We need rain, and also a rainy day is a good excuse to Get Crafting! I originally made this card for my DT contribution at Dream Valley Challenges but put it away with a pile of crafty stuff and only found it again yesterday. Oh dear! The cute digi image is one of Meljen's designs. Papers are magazine freebies (because I have so many, and I can't spend all my time just stroking them!) I Glossy Accented the basket and added dots of Stickles to the middles of the flowers. The ribbon is white seam binding coloured with Distress Inks and crinkled by scrunching it up as it dried. The flower sequins are from stash. The sentiment is from Nitwits' 'Easter Eggstra' digi papers. I can't remember the Speccies I used to colour the image - sorry! There's going to be a new Dream Valley Challenge tomorrow, so I'll see you then. Thanks for looking! love Mags B x

I could get used to this weather! I've been waking at 5 this week to catch the cricket and make cards at the same time. Yes, I'm a sad case. I don't think we'll mention England's result against Sri Lanka, though. Oh dear! Anyway, here is today's offering. The cute bunny is by Lili of the Valley of course, and so is the sentiment. I coloured him with Promarkers, these bunnies are a joy to colour! The papers are a mix of Pink Petticoat and Funky Hand I used a Martha Stewart Deep Edger punch on the horizontal strip. The skeleton leaves are Marianne dies, and flowers, gems and ribbon are from stash. Once again I'm using the terrific sketch from this fortnight's Friday Sketch Challenge . I'm entering the current Lili's Little Fairies Challenge which is 'Anything Goes.' Ah, the lovely whiff of paraffin just floated by - one of the neighbours is firing up the barbie! In March!! Thanks for looking! I really appreciate all your lovely comments...

It has been an amazingly lovely day here today! Call me sad, but I get a lot of satisfaction in hanging the washing outside! I have no life... This cutie is a Penny Black stamp, of course! I paper pieced the egg, which has dots of stickles on it, and the ribbon, which is Glossy Accented. I used Promarkers for the rest. The ribbon and pearls are from stash, and the papers are from my snippets box. I reversed the papers for the inside: Decorating the inside is such a good way to use up snippets! I'm entering The Penny Black Saturday Challenge which this week is 'Easter Eggstravaganza! ie an Easter card. I'm also going to pop along to the playground because I've been very remiss at joining in the snippets challenge. Maybe I'll have a go on the pogo sticks! If that is completely incomprehensible to you, don't worry, it's just Pixie's Crafty Snippets Challenge Hubby's home, time to make him a cuppa after he's spent an hour and a half on the Undergro...

A quick Easter card: I made 9 of these while listening to the cricket this morning! The beautiful cross is by Wild Rose Studio, and came from Handy Hippo . I embossed it in gold and added some colour with brush markers - it's an age since I tried that technique, I'd forgotten how good it looks!! Some gold card and a Labels Ten Nestie, plus a Penny Black sentiment on the inside, et voila! Simples! I'm entering this into a new-to-me challenge The Squirrel and the Fox whose theme is 'Easter.' I hope you're all enjoying a sunny day - don't forget the sunscreen and a hat if you're going out! I'm so short I look like a mushroom in a hat, but that's just too bad! Thanks for looking! love Mags B x

I began this card back in January! Then I put the image and papers away 'in a safe place' which is always fatal! I only found them yesterday, so this card has taken me 3 months to make!!!!! Should I phone the Guinness Book Of Records?! Wot a plonker! The image is Silver Fairy from Whimsy Stamps - I love her wings, they cry out for lots of lovely glitter! The papers are from Funky Hand I think. Flowers, lace and the gold corner are from stash. I adapted one of the sketches on Dawny P's blog, she has several and they are all nice and straightforward. I'm entering the challenge at Flutter By Wednesdays which this time is 'open' - ie anything goes as long as there's a fairy, butterfly or angel. I'm also entering the Sweet Stampin' Challenge where there is also an 'anything goes' theme. Also I'm entering the Paper Sundaes challenge which is 'Spring Blossoms'. There are flowers in the fairy's hair, as well as on the card! (Tha...

What a glorious day it's been! Spring is here!! I'm looking out of my craft hovel's window admiring the lovely soft shades of pink and blue as the sun sets behind the houses opposite. Pretty! Here's a card for the two beautiful daughters of a good friend of mine. The lovely image is by Sarah Kay, I love her old-fashioned boys and girls! Papers are from a Tilda pad, 'Winterbird' which was a bargain at Hobbycraft in January. I used a Martha Stewart Deep Edger Punch on pearlescent white card, which irl has a nice soft gleam. The only embellies are Glossy Accents on the lollipop and candy canes, and glitter on the younger girl's apron frill. The papers are so busy I don't think it needs any more. The ribbon was in a candy from the lovely Lilackat . The sketch is the latest one at Friday Sketch Challenge isn't it nice? I'll leave you with this question: What is the longest time, from stamping an image to taking the photo, that you've taken to mak...

Help! I lay down for a 20-minute kip 2 hours ago! I have almost missed the deadline for the Just Magnolia Challenge. Next time I have a 'power nap' I'll set my alarm!! The Challenge this week is 'green' so I got out my Promarkers because I wanted soft, springtime colours, not the more vivid Speccies. The sketch is from Sketch Saturday - I think it would be a great one for using up snippets! Papers are MME, free with a mag last year. Flowers are Wild Orchid, sentiment is LotV, I used a Martha Stewart PATP punch for the scallops. I distressed with Old Paper and glamour dusted. Gems are from stash. Time to make the tea now! Thanks for looking! love Mags B x

Afternoon, all! I hope all the mums out there are being pampered! It's already time for a new challenge at Dream Valley and the theme is 'Easter.' So put your thinking caps on and get creative, remember it doesn't have to be a card! Our two amazing sponsors are: Meljen's Designs Melissa has the most gorgeous digi stamps at her shop, and also designs rubba for Whimsy Stamps. The DT were privileged to be given some of the digis to use. She is offering 4 digi images of the winner's choice! We're also sponsored by Mulberry Crafts who have wonderful flowers on their website! The prize is a gorgeous goody bag! On to my card! (I admit I was tempted to make a cake for this challenge, but my icing skillz are non-existent!) The adorable image is 'Little Lamb'. Of course I had to use the sheepy paper, which is 'Honey and Hugs' by Papermania! The pink scallops are made with a Marianne die, which also has slots for threading ribbon through, which of co...

No card tonight, because instead of being in my craft hovel I'm watching 'Resident Evil: Apocalypse' on tv with my Hubby. Yes, my terrible secret is out - I'm a sucker for really melodramatic comic-book films! Thor... Hellboy... X-men... It's not really what a sober middle-aged lady is supposed to like, but they are such fun!!!!! Anyway, I'm here to ask if any of you lovelies are planning on going to the Ally Pally Show next month. It would be great to meet up for a cuppa and a natter! Hope your weekend is going well! love Mags B x

Craft All Day is looking for a DT to work with products from the shop. (Check it out, and also the blog - both are full of delicious things!) The call ends on Sunday. Happy Friday! love Mags B x

My hubby was late home tonight so I've had a nice evening in the craft hovel and this is the result! The Penny Black Saturday Challenge is 'The Young Ones' ie a card for a child. This hedgie sitting on a parcel is an acrylic stamp from the 'Party Time' set. I love Margaret Sherry's animals, they are so perfect for children's cards! The sketch is from Mojo Monday isn't it nice? I used papers from a Daisy and Dandelion pad called 'Some bunny loves you' and also embossed some of the blue matting card with a papermania folder (which I've left upstairs and I'm too lazy to go and find it but I'll add the name later. Actually, there's no name, but it's a Triboss chequerboard with hearts.) I smeared a bit of stickles on the embossed hearts though mostly they're covered by the image! Ribbon and round stickers are from stash. The number is a T!m Holtz grungeboard jobbie, coloured with Broken China Distress Ink and then Glossy Acce...

We have electricity!!! And a new element in the immersion heater, which was what caused the fuse for the sockets to blow. Of course I tested every single appliance in the house to try to discover the fault but didn't think of the immersion till last night. Typical! It's always the last place you look, isn't it? Here's an easel card I made for a challenge that I missed last week. It's always tricky photographing easel cards! Here's a general view: and here's the front: The image is 'Charlotte Riding Reindeer' from Whiff of Joy . I coloured them with Speccies, but once again I've lost the list - I really must get myself organised! (Last year on hliday in Bridport my hubby bought me a mug with the message: 'I would get organised but it would only confuse everyone.' So true!!) Papers are 'Pink Christmas' by DCWV. The snowflake is made with a Martha Stewart punch (I wavered from my stash diet for that one, naughty me, slapped wrist!) c...

Hi, guys! Sorry about the long time without blogging, we visited my granddaughter in Shrewsbury and when we got home discovered the fuses had blown on all the sockets! I thought I'd got it fixed, but it happened again, I reset the fuses again, and called the electrician, who can't come until tomorrow :( But the reason he's busy is he's very good, so I don't really mind too much!! So this will be an ultra-quick post! The image is LotV, of course, I love their cute bunnies! The digi papers are by Bearly Mine Designs , their 'Peach Dreams' set, which is just yummy! The circles are done with Nesties, and edged with Glamour Dust. The sentiment is by Pink Gem . I used a decorative blade on my Woodware Fingerguard trimmer to give the wavy edges. Gems are from stash, and the butterflies are punched with a Martha Stewart punch from a snippet of copper paper. I didn't list the colours of the pens I used! Sorry! But the yellow on the image has been covered with Gl...

Laura AND Mags have both given me this lovely award! I am just so chuffed - thank you very much, lovely ladies! The conditions for this award are - Post on your blog, then link back to the people who awarded it, and thank them. Give the award to people who inspire you and have less than 200 followers. Notify the 5 people about the award. The purpose is to spread the word about blogs that have less than 200 followers. 'Liebster' in German means 'Dearest' - isn't that a lovely thought? This is the hard part - choosing just 5 blogs from the very many inspiring blogs that give me such pleasure and delight!! Really-truly, I am inspired by all of you! However, here goes: Kim who is to blame for getting me into this carding business in the first place, through her books published by Search Press Mrs F whose blog posts are a delight Jack who is one of my lovely teamies on Dream Valley Annmaree in Australia - good on yer, mate! (I believe that's an Australian sayin...

Yes, it's time for another challenge at Dream Valley and this fortnight our theme is 'Mother's Day.' But because other parts of the world celebrate Mothers at different times of the year, feel free to make a 'girly' card if that suits you better! We have 2 fab sponsors: One Stop Card Crafts are offering a £10 voucher and Crafty Ribbons and one lucky person will win one of their Bevs Bags of ribbon I made my card last weekend, knowing my sister would be staying in my craft room so I wouldn't be able to get at my stash. One result is that I can't find the list of Spectrum Noirs that I used, unfortunately! However, I can tell you that the image is by Norma Fickel for Whiff of Joy . I really like her charming little characters! The pink background paper is by Kate Knight, from a stack that came with a magazine. The sentiment chipboard also came with the magazine. I have so many of these stacks, I'm determined to use them! The script paper is from my s...

Just to tell you all that the talented Jacque has mega candy to celebrate 4000 followers! My sister's staying till the weekend and I can't get at my craftroom, so I won't be posting until Sunday when it's time for Dream Valley again! I hope to be commenting, though! So I'll love you and leave you, sweeties! love Mags B x