Madcap Manor

Evening, all! Well, this afternoon we had sunshine yay! Long may it continue! Especially next week, when we have our garden renovated! Out will go the bushes, in will come raised beds and turf, and it will be so much easier to maintain! I can't wait!! I have made a card today, this is for my daughter's BFF who turns 27 on Monday. 27! It's only 5 minutes since she left school!!! I tell you, time has definitely speeded up over the past quarter-century! This sweetie is Owlette, a digi from Tiddly Inks , isn't she elegant? I love her pet owl! I coloured her with Promarkers (list below) and put Glossy Accents on her hat. The mat is cut with a Picot Circle Nestie (I love that die!). The crochet lace, and the blue seam binding that I made into a double bow, both came from The Ribbon Girl. The papers are 'Be Amazing' by My Mind's Eye. I apologise for the faded colours, irl they are rather brighter! I'm entering the Sweet Sketch Wednesday Challenge -...

I am so grateful for all your lovely wishes for my daughter Sacha, and for your words of encouragement. Thank you, it makes a world of difference! love Mags B x

Good evening, all! Thank you for your kind words last week when my daughter had a hospital appointment. Unfortunately she has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, which is a type of cancer that often attacks people in their 20s and 30s - but it has been caught early, and the prognosis is very good! There's a 90% chance of a complete cure. The next 6 months will be tough, as she must have chemotherapy once a fortnight, but she is determined to make the best of things. It helps that she has very good friends - and so do I, including you guys! The ribbon for the disease is coloured violet, so I hunted through my snippets box for purple papers, which I distressed with Dusty Concord Distress Ink, to make this card for her. The gorgeous image is one of Krista Smith's amazing artworks: this one is an older digi called 'Chasing Butterflies' but I can't find her in Krista's shop. I coloured her in Promarkers, using the wonderful thin nibs, and the list is be...

Good morning, all! I hope you're all looking forward to the long weekend! I wonder if we'll see any sunshine? It's time for a coffee break and a quick blogpost! Later today my daughter has another hospital appointment, but luckily the Olde Manne has the day off so we'll not be wasting hours waiting for the bus! How long we wait to be seen in the hospital is another matter, of course, but I don't mind that so much! Here is a gatefold card I made earlier this week when I was playing with a lovely Hunkydory kit that came with this month's 'Cardmaking and Papercraft' magazine: The image is from a die-cut decoupage sheet (it's so much easier than cutting round the fiddly edges of traditional decoupage images!) and I used Pinflair glue to layer the pieces. IRL there is pretty silver foiling, but the camera hasn't really picked it up. I used some pearlised pink card for the mat, which is cut with a Marianne doily die. The paper came with the k...

Good afternoon, all! We have a lovely challenge today at Dream Valley which is Animals The sponsor is Robyn's Fetish Digi Stamps and one lucky winner will have 5 digis from the shop! I used an image I already had, this is Mouse with Christmas Cookie He is coloured with Speccies (list below). The fur trim has Glamour Dust on it, and the yummy cookie has been Glossy Accented. The papers were another magazine freebie - I love the gingerbread men on the back paper! The sentiment may have also been a freebie, it was all on its ownsome in my 'Sentiments' file. I used a Martha Stewart Snowflake Punch-Around-the-Page punch and also a Snowflake punch which has also been glittered. The spotty ribbon and the green gems are from stash. Go and see the lovely work done by my talented teamies! Remember, you don't have to make a card, as long as it follows the Animal theme! Thanks for looking, and have a good week! Challenges I'm entering: Robyn's Fetish Ch...

Good morning, all! As I type this I am watching the Eurovision Song Contest - I love it, it's so over-the-top! There is always at least one entry that is totally nuts! Well, by the time you read this the voting will be done. Time to announce the new Challenge at The Squirrel and the Fox which this time is Let's Hear It for the Girls In other words, we want to see cards for the LADIES! Our fab sponsor is the wonderful Make It Crafty who are offering a $AU15 voucher to spend in their store! So what are you waiting for, get out your girly stash!!! I used the beautiful Annabelle - she is available in rubba as well as the digi I used. I coloured her with Promarkers - and I've lost the list! What a prat. The papers are Nitwits. I used a Spellbinders Timeless Rectangle to mat the image using pearlised card from Craft Creations, and the memory Box butterflies were cut from the same card, the top layer is stuck down along the body, leaving the wings free. The ribbon is f...

You guys are THE BEST! Thanks so much for your good wishes and encouragement for my daughter's biopsy! We both really appreciate your kindness! much love, Mags B x

Good evening, all! I hope you're all keeping well! Brrr, it has been so cold and damp and windy today, more like October than May! Do I not like this weather!! I hope the rain stays away tomorrow, when the First Test against New Zealand begins! Yes, it's cricket, huzza!!! But you're not here for me wittering about The Summer Game! Here's a card I made for a friend, using a Lili of the Valley ready-coloured image called Little Girls Tea Time isn't it cute? My friend and I often meet for a cuppa, and I'm rather sad as she will be moving away soon, so I hope this card reminds her of happy times. Mind, we are both considerably older than these little girlies, take a look: I made a joy fold card , and the blue bow is positioned so that it just about holds the flap closed. The papers are snippets of Nitwits - but I can't remember which set!! Here's a side view to give a better idea of the fold: I used part of a Martha Stewart Punch Around the Pag...

Welcome to my new followers! Thank you for investigating this slightly eclectic corner of Blogland! Evening, all! I hope your weekend is going well! Apparently in the UK we are to be blessed with wind and rain this weekend - perfect crafting weather, methinks! My daughter is collecting items for a 'care box' for a friend who hasn't been well, and so I made this for her to fill. Sacha (my daughter) makes very thoughtful care boxxes, they usually contain a book and some nice bath things! Though once she made one for me that included very unromantic knickers and socks!!! I upcycled a tissue box, covering it inside and out with papers from the LotV/Nitwits 'Perfect Pair' paper stack. The image is Summer Lovely Lilies and I coloured her with Promarkers - how useful the narrow nibs are for detailed images! The list of Promarkers is below. I used a scalloped oval Nestie to cut her out, and lightly distressed through the die with Worn Lipstick Distress Ink. An ...

I'm sorry, usually I avoid anything remotely political on this blog (I save the rants for Facebook lol!) but this distresses me. Apparently Crafts are no longer considered part of the 'creative industries.' There is an official petition, if you'd like more info. Have a read of it and see what you think. Clicking on the link only takes you to the petition, if you want to sign you have to do it separately. here I apologise to anyone who thinks this is inappropriate, please ignore it in that case! love Mags B x

Just a fly-by post today, I'm out with my Dear Daughter for a routine check at the hospital. It will be an Adventure as we'll be going on the bus into deepest Essex! (Well, Epping!) A tiny (4") Christmas card, using a Penny Black stamp and a green Versacolor ink pad, with an added star from Paperchase. The green mat is pearlised but the sheen hasn't really come out in the picture. I made 5 of these - well, it's already May, only 8 months until the Big Day! I'm entering the Challenge at My Time to Craft where the theme is 'Use a Sentiment as the Main Focus.' Ideal for a CAS design, I think! I hope you're all having a good week - only 2 days until the weekend!! Thanks for looking! love Mags B x

Hi, guys! If you're looking for my DT post for The Squirrel and the Fox please scroll down to the previous post. Ta. It's Dream Valley Challenges time again! I hope you're not Squares, man, because this fortnight no squares are allowed! In other words, whatever you create (Not necessarily a card!) mustn't be square-shaped! Our gorgeous sponsor is Crafty Ribbons go and have a look at their drool-worthy website, they have some fabulous things!! I used my lovely Cupcake Frame by Hero Arts to make a little card (It's only about 4 inches high!) I die-cut a snippet of Nitwits paper for the 'icing' and a strip from another snippet for the case. This was scored with my Hougie Board at every cm all along one side of the strip, then I flipped it and scored between the marks already made, then I concertina-folded it and glued it onto the base. The sentiment is by LotV, stamped in worn Lipstick distress Ink. The heart is cut with a die from the same Hero ...

Good morning, all! I hope you're all keeping well. Here in the UK we have a Bank Holiday on Monday, so today I intend to have a massive clean-and-tidy and then on Monday hubby and I intend to have a walk around our local bird reserve. IF the sun is shining, that is! It's time for another challenge at The Squirrel and the Fox and this fortnight the theme is 'Mother's Day.' Our lovely sponsor is Pink Cat Studio and the lucky winner will be able to choose 5 free digis! The DT were offered some digis to work with, and I fell for this lovely Butterfly on a Tall Stem because it's so delicate and pretty - ideal for a Mum, I think! The background paper is from DCWV Garden Stack, which I've had for years! It's glittered and very pretty, but the pattern is quite big, and never seemed right for a card with lots of layers. However, the sketch at Tuesday Morning Sketches is lovely and simple, so I decided to try that one. I think it worked! I took the c...