Madcap Manor

Good morning! When you read this I will be away on a road trip with a university friend, re-visiting old haunts in Durham! I hope my scheduling works!! This week's CRAFT Challenge is Well Done/Congratulations - suitable for anyone you know who is awaiting exam results, or who has passed their driving test! Our sponsors are: Patties Creations Digital Stamps and Sweet n Sassy Stamps I used an adorable image from Sweet n Sassy, this is Celebrate The papers are from an old magazine freebie. The silver ribbon is from Hobbycraft, and the 'Congratulations' sentiment is by Paper Smooches. I used a Spellbinders labels One to cut the tab for the sentiment. The silver stickers were from Paperchase. Hop across to the blog to be inspired to join in by my teamies' fab makes! Thanks for looking! love Mags B x

Morning, all! Our theme at CRAFT Challenge this week is 'Wish You Were Here.' Our fab sponsors are: Digital Delights and Robyn's Fetish I used Sailing, Sailing by Robyn's Fetish to make a Shaker Card. The paper is from an old magazine freebie stack. I used Fun Foam to raise it above the image and to keep the beads and glitter from falling out. The sentiment is stamped with a tiny alpha stamp set from Stampendous, and the seahorse is from stash. Go and see the inspiration on the Challenge blog! I wish you were there to join in the Challenge!! Thanks for looking! love Mags B x

Happy Monday, everyone! I had intended to spend the day watching Test cricket while doing the ironing, but after England's pusillanimous collapse against Australia yesterday there isn't any cricket, so I'll be watching craft videos on Youtube instead! Before then, here is my card for the new Challenge at Dream Valley and we'd like to see Embossing . This could be dry embossing with a folder, or heat embossing. Our sponsors are: Crafts and Me and The Hobby House I used the cutest image from Crafts and Me, this is Red Hatter I dry embossed pink Centura pearl for the background and heat embossed the LotV sentiment. The paper is from an old 6 x 6 pad by My Mind's Eye called Quite Contrary. The ribbon is from stash and the roses are from Wild orchid Crafts. I used a Woodware punch for the leaf sprays. Have a look at my teamies' lovely makes, then get embossing!! Thanks for looking, and have a good week! love Mags B x

My Time to Craft! is going fortnightly just for the summer, so you have more time to join in with our Challenges! This week it's Christmas in July , which gives you a chance to get on with any cards, decorations or gifts that you intend to make for Christmas! I went with a card: The image is an old stamp from Whiff of Joy which sadly is closing down soon. I used a Spellbinders Labels 2 to cut out the image, then drew around the die and cut it by hand to make the narrow mat. The papers and sentiment are from my stash of magazine freebies collected over the years, and the ribbon came from Pinflair in Hertford, just up the road from where I live. The cluster of holly leaves was cut with a Marianne Holly Branches die, with gems for the berries and some green stickles on the leaves. Go and see the cool creations that my teamies have made, they will inspire you to reach for your Christmas stash! Thanks for looking! love Mags B x

Good morning! It's Christmas at CRAFT Challenge this week! We have two ace sponsors: Stitchy Bear Stamps Yours or Mine Papercrafts I used a lovely Christmas Lamp digi by Floppy Latte Designs for Stitchy Bear. I coloured the image with Copics and added Glossy Accents to the berries, silver Wink of Stella to the knob on top of the lamp, and clear WoS to the candle flame. The ribbon, paper and sentiment are all from stash. I used a Martha Stewart Snowflake Punch Around the Page set for the border. Go and be inspired by what my teamies have made, and join in! I'm going to be listening to the Cricket today! Come on, England! Thanks for looking, and have a great day! love Mags B x

Good morning! We have another Challenge at CRAFT Challenge and it is Thank you . I don't know about you, but I never have a Thank you card when I need one! Our sponsors this week are: A Day for Daisies and Great Impressions Stamps I used a sweet digi from A Day for Daisies called Daisy Wedding The background paper is glittered and comes from a First Edition pack called 'In Bloom.' The ribbon is from stash and the sentiment is from an old Thanks stamp set by American Crafts, embossed in Wow! Parma Violet embossing powder. The white dots round the image are made with a white gel pen. Go and see what my teamies have done, they will inspire you! Thanks for looking! love, Mags B x

Good morning! We have another Challenge up at Dream Valley - where has the last fortnight gone??! This time our theme is Distressing which can be either roughing-up the edges of your papers, or using ink. Our sponsor is Robyn's Fetish The DT were allowed to use some of their fab images, I went for Violet Red Hat Gal . I distressed round all the papers using Worn Lipstick Distress Ink, which is such a pretty pinky-red. It doesn't show up too well in the photo, unfortunately, but irl it adds a haze of colour on the edges. I used Promarkers to colour her, and added stickles to those fabulous feathers! The papers are a magazine freebie from 2012, 'Love Lives here' by Raspberry Road. The swirl die-cut is made with a Magnolia die, the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts, and the ribbon is from stash. The butterflies were made with a Martha Stewart punch, and glittered, the wooden heart has been coloured with Festive Berries ink and covered with Glossy Accents.

Happy Independence Day to all my friends and family in the USA! Good morning, all! We had an amazing thunderstorm last night, bright sheet lightning lighting up the clouds and an absolute cascade of rain! The air feels so much fresher today! Now for the new Challenge at My Time to Craft which is Paper Piecing . (The link leads to a tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers.) Woodware have produced some great 'patchwork' stamps that are ideal for this. Here's the elephant: I used papers from the Snippets drawer to piece her. The background is made with a MFT Die-namics Sun-ray die, I cut it from pink card and patterned paper, glued the card to the front of my card, and filled in the gaps with paper - it seemed like a good idea at the time, but now I'm not so sure. However, half the fun of cardmaking is EXPERIMENTING to see what works and what doesn't! ;) The banner is Paper Smooches, the sentiment I think came from a magazine a long time ago! Do go and see

Good morning! At CRAFT Challenge we have a technique challenge for you: Embossing That can be dry embossing or heat embossing, whichever takes your fancy. Our sponsors are: All Dressed Up and DeeDees Digis I used one of Wendy's beautiful images from 'All Dressed Up: I dry embossed the background and added dots from a green pearl pen. I heat embossed the sentiment, which is from LotV. The patterned paper and lace are from stash, and I used a Martha Stewart punch for the borders. Thanks for looking! love Mags b x