Madcap Manor

Good morning from a very chilly South East Hertfordshire! I hope you all had a good weekend. We discovered that our porch is slowly coming away from the front of the house! The wonderful bloke who mended our roof earlier this year showed me that it's resting on sand and gradually toppling forward. So he's going to brace it underneath and add concrete which will hopefully do the trick. Hey ho, there's always something that needs repairing, isn't there? On to happier things - a new Challenge at Dream Valley. Our theme is Add Ribbon and/or Lace. I used both! This elegant dancer is Perfect Pointe from Sheepski Designs. So pretty! The papers, gems, lace and ribbon are all from stash. I used an MFT Die-namics Stitched Oval Scalloped Frame as a border to the image, and glammed-up her outfit with a Spectrum Noir sparkle pen. The sentiment is from the Clearly Besotted Message Me stamp set. Our sponsor is the fab Sheepski Designs Go and see my teamies'

Hello there! We have a fun new theme at CRAFT Challenge. - Add a Charm. I don't know where this last week has gone! I had this little music note charm in my stash so I went with this cute Music Conductor from Star Stampz. I coloured his little waistcoat in red - very smart! The papers are from my Christmas snippets file! I used some blue baker's twine to thread the charm onto, and the sentiment is Label Love by Altenew. Our sponsor is the fabulous Star Stampz. Go and see the 'charming' creations made by my teamies! (Sorry - I can't resist a bad pun!) Thanks for looking and have a good day! love Mags B x

Hi, guys! I hope you're enjoying a good weekend. My daughter is visiting from Ireland and we've just come back from a delicious lunch at a Japanese restaurant. Nomnomnom! Onto our new Challenge at My Time to Craft! and the theme is Inspired by a Film. I have made a card for a bloke, featuring Superman. All the images are from Paper Smooches' Super stamp set, and I fussy cut Superman and the buildings in the background. The papers are from stash, I used a Lawn Fawn Meadow Borders die for the grass. I added clear Nuvo Drops to some of the sars in the sky, and the star on the sentiment is from stash. I hope you all have a 'super' week ahead! Thanks for looking! love Mags B x

Hello, my dearios! We have a NEW Challenge at CRAFT Challenge and our theme is NEW! New baby, new home, new job.... The fun image is AKV House by Bugaboo Stamps. It cried out for primary colours! The papers are from the 'Ad Lib' collection by Bo Bunny. I added two pieces of velvet ribbon from my stash. The sentiment is an old one from Lili of the Valley and I used a Word Bubbles die by Paper Smooches - and then a tiny silver heart to cover a smudge!! Our wonderful sponsor is Bugaboo Stamps. My teamies have left some terrific inspiration for you on the blog! Go and see! Thanks for looking! love Mags B x

We have a DT Call at The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - check it out here. I used an embossing folder and pearlised card for my card. The die-cut poinsettia also has embossing on the leaves and petals. I used stickles on the centres of the snowflakes. Sorry I'm so late with this! Thanks for looking. love Mags B x

Happy Monday, everyone! Our new Challenge at Dream Valley is to use At Least 2 Buttons on your creation! I used 6 little wooden buttons that came free with a magazine! The cute image is Little Flower Girl by All Dressed Up Stamps. I used papers from the Snippets Drawer and matched the Copics I used to the colours in the papers. I added some crochet lace to match the rustic buttons, and the sentiment is a sticker from an old Love From Lizi kit. Our sponsor is All Dressed Up. Thanks for looking! love Mags B x

Hi, guys! It's time once again for our regular Christmas theme at CRAFT Challenge. The lovely image is Holy Night by The Paper Shelter. I used one of my all-time favourite Spellbinders dies to cut the mat Labels Four and Decorative Labels 4 (which sadly I can't find online.) The gold-embossed sentiment is by Clearly Besotted - and is 25% off in their Clearance Sale! The papers are from an old Papermania pad and I added Nuvo Drops to the centres of the flower shapes. Our sponser is The Paper Shelter. Check out the inspiring creations left on our blog by my gorgeous teamies! Thanks for looking! love Mags B x

Morning, all! Happy weekend! Our new Challenge at My Time to Craft is to make a box or a bag with a matching tag. Quite an unusual Challenge - and it rhymes, too!! My tag was die-cut with a Simon Says Stamp Tag Die and the box was cut with the Lawn Fawn Scalloped Treats Box die. I used 2 co-ordinating Bo Bunny patterned cardstocks, both now out of print. I love the teal colour! The rose die is from a Love From Lizi kit from last year. I die-cut the outline from antique gold cardstock, then inlaid green and pink. It took ages, but I love the effect! Here's a close-up of the tag: and here's the box: The sentiment is by Clearly Besotted and the ribbon is from stash. My teamies have worked wonders with the theme, as usual, do take a look! Then, if you want a change from making a card, go for a box or bag and a tag! Thanks for looking, and have a great weekend! love Mags B x

Evening, all! I'm sorry I'm late with this post - I forgot that today is Thursday! I often get the days muddled in the school holidays!! Our latest CRAFTChallenge is Get Well Soon. This cute bear is Poor Luvvy by Digital Delights. I used some old papers from stash. The image is cut with a Memory Box Postage Edge die, and the banner die is from Simon Says Stamp. The Sentiment is by Clearly Besotted. Our sponsor is the fab Digital Delights by Louby Loo. Have a look at the inspiration that my teamies have left on the blog! Now I must put out the rubbish bins ready for tomorrow morning! Thanks for looking! love Mags B x

Hi, guys! It seems a little odd to be thinking of Christmas just after Easter, but we have a new Challenge at The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge where the theme is always Anything Goes. We have a new member of the Design Team, Renate who is from The Netherlands. Check out her blog, her cards are gorgeous! I have recently been looking over my embossing folders, and found a Sizzix Woodgrain design that goes perfectly with a woodgrain star stamp which came in a kit last year from Love From Lizi. The star and the sentiment came with the kit, I embossed them both in gold. The blue banner is a snippet from my paper stash. The embossed background is a snippet of antique gold pearl card. I added some bakers' twine and then went around the border with a Distress Marker - I used Gathered Twigs, which is a wee bit too dark, but never mind!! Do go and see my teamies' lovely creations and be inspired to make something Christmassy - it doesn't have to be a card! Thank

Hi, guys! I hope you all had a lovely Easter weekend! Now we have a new Challenge at Dream Valley and it's to use Dry Embossing on your creation. While sorting through my embossing folders I came across one with this geometric pattern that reminds me of the patterns on metal stairs meant to give your shoes a better grip. I also needed a card for a bloke, so I dug out some silver mirror card and some metal cogs from stash. The strip of paper is from an old Authentique pad - I like how the print gives the impression of texture. The sentiment is cut with dies by Marianne from a scrap of black glitter cardstock. Go and admire my teamies' creations, they are so varied! Thanks for looking! love Mags B x