Madcap Manor

  Hiya! Well, it's been an exciting but rather sad day today! When we moved here in 1986 there was a beautiful dwarf weeping copper beech outside our door. It was always so interesting to see it put out delicate pink leaves in the Spring and watch as the summer sun turned them a deep copper red. Then in the autumn they faded to red-orange and finally fell to leave the elegant bare branches.  Sadly, last year the tree died. The branches went dry and brittle and the leaves were very sparse. We finally bit the bullet and had it removed. Today the plot where it stood has been covered with grass. It looks very neat, but it isn't the same.  At least there are still 3 lovely silver birches at the end of our cul-de-sac, which are just beginning to put out their first leaf-shoots. Spring is on its way!  In the meantime we have the second of our Challenges at My Time to Craft Christmas! and our new theme is Penguins. I have used items from last December's Love from L...

Hi, guys! It's time for another Challenge at Dream Valley and our theme is Our 4-Legged Friends.   Does anybody else start singing A Four-Legged Friend sung by Roy Rogers in the film 'Son of Paleface'? The film is an old-fashioned but very funny Western, starring Bob Hope and Jane Russell - she is so good in this, she out-rides, out-shoots and out-acts everyone else! An oldie but goodie. Anyway, here is my card, using AKV Giraffe by our awsome sponsor Bugaboo Stamps. I used snippets of papers from my scrap drawers for the background papers and added Love from Lizi in Grass Green Mirror. I backed an old Lili of the Valley circle sentiment stamp with green mirror cardstock by Tonic and finished with green gems from my stash.  We have a Design Call at the moment, open to experienced or new crafters alike.  Do check it out! We're a very friendly bunch! My teamies have made adorable animal cards to inspire you to join in the challenge!  Thanks for looking and st...

Hiya! It's a cold, frosty but bright winter's day here in S-E Hertfordshire and today I have the excitement of a trip to the supermarket to do the grocery shopping and buy a new kettle!  The thrills never cease! Even more thrilling, we have a new Challenge at My Time to Craft and we'd like to see Glitter and Sparkle on your creations. This card is very glittery. I used gold card from Tonic Studios (which doesn'T shed!) and die-cut 'YOU' from the mat before layering it onto my card base.   The die and gold-embossed sentiment are by My Favorite Things: 'All About You' for the sentiment and 'You Trio' for the die. Neither is on the MFT website, I'm afraid, so they may be out of print.   I used a snippet of flowered paper from my scraps drawer and some sequins for even more sparkle.   My teamies have done a sterling job with their creations, as usual!   Thanks for looking, stay safe, and have a good weekend!   love Mags B x...

Hi there, my lovelies! I hope you're all keeping well.   There is a new Challenge at The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge where the theme is always Anything Christmas Goes.    I wanted a bit of a change from making cards, so I got out my embroidery cottons and a very old book of Scandinavian Christmas patterns to make some cross-stitch tags. I pulled out some threads around each image to make a little fringe, then glued them onto tags cut from kraft card. It was very relaxing to stitch while watching tv.   Have a look at my teamies' creations and get cracking on your Christmas makes! Only 11 and a half months to go lol!   Thanks for looking and take care.   Love, Mags B x

There's a new Christmas Challenge in town! Check out My Time to Craft Christmas!    Our lovely Shell who is the Jedi Master of My Time to Craft Challenge has set up a Christmas Challenge to encourage us all to get ahead of our Christmas creating and ease the stress at the end of the year.   The Challenge will be fortnightly, with a different theme each time. The first one is Reindeer.    I have used an adorable digi from Di's Digital Stamps which I have had for so long that, sadly, it's no longer available. However, check out her website, there are so many cute Christmas digis available! My papers are from my snippets drawer (yes, once again my New Year's Resolution is to USE UP MY STUFF!) and I added Glossy Accents to the reindeer's nose and Spectrum Noir sparkle to the bells. Neither of which show up very well on my photo - sorry!   Go and see my lovely teamies' contributions and join in the fun! I know it's not that long since last Chr...

Hello, my dearios! Welcome back to Dream Valley! Our first Challenge for 2021 is Winter and/or Snow.    Our sponsor is Di's Digital Stamps - do check out Di's very cute and pretty designs. She is also having A SALE!   I have used an old set of layered snowflakes dies my My Favorite Things - unfortunately it seems to be no longer available. I used Distress Oxide inks in Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean and Blueprint Sketch to blend colour onto the background, then glued down snowflakes cut from glitter and white cardstock. The banner and sentiment are from Simon Says Stamp and came in a kit.   I'm very sad that I have had to cancel my Simon Says Stamp kit subscription, as the post-Brexit VAT and customs duties make it too expensive. These kits saw me through 2016, when I was treated for cancer - it was like having a birthday present every month! Maybe one day I can subscribe again.   Go and see my teamies' fab creations and check out our D T Call...

Happy New Year!Welcome back to My Time to Craft! Our first theme of the year is Thank You!   I apologise for the quality of my photo: the Christmas tree always stands in front of the window, so the light is not the best!  We took the decorations down on Wednesday and the place looks a bit dull now, without the tinsel! I used some Polkadoodles die-cuts which came with a magazine a looooong time ago on a slimline card.  The pink background paper is from my snippets drawer, and the border at the top is a scrap of ribbon.  Finally, the sentiment is die-cut with an old Clearly Besotted die. Check out the inspiration on the challenge blog and join in! I hope you're all keeping safe and well.  We may be back in Lockdown, but we always have our crafting to keep us going! With all best wishes for 2021 love Mags B x