Madcap Manor

 Oh, how embarrassing! I thought I had scheduled this post, but.... no, I forgot to click the 'publish' button! D'oh! This is my last DT post, as I'm taking a break. Anyway, here is our latest challenge at  My Time to Craft!  and the theme is Rainbows.   We'd like to see 5 or more colours: as the song my kids learned at school says: 'Red and Yellow and Orange and Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet, too.  These are the colours that you will see if a rainbow shows itself to you!' My first card is based on  this video  for a Diamond Stair Stepper card by Iced Images on Youtube.  I replaced the diamonds she used with die-cut hearts. The papers are all from a 'Rainbow' pad by Papermania which is very old! The patterns use all the colours of the rainbow, so I think I covered this Challenge's requirements! I used a butterfly die with yellow paper from the pad, inlaid with orange and backed with card to give it more stability.  The gems are from my stash.  I

Here is a picture of my new granddaughter Fiadh, who was born last Friday, and her brother Oscar, who is 6.  Ye Olde Manne and I will be visiting at the beginning of March and I can't wait!!  Sadly, this is my last post for  The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge .  I am sorry to leave, it has been great to get all my Christmas cards sorted before December! I want to thank Marlene and the lovely Design Team and everyone who enters the challenge for their inspiration. My card is based on  this video  by Iced Images for a Gatefold Star Card.  The papers are from a very old paper pad by Cosmo Cricket called 'Mitten Weather.'  The two glittered chipboard snowflakes came from the same collection.  The sentiments and gems are from my stash. Check out my teamies' lovely creations! Thanks for looking and take care! love Mags B x

Good morning! I have some sad news and some happy news.  I am stepping down from all my Design Teams, including Dream Valley .  It was my very first DT, back in 2011 and I still get a kick out of talking about my 'teamies!' I want to thank them all for their kindness and creativity. Consequently there is a DT Call  - details are on the blog.  Anyone can apply, whatever level of crafting experience you have.  The DT members are lovely, they are always ready to help a 'newbie'! Now for the happy news: I have a new granddaughter! Fiadh (Fee-a) was born last Friday in Ireland and here she is: So tiny! So cute! Now, finally, here is my card for our new challenge, which is to Use your favourite colours.   Our sponsor is  Colour of Love  and I used the cute 'Sugi Summer Fashion' digi. The card base is a pop-out gatefold card from  This video  by Sam Calcott of Mixed-up crafts.  It looks complicated, but it's actually quite simple to make.   The papers are from my s

 Good morning! I hope you're all keeping well.  I am very excited to tell you that my daughter Sacha is in hospital because her baby is on the way! So this weekend Ye Olde Manne and I will be welcoming a new granddaughter.  Her name is Fiadh (pronounced 'Fee-a') and her big brother Oscar is so excited! Now on to our new Challenge at  My Time to Craft Christmas  which is sadly going to be my last.  I am taking a break from all my DTs.  Our new theme is Snowflakes. My first card has a stencilled background. The stencil has lost its packaging, and I don't know who made it.  I used blue mirror card for the mat and the sentiment, which is from and old MFT die.  I added White Blizzard Glitter Drops by Nuvo to the middles of the snowflakes and the dots as well. Card number 2 is made with the beautiful ISSA layering Snowflake dies by  Birch Press Designs  which seems to be out of print. I used 3 shades of blue cardstock for the layers and silver mirror card for the central snow

 Good morning! We have a new Challenge for you at  My Time to Craft!  where the theme is Vintage or Shabby Chic.   This is always a challenge for me, as both are outside my comfort zone! I made a Shabby Chic tag: I used an image and sentiment from an old magazine gift of papers and toppers based on the Flower Fairies by Cicely Barker.  I tore strips of patterned paper for the background, distressed the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink and added a strip of lace to the right side.  I used some of the paper in the kit to die-cut three butterflies, and pearls from my stash along their bodies.  Then I used a couple of pink ribbons for the tie, I also made a Vintage-y card. The papers, birds and sentiment are from Stamperia's 'Patchwork' collection (sadly this seems to be out of print.).  I cut and tore out the pieces that I wanted and inked the edges with Frayed Burlap Distress Ink.  I added a button and 3 resin flowers from my stash. I enjoyed the challenge of working i a

Good afternoon from sunny Hertfordshire! Well, it's sunny now that the freezing fog has lifted.  Brr! It's so wintry these days - but we can all cheer up by making cheerful Christmas cards! Yes, it's time for a new Challenge at  The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge.   We also have a DT Call  so if you've ever wondered about joining a Challenge Design Team, check out the blog.  All welcome, no matter your level of experience! I was tidying my Craft Hovel and came across an old set of papers and die-cuts by  Hunkydory Crafts  which came with a magazine a long time ago. I can't remember what this fold is called!  Here is the inside: Everything is from the kit, which includes some very pretty foiling.  The inside sentiment is 'To the Lovebirds at Christmas' and I know just who I'll be sending it to in 11 months' time! Check out the blog for more inspiration and for details of the DT Call. Thanks for looking and take care! love Mags B x

 Good morning! We are having a Design Team call at  Dream Valley ! If you're interested, check out the blog post.  We welcome crafters at all levels of experience - this was my very first DT, 12 years ago, when I was a very new crafter, and I learned so much from my lovely teamies over the years. Now for our new challenge - Add Some Bling.   Our sponsor is the wonderful  All Dressed Up Stamps  and Wendy kindly gave us two of her fabulous images to use.  I went with  Dreaming of Summer  - so pretty! I used papers from an elderly First Edition pad, and some pearlised purple cardstock from my stash.  I added two shiny  Lilac Mirror  peel-offs by Love from Lizi.  I covered the butterflies on the image with Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen (which doesn't really show in the photo unless you squint!) and finally some purple gems from my stash.  The die-cut hello is an old die from  Clearly Besotted. Check out the creations of my lovely teamies on the Challenge blog, and details of the DT Cal

 Good morning! For the latest challenge at  My Time to Craft Christmas  we would like to see traditional colours of red, gold and green. (Are you now humming 'Karma Chameleon' by Culture Club? I am!) My first card uses items from  an old  Hunkydory  magazine. I raised the middle of the circular die-cut on foam to give some dimension.  I added a square gold mat, but everything else on the card came from the magazine kit. My second card is actually a 4 x 4 inch tag!  I used an old wreath die from MFT to cut 2 colours of green cardstock which I layered together.  The bow (from the same set) is cut in red glitter card, and I added Xmas Red Stickles for the glittery berries.  The gold mat is cut with another old MFT die, and the ribbon is from my stash. Check out the challenge blog for more inspiration! Thanks for looking and take care! Culture Club: (don't they look young?) Listen out for the 'red, gold and green' line! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmcA9LIIXWw love M