Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 66 ” Fantasy “

Posted on April 16, 2012 by baileyrosy

Yesterday in Greece we celebrated Easter and the sun came out and stayed all day ! Not only where we able to roast our lambs on the spit but we where able to roast our bodies too ! Well I did any way ! You could certainly tell who was British amongst our contingent , all of the Greeks sat in the shade with their sun glasses on and a certain British person sat in full view of the sun without protection or glasses. Needless to say I am looking a bit like a patchwork quilt today and a very unattractive one at that. After twenty-three years of living here you would think I would be a little used to it by now but no siree not me, as soon as I see the sun I come over all touristy and park myself underneath it. Now the truth be told I do work all day so I don’t get much of a chance but when I do I’m off in my car to the beach !

Over at Crafty Cardmakers our lovely and talented leader Lin has chosen ” Fantasy ” as our theme for the next two weeks. I really enjoyed getting inky and messy so much so that I made two cards and here they are for your perusal.

The image is courtesy of The Graphics Fairy , The stamp is from a children’s stamping set and of course I have no idea who made it as the box has long been discarded . Embossed with SU embossing powder. Waco ( great name ) gold crackle paint was used for the base and then coloured with Marina Mist ink by SU. After I had distressed the edges of the card with my fab but very noisy Zutter distressing tool ( they really should give free ear plugs with it I ) went a bit mad with the Encore Ultimate metallic Gold ink but it was great fun.

Again the image is courtesy of The Graphics Fairy edged in gold ink as above and positioned onto …. well am not exactly sure what it is, paper like material that I got from my local craft shop., again went a bit mad with the gold. The wings were made with my Cameo, coloured with Marina Mist from SU and then embossed with three layers of clear UTEE, bobbly trim from my stash and blue foam for the border cut with one of my Sizzix bigs dies .

Our two fab sponsors are, firstly

CROP STOP

$15 Gift Certificate to the Crop Stop Store

and our second sponsor is

DI’S DIGI DOWNLOADS

$10 Gift Voucher

Do pop over to Crafty Cardmakers to see the fabulous creations made by my team mates to inspire us all and who knows you could be one of our lucky winners.

Right am off for a little lie down, am still recovering from working all day every day in my shop with the run up to Easter , nothing to do with the excesses of yesterday you understand.

Take care

Marie

Out of a Hat Creations ” Use some Craft Stash “

Posted on April 10, 2012 by baileyrosy

For those of you who celebrated Easter at the weekend I trust you are all back on your diets !! Here in Greece we celebrate at the weekend and am hoping the horrible weather improves. Easter is a time of huge celebration here with families returning to their villages , connecting with old friends and the traditional roasting of lamb on the spit its my favourite time of year ( if the weather is nice ) .

There is another new challenge blog on the block Out of a Hat Creations was formed by four blogging friends after a challenge that they participated in every week closed. I was also a regular contributor to the site although in the last few months I had been a bit lackadaisical ! The idea behind their blog is that the four team members, Chrissie, Florence, Sandra and Janet each put ideas for themes in ” the hat ” and each week one is chosen by random. This weeks theme is to use up some of your craft stash.

Now before you see my card I just want to point out that although it looks incredibly simple it has taken me four whole days to complete !! Yes four !!!

The heart is made from fused plastic beads, the beads are tiny and are placed onto a small plastic base with little tiny pegs that protrude. You place the beads on top in the desired shape and the using a heat-resistant paper iron the top and the plastic fuses together. Ok so far so good ! Not if you are me , the slightest movement of the base dislodges the beads and you have to start all over again or in my case, again and again and ……………….After many many attempts I finally got to the ironing stage but alas the wire from the iron touched the base and they went flying all over the place ! Bailey and Rosy thought this was a great game trying to eat the plastic perishers , I am very sure they are not approved by the canine association ! So out came the Hoover and I started all over again. Near to tears I eventually yesterday evening after twelve hours of work at my shop shakily added the last bead….. and success !!! which is why the card base is so simple I just didn’t have the will to do anything else except for a bit of embossing !!

This is a picture of the offending jar of beads which is from a well-known Swedish super store and is supposedly for children !! Now I know why it has been sitting on the top of the wardrobe for over a year and its gone right back up there !!

Do pop over to Out of a Hat Creations and support these lovely and talented ladies .

Would also like to link this to Use It Tuesdays who are also asking for us to use something from our stash think this fits the bill !!

One more thing, a few of you have been unable to leave comments not being able to find where to leave them. With Blogger we are used to seeing the comment form at the bottom of the page but of course the blog theme I chose with WP doesn’t have that facility., trust me ! If you take a peep at the top of the post on the right hand side you will see a little bubble, click on that, or the post title and the form will come up.

Wishing you all a wonderful week

Take care

Marie

Get Creative Card Challenge ” Use Stickers ” and Goodbye Dolly Daydreams Hello baileyrosy !!!!

Posted on April 5, 2012 by baileyrosy

Goodbye Blogger Hello WordPress !! This is my first post from my new blogging home. After weeks of Blogger messing me around and not publishing my posts I have finally and to use the words of a lovely blogging friend , Lynne from Adorn ,” moved over to the other side” !!! I would just like to thank everyone who has popped over to support me , thank you all so much, blogger friends are the best !!!

Over at Get Creative we have a new challenge up and running and an interesting one it is too ! Our lovely leader Irini has asked us to use stickers on our cards, no background papers just stickers. Well I nearly came unstuck myself with this one ! I must be one of the few crafters who doesn’t have any , luckily Irini came to the rescue with these beauties , and when she revealed where they came from I nearly fell off my chair but more of that later.

Do you think the photo is big enough !!! As its my first post here am trying out all of the possibilities until I find out what suits me best so please bear with me. I used those pesky Gilding flakes to make the background, I do remember saying I wouldn’t use them again due to the fact that they attached themselves to everything inside the craft cave including the mischievous mutts Bailey and Rosy . However I felt they were a fitting backdrop to the gorgeous stickers and reminded me of an old mirror. This time I had problems sticking the flakes to the background ,after several attempts and lots of cussing I discovered that I was using glass primer instead of the appropriate glue. These flakes and I do not go well together ! In the centre of the frame I used a piece of transparency that I had printed this lovely flourish on to. The grey card was distressed and I used Stazon gold ink around the edges. The Lovely frames are from a Childrens toy store Jumbo which is here in Greece and the last place `I would have imagined finding these beauties.

Do pop over to Get Creative to see what my fabulously talented team mates have come up with to inspire you . We have lots of very interesting challenges this month, sometimes I wish I wasn’t on the DT so I could take part.

We are sponsored this month by the lovely Tina Suitella who has been so very generous with her fabulous gifts , she also is a very talented crafter so why not pop over and check out her blog .

I do hope that this post finds you all, I have been on a roller coaster ride this month and was very close to packing it all in a few times. I would love to hear your comments and get your feed back on my new blog and if any of you have any suggestions on how I can improve it please do let me know.

Now I really do hope I can’t catch up with you all !

Take care

Marie

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 65 " Easter "

Posted on April 2, 2012 by baileyrosy

Over at Crafty Cardmakers it’s once again time for our fortnightly challenge our theme for the next two weeks has been set by the lovely and talented Doreen who has chosen ” Easter “. Now I’m sure you are all in the throes of making your Easter cards and decorations so why not link up your creations to Crafty Cardmakers we would love to see them and who knows you may be one of our lucky winners !

I just a napkin for the background , I applied a layer of Modge Podge to the napkin and ahered it to the card, another layer of Modge Podge on top to protect it. I cut the Easter image with my cameo and layered it over the napkin. Easy peasy you may think but it took seven attempts to cut the image as the wording is very delicate and kept ripping as I was lifting it from the cutting mat. This was my last piece of cream card stock too. The craft cave was definitely a PG rated zone !! I am going through a bit of Modge Podge phase at the moment . I have just finished altering a radiator in my sons bathroom I completely covered it with groovy paisley napkins and it looks fabulous, unfortunately I cant get a good enough photo ! I am now working on light fittings and switches stay tuned !!!

Undeterred by my frayed nerves I decided to make another card. The base is made from silk kindly donated by a friend who has a fabric shop , although I have to say the beautiful pieces are all silk and far to nice to cut up ! My likkle wabbit was cut with …… yes you’ve guessed it my Cameo, I added some lovely lace and velvet ribbon and the little flower I made using one of my molds.

Thought I would share with you this photo of the corner of my living room where I take my photos. Some of you may have noticed that in all of the cards on my blog there appears to be greenery growing out of the top of them. This is the only spot in the house that has some light even though my ceilings are four meters high and there is plenty of glass, I guess I just don’t live on the sunny side of the street !

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We are sponsored for this challenge once again by Digi Doodle Shop who are offering a $10 Gift Certificate for the store

We are also sponsored by Hobby Art who have very generously offered us two beautiful stamps sets . Please see Crafty Cardmakers blog for more details.

Please pop over to Crafty Cardmakers to see the wonderful inspirational work by my team mates we would love to see you there.

Before I go just another little moan about Blogger. I said on my previous post that I have opened an account with WordPress and hope to transfer there in due course. One of the main reasons is that Mr Blogger insists I don’t have a blog !!!!!!! and wont let me make any changes. that and not burning my posts is driving me crazy. Since yesterday am unable to leave comments on most of your blogs I keep getting the error message service unavailable !!! I think I might have been cut off !!!!! so please bear with me and I do apologise for not leaving comments.

Right winging over lets see if Blogger lets this one through !!!

Take care

Marie

Artful Times " Tags "

Posted on March 31, 2012 by baileyrosy

This may be my very last post on blogger enough is enough ! After working hard the last year or so on my blog it seems that Blogger is trying to thwart me at every step. It is refusing to burn my posts and not sending notifications to all of my followers. The traffic to my site has become greatly reduced and even insists I don’t have a blog !!!. I wont bore you with all of the details but I have set up an account with WordPress and hope to have it running within the next few days. I would like to thank each and every one of you that has supported me over the last year and do hope you will follow me on WordPress otherwise I’m going to be a very lonely blogger . So keep your eyes peeled for an email notification from me.

Artful Times is a new challenge blog which has been set up by three of the former members of JFF, this was one of the first challenges I entered when I started crafting just over a year ago and the talented and very humorous ladies, Von, Neet and Sam have been very supportive ever since. This is their first challenge and they have made it very easy for us ” Tags ” I made a few quick tags not by best work ladies but my ” nerves ” and I are at the end of my tether ( it took three attempts to post this ) blogger just deleted my posts on its own and I had to start all over again very frustrating to say the least, lets see what happens with this fourth attempt.

Simple tag don’t know who the DP belongs to as the cover has come off the pad , what a surprise !!! I cut an aperture with Spellbinders postage stamp die , the stamp is SU .

Stamp is Waltzing mouse and cut with the co – ordinating Spellbinders die. Felt for the background and the swirly bits where cut with my Cameo and then embossed with three layers of UTEE.

Ladies I do promise to do better next but I really did want to be part of your first challenge !

Please pop over to Artful Times and support their new venture, the lovely trio have made some fabulous inspirational tags to get our juices flowing !

Right lets see if this my FOURTH attempt at posting this gets through !!

Marie

The Shabby Tea Room " Bright and Beautiful Spring "

Posted on March 27, 2012 by baileyrosy

Finally spring has shown its sunny face here in Greece which means I am definitely on a strict diet now ! After it seams like a never ending miserable winter we are able to sit outside in the street cafes and enjoy the sun, yipee!!! I have been very busy of late creating spring and summer window displays for my shop and so blogging has taken a back seat, although I am trying desperately to keep up with you all could I ask you all a little favour……….slow down !!! You are all so prolific some of you post once a day!!! I cant keep up and I want to !

Am also still having problems with my posts as they are still not going directly to Google reader and I have to fiddle with various things none of which I have a clue about, lets see what happen again this time.

The Shabby Team Roomis a blog I have been following for some time but have always been too afraid to participate in their challenges. The DT always have fabulous inspirational work and the participants are always so talented that I have shied away from taking part to be honest I’m not sure if I am ” Shabby ” enough. Well whats the worst that can happen !! and they do seem like such a friendly group of ladies that I have decided to throw caution to the wind. They have a fabulous challenge this week with the title ” Bright and Beautiful Spring ” and they are asking us to use this fabulous image as a guide. For further details do pop over to their blog to check it out

Here is my take on their theme

Inside of card

I am still in my leather phase so as you can see I used this lovely piece of yellow leather which I embossed with this Sizzix embossing folder, for the blue decorative borders I used my Cameo and coated them in about three layers of UTEE to give the lovely shiny effect. Hero arts butterflies the top one being in a lovely lilac colour but looks rather dark in the photo, stamped with Stazon as is the craft butterfly underneath. I also added the peacock to the inside . Do hope I am shabby enough and there is enough craft this was the only piece I could salvage from a parcel.

Do pop over to The Shabby Tea Room to see the wonderful inspirational work by the DT I’m sure you wont be dissapointed.

Right am off to fiddle with blogger now in the hope that that my post reaches its destination !!

Take care

Marie

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Crafty Cardmakers 6 4 " Time "

Posted on March 19, 2012 by baileyrosy

Hello…………….is there anyone there!!!!!!!! Well blogger has been playing silly bloggers with my posts and not sending them to reader , so last week I was feeling a little like Billy no mates. Although my posts where visible reader wasn’t picking them up I didn’t relalise how much we rely on it. Hopeful this post will fight its way through !
Over at Crafty Cardmakers we have a new challenge for you which has been set by the lovely and talented Jackie the theme for this fortnight is ” Time ” pop over to Crafty Cardmakers for all of the details

Here is my take on the them e, the first one being for the DT.

I used air dry Fimo to make a heart and then stamped with Stazon this image by Hero Arts ” Timely Birds ” Spellbinders dies for the Frames , my Cameo for the photo corners . The DP is Basic Grey.

I just love stamping on this air dry Fimo is so light doesn’t require baking and is great for cards and scrapbooking .

I liked Jackies theme so much that and the fact my clock looked a little on the small side ! I decided to make another card, and here it is ….

My lovely Cameo helped me with this great image of Big Ben , made me a little homesick making this card as I used to pass it every day on my way to work.

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We are kindly sponsored for this challenge by The Stampman (and Lady of course!) who are offering the winner a £10 voucher for their store, you can spend this online, in the shop or if you’re lucky enough to see them at a show! They have a ton of items in store, enough to tickle any crafty taste bud.

Di’s Digi Downloads is also sponsoring us with a 10 dollar voucher to be used at their on line store

Please pop over to Crafty Cardmakers to see the fabulous inspirational pieces by the rest of the DT team .

Right am off to check out Reader to see if this pesky post appears !!

Take care

Marie

CAS-ual Fridays " For Sentimental Reasons " and I’m a winner !

Posted on March 13, 2012 by baileyrosy

A quick post today as for the past week I have been having internet issues . Now it may sound a bit strange but when it rains and it has been here in Thessaloniki for the past month then the internet is very intermittent , especially this last week the more rain we have the less internet !!! So here are a couple of quick cards I made for the Cas-ual Fridays challenge ” for Sentimental Reason ” We are being asked to use the sentiment as the focal point here is what I came up with….

Accompanying envelope

Both cards where created with the help of my Cameo, the front panels embossed with Sizzix embossing folders and the butterfly curtesy of Hero Arts, I stamped onto leather with Stazon black ink and then fussy cut ( a bit tricky with leather )

Please do pop over to Cas-ual fridays to see the sensational work by the DT who always manage to create such spectacular inspirational cards week after week !

I would like to thank the lovely and talented Jenny from Crafting in the Country for my lovely blog candy, Jenny recently celebrated her first year blog anniversary and I was one of the lucky winners. Not only did she send me a fabulous stamp set by Paper Smoochies but she also included one of her own cards and lots of lovely die cuts and buttons. Thank you so much Jenny ! For those of you who have not visited Jenny I do urge you to pop over and visit her blog not only is she a very talented lady but she is one of the nicest ladies I have come across in blog land.

Right am off before blogger kicks me off, that and the fact that the men and the dogs are all whimpering in the background , lunch is late as usual !!
Take care

Marie

For some reason blogger is not showing this post in reader and is not arriving at your desk tops . Could anyone please let me know if they are following me and they are having problems you may have seen a test post which has now been deleted. Thank you

Enjoy the rest of your weekend

Marie

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 63 " A Sketch "

Posted on March 5, 2012 by baileyrosy

Its time once again for a new challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and this fortnights theme has been chosen by the lovely Susie who will be the host for the next two weeks. Susie has chosen a sketch for us to follow and I have to say I really enjoyed this challenge , here is the sketch she would like us to follow

Here is my DT piece

With the exception of the card base this was made entirely out of leather , oh and of course the eyelets oh yes and the UTEE embellishment in the centre of the flower. Well its nearly all leather !!! I made the flower with a Sizzix 3D flower die and TH on the edge die. I embossed and distressed the leather and I have to say although its quite a simple card I love the outcome and it smells gorgeous ! The centre of the flower is one of my home made embellishments, I made a silicone mold and then filled it with UTEE that I had coloured with a little gold embossing powder.

I enjoyed working with this sketch so much I made another card.

Again more die cuts and embossing , the little owl I fussy cut and gave him two white eyelets well for….eyelets ! Once again love the effect the embossing folders has on leather so beware you will most probably be seeing a lot of it in the days to come.

We are sponsored for this challenge by ONE STOP CARD CRAFTS who are offering a £10 voucher for their store as a prize.

We are also sponsored by DIGI DOODLE SHOP who are offering a $10 Gift Certificate for the store

Please pop on over to Crafty Cardmakers to see what the rest of the super talented Design Team have come up with to inspire us all !

Over at Get Creative last month we had twelve challenges running, the winners of which were to become guest DT members for the month of March and take the place of the design team members, thus giving us the month off ! The first two challenges are up and running , showcasing these wonderfully talented ladies , why not pop over and take a peek and why not take part you certainly wont be disappointed, I was blown away by their take on our themes this month.

Today is a bittersweet day for our family , here in Greece there is still national service and my oldest son Alexi who is nearly 21 has left today for the army in Kozani he will be away for nine months !! He will be spending his 21st birthday in the camp which according to my husband who took him today looked a little like Colditz !! Just as well its in the middle of nowhere as the army pay is a whopping 8.72 euros a month !!!!! and its about to be reduced !!!

Right am off to visit you all

Take care

Marie

Just For Fun " Distressed Him "

Posted on February 26, 2012 by baileyrosy

It was with much sadness that I read on Thursday Morning that Just For Fun had decided to call it a day. Theirs was the first challenge I nervously entered into a year ago when I started crafting and blogging. The lovely ladies Zoe, Von, Neet and Sam became great blogging friends and their endless support and humour was invaluable and still is. they even asked me to be a guest designer which was a huge honour for me. I would like to thank these wonderful ladies for all of their help and advice over the past year and I have made some great friends here , Just for Fun will be greatly missed.

So one last challenge before they close their doors and of course I just had to take part, their theme is ” Distressed Him ” Now mine is a little of a cheat and do hope it qualifies. So here goes

I have actually taken some old tiles and bashed them about a bit, roughed up the edges, managed to break three in the process so they are definitely distressed. Crafty Individuals stamp stamped with Stazon black ink and that’s it.

I really liked the effect so made a few more, stamps by Hero arts and Stamping up. I sanded the underside and added felt and will be using them as drinks coasters. They are also completely waterproof , I gave them a good once over with a rough sponge and everything stayed where it should !

I know it was a quick make but I have very little time at my disposal at the moment. Its a holiday here in Greece and I would be normally be going to my summer house but Rosy my French Porker bulldog is in heat and having decided I want to be a grandma I have been put in charge of the breeding procedure. In other words every else one has buggered off and left me in charge of two randy dogs and Bailey the Mini Pincher ( male ) who has had the chop and is feeling decidedly left out of the proceedings !