ABC challenge

R is for Roses this week at ABC challenges and gives me the perfect opportunity to create a card I have been thinking about for a few days. One of our rose bushes, given to us by our eldest son and his wife for our wedding anniversary, was showing colour on it's first bloom of the season this morning. It has huge flower heads and a wonderful scent and when I photographed it early this morning the drops of overnight rain were still sitting on the petals and picked up on my piccy really well.

The photograph has been cut with nesties labels and simply matted and a strip of lace added down the side. I stamped swirls from Inkadinkado 97632 onto the DP which is Basic Grey and roses onto vellum with my Magnolia which I'm afraid doesn't seem to have any reference, in both instances using Stayzon black. These magnolia roses are actually very lifelike and I lightly coloured them with Marvy pens, cut out and decoupaged, placing them over the swirls to give a trailing effect. Finally added some of my swarovski gems to embellish ........ these only go on special cards, so who am I going to give this one to ?

A Spoonful of Sugar 45

Managed to create another one whilst the watchful eyes are diverted ........ I am resting really I am ........ but I'll go stir crazy if I do nothing so figure a little crating is good for the soul.

This one is for this weeks A Spoonful of Sugar which has the theme "Butterflies" so you know I just couldn't miss this one and had to take part. My main image is Chapel Road 11B, they have such wonderful stamps and so unusual. My background is Glimmer Misted - vanilla, gold, copper and creme de rouge and the images stamped with versafine black and embossed with detail clear.

The card itself has been stamped all over with Hero H2365 (not again I hear you say ........ but I do so love this stamp as it fits so many themes) in versamark and dusted with Prefect Pearls in a mixture of bronzes and golds. The leaves and flowers were cut on Cricut storybook and home decor and also glimmer misted. Butterflies were cut from the same GM'd piece of cardstock as the main image with a new punch which appears to have no name on it and I've destroyed the packaging, but I think it's by XCut.

Two in one for childrens card

Decided a bit so stress free crafting must be good for me ........ can't sit about doing nothing just because I have to rest ....... so have combined two into one.

This weeks Cupcake challenge is using Ida's favourite combination of pink, blue and yellow which she asks are combined to make "cards for kids", fitting in very well with Everybody Arts Challenges theme to use numbers of your project.

This lovely little elephant image is Woodware FRV004, which I have stamped three times onto white cardstock then again onto pink, blue and yellow bazzil using versafine black and crystal embossing powder. The three coloured images have then been cut out, the elephants ears lifted and decoupaged over the base images. I stamped across the base card with Art Impression G3130 in the same three colours using Brilliance ink pads. The numbers were cut on Cricut jasmine and mounted on a flower with ribbon underneath to give the impression of a rosette. DP is My Minds Eye and I added lace across the bottom.

Yet another award

My goodness, Debs has given me an award, my second of the day ........ I'm overwhelmed by all this kindness, you girls really are wonderful blog buddies, that's all I can think of to say and thank you so very much.

I have been doing a bit of crafting today, I'm supposed to be resting but figure crafting is therapeutic and good for the soul, so can't do much harm ........ mind you one or two of the comments and typos I've left confirm my eyes aren't quite as they should be.

Another award

My blog buddy Lorraine has given me this award, she knows I have been under the weather this week and meant to be resting so sent me a lovely message and this award to cheer me up. Thank you so much Lorraine ........ and you have given me the chance to come into my craft room ........ well I had to say thank you ! And thank you everyone else who has also sent me get well messages, all much appreciated.

Penny Black 52

I'm under orders to rest after collapsing this morning and eyesight going a bit AWAL ....... most inconvenient as I'm already running behind with the weekends challenges so posting up what I have done and afraid the rest might have to wait a day or so ........ if I'm honest I've been trying to pack an awful lot in the last couple of weeks and this is the way my body usually reminds me that I have to slow down otherwise my MS gets the upper hand ....... but not if I can help it.

I managed to get round to Saturdays Penny Black challenge which is "Blooming Gorgeous". My image is Penny Black 3645K stamped and embossed simply in versafine black and clear embossing powder. The swirls around the edges of the card are Inkadinkado 97632 stamped in Brilliance rust and the image and flower embellishments (cut from another stamping of the main image) has been coloured with Marvy pens. The leaves are cut on Cricut Storybook, inked with Brilliance Thyme and embossed with detail clear and florist stamens added to the flowers. I used Tim Holt antique linen to shade the edges.

Secret Crafter 35

The other one I manged to get completed is for this weeks Secret Crafter which has the theme selected by Jill of "Bling" ........ she know us crafters all too well.

Main image is Sarah Kay stamped with versafine black and embossed with iridescent embossing powder to start the bling theme going. She is coloured with Marvy pens and her belt and hat ribbon glittered using a quickie glue pen and crystal glitter and mounted onto a piece of very glittery DP from my stash. Flowers, gems and a glittered brad added to finish.