GDT with Fab 'N' Funky - Monochromatic

I'm late :(

Augh! What a week!
You will all have to forgive me as I make my way through a house in a complete shamble that I am trying to get backed up, cleaned and organized all by myself ready to move.
I generally don't mind cleaning but a whole house is really pushing my limits.

Guess that's maybe why I had so much fun taking a little time out with this weeks challenge with

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges!

Have to admit, this is another of my favorites too!

#87 - Monochromatic

But I am a busy girl so it is on with the pics!

As this is for hubby for his Birthday, I didn't think he would appreciate pretty pink flowers so I played around and managed to pull of these grungy steam punk like ones that I think give a really cool masculine feel.  Especially having the two up the top missing petals.  Things one stumble across when just messing around with bits and bobs :) Love it!

This week I am using The Stamping Boutique!
Ohh some yummy images over there for you all girls!
They are also kindly sponsoring this week prize! Woo Hoo!

Check out the Fab 'n' Funky blog for all the low down!
Till next time, take care!

Challenges this creation is entering with the help of the Feline Playful Girls:

Digistamps4joy - Handmade flower (Wed -)
Sisterhood of Crafters - Flowers (Wed 1/3)
Creative Card Crew - Handmade flowers (Tues -)

Everybody-Art - Blue/Brown (Tues -)

Top Tip Tuesday - Masculine Card (Tues 1/3)

Tuesday Throwdown - Dimension & Texture (Tues -)

Cards For Men - Anything Goes (Mon )

Stamps R Us - Anything Goes (Mon 1/2)

Lollipop Crafts - Masculine (Sun -)

Sentimental Sundays - Birthdays (Sun -)

Sparkles Forum - For The Boys (Sun -)
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Posh Pin(s) Tutorial

How to make your own

Posh Pins Tutorial
Shared post with The Crafty Pad
Challenge Blog HERE

Today I have another money saving technique to share with you all.  I am going to show you how to make your own ‘Posh Pins’ as I have used on this card here. 

Aren’t they Lush-a-licious! They look beautiful but expensive too!

Materials you will need -

An assortment of pins – Hat pins, floral pin, sewing pins, Jewelry head pins ect.

An assortment of beads and or pearls.

Hot glue gun

Heat embossing gun (optional)

Note the pins in the picture are 2 x jewelry head pins, a floral pin and an assortment of sewing pins with pearl heads.

Steps -

1.Take your pins and thread on beads until you find a design you like. Today I am making these pins with this design.

2.Holding your pin from the sharp end, let the beads roll down on the pin to your fingers.  Take your hot glue gun and add a some amount of glue to the top of the exposed metal of the pin.   While the glue is still hot and pliable, move your beads back up to the top of the pin.If your glue dries before you get your pins up, hit it with your embossing gun for a few seconds and this will remelt your glue allowing the beads to move up over the glue again.

3.If you find you have glue mess or dollop of glue at the head of the pin when finished (like mine in the picture); grab your embossing gun and pin and give it a few seconds under the heat, turning as you are heating it.  This will remelt the hot glue and should remove the excess and leave your pin nice and smooth. – heating your pin up will also allow you to remove beads if you change your mind on the design.

4.Look at that! Your pins are now finished and ready to be added to your creations!

This is how my finished card ended up! I think my blue sparkle posh pins go elegantly with  the Butterfly verse from The Crafty Pad Designs and the Butterfly fluttering ticket! 

Really gives it a stylish and classy look don't you think? 

Do you like the Teepee card as well? 

It is a gorgeous and unusual fold! 

Why not have a peak at this tutorial here

kindly made by the lovely Ms Ali @ Aqualeiga's Escape

and have go at making yourself one too! 

GDT Stitching with Fab 'n' Funky

Wonderful Wednesday to you all!

I am back again this week playing along with the gorgeous girls from

Fab 'n' Funky Challenges!

with a new challenge and one that I love!

#86 -Stitching - Real or faux

I got out the old needle and thread for this one and stitched by hand while playing with the kids outside.
I also had a play around with some of my new embossing folders and ink pads - I so love the effect that I achieved through experimental play!
Anyway, enough chit chat and on with the pics!

The image and the sentiment are both from Pink Petticoat called Material Girl with roses.

Pink Petticoat has also kindly offered to sponsor this weeks challenge 

at Fab 'n' Funky and have a surprise prize for one lucky winner.

Again this week the Fab 'n' Funky girls have outdone themselves
so please do pop over and join the challenge!

Challenges this creation is entering with the help of the Feline Playful Girls:

Papertake Weekly - Bingo - Center down, Pearls, ribbon, free-embossing (Wed -)
Shopping Our Stash - Weakest Link - papers any and all! plus pearls! (Wed - C10)
There's Magic In The Air - Colours - Pink, White & Brown (Mon - JFF)
Craft Your Days Away - Birthday Celebrations ( Sat -)
Just Some Lines - Embossing - dry used ( Sat - )
Card Makin Mamas - Birthday Cards (Fri 1/2)
Crafty Catz - Emboss it (Fri 1/1)
Phindy's Place - Vintage look (Fri 1/3)
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MyGrafico - Monday Feature LSS - Retor Movie Stamps

Monday Has Rolled around again!

Going to be short and quick today folks, 

as this Navy Wife has a hubby in town!!!

So I am sure you can all understand... 

this woman's needs!

Today I want to share with you our Monday Feature over at

MyGrafico Challenges!

who is the lovely ...

Lindsay's Stamp Stuff -LSS

with her ... 

Retro Movie Stamps!

 I just could not resist mixing this digi stamp set up 

with my new Graphic 45 Wizard of Oz papers.

And for a very BIG change to my world ....

A SCRAPBOOK PAGE LAYOUT! OMG!

(Remembering, I am a card maker and not a scrapbook girl!)

Keeping somewhat a part of my style, I still managed to vintage it up and went

Somewhere UNDER the rainbow with some great sepia photos!

 Just could not resist doing a two page layout!

I wanted the photo to really be the center of focus with this page so I have paper toiled all the OZ characters up on foam tape to lean into the photo, the wicked witch I have however leaned outwards to have her running away from me.  For Tin Man I have added grey brads to all his 'joints' in his knees, elbows ect and two white to his front chest and he has been toiled up once.  The Lion has been paper toiled up 3 times as I wanted his face and tail to really lift off the page and scarecrow has been toiled up 2 layers and Dorothy the once. For the poppies I have also toiled them up with their focus on the photo, everything 'leans in' to the photo.  

(Yes, I used 4 sheets of this paper but it was soo worth it in the end result!!!)

  Keeping with the movie theme I used the clapperboard digi stamp,

and in Word, used Text boxes to add my text.

 For the 2nd page I used the film strips and the negatives to 

highlight the photos and I kept with the clapperboard for the journaling tag again.

To the filmstrip, I punched holes into the sides and threaded through a lush sexy red ribbon. 

And I will be honest with you all, 

for a girl that does if she is lucky, one scrapbook page a year... 

I am SO HAPPY and so impressed 

with how this turned out! (Even going to frame it and place it on the wall)

 (Click the pic to be taken straight to LSS at MyGrafico)

I think it was a combination of the digi stamps and the paper,

What do you think?

Don't forget to come and join us in the month long 

Anything Goes Challenge at MyGraphico! 

Still plenty of times to get those creations in!

Challenges this creation is entering with the help of the Feline Playful girls :

Bird is the word - DREAM - Used on page 2 with the photo negatives on the clapperboard journal-ing tag (Sun 1/1)

Lasting Memories Layout Challenges - Try Something New - Ummm I'm a card maker out of my comfort zone in scrapbooking land .... And I think I am in LOVE with it! (Sun -)

One Stitch At A Time - Anything goes (Sun -)

Stampin Sisters in Christ - Music - Somewhere over the RaInBoW was constantly playing over and over in my head while making this. (Sun -)

Creations by Gil M - Believe in Magic - Magic red shoes, the story tells it all. (Sun -)

Fussy & Fancy - use 3 of your favorite embellishments - Ribbon, flowers and ooohhh paper! (Fri 2/-)

Jellypark Challenges - Favorite embellishment - ribbon, flowers, and ohhh papper (Fri 2/2)

Sew Many Cards - Use 2 or more brads - Several in the tin man and also  white ones used in the corners of the 'negative frames' and also used to hold the chipboard glitter shoe tags around both journal-ing tags.

Simply Create - Distress - Ink distressing used on the edges of Page 2 along with on both journal-ing tags, sepia aged photos used and other chipboard elements used have also been ink distressed. (Fri -)

The Stamp Man - Anything goes (Fri 1-Scrapbook entry)

Stampin' For The Weekend - Spots & Dots - spotty background on page 2 DP (Fri 1/1)

Crafty Purple Frog - Anything but a card (Thurs 2/-)

Moving Along with The Times - Fantasy (Thus 1/3)

Creative Card Crew - Best foot forward (Tue -)

Going Grey With Scrap Creations - Bingo - Center down middle, flowers, digi and punch used to make holes to thread ribbon in filmstrip (Tue1/2)

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Cute & Girly with The Crafty Pad

Super Sunday folks!

It is time for a new challenge with
The Crafty Pad!

This week we are getting
Cute & Girly!
 This is my favourite challenge theme,
so I would love if you played along with us!

I don't think you can get any girly than nail files can you???
So I took this challenge to the max and made a gorgeous
Nail File Holder for my Mother In Law
as yes, another one of her birthday pressies.
(Yep, I do love my MIL)

 The front.

 Close up of image.

 Open - front & back view.

 Open - middle view with files in.

 Open - middle view with files out.

Front view.

Keeping with my tradition I have again gone with the vintage, shabby distressed look.  And I again have fallen in love with this peice and don't want to part with it.  All things cute and girly went into this project, there is some adorable posh pins, lace, pearls, flowers, key charm and love charm!  I love these papers in this piece and will deffinately have to get some more!

I used Penny Pamper from The Crafty Pad Digital Images and she just goes perfectly with this set.  My MIL loves her nail files and I usually just pop them in an envelope and send them over to her and this really makes a recuring gift even more special now knowing she has somewhere nice to store them and to display them on her dutchess.  

This week our generous sponsor is ....

Creative Craft World

is offering £10 voucher to spend in shop.

With Christmas fast approahing this is the perfect them to make a start on those Christmas gifts, so why not come along and join us this week, and take up the challenge with us!
Can not wait to see all your creations!

Challenges this creation is entering with the help of the Feline Playful Girls:

*Allsorts - Anything but a card (Sat 1/1)
Catch The Bug - Shabby Chic (Sat 1/3)
Craft Your Days Away - Birthday Celebrations (Sat 1/3)
Fussy & Fancy - Use a lot (least 3 embellishements) Fri 1/-)
Gulou's Inimitabilty - Anything but a card (Fri 1/1)
Jellypark Challenges - Use your favorite embellishment - Flower(s), Ribbon, Posh pins, lace, pearls, too many favorites! (Fri 1/2)
Phindy's Place - Vinatge look (Fri 1/3)
Simply Create - Distress (Fri -)
Crafty Purple Frog - Anything but a card (Thurs 2/3)
Stampavie & more - Girly (Wed -)
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A new adventure with Crafty Anns

Good morning! Blogger Friends!

Sorry I am a tad late with this, Me Blogger is giving me some attitude and has deleted all my scheduled posts! And I have the sexy DH home for the weekend, so I am anywhere but near my craftroom and computer :P

Today I am very excited to share with you all some 

Exciting news! 

I am very happy and greatly honored to now be DT-ing with the gorgeous girls at

Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog!

Thank you girls so much, I have really had a great time with my 1st challenge!

And boy do we have a wonderful challenge for you for my debute! 

Scallops / And or Fancy Border(s)

This week I was a very lucky girl and I used the adorable Bird on Blossom Branch from Crafty Ann's Digi Shop or you can click HERE to go directly to all her gorgeous images!

This is my card that I had lots of fun playing with!

As per my usual lol I went with a vinatge / distressed theme, it just seemed to work so well with the image.  I forgot at the time that I could have got my fancy scissors out and used them so I was more thinking of the scallops theme as I made this.  I incorporated the scallops with the blue ric rac, the scallop heart die and the scallop matt border for the image - things you think of in hindsight, but I am more than happy and impressed with how my card turned out!

I used lots of embossing powder and heat setting to help give many of the elements a aged effect, for the 'Dream ticket' I used my embossing powders and achieved the shattered glass look, love love love all the aspects of this card!

For anyone not familar with playing along with Crafty Ann and the girls I shall give you a little run down on the rules, 

You are welcome to entry the challenge as many times as you like - please new projects only and no back linking. And please make sure your project meets the challenge theme.

You can combine your entry with as many other challenges.

A Crafty Ann Image is not mandatory though if you have one we would love to see!

And the challenge is open for one forntight so you have pleanty of time to play along!

The prize this week ????

One lucky winner drawn for Random Org will receive

From Crafty Ann's Digi Store - 

2 digi stamps, 1 pre-coloured sheet & 1 backing paper collection of their choice!

As Ann has a wonerful collection I am sure you have no trouble shopping! lol

I hope you all come along and take the challenge with us! 

I would love to see you there!

Challenges this creation is entering with the help of the Feline Playful Girls:

Art Impressions Stamps - Favourite Technique - Shattered glass look with heat embossing (1/1 Thurs)
CCEE Stampers - Glass - Shattered Glass look ( 1/1 Thurs)
Charisma Cardz Challenges - Distressing (1/3 C10 Thurs)
Delightful Challenges - Things With Wings (1/1 Thurs)
Do You Stack Up - Emboss it (1/3 Thurs)
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