Where does the day go

I've just realised the time and can't figure out where the hours between 8am and now have gone.  Guess I should have turned the TV off sooner than I did.  At least I've managed to get a card done now, first one of the year.

I made the card to enter into a couple of challenges which I have listed below.  The monster is a digi stamp from PollyCraft which I coloured with Pro Markers, I made a small pocket behind where I have a birthday message hidden.

The challenges are :

ABC Challenge Blog, this weeks challengeis to add a pocket onto your card.
ChallCraft Ann's enge Blog, there current challenge is to add a hidden message on your card.

I thought both challenges interlinked with each other perfectly.  Now I'm going back to make another card before the hubby gets home.

Happy Crafting

Michelle

A Year on....

Well I've taken my time to post, primarily because I went away from card making for over a year as I wasn't really enjoying it anymore.  I think it was my own fault  as I put alot of pressure on myself to do craft fairs and recoup some of the money that I was spending.  That plan didn't go as expected and so I decided to give up the hobby and sold about 99% of my stash.

I kept alot of my paper as I just couldn't bare to part with it :-)  At the end of last year I started looking into my family tree and that has been taking up alot of free time and spare funds but I always had this sad feeling when I thought of making cards and I realised how much I missed doing it, especially my blog and entering challenges.

I bit the bullet last weekend and finally told my hubby how much I missed it and he told me if it was that important that I should start again.  This time I have a plan and have decided to concentrate on one area of card making and that's rubber stamping.  I splurged on the 2 things that I can't do without a new Spellbinders Grand Callibur and a lovely new set of Pro Markers.  As long as I'm sensible and thrifty I'm sure that I won't need to splash out on all the other bits and pieces that I used to have.

Both items arrived today and i spent a few hours getting to grips with the pro markers and learning how to get the best results again, although I don't think I ever forgot.  i also dug out my huge selection of digital stamps (So glad I saved them now) and I'm now officially a card maker again.  Tomorrow will be the day I make my first card in over a year .... really looking forward to it.

I now know how this hobby gets into your blood and once you have the passion for it I don't think it will ever go away.

Happy Crafting

Michelle

Long Day....!!!

I made it through the day at work even though I felt awful, hopefully an early night will help me feel more human tomorrow. I haven't managed any cards tonight but I do have one that I finished last night to show you.



















I am entering the card into 2 challenges which are below. I used a stamp from C.C Designs which I coloured with Pro Markers. The border running horizontally is from a K & Company Adhesive border pack but I turned it around to it was white and added lilac blink in the middle of the X's. I thought this gave better contrast as most of the card is in the same color, the border running vertically is 4 strands of wool with a K & Company layers accents flower in the center.

Challenge 1

Stamp Something - Something Sweet

Challenge 2

Fussy & Fancy Friday Challenge - Challenge 32 A Sketch


Now I am off to have a rest and spend some time with the hubby.

Happy crafting


Michelle

Before I Head Out

I'm just about to head into town and do some shopping but thought before I go I would share a challenge card that I made this morning. The challenge is Sketch Saturdays sketch challenge.




















I used a digi stamp by Tiddley Inks called 'Going Swimming' which I coloured with Pro Markers. The border to the right is from a K&Company adhesive border pack.

Happy Crafting

Michelle

Under The Weather...

I've been feeling under the weather since Friday and it's meant I haven't done as much crafting as I would have liked, I spent most of Saturday sleeping which is probably why I am still awake now. I did manage 1 card tonight which I get to enter into 2 challenges so the night hasn't been a total waste.



















I used a digi stamp in my collection (not entirely sure where it came from) which I coloured with pro markers, the background paper is from 'My Mind's Eye - Bloom & Grow' collection. To fit in with the challenges I found a lovely butterfly quote for the ABC Challenge Blogs 'Q is for Quote' challenge and added some gems for the One Stop Craft Challenge Blogs 'Diamonds are a girls best friend' challenge.

After posting this I'm going to settle down for the night, I was hoping to go out tomorrow and treat myself to some nice crafting goodies.

Happy Crafting

Michelle

First Challenge Of The Year

I said I would have a card to post and I do, after this it's straight off to bed as I have work tomorrow. The car in being entered into the 'Birthday Creations With Lots Of Peals' challenge over at Bunny Zoe's Crafts blog.

I chose a Miss Anya image from 'The Greetings Farm' which I coloured with Pro Markers, as the challenge called for pearls I used to flat backed pearls around the scallops of the main image and also in the corners. For the first time ever I used roses on my card and I'm really liking the look, that normally means you will be seeing a lot more flowers.

Overall I'm pleased with my first creation of the year and am looking forward to making more.

Happy Crafting

Michelle

Blog Silence

Well you've all heard of radio silence but I've been blog silent for some time now. My last post was just before the Craft Fair that I did which didn't go as well as I hoped and after the disappointment I decided to take time out for a while.

I promised my husband to cut my spending and clear out some of my stash which I have done, I even managed to get some money back by selling some stuff off on ebay. On Monday I realized that I really missed making cards, I am still scrapbooking but it's not the same. The one thing I missed the most was my blog and the fun of entering blog challenges so I've decided to make a come back and start posting again...oh and also making cards.

To keep it simple I'm only making cards for challenges and not doing any more fairs, it keeps the stress levels down and means I'm not in my craft room each and every night and it's going to be enjoyable again, after all that why I starting card making in the first place.

I think I got so wrapped up in trying to justify spending money on my hobby that it stopped being a hobby and stared being hard work, and I'm sure that there are people that can relate to that.

I don't have a card to show yet but I hope to have another post tonight and a card to show off.

Happy Crafting

Michelle