Box Arm Card

Hi everyone,

Today I'm sharing a new-to-me style of card that is easy to construct, but looks stunning, at least I think it does! I found the instructions over at Emma's blog Lady & the Stamp. The tutorial for the Box Arm Card is the top one listed on the right side of Emma's blog and can be downloaded. Thanks Emma!

Purple is one of my favorite colors and I love the way the three tones I've used for the card work together. The larger butterfly was created using a die that was a freebie in a magazine last year and I've once again used the butterfly punch from Martha Stewart for the smaller ones. The design has been completed by adding a peel-off sentiment and some teardrop gems that have long been in my stash.

This pic shows the card laid flat...

This one with the arms extended...

I love the style and there are so many ways to decorate it and I can see a lot more of them being created in the future. Thanks again for the tutorial Emma!

I'm entering the creation into the following challenges...
HIMCR04NSD - Use a critter at Hiding in My Craft Room
Challenge #70 Anything goes with OPTIONAL twist BA DA BLING at 613 Avenue Create
May Linky Challenge at DL.ART
Colour challenge at "Less is more"

Hugs,
Em

Popcorn gift box

Hi everyone,

Thanks for stopping by, it's great to be back again now I've got my creative mojo back! The creation I'm sharing today will accompany the card I shared with you yesterday, if you missed it, you can see it HERE. Instead of using white this time around, I decided on purple, because I think they compliment each other well. I hope you agree?

I've created the box using the Sweet Things embossing board from Crafter's Companion and the tag for the lid and flowers are all from another of their boards, Springtime Sweets and Cupcake Treats. That is the same board I used for the flowers on the card, but I forgot to name the board used yesterday. Oops! The butterflies are a Martha Stewart punch and it's one of my favorite crafty tools.

To complete the tag I've added a matching eyelet and a gold peel off sentiment. The flowers have been blinged up with some self adhesive gems from my stash. I'm really happy with how the finished creation looks and as the name of the board suggests, it will soon be filled with some sweet treats, though not popcorn.

I'm entering the creation into the following challenges...
HIMCR04NSD - Use a critter at Hiding in My Craft Room
HIMCR05NSD - Thank you! at Hiding in My Craft Room
Challenge #70 Anything goes with OPTIONAL twist BA DA BLING at 613 Avenue Create
May Linky Challenge at DL.ART

I'll be back later in the week with yet more crafty goodness.

Hugs,
Em

Hello again!

Hi everyone,

It's GREAT to be back after an extended break from this blog. I have been creating while I've been "off", but most of my time has been taken up with writing and starting training for my "Battling Back" challenge, which will be taking place in October and November. You can read all about the challenge, the background and indeed keep up with my training by heading over to the Battling Back blog. I'd be honored to see you over there!

The card I'm sharing with you today is one I've created for my Grandmother for Mother's day this Sunday. I had originally planned to create a white on white double waterfall card, but a mistake when I was punching the first of the pieces meant I had to change the design. It took some thought but I think I've created something unique as a result, so I'm really happy with the creation.

The border punch is from Tonic Studios and the scalloped rectangle is from Spellbinders. I dry embossed the flowers using one of the embossing boards from Crafters Companion and rounded the corners of the blue card. The sentiment is a gold peel off. The flowers and sentiment panel have been popped up on foam pads.

I'm linking the card up to the May linky party over at DL.ART.

I'll be back later in the week with another crafty creation, so I hope you'll join me then.

Hugs,
Em

Tulips stained glass

Hi everyone,

Thanks for stopping by, it's great to have you here! In my last post, which can be seen HERE, I shared a sneak peek of my latest stained glass design card. I'm pleased to say that the card is now complete and I'm really happy with the result.

Have a great weekend!
Hugs,
Em

Sneak peek ~ Stained glass

Hi everyone,

My vacation seems a long time ago already, despite it only being a week! I've been so busy since I got back, in all aspects of my life, but all is good :) I managed to get into the studio yesterday morning and began creating another stained glass card design (the Easter cards I've not yet shown on the blog are also in that style). I've not yet added the sentiment to this one, but wanted to share a sneak peek with you...

I'll be back later in the week with some more of the vacation pics, but in the meantime I'd love to know what you think of this design.

Hugs,
Em

Spring break ~ part 1

Hi everyone,

I've been back from my spring break vacation for a few days now and I'm just about caught up with everything, except here! It was a great week, very relaxing and very special and the weather was perfect. Spring really had sprung, though right now, as I write this post on the first official day of the season, it feels like winter is trying to come back!

I spent the week at my sister's in a very pretty village in Worcestershire, England. The first place I always visit when I'm there is the church, St. Mary the Virgin, it's such a peaceful place, so that is what I'm sharing with you today...

The path up to the church entrance...

The Nicholson organ in the church is the one that the composer Sir Edward Elgar learned to play on...

View from the second entrance to the churchyard...

The bell tower, taken from just outside the grounds...

Another angle...

Close up of the lower window...

The church was built in the twelfth century and was struck by hundreds of arrows during the English Civil War. The pic below shows just some of the scarring caused during the conflict...

I'll be sharing more pics from the vacation in my next post, but I hope you've enjoyed the first set. Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.

Hugs,
Em

Spring forward

Hi everyone,

It's late evening on Friday and this is my first post of the week, and a short one that that! I'm SORRY! When I was on my way back from a meeting yesterday morning, I came across the beautiful display below, crocuses and miniature daffodils that have been planted in a heart shape.

This would also be a good time to remind everyone in the US and Canada that the clocks "spring forward" early on Sunday morning. So HOPEFULLY that will mean that the view above will become more common everywhere!

Have a great weekend!

Hugs,
Em