Goodbye 2015

I can't say I'm too sad to see 2015 come to a close.

I hope 2016 will bring new opportunities, growth and much joy. I think we need to make it our year for travelling further but also for some long needed home inprovements.

And of course my pledge to myself to design more

See you next year
Buffy xx

Cute card before the New Year

Hello,
well the British weather has done it again.
Large areas of the north are flooded and the weather prediction isn't looking promising for these poor people.
Why is the flooding getting worse year on year.....flood defences of course. When you block up rivers to stop them flooding one area you only push the problem further upstream.
One day someone in charge will finally realise this......but I won't hold my breath!
Well that's my gripe out of the way, now on to more pleasant topics.

I have made a card for my dear friend who I haven't seen in a long time. It is based on the cute card thursday challenge

• Cute Card Thursday: Anything Goes

 

Intertwining the hexagon with the floral flourish die was possibly the hardest part of creating this card. Although making the frame for the honeycomb section wasn't easy, I terrible at lining up my dies to create thin frames. But I don't think I did too bad.

The insert had to have a few bees too. The group of bees were 2nd press to give them that muted appearance.
I really love my WMS-Lil Buddies stamp set.

(maybe one day I'll find the courage to send Claire the designs I create for an accessory set for the Little Hero's/Heroines)


   My Resolution for 2016, in fact the only resolution I am going to make, is to create/design more. Whether that is cards, crochet patterns, recipes or getting more funky with my photography. I'm going to make it my new year goal!
To start off on the right road I have treated myself to a new design book and gone slightly OTT with the cover

 All ideas, creations, design plans and creative projects will go in here. Hopefully this time next year it will either be bursting at the seems or it will have been so full I'll have had to buy another one.

Off to make my brother-in-law and one of my workmates birthday cards. Although it isn't 2016 just yet I will include them in my new design book.

Back soon
Buffy x

Nice little gifts

Just wanted to share my nieces new little business.

She makes fabulous unique glassware gifts

Here is just one example of her work.

She has made us a set of personalised wine glasses for our xmas present

I will share it with you all when we've opened it.

Click the link below for more examples of her work









Glass Act Giftware


I also want to share sneak peek no. 2

Yes, it's just the topper. but we're nearly at reveal time





I will be back soon, when I've completed some cards






Bye for now
Buffy

Sisters Birthday

Only a few days till my sisters birthday, so I have made her card based on 2 challenges

• Less is More challenge 254 - One Layer 

• Mojo Monday challenge 428

 This required a lot of masking to keep it a single layer. I cut several different shaped masks out of sticky-notes. I stamped my main image first then worked out (with a ruler) how to arrange the needed elements of the Mojo sketch (above).
After a lot of measuring and rough pencil scketch, I was able to start inking and colouring.

I used subtle colours because I didn't want them to overpower the actual dimensions. Being 2D, I just felt the lines of each section should be give it the layers.

I took this side angled view to show it's beautiful flatness.

Sorry it's a little out of focus.

Now I just hope Jasmine likes it.







I used SU Crisp Cantelope and Creamy Caramel inks, Promarkers,Finerliner Pen, WMS Compact Sentiments and Santoro No.8 stamp.

What a great challenge this was!

Back very soon
Buffy xx

For those of you I have known for several years:
in the early hours of Tuesday morning we lost my mother-in-law. We believe at this time it was a heart attack but we will know once the postmortem has been completed. She had been poorly for a week and was on strong antibiotics.
We are in no doubt she is now giving my father-in-law hell and probably a kick up the arse.
We will miss her dearly.

Challenging Birthday

I said I would be back with a birthday card today and I don't like breaking my promises.
I loved the sketch for Mojo Mondays challenge this week

Mojo Monday Challenge#427

Here is my take on the sketch:

I used a simple Feather pattern in bold colours as the card is for a very bold lady. I was delighted to find I had Nuvo Crystal Drops that matched the inkpads colours. A little Silver mirri card to add bling and a fab mess ribbon from the bottom of my stash. It's just ashame my photo isn't very good.

I hope that anyone who has tried to have a look at my Salted Caramel Crispies recipe (in the download tab) has been able to open it with problems.

I am currently trying to help a friend by writing a team management plan for them. I know they've been stressed just recently and I just hope I can put something together that helps them out. It is a bit a tough one but that's what friends are for.

So back to the hard slog
Keep creating and crafting
Buffy xx

New Tab

I have now created an extra tab  called "Downloads" this is where I will be sharing any recipes, crochet patterns, colouring tutorials and so on.

Please try my Salted Caramel Crispies recipe - it is a downloadable PDF file.

I would love to hear how your batch turn out

Back tomorrow with a Birthday card

Buffy x

Salted Caramel Crispies

I am currently writing up my recipe for these lovely little treats.

These are my Salted Caramel Crispies and I am very pleased to say that everyone in my office who tried one really liked them. (Yes, I actually managed to sneak some out of the house)

I will hopefully have the recipe write-up finished and on my blog by tomorrow evening. (photos included).
I am considering converting it to a PDF so anyone who would like my recipe can just download it and have a go.

 I will share a sneak peek of my xmas cards for this year.
Here is sneak peek 1

Any fans of WMS will no doubt recognise this character.
My wonderful husband bought me this stamp set for xmas last year and I have been frantically experimenting with colour styles. But I finally settled on the look I wanted
My xmas reveal might surprise you.





Well, it's getting late and this recipe won't finish writing itself

Buffy x

Anything goes

I notice Papertake were having an anything goes challenge

• Papertake Weekly anything-goes

 so here is my take on the challenge, I created Letters from Santa for one of the ladies I work with


You may notice some smudging on the letter, I used photoshop to smudge out her childrens names.

This is my first attempt at caligraphy
(good excuse to buy a small caligraphy kit)

I also used my WMS-candy jar christmas fillers stamp set.
SU Inkpads-creamy caramel, blushing bride, marine mist, bermuda bay and Rose red

But the best part of this was when I took them into work this morning to show her what I'd created for them.
Her face lit up and it made me some happy.

I rolled them up and used some red ribbon and a very simple label (with her kids names on) to seal them.

If her childrens faces light up the way hers did, then I will be extremely happy.

Blogging -
I have been a rubbish blogger recently, I think I shall have to make a resolution to post at least once a week. My life is full of plenty of interesting things I could share. So I really need to make more effort.

bye for now
Buffy x