Funky Friday (I know it's Saturday but if we all keep quiet it will be fine!)

A little late I know but things are rather manic here with both vhildren at home and payroll deadlines at work.

Today I want to share with you a card I made using the I Love You Sew downloads from Funky Hand and a Woodware stamp I got free with a magazine.

I just love these papers they are so, so versatile. Here's the card:

 

 

This card is so fun and the papers work wonderfully together. He's such a cute image and so easy to paper piece too.

 

I am off to make the most of my Bank Holiday - enjoy your weekends whatever you are doing and i will see you all next wee, Sammylou xxx

If you're a crafter you won't be offended...

by me mentioning the C word. Yes, in crafty land the season is nearly upon us when we dig out our Christmas stash and think about the cards we'd like to make to send to friends and family, as well as the stock we need to make for others to buy! New ranges are being introduced and I take the time to work out what I need (nothing really!) and what I would like to buy (almost everything!)

I love Christmas, my Mum was fanatical about it and we always had a Christmas grotto in our family home. My Mum always said it was for the children/grandchildren but we all knew it was for her really! After her death, Christmas lost a bit of lustre for me but I am happy to say that my fondness has now returned, thanks to my own children and also the sweet memories I have of my Mum at that time of the year.

So while my fourteen year-old daughter is disgusted with me for having the Christmas stash out I am choosing to revel in it and wanted to share with you one of my favourite cards I created for Christmas:

It's not the greatest photo but unfortunately it's the only I have as these were made for family and I am notoriously rubbish at taking photos of the cards I make for my personal use but am trying hard to improve.

So enjoy your Wednesday and I will see you on Friday for another Funky Friday share. Hopefully my daughter won't have disowned me by then!
Love always, Sammylou xXx

Funky Friday - Mr & Mrs

Happy Friday to you all and I for one am glad to see the back of this week.

Given it's peak Wedding season and my Wedding Anniversary today, I wanted to share with you a card I made using the fantastic Winter Wedding papers from Funky Hand:

For just £2.99 you get the papers, alphas and symbols too! I covered some chipboard hearts I got free from a crafting magazine and backed a 6 x 6 card with the polka dot paper. The alphas were resized in word and printed onto white linen card then stuck down with foam pads.

One of the things I realise as I continue along my card making journey is I'm not really one for faff and would much rather let the papers (as opposed to the embellishments) do the talking.

Enjoy your weekend and I'll hopefully see you for a post on Sunday.
Love as always, Sammylou xXx

Why buy handmade?

Hello :) and a happy Wednesday to you all!

I've recently been thinking about the merits of  handmade cards and why they are so much better than store bought, or even the so called "personalised" efforts you can purchase from sites such as Moonpig.

I am of course a complete convert to the handmade card (shocking I know!) but if I was asked why you should pay a little bit more for a bespoke card when you can get seven for £1 from places like Card Factory, my reasons would be as follows:

1. It's the thought that counts - a handmade card gives the recipient an idea of how much they are loved. You have taken the time and effort to make (or order) a card that truly reflects the recipient.
2. It's so much more than a card - I know I am a tad sentimental but it's always lovely when people who I have given cards to say things like, "I always keep yours." It's not just a card, it's a permanent keepsake
3. They are unique - yes, they might be similar but no two cards are the same.
4. And this may be the most important reason: you are helping to support independent businesses in a difficult economic climate and perpetuating a little creativity in an increasingly faceless retail sector.

And on that note, I would like to show a card I recently made for a 21st. The brief: she loves Pride & Prejudice and Post Secrets. And here's what I created:

And if you can find something that meets the brief in your local Clinton's, I'll eat my hat :)
Love to you all and see you back here on Friday for another Funky Friday share.
Sammylou xXx

Funky Friday - Baby Wordbook

Following on from my last share from Funky Hand I really wanted to share the wordbook below which  I made recently for my sister to welcome a special little girl into the world. Possibly the longest wordbook I have made so far, I decided that I wanted to use chipboard and went through around three scalpel blades just cutting the base out!

 

 

 

The papers I used are from the Wishes and Kisses cd-rom and are just great for a baby girl. My sister was over the moon with it and if the new parents loved it as much as she did then I am a happy bunny!

 

That's it from me and I look forward to seeing you all soon, I am off to make some Christmas cards. Yes, you definitely heard me right and I can tell you that the goodies coming your way from Anice are just superb. Check out the inspiration blog for some sneak peeks...

 

Sammylou xxx

It's a boy!

Now I'm not a huge fan of the Royal family but I do love a baby. Who can resist their gorgeous little faces, all scrunched up and ready to ingest all the world has to offer?

And to welcome Baby Cambridge I would like to share this card with you, made using Funky Hand's Wishes and Kisses CD-ROM

Everything you need to create the above is on the disk. I just cut out a few triangles for bunting and added a couple of pearls to the pram. A carriage fit for a King (or King-to-be in this case!).

So congratulations Will and Kate, here's to the sleepless nights and utter joy that a new baby brings, whatever their lineage.

And if you would like to see what else I've made for Funky Hand, then head on over to the Get Funky and Craft blog for my latest make

See you all soon, Sammylou xx

Funky Friday

While currently under house arrest due to my little man's chicken pox I thought I would take the opportunity to schedule some much needed posts to my poor and neglected blog. And, as I am terrifically lucky to be part of the Funky Hand design team, I thought where better to start than with a new weekly Funky Friday post!

So each Friday I will share with you one of my makes using the wonderful downloads available from their website. And what a plethora of choice there is!

When thinking of this inaugural post, I decided to take you back to one of my favourites: the It's a Girl candle I made for the Create and Craft launch shows for the Wishes and Kisses CD Rom.

Have a fabulous weekend and I'll be back with another post early next.
Love always, Sammylou xXx