Love's last stand

Hello all you artistic readers,

Valentines Day will be upon us before long - and you can see it everywhere you go (as well as Easter lol). So when I went to EventCity for the Stitching and Hobbycrafts show, I was not surprised to see lots of hearts and love. My friend has never done die-cutting before and so we did a workshop with Tonic studio staff. Here is the card that I created - which did come straight off a 'how to' sheet, although I just added the black dots rather than mess about with cutting strips of card:

 This is a close-up of the embossed detail.

As this is a step-by-step created card I will not be entering it into any challenges.

However, I was up rather late on Wednesday night making the first batch of my wedding invitations. The fronts were already decided - using a backing image from a cardmaking with your PC free CDRom, and a variety of images. The bunny wedding couple is from Polkadoodles, the cockatoo and lizards were found on a google search from a while back and so I have no record of their origins, and the wedding couple was from SCP magazine a few years back.

Then I decorated the back. I didn't realise how long it takes to cute several shapes, and then stick them to card and add a couple of stamps! The glitter paper was very fiddle to get out, but the mirri card was much easier. I added the date to the front as I have forgotten to add it to the description - like a complete numpty!

There are also two more designs using these die-cut images

 These ones also use a bird stamp that came with the free new year stamps used for the date information.

and I bought some stamps, papers and glitter pastes with stencils from the craft show, so I can try and make some simpler designs too.

I would like to add this first batch of invites to the following challenges:

open-minded crafting fun #1 Something New (champagne glass die with SCP145)

crafty calendar love is in the air

my time to craft #314 Love is all around

simply create too #102 Love or Valentines Day
the card concept #48 Sweet Hearts (Freestyle Collage - and Clean and Layered)

Suzy Bee #116 Love
LOC #116 Things with Wings (bird stamp,dragonfly die)
creative corner Valentines Day/Love
Simon Says Wednesday Have a heart
all sorts 349 CAS
addicted to stamps #119 Anything Goes

I will post an update on my cross stitch for you - hopefully tomorrow, but for now here is an audio book review:

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Major Pettigrew is part of an elite and old-fashioned society, that still see things as being done the traditional way. However, upon the death of his brother Pettigrew becomes close friends with the local village shopkeeper. Not only is she from a lower class than he fits into, but she is also a Pakistani, which is not accepted within his social circle either. This relationship forces the Major to take the 21^st century seriously, with racial discrimination, extremism and general snobbishness being addressed this story is very good fun to listen to. There is a realistically happy ending to the book too!

Thank you for looking

Hugz Tinz