ATC Swappers - April Fool Swaps

Just thought I'd hop on here and show you the pics of the April ATCs I have from the ATC Swappers Blog. This months theme was April Fool and so there were a lot of funny and humorous ATCs. Check all the work out over on the blog here! We always welcome new people so if you fancy having a go then please do, contact details are on the blog. Our next theme will be announced tomorrow and there is a little twist!

My thanks go to Frances, Ju, Cazz and Angel. All the swaps were great and I am so grateful to all those who participate each month. I wasn't sure what would happen when I set the swap up in January so it is nice to know people want to participate and put a lot of effort in - thanks to you all.

I also add an extra something each month. Up until now it has always been a thank you card but this month I decided upon a change and included an extra ATC for each person. I used an Elzy cow and sentiment - seeing as the theme was humourous I thought the sentiment fitted well! I hope the swappers like them.

Not gone

Bet you'd thought I'd gone for good but I haven't. I was kept busy all last week and then on Wednesday night found out that someone had pulled out of a trip to a Salsa Weekender in Blackpool and so took up the place - t'was all very short notice but ended up having an amazing four days. Anyway, here's a card I made for a friend just before I left. Messy Rabbit came to the rescue (well Badger did - not sure but do the others have names too? If so, what are they???)

Messy Rabbit

Woohoo - my Messy Rabbit CD has arrived and it's great - spent all morning printing stuff out not actually sure what I was going to do. I made some card blanks by printing out the backing sheets straight onto A4 cardstock and then folding in half - really quick and really effective. The images really are amazing. So these cards I've made are larger than I usually make and as a result, I have almost run out of double sided tape lol!!! I don’t have a favourite image yet but I do really like the Messy and Lion one and the Surfing Tortoise.


I’m going to have a play with importing the images into Publisher to make them smaller and hopefully create some quick and simple cards—I have the idea in my head but not sure how it’ll turn out or if it will work at all!!! Oh well, it’s worth a shot so keep your eyes peeled.


That’s enough blabbing for now, here are the cards I made today:

Chocolate Wraps

Here are some Choccie Wrappers I made by adapting an American Tutorial I saw. The measurments needed changing to suit A4 but I got it to work in the end. In time honoured tradition, I now can't find the original tutorial!!!

This one holds a large bag of Giant Chocolate Buttons. I've used my favourite Elzybells stamp on it (are you sick of seeing it yet?)

And these two are slightly narrower and hold a bag of minstrels/skittles. And yes, all the chocolates have since gone!!!

Some Non-Elzybells Projects

After all the Elzybells projects over the last week, I thought I'd put up something different.

Yesterday I needed to make a last minute Gardening Themed Card. Well, I thought it was about time to use my Toffee Bear Dress Up CD that I had for Christmas but never used. So here's my first ever Toffee Bear Card:


This morning I was having a play around on Publisher and making a cube box for Birthday Treat Boxes but got a bit carried away and managed to make this template using basic shapes. The great thing is, that now I have the template on my computer, I can simply change the images and background. There is no ink wastage as I’ve filled each individual shape rather than the whole page. I’ve used the Cuddly Buddly Teddies to decorate as I know he likes them as I used them last year on his card.

Final Day

Yesterday was my final slot as Guest Designer over at Elzybells :( My final project was a tutorial, so if you fancy having a go at making these, pop over to this page and see how they were made. If you are also an Elzybells fan, why not join the Exclusively Elzybells group over at Paper Craft Planet Group and share some ideas.

A bit of everything...

On the Elzybells Blog today, there's a range of cards from Easter to Christmas:

And if you are a fan of Elzybells Stamps too then why not join the Elzybells group on Paper Craft Planet by clicking here. It's still in its infancy but with luck, it will be a place to share ideas using this wonderful stamp range.

Cookie Day

Day 3 and it's Cookie Day - well not really, just used the cookie themed images from the clear JUST DESSERTS set. Here's a cookie jar which has been decorated. It's the first time I've tried decorating a jar.

And a matching card. Quite busy for me with a lot going on. Isn't the he sentiment just brilliant. Always nice to have a bit of humour and the Elzybells sentiments certainly provide that.

Make sure to visit the Elzybells Blog for more great ideas and inspiration

Second Day of Design Work

So it's day two of my stint as Guest Designer with Elzybells and these are what are up today. These cards and bookmarks all use the fantastic Farmyard Animal stamps. There are loads more than I've used here (I've since bought more chickens and cows!!!). For more details about these cards, hop on over to the blog.

Mojo Monday Week 81

I'm continuing with my Elzybells theme right now lol. I've used this image for the Mojo Monday challenge over the past 2 weeks and thought, well, there isn't 2 without a 3 so have used it again!!! I found this sketch quite challenging but here it is:

Thinking now, I might go back and add some doodle stitching around the 3 elements. Not sure yet.
Remember to check the Elzybells blog to see my latest Guest Designer Work and for those of you who are members of Paper Craft Planet, I've just joined up. If you'd like a look at my page/become a friend on there then here's my page here. Look forward to seeing you there

Can you believe it...

Yes indeed, Elizabeth asked me to be the April Guest Designer for Elzybells. It's been really hard keeping the secret. If you're a regular follower of my blog then you'll know how much I enjoy using these stamps. This is part of the reason for lack of updates lately - I've been creating but not been able to show them on here lol.

My first lot to be shown have been adapted from a Mojo Monday challenge a few weeks ago - the same image and colour scheme used with different layouts.


Here are some I made in green and using the Cuttlebug to emboss on the card base rather than the elements.

Remember to visit the Elzybells Blog and check back over the week for more of my creations.

ATC Swappers - April Fool

How's this for ultra-organised - I've already made my swaps for the April swap over on the ATC Swappers Blog! I know it's not like me to be that organised. This month's theme is

APRIL FOOL

so we're expecting a lot of funny and humorous images.


My ATCs are a design I've used before and liked it so much that I made some more but this time I made 5 so that I can keep one myself. I used a Cuddly Buddly Teddy Jester as my main image. There's some printing on linen card with some chalking - well it wouldn't be mine otherwise would it!!!

If you want to participate in the swap then visit the blog for all the info - it's really easy to join in and the ATCs that are swapped are great.

I also wanted to thank Betty over at Betty's Crafting Burbles for giving me the 'Spreader of Love' award. This is given to someone who's blog you enjoy and she wrote such lovely things about me - "As I'm doing this I'm listening to some cheerful music emanating -phew- from Paul's Crafty Blogocks blog and I've decided he certainly deserves this award for cheering up everyone, for introducing me to so many great blogs, for teaching me how to use publisher properly, for being a hardworking teacher (what a class to be in!), for loving climbing what an endless list."

She also left me a lovely poem which I really enjoyed reading and have printed out a copy of it. She knows how much I enjoy climbing and the poem encapsulates the feelings you get when on a route I thought I'd post you a pic of me doing my hardest ever route as the lecturer waited half way up to take a pic of me - my face shows extreme fear and you only have to look at the holds for my hands and feet to see why). Please take the time to visit her blog and read the poem, you don't need to be a climber to appreciate it lol. THANKS.

Now I need to pass it on and spread it further. I'm going to give it to HAZEL as she has been a dedicated follower of my ATC Swap, creates wonderful work and is often the first to comment on my new posts.