Whimsy Stamps Release

Whimsy stamps have released their new stamps and are available at www.whimsystamps.com and to celebrate Denise is offering the two prizes above on her blog for spreading the word - so here I am spreading the word! LOL

Dies to Die for Challenge

Doing well on the old challenges this week and here's another, a fab sketch over at Dies to Die For this week and I thought I'd get another Father's Day card done.  This one is all Stampin' Up! The image is from the set "Loads of Love" and the hearts in the back of the truck are just one of the things you can put in there, there's also flowers or a Christmas Tree, so I chose hearts, cos we all "heart" our dear old dads after all.  I've coloured the image in using PM's, apart from using Sakura Glaze pens on the tyres, the hearts and the windows, although you can't really tell in the picture. The DSP's are from Summer Picnic (the circles) and Washington Apple (the stripes), the cardstock is Bashful Blue and the sentiment is from Elzybells, I've also used a Cuttlebug embossing folder to get the spots on the strip across the middle as I wanted some texture but thought a ribbon might be too girly!

Secret Crafter & Digital Tuesday

Another two challenges with this card, I saw this gorgeous digi-stamp from Digi-Stamp Boutique on Donna's blog this morning and just loved it, I've been asked to do a wedding card, so I hopped right over and bought it. I'm entering it into Secret Crafter's Challenge which is New Beginnings and Digital Tuesday's which is weddings.

I've coloured the image with ProMarkers and layered it onto SU! Real Red cardstock, the DSP's are by Pebble Ink and the ribbon is from my stash. 

Testing, testing, one, two, three

Gina is looking for testers for her new images she's having made into stamps, if you'd like to apply hop on over to her blog for a look.

Passion for ProMarkers Challenge no. 1

I'm new to ProMarkers, but already love 'em to bits, they're so easy to use and blend and I was thrilled to find this new challenge blog with amazing prizes for the first challenge.

I thought I ought to make a start on some Father's Day cards and this is my first one, the stamp is from Elzybells, and of course I've coloured him with my ProMarkers, the background is made with a stamp from the SU! set "Seeing Spots" with Creamy Caramel ink onto Creamy Caramel cardstock, the corrugated card is from my stash and the washers and nails, which I thought gave it a "manly" feel are from my hubby's workbench - sssh don't tell! I've attached the sentiment, which came with the stamp, with a brad and just hung it on the one side to look like a bit of a bodged DIY job and used some SU chalks to "age" it a bit.

TFL x

Lily of the Valley & Scrappy Frogs Challenges

Another two challenges with this card, second one today. I've used the Lily of the Valley sketch with Scrappy Frogs Fairy Challenge.

The image is a Victoria Case Stamp called Grape Fairy that I was lucky enough to win recently and it was nice to get her inked up. I've coloured her with ProMarkers again, apart from her wings which have been coloured with a Sakura Stardust pen - well a fairy's got to have a bit of glitter after all! I've also chalked around the edges with my SU pastels.

The background papers are digi papers by Pink Petticoat called Swirly Doodles and I love these papers because they come in a negative and positive, in about 40 odd different colours.  I've cut out the circles and scallops with my nesties and used SU cardstock in Lovely Lilac and Whisper White.

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge & Stamps and Smiles Challenge

Had a lovely crafting day today and got two cards done, this is the first which I'm entering for two challenges. I've used the sketch over at Stamps and Smiles and the theme for CRAFT's 1st challenge, which was something new.

The image is a stamp by a company called Funstamps, it was an impulse buy in Hobbycraft and I'm really pleased because this is the second time I've used it - I'm terrible for buying a stamp, using it once and then never getting around to using it again! I've coloured it with ProMarkers, really get into these now and used Stampin' Up! DSPs from the set "Rainbow Sherbert" which I love, it's so bright and cheerful. I've layered it using SU! cardstock in matching Gable Green and Apricot Appeal; the sentiment was done on the computer and the ribbon and button are from my stash (not SU! so pleased at how well they matched!)

Simon Says Sketch

This is my entry for this weeks Simons Says Challenge, which was a sketch.  The image was a freebie from Two Scoops of Rice and I've coloured him with ProMarkers. The papers, cardstock & sentiment are from Stampin' Up, I've used DSP's from the set Rainbow Sherbert, which are really bright and cheerful and matched up the CS with Green Galore. The sentiment is from the set "Fun and Fast notes" and the bling flowers are from my stash.

TFL x

Blog Candy Alert!

You could win these lovely set of 7 new stamps by hopping over to Motivet, aren't they cute!

Tuesday Taggers & Digital Tuesday Challenges

I have managed to do two challenges with this little tag card, a new Challenge Blog called Tuesday Taggers were asking for something "new" on a tag to launch their blog, and I thought of this image as a graduation leads on to new things, whilst over at Digital Tuesday the challenge was "Tag You're It"

The image is a download from Pink Petticoat called "Yoo Hoo" and comes with the Wise Guy sentiment (and also without if you prefer), I've coloured him with my SU markers in Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel and Garden Green.  The cardstock is SU More Mustard and the DSPs are SU from the sets "Sweet Always" and "Tea and Crumpets".  The congrats sentiment is from the SU set "Cheer & Wishes".  The tag shape I've cut by hand (you can tell) as I didn't have a decent sized die for this, but hopefully it's slightly wobbly edges add to the charm!! That's my excuse anyway!

Stamp Something - Sketch Challenge

Sometimes a card takes me ages and sometimes it goes together really easily and I'm pleased to say that this one was the latter, I've used all Stampin' Up! and that makes co-ordinating everything just so simple.  I chose the image, which is from the set "Fun & Fast Notes", chose the DSP which is from the set "Tea & Crumpets" and took the colours from there.  I would never have put these two colours together (Apricot Appeal and Perfect Plum), but they worked in the paper so I added matching cardstock, watercoloured the image with the same, plus Sage Shadow on the leaves and even found a matching eyelet in my Crop-a-dile box (the only non SU element on the card).  I put the Apricot Appeal cardstock through my Cuttlebug to add some texture and the sentiment is from the same stamp set as the image.

I'm really pleased with this card and will definately use this colour scheme again, especially as I've just ordered another 4 sets of DSP's from SU, including the Tea & Crumpets one again! Well they are on offer until the end of the month - be rude not to! LOL

The only thing I don't like about this card is the photo, I took 5 in the end and couldn't get it right, the light's just not right today, in real life the purple on the card is a softer plum as is the Apricot, but my daughter assures me the photo is ok & to stop fussing!

I made the fave 5!

Yippee, very excited to find out I'd made the Fave 5 over at Stamp With Us for my card, it's such a lovely compliment & confidence booster to be selected in this way and it's made my day!

This was the card:

Nutshells Blog Candy & DT Call

There's a DT call over at Nutshells blog (and a lovely candy worth poping over to look at too) I'm doing my darndest to get myself on a DT (one of these days! LOL) and so I thought I'd enter plus I loved the digi-image they were giving away to use anyway.

I've coloured my lovely girl with ProMarkers, I've only got a small collection of PM's at the moment, which is why all my pm colourings are using very similar colours LOL, but it'll grow! I've used SU! cardstock in Whisper White and Tempting Turquoise and the papers and sentiment are some I've had in my stash for ages and I don't know where they're from - sorry! I've added some chipboard flowers and heart shaped buttons from my stash.

A new challenge on the blog

The Little Yellow Company is a new digi-store that's launching a challenge blog very soon and offering a candy of a couple of their digi-images to the winner, so pop over and have a look.

Stamp With Us - Colour Challenge

A bright and breezy colour challenge this week at Stamp With Us and I loved the colours which I decided should be:

Certainly Celery - cardstock; watercolour crayon on her dress & shoes

Bashful Blue - DSP (from the set Washington Apple)

Summer Sun - cardstock, SU markers for the balloon, hair ribbons and the flower on her dress

Real Red - cardstock & SU marker on the balloon

The image is from the set "All in the Family" which I have wanted since I started demoing for SU in February and so pleased to get this week, you're going to be seeing a lot more from this set for sure - it's fab! The balloons are from the set "Birthday Best" and I've used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to put them in the perfect place and layered them with silicon, the sentiment is also from this set.

I used my SU scallop punch on the red card border and the only non SU items are the two blue flowers from my stash and my Nesties used to cut out the circle and scallop circle.

Today's Stampin' Up! Class and a Challenge

This is the card & gift box we made in my Stampin' Up! class today, everyone seemed to enjoy it & the time flew.  One of the things I really enjoy about holding these classes is being able to craft with other lovely ladies as I'm usually crafting away in my little room all by myself, so much nicer to be able to chat, laugh, swap ideas and eat yummy muffins with some other crafty ladies.

All made with SU products

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White

DSPs: from the set Tea & Crumpets

Images & sentiments: "Garden Whimsy" and the Hostess Set "Best Yet"

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Ribbon: Whisper White

The Challenge over at One Stop Craft Challenge this week is a colour one of Pink & Brown, so I think this card & box fit the bill perfectly.

Two great offers from Stampin' Up!

Just wanted to let you all know about two great offers Stampin' Up! are offering for the month of May, which is all about scrapbooking.

They have a great offer on their gorgeous DSP's this month, buy any three packs from the main catalogue, mini catalogue or retired DSP's (whilst stocks last) and you can choose a fourth pack free, so it's a great time to stock up. These lovely papers are 12 x 12, co-ordinate with all Stampin' Up! products and come in packs of 12 (6 designs - 2 of each)

Their second offer is for anyone who is thinking about becoming a Demo, during May you can purchase a Scrapbooking Starter kit for £99, which is fabulous value.

If you're interested in either of these offers have a look at Stampin' Up! homepage for more info here or contact me (email addy in my sidebar)

Kaboodle Challenge No. 6

This is my entry for this week's sketch challenge over at Kaboodle Blog, using their wonderful Morris Dance papers, which I absolutely love.  I've used a Gorjuss girl image from one of the images my friend Sarah-Jane sent me, and I've coloured her with SU! Markers in Not Quite Navy & Old Olive to match the papers, and also Cameo Coral, Pumpkin Pie and Ruby Red.  I've watercoloured most of the image, apart from her coat, which is why the blue on the hat is lighter even though it's the same pen, it's quite a nice way to get shades of the same colour.  I've also used Not Quite Navy Cardstock and ink on the sentiment, which is from the SU! set "Fun & Fast Notes" to tie it all in together and managed to find some blue gem flowers that matched up with the lighter blue backing paper.

I'm also quite pleased with my photo, I took this one on my iPhone, like I do all my photos because it makes it so easy to load onto the computer, but I added an app yesterday to edit photos and I've cropped and sharpened the image on this and I'm really pleased with the result. It also helps that it's bright and sunny here today, for a nice change!

Bee Crafty Competition No. 4

I couldn't resist this cute little digi-stamp on Bee's blog and so bought him to enter the competition, you also get a coloured image too, for 99p - bargain!!

I've coloured the image with my new ProMarkers, but it's not on the best quality card (not SU! I hasten to add!) and so has sunk into the card a bit and you can't really see the shading, but I did do a bit - honest! I've also added some SU pastels (chalks) to the sentiment and a very light blue around the edge of the white card the mouse is on to soften it a bit.  I've just bought myself the sponge daubers to go with the pastels and they make using them so much easier.

The papers and sentiment are freebies from Here's A Scrap and I've used SU! cardstock in Real Red.

A New Challenge Blog on the Block & some fab candy!

The Next Level is launching on June 1 and it looks really good, a place for all sorts of papercrafting with tutorials, downloads & challenges and they're giving away a fab candy to celebrate the launch, pop over and have a look here

Inspirational Award

The very lovely, and very talented Joanne, has kindly thought of me and passed this award onto me - thank you so much Joanne, it's truly appreciated and it's always lovely to be thought of.

The rules of this award are:
1) link back to the person who gave it to you;
2) put the picture award on your blog;
3) you can nominate anyone and as many as you choose;
4) leave a fact that no one knows about you; and
5) leave a comment on the blog that gave you this award.

So I'd like to pass this award onto a few lovely bloggers that I haven't given awards to before, it's always hard to choose who to pass awards onto, but these three ladies in particular have been so lovely, encouraging & supportive, so I'd like to say a big thanks to them:

Lisa
Kaz
Sarah-Jane

And finally an unknown fact about myself - hmmmm, well aside from my crafting, blogging, & amateur dramatics, I'm also a bit of a game geek and love Ratchet & Clank on the PlayStation and The Sims on the 'puter!

A Glittery one for the boys

Now that might seem an unusual combination, but I made this card and realised that not only would it fit Simon Says Challenge, which this week was "For the boys" but also Secret Crafter's challenge which was to add glitter as I'd already glittered the spaceman

The image comes from a Crafters Companion CD, which I don't use very often, but a friend had asked for a card on a space theme for her son, and I remembered the CD had some space images on it.  I've decoupaged the image and put onto SU! Whisper White cs and added a couple of silver stars (peel offs) layered onto some silver cardstock from my stash and Stampin' Up! Real Red. I then stamped out the spaceman from the matching stampset onto acetate and have glittered him from behind.  I love glitter, but boy, does it get everywhere, so I'm sitting here sparkling like a Christmas fairy at the moment!  I cut around the spaceman to make the "dangler" which I've then attached to the top of the card.  I've also used some Sakura Glaze pens on the back of the image to colour his badges, gloves, boots & visor. The sentiment is also from the CD.

Inspiring Inkin' Challenge No. 1

A new Stampin' Up! Challenge on the blog and the first oneit was a sketch but also with a challenge to use a colour you don't normally use.

I've used all SU for the card and used for the first time Almost Amethyst (had to break the seal on the inkspot!).

Cardstock: Whisper White, Almost Amethyst, Barely Banana

Ink: Almost Amethyst

Stamp set: Garden Whimsy

DSP: Tea Party

Ribbon: Very Vanilla

I'm really pleased with the colour combo and think the colours have a nice spring feel to them (not the best picture as it's very dull here today)

Miss Anya for 2 Challenges

I was very lucky to be sent some gorgeous stamped images from a very lovely SU Demo called Sarah-Jane, she knew I wanted to get my hands on some Gorjuss Girl stamps and offered to stamp some out for me and also included a few Miss Anya's too - how generous is that.  So I've been dying to use one of the images and the Challenge over at Stamp Something this week is for a Pink Birthday Card and I decided to use one of the Miss Anya Stamps.  The layout is taken from this week's  Charisma Cardz Sketch Challenge, which I really liked, I haven't done a DL card for ages and it made a nice change.

Apart from the image and the two little gems I've used all Stampin' Up! products throughout:

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink

DSPs: all from the set "Tea Party" including the flower which has been cut out of one of the papers

Coloured with Watercolour Crayons: Pretty in Pink, Barely Banana, Apricot Appeal, Blush Blossom, Perfect Plum, Sage Shadow, Certainly Celery

Sentiment: From the Hostess Gift set "Best Yet"

It's a dull day here today, so it's an indoor picture under a bright light and is a bit paler than in real life.

Tilda & Friends ATC Challenge - May Flowers

Following on from my previous post about an ATC swap, here's one I made today and have entered it into the Tilda & Friends ATC Challenge.  I coloured her with Stampin' Up! Watercolour Crayons in Perfect Plum; Certainly Celery; Barely Banana, and Pretty in Pink.  For her skin I used my new skintone ProMarkers and when I got to colouring her face, discovered that Stazon runs with PM's - oops! I'd already coloured in the rest of her and didn't want to do it again, so I restamped her face, coloured it with Apricot Appeal & Pretty in Pink and paper pieced it onto the original (I think I've got away with it!!) So lesson learned, and now need to find out which ink is best with PM's - answers on a postcard please peeps! 

The DSP's are SU from the lovely Sweet Always set and the pink flowery gems are from my stash.

Rubbish photo - sorry about that, it's a lovely bright day so don't know why it's not very sharp?!

ATC Swap

I've organised an ATC swap over at CraftsForum where I'm a member and a few of us have been making & swapping ATC's over the last few weeks.  It's the first time I've made ATC's and I'm loving doing them and really loving seeing what everyone else makes, we're a range of crafters with totally different ideas and it's amazing seeing the diversity on these teeny little cards.

Here's some pictures of recent ATC's received:

If you'd like to join in, just send me an email and I'll let you know how to get involved.

Party, Party!

And we're all invited!!

The amazing team over at Dottie's World are preparing to celebrate a whole year of Dottie lovliness with a new look and a party week, with the most AWESOME candy and prizes to give away, I really recommend getting yourself over to Dottie's World pronto! 

As they say - Be There or Be Square!

Meet Emily

Here's something a little different from me, I've knitted this sweet little doll from a Jean Greenhowe pattern, if you've seen her patterns you'll know she's created the most gorgeous range of knitted toys and I've fancied having a go at doing one for ages and so here she is.  I'm doing a craft fair at the end of the month, so I'll be taking Emily along with me, although to be honest, I've grown rather attached to her and don't know if I want to sell her or not - she'd look so sweet sat at the end of my bed!

Show's Over and a Challenge card

Last night was the final night of the show I've been in with my AmDram Society, a very saucy comedy called "Habeas Corpus" which has been great fun to do and went down very well with the audiences. We had a full house each of the 3 nights, and lots of laughs which makes it all worthwhile. It's always a bit of a relief when it's all done, but sad at the same time - ah well, onto the next one! This is me dressed up as Connie Wicksteed, a sad spinster who longs to have a bigger bust (and when she gets one misbehaves terribly!) It was a great role, really fun to do, but not very glamorous! LOL

Got a load of birthdays coming up so made a start on some cards today, this one is for my stepson, who trained as a chef for a while, so it seemed rather apt! I'm also going to enter it into this week's Cupcake Craft Challenge which is to make a card for a man or boy, the one thing all us cardmakers seem to struggle with!

The image is a retired SU! stamp, that I got from a lovely lady called Ali, who let me have a play with her SU! stamps when she came over to my house for a class. I've coloured him with a right old mixture of SU! markers, ProMarkers and Sakura Glaze pens. The sentiment is SU! from the set "Cheer & Wishes" and has been inked up with Night of Navy, the cardstock is SU! Whisper White and Really Rust which I've embossed with a Cuttlebug folder, the blue paper is from Pebble Ink (which matched the Night of Navy quite well) and the eyelets are from my stash.

FunkyFairies Challenge No. 15

FunkyFairies released some new papers this week and also a set of fab funky fairies digi-stamps, which, despite being on a tight budget at the moment, I just couldn't resist, they were such good value though, it would have been rude not to!  The challenge was to make a get well card & I think this sweet little fairy would make anyone feel a bit brighter.

I've coloured her with a combo of ProMarkers and Sakura Stardust pens, as a fairy has to have some glitter, not too clear in the pic, but her wings and the pink on on her boots, flower and the border are all sparkly.  The sentiment is computer generated onto FunkyFairies elements, I've layered up 2 of the scallops together

The papers are all FunkyFairies and the cardstock is Stampin' Up! in Whisper White and Tempting Turquoise, the added bling is from my stash

Bee Crafty - Challenge No. 3

Sometimes I amaze myself - at my stupidity.  I made a card for Bee's challenge this week, went over and posted a link to the post containing my card, before I'd even posted it on here! D'uh? I posted a link to a different card of course & was lucky that Bee took the time to come over & leave a very polite comment telling me she couldn't find it, not surprising as I hadn't posted it at the time!

So here, without further ado, is that card!

The image is one of Bee's and it's a freebie (gotta love a freebie) which I've coloured with Stampin' Up! markers in Chocolate Chip, Regal Rose & So Saffron (which has been watercoloured to make the pale cake filling) yum!! The sentiment is also SU from the Hostess Set "Best Yet" and the gorgeous papers are downloads from Kaboodle Doodles.  The cardstock is SU Chocolate Chip & Whisper White. I've put some Diamond Glaze on the icing to make it look glossy and the brad is from my stash.

Right, I'm now going over to Bee's blog to post the correct link!

Wanted - Funky Design Gang Member

There's a call for a DT member over at FunkyHand Thoughts, I'm a big fan of the FunkyHand CD's and use the papers a lot in my cards and would absolutely love to be a part of this great team, however the competition is stiff there are some very talented cardmakers applying, but hey you've got to be in it to win it as they say.  So here are some of my favourite creations that hopefully will jump out and say "pick me, pick me!"

Two Challenges

I'm entering this Thank You card for two challenges this week - Charisma Cardz (for tomorrow -just done in time!) which is simply to create a thank you card and Papertrey which is a recycling challenge.  The recycled elements on the card are the ribbon, which is from Christmas and the pink button I've put the sentiment on, which was taken from a birthday card, both have been sat in my stash box just waiting to be re-used.

The sentiment is Stampin' Up! from the wonderful "Circle of Friendship" - I use this set so much, the script in the middle is from Papertrey's Raspberry Fizz papers, as is the small rose at the top, the cardstock is SU! Whisper White and Chocolate Chip (another favourite) and I've embossed the card with a Cuttlebug folder.

I'm sorry this is such a rubbish photo the light wasn't very good, I'll get hubby to take another I think!

Thank you Gail

It's so lovely to be given an award, it's wonderful to be thought of and I really appreciate the thought.  So thank you Gail so much for thinking of me & my lil' ole blog, it's really kind of you.  Gail is a very talented artist, her pictures are fabulous & I can thoroughly recommend a look at her blog here

I'll have a think who to pass this onto as I've been lucky enough to recieve this award not so long ago, so watch this space!

Third card today

Haven't I been a busy girl! Kev's been in his garage most of the day making me some cupboards for my craft room to store my Stampin' Up! stash, Georgia had friends over & I had time to myself - so it was crafting all they way - yippee.

I've been wanting to get my hands on a Gorjuss Girl stamp for a while but in the meantime I went onto their website and bought some digitial images to use instead. So this was quite an easy card to make as I didn't need to colour in the image, I've used some lovely K&Co DSP's and some SU! cardstock in Nearly Navy.  The sentiment is from a sheet of unmounted stamps I have (don't know the origin) I used an SU! marker in Nearly Navy to ink it up and the butterfly is also from my stash.

My daughter's got her eye on this card as she really likes it and thinks it will really suit a friend's birthday - so I guess the card's got a home to go to then!

Doodle Palace

There's a fairly new blog called Doodle Palace created by Dee & Robin, two excellent digital stamp designers, they have some gorgeous stamps available and were very kindly giving away some freebies last week, I chose the fab Noah's Ark digi-stamp and this is the card I made with it:

I've coloured the image with my SU! markers and used SU! cardstock in Only Orange & Whisper White, the sentiment is also SU! from a set called "Circle of Friendship" and I've cut out a disc using my Cuttlebug to put the sentiment on.  The papers are from my stash & the ribbon is recycled from a gift (see card below).