Friday 29 May 2009

Dies to Die for sketch challenge

Are you trying to get your hands on those hard to come by Miss Anya stamps? There's a sketch challenge on the Dies to Die for blog with 3 great prizes up for grabs, first prize being a set of Miss Anya stamps, closing date is 31st May so get your skates on to be in with a chance.....



Here's my card for the challenge, well I did say in my last post those papers were crying out to be used again, and they kept me up till 3am this morning!!
Another gorjuss girl stamp coloured with - you guessed it - PMs. I was really pleased with the colour matching here. Flower punch from SU and dry embossed to give a bit of dimension, first time I've tried this with this punch and pleased with the result, especially with the dot that fitted just perfectly in the centre!

Got everything crossed - I so NEED those Miss Anya stamps, here's hoping I get lucky, if not guess I'll have to wait till the next shipment comes in but 2 weeks
is such a loooooooong time to wait!

Gonna have a walk along the beach now, I quite fancy a whirly ice cream! Enjoy the sun whatever you are doing.....

Passion for Promarkers

Finally, here's my card for the very first Passion for Promarkers challenge....



'our first challenge is "anything goes" so you can use any colour promarkers you may have (even if you only have one) but please can you tell us which colours you have used on your post. Now for the first challenge (and the first challenge only) we are offering mega prizes from our four sponsors, therefore we will not allow you to combine our challenge with any other challenge, but only for this week.'

Why not visit the Promarker challenge blog to find out what fantastic prizes are up for grabs!

Just had to use another one of my Gorjuss Girl stamps and the fabby papers from MME The Laundry Line, these papers are twinkling at me as I type, begging to be used some more!! Suppose I could fit another card in before bed, its not as if I've got work in the morning.... have been waking earlyish still to ensure the boys have done their paper rounds!

Recipe
Papers - The Laundry Line
Stamps - Bear Hug - Gorjuss Girls set 2, Oval All sentiment - Stampin' Up!
Ink - Rich Cocoa - Memento
PMs - Pastel Yellow, Gold, Dusty Pink, Blush, Meadow Green, Pastel Pink, Spice.
Tools & Embellies - Large Oval & Scalloped Oval from SU!, Cricut Accent Essentials, Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls embossing folder, ribbon & charm from stash.


Am off to play some more.....I love this time of night, its so peaceful, it's my favourite time of day to craft - if only I didn't need sleep I would get a whole lot more crafting done!

Thursday 28 May 2009

Testers needed - Gina's new stamps

Gina is on the lookout for some testers for her soon to be launched stamps. Check out her blog for more info.

Tuesday 26 May 2009

Sketch and Stash Challenge and Creative Card Crew

Have managed to fit in another card today, woo hoo....



There is a great sketch this week on Sketch & Stash challenge, and I have used new, neglected and never used stash.
The new stash is the Gorjuss Girl stamp, well only had it a week, the PMs used to colour the image and the white flower edged ribbon is some I bought yesterday at Hobbycraft.
The never used stash is the lilac spotty paper, from a DCWV mat stack, the lilac background paper from a K & Co paper stack and the gems on the scallop along the bottom.
The neglected stash is the glitter cardstock used for the flowers and scallops, the thin pink ribbon and the Papermania Pearl brads.
Just realised I put my dots on the right side of the card vertically rather than horizontally - oops, must pay more attention.

I've just discovered this is suitable for the challenge at Creative Card Crew, the theme is 'Pretty Flowers', hope the flowers cut using my Cricut, George & Basic Shapes cartridge and the cute little flowers on the edge of the white ribbon will be enough, 2 challenges in 1 card, result!

Motivet - May Blog Candy



Check out the Motivet blog to see how you can win 7 adorable stamps.

1st Christmas card for 2009

Having watched a bit of QVC's Crafting for Christmas yesterday, I thought it was about time I made a start on my Christmas cards, I am often frantically making cards as late as Christms Eve!! Hope to change that this year....

I decided to use this week's sketch at Just Christmas and Birthday Cards and my new Edwin & Tilda stamp, just loved this stamp for ages and only recently got hold of it.



Out came my Xmas papers box, thought I would choose my papers first then the colours for the image, instead of the other way round as I usually do. Papers are from DCWV Xmas stack, edged with Cats Eyes Chalk Ink in blue. Loving my ever expanding collection of Promarkers, still need to practice with shading tho! I tried to pick out colours from the backing papers I had used. Parchment style paper from stash, embossed with D'vine Swirls CB embossing folder, sentiment from Best Yet, Level 1 hostess gift from Stampin' Up!, a very useful set as it contains sentiments for all occasions. Ovals cut with SU! punches. Pink ribbon from stash, just noticed I'm nearly running out of this colour, oh no, another craft shopping trip.

Didn't get much at Hobbycraft yesterday, some gorgeous Christmas buttons, trees, snowflakes, some scrummy glittery hearts and some lovely ribbon, so had to get online and ordered some MME Bloom & Grow papers from Crafts U Love, looks like I'll be stalking my postie this week...

Monday 25 May 2009

Stampin' Up spring card

Not managed much crafting since Thursday, been busy with housework, gardening, drinking with friends and recovering!! Thought I was being good yesterday plastering on factor 30 to do some gardening, but missed the back of my shoulders/top of my arms, boy are they sore today!

Here is the card I made for my SU! granny, who has recently had a short stay in hospital.


I had a play with the gorgeous Washington Apple papers, the oval, scalloped oval and scalloped circle punches, to create the flower. This is a great card to make using scraps of paper, but not having scraps of this DSP yet I had to break into brand new whole sheets!!!
The flower was mounted onto some Bashful Blue cardstock which had been background stamped with Versamark and the Polka Dot background stamp. The centre of the flower was stamped with Versamark and one of the Polka Dot Punch stamps that were free in a recent promotion.

Am off to the shops now, got to get some new clothes, last years cropped trousers are all too big! May manage to fit in some craft shopping too as there is a Hobbycraft where we are going!

Have a great Bank Holiday whatever you are doing, looks like the sun is trying to come out.

Thursday 21 May 2009

Oooops, wrong sketch....

Every week during my blog hopping sessions I have a note pad that I write/draw the various challenges on. The card in the picture below has been made to follow a sketch from ... I don't know where, perhaps its just one I devised. I thought it was the one for Sketch Saturday this week, and although there are some similarities, it's not strictly following the sketch, so I can't submit it. I am still gonna post it on here cos I'm quite pleased with my colouring - been practising.



I inked up one of my new babies - Little Goth Girl from the Gorjuss Girls set 2, I covered up the skull slide in her hair with a gem, coloured the image with my PM's, mounted in circle shapes cut with my Cricut machine, mounted onto paper from DCWV Glitter Stack. Ribbon from stash.

I really must be more accurate with my sketching or labelling. Still at least I've got time to give it another go tomorrow night, housework permitting :-( Had better go and tidy up my craft room now, don't think I can see the work surface!

Have a great Bank Holiday weekend and half term next week - lets hope the weather is kind to us.

Stamp Something

Here I am with my second post of the day...... well it was getting a bit chilly out in the garden, the wind was picking up so I thought I would move back into my cosy craft room!

Thought I would have a go at the Stamp Something challenge this week which is 'Clean & Simple Thank You'



This card kind of made itself, I love the Thank You stamp from Wonderful Words set from Stampin' Up! The embossed card was on my desk from a while ago when I was playing with my embossing folders and glimmer chalks, all it needed was a little bit of ribbon et voila.

I ought to do some housework now but I can feel the pull of my craft room and my new rubba waiting to be stamped up.....

Cute Card Thursday meets Friday Sketcher

Day off today, sun is shining, house to myself, how much better can it get? New craft stash would be nice..... here's hoping the DHL man calls today!
I love having a Thursday off, cos it means I get to take part in CCT fairly early... sometimes!
Today I have combined CCT theme of using a sporty image and the sketch from Friday Sketchers challenge this week.



I've really brought out some old stash for this one, the Footballer from Creative Expressions, Masculine papers from Dovecraft and a football brad from Ebay eons ago...
Image coloured with my ever increasing range of Promarkers, really enjoying using these, having a go at shading, just about managing the skin tones, not too happy with the hair on the image but felt I would totally muck it up if I fiddled any more!

Am off out in the garden now with a capuccino and my book to soak up some of the sunshine. Will be back to play later.

Wednesday 20 May 2009

Inspiration Award



I was flattered to receive this aware from Sarah-Jane at Cards and a Cuppa, why not hop over and check out her blog to see some wonderful makes.

Right onto the rules of this award,

1) link back to the person who gave it to you; done

2) put the picture award on your blog; done

3) you can nominate anyone and as many as you choose; done

4) leave a fact that no one knows about you; not sure there is anything,

5) leave a comment on the blog that gave you this award done!

Now, onto the hard part! choosing who to pass it onto!!

Rach

Bev

Marlene

Heather

Stacey

There are loads more blogs out there that I visit and get inspiration from, I would be here forever!

Looking forward to my day off tomorrow - craft room here I come, I've got my new Gorguss Girls set 2 crying out to be inked up, new paper stash and some Promarkers just waiting to be used. Hopefully the DHL man will come with my SU! order too, how good can it get!

New challenge launching 5th June




Fantastic blog candy is available here to celebrate the launch of the new challenge blog Stampin' for the Weekend.


Sunday 17 May 2009

Grand Day Out!

What a long day yesterday, I didn't realise that 4.30 happened twice in one day!!!

Anyone who knows me will not believe where I went yesterday, I have 2 fanatical Man Utd supporters and one Liverpool supporter (who was keen to see them lose) in the house and we were lucky enough to be given 4 free tickets to the match yesterday. Barry is never one to be late, so although KO wasn't til 12.45 he wanted to leave early, we were up at 4.30 and set off at 5.30 arriving in Manchester about 9.30. After a look round the Mega Store, we ventured to a local shopping mall, where I discovered 2 craft shops, although shock horror I didn't buy much (a couple of papers, football themed), even the boys were surprised when I emerged quite quickly and nearly empty handed!
We arrived back at the stadium to see the players warming up, the atmosphere was amazing, even for a non-football lover like me, the time flew by and before I knew it the match had finished. As it was a draw, it meant Man Utd had won the Premiership and were presented with the trophy.
I had a fantastic day, but still don't understand the off side rule, despite Barry trying to explain it to me several times today - think he preferred it when I wasn't interested! We got home about 8pm, I was in bed asleep by 9.30, never been to bed so early, especially on a Saturday night!

Spent today avoiding the rain, catching up on food shopping, washing & ironing, and a quick visit to The Range to buy that DCWV paper stack I needed, only to discover they've got new stock in and there are about another 4 stacks I NEED! I haven't managed any crafting today, so here's one of the cards I made on Thursday and not yet posted on here.



The image is from the 'Mary & Friends' set from Woodware, coloured with PMs. I've just ordered some more of these from Joanna Sheen , only £1.59 each, the best price I've seen and with free delivery.
The paper is a K & Co one, I think called Sweet & Sparkly. Glitter flowers are from Craft Time, sentiment - Cuddly Buddly, punches - SU!, lilac and white base card from Paper Mill. I love the pearls that come on those little strips of adhesive, no more faffing about trying to get the gems evenly spaced....

Hope to catch up on challenges tomorrow.

Friday 15 May 2009

Great day crafting....

I had a great day crafting yesterday, everything just seemed to fall into place, papers matched and I ended up making about 6 cards.... Usually I have to get almost every piece of patterned paper out to see what goes and use one of the first ones!

Here is one of my favourites from yesterday



I used a recent sketch from Sketch & Stash challenge, one I never managed to complete on time..... I really enjoyed using this one and will be using it again. I think this would make a great 'New Baby' card, can feel one coming on in blue, what a shame that means a little trip to the Range to buy the Baby Boy Nursery paper stack. The image is one from the Bubble & Squeak sets by DoCrafts, just loving these, can see they will come in for a lot of use. Image coloured using my ProMarkers. Textured card and base card from Range & Paper Mill. Sentiment from Cuddly Buddly and circle & scallop punches from SU! What did I do before I had those punches - can't imagine life without them now!

I will post some of the other cards over the weekend. Hope to fit some challenges in, but that won't be till Sunday, got a busy day and early start tomorrow so had better head off for bed now...

Enjoy your weekend

Thursday 14 May 2009

Stampin' Up - May Offers

There are 2 amazing offers this month at Stampin' Up!

If you like the papers I have used on my card for CCT challenge this week (14 May) you will be pleased to know that one of the offers this month is a 'buy 3 get 1 free'
When you buy any 3 packs of paper at £7.75 you can choose another pack free! Don't delay, place your order before the end of May to take advantage of this fantastic offer.

The second offer is for all you scrapbookers out there! Until the end of this May, you can join SU!for £99, you don't need to run workshops, you can join as a hobby demo, just as long as you reach minimum sales each quarter you remain as an active demo (any avid crafter can usually reach the target on personal sales alone!) If you would like to join the team of happy stampers, please contact me for further information.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Cute Card Thursday - Letters and Numbers

Sorry for being AWOL again much of this week, have been busy making cards for local library who are going to sell some for me, have been burning the midnight oil to try and complete the order. Am going to take them in tomorrow, hopefully will get me some extra cash to spend on more stash......

Its my second week as a guest designer on Cute Card Thursday this week. The challenge today is to use letters and numbers on your card. I have been making card for special birthdays this week, you know, 18, 21, 30,...... so thought I would make another 18th birthday card - always handy as a lot of my daughter's friends are celebrating their 18th birthdays at the moment!



I thought I would make a nice colourful card to cheer myself up, as the weather has been so dull and dreary this week. I used my Rainbow Sherbet papers and Whisper White, Almost Apricot, Green Galore and Tempting Turquoise cardstock as the base for this card and some glitter card from stash. 18 and cylindrical shape cut using Cricut, George & Basic Shape cartridge. Added a bit of bling to the front with self adhesive gems from Papermania.



Used same stash on the second side, Congrats sentiment cut using Beyond Birthdays cartridge.



I wasn't quite sure how many drinks you need to celebrate an 18th!! but put as many as I could without any showing over the top of the triangular pieces spoiling the front image. Stamp set is Cheers to You, images coloured with SU! ink pads and watercolour brush, punched out using circle and scalloped circle SU punches.

I hope whoever receives this will be as pleased with it as I am....


Friday 8 May 2009

HELP!!

Thought I would try and jazz up my background tonight as it was rather boring, why didn't I just leave it alone as I have now gone and totally mucked it up. Have spent the last hour or so trying to sort it out unsuccessfully. Am off to craft now, will have another look tomorrow. Any hints and tips gratefully received....

Have now managed to get some of the elements back - phew..... Would still like to add a better background but think I will quit while I'm ahead tonight.

Thursday 7 May 2009

2 challenges yesterday....

Managed to make 2 cards for challenges last night but light wasn't good so photographed them today.

The first one is for the challenge at PTW, which is a sketch by Dawny., Thought I would give my new stamps an inking - usually they sit in their packet untouched for ages once I have bought them! Sometimes think I get more of a buzz from buying new stash then using it!!



The image is from the Mary & Friends set from Woodware, they are such cute stamps, there are another 2 images in the set which are sure to make an appearance soon! I used PMs to colour the image and decoupaged the daisy, which I covered with Glamour Dust, really pleased with the way this looks, much better IRL - photography skills again :-( BPs are from DCWV Spring stack, really like the fresh colours on them.

The second card is for Mojo Monday challenge no 85 this week.



Another new set I got was from Pink Cat Studio, there are 12 stamps in the set, 4 good size images, 3 smaller images and 5 greetings. Image coloured with PMs again, and layered onto DCWV paper from a glitter stack, orange card from stash, distressed with a sanding block. The bow took ages to do, am surprised it ended up on the card as the pieces of ribbon kept springing all over my craft room when I was trying to assemble it but I was not going to be beaten! Greeting and punched oval shapes from SU!

Just been to The Range and bought 'Bubble & Squeak' cute little teddy bears, one of the sets from the Daisy & Dandelion range. They are just so cute, so hoping to ink them up tonight, watch this space!






Monday 4 May 2009

FIL's birthday

I made a birthday card for my FIL, for a challenge about a month ago, and do you think I could find it when I needed it!! So had set to and make another one - bet the other one will turn up now.....

The first one is one from the kids to give to their grandad.



I really like this style card, although I think I will leave the large leaf a bit wider next time - if I remember! Cardstock & paper from stash, Kyle stamp from Cuddly Buddly coloured with PMs. Punches & sentiment from Stampin' Up!

This next card is the one from Barry & I for his Dad.



Out came the lovely Summer By The Sea stamp set, stamped with Choc Chip ink, coloured with Stampin' Pastels. Cardstock and embellies from stash, recently discovered during major sort out....

Got a pile of stash to Ebay, when I get round to it, sold some Sizzix dies the other day, just deliberating whether to list a set of alphabet dies, just can't do it at the moment - might need them...

Had a little ole trip to The Crafty Cow today, well there wasn't much else to do, on a Bank Holiday Monday, weather a bit miserable and I happily discovered this morning as I was reading my craft mag that they had a demo on today - well it would have been rude not to go, esp as they were demoing copics - still dithering whether to get some, perhaps I should shift my pile of stash and treat myself....

Am off now to create, hope to post tomorrow, but don't hold your breath, as you can see I don't manage to blog that regularly of late!