We are off to Wimbledon tomorrow - Pimms and strawberries and cream, what bliss xxx We have tickets for Monday (No 1 Court) and Richard said that according to the the forecast, we should hopefully be in for some nice weather!! Well that is the kiss of death isn't it, but we'll see lol xxx So just the one card tonight. I have based this on one of Katharinas fantastic sketches, which are just a joy to work with. The image is from Sally's new and completely fab download - pop over to her blog and check it out. I will be doing more from this download when I am back next week. She has added a section for customer cards so don't be shy, let her know if you use her stuff and she will put it in her gallery so we can all share in everyones wonderful work. And last but by no means least, I have used one of the beautiful pins that the awesomely talented Penny has made. She is selling these on her blog so pop over and check them out. My photo does not do them justice because they are absolutely stunning. The ribbon is from my stash and the blooms and buttons are from the lovely Mich at Poppicrafts. The sharp eyed amongst you will notice that there is something different about the colouring in, and that is because I have used my new set of Prisma pencils and I haven't quite got the hang of them yet, so I think that it has let this card down somewhat. I have to be honest and say that I prefer my watercolours and when I am back from SW19 I am going to re-do this card with them and compare the 2. Have a great weekend, and fingers crossed that the sun shines on Monday xxx

What rotten weather we have had here today - just miserable. I have a few cards done for a forthcoming workshop and will hopefully post some challenges tomorrow but before that, I just want to say a big thank you to Pixie Dust for having me as the Inspirational Blog of The Week on her Cardmaking Friends Craft Forum. I am truly, genuinely very flattered and thrilled that you like visiting here and have picked me for your first blog.

I have been tagged recently by 5 lovely bloggers. 4 have the same tag and 1 has another. More of that in a sec but before that, one of the lovelies that tagged me, Kathleen, had a link on her blog to something which just touched me and I just had to share it with you. If you get a sec, go here and have a read of this - it's called The Dash, by Linda Ellis - just awesome and it really made me think.

OK now the tagging bit. First the This and That Tag which came from Gina
Chocolate or Vanilla ice cream:
Vanilla - especially the reallly proper one flecked with vanilla seeds
Big Mac or Whopper:
Neither really - hate them both (sorry!!) but if I HAD to pick, it would be a Whopper
Coke or Pepsi:
Pepsi (especially with Bacardi lol xx)
Beer or Wine:
Oh easy peasy - wine, wine and more wine. Bring it on lol xxxxx
Coffee or Tea:
Neither - really truly hate them both although I will drink Earl Grey, not to be posh, but because it is quite nice
Apple Juice or O.J.
OJ
Facebook or MySpace:
Facebook
Summer or Winter:
Winter, with log fires, mulled wine (there is a worrying theme here!!) and snow ball fights. I just LOVE it
Windows or Mac:
Windows
Cats or Dogs:
Oh cats, most definately cos I am owned by 1 - cat lovers will relate to this xx

And the 2nd tag which came from Sarah, Kathleen, Lavender Rose and Shell

Ten years ago:
I was at a really bad place re my life - dont ever want to be there again!!
Five things in today’s 'to do list'
Do this post
Finish designing the cards for the Christmas Workshop
Put some stuff in the post for 2 of my very best blog buds - they know who they are and I just adore them both xxxx
Do some ironing - grrrr : - (
Go for a facial - fab, they should be on the NHS : - )
Snacks I enjoy:
Cheese and Jammy Dodgers - not together of course lol xx
Things I would do if I was a millionaire:
Look after my family and make sure they had what they needed, then get me a nice shiny fast brand new car ie Aston Martin Vantage
Places I have lived:
Chester, Great Sutton and Wigan

Thank you ladies, and I'm now supposed to tag another 5 but there are so many lovely peeps out there that I just can't choose, so if you have never been tagged, consider yourselves tagged now. Back tomorrow hopefully with some cards. BFN xx

Hi Peeps. Hope you are all having a great weekend and that the weather isn't too awful for you. Here in Chester it is cold, grey and verrrry windy today - grrrr, miserable. So what better way to spend the day than staying inside in the warm and doing a spot of crafting lol xxx. This first card is for the Paper Take Weekly challenge which this week is hot hot hot (I wish!!). I did a 2 in 1 and used the sketch from Friday Sketchers. Papers are PP and the ribbons are Raspberry Ribbons and one from my stash. The little flowers were from Costco and the brads are from the fabulous Poppicrafts. Check out the website cos there is a 15% off sale this weekend - you'll need to hurry though cos it ends at midnight tonight.

This next one is a 3 in 1 and this time it is for
the very wonderful 2 Sketches for You based on
one of Laura's fab sketches,
the Spoonful of Sugar challenge which is to create
a card for a celebration, and also Cute Card Thursday which was to create a card for a birthday - simple as that. The papers are from Tinker & Co (Sweet Dreams)

The last one I did is
for 2 challenges -
TGI Friday, which is to
create a card for a baby and Daring Card Makers
which is to create a quick card
which took no more than 30 minutes to make. The stamp I used is from Sally's e-bay shop, The Stamp Boutique. Her stamps are just gorgeous and very reasonable too. Check out her blog here. The ribbons are Raspberry Ribbons and the buttons are from God knows where cos I certainly don't but hey how cute!!

TFS xx

Just to let you know that Jacqueline has some yummy blog candy up for grabs to celebrate 10000 hits - fabulous. You can check it out here and good luck to everybody who enters xx

I have nicked this idea from Dawnie (All Pink Girl) who is currently on her jollies - lucky girl. She has posted some of her wonderful creations from the Raspberry Ribbons June Kit so I thought I would share mine with you.

The quality of the ribbons in these kits is just wonderful - a pleasure to work with. Anyway this is what I did with my kit. Check out the website cos as well as the fab kits, there are also Pyramids of Ribbons and Little Boxes Of Love xx

A quick WARNING now - one of the ladies that came to a workshop I ran at the weekend told me that she used her conservatory as a craft room - like a lot of us do. She has one of those overhead lights with a magnifying glass - you know the ones. Well on Saturdsay morning, she noticed a pall of smoke coming from her conservatory and yes you guessed it, the sun's rays had gone through the magnifying glass and were merrily burning her table.

Luckily she was there to sort it out before it got out of hand. As she rightly said, perhaps you wouldnt think to move the magnifying glass during the hot weather but it could have been nasty. So I thought I would mention it to you to be careful xx

I did 2 cards this week for the Paper Take Weekly challenge which was based on another fab sketch by Katharina. Paper for this one is PP and the blooms are from Crafts U Love

Same sketch but a bit different. You have the option to use chipboard on this challenge which I didn't do on the last card but did on this. The papers are PP and the chipboard flower, bloom and brad are all from the wonderful Poppicrafts The ribbon is from my stash.


The wrap around is fixed
on the back but opens at the sides




This is my card for the 2 Sketches 4 You challenge and this weekis based on one of Kazan's wonderful sketches. The papers are PP and the blooms were done on my Cricut using the George cartridge and the shadow feature. Little diamonds to finish off. Well, you can't have too many can you lol xxx

And some detail..
TFS xxx

And the winner is ............

Right it's time to see who won the blog candy. Unfortunately, the celebrity I had lined up to assist me (Grandaughter Kyla x) couldn't make it due to other commitments (nursery lol xx) so I had to do it myself.

Ok - here goes. All names in and folded up.

And the winner is ....................................................... Andrea at http://kartenfreak.blogspot.com/

Well done, and if you e-mail your address, I will get it in the post to you with some other nice bits and bobs xxx

PS - I have moved the blog candy post and it is now in the archived section under May

I did a couple of challenges tonight but before we get to them I just thought I would share one I made for our weekend workshop - we are doing romantic cards. I thought I would use the relief technique (ooh hold that thought, you with the mucky mind - yes YOU lol xx) I used the Weddings Cricut cartridge and stuck the cut shapes randomly onto the blank card and then just highlighted the inner part of the hearts. Some gorgeous wide ribbon which I got from Creative Pastimes and a few little gems and it was done. I was quite pleased with the result.

And some detail .......

Right, here are the challenge cards. The first one is a Dawny special - its a BOGOF one. You know the one, you buy one you get one free, I say you buy one, you get one free. Now before I continue, who is that ruddy annoying man and WHAT is he wearing!!! Someone should give the people that throw those things at him the sack and employ me cos I would not miss him, that's is for sure!!!! My overseas blog buddies, I fear you may well have no idea what I am rambling on about. Well, all I can say is consider yourselves very lucky that you don't have this advert in your country!!! Meanwhile, back at the blog.... as I was saying, this one is for the Friday Sketchers challenge and also the Tilda challenge which is to use swirls. Paper is PP and the ribbons are Raspberry Ribbons, Poppicrafts and a random bit I found in the bottom of my stash

I am very close to the wire with this one cos it is Spoonful of Sugars challenge and it runs out tomorrow. It is using pink, blue and green. The paper is PP, the ribbons are Poppicrafts plus another randomer, and the little eyelet - brads I have had for so long that I dont know who makes them, sorry.

TFS xxx

I just noticed as I went to post this that I am now over 5000 hits - thank you to everyone who has come to visit - so once the other blog candy is finished, we will have another soooper doooper fabitastic giveaway peeps so stay tuned xxx

Right this is another of my 2 in one challenge cards. I'm not trying to cheat honest, it's just that I am sometimes up to my eyes in stuff but I just love doing the challenges so this way I can get more done. PLUS it does challenge me to try and do combinations. This is for PTW - to die for - using a die cut on your card and also Cute Card Thursday - xmas cards. This is my first crimbly card of the year. Paper is PP and the cute stamp is Penny Black which I got from Butterfly Kisses. Ribbon is Poppicrafts and the die cut is from a Sizzlet set.

If you haven't checked out the new challenge over at Kazan & Lauras 2 sketches 4 you, you are missing a treat. This is going to be a really popular challenge cos they are both soooo talented. The first one is Laura's sketch. Paper is PP and the blooms and ribbons are Poppicrafts as is that completely FAB little silver frame. It cost something daft like 79p and it is just so lovely
This one is Kazan's sketch. The ribbons are from the ever so fabulous Raspberry Ribbons June kit which is pink, naturally xx The dahlia blooms I got the other day from Crafts U Love and they are just so pretty. The little sparkly centre is part of the kit - fab xx Buttons are Poppicrafts and the sentiment is Craftwork Cards.
TFS xxx