Spring Has Sprung :)

Hi peeps and hope all is well with you today xxx

We are half way through the week and time to check out what happening over at the Simon Says Stamp Challenge

As Spring SEEMS to be arriving (famous last words), the challenge is to use Spring colours or an Easter creation if you celebrate Easter

This week the Design Team have all featuring Magnolia products. The Simon Says Stamp Store sells an amazing range of Magnolia goodies including papers, doohickey dies, flowers as well as the stamps and now, just in are the NEW Magnolia Mini Stamps- check them out !

As usual Heidi will be giving one lucky entrant ……

…. $50 voucher for a fab spendathon at the Simon Says Stamp Superstore !!

Right, now for the card - shades on chicksies ……

… cos we are bright and zingy and Springy lol!!!

I used my new Tilda With Daffodil stamp (awww!!) and coloured her with the following Copics -

E00, E21, R11 (skin) E40, E50 (hair) C00, C1, C3, Y0000, Y06, Y08, Y15, Y38, YG0000, YG01, YG03 (clothes etc)

And just for a change I did a round card which I don't often do cos my brain doesn’t work in circles (in fact, sometimes it doesn’t work at all lol!!)

I used a Cricut cartridge and added a bit of doodling.

    

The daises were made using a McGill Buttercup punch  - have to be awkward don’t I!!!!

The leaves were cut from a Martha Stewart Frond Leaf punch.

I coloured it with a YG03 Copic and then cut the leaves off.

Simples!!!

The buttons and ribbons were from my stash (which is in need of a jolly good sort out to be honest – it is a real mess at the mo!!).

And there’s me done for today chicksies.

Enjoy your day and I’ll see you tomoz cos it’s Fairy Day :)

Hugs to all xxx

Papertake Spookly :)

Yes we've gone all 'spooky-doos' over at Papertake Weekly and we're inviting you to join us over at

The Dark Side

And as I said yesterday, we have someone verrry famous as our special guest and it is non other than Joanna Sheen!!!!
(yes Vic, you were so wrong, my lovely lol xxx.

Joanna has made a card for us, we have 2 brand new GDT peeps AND there's lots and lots of fabulous cardage to feast yer eyes on. So nip over and check it all out if you get a sec xxxx

I thought this fabulous image of Milly on her broomstick from the very wonderful Janet at Pink Gem was perfect!!!

The original image has little stars round it - you can see it here - but I cut her out cos I wanted it to look like she was flying.

Just a note to say that Pink Gem will be closing from 16th to 25th October so if you want any goodies, best get them now lovely peeps xxx

Naturally, I used PMs and lots of blingy Glamour Dust. And as Milly is a very special witch, I gave her a glittery frock.

I think she looks fabulous!!!!

I cut the bat our using the Cricut - shock horror, it has been used twice in as many weeks - and I stuck it on a piece of acetate so it sort of floated over the card. I wanted to make it look like it was flying round Milly.

I have to say that IRL you can hardly see the acetate but of course, awesome Annie here with her marvellous editing skills has made it really stand out.

The papers and sentiment are all from Pink Petticoat's Happy Hauntings collection. I am loving this collection - the papers and colours are stunning.

And BTW, have you seen the new PP Fairy Lights collection? Check it out here - it is just awesome, AND it is on offer :)))x

So there's the old card.

As Halloween is approaching and we will no doubt be inundated with all sorts of little horrors asking us if we want a trick or a treat, I wanted to make something to put the 'treats' in.

And then I remembered this tutuorial over at Liz's blog.

It's a little sour cream container.

They are just perfect I think. They are soooo easy peasy, they only take about 1 minute to make and you get 4 from a single piece of A4 card. You could really go to town decorating them but I've left this quite plain so you can see it better. I'm sure you all saw them when Liz first blogged them but I thought I'd put it on here anyway. I am going to make loads for Kyla to take to her nursery Halloween party to give to her little pals.

So that's me done for the day.

But before I go, I have to say the biggest CONGRATS to my lovely blog bud Marcea. She's only gone and got picked for Magnolia's Design Team - wooohoooooooo. You can read about it here. I have had the pleasure of meeting this sweet girlie and this could not have happened to a nicer person. I am THRILLED for ya sweet cheeks (I am also dead jealous as well lol xxx) but well done you xxxxx

Have the fabbiest of days and hugs to all xxx

Spooky Pumpkin Cutie :)

Hi Peeps xxx
Hope all is well with everyone.

This lil sweetie is Pumpkin Emma and she is a CC Design image. I think she is really sweet and I thought I'd use her for my Happy Halloween card for Kyla.

I love CC Designs and there is a fab range available over at the equally fab - if not fabbier - Dies To Die For.

Buy sheer good luck, I can also use her to join in with the challenge over at A Spoonful Of Sugar cos this week it is Halloween :)

And this is what I did.

I coloured the image with PMs - no blingy stuff for a change and also no punches - MS or otherwise!!!I thought I'd show you the papers like this cos you can't see them in their full glory on the card but they are perfect for Halloween cards and they are of course Liz's brilliant Spooky Doodlies papers from Pink Petticoat.

The colours are gorgeous - I just love them!!!

You'd never know it if you looked on here but I do actually have a Cricut machine. To my shame, it doesn't get used half as much as it should but I have told myself that I must start to use it more.

So this spider's web and spider were from the Wild Card cartridge - it is awesome and chock full of stuff. I used some little orange gems which were on offer at The Paper Mill for the spider's eyes.

And there ya go.

I am on a flyer tonight cos I am off to do the technical thing with my keyboard and mouse. The mouse is one of them digital wireless things - grrr - and lately it has developed a mind of it's own to the point where I am almost ready to feed it to the cat.

My keyboard is also missing half the letters cos for some reason (probably due to heavy handed Annie here lol xx) after about 6 months of use, I managed to wipe the writing off most of the keys. This the third keyboard I have ruined and this particular one is now down to 4 keys that are readable.

So I've been to PC World and replaced them. And if you stick your head out of the window in about half an hours time, you will no doubt hear the yells and cursing when thicko here can't get either of them to work.

If you stick your head out and it happens to be quiet, it will either mean a) I have given up and gone to bed b) I have thrown them both through the window or c) both.

Have a fab night and see ya soon xxxx

Papertake Weekly xx

It soon comes round doesn't it!!

This weeks PTW challenge is based on one of my sketches and here it is ....I am sooo loving doing these sketches.

And here's my card ....
Papers are all PP and the image is Pollycrafts. I saw this on my friend and fellow PTW DT mate Kim's fabulous blog and I just had to get me one. I think this little elf is soo sweet. I wasnt sure if it was a boy elf or a girl elf (!!!!) - I dont suppose it really matters lol xx

The ric rac was in my stash and I coloured it with PMs and Glamour Dust. The snowflakes were done on the Cricut - Christmas Cheer I think!!

This Thursday, it is the Christmas Open Evening at Sycamore Garden Centre in Ellesmere Port, where Creative Pastimes is, and I am demo-ing the fabulous PMs, along with Nestabilities and Elzybells stamps. The last open evening was really good so if you are in the area, pop in :)). There will be food and drinkies and the fat lad in the red suit will be there as well. Maybe we can get him making a card or 2!! I hope I am feeling better by then cos I have been really grotty this last week - aching all over and feeling like lead - very strange. I have had a bit of a bad run recently - not sure why. Think it's probably a viral thing.

Never mind - hope you are all well and see you tomorrow if Mr Mojo sorts himself out - grrrrrr xxxx

Sharing Sunday (plus Thanks) xxxx

Heeeyyy lovely Peeps xxx

Hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend and that it isn't too cold where you are (unlike here which is freeeeezing!!)

It was our monthly workshop yesterday which was full of festive fabulousness and we had a great time up to our eyes in glitter, glue and etc, plus one or two laughs along the way!!

So in the absence of any challenge cards, I thought I'd share one of the samples with you which I did and which isn't my usual style but I kind of liked how it turned out.

This is a card on a card lol xx.

I made a small card with the nesties and then layered it with one of the new and fabulous PP images from Tis The Season (coloured with PMs) plus some Nitwits paper and then attached it to a larger card. The ribbon was from a wholesale warehouse near here.

There is a message inside the small card, also from Tis The Season

.................................

And here are a couple of cards I did with the new Raspberry Ribbons Wintery White kit which is out now and is just gorgeous.

I found this apricot cardstock (which is pearly) whilst having a root at The Paper Mill Shop and I thought it went quite well with the creams and whites. The little white 'fluffy balls on a string' ribbon is included in the kit and I sort of nicked the idea of wrapping it around a die cut Christmas tree (Cricut, Christmas Cheer) from one of Liz's cards over at PP. The sentiment is Elzybells. The MSBP was kept busy yet again, poor thing.
Will I never tire of this punch??? It doesn't look like it lol xxx

This is another Elybells image coloured with PMs. I made the frame using the nesties and ran it through the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder. I was sad enough to yet again go over the dots with my PMs. The gorge and ever so scrumy DP is PP (Tis The Season) and that beautiful fabric snowflake is from the new Raspberry Ribbons kit. The little gem (diamond, not lettuce lol xx) is one

I found somewhere in the tip that is my card room - God only knows from whence it came!!!!

Talking of craft rooms, did you all see my fab blog bud Dawns blog candy last week where she asked you to post a pic of your craft room? Well I thought it was a fab idea and I did see the pics and ooohh there are some craft rooms to die for, mentioning no Rach's and Bevs lol xxx but I have to say that I was far too ashamed to post a pic of mine as none of you would ever speak to me again lol xxx It has shamed me into making a start on re-organising the whole sorry heap.

Who knows what I might find in there once I start!!!

I have to say a huge thanks to the lovely Pauline for giving me this award as well. She gave it to me a while ago now so apologies to her for being a slow coach and not getting it on here quicker. Sorry chicken - I am a bad bloger at the mo :(((( xxxx

And finally .....

I just wanted to say MAHOOSIVE THANK YOUs

to everyone who took part in this week's PTW challenge with my sketch. I have to say that I was ever so nervous about putting it on, but you have been very kind to me and have done some awesome work with it. I am truly gobsmacked with the response and lovely comments xxxxx

Well this post has gone on a bit - it was October when I started it lol xx

Have a great Sunday and I'll be back manana with my card for the new PTW challenge which is a cracker (no, that isnt a hint!!!). I'm off for a quick blog hop and then to get my stuff organised for tomorrow night's card club. This will be the second one and I have to say I am a bit sort of worried that no one will come back!!!!

oooo errrrr!!!

The huggiest of hugs xxxx

PTW and My First Sketch xx

It's Monday (well it was yesterday when I should've posted this lolxx) so that can only mean one thing!!

Time for another PTW challenge.

Our lovely Katharina unfortunately isn't able to do our sketches any more so I offered to do them instead. Ohhh she is such a hard act to follow, as her sketches are just fabulous.

Thank you Katharina - I will miss your sketches for sure and if I am half as good at them as you, well then I will be happy xxx.

I have been having a dabble with sketches for a while but have never gone public with them, so this was a bit scary, seeing one of them 'out there' lol xxx

So here is the first one - hope ya likeeee :)

The fabulous DT girls have produced some stunning work and I just want to thank them for their encouragement and support - mmmmwwaaahhh xxxx

So, this is what I did with it.

Richard said he preferred this card to the pink pop up one from the last post which I was going to give to his Mum for her birthday, so this is the one she got instead.


I also did another one this week ...........

It looks so different using a square base card.

Papers: Nitwits Homespun Holiday collection and PP
Stamps: Alota (image, oh they are such nice stamps to work with), Hobby Art Stamps & Borders set (sentiment) and Tilda (Fall collection)
Beautiful Blooms: The ever so fabulous Poppicrafts.
Ribbon: was from the very depths of my stash, so I don't know where it came from (sorry).
Brads: Papermania and Kars
Bracket: Cricut George & Basic Shapes

The usual suspects are in there as well ie the MSBP and Glamour Dust
and all coloured with PMs.

Right, I am off for a blog hop - serious catching up to do. Sorry for being a bad blogger again, but there is this flippin credit crunch / recession / financial meltdown thingie going on - you may have heard lol xxx - so work is a bit mad at the mo.

Hope everyone is ok and I will try and do a bit better re my blog visits.

Love and hugs xxxxx

Here's a couple for ya. Not sure what I've done with my pics here but they dont look quite right, so please excuse the not- fab photography!!! Dreadful lighting - grrrr !!

This one is for this weeks Papertake Weekly challenge which is based on a sketch by the very talented Katharina. I used an Alota stamp - I so love these stamps - and coloured it in using Prismas. NOT happy with the colouring in, but there ya go!! The pink papers are Andrea's Kaboodle Doodles Pink & Blue paper pack, the grey stripey paper is PP, the ribbon is Poppicrafts and the cute lil button brads are Making Memories.

And just when you were thinking I had been surgically removed from my Martha Stewart border punch ..........

oooohhh no. Here is it again lolxx

This is a card I did for my niece Samantha and her partner Jim who have just had the most gorgeous baby boy. Welcome to the world, Haydn James.

The papers are PP and the frothy organza ribbon is from the very depths of my ribbon box and the ric rac is from Creative Pastimes. Button brads are Making Memories.

TFS and have a nice day xxxx

I am sooo chuffed and I just sooo had to share xx

Well I never!!!!

Look at this - it's meeeeee (not Hettie obviously, even if my bum is as big as hers!!)

I was a finalist in the PP Lots of Dots comp. As I never win anything, including raffles lol xxx, I was gobsmacked but utterly thrilled. So I have to say a great big thank you to Liz , not only for choosing my card, but also for taking such smashing photos xxx

And congratulations and well done to Sarah and Stephanie who were the winners. And to all the other finalists, as Brucie would say, 'didnt we do well' lol xx If you havent already done so, check them all out HERE

Here's a close up. Papers and image
are the fab PP. Ribbons are the fab
Poppicrafts and there is a bit of Glamour
Dust sprinkled about for good measure.
The flower is from the Cricut
George and Basic Shapes cartridge.

TFS xxx

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