Happy New Year

Hi there, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to the New Year. I can't wait to get back into entering all the challenges when they start again, although I will really have to plan my time well as we are decorating the lounge in the new year!
Enjoy your evening everyone and I'll see you in 2010.

Nearly there!

At last I'm nearly finished for christmas. All my cards are finished and delivered, all the presents are bought and wrapped, decorations are up and I've made my starter for Christmas lunch. Only things left to do are collect my turkey from M&S and wait in for my food delivery from Tesco on Weds (who will hopefully have everything I ordered - I have a fear that they will run out of sprouts or something else thats essential).

Now a bit of the pressure is off I may have a bit of time to do some cards and I've got a few scrapbook pages I've been wanting to do for a while so hopefully I should be posting more than once a month again!

If I don't manage to post again before the big day I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year and Santa is good to you too!

Friday Sketchers #80 & Crafty Catz #10

I've created this card for two challenges Friday Sketcher #80 and Crafty Catz #10 which has a theme of Angels and Fairies. The papers are Sparkly Sweet (I think) from my new mega stack of K&Co papers and the image is a Swiss Pixie from CC Designs coloured with PMs. Flowers and gems from stash.

PFP Week 27 Challenge Card

Managed a a little play today and made a few Christmas cards including this one which I'm entering in this weeks PFP Challenge which is any colours plus theme - vintage.

Image - Sarah Kay. Paper - from last years DoCrafts xmas goody bag. Punch - EK Success. Embossing Folder - Cuttlebug.

Bad Blogger!

Oh I am such a bad blogger at the moment! I just don't seem to have had any time lately to do any blogging or much crafting for that matter. To be totally honest I've not really felt inspired to make anything so I've not 'made' time to do it! I did get around to finishing my 'batch' xmas cards so just have a few special ones to get done now and I made a scrapbook page and one simple birthday card last night. BUT I've been out shopping today and bought 2 new embossing folders and a new EK Success border punch, so together with my huge stack of K&Co papers I got from QVC this week I think I need to do some serious playing tonight!

Passion for Promarkers Challenge #25

Really please with this challenge card for PfP #25 it is much more my style than some of the cards I've made recently, quite simple a bit like me ;-). I really do struggle with designs that require lots of embellishments and quite often spoil them by adding too much.

This week at PfP the challenge is a sketch and any colours. I've used a digi stamp from Mo's Digital Pencil, card from Papermania and Bazzill, flower Xcut punch for the border, glimmer dots from Papermania and the die cut is Sizzix.

Snow Much Fun

Not totally sure about this one, I think the blue is a little too dark and the ribbon looks baggy in the photo (looks better in real life!). Doubts aside I'd like to enter it into the following challenges Die Cut Dreams #22 - Vikki's Snowy Sketch and Cupcake Crafts #65 - Snow Much Fun!.

I've used Papermania and Bazzil cardstock, Nesties dies, Fiskars border punch, Cuttlebug embossing folder, a Personal Impressions stamp and bit and bobs from my stash.

Dotty Birthday

Card number two for today, which seems to have taken ages to finish - I just couldn't find the right embellishments, so I made my own in the end but I'm still not sure....

Card is Papermania, papers are Basic Grey, the image is Birgitta from CC Designs, border punch is Martha Stewart and sentiment is Sizzix.

I'm entering this card into 3 challenges;

1. Sketch Saturday #76 - Sketch

2. Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge #57 - Easel cards

3. Crafty Catz #7 - Going dottie!

A close up showing the embellishment and the little bit of sparkle on Birgitta's wings.

Christmas Cats

I've just realised its been about a week since I last posted! Sorry about that folks. I really enjoyed doing this card as its my favourite colour combo for Christmas cards and I just love using Mo's digi stamps, they are the best.

I've used blue glitter card, pearl card embossed with Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder. The snowflakes are cut from metal foil with a Sizzix die. The circles are cut with nesties and the adorable cats are from Mo's Digital Pencil.

I'd like to enter it into 6 challenges
1. Friday Sketchers #77 - Sketch
2. Colour Create #31 - Blue, Silver & White
3. Tanda Teaser #122 - Metallize
4. Mo's Digital Pencil #5 - All that glitters
5. Susie's Sassy Challenge #1 - Christmas Card
6. Allsorts Challenge #26 - Bring out your bling

Trick or Treat

Yes I know halloween was yesterday but this card is for a few challenges I really wanted to do so it will be put away for next year.

1. Sketch Saturday #75 - Sketch & Halloween.
2. Saturday Challenge #56 - Halloween.
3. Mo's Digital Pencil #4 - Fancy Folds.

I've used one of Mo's excellent digi stamps coloured with PMs (note to self need a darker grey!). All card is Papermania and the sentiments are hand written. This was my first easel card but definitely not my last, they are so simple to do.

White Wedding

I've just managed the one card today, for two challenges
1. Penny Black Saturday Challenge 73 White on White
2. Allsort Challenge #25 Weddings

I really struggled with this as I only have one set of Penny Black clear stamps and I didn't have a great selection of white card or paper either! But I was quite pleased with it in the end. Although the theme was weddings I thought it could also be used for anniversaries or even new babies.

Apologies

Apologies to anyone who is looking at my blog and notices it keeps changing! I'm trying to decide on a new design, so please bear with me - I will decide eventually :-)

Hugs & Kisses

Tonights effort is for a few challenges, firstly Passion for Promakers Week 23 which is any colours and a theme of animals, also with a theme of 'Furry Friends' is Allsorts Challenge 24. Next is Truly Scrumptious #19 with a sketch and a recipe of 3 flowers, 3 brads and 3 gems/pearls. Last but not least is Tanda Teaser #121 which is 'Kind Thoughts' and what could be kinder than sending hugs and kisses!

Cardstock and flowers are Papermania, patterned paper and brads are Basic Grey and the amazing digi stamp is from Mo's Digital Pencil which is coloured with PMs (what else!)

Autumn Splendor

I've been looking for an excuse to use these gorgeous papers from Basic Grey for ages and this weeks challenge at There's Magic in the Air gave me the ideal opportunity. The challenge was to use the free Autumn Splendor image and take inspiration from a lovely photo of some autumn leaves, hence the reds and oranges I've used

I'm also entering this card into two other challenges, Cupcake Challenge #63 for the sketch and Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #30 which is to create an autumn themed project using traditional autumn colours and include some stamping (I stamped the leaves).

Sketch Saturday #74 and Crafty Catz #5

Challenge card number 2! This time just for 2 challenges:
1. Sketch Saturday - Sketch
2. Crafty Catz - Buttons or Brads

I've used a super cute 'birthday hamster' image from Mo's Digital Pencil coloured with PMs. The cardstock is Papermania and the loop edging was done with my new Martha Stewart punch (I can see this being used a lot!).

Won't be any more challenge cards for a few days as I'm on a mission to do a big batch of xmas cards.

Magical Monday, Friday Sketchers & Secret Crafter

This is the first of two challenge cards that I intend to post tonight.
Its for three challenges:
1. Friday Sketchers #75 - Sketch
2. Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge #55 - Orange plus 1 other colour (I chose green)
3. TMITA Magical Monday - Use free image and 3D foam pads.

A close up to show the 3D effect.

I've use green card from Papermania and the papers are My Minds Eye, Bloom and Grow.

Laptop is back!

Got my laptop back whoohoo! Apparently I had 4 'trojans' whatever that means, some sort of virus I gather! Anyway I should now be able to get a few challenge cards done before the deadlines... watch this space!

Poorly Laptop

My laptop is very poorly (DH fault, he was messing with it last night - got to have someone to blame haven't I!) and I feel like I've lost a body part. Getting it looked at but until it returns I can't really post any challenge cards. I should be able to keep up to date on the blogs I'm following at work (I'm there now) but there is only so much slacking I can get away with, especially as I keep sneeking a look at the QVC Craft Day (managed to order a Martha Stewart punch set but don't tell DH)

Triple Challenge Card

Here's my second challenge card for today, its for three challenges:

1. Friday Sketchers #74 - Sketch
2. Tanda Teaser #119 - Just for men
3. Crafty Catz #4 - Black, White and one other.

The shirt and sentiment stamps are from Personal Impressions, the paper is from Pebbles Inc and Doodlebug. The card stock is Bazzill and Papermania.

Sketch Saturday #73

This is the first of two challenge cards today. Its my entry for Sketch Saturday #73.

I've used a very cute stamp from Rachelle Anne Miller and coloured her with PMs. The striped paper is from Foof a La and the card stock is Bazzill. The little flowers are from the edges of a ribbon which I split down the middle and stuck behine the paper.

I think its missing an embellishment of some sort, to the top right of the image to fill the white space, but it wouldn't have been following the sketch so I've left it off, for now anyway.

Hull Fair

No creations to show you today. Been at work all day then collected the girls from school, fed them and as soon as DH got home rushed out again to Hull Fair. Don't know if you've heard of it but it is quite a famous fair, I think it is the largest travelling fair in the country, and if you have children and live in the Hull area there is absolutely no way you can get away without going! So we get wrapped up warm and armed with plenty of cash (we think!) we head off to the fair. A couple of hours later we return home with two very tired children, 2 bags of brandy snap and very empty pockets!

Spooktacular Pumkin

This weeks challenge from There's Magic in the Air is to use the image provided "Spooktacular Pumpkin" and then use some 3D coloring elements like liquid applique, flowersoft, glitter and/or stickles, Crackle, liquid glaze, fun flock...etc.

I chose to use white glittered flock but try as I might I could not get it to show up on the photo, but it is there honest! I also added a few extra punpkins to give a bit more depth. I would have preferred an orange ribbon but it seems orange is the only colour of ribbon I don't possess!

PfP Week 21 & Crafty Catz #3

This weeks challenge from Passion for Promarkers is any colours plus sketch and Crafty Catz is Snowmen and Snowflakes.

I've used snowflake paper from Dove Craft and a Personnal Impressions stamp for the snowmen, which I've decoupaged a little to give some height. The greeting stamp was a freebie from a magazine and the snowflakes and brads are from my stash.

Brown Owls

I'm entering this card into two challenges, Sketch Saturday #72 and Stamp Something which was to use brown and one other colour. I opted for brown and pink so I could use some of my delicious new 'Chocolat' papers from SEI. The cute owl stamp is from Rachelle Anne Miller.

I'm a Winner!

I'm so excited to have won the Saturday Sketch Challenge #71 for my scrapbook page of Emily my cat. My prize is these 3 wonderful Motivet Stamps from Krea 'Teja'.

They are very different to anything I already have so I'm really looking forward to getting my inky mits on them!

Thanks again to everyone at Saturday Sketch and Krea 'Teja'.

Passion For Promarkers Challenge #20

Up until a couple of months ago I wasn't really into stamping as I was never totally happy with the finished coloured image, I'd tried allsorts of mediums - water colours, H2Os, waterbased pens with a water brush, pencils - then on a whim I bought a set of 10 promarkers from my local craft shop and I've never looked back! I could kick myself though, for over 15 years I worked in advertising and all the designers used PMs but it never occured to me to use them on my cards. Just thinking how much money I could have saved if I hadn't bought all the stuff above is sickening, I could have an almost full set of PMs by now instead of a very sad 15!

So since I discovered the PFP blog I keep an eye on the challenges and enter the ones I have the correct colours for. This week challenge #20 is any colours plus recipe (3 shapes, 2 papers and 1 ribbon) and the above is my entry. The Swiss Pixies 'Heidi' stamp is a favourite of mine at the moment and the papers are from Papermania, the ribbon is from my local haberdashery store. The circles and ovals are all cut with Nestabilities.

Magical Monday - Colour Challenge

This is a card for a new challenge blog I've just found 'There's magic In The Air'. This weeks challenge was to use the free digital image supplied plus use only black, orange and one other colour of your choice.

I've coloured the image with PMs and the patterned papers are Papermania. The sentiment is hand written.

Sketch Saturday #71

This is my entry for Sketch Saturdays Challenge #71. This week as well as a sketch there was the added challenge of 'Pets'. I decided to do a scrapbook page of one of my cats, Emily, instead of a card so I hope thats not against the rules. The papers I've used are all from SEI - Morning Meadow and the card is papermania.

I apologise for the photo, I really need to figure out a way to make my pages look square when I photo them.

Bye Bye Grandad

Its a sad day for me today, my Grandad died this morning at the ripe old age of 89. He had been ill for quite a few months with several spells in hospital and a care home and had become a bit depressed at being unable to get out and about and do things, so at least I can take comfort that he is at peace now. I will always remember him as busy and active, he loved his fishing and chasing around after my girls and supplying them with an endless supply of quality street and little toys from the post office when he collected his pension. Further back, when I was little, I remember him peeling grapes for me, shopping for tins of 'shandy' that I never drank on a Saturday and trips to the seaside. I will miss him a lot.

Friday Sketchers #71

This card is for Friday Sketchers #71, as well as the sketch there was an extra option of using 'distressing' in the design.  Not sure who the papers are from as I won them in a lucky dip candy gieaway but the stamp is from La Blanche

Sharons Birthday Candy

Just found this wonderful candy up for grabs from a very generous lady called Sharon, to be in with a chance to win visit her blog here.

Sketch Saturday #70

This will probably be my last challenge card for a few days as DH is home tonight and no doubt he will need my undivided attention so he can tell me all about his weekend, although he may want to watch the F1 from Sunday so I may get an hour or so!

Its another sketch challenge, from Sketch Saturday and although I've changed the shape of the card and turned it 180 degrees it still follows the layout. I've used an adorable stamp from Tina Wenke (available here), coloured with PMs and all shapes are cut with Spellbinder dies. The rub on, flowers etc have all been lurking in my stash for quite a while so not sure where they are from.

Carol's Sketch Fun #15

I'm on a roll - I've completed another challenge card! My DH has been away all weekend so I've had a bit more time on my hands and who knows I may even manage another before he gets back tomorrow.

This one is for Carol's Sketch Fun #15. I've used Bazzill card, lilac mirror card, Anitas ribbon and a very cute Messy Rabbit stamp coloured with PMs.

Tanda Teaser

This card is for Tanda Teaser #117 - Text It! All the papers are K&Co 'Lifes Journey', I cut the flowers with a Sizzix die and inked all the edges with Colorbox Chalk 'Creamy Brown' ink. The brads are Papermania (I think!)

I had intended for it also be eligible for the Whiff of Joy Challenge #49 but I misread the recipe and used 3 flowers instead of 2, doh!

Skattykats Mid Week Make Challenge 5

This weeks Skattycats challenge was to use a sketch.

The flower background is velum and was free in a magazine and the stamp is Swiss Pixies 'Heidi' who is of course coloured with Promarkers (I didn't like stamping until I discovered Promarkers now there's no stopping me!) The sentiment was also a freebie from a magazine.

Birthday Girl

My little girl is 6! I'm sure all mothers say the same but I can't believe its six years since she was born. Anyway this is the card I made for her, she's a very girly girl so it had to be pink and Hello Kitty is a fav at the moment. I got the inspiration for the 'wiper' from a tutorial on Split Coast Stampers which has loads of inspirational ideas for novices like myself.

Skattykats Mid Week Make Challenge 4

This weeks Skattykats challenge was to use punches and I was inspired by Kats 'Trick or Treat' card which had a clean and fresh feel to it. For my card I used two Xcut punches, flower border and five petal flower and the lovely image is a Tina Wenke stamp (many thanks to Kat at Skattykats for so generously giving it away in her Mid Week Make Challenge 2) coloured with Promarkers.

Triple Challenge Card

This week I've managed to create one card for 3 challenges, I hope thats ok?

1. Passion for Promarkers - Any colours + polka dots
2. Truly Scrumptious - Sketch + use 3 stamps
3. Inky Impressions - Real or faux stitching



It is not my usual style but I think it just about works.

The papers are from Dream Street Papers, the flower and butterfly stamp are La Blanche, both coloured with Promarkers. The small stamp on the background is from Studio G. The stiching is fake as my sewing machine is not easily accessible!

Help I'm a blog addict!

I have only been in blog land for a week or two and I'm hooked! I'm spending hours blog hopping and I've found some really great ones with some excellent ideas but I run out of time to try any of them!

I did get around to doing this scrapbook page last night, it shows my two girls mastering the climbing wall at West Midlands Safari Park in August. The photos didn't turn out too well as the camera was on the wrong setting by mistake but I just had to use them because I am so proud of how well they did, Katie got to the top and Jess nearly made it on a more difficult face. The papers used are Basic Grey Archaic, I thought the ziz zag one looked a little bit like mountains. I hand cut the title and added a drawn stitch border and a fake shadow with a grey promarker to add a bit of depth.

Monochrome Embossing

I've made this card for 2 challenges, The Tanda Teaser - Monochrome Madness and SkattyKats Midweek Challenge 3 - Stamping and Embossing.

I stamped the background in lilac with a Heidi Grace stamp and embossed with holographic powder, the main flower is also Heidi Grace and it's embossed with silver pearl and the sentiment is from Personal Impressions. I've finished it off with ribbon and an adhesive pearl.

What has happened to the weather? It seems ages since we had a warm and sunny day. Typically I chose today to make a batch of chutney so I've been stuck in the kitchen for most of the afternoon peeling and chopping tomatoes and onions. Its a new recipe I've not tried before so hopefully it will be ok, I made some one year that was a little strange!

A couple of cards for Skattykats weekend challenge 2 'Feathered Friends', using a Sizzix die and a Rachelle Anne Miller stamp.

Sunday

I love Sundays, not being a morning person I get up late and do very little. It is also the day we spend time together as a family and I may even get some time to craft in natural light!

The card above is for the week 15 challenge on http://promarkerchallenge.blogspot.com/ 'girly and glittery' . I struggled a bit as I didn't have any girly stamps so I found this digi stamp on http://www.digistampboutique.co.uk/catalog/ I also only have 10 promarkers so colour combinations were limited, I think it turned out ok in the end.

Hello

Hello and welcome to my blog

This is my first atempt at blogging so please be patient with me!

My aim is to show a few of my creations, share my thoughts and hopefully make some new likeminded friends... if anyone out there can offer me any blogging tips I would be very grateful.

Above is my first attempt at a blog challenge, for Skattykats, I just need to figure out how to leave a link and copy their side bar - wish me luck!