Sunday 31 August 2008

Tilda & Co Challenge # 34

This week's challenge on the Tilda & Co Challenge blog is

Embossing

It Could be Heat Set Embossing, Dry Embossing, Embossing Boards, Embossing
Folders The list can go on forever, So please show off your Embossing On your
projects.



Front view

















Side View













Here is my project for this week. It's called a mini backpack and I found the instructions on a fab blog called Stamp Happens. First of all I used the turquoise card to make up the template, I then used a cuttlebug embossing folder to make the flaps for both the main rucksack and it's pocket. The embossing was done on the same cs and then I went over them with a pearlescent ink pad. The patterned paper was then added and it is from a SU designer set. I cut the two snowflakes using my Cricut and then I used SU heat and stick powder with stampin glitter to make them sparkle. The Magnolia images were then added. Both Tilda and the bench have been coloured in with promarkers. The ribbon and brad are from my stash.

Stamps: Magnolia
Paper:- Stampin Up designer papers - wintergreen
Cricut:- cartridge - Accent Essentials

If you would like to join in with this weeks embossing challenge you can find all the details here

http://magnoliachallengeblog.blogspot.com/

One lucky winner could win a £15 voucher to spend in Polly Craft Designs shop.

Saturday 30 August 2008

Candy shout out!

Sally from Craft Sally is giving away some great candy!! Loads of lush papers and blooms.
Here's the list:-

11 paperflowers, some put together in co-ordinating colours by my daughter Rachel!
13, 6 x 6 Laura Ashley Papers
7, 8 x 8 'Retro Floral' Papers from Papermania
4, 8 x 8 'Love' Papers from Papermania
5, 8 x 8 'Yellows' Papers from Papermania
8, 8 x 8 'For Him' Papers from Papermania
and the best ones...
12, 8.5 x 8.5 double sided light cards, gorgeous and scrumptious from K & Co and the Berry Sweet collection!! My personal favourite!

If you want to see a pic of it all go over to Sally's blog it's here

http://craftysally.blogspot.com/

Closing date is 7th September at 7pm.

Thursday 28 August 2008

Tilda and Friends ATC Challenge

I have now completed my 4 Seasons ATCs for the Tilda and Friends ATC Challenge Blog.


















Here's my final one - Spring. I've used some HOTP scrap bits of paper for the base and sponged around the edges with a purple chalk ink. Tilda and her flowers are both from the Magnolia Spring kit. They've been coloured in with promarkers. The sentiment "Spring" has been done with a tape writer.

Stamps:- Magnolia
Papers:- HOTP

Don't forget you still have time to do your 4 season ATCs. To find out all the details just go here

http://tildaandfriends.blogspot.com/

House Mouse Monday Challenge

I happened across this new challenge blog called House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge this week. So I decided to have a go. This week's challenge was "Lace it up"!

















I've layered up a white, square blank card with Making Memories papers. I then added the strip of cream lace to the left hand side of the card. The image is called Beary Good Friends and is coloured in with promarkers and layered onto two different coloured cs. I then laid the pink glitter frame over the top to make the image stand out. The sentiment is a SU set and I have used my word window punch to make the layers. And finally I added the little buttons.

Stamps:- House Mouse, Beary Good Friends and Stampin Up, warm words
Papers:- Making Memories, Noteworthy

Wednesday 27 August 2008

Cute Card Thursday

This week's challenge on the Cute Card Thursday Challenge Blog is
In The Water
As always a little flexibility is allowed in the theme, it can be in, on or
beside water and the water can even be frozen i.e. snow or ice! We always look
forward to your own interpretations!

















My card is a bit random this week. I just couldn't find a suitable stamp for "in the water". This was the closest I could get, after all she is standing in the puddle which is water!

I've used a Stampin Up set for this one and coloured it in with promarkers with a little bit of stickles for the raindrops. The sentiment is from the same set. I've layered the image onto some turquoise card and sponged the edges with tangerine chalk ink. The papers, ribbon and blooms are all from a Sarah's cardmaking kit. One I've had for quite a while actually.

Stamps:- Stampin Up - And Everything Nice

Why not have a go at this week's challenge yourself? You can find all the details here

http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/

This week Helena from Alota stamps has very kindly donated 3 water themed stamps to give as candy! They are really great fun stamps. Lucky girl who wins them, can you tell I'm coveting them? :0)

Papertake Weekly Challenge

This week's theme for the Papertake Weekly Challenge is

A Stitch In Time


A stitch in time is simply to use stitching on your project! It can be real or
faux!
















A different shaped card for me today. I saw one this shape on a German lady's blog, but can't find the blog now!! Anyway I cut the scalloped square using my Cricut. The frame I measured out myself and stitched around the outer and inner edges. The big flowers are also cut with the Cricut but the smaller ones I've used a punch. All the papers are from a Stamping Up designer paper set. And of course the main image is an Alota stamp from the Country Girls range. She has been coloured with Promarkers.

Stamp:- Alota stamps

Papers:- SU designer papers: petals and paisleys

Cricut cartridges:- Accent Essentials & Mini Monogram

Monday 25 August 2008

A Spoon Full Of Sugar

Another week gone by and it's time for the A Spoon Full Of Sugar challenge again. This week the theme is


3 different ribbons


We would love to see your creations with 3 different ribbons on them.

















And here's my card. I've used purple, green and brown ribbons for mine. I love these papers and I've hardly used any of them from a 6x6 pad. I just look at them from time to time, but I gave in and used these today. So I used 3 different pages from the pad, cutting one of them into the oval shape and layering it onto an oval of cream card. I punched two holes to thread the ribbon through. I also stitched around the edges of the first paper layer.The images are from Alota. I know I'm using a lot of Alota stamps at the moment but I love them and I can't afford to get any new ones as I'm trying to save up money for the Stempel Mekka in September. Anyway the Alota stamps are from an unmounted set called Lilly Ladybugs. Really cute! So I coloured them in with promarkers and a little dab of diamond stickles for the wings. Then I added some zoomz.

Stamps:- Alota stamps

Papers:- Creamotion

Oval:- Cricut cartridge Plantin

It's even easier to take part in the A Spoon Full Of Sugar challenge now as you can use any stamps you have. Any make at all! And everyone has ribbon in their stash! Take a look at the other DT's work. You won't be disappointed, fab creations. All the details are here

http://aspoonfullofsugarchallenge.blogspot.com/


Sunday 24 August 2008

Tilda & Co

The theme on the Tilda & Co Challenge Blog this week is

Hands

( Tilda & Edwin with their Hands does not count) we would love you to
produce some work showing “ hands”
Some ideas are: Hand charms, Hand Shaped
Chipboard, Hand Shaped Card, Clock Hands, the possibilities are endless.


















Here's my card, I struggled a bit this week with the theme, but came up with clock hands in the end. I used MM papers for this one. First I clear embossed the brown paper with a stop watch and then I clear embossed the mustard coloured paper with a large background clock stamp that I had. I clear embossed one of the stop watches onto some turquoise paper and cut it out to add it as an embellie. The suitcases were paper pieced onto some turquoise paper and I then used my promarkers to colour in the flowers and hinges. The suitcases are from Alota stamps. They are really versatile as they are just the right size to go with your "character" stamps. I paper pieced Tilda too using the same papers. Tilda, suitcases and the stopwatch were adhered with 3D pads to give some dimension. To finnish off I added a turquoise ribbon and some brads.


Stamps: Magnolia & Alota
Papers: Making Memories

I ran out of time this week (kids & DH still off for the Summer holds), but some of the DT made two items for the challenge. To see all their lovely work and get some inspiration you can go over to the blog and have a look here
http://magnoliachallengeblog.blogspot.com/

Sketch Saturday - Sketch # 13

This is the sketch that Jo has made for this week's challenge on the Sketch Saturday Challenge blog.


And here are my two cards using the sketch, one for Christmas and the other just a fun one.

















For this one I have used a House Mouse image (I was sent this image, sorry can't remember who!) and coloured it in with promarkers and a little dab of diamond stickles on the lights. I've layered up the image and card with papers from Paper Adventure. For the embellies I have used some sheer red ribbon and two little Christmas bells.

















For my second card I have made a more masculine card. I kept it simple because I think the stamp is so sweet and didn't want to "overload" it. The stamp is from Alota and is called Baseball Bugs. This time I stamped it out with Stazon but then clear embossed it to make the black parts of the bug stand out. I then coloured them in with promarkers. To make the background I sponged green and blue chalk inks over the card. The paper is from Scenic Route and was a double sided paper. I then just added some brads to finnish it off.

Stamps: Alota & House Mouse
Papers:- Paper Adventure & Scenic Route

If you would like to join in with the challenge you can visit the blog for all the details here
http://sketchsaturday.blogspot.com/

Friday 22 August 2008

Winner!!

And here is the winner of the Country Girls Alota stamp.......

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:20
Timestamp: 2008-08-22 16:52:40 UTC

Which works out ....

Debbie from Pink Poppy Craft Box.

Congratulations Debbie!!! I will email you. :0)


Blog Candy


NOW CLOSED


This post will stay at the top of my blog until the 22nd August.
I didn't realise it till today but I've just gone over the 37,000 hits mark!!! So I'd like to say a big thank you to all who visit my blog, I really appreciate your comments. And I'd like to thank you by offering out some blog candy.
When I first joined the DT on Alota stamps, Helene kindly sent me some duplicate stamps to use as blog candy. So....
I'm offering up this gorgeous country girls stamp and some stamped images. This stamp is only part of a range of the country girls stamps. You can see all of them here.








All you have to do is put up a post and a link on your blog telling people about my Alota blog candy and then leave me a comment on this post. I will randomly pick out a winner on Friday 22nd August. Good Luck!! :0)

Thursday 21 August 2008

Proud Mum Again!!

Elliott took his Science and Maths GCSE exams a year early and this morning received his results. A in Maths and A* in science! I'm soooo proud of him.
Congratulations Elliott!!!

I don't have a clue where both my eldest got their brains from!!!

Wednesday 20 August 2008

Cute Card Thursday

Ooo doesn't time fly , the Summer holidays are nearly over and the dark nights will be coming soon!! Anyway onto a more happier note, the theme this week over on the Cute Card Thursday blog is...

Bright colours


















You couldn't possibly say this card isn't bright can you? Too much maybe? Anyway I've used two Alota stamps for this one, the little girl with her truck is from the Country Girls range and the strawberry plant border. I embossed a piece of raspberry card with a cuttlebug embossing folder for the background. I've used a Stampin Up simply scrappin set for the papers and embellies. both images are coloured in with promarkers. I've added 3 buttons to give it a bit of depth and the images are on 3D pads.

Stamps:- Alota stamps
Papers:- Stampin Up simply scrappin - Cutie Pie
Embossing folder:- Swiss Dots

To cheer you up, if it's gloomy where you are , why not go over to the blog and have a look at the DT's bright colours cards. I'm sure they will inspire you to make your own brightly coloured card.

You can find all the details here

http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/


Tilda & Friends ATC Challenge Blog

As you probably already know the theme on the Tilda & Friends ATC Challenge Blog is the seasons. I've already shown you my Winter and Summer but I have now put up my Autumn one too.













And here it is, not a good photo sorry. It's very gloomy here at the moment. I used a scrap of SU paper and inked the Magnolia flourish stamp over it with distress ink and also sponged the edges. I then added a leaf brad and a mulberry leaf. The Magnolia image has been coloured with promarkers. The sentiment is made with a tape machine. And to finnish off I lightly sponged the whole of the ATC with distress ink.

Stamps:- Magnolia
Paper:- Stampin Up designer paper
"Autumn":- Around the block taper writer


Don't forget to keep checking back on the blog as the DT are adding their ATC's gradually until the end of August.
You can find all the details here
http://tildaandfriends.blogspot.com/

Best of Friends















Look at my big baby, I do mean Milly!! She is now 5 months old and she weighs 14 kilos!!! She is going to be a big dog! Robbyn and Milly were taking a rest after playing together. She really is a lovely dog, so gentle with the kids.

Tuesday 19 August 2008

Friday Sketchers







Mumur designed the sketch this week for Friday Sketchers.























And here is my card for the sketch. I've used an Elisabeth Bell designed stamp called "Girl and Birdhouse". I've used promarkers to colour the image. All the papers are from a SU designer paper set. The sentiment is a stamp from a SU set. The blooms are from my stash but I lightly sponged them with some olive ink. The ribbon is from ever increasing stash of ribbons!

Stamp:- Elisabeth Bell " Girl and Birdhouse".
Papers:- Stampin Up designer papers - Le Jardin
Sentiment:- Stampin Up - Warm Words

You can find the Friday Sketchers challenge blog here
http://fridaysketchersblog.blogspot.com/

Papertake Weekly Challenge

On the Papertake Weekly Challenge Blog there is a sketch to follow from Katharina. I love following sketches so I have made a card for this week's challenge.











Here's Katharina's sketch.



















This is my card for the sketch. I've used Urban Lilly papers with an Elisabeth Bell stamp called "sitting with bear". The image has been coloured in with promarkers. For the embellies I cut out the shapes using my Cricut and used a SU stamp for the sentiment. The swirls are a Quickutz die using the same Urban Lilly papers.

Stamps:- Elisabeth Bell - Sitting with bear
Papers:- Urban Lilly
Sentiment:- Stampin Up - Riveting
Shapes:- Cricut cartridges - Mini monograms & Doodlecharms
Swirls:- Quickutz Flourish


Gorgeous work from the DT , you can see all the cards here

http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/


Great blog candy!!

I've just found out that Debbie is offering out some great blog candy as she has gone over the 10,000 hits mark. Congratulations Debbie :0).





Here's what she has to offer

8x8 Dovecraft Winter wonderland paper pack,
matching Ribbon stickers and Funky Brads
3 Bundles of Fibres
and a brand new Whiff of Joy Charlie with Snowballs rubber stamp

I have my fingers crossed for this one as I need some new Xmas papers and I haven't got any of the Whiff of joy stamps yet!!
You can find out all about here at Debbie's blog.

http://debbieeastmancardsimake.blogspot.com/

It finishes this Sunday 24th August.

A Spoon Full Of Sugar

This week on the A Spoon Full Of Sugar challenge blog we have a sketch for you. It was made by Debbie.

Here is the sketch

































And here is my card, I turned the sketch 90 degrees as the image was quite big. I've used a Lady and Friends stamp called "Under the blanket". How cosy do they look? I've used promarkers to colour the image in. All the background papers are from a Stampin Up designer paper set. The blooms were just plain but I used a script stamp to stamp onto them to change them a bit. I think it worked okay. The adorable is from an Art Journey set.
Stamp:- Ladybug & Friends - Under the blanket designed by Rachelle Anne Miller
Papers:- Stampin Up designer papers - Cutie Pie
Swirls:- Rhonna Farrer

A great prize again this week, a stamp from Whiff Of Joy called Charlie with dog is up on offer. Why not go over and get all the details?
You can find the A Spoon Full Of Sugar blog here
And more good news as from this week we are allowing any make of stamp to be used on your cards!! So it's even easier now , you can use your favourite stamps!!

Sunday 17 August 2008

Cold As Ice

The theme for the Tilda & Co Challenge Blog this week is


Cold As Ice


The sun is now drifting away very fast and soon it will be as cold as ice....
Using the colours Blue & white Only . Show us how cold your projects can
feel this week.


















Here is my card. Sorry but I've used an assortment of papers from last year and I don't know who they are by. I need to buy this year's Xmas papers soon. The back right paper is a cuttlebug embossing folder with ink sponged onto it.The image is a Tilda with lantern which I have coloured in with promarkers and I've also used some stickles on the wings and the pom poms. The swirls have been cut out of vellum and a handmade paper. The other bits are from my stash.

Stamp:- Magnolia
Swirls:- Quickutz flourish



If you would like to have a go at this week's challenge and a chance to win a fab prize of Dovecraft winter wonderland pack then have a look on the blog here

http://magnoliachallengeblog.blogspot.com/

Sorry the post is a bit quick but I'm off out on a long walk with the kids and the dog. :0) Have a good day whatever you are doing. And don't forget to enter my blog candy!!!

FOR SALE

I have for sale a new pack of Stampin Up bold brights markers. I now have promarkers so I don't need them. They are retailing at £26.95 in the SU catalogue but I would like £20 which would include postage. Payment by paypal only please.

Thanks. :0)

Friday 15 August 2008

Happy Halloween

A just because card. I decided to make this Halloween card today as I wanted to use this adorable Happy Halloween stamp from Alota.

I used a cream hammered blank card to start with and then used a smaller piece of SU pumpkin pie designer paper. I then stitched around it with black thread.The card frame was made with my cricut and rouge de garance paper. I stamped out the Happy Halloween stamp and then coloured it in with promarkers. I then lightly sponged all over it with a amber chalk ink. It was then layered onto orange card. The "web" and spider were both made from the same paper. I don't have a clue who makes it, sorry. I cut the web from the pattern on the paper but the spider was cut on my cricut. To make the spider hang I used a glittery orange thread. To finish off I added some metallic orange brads and some black ribbon.


Stamp:- Alota Rubber Stamps
Papers:- Rouge de Garance & SU pumpkin pie
Cricut:- Stretch your imagination & Doodlecharms

Thursday 14 August 2008

Karen has some great blog candy, 4 K&Co paper pads. You can see the details here.

http://charmedcrafts.blogspot.com/

A Proud Mum

My daughter , like so many others , received her AS results today. I am so proud of her she got two B's and one C. I can't believe this time next September she will be off to Uni.
Congratulations Sigourney xx

Wednesday 13 August 2008

Cute Card Thursday

This week's challenge is...


Soft Furnishings

This week the theme for the challenge is
Soft Furnishings
you can use
fabric, ribbon, stitching, buttons etc, anything you can find on the soft
furnishings in the home ie curtains, cushions, sofas etc.

















You can't really tell straight away , my "soft furnishings" bit on my card, but it's the blue and green background behind the images. It is two pieces of material. I layered them onto some patterned paper and stitched around them with a yellow zig zag stitch. All the papers I've used are from Stampin Up.
Now all the images are from Alota stamps, the cow and the sentiment are from a unmounted set called Molly Moo. The wishing well can be found here and the bug, Keelie on cloud can be found here. All the images have been coloured with promarkers. I then just added some little gems and some photo corners.

Stamps:- Alota
Papers:- Stampin Up designer papers - Petals & Paisleys
Photo corners:- Ellison thin cuts

This week one lucky random winner will win 2 stamps from Alota that Helene kindly donated to me for blog candy. They are the couch and the window. These two stamps work really well with any stamps you already have ie. Magnolias, Hanglars etc. Why not have a go at this week's challenge? I'd love to see all your soft furnishing cards.

You can find all the details here
http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/