Exciting News & Blog Candy!!!!!

I've had some really exciting news today!! I've been asked by Helene from Alota stamps to be on her Design Team. How chuffed was I???? I've only just recently found these stamps from blog hopping but I love them already. So......
to celebrate I'm offering in the way of blog candy a brand new Alota stamp called Springtime Bugs , which Helene kindly gave me a duplicate of to do this. I'll also throw in some more images too. To give you an idea of what the stamp looks like coloured in I have made a card with my own Springtime Bugs stamp.

For the background I used Basic Grey papers and yellow cardstock that I embossed with a cuttlebug folder. The little sentiment is from Stampin Up and I used a Stampin Up punch to make the opening.




Papers:- Basic Grey, Oh Baby
Cuttlebug embossing folder:- Floral Fantasy
Punch:- Stampin Up word window punch
Sentiment:- Stampin Up warm words

So to have a chance of winning this stamp all you have to do is put up a post on your blog letting people know about the candy and then leave me a comment under this post. I will pick a winner randomly next Friday, 18th July.

Good luck!

Cute Card Thursday

Challenge # 18 and the theme for Cute Card Thursday thise week is....

A Card For A Child

Here is my card for a little girl. I used the cricut to make the border of cupcakes and the cupcake on the card. I used a glitter pen on the border cupcakes for the little sprinkles and some gems for the main cupcake.The Hanglar girl was coloured in with prismas and zest it. I used a bright pink card stock to cover the card and then added the patterned paper. With some co ordinating paper I cut out the leaves and adhered them to the card with 3D pads.

Stamps:- Hanglar
Papers:- Tinkering Ink
Cricut:- Cartridge, Stretch your imagination
Sentiment:-Scrapagogo kit

There are some fantastic cards made by the DT again this week. Why not go over and have a look ? All the details can be found here

http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/

There's also some great stamps to be given away this week from the Polly & Pip range

Tilda & Friends ATC Challenge

For the theme this week it's

Perfect Pearls

This week our theme is Perfect
Pearls, so we would like to see you incorporate pearls, pearl paint, pearl paper
or pearl shimmer of some kind on your ATC.

I took two photos this week, the first with a light shining on it so it shows that I've used Perfect Pearls for the background. (or you'd never guess :0) )

The second photo doesn't really show the pearly effect of the perfect pearls but is a little clearer, image and sentiment wise.
First I used the Magnolia flourish stamp with versamark and perfect pearls to the bottom of the ATC to try and make it look like the sea for Tilda to paddle in. I then sponged the rest of the ATC again with versamark and perfect pearls. The Magnolia sun was done in the same way. I coloured in the paddling Tilda with prismas and zest it, adding diamond stickles to her wings. The sentiment was done with my dymo.

Stamps:- Magnolia
Background:- Perfect pearls
Sentiment:- Dymo machine

If you would like to join in with this week's challenge you can find all the details here
http://tildaandfriends.blogspot.com/

Fran's Blog Candy

The very talented Fran has some absolutely gorgeous blog candy on offer on her blog. Two sets to choose from too!! She has reached 25,000 mark on her blog, which is not surprising as her work is gorgeous. Congratulations Fran!!
You can find all the details here

http://franmade.blogspot.com/

Friday Sketchers

Sketch # 9 from Carole this week.

Here is my card made with the sketch. I've used another one of my new Alota stamps. Coloured in with prismas and zest it. The bee's black parts are glossed over with glossy accents and I've added a small amount of diamond stickles to the tulips. The "busy as a bee" is a chipboard button. I've also added some ornate corners to the main image.

Stamp:- Alota
Papers:- Scenic Route & Wild Saffron
Chipboard button:- K& Co
Corners:- Ellison thin cuts, photo corners


You can find out about the challenge here

http://fridaysketchersblog.blogspot.com/

A Spoon Full Of Sugar

Challenge ~ 7 for the A Spoon Full Of Sugar challenge blog this week and it's

One For The Boys

We would like you to make a Male inspired card.

For my card I've used a Hanglar stamp for the main image and it has been coloured in with prismas and zest it. I lightly sponged the edges with a blue ink. I tried to keep this one quite simple as the background paper is very bright and patterned. The photo corners and bracket are made from chipboard and I again sponged them with a blue ink. The little cog next to the main image is a sticker and I added a blue button. And then I just added a white button to the bracket.

Stamp:- Hanglar
Paper:- Sassafrass
Chipboard:- Bo Bunny
Buttons:- Sassafrass

There are some gorgeous cards on the blog this week made by the Design Team. Why not go over and have a look? You can find all the details here

http://aspoonfullofsugarchallenge.blogspot.com/

Claudia's Candy

Well you all know how beautiful Claudia's work is but now you have a chance to win a gorgeous handmade book made by Claudia stuffed full of images. And...... a brand new Magnolia Autumn stamp.
If you would like a chance to win all these goodies just go here


http://rosaswelt.blogspot.com/2008/06/de-licous-candy.html

Sarah Kay Weekly Challenges

There are sooo many gorgeous challenge blogs out there now it's hard to find the time to do them all but I really wanted to do this one as it is their first challenge.

Lovely Lilac

A quite simple, quick card from me, trying to make it while keeping an eye on the puppy!! I used a square white card and covered it with a lilac piece of SU cardstock. I then used a HOTP patterned paper to almost cover the CS. On the right hand side I tore some HOTP vellum and applied the strip, adding the ribbons and pearls. In the same vellum I made some ornate photo corners. I couldn't find a lilac bloom so I coloured a white one with some lilac chalk ink and a gold pen, added a gold brad and voila!! I coloured the image with prismas and zest it.


You can find the brand new Sarah Kay challenge blog here

http://sarahkaychallenges.blogspot.com/

Tilda & Co Challenge Blog

This week's theme is

Thinking of Others

Now this could be an altered gift, a Card Set, ( not just a card on its own) It
could be a Mini Book, it could be anything! As long as it is a gift for
somebody, as we all send out little raks to crafting friends or gifts to them,
and then there's our family's – so i thought it would be nice that this week, we
are “ thinking of others” and what we can make for them to put a smile on there
face.

It was a bit different for the DT this week as Donna sent us goodies to work with. So you'll have to forgive me as I don't know the make of the papers. But I'm sure you'll be able to find most of the goodies I received from Donna's shop, Crafty Krafts.

For my first make I made a lip balm holder. The image is a Tilda from the new Summer Club kit. I haven't recieved mine yet so Annie kindly sent me some images to get on with. Thanks Annie. :0) I coloured her in with prismas and zest it. She was then adhered with 3D foam pads.

I covered the lip balm with the same papers I used on the holder to make everything co ordinate. For the sentiment I used my dymo and put through some of the paper and then went over it with some ink.

My second make is a little chocolate gift holder.
Again the Tilda is from the Summer Club kit and is coloured in with prismas and zest it. I used a SU stamp set for the sentiment.





And here is a pic of the inside with the chocs tucked in. I love these little bars of chocolate for gift making. Just the right size!!

The Design Team have made some fabulous gifts this week, lots of inspiration for you to look at!! To find out all the details go here

http://magnoliachallengeblog.blogspot.com/

Friday Sketchers

A bit late with this one but I got it done in the end. This time on the Friday Sketchers challenge blog was to follow a sketch done by Bea from Germany. I turned the sketch 90 degrees.

:0) surprise, surprise I've used another one of my new Alota stamps!! Loving them! I've used prismas and zest it again and also added lots of glossy accents. The papers and blooms are from a Sarah's cardmaking kit. I've used my cricut to make the bookplate and a quickutz die to make the swirls. The sentiment is from a SU set.

Stamps:- Alota
Cricut:-Fabulous Finds
Swirls:- Quickutz Flourish
Sentiment:- SU Simply Said

Cute Card Thursday - challenge # 17

This week's theme on Cute Card Thursday challenge blog is

The Great Outdoors

The challenge this week is to make a card with an outdoors theme

For my "great outdoors" card this week I've used one of my new fabulous Alota stamps. I've coloured it in with prismas and zest it and also added some diamond glaze to the black areas. The papers are from Scenic Route. I cut out a large scalloped edge to put down the left hand side and added a sheer ribbon. The sentiment "just chilling" , I made with my cricut.

Stamps:- Alota stamps

Papers:- Scenic Route

Buttons:- K& Co

Cricut cartridge:- Plantin Schoolbook & Accent Essentials

There is a fantastic prize this week of four Alota stamps kindly donated by the owner Helene. All you have to do is leave us a comment with a link to your card and one lucky winner will win the stamps.

To find all the details go to the Cute Card Thursday blog , you can find it here

http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/

Alota Stamps

I just had to tell you about the fantastic service I received from Helene of Alota Stamps. I made two seperate orders a couple of days apart. I received the second order first and sent Helene an email just explaining that I was a little worried about the first order not arriving. I know sometimes this can happen , what with me being in Germany and my post going to UK first and all that. I was happy to wait a few days for it to turn up but Helene wasn't, she sent me a repeat order straight away! I emailed her back saying that if the original order turned up I would send them back to her but she replied that I could keep them and use them for blog candy to people who maybe couldn't get them. How generous is that?
So a big thank you to Helene and you MUST go over to the website and have a look at all the stamps, they are gorgeous!!!!! And I even got a little extra bug stamp, real cute.

Here's the website address

http://www.alotarubberstamps.com/ars/default.asp

You can have them mounted or unmounted, it's up to you.
;0) and if you don't want to pay with hubby's credit card Helene takes paypal too!!

There is an example of one of the stamps below and also I'll be putting a card up tomorrow using another one of the stamps. Can't wait for the others to get here now!!

Ismaki Challenge # 26

A sketch to follow this week for the Ismaki challenge.

Here's my take on the sketch. I've used my monthly cardmaking kit to make this card. The two panels of cardstock have been embossed with a cuttlebug embossing folder. The bookplate was made with co ordinating cardstock and my cricut. The sentiment is a stamp by Stampin Up.
I really like the new stamps I've just received from Alota Stamps. The bugs are so cute. I have another order coming soon too! I've made another card with a different bug stamp but I can't show it until tomorrow as it's DT work. I coloured in the stamp with prismas and zest it. And added a little diamond stickle to the raindrops.
Stamps:- Alota Stamps , Stampin Up
Papers:- Tinkering Ink
Cricut:- Cartridge - Fabulous Finds
Die cuts:- Ellison thin cuts-photo corners
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder:- Stylized flowers

You can find the challenge here
http://ismaki.wordpress.com/

Tilda & Friends ATC Challenge

The theme for this week is

Lavender & Lace

This week the theme is Lavender and Lace and we have a pack of Lakeland paper
lace to give away and a selection of stamped images from the new Magnolia Summer
Club collection. The details for making an ATC are on the side bar, just
remember you must include at least one Magnolia stamped image on your ATC. You
can use real lace, paper lace or just a lace effect paper along with a main
Lavender colour scheme, and please leave us a link to your creation so we can
come along and admire your work.

I must admit I'm not too happy with this week's ATC. I will try harder next week I promise, not that I didn't try hard but it just doesn't seem to come together if you know what I mean.
So I used a blank ATC and sponged it all over with different shades of purple chalk inks. I then used a jumbo SU wheel to make the swirl pattern. Tild was coloured in with prismas and zest it and the cut out and adhered with 3D pads. I sponged the piece of lace with purple ink and put it down the side. I then wrapped embroidery thread around the top and bottom and also around some small brads that I had added.
And finally I added the charm which I again sponged with purple ink.

Stamps:- Magnolia & SU jumbo swirl wheel
Inks:- Cats Eyes chalk inks

Now I think the other DT members did a much better job at this so why not go over and have a look then you can make your ATC, leave a comment with your link and then everyone can have a look at your work.

You can find all the details here

http://tildaandfriends.blogspot.com/

A Spoon Full Of Sugar

A great theme this week on A Spoon Full Of Sugar challenge blog it's

Circles

All you have to do is make a card with a circle somewhere in the design, could
be on the paper or the greeting or whatever else you can think of as long as it
has a circle on

Here's my "circle" card. I used a blank square card and covered it in a frame that I cut out using my cricut. See the row of circles down the right hand side? Isn't the cricut brill? I covered the card with several Foof a la papers including the circles and I added a blue dot to each of them to look like buttons.I then used the Cricut again to cut out a scalloped frame for my Hanglar girl to sit in. Also I cut out a little scallop for the strawberried to go in. The Hanglar image was given to me by Debbie, thanks so much Debbie, can't wait for Funky Kits to get them in!! The strawberries are from Magnolia's Spring kit. Both images were coloured in with prismas and zest it. The little corners were cut out of the Foof a la papers using a Ellison thin cut die. And then I added the blue gingham ribbon.

Stamps:- Hanglar & Stanglar, Magnolia
Cricut cartridges:- George & Basic Shapes , Stretch your imagination
Papers:- Foof a la
Die cuts:- Ellison thin cuts photo corners

There is a lovely prize you could win this week donated by Silly Monkey Crafts. Why not go over and check out the blog for all the details and have a look at the other DT's work, it's gorgeous. You can find it here
http://aspoonfullofsugarchallenge.blogspot.com/