Alota Christmas

Helene from Alota stamps sent me a bumper DT package the other day of gorgeous stamps. So I sat down and made two cards straight away. These first two are Christmas cards.

This one uses the Alota stamp "Santa with candy cane". I've coloured him in with promarkers and a little bit of diamond stickles. I then layered him onto an oval piece of cardstock, cut out with my Cricut. The papers are from a Stampin Up designer paper set called Dashing. The "ribbons" are in fact sticker ribbons from Dovecraft and have a little bit of glitter on them, although you can't pick that up from the photo. The brads and the tabs are from HOTP.

The second card is again using an Alota stamp called "Two deer with light garland". Again these have been coloured in with promarkers and layered onto an oval cardstock. All the papers are from Papermania and are called "Naughty and Nice". I've used some Ellison thin cut photo corners , cut out of the same papers to decorate two corners. The two other corners I have added some pink gems.

I've got a lot more stamps from Alota to play with and I'll be putting them on my blog soon. Helene has some great stamps on her website and some wonderful cards on show made by the Design Team. It's well worth a visit to the website! You can find it here

http://www.alotarubberstamps.com/ars/default.asp?bid=598628581

Have a great weekend, I'm off to the Mekka tomorrow. I'll put some pics up on Sunday of it.

Candy!

Heidi has some terrific candy on her blog because she has reached 10,000 hits. She is giving away a Tilda chipboard flip book and 40-50 stamped images of some fabby stamps. If you have a look on her blog you will see a pic of them. It's worth visiting just to see her gorgeous work, she has some lovely pieces on her blog. You can find it here

http://heidishappystamping.blogspot.com/

Congratulations Heidi :0)

Cute Card Thursday

Challenge # 27 for the Cute Card Thursday blog is...

Cats & Dogs

This week we would like to see Cats and Dogs on your cards!
We have two
fabulous cute downloads to give to one lucky participant chosen at random next
week! These downloads have been donated by the very talented Debbie Moore who also designs for Spiral Whisper.

I used an image that I'm not too sure the name of as I received it from someone a while back now. I have a thought it's called Fluffles? Anyway she has been coloured in with promarkers and layered onto two different coloured cs. The blank card is layered with a light turquoise cs and then the patterned paper is from Cherry Arte. I then added a Cherry Arte rub on. The sentiment is from Stampin Up and I used a word window punch to make the aperture. To finish off I added some gems and photo corners that have been embossed with a cuttlebug folder.

Papers:- Cherry Arte

Rub on:- Cherry Arte

Photo Corners:- Ellison thin cuts

Punch:- Word window

Sentiment:- Stampin Up warm words

There are some gorgeous cards from the DT if you would like to have a look and join in just go over to the blog, you can find it here

http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/

Tilda & Friends ATC Challenge

Onto another challenge and this week on the Tilda & Friends ATC Challenge blog it is...

New Beginnings

I've made a baby ATC. The background papers and the vellum are all from a HOTP book. I've torn the vellum and put it along the bottom and added a green ribbon. The calendar is a stamp but I can't remember who makes it. I've circled the 23, March and 2003 because it's my youngest Robbyn's birthday. The image is from Magnolia and has been coloured in with promarkers. I've used a sakura gold pen to outline the edges.

Stamp:- Magnolia - Baby Tingla

Papers:- HOTP

If you would like to have a go at this week's challenge you can find all the details here

http://tildaandfriends.blogspot.com/

And remember it's not just Magnolia stamps you can use now , all "round faced" stamps are allowed. Just check the blog as there are more details on there

Ismaki Challenge

The challenge on Ismaki Challenge blog this week is to follow a sketch. It's been designed by Isa.


And here is my take on the sketch. I've made the swivel card and also used the second option which is Christmas.

The papers are from a pad by DCWV. The ribbon border is actually a ribbon sticker from Dovecraft. I made the circle shape with a fiskars shape cutter , I haven't used it for ages but it came in handy this time. Annie sent me this image it has been designed by Elisabeth Bell and is called Jingle Bells. It's available from Funky Kits.The image has been coloured in with promarkers. To make the centre swivel I have used some purple glitter thread.

Stamp:- Sugar Nellie - Jingle Bells
Paper:- DCWV Christmas stack
Ribbon:- Dovecraft Ribbon stickers with glitter

To see the DT's gorgeous work and join in go here

http://ismaki.wordpress.com/

A Spoon Full Of Sugar

Hello everyone, this week on the A Spoon Full Of Sugar Challenge blog it's a sketch...

And here is my take on the sketch

I've used my new Whiff Of Joy stamp - Willow with hot chocolatem designed by Elisabeth Bell. I've coloured her in with promarkers. All the lovely papers and chipboard embellies are from Dovecraft Eastern Blooms. (One of my purchases from Papermill). You can't see too well in the photo but I've used a Sakura pen to highlight the chipboard flowers and some of the details on the papers. The sentiment has been done with a tape writer.

Stamp:- Whiff Of Joy - Willow with hot chocolate
Papers:- Dovecraft - Eastern Blooms
Chipboard flowers: - Dovecraft- Eastern Blooms
Flourishes:- Quickutz Flourishes
Embellies:- Zoomz, eyelets & ribbon
Sentiment:- ATB tape writer

There is a great prize this week too. Funnily enough it's some of the same stash that I bought at Papermill on Saturday. Some papers, stickers and brad, all for Xmas.

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

http://aspoonfullofsugarchallenge.blogspot.com/

Back again

Hi everyone
I got back 3 am this morning and I'm soooo tired! I've had about 5 hours sleep since Thursday night. But it was worth it , I had a lovely spend up in PaperMill. I got some lovely Christmassy papers, embellies and a massive box of card too. The kids got lots of pressies and Rob got a PS3, so he was happy. The Chinese was yummy! I can't wait for bedtime now!!

Tilda and Co Challenge

For this week's challenge at the Tilda & Co Challenge blog it is...

Envelope Art

We would love to see what you can come up with the use of Envelopes,
Now you
could simply Decorate a Envelope so it matches a card which will make that
handmade card that little bit more special,
Or you could use the Envelopes
to make art!
The choice is yours, Stretch your mind and look at the
different things you could do with Envelopes!

Here is mine. I took a square blank envelope and stamped out the Edwin, stairs and owl. I then made masks of them all and masked them while using a Stampin Up wheel with distress ink to make the borders. I then coloured in the images with promarkers. I left the middle area blank to write the address.

Stamps: Magnolia

Border: Stampin Up Wheel - Autumn Dots

One lucky winner will win a stitchels house and a brand new copy of Simply cards and papercrafts.

You can find all the details here

http://magnoliachallengeblog.blogspot.com/

No more cards.....

for a couple of days. I am leaving Germany tonight at 6 pm , 5pm UK time to go back to the UK for a lightening visit. We are picking Rob's mum up from Doncaster as she is coming to stay in Germany with us for 2 weeks. We should reach Doncaster at about 6 am Saturday morning , so we will get some sleep , about 4 hours!!! and then start the drive back. But the good thing about it is.... we can do a quick shop in Asda or Tesco and have a Chinese. I yearn for a UK Chinese. You may think eh??? But Germany does have Chinese restaurants but they cook it differently to the UK, nothing like it at all. At last I get to have a "proper" chicken curry and Rob is looking forward to his spare ribs. How sad are we? I haven't been back to the UK in 6 years, I can't believe that! And the other bit of good news is that we have to pass Chatham and in Chatham there is a PaperMill, so I'm going to pop in and stock up on some card and maybe some other bits!! Hopefully we will reach there at about 3pm Saturday afternoon. And then onto the tunnel and into France, Belgium, Holland and finally Germany. We should reach home in the early hours of Sunday morning. And probably no sleep then as the kids will be up at 6am waiting to see us. Next weekend I have some more exciting stuff to tell you about, I'm off to Europe's biggest stamp fair!!!
Have a good weekend everyone :0)

Sketch Saturday

There's a great sketch on Sketch Saturday this week.

And here's my take on the sketch , I've turned it 90 degrees because my main image is quite big.

Sorry I've taken it at a weird angle for some reason!! Anyway I've used Stampin Up designer papers and two Alota stamps. The main image is an Alota stamp called Bugs Wrapping Gifts and the 3 circles , I have taken components from another Alota stamp called Noel Bugs. You'll probably see the whole stamp on my blog pretty soon. They've both been coloured with promarkers and a dab of diamond stickles for their wings. I have then just layered them onto cs using shapes cut from my Cricut. Then I've just added some ribbon and 3 brads.

Stamps:- Alota stamps
Papers:- Stampin Up designer papers - Dashing
Layered shapes:- Cricut cartridge - Plantin Schoolbook


You can find the Sketch Saturday challenge blog here

http://sketchsaturday.blogspot.com/

Cute Card Thursday

This week's challenge on Cute Card Thursday is..

Pretty in Pink

We would like to see lots of pink on your cards

Lots of pink on my card then, think I went a bit OTT!! I don't know how makes the stamp as I got it in an image swap about 2 years ago now!! But she is coloured in with promarkers, my poor prismas haven't had a look in since I got the promarkers! I've then layered her onto two ovals cut with my Cricut. All the papers are by Urban Lily. And the ribbon and buttons are from my stash. Oh and the sentiment is made with a tape writer.

There's a cute Inklebod stamp on offer for one lucky winner so why not join in, I'm sure everyone has some pink papers! For all the details go here

http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/

Papertake Weekly Challenge

This week on the Papertake Weekly Challenge they have another sketch by Katharina.

It is a great sketch and I enjoyed using it. It will go in my file with the other sketches I like to use. So....

yesterday I received another Design Team package from the wonderfully generous Helene of Alota stamps. I love it when I get her packages they are always crammed full of gorgeous stamps. Thanks Helene :0). Anyway in the package there were some adorable bug Xmas stamps. And I think the one I've used for my card could be my favourite, check out the look on his face!!!

I've used the Nutshell ride bug stamp and coloured it in with promarkers and added a little bit of diamond stickles. The first layer of papers, the green one has been stamped with an Alota snowflake stamp and then clear embossed. All the papers are from last year and they are from Paper Adventures. The "Joy" is from HOTP.

Isn't he adorable? I think so.

You can find the sketch and all the details for the challenge here

http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/

Tilda and Friends ATC Challenge

The seasons theme on the Tilda and Friends ATC challenge is now over and we have some exciting news for you this week .......

After discussing with Tilda and Friends we have decided to invite along some of
the other characters you may have in your stamping box! We all love Tilda, but
realise that sometimes it can be refreshing to use a different stamp now and
then on our ATCs, so from now on please feel free to use other images that
feature the cute round faces we have come to love. Suggestions would be the
Scandinavian family of Hanglar and Stanglar that are soon to be available to us
in the UK at Funky Kits or
perhaps the Sugar Nellie Hamish and Maggie or Luca and Nellie. Or you could use
one of the Cuddly
Buddly people stamps (not the animals or bears though, unless that is the
theme one week) or some of the cute people from Sprial Whisper, Precious Moments,
or the Country
Girls from Alota stamps. We do not want to see any Sarah Kay, Sweet Ebony or
similar styles as although we love these images, they are more realistic in
design and there are already several blogs featuring them. So please keep to the
cute round faces and take your inspiration each week from the design team's
creations.

To make my ATC I've used some material as the background. It's a sheer material (not sure how to describe it) with bright daisies on it. My MIL bought it over here in Germany when she visited last and cut a piece off for me. The image is from Country Girls of Alota stamps as is the sentiment. I love colouring in the country girls as there are nice big spaces. I've used promarkers to colour her in and a white signo gel pen for the highlights. Just added a spotty orange ribbon and there it is. I've been using a lot of orange just lately haven't I? Must be trying to keep Summer colours going! I think I will make this ATC into a topper for a card.

Stamps:- Country Girls - Alota stamps.

So now there are lots of other stamps you can choose why not have a go at an ATC, if even you've never done one before it's sooo easy and you can always use them as toppers for a card.

Andrea is on the Magnolia DT and this week she is giving away a great prize to one lucky winner, a brand new Cross Stitch Tilda , some images, ribbons and blooms. How can you resist all that??

You can find all the details here

http://tildaandfriends.blogspot.com/

A Spoon Full Of Sugar

It's sooo peaceful here all four of my kids went back to school today. Maybe it's a bit tooo quiet ;0) anyway onto this week's A Spoon Full Of Sugar challenge, this weeks it is

Anything but a card

I've made another one of the mini backpacks for this challenge. They get easier the more you do them. I've used a yellow cardstock for the base . The papers are from a SU designer paper pack. Also the flowers have been punched from the same papers and zoomz have been added to the centres of the bigger ones and a dab of diamond stickles have been added to the centres of the smaller ones. The main images are stamps from Inky Antics aren't they cute? I've coloured them with promarkers. All the edges of the papers have been sponged with a mustard colour chalk ink.


Why not have a go at the challenge, you can find all the details here

http://aspoonfullofsugarchallenge.blogspot.com/

House Mouse Monday Challenge

Another Monday and another House Mouse and Friends Monday challenge. This week it's a sketch...It's a great sketch and I enjoyed using it, I will be using it again too!

So here is my card. I've used a HM image called Happy Hopper seed shooter. He's coloured in with promarkers. All the papers are by Scenic Route. I've stitched around all the edges with a zig zag stitch. Just finnished it off simply with 3 brads and some ribbon.

The DT have created some gorgeous cards, you can get all the details here
http://housemouse-challenge.blogspot.com/