In the pink

Here's a Birthday card for a change from all those Christmas cards. I do love these Simply Sassy girls and they are great for trying out different hair colours. The papers are MME Blush which I bought on holiday in the US. I have distressed all the edges and inked with DI Antique Linen. I've used a MS flower border die, some organza ribbon I bought last year at Ally Pally,a button with baker's twine, and flowers mostly from Wild Orchid. Not sure where the lilies came from as they have been in my stash for a long time.

Challenges

The Sugar Bowl Third and last entry 

Papercrafting Journey Ribbon or twine 

Ladybug Crafts Ink I need a P! (pink) 

Crafter's Companion Birthday 

Cutie pie Distressed

A choir of mice

A little later than usual today. I try to schedule my posts but as I was out yesterday and it was dark by the time I finished my card I decided to wait for daylight and post this morning instead. I have used a great sketch from Kevin at Sketch N Stash. These cute Penny Black mice haven't been used for ages, partly because these images are quite small. However I found that gave me the chance to use larger die cuts so I must stamp up more of my Penny Black images. They have been coloured with Promarkers and I added glossy accents to the lamp and used a Viva Decor pearl pen too. The edges have been coloured with DI Forest Moss. All the papers are bits from last year's Christmas pads. I have used a new Memory Box musical die and a Marianne lamppost die which has been darkened with DI Vintage Photo. The grunge sentiment is from LOTV.  I would like to enter this into animal magic at Penny Black and more and Christmas is coming at The Crafty Pad.. I must get some ironing done and than planing a crafty afternoon.

Traditional colours

I'm off to the hairdressers this morning and a bit of shopping but before I go I want to share this Christmas card with you. I love this cute stamp from Stamposaurus and just for a change I have paper pieced the birdboxes and coloured the rest with Promarkers and Sakura pens. Love these Sakura pens for a touch of sparkle. I have edged the image with DI Worn Lipstick and used various bits of pieces of papers, that's the great thing about red and green Christmas papers, they mix and match so well. The sentiment is from Craftwork Cards and a few pearls from The Hobby House to finish. I would like to enter this into the traditional challenge at Sparkles Christmas.

Brrrr and stamp winner

Well how are you enjoying your extra hour today? Did you have an extra hours sleep or were you up early like me? I had a lovely day yesterday with Lynsey and Lisa. We had a great pub lunch and lots of time for a catch up, so plenty of chatting. Today I am off to visit my Mum and as I pass The Range will be popping in there this afternoon. 

There's certainly been a change in the temperature this weekend and we had a bit of everything yesterday, mainly wind and pouring rain with a few snowflakes, hail and a little bit of sunshine thrown in. Lovely to stay home last night nice and warm. I think this little girlie should have wrapped up a bit warmer for her trip in the snow, don't you? She is one of the recent stamps from Lili of the Valley. She has been coloured with Promarkers and Flexmarkers with lots of glitter and Viva pearl pen dots for the snow. She has been mounted onto a Nestie cut die papers, tag and border are from Kaisercraft Dear Santa paper pad, sentiments are LOTV tiny tags, stars made with a Woodware punch and crimper, lace from stash.

Now for the winner of the cute Stamposaurus stamp and that is Joey. Congrtulations, e-mail me your address and I'll get it in the post to you. Thanks to everyone for entering.

Challenges

Lili's Little Fairies Christmas card for the girls

Willow Sketchie Christmas in October

Enjoy your Sunday.

Little Bird

This week at Totally Gorjuss our challenge is things with wings and my card is a Birthday card I sent recently to Debby. I was lucky enough to win the Elisabth Bell's World challenge recently and this is one of the stamps I chose. I love her images and it was such a pleasure to colour with Promarkers and Flexmarkers. The papers are Lucy Cromwell. I used my MS bird on a wire border punch and MB bird and cage dies. The bunting is Dovecraft with MB butterfly dies and Viva decor pearl pen drops.

Challenges

Passion for Promarkers Pets
Paperplay Butterflies and bees (or other things with wings)

Penny Black & More Animal Magic

Forest Friends

It's Friday and that means a new challenge at Winter Wonderland and this week our challenge is to use at least 3 different punches. We have two lovely sponsors, Simon Says and Tickled Pink. I have used a gorgeous digi from Sugar Nellie, coloured with Promarkers and Flexmarkers with lots of glitter. I have teamed her with my fave papers his season, Bo Bunny Snowfall. The ribbon which matches so beautifully is of course from Crafty Ribbons. I have used 4 MS punches and a LOTV sentiment.

Challenges

Passion for Promarkers Pets 

Fab n Funky Animals 

I love Promarkers Christmas is coming 

The Sugar Bowl Second entry
Southern Girls Animal Crackers

I am selling at a craft fair today so I will link this post up when I get home.

A walk in the snow

Still very busy getting those Christmas cards made. Had two orders yesterday for another 7 sothere's going  to be no let up in the Christmas card on my blog. This one is using one of the cute LOTV diecuts with Kaisercraft Dear Santa papers. I used a new MB bunting die from My Crafty Heart, ribbon from Crafty Ribbons and 2 MS snowflake punches.

Challenges

The Crafty Pad Use an animal 

Christmas challenges with sketches Sketch plus use flags or banners 

ABC Z is for Zoo 

Snowmen and Pressies

Did you know that as well as gorgeous ribbons Crafty Ribbons have also brought out some fabulous Snowmen digis to match the walking snowmen ribbon? The DT were lucky enough to get them to play with and I am loving them. I teamed the digi and matching ribbon with the gorgeous Papermania papers, which are a real favourite of mine this year. I matted them onto black card and just coloured  few items on the image to match the papers. I edged the image with DI Black Soot and added some red pearls in the corner. A simple but effective layout I thought.

Challenges

Craftyhazelnut Black, white plus one 

The Squirrel and the Fox Use a ribbon

This card will be on The Crafty Ribbons Pure Inspirations blog today. Please check it out and leave me a comment there as well as here. You will also find lots of inspiration from the rest of the DT. Become a follower and keep up to date as there is an exciting event coming up in December with loads of lovely prizes.

Oh Christmas Tree

Well today certainly hasn't turned out as planned. My plan was to do a little housework and lots of crafting. Sounds like the right way round doesn't it. Unfortunately whilst cleaning we discovered that our gas hob has a fault. One of the rings keeps clicking on its own. We have been going to replace it as it, and the oven are 15 years old, but it has decided to tell us when it needs replacing. So, instead of crafting have been ringing around and checking out the internet for a replacement. The plumber can come next Wednesday and to cut a long story short we finally found one we like which will be delivered on Thursday, fingers crossed. So, the cooker is switched off. The plumber says we can use it but to turn it off again after use.

I did manage to make this card last night using one of my new Simply Sassy girls, All Spruced Up, from Funky Kits. I wanted to colour her in Halloween colours and once I found these Kaisercraft Dear Santa papers I had my colour scheme. She has been coloured with Promarkers and Flexmarkers, DI Dusty Concorde around the edges. The sentiment is a LOTV stamp and I used a Sakura greenstar pen on the trees. I wanted to echo the tree in the image and remembered a Marianne pine branch die which I used with XCut embossed punched ivy leaves. The fab ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons.

Challenges

The Sugar Bowl Fab sketch 

Saturated Canary Picture inspiration 

Little Miss Muffet Orange, black, Purple and green 

Simon Says Picture inspiration 

Everybody Art Purple or orange 

No Matter Which Halloween colours 

The Paper Shelter Charming

Geisha Girl

Whew here I am much later than usual with my card today. I didn't get a chance to schedule my post yesterday and have been out all day today. The day started out with a mammogram. A rather uncomfortable,  painful but very necessary X ray to check for breast cancer. At least it doesn't last long and I won't have to go again for another 3 years. The day got better though with a trip into Norwich with hubby for browsing and shopping and lunch in Bella Italia. We even managed to get some Christmas shopping done.

I was so lucky to win the £25 voucher from the Lili of the Valley Inspirations blog last month and bought some stamps, which I haven;t had time to ink up yet unfortunately. I also bought 4 sheets of the new mini masterpieces as these die cuts are so useful for making quicker cards, I am doing a craft fair on Friday and really need to get some more stock made. Isn't this image so beautiful. I have used some Raspberry Road papers which were free with a mag. The gorgeous velvet ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons. I have used various Memory Box dies with kraft card, Lucy Cromwell sentiment, X cut punched flowers, MS border and corner punches and pearl sprays from Wild Orchid. 

Challenges

One Stop Craft Anything Goes 

Fussy and Fancy Anything Goes 

Willow Sketchie Thinking of you/Just for you  

The Crafty Bloggers Network Anything Goes

Lili's Little Fairies Anything Goes

Holiday Photos, Candy Winner and more candy

I am back with a second post today to show you just a few holiday photos. This was taken on our last day in New England. Th previous day had been a beautifully sunny day but cold. We had a few flakes of snow whilst the sun was shining but overnight there had been a lot of snow on the mountain tops.

These are some of the Pumpkin People various firms and hotels etc make. There were 60 displays altogether and we saw just a few of them.

And now time for my candy winner.

That's you, Sonia, well done. So my Christmas candy is off to Italy. E-mail me your address and I will send your candy to you.

Thank you so much to everyone who entered and thank you so much for all your continued visits and lovely comments. I'm sorry that I can't send you all something but if you would like to win this cute stamp

then leave your name in the link below. No need to add to your sidebar as I want this stamp to go to one of my followers. So that's all I ask, just follow me. This candy will close on Saturday 27 October.

Baby's Christening

Here we are at Sunday again and I am hoping to get several cards made today. I have used part of a Little Claire Room with a view stamp set for this card. I wanted to keep the colours to a minimum so only coloured part of the image. The backing paper is Paper Cellar Victorian Classic. I have used Centura pearl with a new fleur de lysl Spellbinder die and a TH embossing folder. The lovely pearl sprays are fromWOB and the roses from Michaels. Apologies for the slight glare. I didn't use a flash but the Centura Peatl picked up some light somehow.

Challenges

Little Claire New arrivals 

Creative Craft 3 (3 pearls sprays, 3 roses, 3 pearls, 3 stamps)

Birthday candy

This post will stay at the top until 20 October. Please scroll down for newer posts.

I have been collecting some candy as it is my Birthday in October. I know some people give away massive candies but I prefer to share the love and give away smaller more regular candies and I thought I would do a Christmas themed candy for a change.

Here's what you can win

Papermania A Silent Night paper pad

Suger Nellie Mr Stocking rubber stamp (so cute)

Set of Christmas fairy acrylic stamps

2 packs of Christmas ribbon

Christmas coloured pearls

Papermania embosing folder

To enter please

Be a follower (no candy only blogs)

Share a pic in your sidebar linked to my home page

Enter via the blue frog below

Candy is open until 20 October midnight.

Winter Wishes

Our challenge this week at Totally Gorjuss is Bling it on and we are sponsored by Heather's Hobbie Haven. Lovely easy challenge especially with all those Christmas cards and projects to make. I adore this Wee image and this is actually a die cut which I bought at Ally Pally. I just couldn't resist them especially as they are not only coloured beautifully but also die cut in some lovely shapes. I used DI Tattered Rose around the edges and added Viva Decor pearl pen drops for the snow. The papers are some old Papermania ones and I used a neglected MS snowflake border punch with white glitter card. The holly leaves were punched and added to some Prima poinsettias and silver brads.

Challenges

Whimsy All Things Sparkly 

Stampalot Punch away 

Paper Crafting Journey Add some bling 

Cute Card Thursday Got Glitter 

Penny's Girls, girls, girls 

ABC Christmas U is for up to you

If Music be the Food of Love... Play On

It's surprising how long it takes to get back into the swing of things after a holiday. I'm still making my way through the ironing mountain. Wednesday we had to go into the city to do some bits and pieces and of course by the time we had lunch and got everything done that was Wednesday taken care of. We have several TV programmes we recorded which we are gradually getting through. We finally managed to view the holiday photos last night so once they are on the computer I will share a few of them on here. I am managing a bit of crafting and bloghopping too and gradually getting back into the rhythm of creating, posting and linking challenges. I have so many things to play with as I went on holiday just after Ally Pally, bought a few things on holiday and have some new stash this week with Birthday vouchers and money.

So onto my card which is an 8" card using one of the large LOTV diecuts and an LOTV sentiment stamp. I've teamed it with Marianne Designs Eline's Huis Winter pale pastels papers. I've used Core'dinations and kraft card and my old faithful MS heart punch. The ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons, pins from The Hobby House, cherry blossom from Wild Orchids, flower is a new one from Prima. The MB die virtuoso music arrived yesterday from My Crafty Heart and no sooner had it arrived than I opened the packet and used it as it went perfectly with this card. I can see so many uses for this die and if you are looking for MB dis at great prices with great customer service then hop over to My Crafty Heart. 

Challenges

Lili's Little Fairies Anything Goes 

Cupcake Two's Company 

Crafting when we can Wedding Celebrations

Head over heels

Our challenge at Crafty Ribbons is Children's Birthday and I have chosen to use this cute Pink Gem digi coloured with Promarkers and Flexmarkers. The papers are Lucy Cromwell and the ribbon is of course from Crafty Ribbons. I've used a new Cheery Lynn butterfly die and some small Prima flowers and pearls.

Challenges

A Gem of a Challenge Flowers 

Crafts 4 Eternity Ugly Bug Ball (insects) 

I love Promarkers Anything Goes 

Flutter by Wednesdays Any winged creature
The Cupboard Trilogy Things with wings 

By the Cute and Girly Birthday

Back in the Craftroom

Waving hello to you all, especially my new followers and those faithful followers who have visited me so often whilst I have been away. I really appreciate your visits and sweet comments. I have been reading them all whilst I was away and have managed to do a very small amount of commenting myself. We had a lovely holiday in New England and I had a lovely Birthday. We toured around and stayed in 5 different hotels who all upgraded our rooms because of my Birthday. Because the evenings are quiet there I managed a little time on the iPad each evening and it was good to keep in touch and check my e-mails each day. 

Now I am back and have a huge mountain of washing and ironing. I haven't even managed to get all the clothes washed yet as I have run out of space to hang them all inside to dry. We have spent the evening sorting out paperwork and receipts but I did manage to get into the craftroom this afternoon and get a card made. It felt quite strange but very good and I wondered if I had forgotten how to colour but it all came back to me once I got started. There weren't many craft shops there but I did manage to buy a few things including some scrapbooking stuff.

It's going to take me while to get up to date with you all but I will catch up eventually. I have so many cards to make now I am back, have several craft fairs coming up and still have lots of Christmas cards to make for myself.

So finally onto my card, which features one of the gorgeous Simply Sassy digis from Sugar Nellie. She has been coloured with Promarkers and Flexmarkers with Sakura Goldstar and a red glittery pen too. I have distressed all the edges with DI Worn Lipstick and a TH distress tool. The papers are Papermania Home For Christmas, loving them teamed with kraft. I have added some hessian and used MB party lantern die, Woodware star punch and crimper and a LOTV Grunge sentiment and bow from Meiflower.

Challenges

The Sugar Bowl Fab sketch 

2 Sisters Anything Goes

  The Crafty Pad Distress it 

J&C creations Contemporary Christmas 

Deep Ocean Anything Goes 

Simon Says Stamp and Show Your favourite (SN stamps, Promarkers and Flexmarkers, Distress ink and tool)

Last few days left to enter my Christmas candy, see post at top of my blog.

Marianne xxx

Let's Party

My last scheduled post with, yes you've guessed it, another Stamposaurus sample. Hopefully I will get to back to making some new cards soon and posting those instead. I do love this fun image. I made this a while ago and have no idea where the papers are from. The sentiment comes with the image and I've used Sizzix swirls in the corners.

The holiday is over

I've scheduled a post for today as I won't have time for posting on the computer. It's back to reality today (see yesterday's post). That means heaps of washing and a trip to Sainsburys to restock the fridge and cupboards. So, another Stamposaurus card using the flower shop stamp with some First Edition Desert Bloom papers. I've used a MS flower garden border punch and flowers from Wild Orchid. I'll be catching up on everything as soon as I can.

On my way home

Thanks to those of you who have taken the time to comment on my post, which you will have noticed have not been entered for any challenges over the last two and a half weeks. The reason is that we have been on holiday touring New England. This morning all being well we will have landed back at Heathrow and I will be home around lunchtime.

I hope you have enjoyed my scheduled post. That was some task I can tell you, scheduling a post for every day I was away. So today I am sharing yet another sample I made for Stamposaurus. I really love this stamp which I have coloured with Promarkers and die cut with a nestie edged with DI Worn Lipstick. I've used some scrim and faux leather strips. No more embellishments needed.

If you haven;t entered my candy yet please see the post at the top of the page.

Traditional Christmas Colours

Yes, traditional Christmas colours is our challenge at Totally Gorjuss nd our sponsor is Crafter's Companion. I love using both traditional and no-traditional colours for Christmas, how about you? The image is from Stamposaurus coloured with Promarkers and Flexmarkers with a Sakura goldstar pen. The poinsettia and leaves were made using Marianne dies and Core'dinations, which I sanded and added a gold brad.Christmas will be here before we know it and I have so many more Christmas cards to make.

Winter Wonderland Photo inspiration

Our challenge this week is hosted for the first time by new  teamie Lorraine and the challenge is a photo inspiration. I have used the colour, baubles and sparkly Christmas trees, using one of the digis from Sugar Nellie. The papers are some lovely new ones I bought at Ally Pally. I couldn't believe these were half price, they are Kaisercraft Dear Santa. The lovely gold ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons. I was so pleased to find the MD Snowflake Corner die at Ally Pally as I have wanted that for such a long time. The trees were made with white glitter card and a Sizzix die and the snowflakes with an MS punch.

Here's a close up of the sweet image which you can buy at Funky Kits.

Three Jolly Santas!

If you ever look at the Stamposaurus online shop you may have seen this card which I made for them a while ago. This is such a great image, which has been coloured with Promarkers with glitter flock for the fur. The image has been edged with DI Worn Lipstick. The sentiment which I know I will be using again, comes with the image. I added some ribbon, a glitter strip and some punched holly leaves with card candi.

Wellington Goes Travelling

Don't you just love Wellington. This is simple die cut matched with some We R Memory Keepers Travel Lite papers/ The train and ticket are part of the paper, perfect for this image. I added a travel sticker from my scrapbook stash and some card candi. Simple but effective card.

Lilac Wedding

Quite a simple Wedding card from me today using one of the gorgeous LOTV diecuts edged with DI Milled Lavender. The papers are Henbury Lane and the butterfly one is so gorgeous and glittery I didn't want to cover too much of it up with loads of embellies. I just added a sentiment banner, punched butterfly and pearls and some lovely ribbon from Crafter's Companion.

Happy Birthday to me

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me. Yes, today is my Birthday. I can't really believe how old I am today as I certainly don't feel it. If I owned a craft shop, then of course it would be purple. This is anther of the samples I made recently for Stamposaurus. This is such a great image, which I teamed with some gorgeous First Edition Dreamcatcher paper. I've used my TH on the edge die and baker's twine with some Prima flowers and pearls.

Have you entered my candy yet? See post at top of the blog.

Number One

A simple card for today, using one of the cute LOTV die cuts, edged with DI frayed burlap. The papers are First Edition Desert Bloom. I used a Woodware punch and crimped some of them. Love that effect.

Short and simple post for today.

Christmas jug

Our challenge this week at Totally Gorjuss is Anything Goes and our sponsor is Joanna Sheen. I have used one of the lovely new stamps available from Stamposaurus. Coloured with Promarkers, thank goodness for a fin nib for the fern leaves. Ihave kept the layout fairly simple, using papers from Wild Rose Milton and some lovely velvet ribbon from Crafty Ribbons. I have used pinky reds on the jug which tone so well with the pink ribbon and paper.  Hop over and see what my lovely teamies have made for you this week.

Craft Shop

Isn't this a cute quirky image, perfect for crafting friends. It's another of my samples for Stamposaurus. Coloured with Promarkers and Flexmarkers with a Sakura goldstar pen. I added glossy accents to the side window. I decide to go with a sewing theme and was delighted to find that Crafty Ribbons do a tape measure ribbon. I used DI Vintage Photo on it and created a more interesting shape, rather than just placing it across the card. I added a TH journal tag, weeny buttons, pearl pins and baker's twine. This card will also be on Crafty Ribbons Pure Inspiration blog today. Pay a visit to view my teamies creations using gorgeous ribbons, new posts most days.

Walking my dog

Ooh it's ages since I made a stepper card so when I saw our challenge at Crafty Ribbons was anything but square I decided to make one. I have used a lovely Penny Johnson stamp coloured with Promarkers and Flexmarkers. The paper is a lovely glittery one from Papermania's Percy and Penelope pack. The snoflakes are K&Co, sentiment a mag freebie and gingham ribbon from Crafty Ribbons here.

Come and join us and you could win this gorgeous collection of ribbons.

Down the pub

Something a bit different today. These keep calm digis from Pink Gem are proving very popular cards at craft fairs. I am always looking for new ways to use them. I teamed them with some old black and white papers, black ribbon, newspaper card candi and some playing cards. These little cards came in a Christmas cracker a few years ago. Usually you get such rubbish in crackers but I was so pleased with these. They have Alice in Wonderland on the back so I have used the reverse of them as well at times. Still plenty left too. Best cracker I have ever opened.

Flower Shop

Another Stamposaurus sample to shar with you today featuring this new flower shop stamp. Such fun to colour, with Promarkers and Flexmarkers of course. The papers are MME Quite Contrary. I've added a huge rose from Wild Orchid, a nestie dice cut circle, some punched leaves and butterflies with tiny pearls.

More vntage

Yes, it's another of my vintage cards which I love so much. I've used that LSS digi again this time with Papermania V&A papers and DI Vintage Photo of course. I'm sure that DI gets used as much as all my other colours put together. I've ruched some vintage seam binding, added some pearls and pearl pins both from The Hobby House, a Prima flower and Wild Orchid rose.