Friday 28 February 2014

February candy

I have set up a separate page from my candy which you can enter by clicking here. 

This post will remain at the top until 28 February.  Please scroll down for my recent posts.


Sledging joy


Our challenge this week at Winter Wonderland is Winter Olympics so think skiing, sledging etc. I know there weren't any polar bears and penguins competing but these two are certainly enjoying the sledging. We have two fabulous sponsors this week
with a £10 voucher
and

offering 3 digis of the winner's choice.

Image - Lili of the Valley
Medium - Copics
Papers - Echo Park Keepin' Cozy 
Dies - Marianne tree, MB penguins
Border punch - MS snowflakes
Sentiment - Dovecraft coloured with DI Weathered Wood
Other - Stickles Viva Decor pearl pen

Challenges
Crafthazelnut's Christmas Extra Anything Christmas goes 
Craftyhazelnut Use a sentiment 
LOTV Name that tune (Let's Hang on - Four Seasons)
Simon Says Anything goes with pearls
Totally Papercrafts Make it shine

Thursday 27 February 2014

GDT at The Sugar Bowl


Here I am as promised back with my second post this morning. Please scroll down for my CLF DT card.

Regular readers will know that I absolutely adore Sugar Nellie stamps. They were some of the first stamps I ever bought. Can you imagine my excitement when I was asked to be a guest designer at The Sugar Bowl a challenge I enter every month usually more than once. The theme is Mother's Day or for a Special Lady. I was able to choose a digi image and chose the beautiful Wings of Love. This is actually a Christmas image so I placed a rose over the holly on the basket and it became an image you can use all year round.
Image - Sugar Nellie Wings of Love from Funky Kits
Medium - Copics
Papers - Papermania Blueberry Pie
Punch - MS birds on a wire
Die - Memory Box
Sentiment - Personal Impressions
Other - shabby blue frantage, pearls, rose from Wild Orchid

Challenges
Allsorts Ladies day 
A Creative Romance Let's get sentimental
Simon Says Anything goes with pearls
Divas by Design Make it sparkle

Decisions, Decisions


Those Mother's Day cards keep on coming and this one is my DT card for Crafty Little Fairies where our theme this week is Shopping. Nothing like a bit of shopping is there, especially it it is craft stash. 

We are sponsored by

who are offering 4 digis of the winner's choice.

Image - Lili of the Valley
Medium - Copics
Papers - MME Howdy Doody
Dies - Marianne border and corner
Punch - MS fern
Sentiment - Stamposaurus
Other - Flowers and brad from stash

Challenges
Lili of the Valley Name that tune - Making your mind up - Bucks Fizz

I will be back shortly with an exciting guest designer appearance.

Wednesday 26 February 2014

Hot air balloons


It's my first craft fair of the year today. This is one of four craft fairs this year at the N&N Hospital and is usually a good fair for me so fingers crossed.

I have a Little Claire card to share with you today using a recently released stamp. I love the designs on these balloons which have been coloured with Copics. I also used a Sa kura clearstar pen to highlight and used this on the Memory Box die cut balloons too. No papers on this one just some cloud embossed sanded Core'dinations and washi tape.

Challenges
The Shabby Tea Room Wishy washi 
The Squirrel and the fox Something spooled (washi tape)

Tuesday 25 February 2014

Walking in the snow


One minute there is an Easter card on my blog the next a Christmas card, keeps it interesting I hope and I am determined to keep these Christmas cards coming all year. I almost had a disaster whilst making this card. I use a fine tip applicator filled with PVA glue and as I squeezed the bottle to attach the trees my hand became covered in glue. The bottom of the bottle had split. Luckily I was using the glue over scrap paper so the only casualties were my hand and the scrap paper. I have had the bottle 7 or 8 years so can't complain but had to quickly order another. 

So onto my card recipe:
Image - Pink Gem
Medium - Copics
Papers - Bo Bunny Rejoice
Ribbon - Crafty Ribbons
Dies - MB snowflakes and Doohickey slender firs which I have embossed with Cutlebug swiss dots
Other - Stickles, Viva Decor pearl pen

I admired these dies on one of my Crafty Little Fairies' blog and said I couldn't justify buying them though. Why are their dies so expensive? I had a lovely surprise in the post a couple of days later, an envelope of tree diecuts. Wasn't that kind.

Challenges
Send a smile 4 kids Punches or die cuts 4 kids 
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Extra Anything Christmas goes 
Kaboodle Doodles Use ribbon 
The Cutie Pie Cute with spots and dots 
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Use a sentiment (on the ribbon) 
My Mum's Craft Shop Spots and stripes

Monday 24 February 2014

C'est Bon


Over at the As You Like It Challenge they have a very interesting challenge which is to be inspired by your favourite object. I had several ideas in mind but I chose to make another picture based on my make up bag.


The funny thing is that I have often looked at it and thought I should make something like it so this was my chance. I used a Go Kreate die on the chipboard. I had to smile the other day when I posted another picture I made and said hubby cut the chipboard into 6x6 for me as a couple of people thought he cut it this shape with a Stanley knife. Now that would be clever!

Stamps - Tim Holtz French Market
Paper - Papermania Persimmon
Dies - Marianne key and Dienamics Eiffel Tower
Rose - Wild Orchid
Pearls - The Hobby House
Ribbon - Crafty Ribbons
Other - DI Vintage photo

Isn't that ribbon scrummy and there are more beautiful ribbons in the fabulous new range now available at Crafty Ribbons.

Other Challenges
Divas by Design Rubber stamps 
Crafty Sentiments Anything Goes

Sorry I haven't had much time for blogging this weekend as we went away to Ipswich Saturday. Saw a great 60s concert and stayed in a Premier Inn then came home Sunday. I know Ipswich is only about 44 miles from us but we didn't fancy driving home late and it was a lovely treat to stay away. Premier Inns are so good nowadays and we had a great night's sleep and yummy breakfast.

Sunday 23 February 2014

Hot Cross Buns


I was sorting out some stamps and came across a set of Forever Friends Easter stamps I bought reduced after Easter last year and had completely forgotten about. As I want to get ahead with Easter cards for craft fairs thought I would ink some of them up and here is the first one. I am out of my comfort zone with this green, just not my colour at all but the paper is lovely and sparkly and I do like the finished result.
Image - Forever Friends
Medium - Copics
Papers - First Edition Spring Feast
Die - Spellbinders circle
Punch - MS trellis
Flowers - Prima
Pearls - The Hobby House
Sentiment - freebie stamp
Ribbon - from stash

Challenges
Crafty Catz Cream, green plus one 
Divas by Design Rubber stamps 
The Paper Shelter Punches and dies 

Saturday 22 February 2014

Baby Bunting




I have recently been contacted by a couple of people who regularly buy cards from me at the Hospital craft fairs. They wanted to buy two of the cards I made for Little Claire and wanted a Birthday card exactly like the Mother's Day card I made using James Peeping. So very unusually for me I had to make the same cards again. This led me to thinking that maybe I should do this a bit more often as designing the cards takes time and once I have sold one it would be a good idea to have another similar card. So I set to with a new Woodware stamp I bought at the NEC and made 6 baby cards, all slightly different. I used various papers. The banners were made with La La Land Heart,Memory Box and Die-namic dies and I also used a MB precious hearts die, pearl hearts, pearl and star gems and a Woodware star punch.

Here are the other four.





Challenges
Crafty Creations Keep it simple 
The Shabby Tea Room Baby Shower Party (photo inspiration)

Friday 21 February 2014

Hedgies say thank you


I love colouring these sweet Penny Black hedgies and this is the thank you card I made for my special Fairy leader at Crafty Little Fairies, Squirrel, to say thank you for the James Bear stamps I won on her blog. Now most of you will know Squirrel likes CAS cards so I restrained myself with the embellies for this one. The image has been coloured with Copics and I added some ribbon, MB die cut kites and a Papermania bow.

Challenges
Crafty Creations Keep it simple 
Penny Black For Someone Special

Thursday 20 February 2014

Birdcage Picture


Here I am back with my second post today. Please scroll down for a GDT post at In the Pink.

It is time for another anything goes with ribbon challenge at Crafty Ribbons and I decided to make a picture for my DT make. I bought some 12 x 12 chipboard and hubby cut it down to 6 x 6 for me with a Stanley knife, very sensibly wearing a heavy duty glove. I then used a Go Kreate die. The paper and stamps are Prima Fairy Belle which were free with a magazine. I only bought the mag for the paper and stamp, can't resist a birdcage. I stamped the birdcage and a couple of birds with Memento Rich Cocoa and used DI Frayed Burlap around the edges. The ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons of course and once I had secured it I die cut some Core'dinations for the back so it looks nice and neat.

The dies are all Memory Box. I bought the tiny bird die on holiday and when I opened it thought they were a bit small but I have used it several times already. The roses and butterfly are also Prima and the pearls are from The Hobby House. I shall be making a few more of these to sell.

Challenges

Crafty Cardmakers Come fly with me (bird and/or birdcage)

GDT at In The Pink


I received a lovely email in early January inviting me to be a guest designer at In The Pink. As I was going away on holiday I had to postpone my GDT spot until today. The challenge is pink plus one and as I wanted to use lovely James I chose pink and brown. 
Image - LOTV James Daisy
Medium - Copics
Papers - Wild Rose Always and Forever
Sentiment - LOTV
Punch - MS border
Rose - Michaels
Other - Tag, doily and baker's twine

Challenges
Lili of the Valley Name that tune(Thank you very much by The Scaffold)
A Creative Romance Let's get sentimental
Stampin' for the Weekend Flower power

Have you entered my candy yet, see above?

Wednesday 19 February 2014

Spring Flowers


Here is another of the Little Claire samples I made using one of the gorgeous new Fabulous Day stamps coloured with Copics. This was such a joy to colour and decided to use several different colours, something I don't do often enough. I tend to stick to a limited colour palette for my images. I used one of the Craftwork cards blanks I bought from Little Claire at the NEC and played around with various paper strips. The sentiment is a Little Claire digi. I also used a Viva Decor pearl pen.

Challenges
One Crazy Stamper Anything Goes

Tuesday 18 February 2014

Ballet Dancer


I love these Sugar Nellie digis as they are so pretty and such a delight to colour. I don't use peach tones enough and definitely need increase my range of peach Copics.
Image - Sugar Nellie Ballet Student
Medium - Copics, Sakure gold star pen
Papers - First Edition Blank Canvas
Ribbon - Crafty Ribbons
Punches - MS PATP double loop
Die - Go Kreate scalloped circle
Butterflies - Prima
Other - DI Spiced Marmalade

Challenges
Sugar Bowl Colour challenge 
Without Words Working 9 to 5 (Occupations - ballet dancer)(the only embellishments are the ribbon and butterflies) 
Delicious Doodles Ribbon and bling (gems on the butterflies, sparkly paper and gold star pen) 
Sister Act Anything Goes

Monday 17 February 2014

Out of the birdcages


A really fresh Spring card today to cheer us all up and help us forget the awful rain and wind and cold. Won't it be lovely when Spring gets here.
Image and sentiment - Little Claire
Medium - Copics, Sakura gold star and green star pens
Papers and tag - Whimsy Purple Cottage Charms pack designed by Michele Roos
Dies - MB birdcage and birds, Spellbinders floral ovals

Challenges
Simon Says Get krafty 
Stamping Sensations Wings, fantasy or fiction 
Feeling Crafty Dies and/or punches

Sunday 16 February 2014

Baking for Mum


These Hobby House toppers are coloured so beautifully and great when you need to make several cards for selling like I do as I have my first craft fair in 10 days time. I have used a Go Kreate die and an embossing folder for the background. I unearthed some lovely shiny brads to use with the white flowers and added some baker's twine and a charm. The sentiment was stamped with a Personal Impressions stamp.

Challenges
Elisabeth Bell's World White on white with a touch of red 
The Hobby House Anything Goes 
Creative Card Crew KISS (keep it simple and sweet)
Allsorts Use brads

Still time to enter my candy, see above.

Saturday 15 February 2014

First Layouts made this year



I had a lovely day on Friday when Lynsey came for a crafting day. There was as much chat as crafting and after we had a catch up and stamped up some images I spent the afternoon making these two layouts of my hubby taken from various holidays in Florida. 

It was the first chance I had this year to spend on scrapbooking and I can't wait to do some more layouts.

I would like to enter these into the inspired by a movie challenge at Charisma. My inspiration was the movie The Holiday.

Please scroll down for my Little Claire DT card today and scroll up for candy.

To have and to hold


Time for a new challenge at Little Claire and our theme this month is monotone, a nice easy challenge for you and the first challenge I am joining in as a DT member.
Image - Little Claire silhouette
Papers - First Edition Floral Pavilion
Lace - Crafty Ribbons
Rose - Wild Orchid
Dies - Spellbinder, MB Precious Hearts
Punches - MS trellis, wedding rings (no name on punch)
Other - sanded Core'dination

And here is the fabulous prize you could win.

Challenges
Crafty Calendar Love is all around 
Feeling Crafty Dies and/or punches 
Live and Love Crafts Love N'Lace 
Natalie and Amy Love is all around (include at least one heart) 
Bearly Mine Vintage Romance
Creative Inspirations Love
Divas by Design With Love
Fab n Funky Love

Still time to enter my candy.

Friday 14 February 2014

Ivy Fairy


We have a new challenge at Winter Wonderland, again another of my favourite things, fairies. I had so many images I could have used and decided to use this gorgeous digi from Delicious Doodles which has been waiting to be used.  I am so pleased with the way this card turned out. I love the teal colour. It looks fussy but the only embellishments are just ribbon and pearls.
Image - Delicious Doodles
Medium - Copics
Papers - Graphic 45 Couture (another new pad from my hol)
Dies - Spellbinders Resplendent Rectangles (another new buy)
Velvet ribbon - Crafty Ribbons
Pearls - The Hobby House
Sentiment - Craftwork Cards
DI- Peacock Feathers

We have some fabulous sponsors, Marianne Designs with this gorgeous prize


and

who are offering 4 digis
and

who are giving away $35 worth of products of the winner's choice.

Wow, what amazing prizes, definitely worth entering.


I would like to enter at Stamping Sensations where the challenge is wings, fantasy or fiction.

Don't forget to enter my candy, see top of page.

Thursday 13 February 2014

Peeping James


I was so lucky to win a little competition on the lovely Squirrel's blog recently and she said would I like a stamp or something for my stash. I said a stamp please and she sent me not one but two of the gorgeous new James the bear stamps and this is one of them which I have used for my DT card for Crafty Little Fairies where our challenge is teddies. 

This week we have 2 fabulous sponsors:

giving this fabulous prize
 and

Image - LOTV James peeping
Medium - Copics
Paper - Graphic 45 Couture
Backing - Doily and Marianne die with sanded Core'dinations

Challenges
Lili of the Valley Name that tune (Look through any window by The Hollies) 
Sister Act Anything Goes 
One Crazy Stamper Anything Goes 
Brenda's Floral Fantasies blogaversary candy Favourite craft item (I have so many but I have chosen my Copics as I love to colour)
Penny's Monochrome
Addicted to Stamps and More Mark your mark (use markers)

Wednesday 12 February 2014

Snowman with lantern


I really need to start building up my stock of Christmas cards so although I need to get Mother's Day and Easter cards made thought I would sneak in an Christmas card.
Image - Sugar Nellie Snowman with Lantern
Medium - Copics
Papers - Echo Park Keepin' Cozy 
Dies - Spellbinders resplendent rectangle, MB snowflakes
Ribbon - Crafty Ribbons
Other - Stickles

Challenges
Friday sketch Great sketch 
Craftyhazelnut Die cut or punched shapes
  Allsorts Colours beginning with B 
Delightful Anything Goes 
Sparkles Christmas Anything Goes 

Tuesday 11 February 2014

Simply Hearts


I am sharing another sample for Little Claire with you today. This is part of the Swirly Birds stamp set and this is such a gorgeous and useful set of stamps. I made a simple card using a Go Kreate die with hammered card to make the card blank. The image has been coloured with Copics and a Sakura green star pen. The paper is First Edition Floral Pavilion, MB precious hearts die and a pearl heart from Meiflower.

Challenges
Simon Says Have a heart 
Penny's Something old (heart die, pearl heart, hammered card), Something new (stamp, paper and Go Kreate die) 
One Crazy Stamper Anything Goes 
Crafty Calendar Love is all around
Creative Card Crew KISS

Monday 10 February 2014

More Silhouettes


I have two more cards to share with you today using the new silhouette stamps from Little Claire.  This one is called Meadow Girl and I found some gorgeous butterfly paper in my oddments. The crispy lace ribbon is from Dreamees and the gauze from LOTV shop, flowers from Wild Orchid and the large butterfly is Prima., small ones die cut with a MB die and pearls added. I also used DI Victorian Velvet around the image.

I would like to enter this card into the anything goes challenge at Papertake.


The second card is a complete contrast as I wanted to create a hot feeling. The image has been die cut with an X cut oval and edged with DI Spiced Marmalade. The papers are MME Vanity Fair, tree MB die and the words are from my stash for scrapbooking.

I would like to enter this card into the die cuts challenge at Divas by Design.

Sunday 9 February 2014

First Mother's Day card 2014


I need to get cracking on Mother's Day and Easter cards and as I bought a couple of Penny Black stamps from somebody recently I couldn't wait to use them. I kept the design fairly simple on this one.
Image - Penny Black
Medium - Copics
Embossing folder - Crafter's Companion
Die - Memory Box
Butterfly - Prima Fairy Rhymes
Sentiment - Stamposaurus
Bows - Docrafts

Challenges
Crafting Musketeers Butterflies 
Penny Black For someone special 
Sparkles Show us your new stash
Papertake Anything Goes
Totally Papercrafts Hey cutie
Inky Chicks Use a cute animal stamp

We are looking forward to a meal out this evening and then going to see Hugh Dennis at the theatre.

Have you entered my candy yet, see candy page?

Saturday 8 February 2014

Paint it Black


LOTV boys are so adorable, I just love them all and they are such fun to colour too. I have coloured him with Copics and teamed him with papers from LOTV, Country Gent, Craftwork cards entiment and some burlap. I love using this and have some to give away with my latest candy, post above.
Challenges

Lili of the Valley Name that tune (Paint it Black - Rolling Stones) 
Without Words Working 9 to 5 (occupations) 
Vintage Stamping It's a man thing 
Crafty Cardmakers This is a man's world 
Papertake Anything Goes
  Addicted to stamps and more Anything Goes
My Mum's Craft Shop Spots and Stripes

Nothing special planned for today so I am sure I shall be fitting in some crafting time. Enjoy your weekend.

Friday 7 February 2014

Owl Tree


Owls seem to be very popular and this new silhouette stamp from Little Claire is going to be a big hit I am sure. I stamped it with Memento Rich Cocoa onto some linen card to give a textured effect. The papers are some new ones I bought on holiday. They are Tim Coffey for Kaisercraft. I added some ribbon from Crafty Ribbons, MB die cut fences, wooden owl coloured with DI Vintage Photo, some flowers from Michaels and pearls from Meiflower. Little Claire's new catalogue is available to download from the website today.

Challenges
Sparkles Show us your new stash
Totally Gorjuss Sunny colours
Stamping Sensations Wings, fantasy and fiction

Have you entered my new candy yet?

Thursday 6 February 2014

Happy Anniversary Lynsey and Will


Our challenges have started again  at Crafty Ribbons and it is a nice easy one to start you off, anything goes with ribbon. It is also a new challenge at Crafty Little Fairies where we have a Love challenge. This is the Anniversary card I made for my friend Lynsey and her hubby, Will.
Image - Sugar Nellie
Medium - Copics
Papers - lost front cover so not sure
Velvet ribbon - Crafty Ribbons
Dies - La La Land heart banner, MB precious hearts
Other - Crispy lace ribbon - Dreamees, sentiment from stash

Challenges
The Sugar Bowl colour challenge 
Natalie and Amy Love is all around (include at least one heart)
  A Creative Romance Show us some love
AGOAC All you need is love
  Allsorts Love is in the air
Di's Digis Love/Valentines
Sweet Stampin' Love/Valentines
The Ribbon Girl Hearts
Simon Says Have a heart 
Cute Card Thursday Lots of love 

Have you entered my new candy yet?

Wednesday 5 February 2014

Romantic picnic


Today at Little Claire sees the launch of two more silhouette stamps. I have used Picnic and given it a vintage treatment. It would make a great anniversary or Valentine's card.
Image - Little Claire Picnic
Papers - Prima Delight
Lace - Crafty Ribbons
Die - MB Sofia heart
Punch - MS border punch

Challenges
A Creative Romance Show us some love 
Natalie and Amy Love is all around (inc at least one heart) 
Delicious Doodles Dies and/or punches
Creative Knockouts tic Tac Toe (stamps, sentiment, dies)
AGOAC All you need is love 
Allsorts Love is in the air 
Sweet Stampin' Love/valentines

Tuesday 4 February 2014

Summer Reading


Today sees the launch of some gorgeous new silhouette stamps from Little Claire. There are two released each day for the next three days. I love to read but I don't think sitting in a tree would do my back a lot of good. love this stamp though. I have teamed it with some of the last of my MME Dilly Daly papers, Marianne die cut parasol, ribbon from Crafty Ribbons and a wooden embellie coloured with Copics.

Challenges
One Crazy Stamper Anything Goes 
Crafty Catz Anything Goes 
Sister Act Anything Goes

Monday 3 February 2014

Sentimental Wedding


I love the cards that Coops makes with these sentiments and when I saw this one at the NEC last November just had to buy it. I love the way they have used different fonts on one sentiment and it makes a great wedding card for those who don't want cute images. I also wanted a vintage feel and a change from pink or red.
Stamp - Inkylicious
Papers - Prima Delight
Flowers - Wild Orchid
Butterfly - Prima
Punches - MS border and fern
Die - Spellbinder floral oval
Other - bow and DI Antique Linen, TH distressing tool

Challenges
Crafty Calendar Love is all around 
One Crazy Stamper Anything Goes 
ABC E is for embellish (3 or more) 
Allsorts Love is in the air
Feeling Crafty Dies and/or punches

I have set up a for sale page with a few craft items for sale. See page at top of blog.

Sunday 2 February 2014

Noel, Noel


Would you believe this is an ordered card! yes, one of my regular customers saw the card I made for hubby last Christmas and asked me to make her a 6x6 card using the same image. I do love these guys and hey are such fun to colour.
Image - Lili of the Valley
Medium - Copics
Papers - Whimsy Christmas Time by Michele Roos
Die - Cheery Lynn
Other - Di Weathered Wood, Viva Decor Pearl pen, Stcikles, wooden embellishments coloured with DI Vintage Photo

Challenges
Papertake Sketchie free for all (sketch 85) 
Fab n Funky Christmas 
Penny's Spots and dots 
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Extra Anything Christmas Goes 
The Paper Shelter All Wrapped Up