Christmas cottage

Looking through my Inkylicious stamp file I came across the cottage stamp which I haven't used for a while. I inked it in Brown and inked a circle in brown and green using a Inkylicious branch and various Card-io stamps. I finished with some red liquid pearls and Stickles.

Challenges

CCAYR House or cottage 

The Ribbon Girl any image

Simon Says anything goes

Have you entered my new candy?

First commission for Papercraft Essentials

I was so pleased to be asked if I would join the design team at Papercraft Essentials and my fist commission for them is in the magazine in shops today. They asked me to add it to my blog today so here is one of the cards I made. The feature is about stretching your Easter stash to use for other occasions. I love these cute Stamping Bella bunnies which I coloured with Copics using chalk for the sky. The sentiment is my favourite LOTV teenage girls sentiment and the fun ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons. I used an MFT scalloped border die and Joy flower dies.

Challenges

Noor! Design UK Summer
The Ribbon Girl any image

Have you seen my new candy above?

Colour drop flower

You may have seen the card I blogged last week using my new MFT colour drop dies. Today's card uses the stamps and dies. Now I had some rouble stamping them at first but after some advice on Facebook I was told I needed to get rid of the coating on the stamps by using an eraser or stamping with Versamark wiping it off on my palm then stamping with coloured ink. I did have to stamp them about four times to get an even colour but each time I use them they are getting better so the tricks work. I am so grateful I have a Tim Holtz stamping tool allowing me to stamp multiple times in the same place.

I love this colour combo. The dots are included in the stamp set (there are various sizes).  I added some washi tape and a pretty embellishment from The Works. They are getting more and more crafting stuff in there which is good. The sentiment is another of the free dies with this month's Papercrafter magazine.

Challenges

Allsorts flower power 

Noor! Design UK Summer

Have you entered my fairy stamp candy, see above?

I've lost a balloon!

If you bought the current Papercrafter magazine you will have seen my MFT Adorable Elephant cards and this is another of them I am sharing today. I love the matching stamps and dies and used my favourote Go Kreate frilly squares 10 dies for the card shape.  The papers are Echo Park I love family and the ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons.

Challenges

Stamping Sensations favourite stamp (at the moment these elephants are some of my favourites) 

The Cutie Pie all creatures great and small 

The Ribbon Girl any image 

Simon Says patterned paper

Foamarin flower plaque

There are so many fantastic examples of flowers made with foamarin and I really want to try making more with different dies. Mine are nothing like as complex as some of them I have seen on Facebook but I am pleased with the way these turned out. I have just ordered some Pentel pastels to use on them so watch this space. I covered the MDF plaque with LOTV paper and added the velvet ribbon, paper leaves from Hobbycraft and butterflies from The Works.

Here is a close up of the flowers. I used two different sets of Joy dies, adding some colour on the smaller flowers with ink pads. I used stamens and brads and added silver acrylic paint to the large flower. The leaves on the large flower were made using a poinsettia die! My thanks to Bev Rochester and Lady E for their video tutorials. 

Challenges

Simon Says patterned paper 

Noor! Design UK Summer 

Scrap and Craft anything goes option ribbon 

Not Just Cards anything goes
Allsorts flower power

If all goes to plan we shall be hiring a picnic boat today with four friends.  We have the boat from 9-6 and we are ll taking food and drink as there is a fridge, hob, kettle etc on board as well as a toilet. Should be a fun day out.

Away in a manger

I just couldn't wait to see the new Christmas ribbons from Crafty Ribbons. These two along with some very cute advent nativity ribbons are now available. Lots more Christmas ribbons to come I am sure. Searching through my Christmas stash for a suitable image I found this Little Claire diecut. The simplicity of the image fitted well with the colourful ribbon and I also used the sentiment ribbon which contains various carols. The papers are Docrafts Jolly Santa and I added a Memory Box star diecut and some Hobbycraft punched stars.

Challenges

ABC Christmas M is for more than one (people, buildings, papers, ribbons, stars) 

CCAYR house or cottage 

The Ribbon Girl any image 

Simon Says patterned paper

Strawberries

Our new challenge at A Gem of a Challenge is Summer colours. I have used the super cute pre coloured Strawberry Mice. I decided to use the precoloured digi as I made this card earlier this week when it was almost too hot to do anything. I am so glad it didn't last too long here. Not colouring the image gave me more time to concentrate on the layout. You may recognise the sketch as I have used two slightly different versions of it already this month for a Facebook challenge. It is certainly one I shall use again in the future as I do love banners.

The image gave me just the excuse I needed to use the strawberry paper which I have been longing to use. The papers are lilybee Sweet Shoppe, one of my fave pads at the moment as the colours are so Summery. I used MFT basic border, fishtail stax and basic stitch line dies. The sentiment I found in my stash.

Challenges

Creative Inspirations our furry and feathered friends 

The Ribbon Girl any image 

Noor! Design UK Summer 

Simon Says patterned paper

New MFT goodies

You will find my candy winners in the post below. I have several stamps I bought ages ago and have yet to use but last week I bought some new MFT goodies from Dies to Die For and couldn't wait to start playing with them. I made four completely different cards with the colour drop stamps and dies and this is the first I am sharing with you.  The shape reminds me of hot air balloons. 

I used the cloud stencil and chalk to create the sky. For this one I used the colour drop dies and coloured them with Copics and then covered with a clear Wink of Stella pen. This is the third of these pens I have had and this one is more sparkly than the others. It even shows up on here. I added some pearl stars and a diecut sentiment. This is one of the sentiment dies that comes with this month's Papercrafter magazine. They cut beautifully and I really like the font.

Candy winners

Thanks to everyone who entered my Anniversary candy. It is time to reveal the winners.

First candy goes to

and the second candy goes to

Entries ending in 9 were lucky today. You will find the post underneath my sewing project post from this morning so check if you are one of the lucky winners and if so please email me. Sorry I can't send you all something but I do have something else to give away very soon so watch this blog.

More sewing projects

I do love having some sewing projects to do whilst I am watching TV. Of course if I am watching something demanding my full attention like Poldark then the sewing doesn't get done. I bought a few of these embroidery hoops in Hobbycraft. The material comes from Dunelm and Crafter's Companion. I used two different Memory Box butterfly dies and used chain stitch for the bodies. 

The first two sets of padded bunting I had on my stall sold on their first outing so I have been busy making some more. They take a while to hand stitch each diecut heart but I love making them.

Challenges

Not Just Cards anything goes

Anniversary candy

It is that time of year again. 5th June is our Wedding Anniversary and 6th is my blog's Anniversary. 8 years ago tomorrow I started my blog and I always like to celebrate by offering a follower's candy to thank you for your continued support. This year I have 2 candies on offer. The first name drawn will win the top items, paper pad, Christmas and sentiment stamps, leaf dies, red ribbon and roll of lace. he second prizewinner will win the greenhouse stamp, watering can die and 2 rolls of ribbon.

To enter you must:

Be a follower on Google and preferably Bloglovin' as well

Place a photo and link in your sidebar if you have a blog

(Followers without a blog can enter)

Enter via the link below

Candy closes 21 June.

Under the weather

This little owl has been waiting to be used and as I need some more get well cards for my stock I used him. He is one of the precoloured LOTV simply print images and goes perfectly with the LOTV sentiment.  The paper is Lilybee Double Dutch and I added some ribbon and pretty flowers I bought in Florida.

Challenges

The Ribbon Girl any image 

Noor! Design UK Summer 

The Cutie Pie all creatures great and small 

Creative Inspirations our furry and feathered friends

Last day to enter my candy. We are meeting my Mum this morning and taking her to a garden centre for some shopping and lunch before taking her home.

Snow family

My Christmas cards are coming along so well this year and here is another. I love the cute Penny Black snow people and what could be better than one, yes three. Coloured with Copics, with fun flock on their pom poms, Stickles for snow and cut out with a MFT wonky stitched oval die.  The papers are LOTV, ribbon from Crafty Ribbons. I used two tree sets of tree dies, one is Impression Obsessions but I don't know the make of the more rounded ones. I keep a notebook of my dies as I need to know the make and name for magazine work but I haven't written this one in there. I bought them at Ally Pally and wrote all the others down so they are a mystery.

Challenges

Dies R Us Celebrations 

ABC Christmas M is for more than one 

Penny Black and more at Allsorts anything goes
The Ribbon Girl any image

Candy ends tomorrow.

Beach shadows

I was lucky enough to win a lovely Kaisercraft 12x12 pad Salty Kisses. I couldn't wait to use it and this page seems perfect to go with my photo from our Florida holiday earlier this year. I wanted to keep the layout simple and the June 15th sketch at Stuck?! was just what I needed.

I used a MS cherish border punch, some washi tape, a journal card and some Bo Bunny shell diecuts. I decided it needed something in the top left hand corner and remembered my MFT sun die which finished it off nicely.

Challenges

Stuck?! June 15th sketch 

Noor! Design UK Summer 

Not Just Cards anything goes

Candy closes 21st June.

Sweet Pea

I love the Stamping Bella Garden Girls, this one is sweet pea. I had a bit of difficulty colouring her as my V15 pen was running out and I hadn't realised when I started colouring her. I have since bought another but my pen running out meant I faffed a bit too much and the bottom of her skirt isn't shaded as well as it could be. I made it for a friend whose favourite colour is purple the same as mine.

The paper is LOTV and the lace is from Crafty Ribbons. I used a MFT wonky stitched rectangle die and added some enamel dots and doodling. I also used that free sentiment die again. Love the font.

Challenges

Dies R Us Celebrations 

Noor! Design UK Summer

Wow wasn't it hot yesterday and last night. We are off to Southwold today where it should be a bit cooler. Don't forget my candy closes on 21st June.

Ballerina tutu

I bought a set of 3 All Dressed Up stamps from My Mum's Craft Shop and this is the first one I have stamped up and coloured with Copics, practicing my folds. The papers are Lily Bee Sweet Shoppe, they seem to be a favourite at the moment. I love the Summery colours. I used some MFT dies, basic borders, basic stitch lines and pierced fishtails. The sentiment die is part of a free set with this month;s Papercrafter making the magazine worth buying for the sentiment dies alone. I added some tiny spotted buttons.

Challenges

All Dressed Up anything ADU goes 

The Ribbon Girl a card
Dies R Us Celebrations 

Candy closes on 21st.

Dream

I love making these shabby chic cards and when I was asked to make one for the "Ask the Experts" page of the current Papercrafter magazine I was delighted. 

Setiment - Inkylicious

Paper - Craftwork Cards

Ribbon and lace - Crafty Ribbons

Flowers - Ebay, The Hobby House

Other - burlap, wooden butterflies, pearl pins

Challenges

Not just cards anything goes 

Scrap and Craft anything goes option ribbon 

The Ribbon Girl a card 

Still time to enter my candy.

Christmas decorations

I bought some wooden discs in Florida as I wanted to make some Christmas decorations with them. I was originally going to stamp on them but decided to go for papers and diecuts instead.  Hubby drilled holes in them for me and I used various scraps of Christmas papers on both sides. The dies I used are Memory Box stitched snowflakes, Marianne poinsettia, Memory Box penguins, Lawn Fawn litle town border and Impression Obsessions Santa and sleigh. I then sprayed them with Crafters Companions spray and shine for a glossy long lasting shine.

Challenges

CCAYR house or cottage 

ABC Christmas M is for more than one 

Winter Wonderland add snowflakes
Not just cards anything goes

I am definitely more ahead for Christmas makes this year. Now if I can only find some more time for scrapbooking that would be good.

Have you entered my candy?

Drifting by

I made this card for some good friends who celebrated their Anniversary yesterday. The sweet image is a precoloured LOTV simply print diecut with a Lawn Fawn stitched circle. The pretty papers are Bo Bunny Secret Garden. I diecut the border with a MFT sclloped circle die and added some ribbon from Crafty Ribbons, LOTV sentiment and flowers from Hobbycraft.

Challenges

The Ribbon Girl a card 

Noor! Design UK Summer 

Allsorts at least 2 dies
The Cutie Pie all creatures great and small

We are going for coffee and cake this afternoon with them at a lovely coffee and gift shop where I sell some of my handmade gifts.

Still time to enter my candy.

Pink and grey Christmas

I bought these lovely Bo Bunny Winter Wishes in Florida as I really liked the unusual colour scheme. Normally I colour this mouse brown but went for grey Copics this time to match the papers. I only bought this mouse on Ebay last year and already he is one of my most used stamps. I used a Go Kreate frilly squares 9 die. Lawn Fawn sentiment and Memory Box stitched snowflake dies. If you haven't tried Stick It yet I highly recommend it for sentiment dies especially. It makes attaching the diecuts so much easier. I added some Stickles for a bit of sparkle.

Challenges

Allsorts at aleast 2 dies 

Winter Wonderland add snowflakes 

ABC Christmas M is for more than one (snowflakes, dies) 

Penny Black and more at Allsorts anything goes 

Stamping Sensations favourite stamp
The Cutie Pie all creatures great and small

Have you entered my candy?

Enjoying Summer

I have bought so many LOTV stamps lately and I am trying to get round to using them all. This is one of the bunny flower trio. The beauty of the trio digis is that they can be resized to use just one image on a card. I used Copics,  a LOTV teenage girls sentiment and some lovely new MFT papers, Graphic Grid. The bottom of the paper was cut with a MFT basic border die and I used my favourite MFT pierced fishtails dies. I also used a Crafter's Companion embossing folder for a change rather than another paper and added some enamel dots.

Challenges

The Ribbon Girl a card 

Noor! Design UK Summer 

Allsorts a least 2 dies

We are going out for a meal with friends this afternoon and then they are coming back to ours where we shall be tackling a jigsaw (a new hobby), listening to some vinyl and playing a game or two as we have just discovered they like board games. So looking forward to a fun time.

Have you entered my candy?

High flyer

This is another of the cards I made fro Papercrafter magazine using the MFT Adorable Elephants stamps and dies. The papers are Echo Park I love Family and the diecuts were made with Lawn Fawn puffy clouds dies. The ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons and he was coloured with Copics. I also added some enamel dots.

Challenges

The Ribbon Girl a card

Have you entered my candy? We are off to visit friends today and enjoy a lovely roast lunch out and then popping in to see my Mum on the way home. First episode of series 3 of Poldark tonight, yippee.

Mouse Love

It is my turn to host the challenge at A Gem of a Challenge and I chose Wedding or Anniversary for my theme. I have used an image I haven't used before, Valentine Mice, which I thought equally suitable for Anniversaries. I wanted to go with a bold colour scheme and searching through my older paper pads found a few pieces of Bo Bunny Head over Heels. The mice are coloured with Copics, ribbon from Crafty Ribbons. The black raffia lace and pearl hearts have been in my stash for ages. I bought the raffia lace in various colours when I first found it and my stock is gradually dwindling. It does add a lovely texture to the card.

Challenges

The Ribbon Girl a card

Have you entered my candy?

Balloons

Yes it is the MFT Up in the Air set again, this time without any cute animals. I used Copics but paper pieced the large balloon for a change. The papers are LOTV Up, Up and Away and I used a Lawn Fawn little town border die too.

Early start this morning as I will be setting up and then selling my cards and gifts at the hospital today.

Have you entered my candy?

Ellie in the garden

Thanks for all the Anniversary wishes. The weather here was much better than if we had gone away as planned so we had a lovely day out and about as it was blustery but dry and mainly sunny. If you have a copy of the latest Papercrafter magazine you will have seen this card in the bottom lefthand corner of the cover. I made three cards using the MFT Adorable Elephants stamps and dies. The papers are Echo Park I love Family and I used Joy flower dies and a Lawn Fawn stitched circle die. The elephant and some of the butterflies are raised on foam pads. Coloured with Copics of course, ribbon from Crafty Ribbons.  This is one of my favourite sketches which I have used in a few different ways many times.

Challenges

Noor! Design UK Summer 

Di's Digis Birthdays 

Scrap and Craft anything goes with an option of ribbon
The Ribbon Girl a card

Have you entered my candy, see above?

Happy Anniversary Hubby

It was our Wedding Anniversary on Monday and I really couldn't decide what to use for hubby's card this year. He really appreciates a handmade card and the thought that goes into it. I remembered I had this Inkylicious stamp and as we love our little breaks and holidays went with a transport themed card. He loves classic cars and steam trains so I wanted to incorporate those into the card.

The map paper is from a Papermania Mr Mister pack and the piece at the top which is about aeronautics is from Carta Bella Well Traveled (I know that is spelt wrong but that is the American spelling!). The patterned burlap is from America. The dies are Cheery Lynn train, Marianne car, Die-version suitcase and plane.

Challenges

Dies R Us masculine
The Ribbon Girl a card

This is the verse I put inside, based on Beatles songs as we had planned to go to Liverpool last Sunday for a few days for our anniversary. However the weather forecast was so bad we changed our booking to July. I know you can't guarantee it will be better then but as we only have two and a half days there we want to get out and about and the forecast for he beginning of the week was cold, windy and heavy rain.

This card comes From Me to You

For All you need is love

And I want to hold your hand

Eight days a week.

So Hold me tight

Because All my loving is for you.

You’ve really got a hold on me

So whisper Words of Love

And Tell me why You love me do.

I wish I could fly!

Today my blog is 8 years old. When I started blogging I never dreamt where it would lead me. I hope you will join in my celebrations by entering my candy.

I am sharing a DT card for My Mum’s Craft Shop today using lots of MFT goodies.  I have seen a couple of backgrounds made with the MFT snowdrift die which amazingly I don't have in my collection. However I have the rolling hills die so I created the background with that. I then had the idea of using elephants from the MFT adorable elephant set and the MFT up in the air set. I love these stamps and dies and have used them a lot already so hey have been a good investment. 

I think the standing elephant wishes he was flying 😉. Coloured with Copics and teamed with MFT dots and stripes confection paper.

Challenges

Simon Says anything goes

Di's Digis Birthdays

Penny Black and more at Allsorts anything goes 

Stamping Sensations use your favourite stamp (to choose one is impossible but at the moment these stamps are amongst my favourites) 

The Ribbon Girl a card 

MFT colour challenge

Have you entered my candy?

Snooker King

I made this card for Papercrafter magazine using one of the pink Gem digi image kits. The sentiment comes with the kit along with several others. Buttons and stars are useful embellishments for male cards and I do like my buttons with twine unless they are really tiny buttons.

Fun in the snow

Another favourite set of stamps and die today, this time Lawn Fawn Tobogganing Together teamed with Lawn Fawn Winter plaid papers. I used MFT stitched mountain range and Memory Box stitched snowflake dies to complete the scene. Coloured with Copics and my usual fun flock on the hats.

Challenges

Simon Says anything goes

Allsorts Christmas in June

Trying something new

When I saw the challenge at In the pink was embossing I decided it was time to try something I have been wanting to try for ages, heat embossing and colouring vellum. I know many of you will have done this but for some reason I have never got round to it. I bought some white vellum at Ally Pally as I bought some matching stamps and dies at The Works for just £4! I stamped the flowers with Versamark and heat embossed them in white. I then coloured the backs with Copics and attached brads to the centres.

The paper is Ann Marie blissful pink. I added some builder's scrim from B&Q and some pink lace. The leaves were diecut with a Joy die and I found the sentiment in my stash. The paper and sentiment were distressed using a distressing tool.

Challenges

In the Pink embossing 

Crafty Purple Frog fabulously floral 

Simon Says anything goes

Let's go fly a kite

Hands up everyone who is singing now. I always sing this when I see a kite. We have a new Facebook challenge at Lili of the Valley,  Summer. I used one of the precoloured Simply Print digi images inside a MFT scalloped circle frame diecut. The paper is Lilybee Victoria Park. I knew I bought some little kites in Michaels in the US probably 3 years ago and thought they would match perfectly. The question was where were they as I hadn't seen them recently. Luckily I am very organized so here were only a few possible places and I soon found them. I hope you will join in the fun on Facebook for the chance to win a fabulous LOTV prize.

Challenges

The Ribbon Girl any image 

Simon Says anything goes 

The Paper Shelter Make it digital

Off out today for a haircut and a few odds and ends in the city. I am sure lunch and a little retail therapy will also be involved.