Happy Birthday Bear

I've had a very busy weekend and not much time for crafting or blogging but I did manage to get this card made this afternoon and just got it photographed before it got dark. The lovely sketch is from Papertake.

Image - Daisy and Dandelion
Medium - Letraset Promarkers, Sakura goldstar and white gel pens
Papers - DCWV Christmas pack
Tools - Nellies

Flowers - K& Co with added gems

Embellishments - ribbon
Sentiment - Daisy and Dandelion

Sneak peek at Clover

What a lucky girl I am. As guest DT for Pollycraft Paula sent me not one, not two but all six of the gorgeous new Lilybean fairy digi images. This one is called Clover Butterfly Wishes and is previewed today. If you would like the chance to get Clover for free just head on over to Pollycraft where 2 lucky bloggers will get this fab fairy.

This card has all my favourite colours. I coloured her with Promarkers and Sakura clearstar pen and added some white glitter to her wings, which had been coloured lilac, and purple Shimmerz to her hat. I hope you can see how she sparkles. I punched 2 large butterflies with my new X cut punch and stuck one down completely with the other one just stuck in the middle with some added gems. The fabric butterflies were found lurking in my stash. I then chalked a sentiment from Alissa Designs and added a butterfly brad. Papers are all Papermania. The side border is punched with an MSBP with ribbon inserted underneath. The bottom border is the paper left from the punching.

I am also entering this card for 2 challenges, Flutter by at Quixotic and Summer in Winter at Dutch Dare.

Dreamcatcher and another award

SECOND POST FOR TODAY
I discovered that Sugar Nellie now sell a few digi images and the fairies are just so gorgeous. This little beauty is called Dreamcatcher. She is coloured with PMs and her wings are glittered although it doesn't show much in the photo. I really love the way this card has come out. The fab sketch is from Moving along with the times who also want a digi image. Another different colour scheme for me from the photo inspiration at Secret Crafter. Cute Daisy May want vintage and I think this fits the bill with this colour scheme. Lastly A Spoon full of sugar have a freestyle challenge this week and Creative Inspirations challenge is feminine.

I've been given this award again from 2 of my blogging buddies, Jo and Mandy. Thanks so much girls. I know a lot of you have this award already but if you don't please take it as you all deserve it



I've got to cook the dinner now but I'll be back later form some bloghopping.

First Mother's Day card

I usually sell some Mother's Day cards at work so here is my first one. Keeping up my resolution to stay ahead this year. The layout was a happy accident. One of the things I love about cardmaking is that it isn't an exact science and sometimes wen you do something wrong it works out well. I punched the edges of the strip with my new MSBP and carefully stuck the ribbon so it wrapped around the edges. I hat just fixing the ribbon edge to edge as it may fray. That's when I discovered my error. I had forgotten to measure the strip and it was too wide to put across the card. I was going to put the image at an angle so I placed the border at an angle instead. I really like the lo this way. I added some punched and Prima flowers.
Challenges
Teddy Stampers 1 ribbon, 2 DP, 3 brads or buttons
Just Cute Bears One for the girls
Die Cut Dreams Bears
Sophisticat Mother

CC Designs Sugarplum candy kit

Kellie is giving away this fantastic kit and who wouldn't love to get their hand on these cuties. Click on her name in this post to find the entry rules. Candy is on offer until 18 February.

Love is in the air

SECOND POST FOR TODAY
Love is definitely in the air with the challenges this week. This is another gorgeous Cherry Kisses frame from Pollycraft. I added some lace and decided to use some of my flower punches for a change from my beloved Primas. Bow and fabric hearts from stash. This is for more challenges than I would normally enter with one card but it fits so many this week.
Challenges
Crafty Creations Valentine or love
Crafty Catz Love (include heart)
Allsorts Hearts and flowers
Crazy 4 Challenges Pretty in pink
One Stop Craft Love and kisses
Totally Gorjuss Dimension
Magical Crafts Valentines
Paper Sundaes Brown, pink, lace, flowers
Crafty Cardmakers Hearts and romance
The Pink Elephant Polka dots bow, pink

Shopping

It's been a lovely bright day here today but very cold. I got home early today and finally managed to make a card for the Sugar Bowl challenge where you can win 6 stamps of your choice. As well as the sketch the card has to be distressed. Now this distresses me as I really don't go in for torn papers and don't have any distress inks. However I do have these lovely K&Co papers which all have a distressed look so I used a selection of those along with a fabulous Bo Bunny Vintage flower which was part of Jacqui's candy which I was lucky enough to win last week.

First DT card for Kaboodle Doodle

Well here it is, my first DT card for Kaboodle Doodles . I'm so excited to be part of a DT with these lovely girls. The challenge this fortnight is pink, lemon, green and plum and there is a fab prize of an SU Saleabration set. Now when I first saw this colour challenge I was a bit worried as they are not colours I have evr put together before. However once I got going it was easier than I expected and I really like the fresh spring look to this card featuring Miss Anya.

The papers are all K&Co Daisy and Laura Ashley. Flowers are Prima and the sentiment is Craftwork Cards. I added some faux stitching around the Nestie shape. I used my new MSBP on the top border. I liked the shape of the paper which was left from the punching and used this down the side. How's that for economy.

Thanks for looking. I hope to see you all joining in this challenge blog. Remember you have 2 weeks to enter.

Sassy Suzy Birthday and let's stop the guilt trip

We all have busy lives, some of us work, some of you have children and pets to look after and some of you manage all 3. Then there's the housework, cooking and ironing to be done. Not to mention gardening, not in this weather I know, decorating and all the normal things of life. Somehow we manage to fit in cardmaking and blogging around all these things. It just isn't possible for some of us to spend as much time as we would like visiting each other's blogs. I've decided we should stop apologising for not visiting, being bad bloggers or whatever. We visit when we can and we should just enjoy it and end the guilt trip.

That's me off my soapbox and on to the card. This is Sassy Suzy from the Greeting Farm. I used her last week for a purple Christmas card and this week she is in pink. I added some glitter to her coat and gave her hair a streaked look for a change. I just love this new MSBP and you'll be seeing a lot more of it.
Challenges
The Pink Elephant sketch
Anyone for Anya Black, white + 1
Charisma Fruity colours (I've used blackberry and strawberry)
Creative Card Crew Punch it

New Home easel card

SECOND POST FOR TODAY

I was asked to make a new home card for somebody who has built a home in the country and has 2 cats, one black and one ginger and these needed to be included on the card. Checking through my images I found this lovely digi image which was a freebie from Lily-Boo Too a while ago. The person who asked me to make the card keeps chickens so I knew the bird in the chimney would amuse her.

I wanted to use some die cut cats but they looked as big as the house so I hit on the idea of making an easel card so the house could be on the front and the cats look as though they are on the lawn at the front of the house. The backing papers are K & Co Daisy. I bought these in the Glitterpot sale and they are ging to be so useful for Spring cards as the colours look so fresh. I used my brand new Flower lace MSBP on the border. A few Prima flowers and flat backed pearls and a die cut swirl which I cut in 2 just finish off the picture. The ticket sentiment is from Alissa designs.

This one is for 2 challenges, spring at Sophisticat and punch it at Simon Says.

A hedgehog for charity and an award

I haven't used this little Penny Black stamp for ages. They are so small but they are perfect for the A6 cards for the Docrafts Cancer Research charity cards. I 3d'd the image, used various papers from stash and added some Prima flowers, gems and flat backed pearl. The cute little ladybird climbing up the ribbon is part of a pack I bought in America. The ribbon has been recycled as it was originally wrapped around a pack of card blanks.
Challenges
CRAFT sketch
Allsorts Pink and brown
Die cut dreams Recycle it
Papertake Pretty pink Papertake
Quixotic Ink up an old stamp

I was sent this lovely award from Milnie. I'm supposed to send it to 3 bloggers who inspire me but you all inspire me so I would like you all to have it.

Blue Christmas

It's another Pollycraft image today for my Christmas card this week. Trying to make at least one a week to take the pressure off Christmas. The only trouble is Mother's Day and Easter are approaching in the next 3 months and I need to make some of those so expect to see some spring cards soon.

Challenges
Paper Sundaes New challenge blog - sketch
Bah Humbug Use new/nearly new stash (mine is the image)
Fussy and Fancy Winter
Stamp Something Blue and White
Susie and Vikki's Christmas Club Snow
Totally Gorjuss Monotone
Incy Wincy Favourite colouring medium (Promarkers)
Passion for Promarkers Girls, girls, girls

Another Valentine Card

THIRD POST FOR TODAY
I just love these Cherry Kisses frames from Pollycraft and this is one of the new ones just released. Lots of hearts, including my lovely MS punch adorn this card which is for three challenges. The sketch is from Create 4 Fun and the theme at One Stop Craft is fancy edges or corners. The colour scheme of pink and grey is for the challenge at Cute Card Thursday.

A card for Docrafts charity

SECOND POST FOR TODAY
As a lot of you will know Docrafts ask us crafters to make A6 cards to raise money for Cancer Research. Now I don;t usually make this size card but when I coloured up this little Penny Black cat I thought it would be just perfect for a small card. I decoupaged the balloons, and added some ribbon and a die cut swirl. A very simple little card.
Challenges
Crazy 4 challenges sketch
Penny Black Blue, cream and gold

Fire and Ice

This is my first card as a guest DT for Pollycraft. Paula sent me several of her lovely images and it was difficult to choose which one to use for this fortnight's challenge of Fire and Ice (or red and white). I decided to add silver into the colour scheme to add an icy feel, though this little cutie is anything but icy!

She is coloured with Promarkers and a Sakura silver clearstar pen. I chalked and inked the edges. Papers are DCWV and K&Co. I added some punched white and silver glitter ferns using my MS punch. I also used my star border punch and my lovely new X cut butterfly punch.

BLOG CANDY WINNER TIME

Hi everyone out there in blogland. Yesterday it was pouring with rain but today the sun is shining. It's so long since we have seen it, isn't it wonderful. I have had another fantastic week this week as I won the say no to word verification surprise candy on the ABC Christmas challenge. Say no to word verification is a campaign I fully support and I urge those of you who have this switched on to turn it off as it wastes so much precious time. If you are worried about spam then switch on blog approval instead.

I also won 3 digi images on the Friday Sketchers challenge and a goody bag from the C4E challenge.

The most fantastic news of all of course was the invite to join the wonderful DT at Kaboodle Doodles. I will shortly be posting some details about myself on this blog so hop over if you are interested. I really hope you will all be joining in their fortnightly prize challenges.

I was astounded by the number of entries for my candy. Taking out duplicate comments I entered numbers 1 to 157 into random number generator and then couldn't remember how I had copied it last time. I know I did it last time with no problem and then photoshopped it but I just couldn't get it to work today, very frustrating, so I had to make do with copying it into Word and then pasting it here.

Now for the moment you have all been waiting for, drum roll please. The winner of my candy is.................................................................................


True Random Number Generator
Min: 1
Max: 157
Result: 82 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

That's you, Sue of http://susiesunshines.blogspot.com/

I am overwhelmed by the number of followers I now have and to celebrate this week's happenings I decided to give away a small second prize. So the winner of this surprise candy is .............................................................................

True Random Number Generator
Min: 1
Max: 157
Result: 49 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

That's you, Denise at http://thecraftyden.blogspot.com/

Please e-mail me ladies with your addresses and I will get your prizes sent to you.

Thanks everyone for your entries and your continued support. I'll be celebrating my first year in blogland on 6 June so will have some candy up for grabs before then so hope you'll all join in.

Celebratory candy

CANDY NOW CLOSED. HOP BACK LATER TO SEE IF YOU ARE THE LUCKY WINNER!

22 DECEMBER CANDY REVEALED.

Set of Nellie square multi dies
Set of Personal Impressions cat stamps
Daisy and Dandelion set of dog stamps
Purple ribbon and pearl flowers
Handmade paper
36 star, leaf and flower brads
Various flowers
25 stamped images including the 7 new Sugar Nellie Sugar and Spice set and Whiff of Joy

THIS POST WILL STAY AT THE TOP UNTIL SATURDAY 16TH JANUARY. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR NEWER POSTS.

I know it isn't long since I gave away some candy but I need to celebrate and what better way to celebrate than to give something away to one of my lovely blogging followers. I've had such a wonderful week in blogland the first week of December that I want to celebrate with you all.
That week I had:

• 3 challenge wins


• Invite to join Moving along with Times as a Guest Designer after entering their challenge


• A surprise e-mail from The Crafty Calendar Challenge inviting me to be a Guest Designer in January.

I am also celebrating

• Guest Designer coming up the last 2 weeks of December on Winter Wonderland.


• 6 months in blogland and what fun I've had since I started and what a lot I have learnt.


• Christmas is nearly here!!
  

If you would like a chance to win, the rules are simple.

1. Become a follower, if you are not one already.
   
2. Link my candy to your sidebar.
   
3. Leave a comment below.
   

Good luck everyone.
DRAW WILL TAKE PLACE ON SUNDAY 17th JANUARY 2010 BY RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR.

Francesca

SECOND POST FOR TODAY.
First outing for this little lady, Francesca , from Kraftin' Kimmee where the challenge is heavy metal. Is this what's meant by a balanced diet? Another bright card, I'm enjoying trying different colour combos. The sketch is from Quixotic. The cupcake paper is Papermania Sweet Nothings. This card is also for the challenge of sweet treats at Incy Wincy and a birthday card at Crafty Catz.

I've got to get to grips with my new DT role so may not have much time to catch up with you all over the new few days, so apologies if I don't visit as often as usual this weekend.

Valentine teddy

I've been meaning to use the fab sketch at Allsorts and now am only just in time with my card. It's a digistamp Boutique image which is just perfect for Valentine's Day. I embossed the white card strips with a Cuttlebug Divine Swirls embossing folder for the challenge at Digital Tuesday. The theme is love at Polkadoodle.

Purple Christmas and some exciting news

SECOND POST FOR TODAY.
I can now share some exciting news with you. I have been invited to join the design team at Kaboodle Doodle. I really hope you will all support me by joining in their challenges. I also found out today that I have won some surprise blog candy from the ABC Christmas blog.

I decided it was time for a purple Christmas card. This is my new Greeting Farm stamp from Quixotic Paperie entitled Sassy Suzie. She is coloured with Promarkers, glitter on the fur on her coat. I chalked and inked around the image which is cut with a Nellie die cut. Purple glitter snowflakes cut with my new MS punch. The snowman paper is cut with an MS star border punch. The snowflake charms I have are all blue and silver so I coloured it with a PM. I didn't know if it would work but it did and matches perfectly.

Challenges
I love Promarkers sketch
Anyone for Anya That's charming
Stamp with fun Snowflakes
Cupcake Going girly
Roses on Paper Winter
Sophisticat Doth the North wind blow
Charisma Anything new

Walking the dog

Went back to work today and didn't feel as good as I thought I did but I made it through and now I'm home in my lovely warm house. It's been a miserable day today, dark and gloomy and raining this afternoon. Time to post this card I made last night. This was a challenging sketch over at Crafts 4 eternity as there are so many elements to it but I love a good challenge with trying to fit it all on one card. There is also a recipe of checks and a dog so this fab digi image from Pollycraft was perfect. Hopefully you can see that one of the pink papers is checked. I decoupaged the dog, inked the edges of everything and added some pink shimmer chalk around the image. I've recently rediscovered my chalks and am loving them. There is a Birthday challenge at Crazy 4 challenges and The Pink Elephant. Simon Says want shabby chic and I thought the brown K&Co paper and the distressed sentiment from Craftwork cards fitted the bill. Lastly furry friends is the challenge atPaperplay.

Thank you all

THIRD AND FINAL POST FOR TODAY.
I'm definitely having a teddy bear today. This beautiful Lili of the Valley stamp, which I have been longing to use, was a Christmas pressy from my good friend Lynsey. It is coloured with PMs and I added some silver glitter to some of the flower middles. I spent ages trying to decide which flowers to use, too much choice, so many Prima jars and bottles or should I punch some flowers. I tried all sorts but I am happy with my final choice. I used an old X cut corner punch and a rounded punch for a change along with my MSBP. Lynsey also bought me some lovely ribbon, which I resisted opening as I already had this stripey ribbon started and it fitted the colour scheme perfectly.

This card is a thank you to all for you for your lovely comments and encouragement. I received this award from Despoina and would like you all to have it.

What a cheerful picture on such a gloomy day. The wintry showers are back again. Right on to the challenges.

Lili of the Valley Thank you
Sketch Saturday Lovely Sketch
Crafty Cardmakers Whats new (stamp)

Christmas bear

SECOND POST FOR TODAY
Here I am with Christmas card number 5. I almost bought this stamp for last Christmas but resisted. However when I saw it was half price in the Glitter Pot sale I just had to buy it. The fab sketch is from Winter Wonderland. Other challenges are Forever Friends a cheerful card with 2 layers, ribbon and sparkles, Crafty Catz bright and sparkly, Die Cut Dreams coffee and cream (I'm sure that's what's in the cup) and Bah Humbug recycle (spacer and brad are from an old card). This last one is a new challenge to me that I'll definitely be entering again to keep those Christmas cards going.

Baby boy

Thankfully I am starting to feel a lot better today so will be back to work tomorrow. It's ages since I used this little Forever Friends stamp so decided it was time it came out. I chalked around the image and inked the edges of the Nellie die cut. (A set of these are up for grabs in my candy above. The closing date is Saturday so if you haven't yet entered you still have time.) I sorted through some stickers and found these cloud and star bubble stickers. The papers are all Doodlebug swimming pool boutique. 2 of the squares are flocked paper and 2 are glitter paper. I decide to keep this fairly simple to show off the gorgeous papers.

I was very excited to find this new challenge, Teddy Stampers as I love teddies, (thanks Pinky). Their first challenge is new beginnings. The fab sketch is from Papertake and the challenge is texture at Crafty Creations.

Sugar Bowl 26

SECOND POST FOR TODAY
Well I managed to get another card made with one of the images I coloured last night. I'm definitely not quite with it, my typing is awful, have to keep correcting it, and I just tried to enter my card into the challenge before I had posted it!

This is sketch 26 at the Sugar Bowl with the added challenge of new. I used one of my new SN stamps which I won just before Christmas. It's her first outing and she is just perfect for a Winter Birthday. Papers are DCWV and Clare Curd. I'm really enjoying trying out different colour schemes.

That's all from me today. I'm off for a lie down now.

Valentine

I cam down with a virus Sunday evening so am off work at the moment. Yesterday I felt so awful I couldn't even gather together the strength to make a card. I managed to colour a few images last night and am feeling a bit better today. I have a really sore throat and just feel worn out.

This is quite a bright card for me but when I saw the colour challenge of red and aqua at Whiff of Joy I thought I should give it a try. The fab sketch, which I rotated is from Secret Crafter. I added Shimmerz to her wings and she is coloured with Promarkers with a touch of Sakura gold pen. The aqua paper is Clare Curd, the red was a freebie from a mag. The fabric heart has been in my stash for so long I have no idea where I bought them and the flat backed pearl hearts are from Quixotic. I couldn't find the right coloured card for the backing of the image and text so used white and coloured it with a cool aqua Promarker.

A hat for Ascot

The weather today is awful. One minute it is raining, then it is snowing so everywhere is looking very messy. A quick post before we go out. I'd love to spend the day indoors but we have tickets for the Theatre.

A friend asked me to make a Birthday card for a friend of hers with whom she is planning to go to Ascot this year, where hats are of course the order of the day. I used one of my Debbi Moore vintage images and stamped it 3 times, once onto card and then onto 2 different colour papers, which I then paperpeiced and decoupaged. I wanted to keep the look very elegant. I sued lots of Prima flowers, flat backed pearls and lovely silver card candy from Craftwork cards.
Challenges
Friday Sketchers Sketch
Crafty Creations Black and white plus one other colour
Craftwork Cards Card candy
Magical Crafts Vintage

The kiss

I'm so pleased with the way this card turned out.It This digi image from Sassy Studios has to be one of the most difficult I have ever coloured. Some of the parts are so small, particularly where the couple meet at the top that the colouring was a challenge in itself. I showed the finished card to my husband, who though he appreciates my cards, usually says that's nice, very good or something like that. However he said this one was beautiful, so that's praise indeed. Photos of tall cards don't show all the details so well so please click on the image for a larger version.

I've just recently fallen in love with spacers and charms and bought some new ones from Hobby House, which I've used here.

Challenges
Lily Boo Too Valentine or any love theme
Moving along with the times Sketch and love theme
A Spoon full of sugar Hearts
Creative Inspirations Anniversary
Paperplay Precious metals

Let me be your Teddy Bear

Coco and flowers is the name of this cute bear from Digistamp Boutique. As there are 2 challenges this week for hot chocolate, either an image or the colour scheme of hot chocolate and marshmallows I decided to go with the colour scheme. Not colours I use together enough so that's another resolution being satisfied. Have you noticed there hasn't been a single purple card this week? Flowers are all Prima and I found the teddy bear button in my stash.
Challenges
Truly Scrumptious Scrumptious sketch this week, thanks
Cupcake Baby
ABC L is for layering
Quixotic Hot chocolate
Simon Says Hot chocolate
Charisma Pink, brown, cream, toffee
Cute card Thursday New (baby)
Polkadoodle Song title (Let me be your Teddy Bear - Elvis Presley)
One Stop Craft Something beginning with B (Bear)

Have a good weekend everyone and hope you keep warm and safe in this snowy weather.

Washing day

Well no-one is hanging their washing out in this weather that's for sure. I hope you are all keeping warm. I was all wrapped up this morning and opened the front door to be greeted with a heavy snow shower. Luckily I had brought some work home on a data stick just in case so I unwrapped myself again and stayed home in the warm.

The sketch I have used is from Stamp with fun. I cut out the Greeting Farm image and mounted her onto card embossed with the Cuttlebug bubbles embossing folder to give the idea of washing powder bubbles. I bought the Happy Birthday ribbon a couple of years ago at a show and hardly use it. The corners were bought at Lakeland when they used to stock craft supplies and must be about 3 years old, so I'm keeping up my New Year's resolution to use neglected stash. The card is also for the challenge of Anything Goes at Anyone for Anya.