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Wednesday 30 May 2012

Dude Time Doodles May New Release Blog Hop

Hi Folks
It's the last Wednesday of the month which means it time for us to showcase the new releases from Dude Time Doodles.

For my creation I have used the very dashing Sagremor the Foolhardy.


As soon as I saw him I thought he could do with a nice shiny suit of armour.  But once he was coloured in I just couldn't help myself and out came the glamour dust. So Sagremor ended up with a very glittery suit of armour lol.  I did the wording with some stick on letters that were in my stash.  A bit of card candy and some glittery swirls finished the card.  I think he looks rather dashing in his glitter suit.


You should have hopped over here from the lovely Ruth's blog.  However, if you didn't  then no worries.  This is a circular hop so just go round until you have visited all of the dude/dudettes.  Don't forget to leave us all some love as one of us is the Mystery Host.  A winner will be chosen from all the comments left with the mystery host.  Your next stop on the blog hop is Kevin.


I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Hooked On Craft - All that glitters
Digital Tuesday - Just for laughs

Thanks for joining in the blog hop.

Sunday 27 May 2012

Dream Valley Challenges

Back again for my second post of the day.
Today sees the start of a new fortnightly challenges over at Dream Valley Challenges.
We are lucky to have two great sponsors for this challenge.
Bugaboo Stamps who have generously offered one lucky winner a $21 gift certificate and
Crafty Emma's Store who have generously offered one lucky winner a £10 gift voucher.

The theme for this challenge is "HUMOUR".  A nice fun challenge for you all.  Just show us your crafty creations involving a bit of humour.  The design team were able to use some images from Bugaboo stamps and boy do they have some fun images to choose from.  The design team have come up with some fantastic creations.  Why not pop over and have a look.


This is such a great image and I just love it.  I printed out the image and then die cut it out using my Big Shot.  I then coloured with promarkers and slightly inked the edges.  All the backing papers used are from Papermania.  The panels are covered in lots of little multicoloured stars.  I added some ribbon to the bottom and top panels and some lovely green gems.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Passion for promarkers - Birthdays
Sweet Stamps - Anything goes
I Love Promarkers - Use die cuts
Sweet Stampin - Moon and/or stars (backing paper has stars)

Thanks for popping by and looking forward to seeing your humorous creations over at Dream Valley.
Take care.

Corrosive Challenges

Hi Folks
Hope you are all enjoying this glorious weather here in the UK.
Just come back from a lovely few days visit with my daughter in Manchester.  Couldn't resist doing a bit of girly shopping while I was there and of course, sipping Pimms in a pub beer garden just had to be done lol.
I didn't really get chance to look at the computer and am a bit behind with my commenting.  My apologies for not visiting you all but will try and catch up over the next few days.

Today sees the start of a new challenge over at Corrosive Challenges.  This is the last challenge for the month of May with our sponsor Tickled Pink stamps.
This fortnight our challenge theme is "Not Too Shabby".  We would like to see all your vintage/shabby chic creations.  The design team have come up with some gorgeous projects for inspiration if you want to pop over.


It is my future son-in-law's birthday next week so thought I had better get on and get his cards made.  This is a vintage topper from Kanban and was just perfect for his card.  I used some coredinations and some papers from Papermania.  I used my distress tool to distress all the edges.  The little cogs are some peel offs that I have had for ages.  For the sentiment (from Craftwork Cards) I cut out one of the largest cogs and mounted my sentiment onto it.  The topper and the sentiment were put on using foam pads to give some dimension to the card.  A ribbon and some buttons were the finishing touches.

Looking forward to seeing all your creations.  If you think that shabby chic or vintage is not your style why not give it a go, you may be pleasantly surprised.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Creative Card Crew - Dimension
Whimsy Stamps - Vintage/Shabby chic
Creative Inspirations - Anything goes
Crafty Catz - Card for a man
Aud Sentiments - Any sentiment
One Stop - For the boys
Allsorts - Happy Birthday to someone special
Robyns Fetish - Birthday with sentiment on front
Joanna Sheen - Remember when
Here Come The Boys - Anything goes

Thanks for popping by.
Take care.

Thursday 24 May 2012

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenges

Hi Folks
Well, isn't the weather in the UK gorgeous at the moment.  Let's hope it carries on for some time.
I am off to my Daughter's in Manchester later for the weekend.  Hopefully I will get a chance to do a bit of blog hopping while I am there and catch up on some of my commenting.  Although if the weather is like this I think we may be out quite a lot lol.
Anyway, I am a bit late posting this but a new fortnightly challenge has started over at Penny's Paper-Crafty challenges.  We have three fab sponsors for this challenge so lots of prizes to be won.

Stitchy Bear Stamps - with a $10 voucher for one winner
Digi My World - with a $10 voucher for one winner
Eye Candie Creations - with 4 digis of your choice for one winner

Now our challenge this fortnight is a nice and easy one:

ANYTHING GOES

Here is what I created using an image from Eye Candie Creations - Graduation Owl


Decided to keep it quite simple and think this could suit either male or female. What do you think?
The image is coloured in promarkers.  The backing papers were some that I have had for months. Knew they would come in handy at some point.  Added a bit of ribbon and some little gem stars to finish.

Why not pop over to Penny's and check out the awesome creations from the rest of the design team.  Looking forward to seeing all your creations and don't forget the theme is Anything Goes - easy peasy.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Sketch and Stamp - use sketch
Pile It On - Patterns (mix your scales)
Sassy Studio - Hats off to you
Moving Along With The Times - Celebrate but no birthday
Charisma Cardz - No flowers allowed

Thanks for popping by.
Take care.

Monday 21 May 2012

Welcome Little One

Evening Folks
Hope you are all well.  Can't believe I haven't posted anything on my blog since Thursday.  I have been doing a fair bit of crafting but most of it is DT work which I can't show you at the moment.  As I am going on holiday in a month I need to get ahead and plan my DT projects while I am away.
I have been trying to get round to you all and comment but time keeps slipping away from me.  I am also away this weekend from Thursday to Sunday helping my daughter move.  I am taking my computer with me so hopefully will get a bit of time there to catch up on my blog hopping a bit.
Now onto today's card share.  This is a new baby card that I have been asked to make.


I used a little pram die that I picked up recently.  So cute.  This was die cut out of pink card, mounted onto a piece of white card that was embossed and then mounted onto kraft card that was also die cut using one of my spellbinders dies.  I decided to use kraft card as it just goes so well with pink.  The papers were all from my scraps box.  The finishing touches were a sentiment, a crochet flower, feathers, ribbon, bows, butterflies, gems, pearls and the pom pom trim.  I also found some cute litte heart buttons in my button box.  Obviously, the card is for a little girl lol.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Sketch Saturday - use sketch
Bunny Zoes - Anything goes
Divas By Design - We are tickled pink
Little Miss Muffet - Anything goes
Fussy and Fancy - New Baby
Allsorts - Buttons and Bows
Robyns Fetish - Anything goes
One Stitch At A Time - Anything goes
Paper Sundaes - Pretty in pink
Hotshot - Die Cuts

Thanks for popping by and for all your wonderful comments.  I love reading them all and so appreciate your support and encouragement.
Take care.

Thursday 17 May 2012

Clean and Simple Birthday

Evening Folks
Hope everyone is well.  Thank goodness it is Friday tomorrow.  Been a busy week at work with some long days involved so need the weekend.
Had a fab surprise today though.  I had resigned myself to the fact that we would probably not get a holiday this year due to our youngest daughter being at university.  But got home from work today and hubby has booked us a holiday.  We are going on a Baltic cruise on June 20th for 2 weeks.  How fab is that?  We will be going to Sweden, Finland, Belgium, Russia, Norway and some others that I can't remember.  Never been to any of the countries we will be stopping off at so it will be a real adventure.  And the best part is I only have to wait 33 days before we go.
Of course, it will mean a lot of crafting to be fitted in before I go.  Have several birthdays in June and my DT work to plan for.  But hey, any excuse to get some extra crafting done.
Anyhow, enough about my holiday as I don't want to make you all jealous lol.

I have another male card to show you tonight.  You will be seeing several male cards from me over the next few weeks as lots of male birthdays in June and July.


This card is for my eldest daughter's fiance.  Decided to try and keep it quite simple focusing on the image and using minimal embellishments.  The image is a Kanban stamp from one of their nostalgia sets.  It has lots of lovely male images.  I simply inked the image using distress ink and left it at that.  No colouring in or extra shading as I didn't think it needed it.  This was then cut out using a die and matted onto brown coredinations.  The only other colour I used was blue coredinations cardstock.  The white panel was embossed to add some texture.  I added some pieces of ribbon to each of the corners, a sentiment and some card candy.
I quite like the way it turned out but would love to hear what you think.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Ladybug Crafts Ink - Anything but Square
Top Tip Tuesday - Clean and simple
Pile It On - Clean and simple
Kaboodle Doodles - Clean and simple
Scrapbook Sisters - Two colours
Simon Says - Clean and simple
Moving Along With The Times - Keep it real
Delightful Challenges - Add ribbon

Take card and speak to you all again soon.

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Dude Time Doodles Happy Birthday

Morning Folks
This is a scheduled post so hope it works okay.  Not had much luck with scheduling in the past lol.
Today is the start of a new weekly challenge over at Dude Time Doodles.  The theme for this weeks challenge is:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY

and the lucky winner will receive 3 free images from the Dude Time Doodles store.  The winner will have a difficult job deciding as there are so many fab images to choose from.


I used this fab image called Hot Tub Harry.  Coloured him in using pencils as I wanted quite a sketchy look to the colouring.  I also kept the embellishments quite minimal as it is designed as a male card.
Hope you will pop over to the challenge blog and check out the awesome work of the design team.  Looking forward to seeing all your creations.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Cards For Men - Kicking back
Allsorts - Card for a man or boy
Little Claires - Male
LEJ Designs - Lots of layers
Crafty Creations - Male Birthday
Stamp N Doodle - Masculine

Thanks for popping by.

Monday 14 May 2012

Happy 5th Birthday

Evening Folks
Hope you are all well.  Well, it was the start of a new working week today and I'm already hoping that Friday will come round quickly.  Got a couple of staff on my section off this week so things are a bit busy to say the least.  Doesn't help when I have to spend an hour attending a training session that was totally unnecessary.  But if the boss says I have to go then I have to go!!!
Anyways, managed to get in my crafty space for a little while when I got home and came up with this little creation.  My daughter asked me if I could make a card for one of her friends daughters who will be 5 years old in the next few weeks.


I recently won a free image from Pixie Dust Studio in one of their challenges.  I chose this little cutie called Pixie Pearl and she was just perfect for this card.  She is coloured in promarkers and lots of glamour dust added to her wings.  I also gave her sparkly shoes.  The backing paper has been in my paper box for months and was a freebie with a magazine.  The pink panel at the side has been embossed using a fairly new folder I have.  It is from Papermania and has lots of little buttons all over it.  For the number 5 I used a chipboard that I had.  It was coloured in promarkers and I then sanded it to give it an aged look.  The flowers are some felt ones that I have had in my stash for months and I topped them with some lovely pink buttons.  Final finishing touches were some of my die cut butterflies, a sentiment, some bow, pearls and a little chipboard butterfly.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Digital Tuesday - Ribbon and buttons
Papertake - Cute, cute, cute
Sketch and Stash - use sketch and new/neglected stash (digi is new, most of the rest is from my stash)
Digi Doodle - Bingo Board (buttons, ribbon, flowers)
Card Makin Mamas - Flowers
Paperplay - Chipboard
Catch the Bug - Things with wings
Totally Gorjuss - Pink and green
Charisma Cardz - Pink n girlie
Fab N Funky - Buttons and Bows

Thanks for popping by and for all the lovely comments you leave me.  I do read every single one and appreciate your support and encouragement.
Take care.

Sunday 13 May 2012

Corrosive Challenges

Hi Folks
Back again for my second post today.
It's the start of a new challenge over at Corrosive Challenges.  Our theme this fortnight is:
Flowers and Doilies and Bling - Oh My
What we would like to see is at least two of the items appear on your creations.
Our sponsor for the month of May is Tickled Pink Stamps who have generously offered our winner 2 digi stamps of their choice.


Here is what I created using flowers and bling:


I got to play with an image from Tickled Pink Stamps and boy is she cute.  Used papers from Papermania and added lots of blingy bits and some flowers.  

So what are you waiting for?  Hope you will pop over to Corrosive Challenges and check out the gorgeous work from the rest of the design team.  Why not drag out those flowers, doilies and bling and enter the challenge.  Looking forward to seeing all your entries.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
The Stamping Boutique - Bling
Simon Says - Sweet Tooth
Cute Card Thursday - Food or Drink
Simply Create Too - Mothers Day or Feminine
CES Challenges - Anything goes
Truly Scrumptious - Anything goes
Secret Crafter Saturday - I love you Mom

Thanks for popping by.

CASE It with Dream Valley

Hi Folks
Hope you are having a good weekend.  The weather has certainly been much nicer to us this weekend, lots of sunshine to cheer things up a bit.
Went out with some friends last night to watch a band at our local pub.  Turned out to be quite a late night with the lager and vodka flowing freely.  Must admit I am feeling a bit delicate today.  Hopefully the Sunday roast that hubby is cooking will sort me out.

Today sees the start of a new challenge over at Dream Valley challenges.  This fortnights challenge is a little harder than the last few weeks.

CASE THE DESIGN TEAM

All of the design team have made something for this challenge.  All you need to do is check out the design team creations, pick one of them and then "copy" in your own style.  You can choose to copy the layout, colours, theme etc.
All we ask is that you SPECIFY who you have CASED.

We have two fabulous sponsors this time around.



Prize - £10.00 voucher for their store



Prize - the new Bev bag selection

Here is what I have created for this challenge.


I stamped and embossed this gorgeous stamp which is from Personal Impressions.  The background for the stamp was done using distress inks.  This was then matted onto black cardstock and mirror card.  The backing papers were from my scraps box and they were again matted onto black card and mirror card.  Some ribbon, gems, pearls, sentiments and little butterflies finished the card.

So why not give the challenge a go?  Just pop over to Dream Valley, check out the rest of the DT creations and choose one to CASE.  You have two weeks to enter the challenge and good luck.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Joanna Sheen - Happy Birthday
Crafty Catz - Happy Birthday
Papertake - In the garden
Sentimental Sundays - (B)irthday
Bunny Zoe's - Anything goes

Take care and thanks for popping by.



Friday 11 May 2012

One for the boys

Evening Folks
Hope you are all well.  Woo hoo, it's Friday.  Let's hope we get a bit of decent weather over the weekend.  Not got anything planned at all for this weekend.  I just need a nice restful weekend with no running around.

Here is my card share for today and it's one for the boys.


I bought this stamp set a few days ago from my local craft store and was itching to ink it up.  The stamp set is from Kanban and contains several stamps (the main image, corner compass, little birds, anchor and large bird). I used distress ink to stamp the image.  I then coloured it using distress inks.  I wanted it to appear quite aged and sketchy looking.  I used my dies to cut out the image and matted it onto kraft card.  Although not clear in the photo I used a blue glitter pen around the edge of the kraft circle, on the flourish and also on the waves in the sea.  The background paper was from my scraps box and I stamped the corner compass stamp in each corner.  Finished the card off with some buttons, ribbons, bows, gems and sentiments.  The little anchor was also a stamp from the set. I stamped it with silver ink and embossed it and then cut it out.  All in all I was quite pleased with how this turned out.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Robyns Fetish - Buttons, blue and bow too
Great Impressions - Anything goes
Divas By Design - One for the boys
Whimsy Stamps - Make it Pop (central image mounted using foam pads)
Moving Along With The Times - Nautical
Delightful Challenges - Distressing (image coloured in distress inks and the edges distressed with distress ink)
Aud Sentiments - Dad, Daddy, Papa
Pixie Dust Studio - For the boys
Totally Papercrafts - No pesky girls allowed

Thanks for popping by and would love to know what you think.  I really enjoy reading all your comments.  Hope you all have a good weekend.
Take care

Wednesday 9 May 2012

I Love You Mom and DT Call

Hi Folks
Today sees the start of a new challenge over at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenges.
Our challenge for this fortnight is 'I Love You Mom' in honour of Mothers Day on May 13th in the USA.
We have lucky to have three fab sponsors this month: Bugaboo StampsStamping Boutique and Eye Candie Creations who are all generously offering some free digi images to our winners.

We are also having a DT call.  So if you fancy joining a fab team then just add DT to your name when you enter the challenge. Alternatively pop over to Penny's and check out the email for our DT coordinator, Julie.

I was able to use a lovely image from Eye Candie Creations for my card:


The image was simply coloured with promarkers and I added some faux stitching around the edge.  This was then matted onto coredinations and then onto a doily.  The papers were free in a magazine some time ago. The finishing touches were the filigree metal corner, flowers, ribbon, sentiment and the lovely white letters.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:
Pan Pastel - Anything goes
One Stitch At A Time - Use a digi/Mothers Day
Paper Sundaes - Mothers Day
Sentimental Sundays - For a special woman
One Stop - Celebrations
Kaboodle Doodles - Honouring Mothers
Crafty Sentiments - Mothers Day
Celebrate the Occasion - Mothers Day
Stamp N Doodle - Mothers Day
Crafty Creations - Frame it

Thanks for popping by and looking forward to seeing all your crafty creations.  Why not enter the DT call?
Take care


Dude Time Doodles is back

Hi Folks
Hope you are all well.  Are you sitting comfortably as I have a bit of exciting news to share with you today.

Some of my regular followers may remember that back in February I was a guest designer for the month over at Dude Time Doodles.  I loved being a guest there and I really enjoyed the challenge of creating male themed cards.  Well, I got an email a few days ago from the lovely Tammy asking me if I would like to join the team as a full time Dudette.  I was certainly flattered and delighted that they wanted me to join the team and I immediately accepted.

Today is the first challenge for me as a full member of the team and it is our Freebie challenge.  Basically, you pop over to Dude Time Doodles, pick up the freebie image and submit your creation using that image.

The freebie this month is Mo Stooge and here is what I created using the freebie image:


Such a fun image simply coloured using promarkers.  The papers are from Wild Rose Studio and matted onto blue coredinations.  I printed the sentiment on my computer and decided to cut it up into individual words to add a bit of interest.  Some ribbon, buttons and card candy finished the look.

So what are you waiting for, head on over to Dude Time Doodles, pick up the freebie image and get creating.  You could be our next guest designer.  You have a week to submit your entries and I am so looking forward to seeing them all.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Secret Crafter Saturday - use sketch

Thanks for popping by.
Take care

Monday 7 May 2012

Blue for a Special Lady

Evening Folks
Hope you are all well and have had a good weekend.  My daughter has been home from university so a lovely family weekend.  She was going to go back to Manchester tomorrow but East Midlands trains are on strike with a restricted service tomorrow.  Luckily they were allowing advance ticket holders to use their tickets today if they wanted.  Which is just as well as it would have meant a very long journey home tomorrow using numerous trains and buses.
I go back to work tomorrow after 12 days off.  Can't say I am looking forward to it but all good things must come to an end eventually.
I managed to get in my crafty room this evening after my daughter had gone home.  I knew what I wanted to do but it took me ages to get going tonight.  There are a couple of challenges at the moment for monochromatic cards and I do quite enjoy doing these.  I also wanted to enter the challenge at Pollycraft which is to make a matching card and tag.  I very rarely make tags but would like to get into making these.
So this is my monochromatic blue card and tag.


This is a closer view of the card:


I used a LOTV image which I just love.  I stamped it with distress ink and decided to not colour the image at all.  I simply added some glamour dust to the wings.  I die cut the image and added some faded jeans distress ink.  The papers are from Papermania.  All the edges of the backing papers were distressed using a distress tool and then inked with faded jeans distress ink.  The largest butterfly is a punch that I have.  I added a doily to the back of the image, some flowers, die cut flourishes, ribbon, sentiment and pearls to finish the look.

Here is a closer view of the tag.


I kept the tag quite simply.  I used the darker of the two backing papers.  Added a flower, butterfly and flourish to mirror what is on the card.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Truly Scrumptious - Distressing and die cuts/punches
Cutie Pie - Monochromatic
Anything goes - Things with wings
Divas By Design - Monochromatic
Paperplay - Use stamps with pins and pearls
Crafty Catz - Image must have a flower
Fussy and Fancy - Butterflies, ribbons and punches
Pile It On - Fairy tales, fantasy and daydreams
Pollycraft - Matching card and tag
Love to Create - For Mom/Special Lady
One Stop - Celebrations

Thanks for popping by and hope to see you again soon.  Must go now and try and get some commenting done before bedtime.
Take care

Saturday 5 May 2012

Bling It Up

Hi Folks
Today sees the start of a new challenge over at Let's Ink It Up.  Our theme this month is to use your BLING.
This month we have another fab sponsor:

WHIMSY STAMPS


The prize that has been generously given is a $15 gift certificate to their store.  


I decided to try and keep my card quite simple as I love this stamp and didn't feel it needed too much by way of embellishments.  The stamp is from Woodware and was one of my purchases from Ally Pally.  I stamped and embossed the image and then used distress ink to provide the colour.  I then used some glitter to add some sparkle to some of the flowers.  This was then matted onto white and black card. The background paper is from Papermania.  Just added some black ribbon, pearls, gems, butterflies and a sentiment.

You have until the 28th May to submit your project.  Don't forget that this is a stamping challenge and digi images are not allowed.  Looking forward to seeing all your creations and hope you will pop over to LIIU and check out the rest of the work from the DT.  Gorgeous.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Scrapbook Sisters - Gems and glitter
Crazy 4 Challenges - Gardening or Great Outdoors
Catch the Bug - Anything goes

Thanks for popping by and take care.

Friday 4 May 2012

Lily of the Valley Cuteness

Hi Folks
Hope you are all well.  I am enjoying my 12 days off work but can't believe how quickly it is flying by.  Can't believe I will be back to work on Tuesday.  But before then I have my lovely daughter coming down from university for the weekend.  So a nice family weekend to look forward to.
I am currently working on some DT cards (trying to get ahead for a change) but I did manage to get this one done last night.  This will be making its way into my stash box as have quite a few birthdays coming up in the middle of the year.


This is a lovely Lily of the Valley image that I picked up when I went to Ally Pally.  I have been itching to ink it up and finally managed it.  I used promarkers to colour it up and added some glamour dust to the bow at the top. The papers are all from Papermania capsule collection and I used coredinations for the matting and layering.  All the edges have been distressed and a light touch of antique linen distress ink added.  For my embellishments I have used some flowers from my stash, buttons for the flower centres, pearls, ribbon and bow and a sentiment.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Stampin for the Weekend - Layers
Pixie Dust Studio - Flowers
Sketch and Stash - use sketch and new/neglected stash (new-image, papers, neglected-flowers)
Digi Doodle - Anything goes
Little Darlings - Flowers
Joanna Sheen - Flower Power
Forever Friends - Flowers
Hooked on Craft - Flowers
Love to Create - Flowers and buttons
Papertake - Anything goes
Crafty Sentiments - Spots or Stripes
Just Traceys - Anything goes
Kaboodle Doodles - Add some dimension
Whimsy Stamps - Spots and Dots
Lilis Little Fairies - Anything goes

Thanks for popping by and welcome to my new followers.  I am delighted to have you on board.
Take care.

Wednesday 2 May 2012

Funky Hand DT Call

Morning Folks
Funky Hand are having a DT call here.  I have been pondering for a few days whether to apply and finally decided why not.  Have to be quick though as the call ends today.  Trust me to be last minute.
Part of the application process is to post a couple of projects that you are really pleased with.  So here are my choices.


This card was made for my mother-in-law and I just love the softness of the colours and how it turned out.


Really like the monochromatic look of this one and the layout.


This final card was for my husband on his last birthday.

Well, that's my choices.  But there are so many more that I could have included.
Wish my luck.  Off to send an email now.