Passion For Promarkers - sporting marvels

Another quick scheduled post from me, but we'll be back some time today so I'll be able to catch up with you all later :o)

Our challenge at Passion For Promarkers this week is 'sporting marvels', so anything to do with sport is fine.  We're sponsored by Sugar Nellie and there's a fab prize of some gorgeous stamps for the lucky winner.

I've used a fab new image Ben and Football from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  The papers are Pink Petticoat, printed onto linen card with red card from Papermill Direct.  Added some twine and a Craftwork Cards sentiment tag and that's about it!

See you all soon :o)

Stamp Something - say something!

A quick scheduled post for today, as hopefully we're having fun in Devon at the mo...

This week at Stamp Something our challenge is to 'say something', and we're sponsored by Simon Says Stamp so there'll be a great prize for the lucky winner :o) I thought this challenge would be a good chance to make a male card so that's what I did...

I've used one of my fave sentiment stamps from Penny Black, stamped in Rich Cocoa memento ink.  Papers are First Edition, with dark brown cardstock from Papermill Direct.  Green buttons are from my (slightly excessive) button stash.  Very simple card, but good for those awkward males with no hobbies and who don't do 'cute'!

I followed the sketch at The Sweet Stop, but I probably won't get chance to link it up.

Hope all my blog friends are well and thanks for any comments you leave - I'll catch up with you when we get back some time on Tuesday :o)

Less is More wk16 - butterflies

My last post before we go on holiday - we're off to Devon tomorrow morning :o) I had to find time to squeeze in a card for Less is More though! This week's challenge is 'butterflies' - another one of those 'should be easy but the mind goes blank' challenges...

I've followed the sketch at Clean & Simple and added some pearls and Sakura clear stardust pen (on the sentiment butterfly) so that I could also enter my card for the 'bling' challenge at CAS-ual Fridays.

I've used yellow core'dinations card, with a leftover scrap of K&Co paper. Sentiment is from Elzybells, butterfly and border cut using MS punches, ribbon and pearls from my stash.

Apologies for the slightly rushed post! Lots to get done before we go.  I'll be back next Tuesday and there'll be a couple of scheduled posts while I'm away.  Ooh I almost forgot - I had all my hair cut off yesterday! I went from long to a short bob with a fringe, and it looks so much better... had Dex's hair trimmed too but not much, he's still my little surfer dude lol :o)

Passion For Promarkers - all the twos

A while ago I had a lovely email asking if I'd like to join the team at Passion For Promarkers - I was thrilled and a bit gobsmacked! I don't tend to think of myself as being that great at colouring... I still look at other people's work and wish I could colour as well as them.  So it was a huge confidence boost to be asked, and of course I said yes!

This week is my very first as part of the DT - and what a week to join, as we'll be celebrating Passion For Promarkers' 2nd Anniversary.  There are so many amazing prizes!  Our sponsors include Letraset, Whiff of Joy, Some Odd Girl, The Emerald Faerie, Bearly Mine Designs, Pink Gem Designs, Crafty Emma's Store and Joanna Sheen.  As it's a 2nd Anniversary celebration, our challenge is 'all the twos' so you just need to use two of something - nice and easy :o)  Here's my card...

I've used two Gorjuss Girl stamps, coloured with promarkers (obviously!) with koh-i-noor pencils for some shadow.  The papers are from one of my favourite pads by Making Memories, with 2 different shades of pink Papermill cardstock.  Flower cut with a MFT die, ribbon and pearl from my stash, and the sentiment is Penny Black.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• The Sugar Bowl - fab sketch
• Fussy & Fancy - 3 papers, 2 embellishments, 1 ribbon
• Charisma Cardz - birthdays in pink
• Delightful Challenges - masking
• Crafty Creations - flower, patterned paper, ribbon

I'll be off out this morning as hubby's off work this week and he wants to get a couple of things we need for our holiday - we're going away on Thursday to Devon for a 5 night break, can't wait :o)  And when we've done shopping we thought we might as well go for a cooked breakfast he he... will be around to visit you all soon though.

Little Miss Bossy...

We've been to the cinema today, just me and Pav, for the first time in 3.5yrs!  We saw Pirates of the Caribbean, just because Pav wanted to see a 3d film lol... really enjoyed it, apart from it being FREEZING in the cinema.  It's been a nice change being able to do something together, one benefit of Dex starting nursery :o)  So today's card is a fairly quick one...

I started off following a sketch, but as usual for me I've veered so far away from it I think the only thing I kept the same was the oval!

I've used another neglected Gorjuss Girl stamp, coloured with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  Papers are Dovecraft 'back to basics' with dark purple core'dinations cardstock.  Flowers were cut with an MFT die, pearls from my stash, and the sentiment is from Elzybells (which has now closed).

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Crazy 4 Challenges - humour
• Crafty Catz - anything goes

Back tomorrow with some exciting news... well, exciting for me anyway :o)

Pink & cute for a christening

I had an order for a Christening card but for something more 'cute & pink' rather than traditional.  I wasn't sure what to use at first, and then I remembered this little LOTV cutie and thought it might be ok...

And a matching box... can you see the little notch cut out of the side?  I did that with the Stampin' Up 'word window' punch, love that punch :o)

Card and box together...

I've coloured the image with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  Papers are K&Co, with core'dinations cardstock.  Swirly corners cut with a sizzix die, border cut with MS punch.  Flowers are a mix of Wild Orchid and some smaller ones from my stash, sprayed with a bit of 'spray & sparkle', ribbon & pearls from stash.  Lettering on the box was cut on the Cricut.

Not sure about the flowers - are they a bit much?  I'm not used to using so many roses, but I thought seen as I'd been asked for a boxed card I might as well use some big flowers.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• CES Challenges - embellish it
• Sweet Stampin - sketch (+ optional 'in the garden' theme... really wanted to use the sketch for this one though, hope that's ok!)
• Totally Papercrafts - don't be square
• Lili of the Valley - here comes summer
• Paper Sundaes - pop it up
• Catch The Bug - grads, dads & other celebrations

Stamp Something - beachy colours & candy winner

Thanks to everyone who joined in with the Stamp Something anniversary blog hop last week, we had LOADS of entries :o)  Before I get onto this week's challenge I need to announce my winner, and that is...

No.81 - Kimmi

Congratulations Kimmi!  If you send me an email and let me know the 6 images you'd like from Digistamp Boutique, I'll arrange for them to be sent to you.

Our challenge at Stamp Something for this week is 'beachy colours' - yellows, blues, neutrals... whatever makes you think of the beach.  We're sponsored by Sugar Nellie and they're offering a fabulous prize of 4 stamps for the lucky winner!  Here's my card...

This is the naughty little gorjuss girl who went missing in my craft room... well actually it's not - this is the replacement for the naughty stamp, because I couldn't find it and ended up buying it again lol!

I've coloured her with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  The papers are MME 'ooh la la for him' with cardstock from Papermill Direct.  Flowers cut with my MFT die, scallop border cut with a Tim Holtz die.  The sentiment is from a Pink Gem Designs set, pearls are from my stash.  I should use more yellow, it makes me happy :o)

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Create 4 Fun - sketch
• Pear Tree Designs - stamped images (2nd entry)
• Papertake Weekly - bloom & grow
• Creative Card Crew - cute & girly
• Paper Sundaes - birthday
• Catch The Bug - polka dots & stripes

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Special offer at Little Claire

Just a quick post to let you know that Little Claire are having a quick sale on the Spikey Flower Set.  Until tomorrow at 4pm this set will be available for the bargain price of £3.50 :o)  Here's a very simple card I've made  with one of the stamps from the set...

I've just stamped with clear Versa Mark and then brushed cosmic shimmers over - very shimmery but as usual the camera doesn't really pick it up!  Super simple card but there are some gorgeous examples from the rest of the DT - just click on the gallery link on the Little Claire site.

Inky peacock

I think I'm having some sort of crafter's crisis... I don't seem to be able to stick to one style - I'm all over the place at the moment!  An inky creation today...

This stamp is really not 'me' but I just couldn't resist it, I think it's beautiful.  It's actually stamped in black onto a green/ blue inky cosmic shimmery background... the peacock is all shimmery in blues and greens but the photo isn't showing it up, grrr!  The green embossed panel is core'dinations, with a bit of light sanding and inking, and it was then sprayed with 'spray & sparkle' - again this isn't showing up in the pic.  Penny Black sentiment, pearls from stash.

A question for all the inky people out there - how do you get all the ink off your hands?!  I had bright green hands for hours after I made this... they're still quite green now, after LOTS of washing.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• A Spoon Full of Sugar - anything goes
• Simon Says - sparkle & shine (it's there, honest!)
• Crafts & Me - anything goes (optional Kraft)
• Truly Scrumptious - anything goes
• Pear Tree Designs - stamped images

Less is More wk 15 - one layer card, embossing

This week's challenge at Less is More is embossing, which I thought was going to be easy until I realised it was also 'one layer card' week.  Hmm... what to do!

In my case, you make a big mess of it lol!  I haven't got much time this week, so I couldn't make another one... but I'll be honest and admit now that I've taken the pic I'll be stamping the sentiment again and layering it over my dodgy version.  I stamped the Hero Arts flower stamp with Distress Ink in 'tattered rose' and then clear embossed it, but I forgot that the sentiment wouldn't stamp well over the embossing - oops!  Added a few pearls to some of the flowers - they're the same colour as the sentiment (which was stamped in 'rhubarb' memento), they just don't look it in the pic.  The card blank was made from ivory linen cardstock from Papermill Direct.

Hopefully I'll do better with next week's challenge!

Crafty Cardmakers embossing & some wedding pics!

Oh sooo tired!  I've had a lovely day at mum's wedding - back fairly early because their 'reception' isn't until Saturday evening.  We just had champagne in a local cafe/ bar afterwards... followed by yummy hot chocolate lol :o)

Our challenge at Crafty Cardmakers for this fortnight is 'embossing', any kind.  So I made my mum's wedding card with this in mind... I don't like it though, so I didn't actually give it to her!  I'm going to make another one to give them at their reception instead.  Anyway, here's my card...

And here's a pic of my mum (and Andrew of course!) looking absolutely gorgeous!

And hubby and the boys playing in the fountain...

Morgan's on the left of the pic, Dex is with Pav.  OMG they were SO soaked by the time they'd done!  I skillfully avoided having too many pics taken - I hate having my pic taken and the few that Pav took with our camera are too revolting to share... so I won't!

Right, I'm planning on sitting with my feet up for a while and doing a bit of commenting, see you soon :o)

Distressed and CAS?

 **Please scroll down if you're here for the Stamp Something hop**

I've been getting inky... yes, me... I know!  I was demoing yesterday and the lovely Donna and Julie Atkinson were also demoing.  By the end of the day I was feeling totally inspired by Julie's fabulous distress ink and alcohol ink creations, even though this style is not really 'me'.  So I decided to have a go at making it me, a CAS style inky creation :o)

I know the second pic isn't a good one, but it shows the shimmer off better than the first.

I've used distress inks that I've had for AGES but hardly used - I bought them to have a go at colouring with them but I just don't seem to be able to master any colouring technique that involves water!  I put random splodges of Scattered Straw and Fired Brick on my mat and then sprayed Cosmic Shimmer Spray in Ancient Bronze over them.  Then soaked a piece of card in the resulting mess lol.  When it was dry I stamped another new Hero Arts stamp 'Blooming Meadow' over the top, and then distressed the edges... can't remember which ink I used for that though... something brown!  Used ivory linen card to make the card blank.  Added some baker's twine and a button.

I know it's nothing like as good as all you natural distressy types can create, but I had lots of fun with it and I'll definitely try more of these :o)

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Dream Valley - dig out the old to use with the new (new stamp, old inks & Cosmic Shimmer)
• One Stitch at a Time - anything goes
• Creative Craft - vintage or distressed
• Fab n Funky - buttons & bows
• CAS-ual Fridays - buttons & twine
• Aud Sentiments - no sentiment

I'm going to catch up on loads of commenting now, because I didn't get chance to do any yesterday... and then I really must make my mum's wedding card... seen as she's getting married tomorrow!  

Stamp Something - 3yr celebration blog hop!

Well blogger seems to finally be back... for now anyway!  Shame that some of the posts and comments have disappeared though, hope they can sort that out.  Anyway...

This week at Stamp Something we're having a blog hop to celebrate our 3yr anniversary!  There are fabulous prizes to be won on the Stamp Something blog, and all the DT have great prizes to give away on their blogs too :o)  Our challenge is a nice and easy 'anything goes' so you just need to link up your entry as usual, and then hop along and leave your comments and links on the DT blogs.

My blog prize is sponsored by the wonderful Sally-Ann at Digistamp Boutique who is offering one lucky person 6 images of their choice.  Thank you Sally-Ann xxx

I've used the lovely Bride & Groom image from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with promarkers, with lots of glamour dust added.  The papers are Pink Petticoat, printed onto linen card, with blue cardstock from Papermill Direct.  I made the rolled flowers with my new MFT die, but it's my very first attempt so they're not perfect!  Added some big pearl beads in the centres - a recent ebay purchase.  Pearls hearts and ribbon (white but coloured blue with a promarker) from my stash.  You can't tell, but I've sprayed all the blue card with 'spray & sparkle' so it's all shimmery.  Computer generated sentiment, cut out with a Little Claire die.  I'm not overly happy with this card, but I never am when I make an A5 card.

** If you're doing the hop, you should have arrived here from Ellie's blog and you need to hop to the lovely Lols next ** 

You have until 7pm ET on Thursday 19th May to make and link up your card.  Hopefully I've covered everything, but if not I'll come back and edit lol, I get very confused when there's lots of information to fit in!

Busy busy busy!

Ever feel like you'll just NEVER catch up?!  So many things I need to do this week, I'm just scrabbling around trying to fit it all in.  I'll be glad when we've had mum's wedding on Monday and I can take a deep breath and just sit and do nothing!  As I've nothing else to share I though I'd show the very simple invites I made for mum (a while ago obviously)...

There's not much to them, as mum doesn't want any fuss.  So I wasn't going to bother showing them at all, but here they are lol.  Cardstock is white linen from Papermill Direct, the image is from Pink Petticoat - I've just added sparkle with a sakura clear stardust pen.  Sentiment is computer generated using 'new garden' font downloaded from dafont.

I was a bit miffed this morning because I had a bit of time free to catch up with some commenting... got off to a good start first thing, then blogger went down and didn't come back for a couple of hours!  Typical!  Apologies if I didn't get to visit you, will do some more commenting this evening...

Wildflower Garden

Apologies for the not very interesting card... still really busy so I haven't had chance to make anything else that I can show today.

This is another one of my new stamps (naughty!), a Hero Arts one called Wildflower Garden.  I've stamped it on a scrap of Pink Petticoat gingham, which was printed out on linen cardstock.  The sentiment is Stampin' Up, ribbon and pearls are from my stash.  I probably would have preferred this card on a white base, but I'm determined to use some of the coloured blank cards I've had since I first started cardmaking!  For some reason it seemed like a good idea to buy lots of them, but I never think to use them.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• The Crazy Challenge - anything goes
• Everybody Art - flowers
• Creative Card Crew - May flowers
• Crafty Creations - anything goes
• Penny's Paper Crafty - anything goes

Keeping this brief so I can rush off and leave some comments...

CAS-ual Fridays wk1 - texting skills

I thought I'd play along with the new CAS challenge CAS-ual Fridays where the challenge is 'texting skills'.  Now that I've made my cards I'm not sure if I followed the challenge properly...

I had this new Penny Black stamp that I wanted to use, but now I'm thinking it should have been text paper or something along those lines rather than just a large sentiment.  Oh well, too late now.  These were really quick to make!  I followed the sketch at Clean & Simple and I just LOVE this sketch, I'll definitely use it again.

For the first card I used another new Penny Black stamp for the spotty background, but I hadn't realised quite how big the background stamps would be!  Really I need a huge stamp block to use them properly - the only thing I had big enough was a rock-a-block and it didn't work that well for such a big stamp.  For the second card I used a scrap of spotty paper instead of the stamp.  I prefer the first one though I think :o)

I'm also entering my cards for the following challenges:

• Fab n Funky - no dps (my first card)
• Crafty Catz - quote or sentiment
• Sentimental Sundays - anything goes
• Here Come The Boys - anything goes

Spotlight Challenge - inchies

Our new challenge starts today on the Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight Challenge blog, and for this fortnight we'd like to see you use at least 3 inchies... no I didn't really have a clue but thought I'd have a go!  There are far more fabulous examples from the rest of the DT - I should have had a play about with something more artistic but as usual I've not had enough time!

I've used a stamp from Little Claire called Cat in a Box, which is actually a grid of 9 squares - I've cut 3 of them out to use for my card.  They're coloured with promarkers, with a few pearls added below the sentiment square.  Papers are Dovecraft 'animal antics' with core'dinations cardstock and ribbon from my stash.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Pear Tree Designs - spring
• The Crazy Challenge - anything goes
• Cutie Sunday - butterflies (on the paper)
• Pile It On - funny bone
• The Crafty Pad - spots & dots

Apologies if I haven't managed to get round to your blog yet - I'm doing my best to catch up!  It's a bit busy here with a demo to prepare for and orders to be made, and my mum's wedding next Monday!  Not sure if I've mentioned the wedding before as it all feels a bit strange, but my dad died more than 10yrs ago now and so it shouldn't come as too much of a shock really!  I'm happy for my mum, but feel sad that we're not as close as we were before she met her hubby to be.  Trying not to be a spoilt brat about it though lol, and I made their invites as a gift for them and went shopping with mum for her outfit, so hopefully she doesn't know I'm not totally thrilled!

Less is More wk 14 - white on white

This week at Less is More the challenge is 'white on white', which I didn't think I was going to have too many problems with... you wouldn't believe how long I've spent faffing with my card though, and I'm not at all happy with it!

The photos are a bit rubbish sorry - it is white, not off-white.  I've cut the flowers on the cricut and then embossed them for a bit of texture.  The swirl was cut using a Sizzix die.  Sprayed the flowers and swirl with iridescent 'spray & sparkle' (much to everyone's disgust - hubby and both boys complain about the smell every time I use it!).  Scored some lines on the linen base card with my MS scoreboard, and added a sparkly button from my stash and a sentiment embossed in silver.  I thought it might do as a wedding card, but I don't think I like it enough!

Pink Gem flower

A quick and simple one from me this morning... might be back later with something else if I have time this afternoon.

I was feeling very uninspired so I went through my scraps and found some left over bits of Pink Petticoat papers.  They're all printed on linen card, and the bright pink is from Papermill Direct.  Flower stamp is from Pink Gem Designs, sentiment is Craftwork Cards, button and heart pearl from my stash.  Very simple!

I'm entering my card for the 'white + one colour' challenge at A Spoon Full of Sugar, and also linking up to Jules Crafty Snippets Challenge as it's all made from scraps.

Hubby's working this morning, but he'll be back lunchtime ish and then we're off to Busy Bees to pick up some bits for next week's demo... and knowing me I'll end up with some other stuff that I 'need' too lol.  Hopefully be back later with another make :o)

Stamp Something - digi!

It's our first challenge of the month over at Stamp Something so that means it's our regular digi challenge this week.  So you just need to use something digi - image, papers, anything digi is fine.  We have lots of great sponsors and loads of prizes to be won :o)

I've used a cute image from The Crafty Pad, coloured with promarkers.  The papers are Dovecraft 'back to basics', cardstock is core'dinations.  Used my Tim Holtz die to cut the scalloped border, and the shape behind the sentiment was cut on the Cricut (once upon a princess cartridge) and embossed with the swiss dots folder.  Buttons from stash.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Kaboodle Doodles - 'b' embellishments (buttons obviously)
• Paper Playtime - friends

I'm a bit annoyed with myself today... I seem to have lost a Gorjuss Girl stamp, one of my favourites!  I've searched everywhere I can think of but it's gone.  Wondering if I've managed to put it in the bin by mistake!  I'm calling into Busy Bees tomorrow to sort out some stuff for the demo that's coming up, so if Jean's got it in stock I'll probably end up buying it again lol.

I want to ride my bicycle....

Here's a couple of cards I've made using this month's club stamp set from Little Claire, available here.

My first card is coloured with promarkers, papers are Echo Park 'walk in the park'.  Bicycle sentiment is from the same set, and the circle sentiment is from a set that will be released soon from Little Claire.

And this one is completely different!  The bicycle looks fab just stamped with no colouring... in fact I think I prefer it like this.  A very simple one layer card, with the bicycle stamped in Rich Cocoa memento ink onto pale blue hammer textured card.  The sentiment is also from this month's set.

I'm entering my cards for the following challenges:

• One Layer Wednesday - round & round (2nd card, obviously!)
• I Love Promarkers - song title (1st card - 'I want to ride my bicycle')
• Pile It On - time to travel
• Moving Along With The Times - anything goes

I've had a little mishap with my car... pulled the switch to set the windscreen wash going, and it snapped off!  So my front wipers won't work at all, and my rear wiper won't switch off and is wiping constantly - oops!  Wonder how much that'll cost to sort out...

Olivia & Archie - so cute!

Dex has been at nursery today, but I don't feel like I've done anywhere near as much as I should while he was there... I had the radio on and finally realised this afternoon that I can't concentrate with it on - silence for me tomorrow then!  I'm a bit behind with commenting too, so I need to have a big catch up session tonight.  Here's one of the cards I managed to make...

This is Olivia and Archie, one of the new images from Digistamp Boutique, available as May's offer of the month here.  I've just noticed though, when I went to link up the image, that in the version I've used Olivia doesn't have a bow, and in the one in the shop she does... not sure why!  Anyway, bow or not, they're the cutest little cats ever :o)  I've coloured them with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  The papers are First Edition with core'dinations cardstock, pearls and ribbon are from my stash, flowers cut with my new MFT die.

I can't believe how brave (or possibly how very stupid!) I was, stamping the sentiment directly onto the image AFTER I'd coloured it in... that could have gone very wrong and I'm glad it didn't!

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Cupcake Craft - something beginning with 'c' (cats)
• Pear Tree Designs - free for all
• Papertake Weekly - anything goes (used last week's sketch as I didn't manage to use it before!)
• Dream Valley - flowers
• Birthday Sundaes - anything goes birthday

We had a little breakthrough at nursery today... Dex (officially the fussiest child EVER) ate green beans for the first time!  Ok, so he didn't eat anything else that he was offered, but I'm still ridiculously pleased :o)

Less is More wk13 - thank you or congratulations

A nice easy one again at Less is More :o)  This week it's a lucky dip and the choice is either 'thank you' or 'congratulations'.  It's funny though - I remember the first LiM challenge when I wouldn't have described any of them as easy!  We're all seasoned Limettes now aren't we?

I'm not sure about this one - is it a bit busy maybe?  I think I like it, it's just not turned out quite like the card that was in my head!  My new MFT flower die arrived yesterday so I had to play with it... I've just cut lots of flowers from scraps of core'dinations and then added some bling.  I think the sentiment is Imaginisce (lost the packaging), stamped in Memento but I can't remember the ink colour.  Added a tiny dot of sakura stardust pen on the sentiment's flower.

I followed the sketch at Clean & Simple so I'm also linking my card up there.