Wednesday 30 November 2011

And Another Sugar Bowl Entry

You know, some Sugar Bowl challenges, I never manage to enter at all, much to my disappointment, and others, like this one, I manage to enter twice!  But that's just what life is like, huh!

Anyway,  I have used the gorgeously cute Pip with Presents, coloured with Promarkers.  I LOVE aqua with red just now and I LOVE my First Edition Joy papers too!  I would never think to put orange with aqua and red, but it definitely works!

I've kept it super simple, as the parcel paper is rather busy and I didn't want Pip to disappear under a load of embellies.  I think I've even managed to restrain myself from adding my usual Stardust Stickles or Glamour Dust!!  And the fab sentiment was a freebie from a magazine.

So, I'm off to bask in the glory of managing to blog more this week, then get on with the normal housework chores!!

Tuesday 29 November 2011

Sketch n Stash 75


My goodness me, it's AGES since I played along with Sketch n Stash, but I'm so glad I used this sketch!  It was a fab sketch and helped make a few more male cards for my stall at the brownie fundraiser last week.  I actually like making male cards, but maybe it helps that I like simple layouts / embellishments anyway.

So, I have used some papers, including scraps, from my Basic Grey Oliver pad.  Will need to find another boy pad as there's not much left of this one!  I've used my VERY neglected Sugar Nellie Rockstar image, coloured with promarkers and a white embossing pen for the button details.  I rather over-did it when I first bought him as he seemed to suit all the male birthdays I had that year, but he's not been out an awful lot since.  I've used some Buttermint Card Candi, twine and a brad I've had for ages - might be a Dovecfraft one. 

That day, I also made this card, using the Sketch Saturday sketch, but unfortunately I didn't have time to blog it before the challenge deadline:

I used some scraps from my First Edition Up, Up & Away pad - I ADORE this pad - the colours are gorgeous and the glitter looks brill!  A LOTV image and some more card candi to finish.

Monday 28 November 2011

Some LOTV Christmas Cards

I am LOVING my First Edition Christmas Joy papers - the colours are amazing and perfectly "me"!  And, now that I finally have my Promarker Nibs, I am able to colour these 2 cute images that Clare gave me for my birthday!  As you can see, there's quite a lot of detail, hence the need for the fine nibs.

This first image is Pretty Poinsettia, coloured with Promarkers and Stickles (in Stardust for the snow, Silver for the snowflakes and Platinum for the poinsettia centres).  

I'd like to enter the following challenges:
LOTV challenge - Anything Goes (seeing as I missed 'A Christmas Card for Someone Special'!)
Papertake Weekly - Christmas Crackers
Addicted to Stamps - Christmas Card

The second image is Ski Jump and is super cute - I love the wee dog's jumper!!


I'd like to enter the following challenges:
Charisma Cardz - Snowflakes
Everybody Art - Christmas Card

And finally, one of my absolute faves, Collecting the Tree.


And I would like to enter Hooked on Crafts - Winter Wonderland

I'm off to start the housework, which was a bit neglected last week to to having such a busy week!  This week should be much calmer.  


Sunday 27 November 2011

Dream Valley Challenge 21 - Sparkle


This fortnight's challenge over at Dream Valley is a nice easy one - Sparkle!  The team have made some beautiful creations, all so different, which is one of the things I love most about working with Dream Valley.  By the way, Dream Valley are having a DT call, which is open until tomorrow, 28th November.  Apologies for not posting about it sooner but it has been an extremely busy week!

Recently, I have been really busy making cards, notebooks and jewellery for my stall at the local Brownie Fundraiser, but for this challenge, I decided that I would make something just for ME!  So, I have used grey pearly beads and briolettes, together with a few super sparkly crystal rondelles and my favourite silver tubes.  The design is very simple, just the way I like it!

Our prize, for this challenge, has very kindly been donated by our teamie MagsB - LOTV Balloon Bunny and Freedom.  I am really looking forward to seeing what you create for our Sparkle challenge.  We had some wonderful entries for stitching!  Remember that it can be any kind of crafty project, as long as it's sparkly.  Have fun!!

Monday 21 November 2011

Sugar Bowl Challenge 72

At last I've managed to play the Sugar Bowl again!  I really don't know where time has been going to just lately, but I've had a few productive days and I'm making the most of them.

This beautiful Hello Little Friend has been coloured for a good few weeks (or possible even a couple of months) now and was coloured with Distress Inks and a little Stardust Stickles.  I just adore this beautiful image and can't wait to colour her again.  The sentiment was a freebie from a magazine and suits her perfectly.

I've used a little artisic licence, moving the image slightly to the left - the green paper is a scrap, but went perfectly with the colours in the image, so it needs to be shown off a little bit.  Hope that's ok.

So, I'd like to enter the Sugar Bowl (obviously!).  I'm sure there would be a few other challenges too, but time is short, before tea and parent's night, so I'll go while the going is good!

Friday 18 November 2011

A Productive Afternoon

What a productive afternoon!  Euan was absolutely exhausted after nursery today, so in the 1.5 hours he's been sleeping, I've managed to make 2 necklaces and 4 pairs of earrings.

I've been busy preparing for a stall at the local Brownies on Tuesday night - really looking forward to it.  Hoepfully it will be worthwhile -the more I manage to sell, the more commission I can give to the Brownies.  

Anyway, got to get Lou from school, so I'll leave you with the pics!


Sunday 13 November 2011

Dream Valley Challenge 20 - Stitching

Happy Sunday, everyone!  Hope you're all having a good weekend so far.  Today, it is time for a new challenge at Dream Valley and this fortnight, our theme is Stitching.

Now, normally for such a theme, I would do some faux stitching, or maybe a stitched corner detail, but I decided that this was the incentive I required to finally get our the sewing machine that my mam very kindly lent me....ahem.....about 2 years ago!!  (Incidentally, I also hemmed a pair of trousers that day!!)  Now, I need a lot more practice to get the spacing correct for the zigzag stitching, but I was quite happy for a first attempt! 

I lightly glued the edges of my scrap strips (from last challenge's handbag card), stitched them into place, then wove a length of red ribbon through it.  The charm and bow have also been stitched in to place as I don't trust glue to hold these items!  And a sprinkling of glamour dust around the sentiment and some Sizziz vines/ punched flowers to finish. 

I'm really looking forward to seeing your card / scrap / jewellery / cross-stitch / embroidery / whatever creations for this challenge and we have a fab prize too!  A £10 voucher for One Stop Card and Crafts

Tuesday 8 November 2011

Wedding Card


I loved making this card - it was a card required at very short notice, 7"x5" layout, with the names and date of the wedding and I had only limited time to craft, .....so I had to be decisive! 

I used the (almost) last of this gorgeous ivory and silver paper that came in a set from Costco - MUST find something similar as it suits wedding cards perfectly! 
Cut 2 hearts and embossed them each with a different Cuttlebug folder. 
The punched heart border is a Martha Stewart punch that my friend, Clare kindly punched for me a while back. 
The gorgeous rhinestone swirl is part of a Prima one that Elaine sent me - I've made it last really well, cutting it up into bits to use on a number of cards, but the time has come to buy a replacement as I have only a small flower left. 
The sentiment was computer generated, using Times New Roman and Zaphino fonts.

I'd like to enter the following challeenges:
Crafty Catz - Anything Goes
Party Time Tuesdays - Bling It On
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes (+ a Bit of Bling)