2 New Necklaces

At the weekend, while the kids were in softplay and hubby was skiing, I sketched a few ideas to change an existing necklace into a less chunky version. 

When we got home, I had a little time to play and these are the result.  I love the jade crystal rondells in the second necklace - so sparkly but my photographic skills don't do it justice! 

Both neckalces are approx 18" and are £12.  If anyone would like to buy, or would like any more information about them, please email me at SusieLouDesigns@gmail.com, or have a look on my facebook page.

And you still have time to enter our Anything Goes challenge at Dream Valley.  We have had a HUGE number of entries, but there's always room for more!  Remember, that you can enter any craft, not just cards and jewellery. 

And I'm just about to update the DT details on my sidebar - my teamies create some awesome stuff!

A couple of bears and some kraft card!

 I've deliberated about whether to post this card, or not.....it was my second attempt with my polychromo pencils and I wasn't sure about it....but I actually quite like it now, so here it is!

The image is a LOTV Born to Shop and I love it!  She has had some gloss added to her sunglasses, but everything else is pencil, coloured on kraft card (ok, ok, I admit it....it was the inner of some wrapping paper!!). 

The papers have been printed from My Memories Suite: Checked Ruby and Lime.  I have a copy of the software to giveaway, if you are interested, click here. 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Lili's Little Fairies - My Favourite Stamp (Born to shop or Teddy Flower)

Papertake Weekly - Buttons, Bows, Bling and Blooms (bling from the stickles in corner and around image and blooms)

Crafty Catz - Use Something New (pencils and paper)

 And another bear card, this time with Teddy Flower, again by LOTV and again, coloured with pencils and gloss.  You can see a line around the image from the oil for blending, but I think it's ok.  I followed Angela Wiseman's advice to do a light colour and blend, then do a second coat of the light colour and blend, before adding the additional shades.  The butterfly and flowers have been coloured with pencils on the card, then covered in glamour dust.

Sketch Saturday

Will I make it before the deadline?  Hope so.

This is Edwin and he was the first image coloured with my polychromo pencils.  His skin is coloured with promarkers as I don't have flesh coloured pencils yet, although I've since managed to get a combination of white, brown and red that turns out ok, like I used on Daisy.  There's gloss on the E and his boots but the photo hasn't picked it up......Will need to try and get better pic tomorrow, maybe.

Anyway, I used the Sketch Saturday sketch, which changes tomorrow, hence the rush to get this posted before it finishes!

I've used some scrap Basic Grey Oliver paper and buttons from stash.

Have a great weekend, peeps!

Daisy

Aaaah, my favourite Daisy......looking pretty and dreamy! 

I've coloured her with Polychromo pencils again - think I might be addicted!!  The papers are First Edition Summer Bloom and Dovecraft Sugar and Spice, which seem to work quite well together.  I originally had some bold stripes in the mix too, but it was far too much for my simplistic taste.  And the single blue flower was originally a collection of 3 little orange ones but they looked too much too......

So, I would like to enter the following challenges:

SugarBowl - sketch and birthday theme

Simon Says Stamp - Spots and/or Stripes

Moving Along with the Times - Spots and/or Stripes

Charisma Cardz - Happy Birthday

CES Challenge - Anything Goes

My Mum's Craft Shop - Girls

Anything Goes - Anything Goes

I've also got another few cards that I'd like to blog, but time is running away, so I'll leave it at this just now.

And remember that I have a copy of My Memory Suite to give away.  The link is here.

Let's HIt the Town

Let's Hit the Town is one of my favourite stamps!  I love her old fashioned, yet very modern dress and those shoes look amazing!

I have coloured her with Polychromo pencils.  She is the third image I've coloured with my new pencils:  it's much better than my first attempt, but I still need a LOT more practice!  But its fun learning through trial and error.  Think I need to have a browse at some online tutorials too. 

Anyway, I've followed the gorgeously simple sketch at the SugarBowl AND followed the theme of NO DESIGNER PAPERS - just some embossed swiss dots.  I've made the decorative corner by cutting a square in half and punching it with a small punch I've had for ages.  And I decided that the greeting needed a few doodled dots to tie it in with the image and paper.  Her shoes have had gloss and a tiny amount of Glamour Dust added too. 

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Sugar Bowl - sketch and no designer papers

Simon Says Stamp - New Something (pencils)

Crafts and Me - Anything Goes

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday - What's New (pencils)

Fab 'n' Funky - Something New (pencils)

The Paper Shelter - Anything Goes

Dream Valley Challenge - Anything Goes

Its time for our very first Dream Valley Challenge of the year........and it's a super easy one: Anything Goes.  I've had limited craft time over the holiday period, but I have had time to make a new necklace and a few cards.  So, for our Anything Goes challenge I decided that I would show the necklace.  It is, as ever with me, very simple with just some chain, clear, black and grey beads and cute little silver spacers.

This challenge, we are sponsored by One Stop Card Crafts.  You should see the amazing creations my team mates have made - gorgeous!  And I am really looking forward to seeing what you create for us!

Happy crafting:0)

My Neglected Bumble Bee

My poor neglected little Bumble Bee......I don't know how it happened when she's so cute!!  She'd been neglected for months before I inked her, then she was coloured with Distress Inks and then neglected again for a few months before being made into card.  Criminal!

As you can see, the skirt could have done with being blended a bit more thoroughly but I really enjoyed colouring her and even chose orange, unusually.  She's had some glamour dust added to her wings and I resisted the temptation to add more to the hearts and flowers.

The papers are Dovecraft Sugar and Spice and an embossed panel of white paper.

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Prairie Fairy Fridays - Things with Sparkly Wings

The Paper Shelter - Anything Goes

Stamps R Us - Anything Goes

Totally Gorjuss - Happy (orange HAS to be happy, and sparkle makes ME happy!)

Christmas Layouts and a Giveaway

I decided that I would try a few Christmas layouts while a) I could still find the photos easily and b) while Christmas wasn't yet a distant memory!  And these are the results.  

I used my copy of My Memories Suite and have had time to try a few different embellishments, some layering and different fonts!  It's getting alot quicker now.  All of these pages were created using templates and embellishments available on the standard copy of the software, no additional add-ons.

 And I have a copy of this software to giveaway to one of you lucky peeps!  All you need to do is

1) Go to the My Memories website and have a wee look through the digikits
2) Leave me a comment to let me know which is your favourite

I will draw a winner on Monday 30th January, so you have plenty of time to look and comment!

 (I previously, and very stupidly, tried this giveaway before Christmas....doh....what a stupid time to do it.....everyone was way too busy and there were no comments, but January should be much more successful!  If you would like to have a look at my other layouts using the software, and read a little more info, the link is here.)

Sugar Bowl Challenge 74

 

So, how are your Christmas preparations coming along?  Mine are reasonably on track, I think....but I DO keep adding 2 things for every 1 thing I take OFF my list!!

Last week, I was asked to make a 40th birthday card and I was given the theme of "wine, if possible".  At first I was stumped and thought I was just going to have to ignore the theme.  But then I started looking through all my stamps and decided Luv a Latte would be perfect, especially if I could give her a wine glass instead of her coffee.  

So, she has been coloured with Promarkers and Stickles (Stardust as her eyeshadow and Platinum for the bubbles and silver on the label and name). 

I have followed the Sugarbowl sketch and have even managed to follow the theme of "No shop bought Design Papers!  It's not often I manage THAT part!  I have used a Sizzix bubbly texture plate, Cuttlebug Starts folder and Crafts Too Flowers folder.  The edges of each piece of paper has been edged with a promarker and stickles and a few of the flowers have been coloured.

The glass and bottle are from the Pickles and Onion stamp set, which I hadn't yet gotten around to listing in the hope of selling..... it would appear that there was a very good reason for this....the glass and bottle are perfect for this girl, so I'll be keeping the set after all! 

So, I would like to enter the following challenges:

The SugarBowl - Sketch and theme

Passion for Promarkers - Celebrations (2nd entry)

And a reminder that I have a copy of My Memories Suite to give away.  The link is here.  

 Have a great week, everyone!

Dream Valley Challenge 22 - Christmas

 Wow, the last challenge of the year....how'd that happen?  I don't know where the year has flown to, but I've had a pretty good one, on the whole!  And I'm looking forward to a great 2012.

So, for the last Dream Valley challenge of the year, we have a nice easy one for you - Christmas!  I still have some Christmas orders and cards to make and I'm sure I'm not alone, so hope you can join us.

This is my card for my nephew, Jakob, who lives in Austria.  I have used Pip With Presents, coloured with Promarkers and Glamour dust on his hat.  The main paper is First Edition Christmas Joy, with some older paper used for matting.  I decided to make it look like a present with the ribbon and tag (cut with a Sizzix die).  

 And I would like to enter the following challenges:

Crafty Catz:  Anything Goes

Craft Your Passion:  Anything Goes with Glitter (on his hat and pompom and the paper)

Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes

Moving Along With the Times - Last Minute Christmas

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Passion for Promarkers - Celebrations

Sarah Hurley - Christmas

Stampin' For the Weekend - Christmas

Sugar Bowl Challenge 73

Apologies for the photo, but the light was terrible and I had to actually give the card to Lewis, one of my many boys' December birthdays!

I have used the fabulous Sugar Bowl sketch, and I have distressed my papers, which is VERY UNUSUAL for me!  I hate doing it to my lovely papers but it seemed to suit this little guy (image and receipient!). 

The image is Puppy Dog Tails, coloured with Promarkers.  It's funny, I actually only ordered this one when I wanted the Bambino image to get it over the minimum order, but I've used it loads! I LOVE the little frog!!

I would also like to enter Totally Papercrafts - Anything But Christmas.

My Memories Give-Away

When I was asked to host a give away by My Memories, initially, I was a little unsure, but I'm so glad I bit the bullet and went for it.  I've had great fun making some digital scrap pages, as you can see!

The My Memories Suite software is pretty easy to download and get the hang of.  I'm looking forward to having more time to play around with it all, as there are some pretty cool features, like creating slideshows, cards and adding sound!

The software comes with some templates, background papers and embellishments to get you started, which you can alter the colour/pattern/designs/etc.  You are able to add to these by purchasing other sets and templates in the My Memory Suite shop at very reasonable prices, although you even get a free $10 promo code to use on digikits after you have downloaded the program. 

If anyone would like to buy My Memory Suite, I have a unique coupon code that gives my followers $10 off the full price AND, when you purchase My Memories Suite you'll also get a $10 coupon code to buy anything in the My Memories store to get you started!

To purchase using the code, click on the image above, or go here, then copy and paste STMMMS63336 in the shopping cart page at the My Memories website for your $10 discount. 

Alternatively, you could have a try at winning it!  My Memories have very kindly offered me a copy of My Memories Suite to give away to one of my lovely followers.  All you have to do is:

1) Go to the My Memories website and have a wee look through the digikits
2) Leave me a comment to let me know what your favourite is

I'll pull the lucky name out of the hat (or a saucepan, or whatever!!) on 5th January - wouldn't that be a great start to your year?!  Go on.....have a peek......you know you want to!!

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!!

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.

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

Totally Papercrafts - Christmas

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.  

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!!

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!

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!

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. 

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)