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)

Dream Valley Challenge 19 - Anything Goes

Over at Dream Valley, we have a super-easy challenge for you: Anything Goes!!  And, as we can make ANYTHING over at Dream Valley (not just cards), I was spoilt for choice of what to make for this challenge - a card, jewellery, a scrap layout, a framed picture......and FINALLY decided on a handbag!

I first saw this amazing creation in our Top 3 for challenge 12 Surprise theme by The Navy Wife.  I absolutely HAD to give it a try and found that the instructions are really well written, so it is actually pretty easy (although a little fiddly) to make!  Here is the link for the instructions.

I made this handbag for my sister in law as a birthday card and voucher holder....and I included a bracelet too.  This is the inside of it:

And I also made one for my friend's 40th birthday:

 

I made little cards for us each to write a birthday message on and they were tucked into the circles in the centre of the handbag:

Yep, I LOVE making these cute little handbags and people really love them!

So, what will you make for us this challenge?  Unfortunately, we have been let down by our sponsor this fortnight, but MELLY is very kindly offering a very lucky person a £10 voucher to use in the winner's choice of either Crafty Emma's delish shop OR Saturated Canary's Digi's image Esty store!! Pity I can't enter - I LOVE Emma's store AND the Sarurated Canary's gorgeous images!

I can't wait to see what you create for us:0)

Sugar Bowl Challenge 70

 A week since my last post and it's another fairy!  My other Fairy Glen purchase, Hazel and Nutty.  But the colours are a bit different to my original plan.  I chose my papers, tested colours on scrap, coloured her in and decided it didn't look right!  So I changed her dress to brown (because that was the only colour that worked over the original turquoise) and decided that it actually looked alright!  Which is brilliant, considering I nearly chucked in the bin after starting again!!!

So, I have coloured her with Promarkers and Stardust Stickles.  And, after seeing the current Sugar Bowl sketch and CAS theme, I abandoned my papers and did this instead!  I cut the leaves from scrap using a flower die and added a little Platinum Stickles, added a bit of twine and some brown card for matting and that's it - clean and simple, just the way I like it!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

The Sugar Bowl - Sketch and Clean and Simple theme

CRAFT Challenge - Autumn

One Stop Craft Challenge - No Designer Paper

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

And what I did with my second Hazel & Nutty image, using a broken photo frame and some bits and pieces in Lily's favourite colour, ornage.  (Gave it to Lily today and she likes it!)

I'd like to enter Passion For Promarkers challenge - For a child

The ever so Cute Delia!

I LOVED the Fairy Glen release from Sugar Nellie!  It was such a difficult decision choosing which fairies were to come and live with me, afterall, I couldn't justify a BIG spend, so I settled on Delia and Hazel & Nutty!

I've tried a different Promarker colour combo for Delia: Grey Green, Tea Green, Pastel Pink, Baby Pink, Tan, then skin & hair and Platinum Stickles.  And I'm definitely going to use it again as it looks pretty with the First Edition Summer Bloom papers.   Looking at the photo, I think I need to add a bit more shading to her dress.....

I've used my nesties and cut some stars from embossed pink paper and found some brown lace tape that I found in Costco ages ago (it's across the centre).

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

The Sugar Bowl - fab sketch (still not used the photo inspiration)

My Time to Craft - Punches and Dies

Passion for Promarkers - Stars

Dream Valley Challlenge 18 - Halloween

For our Dream Valley challenge this fortnight, our theme is Halloween, so I decided to make a scrap page of a wee Halloween party that we had a few years ago.  Lou was 5 years ago and, for the first time ever, wanted to dress up as a witch rather than a princess!  I did face painting for the other girls too - green faces with a black spider and web.  Lou had a front tooth missing so looked even more witch like!

For my layout, I have used papers from stash that Melly gave me yonks ago, with an embossed spider web (highlighted with white pen), a witch charm, a toy spider (given a glitter-over with some Stickles) and lots of red gems.  I'd printed the small photos in black and white, then decided that colour would probably look better, but then ended up using all of them!  There's a lot going on in this page, which is unusual for me.....most of the time I think it works, and some of the time I think its too cluttered!  Oh, and the orange spotty ribbon came from someone's birthday cake!

Anyway, for this challenge, we are sponsored by Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps - the lucky winner will receive either 5 digital stamps, or 4 digital stamps and a digital paper pack - fab!

I'm looking forward to seeing your Halloween creations! 

Sugar Bowl Challenge 69

As you can see, I didn't use the photo inspiration for this card, just the Sugar Bowl sketch, but hopefully I'll get the chance to play again soon, with the photo too.

I wasn't sure how the sketch would look with the 7x5 card blank but I'm quite happy that it's worked.  Simply Sassy Carnival Balloon has been coloured with Distress Inks, using my beautiful new Tumbled Glass DI - I LOVE this colour!!  The papers are Dovecraft Sugar and Spice, sentiment from LOTV and embellies kept to a minimum with a few punched hearts to mirror those on the image.

(I generally favour clean and simple, and also tend to keep cards fairly flat, which my customers like, but I DO love the layered, textured, more eclectic styles of others - just not that good at it myself!!)

Anyway, I would also like to enter:

The ABC Challenge - Anything Goes

Anything Goes Challenge - Die cuts (Nesties for sentiment) and/or punches (hearts)

CRAFT Challenge - Bright Colours

Fab 'n' Funky - Die cuts (Nesties for sentiment) and Punches (hearts)

One Stop Craft - Anything Goes

Top Tip Tuesday - Use Designer Papers

A Simple Little Ballerina

Last Friday I had a wee coffee morning with some of my friends in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.  I had my cards and jewellery out as well and my lovely friends bought a few bits and ordered some stuff too.

And this is one of those orders (hopefully it's been given to the recipient).  It is LOTV Little Ballerina, coloured with Promarkers and Silver Stickles.  The paper is First Edition Summer Bloom with some silver paper from stash.  I've kept it really simple with the die cut image (whatever would I do without my circle and scalloped circle nesties and Big Shot?!), some ribbon and a charm.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Anything Goes - Die cuts and Punches

The Cutie Pie - Bingo (Glitter, sentiment and charm)

Fab 'n' Funky - Die cuts or punches

Let's Ink it Up - Think Pink

Simon Says - Sparkle and Bling (the glittery paper and Stickled hairband/tutu)

Dream Valley Challlenge 17 - Monochrome

I love monochrome.....but I don't particularly love purple....But for Dream Valley's Monochrome Challenge, I decided to challenge myself by using Purple and using a 5 x 7 card blank (I do love my square ones). 

This lovely cute image is Party Princess and she's been coloured with Promarkers.  The papers are a Papermania Henbury Lane with a few (normally neglected) items from stash.  I've also used my Cuttlebug embossing foldres for the heart background and the spotty hearts.  I use these folders SOOOO much in my cards, especially lately with the wedding/anniversary orders I've had. 

This fortnight we are sponsored by the fabulous One Stop Card Crafts, so what monochrome project will you come up with.....I can't wait to see!

I would also like to enter the following challenges:

CES Challenge - Totally Gorjuss / Pretty Girls

The ABC Challenge - A is for Anything Goes

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

A Few Challenges

 This first card is made using the extremely cute Dougal from Sugar Nellie.  I've coloured him with Promarkers and teamed him with some Dovecraft Sugar and Spice paper (the brown one) and some First Edition Up, Up & Away papers.  With just a simple sentiment and some rafia to finish.

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

*Mojo Monday - The fab sketch I followed

*One Stitch at a Time - Favourites (the First Edition Up, Up & Away paper, Promarkers and circle/scalloped circle nesties)

*Sweet Stampin' - Anything Goes

Paper Sundaes - Anything Goes

*Anything Goes - Anything Goes

*Hanna and Friends - Anything Goes

*Papertake Weekly - Creature Comforts
*Here Come the Boys - Bingo (Rafia, Cute Image, 2 Squares)

And my next card was a last minute order for a friend: 5oth Birthday with a caravan theme.  The caravan is a picture from the web, decoupaged, with papers from stash, which I think came from Clare. 

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

*Creative Inspirations - Let's Celebrate

*One Stop Craft Challenge - Easel Cards

*The Paper Shelter - Anything Goes

Hope you've had a good weekend, folks.  We've had a lovely weekend: Loch Katrine yesterday and Peebles today.  Absolutely stunning scenery in both places.  Today, we were checking out the mountain biking place at Glen Tress, so hopefully we'll get there next weekend.

Take care!