Never to Old for Hugs & Kisses

Well its another Saturday, my daughter is off to Switzerland skiing next Friday for a a whole week! Gosh, but I'll miss her!! It will be half term and I have the week off too. I'm planning on going somewhere, not quite as exciting as skiing, its my dream and hubby's nightmare..lol....Its IKEA! Hopefully come back with lots of storage goodies and defiantly an empty purse. 

We had an exciting week this week at work.  I work in a small village school, Tuesday finished work only to be directed to a diversion as the police had shut the main road in.  Me being me thought "it must be a gas leak or something.  Only to turn on our local news to find out that there had been a disagreement between an elderly man and someone, they phoned the police, the elderly man shoot at the police car.  This then brought tons of police etc.  People couldn't get into or out of their homes! and all this in a sleep little village where the top news is normally "Doris has lost her cat" please check your sheds and garages.. lol. They only open the road again late on Wednesday night.  

Right that's my news for the time being lets get on with my card for this weeks challenge over on 

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge the theme this week has been chosen by the fabulous Helen and she has chosen "Hugs & Kisses" 

Our sponsor this week is Crafters Companion who are offering a £10 voucher. 

I have chosen to use one of the fairly new stamps from Lilly of the Valley this one comes with a free sentiment "Never to old for a Hug" Coloured in copics as always.  

These wonderful papers are from First Edition - Isabella which I have inked with walnut satin DI.  I'm just so in love with these colours at the moment.  Going through a green and brown faze.. The lace I brought from our local cheap shop, it came already gathered I just added the dusky pink velvet ribbon to the top using double sided tape.  

The sewing machine came out again (I've had this sewing machine for it must be getting on for 20 years) I can remember saving all the change in the house for months) and its seen more use in the last 5 years (since I've been crafting) and it looks still brand new.  I actually brought it to make cushions as I use to do a lot of candlewick embroidery when I was younger.  The lovely bunting is a Magnolia Doohickeys die you also get a cloud tag with it too.  The lettering is a new buy Sizzix- Chip block from Tim Holtz.  Both have been distressed in walnut satin.  The pretty butterfly is also one from Magnolia its an older die but new to me.  The flowers are of course WOC glittered and stickled.  

  

Craft Supplies 

Stamp and Sentiment LOTV

Magnolia Doohickeys - Build a Butterfly, Branch & Bunting and Cloud Dies - All from Sir Stampalot

EK Success - Small scalloped corner punch - Sir Stampalot  

Cheery Lynn - XL Square Scalloped stackers 

Tim Holtz - Clock face and Chip Block letters - Sir Stampalot

Bakers Twine, Velvet Ribbon and lace from stash 

Design Papers - First Edition - Isabella

Embossing folder - flowers 

Wild Orchid Flowers and Pearls

Glitter dust, Stickles and Distress Inks - The Craft Den

Challenges I would like to enter

Saturday Challenges 

Craft your days away - Stitching 

Allsorts - Free and Easy 

Friday Challenges 

Frosted Designs - Ribbon 

Inspire me Friday's - Anything Goes 

The Stamp Man - Embellish it 

Wednesday Challenges 

Divas by design - Anything goes 

Flutter By Wednesday - Open (your favourite)

Tuesday Challenges 

Creative Craft Challenges - Bingo - Ribbons, Brown, Flowers

Party Time Tuesday - Anything Goes 

Christmas is coming - Anything goes at Anything goes

Hi again, time for my second post and this time its my project for 

ANYTHING GOES CHALLENGE BLOG 

and this fortnight we have a nice easy theme for you and a first at Anything goes is 

Anything Goes at Anything Goes 

So pop on over and enter into this fun challenge 

Onto my card for the challenge! I have really gotten into making these Tent cards, they go so well as Christmas cards.  I used one of the older Tilda's from last years collection (so looking forward to getting the Autumn stamp kit) this has to be one of my all time favourite images from Magnolia.  I also love the stack of presents that I have used at the side.   

I love my Cheery Lynn dies, I used the normal XL circles then the scalloped circle dies to create a scalloped edged frame by placing the straight edged circle into the scalloped edged circle and cut them out together.  You're then left with a frame.  

I have stamped the sentiment using Versa inks.  Then distressed around the edges using DI's.  The snowflakes I made with an older sizzix thin die.  I then covered with diamond dust glitter

I got these really fabbie rusted jingle bells and couldn't resit using some of them on this card.  

Copic Colours 

R39, 37, 35

E47, 44, 43, 41, 40

E29, 27, 25, 31

E30, 21, 00, 000, R20 

The Christmas tree I brought in the sales last year and are originally wooden tree ornaments which I have crackle painted over then added pearls.  

The Mulberry flowers I have jazzed up using German glass glitter and stickles 

Crafty supplies and Links 

Design papers - Papermania

Stamps - Magnolia Tilda with present and Stack of presents 

LOTV - circle sentiments 

Cheery Lynn - straight circle XL stackers and Scalloped Circle stackers 

Magnolia Doohickey heart die 

Mulberry flowers, buttons, ribbons, bells from stash 

Most available from the

  Craft Den 

Thank you for visiting me today

Challenges I would like to enter

http://cardsundmore-challengeblog.blogspot.com/ - Colour Challenge 

http://scrap-creations1.blogspot.com/ - Anything goes 

http://diecutdreams.blogspot.com/ - Use at least 5 Flowers 

http://dutchmagnolialovers.blogspot.com/ - Christmas Cards 

http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/ - Anything goes 

http://stampwithfun.blogspot.com/ - Anything goes 

http://www.cardcupids.org/blog/ - Anything goes 

http://corrosivechallengesbyjanet.blogspot.com/ - Punches or Dies 

http://dreamvalleychallenges.blogspot.com/ - Buttons 

http://thesquirrelandthefox.blogspot.com/ - Anything goes 

http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/ - Alter something

http://ceschallenges.blogspot.com/ use 4 different embellies 

This card will be for sale on Ebay 

Elle Nellie - Add some layers - Ellephantastic Challenge

Good morning all, ahhh the weekend! As its the beginning of the month its time for a new challenge over on 

ELLEPHANTASTIC 

and this month the theme is 

Add some Layers this challenge will run from today 

6th August ~ 2nd September 2011. So you have lots of time to enter..

Also new to Ellephantastic is GDT if you would like to guest design for us just enter GD after your name when you enter the challenge..

Onto my card..

I just had to use this absolutely cute elephant digi drawn and designed by the fabulously talented Helen!! Its just so dare cute..

I used a Martha Stewart punch around the page punch to get the lovely boarder and then just mounted a square piece of card stock onto the front which I had decorated using design papers from Prima sweet fairy 6 x 6 pad.. 

Here you can see the colours a bit better and note that they are a very dark purple for the patches and nails I used a lighter shade.. 

Copic colours

Elephants 

BV28, 25, 23

BV00

I used BV25 to colour in some of the flowers, added some stickles, pearls, seam binding and a little butterfly in the corner.  I also used flower soft to make my own stamens.   

Here I painted a chipboard number with paperartsy Fresco Finish chalk acrylics then crackle painted over the top.  The gorgeous crochet flower my fabbie Mum made for me and is a double flower.  I just added a sliver spacer and brad to the centre.  

Crafty supplies and Links 

Digital Stamps - Ellephantastic

Martha Stewart - Hearts punch around the page 

Spellbinders ironworks die

Prima Sweet fairy 6 x 6 paper pad - Craft Den 

Raffia Lace & seam binding - Bunny Zoes 

Flowers & Pearl stems  - Wild Orchid

Sentiment stamp & little flower stamp - Lilly of the Valley 

Copic's 

Stickles 

Butterfly, flower soft, crochet flower and ribbon from stash 

German glitter glass - Hobby House 

Paperartsy Fresco Finish chalk paint - Craft Den 

Challenges I would like to enter

Fabulous Friday - Colour something (digi's and flowers)

The Fuzzy Wuzzy - Must included an animal - Shaped card

Carousel Horse Christmas in July - Sweet Stamps

Good morning all, hope you had a good weekend.  As its Tuesday its time for a new challenge over on 

SWEET STAMPS 

Its still Christmas in July..

and this week we have a sketch for you to follow.

Sweet stamps are offering a 25% discount on all things Christmasy in the store but this offer only lasts until the end of the month! So get your orders in soon and if you enter into the challenge your name will go into the prize draw to win a $25 spending spree in the shop!

So here's my take on the sketch.  I used the carousel horse again, I just love this stamp! and can be used for many different occasions.  I have teamed it up with the gorgeous "Merry Christmas" sentiment. 

Copic colours 

Horse - E34, 33, 31, 30 - E37, 35, 33, 31

BGo1, 0000, BG10

R85, 83, 81

The Christmas tree is a wooden decoration that I brought last year in the sale.  Its just been painted with acrylic paint and picket fence crackle paint over the top and then distressed with Shades Die Ink -Satin Rose.  I then added a metal snowflake charm attached with sliver cord. 

This is the view from the inside of the easel card the circle was cut with a XL stackers die from Cheery Lynn.. 

Crafty supplies & Links 

Design paper - My Minds Eye 12x12 paper stack

Sweet Stamps 

Carousel Horse 

Sentiment 

Cheery Lynn XL Circle stackers

Shades Die Ink - Satin Rose 

Die cut border, ribbon, flowers and brads from stash 

Lots of stickles glitter glue.

Card Challenges I would like to enter

Craft your Passion - Christmas in July Crazy Challenge - Ribbons 

Make it Monday - Anything goes Paper Creations Ink - Christmas in July 

Simon says Stamp and show - Anything goes Christmas Inspirations - Anything goes 

Creative Inspirations Challenge - Christmas in July Creative inspirations Paint - Christmas 

lollipop Crafts - Anything goes 2 Sisters - Anything goes 

Design to Delight - Christmas Totally Gorjuss - Punch or Die cut 

Christmas Stampin - All about you Fun with shapes and more - Christmas in July 

Simply create challenges - Christmas time Stamp something - Include an embellishment Stampin for the weekend - Anything with four legs Craft us Crazy - Anything goes 

 Creative Belli - Christmas 

Lemon & Lime Colour Challenge

Good morning all, well that's it I'm on holiday now whoop whoop!! I have got so many things planned I'm not sure I'm going to fit it all in.. Here's hoping for that big Lotto win!!!

So until then lets carry on... 

We have a new challenge for you all over on 

ALPHABET CHALLENGE 

and this week its 

L for Lemon & Lime 

This was a new challenge for me as I don't think I have ever made a card with those colours before. The first thing it made me think of was Summer and those Lemon and Lime slush puppy drinks that you get at the seaside.. yummy!!

I treated myself to a few new goodies from Summer Crafting show in Doncaster the other week and one of the crafty items was one of the XL Go Kreate Dies..

This is such a lush die and can be used as a square or as I have in the diamond shape.   Doesn't it make a fabbie easel card? 

I went a bit OTT on the flowers but I just love these flowers from Wild Orchid just add glue and glitter and well perfect!

This was a great opportunity to use one of my Hanglar and Stanglar stamps that I brought ages ago and was yet to use. This one is from the beach kit.  I coloured her in Lemon & Lime to fit in with the challenge.  The beach huts are from Molly Blooms summer range, just love these background stamps! 

The metal flowers also came from the Summer Crafting show from a stall called Sliver Orchid Beads.  I have used one of them to attach a charm to.. 

This gorgeous fabric flower came from Wild Orchid and comes on a long strip.  With plenty of flowers to use.  I have added some German glass glitter using glossy accents..  You can just see the little seahorse poking his little snout out from the flowers. 

I used some of that Scrim to back the sentiment to with some lemon glitter paper.  

The Smile sentiment is coloured with copics and then crackled with rock candy from Tim Holtz. 

Close up of the magnolia dragon fly that has also been loaded with German glass glitter and back twice with the lemon glitter paper.

Crafty supplies and Links 

Stamps 

Hanglar &Stanglar beach kit 

Molly Blooms beach huts 

Sentiment stamps doodlebug designs 

Design paper - Melissa Frances Kitschy Kitchen - The Hobby House 

Dies 

Go Kreate - XXL square frames frilly No 7 

Magnolia Doohickeys  - Dragonfly & Swirl  

Flowers - Wild Orchid & Mulberry crafts UK 

German glass glitter, big brad - The Hobby House 

Strawberry charm - The Ribbon Girl 

Metal flowers - Sliver Orchid Beads 

Copic markers 

Tim Holtz rock candy crackle paint 

Scrim from stash 

Enjoy your day 

Card Challenges I would like to enter 

Bloggers Challenge - Summertime fun 

Crafts for Eternity - Shaped Cards 

Fairy Tale Challenge Blog - Sun, Summer, Sunshine

Fussy and Fancy - Summer 

Inspire me Friday - Anything goes 

Paper Cutz - Anything goes 

Stamp Something - Embellishments 

Aud Sentiment Challenge - Something to make you smile

Charisma Cardz Challenge - Sunshine colours

 Craft Us Crazy - Anything Goes 

Crafts and Me - Add a flower

Flutter by Wednesday - Must include butterfly, fairy or Angel 

Papercraft Star - Summer Beach

Scrapalicious USA - Summer  

Craft room challenge - Butterflies

Die cut Divas - Shaped die cut card  

Tip Top Tuesday - Shape cards 

My top tip - Use a grey felt pen to line the outside of your cut out image and all those nasty white bits are hidden..

Craft your Passion - Use Text 

Make it Monday - Anything goes 

Sweet Stamps challenge 24 - Winter Blues

Good afternoon all, I'm a bit late with posting my card today, but I finally got it finished.

Over on 

SWEET STAMPS 

its our third week of Christmas in July and remember that there is 25% of all Christmas stamps until the end of the month. 

and if you enter into the challenge the prize this week is $20 spending spree in the Sweet Stamps store.  The theme this week is to use blue on your project. 

I went very simple this week as I didn't want to detract from this gorgeous stamp that is available from Sweet Stamps called Penguins 3006 the sentiment is also from Sweet Stamps.  I have used a chipboard snowflake which I have painted white then added crackle paint over the top. 

and that's it for me today... Short and sweet..  

Craft your Passion Challenge 64 - Use Red on your Project

Good afternoon, hope you all enjoyed the weekend and what glourious weather we are having here in the UK.  I'm sitting in my cabin with two fans on and its still hot! Not complaining!! I love it really..  

Onto my project this week for 

Craft your Passion

and the theme this week is 

Use Red on your project 

This week we are sponsored by our very own Lauretta and CocoDingo images

This will be my last post for the challenge blog I would like to say a huge thank you to the team for having  me and that its been a pleasure working with you all and wish you lots of luck in the future.

Right onto my DT card 

The image I used is called Garden in Provence and comes from CocoDingo Images 

I have used the digital image with one of the new Magnolia stamps, it just works so well together.  CocoDingo have many background stamps that can be used with other stamps or on their own.  

Flower soft has been used on some of the flowers, the sunflower has been coloured using copics 

These crochet flowers are just amazing they are a triple layer flower and come in many different colours.  They have been crochet by my very talented Mum, thanks Mum! If you would like to purchase any of these you can buy them HERE  my Mum also has a blog cherrytreecrochet.blogspot.com  pop by and say hi.  She has only just started blogging so please bear with her until she gets the hang of it.  

Copic Colours 

CocoDingo Background 

Sunflower

YR04, 02, 00, Y02, YR31, 30

Grass

G99, 94, 85, 82 

Tree

E57, 43, 33, 31. G94

Fence

E47, 44, 43, 41

Tilda 

R29, 27, 24, 22

Boots 

E44, 43, 41

Hair & Skin

E29, 25, 31

E000, 00, 21, 11, R20

Craft Supplies and Links 

CocoDingo digital image - Garden of Provence 

Magnolia and LOTV stamps

Magnolia Doohickey Die - Fence

Wild Orchid flowers and Pearl stamens - Wild Orchid

Crochet Flower - Ebay 

Wooden flowers distressed and crackled 

Cotton Scrim, Metal bits, ribbon, pearls from stash

Distress inks and copics 

My Minds Eye papers 

Its a Pyramid - Challenge 19 Sweet Stamps

Good morning everyone and welcome to Tuesday one more day nearer to the weekend.. lol

We have a new challenge for you this week over on 

SWEET STAMPS 

and our theme for this week is 

Embossing dry or heat

So dust off those heat guns and polish up those embossing folders and head on over to the challenge blog to join in. 

The prize this week is $20 spending spree in the

  SWEET STAMPS ONLINE STORE 

If you enter into the challenge using a Sweet stamp image you get your name entered into the draw twice!

Onto my card for this week, I wanted to try something a little different this week and wanted to see how many stamps I could use, so I decided to try my hand at a "Pyramid Card" and boy are they easy to make! 

Click Here to go to my Tutorial Blog.  Sorry there are lots of photo's for this card so bare with me..

I have used dry embossing for this card but you can't see it very well in the photo's I used my crimping machine to create a cardboard effect on the border which I then distressed with vintage photo.  You can just see it poking out of the flowers in the photo below  The flowers I have had for ages and not used very much as they are a bit big and bulky to use on smaller cards but were just right for this card.  

I absolutely adore this stamp from Sweet Stamps they are just so vintage! and look just as good on a CAS (clean and simple) card as they do dressed up to the nines..  This gorgeous Victorian lady is called Umbrella Girl and is available only at Sweet Stamps  

Copic Colours for this stamp 

Girl - R85, 83, 81

Umbrella - Y28, 26, 21 

Background - G82, 21, 40 

Sky -  Distress inks 

Next I used a new die from Cheery Lynne called Butterfly Bundle Dimensional dies I had a bit of a problem getting these to work at first but the wonderful Stacey from Sweet Stamps send me a tip on how to get them to work.  What you have to do is emboss first (with the thin and thick rubber pads and then to cut using c plate and a metal shim (available from Sweet Stamps) The butterflies need to be separated so you can use them individually. Once I followed this they worked like a dream.  So that's my second dry embossing technique.   

Onto the next side of my Pyramid Card and I used another of the vintage stamps this one called "Watering - Can Girl" this is another of my favorites.  If you click on the link you can see another of my cards I made using this stamp in the store and gives you an idea of how versatile these fabulous stamps are!

Copic Colours for this stamp 

Girl - Y28, 26, 21

Watering can - R85, 83, 81 

Flowers - B91 

If you look closely just poking up from the flower is a fimo heart that my daughter made for me just for this card.  Its been painted with acrylics and crackle painted over the top. 

Just a closer view of those wonderful flowers and the sentiment stamp (also from Sweet Stamps) I have stamped the sentiment on all corners of the pyramid using Shades dye ink "Brownie Chocolate Delight" and is a pleasure to use.  

And finally a close up of the Watering Can Girl and the flower soft sprinkles I used.  

Wow that was a mammoth post, sorry if I lost you somewhere up at the top ;0) I had such fun making this card I just wanted to share it with you... 

Crafty Supplies and Links 

Design Paper - Papermania Scrumptious 12 x 12 paper pad

Stamps

 Available only from Sweet Stamps  

Umbrella girl 

Watering Can Girl

Sentiment - You're someone Special 

Cheery Lynne Dimensional Butterflies Die

Cheery Lynne Scalloped Circle XL Dies 

Nellie Circle dies 

Distress Inks 

Shades Dye Ink 

Magnolia Doohickeys swirl die

Card Candy 

Flowers, lace, flower soft, pearls and pearls on stems from stash 

Copic and Polychromos colouring meduims.

Well what ever you are doing today make it fun! 

Card Challenges I would like to enter 

Digi Design house - Pearls and Lace 

Make it Monday - Anything goes 

Crafty Anne's - Use more than one image

Inspire me Friday Anything goes 

Fairy Power! Challenge 61 - Craft your Passion

Hello everyone, first day back to work for me after having a week off for half term.  Only 7 1/2 weeks until summer break! (not that I'm counting) ;o) 

Well as its Monday that means that its time for another challenge over on 

CRAFT YOUR PASSION 

and our theme this week is an easy one

ANYTHING GOES 

This week we have multiple sponsor for you 

Patties Creations 

Wags 'n Whiskers 

 The Robin's Nest

To join in the fun and be in with a chance to win some crafting goodies pop on over to the challenge blog!

On to my card for this week, I got to use a digital image from "Wags & Whiskers" this was my first time using these images and I now have another company to add to my wish list of stamps I want!

I had such fun colouring a shading this cute fairy, I wanted to try something different and used Polychromos pencils to add some more shading and shadowing.  

Colours I used 

RV32, RV11, RV00, RV00

then Poly's for extra shading.

I love making these circle easel cards as I find you can add so many different elements to the card and doesn't make it look too fussy.

The hearts I cut out using my Cricut, painted with picket fence crackle paint then distressed with Worn Lipstick distress ink and added a pink peg.

I added thin satin ribbon in different colours to the side of the raffia ribbon.  The flower soft I have had for years and ever used (If I'm truthful I had forgotten I had it) for the sprinkles and for an extra embellies. 

I die cut the flower using sheer fabric from an old draw string gift bag then coloured slightly with distress inks. The paper flowers below were made using Tim Holtz alterations flower die, spritzed with water and tattered angels to create that vintaged look. 

Crafty Supplies 

Digital Stamp - Wags and Whiskers

LOTV Sentiment stamps

Cheery Lyn XL Circle Scalloped Dies (I so love these) 

Magnolia DooHickeys Label Die

Marianne Design Swirls die

Marianne Designs flower die 

Tim Holtz Alterations Flower Die by Sizzix 

Design paper Prima Annela paper pad

Flower soft 

Tattered Angels glimmer mist

Charm - Ribbon Girl

Picket Fence Crackle pain 

Worn Lipstick Distress ink

Peg, crochet hat, satin ribbon. raffia ribbon, sheer fabric, brad and spacer from stash

DON'T FORGET I STILL HAVE BLOG CANDY TO GIVE A WAY 

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE POST 

Card Challenges I would like to enter

Corrosive Challenges - Summer Colours 

Emerald Faerie - Lots of Bling 

I did it Creations - Hats (I used a crochet hall as an embellishment)

Stampin Sisters - Try something new (colour combo pink and orange)

Inspirer me Friday - Anything goes 

Stamp something - Use a digi

Charisma Cardz - Something that Flies 

Do you Stack up - Orange 

Paper Crafting Journey - Anything Goes 

Crafty Creations - Pink and Orange

Flutter by Wednesday - Fairy or Butterfly

My Mums Craft Shop - Wings