Sketch Saturday

Well here she is again, the gorgeous Lilly, available from http://grab-a-doodle-do.blogspot.com/

I have coloured her with pro markers & copics, cut her out with nesties, mounted her onto bazzil. The backing paper is Laura Ashley, sentiment is craft work cards, and the gorgeous silver blobs are zooms, available from Stamp Galaxy. This card is based on the sketch over at Sketch Saturday. http://sketchsaturday.blogspot.com/

Cute Card Thursday

Continuing on the pink/purple theme, and again using those gorgeous sparkly new pro markers, I have coloured a panduro image, splodged loads of stickles an the snow flakes and bobble on top of the hat, cut it out using nesties, and layered it onto DCWV winter Christmas paper, the card is bazzil. The gorgeous lovely snowflakes are ribbon I brought down in Exeter a few weeks ago.

This card is this weeks entry to Cute Card Thursday, where the theme is Snow & snow flakes. http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/

Arty Girlz Challenge

Gosh, where does the time go? I cant believe I didn't post any thing last week. I did however buy Sally-Ann's latest download, print it off about 20 times and colour them all in! As you do.... lol This is Lilly, isn't she gorgeous? You can buy her from http://grab-a-doodle-do.blogspot.com/ downloads are definitely the way forward.

I coloured Lilly with my sparkly new pack of pastel pro markers, added stickles to the middle of the flowers, cut her out with nestabilities, mounted it onto bazzil, also cut out with nesties. The backing paper is doodlebug, the flowers are from my stash, and again I added a bit of bling by adding stickles to the middle of the flowers. I am entering this card to this weeks Arty Girlz challenge http://artygirlzchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ as the theme is: Your favourite colour/s. Mine is pink's, & purples. x

Thank you Sally-Ann http://www.lovetodoodle.blogspot.com/ for this lovely award, I'm so very flattered.

Here are the rules for this fab award...

Pick 5 bloggers that you consider as your best blogging buddies and deserve this award for their contribution towards the blogging community, no matter what language.State the name of the author of each blog as well as a link to each one's blogs. Each blogger (upon acceptance) of this award should do a post and show the award on their blog and put the name and link to the blog that has given her/him the award.

I'm off for a blog hop - to see which of the blogs I love to visit has not got it.... Will be back in a bit. x

Q = Quick card

Here is my entry for this weeks ABC challenge, the letter is Q.

Q is for.........Quick Card.

You are not timed on the colouring of your image, but after that you have 20 minutes to add your papers, embellishments etc to your card or project. http://abc-challenge.blogspot.com/

I have used a Penny Black image, coloured it with copics, added some diamond glaze to the flowers, matted it onto bazzil. The backing paper is DCWV, gems from my stash and a craft work cards sentiment.

Triple challenge

Wow, I managed to get a triple challenge out of this one!

The first challenge is Papertake Weekly - which is a sketch. http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/

Over at Cute Card Thursday, the challenge is Red & Green. http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/

The third challenge at My Time To Craft is Snowmen. http://www.mytimetocraftchallenge.blogspot.com/

I used a penny Black image, coloured it with copics, added loads of glamour dust. The card and paper is DCWV. The sentiment is Cuddly Buddly, stamped in brilliance ink and drenched in glamour dust.

Gorgeous candy

In no particular order:

Happy 40Th Birthday Elaine - to celebrate Elaine is giving away some fabby Letraset promarkers - check them out http://elainesden.blogspot.com/.

Vicky also has a birthday coming up, and is celebrating nearly reaching 5000 hits - which has now been smashed. Happy Birthday & congrats on all the hits. http://angeldrummer.blogspot.com/

Kaboodle are also giving away a stamp this week - which makes me smile every time I see it, it reminds me of Mavis (from Coronation Street - I think - showing my age)!!!!! lol http://kadoodlestamps.wordpress.com/

Bernie is giving away some really lovely candy - just because - how cool??? Pop on over to see what you need to do. http://craftybe.blogspot.com/2008/11/little-something.html

Anita is celebrating of her one year blogoversary and 25,000 hits!! Go take a peek at her gorgeous inspirational creations...you have until 25Th to get your name in the hat!!

Fran is celebrating her 1 year blogoversary and a massive 55,000 hits - how fantastic. Fran has an amazing blog and is a great place for inspiration & admiration. http://franmade.blogspot.com/

Double challenge

Here is a card I made for the Raspberry Ribbons challenge, which is based on a sketch. http://raspberry-ribbons.blogspot.com/, having half made it, whilst blog hopping I came across Cup Cake Challenge, this week the theme is Spots & Dots, so I have doubled it up! http://cupcakecraftchallenges.blogspot.com/.

I have used an Elzybells image and paper pieced her dress, shoes and bow with the same Papermania paper I have used. She is coloured with copics. Cut out using nestabilities. The flowers are from my stash, attached with silicone glue. The card stock is bazzil, the sentiment is Studio G. The main image has been attached using 3d foam pads.

There is a great paper piecing tutorial over on Elzybells blog at the mo, check it out. http://www.elzybells.typepad.com/

Penny Black Saturday Challenge

I'm on a roll! Having got last weeks in by the skin of my teeth - I'm cooking on gas this week, the new challenge was only posted this morning!!!!! This weeks theme over at Penny Black Saturday Challenge is:

Sentiment Only

For this challenge http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com/ I have used a sentiment from a transparencies kit, stamped using brilliance ink. The papers are from DCWV, the card is bazzil. The sentiment was cut out using nestabilities, the gems are from my stash.

Never Forget

In the run up to remembrance Sunday I have been trying to find a poppy widget - with no luck, so I decided to put an image up instead. I could not believe it when I saw this image, the wording is that of the tattoo my boyfriend Adam has tattooed on the inside of his arm. He had this done earlier this year when he came back from Afghan - he is a Royal Marine.

(This picture was taken a few hours after having it done, it looks nice now)

The wording is a quote by Laurence Binyon, it is part of a long verse which is read out at repatriations and military funerals. Adam was present at a couple of repatriations during his time in Afghan, he lost 3 friends out their during his tour, and then a lad from his company upon return.

Here is his latest work photo (he was air brushed - he had a spot!), he is a PTI (gets the new recruits fit). I'm so very proud of him. x

I am from a forces family, several generations of my family have served in the different forces throughout the different conflict's which our country has been involved in. All our service's do such a fantastic job - they should be remembered more often - and never forgotten.

For The Fallen:

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children, England mourns for her dead across the sea. Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit, Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres, There is music in the midst of desolation And a glory that shines upon our tears.
They went with songs to the battle, they were young, Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted; They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.
They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; They sit no more at familiar tables of home; They have no lot in our labour of the day-time; They sleep beyond England's foam.
But where our desires are and our hopes profound, Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight, To the innermost heart of their own land they are known As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust, Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain; As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness, To the end, to the end, they remain.

Pollycraft Challenge

Here is a card I've made this afternoon whilst channel hopping! The image is so cute it is a download available at Pollycraft http://www.pollycraftdesigns.co.uk/epages/es110425.sf. This image is one from a set of 3 called Doodle & dreams Penelope (you get all 3 for £1.59 - what a bargain).

Pollycraft also have a blog, and a challenge on the blog, this card is for their second challenge, you have to use something available from their site - this fortnights challenge was - STRIPES.

http://pollycraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/

To make this card I coloured Penelope in using water colour pencils, cut her out using nestabilities, matted onto bazzil which was also cut out using nestabilities. The stripy paper is also a download from http://summertimedesigns.blogspot.com/. Ribbon from stash. A studio g stamp - stamped with glue them glitter from stash sprinkled over the top. Gems also from stash.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge

Well I almost missed out on this one - this again is a classic example of good intentions not going quite to plan - or losing the mojo having started something. This weeks theme over at Penny Black Saturday Challenge http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com/ was:

Get Sparkly/Bonfire night

I had the perfect firework stamp (I brought it at Exeter's big craft fair the other week) I used the small ink daubers QVC sold ages ago, I stamped it onto navy blue card loads of times - then I was stuck! Its taken me until today to finish it off with some small stamps from the transparencies sets, I coloured them with water colour pencils, the sentiment is doodlebug alphabet. I used a glue pad and sprinkled glitter over the letters.

I also tore a piece of green card to have the appearance of grass. Apologies for the poor pics - bad lighting this time of day! Have taken two pics one with and one without the flash. Will take a better one tomorrow.

Double Challenge

This week I have come by a new Challenge The Forever Friends Challenge blog http://www.foreverfriendschallengeblog.blogspot.com/- having already stamped this image and decided to give decoupage ago for the very first time, I thought I would have ago at this challenge, whilst being oh so slow in its production, Wednesday rolled round! This weeks ABC challenge is P = Pink. I love pink http://abc-challenge.blogspot.com/.

I have coloured the image with prismas and sansador, I just cant seen to get the colour quite right, so will keep practicing!!!! The image is in 3 layers, the heart and paws make the second layer and the paws the third. The heart was cut out with a sizzix die, & embossed with the divine swirls cuttlebug folder. I rubbed a silver brilliance ink pad over the raised embossed bits. The card is bazzil and the paper doodlebug, sentiment is Woodware and the gems are from my ever so messy stash!!!

Cutie Sunday Challenge

Here is my entry for this weeks Cutie Sunday Challenge http://cutie-sunday.blogspot.com/.

The image is Penny Black, coloured with copics, I have gone over the flowers with diamond glaze to make them shimmer & pop out. The image is mounted onto bazzil. The papers which are totally gorgeous are a download from http://summertimedesigns.blogspot.com/ I print them onto silk paper which makes them even more yummy. Flowers are prima the gems, button, charm and ribbon are from my stash, the leaves are good old woodware punches, the 3 zoomies are from Stamp Galaxy http://www.stampgalaxy.co.uk/catalog/.

The flowers look either red in the pic, they are actually pink!!!

Stamp Galaxy

I have to spread the word on some fantastic customer service I received this week. I like to give credit where credit is due. I have been eying up a new rubber stamp called Simone - she has legs I would just do anything to have!!!!!!!!!!! I know she is just a stamp lol.........

Kay at Stamp Galaxy http://www.stampgalaxy.co.uk/catalog/ was fantastic, really friendly, polite and helpful. The best bit is my order arrived all wrapped in pink :) the very next day - so not even 24 hour turn around form order to delivery. I can not recommend Stamp Galaxy highly enough. They also have a great blog http://toodlesandbinks.wordpress.com/

Here is a little picky of what I brought, I could not wait to open Simone, she is now trimmed and ready to be mounted, cant wait to stamp her up (I am aware I may be talking rather to fondly about this stamp! Oh well lol).

Thank you Kay. x

Yay another award & I've been tagged!!!!

The lovely Vickyhttp://cuddlycards.blogspot.com/ has given me another award and tagged me, Thank you, its very much appreciated.

This one is pretty.

Here are the rules!

1. The winner may put the logo on their blog.
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3. Nominate 5 blogs.
4. Put links to their blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees

I have decided to tag these ladies as I regually pop over & visit:

Sally-Ann - http://www.lovetodoodle.blogspot.com/

Heidi -http://thecraftygoatgirl.blogspot.com/

Beth - http://mylittlecardblog.blogspot.com/

Michelle - http://www.cardgrotto.blogspot.com/

Arline - http://arlinesallsorts.blogspot.com/

Now for the tagging:

Here is how this one works.......Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog. Answer the five sets of five (this is the easy part) Tag 5 people in the last section by leaving their names as well as links to their blog. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Things I love:

1. 1: My boyfriend Adam.
2. My Family.
3. My animals .
4. Music.
5. Any thing that sparkles.

Things I don't love:

1. Rudeness/bad manners/liars/fair weather individuals (technically that's 4, I've cant list them individually - might give the wrong impression).
2. Middle aged mans club at work - as it covers all of the above!!! Oh dear sounding a tad bitter now........... oh well lol.
3. Clowns, real or drawn!!!! I have no idea why!
4. The fact my tired old ankles can no longer cope with stupidly high healed shoes/boots etc.
5. When my gorgeous dog brings in snails in the house hidden in his baggy mouth - drops and eats snails off the cream carpet!!!!!!! Why?????

Music on my Ipod: (I love my Ipod)

1. Pink
2. Girls Aloud
3. ACDC (Don't tell the boyfriend... lol)
4. Stereophonics
5. Kylie

Fave food & drinks:

1. Diet Coke/Pepsi Max
2. Walkers sensation cheese & caramelised red onion chutney (Sorry don't know the proper title) even better with dips.
3. White wine spritzers.
4. Roast dinners, yum.
5. Chinese take away.

Awards

Here are the awards I have received from two of my favourite fellow bloggers, I'm so so chuffed to have received them.

The first one I have been given it twice thank you Vicky http://cuddlycards.blogspot.com/, very kind of you. Also from the very talented Sally-Ann, who creates her own stamps and has a download blog http://www.lovetodoodle.blogspot.com/.

The second award is also from Sally-Ann. Thank you both so very much.

I would like to give these awards to the following: - sorry if you have already received them.

Vicky http://cuddlycards.blogspot.com/ the second one is for you.

Heidi they are both for you http://thecraftygoatgirl.blogspot.com/, thank you for the heads up on the Forever Friends new challenge blog - I'm onto that one. x

Kerry, http://aloadofoldpickle.blogspot.com/

Pam, http://indigostudio-4hounds.blogspot.com/

Kay, http://toodlesandbinks.wordpress.com/ to give credit where credit is due - for fantastic 1st class customer service and speed of delivery of my scrummy order - will post a pic tomorrow when the light is better. Thank you.

Magnolia Christmas Orders :)

Sorry I have been a rather bad blogger of late!!!! I've just gone back to work having had 5 months of poorly/sick - but now I'm better and back to it. All my friends said I'd be really tired when I went back - I listened but do you think I believed them???? NO I DIDN'T, anyway, I've been wiped out, what with that and trying to lose the stone I put on while off, I've been done in. I went to legs, bums & tums at the gym the other day, I now have total respect for that class and will never underestimate it again!!!! lol

Any way onto much much more exciting & important things, I have been given a couple of awards, thank you so so very much ladies, you know who you are (once my tea has cooked, I will be posting them :) and thanking you all over again).

Anyway I have just been onto the Magnolia club site, Magnolia Christmas stamps are being dispatched, I got in there early so I am really hopeful I will have them by this time next week :)

They are now taking orders for the spring collection, yes I have placed an order for them too - this is about as organised as I get, suits me..........