Look what I got!

Yesterday I had a lovely surprise in the post from Pearl. ...

It was a real surprise, something I didn't expect. I was thrilled with it. Thank you so much Pearl.

I also made another card using sketch #9. My Mum had asked me to make a birthday card for my uncle's 75th birthday and thought i'd give the sketch another bash, plus it meant I didn't really have to think about how to put the card together.

The decoupage image is a free download from Audrey at The Lilac Garden. CS from The Papermill Shop and paper is Shabby Princess Moody Blues. The 75 is cut out on the Cuttlebug using the Hippy Chick alphas.

Two In One Challenge & Sketch

This weeks Papertake theme is "Elegant Embossing", the challenge is to use embossing on your project. There's another fab prize to be won! I needed to make a birth card for Fae's friend so I thought I would combine the embossing theme with sketch #9 at My_Paper_World and do a two in one this week! This is the sketch...

and this is my creation...

I used CS from The Papermill Shop and paper from Raspberry Road Designs, Vintage Baby Collection. Image was from Jo's RAK and I coloured it with Twinkling H2O's and watercolour pencils. I added Glamour Dust to her wings and the brads in the centre of the flowers. Brads and flowers from stash. I added a touch of liquid pearls to the frill around the hem of her top and the button on her bootee. The embossing was done on the Cuttlebug using the top half of the "friends" embossing folder and "Olivia" was cut using Hippie Chick alpha die set.

Triple The Sketch #4

I had a three engagement cards to make ready for Wednesday when Andy's brother get engaged. Pearl pointed me in the direction of another sketch blog Triple the Sketch. Thanks Pearl I needed some inspiration, its not easy making 3 cards for the same event. So here is my take on Sketch #4...I used my new Paper Pretties stamp and coloured it with Twinkling H2O's and sprinkled glamour dust on her headband, belt and shoes and also on the ring box. CS was from stash and paper Pink Petticoat. I added a gem on the ring. Blooms and pearls from stash.

The other two cards I made were also done using sketches...
This was made using Sketch This #47. CS from The Papermill Shop, paper from Shabby Princess - Moody Blues, ribbon and bling from stash, stamp is Rubber Romance - Emily is Engaged and coloured using Twinkling H2O's and watercolour pencils. Used my nesties to cut out stamped image and from the scalloped circle.

This was made using sketch #8 on My_Paper_World blogspot. CS from stash, paper from Shabby Princess, Harvest Spice, stamp is Rubber Romance, It's about time! and is coloured with Twinkling H2O's, bling, brad and yellow bloom from stash, orange bloom from Bazzill.

And The Winner Is.......

After much deliberation it was decided by the masses (Andy, Fae, Scott, Ellie and Rylee) that the winner of the blog candy is ......................... ALEX! Congratulations Alex, the family decided your card was the best that interpreted the "fresh and fun" theme. Here is her card.....
It's a fab card, although I couldn't get into that position anymore lol! Well done Alex! Might I add all the cards were beautiful and it was difficult decision and one that took quite a while to be reached. Thank you for your entries!

Blog Candy

You have until 12 midnight today to enter your card for a chance of winning my birthday blog candy!

This will consist of a brand new Rubber Romance stamp - Tiffany (thought she was apt due to all the April showers we're having) and Bunny, along with a handbag and 3 sentiment stamps. I'll be honest and tell you the reason I'm giving away more stamps is because I made a faux par! Tiffany and Bunny are small stamps, ATC size.

1 pack of 16 sheets holographic card (6 gold & 6 silver)

1 pack of 6 sheets glitter card

3 sheets of rub-on transfers

3 sheets of crystal stickers

3 sheets of die cut adhesive letters

1 pair of pink scissors
8 lengths of ribbon (7 organza and 1 silky)

Ok, so for a chance to win I would like you to make a card entitled "Fresh & Fun" which is completely the opposite to how I feel - stale and boring lol! The winner will be chosen by my family 26th April and will be posted here 27th April.

Leave a link to your blogspot and I'll come look at your entries. Good luck!

All new posts will be below here!

Sketch This: 47

Fae & Scott asked me last night to make them an RSVP acceptance card that they needed for today...nothing like giving someone plenty of notice! So before bedtime I coloured an image in and left the rest till this morning. Not feeling any inspiration I decided to look at some of the sketch sites and Sketch This was the first one I look at and sketch 47 looks like this...

and my interpretation of it looks like this...

I used paper from DigiScrap Junkie and orange CS from stash, the image was part of a RAK from Jackie which I coloured using watercolour pencils and Twinkling H2O's. The centre of the flower also got treated to some Glamour Dust. Eyelet and peel-offs from stash. Blooms from Bazzill and Sir Stampalot. The image was coloured after looking at the tutorial on Ila's blog which can be found here.

My Paper World - Sketch #8

While I was stalking some of my favourite blogs I found another challenge blog and thought I may as well have a go, cos I've got nothing to do today... Fae's poorly so she stayed home from work today and had Rylee herself this morning and her friend took him out this afternoon. So this is the sketch ...

and this is what I did with it...

I used some scrap CS for my matting and layering, a scrap of blue paper that I put through the cuttlebug and a scrap of flowery blue paper. The image is from Pink Petticoat - Lola's Boudior Collection. I coloured it will PSP and used Glamour Dust around the bottom and neckline and also on the brads. Blooms were from Sir Stampalot.

Cute Card Thursday - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

This weeks challenge is to make a card for a female. This is easy really, cos its what most of us do most of the time. So here's mine...
For this card I've used a Golden Oldies stamp - Blanche. She's clearly the sort of gal who knows how to have a great time! I've coloured her with Twinkling H2O's and used a bit of glamour dust on her rubber ring. The CS is from Paula's xmas box - The Papermill Shop and paper is from stash. Ribbon is from a PIF and bling is from stash, bloom from Sir Stampalot and Bazzill.

Yesterday's cards and a fun night!

Fae's on the early shift this week so Rylee goes home at 4.45pm. We were so organised yesterday, god knows how, but with not having to fetch Ellie from college we managed to have dinner about 5.30pm which is unusual for us, obviously wont happen next week with Fae working till 6pm. Anyway, the pots were washed, everything cleared away, no Rylee, Ellie taken herself to the pub quiz instead of me driving, all was quiet....ahhh bliss! So I set about some serious crafting needing to make Rylee a card to give his Great-Grandad and us a card for Andy's brother's GF and this is what I managed to do.... He's made using "Hooty the Owl" template from April's crafty templates (link on the right). I've used Shabby Princess - Harvest Spice papers and faux stitched around each piece using a gold glitter gel pen. C.S and wobbly eyes are from my stash. The verse inside reads "A wise old owl lived in an oak, The more he saw the less he spoke, The less he spoke the more he heard. Why can't we all be like that wise old bird?" The next card I made was this ...

I used Katharina's Papertake Weekly sketch again, Raspberry Road Designs - Flower Girl paper, which I altered the colour of slightly to fit in with my colouring in, blooms from stash, image from Jo's RAK coloured with Twinkling H2O's and a pearl gem from local craft store.

I was just about to start another card when I had a text message from my sister telling me to go look out my bedroom window. Odd you might think, but I can see the front of her house and some of the road she lives in from my window. I ran upstairs to see her road being taped off with police tape, other roads that shoot off her street being taped off and about 20 police cars marked and unmarked, armed police, dogs and the helicopter! So, not wanting to be nosey we made a cuppa and retreated to the windowsill, making ourselves comfortable and grabbing the phone to ring my sister for a running commentary. Apparently, someone had people held hostage with a samuria sword in a house down the road. It was all fun and games and we didn't get to bed until 12.40am. My sister said that it carried on until 3.30am so she had even less sleep. It's made front page news in our local newspaper, you can read about it here if you like.

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Katharina's Sketch #2

This weeks challenge is to make a card following Katharina's sketch with the chance to win a fab Bella stamp! Hmm I've not got any of these yet lol! So here is my creation and I have to say I'm really, really pleased with how this has turned out. Fae had asked me to make her a card for Scott's birthday and I was a bit stuck for what to do, until I saw Katharina's sketch! So here is my creation....
Recipe
Cardstock - Crafts Central linen effect card
Paper - Moody Blues
Peel Offs - stash
Bling - stash (lol, just noticed the glue's not even dry)
Ribbon - Stash
Image - part of my birthday pressie from Vicki

BTW, Ellie passed her driving test on Saturday - what a fab birthday present! After, her 3rd attempt at taking it, but the 4th one that had been paid for, she finally did it! It was so nice not to have to get up on Sunday morning to take her to work and tonight I didn't have to fetch her from college at 9. I'm redundant and its great lol! At the moment I'm having a fashion show, she thought she'd treat herself to some new clothes on her lunch break to celebrate and I think she's bought one of everything in Primark.

I've Been Tagged!

This is a first for me, oh crikey! Vicki has tagged me, not sure if this is a good thing yet or not lol! But, thanks anyway Vicki! So now I have to answer 8 questions.....

1. If a movie was being made of your life who would you like to be cast to play yourself? and why?
2. You are spending a whole month on a desert island for charity and you have to choose your favourite celebrity to spend the first two weeks with & your least favourite celebrity to spend the second two weeks with, who would they be & why?
3. What are your three favourite crafting products?
4. If you could invent something to do anything what do you think it would be?
5. What are the last three books that you read?
6. Qvc or create & Craft?
7. Docrafts or Dovecraft or DCWV?
8. What is your claim to fame?

*************

1. If a movie was being made of your life who would you like to be cast to play yourself? and why? I would like Eva Longoria to play me lol not because we have anything in common, but God dont you just wish you looked like her!?
2. You are spending a whole month on a desert island for charity and you have to choose your favourite celebrity to spend the first two weeks with & your least favourite celebrity to spend the second two weeks with, who would they be & why? My favourite celebrity would have to be ... Ross Kemp, he's just gorgeous, I have a thing about men with shaved heads and I love his accent, oh he does it all for me! and my least favourite would be Lorne Spicer from Car Booty, you know she really annoys me and to be honest if I had to take her I'd refuse to bloody go!
3. What are your three favourite crafting products? They would have to be my Cuttlebug, Quickie Glue Pen and fingerlift tape.
4. If you could invent something to do anything what do you think it would be? A neighbour eradicator! Just dont start me on this one!
5. What are the last three books that you read? The Accidental Marathon by Lucy Hawking, Diary of a Hapless House-husband - Sam Holden and I Did A Bad Thing (but haven't we all) by Linda Green
6. Qvc or create & Craft? I watch both but never buy anything from them, I think they're too expensive
7. Docrafts or Dovecraft or DCWV? I have no idea! Not sure I've used any of there products
8. What is your claim to fame? My claim to fame is that during a summer holiday in Weymouth when I was probably about 14 I went to the Radio 1 roadshow and Peter Powell kissed me on the cheek! Poor I know.

So now I have to choose a few others to pass it on to and they will be Tracie, Julie, Jo, Carol and Carole.

Anne's Candy Alert!

It was Anne's 40th birthday a couple of weeks ago and to celebrate she's giving away some fab blog candy (there seems to a lot around at the minute!). For a chance of winning she wants something made with flowers on it. It doesn't necessarily have to be a card.

Yesterday was my birthday, dont know if I mentioned it! but, it was also the start of my 48 hours of freedom so I was able to do some fab crafting in peace, couldn't use my new nestabilities that the girls got me cos at that point Fae hadn't arrived and Ellie's hadn't been delivered lol. I made 3 cards each one with a flower on. So, if I may I'd like to enter all 3 only because I dont want to have to choose one lol!

This card is made using C.S from poundland, silver holographic card, Raspberry Road - Purple Rain paper, Golden Oldies stamp - Maude, coloured with Sakura stardust and Twinkling H2O's, flower from Sir Stampalot and brad from stash. I used the same layout for this card as the card that Jo sent me for my birthday, which I shall post later.

This card was made using C.S from stash and silver holographic card, Paper from Papermania, Rubber Romance - Robyn the dog lover stamp coloured with Twinkling H2O's and Sakura stardust pens, big flower - bazzill bloom and small one from Sir Stampalot, brad from stash.

How lucky am I?

I've been so lucky this week. First I got my new Rubber Romance stamps, then came Carol's RAK followed by Vicki's RAK, then I got my new Golden Oldies stamps and my flowers, but lets not mention that purchase. Then yesterday through my letter box came this..... I just adore this folder, I love the patterned cardstock, the image, the ribbon, the gems, just everything. I liked what was inside too....

This is the gorgeous folder that Vicki made to send her RAK in. I love this one too, well I would cos its a RR stamped image lol! ... I love the layout of this card and will be definately be stealing it for myself! Thanks Vicki!

Tracie's Birthday Blog Candy

There's some fab blog candy up for grabs this month and the latest one to be offering some yummy goodies is Tracie. For a chance of winning some fantastic stamps all she asks is that we leave a comment on her blog (done that) and post a link on your own blog (doing that now). So, it looks like I'm in it to win it! lol

Cute Card Thursday - Challenge 6 and Michelle's Blog Candy

This weeks challenge is "It's A Man's World!". Obviously, we need to make a card for the men and boys in our life!

Fortunately for me I received my order from Sir Stampalot containing my paper flowers and ahem....3 Golden Oldies stamps that fell in to the basket. Of course I'm blaming Jo for my purchases cos she told me to buy my flowers from there after I asked her to point me in the direction of some cheap ones. Cheap, they were not lol! I paid more than I've ever paid before for a pack of paper blooms! Anyway, I'm not sure what I've made this card for hence no sentiment. It's either going to be for my Dad's birthday or Father's Day. I guess it depends on whether Ellie buys me the other Golden Oldies stamp that I need, which date I send it on.

I've used the same sketch from Ila but not used the flower. I'm also entering this card in to the competition to win some fab blog candy at Michelle's blogspot, she asks that we make a card for a guy, especially with Father's Day approaching.

Recipe
Cardstock - The Works, card blank
Ribbon - stash
Bling - stash
Eyelets - Poppicrafts
Paper - Shabby Princess, Splendid
Stamp - Golden Oldies, Norm - Art Impressions
Coloured with Twinkling H2O's and Sakura Stardust pens

New Funky Font!

My friend has a new funky font here at the moment its not available for download, but is available to buy on disc. Its currently used on jewellery, clothing, keyfobs, phone charms, etc...but, surely these no reason why we couldn't use it on our cards! Apparently, its a hit with teenagers who like to use it to communicate with each other in secret code, not that we can understand a word they say or write anyway lol! Go check it out and let me know what you think. Keep your eye out here for my creations using this font.

Can you believe this?!

This is Declan, my nearly 16 year old, over 6 foot tall, strappling nephew. Who is due to leave school next month to enter the big wide world. He visited us this afternoon on his way home from school to play with Rylee, who he adores! Unfortunately for Dec, Rylee was at nursery so he was unable to play. He sat at the dining table with me watching whilst I made the card for Ila's competition. I asked him if he wanted to play and he said "Yeah", bless him! I gave him a card blank and told him he could you used whatever he could find to make a card. He decided to make Rylee's birthday card...it's not his birthday until July, but never mind. He spent a good hour or so sat quietly at my dining table out of trouble, behaving himself, which for Dec is unusual cos he's a little sod! He's one of those kids that if theres any trouble he's generally involved, always getting excluded from school for fighting, swearing and being cheeky, but the teachers love him for some reason. Perhaps they catch a side of him that we sometimes see at home, the big softy, with a heart of gold and will do anything for you for FREE lol! Anyway this is his creation....

Recipe
Cardstock - The Works, card blank, Holographic card

Ribbon - stash

Brads - stash

Letters - stash

Paper - Shabby Princess, Festival

Image - Vicki's RAK

Coloured with Twinkling H2O's

Talking of Vicki's RAK look what came through the post yesterday for me ...

These images all arrived in a lovely folder which me being me forgot to photograph, but i will do later. I also got the day before these from Carol ...

The gorgeous Gerry Giraffe. I'm building up quite a collection of giraffe's ready for Rylee's 1st birthday. I have to make at least 3 cards for him, one from us, one from Ellie and one from my parents. I've got 2 giraffes now these from Carol and a fab "doodle" hmmm lol from Kerry who is a really talented artist, dont let her tell you any different!

Ila's High Hopes Blog Candy

There is fab blog candy on Ila's blogspot, shes giving away 3 High Hopes Stamps and one of them happens to be a giraffe, and you might know Rylee and me have a thing about giraffe's. All you have to do is make a card to the sketch that she has provided. So here's mine...
Recipe

Cardstock - The Works, card balnk

Papers - Shabby Princess, Festival

Stamp - Rubber Romance, Monika at the beach

Sentiment - out the bargain bin at Crafts Central

Bling - stash

Ribbon - stash

Blooms - Aunty Sarah's

Coloured with Twinkling H2O's

Glamour Dust sprinkled on glass

All That Glitters - Papertake Weekly Challenge

This weeks Papertake Weekly challenge 'All that glitters' is simply to use glitter on your projects!

I've made this shoe for Rylee to give to his little girlfriend Jacey on her 1st birthday in June. Yeah, he's her toy boy lol! He asked me to make something a little bit special and different, not a normal card.

So, this is what I came up with. The shoe template was a free one from somewhere off the internet - I should really write it down, but I got too excited when I saw it. If you can't manage to find it yourself let me know and I'll mail the template to you.

I used glitter card for the shoe and the flowers and just 1 gem for the button/buckle or whatever you'd call it. I've also made a matching box for it to go in with an acetate window, except its not acetate its really the left over from a some laminating I did, but works the same and is cheaper.

Rubber Romance Cards

Annette at the beach

Amy on her bike

Angela on a scooter (i'm just not sure about this card)

April Martini girl

Babs in the bath

All these cards have been made using Rubber Romance stamp, paper scraps, brads, blooms, bling and ribbon from stash. Some have been paper pieced and all have been coloured using Twinkling H2O's. I decided to set myself a challenge, to make at least one card using each of my RR stamps. So, i'm slowly working my way through my collection. I am up to G, but I've not uploaded the photos on to the PC yet.

Annie's Birthday Blog Candy

Everyone seems to have a birthday in April, didn't realise there was so many of us! Annie at ink'n'rubba celebrated her birthday last week and is giving away some fab blog candy. All you have to do is make a girly card with flowers on it and pretty paper. I've been busy all day today making cards to fill my card tin back up and enjoying the first half of my 48 hours of freedom! Now I just have choose one for my entry ....

Recipe
Cardstock - The Works card blanks
Paper - Pink Petticoat, Lola's Boudior Collection
Stamp - Rubber Romance, Gossiping Girlfriends, coloured with Twinkling H2O's and paper pieced
Blooms - Prima
Sentiment - Rubber Romance, freebie stamp
Bling - Poundland

Katharina's Blog Candy!

To celebrate her 30th birthday 17th April Katharina is giving away a Hänglar & Stänglar gorgeous stamp, along with some Hänglar & Stänglar stamped images. To be in for a chance of winning all you have to do is complete 4 small tasks lol! and I've done all 4, well actually I only did 3 of them cos I'd already completed 1 of them a while back! So now I have a chance of winning and really, really hope I do, cos these stamps are fab! It'd be a great birthday present for me cos I'm 39 on 19th April, but dont tell everyone I'm that old!

BLING-ing Beautiful!

There's some great blog candy up for grabs over at Vicki's blogspot to celebrate her 5000 hits. To join in all thats required is a card with some form of "BLING" on. Easy, most of my cards have bling on them. So, here's my entry...

I printed directly on to the card blank and paper pieced the stamp. I sprinkled Glamour dust on the brim of the hat and flower to add sparkle.

Recipe
Cardstock - The Works, card blanks
Paper - Raspberry Road Designs, Nanny's Garden
Bling - from stash
Ribbon - Market Stall
Stamp - Rubber Romance, Sarah with a rose
Twinkling H2O's

Cute Card Thurdsay - Challenge 5

Challenge 5

The challenge for this week is 'Things With Wings'

Anything with wings which is cute is fine for the challenge!

Recipe
Cardstock - Card blank, The Works
Paper - Shabby Princess, Sun Porch by Amy Teets
Orange Paper - The Paper Mill Shop, Paula's box. Embossed with Swirly Cuttlebug folder
Blooms - Aunty Sarah's
Stamp - Eat Cake Graphics, Littlest Angel, coloured with twinkling H2O's and glamour dust on wings
Sentiment - Dovecraft clear stamp set - part of PIF

Cool Dude!

We bought Rylee some baby sunglasses today, only because they'd been reduced from £8 to £2 and I can't resist a bargain! We tried them on him when he came back from nursery and was asleep, so he couldn't pull them off lol! They're really good they fasten at the back of his head with a velcro strap. Not sure how we're going to get on with them, but I think they're great and in the summer, if we have one, when he's on his trike we've got him for his birthday he'll look really cool!

Claudia's Box Challenge - Papertake Weekly

Todays challenge for you is to create a big box out of 2 sheets of paper. Don't worry it is very easy. I will give you 2 scoring measurements to give you as much freedom as possible on what you can use this box. It's all up to your imagination - think outside the box :-)

I hate wrapping presents, but love using different things to give gifts in, so I thought this challenge would be a good opportunity to do that. It's Andy's nephews first birthday on Wednesday and we've got him a little outfit for the summer should the weather be nice this year.

So I thought I'd stick with the camouflage theme and I did this....

I used the measurements for the larger box, which fits the shorts and t-shirt in very nicely. The photo was taken at Fae's 21st meal which is the most recent one I have. I printed the camouflage onto cream cardstock and made a frame from the same card. Around the top I printed "jump to the jungle beat".

Recipe

Cardstock - cream card from Crafts Central

String - Morrisons

Skeleton Leaves - Freebie from Magazine a couple of years ago

Jump to the jungle beat - Bev's Jungle Birthday Fun - D.A.I.S.I.E company

New Job Card

My friend Paula asked me to make her friend a congratulations in your new job card...easy I thought, how wrong was I? After trawling the internet for inspiration for hours I did find things that helped. I knew I didn't want a typical new job card, whatever they are, I wanted something different and its that alright! lol! I have to admit to getting really excited about this card, not sure if I've over done it, but I love it anyway!

Recipe

Cardstock - Crafts Central

Paper - Raspberry Road Designs, Kaylabugs

Brads - from stash and PIF's

Blooms - Aunty Sarah's

Butterfly - Local Craft shop

Alpha's - Utski free download