May You Be Kissed By Snowflakes .... Sketch Saturday's Last Challenge of 2011

We    goodbye to 2011 this evening and its a year I don't ever want to repeat, but one i'd do all over again in a heartbeat, if it meant being able to spend 11 more months with my Dad. .   I have mixed feelings about 2012 ... a year of firsts :( without Dad, but hopefully a year of firsts :D with our gorgeous friend Paula!!!

On a personal note, I'd like to thank my Saturday Girl teamies for the    and support they showed me during my difficult time.  For the text and email messages of concern, the cards of condolence and sympathy and the huge cyber    left for me!  Thanks girls I love you all x

For our final challenge of the year, we are delighted to have o The Craft Barn sponsor us ...

.... The Craft Barn a UK based business selling a wide range of craft supplies including stamps, dies and embossing folders, punches and an extensive range of items to alter and decorate and much more for you scrapbooking and card making projects.  They are committed to providing the best, most up to date craft products at great prices, coupled with first class service.

There really is something for everyone :)

For all the latest products that have been added to the site PLEASE CLICK HERE,
Includes, NEW Cheery Lynn Designs dies, and fabulous Kraft Fusion products.
Do you love the sewn card look but don't like to sew?
then THIS RANGE is just for you.

Today is the first day of The Craft Barn's

WICKED WINTER SALE

Their shop sale will run for 4 days only and finishes at 5pm on Tuesday 3rd Janaury.
All sale products will be half price and can be found in their upstairs studio.
Their online Winter sale also starts today. The products in both sales are completely different to enable their staff to better manage the stock, so a visit to both the shop and the website is highly recommended...
...don't miss out on a bargain buy!

This weeks winner will win a co-ordinated embellishment bundle:
Artemio Ribbons Boy, Artemio Blue Ric Rac ribbon pack, Artemio light blue tassels, pack of blue buttons, Artemio blue flowers, box of wooden embellishments, a selection pack of extra large brads and a jar of blue Beadazzles.
All these goodies have a total value of almost £23 :D

Here is the final sketch of 2011...

... and the Christmas card I made for our gorgeous Paula ....

... I used the Mo Manning image "Snow Day" ...

... and again in B&W on the inside ...

To make this card I used ....

CS ~ Stash

DP's ~ Leftovers

Sentiment ~ Create with TLC

Pearls ~ Stash

Tools ~ Diamond Stickles, Fluffy Stuff, Sewing Machine, Pencil Crayons, Blending Stumps, Sansodor, Woodware Scalloped Border Punch

Home Is A Starting Place Of Love & Dreams .... PTW Challenge

I've had the past couple of days relaxing, making cards, peace and quiet :D ... before Mum returns again tomorrow!  We didn't want her to be on her own seeing the New Year in alone  ... so DH and I are back on the airbed tomorrow night ... sadly, I get so excited about this  can't believe how comfy it is!!!  

This card has been made for my youngest DD, who will be leaving home January 14th, next year  ... I'm on countdown and have been since last week :)!  Whilst I love  her dearly, I can't wait for her to move out with all her faults and the puppy,  and I'm really hoping that becoming totally independent will be the making of her and turn her into a nice young lady!  

This week sees the last Papertake Weekly Challenge of 2011, which is a fantastic sketch ...

I used "Home Tweet Home" by Mo Manning

To make this card I used ....

CS ~ Stash

DP's ~ Dwelling ~ Everyday Mom Ideas

Sentiment ~ No Place Like Home Kit ~ Create with TLC

Pearls ~ Stash

Tools ~ Sewing Machine, Pencil Crayons, Sansodor, Blending Stumps, Carla Craft Corner Punch, Woodware Scalloped Border Punch, 

Just Like The Butterfly, You Too Will Awaken In Your Own Time ..... Sunday Sketch & Stamp Challenge #86

I hope you all had the most fantastic Christmas :)  Our's wasn't as bad as we expected it too be.  Yes, there were  when certain pressie were opened, when we turned and expected Dad to be sat in the chair, when we remember their was someone special missing :(  But there just had to be ing too ... mainly at my expense!  

We let off a  shaped  for Dad, Christmas morning, that had us all in a panic and fits of laughter, when we thought it was going to get stuck on DD's TV aerial on the roof  :) ... we also decided that we'd let off 2 Chinese lanterns in the evening ... Rylee likes to send his Great-Grandad a light so he can see ... , we lit it and sent it up .... it hit next doors wall and ended up stuck in a bush burning merrily away  ... the neighbour had left for Tokyo for a month that morning, which was pretty fortunate as I was trying desperately to climb her 3 foot wall  .... Koree (1 year old grandbaby) found it hysterical, although we're not sure if it was cos everyone else was  at me!  I did manage to save the burning bush and extinguish the lantern.  The other lantern went up without a hitch and floated off to Dad 

Claire is hosting the last challenge of 2011 at Sunday Sketch & Stamp with this fabulous sketch ....

I had the unfortunate job of making a sympathy card, worse still it was for a stillborn ....

I used the Stitchy Bear image "In His Hands" which I thought fitted the bill perfectly ...

.... and a close up of the coloured image ....

To make this card I used ....

CS ~ Stash

DP's ~ RAK from Terry x

Sentiment ~ Create With TLC

Pearls & Flowers ~ Stash

Tools ~ Pencil Crayons, Sansodor, Blending Stumps, Marianne Design Butterfly Dies, Nesties, Cuttlebug, Woodware Leaf Punch, Sewing Machine

For Our Two Special Ladies ..... Trish & Nanna (Renate)

.... those ladies have been a Godsend to us since they moved next door to my parents.  They have been with us through all the bad times, they've  with us, :)) with us and just >:D< hugged us when we needed a hug.  Not only did they help us when Dad was :-& ... Trish gave Dad some Reiki and myself whilst I was sat outside in the October sunshine having a moment .... but since Dad died, they've been absolute  s, helping us by looking out for Mum and putting her cream on every morning and evening to save one of us having to go back to do it.  

We wanted them to know how special they are to us and how much we appreciate what they do and have done.  That we don't take their kindness for granted!

So I put together this little gift basket ....

I cased the idea of the Vintage Cider and Spice Mix from Mina

Our ladies were thrilled with it all and after the    we all shed came the beautiful :D.

 you both lots like Jelly Tots xxx

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year ...... Sketch Saturday Challenge #186

Morning, it looks flippin'   outside.  We don't have any of the white stuff yet, although we did have lumpy rain yesterday, but nothing much else ... Thank God!  

Yesterday I had the chance of a little me time and went to the hairdressers for pampering ... nice hot ~o) but no , the lady that makes it hadn't brought any :(!   I mean how rude is that :-o?  Anyone would think that she was busy or something!!!

Today we're taking Mum out with the outlaws, DD, her fella and the grandbabies :)  .... shopping for wallpaper and paint, which is what DD asked for as her Christmas pressie :| ... each to their own, but i'd rather buy them something they wanted than a gift they don't really want and i like practical.

This weeks challenge will last for 2 weeks because there is no challenge set for Christmas Eve (24th), but there WILL be a challenge on 31st December :D.  So you have until 11:59pm 30th December to submit your entries for this challenge. You can enter a maximum of 3 times if you wish. But they must be NEW entries only please.

Our generous sponsor this week is Crafter's Companion

"Sara Davies (nee Johnson) graduated from the University of York Management School with first class honours. As part of her degree she undertook a year in industry working for a mail-order company operating in the Arts and Crafts Sector. After undertaking product development research, by the time she returned to complete her final year of study in October 2005, she had a number of products in the final stages of development, and felt the impetus to push forward instead of awaiting her graduation (as had previously been her intention). So, in September 2005 Crafter’s Companion was formed. Crafter's Companion now has an office in the North-East of England, as well as in Florida, USA, from where the American side of the business is conducted.

Since the launch of the Enveloper, which Sara designed and developed with the help of her father, the company has gone from strength to stength. Numerous awards have been won by Sara individually, and by the company as a whole, both in the crafting industry and the business world in general. Innovative products such as the Ultimate Pro and the Rock-a-Blocks have changed the world of crafting and encouraged greater nmbers of people into papercrafting. The company aims to make papercrafting a fun and simple process, and so all products are made with this in mind. For example the extensive range of CD ROMs, which have spear-headed the rise in digital crafting, are made to a 'point-and-click' specification, meaning that even those who are computer illiterate are able to use them.

Crafter's Companion has been working with stamping expert Jayne Nestorenko since early 2008 to develop and manufacture the gorgeous Cute Companions range. Since March 2009, the company has taken on a number of well-known licensed characters, for example Popcorn the Bear and the Flower Fairies, and was even approached by the licensing company to take on the Beatrix Potter brand. Using the original artwork from these licenses, the company has created numerous crafting CD ROMs and rubber stamps, which have proven exceedingly popular with crafters everywhere"

Last UK order dates for pre-christmas delivery

Standard delivery - 19th December

Next Day delivery - MIDDAY 22nd December

Christmas Gift Shop

If you are searching for that perfect present for a crafty friend or relative then look no further than their Christmas Shop. There's a wide selection of gifts and crafting kits to suit all tastes and budgets. Each comes with a bonus gift absolutely FREE, plus double loyalty points with each item.

Stocking Fillers

There's a Stocking Fillers category on their web site, filled with hand-picked selections of their best-selling products. These crafty gifts will please crafter's young and old, and with a wide range of crafting abilities. Better yet, everything is under £30!

FREE UK delivery on orders over £50

Our lucky challenge winner will receive a £15 voucher to spend from their fab website! Woohooo!

Here's this weeks sketch...

 

.... and what I did with it.  I flipped the sketch ....

... using my, had for ages but never used, "Sugar Nellie Sybil" digital image ...

.... and again on the inside with a cute verse ...

To make this card I used:

CS ~ Stash

DP's ~ Winter Wonderland ~ Jen Allyson

Sentiment ~ Create with TLC

Ribbon & Pearls ~ Stash

Tools ~ Sewing Machine, Pencil Crayons, Sansodor, Blending Stumps, Diamond Stickles, Nesties, Cuttlebug

Large-Hearted, Sympathetic, Gentle, Gracious, Thoughtful, Mild, Compassionate, Considerate, Kind ..... Sketch Saturday Challenge #185

I'm so excited \:D/ its unreal .... I actually I-) all through the night for the first time since, well, before Dad died ... Ok so it was medication induced sleep, but a whole night of it all the same!!!!  We took delivery of Dad's new home today too ... flippin heck I didn't expect it to be that big /:) ... we found it on EBay and its called "Open Book"


We had some brill news as well this week about our gorgeous friend Paula, but i can't share that with you just yet :|  ... talking of Paula the card below is one that I made especially for her, to thank her for everything she did for us, which was above and beyond what was expected of her and we :x her lots.


This weeks challenge is sponsored by our friends at Simon Says Stamp!

"With over 100,000 items in stock, Simon is proud to offer the best selection of Rubber Stamps, Scrapbooking, Artist Trading Cards, Altered Art, and Paper Crafting Supplies in the world!"

To see all the latest products instore please click HERE

Their exclusive Simon Says Stamp range are HERE

Not forgetting their Magnolia range HERE

All things Tim Holtz including newly released products can be found HERE


They have yummy Copics HERE


and right now, SSS have a fab range of Hero Arts Holiday/Christmas goodies
perfect for those last minute cards you may need to make.

Did you know that you can buy e-gift cards too?

any amount from $5.00 - $100.00 is available, ideal to send to a crafty friend if you're unsure of what to buy them for Christmas.

A very generous $25 gift certificate will be awarded to our lucky challenge winner this week to spend on goodies in the SSS store!

HUGE thanks to everyone at Simon Says Stamp for your continued support and sponsorship of our challenge blog throughout 2011, we are delighted that this will continue throughout 2012 too! :)

Here is this weeks sketch...

.... and my card ...

... close up of Mo's Digital Pencil image "Make A Wish"

... I used her again on the inside in B&W with a beautiful verse ...

To make this card I used:~

CS ~ Stash

DP's ~ RAK from Terry  ... thanks honey xxx

Sentiment ~ Create with TLC

Lace, Pearls & Staples ~ Stash

Tools ~ Sewing Machine, Pencil Crayons, Blending Stumps, Sansodor, Nesties, Cuttlebug, Diamond Stickles