Monday 27 May 2013

Watering the Flowers

 
Good morning, and happy Bank Holiday Monday to everyone in the UK. The weather is definitely not looking as good as the past couple of days, but at least it's not raining - yet!
 
As I mentioned previously my crafting and blogging efforts are a bit hit and miss at the current time due to family circumstances, but at the moment cards are like buses ... none for a while and then two come along in quick succession! I managed to make two cards during my sesh yesterday, so here's the second one.
 
 
Stamps: LotV "Watering The Flowers" and "Everyday Grungy Sentiments";
Media: Promarkers and Flexmarkers;
Papers: LotV "Perfect Pair";
Supplies: ribbon from The Ribbon Girl; gems and pearls from The Hobby House; daisy and blossoms from Wild Orchid Crafts; berries and baby's breath from local craft shop; doily from my stash;
Tools: Magnloia "Heart Swirl Branch" die; X-Cut small butterfly punch.
 
 
Challenges:
Papertake Weekly - If the Paper Fits (paper-piecing)
Creative Creations #11 - Paper Piecing
Creative Craft #10 - Just Checking
OSCC #230 - Furry Friends
Ooh La La - Inspired By Nature
Ready Teddy Go #22 - Spring Has Sprung
Gem Of A Challenge #81 - Bring On The Sunshine
Charisma #20 - Here Comes Summer
Passion For Promarkers #199 - Anything Goes (3rd entry)
 
 
Thanks very much for visiting today.
 
 
Hugs,

Sunday 26 May 2013

Sweet Blossom

 
Good afternoon - at last a bit of good weather, and just in time for the late Spring Bank Holiday in the UK - yippee!
 
It has made me come over all spring-like, so I thought I would make a card with one of my new acquisitions, this gorgeous Whimsy stamp called "Sweet Blossom".
 
 
 Stamp: Whimsy by Syvie Zet "Sweet Blossom";
Media: Promarkers and Flexmarkers;
Paper: Prima;
Supplies: flowers by Wild Orchid Crafts; pearls from The Hobby House; ribbon from Hobbycraft; sentiment by Craftwork Cards; doily from my stash;
Tools: large and large classic scalloped circle nestabilities; Marianne D "Branch Forest" die; Martha Stewart "garden trellis" edge punch and "monarch butterfly" punch; Cuttlebug "daisy pattern" embossing folder.
 
 
 Challenges:
Joanna Sheen - Girls, Girls, Girls
Creatalicious #50 - For The Girls
Allsorts #208 - Happy Birthday
Marianne's Design Divas - Get Your Dies Out
Sweet Stampin' - Doilies and Dies
Crafty Ribbons #46 - Anything Goes With Ribbon
MAWTT - Embossing
Passion For Promarkers #199 - Anything Goes (2nd entry)
Whimsy #59 - Anything Goes
 
 
 That's all for today - enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Hugs,

Thursday 23 May 2013

Lili's Little Fairies Team B Challenge - Spots and Stripes


Hello and welcome to another challenge this week with Lili's Little Fairies. Thanks so much to everyone who entered last week's Thankyou challenge - the winner and top 3 are listed on the main challenge blog.

Before getting on to this week's challenge, a couple of pieces of news for all our followers. We are saying sad goodbyes to two Fairies - Becky and Jenny. Both are off to exciting new ventures so we would like to say thank you for all you have done for Lili's Little Fairies and for sharing your beautiful cards with us - we will miss you both.

But with every rain there follows a a little sunshine as we welcome Louise as our newest Fairy. Many of you will be familiar with Louise's work and we are very excited to have her join us.

And so to this week's challenge - it is the turn of Team B and our theme is

Spots and Stripes

We are thrilled to have Teresa of My Crafty Heart on board as our sponsor this week with a £10 store voucher


The rest of the fairies have all gone dotty, spotty and stripey this week to inspire you - here is my effort.

 
I actually felt quite apprehensive making this card, as it is my first for over three weeks so I'm rather rusty lol! Unfortunately I have got stuff going on outside of craft land involving serious close family illness, so my creativity is feeling somewhat shot at the moment and also I am struggling for time. I'm not giving up on crafting and blogging completely, but my efforts are likely to be a bit hit and miss over the coming weeks/months as I react to events as they unfold. However I really did enjoy sitting down and making this card, and I currently have several crafty goodies sitting unopened in my stash (stamps, dies AND flowers!!) so I'm going to do my best to keep my hand in.  My DT buddies are being very understanding  about my patchy commitment so big hugs to them ... and hope all my visitors will bear wtih me if my visits and comments are also a bit hit and miss!

 
Stamps: LotV "Patchwork Butterfly" and "Everyday Seintiment Circles";
Media: Promarkers and Flexmarkers;
Papers: LotV "Petal Fresh";
Supplies: most flowers and lace from Wild Orchid Crafts; pearls from The Hobby House; ribbon and wooden shapes from my stash.

 
Challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge #80 - Sketch


Deep Ocean #52 - Ribbons &/or Lace
Fab 'n' Funky #172 - Ribbon &/or Lace
Stamp With Stampavie #194 - Ribbon or Lace
Fussy & Fancy #89 - Pearls & Lace
ABC - N is for Not Just One (3 or more embellishments)
My Mum's #5 - Spots or Stripes
Kaboodle #172 - Stripes &/or Circles
Penny's Paper Crafty #128 - Circles
Allsorts #207 - True Blue
Passion for Promarkers #199 - Anything Goes
I ♥ Promarkers #169 - Anything Goes
Bearly Mine - Anything Goes
One Stop Craft Challenge #229 - Anything Goes
Our Creative Corner - Anything Goes
 

Well that's all from me for today - thanks for visiting, and i look forward to seeing your creatios.
Hugs,

Saturday 18 May 2013

LotV Candy Winner

Good morning all, and hope you are enjoying the weekend.
 
Many apologies to my visitors that I have been rather a long time in posting the winner of my birthday candy, but I have had a lot going on in real life which has rather made me put crafting and blogging to one side for the time being.
 
Anyways .. thanks very much to everyone who entered, and at last have a winner ....
 
 
... and that's you Lorraine B.
 
Please send me an email with your postal address, and I'll order the voucher to be delivered to you as soon as possible :-)
 
I hope to be back before too long with a card.
Hugs,

Saturday 11 May 2013

Birthday Blog Candy!

This is a sticky - please scroll down for more recent posts.

Good morning everyone and welcome to the weekend. Hope the sun is shining where you are and it's not too cold.
 
Next Saturday (4th May) is my birthday, so I thought it was about time for a bit of blog candy :-).
 
Here's what's on offer -
 £20 online store voucher for Lili of the Valley.
 
 
So what do you need to do to get your mitts on this yummy giveaway??
 
Just post about this candy on your blog (sidebar is fine), with a link back to this  post; and leave your name in Mr Linky below.
 
If you want to you can also now follow me on Twitter  (link in my sidebar) :-) .. and even tweet about my candy if you fancy!
 
Please feel free to become a follower of this blog if you like my work, but it's not a requirement ... only join if you think you'll stay after the candy draw is over.
 
No candy only blogs please - these will be deleted.
 
This candy will stay open for 2 weeks until midnight UK time (BST) on Saturday 11th May. I will then draw a random winner from the Mr Linky entries.
 
Good luck!!

Saturday 4 May 2013

Penny Black Saturday May Challenge - Anything Goes

 
Good morning Penny Black lovers, and welcome to another Penny Black Saturday Monthly Challenge.
 
Thanks as always to everyone who entered last month's sketch challenge - we really enjoyed looking at all your wonderful entries! Don't forget to check the main challenge blog to see if you have won any of our prizes.
 
This month we have the easy-peasiest theme possible, yes it's
 
Anything Goes
 
To be eligible for any of our prizes all you need to do is use a Penny Black image stamp, large sentiment or stickeroo as the main focus of your project .. and this month our prizes are
 
 
 
 
 
 
$20 online store voucher!
 
The DT have been working hard to create some wonderful inspiration cards - here is mine for this month.
 
 
I went in a slightly unusual direction with this card, as I coloured the image with Marvey watercolour markers rather than stamping with black ink and then colouring in with my alcohol markers. I was quite pleased at the time, but then I fell into the classic trap where I just couldn't leave it alone!!
 
When the card was almost complete I decided to add sparkle to the flowers ... normally I do this with a glue pen and glamour dust, but as the card was already assembled I decided to pop some Stickles straight onto the flower centres. I must have been overtired as I completely overlooked the fact that this would make the water-based ink run ... and sure enough that's what happened!!
 
Luckily it is flower centres so I could argue the impressionistic smudging is a "feature" - well it was so late by this time that the card just had to stand, as I definitely had no time to make another one!
 
 
Stamps: Penny Black "fanfare" (3946K);LotV "Everyday Grungy Messages";
Media: Marvey watercolour pens;
Papers: LotV "promises";
Supplies: flowers various, mostly Wild Orchid Crafts; ribbon from The Ribbon Girl; pearls from The Hobby House;
Tools: Martha Stewart "doily lace" PATP punches; Magnolia Doohickey "heart swirl branch".
 
 
Challenges:
Live & Love #11 - 50 Shades of Lilac!
Simon Says - Happy Mail!
Stampin' For The Weekend - Die Cuts &/or Punches
ABC - M is for Make it Sparkle
Southern Girls #68 - You Can Say That Again!
Bearly Mine #84 - Anything Goes
Party Time Tuesdays #118 - Anything Goes
 Fussy & Fancy Friday #88 - Anything Goes
Paper Crafting Journey - Anything Goes
Our Creative Corner - Anything Goes
 
Hope you can join us this moonth - can't wait to see your creations.
 
Don't forget you have still time to enter my Birthday Blog candy of a £20 LotV voucher, which is running until May 11th - go here to enter.
 
Hugs,