Monday 30 March 2015

Just chicken up on you!!

Hello friends and I hope the week has started well for you. 

I managed a little crafty time over the weekend and this is the result.


The stamp was another of my unfortunate "accidental" purchases and was coloured with Pro/Flexmarkers to match the lovely paper which, I think, was Fancy Pants and one of the first paper pads I ever bought. The Go Kreate die set had another outing as did my SB oval set. I had forgotten all about my black seam binding so was delighted to "find" it again. The sentiment is from a CB set and although it wasn't the intention, I think that, come Friday, the inside will read...this Easter, as I think it will make  a rather sweet Easter card for a friend.

Some challenges

Crafty Gals Corner #12 - Anything Goes
Creative Fingers #73 - Anything Goes
Polkadoodles #13 - Use a die
AGOAC #141 - Shaped cards - ANYTHING but square
Fantasy Stampers #33 - Easter Time
Sweet Stampin' - Easter

Thank you for your continued support.
 See you in April (if not before) with a Christmas creation xx

Thursday 26 March 2015

Hello Birdie

Hello chaps, thank you for paying a visit today. I am currently in the saddle so hope blogger plays nicely!! Anyway I am here to share my DT piece for

  As You Like It and the new theme is

Lines or No Lines.

It's lines for me and this stamp shows perfectly just why.
 When my mojo does a runner I generally thumb through some magazines and found the inspiration from a magazine article by Fleur Pearson using Woodware stamps. I was reminded that I had some unused bird stamps similar to those that she used and ended up with this....


I used promarkers to colour the bird and the messy bit was provided by walnut stain squished on my craft mat and then painted with my waterbrush. The papers are Bazzill Lovely Lace and the flower was also made by die cutting a page from the same set with script on it which suited the grungy look. 
The strength of the outline really made the colours sing on this card and I'm so pleased with it!!

Some challenges I would like to enter

Creative Inspirations #306 - Feathered friends/animals
Addicted to Stamps #137 - Make your mark
Crafting by Designs - Flowers with a twist
Papertake Weekly - A cut above (die cut flower)
Darnell's NBUS #4 



I can't believe it's Thursday already, still Hubby is off this weekend so I am looking forward to that. Have a good day xx

Wednesday 25 March 2015

mmmmmm coffee...

Hello my crafty friends hope this finds you well, if not  then I hope tomorrow is a better day for you. 

Declan had a day off yesterday and Connor wasn't at Uni so we took Grandma out for coffee (and cake of course!!) which inspired this


When Tiddly Inks had a promotion on a few weeks ago I made the most of it and treated myself to a few more digis, Thanks a Latte being one of them. The paper was in my scrap box and is by Nitwits and I coloured the image, as usual to match, using Pro/Flexmarkers and a smidgen of pencil for the hair. The sentiment came from a coffee inspired stamp set.

Surprise hasn't featured much lately so here she is sharing centre stage with my daffs which have been long awaited and, as you can see, the sun is out in Dorset today.


 We added more bulbs last year as this is our Darling Mog's resting place and we wanted a pretty show of colour all year round in his memory.


Hope the sun is shining where you are.

I'm off to play here

Through the Purple Haze #83 - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion #254 - Anything Goes
Brown Sugar #138 - Anything Goes
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards #87 - Something yummy...a cappuccino!!
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Bye for now but will be back tomorrow with an AYLI DT card xx

Monday 23 March 2015

Live, laugh, Love.

Hello my crafty friends. I am soooo going to enjoy this week as I am on annual leave. Hubby, alas, is not BUT I won't let that stop me. I have some crafty plans and the garden/field needs attention so no chance of being idle!!

 To kick off, I have a bit of an experiment to share. I have looked on in awe at the fabulous other crafty stuff that is so lovingly showcased and thought I would have a go at decorating a wooden heart that has been in my "have a go at" pile for some time.


To begin with I sanded off the varnish to give a key for the paste that I made using Pamellia's recipe, I used the "sticky" recipe so that the glamour dust would adhere...and it did!! Big tick there then!! 
Then it was merely a case of deciding just what to do with it. My colleague is retiring soon (after 30 years!!) and I wanted to make her a keepsake so went with an inspirational quote in the form of a freebie stamp. As you can see, more of my flowers have been used together with some cheesecloth and ribbon. The frantage got an outing and a long forgotten Cheery Lynn die provided the foliage. 

Some suitable challenges to play

Little Red Wagon #281 - All tied up
Pile it on #61 - Sentiment as the focal point
Sweet Stampin - Use a sentiment as the focus
Crafty Catz #271 - No design papers

Thanks for stopping by today, I appreciate your time xx

Thursday 19 March 2015

Pretty in pink

Hello everyone, thanks for stopping by today and for your lovely comments on my crochet bunny, you are the best!!

Now I'm not quite sure what is going on but I seem to be craving pink lately (which my colour consultant told me some years ago that I should avoid unless of the "hot" variety). Either that or it's subliminal influence being sent along the coast from Devon (you know who you are!!)

Anyway, whatever the reason I have been having a lot of fun rummaging through my papers and here is the latest pinkness, which I made Mum for Mothering Sunday.


The stamp was a Birthday gift ( fabulous choice btw xx) and I coloured her with my pencils to compliment the papers. I had another die fest for the mat, flower and tag (just ask if there's anything you want to know). Some pretty coordinating ribbon and some sticky letters to finish off.

Some challenges I would like to enter

Shabby Tearoom #248 - Beautiful blooms
Love to Scrap #50 - Anything Goes
AGOAC #130 - Pretty in pink
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge #219 - Favourite embellishments
(ribbon & flowers)
Creative Moments #64 - Anything Goes + Mum
In the Pink #65 - Lots of Layers
Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes with ribbon

Toodles for now xx

Tuesday 17 March 2015

......more rabbit than Sainsbury's.......

Hello lovely peeps, I couldn't wait to share these so a super quick post before I head off to work.


A totally CAS card for me, not a patterned paper in sight. This fun Bugaboo image was coloured with Promarkers and, although you can't see it, there is stardust glitter on some of the eggs. The sentiment is from a Stampendous Easter set.

While on the subject of bunnies, here is a little girly version . One of my colleagues is becoming a Grandma to a new Granddaughter in April so I have made this for her.


Some challenges to play along with

Without Words -~The bunny is coming
Crafty Boots - Spring
ABC - F for Festive
Creative CArd Crew #83 - Easter Critters

Have a good one whatever you are doing!! xx

Sunday 15 March 2015

Cute critters

It's the middle of March so here is my CCAYR mid-month reminder for our current challenge




know it's a horse ( I couldn't resist) but it is still cute!! 
I used odds and sods of papers and die cut using Blueprints 15 and some circles. The perfectly colour matched tag came from a Craftwork cards Christmas pack from a few years ago and the ribbon from my stash. 

I am playing at these challenges today

MAWTT - Three in a row
(Top left to bottom right diagonally - Die, image, gems or pearls)
C.R.A.F.T #302 - Christmas
Creative Fingers #71 - Anything Goes
Crafting by Designs - Get ready for Christmas

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday and see you soon xx

Saturday 14 March 2015

Spring blooms

Hello everyone and I hope you are enjoying a good weekend. It's mighty chilly here today so I thought I would take the opportunity to share a jolly spring card that I put together over the past few days.


I coloured the cute little PB hedgie with SN pencils and blending solution to coordinate with the Trimcraft papers. I had a bit of a die cutting session too, though I won't bore you with the details!!

As luck should have it there are quite a few suitable challenges too.

Penny Black and More - Blossoms and bows
Crafting Musketeers #23 - Ribbons & pearls (on the butterfly)
Bunny Zoe's - Spring colours
Little Claire #55 - Springtime
Fantasy Stampers #32 - Spring is in the air
Allsorts - Flowers & pearls

Thanks for visiting, you are always welcome xx

Thursday 12 March 2015

You are amazing!!

Hello crafters thanks for stopping by to see what I've been up to. 

On this occasion I am sharing another fabulous Cuddly Buddly image  as my piece for the new challenge at


where the theme is Rubber or Digi (and Why)

I didn't have to think for very long as I really enjoy using digi stamps primarily for the ease of resizing to suit your project or card size. I still can't believe that you can, pretty much, find a digital stamp to suit any person, event, occasion or style (the list goes on and on) and within minutes have it sat in front of you waiting to be coloured!! That said there is still a massive pile of clean rubber, that needs to be inked, on my work desk, but that's for another day!!


Anyhow let me introduce you to Super Girl, just look at those sweet floral "smalls" (for those of you outside of the UK, smalls is an affectionate term used  for small items of clothing i.e underwear!!). She was coloured with Promarkers and I used a Paper Smooches set for the wording. I made her for a friend who has had a rather dreadful time lately so it's to remind her that she copes admirably with everything that is thrown at her.

We are off to these challenges

Crafty Cardmakers #134 - For a special woman
Through the purple haze #81 - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion #252 - Anything Goes
Make the day special - March Colour Challenge
Crafting From The Heart #50 - Anything Goes
Passion for promarkers #287 - For a special lady
Papertake Weekly - Mum's the Word
Fab 'n' Funky #250 - Focus on the image

Hope you will head our way and join in, you'd be made most welcome! xx


Monday 9 March 2015

Fancy Folds

Hello everyone I hope you had a good weekend and enjoyed some sunshine. Anyway, Monday again but fear not this is a good one as we have a new challenge at


This month we are challenging you to let loose and make a card using  Fancy Folds!!

I took a traditional approach here and made an easel card



We were able to choose images from Meljen's Designs who together with Stamp and Create are sponsoring this challenge. I just couldn't resist this totally cute  Little baby dragon who got the SN alcohol pen treatment (for a change). The papers were a fabulous magazine freebie from LOTV.


The sentiment was typed using Blackjack font and reads
"Thrilled to hear you wonderful news!!"
 which I thought could either be for a pregnancy announcement or indeed for the arrival. 









Don't forget you have three weeks in which to enter our challenges now, so plenty of time to dig out your cutest images (rubber, digi, even coloured or decoupage, we don't mind) and come and play.

Some challenges to enter

Alphabet Challenge - B for beautiful babies
The Crafting Cafe - March Challenge Welcome Little One
Creative Inspirations #303 - Something Old (my ribbon)
Creative Fingers #70 -  Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - A song title to match the image
(Puff the magic Dragon)
Crazy 4 Challenges #276 - Put a bow on it

I am at work today so best get a wriggle on!! Thanks for visiting and for your recent comments, they are appreciated xx

Thursday 5 March 2015

Bunny

Hello everyone and welcome to my bit of blogland. I have a little bit more crochet to share today. After the success of the amigurumi snail I decided to have a go at something a little bigger and did this...


...using another of the free patterns from Happy Berry and I also followed her You Tube tutorial when I got in a bit of a pickle!! I thought I would keep with the spring theme this week and the bunny follows nicely on from Spring Lamb the other day!! It's also perfect to enter some Anything But A Card Challenges.

Craft Your Passion #251 - Always Anything Goes
Crafty Boots - Anything But A Card

Whatever you are doing I hope it's a good day xx



Tuesday 3 March 2015

Baa,ram,ewe...

Hello and welcome back. I'm hear to bleat (get it!!) about how lucky I am to be on the Cuddly Buddly DT as I have another gorgeous image and some smashing papers to share.


Told you it was gorgeous didn't I?!! It's Spring Lamb ( DO NOT think mint sauce...as I did!!) and was coloured with Promarkers. The paper is from a digital set also from Cuddly Buddly called Cottage Florals which are perfect for this time of year. The card shape and border was cut using the Couture Spring Orchard set. The little sentiment is from an LOTV set.

I'd like to enter these challenges

Digi Choosday Week 8 - Anything Goes
Animal Friends March challenge - Easter
ABC Challenge - E = Exceptionally Cute
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #5 - Anything Goes

Thank you for your lovely comments, I so enjoy reading them xx



Monday 2 March 2015

Floral overload

Hello my crafty friends, another week upon us and I hope yours is set to be a good one.

Yesterday I had a bit of a tidy up in the work room and in doing so found flowers, lots and lots of them from past visits to The Ribbon Girl and Wild Orchid Crafts. I have a "thing" about postage and don't usually embellish to the nth degree unless asked to. Well as it's officially early spring here in the UK I thought I might have a go at a flowery fluffy card and this is what happened...


I already had the base made up (stitched and everything!!) using a First Edition Pad (SNAP Asha!!) that I had distressed with Weathered Wood ink. The image is from All Dressed Up's Three Little Autumn Girls set and I coloured her to match the papers using Pro/Flexmarkers. I die cut her using Majestic Elements Labels 25 and popped it on Floral Ovals. There is also some lace which I edged with pearls and a TH pin holding the sentiment. Ooh and voile tied into a bow, with a pearly brad and dried stuff behind the flowers. 
Phew what a lot of ingredients!! Anyway I am really rather delighted with the result so don't be surprised if you see more of this girly goodness in the future!! 

Some Challenges to enter

The Ribbon Girl - March Card Challenge
Sweet Stampin - All or Nothing
Allsorts #300 - Brads
Winter Wonderland - Tie a bow
Crafter's Cafe #105 - Lots of layers

Have a lovely day everyone and I'll see you tomorrow with a Cuddly Buddly card xx

Sunday 1 March 2015

Cute Critters

Hello my blogging buddies. The first day of March...how did that happen?
 Anyway, back to Christmas!!

My card today is my DT piece for Christmas Cards All Year Round as
our March challenge starts today and we would love to see your

Cute Critters

Here's mine.


The stamp is from a PB Set Christmas Friends, stamped on linen card, coloured with SN pencils and cut out (yet again) with my fabby MB stitched die. The SB Holiday sentiments set had it's first outing. Not entirely sure about the papers but I have a sneaking suspicion they were Bo Bunny from many years ago. Finally a little bit of glamour dust to make the snow sparkle.

Fab 'n' Funky #248 - Christmas (snowflakes)
Crafty Catz #268 - Dies and punches
Creative Fingers #69 - Anything Goes
Crafting from the heart - Anything Goes

Your visit is appreciated, as always xx