Lili of the Valley card.....and some news!!!!

Afternoon peeps. Just a quick post, as I made this card quite a few days ago and I've got to share it with you today otherwise I'll miss the deadline! Here's a card I made for Lili of the Valley's Sketch challenge #77.......

I LOVE this image - it's coloured with distress inks. All the papers are from Cupcake Cards and Crafts. The sentiment is Craftwork cards and the ribbon and bows are Papermania. Quite a CAS card from me again.
And on to my news.....you may have noticed that alot of my recent cards have been made using Cupcake Cards and Crafts papers and I did mention that I'd discovered this digi store recently and it had rapidly become a huge favourite of mine.....well, Mandy, the designer has asked me to join her DT. I had a think to make sure that I'd be able to fit it in with all my other DT commitments and decided that I could make it work, so I can't wait to get started!!! Right, well I've gotta go, we're meant to be going out shopping!! Bye for now......

My Top 10 of 2010......

Believe it or not, I'm back AGAIN!! I hadn't been planning on taking part in this 'Top Ten of 2010' but it seems like everyone's been getting in on the action and I've really enjoyed looking through other people's, so in the end, I thought 'heck why not?'. Until it came to trying to whittle the 130 (!!!!) odd cards that I've made this year down to 10 - how on earth did I make so many??  In the end, I decided not to pick anything too recent and I also decided to try not to pick more than one card made using the same stamp company (although in the end, that didn't work and you can tell I've got my favourites!!). I also couldn't quite get it down to 10 - I managed 14 (oops!?!) OK - here goes (in no particular order!)......

This is the only card I've ever done just using tones of the same colour. I used distress inks and I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. IRL - I also sprayed it with perfect pearls, so the image has got a shimmer to it. And it was one of the first cards I put on my blog!

This was the card I made my dad for his birthday and it's one of the first that I used my prismacolour pencils and sansodor on. I like the paper/colour combo.

This was the first easel card I ever  made and threw caution to the wind and made it a round one too. I was quite surprised that it actually worked!! It's quite a different colour scheme for me and I love the sentiment 'The best is yet to be'.

I discovered Elzybells just as they were closing down so I bought up the store (I've still got loads I  haven't inked up yet!!) I picked this one for my top ten cos again, I love the sentiment.

This is one of my Paper Cupcakes DT cards. I owe alot to Nina, she was the first one to take a chance and let me be on her DT and she's got some fabulous images - this is one of them and I love the bright, happy feel of the image and the papers.

This stamp is from one of my favourite releases from the whole of 2010 - the 'Bon Voyage' collection (I've still got quite a few stamps I've not made cards with yet - so naughty!!). And I've also used one of my favourite paper collections - Basic Grey's Kioshi.

This is the first side stepper card I've ever made and it was one of those cards that just 'evolved'. I'd already stamped and coloured Tilda, the house and a couple of trees but didn't have any plans of how I was going to use them. Then I decided to make a stepper and I just kept adding things to it.

I love this Lil Lolita image - so cute and fun and I really enjoyed making this bright 80s inspired card!

I love this image from another one of the wonderful DTs I'm on - The Stamping Boutique (I'm sure Tracy's images just keep getting better!!) This image is so easy to use and on this card I've combined it with my favourite papers from this Christmas - Basic Grey's Jovial and the snowflake 'flowers' that I became so fond of making this chrimbo!!

I've loved this image from the first time I saw it and then when I was lucky enough to be appointed to the Digital Delights DT, I couldn't wait to make something with it. The card that I started making was nothing like how it finished up - sometimes they're the best ones. But I felt quite proud of myself the way I mirrored the ladybug's spots in the image with Craftwork Cards card candy!!

I was asked to make this card for a friend to give to her cousin who'd had a baby and I always think baby cards should be keepsakes too. This Magnolia stamp is one of the cutest ever and although I find it hard using lots of flowers on my cards, I gleaned help from some other blog's and was pleased with how it all turned out.

I made this card for my DT turn at Sunday Sketch & Stamp and it was the week of my sketch, so I had to make it a good one. I love, love, love Willard - he is just the best Kraftin' Kimmie character and again, my fave BG Jovial papers and snowflake flowers!!

The first card I made with my ultimate favourite stamp range - Simply Sassy. I love everything about these stamps, so, so gorgeous!!!

I discovered Some Odd Girl images this year and they've rapidly become a favourite. I've put this card in my top ten because it's different from anything else - I diecut hearts and used them as masks when I sprayed the background with mica mists. Then with some paper that I mopped up the excess mica off the craft sheet with, I made this flower - and my DS helped me by screwing up the paper!!

I hope you've enjoyed looking at my Top 14 (ahem!) and I'd love to hear what you think of them too! Bye for now............

Scrap Creations DT Card

Evening Everyone. Here I am, back again, with my DT card for Scrap Creations - and this week, the theme is 'Happy New Year'. Here's my card:

The image is a freebie from Tiddly Inks called 'Baby New Year', so I thought it was appropriate. The papers and rub-on lettering is DCWV. It looks a bit better IRL because I made sure that an element of the pattern was central on the card and then I cut the same element out from another piece of paper and mounted it at an angle using foam pads, then I mounted the image using foam pads on top of that, so it's more dimensional than it looks here.
I'm also going to enter it into Paper Playtime's challenge #31 - New Year's and also Sweet Stampin's Celebrations challenge. Hope you like it!! Back later with my top ten!!

Papertake Weekly GDT!!!!!

Hi Everyone. I hope you all had wonderful Christmases (is that a word!?!?) and that you were thoroughly spoilt - not just with material goods but with time spent with family and friends and those that you love - that's what I think Christmas is all about. It seemed over all too quickly - I said to Sam last night - 'can you believe that Christmas was only two days ago' and both of us felt like it was days away. You go through months of preparation and then it's all over.......oh well, I've got Sam's 10th birthday on the 30th to look forward to - and he's looking forward to picking a winner for the candy - and New Year!! What are your resolution's going to be this year?
OK - my card for today is very exciting!! Before Christmas, the lovely Dawny (aka Pink Piggy) asked for people to contact her if they were interested in taking part in a very special GDT (that's Guest Design Team for those of you who don't like talking in acronyms!!) over at the Papertake Weekly Challenge blog. As it's one of my favourite challenge blogs, I thought I'd get in touch and guess who was picked to take part - yes, lil ole me!!!! So - this week, the regular DT have got the week off and the GDTs have taken over (mwah, ha, ha). Here's my card:

I've used Magnolia's Tilda with Bee and Beehive, which I coloured with distress inks. I've mounted it onto DCWV card (which I've sanded) and Magnolia peachy dots paper. Then I've added a doily cut with my new MFT die, rolled flowers (another MFT die), flowers cut with a marianne design die, buttons, ribbon and bow - all from Papermania, a sentiment using Hobbycraft lettering and a Bee charm from Bunny Zoe's. I'm loving my new MFT dies - and I've got some others too - so expect to see a fair bit of them in the near future!!!!
You really must pop over to Papertake and check out the other GDT's projects - man, there's some talented people out there!!!! And join in with the challenge, which is 'Be Thankful', it's sponsored by 'Simon Says Stamp'. Hope you likey.......please leave me a comment, it's make me sooooooo happy when you do! TTFN.....

It's Christmas Day!!!!!!!

I just wanted to wish all my friends in Blogland a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!! I hope Christmas brings you everything you wish for and that the year ahead is happy and healthy for you and your families.

Here's a little pic of our Christmas tree this year. See you in 2011!! Hugs,

I told you I've been busy......

Evening Everyone. I hope all the presents are wrapped and under the tree and the turkey's defrosting and the kids are all tucked up waiting for their visit from Father Christmas. I've actually managed to get everything finished for a change - usually I'm still wrapping into the early hours, so here I am sharing more of the cards that I'd told you I've been busy making recently. Ready.....here they are:

They are all Elzybell's images (who have sadly now closed) and all the papers are from my fabby recently discovered Cupcake Cards and Crafts. All I've added is some Bazzill Basics card, Craftwork Cards card candy and used some Martha Stewart punches. Hope you like 'em!
I'm going to enter them into the following challenges:

• The ABC Challenge - K is for Keep it Simple.
• I Did It Creations - Challenge 34: Anything Goes.
• Allsorts Challenge - Week 83: Anything Goes.
• Fairy Knoll Challenges - Anything Goes.

Have a fabby day tomorrow! Lots of love and best wishes to you all. Back soon.....

The Stamping Boutique - 'I love you this much Cynthia'

Good morning! Here's another card for you - this time I used a super cute image from The Stamping Boutique which was free recently if you became a fan of TSB's facebook page, it's called 'I love you this much' and is part of the Cynthia Fairy range. Here's my card:

I've coloured the image with promarkers and stickles and cut it out using my nesties and cuttlebug. The digi backing paper I've used is from Cupcake Cards and Crafts - a site that I've recently discovered and as you will see over my next couple of posts, have completely fallen in love with their digital papers!! The pink card is Bazzill Basics with a Martha Stewart border punch. I've also used an Elzybells sentiment stamp (sadly no longer available) and some Woodware flowers with Craftwork Cards card candy in the centres. Pearls are from my stash. And that's about it!!
I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

• Create4Fun challenge - Week 51 Sketch.
• Creative Craft challenges - Anything Goes!
• For Fun challenges - Anything Goes!

Hope you like it! I'll be back later with more cards - told ya I've been busy!! Stay warm - I don't know what the weather's like in your part of the world but it's absolutely freezing in London today!

My Mum and Dad's Christmas Cards

Evening All. It's seems like ages since the last time I posted - although I don't think it's been that long. What with all the Design Team's having a Christmas break, I've not had any schedules to follow. And even though I've not been here for a couple of days, I've made quite a lot of cards so I'll share them with you over the next few days. Tonight, I thought I'd start with the Christmas cards that I made for my mum and dad this year - here they are:

For my dad's card, I used a fabby freebie image from Pollycraft, which I coloured with promarkers (and a bit of glossy accents for his specs!), I've used a Nellie Snellen multi frame die and my cuttlebug to cut the mat. All the papers are Imaginisce Cottage Christmas and I've just added a Craftwork Cards sentiment and lettering from Hobbycraft (which spells out, by the way: Dad plus Socks = Happy Christmas!)
Mum's card is a gorgeous Lily of the Valley image, which I've coloured with promarkers. All the papers and the peel off border are last year's Papermania, not 100% what the range was called, maybe 'Home for Christmas' but I wouldn't swear to it. I used my pokey tool to pierce a border all round the edge of the image and the semi circle and added a Craftwork Cards sentiment.
I'm going to enter them into the following challenges:

• Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes.
• Cards for Men - Challenge 25 Christmas theme (Dad's card only!)
• Craft Your Passion - Challenge #37 Christmas theme.
• Crafty Creations - Challenge #99 Angels (Mum's card only!)
• Friday Sketchers - Sketch #133 which I followed for Dad's card.
• Anything Goes - The letter 'C' - as they're both Christmas cards, guess what my C's gonna be!?!

OK - that's it from me for now. I'll be back tomorrow with more cards and some fabby news! TTFN...

Birthday Blog Candy

THIS POST WILL STAY AT THE TOP UNTIL THE CANDY ENDS ON 30/12. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR NEWER POSTS.

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday dear meeeeee, Happy Birthday to me!! Yep, you guessed it, it's my birthday today and in order to celebrate and to give something back to all you lovely followers of mine (and maybe gain some new ones too!!), I thought I would offer my first ever blog candy. Now, the fabby stuff on offer is:

Two digis of your choice from The Stamping Boutique

Three digis of your choice from Digital Delights

Two digis of your choice from Paper Cupcakes

AND - a few surprise candy bits that I've gathered together!!!!

And so, how do you get your hands on the sugar sweet candy??

• You must be a follower.
• You must post about the candy (with a link to this post) on your blog - and help me spread the word!!
• Lastly, leave me a comment and include your name and blog addy.

The candy will run until 30th December, which is my son, Sam's 10th birthday and on the day, we'll put all the names in a hat and the birthday boy will pick a winner (very technical in this household ;-))

All that's left to say is a huge thanks to Wendy, Tracey and Nina - the wonderful and talented designers who's design teams I'm on and who have been so kind as to support my blog candy.

And that's all, folks!! I hope you'll join in - if it's successful, I'll do it on a regular basis. TTFN!!!!

Delightful Challenge DT Card - Happy New Year!!

Hey there everyone and a Good Morning to you all!! Today there's a new challenge starting over at Delightful Challenges and the theme is 'Happy New Year'! Here's my card:

I approached this theme from a different angle because I'd fallen in love with this image and decided that I wanted to use it but I knew there were no more Christmas challenges to come, so I came up with a 'witty' sentiment (ahem....!) to tie it in. In case you can't see it, it reads: 'When I started out I was coming to wish you Merry Christmas but it's taken me so long to get here, I'd better wish you a Happy New Year now!!!'
To make the card, I coloured the image with promarkers and a bit of stickles and the die cut it into shape with my nesties and cuttlebug and then I layered it all up together using Imaginisce Cottage Christmas papers and a computer generated sentiment. The only thing I added was some Craftwork Cards card candy.
I'm also entering this card into the following challenges:

• Tuesday Morning Sketches - sketch # 72.
• Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog - Recipe: 3 backing papers, 2 embellishments, 1 image.
• For Fun Challenges - Christmas.
• Freshly Brewed - Week 27 Christmas.
• A Spoonfull of Sugar - Challenge 133 Christmas cards.

I'd love to hear from you as always - and I hope you've joined in with my candy!! Don't forget to hop over and check out what the rest of the DT did for this challenge and take part!! Bye for now.......x

Southern Girls Challenge #8 DT Card

Evening All. It's Thursday in NZ (where the Southern Girls challenge blog is based), which means it's time for a new challenge. This time around, our team were challenged with a vintage theme and we're lucky enough to be sponsored by the ever lovely Whimsy stamps. Here's my card:

I really hope you like it - I must admit that 'vintage' isn't a style that I usually use, so I wasn't entirely confident that I was doing it right?!?! The image is coloured with promarkers and then die cut with my nesties and cuttlebug. I also distressed the edges of both the image frame and the edges of the entire card. I used paper from a Paper Cellar stack called 'Victorian Classic', which just screams vintage!! Oh, and Bazzill Basics card. I've also used a Craftwork Cards sentiment and the ribbon, which was white, came from my stash and I've coloured it with distress inks. All the flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts. And I think that's about it!
I'll be entering my card into The Sweet Stop's sketch challenge #86, as I did follow the sketch over there - look closely and you WILL see it!!
I hope you'll join in with the challenge, you've got 2 weeks from today and there's some fabby prizes for the winner. You must hop over to the challenge blog though anyway, because the rest of the DT projects are TDF!!!! OK - bye for now, back tomorrow with a fun card for Digital Delights.

Scrap Creations DT Card

Morning! It's time for a new challenge at Scrap Creations and this week the theme is 'tag it'. Here's my card:

I've done something a bit different from the others in the DT because I've not used the sponsor's images - which were great but I just don't need any more Christmas cards and they were all Christmas images. And also, the others have made tags, whereas I've used a tag on my card instead.
I've had this Magnolia image for a while but this is the first time I've used it - and I've watercoloured it with distress inks. All the papers and the tag and border are Basic Grey Sugar Rush.
I'm entering it into Mojo Monday, as I followed sketch # 169 - although I've spun it round, so I hope you can see that the sketch is in there somewhere! And I'm also entering it into Totally Tilda challenge #11, which has the theme 'For the one I love'. And that's about it for now! See you again very soon.......

Paper Cupcakes DT Card

Happy Monday morning to you all!! It's time for a new challenge at Paper Cupcakes and this week, Dru wanted us to use the 'Merry Christmas Snowman' image and traditional colours of red and green. So - here's mine:

I've coloured the image with promarkers and then cut it out with my nesties and cuttlebug. All the papers are Imaginisce and I've added corners cut with a marianne designs die, viva decor gold glitter pen and gems from my stash. Hope you like my merry looking snowman!!
I'm also going to enter it into the following challenges:

• For Fun - Sketch Challenge.
• Stamp Something - December digi day (use any digital image).
• Allsorts Challenge - Week 82: Last minute Christmas.
• The ABC Challenge - J is for Jewels and Gems.

I hope you're all nearly ready for Christmas - I'm not, eek!!! Still got lots to do. Guess I'd better go and get on with it!! Back soon......and don't forget to join in with my Blog Candy and please help me spread the word.