Stamp Something and Cute Card Thursday Challenges

I made this card following the sketch on this week Stamp Something Challenge. I started with a blank red card with a layer of holly vellum. The stamped images are Penny Black and coloured with marvy le plume and highlighted with sakura gelly roll and glaze pens. They were then layered on to green card and then applied to a strip of red. I finished with a ribbon bow and 4 green gems. I decided to use this card for the Cute Card Thursday Challenge too as its *Red and Green*.

Mums Birthday Card

This is the card I made for my mums birthday on Tuesday 18th Nov. Its using one of the embossing boards from the Glitter Girls, along with one of their radiant lights fairy decoupage. I took her to a craft fair this afternoon, where she pick a gorgeous bracelet, that has magnets in, to help with her arthritis.

A Selection of my Cards

Saturday Sketch # 23

Here's my card for this weeks Saturday Sketch. I also went for the option of using Autumn colours. The papers are Basic Grey and I used some thin fibers instead of ribbon. I stamped Willow with Cookies using Archival Black and watercoloured with a mix of pencils and Marvy Le Plume. I used the same inkpad for the sentiment and swirl. The flowers are Prima and Flora Doodles with brad centers. I really liked this sketch its a bit different, thanks Coco.

Secret Crafters Saturday Challenge # 5

Here's my card for the Secret Crafters Saturday Challenge. This week its a sketch by Jill and you must use Pink, Brown and White colours. I used Kay & Co papers from the Neopolitan range. I stamped and watercoloured the Willow with hot chocolate and used Flora doodles and a stamped sentiment, along with some flower ribbon to embellish and finish off.

Time for some sad news and good news

The sad news is that the Tilda & co/ Sarah Kay challenges are no more, unfortunately there has had to be some changes, Donna has needed to merge the two blogs together to free some time up for herself , the good news is that there is a brand new challenge blog which is called Magnolia vs Stampavie. You can check it out here.

A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge # Sparkle and Bling

This is my card for A Spoonfull of Sugar Challenge. I used the Sketch from the Papertake Weekly Challenge and some pearlescent card and loads of bling. Unfortunately the glue was a bit messy so I sprinkled with glitter in the hope that, (as long as you dont get too close, only look at it from a certain angle and screw your eyes up when looking at it)....it will just look like an extra bit of glitz. Nevermind its one I can keep as a reminder not to use this glue again to stick gems.

Our Creative Corner Challenge ~ Handmade for the Holidays

Here's my entry for the Our Creative Corner Challenge ~ Make a Gift. Its quite basic, just a pyramid box made from plain card with 4 penny black images stamped, coloured and cut out. Edged with gold peel-offs and tied with red and gold ribbon. But more importantly filled with mini chocolate mallow cakes. Yummy!! Think this might be a little pressie to myself.

A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge #21 Lim's Sketch

Here's my entry for the spoon full of sugar challenge. I have used a Whiff of Joy image that has been stamped and watercoloured. The papers are from Cosmo Cricket, along with the homemade corners and paper buttons.

My 1st Whiff of Joy Challenge

I had a play last night stamping and colouring my new Whiff of Joy stamps, so thought I might have a go at the challenge. This weeks challenge was Autumn, so I used some autumn coloured papers by K & Co, I think and Anna Griffin ribbon, along with various flowers layered up. This gorgeous image is Willow with Hot Chocolate and she is sitting on her armchair with the help of 3d foampads. I used a thick brown gloss to highlight the wood of the chair.
The water-colouring isn't brilliant, but not bad for a first attempt, and sorry the photo is a bit dark.

New Stamps ~ Yippee !!!

I have been ill in bed all week, but still managed to order my first Whiff of Joy Stamps. This morning they arrived and are gorgeous, these must be the best medicine ever. I have tried to get all the housework and shopping done today and now I am off to play.

Two in One Challenges ~ Penny Black & Saturday Sketch

Penny Black Saturday Challenge- Thanks a Bunch
For my card I stamped Bashful Badger using Archival Ink (black) and painted the image with Twinkling H2O's. Flora doodles and Prima flowers with gem centers as embellishments and 2 widths of red ribbon. I know that I've used Christmas colours and its not a Christmas image or theme, but I wanted to try out my new colours of H2O's. I've used the sketch from the Saturday Sketch Challenge #20 so covered 2 challenges in one.

Secret Crafters Saturday Challenge #2

A Full Weekend of Crafting - Wonderful :-)
I haven't been able to sit at my craft table all last week, I've been so busy. Meetings and late nights at work, getting son packed and ready for a weekend away with school. So treated myself this weekend to none stop crafting. Went to North West Stampers craft fair at Port Sunlight yesterday and bought far to much as usual. Then spent all day today playing with my new stuff. Heaven!

Secret Crafters Saturday Challenge #2
Here's my card based on the sketch:


I had to make an over sized square card as the base as I wanted to use this embossed Christmas tree. I layered up pearlescent paper, some holly vellum and lilac ribbon.My sentiment was stamped with purple staz-on and drawn over with clear gelly roll pen. I thought I'd try out this technique of applying ink onto my CB embossing folders, then going over image with irridecent glitter glue and am quite pleased with the result.

Papertake Weekly Challenge

Here's my card based on this weeks sketch. Not sure of the make of paper it was a freebie from a mag. I'm not over keen really, it's quite busy, but I have set myself a challenge to use up all the papers I have gotten free. The image as usual was stamped using Staz on and watercoloured, with a touch of white souffle pen on the bubbles.

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #30

Here's my entry for this weeks Cute Card Thursday Challenge - Christmas Animals. I based it on the sketch for this weeks A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge #19. I used a Basic Grey paper, stamped and watercoloured my image, then added a little glitter glue. A punched border top and bottom and finished with a couple of punched snowflakes and an embossed snowflake from my embellishment box. Two challenges in one.

House Mouse Monday Challenge -#7- Tags

Here's my card for todays House Mouse Monday Challenge. I made it very quickly as I didn't have much time. I stamped this cutie mouse, watercoloured and added a touch of glitter to his hat. I cut my tag from some christmassy coloured paper and added ribbons. A couple of embellishments from my bits box and finished with some holly berry gem stones. Thats it! a very quick tag card.

Sketch Saturday Challenge

Here's my card for the Sketch Saturday Challenge, it's my first one for this challenge, hope its okay.
I used a Penny Black image, which I water-coloured and coloured in with Sakura Gelly Rollpens for a glittery finish. The papers were again taken from some free ones out of one of my craft mags (I set myself a challenge last week to start using up all the free gifts and bits of paper I already have). I finished off with a bit of ribbon and some Prima flowers with brad centers.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge- Seasons

Here's my Penny Black Challenge Card. Hopefully you can tell I chose summer. I used a combination of stamps off the Critters Party transparent stamp sheet and Art Impressions clear stamps. The papers are from the K & Co range with ribbon and Flora Doodles to finish it off.

Cute Card Thursday Challenge - 29

This is my entry to the Cute Card Thursday Challenge - 29. Lots of sparkle.
Sorry about the photo, this card looks better in real life.
I have been playing with some new embossing folders for my bug, so I used a couple of pieces of card,1 embossed with snowflakes and 1 with dots. I added glitter glue in places for added sparkle. The main image is a snow globe stamp, but I'm not sure what make it is. Inside I stamped a small snowman from the cute companions christmas range. I coloured in slightly and glittered the snowglobe base with a dark blue glitter. The whole image was sprinkled with snow glitter and crystal glitter and then thickly coated with 3D crystal laquer to give a real glass finish. Finally a couple of silver snowflake brads. I'm quite pleased with the finished look although my photography leaves a lot to be desired.

Cute Card Thursday Challenge

Here is my entry for Cute Card Thursday Challenge 28- Food on card. I have used Cheesecake Party, a Penny Black Stamp and some free papers that I got from a magazine some time ago. I usually use quite light colours, mainly pinks, but decided to go a little bolder for a change.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge- Week 14

Here's my entry for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge. Week 14; A Mans Card- No Blue.

This is one of my favourite PB stamps as its so versatile, any occasion ,male or female. Hope you like it.

Tilda & Co *Challenge 36* Chocolate delight

My first challenge in months. Its so good to be back crafting again.

More blog candy

Becky's giving away even more candy. Just tell her your fav celebration to be in with a chance of winning
http://www.rebeccaclews.blogspot.com/

Penny Black Saturday Challenge

Heres my card for this weeks challenge - Friendship.

Its a very plain card for me, but I just fancied doing a touch of watercolouring and thought it is such a lovely image it doesn't need much fuss. I have put a drop of crystal laquer on the 2 ladybirds and a tiny fabric daisy on the main flower. Unfortunately the photo doesn't do this card justice, it really is quite pretty.

Blimey he's 10 already !

Here's the cards I have just made for my son's birthday tomorrow. As you can tell he will be 10, he seems to be growing up so fast, I can't believe how fast this years gone. The number card is from me and his dad, and the cool dude is for his sister to give him.

Blog Candy

Becky at Becky's Happy Crafting Place has got some great candy to give away. Check out her blog for details.
http://www.rebeccaclews.blogspot.com/

Also Caz over at A Stamping & Chirping Corner has some candy to give. Heres where you'll find her blog
http://www.stampingcaz.blogspot.com/

Check out my Slide Show!

Thought I'd enter my mini book in the Arty Girlz challenge 'Hint of Pink'

My 1st Mini Book

I was looking around some crafty sites at the weekend for a bit of inspiration and saw a tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers for what they called a meander book. They used the Bind it all machine to hold together. There is also a video demonstration on docrafts for a maze book which is very similar, but tied closed with ribbon.

This is my 1st attempt and I am rather pleased with the finished mini book. It is made with one sheet of double sided 12x12 paper, I used a sheet from the K & Co neopolitan range and two 3x3 squares of pearlescent card for the front and back covers.

I made a few tags that either slot in the top or the side, out of another sheet of the same K & Co paper.

I decided to use ribbon, threaded through holes punched through every layer using a crop-a-dile to hold it all together.

The majority of embellishments are again from K & Co, along with lots of ribbon.

The last page has a pull out list of words that describe my beautiful daughter.

I think its quite fun and when I showed it to her she said "mum this is really cooool" so I think she liked it and she can't wait to show it to all her class mates at school.

After I showed it to the girls at work they all said they will get their photos together and asked me to make one for each of them. Looks like I'm going to be busy for a while.

Blog Candy Quiz

Make sure you check out Nikki's Card Creations she is giving away the most gorgeous blog candy.Heres a link Nikki

It's great to be back

At last I have managed to make a few things lately, fathers day cards and grandad cards, forgot to photo them though. Never mind they were all well received earlier today. I have also been decorating some jars that I keep my flowers in. I used co-ordinating papers and ribbons and decorated the tops with one each of the flowers they contain.
I have a few more to do but I am pleased with them so far. I am planning on decorating some pots and jars to keep my pens etc in and I might attempt some boxes too. I haven't done anything like this before, its quite addictive once you start. Oh dear another addiction, still could be alot worse. Anyway I'm off to raid the recycle bin for empty jars. Bye x

The Craftroom Transformation Challenge Day 12

Finally finished, YIPPEE! Everything back in, not properly sorted and labelled yet, but I'll do it little by little once my new labelling machine arrives.

I'm back at work tomorrow, (well actually in about 6 hours) but I'm really pleased that I completed my craft room transformation challenge within my 2 weeks off. I even got to spend today in the garden, sitting in the sun and playing with the children.

Looking forward to crafting again. But for now I need to go to sleep. Good night all.

The Craftroom Transformation Challenge - Day 10/11

Yesterday did the finishing touches to the revamped furniture and secured all the shelves in place. Next job set up hubby's computer desk and reconnect everything for him, unfortunately I have to share the spare room. Got my modem, broadband and telephone reconnected so I'm back online again. I'm really pleased with how the rooms looking and today I have started to put my craft stuff back in. Still need to sort out, label and decide where to put everything, but I think I'll just put stuff in and then once I start crafting again I can figure out if its handy to use and I'll jiggle things about a bit. Can't believe its taken so long to do such a small room, but on the plus side, I've found stash I'd forgotten all about and hopefully it will inspire me knowing where everything is and having it all close to hand.

The Craftroom Transformation Challenge - Day 8/9

Yesterday I gave my craft desk an undercoat and the wardrobe a coat of crisp white gloss, then the whole family took a trip to our local Ikea. I told my husband my idea for shelves across the whole wall and we decided on a range that you buy each piece seperately and build up your own design. We worked out what was needed and when we got it home my dear hubby assembled the frame work and screwed it all to the wall.

Today I gave the wardrobe a final coat of paint and the desk a couple of coats of gloss. Then me and the kids went back to Ikea (hubby is back at work today poor thing ) I bought loads of brackets and shelves and some new door handles to bring the old painted furniture up to date.

The Craftroom Transformation Challenge - Day 7

It took me all day to paper a 9x9 room, thank goodness it wasn't a patterned paper. Still thats another job finished and the room is looking lovely, its a shame to put anything back in and mess it up again.

The Craftroom Transformation Challenge - Day 6

After a trip to the DIY store I returned home loaded up with primer, undercoat and paint. I also managed to buy 4 rolls of a lovely light green paper on special offer at half price a roll. I do love a bargain :) I finished all the paint work around the room and primed the wardrobe. Thats enough for today I'm off to take the kids swimming and karate.

The Craftroom Transformation Challenge - Day 4/5

Next job, strip the walls. This took me 2 days as there were 3 different wallpapers all laid on top of one another. Finally with an aching back and a blank room, I can start visualising how I want my room to look.

The children helped and so I treated us to a trip to McDonalds the one with the play area, a burger meal followed by an ice cream each. Delicious!!

The Craftroom Transformation Challenge - Day 2 / 3:

I started by emptying out the room as much as poss, trying to find somewhere to store all this stash for the time being is a problem. There's piles on the landing, my bedroom, downstairs and in the garage. After 2 days and about 8 trips to the tip, I've finally emptied the room, except for 1 wardrobe and my desk which are too big to move anywhere and I'm going to have to revamp them anyway. Don't worry only rubbish and old furniture went to the tip, no crafting stash got harmed in the making of this room.

Confessions of a shopaholic crafter

Finally my sons rugby presentation evening, which means no more weekend training and matches, I can start crafting again. Well that was the idea! But when I tried to get into my craft room I realised that although I have not managed to craft much lately, I have still been buying alot of stash. I couldn't reach my table for boxes and bags filled with lovely crafting goodies.

The decision was made, I need to sort out and transform this nightmare of a craft store room into an organised crafting heaven. Well I need to tidy up ALOT, lets not get silly. I've got 2 weeks off work with the children and no holiday planned, so I decided to go the whole hog and redecorate as well. Its only a small room, but money is very tight at the moment (I've spent up on craft stuff, hope hubby doesn't read this) so I need to do it up on the cheap. The carpet will have to stay and I will have to revamp some of the furniture.


Here's my diary: The Craftroom Transformation Challenge.

Day 1: Here are the before photo's. If you have a weak stomach or a nervous disposition look away now.......