Getting ready for Craft Fairs ...

Well Hello everyone, I'm finally back crafting and blogging. Its been so long since I've updated my blog, I've forgotten how.

Thought I had better make a start on some stock ready for the start of the craft fair season. My first one this year is the beginning of Feb and is actually a food and craft market and its on every month.

I decided that I would make a few Valentine gifts to get in the mood.

I have a few new designs and a couple of new items altogether, would love a bit of feedback.

First up, some tealight cards.

I used silver and pinky tones of paper and card as the tealights are pink and rose scented. I wrapped each one with a strip of co ordinating paper.

For the next one I used papers from a Papermania pad with red and gold card.

I decorated these tealights with some little Penny Black hedgie stamps, sooo cute.

For these next 2, I made little boxes and decorated them with card cut using Nestibilities.

Again the tealights were decorated with the adorable Hedgie stamps and strips of card around them.

Heres another box of tealights, but I just realised that I haven't decorated them.

Nevermind, here's a different angle of the box, which shows the decoration a bit better.

So, What do you think?

Do you think people might buy them and also how much should I charge?

Not too bothered anyway, I really enjoyed making them and can always give them to family and friends. Think I may make some more in different colours in time for Mother's Day.

Challenges I'm entering:
CES challenge - Anything but a card 

Its nice to be back and hopefully will be able to find some time to go check out some blogs and catch up with you all. Although I seem to have lost all my favourite blogs, that I was following. Must be blogger up to his old tricks again.

Tatty bye for now

Goodnight and God Bless

Sue x

A challenge card and something new.

I made this card following the sketch on Friday Sketchers challenge #137.

Also I am entering it into the  Cute Card Thursday challenge #147 Monochrome 

 I went with shades of brown, The papers are from a Papermania pad and the Penny Black image was coloured with Copics.
The sentiment stamp is another from Lili of the Valley - For You Circular Sentiments stamp plate. I used some Raffia Lace that I found when I was tidying up last week and a scrap of satin ribbon.

This is my new custom made stamp from Whimsy Stamps, isnt it fab? I feel so professional stamping this on the back of my cards.

Baby boom

Today I have made 2 new baby cards, one is for the very talented illustrator Alison Acton and the other is for one of my neighbours.

The first one is going to be sent to Alison and I am entering it into a special Whiff of Joy Candy Challenge.

I used an A4 piece of pearl blue card, which I cut down into a square card.
I used the extra piece as a wrap around the center and to hide a congratulations message. I coloured this cute Penny Black image with Promarkers.

The papers were free with a magazine and I finished it off with a pull bow ribbon, a button and a couple of charms.


The one for my neighbour is very similar using the same image and patterned papers. This one however is just a plain square card, that I covered with some paper that I painted myself using Starburst Stains from the Stampman. I followed the sketch on the Penny Black Challenge, although I did flip it. I used a Martha Stewart punch to create a layered look and finished with a flower, button and charms from stash.

Two cards ....four challenges

This card I have made for the Stamp Something Challenge - Brown plus something. I followed the sketch over at Saturday Sketch #72, but turned it around. The image is Anya from The Greeting Farm which I coloured with Promarkers. The papers and embellishments are all Kay & Co.



This card I made to enter in the Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Buttons and Bows. I followed the sketch over at Friday Sketchers #73. I coloured the image with Marvy Le Plume and Sakura Gelly Roll Pens to add a touch of sparkle.

The paper is actually card from the Patchwork Pals range. The ribbon, snowflakes and buttons are from stash. Where are the buttons? I hear you ask, well if you look closely, the snowflakes have tiny red star shaped buttons in the center.

Combination challenge card

As I spent all day making my stationary box, I have had to combine alot of challenges, here go's.....

1st- Sketch Saturday #49. Debbie's DT Week (I followed Debbies sketch, but adapted slightly. Hope you don't mind Debbie)

2nd- Colour Create #14. Red, Cream and Chocolate (I used lots of red and cream, not much chocolate, sorry I'm trying to cut out the calories. lol :-) I did add the optional ribbon though.)

3rd- Penny Black Saturday Challenge #47. Shapes x3. (I think I covered this one, circles, scalloped border, hearts, flowers and a bow. I used a couple of PB stamps together, I think it creates a cute image. I watercoloured and highlighted all the heart bubbles with clear glaze.)

4th- Cute Card Thursday #58 Mirror Mirror. (I used loads of mirror board, a hologram heart peeloff and a gold heart charm.)

5th- Papertake Weekly - Spots and Stripes. (I know I'm pushing it with this one, but my paper has got spots and stripes on.)

Pink Toes the Dancing Cat

Here's my card following the Truly Srumptious Challenge 5 - sketch. Their challenge was also make a card for a child , so I stamped Pink Toes by Penny Black, and as the Penny Black Challenge this week is 'Anything Goes' I am going to enter this card there as well. I coloured my image with Zig Brushables. I followed the sketch as seen and used some papers I got free with a magazine. I finished with gems, a pair of ballet shoes button and layered flowers from stash, hanging a couple of charms on silver chains. My little girl loves it and has asked me to save it till her birthday, mind you her bithday isn't until December, no doubt she'll have bagsied numerous others by then.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge #45 -Sketch

I have just got back from my holidays with mum and the children and although it was a very nice break, I have been looking forward to crafting again, so here's a card I made for this weeks Penny Black Saturday Challenge - week 45 , a lovely sketch by Nat.
I stamped Hedgehog Visit and watercoloured using Distress Inks and Marvy Le Plume and just highlighted the ladybirds with a bit of red Sakura glaze. The papers are Papermania creative tones pad - Raspberry Champagne, layered on to red card. A mix of Prima and punched flowers and leaves, with brads and a spacer finish it off. Hope you like it.

Combined challenges

Hi everyone, I'm back in the old routine of work and chauffeuring the kids around to all their activities, so there's hardly any time left to craft. I've managed to grab an hour tonight so I've made a card and combined 3 challenges. Who knows when I'll get to play again this week. Here goes .... I've followed Saturday Sketch #40, but turned it upside down.
The colours used Pink, Orange and Brown are so that I can enter this weeks challenge over at Papertake weekly and I stamped one of my favorite Penny Blacks, this adorable mouse sitting in a box of chocs - Sweet Slumber- so that I can also enter the card in the Penny Black Saturday Challenge- Something to eat.
I used my new Brushables to colour the image and then used some glaze on the chocolates to make them look good enough to eat. The flowers were my bargain shop, only £1.50 from Hobbycraft, for a bag packed full of different sizes, absolutely loads. I actually bought them for my daughter, but there's plenty to share. I tinted the edges and glued a button in the center.

Two challenges in one

Here's my card for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge. I am doubling up again and am going to enter it into the Our Creative Corner. - Use a Tag Challenge as I've used four shaped tags.
The Bashful badger was water coloured and then I put a little glaze on the flowers. As I've already said the flower like embellishment is made up of four tags with the sentiment stamped on the center one.

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Week 36

This weeks challenge was a Sketch by Nat. I stamped my image with Staz on and water coloured the image. I layered up Papermania papers, and finished off with a couple of paper and plastic flowers and gem stones.

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.

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.

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.