Musical Valentines!

As Gillian and Lynne are both leaving the DCM design team the Little Extra this week was to make a card in the style of one of them. Both are very talented and I will miss seeing their DT cards but I chose to do a card in the style of Gillian as it is quite different to my usual style!

I also made this a musical themed card so that it fit in with the 4x4 friday challenge this week!

Supplies: Cream cardstock, Bits & Pieces music papers, K&Co Life's Journey paper, K&Co Life's journey Beyond Postmarks metal embellishment,Basic Grey 'Wintertime' stamps, ribbon, treble clef from stash, words made on pc.

Shopping Hanna

I struggled with what to do today so I sought inspiration with Julee's Mojo Monday sketch over at Poetic Artistry. My SSBS4 sister Kelly sent me this lovely image of Hanna, which was a joy to paint! I just received an order from Ribbon Oasis and this lovely olive coloured one came so that gave me the colour combo I needed. I don't love how it turned out but I think it is growing on me!

Supplies:White and pink cardstock, Hanna stamped image, watercolour paints, Patterned paper DCWV Text prints paper stack, Scissor sisters Sweet Bella Blooms, ribbon from Ribbon Oasis, Dovecraft brads and buttons from stash.

Tilda & Co challenge 2 ~ Numbers

The second challenge is now up on Tilda & Co with a great theme to use numbers on your card or project along with a Magnolia stamp! Pop on over to check out the challenge and see the fabulous cards by the Design Team!

This is my card for this week's challenge. I needed an 18th birthday card for my Goddaughter, don't know how that happened, I still think of her as a little girl! I used a black and white colour scheme to make it a bit more grown up!

Supplies: White and black cardstock, Silver paper from a Little Sizzles pad, Magnolia stamp 'Tilda shopping', Basic Grey DP Scarlet's letter 'fare thee well', Ribbon by Maya Road, Number stamp - See D's alphabet set, Painted with watercolour paints and paper pieced, stones, eyelet and wire from stash.

A card by Andrea

I have had a lovely day stamping and painting up some gorgeous Magnolia and Sugar Nellie images but didn't put a card together so nothing of my own to show today. I did receive this beautiful card from Andrea (I know you all know her), the other day so thought I would share it with you. Andrea is an amazing stamper with the widest range of stamps I have ever known and she always colours perfectly. It is even more perfect in real life! Did you get your Magnolia stamped cards in for the challenge? Deadline is 12pm tomorrow! Get ready for the next challenge which will be posted around that time too! Can't wait!

Me and My Shadow

2 cards for one challenge today!

The DCM challenge this week was set by Jane:

I want you to create not just one but TWO cards ! But wait........there's more ! I want both cards to contain the same embellishments and papers, ribbons etc- but arranged in a different way for a different occasion....the only thing being different is the wording....I'll let you have different wording ! (How nice of me eh?)

Supplies: Cream, white and brown cardstock, Sugar Nellie stamp, K & Co patterned paper, organza ribbon from Ribbon Oasis.

Howdy!

I made this one very quickly today with an image the very lovely and very talented Andrea sent me, thank you so much, it was just what I needed today! I had to make a thank you card for my son to give to his friend who bought him a Christmas gift. I have given up on him getting round to making one himself......boys!(sigh). As luck would have it, the challenge over at Papertake Weekly is to make a thank you card!

The stamp is, of course, a Sugar Nellie! They are unfortunately not in stock at the moment at Funky kits

I do hope they re-stock soon, they are fab!

Supplies: White and brown cardstock, Crate paper-' Wheelbarrow from the Garden Collection',

Sugar Nellie 'Cowboy stamp', EK Success flower punch used for ticket corners, rub-on sentiment was a freebie, suede rope was on a candle I was given at Christmas!

You make my day!

The very lovely and super talented Em has given me this award, wow, I really feel honoured!

the rules are:

Give the award to up to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel so happy about blogland! Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so that they can pass it on. Beware! You may get the award several times! So, to narrow it down to ten….

It is so difficult to only choose 10 people for this because everyone I visit comes under this category so I decided to go with the 10 people I have 'known' longest. So in alphabetical order:

1. Andrea

2. Anne

3. Dawn

4. Flossie

5. Kristy

6. Leann

7. Louly

8. Marlou

9. Nicola

10. Rose Ann

Kelly's sketch and Arty Girlz buttons

2 challenges in 1 for this card, I used the sketch on Kelly's blog challenge for the layout and added buttons for the Arty Girlz challenge this week.

Supplies: Black and white cardstock, Sizzix circle frames die, Studio G greeting stamp, Will n Way Holiday Things clear stamp set, Snowflake punch, ribbon, buttons and gems from stash.

New Tilda's!

Look what just arrived in the post.....oh happy, happy me!

I ordered these from sillymonkeycrafts on sunday night and they arrived today, how is that for service! So, now you know where to go if you don't have any and want to join in the Tilda & Co challenge!

They also do free delivery over £15! Can you tell I am impressed!

DCM Little Extra

the DCM Little Extra is back this week, the challenge is

We want to see your Crafty Christmas Presents ! Make a card using a new toy you had for Christmas, or in fact any crafty goodies that you received. Its a great chance to try out all your new toys/papers/embellishments! We'd love to see what crafty presents Santa dropped into your stocking...

I got this lovely Papermania Pop-up embellishment, I hadn't seen them anywhere before so I have been looking forward to using them.

I used the CPS sketch #46 for the layout.

I love what this sweet embellishment does, it houses this fantastic banner in its little pocket!

Supplies: White and pink cardstock, Little Sizzles patterned paper, Papermania Pop-up Accessories, mulberry flowers and buttons from stash.

Tilda & Co First Challenge

The very first challenge on Tilda & Co Challenge blog is

For our First Challenge this will be FLOWERS, would like to see any type of flowers on your work, be it Die Cuts, Blooms, Primas, or even Flower Printed papers etc. Anything goes aslong as it involves having flowers on your work.You choose what you would like to do, Be it a Card, Scrapbook page, Altered Art etc.Also Due to this being our First Challenge we are giving away some sweet Blog Candy!!!

Remember the only rule is that your work must have a Magnolia Stamped Image on, along with the Challenge for this week - which is Flowers.

What a fantastic first challenge! Blog candy will be given to 2 participants so the closing time for entrants is Sunday 13th January at 12pm.

This is my card for this weeks challenge, the ever so cute Tilda with bird in hand. I paper pieced her clothes, hair and even the bird! I love this technique and how else would she get such a gorgeous cardi? I so want one just like it!

Supplies: White cardstock, Daisyd's Patterned papers, floral paper is called 'Lullaby small flowers', Scissor Sisters Sweet Bella Blooms, Dovecraft brads, Ribbon from Ribbon Oasis, mulberry flowers from stash.

Tilda & Co Design Team!

I have some great news to share, I made the design team of the Tilda & Co Challenge Blog! If you have any of the Magnolia Stamps and would like to take part in some fabulous new challenges pop on over and join in. There will be a new challenge announced every sunday! I am so excited, can't wait to see all those fabulous Tilda's in one place!

Loveboat

I made this with Beate's weekend sketch #29. I am so glad to see her back to blogging and producing her fabulous sketches. I bought this Clarity stamp when away in England, they had a few that were half price so I picked up 4 of them. I love them, they stamp beautifully!

I stamped the image with black stazon and chalked the background for a moody effect.

Supplies: Cream cardstock, Crate Papers - Uphill and hopscotch, Clarity stamp, Ribbon from Ribbon Oasis, Papermania adhesive stone.

New Year

The DCM dare this week is

The first dare of 2008 is set by me (Lynne).For this weeks dare, I would like our cards to celebrate'New'So not only New Year, but maybe New Home, New Baby, New Job or maybe a card for someone who is starting a new chapter in their life.

As I already made a new baby card and don't know of anyone who may be moving house this year I decided to make a New Year card. I used the sketch over at Caardvarks for the layout.

Supplies: White cardstock, DCWV Christmas stack patterned papers, Bazzill blooms, mulberry flower and pearl brad, ribbon and pin from stash. Greeting stamp from Woodware 'Must have Christmas Words'.

Hamish with sleigh

Another Sugar Nellie, I promise something completely different tomorrow! this one is so cute, he is Hamish with sleigh. My SBS4 sister Kelly told me of a challenge on SCS to make 10 Christmas cards per month all year which I think is a great idea, well I did say I wanted to start early after running out of time for Christmas just gone! I don't know whether I will ever manage the 10 but anything is a bonus for me! Anyway, it feels right posting this one today as it is so snowy outside, we are having our first real snow of the year, the kids have even had the sledges out! Must admit the snow was a bit thin for sledging but that never puts them off! The mountains are looking fabulous just now almost completely covered in snow.

Supplies: White and brown cardstock, DCWV patterned paper, Little sizzles patterned paper, Studio G stamp, Sugar Nellie stamp 'Hamish with sleigh', Papermania adhesive stones, buttons from stash.

It's a boy!

We have a new baby nephew so I made this card for him. I added the bling so it would fit the challenge over on Papertake Weekly Challenge.

Supplies: White and pale blue card, Panduro teddy stamp, Studio G 'boy' stamp, Papermania adhesive stones, dovecraft brad, ribbons and eyelet from stash. Papermania patterned paper.

Bedtime Maggie

Another fabulous Sugar Nellie, 'Bedtime Maggie'. I again paper pieced her clothes, teddy and toothbrush. I am so excited as Sugar Nellies are hoping to have a new range ready for January, can't wait to see what they come up with!

Supplies: Cream, white and blue cardstock, DCWV patterned paper, Little sizzles patterned paper, Sugar Nellie stamp, Dovecraft brad, mulberry flower and ribbon from stash.

First card of 2008

The last DCM challenge of the year is a team challenge :

Hi All. Today we have decided to revisit your most favourite dares of 2007. The four top dares, decided by the number of comments you made on them are (in no particular order): 'buttons', 'ribbons', ...'and cut' and 'frames'. We would like you to use this week as many of those dares as you like to make your card in any theme and any style

I used the 'and cut' in the paper piecing, buttons and ribbons if you class rik rak as ribbon! I used another of my new Sugar Nellie's, this time Hamish with tractor. I am also working on Maggie in PJs today so hopefully will share that one tomorrow!

My first card of 2008!

Supplies: White and pale blue cardstock, sugar Nellie 'Hamish with tractor', label and buttons from a papermania embellishment pack, dovecraft brads, papermania patterned paper, Little Sizzles PP and DCWV PP. Rik Rak from stash, sentiment printed on PC.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

I hope you have all had a fabulous time over the festive period, I have so enjoyed Christmas it was so busy and exhausting but so much fun, so sad that it is all over. Now I just want the fairies to come and take down the trees and decorations, I don't like that job at all!

We had a lovely party last night to celebrate Hogmanay and I didn't get to bed until 4am! I did clear up before going to bed so thank goodness I didnt have that to face this morning. I am looking forward to a nice quiet day today and hoping to get some cards made, having not made a single one in well over a week I am desperate to make a start especially as I got some lovely crafty goodies from Santa!

Wee Hamish in kilt

Finally got to make a card this week! My new Sugar Nellies arrived yesterday so I stayed up late stamping and managed to finish this earlier today. I adore this wee lad, the adorable Hamish in kilt. I think this one will be well used in the New Year! I paper pieced his clothes and boots.

Christmas is almost upon us so I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, hope you get lots of stash in your stockings! Best Wishes for the New Year and look forward to catching up with everyone after the festivities! Thank you all so much for visiting and leaving me such lovely comments!

Supplies: Cream and green cardstock, sugar Nellie stamp 'Hamish in kilt', Patterned paper Sizzix Little Sizzles, Dovecraft brads, ribbon from Ribbon Oasis.

My Christmas Wreath

Look what I made today! There hasn't been much creating done around here this past week but I did find some time to make my door wreath. I love it! This is the first time I made my own so I am very proud of it!

A bird in the hand

The Arty Girlz challenge this week was to use handcutting. I used paper piecing on this stamped image which is my handcutting.

Supplies: White and dark green cardstock, Magnolia stamp, Basic Grey Dasher and Figgy Pudding, ribbon from Ribbon Oasis.

Sugar Nellie Pirate

Another of my new Sugar Nellies - Pirate! He is fab, a year or so ago it was nearly impossible to get a decent pirate stamp, now there are a few to choose from but I love this one! I used one of my Karen Foster charms too from her pirate range. I have bought a few more Sugar Nellies so watch this space!

Supplies: White and navy cardstock, sugar Nellie Pirate stamp, Karen Foster charm, Greeting printed on PC, dovecraft brads, household twine, gingham ribbon from stash. Patterned Paper K & CO.

My Elf name

Your Elf Name Is...

Happy Fruit Cake

What's" Your Elf Name?

this is so funny! I made a mistake at first I was floppy slave o santa but I like this one better, suits me, loving fruit cake!

Candy Stripes

A very quick and simple card for the DCM challenge this week which was :

This week is my turn (Saffa) to set the dare!I love the stripey candy sticks that are around at this time of year so inspired by this I challenge you all to create a card featuring stripes of some kind, the occasion is up to you but you must use some form of stripes on your card. Maybe stamps, or paper, or ribbon...

I have just bought this gorgeous Sugar Nellie stamp and have been desperate to make something with her. The candy stripe challenge was ideal!

Supplies: White and pink cardstock, Sugar Nellie with spring flowers stamp, Maya Road ribbon slide, Basic Grey 'Stella Ruby' paper, velvet ribbon from Papermania. Image coloured using watercolour paints.

Prize Goodies!

My prize from the Papertake Weekly Challenge came this weekend! Look at these fabby goodies, don't you just love this kind of mail! Thanks so much Steph, I love them and especially for the gorgeous card!

Cards for the Fair!

I made these 3 very quick cards for the Christmas Fair we held in the village today. I never do decoupage but these came free in a magazine and I thought they would do well at the Fair. They did, they all sold! I still have some more from the mag so I will keep hold of them for next year's fair! I think we did quite well, we had a great turn out, it was a cold day but stayed dry so that always helps. It has been a busy day, tonight we had another fundraiser, a quiz night which is great fun as it is a family night. We were lucky we had our little ones as we were the only ones who knew who the garage owner's name in Noddy!

Supplies: white and navy cardstock, Margaret Sherry decoupage sheets, I don't know what make the stamps are as I lost the packaging.

Christmas with a twist

Saturday Stampers has an interesting challenge this week, Christmas with a twist! You can't use obvious christmas pics like Santa or use the word Christmas. Here is mine:

Supplies: Cream cardstock, Basic Grey stamps 'winterland', PP Sandylion, Prima flowers, rikrak Papermania and ribbon from Ribbon Oasis. Brads by Dovecraft.

Off to make some mince pies for tomorrows christmas fair!

1 1/2 hours later : they are delicious you must try this pastry recipe!

Enough for 12 mince pies

7oz plain flour

1oz ground almonds

3 1/2 oz butter

2oz icing sugar

1 large egg yolk

3 tbsp milk

plus 1 x 411g sweet mincemeat.

use beaten egg to glaze and icing sugar to dust.

Mmm, just had to try a second one, just to be sure they are good you understand, it might just have been because I was hungry, playdoh would taste good if you were hungry. Yes, they are yummy! Can't wait to try them with brandy cream, just as well I don't have any in or they might not make it to the fair!

I don't know where this recipe came from I had scribbled it down in a notebook but the pastry is deliciously sweet and light. I wizzed all the ingredients up in my blender, such an easy way to make pastry then put it in the fridge for 1 hour before rolling out.

to my American friends, if any of you need help with the conversions let me know as I have an English friend living in Canada who helps me out when I need a recipe converted!

Buttons and Bows

This is for the DCM Santa's Little Extra helper no 7 Buttons and Bows. I made a tag rather than a card as I needed one to match this paper. The wrapping paper is from Phoenix Trading and is so gorgeous and luxuriously thick. I buy my wrapping paper from them all the time and normally get the tags but this year they were sold out of the matching tags for this paper.

I dug out some old letraset rub-ons for the word, it worked a treat!

Supplies: Blue cardstock, Sizzix tag die, Phoenix Trading wrapping paper, red raffia, gingham ribbon, rik rak and buttons from stash,

Sisterhood of the Blogging Stampers

After seeing this around on a few blogs recently I decided to take a look at the Sisterhood of the Blogging Stampers last night. It looks like fun and a great way of finding more blogging buddies! If you are interested pop on over, there is still space in group 4 but they seem to fill up fast!

A bit about me for the group : I am married with 4 children aged between 7 and 14 and although I don't go out to work there still never seems to be enough hours in the day. I love cardmaking and do a bit of scrapbooking when I can fit it in. I have been making cards now for about 3 years although if you count cross- stitched cards it is probably more like 13 years! I have only been playing with bits of paper and stamping for about 3 though.