Happy Birthday Stephanie Serrano!

Morning all, well I hope I get this right.

This is the 1st time I have ever been in a blog hop and hope it goes to plan!

 It's a very special day - today is Stephanie Serrano's birthday! So we are planning on giving her a big surprise today!

Please join me and some fellow bloggers to celebrate!!

Your next stop will be Davie, i'm sure she has something beautiful to share with you!

Happy Birthday Stephanie! Please take a minute to wish our friend a wonderful day filled with birthday wishes, tell her Katrina Benton sent you, as she doesn't know were hopping today, lets see how long it takes her to notice! 

I have made this card using a Heart Song Designs Digi, Theodore with Flower, he is so adorable, I have coloured him with my pro-markers, and added some glitter! 

1. Michelle Single – http://wannastamp.blogspot.com

2. Shelly Scott - http://shells-space.blogspot.com/

3. Chris Dickinson - http://www.chrissyd723.blogspot.com/

4. Dee Pritschet - http://deesdesigns.wordpress.com/

5. DDH Blog - http://theangelcompany.typepad.com/digi_design_house/

6. Paula-Kay Bourland - http://digidesignsbypk.blogspot.com

7. Teresa Jenkins - http://www.mamapickle.blogspot.com

8. Debra Miller - http://creamcityangels-digi.blogspot.com/

9. Katrina Benton -  you are here!

10. Davi Reed - http://alstromeriaartistry.blogspot.com/

x

Theres Magic In the Air Challenge - Colour Challenge; Pink, Yellow and Green!

Afternoon! 

whoo i'm back on a mission, oh how I missed my blog last week, so glad to be home and I will apologise again for my blog deciding that it wouldn't post for me!

Congratulations to last weeks winner, will pop by and see what you create with your winnings! 

Well i'm here with the Challenge for Theres Magic in the air.  

Everyone is welcome to join us, although its nice to see what you create with a Paper Cupcakes image, but you don't have to use one.  If you would like to grab one though please pop over to the store! 

This week we have a colour challenge;

Pink, Yellow and Green

If you join us you will be in with the chance of winning your choice of 2 images from the store! They are such lovely digis, I find it hard to choose what to play with!

This week I have used the lovely image Magnolia Cupcake. 

I coloured the image with my pro-markers and then added stickles to the flower.  I loved working with these colours, such spring colours, and to post this card on such a spring like day is wonderful! 

I mounted the image onto yellow, green and pink card just to tie the colours in a bit more! 

Here is a close up of the flower, this is 3/6 of my mothers day cards! so I best get on, housework to still catch up with and want to craft so much!!! Please pop over to the Theres Magic In the Air blog and see what the rest of the team have created! They are all so talented! If you have time pop over to their personal blog and show them some love! 

Hope to see your creations over there, remember it doesn't have to be a PCC image!! 

x

Incy Wincy Designs Challenge #87 Sparkle and Shine

Morning all. well back to reality now, Amelia is back at school and i have the house to catch up on, but I so want to craft! It will have to wait for now though.  Today is a beautiful sunny day and my washing is blowing in the light breeze, spring is here and it feels wonderful.

Onto the challenge at Incy Wincy Designs! This week were looking for all you creations that...

'Sparkle and Shine'

Our sponsor is Heart Song designs, Such beautiful hand drawn digis, please if you have time pop over and take a look.

This week the luck winner will get to pick three digis from the Heart Song Design Shop, If you have time please pop over and take a look at what they have to offer. 

The design team were fortunate enough to be able to used some of the Heart Song Design digis, if you have time please pop over and see their creations, I know they would all love to hear what you think! 

Here is my creations using Water lily available here. 

I used a shimmer card for my card base as I felt this added to the sparkle and shine for the challenge!  I coloured the lily using my pro-markers, I coloured 4 copies of the lily and layered it up to add effect and depth to the image. 

I mounted the finished image onto miri card and then added happy mothers day with peel-offs! 

Such a stunning image, I have so many other ideas with this digi! 

I then covered the lily with stickels for more sparkle and shine! 

I would like to enter this card to the following challenges.  

Fairy Tale Challenge - Green and Pink

Just add Ink - Just Stamps

Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight Challenges - Decoupage

Well I hope you will join us over at Incy Wincy Designs, I cant wait to see all your creations! 

Please if you have time remember to look at the Heart Song Designs shop and pop over and see the rest of the team at Incy Wincy Designs 

x

Pear Tree Designs Challenge #42 Mothers Day

Morning all, well had a busy night last night catching up with bits, well trying to catch up, I think I will be running in circles for the next month trying to get on top of all this stuff! Oh well, i'm keeping busy and thats the main thing! Silly blogger decided to play up last week, so thats why there is not posts from last week, but I will catch up this week. Its a busy and exciting week! 

Im here with the challenge at Pear Tree Designs this week we are looking for the cards for the Mum's, Mummies or maybe even Grandmas and Nannies! so that means the theme for the week is 

'Mothers Day Cards'

With Mothers Day just around the corner were looking for the cards you have made for them! 

I have 6 to make in total as I make one from me and hubby and then one from the kids, oh the joys! 

This week our sponsor is 

Robyn's Fetish

If you have time please take a look at the shop, some lovely digis over there! 

Onto my card for this week.  I have used the stunning new stamps from Whiff of Joy Spring Stamp kit, I was so happy when this came through the door, but I didn't have time to play before going away, so you can imagine how eager I was when I got home!

I have used the adorable little Honey Honey stamp from the kit, she is so adorable. I love the expression on her face, she looks so pleased with herself! 

I used a kraft card blank for the base of my card, the papers I have used are from my stash I know that the green one is a Bo Bunny paper, I have had it sat there quite a while thought.  

The flowers are from various places, the lilies are from my local craft shop, they are made from foam but look so stunning, the big purple rose is also from my local craft shop, the smaller ones are from e-bay.  The beady bits are from The Works, they are £1 a pack and you get loads in them! I must go and stock up on them this week! I used silicone glue to stick them down as you get time to move them about. 

The punch is a Martha Stewart lace punch, I punched both sides of the paper, lining it up from the middle out. 

I coloured the image with pro-markers (they enjoyed their break away from me!), but I was rushing so I have no idea as to what colours i used.  I cut the image using a nestie and left her feet in (OK so i cheated and drew round the nestie and cut it by hand!)  I then used a sponge and green ink around the edge.

I would like to enter this card to the following challenges

Aly's Sunday Sketch  - Spring

Catered Crop - Child Stamp, Border Punch, Spring, Ovals

The Crafty Pad - For the Mum's

Creative Cow Girls - Spring or Easter

Creative Insperations - Mothers Day

The Kraft Journal - Flowers

Dream Valley - Mothers Day

Gingerloft - Punches/Die Cut

Lets ink it up - Punches/Die Cuts

Scrappy Frogs - Flowers and lace

Well I hope i have inspired you to join us at Pear Tree Designs this week! I look forward to seeing you there.  If your looking for more inspiration, take a look at what the rest of the DT created, you can see all their brill work on the Pear Tree Designs Blog! Remember if you have time to look at Robyn's Fetish shop! 

Look forward to seeing your creations! 

x

WOW an award and a little bye bye

Evening all, well so sorry I haven't posted for a couple of days been catching up with bits and bobs! Well first of all so none of you think I have gone missing, i'm going away for a couple of days and cant wait! need the break so much! I do have some posts scheduled I just hope they work as I wont have access while i'm away! I think when I get home i'm going to be strait on the computer rather than washing ect! Im going to miss you all! 

But on a good now a lovely lovely lovely friend of mine, no other but the wonderful Dawn over at Dawns Crafting has given me a beautiful award! 

Thanks so much Dawn! I will pop this one on the side bar in a bit! 

All  need to do is share this with 7 people, no more no less. so I would like to pass this award to;

Nina 

Cheryl

Lou 

Hev

Trina

Linda

Karen

Well I hope you all like the award!

OK this is me signing out for a little while! I hope that my posts work, If not, then I will post them as soon as Im home! 

x

Pirates kept me up!

Ok so I was ment to be going to bed... 

Crafting has taken over, well it was more the pirates!

 I brought this set AGES ago! 

A couple of nights ago I became quite concerned about this SU set I couldn't find, then it suddenly appeared as I was about to go to bed! 

SO you can imagine, the table became a mess again! I just had to create! ARRRR!!!

and the above is what I came up with.  I used the Stampin Up' set Pirates Beware, This is all the stamps in the set! 

I stamped 'Beware Pirates' and 'ARRR' directly onto the Kraft card-stock, I used another piece of the card-stock to stamp the other images using black Archival ink.  I then distressed the edges of the images (using the side of my scissors as I was being slightly lazy!) and then went round the edges with sepia Archival ink! 

I the mounted all the images with foam pads onto the card! I was very impressed, It was a very simple card and I feel much better for using the set now! (I don't think the pirates will haunt me tonight!)

Well before anything else catches my eye I am going to go up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire and down Sheet Lane to blanket fair! I think i'm going to need match sticks in the morning to keep my eyes open for me! 

Night all

xx

Wine + A Box of Dairy Milk (all bar 4) and Hope =

• 70 finished wedding invitations
• empty bottle of fermented grapes, no enjoying some time in my blood stream
• a box of chocolates with four left in (the ones I (don't like) saved for my mum)

and

• a card that i'm quite proud of

Had a pretty good day! The cat had to go in to the vet today to be sedated.  She is a Persian X and was matted so badly underneath.  She wont met anyone get to her under there and so today we decided that she would become the 'Designer Cat'.  When I sent her in this morning I (sarcastically) requested that she came out with a Mohican and  matching Ugg boots (it would't be the 1st time she has had the look, about a year ago she ended up with a nasty injury just after we had her 'seen to' and she went out and she did end up with a Mohican and Ugg boots!!) but she has come home feeling a bit more sorry for herself than normal!

Onto the good note though I'm catching up with lost time from last week.  After being ill and not crafting for a while it has been a bit wearied to 'share' my time again!   I have now completed my order of wedding invitations and my friends party invitations and have now started thinking about what I want to do!

Tonight I have consumed a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates and have created this...

mmm what do you think???

I coloured hope and then cut her our with the nesties then used a sponge and Sepia Archival ink to give an aged effect.  I then mounted her on a small doily. 

The butterfly border at the bottom in blue is from a pack that I purchased off e-bay last week, you cant see the shimmer, but they are stunning.  I believe its a Martha Stewart Punch! The roses are form e-bay, a bargain buy (Ok I got carried away and ordered load, a girl can never have too many flowers!) The Marianne butterfly is from the same person as the butterfly borders, again I think this is a Martha Stewart punch.  The pin on the top right is one that I have made my-self! 

Well I have to tell you all I am trying to sell some of my creations on e-bay, although I attend local village fetes ect I never get rid of enough and I find that people always want to give you less for something as they want something for nothing, I have a few bits listed at the moment, and hope that they will sell before I go on my holiday.  Its worth a try at the end of the day, I have nothing to loose! 

So this is 'Hope' up-close.  To colour her this time I have used pro-markers all the way! 

Oh i'm sure my babies think they are going to get a break next week.. well I have news for them they are coming with me! I think I will end up going insane of they don't share my holiday, also the laptop is coming too otherwise I think I will walk home just to check my blog! 

I have used Cornflower Blue, Denim Blue and Pastel Blue to colour her dress, Shale, Caramel, Sandstone and Cocoa to colour her hair, Azure for her eyes and Sun-kissed pink, Dusky Pink, Putty and Blush for her skin. 

This is  hope from the bottom! After my clear out I found the easel I purchased from Ikea ages ago, I forgot it was there! It makes life so easy to take pictures as i'm not trying to prop my card up all the time to get the right angle!

The Marianne  butterfly was originally white, but i went over it with a sponge and sepia Archival ink.  

Well I hope you like her! 

Let me know what you think if you have time!

I look forward to seeing what you have to say! 

im going to sing hi ho and go to bed! 

night! 

x

Congratulations on the birth....

Evening all, well today has been productive, I have finished a number of invitations for an order and I have played in between, as well as running around after the kids! 

My sister called this afternoon and asked if I could make a card for her.  Someone that she went so school with has had a baby! I was actually very pleased that she asked me, she will normally ask my mum to make the cards for her.  She new exactly what she wanted so it has been very easy.

This is the second card I have created with this image he is Bambino from Sugar nellie, available over at Funky Kits, isn't he just so adorable! I cant help but want to cuddle him! I coloured his hat and under him using Powder Blue, Cornflower and Arctic Blue, I coloured his skin using  Oatmeal, Sun-kissed Pink, Dusky Pink, Putty and Blush, his skin look so amazing to me, I love how I have learnt with the skin tones! 

The flowers are ones I purchased from e-bay, I brought a job lot so I had a 'stock', although it seems that i'm already running out of certain colours! Oh well another flower spree will be needed! The blue/grey shimmer card that the image is mounted on is from the Papermill.  

The lace and buttons are from my stash, a lot of them thanks to my mum! well I hope the lucky person to receive the card will be happy! I would like to enter this card to the following challenges;

The Pink Elephant - Buttons, Lace and Ribbon

Thanks for taking the time to stop by, see you soon 

If you have time I would love to hear what you think! 

xx

New Stamps!!!!

Ok so a while ago I purchased some new stamps from e-bay, i'm totally obsessed with Whiff of Joy at the moment, I have an order on its way to me and cant wait to get creating with it! I cant wait to get my hands on all the lovely new releases they have released from the spring stamp kit! ohhh they make e smile.  

Well back to the set I have now! I purchased the Whiff Of Joy stamp set #4 Christmas Blessings! It was the little donkey that drew my heart in, I was even more surprised when I opened the set to find project ideas inside! as you can imagine I wouldn't wait to play and so I stamped a few times and then tried to create a scene! 

Well I was very impressed with myself! Everything lined up quite well, with the help of my stamp-a-maj-jig! 

I coloured using my pro-markers and the used a SU dabber with Archival sepia ink to distress the background! 

What do you think?

This is an Item I am trying to sell on e-bay, so I have made it just as a topper, we will wait and see! 

Pear Tree Designs Challenge #40 St Patricks Day

Morning all,

First of all Thank You to the rest of the DT this week, you have done a grand job! I promise I will make it up to you next week! 

I feel so bad as I haven't managed to create anything for Pear Tree Designs this week, But I would like to still tell you about what is happening this week! 

We are looking for all your St Patricks Day creations! I was so looking forward to this challenge but have just been too unwell.  Im getting back on form now and will be racing ahead for next week! 

This week we are sponsored by;

http://www.onestopcardcrafts.co.uk/index.asp

I hope that if you have time you will take a look at all the yummy things they have to offer! 

This week the winner will receive a range of liquid pearls worth £10!

As I cant offer to inspire you this week, I hope that you will pop over to The Pear Tree Designs Blog and look at what the rest of the DT have created! 

x

Theres Magic In the Air Challenge

Hi everyone, first of all I would like to welcome all the new members to the DT for Theres Magic in the Air,

Belinda Lewis

Chelsea Barnes

Ildiko Cseh

Jenn Cockran

Julie Smith

Lucy Marino

Molly Ritterbeck

Sheng Vang

Suzi McKenzie 

It would be lovely if you have the time for you to stop by and say a quick hello to them! Im looking forward to working with you all! 

Well this week over at Theres Magic in the air it was my turn to pick the theme, this was a first for me, I was so excited!!!! OHHH I had so much fun thinking of what to choose, and I decided to pick one of my favourites! 

MONOCHROMATIC!!! 

Oh how I love the effect, OK so i'm still a bit scared of doing anything other then black and white, but hey I will get there, its all a learning curve!

The prize for this weeks winner is 2 digis of your choice from the Paper Cupcakes Store! 

This week I used the adorable image Birthday Wishes availabe from the Paper Cupcakes store,

I didnt knw what to put as a sentiment on this one, so I am still thinking! If you have any ideas, please let me know!

I used my Ice Grey pro-markers to colour the whole picture,  then matted and layered on black and white! 

I would like to enter this card to the following challenges;

The Shabby Tea Room - Party Time

I hope you will join us in my favourite challenge! I look forward to seeing what you create, Also if you have time pop over to the Theres Magic in the Air blog and take a look at what the rest of the team created! 

I Feel Good!!!! I have the Versatile Blogger Award!!!

Evening all, well its been a busy day, finishing cards, starting orders, finishing orders... and I received an award! 

Well to start my 'feel good' day, I finished a card and got a couple of cards posted, then I chilled a bit.  Then I had a friend of mine who gets married in a few weeks come to me with the final design for her invitations, so I started them.  Once I had printed all 40 of them I noticed that the date was wrong (I had put 2001 not 2011 and she didn't notice!) and so re-printed them and  started to get them finished.  Then ran out of ribbon, so stopped with them, finished my other friends 'save the date' cards for her party in May and just given them to her and then found out I have an award!!! WOW (sorry to bore you there, needed to let you all know!)!!

Well I have been given the Versatile Blogger Award from a lovely friend Dawn over at Dawns Crafting, You always have such lovely things to say and your creations are wonderful, so thank you so much!  This will take pride of place with my other awards! 

The rules as with many awards, are that 

1) Tell 7 Facts about yourself

2) hands the award to 15 fellow Bloggers

Ha Ha Ha, 7 things about me... well I will try!

1) I'm a butterfly, I cant have one thing on the go at any one time, I need to be busy! 

2) I have an amazing Husband, he is defiantly OOAK!

3) I ramble... lots, i talk rubbish!

4) I love to use !!! at the end of most sentences!

5) I always type Thanks You, not Thank You!

6) I have met so many lovely people thanks to my blog!

7) I want another baby! - once we have moved and I have my Craft room (PRIORITIES!!!)

Well that wasn't as hard as i thought it was going to be! 

So now to pass it on to some of you, this is not going to be easy! 

1) Hev over at Vanilla Hev'n , you have been there for me from the start of my blogging, you have invited me to your design team, Thank you so much.

2)Chris over at Cats Scratching Post, Thank you so much for making me feel so welcome at Incy Wincy Designs.

3) Donna over at Creative Designs 4 all, thank you so much for allowing me to be part of your team! 

4) Nina over at Having and Art-A-Tack, Thank you for inviting me to be part of your team and putting up with my silly questions! 

5) Cheryl at Cheryl's Creative Cards, thank you for all your lovely comments and you help with tutorials! 

6) Lou at Lou's Love Of Paper* we were newbees together! You are so lovely, such wonderful comments and your doing well on your Craft-y Resolutions!

7) Linda at Lindy's Made with love, you are so lovely, thanks for all your tips and the beautiful pins 

8) Leah at Paper Blossoms, Thank you for allowing me to be part of your team! 

9) Peggy at Daily Grace Creations, you always have such kind words to say

10)Angelique at Sliekje Digi Stamps - Such lovely digis you give away! Thank you!

11) Trina at Trina Makes Stuff, you are so kind, thank you!

12) Sara at The Sherlocks Home, I have only followed you a couple of days but I love what you create, Thank you! 

13) Karen at Paper, Scissors and .... Glitter, your creations are wonderful! 

14) Carolyn at Mess, Muddle and Fun, Your creations are beautiful, love the sunflower! 

15) A Fairy Godmother at Fairy Godmothers Stories, I love to read your work, thank you! 

I have to be honest with you, it has taken me longer to pick just 15 of you to give this award to, I wish I would give it to you all, well I best get and and let all these people know! 

Thanks to everyone and Dawn too

xxxx

 

Happy Birthday Cousin...

WHOOO.... having a good day! Been busy this morning, but not doing what I should be doing!

I stand in my kitchen and craft some days, the surface is stronger than the table when I want to lean on bits and the light is so much better, so thats where I have been this morning.  Amelia keeps coming in the kitchen asking what 'recipe' i'm cooking! its making me giggle.  

Well today its Mark's (my husband) cousins birthday, I have made so many different cards for her but none of them have 'done it' for me, but this one just made me think of her, i'm not even sure why! 

The image is one I purchased from Poppy's Cabin a while ago as well as the Doily, she sells these on e-bay at a very good price! I think it was £1 for 20, but don't hold me to that one! The card base if from a pack I purchased yesterday, Kraft card and envelopes 50 for £6, I have wanted some craft card for ages, and never see any, so I grabbed it while I was there!   The blue card and ribbon is from my stash. 

OK now one thing I did want to find out is... I have seen many people cut out images using nesties, but able to keep certain 'parts' of the image in the die as such (OK if you don't understand let me know and I will try again!!)  I know Linda over at Lindys Maid Wid Luv,  has done one recently, she did explain but i'm better with pictures! but if anyone has a tutorial on it, please let me know I would love to know how to do it!

I did manage with this one, with a nestie, pencil and scissors, just cut it by hand,  and that didn't turn out too bad!  SHe has been coloured with my faithful Pro-Markers, and this time I even remembered to take a picture of the pens to make my life easier!

Mmmm onto the rest of my creation.  You can see the doily a bit more here, I did cover most of it up, but its still there. I wanted to show you a close up of the flowers, they have been sat in a box in the cupboard for years, I forgot I had them, you see I buy things, put them away and then find them years later, but now they will be used, I stuck the lilies through the holes in the doily and the other flowers have been stuck with silicone but.... do you see anything else...???

If you spotted the Pearly Pin, your right! I have to say a bit thank you to Linda at Lindy's Made Wiv Luv, as a few weeks ago she ran a small draw for some of the beautiful Pearly Pins that she has made, I had seen these about on other peoples creations and tried to find them without success,  until Linda ran her draw, and so I managed to get my hands on these beauties! She has sent me 6 and they are all so stunning! So THANK YOU!!

I would like to enter this card to the following challenges;

Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Spring Flowers Everywhere

There She Goes - Use Kraft Cardstock

I hope you like her, Thanks for looking

x

Pear Tree Designs Challenge #39 Sketch With a Twist...

Afternoon all, well it appears that blogger is going crazy on me here today! I wrote this post up and published it, but then it hasn't shown till 3 o'clock and without the text. OK so whats the problem blog?

Anyway onto the challenge over at Pear Tree Designs this week! Well we have a lovely sketch to work with, i've not really worked with sketches before, but I think i like them...  Not sure yet, will have to try a few more out! 

Here is the sketch to follow;

Not only did we have a sketch to follow, but we also had image to play with from our sponsor

Crafty Sentiments Designs

Crafty Sentiment Designs are a lovely shop selling digital images/stamps and digital papers, why not pop over and take a look! 

Onto my card for this week, I have chosen to work with Mushroom Bear, I thought he was too cute! 

The papers I have used are 12x12 bazzill stock, and I have coloured the image using my pro-markers, once again, I have forgotten to take note of the ones I have used! I have been our and brought a try so from now on I hope to take photos of the pens so I will remember! 

Well I hope you will join us over at Pear Tree Designs this week for our sketch challenge! If you need more inspiration why not take a look at what the rest of the design team came up with! 

See you soon 

x

Incy Wincy Designs Challenge #85 Pastel Colours

Morning all, well here we are back to school runs and ballet runs and generally running around like a headless chicken!  The joys! It will be summer holidays before I know it and the I will be wishing I didn't complain so much during term time! 

Well this week over at Incy Wincy Designs we are looking for all your creations using 'PASTEL' colours, so prink out the pale pinks, blues and any others you have and get creating! This week we are sponsored by the one and only 

Digital Delights by Louby Lou! 

This week the prize is 

We are also fortunate enough this week to have Radwa Bayoumi, the creator of Digital Delights to be our guest designer this week, here is a bit about her;   

My name is Radwa Bayoumi. I live in Cairo-Egypt with my family (Dad, Mom, 2 sisters and 2 brothers).I have started card making one year ago. Although this hobby is not well known in my country but I have supportive family and friends. I share my creations on my blog: http://stepstowalk.blogspot.com/

 I hope that you will have the time to check out the Digital Delighs shop as well as Radwa's blog!  Below is the card I have madde for this week, I have been a bit useless the last couple of weeks with remembering what colours I have used, so I cant tell you! Sorry! 

This is a cards I have made for my friends daughter that turns four very soon! Thought the image was very cute for a young child! 

Well I hope I have inspired you to join us at Incy Wincy Designs this week, Look forward to seeing all your creations! 

xx