Blog Candy Alert

Debbie is offering the most fantastic candy for her blogaversary. Pop on over and take a look at her amazing blog x





Kim is also having a blogaversary - another two fantastic blogs to add to my collection of favourites x

Wednesday Stamper - Orange Mark 1 and 2

I always have a look at the Wednesday Stampers blog, realise that I am not worthy, and never take part. However, this mornings post just blew me away and I decided that I must have a go. I've changed my hours at work so have the day off today - it feels like crafting in works time. Won't be as good on Saturday though when I'm going in but that's days away yet :o)
The theme is orange, so I have gone for a sunrise/sunset sort of thing.
The bird stamp is from Elusive Images, and the background has been painted with Ecoline inks, then sprayed with mango Cosmic Shimmer spray, which I got pretty damn quickly when Joanna Sheen got them back in stock.
Last night I went to a Stampin Up demo held by Jo.
This was so much fun - it's so nice to be able to talk crafty talk to people who are still awake after 30 seconds (my family know who I am talking about) :0). You can tell how nice everyone was, no-one mentioned the fact that I had a black eye that would put Ricky Hatton to shame! ( I do jujitsu - obviously not too well lol)
Thanks very much for looking and have a great day xx

You know that saying, if t isn't broken don't fix it - well I just wasn't quite convinced that my ATC was finished (I have such a fear of empty spaces, must get therapy) So I gave it another spray of the Cosmic Shimmer - just because it is sooooo nice, then I added a little Basic Grey rub-on.
I'm happy now, it's all done - I'm walking away.....
really I am.....


Done!

Think Monday Think ATC

From the very bottom of my stamp tub, I found my only wooden mounted Sir Tim stamp. The smaller ones are by Oxford Impressions which I got when we were getting megga bucks to the pound ( I didn't want them you understand, I was just doing my bit for the economy).
This is the first time I've entered the Think Monday Think ATC challenge. I work on Mondays and usually can't be er... bothered, but I thought what the heck, stay up till 9.00 tonight lol.
Thanks very much for looking and Happy Mondays everyone xx

Daisy & Dandelion Challenge

Here is my entry to this weeks Daisy and Dandelion challenge. The main background card is Bazzill (I never remember how many z's and l's) Bling. The others are Basic Grey c'os this is my favouritist (new word) paper in the whole world.
I tried to do a card without the stamped stitching but I just wasn't strong enough - damn you stitching stamp, you have too much control over me!!
Thanks very much for looking and have a fab Sunday xx

With Appologies To Abba....

OK they probably don't check my blog, but if they did....
This is my entry for this weeks dare u2 digistamp challenge which is 'things with wings.
The fab birds digi is from Charmed Cards and Crafts again, and the backing paper is from My Grafico which has load of yummy stuff.
For some reason these birds just remind me of the Mamma Mia film, so I just went with that.
Now on a more serious note, no-one warned me that digi stamps were addictive, surely there should be some sort of health/credit card warning???
Thanks for looking and have a great weekend xx

Ooh A Leggy Bird With Big ....

EYES! Well what do you think I meant....
This is my card for the Dare u 2 Digistamp challenge. This week it's pink and green, so I immediately though of my new digi download from Charmed Cards & Crafts. I thought this would be a great saying for a mans card, but pink and green?? Mmmmm
The ostrich has been coloured with Prisma's and UTE'd. I've printed the tiny birds on printable acetate, 'cos the background looked a little bare, and I have a fear of open spaces when it comes to cardmaking!
The backing papers are Basic Grey - good strong 'mens' papers lol.
I've found it best to heat emboss the downloads, as even though they appear dry, the ink still smudged a little when I tried to colour in.
I really think these downloads are the way to go when making guy cards, if only I could remember how to resize them for printing without asking my son every time I would be well away.
Back to work tomorrow, so I have to iron now :o( - sorry for the bad language.
Thanks for looking xx

Dandelion & Daisy

This is my entry to this week challenge which is With Love. You need to look carefully but the little bird is holding a 'with love' envelope.
The papers are a mixture of Smirk and Daisy and Dandelion.
I think I have done too many 'sketch' challenges, 'cos now I'm really struggling to do a card without a sketch to follow - maybe my mojo has just gone away for Easter :o)
Thanks for looking and have a great weekend. xx

Another Card - Simples

This little guy is my entry for this weeks Lots To Do ,Sketch and Stash and Dare u 2 Digi Stamp challenges. The Lots to Do challenge is numbers, and as it's my Brother in Law's 40th birthday soon I thought I better get on with his card. I'd like to say that it's a little something I knocked up in my coffee break, but in fact it took me AGES to make. Why is it some people make fantastic cards in minutes and it takes me forever to make one that I have a picture of the layout for??
The new element of the card is the digi download from Sandra Dry Designs. My brother in law is a big Southampton?? supporter, so I've done 'Simples' in the team colours. My bit of bling for their challenge is the glitter down the lapels of his smoking jacket.
As soon as I saw the meerkats I had to buy the whole lot - they are so cute and great for a man's card. Anything that makes these easier is OK by me!
Thanks very much for looking xx

Sunday Stampers - Silver Lady

This is my entry to this weeks Sunday Stampers challenge. As usual the song has been going through my head all morning, so much so that I had to go and look it up on youtube . I loved David Soul's singing but I have to I prefered Paul Michael Glazer. To this day I prefer dark haired men, but at my age any hair will do lol. (Sorry Neil if you're reading :o) ) But I digress...
My ATC has a background of Cloudy Blue, Lake Mist and Silver acrylic dabbers blended together. The stamps are by Just for Fun, and have been stamped with dye ink and acrylic paints. The little bird charm is from Elusive Images.
This has been a fab challenge, the finished item actually came out as I had envisaged - that doesn't happen often, must be the extra chocolate in the blood stream....
Have a great Easter Weekend and thanks for looking xx

ACouple of ATC's

I was in an ATC mood today, so out came the inks and the stamps and the glues....
Loads of mess later, and here are these two. Just stamping and colouring, and lots of Mod Podge - this is my mood indicator, the more I use the happier I am :o)
My latest find is golden Mod Podge from Craft Obsessions. I love this shop, they have just about everything and the service is second to none.
Thanks for looking and have a great weekend x

C is for.....

Collage, canvas and cork, W is for why am I sat here typing at midnight?.....
Here is my inky messy ATC for the Alphabet Challenge The main image is a much underused Hero Arts stamp. I saw it, loved it, had to have it, then struggled to use it. Lots of other stamps going off in the background, the postage stamp is from a job lot from e-bay that I've had since time began, same with the feather (under the sticky backed canvas 'Live Well') The cork stickers are Creative Imaginations, I had forgotten how much I liked these, they are so forgiving however you stamp them.
Took me ages to make but I really enjoyed it, so thats c to add to my collection.
Thanks for looking and have a lovely Easter xx

Not For Those of a Nervous Disposition...

Wow this pink is making my eyes bleed :o) The owl is my entry to this weeks Sunday Stampers challenge which is birds. It's an Elusive Images stamp that's been coloured with Inktense pencils. I couldn't decide what to put round the edges, so I eventually came up with some Tim Holtz crackle paint. I used Worn Lipstick which is such a pale colour in the distress ink, so I thought nice subtle bit of crackling, and what I got was blamange pink!
I tried to tone it down a bit but it wasn't having any, so here it is in all its glory.
I've just realised I've not coloured the eyes, think I go and add a touch of er - not pink....
Thanks very much for looking xx

Lots To Do Challenge - Art

This is my entry for this weeks Lots To Do Challenge, which this week is Art.
I've tried to keep my ATC as simple as possible. It's been stamped and coloured with distress inks. I've stamped parts onto sticky backed canvas, and stuck over the top.
The butterfly has a coating of glossy accents, and job done.
Thanks very much for looking. xx

Watch Out There's an Elephant About!

This is my entry to the latest Sketch and Stash challenge. The background papers are K&Co Chocolate Neopolitan, which I love too much to use very often. I really need to use them more often though, as like everything else, papers can start to look dated. The lovely elephant is my new stash item. It's from Little Claire Designs It's a clear stamp and it gives such a crisp, clear image. I've coloured it in Prisma pens. The sentiment stamp is by Cuddly Buddly, and the bit o bling is from the Prima set from QVC.
The background card is one of the lovely 8x8 pink cards from Craftwork Cards. This gave me plenty of room to work with, and I think it's a great size for a 'special' card. The doodle round the edge is from this month free stamp on Craft Stamper.
I really enjoyed making this card, which is what it's all about isn't it?
Thanks very much for looking xx

B Is For.....

Birds, blossom and branches.
This is my entry for this weeks Alphabet Challenge. It's another ATC, and I've used Elusive Imagages's tree stamp, and the Tim Holtz birds stamp that seems to be creeping into everything these days. I've used a mixture of inks to colour, and some crystal glaze to highlight the tree trunk and birds (and attach the ATC to the scanner :o))
Thanks very much for looking xx

Tanda Teaser - Vellum

Here is my 1st entry for the Tanda Teaser challenge. This week it's vellum. I've made an ATC with Rubadubadoo and Tim Holtz stamps, with some very basic direct to paper colouring.
The velum has been stamped with a Rubadubadoo stamp from the same set. I think it's a lovely quotation, and it goes really nicely with the rest of the set.
Thanks very much for looking. Sue x

Funky Fairy's Challenge - Green

Here's my entry for this weeks Funky Fairy challenge which is 'green'. The papers are from the Eclectic Lurve collection, which is full of lovely designs.
I've succumbed to the Daisy & Dandelion stamps. This is one of the teddy bears, I'm afraid I can't remember her name, but they do stamp beautifully. She's been coloured with Inktense pencils. The daisy border and the sentiment is from the same stamp set. These sets are really worth their money.
I wanted a little splash of colour, so used a red brad, some primas, and gems to finish.
A lovely challenge, thanks for looking and have a great weekend. x