Blue and white card.

Hi everyone, can't believe I'm posting again today. I was going to schedule this for Monday but decided against it in case I didn't have time to enter the challenges I made it for lol!

I'm still in Hero Arts mode!!

I used :-

Image :- Hero Arts Hydrangea.

Background papers :- Polka dot Bazzill, Hero Arts Flourish Background & Old Letter Writing.

Sentiment :- Craftwork Cards.

Flowers :- Wild Orchid Crafts.

Pearls :- Hobby House.

Challenges I'm entering :-

Papertake Weekly :- Sketch.

Creative Card Crew :- Show us the colours of your country - Scotland - blue and white.

Now I'd best see if I can put up my ironing table or I won't have work trousers for tomorrow! I've been putting it off cos the pups are lying peacefully all over the floor lol!!

I've got the monthly meeting of the Guild (Church of Scotland) tomorrow but we're never late so I might manage to catch up with you all tomorrow.

Thanks for looking.

What I made at the crop.

Hi everyone, I don't know what it's been like with you but here in coastal Aberdeenshire it's been a beautiful day. This morning everything was really white with frost but it's been lovely and sunny all day now.

Yesterday after work I went to a crop at my local craft shop. It was so nice to see the girls again. Some I have seen recently but some not since November. We had to cancel our December crop so we had our Secret Santa yesterday. I got a lovely box with a pen set and two lovely zip purses which will be useful for change. Then most of us stayed to have a carry out Chinese meal and a chat.

So here's what I made. The first is just a little card with some scraps inspired by Kath. Hope I'm not a complete copycat. This is my first attempt at using the Aquamarkers that I won some time ago. It's not much but I've made a start. The stamps are Hero Arts. I stamped the flower on the Kraft card and then stamped again on white card and layered it with foam pads.

The second card is for a couple of challenges. I've been playing around using my Hero Arts background stamps and Distress Inks. As you can see I've used my favourite colours lol!

I used :-

Image :- LOTV cute square.

Background paper :- Hero Arts Large Canvas Stripes and Dots and Flowers.

Sentiment :- Craftwork Cards.

Ribbon :- Ribbon Girl.

Pearls :- Hobby House.

A touch of Promarker round the sentiment.

I'm hoping to enter the following challenges :-
Creative Inspirations :- Valentine/Love.
Fussy and Fancy :- Valentine with no red or pink.

I think that's all for now. I'll need to try to catch up with my DT commenting for Totally Gorjuss. Our challenge this week is "As you like it" so I think we might get a big entry. So do pop over I'm sure you could enter!

Now I need to organise tea and sandwiches for tomorrow. I'm at work all day though I have to come home and let the pups out at lunchtime. If I could get them at peace long enough I could get a pic to show you how big they are now. I also have to make sandwiches for my husband for the first time for six weeks!! He always had 2 weeks over Christmas and New Year. This time they finished a week early due to lack of work. And then when they should have gone back to work the firm had gone into liquidation. We found out on the previous Friday when we saw it on the 6 o'clock news. No warning in spite of the fact it said in the paper next day that all the workers had been told on Friday afternoon!! But now he has at last found work after the horrible experience of having to visit the Job Centre and sign on. Worst of all was the letter saying he wouldn't get any money. When he phoned they blamed it on a computer glitch! Excuse me? Needless to say the amount you get is a lot less than he ever paid in NI contributions in a week. He's worked since he was 16, most of that time as a self-employed farmer, till he saw sense and got a job that paid money. It really makes me mad as working in the Post Office I come into contact with the neither work nor want brigade every day and it makes me furious. This includes people who have never worked in their lives, mainly because they have absolutely no notion of working. Sorry I'm getting a bit stroppy now! I have absolutely no problem with people who have become unemployed through no fault of their own, or who are disabled or ill but the bone idle, workshy ones make me absolutely furious. They get everything they want as they know how to work the system and they go about buying things I can't afford and we both work. Grrrrr... I haven't mentioned my house husband before as I didn't want to moan and depress people but I'm just so relieved that he's found a new job, not what he usually does at the moment but hopefully in a few weeks when his new firm starts another job he'll be doing what he's qualified for.

Sorry to ramble everyone. I'll go off now and have my tea.

Thanks for looking and hope you like.

Totally Gorjuss 65 As You Like It.

Good morning everyone. Another Saturday and time for an easy challenge at Totally Gorjuss. Thanks very much to everyone who entered last week with all these lovely "hot" cards. This week our challenge is "As you like it." So I think we're going to get a lot of entries! Our sponsor this week is Fantastic Ribbons.

I used :-

Image :- LOTV cute square with added glitter.

Sentiment :- Craftwork Cards.

DP :- MME.

Roses :- Wild Orchid Crafts.

Ribbon, Promarker (edge of image).

I'm entering the following challenges :-

Pile it on :- Love is in the air.

A Spoon Full of Sugar :- Valentine.

Paperplay :- Layer it up.

Charisma Cardz :- Valentine/Love.

Bunny Zoe :- Love is in the air.
Craft Your Days Away :- Love.

So there you are a nice easy challenge with a yummy prize. Hope you can join us and I'll catch up with you all later. I'm going to a crop after work and since our December crop was cancelled due to the weather we're going to have a Secret Santa and a Chinese takeaway at the end. Looking forward to seeing all the girls who go to the crop again.

Hope you've got a minute to let me know what you think of my card. Enjoy your weekend and I'll catch up with you all later.

Thanks for looking.

Three Quick Cards.

Hi everyone I just wanted to quickly show you my latest efforts with my Hero Arts stamps.

The first one is stamped onto pearlescent card and looks lovely and shimmery IRL but not sure it does here! I used Distress Inks and a tiny touch of promarker for the leaves. Some pearls and ribbon and that's it.

Bit of a funny angle here but I was trying to show my layered flower lol! All Hero Arts stamps again and Distress Inks with Promarker for the flower.

A similar card but with a little more ribbon. Piece at RHS hides the mark where I managed to get black ink on the card lol!

Now I need to go to work. How unlucky am I?!! Hope you like and can find time to tell me what you think.

I Love Hero Arts!

Hi everyone, I can hardly believe it's Thursday already! I haven't achieved much this week. I've kept up with my DT commenting and visiting my favourite blogs but not much else. After Kath's demo day at Simply Create I've been inspired to use my Hero Arts stamps. Yesterday my friend came over and we crafted in the afternoon. We made a card each "a la Kath" but I'm not posting it as it is really like one of Kath's cards. I made another later so here it is.

I used :-

Background :- Hero Arts - Large Canvas Stripes in Tumbled Glass Distress Ink and Heart Flourishes in Antique Linen and edged with Brushed Corduroy.

Sentiment :- Hero Arts.

Butterfly :- Hero Arts - Antique Engravings.

Martha Stewart  punch.

Ribbon, pearls, jewels and Sakura clear glitter gel pen.



I quite like this card. A bit different from my usual maybe but I really enjoyed making it. I hope I can get the half-made one finished before I go out tonight! I'd be really pleased if you could find a minute to tell me what you think. I wish I'd taken another picture because you can't see how I've 3d'd the butterfly!

Need to get myself organised cos I've not even made my DT card for Totally Gorjuss yet! I will get it done in time though, I always seem to get it done in time.

Thanks for looking, hope you like!!!

Totally Gorjuss 64 Feeling Hot.

Good morning everyone. I hope you're all looking forward to a lovely weekend. This morning I'm off to Simply Create at Alford for a special day. Jacqui has moved into her new shop and Kath is going to be doing demos with some of the stamps from the new 2011 Hero Arts catalogue.

Today I'd like to show you my DT card for Totally Gorjuss. Our theme this week is "Feeling Hot", we'd like you to use hot colours on your card or project.

I used :-

Image :- LOTV cute square with added colour and Sakura clear glitter gel pen.

Sentiment :- LOTV

DP :- MME.

Flower :- Same DP and EK Success punch edged with Glamour Dust..

Jewels, card candy and ribbon.

I'm going to enter the following challenges :-

LOTV :- Sketch.

The Pink Elephant :- Pink, orange and aqua.

Simon Says Stamp :- Bingo, 3 items in a line - DP, glimmer/glitter and gems or jewels.
Stampin for the Weekend :- Getting warmed up.
One Stitch at a Time :- New. I used one of my new cute squares.

I hope many of you will  want to join us again this week. We had lots of entries for our "cuddly" challenge last week. I saw some stunning cards so if you haven't been over to Totally Gorjuss yet remember to pop over to see who has won.

Thanks for looking and have a lovely weekend.

New Challenge at Simply Create.

Have you heard about the new challenge over at Simply Create.

Here's what Jacqui has to say about the challenge.

Using the inspiration board make something with paper or fabric reflecting the colours and what this board suggests to you. (I found this on a blog, who knows where all I can tell you it was a gorgeous blog and it was a wedding blog - and no I am already married so nothing to report). The best entry will be judged by my Mum and will win £100 of stash and this challenge is open to everyone, design team and staff. All I ask is that leave a comment, become a member of the blog and link to the challenge on your side bar. Happy Crafting!!!

Closing date 14th February 9 am GMT

Isn't that easy, all you need to do is leave your entry on Jacqui's blog, become a follower and link in your sidebar. Simple. I may have to enter myself with a great prize like that on offer. Just click on the pic in my sidebar and pop over to Simply Create.

First Christmas Card 2011

Good morning girls and I thought I'd make an earlier start with my Christmas cards this year lol!

I loved using this cute Penny Black snowman last year so here he is again.

I used :-

Image :- Penny Black.

Colouring :- Promarkers.

DP :- Cosmo Cricket - Jolly by Golly.

Sentiment and card candy :- Craftwork Cards.

Seam binding ribbon and baker's twine :- The Ribbon Girls.

Glitter and snowflake charm.

I'd like to enter the following challenges:-

ABC Christmas :- Anything Christmas.

Penny Black :- Buffet - DP, ribbon, twine and a charm.

Pile it on :- Anything Goes.

Fussy and Fancy :- Sketch.

Stamp Something :- Anything Goes.
The Ribbon Girls :- Pink and Green.
Everybody Art Challenge :- Snow.

Hope you like. Thanks for looking and I'm being very good this week (so far) about keeping up with my DT work. I've seen some lovely "cuddly" cards so if you want to enter one of yours all you need to do is pop over to Totally Gorjuss to find out more.

See you later and thanks for looking.

Totally Gorjuss 63 Cuddly.

Hi everyone I don't know about you but I'm glad it's the weekend at last. I think I've been spoiled because the weeks after Christmas and New Year were both short working weeks.

Thanks to everyone who joined us at Totally Gorjuss last week for our first challenge of 2011. I saw some gorgeous cards using Net's sketch. Don't forget to pop over to Totally Gorjuss to find out who won. This week our challenge is "Cuddly" and we are sponsored by Simon Says Stamp.

So here's my "cuddly" card. Can a hedgie be cuddly. Not sure about that but he is very sweet and his teddy looks very cuddly!

I used :-

Image :- Penny Black.

DP :- Wild Rose Studio.

Sentiment :- A new one from LOTV.

Colouring :- Promarkers.

Lace :- The Ribbon Girl.

Pearls :- The Hobby House.

Sakura glitter gel pen and glitter.

I'm entering the following challenges :-

Creative Inspirations :- Use something new - new sentiment stamp and new lace.

A Gem of a Challenge :- Sketch and use lace.

Thanks for looking and I'll try to see as many of your entries as I can during the week. If you can find a minute to tell me what you think I'd love to hear from you.

Enjoy your weekend.

What a Sweet Bunny.

Hi everyone, I seem to be in among baby cards at the moment. For no particular reason except it's handy to have some. I love this House Mouse image and it seems like ages since I entered the HM&F challenge.

I used :-

Image :-Happy Hopper. 

DP :- Wild Rose Studio.

Colouring :- Promarkers.

Flowers :- Prima.

Pearls :- The Hobby House.

Glitter, brads and ribbon from stash.

I'm hoping to enter the following challenges :-

Crafty Creations :- New Beginnings.

Paperplay :- Cutie Patootie.

Cute Card Thursday :- Monochrome.

House Mouse :- New Beginnings.

Simon Says Stamp :- Sketch.

I'm just looking forward to the weekend now and hoping to take part in the House Mouse & Friends blog hop before it's too late. Hope you can find time to let me know what you think of my card. It's always nice to hear what you think and it really encourages me.

Thanks for looking.

New Beginnings.

Hi everyone, I think I'm getting back to crafting again!

Today I've got a quick baby card I made to add to my box.

I've just made it very plain and simple. Aren't these Penny Black hedgies so cute?

I used :-

Image and sentiment :- Penny Black from a lovely new set of clear stamps.

DP :- Craft Creations.

Flower :- Prima edged with Promarker.

Gems :- Hobby House.

Card Candy :- Craftwork Cards.

Ribbon from stash.

I'm going to enter the following challenges :-

Simon Says Stamp :- New Beginnings.
Sketch and Stash :- Sketch. New stamps and everything else is old stash.
Penny Black :- New Beginnings.
Stampin' for the Weekend :- New and Blue.
Pollycraft :- Use something new. New stamps.
Cupcake :- Something New.
Craft Your Days Away :- Anything goes.
Passion for Promarkers :- Baby Cards.

Hope you like and I'll try to catch up with you all later.

Thanks for looking and if you've got time to tell me what you think I'd love to hear from you.

More DT cards for Simply Create.

I made another DT card on Saturday night but I still wasn't sure about it. Then I saw what Kath had made  and that inspired me. Hope she doesn't think I'm a big copycat lol!!

This is the first one.

 I kept this one very simple.

 Maybe I should have added some text to this one?

Now this one might not look as if it's made with the same kit as the others but if you look closely at the flower you can see the DP is the same as the light coloured strip in  the card above. And the flower is a Hero Arts stamp which I stamped three times and 3D'd.

I started this on Sunday evening to schedule for this morning but Mr Blogger was not co-operating so I had to try again this morning. Best go and get ready for work now. Hope you can spare a minute to let me know what you think of my latest efforts for Simply Create.

Have a good day, catch up with you all later.

A Trio of Cards for Simply Create.

On Friday night at long last I managed to make some cards with my latest kit for Simply Create. I know I've said before that I was a bit out of my comfort zone but this time I was really far out of it. I looked in the box when my kit finally arrived through the snow last month and just thought "oh help" and shut the box again. I still had loads of Christmas cards to make so that was a good excuse to leave it alone! But on Friday evening I ran out of excuses and just had to try to make some cards.

This is what I came up with!! The DP and stamps are all Glitz Designs.

The birdcage is a lovely stamp and I added some punched flowers and a Tim Holtz ticket.

The green spotty with flowers in the corner is part of a 12x12 sheet. Ideal for scrapbooking but I'm not a scrapbooker! I added the birdcage again and another Tim Holtz ticket.

This last one is made from a love notes page and the dogtooth border at the top is a stamp. I finished off with some bobbly trim, card candy, ribbon and a button.

I still have a whole sheet of DP unused plus some other bits and pieces so I might manage to make some more cards!

Has anyone seen Jacqui's new shop yet? The original shop was gorgeous and very well stocked with everything you could  possibly want but now she has moved along the street to 59, Main Street, Alford. Lots more space for goodies now and a special space for classes.

Doesn't this look amazing?!!

Jacqui is having a special day on 22nd January to celebrate the opening of the new shop. Kath will be there at the "Creation Station" demoing some of the new stamps from Hero Arts and you could even have a play with some of the new stamps too. Even better there will be 10% off Hero Arts that day. So hope to see you there between 10.30am and 3.30pm .

Don't forget Saturday 22nd January at Simply Create, 59, Main St., Alford.

Thanks for looking.

Totally Gorjuss 62 - Sketch.

Hi everyone and after a couple of weeks not knowing what day of the week it is now I know it is Saturday  and time for our first challenge of 2011 over at Totally Gorjuss.

As this is our first January challenge Net has given us a lovely sketch to follow this week and we are sponsored by the ever generous Joanna Sheen. What would you spend £10 on in Joanna's online store? Why don't you pop over to her store for a look? You won't be disappointed as she has a varied stock and best of all no p&p.

So here's my take on Net's sketch. I needed a card for a special lady so this sketch was ideal. Dolly is the most senior member of our WRI. She will be 80 later this month and has been a member since she was  a teenager. She has been president for many years and latterly vice-president. She is very talented at baking, cooking, growing bulbs and flowers and also at various handcrafts. Since I'm the one who usually makes cards for competitions I said I would make her birthday card. Hope she  likes it. I'm sure she'll be interested to know how I made it!

Not sure if this next photo shows that I 3D'd the flowers?

 Maybe you can see the 3D effect on this one?

I used :-

Image :- Hero Arts.

Sentiment :- LOTV.

DP :- DCWV.
Embossing folders :- Cuttlebug.

Lace, ribbon and jewels from stash.

Distress Ink in Dusty Concord round edges and glitter.

Hope you like and I hope you want to join us this week. Seems like a while since our last challenge and thanks to everyone who joined us at such a busy time of year. Remember to pop over to Totally Gorjuss to see who won last time.

I'd like to enter the following challenges :-
Papertake Weekly :- Anything Goes.
One Stitch at a Time :- Anything Goes.
By the Cute and Girly :- Bling it on.

Thanks for looking and if you want more inspiration my talented teamies have some lovely cards to show you this week.