Comments ...

...  I've finally managed to read through all the lovely comments that have been left on my cards while I was away.  I did fully intend replying to them all personally, but there are so many that I'd be here all night!!!  So I thought I'd post a my thanks here.  THANK YOU!!

I still have quite a bit of catching up to do.  I've managed to sort out bits and pieces in the house.  I've had a look to see what challenges are out there and I've made a note of several - will hope to post some of them in the next few days.  They're all likely to be Christmas cards of some description or other - still have lots to make.

I had some super parcels delivered while I was away - my news stamps from Waltzingmouse Stamps - they're fab!!  Can't wait to play with them and I'm sure they're going to feature on some up coming cards.  I also had a few parcels from QVC containing Martha Stewart goodies - some wonderful new puches.  Look out for those too.

Anyway, that's really is all for today as I must get tea for us all.  Both Kathryn and I are off to our Scouts Group this evening - should be fun!! 

Home sweet home ....

... just got back home.  I left Fleet at 7.30am this morning and had a really good run up the motorway - certainly makes up for the journey down!!  I see that I've got lots of comments to read and reply to.  I will get back to you all as soon as I can.  But the rest of today involves me getting ready for our Scout meeting tonight.  We're having a sponsored skip for Children in Need.  Our Group raised nearly £200 last year and I'm hoping that we can do even better this year.

Oh yes, Mum's move went really well.  She's now in her lovely new bungalow.  It's a super little house and will suit her wonderfully, but Mum is very sad at leaving her old home.  So I'm going to make a card for her and get that sent off tomorrow.

I hope to be back later today, if not I'll catch up tomorrow. 

November Blog Waltz ...

... with Waltzingmouse Makes Blog.  The theme for this month is Christmas - well it makes sense really!!

I had hoped to have my new stamps from Waltzingmouse to make my card for this Waltz, but they've been a bit delayed - they should arrive later this week.  However, I decided that I would use my Spellbinders Ornament dies - they are so great! 

I've made a large card - it's for my Mum - and gone for shades of blue, purple and silver.  I started off by stamping snowflakes randomly over the background.  I then used versamark on a swirly stamp (can't remember where I got it) which I clear embossed.  Next I shaded the edge of the card using Distress inks in  mix of blue and lilac.  I added more snowflakes using darker colours (the snowflakes all come from various Waltzingmouse sets). 

The ornaments were all shaded using Distress Inks.  On the largest ornament I used the musical stave to make a background.  I added snowflakes to the smaller ornaments - they were both embossed with silver detail powder.  The Nutcracker Prince was already in my stash so I can't remember which Promarkers I used to colour him, but it fitted with the colour scheme for this card.  I used my Spellbinders circle die to cut out the Prince's head, and mounted it on a purple silk mirri matte which was cut using the inverted scalloped circle die. I attached the lot to the largest ornament using sticky foam pads - to give a bit of dimension.  To complete the effect I added a large silver bow.  The greeting was stamped onto another spellbinders label.  Overall I'm rather pleased with it - and I do hope that Mum will like it too.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Stamps - Compliments of the Season, Frame-It, Holiday Labels No 14, Musical Backgrounds, Nutcracker Sweet, Seasons of Love - Tags, Very Vintage Christmas Stamp set
Inks:  Memento - Tuxedo Black, London Fog; Distress - Dusty Concord, Milled Lavender, Broken China, Tumbled Glass
Spellbinders:  Labels 14, Heirloom Ornaments, Large Plain Circles, Large Inverted Scalloped Circles
Embossing Powder: Detail Clear, Detail Silver
Card & Ribbon: From stash

Enjoy the Waltz!!  See you soon.

Snowflakes are falling ...

.... as a background for this clean and simple card.  Once again I've gone for a very clean and simple card.  I thought it was time I used some more of my vast collection of peel off stickers.  I found a wonderfully ornate sticker of a Reindeer's head - the antlers look as though they have stars hanging off them!  I stamped a snowflakes in the background using a number of small stamps.  I added the peel off (carefully!) and then coloured the head with Sakura Metallic brown.  I added a few more silver snowflake peel offs, and a simple Christmas greeting.

Peel offs:  Anita's

This is a scheduled post, and if all is going to plan, the removal team should have arrived at Mum's house and be busy packing up her home.  Mum did have a mad idea that I would do all the packing!!!  Thankfully, she realised that it was not at all practical.  It's going to be a busy day for both of us.  That's all for today - see you tomorrow.

Small and sweet ....

.... that's what this card is - small and sweet.  It's only 3" x 3" so I decided on a very simple design.  The stamps are a mini set that I got in a bargain bucket a couple of years ago - I can't remember who made them.  But they are really cute and I do use them - so do the children!!

The images were stamped using Memento Tuxedo Black, and coloured with Sakura Stardust pens.  I like the effect acheived using these pens - the shimmer and sparkle is lovely, and no glitter falls off the card!!

That's all for now.  This is a scheduled post as I'm at Mum's.  We're having a lazy sort of day - I'm talking Mum off to various shops and out for lunch, as tomorrow it's going to be very busy with the removal team arriving.  Do come by tomorrow.

Edited:  Quick note from Mum's house - first the computer is working (Yes!!), second - I forgot to set this to post - hence the edit note.  Sometimes I hate driving - the journey on Saturday was going really well and I thought I'd be here by 2.00pm.  Then I hit a traffic jam on the M40 - I was in it for nearly 2 hours!!!  Thank goodness for car radios :))  I think that was the only thing keeping me sane.  Anyway, that really is all for now - must get back to house sorting.  When I wrote my scheduled post, we had planned a quiet day - but as things are turning out, it's extremely busy for us both.  As I said before - do come back tomorrow.

Jingle bells ...

... that's the name of this little card.  I bought a couple of packs of small cards (3" x 3") from one of my local shops recently as I thought they'd be ideal for my daughter to make cards for her friends.  But I've used them instead :)))   They make the sweetest little cards.

As the cards are so small, I've kept the design really clean and simple.  I stamped the images using Memento - Tuxedo Black; and then coloured the baubles with Sakura Stardust pens.  It's a shame that the sparkle doesn't show up on the photo - in real-life the card shimmers as you move it.

This is the first of my scheduled posts as I'm travelling to Mum's house.  I'm helping her move from a large house to a small bungalow - it's fun!  Sort of!!  Do come by again.

OLW28 - Multicoloured ...

... this week the challenge is being hosted by Jennifer at Styles Ink.  Jennifer has taken inspiration for her card from the multicoloured magnetic letters on her fridge.  I remember having letters like those on my fridge!!  Apart from the usual requirement of it being a card with only one layer - this time Jennifer stated that we must use at least five, yes five, colours.  We can use black and white, but they don't count in the number of colours used.

So I kept my card really simple.  I found this lovely Christmas Tree peeloff (can't remember who makes it) but it has lots of lovely little circles - just right for colouring in.  You could also stick in buttons or glitter.  But I opted to colour in - a very pleasant way to spend the afternoon.  I used my Sakura Stardust pens - I think there's about eight different colours in the tree.  I'm quite pleased with it, but it does feel a bit like cheating!! :)

This is just a quick post, as I've got to get ready for Scouts this evening.  I've also got to get packed as I'm off to help my Mum move house.  It's all very exciting - but so very stressful too.  I got a few posts scheduled while I'm away, so do drop by.  I'll be back again on Thursday.

Card recipe ...

... Katie and the team at Cooking It Up with Katie posted another recipe yesterday, this time the ingredients are to include a food and/or drink, along with a tag (or two) and a sentiment.  I thought that was a lovely idea - and then I went to my stamp stash and realised that I only have a few stamps featuring foods - some cupcake stamps (which are lovely, but I've used them quite a bit) and a set featuring ice-creams.  Yes, I know it's almost the middle of November - and at the moment there's a howling gale blowing around my house!!  But I decided that my card would feature ice-cream!!  I think I must be mad - but then I do rather like the taste.  So here's the card:

Papers & image:  Pink Petticoat - Sweet Sundaes
Promarkers: Pastel Pink, Cocktail Pink, Poppy, Orchid, Lilac, Burnt Sienna, Vanilla, Blush, Forest Green
Stamps:  Woodware - Ice Cream Parfait
Spellbinders:  Labels 14
Stickles:  Diamond, Black Diamond
Ribbon, A6 card and pink holographic card from my stash

The background papers and images (including the little ones on the tags) come from Pink Petticoat.  I printed off several copies of the ice-cream sundae and coloured it with promarkers; I then cut out a couple of layers for the ice-cream.  I added some stickles to give a little glitter to the cherry and spinkles.  The greetings came from the Woodware set.  I made a set of three tags - the back two have little images of different ice-cream sundaes with another greeting on the top tage.  I finished it all off with a pretty pink bow.  Actually, I'm quite pleased with this one.

And that's all for tonight.  I'm off to make a nice warm cup of coffee!!  Note to self - get some drink (coffee) images :) 

I hope to be back tomorrow with another card.

Waltzingmouse sketch challenge ...

...  gosh, I've been leaving things a bit late this week.  I've finally got around to making a card for the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge - the sketch, WMSC22, we were given is open to interpretation. 

I knew exactly what I wanted to make when I saw this sketch, it's just taken me a bit longer than I originally planned.  I've kept my card very clean and simple.  I stamped the bauble from Contempo Christmas onto shrink plastic and made three cute little baubles.  I used some green metallic thread for the bows and then simply glued them inside the landscape frame from the Waltzingmouse Frame-It set.  I like this card.

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Stamps: Frame-It; Stampin' Up! - Contempo Christmas
Inks:  Memento - Lilac Posies

And that's all for today.  I think I've been on a roll!!  I've had more than 2,000 page views - thank you all.  And I've been given an award - today has been a brilliant day.  Now I must go and get dinner for my family.  I'll be back tomorrow.

An award ...

... I've been given an award by Jackie of Craft Designs.  I'm so excited - that I just had to shout it out to the world. 

Now I understand that part of the rules when accepting this award is to tell you about three things that make me different!!  That could be quite tough - what do I say?  Then I have to pass it on to five other bloggers - that's hard - ONLY five!!!  So first, the three things that make me different:

1. I actually enjoy studying - so much so that even though I completed my chemistry degree last year - I'm still studying for fun!!
2. I met my husband via Dateline!!!
3. I enjoy football - Jonathan introduced me to the game when we met - and it's great. 

That was much, much harder than I expected.  And now the really hard part - selecting only five bloggers for the award.

1. Claire - Waltzingmouse Makes - I found Claire's site last year and I just love her style and stamps.  Claire - I reckon you're a genius!
2. Paula - PEP Exploring Paper - Paula and I met while doing a course, run by Glenda Waterworth, on MCC.  Paula and I have been sharing tips and helping each other.
3. Susan - Simplicity - I've been following Susan for some time.  I first saw her cards on Splitcoaststampers and I love the CAS look of her cards.  She inspires me.
4. Nicci - Procraftination - my local Stampin' Up! demonstrator.  Nicci is great fun.
5. Mona - Cupcake Creations - for her amazing projects - vintage, lacey, flowers, flourishes - the lot.  Mona inspires me too.

I found this really hard - I've selected people who I've followed (sometimes very quietly) for a long while, and also some newer friends.  I wish I could have selected more, but "them's the rules". 

Now, as I understand it, you can claim $5.00 by going to Digi's with Attitude and joining the fun.

Once again, I'd really like to thank Jackie for giving me this award.  I remember following Jackie when she first posted her cards on the Docraft website.

Now excuse me if I go shout out to the world that I've been given an award - Yippee!!!

Black, texture and swirls ...

.... these are the ingredients required in Challenge #36 at Cooking It Up with Katie.    This card also fulfils the challenge on One Stop Craft Challenge - here the requirement is to feature embossing.  It took me a while to come up with the design - and my requirement was that it would be a Christmas card to add to this year's collection.  So here it is:

Stamps:  Stampin' Up! - Delightful Decorations

Cuttlebug: D'vine Swirls

Embossing Powder: Heat It Up! - Red Tinsel, Black Tinsel

Peeloffs: Dawn Bibby tiny sentiments

Card/Paper:  From stash

Accessories:  Ribbon from stash

The silver metallic foil hasn't shown up too well on the picture - but it's lovely in real life.  These bauble stamps are great - so versatile and I've embossed them with sparkly powder - again not too clear in the picture, but very twinkly here!!

I'm off back to my craftroom, as I've got an idea for another challenge.  I should be back again later.

Sorry ...

... I didn't get to post yesterday.  I suffer from migraines and occasionally, despite mediction and trying to ignore it, I have to retire to bed and simply sleep.  That was yesterday - boo, what a waste of a day!!  However, I'm much better this morning.

I should also say Hi to Donna - my latest follower - thanks for joining me.  It is so nice of you all to follow my blog - I appreciate you all.

I'm off out with my husband this morning, but I should be back this evening with a couple of cards.  Enjoy your day.

Pretty in pink and green ....

... that's what Mona Pendleton from Cupcake Creations wants.  Now I think that Mona designs the most awesome cards.  She is a member of the Design Team at Waltzingmouse Stamps as well as designing for Spellbinders.  So as you can tell Mona is one creative lady.  She has recently started to host her own colour challenges - Create for fun - hence CR84FN.  Don't you love that :)  This is the first time I've played along.  The inspiration comes from this sketch:

Now you may already have noticed that green is one of my favourite colours, and as I also rather like pink I thought I'd give it a go.  I've kept my card relatively clean and simple and I used a masking technique to create the forest of Christmas trees - all made from the wonderful Teeny Trees set.  For the topper I used the Nutcracker Prince - and coloured him shades of pink and green.  And that makes another card towards my Christmas Collection.  Actually, I'm rather pleased how this turned out.  So here's my take on "Pretty in Pink and Green".

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Stamps - Nutcracker Sweet, Teeny Trees
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black, Cottage Ivy, New Sprout, Bamboo Leaves, Rich Cocoa, Angel Pink; Distress - Worn Lipstick
Pens:  Pilot - Silver; Promarkers - Apple, Meadow Green, Magenta, Cerise, Baby Pink, Cool Grey 1; Stardust - Gold, Clear
Spellbinders: Mega Ovals and Mega Scalloped Ovals

Craft class this morning was lots of fun.  I finished off some of my homework from the Back to Basics course at MCC.  I completed my swatch sheet of embossing powders.  I didn't realise I had so many!!!  And it was a very worthwhile exercise - I realise that there were some powders that had never been used.  But now I know how they look.  I'll post some up here tomorrow - see you then.

More challenges ...

... I seem to be on a bit of a roll.  I've managed to incorporate two challenges in one card.  Amazing!!  The challenges this time are:

• The Play Date Cafe - this is a lovely challenge- PDCC54; you can do any theme but you have to feature the colours they have chosen - this time stucco orange, celery and white
• Clean & Simple - they have another sketch, FTL115, to challenge our creative skills
  

I don't have the particular colours specified in the PDCC54 challenge, but I do have Tim Holtz Distress inks that are quite similar.  So I cheated a bit and used them.  Also, my base card is not exactly brilliant white, it's more a creamy white :)

The FTL115 sketch was perfect - I knew exactly which set would work with this design.  I got the wonderful Circle Circus stamps from Stampin' Up! a while ago - I used them to make invitations to my Stampin' Up! party a while ago.  I really like the stamps - they are such fun - and I now have the punches to go with the stamps, so it's easy to punch out the shapes!  Last time I cut them out by hand ;(  This is the card I've come up with.  I'm quite pleased with the clean and simple look; I decided to make it a thank you card.  It's important to have thank you cards ready for those unexpected occasions.

Stamps:  Stampin' Up! - Circle Circus, (the greeting is Stampin' Up!, but I can't remember the name of the set!)
Inks:  Distress - Dired Marigold, Shabby Shutters; Versafine - Sepia Brown

I'm off to craft class this morning and will be making a few more Christmas cards for my collection.  Back again soon.

Been shopping ...

... over at Claire's place - the stamps are so lovely.  My order has been placed and now I'll have to wait a bit for them to arrive.  In the meantime, I can do some homework on my course with Glenda and also make a few more Christmas cards.

Not only have I been shopping for me, but Jonathan and I went out with our darling daughter Kathryn to buy a coat.  Who would know that it would be so difficult!!  We took Kathryn into every shop at our Retail Park and she hated everything she saw. Then we went into Top Shop and she saw an animal print coat - and fell in love!!!  After that nothing was acceptable.  However, we're rather good a negotiations and we left the park with two coats (much cheaper than the animal print one she'd seen) a sensible black one for school and a grey animal print for fun.  It was so much easier when I could simply buy clothes for her. 

That's all for this evening - I'm off downstairs to get a coffee and settle down to watch the TV - a bit of catching up to do this evening.  I'll be back tomorrow with a few more cards.