BIG WEEK AT THE CRAFTY PAD

Well, it all kicks off at THE CRAFTY PAD this week so we hope you'll all join in and have fun. There are lots of prizes on offer and a sale on in the shop too. The sale will run for ONE WEEK to coincide with the challenge so you have until Sat 11th Dec 8pm GMT. Click on the banner in my side bar to take you there.

It is our 100th challenge so we are having a bit of a 'do' to celebrate, so grab yourself a coffee, sit down and read on. :o) You'll have to get to the end to find out what prizes are on offer and of course, the rules you must follow. *teehee*

There is also a Promarker colouring tutorial on the main blog this week. So if you feel you need a little help with your colouring, pop over and have a read.

The challenge this week is ANYTHING GOES!!!! How brilliant is that? So, if you're all Christmas carded out, you can just do what you please. Yay! I say, lol. Before I show you what I made, there's lots more to tell you.

What's next? Oh, yeah. EVERY member of our Design Team has a mini competition on their blogs. They are all 'guess the amount' so please do visit the DT members blogs and have a go at all of them. Here's your first one:

GUESS HOW MANY FLOWER GEMS THERE ARE.


You can give me your answer in a comment and the winner will be announced next Saturday. If nobody guesses the correct amount then the nearest guess will win the prize and if more than one of you get the same answer then we will use random.org to choose the winner.

Next up...what you MUST do to join in.

1. Follow CP blog and enter the current challenge.
2. Guess how many gems are in my pic.
3. Display the celebration badge on your blog.
4. Only one entry per person
Closes Sat 11th Dec 8pm GMT

OK so far? Right. The winners of the mini comps on the DT's blogs will each win a digital image of their choice from The Crafty Pad and as you will also be entering the main challenge, you will be eligible to win the main prize. To win that, you must:

GUESS HOW MANY RIBBONS ARE IN THE JAR.

Post your answer to this one in the comment box of the Crafty Pad Challenge Blog.

WHAT YOU CAN WIN.

There will be one winner who will get:
1 pk5 Promarkers sponsored by LETRASET and 6 polymer stamps from The Crafty Pad Stamp Designs - (Holly Mouse with Bauble, Milo Mouse - Congratulations, Platform Shoe, Molly Cat with Birdhouse, Anna over the Rainbow and Snoozin' Albert).
There will also be a £10.00 voucher from JOANNA SHEEN.
Not bad, eh?



There will be one runner up (for nearest guess) who will receive:
3 Crafty Pad Stamp Designs polymer stamps (Christmas Ted Baubles with Text stamp, Ladies Fancy Boots and Ladies Bonnet.


THE SHOP SALE:
A 30% discount on all polymer stamp orders and 10% on all digi images for the week the challenge is running.

IMPORTANT!!!!!
All orders for that week ARE TO BE EMAILED to Debbie through the shop (details on shop front) and she will confirm your balance to you to pay through paypal.

Right, I think that's it, so please join in, visit the other blogs and have fun.

For my challenge this week, I made a little box from one sheet of 12 x 12 card and used the image Ted pulling Snowman from the Crafty Pad. I coloured him using my Distress Ink Pads. I inked the top of the letters and the snowflakes using Broken China distress ink and then glittered them. The paper I found in my stash and I used my Craft Robo again to cut the text and the snowflakes. The border along the front edge was made using an EK Success punch 'Swirl'.

I shall enter my box into the following challenges:
BUGABOO - Anything Goes.
BEE CRAFTY - Winter but not Christmas specific. (not sure if this qualifies or not?)
SECRET CRAFTER - Christmas.
MAMI DOODLES - Gift Item (does a gift box count?).
SEW MANY CARDS - Snowflakes.
THE STAMPMAN - Christmas and 3 colours. (blue, orange, brown..assuming b/w don't count, lol).
WAGS 'N WHISKERS - Snowflakes.
STAMPAVIE - Snow/Snowflakes.
STAMP SOMETHING - Christmas Combo stuff.
DELICIOUS DOODLES - Use a Digi.
2 SISTERS - Sparkly Christmas
DIGI DOODLE SHOP - Let it Snow.
BUNNY ZOE'S - Christmas but not a card.

OH CHRISTMAS TREE......

Well, it's nearly here isn't it? So that means that it's nearly over, which brings a big grin to my face. :o) Yeah, I know..Bah Humbug, lol.

Anyway, on to this weeks challenge #43 at I ♥ PROMARKERS and our theme is Christmas Trees. We are sponsored again by the lovely JOANNA SHEEN with a £10 spend in her online store for our winner.

I wanted to do something a little different this week so went for quite an eclectic look, although to be honest, I'm not sure it's worked. It's maybe a little too much for a Christmas card. Some years ago, I bought a load of Christmas stuff including a box of stamps. Well, they were rubbish and I've never used them but I needed a tree and this was all I had. It did actually stamp quite well but I have no idea who made it. My papers and vellum are from some old Christmas stash too.

The bauble was from a free stamp set with a recent cardmaking mag.


I shall enter into the following challenges:
A CRAFTY LITTLE PLACE - Anything goes.
OTHER LOVELIES - The letter M (mine is mice).
PASSION FOR PROMARKERS - Old and New
OOH LA LA - Christmas Song. (Oh, Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree)

SNOWFLAKES

It's time for challenge #99 over at THE CRAFTY PAD and this week the theme is snowflakes. Our sponsor is CRAFTY SENTIMENTS


and the prize on offer is this set of digital papers.


Now, before I go any further and show you my card, I want to remind you about next week. It's our 100th challenge and as such, we're having a bit of a celebration. There will be prizes galore on offer. There will be the main prize but also, every Design Team member will have a mini comp on their blogs, so don't forget to check back and see what's on offer.

For our cards this week, the DT used 'Snowmen' which is available to buy at CRAFTY PAD STAMP DESIGNS. Debbie sells polymer stamps as well as digi, so pop over and take a look.

It's been a while since I used my Craft Robo so I thought I'd get it out again for this challenge. I cut my snowflakes and sentiment on it, then glittered them. The paper is one I printed myself and a Martha Stewart punch was used on the edge.




I'll enter this into the following challenges:
OUR DAILY BREAD - Snowflakes.
ONE STOP CRAFT - Christmas Cuties. (well, I think these snowmen are cute)
BAH HUMBUG - Feeling the Blues.
THE CHARACTER CAFE - Neutral and Bling (can't get much more neutral than white, lol).
CHRISTMAS STAMPIN' - Anything Goes.
CRAFTY CATZ - Christmas.
A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR - Anything Goes.
INCY WINCY - Blue and White.

FEEDING THE PIGEONS.

Time for another challenge over at I ♥ PROMARKERS and this week the theme is Anything goes with a bit of sparkle as an optional choice. Our sponsor again is the lovely DIGI DOODLE SHOP with a $10 spend in her store for the winner. She really does have some fabulous images, so if you like digi you must go and have a look.

Anyway, as our theme is Anything Goes - I grabbed the chance NOT to do yet another blurdy Christmas card and I chose this image from Digi Doodle Shop called 'Feeding the Pigeons' as it grabbed my eye the moment I saw it.

My papers are Basic Grey 'Periphery' and I coloured the image to suit the papers, using a slightly darker colour for his skin as I wanted him to look a bit weathered. Not sure if it works though, I think he looks more like he's got a suntan, ha,ha.

The brown card was white coloured with a Cocoa Promarker and the punch is Fiskars 'Threading Water'. The metal sentiment was in my stash and I chose it because I don't think there's anything in life more simple than sitting on a park bench feeding the birds. The brads are Tim Holtz bronze looking things and I offset the mat behind the image to use the....oh! I've forgotten what they're called, but I'm not sure if I like that either now. Oh well, I still like the image. :o)


Ah!!! Photo turns. That's what they're called, pmsl.

I shall enter it into the following challenges:
A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR - Anything goes.
ARTFUL INKABLES - Punches & Diecuts.
ANYTHING GOES - Animals. (hoping birds count)
FAB 'N FUNKY - Going with the Flow.
DIGI DOODLE SHOP Anything goes.

CRAFTY PAD #98

Roast dinner day's here again, but that doesn't stop the challenges. Over at THE CRAFTY PAD the challenge this week is to use the colours Red and Green. It doesn't have to be a Christmas card, but of course, we expect to see lots of them.

Our lovely sponsor this week is JOANNA SHEEN and the prize is a £10 voucher to spend in her store.

The design team all used the image Rodney and Robin and it's available to buy at the CRAFTY PAD SHOP.

The first thing I did when making my card was to change the colour of 'Merry Christmas' to green in Photoshop and then printed it out and coloured it in with my Promarkers. I cut a strip of red card and put it through my bug to layer over the background paper. The holly panel was stamped with a little clear stamp that came with a magazine recently and I dotted the berries red. The ink was from a large Fiskars dye ink pad in Hunter Green and I inked the edge of Rodney and Robin using the same. A little glitter was added to the berries and to Robin's hat.

Finally, I added a strip of red ribbon with canes on, 3 metallic nail heads and the gorgeous Poinsettia which is from Prima Marketing.

THROUGH THE MEADOW.

A card I made just because I wanted to. It's been a while since I did any cards that weren't for a DT, lol. I've had this digi image from Digi Doodle Shop for quite a while and I was actually going to use it for an Autumn themed card and call it 'The End of Summer' as she looks so thoughtful. Anyway, I never got round to it, so I came up with this in the end.
The papers are yet again, from my all time fave pad, Fancy Pants 'All Fall'. The quote is in the pad too but it's a border and I just cut and trimmed it. Another fave out again is my Martha Stewart deep lattice punch and the image was coloured with my Promarkers. I just love these apricot shades and they go so well with the papers.


I'm entering into the following challenges:
DIGI DOODLE SHOP Anything goes.
FRESHLY BREWED - Show off your style.
ONE STITCH AT A TIME- Fave colours.
A I FACTORY - Die cuts/punches.
MY PARTNER IN CRIME - Use Markers

THE FAMILY 'SNOW'

Another challenge at I LOVE PROMARKERS. Time is going way too fast for me. This is challenge #41 and the theme is Snowmen. We are sponsored this week by SIMON SAYS STAMP and the prize for the winner is a $15 spend in their online store. Well worth an entry, I would say. :o)

For my card I used a digi stamp from DIGI DOODLE SHOP and you can find it in her Christmas Collection. I embossed the diagonal grid on the card using my Scor Pal and the bit of snowman vellum (which again, I found in some old stash) was run through the cuttlebug with swiss dots. Some velvet ribbon and some red gems on his buttons and the bottom panel finished it off.



I'll be back with my challenge entries as I have to go out now. :o)

# 97 CHRISTMAS SPARKLE

Time for another challenge over at THE CRAFTY PAD and this week we want to see some Christmas Sparkle on your entries. Don't forget, it doesn't have to be a card and anybody that uses a Crafty Pad image will be entered into a separate draw to win a digi image of their choice.

We are sponsored this week by the fabulous CREATIVE CRAFT WORLD


and the prize is this fantastic MME 'I Believe' gift pack including 12x12 paper pack, bazzill match pack, ribbons and brads.



For my card I coloured Holly and Harvey with my Promarkers and glittered the trims on their hats. I've been rooting through old stash lately and the papers are some I found in there, lol. Soooooooo much stuff that never gets used!!! A nestie Beaded Oval was used for the mat and my fave Martha Stewart punch came into play again. The paper says 'Peace' (I think) in different languages. Under the image is a small strip of lilac vellum which I stamped with my Stazon white and a free snowflake stamp that was in a set off the front of Crafts Beautiful magazine (one I never normally buy, lol). A bit of glitter on the background and 3 ribbons finished it off.

LET'S HAVE SOME ATTITUDE...

The lovely Ali over at AQUILEIGA'S ESCAPE has awarded me this blog with attitude award. Thanks, hun.


There are a few rules that go along with it though. Oh, and a $5 gift certificate if you follow them.

1. Share 3 things about me.

a) I won a gold medal for Archery.
b) I used to love housework...now I hate it and I loathe ironing with a passion.
c) I had my voice trained when I was younger and love opera.

2. Pass this on to 5 people and these are some blogs I love.

Ruth
Clare
Beccy
Lorraine
Hazel

3. Display the blog award in your sidebar and link it back to the DIGI'S WITH ATTITUDE challenge blog (then click on the link on the blog to claim your gift).

Thanks again, Ali. :o)

LEST WE FORGET....

For The Fallen.

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

CRAFTY PAD #96

Today sees my first contribution as a member of the Design Team over at THE CRAFTY PAD. I am so pleased to be joining them. We are sponsored this week by both the super CRAFTY RIBBONS and LETRASET. The prizes on offer are a gorgeous box of ribbons (just yummy) and a set of 5 Promarkers in Winter themed colours. But...you'll have to pop over to the challenge blog for a peek at these great prizes and enter the challenge for a chance to win them.

The Design Team all worked with the lovely Crafty Pad image Holly and Bauble which you can purchase HERE. The challenge is to use at least one circle and 2 ribbons.

For my card, as there aren't rules to say I have to use my Promarkers or anything, I chose to colour it digitally in Photoshop. I made my own backing paper by isolating the bauble and reducing it in size to make a regular pattern and then used a Martha Stewart punch around the edges. The plain red paper is some I've had in my stash for years. Edges were inked with distress ink, Fired Brick and then I added some lace, ribbons and a charm.




I will enter into the following challenges:
CATCH THE BUG - Anything goes
CRAZY 4 CHALLENGES - Square Cards
PILE IT ON - Animals
CRAFT YOUR PASSION - Anything goes
CRITTER CHALLENGE - Christmas
LITTLE RED WAGON - Red
PATTIES CREATIONS - Christmas

IT'S SNOWING.....

and it's snowflake time. That's the theme over at I ♥ PROMARKERS this week for challenge #39. We are sponsored again by the lovely JOANNA SHEEN and she is offering a £10 gift voucher as a prize to our winner.

For my card I wanted to keep it simple and chose to use an image by JUST INKLINED as I thought it was such a pretty scene. It was, of course, coloured with Promarkers and the snow was added with dimensional paint. This was actually the third time I coloured the image and it just wouldn't go right, the green kept seeping through on the trees, so it's far from perfect, but hey ho! you get the idea. I even added a bit of glitter which is NOT my favourite thing - dreadful stuff, lol. I made my own backing paper in photoshop and made up the sentiment too.

Nestability beaded oval was used for the image (funny how it looks debossed intead of embossed, but it isn't, honest) and the sentiment tag is also a nestie.



I shall enter this into challenges:

ABC CHALLENGE - Glitter
FRESHLY BREWED - Anything Goes
CRAFT YOUR PASSION - Anything Goes
INCY WINCY - Anything Goes
ONE STITCH AT A TIME - Christmas

A NEW DT..

Good news today. Cheered me up no end as I have really been under the weather.

I have been asked to join the Design Team for The Crafty Pad. Yay!!!!! I'm really chuffed and start with the next challenge at the end of this week. Pop over and have a look, both at the challenge blog AND the stamp shop.

THE CHALLENGE BLOG.

THE SHOP.

I ♥ PROMARKERS #38

I'm feeling rather poorly so this is only a quick post. Sorry it's late.

Challenge #38 at I ♥ PROMARKERS this week is a sketch and theme. We are sponsored by DIGI DOODLE SHOP and the prize is $10 to spend in her online store. The DT all used one of her images and mine is Pumpkin Carriage. I designed my own background paper.

AUTUMN

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!! It's cold. Over at I ♥ PROMARKERS this week, the challenge is Autumn. Well, had to be, didn't it? lol. We are sponsored this week by SIMON SAYS STAMP and there is a $15 spend up for grabs.

I'm somewhat limited on Autumnal stuff, but I did have this gorgeous scarecrow. It's a freebie from BECCY'S PLACE. Thanks, Beccy. I didn't have a clue what else I could do with the card other than wanting to do some panels. I've got my first Big and Juicy inkpad 'Spice' and really wanted to use it, so I got out some shiny card and brayered away and then cut the 4 panels. The background paper is from the 'All Fall' pad from Fancy Pants, inked with walnut stain distress ink.
After I'd coloured the scarecrow, I inked around his edges with spiced marmalade and walnut stain.

Once again, I dug deep into the dark recesses of my craft room for stuff I hadn't used (or even looked at) for years and found the skeleton leaves, dried ferns and corn. Old hat, I know...I mean, when was the last time you saw skeleton leaves used on a card, lol. Still, somehow, I think they work and I actually quite like the finished result - for a change.


I'm entering Mr Scarecrow into the following challenges this week:

TUESDAY THROWDOWN #22 - Anything goes.
CRAZY4CHALLENGES C4C59 - Autumn/Fall.
OUR CREATIVE CORNER - At least 3 embellishments.
THE STAMPMAN #7 - Autumn.
TOTALLY PAPERCRAFTS #38 - Autumn.
ONE STITCH AT A TIME #35 - Embellish it.
CRAFTY CARDMAKERS #32 - Use a freebie.
PEAR TREE DESIGNS #22 Free for all.
THE CRAFTY PAD - Distressing. Don't know if this fits, but he looks pretty distressed to me with all that ink round him, lol.

CUPCAKES

A bit of a yummy theme for challenge #36 at I ♥ Promarkers this week. We want to see your cupcakes or anything related to cupcakes. Our sponsor this week is DIE CUT DREAMS and Susie is offering some gorgeous plate and book card cuts. Pop over to the Promarker challenge blog to see examples of Susie's work and get a better look at the prize. They are gorgeous.

I won the challenge at Other Lovelies a couple of weeks ago and one of the images I chose from the sponsor LIMITED RUNS, was a Cupcake as I didn't have one.

My paper is K & Co 'Sickly Sweet'...oops! sorry. That should be 'Sparkly Sweet'

I wanted some cream on my cake and I remembered that somewhere in the deep dark recesses of my craft room I had some Anita's white 3D paint. It's been there for years, lol but I dug it out and used it and then sprinkled it with clear hole-less beads.

I didn't want to use my beaded nestie for this so I used the scalloped one with the holes. I cut the white, but then put some lilac pearlescent card through my bug with the die and just the embossing mat. I cut it out by hand and placed the bumps under the holes on the white one. I embossed more lilac card and then added some flowers and lace. Job done.



I'm entering it at:
CRAZY 4 CHALLENGES - Birthday
CRAFTALICIOUS - Anything Goes
FAB N FUNKY - Yummy, Yummy, Yummy
LITTLE RED WAGON Something old, Something new..new image and very old 3D paint.

Thank you, Michelle.

The lovely Michelle, (Thistleblue) has awarded the I ♥ Promarkers team this blog award. Thank you, Michelle it was a lovely thing to do and I'm glad you enjoy our inspiration and challenges.

INK IT UP...

Ooooh, two posts in one day. A rarity for me, lol.

I was in the mood for some inking and rubber stamping so I got out my distress ink pads and some of my gorgeous stamps from Onyx Impressions and sat down to see what I came up with. Onyx Impression stamps are just so beautiful. They have some super designs, cut in black rubber and really well made.

I stamped my tiger onto some orange paper from my Fancy Pants 'All Fall' pad but the black background didn't come out as dark as I'd like, so I stamped the tiger again, cut him out and used it as a mask. Then I used my Memento Black and some foam and really deepened the background. Some Marmalade was used to give some patches to the Tiger. That's Spiced Marmalade ink, not the stuff in a jar, lol and I used my black Promarker to draw my own stripes.

The frame is one of the newer Nestabilities...beaded oval.



Then I made a tunnel card. I'm quite fond of these at the moment, but this one didn't come out as well as I'd hoped. I'd actually binned 3 before deciding I'd had enough and going with this one. The black inking around the edges is a bit untidy, but I used a chalk ink pad, which I'd not done before, so I'll not be using one again.

I inked a piece of plain card with my distress inks and then stamped the scene on to it, making sure I had a yellow patch where the sun was. I then inked another the same and stamped the image again. This was cut along the tree and horizon line to make the middle 3D layer. The concertina folds were stamped with an orange swirl on the outside and inked black on the inside. More marmalade ink was added to the panels and then they were stamped with some Basic Grey swirl stamps.







They're really easy to make but just takes a little care (a bit more than I gave this one, lol).

THINK PINK

This month is Breast Cancer Awareness month, so our theme of challenge #35 over at I ♥ PROMARKERS is 'Think Pink'. We are sponsored this week by the lovely JOANNA SHEEN again and the winner will get £10 to spend in her online store.

I chose an image by Mo Manning for my card and made it very girly. My papers are from the Forever Friends 'Pink Parfait' pad. I used Martha Stewart punches and other bits from my stash.






I am also entering this card at:
ABC CHALLENGE - Easel Cards
CREATIVE INSPIRATIONS - Birthday
FAB 'N FUNKY - Use a Digi Image
FRESHLY BREWED - Girly
PARTY TIME TUESDAYS - Birthday
OTHER LOVELIES - The Letter E and I figured an Easel card would qualify.

Thank you, Dawn...

for my beautiful blogger award.
It's lovely of you to think of me again.
xxx

PEARLS AND SWIRLS.

Our challenge #34 at I ♥ PROMARKERS this week is Pearls and Swirls. We are being sponsored by POLLYCRAFT and she is offering 5 digi images to the winner. All the design team used one of her images so go and take a look at their blogs to see what's available. Or better still, go to Pollycraft.

For my card, I chose 'Secrets'. I thought the little girl sitting under the flower was lovely. I cut the image into two so the flower is stuck to the background and the girl is on foam pads. My background paper is Bo Bunny. All my pearls are actually 'Liquid Pearls'. I've had bottles of this stuff for a couple of years and never used it but I've finally got the hang of it, so thought I'd give it a try. Much cheaper than using all your others too, lol.

I used a rub on for my greeting and made the yellow bow using my 'Bow Easy' from BUNNY ZOE'S CRAFTS.



I'm entering this into:
ANYTHING GOES -Going Round in Circles
AI Factory - Anything Goes.
INCY WINCY - Anything Goes
ONE STITCH AT A TIME - Anything Goes.
CHARISMA CARDS - Anything Goes.
OTHER LOVELIES D is for Digi.

WHITE ON WHITE

I ♥ PROMARKERS challenge week #33. Where do the weeks go?

This weeks challenge is white on white. The only colour allowed is on your image and the rest has to be white. I wasn't sure about this but have to say, I love it and I'll be doing more of it in the future. The design team have come up with some stunning examples so please go take a look.

We are sponsored this week by DIGI DOODLE SHOP, one of my fave places for digi images and the prize is $10 to spend in store.

So not a lot to tell you about this. White card, cuttlebug folders and promarkers to colour, lol. I still haven't decided whether or not to put a greeting on it.

Ooooeerrr!!!!

I've just showed my 3 year old granddaughter, Maukie and she said it sounds like he's farting, pmsl. Has anybody else thought that? I just thought he was purring. Tee hee!!!

RIP IT UP...

Oooops! I'm a bit late this week. Sorry.

Challenge #32 at I ♥ PROMARKERS this week is a sketch with an optional theme of 'rip it up'. The DT all used the ripping, tearing and distressing. Our sponsor this week is SIMON SAYS STAMP and a $15 spend in their online store is up for grabs. They'll even pay your shipping costs.

I used 7Gypsies papers and walnut stain distress ink for my card. The tag stamps, I've had for so long, I haven't a clue what/where/who....
It's taken me right away from cute and back to what I love best, so I enjoyed making this one.

WEDNESDAY AGAIN...

..and this weeks Challenge #31 over at I ♥ PROMARKERS has the theme of transport. Lots of interpretations possible for this one, so let's see how you all get around, lol. We are sponsored this week by LETRASET and the winner will receive a pack of 5 Promarkers.

I wanted to do something with a vintage type look to it so I chose my paper (just the one) from the V & A collection. My image is 'Tricycle Trip' from CHARMED CARDS & CRAFTS. It was coloured with Promarkers, of course, and I also put a layer of Glossy Accents over the red bike frame.



I'm entering it into the following challenges too:
CHARISMA CARDZ - Inspired by a song. My song is Main Road (lots of lines about a lucky little girl on a little red bike).
BEE CRAFTY - Anything goes.
COWGIRLS SUNDAY - Anything goes.
CRAFTY CREATIONS - Transportation.
BUNNY ZOE'S CRAFTS - Vintage.
PENNY'S CHALLENGE - Happy Birthday.

The lovely lyrics of MAIN ROAD BY LUCINDA WILLIAMS (and others).

On The Red River, on Bayou Pierre
Rosalee worked in White's Grocery
I'd get in trouble for goin' down there
She'd give me corn pops for free

Little red bike out on the main road
Lucky little girl
Little red bike out on the main road
Lucky little girl

Early in the mornin' brother and sister off at school
Mama sent me for wild flowers
Buttercups in the mornin' dew
A little red bike out on the main road too

Ghost tracks, water towers, picnics in a haunted roost
Horses waiting to be groomed need a little sugar too
Train game, moss monster, playin' down in the woods of bamboo
Mr. Black Snake ate all the bad snakes, Mr. Black Snake'll eat you too

Games turn into life
Once a tomboy now a tomwife

Little red bike out on the main road
Lucky little girl
Little red bike out on the main road
Lucky little girl
Lucky little girl

DEAR DOGS AND CATS....

My crafty mate, Jane posted this on our craft forum. I love it, so had to post it here for you to read. Thanks, Jane for the chuckle.

Dear Dogs and Cats,
The dishes on the floor with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate does not mean that is suddenly your food, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Racing me to the top of the stairs is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It Is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other, stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out on the other end to maximize space that you are taking up, is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom! If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge in an attempt to open the door. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years - canine/feline attendance is not required.

The proper order for kissing is: Kiss me first, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough.

Finally, in fairness, dear pets, I have posted the following message on the front door:

TO ALL NON-PET OWNERS WHO VISIT AND LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR PETS:

(1) They live here. You don't.

(2) If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. That's why they call it 'fur'-niture.

(3) I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.

(4) To you, they are animals. To me, they are adopted sons/daughters who are short, hairy, walk on all fours and don't speak clearly.

Remember, dogs and cats are better than kids because they:

(1) eat less

(2) don't ask for money all the time

(3) are easier to train

(4) normally come when called

(5) never ask to drive the car

(6) don't hang out with drug-using people

(7) don't smoke or drink

(8) don't want to wear your clothes

(9) don't have to buy the latest fashions

(10) don't need a gazillion dollars for college

(11) if they get pregnant, you can sell their children ....

MYTH AND MAGIC

Well, I've got a couple of cards for you today and very different they are. The first one is my DT card for I ♥ PROMARKERS. The theme this week for challenge #30, as chosen by me, is Myth and Magic. Lots of scope here...dragons, fairies, mermaids...etc. We are sponsored this week by the lovely JOANNA SHEEN who is offering a £10 gift voucher to the winner to spend in her online store.




I have had my dragon image for a long time now so I'm sorry, I can't tell you where I got it from as I can't remember. The papers are Papermania 'Hampstead'. This is the first time I've actually found them suitable for a card, lol. I used walnut stain distress ink to ink all the edges (after giving them a good distressing with a sanding block) and did the same to the Sizzix 'Tim Holtz' hinge dies to try and make them look a little rusty. The swirl at the bottom is a nestability shape and the trellis is a Martha Stewart punch. I am also very fond of this fold and use it quite a lot now.

I'm also entering this at:
PAPERTAKE WEEKLY - Just One.
CHRISTMAS STAMPING - Anything but Christmas.
CORROSIVE CHALLENGE - For the Boys.
GINGERSNAP CREATIONS - Ancient Ages (I think this card has a distinct medieval look to it).
CRAFTY EMMA'S - Anything Goes.
STAMPIN' FOR THE WEEKEND - Anything Goes.
BELLI CHALLENGE - Old Stamps.


So, do you ever go back to basics? I am finding at the moment that crafting seems to have gone full circle and things that were popular at the beginning of the craze are now popular again. I am seeing more heat embossing, dry embossing, die cuts and other things. I am currently involved in a ZENTANGLE swap. Google it to find out what it's all about, but let me tell you that I, and I suspect many of you, were doing it as a child and possibly still do it without knowing that it's now got a fancy new name. Basically, it's doodling, lol but doodling with rules. Go search and you'll find some fabulous examples.

My second card resurrects another basic which also seems to be all the rage again now and it's paper piecing. Now, this is the first time I have ever done it as I didn't like it before, but using DP's for clothes and things seems to make such a difference and so I've used it on this card and I must admit, I quite like it, lol.

I think you'll agree...two VERY different cards from me this week.


My image is 'Charley' stamp from Cuddly Buddly and the papers are MME which was a freebie pad in a mag a few weeks ago. Her dress and hat are pieced and the rest of Charley and her flowers are coloured with my Promarkers. Labels eight nestability, Martha Stewart heart punch, Prima flowers and a bit of lace finish it off.

I'm going to enter this at:
FAB 'N FUNKY - Material World.

The lovely DAWN has given me this super blog award.


Thanks so much, hun. It's much appreciated.
Now, I have to nominate 7 people to pass this to, so I'll be back soon with their names and blogs. :o)

Well, I've written a bit of a tome this week, pmsl so I'll shut up now.

THANKS VIX.

The lovely Vixykins has passed me this:


Thank you, hun. Much appreciated. :o) (that's a big grin, lol.)

CHARMING!!!

I ♥ PROMARKERS's challenge no. 29 this week is to use a charm on your card. We are sponsored once again, by the fabulous DIGI DOODLE SHOP who is offering a $10 prize to the winner. I've said it before and I'll say it again, she has some FABULOUS images, you really should go and look if you haven't already.

This week, I chose to use 'Old Wagon' (although I wish I hadn't, lol) I love the image but my mojo went on holiday and I didn't know what to do or how to incorporate a charm. I think maybe I don't like the 'in your face' border either. Doh!!!! I actually ended up doing my background in Photoshop. After I'd got the sky and green, I added the mushrooms and fairy and then added the white image of the wagon. When printed out, I coloured the wagon with my Promarkers.



My charm is a little silver flower in the centre of the large flower.
Papers are 'All Fall' from Fancy Pants.

THANK YOU CLARE.

I'm well chuffed. Clare over at DISTRESSED MISS has awarded me a blog award. Yay!!!! I have to say, I've been itching to get an award from somebody, lol.


Now, there are some rules that go along with receiving this award.
1. Thank the person that gave it to you.
2. Post it with pride on your blog.
3. List 3 things you love about yourself. Eeek!!!!!!
4. Post a picture you love.
5. Tag 5 other people for the award.

I'm going to tag:
No. 1...Christine. The most gorgeous cards and with stunning colouring.

No.2....Vixykins. An incredibly gifted crafter and I love everything she does.

No.3....Bobs. 'Cause I luv her and her photographs.

No.4....Meeshka. I love the quirky images she uses on her cards.

No.5....Spyder, 'cause she makes me smile.


So, 3 things I like about me...ummmm - Geez, talk about blowing your own trumpet.
OK.
1...I'm kind (I think, lol)
2...I like my creativity, something a few years ago, I never thought I had.
3...can't think. I'll have to come back to this, lol.

Now for a picture that I love. This is my future son in law, Jonny proposing to my daughter, Nicola. I knew he was going to do it, so the camera was at the ready and I bet not many people have a picture of their actual marriage proposal. :D