A BIT OF 'SAUCE'...

Hi there peeps, I hope you're all having a good week so far. If I'm honest, I'm having nightmare after nightmare, lol so thank goodness for my craft room. This weeks challenge #68 over at I ♥ PROMARKERS is Sparkly Bling so it's got to be glitter, glitter everywhere. The sponsor is JOANNA SHEEN with a £10 gift certificate.

I used this saucy image from JUST INKLINED and it's actually a Christmas Image (Maude Merry Christmas) but I changed her hat slightly and made it into a hair net. I also added some lines to her stocking tops to make them look netted. Coloured of course with my Promarkers and a computer generated sentiment. I cut the paisley shapes and the centre embellishment from paper and made my own embellishment with them. Glamour dust was applied to them and Maude's lace and some stickles were dotted around the roses. Roses from Wild Orchid Crafts, Martha Stewart border punch, lace and gems from my stash and I used my chalks to outline the nestie mats.

For the 'older' ones among you, do you think Mae West would look like this now if she was still alive? pmsl.


Entering into:
DESERT ISLAND CRAFTERS - Itinerary (orange, glitter, chalks, handmade embellie).
SPOONFUL OF SUGAR - Flower Power.
BEARLY MINE - Die cuts and lace.
LADYBUG CRAFTS - Make your own embellishments.
PARTY TIME TUESDAYS - Anything goes.
TUESDAY THROWDOWN - Make your own embellies.
BUNNY ZOE - Lace.
PAPER CRAFTING JOURNEY - Anything goes.
MY TIME TO CRAFT - Very funny.
HOUSE OF GILLI - Flowers.

PIZZA BOX (or not)?

I was in a box swap recently and we had to make our own box from scratch...not alter or decorate a ready made one. I made a standard 'pizza' type box with the lift up lid and strengthened it with a thick piece of card top and bottom. The papers I covered it with are the fabulous 'Ella Blue' from GCD studios. I can't remember where I got the little lock charm or the key but it fastens with one of the Basic Grey mini magnets, which are perfect for this kind of thing. The embellies on the top are done with Marianne dies (you've got to love her dies).





In case you're wondering why it's full of Galaxy bars it's because it went to a friend in France who loves the stuff but finds it hard to get hold of. I have to be honest, when I'd finished this, I really didn't want to part with it, lol.

Entering into:
EMERALD FAIRIES - Anything goes.
PAPER SUNDAES (if a box is allowed) - Shabby Chic.
SPARKLES FORUM - Something metal.
2 SISTERS - Anything goes.
MYCREATE INK - Colour challenge.
FAIRY TALE CHALLENGE - Anything but a card.
INSPIRE ME FRIDAY - Anything.
CREATIVE CARD CREW - Anything goes.
TRULY SCRUMPTIOUS - Anything goes.

THE AWOL STUFF

Grrrrrr!!!!! to blogger. Hasn't it been a nightmare recently, I hate it when it goes AWOL. I hope they're all sorted now..I can't live without my blogs, lol so a couple of cards in this post today.

Challenge #67 over at I ♥ PROMARKERS is to use Pearls and we're sponsored this week by DIGI DOODLE SHOP with a $10 gift certificate for the store. The DT all used images from the store and I chose to use a new image called Crawling Baby.


The papers are, I think, called Foundations. I used a nestie for the circle and a Marianne D for the base of my flower embellie. The sentiment is from Pollycraft although I did change the original text.

Entering into:
CREATIVE CORNER - Beautiful Baby
BEE CRAFTY - Little one's birthday.
INSPIRE ME FRIDAY- Anything goes.
SIMPLY CREATE - Special day/event.
DIGI DOODLE SHOP - Anything goes.

The new challenge (#123) at THE CRAFTY PAD is a recipe. 3 papers, 2 ribbons and 1 flower. All the design team used images from the new Thank you Teacher collection available from THE CRAFTY PAD DESIGNS and it's got to be worth a visit as there is a 30% off sale on until 2nd June. The sponsor this week is Michelle's Scrap.


My papers are from Basic Grey's 'Lime Ricky' pad, ribbon and flowers from my stash. The image is coloured with Promarkers.

Entering into:
CARD CUPIDS - Ribbon or Fibres.
EMERALD FAIRIES - Anything goes.
2 SISTERS - Anything goes.
CATCH THE BUG - Bright Colours.
RAISE THE BAR - Teachers Pet.

Also over at Crafty Pad Designs is a new release set of stamps that make the most adorable little story book for a little boy. You can alter the text and put your own child's name in and finally, our Maggie has a project printed on page 29 of the new Crafts Beautiful magazine. Way to go Maggie, well done hun.

PORTRAIT OF A BEAR.

This weeks challenge over at I ♥ PROMARKERS is Animals, so your cards have to have an animal on them. The sponsor this week is CRAFTY EMMA with a £10 voucher to spend in the online store.

I considered using an animal as my focal image but then I found this Sarah Kay stamp still unused in my drawer. The bear she's painting wasn't really enough of an animal so I searched for a cat image and found this one in an Ollyfant set of stamps by Kars, so I stamped it and masked it before stamping the main image. Ok, so the cat is a 'little' large, but hey ho! lol.


My papers are from the V & A collection and I inked them all around the edges. Using my Tim Holtz ruler (the one with the holes down one side) I used my pokey tool and punched around the edges of the panels then added a few flowers and half a dozen pearls and that was basically it. Oh, and a Martha Stewart punch for the mat.

Entering into:
AMBER'S CRAFTS 'N STUFF - Cats and/or dogs.
CRAFTS AND ME - Anything goes.
CREATIVE CARD CREW - Cute and girly.
DIVA'S BY DESIGN - For the girls.
PAPER PRETTIES - Use flowers.
TRULY SCRUMPTIOUS - Anything goes.
A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR - Anything goes.
CLAUDIA AND COMPANY - Birthday for a girl.
MAKE IT MONDAY - Always anything goes.
ONE STITCH AT A TIME - Anything goes.
STAMP SOMETHING - Anything goes.

NESTIE STORAGE...

Some time ago I made a storage book for my nestie dies. It was in an issue of Craft Stamper magazine and I thought it was a great idea and so easy to make with some card and magnetic paper sheets. I used Basic Grey papers (Infuse and others) to cover them.



Anyway, it's now so full that I can't actually get any more pages in it and I have dies all over the craft room so I've just made another one. The new one has all my Marianne D, Joycraft and Nellie Snellen dies in it and the old one now has all my nesties safely stored together. These are on my desk all the time and used constantly. So much better than keeping them in those horrible stiff plastic cases they come in.



Papers for this one are Basic Grey 'Urban Couture'. The stamp on the front of this one is from the Rescue Remedies set at Waltzingmouse Stamps (another Craft Stamper discovery). Really, that magazine costs me a fortune, lol. These stamps are 'nestie friendly' which means that when you've stamped it out, it will fit perfectly inside one of the nestie frames. A bit of distress ink around the edges and it's all you need.

Entering into:
BY THE CUTE AND GIRLY - Anything goes.
DESERT ISLAND CHALLENGES - 3 items from itinerary (paper, ribbon, stamp).
CREATIVE COWGIRL - Anything goes.
EMERALD FAERIES - Anything goes.
ONE STITCH AT A TIME - Anything goes.
SCRAPPY FROGS - Anything goes.

HOLEY MOLEY...

Nope, I haven't spelt holey wrong. It's not Holy Sunday it's a holey card. :o) This weeks challenge over at THE CRAFTY PAD is HOLES. Yep, holes in your cards. The sponsor this week is JOANNA SHEEN with a £10 gift certificate to spend in her online store. I love her store, she has so many goodies and free postage too...what more could you ask for.

The design team all used the CUPCAKE set of images this week, available from Debbie at THE CRAFTY PAD DESIGNS.


I coloured my cupcakes with my Promarkers and then coloured a piece of card with the same pink pen so that my mat matched exactly. A nestie circle die and an embossing folder made my background, so it's quite clean and simple too. I cut the sentiment using a nestie and I backed the holes in the circle with some more pink card and punched 4 holes in the corners to finish it off.

Entering into:
ECP CHALLENGES - Pastel colours.
OUR DAILY BREAD - Recipe: At least 2 die shapes, dry embossed background, 1 sentiment
CRAFTY CREATIONS - Anything goes.
DIVA'S BY DESIGN - Anything goes.
MY MUM'S CRAFT SHOP - Use dies.

Grrrrrrrrr!!!!!

What a cock up blogger has caused this time. Have you all lost your comments and stuff too? Hours of time wasted. *sob sob*

THE LEGLESS BARBER...

Nope, he's not been on the booze...he's just 'legless' but I love him anyway, lol. I'm talking about the image I've used for this weeks I ♥ PROMARKERS challenge sponsored by ROBYNS FETISH. I actually didn't notice he had no legs while I was colouring him, it was only when one of our other DT's mentioned it and it made us laugh. The theme this week is a colour challenge of PINK AND BROWN. Always nice together, but still I did wonder what I could do with the image I'd chosen and my only definite was that pigs are pink. Anyway, here's what I came up with.


My papers are Daisy and Dandelion and the ribbon was buried in my stash from long ago. The flowers are Prima 'Got Daisies' something else I'd not used in a very long time. I made the bow with my bowmaker to put in the centre of one flower with buttons in the others, the doily is...well a doily I suppose, lol possibly Magnolia and the sentiment is one of my own designs available HERE from Craft Downloads - which reminds me, I've got half a dozen new designs to upload so I better get cracking with those and I've got more sentiments and tickets in Photoshop to finish too.

Entering into:
FAB 'N' FUNKY #72 - Buttons and Bows.
CLEAR IT OUT TUESDAY - Ribbon/trim.
EVERYBODY ART CHALLENGE - Flowers.
FLOURISHES - Anything goes.
PAPER AND SUCH - Birthday card.
THE CRAZY CHALLENGE #66 - Anything goes.
MAKE IT MONDAY - Anything goes.
SIMON SAYS STAMP & SHOW - Anything goes.
MY GRAPHICO - Anything goes.

PURPLE RAIN

Sheesh, I'm still trying to catch up with stuff but everytime I think I've made some headway, something else crops up. Oh well, plod on I must!

Time for challenge #64 over at I ♥ PROMARKERS and this weeks challenge is to use a song title. You really need to go have a look at all the DT's cards this week, they really are fabulous. We're sponsored again this week by the lovely JOANNA SHEEN with a £10 gift certificate for her online store.

I used one of my minute collection of Tildas for this one (that'll be 3 lol). I never really liked these gobless images, but they are definitely growing on me and I want lots more.


My paper is a sheet of K & Co that I'd bought 5 of to cover a box and I stitched around the edge on my machine. For my border, I used one of the Marianne D's corner dies that stay attached to the card. But...it was an afterthought so I haven't got them lined up perfectly. Next time, I'll cut the card before I stamp and colour my image. Roses and ribbon from my stash, the leaves were punched and the ticket sentiment is from The Crafty Pad Designs.

Entering into:
DIGI DOODLE SHOP #56 - Anything goes.
SPOONFUL OF SUGAR - White/one main colour.
PAPERTAKE WEEKLY - Anything goes.
TOP TIP TUESDAY - Open Challenge.
TRY IT ON TUESDAYS - Something old (ribbon & roses), something new (stamp & corner die).
CRAFT YOUR PASSION - Anything goes.
HOUSE OF GILLI - Layers and Stitching.
MAKE IT MONDAY - Anything goes.
POLLYCRAFT - Anything goes.
MAGIC IN THE AIR - Birthday.

NO BACKING PAPERS

Oooeerrr!!! I'm still missing my blog posts but I really am trying hard to sort things out. I should be making at least 2 a week for my DT's. Soz peeps.

Anyway, as it's Wednesday and I was up with the lark (well nearly) I'll get my I ♥ PROMARKERS DT challenge card up. This week is challenge #63 and it's No Backing Papers. It's a theme quite a few people struggle with, including myself lol. Our sponsor this week is DIGI DOODLE SHOP with a $10 gift certificate for the online store. The DT all used a selection of her images and I chose Fairy and Daisy and to go clean and simple.


I used a Marianne Designables cutting and embossing folder, turned it lengthways and backed it with some purple card and the corner is a Nellie's die. As this particular corner die stays attached to the main card, I cut around it to use it as a single ornament. The sentiment is one of my own designs, available HERE.

Entering into:
CLAUDIA & COMPANY - Clean and Simple.
EVERYBODY ART - Fairies.
PARTYTIME TUESDAY - Anything goes.
STAMPING BOUTIQUE - Winged Things.
MAKE IT MONDAY - Anything goes.
PAPER PLAYTIME - Friends.
CREATIVE INSPIRATIONS - Use a digi.
DELICIOUS DOODLES - Anything goes.

HOLLA OUT!

I've had so much going on lately, I missed a couple of blog posts but hopefully, I'm back now. This week, challenge #61 over at I ♥ PROMARKERS is a sketch. I can't remember the last time I followed a sketch and I'd forgotten how easy it makes things for you. Our sponsor this week is the fantastic KENNY K and all the design team used his images. I chose to use HollaBackGirl.



My papers are My Minds Eye 'Mabel' with matching Bazzill cardstock. Flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts. The image was cut out and mounted on 3D foam pads, and the sentiment (also on 3D foam pads) is one of my own available HERE.

Entering into:
DIGITAL TUESDAY - Little women.
KARENS DOODLES NETHERLANDS - Anything goes.
PAPERTAKE WEEKLY - Dimension.
SWEET STAMPS - For the ladies.
MAKE IT MONDAY - Whatever...
WOODWARE USA - Anything goes.
DIGI DOODLE SHOPS BEST - Stripes.

YOU GOTTA LOVE FLOWERS..

This is a super time of year when all the flowers start to show their pretty heads and this weeks challenge #115 over at THE CRAFTY PAD is just that - FLOWERS. We want to see lots of lovely blossoms and blooms on your projects.
We are sponsored this week by CRAFTY EMMA'S STORE and the prize for the winner is a £10 gift voucher to spend in her store (excluding p&p).

The design team all used an Animal in Window image available from THE CRAFTY PAD DESIGNS.

I decided to make an over the edge easel card for my project this week. I don't make many of these, so it made a nice change and I'm going to give it to my mum (who is in hospital), for mothers day with a big bunch of flowers and a gorgeous pink manicure set.





My image was coloured with Promarkers and my papers are from the My Minds Eye - Stella & Rose 'Mabel' pad with matching Bazzil cardstock. The flowers were cut with a Marianne Designs die with the little centre roses from Wild Orchid Crafts. I don't like gems personally, but mum does so I added some square ones from Papermania and the lace is from my stash. The sentiment is also from The Crafty Pad Designs.

Entering into:
I'll let you know later when I get back from Sherwood Forest.....back now, had a lovely day.
TUESDAY THROWDOWN - Florals
ALLSORTS - Bloomin' Blossoms.
CREATIVE INSPIRATIONS - Mum or Mothers Day.
I DID IT CREATIONS - Anything goes.
PAPER SUNDAES - Spring Blossoms.
SCRAPPY FROGS - Flowers and lace.
CATCH THE BUG - Anything goes.
MARK'S FINEST PAPERS - An animal.

ALTERED CD

Over at THE CRAFTY PAD we're running a competition this week and for a change from cards, we've asked you to alter a CD. There's some great prizes up for grabs for the winner too. Crafty Pad Designs are giving away a brand new set of digi fairies with sentiments, Jasmine's Cards are giving a CD chock full of floral images and papers and Letraset are giving a pack of Promarkers. Why don't you pop over and have a go. They're great fun to do.




I started off by using alcohol inks on the CD in shades of brown. Then I split a paper napkin into single layers, tore off a few pieces and crumple stuck them down in a couple of places with Diamond Glaze. When dry, I inked them with my distress inks.
I got a sheet of newspaper and inked some of it with browns, again using my distress ink pads and then stamped a flower (Hero Arts) 3 times onto it. I cut out the different sizes and layered them up. My buttons were originally white so I used an alcohol ink to colour them, then used some Basic Grey rub-ons and finished them off with crackle glaze. The ribbon, lace and other stuff were from my stash.

Entering into:
AMBER'S CRAFTS AND STUFF#3 - Flowers.
ANYTHING GOES - Make your own embellishments.
LADYBUG CRAFTS - Handmade flowers.
PARTY TIME TUESDAYS - Anything goes + a handmade flower.
THE STAMPING BOUTIQUE - Handmade flowers.
MY PARTNER IN CRAFTING CRIME - 3 or more buttons.
CATERED CROP - Embellishments (choice from a recipe).

EMBOSS IT

Challenge #59 over at I ♥ PROMARKERS this week is Emboss it. Obviously, some kind of embossing is to be used on our projects. Our sponsor this week is the lovely SECRET CRAFTER and the prize is 3 digi images of the winners choice.



I stamped my image using a stamp I've had for quite a while. Unfortunately, I can't remember for the life of me who's it is or where I got it from, so if anybody knows, I'd appreciate a reminder, lol. The digi sentiment is from Pollycraft. My background paper is from Basic Grey's 'Kioshi' pad and I used two embossing folders and finished with ribbon from my stash.

Thanks to snarffsplat - the image is Lisa Victoria's 'Story Time' and I remember buying it now from Crafts and Me. Whew, I can sleep tonight now.

Entering into:
POLLYCRAFT #86 - Friends.
DIGI DOODLE SHOP #52 - Ribbons and bows.
SCRAP CREATIONS - Fairy Tales.
PAPER PLAYTIME #42 - Anything goes.
LET'S INK IT UP #11 - Die cuts/punches.
STAMPTACULAR #104 - No kids allowed.
ONE STOP CRAFT #124 - Angels and fairies.

LET'S GO DOTTY...

Whew, I'm nearly back on track after the last few weeks crises and have done my DT challenges. This week at I ♥ PROMARKERS challenge #58 is Go Dotty. We want to see lots of spots and dots on your projects. Our sponsor this week is the fabulous DIGI DOODLE SHOP and the prize for the winner is a $10 gift certificate to spend in her online store. You'll have NO problem finding a digi you like over there.

The DT all used images from Digi Doodle Shop and I chose 'Boy With Vintage First Car'


I haven't actually made this for any little boy particularly, I just chose a number that I thought would fit nicely in the corner, lol. I made it large, added the birthday text and printed it onto the DP. The papers used are My Minds Eye 'All Fall' and Basic Grey's 'Lime Ricky'. Image was, of course, coloured with Promarkers except his T-shirt which is digital. I ran the circle and the 2 through the bug and my Martha Stewart border punch and a few buttons finished it off.

Entering into:
DIGI DOODLE SHOP - Anything goes.
CRAFTS AND ME - Anything goes.
THE SISTERHOOD OF CRAFTERS - Let's hear it for the boys.
STAMPAVIE - For a boy.
OPERATION WRITE HOME - Kids
CLEAR IT OUT - Buttons.
CUTTLEBUG SPOT - Buttons.
DIGITAL TUESDAY - Buttons.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG - CRAFTY PAD #113

It's been a couple of weeks since I've posted. I've had some really bad stuff happening at home so have been up and down to the hospital for a fortnight, but hopefully things are settling down a bit now. At least, I finally managed to make a challenge card.

The theme over at THE CRAFTY PAD this week is 'Use a Digi'. No problem there, lol and our sponsor is the lovely JOANNA SHEEN again with a £10 voucher to spend in her online store.

The design team used 'Through the Window' images available from THE CRAFTY PAD STAMP DESIGNS.

I coloured my image digitally in Photoshop this time. I had not long ago designed some wood effect papers (not quite as dark as on this photo) available HERE so I used them for the shutters and a digital overlay for the curtains. The rest was brushwork. Papers are Cosmo Cricket 'De Lovely' and the embellies are from the Papermania 'Sunshine' kit. It's a bright one this time, isn't it? lol.




I bent the shutters forward so they looked more like they were open. The sentiment is also from The Crafty Pad Stamp Designs, although I must admit, I changed the text for this one.

Entering into:
ALY'S SUNDAY SKETCH - Spring
CARD CUPIDS - Spring
CHEERFUL STAMP PAD - Spring
I DID IT CREATIONS - Spring
CRAFTY ANN'S - Sketch or Spring
MAMI DOODLES - Spring
PAPER CUTZ - Your choice
WAGS 'N WHISKERS - Spring

PURPLE AND GREEN

So sorry that this is late. I've been suffering badly with toothache for a while and wasn't up to doing much. The theme at I ♥ PROMARKERS this week is to use PURPLE AND GREEN and of course, you must use Promarkers. Our sponsor this week is JOANNA SHEEN with a £10 gift certificate for her fabulous online store.

I'll post my card and come back later with details, as I'm still feeling rough and very sore where my molar was pulled out today.

CRAFTY PAD #110

Something yummy in your tummy. Yep, that's THE CRAFTY PADS'S theme for this weeks challenge. Let's hope you like it better than last weeks, lol. So, we want to see some sort of food on your cards or whatever you decide to make. It doesn't have to be a card. Our sponsor this week is CRAFTY EMMA and she is offering a fabulous Memory Box 6 x 6 paper pad of your choice as the prize.

All the design team used Strawberries available from The Crafty Pad Stamp Designs HERE.


The berries and the text are two different digi stamps and although I could have layered them, I combined them in Photoshop to make one image. They were coloured with Promarkers. The leaf swirl is a Marianne die, the border strip is a Martha Stewart Punch, the background is a Martha Stewart punch around the page punch and a Crafts Too embossing folder and the background paper is Cosmo Cricket's 'DeLovely'.

Joining in with:
LITTLE CLAIRES - Anything goes
SECRET CRAFTER - Sweet treats
CRAFTY ANN'S - Birthday card
CRAFTY CATZ - Friendship
FAIRY KNOLL - Use green
FUSSY AND FANCY - Embossing
GUYLOU'S - Anything goes

LET'S GET STITCHING...

Time for another challenge over at I ♥ PROMARKERS and this week, challenge #54 is Stitching. We want to see some form of stitching on your projects and it can be real or faux, so if you don't have a sewing machine or a needle and thread, get your rubons out. Our sponsor this week is again the fabulous DIGI DOODLE SHOP with a $10 gift voucher to get some of her fabulous digi images.

All the design team used Digi Doodle Shop's images so pop over to the challenge blog and see what's available. Better still click on the link above to the shop and go and see the full range.

For my card, I combined two images in Photoshop. 'Across the Bridge' and '1800 Vintage Dress 2'. My papers are from Fancy Pants 'All Fall' paper pad. My favourite papers and I'm running out. *sob* The flower is from Wild Orchid Crafts, the leaves were punched and the sentiment is from The Crafty Pad Stamp Designs. Because of the colours, I didn't think it needed anything else. Images coloured of course, with Promarkers. The sky is chalked blue, but not showing up too well on here.



Entering into:
DIGI DOODLE SHOP - Anything goes
SPOONFUL OF SUGAR - Birthday Wishes
DIGITAL TUESDAY - Punches
MY TIME TO CRAFT - Hats
PARTY TIME TUESDAYS - Anything goes
SCRAP CREATIONS - Birthday
INCY WINCY - Punches or dies
STAMPS R US - For the girls
I DID IT CREATIONS - Anything goes

PLAYING WITH DRAGONS

I've spent a lot of time in Photoshop today. Well, actually I always spend a lot of time in Photoshop, lol. I was designing some digital papers for my CRAFT DOWNLOAD site (which I must get uploaded still) and I suddenly went off at a tangent.

For all the years I've been using Photoshop, I've never been a great one for brushes and I've never really bothered to find out all the fantastic stuff they can do. The basics of brushes have always suited me. But...this evening, all that changed. I have a new passion. I may now start to use the hundreds of brush sets that I own, lol. Amongst them is a fabulous set of Dragon brushes, so I set to with my brushes and my layers and did myself a dragon. I'm going to call him Gordon I think. :o) He's not finished yet as he really needs a background but that's gonna take some imagination and inspiration, neither of which I have any more of tonight.

Hope you like him.

CRAFTY PAD #109

Challenge #109 over on THE CRAFTY PAD this week is a colour scheme. Red, Pink and Black. The sponsor this week is the lovely JOANNA SHEEN with a £10 gift certificate so spend in her online store.

I fancied a change from a card, so I made this simple little pizza box which would be lovely for a small gift of a bracelet or something. All the design team used the image 'Rose' which is available from THE CRAFTY PAD STAMP DESIGNS. Why not pop over to the challenge blog and see some of the wonderful projects that the DT came up with. They've all done a brilliant job this week.

I basically used just red and black card and my papers round the sides are......oops! lost track there, Dancing on Ice has started, lol. Yes, the papers..they're Kaiser Craft from the 'After Five' collection. The roses are coloured with Promarkers and although it doesn't show too well on the photo, the white rose has pink tones in it. Finished off with the Martha Stewart heart punch and a bit of stickles.




Entering into:
TOTALLY PAPERCRAFTS #54 - Do it with Digi.
WAGS 'N WHISKERS #48 - Use punches
SPOONFUL OF SUGAR #139 - Anything but a card
CRAFT YOUR PASSION #45 - Use pink
CRAFTY ANNES #34 - Love is all around.

A BIT OF PAPER PIECING

Paper piecing. A technique we don't see so much of any more and yet it's lovely. So, this weeks challenge #53 at I LOVE PROMARKERS is paper piecing. We are sponsored this week by DIE CUT DREAMS.

But....before I show you my card, I'd like to say thank you to every one of you that joined in our birthday celebration last week and for all your lovely comments. As you know there was a fabulous prize on offer (you'll have to go over to the challenge blog to see who's won that) and a little prize from each member of the design team. The winner of my prize is MAMA J. Congratulations hun.

For my card this week, I've used a Tilda which is rare for me. I only own two, lol. My papers are V & A 'Hanovarian' inked round the edges with walnut stain distress ink and Tilda is pieced with the same papers. The frame behind Tilda is a Marianne Doily Die and I cut the centre out with a nestie. Flowers and leaves were punched, lace was in my stash and the sentiment is from The Crafty Pad Stamp Designs.



Joining in the following challenges:
DIGITAL TUESDAY #98 - Use a die cute (digi element is the sentiment)
OOH LA LA #73 - For someone special
OSAAT - Make it pretty
YOUR NEXT STAMP #36 - Paper Piecing

HEARTS

Challenge #108 at THE CRAFTY PAD this week is Hearts. Well, it IS that time of year again, isn't it? Soon be time for fluffy bunnies though.
The sponsor this week is CREATIVE CRAFT WORLD and the prize is some lovely stuff from The Teahouse range.

Not being a lovey dovey person and Valentines Day being a rather sad day for me, I struggle a bit with this kind of card, so I kept it simple.
The image is Teds Love, one of Debbie's images from THE CRAFTY PAD STAMP DESIGNS. I used two different embossing folders (Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' and Craft Concepts 'Budding Vine'). The heart slider is a gorgeous metal one that I've just used on my daughter's wedding invites and the sentiment is one of my own design.




Entering into:
2 SISTERS #26 - Hearts
BEE CRAFTY #47 - Hearts and a Digi
CRAFTY EMMA'S #23 - Cute and Cuddly
CRAZY 4 CHALLENGES #74 - Hearts
ECP #31 - Love
LITTLE CLAIRE'S #1 - Anything goes
ONE STOP CRAFT #118 - Love is in the air

I ♥ PROMARKERS BIRTHDAY BLOG HOP

Happy birthday to us, happy birthday to us, happy birthday dear......ha, ha, you know the rest.
Yep! The I ♥ PROMARKERS challenge blog is one year old and so we're having a blog hop to celebrate. Our theme is BIRTHDAY, so lets see your birthday cards, but remember...you MUST use Promarkers on your project.

There is a fantastic prize on offer for the winner, plus, every member of the Design Team is also offering a prize to somebody that comments on their blogs.We are sponsored this week by WHIFF OF JOY AND LETRASET.

Whiff of Joy are offering up these two gorgeous stamps:



and LETRASET are offering:



Added to that, our lovely Karen is also adding some of her gorgeous pins.


Here is what I'm offering to one person who comments on my blog:


You're going to love the diamanté ribbon sliders. They're good quality metal ones and twinkle beautifully.

and here's the order for the blog hop:
Karen
Kate
Julie
Lorraine (me)
Wynneth
Ruth
Tine
Kathleen

So, if you landed here first, go to Karen's and follow the order from there.
Then go back and add your card to the challenge blog. You must take part in the challenge to be eligible to win.

This is my card for our celebration. I know these images from Sugar Nellie are all over the internet at the moment, but I just had to use her. Shame I screwed up her face and hair, lol.


Now, I hate using my scrapbooking papers for cards, in fact, I never do, but I made an exception this week and I cut up my gorgeous Ella Blue papers. A Marianne doily die is behind Verity and the roses, (inked with walnut stain distress ink) are from Wild Orchid Crafts. I used a Martha Stewart border punch, a sentiment of my own design and the lace heart was in my stash.

Entering into the following challenges:
SPOONFUL OF SUGAR - Show some love (my heart)
CRAFT YOUR PASSION -Anything goes
ONE STITCH AT A TIME - Use a digi.
STAMP SOMETHING - Digi day
PAPERTAKE WEEKLY - Have a heart.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR....

Well, it might be for a lot of you, but it certainly isn't for me, pmsl but I still had to make a Valentine card. Maybe I'll send it to my dog. I'm sure Bailey would appreciate it, lol.

Challenge #107 over at THE CRAFTY PAD this week is 'Love is in the Air'. We are sponsored by ROBYNS FETISH and she is offering the winner 5 digital images or 4 digital images and 1 paper set of their choice.

Debbie also has some lovely new images over at THE CRAFTY PAD STAMP DESIGNS so pop over and check them out.


For my card, I used a little boy called Randy from Robyn's Fetish (couldn't resist, lol). I used my Cuttlebug embossing folder Kimmy Luvs for the panel and the With Love border strip for my greeting. The b/w paper was in my stash somewhere. Two MS punches were used for the bottom and the little hearts that came out of the heart punch fitted perfectly into the hearts on the embossing folder. After colouring, I just put some stickles round the edge of the heart.

ANYTHING GOES..

Everybody's favourite kind of challenge, eh? Always popular where ever you go, so this week on I ♥ PROMARKERS for challenge #51 that's our theme. Our sponsor is the ever lovely JOANNA SHEEN with £10 to spend in her store full of goodies.

Now, I just want to tell you something to make sure you come back again, lol. Next week is our blogging birthday and I ♥ Promarkers will be 1 year old. To thank you all for your wonderful support this last year, we are having a blog hop. It's our very first one, so I hope you'll all join in. We have a fabulous main prize (from more than one sponsor *wink wink*) and every member of the design team will also be giving a prize to somebody that comments on their blog. So, next week, start on the I ♥ Promarker challenge page and then follow the blog list in order and make your comment. See you then! :o)

For my card this week, I chose to use a proper stamp for a change - a very nice change I might add, I only realized last week how much I missed my rubber. I've got a few from this very cute family from In2Stamps. Papers are Basic Grey 'Lime Rickey' and a Marianne D doily die produced the back frame and the flower.



Entering into the following challenges:
BASIC GREY - Flowers (mine is the die cut)
ANYTHING GOES - Butterflies (my embossed background)
PAPERTAKE WEEKLY - Anything goes with optional flowers
FOR FUN - Winter or Spring (I'm going for Spring with this bright, cheerful fella although, I admit, I might be stretching the theme a bit, lol)

I've just picked up this fabulous blog award too from the lovely Ali over at AQUILEGIA'S ESCAPE so thanks ever so much, hun. I promise I'll be back later to do the bits I've got to do with it.

CAMEO LADIES

I've realised that I only blog when I've got a DT card to put up. Hmmmmm, must be more to it than that, so thought I'd show you something else. I've just hosted a swap where we had to make 3 tags and each one had to have a lady on it. It felt like ages since I'd joined a swap, even though I host at least one a month and I really enjoyed doing these. I use so many digi images now that it was an absolute treat to get my rubber out again. I'd forgotten how much I love stamping.

I used my fabulous distress ink pads to colour some ordinary luggage tags, blending my colours and spritzing the purple one. The stamps are from the 'Cameo' plate from Lost Coast Designs. I just LOVE their stamps.



I was also asking the girls on the Promarker DT team today about the time they spend on cards. I went into my craft room this afternoon and spent 5 hours on a card and...it's not even finished yet!!! It's nothing special at all, so how can it possibly take so long? It's no wonder us crafters don't have time for housework, lol.

Just found out that my Lavender and Lace card is one of the five chosen winners over at OSAAT for displaying their Birthday Bash banner. Soooooooo many gorgeous entries, so I'm well chuffed.

I think I'll join in:
STAMPTACULAR SUNDAY - Whateva.
CRAFTY EMMA'S - Bold and bright.
WHOOPSIE DAISY - Anything but a square.
PENNY'S PAPER CRAFTY - Anything goes.
STAMP INSANITY - Find your Zen.

ONE FOR THE BOYS.

It's time for challenge #106 over at THE CRAFTY PAD and this weeks theme is 'Something for the Boys'. I find most crafters seem to have trouble with men/boy cards, including me lol, but I'm sure you'll all come up with some great designs.
Our sponsor this week is CRAFTY SENTIMENTS and she is offering this lovely uncoloured image as a prize.


Before I show you my card, I've just a bit of news to share. We'd like to welcome ALI and LEESA to our design team. We're really looking forward to working with them, so why not go visit their blogs and see what fabulous inspiration they can offer you. They will be making their first cards for us next week. Also, as of next week, I will be taking over the running of The Crafty Pad challenge blog. Debbie will still be sending out your prizes and Maxine will be setting the challenges, but I'll be doing the posts and announcing the winners etc, so I hope to still see you all there (and so does Debbie, or she'll sack me, lol).

So, here's my card for this week. The image is 'Birthday Meeces' available HERE at The Crafty Pad Stamp Designs and my paper is Basic Grey 'Oliver' and that's pretty much it, lol.



Also entering into:
ALPHABET CHALLENGE - M is for Men.
DELICIOUS DOODLES - Spots or stripes.
FUZZY WUZZY - Anything goes (with animal).
POLKA DOODLES - Party Time.
AI FACTORY - For the boys.
DO YOU STACK UP #4 - Patterned paper.