Love is in the Air

The new monthly challenge on the By the Cute and Girly, this time its Love well it would be wouldn't it since we're now in February. Now Love can be interpreted in difference ways not just the lovey dovey stuff of Valentine. Above is an Anniversary card for my Mum and Dad who celebrate their 51st on the 7th. The Stampavie Sarah Kay stamps are ideal for this and the papers are the new Basic Grey.
But Love can be loving the birds in the garden especially when we had all that snow, I sent Hubby out there to make sure the food container was full each day and crack the ice on the water. The papers are a Scrapagogo kit and inspired by a sketch from Pagemaps. The snowflake is various times and the row of snowflakes were some fab glitter stickers, the little birdie as been cut out using the cricut using one of the Disney cartridges. It's a pity that the camera didn't like photo this cos it looks so much clearer in real life.
Love can last a long time, like that of my Sis and BIL, they're both amazed they're still together and very much alive!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had to put the little tags of lovey dovey words on especially the word Bliss, anyone who knows Mr Grumpy will confirm that living with him certainly isn't BLISS. The kit is once again from Scrapagogo and Sis told me to put the piece of the circle in the corner since I wasn't happy with the huge white space there. Yes Sis you're right.
Do hope you pop over to the blog and check out what stunning job the rest of the DT have done.

Happy Birthday Darling Daughter

Just for you Tilda

I'm going to sound like a broken record but I was in two minds whether to publish this card today. The top left hand corner is bugging me as it is I've swopped the corner to the left to help.
I choose this Tilda because she has a heart on her dress and any excuse to use the MS heart punch so it would work for the Just Magnolia challenge, the sketch is from Sketch Saturday but wish now I placed her further up the card. The papers are Bo Bunny and the roses are from Wild Orchid, the sentiment is Woodware and the oval punches are Stampin up.
Don't forget tomorrow see the start of the Mega Challenge and boy are you going to love the prize.
It's also By the cute and girly challenge so there will a bumper post or I might do two posts tomorrow.

This post is rather different to my normal ones, some very exciting news about something I am thrilled to have been asked to take part in by the lovely Brenda over at Floral Fantasies.
On the 1st February there will be a very special ‘One Off Challenge’………with some rather special candy as the main prize. No ordinary candy, but a really serious piece of equipment that all of us would love to have in our craft rooms.
There will be some sneak peeks of the prizes on offer over the next three weeks........yes ‘prizes’ because as well as the main challenge prize, there will be runners up prizes and a Blog Hop with prizes to be won at each stopping point.
We need you all to help us spread the word and make this as much fun as possible for everyone ........and there is even a prize for doing that. Does this all sound fun or what ? We just know you will all want to get involved and join in so head off to Brenda's blog now and get your name down for the first draw. All the information you will need to join in will be found there.

Ok I confess I stole these words off Pinky she said everthing I needed to without waffling on like I would have done. Thanks Pinky.

All new Posts please scroll down.

Mega Update
The sponsor of this fab challenge is revealed
Sir Stampalot
To celebrate their moving to larger premises they are offering the most magnificent prizes.
There are some sneak peek on Brenda Floral Fantasies blog, I know what one is and I'm blow away.So much so I may have to step down and enter the challenge instead.

A Hearty Saturday

Hearts is the challenge over on Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge, any excuse to get out my heart border punch. These cute mice with the little hearts I thought are perfect choice too. To be honest this was a very simple card to make, once I had decided I didn't want to hide the cute paper from Doodlebug. I made a A6 so I can pop it one of those baggies for Craft for Life. Still taking crooked photos.
I've got several thing lined up today most important one is the challenge card for the Mega Challenge.
Don't forget to check out the DT on Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge they've done a fab job.

Freestyle Friday

So there I am this morning, turned on the PC and more importantly the kettle for my first cuppa a tea and everything went black. The only light we had was the torch my DD had in her bag that Santa brought her for the dark nights when she was out driving, which she left for me. Thank goodness the power cut was only for hour I was already having withdrawal symptoms from missing my cup of tea.
So here's the card I was unhappy with yesterday, I was pleased that A Spoonful of Sugar challenge was for a freestyle card cos this Penny Black Shoe image as been waiting for a suitable challenge for a while.
It is quite a large image and then I purposely tried to use the lattice punch so it had a post in the middle to make it look like a fence which is why there's a ball on the top of the post, not sure I like it now. Then I wanted to use some flowers in the corner but I couldn't find the right colours or the right size so I settled with this one and now I'm not so sure.
Well today another day so I will try and make another card and maybe it won't bug me like this one of course thats all depending that the lights stay on!

Wisteria Daisy

I'm going to have to rethink this photo thing I must have photo this card about ten times and this is the straightest one. I use a tripod since my other problem was shaking hands but you would have thought it would be straight using it.
Anyway but to the card, my favourite pack of BG Wisteria and this sheet I always hate covering it up and the Papertake Weekly sketch this week is perfect for not hiding the papers. I used the mesh with some ribbon thread through, apart from the roses and the sentiment I let Daisy from Sugar Nellie to shine.
There is definitely something about Wednesday cos I couldn't settle at anything which is annoying cos I have a list of things to do and I won't have time today. I have managed a card but waiting for daylight to photo it so will post it tomorrow but I'm a bit disappointed with it.

Bathtime Simon

Gosh it's Wednesday already, the weeks are flying by. What a amazing amount of entries on Simon Says Stamps Challenge, we all love our punches. We're trawling through the amazing entries to our DT call what amazing talent there is and what a tough job we've all got.
So back to this weeks challenge on Simon Says Stamps Challenge, it's for Baby. Not the most obvious card but I thought I would make a card letting the parents know what they've got theirselves into.
One cheeky boy with a plaster on his elbow and needing a bath twice a day to scrub off the dirt. The fab stamp is from Whiff of Joy and I've glossy accent all the bubbles, the sentiment too is from WOJ and is straight but obviously the wonky photographer is still here. The papers are Kaiser and it wouldn't be right if there wasn't a bit ribbon somewhere.

Guest Designer

I had an e-mail from Domi asking if I would like to be their Guest on Everybody Art Challenge so without hesitation I said yes and this week challenge is a colour one of Blue, Brown and White. I love it when I immediately get an idea which was the BG Granola papers and this little chap in his newspaper which of course is a Penny Black. The brads are a kit from Papermania that my Sis brought me at christmas, the great thing is they come with the right size circle punches to fit inside and then they have dome stickers to go on top.
Do check out the challenge the Design team have fabulous samples.
Another appointment this afternoon, it does mess up my routine but hopefully I will get time to do some crafting especially as Hubby is working tonight.


Huge thanks to Mummylade for the cute award.

Sweet Monday

Something Sweet is the challenge on Penny Black Saturday and there's a fab sketch over on Sketch Saturday, combine the two and this is what you get.
I've used the PB cute bunnies and made an Easter card. The papers are BG Sugar Rush, the MS doily punch had another outing plus I've used MS butterfly punch too. I stick one down and then stick another on top for a bit of dimension, a few tiny pearls for their bodies. The quickutz corner which is worth its weight in gold is used several times. I don't think I can make it any sweeter.

Thanks to Tracey at Countrymouse for this sweet award, goes well with my sweet card.
I haven't got round to blogging this weekend, I've had a list as long as my arm for some DT work and yesterday, I got motivated and got several things done and finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I shall try to catch up today but why is it I have weeks with no appointments to go to and this week they've all come together.

Sunday Magnolia

I've managed an almost square pic of the my Just Magnolia challenge card but for some reason the images are a bit wishy washy. There's a fab sketch on the Just Magnolia challenge but I think in hindsight I wouldn't have use five little roses maybe only three and I'm not too sure on the swirls but I thought it would make a change from leaves and branches. The roses and the backing flowers are all from Wild Orchid, the flat flowers have a yellow stamen in the middle but they're easy to pull out. Any excuse to use my MS punch and the sentiment is a Woodware one.
I had a brilliant day at Every Moment Matters crop and I look forward to the next one in a couple of weeks, now I've got to unpack, it's most bizarre that everything fitted in the bags to get there but it doesn't work so well coming home.

Wisteria Tilda

As soon as I saw the the picture for the colour theme challenge on Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge I thought Wisteria by Basic Grey. Of course I should of used the dark plum colour in my prismacolours but then Tilda would have been hidden among the papers.
I really wanted to use the Tilda with a puppy which I know I have but do you think I could find it, I shall have to have another rummage through the Tilda box.
The roses are from Wild Orchid and MS doily punch had an outing, along with the stampin'up oval and oval scallop punch. A ribbon out of my stash and a Quickutz corner added for the finishing touch.
So hopefully Mr Blogger has been kind and posted this while I'm off to MJ's crop. For those who are not sure what a crop is. It started as a place where like minded scrapbookers met to scrapbook but these days I don't think it matters if you are a card maker it's still Papercrafts. We love it cos you're in the company who love what you do, I know our families try to be patient with us but no-one understands a crafter than another crafter.

Distressing on Friday

Sorry for the wonky photo it looked straight on the camera and I know that the cards are a perfect square so it as to be the photographer.
Now my good friend Kathy has done a fab sketch for the Sugar Bowl but she added an option which I nearly didn't take up but with the Tim Holtz distress tool at the ready, I distressed everything that needed to stuck down except Raven from Sugar Nellie. The papers are My Minds Eye Beloved and even the backing mat for Raven, I scrunched and inked. Add the a touch of ribbon and some fab roses both had a bit ink dabbed to match the distressing.
Since there's quite a few layers I'm going to be cheeky and enter it for the Spoonful of Sugar challenge this week.
I may have to retake the photo, it's starting to annoy me.

I knew I had an Award but even by going through the comments again I couldn't find it but finally here it is.

From Georgia aka Card Therapy

Blue,Cream and Gold

Here's the card that I wasn't sure would work, its for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge of Blue, Cream and Gold.
I decided to use the gold papers from the Wisteria pack of BG which I don't use and although there was a bit of blue in them wasn't sure it would work with the blue cardstock. But I think it's OK and I used the fab sketch from Sketch and Stash. I've used a couple of MS punches and I backed the zigzag one with blue card. No flowers but I did stretch to a bit of ribbon with a knot but I thought it would work for a chap, well almost.
It did try to Snow and lay but thank goodness it didn't, so want to got to MJ crop which as been reschedule for this Saturday.
Remember I did a layout about my goal for 2010 and one is to see the Grand Canyon well my son as booked the flights, we fly to Las Vegas in September and fly back home from Los Angeles ten days later, it's all a bit scary since Renee always does our tours and she is staying home this time.

Multi Punching

Simon Says Stamps Challenge says Punches and with all the fab MS punches around this challenge is nice and easy. I've used the stampavie stamps using the fab Mo's images which are or was when I made the card available from Simon Says Stamps. The papers are Bo Bunny, so now what punches did I use, here's the list

MS Heart Border Punch

Lattice Heart Punch

Medium Retro Flower Punch

Stamping up teeny tiny circle punch for centre of the flowers

Leone-em leaf punch

Stamping up 1 3/8 inch circle punch for the sentiment

Woodware 2 inch circle punch also for the sentiment

You don't have to use as many as I did but it was a bit of fun to see how many punches I could use and still have a card I'm please with.
Before I forget don't forget Simon Says Stamps are looking for two new Design Team Members and you have till the 26th January to enter.

I did get in my craft room yesterday and it was quite a struggle to get motivated but I lucky for me a card that I thought wouldn't work as turned out quite well and I'm just waiting for the glossy accents to dry before it can be photo.
It must be Wednesday the weather men are forcasting SNOW

Take Three

We finally went and said our goodbyes to my best friend yesterday and it left me feeling "If only". It was a beautiful service but my heart went to her Hubby who as lost his dad this week too.
I thought I would be able to craft but came home with such a headache, added a couple of pain pills and Mr Mojo packed up and left for the day. Shame really wanted to play with the goodies that the Postie finally managed to deliver.
So I leave you with some Layouts that I've done recently, the first being my two using one of the few photos I'm allowed to take. They generally only let me have one. The papers are Basic Grey and all of the layouts our inspired using Pagemaps

The next one is my Niece's new Hubby with his nephew, he's sister foolishly called him Auntie Nelly and now he is stuck with it. The papers are out of a Scrap-go-go kit.

I'm disappointed with this layout cos I don't feel it flows right but I'm impressed with grungeboard hinges and number. The papers are Kaiser and the title is using Black Letter cartridge for the Cricut.
Hubby has taken off the wallpaper off one of the walls in the living room, no turning back now. He not happy though, the vinyl type paper is not coming off very easily and the air occasionally turns blue!

Jack and Ginger

This really was a case of put the embellishment down and step away from the card. I just wasn't happy with the card and I tried to put something where I thought it didn't look right.
The sketch is this weeks Friday Sketchers and the papers are the new pack of Basic Grey and not forgetting Mo's Jack and Ginger, which is in fact a stampavie stamp. Then its a case of various punches, roses and gems.
I think I will put this aside and give it to hubby for our anniversay in March.
So I had a fab day annoying Sis and managed to scrap almost two layouts but they're for DT challenge so you will have to wait till the end of the month to see them.
The Royal Mail was working yesterday, I know a Sunday and two out of my three parcels arrived, fingers crossed the other one comes soon.

Thank You Tilda

I had such plans for Saturday but add a Hubby home and the decision had been made that this year the front room was going to be decorated and all my bits and bobs need packing away. Well I wasn't trusting anyone with my prize possesions so I had to do that first and I wasn't 100% today my sinus decided they didn't like me today. So I barely made a card so good job Tilda here was waiting for daylight to be photo otherwise I'll have nothing to show.
Just Magnolia challenge is for a Thank you card, and I used BG Wisteria, do love this pack so much so I'm on my third pad. I've also used the fab sketch on Moving with the times from Heidi, the flowers are out of my stash and some tiny leaves to finish the job.
The boys are working together so I going to annoy my sister for the day so hope Mr Blogger post this schedule post.

Musical Saturday

It's a musical Saturday on Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge and I needed a reason to use this chap. The papers are Making Memories and of course the Puddy cat is Penny Black. The ribbon is from Poppicrafts that I brought a large spool so I've had to use it twice since it matched the papers perfectly. Do pop over to the challenge blog to check out the DT samples especially now we've two new DT Christine and Melissa.
I've worked out due to the bad weather I haven't left the house since New Years day, I'm not good on my pins at the best of times so I was banned from trying to walk in the snow and ice with crutches. Yesterday the snow has nearly gone and this morning after a night of rain it's disappeared altogether it's almost has if the past two weeks never happened.
I finally escaped the house and Hubby took me Sainsburys!

Snowflake Tilda

I'm not going to moan, I'm trying really hard not to but it dark dank and dreary here and its been a job to photo this card which is why I'm a bit late. It doesn't help that it looks like I'm on the titanic again.
Anyway enough of the moaning, life is getting back to normal here in Surrey UK and I've stopped fretting over whether my Hubby and DD have got to work in one piece.
I'm not too sure on my card today I wonder if its the aqua colour I've used or the lack of embellishments.
The sketch is Papertake Weekly, Everybody Art and Stamp with Fun their challenge is for Snowflakes. I couldn't bring myself to make a Christmas card so even with the MS snowflakes I've made an anything card by using the Just for You sentiment. The papers are beloved by My Minds Eye I have plenty of it so will try again with another image and maybe use a green rather than agua.

Stampin' Sisters in Christ

I was asked by the Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge to be their Guest Designer this week the challenge is:

SCRIPTURE

Hosea 6:1 "Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds."

CHALLENGE

The challenge is to make the broken look beautiful...create a mosaic, or tear apart and stitch back together. In some way have your image look broken and repaired

Mmmmm does this sound like distressing or maybe a bit arty was there panic in my face when I read the challenge.
Then I saw a marvellous bit cardstock from Pinkbaglady at crop before Christmas, it was wonderful, torn pieces of cardstock, lace and then stitched randomly, she had been shown how to do this in a class.
You might be saying where is the lace and where's the stitching, my version went wrong, I used scraps of cardstock and PVA glue and there lies the problem. My finished cardstock is like a plate, you can eat off it and probably wash it clean its that hard.
I wanted to bin it but then I read the challenge again "he will heal us" so I was deterimed that by hook or by crook I was going to make a card out of that plate. First I left it over night under several heavy books cos it curled like a plate too!
I knew a butterfly using the similar colours would work but it got lost with the cardstock background which is why I used a embossed circle to help it define itself.
There had to be a bit of ribbon, the sentiment is Simon Says Stamps clear stamp set who by the way are sponsoring the challenge. To finish, some pearls for the butterfly body and to embellish the corner.
Not bad after all, but it real life it weighs a ton and you would probably have to pay extra for postage. Next time I will dilute the PVA!

Spoonful of Lily

A recipe is the challenge over at A Spoonful of Sugar, 3DP, a ribbon, 3 flowers and 3 buttons. It sounds a lot but the only thing that gave me a problem was the 3DP, techniquely the Bo Bunny papers are double side so does this mean I've only two DP and I did use the other side of one but I don't actually like it so I punched it with the MS heart border punch so it doesn't stand out too much to annoy me.
I'm loving the new Lily of the Valley stamps that I've seen on blogland which made me feel a bit guilty about the few I have and haven't used, like this one. Maybe it was because it was a big stamp and quite detail but now I've used it, I wait too long before using it again.
The flowers are Prima and I can't have buttons unless I thread them even if the tiny and fiddly.

I treated myself before Christmas for personalised stamps from Bunny Zoe's, my fave is the barcode. Now all I have to do is remember to use them
It's raining I can't believe I'm pleased to see it!!!!!!!