WOYWW 58

I think there's a conspiracy going on in the world of cardmaking, one thats suppose to make me feel guilty. What am I talking about, I believe I possibly have one Christmas card made and everywhere I look at the moment Christmas keeps sneaking in.
The fabulous new stamps from LOTV, one of the stamp companies I DT for have a new Christmas stamps release soon and now the challenge blog( not saying which one and since I try to work a couple of weeks ahead it will be a while till you find out) whats to do Christmas.
So on what on my Workdesk Wednesday will be my faithful MS snowflake punches, the inkpads at the back were on top of a peel off box which I keep my versacolour cubes, I had put them away once then decided I need to use them again so left them out.
Now the scary thing is I will tidy that square of craftmat before I start another card, making sure certain tools are back where they belong.

Summer Fruit

We need to see some fruit for this weeks Simon Says Stamps Challenge and I knew I had some WOJ  stamps with fruit on and I found the strawberry stamps in the same box so I presume they're WOJ too.
I've used the new Olivia BG pad, I confess I'm not sure on them, unlike the Oliver papers, you can buy WOJ and the BG from Simon Says Stamps.
Since I made this card at the weekend I used the Friday Sketchers sketch.
No don't forget we have a great prize each week,

and we've a fabulous DT so do check them out.


I'm afraid its a bit of sad day today, our friend in Wales comes home today to be laid to rest, it doesn't seem a year ago her daughter came home from working abroad to find her Mum so ill. It was only the beginning of the year she got the all clear for a month later to be told it had returned and this time she had only a couple of months. Goodbye Lynne you will be sadly missed.

Hot Summer Holidays

It's Holiday time at Everybody Art Challenge, that doesn't mean time off for the DT its our theme for the challenge. You know I love Sarah Kay and this one is the perfect holiday one and these SEI papers reminds me of hot summer days.
I used the MS deep edge border punch, also used a punch for the tiny flowers and once again I used the MS snowflake punch for the leaves.
A bit of a short and sweet post but I'm running late this morning.

Delovely Tilda

I love the Delovey papers by Cosmo Cricket but the recipe over on Just Magnolia means I can only use two sheets of them. I use the Romance Tilda and Iron gate border again, the three flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and so it the pearl sprays also came from there too. A little ribbon to  make a bow and job done. Papers and border punch are available at Simon Says Stamps.
The sketch I've used is from Truly Scrumptious although I've rotated it to suit Tilda.
I've been feeling a bit tired of cardmaking so this weekend I scrapbooked and I have to say I'm rather pleased with what I've done and now itching to make cards too but I will have to give my DT commitments priority its quite a busy one this week. 
We need to get a large Mirror for the front room, we saw one at The Range at MIL but didn't have room in the card so we found one in Reading so that today taken care off.
Sis has a couple of really stressful weeks and may be in need of retail therapy so I keeping Saturday clear just in case.

Football Crazy

Now when I got my new printer I had to buy some digi images to see if it would work, Ok I know I had some anyway but I had the perfect excuse. This chap was one I brought from Karen Doodles, the only thing I dislike about these images is working out what is the best size.
The papers are the new BG Oliver nice and grungy for a boy and I used the sketch this week on Papertake Weekly although my mat using the zig-zag punch should be larger, it wasn't till I cut it did I realise I made it too small. Buttons are using a punch and punching out one plain and patterned and sticking together, then using my cropadile to make the holes and I used some of that cotton twine I brought at Newbury.
I still too hot here in the SouthEast but while I write this its hot and drizzling but its not going to last long cos its going to be hot and sunny later.

Lenny the Lion

Oh I knew it wasn't going to be a good day when I struggled to get out of bed this morning. There I was sitting in my nightie have my brekkie when the door knocked. My first thought I wasn't expecting any parcels! I peeked round the door to see a large van with my new chairs and sofa, was it Monday already and I've missed a whole weekend! No, when I told the girl on phone it would have to be Monday and not Saturday I really thought she believed me.
Lucky my DD was awake and we both got dress really quickly and sort of tidy the front room and the guys on the van dumped the old suite on the front lawn!
I'm hiding in my craftroom which is coolest place at the moment and hoping nothing more happens, at least I finally get to assemble Lenny a new stamp from Pink Gem Designs isn't he cute and perfect for a Leo whose birthday is at the end of the month.

I used the sketch from Create4fun but I've left it too late and there's probably a new challenge today. The papers are a mixture of Cosmo Cricket pads.

Janet has a fabulous candy over on her blog, check it out here.

Penny Black Sketch

We have a fabulous sketch from Beth this week on Penny Black Saturday Challenge, not sure I've done it justice. I've used some Daisy Bucket papers, lots of ribbon and my funk flower punch. I was going to put the sentiment in the top right corner but it didn't work but I was happy where it is now.
We have two fabby prizes

$20 voucher to spend at 1-2-3 Stitch

and this fab stamp from Penny Black Inc.

Don't forget to check out the team, they're such a talented bunch.

Well after the hottest night in the south east and the worst night sleep, I'm feeling rather delicate.

Donkey Smiles

What a wonderful idea over on Spoonful of Sugar to have a card drive for Michelle of Donkey Smiles, if you haven't heard Michelle has had an awful accident and has lost an eye. You can read about it here as you do you will realised that Michelle is amazing and has a wonderful postive attitude.
You can download this cute donkey and some sweet quotes from Whimsy Stamps, I'm so glad I can use him. I've used the sketch from Sketch Saturday and the papers are Crate papers, the doiliy I brought on e-bay they are quite think so I used two together. Not forgetting my usual suspects some ribbon and flowers.
I hope Michelle gets sack loads of cards, this one won't be going till Tuesday when my Hubby goes to the PO for me.
Oh I was a lucky girl yesterday I won some digi images from Whimsy Stamps, good job I brought that printer and then I went to check the new challenge on LOTV  and there in front of me was my name I won two stamps. Have you seen Jacqui's blog she's been using the new Christmas stamps, oh they're so cute.

Gem of a Sketch

Over on Gem of a Challenge we have a Gem of a sketch, sorry couldn't resist but its true we have a fabulous sketch with the option of decorating the inside.
I've seen some fabulous cards using this stamp so I had to buy it and this is my attempt, pretty sure she won't stay uninked for long. The papers are from  a papermania pack and I put brad in the middle of the wheeels.

I have to confess I rarely decorate inside my card, with all the colouring, cutting out and putting everything together takes a while and by the time I finished, I'm ready to move on.
So I stood back admire my card I made and forgot to the option. I did have a feeling something was missing. I realised a few days later when I went to upload my card, now I know its an option but being on the DT I felt it was my place to do it.

I went back to my desk to discover that the spotty pink paper had all gone and I had one bit of the pink gingham. So I had to gut the gingham so I could use it on both sides. The white square on the right is for writing your message and I embossed some white card to use on the left. Phew I was lucky and I don't think it looks too bad.
Now we have some fabulous prizes this month and I may have to edit this post cos I may miss some. The DT choose the top 5 and all those of you of have used a Pink Gem Design one of you will be randomly picked to win two of Pink Gem Stamps.
Also my team-mate Mandy is having a birthday this month and she is giving a prize of two Pink Gem stamps to her favourite card using a Pink Gem stamp and a prize of two Pink Gem stamps to her favourite card not using a Pink Gem Stamp. Hope that makes sense, I just know it a prize month over on Gem of Challenge.

WOYWW #57

Well if you pretend the mess hiding behind my inkpads, phone and yesterday's mug I have a clean Whats on your Workdesk Wednesday.
That is if you don't look to the left.

 I wouldn't recommend looking to the right either.

The scary bit is in my Cricut cover is full of stamps that I've recently used or are new which need to be filed back in their revelent boxes.

I brought these reels of cotton from Newbury show, they're a bit thinner than the twine I've got for threading buttons. I only brought two stamps at the show one with a car from Little Claire Designs and the Three Shepherds from Stamposaurs. The rest can you believe was boring stuff like silicone glue and inkpads, also got loads of pearl papers in Christmas colours we think the chap didn't fancy carry it all out back to his van instead we loaded my wheelchair with it I wasn't allow to get out cos it would've of tipped up.

Don't forget tomorrow is the new Gem of a challenge and I can tell you its a fab sketch and not only prizes from Janet of Pink Designs but DT Mandy its her birthday so she given away some prizes too.

A Cocktail of Colours

Now I found this a bit of a challenge not just because the challenge on Simon Says Stamps Challenge is a photo inspire challenge but the the papers I had choosen I decided I the colours of Tilda wasn't quite right.

This is the photo to inspire and I'm quite pleased with my card since I don't think normally I would put these colours together. So my Tilda is from the wedding collection and her net from her hat I just stickled with stickles and the papers are My Minds Eye.
I've used my favourite MS punch I call it my Wrought Iron fence but I believe it's called Iron gate so I'm close and not forgetting I used my nestabilities  all these can be brought at Simon Says Stamps along with Tilda.
Do check out the DT they are amazingly talented and don't forget theres a prize each week too.

Well my weekend has caught up with me and don't advise to make you first card after a few days break one for a DT I may have to do it again.

Congratulations Graduate

We've a brilliant sketch this week on Everybody Art Challenge, I do think it a bit spooky that I decided to make this card with masculine colours and then hear about Christopher having just made the perfect card for him.
The papers are again Boom Boom Clap which are a download from Sweet Shoppe Designs, the graduate hedgie is a slapstick stamps from Penny Black but the sentiments are Woodware. I had to have a bit of ribbon somewhere and my little brads are actually cardstock punched out using a 1/4 inch circle punch, then embossed before sticking them down with a tiny blob of silicone glue.
I've not been in my craftroom for three days so I'm itching to get in there.

Baby Blue

Phew that was busy weekend, finished off at the Newbury stamps show, even though quite a few of the regular stalls were missing I still found things to buy.
Afraid you will see these papers for while I printed a few off the old printer to use the ink they're a download from Sweet Shoppe Designs call Boom Boom Clap.
Now I now this is a Mo Manning design but this time its a Stampavie stamp and I used copics which I still trying to get the hang off. My biggest prob is matching colours to papers with pencils I can automatically pick the right pencil but with the pens is a bit hit and miss.
I've used the Creative Inspirations sketch and I used postage twine  and one side used it for the bow. Not as good as my blogging friend Leann she using it brilliantly.
Not sure what I shall do today probably catching up.

Kiki Fairy

This is my first Digi image printed on my new printer and if I can colour skin tone with out smudging then thats a thumbs up digi printing. The download is Kiki fairy from Mo's Digital, I've used prismacolor pencils but I also have some polychromos as well.
The sketch I've used today is from Friday Sketchers and the papers are American Crafts. I know I've used punched flowers again but it so easy to match the rest of the card using them and they're finished with some pearls.
I'm really pleased how this as turned out but I'm a bit peeved because it looks so much better in RL, the camera has done its usual trick.
We had a brilliant day at my Nieces she had a hog-roast so her Hubby didn't have to spend all afternoon BBQing and the largest bouncing castle I've ever seen.
Today is Newbury stamp show, of course I don't need anything do I!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Red, White and Blue

Now you can see by my card that one of the obvious things is the colour, Red White and Blue and thats the challenge over Penny Black Saturday Challenge to celebrate with our US friends Independence day.

And this week there are brilliant prizes from

 

The team is really jealous of these fab prizes.

 Not only that we have another prize from 

You can choose a stamp from their online shop.

Back to my card I used a download from Sweet Shoppe Designs called Boom I think. I've cut the start on the cricut. The middle mat is in fact just a frame, so it looks like a mat.
I would like to apologies for any mistakes I made while commenting yesterday, I was running out of time and I thought I would be clever and open several blogs at a time. Ended up calling people different names and saying how nice Tilda was and there wasn't one! I promise to blog one at a time, multi-tasking must diminish as you get older.
My best friend son past his degree and not only that he got a First too. He's had a rotten six months losing his Mum and both his Grandads at last something really positive for him.

Congratulations Christopher

There's always good news, bad news and today is no exception. Our Friend in Wales past away peaceful in her sleep yesterday. We knew this was coming but it still hurts, she leaves behind a daughter in her early twenties.

Sleep Tight

Lynne

Seaside Wedding

I had the seaside stamp from Magnolia since last year and thought it would work with the new Wedding couple but I'm not sure on the Kaiser papers. There's a stitching challenge on Papertake Weekly so I got out a brown pen and faux stitched, I thought I was being a bit cheeky to do this so I can enter the challenge but I'm glad I did because it takes the plainess away from the background.
I spent a good couple of hours yesterday getting my new printer set up and making sure that it does talk to my PC. Then finally I brought a couple of digi images and printed them out on thin card I use from staples. Oh yes its brilliant not a smudge in sight.
Do I think this will stop me from buying stamps of course not. I'm a lazy crafter having to resize and print it out by that time I've already stamped the images I wanted but it does mean if an image catches my eye or if my hands get worse I know now I can print them out.

Flower Girl

Since I used Bev's sketch on Just Magnolia I thought I better get this up on my blog before the next challenge.
I kept putting off buying the Wedding collection it's been an expensive month but finally I caved in and brought a few from Bunny Zoe' second batch.
I love this little flower girl and  I used a new Paper pen is suppose to be like liquid pearls but somehow there's a dip inside the dots so not sure if that is something I've done.
the papers are are Imaginesce and the flowers are from Wild Orchid. Not sure on the lace and the sentiment is craftwork cards.
Starting to look forward to a really busy weekend, Sat we should be at MJ's crop but Lou my niece has a celebration BBQ so family comes first.
This weekend is the Newbury Stamp Show at the Newbury race course so we're going Sunday. It's a great venue with free easy parking so that has to be a bonus, you don't need a courtesy bus to take you to the car park.
DD is at another Wedding this weekend so I must do the insert for the card I've made but she is moaning that I now stamp the back of the card with a personalised stamp so she can't tell them she made it.

Summer Days

Well here we are a new month already, it wasn't that long ago we were knee deep in snow. But with the warm weather here in the South East of England Summer is finally here and By the Cute and Girly challenge this month is for Warm Summer Days.
So we start first with my layout of J with his Dad at a show at a Park near my Sis. The papers are Scenic route, the rub-on is a Basic Grey one, which after I used it I realised I made a huge mistake but I'm not telling what it is.  I made this at MJ crop and Sis couldn't understand why the clock but the little letters were at home.

I had to use these photos, the papers are Kaiser, I punched several flowers to go with the hearts and circles on the paper. I then discovered my favourite sizzix leaf die was at home even though I picked up the others so I had to settle for this leaf rather than the one I wanted.

This little darling is another 8inch page for my Niece and I used again some Kaiser papers which is nearly all gone. I had to use the EK success bubble border. MJ showed me her fab cards at the crop and she had one with the corner folded over which I have done before but forgotten so used it with this layout.
All the titles are cut on the Cricut using Storybook and Base Camp.