More Men's Cards

Carrying on from yesterday here is another men's card. You can see the theme can't you? :) This card was completely inspired by the lovely cards Nicky recently posted on the Sassy Crafts blog. It was actually the first one I did and yesterday's card was the second card on the theme, don't ask me why I showed them this way round - no idea LOL!

I had a fun time yesterday at my creative embroidery class. Last week we were up to our elbows in paint - it was like being in kindergarten art class - it was such fun. This week we were making collages and next week we will be surrounded by colour again as we dye textiles, can't wait.

And back onto the subject of Chocolate (LOL). I was blog hopping yesterday and came across Eva's delightful makes at Made By Eva. Mmmm Yum. I am so going to have try that out.


Materials:
Stamp - HOTP; Papermania
Ink - VesraFine Onyx Black
Paper - BasicGrey Granola
Usual Suspects - Scissors; Square punch; Ruler; Silicone glue; Glue dots
Other - brad; Seam ripper; Bassill Kraft

Men's Cards

I am a very lucky girl. I bought a Kit Kat the other day and it had no wafer in it. It was ALL chocolate :) Yummy.
Anyway, I digress :) Card today is themed for men and uses BasicGrey and a bit of paper distressing.


Materials:
Stamp - HOTP; Papermania
Ink - VesraFine Onyx Black
Paper - BasicGrey Granola
Usual Suspects - Scissors; Circle template; Silicone glue; Glue dots
Other - brad; Seam ripper; Bassill Kraft

Tags

Right I've been Photo tagged by a couple of lovelies and I am determined to be decisive and pass them on. so here we go:

The tag was from lovely Zoe at Crafty Heaven and the lovely Michelle at Crafting and Living in Japan (Michelle has some blog candy by the way with some great stamps and some copics finish 31st Jan)


The tag is that you have to go to the sixth picture file on your computer and show the sixth picture in that file and then tell us what the photo is of. Finally pass the tag on.

This is the Temple of Heaven in Beijing and I took this in 2007 when my boyfriend and I were lucky enough to be able to go to China to do a bit of Taiji training.

Passing this photo tag on to:
Diane at Pink Sunflower
Kati at Mampias - Stempelecke
E.T. at VIBYOR Krafts
Amy at Tsuruta Designs
Ila at Artfully Ila

Enjoy :)

Awards

I am the slowest blogger in the world ;) I have had some lovely awards. Now my slowness is due to my complete lack of decision making abilities - I can never decide who to pass them on to, so I go for complete cop-out and pass them onto everyone so feel free to pick one up :)

Lovely awards from lovely bloggers:

From Jo at Boots Blog Spot

From Julie at Jjuli2's Crafty Space

From Joanne at Crafting Joanne and Poppet at Poppets at home

From Ida at Little Staesj Og Daesj

From Suzanne at Krafty Kid Family

Thank you all so much and I am so touched to get these lovely awards.

Soooo Cute...

This stamp is just the cutest, it is from Imaginsce and I've had him for a while but have yet to use him. Perfect new baby stamp of course, so a simple little new baby card in lemon yellow today :) The gingham paper is homemade using photoshop and a bit of blue gingham ribbon in fact. Boy it took me ages :) A little sparkle added to the image with H20s.



Materials:
Stamp - Imaginsce
Ink - VersaFine Onyx Black
Colouring - Twinkling H20
Papers - Kim made
Usual Suspects - Paper Trimmer; Scissors; Silicone Glue
Other - Computer; Buttons; Sewing machine

Growing Friends

I've always liked this cute image from Elzybells Art Stamp and it works so well with the sentiment's from Kaboodle Doodles Blossom Berry Brights Kit sentiments. I've used my promarkers with Twinkling H20s and a touch of Cosmic Shimmer. You might also recognise a bit of Basic Grey papers?



Materials:
Stamp - Elzybells Art Stamp
Ink - VersaFine Onyx Black
Colouring - Letroset Promarkers, Ice grey 4, Black, blender; Twinkling H20s; Cosmic Shimmer
Sentiment - Kaboodle Doodles Blossom Berry Brights
Papers - BasicGrey
Usual Suspects - Paper trimmer; Scissors; Silicone glue; Double-sided tape
Other - Hemp string; Sewing machine; Brads

A Bit Of Sparkle

I seem to be in a flowery mood today. I think these are Hot Off The Press Stamps but if anyone thinks differently please let me know because I'm not 100% sure :) I've coloured them in with Twinkling H2Os and then added Cosmic Shimmer to highlight areas and give them an extra sparkle.



Materials:
Stamps - HOTP; Studio G Alpha
Ink - VersaFine Onyx Black
Colouring - Twinkling H20; Cosmic Shimmer
Usual Supects - Silicone Glue; Scissors

Much Excitement Over At Kaboodle Doodles

We have been a bit slow in starting up the challenge blog over at Kaboodle Doodles this year because we wanted to make a few changes and I tell you I'm really excited at what is going on. To find out more pop over to the challenge blog :)

Golden Girl

The Kaboodle Doodle Design Team are in the fortunate position to have some new kits to play with. So here is a little peek at a new kit coming soon to the shop. I'm just adoring these lovely colours, the gold is fabulous darling :) I've made a mini-tassel to finish the card off.

Whilst you are nosing around the shop make sure you sign-up to the followers list on the challenge blog so that you don't miss the new kits and a fab new challenge coming soon.....



Materials:
Stamp - Sugar Nellie
Ink - VersaFine Onyx Black
Paper - Kaboodle Doodle
Colouring - Letroset Promarkers: Blender; Pastel Pink; Ivory; Blossom; Apricot; Terracotta; Umber; Black; Mustard; Ice grey 2 and 4; Maroon; Meadow Green; Lime green
Usual Suspects - Silicone Glue; Paper trimmer; Scissors
Other - Paper Flowers; Beads; Charm; Embroidery thread

Working In The Garden

It feels like spring has come to London today, it is sunny and bright and I have a sunny and bright card for you today. This sweet gardener from Sugar Nellie was a real joy to colour with my promarkers.

Right got to get on and do some more cards, catch you later.




Edit - As requested here is a list of the promarkers I have used:

Skin - Ivory; Blush; Pastel Pink
Green details - Meadow Green; Lime Green
Hat, socks, pot - Mustard; Henna; Umber
Top - Orange; Apricot
Pink Details - Pastel Pink; Magenta; Ice Grey 2
Hair - Mustard; Cocoa; Henna
Trousers - Cinnamon; Umber
Other bits - Ice grey 2; Black; Burnt Umber; Umber

There is a fab tip I picked up from the lovely blog of Jenn Muraoka - well worth a peek.


Materials:
Stamp - Elizabeth Bell Planting some love from Sugar Nellie
Ink - VersaFine Onyx Black
Colouring - Letroset Promarkers
Papers - Me and My Big Ideas
Usual suspects - Silicone glue; Paper trimmer
Other - Buttons

Song Bird Greetings

Sending simple greetings with some Hero Arts stamps today. Bless me but I was having a bit of a wonky day yesterday and had to remake this card as I had not lined up the matting and I could not bare how it looked - LOL. Being a perfectionist can be a pain :)


I stamped this sweet sentiment on the inside and the leafs and blossoms. So cute.

Materials:
Stamp - Hero Arts
Inks - VersaFine Onyx Black
Colouring - Marvy Le Plume pens; Prismacolor; Sansodor
Usual Suspects - Paper trimmer; Silicone glue; double-sided tape
Other - Ribbon; button; Embroidery thread

Get Down To The Disco Beat

A birthday card for a friend today, she likes her music, she likes blue and that kinda rock and roll thing is just up her street. My lovely friend Tracey was very kind to send me this Jukebox stamp image which was just perfect for this birthday card theme, I'm afraid I have no idea where the stamp is from. The ickle records are made from black and blue card and the central hole made with an small eyelet setter.


Materials:
Usual Suspects - Paper trimmer; Double-sided tape; Silicone glue
Other - Blue and black card; Music-shaped brad; White Galaxy marker; Black fine marker; Cuttlebug and embossing folder; Black silk and organzer ribbon

Them Old Bones

ROOOAAAARRRRrr. Where is my Dinner?
I love these Dino stamps from Basic Grey they are just fab. So I had to make this card. Tee Hee.


Materials:
Stamp - Basic Grey
Inks - versaFine onyx black
Papers - Basic Grey Archaic
Usual suspects - Paper trimmer, 3D-foam; Silicone Glue; Double-sided tape
Other - buttons; hemp cord; Bazzill Kraft card

Kraft Love

Gosh it has been a dark day today. Just grey and cloudy all day. I need some brights so what better than some bright coloured card and paper?

Today's card uses Bazzill Kraft card, some hand cut and punched flowers and a hand cut heart with some doodling thrown in for good measure. The 'Love' sentiment uses SeeD's typeface stamps.

This is a fab card for using up all your little bits and pieces of card and papers.


Materials:
Stamp - SeeD's
Inks - Versafine onyx black
Papers - mixed assortment of odds and ends
Usual Suspects - Paper trimmer; Scissors; Glue dots; 3D-foam
Other - Fine black marker; White Galaxy marker; Bazzill Kraft Card

I'm In Love (Again)

As a crafter I find it really hard not to get excited about new kits and stamps and papers and ribbons and....well the list just goes on. You know what I mean?

Well Designs by Krista has a lovely new kit out called Enjoy and it uses one of my favourite colour combos:


I've made the card below using some of the lovely papers from Krista's new kit. The stamped image is also a newbie. I've just discovered The Greeting Farm and their wonderful stamps. But get this, they have digital stamps and this image is one of them. She is called Geisha Anya, isn't she just adorable?


Materials:
Papers - Designs By Krista 'Enjoy'
Stamp - The Greeting Farm
Colouring - letroset promarkers
Usual Suspects - Scissors; Paper trimmer; silicone glue
Other - computer; Printer; embossing powder; heat gun

Oh Boy, I Need Some Cupcakes

Who doesn't lurve Cupcakes? I adore them, I can quite happily sit and chomp my way through whole boxes of cupcakes. Now lemon flavours are my favourite but closely followed by... Chocolate of course. What is your favourite cupcake flavour?

Details: Papermania cupcake stamp coloured with promarkers and layered with silicone glue. I thought that I would enter this card into Charisma Card Challenge first challenge, which this week is 'Pink'.




Materials:
Stamps - Papermania
Inks - Versafine Onyx Black
Colouring - Letraset Promarkers
Papers - Papermania
Usual Suspects - Silcone glue; Paper trimmer; scissors; Double-sided tape
Other - Glitter glue; Brown bazzill

Silver Butterflies

It is an almost Spring-like day in London today. It is milder than it has been and I have the windows open! I've been doing lots of blog hopping recently with visiting those I usually visit and then all the new blogs I'm seeing through my blog candy. One of my regular reads Emma at Sweet Something has made the most beautiful clock, you must go check it out :) It is very yummy.


Card details: A general sentiment card that can be used for all sorts of occasions. For this one I used paper from Blossoms and Butterflies Mat stack from DCWV and an Inkadinkado Thinking of You seal stamp, which by the way is a perfect size for scrapbooking as well. I traced the designs from the paper to make matching embellishments such as the swirls and butterflies.


Materials:
Paper - DCWV
Stamp - Inkadinkado
Ink - Verafine Sepia brown
Usual suspects - Silicone glue; Paper trimmer; Scissors
Other - tracing paper; Silver card; pearl hearts

Thinking Of You Sugar

I'm loving distress ink watercolouring at the moment and it just seems to go so well with the Sarah Kay images. This one uses Basic Grey papers and embellished by cutting out the heart leafs from another sheet and giving dimension with silicone glue. The metal hearts were coloured with alcohol inks and the lace with VersaCraft ink. The sentiment is from Inkadinkado, the plaque and the corners are from Stamps Away.



Materials:
Stamp - Sarah Kay; Stamps Away; Inkadinkado
Inks - Tim Holtz Distress inks; VersaFine Onyx Black; VersaCraft Brick
Colouring - Distress inks; Derwent Inktense
Papers - Basic Grey Sugared
Usual Suspects - Paper Trimmer; Silicone glue; Double-sided tape; Scissors
Others - Pins; Lace; 3D-glue; Metal; Metal tools; Alcohol inks

Looking Back On 2008

I thought I would do a look back on 2008. A number of fabby blogs have been posting their 10 favourite makes from 2008 and I thought what a good idea :)

So here are some of my favourites. They are in no particular order and in some cases it might be more about the creative journey than the outcome (does that sound poncey?). If you want to know more about the materials used etc then a click on the picture titles will take you to the original post.

Let me know if you have done a review, I would love to come and see your 2008 Favs.

Tearing Thanks

Stone Inchies

Jewels Galore

Home Sweet Home

Charming Sarah Kay

Autumn Trees

Spring Sarah Kay

Christmas Cupcake

Anniversary Paper Quilt

Pink Punk

Candy News

Hop on over to Carlyann's blog CarlzCardz for some fabby blog candy including Papermania and BasicGrey Papers and wonderful stamps. She has also launched a new challenge blog called Charisma Cards Challenges, as you are there why not join in? This week the challenge is PINK :)

There is also some lovely Forever Friends candy with papers and stamps up for grabs on Donna's blog Luvocards. Finishes 21st Jan

Fabulous candy over at Lim's place The Voices in My Head. Ahh those lovely Hanglar and Stanglar images. Finishes 24th Jan

Wow there is just so much lovely candy out there.

Wahoo - it is Craft Show time!

I have a bit of a dilemma - I love going to the craft shows but I always spend toooo much :) Being London-based I go to the London shows and there are three Spring shows on the horizon:

Stitch and Creative Crafts 28th Feb - 1st March in Excel
Stitch and Craft 19th - 22nd March in Olympia
Big Stamp and Scrapbooking Show 18th - 19th April in Ally Pally

Now my Mum might be going to the Excel show, so that is a must. We went a couple of years ago and it was fun hanging out with me mum doing crafty stuff. Also they do more stitch than papercrafts so the temptation to spend will be very slightly lower :)

But the other two? Well I might just have to leave my credit cards at home and only take a tenner with me :( *SHOCK*

What is a craft obsessed girl gonna do? Any 'get extra cash' plans will be much appreciated.....

Papermania This Time

I've been over doing the old Basic Grey a bit recently (can you over do Basic Grey?) so I thought I would play with some Papermania paper for a change. A card for the Magnolia Vs Stampavie challenge blog which has a sketch for us all to have a go at.

Details - The image is coloured with distress inks and Derwent Inktense pencils and I'm loving the paper circle flowers at the moment, I've distressed the edges with my seam ripper. Borders were added with a fine marker.


Materials:
Stamp - Sarah Kay; Stampendous
Ink - VersaFine Onyx Black
Colouring - Tim Holtz Distress inks; Derwent Inktense pencils
Usual Suspects - Silicone glue; Paper trimmer; Scissors; Circle template; Double-sided tape
Other - Shaped Scissors; Buttons; Ribbon; Embroidery thread; Fine marker pen; Seam ripper

Candy News, Sales News, Bloggy News and a Question

So some bits and bobs for you today and perhaps a card later
if I get a wiggle on :)

First of all, just to let you know that Emma has a fantastic sale over at Sassy Crafts with everything - Yes, I said everything - reduced. The sale ends on the 12th Jan so you better get over there as soon as you have finished reading this (of course!).



Next a list of some blog candy on offer from some lovely people:

• Tasha is celebrating her birthday (Happy Birthday Tasha) and is giving a massive £50 Glitterpot token to a lucky blogger on her blog Millie's Magical Moments. (Finishes on the 10th Jan)
  

• Rach over at Papercrafts by Rach is giving away some lovely trims and bits and pieces including some fab Sugar Nellie stamps. (Finishes on the 10th Jan)

• Simon Says Stamp have a huge prize on their blog and all you have to do is look at all their lovely stamps and say which is your favourite :) (Finishes 10th Jan)
  

• Emma is celebrating 3000 hits in just a few months of blogging- way to go girl - with some lovely SU products on her blog Something Sweet. (Finishes on the 15th Jan)

Is it me or has Blog candy gotten more and more extravagant over the last few months? LOL. I will be posting my own celebratory candy soon - promise!


And now for the Bloggy News:
Have you seen that Clare Curd is starting her new range of crafty products on the 1st March? How exciting it must be to launch your own products :) She is setting up a blog for the range called Stampin' Chic so go check that out too!



Finally a Question:
How do you all read/visit the blogs you like? I held off doing the 'Follower' thing on my blog for a bit because I had signed-up to my blogs list on Google reader. But I now have both! So I have a 'Follower' list and my original reader list and see them both in Google reader.

However, this means that I have some of the blogs I read in one list, some in the other and some in both. I thought I was being so clever - everything was organised into folders, I'm going to need to redo them - hey ho.

From my 325 subscriptions (I actually thought I had more!) I have apparently read 3,356 blog posts in the last 30 Days - so that is what I do with my time? Mmm think I'm going to need to do a sort out very soon!

Scissors...

Wahoo - I've found my scissors! They were hiding in my ribbon box and I looked everywhere for those naughty Minkeys :)

A card that hits two challenges' buttons today. Firstly it uses the lovely sketch over at Basic Grey Challenge blog and then it incorporates embossing for the Penny Black Challenge blog. Sorted :)

Details - the embossing used my cuttlebug and embossing folders and Core-dination card which I then sanded to show the core colour. The teal-coloured gems on the image are actually plastic beads that I cut in half with a button shank remover. The Penny Black image is coloured with Marvy Le Plume watercolour pens and cut out and shaped. I used a fine marker to add the extra stamen-like bits to the flower. Basic Grey Granola papers were used too :)


Materials:
Papers - Basic Grey Granola
Stamp - Penny Black
Inks - Distress inks
Colouring - Marvy Le Plume water colour pens
Usual Suspects - Silicone glue; 3D-glue; Double-sided tape; Paper Trimmer
Other - Button; Hemp string; Core-dination Black Magic card; Button Shank Remover; Fine Marker; Fine marker pen; Cuttlebug and embossing folder

Say Thank You with Flowers

Ok so it is not Spring quite yet but I just love Tulips and here are some for you. Made from the fab Basic Grey OffBeat paper which just gave itself to the tulip petal and edged with distress inks.


The petals were slightly curved on a knitting needle :) to give a little more dimension. Oh Spring how we love you :)


Materials:
Papers - BasicGrey Offbeat
Inks - Ranger's distress inks
Usual suspects - Scissors (main pair still missing in action); Glue dots
Other - Buttons; Embroidery thread; Cuttlbug and QuickKutz Sophisticate Alpha; Knitting needle

Give Us More Basic Grey

First weekend of the year - so what you all up to? Catching up with all those challenges then (like me?). Wishing you could find your scissors? Mine have vanished from in front if my very eyes. I've searched high and low. Now you may think that the other six pairs of scissors would suffice but Oh No they all have very specific jobs and I've lost my most used pair of course! LOL

Ok so just have time to post this before doing more scissor hunting! This one is for the new challenge blog for Sugar Nellie Stamps - The Sugar Bowl - which has a sketch to start them off. Thanks Girls.


PS. The sentiment was stamped onto the button with the Studio G alphas and Staz-on ink.

Materials:
Stamp - Leanne Ellis Sugar Nellie; Studio G alpha
Colouring - Letraset Promarkers
Ink - VersaFine Onyx Black; Staz-on
Paper - BasicGrey Offbeat
Usual Suspect - Paper trimmer; Scissors (baa Humbug); double-sided tape; Silicone glue
Other - Button; Wire; 3D-glue; Sewing machine; Embroidery thread

Thank You in Orange

So how is 2009 being for you so far? Part of me is looking forward to the new start to the new year and part of me still wants it to be Christmas. LOL. How about you guys?

Well the thank you cards are in the making and this one is using the Basic Grey Ambrosia papers and as it is a thank you card I'm putting it up for the Daring Cardmakers challenge which is - yep you guessed it - Thank you cards.


Materials:
Stamp - Studio G alphabet
Papers - Basic grey Ambrosia
Inks - Distress inks; VersaFine Onyx black
Usual Suspects - Paper Trimmer; Silicone glue
Other - Seam ripper

So 2009 Begins.....

Happy New Year

to you all, may 2009 be a good one for everybody. A bright and cheery card for the first of January 2009 and this one uses Basic Grey papers from the Euphoria range. The buttons were the smallest buttons I could find in my stash coloured with Letroset Promarkers and then sealed with glitter glue.

Hope that you are recovering from any New Year induced fuzziness :)


PS. Have you seen this little paper-world animation yet? It is amazing and well worth checking out.

Materials:
Stamp - Imaginisce
Ink - Versafine Onyx black; VersaColor Opera pink
Papers - Basic Grey Euphoria
Usual Suspects - Paper Trimmer; Double-sided tape; 3D-foam
Other - Buttons; embroidery thread; glitter glue; Letroset Promarker; Cuttlebug; quickutz Sophisticate Alpha dies; 3D-glue; Pink line marker pen