Beside the seaside, beside the sea

 Happy Weekend!!

The Allsorts gang are off to the seaside this time (your Anything Goes entries are also welcome!!). A lovely seasonal option chosen by Christine.

Two prizes each of two Sentimentally Yours stamps from Grafton Crafts, a well stocked bricks and mortar and on line shop offering fee p&p on all orders over £15

I have used some old 12 x 12 scrapbook papers to make my cards. The first was cut with an Aall and Create die to make the collage frame effect. The stamp set is probably an antique one from Marianne Designs that was all things nautical. I stamped each of the little plates with various stamps from the set in different colours of ink.

I had a fancy to used kraft for these to continue the vintage/olde worlde look. The toppers on the second card were on the reverse of the papers and I simply added some twine to the tag for a little extra. 

We are having a bit of a heatwave here in the UK at the moment so a perfect time for a trip to the coast, hope you will join us!!

See you next time xx

More than One fold

Hello friends, hope you are well on this Saturday morning. I must first apologise if I've not been to visit you this week. It's been a little bit hectic at work so my crafty time has rather gone by the wayside. I will endeavour to have a blogging session when it rains, which it is sure to given that we have a holiday weekend to look forward to!! Anyway, on to the reason for my post today.

At Allsorts this week Liz has chosen the optional theme of

More than one fold.

I have used my trusty Presscut Stepper Die Set and made this...

...and here she is at a jaunty angle too

The pretty paper is from The Range and I found the sweet Marianne Designs cut up sheet in my stash. A freebie tag die and stamp set finished it nicely together with a trio of pretty flowers and a little piece of irridescent embroidery thread.

If you prefer, you can always take the Anything Goes option to be in with a chance of one of the prizes below. 

Prizes from Oakwood (2 x A5 stamp sets) and Highlight Crafts (3 x A5 stencils) 

Have a lovely Bank Holiday weekend if you are in the UK.

See you soon xx

 

Santa and/or Snowman Christmas with the Cuties

Hello everyone, welcome to a brand new week. I am back to the grindstone today after a week off. Talking of weeks off, The Christmas with the Cuties team are back from our winter holiday with our first challenge of the year which is

Santa or Snowman,

Now, I am a little bit behind with my Christmas cards this year so have made two. 

I neglected the lovely PB Snowy last year so decided that he should be the first to be inked!!

Then, found an unopened Marianne Designs stamp so used that for my second card.

 I made scenes with scraps of paper and die cuts and both were coloured with Promarkers and then glittered with Glamour Dust and Stickles.

We are thrilled to be back and look forward to seeing your cute Christmas cards.

See you soon xx

Edit...I am sharing snowy at Rudolph Days Challenge

Little Cuties

Hello everyone, it's Cutie Pie time again and the theme is 

Cards for a child

I absolutely LOVE Hetty Clare images, especially her wonderful ponies so I am delighted that she is our sponsor this time. It was also a pleasure to colour up the gorgeous Pony Plait .

These pony digis are wonderfully detailed with well defined shaded areas so I tend to avoid alcohol markers because they smudge a bit. I dusted off my Spectrum Noir pencils to colour. the papers are from a Marianne Designs block Hello Sweet Baby and all the dies from Tonic's Cherish the moment set. I ran with the pink and brown-ish colourway and finished off with brown and pink pearls.

Thank you for stopping by today and I hope that I have encouraged you to join in.

See you soon xx

Some Challenges

Allsorts Challenge #684 - Allsorts of animals

AYLI Floral or Cute

Morning All!! 

Over at As You Like It Challenge it's Cute or Floral? 

My longsuffering standing friends and followers will know the answer from me is CUTE!! I do have floral stamps that I use for grown up cards, from time to time, but mostly I will reach for a cute stamp or image. The reason...cute justs fit with my love of patterned papers, that are mostly contemporary in design, and the non fussy style that I favour. 

Here is my cute inspiration for you, made using a rubber stamp set from our sponsor LOTV . Coloured with Promarkers and mounted behind some pretty Marianne Designs paper into which I had die cut port holes framed with coordinating paper.

I faffed about with sentiments, die cut ones, stamped ones and just wasn't happy so ended up with a very old, sweet little oval from Craftwork Cards. Just right, I think.

It looks like the weather is going to be good for the Easter Weekend. My word, didin't we have some rain earlier in the week, much needed in the garden actually and it meant Martin didn't need to water our six new £1.79 clematis that we picked up in Aldi last week...yes £1.79!! 

I wish you all a peaceful and Happy Easter xx

Bright & Cheery

 Hello friends. As surprising as it is, I am here with a card that I made just for fun. That doesn't happen very much these days as my card making seems to be specifically for Design Team posts. I stepped back from the cute coloured images that I am so fond of and made this for a friend.

I wanted bright and cheery colours so chose this lovely collection from Marianne Designs and die cut the flowers and leaves using a Creative Expressions floral set and some snippets of blue cardstock for the teeny tiny ones. I inked the edges and shaped them for some dimension and stuck them along the wavy edge with Pinflair glue gel. The mahoosive layered "Birthday" die set is a Whimsy Stamps one that was a gift from a lovely blogging buddy and I paired it with a random Happy stamp. I am imagining this layout as a Christmas card with snowflakes instead of flowers...good idea Sarah!!

I hope that my card has lightened your hearts in a world currently full of  horror.

See you soon xx

Some Challenges

Allsorts Challenge #668 - Feminine

Crafty Calendar - Spots, Stripes or Easter (if there aren't enough spots please delete me!!)

Pixies Snippets Playground -  #424

Down on the Farm

 Well hello, hope you are all keeping well and had an enjoyable weekend. I love live theatre so couldn't pass up the opportunity to watch Connor's girlfriend, Amelia, as Elizabeth-Jane in Thomas Hardy's  Mayor of Casterbridge. My word, it was a brilliant production and a lovely trip down memory lane to revisit O'level English Literature!! 

Anyway, I am not here for that, it's all about the new challenge at

where the theme is one close to my heart...Down on the Farm.

I always get such fabulous Birthday cards from my blogging buddies and one in particular sent me a card a few years ago that I have used as my inspiration for my card. Sorry, not sorry!!

I used a Lawn Fawn die set for the card base and some really lovely Marianne Designs papers for the panels. The Whole Herd MFT stamp set was used for the cute animals that I coloured with Promarkers.

I don't have the accompanying die set so the little farm animals were fussy cut and stuck on with foam pads for a little bit of dimension. 

 I am wishing you all a good week ahead. Keep well xx

Cute and Cuddly Animals

Morning/Afternoon/Evening All!! I hope you had a good weekend and are raring to go and deal with whatever the week has in store for you. My word what a horrendous day yesterday...scary winds and lashing rain, not my favourite especially when sheets blow off the barn roof!! My bonkers Husband would not wait until better weather on Tuesday, so after I retrieved the missing sheet he went up onto said roof in 60mph winds and replaced it, bless his heart!! Wills was not very impressed but at least he, Surprise and all their friends are warm, dry and safe again!!

On a brighter note I have a cute and cuddly bunny to share today as it is the start of the next challenge at The Cutie Pie Challenge. Our sponsor is Bugaboo and I used Bunny for this card...

The picture looks a little washed out but in reality the colours are much deeper. the pretty papers are from Marianne Designs Peach and Mint Collection. Bunny was, of ourse, coloured with Promarkers and the Hunkydory Moonstone flower dies got another airing.

I really hope you will join us this month with your cute and cuddly animals!!

Some Challenges

A Gem of a Challenge Week 3 - Anythng Goes
Papercraft Challenges #54 - Two or more papers
Creative fingers #179 - Anything Goes
I love Promarkers #403 - Anything Goes +/- Wedding, Love, Anniversary

A touch of shabby chic

I said I would be back didn't I? This is the card that was under construction!!

I have had more crafting time on my hands since New Year as my daft horse went and injured herself in the field galloping around like a crazy thing. Consequently I have had to make the decision to retire her as the injury is such that she is unlikely to make a full recovery. I am struggling to come to terms with this :0(  Anyway, the point being, while I was being creative with my time, I spotted some challenges that inspired me to make this.

I know, shabby chic and very pink, I was amazed too!!

I was inspired by these challenges

Moving Along With The Times #91 - A Little Shabby Chic
Double D Challenges - Pink and White
Sweet Stampin' - Love your pet
My Time To Craft #391 - Pink and girly

I think I am back again on the other side of the weekend with a little bit of Christmas, so will see you then. Have a good weekend, whatever your plans xx

Here is said "daft horse" on her evening stretch out of the stable pointing her poorly leg!!

Stitching!!

The new challenge at As You Like It starts today so I am here to share my DT inspiration card with you. The theme is STITCHING Real or Faux?

I had to go with faux stitching. I love the idea of machine/hand stitching on my cards but I am never truly happy with my own feeble efforts so I opted for faux stitching. I achieved this with my holey ruler and a fine liner pen, which actually doesn't look too bad!! Our sponsor this time is
Kinda Cute by Patricia and the image I was kindly supplied with is
Bear with Cup...isn't he cute?! (Thank you Patricia!!)

 I was inspired by the current Catch the Bug Stella says sketch #602 challenge and I used very much loved old Marianne Designs papers that I had, shamefully, forgotten about, so I think that allows me to also enter this card in the current Allsorts challenge " Old Favourites" Apologies for the drab photograph, good light is somewhat lacking at the moment. Roll on spring I say!!

Right, that is quite enough rambling from me, all that remains is for me to say that you will be most welcome to enter the challenge with your stitched items and I shall see you soon xx

AYLI Favourite Paper Pad

Hello everyone. Here I am to shout about the new challenge starting at

As You Like It

Your Favourite Paper Pad.

What???? I couldn't choose if my life depended on it!!  However...I somehow managed to subscribe to the Craftwork cards Julie Loves collections and have really been enjoying using these wonderful kits. I love the sweet Ditsy prints which I really like to use on my cards.

I used a couple of papers here to create a little background scene for Lazy Daisy. The cute little pair were coloured with Promarkers and I added a fence to finish the scene. We had a pony on the yard once that used to lie down when he thought he had worked hard enough,  rider and all!!

Before I go here are Surprise and I coming back from a walk a couple of weeks ago. She is much better now, thankfully.

Stylish I know...wellies and shorts!!

Thank you as always for your visit xx

Some challenges

Passion for Promarkers #413 - The great outdoors
The Ribbon Girl September Any Image
Digi Choosday #38 - Anything Goes
A gem of a challenge #203 - Fun Outside

Daisy, Daisy....

Morning crafters. I hope you are well today. I have my DT card for

The new challenge is for you to share a project showing your favourite flower.

My paternal Grandmother "Nanny" was called Daisy so I have always found myself drawn to daisies, and, as it says in the film You've Got Mail,  they are "such friendly flowers".

It was the perfect opportunity to use a NBUS stamp, Delightful Daisies, that happened to fall in my basket when LOTV had a bit of a promotion. The image was coloured with Promarkers and the daisies had a slathering of Sparkle pen, which, as you already know, does not show up in photographs. Speaking of which I had to use my phone to take this one so it's pants anyway!!

The papers were from a magazine freebie and my Marianne Daisy die got an airing for the finishing touches. I have yet to add a message as this sweet card will actually serve very well for a number of occasions.

Hope you will join in. 

Until next time, take care xx

Some challenges

Allsorts #399 - Daisy, Daisy

Sweet Stampin' - Dies and Punches

The Ribbon girl - Any image Challenge

Creative Inspirations #267 - Cute Critters
Darnell's NBUS #9

Cara and Mouse

Hello everyone.

It's New Release day today at Sasayaki Glitter and this is one of them...

She was coloured with Promarkers to match the Marianne Designs paper bloc, Eline's Fresh Flowers. I was particularly pleased with my grass, although her hair...not so much!!

The new challenge at Sasayaki Glitter challenge blog is ANIMALS you have the whole month to play along. There are three images for the winner and each of the top three also win an image of their choice so it's well worth entering.

Hope you have something nice planned for the weekend, I am hoping to get a little crafty fix, without the pups, while the youngsters are still here !! They are patiently waiting for their two week warning on their new apartment then it will be all systems "go", the horsebox dusted off and filled followed by empty nest syndrome for us!! 

Anyway until next time xx

I am playing along here

Crafty Ribbons #165 - Anything Goes

Craft Rocket #23 - Anything Goes

The ABC Challenge - O for Open

Summer

I have given up any vague hope that we might actually EVER get any sun in the UK so have decided to make my own little sandy beach!!

I found this cute stamp set (ladybug Crafts Ink...now gone) while having a bit of a tidy up and as there are so many Summer inspired challenges around thought I would ink it up. I finally unwrapped the Marianne die set that contains the photo frame and coloured the image with Promarkers to match the Doodlebug Designs paper. The card is a diddy four inch square for a change.

I'm playing here

Whimsie Doodles June Challenge - Life's a Beach

Cardz 4 Galz #24 - Summer Fun

Crafty Gals Corner #76 - Summer Fun

Crafty Addicts #17 - anything Goes/Summertime

Bunny Zoes - Summer

We are off to a Summer Party this evening so fingers crossed it won't rain , although I don't hold out much hope of that!!

Whatever you are up to this weekend I hope the weather is kind.

thanks for sharing your day with me and see you soon xx

Testing...Testing!!

Hello friends, hope you are well today. 

I've been having a test run with my new pencils. I decided that I had been drooling long enough over Jane's fabulous pencil work so bit the bullet and ordered some Lyra Rembrandt Polycolour Coloured Pencils. I got them from HERE.

Anyway this was my first attempt (there are three more in the pipeline, they were that good!!)

I didn't use blending solution on this occasion although I did give it a rub with the splender pencil!!

The sweet image is a digi from the now closed Pollycraft. She was coloured to match more very old MME papers which, I think, were called "Happier". Check out the colourful snail, done in scraps of the same paper together with the tag.

I'm off to play here

Allsorts Challenge #361 - A cherry on top (fruit or berries)

Sunny Day Crafting #6 - A colourful project or a project with fruit

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #33 - Anything Goes

Pile it on #107 - Garden Creatures (die cut snail and various insects on the paper)

The Crafty Addicts #7 - Anything Goes +/- ribbon

Better go and get Surprise in before she starts shouting at the window...it's drizzling and the poor old soul doesn't like getting wet!! It's not that she owns me or anything...much!!!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend xx

Maggie's Christmas Dinner

Hello folks hope this finds you well. I thought I would strike while the iron's hot and share a card fresh from the work room as I am doing holiday cover at work next week so time will be short.

Several challenges tickled my fancy so I made this little card to join in.

I used the current layout from here.

The die cut snowflakes are Marianne Designs, the papers were from Wilko the Christmas before last and the sentiment was from a CC designs set called Snarky Christmas (which I cannot find to add a link) that I bought this time last year and inked for the first time today...oops!! I thought it was about time Maggie had another inking and she was then coloured with Promarkers and given a splattering of stickles snow. 

These are the challenges that inspired me, together with a couple more that "fit"

Allsorts challenge #357 - April Fool/Humorous

Sketch Saturday #406

Cut it up #93 - April Fools (include a joke or riddle)

 Hope the sentiment counts!!

The Sugar Bowl #135 - Anything Goes

Crafting For all seasons #123 - Punches or dies

I'll "see" you later in the week with a couple of scheduled posts. 

Until then have a good week xx

Run rabbit, run!!

I have quite a collection of The Cat's Pajamas stamps and they were long overdue an outing. So, inspired by TCP current challenge I made this

I used bright and cheery Doodlebug papers as my colour palette and went from there. Coloured with Promarkers I glittered the windmills and punched out some additional flowers. The gorgeous Marianne Designs die cut curve finished it off nicely I thought.

I am joining in here

TCP Tuesday challenge #309 - Spring

Lemon Shortbread  #9 - Anything Goes

Creative Corner - Bunnies Everywhere

Graph-it Colour Challenge #8 - Brights

A Gem Of A challenge #164 - Spring

Right I'm off to find some extra layers, our central heating doesn't appear to be firing up tonight...typical!! 

Thanks for stopping by, I'll be back in the morning with another card xx

Piece of my heart

Hello one and all and I hope you are well today wherever you are.

 Thankfully the weather has settled down and we have dry weather. Monday was quite another story and during my lunch break found myself holding on to the ladder while Martin climbed up on the barn roof to secure some flapping panels, it was safe to say that I stood there feeling quite sick thanks to storm Imogen!! Although the gales were horrendous at least at that point it wasn't raining so the roof wasn't too slippery!! A bit of a Superhero is my chap, so I think this might well find it's way into his hand on Sunday.

I used one of the PB "Piece of my heart" stamps and coloured with Promarkers after die cutting with a Marianne die set. The trusty white pen added some spots and the ribbon came from my stash. I know, two CAS cards in a week but I just had the "need"!!

It would be rude not to play along at these Love inspired challenges!!

The Ribbon girl - February Card challenge

Penny Black Saturday challenge - Hearts/Red
Crafty Ribbons #143 - Animals
Creative Inspirations #344 - Hugs and kisses
Polkadoodles #4/5 - Love and Romance

Enjoy the rest of Wednesday and I'll see you tomorrow xx

A card for me

Hello lovely people. Huge apologies for being such a bad blogger of late, I have so much stuff going on at the moment I don't know whether I am coming or going!! Anyway less of my moaning!! I have another Buddly Crafts DT piece to share with you today. As well as lots and lots of "real" stuff, their digital shop is also rather fabulous and this time I have some decoupage to share with you. This little guy, Fudge, was so easy to cut out.

I created the frame by embossing into some centura pearl card with a tonic die then added  different Marianne Designs snowflake dies  adorned with complimentary jewels for a relatively CAS and flat card.

Some challenges

Christmas Card Challenges #51 - Anything Goes
Crafting When We Can #108 - Don't forget the animals
My time to craft #309 - Let it Snow
Ooh La La challenge #194 - Let it Snow
Papertake Weekly - Take Your Pick
Colour theme - red and/or green

I won't leave it so long next time!! Until then xx

She sells seashells on the seashore...

I have had this fabulous Marianne Design Cutting Sheet sat on my desk for some time and finally (after rediscovering another unused paper pad) decided what to do with it...this

The background paper is from Prima Seashore pad and complimented the seashell cut out perfectly. To butch it up a bit I used some string to make a frame and squished some cheesecloth into my linen DI pad to dirty it up a little and stuck it behind the frame. The seashells in the bottom left corner were cut from the sheet and decoupaged with glue gel for some dimension.

Here are the challenges I would like to play along with

Creatalicious #78 -  Summer Fun at the beach

Ooh la la #187 - One for the boys

A bit more time to craft #2 - Anything Goes

That's Crafty -  Under the sea

Craft Your Passion #275 - Anything Goes

Crafty Gals #32 - Any holiday

The Crafter's Cafe #129 - The great outdoors

Thank you for stopping to take a look and for your lovely comments xx