AYLI - Cats or Dogs

I have chosen the theme at

and it's cats or Dogs

 It's dogs in our house. We've had dogs since before our eldest Son was born so that's a very long time now!! Our current "twins" are nine years old and have Martin just where they want him. Every word on the card I made for his Birthday is absolutely true!! We buy them their own ham when doing the weekly shop and Bowie, in particular, has finely tuned ears and sits by the fridge as soon as we put the kettle on. He knows that we will be opening the door for milk!!

It's a large card this time an 8x8 card base covered with Nitwits digital papers from the Woof Collection. The sentiment was done on the computer and layered between the papers with a photo of the boys, Bowie and Bumble (+ball). That said we've another cat that has made itself at home in the stable yard. He is quite shy but at least doesn't scoot as soon as he sees us coming now.

We finally had some rain and I got soaked riding Wills yesterday morning!! It was very refreshing though!!

See you soon xx

What's your favourite shape then?

 Hello friends. How did it get to be September? The leaves are turning and there are so many acorns on our oak trees already. Sloes and blackberries in abundance so I think some of those might just find their way into some gin and/or vodka ready for the season of goodwill.

With those festivities in mind I have a Christmas card to share with you today. It's the start of a new challenge at 

where we are looking forward to see ing your favourite card shape.

Now I like an ordered life and like symmetry so, for me, it had to be a 6x6 square card. Easy to get a symmetrical layout and they work well as a tent sytle too. 

Here is my square, complete with belly band...

...and then when you open it....BOOM!!...an explosion!!

I took inspiration from Sam Calcott here. It looks impressive but was actually really quick to assemble (once all the mats were cut). I used a Nitwits digital paper matted on to kraft card for the panels. The adorable digi is from the long ago closed (and much missed) Digistamp Boutique and was coloured with Promarkers. I think the Christmas is from Crafters Companion, but there are lots of similar dies available and the pine cones (which are actually embossed!!) from Joanna Sheen (also now closed).

It's a bit fat when folded so this will be hand delivered to someone special, come December.

I hope that I have whetted your appetite and look forward to seeing your favourite card shapes. If you are looking for more inspiration please go and visit my teamies here.

See you soon xx

Passion for Markers #656 - Christmas

A "Special" Cutie Christmas card

 Hello everyone. Another christmas card today but before that I want to thank you for continuing to visit me despite my absence of late. The time thief has been pretty active and the days are just whooshing taking my good intentions with them. I promise to try harder!!

As Christmas is only a month away the Cutie Pies thought it was time for those "special" cards to be shared in our Meet me under the Mistletoe Challenge. 

The lovely Crafty Sunflower, Liz, shares some lovely card shapes so I followed  her footsteps to Nifty Noodles where there is inspiration galore and made this.

Front or back

Back or front!!

It looks impressive but was ever so easy to make and it also goes flat for posting so win, win!! The adorable images are a new Nitwits FQB Gnome For Christmas Collection that I sized to fit the squares. I'm not sure which "Special" person is going to be opening this so I've left a couple of blank squares to add a name.

Thak you for stopping by. I think I am back later in the week so see you then xx

Little Butterfly Girl

Hello friends, lovely to see you here this Friday morning. It is time for me to share another DT piece for 

where the theme is always Anything Goes as long as you share a card with a hand coloured image.

Our sponsor this time is All Dressed Up and I have coloured the pretty Little Butterfly Girl.

I used Promarkers to match the Nitwits paper, some coordinated sequins and sparkly wings finished it off perfectly. I stepped out of my comfort zone with this one as I rarely use shades of purple and lavender, however, I was really pleased and gave myself a pat on the back for being so brave!!

I hope you are all well and coping with the social isolation. I think Mother Nature is being kind to us here in the UK with fine, dry weather at last. I have been on Annual Leave this week (typical!!) and had an "essential" trip to our local Agricultural Merchant for animal feed so that was a change of scenery!!  Other than that I have no idea what day it is and have baked as though my life depends on it. We are going to be a little bit cuddlier, in this household, when we come out the other side!!

That's all for now. Keep well xx

Christmas Cuties

Hello and welcome. 

Today is the start of a new challenge at

and unsurprisingly it is Christmas Cuties!!

Here is my card using another of my LOTV rubber stamps...I really should use them more often. Perhaps that should be my New Year Resolution!!

This card came about as the result of a Christmas card swap on the We Love Lili of the Valley Facebook Group. I made this for the lady I was paired with. I looked back to my early blogging days for inspiration and decided to replicate this one here

Again, I used Nitwits Collection papers this time Patchwork Christmas, slightly different to the original card but as they mix and match so beautifully, it works very time.

We are due some horrendous gales over the next day or two so I am not looking forward to that at all. Fingers crossed it will not live up to expectation...or is that just wishful thinking!?

Stay safe wherever you are in the world xx

Some challenges

Let's Craft and Create #154 - Anything goes =/- Snow
Winter Wonderland - Anything Goes
Tales From the Craft Room #11 - It's Christmas
Cardz 4 Galz #112 - Cute Christmas
Cute Card Thursday #611 - Anything Goes

Show off your Christmas hats

I always think the big countdown starts today with just one whole month of preparation to go!! I am doing pretty well with gift buying, have made my Christmas cake and have been making Christmas cards all year so am doing pretty well on that front too. I intend to settle down and write my cards at the weekend so they can be posted during the first week of December...in theory!!

Here is another to add to the pile, it is my DT inspiration for

where the fun challenge is Show off your Christmas hats.

I have used the lovely James from LOTV. Mine is rubber but the digi is still available here. He was coloured with Promarkers to match the lovely Nitwits papers. As it is a Christmas card the addition of Star Dust is mandatory!! For once the blue mirror board actually photographed well.

So, that is me for today. I hope you have a good week xx

Some Challenges

Cardz 4Galz #110 - Getting ready for Christmas
Crimbo Crackers #198 - Animals
Penny Black and More November - Christmas
Cute Card Thursday #609 - Winter

Furry Friends for Hubby

Hello again, I lied...it's not the other side of the weekend, it's Friday and it is my Hubby's birthday today so I must share his card that was made with a few challenges in mind.

Of course it had to feature a dog as he loves our two very much indeed!!

I used a favourite paper from Nitwits Collection, called Tail Wags too for this layered fold back card. The sweet dog is from a Whimsy Stamps collection, aptly called Furry Friends. He was, of course, coloured with Promarkers.

Martin is, unfortunately, working today but hopefully he will manage to finish early so that we can spend the day together.

I really will see you on the other side of the weekend this time!!

Some Challenges

Back to basics & beyond #4 - Fold Back Card

Whimsy Stamps Challenge #106 - Anything Goes

I Love promarkers #360 - Anything Goes

Stamping Sensations - June Anything Goes

I do

Good morning my crafty friends. I know it is unusual for me to make an appearance on a Sunday but I wanted to!!  It's a wedding card I am sharing today and I had great fun fiddling and faffing!! 

I used one of the adorable images from the Wedding Trio set from LOTV.
The papers are Nitiwits Cherish collection. The flower was made using one of the very first MFT die sets that I ever bought. Dawny P used them a lot, back then, and it me took ages to source them and I was so thrilled when I finally tracked down a set!! I inked the edges with Weathered Wood DI. The happy couple were coloured with Promarkers.

I am looking forward to the coming week...nothing too exciting but it finally looks as though the wet weather might stop for a while...I know, I am easily pleased!! The thought of no muddy dogs or horses makes me very happy!!

I hope you have a good Sunday, whatever you are up to xx

Some challenges

Allsorts #453 - Spots and/or stripes
Crafty Calendar7 - Two or more layers
Sweet stampin - Anything but Birthday
CCC digi  creations - #89 It's all about love
 Pearly sparkles - #25 Love, love, love

The Cutie Pies escape to the country

Hello everyone. I have my DT card for

where we are going a little bit rustic/horticultural and inviting you to share your cards based around the theme

Escape To The Country

  Full details can be found at the challenge blog here.

I used the opportunity to showcase another fabulous Sasayaki Glitter digistamp
 called Meg and Big Red

I coloured Meg and her chicken with Promarkers. The papers are Nitwits Sunny Side Up and I used my Go Kreate Frilly dies together with a "whoops how did that happen?" MFT purchase. 

You can see where I added Sakura sparkle and white gel pen to little Meg and her chook.

The ribbon came wrapped around my Birthday Cake...knew I would find a use for it somewhere along the line and this was the perfect occasion!!

I am playing here...

Polkadoodles -Things with wings

Crafty calendar - Things with wings

I love Promarkers #308 - Lace and/or Ribbon (I went with ribbon)

Crafting by designs - May Anything Goes

Toodles for now!! xx

Meg and Digger

Hello friends hope you are well and looking forward to the weekend - a lovely long weekend in the UK thanks to the May Bank Holiday.

 I can hardly believe a week has passed since I posted anything. 

Anyway,I have a bright and cheery card for you today!!

I actually had a sort through my paper pad pile and used an old one for this card...My Mind's Eye - A Mother's Love. Michelle uses this lovely layout quite often so I thought I would "borrow" it and see what I could do. The sweet image is Meg and Digger from Sasayaki Glitter and she was coloured with Promarkers to match the papers. The corners are die cuts using a Whimsy set and LOTV sentiment tags attached with ribbon to finish off.

 Some challenges I am entering

Allsorts Challenge #360 - Red, White and blue
City Crafter Challenge #309 - Balloons
Passion for Promarkers #343 - Make it digital (my image is digital)

Before I go I just had to share this sweet picture of Mo the cat who is soley in charge of the stable yard and likes to make sure everything is ship shape (she is actually a squatter but we don't have the heart to evict her!!). Surprise had her seven weekly visit from the blacksmith on Wednesday and for the whole hour Mo was sunning herself in the pooper scooper (horse sized of course!!) although I have a strong suspicion that she was secretly making sure the shoes were fitted correctly!!

Until next time xx

Lady Belle loves Coffee...

...and so do I!! Best part of the day, get up, muck out/ride, then back to the house for a mug of proper coffee...decaff these days though as the leaded stuff gives me headaches...old age!!

Anyway, I don't look half as glamorous as Lady Bell here!!

In keeping with the coffee theme I used Nitwits Collections Coffee Talk papers, I love this colour combination and don't use it nearly enough. Promarkers were used to colour the lovely image and I sponged the edge of the oval with Tumbled Glass and Frayed Burlap for a bit of interest. I flowersofted her negligee to suggest fur/feather!! The perfectly matched ribbon came from The Works and the pearls from my stash.

Must just mention that the latest challenge started at Sasayaki Glitter yesterday, it's "Shaped Cards", you can use any image and the prize for the winner is THREE digis of your choice from Naz's fantastic collection. Added to that the Top 3 each get to choose one...how about that?!!

Some challenges

Crafty Calendar April - Anything Goes
A bit more time to craft #17 - Anything Goes
Creative ladybirds #14 - Anything Goes
Penny's papercrafty challenge #272 - Anything Goes

I just wanted to thank you for your lovely comments and apologise for not returning the compliment this week, it's been a hectic one. Hopefully normal service will resume soon!!

So Fairy Cute

Happy Monday everyone. Hope your weekend was a good one. We had lots of sunshine here in Dorset UK and it was so warm that Surprise had her first days out naked...and came in covered in mud. She thinks she's doing me a favour because mud = grooming and it's quite a workout!!

Anyway, less waffling and the reason I am here.

It's new challenge day at



and the theme is

So Fairy Cute

Here's what I did using an image from our sponsor All Dressed Up

She is called Little Flower Fairy and was coloured to match the fantastic Nitwits papers. I dug out an old Martha Stewart punch for a pretty lacy border and found  perfectly matched ribbon and cardstock for the mats. I used Spectrum Noir alcohol pens for a change and was really pleased with the result.

Looking forward to seeing you there, remember that your image must be cute though!!

I am playing here

My time to craft #317 - Flowers
Di's digis Challenge - Lots of layers
Crafty friends #27 - Anything Goes
Polkadoodles #10 - Spring colours
All Dressed Up #50 - Anything Goes

Bye for now xx

Man at work?....yeah right!!

Hellooo!! It was just over twenty two years ago that I gave birth to our second Son...how the heck did that happen??!! Anyway here is the card that I made to give him yesterday.

I was inspired by the number of shaker cards that have been showcased recently so decided to have  a go myself. It was a bit of a faff but well worth the effort as I was really pleased with the result and the "the kid" in Connor enjoyed shaking the sequins!!

 I won the image in a Little Claire challenge and though it would make an amusing card. There is little chance of him lying in a hammock drinking this year...he is coming to the end of his degree, working as well and is in the process of buying an apartment with his Girlfriend!! The papers are Nitwits Collections Winter Wishes and the image was coloured with Promarkers. the mats were cut out of Desert Storm card with Tonic scalloped dies.

Some Challenges

I love Promarkers #304 - Men at Work

Simply Papercraft challenges #25 - Anything Goes

It's Martin's weekend off and, as we were both unwell last time he was off, we are hoping to go to Weymouth for a browse followed by a delicious lunch on the way back. The weather looks promising so fingers crossed!!

Whatever you are doing I hope it's a good weekend for you xx

Happy Birthday Dulcie

I have had quite a lot of orders lately and this one is rather special as it's for a lady called Dulcie who will be celebrating her 100th Birthday.

I was a bit out of my comfort zone here but Pauline helped out with a fabulous design which I...ahem...borrowed!! The pretty image was from the latest Crafters Inspiration Magazine  CD rom and after a rummage I found Nitwits Always and Forever was an almost perfect colour match. I dusted off a really old stamp set for Dulcie and 100 and distressed all the edges with Walnut Stain. To finish off I used some seam binding and complimentary pearls, ooh and a doily die cut out of vellum and then aged. It won't match the one from HRH but I hope she likes it!!

Some challenges

Crafting When We Can #111 - Celebration

Sweet Stampin - Vintage/Shabby Chic

Little Claire Designs challenge #65  - Just Add Bunting

Fab 'n' Funky #288 - Buttons and/or bows

Creative Moments #85 - Anything Goes

Crafty Boots challenge - Ribbon or lace

Have a good week whatever you are up to xx

Cute and pretty in pink

Happy Monday everyone and wherever you are in the world I hope it heralds a good week for you!!

NO work for me this week...yay...so it's going to be super good chez Wills!!

Anyway I am really here to share my DT card for the new challenge at

The Cutie Pie Challenge

and in keeping with the Breast Cancer Awareness Month the theme is

PRETTY IN PINK

We were supplied with digis from one of our sponsors, Crafty Sentiments, and typically my printer just would not play nicely. Thankfully I had a rubber stamp set from the same company that I could use...phew!! I used my favourite Lawn Fawn set to create the pretty layered panel using Nitwits Country Meadow digital papers and Promarkers to colour the image.

I'd like to try my hand at these challenges

Create and Inspire #31 - Anything Goes

Craft Rocket #1 - Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness

Live and Love Crafts #40 - Pink Again

Inky chicks #57 - think Pink
The Ribbon Girl - Any image anything goes

Hope you will join in...cute and pink...easy peasy!!

See you soon xx

Thank You!!

Happy Weekend crafty peeps.

Just popping by today to share another Cuddly Buddly digi stamp
  Lilyboo's Thank U.

I am so fond of this little lady probably because she reminds me of me when I was little!!

I was inspired by some scraps from my bit box and went with the purple palette which I was rather pleased with. My colouring was done with SN pencils and spirit to match the pretty papers (Nitwits).

Some challenges

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards #82 - No circles
Crafting From The Heart #42 - Anything Goes
Creative Inspirations #296 - Anything Goes
Pennys Paper Crafty Challenge #210 - Anything Goes

Hope you have something crafty planned!! See you soon xx