Snow Mouse

Hello crafters hope you are well today and if not then I hope tomorrow will be better. I have been adding to my Christmas card pile this week and have an easel card to share with you today.

Snow Mouse was coloured with Promarkers and fussy cut to sit in front of the mirri snowflake. The papers were free with a magazine (last autumn I suspect!) and the icicles are in fact a grass die!! The sentiment is included in the set among others too.

I am joining in here

Fab 'n' Funky #261 - Christmas

I Love Promarkers #271 - Anything But Square
(If it's not suitable delete me!!)

Papertake Weekly - Take your Pick

(Technique - Easel card)

Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Cute Christmas

Crafting by designs - Getting ready for Christmas

Thank you for visitng me and for your lovely comments, I appreciate every single one xx

Cat-ching butterflies

Hello crafters, 'tis me again with a card, that I have forgotten to share, showcasing another Buddly Crafts digi image. 

I decided on a CAS style for this little puss coloured with Promarkers. The Just Because is from a set and was just right for sending some love to a dear friend.

I'm trying my luck at these challenges

Crafting from the heart #61 - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion #263 - Anything Goes
Dream Valley #107 - Anything Goes
Creative Inspirations #315 - Pastels
Crafty Creations #290 - All creatures great and small

Before I go I just wanted to share a picture of Connor and his pal William who are off to the Royal Bath and West Show today...Masters of all they survey!!

Con is on the right...(needing a shave methinks!!)

Have a lovely day whatever you are doing xx

Top Tip GDT

Hello lovely people of blogland. Thank you for coming to see me today.

 I can't lie, I am super excited to have been invited to be Guest Designer at Top Tip Tuesday so a HUGE thank you to Samantha for asking me!! A new challenge is starting today and

It's all about the hair colour.

 Those of you who have been visiting for a while will know that I don't "do" hair very often or should I say hair that needs definition. Anyway not one to buckle under the stress I chose the beautiful, yet challenging, Aurora Floral Kiss  and this is the result.

Using Promarkers I coloured her and the seam binding to match the paper .

 I used Diamond stickles and my Stardust Gelly roll pen to add a little bling to her pretty floral headdress

Part of my duties are to include a tip and here is one that I use every time I colour.

Whenever I buy a new paper pad/digi collection I get out my Promarkers and make a swatch and write the names of the colours that are the best match and stick it to the cover. In the case of a digi collection I write it in a little note book that I have for the purpose. I  then prepare a couple of card layouts so that when the time comes all I have to do is colour up the chosen stamped image using my colour guide. It means that there is no hunting around for suitable papers or colour matches after colouring your image and you will always have a perfect match.

I would like to enter these challenges

Allsorts #312  - Happy 6th Birthday Allsorts
A Gem Of A Challenge #145 - Flowers
Polkadoodles #21 - Girlie but NO pink
Moving along with the times - Colour Challenge

I Love Promarkers #270 - Tags
Penny's papercrafty #228 - Anything Goes
Creative Fingers #81 - Anything Goes

Have a good day whatever you are doing xx

Nell and flowers

Hello crafty peeps and I hope you are enjoying the Bank Holiday Weekend (if you are in the UK AND lucky enough not to be working), to the rest of the world Happy Monday anyway!!

I just could not resist this little darling from Digistamp Boutique and used Promarkers to colour her.

The cheery papers are by Taylored Expressions and my other most favourite die set came out to play again.

Some challenges to play along

Creative Corner - Anything Goes
 Crafty Catz #280 - Kids
Aud Sentiments #132 - Cute + a sentiment
Digi Choosday #18 - Anything Goes
Digistamp Boutique - May customer Competition

Have a lovely day xx

Your favourite time

Hello, hello!! The weekend is within touching distance and today

As You Like It 

have a new challenge starting and the theme is......

Your favourite Decade/Time in your life, a project that reflects a memorable event or time in your life  and don't forget to tell us why when you link up

It's the 60's for me!! I don't advertise the fact but I was born in the 1960's and have a real love for the music of that time including The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Bee Gees and the like and I am lucky enough to have lots of old 45's in my record collection.
The fashion of that time also interests me hugely and I have vivid memories of certain outfits that my Mum used to wear when I was a littley!! 

As you can see I used my fabulous stepper die (again!!) this time layering the mats in a different way. The groovy little lady is Faye who was coloured with Promarkers. The papers are VERY old Creative Expressions Foundations.

This shows the layers and dimension. The speech bubbles are "Say what" and the stamps from Paper Smooches.

Lashings of stickles and a beautiful aqua bow to finish it off.

Hope you will take the time and join us!!

I am going along to these challenges

The Ribbon Girl Colour Challenge - Aqua

Allsorts #311 - No Squares allowed

Creative Inspirations #314 - Anything Goes
Little Miss Muffet #112 - Anything Goes
A Gem of a Challenge #144 - More than one fold

Have a good day xx

Just be happy

Hello everyone. Hope that you had a good weekend and are ready for another new week.

I have a very CAS card to share today using a sweetie from Di's Digis.

She was coloured with Promarkers, cut out using MB Stitched layers matted onto a matching pink scalloped circle and the little tags were cut from a paper pad. Simples!!

I am trying my luck at these challenges

Sweet Stampin' - Clean and simple

Paperbabe #12 -  Picture Inspiration

In the Pink #69 - Real or Faux Stitching

 (I hope die cut stitching counts, if not, feel free to delete me!!)

Creative Moments #68 - Anything Goes

Fab 'n' Funky #259 - Tag it

DigiDesigns Challenge - Load on those flowers

Wishing you a good week xx

Feeling feline

Hello lovely crafty peeps. I managed to have a bit of crafty time yesterday when all my outside jobs were tended to and I made use of one of a set of images that came with a crafting magazine. I don't often use pre-printed images but what the heck, it deserved to be used, papers too!!

Some challenges

OLLCB #180 - Use a pre-coloured image

Not Just Cards #19

Crafting from the heart #59 - Anything Goes

The Crafter's Cafe Challenge #116 - Feminine

Crafty Ribbons #119 - Animals

Have a lovely Sunday xx

Make a Wish

Happy weekend everyone. I have a card to share that is a little bit more "me" today.

Vintage Christmas is all well and good but it will take me ages to recover!! Anyway this little cutie is Hoppy Poppy who was coloured with SN pencils to match the sweet papers. The die cut circle (among others) came with the stamp so I thought it would be rude not to use it!! A few more flowers and some clear gems from my stash to finish and the job's a good 'un!!

Some challenges

Crafting for all Seasons #102 - Four of something
 (Papers, squares, flowers, gems)
Creative Fingers #80 - Anything Goes
Creative Ladybirds #3 - Anything Goes
Simply Papercraft #4 - Anything Goes (optional CAS)

Have a lovely weekend wherever you are xx

CCAYR Mid-month reminder

Hello crafty people. I have another Vintage inspired Christmas card to share today as it's mid way through the Vintage challenge at

Christmas Cards All Year Round

I used a vintage collage style paper as the starting point for this card and it just evolved using various die cut layers in burgundy and gold and edged with stardust stickles. The (wonky..ooops!!) JOY rub on was a lucky find and I just added a sumptuous burgundy satin ribbon to finish off. A far cry from my usual efforts but it was quite nice to try something different, albeit a struggle!!

I am playing at these Challenges

ABC Christmas - 'J' for joy
Cuttlebug Mania - Ribbon
Crafty Boots - Ribbon or Lace

Thank you for dropping to visit me today, you are always welcome xx

Antiques

Hello everyone. In case you didn't know Squirrel is holding another of her fabulous Challenges and this time it's Antique Roadshow.

 Like all of us I have long forgotten gems hidden beneath all the latest dies, stamp collections and assorted paraphernalia that we really don't need (cough splutter)!! So here is what I made using one of the very first stamps and die sets I ever bought together with a card design that I haven't crafted for absolutely ages.  

The stamp is Bild Malarna Mimosa Chicken ( not sure why but feathered friends seem to be featuring a lot lately!!) I coloured her with pencils to compliment the  MME Fine and Dandy Girl paper. She was die cut using SB Labels 18. 

The side shot shows how the label holds the card up. 

The white leaves were cut using Marianne LR0226. The pretty flowers are by Petaloo, the tag from an IO set and the sentiment from a Clearly Besotted sentiment set.
See, not a new item in sight!!

While on the subject of Ornithology, we had a super lunch out last Saturday and as we were waiting for our main course to arrive spotted a seagull furtively casing the joint, the cheeky devil then hopped onto the bench and devoured the crisps that had been left behind!!

Oh and while Surprise and I were out on Sunday morning I heard the cuckoo for the very first time, which always pleases me enormously as I know summer is on the way. Not so pleasing though is that I shall have to remember to keep the garage door closed so that the naughty cuckoo doesn't throw out another nest of house martin babies...nature can be cruel :0( ...actually so can I...bear with I am in a bit of a chatty mood today!! We used to have hanging baskets at the front door, however, several summers ago unbeknownst to me Mr & Mrs Blue Tit built a nest among the bedding plants and it was only by chance that I discovered it, one morning as I was watering, complete with seven eggs !! I was so worried that I had saturated them and that they wouldn't hatch but lo and behold they did, all seven. I had to let the flowers die though because I was terrified I would drown the babies!!  Needless to say we now have plants in troughs and the baskets are redundant!!

I'm off to link up at Squirrel's World and a few others!!
Addicted to Stamps #104 - Spring with Birds/Eggs
Allsorts #310 - More than two die cuts
Through the purple haze - Spring Colours

Hope Wednesday is good to you xx

Lots of Layers

Hello everyone, I hope you are raring to go after an enjoyable weekend!!

I am here to share my Cutie Pie Challenge card with you and this month it's

Lots of Layers

We have two fabulous sponsors this time

and

Janet kindly gave us free rein and I chose Lady Piggin' Cheers  who I coloured with Promarkers to match another new paper set...ooops!! I did a bit of paper bashing and used a few more of my enormous flower stash. We would love it if you joined us but please remember that in order to qualify for a prize your card needs to be CUTE.

A challenge or two

Creative Fingers #79 - Anything Goes
Penny's Papercrafty Challenge #226 - Anything Goes
Creative Inspirations #312 - Birthday Bonanza
Buckwell's Crafty Challenge #8 - Spots or stripes or both (stripes)
Natalie and Amy #32 - Animals

Have a good day xx

Just chicken up

Hello one and all, hope this finds you well today. The early rain has gone and left us with a rather nice day so we are off out for lunch at a favourite haunt down by the sea.

I took inspiration from a few challenges for my card today and using a favourite colour combo came up with this.

I was after a country kitchen feel here so had to use gingham, and the pretty floral paper is from Nitwits. I have been spending (again!!) and my newest addition is the Tonic Layering Scalloped Squares set which created pretty edged mats in different sizes. I coloured Henny Penny with Promarkers and enhanced the feathers with my white Sakura gel pen.

The little corner sentiment was from an Inky Doodles set and glittered with a glittery pen.

The diddy flowers were punched and a little gem added to the centre.

The gorgeous ribbon was hiding in my stash, so too the twine and wooden button.

You can also see the pretty scallops of my die cut edges too.

Some challenges

Polka Doodles #19 - Things with wings

Moving Along With The Times - Birds and Feathers

Crafty Calendar - Things with wings

Animal Friends - Animals with feathers
Penny Black and More - Dies and punches
Ladybug Crafts - Favourite colours

Have a lovely day xx

Life's a beach...

Happy Thursday everyone. The new challenge is starting at

As You Like It Challenge

today and our theme this time is LAND or SEA - remember to tell us why when you link up.

It may surprise you that on this occasion I have chosen sea and the reason is that when my Sister and I were growing up we were lucky enough to have a static caravan at West Bay on the Dorset coast so almost every weekend and school holiday after Easter was spent there with Dad and Mum. It was called Bon Terra (Goodland which was my maiden name). I have happy memories of seagulls tippy tapping around on the roof early in the morning, being fascinated watching Mum or Dad trying to ignite the funny little calor gas mantles that gave us light. Of course the sea was the best bit and we spent happy hours on the pebble beaches. 

Anyway here is my card not quite a six berth caravan but beachy nonetheless!! 

The image and sentiment  is a set from Digistamp Boutique that I coloured with Promarkers.

The stepper is a new, and very much loved, die (so be prepared to see lots of it in the coming weeks!!), even the scalloped panel dies came with it too and I used kraft and a freebie paper for those. 

The sun was cut using a Lil' Inker die and I popped a candy dot on the top.

I've found some challenges to play

Crafty Time #1 - Anything New (My new stepper die)

Crafting Musketeers #25 - Use a die cut (My new stepper die)

Sweet Stampin' - Inspired by a Book or Film - Beaches

Be crafty and craft #1 - Anything Goes

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Passion for Promarkers #295 - Keep Calm and Chill Out

 (perfect at the beach!!)

I Love Promarkers #268 - Anything Goes

Digistamp Boutique - May Customer Competition

That's all for now folks, see you soon, until then take care xx

You Love Me Too

Hello my crafty friends, it's Buddly Crafts time again and I have another super cute image to share with you today.

They were coloured with Promarkers to match another of Kim's gorgeous digi paper kits Pretty Mix Blue and as luck should have it I had a perfect pink sheet of coredinations for the mats.

This shows the little CB tag more clearly. 

We are playing along at these challenges

Creative Inspirations #311 - Cute Critters
I Love Promarkers #267 - Release the glitter (on her sleeves)
Ruby's Rainbow #103 - Anything Goes
Lil patch of crafty friends #9 - Anything Goes
Paper creator #38 - Animals

The rain has stopped for a moment, so while the going is good I'm going to get out the spade and do a bit of planting!! Enjoy the rest of the weekend!!

CCAYR May - Vintage Christmas

Pinch Punch first of the month!! May...how did that happen then? ...

...and as it's the start of a new month it's the start of a new challenge at

Christmas Cards All Year Round

and we are all about Vintage this time.

I used a shaped Craftwork Cards base which I covered with a couple of pieces of freebie paper having first embossed and rubbed the top one with pearl gilding wax.

 I used lots of dies to create interest and texture and to fill the space as the image although Vintage inspired was a little small.

Finally a posy, tied with seam binding and a stonking great dazzler to finish it off!! I struggle with this style so was actually really quite pleased with myself...if that's allowed!!

A few challenges to play 

Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes 

Fab 'n' Funky #257 - Christmas

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #225 - Anything but Square

MAWTT 

1 Image, 2 Papers, 3 embellishments (Flowers, poinsettia, pearls) and a pinch of glitter around the sentiment...phew!!

Simply Papercraft #3 - Anything Goes

Hope you will find time to join us this month and to boost your Christmas card stash too!!

Bye for now xx