DT call for Creative Inspirations Challenge....

I think I am just in the nick of time as tonight is the deadline for entering this week's challenge on a new blog Creative Inspirations. The prize could be one of two design team spots on offer! The sketch for week one was fantastic and I found it really easy to work with - if this sketch is anything to go by I'll definitely be back again! I hope you can support this new challenge and check out the fabulous creations from the existing team, they really are inspirational! Good luck to everyone who has entered the DT call ;o)

For my card I inked up this fabulous Farming Anya, she's so cute and I just love her headscarf and matching neckerchief! I chose some paper from the scrummy PM Cool Shades set that Sharon sent me for my birthday and matched it up with some Basic Grey Offbeat scraps. I had a brainwave to use the natural raffia instead of ribbon as it reminds me of straw and there is a bit of a country theme going on here don't you know, lol!



I added Glossy Accents to Anya's buckets and lots of glitter to her clothes - you may be able to pick this up better if you zoom. Oh no....... if you do zoom you'll realise that all my stitching is faux! Ah well, I can't lie because me and sewing machines just don't cut it! Good job there are so many fab fineliners out there these days!!

I've just realised something - two posts in one day! Wow, that must be a first..... think I need to go and have a lie down, lol!

Materials:
Image - The Greetings Farm
Sentiment - The Greetings Farm
Papers - PM Cool Shades, Basic Grey Offbeat
Dies - Spellbinders Tag Trio
Embossing - Cuttlebug Folder
Flowers - Prima
Colouring - Polychromatic Pencils
Embellishments - Raffia and Brads from my stash
Accents - Stickles Glitter Glue, Rangers Glossy Accents, Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Brown Fineliner

What a difference it makes being able to take piccies in the garden - much brighter with a natural light! It's my day off tomorrow and I'm looking forward to getting creative! Just hope my mojo doesn't decide to have a lie in, lol!

TTFN and TFL xxx

Guest DT card for Creative Card Crew # 4

I was truly honoured to be asked to take part in this week's Creative Card Crew Challenge as a guest designer and have really enjoyed making my card. The girls have come up with some beautiful examples!

The theme this week is adding texture so I set to work embossing and distressing and also used some black raffia ribbon which is highly textured. The challenge is being sponsored this week by Stamping Bella and it was no trouble for me to use one of their images as I have just bought quite a few stamps from the new Ketto range. These are really funky designs and I think they encourage the use of quite bold colours! At last I got to play with my Basic Grey Ambrosia papers - these are very unusual in terms of the colour combos and are perfect for a funky card!



Materials:
Image - Stamping Bella Ketto
Sentiment - Cuttlekids Alphabet
Papers - Basic Grey Ambrosia
Embossing - Cuttlebug Folder Circles
Dies - Spellbinder Butterflies
Punch - Leone Em Stamen
Flowers - Prima
Colouring - Polychromatic Pencils
Embellishments - Raffia Ribbon, Pins and Brads from my stash

I hope you can hop over and have a go at this week's challenge and look forward to seeing your entries if you do!

Don't forget about this week's candy giveaway over at Colour Create either will you!

TTFN and TFL xxx

Colour Create candy and my card....

Good morning to you all and what a sunny Sunday we have....... so far!!

I'm giving away some blog candy over on Colour Create to celebrate my birthday and also the fact that we are past the 10,000 hits mark over there. Thank you so much to everyone who has managed to take part in a challenge so far, you've made it such a success! To be in with a chance of winning the candy you must enter this week's challenge which is blue and lilac with the extra option of ribbons and swirls. Not to difficult this week methinks! Also, just for this week, I'm asking that you don't combine the challenge with any other if you want to be entered into the draw. GOOD LUCK!! The deadline for entering your card is midnight next Saturday, 4th April, and the winner will be announced when next Sunday's challenge is posted. Adding your card to Mr Linky will be enough for me to know that you have entered the blog candy. Have you spotted the trio of Miss Anya stamps? Hot stuff you know!!

Here's what you could win in more detail:

Pack of Spring border paper strips

3 rolls of wired organza ribbon

3 rolls of spotty ribbon

A bunch of pink fabric roses

2 packs of metal spacers

A pack of pink paper raffia

A pack of yellow buttons

Some coloured pins

A set of Miss Anya stamps






Here is my card for this week's Colour Create using one of the gorgeous new fairy stamps from the Anya range. I waffled on long enough about the candy so I won't bore you too much with details of the card just now.

Have a great weekend and enjoy making your blue and lilac cards!

TTFN and TFL xxx

Basic Grey # 28 - A Sketch

Good morning peeps - yay it's the weekend! Another week has flown by and the Easter Hols are well and truly in sight now.

Here is my DT card for this week's Basic Grey Challenge which is based on a sketch by our lovely Rica...... top layout matey! I've used my new Porcelain papers which are absolutely gorgeous! I love pink and green together - such a pretty, fresh colour combo. I replaced the vertical panels on the sketch with my beloved Sizzix leaves as I just can't leave them alone for too long, lol!



I hope you can join in with the challenge this week as there are so many beautiful papers to play with in the Basic Grey range, that's if you can actually stop stroking them and put them into use. My fellow DT members have produced some stunning cards again this week and I always spend ages just taking in all their techniques and styles. Oh and 'Happy Birthday' to our boss Martine who celebrated her birthday yesterday - hope you had a good one!!



Before I go I thought I'd just share with you a piccie of my beautiful Camelia growing just outside the front door. It only flowers for a few weeks so I thought I'd capture it's beauty whilst the blooms are fully open - amazing don't you think?

Materials:
Image - Magnolia
Sentiment - Daisy and Dandelion
Papers - Basic Grey Porcelain
Embossing - Cuttlebug Folder
Dies - Sizzix Leaves
Colouring - ProMarkers
Embellishments - Mesh Ribbon and Pearl Beads from my stash
Accents - Stickles Glitter Glue and Pink Fineliner

Enjoy your weekend and thanks so much for stopping by!

TTFN and TFL xxx

Cute Card Thursday # 52 - A Recipe

I'm so pleased to have managed to enter a card for the Cute Card Thursday Challenge this week as I've been short of time to enter recently. Their challenges are always so much fun and I really enjoyed myself. I was lucky enough to receive some of the new Ketto images (Stamping Bella) from my lovely friend Tara G, so I chose to work with one of these little cuties on this card. I have ordered some of the stamps for myself now as I fell in love with them as soon as I saw them!

I have to say that I wasn't too successful with my colouring - the card was super absorbant and I went out of the lines a bit but heh, not worth stressing about methinks. The brief for the challenge was a recipe - to use 2 papers, 4 embellishments and something ripped. Well I managed the 2 papers and the four embellishments are 2 stick on gem flowers, 1 ribbon and the sticky pearl effect to the skirt. Hmmmmmmm, didn't manage the 'something ripped' in its literal form but I hope the punched edge counts because it does tear into the paper....... alright, you'll have to work with me a bit on this, lol!



Materials:
Image - Stamping Bella
Sentiment - Scrappy Cat
Butterflies - Daisy and Dandelion
Papers - Basic Grey Porcelain
Punch - Martha Stewart Arched Edge
Colouring - ProMarkers
Embellishments - Ribbon and Sticky Pearls from my stash
Accents - Stickles Glitter Glue

I can't wait for tomorrow night's TV - The Apprentice makes its return and it's one of my fave programmes on the box. I wonder who will stand out this year....... and, more to the point, who will be the most annoying, lol!

I must say how much I appreciate you stopping by and if you choose to leave a comment then I'm always chuffed to bits. I also enjoy blog hopping so much and I'm continuously amazed by all that you create!

TTFN and TFL xxx

Colour Create # 8 - Lime, Turquoise and Navy......

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

Hope you're all having a wonderful time, whether you're spoiling your Mums or being spoilt as a Mum...... or both!! I had a cuppa and some toast in bed this morning and was spoilt by my two kiddies with earrings, perfume and toiletries...... plus two handmade cards!! My Mum has just called round and now I'm off with the kids to have lunch with my M-I-L....... I'm lucky enough to have a really nice one, lol!

My card today is for the Colour Create challenge and I have to say I enjoyed this one soooooooo much. Our lovely Sarita came up with the colours and also the extra option of not using any design papers - you have me well and truly hooked on this now Sarita! You can get so creative when you have to think outside the box and not rely on using papers - check out the scrummy creations the DT have come up with....... all I can think of to say is 'Wow'!

I decided to use my Tapestry Peg stamps again, having just treated myself to some new ones. They really are a pleasure to use and I've found a brilliant blog, jam packed with oodles of ideas and inspiration here. I really am pleased with the way this card turned out, probably because the new Tildas are just too cute not to adore. These are my faves by far........ but I'll probably be saying that again when the next lot come out, lol! I must also thank Sharon for the lovely coloured wire she sent me as part of a birthday goodie bag, how perfect does that look as Tilda's little antenae?!



Materials:
Image - Magnolia
Sentiment - Autumn Leaves Tickets
Border - Tapestry Peg Set (Peppermint Petunias)
Papers - Basic Grey Sultry
Punch - Woodware Flower
Embossing - Cuttlebug Folder
Flowers - Prima Hydrangeas
Colouring - ProMarkers
Embellishments - Brads and Coloured Wire from my stash
Accents - Stickles Glitter Glue

Before I go I just wanted to share some piccies of the wonderful cards and gifts I received from my wonderful blogging friends........

These cards were from (top left to bottom right) - Hubster, Anthea, Georgia, Kim, Kathleen and Sarita



Wonderful card and goodies from Sharon



Wonderful card and goodies from Heather



Wonderful card and goodies from Jo



Wonderful card and goodies from Tab



Wonderful card and goodies from Chris



Wonderful card and goodies from Gina



Wonderful card and goodies from Tara G



Haven't I been truly spoilt? I received some gorgeous cards, images and goodies and I'm going to have a big sort out of all my stash later whilst I watch the Dancing on Ice final.

Enjoy what's left of your weekend folks ;o)

TTFN and TFL xxx

Basic Grey Challenge 27 - Texture

Hello peeps!

Hope you are having a nice weekend! I am suffering from the after effects of a night out to celebrate my birthday and also my hubster getting a new job! We don't get out that often so when we do we tend to go a bit overboard, hee hee!

Anyway, I better get on with this as I think I will need another lie down very shortly!!

This week's Basic Grey Challenge is all about texture, which will give you lots of different options to try. The wonderful cards made by my fellow DT members should also give you loads of inspiration - there are some really yummy ideas!!



Materials:
Image - Suzanne Woolcott Gorjuss
Sentiment - Studio G
Papers - Basic Grey Mellow and Offbeat
Embossing - Cuttlebug Birds Folder
Die - Sizzix Large Layered Flower, Sizzix Banner
Colouring - ProMarkers
Embellishments - Brads and Grassy Ribbon from my stash
Accents - Distress Inks and Gel Pen

I will be back later when I feel human again to see what everyone has been up to, enjoy your day!

TTFN and TFL xxx

Hanglar Card....

Evening folks!

This is a really quick post as I'm in the middle of a mammoth blog hop to catch up with everyone's creations and really shouldn't get sidetracked! I'll save the piccies of my birthday goodies for one of my weekend posts I think.

This card was made to send to the lovely Jacqui as a thank you for the gorgeous blog candy I won and I used one of the wonderful Hanglar images sent to me by my lovely friend Judy.



Materials:
Image - Hanglar
Sentiment - Studio G
Flourish stamp - Basic Grey
Papers - Kay & Co
Die - Sizzix Bow
Flowers - Prima
Colouring - ProMarkers
Embellishments - Brads and Sticky Pearls from my stash

I'm off to finishing hopping then, lol!

TTFN and TFL xxx

Birthday card for my baby girl......

......only she isn't a baby anymore, lol! Georgia became a teenager on Saturday and this is the card I made for her.
I'm never very comfortable making bigger cards as I always think they look a bit bare, but sometimes you feel as if you should make bigger cards for close family, don't you? Anyway, Georgia prefers the uncluttered look so I think she was happy with this one! I really love this particular Pink Petticoat paper because of the pretty leaf design and it was fun to add the embellishments in this way. The sentiment reads 'A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart', and I mean every word of it!



Materials:
Image - Suzanne Woollcott - Gorjuss
Sentiment - Computer Generated
Papers - Pink Petticoat
Die - Nestie Scalloped Oval
Punch - Woodware Flower
Colouring - ProMarkers
Embellishments - Ribbon, Brads and Sticky Pearls from my stash

Georgia was absolutely thrilled to bits with all the lovely cards and gifts she received from blogging friends and I know she is desperate to upload piccies of everything and then thank you all individually. Only problem is she's had a mammoth History project to complete this weekend and is still working on it tonight. She is a perfectionist so she will no doubt be going the extra mile!! I've told her that everyone will understand and she can catch up with her blogging tomorrow!! I'm thanking you all on her behalf for tonight - hope that's okay?!

Enjoy the rest of this wonderfully sunny day peeps.

TTFN and TFL xxx

Colour Create Challenge Week Seven - Red and Green....

I hope you can join us for this week's challenge over at Colour Create. We have another lovely colour combo for you and the Design Team cards are fantastic - the girls never fail to come up with the goods and it amazes me how different we all are in our creations too! The optional extra is 'wings' which I hope will be nice and easy to cope with. I've adopted a simple style again for my card, I'm really enjoying showing off a bit more white on one or two of my cards lately.

Materials:
Image - The Greetings Farm
Dragonfly - unknown
Sentiment - Computer Generated
Papers - from my scraps
Die - Sizzix Leaves
Punch - EK Success Medium Retro Flower
Colouring - ProMarkers
Embellishments - Brads and Gems from my stash

I've had such a busy weekend with it being Georgia's birthday and the house has been full to bursting! She is now officially a teenager but she didn't come downstairs like Kevin the Teenager this morning saying 'It's so unfair', lol! I must just say a huge thank you to all of you lovely peeps who sent her cards and goodies this weekend, you are so wonderful and it really made her day....... I know she will be thanking you all individually and putting piccies on her blog very shortly. Hmmmmmmm, I'm asking myself 'who has the most stash now?'...... maybe I'll go rummaging in her stuff for a change, hee hee!

TTFN and TFL xxx

Sorry!!!!

Just a quick apology for not being around much and visiting all my fave bloggers! I've had a cluster of migraines and have been staying away from the PC as much as possible. I hope to catch up with you all as soon as I can, enjoy the rest of your week peeps! ;o)

xx

Stamp Something Challenge - Favourite Somethings

Evening peeps!

Here is a card I sent to my friend Sharon this week in a RAK - I'm also entering it into this week's Stamp Something Challenge as the theme is to create a project inspired by your favourite thing. Well, my favourite thing is shopping, no contest!!



I inked up another of the gorgeous Club Anya stamps, I just love her socks don't you?

Materials:
Image - The Greetings Farm
Sentiment - Studio G
Papers - Basic Grey Sultry
Die - Sizzix Large Swirl
Embossing - Cuttlebug Diamond
Flowers - Prima Hydrangeas
Colouring - Polychromatic Pencils
Embellishments - Brads and Gems from my stash
Accents - Faux Stitching with a Fineliner

I have a day off tomorrow and have to nip into town to get some new work shoes, then it's back home to make Georgia's birthday card while she's not around, hee hee!

Toodles for now ;o)

xxx

PTW - Pink, Orange and Brown and Happy Birthday Rica!

Afternoon peeps!

I'm lucky enough to be able to sneak in a card for this week's Papertake Weekly challenge before the new one is uploaded..... very last-minute I know! I love this scrummy colour combo and had some nice paper to use in my bits and bobs box.

I made this card for Heather's birthday and sent it to her with some goodies, I'm okay to show it to you now as I know she's received the parcel. Many Happy Returns friend, hope you're having a lovely day in this Spring sunshine!



I just had to ink up this scrummy Anya stamp from The Greetings Farm, she comes with interchangeable accessories for her hat and you can also change her pet...... how cool is that! I really recommend buying from The Greetings Farm, great service and delivery is nice and quick too. I've got my eye on a few more gorgeous pieces of rubber but I'm being good for now!!!

Materials:
Image - The Greetings Farm
Sentiment - The Greetings Farm
Papers - Scrap Box
Die - Sizzix Swirl, Sizzix Photo Corner
Flowers - Flora Doodles, Prima
Colouring - ProMarkers
Embellishments - Brads, Beads and Sticky Pearls from my stash

Enjoy the rest of your day peeps!

TTFN and TFL xxx

Colour Create Week 6 - Orange, Yellow and Green

Grrrrrrr! All my posts have disappeared!! Where have they gone!!!

I thought I'd try adding my DT project for this week's Colour Create Challenge in the hope that it might mend my blog.

I'll be back in a bit to add some more details and individual piccies of my fridge magnets.



......UPDATE: Well that seemed to work! PHEW!

Here are the magnets in more detail.....











I really enjoyed making these and they now have pride of place on my fridge. I used to be really put off by non-card challenges, but I think my confidence has grown a little bit as time has gone on. There's always so much inspiration out there in blogland anyway. And I think you'll agree that the creations provided by my fellow DT members are simply amazing! I got a sneaky peek during the week and was so impressed, they really are clever girlies!!

I hope you can have a go this week, remember if you don't fancy a non-card project then a card is absolutely fine - we wouldn't want you to miss out on playing with these scrummy colours!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and thanks for taking the time to visit my blog - your comments are always hugely appreciated ;o)

TTFN xxx

Basic Grey # 25 - A Sketch

Morning to you all!

This week over at Basic Grey we have been asked to create a card using the wonderful sketch Martine has provided. I think you'll find all the inspiration you need when you visit and take a look at the amazing creations from my fellow Design Team members - the papers they've chosen to work with are so scrummy this week!

For my card I flipped the sketch sideways and inked up the gorgeous Oakley available as part of the new WOJ Springtime range. I used papers from the Cupcake range and accessorised with some die cut leaves and grass.



Materials:
Image - Whiff of Joy
Sentiment - Penny Black
Accessory Stamp - Kars
Papers - Basic Grey Cupcake
Die - Sizzix Leaves, QuicKutz Grass, QuicKutz Corner
Colouring - ProMarkers
Embellishments - Brads and Lace Ribbon from my stash

Have a lovely weekend peeps and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow over at Colour Create!

TTFN and TFL xx

COPIC LOVERS, CAN YOU HELP PLEASE?

Morning lovely peeps!

I was wondering if I could pick your brains please about Copics? I'm saving my pennies very hard so that I can invest in some of these soon. I do love my ProMarkers but I'm sure they don't blend as well as Copics and it also annoys me a bit that the nib isn't fine enough to colour in detailed images without going out of the lines. What I'm in a quandry about is whether to go for Copic Ciao or Sketch...... I'm really not sure what the difference is, other than price obviously. I do notice that most peeps seem to use the Sketch markers so I'm guessing they must be better. Also, where do I start? Which would be the best set to start with, most useful colours, etc? Finally (sorry) are there any good places to buy them from in terms of price and service?

Thanks soooooooo much my friends! Have a great day today ;o)

TTFN xxx

High Hopes Christmas Card....

Well I forgot to add this one to my blog a couple of weeks back when I entered the High Hopes guest designer call. I have no idea who has been chosen but I'm sure whoever it is will do a wonderful job alongside all the incredible talent on there. I really enjoyed using non-Chrismassy colours on this one, they seem to work really well. I think the fact that there are so many Christmas cards floating around at the moment due to the Sugar Bowl challenge jogged my memory to upload this card.



Materials:
Image - High Hopes
Sentiment - Computer generated
Papers - offcuts
Die - Sizzix Swirl
Punch - Leone Em Ash Branch
Colouring - ProMarkers
Flowers - Prima
Embellishments - Ribbon and Jingle Bells from my stash
Accents - Stickles

Well I'm blogging at work and I really shouldn't be, so I'm sneaking off to do a bit of real work before I finish..... toodles for now!!

xx

Colour Create # 5 - Blue and Brown

Evening folks!

I'm going to make this a lightening quick post because I am really late with this card and also seriously behind with my blog hopping and commenting. The weekend has run away with me, friends and family calling unexpectedly which isn't a bad thing, in fact it's lovely...... but you then have to put things like crafting and blogging on the back burner a bit. Never mind, I'm sat here now with glass of wine in hand, playing a quick game of catch up!

My card is fairly self-explanatory really - I had the pleasure of using this lovely Magnolia stamp which arrived in my yummy candy sent by Jacqui this weekend. I thought it would work perfectly for this week's extra option of lace and pearls..... oh and I am quite pleased with the sentiment, it came to me in a bit of an inspired moment, lol!



Materials:
Image - Magnolia
Sentiment - Computer generated
Papers - offcuts
Punch - Woodware
Die - Nestie Scalloped Oval
Embossing - Cuttlebug Script
Colouring - ProMarkers
Lace - Around the Block frame tape
Embellishments - Pearls from my stash
Accents - Stickles and Liquid Pearls

Right then, I'm off to start a hopping...

TTFN and TFL xxx