News Article

Thursday 26 February 2009
Sorry I've not had anything to show the last couple of days. I've been having lots of thoughts about possibly doing a Christmas Fair (I know!) this year and what items I would want to make and sell. It would be great to know what you would like to see if you were at fair looking for something a bit different.

Anyway, my main reason for posting today was to apologise for not having shown the news article on my card win. It wasn't shown on the website like I was promised so I need to scan the image and post in on here for you all to see. I was a little bit disappointed by it as she said that I took the top prize when I explained that I was one of 4 lucky winners. I was also told that my blog address would be included, but this did not happen either.

I hope you are all having a good day and thank you for any comments you may leave, they are greatly appreciated.

xx :0)

Elzybells Release Day & MEGA Blog Candy!!

Monday 23 February 2009
The day has finally arrived over at Elzybells for the latest releases to be available to purchase!! After all the fab sneak peeks by the wonderful Design Team, I'm sure you've got your favourites! You can see them all here!

Over on the Elzybells blog, Elizabeth is giving one lucky person to win ALL of the newly released stamps! All you have to do is take a look at the new designs, post on your blog about them and then leave a comment on the Elzybells blog saying what you think of them!! How easy is that?!?!

Good luck to everyone that enters!!

Hope every one's having a good day and thank you for any comments you may leave, they are greatly appreciated.

xx :0)

CCT 48 - Signs of Spring

Sunday 22 February 2009
I'm not sure if this card qualifies for this weeks Cute Card Thursday Challenge, but I'll enter it anyway! The theme is Signs of Spring and could be interpreted as an image, embellishment of colour scheme. I'm hoping the colour scheme will apply in this case!!

This card is for a colleague at work. She requested something for her neighbours daughter with a ballerina. I thought the gorgeous Tilda from the Magnolia Pink Collection was perfect. She's been stamped on Bristol Board Extra Smooth and coloured in with copics before being cut out. The base is made up of two colours of Core'dinations cs (don't know colours) mounted onto a card blank. Some white cs has been embossed with the D'vine Swirls folder and layered onto the darker cs before being added to the base. I was panicking because I didn't have any ribbon to match, so coloured some white ribbon in with one of my copics before wrapping around the middle of the image. I added some gemstones to the flower centres to make it stand out a bit. The flowers are Prima and have also been coloured with a copic pen. The sentiment is computer generated and added with 3d foam pads.

I hope my friend likes it!

I can't believe that the weekend is almost over! It seems to be gone in the blink of an eye.

Hope you've all had an enjoyable weekend, and thank you for any comments you may leave, they are greatly appreciated.

xx :0)

Engagement Card & A Bad Day At The Footy!

Saturday 21 February 2009
Well, after my earlier comment about the big match, I'm afraid to say we had a disastrous game and lost 2-0! I've not seen my dad that animated in a long time, the ref was atrocious!

Anyway, to cheer myself up, I decided to make my good friends engagement card. Sarah's lovely fella proposed to her on Valentine's Day, on a long weekend to Scotland!

I thought the cute Penny Black "You're a Treasure" stamp was the perfect image for this occasion. I have coloured this with Copics, cut out with nestabilities and mounted onto a scalloped circle also cut with my nesties. The base is made up of white cs mounted onto red cs and attached to a white card blank. I have then cut a strip of white cs and embossed with the D'vine Swirls folder before mounting to a strip a red cs. This has been finished off with red organza ribbon and a pearl heart slider. As I didn't have anything that said "Congratulations on your engagement", I looked through my stash and found an old See D's set that had a beautiful sentiment "Wishing you a lifetime of love" and I thought that was perfect. I didn't want the card to look a little sparse, so the final touch was some red heart gems at the top and bottom corners.

I can't take any credit for this layout. I first saw it on Michelle's blog, who saw it on Zoe's blog! I just loved it and have been waiting for an opportunity to use it.

I am so loving making all these cards again and I've got all of you lovely people to thank for keeping me going, you're amazing!

Hope you've all had a lovely day and thank you for any comments you may leave, they're much appreciated.

xx :0)

Get Well Ellie

As I've been feeling a bit poorly the last couple of days, what better card to make than a get well card! I've inked up one of the cute Ellie stamps from Stamposaurus that I got at Ally Pally last year and have watercoloured her with WHSmiths watercolour pencils. She's then been cut out with oval nestibilities and mounted onto one of my favourite Bazzill blues. Actually, all the blue cs on this card is by Bazzill! I've used my MS Lace Doily punch again to create a decorative strip, with a smaller layer of cs and finished off with some organza ribbon and gemstones. The base is just some pale blue cs mounted onto a white card blank.

As the card was looking a bit bare at he top, I added some sizzix photo corners and gem butterflies. The sentiment is by Woodware.

I'm undecided on whether the butterflies were a good thing to add, so I'd be grateful if you could let me know your thoughts.

You might have guessed that blue is one of my favourite colours, and that is largely due to my boys in the blue and white hoops of Reading!! I'm off to see them this afternoon with my dad, so may not get a chance to post another card today. It's a big game against Bristol City who are playing a bit better than we are at the moment. I just hope Doyler and Hunty remember to put their shooting boots on today!!

Hope you are enjoying this beautiful Saturday and thank you for any comments you may leave, they are gratefully appreciated.

xx :0)

Mojo Monday Week 74

Thursday 19 February 2009
I loved the sketch for this weeks Mojo Monday challenge and couldn't resist giving it a go for my sisters birthday card.

I've used a Little Claire's stamps that I've had for a little while but not used. This has been coloured with Copics and mounted onto light and dark purple Papermainia CS. The base has been made up of the same colours, with the lighter colour being embossed with the swiss dots folder. I realised as I was putting it together that I missed the ribbon off, I hope they don't hold this against me! The finishing touch was the sentiment oval by Craftwork Cards.

I hope you are all having a lovely evening and thank you for any comments you leave, they are greatly appreciated.

xx :0)

Forever Friends Challenge - General Birthday

The challenge this week over at Forever Friends is to make a general birthday card. As it's my 2nd cousin Abbie's birthday today, what better excuse to use one of my lovely FF Stamps! The image has been coloured using my copics and mounted onto cs. The base has been partly embossed using the swiss dots folder and the bottom punched with my MS Doily punch before being layered onto another piece of cs and finished off with some ribbon from my stash and 3 gem stones. The sentiment is from Hero Arts and has been cut out and mounted using nestabilities.

I hope you like it!


I'm at home today as I've got a bit of an upset stomach. I'm hoping to finish my sister's card as it's her birthday tomorrow and I've got a couple more card requests for people at work that I need to work on this week but I'm feeling really washed out at the moment.

Hope everyone is having a good day and thank you for any comments you leave, they are greatly appreciated.
xx :0)

You'll never believe this!!!

Tuesday 17 February 2009
I'm in shock! After excitedly posting on Saturday that I had was one of the Elzybells Valentines competition winners, imagine my surprise when a comment is left from a journalist for a local weekly newspaper saying how she would like to do a little photo story about my win!!

I couldn't believe that they were seriously considering this as, in terms of the major card making competitions, this is fairly low key (not for me!). Anyway, after emailing the lady back, she confirmed that it was the sort of "good news" story their readers like. I did an interview over the phone last night and this morning a photographer came round to take a photo of me with the winning entry and another with me holding a couple more cards!

They've said that it should be in this Thursday's edition as well as appearing on their website!

How mad is that?!?!?

Hope everyone is having a good day and thank you for any comments you may leave, they are greatly appreciated.

xx :0)

Tilda 21st Card

Sunday 15 February 2009
I've been asked by a friend to make a card for her niece's 21st birthday. This is a big thing for me as I don't get asked to make cards very often.

I've used one of my new Magnolia stamps & coloured her with Copics (I coloured a LOT, practising shading). I think this one is from the New Year Collection.

The base is made up of Bazzil CS and some satin ribbon. The wording has been cut using the Girls are Weird sizzix alphabet set. The sentiment is from Woodware.

Do you think this card is okay for a 21st? As I've said before, I'm not too good with layouts and don't have many DP's, so this is why it's a bit plain. I love looking at everyone elses creations, but put different papers in front of me and I suddenly don't have a clue!!

Sorry about the dark photo. Still haven't managed to work out the best way to talk good quality photos with my daylight tip. If anyone has the answer, please let me know!

Hope you've all had a good weekend. Thank you for stopping by. All comments are greatly appreciated.

xx :0)

OMG, I Won!!!!!

Saturday 14 February 2009
I'm in total shock as I've just seen that I am one of the lucky winners in the Elzybells Valentine Competition!!

I entered this card, never daring to believe that I would win! I now have £10 to spend at the Elzybells online store!

This has made my day!

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend.

xx :0)

Confessions of a bad blogger!!

Sunday 8 February 2009
I know, it's been a week since I last posted anything! I don't know where this last week has gone! It's been so busy, what with battling the weather to get into work everyday. Work has been full on for me too, so by the time I get home, I just flake out and haven't really ventured into my craft room.

I have managed to finish hubby's Valentine card, but I daren't post it in case he decides to pay a surprise visit!

When I have made it into the room, I've been getting very frustrated as I've been trying to get to grips with using my Coloursoft pencils and Sansador. I just do not seem to be able to grasp this technique at all, and my work looks very messy and untidy. I've seen so many people who have the most beautifully coloured images and it all looks so effortless. I don't seem to be able to get the colour to reach the centre of the area, or look neat. I'm using 160gsm cs and paper stumps from Hobbycrafts. If anybody can give me any tips/advice or point me in the direction of a good video tutorial I would be eternally grateful!

I hope you are all having a lovely, snow free weekend.

xx :0)

Elzybells Showcase Sunday

Sunday 1 February 2009
I'm so excited because I've been featured on the Elyzbells blog as part of their Showcase Sunday. All you have to do is email Elizabeth photos of cards you've made using an Elzybells stamp.

I was busy again yesterday making 3 more cards using the Miss You Teddy stamp. This stamp is so versatile and can be used for a number of occassions. The layouts are all fairly similar, using Bazzil Basics card, nestabilities and ribbon. The image has been coloured with copics. The sentiments are also from the Elzybells Valentines range.

I'm sorry about the photo quality. I'm trying to take them using my daylight lamp, but not sure I'm doing it properly. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you for all the lovely comments you've been leaving on my recent cards, they are greatly appreciated.

Thank you for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

xx :0)