A die cut Tilda from Jude

Hi , first I must say thanks to Jude over at crafts international, she very kindly sent me some fab images and this one was on a die cut which meant I could join in with the challenge over at Magnolia stamp lovers who have a challenge to use a die cut. I do have a big shot but so far the only dies I have are 2 small alphabets for doing scrapbook titles,so this arrived just at the right time, so thanks again so much.

Creative card crew have a going dotty challenge this time and my dotty paper must count for that. I am so trying to use colours from my nornm hence the pink and scraps from my scraps folder so this is really not my comfort zone , so hope I've done ok.

Just magnolia have a challenge this time to make an easel card and this card design is really growing on me though I still have problems working out where to position the stopper to form the easel, i seem to put it somewhere different every time.

The layout is from Totally papercrafts #8, and I love this sketch thanks Joanne, I think it could become a favourite for my little book of inspiration if thats ok, I thought it would be hard to do but I really love the results.

Finally and I'm not sure how far their boundary rules can be pushed but over at CRAFT they have a challenge to use a nursery rhyme as inspiration. Well to me my card reminds me of 2 of my sons favourites pat-a-cake pat -a-cake and hey diddle diddle , he use to giggle at the dish and spoon running away, probably as the actions mean you run your fingers up the childs arm and tickle. Hope it's not too far an imagination stretch, his other favourite was puff the magic dragon song, for some reason he would fall about laughing at it, but loved it so much he had a dragon birthday cake for his 3rd birthday for playgroup.

Friday skeches #94

What a down pour of rain we have just had , hard to believe our changable weather at the mo. The frogs are still at it quite madly and yesturday it was uite amusing watching them elbow each other out of the way in hopes of getting to the nearest female, lots of splashing going on and some must have been sucessful as there is alot of frogspawn now, and the rain justdoesn't seem to slow them down either.

Well onto my card. I recently got my first greeting farm stamp, partly as he was on my wish list and partly to wind Andrew up. Having been off his feet and still not everso mobile his hair has grown over the last 2 months and he refused to have it cut. (sorry been off his feet didn't make his hair grow, that sounded real daft). I kept calling him Edward as his hair sort of fell into the middle all stuck up and he wouldn't gel it so it just looked a mess. I really don't like it when he has it cut as he likes it really short but it was just something to tease him about and a good retort for all his tormenting. Well the day after I got the stamp and showed him the image he requested a hair cut, so I spoilt my own fun, but I did get a new stamp so thats not too bad.

I decided I would use it on a card for my nephew, and as I am trying to make a concerted effort to use some of my paper scraps on every card Friday sketches seemed like the ideal layout. I haven't yet added a sentiment as I will make a few cards and then mum and son can choose which they like and I will add cousin or grandson or nephew as appropriate.

Whilst I'm on a roll with male cards I thought I'd enter another over at cards for men. They have a theme of birthdays this time, hope I'm ok entering more than one in a challege and that my entries don't get disqualified.

Enjoy the rest of the day and weekend tomorrow the weather might be better who knows?

Something for the kiddies

 I decided a little while ago to have a play with some teddy stamps that my son chose when he was about 5 as stamps for his party invitations and thankyou cards, and although its nearly 11 years ago I can honestly say I don't think I've used them since, perhaps on the odd scrapbook page but nothing else. I determined as they are so cute I ought to try and decided clean and simple would be best. I stamped and coloured a couple of the images and then cut them out. I then went over them with versamark and clear embossing powder to give them a glazed effect , then simply mounted them on white and gold. The insides of each card has a stamped and coloured image on the inlay. I remember how when my son was little he and his friends would all be fascinated with the smallest of things, I suppose its because to them relatively speaking they aren't small are they. 

Over at Charisma they have a challenge to create something for the kiddies, so I thought I might enter these cards into their challenge.

Just cute bears also have a challenge I might be able to scrape into, it's called all white, you are allowed to use colour on your image only the rest of your card is to be white, do you think they'll count my image mount as my image and let me off with the little bit of gold, well I can try can't I. Hope you all have a fab weekend, its miserable here at the mo butit's suppose to be sunny again tomorrow.Thanks for popping by.

Spring is sprung

The real question is for how long though. The flowers seem to think it's arrived and so do the frogs as I have my first frog spawn in the pond this morning and they are still at it, making lots of splashes in the pond if you know what I mean.

Well my card this morning I made for a friend, best not say too much as I am trying to encourage her daughters to enter blog land and craft land too so she might pop onto my blog you never know.

I am entering it into a couple of challenges listed below and of course the penny black challenge. A couple have similar colour themes and a couple are springy themed but that will be clearer form the list. Sorry I know I don't normally just list but thought I'd do a quicker post before I check how Andrew is doing with his Spanish.

Crafty Ann's#10-want liliac,pink and lemon

Crafty sentiments#9- sketch layout and to use 2 different papers

Penny Black#92-spring colours

Daring cardmakers -use daffodils and/or spring flowers

Papertake weekly-liliac and lemon

Cute card thursday-anniversary /birthday/annual celebration

Crafty catz-spring

It's never black and white for teenagers...

...especially boys. Well it sounded good as a title, and I suppose it might be true although it might be more that they would argue black is white, but enough of that waffle.

My card as you may gather is for a teenage boy, I have another nephews birthday at the begining of April and my son will be 16 on st Georges day, where does time go , it only seems like minutes since hubby was showing me a photo of a little pink blob to me whilst I was groggy from anaesthetic in ITU and him baming this is our son, and he's a really good weight they say he's 2lb 13oz. Boy has he made up for that now!

Well digressing again , naughty me, my card ,I've made using one of my new stamps from woj and they have an easel challenge this week. I must admit these are growing on me but I still have problems knowing where to position the brads , buttons or raiaed card to stop the easel falling, and how to decorate the base, but I'll get there if I make enough of them I suppose.

The layout is for this weeks challenge at passion for promarkers and it took me a while to work out what papers to use but I finally got there and am quite happy with the result, although one or two of my layers might not be perfectly positioned, I can't decide if it's my positioning or the pattern of the papers beneath that makes me think I've gone wonky, the papers not me for real lol.

Creative craft challenges want you to use a number 2 on your project this time, and as most teenagers seem to use text language everyday this sentiment seemed to be perfect for my teenage card.

Die cuts R us have an unusal challenge in that you have a choice of colours to use this week. You can use white with a choice of blue, black, brown, green, pink or red. I decided to go with black and white as I love these together and the drama is perfect for any young male who thinks he's knocking on the door of being a man.

Cards for men just want a birthday card this time so that is that challenge completed.

Artful Inkables are celebrating their 2nd birthday so they too have a happy birthday theme for their challenge this week so thatsanother challenge done, oh how I love it when they all are so nice sharing. I think its just they are all such great minds that they think alike.

Finally a more unusual challenge from ABC, this week it's Q for Quote. My quote is from a set by the Darkroom and so apt I think for someone bordering on adulthood making decisions that will mould their future and how easy for their dreams to fall to the wayside when told you can't do that by someone who left their dreams behind. If  we don't have our dreams to aspire to when young when can we strive to achieve . sorry waffling again.

Well the sun is trying to shine and the thermometer says it's getting warmer so who knows we might be able to enjoy the rest of our day in a springtime haze, or we could dream ?

Why are boys so hard...

... to make things for? I have 2 males in my household so as i have a couple of things to make for my nephews I thought I would pick their brains, I so wish I hadn't then I could pleed ignorance. I was making , well trying to make a couple of easter baskets for my nephews, mum is going to see them at easter so she said she would take down thier easter pressies so that meant I could do somethin alittle different to posting a gift voucher or similar. I have yet to buy the goodies to fill them but that will be the easy bit . I asked both son and hubby what kind of things boys would like on them, are things like flowers butterflies, bunnies and eggs acceptable. Although I asked separately I got the same look and response from both, just rabbits and eggs , flowers and butterflies and cute little chicks are so girly and not boy things. Boy did that scupper my ott plans so my bakets are plain and simple and I personalised with a name well saves arguments doesn't it.

I am entering these wee baskets into the challenges for eater at Sassy Designs who have an easter theme.

The pink elephant has a spring theme and they like things other than cards so I'll enter these there, hope easter comes under the spring umberella.

Cute Daisy May have an anything goes challenge theme so thats the third challenge for my little bunny baskets.

I have also made the boys an easter card each, and decided this cute little dragon a freebie from Dustin Pike would fit the bill of not girly. I have done them both slightly different so the boys don't squabble at seeing double. The first I originally coloured in bright green and mango for the challenge at passion for promarkers but yet again have missed the deadline . I haven't followed a set layout but instead much to my distress as I really feel guilty when I do distress have roughed up the edges so I can enter the challenge at YNS, which is distressing, if you get what I mean.

A spoonful of sugar has an easter theme challenge this week too so my little dragons can fly over there to enter their challenge.

Simon says has a challenge in honour of St. Patricks day and as my dragon's green I think he might join in the celebrations over there, and don't forget if you enter their challenge there are Lorraines, and Catt candies you can enter weekly and Domi's every month too thats loads of chances to win, just for entering a card.

Sophisticats has a theme of new beginnings and thats what easter is partly about and why all these new babies are associated with it, as flowers burst into life and spring wanders in, well usually unless mother nature plays tricks of course or you're in the southern hemisphere.Not sure about between the tropics oh I best stop before I tie myself in knots.I am entering my card as it has a newly hatched chick on it and easter is about new beginings.

Cup cake craft challenges have a green theme too St. Pat again and I think I will wind up my challenges with the citrus theme form CRAFT providing I've not missed their deadline. Have a fab day although its gone cloudy here now, not that that will bother the frogs I'm sure, thanks for popping by.

Bright colours for Swanage memories

My card this post is for the challenge over at the sugar bowl. It is a fab sketch layout with an extra of stars, which I managed to use one, unless the spots and stars you see after my bright colours count.

I managed to make this whilst my son has the home tutor, not that I've sorted my craft room move, my craft stuff is spread over 3 rooms at present, until I get the bookcases and units I need, hopefully this weekend fingers crossed, but had to find a way to craft. Before Andrews teacher arrived we somehow got to talking about geography and field trips which as I brought my coffee upstairs to play for an hour reminded me of my A level geography field trip to Swanage. Nothing to do with the geopgraphy but the fun memories like going on a hike to find different land features and we 3 girls read the map wrong and ended up in a farm yard, we decided we must have taken a wrong turn especially when we found ourselves face to face with a load of cows.

Another memory is our cliff top walk where we were suppose to be doing stacks and cliff erosion, we were all more fascinated with the piece of road that started in the middle of a field and ended on the cliff edge, white lines and everything. The best bit was being able to say we stood on that road when it was on TV as as advert for a car driving fast to the edge and stopping. The card though was inspired by our wanderings into Swanage to the one cafe that was still open and obviously patronised by the locals. We all got very strange looks and how boring and straight laced we must all have seemed with our yorkshire accents and practical clothes. We looked on at the locals with amazment as they were all punk rockers with bright fluroescent coloured hair black torn and pinned clothes and chains. Punk rock seemed to have died out a coulpe of years earlier at home , it was a bit like time warping but nevertheless it inspired my card today and has made me smile thinking back. Many of my friends from that trip now have influential jobs  or are married to people in high places, civil servants , lawyers, chemists and even the odd lowly teacher. strange how we grow up and I suspect non of us ever dreamt of being what we become, its almost as if our paths are mapped out before us and we just play the game.

Well spring is here the frogs are multiplying in the pond and the sun is out, get out your glasses as here's my card. I haven't yet added the sentiment as not decided yet what to put, hope sugar nellie don't mind.

Missed deadline yet again...

... but good for one challenge still.

I decided to make something a little different to a card for a change and as I tend to write my shopping list in a little note book( I loose it less easily) I decided to give my new one a face lift, I'll definitely not loose it now.

The sketch layout is for the magnolicious march sketch and it was quite fun to use.

The colour scheme of pink and chocolate was for another magnolia challenge- magnolia stamp lovers but i missed that deadline, but never mind the colours look good anyway, even though I'm not a pink girl but I do love sparklies. Hope you like them too.

Why did I start?

I suppopse I should explain. Well my craft room was, is not sure now well it was the box room bedroom and I just use to put anything else in there that I wasn't sure where to put. It got very cosy to say the least but I could sit in my chair and with an outstretched arm get virtually anything I wanted.

A couple of weeks ago I was complaining yet again about all the board games hubby buys and the remote control cars he and my son have and things generally getting dumped and just generally having a big winge. For some reason my son suggested we could swap my craft room to the big bedroom that is the board game etc room and dvd storage with my craft room , I could then have my computer and craft all in one room and it wouldn't look such a mess if all the other stuff was in a different room. What he really meant was I wouldn't see it as often and complain as much, but I did like the idea of a bigger craft room, more room for stash.
I ran it by hubby saying we could get some shelves and he'd beable to find games etc easier , he just said whatever. Well today don't know why maybe its cos all the frogs are descending on the pond to spawn and it means spring is here but I decided to make a start. What a mistake it feels like. I am so glad that my son is still having to sleep downstairs post surgery as it means I can use his room as a weigh station. My sister in law has moved into her mums house as they have bought it as her parents have moved to tenerife and she has some book cases and units she said I could have , but am waiting on them arriving as they are too big for my car, and now I could really do with them but I so don't want to hassle her as I'm sure she has enough on swapping houses and getting hers ready to sell, but I so don't know where to put things and consequently I'm not sure when I'll be able to craft.

Good job it was mothers day yesturday and I managed a couple of projects. Here is the first. I printed this fab fun image a while ago it was a bugaboo freebie and I think it makes such a fun get well card especially for a man.Catch the bug have a fab sketch this week and so I thought I'd have a go at entering their challenge. I must admit they have some real fun images but I'm not really a digi girl even though I can see all the positive virtues of digi's, so once in a while I try to make the effort and use a digi.

There are alot of green challenges around this week on account of St.Patricks day, and as I don't know of anyone who really celebrates for the right reason and not just the excuse of a booze up I thought I would just use green on my card with a touch of cream to satisfy some of the challenges too.

The challenges I will enter this card for under the green theme are:-
Incy wincy-green
stamp something-green and cream
fussy and fancy-green
cupcake craft challenge-going green

I am also entering into the crazy for challenges who have a theme of for a male. I think this would make a fab man get well card , hope they agree.

Talk about last minute...

...well I finally got around to finishing my nieces birthday box and more importantly made her a card for her 21st birthday, just as well as she celebrates with a party tonight, couldn't go empty handed could I. I got her a cute pair of earings , platinum of course.

With the help of Jude I got some whiff of joy stamps and I figured this image would be perfect for a young lady, hope she likes the colours.The layout is actually from the whiff of joy challenge, must say I did find it a little hard but I quite like the end product.

Crafty creations have a challenge to make your own flowers and as I didn't have one in the right colour I decided to have a  go with a daisy punch and a small heart punch, one on the card which is more elaborate and then some on the box.

Creative cottage has a new theme as they are a new challenge blog, open to interpretation. Well hope they don't mind I just used my new stamp and little gems I bought last week. They are also looking for new DT members so why not pop across and see for yourself.

Cute card thursday have a celebration as they are celebrating their 2nd birthday ,there theme is celebrations,so my card can join in as its to celebrate Chelsea's 21st birthday.

Polka doodles have a challenge for a special birthday or milestone and my card could fit into both of those so I can't believe another entry.

Papercutz has an anything goes challenge as does Secret saturday crafter, well as I have 2 bits to my birthday project hopefully neither challenge will mind sharing, but no fighting over the card and box please.

Totally papercrafts has a things with wings theme this time so my little flutterbys, sorry butterflies will cover that challenge.

Magical crafts challenge #10 has a things with wings theme too, so thats another.

Charisma have a more specific challenge of beautiful buuterflies so hopefully my duel layer with the fantasy film will make them beautiful enough for their challenge. Its worth poppin over as there is the chance of 3 prizes and they have a DT call too.

Paperplay have a theme of seeing double, using the same image twice on your project, hope I don't get penalised for seeing triple!

Finally Totally gorjuss have a challenge of sweet, again open to interpretation. Well I think my little gift box is sweet as well as my little butterflies so hopefully they will too.

Have a great weekend and to all those mummies and other special ladies have a special weekend not just tomorrow and get spoilt and pampered by your loved ones.Thanks for popping by and hopefully I'll be back soon.

Ben 16

Hi all, managed to sneak in a card this afternoon, its quite a simple card as its for a male , my nephew is 16 on thursday so have to get it in the post, so its not quite what I planned as the stamps I was going to use are still in transit, but they'll save till he's 18 lol.

Spent all morning at the hospital yesturday with my son , who is now out of plaster so now all the shouting and tears come next until we get him back to being mobile but his foot is a better shape, and as long as he isn't in any pain when all the swelling etc has completely gone I'll be happy.

Back to my card sorry digressing again. The sketch is from the challenge at sunday sketch and stamp#23, for a boys card I think it works quite well, might have a play with it for a girly one as I think it could look so different.

I had a lovely comment left on one of my posts telling me about a new challenge , Just scraps, they are on thier second challenge but I'm sure they'd love you all to pop along and join in. Their theme this week is black, white and red, perfect for a boy.

Die cut dreams have a theme of no flowers, the perfect oppourtunity to make a boys card!

Kaboodle doodle have a happy birthday theme so I shallbe entering their challenge too.

Quirky cards has a challenge that runs for 2 weeks and this time the theme is to use buttons, and I have plenty of them so I am off to enter that challenge too.

Oh the sun has finally decided to get up and the sky is clear blue, looks like another fine but cold day ahead.

Creative inspirations want us to make a male card this time, I love it when there are so many challenges that I can enter for a card that I am making anyway, its as if fate takes a hand don't ya think?

Oh well better hurry as I'll have to go and get Andrew up soon as he wants to do some spanish before his teacher comes at 9 and the house looks like an obstacle course with all the equipment we have and moved around yesturday. Can't wait to get Andrew moving then he will beable to have his bed back upstairs and I can give my living room a really good spring clean, and it will be better for him too .

Quick update on Andrew( for those intrested)

Well today we have had some progress, back to the hospital and today pot off and Andrew can start to weight bear and so he can now start to learn to walk again. He came out of the hospital really positive, and decided he would get in the car totally unaided, despite us and the consultant telling him he should take it slowly and start by just standing. Needless to say he decided quickly that he couldn't quite manage it as it felt quite funny and he will now take it slowly.

He has been trying to stand but is being a bit of a wuss, sorry should I say that,as he keeps saying it feels bruised but we will get there in the next couple of days.

His consultant was very nice and let him take a couple of pics of his latest xrays of his latest metal wear in his foot that now hopefully stops his ankle rolling side to side. If goes quite well with his other mechano in his left foot and thighs and hip joints, bionic man eat your heart out!

calming colours?

This is suppose to be a quick post as told hubby I would only be 5 mins and started checking other blogs and have already been 20 mins so best get on with it.

This image is a freebie from Motivet and as you have to use one of their images to enter their challenges and they have some fab sketches I can see him , well probably a her getting used to bits, but it is so cute.

The layout was so lovely to do, hope I've not missed the deadline, I did last week but never mind.

Stamp something wanted a girly card and I don't know many girls who even if they aren't a cat person wouldn't mind recieving this cute pussy cat, though I don't think they'd be happy if it really dug up their plants.

Quixotic have an unusual challenge which is to use leaves, I did have something else in mind but as yet haven't gotten around to making that project so for now I will enter their challenge with this card, hope 2 leaves are enough.Well best get this linked and posted , enjoy the rest of your evening and what's left of the weekend.

Living up to Squirrel standards

My nephew has a birthday coming up and my son wanted a card for his older cousin, well he is 6 weeks older and for Andrew, Ben's birthday marks the countdown to his own birthday. Little did I know when I went to see |Ben in hospital when he was but hours old that Andrew would arrive so soon after, as he was meant to arrive in July not April!

Anyway, boys card I find hard, so as Andrew wanted the card, I thought get some insight while you can and pick his brains. What kinda thing do you want on Ben's card I asked. I have in the past done the things he's intrested in, skiing, fishing, computers, DS. I waited with baited breath ... have you got a dragon like on the cards I got from those craft blogger friends that I was sent. Totally not what I was expecting. Do you really think Ben will like that, well I do, was the reply. I don't have any dragon stamps but found a digi ( I think it's a pollycraft but am not sure but will edit when I find out), which got approval.

Right what colours I asked? Like Squirrels of course, do you think you can do it as good as Squirrels? I said I would try and begrudingly it was approved.

Andrew hasn't yet seen the finished card as it was suppose to be made to be as good as Squirrels and to tell the truth I think thats alot to live up to, and am a little scared that I'll just get an 'It's ok.' So Squirrel what do you think, can I tell Andrew I have your approval or will it say on my report card, must try harder? I actually wish I'd not asked, and they say women are the ones that are hard to please, I definitely think sons' and men in general are worse. Not really sure why I'm worrying as I know Ben will just look to see if there's any money in it and not really bother with the card.

I have decided I will enter this card into some challenges, so here goes.
The first is Lili of the Valley who want an easel card this time.
Cupcake craft challenge want lots of circles and I have lots of those.
Creative card crew have a celebrations theme so I can enter that.
The layout is Incy Wincy but rotated hope you can tell.
Finally Allsorts have a just for men challenge, and I know technically 16 isn't a man but I'm sure Ben will think so so I will enter their challenge too.

Thanks for popping by.

Just BEE -cause

I made this card a while ago whilst experimenting so the images are actually hand drawn similar to an image I saw on a card in a shop. I'm very naughty as when I go to places like M&S and see a card I like I make a doodle of it in a note book I have in my bag and then try to create something along the line of it, I just think its a way of staying up with the trends and getting ideas. Must admit though haven't done it in a while though, probably as I get lots of inspiration from blogland and that I don't seem to have been shopping for fun since just after christmas with Andrew being stuck at home.

Well anyway my card, I thought I would enter it into the challenge over at Paperplay as their challenge is called 'just because', the idea is to send someone you care about a card you make for them just because and no other reason.  I do this sometimes to family and friends I haven't seen in a while,talking on the phone is ok but a card lasts longer doesn't it, so this will go into my stash as one to send to my brother and family real soon.

I decided to add some fun and put the bee on a wire that I coiled into a spring so it wobbles, I also gave him wire antenae see what you think. Hopefully my colouring has improved slightly since I made this card a while ago but it just seemed to be perfect for this challenge.

spoonful of beads with a big bow

 

This card just says spring to me and I do love the clean and simple style , I am trying to use more flowers and embelishments to improve the look and complxity of my cards but occassionally I slip and go back to my comfort zone.

these little framed image are again form another stampman plate, I got alot of my early stamps from here, and they are one of my 2 favourite flowers dasies, the others being gladioli. I decided to keep it simple but wanted to add a little bit of texture so added a blob of pva to the flower centres and sprinkled with micro glass beads. I then mounted each frame on dark green mulberry paper and just added a big yellow bow.

I would like to enter my card into the YNS challenge , sorry I only have your mermaid stamps and couldn't think how a bow could work on a watery card, hope my bow is big enough.I would also like to enter it into the spoonful of sugar challenge to use beads, hope my micro beads count. 

Two fab challges that really made me think, perhaps thats why i dropped back to my comfort zone but I'm happy with the result anyway. 

one layer monotone

This card is for a couple of challenges ,I must admit probably like many crafter's I find mens cards quite challenging but oriental stamps work quite well for men and this horse is from a sheet from the stamp man that I bought a couple of years ago. I tried a bit of re-organisation last weekend and found all these stamps filed away and really I had forgotten how useful they are. I decided to spray my base card with some moonglow spritz and embossed the image in copper embossing powder and then paint with bronze moonglow mica pigment powder although that and the tassels I made look more golden than bronze, funny how cameras distort things in a bit of sunshine. 

I am entering this card into the challenge of monotone over at crafty creations.

Bunch of thankyou's

 

Mothers day is just around the corner but not everyone is lucky enough to have a mum or someone who is like a mum to share the day with.

I guess I am one of the lucky one's as i have a mum, mum in law and am a mum myself, so i am really blessed. 

CRAFT challenge have a theme for everyone this week as you can do mothers day or flowers on your project so no one will feel left out.My card has flowers but with the addition of a sentiment would make a fab mothers day card too, well I think so anyway. 

My ard this time is a little different for a change, I decided to blow the dust off my silk paints, can't take the credit for the drawing though as it was a pre-printed image as I'm so out of practice at drawing with gutta,but I thought the image was just so spring and cheerful.

Simon says also has a dual theme of mother's day or a girly card, there are so many considerate crafters around aren't there, so hope silk painting is ok for their challenge too.

Creative craft challenges have a theme called 'thanks a bunch' so I think my bunch of tulips now in a vase could count for their challenge too.

It made a real change silk painting and I'd forgotten how satisfying it is and as theraputic as colouring too. Thanks for popping by and hope you like my card.

Gingersnap birthday candy

Gingersnap are celebrating their birthday and you don't have to do much to join in the fun and enter their birthday candy. They are also looking for new DT members so why not pop over and check them out by clicking here.

NEWS FLASH....Pixie cottage Design teams

The pixie cottage are looking for new design team members and there seems to be loads of chances as there are senior and junior design team member posts as well as a tutorial specialist, a scrap book designer and a sketch artist. You can find out more , like what is expected for each post and what you get right here!

Why not pop across and have a read and a browse through as it all sounds very exciting and you don't even have to mess about loading up images on an email as they will comw and check out your blog, how easy for you and how kind of them, don't they sound a nice considerate bunch.

Hope you pop along and thanks for taking time to read this post.

Easter bunny for my boy!

How to do an easter card for my 15 year old son that he won't look at and go ...er... thanks! and you can just see his brain thinking 'how old does she think I am ?' well he 'll like the chocolate but is getting a bit old for the cute from mum sometimes, I get away with it alot of the time as he just thinks I'm a bit mad at times but still mum's are made to embarres aren't they?

The card I used a Dustin Pike image from High hopes for their challenge of brown and orange and a circle, I think he is just so cute but without the soppy cute bit. The pepers are from papermaina that I won in a blog candy from the fab Hanna as is the ribbon and little orange buttons. The brown buttons are from my stash. I coloured the image with promarkers and as the sun is shining today it really does feel like spring is on its way, at last!.

By the cute and girly happen to have a spring theme so I guess I have an entry for their challenge with my card too.

Do you think my rabbit will count as back to nature as passion for promarkers have back to nature as their theme this week, you can use any colours and layout so I guess I will try my entry over there too.
The fab layout is from the 5th challenge at Totally papercrafts its so simple but very effective as is often the case , thanks for a fab layout guys.

Finally Stamp something have a challenge recipe to use designer paper, a button or buttons and some ribbon, so recipe complete. It's a pity you can't see more of the ribbon, it almost makes me wish I was young enough and had hair long enough to wear in pig tails and ribbons its so pretty, ah well.

Thanks for dropping by and hope you all have some spring weather to enjoy too.

Asian challenges for the new year

I must have been in tune with someone over the weekend, as after trying to reorganise my craft room I found these stamps I'd not used in a while and decided to play a little, only to find that the corrosive challenge has an asian theme and that just happened to be the catergory my stamp falls into. The image is of a heron which apparently is a symbol of longevity so I was told by a person of oriental descent. The reason is they mate for life so whether its longevity of a partnership or life I'm not sure but it sounds a nice sentiment whichever, well I think so. I made 2 different cards using the same image so I guess you get 2 for the price of one, both images are powder embossed  the first in black and then painted with moonglow powders, simply mounted and I added a tassel I made a while ago when I was experimenting. I think the tassel is just the finishing tough and it would make a fab card for a man.

The second card I made I used moonglow embossing powder madonna blue/gold, although it does look more silver, and I love the effect. I stamped onto vellum which I am always a little wary of doing for some reason.

The base card is spritzed with moonglow mist and then I used pearl blue embossing powder on the little text symbols which I dotted around the background and then repeated inside the card. The whole thing is again finished with homemade tassels in complementing colours. This I think could double as a mans card or an anniversary card, see what you think.

I must have known there would be more than one asian theme as Sophisticats also has an oriental themed challenge this time, hope they don't mind sharing the same post.

Clean and simple

I found this card that i had made a little while ago and never got around to posting. The stamp I think is off a sheet I got from the stampman, but I'm not 100% sure sorry. I love the clean simple lines and as poppies come in lots of colours it is really quite versatile. I thought as it's oriental writing in the background it might be nice as a himalayan poppy, I would so love some of these in my garden as I think they would be beautiful and a little unusual too. I mounted it on a plain pearlised white card on blue pearlised card as a mount, I decided anything else would just distract from the fab image.

I noticed whilst blog hopping that saturday spotlight with hidden potential have a challenge of clean and simple so I think this fits the bill and will enter their challenge.hope they like it as much as I do.

Simon says on papercraft planet

Simon says has a fab challenge on papercraft planet, its to create something withe colours teal, brown and cream. I decided these would be perfect boys card colours so set about making my card. I had it all set in my mind but then started to doubt when it came to teal, as I had turquoise but no teal promarker as I always think teal is more a greeny turqoise so I had to improvise. I coloured the boys jumper stripes in turquoise and then added greygreen and khaki, I think it worked quite well. I used sakura pens for his trainers and hat using brown glaze and turquise.

The layout is from Kl stampin and scrappin #19 which I turned 90 degrees anticlockwise. I used teal pearl card and dark brown card which I sprayed with tawny walnut turqoise spray from the stampman. I don't think you can tell on the picture but when it catches the light it has fab teal hints, I also used this on my base card. i know my base would have been better cream but I only has lightweight cream card which doesn't make for a good base, too flimsy, but I stamped my image on cream.

I distressed the edge of my image which is so not my cup of tea, I always feel naughty and destructive damaging the card, but I suppose it adds a little to the card highlighted in chestnut whisper dye ink. Pollycraft #35 challenge is to distress, and I know it just means the card and not me, but I do always feel a little distressed when I do distressing.

Quixotic challenges has a theme of one for the boys and my card is a boy card I think so I will enter it into their challenge too.

For a little something completely different

Well not so little really. I made this aran cardigan for my son , it's not quite finished as it still needs buttons and I haven't had chance to go get any yet, but it hasn't stopped him wearing it.

I made myself one for our holiday in the summer for the evenings and my son laid on it one day when I left it on the sofa and decided he wanted one as it was cuddly. I must admit the thought of knitting another aran so soon after didn't really appeal and I didn't want to do it if it was only a whim, so I left getting the wool a while.
Needless to say by october half term and our trip to scotland my son asked if his aran cardy was done. I had to say no and said it was because I hadn't got the wool as I didn't know what colour he wanted, he immediately wanted to pick a colour and so once the wool arrived I started to knit. It has somehow taken me ages , longer than usual , my heart just wasn't in it but now it's finished I'm really pleased with it and more importantly so is Andrew , he says its lovely and cuddly warm. (That won't do his street cred much good now will it) Hope he doesn't read this or he'll not be best pleased!

Well I have just found that the Pink elephant have a theme of green this week. I know Andrew's cardy is more a bluey green( the wool shade is actually called  green heather) and it's definitely not a card but do you think they will let me enter their challenge, well it is green and so coincidental that I finish knitting it when they have a green challenge theme, well I'm off to see.