Giveaway...

Hey everyone,


Folded Paper & Printed Pixels is having a fantastic giveaway! lookie  HERE

So many pretties!

Happy happy happy

Did I mention I was happy? :-)

I was extremely lucky again on Monday, to win the LOTV voucher this week! When it comes through, there shall be more buying of stamps! So excited!

In the meantime, I made a card with a stamp I picked up last time I was there... She's so adorable!

The flowers are also from LOTV, and the paper is DCWV and the sentiment is from Dovecraft.

Hope you're all having a wonderful week!

Sammy-x

Can't stop the signal!

It's my little brother's birthday in a couple of weeks, and I just made him this card, with a little inspiration from the sketch N stash challenge blog...

Big thumbs up to anyone that "gets it" ;-)

The challenge called for using new or neglected stash along with the sketch, and I used my Papermania bookprint paperpad. It was one of the first ever crafty things I bought when I started card making last year, and I still have most of it! My excuse (as always) is that it's just too pretty to use! lol.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenge:

Sketch n stash - challenge 118

Honey, I'm home!

Hi peoples, I have just returned from a couple of days in London with the kidlets (they'd spent the past few months saving and saving so they could go to Bloxcon yesterday. Their dad and I just accompanied them, but it was their trip!)

In other news, I was extremely lucky last week, winning not only a Sugar Nellie image, but also Jacque's Sunday Sweet stuff!  I was in all honesty quite overwhelmed!

So overwhelmed in fact, that I completely forgot to post a card I made especially for the Crafts too challenge you challenge!

Papers, sentiment and decoupage topper all Docrafts "Wellington" range.

The theme was "choose a decade/era", and I went with "Turn of the (20th) century", as the gramophone Wellington is sitting in front of looks very much like an early 1900's model...

The extra "twist", was to add 3 or more layers. I think I managed a few there...

So, I'd like to add this card into the following challenge:

Crafts too challenge you - choose your decade or era 

Hope you've all been having a wonderful weekend!

Sammy-x

See you all later!

I'm going away with the kids for a couple of days, and will be back on Sunday.

In the meantime, I may or may not have more LOTV... :-)

Image from LOTV art pad, papers are Prima.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenge:

Lili's Little Fairies  -  Monochrome

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!

Sammy-x

Biting the bullet...

If you're anything like me, you'll happily throw allsorts on a card, providing you have more than one of whatever it is you're chucking on there... If you happen to be - like me - completely obsessed with Tim Holtz, then you'll probably also despair at the fact that a lot of his stuff comes in "one of each" kinda packages. I have paperpads of his I daren't touch, and recently purchased a set of his "salvage stickers" containing copious beauties lovely enough to make you weep (well, me anyway), but... You guessed it, there's only one of each!

But, last night I just gritted my teeth and took the plunge putting some of his paper *and* a few stickers together to make a card. Naturally vintage photo distress ink was also required, as well as stickles and my first foray into using distress crackle paint! A very TH kinda day for me!

So there we are. Now... now that I have used all this stuff on a card, I can naturally never part with it, because then the pretty will be gone!

Maybe I need help.

Erm... No maybe about it!

I would like to enter this card into the following challenge:

Allsorts challenge blog - Transport

Have a fabulous day!

Sammy-x

What's your crafting space like?

I was inspired by reading someone's blog (Darnell, that would be you!) and seeing their crafting space. I fully intend to try and organise my own space better, but for the time being I have little room, so kinda have to make do with chucking everything on a big pile!

This is what my "space" looks like:

Left: paper trays with scraps and decoupage pads on top, and 6x6 and 8x8 paper pads on the bottom 2 shelves. Next, a box full of embellishments, another box with card scraps on top and any mags that I'm currently using for inspiration. Also, clear box with compartments for my charms.
Middle: Several tubs/jars/craft organiser thingies full of odds and ends. Behind that is a shortbread tin full of peel-offs and various stick-on letters, as well as half a dozen clear folders containing gems/sentiments/wooden embellishments/washi tapes/brads.
To the right: 4 compartmented craft trays full of things like buttons, die-cut butterflies and flowers. etc. stash of foam tape, double sided tape and inspiration album on top, as well as vitally important promarker colour chart! Next to that there's a pencil case full of die-cut shapes, a tub full of paper flowers, one with bloomers and yet more buttons. Super large camo pencil case contains promarkers.

Front: Box full of ribbon! Next to that: box with A4 paper pads, a couple of craft books and  12x12 paper pads. 3 clear A4 boxes with toppers (girls, boys and christmas! lol). Behind that, box and A4 folder with stamps and inks, etc. To the left: box with loose 12x12 sheets, white cardstock. Behind that 4 A4 folders with different colour cardstock (and glitter, mirri, etc.) and just in front of the radiator are a few boxes with projects in various stages of completion, lol.

Yeah... A bit of a mess! Believe me when I say that this is the *only* space I have, and really, the space on the floor should be clear, as I need to get in and out of that cupboard quite regularly (which is quite the undertaking at the moment!)
The wall above my desk, which technically could be shelved, needs to stay clear, as that's where the projector plays onto (which I need in a professional capacity, so can't really do without).

I'm hoping to get some tall "paper tray" type units (or at least A4 type drawers) with wheels that I can store in that corner (will be a lot easier to move out of the way!), but have yet to find some that are affordable!

If anyone has any life-saving ideas that'll give me more room for more stash  so hubby doesn't lose the plot completely, please holler!! :-)

Also, I'd love to see other people's craft spaces/rooms. One of my favourite things to do is roam around Pinterest getting green with envy looking at such things! lol.

Sammy-x

Another Christmassy one today!

Found this image (and the stockings) in my digi stash in the "random" folder (meaning I found them somewhere and have absolutely NO recollection of where! lol). If anyone has any idea who it was designed by, please do holler!

The paper I used is from Kaisercraft. I attempted to make up for my limited stash of promarkers by using grey to darken part of the gifts. Unfortunately it didn't work so well on the red ribbon :-S 

I added some hessian, sentiment, red pearls and a punched star to finish it off.

Hope your day has been most non-heinous! :-)

Sammy-x

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Crafts and me challenges - Anything goes

Wednesdays creative inspirations - Bingo  (stamped image, pearls and red) 

Cards for men - Christmas in July

Passion for Promarkers - Easel does it  

Shopping our stash - I really don't need another one...  (Designer paper pads! But actually, I really, really DO need another! Another 100! lol)

CCCB - Anything goes

Sister act card challenge - Anything goes

Challenges 4 everybody - Anything goes
Crafting by designs - Christmas in July

Hello there folks!  Today I have another boy's card (really enjoying making boys cards right now...).

The digi I used is called "Rockstar Ethan" and I got him from Pollycraft. The papers are MME and the sentiment was in a freebie sentiment stack that came with a mag some time back... (And yes, I totally suck at cutting freehand circles. I'm deluding myself that it adds to it's charm! lol)

Also, now would be a good time to go visit The ribbon girl! They're having a fab give-away in honour of the new prince. 

Have a fabulous day all!

Sammy-x

Sail away with me...

I do love me a nautical theme! I accidentally on purpose let the Papermania "Ahoy There" paper pad fall into my basket on Saturday, so I was very happy to find a challenge I could use them in!

It's a slightly larger card than I usually make (A5), but I had decided on multiple sailboats, so there it is :-) 

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenge:

Curtain Call  -  Feeling nautical 

Oh dear...

I may have done quite a lot of crafting this weekend! And as a result, I have rather a lot of cards!

I'll be posting some up as challenge entries and first I wanted to share this with you:

The image is from Sugar Nellie, and it's the spitting image of my son. Especially as he is obsessed with bears (has almost 100 of them!). So I gave him a blue top (blue being his favourite colour) and added some lovely blue papers from MME, and snuck it into his bedroom last night.

He was so excited when he found it this morning!

(oddly, his lips seem to have gone really dark in the picture! I assure you, my son doesn't wear lipstick! lol)

And when I was on the Sugar Nellie website, I also picked up this adorable fella:

My cousin and sister-in-law are both due soon, and both are expecting boys, so here's hoping they love this digi as much as I do! (The papers I used are Tatty Teddy ones)

Have a fabulous day everyone!

I'd like to enter the first card into the following challenge:

The Sugar bowl - Anything goes 

Is there such a thing as too much LOTV?

No! Of course there's no such thing as too much LOTV!! :-D

With all the wedding cards I've been making recently (and I don't know anyone that's getting married! lol), I figured to mix it up a little and do an engagement card instead!

Image from Lily of the Valley, as is the flower. most other bits and pieces from a local haberdashery, papers I picked up as singles from a local craft shop and no idea who designed them! :-( 

In other news, both kids' schools broke up today, so there goes all peace and quiet for the next six weeks! On the upside, Craftwise in Leeds is doing a badge-making workshop for the young'uns tomorrow, so will take them there to enjoy said workshop... (while I browse the aisles and fail at not buying anything! Shhhh, don't tell hubby, he won't let us leave the house!! ;-) )

Have a great evening everyone!

Sammy-x

That brilliant moment...

Don't you just love that moment when you see someone's face when they receive a card you've made for them?

My son took his gift cards into school with him today, and handed them out at the end of the day. All the teachers came filing out to say thank you, and they were so pleased! It made me so happy to see them so well received! :-)


In the meantime, I have another offering of the LOTV variety...

Image from Lili of the Valley, flowers from LOTV and Ribbongirl, wedding cake charm from creative charms.  Stickles, lace and buttons to finish it off.

It was so bright today, I literally couldn't see a thing on the camera display, so took these blind! At least I was pointing in about the right direction! lol.

I'd like to enter this card in the following challenge:

Lili of the Valley Ideas to inspire - Pretty in pink


Enjoy your evening, everyone!

Sammy-x

If you're gonna have cowboys...

So yesterday I did this cowboy card ... It only makes sense that I do an Indian card today, no?

The main reason for posting this one is that I'm actually extremely pleased with how the skin came out! Ok, so really it ought to be a bit darker, but my next batch of markers hasn't arrived yet, so this shall have to do.
I'm happy. Finally getting the hang of things a little :-)

Papers are from Basic Grey. Digi image from Arthur's clip art

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenge:

Pollycraft challenge - Ruby Red


Enjoy your day everyone!

Sammy-x

Christmas..? Don't mind if I do...

It's theme Thursday over at LOTV, and they chose a Christmas theme this week...

It just so happens I picked up some Christmassy images from there on my last visit :-D

Awww, he's such a cutie!

Sammy-x

Another lovely sunny day...

I've been busy again this morning...

I had coloured in a cowboy digi last night, and was wondering what to do with it today when I stumbled upon the perfect challenge for the little fella :-)

I'm new at colouring, so am still trying to figure out how this shading thing works (not to mention still trying to build up my sorry excuse for a stash of pro-markers, lol), but I'm slowly improving. I'm hoping the half-dozen pens and the blending pen I ordered will arrive today :-)

Digi image is from Arthur's clip art . Papers are from My Mind's Eye. Sentiment from Redhotbed.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenge:

Pollycraft challenge - Ruby Red



Have a great day everyone!

Sammy-x

Phew!

I've been busy the past couple of days!

With the end of the school year only a couple of days away, it was high time to make some "thank you teacher" cards.
Now, as my son has Aspergers, there's quite a lot of people involved with him on a day to day basis, and just one card for the class teacher just won't do!

So, I decided on a gift card. One with a special pocket that contains a couple of teabags. I figured Chamomile was the way to go, as the end of the school year is a good time to relax!

10 of said cards later and they are all ready and waiting to go to school with my son :-)

Male card using My Mind's Eye papers and Lili of the Valley sentiment stamp.

Inside of male card

Female card using First Edition "Family Ties" papers and Lili of the Valley sentiment stamp.

Inside of female card.

A good day's work, all-in-all :-D

Sammy-x

Oops...

I may have accidentally visited both Hobbycraft and Samuel Taylors today... And that's after a trip to Lili of the Valley on Friday, and a slightly too large online shop too!

I can trust you all not to tell my husband, right? ;-)

I just finished making a rather special card, but unfortunately it's too dim in here right now (*hates on the fact that we can only buy 40W lightbulbs these days*), so it will have to wait for morning...

In the meantime, I just discovered that the word verification thingie is on by default on blogs, and I have turned it off. I hate capcha with a passion, so I won't be subjecting anyone to it! lol.

Oh, and while I'm here... Can anyone recommend any good promarker tutorials? I've looked at the ones on the Letraset website, and there's some floating around on blogs I'm following, but if anyone knows of any that shouldn't be missed, please holler!

Ta.

Sammy-x

And another...

Ok. So I've set myself a challenge to make a card every day for a year, and in order to help myself a little, I made up a list with random one word "prompts" to try and inspire...

Today's prompt was "polka".

Well, naturally (showing my age here), the first thing I thought of was itsy bitsy bikinis! ;-)
From there it was a short step to a beach theme complete with yellow polka dots. And yes, I was singing the song the whole time I was making it! lol.

Papers are from the Beach Babe set (fancy pants designs) and the stamp and sentiment are from Acid drops & Whatnots.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenge:

Crafty Friends weekly challenge  -  Inspired by a song  (Itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini by Brian Hyland)

Another challenge entry...

Good morning blogland. Hope you are all enjoying your weekend. (I for one am loving this sunshine we've been having here!)

I have a card today that I based on a sketch...

Fairly simple with just different types of card, a Kanban topper and a "cherish" peel-off.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenge:

Sketch Saturday  -  Week 267

Today's card. Pretty in pink.

Today's card is a wedding card with a Lili of the Valley image (from the True Love art pad). I am also going to bite the bullet and enter it into a competition. My first ever! Eek!

The flowers are also from LOTV and some from Ribbongirl. I used Brushed Corduroy distress ink to distress the panels. The card I used to mat/layer the panels is pearled ivory, and the papers I found in my scraps box. Not sure exactly where they were originally from :-( 

I'd like to enter this card in:

Lili of the Valley's Ideas to Inspire - Pretty in Pink
Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Pink and white
Emma's Cards UK   -  Lace & pearls

I have a plan!

Yesterday's cards. Rather than saving them all up for a week or two and doing a mass-photo session, I'm going to try to keep on top of things a little more!

So here are the cards I made yesterday.

LotV image on a shaped card (hand-cut... Someone make my husband give in to the idea of buying a die-cutting machine! lol). finished off with cheese cloth, a doily and flowers

Papermania Henbury Lane card.

Travel card (yes, yet another one. And no-one I know ever goes anywhere, so probably the most useless type to make! lol.). The map paper in the background is 7 Gypsies, the topper is Elegant Elements, and the washi tape is from the "All Aboard" range (Docrafts). The post card is a rub-on I think I found at "the Works", same goes for the Eiffel tower sticker...

This one was kinda fun to make. I just grabbed a load of blue stuff from my stash and off I went. Topper is Kanban, the papers are from the Wellington and the "Back to Basics" ranges.

That's it for today. Back tomorrow! 

Sammy-x

And a few more...

It seems there may be a limit to how many pictures can go in a single post (either that, or I'm just not familiar enough with this site yet!), so here's a couple more.

Adore the Hobby House toppers, such as the below two...

The image from the easel card below I got from an old German (!?) story book I found when organising the kids book collections. I adore it. It has such a lovely vintage feel!

And the inside of above card:

If anyone wants to know what any of the "ingredients" are, just holler!

Thanks for looking,

Sammy-x