Her Arrangement Is Better Than Mine

Hi everyone!

I hope you're all well?
I had my appointment about my shoulders last week and I have to go back to physio.  If that doesn't work I'll need injections, so I really hope the physio works as I hate needles!  It's good to know what it is that's wrong though and not to think that it's just in my head!

How about a new challenge?  A new one up today at Eclectic Ellapu and the Pink Team!  Our pinkie hosting this week is Laurian and it's her birthday in a few days - Happy Birthday Laurian!  So she has chosen the theme...

An Oldies Birthday!

I took this to mean that it's an older persons birthday, rather than a childs.
So here's my card...

Doing Rachael's card put me in the notion of colouring Saturated Canaries, I love colouring them!  This one is called Maxine The Florist and I coloured her with the following copics:  Skin;E21,13,00,0000,R20. Hair:E44,43,40. Clothes and flowers:BG49,45,B95,93,91.R24,22,21.RV34,32.Y17,15,13. Leaves;YG97,95,93. Stool;E39,37,35,29. Ground;E35,33,30. Background;B00,000,0000. plus black and brown prisma pencils.

The papers are MME "Sky's the limit" and the sentiment is by LOTV.  The flowers are all from Wild Orchid Crafts.  I think I need more practice at doing arrangements of flowers, I don't do them very often and I don't really like how this one turned out.

The inside is done to compliment the front with another LOTV sentiment.

So there you go.  Please take a peek at what the rest of the DT have done over at Eclectic Ellapu and spread some love for Laurian on her birthday by having a go yourself!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Craft Your Passion Challenges; Summer Flowers
Crafty Sentiments Challenges; Colourful
Drunken Stampers; Party Planner - a celebration
A Gem of A Challenge; Anything with a B - Blooms, bright
Lacy Sunshine Challenge Blog; Girls, girls, girls
Papercrafting Journey; Anything goes
Papertake Weekly; Flower power
QKR Stampede; Anything goes
Top Tip Tuesday; Initials - S for Saturated Canary & F for Flowers
 
Thanks for looking - and if you haven't seen it yet, don't miss out on my blog candy!
 

I'm A Proud Big Sister!

Evening all!
 
I thought I'd share the card I made for my little sister - she got her GCSE results on Thursday and she has made us all very proud!
The wee smarty pants got 2 A*'s, 7 A's and a B!!  And in a couple of subjects she only missed the A* by 1 or 2 points!
So I got to it and made her a card and here it is...

I always seem to choose Saturated Canary images for cards for her, these little ladies just remind me of Rachael!  I thought this one looked like she was wearing clogs so I used it - she's called Sabrina.  I coloured her with the following copics:  Skin; E21,13,00,0000,R20. Hair; E47,44,43,40. Dress; E35,33,30.RV34,32,R39,37,29.YG97,95,93.
I was colouring away in my own wee world when I suddenly realised how late it was getting so I had to rush to finish it, but I suppose that is why we all love crafting, having our own wee world to go to!

The papers I used are Pretty In Pink by Glitz.  The dies are Spellbinders oval and scalloped oval, Whiff of Joy Stars Festoon and Marianne Design banner with sentiments to fit.  The "Clever Clogs!" was computer generated and printed on kraft card and chopped up into little squares before being attached with foam pads.  The pearls, gems, ribbon and twine are all from my stash.  Everything was inked with Walnut Stain distress ink.

The inside was done to match the front with another computer generated sentiment.  This comes from when she was wee, maybe 3 or 4, and we would all call her a genius while pointing our finger into the middle of our forehead - if I remember right it came from TFI Friday - and she would copy us.  That's what comes from having brothers and sisters so much older than you! lol!

So there you are, my card for my talented and clever little sister.  I wonder where she'll be in a few years time?  Somewhere good I bet!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Crafty Ribbon Challenge Blog; Anything goes with ribbon
Cute Card Thursday; Back to school
Divas By Design; Use some twine
Fussy and Fancy Challenge Blog; Back to school
A Gem of a Challenge; Anything with a B - Banners
Lacy Sunshine Challenge Blog; Girls, girls, girls
One Stitch At A Time; Back to school
One Stop Craft Challenge; Spots and dots
Southern Girls Challenge Blog; The warm and fuzzies
Whoopsi Daisy Challenge; Back to school

Thanks for looking - and if you haven't already seen it, don't miss my blog candy!

Animal Farm

Hi everyone!

Is it just me or is it really cold??  My office feels like someone left the freezer door open, but people keep saying it's gonna warm up again - do they mean this year or next year??!  Lol!
I've got a long awaited appointment tomorrow to see about my achy shoulders.  It's almost 11 months since my accident and my shoulders are still really sore but my main problem is that I've got so little strength in them.  I used to be quite strong but I struggle to put cups in my cupboard now :(  Hopefully they'll be able to tell me some good news tomorrow and I can get back to my old self soon.  I've got a concert to go to then tomorrow evening so hopefully they won't do anything to leave me too sore!  Nine Inch Nails might just be a concert that you don't want to go to already feeling the pain!

Anyway, time for another new challenge at the Creative Card Crew!

We have a fab sponsor this week with the Scrapping Center!

They're offering another $15 to one lucky winner to spend in their store!

Our challenge for the next fortnight is...

Down on the farm!

Oh arr!
I must admit that I made these cards quite a while ago for a swap on our forum but they fitted this challenge so well that I kept them to blog until now.

Here's what I did:

The stamps are from Woodware but they're clear stamps and you can build a scene with them which is fun!  I coloured them with the following promarkers:  Slate, lilac, lavendar, burnt orange, tequila sun rise, soft peach, warm grey 3,2,1, fuschia pink, pink lobster, tropical orchid.  I cut some cloud shapes out of paper and used them as a mask to sponge some distress ink for the sky.

The papers are Pink Petticoat Gingham and Daisy Bouquet in cranberry and sunshine.  The die is a Spellbinders Eyelet Square die.  I also used some twine and raffia from my stash.

The inside matches the front with the colours of paper flipped.

Here's the whole set:

So I do hope you can join us for this fun challenge at the Creative Card Crew - the rest of the DT have some great inspiration for you, and some also showing that you don't need animals on your card!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge Blog; Colourful
A Gem of a Challenge; Punch it out
Just For Fun Challenge Blog; Just for fun
Perfect Sentiments Challenge Blog; The great outdoors
Southern Girls Challenge Blog; Things beginning with F - Farm animals
Top Tip Tuesday; Things beginning with your initials - S for Stamp, F for Farm animals
Twisted Tuesday Challenges; Pink as all outdoors

Don't forget to check out my candy!

Thanks for looking!
 

Jolly Old Fellow!

Hi everyone!

Thank you to everyone who has entered my blog candy so far and for all the lovely comments about where I live.  I must admit to not appreciating it for most of my life but I've really come to see it's beauty as I've gotten older.  If you haven't seen my candy click here to check it out!

We have a new challenge for you today from Seems A Little Sketchy and our fab sponsor for this fortnight is Squigglefly!

 and they're offering 3 digi's to one lucky winner!

Here's our sketch for challenge 46

And here's what I did with an image kindly given by our sponsor

This image is called Better Not Pout Santa and I coloured him with the following copics:  Skin: E21,13,00,0000,R20. Hat & berries: R39,37,29. Holly leaves: YG97,95,93. Beard: E40,30. I used a Snow Marker on the furry parts of his hat and puffed it up with my heat gun.

The papers I've used are the North Country Collection by Prima.  I used a Joy Crafts Winter Wishes border die on kraft card that I dry brushed with some white acrylic paint.  The kraft card was a little thick for the die to cut the whole way through so I thinned it out a bit by tearing away a few layers of the card.  The holly is from an X-cut punch.  The bells, ribbon and pearls are from my stash.

The sketch was used again on the inside of my card and the sentiment is an old one by Anita's.

So I hope you'll join us with this fab sketch at Seems A Little Sketchy - go check out what the rest of the DT have done!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge Blog; Use your new stash - Joy crafts border die and digi stamp.
CRAFT Challenge; Christmas
Crafty Boots Challenges; Christmas in August
Delicious Doodles Challenges; Christmas in August
Divas By Design; Christmas in August
Fashionista Challenge; Christmas
A Gem Of A Challenge; Punch it out
The Hobby House Challenge; Christmas
Southern Girls Challenge Blog; Things beginning with F - Father Christmas
Totally Pappercrafts Friday Challenges; Favourite Colours - Red and kraft would definitely be one of my favourite colour combos!

Thanks for looking!
 

Blog Candy - Winter Is Coming!

Hi everyone!

***CANDY NOW CLOSED***

I had such an exciting week this week when Game Of Thrones came to visit!

They film a lot of the series in Northern Ireland and I knew they had been close by before but I had never seen where they were filming before.  Then they approached my Daddy to see if they could use some of our land to shoot some scenes!  I couldn't believe it when he told me that they were coming!

They arrived last Monday evening and they used the yard at my grannies house as their base unit and did the filming just up the road.

We went to the place the day before they started shooting to see what was going on and they were busy preparing the set with props etc.

I am trying to be very careful in showing pics as HBO are very strict about that, but I'm just showing a few of the things that could be seen at any time (if you know what I mean)

Here's a bit of the yard at my grannies house and some of the many trucks that were parked in it.  The first caravan was for one of the stars of the show and the second one was the directors.  There is another one somewhere for the other main star who was there and then there were 2 other actors too.  It's so hard to not give anything away! lol!
There are also trucks here for make-up and costumes.  There's more for hair and catering on over.  That's my little sister and her friends by the wall.  Not stalking at all! lol!

Here is a picture of the beautiful location where this all took place.  I'm so lucky to have grown up in such a beautiful part of the world!

Here are the signs showing where the set is - and of course, there had to be road works!

Here is the bridge on our land where they did some filming.  I have used an image that shows the bridge as it is.

And there is a little house on the land that was also used.  We were so lucky to be allowed in to look around before the filming and see all that was done to it.  I can only show the doorway as there were a lot more props around the house than at the bridge!
This is me and my brother and sister.

On the first day of the shoot, we went to the set when they were filming at the bridge and we got to see a few scenes.  I was amazed at how many people are involved in the whole process and how friendly they all were!  We weren't allowed to talk to the cast though and unfortunately didn't get to meet them as their schedule was so tight, they did manage to sign a couple of things for us but the whole experience was fantastic and something that I won't forget for a long time!

So all this excitement has gotten me in a good mood!  I thought it was only fair to share the excitement and good mood by having a little blog candy!

I don't know how I managed it, but I mistakenly ordered two sets of the summer stamps from the Magnolia Stamp Club.  So I thought I'd give the spare set away - and as "Winter Is Coming" :) I thought I'd better get a move on! lol!  The set consists of six full size characters, six additional stamps (like shells and a map etc) and two sentiments.  Please note - these stamps are in sheets and have not got the foam backing included for mounting on blocks.
I also happened to buy two of the same set of Spellbinders "Decorative Labels One" dies a while back so I'll give the spare set away too! :)

So all you have to do to win the candy above is to follow me and leave me a comment saying which of the options on the left is your favourite way to follow.  It's a bit of a pain having to have so many different ways to follow, so if I can get rid of one that would be great!  This isn't an absolute requirement to win the candy, it's more just for my information!
I'd also like you to put the above picture on your side-bar linking back to here so as to spread the word.
Lastly, enter your name etc in the linky below so as it's an easy job for me to pick a winner!
One entry per person!
The candy will stay open until just before midnight on the 31st August and I'll announce the random winner shortly after that.


Thanks for looking and good luck!
 

Mackintosh - and not an Apple in sight!

Hi everyone!

I hope you're all well?
I've had a very busy, interesting and exciting week!  I'm gonna spill all in a separate post (and I'm gonna have some blog candy too, sure why not?!) so make sure to check back a little later to see!
It's terrible when you have a few days doing something different and it really puts you off track.  It takes ages to get back into your routine again too.  Not that I ever really have a proper "routine"!

So helping to put me back on track again is a new challenge from the Pink Team at Eclectic Ellapu!
We have a fab new challenge for this week from our lovely boss lady Elaine with a theme of...

Art Deco!

Isn't it fab to have something different to try?!  I have never made anything in this style before so it was a challenge, but I have always loved the style of both Deco and Nouveau.  Part of my inspiration for this comes from the first thing I bought when I was old enough to have a credit card and is my Mackintosh chair.  I always wanted to get a full set but I don't know if you can get them anymore so one will have to do me!

Here's my card:

The stamp is called Glasgow Rose by Woodware (yep, it's a wood-mounted stamp so I had to dig for it!) and there is very little colouring to do on it!  I used my copics and coloured the roses with R20, the leaves with YG95 and a little bit of shading with C0.

I matted onto a layer of pink card (which is hard to see) and a layer of black card and I cut strips of the black card to make the design which gives the card some great texture.  I worked out what I wanted to do before I started making the card and printed the sentiment so it would fit in the design. (The font is called AR Bonnie)

I did the design again on the inside along with a LOTV stamped sentiment.

 This is nothing like what I would usually make, but I really like it.  I thought about colouring some of the squares pink, but decided not to.  I might do it yet!

Make sure to check out the rest of the DT's creations at Eclectic Ellapu, they have made a great job of fulfilling the task of this theme!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Eureka Stamps Challenge; Clean & simple
Just For Fun Challenge Blog; Just for fun
Ohh La La Challenge Blog; A step back in time - Art Deco/Nouveau circa 1920's
Papertake Weekly; Anything goes
Stamp n Doodle; Anything goes
The Pink Elephant; Texture
Whimsy Stamps Inspirations Challenges; Clean & simple


Thanks for looking!
 

Thanks Love!

Hi everyone,

A quick post from me today as I'm very late because of a few things that are going on here this week.

We have a new challenge for you from today from the Creative Card Crew and our sponsor for the next fortnight is Stampfairy!

 and their prize is a $10 gift voucher for their store!

Our challenge is...

Flags/banners!

I'm loving this one!

Here's my card:

The Stampfairy provided our images and I coloured Mimi with the following copics: Skin; E21,13,00,0000,R20. Hair; Y17,15,13. Shoes; RV34,32.  A nice short list as I paper-pieced her lovely flowery dress.  I also 3D'd her face, dress and shoes.

The papers are Pink Petticoat - Twill stripe, pretty doodles and daisy bouquet all printed in Rose.  The dies are Spellbinder ovals and scalloped oval, classic heart and scallop classic heart.  I made the sentiment on the heart banner with some Kars clear stamps.  I added some bling in the form of wee Swarovski crystals from my stash.

The inside has the same papers and a Cheery Lynn Designs "Heart to heart lace doily" die cut.

So that's my card, take a wee peek over at the Creative Card Crew to check out what the rest of the DT have done for this fab challenge!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks; Bling
613 Avenue Create; Use a sentiment
Bearly Mine Challenges; Tic Tac Toe - top row
Bunny Zoe's Challenge; Pink & white
Crafty Boots Challenges; Die cuts
Kaboodle Doodles Challenge; Anything with scallops
Whoopsy Daisy Challenge; Paper piecing


Thanks for looking!
 

I Sea Horses!

Hi everyone!

I hope you're all well, I've had a lovely day today and am really excited about the next couple of days too, I'll say more about what's going on in a few days, keep all the excitement to one post! lol!

We have a new challenge today at Seems A Little Sketchy (which is exciting too, huh?!) and our sponsor for the next fortnight is Delicious Doodles!

Who are offering 4 digi's to one lucky winner!

Our sketch for you to follow looks like this

We were given some images by our sponsor to use and here's what I did...

I made a card with a porthole, so the image is on the inside rather than the front.

I coloured the image with the following copics: Y17,15,13,V04,000. Foliage; YG97,95,93,R17,14,12. Sea; B01,00,000,0000.
Something happened while I was colouring this image that has never happened to me before and I just thought I'd share what it was in case it happens to someone else.  I was using my R12 pen for the first time and as I was blending the ink started to flood the image and I could see that the nib had gotten really full of ink.  I stopped colouring immediately (as it was almost the last thing on the image that I was colouring and I didn't want to ruin it!).  I remembered a tip that I saw somewhere when I was learning about re-filling my pens about how taking both caps off helps to balance the pressure in the pen, so I took the other cap off and could see the effect straight away.  I laid it horizontally on my desk for a wee minute too just to be sure before I finished my colouring.  I wondered if it was because of the heat lately that maybe built up some pressure or something, but I thought I would share in case it helps someone else some time.

I created the wood effect on the front by drawing the panels and colouring with my copics: E39,37,35,33. and a black fine liner.  I cut the porthole with my Spellbinders circle dies and then used some gold frantage powder to make it look a little rusty.  I added some rope that I've had in my stash for a while that I saved from a clothes label.  The hinge is a Tim Holtz Alterations Hardware Findings die and I also used a Memory Box Majestic Anchor both of which got the frantage treatment.  The black dots are Viva Pearl pen in Anthracite.

Here's the inside with the image and a computer generated sentiment.

So go take a look at what the rest of the DT have done on Seems A Little Sketchy and have a go at our fab sketch!

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenges:

Crafts & Me Challenges: Anything goes
Craft Your Passion Challenges; All at sea
Crafty Boots Challenges; Die cuts
Delicious Doodles Challenges; Anything goes
Papercrafting Journey; Punches and/or dies
Sweetpea Stampers; Embossing
The Squirrel and The Fox; Nautical/sea life

Thanks for looking!