Sketch & Stash Challenge #17

I really enjoy the sketches over at Sketch & Stash Challenge Blog and this one is no exception! My new stash is the papers which are My Minds Eye Bloom & Grow, I also got the flowers and decopage die cuts to match, added some coredinations cs and the image is Daisy (Sugar Nellie - not used her for a wee while) coloured using copics, whispers and sakura and the sentiment is a Daisy & Dandelion stamp. As always TFL and I really appreciate your comments.

Dotties World Challenge - A little bit different

This week June set her first challenge over at Dotties World and a great first challenge it was too. 'A little bit different' - this week I would love it if you could make a different shaped card, or an altered item, not the usual square or oblong , but with a twist, hope you enjoy the challenge, and dont forget to use a Charmed download. So after downloading the new collection this is what put together, I think I got a bit carried away with the glitter this week!lol. Image is the Angel from teh new collection and she has been printed on the inside of the card, coloured with copics and then glittered! and the outside of the card has the Charmed Tree printed on it and I went over the holly leaves and berries with sakura glitter pens and then added some black sparkly glitter to the pot, cut away the edge and then added more glitter to the edge. I actually made 2 of these with slight variations, the first had a smaller angel and clear glitter added to the pot but I thought the angel looked a bit lost in the corner so retried with a bigger angel and this is the one I prefer but thats not to say the other card wont be used! TFL

Friday Sketchers #66

Another digi lo, I'm enjoying these at the moment but missing papercrafting too! This one is based on the sketch from Friday Sketchers this week and I have used a wonderful digi freebie kit called Fall Memories and added some elements from another kit called Natural Beauty both are by Vicki of A Work In Progress you can also find Vicki's fabulous work (along with 3 other great designers) over at Scrap that Idea. The photo is of Ria having a great game of tug of war with our friends other dog the choc lab called Issy. Tomorrow we are off to the beach with the dogs so hopefully some more photo oportunities. Today we spent the day in London and went to Ripleys Believe it or not odditorium - fascinating stuff. TFL

MTTC (sketch) and ABC B is for Buttons

Another digi lo tonight. This is a photo of a friends black Lab called Bella (hence Beautiful Bella) we often 'borrow' her and their choc lab Issy when we come to stay at mum and dads, Ria adores them and them her! This pic was taken yesterday. The papers are from a digi kit by Vicki of A Work In Progress with an addon by Sara at Sweet Blossoms Design, this is one of their first freebie kits that I collected. The layout is based on the sketch over at MTTC this week and also it meets the B is for Buttons challenge over at ABC Challenge Blog. TFL having a great holiday so far and hope to do more digi tomorrow.

Friday Sketchers #65

Great sketch over at Friday Sketchers and I decided to put together a digi lo based on the sketch. I have used a freebie digi kit called Artistic Moments by the super talented Vicki of A Work In Progress. I used PhotoShop Elements 5 to put it all together. TFL x

Off on our Hols

Right then Ria and I are off to spend a week with my mum and dad from tomorrow so not much crafting envisaged but I am taking 'Samson' with me so might get some digi bits done instead and I'll try and get the chance to visit all your wonderful blogs while I'm away, got a couple of days out planned and some dog walking too so hopefully photo opportunities. Take care and I'll see you on my travels. x

Another 2 in 1 card

This time its for the challenges over at MTTC- Christmas and another of Dawny's fabulous sketches over at Papertake Weekly. I have used some pale pinkish parchment paper (just been given a huge A3 pad containing different colours by a friend who was having a sort out!) and Rudolf paper is papermania (last year), some black scraps of card and the delightful image and sentimen is Daisy dressed as Rudolf from the christmas Dasiy & Dandelion range coloured using copics and sakuras and a little bow added too for good measure. TFL

2 in 1!

2 great challenges combined in this card. SCSC #44 Cute as a bug and Sketch Saturday #63. My card is a hybrid card - all the background is done in PSE5 using a fabby collab kit by the very talented A Work in Progress and Staceys Scraps called Doodlebug I then printed and cut the ladybug seperately and used craft wire for her antenna and raised her on foam pads. Really enjoyed putting this one together and the kit has some fantastic elements in it which will be great for card making. TFL

ABC and Friday Sketchers

Yes another 2 challenges with one card. This one is for ABC challenge - Z is for Zero no embellishments (tricky) and Friday Sketchers which enabled me to manage no embellishments! Have used papermania papers and one of the new Daisy & Dandelion stamps (got them today) Onion in his santa outfit, coloured with copic and whispers (got some more copics too, sssshhhhh dont tell the other half! lol) also added a little glitter to the fluff bits. TFL

ETA: had to go out yesterday evening and I tried for 3/4 of an hour to upload the pic of my card and it just was not happening so unfortunately this no longer counts for the ABC challenge but its still in time for Friday Sketchers, and to top it all it worked first time tonight agggghhhhh!

Another 2 challenges in 1 card!

This card is for the challenges this week over at Sketch & Stash #16 and Papertake Weekly 'Four Seasons' The papers are a digi freebie kit (I do like these! lol) and it is called 'Summer Come Early' again a collab kit and this section is by Mels Lightbulb Moments. I have had them for a few months but first time I have used them, love the colours. My new item is the ribbon die - Hello Kitty Sizzix, flowers and buttons from my stash and another of my rapidly dwindling collection of Miss Anya coloured with Copics, Whispers and Sakura glaze, sentiment is a Daisy & Dandelion stamp. TFL Hope you all have a great weekend I'm working the late shifts this weekend.

1 card 3 challenges

Actually this card was originally only for 2 challenges but realised as I was getting ready to upload it that it matched 3 challenges! It is for Sketch Saturday #62 was almost stumped by this sketch but got there in the end! next is Cute Card Thursday #72 'Tealy Good' not a colour I use a lot of but have now used it on my 2 latest cards! and finally MTTC #72 Neglected or forgotten stash, well the papers I have used are Papermania from a huge 12x12 Collosal pack which I bought years ago when I first started thinking they would be really good value for money (100 sheets for £15) but I still have alot of it left and struggle to use it - need to be more imaginative with it! lol The image is Madison with a gift from the Holly & Madison downloads amd the tree is from the Dottie & George bumper Christmas download both from Charmed Cards & Crafts, snowflakes are cut with quikcuts die and the sentiment is a sizzix die. Not a colour combo I would normally use but will definately be using it again in the future. TFL

1 card 2 challenges

This card is for the challenges over at Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge #43 which is a sketch and Spoon Full Of Sugar Challenge #63 Floral Fantasy. The image is a Miss Anya that I received in some blog candy (but they are rapidly disappearing as Ria keeps laying claim to them!lol) coloured her using Copics, Whispers and Sakura, the papers are all from a freebie digi collaboration kit called 'Lucky Fish' by Mels Lightbulb Moments and A Work In Progress (links to them both in my sidebar) these papers are actually part of Mels part of the kit. The flowers, brad and peeloff sentiment are from my stash and I cut the ribbon strip using some of the paper and my new 'Hello Kitty' Ribbons die from Sizzix, first time I've used it but think it is going to a handy die to have! TFL

Dotties World Challenge - Some black & white

Yay! I got some crafting done at last, boy have I missed it too!lol anyway hopefully back with a vengence if time and work allows! I started with this weeks challenge over at Dotties World (very early for me!lol) This week Gunn set the challenge and it went like this ... Here is my challenge. I want you to make a card that goes in black and white. You can use all shades of black and white.Skin tones are allowed on skin....Elements are great on cards- charms, flowers or what ever you like. On these elements I want you to have ONE other color, just to make an contrast to the black and white. You don`t need to have this color on all the elements, but one should have the color you choose. Of course, remember to include Charmed downloads.Have fun and play along. ... Great challenge! I looked thru all my images and decided on George as a chef as I liked his black and white trousers and I recalled having some checked digi paper stored away safely! It is from the Raspberry Road Designs 'Old News' freebie kit after adding some extra colouring with sakura pens I mounted George on some silvery glitter card and used my trusty Dymo Junior to print out the sentiment then I came to a bit of a wall as all the embellishments I tried to add just didnt seem to work so in the end I went with a very simple little black gem and left the paper and trousers to do the work!. Hope you like it, tfl. x

My New Kitchen

At last the workmen have finished and I can start to get back to normality (whatever that is!) we are still putting things back in but am doing it slowly so that I can hopefully get things where I want them. Anyway just some quick pics for you to see how it turned out. And I LURVE my new cooker! lol actually love the whole kitchen!

Latest on the kitchen etc

Well after today the renovations should be complete and we should be free of workmen, I'll believe that when I see it! but I thought I'd just post the pics that I took last Thursday (23rd) and then hopefully later this week I'll be able to show you the finished pics! (keep your fingers crossed! .lol) I can only say I will be extremely relieved to get it all finished and over with! At least we have had a kitchen

sink (under the window)to be able to wash up in and that certainly made a difference but we havent been able to use our shower as the bath hasnt been sealed in thats today!(thankfully MIL lives just at the bottom of the estate and her work was completed before ours started we have been using hers and her washing machine!) Oh well time to get ready for work and then when I get home tonight it should all be done! yipeeeeeeeee! will let you know tomorrow.

Dotties World Challenge - Frame It

This week over at Dotties World Tara set her first challenge and it went like this ... I would like to see you creating some sort of a frame or border on your card. You could create a frame for your image, your card or both. Feel free to use the downloads for your frame, or you could try stamping elements, die cutting, punching shapes, embellishments......... anything goes really! Just remember to use one of our downloads for your main image too! So I managed to squeeze in my card last night as its been difficult getting any proper crafting sessions fitted in at the moment, but the end is definately in sight! Anyway I put together my card in PSE5 (pre coloured images) and then put a frame from PSE round it then once it was printed off I added some glitz using sakura stardust pens to lift it more. The glitz doesnt really show in the pic of the card so I did a close up with the flash to show. TFL

2 in 1

Here I am running late again! Too busy sorting out Ria and her blog tonight to get on with my own stuff!lol Anyway I managed this card which is for 2 challenges, the sketch over at Spoon Full Of Sugar and MTTC which is A Bird in the Hand. I have used another image I won in some blog candy, coloured with copics, whispers and Sakura then a little Stickles Frosted Lace added for good measure, the papers are K & Co Mckenna the gems and flowers are from my stash and the little button is an Amy Butler one. TFL

The latest on the home improvement front is that the bathroom is partially tiled, tiler is back tomorrow and the kitchen has a bit of paint on the wall and the holes etc are all filled so it finally feels like they are doing something as I felt really fed up with them by the weekend after only having one guy in for an hour all day! Will take some more pics soon.

A new blogger in blogland!

Yes there is a new blogger out here in blogland! I finally gave in and agreed to Ria having her own blog so that she could post her own bits and pieces and not have to wait til I'm around to put them on mine! And she has started off with a challenge card for Spoon Full Of Sugar. Please stop by and check her out you can find her here and no doubt she will be posting pics of the dragons too! Thanks x

Sketch & Stash Challenge 14

Another fantastic sketch over at Sketch & Stash. I ran out of time to do the last one but was determined to do this one! So I have used my new papers K-OLOGY Addison, the image is a MIss Anya that I won in some blog candy coloured using copics, whispers and sakura clear glaze on the boots and coat (but it doesnt show up very well in the pic.) I have also used Glitz It glitter glues for the buttons and in the eyelet, the fibres I have had in my stash for an age. Really like this sketch. TFL

Dotties World Challenge - Oh La La

Ok the challenge over at Dotties World this week went like this ... The 14th of July marks the French public holiday of Bastille Day so to join the French in their celebrations I would like us to make something with a French feel. It could be the image, it could be a french sentiment or it could just make you say Oh La La! It might even be just in the colours of the French flag (red, white and blue), it's up to you! Just have fun! Oh and don't forget to use one of the Charmed downloads! Now there are some really gorgeous images to choose from and it did take me a while but in the end I went with the Holly & Madison World Tour collection and a background from Girls About Town collection, I combined them in PSE5 printed it and then coloured it using a mix of Copics, Whispers, Sakura and pencils. I remembered at the last minute (I was about to stick it to my white card blank) that I had some red card blanks left over from christmas and thought this would add to the design. Not sure if it could really do with something else but nothing in my stash seemed to be working for me so I have left it as is. TFL and did you see that I managed to get it done with a day to spare - really good for me! lol.