Sugar Nellie Blog Candy - Gorjuss Girls Set 2 - CLOSED

There is an opportunity for us all to get our hands on the second set of the beautiful 'Gorjuss girls' over on the Sugar Nellie blog.

In order to have a chance, you have to leave a comment telling what your favourite chocolate/sweets are.

Pop over here and leave your comment.

Claudia Rosa's Easter Magnolia Blog Candy - CLOSED

The very talented Claudia Rosa is offering some absolutely amazing blog candy over on her blog here.

She has divided up the blog candy into six different sets and will award them to six lucky winners.

To be in with a chance of winning one of these sets, you will need to do the following:

1) add a link on your blog to Claudia Rosa's blog candy either as a posting or by adding a picture of the blog candy in your sidebar.

2) add a comment at the end of the blog candy post here, including a hyperlink to your blog clog post about this blog candy (you will not be counted without the hyperlink).

3) the winners will be chosen on Thursday 2nd April 2009 at 2pm GMT+2. You will have until Sunday 4th April to contact Claudia Rosa (claudiaesrosa@hotmail.com), to claim the prize.

Easter Blog Candy from Jennifer - CLOSED

Jennifer over at Phoenix Crafts is offering an amazing blog candy.


Here's a list of the goodies:
9 Copic Ciao Markers RV10, RV02, RV04, R20, R29, R32, BG01, BG09, BG23
10 sheets of various Basic Grey paper 12x12
3 rolls of ribbon
Basic Grey Key Plate Album
X Cut corner rounder punch 5mm
Daisy D's Hinges in copper and patina
Stampers Anonymous Ornate Collage Stamps
Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad in Milled Lavender and matching Distress Powder
Sizzlit Medium Die - owl w/branch
Sizzix Embossing folder - diamonds
Various Prima flowers

All you have to do to enter is:
leave a comment on this post
leave a link with this picture on your blog
become a follower of Jennifer's blog

Jennifer is happy to ship the blog candy internationally.

If you do not have a blog, then enter by email and Jennifer will include you in the draw.
The candy will be drawn on Easter Sunday 12th April at 7pm GMT.

Pink and Brown Garden Gossip Hedgie

Here's the card I made for the lovely Tara's birthday. Now I know that she has received it, I can put it on my blog!!



The brown/pink flourish border paper from the Papermania Simply Elegant paper pack was matted onto a piece of light brown paper. A length of Chatterbox pink picot-edged organza ribbon was matted onto the pink/cream spot paper from the same paper pad and was then matted onto the larger piece.
The Penny Black Garden Gossip image, from the Bubbly stamp set, was watercoloured using the Whispers Brushstroke markers and matted onto dark brown card, light brown paper and pink vellum punched with the Fiskars Lace border punch. This was matted over the ribbon strip.
Two co-ordinating paper flowers from The Crafty Cow were sewn together using cream embroidery thread and a pearl bead in the centre. These were attached to the other end of the ribbon strip.
The sentiment, from the See D's Garden Of Friendship stamp set, was stamped in Onyx Black Versafine ink and matted onto the dark brown card, light brown paper and pink vellum.

Irish Success In Cardiff

This post has absolutely nothing to do with cardmaking, but just thought I'd let you all know that I had a great time in Cardiff on Saturday. We arrived in the centre of Cardiff at about 1pm, and were immediately thrown into the amazing atmosphere that surrounds an international rugby match, with the added electricity with the knowledge that Ireland could win their first Grand Slam since 1948!!

We spent the afternoon in one of the pubs in the centre of Cardiff, trying desperately to get a glimpse of a TV so we could watch the action in the two games preceding the Wales v Ireland game. This was accompanied by one or two drinks (??) and the occasional sing-song.

We eventually made our way to the Millennium Stadium where I managed to get something to eat. But, when it came time to head up to our seats, I couldn't find my ticket anywhere.It had been checked at the gates, so I knew I'd had it when we came in, and, having checked my pockets numerous times, I suddenly thought it must have fallen out of my pocket when I bought my hot dog. So I hurried back over to the counter and there it was, sitting on the floor next to the counter!! The sense of relief was overwhelming, as all I could think was that that could have been the most expensive hotdog ever!!!

Anyway, the match was OK in the first half, but was absolutely brilliant in the second. Ireland managed to score two quick tries to build up a 14-6 lead, but then Wales came back at them with a number of penalties to trail by just two points at 14-12. Then Wales took the lead with a drop goal, and then with just 4 minutes to go, Ireland managed to get a drop goal of their own. Some thought that was the end of the match, but before we knew it, in the last minute of the game, Wales got a penalty in front of the posts and all seemed lost. But amazingly the ball dropped short of the posts and Ireland were Grand Slam winners!!! It really was heart-stopping stuff!!!

A great day was had by all (there were seven of us including my in-laws) although the celebrations were cut a little short as both hubby and my father-in-law had to drive back to Newbury after the match, but we left the others in Cardiff who I'm sure did a lot of the drinking for us!!!

Blog Candy from Crafty Erin - CLOSED

Crafty Erin has posted some blog candy over on her blog as a thank you to all those who have left some lovely comments.

The blog candy consists of the following:

HOTP Paper Pizazz Sarapapers 12x12 Retro Papers Book
Penny Black Hedgie Stickeroos
Papermania 3D Flower Stickers
A mix of Prima Hydrangea Flowers
A mix of Ribbons
Chipboard Letters
A mix of charms and spacers

To be in with a shout, you need to do the following:

1. Leave a comment on this post!
2. Tell Erin what your favourite sweets or chocolate are!
3. For an extra entry into the draw, follow Erin's blog! 2 entries to everyone who is already following too.
4. And spread the word of Erin's candy on your blog!

Basic Grey Challenge #26 - Cupcake Chick

This card was inspired by the very talented Docrafts designer Becky James. She very kindly allowed me to make a copy of her bird template at the last Docrafts demo I went to over at The Range in Swindon. You can see her version of the bird here.

I decided to take part in this week's Basic Grey blog challenge, which is "rounded corners, not an angle in sight!"

I began by cutting out the pieces for the bird from two co-ordinating papers from the Basic Grey Cupcake paper pad, namely the orange brushstroke paper and the multicoloured flowery dots paper. Each piece of the bird was edged with ColorBox Prussian Blue Fluid Chalk ink. The pieces were assembled and a little googly eye was added.
The bird was then matted onto a piece of white card, which was also coloured with the Prussian Blue ink, and then matted onto the orange paper.
A hand-cut scalloped frame was cut from a piece of the multicoloured stripe paper, also from the Basic Grey Cupcake paper pad, and then edged with the Prussian Blue ink. The bird panel was then attached on top of the frame.
The daisy birthday sentiment circle from Aud Designs was then selectively inked using a blue Whispers Brushstroke marker pen and stamped onto white card. The word 'chick' was stamped using a set of the Studio G mini alphabet stamps.
The text and image of the sentiment circle was then traced over using a blue Sakura Stardust pen and the colour drawn out with a damp paintbrush to create a wash over the whole image. The sentiment circle was then cut out and attached to the card over a loop of orange organza ribbon.

This is something a little bit out of the ordinary for me, as I normally like everything to be straight and symmetrical, but having seen the beautiful card that Becky made at the demo, I felt compelled to make this one.
Hopefully the recipient of this card will like it as much as I do!!!

Pink and Brown Floral Mother's Day Tagbook

Well, I finally got the second Mother's Day tagbook finished. I was starting to think I was going to have to swap them round as the first one I made was intended for my MIL and doesn't need to be posted as she will be with us on Sunday, whereas my mum's did have to be posted!! However, after yet another late night, I managed to get it finished in time for today's post!


Three tags were cut from dark brown cardstock, and a spine was scored down the left hand side. Three holes were punched through the three tags using the Big Bite. As preparattion for the tagbook, a piece of the pink 'Happy Mother's Day' text paper from the Papermania Flowery Colossal paper pad had computer-generated 'Happy Mother's Day' text printed on it in brown.


The first tag was covered with the multi-coloured floral paper from the Papermania Flowery Colossal paper pad.

A flower was cut from the yellow outline flower paper from the same pad and coloured using the Whispers Brushstroke markers, and highlighted with white gel pen. Pink faux gems were added to the flower, and then attached to a panel of the pink 'Happy Mother's Day' text paper, which in turn was matted onto the dark brown card.

A strip was cut from the printed section of the pink 'Happy Mother's Day' text paper and matted onto a strip of the brown card. This was then adhered along the edge of the tag.


I then made a start on the inside pages.


For page two, the tag was covered with the multi-coloured stripe paper from the Flowery Colossal paper pad. A strip was cut from the computer-generated text paper and matted onto the brown card.

A flower was cut from the yellow outline flower paper from the pad and coloured using the Whispers Brushstroke markers, and again highlighted with white gel pen. Pink faux gems were added to the centre of the flower.


For page three, the tag was covered with the brown floral paper and a strip of the multi-coloured stripe paper from the pad was matted onto a strip of the salmon pink card.

The letters were cut from the salmon pink and brown card using the Sizzix Sizzlets Bounce Alphabet die set.

A white/pink Prima paper flower was coloured on the edges using a salmon pink Whispers Brushstroke marker and a white bead was attached in the centre.


For page four, I chose a definition from the HOTP Definitions and Words Ephemera book.


This was matted onto a panel of the multi-coloured stripe paper. The tag was covered with the pink 'Happy Mother's Day' text paper, and the definition panel matted on top.

A flower was cut from the yellow outline flower paper and coloured using the Whispers Brushstroke markers and highlighted with white gel pen. Pink faux gems were added to the centre of the flower.


For page five, the tag was again covered with the brown floral paper, and a strip from the computer-generated text was matted onto the salmon pink card.

Another white/pink Prima paper flower was coloured with the salmon pink pen and pink faux gems were added to its centre and the lower corner of the tag.


For the back page, the tag was covered with the multi-coloured floral paper A smaller tag was made from the salmon pink card and brown satin ribbon was threaded through the holes. A computer-generated sentiment was adhered on the top.

The corners of the tags were rounded using the XCut Large corner rounder punch and then tied together using Anita's Copper Brown striped grosgrain ribbon and cream fibre.

Hopefully my mum will like the tagbook. I certainly enjoyed making it, despite the time pressures. I really wish I could be more organized when it comes to getting cards made in advance. Hopefully once I get my craft room back to normal (I have to pack it all up again on Friday for the in-laws' visit) I'll spend more time in there and get more cards made. I've got two to make before I pack up, and hopefully I'll get them done tomorrow!!

Blue Butterfly Mother's Day Tag Book

Here is the first of the two tag books I've decided to make for Mother's Day this year. I wanted to make something special this year as I didn't manage to make any Mother's Day cards last year due to the house move and all my stash still being boxed up.

I started by making the three tags from blue card. The tags were scored to create a spine to make opening the tag book easier. Each side of the tags was covered with patterned paper from the Papermania Flowery Colossal paper pad.

The front page was covered with the butterfly paper and was decorated using a butterfly cut from the remainder of the sheet and silver wire antennae were added. This was matted onto a piece of the blue/green spots paper from the same paper pad. The sentiment was cut from the 'Happy Mother's Day' text paper and matted onto the blue cardstock.


Page two was covered with the blue/green spots paper and a strip of the 'Happy Mother's Day' text paper. This was also decorated with a butterfly with wire antennae.



Page three was covered with the 'Happy Mother's Day' text paper (a section without the text) with a strip of the blue/green spots paper over the top. The 'MUM' letters were cut using the Ellison Curlie Girlie thin cuts alphabet set and embossed using the Ellison Spots embossing folder. The letters were coloured using the ColorBox Prussian Blue Fluid Chalk ink.




The tag was finished with a blue Prima flower embellished with a pearl bead.

Page four was covered with the blue/green abstract paper from the Papermania Flowery colossal paper pad, with a smaller panel of the blue/green spots paper over the top. A butterfly was cut from the butterfly paper and wire antennae were added. A definition from the HOTP Definitions and Words Ephemera was added and embellished with a light blue faux gem.

Page five was also covered with the blue/green abstract paper and a strip of the 'Happy Mother's Day' text paper was attached over the top. A blue Prima flower, embellished with a light blue faux gem was adhered to the bottom of the tag along with a row of larger light blue faux gems.

The back page was covered with the butterfly paper and a tag made from green card was added with pale blue organza ribbon threaded through the holes.

Holes were punched through all the tags along the spine section and were tied together with narrow light blue satin ribbon and blue/green fibre. The corners of each page were punched with a corner rounder and the edges of each of the tags inked with the ColorBox Prussian Blue Fluid Chalk ink.

I shall be entering this into Clare Curd's Card Challenge this week which is to create a card for Mother's Day. Follow the link for more details on how to enter.

Mina's Blog Candy To Mark 15,000 Hits - CLOSED

Mina has very kindly offered up some wonderful blog candy to celebrate her 4 month bloggerversary and reaching 15,000 hits.

Up for grabs is the following:

80 6x6 papers (a selection from Basic Grey, K&Co, Bo Bunny, HOTP etc)
a brand new Willow with Cookies stamp from Whiff of Joy
3 bunches of roses
a mix of Prima pink flowers and Artoz flowers,
a wheel of coloured dressmakers pins
a selection of buttons and charms

To be in with a chance of winning, just head over here and leave a comment by the 15th March and add a link to the blog candy on your blog. If you are a Docraft Forum member without a blog, you can also take part, leaving a comment and your Docraft Forum name.

I will keep this post at the top until it is drawn.

Chance To Win 72 Copic Pens - CLOSED

There is a FAN-TAS-TIC blog candy over on Charmed Crafts blog. The chance to win 72 Copic pens!!!

To be in with a chance of winning them, all you have to do is link to a project on your blog here (in your comment) that either uses a download or a stamped image that you coloured in.

1. Link to a card you made with a download or a stamped image (does NOT have to be one of ours)

2. If you are using one of the Charmed Cards & Crafts downloads then you get two chances (please enter two comments, in the second just write "my second chance). All entries will be checked.

3. Mention the candy on your blog.

This blog candy will run until 10th April.

Chance to win a £10 Goody Bag - CLOSED

The Crafty Cow are offering everyone the chance to win a £10 Goody Bag - all you have to do is place your vote for your favourite card from the entrants in their March Card Competition.

I have entered (I'm on page 2!) but don't feel obliged to vote for me ;-)

This is the card I've entered - my favourite card of 2008!!

All you have to do is send an email to The Crafty Cow with the name of your favourite cardmaker from the entrants in the subject line.

Head over here to see the entrants and make your decision!! Voting closes on the 28th March.

Green Embossed Shamrock For St Patrick's Day

Here is my creation to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Not a day I used to celebrate before I met my dear hubby, who, although born in England, grew up in Dublin and has an Irish grandfather.
(His dad played rugby union for Ireland too!)


A strip of the green vine paper from the Papermania Spring Burst paper pad was matted onto a strip of lime green card from the Papermania Textured card pack.

Three hearts were cut from green paper from the K&Co Sparkly Sweet paper pad using the Heart, Star and Tag Sizzlet die. These were then embossed using the Ellison Dots embossing folder.

These were attached to a square of white card with a stalk cut from the same green paper. This was also matted onto the lime green card.

The sentiment was computer generated using the Gaelige font and matted onto the lime green card.

Attitude/Gratitude Award

I was given another award today by the lovely Alex.

I have to nominate at least 5 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!

Here are the blogs I have decided to give the award to:

Tara

Julie

Natalie

Katy

Sarah

and of course straight back to Alex.

Blog Candy to Celebrate Pink Gem's One-Year Bloggerversary and 50,000 Hits - CLOSED

Congratulations!!!

Janet over at Pink Gem is fast approaching her one year Bloggerversary, and is also about to hit the 50,000 hits mark - WOW!!!


To celebrate she is offering some great blog candy here. The winner will get 4 Pink Gem Designs stamps of their choice. The draw will be made when the counter hits 50,000.


All you have to do to enter the draw is leave a comment under the blog candy post, mention the candy on your blog and post the picture of the candy with a link back to Janet's blog.

Fingers crossed now!!!

Lilac and Green Quadrants

This is my entry to the current Truly Scrumptious Blog Challenge #2, which is a sketch. There is also the added requirement of adding handmade buttons, which can be made from any material.



Squares were cut from two matching papers from the Dovecraft Designer Aquamarine Floral Prints paper pack. These were matted onto green paper and then onto a square of lilac paper. A length of green picot-edge organza ribbon from the ChatterBox Olive Green ribbon selection was attached across the bottom of the panel. The sentiment was taken from the Clear Choice! Birthday stamp set and stamped using Versafine Imperial Purple ink onto the green paper and matted onto the lilac paper.

A circle was cut from white card and the flowers from the Papermania Party Petals Snag 'Em Stamp Duo set was selectively inked and the individual flowers stamped and watercoloured. This was matted onto a circle of flourish vellum from the Papermania Exquisite Vellum pack. The flowers were stamped again, coloured using ColorBox Fluid Chalk inks (Wisteria, Lime Pastel and Olive Pastel) and ColorBox Pigment inks (Celadon and Heliotrope). The flowers and leaves were cut out and decoupaged over the top of the stamped image. The circles were attached to the card. The decoupaged flowers and selected flowers on the patterned papers were highlighted with Craft Planet Irridescent glitter glue.

The three handmade buttons, which were part of the brief for the challenge, were created by stamping the images from the See D's Vintage Morsel stamp set, stamped using ColorBox Wisteria Fluid Chalk ink, cut out and threaded with green embroidery thread.

Here is the sketch that the card was based on:

Salmon Pink Tiny Baby Little Cotton Rabbit

This is the card I made for my Australian friend's little girl.



The Sugar Nellie Little Cotton Rabbit image was very kindly donated by Sandra F (Annette) in a die-cut/image swap.

The rabbit image was watercoloured using Whispers Brushstroke markers. This was cut into an oval and matted onto a scalloped oval mat cut out by hand. Doodling was added to the edge of the scalloped ovals as were pricked holes.

The right hand edge of the card blank was cut away. Papers from the DCWV Nana's Nursery Baby Girl paper stack were adhered to the card front and the image attached over the top. A matching paper from the stack was attached to the inside of the card so that it shows from the front.

Prima flowers were coloured using Whispers Brushstroke markers, and highlighted with Craft Planet Irridescent Sparkle glitter glue. A green button was attached to the centre of the large flower using embroidery thread, and pink faux gems were attached to the centres of the smaller flowers.

The '1' was created using a foam stamp from the Papermania Large Numbers set. This was then cut out and highlighted with Craft Planet Irridescent glitter glue.

Peacock Blue Traveller Edwin

I finally got my table back up yesterday and managed to make a birthday card for my 'little' brother (he's 25 this year!!!). I think I might have to get more of my stash out and down than I'd hoped as it's completely unworkable as it is. I'm having to move everything slightly just so I can get something out. It's a complete nightmare!!!


Anyway, here is my creation. I love these colours at the moment, and I'm really pleased with my watercolouring on the Edwin image, even if I do say so myself!!!

The Edwin image, 'Traveller Edwin', was kindly donated by Alex K (Eisbaerin).

Edwin was watercoloured using the Whispers Brushstroke markers and highlighted with white gel pen. The wings were then highlighted with Craft Planet Iridescent Sparkle glitter glue.

A curvy frame was cut from peacock blue cardstock from the DCWV Brights mat stack, and matted over a piece of green cardstock embossed using the Cuttlebug 'Spots and Dots' folder (kindly donated by Tara W (Kania)). The Edwin image was cut out and 3D'd onto the frame.

A wavy mat was cut from a patterned paper from the HOTP Ultimate Creative Pack and a strip of matching paper was adhered across it. This was then matted onto the peacock blue card from the DCWV Brights mat stack.

Two tickets from the Autumn Leaves Tickets stamp set were stamped using ColorBox Prussian Blue Fluid Chalk ink onto the matching piece of paper from the HOTP paper and cut out. These were edged with ColorBox Prussian Blue Fluid Chalk ink and highlighted with white gel pen, then attached to the mat beneath the frame.

A letter 'D' from the Colorbok Letters set was coloured using ColorBox Celadon Pigment ink and edged with ColorBox Prussian Blue Fluid Chalk ink. Highlights are added using white gel pen. A teal blue button was threaded with a matching fibre from the HOTP Sarabooks Sapphire fibre pack and both were attached to the bottom right hand side of the card.

Football Sadness!!!

This is completely off-topic, but just felt like I had to share!!!

For my sins, I am a Tottenham Hotspur supporter - and my beloved team lost the Carling Cup today to the rather lucky Manchester United today (well, yesterday now!!)

I spent the best part of two hours shouting at the television, trying to encourage my team to score (to no avail) and to make sure that they defended well enough to stop the opposition from scoring (much more successful).

Unfortunately, the game was undecided after extra time and went to a penalty shoot out. I knew our days were numbered with the unpredictable Gomes in goal and all I could do was cross my fingers (and my legs, and my eyes!!) in the hope we could out-smart their keeper.

My expectations were rather high, I realize now in retrospect, but I did expect the penalty takers to at least hit the ball on target (take note, David Bentley!). But, it wasn't to be, and so it would seem our season is now over - no FA Cup, no UEFA Cup, but, now at least we can concentrate on the League - because boy do we need to concentrate on that now!!!!

Well, my rant is now over, and I can now get back to some cardmaking. The sofa bed has now been folded away and my table is back up. Just got to retrieve all my papers, stamps and other stash goodies from the various shelves, nooks and crannies that they were relegated to!! (At least until the in-laws arrive in three weeks time anyway!)