Favourite Five of 2012

Well a big Happy New Year's Eve to you all wherever you are. I hope that you are all well and for those that aren't you soon turn the corner and feel well again. Once again another year has flown by with all the trials and tribulations that each year brings.  I have been blessed with a new grandchild which is the most precious gift of all.  Tonight Dave and I are going over to my daughter's and her partner's home for dinner then going to a local pub where his friend's group is doing a gig, we will stay the night over there and come back tomorrow.  First of all we are going over to see Max and Emma as we haven't seen them over Christmas with being away.

I haven't been crafting since my return from holiday so I thought it would be a great opportunity to join in with the fun over at Debby's blog.  She wants to see your favourite five cards from 2012:

So here we are then:

Love the CAS style of this and I do have a thing about jungle prints (I know its my age)!!

I made this for my friend's birthday because it reminded me of her!

I really enjoyed colouring these Penny Black girls!

Another that I really enjoyed colouring and the first time I used Frantage!

An easy one to colour but I liked the way it all came together.

Well these are my little offerings, thank you for taking the time out to visit my blog!  I would like to wish you all a wonderful New Year and thank you all for your kind words and encouragement over the year - it really means a lot.  I look forward to seeing all your wonderful creations of 2012! Stay safe and take care xxx

Five Favourite Christmas Cards

Hello everyone I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! We are back safely from Las Vegas it was so busy there and I have never seen so many children there which I thought was very strange but don't get me started on that one!!  Just a quick post today as I really wanted to join in Debby's Five Favourite Christmas Cards from 2012 which is here but it finishes today!

These are in no particular order:

Love this image from Rick St Dennis, I really enjoyed colouring it with my Copics.

This is an October Afternoon image and also used their papers. Thought it had a cute little retro look reminiscent of the fifties!

Another October Afternoon image and papers. The deer is made with Tim Holtz die and Pink Petticoat paper.

This is a Hero Arts Stamp and papers from MME.

Had to add a Tilda although its the only one I made this year!! Lots of frantage and diecuts and some beautiful Pion paper that I finally cut into!!

Looking back I realise I didn't make that many Christmas cards. I made quite a few quick and easy ones to post but didn't photo them so I couldn't blog them.  Think I'll have to enter some Christmas challenges so that I can use all the Christmas stash that I got and haven't used!!

I will catch up with you all over the weekend - looking forward to seeing what I have missed.  Thanks for looking and take care xx

Merry Christmas

Just to wish you all a Merry Christmas and I hope you all have a wonderful time with your families and loved ones!

I hope that

has been good to you and you got everything you wanted.  You will all be looking forward to sitting down to a delicious

with maybe a few of these

not too many or you may need some of these

but more than likely a little one of these:

before the inevitable

no doubt to be followed by this:

but maybe you will have some help:

So whatever you are doing have a brilliant one and thanks for all your friendship and support! Sending love and best wishes to you all xxx

Anything Goes!

Well I have scheduled this so if all goes according to plan we should just be walking out the front door on the way to the airport for Christmas in Las Vegas!

Today sees the start of a new challenge at Delightful Challenges and its the last one of 2012! The theme this week is:

ANYTHING GOES

I have been so pushed for time as I am sure all of you are at this time of year so I went for a quick option and used Wendy's pre-coloured images.  Here is what I made:

little table boxes for children! How adorable are these cute little boxes and so easy to make!! I used Wendy's pre-coloured Christmas Toppers Set 5:

they are available here to purchase.

I also used paper from these Digital paper sets by Wendy:

Candy Cane Lane Digital Paper set available here to purchase.

Snowflakes Digital Paper set available here to purchase.

I used my Spellbinders Bracket Edge Box and added some Glamour Dust and that was it!  Please pop over to Delightful Challenges and see what the rest of the DT have designed they are a talented bunch.  Our sponsor this week is:

None other than our own Digital Delights!! They have kindly donated a $10 gift certificate so please go over and enter our Anything Goes Challenge at Delightful Challenges.

Well this is my last post now until after I get back. I apologise if I didn't manage to get around to all your blogs, life got in the way!! I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas or holiday season if you don't celebrate and a smashing New Year.  I look forward to catching up with you all when I return.  Thanks for all your support and kind words during the year, they mean a lot and its so good to know there are so many wonderful blogging buddies out there!! Love to all of you and take care xx

Happy Holidays

Hello everyone and a happy weekend to you all.  I am now a grandmother to a new bouncing baby boy! He arrived at 11:10 yesterday morning by emergency section weighing 8lb 1 oz a lot smaller than his brother Harrison who weighed in at 10lb 8oz!! He is called Raif Valentine. Melissa is hoping to be discharged today - they certainly don't keep them in long now even following a section!

Today sees the start of a new challenge, also the last for the year, at Card Makin' Mamas and the theme for this challenge is Happy Holidays.  Here is my DT card:

Isn't that image a hoot? Its by Rick St Dennis and has been coloured with Copics.  I have cut and matted it with Spellbinders Nesties.  The papers are by My Mind's Eye - 12 Days of Christmas.  The bell and the holly are CC Cutter dies.  The bow is by Lil' Inker and the border is MFT Dienamics Jumbo Ric Rac.  The sentiment is Pink Petticoat and has been cut out with a Lil' Inker stitched pennant die.

We are sponsored this week by:

Tiddly Inks will be giving the lucky winner a $10 gift certificate!!  Please pop over to Card Makin' Mamas to see what the rest of the DT have done. Also, remember we are a card making challenge so we want to see your cards!  For anyone interested there will be a DT call on Monday.

Its only five days until we go away to Las Vegas for Christmas so panic mode is setting in now, still have quite a bit to do.  All the shopping is done and presents wrapped but I still haven't sent all my cards!! The next few days will be spent catching up with family and friends and delivering presents!

Thanks so much for looking today I really appreciate it and would love to read your comments if you have time to leave one!  See you soon, take care xx

Beautiful Music

Hello there and welcome to my world (mmm very Jim Reeves).  Well the waters have broken and they have been to hospital twice and sent home both times!! If nothing happens by this evening it will be a C Section so fingers crossed it will be all systems go before then!!

I have been too busy to craft apart from a simple card that I made half a dozen of but didn't photograph as I was in such a rush to get them out.  So my card for today was one I made for my husband's birthday in October:

The image is by TLC creations and has been coloured with Copics and then cut and matted with Spellbinders with the edges being distressed in Distress Ink.  The music die is a Memory Box and the buttons are from my stash.  Here is a picture of the inside:

the sentiment comes with the image.  I bought him a ukulele for his birthday so I thought the image was perfect ( I know its a violin but I couldn't find any images of ukuleles lol)!!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Crafty Creations - Wise Words
Here Come the Boys = Anything Goes

A quick post from me for today.  Today I am off to the gym very early, hairdressers, meeting an old work colleague and then the pub for tea - where did that day go???

Hope you all have a good one, thanks so much for calling by and take care!! xx

Eskimo Emily

Good morning everyone its another cold and frosty one here in Blackpool! Today sees the start of another new challenge at Delightful Challenges and the theme this week is:

VERY BLINGY - SPARKLE & SHINE

anything with lots of bling and sparkle on - so get out your Glamour Dust, Stickles, gems etc and lets see what you come up with!  Here is  my card:

I have used the super adorable Eskimo Emily which is my absolute favourite from the new collection by Wendy and you can get her at Digital Delights here. She has been coloured with Copics and I have added Liquid Pearls for snow around her as you can't have an Eskimo without snow can you?  I have also added some True Snow for her to stand on and lots of Glamour Dust to the fur trim on her parka and boots.  The sentiment is also from Digital Delights from the Caroling Sentiments set available here.  I have cut it out with Lil' Inker Penant die and the image has been cut out with Spellbinders Floral Ovals die.  The papers are quite old 12 x 12 ones which I bought just loose from my local craft shop.  I have used Marianne Poinsettia die for the flower, all the bling is from my stash.

Our sponsor this week is:

And they will be giving the lucky winner a $15 certificate to their store!  Remember you do not have to use a Digital Delights image to enter but we love it so much when you do that you can count your entry twice!  Please go over to Delightful Challenges for some more inspiration from the talented DT.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp - What's your Favourite? (Mine is this image from Wendy's latest collection, my Floral Oval Die and of course my copics!!)

ABC Christmas Challenges - Y is for your favourite die (Floral Ovals)

Crafting for all Seasons - Green, Red and Sparkle

Inky Impressions - Use Something Old (My Papers are really old!!)

Whimsy - Festive

Bearly Mine - Anything Goes

Papertake Weekly - Snow White

Sweet Stamps - Sparkle and Bling

That's all from me for today - still no news on the baby front! Thanks for looking, stay warm and take care xx

Just Chillin' - not!!!

Hello everyone from a very cold and frosty Blackpool - it looks a bit of a winter wonderland today with frost everywhere!  Sorry if I did not manage to get around to everyone yesterday but I just ran out of time with Christmas shopping, housework and then Bridge class last night.  Melissa had started with some contractions yesterday but they seem to have disappeared now so no news yet!! I can see them having to call the baby Noel lol.

Well the sentiment on my card says Just Chillin' but I doubt if any of us are able to do this yet unless you are super duper organised.

The stamp is from Unity, I signed up for their Stamp on the Week and I do enjoy getting a new stamp through the post every week although I have been so busy I have only used a few but I am looking forward to getting to use them after Christmas.  I have coloured it with Copics and cut and matted with Spellbinders Nesties.  The blue mat behind the image is actually the backing card that an embossing folder came in which I then embossed and recycled as my mat.  I have embossed some white card with a snowflakes embossing folder and used Grand Nesties to cut it out.  The paper is October Afternoon from the Holiday Style pad.  The sentiment came with the stamp and I covered it in glitter probably a bit too much as it looks a bit blurred!

My husband has been updating my craft room for me.  It is in the loft he converted it  about 5 years ago so the walls are sloping which makes it a bit difficult for shelving etc.  I was in a real mess if I put something down I couldn't find it and it got to the point where I was crafting on my chair.  So he has done some more storage for me and put little shelves running along the back of the worktops.  When I get back from my hols I am going to order another unit from Storage 4 Crafts so I will have so much space! Its all my own fault I buy far too much stuff - I know we all do don't we?

Well we are off to the gym in a moment and then off to see Max in his Christmas play this afternoon, I love these its always a pleasure to see all the little ones on the stage!

Thanks for looking and I will catch up with you all today - promise!! Take care xx

Sentiment only

Hello all you wonderful bloggers, I hope you are all well today and, if not, are soon on the mend.  Nothing on the baby front yet - my second grandchild was due last Saturday but remains reluctant to make an appearance.  I think Melissa would like to get cracking (not literally) as soon as possible as Christmas is fast approaching. I will keep you posted.

Today I have gone for a sentiment only card which I made a while ago:

Trouble is when you make cards a while ago you can't remember the details - hold on while I go have a look ......!   Ok back again. The sentiment is either Penny Black or Hero Arts I have lost the package - that was helpful wasn't it?  The paper is by First Edition from the Christmas Village Collection. I have used a Spellbinders die from the Exquisite Circles set.  Used a corner rounder on all the edges and the ribbon is from my stash.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

The Ribbon Girl - Christmas

Well I still have a couple of lingering presents to buy so I may pop into Preston today as I am fast running out of free days.  I can't believe it is only 9 days until we go to Las Vegas so I need to get everything ready by then, still have one DT card left to do as well!

Thanks for looking today and please take care xx

Its Snow Time!

A big hello to you all and welcome to my little blog! Today sees the start of a brand new challenge at Lexi's Creations and it is the last one for 2012.  The theme for this challenge is "Snow" and here is what I have done:

A snow globe!! You can get this cute little image at Fairy Dust Crafts.  I have coloured it with Copics and chalks. I added Liquid Pearls for the snow flakes and some Glamour Dust to the snow on the ground.  I cut around the image and then put it onto a mat of white pearl card which had been cut with a Grand Nestie, embossed and then sprayed with Crafter's Companion Spray and Sparkle. The papers are Nitwits from the Great White North Too collection. The snowflake has been made from felt using a Spellbinders die and then I sprayed that with Spray and Sparkle too.  I have used my Memory Box snow border on glitter card and then my sentiment has been cut with a Lil' Inker die and sprayed with Spray and Sparkle too! I bought the Spray and Sparkle last year and forgot about it but we are having a bit of a revamp in my craft room and I have just re-discovered it so everything has been given the Spray and Sparkle treatment (look out Dave lol)!

Our sponsor for this challenge is:

and they will be giving the lucky winner a £10 gift certificate.  Please pop over to Lexi's Creations to see what the talented DT have designed for some more inspiration.

That's all from me for today, I am scheduling this because I am off early to the gym and then finishing my Christmas shopping off (hopefully).  See you all tomorrow, thanks for looking and take care xx

Foxy Holly

Happy weekend to you all, hope you have something nice planned! We were going to do some Christmas shopping today the plan was to get off early to the shops but I thought we are retired why bother fighting the crowds on a Saturday when we can go during the week????  So a nice lazy day today I think!!

Here is my card, another Christmas one!!

Mmm I think the picture is somewhat crooked lol!! I have used Holly Berry which is a digital from Rick St Dennis I love his art but have never got any until I saw Lorraine use one the other day on her blog Mrs B's Blog and so I decided to get a few - thanks Lorraine for the inspiration!  I used one of the sketches from Papertake Weekly for the layout. I coloured her with Copics and Prisma pencils and I actually used a hand held magnifying glass to colour her so it took quite a while! I cut her out with SB Floral Ovals.  The papers are all from Teresa Collins' Christmas Home pad.  The sentiment is from Pink Petticoat cut out with Lil' Inker die.  The holly is cut using a C.C. Designs die.  I think why it looks so crooked is that I used the straightener in my photo editor for the top which has made everything else look wonky IRL its not crooked - honest!! I was going to give this to my husband but I think I will give it to my ex-husband as he has gone through a bit of a rough patch lately and hopefully it will cheer him up.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes (I used sketch 72)
Emergency Crafters - Deck the Halls
Fussy and Fancy - I Love Christmas
Jingle Belles - Anything Goes
Stempelsonne - Anything Goes
Totally Papercrafts - For the Boys
Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Christmas
Paper Play Challenge - Christmas is Coming

Thanks for looking and hope you all have a fabulous weekend whatever you are doing! Take care xx

Torvill and Dean .....Junior!

Hello and a big happy Friday to you all, I hope you all have something nice planned for the weekend.  I posted my presents to the U.S. yesterday and I cannot believe how much postage was. For one parcel which contained two pairs of lightweight children's pyjamas, one pair of ladies pyjamas - short sleeve and thin T Shirt material - and some men's socks ...... £25!!!!! I usually get them something on U.S. Amazon and get it delivered but thought I would buy some presents here this year, well I won't be doing that again. Thank heavens I didn't put some sweets in too!!! Oh that's my rant over now I feel much better.  I have done a card today which I think has a fifties feel to it:

I wonder if that's how Torvill and Dean looked when they were first starting out??  The rubber stamp is an October Afternoon one and I have coloured it with Copics adding some True Snow and glitter to the snow.  It has been cut and matted with SB Nesties.  The papers are all October Afternoon - love their papers!  I have used an MFT Notebook Edge die for the border.  The sentiment is Pink Petticoat and I have used a Woodware Punch to punch the tag shape out.  The ribbon is Martha Stewart which I got in Florida from Michaels and the charm and pearls are from my stash. I have followed this week's sketch over at Sketch Saturday - I have moved the sentiment hope that is ok!!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Sketch Saturday - Sketch
Lady Anne's Challenge - Anything Goes
Crafty Creations - Winter Scene
Divas by Design - Let it Snow
Fab 'n Funky - Not a Traditional Christmas
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
The Ribbon Carousel - The Holidays

Well that's all from me for today.  Off to the gym nice and early this morning because the printer I won from Donna is being delivered this morning then I am taking my aunt out into town this afternoon for some retail therapy! Have a great weekend whatever you are doing, see you soon and take care xx

All About Christmas

Hello to everyone out there in blogland and as it is Thursday this means a new challenge at Delightful Challenges.  The theme this week is:

ALL ABOUT CHRISTMAS

We want to see your Christmas creations so nice and easy peasy right?  Here is my card:

Wendy has a new collection out over at Digital Delights:

I have used Sadie S'more from the new collection. For those of you in the U.K. and elsewhere that aren't familiar with s'mores they are a kind of sweet that you make using a Graham cracker (a sweet cracker), a marshmallow and Hershey chocolate.  They are quite popular at barbeques.  Anyway, I have coloured Sadie with Copics and doesn't she look cute with her little Ugg type boots on? You can purchase Sadie at Digital Delights here. I went for a rocker type card and used my Grand Nestabilities Circles to cut the shape and then my Grand Nesties Scalloped Circles also.  The card and paper are from my stash as are the buttons and twine.  I cut the holly and berries out from felt using a C.C. Design die.

Remember you don't have to use a Digital Delights image to enter the challenge but we love to see them if you do!! And if you do you can enter twice.  Our sponsor this week is:

and they will be giving the lucky winner a £10 gift certificate for their on line store!  Please pop over to Delightful Challenges to see what the rest of the talented DT have made.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Creative Belli - Something Sweet
Paper Pretties - Christmas Inspired
Die Cuttin' Divas - Holiday Spirit
Digital Tuesday - Non-Traditional Christmas
Jackson's Digital Expressions - Inks and Such

Well that's all from me for today.  Thank you for visiting me today and I would love it if you could leave a comment! See you tomorrow, take care xx

Pink, Blue and Cream

A big hello to you all and a massive thank you for stopping by my little blog.   Today I have a card that I made following the picture inspiration on The Ribbon Reel Challenge. Here is my card:

No image just sentiment only which is either Penny Black or Hero Arts - I can't find the package the sentiments came in!  The paper is from Pink Petticoat called Nordic Christmas trees and I printed it out on cream cardstock.  I have used a Spellbinder die and sponged it with Victorian Velvet DI whilst still in the die.  I also coloured the seam binding with the same DI.  The pretty spacer and flat back pearl which I coloured with Copics to match are from my stash.   The Christmas tree is a Marianne die and I used felt for it and the pretty resin flower on top is from My Crafty Heart.

Here is the inspiration photo:

I have used the colours pink, blue and cream.  I also used the trees as inspiration for my felt one, adding some pearls to the corners as these were on the trees in the picture. For my bling I added the pretty spacer with another pearl!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

The Ribbon Reel - Photo Inspiratiion
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Incy Wincy Designs - Non-Traditional Christmas Colours

Well that's all from me for today. Not much on today just going to the gym at some point so plenty of crafting time but I really need to get my parcels sent off to the U.S.A. so I might be doing some packing!  See you all tomorrow, take care xx

Its a Cracker!!

Good morning, hope you are all keeping warm! Today I have a card that I actually made last Christmas but I  haven't put it on my blog before.

The cracker was made using a template I have had for years. I think the paper was Papermania but not sure! The flowers are from Wild Orchid and I have added some Stickles to them.  The foilage is a MS punch and the bells are made with a Marianne Creatables die.  I have added some Gold Embossing powder around the edges of the cracker and the sentiment has been done with Gold Embossing powder then cut and matted with SB dies, ribbon from my stash.

I would lie to enter the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Ooh-la-la Creations - Spots and Dots
Paper Playtime - Christmas Colours
The Ribbon Carousel - Holiday Spirit
The Stamping Boutique - Holiday Cards

I am planning on having just a crafty day today, I even went to Tesco and did the shopping last night so I didn't have to go out today!! Thank you for looking and a big thank you if you are able to leave a comment its always a pleasure to read them.  Hope you have a good day and take care. xx

Hello Deer!

Good morning to you all, hope you are fine this Monday morning and ready for the week ahead. I can't believe that I won the Epson printer that Donna from Bearly Mine Crafts was giving away as candy, I almost choked on my coffee when I saw I had won it - a massive thank you to Donna!!

We had a nice weekend and it just seems to fly by.  Just three full weeks left before Christmas week how are you all doing with your preparations? I have got most of my presents - just a couple left - so this week I will be wrapping and posting the ones of to the States that I need to. I am trying to make a few really lightweight cards for posting, I will give out by hand the heavier more embellished ones!

Here is a card I have made for today using the sketch from Papertake Weekly:

Those cute little deer are by October Afternoon, I stamped them and then masked them and added the trees which are a Hero Arts stamp.  The images have been coloured with Copics and chalk for the background. I have added some Stickles to the bells on the deer and the stars on the tree just not sure if you can see it in this picture.  The papers are by October Afternoon from the Make it Merry pad.  I have cut and matted the image with SB dies.  The deer is a Tim Holtz die and it has been covered with some Pink Petticoat Jingle Bells Script paper in Crimson and edged with Distress Ink in Fired Brick.  The foilage is a Marianne die, the ribbon from stash and the brad is October Afternoon.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - Sketch, this week's sketch Number 74
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Crafty Ann's - Birds and/or Animals
Emergency Crafters - Anything Goes
Pixie Dust Studios - Winter Creations

That's all for me for today.  Thank you so much for looking, please leave a comment so I know you have been!  Take care xx

Heavy Metal

Good Morning Bloggers and White Rabbits for the First of December!! Just 24 more days to go - eek!!  It certainly creeps up on you doesn't it?

We have a new challenge over at Card Makin' Mamas and the theme for this fortnight's challenge is Silver and/or Gold.  We want to see your cards with either Silver or Gold on them or both, not just a touch but we want to see them as the main colour.  Here is my DT card:

I made sure I had plenty on mine!! I have used Bugaboo's JJ Christmas Cheers and she has been coloured with Copics and I have added Art Institute Gold Glitter to her dress and a bit of Glossy Accents to the liquid.  I have put some more Art Institute Gold Glitter to the card candy and holly berries.  The image has been cut and matted using SB dies.  The papers are Gold Mirri card and some gold embossed vellum both from my stash.  The holly has been cut using CC die and the ribbon is from my stash.

Our sponsor this week is:

Bugaboo Stamps please check out their website here if you are not familiar with them, they have some brilliant stamps! The prize for the lucky winner is:

So go over to Card Makin' Mamas and have a look at what the rest of the DT have done for some more inspiration and don't forget to go over next Friday to see what the inspiration girls have done.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Wags n' Whiskers - Christmas
Divas by Design - Glitter and Sparkle
Paper Pretties - Girly Cards
Digital Tuesday - Girly
Flourishes - Use Gold or Silver

I hope you all have a fab weekend, thank you so much for visiting me today, see you soon and take care xx