Congrats Kim!

A Big congrats to my mate Kim for hearing 3 lots of good crafting  news in one day. Wow I'd love to be at her house when it all arrives, it'll be like Christmas! Well done Kim! 

I'm going to have a go at a card in a while, but for now I need to get some dinner done for the kids and myself, even though, to be honest, I don't feel like eating anything but I have to have something because of the medication I'm on.

Had some sad news this afternoon, as we found my son's hamster had died earlier today, so we have just had a burial in the garden for him. RIP Tyler x

It's never easy losing a pet is it, my son looks so lost bless him.

I'll be off for now, but wishing you all a good day no matter where you are in the world.

Lots of love, 

Karen xxx

Forever Friends "Colours of Autumn" Challenge

Joanne over at The Forever Friends Challenge Blog has set us a challenge to make a card with the theme of "Colours of Autumn", this challenge will run until 19th October 2009.

I used my new square Nestability die which I got today,  to cut out the shapes in the background, the oval Forever Friends Bear image was cut out using my new  Nestabilities Oval die.

I wanted to keep the card pretty simple,  as the theme was Colours of Autumn, and not any particular shape or sketch.

I love this time of the year, and the colours of the trees, leaves and nature, I usually run my cards by my son and ask him what he thinks once they're made, but due to the colour blindness he suffers from,  this one totally evaded him as he couldn't tell the difference between the greens and browns, and only a little difference of the orange.Hopefully you can see the difference though!

Here is my card, thank you for looking!

Kaboodle Doodle Challenge # 15

Chris over at Kaboodle Doodles has set a challenge by asking you to follow a sketch.

I rotated  the sketch to fit in with the image I wished to use.

I had fun using my new nesties. I bought the ovals and the scalloped squares and have incorporated both of them in this challenge.

The adhesive lace border along the middle was purchased about a year ago from   Lakeland in Peterborough and the card stock was purchased from The Paper Mill in Spalding.

The image of the balloon was among a set of images I had sent to me a while ago from my friend Kim. Thanks Kim! 

Below is the picture of the sketch and then the completed card.

Thank you for viewing!

The Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #38

Karen over at The Sweetest Thing blog has set a challenge this week to follow, which is below, your finished cards have to be in by Thursday 8th October at 10pm "Mountain Time". I'm not sure what time that is for the UK sorry.

I wasn't sure which colours to use, so I looked for the images I already had, and found this delightful one, and so followed the colours on the image I chose.

All the card stock I used came from The Paper Mill, the Happy Birthday peel off I used came from  my local Craft shop, Dalex Crafts. 

I bought the pretty blue flowers today from a "99p or less" shop, a complete bargain as I got about 30 embellishment roses for 99p!

Crafts 4 Eternity Recipe Challenge #1

The  C4E Team over at Crafts4eternity  have set a challenge to follow the sketch, along with using a punch and adding a knot or a bow, the winner will win a craftmakers goodie bag!

This challenge will be going on  till the 10th October.

For the punch requirement I used my Papermania Ornate Renaissance Punch, I used some Daisy and Dandelion stickers which I had bought some time ago, and added some ric rac ribbon, to incorporate the knot/bow part. 

Stamptacular Sunday Challenge

The people at Stamptacular Sunday Challenge blog have a challenge open till the 10th October at midnight EST.

I don't like  how it's come out  in the photograph, as I used a silky finish card, I think that's not helped as the flash is reflecting back.

The 2 criteria they say you have to include on your card is that it has a stamp on it, (mine has quite a few) and it must have a "PULL OUT!", as that's the theme for this week, as my card is a waterfall card, this also has a pull out.

Here's my card!

Carol's Sketch Fun #15

Carol has set a challenge to us  over at Carol's Sketch Fun to make a card by following the sketch below.

The challenge will close on 6th October at 10pm GMT. 

Supplies:-

6" white card blank from The Paper Mill

Decoupaged Image from Ebay

Peel off corners (from stock) coloured with purple Promarker

Lilac ribbon (from round the edge of my daughter's birthday cake!)

Congratulations ribbon (from Dalex Crafts)

Paper rose and ribbon from stock

Thank you for looking at my card!

Friday Sketchers Challenge # 72

Good morning everyone! I made this card to fit in with the Friday Sketchers challenge. I had a forever friends kit which I had used once a while ago and then didn't use again. When I saw the design sketch I just knew those were the papers that I was going to use!

I decoupaged up a forever friends bear and then, rather than matting and layering, I added a gold peel off round the edge, to give the impression of it being matted and layered. 

Rather than following the design sketch exactly, I offset the circle, rectangle and backing paper just to give it a little more interest.

As the image has a mainly white background, the photo hasn't come out too well,I took it with a flash and without, but the one without was so dark that I will have to put this one on.

Its terrible weather here today so I have bad light. Normally I try to take a picture by the window but today there wasn't a lot of light coming through (too dull a day, or maybe I need to clean my windows? lol) On taking the picture, I realised that the red circle with the white ribbon through the middle looked like a no entry road sign, I hope this isn't an omen that I won't get entry into the challenge!

OK, back to business, here is my card! I hope you like it! 

Thank you for viewing! xx

Crafty Calendar Challenge #1, One Stop Craft Challenge and Our Creative Corner Challenge

Here is the very first  Crafty Calendar Challenge!

This is an excellent new challenge blog set up by Georgia who is only 13! Amazing! 

She has a very talented design team behind her as well,  including a very good friend of mine, so I just had to have a go at this. 

The first challenge is to make an "Autumn Card" with an optional "Plants of Vegetation", so I have added some flowery backing paper.
You have till 8pm on the 5th November to make a card! Go on have a go!
I loved making this card, it was great fun!


I would also like to add this into the One Stop Craft Challenge, their subject is "Autumn Inspiration", their design team have come up with some wonderful cards  as well. Their design team have come up with some lovely cards.This challenge is on till next Saturday.


This is turning into a mega post, I have just found another challenge which this fits into! The people over at Our Creative Corner have a challenge this week with a "Fall/Winter" theme. Pop over and see what their design team have come up with.There is no time limit on this challenge.


I used a sizzix leaf die, cutting out brown, orange and dark green card/tissue paper. The reason I used tissue paper for the orange leaves was to try to take on the illusion of the fragility of the leaf as it falls off the tree and then gets thinner and crispier as it dries out. I have used Kay backing paper and then used some of the dark brown paper which I cut out the dark brown leaves from,  to use as a border on the left.
I stamped and inked the Sugar Nellie "Hug in a Mug" stamp onto white card, stuck this in the middle of the card, then surrounded it with the leaves I die cut.

Friday Sketchers Sketch #71

The people over at Friday Sketchers Blog have set a challenge to create a card using their sketch.

The prize they will give for this week are all 3 stamps from the traditional line from Motivet.

Please see below for the sketch and the card I have made. Thank you!

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #37

The people over at Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge have set a challenge this week to follow the sketch below,  underneath that is the card I made. The image I used is a Sugar Nellie stamp, and the papers I used are classic K McKenna papers.

ABC Challenge

I have made the card below for the ABC Challenge this weeks theme is "E for Embossing".

I used a Cuttlebug embossing folder to create the embossed  card on the right and the flower image bottom left of the card was a brass stencil I had. The flowers I punched out, after embossing with the same Cuttlebug embossing folder that I used on the right.

Cards n Greetings Blog Candy

Sharon at Cards n Greetings  is celebrating her 50th birthday with some candy, this wonderful offer will close at midnight on 9th October 2009. Pop on over and see what wonderful candy she has to offer. 

One Stop Craft Challenge No. 48

The wonderful people over ay One Stop Craft Challenge have set the theme this week as "Die Cuts".

I don't have that many dies really, so I wasn't too sure what I could do with this one, so I spread out all the dies I had, and an idea formed in my head. I'm actually quite pleased about this card. I wanted to concentrate on the dies, rather than making it any fussier by adding a border etc.

Below I've detailed the dies I used for this card.

"Thanks" sizzlit die, "Grass" Sizzix die, Sizzix seashell #1 die and Sizzlits "Tropical Fish" die, Various cardstock bought from ebay and The Paper Mill Shop, purple and pink gems for air bubbles and the fish's eyes.

Thank you for looking at my card!

Just Christmas & Birthday Cards Challenge

I decided to have a go at the sketch that Karin from Just Christmas and Birthday Cards   has given on this challenge. I was a bit shaky handed when I took the picture, so I'm glad the prize isn't for best photographer lol.

This challenge is open until Sunday 11th October.

The items I used were all from  card and paperstock I already had, purchased from various places.

This was the sketch to follow, and underneath, the card which I made. 

I hope you like it! 

Winter Wonderland and Stamp Something Challenge Blogs

I thought I would be brave again and enter 2 challenges in one go. 

Today I have made a card which fits into 2 different challenges, the first being the Winter Wonderland blogspot. They ask that you make a card on the theme of hot chocolate. This ends on Sunday 27th September.

The other challenge is for Stamp Something Challenge Blog, their theme is "Favourite Layout or Sketches". 

Here's the card I made. I hope you like it!

Saturday Spotlight with Hidden Potential!

Vicki is starting a new challenge blog a week tomorrow with challenges running every other Saturday and to celebrate the start she is offering some gorgeous candy to one lucky winner but it ends today so you need to hurry.

The blog is called Saturday Spotlight With Hidden Potential.

You can find the candy HERE.

The Sugar Bowl Challenge!

Before I start apologies for the wonky picture, all the other pictures I took came out straighter but were all blurred, this one was the best picture, my hands wont stop shaking as I'm not feeling too good tonight but I wanted to finish the card and post this blog before I went to bed.

This challenge is to make a card to the design that  The Sugar Bowl designers have decided for this week's challenge. 

The stipulations are that it must include a Sugar Nellie Stamp, which mine does, and that you must do "paper piecing",  which I have done for the Sugar Nellie Stamp girl's outfit. 
The closing date is midnight on the 7th October.

Creative Inspirations Challenge

Due to not being able to sleep, I was  browsing through a few challenge sites and came across the Creative Inspirations Challenge Blog.

Entries for this must be in by 10am on  7th October.

I'm pleased with how this card came out. Though I made it late at night, I decided to tackle their challenge.

I saw this wonderful sketch to follow, and had a go, the resulting card is underneath the sketch.

Friday Sketchers and Our Creative Corner Challenge

The challenge i am going to have a go at today is from Our Creative Corner blog, which is asking that we create a card using Light Pink, Dark Pink, White and Chocolate Chip Brown colours.

At the same time I am going to enter it for the challenge for Friday Sketchers, where we have to follow the following  sketch layout.

The supplies I used are as follows:

Pale pink card - from stock

Gorjuss Miss Attitude Sugar Nellie Stamp, stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Coloured with Whispers Pink and Chocolate Brown pens, Promarker Dusky Pink pen

Hot pink glitter card from stock

Pale pink brad for the middle of flower from stock

Chocolate Brown Mulberry paper from stock