Lorraine's Loft

Simon Says,,,, Animal Antics :-)

2012-02-01T09:00:00.002+01:00

This week on the Simon Says Stamp Challenge we have a fab theme of

ANIMAL ANTICS ,,, we all love our furry babies eh :-)

We have a lovely designer in the February Spotlight,please welcome Linda :-) If you haven’t visited Linda’s blog then you’re in for a treat ! :-)

The DT are showcasing Stampabilities stamps this week, these include House Mouse, Happy Hoppers, Gruffies, Peanuts Snoopy Stamps and more :-)

I used this fab new House Mouse ‘My Hats Onto You’ image.

I stamped with Black Memento Ink onto Neenah card, cut out using a Spellbinders Wonky Rectangle die. I coloured with copics and the edges inked the edges with Broken China Distress ink . I decoupaged the hats and stuck them in place with Helmar Liquid Scrap Dots. The papers are My Minds Eye, from a Life of the Party pack. I used some fab twine from a Mini Spool pack , a Basic Grey button and a few pearls to finish

Thanks for looking, Linda and the DT have made some gorgeous cards for your inspiration so hop on over to the Simon Says Stamp Challenge to see them

Papertake Weekly ,,,,Sketch Challenge

2012-01-31T09:34:00.002+01:00

Hi all :-) another scheduled post so will make this short ,, have loads of these to write up :-)

This week on the Papertake Weekly Dawny has made us a fab sketch to follow, which I have followed exactly ! :-) not even an extra embellie !!

We are sponsored by the lovely Heidi at Simon Says Stamp so a fab $20 voucher to spend in the store for one lucky entrant :-)

I used this fab La Soiree image from Penny Black, this is a huge stamp so I made a big A5 card. I coloured with copics, inked the edges with Stormy Sky Distress ink and added Star Dust stickles to her dress, the flower and around the edes, I also added a little gem to the centre of the flower. The papers are from 2 Bugs In a Rug and I mounted on purple card and stitched all the edges on my machine. The sentiment is from Hero Arts.

Thanks for looking :-) Please leave me a comment so I know you popped by and I will see ya’ll when I get back from the CHA ! :-)

House Mouse and Friends Blog Hop :-)

2012-01-30T12:01:00.003+01:00

Hi all :-) This is a scheduled post so I hope it works !!

Welcome to the House Mouse and Friends Challenge Blog Hop !! If you arrived here from the super talented Lori's blog then you are going in the right direction :-)

We have loads of sponsors for this challenge and there is tons of candy along the way !! Please see the HM&F Challenge blog for more info :-)

The theme for the hop is 'LOVE'

so make a card/creation using a House Mouse Happy Hopper or Gruffie image and join in !!

For my card I used this adorable House Mouse Love Letter image, coloured with Copics and layered onto grey and black card. The papers are Echo park from a Be Mine pack, so romantic ! I used a Martha Stewart Scalloped Heart border punch and added some bias tape and organza ribbon,tied into a double bow. I added a beautiful pink rose, glittered with Star Dust Stickles, a few Blush Dots and a Pearl swirl design to finish.

From here you need to hop on over to the lovely NATASCHA'S blog for more mousie inspiration. Good Luck and Happy Hopping !!

My candy is sponsored by the lovely Heidi at Simon says Stamp and I have a fab $25 voucher to give away. Please note that the winner will be responsible for shipping charges.

If you would like a chance to win this then add a link to your blog with the link below, leave comments on the DT blogs along the hop and enter the challenge by linking your card on the HM&F Monday Challenge blog when you're ready :-) You have until Feb 12th to join in.

Totally Papercrafts ,,,, Pearls and Lace Challenge :-)

2012-01-27T09:00:00.001+01:00

Good Mornin all :-) this is a scheduled post so I hope Mr Blogger does his job :-) I am in the US going to the CHA craft fair in Anaheim ,,,, woo hoo !!! :-) Today I will be sightseeing and maybe doing a little shopping ,,, have to go to meet Mickey n Minnie for lunch ,,, lol :-)

This week on the Totally Papercrafts Challenge it is Dora’s turn to choose the theme ,,,

PEARLS AND LACE ,,,,,

For my card I used this very cute Happy Hopper stamp, she is called Fancy Pants, isn’t she fabulous !! :-) I coloured with Copics and inked the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink. The papers are Basic Grey from The Little Black Dress pack, LOVE these ,, I coloured some white lace with a black copic ( I need to buy some black) and added a sparkly ribbon slider, a few black pearls and a heart swirl die cut with a few tiny champagne coloured pearls to finish.

We are sponsored by our lovely ex =teamie Emma aka Crafty Emma Store and she will be giving one lucky entrant a fab £10 voucher to spend in her shop :-)

Thanks for looking :-) I appreciate your comments so please leave me one so I know you popped by and I will see you all when I get back !

Simon Says ,,,,, Anything Goes

2012-01-25T09:05:00.001+01:00

This week on the Simon Says Stamp Challenge we have a fab theme of

ANYTHING GOES :-)

The DT are showcasing Echo Park papers this week, you don't have to use them but if you have some we would love to see them :-)

For my card I decided to make a Joy Fold card and used this gorgeous new Big Eyes Owl stamp from Hero Arts.

I stamped with Memento Ink onto Neenah card 3 times, I cut out the image and used Antique Linen and Vintage Photo Distress inks to colour. I then cut out the eyes twice , coloured the outer rim with the vintage photo and the inner eye with the Antique linen. I also cut out his beak and coloured it with an orange copic marker.

The papers are Echo Park from a Victoria Gardens pack, love this pack ,, all are lovely designs ! I inked all the edges and used Hero Arts Kraft paper and some plain brown card for layering. I made the branches using a Memory Box Twigs and Berries die and added a few Hero Arts Pearls and a large Graphic 45 chipboard button for the closure. I added some bias tape, coloured with an orange copic and some brown organza ribbon to finish.

On the inside I used this very cute Tiny Owl and Scroll Tree, both by Hero Arts , the words were stamped using a Lawn Fawn alphabet set.

I am leaving later today and will be meeting up with Heidi, Steph and lots more people who are behind the scenes at Simon Says Stamp ,,, We’re all going to the CHA looking for new products ,,,, SOOOO EXCITED !!

Thanks for looking :-) I love reading what you think so please leave me a comment and I will pop by to visit you when I get back from LA !!! Woo Hoo ,,, U S of A ,,, here I come !!

ABC Christmas ,,,, ‘B’ for Bears and Bunting ,,,,

2012-01-25T09:00:00.003+01:00

Hi all :-) I am leaving for the CHA today ,, woo hoo !!! This is a scheduled post so I hope it works :-)

This time on the ABC Christmas Challenge it is Dorte’s turn to choose the theme ,,,,

‘B’ FOR BEARS AND BUNTING ,,,, ( plus Christmas of course)

I used this very cute Gruffie Bear stamp, this is called Box of Ornaments, I coloured with Copics and inked the edges with Pumice Stone Distress Ink. The papers are Memory Box from the ‘Yuletide’ pack. I used a Spellbinders Banner to make the bunting and added some gems to bling it up a bit :-) I used some twine, a charm and I used the little snowflakes left over from the EK Success Snowflake border punch, coloured with silver pigment ink.

We’re sponsored by our lovely teamie Lacey, owner of Stamp and Create and she will be giving one lucky entrant fab voucher for $25 to her store :-)

AND

the lovely Jodie from Bugaboo Stamps will be giving one lucky entrant a choice of 7 digi stamps !

Thanks for looking , I appreciate your comments and I will pop by to visit you all when I get back ,,, Ta ta for now !!

Papertake Weekly ,,, Happy Highlights Challenge :-)

2012-01-24T09:31:00.003+01:00

Hi all :-) Hope all is well with everyone and you’re ready for another challenge on the Papertake Weekly ! :-)

This week we have a fab theme ,,

HAPPY HIGHLIGHTS ,,,

So, just highlight part of the image or paper using something like glitter, glossy accents or decoupage :-)

We are sponsored by the lovely Jodie from Bugaboo Stamps and one lucky entrant can win a choice of 7 digi images ! :-)

The DT were all given a choice of images to use and I chose this very cute Knobby Knee’s Nurse.

I coloured with Copics and highlighted the flower with Star Dust Stickles and a gem in the center. The papers are Jillibean Blossom soup. I used a Heart Swirl die cut and the flowers were a gift from Debby xx, I added a satin ribbon, a charm, a few gems and stitched all the edges on my machine :-)

Thanks for looking :-) The DT have all made fabulous cards for your inspiration so hop on over to the PTW to see them :-)

I am preparing to leave for the CHA so I will pop by to visit you all when I get back :-) Sooo Excited !!! CAN'T WAIT !!! :-) LA here I come !! :-)

Totally Papercrafts ….. Make Your Own Flowers Challenge :-)

2012-01-20T09:00:00.003+01:00

Hi all :-) another Friday is here and almost time for a weekend of catching up with the crafty challenges :-)

On the Totally Papercrafts Challenge this week we’re asking you to

Make Your Own Flowers :-)

these can be punched, hand cut, die cut ,, whatever you like as long as it’s not a ready made one !! :-)

We are sponsored by the lovely Melissa, owner of Meljen Designs and she will be giving one lucky entrant a choice of 4 digi images !! :-)

The DT were offered a choice of images to use and I decided to use this gorgeous Victorian Bird Cage image. I coloured with Copics and inked the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink . The papers are Echo Park from a Be Mine pack, all the edges were inked too and distressed, I then rounded a few edges and stitched them on my machine. I used a Swirl Heart die cut and some bias tape from The Ribbon Girl,

Now for the important bit :-) I made the flowers using MFT rolled roses dies, these come in 3 sizes and I used the large and medium sizes. I cut them out of plain white card, sprayed with water and scrunched before rolling them, this makes them much easier to handle I find ,,,.I use a glue gun to fix them once rolled, I have tried glue dots and glossy accents but find the glue gun works best for me :-) I then sprayed them all with pink Copic’s ,RV 32 and RV 34, and I popped a pearl in the largest one :-)

I must admit that I do like this card and think I will send it to my Mum, it's her birthday in a couple of weeks ,,,,shhhh :-)

The DT have made some gorgeous cards for your inspiration so hop on over to the TPC to see them :-)

Challenges :

Colour Create ,, Pink and Green + optional handmade flowers !

Cute Card Thursday ,,, Music and Dance ,, the bird is singing and there is manuscript paper :-)

Paper Crafting Journey ,,, Floral

Paper Play ,,,, Ribbon Every Which Way

Moving Along with the Times ,,, Things with Wings

A little birdie ,,,,,,,

2012-01-19T15:21:00.006+01:00

Hi all ,,, is it cold where you are ?? Here it is sunny but bloomin freezing. It isn’t often that I need heating in my craft room but I have today !!! brrr ,, my hands are really cold !

Anyway ,, I have just bought this new Big Eyes Owl stamp from Hero Arts and thought I would make another card for the Less Is More Challenge , Mandi and Chrissie are asking us for one layer and birds ,,, LOTS of white space on this !!! YAY !! :-)

I stamped with Memento Black ink onto some white card and coloured with Copics, I added some Glossy Accents to his eyes and beak,a few dots of Star Dust Stickles and added a sentiment that I have no idea who made it but it was in a little set that was a gift from Domi xx :-)

Thanks for looking :-) I appreciate your comments so please leave me one :-)

Challenges :

Less Is More ,,, One Layer + Birds

Charisma Cardz ,,,, CAS

MAWTT ,,,, Things With Wings

Right ,off to pop the kettle on ,, maybe a nice brew will warm me up a bit ,,,,, brrrr ,,, See ya later xx

Simon Says ,,,,,,Use Domi’s Sketch :-)

2012-01-18T09:00:00.005+01:00

WOW!!! What a fabby turn out for last weeks Spots and Stripes challenge!!!! Lots of gorgeous creations for us to pop by and admire :-)

This week we have another great challenge for you...

USE DOMI'S SKETCH :-)

Our lovely teamie, Domi, has made this gorgeous sketch for us all to use this week. You can rotate or flip it, as long as we can see the basic sketch is there thats OK :-)

Simon Says Stamp has recently started a MONTHLY CARD KIT , these are fabulous value for money !! Check them out HERE

BONUS ALERT ! BONUS ALERT !BONUS ALERT ! :-)

Updated on January 9: February kits have sold out. Subscribers who purchase a subscription in January will still receive the Bonus Tim Holtz 3 pack of ink pads with their first (March 2012) Kit.

As usual Heidi will be giving one lucky entrant a $50 voucher to her FANTASTIC Simon Says Stamp Superstore !! For fabulous tutorials, inspiration and candy you should keep an eye on the Simon Says Stamp Blog too

For my card I used my fabulous BRAND NEW Hero Arts For You Gifts stamp from the 2012 release, isn’t she lovely, and so easy to colour !! I stamped the image twice using Memento Black ink onto Neenah cardstock and coloured with Copics, I then cut out the gifts and used pop dots to fix them in front for added dimension. I also used a Hero Arts Envelope Pattern stamp to make the design in the circle background, I stamped with Versafine ink and embossed with white EP, I then coloured with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink.

The paper is Echo Park Be Mine ( candy win from Mandy xx:-) ) The flowers are Prima and I used an American Crafts brad in the centre and popped it on top of a Heart Swirl die cut. I added a little bag charm, some gems a strip of organza ribbon and placed some fab Hemptique pink twine over the top, the sentiment is part of the girl stamp but I cut it off and moved it to the side :-)

Thanks for looking :-) Our fabulous GD Debbie and the DT have all made gorgeous cards for your inspiration so hop on over to the Simon Says Stamp Challenge to see them ! :-)

Challenges :

Colour Me Creative Copics ,, Hot Pink/Black/White + photo inspiration

Buttons, Bows,Bling and Blooms ,,

2012-01-17T09:35:00.001+01:00

Mornin all :-) Hope you are all fit and well and ready for a new challenge over on the Papertake Weekly :-) We had hundreds of entries last week and we hope you join us again this week too !

Buttons, Bows, Bling and Blooms !

not missing many embelllies there eh ! :-)

I went all girly and used this gorgeous Lili of the Valley stamp that was a RAK from my lovely buddy Cathy xx Coloured with Copics and oodles of Star Dust Stickles added for extra sparkle. I cut out the image using a Nellie Snellen Oval Multi Frame and threaded an organza ribbon through and tied a double bow using a bow easy to cover the join ( I did try to tie a bow but gave up)

I used some soft pink DP and some sparkly spotty embossed card from Craft Creations, I made the swirly panel by using a Hero Arts Flourish background stamp, versafine and white EP to emboss resist and then added Victorian Velvet DI.

The base card was plain white card that I inked with Broken China Distress Ink. The flowers are a mix from The Ribbon Girl and a candy win from Mandy ( xx) I also used some gorgeous Twinkle Organza, Pearl Buttons and finished with a few gems for extra bling :-)

We are sponsored by our lovely teamies, Andrea and Mary aka The Ribbon Girl so a gorgeous prize of ribbon, lace, trim and buttons on offer for one lucky entrant :-)

Thanks for looking :-) Our lovely GD’s and the DT have made some fabulous cards for you to see so hop on over to the PTW to see them :-)

Challenges :

Stamps R Us ,,,, Just Kidding Around ( cards for kids)

One Stop Craft ,,, Spots and Ribbon ( the embossed panel is spotty)

Lili’s Little Fairies,, Your fave LOTV stamp ( diffy choice ,, I love em all !! )

House Mouse and Friends ,,,, Black and White Challenge :-)

2012-01-16T13:00:00.003+01:00

Hi all :-) I hope you had a lovely weekend and managed to get a little crafty time for yourself.

Before moving onto the challenge we are welcoming 5 new teamies !! Woo Hoo !! A HUGE welcome ( in alphabetical order) to Dorte, Jennifer, Kate, Paula and Tracy. I am sure you will enjoy being part of this fabulous, friendly and close knit group :-) We are sisters:-)

Also our next challenge ,, which will start in 2 weeks ,, will be a HUGE blog hop with LOADS of fabby prizes on offer !! So make sure you make a note and don’t miss it !!

This fortnight on the House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge it was America’s turn to choose the theme and she chose ,,,,,

BLACK AND WHITE, you are allowed to use skin and fur tones on the image :-)

When I saw that the challenge was black/white, I immediately thought of black and white photo’s and as luck would have it I recently bought this fab Say Cheese House Mouse stamp ,,, isn’t it CUTE :-)

I stamped with Memento ink and coloured slightly with N00, No and N1 copics, didn’t use much ink !! I cut out with Spellbinders circle and scalloped circle dies and inked the edges with black ink to add definition. The papers are from Doodlebug and I used plain black SU card for layering and for the panel too. The gorgeous lace and gingham ribbons are from The Ribbon Girl and the beautiful button is from Basic Grey Little Black Dress Eclectic Embellishments. The sentiment is from a Lawn Fawn set and I added some Star Dust Stickles around the image and sewed the edges to finish.

We are sponsored by our very own teamie, America, who will be giving one lucky entrant a gorgeous House Mouse stamp with matching sentiment and a fabby selection of charms.

AND

Di’s Digi Downloads who will be giving a fab choice of images too :-)

Thanks for looking , our special GD’s come DT’s Paula and Tracy and the DT have made some gorgeous cards for your inspiration so please hop on over to the HM&F Monday Challenge to see them ! :-) , before you hop off I would appreciate a comment so I know you popped by

Challenges :

Lets Ink It Up ,,,, Anything Goes

Pile It On ,,,,, Fuzzy Friends

Sentimental Sundays ,,,, Ribbon

Crafty Emma ,,, Vintage Dahling , I think the camera is old fashioned and vintage and the lace and button too ,,,, :-)

Stampalot ,,,, Monochromatic . I have just noticed that I was chosen to be in the top 3 too with this card :-) thanks xx

The Ribbon Girl 'Pink and Blue' Challenge

2012-01-15T10:00:00.005+01:00

Hi all :-) I hope you’re all having a FABULOUS weekend !! I am having a GREAT one !! I am thrilled to have been asked by my PTW teamies, Mary and Andrea aka The Ribbon Girl to be their GD for the January colour challenge on The Ribbon Girl Blog. Woo Hoo !!! :-)

There are fabulous prizes on offer this month ,,,,

This gorgeous ribbon kit from The Ribbon Girl

AND this fab £10 voucher to Lili Of the Valley :-)

We have recently had 2 new additions to the family, both girls, so I thought this colour combo would be perfect to make a little card and photo album for the happy parents :-)

The card was made using this oh, soo cute House Mouse stamp, this one is called Monica with Pacifier, coloured with Copics and the edges inked with Stormy Sky Distress Ink. I cut out the image with Spellbinders nestie circle and scalloped circle dies. The base card is plain white card inked with the stormy sky distress inks, I love the delicate look you get doing them like this. The papers are from Craft Creations and the lovely Gingham Ribbon, Button, Button Twine and perfect ‘Dummy’ charm are all from The Ribbon Girl, I used a Martha Stewart Scalloped Heart border punch, a Magnolia Doohickey Heart Swirl, some tiny rosebuds,flat backed pearls and oodles of Star Dust Stickles to finish.

The album was made using another House Mouse stamp ( surprise surprise ! :-) this one is called ‘A Birdie Told Me’ , made using the same basic products as the card and finished with a Bind It All machine.

I made this box to pop them in, again using the same basic products but this time using some gorgeous Siam Pink Vintage Style Seam Binding. I used a MFT Tag You’re It stamp and die set to make the tag and finished with a few Card Candy dots

I would like to say a HUGE thank you to Mary and Andrea for inviting me along and to the team for welcoming me too :-)

NOW I am hoping that ALL my followers join in with this fab challenge ! The challenge will run until January 28th at 9PM (UK time) so plenty of time to join in ,, but DON’T FORGET !! jot it down in your notebook !! :-)

Challenges :

Craft Your Days Away ,,,,, New Beginnings

Crafty Calendar ,,, New News with optional extra of Buttons and Bows ( tick)

Designed to Delight ,,, Card or Project to include a heart

One Stop Craft ,,, On the spot + ribbon

Cooking It Up with Katie ,, Pink, Posies with Pearls

My Mum’s Craft Shop ,,,, Here Come the Girls

Cupcake Craft ,,,, Something New

Sweet Stampin ,,, Glitter, Bling, Sparkle and Shine

Less Is More ,,,, :-)

2012-01-14T18:04:00.003+01:00

Hi all :-) I have just made this card for this week’s Less is More Challenge where Mandi and Chrissie are asking us to keep it simple with One Layer and to use Birds too ,,,, well after gettin me legs slapped last week I thought I had better stick to the rules this time ;-)

I have had this lovely Simon Says Stamp Why Do Birds Fall In Love Exclusives set for a while and never inked it so it was about time it had an outing !!

I masked off the central square of the card with post it notes and sprayed with Slate Glimmer Mist and left it to dry, looks lovely and shimmery IRL. I then inked the stamps with Versafine ink, added a tiny drop of star dust stickles to the heart and did some faux stitching around the image to add more definition.

It was really simple and was very quick to do ,, and even if I do say so meself I think this is OK and I think I have ticked the right boxes this week Lots of white space and not an embellie in sight !! :-)

Hope you’re all having a lovely weekend and hope to pop around to see ya’ll later :-)

Challenges :

Less Is More ,,, One Layer and Birds

Bloggers ,,,, Wings and Things

I Brake For ,,,,,, CAS

City Crafter ,,,, Back to Black ,,, use a silhouette

Crazy 4 Challenges ,,,, Monochrome in Blue

Totally Papercrafts Spots and Stripes Challenge ,,,,

2012-01-13T09:00:00.003+01:00

Hi all ,, the weekend is here again and hopefully you’ll find time to get crafty and get those stamps and crayons out :-)

This week our lovely Caroline choose the theme and she decided on

Spots and Stripes ! :-)

We are sponsored by Alota Rubber Stamps who will be giving a voucher for $20 to one lucky entrant !

I needed to make a Thank You card for a special friend and this is it !! :-)

I used a fab Lawn Fawn set called ‘Just My Type , coloured with Copics and the edges inked with Antique Linen Distress Ink. The papers are a new and from My Mind’s Eye, these are from a Portobello Road pack and I used some SU card for layering. I used a Bottle Cap inc flattened chrome cap, a Vintage Typewriter image and topped it off with an Epoxy Dot. I added some black satin ribbon from The Ribbon Girl , some faux stitching and a few black coat dots by Stamping Bella

Thanks for looking :-) The DT have made some gorgeous cards for your inspiration so hop on over to the TPC to see them

Challenges

Moving Along with the Times ,,, Spots and Stripes

Sweet Stampin ,,, Spots and Dots 2nd entry

Alphabet ,,, 'Y' for Your Choice ,,, Anything Goes ,,,

Crafty Catz ,, Use something New ,, The MME papers are new

Simon Says ,,,,,,Spots and/or Stripes :-)

2012-01-11T09:39:00.006+01:00

WOW!!! What a fabby turn out for last weeks NEW challenge!!!! Thanks to everyone for joining in :-)

This week we have another great challenge for you...

SPOTS and/or STRIPES!

You can have just spots, just stripes or spots AND stripes, its totally up to you!!!!! PLEASE remember to LINK to this SIMON SAYS STAMP CHALLENGE in your blog post somewhere to qualify to win our prize!!!

The Design Team is showcasing MEMORY BOX products this week. Its not mandatory to join in but if you have them, why not pull them out & use them?!?! Simon Says has an amazing selection of Memory Box products - papers, dies, stamps.........WOW!!!

Its a good idea to keep a check on the All New Just In Pages , there is invariably some new goodies listed and it is a handy way to keep up to date with all things new and crafty !!

We have just started a MONTHLY CARD KIT , these are fabulous value for money !! Check them out HERE They are literally flying out of the doors so better be quick !!

As usual Heidi will be giving one lucky entrant a $50 voucher to her FANTASTIC Simon Says Stamp Superstore !! For fabulous tutorials, inspiration and candy you should keep an eye on the Simon Says Stamp Blog too

For my card I used this very cute Baykahbella stamp from Stamping Bella .

I coloured the image with Copics and the edges inked with Shabby Shutters Distress Ink. I used Memory Box Pixie papers and used a little bit of a striped design to paper piece her pinny. this is a gorgeous paper pack, lovely designs and quality :-) I layered her pouch and popped the spoons in there ,, I also layered the rolling pin and used Helmar Scrap Dots to fix, better for small items than pop dots. I used a check design paper as that has lots of stripes in it !!

For the spots I used a Memory Box Bubble Dots Die and made 2 strips which I used underneath the bias tape. I have bought several Memory Box dies and they cut beautifully, they have lots of gorgeous designs and I just LOVE them !! They are wafer thin so are easy to store too !!

The flowers are from a Hero Arts Blush Print pack and I added a green flower and Blush Dot for the centre. I also popped a die cut made using a Heart Swirl die underneath. to finish I added a Cupcake Charm and I used a Spellbinder Ribbon Tag for the sentiment.

Thanks for looking :-) Our Designer in the Spotlight, Debbie, and the DT have made some gorgeous cards for your inspiration so hop on over to the Simon Says Stamp Challenge to see them

Challenges :

Anything Goes Challenge ,,,,, Anything Goes

Top Tip Tuesday ,,,, Anything Goes ( my tip is to use the scrap dots for adding dimension to small items, it is a FAB product :-)

Heart to Heart ,,, use a stamp that hasn’t been used yet ,, this is a new one

My Craft Spot ,,,, It’s Delicious, I think the cupcake looks yummy !

There She Goes ,,, Paper Piecing

Truly Madly Crafty ,,,, Anything Goes

Birthday Sundaes ,,,, Birthday Card

Allsorts ,,,, Paper Piecing

Secret Crafter ,,,, Let them eat Cake

Sweet Stampin ,,,, Spots and Dots

Challenge Up your Life ,,, Bingo ( I chose 1 down) flowers,ribbons, swirls)

ABC ,,, A for Anything Christmas ,,,, :-)

2012-01-11T08:45:00.005+01:00

Crikey ,,,, that went quick !! It seems only a few short weeks ago that I was posting and A for ,,,, for the ABC Christmas Challenge and here we are starting another round !

This fortnight our lovely teamie Lacey is hosting the challenge and she has chosen

'A' for Anything Christmas !! ,

We have several sponsors for this challenge ,, !

The lovely Heidi at Simon Says Stamp is offering a fab $15 voucher ( excludes postage)

The lovely Gerda at The Stamp Fairy is offering a $10 voucher to her store

AND

The Ribbon Girl is offering a fab Mini Christmas Kit !! :-)

Woo Hoo !! I wish I could enter !!!! :-)

For my card I used this gorgeous Hero Arts Winking Reindeer, coloured with a copic pen and a dot of red stickles on his nose to transform him into Rudolph :-) The papers are My Minds Eye and I used a Martha Stewart Himalayan Snowflake punch and some Organza ribbon from The Ribbon Girl to finish :-)

This was a very quick n easy card to make and I did make several of these in the run up to Christmas :-)

thanks for looking , our fabulous GD's and the DT have made some gorgeous cards for your inspiration so hop on over to the challenge blog to see them :-)

Challenges :

Creative Stamp Friends ,,,, Winter

This card is one I made before Christmas ,,, I did make 4 of them and I have one left for next year :-)

Papertake Weekly ,,, Die Cute Special ! :-)

2012-01-10T10:33:00.006+01:00

Hi all :-) I hope all is well with everyone and hope the New Year got off to a good start for you :-)

This week on the Papertake Weekly we have a lovely challenge for you ,,,,

DIE CUTE SPECIAL ,, so use a cute image and a die cut,, simples :-)

We are sponsored by the lovely Gerda at The Stamp Fairy so a fab choice of digi images on offer for one lucky entrant !

The DT were all offered images to use too and many of us took Gerda up on her lovely offer :-)

I chose this very cute Lenny ‘Get Well Soon’ image. I coloured with Copics and Prismacolor pencils and I must admit I do like this scruffy looking Lenny, he can’t get in the shower cos he has a broken leg lol. I cut him out and popped him onto some coloured paper with pop dots. The papers are Basic Grey from the Little Black Dress pack, LOVE THESE :-) I added some sort of ribbon that looks like a bandage, not sure what this is called, it was a gift from America, and I thought it was perfect for this ! I added a safety pin and a ribbon slider from The Ribbon Girl, the sentiment was a freebie from The Stamp Fairy too and I used a Spellbinders circle die to cut it out ( I wasn’t very adventurous with the die cuts eh !! to be honest I forgot that bit of the challenge ,,, oops !)

Thanks for looking :-) Our lovely GD’s and the DT have made some gorgeous cards for you to see so please hop on over to the PTW to see them

Challenges:

Crafty Cardmakers ,,, No Floral Embellies

Cupcake Crafts ,,, Something New ( new digi image and this is for hubby who is going in for a new hip !! )

Digi Makeover ,,,, Get Well ( + digi image)

Paper Pretties ,,,, Get Well

Pile It On ,,,, Manly Cards

Basic Grey ,,,, Something New ( new hip ! ,, image, ribbon, and papers are quite new too ! :-)

Predominantly Purple ,,,,

2012-01-08T18:48:00.006+01:00

Hi all :-) I hope you’re all enjoying the weekend and managing to get a little crafty time :-)

When I saw the theme on the Less Is More Challenge I thought I would join in ,, I love purple ! :-) This has photographed quite pale, the purple shades are darker much more vibrant IRL, will try to take a better piccy tomorrow.

I have only used this fab Collage Background stamp from Hero Arts once before and it is about time it had another inking, unfortunately I had taped it all down before I remembered it also comes with an embossing folder and I could/should have embossed it !

I stamped using versafine ink and embossed with clear EP. I then used various purple shades of distress inks and sprayed with diamond glimmer mist ,, it looks lovely and shimmery IRL. I layered with black card and more paper inked with the distress inks. I added a ribbon and ribbon slider from The Ribbon Girl to finish :-)

I hope this is CAS enough for the challenge ,,,, please leave me a comment so I know you popped by xx

Challenges :

Crafty Emma ,,,,, Anything Goes

Fabulous Friday ,,, No patterned paper

Another 2012 House Mouse Calendar ,,,,:-)

2012-01-06T09:00:00.005+01:00

Hi all :-) we’re back for another Totally Papercrafts Challenge after taking a little Christmas break :-)

This week it is our lovely teamie, Anne’s. turn to host the challenge and choose the theme and she chose to use a Sketch designed byour very own Scoopy !! :-)

We are sponsored by the lovely Heidi at Simon Says Stamp

and this prize ( please note that shipping charges are the responsibility of the winner)

I made this calendar for a friend who is a dog lover and is very involved with the running of the Gozo SPCA.

I used this very cute House Mouse ‘Are We There Yet image, coloured with Copics and Prismacolor pencils. The gorgeous papers are First Edition New Leaf and were a gift from Debby ( thanks me darlin xx ) I used a Memory Box Twigs and Berries die, some twine and a calendar to finish :-) I left off the embellies from the sketch as everything I tried looked 'wrong', I think cos the image is quite big ,,, it didn't leave much space ,,,

Thanks for looking :-) the DT have made some gorgeous cards for your inspiration so hop on over to the TPC to see them

Challenges :

City Crafter ,,,, Save the Date

Crafty Catz ,,, New Beginnings ,,( New Year )

Simon Says ,,,,,, Something New ,,,,,

2012-01-03T22:30:00.005+01:00

We know it was a very busy week for most of you so a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone for joining in last week! :-) We KNOW how much you love ANYTHING GOES challenges!!!

This week we have a great challenge for you...

NEW SOMETHING ,,,,

It can be for any occasion that is NEW - new baby, new house, new car, new year, USE something NEW.....the options are endless!!! SO, lets see what you come up with this week!

The Design Team is showcasing Cuttlebug products this week. Its not mandatory to join in but if you have them, why not pull them out & use them?!?!

Its a good idea to keep a check on the All New Just In Pages , there is invariably some new goodies listed and it is a handy way to keep up to date with all things new and crafty !!

Designer in the January Spotlight is

DEBBIE
We would like to extend a very warm welcome to Debbie who is joining us on the DT for the month of January! If you haven't seen her blog then you're in for a treat ! :-)

I have made a couple of sets similar to this for baby girls ( we have had 2 new additions to the family in December) so I thought I would make a set for a boy too :-)

For the card I used this very cute House Mouse ‘A Birdie Told Me’ stamp,,, sooo cute !! Coloured with Copics and cut out with Spellbinders circle and scalloped dies. The papers are from a Kaiser Crafts Lullaby pack and I used some white coredinations and a Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder to make the panel I used a Heart Swirl die from Magnolia too, the flowers were made using white felt and a MFT Mini Rolled Rose die and added a little star dust stickles for sparkle. To finish I added a few Robins Nest Dew Drops a pram charm and some white spot organza ribbon.

The album was made using similar products, the image is called Monica with Pacifier,, soo cute :-) and this time I framed her using a Lawn Fawn ‘Say Cheese’ photo stamp. I used the larger of the 2 rolled rose dies for this and added a little bear charm. I used my Bind It All for finish.

I made this box to pop them in, the tag was made using a MFT Tag You’re It Set and I added a Basic Grey button to finish :—)

Thanks for looking :-) Debbie and the DT have made some gorgeous cards for your inspiration so hop on over to the Simon Says Stamp Challenge to see them :-)

Challenges :

Anything Goes ,,,, Blue + 1 colour

Top Tip Tuesday ,,, Anything Goes

Bling It On ,,,, New Beginnings

By the Cute and Girly ,,,, New Beginnings

Incy Wincy ,,,,, Anything Goes

Pile It On ,,,, Anything Goes

House Mouse Desk Calendar for the PTW Challenge

2012-01-03T10:36:00.010+01:00

Hi all :-) This is a long post so get coffee !! :-)

It is time for the fist challenge of 2012 over on the Papertake Weekly Challenge and the theme is ,,,

Anything Goes with the optional extra of something new,

We are sponsored by Lili of the Valley so a fab voucher to buy gorgeous stamps or die cuts on offer :-)

I bought a base for a desk calendar over a year ago and forgot all about it and just happened to spot it lurking in the back of a cupboard recently so I decided to get it done !

As you know I do loves me House Mouse so I made this for my desk using only HM&Friends stamps. The printed calendar is a free download from The Stamp Fairy, thanks Gerda xx

The front cover is paper from Kaiser Crafts and |I added a Martha Stewart punched butterfly, some star dust stickles and a few brown pearls to decorate :-) All the edges have been inked with Vintage Photo DI

January, used Snow Much Fun

February, used Love Letter

March, used Birthday Cupcake ( cos it’s my birthday this month) :-)

April, used Will Knit for Friends

May, used Bed of Flowers

June, used Light as a Feather ( probably on a diet getting ready for bikini weather ! ) :-)

July ,, used Berried

August, used Bunny Cruise

September, used Taking Notes ( Back to Skool)

October, used Interview with a Vampire (a new unused stamp)

November, used Poppy Cot from an unmounted set

December, used, Tis the Season

I am really happy with how this turned out and hopefully I won't forget so many birthdays this year !! :-)

Thanks for looking , please leave me a comment so I know you popped by and please hop over to the PTW to see what the other girls have been up to

Challenges :

Cheerful Stamp Pad ,,, Let It Snow

Ooh La La ,,,, Anything BUT a card

Stamp & Fun = Creativity ,,,, Snow

Pile It On ,,,, Anything Goes

Sparkles Forum ,,, Anything BUT a card

Craft Your days Away ,,,, Snowmen ( Jan)

Charisma Cardz ,,, Anything Goes

Creative Card Crew ,,,, Snow day

Everybody Art ,,,,, Snow

Oldie But Goodie ,,, Christmas Animals (both Xmas stamps are more than 6 months old)

Top Tip Tuesday ,,,, Anything Goes

Penny Black and More ,,, Love and Hearts ( 2nd entry)

House Mouse ,,,,,,, 'Something New' Challenge :-)

2012-01-02T12:02:00.001+01:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!! :-)

Hi all :-) ,,,well that went quick !! one minute we were posting cards and the next it’s all over for another year !! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year :-)

We had a nice little break but we’re back now with a ‘NEW’ theme over on the House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge !

The challenge is to make Something New eg, New Job, New Home, use a New stamp ,,, etc ,,,, easy !! Don’t forget tho, you must use a House Mouse, Happy Hopper or a Gruffie image to join in :-)

We are sponsored by the lovely Heidi at Simon Says Stampo so a fab $25 voucher on offer

AND

Pizzaz Aplenty

who will give one lucky entrant a fab pack of embellies worth $10 ! :-)

I went with ‘New Baby’ ! Hubby’s niece has just had a baby girl so I made this album and card for her

For the card I used this very cute Happy Hopper Baby Itty Bit stamp ,,, sooo cute ! I coloured with copics and used a Spellbinders Oval to cut it out. I made the background card by inking white card with Pumice Stone Distress Ink, I used pink gingham and spotty papers, I do love gingham especially for baby cards :-) I used a Martha Stewart scalloped heart border punch, a perfect charm from America ( thanks me darlins xxxx ) and some lovely gingham ribbon from The Ribbon Girl.

For the album I used a Love Bunny stamp ,, basically it was made the same way as the card and I added a charm ( thanks again America) , pearls and I used a Magnolia Heart Swirl die and added a few little rosebuds. I used my fab Bind It All to finish

I made this box to pop them in. The bias tape was coloured with the Pumice stone DI and has photographed much darker than it is IRL ,,,, The tag was made with a MFT Tag You're It set.

Thanks for looking :-) The DT have made some gorgeous creations for you to see so please pop over to the challenge blog to see them,,, but before you rush off please leave me a comment so I know that you popped by :-)

Addicted to Stamps ,,,, Something New

Creative Inspirations Paint ,,,, Something New

Pile It On ,,,, Anything Goes

The Squirrel and the Fox ,,, Use something New ( new papers )

Allsorts ,,,, New Beginnings

Sweet Stampin ,,,, New Beginnings

Totally Gorjuss ,,, Something Happy, those bunnies look happy :-)

Alphabet ,,, X for Xtra Special Occasion

Stampin for the Weekend ,,,,, Anything Goes

Simon Says ,,,,, Anything Goes ! :-)

2011-12-28T10:17:00.007+01:00

We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and hope you all found something nice under the tree on Christmas morning !! :-)

We know it was a very busy week for most of you so a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone for joining in with our game of BINGO ! :-)

This week on the Simon Says Stamp Challenge we have a nice easy one for you ,,,,,

Simon Says ,,,,,,,, ANYTHING GOES !!! :-)

As usual Heidi will be giving one lucky entrant a $50 voucher to her FANTASTIC Simon Says Stamp Superstore !! For fabulous tutorials, inspiration and candy you should keep an eye on the Simon Says Stamp Blog too

Do you like this fab new blinkie ,,, isn't it CUTE !! :)

we have this new one for the challenge too :-)

Its a good idea to keep a check on the All New Just In Pages , there is invariably some new goodies listed and it is a handy way to keep up to date with all things new and crafty !!

It is Lin's last week with us in the December Spotlight . Thank you so much for all your lovely creations over the last few weeks :-) XX

I organised a Christmas gift swap amongst the DT, we all had to make a little gift and add a few crafty bits and bobs for one person. All the names were put into a hat and I drew Dawny’s name to make for and Debby made for me, if you would like to see what I received pop over to Debby’s blog !! IT IS GORGEOUS HUGE thanks Debby xxxx

Dawny, as you all know, has a beautiful Grandaughter, Kyla, and she will soon be joined by a baby brother or sister so I decided to make Dawny a brag book for her to pop photo’s of her little darlings into :-)

I got some mountboard ( free offcuts from a framer) and cut it to 6x6 inches and covered with a Kaiser Craft paper. I then made the central panel by stamping a Hero Arts Dots stamp with Colorbox White pigment ink and embossing with white embossing powder. I then inked with Dusty Concord, Broken China, Stormy Sky and Tea Dye distress inks. I used the Dusty Concord ink to colour the base card too. I used a MFT ‘Tag you’re It’ set to cut the tag and I stamped the dots using the white ink and powder and inked the edges with Stormy Sky DI. I punched a Martha Stewart Butterfly , inked and glittered with Star Dust Stickles and I added a few gems to create movement. I used a Lawn Fawn Harold’s ABC set and and various ribbons and twine and I used my Bind It All to finish.

I also made this little post it note holder, very quick and easy to make ! I used this very cute House Mouse ‘Amanda Writes stamp, coloured with Copics and the edges inked with Spun Sugar DI. The paper is from a Tim Holtz Vintage Shabby pack and I used a Sizzix Brackets die for the fancy border. I used Vintage Photo DI and some bias tape to finish.

Thanks for looking :-) Lin and the DT have all made some fabulous creations for your inspiration so please hop on over to the Simon Says Stamp Challenge to see them :-)

Wishing you all a Very Happy New Year :-)

Challenges :

Everybody Art ,,,,, Anything Goes

Top Tip Tuesday ,,,, Anything Goes

Sparkles Forum ,,,, Anything Goes

Secret Crafter ,,,, Anything Goes

Totally Gorjuss ,,, For Someone Special

Jellypark Friends ,,,, Anything But a Card

Penny Black and More ,,, Love and Hearts ( thanks Brenda x)

2012 Calendar ,,,,,

2011-12-27T20:19:00.003+01:00

Hi all :-) I am back to show you a quick n easy desk calendar I made for my friends mum :-)

I used this lovely Penny Black Fantasy Tree stamp, I inked with Versafine, embossed with clear EP and inked the edges with Vintage Photo DI. I used paper from a First Edition New Leaf pack ( thanks Debby xx ) I also made some designs by inking a Hero Arts Flourish stamp, first with Tea Dye Ink and then with pearl paint dabber, and used the same technique using a Dots stamp too. I added some Hero Arts pearls and gems and a ribbon, coloured with a Copic marker to match the green base card and a calendar from a shop in Pontefract :-)

Thanks for looking :-) I appreciate your comments so please leave me one :-)

Challenges :

Die Cut Dreams ,,, make a calendar or a Jan 2012 page

Ooh La La ,,,, Anything BUT a card

Addicted to Stamps ,,, Something New ,,,, I chose ‘year’

Hotshot Craft ,,,, Easel Card

Papertake Weekly ,,,,, Sketch Challenge :-)

2011-12-26T22:17:00.004+01:00

Hi all :-) I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and I hope Santa left you lots of craft pressies under the tree :-)

Christmas soon comes and goes and before we know it it will be time to get the fairy lights out again !! but for now it’s time for a new sketch challenge over on the Papertake Weekly Challenge .

We are sponsored by the lovely Heidi at Simon Says Stamp so a fab voucher to spend ! woo hoo !! :-)

It was my nephew’s 30th birthday yesterday and he is a card designer( proper professional type one) and is a fab photographer too so I thought this House Mouse ‘Say Cheese image would be about right !! I coloured with Copics and inked the edges with Vintage Photo DI. The papers are Basic Grey from a Little Black Dress pack and I used a Tim Holtz Typeset Alphabet die for the numbers. I added Star Dust stickles here and there and the sentiment is from a Lawn Fawn 'Say Cheese' set and I used a Spellbinders tag and the black ribbon is from The Ribbon Girl.

Thanks for looking :-) The DT have all made gorgeous cards for your inspiration so please hop on over to the PTW to see them, but before ya leave please leave me a comment so I know you popped by :-)

Challenges :

Crafty Boots ,,,, Celebrations

Basic Grey Challenge ,,, Anything Goes

Cooking It Up with Katie ,,, Anything Goes

My Mum's Craft Shop ,,,, Anything Goes

Charisma Cardz ,,,,, Anything Goes

Merry Christmas :-)

2011-12-24T18:23:00.004+01:00

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas :-)

Simon Says ,,,,, Lets play BINGO !! :-)

2011-12-21T11:42:00.003+01:00

Thank you all so much for all your sketchy creations last week. :-)

This week, our challenge is a BINGO card! So, what you have to do, is make a creation using 3 of the items from this board that are IN A ROW (like tic tac toe!) - across, down or diagonal! Your choice!!!! For example, you might choose GEMS, NO DESIGNER PAPER and FLOWERS for your project! Lots of great choices this time around, so have fun with it!!!

As usual Heidi will be giving one lucky entrant a $50 voucher to her FANTASTIC Simon Says Stamp Superstore !!

For fabulous tutorials, inspiration and candy you should keep an eye on the Simon Says Stamp Blog tooIts a good idea to keep a check on the All New Just In Pages , there is invariably some new goodies listed and it is a handy way to keep up to date with all things new and crafty !!

For my card I chose 1 down, Ribbon/Twine. Punches/Die Cuts, Multifold.

I love easel cards and House Mouse stamps ( surprise surprise !! ) :-) so I used this very cute St Nick Mouse image, coloured with Copics and the edges inked with Broken China Distress Ink. The papers are Memory Box from a Yuletide pack. I used a Martha Stewart PATP snowflake set, an icicle border punch and snowflake punches and a circle, a scalloped circle and tag Spellbinder dies. I added some Robins Nest Dew Drops and lots of Star Dust and Crystal glitter for sparkle.

Thanks for looking :-) Our Designer in the December Spotlight, Lin, and the DT have made some gorgeous creations for your inspiration so pop on over to the Simon Says Stamp Challenge to see them :-)

Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas and the Happiest of New Year's

Challenges

Sketch Saturday ,,,, Sketch (I lowered the 3 strands element and centered the sentiment, if I have altered it too much then my apologies xx )

My Time To Craft ,,,, Winter Pals

Oldie But Goodie ,,, Christmas Animals ( stamp is 12 months old)

Top Tip Tuesday ,,,, Christmas ( 2nd entry)

Crafty Calendar ,,,, Cold and Frosty

Sweet Stampin ,,, Sparkle and Bling

Card Making Mama’s ,,,, Christmas