Sweet Sugar Challenges Design Team

My fellow SBSista Claire has set-up a challenge blog for lovers of Sugar Nellie stamps and I have been selected to be one of the Design Team!!!!!!! This first challenge will be this Monday and a new challenge will be set fortnightly. I know there are loads of you out there who love a bit of sugar, so please come and join us at http://sweetsugarchallenges.blogspot.com/

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My Paper World - Sketch 3

I loved Nicola's last sketch challenge, so I've made another one for Sketch 3.

I feel this is a bit of a cheat for me, as I love this layout and have used similar before. The card was covered with swirly paper from Pink Petticoat and then I added a strip of the same colour paper, but with swirls and flowers onto purple card and added this across the centre of the card. The handbag is a Pink Petticoat image, coloured and glittered with stickles. This has been mounted onto a purple scalloped circle and stickles added to the edge and then mounted with 3d foam. I have stamped Shop Til You Drop onto purple card and added this to the strip of card and then added a Pink Petticoat Happy Birthday sentiment to the bottom right hand corner

Blog candy

I was going to do a little blog candy when I hit 10,000, but I'm very impatient and have decided to do it when I hit 9,000 instead. Already put a little kit together, so if you like pink and girly watch out for it!

I've been tagged

I've been tagged tagged by Jo at Only-Joking in the Middle Name Game!

These are the rules:-

• You must post the rules before you give your answers.
• You must list one fact about yourself for each letter of your middle name. Each fact must begin with that letter. If you don't have a middle name, just use your maiden name.
• After you've been tagged, you need to up-date your blog with your middle name and answers.
• At the end of your post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name. (Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged and need to read your blog for details.

Well I have no middle name, as my maiden name is Seroczynska and my parents thought that was enough to deal with. This will take me some time to think of and I will struggle to find people to tag with all my letters!!!!!!

Scotland, where I was born and I'm proud to say I'm Scottish, although I live in England now!

Ed Mcbain, my favourite author, such a shame he is no longer with us.

Red, this was the colour I choose for my wedding, as I wanted red roses and hearts and to have something that wouldn't date.

On time, I hate people who are always late and i think it's rude if you can't get somewhere on time, esp if I'm left on my own looking like billy no mates.

Cheshire, where I live. Lovely county just wish we had a bit less rain and the house prices weren't pushed up by all the footie stars!

Zoo's, I love them. Luckily I live about 30 mins from Chester Zoo so we make sure we go at least once a year.

Yo yo, this sums up my diet!!! Seem to have spent my whole life losing weight, then gaining and then losing again!!! would love to stay at a 10 but it creeps upto 12 and back on the diet again

Never gone for more than 2 weeks without seeing my parents and that's only if one of us has been on holiday, very close to my parents and they have been told they can never move more than 20 mins away from me.

Shopping, I love buying crafting goodies as much as I love making cards :o)

Kids, I'm hoping that these will happen in the not too distant future

Ahhhhh, can't think of anything to say now!

I really don't know enough people to use all my letters, so I am tagging Natty K, Julie, Joani, Sue, Nikki and Gina x

Planet Pootle Blog Candy

Michelle at Planet Pootle is having a blog candy giveaway and has extended the deadline to Thursday. This is great for me as I didn't get chance to finish my card on Sunday due to being very hungover (must remember at 34 it is not a good idea to drink like I did in my 20s)!!!

The challenge is to make a valentines card, it must be a new card that has been created just for this challenge and not combined with other challenges.

This card is for my hubby. He is always complaining that in the winter I am straight into my comfy pyjamas and slippers as soon as I get home and even offered to buy me something a bit sexier (it's freezing love!). I decided to use this image from Pink Petticoat as I think this is more what he had in mind!

I've coloured and then glitter the image with stickles and mounted onto black card. I've then covered a card with Pink Petticoat with words like gorgeous and beautiful and then added a strip on animal print Pink Petticoat paper to black and mounted across the centre of the paper. The sentiment is an A Muse Art stamp.

I'm sorry but my PJ's rule and he will just have to make do with this ;o)

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Heart's Desire

This weeks challenge over at Papertake Weekly is Heart's Desire. 'Please could we see some hearts (or a heart lol!) on your cards this week? Already done your Valentine's cards? How about doing a Wedding / Anniversary / engagement or birthday card! We don't mind which - as long as there's a heart or two...or three.....!!!'

I decided to use this Magnolia image that Jo from Only-Joking sent to me (although I have had to buy this stamp now!!). I watercoloured and paper pieced her and added stickles to her wings. I cut out a large heart with my Cricut for her to sit in. The Happy Birthday sentiment is an A Muse Art stamp and I cut with my scalloped circle and added to the side on the heart. The card has been covered in paper from this Christmas DCWV pack and heart jewels added to the corners.

Jackie's Blog Candy

Jackee at Pink Diamond Creations is having a blog candy giveaway of a Penny Black Arrangment stamp. All you need to do is create a good luck card using some form of stamping.

This was good timing as I'd been asked to make a good luck card for a little girls ballet exam. I stamped a pink card with little dresses using versamark to create a watermark effect. I then punched out this ballet hippo from the Dovecraft paper and mounted onto a pink scalloped circle. I cut out another hippo and mouse and decoupaged it onto the image and added to the top of the base card. I stamped Hope (little girls name) and punched out using a circle punch, edged with ink and added across the card and then added pink gingham ribbon and a Good Luck peel off to finish.

My Paper World - sketch 2

I decided to make a card for http://mypaperworld.blogspot.com/ Nicola second sketch challenge.

I used an image I got from Julie at JulesJapes and coloured with watercolour pencils, inked the edge brown and added to a brown scalloped circle. This was mounted onto ribbed card, a happy birthday brown peel off and brown buttons finish the card.

Snooker Loopy

Why when you think you have a good selection of mens cards, do you get asked for somthing that you have nothing for!!!! My friend asked me to make a snooker card for her mum, I have fishing, golf, cricket, football, cricket but nothing for snooker. That was until I had the idea to make a snooker table topper, really pleased how it turned out now although punching and sticking all the balls was a bit fiddly.

More Magnolias

My Magnolias have arrived that I thought might have got lost in the post. So many new things to play with!!!

Also just had a mail from Funky Kits to say the new Sugar Nellie stamps go on sale tonight at 8 pm. Unfortunately we will be out celebrating my friends engagement, trust them to choose tonight!!!!! Just to have to hope they get new stock quickly, as I'm sure they will all sell out tonight.

Happy Birthday Natty K

Just wanted to wish Natalie a happy birthday for today. Can't wait to see what you make with your new Cricut machine xx

Quick card

Well my lovely hubby told me at 10 tonight that his friend at work had asked if I could make a card for his gran, but that he needs it for tomorrow!!!!! So I went for one of my favourite layouts, as I didn't have the strenght to be too creative. I used a Pink Petticoat image, coloured with Marvy Le Plume pens and Liquid Pearls added to the middle of the flowers, mounted onto a pink scalloped circle. Layers strip of my favourite paper from Pink Petticoar onto the same pink card, tied some ribbon round it and added across the middle of the card. Then added Happy Birthday sentiment from Pink Petticoat onto pink card to finish off.

New Stash

I've been very naughty and treated myself to some new stash, as I still have Christmas money that I never spent in the sales. I placed this order on Monday from Funky Kits of Sugar Nellies and a couple of Magnolias. Just a bit worried the order I placed on Friday for some Magnolias hasn't arrive, but hoping it will be here when I get home from work tomorrow.

Also nipped out at lunch, first to Asda for a few more jars and then went to the local Craft Central to work. Got these great new Dovecraft papers at £2.99 each and the stamsp and ribbon were only 99p each! what a bargain

Happy Anniversary

I was asked my on of my work colleagues if I could make a Anniversary card for his wife, but he wanted to use a photo from their wedding day. As he isn't in work for the next couple of weeks he posted a picture from his wedding which I scan and then printed out. I mounted this onto white card to give it a bit more strength. I used swirly paper down the left hand side from Pink Petticoat and a Pink Petticoat sentiment and added 3 little heart jewels to the bottom right hand corner.

Never made a card with a photo before and as the photo was taken some time ago and there wasn't much colour in it, decided to play it safe with classic black and white. Just hope that they both like it, their anniversary is this weekend.

Promised I would send it and the original photo back to him by recorded delivery, so it doesn't go missing. This has felt slightly like a military exercise getting it all organised!

Ribbons, ribbons and more ribbons!

I don't know why I needed to, but I decided to get some more ribbon!!! Here is my little stash that I ordered on Monday afternoon from Ribbon Oasis and it was waiting for me when I got home tonight. I love ribbon, it is just the best thing ever, but I just can't bring myself to use it ;o)

I also nipped to Asda at lunch and bought these great jars for 96p each. I have put all my lilac ribbon and pink ribbon into these and I have moved my shelves around so they can fit on. Worked out I can get another 3 on the shelf, so off to Asda again tomorrow. Already sorted my blue, red and white ribbon ready!!!

Jo's Blog Candy - show your workstation

Jo at Only Joking is having a blog candy giveaway and she has asked for a link to pics of your crafting space. As I have been lucky and added new storage and shelves since I last showed pictures, I thought I'd have a tidy up this afternoon and let you see where the magic happens ;o)

At the moment I'm lucky, as I have spare room as my crafting space and even with a double bed and wardroom, I still have a really good space.

The photo below shows the main desk that I craft on, to my left is files with all my 12 x 12 papers and then 3 magazine files with all my scrap card in files by colour. I also have a little draw unit with ribbons and next to that a box with chiffon ribbon and prima flowers. Then I have all my tools and glues and then my little tag-a-long. On the shelves above I have my favourite stamps and also little jars with small prima flowers. Above this I have my cricut cartridges and pink petticoat CDS and the shelf above has all my sizzix dies. Underneath the desk and hidden on the left I have a 4 draw unit with embellishments and paperpacks and under the desk to the right holds all my stickles, brads, jewels, eyelets, wire and beads.

This shows my new white filing cupboards from ikea and I have worked out that I can just fit a third one in. One holds all my white, cream and coloured card and paper and the other has 2 draws with more ribbon and the bottom 4 have all my unmounted stamps and stamping products. I also have my lovely new Cricut Expression and guillotine.

The cupboard holds all my envelope and card packs that I have bought and also more stamps that I don't tend to use that much or Christmas ones. It also holds a box with extra glues and foam pads, a light box and heat gun ( which never gets used but I might need them one day). This also holds more boxes of buttons, beads and papermania tags and also a box with anythnig Chrismassy. On top I have my big shot and the red box holds all my quickutz dies and extended dies. The silver boxes hold all my thin cuts/sizzlets, cuttlebug embossing folders and necessities and next to then is my alphabets.

I have that many punches that these are stored in a big plastic box that fits under the bed, which you can just see in the corner of the picture above.

Tilda & Co Weekly Challenge

'This week's challenge i would like to see Numbers, Be it just 1 number on your artwork or lot's of numbers.'

Although I am a bit early, I decided to do a first birthday card for our friends little girl Katie Louise. I covered a card in pale pink spotty paper from Pink petticoat, punched 3 holes in the top right hand corner and tied 3 pieces of pink ribbon through the. I then cut a 1 with my Cricut from the Plantin SchoolBook cartridge in bright pink card and added to the front of the card. I then stamped and coloured Tilda with her teddy and added slightly to the right of the 1 with foam pads. I added Happy Birthday to the bottom of the 1

Papertake Weekly & Poppicraft Competition

I decided to make a card for both this weeks Papertake Weekly challenge and Michelle's competition over on Poppicrafts.

Poppicrafts January competition is very simple, "Make a valentines Day card using only these 3 colours - BLACK, RED and WHITE." The challenge over on Papertake Weekly is 'Roses are Red..' is to use red on your card! Any shade or shades of red that you like from bright pillar box to deep burgandy!!

I stamped You're a Treasure from Penny Black and coloured using my Marvy Le Plume pens. This was then mounted onto red card and a heart jewel added to each corner and just above the hedgies. I also mounted up a Happy Valentine's Day onto red card, this is an A Muse Art stamp. Black and white swirl paper from Pink Petticoat was added down the left hand side and I also tied some red chiffon ribbon down the left hand side. The image and message were then added to the right hand side of the card.

Update on Mum

Some of you may remember that in December I posted about my mum who has been battling cancer which has come back for a third time 18 months ago and that the stem cell treatment she was hoping to have wasn't an option for her.

Well she had a scan at the beginning of the year and has been to see her specialist yesterday. The scan has come back really well and they are now going to put her on chemo every 3 months for a couple of hours for the next 2 years, mum says this is maintenance treatment!!!!

They will keep the stem cells they did manage to obtain, so if her cancer every becomes untreatable they will try the stem cell treatment as a last option. At the moment, if they went ahead with the stem cell treatment she could be putting her life at risk with the treatment or end up having blood transfusions as she has so few stem cells left.

Mum seems really positive, so if she is happy so am I!!!

New Stash

My new stash has arrived today from Creative Pastimes, everything was 50% so it was a real bargain. Got 8 sheets of doodlebug papers reduced to 25p a sheet, 3 packs of doodlebug ribbons reduced to 92p each, 2 clear doodlebug stamp sets reduced to £4.49 each and 3 hero art stamps all about £3.50 each.

Kraftin Kimmies Blog Candy

Kraftin Kimmies has a fantastic blog candy to win a lovely Magnolia stamp, so I just had to enter! You had to make a card or layout inspired by the layout on her blog.

I covered a square card in my favourite paper from Pink Petticoat. I then mounted some pink spotty paper from Pink Petticoat onto pink card (it does look slightly red in the photo!) and tied some white organza ribbon round it before adding this across the middle of the card. I then used this Magnolia image from Michelle and coloured using my Derwent watercolour pencils and mounted her onto the same pink card and added little jewels to the corner. This was then mounted with foam pads to the right hand side of the card and I little Happy Birthday sentiment was mounted onto pink card and added to the bottom left hand side.

Tilda & Co Challenge's

There is a great new blog for lovers of Magnolia stamps and a weekly challenge will be posted every Sunday.

This weeks challenge (and I'm just in time) FLOWERS, would like to see any type of flowers on your work, be it Die Cuts, Blooms, Primas, or even Flower Printed papers etc. Anything goes aslong as it involves having flowers on your work.

I covered the left hand side of a square card with pink flowery paper from Pink petticoat and added pink ribbon and a bow over the edge. I then stamped my favourite Magnolia stamp and used a mixture of watercolouring and paper piercing, using the same shade of spotty paper from Pink Petticoat as the flowery paper and added her to the right hand side. I've added 2 fabric flowers with glitter papermania brads to the top left hand corner and added a Pink Petticoat sentiment mounted onto pink card to the bottom right hand corner.

I'm a happy bunny

I've been complaining to my hubby that the pictures of my cards aren't that great as we have to use his mobile. So over Christmas we got a digital camera, so I can take better pictures of my cards and we are always the couple that never have any nice photos of themselves. He's spent this afternoon loading up the software and we are now ready to go. The last few posts that I've done I have now added new pics that were taken this afternoon and they are soo much better.

Anyway, I decided to make a get well card using this brilliant image that Michelle at Card Grotto sent to me using this lovely A Muse Art stamp. I cut him out using my Nestabilities and I then added a bit of colour with my watercolour pencils. He's then been mounted onto a scalloped rectangle, again using my Nestabilities. I've then covered the left hand side of a tall thin card with blue card and mounted the image in the middle of the card. A black Get Well Soon peel off has been added to the bottom right hand corner.

Michelle's blog candy

Michelle at Card Grotto is doing a Blog Candy, I like many others have loved Michelle's cards since Do Craft and have stalked her blog since the beginning!!!

The mission, should you choose to except it, is to make a new thank you card, one that has not been used in any other challenge.

I covered a square card with this spotty and flower paper from Pink Petticoat. I then embossed some lilac card with the Cuttlebug folder, used my new corner punch and added a couple of prima flowers with brads to the top left hand corner. I then stamped my favourite nellie and used a combination of watercolouring and paper piecing (using the same shade paper from Pink Petticoat). My nellie was cut out and added to the right hand side and then a Craftwork Card Thank You greeting added to the embossed card. To finish off stickles was added round the edge of the greeting and also to my nellie's dress and headband.

SBS 6 Unite

Toni has put together a forum for the members of Sisterhood of the Blogging Stampers 6. This is for the 20 members, so we can get to know each other better. So anyone who hasn't joined, please log on to http://stampingdiva.com/forum/index.php

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Thanks A Bunch

This weeks challenge over on Papertake Weekly is to make a thank you card or notelet.

I decided to keep up my own challenge of trying to get use up my old embellishment stash and I found this little Thank You embellishment. I covered the bottom half of a tall thin card with pink check card. I then mounted the Thank you embellishment onto pink card and added this to the left hand side of the card. How kind of you pink peel off and 3 little pink jewel stars finish the right hand side.

I really like how simple this is for a little thank your notelet and I have a pale blue embellishment as well, so I think I will also make one up in blue whilst I'm at it!

Couple from yesterday

I made a couple of cards yesterday afternoon that I didn't get time to share last night.

The first is using this lovely Tilda stamp, which I've used paper piecing and watercolour on. I've covered the card in some paper from my stash and added a strip of lilac card with a white ribbon tied round it. The greeting is Pink Petticoat.

The next one continues my quest to use up my old stash. These embellishments I thought would be great for a teenager, as there is an i pod, walkman and CD player. I've covered the card in paper from Doodlebug and then embossed white card with my cuttlebug embossing folders. I've then punched 4 circles and added an embellishment to each before adding to the card. The sentiment is a stamp from a See D's set. I like this layout for using small embellishments.

Another mans card

Decided to make another mans card and you can't go wrong with a couple of pints!!!! I covered the bottom of a card with some stripped paper which has been in my stash for ages. Added a strip of pale blue card across the top and added a Happy Birthday peel off. I then cut 2 Quickutz pints and added these to the left hand side.

Happy New Year Daring Card Makers Challenge

This weeks Daring Card Makers challenge, is to make a card to celebrate'New'. Not only New Year, but maybe New Home, New Baby, New Job or maybe a card for someone who is starting a new chapter in their life.

I decided to make a new baby card for a girl from our Southern office who is due in the next couple of weeks, only problem is I don't know what she is having, so I decide to keep it yellow and it can cover both. This is also sticking to my new years resolution to use up more of my old stash. The card is an embossed Crafty Bitz card that came with an old TSV kit, I have used chalk to high light the embossed shapes. I have then used a couple of old embellishment and added a new baby peel off.

Think I might also make a New Home card, as they are always handy to have made up.

Mens cards

Thought I'd make a couple of mens cards, as I always struggle with these and I like to keep a few made up.

The first one I have covered in paper from His & Her collection from Pink Petticoat and added a strip of navy card across the middle of the card. I have used a tie stamp from A Must Art in Navy, mounted this to a navy scalloped circle and added to the strip of navy card. I've then added a happy birthday greeting.

This card is continuing my quest to use up old embellishments. I bought a pack of DIY button ages ago and have hardly used them, they are a lot more detailed in the fleshm, but it's so hard to take a good picture at the moment. The paper had been in my stash for ages and the sentiment is from a See D's set.

Off to Northampton tomorrow for our Company kick off day, so I get to stay away for a night in a nice hotel and hubby gets the house to himself and no-one nagging about what he wants to watch!!!!

A couple for today

First day back at work after a 2 week break and I am so tired, couldn't get to sleep and hubby was fast asleep snoring next to me!!!! Don't think it will be long before I am crawling back into bed tonight.

The first card I covered with spotty pink paper from Pink Petticoat. I then embossed some bright pink card with my Cuttlebug embossing folder and added this down the left hand side. The image is a magnolia stamp and I have used paper piecing with some watercolouring and I really like the effect. The sentiment is from Pink Petticoat, which I have now run out of, so will have to print a batch out tomorrow!

The second card I have added a strip of the same paper from Pink Petticoat mounted onto pink card across the centre of the card. I have punched out the image from Pink Petticoat and used Sakura pens to colour the flowers in and added Liquid Pearls to the centre of each flower. This has then been mounted onto a scalloped circle in the same pink and added to the left hand side of the card. I think you all know where the sentiment is from, but just in case good old Pink Petticoat!

Using up old embellishments

I have so many embellishments, that I sometimes think I could open a small craft shop!!!! One of my New Years resolutions is to start using more of my stash before I buy more things and as I have really got into my stamping in the last 5 months, I'm not tending to use embellishments on my cards as much.

The first card I have covered with Karen Neuberger paper. I then stuck 3 papermania sticker dresses to some white card and mounted this onto pale blue, adding little flowers to the corners. Although you can't really see it very well, the sentiment is also from a papermania sheet mounted onto the same pale blue paper.


The second card I covered with dark green paper, I then embossed a mid green with my cuttlebug embossing folder and then slightly distressed it with some sanding paper. The topiary tree is a Crafty Bitz embellishment and the sentiment is an A Muse Art stamp.

Off to bed now, can't believe thatmy Christmas break is over, been off for nearly 2 weeks and it seems to have flown by.

PTW - 'Bit 'a' Bling'

This weeks challenge over at Papertake Weekly is 'Bit 'a' Bling', using 'bling' on your card somewhere!! This could be glitter, gems, or anything else sparkly!!

This card I covered with paper from Pink Petticoat, I then mounted a strip of Pink Petticoat paper on pink shimmer paper and added across the centre of the card. I coloured the shoes image from Pink Petticoat with H2O, although the picture doesn't show the glimmer and added this to a scalloped circle in the same shimmer paper. I've added dots of glitter glue to each scallop and finished off with a Pink Petticoat sentiment mounted onto the same pink paper

Another wedding card

I bought these embellishments a couple of months back, as I had a couple of cards when we got married that had little outfits on and I really liked them. This is based on one of the cards that we received from a well known store, I think it's really simple but elegant. I like to keep a couple of special occasion cards made up just in case and with Christmas and doing my friends wedding stationary I hardly have any cards made up.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone, hope you had a great time celebrating the start of 2008. I think I am just about feeling normal again after our night out!!! Looking forward to an afternoon of crafting and as I'm at home on a Tuesday I'm going to watch Dawn Bibby.

So hopefully I will have some cards to share later

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