Lili of the Valley Blog Candy Alert......

Check out the LOTV Ideas to Inspire blog to be in with a chance of winning this wonderful candy....running until Wednesday 21st July.

Update...

I am starting to feel better and this evening have actually ventured into my craft room, so will have something so share tomorrow.

The Summer Festival went well and I sold some cards, gifts, keyrings and three of the four bags I had. The one remaining was my favourite...so I have kept it for myself...LOL

I have taken an order for a tool belt/apron that I have previously shown, and had lots of interest for stuff, including personalised Diwali cards.

They have said they are also doing a Christmas Bazaar and would I have a stall....so I will be doing it all again in December. This time I will be taking more gifts than cards, but the cards I do take are going to be Christmas cards for family members etc. I am going to be starting on all this during the summer holidays so that it is not a rush.

Here's one I made earlier...

Here is the last card I made before I started to feel ill. It is for this weeks challenge on Tiddly Inks Challenge blog, where we want you to match your colouring to your papers...

I have used an image called "The Watts" which I have coloured with Copics using the following colours...

W0/W1/W2/W3/R37/R00/R01/R02/BG72

The papers are all Cosmo Cricket "Cogsmo" and I have added one of my ticket sentiments created on the PC.

Be sure to check out the rest of the DT's wonderful creations....there are so many awesome ones there.

Sorry...

Apologies if you have dropped by and there is nothing new from me. Since Sunday I have had a dreaded Gastric Flu Bug and it has completely wiped me out. I have been unable to work or craft and have barely made it out of bed each day...one morning I didn't and had to call upon a friend to get Georgia to school.

Anyway enough excuses...I am on the road to being healthy again, and hope to have stuff to share over the weekend.

Calico Bags...

Ok, so a few weeks ago I saw some wonderful decorated calico bags on Efemera Ink and I really wanted to have a go, so I order some bags from eBay and over the last couple of weeks I have been making them (I have six on the go, all just about finished now). So finally I have three that I can show you. These are the three designs and the colours are a little different on each of the others...I have done three birdcages, and three dressforms.

If you click on the photos you will see a larger/closer view. I was lucky to be RAK'd the birdcage template as it was cut from a Cricut Cartridge that I don't own....Thanks Gail. The dressform one was all my own idea, I love dressforms and thought it would make a great alternative. So I drew myself a template and cut it from the backing of a notebook. I used glimmer mist to colour the fabric and used embroidery thread with a plain old backstitch to emphasis the template, the ribbon and bird are stuck on with a very strong fabric glue and I have sewn on some buttons. The flowers were made using a pair of my old voile net curtains that I cut into rough circles and sprayed with more glimmer mist, and then turned the heat gun on them. It is a similar technique to the burnt fabric flowers I showed you last year, but the heat is coming from a heat gun instead of a tea light candle...so a little less of a fire hazard.

I am hoping people will like these and buy them at the Summer Fayre next weekend....fingers crossed. I have already had a request for one....so lets hope other people like them as much.

Anyone for Anya - Colour Combo!

This week over on the Anyone for Anya? challenge blog we have a colour combo for you to follow...

And here is my card...

For my card I have used one of the new images from The Greeting Farm called Creepy Monday and I have coloured her with Copics using the following colours...

Skin - E000/E00/E11/R20

Eyes - B12

Eyeshadw - C0/C1

Hair - RV34/RV42

Clothing - RV34/C1/C2/C3/C5/C7

The papers are by The Paper Company and the collection is called Girlfriend and they are utterly divine. They are pearlescent and glittered....and just plain LUSH! All I have done is added a Inkadinkado sentiment (Tracy @ Dies to Die For has received an order of some, but you will need to email her as they are not on the site yet), and added some jet bling.

I have also used the sketch over on The Greeting Farm blog and the circles and squares theme over on Crafty Angels.

Be sure to head on over to the Anyone for Anya? challenge blog to see what the rest of the DT came up with, and also check out this weeks fabulous prize...remember you can use either a TGF or CC Designs stamp on your card/project.

Donkey Smiles...Kickin' it for Michelle

Here is a card I made last night for the challenge over on A Spoon Full of Sugar using the sketch over on Friday Sketchers. I have used the gorgeous freebie donkey image that was being given away by Whimsy Stamps. The image was designed by Melissa Jenkins and the sentiments by Ann Vento, and I think it is totally adorable. 

Here is what it says on the A Spoon Full of Sugar Blog...

We would like to share some sad news today, some of you may already know from her blog, our design team member Michelle had an accident about two weeks ago, which has left her with the loss of her right eye and a long road of recovery ahead. In an effort to cheer her up and raise awareness for what happened to Michelle we are holding a card drive in her honor. We have many generous companies and individuals helping us with this special card drive and we hope you will help too!

We are asking that everyone please create a card in dedication to Michelle and mail it off to her. We would love nothing more than to flood her mailbox with well wishes from around the world. Michelle has shared so much of herself on her blog and in her design team work and this is a just a small way for us to give back to her.

I have coloured the image with Copics using the following colours...

W0/W1/W2/W3/R29/R00/R01

The papers are all Tim Holtz Vintage Shabby and I have just added some pearls. As the card is being sent in th post I wanted to keep it pretty flat. I also cut around the image and added a cloud like shape as I didn't want to loose any of the doodling parts.

Be sure to check out the challenges this week....and make a card for Michelle. My Georgia loves the image so much she is currently sat colouring it with her Promarkers so that she can also make a card for Michelle.

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Challenge...

Here is a card I made using this weeks sketch over on the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps blog. I have chosen Angry Ballerina, she is my all time favourite Kimmie image. I have coloured her with Copics using the following colours...

Skin - E000/E00/E11/R20

Hair - E49/E44

Clothing - E70/E71/R81/R83/R85/R29

The papers are all Tim Holtz Vintage Shabby paper stack, and I have inked the edges of all the papers in VersaMagic chalk ink in Jumbo Java. I have embellished with Stampin' Up choc chip taffeta, some Cherry Blossoms and Roses, some decorative pins, pearl bling, and a Craftwork Cards sentiment.

I love this image, as it is just the sort of face Georgia makes when she doesn't get her own way!

Bear Hugs...

Here is a card I made using the Milton with Teddy stamp from Wild Rose Studios. He has been coloured with Copics using the following colours...

Milton - E30/E31/E33/R20/R22/E02/R00/R01/R02

Teddy - R00/R01/R02

The papers are also by Wild Rose Studios called Milton & Co, especially designed to go with Milton. I have also used some Bazzill Bling cardstock Sugar Daddy, Bazzill cardstock in Aztec, Canvas & Cocoa. I have embellished with some My Minds Eye Stitched Grosgrain that I attached using staples, Craftwork Cards circle sentiment, self adhesive pearls and Prima Roses. The Butterflies have been cut from the designer papers and then glued to the background with their Sticked wings standing proud.

Be sure to check out all the yummy new stamps, papers and other items Tracy has added this week.

SJ's Little Musings Friday Freebie...

This week over on SJ's Little Musings the Friday Freebie is this adorable little Polaroid camera image called Instant.

When I saw the image, I decided that I wanted to decorate an old Heidi Swapp chipboard album that I got in a kit from Costco....many many moons ago...I really am digging out all my old stuff, and trying to use it! Anyway, I decided to use the image already coloured, although I did add a little yellow to the flash. The papers are all KI Memories Love Elsie Zoe, I have added stickers, rub-ons and chipboard buttons from the same range, and also an arrow I got from Etsy, a Jenni Bowlin swirl(which I covered in the same paper), felt ribbon from HobbyCraft, American Craft Thickers. To the spiral I have added a selection of ribbons from my stash including some Stampin' Up taffeta ribbon in basic gray, and some of ribbons from the Love Elsie Zoe range.

The idea of the album is to display photos of some of the items that I have made on my stall on the 17th. I wanted to make sure that if some of the bags and bits that I have made sell out, that I have a record of them, and can show people with a view to getting orders for more. I am also showing pics of mini books I have made and canvases.

Be sure to hop on over to SJ's Little Musings blog and grab this cute download. SJ has made an adorable card and a fab digi layout. Leanne Inkpen has also used the image as a hybrid element on her layout...both are awesome and worth a good look.

Pixie Dust Studios Challenge Blog - A Sketch!

It's Christmas in July over on the Pixie Dust Studios challenge blog. This week we want you to use our sketch and make a Christmas card with it. For my card I have used a non Christmas image...just to show you that loads of different images will work as Christmas cards. I have used an image called Pixie Pie is Catching Hearts (I can't see it in the shop, so you may need to contact Kathy and ask about her as she is an older image). I have coloured her with Copics using the following colours...

Skin - E000/E00/E11/R20

Hair - 100/C3

Clothing - C3/C5/R81/R83/R85

The papers are all DCWV Rose Tinted Christmas and I have added some Doodlebug Sugar Coated cardstock in black for a little extra sparkle...a pixie can never sparkle too much. I have embellished the card with a couple of Heart Pins, a dotted ribbon bow and a old bauble sentiment by Craftwork Cards...plus of course a little jet black bling.

Be sure to pop on over to the Pixie Dust Studios challenge blog to see the other wonderful Christmas creations.

Cute Card Thursday - School's Out for Summer!!!

The challenge this week on Cute Card Thursday challenge blog is to create a card with a summer theme. With schools finishing for the summer this month in the UK, and schools in Scotland and USA having already finished we thought it the perfect time to make some teacher appreciation cards....or if your kids have already broken up for summer...then a summery themed/coloured card instead.

For my card I have used one of the new images from The Greeting Farm, this one is called Creepy Crew Wednesday. I have coloured her with Copics using the following colours...

Skin - E000/E00/E11/R20

Hair - E50/E51/E53/E55

Clothing - BG10/BG11/YG03/W1/W3/W5

The papers are all October Afternoon Report Card, I have used one of the die-cut journal cards and a couple of the stickers from the same range. The embellished with a matching bulldog clip, decorative pins, button, Stampin' Up Taffeta in basic gray, apples from Whiff of Joy that I got at Ally Pally, and a sentiment by Craftwork Cards from the Thank You pack. I created the zigzag edge of the paper using my Martha Stewart punch....has become one of my favourites as it works for male and female cards.

I also used this weeks sketch over on Papertake Weekly...thanks DawnyP, another rockin' sketch. 

Be sure to join in with our challenge this week to be in with a chance of winning a fabulous $25 voucher plus free shipping from Simon Says Stamp.

Lili of the Valley Challenge - A Sketch by DawnyP

This week over on the Lili of the Valley Challenge Blog we have another fab sketch by DawnyP. There is just so much going on at Lili of the Valley at the moment....stunningly gorgeous, super cute Christmas stamps that you are going to be utterly powerless to resist...trust me I have seen then all. Here is one of the James bears...there are about 6 or 7 James Bears coming in August. In July there are gorgeous Nativity stamps, and some super cute "people" Christmas Stamps.

So back to my card, as I said I have used one of the James Bears, this one is on the A5 stamp sheet that is already available HERE at Lili of the Valley. I have coloured him with Copics using the following colours...

James Bear - C0/C1/C2/C3/C5

Parcels - R81/R83/R85/C7/C9

The papers are all DCWV Rose Tinted Christmas and I have added a little Doodlebug Sugar Coated cardstock in black. The card is embellished with a piece of black spotted ribbon, a couple of star pins, a star in the cardstock punched with my Stampin' Up star punch and an old bauble sentiment by Craftwork Cards that I got at Ally Pally from one of the £1 stalls. To make the fur on the hat stand out, I added some puffy paint, and puffed it up with my heat gun.

Make sure you hop on over HERE to see all the DT creations and a sneak peek at the new images...you better start making that wish list!

Creepy Crew Thursday...

This time I want to show you a card I made using one of the images from The Greeting Farm called Creepy Crew Thursday. I am not sure if you can see from the photo, but the kitty hat on the image has also been decoupaged to add dimension. I did the hat in one layer and the eyes in another layer. She has been coloured with Copics using the following colours...

Skin - E000/E00/E11/R20

Hair - E04/E08/E09

Clothing - B93/B95/B97/R37/B39

Hat - C1/C5/C5

Eyes - B12

The papers are all by Daisy Bucket Designs Rock Star which are layered with Bazzill cardstock in the following colours...

Kisses, Lily White & Stonewash

I have also used the following embellishments...Grosgrain Red Ribbon, Craftwork Cards Oh My Word circle sentiments.

I used Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels One which are currently out of stock, but would work equally as well with Labels Twelve.

The sentiment is by Inkadinkado, and Tracy @ Dies to Die For has received some, and is busy behind the scenes frantically trying to add all the amazing new stock she has received....so keep checking as there are oodles of lush new papers, stamps and more.

Hope you are all enjoying the lovely weather we have been having....while still getting some time to craft...I hope.

Caz

Tiddly Inks Challenge #12 Summer Fun with Water, Sand & Toys

This week over on the Tiddly Inks Challenge blog our theme is Summer Fun with Water, Sand & Toys...we want to see your Tiddly Ink creations with a summer theme.

For my card I have used one of todays new images, which incidentally are on sale today...you can see them HERE. I have coloured with Copics (Available HERE from Dies to Die For) using the following colours...

Skin - E000/E00/E11/R20

Hair - E50/E51/E53E55

Clothing - BG000/BG00/BG02/R02/R05

Sandcastle - Y32

The papers are all DCWV "Tahiti Beach" and I have added a couple of sentiments, the stamp is by Clever Cuts and the other is a die-cut by Craftwork Cards.

On my card I have also used this weeks sketch over on Sketch Saturday, so be sure to hop on over there too.

A Little Squiggle Project...

It's that time of the week again...time for a Squiggle Stamps project. This week I decided to make a little set of notelets with a matching mini pizza box to give them in. I have made the box using instructions on SplitCoast Stampers...that place is full of fab tutorials...I challenge anyone to look at not want to make at least 3 of the projects you will find there. The box is made from a piece of Doodlebug Flocked Cardstock measuring 6 x 11".

As you can see inside there is a set of notelets using the cute Miss Evie image....available HERE as a digi. I have coloured her with Copics (available HERE from Dies to Die For) using the following colours...

Skin - E000/E00/E11/R20

Hair - E50/E51/E53/BG11/BG13

Clothing - BG11/BG13/RV04/YR04

The papers are all by American Crafts "ModaBella" and I have inked all the edges added a butterfly using my Martha Stewart punch and also a little bling. The sentiment was added using a Hero Arts stamp.

Be sure to pop on over to the Squiggle Stamps blog to see the July Challenge.

Anyone for Anya? - Anything Goes....

This week over on the Anyone for Anya? challenge blog our theme is "Anything Goes!". So for my card I have used the Oliver & Amelia "My Favourite Thing" set by The Greeting Farm, available HERE from Dies to Die For. I have coloured the image with Copics (available HERE) using the following colours...

Skin - E000/E00/E11/R20

Hair - E50/E51/E53

Clothing - Y11/Y15/R27/R28/YG03

The papers are all Cosmo Cricket "Hello Sunshine" and I have used the sketch over on Friday Sketchers. I have finished off with a sentiment cut from the papers, also one from Craftwork Cards, and some jet black bling from my stash.

Be sure to check out the Anyone for Anya? blog to be in with a chance of winning a fab prize from Digital Delights by Louby Loo.

Better late than never!!!

Here is another card using the Megabot image from Tiddly Inks coloured with Copics using the following colours...

BG18/YR04/Y17/R29

The papers are all Cosmo Cricket "Cogsmo" and I have added a sentiment by Craftwork Cards. I did use last weeks sketch over on Sketch Saturday....but was too late to enter the challenge.

I have also made another cute little gift set this time using Roboto...

Doesn't he look cute....I am sure there will be a little boy at the summer fayre who would love to buy him.

So late....

I am so late posting this, I had good intentions, the post was all scheduled....and it never worked, and I was busy helping finish the tie-dying of t-shirts at Georgia's school....came home with an aching back and a stonker of a headache....fell asleep on the sofa and only just woke up....what a day!

So anyway, it is release day over on Pixie Dust Studios, you can get the Jammin' Out images in store now by clicking on the logo below....

And here is a picture of all the images in this release....

As you can see I made another card with one of the release....he was a pleasure to colour....todays and yesterdays images were just perfect for the kids in your life...I mean, so you know a kid that DOESN'T have an MP3 player of one make or another....

SJ's Little Musings Friday Freebie...

Over on SJ's Little Musings blog it is Friday Freebies time again....and this week it's something a little different....an armchair.....a cosy comfy armchair.

For my card I have actually printed out the coloured version, I loved the muted colours and the Union Jack cushion....totally fab. The papers are all Collage Press "Camden" and I have added some Bazzill dotted scalloped cardstock (it was a rectangle and I traced around the scallop to make it fit. The ribbon was found at the bottom of my mountain of ribbon stash....although I never have the ribbon colour I want...I was looking for red. I have simply added a few buttons and a few pins, and a couple of my ticket sentiments.

Be sure to pop on over to SJ's Little Musings blog as Lisa has made a fab book combining three of SJ's Friday Freebies, Leanne Inkpen has shown us a fab technique of printing onto designer papers and creating a fab image, and SJ has even made a gorgeous easel card herself....they all rock.

Pixie Dust Studio Challenge #29 & A Sneak Peek of the New Release...

Here is a card I made for this weeks challenge over on Pixie Dust Studios Challenge blog....and those of you who are fans of Kathy's images may well notice that she is a new girl on the block....and is being released tomorrow.

I have coloured her with Copics using the following colours....

Skin - E000/E00/E11/R20

Hair - 100/C3

Clothing - B93/B95/B97/R37/R46

The papers are by October Afternoon "Night Light" and I have layered them with some Provocraft cardstock. I have also created the background using a set of Darkroom Door stamps, and added a little bit of colour with my Copics. I embellished with just a couple of treble clef paperclips that I got in Staples and a sentiment by Craftwork Cards.

Make sure you check out the Pixie Dust Studio store tomorrow and check out the newest releases....they are Rockin'

Cute Card Thursday - Let's Get Fruity!

This week over on Cute Card Thursday our theme is "Let's Get Fruity!". We want to see your cards/projects that have a fruity element...it can be the image, papers or embellishments....or even a shaped card.

For my card I have used a Tiddly Inks image called "Thank You", she has been coloured with Copics (available HERE from Tracy @ Dies to Die For) using the following colours...

Skin - E000/E00/E11/R20

Hair - 100/C3

Clothing - BG10/BG11/BG13/R37

The papers are all Cosmo Cricket "Early Bird" and I have also used a little bit of red Bazzill cardstock. I used the sketch over on Just Magnolia, even though I am not entering it there (didn't use a Magnolia image). I have embellished with some ribbon from HobbyCraft, some sewing pins available HERE from Creative Treasures, a Craftwork Cards butterfly sentiment and some butterflies cut with my Martha Stewart punch....and of course a little pearl bling....

Be sure to check out the rest of the Cute Card Thursday DT's card.....so many gorgeous cards...yum.