Back from me hols!

Hello all! Well it's back to reality for me, I got back Monday and haven't stopped washing and cleaning since! I had a great time in the UK, we visited Sussex and Kent and did some sightseeing, shopping, lots of eating and drinking, and I even managed to make a stop at the Glitter Pot and get a few goodies (some are destined for my up and coming blog candy). I haven't had a chance to use my new stuff yet apart from some Sizzix dies I got (one of them I used on my card for this week's Just Magnolia Challenge). Hopefully I'll get a chance to do a bit of crafting today!



This is my card for the Just Magnolia Challenge which is "Pink and Green", it's for my cousin and his wife who've just had a baby girl. Get this - my cousin's wife went to the loo, started her contractions and thought there was something wrong, she called my cousin who came and realised the baby was on it's way, so he rang the paramedics as he could see the baby's head. By the time they arrived, baby Heidi was born (delivered by my cousin at home). The paramedics took mum and baby to get checked over in hospital. All was fine and they were sent straight back home! Not bad going eh!

Well I've missed having a look at all your lovely creations so off to do a bit blog hopping! Toodle pip!

Just Magnolia

This is the last posting I'll make until next week as I'm off on my hols tomorrow - yipee! I'm going to go and pack my case, the job that always takes me an age to do! I never know what to pack, and end up going round in circles lol! Well, if I forget something I'll just have to buy a replacement, shame!


This is the card I've made for the new challenge blog Just Magnolia, as I have lots of these stamps which seem to have been neglected recently with the purchase of new stamps (my hubby has become my buyer for stamps, I think he has a secret addiction to buying on the internet lol). This week the challenge is a fab sketch, and as it's the first week of the challenge there is a super prize on offer. If you haven't been already, pop over and check it out!


I've used Tilda wearing dungarees, coloured with Whispers markers. The papers are from Daisy & Dandelion "Pumpkin Patch". Sentiment is Cuddly Buddly, rest is from stash.

Well off now to do the mammoth task of packing my case! Wish me luck!

Moppet and Mouse

Hi All!
Firstly I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who visits my blog and takes the time to leave such lovely and encouraging comments, I really appreciate it! I can't believe the amount of comments I had on my last lot of cards, it really boosted me to try another of the stamps from the Beatrix Potter range that I wasn't so confident in doing (due to the lack of detail on the stamp). I thought I'd have a go at the little cat, which seemed quite daunting although not as bad as I thought. I've used the lovely sketch by Michele from the Truly Scrumptious challenge...


Here is a close up of the image when coloured using Distress Inks and Whispers markers...


And this is what the stamped image is like before I coloured it, see what I mean about lack of detail in the stamp...



- Stamp is from Inca Stamps "Moppet & Mouse"
- DP is Papermania "Nostalgia Warm"
- Sentiment is one of Lyndsey's own designs she kindly sent to me
- Used Cuttlebug "Swiss Dots" embossing folder
- Rest is from stash

I've decided that I now like these stamps, although they aren't the easiest to colour. I'm a sucker for Beatrix Potter and cute animals in general!

Well I'm now officially on my hols, what a relief!!! I'm looking forward to a trip I have planned to the UK next week, and as we're touring the south I think a trip to The Glitter Pot will be in order (eek say's my credit card)! Hope I get a bit of time before I go to visit some of your blogs, although I have a mountain of ironing to do before I can pack my case! Have a lovely Sunday evening xx

Awards!

I have received a couple of awards recently, and have finally gotten around to putting them on my blog. The first one is from Denise, thanks so much Denise for thinking of me for this, and for the lovely comment that you put on your blog for me. You're a super blogging buddy, and never fail to pop by to say hi, thanks for your support and friendship!


The second award is from Diane, who is a new visitor to my blog. Thank you very much Diane for this, and for the nice comments you have made about my blog. I'm so flattered that you find inspiration from here, and hope you will continue to visit!


I know I am supposed to pass these onto individuals, but as lots of people already have these, I will not nominate particular people. I have lots of blogging buddies, and some very good friends who visit often and take time to leave me lovely comments, so I'd like to say how grateful I am for your support. Please feel free to take these awards for your blog if you don't already have them.

Gardening and the Rain

Thinking of the little rhyme " Rain, rain go away...come back another day..." Can you believe it, when I lived in the UK I spent most of the time wishing it would STOP raining, and now in France I'm always wishing it WOULD rain!!! My garden is needing a good watering as it's soooo dry (and it's only April), and so my wishes have come true, it's finally RAINING! I only hope it lasts more than 10 minutes, as we usually only get a shower!

In the meantime, I have been busy doing a few cards...all with new stamps that have seen ink for the first time. The first one is on a gardening theme, my hubby bought me the stamp for Easter and I wasn't sure at first as the impression isn't that detailed (only prints the outlines and no detail). I was a bit disappointed as he bought me three in this range, and all are the same, however after having a go colouring the image I have to say I'm fairly pleased with the result...




The stamp is from Inca Stamps, Wonderful World of Beatrix Potter. Of course this one is Peter Rabbit. I coloured it with Distress Inks and Whispers Markers. Paper is Basic Grey Boxer, also used Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder. Sentiment stamp is Papermania. The card is for the Stamptacular Challenge which is "This is for the birds" hence cute little robin.

Second card is for Friday Sketchers challenge, which is a fab sketch by Jacqueline...


Used Sugar Nellie image, Basic Grey Sugared paper, and bits 'n' bobs from stash.

Finally (phew I hear you saying) this card is for Cute Card Thursday which is "Chocolate and Marshmallows". I love the brown and pink, reminds me of eating Neopolitan ice cream when I was little lol!


The Gorjuss Girl stamp from Sugar Nellie is so cute, and I love the cat! Papers again Basic Grey, sentiment from CCSR Sentiments, rest from stash. Sorry for the naff photo but I had to take this inside as it's RAINING outside (yipee) lol!

Perfect Pastels

Hi everyone! Hope you all had a fab Easter weekend and you're not all feeling sick after eating too many choccy eggs! Can you believe I haven't even had one yet! The temptation will get me later today though, I can't resist Cadbury's chocolate that long (comes with being deprived living in France lol)! Anyway onto my card which is for this week's Papertake Weekly Challenge where the theme is "Perfect Pastels", it's for a friend who has recently moved into a new home...


I used a 99p stamp from Dovecraft, stamped 3 times and coloured with brush markers then cut out and mounted. Ribbon is PM, rest is from stash. It was a fairly quick card to make, unlike most which seem to take me ages!

Easter Greetings!

Ah finally, I've finished work for the Easter weekend (Good Friday is not a Bank Holiday here in France...booohooo) so I'm looking forward to 3 lovely days off, maybe I'll get some crafting done! I do have other priorities, like the housework, but hey all work and no play... oh and I'm so looking forward to eating my Cadbury's Easter Egg (got to be Cadbury's, I treated myself when back in the UK), I lurve the chocolate shell! So as we're on the subject of Easter, I have a couple of cards to share with you. They're both for the Penny Black Saturday Challenge which is "Easter" (one was for Friday Sketchers but alas too late)...



The images I used are both from Louby (thanks hun) and the papers are again from an old stash, which I think is the first DP I ever bought. Egg button is from Craftime, ribbon is from Poppicrafts and sentiment is Woodware. I used my Nestabilities too.

Well hope you all have a lovely Easter weekend whatever you get up to. Enjoy the choccy eggs! Joyeuses Pâques!

My First Gorjuss Girl

Hiya! Just a quick post before I scoot off to work...I treated myself to a couple of the Gorjuss Girls stamps and they arrived on Saturday! So here is my first card using my lovely stamp...


I've used the fab sketch by Mina from Truly Scrumptious, the theme this week is Flower Power. I've decided seeing as I've hand cut the oval I'm actually quite pleased with the finished card. I love this colour combination, I got my inspiration for this from my stripped paper (wish I knew where I could get more of this but had it ages). The flowers are DIY ones, I enjoyed doing these and don't think they look all that bad. The ribbon reads "dream" and the sentiment means "together". Both are from Artemio. I've also added a bit of clear gloss to her hair to give it extra shine!

Enjoy the sunshine xx

April Showers

It's Monday, where did the weekend go? Even my laptop hates Mondays, it's so slow today! I didn't get to the Craft Show afterall, but did spend some time making a few cards over the weekend. One of them is for the Sugar Bowl challenge, where the theme is "Spring". I had the little sentiment in a pack of rub-ons and thought it would be nice to do my card based on it...



Stamp is Sugar Nellie, papers are Basic Grey Sugared, Rub-On sentiment is Royal Brush.

Thanks for dropping by today xx

Little Piggy Kisses

Hurray! It's the weekend at last! I couldn't wait to get in from work tonight so I could put my feet up, they're killing me! And it's supposed to be a lovely sunny weekend here so tomorrow I shall try to do a bit of gardening. Isn't it lovely when all the spring flowers come out, I have some gorgeous hyacinths along the side of the house which give off a wonderful scent when you walk past them. And my little pansies are blooming like troopers in their window boxes!

Anyway, back to the crafting. I've just realised that tomorrow is Saturday and I haven't yet posted my card for Sketch Saturday (last weekend), which of course is a sketch, so here it is...


And a close up on the layers...


I used:

- Piggy stamp from Penny Black
- Sentiment stamp from Stampin'Up
- Papers are Basic Grey "Sugared"
- Distress Inks to colour
- Flower punch from Woodware
- Rest from stash

Well I kinda surprised myself, I don't usually do much decoupage (not the biggest fan of cutting out) but I actually enjoyed doing this little piggy. I'm not sure yet what to write on his little scroll, depends who I'm gonna send the card to really.

There's a Craft Fair in Paris this weekend (a VERY rare occassion here in France) and I'm debating whether or not to go. I fancy it but don't want to be disappointed as a friend went to a similar type of thing last year and said it wasn't much good. It's called "Version Scrap" and is supposed to be about Scrapbooking and scrap type papercrafts etc. Does anyone have any experience of this show (maybe there are some french bloggers who can help me out on this)?

Finally, have you seen the blog candy up for grabs with Charmed Cards & Crafts? They have an amazing 72 pack of Copics markers to give away, but don't dilly dally, you only have until the 10th of April!

Well, that's it for tonight, off to lie on the sofa and watch a bit of TV. Hope you have a lovely weekend and the sunshines wherever you are!

Daisy & Dandelion Collection

Just a quick post this morning...wanted to share this little card I've done using my new(ish) stamps from the Daisy & Dandelion range. This little rabbit is called Candyfloss. I've used the fab sketch designed by Emily over at Stamp Something Challenge...



I used:

- Stamped images/text all from the Candyfloss & Marshmallow Clear Set (Daisy & Dandelion Range)
- Papers are Picnic Patch, also from Daisy & Dandelion Range
- Flower from Papermania

I haven't used this stamp set much, but quite like this little card so will definately be inking these little stamps up again soon.

Well, kettle's boiled so off to make a cuppa...à bientôt mes amis!