The Great Outdoors

Hello! I do apologise for being very much absent lately... I've been pretty busy and haven't had much time to craft or blog. Oh and I've been trying to make the most of the nice weather we've had lately... while it lasts! we were even been able to eat outside a few times last week!

What a great Olympic Opening Ceremony... it was on VERY late here but I managed to not doze off! Good luck to all the GB Team!!!

Now, our challenge over at Cupcake Craft Challenge this week is THE GREAT OUTDOORS... so anything you might do outside will fit the bill this week! I have chosen to go with gardening, despite the state of my vegetable patch this year... mine looks rather like a weed filled jungle with dead plants! The super cute image is from Digi Stamp Boutique, I just love this!

We're sponsored by Marianne Design and Polka Doodles this week, who have come up with some fab prizes! And the Cupcake girls have done a great job creating inspiring projects for you! Pop by the Cupcake blog for all the details!

Thanks for dropping by today!

Shelly x

I'd like to enter my card for the challenge at:
Digi Stamp Boutique Blog

Great Outdoors Card

Image - In the Garden (veggies), Digi Stamp Boutique, Colouring - Promarkers/Flexmarkers, Paper - My Minds Eye

Bradley Wiggins Wins Le Tour de France 2012

This is Bradley Wiggins going past MY HOUSE during his iconic win in the Tour de France... the first British rider to win Le Tour... ever! This is the photo I took of him going past the house... Get the flags!

There was a pro photographer who took some great pictures of Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome... his shot was in several Sunday papers including The Observer and The Independent! It was also used online by The Mail and The Guardian... here are the links if you're interested:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-2176903/Tour-France-2012-Bradley-Wiggins-set-win.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jul/22/french-hail-bradley-wiggins-tour?INTCMP=SRCH

Congratulations Bradley, Chris, Mark and all the riders of Team Sky on a VERY successful Tour! Also congrats to all the other British riders!

Shelly x

Mystical Creatures (...in lycra)

Mystical Creatures is the theme over at Di's Digi Designs Challenge this fortnight... so get crafting with your fairies, unicorns, dragons, pixies etc!

I've used this gorgeous digi stamp from Di's Digi Downloads, she's called Blossom Fairy. Di has lots of cute mystical creatures to choose from if you fancy treating yourself! We are sponsored this fortnight by Joanna Sheen, so miss out as she has some wonderful goodies in her shop, including the lovely Flexmarkers and Promarkers I used to colour my image! 

I hope you can join us... pop by the challenge blog to see some mystical creations by my DT buddies!

Right I'm off now to get a close up view of lots of men in lycra... Mmmm do you think if I hide behind my camera they won't see me gawping? GO TEAM SKY and all the British riders in the TOUR DE FRANCE 2012! 

Shelly x

Le Tour de France... eh oui!

Bonjour mes amis! Comment allez-vous aujourd'hui?

Right, it's my turn this week to set the theme over at Cupcake Craft Challenges... and as the Tour de France cycle race takes place in July (and is VERY present in my house... hubby is a cycle dude... although more from the comfort of his armchair at the moment), I've decided to chose 'LE TOUR DE FRANCE' as my theme. Basically I'd like to see something french related on your project (blue/white/red colours, Eiffel Tower, Wine, Cycling etc)! And for those who are interested in cycle road racing... Team SKY are doing a great job in the Tour de France... we have two British riders, Bradley Wiggins & Chris Froome, at 1st and 2nd in the overall placement at the moment. Yeah!!! Shame about the hooligans that threw upholstery tacks onto the road in front of the cyclists in yesterday's stage... they created havoc by causing many riders to get punctures... one rider came off his bike and broke his collarbone because of their malice and stupidity!  Complete idiots!

Our sponsor this week at Cupcake is Sew Sweet, who is very kindly offering a £10 Gift Voucher to one lucky winner!

For my card I've decided to use this cute Kraftin' Kimmie stamp, she's called Michele (like me... but a lot more glamourous)... I just love these quirky little characters! If you like Michele you can find her HERE at Kraftin Kimmie Stamps! She comes with the perfect sentiment... Bonjour mon ami!

Hope you can join in with us at Cupcake... I'm looking forward to visiting you all to see what fabby french creations you all come up with! Please take a minute to pop by the Cupcake blog, the DT girls have been very busy creating some petites délices to inspire you!

Shelly x

I'd like to enter my card into the challenge at:

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps Challenge Blog - Lots of Dots
Passion For Promarkers - Gingham/Checks
Sweet Stampin Challenge Blog - Colours of your nations flag

LE TOUR DE FRANCE

Rubber Stamp - Michele, Kraftin' Kimmie - Colouring, Promarkers - Papers, Papermania 

Picnic in the Rain

Right, what the heck is going on with this weather? Usually in July it's about 30°c and I'm wilting fast! Oh but not this year, no chance! With rain and a HIGH (urm yeah that's what the weather forecast calls it) of 15°c today, I almost thought I'd fallen asleep and woken up in October!

With no chance of doing anything outside, I felt inspired to make a card to reflect the summer we're having! So out came one of my beloved Penny Black stamps (break for cake), a very summery scene, which I teamed up with an evil looking sky... thundery and promising rain! 

I bought some new Daler Rowney watercolour paper last week, so I thought I'd dust off the Distress Inks and have a little watercolouring session... it's been a while!

Saturday 14th July is Bastille Day in France and tomorrow night there's a firework display in my town... but rain may spoil things once again...

Shelly x

I'd like to enter my card into the challenges at:

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Summertime

Penny Black & More @ Allsorts - Summer Blooms
Papertake Weekly - Strawberries & Cream

200th Challenge at Cupcake!

Good morning! Can you believe it's our 200th challenge over at Cupcake Craft Challenge this week? Well it is, and to think when I started crafting I was one of the people that joined in with this challenge every week! I've been on the DT now for some time, and I still love this challenge! We have a fab team of girls... and have lots of crafters who regularly join in... THANK YOU!

So onto the challenge... as it's our 200th we're having a NUMBER CRUNCHER theme, so that means you have to add something numeric to your project! Simples! The DT girls have come up with some really fabulous inspiration for you, so pop by the Cupcake blog and take a peek!

We have two very generous sponsors this week... Quixotic Paperie are offering a £10 Gift Voucher, and Sassy Studio Designs are offering 4 Sassy Designs!!!

For my card I've gone for this cute little lady from the Celeste Amberglow series from Pollycraft, I purchased her before Paula closed her online store last month. Isn't she just perfect for a little girl's birthday card?! 

I hope you can join us for our 200th challenge this week! Thanks for popping by my blog... your comments always brighten my day!

Shelly x

I'd like to enter my card into the challenge at:
Fab n Funky Challenges - Stars & Stripes (magic wand star and stripes on her tights)
Little Miss Muffet Challenges - Sparkle (on her wings)
Paperplay Challenge - Happy Birthday

What I used...

Celeste Amberglow digi stamp (Pollycraft), Promarkers, Paper (K&Co), Number Die (Dienamics), Lace Die (Magnolia), Card Candy (Craftwork Cards), Ribbon (Artemio)