Birthday Giveaway your chance to win goodies

For my birthday I am giving you the chance to win some crafting goodies. Because of the postage costs involved in this giveaway unfortunately this is only open to people in the UK.

So if you would like the chance to win please do the following...

1. You are or become a follower of my blog

2. You put a pic of my giveaway and a link to it on your blog sidebar

3. You leave me a comment with a link to your blog.

I am giving you plenty of time to get you're name on the list.

I will draw a winner on 1st September 2010.

Thanks and GOOD LUCK!

This is now closed.

Fun Friday Challenge - 30th July 2010

This weeks Fun Friday Challenge will be 'Embossing'. You can use basic embossing techniques using your stencils or you can use embossing folders it's up to you.

Here is my sample. I used an embossing folder to make this card. I then used cut and dry foam to put some colour on it to pick up the design. Some lilac jewels to hhight the larger flowers and a ribbon to finish off. It's your turn now to get creating.

When you're done upload using the link below.

Can't wait!!

Can't wait until Sunday when Lilian and I will be going to the Sugarnellie craft day in Ellon. Feel craft deprived with being away from my craft room for so long. Hoping to make lots of make and takes on Sunday and hopefully learn some new techniques. There have been no updates on the Sugarnellie site as to what the format is going to be on Sunday. It will be a surprise.

Will have to pack my tools when I get back on Saturday and make sure I have all the necessary equipment required. Will take my ATG gun as well as my double sided tape and tape pen too. Be prepared that's my motto.

I have 2 weeks of the school holidays left before returning to work. Hoping to finish off reorganising my craft room and getting some crafting done.

Today we went to Barry Mill and had a very interesting talk about the life and workings of the mill. It was great. We then went along to Carnoustie and had our lunch at the beach.

I am an avid watcher of Masterchef and have been watching it these last 2 weeks. Love to watch the pallet test to see how they distinguish each ingredient from the other. Don't think I would be very good at that. I am amazed how they manage to work in the professional kitchens too. Looking forward to the next round tonight.

Lucky me!!

Arrived at the caravan on Saturday evening. I went up to the entertainment venue to have a game of bingo and landed up winning £150. Came back to the caravan and won £5 on Thunderball!! This was great as it covered the cost of the items of craft I had purchased from Create and Craft and QVC over the last few days.
I bought Kirsty Wiseman's Call of the Wild cd, Stamposaurus nativity stamps set and Martha Stewart christmas punch set. I also bought some crafting items from the Sugarnellie shop in Elgin. Glad I won as it's feels like I got all these lovely craft items for free!!!!!!!!!

Fab Sugar Nellie Shop

We stopped in Elgin on the way home this morning at the Sugar Nellie Shop. It was a lovely big shop, very welcoming and a vast amount of crafting goodies. I bought a Martha Stewart loop punch I have been looking for, a small oval punch and some of their new stamps. Had to stop myself buying anything else.
I asked about the Ellon craft day on the 1st August to see what the agenda was but they were only going to decide this week so keep an eye on their blog for details...... Sugar Nellie
May not get online again this week depends if there is signal at the caravan site we will be staying on. Hopefully there will be.
Have played with my gypsy and designed lots of cuts to do when I get back.
Bye for now...

This weeks challenge is 'Butterflies'. I used some butterfly stamps I have had for a while from The Stampman designed by Kay Carley - Flitters and Flutters. I coloured them with my promarkers. Had to do a rush job on this card as we have only stopped in past the house on our way to our next weeks holiday, so hope it's ok!! The backing papers are from Joanna Sheen - these are at least 6 years old as they were the first papers I bought when I started crafting.
Let's see what you come up with this week..... When you're down upload your design by using the link below.

Sitting at Nairn harbour soaking up the lovely view and the sunny weather. There has been no signal at all at the cottage in Dyke where we are staying. Feel like my right arm has been cut off. I am typing this post on my iPhone. Can only text and pick up emails if we go somewhere there is a signal.this weeks challenge is 'Butterflies'. I will upload my sample and the link tomorrow sometime when we stop off briefly at home on the way to week two of our holiday. Hoping there is a signal at the next place.
Looking forward to stopping off at Sugarnellie shop on our way through Elgin. Only 8 days until their Ellon day. Hopefully my friend has decided to go along otherwise I will be going on my own.
Bye for now
Susy

Fun Friday Challenge - 16th July

Here is the layout for this weeks challenge. Not had many entries lately but it is summer and you may all be busy doing other things. Let's see what you come up with this week. I will be on holiday for the next two weeks but will try and upload a challenge if at all possible. Upload your sample using the link below.

This is my sample using Chris Warner cds for all the elements on the card.

Sorry

Sorry I haven't been on this week but the boys are away and it is my only chance to get things done in the house.

Got a few things done in the bathroom and had new vinyl down.

Been reorganising my craft room and everything is labelled clearly and tidy.

Had the girls round last night for a buffet and crafting evening. We had a good night.

Just about to list this weeks fun challenge.

Fun Friday Challenge - 9th July 2010

Here is this weeks challenge layout. The interpretation is up to you. Get those creative juices flowing.

This is my sample a nice pink ballet card for a little girl. I used a digi stamp for the tutu and a Martha Stewart punch for the lace effect border strip. I used a gel pen to add the polka dot detail to the scalloped circle. I coloured the images with promarkers and the scalloped circle I coloured with the same promarker so it would be the exact colour match. Let's see what you come up with. When you're done upload your project using the link below.

Magic Slider Card

Have you ever been to a kids magic show and the magician has a black and white clown picture. He then gets the kids to rub it with a cloth and say a magic word and when he pulls it out it is coloured. Well, I saw this great card on youtube and thought I'd give it a go. I used Stampin' up 'A flower for all seasons' stamp set for the images. I printed a Forever Friends background paper onto 160gsm card. I used my nestabilities and Stampin' up scallop punch for the circles. It was a bit fiddly and I didn't get the acetate quite right but it is my first attempt so the next one should be better.

Couldn't resist!!!!

Said I wasn't going to buy anymore Popcorn the Bear stamps and cds, but couldn't resist!! Souffle the duck was so cute and the monochromatic images on the Popcorn Platinum cd were lovely. I was so inspired that I decided to get out the Popcorn cds I already had and made this little card. Wasn't sure if I liked it though thought it was a bit busy. Think next time I will use transparency feature on my graphics programme to tone down the background paper a bit.

Cricut Hello Kitty card

Decided to have another go with my Hello Kitty cartridge. I made the starter project at the front of the book to see if the shadow feature was different cutting from the cart. It wasn't! If I make any easel cards with this cart it just won't have the second shadow layer around it to give it definition. Never mind these things are sent to try us. I hope you like this sweet little card. I used a scrapbook paper for the background and her dungarees. The accent paper is printed from Chameleon Card Craft cd and I also used this for her t-shirt. The large flower is from a 3 birds flower set I received from Crafters Companion this morning. These didn't cost anything as I used my points saved on my account. I had £25 to spend so I also bought Joanna Sheen Puppies and Kittens cd. The small flower is one I had already. Instead of sticking the tiny little pieces in the centre of the Hello Kitty flowers I used small gems.

Popcorn bear card using spotlighting technique

Thought I'd try the spotlighting technique using my Popcorn bear stamps. Not really used these stamps much. I stamped two images the same, then decided which part of the design I wanted to use as the spotlight and cut it out with a circle punch. I then coloured it in with my promarkers. The background is an insert from the Popcorn floral disk which I altered in my graphics programme to get the colour I wanted. I slit the corners of the inner frame and slotted the edges of the main image into them. I used my cut and dry foam to give a wash of colour to the black and white image. This technique could be done in reverse with the main image in colour and the spotlight in black and white. I attached the spotlight with foam pads for dimension. You can put it on flat if you wish.

Slim card for the girls

Another card using the ballet dress digi stamp. Digi stamps are great as you can make them any size you want. This is the third card I have made with this stamp. The third one is in waiting for next weeks challenge. The images were coloured with promarkers and the backing papers are from Forever Friends cd.

Hello Kitty Easel Card - Cricut weld feature

I saw a video on youtube showing how to use design studio or your gypsy to make an easel card using the welding feature. I can only do this with the Hello Kitty font cart as the Greetings cart shadow feature appears far too big for the image. You can shrink it down but it doesn't give an even border all the way round. I will have to try and cut direct to the cricut and see if it is a design studio error or a cart error. The images on the cart box and book have the correct borders on them. To make the easel element I had to weld two shadow images together rotating and flipping the top one. I then overlapped them slightly and welded them. Then I was able to cut everything else out normally. I used white card for the easel itself and the mount which I covered with decorative papers. You fold the welded image in half and then the top one in half again to give you your easel effect. Hope you like. This will be sent in for my RAK card this month which is to make a card using a cute character. Think this is so cute!!!!!!!

Here is a screen shot of the problem shadow feature in hello kitty greetings in design studio and gypsy. As you can see miles bigger.

Ballet Dress

Things you do when you can't sleep. It's 1.27am and I am adding this card to my blog now that I have spent the last sleepless hour making it. The paper is from forever friends cd. The digi stamp I can't remember where I got that one. Will try and find out. I stamped the tutu twice, coloured one with my promarkers and cut it out, then layered it with foam pads onto the main image. The coat hanger was coloured with a sakura silver pen. I coloured the edges of some pieces of plain white card with the same promarker to make my mats. The white spots on the sentiment were done with a sakura pen. I embellished it with a little bit of polka dot ribbon and being a true crafter only put a small piece at the top and bottom so as not to waste a bit in the middle that no one would see. I added 3 small flower embellishments to balance the card. Hope you like it.

Ellon Craft Day

Just booked on the Ellon Craft Day on the 1st Aug. Really looking forward to this as I really like Sugarnellie stamps. Will have to remember to bring my basic tools with me. Hoping my friend will be able to join me too!!

Fun Friday Challenge - 2nd July

First of all sorry this challenge is a day late but it completely slipped my mind even though I've had it ready since Monday.

Here is the layout for this week. Any interpretation you like. Below is my sample. When you have completed yours just upload it by clicking the link below. Enjoy!

This is my sample. I used a digi image from digistampboutique called 'Cute Japanese Characters'. I coloured them with promarkers. Backing papers from an oriental cd. I used my graphics programme to pick out the red colour and printed my own mat sheet. I used my hot fix iron to adhere the gems. First time I have used it, was a bit slippy once it got hot and they slid a bit. Think I was maybe pressing a bit to firmly

All girls like shoes!!

I got this digistamp from Sketching Stamper. I am not a shoe person but my friend well and truly is. She has more shoes and boots than I have hairs on my head!!!!!!!!!!
The sample on the digistamp site was coloured in but I just printed it in it's black and white original state. I then made a background by adjusting the transparency of the image and then copying and pasting it all over the background paper. I used a pearlescent paper for the background paper so the shoes would look more delicate..... I only had this wide black ribbon, next time I make it I will get a slightly thinner ribbon.

Happy Birthday card for a 2 year old!

Bought some downloads from a new site I found on the internet yesterday. Lots of lovely things on there. The site is called clipcropcrafts. Just loved this cute little bear. Sized it so I could do the pop out technique with my nestabilities dies. The little girl the card is for will be 2 on the 12th July. Backing paper is from Forever Friends cds. Glazed the nose and shoes with a sakura clear glaze pen but it doesn't show up on the picture. Used glitter sakura pen to highlight the star and crown and a white glaze pen to make the spots on her top stand out.

New Christmas stamps arrived +

Saw these demonstrated on Create and Craft Christmas weekend. They were absolutely gorgeous that I had to have them!! They are by Stamposaurus stamps.
They are already on my borrow list from 2 of my friends.

These stickers I picked up in my local £1 shop today. Thought they would be fab for boys cards and scrapbook pages.