It's the most wonderful time...

Hello!! :)

I'm popping in with a last minute entry for the Clearly Besotted Stamps Challenge which is Christmas... and we all need to get on with a few of those right about now, don't we?!!

I have been putting off and putting off a Simon Says Stamp order for most of this year... but I finally caved last month after I saw the Stamptember release... which included a couple of exclusive (and gorgeous!!) sets from CBS... so this is what I did with one of them the very day it arrived :)

I stamped the wreaths from the set three times in three different green chalk inks then added pinecones and berries, with a little sparkle and shine to finish them off!! :) I love how they came out- and I'm not usually one for traditional at Christmas!! lol - and all three barely took me 45 minutes... perfect for the Christmas rush!! ;)

I also got slightly carried away with the photos, as you can see... this one does at least show the glaze on the berries as well as the Stickles on the pinecones!! lol

{The List}

Cardstock - Papermill Direct - Rich Cream Linen

Stamps - Clearly Besotted Stamps (for SSS) - Autumn Blessings and Holly Berries ; Clearly Besotted Stamps - Most Wonderful 

Inks - VersaMagic - Sage, Tea Leaves, Hint of Pesto, Red Magic, Jumbo Java & Sahara Sand

Embellishments - Docrafts/Anita's - 3mm Gems

Finishing Touches - Wink of Stella Clear brush pen, Sakura Clear Glaze pen, Stickles in Frosted Lace

Right, I'm off to link this up at Steph's blog while I still can... have a fabulous weekend everyone!! :)

CBS and sewing for World Cardmaking Day...

Hello folks!! :)

Well... Happy World Cardmaking Day to you all!! :) Seeing all the posts about WCD this morning, I thought this was as good a day as any to make my long-overdue return to Blogland (again- I know!! Thank you to anyone who has stuck around this long!!) but, having actually made it to my desk to make some cards earlier- my mojo actually made one of its fleeting reappearances just in time for World Cardmaking day- how unusually cooperative of it!! ;) - I haven't got much energy left... so I will try and keep it short... it is sure to be sweet by virtue of the stunning stamp set I made my card with!! :) 

After depriving us for the month of August ;D , the lovely Steph came back with another fab CBS release last month... and I was waiting to pounce on the postie so I could make a card for a sewing friend of mine the very day it arrived... her birthday was two days later but I knew the Sew Special set was perfect!! :)

I used the stamp set and matching dies along with a lovely vintagey floral paper from First Edition, some stitching on my new little machine- which I am still in love with... but more on that another day!! ;) - and added a little watercolouring and some WOS to the images... as it was coming together, I was quite unsure but ended up very happy with the result and it was just perfect for my friend!! :)

{The List}

Cardstock - Papermill Direct - White Plain

Stamps - Clearly Besotted Stamps - Sew Special, Fabulous Fuchsias (Happy Birthday sentiment)

Dies - Clearly Besotted Stamps - Sew Special Die Collection; MFT - Fishtail Banner Stax

Inks - Versafine - Vintage Sepia; Memento - Espresso Truffle, Angel Pink, Summer Sky, New Sprout

Papers - First Editon - Floral Pavillion

Tools - Cuttlebug, my new (teal! ;D) Sewing Machine

Embellishments - Sequins, Gems and Pearls from stash

Finishing Touches - Wink of Stella Clear Brush Pen

Okay... thank you for stopping by tonight... I am truly grateful that people still want to read my blog when there are so many unscheduled and lengthy absences lately!! :) And now, I shall hit publish and head off to bed before I fall asleep right here... hope you are all having a lovely weekend!! :) And if any of you were lucky enough to make it to the craft shows on this weekend, I hope you had a fab time!! :)

Soft and Subtle with CBS... Sketch Saturday Week #312 and a Blog Hop :)

Hello everyone!! :)

Well, I can hardly believe it but I am here to share my fifth and final Sketch Saturday GDT card with you... and as it is Sketch Saturday's 6th Birthday, there's something a little special going on this week... a blog hop which I am pleased to be joining in with... more details after the card!! lol Also this week, as it is the fifth week in the month, you can choose which sketch you want to use from the SS archives... from as far back as #215 to the present so plenty of choice!! :) I went with a sketch of Jen's which I loved when I first saw it a couple of months ago but didn't have chance to use at the time... here's my card...

I pulled out a few more CBS items for this one- all from the SMS (Shop My Stash for any newcomers- have a look at the tab at the top to know more!) drawer, though some had been there longer than others!! :) I kept it nice and simple as I haven't had a lot of energy this week but the addition of some designer paper (as part of my ongoing SMS challenge, I am also trying to use more of the consumables in my stash- like the tons of cardstock and papers I have- as well as using all my never before used stamps and dies) kept it interesting :) I also added a couple of lines of stitching with my brand new and utterly fabulous (*TEAL*... this makes me ridiculously happy!!! lol) sewing machine!! :)

I love the soft and summery look this has with the colours and oh so pretty flowers :) Oh, yes- and my fave ever sentiment stamps made another appearance too!! lol

{The List}

Cardstock - Papermill - Rich Cream Linen

Stamps - Clearly Besotted Stamps - Bridal Bouquet and Fabulous Fuschias

Dies - Clearly Besotted Stamps - Bridal Bouquet Die Collection and Lovely Labels Die Collection

Inks - VersaMagic - Thatched Straw, Persimmon, Sea Breeze, Turquoise Gem & Aspen Mist (blended on stamp), Aloe Vera & Tea Leaves (blended on stamps), Pink Grapefruit

Papers - First Edition - Boho Chic

Tools - Cuttlebug, my new (teal! ;D) Sewing Machine

The sponsor over at SS this week is Little Miss Muffet Stamps...

...and here's the sketch I used...

... though don't forget, you can choose your own favourite :)

I hope you can join in and take part in the blog hop too!! :) Here's the list for you...

Sketch Saturday 6th Anniversary Blog Hop

1. Alex

2. Audrey

3. Barbara

4. Carla

5. Cathy

6. Debra

7. Donna

8. Faye

9. Jen

10. Jo

11. Julie

12. Kathy

13. Laura

14. Lesley

15. Lizy

16. Marzena

17. Niki

18. Rachel

19. Stephanie

20. Tabbatha

21. Vannessa

22. Wendy

The collection has closed. Let other people know about it through twitter.

powered by InLinkz.com

All that's left is to say thank you to Jen and the other SS ladies for having me as their guest designer this month... I have had a lot of fun!! :) It's also Jen's final week on the SS DT... I know I will miss her sketches!! :)

Thanks for stopping by folks (and for reading what turned out to be a rather mammoth post!! :S ) ... I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!! :)

Good Times... Sketch Saturday Week #311 :)

Morning everyone!! :)

Well, it's time for the fourth and penultimate of my GDT posts for Sketch Saturday... this month is really flying by!! :) This sketch is really very me and I was excited to sit down to create with it... somehow still found myself slightly flumoxed by the number of layers, though, so kept things as simple as possible by sticking pretty much exactly to the sketch!! lol

I actually made this several weeks ago... I was trying to get ahead knowing that I wouldn't have much time or energy for crafting with my friends staying... but I made a mistake with the sketches and thought this was the second week's so had to go back and get another one made quick-smart when Jen set me right!! Luckily we realised we were talking at cross-purposes about design ideas while on Skype!! lol Anyway... when I made this, Jen had just brought me my first ever packs of SU! cardstock and I was just dying to have a play... such scrummy colours!!!! :)

I'd also been itching to use this CBS bike stamp and the sketch was just perfect for it... I used one half of the flowery tree from the Design A Tree set to come out of the bike's basket and then added a few butterflies from Good Times, too... love how it all came together!! :) I also kept things simpler by avoiding using any patterns and making one of the strips on the sketch a layer of vellum :)

{The List}

Cardstock - Papermill Direct - White Plain; Stampin' Up! - Perfect Plum, Coastal Cabana

Stamps - Clearly Besotted Stamps - Good Times, Design a Tree

Dies - Clearly Besotted - Scalloped Edge Die Collection; MFT - Fishtail Banners

Inks - Hero Arts Shadow Inks - Soft Granite, Soft Purple, Soft Pool, Soft Pink, Soft Blue; VersaMark

Papers - Forever Friends - Springtime 6x6" Pad; DoCrafts Anita's - Vellum

Tools - Cuttlebug, Heat Tool

Embellishments - Docrafts Anita's 3mm gems

Finishing Touches - Wink of Stella Clear; Stickles - Frosted Lace and Crystal

Extras - Embossing Powder - Crafter's Companion White

This week's sponsor at over at Sketch Saturday is Bugaboo...

... and here's the sketch...

I hope you'll join in and please stop by the SS blog to see what the rest of the DT have come up with!! :) Hope you're all well and have a lovely weekend!! :)

Also, thank you so much to the lovely folk who've left comments recently... I'm sorry I've not been making it back around to visit people but I am still having to take things a bit easy after my friends' visit and in preparation for some work on the house starting in the next week or so... but I'll try and get round to people asap!! :)

Just Peachy... :)

Hello!! :)

I'm just flying by with a quick post for a couple of challenges- CBS' colour challenge and LIM, where the theme is flowers :) 

Yep, I just couldn't resist another little play with the stunning Love Blossoms set from the latest CBS release!! :) Steph and Jenny seem to manage to come up with  a new contender for 'My Favourite CBS Set Ever' with practically every release!! lol

I kept it simpler this time and also managed to keep a bit better to the CBS colour palette... peach is not a colour I normally like so these ink pads don't get a huge amount of use... but I have to say, now they're made, I really like the colour combo!! :) A few green leaves really lifted it and provided some additional interest, too :)

A gratutitous close-up... just 'cause the cherry blossoms are soooo pretty!! lol 

{The List}

Cardstock - SU! - Old Olive; Papermill Direct - White Plain

Stamps - Clearly Besotted Stamps - Love Blossoms, Paired Up (leaves) and Fabulous Fuschias (sentiment)

Dies - Clearly Besotted Stamps - Love Blossoms Die Collection

Inks - VersaMagic - Pixie Dust, Pink Grapefruit and Tea Leaves

Tools - Cuttlebug

Embellishments - Docrafts Anita's - Pearls and Gems; random sequin from my stash

Challenges: Clearly Besotted Challenge - Colour Palette :) ; Less Is More - Flowers :)

Okay, I'm off to link up now... thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll come back tomorrow to see my take on the next sketch at Sketch Saturday!! :) Happy Friday folks!! ;)