Out of Action :o(

Hello everyone hope all is well.  Unfortunately I'm gonna be out of crafty (& almost every other sort) action for a while as I've broken my left wrist.  I fell off my bike last Wednesday & had operation on Friday to have a metal plate put in.  Luckily I'm right handed so it could have been worse, I can manage to type & I'm trying to do as much as I can (slowly) but there's lots I can't do.  It is very frustrating as there's lots I want to do but I will have to save my ideas until my wrist is better & look online (eg.  at all your fab blogs) for lots of inspiration :o) xxx

New Sentimental Sundays Challenge...

This week the Sentimental Sundays challenge is "Its a BUGGY Bugs Life" (with a sentiment).  We are sponsored by The Doodle Garden so you have the chance to win some gorgeous images.  For my card though I went with a Jellypark coloured image from the "Butterfly Net" decoupage sheet.  I used to feel guilty using pre-coloured images & felt like I was cheating lol but I've come to realise that sometimes there just isn't enough time & you can still be creative even if you haven't coloured the image yourself :o)  I love this image & I inked the edges with Brilliance ink, used lace & punched a flower border.  The paper is from TPS & I finished off with some wooden embellishments & a computer generated sentiment.  I hope you will join us & don't forget there is the chance to win some fabulous images too.

The challenges:

Craft Your Passion - Fancy Border/Edges

Emerald Faeries - Things With Wings

Digi Galore - Girly

Feeling Crafty - Butterflies

Natalie & Amy - One for the Girlies

Delicious Doodles - Flowers

Delightful - Use Patterned Paper
Dragonfly Dreams - Thoughts of Summer

 I hope you're having a fabulous weekend & manage to fit some crafting in :o)

Make It New!

Today's Sentimental Sundays challenge is "Make it New" ie. alter something (+ a sentiment) - I must admit I forgot the sentiment this time but I think I just got away with it with the "Lavender" words on the ribbon (fingers crossed lol).  Our fab sponsor is A Day For Daisies & I used their "Flowers in Bottle" digi which I coloured with chalk (I'm liking using chalk at the mo for a change).  I used an old baked beans tin & covered it with a bit of paper from stash, added the ribbon (which is also recycled as it was tied round some toiletries).  We have a huge DT now so there is lots & lots of inspiration :o)

The challenges:

Craft My Life - Anything Goes

A Day For Daisies - Anything Goes

Suzy Bees - Anything Goes

Allsorts - Free & Easy

Little Claire's - Make a Gift

Crafty Hands - Anything Goes

Fairy Tale - Recycling

Thanks for looking & enjoy rest of weekend & the week ahead :o)

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone :o) I hope you've all had a wonderful start to the year.  I've started doing my exercises again although I've not managed every day yet (I'm breaking myself in gently lol), it has been hard cos work has been so busy & I've had lots going on at home too - it's a start though.  I'm not liking all the choccies & biscuits that are left from Christmas & that  keep trying to get me to eat them, I think I'm gonna have to hide them somewhere.

Anyway as it is New Year our first challenge of the year at Jellypark Friends is "New Beginnings".  I chose this wonderful Wedding Car Couple digital stamp & coloured it with chalk & Prismacolor pencils.  The paper is from Papermania (I think) & I finished the card with pearls, ribbon, punched heart & a flower.   So whether you make a new job, new house, new baby... etc creation we would love to see it :o)

The challenges:

Really Reasonable Ribbon - Pink & Ribbon

Creative Romance - Something New

Totally Papercrafts - New Beginnings

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards - New Beginnings

Sweet Stamps - Something New

Simon Says - Something New

Little Red Wagon - New Beginnings

Crafty Little Fairies - Starting Over

Have a fantastic weekend whatever you're up to.  We're going kitchen shopping today & I must get the decorations put away at some point.

Last Challenge of the Year at Sentimental Sundays...

For the last challenge of the year at Sentimental Sundays Calypso our wonderful leader has chosen some of her favorite challenges & creations.  There are 19, yes 19 (if I've counted right lol) to choose from so there's no excuse not to join us (unless of course you're very busy & don't have time - then we will let you off).  

I hope you WILL be able to join us & check out the other DT members wonderful creations.  Here are my cards that Calypso chose:

Challenge #144: Fairies with Wings

Challenge #150: Tag You're It

Challenge #171: Something Tweet

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas :o) I did although it did seem rather quick as I worked til 5.30 pm on Christmas eve & was back in again on 27th at 7.45 am.  I can't believe that is another year nearly over.  Now to think about those New Years Resolutions...

We Wish You A...

I hope you all have a fabulous time :o) 
Wishing you a Happy & Healthy New Year too!

More Christmas...

Another last minute Christmas card (I'm still not finished lol), luckily this week's Sentimental Sundays challenge is "Non-traditional Christmas Colours" (with a sentiment) & we are sponsored by Simply Betty Stamps & lucky enough to choose one of their fab images.  I chose "Rio & Frosty" & coloured it with chalk (& a bit of Prismacolor pencil too) for a change & edged the image with Glamour Dust.  I adore these papers "Twenty Five Days of Joy" which are digital & from Sweet Shoppe Designs.  I finished the card with a punched snowflake, tag sentiment, ribbon & gems.  

The challenges:

Crafty Hazelnut - Whatever is Urgent to Make

Simon Says - Let It Snow

Lexi's Creations - Snow

The Sisterhood of Crafters - Christmas Sparkle

Milk Coffee - Christmas in Non-traditional Colours

ABC - Y = You Make Your Own Embellishments
Digitally Sweet - Frosty the Snowman 
Digi Haven - Merry Christmas
Crafty Hands - Season's Greeting/Winter Theme 
Brown Sugar - Christmas
Di's Digi Challenge - Christmas in Non-traditional Colours
Chalk-Ah-Lot Cafe - Christmas with Chalk
Pan Pastels - Snowflakes

I hope you're having a great weekend, why do they go soo quickly... I still have loads to do lol

Christmas Month Reminder :o)

Wow! This is such a busy time for me (it is so annoying that I have to go to work lol) & it is a struggle to fit everything in.  But I did manage to make another couple of cards for the Jellypark Friends Christmas month long challenge.  The first image I coloured with ProMarkers, I used scraps of paper & punched a big flower, scrunched it up, covered it with Glamour Dust & added a button with twine.  I finished the card with a sentiment, pearl & some sequins (ooh & added a  If you've got any Christmas cards still to make (I have!) - or if you're starting for next year ;o) I hope you will join us.

The challenges:

ABC - Y = You  Make Your Own Embellishments

Crafty Sentiments - Christmas

Passion For ProMarkers - Mega Christmas Challenge - include a sentiment

Cute Card Thursday - Christmas Catch Up

Papercrafting Journey - Christmas Time

In The Pink - Pink Christmas

Milk Coffee - Christmas in Non-traditional Colours

The Sisterhood of Crafters - Christmas Sparkle

Inky Chicks - Christmas

Bunny Zoe's - Wings

Crafty Boots - Christmas

Parade Your Crafts - Christmas

Whoopsi Daisy - Christmas Using Non-traditional Colours

 

My 2nd card uses "Penguin Christmas Tag" digital stamp which is also coloured with ProMarkers, I used glitter for the snow, a pompom for his hat & a brad & star.  The chipboard Christmas tree was inked & gems added.  The papers are MME & I finished the card with ribbon, twine & charm.

The challenges:

Lexi's Creations - Snow

Crafty Calendar - Cold & Frosty

Papertake - Christmas Creatures

My Mums Craft Shop - Winter/Christmas

Aud Sentiments - Tags

Crafty Little Fairies - Let It Snow

Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes (with ribbon)

Sassy Studio - It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Simon Says Stamp - Let It Snow

Well I don't know about you but I absolutely love everything about the build up to Christmas - the decorations, trees & lights, choosing presents for loved ones, Christmas movies & of course Christmas crafting :o)  Thanks for looking & have a fab weekend! xx

Month Long Christmas Challenge!

I've had this week off work & have been doing some Christmas shopping (not doing too bad, still left with the same awkward people lol) & today we are going to a Christmas market :o)  Looking forward to putting the tree & decorations up at the weekend - I love Christmas!  Jellypark Friends month long challenge is (as the title suggests) "Christmas!".  For my cards I used "Snowman" & "Girl with Stocking" digital stamps which I coloured with ProMarkers.  I used various papers from my stash & the snowflake border is a Memory Box die.  There are 2 new fabulous gingerbread man/lady digital stamps available too.  I hope you'll check out the other DT members fab creations for lots of inspiration.

The Challenges:

Lexi's Creations - Christmas

Simon Says - Anything Goes

Papertake - Sketch (Snowman)

I Love ProMarkers - Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes

Aud Sentiments - Any Sentiment

Stampin' for the Weekend - Feeling Festive

My Creative Moments - Snowman

Stampavie & More - Christmas

Songbird - Die Another Day

We also have some wonderful new DT members joining us & you can meet them HERE!  A very warm welcome to the group ladies :o) I hope you've all had a nice week & we're looking forward to seeing all your lovely Christmas creations :o)

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

This week the challenge at Sentimental Sundays is "Winter Wonderland" (+ a sentiment) & we are sponsored by Meljens & so for my easel card I used this cute image called "Bitty Christmas Tree Bears".  I paper pieced the tree & coloured the image with ProMarkers.  The papers & shaker sentiment I've had ages, I used Flower Soft polar white for the snow & edged the image with Glamour Dust finishing off with die cut poinsettia, punched holly, gems & pompom trim.  I hope you can join us :o) (& we're still looking for new DT members if you're interested).

The challenges

Christmas Cards All Year 'round -  Winter Wonderland

Crafty Hazelnut - For a Child

Crafty Calendar - All Things Christmas

Gem of a Challenge - Sparkles

Crafty Sentiments - Christmas

Crafts 4 Eternity - Glitter & Sparkle

Happy Campers - Glitter It

Allsorts - Bring on the Bling

I hope you're having a lovely Sunday, we're going to see the Christmas lights switch on near us & do a bit of shopping & watch fireworks later today & we're on holiday this week so hopefully I can get the Christmas shopping finished.

DT Call at Sentimental Sundays

Happy Sunday everyone :o)  I hope you're having a great weekend.  This week's Sentimental Sundays challenge is "Giving Thanks" & we are sponsored by Saturated Canary & the DT were lucky enough to chose an image to work with.  I chose "Grow" cos it fitted the challenge perfectly.  I coloured her with ProMarkers.  The papers are digi & did some machine stitching (my sewing machine is working again - Hooray!), finishing off with a punched border & butterflies, flowers & pearls.  We are also having a DT call at Sentimental Sundays so if you want to be part of a wonderful team & get to work with some fab sponsor images & get lots of inspiration please add you link :D

The challenges:

Delightful - Thankful

Simon Says - Thanks/Thanksgiving

Saturated Canary - Sketch 

Crafting for all Seasons - Stitching Real or Faux 

Pattie's - Giving Thanks or Thank You

Simply Create Too - Give Thanks

Crafty Creations - Dies & Punches

Aud Sentiments - Feminine

Shelly's - Give Thanks

Oh La La - Stitching - Real or Faux
Card Makin Mamas - Thankful Tidings
Pile It On - With Thanks
Lexi's Creations - Thanks/Thanksgiving
Paper Pretties - Give Thanks
Tuesday Throwdown - Gratitude 
Pile It On - With Thanks
Flutterby - Open (with Butterfly, Fairy or Angel)

Thanks for looking & I hope you can join us (for the challenge or the DT call or Both!) xx

Dingle Dangle Scarecrow

It's time for a wonderful new release at Jellypark & today it is this fabulous Scarecrow image.  Every time I look at it I can hear "I'm a Dingle Dangle Scarecrow with a Flippy Floppy Hat" lol.  Isn't he adorable!  I coloured him with Promarkers (with chalk for the sky), the papers are digi & I finished my card with a punched fence & die cut leaves.  There is a new challenge starting today at Jellypark Friends which is "Happy Thanksgiving/Giving Thanks" & we would love to see your wonderful creations so I hope you can join us :o)

The challenges:

Ladybug Crafts Ink - Get Krafty

Fab 'n' Funky - Anything Goes

Crafty Girls - Anything Goes

Stampin' for the Weekend - Autumn/Fall Colours

Kitty Bee Designs - Fall Colours

Digi Haven - Happy Fall Y'all

Fun-Day Friday - Anything Goes

Craftitude - Anything Goes or Falling Leaves

Thanks for looking & have a fab weekend :o)

Warm Winter Wishes :o)

This week's Sentimental Sundays challenge is "Warm & Cosy" (with a sentiment) & for my card I used Jellypark's "Snowball Girl" digi stamp & coloured her with ProMarkers & added Glamour Dust & a pompom snowball.  The papers are digi & I doodled a frame to match the image around a printed sentiment.  I finished the card with ribbon, brad, metal holly & the heart mug is a stamp.  We are sponsored by Mayzy Arts & there is the chance to win 5 of their wonderful images :o)  I hope you can join us!

The challenges:

Christmas Cards All Year 'Round - Winter Wonderland

Crafty Hazelnut's - Outdoors

Stamping Sensations - Christmas

Really Reasonable Ribbon - Christmas/Winter Holiday

Delightful - All That Glitters

Crafty Calender - All Things Christmas

Freshly Brewed - Snow/Christmas

Just Inspirational - Glitter

Hanna & Friends - Glitter
2 Sisters - Christmas Sparkle

I hope you're having a fab weekend.  We're off to visit family this afternoon & tomorrow I have an extra day off (using up my holiday) & we're going to the cinema to see Saving Mr Banks (don't know what it's like as it's a free preview screening but I LOVE the cinema :o)

Don't Sweat The Small Stuff

The title of this post is something that I try to do (or not to do lol).  I always have tried to look on the bright side (the song "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" could have been written for me hehe) & appreciate what I have (I think having lost my precious Mum just before I got married has made me treasure my family & friends & try to enjoy every day as you never know what is around the corner). I tell my family all the time how much I love them.  I was told some devastating news by an old friend (she was my best friend in my teens & though we are not so close now she is very dear to me) that she has bowel cancer (she is only 49) & she is distraught as you can imagine, especially because she lives alone & has no children.  This has made me re-evaluate everything again - biking to work in the rain I felt so blessed, instead of being cheesed off lol.

So now you know how I'm feeling lol I'll tell you about my latest creation which is a card for my wonderful DIL Zoe who's birthday was yesterday.  I used DCWV papers & distressed the edges, the image, which looks just like her :D is from DigiStamp Boutique & coloured with ProMarkers.  I finished the card with some a flower (with glittered petals, though it's hard to see in the photo), button, ribbon, gems & a greeting.

I'd like to enter these challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge - Gems Gems Gems

DigiStamp Boutique

Brown Sugar - Anything Goes

Pattie's Creations - Birthdays

Totally Papercrafts - Use Glitter

Sister Act - Anything Goes

Charisma Cardz - Anything Goes

Aud Sentiments - Feminine

Divas by Design - Use a Digi

Penny's - Lots of Layers

Paper Makeup - Lots of Layers

Lexi's Creations - Birthday Celebrations

Bearly Mine - Anything Goes

I Love ProMarkers - All That Glitters

Crafting & all my crafty blogging friends make me happy too :o)  I hope you're having a wonderful weekend & doing something that makes you happy ;o) xxx

Falling Into Autumn

 

This week the challenge at Sentimental Sundays is "Falling Into Autumn" (with a sentiment) & we are sponsored by Fred She Said.  For my card I kept it quite simple just a sentiment (from Whimsy Stamps), digi papers, ribbon, flowers & pearl.  I've been trying to get a move on with my Christmas cards too as I'm way behind.  I hope you're having a wonderful weekend & managing to fit in some crafting time (there's one good thing about these dark nights - they're perfect for crafting).

The challenges:

Cuttin & Stampin - Autumn Harvest

Perfect Sentiments - Fall or Halloween

Divas by Design - Use Some Orange

Crafting for all Seasons - Autumn Colours

Wags 'n Whiskers - Fall Colours

Craftitude - Anything Goes/Use Twine or String

Have a fabulous Sunday - we're off to see our youngest son & then going to a firework display (weather permitting), gotta be home in time to watch Downton Abbey lol

Anything But A Card

 The new challenge at Jellypark Friends is "Anything But A Card" & this is one of my favourite challenges as I love making lots of different things :o)  I altered a old coaster using Jellypark's "Teacup With Rose Design" digital stamp which I printed onto pink DP & coloured with chalk.  The paper is from "The London Line" (Dovecraft I think).  I covered the paper & image with sticky back plastic (I tried Modge Podge but it didn't look as good).  Why not start making those Christmas pressies & join us :D

The challenges:

Whimsy Stamps - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes

Simon Says - Anything Goes

Oh La La - Food &/or Drink

Created With Love - Anything Goes

All Crafts - Anything Goes

Party Time Tuesdays - Anything Goes

Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Creative Moments - Halloween/Anything Goes

Rhedd & Rosie - Anything Goes

Twisted Tuesday - Free For All

I hope you've had a good week, I'm so glad it's Friday.  Thanks for looking xx

Monochrome Happy Birthday

This week's challenge at Sentimental Sundays is "Monochrome" & as it's the last challenge in our Happy Birthday month it is Monochrome Happy Birthday :D (with a sentiment).  For my card I did some distressing, the paper was from a pad from Create & Craft, the image was free from The Graphics Fairy & I made a little ribbon flower, finishing off with a couple of stamped images (the bodice & corner), greeting & pearls.We are so lucky to have not 1 but 4, yes 4! wonderful sponsors:  From the Heart Stamps, Inspired by Stamping, Pollycraft & Silly Dilly :o) I hope you can join us.

The challenges:

Fab 'n' Funky - Distress

Whimsy Stamps - Shabby Chic/Vintage

Papercrafting Journey - Anything Goes

Creative Moments - Anything Goes/Use Some Lace

Crafty Little Fairies - Anything Goes

Craftin' Boutique - Anything Goes

Crafty Girls - Anything Goes

Craftitude - Anything Goes

Crafty Hands - Anything Goes

I hope you're having a good weekend.  We're supposed to have gales & horrible weather here today so it will perfect for staying in & crafting (I'm soo enjoying my lovely tidy & organised craft room).  Hubby & I are just gonna pop out for some lunch when he's finished footy :o)

A Tidy Craftroom...

From this...

Is a rare thing but after days & nights of sorting (good job I had a couple of days extra holiday to take) - it's finished!  It is soo lovely to have room to create (& actually move without standing on anything).  I've just gotta find my mojo & get on with making everything that I want to :o)

To This!

While I'm here I would like to mention the Sentimental Sundays challenge which this week is to make a "shaped or easel card" (with a sentiment), I didn't have time to make anything this week cos I was in the midst of crafty mess but if you have time it we would love to see your creations.

Also I'm lucky enough to have one of my cards (Christmas Elf) published in Digital Crafting Essentials magazine along with the rest of the Jellypark team :o)  I can't wait to receive my copy & see what the cards look like in print.  There are 2 free CDs with the mag  including lots of wonderful Jellypark Christmas images.

I hope you've had a good start to the week & thanks for looking :o)

Pink October!

The Jellypark Friends challenge today is "Pink October" & we're supporting Breast Cancer Care with all the proceeds of this wonderful new digital image going to the Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity!  For my card I used some scraps of card (& I have a lot of those lol) I coloured the image with ProMarkers & paper pieced the ribbon finishing the card with some random stitching, stamped sentiment & gems. It would be fab if you could join the challenge or purchase the digi (or both ;o) it's for a wonderful cause.

The challenges:

DL.Art - Linky Pinky Party

Live & Love Crafts - Pink

Doodle Pantry - Digital

Crafting By Designs - Anything Goes

Creative Knockouts - Paper Piecing

4 Crafty Chicks - Multiple Layers

I hope you're having a great week, I have today off (& Monday) so a lovely long weekend though I am spending most of today in my craft room (still - it will take a few more days off I fear lol) trying to get it sorted.  (think it's time for a tea break now though - gotta keep my strength up ;o)

Sentimental Sundays Month of Birthday Challenges...

 

& it is week 2 of our month long celebrations for our wonderful leader Calypso & this time the challenge at Sentimental Sundays is "Happy Birthday - Sentiments Only".  I do like to have a focal image so this challenge was tricky for me.  The sentiment I used is from TLC & the papers are digi from the Sweet Shoppe.  I used my MFT loopy bloom die with felt & finished off with a few gems.  We have 6 wonderful sponsors this week - YES 6! how cool is that!  I hope you can join in our birthday celebrations.  

The challenges:

Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes 

Papertake - Two by Two

Brown Sugar - Anything Goes

My Heart Pieces - Anything Goes 

Stampin' for the Weekend - Anything Goes
Paper Creator - Dies & Punches
2 Sisters - Anything Goes 
Inkspirational - Anything Goes
All Dressed Up - Anything Goes

I hope you're all having a fab weekend.  I'm still in the process of sorting my craft room, I haven't had time since last weekend & there is still LOTS to do (hopefully I will be finished by Christmas lol).  I did sort out my winter woollies & put my summer stuff away as summer is definitely over :o( here.