An Award from Rachel

The lovely Rachel has given me another award. Thank you, Rachel. I am so pleased you thought of me and thank you for the lovely things you said on your blog.

I have to do several things now. The first one is to link Rachel in to this post. I've done that - if you click on her name here it will take you to her blog. She makes wonderful cards and the amazing thing is that she is still only 14 years old! Please do go take a look - I am inspired every time I visit her.

The second thing is to tell you 7 "interesting" things about me. Ha - I'm a very boring person!

Here goes:

1. I love football (especially Celtic and Scotland) - it's the passion of my life. I've even been known to refuse to go out if there's an important match on t.v. It drives my daughter nuts.
2. I have 2 very rare, serious illnesses - Addison's Disease and Polycythemia. They're not connected just two rare diseases in the same body. How clever am I - not!
3. I like painting and decorating.
4. I hardly ever visit anyone. My sister is probably the only person I go to see much apart from my children but at Christmas I invite the whole family over.
5. I love the seaside - rock pooling, fish and chips, ice cream, the whole lot. There is an ice cream parlour in Scarborough called the Harbour Bar which has the best ice cream in the world. Sometimes I feel a Knickerbocker Glory coming on and we just have to go for a weekend. All that way just for an ice cream!

Enough rambling. I'm now supposed to pass this on to 7 other people and link them in. That's the hard part because I don't know many people so I'll have to give that some thought but that doesn't make the award any less special. Don't forget to go visit Rachel.

Lynne.x

Joyeux Noel

Hello everyone

Suzanne's been chucking stuff on her blog like it's going out of style so I thought I better post another card!

I've had this stamp for a wee while - it was another birthday present from the kids. I really like the image but I found it quite difficult to colour in. I ended up using water colour pencils with a bit of Cosmic Shimmers (or Cosmic Shivvers, as Jack calls them).

I can enter this card for 3 challenges:

Sketch Saturday - what a lovely sketch. I will definitely use this one again
Creative Card Crew - Christmas
A Spoonful of Sugar - Non-traditional Christmas

My card recipe:
Image - Sarah Kay - Joyeux Noel
Coloured with water colour pencils and Cosmic Shimmers
DPs: Snowflake Diamond and Snowflake Snowman by the Paper Company
Cardstock: Coredinations and Silver mirri card
Silver Stickles
Flowers, brads, pearls, chain and charm from stash
Fiskars snowflake punch
Sentiment: Kars

Hope you like it.

Lynne.x

Swing into Christmas

Hi everyone

I hope you are all well and have had a good weekend. It seems so long since I posted a card. I had one all ready for last week's Winter Wonderland which was "Don't use a Christmas stamp or backing papers", then I picked up some disgusting throat thing and I've been feeling miserable ever since so I never managed to get it posted. I was lucky enough to win their challenge the week before and I do enjoy taking part. Never mind, that card's for Wee Steven for Christmas so it will be put to good use.

Here's another effort using the other stamp I treated myself to from Penny Black. I love these new releases of older stamps and, even better, they are unmounted. I hope they bring some more out.

My card recipe:
Image: Penny Black
Coloured with Distress Inks and watercolour pencils
Designer Papers: Basic Grey - Eskimo Kisses
Pearls, ribbon, brad, chain and charm from stash
Silver Glammer Dust
Platinum Stickles
Tools: Cuttlebug, Snowflake dies

I can enter this one for 3 challenges:
Paptertake Weekly - this is Christmas Crackers which is a bit of an "open" challenge this week.
Charisma Cards- Anything Christmas.
Creative Card Crew - favourite things.

I used an older sketch that I really like but I can't remember whose it is. Sorry.

That it, I think. I hope you like it.

Thanks for dropping by.

Lynne.

Unto us a Child is born

Hi everyone

It's been pouring down here again today. Hope it's been a bit better where you are - although I think it's been the same over most of the country. Makes you want to hibernate, doesn't it?

I thought I'd treat myself and order a couple of these gorgeous Penny Black stamps from the Glitter Pot. How good is that shop? I ordered them on Wednesday at about half past three and the postie brought them yesterday (Thursday) and only a pound for postage. I think she's the best in the business for delivery; I've never had to wait for anything even at Christmas. They pull all the stops out.

I can enter this card for 2 challenges:

Simon Says Stamp: this is animals. As long as you've got animals somewhere on your card it's fine
Lili of the Valley: this is the sketch and a lovely sketch it was too.

My card recipe:

Image: Penny Black - Sweet Nativity
Coloured with Distress Inks
DPs: Kars Christmas Collection Scrapbook Papers
Cardstock: Coredinations
Lace: from stash
Stars: Basic Grey Holiday Chipboard, glittered with glammer dust
Gems: Kanban
Tools: Cuttlebug; Christmas stars embossing folder; Corner Punch
Platinum Stickles

I know they were very poor but I couldn't resist giving Mary and Joseph a bit of bling! I think they deserve it for producing such a beautiful baby. Isn't he devine!

Hope you like it.

Lynne.x

Ho Ho Ho

Hi folks

Hope you are all having a good week. I managed to squeeze this card in last night - stayed up till quarter to one to make sure Donny didn't go out of Dancing with the Stars. Might sound daft but after the shock to my system of Tuffers going out of Strictly and then the fabulous Jamie crashing out of the X Factor, I wanted to make sure things didn't go from bad to worse. I've told Erin I'm not watching the X Factor again. I can't believe Jamie's out and those two little twerps are still in. She says that's no way to talk about Simon and Louis but I say it's all a fix! I'll stick to Strictly from now on.

I can enter this card for 5 challenges:
Allsorts - Something for a child
Charisma Cardz - Merry and Bright
Stamp Something - The sketch
A Spoonful of Sugar - Baby's 1st Christmas or pre-schooler
Cute Card Thursday - Glitter Me Silly

My card recipe:
Image: Stackable Santa - Hi Hopes
Coloured with Promarkers
DP's: MME - The Merry Days of Christmas
Cardstock: Coredinations
Polar White Flower Soft
Silver Glammer Dust
Snowflakes: Kay and Company
Reindeer button: Making Memories
Ribbon from stash
Tools: Cuttlebug; Nestabilities Labels

I really liked this sketch. I think I'll use it again. It had a bit at the bottom but I think these labels are quite big and you couldn't see it so I substituted a bit of paper for a ribbon.

That's it. Hope you like it.

Thanks for dropping by.

Lynne.x

Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar

Better known as the Three Wise Men. How about these little guys, then? I think they are absolutely fabulous. They have such happy, smiley faces - obviously so pleased to be bringing their gifts to the little King.

I am entering Winter Wonderland this week. I haven't entered it for a couple of weeks but I like this challenge; you can really see the weeks passing to Christmas and my Christmas card box is getting a bit fuller at last. I love the little clock at the side of their blog counting down the days to Christmas - how sad am I! Their challenge is a choice of a sketch or panto or both.

My recipe:
Image: The Three Kings - Hi Hopes
Coloured with a mixture of Faber Castelle and Inktense pencils
DP's: Wassail - Basic Grey
Cardstock: Coredinations
Poinsettias: Hobbyhouse
Tools: Cuttlebug; Nestabilities Labels and Tags
Ribbon from stash
Sentiment: computer generated
Stickles
Glammer Dust
Cosmic Shimmer Mist

Sorry the photo's not the absolute best - there's a bit of glare where the light's hitting the glammer dust but they are such lovely wee men I couldn't not give them a bit of bling. I'm going to buy my own camera and take lessons then I can't blame anyone else when my photos aren't up to scratch!

Thanks for dropping by.

Lynne.x

An award

Hi folks

A very special young lady called Rachel has given me this award. Rachel is only 14 and she makes terrific cards. She's making 100 cards at the moment and selling them for £1 each for Children in Need. Not a lot of 14 year olds would do that. She has a fantastic blog - I've made a link below if you'd like to have a look.

Thank you so much Rachel. This means a lot to me.

I have to answer a lot of questions now but the catch is I can only use one word. This is going to be quite difficult for me since anyone who knows me knows I'm a bit of a blether. Anyway, here goes.

1. Where is your cell phone? - Pass
2. Hair? - Brown
3. Your mother? - Edinburgh
4. Your father? - Dead
5. Your favourite food? - Indian
6. Your dream last night? - ?
7. Your favourite drink? - Tea
8. Your dream goal? - Celtic's!
9. What room are you in? - Diningroom
10. Your hobby? - Crafting
11. Your fear? - Redundancy
12. Where doyou want to be in 6 years time? - Working
13. Where were you last night? - Home
14. Something you aren't? - Quiet
15. Muffins? - Please
16. Wishlist item? - Promarkers
17. Where did you grow up? - Scarborough
18. Last thing you did? - This
19. What are you wearing? - Clothes
20 - Your T.V? - On
21 - Your pets? - Several
22. Your friends? - Loud
23. Your life? - Quiet
24. Your mood? - Quiet
25. Missing someone? - No
26. Vehicle? - No
27. Something you're not wearing? - Jewellery
28. Your favourite store? - Craft-at-home (I cheated!)
29. Your favourite colour? - Green
30. Last time you laughed? - Today
31. Last time you cried? - Sunday
32. Your best friend? - Loud
33. One place you go over and over - Work
34. One person who e.mails you regularly - Boss
35. Favourite place to eat? - Anywhere
36. Facebook? - No

There. I think you can tell a lot about people by these answers. I am supposed to try to find 5 people to pass this on to. I think I'll find that much more difficult than answering the questions.

If you haven't seen Rachel's blog, you can find it here. She makes gorgeous things and she's a terrific person. Please go and take a look.

Thanks Rachel.

Lynne.x

A Card for Jaimie

Hi everyone

Most of you will have seen the Blog Hop that's taking place just now to raise awareness of a young girl called Jaimie who's had a dreadful experience. Jaimie's story is terribly upsetting - but she sounds like an amazing young girl. You can read about her here on the Stamp Something For Jaimie blog.

I think it's a great idea to spread a little love and show support for Jaimie and her dad. Of course, there are lots of ways we can do that but the most obvious one for people who craft is for us to make a little something and send it off to her. Jaimie's favourite colours are hot pink and black - what a fab combo. She's not really a girly girl so I've chosen Little Miss Attitude for a card for her. From what I've heard of Jaimie I think this wee image suits her.

This is for you, Jaimie.

Inside:

If you want to participate in the blog hop you can find details at the bottom of the Spread the Love Blog. However, the link to Katharina Frei's blog is here. It's the first stop on the blog hop but be quick - there's only a couple of days left. Good luck and have fun!

This is my recipe for Jamie's card:

Image: Little Miss Attitude - Sugar Nellie
Coloured with Promarkers
DP's - Craftwork Cards "Enchanted"
Cardstock - Coredinations
Flowers punched with daisy and retro flower punches
Ribbon, small brad and charm from stash
Buckle from the Paper Mill Shop
Gems by Kanban

I'd like to enter this card for the Allsorts Challenge. This week it's "Bring out your bling".

Thanks for stopping by.

Lynne.x

Picking Apples

Hi there

Just a very quick post from me this morning before I go out to work so that I can make it in time for the Sugar Bowl Challenge this week. Like I said before, a bit like the coo's tail me, always last!

I know I said I wasn't making any more birthday cards until after Christmas but someone asked me to make a card for a friend so this is it. I'll have one more to do for my nephew in December and the rest will be Christmas cards. I'm not good at boy's cards so no doubt I'll leave it till the last minute again.

I've used the sketch over at the Sugar Bowl this week and the added option is to use lace. This is lacy ribbon so I think it will qualify ok. It was a lovely sketch.

My recipe:

Image: Sugar Nellie - Picking Apples
Coloured with Faber Castelle Water Colour Pencils
DP's: MME - Bloom and Grow
Cardstock: Coredinations
Flowers: Hero Arts - some coloured, some white which I coloured with Pro Markers to match the papers
Lacy ribbon, charm, spacers and brads from my stash
Tools: Cuttlebug and plain and scalloped circles
Sentiment: computer generated

Sorry the charm isn't hanging straight. Daughter no 2 took the photo for me. I asked her to make sure it was straight but I don't think her heart is really in it - a bit like cooking for me really. Maybe she's getting her own back!

Have a good day.


Lynne.x

I've just been over to the Crafty Creations Challenge Blog and seen details of a very unusual blog hop in aid of a wee girl who's had a terrible experience. Do hop over and have a look.

Lynne.x

Hand-mailed

Hi folks

I've got such a small window of opportunity at the moment to make a card so I'm not getting much done at all but I've managed to do a bit of a challenge combo with this one. I think this Penny Black image is beautiful. Another birthday present (I bet you already guessed!) and I've been dying to use it for ages. I made the snowflakes myself with my cuttlebug - a bit fiddly but good fun. I can enter it for the following challenges:

Stamp Something: Cute and Fuzzy
Simon Says Stamp: All That Sparkes
Daring Cardmakers: Punches (this is my first time with this challenge)

My recipe:
Image: Penny Black - Hand Mailed
Coloured with Promarkers
DP: I'm sorry, I don't know what this is, it was a scrap and the name had gone
Cardstock: Coredinations
Tools:
Deckles edged scissors
Cuttlebug
Snowflake dies
Fiskars snowflake punch
Ribbon and brads from stash
Silver Stickles
Glammour Dust

We're off to Suzanne's today for Hallowe'en. The kids will be all dressed up so we'll have great fun waiting for all the little ghosties and ghouls to knock at the door. Then it will be Strictly and the X Factor. Erin and I are having a disagreement about Ricky Whittles. I think he loves himself to bits - if he was chocolate he would eat himself but she loves him. I suppose that's the difference between being 52 and 24. Come on Tuffers!!!

Whatever you do, have a good time.

Lynne.x

He Loves Ewe

Hi everyone

Hope you are all well. This is a lovely little guy, isn't he? Yet another birthday present from the kids. That's the beauty of having your birthday in the autumn, you can get away with thinking about Christmas and ask everyone for all these yummy stamps for presents.

The Hi Hopes Challenge this week is to keep red and green to a minimum and use non-traditional colours on a Christmas card. I've got a bit of green in here but not in a traditional sense so I'm sure it will be ok. I liked the sketch from the Sugar Bowl so much last week I've used it again. I can see I'm going to use it a lot. I think it looks quite different with a new image and papers.

My card recipe:

Image: Hi Hopes - He Loves Ewe
Sentiments: Just Right Sentiments
Coloured with Faber Castelle Water Colour Pencils
Papers - Signature Christmas by My Minds Eye
Cardstock: Coredinations
Platinum Stickles
Snowflakes: made from white card and acetate and covered with gamour dust and Cosmic Shimmer glitter jewels
Brads from the Hobby House
Tools: Cuttlebug; Nestabilities Snowflakes; plain and scalloped circles; plain and scalloped ovals.
Lace from stash

I really like this image. I hope you like the card as much as I enjoyed making it.

Lynne.x

Mistletoe

Good evening everyone

What about this little pair then? I think they are just gorgeous. They are another birthday present to me with some of my birthday money. I couldn't resist them!

I've been trying for about a fortnight to make a card. I've had a lot of extra stuff on recently and I haven't seemed to have time for anything much so I was quite pleased when I got this one finished and ready to post. It's my entry for the Sugar Bowl this week which is a lovely sketch by Tiets. You have to make a Christmas card or if you don't celebrate Christmas you can make a winter card. Since Christmas is definitely my most favourite time of year, my entry is a Christmas card.

This is my card recipe:

Image: Sugar Nellie - Mistletoe
Sentiment: Just Right Sentiments
Coloured with Distress Inks
Papers: Basic Grey Wassail
Mirri Card: Tesco
Poinsettias: The Hobby House
Ribbon: Craft at Home
Red and Frosted Lace Stickles - I stickled the little dots on the sentiment. It looks a bit like smudges but it is stickles - honest!

That's it. Hope you like it.

Lynne.x

Baubles

Hi folks

Well, it's a gey dour day here in Edinburgh and it's supposed to rain all weekend so what better way to brighten it up than with a bit of crafting. I got this stamp with some of the money my mum gave me for my birthday. I think she's a lovely wee thing - I love all her wee baubles!

I can enter her for the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp - Green and red. My favourite Christmas colours; I've got a bit of gold in here as well but I think that will be ok.
Creative Card Crew - All that sparkles.
A Spoonful of Sugar - Christmas
One Stop Crafts - Die Cuts

My card recipe:

Image: Baubles by Sugar Nellie
Sentiment: Just Right Sentiments
Coloured with Promarkers
DPs: Paper Adventures Holiday Joy Multi Stripes and Red Swirls from an old QVC pack
Cardstock: Coredinations
Flowers: Hero Arts and punched - coloured with Promarkers
Brads: Papermania and from stash
Spacers: Eggstravaganza
Ribbon and gold cord: from stash
Tools: Cuttlebug
Swiss dots embossing folder
Spellbinders Labels
Nestabilities plain and scalloped circles
Fiskars snowflake punch
Stickles: Red, green and gold
Diamond glaze - I've put it on the baubles to make them look glassy. Hope you can see it.
Cosmic Shimmer Mist: Rich Gold - sprayed on flowers

We had a wee trip up to Perth last week to what used to be one of the craft shops we visited regularly. I say "used to be" because we won't be going back. I bought a punch there some time ago which cost quite a lot of money and I didn't think it worked very well. When I phoned about it, she advised me to stand on it! When we were there on Saturday, a woman had bought a MS punch which was obviously broken and she was trying to return it - trying being the appropriate word. The woman who owns the shop had a go at it and when it wouldn't cut properly she had a pokey tool and some scissors at the punch and paper and then proceeded to tell the customer it was fine! Isn't the punch supposed to cut the paper itself? Is it only me who thinks punches are seriously over-priced in the first place, without buying ones that don't work? Not only that, when the customer had gone, she proceeded to whisper to her colleague about her, in front of us. Needless to say, we won't be going back - not even for a sheet of paper. I'll take my custom somewhere where they know how to treat people who are spending good money.

That's my rant for the week. No Strictly tonight - what a disappointment. I wish they'd make their blooming minds up but there's a new series of CSI so that will do nicely. Have a good weekend.

Lynne.x

Sarah Kay - Noel Charity

Hi everyone

I feel like it's such a long time since I posted a card. We've been back a few days from our break in Scarborough but it's taken me a while to get organised and I've been busy entering the Passion for Promarkers Blog Hop. Great fun! We had a lovely time in Scarborough, we were so lucky with the weather again. We visited York, which we love. They have the most fantastic museums there. Of course, the kids had to go to Flamingoland. Some of those rides would give you nightmares, wouldn't they? You would have to be off your head to even think about going on them. Erin, Kim and Jack went on everything - several times. Suzanne and I had to walk away! Says it all about my family really, doesn't it?

This stamp is one of my presents from the kids for my birthday. It's one of the new Sarah Kay designs. I think she's lovely.

Card Recipe:

Image: Sarah Kay - Noel Charity
Coloured with Faber Castelle water colour pencils
DPs: Rayher (no name)
Cardstock: Coredinations
Snowflakes: Kay and Company
Hatpin, beads, ribbon, star brads and charm from stash
Stickles: silver, red and gold
Leone Em branch punch
Medium retro flower punch
Tools: Cuttlebug and snowflakes embossing folder

I can enter this card for several challenges:

Allsorts: snowflakes this week - lots of snowflakes on this one. The paper, card, image and embellies are all "snowflaked"
Sketch and Stash - I used the sketch and all the stuff is new except the snowflakes and star brads which I bought last year
Papertake Weekly: fake. I've got fake snowflakes and I made my own flowers so I hope this qualifies as fake
Charisma Challenges: flowers - my favourite embellies
Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge: One for the girls. This is definitely a girl's card. I don't think I'd get away with giving this to a boy.

Hope you like it. Thanks for dropping by.

Lynne.x

Holiday Cheer!

Hi everyone

I'm getting into some serious Christmas card making here, now. I've realised I've only got 6 or 7 cards in my box and I wanted to have about a dozen by now so I've done away with making cards for other occasions and I'm concentraing on Christmas cards.

This is my first post for several days. One of our young rabbits had to be put to sleep and I just haven't felt much like making a card. It's funny how it affects you, isn't it? I know it's only a rabbit but I fed it every day and talked to it every time I went into the garden and now it's just not there. Seems to me that everywhere I look there are rabbits, and I don't know where that stupid saying "I'm not a happy bunny" came from but if I've heard it once I'm sick of hearing it.

Anyway, enough of me being a miserable old bat. Here's the card.

I really like these snowflakes but they never look as nice on the photo as they do in real life. They are much more sparkly than they look here.

Here's my recipe:

Image: I think this is an Elzybells image but I don't know the name
Coloured with Distress Inks
Designer Papers: Imaginisce - Snowy Jo. Love this paper
Cardstock: Coredinations
Snowflakes: Kay and Company
Stickles: Diamond Black, Frosted Lace, Christmas Red
Cream Flower Soft on her hood and cuffs
Ribbon: Anitas
Sentiment: Hero Arts

I can enter this card for 2 challenges:
Crafty Cardmakers which is a sketch. I moved things around a bit - hope this is ok
Stamp Something which is your favourite stamp. I can't chose a favourite. There are so many beautiful stamps how could I choose but this is certainly one of them.

I hope you like the card. I'm a bit disappointed with it but I think that's just the way I'm feeling. It's my birthday on Thursday - another year older but I'll probably get some lovely cards and nice presents so that will make me feel better and then we're off to Scarborough on Friday for a few days so see you all next week.

Thanks for dropping by.

Lynne.x

Bev's blog candy

Bev has a lovely Sarah Kay stamp she is giving away. Click the link to go to her blog.

Christmas Popcorn

Good evening everyone

Just a very quick post tonight. This card has been a bit of a disaster since the start. It's had 3 lots of stickles because they kept getting smudged and 2 attempts to colour the image. It did have a Christmas Tree charm hanging from the ribbon but goodness only knows where that's disappeared to. I wanted to put some sewing on it but the plug for the sewing machine's disappeared and then when I went to put a few little snowflakes on, that box has gone walk about as well! Has anybody else got a house like ours? Since I'm definitely a more is more kind of person when it comes to embellies, I feel like it's only half done.

I've made this card with Popcorn the Bear for 3 challenges:

Papertake Weekly: Dawny P's sketch. I love her sketches; they're fabulous aren't they? You can do what you like with them and she doesn't mind.
One Stop Craft: Cute and Cuddly. Popcorn should be cuddly enough for this one.
Stamp Something: They want animals this week. I hope a teddy qualifies.

This is my card recipe:
Image: Christmas Popcorn the Bear by Crafter's Companion
Coloured with Distress Inks
DPs: Crafts House: Winter Wonderland - Winter Words
Cardstock: Cordinations
Ribbon - Anitas
Stickles: Red, Green, Baby Blue and a bit of Diamond Black on the notes but I don't think you can see it on the picture
Tools: Cuttlebug; Snowflakes emblossing folder

I think that's about it.

Suzanne has given me the Kreativ Blogger Award as well. Thank you. I don't know if I'll be able to think of 7 more "interesting" things to tell you about myself! I'll have to have a think and see what I come up with.

Thanks for looking.

Lynne.x

Frillie Millie and an award

Hi everyone

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend. It's our Jack's birthday today so we've had a nice tea party and a visit to the pictures to see G Force. Very over the top but funny. I didn't think Jack was ever going to stop chortling.

I've received a lovely award from our Kim - thank you. I've already agreed with her that I don't have to pass this on to 7 other people but the deal was that I do have to tell you 7 things about myself and she says I have to be truthful!

1. I love sport but football is my number one passion in life. I will argue with anyone about it and regularly do, especially where Celtic are concerned!
2. I love wildlife but especially birds. I adore birds of prey.
3. I can't abide back-stabbers, liars, cheats or people who feel big about making other people feel small.
4. I'm a terrible bookworm. I'm really into fantasy stuff but I absolutely love Harry Potter. I could almost live in that world, I get so lost in it (I think that's probably 2).
5. I can't swim or drive. I have tried to swim and I have sat behind a wheel once or twice but it didn't really work. To be honest, I couldn't safely drive a pig with a stick!
6. Although I have lived in Scotland nearly all my life and I am extremely patriotic (I'm a Scot through and through), I was actually born in the beautiful seaside town of Scarborough.
7. I am very interested in history - everything pre-dating the Victorians.

So, that's quite enough of the boring stuff. Onto the interesting bit - the card.

I was dying to use this little lady. She's Frillie Millie and she's a new download from Pink Petticoat. Isn't she just the bee's knees? And that little poodle! I haven't had time to do the inside of the card yet but I've got plenty of paper left so I'll do it later.

I can enter this card for the following challenges:
Passion for Promarkers: A Passion for Purple. I used all the colours this week.
Sketch and Stash: Sketch and new, unused or neglected stash. I used the sketch and my new piece of stash is my image and my neglected stash are the papers which I've had for about 7 or 8 years (I kid you not!).
C.R.A.F.T: which is embossing.
Allsorts: Digital - my image is a digi download.

This is my card recipe:
Image: Frillie Millie from Pink Petticoat
DP: Paper al fresco - French Heather by Paper Adventures
I'm not sure who makes the patterned one - it hasn't got a name on it
Cardstock: from stash
Coloured with Promarkers:
Lilac
Lavendar
Amethyst
Aubergine (wee touches on the bows)
Pastel Pink
Ivory
Coral
Flowers: Hero Arts, coloured with Promarkers
Buckle: Paper Mill Shop
Glamour Dust - I've given Fifi a big of bling as well. I think you can just see it.
Gems: Kanban Bling
Brads and ribbon from stash
Sentiment: Computer Generated
Tools: Cuttlebug and D'vine Swirls Embossing Folder

Thanks for dropping by.

Lynne.x

Hawaiian Tilda

Hello everyone

Jack and I have just watched Usain Bolt smash the 200 metres world record. How fantastic is that guy? I love watching sports people. I can't believe how much effort they put in - they are absolutely amazing and they give me so much pleasure.

This card is for my sister, Susan, for her birthday on Saturday. I'm going to tell her to stay off my blog until I've given her the card but I don't know if she'll be able to do it. When we were young she was the one that was always up at 4.00 am on Christmas Eve to see if Santa had been. All the presents were opened and then we would get back to bed for a couple of hours until she was up again! Although she's quite patient now, I don't think she's ever really been able to contain her curiosity. She's planning a Bar-B-Que for her birthday. It will probably pour down but she's got a big gazebo thingie in the garden that we can all hide under so it will be fine.

I can enter this card for 7 challenges:
C.R.A.F.T: Summer theme
Cute Card Thursday: Lazy Days
Crafty Cardmakers Challenge Blog: Blossoms (This is a brand new blog and the first ever challenge so check it out)
Lily of the Valley: Charms. It's the first time I've done this one.
A Spoonful of Sugar: Travel
Papertake Weekly: I've chosen Summer from their recent Seasons Challenge. You can choose anything you like from all their challenges ever because it's their birthday and they are celebrating so get yourself on over there. It's great.
Pink Elephant: Summer. It's my first time for this one as well.

I'm quite pleased with this one and I think Susan will like it. She loves hand-crafted cards and she's kept every card we've ever made her in a box.

This is my card:

Inside:

My card recipe:
Image: Magnolia Hawaiian Tilda and Palm Tree
Coloured with Faber Castell Water Colour Pencils with Distress Inks for Tilda's face
DP's: Black Market Paper Society - Little Miss Smitten Lucky 'n Love
Coredinations Cardstock: Aqua and Cappucino
Flip Flop & Heart Charm, chain, brads, spacer and ribbon from stash
There's a little pin in the ribbon but I don't know if you can see it
Flowers: some punched from the same card and papers, some from stash
Cuttlebug and Labels 2

Hope you like it. Thanks for dropping by.

Lynne.x

Winter Wonderland - Twas the Night Before Christmas

Evening all

Hope you are all well and had a good weekend. Just a quick post from me tonight. This is my entry for this week's Winter Wonderland for which the theme is "Home for the Holidays". This has been one of those cards! I had to do a long card for this one, which I'm not comfortable with but I like the wee mouse in his "house" and I didn't like the image on a square card. Then I wanted to put a charm on and I couldn't find the jump rings. Now it's photographed, I think it looks like it's missing something on the front. Perhaps it's just a sentiment or maybe it needs another flower?

Inside:

My recipe:

Images: Elzybells - Don't know the wee mouse's name - sorry
Elzybells - The Night Before Christmas Sentiment
Coloured with Inktense and Watercolour pencils
D.Ps: K & Company - Green Starlight Printed Flat Paper
Green and Red Cardstock: QVC - from an old Christmas pack
Hero Arts Flowers
Red Promarker
Brads - Papermania
Spacers - stash
Ribbon - Anitas
Gems - Paper Adventures
Silver Glammer Dust

Hope you like my little mouse in his home - snug as a bug in a rug. According to Winter Wonderland, it's only 18 weeks to Christmas. I've only got 5 Christmas cards in my box so even if I make a card a week, I'll be nowhere near the number I wanted to be at. So much for the good resolutions, eh?

See you next time.

Lynne.x

Lizzie with Muff for 4 challenges

Hi folks,

Hope you are all well. I'm having a good day. First of all it's the start of the new football season, wayhay!!! Thank goodness - I don't know what to do with myself at the weekends when there's no football on. I think I drive Suzanne nuts! We had a good win up at Aberdeen (don't suppose the Aberdonians will be pleased) so I'm delighted after the dismal performance by Scotland midweek. Then, it's wee Steven's 3rd birthday so we've been to his tea party. Don't know why Suzanne bothered doing the dreaded h*******k before everyone arrived; she just had it all to do again when they all left. Anyway, the wee one had a great time. I think he's got more toys than the Disney Store but he's a happy bunny so that's all that matters.

Onto the card. You will all be familiar with Lizzie with Muff. I've made this card for a friend's grand-daughter who's birthday is in the winter. I like to be organised! I think I can enter Lizzie for 4 challenges:

Passion for Promarkers which is Cocoa and Rose Pink
Whiff of Joy is Brown and Pink so that's handy
Stamp with Fun is Birthdays this week
Papertake Weekly which is a fabulous Dawny P sketch

By the way, it's birthday week over at Papertake Weekly next week and they are having a celebration so be sure to check them out. Their new challenge starts on Tuesday but you've still got time for this week's one as well.

Recipe:

Image: Lizzie with Muff - WOJ
Coloured with Promarkers:
Cocoa
Cinnamon
Rose Pink
Blossom
Ivory
Satin
Blush Pink
DP's: Basic Grey - Sultry
Cardstock - Coredinations
Glamour Dust
Pink Gems - Kanban
Pink ribbon from stash (Woolworths!)
Brown ribbon/flowers/leaves - Hobbycraft
Tools:
Cuttlebug
Ribbons Tags 2
Message - computer generated

I'm watching Steven and Jack now so I'm off to make the tea while they're occupied playing with wee Steven's new toys. Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Thanks for dropping by.

Lynne.x

What a bad blogger!

Hi everyone. I feel like I haven't been around for such a long time - what a bad blogger I am. I've been visiting your blogs and having a good look around but I haven't had time to make anything myself, we've been so busy visiting old castles and such like. We've even been camping this week - I haven't done that since I was in the girl guides! We've had a very nice week. The sun has been blazing down and we've been out and about every day and not getting in until late in the evening. Debbi (have a look at her blog - her stuff's lovely) gave me a tip to visit Dunnottar castle in Stonehaven. Well, our Jack's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw it. It looks like it's on a cliff in the middle of the sea but actually you have to go down 180 steps (believe me, I counted on the way back!) along a path and then up some more steps at the other side to get into it. The only other entrance is from the sea so it was a real fortress. The weather was great and the view from the castle was absolutely incredible - the sea was so clear. Who needs to go abroad when we've got places like this on our own doorstep? Jack asked the guy at the desk whether he had to climb up and down all those steps every day to get to his work! We've done loads of castles and stuff this last fortnight and the staff have been brilliant with the kids, the man at Blackness Castle was absolutely fabulous with Jack and Steven. Back to the grindstone tomorrow but I'm off again in September. We're off to Scarborough for a few days then and that's it until Christmas.

Onto the card. I'm not sure about this one, there seems to be something not quite right about it and I may have to change something before I part with it. I had done the pirate card for our Jack for his birthday but in his usual inimitable fashion, he "just happened to come across it, Gran", so I've had to make another one. I would have liked to have put the image on a mount but the horse is huge so I've cut it out instead and used foam pads to make it stand out. I found Charlie didn't look right when I masked him so I lopped his leg off and stuck him on the horse. Hope it doesn't just look like he's a bit legless! I can enter this for 3 challenges:

Papertake Weekly: Seasons - anything to do with seasons, colours, reminders etc. My favourite autumn colours are in here, reds and golds and browns, so that should be fine.
Allsorts: Vintage - I'm not sure if this qualifies but it's a medieval theme and it is "all sorts" so I'm going to stick it in and see what they say.
Crafty Challenges: Buttons - it definitely qualifies for this because the little castle and dragon are buttons

I wanted to enter the Whiff of Joy challenge because they are both WOJ stamps but I couldn't follow the sketch, the horse is too big. Never mind.

Recipe:
Images: WOJ - Horse and Knight Charlie
DPs: DCWV - Once Upon A Time - I cut an extra bit of edging and put it on foam pads to make it stand out
Coloured with Water Colour Pencils
Stickles: Silver and Frosted Lace
Corner from stash - embossed with gold embossing powder
Buttons: Craft-time - Dragons

That's it. Don't know how it took me so long!

Thanks for dropping by.

Lynne.

An Award!

Lorraine has given me this lovely award. Thank you, Lorraine. I appreciate you thinking of me very much. I think I should be passing this on to some other people - this is the bit I have difficulty with because I don't know that many people so for now I'm just going to enjoy it. I hope that's ok.

Lynne.x

Chasing Snowflakes - Another Combi

Well, we've had a lovely day out at Blackness Castle. For once, the weather held up - a bit blowy but a nice day nonetheless. I feel so blessed!!! I'm into old castles and churches in a big way and our Jack is fast following suit, I'm glad to say. Mind you, I have to admit to feeling a bit like an old ruin myself at the moment. Women of my age will understand, the dreaded hot flushes have struck. Now, these I can contend with but all of a sudden my legs appear to want to go walk about just when I go to bed at night. I've just settled down and all I want to do is sleep but my legs and feet have other ideas. They behave as if they would rather be out and about with someone else - preferably at a disco, I think. I believe it's referred to as "restless leg syndrome". It's driving me blooming bananas, I can tell you. Is there a cure apart from chopping them off?

These images are part of my new stash from my outing to my fav craft place on Saturday. I think they are dead cute. This is my entry for the Passion for Promarkers Challenge this week which is Pastel Pink and Cool Aqua. You have also to use the sketch and a very nice sketch it was too. I am also entering this card for the Little Yellow Challenge which is Lace and Pearls. You can have a punched edge for the lace bit so I've got that and I've got pearls on their wee coats. I coloured the wee boy's coat with my cocoa promarker. I've been taking note of the tutorials! Stamp with Fun is also pearls this week so it qualifies for that as well and Creative Inspirations is bling. I've stamped lots of little snowflakes and "stickled" each oned individually - took me ages! I also put Glamour Dust on their pompoms. I think that should qualify for a bit of bling. Last but certainly not least, One Stop Craft is Christmas in July. Since Christmas is my favourite time of year and this is a Christmas card, we qualify for that one as well.

This is my recipe:

Images: Kars - Cold Christmas by Nellie Snellen
DP: Crafts House - Winter Wonderland Winter Words
Pink, Aqua and Cocoa Cardstock - Coredinations
Coloured with Promarkers:
Pastel Pink
Cool Aqua
Satin
Blush
Cocoa
Ice Grey 1 & 2
Saffron and Gold
Stickles: Frosted Lace
Pearls - Kanban
Tools: Fiskars Snowflake Punch
RicRac (how do you spell that?) from stash

If I had to choose a name for this card, I'd call it "Chasing Snowflakes". Don't they look happy?

Thanks for looking.

Lynne.x

My Sweet Lili

Oh my, am I late with this card. I've managed to squeeze a combi in here but I haven't been feeling too good at all so I'm very late meeting the deadline for the Passion for Promarkers Challenge and A Spoonful of Sugar this week. I love doing the PfP Challenge and the colours are so nice - Rose Pink and Lime - I didn't want to miss it. Also, I can enter this for Papertake Weekly which is a colour combi. I really like their sketches, but this week the challenge is colours. You can use any colours you like from pink, green, black, white, yellow, grey and lilac. The C.R.A.F.T. Challenge is also pink and green this week - handy, eh? A Spoonful of Sugar is swirls and since the paper has swirls on it, I think it meets that challenge as well. That's 4 challenges so that's not bad for one card, I think. I didn't have time to rummage around for a sketch by the time I surfaced from the couch yesterday so I just made up one of my own. Hope it's ok.

This is My Sweet Lili by Sarah Kay. She belongs to Suzanne. I haven't used her before but I think she's absolutely lovely and I've just been waiting for the right time. She's so nice, it's a shame to put ink on her! The card was a doddle to make, the colours just go so well together but it must have taken me about 2 hours to get these ruddy flowers to stick to the paper. To coin a Scottish colloquialism, they were absolutely daeing ma heid in. I eventually got them cemented down with diamond glaze of all things. I'll be scared to give the thing to anyone now in case they come off in the envelope.

This is my recipe:
Image: Sarah Kay - My Sweet Lili (doesn't she just love that teddy?)
DP: Imaginisce - Loves Me (just one DP this time - the last card broke my heart!)
Coloured with ProMarkers:
Rose Pink
Lime and Apple
Spice, Cocoa and Coral
Satin and Blush Pink
The dreaded flowers and ribbon: Hobbycraft - I'm starting to loathe that shop
Green Glimmer Mist
Charm from my stash

That's it - no tools or anything else. Just a simple card.

Next time I'll try to make something with my new Martha Stewart punch (ooooh, fancy!) that I bought on Saturday at my favourite shop, Craft at Home. We had a lovely time, ladies. It's like visiting a long-lost family.

Thanks for dropping by.

Lynne.x

Simon Says and Little Yellow Challenge

Bet you all thought I was joking when I said every time I'm off work we get the monsoon season. Well, true to form we've had thunder and lightning and torrential rain here again. It's been nice today but it's to rain again tomorrow. You could almost put a month's wages on it. Never mind, it's nice not to have to think about work for a couple of weeks, isn't it.

I've used a new Dawny P sketch for this card. She's a guest designer for Simon Says Stamp and this sketch is really nice. I can also enter it for the Little Yellow Challenge this week. I saw this one on Lorraine's blog. You don't have to use their images this week and the challenge is to make a male card so it qualifies for that as well. I had to cut three new 12 x 12 papers for this - I came out in a cold sweat, I can tell you!

Inside:

I love pirates and knights and boy's stuff in general so I had a lot of fun making this card. I might keep it for our Jack for his birthday in August if he doesn't spot it first. He's going to be 10 and he loves pirates and adventure stories so I don't think he's too old for it. He doesn't mind a bit of ribbon; he sticks plenty of mine on when he's making a card himself so I'm assuming he's not averse to it!

This is my recipe:
Images: Sugar Nellie Pirate; Dimension Fourth Treasure Map and Treasure Chest
Pirate coloured with Distress Inks
Map on inside washed with Walnut Stain Distress Ink
Treasure Chest on inside coloured with Water Colour Pencils
DP: Karen Foster - Buried Treasure, Treasure Map and Pirate Scarf
Images mounted on Gold Mirri Card
Ribbon - Hobbycraft
Skull and Crossbones and Treasure Chest Embellies: Jolee's Boutique
Sentiment: Computer Generated
Tools: Fiskars Punch - Threading Water

Thanks for looking.

Lynne.x