Sugar-sweet snowman

It's been a while since I've taken part in the Sugar Bowl Challenge, but I very much liked this week's sketch and my card came together quickly.

The Sugar Nellie snowman is coloured with Copics and Stickles. All the background papers are Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses, matted onto Bazzill Basics card in blue and burgundy. The snowflakes are white card used in a Woodware punch, I've added glitter to them with more Stickles. The Challenge also requires ribbon or ric-rac, I've added a thin red organza ribbon to my card.

It's a Boy!

This is a just-in-time (I hope!) entry to Friday Sketchers, I loved Beatrix's sketch but have kept running out of time to finish the card I began. The card is for Alison Acton, the designer for Whiff of Joy who creates all their beautiful animal stamps. Alison is expecting a baby boy, who is due tomorrow! I don't know if it's a planned birth or if he could keep her waiting... Whichever, Alison was a big part in the blog hop party that Whiff of Joy held in July to celebrate her new stamp release. She chatted online with everyone for hours and was so friendly and fun to "talk" with. Katharina from Whiff of Joy came up with the lovely idea of getting as many crafters as possible to send cards to Alison and her husband Jim, check out her blog here for the details.

The very cute Dexter Bear is from Sugar Nellie, he's coloured with watercolours, he and his frame are cut out with Nestabilities. The paper is a freebie from a magazine, overlaid with torn vellum. The paper strip with "It's a boy" is also from a magzine freebie and I've cut strips of ribbon for the bow and the flower in the sketch. The photo is not great but it's dark and I've only just finished the card, hope to replace it with a better one tomorrow...

Best wishes to Alison and Jim!

Happy Belated World Cardmaking Day!

World Card Making Day was yesterday; having looked around a few blogs it looks like everyone had lots of fun, there were all kinds of blog hops and challenges to join in with. However I didn't get to do any cardmaking at all, I was teaching quilting all day, to a keen bunch who rather over-ran the finish time and then went straight to an Oktoberfest party at my friend's house. We were back before WCM Day finished at midnight but I certainly wasn't fit to be unleashed on either the craft room or blog hopping :).

So here is my belated card to celebrate the day. It's using Donalda's sketch from Splitcoast Stamper's challenge, sponsored by Sugar Nellie, with chances to win FIVE goodie bags.

I'm also celebrating with the Simon Says Challenge Blog, which is asking for "girlie" cards to be made and sent, either to Erin's neighbour Paige (read about Paige here) or to Post Pals. I posted a card to Paige a couple of weeks back, but it's a while since I've sent to Alice, my Post Pal, so this card's for Alice.

Goodness there are a lot of layers on this sketch! The image is the lovely Diane Duda "It's a girl thing" fundraiser stamp, Pure of Heart, available from Funky Kits, stamped onto Crate Paper and coloured with Copics; I've paper pieced her dress. The wings are coloured with Copics, I see they look identical to the papers in the photo! Sentiment is from Elusive Images and I've added a little faux stitching around the layer with the sentiment. All papers are by Crate Paper, bought from the Stamp Attic. Instead of flowers, I've used hearts cut from the same papers and I've used Glamour Dust on the wings and the hearts. Purple brads from stash. Alice likes pinks and purples so I think she'll like this one...

BLOG CANDY NOW CLOSED!My Blogaversary Candy - Sugar Nellie It's a Girl Thing

I realised that I have been blogging for a year now, my blogaversary is September, and I wanted to offer some special candy to those who are kind enough to follow my blog. I decided that the best candy I could think of was to order a set of Sugar Nellie's "It's a girl thing" stamps to offer. These beautiful stamps are limited edition stamps, the artwork and the rubber have been donated; 100% of their cost goes to Cancer Research. There is one stamp each from Leanne Ellis, Diane Duda and one from Sugar Nellie's Home Grown artist. As you can see I couldn't resist ordering a couple for myself and inking them up, aren't they lovely? I will add to the candy if I get more than 50 comments, watch this space...

What do you need to do? Link to my candy on your blog, either by sidebar or a posting. Edited 16 September to add: Please also add a photo if you're linking from today, thank you :). Leave a comment here and you will be entered into the draw. If you are a follower of my blog you get a second entry. Candy draw closes midnight on 30 September. Oh, I will ship worldwide, all are welcome to enter :)

To meet your prince, you've got to kiss a lot of frogs

I've not had much time for crafting this weekend, but I did get this pretty Diane Duda image coloured and made into a quick card. The image comes from a Splitcoaststamper's swap and I can see that it's another Sugar Nellie that needs to go on my wish-list :). It's the first image I've used where there's scope to colour in the eyes, which makes a lot of difference to the way the face looks. Hmm... don't have that on the Girl Thing stamp I bought, yes I need some more stamps :).

I've used Jeanette's sketch from this week's Friday Sketchers and I've followed the colour recipe on the Corrosive Challenge blog of green and pink.

Image is coloured with Copics, edges inked with Peeled Paint and Pine Needles Distress Inks. Stickles added to the crowns and Glossy Accents to the frog. Papers are Stampin' Up, matted onto green Bazzill card. Ticket comes from a Bearly Mine Designs download and flower is cut 5 times with a Big Shot die to give it lots of layers.

Sweet as Sugar Cherub

This very cute Leanne Ellis Cherub image is one of three stamps that Sugar Nellie is selling to raise money for "It's a Girl Thing" breast cancer fundraiser. The stamps are lovely and you'll be donating to a good cause if you buy them. If you can't, don't forget you can win them as blog candy to celebrate my blogaversary this month! No, I didn't use the candy stamps to make this card, I bought my own stamps too :)

I've used Marlene's pretty sketch to enter this week's Sugar Bowl Challenge, the challenge is to use the sketch and make the card pink and brown. Cherub was coloured with Copics, and with lots of blingy pink Stickles on her wings and the hearts. I added somehighlights with a white pen. The papers are Basic Grey Porcelain except the bright pink scalloped circle. Ribbon is from my stash, flowers are Prima and there is card "candy" from Craftworks Cards (also with added Stickles).

Daisy for Danni

Danni has a great blog, she runs the Flutterby Challenge each Wednesday and always has lots of interesting cards to show. Earlier this month it was her 40th and here's the card I sent her.

Daisy from Sugar Nellie, one of my favourite images, is coloured with Copics and Promarkers, the edges of the image coloured with Distress Inks. The second circle has a Creative Images stamp embossed onto it and the numbers are from Dimension Fourth, glued with silicon to give them shape. All papers are Basic Grey.

Danni's celebrating her landmark all month, so have a great day, Danni!! :)

Happy Purplicious Birthday Morag

This rather OTT card is for my friend Morag, who loves anything as long as it's purple :). I've taken inspiration from several challenges:

• My starting point was Charisma Cardz's Patchwork Challenge; I've been wanting to use the patchwork shaped chipboard for ages
• The purple colour scheme uses Dutch Dares' photo inspiration challenge again - love this photo
• I got really carried away with Stamp Something's use your favourite embellishments challenge! Too many embellies! LOL
• The sketch that I put it all together with is from Corrosive Challenges

The image is one of my favourite Leanne Ellis stamps from Sugar Nellie, Stitch. She's coloured with Copics and the background watercoloured from Dusty Concord Distress Ink. The main background paper was Glimmer Misted, then silver embossed with two different Elusive Images scrolly corners, aren't they beautiful. The silver embossed sentiment is also from Elusive Images. Now the embellishments: the patchwork pieces are covered in Artylicious paper and edged with the Distress Ink, there are two ribbons, one cream that was coloured with copic and one mauve, my favourite Prima flowers and a delicious little sewing machine charm from Quixotic Paperie.

Maybe there are rather too many embellishments, what do you think? I reckon it's purple enough, at least :). Oh, don't forget to enter my blog candy, will you?

Get well soon Paige

This card is for Paige Welsh. I don't know Paige, however Erin, a member of the Stamp Something Design Team has asked for cards to be sent to her. Paige is Erin's neighbour's daughter. Check out Erin's blog for the details, but Paige, who is 13, suffered a serious accident while boating and has had to have part of her arm amputated. Erin is kindly offering blog candy to one of those who sends a card and many other generous stamp companies have joined in with sponsorship. If you are able to, please send a card to Paige.

This is a second entry for the Simon Says Challenge this week: the team are trying to get over 200 entries, so I thought I'd put a second one in :), following Iris' sketch. It's also my entry for Janet's Corrosive Challenge this week, which has Cats as its theme.

I've used a Sugar Nellie image kindly sent to me by my blogging friend Vanja. All the papers are Sparkly Sweet from K & Co, I cut the flowers out from the DP too. Image coloured with Copics and edged with Mustard Seed and Worn Lipstick Distress Inks.

A Stitch in Time Saves Nine...

This week's challenge at the Sugar Bowl is to follow a nice, usable sketch by Gayle, adding ribbons and bows. Ribbons and bows sounded like a good excuse to use Stitch, my gorgeous Leanne Ellis stamp. And just look at the paper I found at Stamp Attic last week - just had to bring it home to meet Stitch :).

I kept the card fairly simple, the image and the DP are both quite busy. Stitch is coloured with Promarkers and Copics, and a little yellow Stickles on her buttons and the knitting needles. The sentiments is Elusive Images, mounted onto Bazzill card and the ribbons are from stash.

Three Challenges - One Birthday Card

This week I have the exact match for one of the colours for Copic Colour Challenge this week and two others that are close - hooray! I have Pea Green and I used R32 Peach and YR02 Light Orange with the green.

I followed a very nice Sketch from this week's Simon Says Challenge, first time I've entered this one, though I've seen Dawny P's sketches all over blogdom, they're always good ones to work with. I'm also entering the card for Papertake Weekly's Challenge, which is a take your pick colour combi from any or all of: pink, black, white, yellow, green, grey and lilac, plus any other colours. I've used pink and green from the list.

On to the card: I chose to use one of my favourite Leanne Ellis images from Sugar Nellie - she's called Poise. As you know, I've coloured her with Copics. Other colours I've used are skin white, chamois and pale blue. When I'd coloured her, I didn't like the plain background so I coloured it blue. I was worried it looked uneven and went over it with the blender pen. It's still uneven but now it's in a nice mottled way, not a nursery-school colouring book way. At least I hope so :). I think I need to learn more about the blender pen, it doesn't work the way I think...

The sentiment is from Dimension Fourth and I've used pearl gems on the flowers and beside the entiment. The papers are lovely double sided papers by Crate Paper, from Stamp Attic, all edged with Distress Ink, and I've added some blue grosgrain ribbon.

You can't beat a good book

I've used a new Mary Hall stamp from Sugar Nellie to make this card. As soon as I saw the sneak peek of it on the SN blog I knew it would find its way home with me :).

The card is for several challenges: first of all the colour scheme is from this week's Passion for Promarkers Challenge: Gold & Ruby with jewels or gems. I've got Gold but I had to substitute Poppy for Ruby as I don't have too many colours yet. I've used the sketch from The Next Level, which is to be used with a 3D effect. I've decoupaged the image, the girl and cushions are raised on pads and then I've put a third layer for her mug, the cat and the book. Stamp with Fun and Dutch Dare both have Challenges to use dies or punches; I've used Nestie circles and I've cut the flowers with a die as well.

On to the card: I've used all Promarkers to colour the image, which is stamped with Cocoa Brown Memento onto white card. Face is Vanilla with some grey shading, dress is cocoa and the rest is Poppy and Gold. I also used the Promarkers to colour pearls to give the card its gems, to colour the flowers I diecut from white card and to colour the lemon yellow ribbon. Aren't they brilliant for this? I plan to buy a couple of reels of ivory ribbon, knowing I can colour it however I want...

The two papers are Artylicious, one from the Seasons Greetings CD and one from Graphicus Guild membership paper. The sentiment is by Elusive Images. The picture isn't the best, I hope to take a better one in the morning, in daylight :).

Sugar Bowl Challenge #14

This week's Sugar Bowl Challenge is to use Judy's fun sketch and to include sparkle. I've delayed making this a bit as I've been playing with my new Mary Hall images that I didn't want to "bling up" :). So I went back to my trusty Leanne Ellis Annie with birdhouse image (can't see it on Funky Kits at present, I'm sure it'll be back on there soon).

She's stamped with cocoa brown Memento ink and coloured with Promarkers and Copics. The edging is done with Worn Lipstick Distress Ink. Papers are mostly K&K, apart from the green nearly vertical one behind Annie, which is from Basic Grey's Porcelain papers and worked well with the others. The flower is Prima. I've added the sparkle in green gems that are on the papers and the sentiment, Stickles on Annie's dress and the flower centres and Stickles on the brad in the flower.

Stampin' for the Weekend - double or nothing

This week Stampin' for the Weekend gave a choice of two sketches; I chose to use Donna's pretty sketch with the flower arrangement.

I used my new Gorjuss Girl from Sugar Nellie and coloured her with Promarkers and Copics. The sentiment is an Elusive Images one stamped onto heavyweight vellum with black Brilliance ink. It's tucked under the papers at one side and left free the other side. The papers are all K&K and I used a new punch that I bought at Newbury Art Stamps for the lacy border.

I don't have one of the lovely punches to makes ferns/leaves, I was drooling over them last week and couldn't justify the cost. But I had a brainwave: my friend Marion who isn't cardmaking at the moment lent my a lot of her stash, including a punch of a Halloween tree. The branches, trimmed down, make great leaves! One less thing to spend money on... The flowers are a mix of plain white coloured with the Promarkers and ones cut out with punches. I've used pearl gems for the centres. I love the new Sugar Nellie and I do like the card, it took a lot of thinknig about though :). With the pinks and purples I've used I'm going to send it to my PostPal.

Hi! - Passion for Promarkers #7

Having entered last week's challenge at Passion for Promarkers in the nick of time with my new pens, I thought I'd keep up the momentum and make another card with them. This week's challenge uses a sketch, with the colour combo of cornflower blue and cocoa. Again, I only have cocoa but I used blue pearl as a close-ish substitute. T-shirt is in meadow green.

The stamp is a lovely new Mary Hall one from Sugar Nellie, called "Go Fetch". Embarrassingly, the new Sugar Nellies arrived when I was at Newbury Art Stamps. Having ordered them late Friday afternoon I hadn't reckoned with Karen's amazing efficiency at dispatching orders! Oh well...

The papers are all K&K, from 2 pads that were part of a special offer bundle at Newbury. I've used jewellery tags to put "Hi!" for a greeting; the stick is mounted onto a 3d sticky pad cut down to fit. The image only just fits my largest scallop Nestie, I'd have preferred to add a frame but he's just too big. I really like the stamp and I'm enjoying the Promarkers, they seem to colour very easily.

Passion for Promarkers #6

I got my first Promarkers at Newbury Art Stamps at the weekend and decided to give them a go. I've had trouble getting to grips with Copics and though it was worth trying a different brand. I've found them easier to colour with as they don't seem so "juicy", maybe if I use my Copics more they will work better. But I took to the Promarkers from the word go and decided to enter Passion for Promarkers Challenge, even though I only have one of the colours in the combination of poppy and moss :). I follow Debbi's blog, one of the Passion for Promarkers Design Team, she does wonderful tutorials that I've found very helpful, thanks! Of course when I finished the card I noticed that it must also include something tasty. I'm going to ask you to use your imagination a little here :). Inside the box that the Sugar Nellie girl is holding, she has chocolates and, of course, what could be more tasty :)

The image is "A gift for you" from Sugar Nellie, kindly sent to me by my blogging Sistah Vanja
who has made some awesome cards with her. I've coloured her with poppy, meadow green and pastel yellow for her hair, with gold on the ribbon of her chocolates. The flowers and the organza ribbon are all coloured with Promarkers to match. The background papers are Artylicious, from my Graphicus Guild membership pack. I've not put a sentiment on it yet; I think the colours look quite Christmassy and I'm thinking about making it a Christmas card (yes I know it's only July, these things creep up on you!).

Ismaki - the last challenge

This week, sadly, is the last challenge at Ismaki. The blog is to close, though the team is working on something totally new for the future - watch this space :). I'd like to thank them for all the fun that I've had entering their challenges and wish them all well for the future.

Kiki created the last sketch and to enter, the card must have at least five of the same type of embellishment. I always find it tricky to overstamp layers of cardstock to make the scrolly decorations on Kiki's sketch, so I decided to use lace for these and to add it to the rest of the card as well. So I have five pieces of lace embellishing my card.

The starting point for my card was a sheet of paper from a Basic Grey pad called Cupcakes, with cakes and ice creams on it, I'm very much in summer mode here :). To go with it I coloured in a very pretty Sugar Nellie image called Summer Ice Cream that I got in a SCS image swap, she's really sweet, don't you think? I used watercolour pencils to colour her and matted her onto pink card. The "Thanks" stamp is from an Elusive Images set and is stamped onto a tag cut out from the pink card with a Big Shot die. The main background paper and the contrast strip are free papers that came with a magazine. I've trimmed the scallop design and then added lace beneath the scallop at the bottom edge of the main paper.

Tea Dyed Daisy - Stampin for the Weekend #3 & Sugar Bowl #13

I'm having a second try at Lilian's sketch for this week's Sugar Bowl Challenge; I'm not totally convinced by the colours on my earlier card :).

I've often thought that Daisy, who is such a lovely Sugar Nellie to colour in, would look good as a monochrome image. So I've stamped her with Tea Dye Distress Ink and dragged some of the ink into her clothes and hair. I suppose the answer is that you can't go wrong with such a great stamp, but I think this looks good.

With Stampin for the Weekend's Challenge #3 in mind, I've kept to the soft neutral colours, she's A Whiter Shade of Pale, which fits their Rock'n'Roll 60s Challenge. The papers are Antique Cream Creative Tones from Papermania, I've added some Stickles to the flowers in Daisy's hair and to the daisies in the paper. The images are mounted on Kraft paper to fit the Sugar Bowl Challenge. There's ribbon in Daisy's hair and on the card, and that's it, a pretty clean and simple card.

The Sugar Bowl Challenge #13

This week's Sugar Bowl Challenge has a very useable sketch from

Lilian, which must include some Kraft paper/beige colours. I've some Kraft paper that I bought from Stamp Attic a few weeks back with patterns on it, the wrong side is ideal for a background.

I've used one of my gorgeous Leanne Ellis designs, A Little Hug, I've stamped her onto the WS of the kraft paper and coloured her with Inktense watercolour pencils. The sentiment is from Elusive Images. The papers are Dovecraft papers that I've had in my stash for ages, since I first began cardmaking, their soft colour fits the image well I think. The Kraft paper is used right side out for the backgroud to the card, with a Prima flower on it and I've used some ribbon that has a vivid pattern on its right side, reversed so it works with the colourscheme.

Sugar Bowl Challenge 12 - Lia's Sketch

This has been a busy week, however today I'm settling down to craft and catch up on some of the serenity of cutting up paper and stamping...

I used Lia's very pretty sketch from the Sugar Bowl's Challenge and coloured my Leanne Ellis image to match the gorgeous new Basic Grey papers that I got from the Stamp Attic a while back.

The colours are soft peaches, green and yellows, I got my Copics out (must persevere with them) and coloured Annie accordingly, adding some Distress Ink round the stark white edges. A flower punched from the papers and some peach lace from my sewing stash finished it off nicely - till I read the Sugar Bowl Challenge again and saw that I should have included green and blue! Ack! Luckily I found some pale blue ric-rac that I've attached on top of the lace that doesn't upset the colour scheme too much. Note to self: RTFI. Read the flippin' instructions :)