Time For A Mini-Candy

This post will stay at the top until the end of the month - please scroll down for the normal stuff

Morning all.  Now, I know I have been a bad blogger recently - life gets in the way sometimes and it certainly is getting in the way at the moment.  I'm behind with commenting again, although I have tried hard to keep up (always difficult with the rate you lot turn out your creations) and I don't feel that I have made much to share with you lately.

So, as a thank you to all my loyal followers for sticking with me during this lean period, I thought it would be nice to offer a mini-candy.

The candy will be YOUR CHOICE of TWO STAMPS from one of these:

LILI OF THE VALLEY

or

CRAFTERS COMPANION

or

WILD ROSE STUDIO

So, what do you need to do?

1.  Be a Follower

2.  Leave a comment

Simples.  You can link to your own blog if you like but it's not necessary as

regular Followers will find this anyway.

Candy will close on 30 September at 6.00pm (UK time)

Hugs, Sxx

Wee Florist

Well, the short term memory so very nearly bit me on the bum again today ..... but I got a reprieve!  One of the ladies that I sit with in Church (they have semi-adopted me I think, and there we are like the three Wise Monkeys in the front row) said to me "you have remembered that it is Doreen's birthday on Tuesday?" - well of course I hadn't remembered Joan, don't be daft.

Anyhoo, Doreen had gone off to chat to someone so when she came back to collect her things I wished her a happy birthday for Tuesday.  "Tuesday?" she said, puzzled "It's Monday week, the 8th!".

Thank you Lord for hearing my prayers!

So, I got busy this afternoon and had so much fun painting this one:

So, I have used:

Stamped Image - Wee Stamps (Sylvia Zet) Wee Florist

Medium - Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment - Hero Arts

Papers - Prima "Botanicals" (magazine freebie)

Extras - Martha Stewart pansy border punch, Doodlebug pearls

And here is she is close up - Toad was on the Wii Fit and could hear me muttering as I did her hair!

Right, that's me for today - I'm off to get dinner roasting.  Hope to see you tomorrow with my DT card for Without Words October Challenge.

Big hugs, Sxx

Cheerio and Goodbye

No!  Not you - come back!!  I've been making a leaving card for one of my work colleagues and I have to thank the gorgeous Lisa (Wishcraft) for tempting me into spending more pennies than I actually have at the moment.

The lady who is leaving work isn't going to another job, she's off to relax and decide her future, so I thought the sentiment I used works pretty well.

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image - Stampavie (Gillian Roberts) Teddy And Me

Medium - Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment - LOTV

Papers - Craftwork Cards

Extras - Retro flower punch and Card Candi

I just love the clean, fresh feel of the red, white and blue colour combo

Thanks for visiting - don't forget I my mini candy closes tomorrow, and I shall announce the winner in a couple of days.

On Monday, the second Without Words challenge goes live so you have until 6.00pm tomorrow night to sneak in a late entry for September.

Hugs, Sxx

Lili's Little Fairies (DT) White With A Hint

Happy Thursday everyone!  Here I am with my DT card for LILI'S LITTLE FAIRIES challenge - our theme for this week is in total contrast to the Black Magic we had a couple of weeks ago, this time we are looking for WHITE WITH A HINT. 

The Fairy DT have created some wonderful inspiration for you so there should be no stopping you now.

Here is my card - after a couple of embellishment heavy Fairy challenges this is rather a plain card.  I quite liked it to start with but it's starting to wear off a bit although I can't explain why.  It's not that much different to any of my CAS cards - maybe it's the paler shades, I do like a good ol' dollop of colour!

This is only a little card - 5x5.  I embossed the white background using my Martha Stewart score board.  The photo doesn't show it too well but the lines do form a pattern.

Ingredients for this one are:

Stamped Image:  LOTV Mary And Joseph

Medium  FlexMarkers

Sentiment  LOTV Christmas Sentiment Tags

Extras  Papermania white buttons, Martha Stewart snowflake punch, Nesties

Hugs Sxx

Wild Rose Nativity

I do find Christmas a bit difficult at times as I do love my cutie stamps (yes, really, I do!) but I have to make more traditional cards for some family members and Church friends.  But I think Wild Rose Studio have saved my butt this year with two "cute traditional" stamps!  These are just soooooo sweet!

This one is called "Baby Jesus"

And this one is "Nativity Play"

I've kept them as basic CAS cards to show off the images and I think it works.  The sentiments are both from Hero Arts and both cards have been done in my trusty Distress Inks (ReInkers).  Both stamps are of similar size, but I did the first on a 6x6 card base and the second on a 5x5 which is why the proportions look so different in the photographs.

They must have passed the standard as Toad reckons either of them would be suitable to send to his brother.......

You may be seeing these two stamps more than once before 25 December.

Hugs, Sxx

Here Come The ...... Boys?

Phew, Monday evening at last!  First day back at work has been a shocker - I don't know what happened to my sensible head while we were on holiday but I must have left it at home this morning.  I think my boss must have wondered what had returned in my place!

Anyhoo, here is a card I made yesterday but didn't have time to post.  It is for the Here Come The Boys challenge and it's a Recipe of Three Papers Two Buttons One Image ......

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image  Whiff of Joy Kiss The Cook (Henry)

Medium  Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment  LOTV

Papers  DoCrafts "Wellington"

Extras  Papermania buttons and Bazzil cardstock

Hugs, Sxx

Sending Wonky Love

Oh the shame and embarrassment, I forgot another birthday ..... and this lady I have known since the age of 13 so there is no real excuse for my ineptness other than having scrambled eggs for brains.  So I made a belated card....

Yeah, another wonky photo - I really must try and do better, but the card is straight(ish) in real life!

Ingredients for this little bear are:

Stamped Image:  LOTV Summer Bears - Sending Love

Medium:  Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers:  Wild Rose Studio - Bella

Extras:  Tonic retro flower punch, Card Candi

Hugs, Sxx

A CAS Tilda

I've been lucky enough to have a crafty day today, in between chores, and thought I'd have a play with Tilda with Pencils,  This didn't turn out quite as intended, I think the purple border is too much, but hey, can't win 'em all!

Tilda's Town - Choose Your Passion (CAS or FAF)

Totally Gorjuss - Thank You

Really had fun colouring this Tilda - but Toad couldn't believe I was still on the same image after an hour, lol!

He said that there should be a Tuna And Broccoli Challenge - where all the stamps he doesn't like can be entered.  He really isn't fond of this little girl at all!

Painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers) with a Personal Impressions sentiment.  The daisy border punch is unbranded but I think Woodware do a similar one.  A few gems and papers from stash to finish off.

Hope to see you tomorrow with something more successful.

Hugs, Sxx

Is it a bird? A plane? .....

Actually it isn't a bird or a plane, it's Henry!

I could not resist this mini sized version of Super Henry from Whiff of Joy, and it he makes the perfect mini sized card.

Card is 4x4 so this photo is near enough full sized!  Henry is painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers) and I've used my Memory Box Parker Alphabet dies for the legend.

That's all for now, I hope to be back later with a challenge entry.

Hugs, Sxx

Sweet Dreams

Afternoon all, how are we?  Nearly the weekend.  Normally that would raise a whoop from me but this weekend means the end of our week off.  Sob!

Anyhoo, I have a card for you for three challenges

Papertake Weekly - A Hazy Shade of Autumn

Stampin With The Dragon - Fall Colours
Joanna Sheen Challenge - So Sweet

And because it is very much a CAS card I am also using is as a reminder for

the first challenge from WITHOUT WORDS

(you still have a week left to enter) with the theme of Autumn.

Sorry that I forgot to write down the name of the stamp but it is definitely House Mouse!  I used up odds and ends from my scraps box for the paper strips, I think they are Basic Grey and Little Sizzlets.  The one word sentiment is LOTV.  Image painted in Distress Inks (ReInkers).

And I would like to show you a couple of quirky items - on Wednesday we went on a brewery tour of Adnams in Southwold.  Imagine my delight to find this

What a shame that it was in their Museum rather than in the shop for sale!

And this morning, on a trip to The Range to stock up on Bristol Board, Toad bought me a money box for my card sales.  I think it's really appropriate

How cool is that?  It's ceramic so I'm gonna have to be careful with it.

Hugs, Sxx

Lili's Little Fairies (DT) Flower Power

Oh me oh my, this Thursday posting lark very nearly caught me on the hop!  Can't be late for what is really my first official Fairy challenge - Mummy Fairy will have me in detention!!

So, what delights do LILI'S LITTLE FAIRIES have for you this week?  Well, I rather suspect it is a challenge that you might all just go a little bit nuts for - even if it is to take a break from the Christmas cards for a while - it's time to get your petals on with some FLOWER POWER!

Yeah, ok, I went a little flower crazy .......

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image:  LOTV The Flower Shop

Medium: Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers: Nitwits from LOTV - Bonnets & Bowties

Flowers: Wild Orchid Crafts

Sentiment: LOTV Sentiment Tags

Extras: Lattice Rectangle Nestie (you nearly didn't get this - I got the image stuck in the die!)

Hugs, Sxx

Christmas Cuteness

And that's Monday almost over with!  We've had a bimbling about sort of day - I was mooching around in my nightie til halfway through the morning - oh the decadence of it, lol.  Then we had a quick trip out to the shops for some groceries and then, such excitement, B&Q.  Unfortunately we didn't get what we had gone for but that gives me an excuse to drag Toad off to a specialist shop in our local seaside town of Felixstowe later in the week!

This afternoon he has been busy building a model stable block for his N gauge railway layout and I've been getting ahead with some of my DT stuff.

Yesterday I warned you I was off to play with one of the new Strawberry Kisses Christmas Stamps from Crafter's Companion - this handsome little man is called "Cuteness" and he certainly is

Ingredients for this card are

Stamped Image:  Crafter's Companion Strawberry Kisses - Cuteness

Medium:  Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers:  Dovecraft Back to Basics - Vintage Christmas

Sentiment: LOTV Christmas Handwritten Phrases

Extras: Whimsy corner die

That's it from me for today, we are having Chinese takeaway for dinner and will probably watch last night's Downton Abbey - can't wait!

Hugs, Sxx

Halfway Reminder - Without Words

Morning all - just popping by with a quick halfway reminder for the WITHOUT WORDS September challenge!

Lots of you are making autumn themed cards at the moment so why not see if you can combine entries with us.

Challenge runs until 30 September so you still have lots of time!

Hugs Sxx

Strange Feeling

Afternoon all.  I know it is Sunday because of the feeling in my tummy.  It's that feeling that says "Bad luck, tomorrow is Monday", but the silly thing is, I'm not working tomorrow, or any of this week, we're on holiday, so why isn't that message getting through to my tum?!

Anyhoo, I have a card for you:

Ingredients for this card are 90% LOTV:

Stamped Image - LOTV Teddy With Robin

Medium - Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Sentiment - LOTV Christmas Grungy Messages

Papers - LOTV Frosty Christmas

Extras - Cheery Lynn Lattice Circles, Martha Stewart snowflake, Nesties

And the challenges for this fella are

Papertake Weekly Challenge - Things That Make You Go Awwww

Stampin With The Dragon - Teddies

Christmas Stampin All Year Round - Snow
Cute Card Thursday - Christmas in September

So, that's it from me for now.  I'm off to play with a Strawberry Kisses Christmas stamp .....

Hugs, Sxx

Winter Wonderland (DT) Lilac & Lace

It's Friday again - and you know what that means?  Well, of course it does, it's WINTER WONDERLAND challenge day!

Thanks to everyone who took part in last week's Pets challenge - as always it is going to be a tough one to choose the Top 3 from all your gorgeous entries, so check back to the WW blog on Sunday, it could be you!

The DT had some fun with this week's challenge.  Here is my card for you:

So, what is this week's theme for the challenge? 

Lilac and Lace. 

Of course we would love see real lace but if you don't have any then a lacy border is fine too.

Please remember Christmas projects only.

We are sponsored by

who are giving away a £10 voucher

and

who are offering 2 digis of the winner's choice.

So two lucky winners this week.

The ingredients for my card are:
Stamped Image:  Stamping Bella (Mo Manning) Talk To The Bear
Medium: Distress Inks (ReInkers)
Papers: Crafts Too
Border Punch and Snowflake: Martha Stewart
Extras: Button from stash
Sentiment: Out of my head (no responses to that please)

So here is the sad news.  This is my last DT card for Winter Wonderland as I am leaving the team - I have had an absolute blast with these girls and have to thank Marianne and Kate for having me on board and a big thank you to all my teamies.  Guys, you have been superb, and it has been such a pleasure.  I'll be back though - I intend to join in some of the challenges and win some of those amazing prizes!!

Hugs, Sxx

Lili's Little Fairies (GDT) Embellishment Bingo

Regular readers of this tiny corner of Blogland will know that I have an allergy to too many embellishments, and those that I do use tend to be discreet and subtle.  Honestly, they bring me out in cold sweats and a rash!  So you can imagine my horror when I discovered the theme for this week's LILI'S LITTLE FAIRIES challenge was Embellishment Bingo.  Flipping heck, I thought.  Yeah, I did.  Or something like that.

Here is my card:

And here is the Bingo grid.  You can go horizontal, vertical or diagonal.  After a lot of breathing into a brown paper bag I used Pearls, Flowers, and a Charm (which I made!!).

Ingredients for the card are:

Stamped Image:  LOTV Christmas Star

Medium: Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers: Dovecraft Back To Basics Christmas

Extras: Pearls, EK Success retro flower punch and Card Candi, Baker's Twine, and my little Epiphany charm made from a paper from the same pack as the others.  

AND I chose the papers before painting, so for once, it all coordinates, yay me!

Eyes down for a full house - hope you will have fun playing bingo!

Hugs Sxx

PS.  And if you were checking Blogger last night you might have noticed that I have been offered the chance of becoming a real Fairy!  Thank you Jacqui and the Fairy DT for having me on board.  Overwhelmed.
PPS.  Guess this means I'm no longer a Mavis!!

Jam Packed With Tilda

Afternoon all, and what a hot and sunny one it is!  I know the weathermen seem to have brought autumn forward to 1 September these days (three weeks early I might add) but you would think today was mid summer!

After this morning's excitement of the cycling boys (see earlier post) I settled down to make a card and whilst browsing I noticed that the new TOTALLY TILDA challenge is Autumn.

Having not used a Tilda for over a year, I've now used two in one week!

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image: Magnolia - Lovely Jam Tilda

Medium:  Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers:  First Editions - BoHo Chic

Extras:  Floral Oval Nestie, Whimsy corners, Martha Stewart border punch, Pebbles Inc Candy Dots.

I reckon that jam is blackberry and raspberry - yum!

Hugs Sxx

Tour of Britain Stage 1

Look what came past the end our road this morning .......

See the guy right in the middle of the first picture, white jersey with coloured bands, black helmet?

That's Mark Cavendish!!

Honestly, here and gone in 10 seconds - but wouldn't have missed it for the world

Hugs, Sxx

Still Sunny!

Morning all, and a Happy Friday to you.  Hope your day is a good one.  Mine started well enough - the kid with the VERY loud music (through headphones, you can hear the lot) missed the bus.  I should feel a little bit guilty about smiling as the bus pulled away but it was a stress free journey!

It is a beautiful, sunny, autumn morning and the forecast for the weekend is more of the same.  Which is fab as on Sunday morning we shall be trotting up to the end of our road to watch the Tour of Britain cycle past, yippee.

Anyhoo, just before I start work I thought I would show you this that I made last night

I said to a bloggy friend a few days ago that I had thought about selling my Maggies as I have not used any of them for so long.  "Get them inked" she said "you'll fall in love again".  And do you know what, she was right (again)!

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image - Magnolia - Tilda (don't know her name)

Medium - Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers - DoCrafts Wellington Bear pack

Corners & Leaves - Whimsy Dies and Marianne Designs

Sentiment & Ticket Stamp - LOTV

And the challenges for this card:

Cute Card Thursday - Autumn Gold

Simon Says Stamp - Put A Stamp On It

My Mum's Craft Shop - Anything Goes

And as much as I would love to enter the WITHOUT WORDS Autumn Challenge, I think the DT would soon disqualify me.  But that doesn't mean you can't enter - challenge runs until the end of September!

Hugs Sxx

The Return of Mavis Cruet

Morning all.  It's Thursday.  It's LILI'S LITTLE FAIRIES CHALLENGE day - and guess who is back, yep, the Too-Fat-To-Fly-Fairy is back for September as a Guest Fairy!  Thank you to the Real Fairies for having me back on board for the month.

So the first GDT card I have for you is for this week's theme of BLACK MAGIC.  Oooooh!  Now, don't go getting all Harry Potter on us, it is simply a case of using a little or a lot of black.

Here is my card:

Ingredients are:

Stamped Image  LOTV - Zooming Along

Medium  ProMarkers (for a change)

Papers  Wild Rose Studio Man About Town Collection

Extras  Craftwork Cards Card Candi

I've known about the GDT for a while and have been BURSTING  to tell you, but thought you might be fed up with me getting over excited again! 

Hope you can join us for the challenge this week.  (ooh get me "join us for the challenge", lol)

Hugs, Sxx

Off Came The Handles, The Thing That Held The Candles .....

Morning all (yep, still morning, just) and it's Belgian Grand Prix day, whoooooooo, so I'll be dashing back off downstairs again as soon as this is done for a long overdue dose of high octane excitement!

But before I do I have a card for you, for three challenges:

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Animal Antics

Sweet Stamping Challenge - Inspired By A Song

And the song I chose was Right Said Fred by Bernard Cribbins.  Did anyone ever work it out what the piece of furniture was that they were trying to move?  It had doors, handles, and things that held the candles.

Ingredients for this card are:

Stamped Image - LOTV Moving Day

Medium - Distress Inks (ReInkers)

Papers - Prima (various pads)

Sentiment - LOTV

Extras - Key Brads

Hugs, Sxx

Without Words First Challenge

This is it, and I can't begin to tell you how nervous I am - today is the first challenge from WITHOUT WORDS!  If you have not checked out the challenge yet, now is your chance, it would be lovely to see you there.

The ethos of Without Words is a clean and simple card, minimal or no embellishments, with the focus on well coloured images.  CAS isn't that scary, honestly, once you get into it, it really is quite liberating!

Anyhoo, the first challenge theme is SEPTEMBER: AUTUMN - A season of warm, rich colours and mellow fruitfulness.

The design team (oh how I have been blessed to have such a talented team) have created the most amazing inspiration for you - it would be lovely if you have a chance if you could let them know they are appreciated. The challenge would not have reached this point without their support - what a great bunch of gals they are!

Here is my DT card:

I have used Mushroom House from Make It Crafty, painted in my trusty Distress Inks (ReInkers) and teamed the image in a very simple layout with some Basic Grey papers.  Voila.

The challenge will run for a whole month, the closing time and date being 6.00pm (UK time) on 30 September so you have plenty of time to join in the colour fun.

Hugs, Sxx