Basic Grey - Oh so charming

Well I am nearly at the end of my Christmas cards now and hopefully another night or two should see them finished. The challenge on Basic Grey this week is to make a card with at least one charm on it. The only charms that I have at the moment are the made with love heart shaped ones and I think this looks just fine on this card. I have used Charlotte with her cat from Whiff of Joy, DP are Basic Grey Wassail and the sentiment is Papermania. Charm, ribbon, flowers and brads from my stash.

I can't believe the weekend is over already and time to go back to work again. I have our work Christmas Lunch and we always have drinks and secret santa before we go to the restaurant so that will be a fun day on Friday. Friday also is my last day at work before Christmas so I will have to work pretty hard this week to make sure everything is up to date before I go off.



Have a great week.

Thanks for looking.

Karen x

Sketch Saturday with new Sugar Nellie

Sorry, really quick post today as I am off to Aberdeen to deliver the kids Christmas presents and should have left 15 minutes ago.

Another great sketch this week and I have taken the opportunity to use one of the fabulous new Elizabeth Bell images from Sugar Nellie which are now in stock along with the fantastic new designs from Leanne Ellis. DP is Basic Grey Euphoria and other bits and pieces from my stash.



Have a great Sunday.

Thanks for looking.

Karen x

Dutch Dare Scalloped Edge

The challenge this week was to use a scalloped edge somewhere on your card. I have used one of my new Martha Stewart border punches to create the scallop at the bottom of the card. The image is one of the stamps that was in the Magnolia Winter stamp club set. I had not even inked her up until last night and did not realise how cute she was until then. DP are basic grey dasher (I don't have many of these left now - just as well I have nearly finished my Christmas Cards). Ribbon, flower and gems from my stash.



All our snow has gone now and it is a really horrible rainy day here today.

I am now starting to panic a bit about getting all my Christmas bits and bobs done before I head off on holiday next Saturday. We are heading down to Aberdeen on Sunday to drop of some presents which means that I need to get the shopping finished tomorrow and get everything wrapped. It is just as well that I had decided not to put any decorations up here this year as I have no idea when I would have found the time. However, I am looking forward to decorating over in Spain when we arrive there on the 20th.

Thanks for looking.

Karen x

Friday Sketch #30 with skating pair

These Magnolia skaters are so cute and I have used the sketch over on Friday Sketchers this week to make a card with them. Coloured with promarkers, DP Basic Grey Wassail, sentiment is Papermania and ribbon and embellishments from my stash. The metal heart came in a pack from Tesco earlier in the year and was in their selection of wedding favour bits and pieces - I had forgotten that I had them until a couple of days ago.



I noticed on my way home from work tonight that quite a few Christmas Trees are appearing in windows and what with the snow which is still around here it really is beginning to look festive. There is more snow forecast for tonight and into tomorrow so I hope it does not cause too much chaos.

Thanks for looking.

Karen x

Sketch Saturday #27

This is my entry for this weeks Sketch Saturday which is another great one. I have used A Partridge in a Pear Tree by Sugar Nellie and I think that she looks lovely all dressed up in her pretty party dress.

DP by Basic Grey Dasher and the sentiment is also Sugar Nellie. Ribbon, jewels and blooms from my stash.



I woke up to lots of lovely snow this morning in Elgin, but by the time that I got to Inverness for work this morning there was nothing here at all. Not sure what the forecast is for the rest of the day.

Cute Card Thursday with PTW sketch

The challenge on Cute Card Thursday this week is to create something Lilac. I have used the sketch on Papertake Weekly. The light is really bad here today and this is the best picture that I have been able to get. The colours are a bit blue looking as the piece with the snowflakes on it should be more lilac. (I will try for a better picture in the morning and upload it if successful). I am so behind with entering challenges but my visitors have now gone home and I will get caught up a bit.



Image is precious moments, DP Winter Wonderland by Crafts House, I have cut three different sized snowflakes with the cricut and layered them before covering them with glitter sugar, jewels and ribbon from my stash.

Sketch Saturday - Sketch #26

I am going off on holiday on 13th December, so am frantically trying to get all my Christmas cards and shopping sorted out prior to this. I am heading off to Dubai for 5 days with my sister. I get back on the evening of 19th December and then my husband and I are off to our place in Spain on 20th December for Christmas and New Year. I thought that I was quite organised this year, but now it all seems like a bit of a panic. I have my aunt and uncle still here from California and they don't leave until this Saturday - so not much getting done at the moment, but it has been really good to spend time with them.

I have taken the opportunity to use this weeks sketch on Sketch Saturday to get another Christmas card done. Image by Magnolia, sentiment by Woodware, DP is basic grey Wassail and ribbon, jewels and flowers from my stash.



All our snow has now gone, but it is really cold here today.

Thanks for looking.

Karen x

New Award from Alison & Maddy -Thank You

I have been given this award by Alison and Maddy.Thank you so much girls it is much appreciated and if you have not already done so it is well worth checking out these girls' blogs as they are both truly gifted crafters.

This award states that:
This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY- nearness in space, time and relationships These blogs are exceedingly charming
These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends
They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement
Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated Please give more attention to these writers
Deliver this award to 8 bloggers who may then pass it on.

I am leaving this award on my blog for anyone who visits my blog on a regular basis to take as it appears that many people have already received this wonderful award.

Karen x

Whiff of Joy Sketch

There is a great sketch by Heather over on Whiff of Joy this week - I just love Heather's sketches and will certainly be using this one again.

I have used Charlotte and her cat as this is one of my favourite Christmas stamps and I think it goes really well with these Basic Grey Wassail papers. Sentiment is PaperMania and blooms are some of the ones that I cut up from a bunch from the Garden Centre. Ribbon and Jewels from my stash. Image coloured with ProMarkers.



Thanks for looking.

Karen x

PTW and Just Christmas Card challenges

I have only just made it with a day to spare on this weeks Papertake Weekly challenge which is "let is snow" and I have used the sketch on this weeks Just Christmas and Birthday Cards challenge. I apologise for the picture as the colour is not very good - not much light here today at all - lots of snow but little brightness.

I have used this really cute little Maggie in her winter outfit from SugarNellie. I cut the snowflakes on the cricut and papers are Winter Wonderland by Crafts House. Ribbon and jewels from my stash and sentiment is also Sugar Nellie. Coloured in with my promarkers.



Thanks for looking

Karen x

Dutch Dare - Use 3 flowers

Here is the card that I have made for Dutch Dare Card Challenge this week. The challenge was to use 3 flowers on your card. I have used this cute little stamp that I got from Pollycraft designs - thanks to Linda for telling me about Pollycraft, they are some really cute designs. The papers are Basic Grey Urban Prairie and the sentiment is one from a 99p clear stamp set, flowers by Prima and jewels and ribbon from my stash.

Well I woke up to a little snow on the car this morning - not a lot, but looks like we may get more today. I have a wedding to go to at 4pm so I hope that it will at least be dry for the bride arriving.



Thanks for looking.

Karen x

A Spoonful of Sugar - Flowers

This is my card for this week's challenge on A Spoonful of Sugar which is to have flowers on your card or use floral paper.

We are going to a wedding on Friday and so this is the card that I have made for Nicola and Peter. The beautiful Precious Moments image is one that I got from Diane on ebay - I know that Diane follows my blog - so a big thank-you to Diane.

I have used DP from my K&Co 12" pad and the lovely flower is one from a whole stack that my aunt brought over from California (along with 3 Martha Stewart Border Punches and a Cricut cartridge) when she came to visit at the weekend. The love brad is one that I got in a pack along with some hearts when I was in the States a couple of years ago and ribbon and jewels are from my stash.

The bride was in bed with a sickness bug when I rang her last night so I do hope that she makes a speedy recovery so that she can enjoy her day on Friday.



Thanks for looking.

Karen x

Cute Card Thursday with Basic Grey DP

I have managed to combine two challenges into one card. I had decided to follow the challenge on Basic Grey this week which was to use glitter somewhere on your card and had already started this one before I had checked this week's Cute Card Thursday Challenge only to find that it was to use red and green. I already had some glitter on this poinsetta but I have also added some stickles to the sentiment which is Woodware,just to give a bit more sparkle as I have not put any on the image as she looks just fine as she is. I am still awaiting some Magnolia stamps for a couple of these Tildas to sit on, so for this one I have cut a present out of some DP and sat her on it. The DP is Basic Grey Dasher collection.



Thanks for looking.

Karen x

A Spoonful of Sugar Challenge

The challenge this week is to create a card for a child. I have been trying (with no success) for some time to get my hands on some precious moments stamps, but it appears that they are a bit like gold-dust. I have however managed to find a couple of little stamps from Dies to Die For and they probably are the nearest thing that I am going to get to precious moments. I think this little girl with her doll is soo cute. The other one that I got is a little girl holding up an umbrella. Hopefully any little girl would be happy to receive this card. DP from K&Co, ribbon and other embellishments from my stash.
This card s a lot smaller than the ones that I normally make as it is only 12cm square, but the image it just small and I didn't want it to look lost on the card.



Thanks for looking

Karen x

Wonderful Award

Over the past few days I have received this award from Nikki, Gayle and Gina. These 3 ladies are all so talented and I am honoured to have received this from them. Check out these ladies blogs for some great inspiration.

I will get back later today to say who I will be passing this award on to.

Karen x

Cute Card Thursday with Sketch from Sketch Saturday

Here is my card for Cute Card Thursday which is angels and fairies this week. I have used the sketch from Sketch Saturday which is a great one and a fairly simple on, but looks great when finished.

I have used Basic Grey Dasher again - I just love these traditional colours. Magnolia stamp is one of the New Christmas ones and at long last I have managed to track down some nice Christmas Flowers. I went to the local Garden Centre at the weekend and managed to find a poinsetta garland thing which I have now taken apart. Took me ages as there must be about 60 flowers and leaves on it. This should keep me going as I also managed to find a couple of other stems which I still need to dismantle. This garland was a snip at £5 which I thought was excellent for the number of flowers I will get from it.



I returned to work last Thursday and had forgotten how difficult it is to keep up to date with blogging while trying to fit work in. So, I apologise for not being up to date with my blog - I know that a couple of people have sent awards to me and also someone has tagged me - I promise I will get round to it over the next couple of days.

I have also just finished a commission for a local flower shop for some Christmas Cards. My husband has gone to drop them off today so I hope they are happy with them and hopefully more orders will follow from this initial one. Their theme for their beautiful windows and displays is traditional red, green and gold so I really enjoyed this one and have only made one of each design for them so as to keep them special.

I would also like to thank everyone who left lovely comments on my blog while I have been off work - they were very much appreciated.

Over and out!!

Karen x

PIF Candy from Alison - thank you

I have come home from my first day back at work to find that I have had 2 packages delivered today - how exciting. The first one was 3 of the new Magnolia Christmas stamps that I had ordered last week and the second was some PIF Candy that I had won on Alison's blog. As you can see, Alison has sent me some wonderful images along with various embelishments. Thanks for this Alison, very much appreciated and thanks also for the lovley card with Daisy on it - one of my favourites.



It is now my turn to pass some on so the first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a surprise package from me containing some images and various other bits and pieces.

Sketch Saturday #23

The sketch this week was the first one from Coco and it is a great one to follow. I have used Braveheart who is one of the new Soft Centre range from Sugar Nellie. I have used basic grey Urban Prairie and coloured this cute little cat with promarkers and flowers are prima, brads are doodlebug.

This sketch was a bit more work than usual due to the circles one of which I wanted to be a bit bigger that my biggest nestability die, but I think the finished card was well worth the work. The sketch has two ribbon elements on it and I think you can just about see the second one which is under the flowers at the bottom of the card.



Thanks for looking.

Karen x

Bev's amazing blog candy

The wonderful Bev has the most amazing blog candy up from grabs on her blog. Katharina from Whiff of Joy has given her a stamp of Charlie Santa to give away and as she has reached 50000 hits on her blog Bev has also added some wonderful stash including some of her amazing crochet flowers. Pop over to Bev's blog for details of how to win this candy.

Christmas Charlotte - Whiff of Joy Challenge

This weeks challenge was to use red and green which screams out Christmas Card. I have used this cute Charlotte with her cat and I think she is just beautiful in her winter coat. I have used Basic Grey papers again as I am so in love with these at the moment. I am still struggling to get some nice Christmas flowers and have been to the local garden centre where I have managed to find a few of these Christmas Picks that I have now completely taken to pieces and at least I now have some nice poinsettas to use - the only problem is that they are rather big and will not fit all my cards - the search goes on... I have used 2 of the rectangle nestabilities to cut the frame for the image and the ribbon and brads are from my stash. Sentiment is Sugar Nellie.



I only have one more day left before I return to work. I am now fully recovered after my operation, but must admit that I have really enjoyed having this time at home and being able to craft in the afternoons rather that trying to fit it all in in the evenings. Never mind, I suppose I need to get the money from somewhere to feed this craft addiction.

Thanks for looking

Karen x

Magnolia vs Stampavie and Basic Grey Christmas

I just loved this Magnolia stamp which I inked up last week. I had not decided what to do with her but today thought that I would try some Christmas colours on her and I think she looks adorable in her little Christmas outfit. She fits two challenges this week as I have followed the sketch on the new Challenge blog Magnolia vs Stampavie and she also fits the one over on Basic Grey which was to make a Christmas Card.

I have used DP from the Basic Grey Dasher range, flowers are from my stash (didn't have any red and green ones so I have used my copics to colour in some old cream ones that I thought I may never use.

I am now off to try and find some nice red and green flowers so as to try another Magnolia stamp in similar colours and I have also mjust had an idea for altering another image for Christmas!!!



Thanks for looking.

Karen x

Twinkle fits two challenges - Friday Sketchers and Our Creative Corner

There is a brilliant sketch to follow this week on Friday Sketchers and over on Our Creative Corner "it's all in the colouring" where you need to say what you have used to colour in your image.

I was asked to do a demonstration using promarkers at Papercraft Boutique (home of Sugar Nellie) on Saturday and this new Twinkle stamp from Morehead was one of the stamps that Karen had given me to play with. I think she is adorable and she comes on a sheet of clear stamps with lots of little flowers stars and little leaves. Not had time to play around with the other bits and pieces yet, but I love her.



I have used promarkers to colour her in, papers from my stash, flowers by prima and brads are doodlebug sugar coated.

Thanks for looking.

Karen x

A Spoonful of Sugar - sparkle and bling

I just love sparkle and bling so this was a great week for me on A Spoonful of Sugar Challenge. I have used trimming the tree which is one of the new Christmas Collection from Sugar Nellie.

I have used K&Co cardstock and have added stickles to make it sparkle, I have also replaced the baubles on the tree with coloured gemstones to give that extra bit of bling. The small tag is also K&Co.



Thanks for looking

Karen x

PTW - Hamish playing rugby

Anyone who follows my blog will know that I never make male cards - just have never had any inspiration to do so. However, this really cute Hamish was one of the stamps that came with my design pack from Sugar Nellie and I have been looking at him for over a week now and decided that today was the day!



I have followed the wonderful sketch my Dawny over on Papertake Weekly challenge and I hate to admit it, but I just love this card and may even ber persuaded to try some more for the boys.

As I already mentioned, the stamp is Sugar Nellie, DP is by Dovecraft as are the brads and sentiment was cut using my cricut.

Thanks for looking.

Karen x

Friday Sketchers Challenge - Meet Porridge the Pig

There is a great sketch to follow over on Friday Sketchers this week designed by Claudia Rosa. I have used Porridge the Pig which is one of the new Soft Centres collection from Sugar Nellie.

DP are doodlebug and I have used promarkers for this one. Ribbon, brads and flowers from my stash. The coupon on the chocolate is a clear stamp from Hero Arts (One of a set of three) and the sentiment on the card is cut with my cricut.

I had made the card before I noticed that one of the vertical elements was missing from my design, so I have made a wrapper for a bar of chocolate and incorporated the ribbon down the side in order to fit the sketch.





Thanks for looking.

Karen x

Sugar Nellie - Daisy Gift Bag

This my first attempt at making a gift bag. I just love this little Daisy stamp from Funky Kits and decided I needed to put her on something else to go along with the card that I had made last night. Now that I have mastered it I can try making them in different sizes. I have used DCVW papers again so that it matches the card.



I must apologise for the quality of the photos, but it is such a horrid day here today and there has hardly been any light all day.

Enjoy your weekend and thanks for looking

Karen x

First Sugar Nellie card as Guest DT Member

I picked up my package of stamps to work with as Sugar Nellie Guest DT member today and to say that I was happy with the stamps that I had been given would be an understatement. I think that Daisy from the new Elizabeth Bell collection has to be my favourite, but as you will see over the next couple of weeks they are all fantastic.

This stamp and the rest of the Elizabeth Bell new collection should be available on the Funkykits website next week.

I have used the wonderful sketch on Everybody-Art-Challenge this week for this card.



DP are DCWV - small wonders, Flowers by Prima, the sentiment is a really old cube stamp that belonged to my mum which has 4 different sentiments on it, brads are doodlebug sugar coated and spacers, charm and jewels are from my stash. Colours in with a combination of Promarkers and Copics.

Have a great weekend. I am now off to play with a pig!!