Birthday Bonanza Weekend at Nutcrafters

Just a quick note before I leave to go on holiday to remind you about the Birthday Bonanza celebration over at Nutcrafters , home of the Nutshell stamps I love so much. All weekend from Friday 28th -Monday 31st August you can Save 10% on all products. All Products!! So that means lines like the Nutshells, The Greeting Farm, Magnolia just to name a few.
They are also releasing their new line from Nutshells called Midsummer Nutshells (pictured below)available at a Special Birthday price this weekend of only £10 (will normally be £15)
So hurry on over and take advantage of this fabulous offer.

Karen x


Here are a selection of the cards that I have made using these fab little Nutshells stamps.

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp - challenge 20 - 2 patterned papers, 3 flowers and 1 ribbon

This time at Dare U 2 Digi Stamp we are setting a Recipe Challenge. We Dare U to use 1 Ribbon, 2 Patterned Papers and 3 Flowers in your creations. Don't forget that you now have 2 weeks to get your entries in which must feature a Digi Image. The DT really enjoyed this one and you can see some beautiful cards from them on the blog here.
This cute little image is from CC Designs and is one of a set of three and they are just so cute. I have already coloured in one of the other ones and she is just waiting to be mounted onto a card. The papers are by DCWV and the little flowers were cut using my new retro flower punch (I have wanted this for so long now and my friend Tracy got me the large one and I managed to pick up the medium one when in the States - just need the small one now and I will be a really happy bunny) and I ran them through the big shot in a cuttlebug folder to emboss them. I have then used buttons as the centres rather than brads just for a change. The sentiment is by papermania I think.


I am heading off on holiday to Spain tomorrow morning and will be there in the sun for the next 2 weeks - can't wait!! I have managed to get a few cards lined up for various challenges before I go so provided that I can get connected to the internet, will be able to post these while I am away.

See you when I get back.

Karen x

Copics Colour Challenge 28

Here we are, Wednesday again and time for another challenge from Copics Colour Challenge.

This week, we are sponsored once again by one of our favourites - The Craft Barn and the winner of this weeks challenge will receive a super-dooper £15 voucher to spend at their leisure.
What do you have to do to win? Simply create something using the the Copic colour combo below. It could be a card, a scrapbook page or anything else that takes your fancy, but you MUST use your lovely Copic markers. Please please please remember that you do not have to have exactly the right colours in order to take part, just use the nearest ones you have.


I have used one of the Anyas from my new set this week and I think these colours were just perfect for her. The DP is by Me and My Big Ideas as are the sentiments and frame on this card, flowers and brads from my stash.


I have used the same range of papers on the inside of the card and these embelishments are also from the same set - I do like things to match!!


Same range of papers on the back of the card just to finish it off.



I do hope that you get some time to join us with this challenge this week as I know that you certainly will enjoy using these colours. Check out the blog Here to read all about this weeks prize and also to see what the DT have created and also the gorgeous cards that our Guest Designers have created this week.

Karen x

ICS #31

Here is Dawn's sketch for this weeks challenge at ICS .
Remember you can rotate, flip, stretch, cut down or anything your heart desires. Just be sure that we can see part or all the sketch within your projects. Embellish as you see fit and to your liking.


I have made one of these tiny cards this week again using Love Notes from Stampin Up. I love these and especially with these little characters. The only stamping that I have done this week is the sentiments where I borrowed the new Smirk Stamp sets from my friend. All the backing papers and the images are cut from the Smirk DP set. I used my copics to colour in the faces as I did not like them when they were left white. Ribbon is from my stash and I have used stickles glitter glue for a bit of sparkle.

Front

I have used more of the paper and images on the inside


I have finised off the back with a bit more of the paper and a cut out image.



I have sponsored the challenge this week so you can check out the prize on the ICS blog Here and I am willing to send the prize anywhere in the world so I hope that you get a chance to play along with us this week.

Karen x

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Challenge 66 - Sketch by Sonja

Our challenge this week is a fab sketch by our very own Sonja for you to follow and our wonderful sponsor this week is Kim van der Sanden from My Favorite Things.
You can read all about this prize and have a look at the beautiful cards that the DT have created using Sonja's wonderful sketch Here.


For my card this week I have used another of the Midsummer Nutshells set which is due to be released on 28th August as part of the BIG BIRTHDAY BONANZA at Nutcrafters. You can read all about this fabulous set, see more previews from the DT and also about the coming weekend Here.


I have used DP from papermania, the flowers are by prima and the small sentiment is cut from a set that I bought from QVC over a year ago, everything else from my stash.

I hope you will get some time to join us this week and have a go at using Sonja's fabulous sketch.

Karen x

Launch of New Blog for Squiggle Stamps

No card to display today but just wanted to let you know some fabulous news.

Squiggle Stamps are planning to launch their Blog officially on 1st of September with some lovley blog candy and lots of projects for inspiration.

In the meantime they are looking for members to join their small talented Design Team - if you are intersted please e-mail info@squigglestamps.com with some information about yourself, a blog link and some examples of your work :)

You can find the blog Here

Here also is a little peek at the adorable new stamps which will be launched at the end of August - aren't they just fabulous?


I have also seen the draft copies of the September ones which are additions to the already launched Daisy and Oscar range and they are gorgeous.

I know that Tracy still has some of July Daisy stamps available, but you will need to be quick to snap these up Here.

Back tomorrow with my Spoon Full of Sugar card.

Karen x

Midsummer Nutshells meets Friday Sketchers

On Saturday 29th August Nutcrafters will celebrate their first year of being up and running.

They have added lots of new ranges to thsir store, including their very own Nutshells designs.

To celebrate they are having a BIG BIRTHDAY BONANZA weekend from 28th-31st August, with lots of special offers and great deals!

Today I can share one of those with you, with a sneak peak of a new stamp set they are releasing on the 28th... Midsummer Nutshells. The set contains 10 individual stamps and is just fabulous.

I have already started colouring in some more of this set and will preview some more of them over the next week or so. I am sure you will love them as much as I do.

Front of card

The papers I have used are all by My Minds Eye and come from the Bloom and Grown and Wild Asapargus sets. The lovely sheer ribbon is also from A Minds Eye set. I have paper pieced the little dress so as to have it matching wih the papers.

I have followed the fabulous sketch on Friday Sketchers this week for the front of the card.

Inside of card

I have used the same image on the inside and carried the same papers through from the front.

Back of card

Please keep an eye on the Nutshells blog Here to see some more previews from the rest of the DT of these fab stamps and to read about the birthday weekend coming up.

I will be back on Tuesday with my Spoon Full of Sugar (another of this fab new set) DT card and also my ICS DT card.

Karen x

Copics Colour Challenge 27

Here are the colours for this week's challenge at Copics Colour Challenge, Toodles and Binks are our sponsor this week and you can read all about that and see what the DT have come up with using these colours Here


Here is my card for this weeks challenge. I was struggling a bit to use the grey colour, so have used this to outline the image. The cute image is Daisy with Flowers which is one of the Daisy and Oscar collection which is now available at Squiggle Stamps Here. These stamps are just soo cute and just a delight to colour or paper piece. Tracy has also uploaded pictures of the 4 new stamps that will be available very soon from a new artist to the website - so well worth looking out for. The DP is the Chick A Dee Collection from S.E.I. and the flowers are from my stash, sentiment from Stampendous.


I hope you have fun with these colours and look forward to seeing your cards.

Karen x

Inspirational Card Sketches - #30

It's Tuesday afternoon and time for another of Dawn's fab sketches at ICS. This certainly was a great one to follow and could be used with just about every image.
The challenge this week is sponsored by Paper Popsicles and the DT were all given a couple of these cute images to work with.

To read all about the prize on offer from Paper Popsicles and see what the DT have done with the images check out the ICS blog Here


As I mentioned earlier the image on this card is by Paper Popsicles, the DP is from the Flower Patch pad by Making Memories and the flowers are by prima.


Happy crafting and I look forward to seeing your creations using this week's sketch by Dawn.

Karen x

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Challenge 65 - Travel

Our challenge this week at A Spoon Full of Sugar is Travel. You could use a holiday theme or perhaps a card with some form of transport on it - anything that you can think of that fits the bill of travel.

My DT buddy on Dare U Digi Stamp, Sandra of Sandra Dry Digi Stamps is sponsoring our challenge this week and if you pop on over to the A Spoon Full blog Here you can read all about Sandra's fabulous prize and also see the beautiful cards that the rest of the DT have created this week.

I have gone for the holiday theme for my travel card this week and have used this really cute digi stamp from instyle stamps called Leila. My aunt in California spent much of her childhood in Hawaii and I will be sending this card to her as I think she will appreciate it. I have not put any particular sentiment on it so it could really be used for any occasion. I have used the sketch from this weeks Friday Sketchers and what a great one it is.


The papers for this card and also the flower were from another of the bargain price page layout packs that I picked up while on holiday and this particular one is by making memories.


I have just got all the washing and ironing done from the holiday and got back into the swing of crafting and now I have to head off with work for a few days. I am heading off to Edinburgh which should be really nice as the Festival is on at the moment and there should be a good atmosphere there.

Have a great week.

Karen x

A couple of pics from the Wedding in New York

No cards to show you today as I am working on DT work for next week and trying to catch up after our holiday.

A few people has asked how the wedding went and I thought you might like to see a couple of photos from the wonderful day.



I am second in from the right on this one and Bob is far left. Laura's dad is next to me and Laura's mum next to Bob, the bridesmaids are Laura's sisters Karen and Sally. Brooklyn Bridge is just behind us.



Will be back with my A Spoon Full of Sugar and ICS cards on Tuesday, enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Karen x

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp - Challenge 19 - Blue, Green and White or Cream

We have another great challenge today over at Dare U 2 Digi Stamp and the challenge is to make a card of project using Blue, Green and White or Cream - what a great colour combination. Our challenges are now fortnightly which gives you a bit more time to get an entry in and this is great especially during the busy school holiday period. The DT have come up with some fabulous work this week so do pop on over if you are looking for some inspiration.


I have used one of the adorable new digi downloads from CC Designs - I so love this collection and the papers are from a small page layout pack that I bought for $2 while I was on holiday in Boston and I think they are by Me and my Big Ideas. I have been a bit naughty and added a small amount of pink on the flowers just to lift the image a little and I have added small flatback pearls to the centres of the flowers.

I have used the fabulous sketch by Camilla at A Spoon Full of Sugar this week. I did not get back from holiday in time to get my DT card for this challenge, but wanted to use the sketch as it is a fab one - thanks Camilla.

I am slowly getting back into the swing of things after my holiday. We had a fabulous time at the wedding and I will post a couple of photos of the happy couple over the weekend.

Have a great weekend.

Karen x

ICS - Christmas cards

We have another great sketch from Dawn to follow over at ICS and this week we have the added element of making a Christmas Card.


These cute little reindeers are a download set from CC designs and the DP is Heidi Grace.

Hope you all have some fun making Christmas cards this week.

Karen x

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Flowers

The challenge that we have for you this week at A Spoon Full of Sugar is flowers - right up my street as I love to use flowers on my card.

I have used one of the cute summer stamps from Nutshells and also one of the new Nutshells background stamps that are just about to be released by Nutcrafters. There are a few cards made with these new backgrounds now on the Nutshells Blog which you can check out Here Dp is Butterflies and Blossoms by DCWV.

I am in Boston at the moment and we have having a great time. Had a bit of a hiccup when we arrived as our luggage did not arrive with us and we only had the clothes that we were wearing for the first 36 hours. All is fine now and the weather is just beautiful. I managed a trip to Michaels yesterday, so am now fully stocked up with flowers, ribbons etc. We head off to New York first thing Thursday morning.

Have a great week.

Karen x