Basic Grey Challenge - Sketch by Tara

It is ages since I have had time to enter a Basic Grey Challenge, but this week the fab sketch by Tara looked just like it was made for this Sugar Nellie image that I coloured in a couple of weeks ago. I have been pushing around papers with it for the past week or so, but just could not get anything that looked right. When I saw the sketch today I had a hunt in my old papers from last Christmas and found a Wassail pad - I so loved these last year and had completely forgotten that I still had some left. The flowers are by prima and the sentiment by making memories.


I had an order for christmas cards from one of my workmates on Friday, so this will be just perfect as one of them I think.

Karen x

Cute Card Thursday and Oscar on his Sled

The challenge at Cute Card Thursday this week is to make a card of project for a young boy. This really was a challenge for me as I just don't do boy cards, but I have really surprised myself by how much I like this card and not a bit of ribbon or a flower in sight!!


The image is Oscar on his sled from Squiggle Stamps and I have masked Oscar off in order to stamp the tree from my Darcie's set behind him. The papers are a mixture of Bo Bunny and Deja Views and the Me and My Sled is also from a Deja Views sheet. The snowflakes are by crafts house and I have added a bit of glitter to them.

I am now heading out to do another little bit of Christmas Shopping and also get some bits and pieces to make some Christmas Tree decorations - just a bit of a change from stamping and card making.

Hope you are having a good weekend.

Karen x

I have finally managed to finish off the Stampin Up projects

I managed to get a bit of time last night to finally finish off the remaining 2 projects that I did not quite manage to complete at the Stampin Up workshop the Saturday before last.

This first one is a banner to hang on the wall or in the window and this one will be finding a nice little space in my apartment in Spain. I just love the effect that the swirls with the glitter on gives it.


The second project is these 3 little cards that I have punched holes in to make them into gift cards. All the bits for making up the tree, snowman and Santa were made using Stampin Up punches - very clever.



I have just realised when I look at the photo of the banner that I have punched the holes in the middle piece at the wrong end - the O is upside down and the little snowflake should be at the bottom - not the top. Never mind - I think it still looks OK - Not much I can do to sort it out now!!

Hope you have a lovely weekend.

Karen x

MoJo Monday card

For the first time in ages I am up to date with my DT cards and have had a bit of time to enter a challenge. I have used the sketch over on MoJo Monday this week as it was just perfect to use with this digi image from DigiStamp Boutique.


My daughter Stephanie had asked me to make a card for her boyfriend's sister Nicola who is expecting her first baby. (not sure why she couldn't make one herself - but Hey isn't that what mums are for!! - just kidding Steph!!)

The papers that I have used are by Imaginsce and the flowers by prima - I have made the sentiment on the computer.

It was really good to make a card other than a Christmas one for a change and I also have a couple of other to do that do not have a Christmas theme so that should be fun. I also need to get some inserts done for Christmas cards that a local company that my company works with have asked for as they are having a stall in the Eastgate Centre in Inverness for the next 4 weeks. If anyone reading this blog lives in Inverness, please go along and see the Ness Soaps stall from Saturday onwards as they have some fabulous Christmas gifts to tempt you along with some other local crafts. I will pop along at the beginning of next week and take a couple of photos to post here.

Enjoy the rest of your Thursday.

Karen x

Nutty Nutshells Wednesday reminder

Just a quick post to remind you that we have challenge 4 up and running at Nutty Nutshells Wednesday. These challenges run every 2nd Wednesday and we are mid-way through this one, so you still have another whole week to get your entries in. Katie and Colette have donated two of the fabulous Hariett Hurst stamps for the lucky winner of this challenge.
You don't need to have a Nutshells stamp in order to enter, you can use any stamps that are sold in the Nutcrafters store, and I am sure that if you check this out you will be surprised to find out how many stamps they have there.
I look forward to seeing your entries.

Karen x

Copic Colour Challenge 41 - Meets Whiff of Joy challenge

We have another great colour combination for you to work with at Copics Colour Challenge this week and I an sure that you will get some inspiration from the gorgeous cards that the DT and Guest Designers have created this week. We also Kraftin Kimmie sponsoring the challenge this week so you really want to pop on over to the blog to read all about this.


Here is my card for this week's challenge. I have used another of my Whiff of Joy new stamps and again I have used these fabulous Webster' Pages papers and all the sentiments and papers are from this pad - I just love it. Flowers are by prima. I really love the look that these papers create and just wish that I had bought lots more as they appear to be really difficult to get a hold of.


I am up to my eyes trying to get all my Christmas cards ready prior to going off on holiday mid December - I now have less that 3 weeks and so much to do!!

Oh I nearly forgot to mention that I will also enter this card in this week's Whiff Of Joy challenge where they are looking for Christmas cards.

Have a great week.

Karen x

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Challenge 79 - A Colour Challenge

Our challenge at A Spoon Full of Sugar was picked by our own Camilla and it is a colour combo with a twist,you need to use brown as your nain colour and then you can add either pink or blue.

Our sponsor this week is Denise from Whimsy stamps and you can read all about the generous prize that she has given us this week and also about a 10% off coupon over on the blog. While you are there you will just love the cards that the rest of the DT have come up with this week.


I haven't inked up these Gorjuss girls stamps for ages, but I think that this little beauty goes so well with these gorgeous papers from Webster's Pages. I bought a 6x6 pad of these when I was at the Hobbycrafts Show in Glasgow a few weeks ago and have been gazing at them ever since - they are just too beautiful to cut into - I only wish that I had bought more of them. The flowers are by Bo-Bunny and I have given them a light spray of glimmer mist. The swirls were cut using a Quickutz die.

I do hope that you enjoy these colours as much as I have done - It was a real challenge for me as these are not the colours that I would normally work with - but I certainly will be using them again as I am really pleased with the finished card.

I am also entering this card at Everybody Art Challenge where the challenge is Christmas Cards and also at Papertake Weekly where they are looking for Christmas Crackers.

Update on this card as I have had a few questions about the tree - this tree is on one of these Webster's Pages sheets of DP and I have just cut it out and glued the gorjuss girl onto it.

Karen x

Stampin Up Workshop last Saturday

As I mentioned at the end of last week, I went to a Stampin Up Workshop in Aberdeen on Saturday morning. This is the first one that I have been at one of these and I so enjoyed it. There were 4 different demonstrators there and we moved round all the tables and made 4 little projects.

Here are some photos of 2 of the projects that we made - a really cute little present bag and also a little book with removable tags. These were both made with the new papers that Stampin Up have which also included Craft paper - so love this.

I also made a little wall hanger, but need to just finish it off with some ribbon as I ran out of time and the last project was 3 little cards/tags using punches to create a tree, santa and snowman - just need to add some glitter to these.

I will post the other 2 projects later in the week when I eventually get them finished!!






It is a beautiful day here today, so hopefully we are in for qa good week.

I will be back tomorrow morning with my DT card for A Spoon Full of Sugar.

Karen x

Friday Sketchers card

There is fab sketch this week at Friday Sketchers and here is my card made following the sketch. I am so in love with these little Wiff of Joy gnomes at the moment - and I think that this is my favourite out of the 4 that I bought. All the papers are by Bo Bunny as are the flowers which I have lightly sprayed with Glimmer Mist. The little sentiment is by Making Memories.


I am having a lazy day at home today and may even get started on wrapping up the Christmas presents for the kids that I have already bought - we are heaading off to Spain on holiday on 16th December, so I really need to get a bit of a move on and get organised as all the presents will need to be delivered to Aberdeen in the next couple of weeks before we head off to my little Wendy House in paradise!!

Karen x

Just to get you into the Christmas Spirit

I don't have any cards to show you today, as by the time that I went to take a photo the light was really bad so I will need to wait until tomorrow.

I thought however, that you may like to see some of the photos that I took at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire last Sunday when I went with my sister to see the Christmas decorations there. We had a fabulous day out and as well as all the Christmas Decorations there also was a Christmas Market on and to top it all off the weather was beautiful.

Don't want to bore you, so here is just a small selection of my photos. I hope you enjoy them. The last one is a photo of my sister - not me!






Karen x

P.S. had a great morning at the Stampin Up workshop in Aberdeen this morning, will take some photos of the projects that we did tomorrow and will post them then.

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp - challenge 26 - Glitter

Hi everyone. It is time again for a new challenge on the Dare U 2 Digi Stamp blog and this week we want you to use glitter on your card (and a digital stamp!).

I have used this really cute snowman cupcake digi image from Whimsie Doodles and the papers are by My Minds Eye. Snowflakes have been cut with a Martha Stewart punch and also a sizzix die. In order to meet the challenge this week I have glitter everywhere - the papers were already glittered, I have added stickles to the snowman and also the scalloped mat and glitter to the snowflakes.

Be sure to pop on over to the blog to check out the fab cards from the rest of the DT here


I am off to a Stampin Up workshop in Aberdeen tomorrow morning which should be fun - never been to one before, so I will let you know next week how it went.

Have a great weekend.

Karen x

Nutty Nutshells - Challenge #4

This fortnight for challenge #4 over at Nutty Nutshells challenge we are looking for you to create a Thank You card. You have 2 weeks to get your card made and Katie and Colette over at Nutcrafters have put up a fabulous prize for one lucky winner of 2 of their Harriet Hurst stamps which are pictured below.





We would be delighted if you have a Nutshells stamp to use on your creation, but if not we are happy for you to use any stamp that is sold at the Nutcrafters webshop. You can check out the list of stamps that are sold by Nutcrafters Here so please take a look and I am sure that you will be able to enter the challenge.

For my thank you card I have used one of the digi nutshells images from the wonderful Pink Frosting Digi set which was brought out for Breast Cancer Awareness. The papers are by SEI - Chick-a-dee and the flowers by Prima. I have used some stickles just to give a little bit of sparkle and bling.



We look forward to seeing your cards over the next two weeks and we would very much like you to pass the word on about this wonderful new challenge blog.

Karen x

Copics Colour Challenge - #40

It's Wednesday already and time for another challenge over at the Copics Challenge blog. This week we have another fabulous colour combination for you to follow and this one could be used for Christmas cards as some of the DT have shown, but equally these colours are just perfect for any other type of cards.


This week, we welcome back one of our favourite sponsors, InStyle Stamps! You can check out the prize that they have given us for one lucky winner Here and also check out what the DT and the guest DT members have created this week.


I have used one of the gorgeous Whiff of Joy stamps this week - I have 3 more of these, but not yet had a chance to even ink them up!!. The papers are by My Minds Eye, snowflakes punched with my faithful Martha Stewart Punch and ribbon from stash.


I hope you have fun with these colours.

Karen x

A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge 78

Our Challenge this week was picked by our very own Jacqui and she asked us to make something for a Babys First Christmas/Pre-Schooler.

This week our sponsor is Nikki of Bunny Zoe's Crafts. One lucky player this week will win the new The Greeting Farm stamp - Flapper Anya. You can check out this prize and see the beautiful cards this week from the DT Here.


I have used one of the fabulous new images from CC Designs which I think would be just perfect for a little girl at Christmas Time. The papers are all by doodlebug and the sentiment by imaginsce. The flowers are from my stash and the small centre flowers were cut with an X-cut punch.

I hope you have a great week and this challenge will give you an excuse to get another of thoses christmas cards out of the way.

Karen x

Another Nutshells Angel and a new challenge for me

While blog hopping yesterday I can across a new challenge to me on my Nutshells Team-mate Tammy's blog. The challenge blog is called Tuesday Sketches and this week they have a fabulous sketch to follow which was fun. Thanks Tammy for alerting me to this new challenge.



I have used the 3rd of the set of four Digi Angels from Nutcrafters and as the sketch was round I have made this little card that could either be used as a gift-tag or as a tree or Christmas decoration to hang up. The papers are by My Minds Eye and the flower is by Bo Bunny which I have sprayed with a little Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, leaves are by prima and the sentiment is a metal one by Making Memories which came in a pack of 12 that I picked up at the Hobbycrafts Exhibition a couple of weeks ago for 50p I think - bargain.

I am now just about to head out the door to head to the airport at Inverness to catch my flight to go and see my sister - so excited and can't wait to see her.

Have a great weekend.

Karen x

Nutshell's Peace Angel and 2 challenges

This is another of the set of 4 Digi Nutshells Angels that is now available at Nutcrafters and I think that she is just gorgeous. The papers are by My Minds Eye and I have followed the sketch at Sketch Saturday which shows her off beautifully. This card also fits the bill for Cute Card Thursday this week where they are asking for glitter on your cards. I have glittered the wings, the striped paper is glittered, the paper the flowers are punched from are glittered and I have used a Sakura glitter pen on the Peace lettering and I have used stickles glitter on the brads in the centre of the flowers so I think that this definately fits the bill!


I still have another 2 of these Angels to put on cards and will try to share them with you next week.

Karen x

Copics Colour Challenge #39

This week, we have another brilliant sponsor for you who is offering up an unmissable prize. This week, we are sponsored by none other than Stamping Bella! Emily, the Stampin' Bella herself, has offered up $20 of big fat Bella bucks to spend - what a great prize!! You can check it all out Here and also get some inspiration from the cards that the rest of the DT have made.


The colour combo this week is certainly a bold one but I think probably just perfect for those Christmas Cards.


This week I have tried something a bit different and a change from my usual pastel colours and cute images. This image is by Leanne Ellis for Sugar Nellie and is not actually a Christmas stamp but I had seen it used on a Christmas Card and have given it a try and I am just delighted with the finished result. DP is by My Minds Eye, flowers by Prima and sentiment by Papermania.

I am sure that you will have fun with these colours and I look forward to visiting your blogs to see your creations.

Karen x

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Challenge 77 - Create a Scene

Our Challenge this week at A Spoon Full of Sugar was picked by our very own Michelle and she asked us to "Create a Scene". Our wonderful sponsor this week is Summer From Belles n Whistles.
Summer has kindly donated one of the new Elisabeth Bell stamps called Rockin Around.


I have used another of the new Squiggle Stamps which is due to be released later this month. This one is Oscar sitting on his sledge and to create the background, I have masked off Ocsar and then stamped some trees with a tree stamp from the Darcy's Snowman set that I have. Lots of glitter to create the snow effect and the papers are by My Minds Eye as are the coloured snowflakes, the white snowflakes were cut with a Martha Stewart punch.

I hope you all have fun creating your scene cards and please do take a look at the blog Here to take a look at the gorgeous cards that the DT have come up with this week and drool over our Guest Designer Kittie's card this week.

Karen x

Everybody-art-challenge and new Nutshells Digi Set

This cute little Angel sitting on her cloud is from a new set of Nutshells Digi Images (4 in total) that Nutcrafters.
I have used the great sketch over at Everybody-art-challenge this week and have made a little 9cm x 9cm card. The papers are from My Minds Eye and the snowflake cut with a Martha Stewart punch.


I will hopefully get some more of these little cards made this week, I will probably give them to my grandaughter Sophie as they would be just perfect for her to give to her special friends.

I will be back with my Spoon Full of Sugar card tomorrow morning and I do hope you are all keeping warm - I had to scrape a hard frost off the car this morning and according to the weather lady this morning it was -7degrees in Aviemore last night and I am sure we could not have been far behind that.

Karen x

Squiggle Stamps sneek peek

I thought I would share with you a sneek peek of one of the new Oscar and Daisy stamps from Squiggle Stamps that will be released later in the month. These little stamps just keep getting better and better. I have coloured Daisy in with Copics and the papers are a combination are mostly from a Papermania pad (I think that the Cupcake one may be doodlebug, but it was just a scrap that I had in my scraps box and there is no name on it. Flowers are by prima.


It is a beautiful day here and I have all 3 grandchildren here for the weekend. We are heading off to the bonfire tonight to see the fireworks display so as you can imagine I have 2 really excited 3 year olds here.

I will be back with another sneek peek from Squiggle Stamps on Tuesday for A Spoon Full of Sugar challenge.

Have a lovely weekend.

Karen x