Nutshells Challenge #19

We have another great Nutshells Challenge for you today and this time around our theme is summertime fun - so really anything that makes you think about summer. The only thing that we ask is that you use something that the Nutcrafters store sells, somewhere on your card.


I have used a couple of stamps from the soon to be released Magical Mimi set at Nutcrafters. This is a fabulous set of 5 stamps + 2 mini stamps. I have used one of the mini stamps here along with the wishing well stamp and this little mini one is just the perfect size to sit on top of the other one. The papers that I have used are all from the gorgeous Rose Garden pad from Papermania and the little flower is one from a couple of packs of beautiful flowers that the girls at Nutcrafters sent to me along with my DT stamps - thanks for these Katie and Colette - I just love flowers so they are very much appreciated.

The sketch that I have followed with this card is the current on at Cupcake challenge.


I hope that you will join us this time around with our challenge and you can read all about it and also about this week's fab prize Here

Karen x

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp - challenge 30 - Hearts/Valentines

I can't beleive it is Friday already - what a quick week. Time again for a new Dare U 2 Digi stamp challenge and this time around we are looking for you to use your digi stamps to create something with hearts or for valentines day.


The sketch I have used is the fabulous one over at Sketch and Stash at the moment. I just love this sketch and definately will use this one again. I am also entering this card at Allsorts Challenge where they want you to use hearts and flowers. The image is by Whimsie doodles and they also have a boy version of this cute image available, papers are by papermania and the flowers were cut with retro flower punches in matching papers.


Have a great weekend and don't forget to check out the gorgeous cards from the rest of the Dare U 2 Digi Stamp DT Here

Karen x

1st Challenge of the year at A Spoon Full of Sugar

For our first challenge of the year over at A Spoon Full of Sugar we are looking for you to make something with Hearts on it. Pixie Cottage are sponsoring the challenge this week and are offering the winner a lovely stamp.



I have used this lovely image from Squiggle Stamps this week. This stamp is from the first collection that they launched and is just brilliant for engagement, wedding and anniversary cards I think. This is an engagement card that someone has ordered from me. The papers are by Papermania and the swirls cut with a Quickutz die.

Well, we have had yet more snow fall overnight and I have managed to make it into Inverness on the train to work. Looks like there is quite a bit more due to fall today, so perhaps it would be wise for me to travel home early today - when is it all going to end. It looks so pretty, but just not practical for getting around and we also seem to be suffering from the lack of gritting that is also going on elsewhere.

Keep warm.

Karen x

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Sketch 74 - Sketch by Debbie

The DT at ASOS have been working with the cute little digi images from our lovely sponsor this week – Soft Pencil. The image that I chose is the really cute Michu, his friend and a paper boat. Our challenge is a fabulous sketch created by our gorgeous Debbie and what a great little sketch this is - thanks Debbie.

Check out the blog Here for tons of inspiration.

I have chosen to make a mini card this week and it could be used either as a gift card with a present or as a card on its own. The papers are by papermania and the lovely flowers and leaves are by Martha Stewart - a little fiddly to fix to the card as they are vellum and the first glue that I used was far to heavy for them. I have used a general sentiment so that this card could be used for all kinds of occasions.


I hope you all enjoy working with this sketch which I think you will find is ideal for all sorts of cards.

Have a great week.

Karen x

A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge 62 - Sketch by Caryn

This week at A Spoon Full of Sugar we have a fabulous sketch for you to follow which was designed by our talented DT member Cayrn - thanks Caryn it was a great one to follow.
You can check the sketch and the beautiful cards from the DT this week here and also the fabulous prize that we have this week from our own Nikki's webstore Bunny Zoes Crafts.

Tracy from Squiggle Stamps has asked me to do some design work for her new company and I have used the four new stamps from the Oscar and Daisy range which has only just been released this week and how cute are these.

Front of Card

This one on the front is Daisy with flowers, DP is by papermania and the brads by doodlebug. I have coloured Daisy in with copics and added a little stickles to the flowers.

Inside of Card

Same papers and theme in the inside and the stamps used here are Daisy sitting pretty and Daisy with Bunny.

Back of Card

I have finished off the card by using Daisy with Balloon on the back of the card.

Please pop on over to Tracy's website here to check out these fab new Daisy stamps and also to see the other stamps which Tracy has which will co-ordinate with this new range.

Have a great week

Karen x

Duda Daze Blog Hop - Believe

You should have arrived here from Sophie's Moonlight Inker blog and if not you can reach it Here.
As my little project with this fabulous new Duda Daze stamp I have made a card and a little notebook to match. I have used copics to colour the image and finished it off with some stickles on the wings and crowns. The DP is from a PaperMania pad which I think has to be my favourite pad at the moment. Flowers are by prima sugar coated brads by Doodlebug and the adhesive glitter dots by papermaina.

I have carried the same colour theme through to the inside of the card and stamped the image again, coloured in to match the one on the front and cut out both the girl and the cat seperately. Sorry, can't tell you who the Thinking of You stamp is by, it is a clear one that I picked up the US last year and unfortunately has no name on it.

This was a little 99p notebook that I picked up from Asda. I opened up the spiral and took both the covers off to cover them and then repunched the holes with the crop-o-dile. DP again is by Papermania and flowers to match the card.



The next person on the blog hop is Summer Loving Gal and you can check out her lovely creation Here
I am now off to work my way through the blog hop to see the beautiful things that all these creative people have show-cased and try to make up my mind which stamps I need first from this fabulous new collection from Sugar Nellie
Have a great weekend and thanks for taking the time to have a look at my blog.
Karen x

ICS Sketch #21

Here's Dawn's sketch for ICS this week. Remember you can rotate, flip or anything your heart desire with the sketch. Let you creativity flow and check out the blog for some inspration from the wonderful creations from the rest of the DT this week.

This week I have used this these cute little stamps from a brand new stamp company called Squiggle Stamps , they have just released their first range, but keep an eye on this little company as they have some great stamps in the pipeline. The first collection are available on the website now. The papers are by papermania and these lovely flowers from a bunch that I bought at Hobbycraft.

I have used the same papers in the inside and added another of these cute images.
Have a great week and I look forward to seeing what you do with Dawn's sketch this week.
Karen x

Dare U 2 Digi Stamp Challenge 10 - Ribbons

Over at Dare U 2 Digi Stamp the dare this week is Ribbons. We hope you will join us and we are already looking forward to seeing your digi stamp and ribbon creations. The DT have some wonderful creations which are sure to get your mojo flowing and you can see them Here


I have used some papers this week from the new Papermania pad. These papers are just delicious for soft, flowery, girly cards. The images are from a CC designs download and the butterfly and flower on the front from a Papermaina embellishment pack. I have also used a combination of Martha Stewart and Stampin Up punches and I used my crop-o-dile to make the holes along the top border in order to thread the pink ribbon through. I love these punches and really should use them more often.


In the inside I have carried the same theme through with more of these beautiful papers and another couple of the images from the same download. The adhesive glitter dots are also from Papermania. I have not yet put a sentiment on the inside as not yet sure what I want to use this card for.

Have a great weekend. I am off to Edinburgh tomorrow early morning with my daughter and future daughter-in-law. We have an Ikea trip planned and I am hoping (not told the girls yet!!) to get a little time to go to the new HobbyCraft store, which is real near Ikea (fingers crossed).