PTW - Katharina's sketch

This card made a nice change from all the Christmas Cards that I have been making recently and what a great sketch from Katharina - thanks.
I have used another of the new Forever Friends stamps along with K&Company papers and prima flowers.


Thanks for looking

Karen x

Friday Sketch by Mumur

This week's challenge is a wonderful sketch by Mumur from France. Love this sketch and certainly will be using it again and again. I have used this to get another of my Christmas cards done - seems to be the only kind of cards that I am doing at the moment and now I have got started I am so enjoying the sparkle and colours of Christmas and this Santa from Sugar Nellie just sums up Christmas for me - I just love him. The cute little Rudolph was done with a Quickutz die that I have had for a couple of years.


Thanks for looking

Karen x

Sugar Nellie - A Spoonful of Sugar - So Charming

The challenge on A Spoonful of Sugar this week is "So Charming" and I have used one of the brand new Sugar Nellie Christmas stamps that only came out yesterday and are available at Funky Kits (see link on right hand side of blog)now. I managed to get a couple of these new stamps yesterday and had hoped to get one posted last night but I seem to have picked up a flu bug and had to head off to bed last night. Feeling a bit better today and hopefully should be back to normal tomorrow.

I think this lovely santa fits the bill for the challenge as I think he is very charming and to make sure the card fits the challenge I have also added a charm on the ribbon.

Off to have a hot drink and head off to bed.

Thanks for looking.

Karen x

Friday Sketchers - Sketch 20

This is another great sketch and another Christmas card done. I have used another of the great new Forever Friends stamps. I think this one really is a birthday one, but I think it works really well as a Christmas stamp. I have actually made half a dozen of these as they did not take long to colour in and again I have used a mixture of promarkers and copics with a bit of stickles here and there for a bit of bling. The papers are by Doodlebug and I just love these bold Christmas colours and am off to order some more of the designs they have.

Thanks for looking.

Karen x

A Spoonful of Sugar - Challenge 17

At last I have managed to get a card done this week. I have now been back from holiday for almost a week and I think my creative side is still sitting in the sun in Spain! I have really struggled with getting the layout for this one right - but I am quite happy with it now it has all come together.

The challenge this week was to make a Christmas Card which was great as I really need to get a move on with getting mine done.

I have used one of the new Forever Friends stamps which are so cute and the papers are K & Company, flowers from Prima. Coloured in with a mixture of copic and promarkers. I think I really prefer the promarkers but do not have a full range of colours in them, so use the copics for the colours that I am missing.

Thanks for looking

Karen x

2 weeks in the sun

I had hoped to get a couple of cards done this week, but work has been so hectic that Friday has come around and I have had no time to craft.

We are heading off to Spain tomorrow for 2 weeks. Looking so forward to some sun and lots of relaxation and perhaps a glass or two of red wine!!

Karen x

A Spoonful of Sugar and Cute Card Thursday

I am entering this card for 2 challenges this week. The Challenge on A Spoonful of Sugar this week is a wonderful sketch by Debbie and over on Cute Card Thursday the challenge is to make a card using bright colours and I think these colours certainly are bright.
I have used another of Katharina's Whiff of Joy wonderful stamps - Charlotte trimming the tree, these brilliant K & Company papers that I am just loving and I have cut the snowflakes with cuttlebug and quickutz dies.
Thanks for looking and have a good weekend.
Karen x

PTW Challenge - Katharina's Sketch #9

I have finally managed to get my first Christmas Card of the year done. The challenge on Papertake Weekly this week is another of Katharina's great sketches and what better to use than one of Katharina's own new stamps. I have used some K&Co papers left over from last year and some snowflake brads that I have covered with stickles to give them a bit of bling.


Thanks for looking

Karen x

My cards are on the Sugarnellie blog!

I am so excited as Karen at Sugarnellie has posted some of my cards on the Sugarnellie blog. The last time that I was in the shop we were discussing my recent purchase of pro marker pens and I decided to make some cards for her with some of her Sweet Ebony stamps from Elizabeth Bell. I took the cards in to her on Saturday and now she has posted them on the blog - fame at last!!. Thanks Karen, glad you are happy with them. I am now just awaiting the birth of her new Hanglar stamps. How lucky am I to live in the same town as where all these wonderful stamps come from.

Stamp Something Challenge

The challenge this week is to use pink, green and blue. I used this sketch of Katharina's a couple of days ago and it it such a great one that I have used it here again. The stamp is another fantastic Elisabeth Bell one from Funky Kits and the papers are Deja Views Little Ones, flowers by Prima.
I think I need to look out the other couple of stamps that I have that belong to this collection as I am loving them with my pro markers.

Thanks for looking

Karen x

Really Cute Award

I have received this really cute award from Sonia. Sonia's blog is one of the ones that I visit on a daily basis and I just love what she does with her cards.


The rules are:
1. The winner can put the logo on her blog
2. Link the person you received your award from
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4. Put links of those blogs on yours
5. Leave a message on the blogs of the girls you’ve nominated

I would like to nominate the following people whose blogs I visit on a regular basis as they are all insirational to me.

Kimmie
Nikki
Michelle
Bev
Marlene
Rach
Sharon

Enjoy

Karen x

Katharina's 100,000 blog hits candy - Elisabeth Bell Guardian Angel Collection

Katharina has some fantastic blog candy for one lucky winner.

Here is the deal:

* The winner of her blog candy give away gets the complete Whiff of Joy Guardian Angel Collection by Elisabeth Bell ( 4 stamps ) for free
* AND she (or better Whiff of Joy Stamps ) will host a blog candy give away on the winners blog. You can choose the terms and I will sponsor your blog candy with another complete set of the Guardian Angels

What do you have to do to qualify for Katharina's blog candy?

* Subscribe to Katharina's newsletter or RSS feed.
* Post a link to her 100 000 hits blog candy on your blog
* Let her know that you want to enter the draw by leaving a message on her post

A Spoonful of Sugar and Papertake Weekly Challenges

I have managed to combine 2 challenges in one card here. The challenge over on Papertake Weekly is another great sketch from Katharina - Sketch No. 8 - thanks Katharina, this was a great one in fact I will probably try to make another card later with this sketch.
Over on A Spoonful of Sugar the challenge was to use something recycled. I had coloured in this Sweet Ebony image a couple of weeks ago, but had gone over the lines on her hair and also her feet as it was not the right type of paper to use with my pro markers. I really liked the colours however and had decided to keep it as a guide if I decided to colour another one. Today I have gone around the outline with a light grey copic marker and I think you can hardly see the places where I had gone over the lines. I have also managed to use up small scraps of K&Company Hopscotch card that I have had in my stash forever.
The flowers are prima and the pink gems from Hero Arts.

Thanks for looking.
Karen x

Friday Sketchers Challenge & Stamp Something Challenge

Friday Sketchers challenge is a sketch by the talented Kimmie from Canada and Stamp Something Challenge this week is something that says thank you.

I have used a High Hopes Image that I got from my daughter Stephanie - thanks Steph and some free download papers and flowers from Fred She Said.

Thanks for looking.

Karen x

Thank you Caroline

I have received this beautiful wallet full of images from Caroline. Thanks very much Caroline this was a lovely surprise. Thanks also for the template for making the lovely New Home card that you posted on your blog a couple of weeks ago, I will certainly be having a go at that one.

Wylde Women Award from Caroline

Caroline thought I deserved this award, how lovely of her. It's called the Wylde Women award and the purpose of it is "to send love and acknowledgement to women who brighten your day, teach you new things and live their lives fully with generosity and joy", which is a lovely sentiment. The rules of this award are:1. You can give it to one or one hundred or any number in between - it's up to you. Make sure you link to their site in your post.2. Link back to this blogsite www.tammyvitale.com so Tammy can go visit all these wonderful women.and remember the Purpose of the Award: To send love and acknowledgment to women who brighten your day, teach you new things and live their lives fully with generosity and joy.

Dutch Dare Card Challenges #8

This weeks challenge is a sketch by Korin from Sweet'n Sassy Stamps. Sketches are my favourite kind of challenge and this was a great one. I haven't made a card that is not square for such a long time and it made a nice change. The papers and flowers were a download from Fred She Said Store. Image is Magnolia and the sentiment was done using one of the new Cuttlebug border folders.

Thanks for looking.

Karen x

Friday Sketchers Challenge - Sketch No. 12

The challenge this week is a sketch by Jacqueline. I really enjoyed this sketch and will certainly use it again. I used a Magnolia stamp and needed something to sit her on, while hunting through my stash I found a sheet of cute images that I had bought from Panduro months ago for making baby cards and I think this little flower pot that she is sitting on is just right for this card.

Thanks for looking.

Karen x

Cute Card Thursday Challenge 20

This weeks challenge is "Things that Grow". I have chosen to use this cute Sugar Nellie with her watering can and flower. The papers are a download from Sweet Shoppe designs and the small tile was in a packet that came free with Papercraft Inspirations a couple of months ago.
I had wanted to try out copic markers but my local art supply shop does not stock them, but he suggested that I try Letraset ProMarkers. I only bought a few colours until I tried them out and I am quite impressed with the results. Let me know what you think. I don't think that this is the end of my watercolour pencils but it made a pleasant change to use something different.

Thanks for looking

Karen x

Janet's Blog Candy

Janet is giving away some blog candy including one of her new Max & Milly stamps. She is celebrating nearly 15,000 hits on my blog in five months and also the launch of her Max & Milly stamp designs from Spiral Whisper. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is leave a comment on Janet's blog and put a note on your blog about her candy and a link from your blog to her one. She will draw the winner at random in two weeks time.

Papertake Weekly Challenge

This week's challenge is another great sketch by Katherina. I have used a High Hopes image along with some lovely download papers from Sweet Shoppe Designs and some prima flowers.

The sun is shining here already today so looks like we are in for a good one.

Thanks for taking the time to look.

Karen x

Blogging Friends Award

I have been given the above lovely award by 2 very talented ladies that I first got to know through the Cuddly Buddly website, Sonia (whose blog I visit every day) and Linny. Thanks to both of you I am honoured to receive this from you

The rules of the award.
1. Only 5 people allowed
2. 4 have to be dedicated followers of your blog
3. one has to be someone new or recently new to your blog and live in another part of the world.
4. you must link back to whoever gave you the award.
Quite simple really it is a way of saying thank you to those who take time out for wonderful comments to boost your day.

I am now going to award this to

1.Janet
2.Stephanie
3.Sue
4.Caroline
5.Cindy (Cindy lives in Canada and is my someone new who lives in another part of the world.

Please enjoy.

Karen x

Cute Card Thursday Challenge 19

This weeks challenge is to make a card with animals only - no people allowed. This was quite hard for me as most of my stamps have people on them and I only have a few with animals.

I have the CC designs It's my birthday set and I have used the dog with the presents a few times. I had never used the cat with the presents so this is the one I have used here. I also have now used up all this DP and used the same layout that I used for the dog one as it goes really well with these stamps.

Thanks for looking.

Karen x

A Spoonful of Sugar Challenge 8

The challenge this week is "one for the girls". I have used a High Hopes image this week as High Hopes and Sarah Kay stamps are now allowed on this challenge blog along with Sugar Nellie and Hanglar ones.

I think the bloom on this one may be a bit too big, but I have been trying to use it up for ages and am almost out of the smaller ones at the moment. My local card supply shop, Papercrafts in Elgin (They also run FunkyKits who are the Sugar Nellie people) is closed at the moment as they are moving to new premises and will re-open on 1st August. Karen (another one!) who owns Papercrafts has assured me that she has lots of new flowers all boxed up and ready to display in the new shop - at this rate I will be camped out on the doorstep waiting for her to open.

It is raining here today yet again and the forecast for the weekend is not much better. Looks like summer has passed us by this year.

Have a good weekend.

Karen.

Stamp Something Challenge

This weeks challenge -" For the challenge this week we want to see what you can do with 3 layers, 3 colors, and 3 embellishments. We're calling it a "Triple Play" challenge. You can interpret this challenge however you choose, go with just 3 of each or at least 3 of each!"

I have used this challenge to make a card for my daughter Stephanie's graduation which is tomorrow. My three colours are pink, black and green and the three embellishements are ribbon, flowers and gems. There are also three layers on the card.

I would also like to thank Sue Lesley who kindly did an image swap with me after I saw that she had used this stamp to make a card for her daughter Jill's graduation. There was no way that I was going to be able to get this stamp in time to make the card and Sue kindly came to my rescue.

Karen x

Back home again

I am back home from Spain now and am so depressed with the weather. It was 34 degrees when I left Spain and has not stopped raining since I got home. I have even had to put the heating back on!!. Nevermind just another 7 weeks till I am off again and it will be for two weeks the next time - can't wait.

Cute Card Thursday Challenge 18

The challenge on Cute Card Thursday this week is to make a card for a child. I have used one of the Hanglar images and some download papers from Cuddly Buddly. The flowers are from this months Rebecca's stash pack with a bit of stickles added. I think this card looks just right for a little girl on her birthday.

A few days in the sun

This will be my last posting until Wednesday next week. I am heading off to our place in Spain this evening to meet up with my sister Linsey for a few days of sun and lots of red wine!

I am here in the far North of Scotland and she is in Lincolnshire so we do not manage to meet up that often so I am really excited about seeing her around midnight tonight at Alicante airport as I miss seeing her so much.

Will catch up next week when I get back.

Karen x

Friday Sketchers Challenge

Friday Sketchers Challenge this week was a sketch by Betrix from Germany. I really liked this layout and will certainly use it again.

It had to be a quick card this week as I am off on holiday tomorrow and really should have been packing.

I had stamped 3 or 4 of these images last weekend so already had this when I started the card. The stamp is one of a set from Panduro and the papers are a download from Sweet shoppe designs, flowers are prima

Thanks for looking.
Karen x

Nikki's 10000 hits blog candy

Nikki is offering some wonderful blog candy for reaching 10000 hits on her blog. If you have not already had a look at Nikki's blog I really recommend that you do as her cards are inspirational.

Brilliant Weblog Award

I have been given this award by the lovely Janet. It's a special award given to weblogs that somehow catch your eye so I feel very honoured indeed as Janet is such a talented lady and her blog is an inspiration

The rules for this award:1. The winner can put the logo on her blog.2. Link the person you received your award from.3. Nominate al least 7 other blogs.4. Put links of those blogs on yours.5. Leave a message on the blogs of the girls you've nominated

So the 7 I am going to nominate are:-

Tiets

Nikki

Stephanie

Sonia

Sue

Dawn

Alison

Cute Card Thursday Challenge 16

The challenge this week over on Cute Card Thursday was to make a card with no patterned paper. This was certainly a challenge to me as I just love patterned paper. However I am really pleased with how this card turned out and think I will probably make some more. I enbossed a square of slightly pearlised card with one of my cuttlebug embossing folders and matted it onto pink and then onto green. The stamp is from Panduro and the sentiment Studio G. The flowers as ever are Prima.

Daring Card Makers Challenge

Here is my card for this week's Daring Card Makers Challenge. The challenge was to make a quick card - no more than 30 minutes. It was a bit of a push, but I managed to get it done in 28 minutes. The colouring was a bit rushed and I don't think the glue holding on the gemstones was dry when I took the picture. Nevertheless, I am happy with the card. I love this image and the design was inspired by a card I made a couple of weeks ago - the last one was a gate fold card, but I certainly would not have had the time to make a gate fold in 30 minutes.

Karen x

I have been tagged

I have been tagged by Kitty so here are my answers to the questions:

What was happening ten years ago
I was getting ready to go off on a belated Honeymoon to Barcelona (We got married in the February but decided to wait until the summer to head off to the sun).

Name 5 things I will be doing today
Really boring but need to the the company registered for VAT at work.
Make appointment to get hair cut and coloured.
Finish off 3 cards that I need to send off to my sister.
Watch Sunday edition of Brothers and Sisters that I have not yet had time to watch.
Send off a sympathy card to a friend who has just lost her dad.

Snacks I enjoy
Any kind of chocolate as long as it has no nuts in.
Dried Apricots.

Things I would do if I was a millionaire
Start my own craft shop and card making classes.
Pay off the kids Mortgages.
Buy a bigger property in Spain with it's own pool (rather than having to share).
Take all the family to Disney.

Places I have Lived
Was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. Lived in Peterhead, Scotland for the next 22 years, Got married and moved to Rheindahlen Germany for 4 years, back to Aberdeen for 7 years and moved to where I am in Elgin, Scotland 12 years ago.

I will now tag Sonia, Alison, and Stephanie as everyone else I know have already been tagged I think.

Karen x

Dutch Dare Card Challenge #2

This weeks challenge was to create a card where the main image was stamped. I have used one of the new Q.T. Hooty stamps from PinkCat Studio and Heidi Grace papers.

Karen x

A Spoonful of Sugar and Cute Card Thursday

I needed to make a birthday card for someone today and I knew that it would fit this week's A Spoonful of Sugar challenge which was to make a card for any kind of celebration. I then checked out Cute Card Thursday this evening to see what this week's challenge was and could not believe it when I read that it was to make a birthday card.

So here is my card that fits both challenges.

I used a Hanglar image, Deja Views Little Ones collection papers and embellishments and a prima flower, sentiment CC designs stamp.

I really enjoyed making this card and I think it looks perfect for a little girl's birthday.

Karen x

Wow - Look at all this Blog Candy from Sharon

A parcel turned up today with the candy that I won that Sharon had up for grabs to celebrate 5000 visitors since she started her blog.

Thanks also for the beautiful wallet full of images Sharon.

I will enjoy this prize and will have fun deciding what to make, many thanks Sharon

Karen x

Dutch Dare Challenge

This is a new Challenge that is now up and running. The first week's challenge is to create a card using pink - lots of pink and here is my interpretaion of that.
I have used Daisybucket papers, cuttlebug embossing folder, Prima flowers and image by Hanglar.

You can find this challenge at dutchdare-challenges.blogspot.com

Thanks for looking.

Karen x

Cute Card Thursday Challenge

This week's challenge was to make a card using 3 different embellishments. I made this gate fold card and I have used ribbon, gems and a flower. The stamp is by CC Designs - It's my birthday set.

Lovely surprise in the post

Front of Card

Inside of Card

I had a lovely surprise delivered by the postman this morning - I beautiful card wallet with Magnolia and Sugar Nellie images from my daughter Stephanie. The image that she had used on the front is just beautiful and I can't wait to have a go at making a card with this one.

How lucky am I? - I have won Sharon's blog candy

I found out yesterday that I had won some wonderful blog candy that Sharon had up for grabs to celebrate 5000 visitors since she started her blog. I never win anything so I am really excited about this.

Thanks very much Sharon.

Karen x

Tilda & Co Sunday Challenge

I needed to make a card for our Great-Niece Lauren who is 5 this month - Happy Birthday Lauren. This weeks challenge over on Tilda & Co was to use swirls so here is my card. I have used the lovely glittery card from DCWV Blossoms & Butterflies pad along with one of my new Magnolia stamps and the little pearls are from Confetti.

Friday Sketchers Week #5

I needed to make a card for a colleague who is leaving work this week. I have used Kim's sketch which was just perfect.

A Spoonful of Sugar - Challenge 2

Not had much time for card-making this week as have had a really busy week at the office. Had a little time last night and managed to get this card done for this week's A Spoonful of Sugar Challenge. I have used one of the new Elizabeth Bell stamps by Sugar Nellie, papers are by Deja Views and Prima Flowers, other bits and pieces from stash. Looking forward to some crafting time over the weekend and also hopefully to some good weather!