Simon Says Challenge - Check It Out !

Good morning and welcome to another Simon Says Challenge ! Thank you so much for all your entries to our Friends challenge last week, it was lovely to have so many of you playing along with us.

This week we want to see you using checks, plaid or gingham in your creations. The DT have made a fantastic job of this challenge, check them out !!

The DP's are a digi kit from Designs by Krista called "Moody Blue" and would you believe this kit only costs $1 !

The image is a Stampavie/Mo Manning stamp called "Rae with Journal" and you can buy this in the Simon Says Stamp Store. I used my trusty ProMarkers for colouring !

The sentiment is a Melissa Frances transfer and you can also buy these from the Simon Says Stamp Store.

The ribbons are from my stash.

The corners were punched with an EK Success corner punch.

There is of course a fantastic prize of a $25 P&P free shopping spree in the Simon Says Stamp Store for the lucky winner !

We hope you can join us again this week in our challenge !

Must dash, I have a very full day ahead of me !

Thank you for your visit and for any comment you leave. As always, it means so much to hear from you.

Love 'n' hugs,

BasicGrey Blog Candy # 22

Well, here we are again with another fantastic BasicGrey Blog Candy courtesty of Simon Says Stamp !

Just look at these amazing goodies you could win !

So, what do you have to do to win my candy ? Some of you will be used to it by now but for those first timers, here goes :

Well, there are no strict rules and the comments I make below are not compulsory to enter this draw but it would be nice if :

You could give your support to Simon Says Stamp, BasicGrey Challenges and myself by becoming a follower if you are not already. Links to both of these are in my sidebar.

Add my blog candy to your sidebar and please feel free to "take away" my blinkie

Join in with us at BasicGrey Challenges and also Simon Says Stamp's challenge blog, Simon Says Challenge ! You can combine challenges with both of these challenge blogs which is great news ! Links to both of these are in my sidebar and relevant posts.

This blog candy will be open to everyone Worldwide (including all DT members of both challenge blogs) until Saturday 10th July when I shall draw a winner with a random number generator and post a new fabby blog candy for you to enter.

To make it much quicker for me to choose a winner, I am using inlinkz but there is a catch !!!

Every fortnight I shall ask you a question and I would like you to answer that question after your name. It will be a one word answer so not difficult.

For example, you would type your answer as Jo Nevill (crafting - definitely !)

This fortnight's question is : Crafting or World Cup on TV ?

Anyone not leaving the answer to my question in inlinkz will have their name deleted to stop spammers and also people only entering for the sake of it (if you know what I mean and I don't wish to be rude in anyway).

I would like to give a huge thank you to both Heidi and Steph of Simon Says Stamp for giving me this fantastic candy again for you to win.

Basic Grey Blog Candy # 21 - Winner

Thank you to everyone who entered my Basic Grey Blog Candy #21. I loved reading all your yummy colour combos and will certainly have to try some of them out !

There can only be one winner and that lucky person is.......

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers: 44 - Nicole

Timestamp: 2010-06-26 14:13:52 UTC

Many congratulations !

Basic Grey Challenges

I'm here at last ! I keep apologising for being late and I expect you are bored of hearing it from me by now ! I keep expecting to receive my P45's from the Design Teams ! I just seem to be out all the time at the moment for various activities with the girls. I've also received a few commissions recently which is fantastic news so I definately can't complain.

Anyway, back to this week's challenge on Basic Grey Challenges. We have a gorgeous photo for you for your inspiration from our gorgeous Heather !

I used the yummy Green at Heart papers for this card as I wanted to pick out the orange, green and red.

The image is "Pure Innocence" and is a digi image although I am sure this image has been made into a stamp recently.

The lace is from my stash.

The flower was punched with an EK Success retro flower punch and a Greet at Heart stitched brad added to the centre.

All my Basic Grey bits and pieces came from Simon Says Stamp and they also sell the Pure Innocence stamps too.

The prize this week is a super duper $25 shopping spree in the Simon Says Stamp Store ! Just think how many goodies you could buy with that !

Please hop over and look at my teamie's creations, they are a real inspiration.

Thank you for your visit and I hope you can come and join us in our challenge.

Enjoy the sunshine !

Simon Says Challenge - Friends !

Good morning and welcome to another Simon Says Challenge !


Today I am off out on a day trip with Izzy's pre-school. Should be a lovely day, I am really looking forward to it.

The challenge this week on Simon Says Challenge is Friends. Friends are very important to us of us and I feel so honoured that I have so many fantastic friends around me and I love them all.

There is another fantastic prize of a $25 spending spree so what are you waiting for ?

The DP's are by Imaginisce and are called "Perfectly Posh"

The image is a Stampavie/Penny Johnson image which has been coloured with ProMarkers.

The flowers are by Prima.

The ribbon behind the flowers is by Melissa Frances.

The DT are showcasing Penny Johnson stamps this week but you can use anything you like. You can of course by all the Penny Johnson stamps and the Prima flowers in the Simon Says Stamp Store !!

This week we are also welcoming 3 new playmates to our Design Team. Marcea who has been our guest DT for the past month, Heather (Rica) and Christine. Welcome to the team girls and I look forward to working with you all ! Full details and piccies can be found on the challenge blog !

Right, must scoot, lots of packed lunches to make !

We hope you can join us in our challenge and we look forward to seeing your wonderful creations.

Thank you for your visit, it has been lovely of you to stop by !

Love'n' hugs,

Simon Says Stamp Challenge at Papercraft Plant

Good morning and another beautiful one it is too ! I have another busy week coming up what with school trips, sports day, birthday parties and all the other activities thrown in on top.

Yes, I have another card to show you ! I've even amazed myself at how many I have been able to make this weekend. It's probably because I've been home alone (apart from the girls being in bed) in the evenings which is lovely (although don't tell hubby that !!!).

Simon Says Stamp has a challenge running over at Papercraft Planet called "Oh Boy" and there is a fabulous prize on offer too. You can find the challenge RIGHT HERE ! Now I know you have all been making cards for Father's Day so why not enter it in our challenge ?

The DP's are Papermania "Hampstead". These are gorgeous papers and even have a texture to them. I punched the brown card with an Fiskars apron lace punch and then ran it through a Papermania paper corrogator (think that's what its called !!). What a super duper contraption that is !!

The image is by Penny Black and is called "Fly Away" and is one of their slap stick stamps. You can buy this from Simon Says Stamp. I made a frame with the nesties and vintage photo distress ink. The image has been coloured with ProMarkers.

The ribbon, button, raffia and star brads are from my stash.

We hope you can join us in our challenge to make it even more fun !!

I am also going to enter my card for the following challenges :

Creative Inspirations - One for the Boys

One Stop Craft Challenge - One for the Boys

Crafty Angels - Favourite Stamp (it is at the moment !)

Raise the Bar - What a Special Guy

Sweet Stampin Challenge - Clean and Simple

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Travel and Holidays (think I might get away with it seeing as it has a plane on it ? !!!)

Have a fantastic week and hopefully I will be back with more to show you later in the week.

Enjoy the sunshine,

Love'n' hugs to you all and thank you for your visit today !

Gorgeous Hanglar !

Good morning and another bright and sunny one it is too !

I had the most wonderful surprise on Friday, a lovely letter from my fabulous and ultra talented friend, Heather. Heather has just joined us on the Simon Says Stamp team and of course, she has been my long standing teamie on Basic Grey Challenges. Anyway, not only did she brighten my day with her words but she brightened it even further by sending me some of her gorgeous Hanglar's !!! I had to promise her that I would make time for myself and I would use them so that is what I did yesterday and I'm entering my card for the Lovely Hanglar Only Challenge whose theme is "Shabby".

The DP's are K&Co "Life's Journey" and I distressed these with a Tim Holtz distresser, inked with vintage photo distress ink and added some gold stickles to the edges. I also used a gold leaf pen for the smaller square edges.

The image was coloured with ProMarkers and I made a frame from the nestie with pumice stone distress ink (love this colour !).

The large flower I made myself from cross stitch fabric, distressed it with vintage photo distress ink and old lace glimmer mist. The button is from my stash. The roses, pins, ribbon, lace and flat backed pearls are also from my stash.

What gorgeous images these are to colour - thank you soooo much darlin !!!! Lots of the goodies I used can be purchased in the Simon Says Stamp Store.

I also had a lovely surprise and WOW this morning ! Have you seen THIS on the Simon Says Stamp Blog - yes, its all about me, little ole me and I'm amazing at the lovely words they are using about me !! Thank you so much to Heidi and Steph - I love you both !!

You will also see that they are telling you my next big news - I am being published !! I shall be in next month's Cardmaking and Papercraft Magazine. I can't tell you how excited I am and can't wait to see my work in the magazine ! I shall jump up and down and show you more next month once the magazine has been published !!!

Right, I think that is enough excitement for one day ! Thank you so much for your visit and for any comments you may leave. As always, they mean so much and it was lovely of you to visit me today.

Have a great Sunday and enjoy the sunshine.

Love 'n' hugs to you all,

The Sugar Bowl - Marlene's Sketch

Good morning ! How are we all on this bright and sunny morning ?

I've been a busy bee all week and it look set to continue like that at least until school breaks up in about 4 weeks time (and counting !!). You should see my calendar, its black with writing and unfortunately, its not for me !!!

Yesterday afternoon I spent all afternoon at school having a picnic and then a maths afternoon with Mollie. I am one of the thickest people you have ever met when it comes to maths, I draw a complete blank at the simplest of sums and boy, I was worried ! Mollie tried to reassure me that I would be OK as they were maths games designed for 7-8 year olds but I wasn't convinced. I even considered hiding behind the bike shed until someone pointed out its clear perspex !!!! Anyway, the afternoon was very pleasant and we all had fun - even me !!!

I managed to make a card last night - whooo hoooo ! When I saw Marlene's sketch on the Sugar Bowl challenge blog, I just had to give it a try. I've also had these poor Manga girls sat in a draw very unloved and I love them to bits.

The DP's are by Bella BLVD and are called "Nana's Apron". I bought them at the NEC last time I was there.

The gorgeous Manga girl is coloured with ProMarkers.

The flowers are my fave at the moment, Prima Essentials "Shabby Chic". Simon Says Stamp had some delivered the other day and before I could say "Prima" they flew off the shelves !! Steph assures me that more deliveries are on their way and this time, I shall be the first in the queue !!

The lace is from my stash.

The sentiment is a Melissa Frances transfer and you can buy lots of these from Simon Says Stamp.

Right, I must dash. Today we have dancing twice and then a swimarathon later this afternoon. I honestly don't know how Mollie keeps up with it all, I'm exhausted just watching her !

Thank you for your visit and for any comments you may leave. They mean so much especially at the moment when I am being so pants at hopping and commenting. I love you all x

Take care and have a super duper weekend.

Love 'n' hugs,

I do like to be beside the seaside !

Ok, don't faint ! Yes, it is me and yes, I am blogging !!

I am sorry for my absence but again, life has just taken over everything else and making cards has sadly been neglected.

I did however have to make a card for my Uncle's birthday at the weekend so I thought I would show it to you just so you know I am still alive !!

I saw these gorgeous stamps featured in the latest edition of Craft Stamper and I just fell in love with them and how Katy had made the CD cases and all her details. They are so gorgeous and so simple to use and would make a lovely card for male or female. They are made by Innovative Stamp Creations.

The crackle background stamp is by Creative Expressions. I am waiting for the ISC netting stamp to come into stock so I though this one would do in the meantime ! I stamped this with chocolate archival ink onto kraft card.

The image is called Picturesque and I bought it here I stamped it onto watercolour paper and painted it with distress inks.

The string and fish charm are from my stash and the Tim Holtz philisophy tag is from Simon Says Stamp.

The metal frame for the sentiment is also from my stash.

Right, off to take the girls to swimming lessons ! Hope to catch you again very soon - fingers crossed !

BasicGrey Blog Candy # 21

THIS BLOG CANDY IS NOW CLOSED

Well, here we are again with another fantastic BasicGrey Blog Candy courtesty of Simon Says Stamp !

Just look at these amazing goodies you could win !

So, what do you have to do to win my candy ?

Some of you will be used to it by now but for those first timers, here goes :

Well, there are no strict rules and the comments I make below are not compulsory to enter this draw but it would be nice if :

You could give your support to Simon Says Stamp, BasicGrey Challenges and myself by becoming a follower if you are not already. Links to both of these are in my sidebar.

Add my blog candy to your sidebar and please feel free to "take away" my blinkie

Join in with us at BasicGrey Challenges and also Simon Says Stamp's challenge blog, Simon Says Challenge ! You can combine challenges with both of these challenge blogs which is great news ! Links to both of these are in my sidebar and relevant posts.

This blog candy will be open to everyone Worldwide (including all DT members of both challenge blogs) until Saturday 26th June when I shall draw a winner with a random number generator and post a new fabby blog candy for you to enter.

To make it much quicker for me to choose a winner, I am using inlinkz but there is a catch !!! Every fortnight I shall ask you a question and I would like you to answer that question after your name. It will be a one word answer so not difficult.

For example, you would type your answer as Jo Nevill (blue and brown)

This fortnight's question is : What is your favourite colour combination ?

Anyone not leaving the answer to my question in inlinkz will have their name deleted to stop spammers and also people only entering for the sake of it (if you know what I mean and I don't wish to be rude in anyway).

I would like to give a huge thank you to both Heidi and Steph of Simon Says Stamp for giving me this fantastic candy again for you to win.

BasicGrey Blog Candy #20 - WINNER

Good evening ! I suspect I am here all alone 'cause the rest of the Country is watching the England match which has just started ! I think I am one of the luckiest wives around as my hubby hates sport so the football doesn't take over in our house !

Anyway, the moment you have all been waiting for, the winner of my blog candy. Without further ado the lucky winner is ........


Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

2 - Claude

Timestamp: 2010-06-12 18:36:09 UTC

Many congratulations ! Could you please email me with your full name and address and I will arrange for Steph to send your goodies to you.

I am sorry that I have no card to show you today. I have been a bit overwhelmed with life this week and so I'm taking a break this week from the BasicGrey Challenge and Simon Says Challenge on Wednesday. I shall be back in full swing though very soon so please don't give up on me altogether - smile !

The challenge this week over at BasicGrey Challenges is a colour combo of turquoise, brown and cream which was chosen by our gorgeous Heather. Please show your support for my fellow teamies and join in with our challenge this week. The girls have made some awesome cards for your inspiration.

I'll be back soon, promise !

Simon Says Challenge - A Recipe !

Good morning ! I hope those of you who were on holiday last week enjoyed themselves ? We spent the week on a family camping trip to a place just outside Poole and had a fantastic time. It's now back to everyday life with the washing and ironing to do :o(

Thank you to everyone who joined in with our Male/Father's Day Challenge last week on Simon Says Challenge.

This week we have a recipe for you :

1 Image

2 Patterned Papers ( + a contrast card for layering if you like )

3 Types of Embellishments ( you can use as many of each type as you like )



Heidi is of course giving away a fantastic shopping spree of $25 plus free P&P !

The Design Team are this week showcasing Stampavie stamps. Simon Says Stamp have the full range of these stamps in stock, just go and see !

If you have a Stampavie stamp, we would love to see it in our challenge but anything will do if not !!

The DP's are My Mind's Eye "Pretty Please".

The image is by Stampavie/Gillian Roberts and is called "Looking at You". She has been coloured with ProMarkers.

The lace is from my stash.

The crocheted flower is from my stash too although I am at the moment trying to make them myself ! I finally managed to make something yesterday which resembled a flower so I think I'm now on the right track !!

The butterfly was punched from a Martha Stewart punch, covered in Stickles and a little pearl heart added. The punches and Stickles are all available from Simon Says Stamp.

The sentiment is a Magnolia stamp and Simon Says Stamp has a HUGE range of these stamps too !

We hope you can join us in our challenge this week and I look forward to seeing your entries.

Have a fantastic week and I hope to be able to get creative again very soon !

Simon Says Challenge - Male/Father's Day Card

Happy Wednesday !

Here we are again with Simon Says Challenge ! This week's challenge is to make a male/Father's Day card.

The prize is a fabulous shopping spree in the Simon Says Stamp store with free P&P too !

I was very rude last week and forgot to mention that we have a new Guest Designer. Please welcome Marcea ! So fantastic to have Marcea with us gals on the team !

I used some lovely kraft card for the card base. The DP is DCWV "The Green Stack".

I used a Hero Arts Cling Stamp called Heart Flourishes which I heat embossed with clear embossing powder.

The main image is the tree from the Hero Arts set Trees, Birds and Messages which I heat embossed with copper embossing powder. I then edged the image with a gold leaf pen.

The ribbon and buttons are from my stash.

The sentiment was computer generated.

All these stamps can be purchased in the Simon Says Stamp Store together with thousands of other yummy goodies !

We look forward to seeing your creations for those lovely men in our lives ! The rest of the DT's cards are amazing, a real inspiration if you are stuck for ideas for Father's Day.

Thank you for your visit and for any comments you may leave.

Don't forget to enter my blog candy. If you click on the photo in my sidebar it will take you directly to the post.

Keep smilin' !!