Simon Says Challenge - Coffee and Cream

I'm still hoping that Mr Blogger is behaving himself and going to publish my post on time (or even at all !!).

Welcome to another Simon Says Challenge ! Thank you to everyone who joined in with our "Make Your Own Embellishment" challenge last week, we had loads of amazing entries.

This week, we have a colour combo for you, COFFEE AND CREAM. The Design Team are showcasing Whiff of Joy stamps for you this week. If you have any Whiff of Joy stamps, we would love to see them but it isn't necessary for this challenge.

Speaking of the Design Team, we have a brand new member in our family. Please welcome the ultra talented and famous, DawnyP ! Welcome to the team Dawny !

As always, we have a super prize of a shopping spree in the Simon Says Stamp Store !

The Whiff of Joy image I used is called "Willow with Flower Basket" and she has been coloured with a mixture of ProMarkers and Copics.

The DP's are BasicGrey "Cappella".

The seam binding, button and flowers are all from my stash. I did spray the rose with some Coffee Shop Glimmer Mist.

The rest of the DT's cards are all amazing, please hop over and have a look.

Thank you for your visit and for any comments you may leave. They are all appreciated greatly !

Papertake Weekly - Dawny's Sketch

I am hoping that Mr Blogger is behaving himself and is publishing this post for me ! I'm out and about with the kiddos this week being half term so I want him to do his stuff for me !

Thank you to everyone who joined in with our challenge of Putting on the Glitz last week. We had loads of fabulously sparkly projects !

This week, on Papertake Weekly, we have a fabulous sketch by Dawny !

Now I think when I was moving my basket of stamps, all the Greeting Farm ones must have come up to the top (perhaps they are lighter than the others ?!!) as I found this little beauty, very neglected at the top of the basket. Perhaps the stamps actually come to life like in Toy Story and work their way up to the top in the hope of being used ?

Anyway, I digress !! This is stunning Anya and she has been coloured with the mixture of ProMarkers and Copics. I have paper pieced her umbrella.

If you look very closely (may need a magnifying glass for this one), you might be able to see that I tried to recreate rain drops from glossy accents. It actually looks pretty nifty in real life !

The sentiment is by Hero Arts.

The scrummy papers are the new My Mind's Eye "Stella Rose" Collection and these are from the "Hazel" pad. I just love them all, each one is just so yummy.

The lacy stuff is from my stash.

The flowers I believe are from Wild Orchid Crafts.

We are this week being sponsored by the fabulous Simon Says Stamp

We hope you can join us in our challenge this week and we look forward to seeing your amazing projects.

Thank you for your visit, have a fabulous week !

BasicGrey Challenges - Heather's Sketch

Good morning and welcome to a very exciting fortnight for BasicGrey Challenges ! We are all excited because we have a new BasicGrey Challenges family. We now have 9 new DT members including Sandie who kindly agreed to say with us after her Guest Design slot ! Hop over to the challenge blog to see who our new DT members are !

This week, Heather has designed a gorgeous sketch for us to follow :

I'm desperately trying not to spend any money between now and the NEC show in March and like most of us, I have stamps that I have bought and never even inked up ! This little Critter from The Greeting Farm called "Tuesday" came to the top of my stamp basket and so I decided to use her. I wasn't really in a pink and girly mood anyway so she was perfect ! I actually know a couple of teenagers who which card would be perfect for ! She has been coloured with Copics and ProMarkers.

The DP's are BasicGrey "Eerie" - see, not just for Halloween !!

The ribbon is from a present I received for Christmas.

The sentiment is from a Whimsey ticket set (Christmas one !).

The flowers have been cut with a Sizzix flower die and scrunched. The brads in the centres are by BasicGrey.

Please hop over to the challenge blog and look at our new Design Team's cards, they are just gorgeous and so inspirational, I am so proud of them all (**plumps out enormous chest** !!)

We hope you can join us this fortnight. We are being sponsored by the fabulous Simon Says Stamp with a $25 shopping spree in store for the lucky winner.

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

Have a great weekend and for everyone in the UK, enjoy half term and the kiddos being at home !

Simon Says Challenge - Make Your Own Embellishment !

Well, here we are again, it's Wednesday already and its time for another Simon Says Challenge !

For our challenge this week, we want to see you Make Your Own Embellishment !

Heidi is again giving away a $50 shopping spree in the Simon Says Stamp Store to the lucky winner !

I decided to make a gift box for this week's challenge and made most of the embellishments myself !

I used a Sizzix die to actually make the box (a very good investment even if I say so myself) these boxes are so easy and quick to make.

I used a sheet of 12x12 Tim Holtz Vintage Shabby DP.

The lace is from my stash.

The tag is a Tim Holtz Manila Tag which I have covered with Vintage Photo distress ink and tissue tape down the sides. I stamped the tag with an unknown flourish stamp I have. I also added a piece of film strip.

The flower behind the clay embellishment is a Prima Artistry Flower Old Script.

The clay embellishment was made from clay and a push mould. I painted it when dry with some pearl paint and then added some Vintage Photo Distress Ink over the high spots.

The butterflies have been punched from a Martha Stewart punch.

The seam binding is from my stash and was originally cream until I dyed with some Watermelon alcohol ink and blending solution.

The sentiment is a Melissa Frances transfer.

As always the rest of the Design Team have made some super duper cards for your inspiration - hop over and take a look !

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

Take care and see you again soon.

Papertake Weekly - Putting on the Glitz

Before I tell you all about this week's Papertake Weekly Challenge, I would just like to say thank you for all your kind words in my previous post. I am pleased to say that Mollie went on her school trip and returned safely. I don't think it was a patch on the Brownie Camps she has been on but it was "an experience" I'm just so pleased she is now back home with us.

So onto this week and our theme is "Putting On The Glitz"

It's time to get out the glitter, sparkles, gems etc and just generally bling up your work.

We are being sponsored by Digital Delights this week !

The gorgeous image is of course by Lili of the Valley and I just thought it fitted this theme perfectly. I quite often find my girls doing this the downside being that my makeup is usually all over the place ! I have coloured her with Copics and ProMarkers and a Spica pen too for sparkle but it doesn't show in the photo. The mirror is covered with glossy accents.

The gorgeous papers are the new ones by My Minds Eye and these ones are called "Gertie" and are from the Stella Rose collection. I have also used some BasicGrey Manilla too.

The seam binding is from my local market and I coloured it myself using watermelon alcohol ink.

The sentiment is a Melissa Frances transfer. Simon Says Stamp sell sheets of these and I just love them all ! You can find them here.

The bling is from my stash and I made a homemade swirl !

The rest of the DT's cards and projects are just gorgeous. Hop over and take a look !

We hope you can join us in our challenge this week and look forward to seeing your bling !

Take care and see you back here again tomorrow !

I am also entering my card for the Lili of the Valley Challenge as Dawny has the most gorgeous sketch over there that I followed.

Simon Says Challenge - Anything but a Card !

Good morning, so sorry I am running late. I hadn't realised until now that this must be one of the hardest posts I've had to write. I've just come back from school after saying bye, bye to Mollie as she has gone on a school trip to Wales for a few days and here I am posting an album page of my two beautiful girls I have made for this week's Simon Says Challenge and her gorgeous face just keeps looking at me.

I should be hardened to it by now as she is away with Brownies all the time on trips away from home but I still fall in a heap and cry my eyes out when I get in the car and then behind my front door ! Perhaps I should have made something else, it didn't occur to me when I made it that I would be posting it on the same day she left !!

Anyway, firstly we would like to introduce you to a new member of our team
Kathy Racoosin who is also a designer for Penny Black. You probably all know her but just in case you don't her blog is here........The Daily Marker..........pay her a visit and see her wonderful creations.

This week our challenge is ANYTHING BUT A CARD and the Design Team are featuring Tim Holtz products so if you have any of his fantastic products, we would love to see them ! As always though, its not a condition of the challenge.

As always, there is an amazing $50 shopping spree for the lucky winner in the Simon Says Stamp Store and you can be one of the first to get hold of all those yummy new products that have been released at the CHA show.

There isn't a huge amount I can say about this layout apart from I made it in the same way as I made the mini album I made last year for a challenge. I have made it in the same way so I can just add this page to the album. I have just listed below all the Tim Holtz products I have used on it.

Tim Holtz : Blending tool, Vintage Photo Distress Ink, Worn Lipstick Distress Ink, Tattered Rose Distress Ink, Vintage Shabby Papers, Picket Fence Crackle Paint, Grunge Paper, Glossy Accents, Foliage Flowers and Leaves Hardware, Traveler Tissue Tape, Ranger Adirondack Paint Dabber Gold Metallic Acrylic, Ornate Plates, Book, Hardware, Frame, Label, Adage Tickets, Journaling Tickets, Hinge Clips, Elegant Florishes Die

We look forward to seeing all your projects for our challenge. As always the rest of the Design Team have made some amazing projects for your inspiration. Please visit them and leave them some love !

Thank you for your visit today and for any comments you leave. They always mean so much.

Right, off to make myself busy. I am sure she is having a wonderful time already and not even missing me !

Papertake Weekly - Have a Heart !

Good morning ! Welcome to another Papertake Weekly Challenge !

"Our challenge this week is "Have a Heart" and quite simply we just want to see something heart shaped on your card or included somewhere in your work. This could be as part of the design paper, or a heart shaped embelly or die cut or punch – whatever you want to use. As always, it’s up to you.

Sadly this is True’s last week with us as she has so much on that she has unfortunately had to step down from the DT. Thanks you sweetie for all the fabulous work you’ve done for us and we will miss it and you loads xxx

We have a brand new GDT for you as well this week and they are Lisa and Karen. Welcome girlies and we hope you enjoy your stay with us" .

We are being sponsored by Whiff of Joy this week and they are giving us this gorgeous stamp to our lucky winner

Yet again, I have been unable to resist those Trimcraft "First Edition Paper - Love Letters" papers, they are just gorgeous !

The image is an old Whiff of Joy image called "Melinda Blowing Kisses". She has been coloured with Copics and ProMarkers.

The sentiment is from the Kaisercraft clear sentiment sets I bought from the NEC

The flowers are a mixture from my stash and Wild Orchid Crafts and the heart doily is also from my stash. I think I bought that at the NEC or Ally Pally ! I sprayed it with some marshmallow glimmer mist - yum !

The heart pearls are also from my stash.

The rest of the DT have made some amazing cards for your inspiration again this week. Please hop over to their blogs and have a look.

We hope you can join in with us this week and we look forward to seeing your hearts !

BasicGrey Challenges - All Heart

Wow, what a rough day we have here today. It's blowing a hooley out there and throwing it down with rain and sooo dark. I guess that means no good photos again today then ?!!

It is a good excuse though to join in with our challenge over at BasicGrey Challenges ! Our challenge this fortnight is all about ♥ HEARTS ♥, we want to see hearts on your projects in whatever form you like whether it be on the papers, ribbon, embellishment, image etc. but please do remember you do have to use one BasicGrey product to qualify for our prize !

The prize is of course a fantastic $25 shopping spree in the Simon Says Stamp Store ! Heidi, Steph and Sarah have just returned from the CHA show armed with new goodies for the store so what a perfect time to win this spree !

Thank you to everyone who has entered the last two BasicGrey Challenges of Spots and Dots and Flower Power and to all those who have entered our DT call. We were blown away with the number of entries to both challenges and especially the number of DT applications we received. Due to the high number of entries and the depleted number of Design Team members we would like to apologise if anyone didn't receive a comment this challenge as we have been struggling to keep up !! The DT call is now closed and we will be emailing the lucky applicants as soon as we can so keep your eyes peeled for an email !!

I have used BasicGrey "Olivia" DP's.

The image is by CC Designs and is called "Rosalie with Roses". This is an image from last year but I still love her ! She has been coloured with ProMarkers and Copics. She has hearts on her dress too !

The heart under the flowers I made from grunge paper. It has picket fence crackle paint on it. Does anyone else find this a pain to use ? Both my pots are so thick and gloopy and you literally have to spread it on like butter !! It dries OK with lovely cracks but then it starts dropping off whatever I have painted ! Why doesn't Tim's do this ????

The flowers are a mixture from my stash and Wild Orchid Crafts.

The sentiment is from a clear set by Kaisercraft I bought from the NEC.

The rest of the DT have made some amazing cards again for you this week. Please take a look and leave them a comment. All the team has been so poorly this past week with coughs, colds, migraines and everything else going around and have struggled to make their cards for this challenge so I would like to thank them all personally for their hard work and committment. I love you all girls ! xxxx

We hope you can join us in our challenge and we look forward to seeing your amazing creations again !

Thank you for your visit and have a great weekend.

I am also entering my card for these challenges :

Polkadoodle - With Heart
Raise the Bar - Hearts
Simply Create - Give Your Heart Away

Simon Says Challenge.....Love Is In the Air !

Welcome to another Simon Says Challenge ! Wow, don't the week's just zip by ?!

This week, LOVE IS IN THE AIR so we would like to see all your love creations !

The DT have made some amazing cards and projects for your inspiration this week, please hop over and have a look and give them some of your love too !!

As always, there is an amazing $50 shopping spree for the lucky winner in the Simon Says Stamp Store and you can be one of the first to get hold of all those yummy new products that have been released at the CHA show. Heidi, Steph, Lols and the rest of the team, well, not all of us :o( are on their way back now as we speak clutching those all important orders !

I have again used those scrummy Trimcraft "First Edition - Love Letters" DP's.

The image is of course one of my faves at the moment, an MFT "Pure Innocense" stamp called "Box of Love"which has been coloured with ProMarkers and Copics. I have also added some rock candy Stickles and diamond Stickles to the chocolates to make them good enough to eat ! I also used my favourite nesties too, lacey squares.

The scallop edge at the bottom has been cut using one of the new MFT die-namics dies called "Small Scallop Border". I can highly recommend these dies, they cut like a dream in my bug, even the intricate ones like the doily's.

The buttons I made using a heart punch, craft pick, glossy accents and some twine.

The lace is from my stash.

I followed the sketch over at Sketch Saturday (well, after rotating it !) for my card so I am entering that challenge.

We hope you can join us this week and we look forward to seeing you.

I'm off now for some brekkie and a nice hot cup of coffee, my hands are freeeeezing !

Take care and have a great day and thank you so much for your visit !