Simon Says Challenge - Mother's Day/Girly

Good morning ! It's Wednesday again already and its time for Simon Says Challenge !

This week's challenge is a creation for Mother's Day or simply just girly !

The Design Team are showcasing Hero Arts products this week. Simon Says Stamp sells a HUGE range of Hero Arts products and their stock of Hero Arts stamps is amazing. They have all the latest releases in store. The only problem I found was choosing exactly which stamp to buy as there are so many gorgeous ones to choose from !!!

If you have any Hero Arts products you would like to use for this challenge, we would love to see them but if not, no worries, just join in the fun and make a girly card using any products you like !

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

We also have a very special Designer in the Spotlight !! Jill Foster Jill is a Hero Arts Hostess !! If you haven't visited her blog you are in for a lovely treat. It's full of fabulous ideas on how to use your Hero Arts Stamps !

The rest of the DT's cards are gorgeous and a real inspiration. Hop over and have a look !

Now I will be honest and say I did find using my gorgeous Hero Arts stamps a challenge ! I think its because I just not used to not having a coloured image as a focal point and something to work around. I took lots of inspiration from the Hero Arts blog and used various ideas on my card from other cards shown on there. So thank you Hero Arts and your designers and other lovers of Hero Arts for giving me inspiration to use my gorgeous stamps !!!

The DP's I have used are Basic Grey Origins.

The large flowery flourish is from the "Stencil Art" set of Hero Arts clear stamps. I have stamped it in white ink and added some pearls and gems. The tiny flower gems are by Hero Arts.

The large flowers have been stamped onto Basic Grey Origins papers. These flowers are from the Clear Design Printed Flowers Hero Arts stamp set. I have added buttons from my stash to the centres.

The smaller flowers are Hero Arts Neutral flowers and I have added the small flower Hero Arts gems to the centres.

The friends sentiment is from the set "Share Laughter".

The finishing touches were a piece of corrugated card brushed with white acrylic paint and my trusty string !!

I don't think I could have got anymore Hero Arty if I tried with this card !!

I'm really looking forward to seeing your girly creations and hope you can play along with us.

Don't forget we also have a challenge running in our Papercraft Planet group. You can find details of it HERE !!

Don't forget you still have time to enter my blog candy. This will be finishing on Saturday. Just click the picture in my side bar. Please don't forget to put the answer to my question next to your name in Mr. Linky. I have had a few people who are answering the question in the comments box. Thank you but it then makes it fair for everyone.

Thank you for your visit and for any comments you may leave, they always mean so much to me.

Have a great week and keep up with the sun dancing !

Ahoy There !

Well shiver me timbers, I've made a card and its still daylight !!!

Did you know that Simon Says Stamp has a group over at Papercraft Planet ? Well you do now !! Here is the link to the group page http://www.papercraftplanet.com/group/simonsaysstamp so you can keep up with the latest gossip and also take part in some challenges.

There is a challenge running over there until 14th March so you have plenty of time to join us. The challenge is a colour combo of dark brown, vanilla (cream) and teal and it can be anything you like as long as it is in these colours.

There is also a prize ! The winner will win 3 ink pads of their choice ! How fabby is that. I already know I would choose 3 of the new distress ink pads if I won but I am sure it would take me a fortnight to choose which 3 out of the 12 new ones !!

Here is my entry to the challenge :



The DP's are My Mind's Eye "Little Boy Blue" - oh yes, soooo yummy !! So yummy in fact I couldn't have a boy without a girl so I have "Mary, Mary" too !! Keep your eyes peeled for a card soon (if I can bear to cut into them !!).

The fabulous image is a Boefje stamp which Heidi has recently taken delivery of in the Simon Says Stamp Store. These stamps just add to the huge range that SSS already stocks ! You can find the full range of these fantastic, quirky stamps RIGHT HERE ! This little fella is called "Luuk" and he's an absolute darlin' to colour and yes, he's been coloured with ProMarkers !

The ribbon is from my stash.

The ticket is from the range of My Minds Eye "Little Boy Blue" and I bought my papers and tickets from Sam at Craft Island who never lets you down with such fantastic service. Sam puts packs together of paper ranges so you don't have to buy all the sheets individually. She also has packs of matching Bazzill too !

I can also enter this card for these challenges :

Cute Card Thursday - Ribbon-Tastic

Stamp Something - Receipe - Designer paper, buttons, ribbon

Quixotic Challenges - One for the Boys

Fussy and Fancy - Movies (Pirates of the Carribean maybe or even Peter Pan (I think he looks like one of the Lost Boys !)).

Thank you for your visit and for any comments you may leave. It was lovely to see you !

Have a great weekend and don't forget to enter my blog candy. All you have to do is click on the photo in my side bar and it will take you directly to Mr Linky where you can add your name !

Have fun !!

Colour Create Challenge

What a fantastic party fortnight we had at Colour Create ! Thank you so much to all of you who entered the challenge and entered my blog candy. Please check out the Colour Create Challenge Blog to find out who won what prizes and also the two guest designers that will be joining the team. Please also check out the rest of the DT's blogs as I know that some of them were also offering candy to lucky winners.

I am pleased to announce the winner of my blog candy .....


Many congratulations to KIM PIGGOTT ! Well done Kim, I shall post your goodies off to you !

It is with great sadness that I have to announce that this will be my last week with the Colour Create team. I have been with Colour Create right from day one when Tara set up the blog and it was such a hard decision but I am hoping that I might just find that extra hour in the day that we are all looking for !

I would like to thank all my teamies, past and present for their kindness, inspiration, support and all in all, just for being some of the best friends ever ! Thank you so much Sharon for everything you do for Colour Create, the hard work you put in and for keeping the challenge blog so successful. Thank you also for being such a fantastic and supportive friend. Someone please pass the tissues..... :o( !

My final challenge was chosen by the very talented and lovely Janiel

The colour combo is RED, BLACK and OFF WHITE with an optional extra of SILVER or PEWTER BRADS.

The DP's are Bo Bunny Double Dot and DCWV "The Green Stack".

The image is a Stamping Bella "Ketto" stamp called "Phoebe Ketto". I have falled in love with this gorgeous little stamps ! She has been coloured with ProMarkers. I have inked the edges of the image with black soot distress ink. I also added some stickles to her wings.

The ribbon is from my stash.

The gems are by Kaiser and I created the heart by using a Bazzill Basics template.

The sentiment is by Elzybells and was just perfect for this week. I dedicate this card to my friends on Colour Create.

There is a fantastic prize of a $15 voucher for Whimsy Stamps for a lucky winner.

Thank you for your visit and for any comments you may leave, they always mean so much.

Don't forget the blog candies I have on my blog ! Links to these candies can be found in my side bar. Just click on the pictures and they will take you to the posts - couldn't be simpler !!

Please visit the rest of the DT's blogs, their projects are just breathtaking again this week.

Much love everyone !

Simon Says Challenge

It's early........it's Wednesday morning.......it's Simon Says Challenge time !!!!

Yes, its that time of the week again when we have another fantastic challenge for you to play along with. Before I tell you more though, thank you so much to all those who entered our Happy Hello challenge and blog hop. I have announced the winner of the Cuttlebug folder (please see post below) and the winner of the grand prize will be announced on the Simon Says Stamp blog later !

This week's challenge is VINTAGE WITH FLOWERS and the DT are this week showcasing Prima flowers and boy, what a selection of Prima's Simon Says Stamp has in store ! It's like a magical garden !

We also have a special Designer in the Spotlight joining us this week. Anna "Queen of Prima" ! and former Simon Says Challenge Design Team Member is joining us !!



The DP's are by Melissa Frances. I have distressed the edges with a distressing tool and antique linen distress ink.

The frame has been made from a cereal box (!) which I cut with my nesties and then painted with picket fence crackle paint, rubbed with antique linen distress ink and then I added a coat of glossy accents, not too thick so I had a subtle shine. I must say, the cereal box was perfect !

I stamped the background of the image with a crackle stamp in antique linen distress ink and then cut out and placed beautiful, sparkly Tilda in the frame. She has been coloured with ProMarkers and I added some stickles to her wings.

The flowers are all Prima and you can find the ones I used here I added some pearl glimmer mist to them and added some pearl brads, raffia and punched leaves from a Woodware punch and Martha Stewart punch.

All the pearls are by Kaiser

The butterflies have been punched from vellum with a MS punch, pearls and stickles added.

The ticket is a Tim Holtz adage ticket which I distressed.

The lace is from my stash.

There is a fantastic prize of a $25, P&P free shopping spree in the Simon Says Stamp Store which Heidi is very generously giving to the winner.

Yet again, my fellow DT'ers have done an a.m.a.z.i.n.g job with their creations this week, you must hop over and visit them and prepared to be inspired !

I am also entering my card into the following challenges :

Stamp Something - Touch of Spring Somethings

Allsorts - Tag, Ticket or Label

Spoonful of Sugar - Distress inks, Pearls and Glitter

Creative Belli Blog - CBC85 Butterflies/Dragonflies

Crafty Creations Challenges - Cut it out and pop it up !

My Time to Craft Challenge - In the Frame

Thank you so much for your visit and for any comments you may leave. As always, they mean so much.

Don't forget the blog candies I have on my blog ! Links to these candies can be found in my side bar. Just click on the pictures and they will take you to the posts - couldn't be simpler !!

WINNER - Simon Says Stamp Blog Hop Candy

Thank you for entering this blog candy. The winner of their choice of Cuttlebug folder is......

BRENDA BROWN Many congratulations. Could you please visit the Simon Says Stamp Store and choose a Cuttlebug folder and then email me with your full name, address and choice of folder and I will arrange for Steph to post it to you.

BasicGrey Blog Candy # 13

THIS BLOG CANDY IS NOW CLOSED

Here are some cards I have made with this fantastic froggy stamp set !! If you click on the images they should become larger so you can see them in more detail !




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. 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 !

This blog candy will be open to everyone Worldwide (including all DT members of both challenge blogs) until Saturday 6th March 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 going to start using Mr Linky 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.

This fortnight's question is : What is (or was) your worst crafting purchase ?

I think mine has to be the mountains of peel-offs I have stored away ! Why are these always a "crafting essential" when you start and everyone recommends you get a load ?!!!!! hehehehe

For example, you would leave your answer as Jo Nevill (Peel-offs)

Anyone not leaving the answer to my question 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.

Good luck !

BasicGrey Blog Candy # 12 - WINNER

Thank you to all those of you who entered my BasicGrey Blog Candy. Unfortunately there can only be one winner and that lucky person is......

Congratulations to Cheryl ! Could you please email me with your name and address so I can arrange for Steph at Simon Says Stamp to post your goodies off to you.

BasicGrey Challenges

I hope you have all enjoyed half term week and you have been able to get out and about ? We have had a good busy week meeting up with friends, going to the cinema, day trips etc. The weather on the other hand has been dreadful, very heavy rain. Would have been better had we had snow I reckon !

Anyway, onto this fortnight's BasicGrey Challenge. This challenge we have a colour combo for you .......



At first I thought it a bit strange but its a fantastic and gorgeous colour combo once you get going !!






I followed the sketch on Mojo Monday and so I've decided to enter that challenge also. I just loved the layout of this and hope to use it again.

The DP's are BasicGrey Lemonade.

The maroon card is from a pack of Core'dinations.

The image is by Penny Black and I have coloured it with ProMarkers.

The sentiment is from a pack of mini BasicGrey stamps which were available last year. I think they were called "Gamma Stamps".

The lace is from my local market.

The pearls are from my stash.

The rest of the DT have made cards that will inspire you no end. Please pop over to the blog to have a look and pay them a visit. There is also the most amazing prize to be won courtesy of Simon Says Stamp !

Don't forget the blog candies I have on my blog and also the blog hop and fantastic prize on offer for Simon Says Stamp/Simon Says Challenge. Links to all these candies can be found in my side bar. Just click on the pictures and they will take you to the posts - couldn't be simpler !!

Thank you so much for your visit and for any comments you may leave. As always, they mean so much.

Have a great weekend and keep warm !

Simon Says HAPPY HELLO and Recipe Challenge

THIS BLOG HOP AND BLOG CANDY ARE NOW CLOSED !

What a silly billy I am ! I accidentally turned off my comments box to this post when I published it so I'm sorry if you have been looking for it ! All is now restored !!

Wow, this certainly is the place to be if you want to win prizes !!

To celebrate the newest members of Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog, the Design Team members are participating in a blog hop, to inspire you and introduce our newest team members !!!

If you didn't start at the blog hop at the beginning, then you want to head back to Simon Says Stamp Challenge Blog so you do not miss anything. At each blog, there will be a mystery letter - collect all of the letters, unscramble them and post your answer at the end. Be sure to follow the blog hop all the way to the end, for a chance to win. When you get to the Simon Says Stamp Blog, leave a comment that you hopped to ALL blogs, and the mystery phrase and you will be entered to win. At EACH blog you need to leave a comment - this will get you a chance to win your choice of 1 Cuttlebug embossing folder at EACH blog AND an entry into the GRAND PRIZE !! You MUST enter the challenge to win !!! Be sure to follow the blog hop all the way to the end for your chances to win. When you get to the Simon Says Stamp Blog, leave a comment that you hopped to all blogs, entered the challenge (we will check !!) and you will be entered to win a fabby grand prize !

The grand prize is a SIZZIX BIG SHOT or a $50 voucher to spend in the Simon Says Stamp Store courtesy of Simon Says Stamp Superstore !!!!!! The choice is yours !! What an absolutely fantastic prize !



This week, the DT are showcasing Stampabilities stamps which include House Mouse, Happy Hopper and Gruffies. If you do not have any of these stamps, no worries, you can still join us in this week's challenge but use the recipe in your creation. If you do have any of the Stampabilities stamps, we would love to see them !

Here is my card for this week's recipe challenge. The recipe to follow is 3 embellishments, 2 papers and 1 image - such an easy recipe to follow !

The DP's are DCWV "The Green Stack".

The image is a House Mouse image called "Stamp, Stamp, Stamp"! Simon Says Stamps sells a huge range of House Mouse, Gruffies and Happy Hopper stamps and you can find the stamp I used for sale HERE ! I coloured the image with ProMarkers and then distressed and inked the edges with antique linen distress ink.

The postcard image was a free download.

The twill ribbon is by Melissa Frances.

The leather button belonged to my Grandad and is from my button tin of ancient buttons given to me by my Grandma when she died.

The little label is from a bag of labels by Fancy Pants. I inked the edges, added some transfer letters and a bit of tatty string !

Don't forget you need to both enter our challenge AND comment on all the blogs to be in with a chance of winning that grand prize of the Sizzix Big Shot. You can now pre-order from Simon Says Stamp the brand new Tim Holtz Alterations Movers and Shapers Dies for the Sizzix - can you imagine not only receiving the Big Shot as a prize but also being able to purchase these brand new dies to go with it - awesome as they say in the USA !!!

Thank's for stopping by ! Have fun and good luck !!!!

The MYSTERY LETTER for my blog is H

Now hop over to the amazing Lol's blog and see what inspiration she has for you over there !

Don't forget to enter my BasicGrey Blog Candy ! You can enter if you click HERE !

Don't forget to enter my Colour Create Blog Candy ! You can enter if you click HERE !

PLEASE USE MR LINKY BELOW TO ENTER MY BLOG CANDY OF YOUR CHOICE OF CUTTLEBUG FOLDER AND PLEASE LINK YOUR CREATION YOU HAVE MADE FOR OUR CHALLENGE ON YOUR BLOG TO BE IN WITH A CHANCE OF WINNING THE GRAND PRIZE SO I CAN EASILY CHECK YOU HAVE ENTERED OUR CHALLENGE !

Happy Christmas ?

I think that should really mean "Happy Valentine's Day" !

Are you having and good day and being spoilt rotten ? I was given the most beautiful card by my DH this morning and I told him that he ought to take up crafting with me 'cause it must have cost him a fortune. He then proceeded to remind me that the card I gave him (which was lovingly handmade) had probably cost him in excess of £40 so perhaps buying one was the quicker and cheaper option ! There's no romance left, is there ?!!!!

Anyway, back to Christmas..... my fabby good friend Lols suggested perhaps I join in the ABC Christmas Challenge this week as the theme is "Decoration". Lols sent me a gorgeous Christmas card with a "must have" stamp on it and I managed to get my gluey little fingers on one from e-bay and so when it arrived, I made a card straight away but put it away for next year ! Lols pursuaded me to get it out for this challenge !!!




I am sorry, I have no idea who makes the red paper, it was in my scraps tray. The silvery coloured paper is BasicGrey.

The stamp is by Magenta and I believe is called "Holly Ornament". I heat embossed this with sparkly black embossing powder and then added some Stickles for extra sparklies.

The ribbon is from my stash and the sentiment you can hardly see is by Hero Arts !

Enjoy the rest of your romantic day and thank you so much for your visit and for any comments you may leave.

Don't forget to enter my BasicGrey Blog Candy ! You can enter if you click HERE !

Don't forget to enter my Colour Create Blog Candy ! You can enter if you click HERE !

See you again soon !