Surprise Candy...

Hi guys!  Well, it's my birthday this week and I thought I would celebrate my day by sharing some candy with my lovely followers!  There are lots of blogs that offer candy to those who click a link, or leave a comment or become a follower, but I wanted to thank those of you that have been a follower just because you've stumbled across my blog and happen to like my work!  It means so much when that number creeps up another digit or when a lovely comment is left that I thought I would give something back!  So, I have a set of Flexmarkers (Set 1), a First Edition Isabelle 6x6 paper pad and an Embossalicious 6x6 Floral Frenzy embossing folder to give away.  I wrote everyone's names on a bit of paper and pulled the winners out randomly...
The winner of the Flexmarkers is...Lizy Bartaby
The winner of the Isabelle paper pad is...Katina
And the winner of the Embossalicious folder is...Mandy!

Congratulations ladies, can you please leave a comment on this post before midnight on Friday 1st February with your email address (I will not publish the comment) so I can contact you for postal details.  (If  you do not comment before this time, I will have to redraw a winner.)

I got an early birthday treat on Sunday when I found out that I was the winner over at Stamptacular Sunday, for their Fairy Fever challenge, so that was a lovely surprise!  A huge thank you to all the organisers, design team and sponsors for making these fabulous challenges possible...and I can't wait to claim my goodies!  I have a few card orders to fulfill, so will be back as soon as I can with something to share.  Thanks for dropping by and a HUGE thank you to my lovely followers who've put up with my somewhat sporadic posting recently! I'm hoping that I'm back on track now and at least am enjoying crafting again!  Big crafty hugs, Lisa x

Whimsy Guest Designer Contest - March 2013

Hi guys!  I'm back today with something very new for me...I have decided to enter for Whimsy Inspiration Blog's Guest Designer for March 2013!!  This will be my first ever try at becoming a guest designer, so I am a bit nervous, but as the saying goes, 'If you don't try, you'll never know"!  I have a few Whimsy stamps from Chrissy's Digis and Wee stamps and love using them all, so it would be amazing to be in with a chance to work with some of the Whimsy design team and get to use some of the fabulous images from any of the Designers...
...I decided to create 2 new projects just for the contest and thoroughly enjoyed making them.  The first is using one of my all time favourite Chrissy's digi image, called Hang in There...

...I kept the card quite clean and simple, to focus on the fab image - I just love the look on this little guy's face and he colours beautifully!...

..I extended the branch in PS by copying and pasting the leaf sprig a couple of times and added a sentiment using Windsong font which reads : "Just hanging around to say..."  inside the insert reads "...Happy Birthday!"

Promarker colours used :

Skin : Satin, Tan, Cinnamon, Shale

Shell : Pastel Beige, Khaki, Moss, Ivory, Vanilla, Mustard

Branch : Sandstone, Caramel, Cocoa, Aniseed, Lime, Pear and Olive Greens

Flowers : Almond, Ducky Pink, Sunkissed Pink, Coral

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges :

I Love Promarkers - Anything Goes

The Paper Shelter - Anything Goes

So, my second card is using Sylvia Zet's Spring Bringer...

...I love how dainty and girly she is, so had to go pink!  I didn't have a frame large enough to go behind my largest oval die, so used 3 Marianne Swirls frames attached together as shown below...

...I cut 2 full frames and the central strip from a third, then glued together to create a large rectangle.  The base card is punched using Martha Stewart Eyelet Lace and I added an embossed panel, white lace and pink shimmer ribbon...

 Promarker colours used :

Skin (usual combo) : Satin, Dusky Pink, Sunkissed Pink, Coral

Hair : Sandstone, Caramel, Cocoa, Walnut

Trousers : Muted Pink, Pale Pink, Dusky Rose, Antique Pink

Top : Meadow, Leaf Green, Forest

Wings : Ivory, Vanilla   Flowers : Tulip Tellow

This card ended up quite CAS too, as I kept trying to add other embellishments and they just didn't work - maybe sometimes less is more?! Of course, I had to add a touch of Glamourdust and some adhesive pearls - they're almost my signature! 

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges :

Stampin' for the Weekend - Something Girly!

Divas by Design - Fairytale

Stamptacular Sunday - Fairy Fever!

So there we have it...I would love to be guest designer for a month and have the opportunity to showcase one or more of the fabulous Whimsy family images...so fingers crossed!  Thanks for dropping by and seeing my creations, have a great weekend, Lisa X

Happy East-aargh!..

Hi guys!  I'm back with a little altered art project to share using an empty coffee tin that's been sat in my cupboard, patiently waiting to be decorated for months now!  This is how the tin started out life...

...And this is how it looks now...

...I decided to make it into an Easter gift for my little man and intend to fill it with gold and silver wrapped chocolate treasure!  I began by wrapping the tin in pirate treasure map paper from the Boys2Men CD, trimming the edges with navy blue grosgrain ribbon, then around the centre, a band of black mesh and a paper from First Edition Boho Chic.  I made a porthole style topper using my circle nesties and added some diamante gems as rivots...

I coloured Captain Edwin using my Promarkers - here's the colours if you're interested :

Skin : Satin, Dusky Pink, Sunissed Pink, Coral (my usual combo) Dusky Rose for cheeks

Coat : Ivory, Pastel Beige, Khaki, Shale

Top : Lime Zest, Lime, Pear, Moss, Olive Greens

Cumberband and tie on hat : Red, Berry, Crimson, Burgundy

Trousers : Tea Green, Cool Aqua, Duck Egg, Marine

Boots : Sandstone, Caramel, Cocoa, Henna

Cool Greys 1 to 5

I added an achor coloured with Cool Greys and Ivory, Vanilla and Sandstone...

 On the back of the tin, I added a circle sentiment with the play on words, 'Happy East-aargh!' (You have to say this as if you are a pirate with an emphasis on the aargh! ;o)...

I finished with the pirate compass image on the top.  A fun gift, especially once filled with sweet treats and I'm sure it will be emptied rather quickly too!
I'm sat here in the freezing cold with enough layers to compete with an onion as I'm waiting for the chimney sweep to come and so can't have a fire on until he's been!!  (Why couldn't they choose to do it in May or June?)  We've had no more snow, thankfully, but it's still bitterly cold so I'm off to make a cup of tea to warm my hands up!  Hope you're all snug and warm and I'll see you soon, Lisa x
I'd like to enter my project into the following challenges :

The Squirrel and the Fox

Anything Goes (2nd entry)

Deep Ocean Challenge

Anything but Square

Crafty Catz

Aything but a Card

Here Come the Boys

Bingo

(Diagonal - Blue : ribbon, Free : die cuts, Image : Captain Edwin)

Feeling under the the weather?...

Good afternoon lovely bloggers!  We have icing sugar snow again today, hope it doesn't come to much - I'm sick of it already!  I want crocuses and daffodils, lighter days and milder weather, birds nesting and long walks...I know I shouldn't wish the year away, but I hate the Winter!  I would be happier if we got the cold weather in November and December - when the New Year comes, I'm looking forward to getting outside in the fresh air, not freezing my toes off in the snow!  Oh well, it's one thing we can't control...
...So, I've been crafting again...am I on a roll?  With the weather in mind, I decided to create a little get well card using my Papermania, Rainy Day stamp...

...I love this stamp and she colours beautifully.  I coloured her with Promarkers to coordinate with my First Edition Up, Up & Away paper pad (one of my faves and nearly all used up!)...

Promarker colours used :  Satin, Dusky Pink, Sunkissed Pink, Coral, Ivory, Vanilla, Mustard, Gold, Lime Zest, Lime Green, Pear Green, Olive Green, Tea Green, Cool Aqua, Duck Egg

I used my Martha Stewart punch to make the card base - it just gives it so much more interest and so pretty too.  I cut some cloud shapes from white felt and added some crystal effect raindrops for a bit of bling...

...I stamped the Rainy Day image on the insert using Weathered Wood distress ink, so it was a little more muted.  Once again, I'm really happy with how it turned out, so maybe my Mojo is returning?!  Thanks for dropping by to see me, it means a lot and if you'd like to leave a comment, I'd be really pleased!  Lisa x

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges :

Inky Chicks

Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday

Diamonds are Forever

(diamante gems and raindrops)

Bunny Zoe

Anything Goes

The Squirrel and the Fox 

Anything Goes

This card is available to buy in my Etsy Shop

(click the button below)

Housework? Just sweep the room with a glance...

Aaaagghhh!!  Don't know how the heck I managed it, but I just spent 20 minutes writing my blog post only to somehow delete all the content and blogger to kindly save as draft for me at the precise same moment and so I am now starting all over again!!

I hope you are all safe and warm after the snow that hit a lot of the UK yesterday - we woke to a Winter wonderland (or should that be Arctic blizzard!).  The boys were both off school and took advantage to go sledging with their mates...the worst thing about snow is that it's cold and wet!!  I spent most of my time trying to keep the house warm, mopping up wet footprints and drying clothes on the radiators in preparation for the second and third venture outside!  The snow was so light, like icing sugar, that the wind would pick it all up and blow it everywhere causing a white out - you literally couldn't see in front of you!  Little man came in with a bright red face apart from white circles around his eyes where he'd had sunglasses on!  It's much calmer here today with just a few flurries, but boy is it cold!!  It froze hard overnight, so the snow has now compacted and turned to ice, making venturing outside treacherous - not that I have, unless you count going to the doorstep for milk!

Anyway, I'm back because I have a card to share....because the snow was so bad yesterday, I sat by the fire and stamped and coloured a few images, then spent the afternoon crafting - it was nice just to craft for the enjoyment of it, something I haven't been able to do for a while and something I'm hoping to do more of.  So, here it is...

...I actually managed to colour my image with a paper pad in mind (normally I just sit colouring and then spend my time cursing that I can't find a paper to match...I know?!).  The image is Belle Hoovering by Belles n Whistles, coloured with Promarkers and the paper pads I used are First Editions Isabella and Desert Blooms...

...The base card is a Z card, or sideways easel, I like the way that these cards look when they're open as the front and back sit parallel to one another..just a bit different...

...I dug out what little flowers I have left (I feel a shopping trip to WOC coming on!) and found these coordinating mulberry paper rose and crysanthemums and filled in with some small punched paper flowers...

...Inspired by the lovely Tara Godfrey at Inking on the Edge (this girl's cards are amazing and I get such paper envy whenever I visit her blog!) I stamped and decorated the inside to match...and there you have it!  I really like the finished result and throughly enjoyed colouring and making it!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges :

My Mum's Craft Shop Challenge 1

Anything Goes

I Love Promarkers (I do, I do!)

#151 Layer it Up!

This card is for sale in my Etsy Shop

Hello Bloggers...

...and a Happy New Year to you all! I'm sorry that I have been AWOL for so long,  only I've been having a crisis of creativity and could have quite happily packed everything away, never to see the light of day again!! I don't know if it was just the time of year, or the fact that I'd been so busy in the run up to Xmas that I just didn't have the inspiration or motivation to craft?! I had a few card orders over Xmas and the new year which is probably the only reason I kept going! But it's 2013 now and I'm hoping the prospect of longer days and warmer weather (fingers crossed) will kick me in to gear!
Anyway, enough of my woes! I do have a little project to share with you - it's another box frame...I do love these...and with the hope of spring around the corner I used a daffodil picture that I drew...

...I kept it quite simple, just decoupaging the flowers and adding a bit of colour to the frame. I attached acetate to the back of the frame so that the topper looks like it's floating - I love the way the light shines through and it's now sat happily on my windowsill! I do hope to be blogging more again and that my crafty motivation returns soon, though it's going to be a bit of a year as there's plans for major work on the house which will probably cause chaos! Thanks for dropping by and I noticed that I' ve reached 50 followers -thank you so much for being patient and visiting me despite my absence..I'll have a little surprise for you in the next couple of weeks?! Until next time, Lisa x