Yay! You're preggers!

Isn't it lovely to hear some good news for a change.
My niece is expecting her first baby. We are delighted.
They don't want a fuss, but I couldn't resist a congrats card :-)

This cute Lola Rose image,  from Pink Petticoat , was perfect, and I printed her just off the edge of  my paper.
She's coloured with Copics, but don't look too closely, I haven't used them for a while.
I used some scraps of my all time favourite paper for the die cut sentiment and the thin strip of glitter down the right hand side.

Challenges.

Pixie's Playground - Use snippets
The Card Concept - Oh Baby - Clean & Simple Style
Addicted To Stamps - Make Your Mark

Huge thanks to those of you who left me a comment about my current bout of ennui.
I really appreciate your kindness and support. 
I will keep plugging away and hopefully it will come back to me:  ;-)


Supplies.
Digi Stamp - Lola Rose Blooming by Pink Petticoat
DP - DCWV Nana's Nursery, Baby Boy
Memory Box Alphabet Dies

Heaven Sent

Happy New Year everyone.
Hope you've all had a lovely time over the holidays.
Lots of eating, drinking and merriment went on here and I have the increased waistband to prove it!

Here's my first card of 2013, for someone who is expecting her first baby in a week's time. 

This is my 'go to' design for baby cards - I think it's so cute and very simple to put together.
After attaching my DP to a card blank, I use a circle nestie to cut the legs and neck, and a craft knife to cut the sides.
The edges are then trimmed with pieces from a scalloped circle die and my lace doily punch.
Finally I add some pearls for buttons and a little satin bow.

Challenges.
CASology - New
Papertake - Anything Goes
Crafty Sentiments - New
Totally Gorjuss - New

A Pastel Christmas

 My cold is finally on it's way out - it's been a real stinker, but quite short lived - I'm just struggling to get my brain into gear now!

I keep having to call my mobile to find out where I left it!!!

I did manage to concentrate long enough to make this card.

I followed the sketch over at Bling it On - well, I though I did lol** 

Just looking at it again, I have missed off the 'swag' along the bottom and haven't added the optional butterfly. I hope it's close enough to enter though. :-)
I went for pastel colours, which is the theme at Teddy Bo right now and I would also like to enter the Papertake challenge (anything goes, plus a bit of bling if you want!) and Digital Tuesday (cute and cuddly).
 

Supplies -
Teddy Bo coloured with Copics and Glamour Dust and popped up with foam tape.
Happy Christmas stamp from the Papermania 'Sleigh' Set       Gems
DP - DCWV Nana's Nursery      Marianne Snowflake Die.     Mini Xcut Punch (snowflake centres)

Sugar and Spice

We have something a little different for you over at CES today,

we are are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of Emma's little princess.
She should have made her appearance on Thursday, but is obviously still keeping all warm and snug.

So, the appropriate theme for the challenge is New Beginnings 

and it will run for the next 2 weeks.

I love this adorable Mo Manning image - she is just perfect for new baby girl cards.

Here she is coloured with Copics and some fine, silver glitter added to her wings.

Please head over to the challenge blog to see the amazing work of my fellow teamies - their cards are always an inspiration.
Check in with the challenge blog for details of the prize. 
 

Challenges -

Simon Says Stamp - Inspired by Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales

Flutter By Wednesdays - Anything goes as long as it includes a butterfly, fairy or angel.


Supplies
 6 x 6 Card Blank / Card Candy / Gems  all from Crafty Emma's
Digi Stamp - Mo Manning, Baby Fairy Flora
DP - DCWV Nana's Nursery / New Baby Stamp, Personal Impressions
Punched Flowers and Leaves / Ribbon from my stash

Yer 'avin a giraffe!

Just had to run up a quick card today, for a 1 year old.

I don't make many cards for little ones, so I was a bit stumped.

Hope that this giraffe fits the bill  :-)

When I need to make something quickly I usually turn to a sketch for inspiration - and this fab one came from Tracy Shultz over at Card Patterns.

I am also entering this for the challenges at Papertake, who have a 'Creature Comforts' theme and Ladybug Crafts, where the theme is 'Animals'.

Ladybug Crafts has gone Digi this week, so they also have a new release and a fun blog hop.

Supplies -
Digi Stamp - Dustin Pike, Birthday Giraffe, coloured with Copics.
DP - DCWV Nana's Nursery, Baby Boy/Girl
Martha Stewart Lace Border Punch
Sentiment from Craftwork Cards.
Ribbon from my stash.

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Exciting news and CES Challenge

I have some really exciting news to share with you today - 

I have been asked by Emma, to join the DT for the CES Challenge - I am so thrilled to be joining such a friendly and creative bunch of girls.

This week the challenge is 

Anything But Square

As Emma is going to be having a visit from the stork soon,

I thought these cute little babygrows would be perfect for my first DT make.

You will find an excellent step-by-step tut for these cards at Stempeleinmaleins

Check out Crafty Emma's Store for lots of gorgeous embellies.

If you're quick you can grab yourself some bargains, Emma has a 25% off sale, due to end Monday 27th June at 10am.

I used ribbon, flat back pearls, card candy, and mini button brads.


The little pink, felt bunny was something I found in my 'bits & bobs' box.

Don't forget to check out my new teamies awesome 

work over at the challenge blog

and make sure you play along

for your chance to win a £10 voucher (not incl p&p)

to spend at Crafty Emma's.

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Spots & Stripes

Morning everyone - here we are at the last Friday in June - and what a wash out it's been so far, it hasn't stopped raining up here in Yorkshire.

Your Totally Papercrafts host this week is the fabulous Vicky, 

with the theme

Spots & Stripes

This is a Trifold Pocket card, and I followed the great tutorial by Beate Johns.
I made my card a little bit taller so that I could easily fit a face mask sachet inside.

This was so quick and easy to make, it would be perfect if you had a lot of little gifts to make up. I can see it with a chocolate bar inside, or a little notepad, hot chocolate/coffee sachets, etc etc.

The cute little 'Grace & Puppy' image is from one of our sponsors this week - Digi Stamp Boutique.
I hope you will join in the fun and check out the fab work from my fellow teamies over on the challenge blog.

Challenges - 

Top Tip - Cross It

Supplies.
Stamp - Digi Stamp Boutique.
DP - DCWV Nana's Nursery
''Handmade' stamp - Catslife Press (available at Crafty Emma's Store)
Tim Holtz journaling tickets    Blooms and Card Candy from my stash.

Some birdie's thinking of you !

Happy Wednesday everyone. I am having fun today - hubby is out from under my feet, playing golf, which means I have 5 hours of crafting, before I have to spray some furniture polish around and look like I have been busy!!!

Here's my morning's work.

Finances are tight at the moment, and I am banned from craft shopping, so I dug deep into my stamp box and found this little cutie. I don't know why I have never used her before.

Challenges -
Sketch and Stash - Sue's fab sketch and my stamp, which isn't exactly 'new', but it is the first time I have used it.  Does that qualify ????
Papertake - 'Sparkly and Bright' - I have added sparkle to Lola's coat pocket and the bird, and it's hard to see, but the 'birdy' paper is covered with sparkle too!

Stamp - Rachelle Anne Millar, Lola with bird, coloured with Copics and stickles glitter.

Design Paper - DCWV Nana's Nursey, Baby Boy.   

'Birdie' Text - Impression Obsession, Life is Tweet.

The little flowers started off cream, but I coloured them with a Copic to match Lola's coat and added an adhesive pearl.   

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Comfort glittering!!

I know all about comfort eating, but is there such a thing as 'comfort glittering'?

I think so..
I don't know what happened with this card - it just doesn't seem to work for me.
So, I tried throwing glitter at it, but I'm still not feeling it!
Never mind - it's another one for the pile and I'm sure it will come in useful.

I followed the sketch over at the Penny Black Challenge.

I hasten to add that my not liking the card is NOT a problem with the sketch - 

you just have to check out the fab DT work over there to see that.
Once my card was layered up I added the hedgies,
coloured with Copics, a little glitter on the rose and some glossy accents on the balloon.
I stuck the card candy on with foam pads and then the sentiment (made on my comp),
and finally added the flowers.

I would also like to enter this for the Secret Crafter Challenge,
where the theme is 'Anything Goes'.
They have some fab, new manga stamps just arrived in their store,

so go and check them out.

When I stood back and looked at the card it wasn't quite right,
so I snipped off the wired pearls that were on the blooms and got busy with the glitter!

Stamp - Penny Black, Long Kiss

DP - DCWV Valentine's Pack

Stickles glitter. Glossy Accents. Card Candy.

Baby's Breath Blooms from Wild Orchid Crafts.