A Break

I'm not going to be publishing anything on this blog for a while as I'm taking a break from it. Things are becoming too much and I just don't get enough time to keep up with it.

Thanks to everyone who visits, I appreciate all your lovely comments.

Sketch and Stash Challenge 11

Oooh its been a mad week I haven't got half as much done this week as I wanted. We are off to Devon a week tomorrow....hooray !!! and its like trying to organise a military operation sorting out all the stuff we need to take for Megan. How can such a little person need so much stuff ! Maybe I'm being a bit over-organised but she has got shorts if it's hot, a raincoat in case it rains, cardigans in case it's cold, proper shoes, sandals, swimming cozzie, combat trousers, jeans, you name it it's in the case! Maybe we should have booked a 3 bedroom caravan for all the stuff I plan on taking.

I haven't had much time to fit in any crafting this week, I've had a couple of orders to finish and a few extra wedding invites for my friend to do. It's my mum's birthday on Monday so I dug out the quilling box and made her a lovely card with quilled roses and made a box for it. It isn't really my style but I know she will love it.

I did really want to fit in this week's challenge though over at Sketch and Stash because I really liked the look of the sketch. Megan went to Grandma and Grandads for the day today so in between the hoovering, ironing and cleaning out the fridge I managed to make this although I'm not entirely happy with it but I can't pinpoint why !!

Papers - New 2009 Doodlebug collection

Image - Greeting Farm Pretty Hat Anya coloured with Copics

Flowers and ribbon from my stash

Now if I can just manage to get this week's Mojo challenge done too I will be happy !

Mojo Monday Sketch Week 87

My front room is an absolute pigsty as hurricane Megan has been through it and wreaked destruction but I'm turning my back on it for five to post my challenge while she is having a little sleep. I was tempted to go to sleep with her but I probably won't be able to sleep thinking there are millions of other things I should be doing. Sometimes I wish I had an on/off switch for my brain to just be able to chill out and relax or even an on/off switch for Megan when she gets too boisterous !!!

Can't believe we are round to this week's sketch again at Mojo Monday more importantly I cannot believe I've had chance to do it for TWO weeks in a row, I'm in danger of becoming organised...or perhaps not !

I enjoyed this sketch and I used a Stamping Bella Ketto stamp for it. I love the image but I found it a bit awkward to colour with Copics, it was a bit fiddly. I'm still pleased with the finished result though and although it took me ages I'm finally happy with the colour scheme.

Anyway this was the sketch and this was my take on it:-

Papers - SEI Chick a Doo

Image - Ivy Ketto from Stamping Bella coloured with Copics

Embossing folders - paisley and swiss dots

Card candy dots from Craftwork Cards

Punch - Fiskars Threading Water punch

Ribbon from my stash

Pink is Back !

I've been really good lately getting out of my comfort zone and making cards in colours I don't normally use but I've been having pink withdrawals and really needed to make a card with some pink in it to make me feel better :) The jury is still out on whether I actually like this card but I think it's kinda growing on me the more I look at it.

My friend asked me to make a card for her for her daughter and this is it. My brief was turquoise and butterflies but I added a bit of pink in because every girl loves pink....I hope !

Image: Stampendous stamp from my stash coloured with Copics

Cardstock and ribbon from my stash

Card candy dots from Craftwork Cards

Sentiment - computer generated

Sketch Saturday #51 and more Patti Picklicious

I've never had such a productive weekend, it's been brilliant. I've had loads of chance to play with my Copics and even managed to enter another challenge and believe me this is unprecedented for me !

This is the sketch over at Sketch Saturday this week and I knew the perfect stamp I wanted to use on it.

I'd already printed off some more scrummy Patti papers and I decided on an oriental theme cos this is just so far out of my comfort zone and I fancied a challenge.....and not a hint of pink in sight, I am so proud of myself !!!

This is yet another Greeting Farm stamp, Geisha Anya....oh and while we are on the subject of Anya I was gutted to have missed the release of the gorgeous Rain Snow Shine Anya stamp set. I was browsing the tinternet yesterday as you do and found it had been released on 15 May but I can't find it anywhere aaaaaargh. It is out of stock everywhere I look and I NEED it !!! Geisha Anya is lovely though and I had real fun colouring her in.

Here is the finished result. I will definitely be going more oriental in future it was a great card to make.

Papers and sentiment from Patti Picklicious CD by Kirsty Wiseman

Image - The Greeting Farm Geisha Anya, coloured with Copics

Ribbon and blooms from my stash

Patti Picklicious and Sketch & Stash Challenge 10

Wow I can't believe I have managed to get another sketch challenge done today and I absolutely LOVED this one. I finally got chance to use my fabulous Patti Picklicious papers from the Choc Fudge Sundae collection and if you haven't got a copy of this CD it's an absolutely must and it can be found here. It is designed by the very talented Kirsty Wiseman and I can't rave about it enough !

Anyway I couldn't resist doing some more colouring with my Copics although I'm not sure this image is that brilliant but it's only my third one so things can only get better right?! It's one of the stamps from The Greeting Farm Miss Anya collection which I have been waiting for for soooooo long and it was well worth the wait.

I found this sketch on the Sketch and Stash Blog and this is what I have come up with for it:-

Papers from the Patti Picklicious Printables CD by Kirsty Wiseman

Stamp - The Greetings Farm Miss Anya Collection

Circle sentiment from Craftwork cardsRibbon from my stash

Pink Bazzill card (but I can't remember which colour!) embossed on the Big Shot

Mojo Monday Sketch Week 86

It has been absolutely ages since I last entered a sketch challenge, I just never seem to get around to it but I decided today that it would be nice just to play around and do a card just for the hell of it ! I also wanted some more practice with my Copics and one of my new Greetings Farm stamps.

I've managed to finish colouring two images with my Copics now and I am hooked. It is soooo therapeutic just colouring in. I've still got a long way to go but I don't think this one looks too bad and it was a really fab stamp to colour.

This is the sketch over at Mojo Monday this week and I've spent a thoroughly enjoyable morning just messing about doing it. Beats doing the ironing anyday !

and this is what I have come up with:-

Papers: American Crafts Backyard Collection
Punch: Fiskars Threading Water Scallop Punch
Nestability Frames
Stamp: The Greeting Farm Pretty Hat Anya coloured in with Copics
Faux stitching using brown fine liner
Inked around the edges using Versacolour Bark mini inkpad

Now I'm off to do some more colouring !

Some Fabulous Blog Candy

Well the weather is crap, Megan is having her morning kip so I've made myself a cuppa, pulled up a chair and done a bit of blog hopping which I don't seem to have had chance to do for ages.

I've just come across Debbie's blog which is an absolute inspiration. She is a very talented lady and her work is an inspiration. To celebrate her birthday she is giving away some amazing blog candy so be sure to pop over and have a look, you've gotta be in it to win it as they say !

I've started to play with my Copics now and oh my god what a mess ! I didn't realise colouring could be so hard :( I've been checking out the tutorials I have found on the internet and I tried to follow but I ended up with really harsh lines and couldn't seem to blend them properly. I've ordered some better paper and hopefully that will help. To be fair I had another go later on and it didn't look quite as bad lol !

Off to do some more blog hopping now, who knows when I will get another chance !

More New Cards

Well the bedtime hour is now over, I've watched Charlie and Lola and In the Night Garden for the fourth time today and Megan is now sound asleep.....peace at last! Rich is settling down to watch the footie and it's time for a bit of me time.

Here is another card I've made using the forthcoming Refresher e-kit from Making Handmade Cards It took me absolutely ages to do this card, nothing I tried seemed to work but I'm kind of happy with the result now. Only thing is with all my faffing about I forgot to put a sentiment on so I guess you could use it for any occasion....other than perhaps your husband's birthday :)

I can't stop going on about how lovely the colours are in this kit and purple and turquoise isn't a combo I've used before but I will definitely use it again.

Refresher Kit and Promotion

Firstly I just want to say thanks so much to Claire and Jo for inviting me to be an Official Designer for Making Handmade Cards I'm chuffed to bits that they think my work is good enough and I'm looking forward to playing with more of their yummy e-kits.

Be sure to check out the site for loads of hints and inspiration plus some gorgeous printable e-kits plus if you sign up to the newsletter there may be a few freebies chucked in too !

This is a card I have made with the soon to be released Refresher Kit. I loved working with this kit, the colours are so zingy and fresh and the kit has a real summery feel to it. I've shown this card first cos it's one of my faves, using a sketch I've had in my folder for ages. I've got out of the habit of using sketches lately but I find they really help when I've got crafters block and am really stuck for inspiration.

Papers and butterfly elements from Refresher e-kit soon to be released from Making Handmade Cards

Circles and scalloped circles were made using Nestabilities

Card candy dots available from Craftwork Cards

Edges scalloped using Fiskars scalloped edge punch