Welcome 2011!!

2010 was a very manic year for me, so I am looking forward to a more settled and organised year in 2011 :D

Yeah right!! I said that like I really believed it didn't I hahaha! Given up on most of my resolutions before I've even made them, why waste the will power?

Any way, as Glitterbabe isn't restarting her challenge til next week, I thought I'd make a quick card for a few challenges with a couple of her images. You might want to check out her shop, as she has been busy revamping and adding new images for the new year:D

The images are "Birthday wish+cupcake" and "SWAK"(which I have used to make the" kissy" patterned paper). The striped paper is from DCWV, and I used that as my colour pallete when colouring the kissy paper with promarkers.

Promarker colours used;

Tan, Pear Green, Cocktail Pink: Autumn collection

Denim Blue : Winter collection

Pastel Pink : Pastel collection

The sparkle is a little subtle, but it is there :D

Challenges I am entering are;

Corrosive Challenge#96 "Bling it on"

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday#98 Pearls

MAWTT#79 Birthday and Circles

Tuesday Morning Sketches#74

Stamping Vacations Clean n Simple Challenge# 3 of anything

I would also like to take time to remind you that you still have chance to enter Creative Cowgirls Christmas Hop which closes tomorrow. Winners will be announced on monday 3rd jan :D

Here's wishing you all a great 2011 XXX

Creative Cowgirls Christmas Hop!!!

Yeehaw!! The Cowgirls are ready to hop with this fortnights challenge :D Now we know there are a lot of hops going on at the moment, so we thought we would keep ours ""Short n Sweet". Only 7 dt to visit, and then back to the challenge blog!! You should have arrived here from Bettina's Blog.

We have been given images by Roberta at Prairie Fairy for our Hop Challenge#"Christmas/Winter". I got this gorgeous Candy Cane Fairy, isn't she just the sweetest thing?

The winner of this Hop Challenge will be receiving this fantastic box of festive ribbons from the fabulous folk at Crafty Ribbons
along with 2 images of their choice from Prairie Fairy!!

Another 3 entries will also be chosen to receive 1 image each of their choice from the ever generous Roberta at Prairie Fairy Designs!

And just because we can, we are also giving away Candy this challenge! All you have to do is post this badge on your blog with your challenge entry (and leave some love on each of the DT blogs) for a chance to win :D

So A Little Hop with loads of chances to win a prize!!! Your next stop is Jovita's Blog

I am entering my card for the following challenges;

Critter Sketch Challenge#44 "No pattern papers"

Digital Tuesdays#89"Sparkling Christmas"

Flourishes Timeless Tuesdays#97 seasonal sweets

Flutter By Wednesdays#135 Anything with wings/Open theme

Stamping Vacation# No No Challenge "no punches"(all pieces cut with scissors)

:D XXX

So, you wanted a puppy!!

This is the last "Family" card I have to make this year, but I know that this image, "Bruiser" from Digi's With Attitude! is just perfect for my sister-in-law :D She has a dog called a "Neopolitan Mastif" (read MASSIVE), and he looked just like Bruiser as a pup.

Top tip: Print/stamp animal images onto coloured/textured paper then shade with inks and pens to get a good "solid" finish.

I am entering it for the following challenges;

DWA!#11 "Anything Christmassy"

Cute Card Thursday#143"one for the Kids" (what kid doesn't want a puppy)

Crafty Ann's Challenge#30 Anything Goes

Fab n Funky#53 "Quick n Easy"

Crafty Purple Frog#"Nearly Christmas"

: D XXX

Peppermint Kisses!

Jen at JLJ Designs is the sponsor for this weeks Glitterbabes "Snow/Snowflake" Challenge, and she is giving an awesome 3 images and 1 digi paper pack as a prize!!! If you have any of the many freebies Jen has given away in the past, why not use them for this challenge? I'm sure she would love to see how you use them :D

Jen gave us 2 lovely images to work with , and I've chosen "Candycane Bunny" Sooo Sweet!

Instead of the traditional red n white, I've used pastel blue n mint green. I wanted to keep the bunny white(snow bunny) so I've shaded around the edges with soft creams(shows better on close up)
I also added some diamond stickles to the candy cane, ribbons and the embossed snowflakes on the border strip.

Enjoy :DXXX

I am entering this card in the following challenges;

Alphabet Challenge# G is for Glitter

Sentimental Sundays#33 "Let it Snow"

Craft your Days Away#10 "Punch it out" (silver snowflake)

Crafty Pad #101 "Embossing"

Pizzazz a Plenty at Glitterbabes Challenge!!

This week at Glitterbabes Challenge we are being sponsored by one of "THE" places to be for any aspiring Glitterbug, Pizzazz Aplenty!!

They have all the bling you could ever need, and at very good prices , as well as all sorts of other scrummy embellishments :D The theme for this weeks challenge is "Christmas No Red or Green".
I've used purple and silver, using one of Glitterbabes images called "Northpole". The tiny snowflakes just perfect for spots of glitter and tiny gemstones(available from Pizzazz Aplenty).
I chose a holographic silver card for matting and layering, which just adds to the sparkle :D
And a little reminder that Glitterbabe has a sale on until December 17th, so now is an especially good time to buy!
I would like to enter this card for the following challenges;
A Crafty Little Place#67 Sketch
Digital Tuesdays#88 "Baby it's cold outside!"
The ABC Challenge#J is for Jewels
:D XXX

Fun with a Freebie!

This fabulous seasonal freebie is from Digi's With Atitude! She is called "Santa's Elf, and when the ladies at DWA and Drunken Stamper got together for an "Office Party Hop" the sentiment was obvious to me :D

If you are going to an office party this month, Have fun and stay safe ( and leave the photo copier machine alone, it's been done!!) :D XXX

Entry for;

DWA n Drunken Stamper#45 Office Party Hop

Spoon Full of Sugar#133 "Christmas card"

Tuesday Throwdown#28 "Clean n Simple"

Challenge 2 from the Creative Cowgirls :D

First of all, a great big "THANK YOU" to everyone who joined in our 1st challenge at Creative Cowgirls :D You are all awesome!
All your love and well wishes are much appreciated :D
This fortnight is "Anything Goes again". Some people are "snowed under" with christmas cards, while others are already on valentines day, so we thought we'd keep it simple again this week. Let's see what your up to! Our challenge is being sponsored by the amazing Tellen's Place Designs

The winner will recieve a $10 coupon to use at Tellen's Place Designs Store,while 3 runners up will recieve 1 image each.

This is the image I was given to play with (I added the cupcake she is sitting on), she is just so full of sunshine! And so versatile, suitable for many occassions when we want to send a happy message. Party invites, congratulations, great news or just Hello! I've opted for Happy Birthday(need a bit of a Christmas break before the christmas break haha!)

It's actually an easel card, but the snow is difusing the light, so I scanned the main panel to show up the sunshine colours :D

The papers I used are from My Minds Eye "Summer", and the Cupcake and iced flower stamps are from Inkadinkado's Birthday Cupcake set.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges;

Always Crafting Whimsical Wednesdays challenge with Jess# Anything goes

Crafty little Place#66 Anything Goes

Crafty Purple Frog#4 Easel Card

Fab n Funky#51 "Birthday"
Delicious Doodles Challenge#3 "use a digi"
:D XXX

Winter White.

Quick card made for 2 challenges, Flourishes#"Winter White Challenge" and Crafty Anns Challenge#29 "Christmas/Sketch".

I decided just to work with plain white card stock, and white flowers. I dry embossed 2 of the layers, and stamped the base card with an Anna Griffin stamp and Tim Holtz worn lipstick. I edged all the layers(and flower petals) with the same ink pad, and added 3 soft pink gems for the centres.
:D XXX

Glitterbabes Challenge 23 With Attitude!!

This is the image that got me hooked on "Digi's With Attitude" in the 1st place, and I am thrilled that they have chosen to sponsor Glitterbabes Challenge 23 "use buttons".

She is called "Santa's Helper" and boy does she look happy haha!

I am entering this card for the following challenges;

One Stop Crafts#108 "Christmas Cuties"

Ooh La La! #68 "Christmas Song" (santa claus is coming to town)
Stamping Vacation Start Here Challenge# Red Glitter

:D XXX

I'll Si Thee !

I wasn't going to mention any of this, but we're snowed in at Sheffield, and the village I was heading for today is cut off by blocked roads.
My dad has been poorly for many weeks now, and finally passed peacefully at Bassetlaw District General Hospital last Tuesday. His Funeral is supposed to be today, but even if the funeral directors manage to keep things rolling, we and my brother can't make it. Sorry Dad.

So I thought I'd share a few memories with you. These pics were taken last year(in Yorkshire), as soon as the sun came out, so did my dad :). Him and his little dog Sadie, off down the lanes around Dinnington.

He was always happiest roaming around the countryside, and the flora and fauna will miss him as much as we will. In my heart I know he is out there, wandering the paths and lanes, clearing little patches of undergrowth for the birds to find food under the snow.

Johnny Brown

11th January 1936 - 23rd November 2010

A Proper Yorkshireman, never forgotten XXX