SOS Challenge 44- Easter Edwin

Easter has come early over at a Spoon Full of Sugar challenge, & here's my entry. When I saw this image of Edwin I knew I was going to make my boys their Easter cards with it. However, this is my first go at masking & I am not entirely happy with it. I do not think Edwin looks very comfy! He looks like he is perched, rather than seated, LOL! Must try harder on my next attempt!

FYI, the DP is by Sassafrass Lass, & I coloured the image with my trusty Distress Inks. The big yellow flower I made on a Prym's Flower Loom, that I saw in Hobbycraft at the weekend. I thought I would give it a whirl. I like the effect, but the instructions are a bit vague, & while I am sure it has potential, I am going to need to experiment a bit with it! If anyone knows any useful links I could have a look at, please let me know. :-)

Well hope everyone has got through Monday OK, it gets better from here on in!!

Regards,

Andrea xx

Ian Does Sketch Saturday & Colour Create

Meet Ian from the Greeting Farm range at Dies To Die For. I knew as soon as I saw this little fella, I needed to get him. Because I have two little boys of my own, I am very partial to cute boy stamps. I have to say though I would not have called him Ian. Sorry to any Ians out there, but he is a little too dapper for that, maybe a Harry or a George?! There is a fab sketch over at Sketch Saturday this week & I hope I can just get him entered in time. I have combined him with the Turquoise, Lime & Navy colour scheme at Colour Create. I do not know why I have not done this before as CC always offer such great combos I would not necessarily have thought of myself. Hope you like him!
Regards,

Andrea xx

PS. I had never shopped at Dies To Die For & was really impressed with the speed of the service & the extra little treat in my package! 10/10!

Spoon Full of Sugar - Little Gem

The theme over at A Spoon Full of Sugar this week is 'Little Gem.' I thought this qualified on two counts; I have used gems on the card, but also, Penelope (by Rachelle Ann Miller at Sugar Nellie) is, herself, a little gem. Apologies if that is a bit too cheesy, LOL! I have made a deal with myself, I am allowed to buy new stamps if I still use the old ones too (occasionally!). However, I am dying to splurge on some of the new WOJ release, but I have to wait a week till payday. Then there are the single Gorjuss girls about to come out. How is a girl supposed to control herself!

FYI, the DP is by 7Gypsies & Penelope is coloured with Distress Inks. I also used Sakura Gelly Roll pens to add extra sparkle, but the photo does not pick that up very well. Sorry the image is a bit blurry, it looked OK til I uploaded it!

Hope your week turns out to be all you hoped it would be, & more!

Regards,

Andrea xx

Whiff of Joy Release tonight - Blog Candy Alert!

I am sure you Whiff of Joy fans are all aware the new Elisabeth Bell Guardian Angel range is released tonight. I for one can not wait & keep looking at all the fabulous DT cards to try & decide which to get. I will definitely get the swirls & sentiments set as a Mother's Day treat to myself & probably more!
To celebrate the release Bev & Jacqui have some gorgeous blog candy to give away so get yourself signed up quick! Katharina has also promised something special too, but has not said what yet, but you can guarantee it will be special! So what are you waiting for?

Good Luck,

Andrea

Magnolia Vs Stampavie - Mother's Day

I can't believe I have not posted anything since Monday, it does not feel that long. How time flies when you are having so much fun at work, NOT! But yippee it is now the weekend & a very special one, when Mothers get the credit we deserve & hopefully a little pampering! Having said that I am married to the most wonderful man who has had to work every hour God sends this week & if anyone deserves a rest it is him! I made this card for his Mum, & am also entering it for this weeks Magnolia vs Stampavie challenge. This Tilda is from the Valentines collection, but is ideal for any occasion when you want to show someone how much you love them.

FYI, the DPs are Melissa Frances & the sentiment is from Whiff of Joy.

Hope you are having a FAB weekend!

Regards,

Andrea xx

Whiff of Joy Challenge 21- Here comes Oakley!

I love Oakley because he is exactly how I picture my boys to be in an ideal world! Perhaps if I coloured him with food smeared all over his face & pen all over his hands he might be a little more realistic to how my boys really are, LOL! I found the WOJ challenge a little tricky this week as there were so many elements to fit in & I did not want to card to look cramped or busy. I wish I had embossed the blue paper, but otherwise I am happy with the way this little fella turned out.
FYI, I coloured Oakley with watercolour pencils & used Basic Grey Skate Shoppe DPs. The stars are Making Memories Ready to Glitter stickers, which I had to go over with Stickles anyway, because you couldn't see them very well at first. The sentiment is a rub on, it might be Wholy Cow.
Hope this week has got off to a flyer for everyone. Don't worry if it hasn't, it will soon be the weekend!
Regards,

Andrea xx

Ismaki Sketch Challenge - 09-010-ISA

There is a fabulous sketch over at Ismaki this week which I nearly did not enter, as I was so overawed by the DT efforts, I did not think I could do it justice. However, as I am not feeling very clever today, I have done little else other than tinker with my cardmaking stuff! Hence my second post of the day & this is the fruit of my labours. I am not entirely happy with it, but then it so far out of my comfort zone, I do not feel it is too bad for a style of card making I have not done in years. The image is coloured with chalks over embossing ink. Not a Distress ink in sight!
FYI, I think the main stamps are Non Sequitur - Memories of Italy, & the corner stamps are by Prima. The DP is DCWV & the flower from Hobbycraft, though I've had to squash it a bit to stick it down!
Enjoy what is left of your weekend!
Regards,

Andrea xx

Sharing Sherbet does A Spoonfull of Sugar

I just love colouring the Sharing Sherbet stamps from Pollycraft, though nearly had an accident with this one as I trimmed her far smaller than I intended. Don't know what I was thinking at the time! I obviously wasn't, - wouldn't be the first time, LOL! Also made another mistake when I did not realise I had my card upside down when sticking down the vertical strip, DOH! Hope you will excuse my ineptitude! This sketch from A Spoonful of Sugar is another I would use again & next time try & incorporate the sewing option. I prefer embroidery to using a sewing machine (mainly because it is a great heavy thing & I'm not sure how to set it to do the stitches I want!), but it takes me ages, & I'm not a quick crafter at the best of times!
FYI, Sherbert is coloured with Distress Inks & the papers are Cherry Arte. The sentiment is Penny Black & everything else is from my stash.
Hope this post finds you enjoying your weekend. I'm feeling a bit blehhh, but not so much I can't craft, phew!!
Regards,
Andrea xx

Sugar Nellie at Friday Sketchers

I have not inked up this little fella from Sugar Nellie in ages, but I thought he would make a nice Easter card, though I did not put a sentiment on him in case I use him for something else. It is a lovely simple sketch at Friday Sketchers this week, but as with any sketch the possibilities are endless. Not much to tell tell you, other than he was coloured with Distress Inks & I have used crate papers. Everything else is from my stash. Hope everyone is having a fab weekend.
Regards,

Andrea xx

Magnolia Vs Stampavie - Week 17, Carla's Sketch!

Here's Cross Stitch Tilda come to play at Magnolia vs Stampavie this week. Carla's sketch was fun. This card puts me in the mood for Spring & given the weather here in Manchester today, perhaps it is not too far away. But with Spring comes gardening, which I actually enjoy, but will seriously impede on my crafting time - there are not enough hours in the day as it is. Oh, well, some weeds are actually quite attractive, looks like there will be plenty in my garden this year, LOL!
FYI, I coloured the image with Distress Inks & the papers are by Melissa Frances. I got a 10m reel of the raffia lace from Hobbycraft, so expect to see it a lot more! The little blossoms are from Crimson Crafts, highlighted with Stickles.

Hope you are all having a great week. Thanks for looking.

Andrea

Christmas in March at Sugar Nellie

1 down, about 50 to go!! I feel like I've only just finished making my cards from last Xmas, so I must admit my heart sank when I saw what the theme of the Sugar Bowl challenge was this time around. To be honest, getting all my cards ready in time last year was so stressful, I swore I would be more prepared this year. I must force myself to do about 2 a month & then I will only have another 30 or so make come December! That still sounds scary, LOL! There is not much to this one, Pip was coloured with watercolour pencils (for a change!). The paper & sentiment are by Imaginisce, though I think the sentiment looks a bit big. Ho hum, chalk it down to experience & do it better next time. Generally, as far as my cards go, I give the ones I don't like so much to people I'm not so bothered about or close to. Does that make me sound a bit of a cow, or does everyone else do that, but not admit to it?!! I think I quite like this one though. Despite it's faults, I would give this to one of my closer friends, mainly because little Pip is such a cutie. He reminds me of my boys when they were that age! Hope everyone out there is having a good start to the week, & if not I hope it gets a lot better very quickly!
Regards,
Andrea xx

Friday Sketchers 41 - Sharing Sherbert

This is quite a brave card for me. The little cutie on the stamp is from the Sharing Sherbert range at Pollycraft. She is quite a departure for me in terms of subject matter, I guess because she is more cartoonish. But I loved colouring her & can't wait to do my other one. My colour scheme is a bit more on the neon side as well for me, but I like how it turned out. The paper is from the Gypsy collection by Basic Grey. She is my entry for the Friday Sketchers challenge. It is a lovely, simple sketch, with plenty of scope for imagination!! Thanks for looking,
Andrea

Whiff of Joy - Guest Designer Call

Oh how I would love to be a guest designer for Whiff of Joy! But I do not presume to be that talented. I am just happy to have a go!! I love this stamp of Willow with her flower basket from the new Spring Collection. Such a pleasure to colour, with Distress Inks, as usual. The paper is by Fancy Pants & the ribbon & flower are from my stash. I had lots of fun following this sketch, but then I always do!

Thanks for looking.

Andrea