Enchanting Fairy & some big news!!

My poor Promarkers have been feeling a little neglected of late, so I thought I get them out for a little play. I found this gorgeous fairy at the craft fair in Manchester from J and C Creations. She's called Capri by the Stamp Barn.

I think this fairy is so elegant. She satisfies my need for cute, but is just a bit more grown up. I made this card for a lady at work who shares the same birthday as me. The fabulous shimmer on her wings was made with Cosmic Shimmer Aurora Sparkle glitter. The sentiment is from LOTV.

I love the cute little bird as well. Birds are a big trend right now, everywhere you go at the moment. Long may it continue, they're just beautiful.

There are several challenges I created this for. The layout is based on the lovely sketch at Sketch & Stash. I've used a new stamp & the papers were also bought at the same time & are by Foundations. I wanted the swirly design to mirror her dress.

The challenge at A Spoonfull of Sugar this week is 'Birthday Wishes'. As made this card for a colleague's birthday, it should fit there.

Finally at Stamp Something, the theme is 'Something with Flowers.

And now on to my big news! I was thrilled & honoured to be asked to join the team at  the Secret Crafters. Naturally, I said yes immediately. So next Saturday will be my first week. I'm looking forward to joining a team of such lovely & talented of ladies :~) Happy Days!!

So that's it for now. I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Thanks so much for looking!

Big Hugs,

Andie xx

Crafts 4 Eternity - Easel card

We've got a nice simple challenge at Crafts 4 Eternity for you this week. Make an easel card. Everyone likes making those don't they?!

My card doesn't look so great in these photos. It's very simple in it's design. I used Stempleglede stamps from Quixotic Paperie. They are just stunning, but this is my first real attempt at 'grunge' & I'm not sure I've mastered it yet, in fact I know I haven't. My heart will always be in cute, but this card was for my Mum & she's not that keen on cute!

I used Memory Box - Gossamer papers & the stamping was done with Aged Mahogany Distress Ink with Perfect Pearls in Heirloom Gold dusted over the top. I 3D'd the image for extra interest. Other than that there is not much to say really.

Now it's time to pop over to the Crafts 4 Eternity website, where we are thrilled to have a new sponsor. This week's lucky winner will receive a $10 voucher to spend on the fabulous digis at Deedee's Designs.

My! I'm somewhat late with this post, but it's my birthday today & I've been out most of the time. I did not realise I would not be sitting down at my laptop until just now! Thanks so much to you all for looking & have a great weekend.

Big Hugs,

Andie xx

Crafts 4 Eternity - Embellishment Recipe

My Goodness! Where has the week gone? It's C4E time again already. This week we have an embellishment recipe for you to include,

1. Hearts

2. Glitter

3. Pin(s)

I've been dying to get chance this adorable little cutie from LOTV. I think she is my fave from the last release. She's coloured with Distress Inks & the papers are Prima - Sparkling Spring. For the glittery bits I used Cosmic Shimmer- Aurora Sparkle glitter. The flowers are all from Wild Orchid Crafts & I think I got the pins at Quixotic Paperie.

.

I'm annoyed that the photos do not do this card justice, it does look better IRL!  Nonetheless, there are several other challenges I am entering this card into.

I based the layout on the fab sketch at Stamp with Fun

At Papertake Weekly they're 'Putting on the Gitz'

& of course I had to enter the LOTV challenge where they want you to use your favourite colours. I love these pastel shades.

Lovely Suzette at Crafty Sentiments is sponsoring this week's challenge & the lucky winner will get this adorable Flower Teddy digi!

So please pop over to the C4E blog to see the wonderful creations of my fellow D-Teamies & play along with us this week!

I've been away with Paul this week & am off to my parents tonight so I apologise for the total lack of visiting I have done this week. I hope to get chance to come say 'Hello' real soon! In the meantime, hope everyone has a fabulous weekend.

Big Hugs,

Andie xx

Crafts 4 eternity - Colour recipe

Oh my goodness, it's taken me far longer to post this card than I had intended. I've been suffering with a cold for most of the week so my mojo has been a bit awol, then today has just been hectic. But better late than never, I hope you'll agree (please say yes!), is my card fot this weeks C4E colour recipe challenge

I have been dying to ink up this lil'sweetheart for ages. Well finally here she is! She coloured with Distres Inks & the papers are by Memory Box - Gossamer, I think? I kept her very simple, with a couple of plasticy type flowers I got at the Manchester Craft Show & some adhesive pearls.

Here is the colour inspiration Michele provide for the C4E challenge. Mmmmm, delicious or what?! Check out the awesome designs of my wonderful D-Teamies & play along this week & you could win a choice of 3 of Michele's fab digis from the C4E store

I based this layout on the fab sketch at Sketch Saturday this week.

Romance is in the air all over blogland, so I am also entering this at Stamp Something where there is a Valentine's theme, & Papertake Weekly where they want us to 'Have a Heart'.

At Creative Card Crew, the challenge is to make a card 'For a Loved One', & at Stamp with Fun, the theme is simply, 'Love!'

So are you all set for Valentine's Day? Paul & I are having a weekend away, so things will be a bit quiet here over the next few days, but I hope to get round to say a 'Hello' to a few people I have been neglecting while I've been feeling a bit yucky!

Whatever you are up to, have a great weekend.

Huge Hugs,

Andie xx

Love is in the Little Things!

This image nearly didn't make it onto this card. I was so disatisfied with how I'd coloured the little boy's hair, I nearly scrapped it.I wanted the boy to have the same coloured hair as my hubby, which to be fair is increasingly grey, but I did not think he wanted to be reminded of that!! But I made it too dark all over, with not enough contrast so it looked rather dull & flat. I salvage it with my white highlighter pen & used my water brush to lighten it.

The gorgeous image  & sentiment are from LOTV, coloured with Distress Inks. The papers are SEI - Juliette & I used my new Martha Stewart punch I got at the Manchester Craft Show last weekend.

There are a whole host of challenges I with a Love/Valentines theme this week that I would like to enter this into.

First off I based my layout on the fab sketch at Friday Sketchers.

At Secret Crafters the theme is Valentine.

At A Spoonfull of Sugar, they want to 'See some Love'

I would have entered this card in last week's LOTV challenge had my son Ben, not seen fit to 'borrow' my camera & tidy it away behind the settee, where after 3 hours scouring the house I finally found it. Good job he was asleep in bed by the time I found it, or he would have gotten a good telling off! In the cold light of day now, I feel able to laugh about it...just!

Hope you are having a great week!

Big Hugs,

Andie xx

Crafts 4 Eternity Sketch Challenge

I made this card for a friend of my son Jack, whose party it is tomorrow. He is football mad & very good at it too, for an 8yr old. So I thought this little cutie form LOTV would fit the bill perfectly.

He's coloured with Distress Inks & the papers are Fancy Pants - My Family.

Our challenge this week at Crafts for Eternity is to follow the sketch.

It's not a particularly simple sketch, but I really like how my card turned out. For more fabulous inspiration, my fellow C4E D-teamies have excelled themselves once again. Check out their wonderful creations here, & play along. This week's winner will get a choice of  3 of Michele's fab digis.

So there you go. I'm off to Manchester Central tomorrow for the craft show. I think LOTV will be there, so that will be worth the ticket price alone! I'll have to try not to spend too much - not making any promises though, LOL!!

Hope everyone  has something fab to look forward to this weekend. Have fun!!

Thanks for looking,

Big Hugs,

Andie xx

LOVEly Tilda & an Award!

WARNING! - Long post alert!!

It isn't often, for me at least(!), a card turns out every bit as well as I'd hoped, but I'm really pleased with this one. It helps when the image is so adorable & I just know this Tilda, from the 'You are so special' collection, will turn out to be one of my all time faves!

She's coloured with Distress Inks & the papers are Basic Grey - Bittersweet. I fancied doing a bit of distressing on this one & added some brown lace to add to the vintage feel. The flowers are all from Wild Orchid Crafts, where the current challenge is 'Love is', so I am enterig this there. The swirls are from a Marianne Design Creatable that I cut up.

So there you go! There are several other chalenges i would like to enter her in.

At Papertake Weekly this week, 'Anything Goes'

'Love is in the Air' at Simon Says Stamp

The layout is based on the fab sketch at Friday Sketchers.

I also got a lovely surprise today. The super talented & very kind Tracie, from Tracie's Crafty Creations left me an award & a very nice comment. So big hugs to you & a big Thank You.

The only drawback is, I now have to give you 8 interesting facts about myself. OK, facts I can do, interesting I'm going to struggle with. Anyhow, judge for yourself!!

1. I've always been pretty tall, 5' 11 & a half to be precise now in my bare webs! At primary school I was the tallest pupil in the whole school!

2. Before I had my boys, I used to be pretty good at general knowledge & reached the final of a long obselete TV quiz show, Today's the Day, with my Dad back in the early 90's. I'm still pretty formidable at Trivial Pursuit. At least I think I am - nobody will play me anymore!

3. Despite having a backside the size of a bus, for the past three years I have run the Manchester 10K (Fun Run - there is a contradiction in terms if ever there was one!). I shall be running again in May.

4. In an effort to be the son my Dad never had, I developed a passion for football. For my sins I support Everton FC, where David Moyes is God!!

5. In my day job I am a civil servant. Try making that sound interesting!! I'm a lone parent adviser at the local job centre, which can be very rewarding when you help someone back into work.

6. Outside of work my main hobby is crafting. Nothing else gets look in really, not even housework! I also enjoy reading & going to the cinema, but I generally don't usually make much time for these. Cardmaking has taken over!

7. My husband, Paul is fantastic & pretty tolerant of my crafting addiction. But then I have to put up with his football fanaticism (he supports the Manchester team that play in red & are currently top of the Premiership, I can't bring myself to say their name!), & his avid gaming on the Playstation, X-Box, Wii, I-Pad...etc. Despite this, he is the love of my life & my best friend!

8. Finally, my two beautiful son's, Jack & Ben, are my pride & joy. They are chalk & cheese, but absolutely wonderful. Despite the grey hairs they've given me, they make my heart swell with love & pride everytime I think of them.

Blimey, I can't tell you how long it took me to think of 8 things! Now I have to pass this on to another 8 people. So I'm going to nominate the other 5 terrific ladies on the Crafts 4 Eternity DT, 2 ladies I met at the NEC & were wonderful company & lovely Sandra, who always makes time to leave me lovely comments. There are a ton of other people I could also have chosen, of whom I also think most highly & of whose talent I am in awe.

Michele

Michele S

Pinky

Keeley

Suzette

Julie

Lesley

Sandra

Blimey, this post has taken me forever. Another fact about me, is I'm an incredibly slow typist!! Anyway, hope I haven't bored anyone too rigid, & everyone who made it this far still has the will to live!

Thanks so much for looking.

Big Hugs,

Andie xx

Sweet as Apple Pie!

I fancied doing something a bit brighter, so I got my Promarkers out for this Kraftin Kimmie cutie. I love her gorgeous hair & fabulous dress!

The challenge at Crafty Emma's Store this week is Bold & Bright & with this in mind I dug out my Sugar Rush papers from Basic Grey

The layout is based on this week's fab sketch at Cute Card Thursday.

Not much else to tell you about this card really, what a bore I am!!! Is everyone having a good week so far? Put it this way, I need to retire! I'm going to have to start doing the lottery on Wednesdays as well as Saturdays, that's the only way I can make it happen!

Anyway, enough whinging. At least I've got my crafting to keep me sane & all the lovely people out there who provide such fabulous inspiration, :~)

Thnaks so much for looking.

Big Hugs,

Andie xx