Celebrations

Testing out another of my crafty birthday presents- this time from Clare- some amazing MS background stamps.  I really need to start  to branch out my stamping and crafting after seeing all the new techniques people are using.  These stamps are a fab way to make a start.  I did discover though that I didn't have the inks that I wanted (I only really have black, which is a bit boring) and hence eBay here we come...!

As a first attempt and using watercolour pens to ink up the stamps, I'm not too unhappy.  I stamped the background and then cut it up to make the flag.  I will enter the card into this weeks WSC (red, white and blue) and MAWTT (celebrations not birthdays- the Queen's Diamond Jubilee!).

Happy Birthday

I was a very lucky girl this week and received two LOTV kitten stamps from Lauren for my birthday.  They are absolutely gorgeous and I LOVE them.  I just had to get them inky despite the sunny weather drawing me to be outside.  This is the first of many creations I think.  I will give the card to my office mate on her birthday, who tends to bake a cake for everyone else in the office when it is their birthday.

I will enter this card into this weeks Sweet Sketch Wednesday (sketch), Passion for Promarkers (birthday) and I love Promarkers (diescuts- flowers) challenges.

Pink and green

Wow hasn't the weather been lovely this week?  I was stuck inside all week and so have made the most of the sunshine this weekend- hence less productive on the card front- lol!  I stuck this card out the window to take the photo and it's come out really well- much better than my normal photography.  I'm thinking I should do it every week.  Not something to do if it is very windy though as I can see the card falling off the window sill and sailing into the pond in the garden below...

Anyway, I made this card with a stamped image that Rosie sent me for my birthday- thanks Rosie!  I will enter it into this week Cute Card Thursday (pink and green), Willow Sketchie (sketch) and I love Promarkers (diecuts- the flower) challenges.

J is for Jingle Bells

After buying (while I still had money!) the 20 digi bundle from Pollycraft yesterday morning I thought that I'd get to work today and use one of the images straight away.  It fits perfectly with this weeks ABC Christmas challenge (J is for Jingle Bells).  I have followed the sketch for this weeks Sweet Sketch Wednesday.  I will also enter the card into this weeks I Love Promarkers (anything goes), MAWTT (keep it real) and Willow Sketchie (3 different papers) challenges and this months CCAYR challenge (inspired by a song- Jingle bells).

Thanks a bunch

Well, in the end today I just had to do some crafting to unwind.  Also I couldn't miss this weeks Pollycraft challenge (colour inspiration- pinks), knowing that it is likely to be one of the last.  Hence I made this card using a Pollycraft Swings and Slides image.  I have teamed it with Pink Petticoat big spots papers in pinks.  The card follows this weeks Willow Sketchie sketch.  I will also enter the card into this weeks Di's Digi downloads (bling), I love Promarkers (anything goes) and MAWTT (no fantasy images- keep it real) challenges.

End of an era

I was so sad this week to hear that Paula has decided to close Pollycraft.  Of course I fully understand her decision and it is the right one to make- family MUST come first.  Plus if crafting has lost its pleasure and has become a chore then it is time to give it a break.  I will really miss both the challenges and shopping in the store.  Pollycraft images are some of my favourites (as regular readers will know!).  

Anyway, before the 8th June pop over and grab a bargin.  I have (before I lost my banking access).

While, you are at it, another of my favourite shops, CES, is also closing.  Have a look there for more great deals.

Scams

I got caught by a scam yesterday- people posing to be from Microsoft saying that my laptop was sending them error messages and that I had to let them correct it else it was going to die.  It was all very convincing at the time, but looking back on it I can't believe I was so stupid as to fall for it.  They took over my laptop remotely and then wanted money.  Gave all my bank details....  God how stupid am I?
Bank account stopped, no cards or internet bank access...  Laptop checked by a professional and Norton...  Still hoping nothing sinister put on it and that all they were after was my money (which they didn't get).  How silly, they didn't know I'm a student and have NO money!
Anyway, after spending all of yesterday in a stress over fixing the mess I got myself in no time for crafting and so my blog is going to be empty this week... :-( unless I get a little time this afternoon.  Heaps of work to do though and I really need to sleep, so I'm not sure.
Pop back next week and hopefully normal service will be resumed.  And don't fall into the same trap as me!

Fairy Tales

I bought this Kiki image from Pollycraft the other day and this is its first outing.  Isn't it adorable?   I will enter the card into this weeks CES (anything goes) and Willow Sketchie (handmade flowers) challenges and this months Ready Teddy Go (bingo- flower, ribbon, embossing) challenge.  Its a sad farewell this week to the CES challenge blog, after Emma has decided to close her store.  I have really enjoyed joining in their challenges over the last year and a bit and of course have frequented the store a number of times.  It is sad to see it close, but everyone has to move on to pastures new at some point I guess, and of course Emma has her hands full mow with little Olivia so it is totally understandable.  Big thankyou to the CES DT.

Nautical

This weeks MAWTT challenge is the theme 'nautical'.  I have had this digi stamp for a while and not used it and so thought I'd make a card with it.  I have also embossed one of the layers with sailing boats (might be a little difficult to see though).  I will also enter the card into this weeks CES (anything goes) and Willow Sketchie (sketch) challenges.

I is for Icy Inspiration

I made a card last week for the ABC Christmas I is for Icy Inspiration challenge, but I have to admit, when I made it I hadn't looked at the inspirational photos.  Hence I thought I'd make another card, this time taking both the colours and the subject (penguins) from the photos.  I have followed the sketch from this weeks Sweet Sketch Wednesday challenge and will also enter the card into this weeks CES (anything goes) and Cute Card Thursday (food or drink) challenges.

CAS kitten

Another 'domestic animal CAS' card for this weeks CMLI challenge.

Louie and present

On a  mission to use up scraps of paper, I decided to make a patchwork background for this card.  I then added faux stitching and embossed the whole piece to make it 'tie together' (look OK rather than just a load of off-cuts of paper!).  I even made a little tag to go with the card.

I will enter the card into this months Ready Teddy Go challenge (bingo- embossing, ribbon and flowers) and  this months DigiStamp Boutique customer competition.

Last weekly challenge for CMLI

Sadly after this week the DT are all standing down on CMLI and we are going for monthly rather than weekly challenges.  CMLI (and in it's previous disguise as Lets get stamping on Craft bubble- same people, different group) was what really introduced me to the online craft community.  Since then my card making has been transformed for the better and I have met lots of new friends.  Of course we all move on in life though- me to university and so I can't join in each and every week, although I try my best to make one card for the challenge- and the DT who have been in place for 2 years now without a break (a super human task in my view).  I wish them all the best and have to say a huge thanks.  I hope in the coming months their creative juices start to flow and that they can enjoy joining in the new style of monthly challenges set by the rest of us who have had a back seat role in the past (my turn in July, so watch this space!).

Anyway, as the final challenge, Kathy set the theme of domestic animals and CAS- she wanted LOTS of white space.  I don't really do CAS and found this hard, but here is my card.

White Christmas

Time for another Christmas card to build up the stash for Christmas...  This weeks ABC Christmas challenge is 'I is for icy Inspiration' and I have made this card with icy colours and snowflakes.  The image is a Pollycraft one I recently bought.  I will also enter the card into this months CCAYR (inspired by a song- white Christmas) challenge and this weeks Passion for Promarkers (brightly coloured image with pale papers) Willow Sketchie (diecuts- snowflakes) and Sweet Sketch Wednesday (sketch) challenges.

cute birdie

I was eyeing up this digi set from DigiStamp Boutique for a while and in the end decided to give it a go.  It is a little different for me- a set of little images which you can combine together and then print off.  They give you some super examples and the DT cards I have seen made with the images looked so good that I had to buy.

I will enter the card into this weeks Willow Sketchie (sketch) challenge.

Spring sunshine

Spring sunshine is certainly something we have not had much of this year.  It was sunny here today, but cold. I hope this sunny card makes up for it...

I will enter the card into this weeks CES (shaped card), Digi Doodle Shops Best (anything goes), Di's Digi Downloads (spring) and Willow Sketchie (sketch) challenges and this months DigiStamp Boutique's customer competition.