Viola Snoots DT Card

Hi, and welcome!

It's that time of the week when I bring you my Design Team card from Stretch 'n' Bubbles, and this week, I bring you a lady with attitude ..........ha!

Here she is, folks..................Viola Snoots 

Isn't she a hoot?  I LOVE that expression.........and I'll tell ya why she's wearing it, in a mo........and you will most certainly understand why she's a tad annoyed....haaaaaa!

I know we don't really "do" Halloween, here in the UK, but I really enjoy making the cards, and thought Viola wouldn't mind.....as long as she's the star, she's fine....ha!

I used a sketch from divasbydesign.blogspot.com

Shall I tell you why she has that look on her face?   Well, if somebody cut off your head, you'd be a little miffed, too.......yep.....I  cut off her head when I was cutting her out.....oops!........so sorry, Viola.........haaaaahaaaaaa!  Couldn't leave her in that state, now could I?  Soooooo...........gave her a necklace to cover the scar...heehee..........

And this sentiment (from Paulette at TLC) is just the right fit, don't you think?

See the ppp....pur....purple glittery spiderweb?  Started of black and white (Echo Park Apothercary), and I used a purp....purple Promarker to colourise it, and tickled it with sparkly Mod Podge......nice, eh? Still can't believe I've actually started to like pp....pur.....purple....Haaaaa!

Hope you like......:D

Challenges:

crazy4challenges.blogspot.com  Halloween

papersundaes.blogspot.com  Anything goes

divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.com Sketch

http://littledarlingschallenges.blogspot.com/ Fall/Halloween

http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.com/  Anything goes

http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/  Anything goes

Hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Sad news

My dear friends, my Design Team card is scheduled to be published, as usual, tomorrow, but I just wanted to let you know that I may not be around for a little while.

This morning, my lovely brother-in-law, Kevin, died very suddenly.

I need to be with my baby sister, Roseanne, and her little boy, Rhys.

Thank you for caring.....I know you do.

Anne-Marie

Pixie Cottage Sketch

Hi, and welcome!

Okay....who pinched the rest of my week?  Just seems to have been Tuesday, yesterday, but hubby dragged me off to Church this morning, so it must be Sunday....so what happened to the rest of the week?

I remember going with Leigh-Anne to a fabric shop, to choose stuff for a rag quilt that we are making for a friend who is going to live in the US.......and I remember getting stung by a wasp....TWICE......on another day (more in a mo)........and had a doctor's appointment postponed on yet another day..........and did my share of lookin' after grand-kiddles.....and I know that Mam came home from her holiday in Cuba..........er........but don't really remember getting much of anything I really wanted to get done actually done!

And as for the WASP .......got out of the car and started to walk into Costco, and felt something sharp stick into my leg, just below the knee.....was wearing trousers......looked down to see what it was, and felt another very sharp something on my ankle....kicked off my shoe, which then flew across the store, narrowly missing a gi-normous TV, and pulled up my trouser leg just in time to see the ugliest wasp...ever!.....fly out!!

And please don't tell me....as my not-very-sympathetic hubby tried to....that a wasp can only sting once, and it dies......I have TWO red sting marks to prove that this is not true!

Gillian was with me, and actually pulled out the sting from my ankle, and then promptly stamped on the culprit, which was doin' a silly-dance on the floor.....I hope I poisened it!

I have never been stung by anything, not even nettles, in my whole life, and then to get a double-dose in one go.....now that's not fair......hmmphhh!

Breathe.........breathe........

Today's card was inspired by a sketch that I saw on thepixiecottage.blogspot.com.  I'm too late for the challenge, but liked the sketch, so used it anyway....lol......

Had visitors for most of the day, so this was yet another quick and simple one..........

Because it needed to be quick, I didn't want to do any colouring, so had a rummage in my stash and came up  with these elements, all from a Popcorn Bear kit that I've had for an age.......

How about these two ickle maties, then?  Popped 'em onto a backing layer, tied some paper ribbon, and gave 'em two soft fabric golden hearts.....aaawwww........oh, and the pretty button.........

These flowers are the only bits that didn't come with the kit.......inked 'em up,layered 'em up, and stuck 'em on........

Had this sentiment in my stash....just backed it with some of the gingham paper, and everything went up on popdots....told ya it was quick and simple....haaaa!

Hoping to get a bit longer to come up with something, tomorrow......please come back and see me!

 

Challenges:

http://papersundaes.blogspot.com/  Anything goes

http://disdigidesignschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/09/make-your-own-flowers-challenge.html Make your own flowers

http://thepapershelter.blogspot.com/2011/09/challenge-32-anything-goes.html Anything goes

http://craftycalendarchallenge.blogspot.com/ Let sleeping bears lie (Mine maybe not sleepin' but ready for bed?)

 

Hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Bugaboo Christmas

Hello, and welcome!

Hope you are all having a lovely day..........mine is starting out really well.......but there's time yet....haaaaa!

Oh, I'm gettin' so cynical in my old age................

You know that I always really enjoy visiting your blogs.......you all have talents that amaze me.........you make me laugh.......you give me inspiration........and a lot of you leave me green with envy, because of your abilities.............sigh.............and it makes me smile when I spot you as a Follower on other blogs that I follow, too.....it's like seeing a dear friend :D ..............

Now and again, I'd like to point you in the direction of somebody I feel you would enjoy "meeting"........and today, it's Amy, who has recently become a Follower, here........she left a comment that led me to her really interesting blog, makingdodoingfine.blogspot.com and I love her take on facing her every day life........she'd make you very welcome if you paid her a visit, and left a comment. 

I also discovered, just this morning, that she has a crafty blog, too............you kept that quiet, Amy!...haaaa..........so take a gander over at http://hobgoncraz.blogspot.com/ .....you won't be disappointed!

Okay............I've been taking a look through my digi images, and came across this cutie from Bugaboo....yep....it's a freebie........and I know I'm piling on the Christmas cards lately, but, hey.......I have a big family, and a lot of friends.....haaaaa!

The papers are from the Spiceberries pad from Memory Box....love the gorgeous colours! My pics aren't showing the richness of the colours very well.........

Isn't she a sweetie?  Used Promarkers (as usual...forgotten how to use anything else..ha)......and I added some lovely gold with a Uni Paint pen to her hat, belt and dots on the hem of the dress...........

The sentiment is from last year's stash, and there's a spot of that gold again.....I also added the red with a PM  because it was all green, and I wanted the contrast........

The poinsettia was printed from the computer, and cut out, but was a bit orangey, so I went over it, and the leaves, with PMs, and added a bit of the gold to the centre bit...........

All raised up on popdots.........done!

So glad my stash of Christmas cards is growing.......might be the first year I'm not panicking on Christmas Eve........lol.......

Bye for now.........

Challenges:

http://craftyribbonschallenge.blogspot.com/  Anything goes

http://totallygorjuss.blogspot.com/2011/09/challenge-98-nothing-square-about-me.html  Not square

http://digitaltuesdaychallenge.blogspot.com/ People

 

Hugs,

Anne-Marie x



Feed the Birds

Hello, and welcome!

Thanks for all the lovely comments about those 'orrible seed beads, and my first attempt at paper-pleating........Birdie, I don't have a score board....just finger pleated, which was quite quick, and easy to do....the trouble came when I tried to get it to sit around the flippin' sentiment block.........hmmph.

It's time for another dip into the Stretch 'n' Bubbles store, and this week I decided I really wanted to make another Christmas card, and this ickle fella was ideal for what I had in mind............

Feed the Birds

I don't make a lot of differently shaped cards, but quite liked the idea of trying an easel card, just for a change.....and this one must be the easiest ever!  It's simply a basic card blank (any size will work), with the front folded in half..........

See what I mean?  I simply made sure that all the folded creases were really sharp, and it stays in place, easily.......I spotted the borders idea in a craft magazine, and cut mine from a Martha Stweart punch......just stuck 'em on the front and back....simple!

I love this cute image!  Everything is coloured up with Promarkers, and the papers are from last year's stash.......I added some sparkly bits around the snowman....doesn't he look happy?  Love sparkle.........lol...........

I found the sentiment in last year's stash, too.....simply layered it onto a scrap of toning card, and inked the edges.......

Snowflakes are cut from a Shapeabilities die, inked up, and a Stickles icicle blobbed in the centre!

I really enjoyed making this simple easel card, and might do a few more....very quick to do, and that suits me fine....haaaaa!

Thanks for stopping by today......it's lonely when you don't, LOL!

Challenges:

christmascardchallenges.blogspot.com Any Christmas card or use the sketch (I didn't)

disdigidesignschallenge.blogspot.com Anything goes

corrosivechallengesbyjanet.blogspot.com Punches/Dies

onestitchatatimechallenge.blogspot.com Punch It

vostamps.blogspot.com Easel card

frosteddesigns.blogspot.com Punches

Hugs,

Anne-Marie x



Seed Beads are BAD!

Hello, and welcome!

I am definitely in the mood for a rant .......but, before I set off on one, let me show you who was where she is NOT allowed to be..........I came downstairs, walked into to the living room and found.............

And she didn't even have the manners to jump off!! 

Bonnie is 13 years old, which is about 90 in Labrador years, and we think she's feelin' every one of those years, these days........but she can still run and jump, when she feels like it.......which is what she'd been doing a few minutes before I caught her on the sofa...........soooooo.....did I move her off?.........naaaa!

But don't tell Hubby......haaaaahaaaa!

Okay....now for the rant........bet ya didn't know seed beads were naughty, sly, awkward, nasty little bits of stuff, did ya?

Yep...they are......proved it for myself today........

I chased 'em......I cornered 'em.......I tried persuadin' 'em.......I got 'em on the end of my tweezers....only to have the little blighters flick up, do somersaults, and land in corners I never knew we had in that room....gggrrrrr.....and then, after all this hassle, after having my fingers crimped and stuck together with glues of every type......finally got 'em where I wanted 'em....but were they tamed?.....NO......they then decided they would NOT stay in a straight line....and this was the result................

Next time you hear me mention seed beads, just remind me they are NOT worth the hassle....ha!

All this to create this.........

And don't get me started on paper-pleating!!

I do, however, love this ickle cutie.......she's called Girl with Tulip, from Mamidoodles....isn't she sweet?

I went to town with the Promarkers, and I love the way she turned out.......just had to splodge the tiniest bit of sparkly ModPodge on her flower...heehee......

First time I've tried paper-pleating.....might be a while before I bother again...hmmmph......the lovely sentiment was £5.00 from TLC........naaaaa.........it was another freebie......Haaaaaa!

Had a change from my usual back stitch....love to handsew........and all the papers are from yet another freebie pack.......

Flippin' seed beads.....ggrrrrrr.......

Thanks for coming by!

Challenges:

http://ooh-la-la-creationschallenges.blogspot.com/ Punches/Dies (flippin' butterfly!)

craftyribbonschallenge.blogspot.com Anything goes

http://craftybootschallenges.blogspot.com/2011/09/things-with-wings.html Things with wings (flippin' butterfly!)

 

Hugs,

Anne-Marie x



Are you ready???

Hello, and welcome!

I'm back from Church, and I've had a drink, and a sandwich, and I'm now trying to remember what it was that I had planned to do, this afternoon..........can't be to put some laundry in the machine, 'cos I don't do that on Sundays.........can't be anything for any of my kids, 'cos just seen 'em all at Church.......not cleaning, either, because I don't do any on Sundays.........not anything to do with my Mam 'cos she's still in Cuba.....Ken's working in Scotland, so not him, either..........wasn't planning on making a card, either.......er.....actually, .........let me think.....it must be something to do with my crafting?...........blogging?.................

Had enough of all that messin' about yet?................HAAAAAAA!

Okay.......we did put the names in a box....there were 17 of you lovely people who were followers, and left comments in the allotted time...............so.........out came........................

SHIRLEY-ANNE!!!!!!

Congratulations, Shirley-Anne.......and your comment that you would send me a Christmas card whether you won, or not, had nothing to do with you winning...........Ha!.............

We honestly did put all the names on ickle strips of paper, and tossed them into a mixing bowl (it was handy!), and swirled 'em all around, and one of the smaller kiddles was bribed with a custard cream to pull one out......and out popped Shirley-Anne!!

Send me an email with all your details, Shirley-Anne, and I'll send the package on Tuesday, when I go to the Post Office.....and I'll make sure you get my address, so you can send me that Christmas Card....and I'll probably stalk ya, to make sure I get it, too....haaaa!

As for everybody else, please don't stick your bottom lips out for too long....lol......there just might be a little something up for grabs in the near future........all better now?

Seriously........I love it that so many of you stay with me, and I love droppin' in on your crafty spaces, too........we all have something to contribute to the lovely world of crafting....and blogging......and you all inspire me in different ways.

I love it that you share your ups and downs, and that you allow me to have the privilige of peeping into your lives......it's fun, isn't it?

Hopefully, I'll get a little time to put together a card, tomorrow.....so don't forget to come back, and see me!

Hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Last Chance to Comment for Blog Candy!

Hello, and welcome!

Well, I never....what a flippin' day.....bright sunshine, high wind, torrential rain, thunder and lightening....and hailstones!

But it was warm and cosy in my ickle craftroom....ha!

Didn't really get much crafting done though.....more like a lot of shuffling and shifting, and sorting through supplies........er........I seem to have a few things.........er.........more than a few things..........oh, okay then......a great big bulgin' craft-store full.........and my room is about to burst at the seams....oh heck!!

In my own defence, let me remind you that all this stuff used to be housed in our stable, which had been converted into a lovely workshop for me........then, let me also remind you that said workshop had the roof cave in on me, and said crafty supplies.......which is why it is all now crammed into our smallest spare room....it really didn't seem that much when it was in a bigger space.....haaaa!

The stable roof was fixed ages ago, but it's sooooo much more convenient to have all my stash in the house, and I don't have to take that walk down the back garden, then across our gravelled parking lot to the gate to our bottom garden, and down a path to reach the stable, and then have to unlock a heavy padlock, and various locks and bolts...........see what I mean?

Sooooo....after all that shufflin' and shiftin', and not really getting anywhere, I couldn't leave my haven until I'd at least made something quick.....and it couldn't have been much quicker than this creation...........all the supplies are from a new Kanban kit that I just couldn't resist..........I KNOW........I know, I said I  would not buy any new Christmas stash this year, .........so would you believe me if I said I bought it second-hand?.........that I won it at the school fair?........that I found it on my doorstep?..........ok....ok.......I saw it on QVC and went for it......so, whatcha gonna do about it....HAAAAAAAAA!!!

I thought the fold on this card was quite unusual.....I literally did nothing to create this card, except to pop out the die-cut topper, sentiment, and snowflake embellie.......

Hard to pick up in the piccie, but the elements on the topper are embossed....so pretty.......

And just look at that frosty grass....oh my....gorgeous.......

I just love the simple elegance of this sentiment and snowflake...........

I found it hard to get a good picture to show you the lovely fold....sorry....but hope you can get an idea from this.............

This is a HUGE kit, and I'm probably going to be using it a lot, this Christmas, because I have friends and relatives who actually think that I'm being mean if I give them one of my "home-made" cards.....it's not a true card if it hasn't come from a store, and is finished with loads of gold foil..........bah-humbug!

Okie-dokie, that's me done, and I'm lookin' forward to getting in the final comments so that I can get one of my grand-kiddles to pick a winner of the BLOG CANDY, tomorrow.....so don't forget to come back....will try to post early so you are not exhausted with excitement.....haaaaaa!

Challenges:

http://alphabetchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ Q for quick

http://clearlyistamp.typepad.com/my_weblog/ Glitter

http://www.phindysplacechallenge.blogspot.com/ Christmas

http://totallygorjuss.blogspot.com/2011/09/challenge-98-nothing-square-about-me.html Not square

 

Hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Ladybug Kaela

Hi, and welcome!

*** Only the rest of today, and tomorrow to leave a comment, if you want to be in with a chance to win my BLOG CANDY! ****

And I need it to be gone....it's makin' the place look untidy....haaaa!

A warm and fuzzy WELCOME to Amy who has become my 61st Follower....Hi, Amy!..........61 Followers.....are there really that many people who are prepared to put up with all my daftness??
Go visit Amy's blog....it's very cool........click on her name above.......

I had a lovely email from one of my 61 Followers....did I mention there are now 61?........ha.........asking if I got the results of my mammogram......oops....forgot to mention that everything is GOOD........phew!

Our weather has been dark grey sky, wind, and rain....gallons of the stuff......and it's been one of those days that doesn't seem to ever get properly light, so I needed a bit of sunshine.....not the heat....just the sunshine....and the only way I could get it was to play with this ickle cutie........

Her name is Ladybug Kaela and she can be found at designed2delight.blogspot.com, and I really, really needed to colour her up in pink, with my trusty Promarkers, lol........

The pretty flutterby was cut with a Martha Stewart punch from paper scraps....that mountain of scraps is not gettin' any smaller....which one of you keeps sneakin' more in?!.......

I used some seam binding for the ickle bows.........'twas cream, so I coloured it with a lilac Promarker.......oh, I'm so creative.....haaaaaaa!

Have I ever mentioned that I also have a scrap fabric mountain?  Well, maybe not exactly a mountain.....more a brew, (Lancashire term...google it!)....although Leigh-Anne (daughter #3) is very quick to swipe any oddments I haven't actually nailed down........soooooo......this cute yo-yo was made from one of those, and a button and embroidery floss plonked on top..........

Isn't she adorable?  She's a girlie girl, so had to have a bit of bling on her pretty wings....aaawwww.......and those chubby ickle legs are sooooo cute!

Hope you enjoyed meeting her....we are both glad you dropped by.........oh I am definitely losin' it........haaaaa!

Challenges:

http://deliciousdoodleschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/09/challenge-2-cute-as-button.html Use a button

http://doitwithdigischallenge.blogspot.com/2011/09/challenge-17-lots-of-layers.html Lots of layers

 

Hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Someone Special!

Hello, and welcome!

Well, you all seem to like the Blog Candy.....I'm excited to see which of you gets to play with it, ha....

Before I started on the Design Team for Stretch 'n' Bubbles I snagged meself a veeeeery cute digi from the store, and have been itching to play with it ever since.....well, today I printed it off, and made a ickle card....yaaaay!

As soon as I saw the stamp, it reminded me so strongly of my friend, Elaine, that I just knew that I would be making this card for her......she'll do one of two things, when she sees it............

Laugh her cotton socks off......or murder me on the spot!

Heeeeeere she is.......ta-daaaa..........

HAAAAAAAAA!!!!!   Elaine doesn't look quite like this....but there is a resemblence .........I know for a fact that she often looks like this when she's gabbin' on the phone..........but isn't this stamp a hoot?.....it's called Let's Chat ..........bet you know somebody that this would fit.....just sayin'........

All of the papers are freebies....sorry, my USA friends........and I layered up with a pretty heart doily, a paper strip cut with a Martha Stewart border punch, a panel of more free paper, inked and layered onto white card, plonked on some flowers and leaves, and added a sentiment........pheeew!....out of breath, now............

Elaine and I have known each other for 33 years.........we've had ups and downs, laughs and tears, and have got on each others nerves more than a few times....haaa!

But she's been with me through 4 of my 6 pregnancies......Ken and I already had 2 children by the time Elaine and I met, and we lost one little darlin', .......but she's given me hugs, as well as tellings off, throughout the other 3.

There's an awful lot more I could say.....33 years of stuff,.......but the sentiment on the card will have to do, haaa!....it's from Craftwork Cards, and just seemed to fit..........

The flowers and brads are from my stash....they all live in a glorious jumble in glass jars, so no packaging, and I can't remember where I stole   bought 'em from, but I like 'em..........and popped on some of those leaves from My Craft Studio........pretty, eh?

 

And an Arteeeeeestic shot for our resident photographers, Anne and Petra....there ya go.........

Okay.......over to you to leave me some luuuuuurve!!

Challenges:

kelleykidschallenges.blogspot.com  Someone Special

rubysrainbow.blogspot.com  For the girls

craftsandmechallenges.blogspot.com  Add a heart (the doily)

fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.com Bingo (I chose Embellishment/Digi/Flowers)

simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com  Inspired by a Song (I Just Called To Say I Love You/Stevie Wonder)

craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.com  Use F word (Flowers)

catchthebugblog.blogspot.com  Punch or die (Martha Stewart border punch)

 

Hugs,

Anne-Marie x

It's Here!!.....BLOG CANDY!!!

Hello, and welcome!

You have been very patient, but at last I can put up my BLOG CANDY.....woooohoooo!

How about gettin' your hot ickle hands on this?..........

A pack of very cute Forever Friends cardstock stickers..........can't go wrong with that ickle bear, lol......

And what about some pretty lace, lurvely ribbon (the blue one is velvety), and those two handmade by moi stick pins?

Every girl needs a handbag, right?  Well, in this pack you get eight, with envelopes.....you'll really enjoy decorating these with papers, lace, flowers, bling....whatever!

Now, I want ya to treat these two ickle honeys with love and kindness.....they need to be in a warm, loving environment, otherwise they will hop on a sledge, and come home to me....haaaaa!! I've sewn my address into their coats........

So, what d'you think?

If you want a chance to win this bundle, here's the deal.........If you were a Follower before Jenee joined us (she was #60...thank you, Jenee!), then you qualify to enter to win this Candy....of course, that includes Jenee.......but please don't be put  off if you aren't yet a signed up Follower.......  because my FIRST BLOGAVERSARRY is comin' up, soon, and I'll be sending off another ickle bundle to another lucky someone......it could be YOU!.

Anyway, the second part of the deal.....oh, stop whining....didn't think I'd let you get my Candy too easily, did ya?........if you win the Candy, you have to promise to send me a Christmas card featuring the cute stamp!

And finally......you have to leave me a comment on any post between now and Saturday, .......I'll put all the names into a box, and get one of my kiddles to pull one out, and announce the winner on Sunday.....how's that for a deal?!!

So, if you live anywhere other than the UK, you could be getting a package from your mailman........and if you live in the UK, you have to come and get it yourself...HAAAAAA!!

Kiddin'....honestly....kiddin'..........oh, for goodness sake, Claire....I WAS KIDDING!!

Hope you like my Blog Candy.........

Hugs,

Anne-Marie x



Witch Shoes DT Card

Hello, and welcome!

EDITED:  Can't believe Blogger did it again!  As you can see, this is supposed to go out on Wednesday...got hubby to check the scheduling with me, and we had it right...we did!...but it still published early...aaaghhhh!!!
Hope you enjoy, anyway!

I have to say that I am sooooooo enjoying being on the Design Team for Stretch 'n' Bubbles.........Alison is a gifted artist, and I love having such a great choice of images to play with every week.

This particular one was a hoot to play with.........

Here in the UK, Halloween historically hasn't been a big deal, but the past few years have seen more people getting involved in dressing up, trick or treating, and decorating their homes.....whoohoo!!

And here I go again.....purple!!  It's certainly growing on me....ha!...and just seems right for all things Halloween.

The background paper is a free digi download, mounted onto white card, then onto a black card base........

Join the queue to order these boots in your size....only come in this very fetching colour combo, but ya could paint over 'em, if you really need to....lol!  Do you spy the sparkly Mod Podge? I was havin'  withdrawal symptoms, so out it came....and I really did have to dress those legs with some pink....couldn't help it..............mounted onto card that I had embossed with my Swiss Dots folder.......

This is a self-portrait....much cheaper than driving my car....and added a bit of fine glitter to glam up......

Recognize the ickle pumpkins?  A smaller version of the Pumpkin image that I used for my Autumn Garland, last week....cute, eh?

The green strip of card was put through my Big Shot in a Cuttlebug swirls embossing folder.  Seeing as I don't "do" purple, I really like how  this turned out......want to tell me what you think?  Be nice :D

Challenges:

ceschallenges.blogspot.com Magical/Spooky

makeitcolourful.com Purple

cardmakinmamas.blogspot.com Go digi

floweretstamplar.blogspot.com Tricky/Halloween

papercutzchallenge.blogspot.com Pumpkin Patch

 polkadoodle.blogspot.com Make a scene

 

Hugs,

Anne-Marie x