Butterflies are a-flitting.....

Hello, and welcome!

It's already Friday and it's been a lovely day for our family.....our Yvie-Grace turned 3 years old and she had a Princess Party.....ooooo......I so wanted to dress as a princess, but I couldn't fit into any of Yvie's or Millie's pretty Disney Princess dresses, as much as I tried, ha!

Another great thing about it being Friday is that there's a brand new challenge at 

Card Crafter's Circle

This week is a our challenge for you is all about:

BUGS
show us your creations with bugs and insects!

Our sponsor 

is providing 5 lovely digi images for our randomly drawn winner.

The Design Team was provided with some really lovely images, this week, and I chose this gorgeous Heartstreak Butterfly......

A friend has asked me to make something pretty for her MIL's birthday.....she wanted it to be from her kiddles......and this is what I came up with.

The base is white scalloped card stock and I cut the base label from very pale pink Bazzil card.....I love this die......

I used a sticker from a very old sticker sheet and put it onto card, then cut around and placed it onto the base label......

I printed the pretty butterfly (4 times) and coloured with Promarkers, then cut them out....so therapeutic......I was tempted to glitter them up, then decided not, ha!  

Where did the 4th butterfly get to........hello!  How about that fussy-cutting, eh?

A little sentiment tab that was in a Forever Friends kit.......an unused kit, I might add......must do something about that, lol.......and I added the teeny gem.....

I hope the recipient likes it.

Take a gander, over on the Challenge Blog, to see the inspiration that's waiting for your perusal....there are some lovely makes from the rest of the Team....then get out your crafty bits and join in the fun!

hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Challenges:

http://flutterbywednesdays.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/flutter-by-wednesday-234.html  Flowers (with a butterfly/fairy)

http://shellysimagesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/ttt-challenge-use-scallops.html  Use scallops

http://carabbiemomentsofcraft.blogspot.co.uk/  Things with wings

http://craftycatzweeklychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/challenge-177anything-goes-gdt-call.html  Anything goes

http://craftingforallseasons.blogspot.co.uk/  Floral Delight

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling!

Hello, and welcome!

There's been a distinct lack of blogging from this quarter, lately.  Suffice it to say that things have been afoot.....some of them good.....some of them not so good..... it's been a difficult week on more than one front......sigh......

Not to worry, eh?  It's the weekend, and I've got two bonnie grandsons staying over from Saturday morning until Sunday afternoon....woohoo!

Spencer is 6 (we share our birthday!) and his brother, Adam, is 4 (he's a twin to Freya), and we have plans to have lunch out, then go to the cinema.  Granddad has been working away, all week, and won't be back until very early on Sunday morning, so I've got my two handsome chaps all to myself!  

On Sunday, our granddaughter, Olivia, will be baptised, so the whole family will be together....it's  going to be a wonderful weekend!

I have a little card to share for the challenge at Card Crafter's Circle.......

This week we challenge you to create a card with a theme of

ST PATRICK'S DAY!
(Shamrocks, Leprechauns, Greens and everything Irish!)

Some of you will  know that my dear old Dad was a Scotsman, but his family originally came from Ireland, back in the mid 1800s.  That's how I came to have an Irish surname, Coogans.  I have green eyes, as did my Dad, and he used to say that I had "Irish eyes"......I miss my Dad.

Our sponsor this week is the fabulous Melonheadz!  Their images are a fun and whimsical style, all hand drawn by Nikki.  At the Melonheadz Blog youwill find newly released sets which  can be purchased at the Melonheadz etsy store, and a staggering selection of freebies available to you .... pop along to the Melonheadz blog and see what you might find! At Melonheadz Exclusives you will find exclusive sets, and previous freebie bundles.  At Melonheadz LDS you will find LDS and Christian illustrations, primary hand outs, and soon there will be some items for purchasing as well.

Oh, and our winner, will receive their choice of a bundle of images from the Melonheadz etsy store!

Nikki very generously gave our Design Team some fun images to play with and I chose this sweet Leprechaun and the Erin Coin......

The card base is a lovely soft cream (from Docrafts) and both papers are from my scrap mountain.....I'm still waitin' for one of you to own up about sneakin' into my craft room and leaving more scraps, hahaa......

Is he not just the cutest little man?  He's poshed up with Promarkers......I've got legs like that......

I used Promarkers, again, to colour up the lovely sentiment and popped it onto a Shapeability die cut frame. Roughly translated, the sentiment means "Ireland Forever".....and so say all of us!

This cute little block is a sticker that's been in my stash for the loooooongest time....I think it's from K&Co......

I die-cut the fence and added a strip of hearts.....more stickers found in my stash.....I'm determined to use 'em all up!

Don't forget to take a peek at the cute and clever creations that the rest of the Team have ready for your perusal.....and get creating!

hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Challenges:

http://www.clearlyistamp.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Clearly%20Inspired%20Challenge  Diecuts

http://just-add-ink.blogspot.co.uk/  Just add Green

http://pattiescreationschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  Green for St. Patrick's

http://gingerloftchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/gl-color-green.html  The Colour Green

http://milkcoffeechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/go-green-challenge.html  Go Green

http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/challenge-260-anything-goes.html  Anything goes

http://useittuesday.blogspot.co.uk/  Diecuts, punches, hoarded supplies (stickers and paper)

Love....always!

Hello, and welcome!

We've got  SNOW forecast for tonight and tomorrow.......now, where did I put me sled?

Er.....it's probably in storage with me ballet shoes...hahaaaa!

You can't have failed to have noticed all the Valentine's schtuff that's been knockin' around......since Christmas, here, actually, lol......so I hope you've managed to produce something romantic for at least one loved one.  'Twud be rude not to, after all........ha!

Talking about luuuuurve.........this week's challenge at

TWIST OF FAITH

is all about 

LOVE

plus
a scripture, or uplifting verse or positive words of healing, encouragement, or support

We are so happy to have the Michelle Perkett Studio joining us with their sponsorship for you! Our random prize winner will receive their choice of one of the images we have showcased for you!

For my DT card, I used the very pretty

Christian Friend Love Sentiment

It made a nice change to use a sentiment block instead of colouring in something "cute"....not that I don't thoroughly enjoy my little cuties.....but focusing on the sentiment really helped in planning the layout of this card.

I started with a dark cream card base and mounted just one piece of this lovely paper onto it.  I treated my self to this gorgeous paper pad.....Walking in the Forest by Maja Designs.....I got mine from Tracy at Dies to Die For.......

I printed the sentiment block onto some lined and ruled paper, then used Spectrum Noir markers to colour it up.  I cut around the pretty frame, then mounted it onto red card that had been cut with an X-Cut die.

I've talked about friendship, here, several times, and about how much the friendships that I have mean to me.....I find that the above scripture is very apt when it comes to real and abiding friendships, don't you?

It never ceases to amaze me that there is a truth, a comfort, a solution that speaks to every human condition.

This so-pretty die-cut was in the package from Tracy.....she ALWAYS includes some lovely extras.....and was originally lime green pearlescent.....I used one of my markers to change the colour so it would "fit" with the rest of the card.  I liked it so much that I've ordered one....should be here, tomorrow......it's called Fresh Foliage.....yummy! The light blue, sparkly flower was from Papermania, and I added a dark red brad to the centre.....

The border was an off-cut from another project.  It was white, so out came that marker again!  It's half of a Spellbinder's border (can't remember the name...sorry).......

The finished article.

My Teamies, as always, have come up with some wonderful takes on this theme of  LOVE so please pop over and take a look.

I hope you'll join us, this week!

hugs,

Anne-Marie x

Challenges:

http://www.wordartwednesday.blogspot.co.uk/  Anything goes

http://flourishes.org/category/challenges/timeless-tuesday/  Put your heart on it

http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.co.uk/  Hearts and Flowers

http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/simon-sayshave-heart.html  Have a Heart

http://2sisterschallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/challenge-130-hearts.html  Hearts