Pretty in pink Just Magnolia challenge

Hi everyone!
Hope you are having a happy Friday!
This is my entry for the pretty in pink challenge for the Just Magnolia challenge.  http://justmagnolia.blogspot.co.uk/

I adore these images, especially when you can make them nice and girly!!! She was coloured using promarkers, and popped in a Sizzlit frame to show her off a little more. Then lots of girly embellishments to finish off with.  Ahhhh I do love pink! :-)

Have a fab weekend one and all! xxx

Card Party - the people get what the people want!

Hey everyone! Hope you are all having a fab weekend so far!
Last night I hosted my first card party, and it was a great success! The cards went down really well and sold lots , I even surprised myself!
I took with me a whole host of stuff for different occasions and for different prices so there was something for everyone.  It was really interesting to see at the end of the night what was popular with customers.
As you would expect, well known characters such as the Snowman, Tatty Teddy, Boofle and Forever Friends were popular.
It was interesting to see though what 'non crafters' liked that they hadn't seen before or weren't familiar with.  Mulberry Wood was a big success, people loved the images and we sold all of those. They are crazy cute though, definitely need to play some more with my CD Rom!

People loved the Sylvia Zet stamps and again they were a sell out, showing that fairies are very popular  at the mo! I adore the images below, they work so well with just a few colours and you really can give them for pretty much any occasion! It's a great chance to experiment with blending and also to use a bit of glitter.  What fairy doesn't come complete with glitter??!!

And I was thrilled that one of my fave cards that I have made, the black and white Sylvia Zet one went for a good price.  i think there is definitely room for more of this type of card and I have seen it highlighted in a couple of craft magazines recently.

As you would expect, Hunkydory were popular, believe it or not, one of the most popular types of card were one of the free kits with Hunkydory magazine (the Christmas Owl kit, can't remember what number!) One customer bought 2 of those cards and is sending them to Australia so we are going global! ;-) 

So, I have cleared a LOT of space in the office!!! Have made 2 more orders today with more coming in by the day and another card party lined up over the coming months. Hooray! Now to get cracking on more man cards!!! I'm hoping Wellington will help me find my way with that! 

I also have a Dymo cards stamp on it's way, because if I'm selling all these I really need to start putting my name to them!!! 

Have a fab Bank Holiday weekend one and all, hope you are up to lots of fun things! I'm spending it with family, there really is no better way! :-) Crafty hugs! xxx

Crafter's Companion Best Friends Challenge

So, this is my card for the 'Best Friends' challenge from Crafter's Companion.  http://ccmonthlychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/challenge-27-best-friends.html I'm writing this as I actually watch Sara demo some other SWALK stamps, she mentioned if there is one stamp kit to collect this is the one, and I absolutely agree!!! there is something for everyone!! 

What  I love about this stamp is that I think it pretty much sums up a good old meet up and gossip with the ladies!!!! Who hasn't done this??!!!! It's a regular for me! Haha! (Try very Friday after work - much needed debrief of the week!!!) 

I coloured the image with promarkers, it's been a while since I did it so the collection has vastly expanded since then! Then I used papermania backing paper and a doily which I distress inked with pink to give it a bit more of a girly feel! The sentiments are also from this SWALK set and fir perfectly. This is one of the cards I will be selling tonight at my first card party so hopefully it will sell! I've had lots of interest in it so far so fingers crossed!!! :-) 

Anyway, I have already had a delivery today with more Crafters Companion goodies, and another parcel from Create and Craft. Know what I'm up to this weekend! Happy crafting! xxx

Nothing like buying new crafty bits!!!

Hey everyone!!! Hope you have all had a good weekend!
Well  I have to say mine was pretty successful, I did really well at the GB Craft festival (although I gather that many didn't which was a shame), got myself lots of bargains.  Managed to get everything on the need list aaaannnnnndddddd plenty on the want list! Haha! There is nothing better than getting lots of new bits and pieces and putting them to good use!!!

My first purchase when I got there were 3 Strawberry kisses stamps for £10. I'd wanted these for ages but didn't have any so decided to test them out as I have loved all of the other Crafters Companion stamps I have used. (You may have noticed if you are friends with me on fb! lol!) I also got myself lots of new cardstock, distress ink, dies, ribbons..... the list goes on! Hahaha!

I have also finally mastered the art of the twisted easel card, so I have spent today combining all of this to make some new cards.

For this one, I used random cardstock I had and my new Spellbinders die for the frame.  How cute is that cat in the glass??!!!! Unbelievable!! 

I have only just got my first box of Spectrums so am having to combine these with other pens at the min. 

The kitten was coloured using flexmarker Antique White, and the glass was done using cool grey 1 and the blender pen. For the contents of the glass (the most important bit! ;-) I used spectrums CR1 and CR2. The umbrella then used GB3 and GB4. I used Distress ink around the image to give it a bit more vibrancy. Really pleased with this, it's one I might actually use myself for my cousin's upcoming 21st Birthday! 

Then our little kitten again, the cat was coloured as above but using BP1 for the bow. The cake was then done with CR4 for the icing, GB1 for the sponge and TB4 and GB4 for the casing. 

 I embossed the purple paper (core'dinations pastels) and sanded it to give it more dimension. The same die was used as before but this time I inked the edges with distress ink. I think we have all felt like that after too much birthday cake!!!!

Now, I am somewhat famed at home and at work for my love of high heels.  As a teacher I am on my feet all day, running round after children (even the 10 and 11 year olds need running after!) but never do I wear flat shoes!!! My heels are still always with me. And we're not talking little heels either!!! And yes I do have pink heels that I wear to work too! They are very popular!!! So this is what I had in mind when I coloured this!  I used CR6 for the top of the shoe and then CR4 and CR5 for the heel. The ribbon was GB1. It doesn't show up so much on here bit the ribbon on the shoe and the blue streamers are all gone over with Stickles to give it a bit more of a party feel!!! We've all been there!! :-) 

A different spellbinders die used for the frame in this one and lots of various cardstock.

Soooooo, a pretty successful day, really pleased with my purchases and, getting ready now for hosting my first card party on Friday!!! Hopefully will get lots of people buying! Here's hoping! have a good week everyone! Hugs! xxx

Razzle dazzle 'em!

Good afternoon crafty friends! Hope everyone is making it over the midweek hump!
Well I have had a busy few days with orders, it's a good job I'm on holiday! I was asked this week to make an 18th card and a 21st card, both for girls (breathes a huuuuggggeeeee sigh of relief!!!).

I thought about doing a stamped image, a SWALK or Magnolia one because I actually don't think there is an age on those.  At 28, I would still love to receive one! But I figured that because they were the 'big' birthdays I'd go with something a bit razzle dazzle.  It just so happened that we were out and about yesterday and ended up in Nottingham at Hobbycraft and the Range. (Oops, you know where this is going!!!!) I bought a new framelit from Hobbycraft for £12.49 which I thought was a bargain! And then I saw the Strictly Party things in the Range, which I had been looking at for a while.  The actual decoupage and topper set was £11 so figured I could make a good few cards out of it.

So make cards out of it I did! I started with the 18th and went for a girlie image as I think this depicts many 18 year olds! I used the new framelit and everything else was from the strictly kit.  Very pleased with the results! Hopefully the customer will be as well as the recipient! Love a bit of sparkle!!!!

The 21st card from today used a more sophisticated topper with it being aimed at a slightly older  girl. (Get away with still being a girl at 21?! I think so!) Again, the paper, toppers and numbers are all from the kit. The butterfly and silver oval were from more sizzix dies.  Again, pleased with this.  Am selling them for £3.00 each, which I think is reasonably priced, in the shops they would cost a hell of a lot more!!! Bit of bling added in the corners for good measure too!

Now I am just enjoying playing with the rest of the kit, my other orders I have a little more time on, another 5 to get done in the next couple of weeks! I will keep you posted! 

So there is my razzle dazzle for the past 2 days!!! Makes me wonder when the next series of Strictly Come Dancing will be??!!!! Need something else to sink my teeth into once the olympics is done! Enjoy the good weather, you never know how long it will last! 

Crafty hugs and wishes xxx

The dreaded man card!!!

Good evening everyone! Thought I'd do a bit of a mini blog while I watch the olympics tonight, which I am still slightly addicted to!

So, I was asked to make a 40th birthday card for.... duh, duh, duh..... a man!!!! Yep, sweat began to appear from the forehead as I wondered what I could do!!!! All I knew was the man in question liked wine and golf.  Soooooo, spent a good while rifling through the crafty stash to see what I had! Then, there was good old Wellington sitting before me, surrounded by wine bottles!!! Perfect!!!! I had the image, now for building the card around it! Oooh goody, papermania browns and yellows would do nicely!

This was the result, what do you think? Defo don't think I've gone girly this time!

As you can see, my trusty Big Shot was with me the whole way, the shape behind Wellington was one of the framelits and then I used a sizzlit for the '40' frame, stamping the numbers on myself. 

Quite pleased with the days work! Will deliver it to my customer tomorrow but she loved it from the pic I sent today, so good news all round! 

Enjoy the rest of this Monday evening guys! :-) xxx

teddy challenge

Well for the anything goes teddy challenge, I have to say this is my fave teddy card! He's a cutie and I love the colours because they are a little more unusual! My border punch came in very handy for the boarder just to give the card a fancier feel! And let's face it, we all like sunshine, smiles, laughter and love! :-) xxx

comp 2

Big Shot Fun Time!

Hello crafters! Happy Midweek Wednesday! And what a fab day it has been for GB in the olympics!  :-)
Soooooooo as I said the other day, the plan was to get playing with the Big Shot, which I have duly done! I got a whole other heap of goodies delivered from Sizzix a few days later so I feel like I've really had a lot to sink my teeth into but I'll go into that more later!!!!

So I made my wedding card, it was the first card I made actually with the Big Shot. What do you think???

Some of you have probably already seen it on my facebook page, but I just thought I'd show it again! I used the hearts textured embossing folder on the ivory cardstock which is from Crafter's Companion.  I absolutely love their card, it's so strong and robust, great for any card! Then I used the hearts Bigz die to get the large heart in the middle and a sizzlit to get the nice shapes coming from the heart.  The smaller hearts were just from a punch I had.  It's always good to combine your new playthings with existing bits and bobs, otherwise what was the point in buying them in the first place?! I hope the bride and groom will like it! 

Then I decided I should test out the Big Shot using some of my favourite crafting goods, my SWALK stamps! Those of you that are friends with me on facebook will know I am slightly obsessed with these, I ADORE them!!!! Lots more playing to be done here, me thinks! It has gone down well on fb so thanks for all the likes of this one! 

Now back to that Sizzix delivery, I ordered directly from their website, they had some amazing bargains, I saved £80 on my items, only actually spending £18 on 9 items!!!! I got quite a lot of sentiments which you can see on the cards below.  Really love the finishing touch they give! They are also perfect for any occasion!

Ooh look, another SWALK stamp! Haha! This used the valentine embossing folder and flower sizzlit.  Backing papers were just some general Dovecraft ones form the Range that are a pretty good bargain!!! Little girl was done in cocktail and antique pink for the dress, vanilla and tulip for the dress! Then cocoa and chestnut for the hair.  My usual Almond/blush combo was used on her skin. Predictable? maybe! But I like the results I get!!!!

Really pleased with how these ones turned out! Word of warning - do NOT forget that apostrophe when you take out the die cut image!!!! Then your card will be completely wrong!!! Sorry, maybe that's just the scary year 6 teacher in me! You get used to saying that on a daily basis! ;-) 

Anyway, night night craftbugs, here's to another successful day at the olympics tomorrow and ready to go again! Bye bye! :-) <3 xxx