Saturday 9 October 2010

You're Tea-rrific!


I've stumbled across a newish challenge this morning. Over on Let's Craft and Create the theme of their third challenge is pink. Here's my little entry - the DP and image are from Pink Petticoat with little else but a lovely pink ribbon. It also fits in nicely with the Allsorts Challenge which is to take inspiration from a song title - mine is Tea for Two.

I've been doing a lot of craft shopping lately and not a lot of crafting - a trend which will need to be reversed.

Thanks for looking!

Sunday 19 September 2010

Tweet and Flutter

I've not posted in a while I just haven't found the time - too many work days and not enough weekends. It's miserable here today cold and wet, winter will be here so soon. Still that gives us all an excuse (as if we needed any) to stay in and craft.

Over on Cute Card Thursday the challenge is 'Tweet and Flutter' and on Pile It On the challenge is layers. My entry is an engagement card with cute little Pink Petticoat birdies.



The DP is Papermania (I think) and I've matched the colours with Pink Petticoat A Little Washed out for the layers.



Thanks for looking!

Saturday 31 July 2010

Cinderella Proved A New Pair of Shoes Can Change Your Life

Over at Allsorts the challenge is dressing up and over on Cute Card Thursday the challenge is to have text on your card. For these challenges I've made a simple card (not that any of mine are particularly difficult!) by cutting a shoe and text using my Cricut. The racy leopard skin print paper is from Pink Petticoat and I've added a little bling to the centre of the flower.




Thanks for looking!

Saturday 26 June 2010

I'm So Excited..I Just Can't Hide It..

I've won the first Craftalicious challenge for Coochie Coo. Admittedly it was the random org thingy which picked me, but I'd like to think it was a reasonable effort.

Anyhoo onto this weekends entry - I did nothing last week because the weather was glorious which is a bit of a rarity in Scotland. I'm entering it into Cardalicious which is green, flowers and polka dots and ABC which is X... extra dimension.



I've printed my cardstock with Pink Petticoat's Big Dots in New Leaf and cut the flower and sentiment using my Cricut with the addition of a Card Candy paper brad..simples.

Thanks for looking!

Sunday 6 June 2010

Coochie Coo

I'm back! I've not posted since April - it's not that I've not been crafting just that I haven't found any challenges I wanted to enter. Anyhoo for my first challenge in two months I'm entering this little number into the ABC Challenge which is vintage, Daring Cardmakers which is pearl and the brand new Craftalicious Challenge whose theme is new.



The vintage style papers are from Cajoline-Scrap, the image is from Squigglefly and I've done a little hand sewing, decoupage and added some pearls. I love the way this turned out - the little baby is too cute!

Need to go now this blogger thingy is playing up big time so before I lose my temper I'll sign off now. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Thanks for looking!

Saturday 3 April 2010

Moon Bear

Over on Allsorts the challenge is no DP's. This is my kinda challenge as I prefer cards with a lot of white on them. It's just a personal choice but I do still salivate over all you fabulously creative crafters out there and your super fancy mixing and matching of papers.

So for my entry I have used my favourite Dustin Pike image which I use a lot on baby cards. It's a very simple card which I've made by printing the image directly onto the card and, by printing it a few more times, I've decoupaged the image and added a computer sentiment. I love this image - he is just so cute.



There won't be a lot of crafting this weekend as I've actually planned a few things (makes a change) which I'll share later.

Thanks for looking!

Sunday 28 March 2010

Flower Power

Back to work tomorrow after a weeks holiday. I didn't manage as many challenges as I would normally although I made some jewellery which turned out quite well. So here is my final challenge entry for this week, an Easter card and matching pillow box filled with liqueur filled chocolate eggs, which fits with multiple challenges.



I've used a Penny Black stamp coloured with Copic BV13, the DP scrap is Pink Petticoat, a Fiskars border punch, Cuttlebug embossing folder and some glitter.

Incy Wincy Designs: Spring
Fussy and Fancy Friday: Easter
Lexi's Creations: Easter Theme
Pollycraft Challenge: Sparkly things
Cute Card Thursday: Dimensions
PaperPlay: Easter
C.R.A.F.T: Easter
Crafty Calender: Flower Power
Stamp Simply: Easter
Stampin' for the Weekend: Easter
Busy Little Hands: Cut it all by hand
Practical Scrappers: Something you've had for over a year... The Pink Petticoat DP and the Penny Black stamp
Stamp with Fun: Easter
Charisma Cardz: Spring has sprung

Thanks for looking!

Thursday 25 March 2010

Zingy Green

I'm being a little green in more ways than one. I made a card for the ABC challenge and I wasn't sure if I liked it - but I did like my handmade ribbon flower. So I whipped it off and made another card with some scraps, some hand stitching, a computer generated sentiment and the aforementioned flower with a new button attached.



I like the colour combination of black, white and green - very stylish - I think I'll use it again.

I'm entering it into the Charisma Cardz Challenge - Spring Has Sprung

Thanks for looking!

Q Is For......Quote

Here is my quick card for this weeks ABC challenge which is Q Is For Quote. My quote is by Dorothy Parker...Brevity is the Soul of Lingerie. The DP and image are by Pink Petticoat and the flower is just a piece of ribbon and a button.



Not sure on this one - I may have to recycle it later.

Thanks for looking!

Wednesday 24 March 2010

The Reason I Don't Bake....

Because I'm rubbish at it! I have a few things I'm not bad at - scones, tea breads that type of thing but the pretty, pretty stuff - well that's a whole other story. As you know cupcakes are very trendy at the minute and I love cute cupcake images on cards - so as I'm on holiday this week I thought I'd have a go at the real thing. I used the following recipe:

Ingredients

• 125g butter, softened
• 125g caster sugar
• 1/2 large lemon, finely grated zest only
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 150g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

For the lemon butter icing

• 75g butter, softened
• 175g icing sugar, sifted
• 1/2 large lemon, finely grated zest only
• 1-2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• jelly orange and lemon slices (optional)


1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Line a 12-hole fairy cake tin with paper cases.

2. Cream the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add the sugar and grated lemon zest and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Gradually add the beaten eggs, then sift in the flour and baking powder and fold into the mixture. Alternatively, whiz all the ingredients together in an electric food mixer.

3. Divide the mixture between the paper cases and bake in the preheated oven for 7–10 minutes, until risen and golden. When cooked, the centre of each cake should be slightly springy to the touch. Remove the cakes from the tin and put on a wire rack to cool before you ice them.

4. For the lemon butter icing, cream the butter in a bowl with a wooden spoon or hand-held electric beater until very soft. Gradually add the icing sugar and beat into the butter, along with the lemon zest and enough lemon juice to soften the icing to a spreadable consistency.

5. When the cupcakes are cool, spread a generous heaped teaspoon of lemon butter icing over the top of each one (I also added some orange essence and food colouring to the icing). Decorate with the jelly embellishments (if using).

Adapted from Rachel Allen, Bake (Collins)

I followed the recipe, put the cupcake mixture into silicon moulds (they are brilliant) and put them in the oven. I set the timer for 7 minutes and had a look - not much happening, a further three and they are still really pale and haven't risen, a few more minutes still nothing and then I realise there must be something wrong with the oven - it is heating but obviously not enough. Emergency rescue whang them into the microwave and nuke them. Phew....they've risen but are still a bit 'peely wally' but it'll be OK once I cover them in icing.

So here they are.



They do taste good but I think I'll give the sweet stuff a miss and stick to the savoury in future. Oops I've just noticed I've got yellow food dye on my fingers as well - it looks as if I smoke 60 fags a day - not a good look!

Onto todays card. I've coloured a dahlia image I got from the internet with my new Pale Blue Copic (B32), I've stamped the leaves with a My Mind's Eye stamp, the green paper is from K&Co, the tartan is a scrap from a previous card and I've hand-stitched a zig-zag to join the two together and the sentiment is computer generated.



I'm entering it into the following challenges:

Little Red Wagon - Inspiration Photo
Crafty Calendar - Flower Power

Thanks for looking!

Tuesday 23 March 2010

Cool Bunny

Off on holiday for a week - fabulous! Managing to get some tasks done - cleared the box room yesterday and today defrosted the freezer (ugh...there was enough ice in there to keep a few polar bears happy) and shampooed the carpets. Time also for a little crafting in between chores and cooking.

Yesterday I made a card and matching pillow box which I've filled with liqueur Easter eggs. I'm entering these into Creative Inspirations - Anything But A Card and Pile It On - Furry Friends. I love these because they are very plain, with lots of white which emphasises the star of the show the cool bunny from Dawn Moore which I've coloured with my new Copics.




Today I've made a little card which will probably end up being a get well soon card. The DP is from Shabby Princess and the image is from Amber Ink. This fits with the Poppy Seed challenge which is buttons, polka dots and light moss.



I'm also entering:

Little Red Wagon - Copics
Crafty Creations - Spots and Dots
Allsorts - Spring
Crazy 4 Challenges - Spring
Digital Tuesday - Spring

Thanks for looking!

Saturday 13 March 2010

This Is It - THE Game

Hope you are having a great weekend. I've had a 'poo' week so I've rewarded myself again by only doing the things I like to do - a little crafting, a little cooking, some Pink Petticoat shopping and watching rugby....we're winning at the mo....3-0.... I hope it stays that way.

Anyway, here are my crafting efforts for today. An Easter card and a little matching pillow box filled with chocolate caramels....yum yum. The DP I got free from a mag and the stamp is Penny Black Whispers which I've paper pieced. I've added computer generated sentiments, some Craftwork Card Candy, some hand stitching and some pink velvet ribbon.




I've had this stamp for ages yet it's the first time I've used it. I've coveted it ever since I saw it on the lovely Kath's blog (I think it's one of her faves). Such is the Kath effect (she's the crafting world's equivalent of Delia) that it took me yonks to get it as it was always sold out....oops it's 3-3 now. Isn't it strange that after all that lusting I never got around to using it. Yaaaaaay we're winning again 6-3. Before it all gets too much I'm entering the following challenges:

Penny Black - Spring Colours
Secret Crafter - Anything Goes
ABC - Paper Piecing
Cute Card Thursday - Celebrations
By The Cute And Girly - Spring

Oh my word it's 6-6 now....come on Scotland....I'm like a woman possessed....COME ON! I'm going to have to sign off now as my nerves can't stand it.

Thanks for looking!

Sunday 28 February 2010

My First Pillow Box

Just a quick post to show you my first pillow box courtesy of a free Pink Petticoat template and a little bracelet I've made for a colleague at work.

I've stamped a purple piece of card with Versamark and then made the box with a matching tag. The little bracelet is just some silver balls with a little heart, flower and crystal charm.





Off now to get prepared for the 'W' word tomorrow grrrr....

Thanks for looking!

Where Does The Time Go?

It's the last day of February already can you believe it? Still it's good to have a few more hours of daylight so we can't complain. Having a lazy weekend to reward myself for no other reason than I'm worth it!

Made a little thank you card today to fit with a few challenges:

Secret Crafter - Stitching
Cute Card Thursday - Ribbon
Creative Inspirations - Thank You
Clean and Simple - Layout #80
Lexis - Anything Goes



The DP is Basic Grey Two Scoops which I've had for ages and barely used (it's a bit scary for me) and the image is from the fabulous Pink Petticoat. Hope you're enjoying your weekend whatever you are doing.

Thanks for looking!

Sunday 21 February 2010

Her Name Was Lola....

... I bet you've got old Barry Manilow ringing in your ears haven't you? Sorry about that! I haven't shared my diet update with you for the last two weeks as I haven't lost anything (boo-hoo). Not helped I suppose by the fact that we had a lovely meal at R34, a local restaurant in a beautiful art-deco building, last night.



I had chicken liver parfait with oatcakes and red onion jam, breast of chicken stuffed with Fontina cheese and Parma ham in a light jus with fondant potato and to follow a crumble topped rhubarb trifle.....mmm.mmm.mmm.mmm.mmm! Afterwards we went to the pictures to see Invictus and I have to say that Morgan Freeman is brilliant as Nelson Mandela.

Today I've made a 21st Birthday card which is version II (I made a totally different one last week which I now don't like). I've used Funky Hand DP, a Pink Petticoat image, the flower has been cut using my new Nestabilites. I like this one a little better - well it's got polka dots and pink - you can't go far wrong in my book with those ingredients.



I think it fits into the following challenges this week:

Pile it On - flowers
Digital Tuesday - all things girly
Get Funky - free theme

Thanks for looking!

Sunday 14 February 2010

Under Pressure

This card is one of several and varied attempts at a silver anniversary card which I need to have ready for tomorrow. I'm not the world's fastest crafter but believe it or not I spent all day yesterday on a card which when I got up this morning I didn't like. Then today nothing went right with this one - the score lines were in the wrong place, the insert was badly placed, I had to cut the hearts numerous times and on and on it went. So before I go completely loopy this will have to do.



The DP is from Pink Petticoat, the hearts have been cut using Cricut George Cartridge, the sentiment is computer generated and the little gem hearts are from my stash. I've also used my new Scor-Pal board to qualify for the ABC challenge.

Even although it's a simple card it fits a few challenges...

By The Cute and Girly Febuary "Love"
Die Cut Dreams #34 "Have a Heart"
Die Cuts R Us #25 "Love"
My Time To Craft #78 "Hearts and Kisses"
ABC "N is for New"
Penny's "Valentines/Love"
Busy Little Hands "Love"
Cute Card Thursday #99 "In The Name Of Love"
Sassy Susies #8 "Hearts and Flowers"
Daring Cardmakers "Have a Heart"

Thanks for looking!

Sunday 31 January 2010

Perfect Sunday

Breakfast, Sunday papers, tennis (no luck Andy), cooked and made a new baby card - fantastic! Can you believe January is nearly over already? Not only has it been a perfect Sunday but the old diet is not doing too badly either.

Diet Update
Weight: 11 st. 9 lbs (woo-hoo)
Weight Loss: 7lbs (14 blocks of butter)
Crisps: None (I'm a saint)
Exercise: None (v.bad)

Anyway back to the card. I've used Funky Hand DP, cuttlebug embossing, hand stitching, topper made from Cricut George Cartridge, a button, a ribbon and a little gem.



I'm entering it into the following challenges:

Hand Full of Stamps - Hearts
Fussy and Fancy - Hearts
Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge - Hearts
Pink Elephant - Polka dots, a bow and pink

Thanks for looking!

Saturday 16 January 2010

Is There Any Good News?

The heating went on the blink on Wednesday, got it fixed on Friday and there we were sitting in our version of the Bahamas when we had a power cut. Thankfully it only lasted about an hour but it makes you realise how much you take things for granted. Today a shelf fell off the wall and broke a Doulton vase. So is there any good news I here you ask? Well jumped on the old scales this morning (5 days into diet) and I've lost 2.5 lbs - that's the equivalent of 5 blocks of butter I'm no longer carrying around with me.

Onto the card which is for the Friday Sketchers and Allsorts Challenge. The DP is from Summer Driggs Bubblegum and Licorice collection and the image is from MFT. I've added a little bit of the stripe DP underneath the sentiment on the insert which reads 'Good Friends Are Priceless'.



Thanks for looking!



Diet Update
Weight: 11 st. 13.5 lbs (woo-hoo)
Weight Loss: 5 blocks of butter
Crisps: None (I'm a saint)
Exercise: None (v.bad)

Tuesday 12 January 2010

OMG

12 stone 2 lbs

You are having a laugh! I think Antonio Carluccio has a lot to answer for. Thanks very much for the words of encouragement - I think I would like to lose around 2 stones (28 lbs yee Gods). I'm not one for these fat clubs or anything like that but I think I'll keep you updated regularly - so here goes.

Weight: 12 stone 2 lbs (v. bad)
Calorie Intake: 1200 (v. good)
Crisps: Absolutely none (hurrah)
White wine: Half a glass (good)
Water Intake: A Lake!

Sunday 10 January 2010

D-Day Tomorrow...

...diet day that is. We've just about used up all the 'junk' from Crimbo, had our 'last supper' at a local Italian and tomorrow it's time to pull in the reins.

Weigh in first...which I'll post and that should shame me into sticking to it.

Enjoy what's left of the weekend.

Bubblegum and Licorice

This is my card for the Caardvarks challenge - I don't think I've entered this one before. The prize is a whopping $100 voucher from the sponsor JustRite stamps - how cool is that? The challenge was a lovely sketch and here is my interpretation.



The DP is from Summer Driggs Bubblegum and Licorice collection (it reminds be a bit of those Blackcurrant and Licorice sweeties) and the sentiment is from WordArt World. I've used a Fiskars border punch for the scallops, hand stitched the vertical lines and added a bow, a button and some gems to finish.

I quite pleased with the way this one has turned out - I really like the sentiment to be the star of the show.

Thanks for looking!

Tuesday 5 January 2010

Opposites Attract

What a perfect day! I've made a bracelet and two cards and of course done a bit of blog hopping.

I've made these New Year cards - one for friends in Italy and the other for a colleague from work who is going through cancer treatment. I've used Shabby Princess Seasonal Sampler Winter - I love the muted colours and the spots and stripes combo - each card has the opposite paper as the main attraction. The sentiment is computer generated with a little padded silver star and I've added a border punched element with some ribbon and a button. I'm entering both cards into Rosie Dee's Challenge which is a free theme and to the Papertake Weekly Challenge which is New Beginnings.






Off now to think about dinner. Last night we had fabulous Sticky Chicken Thighs with Lemon and Honey which is a Nigel Slater recipe. Tonight I think it will be Baked Ham with Antonio Carluccios Patate al Forno con Cipolle e Aglio (Baked Potatoes with Onion and Garlic). I might make a little Zabaglione and serve with Amaretti Di Saronno biscuits (haven't started the diet yet you'll have noticed).

Anyway, whatever you are doing I hope you have a great time and thanks for looking!

Saturday 2 January 2010

Funky Wine Bar

Last challenge of today and this time it is for Get Funky! the theme of which is Spots and Stripes - my favourite. I've used my new MFT digital image (so I can also enter the Stamp Something Challenge) which has been paper pieced with Funky Daze papers.



The downside of the digital versions of these MFT stamps is that you don't get the accessory images with them so I've had to draw the canopy freehand - I think it looks OK. The letters on the canopy were cut using the Sizzix Slobbery Kiss alphabet die.

I need to get ready now to go out - I'd rather stay in as it's baltic outside - that's if I can fit into anything. I made scones this morning and I've just had one with mascarpone and strawberry jam - honestly it had to be done!

Thanks for looking!