A big welcome to all of my lovely followers and visitors to my little space in the crafting world of blogland! I love colouring, drool over every embellishment and love to 'look' at papers (never mind using them) - some are just TOO good to use lol. I hope you enjoy your little wander through my creative world and would love to feel that I may have inspired some of you in some small way. Happy Crafting to you all and I hope you will stop by again soon!

Sunday 31 March 2013

Melancholy Lenore Muffet

Good Evening all - hope you've all had a fabulous day!  I know, I bet you're all shocked to see me back so quick!!  Three posts in one day must be a record for me :)

I'm so excited to share with you this gorgeous little Melancholy Moppet called Lenore Muffet.  She is a recent release by the fabulous Heather Valentin and you can find many more beauties like her, amongst oodles of gorgeous characters, in the fabulous Lacy Sunshine store here.


I coloured the beautiful Lenore up with Copics - and, oh my, did I have fun with all those pleats!  
Blues:  B32, 93, 95, 97   Blacks:  W1, 3, 5, 7    
Creams:  E50, 51, 53    Skin:  E000, 00, 21

My gorgeous backing papers are, again, from the Maja Design Vintage Spring and you can find them here at LLC.  I matted onto some gorgeous black lace edging and inked up a doily to go directly behind Lenore.


Here's a little close up of the star of the show and, if you look close enough, you can see a string of pearls draped over her hat and another she is holding in her hand.  I applied liquid pearls to them to give them some depth and draped a string of pearls all around her beautiful portrait!  Honestly, if it's vintage you're looking for, Live and Love Crafts is THE place to find some amazingly, gorgeous papers and embellies.


The black leaves I die-cut using the velvet wrapping from leftover Christmas crackers from a few years back lol - they're actually pretty effective and cut really well :)  The beautiful heart locket is from my stash, as are the flowers, brad and twine.

Well, I hope you like my take on little Lenore Muffet and I do hope I've done her justice to show how exquisite she really is!

I'd like to enter this little Moppet into the following:

CMC Challenge - All about Hair
Dream Valley Challenges - Pearls and Lace
Lacy Sunshine Challenge  - Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
The Paper Shelter - Anything Goes
Totally Gorjuss - Something Blue

Thanks for popping by today and I hope to see you all again soon :)
Hugs,

Easter Kids

Hey all - I'm back again!  Just had a load of fun hunting for eggs with George - I think we found them all ...... or maybe we'll come across the odd stray one in a few months' time lol.  That pesky rabbit finds every nook and cranny to hide them in ;)

Hope you're having a fabulous day so far and, to top it off, we have a new challenge at Challenges 4 Everybody and, as always, it's Anything Goes!  Our sponsor for this next fortnight is the fabulous Bugaboo and here's my creation using their fantastic digi Easter Kids.

*Warning* - You may need your sunnies on for this post as it's a tad bright!


Hee hee! Well, I said it was bright!! How fabulous is this image! I had so much fun colouring it up and playing about with Word to merge my sentiment.  I practically used all of the colours of the rainbow ...... and why not, I say?

Usually, I choose my backing papers and then colour up to match - this time I coloured first (as I couldn't wait) and then fished around for papers to match.  I was chuffed to bits when I came across my old DCWV paper stack - how lucky was that!  I've had them for years and had completely forgotten about them .... until now! I made the banner at the top by cutting along the harlequin design paper and attaching with 3d foam and popped a little pearl in the centre of each 'flag'.



Here's a little close up - not sure if you can tell or not but I added Snowtex to a few of the little one's outfits to kinda give it a cuddly, fleecy effect - not overly confident it worked, but I'm sure you get where I'm coming from :)  

As if the card needed brightening up anymore, I decided to use every colour under the sun with my flowers too hee hee!  I added my gorgeous flat backed pearls and beautiful glittery bow - all from my stash - and voila!  An egg filled, flowery feast!

Anyway, I'm gonna hop off now for a little while but would love for you to hop on over to place your entries into the challenge - we would love to see what you create this time!

I would like to enter this super duper bright card into the following:

4 Crafty Chicks - Easter
ABC Challenges - Easter Cards
Crafty Calendar Challenge - Easter Egg-stravaganza
Crafty Creations Challenges - Easter
Crafty Sentiments Designs - Easter
Creative Corner Challenges - Anything Goes
Di's Digi Designs - Flower Frenzy
Inky Impressions - Easter or Spring
One Stop Craft Challenge - Easter
Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge - Think Spring
The Squirrel and the Fox - Easter or Passover
Twisted Tuesdays Challenge - Banners and Pearls

Thank you so much for stopping by today and hope you all have a fun-filled rest of the weekend!
Hugs, 

Flowers in the Avenue

Good Morning to you all and a very Happy Easter to each and every one of you!  Whichever way you celebrate this day, I hope it's as wonderful as can be .......  I have to say, the most first and foremost thing on my little boy's mind when he wakes will be his adventurous egg hunt :)  He has been beside himself with excitement and even left a carrot out for the Easter Bunny!! So, it seems, carrots are not only good for us humans and that there Rudolph .... they are also very good for Easter Bunny too lol.

On to my first post of today now .....

We have a brand new challenge over at 613 Avenue Create and the theme this week is
Anything Goes with the optional twist of Flowers 

Our fabulous sponsors for this week are Bugaboo Stamps and Meljens Designs

My card this week features the beautiful If Friends were Flowers from Bugaboo.


I decided, for a change, to do a stepper card this week.  The fabulous papers are the gorgeous Maja Design Vintage Spring collection from Live and Love Crafts and, if you're quick, there's a fab Easter sale on until Monday midnight GMT.


I coloured these beautiful flowers with Copics and wanted to make them as vibrant as I possibly could - seeing as we are definitely lacking in the flower department in chilly old England at the mo!  I used my woodware self adhesive lace as a bottom edging.

For the left hand section of the card I made up a little miniature bouquet with some cellophane wrap, twine and shabby seam binding.

I hope you like my little card today and I'd love for you to pop on over and take a look at the awesome creations of my teamies on the Avenue .... and, of course, to post your gorgeous makes whilst you're there :)  

I would like to enter my card into the following:

Creative Corner Challenges - Anything Goes
Di's Digi Designs - Flower Frenzy
Little Claire's Designs - Cards with Folds

I'll be back shortly with my second post of the day ..... going on an egg hunt with my boy now :)

Thanks for popping by and big hugs,

Friday 22 March 2013

Flower Shower

Hi everyone and a big Hello to my lovely new followers!  Hope you're all keeping well and dry - oh yes!  Spring is definitely here .... along with the showers!!!  

Today I'm showcasing my most recent card made for my Guest Design spot over at ABC Challenges.  Their challenge this week is Bring on the Flowers!   

I used this gorgeous gal called 'Spring Showers Tilly'.  This fabulous image is a Simply B Stamp and you can find her here.  It's the first time I have used one of these images and, wowee! .... I absolutely love her!
As I've been feeling a little under the weather recently, my embellishment mojo seems to have gone a bit AWOL!  This is an extremely CAS card for me but I really enjoyed just focusing on my colouring for a change.
I thought I'd give Tilly a pretty flower shower rather than a rainy one :)  I played about with Word to come up with my sentiment and then had fun and games placing Tilly in the centre lol.   

A little close up of my sentiment, which I coloured up to make it look 3D.  A little tricky but I think it kinda worked :)   I followed Alyce's fabulous tutorial for the grass - which can be found here.
Copics used:

Purple Tones:  V000, V12, V15, V17     Pink Tones:  RV13, RV21, RV29
Turquoise Tones:  BG01, BG05, BG09   Blue Tones:  B00, B02, B05
Skin:  E000, E00, E11, E21, R11    Grass:  G99, G94, G85, YG93

Paper pieced umbrella and bp's are from LOTV and are called Bonnets and Bowties.  The flowers, ribbon and pearls are all from my stash.

I'd like to enter my card into the following:

Bearly-Mine Challenges - Anything Goes
CMC Challenge - Spring Colors
Crafty Sentiments Designs - Flowers Galore
Love to Create - Anything Goes
No Matter Which Challenge - Anything Goes
Sentimental Sundays - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Easter/Spring
The Paper Shelter - Let it be Spring

I hope my card brightened your day a little - even if the weather hasn't :)
Thanks so much for stopping by today and wishing you all a fabulous weekend!
Hugs, xx

Sunday 17 March 2013

Madam Honey

Hi all, I'm back again with my DT post for our bi-weekly challenge over at Challenges 4 Everybody and, as always, the theme is ANYTHING GOES!  

For this next fortnight we are sponsored by the fabulous Sassy Studio Designs who are offering 4 digis to our 1st place winner!

I opted for the gorgeous 'Madam Honey' to take centre stage on my card for you this time and here she is ...


I coloured the beautiful Honey up with Copics:

Skin:  E000, E00, E11, E21
Lips:  RV69, R85, R11
Greens:  G99, G94, BG93
Browns:  E33, E35, E51, E53

Honey is surrounded by hand rolled roses from my Marianne Design die, a gorgeous strip of pearls from Woodware and my beautiful decorative corner embellishments from LLC.  I added 3D glaze onto her crystal ball with a teeny bit of glitter to make it look as though something's going on in there hehe! 

Thanks so much for popping by today and I look forward to seeing your gorgeous entries :)

Big hugs, xx

Sending Love with 613 Avenue Create

Good Morning world, it's a brand new day .... and a brand new challenge over at 613 Avenue Create.  I am so excited and honoured to tell you all that I was so kindly invited to join their DT and, of course, I jumped at the chance!  They are such a fantastic team and have all welcomed me with open arms :)

The challenge this week is:
ANYTHING GOES with an optional twist of ST. PADDY'S DAY/GREEN

This week's sponsors are My Heart Pieces and Creative Bug Digitals

I chose the lovely 'Sending Love' from My Heart Pieces and here she is ....


I coloured this li'l lady up with Copics (and a single Spectrum Noir) ha ha!  The bp's, lace and ribbon are from my stash.  The gorgeous roses are from The Hobby House, as too are the hearts (coloured up again with Copics).  My gorgeous shabby chic ribbon is from LLC and the border is made up from a Sizzix thinlit die - my little take on a four leaf clover to celebrate St Patrick's Day!

Copics used:
Skin:  E000, 00, 11, 21  Browns:  E33, 35, 37, 53  Greens:  YG63, 67 and Spectrum Noir DG1

I'd love for you to pop on over to the 613 Avenue Create Neighbourhood and see what my fab new DTeamies have created and to post your gorgeous designs on the way through :)

Hope you all have a fabulous rest of the weekend and thanks so much for stopping by today!
Big hugs, xx

Saturday 16 March 2013

Babies and Butterflies

Hello lovelies!  Huge apologies for not being on here of late only I have been knocked out with an extremely unpleasant mouth infection!  I had a wisdom tooth extracted last Tuesday, was absolutely fine on Wednesday and then ..... oh yes!...... Mr Infection himself decided to pay a visit!  Oh my days!! How painful is he?  He takes no prisoners!  Well, as you can image, I've been feeling very sorry for me!  I've taken my antibiotics like a good girl ..... and the flipping thing is still lurking .....

Anyhow, onto a much brighter note ..... I was so thrilled to be invited as a Guest Designer for CMC Challenge.  Their challenge this fortnight is *SPRING COLORS* I always think of Spring with beautiful blue skies and lush green grass and so here is my take on the Challenge:
I have used the adorable 'Babies and Butterflies' digi image from Redonkadoodles.  I have coloured these two cuties up in Copics and, for the background, I was inspired by a fabulous tutorial by Alyce Keegan of  Kit and Clowder  .  You can find her amazing tutorial here.  For my first attempt I don't think I did too bad :)  My beautiful papers are called Petal Fresh from Lili of the Valley.

Copics:   
Skin:  E00,11,21, R11  Hair:  E31,51,53  
Dress: B00,24,32,45  Top: E31,33,35,51
Sky: B000,B00, C1,C3,B60  Grass: G21,94,99, YG63 


I would like to enter these babies into the following:

Celebrate the Occasion Ch 103 - Spring is in the Air
Crafting for all Seasons - Spring into Spring
Crafty Sentiments Designs - Hello Spring
Flutter By Wednesdays - Any Winged Creature
Stampin' for the Weekend - Child's Play
Twisted Tuesday - Spring into Green

Thanks so much for popping by today :) xx

Monday 4 March 2013

Hippie Eleanor

Hiya all - hope this finds you all happy and well!  What a gorgeous, sunny day we had here today ....... albeit I was at work for the majority and sat in my North facing office ..... but still, I know it was definitely sunny and much warmer than it has been for months, which can only mean one thing!  Spring is definitely peeping her head around the corner! Woohoo!

Today I am sharing with you a fabulous image created by the extremely talented Heather Valentin of Lacy Sunshine.  I have only recently come across her amazing art and I'm smitten with her gorgeous images.  
This gorgeous chicky babe is 'Hippie Eleanor'

Isn't she super sweet!  
I coloured Eleanor up with my Copics - I found her hair a little tricky as it's the first time I've ever coloured wavy hair like this, but I had loads of fun practising ;)  
For this girly I felt that an outdoor spring feel was a must!  I used my gorgeous 'Spring Drop' First Edition papers by Dovecraft and added a little field fence die from Crealies, which I also coloured up with Copics.


Copics used:
Hair - E33, 35, 37, 51, 53  Skin - E00, 11, E21  
Trousers - BG23, 15, G00  Top - R35, 32, 30, 00  Flip-Flops - E08, YR68, YR02

I added 3D glaze to her glasses (although you can't tell from this pic lol)


I have a mixture of lovely flowers on here - the main rose and little buds are from Wild Orchid Crafts and the rolled ones underneath are from Marianne Design Flowers LR0256.  I've just bought this die and LOVE it - no probs matching flowers with papers and they're a whole load of fun to make :)

I computer generated the sentiment using 'Groovy' font and then paper pieced the CHILL and cut little paper flowers out of the backing papers to give it that Hippie flowery feel ......

I'd like to enter this Hippie Chick into the following:

ABC Challenge  - Anything Goes
Addicted to Stamps - Bring on Spring (Lots of flowers)
Brown Sugar - Greeting
That Craft Place - Anything Goes
Totally Gorjuss - Anything Goes with Pink

Thanks to you all for popping by today :)
Big hugs,


Sunday 3 March 2013

DT Debut with Fancy SB Flowers

Happy Sunday lovely peeps!  Today I have some super exciting news to share with you all, which, by choice, I have been sitting on for the last two weeks awaiting my Debut Day!  I have been invited by the lovely Amelia of Challenges4Everybody to join her DT - my first EVER one guys so, firstly, I would like to thank Amelia and the lovely team for giving me such a warm welcome to the group :)

Our challenge for this next fortnight is sponsored by the fabulous Bugaboo, who are offering a prize of
7 Digi Stamps to our 1st place winner!

The challenge, as always, is everyone's favourite ........... ANYTHING GOES

I have used the adorably sweet Fancy SB Flowers and here she is ....


Isn't she the cutest little thing?
I coloured this little poppet up with Copics - had a job getting a colour match to the papers, but I got there - kind of! :)  Her hat, pinny and shoes:  B93, B95, B97, BG93, BG96  Flower Pot:  E33, E51, E53  
I also paper pieced her little dress.
I used the beautiful Pion Design papers from Live & Love Crafts, as well as their cute little sewing spools. I threaded twine through the banner and then twisted around the spools.  The sentiment letters are computer generated, then distressed and inked.


Flowers are a mixture from LLCWOC and The Hobby House.  The heart pins and metal ribbon slider are also from The Hobby House - the ribbon slider I coloured up with Copics.

I added folded ribbon behind the image, a strip of lace, a butterfly, a splash of glitter and flat backed glitter gems and Voila!...... all done and ready for my fantastic Mum for Mother's Day.

I hope you like my little creation today and I look forward to seeing everyone's fabulous designs on the challenge page.

I would like to enter into the following:
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes - Optional Tic Tac Toe (Ribbon, Digi, Free Space (Glitter)
Allsorts Challenge - For a Lady
Crafts 4 Eternity - Tic Tac Toe (Lace, Twine, Layers)
Craft Us Crazy - Anything Goes
Inky Chicks - Mother's Day or Birthday
No Matter Which Challenges - Anything Goes
Sincerely Yours Creations - Mother's Day
Southern Girls Challenge - Waving in the Breeze
Stampin' for the Weekend - Lace
Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge - Girl Time

Thanks so much for popping by and your comments are so very welcome and appreciated :) xx