Super Duper Candy Time

This is a sticky - please scroll down for more recent posts 

I have just hit 20,000 hits here so I thought I'd celebrate with a wee bit of candy, and I thought I'd tie it in with my other exciting news - the release of the Craft Gift Set from Letraset that some of you already know about.


For those of you who don't... I was asked by Letraset to select the 12 colours for the kit and I chose a broad selection of markers that would be ideal for someone starting out with promarkers. They also asked me to put together a simple craft tutorial to include in the kit. So my creation and name is on the packaging - woohooo. I am absolutely thrilled to bits that they asked me and I really enjoyed doing it.Even if the deadline was mighty tight.

So this is what I'd like you to do to be in with a chance of winning the candy - I'll keep it simple.
1. Leave your name and blog address in Mr Linky below (please only enter ONCE!)
2. Also leave a comment on this post
3. Spread the word on your blog linking back to this post- I'm not fussed if you want to post just a link on your sidebar or in a post, and you can also use the pic - but only if you want to.


Ok so you've read the rules, you know what you're doing - I guess you'll want to know what's up for grabs? ok here goes...there will be a 1st prize and 2 runners up prizes
Update - there will be another  main prize: Letraset have very generously given me one of the brand new craft gift sets (as pictured) to give away. 


Main Prize 1

2x Diane Duda Xmas stamps from Sugar Nellie - Making Friends and Waiting for Santa
25 Promarkers: Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna, Sandstone, Spice, Coral, Rose Pink, Ruby, Berry Red, Red, Shale, Pastel Yellow, Canary, Meadow Green, Apple Green, Lime Green, Grass, Forest Green, Pine, Cool Aqua, Cornflower, Royal Blue, Indigo Blue, Amethyst, Blush & Satin.
4 Fineliners: 0.1, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7
Total worth £57.55

Main Prize 2**Update**
Letraset Craft Gift Pack which contains: Blush, Pink Carnation, Fuchsia Pink, Denim Blue, China Blue, Grass, Lush Green, Caramel, Cocoa, Umber, Sunflower & Poppy promarkers, plus 1 fineliner pen, 1 blender pen, 1 storage wallet, 1 marker pad and MY instruction sheet.
RRP £34.99 


Runner Up 1

5 Greys - CG1, 3, 4 & 5, WG3
7 Promarkers: Pastel Yellow, Satin, Sandstone, Lime Green, Cornflower, Amethyst, Ruby
 Total worth £20.28
Runner Up 2

4 Greys - WG2 & 3, IG3, CG4
8 Promarkers: Pastel Yellow, Satin, Sandstone, Burnt Sienna, Black, Lime Green, Berry Red, Royal Blue

Total worth £20.28


The candy closes at 12 noon on Monday 30th November and the winner will be announced the day after.

Passion for Promarkers #27 - Maria's Theme - Vintage

Its week #27 over at Passion for Promarkers and our penultimate challenge for 2009. Maria has chosen "Vintage" as her theme this week and you can use ANY COLOURS of promarkers.


Now this challenge has had me worried for weeks because its so far out of my comfort zone, I have never even attempted anything vintage before. BUT, I think I like it! 


So if you fancy having a go at this challenge, remember all you need to do to qualify for the prize draw is use ANY COLOUR of promarkers AND create something "Vintage".
And this week's fabulous prize is a £10 voucher to spend at

They have a fantastic range of kids and adults crafts - some fabulous ideas to keep the kids busy and some super stocking fillers and gifts. If you do place an order with them, can I be cheeky and ask you to enter the source code: SSH10729. If you do this then our charity Extra Special Parents will receive the commission at NO EXTRA COST TO YOU. So not only will you get some super crafty bits, but you will also be supporting parents and carers of children with additional needs.

Image: Poise from Sugar Nellie, coloured with promarkers: Blush for her skin, Baby Pink for her lips, Apricot, Raw Sienna, Chestnut & Walnut for her hair, Mulberry and Plum for her dress and the flowers. I then covered the entire image with Ranger Sepia Accents for a "vintage" look.

The card base is core'dinations card which was sanded, Paper is K&Co and the edges were distressed and inked, the lace is from my stash and coloured with Caramel Promarker. The image is matted onto core'dinations card. The large flower is made from core'dinations card and the K&Co paper, retro flower punch and the petals are then punched with the Martha Stewart Deco Shell punch. The wee flowers are Prima, all the gems were coloured with Plum promarker

And here's a close-up of the lady...

Willow with Lantern #2 of 3

Back again with the 2nd of my 3 Willow with Lantern cards, this time I've gone darker and more traditional with my colour scheme, and have also gone dark honey blonde with her hair - something I don't do very often.

 Image: Willow with Lantern from Whiff of Joy, coloured with promarkers: Ivory, Blush and Baby Pink for her skin, Pastel Yellow, Buttercup, Raw Sienna & Chestnut for her hair, Marsh Green, Olive Green and Forest Green for her gown, Ruby and Burgundy for her sash and the holly berries, Forest Green for the holly leaves, Lemon and Mango for the candlelight. I also covered the lanter with sakura clear glaze pen.

The papers are all Daisy & Dandelion xmas pad, I have distressed the edges with my Tim Holtz distress tool and inked with Papermania inkpads.

The image was cut using Rach's out of bounds technique again, this time I used circle and scallop nesties for the image and mat. The greeting is Kanban. 

Here's her close-up...

Pepsi Day - 16 and a half weeks

My goodness, little Princess Pepsi is 16 weeks old already. 
I'm sure you'll all be glad to hear that her tail has healed very nicely - she was very good and didn't lick it.
I haven't made it to puppy classes yet, as things have been a bit hectic, and now that Graham's away, I won't be able to go until he's back. But in the meantime I've been teaching her to sit which she manages quite well, I'm trying to get her to give me a paw, but that'll take a bit of time. She knows what "stay" means, and I'm also taking her into the garden without a lead - armed of course with a bag of treats - which is also going quite well.
Pepsi's biggest distraction is hearing other people - she's such a friendly little thing and just loves humans, so as soon as she hears another person she wants to go say hello.


I tried to get a bit of video of her this week while she was sleeping - she's so funny with her little barks, but I didn't manage to capture it this week.


Faith decided she wanted to take Pepsi for a walk in the garden the other day, so I'll share those pics with you instead.

They come in 3's

Here's the first of another group of 3 cards I've made using the same image, just coloured differently. Its an absolutely stunning stamp from Whiff of Joy called Willow with Lantern. As most of you know by now, my middle child is called Willow so these stamps hold special meaning for me. It also helps that my Willow looks very similar, with her long wavy hair.

Image: Willow with Lantern from Whiff of Joy, coloured with promarkers: Blush and Baby Pink for her skin, Caramel, Cocoa and Umber for her hair, Pink Carnation and Fuchsia Pink for her dress,  Amethyst & Purple for her sash and shoe, Holly for the holly, Ruby for the berries, Primrose and Mango for the candlelight. I also covered the lantern with Sepia Accents.

I made the side-step card from papermania cardstock, adding panels of DCWV pink xmas papers. I cut the image out using Rach's out-of-bounds technique with an oval nestie, and matted onto some lilac core'dinations card cut with the oval scallop nestie in the cuttlebug.

I punched some Martha Stewart snowflakes from the lilac core'dinations card and added an iridescent plastic flower and tiny gold brad to each and finally the greeting is Papermania.

Here's her close-up...

Friday

things haven't really gone to plan - but am hoping to get a card uploaded later on tonight.
In the meantime please go have a look at the latest tutorial at PfP - Maria has done a fabulous vintage style image. 

Thursday

nothing much to share today - trying to get a bit of time to do some more xmas cards, so will hopefully have something to show you tomorrow

I just had to share...

Willow and Faith pinched my post-it notes this evening and decided to draw pictures of mummy and daddy. And I just had to share them cos they really tickled me.

The large person in the left hand side pic is Me apparently, resembling The Blob! and the little figure is Graham, as drawn by Faith.
And the drawing on the right hand side is Graham as drawn by Willow - I thought she captured his beard, moustache and the few hairs he has left on his head particularly well lol

Passion for Promarkers #26 - Burnt Umber & Marsh Green

Welcome to week 26 of Passion for Promarkers, and this week we had a bit of a tough challenge - one of our Guest DT's, Barbara has chosen the colours Burnt Umber and Marsh Green. Initially, I'll be honest, I thought "UGH!" but after having a wee play around I realised that its actually a really nice combination - if you add in a pink, or a blue or any other of the "pretty" colours it works surprisingly well.


Anyway, remember, to qualify for the prize draw this week, all you need to do is use Burnt Umber and Marsh Green promarkers in your creation and you could be the lucky winner of a 5 pack of Promarkers from

The other girls on the DT (links on my sidebar) have created some fabulously inspirational designs this week - you need to see them.

Image: Reflective from Sugar Nellie, coloured with promarkers: Blush for her skin, Marsh Green and Olive Green for her dungarees, Caramel and Burnt Umber for her hair, Pastel yellow and Raw Sienna for her basket, Pink Carnation, Fuchsia and Carmine for the flowers, Pink Carnation and Fuchsia for her top, ribbons and patches, Leaf green, Red and Marsh Green for the apples, Meadow Green for the grass

Paper is MME Bloom & Grow, pink card is core'dinations cut using Martha Stewart Loopy punch, Anita's white organza ribbon, silver chain, jump ring and butterfly charm from stash. Green mat cut from core'dinations card using Labels 7 nesties in the cuttlebug and embossed with birds and swirls folder, then sanded. Greeting is Daisy & Dandelion

The close-up...

Angel Wishes Card #3

Well this is the day of the year that I hate. The car is in for its service and MOT today, I'm not terribly worried about it passing its MOT or about the cost because I have a service plan thats already paid up. The problem is that they treat me like an imbecile at this particular garage - I always end up falling out with them. If I mention a particular concern about how the car is running I just get one of those looks - you know, as if to say - och she's a woman, what the hell does she know. Well I actually know more than they realise, I didn't go out with a mechanic for 5 years and not learn anything. In fact I have actually changed a gearbox myself, and welded the floor of a 2CV (God I loved that car). So I do know when the biting point of the clutch is a bit high, I do know when the gearbox is a bit sticky. And I most certainly know that I can't possibly lose 4mm of tread on the tyres in a couple of weeks.
ok rant over, by the time this is posted I'll be up at the garage dropping off the car and picking up one of their silly little courtesy cars - and I did book 6 weeks ahead in order to get their silly little Corsa with the free advertising plastered all over it.
haha, there's me off again lol


So, getting back to the card... this is the 3rd Angel Wishes card I did. And again I chose a completely different colour scheme - although I do think I went slightly too dark with the dress. But it gave me the chance to cut into the gorgeous FancyPants papers I bought a wee while ago at Simply Create.

Image: Angel Wishes from Sugar Nellie, coloured with Promarkers: Blush for her skin, Caramel, Cocoa & Umber for her hair and the dog, Ruby & Burgundy for her sash and the dog's hat, Ice Grey 5 for the dog, Pine & Holly for the dress and Arctic Blue for her wings. I also used Sakura clear stardust on her wings and the stars on her dress and a Sakura white gel pen for highlights.

Paper is Fancy Pants - Christmas Magic from Simply Create, greeting is Papermania. The image is matted onto core'dinations card cut with circle scallop nesties in the cuttlebug and the greeting is also matted onto the same card.

Thought I'd keep it simple to show off the gorgeous paper.

Here's her close-up