Thursday 27 May 2010

Ida's Monthly Candy

Pop on over to my PfP Teamie, Ida's blog and have a go at her fabby monthly candy - you could win a voucher for Joanna Sheen.
Go, go now!! :)



Tuesday 25 May 2010

Passion for Promarkers - 1st Anniversary - Anything Goes


Woohooo, Passion for Promarkers is 1 year old!! and we're celebrating in style - come join the party.
The new Design Team 2 has been revealed - and we're so chuffed to have some new faces on board, what fantastically talented ladies. It's a little bittersweet though, as we're also saying a temporary cheerio to Design Team 1 - but don't worry, like Arnie, they'll be back!

We've had a fantastic first year at PfP and personally speaking, I've had a ball - I get to work with fabulously talented ladies, who are great fun and make me laugh loads. I get to play with my favourite things and I also get to share my experience - what more could a girl ask for.

Anyway, enough of the speech - lets get on and tell you about all the fabulous prizes you could be in with a chance of winning.

 £50 worth of Joanna Sheen branded stamps
Complete set of 6 Sugar Nellie Mary Hall - Fairies stamps (donated by Me)

collection of Secret Crafter Manga stamps


complete set of 148 Promarkers
 set of Olivers Orchard stamps
from

£10 Gift certificate
from

  5x Ronnie , digital images
donated by Emma (DT)

Little Doctor & Little Nurse stamps from the Get Well Collection
from Whiff of Joy

So have we tempted you yet?
Remember, you have to be in it to win it - and it's not difficult to enter, the theme this week is.... Anything Goes, so it's entirely up to you - just so long as you use promarkers on your creation 

This week, seeing as it's a special occassion, I thought I'd try something new. It's a style of card that has been on the go for a wee while, but I've always avoided it because I thought it looked awfully fiddly and complicated. But, boy, was I surprised at just how simple these tri-fold shutter cards actually are to make.
Image: Paul from TGF's Roll Call, Wild Sprouts Collection 1, coloured with promarkers: I tried out the same colours that Michele used for her video tut on the Weekend Workshop, Burnt Orange, Coral and Blush for his skin, Caramel, Cocoa and Walnut for his clothes and hair. 
Cardstock is all core'dinations, papers are Papermania Its A Man's World except the pale blue polka dots which are Wild Rose Studio.
Raffia ribbon is from Bunny Zoe, buttons from stash, greetings from Craftwork Cards
Here's another view and Paul's close-up...

So remember to pop over and see the fabulous designs from Team 1 and Team 2 over on the PfP blog and we'll look forward to seeing all your entries

** Edited to add the tutorial that I used to make my tri-fold shutter card - from Splitcoast Stampers


Tuesday 18 May 2010

Passion for Promarkers #52 - Mythical Creatures

Oh I've finally got the opportunity to "do" Edward!! woohooo
Tracy has chosen the fabulous theme of Mythical Creatures over at Passion for Promarkers this week and rather than choose a unicorn, or fairy I decided to go with a vampire!
In case you've been living in a cave, Edward is the lead character in the Twilight Saga - and like half the female population I completely fell in love with him when I read the books, although I have to say I'm more of a Jacob fan when it comes to the films (especially with his shirt off, wow!)

Anyway, moving swiftly on before I get carried away thinking about half naked Jacob mmmmmmmmmmmm
This week you can win 2 lovely Mary Hall stamps from Sugar Nellie - Party Parade and Big Bunch of Love
Are you ready to meet Edward??
Image: WS Flirty Edward digi from TGF coloured with promarkers: Satin for his skin, Chestnut, Cinnamon and Pastel Yellow for his hair, Blue Pearl and China Blue for his jeans and Ice Grey 3 for the shading on his shirt, and black for his shoes. I then covered all of his skin with glamour dust to give the effect of his skin being covered in tiny diamonds.

Papers are all from the Papermania Touch of Teal kit that has been sitting untouched since I bought it ages ago, card is all core'dinations, pearls are from Hobbycraft and the punched bits are Stampin' Up word window punch.


Here's Edwards close-up, I've tried to show how his skin sparkles...

Remember to pop over to the rest of the DT for more inspiration, they are stunning. And I'll look forward to visiting all your fab entries this week again.

Sunday 16 May 2010

Upcoming Demo Day

Well I'm pleased as punch to let you know that I've been asked to do a demo day down at Kitty Krafts in Dundee on the 12th June. You'll find all the details over at the Kitty Krafts blog - and I'd love to see some of you there. Its a great day out, 1000 square feet of crafty heaven - Louise only stocks the best of crafty materials. So if you fancy a wee splurge - and want some tips on how to use your promarkers, or even fancy giving them a try - mark the date in your calendar now.


So I'd better knuckle down and get some samples made and try out a few new techniques.



Friday 14 May 2010

Pics

Gina asked to see a pic of my crafty stash from yesterday so here it is. I've also included the Claudine Hellmuth sticky canvas that I got the other day, and the WOJ stamps that arrived yesterday too



Thursday 13 May 2010

A Wee Jaunt

Well I had to drop Graham off at the heliport today, so seeing I was out the west side of the city anyway, I decided I'd be as well treat myself to a wee jaunt out to Alford, and my favourite wee craft shop - Simply Create. And wow, Jacqui has loads of new stuff - but they are all very naughty goodies and quite a few of them jumped into my basket and now my purse is a whole lot lighter. 
I bought some gorgeous papers: Bo Bunny Jazmyne and Double Dot, Jillibean Soup's Old World Cabbage Stew (which is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy prettier than it sounds lol) , Making Memories' {Note}worthy, an EK Success binding edge punch, Distress Ink, Hero Arts stamps and some pins. 
Unfortunately Jacqui wasn't in, but I'm glad her son was - cos I'm too short to reach the Hero Arts stamps I was after lol

I had to take Faith with me, as she's off playgroup with a bit of a bug and a very dodgy bottom! So she managed to find this wee deckchair on wheels that she thought would make a good trolley and pushed all round the shop. Then she decided the book rings made good bangles, so she put on about 40 of them so they were right up her arm lol
 So she had almost as much fun as I did - she just loved your wee button topiary and the toadstool pin cushion  Jacqui!!

As I wasn't too long in Simply Create, we went over to Torphins and dropped in on my mum and dad. Dad had been away at his cardiac class and phoned on his way home to ask if mum wanted anything from the baker - so I got to order some of their fab baps and rowies. When I got to mum's she was in the middle of baking cakes and bannocks for the bowling club - so I got some of them too - RESULT!
So that's us just home - just enough time for a cuppy tea and one or two of mum's cakes before I have to go pick up Willow and Scott from school. Am hoping they'll go to bed at a decent time so I can play with my new goodies

Tuesday 11 May 2010

Passion for Promarkers #51 - Strawberries & Cream

We have a gorgeous summery theme for you this week at Passion for Promarkers - chosen by Sue - Strawberries and Cream. Now you can interpret that in a number of ways, whether its the colour strawberry and cream or more literally like I did.

The prize this week is a pack of 5 Promarkers from Letraset


Image: Shy Willow from Whiff of Joy, coloured with promarkers: Sunkissed Pink and Blush for her skin, Warm Grey 3-5, Meadow Green & Apple Green, Pear Green, Grass and Berry Red

Papers are all Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety, ribbon is Smirk, and the greeting is also from Whiff of Joy

Here's her close-up...

I wasn't entirely happy with that card, so I decided to make another, but this time I focussed more on the colour scheme of strawberry and cream, using Vanilla Cream core'dinations card as my base...

Main image: Gorjuss Girl from Sugar Nellie, strawberry stamps are from Whiff of Joy, the top greeting is Hero Arts and the bottom one is Whiff of Joy.
coloured with promarkers: Cardinal Red for her dress and the strawberries, Marsh Green for the trim on her dress and the strawberry leaves, Warm Grey 3 for the shading on her tights, Ivory, Vanilla and Sunkissed Pink for her skin, Caramel, Cinnamon and Cocoa for her hair.
The cardstock is all Vanilla Cream core'dinations (I even stamped the images and coloured them directly onto this cardstock)
Pearls are Kaisercraft.

Here's her close-up....


Thursday 6 May 2010

More Scrumminess from Angel Crafts

Scrumminess isn't a word I use every day, but its the most appropriate word I can think of to describe these gorgeous Peachy Keen papers from Kaisercraft that jumped into my basket at Angel Crafts.

Image: Wild Sprouts Audrey digi from TGF coloured with promarkers

Papers are all Kaisercraft Peachy Keen from Angel Crafts, card is all core'dinations. I machine stitched the wavy lines and zigzags between the wee squares.

I'd like to enter Audrey into the following challenges

Anyone for Anya? - Lotsa Layers
Totally Gorjuss - In Stitches

Here's Audrey's close-up...
**Edited to answer Tina's question, I used Cool Aqua and Duck Egg for her hat, bow and shoes, Caramel and Chestnut for her trousers, Soft Peach and Peach for her vest and Mustard for her top

Wednesday 5 May 2010

Baby Boy

Although my Guest DT spot at Digistamp Boutique has now ended, I'm still playing with all Sally-Ann's fabby images. I had quite a sizeable collection before my GDT stint, but you can never have enough digi images.

I've already used the female version of this stamp, Ellie, so I thought I'd do Bathtime Flynn.

Image: Bathtime Flynn from DigiStamp Boutique coloured with promarkers
Papers are all Stampin' Up, card is core'dinations, buttons, ribbon and safety pin are all from my stash, greeting is Daisy & Dandelion and the picket fence punch is Martha Stewart.

Here's Flynn's close-up...

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenge:

Tuesday 4 May 2010

Passion for Promarkers #50 - Gratitude

This week's challenge over at Passion for Promarkers is a nice easy one - we all have something to be thankful for, or have to say thankyou to someone for something. So Sarah's choice of "Gratitude" should be easy for everyone to join in - just remember to use your promarkers.

The fabulous prize this week is a stamp of your choice from Pink Gem Designs
So if you fancy that, why not join in this week, we'd love to see what you come up with - and remember to visit the DT for more inspiration

I thought this was the perfect opportunity to make a start on all the teacher thankyous I have to make - 12 again ugh!

Image: Teacher Anya from TGF, coloured with promarkers: Satin, Caramel, Cocoa and Chestnut plus Sunkissed Pink and Blush for her skin

Papers are all SU, card is core'dinations. I used the MS Doily Lace border punch and Hobbycraft pearls. The greeting is Daisy & Dandelion

Here's her close-up...

I'd like to enter my card in the following challenge:
ABC Challenge - Thankyou


Monday 3 May 2010

The Sugar Bowl - at long last!

I haven't entered The Sugar Bowl challenge for absolutely ages - I've been keeping a note of all their sketches every fortnight, but never seem to have the time to make a card just for the fun of it. But I decided I had to make the time this time around as the sketch from Tiets is just my cup of tea. I love to make cards with loads of layers and Tiets never disappoints with her sketches.

As you all know by now, I'm a huge Sugar Nellie fan and my poor sugar babies have been very neglected of late - especially some of the ones I bought way back in January as a wee birthday present to myself and never inked up yet. So yesterday I decided to give Bubbles an airing. In case you don't know, Sugar Nellie have just released 6 more of their Home Grown Manga stamps, and they are the best yet - plus the famous goody bags are also on sale, so pop over to Funkykits and bag yourself a bargain.

I've turned Tiets' sketch on its side for my card, so that it fit the image a bit better. 

Image: Bubbles from Sugar Nellie, coloured with promarkers

Papers are all Panduro Tilda from Simply Create, cardstock is all core'dinations and in keeping with the extra requirement of the Sugar Bowl challenge I used an EK Success swirl punch, the SU word window punch and the MS Doily Lace border punch. I also used the cuttlebug Congratulations embossing folder on one of the pieces of core'dinations card and sanded it.

Here's another view of the easel card...
And her close-up.....
Is it just my kids? my girls are really funny when it comes to my cards - whenever the character on the card I'm making is a blonde girl then Faith has decided that is her, and when it's a brunette girl, that is Willow. And on the rare occassions I make a boy card - that is Scott according to them.

I'd also like to enter the following challenges with my baby card...
Dutch Dare - Easel Card + repeat something (I have repeated the swirl punch and the word window punched tabs and pearls)
Sophisti-cats - Card for a child
A Spoonful of Sugar - 3D (being an easel card and all the layers make it 3D)
Creative Inspirations - Easel Card
Daring Cardmakers - Easel Card
Crafty Catz - Spots (the spots on the polka dot papers)
By the Cute and Girly - Celebrations (of course there's no better thing to celebrate than a new baby)
Paper Play - Pastels

New Baby 1

My boss at work, and friend Charlotte recently had her first baby so I had a few baby cards to make, on for Charlotte and her husband James,...