Basic Grey is Charming!!!

Time for another challenge at Basic Grey and this time we would like you to be CHARMING!!
Simply add a charm or charms to you project this week.


This time we have the fabulously talented  Becca joining us as Guest Designer - check out her fabulous work!!

Basic Grey product - Lili Kate Papers

I've used this beautiful Tilda with Hawaii flower from the Butterfly collection. She is coloured in Copics and the edges inked and stamped with a Stempelglede grunge stamp in weathered wood and the butterflies stickled with Star Dust stickles. I used the Basic Grey papers from the Lili Kate range - these have to be one of my all time favourites - such pretty colours!!  The swirls are a Magnolia doohickey die, the lace is from Wild Orchid and the seam binding ribbon from The Ribbon Girl.

The beautiful little butterfly charm was sent to me by my adorable friend  America - the other butterfly from my stash and coloured with Copics - sadly it has photographed rather dark.

I made the gauze flower with Crinoline then started to look for some smaller flower/s for the center - has anyone else noticed that white flowers are NOT white, they are cream. I probably spent as long searching my stash for WHITE as I did making the card. I eventually found these small pearl buttons so I used them for the center of the crinoline and added a small white pearl to the center of each, I did also find one satin leaf that was lovely and white - not cream.

As always, our wonderful sponsor Simon Says Stamp is offering one lucky winner a fab $25 shopping spree in the Simon Says Superstore, just think of the goodies you could treat yourself to with that !!

(Please note: This is a voucher code that entitles the winner to a $25 saving off their order in Simon Says Stamp, P+P charges will still apply unless the conditions are met to earn free P+P, please check here if you would like to see these conditions)

Copics used

Hair - E40, 41, 44, 47 & E31

Dress & Shoes - V20, V25, C00, 02, 04 & 07

Flower - R20, 21 & 24

I'm entering this one into the following challenges

One Stop Craft - stitching

Sweet Stamping - try something new - my Cinoline flower
Stamp Something - things with wings
Fussy & Fancy - Spring
Totally Papercrafts - Glitter
Just Magnolia - buttons, bows and bling

Thanks for stopping be and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and the weather is kind to you - especially those of you in the UK who are having a 'Bank Holiday'!!

LIM - again!!!

I've managed to the time to do my Less is More again - that's three weeks on the run - I've amazed myself!! 

I have to say I'm getting quicker at these - I think it's because I have more ideas floating around in what's constitutes for a brain!!

I'm not sure this one will count though as although my image is off center I've balanced it by adding the sentiment which although they are both off center individually - together they are pretty centered!! OMG I'm waffling!! Anyway I'll just wait for Mandi to shout at me if I've done it wrong!!

My image is by House Mouse Designs and called 'Fancy Pants', she is coloured in Copics and my sentiment is a rub-on I found whilst having a major clear-out due to being unable to access my Google account as it had been blocked because some  nasty person in China who had been accessing  with a mobile phone. A week later it happened again!!! Then Google kindly sent me a long, long list of all the comments and emails it had rejected during this time - great as a lot of them were mine - aaarrrrgggghhhhh!!!!

Hopefully now everything is sorted and I can get back on track.

Thanks for stopping by

Simon Says.........Aything Goes with the AnniversaryBlog Hop

Welcome to the Simon Says Stamp Challenge 2nd Anniversary Celebrations.. If you have just arrived here by chance and would like to join in the hop you will need to start at the begining on the challenge blog.
If you have arrived here from JANE'S you are going in the right direction :-)




This week we have an ANYTHING GOES theme and a BLOG HOP :-)


There are 3 fabulous prizes from our lovely Heidi at Simon Says Stamp that 3 lucky entrants, drawn at random, will win !! You can see the piccy's of whats on offer on the Simon Says Stamp Challengeblog.


ALSO we have a $10 Voucher to spend in the Simon Says Stamp Store to give away at every blog along the way !!

To be in with a chance of any of the prizes you MUST join in the challenge and complete the hop, leaving a comment on EVERY blog along the way.


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As it is anything goes this week I decided I would make one of the tea-light holder cards from the fantastic tutorial on the Stamparctic blog but adapt it to hold some small toiletries  as I wanted a small birthday gift for a friend.  I got two small bottles of Dior bath and body lotions knowing they were the right length and width (head to toe) - but guess what - they are too fat so that is one I'm going to have to re-think!!! 

I used the lovely Tilda with many Hearts and coloured her with the usual Copics then cut her out using the Nestabilities Labels 4.  I used the Tim Holtz  Vintage Shabby papers, the flowers are Prima Athena flowers which I coloured with Copics and the swirls and leaves cut with the Magnolia Doohickey Die. The butterfly is cut with at Martha Stewart Butterfly punch. 

 The pearls I used are Hero Arts. I inked all my edges with Tumbled Glass Distress Ink and also died the voile ribbon with this. I have miles of this (well slight exaggeration!!) and    the Tim Holtz range of inks colour it beautifully!

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From here you need to hop along to CHRISTINE'S blog


Thanks for joining us for our very special celebrations and don't forget to add your name to the linky if you're taking part in the hop and leave me a comment before you hop along.

Truly Scrumptious - a Sketch

It's time for another challenge at Truly Scrumptious and sadly this will be the

 56th and FINAL challenge for a while. Yes, that's right, this will be the last Truly Scrumptious challenge for a while. Sharon started this challenge blog in February 2009 and we have all been thrilled with the support it has received from the crafting community. But circumstances change and  family and new business ventures are taking so much of  her time now, leaving very little for anything else.

On to the weeks challenge -

I've used one the the hAnglar stAnglar Sitting Butterflies as my image and coloured her in Copics and also inked the edges of the nesties cut out circles with Copics. The papers are old, old Hot off the Press ones (I am being so good at using up - I've given myself a pat on the back!!) The rafia lace across the middle is also some I've had for a couple of years. The swirls and leaves are cut with a Magnolia doohickey die, the flowers are again some of my old Prima ones which I have folded over and fastened with a pearl bad. The pearls swirl  is the last piece of a Prima one and the little metal butterfly is coloured with Copics.

It is sad to say Goodbye but hopefully in the future when Sharon's life settles down we will be back, meanwhile thank you all for joining us over the years.

This card also fits the following challenges

Lovely hAnglars only who want to see our favourite stamps - my favourites are always the ones that are unused as this one has been so far!!

Flutterby Wednesday who have an open theme this week

Lots of Teddy Bea's and Teddy Bo's!!!

I've had yet another message from Mr. Google telling me my account has been accessed by a mobile in China - yet again!! How do they do it? I have an idea but I'm still not sure how it works. I haven't had a list of rejected emails and comments as yet this time - so fingers crossed my comments have all arrived.

I started this one last week, am I stupid, or what!!! I decided I wanted to do a 'star' card as featured on the Stamparctic blog.  The time it took me to decorate the card with papers was long enough but when I printed out the images the right size - well it took me forever to colour them and even longer to cut them all out  - was this the end - OH NO - photographing it to even longer still and even now they look somewhat blurred to me!!

This is the front, outside of the card when folded - I used Copics to colour my Teddies - the papers are Coastal Venice from Me and My Big Ideas (very appropriate!!), the border stamps are from Lili of the Valley Additions range and the sentiment is Personal Impressions.

 This is the card when opened up - the swirl in the middle is a Magnolia doohickey die, and the tag which Teddy Bea is holding aloft is Go Kreate. The leaves are cut with a Woodware punch, the butterflies with a Martha Stewart punch and the pretty little flower is one my friend Moni crocheted for me.

This is the back of the card and I have attached a band for a tag to slip through on which you can write.

This card fits into the following challenges - Teddy Bo's challenge Tag it!!

The Secret Crafter - Pink, Cream & Brown

Crafts and Me - Pink and Sweet
Sparkles Forum - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all had a fabulous Easter and continue to do so if you're not back at work/school yet!!

House Mouse & Friends are travelling!!

Time for a new challenge at House Mouse & Friends Monday challenge and our lovely teamie Sue Drees is hosting this one and has decided on ***WAY TO GO - TRAVEL *** theme.
Check out my fellow teamies cards - oh Boy is there some imspiration there!! 

I chose to use 'Balloon Ride' as my image and coloured it with Copics The papers are K&Co, the border cut with a 'Spades' Cuttlebug  Borderability , the leaves with a Crealies die. I computer generated the sentiment and that is about all I remember as this one was made before I travelled to the UK and I didn't write the post - just uploaded the card!!

Be sure to play along this time because look at this awesome stamp we are giving away to one lucky entrant! (If no-one claims this one - I'll have it!!)

Sorry for the short post - I have guests and already feel guilty about abandoning them for my computer!!

You Rock!!

This is one I had to finish in a great hurry!! It suddenly dawned on me that we would lose a 2/3 postage days as it's Easter and it has to be in the UK middle of next week. It's now in it's little box and on it's way - phew!!!

I used the Kenny K image and coloured with Copics - I haven't done my list due to rushing things - suffice to say the blues are the B90's, the reds - R20's, the greens G20's and hair and boots the E40's - the skin the usual E00, E02 & E11.

I used some Denim paper by Rayher which I've been hoarding as I don't think I can get anymore - now it's nearly all gone boo-hoo!! The stars are cut with a MFT die, the 'You're a Star' semtiment is Lili of the Valley, the 'You Rock' one is computer generated and the charm (from stash) is attached to the cord (died with Barn Door distress ink) with a brad - again from my stash. The panel stamped with a Lili of the Valley music stamp has sadly changed colour during photographing and doesn't quite blend as it should.

Guess what the Kenny K challenge this week is anything goes - so this is where this one is going!!

Thanks for stopping by - I hope your weather is as glorious as it is here - fabulous for the Easter holidays!!

Simon Says.............Emboss It !!!!!!!!!

It's Wednesday again and time for our weekly Simon Says Stamp challenge

The lovely Marcea our 'old' teamie has agreed to rejoin the team !! Welcome home huni!!!

Thanks for all your fabulous entries to our 'For a Child' Challenge, we hope you remember to pop one or 2 in the post to the poorly children xx

Please ddon't forget that we have the 'Children's Anything Goes Challenge running too which is specifically for children who are aged between 2 and 16 years to enter.

This week we would like you to EMBOSS IT so wet or dry embossing is OK :-)

The DT have been using stamps from Belles 'n Whistles this week - so many cute images ! You don't HAVE to use them but if you have any we would love to see them :-)

I've used Belle sitting with Teddy and coloured her with Copics. The papers I've used are Prima Botanical papers - I love these they are so pretty and they include some which decorate the inside perfectly - great when you're short of time!!

I've embossed the pink panel with the checkerboard folder from the Tim Holtz Checkerboard and Cracked embossing folder set and I've stitched the edges and those of the image also.  The flowers are cut with a Nellie Snellen punch & emboss set which I felt were perfect for this card and image. The corners are stamped with a Basic Grey stamp, the sentiment is an 'antique' (probably!!) and I've added a couple of Trinket pins to the ribbon from my stash.

EDITED

I forgot to add a photograph of the inside showing how fabulous some of these papers are for this use.

I've just added a little heart pocket cut with Spellbinder nestabilities and a small tag to write on.

As usual Heidi will be giving one lucky entrant a $50 voucher to her FANTASTIC Simon Says Stamp Superstore !! See the NEWEST stuff on the All New Just In Page For fabulous tutorials, inspiration and candy you should keep an eye on the Simon Says Stamp Blog too !!! :-)

Less is More

I've managed the Less Is More challenge this week just about. I couldn't find my acetate anywhere, I know I have some as I bought a full packet whilst I was back in the UK. I did manage to find one sheet, not really what I wanted and somewhat scuffed, but hey it was better than nothing!!

I haven't made an acetate card for ages so I struggled some what and it didn't travel from head to paper at all!!

I stamped by House Mouse image 'Balloon Ride' on the rear of the acetate and the mushrooms, grasses and leaves on the inside of the front piece.

I wanted some colour so I coloured the image with Copics - shan't be doing that again in a hurry!!! I printed the image on the rear thinking it would look more like Hoppy was floating off into space, but perhaps I should have done it the other way around, or white card at the rear and the image on the acetate at the front.

 The photograph above is with the card laid flat and I've put a piece of lightly patterned paper behind it for some definition. Below is a photograph of the card stood upright - just look and the difference in colours!!! 

Not a success methinks, but roll on next week and I can  try again!!

hAnglar stAnglar with Attitude!!

I've got 'em so I thought I should use 'em!!!

I have stamps that have not seen ink yet so I've promised myself - no more until I've inked up the ones I have!!

This is one of the little hAnglar stAnglar attitude girls and I've coloured her with Copics (the list is below - a new determined promise to myself) The papers are Basic Grey's Phoebe - I've had these for ages but always struggled to use them for some reason, but was determined to succeed this time. The leaves are cut with a Crealies die and the flowers are some I've had for ages - they really were too large so I've taken them apart, scrunched up the middles and fed them back through another petal - if you know what I mean.

The ovals are cut with nesties, the sentiment heart is one of the new Additions stamps from Lili of the Valley and the sentiment itself is Personal Impressions.

The inside is co-ordinated to match the outer and the sentiment there is computer generated - I have 'Just Because' on the out and 'It's Your Birthday' on the in.

Copics used:- Clothes - RV0000, RV000, RV34, R59 & 85

                                          G20, 21, 24 & 28

                          Skin       - YR0000, E00, E02 & E11

                     Hair & shoes  - Y0000, E70, 71 & 74

There are a couple of challenges I would like to enter this card into

The Secret Crafter Stitching

Stamp with Fun Happy Birthday

Now I'm going to paint my balcony walls whilst the weather is being kind.

Strange Things have been Happening!!!

Just a quick post to you all to tell you I have been having problems for a week or so now. Commenting has been a somewhat bizarre experience, I would suddenly be shot off to another blog and not know why I was there or how I'd got there, or who's blog I was on!!! 

I've had a message from Mr Google telling me someone had accessed my Google account from a MOBILE phone in CHINA!!!

This morning I couldn't access my Google account at all and had to reset all my details and password, so hopefully now thing are back to normal.

Meanwhile Google have sent me a long list of failed comments and failed emails. Some of  the failed emails were to on-line shopping outlets so I suspect there was fraud involved at some point.

Just to let you I have been commenting - I've not deserted you and hopefully normal commenting will now resume. 

I will leave this post as a 'sticky' for a couple of day, hope you all have a brilliant weekend and the weather is as good for you as it is here (fingers crossed it remains so)

Basic Grey.............Easter theme

It's time for a new  Basic Grey Challenge! ! Thank you so much to everyone who joined in with our "More than One Fold" challenge, it was lovely to see so many different types and styles of folds that you created.

This week our challenge is "EASTER/SPRING" so that gives you plenty of scope.


Please remember to use at least one Basic Grey product and tell which it is - Basic Grey have such a vast range of products now it's not easy to identify them all.

I've done it again, made this card earlier uploaded it as a draft but didn't put any details there, now I can't remember!!! I can't for the life in me remember from whose blog I followed the instructions for this card. I reckoned to have bookmarked it but cannot find it. If anyone know would they please tell me so I can give credit where credit is due.

Meanwhile - hand duly smacked - hard!!

The papers are from Basic Greys Phresh and Phunky range, the borders, flowers and leaves are all cut with Crealies dies, and the tag with a Go Kreate die. 

The ribbons are from my stash.

How cute is this Teddy Bea as the Easter Bunny?? I stamped her, masked her then lightly brayered the background. I stamped the leaves with a mixture of Lavinia and Elusive Images stamps.

As always, our wonderful sponsor Simon Says Stamp is offering one lucky winner a fab $25 shopping spree in the Simon Says Superstore, just think of the goodies you could treat yourself to with that !!

(Please note: This is a voucher code that entitles the winner to a $25 saving off their order in Simon Says Stamp, P+P charges will still apply unless the conditions are met to earn free P+P, please check here if you would like to see these conditions)

Hope you all have a brilliant weekend, the weather here is glorious - so far!! Plenty of time for it to change, but  finger crossed it remains like this until I've sorted out and repotted my plants.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Copic Creations 48 - Favourite Paper for Copic colouring!!

This week at Copic Creations we are trying out Cryogen paper!!

It seems whenever you come across the subject of Copics on message boards, craft sites, etc. there are always numerous discussions on “what’s the best paper to use when coloring with Copics“.   Well, we’d like to hear from you on this!  

Our Design Team was recently introduced to the newest paper in the Copic blending family ~Cryogen White cardstock from our awesome sponsor this week … the Paper Temptress.

Sooooooooooo, how would YOU like to try some of these awesome papers from the Paper Temptress (including Cryogen White)?!     Our prize this week for one lucky participant is . . .

 A $25.00 Gift Certificate to the Paper Temptress store!!

On the challenge blog you’ll find a poll with the most popular papers available for Copics … please take a minute to let us know which is YOUR favorite.

I found the Cryogen white an absolute dream for both colouring and blending - it has a beautiful slightly irridescent sheen to it and really maintains the rich colours of the Copics. I shall cerainly using this again and I hope I can acquire a stock without exorbitant postage costs. I also used the 'Hot Fudge Pop tones 100#'  and the Starburst Lichen - both supplied by Patricia (of Paper Temptress) which I stamped with a damask stamp and coated with perfect pearl (I mixed the blue and green together to achieve the turquoisey colour) It stamped beautifully and has the most glorious sheen - I have included a photograph which I hoped would show the pearly sheen but it doesn't!!

For the cross panel I used a Laura Ashley stamp and stamped randomly over the cs. I used Archival ink in Coffee, inked it up once then stamped 2/3 times to achieve the dark and light  impressions. The ovals are cut with my nesties and the upper one embossed with the textile folder, the swirls and base flowers cut with Marianne Creatables and the flowers and ribbon are from my stash.

Below is the  inside of the card

Below is the photograph of the paper which I hope showed the beautiful pearly sheen of the damask stamping but sadly doesn't. 

Perhaps it time I took some photography lessons!!

Copics used

Hair - Y0000, E70, E71, E74

Clothes - B0000, B00, B05, B07, BG09

Skin - E00, E02, E11, R20

The browns - E40, E43, E44, E47, E49

I'm entering this card into the following challenges

Lovely hAnglars Only who want no designer paper

The Stamp Man embossing

Crafts and Me who want Ribbons