I'm late, I'm late, I'm late for a very important date!

Sorry Sugar Mama....guess who didn't check her e-mail's last night!

Anyway onto business, today is the next challenge from The Sugar Bowl is by the wonderful Maria Therese and the sketch is:



With wings too! 

The theme is "LOVE!"

I have used:

Digi image: Verity  from SN.

 Papers:  Nitwit range Bear Necessitites, craft by Papermania.

Dies:  SU tag and Martha Stewart PATP Vintage lace.

Stitching was done on my machine and rafier and pearls from stash.

The wings were cut from the Bear Necessitites stitched heart papers.

I also added some Tattered angels glitter paint to the wings but you can't really see it in the photo....

I blame the photographer!

On to the most important item, the prize.  This time there are two prizes!!

It is pick and mix time ladies.....yes, you get to choose, your choice of six new rubber stamps from the Sugar Nellie range.

Get out your stamps and get cracking...you've got to be in it to win it!!

Happy crafting.

So today I needed to make a card for my wee nephew who is 1 at the weekend.

A friend of mine Sharon mentioned to me about a blog Feline playful which is fab and lists all the current challenges in blog land just now. 

It's worth a wander!

From that I found Tuesday Morning Sketches and this sketch:

I set to work!

Loved the challenge guys, and great help in getting the creative juices going today thanks.

I have used Basic grey archaic papers and chip board, SU and Spellbinder dies, brads and ribbon from stash.

I also took a picture for WOMWW (What's on your worktop Wednesday)

for Julia's blog 

even though my room is a constant tip...

too busy creating to tidy....

that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

You should see the rest of the room....

but in my defence I have done the rest of the house today. 

I just find if I tidy my craft room I loose things.....

 and we can't have that can we?!

More yummy stash up for grabs, this time go on over to Tracy's blog for more details.

Tracy is part of the new Sugar Nellie Simply Sassy Design team who are having a blog hop today...

more candy available over there and check out the new stamps the girls have used, be in with a chance of winning some and if not, you can purchase them over on the Funky Kits website. 

I've just had a wee hop around and the girls cards are fabulous and I'm loving the new range of stamps.

Better use the last lot I bought first, this hobby is not addictive at all is it?!  LOL

Well what did you craft over the weekend?

Yesterday was our Hopeman crop but it was at Duffus for a change. 

It's panto season in Hopeman so our usual venue was busy....."oh yes it was!"

I decided to have a go at the recent house challenge over on UK Scrappers for this month.....

note to self check the date next time! 

Yes having a bit of a moment as I didn't notice the last date to enter the challenge was the 17th of this month, dur!

Still I get 10 points instead of 30 which is more than I got last January!!  :)

I have used papers from Little Yellow Bicycle Christmas delight range. 

The ribbon, bling, tags, rub ons and acrylic star are from my own stash.

The photo was taken at MacKenzie and Cruickshank in Forres...the place to go for beautiful homemade soup and special scones locally, nom, nom!

On this day before Christmas we had gone for Christmas soup and a cheese scone, delish.

On the way out we noticed that they had a Santa and our youngest boy asked to see him.

It was great VFM as you got a photograph and a gift plus there was no queue to speak of, but best of all was Santa himself.

He had a lovely chat with my boy asking about what he wanted for Christmas etc...but as he was finished he called my eldest boy and us over.

He told the boys that mum and dad help him with the run up to Christmas so he thought it would be a great idea if the following morning the kids made us breakfast in bed.

Like that would happen!!

Well it did!

I heard my youngest the following morning telling his big brother "remember what Santa said....he might not come if we don't!"

So the wee one made us the biggest bowls of cornflakes with oodles of milk on the kitchen floor.

(My first job when I got up was to clear up the mess, LOL)

The oldest made us a cup of hot tea....now I know you are questioning why I have said "HOT"!

Well, on the odd occasion in the past when he has made us a cup of tea, usually when he is after something, he doesn't always wait for the kettle to finish boiling as apparently it takes far too long!

 So to get a hot cup of tea was wonderful.

I had to pop into the garden centre for soup and a scone this month too :) so mentioned it to the staff how impressed I was that, thanks to Santa, mum and dad had breakfast in bed.

The best Christmas present ever!



So all my fella blogging crafter's out there, fancy some candy?

Debbi, a fella SN addict is celebrating her birthday with a generous stash giveaway.  Wow.  Very yummy indeed.

Debbi hope you have a fantastic birthday.  :)

Now I have been making a few cards of late for folk in the village but I always forget to get out my camera before handing them over.  Mind you the cards are not like those for DT challenges. 

I find less is more when making for none crafter's, do you find that too?

Having said that I do like a minimal card too...something very classy about it, if you get it just right, plus they don't take as long to make!  (Well usually!)

Anyway these two cards are for a recent addition....simple but to the point!

The first is a tall thin card and the second my favourite shape just now, square...."It's hip to be square!"

Do you have a favourite shape?

I have just used pink gingham paper and kept it simple.  The die cuts are from my cricut machine and Nellie Snellen.

The pram was made using my scalloped circle nestie.

Oh and after checking out some of my Sugar Sister's blogs I decided to be very brave and go and play in photoshop. 

 I have a love/hate relationship with photoshop....I love to hate it, pure and simply because I don't really have a Scooby doo!

Still got there in the end.  Is it me, or is it not the most user friendly of programs?

Yes, you can get fantastic results with it and do wonderful things, but you do really need to know what you are doing....and I envy folk that do.

I've been crafting!!

Now a pal of mine, Kirsti last year followed Kate on her blog The kathryn wheel with a 365 Calendar challenge.

I was so impress with Kirsti's calendar that I decided that this year I would give it a go....but will I keep it up???

That is the question!

Anyway Kate recommended a Moleskine book (which I picked up from Amazon) and today I have finally got around to decorating January....not the best of starts, LOL.

I wanted to create a wintery scene for this month as any of you that live in the UK especially Scotland know,

we have had our fair share of snow in the run up to 2011.

Now just to fill it in!!

I have used:

Ink:  Distress ink weathered wood, faded jeans & tea dye.  StazOn white.

Alphabet:  Pink paislee berry blue and old letraset.

Dies:  Spellbinder nestabilities label 15.

Stamps:  Hero art dot pattern SU snowflakes and the swirls I got at Aberdeen crop one Christmas but I have lost the packaging, whoops!

Stickles diamond to finish.

I've really enjoyed getting all inky today but guess now I better go and tidy up and wash my hands, the boring bit!!

My craft room is so untidy at the moment....but I just can't be tidy and creative in the same space and I have tried.

Hope you are having a relaxing Sunday afternoon and happy crafting....I'm off for a sort out :(

So today I thought I would show you what I made for my mum at Christmas.

I wanted a picture of all the grandchildren from 2010 for her to hang on her wall.

I have used an scalloped square album from Papermania and papers from gcd Paris nights. 
The swirl stamp is from my stash as is the bling, love embellishments, rub ons and bells. 
The ribbon and acrylic hearts are from my "local craft shop for local people" Papercrafts Boutique.  LOL
I love to make these acrylic wall hangings......they can be really effective when finished and are very minimal. 
I'm a big fan of minimal as it means less housework and more craft time!!!

So it's time again.....doesn't time fly when you're having fun!!

This time the sketch challenge on the The Sugar bowl is by the wonderful Kiki and the theme is birthdays.

I have again used a red theme....I must be going through a phase!!  LOL  Hide the red from me!

Please don't tell me what it means!!

The stamp I have used is Bella bunting and is one of my favourites just now. 

The sentiment stamp is from LOTV.

I have combined Bella with papers from Nitwits Cherry blossom and Joyful hearts.

The bunting was made with a heart punch and ribbon I picked up in the states.

Bling is from ZvaCreative.  Oval die cut from Spellbinder.

Distressing with my Ranger tool and colouring with my copics.

The prize for this challenge is very exciting because it's going to be a mystery!!!!

What could it be?

You'll have to wait and see........but remember you've got to be in it to win it!

I look forwards to seeing your work.  Happy crafting.  x

Not a card in site!!

So for Christmas I got a new soldering iron and clamp and this is what I've been up to.  It's great to be trying something different but I think I need more practise!!

It is for one of my son's teachers who had a new baby last year...a little keepsake to keep and bring out every Christmas for the tree.



So for a change I got out the felt over Christmas to make a birthday gift for Karen, (she likes to get handmade gifts) "Happy Birthday" for yesterday, hope you had a good one.

I have to admit the birdies were inspired from elsewhere but I did make the patterns up myself. 

Aswell as being on the garland they can be taken off and hung individually, maybe on something twiggy!

It was lovely to get back to a little hand stitching, blanket and running used here and makes a change from cards.

I have picked up a few crafting bargains over the last week or so and am itching to play, however boys had a sleepover last night and are all still here playing.  Also I have to get sorted for boys going back to school, haircuts are a must, remove the Christmas decorations and the ironing pile from hell first, boo, hiss!

Then we have visitors arriving next week so better do some housework too.

My new stash will have to wait.  :(

Happy New Year

To you all, may 2011 bring you good fortune, good luck and lots of crafting!!

Don't you just love today's date 1/1/11!!

So who has a sore head this morning and who partied till the morning light?

We had close friends over for games, nibbles and drinks last night and then went down to the "Cairn" (overlooking the beach in our village) to see in the New Year with a "wee dram". 

It was a lovely evening and a good excuse for lots of hugs and kisses!!

On to today and Debbies challenge which I found courtesy of some of my fella Sugar bowl sweeties.  The idea is to pick 5 of your favourite cards that you have made throughout the year. 

So I'm away to pick....I could be sometime!

......so here is my choice.

Stamps are from Sugar Nellie, Personal Impressions and Lilli of the Valley.

So highlights for me in 2010?

Being chosen to work on with the Sugarbowl Sweeties with a special big thanks to the Sugar Mama for picking me, mwah!

Also gaining a part-time job working with the guys at Personal Impressions, demonstrating locally with craft products

........a dream job!

On a personal note my eldest son getting to the school that he wants and hoping that he sticks at it.

Strangely enjoying caravanning again after vowing not to do it!  LOL.

On to 2011....looking forwards to getting to the NEC in February, snow stay away.

Hoping to do lots more crafting especially on the scrapbooking sense which always seems to allude me.

To spend less time in front of the computer and TV and more time reading and crafting.

Only time will tell.

So I will leave you finally with the wish to you all for a healthy and creative 2011.

xxxx