A Gem of a Challenge

Good morning

Hope you are all well and looking forward to the weekend :-) I know I am ... Chloe and Jamie are both moving up to their next school in September so we've been busy with leaver's services, BBQ's, discos etc this week. It's all been very emotional but we are now all looking forward to the summer hols ...  hope the weather improves because we have lots of days out planned :-)

Jackie is our host this time at A Gem of a Challenge and she has a super sketch for you :-)  The prize is 2 sets of digi papers (Slugs n Snails and Sugar & Spice) from Pink Gem Designs. 

The sentiment can be added anywhere you like or not at all ... the choice is yours!

 

I have used Sitting Chloe and the frame around the image is cut with a Spellbinder Shapeabilities Floral Doily Motifs. Both are available from Pink Gem Designs.

The papers are First Edition 'Daydream' ... I love the colours in this pack.  The sentiment is from the General Greetings set at Lili of the Valley. The seam binding and all the flowerrs are from Wild Orchid Crafts except the large peach rose which I believe was from Crafty Feeling.

* Challenges *

Craft Us Crazy ~ Anything Goes

Hooked On Craft ~ With Love

Totally Gorjuss ~ Punch or Die

Allsorts ~ Free n Easy

2 Sisters ~ Anything Goes

Now off to hang the washing out (got to make the most of the dry weather) and then I am off into town with Jamie so he can spend some of his birthday money ... it is seriously burning a hole in his pocket lol!

Hope you have a great weekend :-)

Daisy Chain

Good morning

Hope you all had a great weekend.  It poured down most of the weekend here in Norfolk and looks like it's going to be dull and wet again today :-(

I love this sweet Lili of the Valley image ... when I was a child we lived on a green and I used to spend hours out there making daisy chains for my dolls and teddy bears :-)

* Card Recipe *

Image ~ LOTV Daisy Chain

Papers ~ Marianne Design 'Eline's Babies - Blue'

Sentiment ~ Craftwork Cards

Flowers & Seam Binding ~ Wild Orchid Crafts

(except pink roses ... no idea where they came from)

Pearl Embellishments ~ Prima

* Challenges *

Sweet Sketch Wednesday ~ Sketch

Lili of the Valley ~ Pink & Blue

Southern Girls ~ Happy Birthday

Cute Card Thursday ~ Going round in circles

Totally Papercrafts ~ Girly Girls

Phindy's Place ~ Pretty Pastels

Creative Craft ~ Pretty Blossoms

Allsorts ~ Free & Easy

Simon Says Stamp ~ Anything Goes
MAWTT ~ Favourite Things
(LOTV stamps, WOC flowers and MS punch)
Dream Valley ~ Summer


That's all from me ... need to tackle my ever growing ironing pile :-(

Birthday Celebrations!

Good morning

It was Hazel's, my MIL, 80th Birthday yesterday and today my son, Jamie, is celebrating his 7th birthday.  We went out for a lovely family meal last night to celebrate Hazel's birthday and this afternoon my Mum, Nan and Hazel are coming over for Jamie's birthday tea :-)

Here's the card I made for Jamie ... He loves cars so I thought this cute Lili of the Valley image would be perfect for his card.  I usually colour with Copics but for some reason I couldn't get the blues right so decided to use Promarkers.  It was good to use them again :-)  I find that for Blues/Pinks I prefer Promarkers and for Skin/Hair/Greys I prefer Copics.

* Card Recipe *

Image ~ LOTV Mini Bear

Papers ~ Wild Rose Studio 'For Men'

Sentiment ~ The Clipart Fairy

Stars ~ Cuttlebug dies

Eyelets ~ Stash

* Challenges *

Sweet Sketch Wednesday ~ Sketch (I have rotated it)

My Mum's Craft Shop ~ Stars & Stripes

Cupcake Craft ~ Choose a Challenge (#46 Red, White & Blue)

Creative Inspirations ~ Red, White & Blue

Stampalot ~ Anything Goes
Passion for Promakers ~ Gingham

Thought I would share a few photographs from last night.

That's all from me ... time to get the birthday boy ready for school.  He is busy playing with his new PSP game so think it could take some time lol!

Thank you for looking and for all your lovely comments :-)

Let's hear it for the boys!

Good morning

I am pleased to say my gorgeous girl is home :-)  She had a brilliant time in the Lake District but unfortunately she was unwell the last day so didn't feel too good on the long bus journey home :-(

It's time for a new challenge at A Gem of a Challenge and I am hosting again.  It's my son's 7th birthday on Tuesday so I decided to go with 'Let's hear it for the boys'.  The prize for the lucky winner is 2 Polymer OR 6 Digi images from Pink Gem Designs.

* Card Recipe *

Image ~ Andy on Swing

Papers ~ My Mind's Eye 'Fly a Kite'

Sentiment ~ Cuddly Buddly

* Challenges *

Southern Girls ~ Childhood Memories

Deep Ocean Challenge ~ Cards

Crafter's Companion ~ One for the Boys

Papercrafting Journey ~ For Him

We haven't got anything exciting planned this weekend ... just a dentist appointment for me this morning for a filling :-(

Hope you all have a great weekend! 

Shopping Nikki!

Good morning

Wow looks like it's going to be another gorgeous day ... hope the sun is shining in the Lake District because Chloe is there on a school trip.  She went yesterday morning and is coming back Friday evening.  She went off fine (no tears) but her BFF was in floods ... bless her.  The school has organised lots of fun activities so I hope they are all having a fantastic time!

Today's card is for our friend's daughter, Rimini, who will be 16 next Tuesday.  Coincidentally she shares the same birthday as our son, Jamie, who is going to be 7!  As soon as I saw this fab Shopping Nikki image (available from Ladybug Crafts Ink) I knew it would be perfect for Rimini's card. 

* Card Recipe *

Image ~ Shopping Nikki

Papers ~ The Creative Cottage (sadly no longer trading)

Sentiment ~ Pink Gem Designs

Flowers ~ Prima

Brads ~ Dovecraft

Spacers and Charm ~ Stash

* Challenges *

Craft Your Passion ~ Anything Goes

Bling It On ~ Anything Goes

Cupcake Craftroom ~ Polka Dots

2 Sisters ~ Birthdays

That's all from me ... I am going over to Marianne's house this morning so I can see her gorgeous new craftroom IRL.  She has popped some photos on her blog here if you would like to have a nosy :-)  Then we are meeting up with Lynsey for lunch :-)  I haven't seen them for ages so it will be great to catch up.

PS:  Just in case anyone is interested I am selling a few items over on my Craft Sale Blog ... need to make room for some new purchases lol :-)

Crafty Calendar Challenge ~ Under the Sea

Good morning

It's the first Saturday of the month so a new challenge has been set at Crafty Calendar Challenge.  This month's theme has been set by the lovely Karina who has chosen 'Under the Sea'.  Our sponsor is the fabulous Wild Orchid Crafts.

I have kept the layout simple because I didn't want to cover up too much of this gorgeous backing paper.  I have sprayed the images with Crafter's Companion Spray & Sparkle (Iridescent).  Not sure if you can see it very well but IRL it glistens.

* Card Recipe *

Images ~ Mermaid Tilda & Sea Horse (Magnolia Bon Voyage 2010 Collection)

Papers ~ Websters Pages 'Seaside Retreat'

Swirls ~ Magnolia DooHickey Die

Flowers & Pearls ~ Prima E-Line

* Challenges *

TOMIC ~ Shimmer & Pearls

Crafty Purple Frog ~ Swirls & Pearls

Divas by Design ~ Die Cuts/Punches

Oldie but a Goodie ~ Anything Goes

Just Magnolia ~ Anything Goes

Looks like it's going to be a lovely sunny day here we will hopefully be able to have a BBQ later. 

Chloe is going on a school trip to the Lake District on Monday so I have lots of things to organise for that this weekend.  She has been away before several times with Brownies/Guides but this is the first time she has travelled so far from home and she is a little bit worried about it.  However, I am sure she is going to have a great time and all her worries will disappear when she is having fun with her friends. 

Have a great weekend!