Hugs & Kisses and candy news

Hello. I'm feeling a teeny bit brighter today so posting a bright card for you, I've done enough cards out of my comfort zone recently so it's back to pink and best of all - I now have printer ink - woo-hoo! No more paper limitations.

Anyway on to my card, it's based on the sketch by Dawny P at Anyone for Anya and it's the easiest to work with sketch and it's now top of my favourites! So being as Stamp Something are asking us to use our favourite sketch, this fits the bill nicely (ta Dawny). The Pink Elephant want us to use dots, a punch and a tag.



Paperplay have asked us to use spots too - love them for that!, Creatalicious set the fabulous colour combo of pink or plum with Burgundy and Green with lace or ribbon. Check me out finding I had some green lace!

Do you like the tag? It's by Making Memories, I punched a hole in it with Mr Big Bite and attached it with some green thread to the rather delicious lace by Doodlebug. I punched the green heart on Megan's t-shirt and the ones on the mat too.



I've avoided using this Megan stamp for a bit as I admit I was worried about shading her hair! I'm happy with the result though so she's ventured out of my drawer and onto a card. The spotty paper is Doodlebug and the bright green is Colorplan.

Well I'm so chuffed as I now have more than 100 followers - thank you all, it means so much to know you're regularly popping over for a look and you leave such lovely comments too, all much appreciated. So to celebrate and say thanks I'm going to put together some scrummy candy, so watch this space!

Victoria
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Buzz off!

Not you - the theme!



OK so this is a bit of marathon in terms of challenges so I'm going to list them!

1. Cute Card Thursday - black and yellow
2. Die Cut Dreams - ribbon and trims
   
3. Cupcake Craft Challenge -cute as a bug
4. Stamp with fun - the sketch
5. Simon Says - stitching
6. Dutch Dare - so charming
7. C.R.A.F.T. - no backing paper
8. One Stop Crafts - die cuts
   

The image is a gorjuss girl which I received in a swap with Vikki, although I've not sent my swaps yet (sorry - when I'm germ free), she's shaded with ProMarkers and Glamour Dust for sparkle and cut out with Cookie Cutter dies. I've made my own backing paper after seeing Deanne create some this way. I punched out some flowers, glued them to plain card and ran it through the Cuttlebug using Swiss Dots. Deanne's was much more colourful and stunning, you have to go and take a look.

I drew on the faux stitching and then got out my needle and thread to sew a charm and some beads together and then fixed them to a button and flower too.

Finally finished off with some ribbon and a sentiment which is a chipboard square from DCWV.

See you tomorrow!

Victoria
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Thank you and an award

Afternoon.

I'm still suffering and Zac has gone off to the in-laws for the day, so while I have a few moments I must post this award that the lovely Chrissie gave to me:



Being the recipient I have to let you know some of my addictions (eeek!) so here we go:

1. Card making and blogging (has to count as one!)
2. My boys, including my hubby
   
3. Stash shopping
4. Home and away - I know you can stop laughing, I've watched it from the start!
5. Cadbury's chocolate buttons - but as I've joined Slimmers World, I'm curbing the habbit!

So I'm going to pass this award on to some blogging buddies who've made me smile this week for one reason or another:

Vikki - for the gorgeous images that arrived this morning
Susie - for making me feel very welcome
Merrigan - for saying the sweetest things
Lou - for making my day
Paula - for the fab candy and beautiful card
Marcea - for the swine flu gags
Steph - for the papers and flowers

I will get round to your blogs later to let you know about the award.

And I must show you this, it's the fab card Paula sent me along with my stamps that I won over at Creative Card Crew. Isn't it gorgeous? Thanks Paula.



Victoria
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My news

Well the plan was to tell you this and post a card for their challenge this week but I haven't made it yet as feeling so grotty. I have swine flu - no oinking jokes please, hubby is already referring to me as 'piglet' and I won't repeat what my Dad said (mainly because he'll be reading this and laughing at his own humour!).

My news is that I Susie and Vikki picked me (and 3 others) to join their design team at Die-Cut Dreams challenge blog, I'm so chuffed.



The challenge this week is to use ribbons and trims and there's a fab prize up for grabs for the winner too.

So pop over and have a go and meet the rest of the new design team too.

Victoria
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A notebook

I thought it was about time I started making some Christmas gifts so expect to see more in the run up. Passion for ProMarkers set the challenge to use Emerald and Marine and create anything but a card. I also used the sketch from Inspirational Card Sketches.



This was so hard and way out of my comfort zone as the colours are really dark and even with all the shades I have, I found it difficult to find lighter colours to blend with. So I introduced some purple to brighten it up a bit.

I dusted of the Dreamkutz and the Bind it All for this one, haven't used them in such a long time and was fun to get them out again. I used baby pink o-wires and the inside pages are various shades of purples and lilacs. The patterned paper is by Brenda Pinnick and DCWV for the plain ones.

The stamp is by Rachelle Anne Miller - I added some highlights with a white gel pen around the flower petals. The acrylic flowers and brads are from my stash and of course glitter gems - coloured with Peel off pens to get the right shade. I've had this metallic elastic cord in my stash for ages so again nice to use something that's been busy doing nothing. It's secured on the back cover with eyelets.

Back later with more and some exciting news

Victoria
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shh - Sharon's approaching a big one!

Birthday that is!



The very lovely Sharon has decided to give away ALL this candy to one very lucky blogger to celebrate her 50th Birthday. To join in visit Sharon's fabby blog here.

Thanks Sharon - and I'm looking forward to seeing that card with the white background - good luck with that!

Victoria
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Animal Antics

Now having said earlier that I struggled with Autumn themes and shades, I like this one, even though I've used the same papers as on my previous card. Riddle me that one Batman?

Anyway, this is based on the sketch at The Pink Elephant, Creative Card Crew asked us to decorate the inside of the card, Polka Doodles are going for 'digi colouring', Allsorts have chosen 'Autumn days' and finally The Secret Crafter have 'animal antics'.



Just have to give Wendy at Secret Crafter a bit of a toot toot to say thanks so much for the super fast delivery of my ProMarkers - ordered at 1pm and arrived whilst I was having breakfast the next morning!



So I went with a bit of a different take on the sketch and the decoration inside the card as the inside is also the outside - well partly as the sketch opens up!



I used Winnie from Willow Designs Stamps, she's my digi image, the one on the front if shaded with my all new ProMarkers and the one on the inside was already coloured for me on the digi sheet. I can't print anything at the moment as I need a new ink (grr) but luckily had these lovelies printed off already. I just coloured her bow and the flowers on the inside as they were very pink.



I hope you like the inside, I enjoyed making this one and should try harder with the insides more often.

Well 'fat club' is going well so far and I'm not starving, in fact I'm stuffed all the time, Making a lentil and sweet potato dahl for tea tonight - yummy.

Victoria
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It's raining men

Well it's raining on Edwin anyway! Susie and Vikki set the title of this challenge at Die Cut Dreams and I think I've taken it a bit literally! The sketch is from A Spoon Full of Sugar (I'm doing a one week guest design team spot with them soon :) and Stamp with Fun, My Time to Craft and Creative Inspirations all have the Autumn theme so I'm combining - not to be confused with combine harvesting ha, ha.....



I have to say I groaned at the Autumn theme as these just aren't my colours (and I have another Autumn post coming up in a bit) but I gave it a try. I was happy until I added the glittery swirls, they're not 'me' and I don't like them but I can't get them off without tearing everything up.

I used Edwin from Magnolia and shaded him with ProMarkers, the papers are a candy win from Evelina and are My Minds Eye. The leaf brads I've had ages - I think from a Papermania kit and the sentiment is Hot Off The Press.

Zac is tons better today, thanks so much for all your well wishes, he's given it to me now which is one way of getting rid of it I suppose. I've cheered up by seeing that I've won a guest design team spot with Allsorts for the whole of October - how exciting is that?

Victoria
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Bee Crafty Christmas and DT news

These are my Guest Design Team creations for this weeks challenge over at Bee Crafty which is 'Christmas' - to play along you must also include a digi item. I'm also thrilled to announce that from next fortnight I'll be joining Merrigan and crew as a DT member 'woo-hoo'!



I used these fabulous new Christmas stamps from Bee Crafty, they are an absolute steal at only 99p for both characters, you can buy them here along with all the other new Christmas stamps. I thought they'd look fab on some gift boxes with matching cards and found this incredibly easy tutorial.



The Wish Fairies are shaded with Copics and Glamour Dust (although you may have to click on the photos for a close up to see that!) and the dotty card is a download from Pink Petticoat.



Not loitering I'm afraid as Zac is still unwell, James ended up sleeping in his bedroom floor last night as he kept getting himself all worked up. I've gone and caught whatever it is too now, fat neck and all achy and hot - yuk. Lucky you - you can't catch it over the web!!

Victoria
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Almost Traditional Christmas

This is about as close to a traditional Christmas card as I can get! It's based on the latest clean sketch from Dawny at Papertake. It's a fab sketch to work with and I know I'm going to use it again.



It's a CC Designs Snow Bunny stamp, shaded with all new shades of ProMarkers (ahem!) and a hint of Glamour Dust on her hat and boots.

The papers are Doodlebug and just for a change I popped some glitter gems on. Didn't fancy a sentiment on this one for some reason.



Sorry this is short and sweet today, my little man Zac has a temperature. After a chat with the Health Visitor this morning, we called on Grandad to come and sit with Blake whilst I nipped Zac to the Doctors to get him checked over (last time he got ill on a Friday morning he had croup). It's nothing serious thankfully, just a viral infection so lots of cuddles and fluids for him.

Fat club was great fun last night and so far so good on day one! Apologies if I don't get to visit your blog later this evening, I'll play catch up over the weekend.

Victoria
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My first Club Anya Challenge Entry

Well I've gone and joined Club Anya over at The Greetings Farm and this is my first challenge card. Joni has set the rules - pink, black and white and three different embellishments. I got the fab sketch from Cindy at Crazy 4 Challenges.



I used Doodlebug and Pink Petticoat papers and did some more paper piecing, seems to be my thing at the moment. She's shaded with Copics and a touch of Inkssentials pen, not sure I made such a great job of her hair but it's the first time I've used greys and I don't have enough variation. I used three different embellishments, a button, a brad and a glitter gem - how handy I have so much pink stuff eh?

And this is the whole card so you can see the great sketch, will have to use it again as so easy to work with.



Right, my boys are causing bedlam today, I'd just got Zac dressed when he poured hi drink all over himself so he's back in his PJs whilst I consider my next move! Blake refuses to nap and at this rate I'm never going to make it to toddler group this afternoon and before I know it - it'll be time to go to my first session at the slimming club - or 'fat club' as we have renamed it!

Victoria
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A bookmark

Merrigan at Bee Crafty set a great challenge this fortnight to make a bookmark. To help out she's even provided a FREE digi download of a stack of books - go grab it! I've got a guest Design Team spot coming up with Bee Crafty, you're going to love her new designs so watch this space.

I got the colour combo from Little Paper Shop Blog and La-La Land Crafts are asking for paper piecing. Toot toot to me as I won the last challenge at La-La Land for my Vegas card - woo-hoo!



So I used the free stack of books and another of Bee Crafty's downloads - 'whimsical girl summer drink'. The patterned paper is DCWV and I paper pieced her hat and skirt to match. The rest is shaded with Copics and I used another gromlet before pulling a piece of Brenda Pinnick ribbon through. I think this will be a good Christmas present for my Mum as I always need to think of things that are easy enough to post overseas.

Victoria
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Snowflakes in September

Allsorts say - 'Snowflakes in September', Crafty Cardmakers want us to use a 3-D element and Bev has created this sketch at Just Magnolia:



My 3-D element is a bow made of paper with a yummy glittery star button on top to match the one on the snowman. The papers are Pebbles inc and the rub on sentiment is Doodlebug rub ons.



I shaded this with a mix of Copics and ProMarkers and a sprinkle of Glamour Dust. The border punch is Fiskars and the snowflake is an X-cut punch.

Short and sweet from me for now as I'm on a mission to clean up my craft room - again!

Victoria
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One for the girls

I think this is my new favourite card, just looking at it makes me happy! So thanks Donna for setting the challenge of 'one for the girls' over at Secret Crafter and thanks Heather at Truly Scrumptious for the fab sketch and extra twist to use at least three stamps. Both Donna and Heather have brilliant blogs so take a look.



I used Dahlia from the Greetings Farm and shaded her with a mix of Copics and ProMarkers and...I braved it and added just a couple of highlights with an Inkssentials pen - was nervous to use it in case I bodged it after spending all that time getting the colouring right!

Lots of glitter gems to add sparkle and fabulous papers from Pink Petticoat. I have actually stamped seven images - six of which are flowers. I cut them all out and added instead of using pre-made or punched flowers.

Ooooh how exciting, I've just spotted I won last week's challenge at Creative Card Crew - wow thanks, I'm going to be the proud owner of some Fairy Doodles stamps from Crafty Addicts now - yey!



Well we've discovered the wasps nest in the garden is actually a bees nest, bad luck to hubby James for finding out by getting stung under his eye last night just walking from his van to the house. The little blighter flew under his glasses - ouch. We treated him quickly and the swelling went down within an hour or two. So today I'm making some phone calls and arranging for a bee keeper to come round ASAP and get rid of it and then Zac can play in the garden and I can hang my washing out again if it stays bright for much longer.

Victoria
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Ohm

Can you believe I'm only putting this up for one challenge? It's a fab sketch from Inspirational Card Sketches.



My friend who's pregnant is having a bit of a difficult time at the moment and I thought this might make her smile. I know she's a bit of a yoga goddess too.

The image is Lola Rose Namaste from Pink Petticoat, shaded with ProMarkers and Copics. I think the paper is Dovecraft but I've had it that long I can't remember.

I've made a big decision and I'm joining a slimming club on Thursday evening to help me shift all this weight I put on during my three pregnancies. I have to admit the baby weight has gone and it ain't shifting without some help - wish me luck!

Victoria
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Boo!

This is my first ever Halloween card. I was inspired to make it by the challenge at Digital Tuesday of 'clean and simple fall card'. I don't have any Autumn stash at all so I went with Halloween as it's in the Autumn! A Spoon Full of Sugar are also running an Autumn themed week and although I've missed the deadline, this was also for Little Paper Shop who had a Halloween theme.



This was actually so hard to make! I downloaded a Halloween kit from Pink Petticoat and then spent about two hours deciding what to do with it. I wanted to use this digi Kraft paper Liz made for us and this little pumpkin which was already coloured but wasn't sure how (I obviously inhaled too much cleaning product when I was cleaning the oven yesterday!).

In the end I came up with this and I do like it. All I did was print the pumpkin and the Kraft card, cut out and layer and add a sentiment with rub-ons. Oh and then I thought some dots round the edge would be a good way to have a try with a white gel pen.

I made another card yesterday but it's far too pants to pop on here!

Victoria
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Anyone for Anya Guest DT Spot

This is my second card for my guest design team spot at Anyone for Anya, it's been great fun so thanks to Dawny and team for having me, I'm going to miss you, but I'll be joining you every week anyway. The theme this week is 'Funky Flowers' and I think the flowers on this paper are pretty funky. I made this for a few challenges too, Sketch Saturday provided the brilliant layout, Creative Card Crew have a recipe: 2 papers, 3 flowers, 2 brads, 1 button and 1 ribbon and Polka Doodles say make your own flowers. All fit in fabulously with the Anya theme and here's what I came up with:


The gorgeous patterned papers are by Doodlebug and I thought the flowers matched the one in Miss Anyas hair. She's shaded with Copics and of course had a glitter gem in her flower. My ribbon is on the strip at the bottom, it's delish velvet green flower ribbon by Doodlebug - I stuck some more glitter gems in the flower centres.



I made the flowers out of the same papers, cut with Cuttlebug dies and added my brads and button.



Well it's another sunny day so Hubby is going to have to brave the wasps nest in the garden and hang the washing out. He's not a complete wuss like me and doesn't mind them at all. It's a day of housework with crafting in between for me, got to be done. And for those who asked what type of tea I popped in the tea for two card yesterday, it's the only tea I drink - Twinings Digestif, it's peppermint and fennel, an acquired taste I expect, got addicted to it during my first pregnancy and the taste stayed with me. Victoria x

Tea for two

Ooh I did enjoy making this! Susie and Vikki have set the challenge - 'Tea for Two' over at Die Cut Dreams, whilst Cute Card Thursday want a creation with 'Hidden Treasure' and SophistiCat want a card or wallet that can hold something.



So I made this rather gorgeous creation. You can find instructions on how to make one here. My hidden treasure is a couple of tea bags! It was so quick and easy to make too. The patterned paper is by Pebbles Inc and the tea pot is a digi image from Pink Petticoat, shaded with Copics. The ribbon (and tea bags) are from my stash.



I know lots of people I could send one of these to. Mind you I'd have to be selective over the types of tea I send them. I think I'll be making a load more of these yummies.

Victoria
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Another dip of sugar

I've had a fab day and created lots of goodies! I'll start with this card which is actually for five challenges!

Firstly the sketch is from The Sugar Bowl and also the colour combo of pink and brown, Our Creative Corner have set the same colour combo as have C.R.A.F.T Challenge, Passion for ProMarkers say go wild with whatever colours you want as long as you include polka dots and Stamp Something say use your favourite colour or papers in your design - and we know how much I love pink and my Doodlebug papers!

I'm really chuffed, I won last weeks C.R.A.F.T Challenge and get to choose five fabulous digi downloads by Hope Jacare, you can see them here.



The image is of course a Gorjuss girl, shaded with ProMarkers (I used a mix of ProMarkers and Copics on her hair). She's cut out with a Cookie Cutter and mounted on Doodlebug and Pebbles Inc papers. The flowers are made from the same papers. I coloured the glitter gems with a brown peel off pen as I didn't have anything else that went.



Had a lovely walk with hubby and the boys this morning, although Zac wanted to be carried back home as he refused to walk, wouldn't get in the buggy next to Blake and just sat on the pavement with his arms in the air 'pick me up' fashion!

More from me in a bit - with a link to a fabulous tutorial.

Victoria
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Introducing Millie Mouse and Friday Freebies

I'm so on a roll with Christmas cards:



One Stop Craft have set the theme - 'Let it snow', Sketch and Stash provided the fabulous sketch, Dutch Dare provided a photo for us to take colour inspiration from and Creative Inspirations ask to use an animal. Phew four challenges in one.



The papers are Doodlebug and the cute 'lil mouse is Millie and she's brand new and available to download from The Digi Stamp Boutique. I shaded her with ProMarkers and lashings of Glamour Dust. I think the ribbon is Brenda Pinnick and the snowflake bauble was in my stash, I just added the sentiment.

Now I mentioned freebies. They're of the digital variety and are fabulous.

You can download a stack of books from Merrigan at Bee Crafty, great for making a bookmark for her challenge this week.

And you can get an entire digi kit from Pollycraft too - it's pink and brown and simply scrummy!

Victoria
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Put your sunglasses on.......

........because this is a loud one!



Colour Create set the colour combo of black and neon green. Not at all my usual but I gave it a try. Not sure I'll be trying it again mind! Simon Says Stamp said use 2 papers, 1 image and 3 embellishments so I did that too. Finally the fab sketch was provided by Cindy Haffner at Crazy 4 Challenges.

I used Coredinations Black Magic paper which is black on one side and green on the other. I made my 2 papers by embossing and sanding back to reveal the green. The stamped image is from a new set by Inkadinkado and there are five others waiting to be used. the ribbon has come out very yellow for some reason, it's not it's green and matches the flowers which I got from Hobbycraft.



If you were paying attention earlier I'd said I was cuddling Blake all afternoon as he was a lot grizzly. Well he's fast off now after what we shall only ever refer to as 'nappy gate'. Enough said!

So I'm going to post another card I made last night next.

Victoria
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Inspirational Card Sketches DT Call

As the title suggests, Inspirational Card Sketches challenge blog are on the hunt for 3 new Design Team . To enter you have to create a card based on this sketch and submit it today!



I made a Christmas card with a cute snowflake charm:



The sketch was really challenging to work with and I settled on cutting a window and hanging the charm in. I wanted a simple, pure feel to the card so stuck with white linen and embossed with a Cuttlebug snowflakes folder.



The gorgeous glittery ribbon is from Trimcraft and I matched the sparkle with as many glitter gems as I could squeeze in! I created the sentiment on the PC and cut out using oval Nesties and mounted on some 3-D foam. Here's a close up of the window and charm:



I think crafting might be a bit of a no go zone today as Blake is a bit (well a lot) grizzly and doesn't seem to want to settle. So I predict an afternoon of cuddles for us. The best kind.

Good luck to everyone else applying for the Design Team

Victoria
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Charisma Cardz Guest Design Spot

This weeks challenge at Charisma Cardz is 'flower power'. You can create whatever you like on the theme and there's a 3 month subscription to 'Scrapbook News and Review' magazine up for grabs for the winner.



I made a really simple card this week (well for me anyway!). I used silver floral rubs ons from W R Memory Keepers (I think), they're a little awkward to run on in my opinion so a few edges are a little crumpled.



The gems are lush and are from Doodlebug, the large flower is simply mounted on layered card and 3-D foam to give a bit of dimension.

Can't stop, Zac is currently re-arranging my kitchen cupboards for me!

Victoria
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Viva Las Vegas

I had such good fun making this card. My friend Jo's hubby asked me to make it for her birthday from him as she's off to Vegas with the girls for a long weekend away:



This is the photo he gave me to base the card on (!):



I'm sure they're lady boys! Anyway onto the card, this is for a few challenges, over at Papertake Dawny is asking us to 'fake it', La-La-Land Crafts want to see at least three different embellishments and Stamp Something want us to use our favourite embellishments.



Well the sign was made with fonts on the PC and Quickutz alphas, I cut the shape partly with a labels Nestie and then pinged my favourite gems around the edge to look like the Vegas lights. The welcome part is simply Doodlebug rub-ons on punched stars.

Miss Anya is coloured with Copics and sat on a wall of DCWV paper and a ribbon trim with my FAKE bow:



I've said many times I'm rubish with bows, even with my bow maker, so I held the ribbon in place and stitched it before sewing (yes sewing!) on a couple of buttons too. Finally I have to show you the inside, I'm pretty sure Jo won't mind.



I'm looking forward to seeing the photos and having a catch up when she gets back. I've bored my boys stupid this morning, we went on a trip to Hobbycraft and The Range, Both very much dressed in blue and looking all boy - for those of you who are new to my blog, our last trip there involved Blake being mistaken for a girl.

So a quiet afternoon is planned before chaos and mayhem resumes!

Victoria
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