A lovely surprise to come home to

Before we went away I found out that I'd won a prize on Heidi's Hobbystuggu challenge blog for their July/August challenge - you can read about it here.

I have to admit that with going away for the week I'd forgotten about it. When we got back there was a note through the door from a neighbour who said that she had taken a package that the postman had tried to deliver - I couldn't think what it could be - so it was such a lovely surprise to find that it was a pack of over 50 12 x 12 papers - the photo doesn't do them justice - there are so many tucked away out of sight.

I'm itching to get on and use some of them, but those inserts and bagging need to be done!

If you'd like to see some of our photos from Eastbourne and some crafting goodies I bought then please scroll down or click here.

Blogging again after a break

We returned from Eastbourne yesterday, having had a week of mostly beautiful weather (some rain one morning and one day when mist drifted in from the sea) - a fantastic bonus for this time of the year.

We stayed in a lovely suite which had a sitting room and two bedrooms, one of which had an en-suite bathroom as well as there being a main bathroom - we were thoroughly spoiled and very much enjoyed it.

Sitting room:




Main bedroom (huge bed):

Second bedroom (with en-suite bathroom through the white door):

A rare picture of me taken by John (because he has very little vision he finds taking photos difficult, so doesn't often taken them, but insisted he wanted one of me with my iPad) - a bit of the school m'am look with the reading glasses:

And a few photos I took when we went for a walk:

And now it's back to reality! I'm having a card sale to raise money for Tearfund next Saturday 8 October and I need to get prepared for it. Most of the Christmas cards I've been making throughout the year need inserts and then need to be bagged and labelled, as well as lots of other cards - I must get these done before I make any more - and I'm hoping to have time to make some notebooks and post-it note holders because they usually sell well.

I've already scheduled my new Christmas challenge for tomorrow (I did it before we went to Eastbourne), so that will be shown on here, but, apart from that, I think it will be a few days before I show any new cards.

Before I finish this post, I'll just show some craft goodies that I bought in Eastbourne:

I really would like to get on and use some of these new goodies ... but I must get the inserts and bagging done first (wish I could wave a magic wand and have them done because I find the job so boring).

CHNC challenge 39: for a child

For today's challenge 39 on my Christmas challenge blog I'm asking for a Christmas card for a child.

I've made mine for Baby's first Christmas, using K & Co Secret Santa papers, a chipboard tree and a Personal Impressions stamped image by Linday Mason, coloured with copics. The sentiment was generated on my dymo letratag.

This is also for Chris' 'anything goes' challenge for the Christmas card gang (members on my side bar - if you'd like details of this club please get in touch with one of us).

It's also for:

Chris's 'anything goes' challenge for the Christmas gang

Craft room: anything Christmas

Copic creations 58: colouring fur ... with a twist - with bright colours, not your usual brown bears
Crafty calendar September: let sleeping bears lie (but they don't have to be asleep!)

Lexi 49: a card for a child

My mum's craft shop 24: boys and girls

Top tip Tuesday 51: time for a kids challenge

Stamp with fun 129: anything goes

Try it on Tuesday: anything goes

Anything goes 50: anything goes

Creatalicious 26: anything goes

Digistamps4joy 28: anything goes

The paper shelter 32: anything goes

Make it Monday 55

Location:Lushington Rd,Eastbourne,United Kingdom

BF September inchies

The theme for the inchies swap this month on the BF forum is 'primary colours'. I've used a digi from Heartsong Inspirations, one of three that I won for their challenge 15 recently. The digital image is called 'book with flowers & apple'.

I coloured with copics and then put a nice blob of glossy accents on each of the apples - they are really raised and shiny irl.

I'm linking these for the following challenges:

Creative stamp friends 34: anything goes but not a card

Lollipop crafts: anything but a card

Gingersnap GC116 colour challenge: primary colours

Di's digis 1: anything goes

Try it on Tuesday: anything goes

Anything goes 50: anything goes

Creatalicious 26: anything goes

Digistamps4joy 28: anything goes

The paper shelter 32: anything goes

Make it Monday 55

Inspire me Fridays 24

How many candles?

'How many candles?' is the theme for this week on Daring cardmakers - we were asked to make a birthday card with at least one candle. To celebrate the launch of Funky Hand's latest CD, the random drawn winner will receive the CD. I've already got some Funky Hand CDs and would love to get my hands on the latest one.

For the background of my card I downloaded the September freebie paper from Funky Hand. This month's challenge on Get Funky is 'Birthday fun', so I'm entering this into that as well.

The large sentiment stamp is from Clarity, inked with versamark and heat embossed with detail gold. I then edged the card with double sided tape and also embossed this so that it became a frame - this is for Sir Stampalot September: it's a frame up.

The candles are from a whispers stamp that I've had for ages, with the candles coloured with copics - iCopic challenge 48 is to use 'unloved colours', so I deliberately used some colours that I don't often use - I thought they would go well with the Funky Hand dotted paper. Strips of Anita's glitzy borders were then added - these have a holographic effect not picked up very well by the photo.

This is also for:

Creative inspirations 129: anything goes

4 crafty chicks 55: embossing

Indian summer with felt flowers

I haven't blogged and shown any crafting since Saturday, but I have made some cards, it's just that I can't share them yet. From Thursday I'll be in Eastbourne for a week so I've been preparing my cards for CHNC challenges for the next three Saturdays - because when we come back I need to promptly get sorted for my Tearfund sale on Saturday 8 October.

I've also been working on the draft for a Christmas card order (to make 300 - isn't as bad as it seems because it's a matter of preparing on computer and then printing - but I'm at the stage of trying out all different drafts till I'm happy with it).

So I thought I'd have a bit of a break and make a quick card. This BG Indian summer paper does most of the work of the card - it would be a shame to cover too much of it - so all I've done is add a sentiment and three layered felt flowers from Poundland.

The colours are for Cards and things 87:

The colours are also for Basic Grey 53: pink and brown.

This is also for:

Paper sundaes 87: felt

Top tip Tuesday 51: birthday time

Crafting for all seasons 9: birthday

My mum's craft shop 23: happy birthday

Stamp, scrap & doodle: birthday

Dream valley 16: buttons

Paper pretties Monday: use buttons

CropStop 37: button up ladies

Fresh green

This is for the sketch on Stamptacular 128:

and Dream valley picture inspiration 15:

The background paper is from my Up & away pad by Mindy Terasawa and the other two papers are BG sultry. The circle was cut with a nestie and a HOTP stamp inked with stazon cactus green. Lace and pearls from stash and Craftime glittered sentiments.

This is also for:

Sparkles forum 20: white and one other colour

Just for fun: shades of green

Deep ocean 8: lace

Stampavie 151: pearls and lace

Wags n whiskers 63: lace

Make all with love 12: pearls/half pearls

Tuesday throwdown 66: pearls

Use it Tuesday 15: uninked stamp - the HOTP stamp is one of a set that I've had for ages, but hadn't used this particular one before

Clearlyistamp 36: glitter

The stamp man 31: monochrome and one other colour - white and one other colour you love to use

Pretty little ribbon shop 2: monochrome

The crazy challenge 84: birthdays

The stamping boutique: Come celebrate with us in September birthday project

Top tip Tuesday 51: birthday time

Crafting for all seasons 9: birthday

My mum's craft shop 23: happy birthday

Stamp, scrap & doodle: birthday

Di's digis 1: anything goes

Crafty ribbons 2: anything goes

Cute card Thursday 182: anything goes

One stitch at a time 79: anything goes

Crafty boots: anything goes

Creatalicious 26: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 24

Make it Monday 54

Quick and simple

This is a quick card for CPS 235:

The poppy image was one that came with a QVC kit quite a while ago - I just coloured with a copic. The doilies are wrapped around the back and the inside.

This is also for:

Less is more 33: anything CAS goes

Wee memories 68: no pattern paper

Alphabet: Q for quick and simple

Creative CAS challenges September: spring has sprung

CHNC challenge 38: glitter

Yay! It's Saturday again - and that means a new challenge on my Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge blog. I know that many of my regular followers are visitors there and that many of you enter the challenges, but if you haven't ventured there yet then please follow the link and perhaps make this the week to start making those Christmas cards.

So for challenge 38 this week I would like you to make a card with glitter - a little or a lot - the choice is yours, use some designer paper that is glittered or add some glitter glue ... whatever you fancy, as long as it's glittery.

I took the easy route and used some fab papers that were already glittered. Last Saturday I went up to Covent Garden for a look around (one of my favourite places) - it was a real treat because I rarely go anywhere like that these days ... and I went on to Blade Rubber and made a few purchases - some stamps, some stencils and some papers, including these Lost and Found Christmas papers by My Mind's Eye.

I've added a some bows and a few red gems here and there. The three little trees on the first card and the large one on the third card were part of a kit I bought two or three years ago. They are much bright irl- gold foiling as well as the red glitter - I think they match the papers well. The papers are double sided, so the striped panels are from the other side of the first paper.




I had to smile when I saw that this week's theme on Bah! Humbug 37 is 'flourishes/swirls' because that, of course, was my challenge last week - and then I realised that these cards all have swirls on them, so I'm entering their challenge.

These are also for:

Cutie Sunday 149: Christmas cards

Phindy's Friday 72: Christmas is creeping up on us

Christmas card challenges week 41: vintage (or anything goes)

Aly's Sunday: add a bow

Craft your passion 75: use the F word - flourishes

Crafty ribbons 2: anything goes

Cute card Thursday 182: anything goes

One stitch at a time 79: anything goes

Crafty boots: anything goes

Creatalicious 26: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 24

Make it Monday 54

Paper pieced autumn

This is for FTL 157 sketch on Clean and Simple (I turned the sketch):

This was inspired by the photo on Dancing in pajamas 176:

It's also for ECP 46: yellow and Jay Gee's nook 11 which has this inspiration:


and these challenges that focus on autumn:

The crafty pad 138

Fiskarettes September focus

Happileigh 39: falling leaves

Inspiration avenue: autumn splendour

Lexi 48

Penny's 62

Digi doodle 76

Rubber cafe: fabulous fall

Paper cutz 108

Allways something creative

Really reasonable ribbon 32

Beary sweet 34: happy fall, y'all!

Come and get it: happy (almost) fall, yall
Crazy 4 challenges 104: autumn colours

The background paper is from PM lemon sorbet - this was among a lovely box of yellow crafting goodies that I had for my birthday from one of my nieces.

The other papers, including those used for the paper piecing, were from my scraps box, so I'm linking this for Jules crafty snippet week 36, with just the addition of a piece of gold and silver ribbon.

The border along with bottom is Creative Memories bright autumn border, one of a lovely pack that I received a while ago as part of a challenge prize.

The leaf is a stamp by Stampers anonymous, stamped on to various papers and pieced - something that I don't often do because I find it fiddly, but I actually enjoyed doing it.

It's also for:

Simon says: sing it - inspired by the song Autumn by Barbra Streisand (extract video here)

Your next stamp 51: paper piecing

Challenge up your life 52: paper piecing

Crafty Ann 49: make yourself uncomfortable - outside your usual comfort zone - the paper piecing!

365 cards day 191: so not me! - the paper piecing!

Creatalicious 26: anything goes

Di's digi designs 1: anything goes

Crafty ribbons 2: anything goes

I did it 72: anything goes

Cute card Thursday 182: anything goes

One stitch at a time 79: anything goes

Crafty boots: anything goes

Make it Monday 54

Back to school with an apple

This is for A la card monkey 73: fun + sketch (I turned the sketch to the left):
It's also for AiFactory graphics 93: back to school/teacher, where the lovely 'Ella - apple for the teacher' digital image was given.

Papers are BG cupcake (it's a while since I used any of these, but the primary colours went well with the copic coloured image). The spotted grosgrain ribbon has been in my stash a long while, as have the ABC and award 3D stickers which originally came from Poundland, I think.

I applied stickles crystal ice to the bubbles around Ella and put glossy accent on the apple.

This is also for these 'back to school' challenges:

Cupcake 159

Ribbon reel 10

Stamp n doodle

Fussy & fancy

Stamp and create

Clear it out

Divas by design 10

Our craft lounge 82

Guylou (make sure there is an apple somewhere)

If the shoe fits fashionista Friday 90: let's all head back to school

Simply create 51: school time

Craft us crazy 17: goodbye to summer and/or school theme

Also for:

Cutie stampers 111: dots/spots

Victorine 16: primary colours

Gingersnap GC116 colour challenge: primary colours - red, blue and yellow

Moving along with the times 116: sparkle

Heart song inspirations 15: use glitter and/or chipboard

Ruby's rainbow 12: for the girls

Delightful: girly girl

Pattie's 30: girlie things

Ellephantastic September: here come the girls

Scrapbook sisters 52: Indian summer - Ella is obviously enjoying the September sunshine on her way to school

Fab n funky 90: eyes down for bingo - I chose digi image, ribbon and 3 papers or layers

The stamping boutique 15: recipe - 4 different colours, 3 different embellishments, 2 different DP, 1 digi image

Daisy doodles 42: raise it up

Pile it on 37: layer it

Sukkersott 136: use digital stamp

The paper variety 51: use stickers

Crafting misfit: show and tell

Di's digi designs 1: anything goes

Crafty ribbons 2: anything goes

I did it 72: anything goes

Cute card Thursday 182: anything goes

One stitch at a time 79: anything goes

Crafty boots: anything goes

Creatalicious 26: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 23

Make it Monday 54

First class delivery

One Layer Wednesday is back and challenge 63 is 'a baby themed one layer card'.

This was the photo for Cupcake inspirations 127:

I've chosen the 'all pink' one at the top left.

I stamped 'baby's pram' by Funstamps with versarmark and heat embossed with geranium coral blush, which is an iridescent powder that leaves a lovely sheen (I poured it all over the card to get a sparkle, but, unfortunately I couldn't get a photo correctly so had to resort to a scan which doesn't show the sparkly sheen - I'll add a photo if I can get a daylight one that shows it).

I prepared the sentiments on computer and printed them - took me ages to get these in the right places and even now I've got the 'First class delivery' too close to the 'stamp', but that often happens anyway with franking, so perhaps it doesn't look too bad.

This is also for:

Pollycraft 110: baby love

Pixie dust studio 91: is it a boy or is it a girl - baby card

Stampin' for the weekend 16: tickled pink

Just some lines: new baby

Freshly brewed 63: something new

Delicious doodles 1: fresh start - something new

One stitch at a time 79: anything goes

Crafty boots: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 23

Make it Monday 54

Birthday celebrations

For the past few days, Birthday celebrations have been under way at Annabelle Stamps and this card is for the 3rd challenge which calls for two embellies starting with B - so I've used two large brads.

I've taken the colours from the inspiration given for Penny's 61:

I love crafting with shades of purple. The background paper is BG wisteria and the paper on which I've started the large sentiment Clarity stamp and the cut out butterfly are from a K & Co Juliana pad (long neglected). The bows are Papermania and the brads were part of a couple of sets bought at The Works.

This is also for:

Cooking it up with Katie 74: show me a purple sentimental bow

Lollipop crafts: use eyelets or brads

Papertake: things with wings

Stamp insanity 75: black and purple

Make it colourful 34: make it purple (+ I coloured the little hearts with a purple copic)

Congratulations on your anniversary

A long time ago I was given some aperture cards by a kind crafting friend. I thought I would use one tonight with some acetate with Penny Black mouse love stamp coloured with copics in the background.

This is for Creative inspirations 128: acetate, also for Creative Belli 125: acetate or vellum (the aperture card blank was my old and forgotten item).

Colours are for Creative sketches 47C colour challenge:


It's so difficult to get a photo of a card that contains acetate, but I managed to get this one without any glare, but, of course, you can't really tell that there is any acetate there and the hearts on the acetate look black, whereas they are really silver foiled.



So I'm including this photo just to show that there really is acetate there!

This is also for:

City crafter 74: I heart you

Ooh-la-la 88: anniversary

Stampin' B 127: anniversary card

Our creative corner: wonderful windows

Mami doodles 33: all creatures great and small

Stamps + fun = creativity 64: animals

One stitch at a time 79: anything goes

Crafty boots: anything goes

Papertake: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 23

Make it Monday 54

Brown and cornflower blue

This is for the sketch for Paper Pretties Wednesday 170:

It's also for Inky impressions colour challenge 23: brown and cornflower blue, and for Crafts4eternity R36 colour recipe: brown and blue, where this inspiration picture is given:

Papers are from the V & A linen paper pack, the large bloom has been in my stash for a long time (used to use these quite a lot, but they seem to have gone out of fashion), the crocheted flower is held in the middle by a brad. The scalloped strip is a velvet paper topped with some birthday ribbon from Hobbycraft (the white background of this is a lot whiter irl).

This is also for:

Craft your passion 75: use the F word - flowers

Everybody art 159: flowers

Ladybug 37: flowers

The crazy challenge 84: birthdays

Top tip Tuesday 51: birthday time

Crafting for all seasons 9: birthday

Crafty purple frog: birthdays

Southern girls: lots of layers or a birthday theme (there's both)

Party time Tuesday 33: ribbon trim and fibers oh my!

One stitch at a time 79: anything goes

Crafty boots: anything goes

Papertake: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 23

Make it Monday 54

Sew simple

This is for Inspirational card sketches 129:

It's also for Crazy amigo: sewing.

The double sided paper was free with a Making Cards magazine ages ago and the bits and pieces on the pink diamond piece are Jolees stickers.

This is also for:

Creative craft world: button it

Stamp n doodle: anything goes

One stitch at a time 79: anything goes

Crafty boots: anything goes

Papertake: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 23

Make it Monday 54

Autumn colours

This is for the sketch for Cards und more 36:

It's also for Totally stampalicious colour challenge: pink, orange and yellow.

Papers are BG Indian summer, the stamped image (blazing red stazon - unfortunately, it doesn't show up here too well) is a favourite Magenta one. Regulars to my blog will recognise the organza leaves that have been making an appearance recently, having been in a box for some years, with the addition of a lovely Martha Steward flower.

This is also for Annabelle birthday challenge 2: blooms.

It's also for:

Lexi 48: autumn

Stamp with fun: autumn

Everybody art 158: autumn

Craft us crazy 16: autumn colours

Pink and grey

This is a DL card for The pink elephant 115 sketch:

The base card is a silver grey stardream. I've used a smaller 'tall card' front to layer on to this - this has Best Wishes embossed all the way round it.

Colours are for Paper Makeup stamps digi makeover challenge 1:

The digi image is one that I got a long while ago from Crafts by Carolyn - I decided to just colour the little girl's dress with pink and the skirt of the lady with grey, leaving the rest as the black and white drawing. The addition of three ribbons (two of which are studded with gems) across the bottom and a Craftime flower and the card was finished.

This is also for:

C.R.A.F.T. 119: children

Pile it on 37: layer it

My mum's craft shop 22: layer it up

Sukkersott 136: use a digi

Crafty creations 135: anything but a square

Ribbon carousel 19: anything goes

Craft your passion 74: anything goes with a twist: flowers

Stamp n doodle: anything goes

Creative card crew: anything goes

One stitch at a time 79: anything goes

Crafty boots: anything goes

Papertake: anything goes

Inspire me Fridays 23