Saturday 22 November 2008

A Spoon Full of Sugar for my friend!

This is a card I made for a friend at work who left us yesterday for pastures new. I was so upset to see her go and I wanted to let her know how much I admire her and would miss her. So this is the card I made and it fits this weeks A Spoon Full of Sugar challenge which is to use flowers or floral papers on your creation!

I coloured this adorable Elzybells image in with my whispers pens and I paper pieced her dress with the patterned spotty paper that I also used in the background, which is from K&Co sparkly sweet pad. The grass effect was created using a green ink pad. CS is from the coredinations range, which I embossed with the spots and dots folder before distressing with an emery board. The sentiment is Hero Arts, Prima flowers and gem brad from my stash. The glittery adhesive dots are some that I bought from QVC.

Sorry I haven't been around your blogs much these past few days. I've been having a busy time of it at work lately (I am working this weekend) and my university course is also starting to become more demanding. I currently have a 4,000 word and 6,000 word assignment to do along with a 4,000 word Masters proposal in preparation for my 15,000 word Masters Dissertation next year! :-( I must have been crazy to go back to university again. This is definately the last degree I do! So unfortunately, all this doesn't leave me as much time for my beloved crafting and blog hopping. So please be patient with me and I will try my best!

I hope you're all having a great weekend whatever you're up to.

Hugs, Vicky x

Thursday 20 November 2008

Another cute Elzybells christmas card!

Here is another of my recent christmas card makes (not many left to go now!). It also meets three of this weeks challenge requirements. Papertake Weekly's challenge is 'let it snow, let it snow, let it snow'. Cute Card Thursday's challenge is similar, to use 'snow and snowflakes' and finally I have used the sketch from i{heart}2stamp challenge.

I adore this Elzybells christmas image. I got this stamp quite late on in my christmas card making so consequently have only made a few with this image, which is a shame as I love it! I coloured the image with whispers pens before distressing the background with a bronze ink pad. I also added snowtex and glamour dust for the snow effect! I also added some glossy accents to the reinders nose! The star brad is from papermania. All papers are BG from the wassial pad, I love the soft snowflake effect of the paper. The gold snowflakes were puched from gold card with my xcut punch and gold adhesive gem stones added to the centres. The sentiment is from a see D's set. I also decorated the back of the card with my new personalised stamp.

I cut the circle and scalloped circle out with my nesties. Sorry about the slightly blurred pic, but you get the idea!

I've been trying my best to get around all your lovely blogs to see what you've been up to and to leave you some comments, but if I haven't been in the last few days I apologise. I seem to have a lot on my plate at the moment and am struggling to fit everything in!

Hope you are all keeping well!

Big Hugs, Vicky x

Tuesday 18 November 2008

Sugar Baby!

My friend is expecting a baby boy in January, so what with the busy christmas period coming up thought I'd get ahead of myself and make her a card now using my gorgeous baby millie stamp from Sugar Nellie, available from Funky kits. I suppose technically as the stamp is called baby millie, it is a girl. However, with a little careful colour selection I think it is perfect for baby boys as well!

I coloured the image with my whispers pens and added a doodle border, before mounting to blue coredinations CS, to which I then added glossy accents! The spotty paper is from DCWV Nanna's kids stack and I embossed the top half of the base CS with my swiss dots folder. The glittered heart is a rub on from a pack that I got from the £ shop ages ago, added to white CS and cut out before adding to the card base with 3D foam. The sentiment is from a studio G set. I stamped 'joy' onto white CS and coloured with whispers before adding glossy accents.

Hope you are all well, not had much time for craft these past few days, been christmas shopping, doing housework and tomorrow I am in Manchester all day at a conference so probably won't be around tomorrow at all as I need to catch the train at 07.30!!! Oh no! I will try and get around some of your blogs this evening, in between eastenders and cooking tea, but if not I will catch up with you in a few days.

Thanks for visiting and leaving me lovely comments, I really value each and every comment you leave. It cheers me up, especially after a bad day at work to read such lovely comments from all my blogging buddies!

Big hugs to you all

Vicky x

Sunday 16 November 2008

Three Snowmen for three challenges!

Another card that I can enter into 3 challenges, I'm doing well with these this week! I am entering it into PBSC where the challenge is monochromatic, so I have used my 'snow family' image and the colours blue and white! I have used the LO from Sketch Saturday and the theme of snowmen at My Time To Craft!


The 'snow family' image has been coloured with my whispers pens and then icicle stickles and glossy accents added to their pom pom hats. Sal kindly sent me this image so I want to say a big thank you Sal! The background papers are a mixture of DCWV and Dovecraft. Blue CS was embossed with my snowflakes folder before highlighting individual snowflakes with white sakura pen and glitter. The sentiment is Elzybells. Flowers are prima. Snowflakes created from silver foil card with my x-cut punch. Pearl brad and blue pearl gemstone are from papermania.


I am bit dissapointed with this card. I wish I hadn't highlighted the snowflakes with white sakura pen, I don't think it looks right? I was going to give it to my brother and his family as there are 3 of them, so thought it was quite representative of them. But now I'm not so sure, I may have to make them another one!

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend. I had a lovely day out christmas shopping with my mum yesterday, looks like I might have to do some housework today though!

Hugs, Vicky x

Friday 14 November 2008

Two Cupcake challenges!

This card is my entry for both this weeks Our Creative Corner challenge and Cupcake Craft challenge. The challenges were to use a photograph they provided of a cupcake as inspiration for designing your card, and the other was to use spots and dots! So here is what I came up with!


This didn't turn out quite as I'd planned. I was wanting it to be very plain, and although it is still quite plain, it's not quite as much as I had originally planned. I embossed the circle using my nestabilites onto the base CS. As I thought it was too basic looking I added pink ink and glitter. The spotty paper is from papermania and cut into a circle with my nestabilities. The cupcake image is one of my new stamps from an Inkadinkado clear set I bought on e-bay. I paper peiced the frosting section with BG sugared paper, glitter added for a bit of sparkle and the paper casing is coloured with my whispers. The 'cherry' on the cake is a 'legless brad' from craftwork cards which I have coated in glossy accents. The adhesive ribbon is from anita's and the sentiment is from a Studio G set.


This card makes a change from all the christmas cards I've been making of late and is very girly and sparkly, my sort of card!

Well friday is finally here, hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Hugs, Vicky x

Thursday 13 November 2008

Three challenges, one card!

This card combines 3 of this weeks challenges. Well time is of a premium so I say if you can combine, then why not. I have entered this for A Spoonful of Sugar challenge (to make a card for a child), Papertake Weekly's sketch challenge (which I have rotated slightly) and Cute Card Thursday Challenge (to use red and green). Well I think I have accomplished them with this card!

The image is one of my new Elzybells stamps, coloured with whispers pens. Background distressed with bronze ink pad. Gold brad placed over the star image. Snowtex and glamour dust added before matting onto green DCWV CS. Red and striped paper is from the BG wassial pad. Red 'legless' brads are from craft work cards and have been glazed with glossy accents, as has the reindeers nose! Sentiment is from studio G, I masked off the 'do not open until' to leave just Dec 25th. Cut out using nestabilitie dies and matted onto a scalloped circle also cut with nestabilities from BG wassail paper.

I am quite pleased with the result and overall effect of this card. One of my favourites I have made in a while! I think I'll give it to my nephew.

Not long until the weekend now and I have the next 5 days off work, yipee! Hope you are all well!

Hugs, Vicky x

Wednesday 12 November 2008

Stamp Something For Christmas!

This is a card I made for this weeks Stamp Something Challenge. The rules are to make a card using only one layer of cardstock. You can embellish it, stamp it, color it, do anything you wish, but you must only use one layer! So here is my entry!


I used my new Woodware bubble tree stamp and stamped it directly onto the base CS. I coloured some of it in with blue ink before adding buttons, adhesive gems and pearls and glitter glue to embellish. I attempted to distress the edges of the CS with blue ink to give a border, but not entirely sure it works! Sentiment is one of my new stamps I got from stamp magic a few weeks ago. Snowtex and glamour dust added to the CS to finish!

Another realtively quick and simple card for my christmas box. Don't think I've got that many more to make now. Probably another 10-15, mainly personalised cards for my family! Hope you're all managing to crack on with your christmas cards, only 42 days left to make them ( and that's including christmas eve so you'd have to hand deliver them)!

Not been feeling so good today so have spent most of the day in my pyjama's keeping nice and warm! Hope I'm not coming down with something. I've got a few day's off work coming up and it'll just be my luck to be poorly!

On a brighter note my new personalised stamp I ordered from E-Bay came today, so I can start using it to personalise the backs of my cards. I will show you it as soon as I make a card using it!

Hugs, Vicky x

Tuesday 11 November 2008

Can anyone help me please?

Evening all. Hope you've had a good day. No cards to show today but I'm hoping that someone out there might be able to give me some advice! I have taken delivery of some tan spellbinders embossing mats today with my nestabilities from the states. However, I'm not really sure how to emboss my nestabilitie die shapes with these mats. I have a cuttlebug and I'm not sure what sandwich combination to do! So if anyone can help me with my conundrum please leave me a message!

Thanks in advance, Vicky x

UPDATE - Thanks to everyone who has left me messages / links with tips on how to emboss with my nestabilities. I am very grateful. I have been practising and think I have got the hang of it now!

Thanks again, Vicky x

Monday 10 November 2008

Cute Christmas Fairy for Cute Card Thursday!

This is my entry for Cute Card thursday this week. I was also going to enter it for papertake weekly but I missed the boat! Oh well!

The image is Christmas Fairy Maggie from Sugar Nellie! I coloured her in festive christmas colours with my whispers pens. The sketch is based on a sketch from last weeks secret crafter challenge (which again I didn't enter as I misread the rules, you were supposed to use the colours pink and brown!). I added glitter to her wings and wand for extra sparkle. The background paper is from last years dovecraft pack matted onto red CS. I cut out all the circle shapes with my nesties and embossed the red CS circle with the swiss dots folder. The sentiment is from a See D's christmas set. The ribbon is Dovecraft and the 'legless brads' are from craft work cards and I attached them with 3D foam!

Not really 100% sure about this one, think it's the LO! Not overly keen, but I am still going to give it to my neice for christmas! :-)

Hugs, Vicky x

Sunday 9 November 2008

Sketch Saturday meets Sugar Nellie!

This is my entry for this weeks sketch saturday. I have rotated the sketch sightly but all the elements are still there.


This gorgeous image is 'Rory' one of the new soft center stamps from Sugar Nellie available at Funky Kits. I have coloured him in with whispers pens and have attempted to distress the background of the image with brown ink. Matted onto coredinations CS which has been torn to reveal the inner core colour. Background papers are from Basic Grey Archaic pad and K&Co Hopskotch pad. Brown Coredinations CS has been embossed with one of my new cuttlebug border folders. The 'with love' sentiment and flourish has been rubbed over with a emery board to reveal the inner core colour and make the sentiment pop! Flowers are prima and papermania, embellished with a button and some ribbon from my stash!

Hope you're all having a great weekend.

Hugs, Vicky x

Saturday 8 November 2008

Some quick christmas cards!

Afternoon all. Thought I would share a couple of quick make christmas cards that I have made this week. I am behind with my christmas cards and with only 47 days left until christmas I wanted to start making a few quick cards for work colleagues etc. I am determined not to give any shop bought cards! I have to confess that last year I left my christmas cards a little too late and had to give a few shop bought cards to some friends and distant realtives. I know shock horror! But it won't be happening this year!

The image is Nellie with crochet hat and scarf, from the Sugar Nellie range available at Funky Kits. I coloured her in with my whispers pens before cutting her out and using 3D foam to attatch her to the card. Half of the base CS has been embossed with the swiss dots folder. Papers are from dovecraft and DCWV. Ribbons are from Dovecraft. Acrylic flowers are from American crafts and have been embellished with snowflakes (x cut punch) and pearl gems. Red greeting is a rub on also from American crafts and the stampd sentiment is from a see D's christmas set.

Hope you are all enjoying your weekend. It's lovely weather here in west yorkshire today and the sun is shining. I've still got the heating on though, much to my boyfriends disgust! Lol! :-)

Hugs, Vicky x

Friday 7 November 2008

Make friends with Porridge!

Evening all. Thank goodness it's the weekend. I've had one pig of a week at work (no pun intended)! I thought I'd share a card with you that I made last weekend with my new Sugar Nellie soft center stamps! You can find them here at Funky kits!

The image is called porridge, isn't he lovely! I coloured him with my whispers pens. They are difficult to use when you want to try and attempt some shading. I'm hoping to get some copics for christmas as these seem to give a better result! Matted onto coredinations CS. Background papers are from my new Basic Grey Sugared pad. Flower brad is from papermania and the made with love charm (which you can see better if you click on the image) was sent to me in my DT pack of stamps so unsure where they're from sorry! Sentiment was created using doodlebug rub on's and a studio G clear stamp (coloued wiht whispers pens and glitter added).

Well I'm hoping to have a semi-relaxing weekend and hope to get some time for crafting! Have a great weekend everyone. Thanks for taking the time to look at my blog and leave comments I really appreciate them! I will be visiting your blogs over the next few days to see what fab creations you've come up with!

Hugs, Vicky x

Thursday 6 November 2008

Christmas for friday sketchers!

Here is my entry for this weeks friday sketchers. I did actually make it last friday and have just realised I need to post it today otherwise it'll be too late, so here it is!

The image is Elzybells and has been coloured with my whispers pens. Snowtex added with glamour dust to give it some snow sparkle! I also added some pearl adhesive stones to the background to give the illusion of snowflakes. Matted onto scalloped ovals cut with my nesties. The background CS is coredinations, which I distressed slightly. Patterned paper was free with a magazine. White flower is Prima and snowflakes were punched from silver mirri card with x cut punches, pearl stones added to the centers. Ribbons are from dovecraft and papermania. I added the sentiment to the white ribbon with black doodlebug rub on's!

I really enjoyed using this sketch and love the effect. I would never have thought to use a triangular shape in the background. Well, I suppose that's the beauty of following sketches!

Hope you are all well on this miserably wet thursday!

Hugs, Vicky x

Wednesday 5 November 2008

My next award ....


I received was the Kreative Blogger award from Tab. Thank you so much! I really appreciate it Tab!

Here are the rules!
1. The winner may put the logo on their blog.
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3. Nominate 5 blogs.
4. Put links to their blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees

So the 5 people I would like to nominate for this award are as follows.
Sal, Stacey, Sarah, Katy, Kerry and Karen. I am a regular visitor to all these blogs and I continue to be amazed and inspired by their work!

A couple of awards!

I've been given a few awards recently so thought I should get around to saying thank you and passing them on.

Firstly I have been tagged by Kerry and Natalie. So a big thank you. I really enjoyed reading your facts!

Here is how this one works.......Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
Answer the five sets of five (this is the easy part) Tag 5 people in the last section by leaving their names as well as links to their blog. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

THINGS I LOVE
1. My gorgeous boyfriend John
2. All my lovely craft stash including my new craft room
3. All things sparkly, glitter, bling, I'm a bit of a magpie really
4. Handbags and shoes
5. Eastenders
THINGS I DONT LOVE
1. Writing my essay's for my masters degree
2. Housework
3. Spiders
4. Celery
5. Dishonest people
MUSIC ON MY IPOD
1. Sugar Babes
2. Girls Aloud
3. Coldplay
4. The Kings of Leon
5. Adele
FAVE FOOD AND DRINK
1. Pasta especially lasagne
2. Curry (Chicken & Spinach Balti)
3. Cheese
4. Chocolate
5. Ben & Jerry's Phissh food ice cream

I am going to pass this on to Sal, Stacey, Sarah. I can't really think of anyone else as most other blogs I visit have already received this. BUT if you're reading this and haven't received it then consider yourself tagged!

Tuesday 4 November 2008

Bev's whiff of joy blog candy!

Bev is giving away some fab whiff of joy blog candy, so what are you waiting for. Pop over to her fantastic blog (if you don't already know it!) to be in with a chance of winning!

I've had a bit of a bad day at work so no cards tonight! Sorry. Hoping to be feeling in a more crafty mood tomorrow. After all I've lots of new stash to play with!

Hugs, Vicky x

Monday 3 November 2008

My new craft goodies from yesterday!

As promised for those who are interested here are some pics of my craft purchases from yesterday! Sorry I'm a bit late in them posting them, I hope I haven't kept you in suspense too long. I've been out for a meal to celebrate my nephew's birthday tonight.


I got some great bargains. These wood mounted stamps were £1 each or 6 for £5, so obviously I had to get 6! They stamp so crisply! The flocking and glitter set was also only £5 and comes with 3 different coloured flocks, 2 glitters, 15 sheets of adhesive designs and loads of chrstmas chipboard shapes.
I also got this gorgeous box full of felt/paper flowers and buttons from Making Memories! Also £5. I seem to love my £5 items! Lol!

Yes there's more. Got some packs of CS in various colours. Some dovecraft christmas papers, last years design that I ran out of and wanted some more of. Some Craftwork cards christmas sentiments. K&Co sparkly sweet paper pad, these are devine! I got these 3 cuttlebug folders for £10. I couldn't believe my luck when he said even the border embossing folders were in the deal as I almost bought them online last week for £4.75 each! Last but not least some more brads!

I love these christmas themed brads, so did my mum but unfortunately I picked up the last pack, a snip at £3!

I worked out I spent exactly £60 (I haven't told my o/h that though), which I don't think is bad considering the amount I got for my money. I haven't stopped there though as I was online this morning buying the woodware christmas bubble tree stamp set and the square set of nestabilities from cut at home (although I will be putting these away for santa)! I think I will have to give it a rest for a while though now, at least until next week! Lol!

Hope that has whetted your appetite. Some information for you all, I will be giving away 3 lots of PIF candy in the next week or so after having won some from Sarah so keep your eye's peeled to be in with a chance of winning!

I'm off now to have a quick blurfing session before I head off to bed, see what you've all been up to!

Take care.

Hugs, Vicky x

Sunday 2 November 2008

Fab day at Stamp Magic!

Evening all!

I had really great day out at Stamp Magic today with my mum and have come home with my shopping bag bursting, despite telling myself that I really didn't NEED anything!Lol! It was a lovely bonding day with my mum we haven't always had the closest mother and daughter relationship (I'm more of a daddy's girl!), but it's nice to have someone to share my craft passion with now. My OH tries bless him, but gets bored when I try to talk to him about craft matters!
I will take some pics of my new goodies tomorrow and upload them for you to see for those who are interested.

Right I'm off to have a play with some of my new stash before bedtime! Hope you've all had a good weekend and are rested and relaxed ready for another week back at work!

Hugs, Vicky x

Papertake weekly challenge!

This is my entry for this weeks papertake weekly sketch challenge!

I'm a big fan of all things girly so though I would use this image of Lola with Flowers from Sugar Nellie that I haven't used in a while (available online at funky kits). I coloured her in with my whispers pens with little glitter on the flowers! Papers are from the sweet nothings papermania range as is the chipboard accent which I have covered in their spotty paper. CS is coredinations and had been embossed with the swiss dots folder. Sentiment is from a studio G set. Black 'x' rub on's are from doodlebug. The flowers were handmade using my x-cut puches and this tutorial. Embellished with a button and adhesive gems to finish!

I can't sleep tonight, hence why I am on here uploading another card a this ungodly hour!! I thought I could do it now as I am going to visit my parents today and also going the the Stamp Magic papercrafts and stamping show at the Doncaster Dome with my mum! Yes I have also recruited my mum to the dark side! Lol! Really looking forward to it, and all that yummy craft stash.

I had a really enjoyable and productive crafty day yesterday using my new stash that arrived yesterday and managed to make 5 cards in total, which I will be uploading over the forthcoming days. I love these kinds of days, although they don't tend to happen all that often!

Hope you are all having a great weekend whether you're crafting or cleaning (hope it's the first rather than the latter)!

Hugs, Vicky x

Saturday 1 November 2008

New Sugar Nellies have arrived!

Today has been such a good start to the weekend. The postie brought me lots of lovely goodies. To start with a fab card and huge bundle of images from Stacey, they are gorgeous stacey thanks so much!
Then my latest order from Elzybells arrived along with my DT Sugar Nellie stamps! Oh wow. I really didn't know what to play with first. I have been sent 3 of the new soft centers stamps, Porridge, Arthur and Rory, along with Duck in boots and Baby Millie. They are just so gorgeous and I had obviously to ink them up straight away. You can see the full range of stamps from Sugar Nellie here available at Funky Kits, including the new soft centers range.

So here is my first card made using these delicious stamps!

I used Arthur the cuddly teady bear and coloured him in with my whispers pens. Doodle border added before mounting onto pink Coredinations CS. Base CS has been partially embossed with swiss dots folder. Patterned paper is from papermania, retro floral and sweet nothings packs. Sentiment is from PB matted onto same pink CS as before. Flowers are from prima and embellished with a button and ribbon from my stash.

I'm off now to continue playing with my new stash. Hope you're all having a great weekend. I'm off to the Stamp Magic craft fair tomorrow at the Doncaster Dome. If anyone else is going let me know if you want to meet up and say hi!

Hugs, Vicky x