Country Garden

Hi folks, happy Saturday to you all, I hope you are having a great weekend. Its a good one here although the kiddies are getting a little down in the mouth as Monday brings the start of school after the Easter break. 

Anyway, wanted to show you my card for the fab sketch over on The Sugar Bowl challenge and for once I'm in plenty of time.  I've used an oldish stamp called 'Country Garden' and coloured her in using copics and promarkers.  The old Martha Stewart doily lace punch had an outing this time but I think its on its last legs I'm afraid so how much longer it will work is anyones guess.

Just a quickie close up next to show you the gorgeous stamp and again she was very easy to colour didn't take that long at all.

Okay fairly short from me tonight (phew I hear you sigh!!!) as yes I know I can waffle. 

Challenges:-

The Sugar Bowl  -  sketch with optional extra of stripes or plaid

Right off to make a hot choccy, do some colouring and have Britains Got Talent on in the background.  The audition part does so make me chuckle.

Take care and happy crafting.

Ann-Marie

xxx

Maggie Criss Cross card

Hello folks from a rather wet and thundery Bournemouth. I'm a bit of a wimp really I love to hear and watch thunder storms but only when I've got a houseful so its okay today as everyone is home! 

Well I just popped on to show you my latest and I've had a go at doing a criss cross card. I really enjoyed doing it actually its quite easy and I got the tutorial from over on the Just Magnolia blog HERE.  I did it larger than normal its roughly 8" x 8" as I wanted to add on my usual flowers but didn't want to cover up the gorgeous paper. Another first for me was I had a go at masking two stamps -  now that I did find a little more difficult so will have to practice.

A bit of a close up on the next piccie.  I wanted to add in a little grass and also I added in a path and I like how it turned out.  

Images have been coloured with copics and prismas.  I added a few gems as the centre of the flowers.  Flowers are all from WOC, ribbon and lace from my local haberdashery and I now have two local shops so I have choicings - not great for the old pennies though!!!!  The fab papers were a freebie download and they are stunning and from HERE.

Challenges:-

Bunny Zoe's  -  Ribbon or twine (so I went with ribbon as I don't have twine)

Just Magnolia and Hanglar & Stanglar  -  Lovely lace

Okay thats it from me tonight.  Thanks for visiting me I really do appreciate it and any comments that are left. 

Take care, happy crafting.

Ann-Marie

xxx

Back to Maggies!

Hello everyone I hope you are having a wonderful weekend and Easter.  I have managed to avoid eating my weight in chocolate (for now!!) but its so tempting and I'm sure I won't be able to hold off for the whole weekend especially when I see the kiddiewinkles scoffing their faces.

Anyway, I've managed to make another card and this time I've gone back to my Maggies.  I've stepped out of my comfort zone with this one.  I don't usually do animals as I never know where to start but as soon as I saw this adorable horse I knew I had to have it.  The daft thing is I kept getting it out and then thinking "nah, I'll have a go another day!" So finally I had a go.  Not really happy with the mane or tail, or even Tilda's hair for that matter, but its something to work on.  I've used copics and prismas to colour but mainly prismas, just using the copics to lay down a base colour really.

I also thought I would have a go at not making a scene as such but adding a few grassy bits and putting the fence on.

Last piccie just shows a bit of a side view.

Papers are the gorgeous Prima 'Nature Garden' and I just love them may have to get myself another pad or two of these.  The swirl is a Cheery Lynn die, the butterflies are an old punch I've had for years and the dragonfly is a Magnolia die and I've just added some gems.

Challenges:-

The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop  -  to die for

Simply Magnolia  -  dies/punches/ribbons

Simon Says Stamp  -  Use your favourite tool (mines my Big Shot completely lost without it and my pokey tool)

Just Magnolia  -  anything goes

CES challenges  -  swirls and pearls

Wow, I'm amazed I've actually managed to finish my post I've had it up on my computer since 10.30 this morning and everytime I tried to sit down and finish it something would crop up.

Okay thats me done I'm off now to do some more colouring in a little peace and quiet - the kiddies have gone up to bed to watch a dvd and hubby is in flicking mode on the tele and I don't know about you but that just annoys me flicking through all the blinking channels!!!!! so I've retired to my craft room.

Take care folks.  Happy crafting.

Ann-Marie

xxx 

Another oldie!

Hey everyone I hope you are all having a good week so far.  Its the kiddies Easter hols for the next two weeks so crafting is a little hit and miss at the moment.  Well I just popped on to show you my latest card and as the title suggests I've been rummaging in my collection again and pulled out another oldie to use.  I'm actually really happy with how this has turned out its not as fussy and fancy as normal but I likey very much.

She's been coloured purely with copics this time not a pencil in sight.  Papers are an old pad I had from Paper Cellar, I've used a Martha Stewart punch for the diagonal border and the sentiment is a die cut from Craftwork cards.  Flowers are obviously all from WOC, ribbon from stash and the charm is a cheapy from a pack from The Works.

Challenges:-

Pretty Little Ribbon Shop  -  To die for (die cuts/punches)

Papertake Weekly  -  Anything goes

Crafty Ribbons  -  Black, White + one other colour

The Sugar Bowl  - Sketch

Okay, I'm off now its getting a little chilly and I feel a hot chocolate coming on with marshmallows and maybe just a little squirt of cream!!

Take care folks.

Ann-Marie

xxx

Forgotten Sugar!!

Hi guys, I've been away a little longer than I planned but we've managed to catch every bug going around the school and you know kiddies they love to share so we've all had something in one form or another.  

I've been trying to complete this card for a good week and a half at least!  Anyway, here it is and I wanted to do an easel card/box as I haven't done one for a long time.  I was going through my stamps and came across this little forgottren treasure from Sugar Nellie.  She's so sweet and easy to colour.  I've used copics and prisma pencils and the papers are my all time fave GCD studios 'Ella Blue'.  Not sure you can see very well but I have had a go at distressing the papers both with my scissors and then going over with distress ink.  There were a couple of challenges around (well there were when I started it!!) that wanted Vintage/Shabby Chic.  Well I love shabby chic/vintage but I can never quite get that 'shabby' look but I tried and I do think it came out more 'vintage' than anything but I quite like it and for once I'm quite happy with the end result.

I used flowers from WOC and the others were made using a Magnolia Doily Flowers die which I absolutely love. 

The sentiment is from Whimsy, the butterflies are a really old punch I can't even remember where I got it from.

I would like to enter into a few challenges:-

Bunny Zoes  -  Shabby Chic/Vintage

Simon Says Stamp  -  Anything goes

Wild Orchid Crafts  -  BINGO (gems,flowers,ribbon)

Okay I've gotta dash now, its an early tea today for us all as we have parents evening for Emilie, my youngest, at 6.10 p.m. and then Luke, the eldest, has a school disco at 6.30 p.m.  All I can say is thank god that the two schools are next to each other otherwise that would be fun trying to get to both!!!

Take care folks, catch up with you soon.

Ann-Marie

xxx

Happy Mummy's Day!!!

Hi my crafty friends I am having a fab Mummy's day here, I should say weekend really as mother-in-law had the kiddiewinkles all day Saturday into Sunday and my lovely hubby took me for breakfast then to my local craft shop then out for a day mooching round some shops then a dinner out.  Then today we got to have a lay in and then picked up kiddies along with mum-in-law and he treated us to lunch out so I have been thoroughly spoiled and I loved every minute.

Well I've popped on to show you the card/box which I made for my mum.  I have wanted to do this for a while and there is a template you can buy but I thought I would have a go as it didn't seem that difficult.  There are a lot of photos so I hope you don't get fed up looking plus I apologise for the terrible quality it was a really dull day when I took them and I did it in a hurry.

Ok that's it I apologise now for where the photos are but it won't let me blinking move them now or centre them all so in the interest of public safety (as I can see myself throwing my laptop out the window) I'm not going to even try anymore.

The images are coloured with copics/prisma pencils.  The gorgeous papers are from a Tilda pad and they are all pretty pinks and pale greens just yummy.  I have had the pad for a while now just not been able to bring myself to cut into.  All the flowers are from WOC and the ribbons from my local haberdashery.  You can't see because the photos are ploppy but I have added lots of stickles everywhere.  In the little boxes I have put a few treats for my mum from Thorntons.

Anyway, I would like to enter a few challenges:-

Pretty Little Ribbon Shop  -  spring colours

Wild Orchid challenges  -  get in shape

Creative Inspirations  -  something for mum

Well if you're still with me after that marathon post thank you.  I also say I'm going to make it short and sweet but never seem to manage it.  Well if its your mummy's day today I hope you were thoroughly spoiled and looked after. 

Take care and happy crafting.

Ann-Marie

xxx

One down, one to go!!

Hello folks from a rather dismal day on the south coast.  I hope you are having better weather where you are.  Just popped on to show you the first of my mother's day cards and I must say I'm a little ahead of myself as I normally leave things to the last minute and end up making them the night before.   

Anyway, I've used a stamp which I finally managed to get hold of I have been wanting this one for a while.  She has been coloured mainly with prismacolor pencils apart from the skin and hair for which I used copics.  I tried a different style of card which I love and was so easy and I got the details from over on Norma's blog HERE.  She has an amazing blog with so much inspiration with templates and tutorials so if you're ever stuck for ideas its a real treasure trove! 

A bit of a side view up next.  Apologies if the photos seem a little dark as I said its a pretty dismal day with not much light about.  Didnt use much stash for this one its really quite clean and simple for me.  Papers used were I think Papermania V & A 'Hanoverian' with lots of muted colours and flowery prints.  A couple of flowers from WOC and couple of pearls and thats it.

I would like to enter into a few challenges:-

Creative Inspirations  -  anything goes

Simon Says Stamp  -  anything goes

Crafty Ribbons  -  Celebrate your mum

CES Challenge  -  Flower frenzy

Craft your days away  -  Mothers day

Okay I'm off now to do homework duty with my eldest.  My most least favourite thing about school its a real struggle with him to get him to do it, so wish me luck!

Take care and happy crafting.

Ann-Marie

xxx