Die Cuts R Us

Just to let all Copic lovers know that Die Cuts R Us are having a huge sale on all of their Copics which you can find here and if you can help spread the word Claudia is offering one lucky winner a signed Tim Holtz embossing folder set (well who wouldn't want to win this????) plus a T-shirt from Spellbinders.  Click here to go and have a look at this offer .

My Eldest Son is 18 Today!!!!

Well, my eldest son is 18 today.  We bought him a joint present with his Nan and Aunt of a special driving experience of driving a Ferrari and an Aston Martin.  He's got a year to use it but already wants to work out when to go.

Both boys, their Nan, their Aunt and myself went into town to a restaurant for a cooked breakfast for an 18th birthday treat.  Then it was onto the mobile phone shop so he could get his contract Blackberry.  Lunchtime was a cream cake before he had to go into work - not good for the digestion after a cooked breakfast but thankfully it doesn't happen that often!!!

I took some hours making Kevin's card and used a wonderful digital image from CraftsUPrint by Gordon Fraser.  To be honest you would have thought he knew Kevin, even down to the bare feet!!!  I used my Cricut to cut out the "18" and "today" and used My Craft Studio to design the verse/backing sheet.  Please note:  the mirri card is as clean as anything but no matter what the camera didn't like it!!!

This card fits the following challenges:

Stamping Vacation - No brads or eyelets
Party Time Tuesday - Anything goes birthday
Pear Tree Designs - Male theme.

Annoyed ..............

I had a package delivered last Friday but I was at work.  On Monday I went to the Sorting Office only to be told a lady delivered it, it wasn't written in the book and it was lost.  They said they'd investigate and get back to me.  Needless to say I called in again on Wednesday to be told that it was still missing and that they'd get the Manager to give me a call.  Today I saw our usual postman and went and had a word with him.  He mentioned he'd been told it was a largeish box but that he had looked and looked and not found it.  I said that I'd been told that it was a lady that delivered it and hadn't written anything in the book.

When I got home I called the Manager, who at the start said he knew nothing, and then everything seemed to fall into place.  I said that I'd been told on Monday and Wednesday that a lady had delivered it and hadn't written it in the book.  He said it was my normal postman and that he'd asked him to check his van and everywhere in the Post Office but nothing was found.  I said I wasn't at all happy.  He said he'd have another look and get back to me.

A short while ago I can had a call from the Post Office to say after another thorough search the package is still missing.  Their only conclusion is that whilst writing in the book of everything to go on the shelves awaiting collection, my package has fallen into the trolleys for items to be "returned to sender".  They have since changed the location of these trolleys so this can't happen again.  If there is no "return to sender" address on the back the parcel will go to Belfast and within the month be opened up to see if there is address on the inside of the parcel.

I have checked my E-bay buys and other buys and I am not waiting for anything.

Therefore what concerns me is that someone has either sent some crafty items to me or cards for my charity stall.  I am hoping that there is a return address on the back and the sender will get it back BUT I don't want them to think I've sent it back.  Over the years I have been sent a great deal of crafty items and cards for my charity work and I am eternally grateful and would never send anything back and if it is received back from the sender it is just through an error by the Post Office.

If you are the person that has sent me a package please could you get in touch. 

Crafty Ann's Challenge No 21- Friday 13/8/10

Another fortnight has flown by and it is time for yet another Crafty Ann's Challenge.  The challenge this fortnight is "Christmas in August".

Crafty Ann has a number of Christmas digital images in her shop here.  I chose to use the baubles and the holly frame.  The baubles I have printed onto some gold mottled stone backing paper and then coloured the bauble image and holly frame image with Promarkers and some Sakura Stardust pens.  I have mounted this onto two pieces of green holographic card which one piece I have put through the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder and the other I have put through the Cuttlebug Devine Swirls embossing folder.  I used some wide organza ribbon and a poinsettia flower that I received in some blog candy last year - well I've had them for a while to stroke and love - and now it's time for them to be put to good use.  I thought the card looked a bit bare down the bottom with the flower so I did some artwork with wire and seed beeds (the seed beads are from a necklace I broke some time ago so time to recycle).

Please have a look at Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog to see the other Design Team members cards as they are all fab and we will all look forward to seeing your lovely creations.

This card also fits the following challenges:

Our Creative Corner - Embossing
Digi Doodle Challenge - Flowers
Craft Your Days Away - Favourite things (digital images, ribbon, flowers for me!!)
Creative Inspirations - Recycle element on project (mine is my seed beads from a broken necklace)
Paper Sundaes - Metal
Stamping Vacation - Say no to brads and eyelets
Fab n Funky - Your favourite colours - for Christmas my favourites colours are red and green - boring I know.

Commissioned Birthday Card

I had to make another large card for my son's workplace.  This time I used an image from Joanna Sheen's Jayne Netley Mayhew CD which is absolutely gorgeous.  I simply decoupaged the image and layered it up.  Embellishments included some cherry blossoms, peel off, ribbon and card candy.  When I first made a card for his workplace I decorated an envelope so I have to do that for every card now as well!!!

This card fits the following challenges:

Alphabet Challenge - O is for ovals
By the Cute and Girly - Animal Antics
Craft Your Days Away - Favourite things (mine include card candy, ribbon and flowers)
Practical Scrappers - Summer theme
Crazy Challenge - Back to nature
Party Time Tuesday - Anything goes
Simon Says Stamp - Ain't no cure for the summertime blues
Cute Card Thursday - Tree-mendous.

Flutterby Wishes

I have used a newish Papermania set of stamps to make this card.  I didn't want too much on the card to detract from the gorgeous die-cut sheet I was given from a friend which has little shapes like leaves and butterflies cut out of it.  I edged this along with the DCWV backing paper with Tim Holtz's Peeled Paint Distress Ink pad to give it a vintage and distressed look.  The butterfly was coloured in with Promarkers and the antennae were made out of some wire that I have had for years and years.  This card just screams out SUMMER and SUNSHINE.

This card fits the following challenges:

Wee Memories - Butterflies
Paper Sundaes - Metal
Stamping Vacation - Say no to brads or eyelets
Crazy Challenge - Back to nature
Bunny Zoe's - Vintage
Incy Wincy - A bug's life
Tuesday Taggers - Sunshine
Flutter by Wednesday - Open theme
Little Red Wagon - Summer theme
CRAFT - Mini beasts
Cute Card Thursday - Tree-mendous.

Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog

Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog will be changing to a new "home" and the first challenge from the new "home" will be on Friday 27 August 2010.  In the meantime could you try and spread the word about the move.

Would you though like the chance to win some digis???  If the answer is a definite "yes" you will need to do the following:

1. Become a follower to be included in the followers draw.  Click here to take you directly to the challenge blog.
2. Post about the Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog move on your blog, add the challenge blinkie to your sidebar and then return to Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog and add your link on Inlinkz to be included in the Inlinkz draw.

Ann will draw ONE WINNER from the followers and ONE WINNER from Inlinkz this Saturday 14 August 2010 and then she will do the same again on Friday 20 August 2010 and finally again when the first challenge goes "live" on Friday 27 August 2010.  That means that there are 6 prizes on offer and as an added incentive to get in early it means more opportunities to win if you do!!!  Isn't Ann so generous.  There will be some lucky winners.  Each winner will recive 3 digis of their choice.

Make sure you check Crafty Ann's Challenge Blog on Saturday 14 August 2010 to see if you are one of the first digi winners.

This fortnight's challenge, due to start on Friday 13 August 2010, will still take place on the Wordpress blog.  Don't forget to visit here on Friday to see the new challenge topic.

Kenny K's Krafty Girlz Challenge - 8/8/10

Over at the Kenny K's Krafty Girlz Challenge this week the topic is "summertime".  I already had planned to use this image for a card that I'd previously coloured in so this topic came just in handy to enter.  I have coloured the image with Promarkers and distressed the edges with a Versamagic ink pad along with the backing papers.  I have edged the oval cut with a Nellie Snellon die with some lace.  The image has then been laid onto some pearlised card which I put through my Wizard with the Swiss Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder.  The card is finished off with a sentiment off the computer, a ribbon bow and some gems.

This card also fits the following challenges:

Woopsi Daisy - Blues and greens
Creative Card Crew - Cute and girlie
Party Time Tuesday - Summer Birthday
Penny's Paper Crafting - Anything goes
Fab n Funky - Spotty, dotty and stretchy stripes
Frosted Designs - Celebrate life
Alphabet Challenge - O is for ovals
One Stop Craft - Summer Fun
Our Creative Corner - Embossing.

Digital Tuesday Challenge 3/8/10

Over at the Digital Tuesday Challenge this week the topic is to use two different digital images from two different companies.  I decided to use a cute bear with roses image that I think is from the Digi Stamp Boutique (I printed off a copy but didn't save it on my computer so please let me know if I am wrong as I would hate the original artist not to get the credit for this cute bear with his roses) and also a gorgeous fairy from Fairy Knoll.  My card is centred around the colours or pink and purple and the theme of roses.  I have coloured both digital images with Promarkers and Sakura Stardust Clear pen.  I have used my new My Craft Studio Tattered Lace CD that a friend bought me and it's fab.  I used their new Open Books for the front of this card.  I have taken a photo of the pages laid out before they were put together as I thought it easier than doing when it was put together.  The card is finished ribbon, card candy, sentiment off the computer, glittery Dawn Bibby flowers and various stickers.

This card also fits the following challenges:

Lollipop Crafts - Anything goes
Creative Card Crew - Cute and girly
Penny's Paper Crafting - Anything goes
Cute Card Thursday - Whateva
Charisma Cardz - Teddy bears
Just Inspirational - Purple tones and sparkle and texture
Sweet Stampin' - Pretty in Pink
Stamp Something - Photo inspiration.

Commissioned Birthday Card

I was asked to make a birthday card for a male who likes the great outdoors.  Over at the Digi Doodle Stamp Challenge this week the topic is "use your favourite stamp" - well I used my favourite image last week so didn't want to use it two weeks in a row so I have gone for my second favourite, the little log cabin, out in the wilderness away from the mayhem of living in a town or city.  I have coloured the image with Promarkers and distressed the edges with Tim Holtz's Broken China and Peeled Paint Distress Ink Pads.  The blue card and blue/green torn backing paper (from Crafty Ann's Digi Store) are all scraps leftover from other commissioned or challenge cards so they found a home on this card.  I decided to do a wacky edging - I punched some random holes and then sewed through thin raffia to give it a rustic but not uniform edge.  The card is finished off with a sentiment off the computer and a little pottery vase with some male orientated coloured flowers.  The customer was "over the moon" with the card!!!

This card also fits the following challenges:

Paper Sundaes - Stitching
Cupcake Craft - Distressing
Lollipop Crafts - Anything goes
Cards for Men - Off an adventure - I'd certainly like to go off on a adventure to a lovely log cabin in the country away from civilisation!!
Your Next Step - Birthdays - Happy 1st Birthday to Your Next Step
Penny's Paper Crafting - Anything goes
Craft Your Days Away - Favourite things (I have used three favourites - digi/rubber stamps, flowers and the use of inks) - Good luck with the new challenge blog by the way
2 Sisters Challenge - Stitching.

A Thousand Sheets of Paper Blog Candy

Amy over at the A Thousand Sheets of Paper Blog has some gorgeous candy up for grabs.  She's been keeping a tally of how many sheets of paper she's cut into and has now just gone over 1000.  I dread to think how many I've cut up!!!  Please click here to have a look at Amy's Blog and the candy which ends on 3/9/10.

Magnolia Down Under Challenge

It's a little while since I've entered the Magnolia Down Under Challenge.    It took me a long long time to bond with Tilda but now we are the best of friends.  Their challenge this week is "birthdays" so I was asked to make a cute pink card but not fussy so hopefully I've picked OK.  The papers are some that I was given and have used up.  Tilda has been coloured in with a Promarkers.  I have simply finished off the card with a ribbon bow, sentiment off the computer and some squidgy gems.

This card also fits the following challenges:

Stampin' Royalty - Keep it Simple
Simon Says Stamp - Going dotty
Creative Friday - Things with wings
Stamp, Scrap and Doodle - Clean and simple
One Stitch at a Time - Sketch or pink or both
Creative Card Crew - Cute and girly
Lollipop Crafts - Anything goes.

Commissioned Birthday Card

Yet again I was asked to make a birthday card for where my son works for a lady for next week.  I used my new My Craft Studio Festive Deco Follies CD but picked an image that didn't jump out and say Christmas.  The image has been decoupaged and layered up onto black and a backing paper from the CD.  The inserts inside the card are the same image but the opacity was taken down to 15%.  The back of the card has the same image but at 25% with the verse printed on the front.  As per usual I had to do a decorated envelope - I did it for the first card I made for them and the trend has had to be followed!!!  The A4 card is finished off with some feathers, ribbon, sentiment off the computer, peel-offs and lots and lots of gems.

This card fits the following challenges:

Fussy and fancy Friday - Pink and black
Allsorts - Dressing up
CD Sunday - Anything goes
One Stitch at a Time - Sketch or pink or both
Crafty Angels - Something old, something new - "old" is the feathers as I've had them for ages and ages and "new" is the My Craft Studio Festive Deco Follies CD
Lollipop Crafts - Anything goes
Creative Card Crew - Cute and girly
Party Time Tuesday - Summer birthday
Tuesday Taggers - Lots of lovely black.

Lollipop Crafts Debut Challenge

Over at the Lollipop Crafts they are having their debut challenge.  I wish the Design Team all the luck and look forward to seeing their creations.  For their debut challenge the topic is "anything goes" - a nice easy one to settle us in.  I also saw the Crafty Cardmakers challenges this week of punches so this also helped steer me in the direction for this card.  I used my Martha Stewart lattice punch, X-cut scroll border and X-cut corner rounder punches for this card.  The decoupage I cut out with my own hands from a rather neglected pile as I seem to be more into digital or rubber stamping these days.  The card is finished off with some ribbon, a sentiment off the computer, card candy and some gems.

This card also fits the following challenges:

2 Sisters Challenge - Punches.