Happy New Year

Just a quick post to wish you all 

Best wishes to you all

Lesley

Review of 2015 (part one)

Hello

Well it is the end of 2015, not a time of year I enjoy. I tend to find it makes me a little melancholy, thinking about the year that has passed away and a slight fear of the unknown for 2016. As I get older I seem to lose my optimism for the future. People seem these days to be so self absorbed and self obsessed, uncaring and unkind to their fellow man. Maybe it is just these rose tinted spectacles I am wearing but the past seems a friendlier time. I must brush off these maudlin thoughts, pull up my big girl knickers and push on.

As 2015 is leaving us I decided to do a little review of my crafty year. It has been an exciting one, full of crafty milestones. I was asked to be a guest designer on the Penny Black and More challenge twice and invited to join not one but 3 design teams. My proudest moment was seeing my cards on the TV - such a thrill.

Once I started looking through my blogs I discovered so much I want to show you so I have decided to split this post into 2 parts. So here goes with part 1 - 

January 

January birthday 

February

16th birthday celebrations

March

Blossoms, blooms and a happy surprise

My first guest designer card for Penny Black and more

April 

(two this month, couldn't decide which one I prefered)

Twinkle, twinkle, sparkly bright

My first card for the Winter Wonderland challenge blog

Anniversary dance

May

(Another two. Very indecisive at the moment)

Groovin

My first Spectrum Noir design team make

June

Morgan Fitzsimons

I have chosen this card because of the challenge it created. It had to be coloured with Spectrum Aquas and had lots of very small areas. It took me ages but was well worth the effort I felt.

Well we have reached the half way point. I will post more of my favourites hopefully tomorrow.

Take care and enjoy your celebrations however you choose to celebrate.

See you in 2016!!

Lesley

Last Christmas card

Hello everyone

Happy Boxing Day to you all. I hope you all had a good day yesterday and that Santa was very kind to you all. He bought me a Big Score from Crafter's Companion so I am champing at the bit to give it a try. It comes with an instructional video so I need a few hours to watch and then play with this new toy.

Today I thought I would share my last Christmas card of the year (made on Christmas Eve, crafting by the seat of my pants as usual). 

This card was for my hubby and uses LOTV's Happy Kisses stamp which I coloured with my Spectrum Noir pens and pencils - 

• girl's hair - GB8, GB10, EB5 and 104
• girl's skin - FS2, FS4, FS9, CR1 and 089
• girl's clothes - DR1, DR5, DR6, 033, IG1, IG2, JG1, JG2, JG4 and 054
• boy's hair - IG1, IG4, IG6 and 119
• boy's skin - FS2, FS4, FS9, CR1 and 089
• boy's clothes - EB1, EB2, EB3, EB4, EB5, EB6, EB7, EB8, DR1, JG1, 104, 033, 107 and 054
• sky - IB1
• ground - BG1 and BG3
• mistletoe - JG1, JG2, JG4 and 054

The other ingredients were - 

• Holiday Trimmings paper pad from Penny Black
• Tonic layering circles die set
• Marianne ivy die
• Spellbinder's Grand Decorative circles, poinsettia and Stately circles die sets
• white centura pearl (for the card base)
• LOTV Christmas wishes sentiments
• dazzler from the Hobby House

The stopper and poinsettia

I would like to enter this card into the following challenge - 

http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.co.uk - anything goes with a stamp (3rd entry)

Well I hope you enjoy the rest of your day. Thank you for stopping by

Lesley

And now for something different

Good Sunday morning folks

Well my decorations are finally up and it is begining to look a little bit like Christmas. Still not feeling festive though. I think it must be this very strage weather we have been having in the UK. My garden has no idea what is going on. The leaves on my Magnolia tree have only just fallen off but there is blossom on it now. Feels more like spring than Christmas.

Today I thought I would stay away from anything festive and share a thank you card I made a while ago - 

Ingredients - 

• LOTV art pad taster pack
• LOTV's Sunny side up paper pad
• Spellbinder's matting basics A

I would like to enter this card into the following challenge - 

http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk - weeks - 342/343 -Anything but christmas.html

Thank you for stopping by

Lesley

Christmas Bingo

Good Friday morning folks

Finally the last day of term has arrived. The teaching staff are on their knees after an extremely busy last week but we will rally for Christmas party day today. Party food and disco are the order of the day. And then a very large glass of something for the staff on our Christmas night out.

Today is also the launch of the last challenge of the year at Winter Wonderland. for this challenge we have a bingo theme and you just need to choose a line across, down or diagonally.

Snowflakes	Animal	Ribbon
Lace	Glitter	Santa
Snowman	Flowers	Pearls/ rhinestones

The challenge will run until 7th January 2016 and as it runs until the New Year your project does not have to have a Christmas theme.

We are sponsered by three very generous sponsers, details of which can be found on the challenge blog.

This is my card for the challenge - 

The line I have chosen is ribbon, Santa, pearls/rhinestones.

The stamp is from Crafter's Companion's Nordic Christmas range called Santa's helper which I stamped onto Neenah card and coloured with Spectrum Noir pens and Sparkle pens - 

• skin - FS2, FS3, TN2 and CR1
• hair and beard - BG1, BG2 and BG3
• suit - DR1, DR5, DR7, IG1, IG3, IG6, IG8, IG9, CT4, GB5 and crystal clear Sparkle pen
• holly and taodstools - DG2, DG3, DR1, TN1, TN2, TN3 and silver gel pen
• reindeer - TN1, TN2, TN3, TN4, TN5, TN7, EB4, CT4, DR1, DR5, DR7, DG3, IG1, IG3, holly leaf, berry red and crystal clear Sparkle pens
• snow - IG1, IG3, aquamarine and crystal clear Sparkle pens
• sky - moonstone and silver gel pen

The other ingredients used - 

• silver centura pearl
• red linen card
• Nordic Christmas reindeer forest embossing folder
• Pebeo silver gilding wax
• silver ribbon from the Ribbon Girl
• silver gems

Thank you for stopping by today and I look forward to seeing your projects for our bingo challenge at Winter Wonderland

Lesley

Dollie birthday

Hello folks and a very happy Thursday to you all

Well the week is progressing quickly. All our Christmas shows are complete and today it is Christmas dinner day. Always fun with the children enjoying being served by the staff and the staff dressing up for the occasion. 

On Monday it was my sister's birthday and this is the card I made for her - 

This is a tri fold card which proved a little difficult to photograph. This is the front.

This is the middle panel. I forgot to photograph the inside panel - oops.

The image is Dollie from Crafter's Companion's Scruffy Little Kitten range which I stamped onto Neenah card and coloured with my Spectrum Noir pens and Sparkle pens - 

• hair - TN3, TN5, TN9, EB4 and EB8
• skin - FS3, FS4, FS9 and CR1
• bath - PL1, BP2, BP6, BGR1, BGR2, BGR3, TB1, TB3, TB4 and blender pen 
• rollers and masacara - PL1, BP2, BP6
• butterfly - TB1, TB3 and PL1
• bubbles - IG1, IG2, IG4 and Crystal Clear Sparkle pen
• sky - IB1

The other ingredients used were - 

• white centura pearl (for the card base)
• backing paper from Scruffy Little Kitten CD (from Crafter's Companion)
• pink core'dinations
• Toinc layering circles die set
• Tonic Petunia Trellis base die set
• Sara's Signature collection Flit and Flutter die set (from Crafter's Companion)
• Go Kreate tags #1
• Tonic dotty lace border punch
• hot pink saddlestitch ribbon from the Ribbon Girl
• gems from the Ribbon Girl

I would like to enter this card into the following challenge - 

http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.co.uk - anything goes with a stamp (2nd entry)

http://www.ribbongirls.blogspot.co.uk - anything goes with a image (2nd entry)

Thank you for stopping by today

Lesley

Willow

Happy Tuesday folks

Another Christmas card today made with another new stamp (to me) - 

This stamp is Willow Christmas fairy which I stamped onto Neenah card and coloured with my Spectrum Noir pens and Sparkle pens - 

• hair - GB8, GB10, EB5 and Smoked Quartz Sparkle pen
• skin - FS2, FS4, FS9 and CR1
• clothes - DR1, DR5, DR6, IG1, DG2, DG3, DG4 and Crystal Clear Sparkle pen
• wings - FS1, TN1, TN2, Pink Champagne and Crystal Clear Sparkle pen
• sack - EB3, EB4, EB5 and Smoked Quartz Sparkle pen
• sky - Moonstaone Sparkle pen

Other ingredients used were - 

• Woodland wishes paper pad
• crushed olive distress ink
• Tonic twisted twine die set
• Spellbinder's floral ovals die set
• Tonic twisted twine border punch
• ribbon and gems from the Hobby House

I would like to enter this card into the following challenge - 

http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.co.uk - anything goes with a stamp

Thank you for stopping by today

Lesley

Skating by

Hello everyone

Happy Sunday to you all. Sorry for my lack of blogging lately but I have been very busy with work (only 3 Christmas plays, 1 pantomine and a Christmas lunch to go before we finish for Christmas!) and trying to get ready for Christmas at home. My cards still need writing, parcels need posting and some presents still need buying. I am trying not to panic but things are not looking good at the moment.

Today I am showing you a card I made with some new Christmas stamps I have bought lately -

The image is Skating By from Tiddly inks which I have stamped onto Neenah card and coloured with my Spectrum Noir pens, pencils and Sparkle pens - 

• hair - TN9, DR7, EB8 and 033
• skin - FS2, FS4, FS9, CR1 and 089
• clothes - GT1, GT2, GT3, 050, IG1, IG2, 037, PP3, PP5, DR3 and crystal clear Sparkle pen
• hearts - PP3, PP5, DR3 and 037
• snow - IG1 and Crystal clear Sparkle pen
• sky - moonstone

The other ingredients used were - 

• Penny Black Holiday Trimmings paper pad
• pink centura pearl
• Tonic layering squares die set
• Die'sire holly die
• Spellbinder's poinsettia die
• pink gingham ribbon from the Ribbon Girl and teal ribbon from my stash
• gem from the Hobby House

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges - 

http://www.ribbongirls.blogspot.co.uk - anything goes with an image

http://tiddlyinkschallenge.blogspot.co.uk - challenge 172 - holly jolly

I hope you Christmas preparations are going better than mine. Off to try and complete some of my to do list.

Thank you for stopping by

Lesley

Birthday wishes

Good Wednesday morning folks.

One of my favourite days of the week, down hill all the way to the weekend. It was my hubby's birthday in November and these are the two cards I made for him. I struggle with men's cards so these have taken inspiration from Pinterest.

Here is the first one - 

Ingredients -

• 7inch square card blank
• white centura pearl, shades of blue core'dinations (all from my scrap box) and red core'dinations
• Tonic layering squares die set
• Die'sire essentials stars die set
• Die'sire classiques - only words alphabet (1 inch decorative uppercase)
• blue pearl from my stash

And here is the second one -

Ingredients - 

• white core'dinations for the card base
• white hammer card, silver glitter card, white glitter card, black centura pearl and silver centura pearl
• Die'sire essentials stars die set
• Spellbinder's sentiments 3 die set
• black saddlestitch ribbon from the Ribbon Girl

Well that's all from me today.

Thank you for stopping by

Lesley

Lilacs

Hello folks

This is a card I made a while ago as a thank you card -

It is a very quick and simple card, perfect when you need a card in a hurry.

Ingredients -

• LOTV art pad taster pack
• LOTV promises paper pad
• LOTV promises solids paper pad
• Spellbinder's matting basics A

Thank you for stopping by today

Lesley

Garden birds

Hello folks

A quick card today made with a Lili of the Valley art pad (taster pack) which doesn't seem to be available anymore which is a shame as it is a lovely collection of images.

Ingredients -

• One Birdie Lane paper pad from LOTV
• LOTV art pad
• Die'namics plentiful petals die set
• pearl from my stash

Thank you for stopping by today

Lesley

Clean and simple

Good Saturday morning everyone

Today sees the start of a new challenge at Fantasy Stampers. This fortnight the challenge is Christmas clean and simple. Here is my card for the challenge - 

I have used Penny Black's Pine Sprite stamp which I have coloured with my Spectrum Noirs pens, pencils and Sparkle pens - 

• skin - FS2, FS4, FS9, CR1 and 089
• wings - IG1, aquamarine, moonstone and crystal clear Sparkle pens
• clothes - CR9, CR10, CR11, IG1, IG2, 033, 117 and crastal clear Sparkle pen
• pine branches - EB3, EB5, DG3, DG4, JG6 and 047
• snow - IG1, IG2, aquamarine, moonstone and crystal clear Sparkle pens

The other ingredients used were - 

• red card
• gold centura pearl
• Penny Black's Believe sentiment stamps
• tumbled glass distress ink

Why not pop over to the Fantasy Stampers website and see what my DT mates have created for the challenge and maybe join in the fun.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges -

http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.co.uk - Christmas / holidays

http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk - clean and simple

Thank you for stopping by

Lesley

Holly and ivy

Hello everyone

Firstly apologies for my absence over the last two weeks. My mum went into hospital two weeks ago for a routine operation which has proved less routine than we first hope. So my time has been spent with my family getting my mum better. We had some good news today so fingers crossed everything will be back to normal in time for Christmas.

Now onto crafting - as it is Friday there is a new challenge at Winter Wonderland. This week the snowflake team would like to see your Christmas projects featuring holly and/or ivy. Here is my card for the challenge -

The stamp is from Penny Black called Fairy Holly which I have coloured with Spectrum Noir pens and Sparkle pens - 

• skin - FS2, FS3, TN2 and CR1
• hair - TN7, TN8 and EB8
• dress - PP1, PP3, PP5, DR1, DR5 and DR6
• wings - CG2, DG2, DG3 and crystal clear Sparkle pen
• bells - CT4, GB5, OR1 and crystal clear Sparkle pen
• snowglobe - IG1, BG1, BG3, CG2, DG2, DG3 and crystal clear Sparkle pen
• ground - BG1, BG3 and crystal clear Sparkle pen
• sky - moonstone Sparkle pen

The other ingredients were - 

• Penny Black's holiday trimmings paper pad
• red card
• spun sugar distress ink
• Die'sire ivy and poinsettia dies
• gem from the Hobby House

Our sponser this week is Di's digi Stamps and the lucky winner wins a $12 voucher. We look forward to seeing your Christmas projects.

Thank you for stopping by

Lesley

Mousey thank you

Hello folks

I hope you are all enjoying your Sunday. I am safe and snug in my craft room busy crafting away. I have a number of projects to finish, several very tight deadlines so I have been crafting since 6.30 this morning. Unfortunately I am unable to share any of them with you at the moment so I thought I'd share a thank you card I made a while back - 

Card ingredients - 

• Tonic layering squares die set
• Tonic twisted twine square die set
• Country lady paper pad from LOTV
• LOTV taster art pad (I have checked the website but I am unable to find them, sorry)

That's all really, a very quick and simple card. I would like to enter this card into the following challenge - 

http://www.ribbongirls.blogspot.co.uk - November - use any image

Well back to the craft desk now. Thank you so much for stopping by today.

Lesley

Traditional Christmas

Hello and a very happy Saturday morning to you all

Today is the start of a new challenge at Fantasy Stampers and this fortnight the design team would love to see your Taditional Christmas projects. Here is my DT card -

This is a big card (8inches square) - I got a little carried away! I stamped Sheena's perfect poinsettia stamp onto watercoloured card with Stazon ink and coloured them with my Sparkle pens and Spectrum Aquas -

• red berry sparkle pen
• burgundy Spectrum Aqua (to add the shading)

 I made the ivy sprigs from Sheena's stamping card and Die'sire ivy which I then coloured with Olive jade Sparkle pen.

The other ingredients used were -

• Sheena's poinsettia die set
• Neenah card
• gold centura pearl
• gold embossing powder
• Nordic Christmas time embossing folder (from Crafter's Companion)
• Penny Black Believe greetings
• gold gems
• Spellbinder's circle and scalloped circles nesties

A close up of the embossing.

The sentiment.

I hope you are able to join us at Fantasy Stampers this fortnight. Please remember we are a stamping challenge and your main image must be a stamped one.

Thank you for stopping by today

Lesley

One, two, three

Good Friday morning everyone

As it is Friday it is time for another challenge at Winter Wonderland. This week the challenge is 1,2,3....... which means one image, two design papers and three embellishments. Here is my DT card for the challenge -

I have used Paper Shelter's Snowman digi stamp, two papers from Forever Friends Christmas Kraft notes and 3 embellishments - ribbon, snowflakes and gems.
I printed the image onto Neenah card and coloured him with my Spectrum Noir pens - 

• snowman - IG1, OR1, OR3, CR3, EB3, EB5 and DG4
• hat - IG6, IG8, IG10, TB1, TB2 and TB4
• scarf - TB1, TB2 and TB4
• broom - GB5, GB7, GB8, GB9 and GB10
• sky - IB1
• snow - IG1

This week we are sponsored by the Paper Shelter and the lucky winner will recieve a $15 voucher.

Why not join in the fun this week, we would love to see your Christmas projects.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenge -
http://www.ribbongirls.blogspot.co.uk - November challenge - use any image

Thank you for stopping by.

Lesley

Frosty fun

Hello Folks and a very happy Saturday to you all

Another busy week over again, the weeks are flying by and that special time of the year will soon be here. This week at work we begun practising the songs for our Christmas play so it is definitely Christmas now.So in light of all this festive fun today's card is a Christmas one -

The stamp is Penny Black's Frosty Fun which I stamped onto Neenah card and coloured with Spectrum Noir pens, pencils and Sparkle pens -

• hair - GB8, GB10, EB8, 104 and crystal clear Sparkle pen
• skin - FS2, FS4, FS9, CR1 and 089
• clothes - IG1, IG2, IG3, 117, GT1, GT3, 050 and crystal clear Sparkle pen
• sky - moonstone Sparkle pen
• snow - crystal clear Sparkle pen

If you look carefully you can see the sparkle in the hair, it hasn't photographed as well as I had hoped.
The other ingredients used were -

• Penny Black Believe greetings
• backing paper from my stash
• teal centura pearl
• teal core'dinations
• white glitter card
• Spellbinder's scalloped circles
• Die-namics stitched circle stax
• ribbon from my stash coloured with GT3
• snowflake punch
• gems from my stash

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges - 

http://pennyblackatallsorts.blogspot.co.uk/ - November challenge -Anything Christmas
http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.co.uk - dies and punches (snowflake punch)

Spectrum Noir Facebook challenge - Christmas

Thank you for stopping by

Lesley