Kreativ Blogger Award...

Oh wow how lucky am I? I was so surprised and really honoured to find that a very talented crafter, Marion at http://cardsinthemaking.blogspot.com/ has given me this award. Thank you so much Marion.

Now for the rules for this award...

1. The winner may put the logo on their blog. (proudly displayed)
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3. Nominate 5 blogs and put links to their blogs.
4. Leave a message for your nominees.

Here are 5 blogging friends who I believe deserve this award. It is so difficult to choose as we make so many friends whilst sharing ideas with each other and there are so many talented lovely people out there ......but I have tried my best!

1. Irene, at http://alloccasionscards.blogspot.com/.
2. Max, at http://maxscraftcreations.blogspot.com/
3. Heather at http://ricas-haven.blogspot.com/
4. Anne at http://cardmakingtranquility.blogspot.com/
5. Chrissie at http://chrissiescreations.blogspot.com/

One layer of cardstock...

This card is for the challenge at http://stampchallenges.blogspot.com/ where everyone has been asked to use only one layer of cardstock. A great chance to keep it simple and use my Fiskar's Shapeboss to do some embossing.

I also managed to use Stamp number 5 from the Hampton Arts grab bag - only another 95 to go!! I coloured directly on to the stamp using Marvy Le Plume pens. I found the image looked better kept simple rather than adding anymore colour after stamping.

Materials used:

• unmounted rubber stamp by Hampton Arts
• Marvy Le Plume markers
• water colour white card
• silver sentiment and border peel offs
• lilac bow from stash
• tag die cut

Simply Sparkling Cuttlebug Sketch...

My sketch is from this week's challenge at http://cuttlebugchallenge.blogspot.com/ . The cuttlebug challenge blog is one of my favourite challenge sites as there is always something new to look at. It's really well worth visiting so if you haven't been do pop over there and have a look at the great tutorials and designer cards.


I used a glitter card for my squares and added bling to the snowflakes so I'm hoping my card is also acceptable for the challenge at http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/ where the theme is 'sparkling' to go along side our November 5th celebrations.

Materials used:

• Blue pearlescent base card
• silver mirri card for matting and layering
• soft white semi glitter card
• snowflake die cuts and punchies combined with some Jolees
• silver border and sentiment peel offs
• gems from stash
• wizard square die - standard

Hand drawn element + sketch...

The challenge at http://artygirlzchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ is to use a hand drawn element in your design and it doesn't have to be something elaborate which is perhaps as well in my case!!

I had already started work on this fantastic sketch at http://cutie-sunday.blogspot.com/ and really needed to make my green layer on the card match the rest of the papers.

Using a black marker I drew the irregular square on to the green paper to match the cream layer and then used a fine tipped pen to draw the stitching line all the way round. I was really pleased when my daughter thought the paper was already made that way - yeah it must be a good match.

The green bauble is a clear stamp by a company called Stamptivity and is stamped on to the green paper, cut out and then topped with a bow. All the other images and main frame were cut from papers in my stash which I believe were originally from the English Paper Company.

Materials used:

• white base card
• papers from stash
• clear stamp by Stampivity
• green organza ribbon
• black card

Black and white sketch...

The theme at http://lotstodocallenges.blogspot.com/ is to use black and white - my favourite combination - a total safe zone!!!

I also decided to use the fabulous sketch at http://fridaysketchersblog.blogspot.com/ to create my card.

I've never done a sketch with a triangular theme before and I really it gives quite a funky feel to cards. I must remember this layout and use it again in the future.

Materials used:

• Black Card
• White paper and silver mottled card for matting and layering
• Dot design paper from stash
• Wizard standard oval die
• Penguin stamp from clear set by Inkadinado - Dawn Houser design
• snowflake quickcutz die cut, metal snowflake and gem brad
• black and silver grey ribbon from stash
• silver sentiment peel off
• sakura pens for scarf and hat

Cheers...

Couldn't miss this challenge at http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/!!!

I've used a Magnolia image of Edwin sent to me by a friend. The glitzy word 'celebrate' was in a pack of glitzy words by 'Me and My Big Ideas' - it was quite tricky to peel off keeping the letters in tact but I made it in the end.

Materials used:

• blue card
• pale blue card
• cuttlebug swiss dots folder
• Derwent Inktense pencils
• Sakura Stardust pens
• Gem word by Me and My Big Ideas

Get sparkly...

Sparkly is definitely something I have not felt over the last few days. The bug that Laura kindly brought home with her from Granada has laid the whole family low and even card making became too much.

But last night (after many pain killers) I got out the gem stones and made this card for the challenge at
http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com/.

It feels really good to be crafting again!

Materials used:

• Penny Black stamp
• black card
• turquoise papers in plain and retro design
• gemstones and brads from stash
• flower die cuts using Wizard dies
• Derwent Inktense pencils