Spoil yourself...

This card is for the new Penny Black challenge at http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com/ which is embossing. As you can see in the photo out came my trusty Swiss Dots cuttlebug folder for the embossing part of the card - I don't know how I made cards at all before these folders were invented.

I also used a fabulous sketch by Katharina at http://katharina1704.blogspot.com/. This week Katharina has challenged crafters to use this sketch and has very kindly offered a prize. It's a great sketch and one that I will certainly use again.

The cat in the bath image is one from a clear set of Penny Black stamps that my daughter bought me for Christmas. I've coloured the image using Derwent Inktense Pencils. I love this cat - there is a cute sentiment to go with it too - ' It's your day... Spoil yourself silly'. I've stamped this on the inside of the card and I might add a sachet of some bubble bath when I send the card depending on who I send the card to.

Just playing...

with my new Promarkers. I love the smooth colour you can achieve with them, but sometimes they seem to make the stamped ink bleed a little. I will have to practice more I think.

This card is for the challenge at http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/ where they have an 'open' theme until the 8th January.

Materials used:

• Cuddly Buddly rubber stamp
• Promarkers, Sakura stardust pens and water colour crayons
• Lilac papers by Papermania
• lilac plain card, jewels, button and organza ribbon from stash
  
  

Easy elegance...

Well 'easy elegance' is supposed to be the theme of this card done for the challenge at http://www.mytimetocraftchallenge.blogspot.com/, but to be truthful to me it's a 'could do better' card!!

If I were to start again there are quite a few things I would do differently, but not to worry - it's one of my New Year Resolutions to worry less!!!

I used one of my brilliant paper pricking corner stencils, that my good friend Irene bought me as part of my Christmas present, to create a square frame for the central stamped image. The stamped 'Thank you' is an image from a collection of clear stamps by K&Company. I used pearls from my stash to accentuate it. The patterned backing paper is by Papermania and was another Christmas gift - I must have been good last year as I got loads of stuff!!!

First Card 2009...

I really can't believe it is 2009. It doesn't seem long since we celebrated the turn of the century and thought everything (electrical) would fall apart because the computer chips weren't happy about the zeros or something along those lines.

Anyway no planes dropped out of the sky then or now and everything kept in working order - well more or less!!

My first card for the New Year is a 'Thank you' one for a dear friend and also for the challenge at http://tandastamps.blogspot.com/ which is 'Thank you , Thank you , Thank you'. I guess we all have lots of thank yous to both say and send this week.

I have used some fabulous papers I got for Christmas by Papermania and a Cuddly Buddly stamp for the main image. The image has been coloured using my new Promarkers (love them - thank you for encouraging me to get them Chrissie) and water colour crayons. The criss cross ribbon was created using a Cuttlebug border die.

Happy New Year...

I have not been very well over the Christmas period and although I received the most fabulous craft stuff on Christmas Day I've not been fit enough to try much of it out. I also had problems with my computer too so blogging and challenges have had to go by the wayside.

I'm beginning to feel more myself now and am really looking forward to taking up the new challenges beginning next week. I have managed to do some blog hopping in between feeling rough and have seen some fantastic work around and I really can't wait to join in again.

Anyway I'd just like to take this opportunity to wish everyone, everywhere...

a

very, very

Happy New Year!