Happy Everything...

Isn't this little character so cute? She is from the Phoebe and Maude Spring download kit at http://www.pollycraftdesigns.co.uk. The trees are in the kit too and a some backing papers - it's a really useful little bundle. I would like to say I coloured the image myself, but I didn't! This is the ready coloured one, but you do get all the characters in both formats - coloured and black and white so you can choose what to do with them. This was my first purchase from Pollycraft, but it will certainly not be my last.

Having the kit meant I could enter the challenge at http://pollycraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/. This is a fortnightly challenge and this time the theme is flowers and bows. Check out Phoebe's (?) hair!

I used the sketch at http://sketchandstashchallenge.blogspot.com/ for my design and of course my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder sneaked in on the act.

Cuttlebug embossing measuring 14cm x 14cm - clever uh? LOL - the joins are under the tree pieces - I used two pieces of embossing to make the card.

Romance is in the air...

My first romantic card is an acetate one with a central image created using a large gold heart peel off mounted onto cream pearlescent card and embellished with pearls. The sentiment, border and corners are also created using peel offs.

This card fits the challenge at http://artygirlzchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ where the challenge was to use acetate and Cynthia's 'Peel offs' challenge at http://rainbowladyschallengeblog.blogspot.com/ .

My second card was inspired by the amazing tutorial by Lori at http://cuttlebugchallenge.blogspot.com/ . I loved the way she had woven paper strips and then put the finished weaving in a cuttlebug embossing folder. Such a cool idea! Thank you so much Lori.

I really enjoyed doing the weaving and was pleased with my woven mat of different shades of pearlescent card. It looked stunning when it first came out of the folder. However, when it came to making it all up into a card I'm not so impressed with my efforts.

I didn't want to cover the weaving up too much and pfaffed (is that a word?) around for ages trying different things in the middle until I got quite fed up with the card. Does anyone else do that?

Anyway the card did not end up in the bin (it was a close shave) and I will certainly be having another go at this technique and will maybe be more pleased with the finished results of my next effort.

As both my cards have a romantic theme they are perfect for the challenge at http://www.daringcardmakers.blogspot.com/ ,where the design team want us to use hearts of any kind on our cards and at http://charismacardz.blogspot.com/ where the theme is 'love'.

A great start to Sunday...

Made my early morning cuppa (well not so early this morning, but it is Sunday and that's my excuse) and signed into my blog to find that a new blogging friend Jenn at http://scrappinforlife.blogspot.com/ had given me this lovely award. Jenn is one of the design team at http://cuttlebugchallenge.blogspot.com/ and she does the most amazing scrapbooking.

Anyway when you receive this award you must list your 7 most favourite things and then give this award to 7 other bloggers so here goes:

My 7 Favorite Things

1) My two lovely daughters (excluding the teenage years and any other times when they have driven me absolutely mad!)

2) My friends who are an important and special part of my life (you know who you are).

3) Rubber - STAMPS! and of course clear stamps - well okay any kind of stamps.

4) Lasagne with salad and garlic bread (except for the one in a hotel restaurant in Nerja where the chef thought it was a good idea to use the meatballs from the previous evening's dinner and used no sauce whatsoever). If the lasagne is an English pub version you might as well throw in some chips too. Hmm something tells me this could be the reason I am no longer a size 12!!

5) Being creative - making things.

6) Reading a great book - preferably on holiday with the sun shining and a glass of wine in hand.

7) Watching great movies.

And the AWARD goes to...

1) Irene at http://alloccasionscards.blogspot.com/. Irene does the most classy and beautifully understated cards. Check out her blog.

2) Wendy at http://craftblog.craftybutterfly.co.uk/ who never fails to amaze me with her energy and abundance of cards.

3) Suzanne at http://suzannelily.wordpress.com/ whose work is truly inspirational and who is always willing to share her ideas and help other crafters.

4) Heather at http://ricas-haven.blogspot.com/ - oh her cards and the colours she uses are just scrummy. She is also (with friends) involved in a new challenge blog starting soon so do check it out.

5) Ann at http://craftblogspiritofcreativity.blogspot.com/ who also creates some fantastic cards and is always there to help other crafters. Ann also has a tutorial blog at http://spiritofcreativitytutorialblog.blogspot.com/. She has just completed a write up on ink pads - full of useful info that you may have known and forgotten or perhaps didn't realise. Well worth checking out.

6) Edna at http://www.ednasplace.blogspot.com/ - a very talented lady and a lovely blog to meander through - slowly.

7) Roz at http://rozzyb.blogspot.com/ - really fabulous designs and is also involved in a new challenge blog at http://creativeinspirationschallenge.blogspot.com/ - this starts tomorrow and should be exciting.

There are so many talented crafters out there that I suppose I could go on forever!

Thank you again Jenn for choosing me as one of your winners.