I need your help

Hi Everyone,

This is a little plea for help.  I am doing the London to Brighton Bike Ride for the British Heart Foundation on June 17th.  It seemed like a good idea at the time but with 7 weeks to go and my bike safely wedged at the back of the garage with a kitchen in front of it, I am beginning to panic slightly...... well actually quite a lot.

I lost my Father-in-law through a heart attack and the heart foundation is heavily involved in transplants and as some of you know a transplant is at the forefront of my family's mind at the moment and therefore I have also persuaded my Hubby to do the bike ride with me. I am praying that I won't be needing the British Heart Foundations services myself during the ride so I very much need to get to the gymn this week.

I would be over the moon if all of my followers were able to give £1 but I know that this isn't always possible, so if you are able to give I have set up a Justgiving page which is a secure site and you can donate safely. If your unable to donate, please don't feel bad.  If anyone is able to spread the word for me I will be extremely grateful for that too.

Wish me luck.

Here's the link: https://www.justgiving.com/Tracy-Payne0

Coffee to Go

Hi Peeps,

I'm back again, I know two cards in one day, don't feint.  This young lady is called Willow with coffee to go and is my DT card for Crafts and Me and the challenge this week chosen by the lovely Trish is "Embossing".  I stamped and embossed the LOTV sentiment. Quite a simplish card for me, I'm still trying to achieve that clean and simplish look, but I love the aqua and brown combo.  The gorgeous papers are called Summer Breeze from First Edition.

 The sentiment is LOTV and I have used the Marianne Design largest flower die from the Marianne Design Craftable Ovals CR1204 to mat the sentiment.

Willow with coffee to go

Memory Box Scroll Die

Magnolia Doohickey Heart Flower Lace

Make it crafty lasercut chipboard flourish corners

Shimmer Bean

Hiya Everyone,

I finally managed to get off to sleep without my toe giving me grief, only to be woken an hour later by my Hubby coming home from work and then my daughter coughing all night followed by Hubby's snoring, hows your luck!

I have to share with you today this little cutie, The Greeting Farm image called Shimmer Bean.  Doesn't she have gorgeous locks of hair? I have cut her out and mounted her onto a spellbinders beaded ovals diecut and added some Tim Holtz Victorian Velvet Distress Ink to the individual beads.

The sentiment comes with the image, I seperated it and mounted it using spellbinders circles die. The grey paper is from the new Glitz French Kiss 6 x 6 paper pad and the pink floral paper is by Magnolia. For the leaves evolving from the sentiment I have used Marianne Design  Decorative Elegance LR0157. I have also added some flat back pearls, a must for anyone's stash.

Sweet Summer Days

Hi Peeps,

Hope everyone had a good weekend.  I don't know where the time went and I still have housework to do. Oops!

Today I have coloured up Belles & Whistle Sweet Summer Days  and right now Nikki from BunnyZoe has 25% off  all Belles and Whistle Stamps so now would be a great time to head on over and grab yourself a bargain.

Here's a close up of the Sweet Summer Days which I have coloured using distress inks. The papers are by Cosmo Cricket Evangeline, they are gorgeous, lots of colour combos can be derived from this pad.

The flowers are Kaisercraft Paper Blooms Olive.

And look at these gorgeous Prima Wooden Buttons, aren't they fabulous!

And to save you scrolling back up to the top here's the finished card again.

Image Sweet Summer Days by Belles & Whistles

Kaisercraft Paper Blooms

Prima Wooden Buttons

Cosmo Cricket Evangeline 6 x 6 paper pad

Magnolia Doohickey Heart Flower lace & So Wrapped Lovely

Distress inks

 Marianne Design Decorative Elegance LR0157

Marianne Design Vintage Lace White JU0824

Memory Box Butterfly Die

Seam binding, pearls, charm, twine and gesso from stash

I would like to enter my card into the following challengs:-
Belles  & Whistles - Spring is in the air
Lexi's - Punches/Dies
Love to create - Anything Goes
Stamp & Create - Spring
The crazy challenge - Girly
Creative Stamp Friends - Bingo (butterfly, lace, button)
Let's ink it up - Distressing
Panpastel - Add a flower

Colouring the Sea Tutorial

Hi Everyone,

I made a tutorial on colouring the sea using copics and pencils for the Copic Marker Europe blog and have since made a card for the Make It Crafty new Store Blog.  If you haven't popped to either lately you really are missing some amazing talent.

This is what you'll need:-
 A dark, medium and light blue copic marker, I used B39, B37, B34 and B000
A dark, medium and light prisma pencil or similar, I used Ultramarine, True Blue and Cloud Blue
Copic Opaque White or you could use a white gel pen
Paint Brush if using the Copic Opaque
Your stamp, I have used the Make It Crafty's "The Beach"

I should point out that two important things when using prisma pencils and copics together.  Firstly Prisma pencils do not work very well on smooth cardstock that you would normally use with your copics.  Prisma's like cardstock with a bit of tooth, (rough) not smooth.  They will not blend.

Secondly, you must do your work with the copics first and then add your prismas but DO NOT go back in with your copic markers.  The pigment in the pencils can damage the nibs on your copic markers.

-----------------------------------------

First I have added some B37.  I picked up this marker instead of B39 but it really doesn't matter as we are not looking to blend here, we want to see different colours of blue as the ocean is made up of different colours.

I have then gone in and randomly added some B37

And then some B39

And then B34

 

And now go over all the white areas with B000.  I know it doesn't look much at the moment but bear with me.

 O.K. now we start to add the prisma pencils in starting with Ultramarine

Then the True Blue Prisma Pencil, randomly again, remember we are building up different colours

Finally finish with the Cloud Blue.  At this point if your not happy and want to add some dark blue again, use your Prisma Pencil Ultramarine, DO NOT go back to your Copics.

 

Next we are going to add some Copic Opaque White.  I love this bit, this is where it will start to take shape. I have used a small paint brush "O".

I have gone in with the paint brush adding a tiny amount of Copic Opaque White and flicked the paintbrush upwards, creating splashing waves.

 

 Here is a picture of the finished Beach.

And here is my finished card

I have coloured the chipboard palm trees, corner flourish and butterfly using penicls, links to the chipboard packs are below

The carnation was made from cardstock, you can find the tutorial HERE.

I'd love to hear from you if you give this a go.

Ingredients:-
Image "The Beach"

Image "Summer Dreams"

3D Chipboard Hawaiian Beach

3D Chipboard Fine Swirls (I used the butterfly from this pack)
Flat backed pearls from BunnyZoe
Cheesecloth  and seashells from stash
Sentiment from Whiff of Joy
Copics and Prisma Pencils

Love Letter

Yayyy it's Friday Peeps,

What a week.  Been so busy at work, working from early doors to late and coming home knackered.  Mind you my tiredness has been hindered by me stupidly catching my big toenail and ripping half of it off. Ouch!  So verrrrrry verrrry painful and would you believe prevented me from sleeping.  I can't stand the sheet touching my foot so I have to hook my other foot on top and place the covers over so it doesn't drape onto my big toe.  Who would of thought this would prevent me from sleeping the last 4 nights!

Hopefully things will improve next week.  I did manage to do a good deed of giving blood at lunch time today, I'm quite a quick bleeder so squeezed it in but then my arm couldn't stop bleeding, lol. Got more than they needed from me I can tell ya.

Today's card is showing off those gorgeous locks from the new artist at Crafts and Me, Dollie James and I have used Love Letter.  I have colourerd her on Kraft, which was given to me by my lovely friend Jane and I'm hoping Jane will be giving me some pointers in my pencil colouring.....this is the first time I've tried black hair, ummmmm

Quite a simple card from me, yep I know, unusual. I've had the paper in my stash for a couple of years, sorry I don't know who they are by.  The Flower has been made using the Marianne Design Craftable Oval  CR1204 and the flourish is a Memory Box Die Scroll.

The photos aren't brilliant, sorry. 

Have a good weekend everyone, hopefully I will get round to you all over the weekend, I'm hoping for some sun......I'm fed up of the rain.

Pretty in Pink

Hi Peeps,

Well I think I got carried away with pink with this one, lol.  I have dabbled in distress inks again and I know I still need practice with creating depth, so practice, practice, practice.  I daren't tell you how long it took me to colour.

 I have used Tilda with ballet shoes.  I think she's out of stock at BunnyZoe right now, perhaps due to the sale that is still on........ but please email Nikki who will be pleased to help you.

 Lots of details on here, I wonder why I have the title Embellishment Queen on one of my teams, ummmmmm

Here's a close up of the little lady

Side on

And a piccie with the tag taken out so you can see the new text die from Marianne Designs, link below.

Ingredients:-

Image Tilda with Ballet Shoes by Magnolia from BunnyZoe

Papers Glitz 6 x 6 paper pad

Magnolia Wrapped So lovely Doohickey Die

Magnolia Heart Swirl Doohickey Die

Marianne Designs Creatables Happy Birthday Congrats LR0223

Whiff of Joy Pennants Die

Marianne Design Ribbon Rose Border in pink

Spellbinders Oval and Labels 18

Cheery Lynn Nautical Die

Acrylic paint

Silk Ribbon, satin ribbon, large cream lace, Twine from stash

Flowers are a mix from Marianne Designs and Wild Orchid Crafts

Marianne Design Vintage Lace White (JU0824)

Butterfly charm
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 I would like to enter my Pretty in Pink card into the following challenges:-
Cheery Lynn - Birthdays
Lets ink it up - Distressing
Paper Sundaes - Anything goes
Totally Tilda - Happy Birthday
Just Magnolia - Lovely Lace
Magnolia Down Under - Flags/Banners
Lovely Hanglar - Spring has sprung

Don't forget to enter my CANDY here!

Pearls and Swirls at Marianne's Divas

Morning Peeps,

Hope your all enjoying the weekend.  Were busy today taking out a kitchen, no not mine yet, lol.  We have been fortunate enough to have been given a moben kitchen by someone who is having a new kitchen fitted.  So although its not new, it's new to us and in excellent condition, so today we have to take apart and bring home all the top cupboards and next week we have to collect all the bottom cupboards. So there will be some disruption to my house over the next few weeks, something I'm not good at coping with but I am looking forward to it being finished and it's probably the closest I'll get to having a new kitchen.  Only been waiting 25 years, lol.

Today at Marianne's Divas it's challenge time and the theme is Pearls and Swirls.  I haven't used a coloured image, I have used just dies. Again I like the result, what do you think?

Materials Used:-


Marianne Designs Creatables Forest Branch LR0150
Marianne Designs Anja LaceBorder LR0201
Marianne Designs Vintage Lace Pack JU0823
Marianne Design Paper Roses - Vintage Roses Cream JU0847
Marianne Designs Creatables Lord and Lady LR0211
Make It Crafty Chipboard Frame
Tim Holtz Distress Ink walnut stain
Kaiserkraft pearl brads - latte
Lace, doily and seam binding from stash

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

3D at Crafts and Me & A Competition

Hi Peeps,

I was so knackered last night that I had an early night and forgot to schedule this post. Ooops, don't know what's the matter with me, must of been having to return to work, lol.

Today's challenge at Crafts and Me is "3D Embellishments" chosen by the lovely Angela.  Well you know me and embellishments, haha, so not a difficult one.

The image is one of the beautiful Hannah Lynn stamps called "City Girl".  The papers are by Websters and I added the sentiment "live, laugh and love" which is from Whimsy. The flower is by prima and I have paired it up with the new Marianne Design Guirlande CR1216

The ribbon roses are from the Hobby House and the flower is by Prima. Hope you'll join us.

Also, before you go Teresa has put up a competition to win the next release of stamps from Crafts and me.  Details can be found HERE.

Sofia Wishes

Hiya Peeps,

Hope your all enjoying the bank holiday weekend, can't believe it's coming to an end and I have to go back to work tomorrow......grrrrr and that means the diet starts again, definitely a grrrrrrr.

It's that time again, can't believe how quickly the monthly challenge at BunnyZoe comes around.  The theme this month chosen by Dorcas is "Ribbon or Twine", I happened to have used both but you can use either and as usual will run until the second Monday in May so you have plenty of time to enter.

The image is one of Stampavie's Sarah Kay stamps, Sofia Wishes, oh my goodness I absolutely love Sarah Kay stamps, so very beautiful and, guess what........ I've coloured her with distress inks.... I know another medium.  Some say you should stick to one but wouldn't that be boring, lol.  I was lucky enough to win $100 at 7 Kids College recently so I topped up on some distress reinkers and have put them to good use.  I hope you like her, I did her face a little too dark but as it was the last part of the image I coloured I wasn't going to start again. You learn don't you.

Here's the little lady, isn't she gorgeous. I have also used the new Marianne Design Guirlande to the right of the image and yesterday on my wishing well, isn't it lovely.

And a side view..........

I made the outer leaves on the pink rose by die cutting some Aida and added a little distress ink to give it a little colour.  Quite pleased with the result.

Materials Used:-

Stamp - Sofia Wishes

Marianne Design Flower Ribbon - Blue Jeans Small (FR1110)

New Marianne Design Guirlande CR1216

Marianne Designs Vintage lace pack off white (JU0823)

Magnolia Doohickey Heart Swirl

Kaisercraft Blue Flower

Papers - Pixie Glen and Glitz French Kiss

Tim Holtz Vintage Photo Distress Ink and Victorian Velvet

Don't forget I have new Candy HERE.

 I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:-

Let's ink it up - Distressing
One stop craft - Pastel and Die Cuts
The Squirrel and the fox - Things with Wings
That craft place - spring
The crafty pad - Dies

Make a Wish

Morning Peeps, hope your all having a fab weekend.

I'm a tad late in posting this morning as I have been out walking Ollie in the National Trust park with a friend I have made at the Puppy training school, Jane, and her puppy Milly.  Both Ollie and Milly are smitten with each other since meeting and every week it's a race  to get to each other, not good when your trying to get Ollie to heel all the way to the door cos as soon as he clops eyes on Milly all training goes out the window.  They have been bounding around the park for 2 hours and Ollie is now black, not white and in need of a bath but he's clapsed in a heap, lol.

Today is my turn to post on the NEW Make It Crafty Inspiration Blog, yep NEW.  The team have split into two some remaining on the challenge blog and others going to the inspirational store blog.  Pop on over and follow us as there's going to be loads of inspiration and tutorials too and having seen the line up I'm sure you guys will pick up a few hints and tips along the way. 

So where was I, oh yeah, I have used the Make It Crafty Wishing Well kit.  The instructions were easy to follow and the results, well hopefully you can tell for yourself.....

 

I painted the wishing well with a grey acrylic, well I didn't actually have grey so I mixed some white paint with a touch of black.  I then added some snowtex to give the feel that my wishing well has been around a while and had something growing on it, white mould, I did think of painting it green but I kinda like the white and I like to be different.

I have used Fairy Poinsetta Rubber Stamp and coloured her with a combination of copics and polychromos.

Here's a side view. I used the magnolia doohickey for the grass and Marianne Designs Elegance LR0157 and Forest Branch LR0150 for the leaves.  Flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts.  I created the base by using the hardback section of an A4 pad and cut out the shape using my Go Kreate die and then painted it with acrylic green paint.

I have trailed the Marianne D Craftables - Guirlande (CR1216), (which incidentally is on sale over at BunnyZoe's, just click on product I have linked it to go straight there), over the roof and added some more flowers.  The large butterfly is my new addition to my stash, a memory box die, and the little dragonfly is a Make It Crafy Mini Dragonfly  Chippie coloured with polychromos.

Here's a view from the other side. You can see the little handle from this side and the filagree detail.  Gosh that Zoe is a genius!

And to save you scrolling back up to the top, here's another look and I cranked up the handle, yes it actually works too, so the little bucket came up a bit higher so you can get a better view and just see all the tiny little details that went into that bucket.

I hope I have inspired you to give this fabulous Wishing Well a go, I promise you won't be disappointed.


Oh and by the way word verification keeps turning itself on, if you see it  on just let me know so I can go back in and turn it off.  Thanks.

Enjoy Easter Sunday everyone.

Don't forget my Candy HERE.

I'd like to enter the following challenges:-
Catch the bug - April Anything Goes
Colour Me Creative - Spring pretties
Crafty Emma - Swirls and Pearls
Totally papercrafts - Bingo (flowers, diecuts, blue)
Wags n Whiskers - Flowers
Simon Says Stamp - Favourite tool (Big Shot Pro)
I brake for challenges - Anything but a card
Just keep on crafting - Anything Goes
Ladybug Crafts - Flowers and Butterflies
Oozak - Anything Goes