Soooo busy!

Hiya everyone,

I'm sorry I've been neglecting my blogging recently but the stuff I've been working on can't be blogged about yet so I thought I'd share a couple of gorgeous piccies of my daughter who is just 4 months old instead. I've made 6 out of 9 Joanna Sheen samples, 2 cards for my cardmaking workshop and after I've finished the samples I have 4 cards to make for Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine! It's been a while since I just made a card for the sheer hell of it but I'm really enjoying the variety of what I'm doing right now. The JS samples are needed for shows on the 9th/10th April so I can post them then! I'm looking forward to Mother's day as I've got my mum a fab pressie and because it's my first Mother's day!

Thanks for looking!!!

Paula. x

Summer Driggs - NEW free digital kit!!!!

Hiya Everyone,

I just wanted to share that Summer has just brought out a new "A little spring in your step" kit - I've just downloaded it myself and it's fab as usual. The link to it is here. While you're there check out all the other free kits!

Thanks for looking!!!

Paula. x

Last of Joanna Sheen "ocean" DT cards

Hiya Everyone,

This is the last of my Joanna Sheen DT cards that I made with the new "tales of the ocean" stamp sets. The paper is from one of my Summer Driggs kits although I can't remember which one as I made it a few weeks ago now. The quote I found on google which I printed out with fab handwriting font called "schoon" which I downloaded free from here. The shells and sentiment were stamped from the sheet and I coloured in the images with my promarkers. The longer shell was layered up for a bit of interest. Starfish charm and crochet lace from quixotic paperie which I love.

I am still working on the next batch of Joanna Sheen DT cards.
3 down - 6 more to go! They aren't stamps I would choose to work with personally but I'm quite chuffed with my efforts so far. Working outside your comfort zone can be fun and surprising as I've found with these. It gives you chance to do something a little different. They are needed for shows on 9th/10th April so I'll be able to post them then.

I will enter this into the following challenges:-

Creative cowgirls - Monochromatic

Thanks for looking!!!

Paula. x

Joanna Sheen DT card

Hiya everybody,

I've had a busy week as I've just sent off some fab summery cards to CM & P for their July issue and I am now currently working on a different set of Joanna Sheen cards so I thought I'd share another of the ones I recently sent off from the new "tales of the ocean" stamp sheets. This I made by stamping the fish images out a few times. The main image cut with circle and layered with a scalloped circle nestie. I coloured in a few extra fish which I used to layer up the image to give a sense on depth. I coloured the fish with my promarkers. There was a small plant stamp which I stamped at the bottom of my circle.

I used my promarkers to add dots to the plantlife to thicken it up a bit. I went over my fish with my sakura clear glaze pen which I really can't get enough of right now! I printed off a wishy washy mossy green paper which I roughly stamped a leafy design down one diagonal half of the paper. I added promarker dots as before. I stamped out the starfish twice and layered it up. The sentiment I stamped from the sheet but cut out all the individual words for impact. I inked all the edges with brushed cordouroy distress ink. I then added a few green gems to the corner. These were a little too bright so I toned them down by colouring over them with my olive green promarker. All the stamps I used were all from the same stamp sheet.

I will enter this into the following challenges:-

Crafty purple frog - Green
Delightful challenge - Green
Digi doodles - Anything goes
Pixiedust studio - Green
Stamping vacation - Nestabilities
Delicious doodles - 3D your project
Sugar creek hollow - Anything goes
Crafty cardmakers - Make your own designer paper

Thanks for looking!!!

Paula. x

Joanna Sheen DT cards

Hiya Everyone,

This is another of the Joanna Sheen sample cards that I made with the fab new "Tales of the ocean" stamp sets. The papers are from funky fairy gorjuss gingham downloads which you can sadly no longer get although Pink Petticoat does a similar download and their stuff is great when you are colour matching. The border is made up of my good old faithful swiss dots embossing folder. I have loads but use this one far more than any of the others. I glittered the image with stardust stickles glitterglue and used a few prima flowers. The lovely pearl brad is from a set made by the paper company and I have to remind myself that I bought them to use as I keep getting them out and putting them back in the box Lol. Why do we do this? Buy something pretty then feel bad if we use it. Does anybody else cringe when they take the first few papers from a crisp, new paperstack?

I hope it's not just me! :o)

I added the sentiment as I felt it needed one so I went with "make a splash!" as it seemed appropriate.

I will enter this into the following challenges:-

Creative cowgirls - Monochromatic
Gingerloft - Use flowers
One stitch at a time - Glitter and gems
Scrappy frogs - Good luck
House of Gilli - Pastel and bling
Stamp n doodle - Use 2 things beginning with "g" (glitter and gems)
There's magic in the air - Monochromatic
Fresh brewed - Spots and dots (swiss dots EF)
Your next stamp - Make it sparkle
Crafty sentiments - Animals
Little miss muffett - Brads, pearls or gems
Moving along with the times - Good luck
Paper play - Embossing
Rubber cafe - Monochromatic
Cardmakin mamas - Animals
If the shoe fits - Aqua
Guylou's inimitability - I see dots (swiss dots EF)
Simply create - Monochromatic

Thanks for looking!!!

Paula. x

Less is more challenge card

Hiya Everyone,

This is a card I made yesterday for the less is more challenge. The sentiment is a Penny black stamp that my dad picked up on his car boot travels for next to nothing. After stamping my sentiment I cut out a heart shape which I laid onto the card in a few places and drew around it lightly with pencil. I then went over the pencil lines with my red stickles glitterglue. I think it took me about 10 minutes altogether. Clean and simple isn't really my thing but I do appreciate simpler styles can be just, if not more effective than a very busy card. It's a good job we're all different though isn't it otherwise we'd all be making the same cards!

I will enter this into the following challenges:-

Less is more - One layer + off the page
Crafty calendar - Love
One stop challenge - Clean and simple

Thanks for looking!!!

Paula. x

Another Joanna Sheen DT card

Hiya Everyone,

I just thought I'd share another of my Joanna Sheen "Tales of the ocean" DT cards with you. This is a real CAS style (which is sooooo unlike me Lol) I stamped the shell image 4 times and then cut out 4 squares at random. I coloured them with my promarkers and then mounted them onto beige card after I inked all the edges in brushed cordouroy. The sentiment I printed out with blackout serif font in brown. A bit of raffia and a lovely large starfish charm and that's it. I wish all cards were as quick to make as this one. The real challenge with the DT cards is thinking up several very different designs. I probably spend more time thinking about them than actually making them Lol.

I received the new stamps today that I need to make 9 cards with for shows early April. That's me busy for the next week or so then!

Thanks for looking!!!

Paula.x

Cute Mo Manning image for $1 - Limited time

Hiya Everyone,

For a limited time Mo is selling this cute image called "what's cooking?" for $1 (which is 64p) for a limited time only. All proceeds from Mo will be going to the Japan relief effort.
If you're going to do one good thing today - go and buy this stamp!!!

Thanks for looking!!!

Paula. x

Butterfly sample card!!!

Hiya Everyone,

This is a sample card to display in my local craft shop to kinda advertise my April 16th workshop as I'm doing a few cards with a nice fresh spring theme (although this isn't one of the cards we'll be making) The stamp is a lovely sentiment one that my dad picked up on his car boot travels for about 50p (I have loads Lol) The papers were given to me by Barbara at the Windmill Craft Centre. The Marianne butterfly diecut was very kindly sent to me by Maureen from the Docrafts forum as I needed to use something that Barbara sold.

I coloured the butterfly in with my cool aqua all promarker all over and duck egg blue towards the egdes. I then went over the edges with stickles stardust glitter glue. The flowers are cut from my x-cut flower punch with card candy centres that I also glittered. I inked all the edges with tumbled glass. I think it makes a change to not have an actual image as the main focal point.

I will enter this into the following challenges:-

Ai factory - Luch of the irish/green
Craft us crazy - Something that reminds you of nature
Crafty purple frog - Things with wings
Crafty sentiments - Just for you
Delightful challenge - Butterflies
Meljens designs - Green
Paper crafting journey - Things with wings
Shelly's images - Green
Some odd girl - Think spring
Southern girls - Use flowers
Stamp insanity - Anything goes with green and/or irish
Stamping vacation - Use glitter
Card making mamas - Green
Crafty Anns - Sketch and/or spring
Delicious doodles - Use green
Fairy knoll - St Patricks day
Fashionista friday - St Patricks day
Sew many challenges - St patricks day
Tellens place - St patricks day
Card creations and more - Sparkle
ECP challenge - Green
Little claires - Flowers
Stamp, scrap and doodle - Spring
Sugar creek hollow - Homemade flowers
Alys sunday challenge - Anything goes
Card cupids - Green
Cheerful stamp pad - Spring
Gingerloft challenge - Use flowers
OSAAT - Glitter and gems
Sentimental sunday - Green + sentiment
Cupcake craft challenge - Up in the air with optional green
Karens doodles - Spring
Make it monday - Anything goes
Squigglefly - Spring
Stamp fairy - Green
Stamp n Doodle - Use 2 things beginning with G (Green and gems)
Woodware USA - Spring is coming
Anything goes challenge - Die cuts
Flourishes - Butterflies
High hopes - Green
Papertake weekly - Use 3 of something (flowers)
Alota rubber stamps - St patricks day (green)
Creatalicious challenge - 2 tone (green and blue)
My grafico - Anything goes
By the cute and girly - Springtime
Ambers crafs and stuff - Anything goes
Creative cottage - Spring
Creative card crew - Green
Pixie cottage - Sketch and/or green
Sisterhood of crafters - St Patricks day

Thanks for looking!!!

Paula. x

First Crafters Companion DT card

Hiya Everyone,

I am soooo pleased to show you my first DT card for Crafters Companion. I didn't really have a suitable easter image so I used my Popcorn bear birthday stamp and sat him on top of an egg after I cut him off the pressie he was originally sat on. I stamped him out 4 times, coloured him in with promarkers and layered him up a bit for a bit of interest. The papers are from a forever friends paperstack - I really like the lilac and green together and the punch is an MS one that I got for christmas that I realised I've never used!

Check out the Crafters Companion challenge blog here. It is a monthly challenge and you do not have to use a CC image but if you do you get counted twice - The challenge this month is Easter - One randomly picked winner will get £30 to spend at the Crafters Companion site!!!

I will enter this into the following challenges:-

Craft your passion - Anything goes
Incy wincy - Pastels
Lexis creations - Easter
Creative card crew - No flowers
Ladybug crafts ink - Spring colours
Tuesday throwndown - Use your scraps
Frew brewed - 3 patterned papers (3 including the egg)
Scrapbook sister - Easter animals
Simon says stamp - Anything goes
Stars and stamps - Polka dots
Little miss muffet - Designer papers
Pals paper arts - Easter
Some odd girl - Spring
Crafts for eternity - Purple, aqua and pale green
Crafty anns - Spring (and/or sketch)
Stamp, scrap and doodle - Spring has sprung
Alys sunday challenge - Anything goes
Cheerful stamp pad - Spring
Creative inspirations paint - Animals


Thanks for looking!!!

Paula. x

There's nuffin like a puffin DT card

Hiya Everyone,

This is another of my Joanna Sheen DT samples that I made for this weekends launch of the new "Tales of the ocean" rubber stamp sets. I coloured the image in with my distress inks. The papers are a light blue wash paper which has been stamped in blue ink with another of the stamps in the same set. I made up the frame by printing a piece of driftwood 4 times that I found on google. I shaped this to look a bit more weathered and inked the edges. I attached it together with mini silver brads. Before attaching it to the image with foam pads I draped a little natural paper string around the frame. I attached an anchor charm to the end of the "rope". I stamped out a couple of starfish and shells which I coloured in with my promarkers and attached them to the frame as well as a small shell I had in my stash. The sentiment was also on the stamp set which I stamped in blue ink. I was quite pleased with how this turned out as I was really making it up as I went along and I think it has a kinda quirky feel to it.

Thanks for looking!!!

Paula. x

Joanna Sheen DT cards!!!

Hiya Everyone!

The new Joanna Sheen "Tales of the Ocean" stamps



I made 6 samples and 5 are shown in this video. Mine are as follows:-

Blue puffin card with anchor charm
Message in a bottle card
Large brown card with crochet lace and "a shell can sing of the sea" in the corner
Green card with orange fish - individual words "You never know what the next tide may bring"
neutral card with 4 squares with shells, large starfish charm and "Happiness" quote

I did make an aqua dolphin card too but that wasn't shown for some reason - I'm not too sure why as there wasn't anything there similar to it. Ah well!

I shall list all the cards when I have the time but will start with the message in a bottle card.

The message in a bottle card consists of some basic aqua card, medium grade sandpaper, glossy accents, frost lace stickles glitterglue, sakura clear glaze pen (I'm loving this right now :D ) band the shell/starfish stamps.

I started off stamping out the starfish and shell stamp a couple of times each and I then coloured them in with my promarkers. I printed the sentiment out on ivory parchment paper then distressed the edges with my Tim Holtz tool. I then screwed it up and inked the edges (I think with brushed cordouroy) I mounted this onto beige card which I also inked and distressed. For the backing I mounted my aqua card onto some of the beige (distressed and inked as before) card. The aqua card I inked with tumbled glass distress ink. I then cut a square of sandpaper and cut out the appearance of a shoreline. After sticking this to the aqua card, I used lots of glossy accents all over the aqua card and over onto the sandpaper by about 5-10mm. After this dried I used frosted lace along the edge to give the appearance of the bubbles as the tide goes in and out. I then attached my sentiment, and added the starfish and shell images. The first images I attached with glue and the seond with a foam pad for a bit of height. I used my clear glaze pen on the tops of these images for some definition. The little bottle cost me about 30p from a craft shop that I've had for ages. I cut a small piece of the parchmentment and tied it up with a tiny offcut of raffia. I attached the bottle with mini glue dots. If I did it again I would try and straighten the card before attaching the bits onto it as the glossy accents warped the card a little but I was in a hurry and wasn't even sure it would turn out ok.

Thanks for looking!!!

Paula.x

Fab news!!!!!!!

Hiya Everyone,

I can finally tell you my fab news!!! I have been asked to go on the crafters companion design team. I decided to do both the normal DT which makes samples for Create & Craft TV and do the monthly challenge blog too! I am sooooooo chuffed as it's one of the biggest crafting companies to work for. Great excuse to get more SWALK stamps Lol! I need to make an easter card so it can be put on the challenge blog and I will be announced as a new DT member. At least when I make that I can upload it onto here. Everything else I've been working on in the last week or so I can't share yet :(

Still, it's great to be so busy!

Thanks for looking!!!

Paula. x

Sneaky peek - Joanna Sheen DT!!!

Hiya Everyone,

Just thought I'd show a sneaky peek of one of my Joanna Sheen DT cards that are needed for Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th March for the live TV shows on create and craft. I made 6 altogether so I'll be watching to see if my creations make it onto the show as there are so many samples they have to pick from! I'm off to my mums with Tayla tonight as it gives my hubby a night on the playstation 3 and (hopefully) an undisturbed nights sleep. Plus, it gives me time to relax as there's always someone wanting a cuddle off Tayla so it gives me a break too.
Oh, and it's my Nan's birthday today who is 86 so it'll be nice way to spend her birthday! My Nan lives with my mum and dad so I see her at least once a week anyway!

Thanks for looking!!!

Paula. x

Part of fab news!!!

Hiya everyone,

I'm still ever so busy although I've nearly finished the last of the 6 Joanna Sheen DT cards that are needed for the 12/13th March Create and Craft TV show so I'm hoping to get them posted tomorrow. I still have 4 cards to make for the July issue of Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine. I've been sent some fab new Basic Grey papers that aren't available in the UK yet! I'm not in Aprils issue but I'm in May, June and July - Get in!!! Lol
Anyway part of my fab news is that I've been asked to host some workshops at my local craft shop the Windmill craft centre in Thornton, Cleveleys (also has a fab on-line shop too so check it out) I've got one in April and one in May and it will hopefully be a regular thing if enough people are interested. The workshops are up to 12 people so it shouldn't be too scary! So on top of the other stuff I still need to make some samples to display in the shop and devise the projects that I will be doing the workshops on. I have decided to go with a fresh spring theme - an easel card and a standard square card.

If anyone is local to the Blackpool/Preston area check out the workshops at the windmill craft centre for further details of mine and other workshops as they do allsorts from scrapbooking to copics etc.

My other fab news I can't share with you yet but I'll keep you posted!

The above card is an oldie I made last year - it's made with the sunshine capsule papers that were in the docrafts goody bag last year. The stamp is one from a clear set that I have no idea where from. I thought I'd show it as it's nice and bright!

Hope you've had a good weekend!

Paula. x

Some fab news!!!

Hiya everyone,

I still soooo busy - I need to make 6 cards with some new Joanna Sheen stamps sets by next week and I've only finished one so far so I doubt I'll get chance to do any blog challenges this week which is unlike me but hey-ho. I have some really fab news but I can't tell you what it is yet until it's been confirmed :D

As I haven't got a new card to show you I thought I'd share an oldie that I haven't blogged about. I think I made this last spring as part of a challenge on the Docrafts forum (when I didn't have a blog - seems like ages ago Lol)
I adore daisies so I love this stamp which was one of the first stamps I ever got but this was the first and only time I have ever used it for some reason.

It is by personsal impressions and is really versatile as you can use it as a 4 square block or you can cut out each small square. I also have a cats and hearts one that is similar. I very rarely use my rubber stamps now - I have soooo many it's untrue but it's a nightmare trying to find what I want. I will have to do a post to show you how many I have when I'm less busy!
The papers are from a K&Co 6x6 paperstack and the green leafy thing is a part of a sizzix die. All other bits from my stash.

Anyway, I'd best to get back to the last 5 cards I have to make although I should get lots done tomorrow as the MIL is having Tayla overnight tonight till about 5pm tomorrow so I will have all day to myself. It'll be the first time she will have been overnight without us there. Last night she was asleep by 9pm and slept right through till about 7.30am so she should be fine. As soon as she's gone I know I'll miss her like crazy!

When I can share my fab news you'll be the first to know! ;o)

Thanks for looking!!!

Paula. x

Free P+P at the Glitterpot!!!

Hiya everyone,

I'm busy, busy, busy at the moment but I just thought I'd let you all know that it's free P+P at the Glitterpot till Wed 2nd Mar. Ideal if you only want a few bits and HATE paying P+P Lol!

Paula. x

March blog candy!!!

Hiya everyone,

As promised blog candy this month will be a £15 Lili of the Valley gift voucher - just in time as they have some lush new images out soon!

As usual, please become a follower if you are not one already and post my candy on your sidebar for all to see with a link back to mine.

My candy is open to everyone, everywhere!!!

Please add your name to Mr Linky to be in with a chance to win!!!

Paula. x

Winner of February blog candy!!!

Hiya Everyone,

The winner of my february blog candy drawn by random.org is 35.Leighpea

Congratulation Leighpea - please e-mail me your address and I'll get it posted shortly!

March's candy as promised is a £15 gift voucher for Lili of the Valley so please see other post to add your names to the new Mr Linky!!!

Thanks for looking!!!

Paula. x