A card, candy and the wonderful Tina...

I was thrilled today to find that Tina of Yummy , Scrummy, Create blog had chosen me as one of the people to receive a trinket box to decorate: I can't wait to get it and make something (hopefully) nice. Tina has also made some gorgeous boxes to give plant gifts in so if you don't know her blog I really recommend it. I get the email updates so I don't miss a thing!

Well, if you've read the post below, you'll appreciate that I haven't felt very sociable lately although I have been keeping busy doing lots of decoupage cards. I also made this one for a friend's 40th (you'd never have guessed!) using the new Papermania 'The Big One' paper pack, Colorbox chalk ink, adhesive gems and some ribbon pieces. Hope you can see it's 3-fold and I wrote the greeting on the fold back part.There seems to be a lot of candy on offer at the moment: I haven't been hopping much but I subscribe to Claudia's blog, Pretty Pressings, and Magnolia have given her an incredible candy to offer which will be split for 6 lucky winners.
One of the blogs I follow is Jennifer's Sweet Treats for the wonderful things she does with Cuttlebug embossing. She has reached 200000 hits so is celebrating with 3 prizes!
Another I follow is Donalda who is also celebrating with candy.
And I've discovered Zoe's blog which is lovely - like her style - and celebrating its blogoversary.

Sad news

Many of you, especially those that were on the Funky Fairy Design Team with me last year, know my niece, Terri, had been battling with leukeamia for 10 years. She lost the fight on Friday and slipped away peacefully at home, aged 16.
I will be sorting photos and scrapbooking lots over the next few months but here is one taken at my son's christening back in 2001 when she was doing well towards the end of the first 2 years of treatment and one taken last year after her bone marrow transplant. You can read more about the beautiful quilt here. When I saw her last month she still had it over her. I'm grateful to Clare and the wonderful team supporting Quilts 4 Leukaemia for the comfort it gave her.
Thanks for all the kind words we've received.

Scrapbook Page

It's been too long again! Soooo busy! Lots of cards but too little blogging! Special thanks to Annie for the nice comments yesterday which got me spurred to add some new stuff again!

Not usually a scrapper on the full 12x12 scale but I created this page at the Tourc'h 2 Scrap group evening a few weeks ago: I scratched a photo and only replaced it yesterday. It follows a sketch (info and another example here) with so much detail on it: I hope it doesn't look too fussy. I really like how it's come out but the photo seems different: In fact I think that's one of the reasons I haven't blogged so much lately - I've been disappointed with the photos in comparison to the real thing. Anyhow, no prizes for guessing this is our granddaughter: The first pics from when she was in hospital: Three days in a baby unit hence all the tubes! Since had news from my husband's oldest: Second grandchild will be arriving in September!!!Used: Papermania card for backing, mats and the circle; pearlescent card from Diamond Card Craft, tags, which are inked with Brilliance 'Pearly Orchid', and flourishes from Debbie's die cuts; flowers from Imaginesce and Papermania, brads and gems also Papermania, Doodlebug rub-ons, 3D stickers from Jolee's and/or Dovecraft; Dylon 3D pearl paint; Cuttlebug 'Harmony' alphabet cut from same pearlescent card, inked with Brilliance and covered with holographic glitter glue; ric-rac, paper lace and textured paper from stash.

Ismaki 09/008

Sorry to have temporarily disappeared again! I was in the UK last week visiting our new granddaughter and my poorly niece as well as other relations, and even managed several hours at the NEC trade craft fair. I find it frustrating though when you want to spend, spend, spend and come out laden with goodies but you can only order for later delivery: Just not the same! The last card was pre-scheduled so I appreciated the comments even more than usual: Thank you :)
I have been so busy that I have loads that I haven't had time to blog but I'll start catching up with the card made using Bea's Ismaki challenge sketch (rotated 90°) AND the sewing option!
Tilda coloured with Whispers markers; papers: 'Olivine' by Papermania; flowers: Prima and Imaginisce.

Card Makeover

Every so often I do makeovers on cards that I feel need a little something extra so here's a before & after: A quick card of Penny Black image painted with H2Os and mounted on a designer PaperMania card: Cute but lacking:
and, after, where I have added other papers, ribbon (pushed through between the existing foam squares), stamped sentiment and gems:Hope you think it's an improvement :)

Friday Sketchers & Kimmie's challenge #6

I have thoroughly enjoyed doing Kimmie's challenges this week and combined the last one - to make a card with a boy or girl plus flowers - with the Friday Sketchers layout #38
I coloured Tilda with Whispers pens and used 'icicle' Twinkling H2O to add sparkle to the daisies and used the Nestabilities classic and scalloped circles to cut the mats. I used the middle frame from the Spellbinders Frameabilities that I cut the other day for the right-hand mat, embossed with the Cuttlebug, and used the centre bit from the frame for the sentiment tab at the bottom (nothing gets wasted!). The French-looking script is actually W H Smith (a very British chain of newsagents in the UK) rub-on lettering! Don't know about the other paper and card but the daisy paper is from PaperMania Creative Tones Olivine Essence pack.
Inside I just used ordinary printer paper and punched a flower in the bottom corner, inked this with Colorbox fluid chalk Iced Jade direct to paper and dabbed my paintbrush into yellow Brilliance and painted on a hint of that too, added a tiny Prima and a dab of 3D pearl paint. I stuck this back down, turned so that the punched hole also shows through.

Kraftin Kimmie's challenge #5

Another Magnolia with the PaperMania 'Scrumptious' papers for Kimmie's 5th challenge of using patterned papers and heart(s): Not difficult that one ! Looks rather plain in comparison to yesterday's but every time I try some embellishment against it I prefer it left as it is.

Isamki Sketch and Kimmie's challenge #3

This card follows the sketch 09/006 over on the Ismaki blog this week and hits the option of using buttons, while Kimmie's 3rd birthday challenge was to use pink and at least one button:Magnolia image coloured with Whispers pens; PaperMania 'Scrumptious' papers and gems; Prima flowers; Making Memories button; stamps: Compagnie d'elfes text and Inkadinkado flourish.

Forever Friends birthday card

This one is for my sister's birthday today, so I hope she's got it! I think the FF decoupage packs are great although I haven't yet come across die-cut découpage that I don't still feel the need to improve with a good cut! I've been sitting in the evenings découpaging (anglicising a french word!) and have a big tub full ready to mount on to cards now!
This one is mounted on a Nestabilities Scalloped Oval, cut, inked and butted against some adhesive ribbon hiding the join of 2 printed papers from the pack. Wish I'd taken a photo of it lying down: That individual smartie in the front has 6 layers!!!

Kimmie's Challenge #2

Thanks again Kimmie for spurring me in to action but I have got to work fast now to keep up with the deadlines - Thanks goodness for the time difference! Challenge 2 is to follow a layout with dry embossing so I made this card this morning with the pieces left from yesterday and my new Spellbinders 'Frameabilities' although I was a bit disappointed as I thought the frames came separately like the Nestabilities but in fact it is all one piece and the outside edge of the largest frame doesn't get cut: Can think of times that will be useful though! To top it off, I can't find my tan mat so embossed with Cuttlebug divine swirls instead! Gorgeous Sugar Nellie image coloured with my Whispers pens.