I've got some blog candy

Woo Hoo... I just received some PIF blog candy from Maria ( http://mariascards.blogspot.com/ )and I love it! It is all so pretty and the stamped images came in a gorgeous folder card (makes mental note to copy that idea) Thanks so much Maria for the PIF candy! Now for those of you who don't know what PIF candy is (as I didn't) allow me to explain. PIF stands for Pass it Forward so in order to keep the game going the first three people to leave a comment on this post will receive some PIF candy from me! When you receive it then you will do the same for the first three people to leave a comment on your post and so on and so forth. So, here's to passing it forward!

Below is a picture of what Maria sent me and the gorgeous card folder.

Cup Cakes and Pink Petticoats

I still had some Pink Petticoat images and CupCakes sitting on my desk after making my challenges so decied to use them up on a few cards. The colours are actually prettier than they've scanned - pretty baby pinks and yummy chocolate. Who said you cant have your cake and 'eat' it?

TILDA CHALLENGE

The challenge is a sketch one and here is my card.

PAPERTAKE AND ARTY GIRLZ

I've combined both the Papertake and Arty Girlz challenges this week. The Papertake challenge was a sketch and the Arty Girlz was chocolate plus one other colour (and white). I've used one of my Pink Petticoat images and backing papers and added a stamped cup cake to embellish.

Sunday Stampers Challenge Week 9/again

tidying my desk this morning I came across the party hat amongst some papers I had been cutting out. As I already had some HouseMouse images ready to make into cards I just had to pop the hat onto little Monica and make another Parteeeee Hat page. Some things are just meant to happen.

My first Candle

This is a technique I've wanted to try all week since finding the tutorial on one of my Stamping Sisters' blogs. It has so many possibilities and I now need to go out and get a supply of plain candles ready to 'stamp'. Thank you Maria for introducing me to this.

xx

Another Award

one of my new sisters has sent me an award, thank you so much Tonya, its very much appreciated. I am going to pass the award on to some more of my new sisters so I pass it on to

Ann - Beckie - Becky - Tracey - Claireabelle

and a big thank you to Claire for award me back. xx

Sunday Stampers Challenge Week 9

This week's challenge has been set by the birthday girl - LindaE - hope you are having a great birthday Linda. The challenge is parteeeeee hat and as I love this hatitude stamp so much I decided just to decoupage it and jazz it up a bit to make it into a parteeeeee hat.

My Paper World Challenge 7

As I am reliably informed I will need a baby boy card any day now I decided to use this challenge's sketch for my card. I even made a co-ordinating gift card to go with it.

Arte Y Pico (Arte & More Award)

Wow a big thank you to my sistah and friend Maria at http://mariascards.blogspot.com/ for giving me this award and I am delighted now to pass it on to 5 deserving peeps.

and a big thank you to another of my sistahs, Becky, for giving me this award too.



The rules!

1) You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also contributes to the blogging community, no matter what language.

2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.

4) Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of "Arte y Pico" blog , so everyone will know the origin of this award.

5) To show these rules.



So the people I am passing it on are



Jackie - http://wackystampheaven.blogspot.com/

Claire - http://clairebsd.blogspot.com/

Fae - http://faeryscrapper.typepad.com/

Fifi - http://madebyfifi.blogspot.com/

Rima - http://rimasstuff.blogspot.com/

MY TIME TO CRAFT CHALLENGE

Another new challenge I've tried this week - yes I am fast becoming addicted - is the My Time to Craft Challenge of 'Quotes & Sayings'. I decided to go for a pair of moos with two of my favourite sayings. The little cards were covered in K and Co papers and then stamped and embossed in bronze powder. Small squares of covered board were added to the backs and stamped with little flowers. The two moos were joined together with a small brass ring addorned with knotted ribbons.

Sweet Sugar Challenge

The challenge this time is Easter and here is mine. Hope you like it, it was fun to make.

Playing with New Stamps

I've been playing with some of my new stamps that have just arrived from the US. The Thomas Kinkade (bottom left) doesn't show up really well in the scan but is actually a really nice stamp and I love the bird in his cage. Will try to get time to play with more over the weekend.

Paper Take Challenge - Weather

The Paper Take Weekly Challenge is weather and as I had just finished this fat book page for a Paper Dolls challenge I thought it would fit the bill for Paper Take too. It's my new House Mouse stamp and I have added 3d embossing to the rain drops - which doesn't show up in the scan. I am quite pleased with this one.

Sunday Stampers Challenge Week 8

The challenge set for the Sunday Stampers this week was 'Ladeeeeeees' so I decided to stamp 2. I coloured some white card using Distress Inks in Faded Jeans and Weathered Wood, then coloured over with VersaMagic Chalk Ink in Turquoise Gem. A light spritzing with Tattered Angels Gold and my backgrounds were completed. I stamped a Dimension Forth 1920s lady on both pieces using Onyx Black Versafine and added a few touches of H2O's for highlights. I rubbed a little Gold Leaf rub'n'buff (am addicted to it at the moment) round the edges of the cards. I then punched 3 holes down the inner edges of both pieces and laced them together using navy blue satin ribbon. Two more holes in the top corners with the same ribbon knotted through finished off the effect. I then stamped the words SASSY and LETS DO LUNCH on the corner of each piece and my project was finished. I hope you like it as much I enjoyed making it.

TABBED JOURNAL

The blank Tabbed Journal came from Beyond The Page and was made of heavy duty wood board, a real pleasure to work with.

I started by covering both sides of each page with paper from PaperHeartStudio's Espresso Collection - my colour theme for the book was now set. I then rubbed Gold Leaf rub'n'buff around the edges of each page. The scroll on the front cover and the journal tab are Grungeboard from Tim Holtz again using the rub'n'buff and the gold accents were cut from some gold paisley card. Teal and burgundy coloured fibres and ribons were knotted onto each book ring.

The other three boards were wrapped with ribbon from DCWV Once Upon a Time Prince range and I used my Hero Arts 'Meanings' stamps to put a message on each board - Love, Create & Memories.

I added a pocket to the back of each of these boards using a range from K & Co . A few butterflies and scrolls and a coloured Grungeboard key completing these.
On the tabs on the front side of the boards I added chipboard letters which had been coloured with the rub'n'buff and spelling out 'l o v e' on the back I repeated this but spelling out 'l i v e '

All that remained was to spell out my name in chipboard and add a couple of hearts. My journal is now complete. I've added blank white pages so it is ready to use, but what do I use it for? I think the plan will be to scrapbook special photos on some pages and to journal special memories on others, then I have the 3 little pockets to add something extra special to - I'll be keeping this journal on my bedside table.

A Second Bucket

The first bucket was so much fun to make I simply had to do another one. I wanted this one to be particularly girlie as it is for my d-i-l who loves pretty pretty things. So I used Papermania Sassy Poodle rub-ons and lots of pretty ribbons. A few chiffon and crystal flowers and a tag completed the 'look' Now all I have to do is fill it with some pretty pink shredded paper and add some yummy choccies. I have another 3 buckets sitting on my desk so you may well be seeing more.

Altered Bucket/Pail

While shopping in Sainsbury's this morning I found these cute little childrens' buckets/pails. Made in metal and standing about 6" tall they were just asking to be 'altered'. So I bought a green and a pink one and came home and set to work. Guess who is going back next week for some more - at just 99p each they will make fab little carriers for all sorts of pressies.

I decided to alter the green one first - mainly because I had everything I needed - it's amazing what bits and pieces you find when you start rummaging through your craft stash. I used a few rub ons I had left over from last spring for decorating the body of the pail. Then I used my crop-o-dile to punch four holes around the top - cro-o-diles make my life so much easier. I knotted different green and yellow ribbons through the holes.

I then knotted some ribbons round the handle, added a daffodil pin that my husband brought home last week from one of the charities that sell pins for a pound in the supermarkets. Finally added a plastic sun that had come on flowers I'd received at Mothers Day and my pail was finished just waiting to be filled. Not sure what I am going to use this one for but I will think of something, meanwhile it can sit on my windowsill and cheer me up. I need to but some pink and chocolate coloured ribbons and rub ons for the pink pail which I plan of filling with choccies for my d-i-l.

My Paper World Challenge

I decided to enter the My Paper World challenge as you are only limited to the layout design and can then do your own thing.

So I have used my Sugar Nellie stamp 'Hamish in Kilt' and some Scottie dog punchies. All I needed then were a 3 little stampds from the See D's Dog Lover collection. I matted and layered using shiney black paper and papers from Papermanias Cool Tones Collection. I'm just hoping now that it was ok to turn the layout round the other way - oops.

Sweet Sugar Challenge

I've decided to stretch my crafting a little by joining in some of the fab challenges that are around now. As an ardent fan of Sugar Nellies the Sweet Sugar challenge seemed the perfect place to start, plus I needed to make a card for a friend and the current challenge ticked all the right boxes for what I needed so here's my card.

I used a sheet from Papermanias Black and White Colossal Paper Pack, tinted some of the flowers using my beloved H2o's, stamped Nellie with her shopping bag on to white card and painted her with more H2o's. I then mounted her on to black glossy paper and bright pink metallic card, adding a couple of pale pink ribbon knots. A strip of pink ribbon down the side was then decorated with a heart card from the bright pink metallic card, a couple of paper roses and a birthday greeting. My card was finished.

Sunday Stampers Challenge Week 7

The theme for this week's Sunday Stampers challenge is Oriental - one of my faves. After a bit of head scratching I decided to 'alter' a jigsaw set. I painted the jigsaw pieces using Adirondack Dabber in Hazelnut.

I used a Whispers brush pen in dark blue to tint the edges of the pieces and to ink my stamps. I then stamped both sides of each piece using whole or part images from Woodware's "Oriental Ladies' collection".

All I had to do now was to thread some beads, bells and charms onto gold thread and add these together with a cream silk tassel to the book ring and my project was complete.

However I had stored away in the back of my brain (usually never to be seen again) the idea of making some Moos and Skinnies and decided to make a set of four Moos using the same set of stamps and here is the result.

I started cutting my 4 pieces out from an old beer mat. I covered one side of each using a sheet from an Art & Crafts Direct Oriental Bloc's, making sure that when they were set out the design matched. I cut out the pieces and then covered the other sides using a different sheet from the same block. I had to make sure that the backing papers matched when the pieces were turned over and this time I didn't cut the pieces out yet as I realised they would be easier to stamp a matching design in one sheet. I then stamped out my 'scene' using the Woodware Oriental Ladies stamps again using black StazOn.

I turned the whole thing over and stamped a different scene on the other side. I then cut my tiles out and inked the edges using a VersaMagic Chalk Ink in Jumbo Java. All that was left to do was add two small pieces of red ribbon and two coin charms. Another project completed and a happy crafter here. I will definately be making more Moo sets, they are fun.

March Tag Swap

The Theme for Hels March Tag Swap is flowers, so here are my 3 tags. I stamped my flower images and embossed with clear embossing powder. I then tinted the tags using acrylic paints revealing the stamped images. I stamped the sayings direct on to the tags and on to small tags. I overlaid the tops of the main tags using cream hammered card.

Using my cro-o-dile I punched holes into either side of the top of the main tags and in to the centre of each smaller tag. Contrasting satin ribbon was threaded through the tops of main tags and tied on to the smaller tags. The smaller tags were tucked into the ribbons on the top of the main tags. The backs were stamped with the floral images.

First basket

I decided to have a little play with the new Creative Expression basket stamp. You can make a basket, a bell or a fan with this stamp but I thought I'd go for the basket first. It was a lot easier to make than I expected although I did pick up on a couple of things I'd want to change next time I make one. I haven't seen these demonstrated as yet but hope C & C will show them soon to give me more inspiration. For now though it kept me amused for an hour or so.

TAGGED

Thanks Hels and Claireabelle for tagging me!

1) What were you doing ten years ago? recovering from a serious road accident and not much else.

2) What were you doing a year ago? Getting over the shock of having 2 grandchildren and protesting that I would never be a rubber stamper (it just wasn't my scene) and now look at me totally addicted. Weighing a lot more than I do now.

3) Name your 5 favourite snacks! Cheese, chocolate, apples, bread sticks and even more cheese.

4) Name 5 things you would do if you were a millionaire! Give some to charity. Give my kids enough to move into a bigger house each. Expand my craft room stash. Buy a whole load of rubber stamps and give them away to my friends. Have a family holiday.

5) Name 5 things you like doing! Ironing (I know, but it gets even sadder in a minute), crafting, walking the dog, playing with my grandchildren, housework (cant say I didn't warn you!!)

6) Name 5 things you will never wear again! Bikini, size 16/18 clothes, shorts, track suit, mini dress.

7) Name your 5 favourite things! well the first isn't a thing it's a person - Neil Diamond, my westie, my cd collection, my books, my craft stash.

I now have to tag 5 more bloggers!! So here they are!

Jackie, Heidi, Joana, AnnR & Sue.

TILDA/SUGAR NELLIE FAT BOOK PAGES

after taking a break from fat book lists I couldn't resist joining the Tilda/Sugar Nellie list that Lesley is running on Craft Swap Forum. I adore these stamps and it has been a real joy making my pages and receiving pages from the girls on the list. Now I am looking forward to the House Mouse list which is being announced soon. But for now here are my pages that I will be sending out to the peeps on the list. Hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them.

dont you just love Maggie in her dressing up clothes, brings back memories from our childhoods.

I love all of these 3 Nellie stamps, they are just so pretty.

doesn't Hamish look cute in his little kilt, I had to add a couple of Westies to keep him company.

Tilda is desperately hoping her frog will turn into a prince.

Maggies looks so cute in her spotty scarf.

Sisterhood14

I am pleased to have joined the sisterhood - I always wanted a sister and now I am going to have 19 - happy days. Some of you from this side of the pond I already know and I look forward to getting to know you all. I love all types of crafting but I guess paper crafting is my biggest love. But I do also knit, crochet, cross-stitch and make lace, in fact I'll try anything.

Now off to visit all of your blogs and be nosey.

Take care sisters and happy crafting.

xx

I have really neglected my blog this week, have been trying to catch up on some basic craft jobs plus seem to have misplaced my mojo. But I promise to try harder next week. I have actually managed to almost complete the Tilda/Sugar Nellie fat book list though so will get those scanned in and on the blog next week. I suppose not having a heat gun all week hasn't helped my lack of crafting. But the new one arrived this morning together with one of the new treasure box stamps - the ones to make bells, baskets and fans. Will try to get round to playing with that after the weekend.

So as I dont have any other photos for your pleasure I have added one taken today of my beautiful little Mya.