Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #179 - Back to School / Starting School

It's time for a new challenge over at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge - and the theme this week is Back to School or Starting School.

There are two prizes up for grabs this week, so pop on over to http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ and join in: 
The Paper Shelter - $20 gift certificate
Digital Delights - $5 gift certificate

I am adding this to the following:  

Just B Creative Crazy - May Linky Party
 
Materials Used:
The Paper Shelter - Cheerleader digi
Copics - E000, E00, E01, E02, E11, E15, E18, E40, R81, R83, R84, YG63, YG67, C2
LOTV - Nitwit Collections - Bonnets & Bow Ties paper pad
Spellbinders - classic circles, matting basics A and B
Die-Namics - fishtail flag stax

1 Month No Craft Spend Challenge - Day 9

Its day 9 and I caved yesterday, yes I know I know... but I just couldn't resist...

Create & Craft had the gorgeous new Crafters Companion Halcyon Days CD and an exclusive card kit on a weekend offer, and I didn't want to miss out on that - which means 1 parcel, and I have spent £21 (which includes P&P), I guess it could have been worse! :-)
 
So you know what that means - yep, draw the line, and I have to be even stronger for the next 3.5 weeks!  Will keep you posted!

Mandy x

Lacy Sunshine #34 - Dies and/or Punches

Its time for a new challenge over at Lacy Sunshine, and for this challenge the theme is Dies and/or Punches, so please pop on over to Lacy Sunshine and join in the fun for the random draw  - there will be 2 winners: 1st prize - 5 digi images, 2nd prize - 3 digi images of choice from the Lacy Sunshine Crafters Candy Shoppe.

We have a super cute Challenge Digi for you - Myrtle Diamond in the Rough which you can get for a special discounted price of $2.00 for the duration of the challenge from the Lacy Sunshine Crafters Candy Shoppe.  Read all about our loyalty program on the challenge blog, as you could receive a free image every new challenge!

I am adding this to the following:
Just Keep On Creating - Anything Goes - May Link Up
Just B Creative Crazy - May Linky Party

Materials Used:
Lacu Sunshine - Rory Time to Colour digi
Copics - E000, E00, E01, E02, E40, E42, E44, E47, V12, V15, V17, C3, C5, R27, R81, R83, R85, Y35, YR68, BG000, BG01, BG02, BG05, BG07, B91, B93, B95, B97
La La Land - banner die
Memory Box - Hello die
Hunkydory - 7" x 5" white card blank

1 Month No Craft Spend Challenge - Day 6

So here we are on day 6... How is is going I hear you ask - well, I have to say surprisingly ok!  There have definitely been a few crafty goodies that I have seen / thought about that I would have normally purchased - and also some that I could have bought on impulse, with an "I must have that" or and !I need that" in my head.

There are a couple of things that I feel slightly pained about not buying:
- The Scottish stamp set by Visible Image available exclusively from The Paperterie.  I had meant to buy this a week or so ago, but you can't order online and have to phone, which I kept forgetting to do!  So this purchase needs to wait until after the 17th June, so I hope they will have some left!
- The Party Divas CD set by Debbi Moore, available on offer on Create & Craft - am sure by the time the 18th June comes it will be back to full price :-(

Then I know that Crafters Companion are launching their new Halcyon Days range on Create & Craft tomorrow, and from the sneeky peeks I have seen so far on Facebook I will definitely want that CD!  Ah well, all good things come to those who wait...

The rest, I am quite pleased about not getting, as I would probably have received it, put it with the rest of my stash and not have time to use it for a while!  I'm keeping a list of all the things I could have / might have bought - not sure I am brave enough to share that with you yet! LOL!

There there is the list of things I do want to buy next pay day.  So far that is the Scottish stamp set and the Halcyon Days CD - not too bad... :-)

Mandy x

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #178 - Spots and/or Stripes

It's time for a new challenge over at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge - and the theme this week is Spots and/or Stripes! 

There are two prizes up for grabs this week, so pop on over to http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ and join in: 
StampArt Design - 5 digi images
Dee Dee's Digis - 3 digi images

I am adding this to the following: 
Just Keep On Creating - Anything Goes - May Link Up 
Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes 
Just B Creative Crazy - May Linky Party
 

Materials Used:

Dee Dee's Digis - Congratulations Graduate digi set
Copics - C3, C5, C7, C9, YR21, YR23, YR24

Kraftyhands - Miranda & Mo CD (patterned papers)

Spellbinder - classic circles

Crafters Companion - black card

Hunkydory - A6 white card blank

Scruffy Little Cat - Chanel

Well thank goodness the gorgeous Scruffy Little Cat craft range came out before I started my "1 Month No Craft Spend Challenge! LOL! (Day 2, and all is well so far, though I could have easily bought a few bits n bobs... but more of that in a couple of days!)  Meanwhile I had a bit of time yesterday to craft, and decided to use one of my new stamp sets.  Its been a while since I did any "real" stamping as I tend to use digi stamps these days, but out came my black Momento ink pad and stamp blocks, teamed up with my Copics and here is the result!

Looking at the eyelashes in the close up photo I think maybe I should have added some black to them, or perhaps a bit of glitter?  Yes, I think glitter for the next - and I may even bling this one up later!

I am adding this card to the following:
Just Keep On Creating - Anything Goes - May Link Up
Just B Creative Crazy - May Linky Party
Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Sir Stampalot Challenge - May - Anything Goes 

Materials Used:
Crafters Companion - Scruffy Little Cat Chanel rubber stamp set
Copics - E000, E00, E01, E02, E40, E42, E44, E47, B93, B95, B97, R81, R83, R85
Hunkydory - Eastern Promise paper pad, white card blank
Spellbinder - Asian accents
Core'Dinations - pink card

1 Month No Craft Spend Challenge - Day 1!

Hi Folks!  I thought I would share with you a new challenge I set myself today - a month with out spending any money on craft stuff!  If you are like me, then you "need" all the latest stuff, but already have a huge stash at home, don't have the time to use it all and have little or no room left for more!  So, seeing yet another parcel arrive last week, my other half challenged me to go 2 weeks without buying any craft stuff - now I am not one to make these things easy, so I've decided to set myself the challenge for a month - from pay day to pay day!  So today is Day 1!

What will be my reward I hear you say!  A huge crafty spend up? LOL!  No, that is not my intention!  My reward will be the satisfaction of getting creative with more of the goodies that I already have (and in some cases probably forgotten about!) and some money in the bank at the end of the month!

I'm going to make a list of all the things I would have been tempted to buy during the month to see what I might have spent - now that could be quite scary!  But I'm hoping it will show how much I buy on impulse, and how much that I don't really need it all!

So wish me luck!  I'll be reporting back on how I am getting on every few days - and lets  hope there is nothing mega exciting that is new between now and the 17th June!

Mandy x

Oranges & Lemons....

...say the Bells of St Clement's. There is an interesting story behind this old rhyme, but I'm happy to say that this post features a card with a much happier view of life!  Now I have to admit that oranges and yellows are not colours I would automatically go to when I am choosing colours for cards, but I decided I would try something a bit different and join in the Graph'It Oranges & Lemons Colouring Challenge and ended up being very happy with the result!

I am adding this to the following:
Just Keep On Creating - Anything Goes - May Link Up
Just B Creative Crazy - May Linky Party
Graph'It Markers Colour Challenge - Wk 20 Oranges & Lemons
Polkdaoodles - Wk 20 Things With Wings 

Materials Used:
Polkadoodles - Dolly Daydream Goes East CD (butterfly and sentiment)
Graph'It - 1140, 1150, 1180, 2110, 2150, 2180
Anna Griffin - orange patterned card
Crafters Companion - black card
Hunkydory - 7" x 7" white card blank
Hole punch, embossing tool and mat - to make the "dotz"

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #177 - Anything Goes

It's time for a new challenge over at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge - and the theme this week is one of our favourites - anything goes!
 
There is one prize up for grabs this week from the fabulous Heather Valentin at Lacy Sunshine, so pop on over to http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ and join in: 
Lacy Sunshine - 3 digi images

I am adding this to the following:
Just Keep On Creating - Anything Goes - May Link Up
Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Just B Creative Crazy - May Linky Party

 

Materials Used:

Lacy Sunshine - Emily's Kimono

Copics - E000, E00, E01, E02, E40, E42, E44, E47, R32, R35, B91, B93, B95, B97, B99

Hunkydory - Eastern Promise paper pad, white 8" x 8" card blank

Bazzil - blue, beige and brown bling cardstock

Beer Monster

Hi!  Today I thought I would share a card I made at the weekend using this fun Beer Monster digi from Pollycraft.  I was having a bit of a play and practice with my Graph'Its, and I'm quite liking the greens at the moment - I've had some good results with the lovely reds, so will have to practice more with other colours!

I am adding this to the following:  
Just Keep On Creating - Anything Goes - May Link Up  
Just B Creative Crazy - May Linky Party

Materials Used:
Pollycraft - Beer Monster digi
Graph'Its - 4115, 1250, 2015, 8110, 8220, 8250, white Shake'It pen
Copics - B000 to outline the image
Hunkdory - Boys 'n' Men paper pad, white square card blank
My Craft Studio - crystal glitter
Core'Dinations - green card
Hole punch, embossing tool and mat - to make the "dotz"

Lacy Sunshine #33 - Anything Goes

Its time for a new challenge over at Lacy Sunshine, and for this challenge the theme is Anything Goes! Please pop on over to Lacy Sunshine and join in the fun for the random draw  - there will be 2 winners: 1st prize - 5 digi images, 2nd prize - 3 digi images of choice from the Lacy Sunshine Crafters Candy Shoppe.

We have a gorgeous Challenge Digi for you - Olivia's Secret WIndow which you can get for a special discounted price of $2.00 for the duration of the challenge from the Lacy Sunshine Crafters Candy Shoppe.  Read all about our loyalty program on the challenge blog, as you could receive a free image every new challenge!

I am adding this to the following: 
Just Keep On Creating - Anything Goes - May Link Up 
Just B Creative Crazy - May Linky Party

Materials Used:
Lacy Sunshine - Eleanor Lady Liberty and Pickles Flying Ace
Copics - E000, E00, E01, E02, E40, E42, E44, E47, C1, C3, BG70, BG72, BG75, BG78
Serif Craft Artist Professional to make the background

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #176 - 2 or More Patterned Papers

It's time for a new challenge over at Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge - and the theme this week is to use 2 or more patterned papers, so get that paper stash out and have some fun!

There are two prizes up for grabs this week, so pop on over to http://pennyschallenges.blogspot.co.uk/ and join in: 
Bugaboo Stamps - 7 digi images
QKR Stampede - 5 digi images

I am adding this to the following:
Just Keep On Creating - Anything Goes - May Link Up
Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Just B Creative Crazy - May Linky Party

Materials Used:

Bugaboo Stamps - Ruby Calendar months, May

Copics - B00, R83, R85, YG13, YR20, YR21, YR23, YR24, V05, V06, V09, E000, E00, E01, E02, E40, E42, E44, E47

Hunkydory - Floral Fantasia paper pad, 5" x 7" white card blank
Hole punch, embossing tool and mat - to make the "dotz"

Kraftyhands May Challenge - Anything Goes

Morning!  Today's card uses elements from the super cute What A Hoot CD from Kraftyhands, for the new challenge which launches today over at the Kraftyhands Challenge Blog! This month its anything goes - so pop on over to join us in the fun for the challenge and share your projects with us!

I am adding this to the following:
Just Keep On Creating - Anything Goes - May Link Up
Through The Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

Materials Used:
Kraftyhands - What A Hoot CD
Brother Scan N Cut - to cut out all elements
Hunkydory - white square card blank