Monday 29 November 2010

My weekend wedding pictures



If you visit my blog regularly, you will know that I spent this weekend in Somerset at my cousin's wedding.  I thought that I'd share a few photos with you...  Here she is with her new husband.  If you saw my CYDA wedding card on Saturday, it was for this wedding.

Fortunately the snow kept away, apart from a few light flurries and the 100 mile drive went without problems (even though I was driving, LOL!).  The day was bitterly cold and frosty but it did not spoil a wonderful day for us.  My youngest son was so proud to be asked to be their Page Boy and looked so smart in his wedding outfit (although I think his teeth were chattering a little bit on this photo!).


Here's me at the reception - taken by my OH, which explains why it is out of focus!  However, this photo isn't about me, it is about my fuschia pink Butler and Wilson beaded and embroidered handbag!!!  I think that this probably is my most favourite handbag that I own (at the moment) and, yes, I am known as a bit of a Bag Lady!  I often buy outfits to match my bags and dress to match the bag I want to use, rather than the other way round.


Me and my cousin, we are both "only children" so she is a very special person to me:


Little one again - he just loves to have his photo taken ....


.... and blowing bubbles while waiting for his meal.


And I guess that this one of me was when I had enjoyed a glass or two of the wine, after having the most wonderful food ever!


I have just about managed to thaw out now but it is -5 here at the moment.  I really don't like this cold weather so early on in the winter although we are much better off than the north of England who have some really bad snow at the moment.

Pop back soon for some more card pictures!

Amanda

Sunday 28 November 2010

OSAAT Challenge #41


I've just arrived home from my short break in Somerset.  On the way there I realised that I hadn't scheduled this post, so its a little bit later than planned.

Anyway, we have another lovely challenge for you over at One Stitch at a Time.  This week we challenge you to make something on the theme:

Celebrate in Style and Bling it Up!

Bling is a nice and easy one for me, I could cover everything in glitter.  I decided to go against what I normally do and not use an image this time.  I have used one of my neglected Sizzix dies to make this card and the bling I have used on the wing and flower is Icicle stickles which really sparkles.  The paper is a digi paper by Floppy Latte available in the Stitchy store.  I was really pleased with the quality of the print.

Another paper in the digi set is this great green polka dot paper that I've made into a tag with another one of my Sizzix dies.  The cute little candy cane is Fred by Didges Doodles also from the Stitchy store.


This week we have two brilliant prizes up for grabs. 

$10 CAD ( Canadian Funds ) to be spent at the Digi's With Attitude! Shop

And for our 2nd lucky winner, they will receive
Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps December Celebrations Collaboration

You must check out the December Celebrations Collaboration over at the store - a whole selection of amazing digis, including the set of papers the I have used (there are 5 in the set) - which is completely FREE when you spend $10 in the store during December.

So I can't wait to see how you bling up your creations over at our challenge this week!

Amanda

Saturday 27 November 2010

Craft Your Days Away Challenge #9


I hope that its not too cold where you are today!  I am freezing cold and I am going to a wedding later today and I'm sure that I will be completely frozen, considering my outfit is more suitable for summer than a cold November day!  On the TV they have re-named it Snow-vember and I certainly can't remember seeing snow before December for a very long time.

We have a lovely new challenge for you over at Craft Your Days Away and before I announce it, I want to say how lovely the entries were for the Christmas Trees challenge.  Pop over to the challenge blog to see if you are one of our lucky winners.

The challenge for the next two weeks has been set by our DT member Sarah and it is:

TEXTURE

So you can interpret that any way you like really with embossing/fabrics/papers, etc.  I have used a linen card, lace, paper doily, flowers, glitter and some distressing to add a variety of textures to my card.



For this challenge we are being sponsored by Simon Says Stamp who are offering a $10 voucher to a lucky winner to spend in their store.


The image I have used is by LOTV and is coloured with pro markers, with added stickles glitter.  The circle sentiment is a rubber stamp by Cat's Life Press, which will be useful for so many occasions.  The paper is from DCWV and I had the heart shaped doilies from the Hobbycraft show at the NEC.  All other bits are from my stash.

I am entering this card into the following challenges:

A Spoonful of Sugar - Anything Goes
For fun challenges- Anything Goes
Fab 'n' Funky - Anything Goes
Delicious Doodles - Celebration

 
So, pop on over to our newest challenge at Craft Your Days Away and join in with the fun!

Amanda

Tuesday 23 November 2010

Shelley and Dazie's Blog Candies

I've been a really Bad Blogger this week, haven't I?  I seriously do not have enough hours in the day and my diary is getting more and more packed as Christmas looms ever close.  I must get some cards made this week .... I really must!!!  I have a wedding, several birthdays and the remainder of my Christmas cards to make over the next couple of weeks.

Anyway, I thought I'd let you know that two of my team mates over at Craft Your Days Away have blog candy up for grabs.  First of all there's Shelley at One Stop Card Crafts.  Her is her blog candy, some lovely Petaloo  flowers and it closes on 1st December 2010.


Dazie also has some lovely candy over at Dazie Delights.  She has a wonderful collection of goodies including some fab new LOTV stamps!  Dazie's candy closes on 10th December 2010.  Here's a pic of her blog candy:



That's it for now, I'm off to catch up with what's been going on in Blog Land over the last few days!

Amanda

Tuesday 16 November 2010

Charity Crafter' Blog Candy


Please join Leigh (aka Charity Crafter) in her Blog Candy Giveaway.  She is giving away a large selection of goodies that have been donated as blog candy, in memory of one of her blogging buddies, Amanda Mary, who sadly passed away a few weeks ago.  See my sidebar for just one of the lovely items in the blog candy.

Leigh does a great deal of work for charity and raising awareness and is always in need of any unwanted crafty goodies to help her with her work. 

Please do pop by her blog and join in the blog candy fun which closes on 26th November 2010 - as it is for a worthwhile cause and in memory of  a fellow crafter/blogger.

Thank you so much,

Amanda

Sunday 14 November 2010

One Stitch at a Time challenge #39


There's a great new challenge over at One Stitch at a Time for this week.  It's a nice easy one for you this time ....


Use your favourite colours 

So anything goes for this challenge, as long as you've used your favourite colours! 

For this challenge we are being sponsored by Robyn who is offering one lucky person a $10 voucher to her new shop - Outlaw Women Scrapbook Emporium.  There's more info about her shop on the challenge blog.



I love purple and green as a colour combo for card making so that's what I chose for my colour scheme. 
The image I have used is the lovely Butterfly Love from Stitchy Bear Stamps available in the shop here.  It is a beautiful image and I really enjoyed making this card.  It has been coloured with pro markers (lime zest, orchid and a blender pen) and I've added just a tiny bit of glitter sparkle on the ends of the wings.   The swirls are a Sizzlits die and the butterfly punch is by Tonic.  The polka dot paper is from Dovecraft and the paper roses are from my ever-growing stash of craft goodies!


I am going to enter this card into thee following challenges:

Sweet Sketch Wednesday - I used their sketch
Little Red Wagon - Do it in 3's (3 Butterflies)
Sisterhood of Crafters - Birthday card
Something completely different - Wings

So, I can't wait to see what you make for our challenge and don't forget to have a look at the other DT blogs - they've come up with some great ideas for this challenge!

Thanks for stopping by,

Amanda

Saturday 13 November 2010

Craft Your Days Away Challenge #8


Hi Everyone, today we have another brilliant challenge over at Craft Your Days Away challenge blog. Before I tell you about that, I must say how fantastic the entries were to our "All White" Challenge, they really were superb!  Pop to the challenge blog to see if you are one of our winners.  So onto the challenge for the next two weeks, its another great one:


Christmas Trees 

Remember, we are a multi craft blog so it does not necessarily have to be a card. It could be a scrapbook page, a gift or anything else, as long as you've crafted it and there's a Christmas tree on it.

For this challenge we are being sponsored by Charmed Cards and Crafts. There's an amazing selection of goodies at the shop - they sell lovely Tilda stamps, Martha Stewart and  so much more; in fact they have over £16,000 of stock so I'm sure you'd find what you're looking for.  Also, they have a great Christmas Tree freebie, that some of our DT have used, available to download from here so now you have no excuses not to join in with the challenge!!! 



So, for my card, I have used one of my new Lili of the Valley stamps, which I've coloured with Pro Markers and added lots of Stickles glitter.  Christmas is always a great excuse for me to get the glitter out!  The paper is by DCWV and the flowers are a Marianne's die cut. 

TOP TIP: Don't buy lots of different ribbons because you never have the right shade anyway.  Invest in a reel of white satin ribbon - that's all you'll need.  My ribbon loops were made from white ribbon, coloured with Pear Green Pro Marker so that it is exactly the right shade to match my Christmas tree.

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Sketch and Stash - I've used their sketch.  My newest items are the rubber stamp and the die cut flowers.  My neglected item is the papers.
Secret Crafter - Sparkle and Shine - like I said, I love my glitter!
A Crafty Little Place - Red, white and green
ABC Challenge - H is for Holidays
Delightful Challenges - Glitter it up
Lili of the Valley - Anything goes

So, I can't wait to see what you make for our challenge and don't forget to have a look at the other DT blogs - they've come up with some great ideas for this challenge! Thanks for stopping by,

Amanda

Saturday 6 November 2010

Fab 'n' Funky Christmas


Sorry I haven't been around for a few days, spare time seems few and far between at the moment.  I spent yesterday at the Hobbycrafts Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham yesterday.  I had a purse full of pennies to spend when I got there as I've been putting a little bit aside for the show each month.  I only blew the budget by a relatively small amount (£50-ish) but I did get some lovely goodies to play with.  The only problem is, when I ask my other half "should I buy this one or should I buy that one?" he says "Buy them both" ... so I do!  Therefore I can blame him for my overspend!  

I managed to get this card finished yesterday after getting home from the show.  I used the colour scheme over at Fab 'n' Funky for the basis of the card (kraft, lime and pink).  The image and sentiment are from Pollycraft and the papers are DCWV.  I recycled a brown "take-away" paper bag for the kraft paper.  Don't worry, it had only had a salad baguette in there - so it doesn't smell of Chinese or Indian take away!!!  The image has been coloured with Pro Markers with a little glittering here and there.  The snowflake is a Sizzlits die and I've added a couple of bits of card candy.

  

I am going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Fab 'n' Funky - Colour scheme challenge
Sweet Sketch Wednesday - I used their sketch for the layout
I love pro markers - Snowflakes
Charisma Cards - With love @ Christmas
Totally Papercrafts - Tag it
Pollycraft - Its Chill Time
The Pixie Cottage - Recycle (brown paper bag)
Pattie's Creations - A Christmas card or creation

Thanks for looking - pop back again soon!

Amanda