From the back of beyond!

Well it might as well be!!! It's taken us since Saturday to get a strong enough signal to be able to access me blog. We are on holiday in a little place called Dinas Dinlle near Caernarfon, Wales.
So if you're wondering that I've been abducted by aliens......nah, just can't get a decent reception for long enough to post much.
Harvey loves the beach as usual, hates the sea...as usual! LOL
Can't even put a picture up as the signal is too weak.

Hope you're missing me just a little! I will be back in business on Saturday or Sunday.

Ta ta for now!!! Viv xxx

A new SAS Project Tuesday!!

Hi everyone!

Stamps and Smiles has a brand new spot called Project Tuesday.

As the name suggests, every Tuesday there will be a new project for us all to try out.

The first one is a double pocket bag.

Here's my take on it........

Would you like to join the project team?

Participate in the challenges in April & you will have the chance to be on the Project Tuesday Design Team. Three lucky crafters will be picked and announced on May 12th.

Each designer will get their choice of a FREE Stamps and Smiles stamp set!!

So get on over to the Project Tuesday blog for all the details.

Good luck!!

Blog Layouts!!

What do you think of my new layout?
I was visiting one of my favourite bloggers, ILA and saw her gorgeous background.
Asked her for the info and she generously gave me the link to this site.......... Cute Blog Layouts.
The site owner, Ingrid, is a very talented lady who makes layouts, freely given, in return for crediting her with them and displaying her banner on your blog.
She has so many pretty layouts, I will probably change this one later and try another.
Give her a visit and see for yourself.

Happy blogging!!!!

Copic Colour Challenge #9

In between bouts of washing and ironing, ready for our trip to the seaside with Harvey, I managed to make this card for the Copic Colour Challenge No. 9

You have to use one or all of these Copic colours....G99, YR07 and R59, somewhere on your card.

If you don't have the exact colours, then you use the nearest to them.

Now I like to be a bit strict with myself on these colour challenges, so my card contains only those three colours, nothing else.

Recipe

Bazzil CS

Prima flowers (coloured to match)

Poppy stamp from Dimension Fourth

DP from a huge pad got from QVC. Sorry no idea of the name.

SU grosgrain ribbon

SU Top Note die

Black brads for the center of the flowers.

(I blended the YR07 and the R59 together for the colour of the flowers).

Thanks for dropping by, I love to 'see' you.

I love it when you leave a comment too. ;0)

Viv xxx

Stamps and Smiles challenge #11

How the week has flown since the last SAS challenge!

Before we start, I'd like to congratulate Sonia Kertnus on winning the goody-bag last week!
Well done Sonia!!

Recipe for my sample this week.
'Cuppy Love'
Bazzil CS
SU ribbon
Copic markers
Nestabilities
Die -cut sentiment from Craftwork Cards
Hearts from my bling stash.
Flowers are from my .....yep! flower stash.

There is a NEW sketch every Thursday .
To play along, just post your sample to your blog or gallery, and then include a link in the Mr. Linky form at the bottom of the posts in the Fresh Batch blog, so we can all easily find you.

There is no time limit on our challenge, so please play along whenever you are able!! If you upload to SCS, please include “SASSC11" in the keywords. Stamps and Smiles stamps are not necessary for our challenges, just use whatever takes your fancy and have fun with our sketch!
Each week, one lucky participant will win a special Stamps and Smiles goodie bag. The winner will be announced the following week.
Check out this week’s amazing samples from The Fresh Batch.


This card also qualifies for entry in this weeks challenge in the Stamp With Us challenge blog and Colour Create Challenge.

(You have to have something from Stampin' Up)!
Mine is the wide grosgrain ribbon. ;0)

Thanks for visiting, I really do appreciate it.

XXX

A new day, a new challenge...

A closer view of the skin tone

Ha Ha!! Late as usual!!

I did this, this morning, for the Copic Creations, challenge number 1.

All set to send me link then saw the end date. Doh!

LUCKILY fer me, challenge number 2 is about colouring /blending jeans. Phew!!

So I get to enter it anyway! LOL

I was that pleased with the skin tone, I've enlarged the image to show it off a bit more.

Did I do it OK? I know I'M pleased with it, doesn't make it a work of art that though, does it!

I know I need to work on black hair more though. Not too impressed with this one's hair.

Thanks for stopping by! Love to 'see' you. Please stop by again tomorrow, there'll be another Stamps and Smiles challenge for you to play with.

Two challenges for the price of one!

Happy Easter Monday Everyone!! Hope your holiday has been brilliant.

I combined two challenges for this card. Simon Says Stamp, You have to make a card using the colours, yellow and green. (It doesn't have to just be those two colours, just as long as they are in the design somewhere. I like to stick to the rule a bit rigidly though, as I think it's more of a challenge then) and Our Creative corner's latest sketch challenge.

Now I've had my daily card fix, I'd better stir me stumps and get something done! (Might make another later).

Have a wonderful Easter monday and thanks for dropping by. Viv xx

Owl luv you!

I was up early as usual with the pain in my shoulder and arm, so, to take my mind of it, I did the only sensible thing! Took some pain-killers and made a card..............



Isn't this a cute image? It's called 'True Love' and the name on the side of the stamp says 'Hobby Arts'.
I coloured the love -owls, (can't really call 'em love -birds, or can I LOL)! with Copics.
The DP is from SU and the CS is Bazzil Basics.
I 'blushed' the image with SU's Bashful Blue. Ribbon from my stash and the sentiment was done on my PC.
I can't in all honesty say that I love the colours of the owls, so look out for more as I'll be practicing with these 'till I'm happy with the colours.

Hope you're all having a Happy Easter!! Viv xx

Copic colour challenge #8

Just the ticket this. Got all me new Copics and now somewhere to play with them!
Copic Colour Challenge duz what it says on the tin and I'm up for it! Brave aren't I! LOL
Here's my card for Challenge #8.
I used only the three colours stated and used the blender pen to get the various tones.



The stamped image was taken from my friend Pauline's SU set.
Don't know the name. Pauline will tell me.
(Gotta get me this set, it's SO good for men's cards).

If you look carefully at my sample for the Stamps and Smiles challenge below this post, you'll see that I followed the Copic Colour Challenge #7.

Thanks for visiting. It makes my day! Viv xxx

Stamps and Smiles Challenge #10

I can't believe how quickly this week has gone! One week ago today, I was dialling 999 as Alan was experiencing the symptoms of a heart attack and here we are, a week later!

(Alan is home and apparently didn't have a heart attack, could've been a clot in his heart, don't know yet).

Anyway, onwards and upwards as they say......

The Thursday Challenge has now got a home of it's own!

We have moved to a NEW link on the Stamps and Smiles blog.

It's called 'The Fresh Batch'. Just click on the tabs on the banner and they will always take you to all our links.

Play along with us each week for a chance to win an exclusive Stamps and Smiles goodie bag, PLUS a chance to Guest Design with the Stamps and Smiles Design Team!!

STOP PRESS!! Just one more week to claim your 15% discount on all the Easter stamps in the Stamps and Smiles store! Offer ends midnight 12th April U.S. time, (6am Monday 13th for the UK).

Quote code..SAS09VH

We also have a NEW challenge that will be starting next week, called "Project Tuesday".

Each Tuesday, a NEW project, along with samples, will be posted.

We warmly invite you to play along.

Please include the code SASSC10 if you upload to SCS.

Here's this weeks gorgeous sketch.

(Drawn by our own Queen of the sketches, Mercy Kerin).

Here's my sample.

I coloured Cuppy with Copics and shaded my fabulous Top Note die (thank you Jennifer), with Tim Holtz Tattered Rose, using that wooden thingy I can never remember the name of. Mostly SU papers, but the spotted one is from the Making Memories 'Cosmo Pink' collection.

The CS is Bazzil.

I doubled this one up to meet the criteria for the Copic Colour Challenge, but I've missed the boat on that one. Typical me that! LOL

I hope you'll join us in the challenge, I love to see what you've made with the sketch.

Thanks for visiting. Viv xxx

Shiny Apples

I made this after seeing Crystal's sample for Stamps and Smiles sketch challenge.

I just loved the colours she used and decided to 'have a go' as they aren't colours I usually put together.

I omitted the So Saffron colour, purely because I got carried away and forgot.

(Count the sun-rays on the box's label as the So Saffron)! LOL

I used the Fiskar's Threading Water border punch to add a little bit of an accent.

A Nestie scalloped circle behind a Leone EM Hollyhock punch-out behind a 1" circle punch-out, makes up the greeting.

The DP is SU DSP in Bashful Blue. (Not that you can see a lot of it). LOL

LOVE that turquoise CS. I coloured the stamped image with Copics and 'polished' the apples with Glossy Accents.

Well... Thanks must go to Crystal for her inspiration and to Jennifer for sourcing the Top Note Die for me, not to mention the ego boost she always gives me! ;0)

Thanks for stopping by, I love your visits. Viv xxx

Thursday SAS Challenge and a minor crisis and an extra clock!

Every Thursday we have a NEW sketch on the SAS Challenge Blog.

Here's this weeks lovely sketch drawn by the very talented Mercy Kerin.

To play along, just post your sample to your blog or gallery, and then include a link in the Mr. Linky form at the bottom of the ‘Fresh batch’ samples, so we can easily find you. There is no time limit to our challenges, so please play along whenever you have the chance. (If you upload to SCS, please include “SASSC9” in the keywords). You don't need to have Stamps and Smiles stamps for our challenges. Get your favourite stamps & supplies and play. Each week, one lucky participant will win a special SAS goodie bag. The winner will be announced the following week.

Here’s my sample.

I’m afraid it’s a bit hurried as Hubby was rushed into hospital yesterday morning with a suspected heart attack and I was there all day.

(yesterday was when I planned to make my card)! I managed to make this at 5am this morning! (He’s OK by the way)! Blood test has come back negative.

They just have to get to the bottom of his irregular heartbeat now.

Don't forget!!! You have until the 12th.... that's next Sunday, to claim your 15% discount on the Easter range of Stamps from the Stamps and Smiles Store!

You need to quote code SAS09VH to get your discount.

Please check out the samples from the other Fresh Batch team members too.

Jennifer Meyer (Owner)

Cindy Haffner
Lori Boyd

Mercy Kerin

Pam Varnell

Suzy Tyler (DT Co-ordinator)

Julie Lacey

Crystal Birr

The extra clock is for me, so I know what time it is, in (most of) the US. LOL

Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment, I LOVE 'em!

XXX