Help! Take this blog candy off my hands please!

No card for you today, but a giveaway instead. You won't believe this, but I had a very enjoyable time last weekend tidying up. Of course, it was my craft room! There is very little that I enjoy more than rifling through all my stash! On the downside, I end up feeling very guilty about how much I haven't yet used - I bet you all know how that feels, huh?!!

Anyway, to the candy! To my dismay, I found no less than unused 8 Maya Road alphabet chipboard sets and several other brands too (including BasicGrey). I think I bought them in the sales a couple of years ago and since then I have bought Quickutz alphabet dies which are smaller in size so better suited to cardmaking.

If you want any of these sets, leave me a comment on this post and become a follower if you aren't already. The chipboard is also in different styles so let me know if you want "classic" or "modern". First come, first served basis. I will try to accommodate the style requested and will send one set to each of those leaving me a comment up to the point I run I out of sets (15 in total). And it doesn't matter where you are in the world - I will post anywhere as long as I know that it's going to a good home!

Hopefully I will have a card to share with you later this week. TTFN!

Bliss - time for crafting!

Some of you might think it crazy that I have been getting up at 6.30am just to do some crafting, but otherwise I'd never get to fit it in! This morning I made two cards in my quiet craft room with the (albeit weak) sun streaming in the window. Bliss!

The first card I am entering into two challenges: Quixotic challenge #20 The Joys of Spring theme (because this was me on the way to work last week with a spring in my step, listening to my iPod in the Spring sun - lovely! No I don't show my belly off at work, in case you were wondering) and using the Friday Sketchers sketch...

The second card I am also entering into two challenges: Stamp Something challenge using stitching (this was new stich for me - and it didn't come out very straight, lol!!) and using the Club Anya & Friends sketch...

Enjoy the rest of the weekend and I just hope I will be able to fit some more crafting and blogging in during next week!

Papers/cardstock: various cardstock, October Afternoon Ducks in a Row paper pack, Cosmos Cricket Material Girl paper pack

Mediums: Copic Caios, Doodlebug adhesive flourish and glitter, Glamour Dust

Stamps: TGF Chelsea, TGF Snuggle, hello sentiment - can't remember!
Accents: Maya Road ribbon, buttons from stash, American Crafts rub on 'thinking of you' sentiment

Tools: Nestabilities circle die cut, sewing machine

Grown up Xmas cards!

Okay, okay. I know I said in my last post that I was getting bored of making Xmas cards, but I remembered that I had to create some for my mum to send out. So here are a couple of them...

Papers/cardstock: Bazzill cardstock, Bazzil Bling cardstock, K&Co Brenda Walton's Peppermint Twist Mat Pad and Tag Pad
Stamps: none
Mediums: Stickles in Frosted Lace and Diamond
Accents: ribbon from stash, Bazzill buttons, Robins Nest Dew Drops, Maya Road chipboard flourishes
Tools: sewing machine, Fiskars Upper Crest border punch

Sparkle Creations challenge - how square can you go?!

Have you seen Sparkle of Sparkle Creations yet? I love her style - her cards are always really interesting yet keeps them fresh and fun. I especially like the way she uses embellishments. I struggle to get the right balance with mine so I always keep them to a minimum - I'm sure I could do better though as I often think my cards lack that extra "zing" (think of a whitening toothpaste advert!).

Anyway, in her Christmas Card Challenge week #48, you need to use multiple squares. Here is my entry...

I used 1mm foam pads under the squares to give them a little lift otherwise it looked flat and boring. I tried using gems and dew drops but I couldn't make it work (again!) so left it pretty plain with just the ribbon. Overall, I think I like it! And did you notice that it's NOT square? Yay, I managed it!!

Cardstock: various Bazzill cardstock, BasicGrey Eskimo Kisses

Stamps: Gel-a-Tins Holiday Mail

Mediums: various VersaMagic inks

Accents: Maya Road Trinkets Season ribbon

Tools: Martha Stewart New Scallop border punch

"Green mood" Christmas cards

Blimey, I can't tell you how tired I still am - and the weekend is now over! What's worse is that I know I've got another manic week at work - fed up just thinking about it - grooooan! Anyway, at last I managed to photo more Xmas card creations using up my K&Co Peppermint mat and tag pads. This time I'm showing the ones with a green flavour - hence my "green mood"!! (See my blue moods here I made on WCMD.)

I'm quite pleased with these ones - hope you like too!

Papers/cardstock: various Bazzill and Core'dinations cardstock, K&Co Brenda Walton's Peppermint Twist Mat Pad and Tag Pad

Stamps: none

Mediums: Stickles in Stardust and Diamond

Accents: ribbon from stash, Bazzill buttons, Doodlebug gems, Maya Road chipboard snowflakes

Tools: sewing machine, Fiskars Upper Crest border punch, PaperShaper Snowflake border punch

Xmas Snow Bunnies!

At long last, I photographed the Xmas cards I made a week ago! I was using the same K&Co Peppermint mat pad that has been in my stash for aaaages that I used for these cards I showed last week here. I had lots of smaller pieces left from that mat pad so I used them to create the borders in these lot...

I used CC Designs Snow Bunnies and Maya Road chipboard snowflakes. I first painted the chipboard with Gesso which gave it a good base to cover Stickles glitter glues on them. My fav is the Stardust Stickles. I also used Diamond Stickles and that has a slight blue tinge to it. To colour in the Snow Bunnies, I used Derwent Coloursoft pencils and blended with Sansodor - a softer effect to using Copics. I used my Sakura Quickie Glue Pen covered with Glamour Dust Glitter.

To finish some of them off I used an Inkssentials White Gel pen - I've seen others use this to great effect, but it just looks patchy on mine! Any advice on what I'm doing wrong would be gratefully received!

I have more cards made from the K&Co Peppermint collection, but I'm in two minds whether I should bore you with more or not! I think I probably will...you've been warned!

Papers/cardstock: various Bazzill cardstock, K&Co Brenda Walton's Peppermint Twist Mat Pad

Stamps: CC Designs Snow Bunnies, Hero Arts Holiday Tags (sentiment)

Mediums: Stickles in Stardust and Diamond, Glamour Dust Glitter

Accents: ribbon from stash, Bazzill buttons, Maya Road snowflakes chipboard

Tools: sewing machine, Fiskars Upper Crest border punch, PaperShaper Snowflake border punch