Sympathy tree

Ohhh we've had the most beautiful sunny day today, and went for a scoot up the coast.  I've discovered a website Walk NI with loads of wee walks to places I've never heard of, so off we went to Carnlough to see Cranny Falls.  After a slight delay, when we went the 'scenic' way after spotting a wee cave in the cliff (i.e. we got a bit lost!!) the falls were a lovely sight.  As was the chip shop on the way back to the car.  Fish'n'chips in the sunshine .... lovely, followed by ice cream for dessert!  (ssh don't tell Slimming World!)  We even saw a couple of Red Kites gliding round the cliffs and it was a fabulous sight.

I always have great difficulty making Sympathy cards, but when I saw this card made by Stephanie (today's featured stamper over at Splitcoaststampers) it just kinda fell into place.  I got this old tree stamp quite a while ago from Practicing Creativity - coloured with promarkers and then added clear gloss and glitter to the leaves - it's lovely and sparkly in real life but I couldn't really get a decent pic.

• Pile it On #24 - go outdoors
• Allsorts #158 - ice cream colours ... mine's chocolate and strawberry (at least that's what I had today yum!)
• Papertake Weekly - anything goes
• Top Tip Tuesday #78 - sparkles galore
• Oldie but a goodie - anything goes (my tree stamp)

Here's a wee pic of pretty Carnlough bathed in sunshine...

and wee Ruby, pooped after her day out ....!

A red sunflower?

Typical weekend weather ... it's been schorchio and sunny this past couple of days, but of course its due to cool today and then rain tomorrow.  Grrrr!  My wee 'Irish White' legs (ie almost 'Daz' bluey whiteness!) are destined to remain white, no tan for me!! 

So I thought I'd make a sunny card instead - I remembered I had this pretty High Hopes sunflower in my stash that hadn't seen ink.  Coloured with promarkers; clear gloss added to pot, red petals and bunting, and Diamond Glamour Dust then dropped in to the gloss on the petals and bunting for a bit of sparkle.  Popped the sunflower, leaves and pot up on dimensionals.  Bunting from Practising Creativity and sentiment from Elzybells.  Little bee button and red gems from my stash.  Chalked clouds on sky.

• Sketch from CAS-ual Fridays CFC#05
• I Love Promarkers #68 - sparkly bling
• Charisma Cardz #22 - something that flies
• ABC challenge - V = Variety of embellishments (I've used twine, clear gloss, button, glitter, flowersoft)
• A Spoonfull of Sugar #154 - flower power
• Catered Crop recipe FTR13 - from the recipe I've used: Colors – red, white, blue, and yellow; Stamps – happy birthday; Color Mediums – stamp ink; Embellishments – twine, buttons; Theme – summer, happy birthday
• Cute Card Thursday #167 - embellish your image (I used clear gloss, glitter, flowersoft, and a gem)

Le Bow Wow

Oh its been a lovely day today, a nice 'warmish' wind, so got loads of washing done and dried on the line and got the garden sorted and at long last I got my sweet pea planted.  And just for Mel (my DT buddy who has the most fabulous allotment and greenhouse) here's a pic of my wee garden ... I've just discovered the panorama button on my camera and am amazed how it joins the pics together with no lines! ....

And (don't laugh Mel) here's my spuds at the bottom of the garden.... (all five of them!) and our wee gooseberry bush.  There's another couple of potatoes growing in the mini-grow bags, but I forgot to take a pic.

We're having a go at growing tomatoes in a pot ... we did have a wee mini greenhouse this past couple of years, but it had to go in the bin this year, so we're hoping for the sunny summer we've been promised.  Also in the pic are 3 very sad looking lettuces (think they're gasping for a drink!)  Good job Tesco's isn't too far away!!  Ah well, sure it's a bit of craic!

Anyway, on to my card details.  I'd been looking for some doggy print ribbon in my disorganised stash and came across this lovely stuff that I bought aaaages ago and helped to inspire my colour combo.  I LOVE that shade of blue and my cardigan I'm wearing is that exact shade!

Coloured my wee French doggy with promarkers and popped up a couple of his layers. 

• Sweet Stampin - Ooh La La (french theme)
• Paper Cutz #93 - banner
• Crafty Cardmakers #46 - embossing
• Sketch inspired by CPS #220
• My Mum's Craft Shop #7 - use your favourite colours - mine is blue and red

Dream Valley Challenge Blog Launch

Hooray...its here!  The launch of the brand new challenge blog co-ordinated by my bloggy buddy Melly...Dream Valley Challenges!
And our very first challenge is an easy peasy one ... Anything Goes
There's some fab prizes up for grabs too....

1st Prize £10 voucher for Lili of the Valley

2nd prize is Fashionista and Dude Simply Sassy set

and 3rd prize is wee Windswept Simply Sassy

So get yourselves over to Dream Valley, check out the fab cards from the rest of the DT and upload your Anything Goes card - normally challenges will run for a fortnight but this first challenge is just for a week, so be quick!

I'm also entering this card to:
Spoon Full of Sugar #140 - birthday wishes
Tuesday Throwdown #37 - pop it up (I popped up my monster)

David's Birthday card

Hooray for Tuesday .... I've the rest of the week off work!  But of course it was beautiful and sunny today, and the forecast for the rest of the week is wet'n'windy - Typical! 
This wee card is for my brother's birthday .... he's a bit of a doggy lover, so I thought I'd use Watson from High Hopes and stamped the ground as if there was a birthday cake buried there amongst his bones!
Coloured with copics and chalked some clouds in the sky.  Banner from Practising Creativity.

• Sketch from Card Positioning Systems #203
• The Crafty Pad #106 - one for the boys
• Stamptacular Sunday #96 - Whateva ... anything goes!
• Tuesday Throwdown #34 - stitching real or faux

Oh, and before I forget, I've a couple of awards to upload...

 from Pat at My Work in Progress ... Pat was one of my first followers and I was one of hers, and its always a pleasure to nip across and see Pat's latest fab creations!

And

from Melly at Mels Craft Room - I can't remember where I 'met' Melly, but she makes the most amazing exploding boxes (and the rest!)   Melly is starting her own challenge blog Dream Valley Challenges, so mark your diaries for 27 February!
Thanks for the awards girlies!  Now I know I'm supposed to choose 5 blogs to pass it on to, but I can't choose from all my favourite blogs .... but if you'd like to help yourself to one of these awards please do so .... And let me know so I can pop over to your blog and share the love!!!