Tuesday Spotlight

This week we have a very sweet crafter named

Mary J joining us...

I have known Mary J for over a year and have always loved her beautiful cards.  I'm sure you will love them too.

Here is what Mary J made for us today

Using Cinders

Here is a little about Mary J and some of the beautiful cards from her blog:

*Start by telling us a little about you:

Well, how to cut down 43 years in a paragraph...lol! In short, I am married to Steve (been together for over 14 years) and we live in a small village in East Sussex in the South East of England with our two Yellow Labradors, Poppy (4) and Lulu (2). Work-wise I am a project manager based in Central London. We do a lot of walking and spend a lot of time with our families. Our dream is to emigrate and own a beach front house in New Zealand or Australia - perhaps one day!

Using Pillow Talk

*When did you start card making and what made you start?

I first became aware of cardmaking when a work colleague sold her cards at work. Then, when Steve and I decided to get married 4 years ago, I decided to make my own wedding stationery. I was very proud of it but looking at them now, I'm embarrassed! Hey, we learn and grow huh?!!

Using Bad Hare Day

*What is your preferred coloring medium?

I love to watercolour using my Aqua Promarkers, but I end up using my Copics for ease!

Using Spread Your Wings

*What is your fav Simply Sassy stamp?

Well it was Spread Your Wings - I just love the whimsical look on her face with her huge thoughtful eyes! But I bought the November set #11 and now my fave has to be Cinders!

*How did you notice the Simply Sassy stamps the first time?

I was already a regular customer of Funky Kits so when Simply Sassy popped into the shop, it was love at first sight!

Using I Give You My Heart

*What is your favourite style (card making)?

I love to experiment so my style can vary a lot from clean lines to shabby chic. The most common theme though through all my cards is lots and lots of layers!

*And what would you love to see more of at the Simply Sassy blog?

I love the blog just the way it is - the inspiration, the spotlights, the challenges - so continue with that please!

Using Pillow Talk

Thank you Mary J for letting us Spotlight you and your fabulous cards!

Please leave Mary J some sweet comments.



Tuesday Spotlight..

This Tuesday we have sweet 

Corry

This post is quite a long one.. so go grab your cup of coffee or tea because you don't want to miss this girl..

I asked her to make something new for the Spotlight 

She has made us this fantastic cupcake, card and door-hanger ♥♥♥ 

+ I've grabbed some gorgeous cards from her blog too..

Don't you just want to eat that cupcake???

And a yummy card that matches the cupcake♥♥

Image she's using on the card is Sundae service

and a gorgeous door-hanger using Tiffany

 Any girl would love having this on their door ♥

*Start by telling us a little about you:
I am a 35 yr old wife & mother to 3 children. Funny when one asks to say a bit about themselves, we start with our age.....weird eh? I say eh, as I am from Canada (Manitoba actually) and I DON"T live in an igloo. My children are 10 yrs (girl), 4 yrs (boy) and 20 mnth old (boy). I also work as a part time Registered Nurse. I craft til the wee hours of the morning, so no one can bother me. haha! I'm sneaky like that!

*When did you start card making and what made you start?

Uhh...I blame it all on my neighbor & BFF. There I was merrily making my scrapbooks when she pops over and says "OMG you have to see this card I just made at card class".....the same card class I said NO to in the first place. Well, I was hooked. That was **thinking**.....2008.

One thing led to another, first came SU, then CTMH, then digis. What the heck was a 'digi'....EEK!!

Then I found blogland and well, the rest is history! 

Using Spread your wings

Using Lost in Thoughts  and Skater Girl  

*What is your preferred coloring medium?
I color my faces and, as of recently, hair with copics. My copic selection is meager. LOL I gave hubby my Christmas list already....."copics"....done! I also color with watercolor pencils, blending stumps and baby oil. Nope the baby oil does not get the paper all oily. The blending stumps (dipped in baby oil soaked sponges) carries the color so nicely..my heart skips a beat just thinking about it. Not quite sure what I mean?....can't really picture it? see this post HERE on my blog.

Using Apple of my eye

*What is your fav Simply Sassy stamp?
oooo.......hhmmmm.........like just one?!! Well, since I only recently got addicted to them & I drool at each of the DT creations.....geesh...I'd have to say "High School Student".....& I don't even own her!!! Funny right?!! I thought the "So What" girl from the last set woulda got me, but rather my fave from that release is actually "Tiffany".

Using Team Spirit

*How did you notice the Simply Sassy stamps the first time?
Donna Mosley. Yup. She was in the spotlight here & I thought "hey, that's a nice stamp"......what the heck am I missing right? One hop led to another hop & boom.....here I am! Buying each new release. (Another Christmas present list item) heehee

*What is your favourite style (card making)?
Embellish, Embellish, Embellish. Rule of thumb......if all else fails, embellish. No style imparticular, I like to try everything at least once including 3D items. In fact this is the first time I have attempted to make a cupcake! lol LOVE IT!! And just when I thought I came up with the cupcake idea all by my lonesome, I remembered seeing Kathrin's SCRUMMY sundae dish a short while ago!!

See....inspiration has seeped it's way into my brain! 

Using Lost in Music 

*And what would you love to see more of at the Simply Sassy blog?
hhmmmmmmmmm.......boy cards. I seem to be drawn to boy images & stamps. They are the first to catch my eye. Oh & my Sassy on the header......I'd love to see THAT everyday I visit!! LOL

(I'll just keep trying out like every other die hard Sassy Fanatic)!!

Thanks so much for spotlighting me. This truly was a HUGE honor! Mwah!
Cor*

Thank you so much Corry for letting us Spotlight your gorgeous cards

and for us to getting to know you alittle better ♥♥

Tuesday Spotlight

This week we have sweet Andie in our spotlight 

Just look at this sweet card she made for our Spotlight

Using Little light of mine 

*Start by telling us a little about you:

I'm Andie, or Andrea as most people know me. I'm a Civil Servant working in the local Job Centre. I turned 40 earlier this year & for as long as I can remember I've had a weakness for pens & paper. I'm so lucky to be married to my best friend, Paul, who tolerates my crafting addiction as long as I turn a blind eye to the amount of time he spends playing video games. We have two gorgeous boys, Jack 8, & Ben 5 who are our pride & joy, despite the stress they cause, LOL!!

*When did you start card making and what made you start?

. Imagine my joy when 8 years ago, I discovered scrapbooking as a way of indulging my passion for all things paper & providing a release for my creativity. When Jack was born it seemed the perfect way of documenting his progress. However, once I'd had a go at stamping I was hooked on cardmaking. Having loved art at school, colouring images is the perfect outlet for my (limited) artistic skills. I then enjoy the challenge of composing a card, choosing papers & embellishments. It's a pastime I can also share with the boys, (when they're in the mood!) & it's the perfect therapy to counterbalance the stresses of work & the rigours of family life!

*What is your preferred coloring medium?

I love colouring! It's my favourite part of the cardmaking process. My first love has always been Distress Inks as I feel more comfortable colouring with them. However, I am also on the Passion For Promarkers DT & love using them too. I think it depends on my mood really as to which one I prefer at any given time. I'm also saving up for a set of Prismacolors. I would love to give them a try, as they look gorgeous on other people's cards.

*What is your fav Simply Sassy stamp?

It's so hard to pick a fave. I think my absolute favourite is 'I Give you My Heart'. But I also love colouring hair. I've never been satisfied with my own! I always want to give my images lustrous shiny hair, so 'Windswept' is another Sassy girl I have a big soft spot for. I also adore 'Little Light if Mine' that I chose to colour for my spotlight card because she just looks so shy & sweet.

*How did you notice the Simply Sassy stamps the first time?

I visit the Sugar Nelly blog all the time & play along at the Sugar Bowl too as often as I can. As soon as I saw the first sneak peeks I was smitten! They were, & still are, quite a unique style & look so fabulous when they're coloured. I look forward to seeing what the next Simply Sassy collection has in store!

*What is your favourite style (card making)?

I love the distressed/shabby chic look, especially when there are loads of embellishments. It's a style a lot of Scandanavian cardmakers excel at, but there is quite an art to loading the card with lots of interest, embellishment & texture & getting the composition just right. My own style I would describe as more practical for sending in the post! Every so often though I like to give the distressed look a go. For me though, on any card, the image is the primary focus & I this is what I focus on most.

*And what would you love to see more of at the Simply Sassy blog?

I honestly can't think of anything I'd like to see more of the the Simply Sassy blog. I think the DT all provide fabulous inspiration & I'm always keen to learn more in tutorials. Generally I just like to admire the talent on display & see where the inpsiration takes me on my own cardmaking adventures! 

Here are some of Andies Sassy cards picked from her blog

Using: Lost in Thought

Using Spread your wings 

Using I give you my heart  

Thank you Andie for letting us Spotlight you ♥ 

Tuesday Spotlight

This Tuesday we're putting the Spotlight on Sugar Bowl Sweetie and Queen of C&S

Ali

Ali has made this gorgeous card for us

Using Hippie Chick

 

*Start by telling us a little about you:My name is Ali and I live on a small  island on the West Coast of Scotland. I'm a wife to a very tolerent guy, mum of 3 and i have 3 adorable grandsons too. They are my life. I'm have crafted for most of my life in one way or another. My gran taught me to knit and crochet when i was 4.......

 *When did you start card making and what made you start?I started when my grandfather used to doodle me images to colour in when I was young I would sit for hours colouring them in with my pens and pencils. It continued from there watching TV Art programs collecting kitchen roll tubes, cereal boxes which I still do to this day. I started making cards for family and friends with the images and the rest is history. So a very long time.....

 *What is your preferred coloring medium?I love watercolouring however I also love my prismacolor pencils. I have promarkers too but just can't seem to get the hang of them.

 *What is your fav Simply Sassy stamp?Erm do i have to choose???  I love them all really however I do have a soft spot for Hippie Chick.

 *How did you notice the Simply Sassy stamps the first time?I have been a huge Sugar Nellie fan for a very long time and I was lucky enough to be on the Design Team for a short time until I unfortunately had to withdraw. I'm still a huge fan!! Once a Sugar Addict always a Sugar Addict.

 *What is your favourite style (card making)?I think I would have to say Clean and Simple (CAS) creations and I adore White on White which Karen nicked named WoW

 *And what would you love to see more of at the Simply Sassy blog?I think its great the way it is to be honest.... fab tutorials, regular blog hops and fantastic inspiration from the team. Your team rocks!!

Here are some more of the beautiful cards from Ali's blog

 Using Spread your wings

 Using Bella Bunting

Using Butterflies & pigtails

Using Winking Student

Thank you so much Ali for letting us spotlight you!
And please leave Ali some love and also visit her blog :)

Hugs Maria

Winner Tutorial challenge

First I want to thank you all for your gorgeous entries.

So much fun to see you using our Tutorials.

So the winner of a little Candy from me is.. 

5.     KateT

She made this bag from Anita's tutorial

Kate used Spread your wings on her bag. 

Kate will you send me your address.

Here are some of the other gorgeous entries, 

but do go visit all of the entries as there are so much inspiration to find. 

Heike using Hippie Chick 

 

Debbi using Hippie Chick

 

 

 Jane using Fairy Tale

 

 

Thank you for all the entries!! 

 

 

Tuesday Spotlight

Today I want to introduce you to another Sassy fan and Sugar Bowl Sweetie 

Pat

Here is the gorgeous card she made for us

Using Spread your wings 


When did you start card making, and what made you start?
This is kind of a funny story...I was invited to a Stampin' Up party in 1996 and, after a couple of glasses of wine, I purchased a set of stamps, black ink, and some little note cards. Oh...I almost forgot, I got some chalks too. I made holiday cards that year...but let me tell ya, they weren't at all fancy!! No fancy cutting, no ribbons or bows, no embellies of any kind! But I thought they were stunning!! LOL! Then, fast forward a few years. I had a delightful girlfriend who would come visit me and bring all of HER stamps and inks and papers and fancy scissors. So, my cardmaking became a little more sohphisticated...and, then fast forward again, this time to 2009, when I discovered the world of blogging and online shopping for stamps and craft supplies! And the rest, as they say, is history!!

What is your preferred color medium?
I love my Copic sketch markers. There's a bit of a learning curve with them...and I'm still learning, actually...but I just love the look of images colored with Copics! I enjoy using Distress Inks too...images colored with DIs are always so gorgeous...but my Copics are much more convenient. I have recently started playing with Prismacolor pencils...and combining them with my Copics. I am nowhere near mastering colored pencils...but will keep practicing because I find it just so relaxing to color with pencils! I love 'em all...but Copics are my faves!

What is your fave Simply Sassy stamp?
I have to tell you something funny...I just read this question out loud and my darlin' husband said, "that's a tough question to answer!" LOL! He's right, tho...it is a tough one...let me think...well, I remember wayyyyyy back when Karen, over at Sugar Nellie, introduced Krista Smith (the Mama of these Sassy little cuties) and showed us some of Krista's artwork. Karen asked for people to choose their top 3 faves because she was going to have them made into rubber stamps...YAY Well, I wasted no time choosing "My Friend Kitty" (eventhough cats make me sneeeeze!), "Pillow Talk" (not the original name of this cutie..heehee), and "Artistic Goddess". I love 'em all...but I think my all time fave has to be "Artististic Goddess"...because she came from the very first batch of Simply Sassy images...and because I aspire to be an artistic goddess!

How did you notice Simply Sassy stamps for the first time?
I guess I already answered this question. Although I will tell you that I am the very, VERY first follower of the Simply Sassy Blog!! I signed up as a follower and then had to wait what seemed like forever for the blog to be available. I'm not sure how that happened...but, yep, I'm number ONE!! LOL!

What is your favorite style of cardmaking?
Hmmm...well, that depends on my mood. Sometimes I like clean and simple (although I'm not very good at keeping cards C&S...since embellies just "happen" to find their way onto my cards. LOL!). I love all things "girly" and very much enjoy using lots of flowers and pearls!! Lately, I have been playing around with Vintage and Shabby Chic. I generally end up with crackle paint and DIs all over my hands and worktable...but I quite enjoy the effect!! I'll let you in on a secret...all of my Simply Sassies have green eyes! Why? Because mine are green, of course! hehehehe!!

What would you love to see more of at Simply Sassy blog?
I have to say that I can't think of a single thing that I'd like to see that isn't already there! You ladies ROCK!! I love the tutorials and different projects. I get so many great ideas when I visit. Just keep doing more of the same and I'll be in heaven!!

Thank you Pat for answering our Q&A
Here are some more Sweet and Sassy cards I found over at Pat's blog,
but do go visit her for more as she has tons of lovely cards there :)

 Using Artistic goddess 

Using Fabulous Darling

 Using Fairy Tale 

Using Little Light of mine

Using Delicious

Thank you so much Pat for letting us do a spotlight on you :)
So please leave Pat some lovely comments :)

Hugs Maria 

Tuesday Spotlight on

This Tuesday we have a pleasure to spotlight Sassy fan 

Sheila

And she has got a gorgeous card for us made wit the sweet 

Butterflies & pigtails

I just love the beautiful colors and pretty coloring.

Start by telling us a little about yourself:
 I am a Scot living in North London, married to my soul mate, have two grown-up kids and two wonderful young cats. I suffer from Degenerative Disc Disease in my neck and have had recent major surgery to try to delay the degeneration process. I am also an Ovarian Cancer survivor and a strong believer that ALL women need to be aware of the symptoms of this horrid disease. Details on my blog under Ovacome website. I enjoy crafting, walking, gardening, reading, listening to music and the theatre - especially singalong musicals where I can get up and dance along too!

 When did you start card making and what made you start?
I have only been card making for about three years so am relatively new to this addictive craft! I only came across it by chance - I was off work ill with a long-term degenerative condition and was channel-hopping, discovered Create & Craft and was addicted. I no longer follow the channel but cannot get thru a day without a crafting fix and some blogging.

 What is your preferred Colouring medium?
Easily seen to be my Promarkers but, with the help of the fabulous Kerrie (Pickle), I am hoping to get into Prisma pencils very soon. I think several Simply Sassy stamps would love to be coloured by these pencils.

 What is your favourite Simply Sassy stamp?
I simply cannot answer this question as they are all stunning - I have to say tho that I am LOVING the look of Set 7 - slightly more grown up look about them so more suited to 'the older woman'! Lots of the SS stamps remind me of when I was in my late teens and dressed in those long hippy skirts that collected all the dust from the pavements!

 How did you first notice the Simply Sassy stamps for the first time?
I am a keen follower of Funky Kits and Sugar Nellie and just happened upon them one day I was browsing there.........my home town is actually where Funkykits are located so the added bonus is that when I go home soon, I will be able to visit the HOS and stock up on them all!!

 What is your favourite style?
I don't think I have a favourite style as I like to try new things from time to time, so I tend to make the cards to fit in with the stamps/images that I use. These Simply Sassy stamps are ideal for 'playing' with and look perfect on a 'busy' card or a Clean and Simple card.

 What would you like to see more of on the Simply Sassy blog?
Well....I think there is a Simply Sassy Challenge on a certain social network site that I refuse to visit so I would love to see a regular challenge here so that all us Simply Sassy followers could play away the hours getting ideas from one another because isn't that what crafting is all about?

I would just like to add a MASSIVE thank you to Maria and the girls for letting me be in the spotlight today - it is a huge pleasure for me and a great honour too!

Sheila:)X

Here are some of the gorgeous Sassy card's I found over at Sheila's blog ♥♥

Using Spread your wings

Using Carnival Balloon

Using Winking student

Using Luv A Latte

Thank You so much Sheila for letting us spotlight you and your beautiful cards!!

Before I go I just want to hijack the end of this blogpost to say

To Congratulate every Norwegian!!
Today is our Constitution Day and we go through the street in a biiig parade with Band Music.
And I usually use my National Costume that looks like this where I come from. But not this year as I need to get something fixed on it :(
So today the kids gets as much Ice-cream as they want and hopefully won't bee to high on sugar after..
(You know the best Sugar to be high on is Sugar Nellie stamps..)
And to clarify It was not me on the pictured I linked to in the National Costume..
Happy 17th of May Norway!!

Hugs Maria 

A little birdcage

I found this gorgeous tutorial on a birdcage made with Tim Holtz birdcage die 

in sweet Ragnhild's blog  

I bet all of you will understand the tutorial if you want to try 

as the pictures say so much more than what she's writing :) 

I used Spread your wings and colored her with copics.

Just cut away the bird as that one is inside the cage haha

Here you can see the birdcage before I closed it

..a little more fuzzy picture as this was taken with my phone.

What I did a bit different from the tutorial is that I padded up the middle flower.

My sweet design team has all but one received Simply Sassy set 7! And wow I bet you will love it. It's a bit different from the sets before. I just got mine today and have started coloring up one for our blog hop ( so watch out for that one.. we will let you know a few day's in advance..) And as a result of me being new to this Anita also got set 7 so Yaaaaaay for us she will stay on for one more set :) 

That's it for me for this week.

Thank all of you for the continued support of this blog, we truly appreciated all your kind comments and all of you stopping by   ♥

Tuesday Spotlight on..

This week we have the pleasure of having Sugar Bowl Sweetie 

Marlene 

in the Spotlight..

Marlene have lots of gorgeous Simply Sassy cards in her blog and this is what she made for us

 Gorgeous party invites using Bedtime Snuggles 

*Start by telling us a little about you:
OK, this is the bit I'm not very good at.. but here goes
 I'm from Holland originally, traveled the world in my late teens and met my
English hubby whilst working in Spain.
Settled in England, got married, have 3 gorgeous children and we run a Garden Centre in the Midlands.

*When did you start card making and what made you start?
Ever since I can remember I have been creative one way or another.. but when our kids were small I started
getting into scrapping the mountain of pictures I have of them, my love for paper craft was born!
I think the transition into cardmaking from scrapbooking is almost natural as to me cards are like small
scrapbook pages. So about 7 years ago I got into cardmaking on a bigger scale.. this really took off when I
discovered blogging just over 3 years ago now.

*What is your preferred coloring medium?
I'm always switching and changing as I love all sorts of mediums,
but at the moment I am using my Copics for all my colouring.

*What is your fav Simply Sassy stamp?
I could not possibly choose my favorite Sassy.. every time a new set comes out I have a new favorite!
But I still got a soft spot for 'Party Frills' She is just too cute!

*How did you notice the Simply Sassy stamps the first time?
As a past DT for Sugar Nellie I will always keep up with all their news.
I am lucky enough to have met Karen and have special memories of the CHA trip I was invited to a couple of years ago
Karen has got a real 'eye' for new sweetness that the Sugar Nellie fans would like to see in rubber,
and proved it again when the Sassy creations of Krista were launched.

*What is your favorite style (card making)?
I love the distressed and vintage style of card making, but after having tried some SAS I do like to change it up from time to time.

*And what would you love to see more of at the Simply Sassy blog?
I'm always looking for different techniques, card shapes and just general 'out of the box' thinking
But the Simply Sassy blog is already providing those things.. so all I can say is 

'I would like to see more of the same' :D
 

It's always such a treat visiting Marlene's blog and here are some of her Sassy treat's. Go visit her and I PROMISE you will find more :)

Using Delicious

 Using Spread your wings,

Go visit Marlene's blog here to see how she made this Triangle Joy fold card

Using Party Frills

 Using Little light of mine

Using I give you my heart 

Thank you so much Marlene for letting us spotlight you and sharing your gorgeous cards with us.

I know Marlene would love your sweet comments :)