Furry Friends for Father's Day

How cute is this little guy?!  He is from SugarNellie and is called Furry Friends Texting.  I coloured him with pencils and some Stardust Stickles.  He's even had an Apple watch added to his wrist as he's that cool!!

The gorgeously colourful papers are Beachside from Lawn Fawn, matted onto orange paper to make it 'pop'.  The sentiment has been made up from the Clearly Besotted "You & I" and "Pretty Petals Plus" sets - I love the fonts!

I think I'll enter him in the Sugar Bowl challenge!

A Pretty Oceans Gift

I had soooo much fun making this card!  To begin, I coloured the beautiful Ocean's Gift from Sugar Nellie with promarkers.  I coloured her in Little Mermaid colours as the little girl is a huge fan! The image was coloured twice so that I could layer it.

I decided that I really fancied making a special background for her, so I used my VersaMagic inks:

I dabbed and pulled the ink pads across the card and used a damp/wet paint brush to soften the edges and blend.  Once dry, it was embossed using my Swiss Dots folder.  

The rock and mermaid were carefully cut out and layered onto the background and then the mermaid was cut and layered on top of that  And I added her little seahorse friend, who is super cute.  

The name banner was stamped using Clearly Besotted Basic Alphabet and edged with Stickles.  The age was stamped using Clearly Besotted Basic Numbers and the shells are from Seaside set: a Special Editions Sarah Hurley set by Clare Brown.  

I would like to enter the Sugar Bowl Challenge (for a second time in one month!!).

The Sugar Bowl DT Call

I have loved Sugar Nellie for ages now.... My first stamp was Daisy, by the way.....so I have decided to give The Sugar Bowl DT Call a go. After all, you've got to be in it to win it and take a few chances, haven't you?!

 

So, I had the lovely dilemma of deciding which of the (VERY!) many Sugar Nellie stamps to use. I already had Aviator, Delia and a mermaid coloured up and Bella Bunting was started....and I love A Little Bit of Gossip, but I finally decided on Trip to the Park. I just love her outfit and shoes and colouring her hair!

 

I've coloured her with my polychromos and used lots of glittery glue on her bag as the person I've made the card for isn't a lover of cats, but does like a bit of bling and her black puppy! The paper is from the Papermania Lucy Cromwell pad and is gorgeous! I've cut and curled the outline of some of the bunting so that it stands out from the card. The sentiment has been stamped using Clearly Besotted stamps. As usual, I've left things pretty simple to show of the beautiful image and papers.

 

So, are you going to try out for the DT call too? Go on, you know you need no excuse to ink up the sugar!! GOOD LUCK!

 

Susie x

 

Dream Valley Challenges - Flowers

We have a brand new challenge for you at Dream Valley and this fortnight's theme is Flowers - easy, huh!?!

 

I decided I'd use this photograph that was taken on holiday in Murcia a few years ago - I've always loved it! I've kept it all incredibly simple, with an embossed flower background, ribbon and a bit of stardust Stickles.

 

Here's another flowery creation I had a go at. It's a canvas with an acrylic paint background, including some painted flowers with Stickles highlighting. Then I've added grass (using the Clearly Besotted grass die) and flowers. The image is the SugarNellie Live, Laugh, Love fairy, whom I adore! Overall, it turned out a bit brighter than I'd envisaged, but I love these colours!! She is now hanging beside my craft desk:0)

Have fun, making your flowery creations!

Susie x

 

Dream Valley DT - Favourite Colour Combo

Well, I know it's been a while since I posted for the Dream Valley challenge, but I'm pleased to say I've made it back for this challenge, which is your favourite Colour Combo.

At the moment, my favourite colours are peach and mint, like my card and any variation on those scales: peach/coral/red with mint/turquoise/teal. I adore the combination so much that my finger and toenailsnails are like this!:

So, the image I have chosen is a Gorjuss Girl from SugarNellie, although she no longer seems to be in the shop. I've coloured her with polychromos and Stardust Stickles. The paper are scraps from Memory Box pads and the sentiment is from Clearly Besotted.

And I made this little SugarNellie cutie too, using the same colour combo:

And this one, using Lili of the Valley's Maisie Two Balloons:

See? Told you I loved this combo!!!

 

So, what will you make for us at Dream Valley this challenge? I'm looking forward to seeing.

Susie x

 

 

 

Second Guest Design Spot for Sarah Hurley

I am so happy to be back as Guest Designer for Sarah Hurley, having more fun with bits and pieces from the A Few of My Favourite Things kits.

After looking at all the items for a while, I decided that the hearts were speaking to me most- must have been because it was my wedding anniversary! I absolutely adore turquoise and teal and I love this zig zag paper with it, especially when you can team it with a matching zigzag heart!

I used my Clearly Besotted sentiment, together with an abundance of cut and positioned hearts, from the A Few of My Favourite Things kits. There was even a sparkly heart button to add to the ensemble!! To complete my card, I added some Stardust Stickles to the zigzag paper and Silver Stickles to the hearts - I love the fact that you can glitter the hearts, or colour them, or keep them simple!

Now, just a wee reminder that your fabulous creations can be added to the Sarah Hurley challenge and the current theme is Celebrations.

Ingredients:

Paper, hearts, sparkly heart button all from A Few of My Favourite Things kits

Sentiment from Clearly Besotted

Happy crafting!

Susie x

 

Guest Designer for Sarah Hurley

My post today, is as a guest designer for Sarah Hurley - how exciting!!

Contrary to many crafters I know, I LOVE making boys' cards! My style is fairly clean and simple, definitely un-fussy and this, I think, suits male cards rather well.

So, for these cards, made for twins, I have used Special Editions Stamps Sid the Robot by Clare Brown. He has been coloured with Promarkers and Stickles - in my experience, boys like a little bit of bling too!

I have used scraps of paper from various A Few of My Favourite Things Kits, all pieced together to make a larger background. A strip of irridescent mesh (from A Few of My Favourite Things Kit) and ribbon from my stash has been added, which provides a little texture (and a bit more bling).

So, with the same character and ingredients, I have made two cards which are the same, but different!! Do you have a favourite?

Now, just a wee reminder that your fabulous creations can be added to the Sarah Hurley challenge and the current theme is Celebrations!!

Quick ingredients list:

Image - Special Editions Stamps Sid the Robot by Clare Brown

Papers and irridescent mesh - A Few of My Favourite Things Kits

Age and Name - Clearly Besotted Basic Alphabet and Basic Numbers

 

Happy crafting, folks!

Susie

 

 

 

 

Euan is 6......already!

And to celebrate his birthday, I made him a card and matching frame. The image is called Baron and Butch and is from Mo's Digital Pencil. It really is the perfect image for Euan - he loves our border collie, Buddy and he loves his iPad mini!!

I've coloured everything to be authentic - Buddy's markings, his favourite ball, Euan's socks and iPad.....and I loved making a custom iPad with Euan's fave apps: Safari, Minecraft and music!!!! I used promarkers to colour the image and Clearly Besotted 's Basic Alphabet and Geometric Style for the named bunting.

I love making things personal and special to the recipient! Here's a close up of the card:

 

Dream Valley- No Designer Paper

Hello, peeps! Hope you're all fine and dandy on this wet and miserable Sunday.

Over at Dream Valley this fortnight, our challenge is No Designer Paper. At first, I made the card for my best friend's birthday. I stamped the circle background using the Inkylicious Tiny Text and Tumbled Glass Distress Ink - I adore this colour! I then stamped the Inkylicious Make a Wish in black over the text and added Silver and Stardust Stickles. The white fishtail background has been embossed and matted onto silver card. There's a little bit of twine been added and the sentiment is from Clearly Besotted. I followed the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches.

I then had a bit of fun sewing. Haven't had time to just sew and create and test for a while but I loved doing these. The smaller one is perfect size for an iPod (although just a touch too small for an iPhone, so I'll be making the next one slightly larger) and the larger one is big enough for my phone, cards, change, lipgloss and a few other items - it'll be great for the gym so that those items don't get lost in the depths of my bag! I've added an inner pocket to each and a keyring clasp - useful for clipping to a large bag or onto a zip, or whatever. I'm going to enjoy making a few of these in some of the fabrics I have. Just need more bias binding and zips. Oh, and I decided to add a bow to the smaller one, so it now looks like this:

 

So, what will you create for Dream Valley this challenge?

 

A Sparkly and Dotty Pippi

Oh how I love Pippi! I love her attitude, I love her spotty top, I love her baseball boots and I love her frog! So it's a bit of a mystery as to why I haven't colour her for a good wee while!?! I've coloured her with polychromos and Stardust Stickles. The paper is a mix of MME Everyday Flair and Bo Bunny I've used my new Clearly Besotted Building Blocks for the dotty background for the sentiment, my new Geometric Style triangles for the banners, the always useful Basic Alphabet and the brilliant new Basic Numbers, which also has some greetings!!!! I think there's actually quite a lot going on in this card for me: patterned paper, gem flourish, banner, sparkle, ribbon and an image!!

I would like to enter the following challenges:

The Sugar Bowl - Fairies

Papertake Weekly - New Year, New Stash ( Building Blocks, Geometric Style and Basic Numbers)

Sweet Stampin' - Girly, but No Pink

Allsorts - Ribbons, but no bows (red ribbon across stripy paper)

 

A Krafty Kind of Love

Please don't drop in shock, but I have another blog post - my second in two days!!!!

Anyway, one of my Christmas presents was a gift card for Clearly Besotted, which I absolutely LOVE! So, after much thought and deliberation, and some items going out of stock whilst I was deliberating, I bought the Building Blocks stamps as one of my items and I love them. I've had a play and come up with this. The sentiment is also from Clearly Besotted from the Happy Everything set. Very simple, just the way I like it!

I would like to enter the Clearly Besotted challenge - Love, and the Freshly Made Sketches challenge.

 

Dream Valley DT - Clean and Simple

Hello, folks! Hopefully, my blogging will be able to get back on track as I have completed my Christmas Fayre yesterday. I really enjoyed it and it went well.....phew!

Our challenge at Dream Valley this time is Clean and Simple. I would say that the majority of my cards are fairly clean and simple, but I wanted to challenge myself and try a one layer card. It was great fun! I cut a circle to use as a stencil and used my Tumbled glass Distress Ink directly inside the "stencil" to create the background. Then I used my favourite Inkylicious Make a Wish dandelions in black ink, with some silver and stardust Stickles. I stamped my Clearly Besotted butterfly and my sentiments, also from Clearly Besotted Just for You.

I enjoyed it so much, that I got a bit carried away and did some Christmas cards:

I would like to enter:

Little Claire's challenge - Christmas

Creatalicious Challenge - Christmas Time

Papertake Weekly - Snow and Ice

 

And another birthday card with a bit of bling:

 

 

Cute and Cuddly for Naomi

Funky Kits' Cute and Cuddly image is my new favourite image for baby cards.......I especially love the giraffe! I've coloured it with promarkers and polychromos and the balloon has been glossed. I have also used by fabulous Clearly Besotted Basic Alphabet stamps, which I love as they stamp clearly and easily line up. The layout, as ever, is relatively simple, with just a bit of texture and bling added to the image.

I would like to enter the Sugar Bowl - Anything Goes

Just a wee update....Buddy, is now 5 months old - getting big but still cute! Here he is now:

 

Dream Valley DT - Purple and Green

Apologies, first of all, for the lack of blog posts.....I've just been extremely busy with orders, puppy and life in general!

So, the challenge this fortnight at Dream Valley, is Purple and Green and there is a surprise goody bag for the winner! I had originally planned to use jewel tones of purple and green, but they just weren't working for me. I had a minor worry that this challenge was more of a challenge than it should have been, then remembered that the gorgeous Forever Friends Kraft Notes papers had paler greens and purples with beautiful patterns and I was sold.....and relieved!! I was also pleased to be able to use some of the purple mulberry paper that I've had in my stash for years.

I stamped the Inkylicious Tiny Text in Bundled Sage Distress Ink, then stamped the black Inkylicious Make A Wish dandelions over it. The dandelions have had a little bit of Silver and Stardust Stickles added for a subtle shimmer. I have also used my beloved Clearly Besotted Butterfly Wishes Additions dies and Basic Alphabet stamps and the sentiment is from the Twinkle Toes set.

I hope you're all doing ok. As soon as I can, I'll be nosing around your blogs and makes!

Susie x

 

Dream Valley DT - For A Child

Are are you all? We're all ok....getting into a new routine with school started again and Euan actually starting school. I'm glad to say that he had a great first week and is rally looking forward to full days next week and having his school dinner each day! I'm looking forward to more of a routine too, although I need to accept that it'll take me a wee while to work out the best one with Buddy and for me:0)

Anyway.....at Dream Valley this fortnight, our challenge is For a Child and we are sponsored by Meljens Designs. I have used Clearly Besotted Twinkle Toes, with some mesh made into a tutu. Her bodice has been formed using my Silver Stickles. I have also used my new Clearly Besotted Basic Alphabet, which is getting LOTS of use!! The papers are Papermania Henbury Lane and there is a Hobbycraft Gem Flourish to complete the card.

I'm looking forward to seeing what you create for the Dream Valley challenge - have fun!

 

A Special Handbag

I was lucky enough to spend Friday night away at a spa and hotel to celebrate a friend's 40th birthday. It was fabulous fun and I loved the opportunity to get dressed up and wear heels!

I wanted to make a special card for her, so made this handbag, with a pocket on the inside for all our little messages to be held. Here is the link for the brilliant instructions. They are fairly easy, but very time-consuming to make, but I really enjoy them. I have the card and paper cut for another two, so will (hopefully) have a couple to add to my Facebook page.

It's been a rather busy week this week..... ..we collected our 17week old Border Collie puppy on Sunday, so it's been a roller coaster ride this week whilst he settles in and we get used to what he needs and likes and how we will all work together. But he's lovely, very clever, affectionate and we are definitely all completely smitten with him!

But this is the reason that I haven't managed to make a Dream Valley DT creation that completely follows the theme of Monochrome.......this handbag MOSTLY follows it but does have some green too. But I will be making a truly monochrome card very soon....honest!

In the meantime, here are the pics of the inside:

I've used part of Krista's Saturated Canary Princess Peanelope, coloured with polychromos, Inkylicious Make A Wish (the dandelion) stamp and Clearly Besotted Butterfly Wishes die.

And here are a few pictures of our Buddy:

 

Live, Laugh, Love

The new release of SugarNellie fairies are gorgeous, aren't they? This lovely little lady is called Live, Laugh, Love and I've coloured her with Distress Inks and polychromos. The dress is a bit more vibrant than I'd intended but I do love a turquoise and green combination!

I decided that she needed to be framed so used a little background paper, ribbon, Foliage leaves and flowers from my stash. The finishing embellishment was a Clearly Besotted butterfly, stamped in Worn Lipstick and Tumbled Glass and a little Stardust and Silver Stickles.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Sugar Bowl - Anything Goes

Divas by Design - Cute

Crafts and Me - Anything Goes

The Crazy Challenge - Anything but a Card

Bunny Zoe's - Wings

 

Time For Tea

I haven't used these Summer Driggs papers for ages, but decided they'd be perfect for this tea inspired card. The teapot and cups are from my new Digistamp Boutique Time For Tea set, which I have paper-pieced and fussy cut. I have made a "table cloth" from scraps of paper, with stitching stamped using the Clearly Besotted Just For You set, stamped in Tumbled Glass Distress Ink. The sentiment has been computer generated and I chose a teal coloured ink to co-ordinate with the papers.

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Sketch and Stash - sketch, which I have rotated

Totally Gorjuss - Happy Birthday

Digistamp Boutique - Anything Goes

 

A Travel Inspired Father's Day Card

At Dream Valley this fortnight, our theme is Father's Day / For A Man. And one of the cards I was asked for was a card for a dad who likes holidays and weekends away........bit tricky to start with until I was looking through all my stash and came across the Travel Smash Book journalling sheet......so I cut out the suitcase and shortened the note part.....and used the LOTV tickets and sentiments....and the Clearly Besotted Going Places set for the train and sentiments.....some sticky tags that I've had for ages and twine completed the card. Once again, I have used my Distress Inks for the stamping: Antique Linen, Peeled Paint, Bundled Sage and Frayed Burlap.

I would love the enter:

Clearly Besotted challenge - Anything Goes (again!)

Creative Belli - Father's Day

Simon Says Stamp - Transport (train on the background)

Papertake Weekly - Hello Boys

Dino-Mite Dad

I've been using these cute little Clearly Besotted Dinosaurs again, this time for a Father's Day card.  I've coloured him with my Distress Inks (and it's one of the latter ones so I'm happier with the colouring on this one!!) - Peeled Paint, Bundled Sage and a tiny bit of Worn Lipstick for his tongue. 

The papers are Papermania Birdsong, with a little bit of scrim over that and the white background.  The Dinosaur's background has been embossed with a Sizzix plate and the chipboard hexagons are from the Basic Grey set I've had for ages. 

The Dino-mite sentiment is also from the Clearly Besotted set and has been stamped in Peeled Paint DI, with a little gloss on that and the die cut letters.

I would like to enter the Clearly Besotted challenge (and try to remember, this time, to put GD in the title so that I can be considered as a guest designer....how amazing would that be?!!).

Anyways, off to the information session for Euan starting Primary 1!  Have a good day.

Susie x