Con-graduate

Hi,
I hope you all had a good Bank Holiday, ours was quiet as i wanted to do some things i've been meaning to do for a while, but we did go out on Sunday to the marina where the local lifeboat had an open day, so we had a chance to go aboard and do a quiz about water safety, whilst there we had lunch at my favourite italian 'Zizzi's'. Well today is H's last day at nursery, as he officially starts school next Monday.

Todays card is being sent to my OH's nephew who did very well in his GCSE's last week and the fabby image was sent to me by a very lovely friend, whom i was fortunate enough to meet at a crafty get together in Blackpool a couple of years ago, Evelyn and who is also a PB nutter !! I also managed to find some old scraps of a paper stack that i just love DCWV - Black & White Prints.

Todays Card and Challenges :

Sparkles Forum  - where Challenge No: 19 is 'Punch It' - i've used MS - Modern Garland

Challenge Up Your Life - where Challenge No: 51 is 'Something For  Men'

Crazy 4 Challenges  - where C4C102 is 'Male Themed Cards'

Penny Black Saturday Friends - where Challenge No: 166 is a fabby 'Sketch' by Natalie

Fab N' Funky - where Challenge No: 87 is 'Mono Madness'

Do You Stack Up - where Challenge No: 34 is 'Boy or Man'

Image - Penny Black - 'Con - graduate'

Papers & Sentiment - DCWV - 'Black & White Print Paper Stack'

Cut Image with - Nesties - 'Curved Rectangle'

Punched Edge - MS - 'Modern Garland'

Buttons and Ribbon from stash

Thanks for looking, Luv Sam x

Off To School

Hi,
Well what a couple of weeks i've had !!!, last weekend we went up to Yorkshire to see the outlaws - whilst there OH and son went to 'Yorkshire Air Museum', while i went shopping at the outlet mall, we all went to 'RHS Harlow Carr' and we met up with OH's best friend and his family. Since we've been back i've also been really busy with one thing and another.

As promised a photo of H and Chloe (I have got permission from Chloe's mum) dressed as a medival knight and princess :

Whilst away i was fortunate enough to win a couple of blog challenges, which still doesn't feel real and is still sinking in, especially as the prizes were with 2 fabby companies and i'm still deciding what to buy from one of them.

Todays card is for son, as he starts school next Monday and as i had made Chloe one already, i thought i had better get on and make his !! I bought this LOTV ages ago, especially for this card - and i wanted to recreate H in is school uniform - black trousers, royal blue sweatshirt, white polo shirt and green pe bag (green for his house colour), but it's taken me ages to get round to doing it, as i didn't know if i would be able to recreate it !!! The papers were bought in a fabby little craft shop in 'Whitby', whilst we were in North Yorkshire in June. I saw the ribbon on Mandy's blog and knew i had to have it.

Todays Card and Challenges :

Totally Papercrafts - where Challenge No: 81 is 'Back To School'

Stamp Something  - where the Challenge is 'Back To School Something'

Fussy and Fancy - where Challenge No: 44 is a fabby 'Sketch'

Fairy Tale - where Challenge No: 22 is 'Back To School'
Hanna & Friends where Challenge No: 108 is 'Use A Lili Of The Valley image'
Allsorts - where Challenge No: 118 is 'Back To School'

Image - Lili Of The Valley

Papers - DCWV - 'The Grade School Stack'

Sentiment - Computer Generated

Oval Punch - Stampin Up

Distressed Image and Sentiment - Tim Holtz - 'Broken China'

Ribbon and Pencil Button - Crafty Ribbons

Apple - Sticker from Poundshop

Thanks for looking, Luv Sam x

Fly Away

Hi,

I know 2 postings in 2 days !!, well tomorrow we are going to Bodiam Castle , where H and Chloe are going to dress up as a knight and princess and then after that, we are really busy, so there will be no more cards from me, till at least next week.

I know i'm sad, as i have this image in a wooden as well as the slapstick version - but in my defence i liked the wording that came with the slapstick, plus it's also a little smaller than the wooden version. This image so much reminds me of H (he also loves planes) and Whisper, only thing is i would love to recreate this image in a photo, but i don't think Whisper would agree to leaning !!! The papers i've used again i've had for a while and all i seem to do with them is stroke them !!, the ticket stamp was a bargain from 'The Glitter Pot' 99p - i liked the Tim Holtz ones, but they are all precut and stamped.

Todays Card and Challenges :

Raise The Bar - where Challenge No: 70 is 'Dog Days Of Summer'

Stamp Something - where the Challenge is 'Dog Days Of Summer'

Cards For Men - where Challenge No: 17 is 'Anything Goes'

Fussy And Fancy - where Challenge No: 43 'Use A Lot' - 3 or more - i've used gems

Cupcake Craft - where the Challenge is 'Birthday Cupcake, Faberoony Sketcharoony, Pieces Of Eight !' - Sketch to Celebrate Their 3rd Birthday

Image and Sentiment - Penny Black - 'Fly Away' Slapstick

Papers - Daisy Bucket - 'Star Kissed Collection'

Star Gems - Papermania

Thanks for looking, Luv Sam x

Team Teddy

Hi,

Well the last couple of days have been a little hectic !! On Saturday H and his best friend Chloe met the author & illustrator of childrens books Nick Sharratt and H won the snap competition and for his prize Nick drew him a picture of all his favourite things (that he picked out of a book) and they included an Elvis outfit, jelly and a pet dragon !! Yesterday we went to a steam festival, which turned into a bit of a disaster as Whisper wanted to come with us and then hated every minute of it !!! and today H has done 2 hours of golf, followed by a bike ride round the park in Horsham.

I would just like to say 'Thank You So Much' i was so taken aback by all the wonderful comments on my last card, it meant a lot to me.

For todays card i've used a stamp, that i've had for a while and not used yet and it's a 7" x 7" card, which is unusal for me, as CES Challenge is 'Mix and Match' - where you have to use papers from at least 2 manufacturers - i managed 3 and  PB Saturday Friends  where the challenge is 'Touchy Feely', so it fitted in well, also there were a couple of Happy Birthday Challenges too.

Todays Card and Challenges :

Crafty Emmas Store / CES - where Challenge No: 49 is 'Mix and Match' - the manufacturers i've used are : Stripey Paper - DCWV, Velvet and Glitter - Doodlebug, Paper Pieced, balloons, butterflies and ribbon and bow on image - Dovecraft

Penny Black Saturday Friends - where Challenge No: 164 is 'Touchy Feely' - i've managed to include : velvet, glitter, ribbon, flowers 2 paper and 1 material, brads and button.

Sketch Saturday - where they are up to Sketch No: 168

A Spoonful Of Sugar - where Challenge No: 162 is 'Birthdays'

Craft Your Days Away - where Challenge No: 26 is 'Birthday Celebrations'

Wags 'N Whiskers - where Challenge No: 60 is 'Sparkly'

Beary Sweet  - where Challenge No: 32 is 'Tic Tac Toe' - i've used Glitter, Flower and Paper Piecing

Image - Penny Black - 'Team Teddy'

Stripey Paper - DCWV - 'Floral Prints, Paper Stack'

Velvet and Glitter Paper  and Ribbon - Doodlebug - 'Lilac Boutique Assortment'

On Image / Paper Pieced Balloons, Butterflies, Ribbon and Bow - Dovecraft - 'Back To Basics'

Punch - MS - 'Presents'

Sentiment - Papermania - Clare Curd Signature Range

Button and Material Flower - Papermania

Paper Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts

Thanks for looking, Luv Sam x

Things To Do !

Hi,

Yesterday i braved the M25 and drove to RHS Wisley with son and his best friend, her mum and brother - we had a good time and the little ones decorated treasure boxes - my son wanted to have worms all over it, where his friend wanted a nice flower and ladybird - i guess that's boys for you !!!

The title of the stamp i've used is very apt, as this was a card that needed to be done by Monday 5th September, as that is the day my son 'H' and his best friend Chloe start school - so i started with Chloe's card first and luckily for me, over the years i've bought little nick nacks that are suitable for a school project - i wasn't sure what to say on the sentiment, as i didn't want to it to say 'first day at school' - but as my son keeps saying he's going to big school, i settled on that. I've also paper pieced the numbers paper onto the front of the notebook and covered the pencil with some of the pink flowery paper too.

Todays Card and Challenges :

Penny Black Saturday Friends - where Challenge No: 163 is 'Anything Goes'

Penny Black At Allsorts - where August's Challenge is 'Free And Easy'

Samuel Taylors Challenge - where Augusts Challenge is a 'Sketch' and a fabby one at that too, as it allowed me to add my nick nacks

Celebrate The Occasion - where Challenge No: 25 is 'Back To School'

 

Image - Penny Black - 'Things To Do'

Papers - Making Memories - 'Cheeky Collection - Abby'

Sentiment - Computer Generated

Ruler - is a button

Pencil and Notebook - Bought from the Poundshop (I think)

Ribbon from stash

Thanks for looking, Luv Sam x

Fish Are Jumpin'

Hi,
Well the last couple of days have been so quiet and peaceful, but that is all going to end tonight when the hurricane (4 year old) son and OH reappear - although i think Whisper has gone on strike today, as yesterday i took her on a 3 hour walk ( i didn't mean to, but we got caught in an almighty downpour for 20 mins and had to shelter under some trees) and this morning when i took her out, she spent the whole walk 3 paces behind me !!!

For todays card i've used an image that was sent to me and one i have been meaning to use for a while, but never got round to it, but as there are a couple of 'Water It' challenges around, it gave me a good excuse. I've also finally cut into some fabby DCWV papers - Linen Closet that i bought a couple of months ago and all i've done since is stroke them !!!

Todays Card and Challenges :

Charisma Cardz - where they have a fabby new look and Challenge No: 31 from Team Carly is 'Bingo' - I've gone for Circles (Buttons & Sentiment), Ribbon and Charm

Here Comes The Boys - where Challenge No: 8 is 'Critters'

CES / Crafty Emma's Store - where Challenge No: 48 is 'Water It'

Sweet Stop  - where they are up to Sketch No : 'SSS120'

Bearly Mine Challenge  - where Challenge No: 16 is 'Charm The Spots Off Of You'

Little Red Wagon - where Challenge No: 92 is 'Put A Critter On It'

Image - Penny Black - 'Fish Are Jumpin'

Spotty Paper - DCWV - 'The Linen Closet'

Fish Paper - Personal Impressions

Sentiment - Hero Arts - 'Small Greetings'

Ribbon, Charm and Buttons from stash

Thanks for looking, Luv Sam x

Gazing Shepherd

Hi,

Boo Hiss OH has fixed hoover, so i had to do some domestic duties, but on the plus side OH and son are driving to Yorkshire tonight (was going to go earlier, but as the M25 was shut it didn't seem worth it), as OH's team are in the Challenge Cup (Rugby League) semi final tomorrow and they are not coming back till Monday night, as OH has a meeting in Sunderland on Monday - yipee, therefore i can catch up with a couple of challenges.

The stamp i've used today i have been after for a while as my lovely friend Ann kept sending me Christmas cards with him on. I don't normally do white cards, as i always want to add colour to them !!, i have embossed and punched (small snowflakes strip) onto pearlescent white card and the large snowflakes - i used white glitter card. I covered the image with Stampin Up - heat & stick powder, then dazzling diamonds to enable it to keep up with the bling of the card.

Todays Card and Challenges :

Winter Wonderland - where the Challenge is 'White On White'

Christmas Card Challenge  - where Challenge No: 35 is a 'Sketch'

Cute Card Thursday - where Challenge No: 176 is 'No Designer Papers'
Simon Say's Stamp - where the Challenge is 'Christmas In August'
Paperplay - where Week 31's Challenge is 'Christmas In August'

Bah Humbug - where Challenge No: 32 is 'White On White'

Image - Penny Black - 'Gazing Shepherd'

Image covered in Versamark then Stampin Up heat & stick powder, then dazzling diamonds

Snowflake strip and edging - MS

Embossing - Cuttlebug - 'Snow Storm'

Pearls - Wild Orchid Crafts

Thanks for looking, Luv Sam x

Dog In Car

Hi,
Gee it's hot here today and i've managed to snap the belt on my hoover, so until my OH fixes it, no domestic duties for me - yipee !!! Yesterday i took son for his first lesson in golf !!, yes they do them for 4 year olds and he absolutely loved it and wants to do it again, but next time with Daddy, so that lets me off the hook taking him again !!, we also went to see 'Cars 2' which was alright, but i personally wasn't keen on wearing the 3D glasses !!

The image i've used today is in a set 'Hello Friend' which i chose when i won the Flicker / Penny Black challenge and thought it was about time i used it, plus it makes a great 'Monochrome' card, as there are a couple of those around at the moment. The papers i've used are so old they are a set of 'Papermania' ones and the car one, goodness knows where i picked that up from.

Todays Card and Challenges :

CES / Crafty Emmas Store - where Challenge No: 47 is 'Feeling The Blues'

Sunday Sketch and Stamp - where they are up to Sketch No: 66 - Sam's Sketch

Secret Crafter - where Challenge No: 145 is 'Monochromatic'

Here Comes The Boys - where Challenge No: 7 is 'Travel'
Charisma Cardz - where Challenge No: 30 is '4 Legged Friends'

Corrosive Challenge - where Challenge No: 127 is 'Manly'

Image - Penny Black - Taken from transparent set 'Hello Friend'

Sentiment - Woodware - 'Tiny Phrases'

Spotty and Stripe Paper - Papermania - 'Citrus Colossal Paper Pack'

Car Paper - Buzzcraft

Distressed Ink - Tim Holtz - 'Broken China'

Small Buttons - Papermania

Car Button and Ricrac Ribbon from stash