Better late than never!

I am late with my Design Team card for Quirky Crafts challenge 35, which is my recipe and had to include stitching (faux or real), Lace, at least two buttons and the colour teal or turquoise. So not good I am late but I did have a lot of family issues going on. You have a week to join in, so hop on over to see what the rest of the DT have done and the lovely entries we have so far and if you win you will join us on the DT for one of the future challenges and be able to display a winner's badge. Challenge 34 was won by the lovely Padster, who will be Guest Designer on challenge 36.
The card is from Papermill, the paper and stickers are by Papermania from a set called "Touch of Teal. The lace was from Lakeland when they were selling craft stuff but it took me years to work out it had a peal off backing like DST, I was trying to lick and stick which didn't work of course and then just gave up! The pink blooms are Prima and were part of a great blog candy, the teal blooms are made using an amazing new stamp and embosser duo by Nellie Snellen which I bought at the Exeter Show last week at Westpoint and I think I will be buying the other sets.
Image is a Sugar Nellie stamp by Leanne Ellis, coloured with Promarkers and Trias. Buttons and half pearls from stash. I also made a matching tag with the leftover card that I cut off to make the card blank square.
Finally the stitching which was done with my newest toy which arrived yesterday:

I am so pleased with this, it did cost £50 but is fantastic for a mini sewing machine. It only weighs 2.3kg and has 10 stitches, reverse and a compartment to hold the spare bobbins and needles. It holds a proper spool of thread and has a drop in bobbin. You can do light sewing with it too, and listed on the box the uses include scrapbooking and papercrafting. It also comes in a range of colours. (Please excuse messy work bench all around it but the scale of it can be seen from the punches next to it and the handle of the big shot). So much easier to get out and use than my big sewing machine, and takes up less room too. The only thing I would say to John Lewis is please include a little matching screwdriver to fit new needles. Also a little light would be good, but maybe that is asking too much of a tiny machine like this - there are tiny light bulbs out there JL!

We did have a few days away last week in "Sunny" Torquay, and considering the time of year I guess the weather wasn't that bad, it was quite mild until Friday. We managed to go into Exeter shopping where himself bought a few things, and I bought a watch the same pink as the sewing machine. We also went to Trago Mills where I bought a few crafty bits, Forever Friends stamp sets, vellums, and some pick and mix card and other bits. We also visited the Otter Sanctuary and Butterfly Farm, and Totnes where we went round the castle - that is an expensive game at £7 or more for 10 minutes round a ruin but we have done it now. Lots of photos, despite my new camera lens not arriving in time. The hotel food was superb, we had a special deal including evening meal, have probably put on even more weight now despite walking along the sea front. When we got home I just didn't feel well, perhaps I had a virus.

The Exeter show at Westpoint was the best ever, so many stalls. I didn't go to any demos or classes as himself was waiting patiently in the car but was still in there over 2 hours, I sold his ticket to someone who was queueing and they got it at the price I paid and saved £2. Sometimes himself comes into the show, so I normally buy two tickets. I went in with one shopping bag and came out with the same, not bulging even, so he didn't blink an eyelid or ask how much I had spent or if I had the money to spend! I bought a punch around the page punch set by Martha Steward, two sets of Nellie Snellen punch and emboss flower punches (two sizes for nesting) and this was after deciding I would not buy any more punches but as soon as I saw the awesome flowers being made I had to have these. I also bought some material from Pinflair with Christmas panels on to cut out and make cards or other great items, they made bags, advent calendars, Christmas garlands - I hope I do use them. I also bought two sets of Paperartsy stamps, and two pads of Laura Ashley patterned papers, the papers were on the £1 stall, bargain. I also bought an ink pad and stamp of a lady exercising, I asked the stall holder to keep them and a Nellie Snellen die then had problems finding the stall again, the show was heaving by then. The issue was that they didn't have a card machine and I didn't have much cash to start with or any cheques, and the lovely lady on the Pinflair stall had let me have some cash back, but I had to go buy the Nellie Snellen punches (from Craft Habitat who never take cards) first to see what I had left and I didn't have enough for the die too when I finally found the stall again. I am sure the stall holder lost out by not taking cards, I heard someone else complaining about it who had gone elsewhere for her goods.