I am such a bad DT member

So sorry everyone especially teamies! This has been such a hectic week with so many things I have ended up doing, and I have tried to make a side step card so many times when I had a minute without success. This is because I was following American instructions in inches from the SCS forum (thanks, I will try and find the link and post it later) and 1/8th inches, using a metric ruler that had 10ths not 8ths, and it didn't work, I am also not very patient with precise measuring and hopeless at using a craft knife - in fact dangerous at times! Have been out to buy a new steel rule today with 8ths, also found a plastic one which has both 16ths and 10ths. So this attempt was slightly better.
Stamps are Holiday Dolls clear set by Hero Arts. I have never been a fan of flower soft until they brought out Polar White and this is the first time I used it. Images coloured with Promakers, Docrafts and Stickles glitter glues used, also Ranger Glossy Accents.

This is my DT challenge card for Quirky Crafts Challenge blog, you have just under a week left to enter, and the theme is Around the World. My card is about China, the mountains and snow.

As I have family round tomorrow, and then I really need to get into gear and finish my Christmas cards (unfortunately the bulk of them) not to mention some outstanding present shopping I may not get to post again before Christmas. So in case I don't - Happy Christmas to all my followers and visitors to this blog, and Happy New Year too (just in case).

Angel in paradise

Here is the same angel but stamped and embossed with white Brilliance ink and Hampton Art white embossing powder from a set of pastel colours. Added a punched edge using a Martha Stewart trellis punch, stamp is as before Inkadinkado, sentiment is Hero Arts. Snowflakes punched with Xcut punch and a freebie Tonic punch that I got with a magazine recently. Accent colour here is blue metallic only used for the biggest die cut label, Nestabilities used for the die cuts.

Don't forget to go and enter your black and white craft project with an accent colour and lots of punching over at the Quirky Crafts Challenge blog. You have until Friday (around 16:00 GMT) to get them in before voting starts Friday afternoon. Don't forget to visit and vote on Friday or Saturday even if you haven't managed to make something for the challenge.

I just spotted a challenge I can enter, The Crafty Pad challenge this week is snow (there are a lot of snow cards about, not to mention the weather in the U.K. right now). Going to look for more.

ABC Christmas challenge blogspot have an Xmas challenge so have entered that too.

Quirky Crafts Challenge 39 - recipe by Cazzy.

Yep, it is my recipe, and the recipe is mainly black and white with one accent colour and LOTS of punching. So get out your punches and go wild. We are still taking names of people interested in joining us on the design team permanently or for a guest spot. Also the winners of the last challenge have been announced over on the Quirky Crafts Challenge blog. We have also introduced an exciting new feature of Inlinkz, which is public voting so anyone can go vote for their favourite three cards at the end of the challenge and we will have a public and a DT favourite as our winners.

Here is my DT card:

This wasn't the card I had in mind to make, it just sort of happened. I was moving a box of stamps and spotted the Inkadinkado angel stamp still unused, and thought I would try it. I tried it in white on black too using embossing powders and after several attempts with different powders I got a good image, so watch out for the next version of this card. Next I went to look for punches and suddenly found the musical note punch, perfect for the angel with the trumpet. Instead of holly or snow, I ended up using a deep border punch by Martha Stewart to make the black lace, and punched out snowflakes in silver, which became my accent colour, with an Xcut punch. I cut the angel and matting shapes with Nestabilities large labels die set. Finally I looked for a sentiment and found the Peace stamp in a Hero Arts clear set, stamped and embossed in silver and die cut with the same large labels set. I also corner punched the gate fold corners. I had problems getting this photographed, even with a mini photo studio. Here is another version:

Not sure if that is any better to see, it is on a small easel that I cropped out.

 

Sugar Nellie tent card for PCP group challenge.

My first tent card, this was made for a Paper Craft Planet challenge on the All Things Sugar Nellie group. I used a Diane Duda stamp coloured with Promarkers but I am not happy with my colouring. The image is cut out with Nestabilities ovals (original sketch was a circle but I hope this is allowed), I think the papers are Dove Craft but I am not certain. Glitter glue also used, and a Papermania ribbon.

Day off Tuesday Sand where has it gone?

I did have a lie in but only until just before 9am. Then I packaged up some more ebay sales ready to post, and the morning seemed to just vanish. I made my lunch, then at about 3pm after I gave up waiting for the last person to pay and forced my way through the school run parents who think my little cul-de-sac is the school car park. Then met three way traffic lights on the way to the only local PO still open, had problems parking due to schools home time, but did, posted the parcels then set off home the way I came, only because the car was now turned round pointing in that direction by the time I parked. I hobbled to the PO and back to the car, then set off. There was a huge traffic queue at the lights which are permanent lights but nobody could move anywhere because of the temp lights a bit further on. So I turned round, three point, and then back the other way only to find a queue the other end of the road, and when I got through that finally I joined at least one more queue. The only good thing about all of this was by the time I actually managed to get back home  (a 20 minute task having taken an hour) the school run lot had gone and I had a clear run onto my drive, and didn't have to shout at anyone or fight for my drive!

I also nearly got two of the buyers mixed up, well not nearly - I actually had the wrong name and address and packing slip already attached to one package before I realised what I had done about an hour later! Luckily I realised or it could have got very complicated and expensive to sort out.

So there is still one person who hasn't paid since Sunday, and we are talking about less than £10. Annoying because it means another trip to the PO when she decides to pay and I won't be able to do it tomorrow but there doesn't seem like any danger of being paid tonight. I also managed to sell my little snowmen stamps to someone on a forum so they have gone too, the rest of the unsold stuff is on UK Stampers now and if there is another free listing on ebay soon it will go back on with more stuff when I sort some out.

I have been making a card to show off the other stamp set I have a duplicate of. I am not happy with my colouring of these images, and must have another go at doing it differently. I found some old Papermania paper with tulips on which is a perfect background and used this gate fold card which I have also decorated inside with the same paper.

I had intended to do so much more crafting today but it wasn't to be.

The stamps are by Personal Impressions. The card blank is a C5 size, and the tulip stamps are available to buy new if you are interested as they didn't sell on Ebay.

Its my age.....

I set off for work this morning in the fog and frost and ice, soon I joined the back of a big queue of traffic where there isn't normally one. Sat there and crept forward for 20 minutes before realising it was probably because of a road parallel to the A road I was trying to get to, which I normally take, that was closed for remedial work (having been closed for a week and resurfaced only a month or two ago, so what went wrong?)  Reached for the mobile to check the date, as I had remembered the closure started on the 15th but I didn't think it was the 15th yet, of course it was!

Couldn't find the phone, bother had left it at home - started to remember where I left it then remembered it was next to my glasses so I wouldn't forget it. Bother - forgot my glasses! I have been wearing them all the time but don't need them all the time for distance.

I decided that on balance it was worse to turn round and get them and then rejoin the queue all over again, so I carried on to work, and struggled all morning but did manage to work on some documents on the PC on 148%.

I was also hobbling round all morning with a very painful heel that started yesterday morning, and got worse after I walked the dogs with it. At least it took my mind off the pain from my dodgy knee on the other leg! The pain is worst when I first stand and is right in the back of the heel, as I walk it eases off a little but not a lot and painkillers don't touch it at all.

After lunch I couldn't carry on working any longer without the glasses so took the afternoon off and tomorrow so I don't have to repeat the experience, at least I missed the homeward queue by going early too.

Christmas cards, snowmen

Here are a couple of Christmas cards I made today. I used the same stamp set I am selling on Ebay right now, they are a duplicate unused set and the auction ends tomorrow. There are also some sets of Cuttlebug dies going at bargain prices.

I think you could use these Personal Impressions stamps on their own, or together in any combination. The cards used here are C6 size. I coloured the stamps with Promarkers, and die cut them with Spellbinders Nestabilities, then mounted them on a Nellie Snellen frame. I added some 3d stickers to finish the cards, which were really quick to make, just as well as Christmas is getting nearer and I don't have many done at all!

Blog candy

Just found this great blog candy over at Cat's Whiskers Jacqui's but it ends today so be quick:

Oh dear I am so tired today, was up to midnight putting things on Ebay including more stamps and some unused unopened Cuttlebug dies. Lots more to go I am sure but the free listing ended at midnight so maybe another weekend for the rest. I will try and be ready with photos next time and postage so I can list it all quicker.

Challenge time on Quirky Crafts and DT call

Challenge 38 on Quirky Crafts is a sketch by the lovely Spyder (Lyn). I wanted to use this very cute snow person by Penny Black which is coloured with Promarkers and some glitter glue and Stickles on top. I love his cosy scarf and hat.

Here is the sketch:

I used some Papermania paper, ran some metallic blue card through the Big Shot with a Crafts Too snowflake embossing folder, added some punched layered snowflakes and in the top corner it is hard to see but there are two snowflake eyelets in dark blue. The snowflake ribbon was a freebie with my last order from Crafty Ribbons, and the buttons were in my stash. The greeting is from a T for Transparent set by Penny Black and is heat embossed with blue powder. Die cut shapes using a Nestabilities scalloped circle.

Due to Anne sadly not being able to continue on the design team we are looking to recruit at least one new member, we can't manage with three. We also want guest designers. We are doing this for fun but do have at least one sponsor lined up for next year so there will be a few free digi images at least.

I am going to enter this in the Penny Black Saturday challenge which is Let it Snow. Sorry it is a bit out of focus at the top, busy day.

If anyone is interested I am having a craft room clear out (someone please hide my credit card and don't let me see any new stamps, or stamps in a sale) and have been putting surplus stash on Ebay, more to come this evening hopefully as I found a heap of Cuttlebug dies I haven't opened and more stamps. My userID is cazzooblue.

Craft Room clear out on Ebay

I have made a start at my craft room clear out, see what I have listed so far here hopefully more to come tonight or tomorrow.

Check out my new photo. http://ping.fm/ybEK7

Flippin Women - Bingo and Happy Birthday Sister in Law

Remember I said I bought some bargain Flippin Women and Men stamps? Well here is the Flippin Women bingo stamp set that I used on this Sister in Law card yesterday.
I coloured the image with Promarkers, cut out the two images and sandwiched them together with acetate in the window of the card. I cut the window with a Spellbinders Nestabilties large label die. I used the other stamps in the set to add the words and balls to the front, and stamp the message inside. I found some bingo paper that I remembered having, it is by Karen Foster, now I need to find more of it!
I cut the lining in two parts to make it easier to line up the front apetures, even doing that the lining "caught" and didn't line up perfectly but it isn't too bad. Happy Birthday and Sister in Law are both Papermania stamps, the latter is from the brilliant Relations double set which I recently purchased in Trago Mills (it has just about every relationship you could want), the former is from a Daisy and Dandelion set.

Looking round for challenges I might be able to enter and found:
Cute Card Thursday - So Transparent.
Charmed Cards Crafty goings on blog - anything with an image you coloured yourself and you can win great blog candy here - 72 Copic markers, how cool is that!

Glue Arts - BOO ME

To be booed by Glue Arts and possibly receive some Halloween candy you need to post this ghost and then go post a reply on the Glue Arts blog so they can come visit.

Check out my new photo. http://ping.fm/b5IYy

Check out my new photo. http://ping.fm/ZkTul

Quirky Crafts Challenge 37 - recipe by Anne.

The recipe is to use red and gold, must be two different types of gold (say card and ribbon), one stamped image, one length of ribbon and one patterned paper.

I cut the card with a Sizzix Bigz XL die, the red frames are a Nellie Snellen die set, the inner scalloped square is flat to the card the outer frame is raised off the card for a 3D effect using silicone glue but hard to see that from the photo. The image is House Mouse coloured with Promarkers, and cut with a Spellbinders Nestabilities square die. The flowers are punched with a Nellie Snellen punch and emboss set with added gems. Ribbon was WH Smiths, magic cord from Crafty Ribbons, bow made using the Bowdabra.

I think most of the design team have decided to go for something Christmassy, hop on over to Quirky Crafts Challenge Blog to see the other gorgeous creations and to enter your own.

I have entered the following challenges too:

Crafty Cardmakers - Use something that was a freebie. My freebie is the paper that the flowers are punched from.

Paper Garden Projects blog - holiday cards

New goodies

Say the word SALE, followed by Stamps and I am there!  So recently I have bought the entire set of Flippin Men stamps and some of the Flippin Women - there weren't many women left. These were only £1 each reduced from £9.99 per set so how could I not buy them from Imag-e-nation and I only went there for a free digi download.
Then I had an email from Elzybells announcing a 75% off closing down sale. Right there, right away! I spent "cough" rather a lot more than I anticipated but there was the lovely rubber and some other things I couldn't pass up on.

Now this is where the Royal Mail played a blinder. I had an email saying the goodies had been dispatched on Oct 4th, so when I got one of those cards saying a package is at the PO and too big for your letterbox (mailbox) I went right on line and asked for redelivery on Saturday 9th Oct. Postie came and delivered a parcel but not the one I expected. So I thought I must have been wrong, and waited, and waited.......Finally I had a hunch that the parcel that had arrived was nothing to do with the card, and that the redelivery may not have happened, the card didn't have any numbers on it to identify it, so how could the PO find it to redeliver I thought. So yesterday I popped in to the collection office to see if they had my goodies and after much searching they found them, not helped by me thinking the package must be smaller than it was! So Hooray I have my rubber and the other goodies.
Elizabeth who started Elybells to sell her stamp designs is not giving up completely, but she will be working for one of the big stamp manufacturers in future, Penny Black I think, so Good Luck to her and I am sure we will be seeing many of her designs soon.

The next lot of goodies which actually arrived first was from Crafty Ribbons.

When I saw this new gadget for making stunning bows I had to have one, after all it is under £10 (under £9 in fact) and my favourite ribbon people not only endorse it but are selling it and using it. I had to get some of these cute ribbons too, and got a freebie. The thing by the Bowdabra is my attempt at a bow with it.

Apart from these goodies I have been buying cute dog stamps, so watch out for cute dog cards coming soon. I have been on the lookout for a stamp of a dog that someone sent me in a swap but cannot find him, I found a smaller similar dog by Inkadinkadoo and bought him. The dog is sitting wagging his tail and holding a bone in his mouth, the original one is a scruffier one than the Inkadinkadoo version but very similar. I wish I could remember who made them so I could search for it, I am sure I knew once.

Quirky Crafts Challenge 36 - Sketch by Caro

Challenge 36 started this evening over at Quirky Crafts Challenge blog and  is a sketch by the lovely Caro. As soon as I saw it I thought of my Hero Arts Clings sitting there as yet unused, and thought these would be perfect. The sentiment is a little too large but does it work?  I turned the sketch around as you can see. The snow person is paper pieced and then shaded with Pro-markers. The snow circle and the greeting are stamped with Brilliance in white and embossed with Stampendous pearly white powder. Snow person stamped with Memento ink. Fluffy bobble(on hat), snowflake buttons and starry ribbon from stash. Paper was a freebie last year from Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine. Shapes cut with Nestabilties by Spellbinders, though looking at it now I think I could have made the sentiment a little smaller but I was sure the next size down didn't fit it!

Hop on over to see what the other teamies have done with this sketch and have a go yourself, there is a prize this time and a chance to be a guest DT member and display the winner's badge.

Waitrose are lovely

I recently ordered from Waitrose for the first time. They have only started delivering here since opening a new shop about 10 miles away. I did pop in to check it out when I had to go that way for something else recently.
Well there were a few things not available, the delivery man was most apologetic and some substitutes I sent back, and he told me if there was anything else I wasn't happy with to ring the free phone number.
After he had gone when I started to put stuff away I realised that the two tubs of organic Duchy ice cream both contained maize starch, something that will make me feel ill. I rang to say it would be helpful to have that information on the website, as the ice cream was not cheap and they told me as a gesture of good will they would refund me. I was surprised to get a message left on my phone telling me later that the branch would not refund me after all. I rang again and asked if I take this back to the shop will they refund me then? Of course they would have to throw it away. Customer services advised me to ask to talk to the manager next time I was in the shop taking my bill with me, but as I don't go to the shop usually I wanted to phone and ask about it.

I spoke to the manager who apologised and told me of course they would do a refund, and he would look into it. I later got a phone call from another manager who told me they had refunded me double the cost and could they deliver a bunch of flowers to say sorry?
How lovely is that, and not something that the likes of Tesco practice for much worse things (such as the gone off chicken)!

Anyway the poor chap who turned up, and I think it was a manager, asked if he had caught me at a bad time. I was wearing my yellow rubber gloves, my beloved old pink T shirt that has moth holes and a blob of blood coloured paint in the middle from a card making session, which was also a bit soggy and my hair (desperately in need of a trim) looked wild and so did I from his reaction! In fact my parents had been round before that and my Dad asked what was on my top, I said "blood" and he just said "oh". I had to tell him it wasn't really, wasn't worried about it being blood though. I wore it out dog walking once and worried in case anyone thought I had been stabbed - no not round here! I didn't even invite him in. Maybe my top is due for recycling, sigh.

Well I will definitely be ordering again, especially as delivery is free for over £50 of goods, and you can order fresh fish unlike the other supermarkets and the service I got today was superb.

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.