I love her........

This is my favourite little girl image from Sugar Nellie, I just love her. She is a digital image, so download her and start playing straight away. I just shadowed her dress with blue grey flexmarkers, and a tiny bit of pastel blue shadowing, The background was cut using a Nellie Snellen die, and the flowers are punched layered white flowers, sponged with distress inks....

Another little girl that I love very much is my seven year old granddaughter Kiki.  She was walking with her other grandmother and they saw a dead squirrel. 'That makes me sad Grandma because I love animals and I don't want them to die'.... pause.....'I don't like people to die either' .... long pause......................................'but I suppose they must die because there wouldn't be enough houses to go round if they didn't would there?
The wonderfully simplistic mind of a child


I had a wonderful first day at Stitches, but would you believe I got there too late to see Tim Holtz, he was only there for a short time before being whisked down to QVC studios where he is the star attraction on their Craft Day today. I already stayed up late to buy his new book, which was the special for today. I did take loads of photos, but need to edit them and make sense of them before putting them on here for you to see

A bit of this and a bit of that.....

Here is one of the sample cards I made for the TV launch of a limited edition Candy Doodles CD from Polkadoodles, those of you in the USA who don't have Create and Craft TV may find it fun to watch part of the programme and see Nikky and all the lovely DT samples HERE when you get to the page, click on watch video...if you fall in love with the CD, remember that Nikky offers free worldwide shipping

When I was tidying up my computer files, I found this quick little photo tutorial on making a bow that I made ages ago but forgot to put on here until now. I find it really useful for those wide ribbons, that make very impressive bows, but can be very bulky on a card....


First of all, cut a length of ribbon (obviously depending how big a bow you want, probably about 9") and open the prongs of a brad.....

Fold your ribbon into a sort of shawl shape like this......

and taking no notice of my inky fingers, scrunch up the ribbon at the centre point like this.....

you can adjust the way the bow is looking a bit at this stage, 

Then still holding the scrunched up middle, lay the ribbon down on the opened brad....

and close the prongs of the brad tightly at the back of the bow...voila! I first saw this bow being made on a craft TV show, and have used it a lot ever since

A few of you were rather taken with the twiggy wreath I used the other day, I called it a twig wreath and I think a few people have been driven crazy doing internet searches...oops, I looked again and it is called Grapevine wreath, made by Memory Box which is a USA company, which is where I bought all my Memory Box dies, but they are available in the UK as well

I spent a lot of time yesterday curled up in a ball at the side of a bed, hiding behind doors, crouching behind chairs - yes, Max has discovered Hide and Seek. 
Go and hide please Ma...
Okay Max, count to twenty....
I can only count to fourteen ......
Okay Max, count to fourteen then come and look for me..

so there I was lying on the floor at the side of his parents bed when the small  tyrant  person found me
You are ridiculous Ma (the latest big word he has learnt, and he loves to use it) lying there, and you shouldn't be wearing your shoes in Mummy's bedroom


Small people are adorable when they are being bossy! 


I am spending the next two days at the Stitches show at the NEC in Birmingham, looking at the latest and greatest in the Crafting industry, I see Tim Holtz has already jetted in, together with various other famous names from the USA, I only have a ten minute car  ride and I will be there.....and I will be sure to take the camera and report back to you

Polkadoodles Challenge

 The challenge over at Polkadoodles this week was a recipe - one image, two papers, three embellishments. I used papers from the Candy Doodles CD, and cut a frame out of the blue, popped it on with foam pads. The gorgeous little owl is from the Back to Nature CD, coloured with Promarkers, and the flowers were punched

Here are the punches I used.......I quite liked the look of flowers and foliage all in the same colour

The great news over at Polkadoodles this week is that Mariannes Designs are sponsoring the challenge blog, so there is a Mariannes package of goodies for one of the peeps who enter the challenge this week,  dig out those papers and embellishments, and have a go


Have a great weekend. Me? I am going to be seeing Max and Milo on Sunday, so that will be my weekend treat

Easter Lilies

I think I have reached the end of my floral frenzy (or maybe not..). while I was rummaging around, I found these little lilies that I have had for ages. They are made from a clay material. I thought that they would be perfect for an Easter card. Here it is....

Have you noticed if you go onto Splitcoast Stampers that there is a big revival of the inked cuttlebug folder technique?  I did a tutorial on this technique some time ago, click on the Tutorial button to find it. I find the galleries at Splitcoast Stampers is a great resource for inspiration, there are some wonderful tutorials and cards on there, check them out

For this card I found a piece of white cardstock with a scallop edge (it was the remnant of a spoiled card that went into the wastebin, (or trashcan depending where you live :)), so I cut it to size and embossed it with a folder inked with meadow distress ink

I used my twig wreath die  - I diecut it four times, and glued the layers on top of each other, using glue, I knew that the flowers would cover up the glue, so I didn't have to be too careful

I used a sentiment circle from the Occasions message set by Craftwork Cards

and used some of the silky foliage that came with the flowers, plus some punched foliage (Martha Stewart punch), and built up sprays of leaves and flowers to decorate the wreath

I have had a few emails me asking to explain how you shape and distress flowers using a ball tool and a mat, I will try to do a video to show you in the next couple of days. I reckon these flowers would be easy to reproduce in paper or Fimo clay as well.....It just shows, if you keep something for long enough, it will come in handy one day


Only a few days until the next big craft adventure - the Stitches Craft show at the NEC in Birmingham - practically on my doorstep, so no need to get on a plane this time. It's a trade show, so there won't be a buying frenzy, but I will get to see all the latest and greatest ideas from the UK, and take a couple of classes as well. I will be meeting up with a few buddies as well, so looking forward to it very much. I'll take my camera!


Just a reminder, the challenge is up and running, just a few entries so far, and you have a good chance to win some Flexmarkers... if you don't have a blog, just snap a photo of your creation and send it to me, I will put it on here for you


I'll be back with my Polkadoodles card tomorrow, see you then?

Spring Sunshine

Here's a splash of sunshine for a winters day. I used a ready made scalloped card, punched a square with a Martha Stewart round the page punch and cut out the middle with a rounded square nestability. I cut a smaller aperture in a pale green square to frame the flowers. Lots and lots of layers on the flowers, which are the Primula die from Memory box, with some added foliage done with a Martha punch

 I felt happy making this, it reminded me of buttercups on a summers day. The flowers were popped on with Pinflair glue, which dries in a 'blob' and doesn't flatten out as it dries. You apply it with a syringe, so it's easy to be precise

I didn't put a sentiment onto this card, it could be useful for so many occasions.


I had an email yesterday from Eileen, who wanted to know where I got my inspiration for my cards. That set me thinking, and the honest answer is I really don't know. Like all crafters I sometimes hit a wall and my mojo disappears for a few days, but I can't say what brings it back. I wish I could say that I was inspired by a glorious sunset/the colour of the summer sky/a scrap of vintage fabric/a piece of pottery rescued from a junk store.............but even though that would make me sound very artsy and quirky, I cannot tell a lie....
The truth is that I sit and mess around at my desk, I mess with papers, I leaf through  cricut handbooks, I fiddle with stamps, and somehow, all this messing leads to the card. I do have temporary passions though, one week it's all Cricut, this past week I have been on a real floral kick, next week it will be something totally different no doubt. Anyone seen the Mod Podge? That reminds me, I still haven't used that grunge board that has been back and forth across the Atlantic with me so many times, I am thinking of applying for a grunge board frequent flyer card. (I still don't have any clue what I am supposed to be doing with the stuff, perhaps that can be my mission/passion for next week)


See you tomorrow 

Pensive little bear....

Here's a Penny Black bear, I thought he looked as if he was having a pensive moment, so I made it a 'thinking of you' easel card. The circle easel card comes ready cut from Craftwork Cards, papers are Martha Stewart. I kept it simple, sometimes simple is best... 

Coloured with Promarkers (mainly the new limited edition Spring set, apart from his sailor suit trim, which is a navy flexmarker)
I inked the edges of some white Prima flowers to match his sailor suit, and the sentiment was stamped with the Navy flexmarker as well

Don't forget, if you want Card Candi, which a lot of you have been looking for in the USA, Blitzy has it on sale, loads of different colours, I think it's $1.99 for a pack (you get about 400 candi circles in a pack, so maybe you could join forces with a friend and split some packs between you to build up your collection, and if you join then invite your friend, you will get a $10 credit when she buys - win win). Don't forget to get some white ones, you can colour those with your markers so that they match your project perfectly


February - time to take stock of new year resolutions......


Growing my hair - FAILED - I lasted for about three weeks before I had a 'short back and sides'. It looks much better, I was beginning to feel like a topiary - you know, a big bushy ball on top of a stalk! Slap me if I start talking about growing it again


Cutting back on craft supplies and using what I already have - FAILED - well, they shouldn't keep bringing out all this enticing new stuff and waving it at me, and if I wasn't meant to go to a big craft fair in Frankfurt, God wouldn't have let us invent planes


Spending more time on housework than crafting - ermm, forgot about that one


Diet - Fail


Exercise - Fail


Other stuff..........
Fail
Fail
Fail
Fail
Ah well, there's always next year.....


Happy Valentines Day to all romantics out there, or Happy expensive-double-the-normal-price-red-roses day as it should be called..... 

WIN a COMPLETE set of FLEXMARKERS!

 

Yes, you read it right. Flexmarkers are arriving in the USA next month, and to celebrate Letraset are offering the complete set of Flexmarkers - 90 delicious colours - to one lucky (very lucky!) reader. Entries are accepted from anywhere in the world

The contest will remain open for a full month, and will close on Monday 12th March at midnight UK time (7:00 PM EST). To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post

1. Leave a comment, making sure you can be identified if you win

2. If you are a follower or email subscriber to Going Buggy, you get a second chance, ( you all know how much I appreciate my followers and regular readers, stops me getting lonely....) enter your name again in a separate comment .......just enter your name and 2/follower entry

3. Sign up on the form at the end of this post to receive Letraset's newsletter, you get a third chance .....enter your name again in a third comment. If you are already signed up, just enter your name and 3/newsletter entry

NOTE: because of the size of this giveaway, the above requirements WILL be checked when a winner is drawn

The only other thing you have to do is, if you are a blogger, mention the prize on your blog, with a link back here

(If you are an email subscriber, click on the Going Buggy header at the top of your email, which will bring you here, click on 'comment' under this post, a box will pop up. If you don't have a google account, tick 'anonymous' and enter your comment - make sure you leave your name and some way of identification like a email address, or message board name. I can't accept email entries for this one, but it's just as easy to leave a comment as writing me an email!)

Here is the form to sign up for the Letraset newsletter - you will get first hand info on all the competitions and prizes they are running, as well as colouring tips and tutorials from the experts

Name:

Email:



Good luck! I will keep a link to this post at the top of the blog for the whole month, so you will be able to find it again quite easily

More of Moorish!

I can't get enough of this new collection from Craftwork Cards, and for some reason I have been in a flowery mood this week - perhaps it's the result of buying three bunches of daffodils which have opened and are looking so springlike and fresh, even though it's freezing outside.....

This first one was made with the flower template in this month's kit - I cut out the bowl in white and coloured with Promarkers. I added a few punched tiny flowers for centers. Don't you love the shaped messages? The shaped card came with the kit as well. The colours remind me of a bunch of anemones, one of my favourite flowers. I put a few drops of glossy accents here and there on the flowers to look like dew drops.. 

For this next one, I cut the fence using the Bloom Cricut cartridge, and embossed it with a woodgrain embossing folder by Sissix - I think it's a Tim Holtz folder. Again, I added little punched flowers and leaves and sprinkled a few gems about.......the butterfly is a Martha Stewart punch

I went to see the Matthew Bournes 'Nutcracker' last night. (Those of you not in the UK, MB is a very innovative choreographer) It was marvellous, if ever you have the chance, do go and see it. There is something about live theatre isn't there? A civilized drink before you go in, another in the interval, a great rush of people all needing the restrooms at the same time, the slow shuffle out of the theatre at the end, clapping until your hands hurt.....I love it


My little grandsons continue to keep me amused - conversation between two year old Milo and his Mummy


Where you going Mummy?
To work
Why?
Well, to earn money...
Why?
To pay for food, and holidays and toys. Can you think of something else Mummy could buy?
Pause while Milo has a think about this......
An aeroplane?


That's my boy, aim for the top, nothing short of a Lear jet will do


See you tomorrow

Moorish - and Card Candi Bargains.....

I was really excited today to get an email from Blitzy, saying that their special deal of the day was Card Candi ($1.99 a pack, and they have every colour under the sun). Of course, Blitzy only ship to the USA, but I know that a lot of you have had a hard time finding the candi that I use such a lot, so this may be welcome information. Here is the link to the Blitzy site, it's a fun site to visit and they have craft deals three times a week

I have been busy with Craftwork Cards latest collection, called Moorish. For the first one, I cut a frame from Elegant Edges at 4", and popped it on with foam pads. The flowers were all punched......aren't the colours lovely?

Here are the punches I used......I shaped them by rubbing the centers with a ball tool on a rubber mat

 and a very quick clean and simple card made with the same collection

I saw another genetically modified teenager today - she must be genetically modified so that she doesn't feel the cold when its only -2, how else could she be teetering around on 6" stilettos and bare legs. Mind you, she did have a woolly hat on her head, which probably made up for the bare legs and the skimpy mini skirt, either that, or she was just having a bad hair day, oh to be young......


If you missed it yesterday, the first challenge results are up in the post below this, and the next challenge has been set, lace and butterflies, mmmm, can't wait to see what you come up with....

Winners of First Challenge - and a New Challenge

First of all, thank you all so much for taking part in the very first Going Buggy challenge, fifty fabulous entries, I was so thrilled that so many of you joined in, and sorry I can't give you all something for your trouble, you all deserve it...but more markers are up for grabs again this month, scroll down for details..

You set the 'judges' a really hard task, and after a lot of thought, my favourite card this month was by 

Lou (LoopyLou blog)

 We loved her use of the gears on her Steampunk card, they are even on the heart - I liked the way she coloured the image as well, using grey for a skin tone. So congratulations Lou, email me with your address, and Letraset will be in touch to see which six markers you would like to go with your wallet. Here is Lou's winning card

 and the second winner, drawn by random.org is 

   Tant Therese

 Congrats to you, email me with your details, as above,  so that your prize can be sent to you

On to this months challenge, which will run until the 7th March 2012, two prizes again, one for my favourite, and the other one to be drawn randomly. If you don't have a blog, please take part, email me with your entries. I am still figuring out how to transfer them onto this blog, but rest assured, all email entries this month were put in the draw, with all the other entries


This month, two of you will  win a set of six brand new and very fabulous Flexmarkers - the same wonderful alcohol ink, but with a brand new brush nib. There are some very lovely colours available in them too, subtle pastel shades that blend beautifully. Thank you Letraset for your generous sponsorship. As before, one will be judged my favourite, and one will be drawn randomly


So what's the challenge? Do you remember the plastic lace squares I bought back from Germany. Well, one of them made it onto a simple little card, and the plastic still looks like real linen! The background card is a pearly coffee colour, and the butterfly is a die I have had for ages and forgotten the maker...

So this month I want to see

 LACE AND BUTTERFLIES

 on your card. It can be real lace, a lacy border, paper lace, a tiny butterfly, a butterfly shaped gem.....as long as those two things are on the card, that will be fine
You can enter as often as you like, but each entry must be a new card made for the challenge - no back-linking to old posts please. Entries can be made from all over the world, the prize will make it's way to you if you win. 


Please do not enter your name into the linky box if you have not made a card, this is not blog candy, but a challenge and it is only fair that those who have made cards should be the only names in the draw :)


The thumbnail photos of your cards will not show up until I have approved them (haven't a clue how to stop this, but don't worry, they will show up eventually!) 


Good luck, and I am looking forward to visiting all your blogs again this month to see your entries 


Emailed entries: These will be allocated a number for the draw when all the Mr Linky entries have been made

Cheryl Winget - cleverly used a piece of lace as a stencil on the bottom of the bag

Marlene Killey

Marlene Killey

Janette MacManus

More Craftwork Cards Samples for CHA

Here's a couple more of the cards I made for the Craftwork Cards stand at CHA. This first one is quite glitzy, lots of bling and butterflies..... I used three different message labels, so the card reads

For my wonderful friend.....on your birthday...........have a lovely day

 Flowers made from upside down Card Candi..... the leaf spray is a Fiskars die

Since the cards were going to America, I thought a Stars and Stripes card would be fun...it was a real task getting the right number of stripes in the right order! I mounted them onto white cardstock, and bent the card a bit before putting on the base card with foam pads so it looks as if there is movement

I haven't done much crafting this weekend as our daughter has been home for a chill-out weekend. She certainly picked the right weekend for chill - it has been freezing, and we had lovely snow on Saturday (I love snow when it's all pristine, everything looks so pretty).

Conversation between my son and four year old Max

Max - Is God a man or a woman?

Edward - I don't know, nobody knows

Max - Oh...................long pause.....................I think I've met him

See you tomorrow with a new challenge and the winners of the very first Going Buggy challenge