An Award!

Thanks to Katherine for this lovely award.

The rules for this award are

1. Make reference to award and publish it on your blog

2. Share 5 things you like to do

3. And share with 10 blogs

4. Inform each blog

5 things I like to do are: make cards, have quality time with my family and friends, eat, shop and blog.
I'd like to pass this award onto all my blogging friends.

My new crafting shed!

Here are some pics of my new shed, built especially for me to do my crafting in. I've shown it in stages from where it was going to where it's been insulated. It's since been painted inside. It's 12' x 8' and has 2 opening doors with a lock and key (already got it alarmed lol). We've added a couple of extra windows at the sides, as I felt I needed more light. We're just starting to add the furniture now which comprises of 2 old school desks which were given to me free as they were going to throw them out, which I've had to order trays for, a desk I picked up on ebay for £4.20, plus other bits of storage I've picked up along the way.
I'm just waiting for my trays and electrical sockets to come, then I've got the job of moving and sorting all my stash, which is going to take ages, but will be worth it when everything's labelled and I'll actually be able to spend more time crafting than looking for stuff.
I'll add some more pics when all my stash is in and organised.

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge No.12 DT card

The challenge this week on C.R.A.F.T. is a sketch. For my DT card, I've used some flower rub-ons to which I've added yellow stickles, then put them into the 3 apertures on a large frame with foam pads. The frame has been coloured with a hint of mustard seed distress ink. The orange paper is a freebie from a mag to which I've added a little mustard seed and spiced marmalade around the edges and used my Martha Stewart doily lace punch at the bottom. The mat is orange Bazzil on a white A5 card. Sentiment is Anita's or papermania stamped with spiced marmalade. I've added some orange organza ribbon with a little yellow stickles in centre.
Please visit the challenge blog to see what fab prize we have on offer this week, and take a look at the work from the rest of the DT including the new members fab creations.

My crafting shed is now ready for furniture, so I'll be popping some piccies of it on soon. Hoping to be in by the weekend, but need to do lots of sorting out of my stash which is going to take forever.
More good news - my daughter passed her driving test today! I'm really pleased for her, but am having probs convincing her that she needs to find a suitable car with a small engine 'cos of the insurance and petrol, and to not pick a car just because it's a nice girly colour.

New DT member needed for I ♥ ProMarkers Challenge

Due to having to say goodbye to Diane, we are looking for someone to join us in our quest to spread the ProMarker love, you fancy it?...take a look here on the I ♥ Promarkers challenge blog, then e-mail Sharon with your details. We're also on Facebook here .

I ♥ Promarkers Challenge 2 DT card and One Stop Card Challenge 41

Please join us either on facebook or our blog for our second challenge at I ♥ Promarkers. Sharon has supplied a fab sketch to follow, and you can use any images or stash as long as pro-markers are involved in your creation. Congratulations to last month's winner who has won a selection of pro-markers. This month's winner's prize is pro-markers in shades French Navy, Ruby, Ivory, Pastel Blue and Pastel Yellow. You have a whole month to enter.
For my DT card I've used the above colours (this week's prize) plus Blush, Cool Greys 1 - 5 and Black to colour an image from the new Miss Anya Dressy set, which I only received today, and couldn't wait to ink up. Cs is black Bazzil, flowers a mix of Prima and Bazzil plus rosebuds, dp is from a QVC set, ribbons, sister stamp, and black brads from stash.
Please take a look at the cards from the rest of the DT in the pro-marker gallery on facebook or on the challenge blog. Remember, you can enter at either.

I'm also going to enter this card into the One Stop Craft Challenge 41 where the theme is 'Roses', which I have on top of the other flowers. I've used distress ink to make them a bit more blue.

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge No.11 DT card

The challenge this week at C.R.A.F.T. is a recipe of 2 buttons, 2 square shapes and 3 papers. For my DT card the pink dotty paper is a freebie from a magazine and the other 2 dps are from a K&Co. Recycled remake pad. The 2 pink buttons are from Blonde Moments. The 2 squares have images by Little Claire's coloured with pro-markers. I've added some pink felt rik-rak ribbon by Papermania, a birthday sentiment and a pink rose from stash. Cs is grey bazzil. I've used a Martha Stewart doily lace punch on some of the K&Co. paper.
Hope you can join us at C.R.A.F.T. for this week's challenge, as there will be a fab prize. Claire will be announcing which applicants will be joining us on the DT too. Talking of DTs please take a look at the fab creations by the rest of the 'old' design team.
I'm also entering this card into Simon Says Challenge where the theme is buttons and ribbons. There are 2 buttons and a ribbon on my card.
Also A Spoonful of Sugar Challenge 63 which is 'Floral Fantasy'. My card has a rosebud, plus the images have flowers in them.
Lastly, I'm entering it into PaperPlay Challenge 28 where the theme is 'Dimension' of which I think my card has, as the only flat part is the 3 papers.

On a completely different subject, I'm so excited at the mo, as I'm having my new crafting cabin built in the garden tomorrow. The base is ready, and we've got someone coming out to build it all, so I'll have to take some pics and pop them on when it's all completed. I probably won't be in it for a couple of weeks yet though, as it will need cladding inside, and painting, then the furniture has to be arranged. Hopefully, it'll be ready for using early September. I can't wait, no more avalanches every time i want something at the bottom of the pile, and we'll get our living room back at last.

VC Stamp Challenge 10

The VC Stamp Challenge this week is a colour challenge using dark blue, light blue and ivory. I used Willy the Worm, coloured with a few shades of blue pro-markers. I used an A5 ivory card with some scalloped card on top, shaded in blue round the sides and stamped a flourish (Heidi Grace), to which I added a couple of gems. I added the number 40 and a sentiment. The blue strip was from another card, and the gems are K&Co. Willy is matted and layered on light blue, then dark blue Bazzil. I've also dabbed some blue ink over the card lightly. I'm not too sure about this card, I think it's too plain, needs more blue or something.

Simon Says Let's get Distressing!

The challenge this week at Simon Says is 'Let's Get Distressing'. This card is very different from my normal style. I used a Create-a-Scene set called 'Countryside'. Firstly, I used a few different shades of distress inks for the background, then I stamped the images over the top where i thought they might look best, in walnut stain distress ink, adding little bits on a paintbrush for shadows. Matted onto chocolate brown pearl card and added some brown gems in the corners. The background for the sentiment was done in the same way, but then I added some ribbon and a topper which I cut up, distressed and coloured the buttons. This is the first time I've used these stamps, and I'm quite pleased with the result, especially as male birthday cards aren't the easiest to do.

Cute Card Thursday Challenge 71

The challenge at Cute Card Thursday this week is 'Let's Get Fruity'. For my card I've used pro-markers straight to a cherry stamp. The papers were a freebie from a mag, ribbon and cherry brad from stash, Cs is bazzil.