You'll be Bearly Dotty About This...

...or maybe you won't, but I quite like the way this card turned out. It's my second DT card for Quirky Craft's Challenge, Dots, Spots, Stripes and Embossing. Little Penny Black image, 'Raining Daisies', which I haven't used in ages or maybe never. Paper by.....???? I think it must be Daisy & Dandelion, A5 120gsm Paper Collection 'Picnic Patch.' Nice papers, 30 co-ordinating designs it says on the front but there's only one sheet of each design and colour, so you're a bit stuffed if you make a larger card or need more of the same paper to do other things. (Buy a bigger pack Lyn!) Ah, but do they do a bigger pack? (Just Googled it...no can't find one)

Embossed the little bear and coloured him with Promakers and used my deckled Nestabilities. I haven't used a sentiment, as Happy Birthday had been embossed on the dotty paper with a CuttleBug folder...but I'm now thinking maybe it needs one. I might do one, before it goes off. I mean, before I post it off, not that it's suddenly going to start to pong or anything! The font I've used as a watermark along the bottom of the picture is called Peas Leslie's Happy Font. Link is on my sidebar. It comes with little faces, clouds, stars, hearts, a leaf, and the word love, which is nice! You can download it for free HERE. That's it.
I bought some magnetic photo paper today. I wonder what fun I can have with that!?! Thanks for stopping by!

Challenges
Teddy Stampers-Anything goes
Penny's - Anything Goes
Simon says stamps-animal antics

Quirky Spots and Stripes! With Embossing.

The new challenge has started over on the Quirky Crafts Challenge blog! This time round it's...

Spots, Stripes and Embossing!!

A nice and easy challenge, which was set by me! I was soooo engrossed in doing that and double checking the spelling, I forgot all about doing my own post!! So, here it is...a bit late. This time we're being sponsored (which means prizes!!) by the lovely...

**Crafty Ribbons**

The lucky Design Team Choice Winner, will receive not only a selection of gorgeous spotty polka dot ribbons, but also a selection of these lovely striped ribbons and some lovely buttons too!! Our second sponsor is none other that yours truly...

Spyder's Other Corner

I will give the winner of the Public Voting a choice of any 5 digis! (More in store very shorty if not sooner!) So, what d'you have to do?! Simply make anything crafty that will fit into this 'Spots, Stripes and Embossing Challenge.'
Easy!
I've made two cards this time. This is my first. I'll blog about the other one later. I've made a pocket card using Forever Friends Double sided Christmas paper. Tiny spots and little stripes on red. I've cut the A4 sheet so I have a piece measuring 4½" x just over 11" and scored at approx 3½ and 8½, the smaller flap tucks up to form the pocket. Folded strips of paper form the gutter at the sides so it will hold a gift. In this case a few stamped images. The closing flap doesn't have to have acetate added, you can always lower the topper so the card is supported. More Pocket Cards Here (Made with12x12 )
I've 3D-ed and embossed the Forever Friend Stamped Bear about four times, once including the heart (Black ink and clear embossing power) coloured him in with Promarkers, cut him out and fixed him together with silicone glue. I've used my Nestabilities (Large Deckled Rectangles, which are also embossed) to make the topper and used silicon glue once again to fix it to the card. I've added embossed acetate a long the bottom of the card, mainly to help it stand up. The acetate is nice and thick as it was once a Promarkers packet! (The flat side not the bumpy side!) The little Forever Friends bear inside was leftover from another card I made in the week. I haven't added a sentiment yet, but it will probably be, 'Just For You.' I've also added a black shaped heart to hide the brad hearts prongs (or legs) Think it still needs something on the inside.. and when I can decide what it is, I'll add another picture!

Challenges
Forever Friends Challenge-dots and spots
Teddy Stampers-Anything goes
Penny's - Anything Goes
Wee Memories - Get Sketchy(max 2 entries)
Delightful Challenges - Have a Heart
Bunnyzoescrafts.-love is in the air
Meljens designs -add a heart
Allsortschallenge-saving nature
The acetate was once a Promarkers Packet

Two Quirky Sneak Peaks

Ah! You'll be dotty about this one! It's my turn to set the next challenge over on Quirky Craft's Challenge blog, Sunday Evening. (So you'll know it'll be late and there'll be tons of smelling mistakes!) I've made two cards this time. So here's my two very blurry sneak peeks. Any ideas?
We have two sponsors for this , our third challenge of 2011...
One with some fabulous ribbons for the Design Team's Choice winner and the other with some very Dodgie looking Digi's for the Public Vote... oho I wonder who that is! (I'd better do some more!) Moving along quickly...!

New Followers! (((Big wave and Hi ))) to Lisa, who's made a lovely card using my latest digi! over on Lisa's Paper Addiction
and the lovely Sue (a WOYWW and a House Mouse fan) over on Sue's Stamping stuff Pop over and see her lovely Heart Cards!!
Thank you for stopping by!

My New Multi Shaper 5 in 1 Punch

Yay!! Thank Crunchie it's Friday!! Thought I'd show you this. Postie shoved a note in through my letterbox yesterday, one minute after I'd left to go visit the cats we are looking after. Could I remember what I'd bought? No... me of small brain!! Anyway, I picked up my parcel from the main post office this morning on my way to work...okay, it made me a bit late but I can't work knowing there's a parcel waiting for me now, can I?? (no!) I'd ordered a Dovecraft Multi Shaper 5 in 1 Punch from EBay £3.99 plus £1.99 post and packing. Not bad, seeing they're usually round the £15 mark and I've seen them for $29, although the ebayer says QVC had them for £25. In any case, I'm a happy bunny! As you can see, I've been having a little play. It's a good way to use up those scraps! Here's a Docrafts YouTube Link
and here's another YouTube link!
New Followers! (((Hi and a big wave))) Anne-Marie, Christopher Allen, Okienurse a WOYWW fan! Tracey Brossart Sarah, Kaz, another WOYWW fan and just down the road from me in Salisbury! Sonia Davies, and then Diamond-Sky I 'know' from forums!! MadaboutCards? or Trimcraft? I must nip over there! and say hi!! It's midnight!! Night night!!

Lovely Award From Terri

Thank you so much!! Terri from My need 2 craft has sent me this fab Award! It's always lovely to think that other people out there in Blogland were thinking of you! In accepting this Award, I need to tell you 8 things about myself and then pass it on to 8 others.
Well, I know I've already told you heaps about me on other Award posts so I don't want you all to fall asleep with boredom (and the fact that I'm very lazy!!) If you missed them you can add Awards into search, some have pictures too!! (see, said I was lazy!!)
I've picked some of my fellow WOYWWers. I nip around their blogs every week, can't always comment so instead I'd love to pass this Award on to:-

Hels Sheridan Ink On My Fingers fabulous blog!
Sue Sues Stamping Stuff Amazing stuff to snoop at!
Patsy- Patsypat blogspot Patsy has fantastic art work, week after week!
Jinny Holt- Creative this and that New blogger with some amazing altered art!
Esther-essies crafty effusions always fabulous makes
Elizabeth-Silverscrappers Go see the shaving foam tutorial!
Caro -Caro crafts and life. fellow dt member and fab scrapper!
Vickie- okienurse Amazing easel cards and goodieness!!

What's On My Workdesk This Wednesday...??

A box! Not sure what used to be in it. Cigars, Port, Jellies Babies, who knows? Sister-in-law gave it to me. We're cat sitting her cats for the next fortnight, while she flies off to somewhere sunny. People are always giving me boxes. Usually Cardboard and usually empty. But this one looks interesting!! I want to do something with it. Paint it, embellish it, stick things on it and keep little crafty things inside it. Coz it's nice, in't it??
I love the little catch. I might take that off first, and put it back when I've finished. But first, I wanna collect 'things' to go on it. Not sure what yet. Any ideas welcome!
So this is what's on my desk this Wednesday, at One in the morning. What's on yours? Pop over to Julia's blog Stamping Ground to see what's on everybody else's workdesk... If you haven't done it before, you'll be surprised, in fact, you'll wanna join in too! I'm at work. This is on timer and Hubby said he'd link me coz he's at home... (hahahaha...I won't put money on it!)
New Followers (((wave!!)) tabitha4cm and America Kuhn both out the back and in the dark with no links but I think this might be Cards by America fabulous cards and a House Mouse Fan!! Thanks for stopping by!

Sorry You've missed This Weeks Wednesday Freebie:
Lisa from Lisa's Paper Addiction has made this lovely Surprise Pull Out card using Little Marty Mouse (His new name!)

It's Snow-Tirely Snowing. Mason Rain

Such a cute picture of Mason in the snow, which is surrounding his home at the moment over in Money Creek, Skykomish. And as for the rubber ring, bit sore (and cold) on the bum going down hill, but great fun!

Burns Night: Haggis, Red Berry Sauce, Bashed Neeps & Chappit Tatties...

As promised yesterday my hubby John, cooked us haggis for dinner tonight. After spending the day hunting for the wee haggis, with a haggis net, baiting it with some hard cheese carefully tied inside one of Johns old socks, we finally captured it. Then after preparing it, wrapping it tightly in foil, and gently simmering it in a pan of water for about an hour... we...ate it. Well, John did! Now, I know I don't like haggis. I've never had it, but I know I don't like it. (it's like very strong tasting meaty stuffing... ) Here's John. Poking it. After his hard work I did eat about two tiny spoonfuls. The Tatties and Neeps were lovely and the red berry sauce (with added whisky) was a little strong, but, sort of tasty! Of course we should've had a starter of cock-a-leekie soup, but I forgot the leekie bit. I hasten to add for pudding I had two helpings of chocolate fudge cake with cream... nothing Scottish about that! Hmmm Hmmm. Happy Burns Night!

(ps. No Haggis was hurt in the making of this post, we really bought it in Tesco's)

My House Mouse Blog Hop Winnings From Sue!

Yay!!! I won some yummy prizes on the House Mouse & Friends Challenge blog hop last week, by leaving a comment on Sue's blog I won this lovely House Mouse bag and a stamp set. Sue's also stamped out some House Mouse images!! AND also sent me the lovely card she made for the Challenge.
If you click the link to Sue's blog you'll see a better view of her lovely card! Thank you Sue! I'd better get making me some mousey cards!

Box Shaker Card. (Made with Freebie Papers)

I made this Shaker Valentine's card for a sketch challenge over on Card Making and Paper Craft, (front of house rather than on the main forum) I've used only papers that you can down load for free from the same place.. (or come with this month's magazine!) I've squashed in five flowers instead of four, which only proves I can't count! So I hope that won't matter! Also, look out for Bev's card on the Front Cover of the Magazine!!! (and crafty bits inside) How cool is that!!

I've made more of a box shaker this time, only because I used some thicker 3D foam pads. I've added an extra strip of paper around the box so's to hide them.

The little Forever Friends bear (is part of a set) has been coloured with Promakers, although the heart was paper pieced so the colour matched with the card. (My only red Promaker didn't match at all!) If you're very quick there's still time to join in! I have tried to enter but unfortunately all you can see is four empty spaces...!! (doesn't that make you mad when you can't delete something that's gone wrong!?!) Anyway. This is the card! Go hunt out those freebie papers, 'From The Heart.'
There's a few valentine Challenges I've found while blog hopping. I hope I'm not too late to enter and will add them as soon as I've double checked!

New Followers ((Big Wave!!)) Daverod46962 a new blogger! Please pop over and say hi, Dave would love a visit! Thank you for your email and comment Dave, so I could find your link and blog! Then there's Mikila with no link (yet) and Irene S has lovely things to have a snoop at!
Oops, forgot to add and link my Challenges!! Hope I'm not too late! For these challenges I've added a bit more sparkle to the card, die-cut corners and a tiny sentiment. The font is called Honey Bunches and you can download it free HERE Thank you for stopping by.

Challenges
Totallypapercrafts-add a heart
Papercutzchallenge-your choice
PaperIssues-Valentines Party!
Fresh Brewed Designs-Valentines Day (show some love)
Bunny Zoe's Craft: Love is in the air
Secret Crafter Saturday: With love
Pileitonchallenge-love is in the air
Penny's - Anything Goes

It's WOYWW all ready

It's that day again, when half the blog World, wake up and start taking photo's of what's on there worktop... and then dash over to Julia's Stamping Ground. You can join in too, anyone can. Here's mine. Aw, I did try to keep it tidy, honest, but I'm afraid it's all dysfunctional again, where I've just pulled things out and piled them high, although it's not breaking my record of 'piles of highest-ness,' it's quite a small pile really. There's a little path battering it's way through my 'stuff' so I can get to the computer in the corner, and that's about it really. And no, I'm not going to show you the little path, as it's more like an obstacle course. Most of my 'doings' are on the dining table in the other room again.
For the first time in years, I'm not at work!! (woohoo!) But this is still on timer, as I'm having a lie-in!! See you all later!! Happy WOYWW!!Thank you for stopping by!

Sorry you missed This Weeks Wednesday Freebie.

another one will be on the next Wednesday's post

Six or Three Book Marks

Haven't made a book mark since I did play school, years and years ago, when my girls were little. I've used Dustin Pike's Freebie images coloured with ProMarkers and then (dramatic pause!!) everything seemed to go wrong! I wanted to cut a line around the head, just enough so it could clip over the book page, and not slip out. Tip, always use a sharp craft knife! or all you'll do is tear your paper/card. Once finished I covered them in Sticky Backed plastic, (re-cut through the plastic on the one that I cut) which wrinkled on some of them, this stops the bit you've cut out from tearing off. Anyway, I ended sending just three off, (The ones on your right) for the swap over on CardMaking and Paper Craft forum, run by MotherDuck. Click the link to see Dorothy's and Caro's lovely book marks!

Here's the one where I cut under the snakes chin. The idea is, he's supposed to be peeping out and at the same time, this stops the bookmark falling out of the book, but as you can see, my craft knife just torn the plastic /paper and card, so I left the others as they were. (There's another piece of 160gsm paper on the back so you can't see the cut) They really didn't need the plastic backing, seeing I wasn't going to cut round their heads, but I put it on anyway...and it wrinkled!
I suppose they didn't turn out that bad.. but I won't be giving up my day job!
Now..... Who can guess, what's the book I've used in the picture??
New Followers! ((((wave!!)) Mucca Gufo pop over and see her fab Baby Gift, made to look like a pram! And Dawn B, but sadly no link.. Thanks for stopping by!

There's Something Quirking In The Garden...

It's that time for the Quirky Craft's fort-nightly challenge again and beagle eyed, I mean eagle eyed peoples will notice that someone's been doing a spot of redecorating over on the Quirky Challenge Blog so it's all looking good! This time round Cazzy has set us the task of using...

Pink & Green with the theme of 'In The Spring Garden!'
Plus using...

Digital images and papers from the one and only
(no I'm not going to sing the song again...)

Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps.

So that means prizes!!

You don't have to use Stitchy's digi's, you can use whatever you like, as long as you stick to the theme of a Spring Garden and use the colours pink and green!
Here's my card I've used Love Blooms digital papers. It comes in different shades of pink (great for Valentines next month!) and Flower Fantasy Digi Image. Both are by Floppy Latte
and both can be found over in the Stitchy Bear Store.

For some reason, I wanted to use a black card, but did I have one? No, so I cheated a little and coloured the edge of the card with a black Promaker, and being a pearl card, the Promaker didn't bleed through.
I then used Pink Petticoat dotty papers in Pistachio green and covered those in the lovely pink by Floppy Latte, but not before I put both the paper and the image into My Craft Studio and had a little 'play' (I like doing that)
The tiny leaves at the bottom of the image, which are normally a lot bigger, come from Free Digital Scrapbooking. They originally were going to be my 'green' but I thought I should add a bit more!
Anyway, once I got everything near enough where I wanted them I printed the whole lot out together, then coloured the flower the Fairy is standing on with a pink Promaker, added a paper flower, leaves, ferns and of course... what you'll always find in my garden, a couple a frogs! They are actually stamped out of Photo paper, which had been coloured with the black Promaker so they stay shiny. I originally printed it all out on Photo Paper but then changed my mind and printed on 160gsm paper instead.
It's probably a bit too early for a butterfly but this one comes from Papermania Vinyls. I like them, because they're easy to take off again and they're a little bit glittery. I've fixed the butterfly onto acetate, so I could bend the wings back. Apart from adding Stickles glitter, that's about it! Over to you!! Go and join in!

Challenges
One stitch At A Time-new
New papers, Digi and a new frog punch.
Polly Craft-new things
Paper, Digi, frog punch
Kaboodledoodles-do it with digis
(papers & Image)
Do it with digis- new beginnings
new digi and papers
Crafty purple frogs- new challenge
prairie fairy fridays- new beginnings
Card makin mamas- girlie
crafty calendars- new beginnings

Quirky Sneak Peek!

No...I've changed my mind. Oh...all right then. Here's a sneak peek. Quirky Crafts are being sponsored by, guess who?? Stitchy and Co!! One Stitch At A Time. So pop back later, or better still, hop over to Quirky Crafts later and see what's going on! Then ...shhh... come back and tell me!!)

I Won A Prize!!

I've won first prize of £25 for entering one of my favourite Penny Black 'Snowy' Christmas Cards into the December Card Competition over on Card Making World. Woohoo! All you have to do, is become a member of their Monthly Challenge, follow the rules, load up your card, write how you made the card and dah-da!! You could win too! (there's also a £5 runner up prize to spend in their Cardmaking World Printable Card Shop) There's freebies to look out for too.
In December's Challenge you had to make a Christmas card with a Christmas song/hymn/carol in mind.. Frosty the Snowman came straight into my head! (there's not much else in there!)
All together now...

Frosty The Snowman
Frosty the snowman was a jolly happy soul,
With a corncob pipe and a button nose
And two eyes made out of coal.
Frosty the snowman is a fairy tale, they say,
He was made of snow but the children know,
How he came to life one day....

January's Challenge has started and of course there's already quite a few cards and other makes entered, why not have a go! Lovely easy Challenge...'A New Beginning'. Who can guess what card I've entered?? You can see my January Challenge card HERE. Votes and comments will be very much appreciated!

Welcome to New Follower M.E.R.O from Mero-arts. beautiful handmade goodies and not a card in sight! Happy Saturday!!

Little Boy Blue

I've made this little New Baby card quite small (so cute!) and once again have been using up my scraps of Forever Friend (double sided) Christmas papers, which I bought half price in the sales. I stamped the little hedgehog with black ink and then embossed him with clear embossing power, zapped him with the heat gun. (I like doing that! He didn't mind, he slept through it all!) Then stamped him again so that I could 3D him, but first, I coloured him with Promakers, well just two Promakers...or maybe three.
The Little rocking horse came back with me from our trip out to Seattle in 2009, (to see baby Mason) so was probably from Michaels or Ben...something! There was this huge bowl full of different little 'buttons' and you could pick out just what you wanted for funny money. Wish they did that over here! The heart I'm sure was from Thistleblue, included in one of her candy give-aways late last year. (Thank you!! I won theTemplate - Mirrors!)
The Font is a freebie (of course!) It's called ThreadFun and you can download it HERE. (Very similar to Cool Dots which you can download HERE)

Punches used were Woodware (Blink blink) for flower middle, taken from some lovely 12x12 velum I must have had for four years!! (aagh! I've used it at last! I think one of my toes has dropped off!) An XCut boarder punch and my Martha Stewart for the fern leaves, and everything else is from stash... There was a time, I thought Stash might be a shop, as everyone seemed to get most of their stuff from there...(have I just typed that out loud??)

I might be a bit late for some of the challenges I'd made this card for...so I'd better get a move on!

Quick reminder!! If you've entered Quirky Craft's New Beginnings Challenge don't forget to go and vote for your favourite card late on Friday, (tomorrow or today, whenever that is for you!) through to Saturday. Any one can vote, but of course you'll have to get all your blogging buddies to vote for you if you've entered! Go Now!! Thanks for stopping by!

Challenges
I love Promakers- Punches
(Woodware, MS & Xcut)
Passion for Promarkers 'Baby Card'
Card Making World January Challenge- New Beginnings
Pollycraft Monday Challenge 'New Things'
Penny Black Saturday- New Beginnings
(New Baby)
Stampinfortheweekend-new and blue
(New Baby, new blue papers)
Paperplay-cutie-patootie
Craftyourdaysaway-Anything goes
lothiancrafts.- anything goes
creativecraftworld- anything goes
3dcardschallenge-anything goes
Cupcakeinspirations-Baby
cutecardthursday-monochrome
(Mostly Blue)
Mypartnerincraftingcrime.-something new
(My Papers bought in the sales, can I count the font, only downloaded Wednesday!)

There's A Mouse in The House.

Well, there could be! (a mouse in the house) but I don't think so, not unless you count these cutie lickle mices! Brenda from over the pond, butlersabroad.wordpress dot com, and me, (or should that be I?) did a bit of a stamped image swap, this fabulous House Mouse image was one of my swaps. I'm just going to have to get me some of these now!

I've used Forever Friend (double sided) papers, left over from one of their Christmas sets. (See, they don't have to be used for Christmas!) The flowers were actually stamped out, yes, I got that mad, I stamped on it with my foot! using an Xcut punch, that just will not cut anything!! but, on saying that, full marks go to the XCut punch that did the border scallops. I do like that one! I used a Martha Stewart punch for the fern leaves, then loads of micro glitter thrown wherever it would stick. Gems and daisy trail ribbon from stash. The image was coloured with Promakers. The sentiment was done on the computer. The font is called Saginaw and you can download it for free HERE or just Google the name, there's loads of sites that do it.
I've used a black background to photo my card on this time, what d'you think? Can you guess what I've used?? It's a rather posh black hat box, (I think) which my card just sits in nicely! I hasten to add, neither the posh hat box, nor the posh hat, was mine! People are always giving me empty boxes and sometimes they are very useful!

There's also a blog hop going on, involving House Mouse, which I thought ohooo I must join in and do a House Mouse card, (which is why I did this one) but, me of small brain forgot where, but luckily I was reminded tonight via email, (Thank you Sue, please go and see your fab blog!!) so, card finished, I'm off to blog hop...hope I'm not too late!

Challenges
Housemouse-challenge-new beginnings
(retirement, lazying about in the sun!)
ilovepromarkers-punches
(Flowers, leaves, border)
Crazychallenge-animals.
Craftycalendarchallenge-new beginnings
(and/or punched border)
Ceschallenges.-all creatures great small
Lothiancrafts-Anything Goes
Craftyourdaysaway-Anything goes
Creativecottage-something new
(The stamped image first time used and two of my Promakers used are new!)

WOYWW? This!!

It's Wednesday! And what happens on Wednesday? (You go to work Lyn, but not before you draw us a freebie) besides that! It's, What's On You Workdesk Wednesday hosted by the one and only Julia. And on mine this Wednesday is my new printer/scanner. My old scanner has been printing a line down one side for ages (which is very annoying!!) and it clanks and cranks and grinds and makes all these weird noises, but mostly doesn't always let me have the paper, instead, it eats it! After one very loud clanking sound, Hubby remarked he'd just seen some printers/scanners half price and then as if by magic, produced one! So! (don't faint) I've tidied everything away(swept it all into a big box, you mean) to make room for my new toy. And this must be the shortest WOYWW post I've ever done!! Come and join in!

Sorry you missed this freebie,
For new one, see top of side bar!

OOops forgot... My guessing game from last week...There was 273 items on the Christmas Tree...guessed by Tom, (son-in-law) but I still think he cheated as the answer was stuck on my fridge while he was doing the washing up on Sunday!! Although, to be fair, he had no idea what the number was for! The newest ornament was the little glass rocking horse.