Mmmmmmmmm ....

.... choooccccoolaaaaaaattttte!!!

Yup, Easter is nearly here - so this week's challenge on PaperPlay is exactly that (Easter, not chocolate!!!).

I made a little basket/box thingie, using a tutorial from the Spring Magnolia Magazine, and filled it with chocolate eggs:

I'm also entering it on Stampin for the Weekend (Easter),  Simon Says Stamp (Easter),  Totally Gorjuss (ribbon - my second entry this week), and Fussy and Fancy Friday (Easter).

I used one of Elisa's cute digistamps from her site, Mamidoodles, for my image.  Have discovered that my printer is not digi-stamp friendly, I tried colouring with promarkers, then prismas with sansodor, then finally prismas on their own and this was by far the best way (until I get a laser printer some day!!!).  Here's a not-so-close up!!!

Recipe:

Stamp: Mamidoodles

Colouring Medium: Prismas

Papers: Basic Grey Sultry

Other: MS Border Punch, Distress Ink, Shimmerz, ribbons from stash, chocolate eggs from Sainsburys!

I finished the horse card last night and gave it to the customer today - she loved it, thank goodness.  Will post a pic tomorrow.

Thanks for looking!

Lots and lots ....

.... of brown.  Still liking brown as a crafting colour, don't know why, I just do!!

This one I've done using this week's sketch on Friday Sketchers.  The photo is vile, it looks much nicer in real life, especially the flower - it's more softly detailed than shows on the pic.  I'm also entering it in Totally Gorjuss, who are looking for ribbon - I've used the crochet lace ribbony stuff on this one.

The next card I made in a huge hurry for yet another of our friends who turned 50 recently.  They rang a few days before his birthday to say they were calling round, and I had to make the card there and then before they arrived.  Only took an hour and half or so - that's quick for me!!!!

Thanks for looking - I am now off to try and make a birthday card with a horse on it.  I don't like horses. Guess I'll make it a brown horse, then I might be more inspired!!!! Sigh.

In between watching ....

.... paint dry, I managed to get to PaperPlay Challenges.  This week's challenge is to make a project with "Good Luck" or "Thank You" as the theme.  Our own Elisa is sponsoring the challenge, giving three of her gorgeous Mamidoodles digi-stamps to this week's randomly chosen winner.

Here's my card - it's a "thank you with all my heart" card!!  I've photographed it three times at this stage, the light was so terrible last night that the original version looked yellow rather than turquoise, this is much better:

I used the sketch from this week's Friday Sketchers, and I'm also going to enter Creative Inspirations challenge, this week is to use "White, Yellow and Green".  I'm a bit cheeky, 'cos I've used turquoise (GREENy-blue, yeah?!!!), yellow and white (with a bit of kraft, brown and red for good measure!).

Recipe:

Papers: October Afternoon Weathervane

Stamp: Basic Grey Heart Girl

Colouring Medium: Pro-markers

Other: Label 1 Nesties, Hero Arts Flowers and Pearls, Old Paper distress ink, ribbon from stash, needle + thread.

Here's a little close-up of the image - she's so cute.  It's a Basic Grey stamp that I bought a while back - I just had to have it because she looks so weird with her hypnotised eyes!!!  There's also a boy one and he is very odd too!!!  I love them!!

I coloured her with my pro-markers. Happy with the overall effect but I think it was a mistake to use blue on the shadow at her feet - I think she might possibly have wet herself!!!  I highlighted the heart with Glossy Accents and also those little blobs hanging off her dress - they are even blobbier now!!!

My craft-room is coming along slowly but nicely.  The carpenter was here all last weekend, and the storage unit is looking great, although not finished yet.  We are the slowest decorators in the world, but two walls are completely done, another half done, I'm about to start edging the fourth after finishing this post.  Two of the walls are cream, and the other two are a darkish greeny-yellow that I have chosen to call "Cow-pat Green".  Anyone who has ever stood in a cow-pat will know exactly the colour I mean!!!

And finally, it's my 100th blog post!!!   Waves arms around in excitement!!  Really, I should have a blog-candy or something, but since everything is packed away, it'll have to wait for a while.  Maybe 120th post or something of that nature.  Watch this space (but don't hold your breath or anything!!).

Back to the paint-brush.  Sigh!

Over-run with Caras ....

.... the name is obviously up at the top of the popular list at the moment.  I made a card a few weeks ago for the baby whose parents eventually plumped for the name Cara, and this one I've just finished is for a different baby Cara!!  (It's an Irish word meaning "friend", btw!).  I made this at a crop on Saturday at my friend's house (thanks, Julie Frog - I had a great day!).

I'm entering this into three challenges: Stampin for the Weekend "Monochromatic" - I've gone for shades of dusky pink, I've used this week's sketch challenge on Totally Gorjuss, and I've taken my soft pinks from the photo inspiration challenge on Basic Grey Challenges.

I've used the same stamp I used on the other Cara's card, and my all-time favourite BG Phresh & Phunky papers.

Here's a little close-up - hopefully you can see the sparkle on the image and flower:

Recipe:

Stamp: Penny Black

Papers: Basic Grey Phresh & Phunky

Colouring Medium: Prisma Pencils

Other: Nestabilities (thanks for the lend, Linda!), Stickles, Antique Linen Distress Ink, MS punch, Hero Arts flower, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!!

Crafting in ....

.... chaos!!!  My craftroom is out of action at the moment, we are getting a new storage unit fitted there (not for me!!) in a few weeks and since the room has to be entirely cleared for the carpenter, we decided to do that early and paint the walls too.  I spent most of last weekend standing in the middle of the room in a confused manner, trying to decide what crafting things I would be able to do without for a few weeks and pack away, and what small amount would absolutely have to come downstairs into the corner of the playroom where I have taken up temporary residence.  It was not easy!!!  Needless to say, I got next to no crafting or blogging done and this will be the norm for the next few weeks while we get the work on the room done.

A lovely challenge this week on PaperPlay Challenges from Deirdre, who has sponsored this lovely Hero Arts goodie pack for the week's winner.

Deirdre's challenge is called "Just Because": - "I love getting mail and I particularly adore getting a card in the mail.  I bet I am not alone in this?!!  I would like you to make a card/project - "Just Because".  We have all been busy making Valentines, St. Patrick's Day and Mother's Day cards .... so this week I want you to make a "just because" card - thinking of you, miss you etc and send it!"

I had a sympathy card to make for an old school friend, so here it is as my DT sample:

I'm also going to enter it on Daring Cardmakers - their challenge this week is called "Here Comes the Sun" - I think the warm yellows and browns of the yummy Cosmo Cricket "Everafter" papers in my card, as well as the lovely flowers, are quite spring/summer-ish!!  And this week's challenge on Quixotic Challenges is called "Leave it Out" - you have to use leaves somewhere - I have!!!  And Simon Says Stamp's challenge is either Mother's Day or Girlie - I think this card is a definite girlie one!!

I particularly love this Hero Arts stamp set, I don't have the stamps (yet - but am ordering them today) - a forum friend, Sabrina, sent me the stamped images and I think they are so lovely, used either singly or together as I have on this card.  Here's a close-up:

Recipe:

Paper: Cosmo Cricket "Everafter"

Stamps: Hero Arts

Colouring Medium: Prismas

Other: Rock Candy Stickles, Doodlebug brads, ribbon from stash, needle and thread

Thanks for looking - and thanks to those who left me lovely comments - I'm sorry I'll not have time to reciprocate over the next few weeks!!