Last post of 2009!

If you're looking for The Stampman blog hop just scroll a bit further down or click here!

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Well here's to the end of 2009 and the start of 2010! It was my birthday on Monday and my OH bought me a dishwasher so you know what that means? More crafting time yay!! Well some days it will be but its certainly given me some freetime to indulge my favourite hobby!

Over the past couple of days I've managed to do 3 cards, all of which I'd already done the image part and stashed it so just had to put the cards together. My nan also gave me some pennies for my birthday so after taking some advice from the fabulous Judy I went for the John Lewis Mini which is very similar to the mini janome she has. I'm a bit dim on things like that so it took me an hour to learn how to wind a bobbin and thread it, I've got the hang of it now though!

I've had a pretty good 2009, cant complain! Had a glass of baileys but I dont really drink anymore so thats me done now, will be having probably a cup of coffee at midnight! Here's hoping 2010 will be a better year if 2009 wasnt so good and look forward to all the creations for next year!

I'd like to say a huge thank you to Jill from The Stampman for asking me to be on their design team and I hope I do them proud! I love their products and have been using them for many many years so being on the team is an absolute pleasure for me!
Also the same to Nikki from Dewdrop Craftz who has some of the most interesting digi stamps on the net which I find such fun to colour as you know I LOVE my promarkers!
Also thanks to Joanna Sheen for sponsoring my challenge blog Crafty Cardmakers and helping get it on its feet and also to all the special guests who freely give their time and support to help fellow crafters and finally to all the team who willingly give their time and effort to help shape the blog and provide inspiration to all levels. Thank you girls xxx

Also a special mention to Sheilakins who has been a close friend for many years now, she is one of the most talented people I know and has had an excellent year since I kicked her bum to get blogging and to share her talents!

And to Cath who I've also known for many years who continues to be my mentor and inspiration with loads of beautiful examples and tutorials and advice on all levels.

Lastly to Bridget, this lady is battling breast cancer after losing her beloved husband this year and is one incredibly brave lady. She's also a fellow crafter so pop over to her blog and give her some healling loves and support :)

Thanks to you all xxx

Okies here's my last 3!

Butterfly Beauties stamp plate, starburst stains and lots of diamonds and pearls! Embossed with kaleidoscope EP and my first go at stitching on a card!

I can't remember the name of this stamp plate, Cath sent it me last year! Embossed with moonglow midnight violet, cuttlebugged french lilac violet starburst stains on half the card and swiped over with brilliance black ink.

I coloured this image AGES ago! I remember mentionning it on Vickys blog as she'd just coloured the same image at that time too. I embossed with UTEE then cracked it. The background is starburst stains jack in the pulpit teal swiped with black, the teals go so well with black. I felt the image was too "perfect" given the background so I grunged it a bit by rubbing brilliance black ink over the cracked UTEE and pushing it in with a slightly damp baby wipe. This made the ink spread on the paper giving it a grey and old look so was happy then lol! Its my last one of the year so here's to tommorrow!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Crafty Cardmakers 11 DT - Favourites of 2009

If you're looking for The Stampman blog hop just scroll a bit further down or click here!

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Over at Crafty Cardmakers we have a nice challenge for you - You're Favourites of 2009. This is something that is new to you this year, product or technique and you can use one or several items so long as you tell us what and why (coz I'm interested!)

New to me this year are Copic pens which I first got at Port Sunny back in May. However these dont last me very long so I switched to Promarkers around August and have settled with them. Also new for 2009 has been digital stamps which have been so much fun, so many styles to choose from and just a click away, I'm so impatient so these have been a nice addition!


New again are the bead caps and I've also gone for some printed papers this year, this card uses K&Co and MME. Also favoured this year have been beads and charms! My secret santa last year was Freyja whi sent me some beads and I've been rather taken with them and have built up a nice stash!

Image is Summer Fairy by The Greetings Farm coloured with copics and promarkers. I love the pastel green shades and I've used the new copic spica glitter pen on her wings, I luuuuurve this pen as it doesnt affect the underlying colour at all!

Papers are K&Co sweet stack and My Minds Eye. The swirly stamp I've had for at least 3 years but its only got a run out this year and I used cut n dry foam to colour round the image with heritage shimmer inks, again I've had these years but only come out to play this year. The mulberry flowers and the beady strand I've also had at least 5 years or more but have had a new lease of life thanks to Tab Robinsons beautiful use of them on her blog. Sticky gems are my personal favourite and I use them on most cards! The big flowers I got from port sunlight show in October :)

Thanks for looking and I hope you can join in the challenge x

The Stamp Man Blog Hop, Candy, and Award Event

Hellooooooo and a very warm (or maybe snowy) Welcome/Welkom to The Stampman blog hop, candy and and Award event! This event is running from 27th December through to midnight GMT on 3rd January 2010

If you've landed here from Michelle's blog then you're on the right track. If not then hop back to the start of the Blog Hop which is at The Stampman Blog so that you don't miss out on your chance to win goodies along the way! You need to visit all the blogs and collect the letters AND leave us lovely comments so that we know you've been and when you're done you'll end up back on The Stampman blog where you can post a link to your favourite creation and enter the prize draw!

Here's what you have to do
Find a project of your own from this year that you feel is your best/favourite and write a post on your blog about it. It can be a card, a layout, an altered project, or even a new technique that you have mastered this year. It must be anything crafty that you have made and designed yourself. You can mention why you liked this project, details or instructions for it, or simply just post the picture, this is up to you.

Firstly an Award! More details of these can also be found on The Stampman Blog.

This is my award for showing my best or most favourite crafting project of 2009. Jill said it would be easy this, errrrr no lol lol! Took me a while to decide as my style has changed so much over the past 12 months, I kinda went full circle away from my regular style towards the more cute then back again and have taken some elements of differing styles with me so this card uses several of the styles I've explored this year including cute, digital, distressed and making my own embellishments.


The background, palm leaves and even coconuts (which are shaggy by the way!) are all made from starburst stains. For full destructions on what I used you can view the original post here


I also like this project because of the lion which ties in with my South African links. My OH is South African so my 2 babies are half Saffers and I also have several crafting friends who are SA too :-) The card actually went off to live in Denmark though!





Okies are you looking for a letter??

Tell me tell me what is it?? I'm such a tease hehe! Its.........

O

Jill is also being a tease and only letting you (and us!) know along the way what the prizes are so for visiting my blog my prize is.....

A selection of MOONGLOW products woo hoo!

Remember you need to leave comments on ALL the blogs to be eligible x

Your next stop is the awesomely talented Tracey Coates who is the designer of the fabulous starburst fairies, butterfly beauties and classical instruments stamp sheets you'll see used on my blog very often!

Dewdrop Craftz #4 - Love, laugh, live

There's a new challege up over at Dewdrop Craftz This time its "Love, laugh, live" so can be interpreted in many ways. Thoughts of romance, sharing funny times or life itself :)

There is also a Pre-January sale on in the shop which lasts until 31st December so pop over to have a look at their cool and very versatile images. One of my favourites I've used for this challenge as is called "Scorcerer" I like using her as she's lovely to colour and can be for any occasion, she also has a cute little face too :D

I also did a special little trick with this one which you'll see on the last pic ;)

Image is coloured with Promarkers and cut out. On the original image she is holding an Orb, I cut this off. Then I've used a piece of white card and distressed it with heritage shimmer inks in pinks and brilliance red gold lightly towards the corners and edges. I overstamped with the red using a swirl stamp which I think is HOTP. Backing paper is printed from bearly mine designs designer extreme III and I've hand stamped the words with the red and edged with pinks & red again.

I mounted the image 3d onto the card but in place of the printed orb I used a 10mm rondelle bead with AB coating so its all shimmery. Below this is 2 6mm red hearts and some pink organza. Now the little trick is with the orb. Its shimmery in daylight because of the AB coating but put it under light at night (i.e halogen lights in a room) and the orb glows and reflects onto the card as seen on the last pic.

Hope you can come an join us over at Dewdrop Craftz challenge now that most of the xmas cards are out of the way yay!

The Stampman Blog Hop, Candy & Awards Event!

The Stampman are hosting a Blog Hop, Candy & Awards event starting on Sunday 27th December and running through until Sunday 3rd January. Details will be posted on The Stampman blog
on Sunday 27th but in the meantime please post this picture on your sidebars to let everyone know about the fab event as the more the merrier and its bound to be a lot of fun fun fun!