3 CHALLENGES

Dear Reader
Here's a card I've made to fit three challenges. They are Simon says StamP, Creative Card Crew Challenge and Sketch Saturday. Thank you to all the design teams.

I've used a Sugar Nellie Leanne Ellis stamp. It's Annie with a bottle of champagne - nothing could say celebrate more to me than that! I've coloured her in distressinks and stickled the champagne 'bubbles'. Papers are My Minds Eye and the sentiment is Woodware. I've used nestabilities to mount the image and Martha Stewart double loop punch for decorating the 'strips'.

Wallet Gift Card

Dear Reader

Here's a card I've made for three Challenges

a) Simon Says Stamp Challenge which asked for Buttons, Bows and Bling

b) Whiff of Joy Challenge which asked for a money/wallet card

c) Friday Sketchers - which gave a sketch to follow

Thank you to all the DT for the inspiration and to Friday Sketchers for the sketch. I really enjoyed making this card and I think I am going to put a gift voucher for a manicure in the little pocket. Chloe bought me a manicure and pedicure voucher for Christmas and I thought it was a lovely present. There's something so relaxing and 'other world' about beauty parlours - although last time I went to one a spider broke cover and the beautician ran out screaming leaving me to try and catch it hopping about with cotton wool between all my toes. For pity's sake! Mind you, my mum is terrified of spiders. Really frightenedof them so I should have more sympathy I suppose. Back to the card. For photographic purposes used my last tenner... Which looks like it's ready for the 'Home for Retired Banknotes' but gives the idea! Should have got a crisp new one from the bank but forgot. I'm afraid 'forgot' is getting to be my middle name these days. Think it's my age, but there again my memory was never much good. At least I don't think it was. But I may have forgotten!!

I used MME papers, inside and out. The image is Whiff of Joy and painted with distress inks. The pretty border ribbon and the pearls were from RWS. The punched swirls were from an RWS class. I fear they were for a scrapbook page I made but I inked and glitter misted them and used them here instead. This is such a useful punch - I must buy one. I always call it the Jane punch (Jane's Lovely Cards) as she was the first to discover its potential! Other punches - good old Martha Stewart. Buttons, thread and bling heart from my stash. Thanks for looking!

PRETTY IN PINK

Dear Reader

Here is a card I've made to go in two challenges, Simon Says Stamp Challenge and the Whiff of Joy Challenge.

Simon Says Stamp asked for lots of glimmer and sparkle - no need to ask hard for that! I've followed the Whiff of Joy sketch to meet their criteria and used a Whiff of Joy stamp. My papers are My Minds Eye, I've cuttlebugged the image and surround, used part of an EK 'bling' flourish, stamped out some Magnolia butterflies out of thin card which has been through the cuttlebug using the dotty embossing folder. My ribbon was on a Christmas present and I kept it, Nicky gave me the central rose (thank you Nicky) which is so pretty and the rest of the flowers are from a mixed bag from RWS. I made the tag myself and stamped it with a Woodware sentiment in Spun Sugar distress ink. I inked all the cardstock too with Spun Sugar and accented with tiny pearls. I used Stickles on all the flowers and gave the card and in particular the rose a spray (or two or three) with glimmer mist. Please excuse the background - I'm struggling to take pix at night at home as it's dark so took the card to work yesterday to photograph at lunchtime but there was too much light there! so ended up in the kitchen and didn't have a lot of time.I then accidentally downloaded 826 photos from my camera onto the works computer and then ran out of time completely as I had to go out. So I gave up and had to leave it 'til I got home today. Not easy entering these Challenges some days.

Had a terrible cold this week and if it wasn't for the fact that I had 38 speed networkers and 50 lunchers today at Hall Farm Restaurant I don't think quite frankly that I would have got out of bed this morning. But needs must as granny would say and I had people coming (first timers) that were nervous about meeting people and I didn't want to let them down as I'd promised to be by their side. Didn't want to give them a cold either so fingers xd on that front! We had an interesting table at lunch , a garage (I've booked my car in with him for a £30 speed service - well he had just been on the speed networking he he!). a magician whose business card I loved - it was a playing card one side!, a travel agent who had just been on the cruise ship Oasis that holds 6,500 (can you imagine that?), a Human Resources lady who has just set up her own consultancy but who I used to work with years ago in a former life (it's a small world isn't it), a bridal shop owner who makes beautiful bespoke gowns and was saying that she's even made a couple of those huge gowns for travellers who spend a fortune to get what they want, and a solicitor specialising in Employment Law who keeps pot bellied pigs. So a real mixed bag and entertaining as well. We had two Young Enterprise student companies and their teacher there from Tollbar School who brought their stands to show members what they produced in their 'companies'. Also had a guy who brought a stand advertising the National Training Awards as I act as an Ambassador for them in this region. I'm a big believer in training! Also met with a lady called Vicky who runs a company called VIP Adrenaline - they're putting on a 'TriWizard Tournament at the Harry Potteresque Awards evening for us. I'm so excited as they've sourced live owls who will fly onto the stage with owlagrams! Hope they don't bring us any howlers! There will also be a riddle-solving competition and a competition on stage to make someone levitate! The surprise is someone actually does! Can't wait to see that. So a busy day and now I'm shattered so going to lie down on the sofa, have a Lemsip and a well-earned nap! I seem to have rattled on a bit .. but hope you enjoy my card xxx

BOHEMIAN LOVE

Dear Reader

Here's a card I've put together for the Simon Says Stamp challenge which Jane at Jane's Lovely Cards mentioned on her blog. As you might guess the prompt for the challenge is 'LOVE'. With Valentine's just round the corner what could be more appropriate! Actually, Maurice and I met on Valentine's Day eight years ago. We both went independently to an 'I hate Valentine's Night' party at Chicagos. Ironic eh! Eyes met across an uncrowded room and that was it for an hour or so. Then my friend was asked to dance but being a lovely friend dragged me, protesting, onto the dance floor too so I wouldn't be stood on my own. I turned from a twirl, smiling apologetically at the poor guy who'd invited my friend to dance and ended up with me Miss Gooseberry there as well, and there was Maurice dancing away in front of me. If I tell you the record was Bohemian Rhapsody you can guess that dancing was a bit difficult. That record goes from ferociously fast to sloth-like slow. A real challenge but we bobbed about a bit! The only plus side was that it is amazingly long so we got plenty of time to take stock of each other! We both liked what we saw I guess. The clincher for me was a good night kiss which took my breath away - I swear I heard violins! - and I knew he was THE ONE. Ah! memories ..... Anyway, back to the darn card....

The inspiration is from one Tracey at RWS taught at a class. I loved the design so much I've made lots with it but I think this one is my favourite. It's for Maurice's eldest sister Marie's birthday and I've tucked a 'Sister' message at the bottom of the tag. Papers are - you've guessed it ' - K & Co. I'm happily working my way through the pad! I've punched the little flowers, stamped and embossed the tag through a Cuttlebug and used gorgeous gorgeous lace from Running with Scissors. I could carry a piece of this lace around with me in my purse it's so pretty to look at!