Some AMAZING news!

I am stunned, truly stunned! I found out earlier today that I have been chosen by the lovely Nicole to go through to the final stage and be trialled for the Inky Impressions Design Team!! WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO! I really cannot believe it! It's taken most of the day for the news to properly sink in! To say I'm 'over the moon' would be an understatement! *huge grin* And a huge congrats to everyone else - I am so happy, excited and honoured to have the opporunity to work with such fantastically talented ladies. I would like to say a huge thank you to Nicole for believing in me thus far and choosing me to go through to the final stage!! And thank you to each and every one of you that takes the time to pop by my little part of cyberspace offering support and encouragement - I truly appreciate it and am so grateful!

Hugs, Sem x

Just Magnolia #2 meets Sketch Saturday: Pink Tilda with Rose

G'day everyone!

I'm loving the new challenge blog, Just Magnolia, and I've set myself a challenge of trying to join in every week from now on! This week's challenge #2 is the colour combo PINK and GREEN. Great news, as that's my all-time fave colour-combo! I chose to use (for the very first time!) my Pink Tilda with Rose, and what else but my Basic Grey Sugared paper. Oooh, and Tilda's wings are glittered using my Sakura pen:

I followed this week's sketch #48 over at Sketch Saturday. Their sketches are just the best, and so easy to work with! This week's challenge is being sponsored by one of my favourite craft shops, The Craft Barn, who are giving away 2 great new releases from their Kadoodle range of stamps.

Finally, I am going to enter this card into two more challenges. This Saturday's Stamp Something challenge is "Something with showers or flowers" (I think my 'rose' theme fits quite well with this!), and this week's One Stop Craft Challenge #26 is to use 'something new' (this is the first time I have inked up and used my Pink Tilda with Rose stamp).

I think managing to combine 4 challenges into one card is a first for me! LOL! I do love it when a plan comes together! He he!

Have a good rest of the day, peeps, whatever you're up to!

Hugs, Sem x

Sunday Sketch & Stamp 1: Miss Anya

INGREDIENTS
Basic Grey Ambrosia 6x6 pad (Grove & Orange Smoothie) : Core'dinations Cardstock (Nostalgia & Red Pepper) : The Greeting Farm Miss Anya stamp : Whisper Pens : Versamagic Dew Drop Red Brick (053) : Nestabilities S4110 & S4111 : Martha Stewart Scallop Dot border punch : Ranger Inkessentials White Opaque Pen : Prima flowers : Button, ribbon & pearls from stash

Let me hear a big WOO HOO, as it's time for the very first challenge at Sunday Sketch & Stamp! Yippee! Our first challenge is a great sketch by Maggie, and we are very lucky to have Crafty Ribbons as our very first sponsor. They have donated a fantastic prize for our first challenge - 6 of their fabulous Ribbon Boxes (exclusive to Crafty Ribbons).

I really enjoyed using my Miss Anya stamps for the very first time, and this one was perfect to use for paper piecing. This is only the 2nd time I have attempted paper piecing. I really like the effect it gives, so I must remember to use it more often! I was also able to 'crack open' my Basic Grey Ambrosia papers for the very first time - I've come to the conculsion that my second favourite colour is orange (after pink, of course!).

Okay, that's it from me for the moment folks! Remember to hop on over to Sunday Sketch & Stamp to check out the Design Team's wonderful creations and to join in with the first of our challenges - we're really looking forward to seeing what you create with our very first sketch!

Hugs, Sem x

Fun with Flowers by Poppicrafts

Morning peeps!

Just wanted to share a fab post I have just found on the Poppicrafts blog: http://poppicrafts.blogspot.com/2009/03/poppicrafts-competition-fun-with.html where Michelle has posted a whole heap of ways to embellish and alter plain paper flowers. I shall certainly be using her ideas, as I have a box full of 100s of plain Prima flowers just crying out to be altered! Thank so much Michelle for sharing this.

Hugs, Sem x

Just Magnolia #1: Tilda with Flowers

G'day everyone!

So sorry I haven't posted a card for almost a week, but both my mojo and my inspiration have taken a little holiday together! They've sent me a postcard saying that they're having a lovely time, so in the meantime I've soldiered on without them! LOL!

As I'm sure you're all aware by now, there is a brand new challenge blog called Just Magnolia. It's a weekly Friday challenge blog and the only rule is that you have to use a Magnolia image! Their first challenge is a wonderful sketch by Donalda, which I have used for this card. I just about managed to squeeze all the elements in, as my image is rather large, LOL! Make sure you hop on over to Just Magnolia and check out the DT cards - they are absolutely stunning!

As I've used 3 Magnolia stamps to create a wee scene, I can also enter this card into this week's challenge #28 over at Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge, which is ... "create a scene"!

Today's brand new challenge #57 over at Cute Card Thursday is "getting edgy" where they would like you to "either tear, sand, distress or sew the edges of your card". I have distressed and inked the edges of both the background patterned paper and the image, so I hope this counts!

Have a great day, whatever you're up to!

Hugs, Sem x

Inky Impressions: DT Call Stage 2

Click on the picture to enlarge (opens in a new window)

INGREDIENTS

Basic Grey Marrakech 6x6 paper pad : Core'dinations cardstock Nassau blue (BB020) and Sequioa (AO030) : Inky Impressions stamp : Derwent Watercolour Collection Tin 24 (0700304) : Prima flowers : EK Success Retro Flower Punch (PSM130C) : Woodware Grass Punch (821-68) : 6mm Grosgrain Ribbon in 'Coral' : 14mm Silver Bali Style Bead Caps : Blue 5mm Gems

Morning everyone!

You may remember that about a month ago I entered the first ever DT call for Inky Impressions, a brand new stamp company founded by the lovely Nicole? Well, you can imagine my surprise and delight when I was chosen to go through to the second stage of the call! WOO HOO!

For stage 2 we have been asked to create a card using a stamped Inky Impressions image and the Split Coast Stampers Card Sketch SC218. I received my stamped image and sketch (all the way from the US!) this morning. As soon as I saw the image I knew exactly what materials I wanted to use, and so I've been beavering away ever since creating this!

This gorgeous Inky Impressions image was fab to colour, and I love how much detail it has (colouring is my favourite part of making a card!). I decided to 'go out on a limb' and use a colouring medium that I have never used before - watercolour pencils! (I know, you probably think I'm a bit crazy to try something new on an image I don't have the actual stamp for!). Our daughter loves to draw and was given a tin of watercolour pencils by "Santa Claus" this Christmas. I've seen so many beautiful stamped images coloured with pencils that I decided to borrow her pencils and have a go! And I have to say I'm pretty pleased with the results! This is also the very first time I've used my new Basic Grey Marrakech papers - I adore the blue and orange together!

The cut-off date for Stage 2 entries is 27th April, so I'll be nervously biting my nails until then! He he! I would so love to go through to the final stage of the DT call, and maybe, just maybe be on the findal and permanent DT at some point! Nicole's stamps/images are gorgeous (and on a 'technical' note, so fab to use!) - so please cross everything for me!

Finally, I'm going to enter this into Cute Card Thursday's challenge #56 which is "floral fantasy" - use any type of flower on your card.

Thanks, as ever, for taking the time to stop by my little ole blog!

Huge hugs, Sem x

LatteBella!

INGREDIENTS

PaperMania Colossal Simply Elegant 6x6 pad : Core'dinations cardstock : Stamping Bella LatteBella stamp : Whisper Pens : Provocraft Cuttlebug Swiss Dots Embossing Folder : Versamagic Dew Drops Jumbo Java and Pink Petunia : Pink & Brown Pearls and Brown Organza Ribbon from stash : Prima Sweet n Sassy Attitudes Princess flowers

Hi peeps!

Hope you've enjoyed your Easter weekend and have indulged yourself silly! He he!

I thought I'd do a 'quick make' today! I wanted to follow today's fab new sketch #8 over at Sketch and Stash Challenge (using it in its 'mirror-image'), so I decided to ink-up (for the very first time!) one of my brand new Bellas. I was lucky enough to win Maria's blog candy at the end of March, which was a US$15 gift certificate to spend at Stamping Bella! I didn't have any Bellas, so I chose LatteBella and Veggiebella, and they have now arrived!

As I chose to use my long-forgotten PaperMania Simply Elegant papers (I thought they went so well with LatteBella!), this card also fits the current challenge #55 over at Cute Card Thursday, which is a colour challenge of Marshmallows and Chocolate (pink and brown), so I am going to enter it into that challenge too!

Finally, this week's challenge at Stamp Something is 'shapes'. They want you to use a minimum of 2 different shapes to qualify. I know I've only used squares and rectangles, but technically I've used 2 different shapes, so that's a third challenge entry! Yay!

TTFN! Hugs, Sem x

Penny Black meets Friday Sketchers: Easter Bunny

INGREDIENTS

K & Co 'Roam' 6x6 pad : Core-dinations cardstock : Penny Black 'Garden Friends' stamp : Whisper Pens : Oval Nestabilities : Magnolia 'New Years Swirl' stamp : Versamagic Dew Drop Jumbo Java : Blue pearls, brown ribbon and flowers from stash

Evening all!

At 5.30pm this evening, our darling daughter asked "can I colour in some stamped images using your pens please, mum?". How could I refuse!? So I sat down with her, and whilst she was beavering away, I coloured in this Penny Black image ... and then decided to turn it into a card!

I followed today's Sketch #47 over at Friday Sketchers, and as I have used a Penny Black 'Easter' image I am also going to enter it into the Penny Black Saturday Challenge #43, which I'm just in time for (I hope!). And finally (phew!), this week's challenge over at Creative Inspirations is 'Scallops', so my scallop frame fits perfectly! Yay!

This is card is a little one (5" square) - I haven't used this size in ages, but the PB bunny would have looked a bit lost on my normal 6" square cards. I'm quite pleased with the vintage feel to this card, but I must apologise about the quality of the photo - my camera takes fab daylight shots, but I find that it's not so good in the dark with a flash! And the problem with using a flash is that it reflects every little bit of stray glue! Ahhh! Although you can't see it well, I have sanded the blue Core'dinations cardstock (backing the brown ribbon) and also inked the edges of the rose with a versamagic dew drop. *EDIT* I have now updated the pic to a 'daylight' photo!

Anyway, hope you all have a fabulous Easter and that you stuff yourself silly with chocolate eggs (I know we will! He he!).

Will probably not be back til early next week now!
Happy Easter!

Hugs, Sem x

Sunday Sketch & Stamp: Some exciting news!

A couple of week's ago I posted about a brand new sketch and stamp challenge blog, Sunday Sketch & Stamp, which needed a design team and some sponsors before it could get off the ground. I didn't tell anyone at the time, but I decided to go ahead and apply for the DT. And you'll never guess what? (...you've probably already guessed, but I'll tell you anyway! LOL!) I've been accepted!! Yes, yes, yes *punches the air and skips around the room*. WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I couldn't believe it either! I've known this amazing news for a few days, but I couldn't 'let the cat out of the bag' until it was officially posted on the Sunday Sketch & Stamp blog. And let me tell you, it was excruciating keeping this a secret!! As my lovely family will tell you, I'm absolutely rubbish at keeping surprises - I find it too difficult to contain my excitement!

So, now that's out of the way, I can introduce you to my fellow DT members: Maggie, Adrianne, Barb, Clare, Ger, Steph and ME! Maggie is the wonderful and talented lovely who is running and co-ordinating Sunday Sketch & Stamp, and she will be posting everyone's bios one-by-one over the next few weeks on the challenge blog so you can get to know a little about us! We're hoping that our (oooh, it feels weird saying "our"!) first challenge will be launched near the end of April, so make sure you keep checking the site for updates!

It would mean the world to me and the team if you could support this new and exciting challenge blog and play along with us. So, make sure you pop over during the next few weeks to say hello to the team, and we hope to see you very soon for the very first challenge! Exciting, or what!?! He he!

Hugs, Sem x

Zingy, Zesty, Sugar Nellie!

INGREDIENTS

K & Co Remake 'Sunset Oranges' Mat Pad : Sugar Nellie 'Peek a Bunny' stamp : Whisper Pens : Versamagic Dew Drop 'Persimmon' (033) : Martha Stewart Scallop Dot border punch : Woodware Butterfly 2 punch (815-45) : X-Cut Small Flower punch (xcu953) : Woodware Regular Corner Rounder punch (820-01) : QuicKutz Revolution Flourish die (REV-0024) : Ranger Liquid Pearls White Opal : Prima flowers : Ribbon, brad and gems from stash

Bonsoir, mes amis!

I know, I know, I've been a very naughty and neglectful girl! It's been almost a week since I last posted a card - tut, tut! I have a plausible excuse though - hubby (secondary school teacher) and daughter have been home since 3rd April on Easter break, and they don't go back to school until Tuesday 21st, so we've been enjoying some well-deserved family time (especially as the weather has been so agreeable!).

This 'zesty' card has been made following Tracie's Sketch #45 over at Sketch Saturday. I also wanted to enter this week's (...just in time!) Challenge 54 at Cute Card Thursday which is 'Citrus Colours', hence the colour scheme! However ... I'm not that sure about how this has turned out. I'm pleased that I was able to use my new and untouched Remake K & Co mat pad (made from recycled paper), but I'm just not sure.... It definitely needs a sentiment at the top, which I shall add tomorrow (it's going to be an Easter card), but I'm thinking that the image needs something to make it pop a bit more ... maybe a faux stitch border? I'm not happy about the gem flower in her hair, but unfortunately I had a little shading accident on her face and so needed a cover up!! He he! I much prefer pearls to gems, but as I only have small pearls and none in a colour that would have worked, I had to use gems! Oh well, onwards and upwards!

Hope you're all having a relaxing evening. Daughter's staying over at granny and granddad's tonight, so a long-needed lie-in awaits tomorrow morning - yay!

Til next time .... Sem x

SFOC meets WOJ meets One Stop Craft: Card for DippyDog

INGREDIENTS

K & Co Amy Butler 12x12 Sola two-sided paper : Core'dinations BC : Whiff of Joy Willow Sitting with Floral Wreath stamp : Whisper Pens : Nestabilities S4116 & S4117 : EK Success Retro Flower Punch : Papermania Large Brads (Reds & Pinks and Greens) : Prima Sweet n Sassy flowers : Pink self-adhesive gems : Sentiment from Clare Curd's Sentiment clear stamps : rest from stash

Afternoon peeps!

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days. I've had a busy ole week, and time has just flown by! Anyhoo, I have a couple of cards to make this week. This one is actually a wallet and is for my bestest online crafting buddy, Shelia (aka DippyDog). Shelia is always sending me little packages and wallets, and so this time I'm sending her one! I've also got a little pressy to go with it, but I'm not going to say what it is until I know she's received it as she has been known to visit my blog once in a while!!

Okay, down to the card. I followed Lim's fab sketch she has set for this week's challenge #45 over at A Spoon Full of Sugar. I used my Whiff of Joy stamp Willow Sitting with Floral Wreath and distressed the edges of the 'layers', so I'm also going to enter it into this week's Whiff of Joy Challenge #24 which is 'Distressing'. And last but by no means least, this week's One Stop Craft Challenge #22 is 'bling-tastic' and as I have lots of little pink gems on the card, I can enter it for this one too! Phew! Three in one go - fantastic!

Hope you're all enjoying the sunshine.

Hugs, Sem x