Sunshine

We all need a bit of sunshine even in the depths of winter and this little digi stamp is such a cutie that I wanted to use it in another blog challenge.

Unfortunately I got this digi a while ago before I thought to record the designer, so, if you happen by and know the originator please let me know and I can give credit where it is due. I coloured up with Promarkers and used Dovecraft papers to matt and layer. I only had a small piece of yellow which I punched with my Martha Stewart Doily lace punch. I added the orange paper die cut parenthesis just to add interest and the yellow buttons to mitigate the dearth of yellow in my stash! The digi sentiment is from Becs and says it all.

I am entering this card in the Paper Romance Challenge # 32 even though the brief is for the main colour to be yellow - I tried guys! Trouble is I started with the image and coloured the tiger's soft toy yellow before realising that yellow was distinctly lacking elsewhere.

Cheerio, Hazel x



Technophool overcomes!

I managed to enter the two challenges! Sorry to all those for whom this is just a walk in the park but it's new to me and I always manage to muck thinks up where technology is involved. Hence the term 'Technophool' - I have a go but usually end up scuppered or asking for help. I want to be proficient but am not correctly genetically programmed to succeed,

Anyway I have another two cards to post which I have entered in Docrafts challenges which are well inside my comfort zone.

The first is my favourite challenge, the Digi challenge; I like hunting out a suitable digi stamp and then colouring up (big kid really). Skated (Kate) asked us to use an animal digi, bold colours and to follow her layout.

The digi and sentiment are by Sliekje, who gives out lovely free digi stamps. They were coloured with Promarkers and matted onto red, yellow and blue coredinations cardstock. I embossed the blue and yellow card just to add a bit of texture and then added a button to comply with the circle shape on Kate's layout template. I think this would be considered as a CAS card (clean and simple) but I'm not sure.








The second is for Clares Challenge 4 Jan and although it looks like a Tilda challenge I entered it because Clares Inspiration photo was of some beautiful pinky-cream orchids which reminded me of a recycled item I had  saved from a Christmas present. I couldn't just throw it away but had no idea of how to use it as it was a scalloped card circle stuck to the most beautiful flowery paper. I could not separate the two without ruining both.

I used Tilda because I like her and I wanted a contrast colour so I used light blue Promarkers to tie in the other colours. The paper and card panel is matted onto coredinations cardstock and a 14cm square cardblank. I considered going larger but it didn't work. The whole thing had to be fairly simple or it would get too fussy so I used a bit of red and pink card candy to give a little 'lift'. I mucked up Tilda's skin by using Ivory and Putty - I think it makes her face look grubby and I should have tested it first rather than let myself be carried away by enthusiasm.






Having spent my waking hours till now (three hours) messing about on line I have to shower and change and get down to Curry's to complain. Who thinks I have been prevaricating all morning trying to avoid this inevitable confrontation - Mr H? We have ordered a new stove and they were meant to confirm delivery and installation last Friday and despite assurances we have heard nothing! I'm the one who gets to deal with it - Mr H doesn't do confrontation with strangers!

That'll teach me, cheerio for now, Hazel x

Entering Blog Challenges

I thought I would try to enter a couple of challenges outside the usual Docrafts challenge even though it is well outside my comfort zone, technologically, of course, as I am more than likely to get this totally muddled up.

I would like to enter two challenges with this card;
 Just Magnolia: Anything Goes 
 and Totally Tilda; Ribbons and Roses.
I'm not so sure how to link to the sites but as ever, I am prepared to have a go!

I even made notes about what I've used to make the card:
Magnolia Tilda with Gingerbread (thanks, Kimmi)
Lasting Impressions Guava and Blushing Daisy Cardstock
Pink ribbon and pink roses from Crafts 4 U 2 Do, St Helens.
Habico Autumn leaves clearstamps, embossed and coloured with Forest Promarker
Embossed clear stamp sentiment freebie from Do Crafts
Promarkers; Ivory, Satin, Blush, Caramel, Cinnamon, Tan, Antique Pink, Cocktail Pink, Rose Pink, Pastel Pink, Cool Grey 2

Now to try to link to the challenges, fingers crossed!

Cheerio, Hazel x

As If I Needed an Excuse

So daughter gets engaged and I reach for the Promarkers! In my defense, I also made up a wee verse for the inside of the card.

I was satisfied with most of the card apart from the sentiment which is computer generated. I thought it looked a bit wan so I reached for the Stickles, big mistake, it just went everywhere. I get more of it on me than the card and it is directly in proportion to the importance of the card - the more careful I try to be the more clumsy I become! The ring is an emerald-cut diamond and my daughter is so happy she can almost not speak. If you are wondering about the cards theme - Sian loves giraffes and her middle name is Rose; it's a very personal card especially to them!

I made a couple more cards for Docraft challenges. The first was the Tilda challenge where you had to use something new you got for Christmas.

I used some handmade Japanese papers which Sian gave me for Christmas as well as the Japanese ribbon and stickers which she also included. Tilda with Amaryllis is coloured with Promarkers and I tried doing black hair with my new grey pens but I need more practise.

The final card I made is for the launch of the new Creativity Club Members Challenge hosted by GloriaW on Docrafts. Her brief was to use the first in the series of the downloadable templates created by Katy Godbeer.

The sketch just lent itself to using the Japanese papers again - once I found six that matched. They are only 6cm square and come in a lovely wee box but apart from this design, the papers come in twos and fours. They are really sweet and so I took a picture of some of my favourite ones.

Tiny, shiny, cute and cunningly designed, as well as being from Japan - they tick all my boxes. I cannot tell you the maker as there is no writing on the box and the string and stickers packaging was all in Japanese so if you want a set you might just have to google them. I am entering more challenges so the results will be posted as and when, so cheerio for now, Hazel.

Happy, Happy, Happy New Year.

Excited much? My baby girl got engaged! Sian is now affianced to Dan and so now both our daughters are prospective brides. I cannot stop the tears of joy. Parents just want happiness for their children and me and Mr H couldn't be more pleased.

That lovely news made up for the fiasco that I had (not) planned for our Hogmanay - just me & Mr H at home. Quaffed the bubbly stuff and had planned to send up a Chinese lantern which I had painted with our hopes for the family for 2011. It was awkward to ignite but after about 5 muns the whole thing caught fire!!! Hopes went up in flames; Mr H roaring with laughter and me gutted. The moral being never to try anything mildly complicated after a bottle of Cordonui. Another year older but no wiser, so what's new?

I made a card with my new stash and the old stash that I have unpacked. It is for Clare's Challenge on the Docrafts site.

I used the free stamps and embossing folder which came with Issue 25 of the Docrafts Creativity magazine. Heat embossed the stamp with holographic powder and coloured with Promarkers. Used my new Martha Stewart doily lace punch for the 'ribbon' and Coredinations cardstock and Honey & Hugs paper. Just had to add my flowers which I made using new PM flower punches and jewels from the Anitas 3mm jewel wheel.

For those who are observant I also bought a watermark and have been instructed on how to use it from Lynne Salmon. I have a link to her site in my sidebar if you want to pop over! She was very kind to take the trouble to help me and increase my ability with technology. Lynne deserves my heartfelt thanks!

I am away to make a card for Sian and Dan; I hope Mo has a suitable digi! Cheerio for now and the very warmest of wishes for an inspirational 2011, Hazel x

A nice surprise!

On Christmas Eve I had a lovely surprise as the German Glitter Glass from Meyer Imports which I won in a blog candy draw arrived from America. I have taken pictures but they simply do not capture the bedazzling colours adequately.

The colours are, from the top, Red, Copper, Gold, Pale Yellow-green, Pale Blue, Violet, Black, White and Silver and they are sumptuous. I thought I would have to pat down Sian when she left because she loved them in their cunning wee bottles. I did offer to give them to her but she does not craft and said it was better that I kept them to use!

Huge thanks to Jon Meyer; I have a link to his blog and to a UK distributor of the product in my sidebar - not that I am doing this for gain but because I was so thrilled to have been chosen to receive this gorgeous gift.

While this gift came all the way from the USA in time for Christmas Day, I still await a present for Morgan which was apparently dispatched from Bradford on 30th November and is in a 'backlog', also apparently. I have never had problems with Internet shopping until this incident and had to buy an alternative gift. I wonder how long the backlog is expected to be - if it arrives before July she can have it for her birthday!

It was disappointing but was only a small glitch in our festivities....... it is so quiet now that they have all gone back to their homes. Our children are loaned to us for such a small period of time and I am so proud of the two wonderful young women they have become but sometimes I have a sentimental wish that they were the little girls they once were, just for a wee while! I am getting all mushy because 'Mary Poppins' is on in the background and 'Feed the Birds' is being sung. I used to sing this for my sisters when we were young and I sang it to my two when they were small so it always puts me in a reminiscent frame of mind!

With tears dripping on the keyboard and the sound of Julie Andrews, I will say cheerio for now.

Hazel x

Well, another Christmas Day, St Stephens Day and Boxing Day have passed and now we have Hogmanay to look forward to and 2011 to see in. I have had little chance to do anything except celebrate and I have not even had a chance to play with my pressies yet. Well, a little play - Morgan gave me a Japanese doll kit and I spent some of yesterday and some of today painting and decorating them. I ventured out to the town today as our kettle needed to be replaced - developed a leak - and it was pandemonium trying to get onto the Retail Park - my daughter reckoned it was the allure of the Next sale and sure enough all the traffic seemed to be heading there - I got a new energy efficient kettle which met with Mr H's approval, although he was unable to come out with us due to prior commitments watching footie on the TV.

Here are the Kokeshi I decorated.

They are similar in size to the Momiji dolls and the paint in the kit was a bit rubbish so I used my own and rather than use the decals provided I painted on the faces and the other bits. I think it looks better and I love the little cuties I have called Cherry-Cherry, China Blue, Smiles and Flower.

I have got some card ideas fomenting for the New Year, so bring on 2011.

Best wishes, Hazel x