CHRISTMAS IS COMING...

Well it seems to be coming very very fast this year - but is this because Joshua is very excited and for the first time in years we are very much on the last minute! So I am making lots and lots of candles at the moment and am  loving doing them - they are so quick to do once you get used to the technique you can create perfect results that will last for years (as long as you don't light the candle!)
Here are some pictures for you!
I love how the effect can be altered by how you colour the image and each time I complete a candle am amazed by how good the results look!
I hope you like them and thanks for looking! Debbi x x x

hand stamped images... challenge 38

This week the challenge over on hand stamped i ages is a great one to get you in the festive spirit, they were asking you to create a card, tag and box in preparation for your wrapping when the holidays hit! I have managed  to do a card and a tag but time ran out for me to cerate the box to go with it!
For this challenge I decided to use my Forever Friends stamps again and create something was was Christmasy and traditional with the colours that I used...
I coloursed the bear with my copics again just using gentle shading on the edges of the bear, and for the present and the bow and the Santa's hat I used cherry cobbler and wild wasabi from stampin up - using the ink pads and an aqua pen. adding a layer of colour and then waiting for this to dry and adding another. I added glitter to the hat for some Christmas sparkle and dabbed colour onto the tag in the image with a gold pen outline. I mounted the image on bazzil card stock and then again on stampin' up card to match the ink that I used. The ribbon detail is from my stash and I bet I have had that for 4 years - but the colour was a great match I think you will agree. The DSP across the top of the card is Forever Friends and I have inked the edges of this. The sentiment that I have used is also from Forever Friends. Using the same image for the tag and same method to colour it.
I hope you like my card and tag and thanks for looking - Again I have loved this challenge and it has relieved some of the convention stress I am feeling! Debbi x x x

and time for a challenge...

I have spent so much time creating things for Convention in the last week last night I decided that I was going to create just for me... Looking through my favourites blogs I knew that I had to do the challenge over on the Forever Friends blog - you had to use 3 flowers, 2 papers and 1 button. I though I would drag out my Christmas stamps and have a play...
I used a stamp that I bought last year and it has never seen ink. I teamed this with 2 of the papers from the Forever Friends Christmas stack also bought last year, the flowers I have had years as they are not really my thing! I have inked them with cherry cobbler ink SU! to match the inking I have used on the image. and a square card blank.
I have coloured the bear on my image with copics and gently shaded the belly of the bear and I coloured the robin body as well. and used SU! ink pads and an aqua marker for the tree and the present! I like the effect of the two together and am pleased with the result. I have mounted the image on cherry cobbler card and added some glitter for extra sparkle. I have inked the edges of the DSP that I have used I have added ribbon button detail to the top right of the card and the required flowers to the bottom right of the card.
I hope you like the card and thanks for looking - I have to admit I liked completing this challenge and it took me out of my comfort zone! there is another day to enter my birthday blog candy as well - Debbi x x x

Cute Card Thursday

This challenge really intrigued me as I never really use metal on my cards and I have allsorts of embellishments in my stash! So I decided for this challenge I would use my retired hodgepodge set which has remained unopened for nearly a year I might add. I have used a Forever friends image and coloured it with my pro markers, I mounted this on grey card stock and then again on craft. There are two clips added to diagonal edges of the image to decorate. The sentiment hero arts I have stamped in basic black on brocade blue card stock and mounted again on craft and then grey. I have added to brads to the left edge of the sentiment. At the top of the card I have added a strip of brocade blue ribbon and a ribbon slider also. I have inked the edges of the card and also for effect added a blue fingerprint to the image! and I didn't scream very well behaved when I did that I can tell you! LOL
I hope you like the card, thanks for looking and your comments are appreciated - Debbi x x x
STAMPS forever friends
CARD STOCK basic grey, craft, brocade blue
INK basic black, brocade blue
ACCESSORIES hodgepode, dauber, brocade blue ribbon

Forever Friends Challenge...

The challenge over on the Forever friends blog this week was quick and simple. I decided to quickly colour an image using my SU! ink pads and an aqua painter. This is a great technique if you have no other methods to colour near you - simply depress the ink pad lid onto the pad and then reopen the ink pad. You can then pull the ink onto your aqua brush and colour the image, to build up the colour on the image simply add more colour to the brush. Once I had completed the image I mounted it on pixie pink card stock after inking the edges of the image and then again onto whisper white rounding all the edges of the image. I made a card blank from pixie pink card and added some Forever Friends DSP in similar colours to the card stock. I stamped the sentiment straight onto the DSP. The colours I used to colour the bear are more mustard very light as a base and then again in creamy caramel. I added some darker shading to the edges of the bear.

I hope like my card even with the colouring this card only took me 20 minutes, thanks for looking and your comments are much appreciated.

Forever Friends

This week challenge on the Forever Friends blog was to create a cheerful happy card with a twist. i had created this card I love the bold blue and the shocking pink together!. I then added some lime green card as my twist... The card blank is white I have used a blue and white spotted DSP as the background and rounded the corners of this. I have then double matted the image with both brilliant blue and pink passion cardstock. The image is painted with SU water colours and I have accented the balloons with glitter gue and glossy accents. I have rounded the corners of the image and the matting. I have then added a strip of white ribbon and the sentiment that is hero arts and have again double mounted this and rounded the corners. I have also added three buttons the the bottom right of the card. I loved doing this challenge bright and cheery is right up my street and I love this image of the bear - this is definately one of my favourites. I hope you like my card and thanks for looking - Debbi x x x

Papertake Weekly Challenge...

As I am home this week and cannot do much - I have decided to take part in a couple of challenges, mainly to stop the boredom setting in and also as we cannot get out due to the foot of snow that has fallen! More on that tomorrow - The Papertake challenge this week was new beginnings and I decided that as my good friend has recently found out she is expecting a 'blue one' as she put it so I have made an early new baby card to give to her in a few months - that is of course if I have not lost it by then. I have coloured the image of Peter Rabbit using my SU ink pads and a blender pen. This is a technique that I have not used before and I like the effect of how deep the colour is but not the lines that are crested with the blender pen - but that mat just be me to be fair! I have then mounted the image on brilliant blue and bashful blue cardstock. The New Baby sentiment is one that I have had stamped for years and don't even know where it is from... I have used Forever Friends DSP for the background and there is also some craftwork cards card candy included to decorate the right hand side of the card. I also inked the edges of the card with brilliant blue ink and a dauber.

I hope you like the card and thanks for looking - Debbi x x x

INWS Challenge Cup!

Last night was the first ever Challenge Cup over on ILWS we had to register at 5.00pm and we were assigned teams and then be ready at 7.00pm to begin the first challenge - this for me was no mean feat. For those of you that know me you will be aware that all my crafting stash is stored under my bed except my tote and my SU brad and button caddy! So yesterday consisted of sorting out my bedroom after the aftermath of Christmas and not being able to do any cleaning or hoovering in the run up to it. Let me tell you it was a long job! I thought there was no way that I could take part in the challenges if I was running up and downstairs all night! Even before I started I was loving it - all my crafting gear to hand and my laptop set up too ans camera at the ready...

Once we had registered we all started threads so that we could chat amongst our teams which was great fun I have never seen so many people on ILWS and it was running rather slow - poor server!

The first challenge was a sketch challenge which we had to copy and I have included a photo of I love following sketches and adding all the different elements and then comparing this to what other people complete. Check out the galleries today if you get chance there is some amazing work being showcased. For my card I used one of my favourite colour combinations tempting turquoise and black, they are so stiking together. I have stamped the image from the SU stampser Whimsical Wings in staz on and then inked the edges of the image. I then mounted the image on tempting turquoise cardstock that I had stamped randomly with the flower outline from the same stampset. I added a border of black cardstock and three white card candy mounted on dimensionals. You cannot see it very well on the picture but I have also used a copic glitter pen on the bird in the main image. I hope you like it...

The second challenge that we had to complete was a little bit of a challenge for me - one stampset, one colour ink and one colour cardstock - no embellishments. For this card I decided to use circle circus (this was the stampset we were given at convention last year and I haven't really used it) I used pretty in pink to randomly stamp a sheet of whisper white, I then mounted this on a border of DSP pink flamingo which was double mounted on a contrasting piece of regal rose cardstock. For the main image I used the same stamp punched it out added a larger punch and then punched out a piece of the DSP with a scallop. This is then mounted on whisper white and again regal rose. I also inked the edges of the card blank with pretty in pink. I hope you like it.

Challenge Three was a colour combo (for me this really was a challenge!) We had to use Old Olive, Apricot Appeal, Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue, Regal Rose and Cameo Coral. So for this card I mounted a piece of Bashful Blue on to a card blank then created a border using coral and pink glitter DSP then added a strip of yellow DSP and a corally pinky ribbon. I added three buttons to the right and left of the card and added a sentiment stamped in pink, mounted on pink DSP, then on green card and then pink. I stamped a forever friends image quickly (very quickly coloured this with my pro markers mounted this on regal rose and certain celery cardstock inked with old olive. I hope you like the card.

The final challenge was to use the masking technique and then add an element to what you produced that was recycled. I managed to find a keyring out of a cracker off the dining room table and for the second card I added for this challenge I found some christmas wrapping ribbon in the bin - not the normal bin I might add, the recycling. So for the first card I masked the heart punch and daubed then all over a card blank I then had a piece of whisper white and daubed the smaller heart to that. I attached the keyring using some ribbon with hearts on and then double mounted this on real red cardstock. I cut out some DSP with the word love on and mounted that on real red card and the added that to the card blank. I also added three hearts covered in glossy accents to the side of the card. I hope you like this card.

I have also added the two extra cards that I completed using loads of love stampset and again whimsical wings. There are also before and after shots of my dressing table! not my crafting table - loved it, the whole evening was great and there was great chat with the BOLD BRIGHTS the team I was on! I hope you liked my cards and thanks for looking - Debbi x x x

Forever Friends Challenge... eyelets and brads!

Yeay challenge to self done! three challenges completed - although I have no clothes to wear for work and the boys don't have anything either! LOL I am joking of course hubby has just sat down from finishing the ironing!!

This weeks challenge was to include eyelets and brads on your card! and I loved this - The image I have chosen is one of my favourites as I think it looks great and both small and larger cards. I have painted the card using stampin' up! water colours and an aquabrush and have then mounted the card on SU cardstock. I have used forever friends designer paper as the border and then decorated this with brads. I also decorated the corner of the card with brads and eyelets! I decorated the DSP with ribbon to add some detail to the top of the card.

I hope you like the card and thanks for looking - I have really enjoyed crafting this weekend - with two poorly boys it has really relaxed me... This week should be even better as my Stampin' Up! sneek peek order should arrive - if you would like any further details - please email me... DON'T FORGET TO LOOK AT THE LAST CHANCE LIST! THERE IS STILL LOTS OF GREAT BARGAINS TO BE HAD...

Debbi x x x

Simon Says Challenge...

This week there was a colour challenge - PINK and BROWN. When crafting these are two of my favourite colours - they look so good together and the accessories that you can find to compliment them always look good... So the card that I made was a Forever Friends image this is one of my favourites - I love the little flowers I coloured this with my SU watercolours and then mounted the image on SU! cardstock To finish the image off I used glitter glue in the centre of the flowers - The DSP is Forever Friends and is perfect for this challenge, the brads are also Forever Friends and the sentiment is Whispers Words also mounted on SU! cardstock. The ribbon is taffeta SU! and the bow is tied seperately and then stuck on - I am never confident with bows and they never seem to look right. No matter how many times I watch Monicas tutorial!

I hope you like the card and thanks for looking another great challenge that I really enjoyed - well its hubbys turn for the rest of the week, he is off with the little one and the pox!

Who I might add had crawled today yippee! Aidan that is not the hubby! TTFN Debbi x x x

Forever Friends Challenge...

This weeks challenge was great and made me remember the sunshine we all saw a couple of weeks ago... Manchester has been stuck mostly with rain this week! We had to create using a forever friends 'something' with a citrus twist. Here is what I made the card blank is one a friend gave me from a swap she had on Split Coast and so is the DSP (so I don't know where they came from - but how beautiful is the paper?) I think it goes with the theme really well. I painted the image using SU! watercolours and the image is mounted on SU! card (no surprise there LOL) and the dots are craftwork cards. The charm is one that Sam gave me...

I hope you like the card and thanks for looking - this was a great challenge and it really cheered me up! It has also prompted me into doing a forever friends workshop next week!

Forever Friends Challenge...

The challenge this week was buttons and bows - again something that I do not have a problem with, they seem to be all over the house! I have used forever friends image, designer paper and sentiment. The ribbon is from my stash and twisted to decorate and the buttons are a mixture from my stash and SU! I hope you like the card and thanks for looking! TTFN Debbi x x x

Forever Friends Challenge...

This week was another recipe challenge and here is the picture!

I love the ovals but as my Cricut was buried I had to use my friends and I think mine are a little big! I decided the cut around my image and the confetti that is on the stamp is missing and that is a shame but I still love the effect - I used my SU! water colours to paint the image - no surprise there then! the the cardstock used is from my stash some brasil basics. The deign paper used for the first layer of the card is SU and is now retired - but I love the brightness... The birthday lettering is from my newly purchased sizzix sidekick and the die used is called - wingo zingo and I think it looks cool. The frame brad is from my stash and I think it does finish of the card.

Thanks for looking TTFN Debbi x x x

The Sun is shining...

On a happier note for this post I made one of my crafting friends a congratulations card as she has got a new job, unfortunately this means that we will not get to meet as often as she is working away but I wish her all the best for the future and we will keep in touch...


For this card I used a Forever Friends bear stamp and mounted the image on passion pink card stock and then again on brilliant blue card stock from Stampin' Up! I stamped the greeting 'congratulations' and then mounted it in the same colours. I then used Forever Friends ribbon to create the bow. The Image was painted using Stampin' Up! watercolurs and my aqua painter, which my technique has improved greatly with - my images no longer swim with loads of water that I need to soak up! I then added three papermania gems to decorate - I love these as they are so easy to use and look really effective.

The second card I am showing is a 40th birthday card I was asked to make for a family friend, I used the Stampin' Up! set Golden Oldies from the new mini catalogue - available now! stamped on whisper white cardstock and painted again with the watercolours, i then mounted this on pretty in pink cardstock, i used Stampin' Up! chipboard for the 40 and colur this with pretty in pink ink and brown 1/4' grosbain ribbon to decorate the card basre. The paper used is Forever Friends to create a border and again mounted on pretty in pink card stock.

I hope you like them - thats all for now and thanks for looking, have a lovely weekend in the sun x

Busy Weekend!

Well a very busy weekend and lots going on - running around after the children, seeing friends and family to swap Easter gifts and with what little time was left over fitted in some crafting too!

I have completed my card for the Forever Friends challenge - this week we had to complete a card in monotone - I used the colours lilac and purple - I painted the image using SU! soft subtle watercolours - pale plum I then mounted this on orchid opulence cardstock and again on paper from the Forever Friends paper stack 'with love'. I used the same paper as a border and again mounted this on orchid opulence cardstock - attaching this to the left hand side of the card blank. I used three brads from the Forever Friends set celebration and attached these to the left hand side of the border and finally attached the painted image to the right hand side of the card. These are not normally colours that I use but I think they look lovely and am pleased with the card...

The next challenge I undertook was the one for 'Stamp with Us' just going on to the blog to look at other entries is inspiration enough - the blog is by far my favourite and I love the ideas that the design team are putting forward! This week we are challenge to create a birthday card.
This week I decided to use the stamp set 'A beautiful Thing' from Stampin Up! A stamp set that I have not really used a lot but I love it. I decided to make a red card again a colour I don't normally use (and for a Manchester United fan that is surprising!)
I stamped three of the flowers onto Whisper White cardstock and cut them out, I then mounted these onto three of the shadow stamps again stamped in Real Red on Whisper White and I have cut around these. I used dimensionals to mount them. For the border I used Real Red cardstock and stamped using Real red the swirly circle stamping off some of the images to change the shade. I then stitched around this using my Stampin Up! gel pen. I stamped a birthday message from the 'Cheer and Wishes' set again in red and used a dauber to colour the edges. This was then mounted on Real Red cardstock. I used a strip of Real Red grosbain ribbon 1/4' across the top of the card blank and tied a bow to the right hand side. I mounted the border under this and attached the three flowers to the left hand side. The birthday message is to the right hand side.

Phew... what a post I hope you all have had a fantastic holiday weekend and thanks for looking.

Forever Friends

After Stampin Up! My next favourite passion has to be Forever Friends, this started when I was younger with the bears, pencil cases and stationary etc and now I have nearly all the stamps, papers and accessories that have been brought out in the last few months relating to the gorgeous bears! This is a card that I made for a friend... I love the colours in the paper which are the FF range and I have used H20's to paint the hat for the rest of the bear I used SU! watercolour crayons, the ribbon used is dovecraft the brads I got in a papermania set with black and whit accessories... I love the simplicity of the image that can be created into something so lovely and cheery!

Well thats all for now - thanks for looking x