Charlie's First Birthday!

Hello bloggers and welcome to my new followers!  Lovely to see you here and do leave a comment so I can hop over to yours too...

We are all going to Charlie's First Birthday party on Sunday - he is my son's nephew on his wife's side and he is such a gorgeous friendly wee soul!

Here are the cards I have made for him -

 This one is using a fabulous Fifi Giraffe digi from SJ Musings - come coloured or outline - so I used my good old PMs to colour.  Isn't he just adorable?  DPS are all from Pink Petticoat.

 The second one is using Arthur from Sugar Nellie at Funky Kits. Again I think he is so sweet - am falling in love with ALL bears at the mo as just been browsing on Teddy Bo for some more of those!  Can my purse take the strain - why of  course!!

I am not entering these into any challenges - finding that looking for them and linking up etc is taking up far too much of my time that could be better used elsewhere - shopping, sleeping, reading, crafting, making baby clothes etc etc.  I know my choice will mean fewer visitors to my blog but hey ho!!
My daughter has her first midwife appt tomorrow so am going along with her for moral and motherly support. Can't believe how things have changed so drastically since I had my two nearly 30 years ago yuk!! I do feel old now!!  Perhaps that is only happening in London of course - not sure.

Will keep you guys updated on her pregnancy now that she is keeping a bit better.  Many thanks for your support so far for her. Much appreciated :)

Winking Student Just For You

This is the first of two posts for today so if you are reading this one first pls come back later and see my other card.

I have used the ultra cool Winking Student from Funky Kits and coloured her with Promarkers - details below - made 2 frames using my Bigshot and Spellbinders Labels 2 and two different DPs, inked up my 'Pringle' embossing folder with a PM (which I washed off very quickly!!) to create the small panels on the left hand side and made a tag using a Sissix tag which I then stamped the sentiment onto.

I just adore this wee image but am rather annoyed as every time I use my French Navy PM it leaks onto nearby colours and spoils everything about the cards I make.  Only ever happens with the French Navy ~ any hints ladies?

You may want to see the card eh? so here it is :~

I used a fabulous teal coloured paper from Pink Petticoat and a gingham one I got free in a magazine recently.

Ingredients:~

Winking Student rubber stamp from Simply Sassy range at Funky Kits;

Promarkers ~ Ivory, Blush, Dusky Pink, Henna, Cinnamon, Caramel, Sandstone, Duck Egg, French Navy, Pastel Blue, Apple and Pear Green;

Spellbinders Labels 2;

Sissix Tag Die;

Papermania Embossing Folder;

Ribbon from stash.

I am entering this into the following challenges:~

Sarah Hurley Frames;

Moving Along With The Times and

Our Creative Corner.

I hope you will come back later to see my other card and I appreciate any comments you leave.

Many thanks crafters!

Very Exciting News for Me!!

Hello my friends, I promised you exciting news and here it is ......................................................I have been spotlighted on Simply Sassy Blog today!!  The very talented Marie has chosen me and I am so priveleged and proud to be there - for me, this is the Ultimate Crafter Dream - to be posted on your favourite Stamp's Blog by the Design Team!!  I think I have died and gone to heaven!!  How childish am I?? Act your age Sheila not your shoe size he he!!


I would like to extend a massive thanks to the Simply Sassy Design Team for showing my cards on their fabulous blog!!

This is a card I have made especially for showcasing using the stunning Butterflies and Pigtails.   Following the sketch from Sketch Saturday's current challenge (rotated), I used Freeibe DPs from Papercraft Essentials, my PMs to colour the image, black & white cardstock, 2 dies and a Xcut border punch.

 The close up shows how I coloured the stamped image using my Promarkers - they are my fav medium for colouring but I was going to take Kerry's (the very talented Pickle) advice and try out the Prisma pencils but money is tight at the mo so they will need to wait a month or so.

I am going to enter this into the following challenge:~

Sketch Saturday's challenge - I rotated the sketch so hope this is still allowed.

Ingredients:~
Butterflies and Pigtails rubber stamp from Simply Sassy range coloured with PMs~
Ivory, Blush, Dusky Pink, Pastel Pink, Dusky Rose, Rose Pink, Caramel, Cinnamon, Sandstone, Satin, Cool Grey 1;
Spellbinders Nestie for Scalloped black and white card;
Xcut 4cm Border Punch for black card;
DPs ~ Sweet Wishes freebie from Papercraft Essentials magazine;
Sentiment stamp is from Funky Hand's Our Betty range of clear stamps;
Sizzix Butterfly Die and small butterfly punch.

Ooh La La!

Good afternoon happy bloggers and I hope you are enjoying the weather as much as I am.  In North London it was quite dull this morning but the sun is blazing now and it has gotten hot again - not warm but hot!!

You will likely know how over the moon I was to get my new Simply Sassy rubber stamps ttrhu my letter box the other day.  They have been inked and waiting to be coloured in so here is Ooh La La!  I just adore them all and want to get all the older ones too now!!



I coloured her using my PMs (hoping to get some colouring pencils to see how I get on with them but need advice on which ones to get you lovely ladies out there pls), mounted her onto pearlised blue paper that I embossed using a fab funky folder from Papermania, then mounted that onto a Nellie Snellen Oval Die embossed with the same folder.  The red backing paper is from The Works (a massive pack of handmade that I got ages ago for 99p) and the blue dotty is from my stash.

You can see that on top of her stamped rose I actually added a small red rose that was left over from my son's wedding stationary last year (knew they would come in handy at some time!!) and I think it looks fabulous!

The side-on view below shows the depth of that stunning blue spotty ribbon and the ruby red rose.

I am entering this one into the following challenges~

I Love Promarkers Anything Goes;

Tip Top Tuesday Open;

Ribbon Girl Red, White & Blue;

Simon Says Emboss It;

Sunday Sketch & Stamp and

Incy Wincy Designs Bright & Bold.

Ingredients:~

Ooh La La rubber stamp from Funky Kits;

PMs ~ Ivory, Blush, Dusky Pink, Pastel Pink, Caramel, Cinnamon, Sandstone, Pastel Blue, China Blue, Poppy, Ruby, Moss, Cool Grey 1 & 4;

Papers, ribbon & sentiment from stash;

Nellie Snellen Oval Die & Papermania Embossing folder used.

Vintage Hippy Love

What a gorgeous day we have here in North London and my day was made extra special because my postie brought me a lovely little package in which there were 6 ever-so-pretty Simply Sassy rubber stamps that I ordered at the weekend - thanks so much Royal Mail (for a change) and also THANKS to the fab team at Funky Kits for such a speedy dispatch!!

This card I have pottered with all day in between sitting in the sun, stroking  my new stamps and helping Lynne with a Uni assignment!  Using the fabulous Hippy Love (another one I got in a gift from a lovely buddy of mine - thanks again), I coloured her in PMs and once again used my Nellie Snellen Oval Die (using Jenni's tip to cut around the die to create another oval shape).  I mounted her onto fabulous DPs I got from the same buddy (she is such a generous buddy to have so NO you cannot share her with me he he!!).  I used  perfect (well I thought so) 'With Love' clear stamp from Pink Petticoat (freebie see below) onto one of the Dps and mounted that onto the other DP then onto black card.  The wee flower I made using a Marianne Flower Die and a lovely wee pink button from my stash. I can see now the button is a bit bright but what the heck - I like it!!

I think I need to invest in some new PM colours as I have outgrown the ones I have and have a massive urge to go to Cowling and Wilcox (shop or website will do)as they are always on offer there - just need to decide on colours now!!

I am entering this one into the following challenges~

Totally Ladybug Anything Goes;
Pollycraft Vintage plus a Sketch;
Charisma Cards Pink/Black/Green Challenge and
Truly Scrumptious Vintage Challenge.

Ingredients:~
Image is rubber stamps 'Hippy Chick' from Simply Sassy range at Funky Kits coloured with PMs~
Ivory, Blush, Dusky Pink, Pastel Pink, Dusky Rose, Coral, Vanilla, Satin, Sandstone,Caramel, Meadow Green, Apple, Moss, Cool Grey1, 3, 4 & 5;
DPs were a gift so unsure what brand they are (gorgeous tho);
Sentiment stamp is freebie from Pink Petticoat in recent Simply Cards & Papercraft magazine;
Dies used ~ Nellie Snellen Oval and Marianne Flower;
Distressed edges with Whispers Archival Ink in Pine Green;
Black paper and pink button from stash.

My Mojo is Back.....

I would like to thank you all for your kind wishes during my spell of non-crafting.  I am on the mend now thankfully and able to craft for a couple of hours each day along with light housework but no heavy lifting like shopping etc but that suits me at the mo. Graham and Lynne are being great getting shopping done and chores etc.

This card is my first challenge entry since my mojo came back and I thoroughly enjoyed making it.  I felt like I was in heaven sitting at the table with all my bits and bobs around me messy again he he!

Using the gorgeous Simply Sassy Stardust rubber stamp (which I got in a gift from a fabulous crafting buddy of mine - you know who you are.....!! and I am eternally grateful to you !), I coloured her with Promarkers, cut her out using a Nellie Snellen die and my BigShot, layered her onto a coral coloured shape I cut 'around' the Die (TY Jenni for that fab tip), the sentiment and spotty card are mounted onto same coral card and whole thing stuck onto fabulous DP from Funky Hand Papercraft Factory.  The embellishment stars I made using a freebie stamp and same DPs.

This image below shows clearer the stars that I made myself - I don't often think of stamping onto patterned paper but this worked a treat.

And finally this close up shows just how beautiful Stardust is - I have found that colouring her really is an art and she needs lots of layers of bright inks.  I have to let you allinto a secret that I have ordered the new Simply Sassy rubber stamps from Funky Kits so hopefully they will be dropping thru my letterbox tomorrow or Wed.

 

I am entering this into the following challenges~

Sketch Saturday - used there fab sketch again;

Get Funky - Spots and stripes;

FabNFunky All Spotty and Dotty and

Passion for Promarkers Make Your own Embellishments (which I did!).

Ingredients:~

Stamp Stardust from Simply Sassy range at Funky Kits coloured with PMs~

Ivory, Satin, Blush, Dusky Pink, Pastel Pink, Coral, Dusky Rose, Pastel Blue, Duck Egg, Moss, Sandstone, Caramel & Shale;

DPs are 'Joyful & Triumphant' from Papercraft Factory CD from Funky Hand;

Sentiment is freebie from Rainbow Echo Designs (Thanks so much for sharing);

Embellishments are freebie clear stamp from Simply Homemade magazine Issue 1 (Molly Blooms Rubberstamps);

Ribbon from stash.

Many thanks for looking!!

Entangled and Good News I hope.....

The above card will likely be my last for a while as I am now preparing to go into hospital next Tuesday evening for my Op on Wed!  I ahve so much to do around the house as we are currently redecorating a bedroom and rabbit-sitting this week.  I need to get a haircut/tint done too as I have been putting it off for ages waiting to find out when I am going in.  My greys outnumber the brown's now hence the need to tint it!!

I will miss blogging and hopefully will be back before too long - but can I ask my favourite bloggers to keep an eye on Challenges to see if I happen to win any that I have already entered.  If you do, would you be kind enough to email me at sheilamross@hotmail.co.uk to let me know (Graham will be checking my emails for me) as I wouldn't like to miss out on any prizes at the moment!!

Onto the card now that the formalities are out of the way ~

I coloured Entangled from FunkyKits using my PMs and following the Sketch Saturday currently on, I used coral and brown card to creat this masterpiece - do you like how I coloured her skin - I think she looks fabulous!  Other papers are frpom My Minds Eye.

I am in too much pain to make this post much longer but I am entering this into~

Sketch Saturday & Allsorts 'Inspired by Nature' Challenges.

I will miss you all but like I say hopefully it won't be for too long and I can get going with my life again after 3 years of horrific, chronic pain in my neck, shoulder and all down my right arm.

One Year On........£20 Blog Candy Up For Grabs.

UPDATED ~

THE LUCKY WINNER IS xGemmax. (have emailed you Gemma but unsure if you will get it thru blogger)



This post will stay at the top til 21st Oct so if you would like to see my creations please scroll down..................


Many of you will know that I had a major operation last year to rid me of Ovarian Cancer. To those of you who are not aware, a large malignant tumour was found on my right ovary while I was being treated for an unrelated condition. Within 2 months I had had a Total Abdominal Hysterectomy, and all my other lady bits and 12 lymph nodes on the right hand side removed. Thankfully for me and my family the cancer was totally removed in the operation and I required no further treatment.

To thank you all for your good wishes prior to my operation and your messages of support and cards since then, and to celebrate the fact that I am one year on and now cancer-free, I would like to offer one of you £20 to spend at Funky Kits (which is based in my home town of Elgin). If you visit their fabulous site you can see just how wide the range of goodies can be for you if you win.


I had my op on the 7th October 2009 and it is my birthday on the 21st Oct so I will keep this open until midnight 21st and then will get my very supportive hubby to pick one lucky winner at random - I will then contact the lucky winner on the 22nd to get address etc and he/she will then be able to choose items ranging from stamps, papers, embellishments, digi images, whatever up to the value of £20, to spend as you wish in the store. And the goods will then be posted directly to you by Funky Kits.



All you need to do to enter is ~


become a follower (if not already) and every comment you make on any card I post on here (from today Mon 4th) until midnight 21st will go into the draw once (for example if you comment on 3 cards you will get 3 chances, comment on 12 cards, you get 12 chances!!) - the more the merrier and the bigger the party! Remember no cheating - only 1 comment per card allowed. Anyone found to be cheating will be disqualified.

Simple as that!



Good luck you happy crafters out there!

Manga Kids

This is one of the stamps I bought from Funky Kits on our summer visit to NE Scotland - I think they are so cute don't you?

I am entering this card into 5 Challenges:~
Moving Along With The Times 'To Do' Challenge ~ to use 3 items from their list ( I used no1 ~ 2 papers, no 2 ~ button and no 6 ~ leaves);
The Sugar Bowl Sketch Challenge;
Sarah Hurley 'Autumn' Challenge;
Crafty Catz No 51 -'Stitching' Challenge and
Craftilicious 'Autumn/Harvest' Challenge.
I coloured my image with PMs; used by Nellie Snellen Oval Die to cut frame on pearlised dark brown paper; matted and layered My Minds Eye papers; applied ribbon with white stitching and sewed on 4 buttons; used my Marianne's Dies to cut brown leaves to tie in with 'Harvest' and 'Leaves' then tied the same ribbon around them to look like sheaves.

I am very pleased with the overall look of this card so it will be flying its way to my dear old Mam later in the week - she looks forward to getting her cards in the post and has a massive collection which she uses as and when required as I don't actually write on them but stick a note or letter inside so she CAN use them again. Talk about recycling - or are we both mean Scots! ~He He!

Ingredients:~

Image Manga Kids from Sugar Nellie coloured with PMs~

Skin ~ Satin, Ivory & Blush;

Hair and boots ~ Caramel, Cinnamon, Sandstone & Cool Grey 1 & 2;

Her clothes ~ Coral, Pumpkin, Honeycomb & Spice;

His clothes ~ Pastel Blue & Cornflower.

Papers are My Minds Eye freebie and brown pearlised paper from Papermill;

Ribbon & Buttons from stash;

Leaves made using Marianne's leaf with same paper as above.

Thanks for looking ~ always appreciaite comments good or bad!!

Maggie

Isn't Maggie such a doll? She is from the Home Grown range of Sugar Nellies. Using The Sugar Bowl Challenge No 37 Sketch this is what happened - I think she is such a sweetie pie. I am hoping to visit Funky Kits when we go north to Elgin at the end of July for a few days to see my Mam so needless to say I will be popping some more of these fab stamps into my basket!

Ingredients:~

Maggie stamped image coloured with PMs~

Dusky Pink, Ivory, Satin & Blush for skin;

Sandstone, Caramel & Cinnamon for hair;

Pastel Pink; Blossom, Buttercup & Canary for her clothes;

then all wrapped up in Cool Grey 1;

Papers from stash - they were all freebies from a magazine recently;

Flowers and diamantes from stash as well as ribbon.