Merry and bright!

Hi All

Well, I have managed to squeeze one more post in before I return home tomorrow. We finally got to the beach last night as it was glorious sunshine....chips whilst walking along the seafront...nothing better! Good job we went last night as it has been tipping it down all day today. Raining outside-what better thing to do than a bit of crafting!

My sister went out to town today and I raided her craft box (she didn't mind don't worry!) and found these fab papers from last year. They are the Papermania Naughty or Nice papers, bright green, pink and brown colours. So my first card today is using a fab little image of Edwin all tangled up in the Christmas lights...reminds me of my hubby when he gets all of the decorations out at Christmas! I would like to enter this into the Just Magnolia challenge this week which is 'Anything Goes', the Totally Papercraft Challenge this week which is 'Holidays' (as you may have guessed Christmas is definitely my favourite holidays!) and finally for the Sketch Saturday challenge this week which is this fab sketch.

My second and final card, until later on in the week after I have returned home, is a little bit 'merry and bright!' I took my inspiration from these fab papers and coloured Mimi and the postbox in bright green and pink colours to match the background. The sentiment is from Cuddly Buddly and I have finished her off with a bit of card candi. I absolutely adore this image of Mimi and really like this colour combination....although I'm not sure if I went a bit too far colouring in the postbox bright pink!?! I'd like to enter this into the Penny Black Saturday Challenge which is 'Anything Goes' this week.

Thanks for coming and visiting my blog and for your kind comments. I hope to do a bit more blog hopping when I return home and hope to come and see you all. Will post again when I'm back in sunny Stoke!

Hugs

Arline

xx

Something a little different...

Hi All

Back again, two posts in one day! I am getting good! ;-)

Today I have made a few more Christmas cards for some challenges as well as something a little bit different at the end of my post!

My first card is for the Papertake Weekly Challenge this week which is 'Anything Goes' with the optional extra of using metal. I decided to use this fab Tilda stamp...she is so cute obviously helping to decorate the tree. After I'd coloured her my sister said she looked a bit like an elf! maybe she is Santa's Little Helper?! I have coloured her with my ProMarkers, used some Cuddly Buddly sentiment stamps and used a bit of stickles just to give the background a little bit of glitz.

My next card is for the I Love ProMarkers challenge this week which is 'Things with Wings'. Now being on my hols, I was limited as to what I could use for this challenge, then I spotted Edwin with his little wings! I think he looks really cute dressed up as Santa. I have used Cardinal Red, Cool Grey 2/4, Blush, Pastel Yellow, Sandstone, Tan and Burnt Orange to colour him in, with a little stickles to bring to life his little wings! Again, I have used a Cuddly Buddly sentiment and a little bit of card candi to finish him off!

My next card is for the Lili of the Valley challenge this week which is 'Roses'. I have chosen this gorgeous little image and she is holding, what I think (?!), are roses! She is such a sweetie and I used this colour combination last week and really liked it, so went for it again! I finished her off with a little card candi....think I may be obsessed....!

And now for my 'something a little different'! Those of you who regularly look at my blog will be able to see how unlike my style this next card is....however, I have been playing with my Mum's AquaMarkers today and she had this lovely country cottage stamp from Papermania. I really enjoyed colouring it in, not that I am saying it is any good, but not too horrific for my first proper go at watercolours since my Art GCSE! I was chuffed with how it came out so wanted to make it into a card. I made it into a quick easel card, using papers that I thought went with the image....looks a bit like a painting on the wall as the paper looks like wallpaper! Lol! Hope you enjoy looking at my 'something a little different' anyway!

That is it for today...definitely! Tomorrow I'm not sure how much crafting we are going to get done as we have got a few bits and bobs to do, also thinking of going down the beach tomorrow night for a bag of chips whilst walking along the sea front....yum! (If it stays dry anyway!) Never did get my bucket of chips....they won't be open tomorrow night...but will make my Mum promise to take a picture if she ever goes and gets one so that I can show you all. Then on Saturday I have got to pack and run around visiting my Nan and picking up some lovely stottie etc. to take back to Stoke...again, yum (!)...and then Sunday it is my sister's 19th birthday and I am going home! You never know, I may be able to sneak a post in between all of the madness...if not hope you all have a lovely weekend and I will be back in blogland on Monday for definite!

Thanks for coming and visiting me!

Hugs

Arline

xx

Nearly the end of my holidays...

Good morning all. Just the one card from me today...so far anyway! I have used this gorgeous little boy from Pollycraft and have stuck to just red, blue and white colours. I wasn't happy with this card when I finished it...still not sure about it...but added a bit of doodling which seemed to ring it to life a little! I would like to enter this into the Pollycraft challenge this week which is this fab sketch and for the Lollipop craft challenge which is a 'Celebration' card as they are celebrating their first birthday! The challenge is to make a birthday, wedding, anniversary, congratulations....any celebration card really! They also had a fab blog hop earlier this week and I was chuffed to find out that I had won a prize yesterday...woohoo! Sooo exciting!

Well, I only have a few days left now in Sunderland...will be sad to leave my family but also looking forward to seeing my hubby...this is the longest we have ever been apart before! Lol! Although, I feel he may be enjoying his endless PS3 gaming and reruns of Top Gear a little too much..! Have really enjoyed all of the crafting that I have done though and am hoping to do more when I return home....I should have some Spectrum Noir pens and new Humphrey/SWALK stamps to play with! Watch this space...!

We have launched the new challenge on Christmas Crafting this month which is Cute Christmas but last months challenge 'Include a Christmas Flower' on your projects is still open until 9th August....as is the DT call if you are interested...so get crafting peeps or get in touch if you want to be considered for the DT!

Hope you all have a lovely day!

Hugs

Arline

xx

Christmas in August!

Morning All

Blogger seems to be playing up again this morning so please excuse any odd layout you may see! A few more challenges for you today.

My card today is my DT entry for the second challenge over at Christmas Crafting! The challenge this month is Cute Christmas and you could win a pack of skin tones Spectrum Noir pens! Hope you will pop on over and join in the fun.

I have used this really cute Christmas Chester from Pollycraft and would also like to enter this card into the Sketch Saturday challenge this week which is this fabulous sketch....another one I can see myself using lots! I would also like to enter it into the Totally Papercraft challenge this week which is 'Bling it up' and I have, very unconventionally, 'blinged' up my Christmas pudding with a lot of stickles! Lol!

That is it from me for now. Thanks for looking and for all of your kind comments, I really do appreciate them :)

Hugs

Arline

xx

Another relaxing day crafting!

Hi All

Well, we have had another afternoon crafting today...I will have so many cards to take home with me but it is nice to craft with other people rather than trying to get the hubby to show an interest in my colouring! Hehe! I have made a couple of Christmas cards today (although I can only show one today....I have made another one to launch the new challenge at Christmas Crafting so you will need to wait till Monday for that one! ;-) ) and I have also made a couple of birthday cards...although I haven't put any sentiments on yet...

My first card is for the Winter Wonderland challenge this week which is to include a Fairy/Angel on your Christmas card. I had this really cute image from Lili of the Valley so I coloured her in wintery blue colours and added some stickles to bring out her sparkly wings! One of my sentiments (which are digi stamps from Cuddly Buddly) said 'Sugar Plum' so thought I'd include that as it was a little bit different to what I would normally use as a Christmas sentiment but seemed to fit the theme well!

My next card today is for the Just Magnolia challenge which is 'Buttons, bows and blooms,' and I'd also like to enter this into the Cute Card Thursday challenge which is a fab sketch. I decided to use a big organza bow for one of the elements of the sketch and I have used some gorgeous new papers I bought a few days ago called First Edition Papers 'Desert Blooms'-they are really lush!

My final card for tonight is for the Lili of the Valley challenge which again is another fabulous sketch and for the Allsorts Challenge which is another week of 'Free and Easy'. I have used a gorgeous little rabbit image from LOTV and have used some more of the papers from the pad I mentioned earlier. The colours I have used on this card are very different to what I usually use but I am quite happy with the end result so watch this space!

I was also very naughty earlier....I ordered some of the new Spectrum Noir pens and one new Humphrey stamp and two new SWALK stamps, all from Crafter's Companion,they have some fab offers on at the moment! I convinced myself that I was cheering myself up as I felt a bit fluey this morning....I am really excited about having a play when I return home though!

Well that is it for today. I am hoping to have a play with my Mum's 'AquaMarkers' at some point this week and I really want to make some more Snowman cards so of course I will share with you anything that we do. I also will be launching the new challenge on 'Christmas Crafting' on Monday 1st August so I hope you will come and join in-the current challenge will still be open until the 9th August (due to my lack of organisation at the beginning of the month!) and there is also a DT CALL which will also remain open until 9th August. Please feel free to get in touch if you fancy being part of the team and I will send you the details. Thanks for all of your support and kind words so far.

Happy crafting everyone!

Hugs

Arline

xx

Still no bucket of chips!

Hi All

Yet again, another overcast day on Tuesday so still no bucket of chips! Lol! Instead we enjoyed another afternoon of crafting. My lil sister and I went off to Newcastle yesterday for a shopping day-twas fun but came home to a killer of a headache! Luckily it has disappeared this morning and I'm feeling a lot brighter! Anyway, back to Tuesday and we had a go at another few challenges and I also played with some stamps that I have had for ages but not had a chance to have a proper play with them.

My first card today is for the Papertake Weekly Challenge which is a fabulous sketch. I really enjoyed making this card and really enjoyed using these brightly coloured papers! I have used one of my Humphrey stamps that I have had for a while now...she is sooo cute!

A little bit of a Crafter's Companion theme today...did that without realising it...and whilst we are on the subject, they have a fabulous blog hop going on till Friday...'hop' on over! You can win six new Humphrey stamps and six new SWALK stamps! Anyway, back to my next card, I have finally made a Snowman card! I have used the stamps today as we are out of ink to use the CD Rom and was really impressed with how well they stamped and can feel a huge batch of Snowman cards coming on! I have made this for the Crafter's Companion challenge which is one for the boys so I have made a male themes Christmas card. I have tried to keep it plain and have used masculine colours on the whole. I couldn't resist going a bit overboard with the card candi though and have added a bit of pale blue velvet ribbon. I would also like to enter this into the Deep Ocean challenge and The Crazy Challenge this week which is to use ribbons on your card...two new challenges for me this week!

My final card is another Humphrey card. I absolutely love this image...tis soooo sweet! I would like to enter this into the Cupcake Craft challenge as the theme this week is Shabby Sparkle. I have had a go at distressing the papers I have used and used stickles for some sparkle on the ice cream, glass and tablecloth. Really enjoyed making this card...great theme! Another new challenge for me today!

That's it again for me today. Can I just end by saying thank you to all my new followers and those that have joined in on my new challenge blog, Christmas Crafting. I really appreciate your support and hope that I can get it up and running and that you enjoy joining in!

Thanks for looking!

Hugs

Arline

xx

A new challenge blog...!!

Hi All

Well, I have been meaning to post this for ages now....I have set up my own little challenge blog! Scary times as I have never done anything like this before but thought I'd have a go and hope that all my lovely followers will have a go and join in the fun!

When I started getting back into my crafting again I noticed that there weren't many Christmas crafting challenge blogs, or not that I could find anyway, so I thought I would use my love for Christmas to create one! It is simply called Christmas Crafting and is, at the moment, a monthly challenge (this helps me to ease myself into it!) and is primarily a card making challenge. With working full time as a teacher I sometimes struggle to make my Christmas cards and thought this might help motivate me, and those of you who are the same, to get organised for what I believe is the best holiday of the year!

Presently, the challenge is to create a

Christmas Card including at least one flower.

I will be launching the new challenge on 1st August but the deadline for the current challenge is the 9th August for this month only. I really hope you will join in and have fun taking part. There is a small prize for the winner and I am also asking for people who may be interested in being on my Design Team! Please leave a comment if you are and I will get back to you. I hope to include some Christmas trivia or even some ATC swaps if I can get it all up and running ok so please spread the word!

Thanks so much for all of your support on my personal blog and look forward to seeing you joining in on Christmas Crafting!

Hugs for now

Arline

xx

Afternoon tea anyone?

Hi All

We were hoping to go to the beach today but unfortunately the weather wasn't as promised! It has been quite muggy but overcast all day....I still hope to share with you my bucket of chips though at some point!!

Instead of going to the beach for the day, we decided to have another craft day! I really wanted to play with these new cupcake/afternoon tea stamps that I got free on one of the fab craft magazines....I haven't got a clue which one but it has only just come out so go and get them! They are fab! I had a go at the Sketch Saturday challenge for my first card. I really like the colour combination and thanks for the fab sketch...took me a while to decide what to do! In the end I was pleased with my final card though.

The next three cards are mini cards! They are only 3x3 inches and are just so cute! I thought they would make great little invitations for an afternoon tea party....might have to hold one now just so I can use them! I could combine it with my other hobby at the moment which is baking....hoping to do some baking over the holidays and promise I will share whatever I make! (Only virtually though unfortunately!)

That's it for now. I am really tired today so think I will probably have an early night refreshed for whatever tomorrow may bring! We are hoping to go to York on the train on Thursday so that will be nice...other than that we haven't got any plans!

Hope you are all well and that the kids aren't driving you too mad on the first day of the hols!!

Hugs

Arline

xx

Woohoo...school's out for the summer!

Hi All

Well, I am very fortunate to now have a whole six weeks off! Woohoo! I won't rub it in too much...;-)! I am now in Sunderland, left hubby behind for two whole weeks! My Mum, sister and I have been crafting today...wasn't sure if I'd be blogging whilst I was away but we have taken part in some challenges so I hope you enjoy having a look at what I've created! I must apologise for the photos....messed around with the settings on my camera but they haven't come out very well...apologies! Not sure if it may be the light....or just my bad photography skills!

My first card today is for three challenges, the Lili of the Valley challenge which is 'Fun and Games', the Cute Card Thursday challenge which is a 'For his eyes only' card (I didn't have anything saucy so settles with a card for a man!) and a new challenge that I have been introduced to which is Totally Papercraft where the challenge is 'One for the Boys'. I'm never quite sure of my cards for boys/men but I love this Lili of the Valley image! He looks as if he is going to be covered in mud when he gets home! Lol!

The next card I created was for the Just Magnolia challenge which is 'What's Cooking?', the Papertake Weekly Challenge which is 'Getting Cute' (surely noone can say Tilda is not cute?!) and finally for the Allsorts challenge which was 'Free and easy July'-another new challenge I'm having a go at this week! I made another one of my easel cards....really think I am addicted....wonder if there is a group for that...lol! Also used some of my Mum's new flowers (perks of crafting with others!) and twirled the stems with a poky tool! A very girly card fully of pink and cupcakes...what more can you ask for!

For the Penny Black challenge this week, which is 'Starburst-using stars somewhere on your card', I used this really cute stamp with a hedgehog pulling a little snowman on a sledge...so cute and I love using these kind of colours for Christmas cards. I used star backing paper to meet the challenge and then I finished it off with a bit of stickles to make it extra Christmassy! I would also like to enter this into the I love Promarkers challenge, another new challenge for me, as I have coloured this little image with my beloved Promarkers! Don't know what I would do without them now....what did we used to do before Promarkers!! I have used the colours: Denim blue for the snowman's hat and scarf, Tan and Sandstone for the sleigh and the hedgehogs spiky bits and blush for the hedgehogs belly and face.

Finally, for today anyway-there will be more crafting as we have left the dining room table a mess as we are in crafty progress(!)-I have made this tag for the Spoonful of Sugar challenge which is to create a 'tag'. I would also like to enter it into the Winter Wonderland challenge this week which is ''Holly and Ivy' (I have holly but no ivy....so hope this is ok..) and another new challenge, Lollipop Crafts where the theme is 'Anything Goes!' I love this image of the mouse in the stocking and it was really nice to create something other than a card as I very rarely make anything like this. Of course it had to be finished off with a little bit of stickles!

Phew....that's it for today....hoping that I will post again before the end of the week. It is supposed to be a lovely day tomorrow so we may have a day at the beach! Heard we can buy a bucket of chips from the seafront chippy and then you can use the bucket afterwards! Doesn't take much to impress me but that did! Lol! Will take piccies if we get one!

Must go now....will hopefully come and visit you on your blogs over the next few days.

Bye for now!

Hugs

Arline

xx

A blogging holiday...

Hi All

Well as you know it is almost the school holidays! We have had a mad weekend at a wedding and visiting family and friends but it has been lovely. Unfortunately, this has meant I have neglected my blogging and crafting! I am also off to Sunderland to visit family for two weeks on Saturday (leaving hubby behind :( ) and therefore won't be blogging for a little while. I am hoping to do some crafting with my Mum and sister and will blog if I get chance but may not be around as I have been! I will make sure I will catch up when I return!

Happy holidays!

Arline

xx

A couple more awards!

I was really chuffed to find out that I had been given the awards below by Pendra...a new blogging friend who has a beautiful blog that I love to visit....thank you so much hun, it is really sweet of you!

1. Now the rule for the BFB Award is to pass it along to my readers with a link back to the person who gave it to me. Thanks Pendra!

2. I am passing both of these awards to all of my lovely followers, old and new! Thank you for coming and visiting me...really appreciate each and everyone of your comments!

Hugs

Arline

xx

More Christmas cards!

Hi All

I have made a couple more Christmas cards tonight....not sure if I am happy with them...feeling as though I may have lost my mojo again....hoping it is just because I am tired! My first card is for the Sketch Saturday challenge (I have changed the image shape to a circle so am hoping that is still allowed?!) I have used another Penny Black image and some papers that I found in my stash which were lovely and I have no idea why I haven't used them before!

My second card is for the Just Magnolia challenge which was this fab sketch. I have used this image of Tilda that looks as if she has been up to mischief! Answers on a postcard of what she has got up to! Lol! The papers are some old Papermania Christmas papers and I have finished it off with a few flowers and a bit of lace (my new best friend at the moment!

Hope you enjoyed looking at them. Sorry it is such a short post today but I am shattered! Just watching 'The Apprentice You're Fired' and then am off to bed! Will do some blog hopping tomorrow night!

Thanks for visiting.

Hugs

Arline

xx

A better day today...

Hi All

Well...a better day today at work....couldn't have got much worse to be quite honest! Have had quite a nice day today actually. We have had the Year 6 pupils in as they have been taking part in a couple of taster days. I taught an English lesson and a Citizenship lesson and they were fab! They even thanked me as they went out the room and wanted to come and speak to me when they were on their lunch...so sweet....unfortunately not likely to last when they come up to big school in September! Lol! I have often thought I would love to teach the top end of Primary and have looked around at Middle Schools as I really enjoy teaching this age group...I think the one thing holding me back is my love for teaching Media Studies at GCSE (and hopefully I will teach it to A-Level one day!) Anyway....perhaps my pondering needs to wait until another post!

Back to craft....well I have just made the one card tonight but I really enjoyed making it. I would like to enter this into the Winter Wonderland challenge which is 'Red and Green must not be seen' (title says it all!), the Penny Black Challenge which is 'Christmas in July' and the Cute Card Thursday challenge which is to include some lace on your card. I have used this gorgeous little Penny Black hedgehog...he is so cute and I decided to put him on an angle as if he was jumping through the air catching his snowflakes! I have also used some blue lace that I have recently purchased, a Forever Friends 'Hugs and Kisses' sentiment sticker, Forever Friends Christmas paper from last year as well as some really cute crochet flowers from The Works....they have loads of different colours so definitely worth a look.

That is it for now...I am hoping to make a couple more cards tomorrow and I have just realised that I didn't post my cupcake boxes I made for a friend's ribbon so will make sure I post this over the next couple of days!

Another mad day at work tomorrow so hoping it goes well...fingers crossed! Can't wait till our review is over...Friday please come quickly!

Will try to do some blog hopping over the next few days too....I really do appreciate you visiting me though and promise I will come and visit you...it just may take me a few days!

Hugs
Arline
xx

What a day!

Well, after having a nightmare of a day at work....won't go into details or I may not stop venting(!)....I thought I would try to de-stress with a bit of crafting. I am hoping that I can do a little more during the week and complete in a few more challenges. Tonight I thought I'd make a couple of birthday cards as I have made lots of Christmas cards recently. My first card is for the Papertake Weekly challenge which is 'Anything Goes' and I'd also like to enter it into the A Spoonful of Sugar challenge which is to include some kind of stitching (real or faux!). I have used an adorable die cut image from Lili of the Valley-so cute! I have finished it off with a few flowers, card candi and stickles.

My second and final card for tonight is for the Lili of the Valley challenge this week which is this fab sketch. I used another really cute image from Lili of the Valley and finished it off with a few flowers, buttons and card candi. I have also used a little butterfly that is from Prima which I have been dying to use for ages!

Thanks for looking at my creations. Hope you like them and enjoyed visiting my blog!

Hugs

Arline

xx