December Christmas @ Pinspirational Challenges!

It's December, totally love the holidays and I'm getting into that crafty, christmas spirit!

Here's another challenge at Pinspirational Challenges - and don't forget our Design Team Call - which you can apply for within! Check out the post 'Design Team Call'

Here's this week's Pins image for you to be inspired by...

 

We have two sponsors this week: 

QKR Stampede & The Pink Petal

           

Prizes: 3 images from QKR Stampede and 3 ribbons from the Pink Petal

This is my creation below:

I used the Lacy Ovals Spellbinders die cut set, with a Gretting Farm image from the Christmas - Xmas Sweeties set, the paper used is from Back to Basics Christmas set from Dovecraft and the ribbons is from Paperchase. The base is a caramel linen cardstock. Simple and sweet with lovely blue tones.

So, I hope that this has inpsired you to create something based on our image. Looking forward to seeing your entires into this week's challenge!

Check out our main blog to check out what our awesome Design Team have created and join in our challenge this week.

Challenge ends Monday 10th December at midnight - Newfoundland time!

Mellow Yellow @ Pinspirational Challenges

Middle of November and its not long til the holidays. Woohoo! I should really finish up on those Christmas projects! :)

Another week at Pins HQ and another awesome challenge. Here's your image for this week's challenge:

 

Our Sponsor this week is: The Digi Garden

Looks yummy! Love it! So based on this picture, I've created this card:

The stamp I used is Birthday Anya from the Greeting Farm. The individual paper and card stock I used are: Papermania's Book Prints paper, We R Memory Keepers Traveller's Collection for the yellow gingham style paper layered on top, I then used the Lacy Oval Dies and Oval dies from Spellbinders to use as a base for TGF stamp. Simple card for any simple birthday. Reminds me of Summer actually which is really nice - especially as its now Winter! :( I coloured the Birthday Anya stamp in Gold, Tulip Yellow and Sunflower, Dusky Pink and Blush Promarkers.

So I hope that this image has inspired you for take part in this week's challenge, spread the word around and take part! :)

Challenge begins from Tuesday 13th Nov to Monday 19th Nov 2012 (Newfoundland Time)

Spooky Halloween @ Pinspirational Challenges!

This week at Pinspirational Challenges, we've gone all Spooky-fied with a Halloween themed image:

So we want to see your Halloween themed cards or projects to enter in at Pinspirational Challenges! We want to see your awesome creations!

Our lovely sponsors this week are: Cardmadfairy's Card Creations

 

And this is my little creations based on this weeks image:

This is going to be for my friend Aisha who LOVES Halloween, she's the one out of the group who loves spooky movies, and doesn't mind dressing up as a witch when they rest of us turn up in normally clothes as fancy dress! :) I had a small canvas and easel, so decided to turn the little canvas into a Halloween themed canvas! This image is from The Greeting Farm and I coloured it up in some Promarkers. I used several Sizzlit die cuts used some paper from the New Leaf 6 x 6 paper pad from First Edition. I had some random Papermania Scrabble letters in my stash! I think I'm running out of 'O's' now! So hope you like!

Join us at Pinspirational Challenges and you could win this week's challenge! Get your card makers, scrapbookers and crafters to join in on our weekly challenges - we would love to see all your awesome makes and projects! :) And don't forget to check out our awesome DT makes as well!

Challenge begins Tuesday 23rd October 2012 to Monday 29th October 2012 Midnight (Newfoundland Time)

Tree-mendous Trees @ Pins HQ!

Autumn (Fall) has hit London. Its windy, it's getting colder and I need to wear a coat out now! Boo :( Summer is over. Even more of a big boo. But... the next season is upon us - Christmas! And at Pins HQ we've got a tree-mendous challenge for you to enter in!

Here's this week's picture to be inspired by:

And this is my creation below:

Based on our inspired picture this week, I've made my first Christmas Card - with awesome Christmas Trees! :) This stamp is new from the Greeting Farm Sept 1st release, which I bought when they first came out - far too eager (I waited 14 days for it to get it shipped from the US, when I could have ordered in the UK and got it within 5 days! *shakes head* Oops!) Totally worth the wait! I think the stamps are awesome! I used paper from the Stocking Fillers First Paper Edition 6 x 6 pad and craft cardstock as the base. I used a Martha Stewart lace punch, green Anita's Art ribbon and used the Ornaments embossing folder from Sizzix :) From this week I'll be making Christmas projects - cards, gifts and items etc to sell - so watch this blog space! :)

Our sponsor this week is: Stitchy Bear

I hope you enter in our challenge this week! Make sure you do at our Pins Blog and create a project or card inspired by this week's picture! Spread the word and tell your crafting friends to join in! Don't forget to check out our DT's creation to inspire you! They're awesome!

Challenge ends on Monday, October 1st (Newfoundland Time)

Back to School @ Pinspirational Challenges

The weekly challenges at the Pinspirational Challenges blog are coming thick and fast, so make sure you join in every week for a new challenge!

This week we have been inspired by this picture on our blog:

 

We are also this week sponsored by: Shelley's Images!

 So for this week's challenge I created this card below:

For this card I used Teacher Anya from The Greeting Farm as the main image, as this week's theme is a 'Back to School' theme! This has been mounted on a Sizzix ticket die cut, used with K and Co's Amy Butler matt card, as well as plain chocolate brown and light blur cardstock. The ribbon is from Anita's Art in light blue and the twine is from my stash :) It's a pretty simple card, vibrant colours and sweet sentiment

Join us at our challenge blog this week to enter this week's challenege, more up and coming challenges, as well checking out inspiration from the design team!

Thanks for stopping by! :)

Good Luck Team! / BG Energy Challenge 2012

Hey everyone, thanks for visiting today! :)

In about 8 days time, my former work colleagues will be putting their paces through the two-day event that is the BG Energy Challenge UK 2012.

The event takes place between 5th - 7th July 2012 in Dartmoor and tests the mental, physical and strategical minds of all the participants taking part in the demanding and action packed two days the event undertakes.

My former work colleagues at the EI in London are taking part this year and is made up of 6 team members who will undergo various challenges in order to complete the two day competition. Why are they doing this? Well it's because all the money goes to CHARITY, and not just ONE, but TWO! The charities are: Sparks and CARE International.

CARE International is a leading development and aid agnecy working in 87 countries providing change and help in poor communities, as well as finding routes for those who live in extreme poverty. Sparks is a Children's medical research chairty who help fund research into childhood diseases such as Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Cancer, Arthritis, Meningitis and many other diseases.

The team have raised 4/5 of their £5000 target, but need that extra push to get to their target and hit it! So please, if you can PLEASE DONATE and help the Team get to their £5000 target. You can DONATE via this link - Virgin Money Giving / EI BG Energy Challenge - any donation even if it's £5, £1 or £10 would be so much appreciated. The team have worked hard in training, as well as organising fundraising events and all while working full time too! So, please do donate where you can, and if you can please add Gift Aid too!

Here's a card below to CHEER and support the EI Team for all their hard work! (Tiny bit girly for the mostly, all-male team, but hey, it's all in the spirit of support!)

HUGE GOOD LUCK to the EI Team - Erica, Andy, Mark, Gareth, Terry and Michael for taking part in the BG Challenge all for Charity! You guys ROCK!

Thank you all for reading this post! Please donate if you can and join me in supporting the team! :) - Mel xx

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Challenges:

This card will be entered into the following challenges :)

Delightful Sketches / Anything Goes

Paper Make Up Stamps / Anything Goes

Incy Wincy / Anything Goes
Pan Pastel UK / Anything Goes

2 Sisters / Anything Goes
Fat Pages with Attitude / Anything Goes
Tammy Scrapin Corner / Anything Goes 

Love To Create / Anything Goes 

Party Time Tuesdays / Anything Goes
Joyful Stanper / Anything Goes 

Creatalicious Challenges / Anything Goes 

Let's Create Challenges / Anything Goes

Bingo! Aud Sentiments Challenge 57

Hi there! Thanks for stopping by!

It's not what you think - when I said Bingo. Unless you're psychic and you can read my mind! Challenge 57 at Aud Sentiments has unleashed our very own 'Bingo' board - but this one has no numbers on it but creative options for you to create your entry with!

Here's our 'Bingo' board:

For this fortnight's challenge you will need to pick a row or column and use the three items to create your project. The sentiment you use for your project must contain the word or phrase in your chosen column or row, but you can add to this if you wish to. So, for exmaple if you choose the column containing: "Happy", Ribbon and Die Cut, then you can use 'Happy Birthday'.

So... I picked the middle column: Flowers, Embossing and 'Thinking of You' and created this card below:

I used pink cardstock as a card base and then used 6 x 6 papers from Prima's Madeline collection. I then embossed a 'ticket' shape that I handcut from red Papermania cardstock with the 'Floral Fantasy' embossing folder from Cuttlebug. I ran this through my Sizziz Texture Boutique.The same process was used for the smaller 'ticket' embossed with a 'Dots' embossing folder from Sizzix. I used some dark pink two-tone 25mm open roses from Wild Orchid Crafts and some small rose buds from my stash. The image used is The Greeting Farm's 'Sweet Anya coloured in with Promarkers: Walnut for hair, Antique Pink for the dress and Rose Pink for the shorts / trousers and hair clip, Oatmeal was used for her face, arms and feet. The sentiment is from Hero Arts Essential Sentiment set.

Our fortnight's challenge is sponsored by: Stamp and Create 

 And the prize is a very lovely $20 gift certificate to use on their website :) How awesome is that?!

So with that in mind and the different combination of creative options, embellishments and sentiments available on our Aud Sentiments Bingo Board, what are you waiting for? Get creating! Can't wait to see all your entries and projects you create for our challenge! Check out the DT's creations on our challenge blog to inspire you! Good Luck! :)

Thanks for visiting, please follow and join my blogspot and check back to the site for more updates! <3

Gloria! (In Excelsis Deo)

Hey there! Thanks for visiting today :) The title of today's post is actually a hymn I used to sing when I was back in school many, many years ago in assembly with other children in our year, and is coincedently the name of a lovely friend of mine who I've known since I was probably still at school too!

I made a card for my gorgeous friend Gloria as she's been in hospital for the last week because of her condition - Hydrocephalus.

Hydrocephalus is a condition known as 'water in the brain' where there is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the cavities / ventircles of the brain. Gloria has suffered from this condition since she was a child and she's now in her late 20's. More recently her condition has caused her to frequently be in and out of hospital for check ups, monitoring and treatment.

She's an awesome girl, I've known her for about 9 or 10 years now, we first met through a mutual of friend of ours and I've shared many great moments of her life and I'll no doubt continue to share more moments with her :) She's been in hospital this week and I visited her yesterday (Saturday) to see how she was doing. And as always to let her know I'm here for her and hope she gets well soon - the crafter in me made a card to cheer her up and let her know I'm thinking of her! So here's the card below:

I've used the Greeting Farm stamp 'Cuddle Anya' which I've always thought was a really cute 'Get Well Soon' stamp - the teddy bear outfit just gives it away :) And I used the Anna Lee collection of papers from Prima. I used some Anita's Arts Blue ribbon, some cotton string and a sentiment from my stash. I used the Lacy Ovals Spellbinders Nestabilities and cream cardstock for the base and added layering. I'm really obsessed with ribbons lately, no idea why - big ribbons too. The more ribbon the better it seems! :)

Gloria really liked the card, and posted a picture of it on Facebook :D and thanked me for cheering her up (Yay!) We always manage to have a laugh together, so I hope she's feeling a lot better! <3

To find out more about Hydrocephalus, here's some links below:

- Shine Charity UK
- NHS Choices UK / Hydrocephalus
- Wikipedia / Hydrocephalus

Thanks for stopping by, have a great week!

Dots & Stripes at (Pin)spirational Challenges!

A few weeks ago I was asked to join the DT team on (Pin)spirational Challenges, which I was pretty chuffed with! So... without further ado I've created my card inspired by using this weeks (Pin)spirational image:

This week's challenge is sponsored by Pattie's Creations - so make sure you join us at (Pin)spirational Challenges and share your creations with us!

My card is below which I've created using mostly blue and green colours (green is my favourite colour, btw!) I've added a few stripey-themed papers (very subtly!) and the dots I've substituted for buttons!

The materials I've used are: Anita's Arts cream ribbon, cut to size to make the bow, the buttons are from a stash co-ordinated with the colours from the inspiration image. The stamp used is the Gretting Farm's Hula Anya colours in with Blush, Sky Blue, Bright Green, Sunflowers and Cinnamon Promarkers. I used a Spellbinders Lacy Ovals die, light blue cardstock as a base for the card and two green and blue papers from DCWV's Blossoms and Butterflies stack 8 x 8 cardstock pad. I also used a Martha Stewart corner punch and rounded the corners of the card too.

The card makes me feel very Summery, London town has been very rainy for the past few days (that's British weather for you!), so I'm hoping this card will bring London some sunshine! :)

Golden Jubilee Weekend

So it's the Queen's Golden Jubilee this year and this weekend has kicked celebrations off in style. The majority of the lovely British public will be lucky enough to have four days off for the Golden Jubilee, some will have to go back to work soon though (Boo!)

So in honour of her Majesty I've made my very own 'Jubilee' Card Set using the Greeting Farm Stamps and some patriotic blue and red colours!

The papers used were a mix from the Teddy Bo Collection and the Simply British Collection - free with the current editions of Simply Cards and Papercrafts and Simply Homemade magazines.

The stamp used was the Greeting Farm's Princess Anya 2, and the card size used were 4 x 4, the red & blue buttons were from my stash and the images were coloured in with Promarkers (Azure, Poppy, Sunflower, Gold, Blush, Oatmeal and Cool Grey 4)

The Golden Jubilee Set comes with 4 cards in blue and red sets of two (so you get two red set cards and two blue set cards) The red set background cards alternate with a Princess Anya in a blue dress and blue banner and the blue set vice versa (as in the images above). The set also come in a box with a perspex / plastic cover with greetings that you yourself can stick on the front with glue or double sided tape - these include 'Congrats', 'Best Wishes' 'Thank You', 'Hello' and 'Happy Birthday'. There are also 4 envelopes with the set too! I wonder if the Queen would like it?! :)

So if you're having some extra days off, having a few street parties or garden parties in the next few days, enjoy and I hope it doesn't rain where you are!

Colouring with Harriet

As a 26 year old, on occasion the child within me sometimes makes an appearance, especially when it comes to colouring in!

I bought a some Greeting Farm rubber stamps (Travel Anya, Swett Anya & I Heart Sweaters stamps) a few days back and being colouring them in on my lonesome :( can take a bit of time, I brought them with me to my friend Harriet's band rehearsal so that I could colour them in - while she rehearsed with her band - with my ever growing colllection of Promarkers :)

So after drumming with her brother Daryl and two friends Steve and Shane, she took a few breaks in between to help me colour in some black and white stamped Greeting Farm images. I also got her to colour in some Tiddly Ink digital stamps and Some Odd Girl digis also. Her efforts are pictured above with Cuddle Anya (stamp with the Bear Hat and Teddy Bear), Travel Anya (Air Hostess in which she styled it on her manager / friend Chantal) and the I Heart Sweaters couple (wrapped up in a jumpers and scarves!)

Harriet did a pretty great job, colouring in is not easy, especially trying not to go over the lines and finding a good colour combination to colour the outfits in! She did make a few them clash on purpose though! But they still looked awesome! I thought the colours still went well together! I'll be making some cards, or tags with these! :) Thanks Harriet!