My shining star

My shining star

Monday 31 December 2012

Happy New Year Part 2

Hi there - well I feel like I've been away forever - but I needed to get this post in before the start of the new year - just to say thankyou to you all for all of the kind comments you have left over the last year! There really are some wonderful folk out here in blogland and I truely appreciate your support - so a happy New Year to you all!


I've made my card using Jasmin Cheers from Crafty Sentiments and the papers are bazil basics that I won over at NG cards - thanks Nat! I've paperpieced Jasmin's dress too! The shoes, gloves and headscarf have been glittered. All other colouring is by promarkers.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

paperplaychallenges Out with the old, in with the new (new stamp used)
happycamperscc: Food and Drink
simonsaysstampschallenge: Anything goes
DYSUdoyoustackup: Turquoise
Charismacharismacardz: Anything goes
Pixiepixieduststudiopixiechallenge: Any celebration will do
LMMlittlemissmuffetchallenges: Anything goes
Card Crafters Circlecardcrafterscircle: Anything goes
Totally Gorjusstotallygorjuss: New
cutecardthursday: Anything goes
thesquirrelandthefox: Party time
craftysentiments:all that glitters

wow - that's a lot of challenges! I can tell I've not been blogging!!! Feeling a little better now by the way - its been a rough old Christmas!!!!

Thanks for dropping by and hope to be back up to speed soon!

Hugs

Rachel xx

Wednesday 26 December 2012

Happy New Year!

Hi there all! I hope you've all had a great time over Christmas? Mine has been good but both Lucy and myself have fallen foul of a flu type virus that's going around - not good but better than the norovirus at least! Anyway - a lovely day was had by all - a picture of my sweeties in their new nighties:

That's a funny face our Penny is pulling!!!!!

Got up into my attic today and had a chance to play with a few of the new things that santa brought - my favourite has to be my daylight lamp - how did I ever work at night without it? Anyway - this is what I made - its for a card swap over on the Joanna sheen forum.


The image is LOTV - finally inked up after being bought at a show in October - the other new things I've used are my die to cut the card shape and also the cherry blossom dies from spellbinders. The image is coloured - as ever, with promarkers.

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:

tuesdayalchemy: Anything goes
kaboodledoodles: New Year
polkadoodle: New Year
promarkerchallenge Happy Sentiment
LOTV:liliofthevalleythursdaychallenge Something new (stamp and dies).

Hopefully back again soon! Got some DT work to get on top of so I may be absent for a while - I hope to have time to play though!!! Hugs and thanks for visiting!!!

Rachel xx

Monday 24 December 2012

Seems a lttle sketchy sketch 29

Hello everyone - its Christmas eve - wow - how did that happen - got to go and pick up the turkey then I'm taking the girls to the pantomime this afternoon - I'm not 100% to say the least - so I'll be glad when its bedtime I think!!!!

Anyway - over at seems a little sketchy today they have a new challenge started sponsored by Whimsy - the prize will be from Whimsy designs - check out the SALS blog here for full details.

Here's the sketch and what I did with it.


I've used my stampers anonymous Christmas tree coloured with promarkers and the papers are very old and from my stash.

I'd like to enter my card for the following challenges:

Glitternsparkleglitternsparklechallengeblog: Christmas
That craft placethatcraftplaceblog: Christmas
Card crafters Circlecardcrafterscircle: Christmas
LEJ:lejdesignschallengeblog Santa's coming to town

I'd like to thank everyone who comes over here now and again to leave some love - I really do appreciate every single visit and do my best to return them whenever possible - you're a wonderful set of people and have given a really drive to my crafting - so thankyou and a merry christmas to you one and all!

Big Hugs

Rachel xx

Sunday 23 December 2012

Penny's Tag

Well good morning lovelies - we're nearly there! Hope you are well? My Lucy has a bad cold and I think I may be getting it - but I'm fighting it!!!! Don't want that for Christmas now do we?

I've got Penny's tag to show you today - its a quick and simple tag with an image from LOTV on it. Perfect for Penny I think!


The image is coloured with promarkers and the main tag has twine and spun sugar d.i. on it - very quick and simple and ready to tie on her sack!

I'd like to enter this tag into the following challenges:

CHNCcraftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge: Anything goes for Christmas
disdigidesignschallenge: Christmas
totallygorjuss: Easy does it
Whimsywhimsyinspires: Anything festive
craftsandmechallenges: Winter wonderland
Artisitic Inspirationsartisticinspirationscrafts: Anything goes/tag

Thanks for visiting today and can I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Big Hugs

Rachel xx

Saturday 22 December 2012

12 days of Christmas gift box

Hi there - well I'm getting later - but at least I'm getting more organised on the Christmas front! Took the girls to see the new Tinkerbell film today - oh it was lovely - so pretty!!!!!A fabulous winter film!




Today I've got a new tradition that we're going to start this year to show you - I won this box about this time last year and finally I've got around to decorating it and filling the internal boxes with goodies - we'll start on Christmas day in the afternoon once everyone thinks gifts have all finished - and each of the twelve days of Christmas my girls will take it in turns to open a box and see whats inside. The opener will be the chooser if the things inside are different. I've just put a combination of things in there - nail polish and jewellery - hairbands and chocolate - once its the 6th January I'll put it away ready to fill for next year! Should keep the magic going for a bit longer I hope!

I'd like to enter my box of goodies into the following challenges:

Stampi ftwstampinfortheweekend: Anything goes
Willow sketchiewillowsketchiechallenge: Let's celebrate
Papercrafting Jpaper-craftingjourney: Anything goes
DYSUdoyoustackup: Anything goes
Tuesday alchemytuesdayalchemy: Anything but a card
SSSSsimonsaysstampandshow: Giftspiration
ABACanythingbutacard: Winter holiday!
winter wonderland:christmasblogchallenge Wish upon a star

Hope to be back again tomorrow - hope you are well and thanks for dropping by!

Hugs

Rachel xx

Friday 21 December 2012

Lucy's Tag

Good mornng lovelies - I'm running late today so this is going to be a quick one! Hope you are well!

I've made a tag for Lucy's sack - I've used a background holly stamp that I stamped in versamark and heat set green wow powders - then coloured with a versa pen and heat set clear powder on the berries - I coloured the leaves with promarkers. I've added a stamped image from crafty Sentiments Designs called Santas Helper coloured with promarkers with added glitter and added a christmas tree cut from a spellbinders die.



Thats the tag in place and hiding in my wardrobe!!!! Woo hooo! Nearly time for santa now!

I'd like to enter my tag into the following challenges:

Fab and funkyfabnfunkychallenges: Add ribbon
Penny's:pennyschallenges Merry Christmas
CSDcraftysentiments: All that glitters
Twisted Tuesdaytwistedtuesdaychallenges: Tags - Lucy makes me smile!
Incy Wincyincywincydesigns: Holly
Sunday Stamperspinkleart: Holly

Hope to see you again soon - if not have a fabulous Christmas! Big Hugs

Rachel xx

Thursday 20 December 2012

More thankyou's and a reminder about the ribbon girl giveaway

hello there lovelies - Hope you're having a fine day! I'm well and good and getting more and more ready for Christmas - the final push has begun! On a more serious note I may have been hacked - so if you get a random email from 'me' don't follow the link xx

I've got another thankyou card to show you today - it includes an image from Crafts and me called 'janessa'  - just beautiful.


I've coloured the image with promarkers - the papers are docrafts - papermania colour collection.
I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Creative Inspirationscinspirations: Anything goes
I love promarkersilovepromarkers: Not square
Divasdivasbydesignchallenge: Anything goes
TPSthepapershelter: Anything goes
ladybugscraftsinkchallengeblog: Anything goes
OSAATonestitchatatimechallenge: Use a digi



In case you didn't know, the ribbongirls are having a fabulous six of the best giveaway. This was the first days giveaway and yesterdays was a beautiful ivory set - check them out!

Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you again soon!

Big Hugs

Rachel xx

Wednesday 19 December 2012

CAS cards and some news

Good morning lovelies - I'm just bursting with excitement - I've been asked to GDT for Crafty Sentiments for January and February - I'm sooooo happy - just love their stamps - thanks guys you really made my day! You should check out their inspiration blog here too - if they reach 230 followers by new year there will be 2 prizes! Woo hoo xx

Hope you are all well - and getting into the festive spirit? I was out carol singing last night with my two girls and their nana and lots of other villagers - we do this every year to raise money for the homeless shelter in Lancaster. It was a good night last night - the first time Penny has been out with us. We'll be doing it again on Thursday and Sunday - all being well.

Onto my CAS cards - I was lucky enough to win a $15 voucher to Cropstop in the US - they have a fabulous selection of goodies and even with the postage - I got the Blueprint stampers anonymous stamps pretty cheaply! And the service was fabulous! I'll definitely be using them again!



The images were stamped in versa mark and I used snow white wow embossing powder and heat set. Then I used tumbled gladd and faded jeans DI to colour the card - bingo! So quick! I love these stamps - and will get plenty of use out of them making cards for next year!

I'd like to enter these cards into the following challenges:

cardmaniachallenges: snowflakes
IDICrobynsfetishchallengeblog: Snowmen
Willow Sketchiewillowsketchiechallenge: Quick makes
Kaboodle Doodleskaboodledoodles: Anything goes.

Thanks so much for visiting - I hope to see you again soon!

Lots of love and hugs

Rachel x

Tuesday 18 December 2012

thankyou!

Hello lovelies - I hope you are all well and happy? I'm good and have got a card to show you today that I made yesterday afternoon - I was going to do some quick Christmas cards today - but they'll have to wait I think. Also I stepped down from the scrapbook stamp society DT yesterday - so I'm feeling very free and able to do what I want! Got some new DT work coming up in the new year - but all in good time!

My card has been made to have in just in case santa claus visits this year - don't know if I've been good enough yet!!!


The theme over at Lili's little fairies this week is something new - I've used this cupcake stamp and the sentiment stamp both which I recently purchased with a voucher I won for commenting on the inspiration blog. So thanks guys again - eveything will come in handy. The papers are bazzill basics from the candy I won over at NG Cards a while back.The cicular die is a spellbinders die and the fluorish is sizzix.

I'd like t enter my card into the following challenges:

Cupcakescupcakecraftchallenges: Cupcakes
Polka Doodles:polkadoodle Young Adult
LLFliliofthevalleythursdaychallenge: Something new
Simon says stampsimonsaysstampschallenge: use your favourite - I stamped my image in espresso adirondack - I love to stamp in brown as I think its less harsh than black!

Should be back with those quick Christmas cards tomorrow - don't forget I've got candy - here!

Big Hugs and thanks for visiting!

Rachel xx

Monday 17 December 2012

Mum and dads card

Good morning lovelies - hope you had a good weekend? Mine was just fabulous - we picked up my MIL who is just such good company and brought her home for Christmas - and then yesterday we all did the long walk up the hill in Clapham, North Yorkshire to go and see santa in Ingleborough cave - a fabulous walk and a really magical visit - just lovely!

Today I've got the card I gave to my mum and dad for Christmas to show you - it features two stunning images from Mo Manning - I just adore them:




 It also includes that chocolate baroque snowflake stamp free with craft stamper that I just can't seem to get enough of! I used it to create the snowy background by using versa mark and snow white embossing powder and heat setting then covering with pan pastels. The images are both coloured with promarkers - I've used spellbinders snowflake diecuts and also a heart circle. In the middle is a verse to mum and dad but the light has meant it doesn't show - because of the flash! The blue roses were from Nat's candy - thanks again Nat - I've touched them up with glitter to add to the frosty effect.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges.

Creative Inspirationscinspirations: Contemporary Christmas
thesisterhoodofcrafters: Handstamped backgrounds
Mo's Digitalmosdigitalchallenge: D is for diecuts
CHNCcraftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge: Anything goes Christmas
Totally Gorjusstotallygorjuss: For someone special
thesquirrelandthefox: Christmas
Pan Pastelpanpasteluk: Christmas time
Visible imagevisibleimage: Christmas
cardmaniachallenges-snowflakes

I've got some last minute quick cards to show you tomorrow - hope to see you then and thanks for visiting today!

Hugs

Rachel xx

Sunday 16 December 2012

Final challenge at The Crafty Pad

Morning all! Its the final challenge today over at the craftypad - it feels so sad to me - this has been such a lovely design team to be on - I've loved every minute of it - so thanks ladies - you've all been wonderful - and a special thanks to Debbie for inviting me onto the team in the first place!

The challenge is all about friendship and keeping in touch  - its sponsored by Joanna Sheen- here's my card:





The images are from the Crafty pad and can be found here for Moorag and here for Shelley the sheep. Remember you've only got until Jan 7th to get your images from the Crafty pad - and they're currently all on sale at 25% off - go here for the shop. The friendship verse is LOTV and the papers were free with a magazine in the summer. I've used sizzix sizzlit dies.

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:

sparklesforumchallenges: Anything goes
fatpageswithattitude: anything goes

Got more Christmas for you tomorrow!!

Thanks for visiting today

Hugs

Rachel xx

Saturday 15 December 2012

Bez's card

Hello there lovelies - I hope this is working - its a scheduled post - I'm off to pick up my mother in law today for Christmas - and this is going to be her Christmas card.



I've used the stamp 'Christmas Dress' from Crafty sentiments Designs - and teamed it with blue and brown papers from LOTV and an LOTV sentiment. The image has been cut out using a spellbinders die and there's a corner snowflake die by memory box and a fence die by Marianne designs in there too.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

CSDcraftysentiments: snowflakes
abcchristmaschallenge: favourite die (snowflake corner)
Penny'spennyschallenges - something new (Christmas dress stamp is new)
LMMlittlemissmuffetchallenges: Christmas
guylousinimitability Snow Happy
Cupcake:cupcakecraftchallenges Merry Christmas
addicted-to-stamps-challenge: Bingo - fave colors, snowflake, ribbon
Joanna sheen:joannasheenchallenge With love at Christmas
Fasionistafashionistachallenge: Winter

Hope to catch up with comments later! Thanks for visiting!

Big Hugs

Rachel xx

Friday 14 December 2012

Post for the Scrapbook stamp society

Good morning all! Well at some point today or over the weekend there will be a new challenge starting over at the scrapbook stamp society. Its all about a white Christmas - they want you to produce a white on white project.

Here's mine:


The image is by Heather Valentin and is called magical flight. It can be found here. I've used spellbinders tree dies and a doily plus white flowers and the sentiment is LOTV.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

SSSscrapbookstampsocietychallengeblog: White Christmas
DYSUdoyoustackup: Christmas
Papertake weeklypapertakeweekly: snow white
christmascardchallenges: to die for
CACBcraftyannschallengeblog: WOW.
craftycalendarchallenge: white christmas
sendasmile4kidschallenge - winter/holidays

Back with more tomorrow! Thanks for visiting today and for any comments you may leave!

Love and hugs

Rachel xx

Thursday 13 December 2012

a fine romance

Morning lovelies - wasn't it cold yesterday? Bitter up here - I just hope its not so bad today! I did have a chuckle at my aerobics class yesterday - its part of the Rosemary Conley diet and exercise club and the instructor turned up in a blow up sumo suit - and told us that this is what would happen if we didn't come to class!!! Ha Ha ! Nice one Mandi!!!!

I've got a card to share with you today that I made a while ago - its got an image by Humphreys corner on it - from Crafters Companion.




I 've coloured the image with promarkers and cut an aperture using a heart die and my grand kalibur. The embossed card is hunky dory and the heart card is from my stash.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Pan Pastelpanpasteluk: Song - Marry You - Bruno Mars
LEJ:lejdesignschallengeblog Sentiments
Divasdivasbydesignchallenge: Use some red
Crafts and mecraftsandmechallenges: No Blue

Thankyou so much for dropping by - I do love to read your comments - they make my day!!!! Hope to see you again soon - and I promise that candy will be coming soon too!!

Hugs

Rachel xx

Wednesday 12 December 2012

the elusive owl tree

Morning lovelies - hope you are well on this fine morning - its very icy here - so I think my run will be cancelled - and replaced by an aerobics class in the warm and dry!!!!


Got a card to show you today that is very simple - it includes the owl tree stamp from little claire - I first tried to get hold of this just after it launched - and at a few shows thereafter - but finally I've managed to get hold of it - sooooo cute! I've teamed it with some fabulous bazzill basics paper courtesy of Nat at NG cards - I was lucky enough to win her candy a week or so ago!!! Thanks again Nat!!! It certainly isn't a traditional Christmas card - but I like it!

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Little Clairelittleclairesdesigns: Christmas
Tuesday alchemytuesdayalchemy: anything goes
Bearly mine:bearlymine-challenges anything goes
Artisitic inspirationsartisticinspirationscrafts: anything goes
Totally stampalicioustotallystampalicious: anything goes
IDICrobynsfetishchallengeblog: Christmas cards

Thanks for looking and for any comments you choose to leave! Will be posting a blogaversary candy later this week so keep those eyes peeled! Big Hugs

Rachel xx

Tuesday 11 December 2012

Wild rose Christmas

Morning all! I hope you are well! I'm feeling good - my busy day yesterday was busy but good! Its feels good to get everything done and still have time to do a little crafting doesn't it?

Here's a card that I made earlier this year and haven't blogged yet - I hope you like it.



Its Bella the elephant from wild rose studio - coloured with promarkers - the papers are also WRS and I've used spellbinders and memory box dies for the snowflakes. The sentiment is LOTV.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:
sweetstampinchallengeblog: Dies and punches
totallygorjuss Oh No Snow!
2sisterschallengeblog: Snowflakes
stampinfortheweekend: Let it snow
craftycatzweeklychallenge: shaped cards
pixieduststudiopixiechallenge: sparkle and snowflakes
happycamperscc: Winters here
divasbydesignchallenge: Let it snow
cutiepiechallenge: Cute Christmas
Lexi'slexiscreations: Snow
Incy Wincyincywincydesigns: Snowflakes

That's all for today! Thanks for dropping by and I hope to see you again soon!

Big Hugs

Rachel xx

I

Monday 10 December 2012

SALS sketch 28

Good morning all! I trust you all had a good weekend - I feel much better after a lazy Sunday - much more prepared for Christmas too - even been writing some cards!!!!

Today - over at SALS there's a brand new challenge starting - we have a new sketch and our sponsor is Kenny K. Check here for full details.

The sketch is as follows:

And this is what I did using the image Mistletoe from Kenny K that you can get here.


I've coloured the image with promarkers and added her in front of the sketch - I've also added the name to the bottom as I've made this card as a commission for a friend.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

In the pinkinthepinkchallenge: Pink Christmas
DTCdigitaltuesdaychallenge: non-trad Christmas
Whimsywhimsyinspires: Something Festive
audsentimentschallengeblog Anything xmas goes (DT)
Charisma:charismacardz Christmas
Pattiespattiescreationschallenge: Christmas card
emergencycrafterschallenge: Deck the halls.

Hope you have a great Monday - I'm at my aerobics this morning - then I'm having lunch with the aerobics ladies, shopping for the old lady across the road and then finally taking the girls to their ballet lessons - I've got to squeeze cleaning the house into there somewhere! Wish me luck!

Thanks for visiting and hope to see you again soon!

Big Hugs

Rachel xx