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Sunday 31 December 2017

Better Late Than Never...

Hi there,

I just wanted to pop on and wish my blog followers and visitors a happy new year when it arrives (depending where in the world you are of course!) and apologise for my absense over the last month or so.  I had a very hectic few weeks in the run up to Christmas, work was particularly busy, I had no car for a couple of weeks and just the general extra work and time that Chrismas involves.  Then on Christmas day itself myself and my daughter both came down wth a particularly nasty cold which we're finally starting to get rid of now.  Anyway we've made it through most of the festivities, it's been lovely to get a chance to relax and have some time off work and I now have my car back too!  My crafting mojo has taken a bit of a dip so I need to get back on track with that now too.  I've treated myself to some Faber-Castell Polychromo pencils so I hope that will give me the push I need to get colouring again!

So rather embarassingly (as the challenge closes tomorrow) here is my card for the latest Cutie Pie Challenge our theme has been Snowflakes and Stars.  I've used a fab digi by our sponsor Paper Nest Dolls called Snow Family.


Materials used:
Paper Nest Dolls Digi Image - Snow Family
Promarkers
LOTV Sentiment Stamp
Snowflake and star punches - brand not known
Papers, cardstock, button and twine all from stash.


Thanks so much for stopping by and very best wishes for the year ahead.

Hugs,
Shona xx

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


Saturday 9 December 2017

Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge - Gorjuss

Hi folks,

Well I guess I'm better late than never posting my DT card for the Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge.  It's been another busy week and a bit since my last post and today has been a particularly hard day.  This morning we said goodbye to our pet hamster Marley and later in the afternoon another car ran into the back of mine due to snowy conditions.  Everyone was ok and the car is virtually undamaged but we just got a bit of a fright especially my daughter who was in the back of the car.  To be honest I'm glad it's after midnight and we're into a new day, things can only get better (hopefully!).

Anyway, back to my card.  This time I've chosen a Gorjuss stamp I bought at the Craft Fair I went to in Glasgow SEC at the end of October.  I love Gorjuss and always enjoy colouring them.  This one is called The Winter's Night - very appropriate considering the weather conditions outside as I post this!


Materials Used:
Gorjuss Stamp - The Winter's Night
Promarkers
LOTV Sentiment Stamp
Papermania Home For Chrismas Papers
Cardstock, Button & Twine From Stash

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs,
Shona xx

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


Monday 27 November 2017

GDT Christmas With The Cuties - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town!

Hello,

I've just popped on the pc to share my GDT Card for Christmas With The Cuties.  I was lucky enough to be asked back for a second stint as a guest designer again this month.  The theme this time is 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town' so we'd love you to share your projects featuring your cutest images of the big man in red himself!  We also have a fab sponsor for the challenge - Di's Digi Downloads.

I've gone with another Crafts U Print image for my card which I've coloured with Promarkers.


Materials Used:
Digi image - Crafts U Print
Promarkers
LOTV Sentiment Stamp
Trimcraft Dear Santa paper 
Cardstock, buttons & twine from stash

Thanks for stopping by, have a great week and remember to join us if you can!

Hugs,

Saturday 18 November 2017

First Birthday Card

Good morning,

I hope you are all well in the run up to the festive season.  This morning I'm sharing a card I made a few weeks back for a first birthday.  I've got a handful of cards I've not yet blogged so hopefully I'll get a chance to do that in the next couple of weeks.

I've followed a layout similar to the Forever Friends Christmas card I blogged a few weeks back but this time I've also added some kraft cardstock which I think works quite well.  I love this LOTV image and have used it a lot for first birthday cards!


Materials used:
LOTV stamp
Promarkers
Personal Impressions sentiment stamp set
Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Antique Linen
Simply Creative Flower Girl 6x6 papers
Trimcraft number dies
Cardstock, buttons and twine from stash

Thanks for dropping in.  Hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Hugs,
Shona xx

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

Tuesday 14 November 2017

Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge #19

Hi there,

Another scheduled post from me today.  I'm here to share my DT card for the Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge.  As always the challenge is 'Anything Christmas Goes' and we'd love you to join us and share all your Christmas crafting!

This time I've gone for a fun chihuahua image by Gordon Fraser I found over at Crafts U Print - it will be perfect for my sister in law and her partner who have a chihuahua calld Elvis!  It's not a website I've used before but I needed something recently for a particular theme and had to spend £5 before I could check ut my basket so it was rude not to stock up with a few items!


Materials used:
Digi image by Gordon Fraser at Crafts U Print
Promarkers
LOTV papers and sentiment stamp
EK Success paw print border punch
Button & twine from stash

That's all from me just now.

Thanks for stopping by, hugs,

Monday 13 November 2017

Bear Hugs with the Cutie Pies

Good morning,

A scheduled post from me today.  Who is like me and can't quite believe we're almost half way through November already?!  It's Monday again too but why not cheer yourself up and join us for another fantastic challenge with the Cutie Pies.  Our theme is 'Bear Hugs' and I've gone down the Christmas card route again just because it's getting near that time but it doesn't have to be, it can be for any occasion just as long as it features a cute character (in this case a bear) or more!

I've used a cute image from 2 Cute Ink for my DT card.


Materials used:
Cinnamon Bear Loves Poinsettias Digi - 2 Cute Ink
Promarkers
Nitwits Merry & Bright papers
LOTV sentiment stamp
Cardstock, button & twine from stash

Our Challenge Owner Lisa has provided a gorgeous set of stmps for the lucky winner so even more reason to come and join us!



That's all from me just now, take care and wrap up warm these mornings are starting to get chilly!

Hugs,
Shona xx

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:
CHN Patterned Paper Challenge - #November x
CHN Christmas Challenge Extra - #November x
CHN Christmas Challenge - #359 Anything Goes x
The Merry Christmas Challenge - #42 Anything Goes x
Unicorn Challenge - #27 Anything Goes x
Crafty Friends Challenge - #70 Christmas x
Crafty Creations Challenge - #354 Anything Goes x
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - #69 Anything Goes x
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - #November Anything Goes
Glitter n Sparkle Challenge - #265 Anything Goes x
Crafting from the Heart - #183 Anything Goes x
Sweet Stampers - #14 Christmas
Crimbo Crackers - #145 Anything Goes x
Penny's Challenges - #354 Anything Goes x
CRAFT Challenge - #441 Winter x

Sunday 5 November 2017

Holly & Ivy Challenge #18

Good morning,

Hope you're all having a fantastic weekend.  I'm (rather lately) sharing my DT card for the Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge.  As always the challenge is 'Anything Christmas Goes' and we'd love you to join us and share all your Christmas crafting!

It's been a bit of a mad week for me.  I was at the Craft and Christmas Show at SEC Glasgow last Saturday - my first but definitely not last time, oh the bargains!!! Sunday was the usual dancing taxi service as well as a Halloween disco.  I had to bake Sunday afternoon and Monday evening and Tuesday was Halloween itself.  Craft club on Wednesday then a bit quieter the next 2 evenings then out for the local fireworks display and pizza last night.  Inbetween times working full time and trying to keep up with the usual housework.  It's been a bit of a whirlwind!

Ok, back to my card.  Because of the recent time constraints I've made a very quick and simple card for the challenge.  I quite like the way it's turned out though!


Materials used:
Crafter's Companion Centura Pearl Cardstock in Old Gold
Kraft Cardstock
X-cut Filigree Christmas Star Die
Docrafts Create Christmas Glittered Wooden Sentiment


That's all from me just now, I'm away back on the hamster wheel!

Hugs,
Shona xx

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


Tuesday 31 October 2017

GDT Christmas With The Cuties

Hello!

Today I'm really excited to be sharing a tag I made for the Christmas With The Cuties challenge which is the sister challene of the Cutie Pies and runs monthly with a different fab festive theme every time - this time the theme is tags and we are sponsored by the fantastic Sasayaki Glitter.




I've used one of their gorgeous digis called Winter Peggy for my tag and coloured it with Promarkers.  I've gone for a slightly shabby/mixed media style for a change.  Not my usual style but it's nice to do something a little different.


Materials used:
Digi Stamp - Sasayaki Glitter - Winter Peggy
Promarkers
Red pre-cut tag - Docrafts Create Christmas
Crafter's Companion Scandinavian Christmas Script Background Stamp
Personal Impressions Embossing Powder - Opaque White
Gingham star trim, buttons, twine and letter stickers all from stash

Thank you for stopping by today.

Hugs,
Shona xx



Tuesday 17 October 2017

Forever Friends for The Holly & Ivy Challenge #17

Good morning,

I hope this post goes out successfully on time, fingers crossed we haven't been too badly hit by storm Ophelia, we seem to be in the direct path of it :(  as I schedule this post (3.45pm Monday) the sky was the strangest, darkest, eeriest I've ever seen for this time of day!

Anyway, on a brighter note we have a fab new challenge starting at the Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge as always it's just for fun and anything Christmas goes!

For my DT offering this fortnight I've been making use of some magazine freebies that have been in my stash for a while.  I'm trying very hard not to buy anything new until I go to the Crafts For Christmas Show at the SECC Glasgow next week!  This will be my first time at the show but I've been wanting to go for several years but always had something else on so I'm super excited!  I'm going down with a few more ladies from our craft club so it should be a fun day out!



Materials used:
Forever Friends stamp - magazine freebie
Promarkers
Holly Hobbie papers - magazine freebie
Sentiment stamp - LOTV
Cardstock, buttons & twine from stash

Thanks for stopping by today.

Hugs,
Shona xx


Monday 9 October 2017

Think Pink with the Cutie Pies

Good morning,

Another scheduled post from me as I'm at work but just four working days until some time off work to spend some time with Iona during her school holidays!

So today we start a fab new challenge over with the Cutie Pies.  This month we're inviting you to Think Pink! and share your cutest, pinkest (is that even a word?!) cards with us and we are sponsored by Di's Digi Downloads who have an amazing prize for our lucky winner!



http://disdigidownloads.blogspot.co.uk/

For my DT card I've used a magazine freebie stamp I've had in my stash for a long time by Sylvia Zet.  The layout is based on an idea I saw on Pinterest.


Materials Used:
Stamp - Summer Fairy by Sylvia Zet (Magazine Freebie)
Sentiment - Magazine Freebie
Promarkers
Crafter's Companion Butterfly Dies
X-cut Circle, Scalloped Circle and Tag Dies
Docrafts Parkstone Pink Capsule Collection 12x12 Papers
Cardstock, ribbon, twine, Stickles and pearls from stash

Thanks for taking the time to stop by.
Hugs, Shona xx

Tuesday 3 October 2017

Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge #16

Good morning!

A scheduled post from me today to share my DT card for the latest Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge.  As always our challenge is Christmas themed but apart from that it really is anything oges and we would love you to join in the fun.  It's not long now to Christmas so if you haven't already started making your festive cards this is the perfect excuse!

I've chosen another of the Crafters Companion Scandinavian Christmas Dies for this challenge.  I'm loving this range at the moment.


Materials used:
LOTV Classic Christmas Papers
Crafter's Companion Scandinavian Christmas Die - Merry Christmas
X-cut circle & scalloped circle dies
Cardstock, ribbon and pearls from stash

Thanks for stopping by today.

Hugs,
Shona xx

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

Tuesday 19 September 2017

DT Post - Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge #15

Good morning,

A scheduled post from me today.  Yesterday I had an extra day off as our schools are currently off on a mid term but break today it's my husband's turn and I'm back to work!

Today I'm sharing my DT creation for the new Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge.  It's very simple but I'm loving this new range of dies.


Materials used:
Crafter's Companion Signature Collection Scandinavian Christmas Die - Partridge in a Pear Tree
Docrafts - Home For Christmas 12x12 paper pack
Wooden sentiment, cardstock, button and twine from stash.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Shona xx

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

Monday 11 September 2017

My Favourite Cutie Image

Good morning,

AArgh Monday again already I swear these weekends get shorter every week!  At least we have a fab new challenge over at the Cutie Pies to cheer us up!  Our theme this month is 'My Favourite Cutie Image' and it's also our 6th Birthday so we'd love you to play along with us.  We have not one but FOUR fantastic sponsors who have some brilliant prizes up for grabs for our lucky winners!




http://www.bugaboostamps.com/

Image result for paper nest dolls


I've used a super cute image from Paper Nest Dolls to make a birthday card for My Favourite Cutie - our daughter who was 12 last week!


Materials used:
Digi image - Paper Nest Dolls Fairy Emma With Unicorn
Promarkers
Stardust Stickles glitter glue
Papers - various from Trimcraft & MME
LOTV sentiment
First Edition Number dies
Crafters Companion Butterfly dies
X-cut circle and Scalloped circle dies
Cardstock, ribbon and gems from stash

Thank you for stopping by today, it's very much appreciated.

Hugs,

Sunday 10 September 2017

Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge #14

Wow, another busy week in the Hamill household means I'm a little late with my DT make for the Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge.  After our daugther's birthday last week it was my turn on Thursday then our anniversary on Friday as well as a full working week and the usual mum and taxi duties!

As always our challenge theme is anything Christmas goes so this week as time was limited I've made one of my new dies the focal point of my card.  I love this new range from Crafter's Companion 💖


Materials used:
Dovecraft Back to Basics Vintage Christmas 12x12 papers
LOTV sentiment stamp
X-cut scallop ovals, ovals & label dies
Crafter's Companion stag die
Magazine freebie wooden snowflake
Cardstock, button and twine from stash

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate your visit and comments.

Hugs,
Shona xx



Tuesday 22 August 2017

Holly & Ivy Challenge #13

Good morning,

I'm back this morning with a scheduled post to share my DT card for the Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge. Check me all organised and scheduled lol!  As always it's a just for fun anything goes challenge - as long as it is Christmas themed, and we'd love you to join us.

For this challenge I've used another of the 3 stamps I picked up secondhand off a local Facebook buy, swap, sell site.  This one's from LOTV and is rather cute, it appears to be brand new!


Materials used:
LOTV Penguin and sentiment stamps
Promarkers
My Minds Eye Be Merry Designer Papers
Cardstock, pearls, ribbon and snowflake trim from stash
Scalloped circle and rectangle dies
X-cut rounded corner punch

Thanks for stopping by, hope you will join in with our challenge!

Hugs,
Shona xx

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









Boys Will Be Boys with the Cutie Pies

Hi there,

At last I'm back to share my DT card for the Cutie Pies Boys Will be Boys challenge.  It's been a bit of a mad week since I went back to work after my holidays and our daughter started secondary school.  All her clubs have started up again so I'm back to chasing my tail and trying to keep up with everything!

So back to the challenge and we are sponsored this time round by Pink Gem Designs

who gave us some fab digi designs to work with.  Here's my take on the challenge:


Materials used:
Digi stamp - Pink Gem Designs
Promarkers
Paper - Forever Friends A Christmas Tale
Tim Holtz On The Edge Die - Townscape
Cardstock, button & twine from stash

Hope you will come and join in with our challenge!

Hugs,
Shona xx

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




Tuesday 8 August 2017

DT Card for Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge #12

Good morning,

I'm still enjoying my summer holidays although now I'm well into my second full week they will soon be coming to an end (boo).  On the plus side it won't be too long now until the October break and I'm hoping I'll be able to take a few days off then too, fingers crossed!  One good thing about being on holiday (and not being away) is that there's more time to craft - yay!  and I don't feel so guilty about staying up late to colour or more likely for me spending valuable potential crafting time mooching around Pinterest looking for ideas and inspiration lol!

So today I'm sharing my DT card for our latest Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge, as usual it's a just for fun anything goes challenge - as long as it is Christmas themed.  Why not join us and get ahead for Christmas?  I actually spent a couple of hours the other day putting inserts into and bagging up my recent cards and I was amazed at how many I've accumulated already!

Anyway, back to my card...  My card for the challenge features a new Magnolia stamp, well new to me but secondhand, I bought it recently off a local buy, swap, sell Facebook page!  I got this one and two LOTV stamps for a bargain price and I don't think any of them were ever inked up!  I on the other hand couldn't wait to get stamping and colouring with them!


The papers are old magazine freebies and I've used my new X-cut border punch for the first time so I've used both old and new supplies!

Materials used:
The Day Before Christmas - Noel Tilda rubber stamp
LOTV Sentiment Stamp
Promarkers
Holly Hobbie papers (magazine freebie)
X-cut Oval, Scalloped Oval & Label dies
X-cut Dotted Scallop Border Punch
Kraft cardstock, buttons, twine and pearls from
stash

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Hugs, Shona xx



Monday 7 August 2017

Some Word Art...

Hi there,

A bit of a late night post from me tonight but it's allowed as I'm on holiday and don't have any reason to get up early (although I most probably will anyway as hubby will be up for work).  It's been quite a leisurely Sunday.  My daughter was away at dancing for a few hours and I had hoped to get on with a few chores but I went through to the office/crafting bat cave to look for something and I kinda caused an avalanche of cards I've made.  So there was nothing else for it I decided there was no time like the present and spent a couple of hours putting inserts in them and bagging them in cello bags and putting them in their correct storage space.  Not at all what I'd planned but it needed done all the same.  Every time I spend ages doing this I vow that I will do it as I go but I never do!  Is anyone else guilty of this or is it just me?  I know I'm a serial procraftinator so it's maybe just me!

Anyway I've just hopped on to share some Word Art cards I've made recently. I sometimes find the occasion or person I need to make a card for doesn't suit my style of crafting and that's where Word Art can come into it's own.  I use a website called WordArt.com and with a bit of trial and error can usually come up with something I can use as a backing paper.  Here are some recent examples:




I quite like how they've turned out and I think it's great how you can personalise them as much or as little as you like.

Additional materials used:
Trimcraft number dies
X-cut Doorplate dies
Creative Expressions Pierced Flags Dies
Scalloped Circle Die
Coloured cardstock, buttons, ribbon & twine from stash

So that's it from me tonight.  Now do I, A. do the sensible thing and go to bed, B. do a bit more crafting or C. stay up way too late after getting distracted by Pinterest?  Answers on a postcard!

Hugs,
Shona xx




Tuesday 25 July 2017

Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge #11

Hello again,

This evening I'm sharing my DT card for the latest Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge.  As always it's an anything goes challenge (as long as it's Christmas!)

Apologies for the briefness of my post I'm having a bit of a busy week but the good news is when I finish work on Friday I'm off on holiday for a fortnight.  We're not going away but we have plenty to keep us busy at home!

The image I've used for this fortnight's card is a digi from All Dressed Up which was a freebie ages ago.  I misplaced it on my pc for long enough and luckily found it again recently!


Materials used:
Digi - All Dressed Up
Promarkers
Stardust Stickles glitter glue
Trimcraft Dear Santa papers
Indigo Blu sentiment stamp
Marianne Creatables Heart Die
X-cut scalloped circle dies
Cardstock, ribbon and gems from stash

Thanks for stopping by and also for any comments you leave for me, they are much appreciated.

Hugs,
Shona xx

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






Wednesday 19 July 2017

Retirement Card for a Forestry Worker

Hi there,

Tonight I'm sharing a card a work colleague asked me to make to mark her husband's retirement from his job with the Forestry Commission.  She wanted something that reflected his work so I had to get my thinking cap on.  I had rediscovered these Craft Asylum papers not long before and made them my starting point, I then remembered about these die cut trees a friend had given me ages ago that I knew would come in useful at some point then all I needed to think about was the personalisation and as it was a male card just a wee bit of embellishment but nothing over the top.

I've been wanting to make a chalkboard effect card for some time.  Well I have made some before but using black card and rubber stamps with versamark ink and matte white embossing powder but this time I had to go for a different tactic as it had to be personalised.  I searched good old Google for ideas and eventually found a good tutorial which you can find here.  It did take a fair amount of time but I think once you have a better idea what you're doing you could speed things up a bit.  I'm pretty happy with how it turned out but I think with a bit more time I could have prabably improved on it.  By the way I also downloaded a couple of new fonts from Dafont to use for the chalkboard.


Materials used:
Papers - Craft Asylum, Into The Woods
Xcut Square Parenthesis nesting dies
Tree die - from stash unknown brand
Button & twine from stash

Thanks for stopping by.  That's about all from me tonight, bed is calling!

Hugs,
Shona xx

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




Tuesday 11 July 2017

Holly & Ivy Challenge #10

Good morning,

My blog posts are a bit like waiting for a bus... nothing for ages then two come at once lol!  Today I'm sharing my DT card for our new challenge starting over at The Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge.  As always it's a just for fun anything goes Christmas themed challenge and we'd love you to join in and get a head start on your Christmas crafting!

My card for the challenge features a cute wee digi image of a mouse which I've coloured with Promarkers.  I won the image as part of a challenge prize but I'm not 100% sure where it's from I suspect it's from Robyn's Fetish.  I'm back using some more of my very ancient Papermania Noel papers, I think I'm down to just 2 whole sheets and just some scraps left now.  I will reduce my paper stash one day (if I don't keep buying) sigh...

   

Materials used:
Digi image - Robyn's Fetish?
Promarkers
Sentiment stamp- Indigo Blu
Crafters Companion Neenah Solar White Card
Colour Vision Black Card
Papers - Papermania Noel
X-cut scalloped circle dies
Creative Expressions Pierced Flags Dies
Pearls from stash

Thank you for stopping by.  Hope you have a fantastic day.

Hugs,