Going For The Triple

Challenges that is. I finally got around to making my valentine cards. I have such a hard time making cards for this holiday for some reason. However that quickly changed when I saw this cute fella at my local Archiver's.

I am absolutely hooked on these little guys and would you believe it Archiver's have about 5 new sets with him in and they are so darn cute. My wallet is going to get a lot of use in the coming weeks I can tell. I had to walk away from there having just gotten one set and it hurt so bad.

1. So I figure that this card passes for this weeks 'A spoonful of sugar' which is 'Love is in the air' you had to make something for someone special and I made one of these for my hubby amongst others.

2. Also Cute card Thursdays' challenge is Valentines, which this card is. Hubby is due facial surgery 3 days before valentines day so I figured he would need cheering up and this little guy could make anyone smile (Hmm, I wonder if he's supposed to smile?)

3. The sketch I chose for this card was this weeks Splitcoast Stampers SC213. The only thing it's missing is the embellishment bottom right but thankfully it was optional so I decided to leave it off as I was a blank as to what to put there.

If I have time I think I might make some more of these. I think the kids would like to send them to their grand parents.

Cardstock is SU Pink Passion

DP both are Heidi Grace

Embellishments include Heart Brad from Making Memories and tiny dew drops from crystal stickers.

Hugs

Nic

Want Some More.....

Candy?

I found an awesome lady here in our wonderful blogging world called Marlene http://mar1ene.wordpress.com/ that not only makes the most awesome cards but also her own jewelery. Pretty cool huh? Well she is celebrating her 1 year in blogging too and has and awesome bunch of goodies to share with one lucky winner. You have until Friday to enter.

I have found myself visiting her blog on an ever increasing basis so I have added her link to my inspiration central along with a few others I wanted to share with you. Be sure and pop over and visit. It will be worth it.

Hugs
Nic

The Results Are In...........

...And the winner is.........

Comment #18 Silvia

Congrats and Happy !st Blogiversary!!!
How cool of you to offer up blog candy.
I posted a link on my blog www.sillyscrap.blogspot.com


Congratulations Silvia Email me your address to icantgetagoodid@hotmail.com and I will get your goodies in the mail asap.

Thankyou to everyone who left a comment. I had more this time around than ever before.

Hugs
Nic

Kung Hey Fat Choy

Happy Chinese New Year To One And All!!!!!



I wish you health and happiness in the coming year.




Tomorrow I will post the winner of my blog candy. We hit 20 comments so I will be digging out some extra goodies for the lucky winner.


Hugs

Nic

Blogaversary Time

My blog has had it's very first birthday. I am a little late as it was back at the beginning of the month, but I've finally had time to sit down and put something together for a lucky someone. Who will that lucky someone be?...Well, it could be you.

I haven't had a lot of interest/response with my blog candy in the past even though I do seem to get a lot of visitors. But I have not lost faith. This candy is going to be an ever increasing Blog Candy. In other words it will start with one item and every other day it will increase by one item until the end date comes round.

All I ask is that if you have a blog you post a message on it linking back here. After all the more the merrier right. If you don't have a blog no worries just tell some friends another way and leave a response here to say hi.

This Blog Candy will end on January 26th (Chinese New Year). This year is my year as it is the year of the ox and that was the year I was born. With this in mind if I get more than 20 responses there will be a few surprises in the package too.

Item One: A handmade Gift Set
Item Two: Sticklers & Glaze Pens

Item Three: Cat Stamp Set

Item Four: Flowers

Item Five: 7 SU Inspiration Sheets

This post will be edited every other day to show the next item I have added and will remain at the top of the blog until January 26th. Please scroll down for newer posts. Thanks and good luck.

Whimsy Guest Designer Call

I spotted my fellow blogger Denise http://denisesstampingpage.blogspot.com/ starting up her own business a few months ago and signed up for a chance to win blog candy which she was offering which was one of the stamps from her newly started line. It has taken me this long to ink him up. I slap my hand for taking this long as he is such a cute little fellow. I have a couple of his friends too that I bought recently as I couldn't resist them either that I intend to ink up soon too. They are just so darn cute.

The reason for this card is the need for a masculine Birthday card. I have trouble making these do you? I went visiting Denise's blog. Something I do regularly and noticed that she is having a Guest Designer Call. The sketch was just what I was looking for. So I decided to try out while also making my much needed cards.

Here is her sketch:

As most of you know square cards are not my strong point so as usual I made it fit a 5.5 x 4.2 size card.

If you want to go see what other cute images are available I have a link on my sidebar that will take you straight to the store.

Card Class & New Catty

I got to make some cool cards at my friends house on Monday this week. I was glad to get out of the house for a while as Jake was having a minor meltdown. For some reason tidying and my son do not go hand in hand. We even bought him more storage, all he had to do was put his stuff into it. Anyways I had had enough of talking to myself trying to get through to him so I was grateful of the chance to get out of the house for a while and go do some crafting.

I made 4 cards in total. I think the original ideas for the cards came from my favorite online place SCS. However I love Sarah's take on them. They were all based around the current Ronald McDonald set Say it With Scallops and the new scallop square.

I also got me a new catty which I am having lots of fun exploring. My wish list is already started and every time I look at it seems to grow ever longer.

Flower Birthday Card

How much fun was this card to make? The answer is SO much fun. I got to play with a whole bunch of punches and stamp sets I have never gotten around to using until now. Oh and I think it also goes with the Double Dutch challenge this week which is to make a circle card so I am going to enter it.

I found the idea for this card on a blog I follow http://thescraproomblog.blogspot.com/ I get scrapbook kits from the company and have been a member for 6 months and have yet to make anything with what they have sent me. The papers and embellishments are so nice I just can't bring myself too. LOL. However one of my new year resolutions was to make the effort to use them and not let them gather any more dust. I know I got a little off subject. Anyway I read the blog cause they have some awesome stuff on there. Card and layout ideas. Recommendations and hints and sneak peaks. I just love it. Anyway The other week I spotted a card like this on there and decided to try one for myself. I liked what came about so much I then went on to make it in three different colors.

I changed up the design just a little. You see I am not a fan of cards that cannot stand up by them selves and the picture on the blog looked like it couldn't do that so I added an additional petal to the front of the card that allows it to stand.

Stamp sets used: (TAC) All Occasion Circles, (SU) Crazy for Cupcakes and (SU) True Friend

Cardstock: Neutral cardstock for the main base. Monochromatic DP and matching Cardstock in Real Red (other colors used were Wild Wasabi and Apricot Appeal)


Punches:

3 inch for main card
1 1/4 inch for petals
Scallop circle (SU)
1 3/8 inch for happy birthday
1 inch for flower

Other embellishments: Dimensionals and Jewel brad for center.

Awards, For Me?

Wow, My friend Joani http://joaniscardsmadebyhand.blogspot.com/ made me feel so special by passing these on to me.






It makes me feel good inside to know that people who come and visit my blog really are enjoying what they see.

The first thing to do is to mention 5 things I'm addicted to:

1. Stamping. I would do it all day every day if I could.
2. Cherry Coke. I have to have at least one soda a day wether it's this or Dr Pepper.
3. My computer. I spend too much time on here messing around but have very little to show for it most of the time.
4. TV. It's my background noise of choice and of course I have to watch my shows.
5. Chocolate. Another thing that has snuck up and become a daily habit. Gotta fix this one though. I eat way too much chocolate.

Now the hard part. To pick out 5 people to pass these on to. That's really hard because I love all the blogs I visit wether I just stalk or if I have chance to leave a message. There is just so many cool things out there in blogland to see. So with that being said and the fact that all my close blogging buddies have these already and just about everyone else besides. I am gonna have to be really lame and stop here. I would point you in the direction of my Inspiration list though as all these blogs and the people who write them are totally awesome.

Driving Test Card

I finally got around to doing a challenge. Actually it's 2 challenges.


1. A spoon full of sugar challenge #34

2. CMBH Sketch #4 (this is a group I belong to)


So I used Joani's sketch and the challenge for A spoon full of sugar was paper piecing. I'm posting this a little late tonight so am not sure if I will make it in time officially but it was a cool challenge to try and do. One of the major problems I have with the challenges is the time element. How people keep up with so many of them on a weekly basis is beyond me. LOL. Personally I don't always get the chance to sit at my craft desk when I want to and by the time I get around to them they are already over. Do you have that problem?


Anyway onto the card:

Stampin Up sets used were: Loads of Love, Making Tracks (wheel), Say it with Scallops

Cardstock: Tempting Turquoise, Rose Red, DP unknown

Other embellishments and tools: Black stitched ribbon, Scallop punch

Split Neg Thankyous

So here is my official first card of the new year. My creative juices feel like they are definitely starting to flow in this lovely yellow room I have now. These cards I made for a swap on my friend Joani's newly moved group http://cardsmadebyhand.yuku.com/. She moved us from MSN as they are closing their groups down. We are still feeling our way around the new site but I am so happy to be swapping again.

I cased this from a card I made at a class last year. My friend Sarah is my wonderful teacher. I think she may have gotten her inspiration from SCS. I just love this technique. It is one of my favorites.

As you can see the technique I just love is Split Negative. I used the Stampin Up set Baroque Motifs. The sentiment is from a Stampendous set I have yet to fully utilise. Cardstock is of course black and white with some Brilliant Blue to make it pop. I finally used my make your own brad set too which feels like it has been sitting in my cupboard for the longest time. New years resolution #1 Start making the most of the things you already have and resist buying more. (the resistance part isn't going so well as I just got myself a bunch more SU goodies today but at least I am sticking to the first part).

Other items used:

Black and white embossing powder

Versamark

Heat gun

Brilliant blue ink

Finished Craft Room

Well it's finally done. Took a while, mainly because I had so much crap to sort through when I was putting everything back in.

I got a new light fitting with really bright bulbs. When you turn it on in the evening now it still feels like daytime. Before the light was really dull and I would have to have extra lamps on to compensate.

We painted the walls a Mellow Yellow. Yellow is a creative color so I hope it will help inspire me. I put extra storage into my closet. It has the same again behind the other door and it is right behind my chair so if I forget anything it is all within reach.

We moved the tall bookcases that hold all my stamp sets and photo albums onto a different wall. The room seems to flow a lot better now. My computer is now on an alternative wall too now and thanks to hubby has a larger memory capacity to keep up with my photo taking.

My craft desk is in the same place it was before. No matter what we tried we couldn't seem to think of a better place for it. So in front of the window it stays. I got a print of my favorite Van Gogh picture framed on the wall above my computer. This puts my stamp on the room. I feel this room is a lot brighter when I walk into it now.

The hope the pictures help you get an idea. I even have a sewing corner... No excuses now :-)

New Years Card

I have been missing a lot lately sorry about that. Still I have something to show you today. This was my New Years Card. I made only about a handful of these this year due to time restrictions. In other words I was just too darn busy. Again I'm really sorry.





Image is from Whiff Of Joy
Sentiment is Hero Arts
Cardstock is Basic Black and Whisper White.
Paper is from Hobby Lobby (Sorry I forgot the brand)
Real Red ribbon
Star is from Archivers

Blog Candy Ahoy!

No not me at least not yet. However I have noticed that it is my Blogaversary and this blog is officially one year old. Pretty cool eh? Stay tuned for my candy later in the week when I figure out what I am gonna offer you guys.

* Anyway I just wanted to let you know about an awesome blog candy giveaway over on Rach's blog. http://papercraftsbyrach.blogspot.com/ she makes the most beautiful cards. I love stopping by there to see what she has made. Yes Rach I am one of your stalkers. I very rarely have time on my hands to post on this blog let alone others. Sorry. So if you want to enter her blog candy or just want to check out her awesome cards, go....It's definitely worth the trip.

* Also my wonderful friend Joani http://joaniscardsmadebyhand.blogspot.com/ also has a pretty wonderful blog candy offer going on right now too. She has hit 35,000 hits and is celebrating. I am a big fan of her cards. Go check out her blog and all those cute cards she makes.

* But wait that's not all cause Lim also has a blog candy giveaway too. http://lim-thevoicesinmyheadlimblog.blogspot.com/ . she too make lovely cards and I enjoy stalking her blog also. So here's another one for you to check out. Keeping you busy today aren't I.

* Ok this is the last one...for now. You just have to pop over to Michelle's blog. http://donkeysmiles.blogspot.com/ She has a valentine theme blog candy giveaway. She has the most awesome blog. I love her cards but I also adore checking in on her donkey's. The are so cool. Great blog, great candy what more can I say.

Hugs
Nic

Sneak Peek Reveal

Did you guess what it was? That's right it was a scrap page. I framed it and sent it all the way from Texas to California and I am very happy to confirm that it arrived in one piece, glass intact and all and my friend Lucy loved it. I am so glad she liked it we miss them very much and this is my way of showing how much. Here's the whole page. This is from a day at the park last summer where I was lucky to get pictures of all the kids on the same slide.

Scrapbooking is fairly new to me. I have been dabbling for a while now but have never had the guts to jump in with both feet. Hopefully now I will. One of my new years resolutions is to scrapbook more and if you haven't thought of it already another is to sew more. I have so many projects in my head it's about time I got on with them. Once my craft room is finished I will have a place to put my sewing machine so I can get to work.

Lucy has an awesome sewing blog. She has recently changed the address of it due to technical problems but she is busy bringing it up do date. You can take a look here:

http://fabricaholic.blogspot.com/

Happy New Year

Sorry for being a bad blogger. Right now my craft room is in turmoil as hubby decided it was a good time to paint it. All my stamps and everything are currently filling our dining room table and I am in craft withdrawal until we are finished.




Good news is that tomorrow we will be painting so hopefully very soon I will be back and busy. I do have a couple of things to share with you just in case it takes a while.





This is a picture of my kids on New Years. The clock in the background says 12.02 am they were very excited to be allowed to stay up this late. I hope everyone had a great New Years and I wish you all the very best for the coming year.


Hugs
Nic