Great Lakes Mega Meet ....

...  It's been a really fun day here in Northville.  Today is the first day of the Great Lake Mega Meet in Novi and I was out early as those of us who pre-register can get in at 9.00am.  I think that a lot more people registered early this year as there was quite a crowd waiting for the gates to open!!

I had several things that I wanted to get today - the new Distress pads in both colours, some more Copic markers and the new Hero Arts ombre pads.  I was really pleased as I manged most of that - sadly only managed to get the Fossilised Amber though.  Here's a photo of my haul:

I'm delighted with my new goodies.  Here are close ups of the various items:

Love these crazy bird stamps.  A few Christmas stamps from Dylusions and then these wonderful sets by Brett Weldele - love the zombie!!

There was a special on this stand - buy three Lawn Fawn items and get the fourth free - well, it was a bargain!!

I found the Hero Art ombre inks - I think they're fab.  The bottles are Color Burst from Ken Oliver Crafts.  They contain mircofine highly pigmented water colour pigments for watercolour backgrounds.  They are bright and easy to use.  Check out this video here.

I got some super new Spellbinder dies - basic shapes and some really fun geometric designs.

And finally - the lovely Fosillised Amber and the Grey Slate Dylusions spray. 

I didn't both to take a photo of the Copic markers - they are already in use!!  I bought a copy of Sandy Allnock's wonderful Hex Chart at the weekend and I spent yesterday morning colouring in the hexagons that I have.  I added the ones I bought today and you can see that I've still got quite a few to get!! 

If you haven't got this chart yet, it is well worth getting.  You really can see the way the colours relate to each, and you can also see the ones that are very similar!  Anyway, that's all for now.  It's time for me to get dinner sorted out.  See you tomorrow!

WMSFC - Colours ....

... Hello again!  I'm back with our new challenge at Waltzingmouse Fanatics.  This time we have a colour challenge - there are six colours in the palette and you have to use at least three of them.  I think these are all my favourite colours.  Don't forget you can make anything for the challenge, a card, scrapbook layout, 3D project - but you MUST include at least one Waltzingmouse stamps, digi or sentiment.  Here's my card:

Stamps: WMS - Free Spirit Boy; Impression Obsession - You are Amazing
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Wild Wisteria; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories: SU Card - Naturals Ivory; Copics; Promarkers

Do you ever have an idea of a card in your head and then end up with something completely different?  Well, that's what happened with this card.

I used the sketch from Clean and Simple Stamping - FTL279 for the layout and the theme is from this week's Keep it Simple - KIS#33 where the key word is "TROPICAL" and, obviously, the colours are from our challenge.  From the graphic I took the two shades of purple, the dark teal and ivory.  I made the card from Naturals Ivory (lovely card which I don't use often enough).  The card has a subtle texture which you can see in the stamped sentiment!  I actually like the slightly distressed look.  I used my all time favourite set from Waltzingmouse - Free Spirit Boy - and stamped the hibiscus flowers several times onto white card and then coloured them with Promarkers and Copics.  I cut them out and attached them to the card.  I know that hibiscus don't appear in nature in rich teal (sort of wish they did), but they certainly come in all shades of purple.  For the inside, I kept it ultra simple with just a stamp of the hibiscus flowers.

Don't forget Tara has an inspiration card to share with you too.  You have plenty of time to play along with our fabulous colours, the deadline for submission is Thursday 20th February, 5.00pm GMT (that's Noon EDT).  Oh, were you wondering what my original idea was?  Well I had planned on using the surf boards from Free Spirit and making a guy card!  That's all for now!  Whatever you plan on doing this weekend, keep safe and warm.  Bye for now!

ASM - Make Your Mark ...

.... Hello everyone, from an incredibly cold, but brilliantly sunny, Northville.  At the time of writing this post (Tuesday, 10.30am) the temperature outside is -24°C (-12°F) and at the moment there is very little wind so the chill factor hasn't really kicked in.  It did this morning; it felt more like -35°C when Jonathan left for work.  You can see some photos of the snow on my earlier post!

It's time for our first challenge of 2014 at Addicted to Stamps and More!  This week it's "Make your Mark" time - by that I mean you use pencils, paints, markers to colour!  Here's my take:

Stamps: Serendipity - Sun Garden; Craft's Meow - Circle It
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black, London Fog; Versafine - Onyx Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Copics (lots); Sakura Stardust Pens; Stampin' Up! Markers - several; Ribbons

I've used a couple of challenges to make this card.  I got the sunshine inspiration from MUSE - MUSE#49, not literally sunshine, but the flowers from a sunny garden.  I'm also submitting this to the new, updated One-Layer Simplicity Challenge - OLS#1 which is now monthly.  Their theme is to restock the card stash and, obviously, be one layer.

I love this flower stamp, it just yells "colour me!" - so I did.  I had so much fun using Copics, Stardust and SU markers - you can't really see the Stardust sparkle in the photo above, but in real-life it's fab!  I grounded the flowers with a couple of lines of ribbon (go me - I've had this ribbon for years).  On the inside I simply repeated the flower image in a softer shade of grey and added a simple, bold sentiment of thanks.  This is for my stash of Thanks cards.

For more inspiration with Make Your Make, check out the inspiration cards from the rest of the design team.  And this week we are also joined by our Guest Designer, Gemma - do check out here card too.  Last, but by no means least, our sponsor this week is DeeDee Digis, the winner of the challenge will gets 3 sets of digis - and they are lovely!

That's all for now.  See you soon.

Shop for shoes ....

For my 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown post - click here

For my Waltzingmouse Fanatics post - click here

... Good afternoon everyone - only one more day of our long weekend holiday - to go.  We've really been making the most of our time off.  Eating - obviously, and I'm going to have to be very creative with turkey recipes in the coming weeks :)  Friday evening we all went to a photo shoot with the lovely Andrea - I'll post some photos soon.  And today we even did a little shopping - glad we saved it until today.  The shops were very quiet first thing this morning!  After we got in, Jonathan watched some football - NBC show the UK Premier League games - I think he actually sees more games here than he did in the UK!!  Kathryn beat Pokemon - she was delighted.  And I played in my craft room and made a fun little card:

Stamps: Docrafts - Born to Shop Shoes
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Spellbinders - Reverse Wonky Rectangles (S4-307) #4
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Clear Embossing Powder; Copics - R17, R14, G24, G20, BV02, BV04, B12, B14, R81, R83, R0000, W1, W3, W5, W7, Y13, YR23, YR27

The cue word for this week's CASology - CAS72 is SHOP.  As soon as I saw that word I knew which stamps I'd be using - I've had them for quite a while and they don't see ink as often as they should.  There are a number of really fun images that are perfect for this challenge.  I used the sketch from this week's CAS - Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#52, but I turned it through 90° as the layout worked better in this orientation.  I stamped the image on to some scrap white card, heat embossed it with clear powder and cut it out with a die.  I coloured the image with Copics and edged the image with R17.  I made the shoe border by repeatedly stamping the shoes, embossing them and colouring them in.  I made the vertical strip by colouring some scrap card with R17 and cutting a piece to size.  The inside is simply a mat of white card that has been edged with the red R17 Copic.  I've left it blank to add a message.  I've a feeling this might find its way to my Mum - she just LOVES to shop!!!

Well, that's all for now - I think I'm going to try and do a bit more crafting, but for now I'm off to make a coffee and read my book - I'm reading Dragons Dawn by Anne McCaffrey - I think it's the third time I've read it, but it is a wonderful place to visit!  See you soon.

Newsflash ....

.... Good afternoon - it's really dull here today.  But the upside is time spent crafting - I've got a cute card today:

Stamps: My Favourite Things - Read All About It
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies: Spellbinders - Circles Sm (S4-116) #5, Big Scalloped Circles Sm (S4-250) #5; Memory Box - Piestra Tile
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! Card - Tangerine Tango, Island Indigo; SU DP - Tangerine Tango, Island Indigo; Copics

I'm playing along with a couple of challenges that I've missed recently - My Favourite Things Wednesday Sketch Club - MFTWSC151 and Just Add Ink - JAI#192.  I really like the fun colours and they work perfectly with this cute stamp.  I flipped the sketch upside down.  I die cut the white panel and mounted it onto orange card and then layered again onto Island Indigo.  I stamped the image onto white card and cut it out with a circle die.  I coloured some of the image with copics and paper pieced the rest.  I finished the front with this sentiment.  I'm not sure where this card is going yet and so I've not decorated the inside.

That's all for the moment.  I've had a busy morning doing some shopping.  This afternoon Kathryn and I are off to the dentist for a check up - I don't mind it, but Kathryn hates it!  So as a special treat we are all off to the movies this evening to see The Hunger Games - Catching Fire.  See you later!

We will remember them ...

... it's Armistice Day today; also known as Veteran's Day in the US and Remembrance Day in the UK.  At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, we remember the signing of the Armistice between Germany and the Allies signalling the end of the First World War.  Sadly, it was not the end of conflict and wars in the world, and today we remember all those whose lives have been lost in past and present wars.  We also honour those still serving around the world.

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Simply Sketched
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Die-namics - Fishtail Flags Layers Stax #3
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Copics - R17, W5, G94

This is ultra clean and simple and has been made with the current The Male Room - TMR#8 challenge where the theme is remembrance.  I produced the verse on my computer and cut it out with the fishtail die.  I stamped the principal poppy and coloured with Copics, adding depth with generational stamping of the poppy.  I attached the verse with dimensional tape.

I don't think there's anyone who doesn't know this quote - it comes from the poem "For the Fallen" by Robert Laurence Binyon.  I've copied the entire poem here:

For The Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

That's all for today.

ASM - Chillin' Witch ...

.....  Hi, it's time our our new challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More!  This week we want you to get out your marker pens - Copics, Promarkers, whatever you have and colour your images.  I've made a Halloween card:

Stamps:  Impression Obsession - Inner Witch, Zenspirations When Life
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies:  Spellbinders - A2 Curved Matting Basics B (S5-172) #7
Accessories: Copics (see photo for details); White Lustre Card

I don't colour as often as I should - I had such fun colouring this image.  I found the Internet to be very helpful with shading tips; I'm still very much a beginner using Copics.  Don't you think the witch is cool - she's really chillin'!!  I don't know whether the bubbles are from bubble bath or from something a little alcoholic!! I stamped the image in Memento Tuxedo Black and simply coloured.  I added an embossed frame around the edge of the card and rounded the corners to match the frame.  On the inside I cut a panel of white card, rounded the corners, inked the edges and added a fun sentiment.

I'm submitting this card to the current Less is More - LIM141 challenge which is to make a one layer card with the theme of Witches & Wizards (or Little Monsters).  I took a photo of all the Copic markers I used to colour this image as the numbers don't mean much on their own!!

Don't forget to check out the inspiration cards from the rest of the team and leave some comments - we all like to receive them!!  This week's challenge is sponsored by Nicecrane Designs and there's the opportunity to win a $20 gift certificate.

Nicecrane Designs

I'm looking forward to seeing your creations for this week's challenge.  Bye for now!

Halloween cupcakes ....

.... Good morning everyone - I've woken up to a lovely Autumn day with soft blue skies, sunshine and a chill in the air - just fab!  I've a Halloween card to share with you this morning - I really got into the spirit of Halloween with making the Apothecary bottles on Saturday so I just carried on!

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Vintage Witch, Cicely at Halloween, Gracie at Halloween; Impression Obsession - Inner Witch
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories:  White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! Card - Elegant Eggplant; Copics - various; Sakura Stardust Clear Pen

This one was such fun to make.  The little Halloween cupcakes stamp is actually horizontal with them all in a line - so I stamped it and coloured them with Copics and Sakura Stardust pens, then I fussy cut each cake and ran them through my Xyron to make them self-adhesive.  I have the fluorescent Copics and use them on the cake decorations!  I cut a mat layer in Elegant Eggplant (black was just a bit too dark) and ran my silver marker pen around the edge of the white panel to give a very thin silver border.  The inside has a fun Halloween poem from Claire's set - Cicely at Halloween, along with a trio of bats.

I've taken photos of the card under my daylight bulb - not the best colour, but at least you can see the inside.  I also tried to take a photo to really show the glitter on the cupcake frosting!  I'll try for better photos later today!

This card uses three current challenges:

• Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge - WMSFC#3 - Halloween theme
• CAS(E) this Sketch! - CTS48
• The Paper Players - PP166 - theme Halloween

I think Halloween is one of my favourite events - it really is celebrated in style here in the US.  I'm busy getting my house ready for the Trick and Treating that will take place on Halloween when all the children around here go hunting for candy!!

Tara and I would love to see your Halloween creations at Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge - but I should remind you that you MUST use at least one Waltzingmouse image or sentiment on your card, or sadly your card will be removed.

That's all for now - have a good day and see you soon.

PJ Party in the afternoon ....

.... Good afternoon!  Hope your day is going well.  I'm back with another card for Claire's Waltzingmouse Pajama Party (only 5 hours to go at the time of typing).  I've already made cards for Tickle Me Silly and You're a Doll, and I've managed to get into my craft room again this morning to make a card for the In the Background challenge:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Free Spirit Boy, Half Pint Heroines
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Midnight Muse, Old Olive, So Saffron
Accessories: SU DP - Old Olive, Marina Mist; SU Card - Midnight Muse; SU Markers - Marina Mist, Black, Midnight Muse; Promarkers - Tan, Caramel; Copics - E00, R20; White Lustre Card

I've made this one for my son, Ben.  I love the random circles from Free Spirit and use them often, particularly when I make cards for Ben.  My boy is going through a rough patch at the moment, and it times like this when I wish that we lived closer, but as I can't be there in person, I'll send him a little note.  I made the card base from Midnight Muse card, cut a panel in white onto which I stamped the circles.  I saw Erin's card this morning; I loved it and thought I'd CASE it for Ben.  I cut a panel of the text design paper adhered it to the card and then stamped on the hot air balloon.  I stamped the balloon again onto coloured paper and card, then paper pieced the balloon and coloured the basket.  I was going to use one of the heads from Half Pint Heroes to represent Ben, then I realised that Ben's hair is actually rather long and hangs over his face - so I used one of the face from Half Pint Heroines!!!  These sets are so versatile!  For the inside I simply stamped some of the circles - using the second and third impressions for a subtle look.

As well as using the Pajama Party Background challenge I used the following to make this card:

• The Paper Players - PP156 - for the layout
• Colour Q - cQc200 - for the colours

At the time of writing this post, the Colour Q challenge isn't up yet, but I saw the colours on LeAnn's blog this morning and just had to play with them - they are perfect for a guy card!  I've had such playing along with the first Pajama Party challenges, and it isn't over yet. Each pajama party ends with a Bedtime Story - where we're given a sketch and that challenge is open until 5th August.  Claire and the Design Team have made some fabulous inspiration cards - do check them out!!

That's all for now.  See you soon!

Shades of love ....

... Hello everyone - I've got a really busy day lined up today.  I'm off to the Great Lakes Mega Meet at the Suburban Showcase in Novi.  I found this show by accident last year, but this year I found it deliberately!!  I've signed up for a couple of classes about colouring with Copics and a class about Zentangles.  I've been fascinated by Zentangles and I've seen some beautiful ones drawn by Susan G and Paula P - and I'm finally going to have a go myself.

In the meantime, here's a card I made for a couple of challenges:

• Less is More - LIM118 
• Retro Sketches - RS62

Stamps: Sweet Stamp Shop - Colour Wheel
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Copics - Y0000, Y00, Y13, Y18, V0000, V20, V22, V25; White twine

First of all - this is card does not have a violet border - that's just the mat it was on when I took the photo!  I decided to have another go at the Less is More challenge and this time I picked violet and yellow.  I thought I'd play with the colour wheel as I have this super stamp.  I stamped it in memento ink and coloured the two wedges with my Copics.  Next I cut a small panel of white card and layered the colours from each end to meet in the middle with the palest of each - the colours are not as fluorescent as they appear in this photo - I'll post a new picture tomorrow!  I stamped the sentiment onto a smaller bit of card and attached it to the main panel and finished by wrapping some white twine around the panel.  I attached the panel with dimensional tape.  A clean, simple and reasonably quick card to make.  It was lots of fun.

That's all for now - I'm off out now - should be so much fun.  Interesting classes, lots of stalls with so many goodies - but I'm not coming back with anything new ;)))))  See you!