A birthday weekend to remember

Wow, that was a wicked birthday weekend for me and to think that we are doing it all again in a couple of days time when Mr P (aka Lyndon) is celebrating his 40th...but let's not get ahead of the times and reflect on the last couple of days.

 ** picture taken with mobile phone - hence poor quality **

I took Friday off, so we could start our pub-crawl through {{ newport }} and {{ cowes }} in the early afternoon - well, at least that way we could be sure to get good spots in the pubs, rather than wait until the evening when everything is jam-packed. The whole day was on the generous Mr P as part of a birthday present to me. We really don't do presents these days, so it was a nice gesture to celebrate in such a fashion.

Apparently, I am also going out with a celebrity....well, who'd knew?!!? We combined my day off with Mr P getting new glasses as he wanted my opinion on the style of glasses he was going to get. So, the optician said to him "you look like a celebrity", which cracked Mr P up to no end...shame, she didn't specify which celebrity she was thinking of...

** pictures taken with mobile phone - hence poor quality ** 

Anyhoo, Mr P got his celebrity-glasses sorted out and we went on to get some fish'n'chips. I haven't had those for ages and let me tell you the ones we got were the best I have eaten in a LONG time. After that we went to the first Pub {{ the Hogs Head }} which has the silliest prices around. We got two pints of Beck's Vier for £4.80...yah, that is like dirt cheap!!!

Our next stops were {{ The Crispin }}, which I really don't like too much and our favourite {{ The Castle Inn }} which sells some yummy Wheatbeer.

** pictures taken with mobile phone - hence poor quality ** 

Then it was back to Cowes to pop in a few pubs along the way home - well, it would be rude not to, right? The plan was to get a chinese takeaway from our local {{ Jade Garden }}, but once we got there I was determined that only a pizza would do - so that's what we ended up with.

We listened to {{ Madness }}, had our Pizza's and many, many laughs - it was a great birthday treat for me!

And, we did get our chinese in the end, because on Saturday I found out that I was really REALLY stupid over the last two months and paid my credit card bills, when in fact they were actually CREDIT notes....d'uh! So, I had quite a big whack of money I didn't expect - of course that warranted some form of celebration, right?

Before I go, let me quickly share my layout for the recent {{ Gutter Girlz }} challenge. Check out their blog for the deeds - which were so very fitting for this picture of me struggling up one of our hills on the way towards {{ Ventnor }}. Again, I used the recent {{ Scrapmuse Kit }} to create the layout.

** click on image to enlarge **

Ingredients:
Cardstock: Bazzill
Papers: My Minds Eye, Scribble Scrabble
Other: Cosmic Shimmer; Journaling Pens; Buttons; Stickers - Rusty Pickle
Tools: Border Punch - Fiskars Sunburst

Some Odd Girl meets 2S4Y #48 (Laura)

This week, Laura's sketch over at {{ 2S4U }} had me sprinting into my craft room and get busy. I know I say it all the time but the simplicity of the sketches Laura and Kazan provide is so inspiring.

Using the papers from the recent {{ Mega Muse }} Kit and one of the brand new images from {{ Some Odd Girl }}, I came up with this card. As you can see, I flipped the sketch to the side - because somehow it just did not flow for me, when I kept it upright.

** click on images to enlarge **

Ingredients:
Cardstock: Papermill; Bazzill
Papers: My Minds Eye
Stamps: Some Odd Girl (Squirellie Heart); Papermania (To Someone Special)
Tools: small circle punch; Uniball Signo pen - black and white; Promarkers - various colours; Making Memories - Edge distresser
Other: Walnut Ink - Sticky Fingers

You can still grab yourself a Mega Muse Kit --- {{ Here }}
Get the Digi Stamps --- {{ Here }}

Happy Birthday to ME and SOG - Challenge #1 Rainbows

I am so excited to see that the Challenge Blog for {{ Some Odd Girl }} has gone live today. Twice a month will you come across some fabulous inspirational challenges, which will of course feature heavily on the wonderful digi-stamps available in store.

Challenge #1 is all about Rainbows - so, go over {{ here }} to check the deeds out and be amazed at what the ODDIE's have created with the brand new images.

I was lucky enough to be able to play along with the girls as a birthday treat and chose the {{ Nana Split }} stamp to create this fun birthday card, which should by now be with my goddaughter in Germany :)

**click on images to enlarge **

Ingredients:

Cardstock: Bazzill; Papermill

Papers: Sassafras Lass

Stickers: Jenni Bowlin

Stamp: Some Odd Girl

Tools: Promarkers; Martha Stewart Border Punch

I hope you come on over and play along {{ here }}

Scrapmuse - March DT reveal

In case you did not find the time to hop over to the ScrapMuse {{ Gallery }} to check out all the wonderful creations by the DT, here is the skinny on the projects I created with the {{ March Mega Muse }}

** click on any of the images to see them enlarged **

If you still want to grab yourself a Kit - head over {{ here }}.

Some Odd Girl - New Releases

At the moment I am TOTALLY obsessed with the digi-stamps from {{ Some Odd Girl }} and somehow I think that this is rather funny...because about a year ago you would have seen me sneer at cutesy images. 

But right now - I am totally converted and pretty much create a card every other day...it is so much fun!

There is a new challenge on this week at {{ I love Promarkers }} which includes the use of a (fab) sketch and to create your own background without using ANY backing papers. I created my background by running a sheet of white cardstock through my Cuttlebug and spritzing it with some Cosmic Shimmer. 

The Robot is one of the new releases available from {{ Some Odd Girl }} and I am so in love with him :). The new releases will be available from 23 March !!!

** click on images to enlarge **

Ingredients:

Cardstock: Papermill; Frances Meyer

Stickers: Making Memories; Jenni Bowlin

Stamp: Some Odd Girl

Tools: Quickutz Embossing Folder; Circle Punch; Promarkers; Pens

Scrapmuse - March DT

I had so much fun working with the {{ Mega Muse }} Kit for March 2010 - and I am nowhere near done yet either...I know I keep saying it over and over, but it is true -> these Kits are so JAM-packed with stash, that you can easily create 4 layouts, 2 cards and still have enough product left over to do the same again. I am SO not kidding you.

When I first had the papers in my hands (we are talking mainly My Minds Eye here, ya know) I shrieked (honestly I totally DID) with delight, because I fell in love with the funky brolly papers straight away. 

For those of you who don't speak British-English -> brolly = umbrella 

*giggles*

You now what really bugs me? When peeps post sneaks of their projects and tell you to go some place else to view the thing in full...guess what? It bugs me so much that I am doing the same to you now  

*nernernernerner*

Here is what I have created so far from the Kit, in a nutshell:

** click on any of the images to enlarge **

But, if you want to see it in full right now - have a looksey {{ here }}. The ScrapMuse gallery is hummin' with screen-lickin' projects.

And then there is the BIG blog-challenge-kick-off over at {{ Some Odd Girl }} on 25 March 2010. You just HAVE to be there and check out the 36 (yes, I DID say thirty-six!!!!) brand new releases. If you love Sassafras Lass and Bam Pop (remember them?), then you will ADORE Kristy's digi stamps - I certainly cannot get enough of them. And as a further mean tease, have another sneak on me....can you guess what this image may be? Post your guess below no later than 24 March 2010 and if you get it right - you will win a little crafty sumthin'

And before I go - do you love handcrafted goodies? Are you located in the UK? Then check out this {{ Swap }} the uber talented {{ Claire }} has started. We need a few more takers to get an even number - it will be super fun, so come and join us!

Upsy Daisy Designs - DT March Pt II

This month the DT was challenged to use any of the three new lines and create a project which in turn showcases a flower created from scratch.

Now THAT I can do - me loveeeeeee creating embellishments from patterned papers. So I took these papers from the {{ Vogue }} line. 

** click on any of the images to enlarge **

 

Can you guess which parts of the papers I used to create the flower?? No?

Well, have a look-see below

Ingredients:

Cardstock: Frances Meyer

Papers: Upsy Daisy Designs – Catwalk, Fashionista, Runway, Strike A Pose (all Vogue line) 

Rub Ons: Upsy Daisy Designs 

Punches: Fiskars – Apron Lace Woodware –Medium circle 

Ink/Paint: Tattered Angels - Glimmer Mist Olive Vine Stampin’ Up – Ruby Red 

Other: Fabric brad – Upsy Daisy Designs; Embroidery Floss; pearls – unknown White Pen – Uniball Signo

But that is not all...oh no - gathering all the scraps I found on my table, after I finished my assignments, I came up with this layout

 

Ingredients:

Cardstock: Bazzill

Papers: #BLO012. Freshly Picked, #BLO014. Precious, #BLO015. Spring Breeze, #BLO016. Spring is in the Air, #SYLA013 Everglades, #UDD0040 Right On Track

Rub Ons: #UDD124. Classy Brown Alpha (8x8)
Brads:  #BRD312. See You Later Alligator

Stamps: myStampBOX - Snapshot,  Border Lines

Other: Alpha beads; Cosmic Shimmer

Some Odd Girl meets 2S4Y #47 (Laura)

I was so excited to have found some time early this week to play along to the latest sketch over at {{ 2 Sketches 4 You }}. And a welcome addition was that I could play again with one of my brand new digi stamps from {{ Some Odd Girl }} and practice on my Promarker colouring technique. 

Laura's sketch - as usual - is a joy to work with. I love the simplicity which allows for so much room of your own interpretation. So, here is what I came up with - as it is still pretty cold here in the UK I still cannot get the winter images away from my desk :)

**click on image to enlarge**

Ingredients:

Cardstock: Papermill; Bazzill

Papers: Upsy Daisy Designs - #VO014. Fashionista, Strip off from See You Later Alligator line, #MT2-014. Nolan

Stamp:  Some Odd Girl - Snow Kitty

Tools: Border Punch - Martha Stewart; Promarkers - various colours; Cosmic Shimmer - silver; Pens - Uniball signo in black and white

By the way - March 23, 2010 will see some FAN-TA-BU-LOUS new spring releases at Some Odd Girl and on March 25, 2010 (which is my birthday...in case you wanted to send me presents...*wink*) {{ Kristy }} and her fabulous {{ Design Team }} will showcase some of the new releases on their brand new challenge blog. Make sure you bookmark the date for the occasion as you will be able to win some goodies from the store

myStampBOX - DT March, Pt III

Finally, I got my hands on the latest {{ my StampBOX }} releases...sheesh, for some reason the postal services decided it would be OK to let me wait six weeks for a shipment, which generally only took 4 working days before...

Ya, you can imagine just how relaxed and patient I had been about the delay

But what can I say - the wait was certainly worth it, because the stamps I got are to die for!

Look what I revved up quickly for this month, with the following sets:

{{ Itty Bittys }}

{{ Border Lines }}

Ch-ch-ch-challenges

I can't believe that it has been such a long time since I played along to some of the wicked weekly challenges, that are posted online on a regular basis.

Yeah, of course I don't fail to join the {{ Gutter Girlz }} on the 15th of each month but I used to be a regular participator on {{ Cuttlebug Challenges }}, {{ Caardvarks }} and {{ 2 Sketches 4 You }}. What the heck has happened??

Guess life got in the way and with my day to day job becoming more demanding, the little spare time left was just spent with my other half rather than crafting (ya, silly - I know...*giggles*). But hopefully this will all change now while I have adjusted to my new free-time-schedule.

So, this week I dug out some more of my digi stamps from {{ Some Odd Girl }} and  created a card to enter into the recent {{ 2S4Y }} challenge.

** click on any image to view it larger **

Ingredients:

Cardstock: Bazzill; Stampin' Up; Papermill; Frances Meyer

Papers: American Crafts; Teresa Collins

Stamps: Some Odd Girl - Hippity Bunny; EK Success Rolling Alpha Stamp

Other: Pearls - Papercellar; Embroidery Floss; Ink; Glitter Glue

Tools: Border Punch - Woodware

 
But I didn't stop there - oh no. By sheer accident I came across the wonderful {{ I Love Promarkers }} challenge blog and decided that I really need to get more practice with the Promarkers I own.

First off I downloaded the {{ March Freebie }} from {{ Some Odd Girl }} - his name is Spike and I love him dearly. He looks so sheepish, I just figured him at having done something wrong...so, this card pretty much says it all:

Ingredients:
Cardstock: Bazzill; Frances Meyer
Papers: Collage Press
Stamps: Some Odd Girl - Spike; my StampBOX - Summer Alpha
Promarkers: Lilac, Amethyst, Ivory, Dusky Pink, Warm Grey 2, Cool Grey 5


I think I am getting the hang of these markers now, and when creating this card I learned to NOT use heavily textured cardstock, as it really buggers up the even colouring of larger areas...

myStampBOX - DT March, Pt II

Today is my day over at the {{ my StampBOX blog }} to show you a dun step-by-step project, which ends up looking like this

Ingredients: 

Cardstock: Stampin' Up; Bazzill

Stamps: my StampBOX

Ink: Stampin' Up

Tools: Punches - Stampin' Up circle,  Fiskars "Apron Lace" border; Embossing folder - Cuttlebug "Swiss Dots"; Making Memories tracing wheel; Promarkers

Other: Pearls - Papercellar

So, if you want the skinny on the "how to" click on the above link to the blog.

myStampBOX - DT March, Pt I and DT Call

Today marks the first of my last uploads for {{myStampBOX}} as my DT term ends on 31 March 2010. It has been an amazing six months and I enjoyed to work with these wonderful stamps and the fantastic team.

Unfortunately my last shipment from mSB with the new releases only made it across the pond a few days ago, so I have to show you some more projects with some older stamps. BUT just because I have used those stamps a myriad of times before does not mean they have lost their appeal to me - far from it. We all have some stamps we keep using over and over again, right?

My most used set definitely has to be {{Just Add Notes}} - not one weekend goes by when I don't use it.

So, I created another page for my {{Rock Album}}, the first set of Bon Jovi tickets, the next lot is already waiting on my craft table to be added :)

** click on image to enlarge **

Ingredients:

Cardstock: Bazzill

Papers: October Afternoon; Collage Press; Upsy Daisy Designs #UDD0163. Belle / Beau

Stamps: my StampBOX

Other: Cosmic Shimmer; adhesive pearls; journaling pen

Another set I dearly love is the {{Happy Birthday - Small Box}}. You will never run out of uses for a sentiment stamp set. 

There is always one birthday or the other around the corner and I happened to need one card for a co-worker. She LOVES everything queenish/princessy so the card in the shape of a crown was the only option :). The "Happy Birthday" sentiment was just stamped around the edges to give some depth and turned into a lovely border.

And - you guessed it, of course - I teamed the stamping with a helping of Cosmic Shimmer

** click on image to enlarge ** 

Ingredients:

Cardstock: Frances Meyer; Papermill; Stampin' Up

Stamps: my StampBOX

Tools: Woodware - Diamond Border Punch; Cricut - Celebrations cartridge; Cuttlebug - Swiss Dots embossing folder

Other: Ranger - liquid pearls; Cosmic Shimmer; Ribbon; Papercellar - Pearls; Button

Now, if you have enjoyed the projects I have shown you over the last six months created with the my StampBOX stamps and you think you would like a play yourself - NOW is your chance as mSB are having a Design Team Call. You can read all about it {{ here }}

ScrapMuse - March Mega Muse now available

I cannot wait to get stuck in with this wonderful Kit. Jam-packed with CHA releases from My Minds Eye and Scribble Scrabble...everyone who knows me, can visualise me drooling at the thought of MME lushness...

In all honesty, I do expect this Kit to sell out fast, just look at the ingredients list:

Scribble Scrabble - Nanas Trunk - No. 351
Scribble Scrabble - Nanas Trunk - No. 352
Scribble Scrabble - Nanas Trunk - No. 353
Scribble Scrabble - Nanas Trunk - No. 354
Scribble Scrabble - Nanas Trunk - No. 355
Scribble Scrabble - Nanas Trunk - No. 356
MME- Jack and Jill - Favor ite Thing Colorful Umbrella
MME - Jack and Jill - Favorite Thing Bright Argyle
MME - Jack and Jill - Sweet Thing Yummy Stripe
MME - Jack and Jill - Life is Good Serene Spots
MME - Jack and Jill - Cute Beautiful Blooms
MME - Life Stories - Frequency Grid
MME - Jack and Jill - Cute Title*
MME - Jack and Jill - Cute Alphabet
MME - Jack and Jill - How Sweet it is Journaling Card
MME - Life Stories - Accessory Sheet #1
Endofthedaycrafting(Etsy) - Baker's Twine Blue (2 feet)*
Endofthedaycrafting(Etsy) - Baker's Twine Red (2 feet)*
Basic Grey - Nook and Pantry - Buttons (assorted)
Prima Marking - Daisy Dreams - Lagoon (1/2 package)*
May Arts - Velvet Cordoroy - Aqua (1 yard)
October Afternoon - Mini Market Alphabet Stickers - Very Merry Teal and Black*
ScrapMuse - Kraft Tags (4)*
JujaCrafts(Etsy) - Organza Flowers (2)
Candy Bar

So, if that sounds like your cup of tea >> RUN to the {{ store }}. Remember last time when I urged you to get the {{ Space Cowboy Kit }}?? Yep, that one sold out quickly too - if you are still kicking yourself because you did not get the SC Kit in time, make sure it doesn't happen this month.

Stay tuned for some layout and card inspo to follow soon.