Celebrate World Card Making Day ...

I am lucky to have been invited to join in with the World Card Making Day PaperCrafts Magazine blog hop this year. World Card Making Day is celebrated on October 3rd and to kickstart the celebration Papercrafts Magazine has organised a world wide blog hop bringing cardmakers from all over the globe together to celebrate the giving and receiving of handmade cards. During the celebration all cardmakers can upload their creations to the World Card Making Day gallery where they will be eligible to win prizes from both the Papercrafts Connection Blog and the Moxie Fab World blog. There is even a competition where you can have your cards published in Papercrafts Magazine and a blog tour where you can catch up with some talented cardmakers - check out their blogs for a coupon for 25% off PaperCrafts online store.

Leave a comment on this blog post before midnight on October 4th to be in with a chance to win a fab prize worth $200 including Kaiser, WaltzingMouse and ElzyBells stamps.

And visit the Moxie Fab World blog each day during this week to enter even more competitions each day.

Phew! after all that here is my card which I made this week using the gorgeous new Making Memories Christmas papers - just how gorgeous is that glittery paper?

I think it is safe to say that Operation Christmas Card 2009 has begun!!

Quick Post

I've been in York for a girly weekend with the girls I work with but I have a little card to share. Another Hanglar StAnglar stamp and my favourite (at the moment!!) cloud paper from Sweet Shoppe Designs.

Colouring In...

When I was a little girl I used to love spending hours and hours colouring in and now I am a grown up not a lot has changed :) I really want to thank my friend Catrine for being an absolute superstar and helping me to start a new collection of stamps that will make those hours I spend colouring in so much more enjoyable :) I finally have in my hot little paw some Hanglar StAngler stamps all the way from Sweden and I am very happy.

I was so excited when my parcel arrived last week and I couldn't wait to open it up and have a play but I had to wait until the weekend when I had done all my work from my day job! Anyway, I chose this little girl stamp (I love her spotty trousers!), coloured her with my ProMarkers and used some new papers from Sweet Shoppe Designs.

Conquering Dry Skin ...

So, not exactly craft related but I wanted to share my discovery for the horrible sore and itchy elbows I get from spending too long with my elbows on my desk making cards. My elbows are fine in the summer when I am wearing short sleeves but as soon as it starts getting chilly in the evenings and I start to wear long sleeved tops - and I make all my cards during the evenings or late at night - they get really dry, itchy and sore. But I have been using a fantastic product and it is working for me so I thought I would share. This is what I've been using Evolve Plus, it's made from ultra pure lanolin and vitamin E and it has completely taken away the dry skin on my elbows (and also the eczema on my feet, but who wants to talk about feet huh?)

Anyway, I thought I would share my find with other crafty people who a) might visit my blog and b) might suffer from itchy skin conditions like eczema - and the postage is free in the UK too so that is another bonus :)

Spookyness ...

I don't do a lot for Halloween usually, although at school some teachers do go to town with their classes. Because I have always taught little children I started a tradition a few years ago that we would have a 'spider' day when other classes were doing all the 'scary' stuff as Incy Wincy Spider is a lot cuter than skeletons and ghosts. However, I think that this year I may have to make an exception to my tradition because I spotted a lovely Halloween themed kit in the Sweet Shoppe through the week. I took some of the elements and papers and created this cute little 'back pack' with cardstock and ribbon. I have seen these back packs on a few blogs including Becky Robert's and SCS and thought I would have a go - it would have been easier to use the tutorials I have since found but hey ho! there is always something to learn to make life easier :)

Uses Jeepers Creepers by Libby Weifenbach at Sweet Shoppe Designs

A Shaped Card ...

I love to make shaped cards and if they are cute I love them even more. I made this little tortoise with my cricut and added a little tag with a stamped sentiment. I never realised how often I would use that tag punch when I bought it but it is perfect for just about everything :) Some Sweet Shoppe paper, Papertrey ribbon and a Doodlebug dragonfly brad finish it off nicely. Oh, and I gave him a goggle eye too so he could see where he was travelling to.

Exciting News ...

I'm not sure how I have managed to keep this a secret for so long but today I can spill the beans :)

See this - Scrapbook Inspirations magazine has a new Design Team

See that girl - it's me!

Even though it's been a few months since I was invited to join the team I am still excited :)

I Won A Prize ...

I won the summer card challenge over at the Pink Petticoat blog with my apple tree card which has made me very happy and the prize is some lovely ribbons. I love this card so I thought I would show it again :)

Now I am on the look out for more corrugated kraft card :)

Thinking Of You ...

There are several lovely people who we are thinking of at the moment, so I made a 'thinking of you' kind of card

Sweet Shoppe papers and image, Papertrey ribbon and lovely Prima jewels swirly thing

A Little Bit Spotty ...

I do love polka dots, I think they may be my favourite type of 'pattern' and I just fell in love with these cute polka dot letters that I found in the Sweet Shoppe a few weeks ago. Even better news is that they come in several happy colours :)

Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat, Where Have You Been?

... I've been down to London to visit the Queen.

I used to love this nursery rhyme when I was little and London was where I was last weekend. My Mam and I had tickets to tour the state appartments at Buckingham Palace so we were up *very* early to get a train down to London and spent a lovely day first shopping (buying up a huge supply of my favourite acrylic jewels at Paperchase) then touring the Palace (we had tea and cakes on the terrace after we'd finished which was very nice) and then visiting Harrods for more afternoon tea - scones this time. We had dinner in Leicester Square and then had to cross back over London to get the train back up to Newcastle. Such a lovely day and we both decided we would do this more often.

Make A Wish ...

I always seem to need a lot of birthday cards so I was really pleased when Kay said she had a new birthday kit in the store. The colours and patterns seem really versatile so suitable for boys and girls and there are some lovely elements that can be used for shaped cards which always makes me happy. I love making shaped cards, I think they are the type of cards that stand out from the crowd.

Kay's new kit can be found here

New Papertrey Stamps ...

I had a lovely delivery from Papertrey last week via my friend Debbie. Replacement Raspberry Fizz ribbons - I can breath easy again as I've had none for the last 2 weeks. As well as some gorgeous ink pads and new stamps. I finally found some time to ink up my stamps and make a card with them - and the Raspberry Fizz ribbon of course :)

I added a few Kaisercraft jewels to the flowers - the same as the Papertrey ones but I bought them from my friend Jean when I saw her at last weeks crop - I shall be requiring lots more I think Jean ;)