Miaow ...

Can I just say that I am totally in love with this little cat from the Family Ties kit by Nitwit Collection. Totally in love!

And whilst I am declaring my love for the cat I think I should confess my love for the little doggie too :lol:

As you know I have loved Mary Fran's work for many years, you can see all the cards I have made with her designs here and I am delighted to say that we're working together again :)
Anyway, that's my love share on this damp and foggy Thursday morning

Another Challenge ...

Over at Daring Cardmakers, this weeks challenge is called 'Have A Heart'. I have used Nitwit Collections Family Ties kit again to make this new home card. I just love the text on the image which reads 'loving hearts make a house a home'.

(Family ties digital kit plus the add on, Nestabilities dies, Papertrey ribbon)

Check It Out ...

I love being on holiday from work. I get to play with paper all night without constantly thinking that I should be in bed ready to get up early :)

Today I have a card that I am entering in the Papertake Weekly challenge called 'Check It Out' which is to include gingham or checks. I have used the newest kit from Mary Fran at Nitwit Collections called Family Ties. I love this little pussy cat so much, she is gorgeous!

(Family Ties digital kit, Nestabilities dies, MFT sentiment stamp, East of India ribbon, Coredinations cardstock)

A Little Bit Lovey-Dovey and catching up ...

Well I have no one to send it to unless I mail it to myself but I made a valentines card with some pretty paper that I got from Sweet Shoppe Designs. The papers are so lovely and versatile too, I have used the same set of papers to make a recipe book that is almost finished but I've run out of ink for my printer so hopefully I'll get it finished this weekend

This card was made using some leftover papers and another of the Heather Ellis digital images, she's a cutie

This card was made for one of the CPS sketches but I ran out of time to upload it. The little dragon is a stamp from Bella Stamps and this is an older paper set from Sweet Shoppe Designs but I think the patterns really go with the spots on the dragon costume

Finally is this card that I made for a friend of mine to give to her niece. I love the papers, the patterns, the colours and my edging from a martha stewart punch - basically everything! and I'll be doing some more of these

Happy Birthday Sweet Shoppe Designs ...

It is our 4th Birthday celebration month over at Sweet Shoppe Designs and I have been playing with some of the latest kits to hit the shelves.

First up is the card I made to kick of the birthday card competition in the Sweet Shoppe forum

I used the gorgeous lollipop kit by Melissa Bennett for this card and of course I had to add some Raspberry Fizz ribbon from Papertrey Ink - my favourite ribbon ever!

Then, because I was in a birthday mood I decided you couldn't have a birthday celebration without a birthday cake so I made one. Totally fat free and zero calories too :)

For this I used Manda Bean's Cupid's Confectionary. The papers in this kit are gorgeous, just the perfect ingredient for a pretty cake really!

Oh Goodness ...

Oh Goodness! Lori Boyd, the exceptionally talented designer who draws those cute Lollipop people stamps left me a comment on my blog post from a couple of days ago :) She said she loved my card :)

I have been playing with my other stamps that I got and I am going to have to buy some more as they are just too cute!

For this card I used papers from a kit I bought from Meg Mullens at Scrap Orchard, lovely bright colours and my favourite red with white polka dots and my favourite font at the moment, Gimme Space from Sweet Shoppe.

Speaking of Sweet Shoppe Designs, we're currently celebrating our 4th Birthday with lots of exciting events taking part including a birthday card making contest hosted by *me*. There is a prize of a $40 gift card to the store as well as a goody bag from me with some of my favourite embellishments. Go and have a peep :)

And ... if you are in need of any retail therapy this weekend I will point you in the direction of this gorgeous, make your heart stop a beat kit :)

I'm off into town now for a spot of real life retail therapy, I'm buying a new daylight lamp for my desk. I'd rather be spending the money on pretty ribbons and patterned paper but if I can't actually see what I am doing whilst I'm sitting at my desk then there is not much point in having the pretty stuff :lol: And I'm hoping that it might help me to take photographs of my cards when the weather isn't so good, like this week when it's been damp and foggy all week and the colours aren't as bright as they should be

Brrrrrrrr...

Today I want to share a shaped mini book that I made for a friend. The base is a Maya Road chipboard shaped album and because the book contains photographs of her boys playing in the snow I thought it would be cute to use the mitten shaped book and all the tags and the front cover are completely covered in ultra fine glitter

(Supplies: Sleepy Sheepy by Cristy Lyle, Frolic Words by Shawna Clingerman, Word Jumbles Winter by Penny Springmann, Chipboard book - Maya Road, Glitter - Glamour Dust, Crystal swirls - Zva Creative)

News From The Sweet Shoppe ...

Today sees the launch of the February Challenge Portfolio at Sweet Shoppe Designs and I have been responsible for the big hybrid challenge. The challenge system works like this: at the start of each month the challenge portfolio is rolled out, it's a variety of inspiring challenges each worth 1, 2 or 5 points and these build up to a gift card for up to 40% (for 30 points) to spend in the store. The big hybrid challenge is worth 10 points so it's big business.

The February hybrid challenge is to create a '10 Things ...' mini album. I chose to do 'Our Summer In 10' and it's a record of what we saw, places we went and what we did during the summer. But it's open to interpretation and anything you'd like to record in 1 - 10 format would work for the points.