Quick post from me tonight, I've been such a bad blogger but time has got away with me again!

This fortnight's AYLI challenge theme is to showcase a project using your favourite style and why

My style has definitely changed over the years, I think CAS is harder than it looks but I love making clean'ish' modern cards and I always use dies

I used Lee Holland's adorable fox image for my card and some Tattered Lace frames...

This is quite a large card and is a bit different for me so I'd love your thoughts

I'll be back later in the week as I'd like to share some pictures from my photography day out with Lou

Santa... or no Santa?

Hello everyone...

I've been out and about again visiting friends, this time a trip to Spalding to see lovely Lou and Fleur

Lou and I spent a day in the woods with our cameras, the weather was perfect and we managed to see some deer (quite a few in fact) which was amazing

If you haven't seen Lou's fantastic pictures then do have a look on her Facebook page. I was really into photography about 15 years ago but it was side lined when I started papercrafting seriously. I have a very expensive camera that I have no idea how to use - it only comes out to take pictures of cards and Manny!

The latest challenge at AYLI is to share a project either using Santa or not, and don't forget to say why. I love penguins, snowmen and cute winter animals so rarely use Santa on my cards...

These are some of the new snowmen from LOTV. I actually did this when my printer was playing up and would only print green. The others went in the bin but I coloured this and I think it turned out ok. The lights are done with Nuvo drops and I used Frantage for the snow

*

This is another new cutie from the latest LOTV release called Starry Penguin...

The image is coloured, cut out and stuck onto the background. I made a distress ink night sky then die cut the tiny stars and layered it onto yellow card so it shows through

You can get all the LOTV digi images from their Etsy shop and the AYLI challenge finishes tomorrow -  the prize this time is a Guest DT spot for October so worth a go if you'd love to join us!

*

Hope you like them, thanks as always for stopping by and enjoy your week

New LOTV and favourite text style...

Hello everyone, thanks for stopping by

I've had a busy couple of weeks...

I went to visit my lovely friends Mary and Andrea in Newcastle for some crafty time and a catch up, always great to see them

Then I'd just got back and Jess asked me if I wanted to go up to Carlisle and Hamilton with her to take some horses to the races. It was a quick turnaround but a benefit of being retired that I can go without notice, so I was going back up the A1 before I knew it! What a lovely run though when you turn off the A1 at Scotch Corner going to Carlisle, I haven't been on that road since I was a kid and we used to go camping in Scotland

I haven't had  much chance to play with the LOTV Christmas images because my printer died. I got a new one but only just managed to find the time to set it up and install it so got a quick card made with the new Gnome Simply Prints and Hand Drawn Sentiments...

I'm hoping to find time in the next couple of days to make some cards with these and also the new ones which will be out next week, I'm a bit behind!

That's it from me,  thanks again so much for taking the time to pop by...

 and enjoy the rest of your week

Pink and Green...

Good afternoon crafty friends, I'm late with my post for the AYLI challenge as I've been away but there's still time to enter and it's a lovely theme

Our sponsor is Lili of the Valley and we want you to showcase a project using either pink & green or blue & orange - don't forget to say which is your favourite and why to be in with a chance of winning

It was an easy choice for me, pink and green has always been one of my favourite colour combinations, I think they go so well together

This cute image is a Simply Print from Lili of the Valley (Dressed Up) and the papers are NitWit collections (Butterfly Dreams)

The sentiment is from the Lili of the Valley Everyday Greetings set

Hope you like it, I'll be back in a couple of days to tell you about my weekend

Favourite flower...

Hello everyone, what are you up to this weekend? It's absolutely pouring down here so a crafty day for me

I'm doing a small craft fair next weekend and having a bit of a panic because I've not made much! The advice from crafty friends was keep it simple, I was spending far too long on them, so I've made a pile using old LOTV art pads and some simply prints

These 2 fitted in nicely with the current AYLI challenge which is your favourite flower (and why!)

Daisies are so pretty, I love the way they open their little faces up to the sun and we used to have a lot of fun with them when I was a child making daisy chains and playing he loves me...he loves me not (although I wouldn't pull the petals out now like we did back then!)

These cards are very simple, the LOTV image is called delightful daisies and I did the sentiments on the computer. The scalloped frame dies are Papertrey Ink and the daisy die is from a Sue Wilson set

Hope you like them, thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to leave me a comment. The AYLI challenge finishes on Wednesday and as always there is a great prize up for grabs and some lovely inspiration from the team

Enjoy your weekend 

Birds or Beasts...

Hello everyone, thanks for stopping by

It's been longer in between posts (again!) than I intended but...   you know, life got in the way and before I knew it another month had whizzed by!

There's still time to enter the current AYLI challenge and the theme is your favourite bird or beast and why

I'm loving these new stamps by Tracy Easson, I did a workshop with her a few weeks back and made (amongst other things) this cute little cushion...

My painting on fabric needs some practise but I really enjoyed trying a new technique

You might have seen Tracy on Hochanda last week, if not do watch on catch up and see the full range. She is an amazing lady and a fantastic artist, check out her super cute mouse images on etsy here

* 

Enjoy the rest of your week whatever you're up to

Mama Makes on Hochanda...

Good evening everyone, it's been another lovely day here and Keith is putting some steaks on the bbq as I write! I love eating outside and we haven't really much so far this year

Just wanted to let you know that Loti is on Hochanda in the morning (8am) with some fab Christmas stamps, papers and other goodies from Mama Makes

You know I love patterned papers and I made a few little projects with them for something different...

The colours are really lovely and most of them could be used all year round

I hope you'll tune in, the new stamps are great too and I'll share my samples with those next week

Have a great weekend!

Summer or Winter?

Good afternoon lovely friends, quick post from me as I've been making the most of the sunshine and sending some time in the garden

The current AYLI challenge is to use Summer or Winter colours and say which is your favourite. I haven't got round to doing any Christmas cards yet so went with Summer, I do love this colour combo and use it a lot...

I seem to have made a lot of LOTV cards lately so I thought I'd use something different. This is from a lovely store on Etsy called StudioDudaArt and her images are a bit quirky, not cute but quite sweet I think

The sentiment is from a Polkadoodles digi kit and the pearl square die is tattered Lace. I'm not really a fan of their dies but they do have some lovely frames

*

Hope you like it!

Thanks so much for stopping by - have a good Tuesday!

Favourite stamp brand

Hello everyone, thanks so much for stopping by even though I'm hanging my head in shame at the way I've neglected your blogs this past month

I haven't put my holiday pics onto my laptop yet, I took so many and the thought of sorting them out keeps putting me off doing it!

*

I just had a lovely weekend away doing a workshop with Tracy Easson. If you haven't heard of her she is the artist behind the Wonky Tonk stamps that Paula at Which Craft! sells.

Tracy has a new range now on her own Etsy store and they are just adorable. I'll take some pics of my makes and post about them shortly

*

This fortnight's challenge at AYLI is to use your favourite stamp brand and why?

I LOVE so many brands and have a huge stamp stash but I didn't have to think about this one really because it has to be Lili of the Valley...

This is one of the Spring images, Happy Birthday bear...  I put him on a tag and printed out a few extra flowers to decorate. Really simple card but I think it's pretty so I hope you like it

The dotty border die is Tonic

Just in case you aren't aware, LOTV have moved to digital products only now and you can get them in their Etsy store. The original website will redirect you there

*

Don't forget to enter the AYLI challenge...  the prize this time is a guest spot on the DT so it would be fab to have one of you join us!

*

Have a lovely week everyone, got my fingers crossed for an improvement in this awful weather!

Still here...

Hello everyone... I can't believe it's been so long since my last post so thank you for still stopping by!

I've been jetting off to Italy (Lake Garda) and had a lovely time, what a beautiful place. I haven't sorted my pictures out yet so I'll share some in my next post

Then when we got back Jess had an operation on her arm. If you've been here a while you may remember that she was kicked by a horse a couple of years ago and broke her elbow. To cut a long story short it was to correct some nerve problems resulting from that injury. Anyway she couldn't drive and was bored, she came to stay for a bit so I was taxi and entertainment! It was lovely to have her home but (and please don't judge me) I was glad to see the back of her!! She's fine and having physio now so hopefully back to work next week

*

The latest AYLI challenge is 'His or Hers' - which is your favourite?

I would usually always say 'Hers' because I love making girlie cards and everything pink and flowery. But I thought I'd have a change and because we are sponsored by Polkadoodles I used the fab Horace and Boo digi kit to make a boys card...

I really enjoy using these kits, I love that you add in all the little extra elements - hope you like it! 

The paw print embossing folder is Marianne

There's still time to enter the challenge and as I said the prize for this one is sponsored by Polkadoodles

I'm entering this into these challenges too; Digi Choosday Blog, Polkadoodles Blog, Gem of a Challenge, We Love 2 Create challenge

*

I'm finally getting back into my routine so I'll be round to catch up on all your blogs this week. Thanks to my lovely new visitors too who came from the AYLI 6th anniversary hop!

Have a great week everyone

AYLI blog hop

ANNIVERSARY BLOG HOP

I've scheduled this post because the latest AYLI challenge marks our
6 year anniversary 
and to celebrate we've decided to have a blog hop where one lucky 'hopper' will win an extra surprise

In addition to playing along this week we would like you to pop and visit all our Design Team, leave a little comment on their blogs and then leave a comment back on the AYLI blog

We also have our usual challenge sponsor and this week the prize is an A5 stamp set from

Lili of the Valley

This fortnight's challenge theme is to showcase a project using your Favourite Non-card project.

You MUST explain WHY it is your favourite.

There are some amazing creations made by our Design Team so do be sure to visit every blog

I decided to share some tags I made at the AALL & Create workshop I did last month

I love the AALL & Create stamp range, they are a bit different and can be used in so many ways - I'm enjoying doing some journaling and mixed media for a change

Don't forget to visit each of our teamies 
to qualify for the separate blog hop prize

you are here (me!)

Annette

Brenda

Elaine

Jayne

Larissa

Lynne

Sarah

Squirrel

Enjoy the hop...  and good luck!!

LOTV new launch...

Good morning crafty friends, I should be packing as I'm going on my jollies today but couldn't resist popping on and sharing these adorable new images from Lili of the Valley

If you like the pre-coloured ones the Simply Prints will be available shortly but the rubber and digi stamps will be launched on May 15th

 

This is 'Little Friends - Garland' and I used a doohickey border die

...and this cutie is 'Little Friends - Mouse with Daisy'

The speech bubble die is MFT, scalloped rectangle is Tonic

*

Aren't they sweet!

There will be sneaky peeks all week from the DT so by the time they are available you will have tonnes of inspiration for using them

I've scheduled a post for tomorrow as we're holding an AYLI blog hop so please do stop by for that (if it works that is, I've never scheduled before!)

See you after my holidays everyone, enjoy your week

Good morning everyone, it's May, how this that possible? Every year seems to fly by quicker than the last

It's a quick post because I have a busy day, we're going to watch the Tour de Yorkshire this afternoon and then out for a curry with the family for my sister in law's birthday tonight

*

Just need to mention, I was setting up another email address for a craft fair I'm doing in the Summer and didn't notice until I'd left a lot of blog comments that I was still logged into that one! I usually try to sign off as Anne but I was showing as unknown -  just so you know, it was little old me!!

*

Loti is back on Hochanda tomorrow with some textured circle stamps designed by Natalie Bowers. These are a bit different for me and I really wanted to try some journal pages and backgrounds with them. I haven't had the time yet so I stuck to what I know and made some cards for now...

There are 4 different sets and some fab washi tape so don't miss the shows at 8 and 12 tomorrow morning. You can get the stamps on Hochanda or from the Mama Makes website
here

Have a great weekend all