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!

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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

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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

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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!

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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!!

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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

Flowers or ribbon...

Good morning crafty friends, hope you enjoyed the gorgeous Easter weekend. It was so nice to get out in the garden again and feel some sun on my face, hopefully it's a sign of things to come

We went to visit Jess and her boyfriend on Sunday and had a lovely afternoon. They've got nicely settled into their house and she actually cooked... badly, but she tried! She used to pay Joe to make her toast for lunch when they were at home, I have tried over the years but she has no interest in cooking and doesn't take after her Mum in that department lol 

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Time for a new challenge at AYLI and it's ribbons or flowers. A tricky choice as most of us use both! I don't use ribbon as much as I used to so I've chosen flowers as I put them on most of my cards. I love the mulberry flowers but recently am preferring to use die cuts, I have a lot of dies

I used one of the latest LOTV spring cuties and enjoyed colouring it...

Here's what I used;

LOTV Spring Pup 

LOTV sentiment

Darice clouds embossing folder

DooHickey flowers

Gummiapan circles

Hope you like it, there's some stunning inspiration from the team for this challenge. You can enter and find all the details here

Have a lovely day all, thanks so much for stopping by

Favourite animal...

Good evening crafty friends, I'm sneaking in a quick post before the Easter holidays are upon us otherwise I'll forget and it will be another week! 

Thank you so much for your comments on my last post, I'm very grateful that you are still stopping by when it's been weeks since I caught up with your blogs, I promise to be round shortly to see what you've all been making

I've been watching Game of Thrones again from the beginning, I was so excited for the new season which started this week. None of my friends or family watch it but I think it's got to be one of the best things that has ever been on tv, for me anyway

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The latest challenge at AYLI is your favourite animal and why, I love all animals and I think dogs would probably have to be number 1 but closely followed by cute woodland furries. I used this sweet image from Lili of the Valley called Party Parade which has 3 of them...

This one was made for the recent Spring swap which we held on the we love Lili of the Valley facebook group. Another adorable image from the Spring release...

 The dies are Doohickey (scalloped frame) Waffle Flower (loopy frame) and Memory Box (clouds). The sentiments are LOTV and images coloured with Copics.

You can enter and find all all the details for the challenge on the AYLI page here

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Thanks so much for taking the time to  pop by and have a wonderful Easter weekend everyone