One card and a cake today. The mother's day card has been made with papermania's Rasberry and Champayne creative tones paper, computer generated sentiment, ivory ribbon, pink cardstock which I scalloped with Keepsakes romance board, and fabric flowers and brads. These fabric flowers, I bought last summer in a sale - a great big bag of them but put them in my pile of things to use and never really got around to using them - have found a new use for them now though - Mother's Day cards!

One cake for today....dark chocolate with a chocolate wrap, chopped Lily O'Briens truffles, white chocolate buttons, milky way stars and a length of navy ribbon.

Before checking the new challenge over on The Sugar Bowl this morning, I had envisaged the new challenge to be Spring/Easter orientated - but I had to laugh when I saw the title for this weeks challenge - CHRISTMAS! Well my christmas papers hadn't quite made it to the bottom of my piles of papers - actually I was looking through them a few days ago, seeing if there was any pieces which I could use for other occasions.

The papers I have used are from Diecuts with a View, the ribbon I had free with an order from Angel Crafts, the red cardstock from my stash, Sugar Nellie stamp, red watercolour pencil and some glamour dust (which has picked up well in the light).

This weeks challenge from A Spoon Full of Sugar is Shape Shifters (Shaped cards). Its a great challenge as I usually don't venture much beyond the square or rectangle cards. After drawing out a template, and resizing and resizing - card that wont fold to make a big enough card, or too big a card and not a big enough envelope for a lucky recepient (at some point), .... I finally got the template right and made a card. Sorry pictures are so bad, but roll round summer for some better light.

For the Pink one I have used Pink cardstock, patterned paper from Papermania Raspberry and Champayne, Ribbon from stash, cream cardstock, fiskars scalloped edge scissors, peel off dots, woodware circle punch and Made with Love stamp from the Sugar Nellie Sweet Art Ebony range.

After making the pink one, I thought I would have a go at a boyish one - well my Uncle and his partner have a baby boy, born a few weeks back, so thought I would make them one. Couldnt fit in any pretty papers, but thought the simple but effective look would be just great for a little boy.

Housework on hold - cards to make, stamps to play with. These gorgeous girls or rather Miss Anya's from The Greeting Farm are so lovely. I couldnt decide which to do first so decided to do all three - this card is going to an 11 year old so I thought it would reflect the many changes our tweens and teens go through these days. I have coloured them with watercolour pencils ....will be able to have those pro markers one day. The bags have been paper pieced used various scraps I had lying around, the sentiment has been computer generated, the background paper came free with Papercraft Essentials Magazine, the ribbon and the brown cardstock are both from my stash.

Now I'm of to chase the housework, do some shopping (for food), have to be at my little one's school for the family learning program jsut after lunch, (it is fantastic by the way) which finishes at the same time as the little one does. Race home to feed him, by which time the oldest one will be through the door, to eat, then it's piano lessons, for the oldest, football straight after for the youngest, and then a meeting at the oldest one's school - phew its all happening and you know what - it means no more time to craft for today! I have one more post to do later - I made the card last night, and twigged it this morning.....so I will be back x

I have just seen the most Awesome blog candy from Bev. The luck winner of this is going to be in for a real treat - Martha Stewart punch, stamps, gorgeous crochet flowers - wow. I have signed up and have all my fingers and toes crossed, but how many of you are out there, like me - always buying raffle tickets, always entering but never get lucky?? I am hoping this will all change - really soon!

I have done a few things over the past week...not much crafting but the kids have had half term holidays and the weather has been so much better. We did a bit of walking this week too and managed to get some great pictures of the boys. We also went to the cinema to see the pink panther 2 which the boys loved.
The pictures below are off the wedding favours I am making for Nichola and Andrew's wedding. This is the sample -three heart shaped welsh cakes (which I made too), in a bag tied with ribbon and a tag which will be used as a place setting and a favour at the same time. Also made the table name cards too.
The cake below is a dark fruit cake, which I made a month ago (will post the recipe later) and then covered with marzipan and royal icing last weekend. I was please with my basket weave icing and my marzipan roses - still cant believe I actually made them!

It has been a long two weeks (well nearly) since I last posted. Our computer has been working at snail pace and it seemed at times it was almost groaning when you started to use it.....it was almost a cant you get the message I have done my time. Anyway we decided it had more than done its duty to us and we should therefore replace it. Well the thing about a new computer is that everyone has to get on it and see what it can do. Half Term and a hubby at home as well means more time with them but less blogging and crafting time too. Also it means the chore of transfering the files and pictures...but we will get there! Loved the look of Sugar Nellies Gorguss girls - had images in my head of cards I would make with them....but couldnt afford them in the pre-orders so will wait until later. They have so many nice stamps out at the moment it is torture just going over there and having a look. Still I am exercising a tight rein and will hopefully in the not too distant future start ticking off a few things in my wish list....which is growing and growing.

I made two cakes last weekend. They are both made from the chocolate cake recipe which can be found on my blog. The bottom one has a band of chocolate wrapped around it and it has been decorated with maltesers, chocolate buttons and milky way stars. The top one has a rice paper topper on it with Fifi. The cake is covered in ready to roll icing, with the border and squiggles made from Royal Icing.

This weeks challenge over on The Sugar Bowl is Love and Romance and there is a fabulous prize of Leanne Ellis stamps (keeping my fingers and toes crossed for these).

I couldn't decide if I should go with the reds and whites with a hint of black or go for pinks, but these colours I have used are my absolute favourite at the moment - chocolate brown, raspberry and cream. I have coloured the image with watercolour pencils ( I will get those pro markers one day), oh and I added a little sidewalk and grass too. I have layered this onto the raspberry cardstock and edged with scalloped scissors. The heart I have made from silver craft aluminium - I cut out a basic heart shape and using an embossing tool to make the lattice pattern. Paperclip and ribbon from my stash. I am not sure where the sentiment comes from, but found this at the bottom of piles of other bits and pieces in my stash. The stitching was done on a little sewing machine I found at a sale a real bargin - £3!!

The Sugar Bowl Project of the month for February - Tag Card - By Tiets
The instructions:
Step 1 -Cut a piece of cardstock measuring 12cm by 29.5cm
Step 2 - Fold it at the 13cm point.Step 3 - Cut the corners from the back of the card, so it looks like a tag.Step 4 - Cut a semi circle (3.8cm diameter) in the back of the card at 3cm from the top and 4.1cm from both sides.

This is my first ever go at making one of these and I enjoyed doing it but next time I need to fill in the space more creatively! I have used papers from Papermania Creative tones Raspberry, brown cardstock from my stash, raspberry cardstock from DS Crafts, butterfly corner punch, ribbon and gems from my stash. I have coloured in Maggie with watercolour pencils. The stamped birthday background was made using a Debbie Moore stamp.

Another month and once again I am behind with a lot of things. My favourite blogs have been running some fab challenges but I haven't been able to put the time in to participate. I have been baking cakes (oops no pictures again), doing a few cards and the kids have been off school for the past two days because of the snow. Anyhow this is one I did last night for the Cupcake Crafts Challenges.

This weeks challenge 25 from Cupcake Craft Challenges is colour - Pink, Plum, Pale Plum and White. As Iam loving this Pretty Head Lily from the Greeting Farm, I just had to use her again.

Pink cardstock from my stash, plum and pale plum Bazzill Swiss Dots, faux stitching done with a needle for the holes and a white gel pen. I have coloured Pretty Head Lily with watercolour pencils, the sentiment stamp is from Studio G, designer stamps. I made the flower with Woodware Daisy punches, and scraps of Bazzill and white cardstock. Added some white dots with the gel pen.

Once again time has eluded me. I haven't been lazy as such....I have been busy. In the past week I have made sixty invitations for a 40th birthday party (photos to follow), a Table planner for a wedding (to Match the invitations I did last year), plus other pieces I have been working on which includes the wedding favours for the same wedding, birthday cakes and I have literally just finished baking a Dark Fruit Cake for a 75th Birthday in mid February......letting it mature for a couple of weeks before decorating it. I am also trying to sort out a few other things which I could try now that I am a stay at home mum.....with both kids at school......more to follow.

This weeks challenge from Cupcake Craft Challenges is 3 different card stocks, 2 embellishments and one ribbon.

I been stalking The Greeting Farm recently. I would love to order all the stamps but my purse strings are firming shut at the moment, so I'm going to add them to my wish list (which is getting bigger all the time). Anyway after weeks of looking, and wanting I had to give in, I just couldn't resist this download...she is fabulous....Pretty Head Lily. I have coloured her with water colour pencils and added some white dots to her bow with a white gel pen. I have used ribbon from my stash and brown, cream and pink cardstock, gem stones which I added to her bow and the corner of the pink card, and the brown scalloped circle has been embellished with white peel off stickers. The Teenager description I made on the computer.

Anyone seen the Smirks range of stamps and papers etc yet? I was holding the stamps in my hand yesterday.....they are quirky and fun.....but just didn't do it for me.......I think Sugar Nellie has spoiled me and now these Greeting Farm girls are too coming up smelling of Roses xx

This weeks challenge from the Sugar Bowl is Three - three different patterned papers, three different embellishments and if possiblet three different Sugar Nellie images.

I really enjoyed making this card. The three patterned papers have come from Papermania, Raspberry and Champagne Creative Tones packs, the Sugar Nellie girls I have stamped and watercoloured but added a paper pieced hairband and top to the girl inside. The ribbon, button, self adhesive gems (on the flowers in the corner) and cream cardstock have come from my stash. The scallop edges have been made with a Fiskars scallop edge scissors.

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Over on Roses on Paper, Challenge 3 is a Colour Challenge - To use Grape, White and Evergreen. I found this Challenge by blog hopping and thought I would give it a go.
I have coloured the Sarah Kay image with watercolour pencils and added highlights to her dress with a white gel pen. I have used Grape and Evergreen Bazzill Swiss Dots cardstock to which I added some faux stitching. Ribbon and brads from my stash, and the sentiment is from Craftwork Cards. The little Teddy charm came in a pack of mixed things to make cards, which was given to me at Christmas by my lovely cousin - so Thank you Tracey x

This weeks challenge from A Spoon Full of Sugar is Paper Piecing. I love paper piecing and it seems to work really well with the Sugar Nellie stamps. Maggie is still one of my favourite Sugar Nellies - her dresses are always perfect to paper piece. The papers I have used on this card are from Papermania's Raspberry and Champagne Creative Tones papers. I just love the beige mixed with pink shades. I have added a few self adhesive gems to the flowers and some ribbon from my stash. The sentiment is from Craftwork cards.

This is the card I made for Pink Cat Studio's Lily the Fairy contest. I have used Pink Petticoat background paper, Bazzill Swiss Dots, Sentiment from Craftwork cards, Bazzill purple cardstock, ribbon from my stash. I have coloured Lily with watercolour pencils and highlighted some areas with a silver gel pen. I added spots to the flowers and Lily's dress using a white gel pen. I just had to go one step further and gave her some bling in her ears - tiny self adhesive gem stones!