Circle Circus

As you know I don't do cute, but this is a small step out of my comfort zone. I couldn't resist using this ancient stamp of a clown bought for 50p, I know maybe nobody wanted him. The challenge this week at
 My Time to Craft is Circle Circus. Papers and card are from my stash, still keeping to my use it up promise. The little dog was a free stamp from the wonderful magazine Craft Stamper.

Diamonds and Flourishes

This week we come to the end of Suzanne's month of Romance with Diamonds and Flourishes for as we all know Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend. So, we want to see a bit of bling with a  few flourishes. Thanks for such an interesting month Suzanne. Don't forget also that for February we have been sponsored by Marianne Designs who will be providing a fantastic prize to the overall winner of the month. All details are at
MAKE MY MONDAY.   For my card, I used a piece of backing paper, to fit in my black and white theme. Added to the top edge a punched piece of card, from using a Martha Steward border punch. The large flower was made from cutting out several flowers from a piece of backing paper and mounting them up, adding a brad with a clear gem on top. The circles with the ladies are stamps from Debbie Moore, I  have had them a long time but I do find the ladies very attractive and useful for many different cards. I have glittered the flourishes on their hats, their jewellery, all over really. Diamonds (gems) added to each circle. I, again look forward to visiting your blogs to see your Diamonds and Flourishes.

Shiver Me Timbers

For the next two weeks at Fashionable Stamping Challenges we would like you to make a card for a child, any age/ any occasion. As we are surrounded in our family by boys, with only one girl, I though maybe a card for one of the boys would be useful to get ahead. Pirates are very popular, thanks to the wonderful Johnny Depp and the Pirates of the Caribbean series of films. I bought this set of Pirate stamps ages ago and almost forgot I had them. The pirate is actually from an old wooden stamp which I removed from the block and adjusted, I am much happier with him now. I heat embossed several stamps to provide a resist for when I added several colours of TH Distress inks to the main card. I acquired an old map, distressed it , added a red cross on one of the Caribbean islands, to mark the treasure. Seems they have found it, a chest with jewels and doubloons. I added some twine to look like rope on the ship, with a few additional slip knots. i look forward to visiting your blogs to see the Child's Card you have made. Please do to pop over to the main blog for the Design Team have made amazing cards for this challenge. Important  things to remember are we don't allow Digi Stamps,and  there must be some very evident stamping showing, for it is Fashionable Stamping. Have fun and thanks for your visit and if you have left me comments, many thanks for those too.

Week 8 Postcard Challenge ~ Cuba

Week 8 of Darcy's Postcard Challenge takes us the the Caribbean island of Cuba. Through my research I found some amazing bits of trivial but interesting  information about Cuba. Since the Revolution in 1959 there have been no new cars imported to Cuba, the island still has thousands of pre-1959 Classic American cars, which are kept in pristine condition and are very much a status symbol within the Communist country, it's full name being the Republic of Cuba. Christopher Columbus established the island, hence the large numbers of Spanish churches and Spanish architecture. being in the Caribbean there is an abundance of beautiful tropical flowers. Havana cigars are classed as the best cigars in the world. One of the greatest exports the Cubans can boast of is qualified Medical Doctors, they are loaned to over 40 countries.
I have used Indigo Blu stamps, from The Grand Tour II for the old building. The flower is from an old set of Tropical Flowers from See-D's, which I coloured with Promarkers. To answer a previous question, I stamp the majority of my images or use cut outs from downloads. I can not draw, even  a match stick man.
Mr. and Mrs. Grainger are currently visiting Cuba, in their search for information which could be useful before the end of the year to help them to prevent something awful happening to their daughter. 

I would like to thank the many visitors I had last week to see my card from Wales. Also to thank all of those who left splendid comments which I greatly appreciate. I have enjoyed the challenge of Cuba, for I found the research much more interesting than I thought it would be. I am so glad I am on this Postcard Journey for if I was just visiting I would truly feel left out of a fabulous experience. Thanks again Darcy. I wonder where to next Monday? To see other traveller's postcards click on the side bar for the Postcard Challenge 2010. To see my previous postcards, check the Labels or the additional page on the top bar. Thanks for your visit.

B- is for Busy Bugs

This week at the Alphabet Challenge, sees us at letter B - Busy Bugs~ any bug you wish, remember it also need not be a card, any crafted item with a bug or bugs. Please do pop over to the blog, for the DT have made some wonderful 'Bug' cards.  I so enjoyed visiting your animal antics last week, there were some super cards amongst them. For my card, it is a good coincidence that I used Stamps by Chloe who also happened to be on Create and Craft today with her wonderful stamps. I made my card using a piece of pretty pink paper from my stash. The small flower and butterfly have been stamped onto white vellum and heat embossed with Silver Bells Wow! embossing powder. A few flowers and gems added. Once again I look forward to visiting you to see your bugs. Have fun everyone. Thanks for visiting me and for any comments you may leave, for which I am very appreciative.

Mojo Monday #

The one thing I enjoy about paper crafting is the variety available. One week I'm not keen on sketches, the next week I'm having a go. Have you guessed this year I am determined to be more adventurous, to use up some of the stash I've had for years, I've stroked them aplenty, now it's time to get them used. After following them for a few weeks over at Mojo Monday,  I felt ready to give a sketch a try, and yes I enjoyed the challenge. Again, I like to make one for a guy and a gal, so I have some cards ready on standby. The designer paper is from Papermania Aqua collection, the stamp is also from Papermania ~ Urban set. I'm now going to make one for a gal. thanks so much for looking. I apologise for the delay in welcoming the last four lovely ladies who have become followers, it is so nice to read your comments, which I greatly appreciate.

Hobson's Choice~ Google Chrome

Hi, to all my followers and those who may have just popped on for a sneaky peak after seeing my title.
For two days I have been unable to add anything to my blog or access my Dashboard to contact my DT private sites. This came about totally  out of the blue. The only information I was given was that Blogger no longer recognised my service provider, I was instructed to go to Google Chrome. I love my blog, it is my contact with the outside world, and I do mean world, for it still amazes me, how small the world has become with the aid of the computer and for me especially in blogland. I also greatly appreciate I can have all of the fun, friendships and contacts as I do for FREE. So I shouldn't grumble, but I have been so upset for the past few days, because I am so computer illiterate, I felt deserted and was unable to do anything. I, however, am lucky, for my son was able to help me out by sorting out Google Chrome for me, so I am now back into the land of blogs. The reason I am adding this to my blog is in case anyone out there is on Internet Explorer and receives the message I described above, for them not to panic as I did, for it does all resolve if you convert to Google Chrome ~ indeed Hobson's choice but better than nothing and better than having to pay for it.