Posting at a More Relaxed State

Hi everyone and here is my first card today at a more leisurely pace than my last post. Its my card for this weeks Penny Black Challenge which was to use one of their stamps or images to make the background for your card. So my image is from the pack of stamps called Jolly Follies and the background I have stamped the sentiment from that set all over the base card which was pale green. I have added my image and have added some Flowersoft where the snow should be, added a sentiment and also a couple of flowers with little button as the centre.

This cute card is a double entry firstly for Charisma Cardz whose theme this week was 4 legged friends so hope my cute monkey will qualify eating his xmas pud. The image I have used is from some digi stamps I have purchased this week from Pollycrafts check them out if you haven't already. They have some cute images and this was my first go at purchasing them and now my daughter has showed me what to do I shall be doing it again. I have coloured him in using Pro-markers and have used Flowersoft as the sauce on the pudding, this little monkey is called Chester and he is way too cute. The sketch is the challenge this week from Sketch Saturday and hope if you drop buy you like this cute little chimp.

This is my card this week for four challenges! Lili of the Valley which was the sketch I have used and one of their images.Totally Papercraft which was to bling it up, and Allsorts Challenge which was free and easy July. So my card has a lovely image of a cute little boy giving his friend  a bunch of flowers, so cute, The bling part of my challenge is the lovely card I have laid out the sketch on, which is all glittery but you can't see it very well on my photo sorry. It was from a new pack of papers, which my daughter bought the other day and its lush by First Edition Papers, think I may have to put some of those on my crimbo wish list! I added some ribbon, sentiment and some lovely flowers. The pink pearly ones are from Anitas Crafts and they were a special buy when we were out the other day craft shopping. This card is one of my favourites so far this week.

Quickie Post

Hi everyone this is a very quick post to try and get my card entered into the Pollycraft Challenge this week. Also this is my card for Cute Card Thursday which is the sketch and Sassy Studio Design which was Xmas in July. So my image is a digi stamp which my daughter gave me, coloured using Pro-markers, added some crimbo paper and also ribbon, sentiment and some candi dots. Sorry this is short and don't even knopw if I missed the cut off time for my Pollycraft entry as I couldn't find a time. So soory if it is too late. Hugs Arlinex



Xmas Shopping in July!

Well today my daughters and I went to the Matalan discount store, this is a Matalan store that sells all its ex stock for daft prizes form as little as 20p! So we spent only £42.00  between 3 of us and we had 2 black dresses, 5 ladies tops/jumpers, 5 mens tops, 2 mens jumpers, ladies pjs, nightdress, 6 scarves, kids jumper, kids tights, 2 sets kids hat and gloves, one pair of ladies shoes and one pair of ladies slippers and lastly 1 christmas decoration!!!!!!!!!!!!! What bargains and the two little black dresses for my daughters were £1.00 each and my bargain the two mens jumpers soft wool again £1.00 each! So some christmas shopping done in that lot. Brilliant, the only thing is you have to be there at the right time and we were today. Before we went there we had been to a small craft shop that I use and bought some lovely ribbon, another Molly Bloom stamp, which was also reduced today and  my stash of Bazzil Bling card love it. So I think we had better not go out for a few days and do crafting as we won't spend any more money that way!

All on my own .

Well today I am all on my own as my two girls are having a girly day shopping in Newcastle and if there is one thing I don't do is shop with two young women, especially an eighteen year old, who seems to love trying clothes on for the sake of it and never actually buying anything, it does my head in. Today I have also had the housing group here putting my new exterior doors on, so I have had drilling and banging since 8am this morning, but thankfully they are now complete. So I have decided to enter this card for two challenges Ladybug Crafts Challenge which was a summer birthday and I love Promarkers Challenge which was anything goes and of course to use Promarkers. So this image is one of my faves and I have made my card for my friends daughter who is 18 in August, I have decided to keep it quite basic but still achieving the look I wanted. The image was stamped onto a die cut and then using Promarkers bluebell, lilac, amethyst, sandstone, caramel, vanilla, blush,meadow green and apple. I have then added a sentiment some flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts, which are lush and some numerals to match my colour combo.

Blog Problems agh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well finally I have got this picture on after my third attempt. Blogspot is really playing up over last couple of days don't know if anyone else is having problems- my eldest daughter was tearing her hair out earlier trying to update her blog. Anyway this card if I can link it- is for four challenges the sketch is for Papertake Weekly Challenge, then Christmas Crafting Challenge which was to add flowers to your crimbo card and then for Deep Ocean Challenge and Crazy Challlenge which was to use ribbons.My image is cute Penny Black image and I used some of my daughters stash for the lovely paper, kept to xmas colours mainly with ribbom and flowers and then added a sentiment. Well as it the wee small hours of the morning I am going to sign off, have got housing group coming at 8am to fit new exterior doors. That should be fun! Hugs Arlinex

Just A Quick Note!!!

Hi everyone this is just a note to say to all who may look at my blog, I am sorry but for some strange reason my Google account is not letting me leave comments on some of your gorgeous card blogs. I don't know why? Will try and sort out in the next week. Hugs Arlinex

Another Crafting Session

Well we never got to the beach today as the weather has been overcast all day, so what did we do some more challenges and blog hopping etc. So my first card today is for two challenges  Sketch Saturday, which is obviously the design outlay and also Lili of the Valley Challenge which was fun and games. So I picked greens and yellows as my theme for this card. The image I have used is of a little girl playing dress up with her mums clothes and shoes. Added a sentiment, a flourish and some matching colour themed flowers and added some card candi dots in the middle of the flowers. Hope you like it.

My final card for this week is for Secret Crafters Saturday Challenge which was to use numbers somewhere on your card. So I have made this card for my mum, whose birthday is not until November but she loves her bingo. So the image is decoupage and shows a lady who has obviously won the jackpot, unlike my mum who never seems to win anything! I have taken the colour from her dress as my main colour theme purple and added some purple ribbon down the side. I have added a sentiment and added some gem stones for her necklace and ear rings. Thanks for dropping by hugs Arlinex

Crafty Sunday With Daughters

Hi everyone well what a day we have had here today. Myself and my two daughters have had a crafty Sunday afternoon/evening, and I have enjoyed every minute, as there is usually only me sitting by myself on a weekend crafting all alone, so having the girls here is fab. Both my daughters have their own blogs and I have them on my side bar if you would like to pop over to their blogs and leave a comment I am sure they would love it.. Lindsay is only 18 and hasn't been blogging or doing challenges very long- although saying that she won Dutch Dare Challenge last week! How lucky! So here is my first card for this week and its for Bunny Zoe Craft Challenge, which is held monthly and the theme was Fun in the Sun. So I have used this stamp and sorry folks but don't know what the make is, as I picked it up at the NEC show last year in a bargain bin. Its a sweet image of two small children trying to catch the little fish on the banks of a river.

My second card I made today  was for Sassy Studios Challenge and their theme this week was clean and simple, so I took it literally and used a Hanglar and Stanglar stamped images of this cutie doing what else cleaning her washing! Kept it really simple and used really calm papers, nothing loud or brash. Just added a sentiment and a few small flowers.

Just Magnolia Challenge this week was whats cooking, so this is my card and she is all ready to bake she has her rolling pin in her hand love Magnolia stamps they are so cute too. I have used the colour theme red and greens mainly. Once again quite a simple clean looking card, using tall card this time for a change, as square are my faves to use.

Well my next card is for triple entry card for Cute Card Thursday which is card for the man in your life and also for Totally Papercraft which is one for the boys and also for the monthly challenge from Lollipop Crafts which was anything goes. Well I have found another paper which I bought years ago when I first got into paper crafting and its got lots of boys toys on so I thought great I can finally use that paper I have. So I used that as my base and then used some denim effect paper also. The image is once again Hanglar and Stanglar, Copic Markers used again. I have kept this one quite simple and just added a sentiment which is usually true if most little boys.

So my next card is for Charisma Cardz Challenge and that was sunshine colours. So I have used a cute Hanglar and Stanglar image, I just love these cute images they are one of my style of stamps. So I have used some paper that I bought a couple of years ago and it has been in my stash all this time and it's of a lovely summer meadow. I cut the image out and added foam pads to give her a bit of a lift this image was coloured in using Copic Markers. I then added some lace, which I threaded some pink organza ribbon through, some purple butterflies and a lovely sentiment saying Butterfly Kisses which I thought was very apt.

This card is my card for I Love Promarkers Challenge and also Winter Wonderland which is holly and ivy. The images are from Kars range of stamps. So I used a blue card as my base and then I added some vellum over the top/ then added my images, added a sentiment and some ribbon and again just picked up some of the outlines with Stickles. The Promarkers I have used were Ice Grey 1 and 2, Slate, Vanilla, Peach, Moss, Forest Green,Ruby, Poppy, Berry Red, Blue Pearl and finally Denim Blue

My next card you may need a pair of sunglasses to look at it! It's my card for Dutch Dare Challenge, which was colour combo, Papertake Weekly cute and aw factor and I am also putting it forward for Allsorts Challenge which is free and easy July. So three in one here the colour combo was to use hot pinks, green, yellow, orange and I picked up the blue colour from their picture of the pool water. So as you can see all very bright colours and I have used bright card for the base and have used a very cute Penny Black stamped image, she is so cute. I have added some bright flowers and a simple sentiment, hope it hasn't blinded you too muchx

This is my entry for two challenges which are Penny Black  and their theme was stars and also Spoonful of Sugar which was to use a tag. So I have used this cute image from Penny Black range and have cut him out and made my own tag and used some lovely paper which my daughter brought with her. The stars are brads and I used them to add my flowers, added a sentiment and a nice red ribbon and used some Stickles to hi light some of the image. Well that's all for today, we have left the dining room full of our craft clutter, so no one can eat this week! Will blog hop later in the week as tomorrow is supposed to be really hot so may have to go and sit at the beach with a good book. Hope you enjoy looking at my blog and my cards hugs Arlinex

Just A Quick One!

Just getting ready to go out with my visitors for the day but would just like to say big Congrats to my youngest daughter Lindsay on winning her first blog challenge at Dutch Dare Challenge, she has been making cards for a while but has just recently started doing the challenges, so well done Lindsayx

Gloomy Day Here in Sunderland

Hi everyone thought I would take this chance just to update my blog today as my visitors are out, weather here is pretty miserable and has been all week so my visitors haven't picked a great week to be here. I do hope the weather improves as my eldest daughter Arline (who some of you will know through her blog Arlines Allsorts)  will be here for two weeks and that will be nice, as last year we didn't see much of her up here in Sunderland as she was organising her wedding in Stoke. And now she is already approaching her first wedding anniversary, gosh where does the time go to. Well thats me for today hugs Arlinex

Good Morning

Good morning blog followers just getting ready for my visitors arriving so been up early to do last minute housework and have breakfast etc. Thought we were going to have a nice day weather wise but now it has gone overcast. Just want to mention there is some fab blog candy out there from some very generous people so have a look on my side bar, think I will put together some blog candy in the next week or so. So watch this space peeps. Well thats all from me today folks have a good day what ever you  may be doing Hugs Arlinex

Challenges for the Week

Well afternoon everyone have been having a mega crafting session to do the challenges this weekend as we are having visitors on Monday, so know I will not get a chance to do more crafting  until next weekend when they have returned home. So here is my first card of the weekend and I am going to put it into three challenges, the first Spoonful of Sugar Challenge which was pink and brown, the second was Totally Parecraft Challenge which is girly girls and my third is for Sassy Studio Designs which was to use die cuts. So as you can see lots of pinks and browns and the stamp I have used is new to my local craft shop and she is a Molly Bloom stamp, she's rather cute and very much a girly girl!  I have put her onto a die cut oval and added a sentiment and some flowers to complete the card.

My second card from my crafting weekend is for Lili of the Valley Challenge which was pink and blue and Charisma Cardz Challenge which was to use stars on your card. So I have used this lovely image of the little girl playing mum and used Pro-markers to colour the image in. The stars are on the blue paper I have used. I have used some pretty flowers and brads to embellish my card, a sentiment and a bit of bling on two of the corners.

Well my third card is for Just Magnolia Challenge which was pink purple and pearls,  Dutch Dare Challenge fwhich was to see buttons, brads,bling and a bow, so I have combined these two together. So I loved doing this card as my fave colour is purple yeh. So used a Magnolia image with her little cat, and used Pro-markers to colour her in and then added some pink pearly gems around the die cut. Added a sentiment, some flowers with buttons in the centre, a ribbon with a bow and some buttlerfly brads to complete.

Well this card is my next one and I really had a lot of ideas for this card and its for the  Winter Wonderland Challenge, and that was wet or dry embossing. So I used an image and cut her out after using Copic markers to colour her in then I added her to an silver background which was dry embossed with a Christmas village scene and  then added her to my base card which I had covered with some nice winter colour paper. Next I added some Flower Soft to give a snowy effect on and  the ground and roof tops, and as the falling snow, which also has some gems to give it a bit of bling to the sky. Then I took some blue and white ribbon and twisted it to added to the side of the card and a snowy sentiment to finish.

My next card is of course Penny Black Challenge which was bunting and that was quite a challenge,  I can tell you but after about four attempts I succeeded. So here is those cute little mice under the flower so sweet, I have used Pro- markers this time to colour the image and used soft colours as my background and bunting. I have added Forever Friends ribbon and a sentiment which says Snuggle. Then I have added some lovely flowers picking up the colours from the flower. I will also put this card into Cute Card Thursday which was to use circles and my image is on two die cut circular shapes then I have added some red paper buttons in the corner. 

This card is my card for Papertake Weekly Challenge which was Hot Hot Hot and also for the Sketch Saturday Challenge. So this is my take on the sketch and then I have used a lovely stamp which I think is from the  High Hopes range of two cute insects ( not sure if they are ants or bees!) getting warmed by the fire. I have used mainly hot colours reds, yellows, oranges and pinks. I have added a sentiment and a nice yellow organza bow to the side.

Well this is my last card of the weekend and its my card for Allsorts Challenge which is Free and Easy in July and I am also putting it into Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge which is Holidays. So my image is a Rochelle Anne Miller Stamp of this cute little elephant going fishing which I know many people do on their hols especially the men  folk. I have used my copic pens to colour him in, used nice bright summery  flower and striped papers and added some nice bright pink ribbon, a sentiment and a couple of flowers. Thanks to everyone who drops by and looks at my cards and leaving your comments.

Crafting Sesh Coming Up

Good morning people. Today my youngest daughter and I are going to be doing some of this weeks challenges as tomorrow she has to be up at 4am! as she is working at the Next sale and it starts at 5am, as a student who loves her bed I don't know how she is going to get up at that time no doubt mum here will have to put her alarm clock on too, to make sure she is up and out on time. Hope everyone has a good day and happy crafting hugs Arlinex

A Change Coming me Thinks

Hi everyone well today I have been discharged from the hospital after my op a couple of weeks ago as the consultant was very pleased with the out come, so I have come home and have decided to celebrate I am going to rejig my blog a little and freshen it up. Also going to blog hop and see if I can get my comment box to work, still having problems leaving comments and then I may have a look to see who is giving candy away.Well wish me luck love and hugs Arlinex

I Love Pro Markers Challenge

Well I am quick off the mark for the  I Love Pro Markers Challenge and it was to use 1 ribbon, 2 papers and you could use either 2 buttons, gems or brads to embellish it. So here is my entry I have used mainly back and white with a hint of red. Promarkers used were vanilla, sandstone, caramel, poppy and of course black. I added  some lush black and white spotty organza ribbon,  some red gems and a sentiment. I enjoyed making this card, I love these colours together.

Hurrah!!!!!!!!

Hi everyone well managed to upload challenges this morning with help from teenage daughter, she makes it look so easy! Still seem to be having trouble leaving comments though on some challenges , so  can I apologise if I have left a comment about your card and it has come up from  anonymous its probably from me! Will have to see if can sort that out this afternoon. Hope everyone is having a good day. Hugs Arlinex

Tearing My Hair Out Now!!!!!!!!

Well everyone have spent two hours trying to upload challenges without much success so will now have to wait until one of the kids is in to show me again and then once I have been shown for the umpteenth time I hope to remember and link all my challenges this evening!

Being Good

Good morning everyone I am going to have another attempt today at linking my challenges. Wish me luck!

More Challenges

My first card is for the Lili of the Valley Challenge and it was this sketch. So I have used one of their cute stamps and used blues and purples for my colour theme, added a sentiment and some roses to finish it off, Think this is my second fave this week just love the girls have lunch/coffee sweet.

My next two cards I have used decoupage on them for a change this one is in my fave colour purple and the theme was flowers and it is for the Charisma Cardz Challenge, just simple a bit of ribbon and a sentiment.

My next card is for the Allsorts Challenge and that was free and easy and you could do what you wanted, so I decided I would make a card for my brother and sister in laws upcoming Wedding Anniversay and I think this is quite fun and I know they will laugh at it. Once agin it is decoupage and I hope you all get a giggle from it.

The next card is a double up Totally Papercraft Challenge which was the beach and also Sketch Saturday, which of course is the sketch. The stamped image is a Sugar Nellie stamp and I have used all summery colours to make this card. In the top corner I have used some bright yellow flowers to make it look like the sun.

Phew almost finished everyone hope you are still with me! This card is for Dutch Dare Challenge and their theme was summer. So I used a Hanglar Stanglar image of a little girl with a juicy strawberry, which to me is summer yum! I have used my Copic pens here to colur the image in and left it quite simple. I have tried my hand at an easel card, am not sure about these as I can never get them to stand up properly, oh well it behaved for the piucture taking.

Well down to the last two cards now and this one is Get Well Soon for Secret Crafter's Saturday Challenge and I have used lots of nice pinks on this card and thought it would cheer someone up who isn't well. The nurse stamp is from Cuddly Buddly I used my Copic markers once again, added some ribbon and some roses. I think this card is quite pretty and hope you all like it.

And my final card is for the Penny Black and Cute Card Thursday challenges. Penny Black was to use one of their images and Cute Card Thursday was to use lace on the card. So I have used a lovely little Penny Black stamp of these cute mice and hedgehog playing in the snow, used Pro markers to colour them in and mounted them on a die cut shape. At the top of the page I have threaded some red organza ribbon throught the lace and added some snowflake brads to finish it off. I love this card the images are so cute! Well I hope you have enjoyed looking at my cards and haven't got too bored looking! Hope you will drop by again soon.

Well Back to Challenges!

Well my daughter Lindsay and I decided we would get back into the challenge mode and enter some of our creations into the card challenges this week, however it may take us a while as I am okay uploading my pics its just linking the cards to the relevant blogs I have trouble with, still not very quick on the uptake with the pc! So here is my first card and its a combined entry for Just Magnolia which is the sketch used with a Magnolia stamped image and is for Sassy Studio Design which was red, white and blue and also Winter Wonderland which was Red and Green must not be seen. I used a winter image of Magnolia and used red whites and blues to colour her in, the same colours for the base and then finished off with some flowers and a chiristmas greeting.

Blog Update a bit Late!!!!!!!!!!

Hi there everyone well haven't been too well after having major op couple of weeks ago on side of face but before I went into hospital my youngest daughter, who had returned for the summer from uni was determined to keep my mind occupied before going into hospital. So the week before we did nothing but make cards and we made quite a lot I can tell you our little hands were very busy , so I have taken a general overshot picture and these are just the ones I made!!!