My Mother-In-Laws 65th birthday

I've made this card for my MIL 65th birthday which is on Wednesday, for her birthday she and her hubby have gone to Cyprus for the week.....lucky pair....lol!!!!

I've used mainly Stampin Up products for this Easel card and box.  The lush papers are Bella Bleu, the images are part of the Golden Oldies stamp set, flowers from Hobbycraft.  I purchase my Stampin Up stash from Jules and if your interested she has a Christmas Wish List going on at the mo, so pop by her blog for more details.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend, luv 'n' hugs xx vicki xx

Stampin for the Weekend - Christmas

Hiya lovely peeps, hope your all ok.  Friday is upon us again which means another Stampin for the Weekend Challenge.  This week we'd like you to create a gift card and tag using a colour combination of LILAC & SILVER

Oh eck to be honest I kinda struggled with this challenge myself, so I must apologies to all my SFTW teamies for my card being so late.  Lilac is a colour I'm not to keen on and find it difficult to colour but this is what I came up with anyway.  The papers are a freebie download from Shabby Princess. Tilda has been coloured with Copic, I've heat embossed some silver swirls around Tilda. Snowflakes are  Spellbinders Create-a-Flake #1.  The silver mesh ribbon I got from the textiles department at work.

here's the inside of my gift card which houses a "Borders" gift token.

Our fabby prize this week has been donated by our very own Fiona.  Just look at these gorgeous Magnolia stamps that one lucky person could win.

Our two lovely Guest Design Team members, Lisa and Roselien have created some beautiful cards for this weeks challenge, as have the rest of my SFTW teamies, well done girls.

Thanks for popping by my lil oasis, hope you all have a lovely weekend. lots of luv 'n' crafty hugs xx vicki xx

Roses on Paper challenge 25 - Romance or Sweet

This weeks Roses on Paperchallenge is to create either a Romantic or Sweet card.  So I guess you could say that I went with the Romantic option......lol!!!!  I made this card a few weeks back and thought it appropriate for this challenge, this is the first time for me to join in with this challenge blog. 

I have to admit that I really enjoyed making this card eventhough it took ages.  The papers are a mix of Anna Griffin and Basic Grey, they have been slightly distressed then edges sewn with my sewing machine.  I used die cuts to cut the hearts, then stamped them with a Crafty Individuals crackle background stamp, bought at the NEC,  I then added some gold embossing powder and Glamour Dust here and there.  "Dinner Tilda" (available from Dies To Die For) has been coloured with Copics and with some more Glamour Dust and Liquid Pearls.  The leaf branch I bought from the NEC, lace, pearly hearts, gold string, tulle, pins from my stash, flowers from Dies To Die For.  I  printed the sentiment on my PC.

Thanks for popping by my lil oasis, luv 'n' crafty hugs to you all xx vicki xx

Sunday Sketch & Stamp - Sems Sketch

Oh gosh....I am soooo late with my Guest Design Team card for this weeks Sunday Sketch & Stamp, I'm so sorry to everyone at SS & S as this should have been uploaded on Sunday.

Today's fabby sketch is courtesy of Sem, isn't it a great sketch.

And the lucky winner could win these cute digi stamps from Crafts 4 Eternity.

I've used the lil snowman cupcake for my card and coloured it with Whisper Pens, added some Fluffy Stuff and Glamour Dust.  The papers are a freebie download from Summer (I think),  Snowflake is from the Spellbinders Create-a-Flake #1 with the addition of more Glamour Dust.

I'm having one of those can't cope weeks this week, I've got so much on and as usual not enough time, I'm so stressed and it doesn't help that hubby works away, it doesn't usually bother me that he works away, infact sometimes I'm kinda glad he does.....(don't tell him I said that though.......lol) but lately everything seems to be left to me....so huge apologies for being THE worst blogging buddy to you all, I hope your all keeping well, loads of luv to you all....mwah xx vicki xx

Stampin for the Weekend - Nancy's sketch

Happy Friday to you all.  Hope your all doing ok.  Today's Stampin for the Weekend challenge is a sketch by our very own, ever so lovely Nancy, (thank you sweetie for a fab sketch).

For my card I've used HOTP papers, which have been just slightly distressed.  I received this ever so cute Tilda a couple of days ago from Tracy at Dies To Die For, isn't she adorable, she reminds me of my youngest daughter Yasmin...lol!!! Tilda has been coloured with Copics, with the addition of glossy accents to her lolly and some Glamour Dust here and there.  Sugar Nellie sentiment, lace from my local haberdashery store, gems were part of a fabby gift from Michelle.

And this is the sketch that Nancy came up with, thanks again luvly.

We have two talented GDT members again this week, thank you Trish and Rosalien for your wonderful creations.  Please pop by and check out the rest of my SFTW teamies gorgeous cards.  Hopefully you'll be able to play along with us and be in win a chance of winning this weeks prize......see you there...

xx vicki xx

Pink Christmas

The challenge over at StampARTic is to create a pink Christmas card.  I often visit their blog but this is the first time for me to join in with any of their challenges.

I bought this gorgeous Magnolia stamp at the NEC. I've coloured her with Copics, then masked her to stamp the swirly background then heat embossed it with white embossing powder, then sponged some brilliance ink and sprinkled Glamour Dust for a bit of sparkle.  The papers are Anna Griffin.  Sentiment stamps I've had for ages, not sure where I got them from now though.  The beautiful snowflake felt ribbon is Martha Stewart and is available from Dies To Die For.

Here's a close up, in real life it looks more twinkly.

Thanks for popping by my lil oasis, hope your all keeping well and happy.

luv 'n' crafty hugs

xx vicki xx

Who is coming on Christmas Night.????.......

Mina over at Just Magnolia has come up with a lovely sketch for this weeks challenge, so I thought I would join in.

I love this Santa, isn't he gorgeous......I've coloured him with Copics and Whisper Pens.....yes Whisper Pens cor they've not seen the light of day in yonks...lol!!!! I've added flock to his clothing and lots of Stickles and Glamour Dust.  The paper is Kars Speciality Xmas Pad  The snowflakes are a mix of Martha Stewart and Spellbinders create a flake #1 which I then added my lovely new Twinklets Diamond Dust.  Martha Stewart Barbers twine and cute lil Santa charm from the ever so lovely Tracy at Dies To Die For.  Computer generated senitment and the metal "father christmas" was bought last week at the NEC.

Shame the photo doesn't really show the effect of the flock and Glamour Dust......oh well, never mind....lol. you should be able to click on the photo below for a closer look.

Well it has just dawned on me today how close Christmas is and that I've not bought a single thing, nor have I made hardly any Christmas cards......I think I'd better get organised quick smart....but that's the problem...what to get, my daughters have not asked for much but my sons are worse they don't know what they want at all......aarrrggghhhh!!!!!  Usually by now I've got endless list of things to buy and what to do....but not this year...oh eck ...I'm gonna be in a right flap before long.....lol!!!!

Happy 50th Donna - CCT "Glitter Me Silly"

Today is Donna's 50th Birthday, (wishing you a very Happy Birthday luvly).  This is the card I sent her, but I don't think she will recieve it until tomorrow.  Donna, together with Kimmi started Stampin for the Weekend's challenge blog, but unfortunately due to her health she has had to step down, we all miss her as she was our Mother Hen.....lol!!!!

My card fits in with this weeks Cute Card Thursday challenge which is "Glitter Me Silly". I've used MME "Laundry" paper which is all glittery and sparkly.  Kraftin Kimmie "Antionette" available from Dies to Die For  has been coloured with Copics, I've then added some Fluffy Stuff (that's the actual name...lol) and Glamour Dust to her dress, ear muffs and scarf, plus stickles to the ground.  The flowers are Anna Griffin, they've had some stickle treatment too  The sentiment was done on my puter, oval shape punches from Stampin Up. Sewing machine to stitich around the edges.

You may want to keep your beady eyes on Tracy's Blog, she has some fantabulistic new arrivals coming soon to Dies To Die For.....that's all I'm gonna say for now.....just keep a look out......lol!!!!!!!

ttfn xx vicki xx

Happy 7th Birthday

Hiya folks, cor how about this weather today hey, it's horrendous isn't it.  Mind you perfect for staying home and playing with the kids or just crafting....lol!!!  This weeks challenge over at Quixtotic Paperie is stitching.  I quickly made this card today for my daughters friends birthday, her party is this evening, should be fun as it's a slumber party....just glad I'm not hosting it....lol!!!

Don't you just love this adorable lil image, her name is Madelynn and she's a new addition to The Greeting Farm stamps which are available to purchase from the fabbylicious Tracy at Dies To Die For.  I've coloured her with Copics and added some stickles to her pretty hat.  MME "Magnolia" paper, my new Spellbinders fancy lable thingy's with computer generated sentiment.  Used my sewing machine for the zig-zag stitching.

Hope your all keeping warm and dry, enjoy your weekend,

luv 'n' hugs xx vicki xx

Stampin for the Weekend - Challenge #24 BIG CELEBRATIONS

Hiya crafty peeps, hope your all keeping well and happy.  I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part in my SFTW challenge last week, what fabulous "Festive Goodie Boxes" you all came up with.  As it's Friday that means another Stampin for the Weekend challenge. This week we'd like to see Cards or Projects based around a BIG CELEBRATION! So it could be a special birthday - i.e. 18th - 20th or 60th etc or it could be a Silver Wedding Anniversary etc, the choice is yours.

As I had an order for a 40th card and box  to make, thought it would be very appt for this weeks Stampin for the Weekend challenge. . The image is Rubber Romance, April Martini Girl available from Dies To Die For.  The papers are a freebie download from Summer's Blog.

Here's what the inside looks like. 

This weeks challenge is sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. The lovely Heidi is offering a $25 spending spree in the Simon Says Store :)

We have two guest designers again this week who have created beautiful cards, as have all my luvly SFTW teamies, please pop by and check their fabby creations over on their blogs.

Hope you all enjoy your weekend, lots of luv 'n' crafty hugs to you all

xx vicki xx

Secret Crafter - Easel cards

This weeks challenge over at the Secret Crafter is to create an Easel card.  My hubby rang from work earlier asking if I could make an easel card for the god-daughter of one his work collegues.  The only problem is that hubby is working away in London and the fella who wants this card also works with hubby in London and he needs it by Monday.....arrrrrrggghhhh...so I've whipped this one up quickly so as I can send it in the post to hubby, who will then pass it onto his work collegue, so he can give it for his god-daughers birthday........cor blimey......that was hard to explain.......pmsl!!!!!

Anyways.....I have to say a huge thanks to the lovely Michelle for sending me these beautifull CC images as part of my birthday pressie, thank you so much my luvly....mwah.  Tracy over at Dies to Die For has a fabby selection of CC design stamps available, just incase you were wondering.. I've coloured the images with Copics, used me new Spellbinders label thingy's which I bought at the NEC yesterday.  Papers are Stampin Up, flowers have been Glimmer Misted, some are Prima from Dies to Die For some are from Hobbycraft,

Well Clare and I had a wonderful day at the NEC yesterday, mind you I was a bit disappointed coming home with so much money, there's wasn't really a great selection of crafty goodies to buy, hardly any scrummy papers.  But it was brill to see the Magnolia display and the stunning cards the girls made.  The best part was meeting the beautiful Dawn (all pink girl)  we had a row  from this lady for being so noisy whilst a demonstration was going on.......oooopppppsssss!!!! pmsl.  I also met my fellow SFTW teamie Amy and the lovely girlies Emma and Jo....Looking forward to going next March but this time on the Saturday. 

ttfn xx vicki xx

my GDT card for Sunday Sketch and Stamp

I've scheduled this post for today as I am at the NEC, so hopefully it's worked.  This weeks sketch over at Sunday Sketch and Stamp has been created by Maggie.and what a fabby sketch it is too.

Image - The Greeting Farm " Max - available from Dies To Die For

Papers - Basic Grey "Archaic"

Brads - We R Memory Keepers from QVC

Sentiment - Stampin Up

Oval punched shapes -  Stampin Up

oooopppsss!!!! I didn't notice when I stuck the image down that it's wonky.....oh well he's either on a hill or his house has a touch of subsidence.......pmsl.

The rest of the Sunday Sketch and Stamp team have come up with some wonderful cards with this weeks sketch, why not check them out and it would be great to see your creations too. ttfn xx vicki xx

Just Magnolia and Quixotic

The challenge over at Just Magnolia is distressing and there's a brand new challenge blog, Quixotic Paperie, their first challenge is Birthdays, in honour of Elaine's birthday which was this week, Happy Birthday Elaine.

For my card I've used these gorgeous Magnolia images, Jam Tilda and the Cake, available from Dies To Die For, has been coloured with Distress Inks with lots of Glamour Dust added.  The papers are We R Memory Keepers "Tiffany", love this 6 x 6 pad the papers are lurrrrrrrvly.  Prima flowers from Dies To Die For.  Stampin Up sentiment and oval punches.  Ribbon, gems, doily from my stash.

Hope you all enjoy your weekend, I know I can't wait til tomorrow......whoooo hoooo!!! NEC here we come.  ttfn xx vicki xx

Stampin for the Weekend - My challenge

Morning stampers......another Friday that means another Stampin for the Weekend challenge and guess what........it's a challenge that I've come up with entitled Festive Goodie Box.  Thought I would do something a lil different and get those grey cells working........lol!!!!


And what I'd like you to create is, as the name suggests, a christmassy themed box with the added extra of it being distressed....i.e. tattered 'n' torn.  Over at split coast stampers, I saw THIS TUTORIAL but there are plenty of others on that site or you tube, or if you already have designs of your own just go with that, as long as it's a box to hold some christmassy treats that's fine.

I've gone with my favourite colour scheme of cream, brown and gold and  followed the tutorial over at SCS to make one of the boxes, the other I used my new Sizzix Bigz die Box#3.  The scrummy papers are MME "Signature Christmas" oh they really are lushious, shame the photo doesn't show the lovely glittery bits or the delish Ferrero Rocher that's inside the box, mind you I've eaten them all now.....lol!!!!  The images and sentiments  are Stampin Up "Old Fashioned Christmas"


And if you enter my Stampin for the Weekend challenge, you could just win this lil lot.

MME "Just Dreamy" Paper Kit

Glimmer Mist "Gold"

selection of flowers

I would like to say a huge thank you to all of my lovely SFTW teamies who have come up with some absolutely fantastic boxes this week and even though some of them were completely out of their comfort zone, they did an outstanding job I'm so chuffed and very proud of them, well done girlies.  Our two guest design team members this week are Gry-Heidi and Benedicte, thank you ladies for joining us at SFTW and what amazing boxes you've created too.  Please pop over to check out these lovely ladies blogs.

Well I am getting all excited, cos on Sunday I'm going to the NEC for the very first time.....I can't wait....YAY!!!!!  I've been wanting to go for the last couple of years and not got around to it.  But my luvly Taffy mate Clare asked if I would be interested in going with her......would I ever.....lol!!! So we're meeting up really early Sunday morning for the coach trip there,  ooooo I don't do Sunday mornings usually.....pmsl.  I know most peeps are going on Saturday but if any of you are going on Sunday, please let me know would be great to meet up. 

Right gotta dash, I'm off to the hairdressers to have me hair coloured, cut and blow dried.  I usually just colour my own hair but as I've  not been pampered for ages  this is my treat to myself.......lol!!!! 

ttfn xx vicki xx

Snow Fun

Hiya folks, well I can't tell you how chuffed I was when I found out that these cards I made for my daughters birthday won the Creative Inspirations "Family" challenge a couple of weeks ago and this gorgeous Wags 'n Whiskers "Zoe and Gemma's Snow Fun"stamp was the prize.  I received it from Nikki yesterday, thank you once again sweetie.

I've coloured "Zoe and Gemma's Snow Fun" with Copics, then added stickles and Glamour Dust.  The papers are DCWV, MS snowflake punch from Dies To Die For.

thanks for popping by my lil oasis, happy crafting xx vicki xx

New Mum and Proud Grandparents

Hellooooo my luvly crafty folks.  Here's the two other cards that my MIL asked me to make.

This first one is for a new mum.  The image is Precious Moments and has been coloured with Copics.  All papers, carstock, flowers and buttons are Anna Griffin.  The lil frilly tag on the front of the card is Magnolia.

Oh gosh, so sorry for the poor piccie, didn't realise it was a blurry.  I have to say another big thank you to my luvly crafty mate Clare for those cutie lil hand and feet brads.  Clare came over to my house last week with her gorgeous lil lad Jake, Clare came with gifts for myself and my daughters and these lil hands and feet were among the beautiful crafty goodies she gave me, thank you luvly......mwah

And this is for the proud Grandparents.  The Alota image has been coloured with Copics and paper pieced.  The Stampin Up papers are from the ever so lovely Yorkshire Pudding that is Jules....hehehehe...sorry my luvly just can't resist saying that now...your fault hey!!!!

Here's what the inside looks like, as you can see I've kept it kinda simple and understated just using Cuttlebug embossing folders and a couple of frames I found amongst a load of stash I didn't even realise I had.  Thankfully my mil was well chuffed with these cards I had made her, she rang me to say that she has visited her friends and the new born baby and they loved their cards too.....phew.....

Righty Oh, gotta dash......I've had so many gorgeous new stamps delivered over the last couple of days...I really want to play but I'm shattered, so do I have an early night or do some crafting.......mind you I should really do the ironing.....oh eck.... an early night me thinks......lol!!!!!  ttfn, luv 'n' crafty hugs xx vicki xx

Engagement card and box

Well hellooooooo, did you all have a spooky weekend....lol!!!

I've been busy most of the weekend finishing off card orders, here's one of those tri-fold one's that my MIL wanted.  It's for her neice, hubby's cousin who has just got engaged.

The papers and image are from Pink Petticoat "just an old fashioned girl" CD, I absolutely love these papers and really should use them more often.  MS loop punch.  Diamonte square buckle to finish with

And this is what the inside looks like

I'll be back soon with two or maybe three of the other tri-fold cards and boxes that I've made.

See ya later, luv 'n' hugs

xx vicki xx

Delish new crafty stash at Dies To Die For

Hiya folks, just thought I would let you all know about the delicious new stock that Tracy has over at Dies To Die For.

So if your having a nice, lazy Sunday afternoon, why not pop over and check out the new The Greeting Farm stamps, plus Kraftin Kimmie new arrivals.   Tracy also has re-stocked  EZ Mount, plus Messy Rabbit and plenty more new arrivals.  Also there's bargains to be had with today's specials, so what are you waiting for head over to Dies To Die For and treat yourself.