Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Evening all
I hope this post finds you all well and not too stressed! I can't believe that this time next week it will be the big day, I just can't wait!
Before I start I just want to say a big 'thank you' to my blogging friend who is also called Andree funnily enough, for letting me know this morning that I had been lucky enough to be picked as a winner at Emma's cards-without Andree I would have totally missed the post as I'm afraid I have not been spending as much time as I would like on my blog and had obviously not been keeping a good eye open, so Thank You again Andree you're a star and totally made my day!
I have decided that this will be my last post for 2012 as I am getting a little stressed out over everything I have yet to do and I'm afraid somethings have got to give for now.
I just wanted to pop on quickly to post a Christmas card to all of you which comes with a huge 'THANK YOU' to you all for being a reader or follower and for all of your wonderful comments on my cards and also for all the help and advice I have received -I really do appreciate each and every comment and all of your support it really means alot to me!

We have received an awful lot of cards this year which are black and white with some red so  I thought I'd do my own version for you-I hope you like it
I have so enjoyed getting to grips with the world of blogging and I'm looking forward to practicing some of the new things I've learned next year.
Well, I hope you all have a very' Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year' and I'll see you all in 2013.
Thank you for stopping by and until next time.
Aloha
Andree xx

Emily's snow fun

Good afternoon to you all,
firstly I must say hello to my new followers and a big welcome to my blog.
Oh my, it's so cold outside-I'm still waiting for that snow to make an appearance but it's looking less likely now it seems-everyone at school is keeping their fingers crossed for at least one snow day before we break up!!
I wanted to make a special card to give my friend who is also a card maker but have left it a bit late as I just couldnt decide what to make-then I bought a magazine which came with these gorgeous freebie papers and knew that they would go so perfectly with this image from the Digi Garden.
I coloured little Emily with my promarkers and added some pearls and a snowflake to finish-I hope you like her!
 I just love these images (as I'm sure you've guessed by now!!) If you fancy taking a look at the gorgeous Digi Garden characters why not pop over to the site- or check out facebook as there is a free image given away every Friday!. The current customer challenge is to make a tag, so if you fancy taking part why not take a peek here!

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:

Cupcake Craft challenges 222 - Merry Christmas
Cutie Pie challenge 33 - Cutie Christmas
Stampin for the Weekend challenge 23 - Let it Snow
Lollipop Crafts challenge 95 - Happy Holidays
Songbird challenge 10 - Merry Christmas Everybody
Whimsy Stamps challenge 54 - Anything Goes-Festive
{Pin}spirational challenges 37 - Photo inspiration
Crafty Sentiments challenge - snowflakes
Divas by Design challenge 65 - Use Red


I hope you all enjoy the rest of your week, 12 days and counting-I hope you're all a bit more organised than I am at the moment!!
Thanks so much for stopping by and until next time.
Aloha
Andree x

Snowman soup gift bags

Evening all
Hope you're all having a lovely weekend -I have had a really good one this week. Mum and Dad came down for the day yesterday and we had a little wander round some shops in the afternoon buying some goodies for Christmas!! Today I've been shopping with my son and then spent a little while in my craft shed which I have neglected somewhat lately so it was nice to have some time to myself!
I have been busy making some Snowman Soup gift bags for my neices and nephews (and Mum and Dad) and got the idea from Vicki of Stamp Smiles -one of my fellow Digi Garden Divas. When I saw them I thought they were so cute I just had to have a go at some myself and made some little bags from a template in the Docrafts magazine to hold the goodies. Inside is a sachet of hot chocolate, some tiny marshmallows, a candy cane and some Hersheys Kisses (which proved hard to get but Asda came up trumps!!) A little poem on the back of the bag tells the story of the Snowman Soup and I stamped a cute snowman with a stamp from Hobbycraft and coloured him with my promarkers. I stamped some snowflakes over the bags, punched a couple to stick on the front too and tied them all up with some shiny blue ribbon-hope you like them!

I would like to enter them into the following challenges:

Joanna Sheen challenge - We love Christmas
Shopping Our Stash challenge 80 - Winter holiday/Snow
Stamptacular Sunday challenge 193 - Anything but a Card
Fussy and Fancy Friday challenge - I love Christmas
Crafty Sentiments challenge - Snowmen/ladies
Dream Valley challenge 47 -  Christmas
Divas by Design challenge 64 - Let it Snow
Lisabdesigns challenge - Christmas Joy
I love Promarkers challenge 146 - Anything Goes

Well, off the watch a festive film now, thanks to you all for stopping by today and until next time.
Aloha
Andree x

Adams Christmas Elf

Evening all
It feels like it's been ages since I did a new post -there's just so much going on and I'm sure you are all the same!!!
I have my list ready for this week of 'things to do' and am going to have to tick them all off as I go as I am starting to panic about how little time there is left now.
One of my 'to do' things was make a card for my son and this year being 17 I just wasn't sure what to do-until I saw this little image which was a freebie from Digistamp Boutique!
My son works at our local Tesco's and on Halloween was the only person on the checkouts who dressed up (and boy did he look gruesome!!) His manager was well impressed and told him he can be the store's Christmas Elf this year -Adam's not sure if he was kidding or not lol but we keep making a joke of it so when I saw this little elf it just made me think of Adam.
I've coloured him with my promarkers and used some magazine freebie papers and some hessian which came from a garden centre. I punched a little tree and a snowflake and added a greeting to finish.

I would like to enter him into the following challenges:

Papercraft Junkies challenge 5 - Embellish it
Paper Playtime challenge - 90 Christmas colours
Divas by Design challenge 63 - Glitter and Sparkle
Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge 77 - I love Christmas
Digi Haven challenge - Anything Goes
DCC and friends challenge 5- Christmas
Lisabdesigns challenge - Christmas Joy
Stamping for the Weekend challenge 22 -  Texture
Digistamp Boutique -December customer challenge

Thank you for stopping by, have a lovely week and until next time
Aloha
Andree x

Santa Bear

Evening everyone,
my word, how quickly Monday comes round-couldn't believe I was driving back into work this morning. Hope your weekend was good-I had a lovely day Saturday Christmas shopping, then had a little wander round Rochester just as it was getting dark so saw all the pretty lights-by then it was nearly tea time so decided to pop into a lovely little Italian for something to eat-just rounded the day off perfectly!
My card today is one I made with a Forever Friends stamp I bought from the Glitter Pot way back at the start of the year, coloured with my promarkers. I wanted to keep this one simple as it was intended to be given to a male so didn't want too much fuss and fancy stuff on it. The backing papers are a mix of Wild Rose Studio papers and papers from my stash and then I added some cream card candy to finish.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

Moving Along with the Times challenge - Lets go dotty
Lisabdesigns challenge - Christmas baubles
Little Claire's Designs challenge 27 - Christmas
My Mums Craft Shop challenge 85 - Song (santa clause is coming to town)
Divas by Design challenge 62- use two + patterned papers
Hooked on Crafts challenge - Christmas

Thank you for stopping by, stay dry and enjoy your week - until next time
Aloha
Andree x

Ursula's sweater

Evening all,
hope this post finds you warm and dry-what a horrid day out there!
Just a very quick post today to add a card I made a little while ago using a sweet little image from the Digi Garden called Ursula's Sweater-I do seem to use the little Ursula images alot, I have a real soft spot for her and think she is my favourite, even though I think all the Digi Garden images are gorgeous!
I was having a little play at leaving some white space and am not sure I quite succeeded-will have to maybe work at it a little more!! (A good excuse for more craft time I think!!)

She's coloured with my promarkers, the papers are some from my stash and I added a Marianne Die flourish and some punched flowers to finish.

I would like to enter her into the following challenges:

Inky Impressions challenge 86 - Girly
Paper Playtime challenge 89 - Anything Goes
Dream Valley challenge 45 - Anything Goes
Stamp n Doodle challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by, have a lovely week and until next time.
Aloha
Andree x

Sunday Sketch and Stamp and The Digi Garden

Morning all
Firstly a big hello to my new followers and a very warm welcome to my blog.
Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend-don't know about you but things in our house are beginning to feel a bit 'christmassy'!! This time of year is just my favourite-I love it!!
I'm sharing a card today that I have made for the Sunday Sketch and Stamp challenge 133 which begins here today. The Digi Garden is sponsoring the challenge and the Diva's were asked if we would like to do a guest spot-well, I've never done that before but thought I'd be brave and have a go-big thanks to Carole for asking us to join in!
Their gorgeous sketch to follow is this:

 

 

And this is my design-

 

I decided to use a gorgeous image called Ursulas as an Angel because I liked her little star and thought it tied in well with the sketch. I coloured her with my promarkers and used some papermania papers which I've had for quite a while and never used before-I had a little go at distressing too which is new to me!!. I added some punched stars and a gem and some glitter to her wings and little star but it doesn't really show up too well, the photo is not the best -I think it may be time to invest in a new camera lol!

Why not pop on over and have a go at the challenge too!

I would like to enter her into the following challenges:

Moving along with the Times challenge - Seeing Stars
Songbird challenge 8 - Diamonds are a girls best friend
Little Claires challenge 27 - Christmas
My Mums Craft Shop challenge 84- Winter Wonderland
Corrosive challenge 162-Flutter By
Passion for Promarkers challenge 175 -  Moons and Stars
Crafty Sentiments challenge - Christmas
The Crafty Pad challenge 197 - Its beginning to look alot like Christmas
Joanna Sheen challenge - Cold and Frosty

Thanks for stopping by, have a fab Sunday and until next time
Aloha
Andree x

Warm in Winter

Evening all,
I hope you are all having a fab week so far!
It's been a bit of a slow week so far for me-always hard the first week back after a holiday but am looking forward to my sister and family down on Saturday for a curry and chats about our upcoming holiday to Florida-all very exciting!!
My card today is made for my daughter and I've used a gorgeous image from the Paper  Shelter, coloured with my promarkers. The backing papers were a magazine freebie and I added some little pearls, punched holly leaves and some glitter-hope you  like her (and hope she does too!!)

 

 

I would like to enter her into the following challenges:

Whimsy Stamps challenge 53 - Traditional Christmas colouring
My Mums Craft Shop challenge 84 - Winter Wonderland
Jelly Park challenge - Back to Nature
Crafty Sentiments challenge - Christmas
Christmas Stamping All Year Long challenge 35 - Anything Goes
Dream Valley challenge 45 - Anything Goes
Quirky Crafts challenge  - Layers and Snow

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and until next time
Aloha
Andree x

Lucy's flower

Evening all
hope your weekend has been a good one-back to work for me tomorrow after the half term-don't think Ive ever been so glad to see the end of a holiday lol!!
Still, only 6 weeks till the Christmas hols-wow, so much to do in that time!!
I made this card this morning using a super cute image from the Digi Garden called Lucy's Flower-she's coloured with my promarkers and matched with some Milton papers from Wild Rose Studio. I found some cute little flowers in my stash which were from Papermania and embossed a backing from Kraft card for her to stand on. I added a butterfly cut out from the backing paper and drew on some faux stitches (have never done this before and it wasn't too even !!). I added a ribbon and some glitter to finish-hope you like her!

 

 

I would like to enter her into the following challenges:

Totally Papercrafts challenge 142 -  Cute & Girly
Creative Craft challenges 2 - Not a Birthday
ABC challenge - A for Appreciation
Party Time Tuesdays challenge 93 - Thank You
Robyn's Fetish challenge 133 - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week and until next time
Aloha
Andree x

Victorian Lady

Evening all
Hope you're all having a lovely weekend. First of all I must say a big Thank You to all who have left me such lovely supportive comments during my poorly tooth saga this week, its been such a help and is so kind of you all. I've had a very rough week and had to return to the dentist yesterday -she said I have got an infection in my gum which has been giving me all the pain, am now on two lots of antibiotics so fingers crossed all will be well now.
On to my card then and this one I made for my Mother in Law who loves all types of period dramas -found this on the internet and thought it was just perfect for her. I used a papercellar Victorian Classics backing sheet, added a doily to the back and a ribbon and bow and some punched flowers and gems to finish. Hope you like her.

I would like to enter her into the following challenges:

Crafty Catz challenge 158 -  Anything Goes
Ladybug Crafts challenge 3 - Monochrome
CRAFT challenge 180 - Inspired by a Film (Pride & Predjudice)
Crafty Ann's challenge 78- tic tac toe (flowers, gems, ribbon)
My Time to Craft challenge 196 - Vintage

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and until next time.
Aloha
Andree x

Ursula's sundress

Afternoon all
hope this post finds you well and enjoying your week.
I am still struggling with my mouth pain-had to give in finally and call in at the dentist this morning but they wouldn't fit me in so have got to call tomorrow and hopefully get an emergency appointment-am beginning to feel like I will never be rid of it!!
Well, enough moaning from me, onto my card and today I have used a cute little image from the Digi Garden called Ursula's sundress -she's coloured with my promarkers and the papers were from a free download I found a while ago. I added some flowers, card candy, a little satin heart and some liquid pearls to finish off-hope you like her.

I would like to enter her into the following challenges:

The Crafty Pad challenge 195 - Anything GoesPapercrafting Journey challenge - Anything Goes
Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge 75 - Pearls and Flowers
Divas by Design challenge 60 - Lets get Cute

Until next time
Aloha
Andree x

Ashleigh's Birthday

Afternoon all
and once again I'm sitting here listening to the rain!! Hope your week is going well so far. I am having quite a good week, done lots of little jobs and managing to get a bit of craft time every day too!
Unfortunately though I'm still in pain from having my tooth out last Friday-am beginning to get a bit worried now as its been four days and wasn't expecting it to go on this long :(  I have no idea if it's normal or not!
Anyway, onto my card and today I have made a card for my Niece's birthday early next month-she's studying Textiles at Uni so thought this image from The Paper Shelter was perfect! I won it from a blog challenge and have kept it till now to use for her. I used a green backing paper from a pad by the Paper Cellar called Vintage Classics and the other papers were from my stash. I coloured her with my promarkers and added some lace, buttons, punched flowers and a cute little pair of scissors charm that I found in the 99p stores!! Hope you like her.

I would like to enter her into the following challenges:

The Crafty Pad challenge 195 - Anything Goes
Bearly Mine challenge 60 -  Anything Goes
The Paper Shelter challenge 88 - Anything Goes
Inky Impressions challenge 83 - Lots of Layers
Shopping our Stash challenge 76 - On sale or best deal (lace-end of roll so got double!!)
Card Makin Mamas challenge - Anything Goes

Well that's all from me for now-off to make the curry!

Until next time then
Aloha
Andree x