Week 4 at the Creative Cottage Challenge Blog

Good morning to you lovely ladies, i can't believe we are on week 4 at the Creative Cottage Challenge Blog already! we are all thrilled with the number of entries we are getting. I am enjoying visiting your blogs and looking at your marvellous creations.

This weeks Challenge is "Pretty Pink", how simple is that? we want to see your pink creations. That was easy for me, as pink is my all time favourite colour, did you know that??? the wonderful Home Sweet Home Kit lends itself perfectly for this challenge. It is available to buy here. At just £1.99 for the complete download kit, can you afford not to buy it? All the elements in this card apart from the ribbon and pearls are from this wonderful kit. Great value and great quality too!

What yummy papers, combined with brown hues! delicious, almost good enough to eat! and as you all know im loving those easel cards!

So im afraid another easel card from me!!! The digi toppers are perfect for quick cards.

I'm particularly looking forward to visiting your blogs this week to check out your pink creations. Hope you will all join us. Hugs Linda x

Creative Card Crew Challenge - Vintage and Aged!

Another week at the Creative Card Crew Challenge, and this week our challenge is "Vintage and Aged!" not unlike me! Now im not very good at this style, so you will have to excuse my effort this week. On the upside we have the wonderful Prairie Fairy sponsoring us, and what gorgeous downloads on this site! Including this fabulous one below. I just fell in love with this image and it was a pleasure to work with it. Infact i loved it so much i made 2 cards! Although i must admit the second was a bit of an accident, ill explain further down!

I found this fabulous papers in a QVC set that ive had in my cupboard for some time. I believe the papers are cosmo cricket, but am not sure. What a fabulous kit this was too, so many papers and other elements, which were invaluable for this card.

I coloured the image in with my faber castell aquarelle pencils, which ive fallen back in love with, ive used my distress inks to do the background and to distress the ripped edges on the paper. The cotton lace was coloured with my distress pad too.

Now for this card. This was the first image i coloured in for my card, i coloured it with my aquarelle pencils as above, but then covered the image with my sepia accents. I left it on the side to dry, then when i went to look at it, found something had fallen onto it before it had completely dried!! i carefully tried to detach the piece of paper that had fallen onto it, but unfortunately it ripped up some of the sepia accents from the image. Mumbling and grumbling to myself i shoved it to the side and coloured another image (the one above).

I wasn't completely happy with my first card and decided to see if i could salvage my original image. I took my distress ink pad and rubbed it over the image to find it gave this wonderful aged effect. So i then put this second card together, which i was happier with than the first. Hope you like it too.

I would like to say this effect was done on purpose, but you know different. I coloured the white lace flowers with the same distress ink pad and added pearl centres.

One image and two completely different looking cards. Hope you like them.

We would love you to join us this week at the Creative Card Crew, and look forward to seeing your fabulous creations.

Hugs Linda

Week 59 - JCBC Challenge - Vanessa's Sketch

Some Blog Candy

as well as our usual Prize at

Week 59 - JCBC Challenge - Vanessa's Sketch

Good morning its week 59 at the Just Christmas and Birthday Card Challenge.

This week my lovely friend Vanessa has set the sketch. What a beauty it is too.

This week we are sponsored by Stretch and Bubbles, you can chose 4 digi-downloads if you win!

and as an extra incentive to get you to join in with our challenge this week, there are a couple of blog candies up for grabs.

Vanessa has some blog candy for you and I am offering you a surprise blog candy gift which will include:-

A stamp from one of my favourite stamp designers

Some ribbons

Some flowers

and a selection of stamped out images

to be in with a chance of winning my blog candy you must enter this weeks challenge and leave me a comment and link to you submission. The project/card must not have been previously submitted into any other challenge.

I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

This week i have used one of the digital downloads from Stretch and Bubbles. I loved this cupcake (infact i love any cupcakes!). I have combined it with some of the lovely papers from DCWV - Sweet selection. Have used glossy accents to hightlight the bubbles on the cake case and stickled the icing! The sentiment is a rub on from Quick kutz and ribbon from my stash.

You all know how much im loving these easel cards at the moment, i can't get enough of them!

Inside decorated with more delicious "Sweet" papers and some of those lovely glass baubles.

I enjoyed this sketch so much i made another card using one of my favourite downloads by Sally-Ann. I have this time rotated the sketch, which you are free to do too!

More papers from DCWV this time the Latte stack.

Downloads by the talented Sally Ann at the Digi-Stamp Boutique.

Vanessa Sketch

Looking forward to seeing your creations, hope you can play along this week.

Hugs Linda x

New DT post - Elephantastic Downloads

It's Sunday again, an hour missing! can you believe that, there aren't enough hours in the day as it is and now ive lost one overnight, does anyone know where it has gone????

Rocky Bear woke us up at 7.00am this morning, it was really bright and sunny. I hope this weather is going to last as it does really life your spirits.

I have so far had a very good weekend, firstly after an absolutely gorgeous walk yesterday morning through the bluebell woods, we went to a nearby garden centre for an English Afternoon Tea, oh my goodness, ive never had such gorgeous homemade scones in my life. I shall be returning today given half a chance! and if not definitely next saturday!!!

Then we came home and i set to work on some DT cards, while my hubby started tidying the garden, and un beknown to me, started erecting the recently inherited greenhouse. It has spurred me on to think about summer and sorting out our much neglected garden! As you know we got Rocky Bear at the end of last May, a very wet winter has left the garden totally destroyed! we need to think about what we are going to do, starting with getting a skip and clearning the garage and garden of debris. We have planned to do this over the Easter weekend, even son Jamie has agreed to help!

So watch this space over the next couple of months, where hopefully you will see my creativeness taking a new direction!

Now im waffling, and on with the reason for my post today. I received some fabulous news last weekend, I had been offered to join a new DT. I am absolutely thirlled to be given this opportunity, and it has helped to lift the dark cloud that has been hanging over me for sooooo long. This along with other happenings lately has made me feel positive for the first time in a long while!

My lovely friend Helen has been creating her own digi-downloads. This is a fairly new project for Helen, who also creates lots of other crafty items, including her famous knitted dolls that have infact been hitting the television shows of late. Please go take a look here at all the wonderful things she makes. She is a very clever lady! Anyway, im waffling! Helen has decided to put together a DT to promote her digi-images, and i feel honoured to be asked to join her. The other DT members are Jilli, Jane, and Heidi, all a lovely talented group of ladies, whom im thrilled to be working alongside. Please go take a look at their wonderful cards im sure you will be inspired, as i am, each time i visit their blogs!

I hope you will enjoy the images and my cards! I have to be honest this is my favourite image of this adorable easter rabbit - Roger!


I have coloured in roger with my pro-markers and he is a dream to colour. Have used just plain cardstock which ive embossed and punched. The sentiment is a Stampin Up stamp that I received in a RAK ages ago, I love the font!




Border punches are fiskars apron strings and a x cut scallop border punch, a bargain at £3.99!

My second card has been made using again basic cardstock that has been embossed and also some MME papers, im afraid i dont know the design.

The Easter wishes sentiment is a stamp by Papertreyink. Another gorgeous font and the set is called Mixed Messages Vol1 No29. Which has a selection of very useful greetings!

Go check out other gorgeous downloads by Helen, im sure there will be something to tickle your fancy!

Now i have waffled on for far too long already, i hope you enjoy your sunday I will be back tomorrow with a card for the JCBC challenge!

Hugs Linda x

SCRAP PILE CHALLENGE NO5

This week Maria has set a very easy challenge. You have to use a minimum of 3 pieces of scrap paper. Knowing how big most of our scrap boxes are, im sure you will all find this easy! I have also got another one of those lovely fairy images ready to be used! everything ready to go, so another quick and simple card in the making. Go check out Marias blog for more lovely inspiration and details on joining in with the marvellous Scrap Pile Challenges.

Have used one of my favourite Martha Stewart deep puches and added pearls and ribbon which ive had an eternity.

Have glossy accented the flowers and stickled her wings. Running out of frosted lace stickles, otherwise would have completely stickled her little wings!

Thank you for looking have a lovely weekend, hugs Linda x

An easel Card and more

Happy Friday afternoon, i hope you are all well and that you've had a good week. I can not believe another weekend is before us, and that we are putting the clocks forward this week. It will be good to have lighter evenings, which in turn will hopefully make the days seem longer, and consequently give me more time to craft!!!

I am desperately trying to get myself organized. Ive spent the last year or so just muddling my way through life in general. As many of you know i have had a rough couple of years. Things are still up in the air but finally we are seeing some movement in the right direction. It is very hard at times to stay positive with so much rubbish being thrown your way. Just when you start to recover from one crisis another one is thrown in your direction. It has been very gloomy for me, but i finally feel as though there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I must be totally honest, its my blogging friends and my crafting that have kept me going. Least of all the recent DT posts i have held, as it has given me some purpose in my life, something i needed and still do. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have been so supportive of me, and to thank you for all the lovely comments you leave, which mean much more than you will ever know. Also special thanks to two ladies who have been phoning me recently and really brightening my days , you know who you are.

I have decided to really try and get organised, which means getting my DT work done a month in advance, and im pleased with how well im doing so far. Not quite there yet, but over the weekend i should reach my goal!

I have a couple of cards to show you that ive made recently but not got chance to post. Firstly using one of those fabulous new Lili of the Valley die cut images, aren't they just fabulous?

Have done another easel card, sorry for those of you who are sick of seeing them! kept the colour plain and the layout simple. Silver and gold looks fresh and fit for a wedding celebration, dont you think?

I love these Martha Stewart heart punches, but havn't used them nearly as much as i should do!

Stickles on the flowers of the brides head dress and the martha stewart flower punch for the flowers and foilage.

Then secondly a christmas card that i made quite a while ago, but didn't post, and couldn't get it to fit in with any of the challenges id looked at! Papers are from HOTP.

Thought i would also share with you a couple of photos that were taken a couple of months ago, of two of th 5 special men in my life! as you can see they have their feet up relaxing!!! nothing new there then!

Do you think they're comfortable????

Well im off to start the tea, no putting my feet up just yet. Have a lovely evening, back with you over the weekend, with hopefully some more cards to share.

Hugs Linda x

Marias Scrap Pile Challenge No4

Its week 4 at Maria's Scrap Pile Challenge and this week she has another great sketch for us to work with! I love this challenge, its great digging into my scrap box and actually using up those odds and sods! Thank you for inspiring me to do this Maria.


Papers are from my scrap box but digi downloads from The Creative Cottage. Im not sure where the image is from, so if anyone can enlighten me i would be very grateful.




Might be back later with more cards using this sketch! Enjoy your afternoon hugs Linda x

Creative Cottage Challenge Blog Week 3 - sparkle

Good morning to you all. I can not believe its week 3 at the Creative Cottage Challenge already. This week our challenge is - Sparkle! that should be easy for you all. Im loving all the Creative Cottage Downloads and particularly this cupcake collection. Aren't these papers adorable? and this cupcake images are great to decoupage up for more dimension. Everything except the ribbon and diamantes and stickles is from the kit.

We are thrilled with the number of you joining in with our challenge, we hope you will join us again this week. We look forward to visiting your blogs and looking at your wonderful creations. Remember you dont have to use Creative Cottage products to join in, although it would be great if you could.

Pink and brown is one of my favourite combinations, infact pink full stop!!! i love PINK. Hope you have a fabulous day hugs Linda x

Sweet Pea Stampers - a new Challenge Blog

Its Wednesday afternoon, and now its raining!!! can you believe this is the second post from me today? I am trying to get myself ahead, makes a change from last minute rushes!!!


At the weekend i came across a post about a new Sweet Pea Challenge. Oh my goodness a challenge devoted to those gorgeous Sweet Pea images, how wonderful. There is also a DT call.

If you love the Sweet Pea stamps then you will also love this new Sweet Pea stampers Challenge blog. I have never before wanted to make a card to enter a DT call , but have decided its time to take the plunge.I don't for one minute think ill be chosen, but i need to do this for myself. Always scared not to do things incase im rejected at 44 years old is ridiculous, so here goes!!! These stamps are gorgeous and who what better way to make use of your sweet pea stamps. So here is my card for the DT call. This is the first time ive used this fabulous image, again a beauty to colour in!

These papers were in my stash, but i have no idea where they come from! i cut out the acetate dragonflies from a sheet i had from a Dawn Bibby set! yonks old, and about time i used it!

Right i must go and pick up Jasmine from school before im late. Hugs Linda x

Digi-Stamp Boutique Images - Fabulous Boys!

I have always admired Sally-Anns work, but i have to say her latest releases are just adorable. What gorgeous images she is releasing, and this is a favourite of mine. I had made it for my nephew to give his mum on mothers day, but unfortunately he had already brought a card, so am now keeping it, im sure it will come in handy sometime soon! These papers are from the Papermania design pack - Boutique. I just love the classical prints by Jesse Edwards, just stunning. Will be using some more of these beauties later this week.

Putting my heart nestabilities to work, i dont use these dies half as much as i should. I am trying to use some of my embelishments up too, and these heart flat backed gems have been in my pot for ages, barely touched. Reminder to myself - no more buying flat backed pearls of any description! (not easy, they looks like sweeties on the websites - sooooo tempting!).


This fiskars apron strings border punch has unlike my nestabilities been used time and time again, definitely one of my favourites!

Hugs Linda x

Marias Scrap Pile Challenge No3/Cards for Men challenge Happy Birthday

Good morning its week 3 at Maria's Scrap Pile Challenge you must use 3 circles with the option of using another great sketch! i just adore this challenge blog, makes me use up all those bits and pieces ive had laying about! As you know im trying to build up my boys cards, so using one of the ready coloured images from the lovely Sally-Anns designs. There is a link to her blog on my previous posts. Her designs are fabulous!

This was the sketch you could use ifyou wish, but the actual challenge this week is to use 3 circles! easy!

Am also entering into this weeks Cards for Men, which is titled Happy Birthday!

Hope you are having a good day.

I have just got back from the hairdressers. Got up this morning and thought i would try and get an appointment if hubby would pay. Hardly opened my mouth and he smiled and shoved some money in my hand. Had the most lovely lady ever cut my hair called Denise. She just added a few layers and cut with what i would call precision. She got me to tip my head back and dried it, and i could not believe how great it looked with such little effort. However, i wanted to br able to curl it, so she showed me how to do it with my GD straighteners. I have it curly at the moment, but will keep it straight most of the time. I feel a little brighter now. I can truly say its the first time ive ever come out of a hairdressers totally happy with my new hair do, so thank you Denise!

Tucking into some lunch now, a lovely smoked saveral and humous sandwich, then off to walk my poor Rocky Bear who only had a short walk earlier, and is giving me the evils!

Hope you are having a wonderful day.

Back later with another challenge. Hugs Linda x

Creative Cottage Challenge Blog Week 2 - Flowers

Happy Wednesday morning, Wednesday again, can you believe that? where did Monday and Tuesday go? It was a gorgeous spring day yesterday, with lovely sunshine and no need to wear a coat! unfortunately today hasn't started off so well, its much cooler, and as yet the sun has yet to make an appearance.

I have to do the grocery shopping this morning, lucky me - NOT!!! why does everyone eat so much??? Might have to treat myself to some nice cream cakes, to lift my otherwise low mood. Comforting eating isn't good for you - but it tastes nice!!!

I can not believe we are half way through March already, and i have lost my urge to get ahead with my christmas cards, i must find some inspiration somewhere, please help!!! otherwise i can see it being another mad dash in December, with me having to buy some ready made brought cards - gasp, horror!!!

Right im rambling, onto business,

Its week 2 at the Creative Cottage Challenge Blog, we are thrilled with the response that we have had so far to our new challenge. Becky has done a marvelous job at getting this blog up and running and we hope to see you join in with us each week. As you know you do not have to use the Creative Cottage products, but of course it would be a bonus if you do!

I have used one of my favourite Creative Cottage Kits called Bags of Style. Available to buy here.

These papers are just great, in tones of pink and black! my favourite combination.
I have made this card for my friend Sally's birthday which was yesterday. She loves bags and shoes, this card has a bit of a twist!

As you know i love these easel cards, who doesn't?


If you life the handle of the bag, you pull out another small bag/purse.

The first bag has been put on 3d pads to give dimension and to take the additional bag/purse!

This purse opens and has been embossed with my cuttlebug embossing folder to make it look like leather!


And although i havn't shown it here, ive added a Marks and spencers voucher inside.




I hope you like my card this week, and will join us with week 2 at our challenge blog.

I look forward to visiting you and seeing what you come up with this week, enjoy your week, hugs Linda x

Creative Card Crew Challenge #46 - Going Dotty

Good morning its week 46 at the Creative Card Crew Challenge, and this week our challenge is called "Going Dotty" interpret this however you wish.

We would love to thank everyone who joined in with our birthday celebrations last time, we had a ball looking at your creations.

Also a big thank you to everyone who entered my blog candy. I am sorry you can't all be winners, but my daughter chose My BLOG CANDY WINNER therefore is Bev from Bev's Creative Crafty Moments. Please can you contact me via my email littlepopits@aol.com so i can get your prize out for you. Thank you. If i do not hear from Bev by Saturday then i will draw another name.

Onto another fabulous challenge this week for which I have used one of these dragon image which i think is High hopes, but may stand to be corrected! Have used some MME papers i believe, and used my prisma colour pencils to colour the image and distress inks round the image.

Well its tuesday and i have to get ready for walking rocky bear and the school run. Its my friend Sally's birthday today so we are having a light lunch out. Im sure it will do me good when i get there, but as i feel at the moment i would much rather stay tucked up indoors and asleep! im so tired, and this awful low mood has returned, although maybe it never really went. Finding it very hard at the moment to stay motivated, but hey ho, on with the day!

Hugs for now Linda x

Week 58 JCBC Challenge - Karins Sketch

Happy Monday morning to you all. I hope you had a lovely Mothering sunday yesterday for all my UK visitors. I have to say we had a nice relaxing day, we were going out for lunch but could not get in. So hubby cooked a roast lunch for me and my mum and the children of course, it was lovely. Had lots of nice cards and presents and feel totally spoilt, unfortunately no crafting goodies - sob! sob!

I didn't get much crafing done over the weekend, ran out fo time. Have a couple of DT cards to get done today so after ive done the morning school run will be getting my thinking cap on.

I have already walked Rocky bear this morning, Jasmine came with me we were out the door by 6.45am this morning, i think Bear thinks its his birthday!

Right must be getting ready for the school run, so down to business.

Week 58 - JCBC Challenge - Karins Sketch

Can not believe its week 58 at the Just Christmas and Birthday Card Challenge, thank you for all of you who are supporting us. I hope you are all getting ahead with your christmas cards this year. I am still behind, so thought i would use this sketch to get myself a head a bit. Unfortunately i ran out of time, so i only managed to get one card done, but will be back later with some christmas samples using Karins fabulous sketch.

Using the wonderful birdie image from Sally-Anns digi-stamp boutique store.
Go take a look for yourself there is sure to be something you will fall in love with. Again papers are from the DCWV Latte stack which i just adore!

Right, must dash, hopefully back later with my christmas cards, have a fabulous day , hope the sun is shining where you are.

Hugs Linda x

An award thank you

Good morning ladies. I want to say a couple of thank you's this morning, firstly to Helen, who gave me this lovely award. Thank you hunny it means alot. Things are still hard at the moment but having such good friends really does help!

Secondly thank you to Katrina, who sent me a surpise RAK yesterday totally unexpected and much appreciated, it really did bring a smile to my face. Thank you.

I will be back later with the CCC challenge for this week, enjoy your day hugs Linda x