A Nightmare before Christmas

Hi everyone,
So sorry I have been awol for a while. I don't have a card to share with you today but just thought I'd let you know why I haven't been about.
Well it all started last Saturday morning, I arrived at the shop at 8.15 to find that my workshop had been flooded due to thawing ice and snow running off the flat roof of the property behind mine, running down the walkway and straight under my workshop door! Well I had a class due to start at 10am and as my wonderful ladies arrived to begin crafting they were met by total chaos. I could not have asked more as they all set to work trying to save stock and sweep water away, unfortunately just as we all felt that a class may be possible with cardboard under our feet the water started again but this time with much more force as the pipes had now burst and the water was rushing in. One customer raced to get me sandbags and eventually the stopcock was found and the water turned off.
However, the drama did not stop there and as they say things come in three's. The phone rang and mum took the call and as she passed me the phone I knew something was up! A voice said "I am so sorry darling I am laying on a car park floor in Lincoln and I think I've broken my ankle" The voice belonged to my husband who had slipped on the ice and actually broken his ankle and his leg and needed surgery to pin him back together.
I trust you understand that crafting has not been my main priority and I will be taking a little break from my DT commitments. I will try and post some projects that I haven't yet shared with you as soon as I get a spare few minutes.
I would like to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Hugs
Clare
x

ABC DT J is for Jewels and Sugar Nellie Wow Competition

Good morning everyone,
Well it's time again for another challenge over at ABC. We have reached the letter J so we would like to see your creations using Jewels and Gems. We are sponsored by the fab Simon Says who is offering an amazing $25 voucher to use in their online store.
I have chosen to use the gorgeous 'Artistic Goddess' from the wonderfully quirky new Simply Sassy collection from Sugar Nellie.

I am entering this card into the fabulous Simply Sassy Competition that Karen is running over on the Sugar Nellie blog? You really need to get over there and have a go as there are some amazing prizes up for grabs. The main prize is the new fantastic Spellbinders Grand Calibur machine which I would love to win. Also Karen is looking for a new member for the Simply Sassy DT and I absolutely adore this range, they are really funky. Anyway all you need to do to enter is to create a White on White card and add any one of the Simply Sassy images which must be coloured. You can find out all about the competition here

I have coloured this beauty with ProMarkers and for the background I have used loads of Cuttlebug embossing folders to give texture to what could be a very plain backdrop. Lots of flourishes and bling to finish and voile!

Magical Mondays Challenge 'Wings'

Hello!
I hope you are all good and the chilly white stuff is not causing you too much distress. I feel it may be a little quiet in the shop this week but I really can't blame people for not venturing out.
Anyway I'd better stop my rambling and get on with the task at hand. Today is the start of another fab challenge over at Magical Mondays this time we want to focus on 'Wings'. Please remember the whole idea behind this wonderful challenge blog is to promote all that is Magical, so whatever theme or sketch that is asked for every entry must use a magical image or it will not be counted. Well enough of the strict stuff here is my contribution for the DT.

I have coloured this gor -geous angel Tilda with ProMarkers and teamed her with some beautiful DP's from GCD's 'Paris Nights' collection. The frame is from a wonderful die set by Marianne D and the border punch is my fave from Martha Stewart.
I added some lace, velvet ribbon, flowers and bling from my stash to finish.

I am entering this into the following challenges:
Quirky Crafts - #39 Cazzy's Recipe 'Black, White and 1 Other (Black, White and Cream)
Allsorts - #80 'Monochrome'
Crafty Creations - #95 'Christmas is Coming'
Daring Cardmakers - 'Spotty, Stripey Christmas'
Passion for Promarkers - 'Old and New' (Tilda stamp is very new and this was my very first MS punch so pretty old)

Thank you so much for visiting my little corner of Blogland and I hope you all have a fab week.

I is for...... 'Ice and Snow' ABC Challenge

Good Afternoon!

Apologies this should have been posted yesterday but I was having a real nightmare with blogger!

Anyway, it's time for another ABC Challenge and this time we want you to think of Ice and Snow for the letter I.

This week we are sponsored by Wags and Whiskers, whom have kindly donated a fab prize.

Please remember you can only combine our challenge with a maximum of 4 others, you can enter more than once but each time must be a different project, ie card, layout etc

I have chosen to make a word book using some gorgeous paper from Basic Grey's Jovial collection and teamed it with lots of lovely images from Magnolia. I created the letters on my computer using the font 'Rockwell' then printed them onto card and covered with the DP's.

I spritzed the entire book with Irridescent Gold Glimmer Mist for some added sparkle then coloured for England yeah! I used a Marrianne D snowflake die set to embellish and plenty of ribbon from my stash.

I know it will be a bit long winded but in case you wish to know what I've used I will include a ProMarker crib sheet for each of the characters.

I am entering this in the following challenges:

I Love Promarkers - #42 'Anthing Goes - with a bit of Sparkle'

Passion for Promarkers - 'Old and New' (Old stamps, and New papers)

A Spoonfull of Sugar - #131 'Anything Goes'

ABC Christmas Challenge - 'X is for Xmas'

Really Reasonable Ribbon - #12 'Christmas Theme'

Pile it On - #46 'Winter Means...' (Snow)

Totally Papercrafts - #43 'Snow and Snowflakes'

Top Tip Tuesday - #11 'Layer on Layer'

Simon Says - 'Let it Snow'

ProMarker Recipe for Snowman

Hat and Scarf: Pear Green, Moss

Hat Trim and Bobble: Ivory, Vanilla

Gloves: Poppy, Crimson

Buttons: Cool Grey 4 and 5

Nose: Apricot

ProMarker Recipe for Unwrapped Tilda
Skin: Blush, Soft Peach
Hair: Sandstone, Cinnamon, Cocoa
Apron: Ivory and Vanilla
Dress Sleeves and Hair Bow: Cool Aqua
Socks: Ivory, Vanilla, Cool Aqua
Box: Sandstone, Cinnamon
Wrapping Paper: Poppy, Crimson
Label: Pear Green
Tag and String: Ivory, Vanilla, Sandstone

Santa's Little Helper:
Skin: Blush, Soft Peach
Hair: Sandstone, Cinnamon
Hat and Dress: Poppy, Crimson
Apron and Hat Trim: Ivory Vanilla
Tights: Ivory, Vanilla, Pear Green, Moss

Edwin and Tilda Skating

Edwin

Skin: Blush, Soft Peach

Hair: Sandstone, Cinnamon

Hat and Jumper: Cinnamon, Shale

Hat Trim: Ivory and Vanilla

Jeans: Cornflower, Midnight Blue

Gloves: Sandstone, Cinnamon

Boots: Pastel Blue, Cool Grey 3

Tilda

Skin: Blush, Soft Peach

Hair: Cinnamon, Cocoa, Shale

Coat and Gloves: Poppy, Crimson

Coat Trim and Socks: Ivory and Vanilla

Boots: Pear Green, Moss, Cool Grey3

I finished the book by distressing everything with Frayed Burlap Distress Ink.

Hope you like this project and I look forward to seeing your work over at ABC.

Happy Crafting!

Boutique Tilda

Good morning to all in blogland,
Here is another little Tilda creation I wanted to share with you all. I wanted to be able to create a Tilda card for an older girlie so I went for a very sassy mix of black, white and and my favourite hot pink. I loved this boutique image from the Bon Voyage collection and Tilda weighed down with all her shopping bags is just adoreable.

I went for a regular easel design but then decided I wanted Tilda to pop out so I added a second little easel attachment to let her make a statement. I then added loads of layered pink flowers and heaps of gems to add the compulsary bling! I distressed the bunting to give it more of a fabric feel and added faux stitching to make the images pop!

I am entering this in the following challenges:

Quirky Crafts - #39 Recipe by Cazzy 'Black, White and 1 Other and Punches

Passion for ProMarkers - #78 'Stitching and Distressing'

Fresh Brewed Designs - #23 'Show off Your Style'

Paper Romance - #25 'Your Favourite Things' (Pink and Shopping)

Southern Girls - #6 'Your Favourite Colour' (Hot Pink)

Simon Says - 'Sparkle'

ProMarker Colour Recipe:

Skin: Blush, Dusky Pink

Hair: Cool Grey 1,3,4,5

Top and Shopping Bags: Pink Carnation and Fuschia

Handbag: Cool Grey 4,5

Trousers: Cool Grey 1 and 3

Shoes: Cool Grey 1,3 and 4

Brickwork: Cool Grey 1 and 3

Boutique Sign: Fuschia

Clear Glitter Pen for window detail

'Let it Snow' for Magical Mondays Challenge

Good Morning all,
It's time for another challenge over on Magical Mondays and we're looking for a wintery feel with the theme 'Let it Snow'. So if you haven't already made a start on your Christmas cards perhaps now is the time.

I have used the beautiful 'Faerie Fae' digi from Tiddly Inks. The stunning shimmery DP's are from The Paper Company and I loved working with this sketch from Quirky Crafts by Lyn.
I have added loads of snowflakes (Martha Stewart punches) and even more stickles for that wintery sparkle.
I am entering this into the following challenges:
DCD's Christmas Club - #43 'Snowflakes'
No Time To Stamp - #165 'Non Traditional Christmas Colours'
Fairy Tale Challenge - 'Everything Goes'
Stamp Something - 'Use Something Digital'
Delightful - 'Glitter it Up'
A Spoonfull of Sugar - #129 'Snow/Snowflakes'
Sweet Stampin - 'All About Snowflakes'
Quirky Crafts - #38 'Spyder's Quirky Sketch'
I Love ProMarkers - #40 'Icy Colours'
Secret Crafter - 'Sparkle and Shine'
Wild Orchid - #10 'Blue Christmas'

ProMarker Colour Recipe:
Skin: Blush, Soft Peach
Hair: Buttercup, Tulip Yellow, Gold
Dress and Shoes: Pastel Blue, Blue Pearl

A Little Bit of Attitude!!!

The lovely Lorraine over at Lorraines Place has very kindly given me this fab blog award!
Huge thanks hunny!

There are a few rules that go along with it though. Oh, and a $5 gift certificate if you follow them.

1. Share 3 things about me.
a) I used to show, groom and judge Old English Sheepdogs.
b) My first job was sorting and valuing rough diamonds.
c) I love Harry Potter and can't wait to see the latest film!

2. Pass this on to 5 people and these are some blogs I love.

Kelly
Nicki
Chrissy
Trisha
Heidi

3. Display the blog award in your sidebar and link it back to the DIGI'S WITH ATTITUDE challenge blog (then click on the link on the blog to claim your gift).

Thanks again Lorraine you are a star :-)