Hello crafty peeps - welcome to my crafty nook! I hope you've all had a wonderful week. I've not been feeling very well which is why this is the first time I've blogged in a week, I hope you haven't missed me too much! I've decided not to bother entering the Passion for ProMarkers challenge this week, the theme was For A Special Lady and I made both my Mother's Day cards and the birthday card for my Mum-in-law during the last few weeks and didn't fancy making yet another card that'll just languish in a box and the rules do state that you're not allowed to back link cards so I can't even enter the Mother's Day cards that I've already made. I'm not sure if I'll bother entering next week's challenge either though I may follow the theme. It seems a bit pointless entering a challenge if half the people who enter don't bother to abide by the rules but I do enjoy most of the challenges and it usually motivates me to make a card so I'll probably just blog it instead of linking my posts to the PFP blog. I hope that makes sense.
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| Bookazines element of the QCME Friday Giveaway |
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| Sweet Paris Collection |
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| Lush papers. So lush.... |
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| That they came already opened and used lol including a third of a sheet |
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| Rosette Flowers - my favourite is the small red polka dot |
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| Sequins, buttons and bows |
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| Foam pads and Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler seam binding ribbon - lush! |
I was really pleased to get my Facebook prize from Quick Cards Made Easy last Wednesday, love everything! I had to giggle when I discovered that the 72 pages of 6" x 6" papers only contained 53 and 1/3! Someone else obviously liked them too, just wish they'd left me more than two of the red polka dotted paper as that's my favourite. I shall be returning to QCME mag via a thank you card (photos to follow another time, my camera needs charging) the third of a sheet of the pink and cream paper. The card is already made but I can't blog it yet as my camera needs a few hours to charge. The bookazines were great to get because they aren't something I'd usually buy, priced at £7.99 each I'd want a substantial cardmaking kit to go with each one if I were to buy them myself so it was good to be able to see what they contain before purchasing (tbh I still wouldn't buy them - too expensive for what you get.) I'm hoping that in a few months ECAP will have the Sweet Paris Collection to buy at a reduced price as I'd certainly like to get more of the papers - a full set next time lol. I have a couple of French style stamps so it's nice to have a themed collection to go with them.
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| Prima Dolls - Taylor stamp |
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| C.C. Designs Rain stamp (Tiny!) |
I'd also like to share a small haul I got from My Mum's Craft Shop and this may very well be my last haul from this online shop (unless I change my mind lol). This is the 4th time I've made a purchase from MMCS and it's the third time I've had to change my order after placing it because the stock isn't up to date. I need an online craft shop to be reliable and I think that you'd agree that 3 out of 4 orders having to be altered proves it isn't. Admittedly I've always been happy with my replacement stamps but they weren't my first choices and it's rather vexing having to chop and change my orders plus they take longer to arrive! The first stamp shown is the replacement stamp as I'd originally ordered the innocence "Gone Fishin'" stamp, this Taylor stamp is the fourth Prima Dolls stamp in my collection and it's huge! I think the blurb online said it was 7 inches long. To begin with the Dolls lack of facial details freaked me out a bit but it makes them great for paper piecing esp with newspaper print either coloured with distress inks or with flesh coloured ProMarkers. I haven't tried it yet myself but I've seen some fantastic examples online. The second stamp - Rain - is a lot smaller than I was expecting. considering so many crafters like making 8" x 8" cards you'd think they'd be a lot more larger sized stamps out there but small stamps seem to be easier to find. Perhaps it's just me looking in the wrong places, because I have relatively less money to spend on craft stuff, I tend to go for clearance or sales items and perhaps the big stamps haven't been reduced yet. Also I know most crafters like to embellish more than I do, if I've spent an hour colouring in an image I want it to be the focus of the card not have it hiding amidst layers of patterned paper and embellishments, this probably why I tend to make smaller cards.
I'm hoping to share the french themed thank you card I've made for Quick Cards Made Easy Magazine once my camera's charged so look for a new post tomorrow. As always if you have any questions please leave them in the usually places and I'll get back to you, until then - keep crafting!
Love and crafty hugs,
Sarah xxx
