Elegant Birthdays...

Morning crafters! and my fellow blog readers!

How is everyone today?!? I'm half way through my holiday from work and loving the time off to be honest! and playing with all my goodies from the NEC last sunday omg what a fab day!! Had a lovely day yesterday with my friend emma, whom i'm slowly turning into a new craft addict!!!

I also had some lovely news i won Q is for Quote challenge at ABC yaaaaaaayyyy!!!!!!!

 As you can see i've been playing with my maggies again! loooove them!! hehe! this card is actually one i made back in feb as a birthday card commision! all i was told was it has to have purple on and be a birthday card for someone's mum!! hmmm....

If i'm being honest purple isn't a colour i normally use, mainly because i don't really think i'm a purple person! but hey each to there own colour... and i'm telling you PINK Still rules!! hehe

Todays creation anyway is for my DT at Charisma which the lovely Sally has chosen the theme 'BLING AND SPARKLES'!

Ooooo what a perfect challenge!! how could a tilda not be in there! ok ok ok i know i'm obsessed!

I'd also like to enter my card to the following challenges:
Paperplay challenge: For mum/mom
Allsorts: for a special lady

*Recipe*
*C/Stock - Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Bazzill Basics Purple
*DP - Papermania Capsule collection
*Stamp - Magnolia Tilda with balloon
*Sentiment - LOTV
*Medium - Promarkers & 3d gloss
*Ribbon from stash
*Martha stewart doily lace punch and ranger stickles!
*Flowers from docrafts
*Brads from stash

Thanks so much for stopping by today i'd love any comments you may have and i can come visit you too!!!

I'm back & Armed with goodies from the NEC!

Morning all!

oooo hang on need to yawn............. What a fantastic day i had yesterday!!! I absolutly loved the NEC! Had a brilliant day with my friend Emma and hubby took us! I finally got to meet Shannon !!! only been talking online for 4+ years!! haha!! :-) was absolutly lovely to meet you and hang out for the day!! :-)

I also got to meet Gemma my teamie at Charisma (though i was very quite! that's soooo not me lol!!!) was lovely to meet you tho hun hope your not too knackered!! I also bumped into the lovely Clare Curd from docrafts and had a lovely natter with her too, she's so sweet and i'm so glad your ok from your car accident earlier in the year!! I finally got to meet the lovely Jacqui too she's lovely!! :-) and I saw Bev at the lili of the valley stand too but she was quite busy! Was lovely to put names to faces!

Of course i was like a kid in a sweet shop i had noooo idea what i really wanted to buy the lovely guy at the lili of the valley kept laughing at me because i went back not once but 3 times!! haha!! I really enjoyed it, tho i was a little disapointed some of the stands weren't there like craftwork cards but i managed to pick some of there things up elsewhere! I thought the show was great! Grabbed myself a few bargains too, the last day is totally worth going! I even got some freebies!!! :-) and alot of things were marked half price in the afternoon!!!

Here's some of my goodies!!! of course i took pictures! I have to wait till craftsuprint upload the others as we all met craftybob too!! haha

Two mags were freebies!!. 6x6 up up and away pad! My minds eye stack, BG pad was half price £3.49!
Nesties, i searched high and low for labels 10!!! they must be very popular sooo glad i found them! 2 for £30 and big book rings for my chipboard albums

Pepper and friends stamps were all £1! i adore this doggie!!, piece of cake pennyblack stamp set (i only wanted it for the mouse in the cakes haha!, brads all £1! ribbon for my pirate Tildas!!, housemouse cuties! Neenah card!, glue!

6X6 Blanks, distress inks and glimmer mists were 4 for £12! stickles 3 for £5, gems £1 a pack!, stencils and bits on the left were all in a £3 goody bag

Pearls £1!!! clock face and hands been looking for these everywhere!!! and those cute lasercut wood buttons are adorable!!

My craftwork cards goody bag £10!!! and of course it had to be pink!!!

Oooo i was very suprised to find these they were reduced and i even got them cheaper at the till 3 for £15!

First trip to the stall i adore these stamps soooo sweet! 4 for £15 so saved a pound but every little helps!

went back for a few more!!!

and a few more! haha!!!

and then of course i knew there were no stockist of magnolia's so i had to pick these up the day before too from my local stockists!!!



OOOOO I have a week off to play!! soooo excited!!!!
Thanks for popping by and if i forgot to mention anyone it was really lovely to see you all yesterday had a great time can't wait for november!!

Miss you.....

Hey Hey Blogland!!!

I'm currently zzzzz'ding my head off in bed! as I have tonight at work then off for a week!! yay!!

and!!! I'm off to the NEC tommrrow!!!

I'm so looking forward to meeting Gemma from my Design Team!, Shannon and hopefully if i can get on the Fiskars Make and Take i'll finally get to meet Kath too!!!

And of course i'm sooo looking forward to topping my stash up by zillions hehe!!!

I'm still full of flu urggghhh! though it's starting to move from my nose into my chest with my horsey cough i'll soon get everyone to move out the way at the show hehe!!!

Anyways!!! I'm here well my blog is to tell you all about the new challenge at Challenge up your life to which i'm there GDT this month and April! sooo exciting!!

This Fortnights challenge we have a wonderful sketch to follow!!!

 If your a regular at my blog you'll know sketches scare me! i tend to either not do enough or do far too much! lol and over do it, When i first saw this sketch i was like eeeeeekkkk! but i really love how it turned out! and wasn't as eeeeek as i first thought!

 Yep! more magnolia's out for my card today! I'm a hugggge fan as many of you know!! hehe! my printer has died on me once again so i wasn't able to use the sponsors digis :-( but hey ho didn't want to let them down!!!

Here's my card! I'll be back on monday with all my piccys from the NEC!! Hope to pick some bargains up too!!! ooooo i sooo can't wait!!

Before i go i'd like to enter my card to the following challenges this week too:
*Papertake weekly - Girlie
*Simon says stamp - Girlie
*Paper play - Distressing (ive used distress inks (thats distressing enough for me haha!)

 *Recipe*

*C/stock - Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*DSP - Prima Paisley Road & GCD Studios Rose coloured glasses
*Stamp - Farewell Tilda
*Medium - Distress Inks
*Stickles
*Chips - Pebbles Inc
*Sentiment - QVC Mini letters
*Bazill Basics On the edge strips

Thanks for stopping by today! huge hugs! xoxox

Vintage Cupcake

Morning all!

I'm actually here now the post before was a schedually! hehe!

How is one and all today? The sun is shining and it's rather warm! and here's me the only idiot to be full of flu and a rather horsey cough! urgh!! I'm so hoping it's gone by the weekend i've two shifts at work left before my looonnnng awaited holiday!!!

For those who've been reading my blog the last week, mum's got her doggie!!! She called him Oakley!! he's a darling collie cross spaniel! gorjuss and sooo sweet, will upload a piccy when i can!

Anyways.... today there's not a magnolia in sight, ok ok i lie!!! i do have a maggie card to share but may save that for tommrrow or whenever hehe! Today's card i dug out my fav elizabeth bell stamps out! ummmin and arrrin over which to use, my card actually was meant to be a colour combo of pink, black and green but it didn't kinda end up that way after i delved into more of a vintagey look!

I love these flowers from prima they're gorjuss i can't remember the name of them as i buy so many i end up taking them out of the bottles and into a huge big tub! The metal embellies i got from a kit i brought ummm 2 years ago at QVC ok ok i hord things and don't use them!! hehe (note to self sunday DONT buy things at the NEC that i'm not going to use!) well.... 2 years later i have!! haha!!

I adore these papers they're basic grey's infuse paper collection, i've not used them before i don't think (can you see a pattern happening here?) tut tut us crafters are very naughty!!!

Anyways all in all i think the favvy of my card today has to be that cupcake brad! wooo hooo!! Docrafts FINALLY brought out some nice Tea & Cake collections! i'm not really a huge fan of Docrafts products like i used to be think because sometime they can be quite expensive and quite erm.... naff!!! but ssssh!!! i do like these ones!! hehe!

I'd like to enter my card to the following challenges:

*Die Cut Dreams - Mothers Day/Special Friend

*Papertake Weekly - it's a mom thing/girlie

*Every-body art - Birthday

*Simon says stamp - Mothers day/girlie

*Dutch Dare - Celebrations (Mothers day)

*Stampin' for the weekend - mum/mothers day

*Basic grey - Recycled (The lace is off the bottom of a t-shirt top) (Used BG Infuse papers)

Here's my card!

*Recipe*

*C/Stock - Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*DSP - Basic Grey Infuse
*Stamp - Belles & Whistles Cupcake
*Medium - Promarkers
*Sentiment - QVC
*Metals - We R Mem Keepers & NEC
*Cupcake Brad - Tea&Cake docrafts
*Lace - Recycled from the bottom of a tshirt top
*Flowers - Prima

Many thanks for stopping by today!

Don't forget i have candy up top right hand corner!

Better go get my lists ready for the NEC again!! haha!!

Feeling Dandy!

Morning!!!

A very quick post from me today! as i'm busy creating a mess in the studio as i've lots of commisons and things to prepare!

Todays challenge at charisma is A birthday card for a teen!

Now i thought seens as it's my friend Dan's birthday soon i thought this would be perfect!!! and look!!!!

NO STAMPING!!!



All items are from we are memory keepers!

Sorry to dash I'll be back soon! hugs xxx

lovin' from the oven & doggie news!

Afternoon all!

Bit late with my normal friday posts today, it's because i was glued to the Radio One's Chris Moyles & Dave vitty's show on BBC one that they've been doing for cominc relif 52 hour show!!! and what a whopper of a money raised total over 2 million pounds!

I tell ya the show had me in stiches!!! hehe and of course me being me had my movie friday early this morning too have you seen toy story 3?? hehe funny! love the slinky dog so cool!!!

My Card today is a very yummy scrummy pinky card! I love magnolia which you all know and have a thing about cupcakes!! hehe seems to be wherever i go and find a cupcake stamp i sooooo have to have it! so i put all my girly girl and cupcakes into this card for today! It's also for my mum for mothers day as she too loves all things cupcake!

I'd picked some fab bargains up at the hobbycrafts sale in feb including the lovely pearl brads which if i remember rightly they were american crafts 16 for 49p!!! I'm such a crafter who loves a good bargain and always hunts something out anywhere i go!

Anyways... before i go on to show my card for today i'm suppppper excited that my mum's getting a new doggie!!! our family dog was put to sleep in 1998 as she was very poorly it's been 13 years and 3 attempts to have another but something has always got in the way, well we went to our local kennels on wednesday and needless to say we both fell in love with a very sweet collie dog! who has no name awwwwww!!!

so im looking forward to sunday when we go pick him up!!! ill get a piccy asap to show ya!!

If it weren't for the fact i had two kitty kats he'd of been coming home with me! but i've promised my mum ill go up on a thrusday to walk him!! he's such a darling!!

I'd like to enter my card to the following challenges:

*Just Magnolia - Favourite colour combo (which has to be browns and pinks!)

*Stampin' For The weekend - For mum (my mums mothers day card)

*Crafty Creations - Mothers day

*ABC - Q For Quote

*Papertake Weekly - 3 of something (3 stamped images)

*Die Cut Dreams - Mother's day

*Totally Tilda - Use Chipboard (my sentiment is chipboard!)

*Stamping Vacation - What's new cupcake?

So here's my finished card! made me quite peckish now!! hehe

*Recipe*

*C-Stock - Stampin' Up Choc Chip
*DSP - Dovecraft Cupcakes
*Stamps - Mangolia Tilda with wooden spoon, Cupcake & dotted Cake
*Medium - Promarkers
*Shape - MMSlice
*Ribbon from stash
*Pearls from stash
*Brads - American Crafts
*Sentiment Chipboard - Making memories
*Martha Stewart Doily Lace Punch
*Ranger Stickles

Thanks for popping by today! Be sure to enter my candy on the right hand side at the top of the page!!!

Swirly pinks....

Hey Hey!

Three posts in one day! Blimey!! well i'm having a crafty afternoon today! got some projects i want to try out!!



I've been delving right in with my distress inks and bold bright colours recently! i'm hoping to pick up some new colours at the NEC next week! eeeekkk im sooo excited! lol ok ill shut up!
My card today is for the following challenges:

*Simon says stamp: Happy Birthday

* Paperplay challenges: Embossing (I used black glitter powder to emboss some of my swirls)

Here's my pinky swirly Magnolia card!!! hehe

*Reciepe*
*C/Stock - Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*DSP - GCD Studios Rose Coloured Glass
*Bazzill - Basics on the edge
*Ribbon - American Crafts
*Dew drops
*Stamp - Magnolia Sweet Tilda
*Medium - Distress Inks
*Chips - Pebbles Inc
*Embossing Powder, Eyelets, Stickles

Thanks for stopping by! don't forget i have candy here!! hugs xoxo

Something Sweet... Blog Candy! NOW CLOSED

Hey all!

I've been such a bad blogger recently with being tired and things getting caught up i compleatly forgot my blogoversary and so i thought as i'm nearly at 1,000 followers i would offer some bloggy candy! The sweet kind!!!

What can ya win???

**THIS CANDY IS NOW CLOSED
See below for winners!**

The draw has now been random.org'd and is as follows :-)

Prize one!

Goes to:
No: 119: Polly B

Polly said: Hi Carly!! I've been a follower right from the start, your projects continue to amaze me week after week! Thank you for the inspiration and the chance to win some goodies Pol xxx

Prize Two!

Goes to:
NO: 13: Jessie

Jess1Cards Said: Beautiful blog hunny, love all your work including your ever growing magnolia creations, full of inspiring ideas and tips thanks for the chance Jess x

Prize Three!

A Suprise from me!!
(Something handmade and some lil bits and bobs of my favourite things)

Goes to:
NO: 7: PINKY

Pinkangelcrafts said: Yummy candy Carlz! I FINALLLLLLLY mastered how to put your candy on my sidebar......oooh get me!! xx
Congrats girls!! Please email me at sweetncrafty@live.co.uk to claim your prizes by monday 6pm or i will re-draw! hugs xxx

Thanks again to all that entered! Please pop back soon i'll be having another candy shortly to celebrate something!!! xx

To Die for!!!! princess kimmie!

Morning all!

OOOO ten days and counting till i'm on holiday from work! I sooo can't wait six months without a holiday is a looooooong strech! and of course i'm sooo looking forward to the NEC!!!

Todays card is my DT inspiration for the lovely challenge over at charisma this week which is

TO DIE FOR!

I must admit i don't use my bigshot or my slice or my cricut as much as i really should (they cost a fortune after all) but hey! i've been waiting ages to show this card as i actually made it ready for the challenge back in feb! how organised am i?!?!?! lol get me!!! im totally unorgainsed i just pretend to be honest!

I finally after much mooching around used a kraftin kimmie stamp and i must say when i first saw these i didn't think they were me but i really enjoyed using her and colouring her! so you've guessed it she's all now on my wish lists!! hehe

I'd also like to enter my card to the Kraftin' Kimme Challenge blog it's the first time i've been able to join! yay!! and there challenge is anything goes!!

And i know! shock horror i've used a magnolia doo hickey! well!! come on my creations wouldn't be me if i couldn't sneak something magnolia in there could they???

I must admit i think this mistletoe die is lovely and you dont have to use it just for christmas!! it's rather sweet as a berry die i thinks! ooo and look at my lush paper from Echo Park! yeah i'm totally in love and the collections are all on my list for the NEC!!! (Gosh i hope hubby knows i need to rob a bank!!!)

*Recipe*

*C/stock - Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*DSP - Echo Park
*Ribbons from stash
*Die - Magnolia Doo Hickey Mistletoe
*Pearls are from pizzaza aplenty
*Stamp - Kraftin Kimmie
*Medium - Promarkers
*Sparkles from ranger!

Thanks for stopping by today and hope to see you at the challenge!

Something A Lil Cute!

Something a lil sweet and cute for you this morning!!!

Well.... i do like to be different!!

 but dontcha just find housemouse soooooo adorable!! i know i do!!! I don't have many of there stamps but boy they are cute! I've a few on my wishlist for the NEC!!! (I tell ya im going to need a suitcase just for my list at this rate!)

 So then, have you guessed why i'm here? nope.... that's because my card for my DT inspiration for creative craft challenges this week has taken a different approch to the theme!!! which is:

Lacey Lovelies!

Before i go on... I took the descision to step down from the CCT DT as i've lots of exciting things coming up in the crafty world, I will miss the girls they've been soooo lovely!!! anyway....

Instead of the first initial reaction of using lace i thought about it and a little more and bit more, well ok then the truth is i forgot the lace so.... i used my martha stewart lacey border punch!! hehe!! but anyway! you can take the theme in another direction if ya can think of one! be nice to see!!!

I had to dig out my house mouse for this one it's been a while since i inked him up! naughty i know!

so here's the final look!

*Recipe*

*C/stock - Stampin' Up! Mellow Moss & Barely Bannana
*DP - Prima Annalee
*Stamp - Housemouse Monica on puffball
*Medium - Promarkers & Prisma
*Shapes - MMSlice Studio Essentials
*Pearls from stash
*Flowers - Prima Eline and Beecrafty
*Pearl Brads - American Crafts Pastels essentials
*Sentiment - LOTV
*Stickles to finish!!!

Thanks for popping by!!!

The Craft Garden Reminder!!!

Hiya all!

My gosh these days are getting by faster and faster!
I'm not having much luck in the sleeping department this week so very tired out! I'm counting down my shifts now until my holiday 9 nights to go! tho thats not including the 4 i have off! that means......... 13 days till i go to the NEC!!! oooo i so can't wait!!!

Just popping in with a little reminder to come follow The Craft Garden!!!
We have brand new challenges starting 1st April!
Pop over to see my postie!!

Make A Wish!

Good Saturday Morning all!

Me posting on a saturday! now thats a rare thing!!!

Well it's because i was thrilled to have been asked to join the Challenge Up Your Life Challenge blog as there GDT for March and April!!!!

This fortnight's Challenge is FLIP FLOP Cards, or best known to you and me as swing cards!

I must fully admit I have NEVER! made one of these before and to be fair i quite found it a challenge! and i love the results so i think i maybe making some more of these!!!

I've dug out myy trusty distress inks, i go through fazes of using these! hehe but i wanted to try something a little different to Tilda's dress today and i'm thrilled it worked whatcha think?? I think i've really mastered colouring with these now i just love the effects they give!!!

Really gives depth to her dress! I'd like to enter my card to the following challenges as well....

Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes
Totally Paper Crafts: Shaped Cards (It's a different shape!! when folded out!
Sweet Stampin': Favourite Movie (Princess Diarys, Catch a falling star)

Here's the other side of the flip!! hehe the flop.....

I've used quite a few different supplies see below for list! but yay!!! I finally got to use some more of my favourite papers from my minds eye laundry line stack!!!!

*Recipe*
*C/Stock - Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Melon Mambo
*DSP - My minds eye - Laundry Line
*Stamp - Magnolia Tilda with star
*Medium - Distress Inks
*Sizzix scribble swirls
*Sentiment - Docrafts
*Petwer edges from We R Mem Keepers
*Gems from stash
Thanks for stopping by today and I hope we'll see you at the challenge!!!

Beautiful Dream

Morning all!
Yep I'm back with my second post this morning!
Why?!?! well i've actually got some spare time to sit in my craft studio and chill and get my mojo out!! hehe!!
I've so many new fabulous projects coming up over the next few weeks i'm so excited!



Today's Project was one i actually finished off last night before i zonko'd out! boy i was very very tired!!!
I've deleved into my big box of magnolia's again (this seriously keeps growing) i'm thinking i may have to buy another box that's bigger!!! lol, I love how my card turned out today as the colouring was acutally done by accident, i was asleep!!! hehe but it looked so subtle and fabby!!!



Soooo if you've seen my post title today it's Beautiful dream?!?! why!?!?! because that's the sentiment on my card!!!

I brought these rub on's absolutly ages ago from my local QVC outlet (yes im sooo lucky to live by one of the two in the UK!!) There from Anna Griffins collection they're so pretty! i think i'll be using these more often!!!


There's a little funny story about these flowers, not quite sure where i got them from but they're so glittery and sparkly i love em! tho when making my card i only had three left! and i needed six! BRAIN WAVE!! i had used some in my wedding scrapbook (yes i know i've still not uploaded it yet but i will do in my hols at the end of the month) so I pinched three out off it! hehe!

Anyways i don't wanna bore you!! but before i show you my card today i'd like to enter it to the following challenges:

Magical Mondays Challenge: Spring Colours!
A Spoon full of sugar: Anything goes with a shabby feel!
Crafty Creations: Use Baby Blue
Simon Says Stamp: Anything Goes
Just Magnolia: Anything Goes with glitter
Allsorts: Card for a teen

Here's my card!

*Recipe*
*C/stock - Stampin' Up! Bashful Blue & Orchid Ocuplance
*DP - Fizzy Moon Celebrations
*Stamp - King Tilda
*Medium - Promarkers & Copic Blender
*Ribbon - AMC
*Butterflys - Sizzix
*Martha Stewart Punch
*Flowers from stash
*Rub-on's sentiments - Anna Griffin

Many thanks for popping by my blog today!