Sophisticats WK 13 and Jan has Snowflakes and Sparkle for us.

Hi ladies this is my post for the Sophisticats WK13, our talented Jan, has choosen the fantastic theme off Snowflake and Sparkle, now I don't know about you guys, but I think snowflakes are going to be coming for real very soon......I love the Snow, even though I cannot get out, it is just so beautiful to watch and see...

Lisa has a prize up for grabs for the winner of this weeks challenge, Thank you Lisa for your generosity, you always come up trumps for us girls....I made a Napkin Holder for Xmas, using yet again my trusty acrylic paints, (I had such a problem getting the paint off of me for the party girls......), I edged the holder with silver ink pad and decorated with Die cut Snowflakes with added glitter and gems for Sparkle.....hope you like it girls and hope you have a fantastic day. Love to you all. Avril xxxxx

1st Ever Blog Hop with Cute Daisy May, we want GEMS

Well friends as promised yesterday, we are having an exciting Blog Hop at Cute Daisy May, and I am part off it, how great is that.....there are some awesome prizes up for grabs on the way around, and for the winner Linnie has some fabulous images, now you don't want to miss out on any chances of winning so here is what I WANT you to DO.  If you have come from Lora you are on the right track if not go back to Beccy and start from there you will be collecting Letters which will make a word or phrase........you have to visit every blog and leave a comment on this weeks projects for Cute Daisy Mays Gems challenge, you will see so many of our Fabulous images and the girls are just so talented you will be amazed.....I used a free download from Linnie, her drawings are just the cutest, and honestly take me back to my childhood, and reading the "Twinkle"

I have some candy on offer(Patchwork Pals, stamps)(and some mystery items...) for the visitors to my blog, and although I don't have Mr Linky (I have to learn about this very soon), so as in the time honoured tradition, Santa's Hat will come into play and Tommy will do the draw....LOL. Good Luck everyone, much Love Avril, and before I forget) my Letter is M now off you go to Valou   (who has also joined the DT along with myself) to get your next letter, don't leave the answer in my comments you must e-mail your answer, the link for this is on the Cute Daisy May challenge blog....Good Luck

My 1st Project as a DT at Winter Wonderland

Brrrrr, It is a very cold dismal day here in Edinburgh, Winter has finally arrived, which I suppose is appropriate, as today, I am posting my 1st Project as a DT at Winter Wonderland.  I want to thank you all, again, for all your support and kind comments during the week.   Also I would like to say that Mhairi and Allen's party was FABULOUS, we all had a great night, and I was embarrased with a bunch of flowers, well the tears started, and I am not a teary person, but my All my kids were beautiful, my grandchildren were gorgeous, and here was my daughter giving ME...flowers......I got home about 4am and immediately I was in the house, the cold became a full blown COLD, and I slept most of yesterday, Mhairi and Allen turned up last night, we had a Chinese together, I think they are going to have a great life together.

Winterwonderland want us to make a Candle Holder or Stamp a Candle, I took delivery of some Tim Holtz grunge board, WOW, how fabulous is this ordinary looking stuff.....I had a Yankee Candle from last year that I had not used, so I made a candle holder, I painted the grunge board with Acrylic Paints (don't ask me what colours I used to get the final result, LOL) I made a gold marble effect, (which is not very visible on the on the picture) with gold acrylic and shaving foam.  I moulded it into a holder for the candle and used FF images and gems to decorate.  I finished it off with some ribbon from my stash, Hope you all like it and all take part in our Challenge over at Winterwonderland this week, The DT's who are a talented bunch of girls, that I am in AWE off have outstanding projects to show, so come on girls, pop over and take part.....Love to you all. Avril xxx

Please come back tomorrow, I have some exciting things going on..........have a great Sunday my dear Friends xxxxxx

1 Card for 3 Challenges

Afternoon dear friends this is just a quick post before I go and start getting ready for the party, at the minute I have hair dye on, just waiting on it setting....

This card is for Digital Doodling Challenge 2, where there is a fab free image to use called Mrs Tilly Claus, how sweet is she.....they wanted to use a that is live at the minute of entering, so I followed the sketch at Mojo Monday WK114, I also want to enter this into Passion for Promarkers WK27, which is any colour and Vintage theme, I used Apricot, Cocoa and Spice for the colouring of Tiily's outfit, isn't she just beautiful, I used Satin and Ivory for her hair....hope you all like it girls, I will be away now and start to get all dolled up, I need all the help there is...LOL, I am streaming with the cold, and have a red nose and chapped lips, I am praying for a miracle.....LOL. have a great day, hopefully be back tomorrow, and thank you so much for all your good wishes this week, your comments mean so much too me, I think I managed to catch up with everyone this morning, I was up at 6am, sneezing was keeping me awake, so I thought, get up and switch into blogland....LOL. Hugs to you all. Avri lxxx

1 Card for 3 Challenges & More News, CAN MY LIFE GET ANY BETTER

Afternoon Ladies, I cannot believe we are at Thursday already, nearly the weekend, how great is that.  Thank you all so much for your kind wishes yesterday, your support and words are greatly appreciated.  I was stuck in the shed for about 3 hours, and lost internet connection, just as well I have music, heat and off course all my craft things....I put the time to good use off course, and was wondering where my Shed and I were going to end up, LOL.

This card is for 3 challenges, 1st for Cute Daisy May, who wanted to see Christmas Red, the Elf  (how great is this image) was a freebie over at Cute Daisy May last week.  I want to share more news Linnie has asked me to be a Guest Designer on Cute Daisy May, I just love these images, they remind me of reading the Twinkle when I was a wee girl... the papers were free in one of the craft magazines, I have had such a great time using these papers this year, they usually just get left in the magazines and never looked at again....shame on me, the embellishments were in my stash, I also want to enter this card into Incy Wincy Designs, Challenge 19  who have an "Anything Goes" this week, there is a sketch to follow, but you don't have to use it.  I am also going to enter this card into Cute Card Thursday No.88 which is "Snips & Snails & Puppy Dog Tails" and as the name suggest a card appropriate for a younger boy.....Well I have already ear-marked this card for my grandson Tommy's friend Jamie, who comes to stay most weekends and is just such a cute, cheeky wee boy........ Hope you like this girls, I have some more to post later on, and I have been very busy with my DT projects, the only hint I am going to give you is that I am again covered in paint......and my daughter's engagement party tomorrow....I hope I get it off...LOL. Love to you all as usual my dearest friends. Hugs Avril xxxxx

Card for WK 26 at Winterwonderland & Some More fabulous NEWS

Well my dear friends, I am stuck in the shed, waiting for the rain to go off a bit, it is wild here in Edinburgh, and I hope that you are not sharing this awful weather.

I thought I would post my card for CH26 at Winterwonderland which this week was to use "No Xmas Stamps or Xmas Papers" and I thought mmmm, so out came the decoupage and my all time favourite characters from Moorhead, just love these cute wee characters.  I then teamed it up with papers from my HOTP Floral book, which I got a few summers ago, and guess what it worked......Hope you like the result my dear friends.

Now onto my Fabulous News, Anne at Winterwonderland approached me this week and asked me if I would like to join their team on a permanent basis, (you will know that I had 2 guest spots earlier on this month), honest I was just so taken aback, but my obvious answer was YES PLEASE, I cannot believe how lucky I have been recently and I am working along some very talented ladies, that when I visit their blogs, I think, I wish I was as good as that.......how can they want little ole me, but I am so very very happy.....pop over to Winterwonderland this week and take part in their challenge this week, it does make you think, but also very possible.......as you can see.....

Festival of Light at Tuesday Taggers

Morning dear friends, well we have reached another week at Tuesday Taggers, 1st off all I would like to thank everyone who took part in last weeks challenge, all your works was awesome and I love you all for your support.

 FESTIVAL OF LIGHT

This week we are celebrating the "Festival of Light" which has different meaning to different people and faiths all around the world and we want to see yours......our DT as usual have surpassed themselves to showcase our "Festival of Light", pop over and check out all the fab projects and take part, we want to see, what Festival of Light means to you........

My project was quite simply a Candle, using the D&D images I cannot seem to make enough off these, with daughters, and grand-daughters around, I make one and it is gone....LOL, in honour of the season I got out my gorgeous Table runner to showcase the candle, I also made a matt for it sitting on, using a CD, which I coloured with acrylic paints and embossed with green tinsel embossing powder, just before taking the picture I sprinkled a little white glitter around it to look like snow....Hope you like.......have a fab Tuesday dear friends and just to let you know the book half won yesterday, I started projects in the shed, which I hope to finish today, but I spent a little time reading too, I have had a slack wisdom tooth  (now I know you are falling about laughing, me with wisdom, well not anymore, cos they are all out now.....) for about 6 months and it came out yesterday afternoon, and I was very tired for some reason.......so I relaxed and read.....

Week 12 Sophisticats Challenge

Good morning dear friends, well Monday has come around again, and it is very Wet and Windy here in Edinburgh, just the sort of day that you want to cosy down and read a good book......or off course crafting, but I have to go out in this weather to get to my shed....Humph......

It is Week 12 for our Sophisticats Challenge, this week Karen as choosen the theme of ATC size, topper on card or project or even an ATC on its own........this is in honour of Cheryl, who has left the Cats, and anyone who knows her knows that her 1st love is ATC's so come on girls lets give Cheryl a great send off from our challenge blog, there is an added element to this challenge, NO CHRISTMAS, which I think might be great for everyone who is getting a wee bit tired of the making xmas goodies, I know we all will have birthdays and anniversary's etc during November and December so this is perfect to get the creative juices flowing, or you just might want to have a play just for playing sake.   I decided to play with my inks and spritzers which was really enjoyable if not messy...LOL, I hope you like mines girls.

Lisa has kindly put up a prize of these gorgeous Valentine sentiments to this weeks lucky winner....she has so much more in her store so pop over and see what she has.....in store......


I have decided to put my ATC into a New Challenge Blog, Tellens Place, who want to see Embellishments on your project, well I have added loads of gems to my ATC so hopefully this fits, pop over to Tellen and give the girls your support, thank you dear friends, love to you all, now will I brave the weather, or will the book win.......check back later and find out....LOL xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thanks Christine & A Card for 5 challenges

Afternoon ladies I have 2 reasons to thank Christine, 1st off all I have an award that she left for me on her blog earlier this week, which I have to pass onto 5 people and give 5 things that I love........and if that was not enough the Postman brought me a fantastic gift yesterday from Christine, a beautiful Wallet Card with a cat on the front, my goodness do you know me well Christine, and inside loads and loads of fab images for me to play with, I love you so much for sending me this gift, my favourite "Yorkshire Pudding" , if any off you have not yet been over to Christines blog, please do that now.....I am getting good with the Orders........LOL

So here goes 5 things I love:

1. Making Cards
2. My Crafting Buddies, where would I be without them, I have made so many life long friends
3. My Family, that goes without saying
4. Coffee
5. Chocolate

I am passing the award onto:-

1. Nikki my daughter who is also crafting and has just won her 1st Challenge, I am so proud off you my darling.
2. To all of my 121 Followers, I cannot believe that I have so many lovely people following my blog and always taking the time to pop over and give me encouragement, I love each and everyone off you and I could not choose 5 sorry for that, but you are all so very important too me......so please,please take this award and pop it on your blogs.....Love Avril xxxxx

Now for my card, I think I have 5 challenges in this card. I have used the Sketch  CH46 at Charisma, I have used 1st Noel, that fits in with Allsorts WK28 Christmas Carol/Song Title  and Ildi Co CH5 Inspirations - Song Title, Dare 2 Digistamp, CH26 want to see Glitter on your projects using a Digi Image, also Bee-Crafty CH 18 want Sparkle also using a digi image....I have used another image from Linnies - Cute Daisy May  range, these are so great to work with.  I used some papers from my stash colour the Snowman and decoupaged him in parts. I embossed the ends of his scarf with holographic embossing powder and also embossed his body with Sparkle/Glitter, embossing powder, also used snomen gems and other gems from my stash, hope you like, and hope you are all having a fab Sunday.....Love to you all Avril xxxxxx

1 Card for 4 Challenges

Afternoon friends, from a Wet and Miserable Edinburgh, I have just finished this card that I hope will fit into 4 challenges, I  have used Purple which is Cheryl's pick for CH18 at Incy Wincy Designs, hope there is enough purple for you Cheryl, I used the Getting Round To It theme at Anyone for Anya, I think this is Rockstar Anya, maybe you could keep me right on that, also Cute Card Thursday CH87 is Teen Terrors, well I think Anya looks like a "Teen with Attitude", LOL, I am also going to enter this into Crafty Catz, WK 9, who want "Celebration", I made this into a Birthday card, as Jennifer has some friends who have birthdays in December so this is perfect, Hope you all like......I am off back to the shed to finish another card, that I have started. Love you all......I will be back later as I have an award to give out, hope you will join me... xxxx

Flutterby Wednesday Challenge 84

Good Afternoon ladies, I made this gift bag, using a template that came in an Anna Griffin kit from QVC many moons ago, this was the 2nd kit I bought and the templates have never seen the light of day until now.  I used Winter's Tale papers from Daisy and Dandelion, and used my SeeD xmas stamps to make an Angel Tag, this fits in with Flutterby Wednesday's challenge 84, that asks for Butterfly, Angel or Fairy on your project.  I added gems to give it a bit of sparkly, I could not believe how easy this was to make, I don't know about you, but I hate paying the money for gift bags at the shops, so now I don't have too...LOL. Hugs to you all, Avril xxxxx

A Card for 4 Challenges

Evening Ladies, I have had a horrible day, (which kind of goes with the weather)  my washing machine has broken down, again, and the water is all over my kitchen floor again, it has been steaming all afternoon and all my cupboards are filled with water, ruining almost every bit of food I have......

I decided to cheer myself up, until Brian came home, by going down to my shed, I managed to put a card together using Dianne's Sketch at Crafty Catz, challenge WK8,  I used one of Linnie's free xmas downloads and the challenge at Cute Daisy May, is Touchy, Touchy, I used glitter, glitter card,  flower soft, and ribbon for texture, thanks Linnie for these amazing downloads, I used the Passion for Promarkers colour combo of Burnt Umber & Marsh Green, thought this made a wee change from doing snowmen, in blues, if you know what I mean...I also used the Recipe for CH2 at Magical Crafts Fortnightly challenge, their recipe was to use a Santa or Snowman, or both, also Sparkle, Ribbon and Christmas Flower.  Hope you like it girls.

Could I also thank you ALL for your good wishes regarding my new DT post at ECP, I wanted to let you know that the 1st challenge takes place on 4th December, and at the moment we have a lot of goodies to give away, to a follower, I would appreciate it if you could pop over and maybe add the Blinkie to your side bar and help spread the word....many thanks and lots of love Avril xxxxxx

No Card but I have a HUGE Announcement

Afternoon ladies, I had an amazing e-mail last night, which I did not actually read until this morning, I unfortunately hurt myself badly when I went into town yesterday on my own, and now know that I cannot do that, so I was in my bed for 6pm last night, but up early this morning to catch QVC's TSV, and opened my computer and wham there it was, the very talented Lisa and Katie are starting a new fortnightly blog called Easy Craft Projects Challenges and they have asked  Little old me to be a DT Member, how great is that......I replied straight away, but had to wait until I had the go ahead to Spread the Word...so girls, I am asking you yet again to support me and pop over to this new blog, become a follower and watch out for the new challenges, which I obviously will keep you up-dated with. 

Tuesday Taggers, Red, Green & Gold

Well ladies it is another week for the Tuesday Taggers challenge, and we have chosen a brilliant colour combo of Red, Green & Gold, doesn't this sound festive and put you in the mood for xmas......We have a fantastic Guest this week Beth, who has given us a fantastic project, thanks Beth, (pop over and give her your support),  you are awesome girl. I urge you to take a look at all the DT projects as usual they are pretty awesome.  I decided to do a Gift Tag, which I cut out with my Slice Machine and played about with the Coloured Spritzers that I got from QVC recently, I also used a vintage red ink pad that came with an Anna Griffin kit years ago.  I stamped this gorgeous Sarah Kay image and watercoloured it with the Tim Holtz inks, Rasperberry, Walnut Stain and Peeled Paint......this obviously was not my 1st attempt, actually started on Friday afternoon, made tea and went back to my shed, now all you that know me know that Brian and I always watch NCIS on a friday night, he phoned me at 10.45 and said I am off to bed, I thought he was joking......so hopefully you like it.

I am also going to put this into the Sarah Kay Challenge which this week is NOT A CARD, so I think this fits perfectly.....

Sophisticat Challenge 11, Sketch From Our 1st Guest Designer SEM

Well Monday has come around, again, where did the weekend go...roll on next weekend, oh!no! wait that is too close to Xmas....LOL.  I would like to thank everyone who supported us at Sophisticat this week, our challenges are going from strength to strength and that is all thanks to you guys, for taking part,  We have a new week and a new challenge 11 is a Sketch supplied by our 1st Guest Designer, SEM, she has made a fantastic job of being our 1st guest and had our crafty juices flowing, thank you SEM, so come on girls pop over, and see what SEM has given us for you.   Our Team have made a great job too. We have been given a fabulous stamp donated by Yuki owner of the one off our Sponsors Little Craft House, also pop over to Lisa's blog as she has some Candy up for grabs.

I am going to enter my card into Cute Card Thursday CH 86 who want us to Glitter me Silly I think I have done this, and I have a favour to ask, if anyone know the name of the image I have used could you let me know it....

I am also entering this into Secret Crafter Saturday Ch 57, they are asking for 4 seasons, either 1 or any number of the 4, obviously I have chosen Winter, even the colours are wintery don't you agree.

Wendy at Digital Doodling has fantastic Digital Images up for sale, you must go and check her blog out, she also going to be giving Mrs Claus free once she has reached 200 followers, so come on girls, go over and give her your support and let us have this amazing image...please.............thank you girls. Hugs Avril xxxx