Colourful Christmas @ HOAC

Happy Sunday Peeps, hope you all have a relaxing day planned. December 1st already! How many of you are in a panic over Christmas and how many are all done? I'm probably somewhere between the 2 (well hopefully I am as this is scheduled from early November!!)

Time for a new challenge today at

HECK OF A CHALLENGE

and this month Kevin chose the theme

Colourful Christmas

I really needed a push to make Christmas cards so this was good for me, and to make it even quicker I decided to use a topper that I didn't have to colour from the Hobby House.

 The papers are a bit of a mixture, a couple of them were a gift from Zoe @ Stampin Up! (link in my sidebar) and I think the pink one is Echo Park. Lots of pretty snowflake dies and flowers. I did just add a bit of colour to the image with my pencils to get a bit more depth.

Head over to the main challenge blog for lots of colourful inspiration from my lovely teammies and all the details of the challenge and the prize on offer from the Mandy's can be found HERE and

their fabulous online store

http://www.everycraftsapound.co.uk/

or if you're in the area call in to the bricks and mortar shop

The Craft and Hobby Store, Heckmondwike

That's all from me today, enjoy your weekend

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges:
The Hobby House - Christmas Topper 
Crafts 4 Eternity - Non Traditional Christmas
Stampin For The Weekend  - Feeling Festive
Totally Papercraft - Ho Ho Holidays
Creative Knockouts - Tic Tac Toe (across the bottom)
Charisma Cards - Christmas
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Creative Craft - Non Trad Christmas Colours
Songbird Challenge - Die Another Day
Love To Create - 3 Favourite Embellishments
(Flowers, Pearls, So Wrapped Doo Hickey Die)
The Ribbon Girl - Ho Ho Ho Christmas Challenge

In The Frame @ Heck of a Challenge

Good Morning everyone, I'm back again this week with my 2nd DT card, this time its a new challenge as its November already at

HECK OF A CHALLENGE

and Mandy has chosen

In The Frame

A few of the DT have been given frames to decorate, I was on a little break from there when they were sent out, but as I had a little time to make something I decided to play along anyway.

I used a little decoupaged Eeyore that I have had FOREVER and I feel like I have cheated as there is no image I coloured in! Before I started blogging hardly any of my cards had coloured images but now they almost all do! The metal heart frame is from Making Memories, it's part of a tag maker set and the sentiment is a sticker so this card shouldn't have taken me as long as it did!! It's ages since I made one of these little mini cards with my Nesties.

Head over to the main challenge blog for lots of fabulous inspiration from my talented teammies.

We have lots of new teammies joining us today so please give them a visit and show them some love, also Lisa is taking a little break for personal reasons but we all hope she will be back with us soon.

All the details of the challenge and the prize on offer from the Mandy's can be found HERE and

their fabulous online store

http://www.everycraftsapound.co.uk/

or if you're in the area call in to the bricks and mortar shop

The Craft and Hobby Store, Heckmondwike

That's all from me today, thank you for stopping by to visit.

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges
A Creative Romance - Metal Mania
Crafty Hands - Anything Goes
Use It Tuesday - Creatures
Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
Die Cuttin' Diva's - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Challenges For Everybody - Anything Goes
Creative Knockouts - Banners/Pennants

By Heck I'm Going Again!

Good morning and a new month already! I don't know where this year went? 

Christmas will be here and over before we know it!

Well I know that I only just made a comeback to blogging and crafting but I'm off again as I'm nipping to Tenerife for a bit of sunshine. I fly this morning at 6.45am so I won't be around again for a couple of weeks. I have got a few posts coming up while I'm away if Mr Blogger plays nice and schedules them properly!

I've been missing from this DT for a couple of months but at last I had time to make a card for this new challenge at

HECK OF A CHALLENGE

and this month we would like to see your

Autumn Colours

I've had this little stamp half coloured on my desk for weeks, I bought him a couple of years ago I think (it could be just one year - time flies) either way I think its just the cutest!!

I have another image from the same set, that one is a little Indian on a hobby horse, they are from Nellie Snellen, I added a little sheriff's badge charm which I believe is Karen Foster.

Head over to the main challenge blog for lots of fabulous inspiration from my talented teammies and all the details of the challenge and the prize on offer from the Mandy's and

their fabulous online store

http://www.everycraftsapound.co.uk/

or if you're in the area call in to the bricks and mortar shop

The Craft and Hobby Store, Heckmondwike

That's all from me today, I'll be back tomorrow with my Diva's card and Thursday with the return of MAWTT, busy week for me especially has I've hardly made anything lately!!

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

If I can find some decent wifi I'd like to enter this into the following challenges..

Oh IDo Like To Be Beside The Seaside!

Well I actually do live beside the seaside beside the sea!! And I really don't appreciate it enough I can assure you. It's like a ghost town in the winter and over flowing with holiday makers in the summer and I'm not sure which is best!!

Anyway enough of that, can you believe it's the 1st of July already? I can't and I would like the first half of my year back please, I'm sure there was stuff I had to do in it!!

But the 1st of July it is and that means a new challenge at

HECK OF A CHALLENGE

and this month we have a theme of

The Sea

(hence my post title)

I've gone down a whole different route for me and made a CAS card. Christine made one the other week that I just loved so here is my CASED version

 I just love this Tiddly Inks image. I got it last year with a voucher Sarah got me for my birthday and I can't believe it's taken me so long to colour up!

Nothing else needs explaining on this card LOL except I used peel offs! I never thought I would!!!

Head over to the main challenge blog for some gorgeous inspiration and all the details and the prize that the lovely Mandy's are giving away this month from their fabulous online store

http://www.everycraftsapound.co.uk/

or if you're in the area call in to the bricks and mortar shop

The Craft and Hobby Store, Heckmondwike

Catch you all later - gotta fly!

Love 'n Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into these challenges (if I have time!!)

Let's Play Bingo @ HOAC

Hello lovely friends I hope all is well in your worlds and you all have something wonderful planned for this weekend. I should be working as usual, I just hope the sun shines!

As it's the 1st of the month it's time for a new challenge at

HECK OF A CHALLENGE

and this week the powers that be have chosen to play 

Bingo

I love a good game of bingo lol I never seen to win though!

This was another commissioned card and this was made under pressure for me (had to come up with it over night and I usually need a week to think about things!) I was convinced I was going to fail but I actually like how it turned out - I hope Ralph and Joy did!

The papers are from the fabulous Maya Designs and I added the diamond pins as it was a diamond anniversary. Some more yummy rolled roses, I do really love rolled roses and some glamour dust on a chipboard 60.

Here's the bingo board

I went from corner to corner with

Flowers, Die Cuts/Punch & Pearls

I hope you will all get to join us, I'd love to see what you make.

Head over to the main challenge blog for some gorgeous inspiration and all the details and the prize that the lovely Mandy's are giving away this  month from their fabulous online store

http://www.everycraftsapound.co.uk/

or if you're in the area call in to the bricks and mortar shop

The Craft and Hobby Store, Heckmondwike

Every time I've been to visit Lisa I like to spend a couple of hours browsing!!

That's all from me folks - back to work!
Once again this is scheduled as I made this at the end of March.

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges
The Ribbon Girl - Add A Die Cut (card shape, rolled roses, frame)
Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
Totally Papercrafts - Anything Goes
Crafts 4 Eternity - Same Letter (Blue, Bow, Blooms)
Addicted To Stamps - Bingo (Pins, Flowers, Pearls)

Heck of a Fashion Challenge

Hello again, you will be fed up with me soon, you don't hear from me for ages then two posts in two days! I must be getting back on a roll - NOT! Well I am trying but the creative juices aren't flowing too easily, it's a good job I got months ahead of myself in the DT work!!

Today is a new challenge as it's the first of the month (already!) at

HECK OF A CHALLENGE

and this month the theme is

Fashion

We have some fab new teammies joining us so please pop along and show them some love (I need to too as I have been AWOL for too long!

I've used one of the gorgeous Uptown Girls from Stampin' Bella this is Audrey and I think she's super glam!! The sentiment is also a Stampin Bella but I retyped it up on the PC so I could fit it in a circle die cut. The papers and the pearl swirl are MME from last summer I think they are called Hello Sunshine.

Pop along to the main challenge blog for all the details of the challenge, some fabulous inspiration and the prize that is on offer the the fabulous Mandy's and their fabulous store

The Craft and Hobby Store 

at Heckmondwike 

and the online sister store

http://www.everycraftsapound.co.uk/

That's all from me today, another Bank Holiday this weekend so I hope I'm busy

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges
Creative Card Crew - Bling
Tiddly Inks - Movie Inspiration (Pretty Woman)
I'm Hoping Stampin' Bella images count for Tiddly Inks challenge still?
Bearly Mine - Anything Goes
Die Cuttin' Diva's - Anything Goes
Totally Gorjuss - Ribbon & Pearls
Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes with Ribbon
Bunny Zoes - Favourite Colour Combo (Anything Monotone)
MMCS - Spots or Stripes

Just Add Water @ Heck Of A Challenge

Good Morning and Happy April Fools to you all, make sure your wits are sharp and don't get tricked!! I'm busy working, well working but not sure I'll be busy!!

I'd much rather be in front of the fire crafting today but I have to do something to earn my crafty spending money and I do enjoy spending money!!

As I mentioned it's the first of the month (Geeez it's going quick) and it's time for a brand new challenge at

HECK OF A CHALLENGE

This month before she left us Lisa M choose

Just Add Water

Just before I show you my card you might like to know that we are looking expand our DT and have a DT call on which you can find all the details to on the challenge blog. It would be great to have some new play mates!!

I've used the uber cute 'Waiting For Rain' from Mo Manning, these images really colour up so lovely, and this isn't the first time I've used her lol I love it when that happens - it just doesn't happen very often!!
The fabulous papers are a new purchase, couldn't resist them I'm afraid, they are from 'Stampin' Up' there is a link to the lovely Zoe in my side bar, she is soooooooo helpful and lovely!
The little duck was a button, I cut the back off with my wire cutters. The photo isn't very good I forgot to put the macro on, so as I was so close it's a bit out of focus. I've used my trusty bow maker to shape the lush bow - I'd be lost without that little tool! I did have a sentiment on a cloud but I took it off as it just wasn't right!!

Head over to the main challenge blog for all the details of the challenge and some gorgeous watery delights from the DT and we have a couple of stunning GD's joining us today, so please show them some love.
While you're there you can check out the fabulous prize on offer from the 2 Mandy's at

The Craft & Hobby Store 

or their on line sister store
http://www.everycraftsapound.co.uk/

That's all from me today, this is scheduled again - I hope I'm not too cold at work!!

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges
Mo's Digital Pencil - E is for.....Expecting Rain?
Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes with Ribbon
The Paper Shelter - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes (2nd Entry)
Joanna Sheen - Come Rain or Shine
Crafts 4 Eternity - Cute as You Like
Pink Gem - Make It Cute
Pan Pastels - Anything Goes
Glitter 'n' Sparkle - Cute
The Cutie Pies - Favourite Film (Singing In The Rain)
The Pink Elephant - 3 DP's + Favourite Embellishment

Heck of a Challenge

Morning guys, can you believe it's the 1st of March already?  I can see that this year is just going to whizz by at this rate - blink and you might miss it!!

I'm back (AGAIN) today with a brand new challenge at

HECK OF A CHALLENGE

and today we have a lovely theme of

Butterflies and Pearls

As long as there at both on your card/creation somewhere - it fits!!

Here is what I came up with

I used my favourite Tilda from last years releases (I have so many now I'm getting confused - most unused!) and I also did a bit of masking with a Magnolia background stamp. The pretty papers are also last years, On The Bright Side from MME. My pearls are in the form of pearl sprays and my butterflies are a tiny punch and aslo there is a butterfly charm tied on.

Pop over to the main challenge blog for all the details of the challenge, news on the prize you can win and lots of pretty amazing inspiration from the DT.

I love that I got time to play with my Magnolia stamps this week, I promised myself I was going to try harder this year to use my favourite things and I was starting to feel really guilty about buying new ones when I have so many I haven't used - ironic that I made a card using one of the few stamps I had already used!!

Thanks for stopping by again today, I've been a little preoccupied and only dropping in and out of blogland lately - I hope to change that soon!

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges
7 Kids College Fund - Anything Goes
Simply Magnolia - Anything Goes
Ribbon Girl Magnolia Only - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Totally Tilda - Spots & Stripes
Magnolia Mania - Butterflies
Tilda's Town - F & F or U & E

Heck Of A New Challenge for Feb

WOW can you believe its February already! I'll be back later with the winner of my blogaversary candy but first it's time for a new challenge at

HECK OF A CHALLENGE

and the only thing it could be in Feb is of course

Love and Flowers

I hope you all get both this month and every month!

 Now I'm not very happy with this card and I can't put my finger on why!! I love the cute image from Mo Manning (this stamp was a present from my lovely ladybug teammie Diane), I love the Echo Park papers, the WOC flowers and I love the sentiment and die cut cloud from Magnolia but together its not rocking my boat!! I guess you can't win 'em' all!

Head over to the main challenge blog for all the details of this challenge and some much more spectacular creations (especially from Kevin)

Don't forget to visit our challenge sponsor

 http://www.everycraftsapound.co.uk/

or their 'bricks and mortar' sister shop

Craft and Hobby Store, Heckmondwike

to pick up some great bargains!

By Heck you'd be mad not to!

I'll be back in a jiffy 
(when I've done the random thingy) 
with the winner of my candy

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I"d like to enter this card into the following challenges
Sassy - Love Is In The Air
Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes with Ribbon
Crafts & Me - Favourite Embellishment (Flowers)
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes (2nd Entry)
Totally Gorjuss - Flowers

 

By Heck I'm MAWTT

Goodness me what a job I was having to post this! I hope Mr Blogger isn't going to be this awkward again (notice I said Mr as anyone that awkward couldn't be female!! (Sorry Kevin!)
I'm actually feeling really sorry for myself as I failed to make a Magnolia DT yet again this week! Tilda is my all time favourite stamp and I seriously need an excuse to use the 100's of Magnolia stamps I've collected!! But alas it's not to be.

Today I have 2 different DT cards to post and I couldn't decide which was going to be first so I'm putting them both in the same post! (Can't have favourites lol)

First up my regular weekly post for

MOVING ALONG WITH THE TIMES 

who have a fabulous theme this week

Stitch Up

I love this cute little Sassy Cheryl image and have been itching to use her, my stitching as you can see is 'faux' I did buy a mini sewing machine but a LOT more practice is required before I can actually use a card I've stitched!

Then as it's the first of the month

HECK OF A CHALLENGE

have a brand new challenge theme

50 Shades of Autumn

Neither of these makes were what I had originally planned to post for either challenge, but Lisa beat me to it with her make for the Heck of a challenge and as I'd made the same folded flowers with the exact same paper a quick change of plan was required! lol

My card, using 'Dreads' from the fabulous Saturated Canary is probably at least 42 shades short of the required 50, lol but as its for a 50th birthday I'm covered! (just joking you don't need all 50!)

I bought the 'Papermania' capsule collection paper pad for £1 when we visited the 'Mandy's at the Craft & Hobby Store in October. The Marianne flower florish was also from there.

Follow the links and head over to BOTH challenge blogs for lots of stunning inspiration from both teams and all the details you need for each challenge can be found on the respective blogs.

Thank you all for stopping by, I'm hoping to actually make something 'just for fun' this week - no DT work allowed!!

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter the Sassy Cheryl round card into the following challenges

Simon Says Stamp - Get In Shape
The Paper Shelter - Anything Goes
Sassy Cheryl's - Nothing Square
Allsorts - In Stitches
Anything Goes - Anything Goes
Die Cuttin' Diva's - Anything Goes

I'd like to enter the Saturated Canary card into the following challenges

Scrapalicious - Happy Fall Y'all
Wags 'n' Whiskers - Fall Colours
The Ribbon Girl - Autumn Photo Inspiration
Craft Your Passion - Photo Inspiration
Bearly Mine - Flowers Galore
Shopping Our Stash - 3D Flowers
Creative Inspirations - Lets Celebrate
Stampavie - Autumn
Fab 'n' Funky - Die Cuts & Punches

Heck of a Spooky Challenge

Good morning guys its the start of a brand new month and that means a brand new challenge at

HECK OF A CHALLENGE

and this month Carrie came up with 

  Spook It Up!

oooooh scary scary lol

This is Lisa's all time favourite theme as she is an absolute Halloween nut!!

I thought I would stretch myself and NOT make a card this time

and I used a chipboard door hanger I got from the Craft and Hobby Store when Pam and I went up to visit Lisa's earlier this year.

 I covered the hanger with last year's Halloween papers from Echo Park 'Apothecary collection' and the little ghost and Frankenstein are 'Simply Shelley' stickers that I stuck on acetate, they have been in my stash for an age! The blinged up bat branch is also one of last years purchases from Prima and was in my opinion the perfect addition to the hanger! The die cut fence is a memory box gate that I cut out 3 times and stuck together.

Head over to the Heck Of A Challenge blog for all the details of this challenge and some seriously spooky makes from my teammies - they have really pushed the boat out this month!! While you are there don't forget to see if you were the lucky winner of our first challenge or maybe one of the TOP PICKS.

That's it from me today I have lots of organising to do before I head up north to meet my favourite girlies!

Thanks for stopping by
Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Creative Craft - Anything Goes
The Corrosive Challenge - Something Wicked
Fab 'n' Funky - Something Beginning With 'F' - Frankenstein, Feather & Flowers
Great Impressions - Fall Inspired
Anything But A Card - Fall Theme

Heck Of A New Challenge Starts Today

Hello my lovely lovely friends I'M BACK!!! Or at least I should be after this weekend, we are still open so I will be working but it will be more like normal hours from now onwards, which means I'm hoping to find time to create and comment again!!

Today is the start of a brand new challenge blog

HECK OF A CHALLENGE

and I'm super excited to be a part of this from the beginning

Please please please head over there and join us for our first challenge of

Anything Goes

I've been to the shop in Heckmondwike and the Mandies are lovely, I hope you will all support them.  On October 6th we are all meeting up again for a blog girls day in the shop, if you can make it book in FAST! Details on the blog.
This is a monthly challenge so that should give everyone plenty of time to enter, the challenge will close at 8pm on the last day of each month and a new challenge will begin on the 1st of each month.

I was still really busy when it came to making something for this challenge and was about to show you a picture of some cupcakes I'd made a while back for my DT contribution, lol, when I remembered I'd made this album from our trip to Italy and not blogged it!

Huge sign of relief!!!

I covered the chipboard album with the most gorgeous G.C.D. papers called 'Ella Blue'

I made all the pictures black & white then added a couple of colours back into them in Photoshop

We stopped at the 'Blue Train' restaurant on the way in Paris and it was AMAZING!!

We were with a fabulous bunch of characters - I never stopped laughing

Lake Garda is a beautiful place but Verona was my absolute favourite!

This year we went to the English Lakes and I've yet to make an album for that, maybe now I have a bit more time I'll get on with it.

Head over to the main challenge blog HERE to check out what the fabulous DT have created for some inspiration, there really is a complete collection of styles for you there! All the details can be found there including the winner of the opening candy that was up for grabs!
 The prize this month is a £10 voucher to spend in store or in the online sister shop Every Crafts A Pound  HERE

Thank you for stopping by and checking me out today, don't forget to enter my 'Birthday Candy' before you go, it really is a special one!

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges
The Stamp Man - Alter It
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Try It On Tuesday - Travel
Allsorts - Anything But Square
 Anything But A Card -  Anything But A Card