The Little Mermaid

So, I first saw this gorgeous digi-mermaid over on Minas blog, an had to have it!! Its from Crafts and Me, and was just lovely to use.   I used wave embossed pearl paper, opalescent paper and lots of shimmer which is quite difficult for the camera to pick up.

And, yep - I'm still loving playing with my Marianne flower dies :)  I also used spellbinder Fleur-de-Lys, Nesties and Magnolia doo-hickey dies on this too.

I made this card for a very special friend who loves all things mermaid and fishies, but not crabs!! lol.

.... and I am entering this card in the below competitions:

Crafts and Me - Use yellow - her hair is buttercup and pastel yellow pro-markers.

Crafty Catz - Pearls and Swirls

Ladybug Crafts Ink - Handmade flowers

Charisma Cardz - Bling and Sparkle

Stamp Something - Spring means to me - clean and fresh and raindrops

Prairie Fairy Fridays - Spring

Wags n Whiskers - Spring

Totally Gorjuss - Spring

Creatalicious Challenges - Two Tone

Sew Many Challenges - Spring Fling

Allsorts Challenge - For a special lady

2 Sisters Challenge - Make own embellishments.

Craft Your Days Away - Special lady or mum

Ooh La La Creations - Special friend or mum

Stamptacular Sunday - No kids allowed

Cupcake Inspirations - Gorgeous photo inspiration

The Ribbon Girl - Green and yellow creations - her hair is buttercup and pastel yellow promarker

Paper Playtime - Digi Mondays - Anything Goes

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - Fab photo inspiration by Kevin

Whoopsi Daisy - Glitter and Glitz it

Top Tip Tuesday - Nature Inspired

Tuesday Throwdown - Florals

Cooking it up with Katie - Sparkle, shine and shimmer

Thanks so much for looking and commenting, and good luck to everyone in these challenges,

Tagged!!!

NOT Ophelia Hamlet !

I've just been tagged! :)  Never heard of it outside of FB lol, but I was tagged by my blogging buddy Denise.

I dont tend to share much personal info on my blog when I get awards etc, as I never know what to put or who to pass on to, but I always display the badges and feel honoured to be picked out by my friends, and on this occasion I am playing ;)

3 x Names you are known by:  Alison, Cruella from my punk past, and
'The Great Leveller' was a nickname obtained in my old job in the Police where I stood up for justice and fairness to all, and I kicked ass! ;)

3 x Places I have lived: Nottingham (born and bred) and now Scotland.

3 x Places I have worked: Nottinghamshire Constabulary (14 yrs) where I ran the Traffic Dept before moving to Scotland.   I was then very lucky to work in a fun, family run garage alongside my husband, in the most beautiful place in the world.  I have always worked in male dominated (and quite mucky environments - lol), and never dreaded going to work in my life ever - I have always found something to laugh about. :)

3 x Things I Watch:  Anything with Richard Armitage, but especially Spooks.  I also watch The Apprentice, and though I am not a big TV viewer, I am a news addict and my default channel is Sky News and am on first name terms with the lot of em! ;) lol.

3 x Things I love to Eat: - I dont have a sweet tooth, but things I could not live without - Marmite, Cheese and a good curry.

3 People to pass this onto: ......... now this is tricky, as I dont want to burden anyone, but I would like to pick:

Suzilou
Bridget
Heidi

Oh, and finally the picture.  I was 15 years old when I was taken to the Tate Gallery in London.  I stood in front of the picture Ophelia by John Everett Millais, and was literally frozen to the spot.  I stood there just gazing and staring, was completely mesmerised and literally had to be dragged away.  I thought it the most beautiful thing I had ever seen (but not my photoshopped version with me in it! lol).  I spent about 40p on a picture postcard that I still have to this day, and I also have a large version of this painting in my home.  I have looked at this picture every day of my life since. :) 

The real Ophelia: - breathtaking.

So thats a bit of waffle about me. The first and the last time! :D

Forever Friends for Mothers Day

I have no idea where this week has gone!!.. it must be because we put the clocks forward or something! ;) lol.

So, something slightly different from me today, as I have been on a mission all week to seek out my Forever Friends stamps and have a play. 

This is for 2 reasons;

1.  The Forever Friends challenge blog has a great challenge this week, and lots of candy to re-launch its new ownership.  I have been a follower of this blog for a while, as Forever Friends have quite a special place in my heart, and it would be great to see more people play along.

2.  One of the last things my mum bought me before she passed away, was loads of FF goodies, stamps, papers, decoupage and a CD full of gorgeous cute designs.  I have not felt able to use any of them until now, but rather than keep them all intact I'm sure she would want me to have  a play with them. :)

I used MME papers, MS punch and flowers from stash.

I followed the great sketch over on Fuzzy Wuzzy challenges, and will be entering this card in the spirit of Mothers Day in the following competitions as my mum inspired me so much.

Forever Friends - Create any card with a Forever Friends image
Fuzzy Wuzzy Challenges - Fab Sketch
Totally Papercrafts - Cuddly and Cute
Papercutz Challenge - Use 3 DP
Stampin for the Weekend - Mothers day.
Allsorts Challenge - Special Lady
Craft Your Days Away - Mum or special lady
Dream Valley Challenges - Mothers Day
Creative Inspirations - Mothers Day
Lets Ink It Up - Dies and punches
The Crafty Pad - Mothers Day
One Stitch at a Time - Mothers Day
Ooh La La Challenges - Mothers Day
Cupcake Challenges - Mothers Day
Oldie but Goodie - Pink/Blue and brown

Thanks so much for looking, have a fab day, and good luck to everyone in these challenges,

Sweet Pea for my first DT card - One Stop Craft Challenge

Hope everyone is having a fabulous start to the weekend? :)

Now this is my first DT card for the One Stop Craft Challenge, (I'm so excited! - lol)

This week the theme is faeries or angels, (who doesnt love them!?) so I hope you feel like joining in.

I used a Sweet Pea image called 'In the Wind' and it was so lovely to work with.  I used MS punches (butterfly and border), nesties, stickles and a 12 x 12 piece of paper I never thought I would cut into! :) lol.

Flowers are Marianne dies, pearls from stash. 

I am entering this card in the following competitions:

Lets Ink It Up - Dies and Punches

Papertake Weekly - Girly

Simon Says Stamp - Girly

In a Sweet Pea Dream - Hello Spring

Crafts and Me - Anything Goes

Flutterby Wednesdays - Anything Goes

Charisma Cardz - For a Teen

Stamp Something - Spring

Sweet Pea Stamps Challenge - Pack a Punch

Prairie Fairy Fridays - Oh so spring

Wags n Whiskers - Spring

Creatalicious Challenges - Two tone

Sew Many Challenges - Spring Fling

Totally Gorjuss - Spring has sprung

Allsorts Challenge - For a special Lady

2 Sisters Challenge - Make own embellishments

Ellephantastic Challenges - Cute with a butterfly

Craft Your Days Away- Special lady

Do You Stack Up - Shine on - I have stickles, pearls and glitter pen on this for highlights (not clear)

Thanks so much for looking, and good luck to everyone in these challenges, 

Baby Buttons

Here we are then, almost the weekend - yay! :)

Now, Im not a big fan of using buttons on my projects - I thinks they belong on yer cardi! ;) lol, however a few challenges this week want to see buttons, and they I do look cute on baby cards.

This is a bit pastel-y for me.  I was trying to keep it soft and a little simpler than normal as I'm always inspired when I visit Katinas blog with her simple, but elegant and sweet cards.  I like to faff a lot, and find it hard to walk away thinking its finished if it was too quick. :)  So this is quick, simple and clean for me.

I used a fabulous freebie digi image by Meljen - I love her images, so intend to get a few more quite soon.  I used K&Co papers, MS pap and the charm was from a recent win on Lexi's blog and its from Ewe2can craft.

I am entering this card in the below competitions:

Totally Gorjuss - Button it

Delightful Challenges - Pastel and ribbon

2 Sisters Challenge - Furry and fuzzy friends

The Crafty Pad - Use a digi

One Stitch at a Time - Boys

Stamp with Fun - Spring

Creative Card Crew - No rubber

City Crafter Challenge - Babies, buttons and bows

Digital Tuesday - Buttons

Cooking it up with Katie - Animals and buttons

Creative Cottage - Spring has sprung

Meljens Designs - Punches

Colour Create - Pastels

C.R.A.F.T Challenges - New Baby

Moving Along with the Times - Precious Metals

Sarah Hurley Challenges - Green

Totally Papercrafts - Cute and cuddly

Thanks so much for looking, and good luck to everyone in these challenges.  Please check back tomorrow to see my 1st DT card for One Stop Craft Challenges.  Have a great day,

Tilda with Wand

I love playing about with layers, punches and dies, and its great to have a sketch that inspires you to create dimension without relying on flowers :) (though I love them too!).  I saw this sketch on the FuzzyWuzzy challenge blog, and thought it was brilliant, though I cant enter this card, as the theme is animals. :) (note to self Alison, check the theme!) ;) lol.

I used Tilda with Wand (one of my favourite stamps), and hand-stitched the papers and beads.  I used spellbinders dies and an MS punch.  I have quite taken to die-cutting my image, but keeping bits outside the frame -  its easy once you get the hang of it. :)  Bling and charm from stash.

I am entering this card in the below competitions:

Just Magnolia - Fave Colour Combo - I love aquas/blues and whites, they look so clean.

Magnolia Stamp Lovers - Use dies

Lets Ink It Up - Dies and punches

Cupcake Craft Challenges - Monochrome - shades of one colour - blue

The Shabby Tea Room - Bingo - Gems/glitter/ribbon

A Spoonful of Sugar - Ribbon, pearls/gems and floral DP

Papertake Weekly - Girly

Ladybug Crafts Ink - Monochrome

Simon Says Stamp - Girly

Crafty Creations - In Stitches

Moving Along with the Times - Precious metal

Do You Stack Up - Shine on

Creatalicious Challenges - Two Tone

Thanks so much for looking, have a great day, and good luck to everyone in these challenges,

Puppy Dogs Tails

.........and I always thought it was 'slugs and snails' ;) lol

This is another one of my most favourite Mo Manning images - Toby is 2.  There is something a little comical about tiny tantrums after the event, and this image just makes me smile.  Dont you just want to give him a cuddle? lol.

I made this card following the great sketch on Sketch Saturday, it was a breeze and I loved it. :)  I distressed and hand-stitched HOTP papers, and just matted and layered with Bazill cardstock and added a few card-candy dots, flourish die and MS punched borders.  The sentiment was from an old K&Co QVC kit.

I am entering this card in the below competitions:

Mo's Digital Challenge - Lets hear it for the boys
Sketch Saturday - Great sketch
Sweet Stampin Challenge - Slugs and Snails and Puppy dogs tails
I Love Promarkers - Card for a male
Tuesday Morning Sketches - Kids
The Crafty Pad - Use a digi
One Stitch at a Time - Something for Boys
Creative Card Crew - No rubber - use digi

Thanks so much for looking and leaving comments - it makes my day reading them.  Good luck to everyone in these challenges, and have a great day,

Pink Diva

I made this card today for the Kenny K Krafty Girlz challenge which this week is Lace, Ribbons and Bows - so this had to be girly didnt it? ;)

I followed the fab sketch over on Sketch and Stash, and this felt like a really quick card, so not much to say about it in detail. :) I used Download Diva Kenny K digi-stamp, MME 6x6 papers, MS punches and Cuttlebug and Marianne dies.  Oh, and I put glossy accents on the MP3 player and used Sakura Clear Star glitter pen for accents in her hair (neither show up in the pic) tut :)

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Kenny K Krafty Girlz - Lace, Ribbons and Bows
Cupcake Inspirations - I chose pink fondant icing
Sketch and Stash - Sketch + new image
Papertake Weekly - 3 of something - 3 flowers
Bling it On - Anything Goes - 3rd entry
Bearly-Mine - Mothers Day
Crafty Creations - Mothers Day
Do You Stack Up - Add a Bow
Sassy Studio Designs - Make own embellishments.
Charisma Cardz - To Die for - Flower/flourishes/nesties


Thanks so much for looking, and good luck to everyone in these challenges.

Baby Bo

Morning :)  We had so much snow yesterday!.. Incredible.  It was proper snow too - just right for making snowmen ;).  I took my dogs out for a play and threw snowballs (they cant find them or throw them back! lol )

Kevin and Oliver

Anyway, after all that fun, we had a cosy afternoon and I set about making todays card. 

I used this fabulous  Baby Bo digi-stamp from Teddy Bo.   It was totally fabulous to colour and really quick using only 3 shades of pro-markers.   I also followed their great sketch on the Teddy Bo blog.

I distressed and hand-stiched K&Co Addison papers,  used MS punch, pearl white card candy, and ribbon, charm and scrabble letters from stash.

I am entering this card in the below competitions:

Teddy Bo Challenge - Sketch

Dream Valley - New Beginnings

Everybody Art - Baby

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

I Love Promarkers - Babies

Crafty Creations - Baby Blue

Moving Along with the Times - Card for a Male

Do You Stack Up - Layers

Dutch Dare - Photo Inspiration

Bling it On - Anything Goes + charm

Thank you so much for looking, have a smashing Sunday and good luck to everyone in these challenges.

One World

'We must recognise that the suffering of one person or one nation is the suffering of humanity.'

His Holiness the Dalai lama

I am a very spiritual person.  I am a very political person.  I have opinions and thoughts about everything that affects me, my family, my country and the world.  I vowed when I started my blog, I would not indulge my myself and pass my thoughts or opinions onto others without being asked.

but...

....after the shocking and devastating events in Japan on Friday, I like most people found myself absorbed in nothing but the news.  At many times I cried as feelings of helplessness and powerlessness swept over me, and I just could not believe the terrible images I was seeing. 

My heart, my thoughts and sincerest wishes go out to the Japanese nation at this time.

Recent weeks have also seen global events unsettling the world as we are forced to face powerful images of bloodshed and fighting in the Middle East.  When governments and armed forces turn against their own people as they try to fight for liberty, freedom and equality, something is wrong.  For the Libyan people caught in unrest and civil war - I hope they find the strength and courage to do whats right for them and that the situation can be resolved without further bloodshed.

I needed to express from the heart today, as being part of the blogging community I know that whilst this is fun, none of us are detached from the real world.

Have a great day, and take care.

xxalisonxx

Spring Greens

........and I dont mean the cabbages........ (bleugh!) ;) lol.

Now, I dont usually go for colouring my images so heavy or vivid, but they say fortune favours the brave, so last night I decided to just 'go for it'. 

Lots of challenges this week want to see green and I struggled to find decent DP for a base. In the end I resorted to raiding my xmas stash and felt this gorgeous fairy image from Lili of the Valley really needed to be quite bold to stand a chance against these.

I followed Cazza's sketch over on Sketch Saturday (I tried, I really did) and used lots of punches and die-cut layers to give it depth.  I used a Nellie Snellen circle die as it has great loops and I wound the flowers and ivy leaves through, attaching beads on the stems to create a floral wreath.  The papers and ribbon are HOTP christmas, flowers, leaves and lucky clover charm from very old stash.

I am entering this card in the below competitions:

Really Reasonable Ribbon - Green
Lili of the Valley - Say it with flowers
Sketch Saturday - Cazza's fab sketch
The Stamp Man - Mothers Day - floral theme
CES Challenges - Lucky or St Patricks Day - I used a 4 leaf clover charm
The Crafty Pad - Use ribbon
One Stitch at a Time - Use a charm
Crafty Cardmakers - Fabric - Ribbon and fabric leaves.
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Show some metal.
The Shabby Tea Room - Lucky Green
PaperPlay Challenges - Green and good luck
Do You Stack Up - Layers
Magical Monday - Spring colours
Papertake Weekly - Lemon/yellow Zingy
Ladybug Crafts Ink - Spring colours
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Sew Many Challenges - St Patricks, lucky, green
Colour Create - Green/Olive, brown, cream, black - option leaves

Thanks so much for looking, have a great weekend, and good luck to everyone in these challenges.

Forest Blue

Woop! Woop!... My internet is now restored, and though its not as fast as 99% of the UK @512kbps, its still good enough for me to upload pics and blog quite happily. 

So, todays card is using another Sweet Pea image called Forest Blue and it was so lovely to play with.  I followed Rach's sketch over on Friday Sketchers, and stuck to a theme of 'black, white + one colour' for the One-Stop Craft challenge.

I coloured with Promarkers (my new Ivory arrived quickly thanks to Joanna Sheen!) added highlights with glitter, and stitched beads with silver thread and added moon charms to the MS punch.  I distressed and chalked the edges of the DP.

I also hand-stitched and beaded all around the edge of the DP (close up above) and attached the main moon charm by silver thread and beads.

I'm not real sure about the DP, but I think the main sheet and the moon piece were from a Brenda Pinnick 12 x 12 pad which I have had for a long time.

I am entering this card in the below competitions:

One Stop Craft Challenge - Black, white  + one

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

PaperPlay Challenges - Shabby Chic

Friday Sketchers - Fab sketch by Rach

Allsorts Challenge - Card for a teen.

The Crafty Pad - Use Ribbon

One Stitch at a Time - Charms

Crafty Cardmakers - Fabric - I used 2 ribbons.

Cooking it up with Kate - Sweet, Sassy, Punchy

Fab n' Funky - Girly

Stamp with Fun - Monochrome Blue

Spoonful of Sugar - Shabby/vintage

Bearly Mine challenges - Birthday card

Simon Says Stamp and Show - Some Metal

Sweet Pea Stampers - Favourites.  This is definately one of my favourite Sweet Pea images.

Make it Colourful - Colour a shine - I am not a confident 'colourer', so this blog makes me practise and I am always nervous about entering! :)

Thanks so much for looking, and I will now catch up on my commenting.  Have a great day, and good luck to everyone in these challenges.

Good Luck ......... my friend.

I made this card for my friend and his wife who are moving home (and taking their desk - lol) and also starting new jobs.  I really wish them lots of luck and happiness in their new life.

I followed the sketch over on The Sugar Bowl and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thought this cried out for 3 little adorables ;)  There are 2 reasons I haven't coloured them in completely - one is that I think these look lovely even with just a subtle amount of feathery colour, and the other is that I have finally used up all my 'Ivory' pro-marker, and so until I get another one, I might struggle to colour flesh! :D lol. 

I did use Lilac, Lavender, Cool Grey 2 and Forest Green Promarkers though for my subtle effects as well as the blender pen.

I think I kept this quite simple (for me) and just added little highlights to the hair and ribbons.  I threaded tiny dragonfly charms on the stems of the roses and twisted them to hold in place.

Its quite a little softer looking IRL, (and less ghostly) but I had lost the natural daylight, so this is taken with a flash and a daylight bulb.

I am entering this card in the following competitions:

The Sugar Bowl - Sketch
Digital Tuesdays - Celebrations
I Love Promarkers - Purple and Green
Stamp Something - Digi
Totally Papercrafts - Pearls and lace
Fussy and Fancy - Embossing
CES Challenges - Good Luck
Stamptacular - Good Luck/Best Wishes
Dream Valley - New Beginnings
Cupcake Inspirations - I took lilac, white and green
Sentimental Sundays - Pearls and Lace
The Crafty Pad - Ribbon
One Stitch at a Time - Charms - there are 5 little dragonfly charms on this card.
Scrappy Frogs - Good Luck
Paper Playtime - Digi Mondays - Anything goes

Thanks for looking, have a great week, and good luck to everyone in these challenges.

I ♥ Promarkers - Things with Wings

Today sees the start of a new challenge at I ♥ Promarkers, and its one of my favourite themes - Things With Wings :)  We are sponsored by one of our regular and  fabulous sponsors Joanna Sheen, a site I am very familiar with (ahem!) lol.  I just treated myself to some fabby new dies from there this week and there is always lots of great new stuff to choose from.

I used a Sugar Nellie image on this card and also followed the great sketch over at The Sugar Bowl.

The lace doily, border, butterflies and vines were made using my Silhouette digital die cutter :)  I told you I would be putting it through its paces! lol.  It takes a little longer to cut than just using my bug, but its brilliant to have so much variety in an instant, and to have the ability to resize them too.

I am entering this card in the below competitions:

The Sugar Bowl - Great sketch by KiKi

Colour Create Challenge - Pink, Green and White

C.R.A.F.T Challenge - Fairy Tales

Paperplay Challenges - In the Garden

Totally Papercrafts - Bling it Up

Allsorts Challenge - Free and Easy

Emerald Faeries - Lace

Crafters Companion - Glitter and Glitz

Crafty Cardmakers - Flutterbies

The Ribbon Reel - Chantilly Lace

Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for looking at my blog today, and if you have time please check back tomorrow when I have some exciting news to share :)