New challenge blog candy!!

Have you seen this new blog to help you get ahead with your Christmas cards starting 1st January next year:
http://craftyhazelnutschristmaschallenge.blogspot.com/

And right now if you become a follower and post about this upcoming new blog, you stand a chance to win this awesome paper, this ends on the 30th November so hurry, hurry, hurry!
Good luck girls, cos this paper has my name on it, LOL
smiles
Paola

Kenny K's weekly challenge dt

hi stampers, its time again for the challenge on kenny K's Krafty Girlz challenge blog and this week we are releasing the long awaited Krash Kittenz available from Kenny's store.  There is also a dt call out which you can read all the details for on Donna's blog.  These i8mages are such a pleasure to work with, it will definitely be worth your while to try out for the team.
This week its Team A turn to inspire you and as you can see that means me.  I have made a card using "Harley Ryder"  isnt she jut a bomb, and our challenge is to use "Pink" my favorite color of all time as i am sure some of my followers already know.

I raised my image slighty over a NS oriental ornamentand embossed it with one of my cuttlebug embossing folders, added the Hessian strip for her to perch her pretty toosh, added the metal corners and the ticket sentiment i thought could generalise the sentiment so the card can be used for any occassion.  I added teeny tiny pearls to the metal corners after stitching around the edges of my card.  The tag inside that reads Happy birthday can be changed if i so wished and the tag was chopped using a number of different punches. colored my image with copics, see below for the list of colors.

the girls have some fabulous inspiration for you so head over to the the challenge blog
have a great week
smiles
Paola
copic colors used:  R83, R81, RV00, E25, E31, E53, skin: E00, E21
 

SURPIRSE GIFT!!!!

I have been waiting almost with bated breath to hit 400 followers and have finally done so, i would like for #400 Cheryl to please email me following the link above with her address so that i can get a little surprise package in the mail for you sweets.
I will continue to do these little surpirses along the way so keep your eyes peeled if you follow my blog.
hope everyone is having a creative weekend
smiles
Paola

Elizabeth Bell's world challenge November

its time for the challenge on Elizabeth Bell's World and i must say that this was a hard one for me as i had to have it done last week when i had just got back from my trip, so i was run ragged.  I am now recovering and trying to stay ahead of my game, but things will come along and put a spanner in the works.

For my contribution i made a gift bag for a little friend who loves Teddy's.  I cut a window in the gift bag so that the Teddy could peep out.  Added lots of layers, using my scissors to cut the icicles that are dripping down in the window and added lots of diamond dust.  The two stamped images that i used are both from Belles & whistles and were both colored with my copics.

The little Xmas cracker also has a little mini teddy inside for my little friend.
Enjoy
smiles
Paola

Mo's dp2 challenge dt

Hi All you Mo fans, its time for our challenge on Mo's challenge blog and if you dont know yet Mo's dream team are having a dt call so if you are anything like me and LOVE Mo's images this one may  be for you.
For our challenge this week we want to see "Flourishes"

I am using Hannukah Sarah available at Mo's store and for those of you who are not in the know, Hannukah is the festivity that the Jewish people celebrate while the rest of you are celebrating Christmas.  We give our children presents, and light a menorah for the eight days of Hannukah and each day light from the pilot light, hence the menorah having nine places for candles.

For my project i thought i would make presents for the teachers at my childrens school for the end of our school year before we close for the summer holidays.  I have made an easel card for the top and drawers underneath to add chocolates to and also the candles required for candle lighting.

Colored my image with my copics, the silver flourishes are from making memories, the flowers are from my stash, as are the rhinestones.  I added the hand made charm since i would like the teachers to know that my project was made with lots fo patience and care, the handles i had to change the color of as they were an antique gold to begin with so i heated them up and then dipped them into silver embossing powder and reheated them.  I think the lace doily gives it the added feminine touch as do the flowers and the lacey border punch i used from MS.
have a great weekend
smiles
Paola

Pixie Cottage challenge

Just a reminder that there's a new challenge up on the Pixie cottage challenge blog, "Let it snow" or this great sketch:

The dt have a few fab creations to inspire you and get the creative juices flowing so head over to the Pixie cottage challenge blog and join in the fun and try and get ahead with all your Christmas cards as there isnt much time left.
See y"all soon
smiles
Paola

Kenny K's weekly challenge

I am so late, my internet went down last night around midnight and has been down all day, GGGGRRRR the frustartion has been driving me nuts all day, couldnt get to my email, my blog, etc etc.  When i finally came on line half my blog was missing, it nearly tipped me right over the edge.
Well here i am not sure for how long so am rushing to let y"all know that there is a new challenge on Kenny K's Krafty Girlz and team B have done a fabulous job again this week with the "Tag It" challenge.
have a great week
smiles
Paola

Elizabeth Bell's November digi Blog hop

Welcome to the digi bells blog hop if you cam to me from Patti's blog you are on the right track.
I am using the newest release "Letters to Santa", isnt she just the cutest!
To play along o this hop here's what you gotta do:
1. You will need to make a Christmas Card using ANY Elisabell Bell image and make sure to link it back to the company where the image can be bought.

2. Upload your card in the Mr. Linky thingy linking back to your blog post not your blog.

3. Cards need to be loaded by Friday November 26th by 7 PM
Load all projects to the linky on The digi bells dt blog

For my card, and hoping this inspires you:  i have used the latest little darling, colored with my copics, of course, and loaded with star dust stickles, icicles stickles all over the snow flakes dropping down around her.  I punched out these flowers from a NS punch and emboss and loaded those with twinklets, added a rhinestone to the centre for additional bling.  This card has a drawer that i have used to put Santa cookies into.

Okay from here on the hop you gotta go to Lynda's blog
Dont forget to leave some feedback as we all love to know what you think.
Enjoy the hop
smiles
Paola

Mo's dp2 challenge dt

Our hostess this week is Lydia and she chose the theme for us to use three punches on our challenge this week on Mo's challenge blog.  When i started out with this card i had no idea how i was gonna use three punches as i didnt have a clue what direction my card would take as i was doing it.  Well turns out i didnt have a problem after all.

I am using "Big present" available at Mo's store and this was a dream to color with my copics, i colored the present and then took my blender to the blue and lifted some of the color so the present would have a slight texture to the blue wrap.  i gave the present and the little boys party hat a good going over with star dust stickles.  I cut my image out with scissors which is not something i do a lot of these days, went around the mat with a MS punch, went arount the outer edges of my large base mat with another MS punch, so that was already two punches and then when i decided on using my new LOTV sentiment i need to use another two punches.  So you see all that wracking my brain for nothing.  I also added buttons onto circled mats so they wouldnt be lost, VOILA!   hope you will join us at Mo's.

smiles
Paola

Pixie Cottage dt

There is a new challenge on the Pixie cottage, "ribbon and bows" or of course there is a sketch for you to follow, so head over to the challenge blog and see what the dt have done to inspire you.

For my card this week i am using "baby Blake" i know this is a baby boy, but i was needing a girl card so i turned him into a girl and with all the bows and ribbon i didnt think he would mind,

Dont ask what i was thinking when i used this bright green, it was in the dp that i chose, whats a girl to do?

To soften it all a little i added cherry blossoms from my stash.
have a great week
smiles
Paola

GDT for Digi Bells

Hi there friends, this is my first posting as a GDT member for Elizabeth Bells Digi Bells and i think its such an honour to have been chosen as i know that so many tried out for the position, dont give up, just look at me, who woulda thought?

A tasty read is such a gorgoues image i really didnt want to overdo it with the embellishments, so for me this is quite CAS.  She is colored with copics, layered onto a nestie, the butterflies are MS punch that i picked up at the NEC for 5 UK pound, can you believe that?  I gave them a good going over with diamond dust, then added the rhinestones to the body, and popped the wings.  The little leafy branches are a LM punch and the roses from my stash, the sentiment is a crafty individuals.

Since i started decorating the insides of my cards, i added the butterflies to the insides also.

Have a great week
smiles
Paola

Kenny K's weekly challenge

This is so late, apologies my blogging friends but i have been a very busy girl.  have been at a craft show at Emperors Palace most of today and lo and behold i had to see to the hungry kids and husband when i got back, so this is the first chance i have had today to do anything besides pandering to every one besides myself.
Well today its time for another challenge on Kenny k"s Krafty girlz and this weeks challenge calls for "Sparkle and Spots", so head over to the challenge blog and see what team B has to inspire you
smiles
Paola

NEC sharing the fun times!!!!

 NEC Birmingham UK, oh my word i had such a good time!!!  Before i get to sharing all the fun let me tell you i was livid when i heard that Magnolia hadnt pitched, i felt positively green around the gills, i could have thrown up.  Although i must add it didnt deter me one bit, as you will see further down i still managed to spend a LOT on Maggies.

 i met Carol from blog land as she is also South African we connected right away and had been visiting one another on Skype daily for the last six months or so.  I was so happy to meet her and it sure was the highlight of my trip to actually connect with her.  You can visit Carol's blog HERE to see her amazing work.

Now this was a real surprise, i met Marlene who i have been stalking in blog land FOREVER!! long before it even occurred to me to start a blog of my own i found this lovely ladies blog.  Marlene was probably one of the first blogs i discovered and surely was one of the first to inspire  me to get blogging, also after finding her blog i bought my first Sugar Nellies.  Was a real treat to meet her in the flesh.

I follow Tammy's and had no idea it was hers until Carol introduced us.  This lady was so bubbly and warm i felt like i had known her all my life.  Her work is out of this world and she is fairly new to having her own blog so if you havent started following her yet you GOTTA POP IN FOR A VISIT AND FOLLOW! HERE

had to get Carol and Tammy together.  I must also add that i hate having my picture taken i always look so stupid, never know how to pose etc.  All of the above pictures were taken on the Friday and for me it was such a short day as i still had to make my way back to London where i was staying for my holiday in the Uk, so it was rush rush rush.  I got to meet Jacqui from Cats whiskers and she is such a  darling, a sweeter lady i have yet to meet.  I have met real dragons while doing this blogging lark, but this lady was a real honey.

 Then on Sunday since i am a sucker for craft goodies i raced back all the way to Birmingham and the NEC to meet my friend Penni and her family.  Penni was the winner of my very first candy that i ever had on my blog and we thought the candy had gotten lost along the way as it took sooooo looong to get to her and while emailing back and forth we became firm friends and keep in touch regularly.  Luv ya hunny.

These are some of the goodies that i either bought or were given to me by either Carol or Penni, boy was i spoilt rotten!  We raced from stall to stall and couldnt get enough, believe me had i had more money i could have gotten ssssoooo much MORE!!

 Twenty stamps from the LOTV stand, lucky for me that Carol already had been in touch with Jacqui and asked her to put stamps aside for us, and we got there real early to pick them up, cos by Sunday they were almost gone, some of the new releases were gone.

30 Magnolia stamps that i had to get from Crafts u love since Magnolia didnt get to the show, but i wasnt too put out as i am not sure my budget would have managed had Magnolia been there, LOL.  As you can see i got a lot of stuff, my dear friend Penni also bought me a light studio for taking better pictures of my cards, i just havent managed to change the plugs and set it up yet.  There were just toooooo many things i WANTED!
Half way through the day i was run down by a geriatric on a four by four and my left foot was crushed under the bar at the back of the little cart she was driving, now believe me when i tell you i was in agony, my foot is broken and i am now in a moon boot for six weeks, but that didnt stop me running from stall to stall and my dear friend Penni and her husband were so worried about me, they saw me back to the train and waited till it came and saw me on safely.  BRITISH people ROCK!!!!! so polite and accommodating, wish i could have stayed a little longer, but i missed my husband and my kids and i am doing dems at a craft show in South Africa tomorrow, hope no one else runs me down, he he.
Have a great weekend, and if you have been through this long post and are still here, come back soon as i will be sharing some of my new goodies with a little candy.
smiles
Paola

Mo's dp2 challenge dt

I am still away, but making my way home by this time, with my bags bursting after the craft show at the NEC, will fill in all the details once i recover from the jetlag.

This week on Mo's challenge blog we want you to use acetate or velloum on your card, you can choose how to do it.  For my card i just had to use Kai in the snow available from Mo's store.
I colored Kai with my copics and was really not sure about this color scheme, but i am really happy with how the card came together.  I made a shaker bos out of foam core, or foam board, not sure what you would call it where you live.  i also used a Mdesign for the scalloped circle.  I found these ice crystals in my studio, dont actually know where i got them from, but decided they would do really well inside my shaker.

The snow flakes are made using various punches and layered together and then added a rhinestone to the centre.  I also added a good going over of lots of glitter to my card.
have a great crafting weekend
smiles
Paola

Pixie Cottage dt

As i'm sure you know by now i am not around so this is another scheduled post and for the Pixie cottage  this week we have a sketch and or two color challenge.

For my card i decided to use kraft paper and my pencils to color my image.  I am using Hannah with umbrella available from Here.  i added one of my pearly flourishes down the side of my card and used one of my MS punches top and bottom of my card for the added touch.

My card is pretty CAS so there isnt reallymuch to tell, but i am quite pleased with how it turned out, just using pencils.  The rest of the dt have some fabulous cards to share so please pop over to the Pixie cottage challenge blog
smiles
Paola

Kenny K's weekly challenge dt

Its team A's turn for the challenge this week on Kenny K's Krafty Gilrz challenges and this week its anything but square.

if this post goes live when its supposed to without any hitch then i wont be around i will be working my way through the show at the NEC and shopping up a storm.  For my card i used one of my spellbinders and made an easel card with the shape.  I have colored my Xmas Hottie with copics, kept the card pretty clean and simple so as not to lose the appeal of the image and since the shape of this easel is itself quite an appealing eyecatcher i didnt think it called for being any more busy than it already is.

Added some glitter around my sentiment and i geuss the rest is self explanatory.
Sorry about the short post as you can tell i am not very good at this scheduling of posts, head over to the challenge blog and see whats up with the rest of the team.
smiles
Paola