"Your My Love Bug" Sweet Sketch Wednesday Sketch #89

"Love Bug"

Good morning everyone here it is Wednesday again.  This weeks been a very busy week and thank goodness we've had a shower of rain this morning to cool the air as it's been very humid in the last 4 or 5 days.

Thank you to all our wonderful followers over at Sweet Sketch Wednesday we had an amazing number of entries this week and this week has been know exception with the most talented ladies and your entries you all amaze and wow me every week with your cards.  This week Barbara over at Forgotten Scraps  printed her image on material, coloured her image and then made bags and sews them using the Sweet Sketch Wednesday sketch #88 which was totally amazing!!!  so creative, I loved the mushroom bag.

This week Arlana has another wonderful sketch she has created for you to play with, I really love this one!!!

Sketch #89

With such a wonderful sketch we have a wonderful sponsor who is just so supportive of Sweet Sketch Wednesday and very generous with her digital images.  That's right you know who I'm taking about it's

Sally-Ann Hancock from

DigiStamp Boutique

Sally-Ann

 is offering our very lucky winner this week

6 Free Digi Images

Isn't that wonderful as there are just so many to choose from and Sally-Ann has new images coming out every month. 

Thanks Sally-Ann for your continuous support it's so much appreciated.

If you haven't seen Sally-Ann's images pop over to

DigiStamp Boutique

http://www.digistampboutique.co.uk/catalog/

http://www.digistampboutique.blogspot.com/

http://www.lovetodoodle.blogspot.com/

Now it's time to pop over to Sweet Sketch Wednesday blog and see what the rest of our team have been up too with Sketch #89 and DigiStamp Boutique images.  Whilst your there send them a little love as they all work really hard each week to bring you this wonderful challenge and comment on all your work and we all love comments.

Card Recipe:

Base:White SU Card

Coloured Card: Red Bazzill

Design Paper: Paper Chic by Grant Archival #1623 one side of the Paper is Red background with Silver Scroll and the reverse side I've used is white background with the red scroll.

Image: Love Bug Male by DigiStamp Boutique.

Colour Medium: Copic Markers

Tools: Cuttlebug, Nesties Classic Oval, Scalloped Oval, Fancy Tags, Pop Dots, Glue Dots, Glass Finish for the heart.

Sentiment: PC generated using Lucida Calligraphy Font.

Embellishments: Silver Mesh recycled from a gift, white and silver ribbon, cream satin heart coloured with copic markers red,  green and red gems from my stash.

Showing how this image has been layered using Pop Dots for the 3D effect.

Challenges  I'm Entering:

1. Cupcake Challenge #129           I Love You
2. Digital Tuesday Challenge       Die Cuts
3. Crafty Sentiments Designs  Valentines/Love
4. Totally Gorjuss Challenge #67 Love
5. Cards for Men Challenge  Challenge #4 A Recipe for you, 1 image, 2 design papers, 3 embellishments.

I read a post on a fellow blogger's blog about this adorable digital image by Sylvia Zet

who is the designer from Wee Stamps released "Wee Suzi" yesterday along with two other really cute digi's.

                                             http://www.sylviazet.blogspot.com/

 

By spreading the word she is offering "Wee Suzi" as a freebie!

She's so adorable! I love images like this!! So I couldn't resist!

Here's Sylvia's blog as well.

 http://www.sylviazet.blogspot.com/
Offer lasts till Wednesday 12 o'clock midday her time (16.02.2011).

Get going you haven't go long.

Take care everyone and have a wonderful week.

Thank you once again for all of your lovely comments they are so much appreciated.

Hugs to everyone

Happy Birthday Sweet Sketch Wednesday Sketch #88

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday

Today is another wonderful Wednesday and I'm going to meet my son's teacher tonight at his school.  Good excuse for me to see my son, well I only dropped him off on Sunday night!!!  Yes he's doing well, he only feels homesick when he hears my voice thank goodness they can only ring home once a week.  He rang last night and he sounded so grown up and he'll be home in the weekend again.

Congratulations to all our winners this week there were some awesome cards and I'm learning for you also with all your wonderful ideas!!!

This week Arlana has another wonderful sketch for us to work with and our sponsor this week is Whimsie Doodles and my cards have been created with the both of them,  I do hope you like them.

Sketch # 88

Our sponsor this week is Melyssa Connolly from

Whimsie Doodles.com

Whimsie Doodles (http://www.whimsiedoodles.com) is so excited to be sponsoring the new challenge! In March of 2009 Melyssa Connolly, artist and owner, began turning her whimsical hand-drawn images into digital files for sale online. Whimsie Doodles' digital stamp line features images that range from cute little boys and girls, to penny stuff, and everything in-between. We enjoy sharing lots of samples on our company blog (http://whimsiedoodles.blogspot.com), were we also post weekly challenges and tutorials.

A special offer for Sweet Sketch Wednesday Fans - use the discount code Sweet10 at the Whimsie Doodles online store and receive 10% off your next order! Code expires 30 days from today. 

http://whimsiedoodles.blogspot.com/

 http://www.whimsiedoodles.com/

 Melyssa  is offering our very lucky winner this week a

Gift Certificate to the value of

$10.00

So what are you waiting for hop over to Whimsie Doodle and check out Melyssa's images, you'll be spoilt for choice!!!

Now it's time to pop over to the Design Teams projects for this week. They've created amazing cards for you this week using Sketch #88 and Whimsie Doodle images.


I made two cards using the same image, one with the image cut out and the other image background has been coloured in. Just to show how the same image can look so different by cutting it out and also using a different colour.

Card Recipe:

Base: White SU

Plain Board: Aqua Bazzill

Plain Paper: Aqua Rosies Creations and Handmade Indian paper

Design Paper: Kaisercraft Litopia Collection

Image: Leah Swinging

Colour Medium: Copics, Black & White Embossing pens.

Sentiment: PC generated using Papyrus font.

Tools: Sewing Machine, Pop Dots, Glue Dots, Cuttlebug, skills knife, Fancy tags.

Embellishments: Lace, ribbon, gems, silk flowers and leaves from my stash.

I cut Leah out once I coloured her in to give the feeling of her really swinging in the air.  She is mounted using Pop Dots so she pops off the paper.

The papers she is mounted on is also mounted with Pop Dots so it's sitting above the lace and ribbon as you can see at the bottom of the picture.

Second Card Recipe:

Base: White SU

Papers: Orange  and Aqua craft creations paper.

Design Papers: Are from the Magnolia Collection.

Image: Leah Swinging from Whimsie Doodles.com

Colour Medium: Copic Markers, Black & White Embossing Pens.

Sentiment: PC generated using Papyrus font.

Tools: Corner rounder, pop dots, glue dots, sewing machine, cuttlebug, cuttlebug tags.

Embellishments: Ribbon, lace, pearls, gems, and flowers from my stash.

Other Challenges I'm entering these cards:

Magical Monday Challenge  Challenge #15 Love
Creative Card Crew Challenge For a Love One
Stamp Something February Digi Day Challenge

Thanks for all of your lovely comments wishing you a wonderful week of crafting and a great weekend.

Hugs

To My Prince With Love Sweet Sketch Wednesday Sketch #87

To My Prince With Love

Well yesterday my eldest Prince Liam left for boarding school, it was such a busy few weeks before hand getting all of his clothing and uniform with embroidered labels sewen into them and then yesterday morning completing the final pack.

Here is a Photo of Liam just before we left home yesterday afternoon, it was very hot and sticky and a Blazer and Tie didn't help matters much.  I really thought I would be really tearful and had to be strong for him, I haven't shed a tear yet but maybe tonight when I go to cook dinner or check on him in his room.

Liam 1st February 2011 off to Southwell Hamilton
11 years 5 months

Today is Wednesday and we all know now that means Sweet Sketch Wednesday.

We have had another awesome sketch to work with this week from our very own talented Arlana Patten

Sketch # 87

 by Arlana Patten

This week our sponsor is Melissa Jenkins from 

Meljen's Designs 

Meljen's Designs is a lovely stamp company owned and illustrated by Melissa Jenkins. She illustrates whimsical digital images inspired by her kids and family. The Meljen's Designs store officially launched on April 1 and is steadily growing! Meljen's Designs has new releases along with a new challenge every Thursday, freebies every Monday and a Guest Designer each month at the Meljen's Designs Blog. Please visit the Meljen's Designs line of stamps at the WHIMSY STAMPS STORE to browse and enjoy Melissa's wonderful images!

Melissa is offering our very lucky winner this week

4 Digital Images of your choice

It's going to be hard to pick just 4 as there are just so many wonderful images to choose from.  So take a brake and have a look at Melissa's site.

http://www.meljensdesigns.com/

http://meljensdesigns.blogspot.com/

http://whimsystamps.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=13_18

 

Please take a break and have a look at what my fellow design team members over at Sweet Sketch Wednesday  have design for you this week using Melissa's images.

                                                                       Card Recipe:

Base: White SU Card Stock.

Boards: Red, Dark Green and Bright Green Bazzill.
Design Paper: Abstract Snowdots
Image: Prince Frog from Meljen's Designs

Colour Medium: Copics, Black Embossing Pen and a Gold Gel Pen.

Tools: Ink green, Glass Finish for the heart, Cuttlebug, Nestabilities Circle & Cuttlebug Heart embossing folder,

 Pop Dots, Glue Dots.

Embellishments: Ribbon, Flower, Heart Button and Gold braid, and gold gems for the crown  from my stash.

Wishing everyone a wonderful week of crafting and a great weekend.

Thank you so much for all of your lovely comments.

Happy Birthday Sweet Sketch Wednesday Sketch #86

 Happy Birthday JJT and S

Good morning everyone and here it is another wonderful Sweet Sketch Wednesday.

I know your all looking at my card and thinking why has she made another card with JJT on it but I have used another wonderful image from Bugaboo Stamps.  I adore JJT she's amazing and has a great attitude and I think we all know a JJT some where in the world.

Here is our wonderful sweet sketch from our very talented Arlana this week.

Sketch #86

This week our sponsor is Jodie from

Bugaboo Stamps

Jodie has been kind enough to give our very lucky winner

7 digi stamps valued $21

Isn't that amazing I would get all the JJT images and have a complete set.

If you haven't been to visit Jodie over at Bugaboo Stamps you're really missing out so get your mouse working and here are her details

http://www.bugaboostamps.com/

http://bugaboostamps.blogspot.com/

 

Congratulations to all our lucky winners from last week there were some awesome cards ladies I just loved them all.

Now take some time out for yourself and hop over to Sweet Sketch Wednesday

and just see what the rest of my awesome team mates have come up with this week using Sketch #86 and Bugaboo Stamps.

Card Recipe:

JJT and S Birthday

Card: White SU

Card: Plain Black and Red Bazzill

Design Paper: Paper Chic # 1602 which is double sided the reverse is the White with Black used through the middle.

Image: JJT and S Birthday from Bugaboo Stamps.

Colour Medium: Copics, Black and White Embossing Pens.

Tools: Cuttlebug, Classic Oval, Scalloped Oval Nestabilities.

Embellishments: Flowers and Brad from my stash, Tulle Ribbon and Red and Black Heart Ribbon, Gems for the Ear Rings, Hearts come cream and coloured with my copics.



Wishing everyone a wonderful week of crafting and thanks so much for all your lovely comments.

Have a great weekend.

Hugs

Home Made Bread Thanks Judi & Arlana

Homemade Bread

Something my mum always did was made Homemade Bread, and you can't beat that smell wafting through the house. As my husband is Irish I make Irish Soda bread, we all love it but it isn't good for the waistline so I don't make it that often now days. If anyone would like my recipe for Irish Soda bread please send me an email.

The other day I was reading Judi's blog over at Sweet Blooming Scraps from Sweet Sketch Wednesday and she had some bread that Arlana and her husband had made for Judi on her recent visit. Judi went home and made it for her family and posted photo's and the recipe for everyone to try.

Here's the recipe which I tried today, and these are my photo's. The only thing different I would put less sugar next time. I would use about 1 tablespoon rather that 1/4 cup. It wouldn't be as sweet and wouldn't brown as much.

Pop over to Judi's blog and have a look at her wonderful photo's. I don't think that Judi will mind me using her recipe.

Here's Judi's and Arlana's Recipe

Very easy to make...you don't need a bread mixer...just a large mixing bowl.
Cheese Bread
3 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 pkg yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 T wheat gluten
2 T Mrs. Dash
(I didn't have Mrs. Dash so I used 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp rosemary, 1/2 tsps garlic salt)
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup water
1/4 milk
2 eggs, beaten In a bowl, mix 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, wheat gluten, and Mrs. Dash together. Set aside. Heat butter, water and milk just until the butter is melter. Remove from heat, cool slightly. Add eggs and liquid mixture together. Add liquid to the flour mixture and stir together. Add another cup of flour and mix together. Then add just a little more flour until it is no longer too sticky. Then sprinkle olive oil on your dough and a little around the bowl. Cover with a light weight dish towel. Let dough rise double in size in a warm location or in a 100 degree oven or less. Punch down and roll out into a rectangle. Sprinkle grated cheese lengthwise down the middle of the dough. Cut slits on both sides of the cheese for braiding.I should have taken pictures of this....sorry! Bake 375 degree for 17-21 minutes. Enjoy!

Once I rolled mine out into a rectangle, I put abut 3 tbsps of Basil Pesto on it and spread it out, then I sprinkled it with Feta Cheese and about 1/2 cup of grated tasty cheese.

About to go into the oven.

I sprinkled mine with Sesame Seeds and egg washed it.

Just out of the oven and very hot.

A few cut slices it was really yummy.

Thanks Judi and Arlana for a lovely recipe and yes I will be making it again.

Hugs

Happy Birthday Sweet Sketch Wednesday Sketch #85

Emily with her Balloon

Emile with his Balloon

Happy Birthday Emily & Emile

Good morning here it is another wonderful Wednesday and it's very hot and humid here this morning after an evening of wind and rain.

It's Wednesday and that means it's another wonderful Sweet Sketch Wednesday and Arlana has another wonderful sketch for you. Congratulations to all our winners from last week there were so many amazing stunningly beautiful cards.

Sketch #85

This week our wonderful sponsor is Sally-Ann Hancock from

DigiStamp Boutique.

She is offering our very lucky winner

6 Free Digital Images of your choice

you'll be really spoilt for choice as there are just so many to choose from.

Sally-Ann is a one of our regular sponsors she is amazing and always has new and fun images to choose from over at

DigiStamp Boutique so please hop over to her site and see what she has you'll be amazed.

http://www.digistampboutique.co.uk/catalog/
http://www.digistampboutique.blogspot.com

http://www.lovetodoodle.blogspot.com

My team mates have made some incredible cards
this week with some of DigiStamp Boutique images

please when you have a minute or two stop by

Sweet Sketch Wednesday you won't be disappointed.

This week I've made two card because I was lucky enough to receive two of Sally-Ann's lovely images, and I couldn't make one without the other.

Card Recipes:
Base: White SU
Board: Aqua Bazzill
Design Papers: Aqua Stitched paper made in India that's the end of the sheet. Pink & Aqua paper from Rosies Studios. Aqua spots from Magnolia papers, corrugated board from my stash.
Images: Emily and Emile from DigiStamp Boutique
Colour Medium: Copics
Tools: Cuttlebug, Classic Squares, Pop Dots, Balloon Punch, Chalk for ears.
Embellishments: Ribbons, Gems and Craft wire from my stash.





Emile and his Balloon






Wishing everyone a fun week of crafting.
Hugs

My Brother's Wedding Card

Alan and Isabelle's Wedding Card

Yesterday my brother Alan and his new wife Isabelle got married and here is the card I made for the Wedding, knowing the the Wedding party were in Purple and Mauve. It was such a hot day at 12 Noon is was 33c and at 3.30pm on our way to the Wedding is was 30c still hot, it was a beautiful day not a cloud in the the blue sky, wonderful for an outdoor Wedding at his home and around his pool.
My darling husband William and myself.

My wonderful boys Liam on the left and Ryan on the right.

Family Photo

Card Recipe:

Base: White SU

Board: Purple Bazzill

Sentiment: PC Generated using Papyrus font.

Tools: Cuttlebug, Divine Swirls Embossing Folder, Nestabilities Square, Chipboard, glue dots

Embellishments: Ribbons and gems from my stash.

Challenges: The Craft Calendar = New Beginnings

Cupcake Challenge #125 = Weddings

Blog Award

Stylish blogger Award

I've returned this week from the beach and look what I've got......I received 2 blog awards how exciting is that!!! The first award is from Sharon and the other is from Deanne, both from my design team over at Sweet Sketch Wednesday. What a lovely thought as both of these ladies are just so talented and each week they inspire me with their work and creativeness which I learn from and admire.

Thanks so much Sharon and Deanne .

Now the rules in accepting this blog award are to tell 8 things about me that you probably don't know and then pass along the award to 8 other blogger's that I think are fantastic! Isn't that part fun?!! So let's get started:

1. I am a full-time mum at home, but because of my back ground I work from home for my darling husband, doing all of his accounting, web-site maintenance and paying wages to his staff. Prior to giving up work I worked for an American Company for 10 years.
2. I have two wonderful children, both are amazing boys that I'm just so so proud of. Liam starts boarding school on the 1st February he's 11 and a quarter and Ryan will be a Year 5 at our local Primary School he's 9 and a quarter and will be a senior this year at his junior school. Both boys love their sports Soccer, Cricket, Touch Rugby, Swimming and Surf Life Saving. Liam is a very talented swimmer being one of the top 6 for his age in our county.
3. I've been married to William now for 12 years he is Irish and comes from County Wicklow in Ireland.
4. I'm on my Son's School Board of Trustees, helping manage our school. I also umpire and coach Cricket and I manage my sons Soccer Team and in my spare time I am also a director of two Companies.
5. I am the youngest of 7 children, I have 3 brothers all living in New Zealand and I have 3 sisters all living in Australia.
6. I love card marking as this is my time to sit, think and relax with wonderful coloured papers, inks, ribbons and all of the other embellishments I use. I have also done Cross Stitch, Scrap Booking, Beading, Knitting and Quilting.
7. My favourite all time movies would be Titanic and Dirty Dancing and music would be Ronan Keating, The Corrs, Rod Stewart, The Bee Gees, just to name a few.
8. My favourite foods far to many to name them all but I'm really a fruit, vegetable, cheese, fish, chicken, steak and a glass or two of wine girl and the occasional G&T in a tall glass with lemon or lime.

Now for the best part - passing along this blog award to 8 other talented people. They are:

Heidi from Heidi's Imagnarium

Chris from Sketching Stamper

Keryn from Poppy Dog

Kelly from Kreative Korner by Kelly

Liza from Pink Candy Stripes

Linda from Stamper Touch

Genevieve from Genevieve's Creations

Jeannie from Dragonfly Journey

The rules for receiving this award are:
Thank and link back to the person who sent this to you.
Share 8 things about yourself
Pass this award on to 8 bloggers
Contact those bloggers and tell them you sent them this award.

Wishing everyone an amazing fun filled weekend.

Hugs to everyone

Kathie

xox

Happy Birthday Sweet Sketch Wednesday #84

Happy Birthday with 'Betty'

Good morning everyone and what a wonderful summers day we have today!!! That means it's another wonderful Wednesday and that means Sweet Sketch Wednesday. We have a really lovely sketch this week designed by our amazingly talented Arlana.

Sketch # 84
This week we have a new sponsor which is

Gerda the owner of the

STAMPFAIRY SHOP

Gerda is offering the lucky winner this week

4 Digital images

of the winner choice!!!

Isn't that a great prize???

If you haven't visited STAMPFAIRY SHOP here's the link there are some amazing images you won't be disappointed.
http://stampfairy.com

Please take a visit to Sweet Sketch Wednesday and there are some amazing cards our team have for you this week.

This week I'm sending all of you in the Northern Hemisphere a little ray of sunshine to brighten and warm your day. We seem to have an over abundance this year and the heat is meant to carry on for another 3 months. I took my photo's outside on Monday morning where we had just had breakfast and it was such a beautiful morning. The flowers are Agapanthus they grow like a weed in New Zealand and they come in White and Purple, they have lush green foliage all year round. They are very expensive plants in Australia about $15-$20 each and we pull them out like weeds as we have an overabundance and they also spray them to eradicate them.
I just love them in a vase at this time of year as everything else is dieing with the heat.

Card Recipe:

Base: White SU card.

Card: Purple and Lilac Bazzill

Paper: Purple paper from Rosies

Design Papers: Rosies papers.

Image: Betty from STAMPFAIRY SHOP

Colour Medium: Copic Markers

Tools: Cuttlebug, Classic Circle, Classic Scalloped edge circle, tags and cuttlebug Textile embossing folder, Pop dots.

Embellishments: Pink flower, Pink Ribbon, Purple and Silver Braid from my stash.

Sentiment: Computer generated using Amerika Sans font.

My card out of focus but sitting on our outdoor table in the morning sun looking out over our pond.

Here's hoping everyone has a wonderful week and have fun crafting.

Thank you so much for all of your wonderful kind comments.

Hugs to everyone

Skateboard Ethan Sweet Sketch Wednesday Sketch #83

'Skateboard Ethan'

Good morning everyone and HAPPY NEW YEAR. Where did 2010 go??? Very quickly!!! 2011 already and here we are on the 5th day of January and you all know what that means it's another Sweet Sketch Wednesday. Hopefully you'll see my post as I'm away at our beach house at present soaking up the summer sunshine and relaxing with my family.

This week Arlana has another wonderful sketch, I love this sketch especially for masculine cards as I always have to make plenty of these in my household as I'm the only female apart from the cat!!!

Sketch #83
This week our sponsor is Lori Boyd from

Lori Designs Digital StampsLori is offering our lucky winner this week
a LORI Designs Gift Certificate for the value of

$10.00 Wow what a great prize I wouldn't mind winning that!!! If you haven't checked of Lori's wonderful images here's the link you won't be disappointed

http://loriboyd.blogspot.com/

Now it's time to sit back and enjoy the wonderful creations my team mates have created for you this week. Sit back and enjoy over at Sweet Sketch Wednesday.

Card Recipe:

Base: White SU; Paper: Peach from Craft Creations; Design Papers: Fiskers stripes and the green spots from Basic Backgrounds; Image: Skateboard Ethan from Lori' Designs Digital Stamps; Colour Medium: Copics and Silver Gel Pen; Sentiment: Computer generated using Papyrus Font; Embellishments: Ric Rac, Green Paper Clips and Coloured Brads from my stash. Tools: Corner Punch and Pop Dots.

Thanks for all of your wonderful comments and wishing everyone a great New Year and I can't wait to get back as see all of your amazing creations.

Hugs to everyone.