A Surprise Candy Win from Bubbles

Afternoon Everyone

Sheleen, aka Bubbles, over on Patchwork Apples, offered up this candy, a fabulous mini album, way back in November last year but, what with all that happened between then and the new year, I had quite forgotten all about it.  So imagine my surprise when an email from Sheleen popped into my box informing me I had won.

It's a fabulous mini Christmas album, made from cardstock but in a style that mimics those made from toilet roll inners. It's chockablock with photo mats, labels, journal spots and cute little pockets in which to put all these. I can't possibly show you all the contents (this post would be too photo heavy if I did that) but here's a few photographs showing the contents.

The entire contents

closed envelope on inside page

contents of envelope

miniature book

Twas The Night Before Christmas

folding photo mount

a pocket full of surprises

contents of the pocket

And there's more, but too much to show you here. Suffice to say it is packed full and an absolutely beautiful album to enjoy and treasure. 

I have in mind a set of photographs from a very specific Christmas when almost all of the family came to ours for dinner. The house was fit to bursting and we had a brilliant day and only a day like that could be fit for this album. 

Do pop over to Sheleen's blog, Patchwork Apples, to see more of her beautiful creations - she is a very talented crafter.

Sheleen, if you are reading this, thank you so much - it's wonderful and I will treasure it always. 

Right, time for lunch. 

Happy crafting,

A Lovely Blog Award Received

Evening All,

I've been busy crafting this last couple of days. It's so cold that I'm not tempted to go out, not at all. It's much better to be in here with a cuppa, warm as toast, Radio 4 playing in the background, and be crafting away. Hope you are all well and, if it's cold where you are, keeping wrapped up and warm if you have to be out and about. 

A big warm welcome to my newest followers - hope you continue to read and enjoy my blog. Also, many thanks to Kay on 505whimsygirl for awarding me the Liebster award:

Thank you so much for this award!!! Kay is an enthusiastic crafter, follower and an encouraging commenter, please check out her blog to see read her lovely posts. 

The Liebster award is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers, in the hopes that it will bring many new friends/followers. The Rules are:

1. Show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
2. Reveal your five picks for the award and let them know.
3. Post the award on your blog.
4. Bask in the love from the most supportive people on the blogshare-other bloggers.
5. Finally and the best rule of all..........have fun and spread the love!
The blogs I've chosen are listed below. They inspire me in so many ways. Click on over to their sites and take a look!

I've checked out the blogs I follow and looked specifically for the newest bloggers on the block - because it is my view that when starting out on this blogging thing, you need all the encouragement you can get :) So, in no particular order, here are my nominations for this award:

May at May's Happy Daze - May not only brings us her beautiful projects, but also humour and cats too.

Bernie at Bernie's Craft Closet - Bernie not only crafts in a small space on a small budget but she does it with humour and flair.

Fran at Crafty Me - for services to all stashaholic crafters like myself. Fran's started the year off by bringing us the Pledge to Use-It-Up 2012 - the intention of this is for us to use up the craft supplies we already have over the year and not buy anything except the absolute essentials. I'm pleased to say that so far I've stuck with it programme :))

Marie-Louise at Welcome to My World - Marie-Louise has not only been a great friend to yours truly but she makes and sells many of her beautiful cards to raise funds for the Cancer Awareness charity.

Caroline at A Crafty Scrapper's Thoughts For The Day - Caroline is one amazing lady who simply deserves this award for her rare but optimistic posts.

I could go and name so many more wonderful crafting bloggers but it would take me forever and I'd never get any crafting done myself. You all deserve mention, that's for sure. However, the rules state only five, so I'd better stick to the rules. 

I'm off now to watch the drama and have another much needed cup of tea :))

Happy crafting everyone.

Blog Award

I was delighted, though greatly surprised, to receive this award recently from the very talented Sally at Cards For All Reasons. Sally makes beautiful cards and projects - her Christmas Lantern tutorial is brilliant - and I find her work an inspiration.

Thank you Sally. As a newcomer to cardmaking and blogging this gives me to think - I must be doing something right. Now, I have to tell you three things about myself and pass the award on to three deserving souls. Firstly, three things about myself:

• Although I now speak with a fairly pronounced Scottish accent this was not always the case. I was born in Hampshire and had a decidedly English accent when my parents returned to their homeland, Scotland, and for most of my childhood I was known as that 'English Lassie' - the teasing encouraged me to learn to 'speak as the locals do'. : )

• This worked so well that during my service in the army I was nicknamed Scotty - it could have been worse, it could have been Haggis!

• When younger I loved participating in various sports, mostly racquet sports and swimming, but the one experience I particularly loved was abseiling. I always wanted to abseil down from a high building - never did and would not, I repeat not, do it now. 

Now for my three nominees that I would like to pass this award on to:

1. Sarah at The Handmade Card Blog. It was Sarah's YouTube video's that originally inspired me to try card making. Sarah not only makes great instructive videos but produces great cards in her own distinctive style - at the moment she is cataloguing her attempts to empty her seemingly bottomless scrap bag. And, as if that isn't enough, she also shares her delicious recipes!  

2. Lyn at Spyder's Corner - a fellow WOYWWer who produces really gorgeous cards - to drool over - and draws brilliant cartoons. Pop over to her blog and while your admiring her work you can catch her one day freebie digital stamps. 

3. Lisa at Lisa's Craft Garden. Lisa makes the most fabulous crafty projects such as exploding boxes, tags and scrapbook layouts. She is also a keen photographer and posts the most gorgeous photos taken in and around her home and garden - today's photo, taken on the Yorkshire moors, is just fabulous. And, if that wasn't enough she makes and decorates the most amazing cakes!

  

My thanks goes again to Sally for honouring me with this award - I'm thrilled, not least of all because it has given me the opportunity to pass on the award to three inspirational crafters.

For those not yet familiar with what it means to be a WOYWWer then take a look at What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday, the brainchild of the honourable Julia at the Stamping Ground - here you will get a peek at all sorts of workdesks, from the anally tidy to the downright messy, from around the world.

I have a couple of cards to share with you but, because it is Bugsy night on TV this evening, I'm packing up here and saving that post for tomorrow.

Bye for now

Elizabeth



Pinklilac's Blog Candy

Linda at Pinklilacs has something to celebrate - her husband has been ill with cancer and after enduring months of treatment the disease has stabilised! So to celebrate she is giving us 4 opportunities to win a blog candy.

The photo above is of the Christmas themed candy on offer but there are 3 others to look at so please check out Linda's blogspot and read all about her husband there.

I have another 4" x 4" card to post later so, in the words of Arnie, I will be back.

Bye for now
Elizabeth

Alizabethy - Just Card Making crazy!: New Autumn Blog Candy - closes 14th October

Good Evening - thought you might like to take a look at the Autumn Blog Candy Alizabethy is offering on her blog. 

Alizabethy's Autumn Blog Candy

She is celebrating the onset of Autumn, woolly jumpers and chilly weather with a bit of candy to cheer us up! So if interested you can find her here Alizabethy - Just Card Making crazy!: New Autumn Blog Candy - closes 14th October:

Bev's super candy

Good afternoon to you

Have you checked out Bev's blog All the Things I Love? To celebrate having over 1 million hits she is giving away some really super candy. I love Bev's work, her cards are truly inspirational, and can quite understand why she attracts so much interest - she has 2750 followers. I've put my name down of course - who wouldn't? Good luck to all who enter, Elizabeth