Top 10 Cards....

Gosh...it's been a long time since I was on here! I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and that Santa left you all lots of fabby gifts.
We all had a lovely- if busy- Christmas. Spent lots of time visiting family and catching up with friends, and we've had Jon, Sam, and the adorable Poppy staying over.

I've seen various bloggers with their top 10 cards of 2011 so here goes...

The beautiful Bella Bunting..I luvs this little lady.

 Another Sassy image, this time Boho Chic. I really like the frame (WMS) around the image.

A much older image for this one, Leanne Ellis Luvvie.

A Hanglar stamp for Gayle's birthday card...I'd better make a really special card for her next birthday, she'll be 40 in 2012!

I only own this one wedding stamp from LOTV, and this was a commissioned card.

I love these stamps, this one is Hello Little Friend and was made for the Sugar Bowl Challenge.

Puss In Boots is another favourite stamp, and for this one I dusted off the Polychromo pencils for a change.

The beautiful Cinderella was used for the Sassy Blog Hop.

Ahhhhh...Pippi Longsocks, I luvs this little lady too and these papers are my favourite from 2011.

Another sweet fairy, Hazel and Nutty, and some much stroked Pion papers.

And finally...I started with Bella so it only seems fitting to end with the gorgeous Bella Bunting.

Oops! My 10 cards turned in to 11 for 2011.

Happy New Year to all my lovely friends and blogging buddies. I hope 2012 will be a happy and healthy year for us all, filled with love and new rubber.

Thanks for looking.

Love & hugs Elaine xxx

And Finally...Again :)

I always feel so bad when a candy ends, I wish I could send something to everyone, but unless I win the lottery it ain't going to happen.
So my thanks to all who entered, and for the last time this year Mr Random has picked a number...

...Sandra (Craftynan) please EMAIL ME with your full postal address and I can get your winnings in the mail.
Love Elaine xxx

And Finally...

Before I get down to the good bit...

I am sorry for my lack of cards...if it wasn't for the little candy's then I would have nothing to post at all.

Besides being busy trying to prepare for Christmas - trying, as I've still not finished buying gifts, nothings been wrapped yet and there's about 60 cards that still need writing - busy at work as I need to cram 4 weeks worth of work into 3 weeks this month, and on top of that I'm still not feeling too well.

The cold I had weeks ago is still lingering. I do feel much better in myself though I'm still snotty and have a cough, and for the last 2 weeks I've had a terrible pain in my right side ribs. It only hurts when I cough or bend but it's keeping me awake at night. 

I have been advised that I could've cracked a rib...with coughing! So I'm on pain killers and anti-inflammatories to see if they ease the pain and I'm back at the doctors next week. This getting old is no fun I tell ya!

The last of the little candy's...too late for Christmas me thinks!

Whimsy (Sylvia Zett) Let It Snow rubber stamp

Whimsy Winter Notables 1 rubber stamp set

Whimsy Notable 1 die - which coordinates with the above stamps

Whimsy Elegant Notable 1 die - which also coordinates with the stamps.

Memory Box Catalina Wreath Die

As is usual..the candy is open worldwide and is open to my existing followers only.

I want to thank my followers for being there for me, I know too well I haven't been around much in blogland recently but I still get a visit and comments off my lovely followers so my candy's are a way of expressing my thanks to them.

Merry Christmas!

Love Elaine xxx

You've Gotta Be Quick ~ No5 Winner

Mr Random has again picked a number...

...and this little lot is going to Vicky...please EMAIL ME with your full postal address and I can get your goodies in the mail on Monday. All other candy's have been posted and I hope everyone will have them before Christmas. (Karyn..I think yours may well be after Christmas because of the distance but I'll keep my fingers crossed it reaches you in time honey).

I've got one more candy to put on here so I'll be back soon.
Love Elaine xxx

You've Gotta Be Quick ~ No5

Sheesh...the days are flying by so quickly now! I'm still getting nowhere fast when it comes to Christmas, but I thought I'd better get another little 'un on here quickly before I run out of time!

Today when I was trudging around the shops, feeling cold and wet, all I could think about was Spring...

Whimsy Stamps Sweet Blossom.

Bildmalarna Little Winged Friends - On Walk

Echo Park - A Walk In The Park 6x6 pad

Same rules as always, but I'll leave this one open a couple of extra hours since I'm so late in posting it here and everyone in the UK will be in bed by now!
Merry Christmas!
Love Elaine xxx

You've Gotta Be Quick ~ No4 Winner

Yes..I am late again! The candy ended last night but I was late home from work again today so my first job was to get Mr Random to pick a number...

..and the winner is Karyn..my little candy's have been posted far and wide across the globe but I've never sent anything to Australia before! Karyn if you can please EMAIL ME with your full postal address and I can get your goodies in the mail.
I'll be back soon with another one.
Love Elaine xxx

You've Gotta Be Quick ~ No4

I think Christmas must be coming...I'm rushing around like a blue-ass fly and getting nowhere fast, hence why this post is so late.
This time I have for grabs...

MME Lost and Found Sunshine 6x6 pad.

Simply Sassy Picture Pose unmounted rubber stamp.

Simply Sassy Domestic Goddess unmounted rubber stamp.

Please note...the candy is just the stamp not this stunning card which was made for the Simply Sassy blog by the lovely and very talented DT member Anita. The stamp is all sold out at Funky Kits and so I couldn't find a photo to show you the image so I asked Maria's permission to show you this card instead which is a fantastic way to illustrate how beautiful the image is..thank you kindly Maria and Anita :)

Same rules as before.
Merry Christmas!
Love Elaine xxx

You've Gotta Be Quick ~ No3 Winner

Sorry this is late again..I've just bobbed on here with the candy winner.
Poor Mr Random...I made him do some more work for me and pick a number...

Congratulations to Jenny (stamps,pencils and paper) if you can please EMAIL me with your full postal address and I can get your goodies in the mail.

I still have some more little 'uns to put on here so I will be back soon :)
Thanks for looking.
Love Elaine xxx

You've Gotta Be Quick ~ No3

Another little 'un and back to a Christmas theme. I know it's a bit late for Christmas crafty stuff, I am just so disorganised this year!

Spellbinders Create-a-flake 3 dies.

And Echo Park Holly Jolly Christmas 6x6 pad.

Sames rules as before.

Merry Christmas.
Love Elaine xxx

You've Gotta Be Quick ~ No2 Winner

Sheesh! Sorry this is so late tonight...it's be a fun old day :)

Mr Random has picked a number...

Congratulations Lisa Jane! If you could please email me with your full postal address and I will get your parcel in the post.

I'll be back soon with another little 'un.
Love Elaine xxx

You've Gotta Be Quick ~ No2

Well I'm back with another little 'un.
A little break from the Christmas theme for this one.
Same rules as before.

First Edition Summer Breeze 6 x 6 pad.

Bildmalarna - You and Me unmounted rubber stamp.

Bildmalarna - Your Angel unmounted rubber stamp.

Merry Christmas!
Love Elaine xxx

Simply Sassy Spotlights!

When the Simply Sassy head girl Maria asked me to make just one last card for her to showcase I think she knew very well that I could not say no. I love the Simply Sassy range of rubber stamps soooo much!

This is the last of Maria's spotlights for this year and she wanted to make it extra special, so she asked a few ladies who had previously done a spotlight on the blog if they would like to make a card and join in.
Of course we all would!

I really wanted to make a card using my most favourite image..but which one to pick? I have so many favourites! In the end, this little lady from the second release of stamps won the top spot.
The very beautiful Bella Bunting.
( Dena...you may need to sit down first, embellishment overload again hee hee hee!)

As always, Miss Bella has been coloured with a mix of DI's and SU inks.
I forced myself to cut and use some more of these gorgeous papers - Maja Design 'Fika'.
OK, you know I'm a simple girl so the embellies are always minimal. I started off with a Doo Hickey swirl, a punched flower with a little rose in the middle and a few pearls. But it looked too bare even by my standards so I added the strip of lace...a lot of embellies for me to use on one card!

Thank you for asking me Maria...it's always a pleasure to get the opportunity to show some love to a Sassy.
Now I'm off to go and visit the Simply Sassy blog myself to see all the other ladies cards...they will be awesome!

Thanks for looking.
Love Elaine xxx

You've Gotta Be Quick ~ No1 Winner

Phew..you liked that stamp and die, didn't ya?

Mr Random has picked a number...

Congratulations Heidy (Heidisscrappies) if you can please EMAIL ME with your full postal address and I will get your candy in the mail.

I have more candy to put on here but not tomorrow as I have a card for tomorrow!! I know, don't all faint!
Thankfully, I had got well in front with my cards before I started with this cold which is a darn good job as I've not had the will or energy to make anything. I now need to go and find my mojo and get back into my craft room.

Love Elaine xxx

You've Gotta Be Quick ~ No1

As promised, I'm back with a little candy.
I will put these on here randomly throughout December. Some have Christmas stuff and some just general crafty stuff, but each one will only be open for a day or so and each one contains a couple of crafty items.
One simple rule...open to my followers. (I will post worldwide)

Whimsy Stamps Winter Fairy

Memory Box Flowering Christmas Tree die.

I can't buy a Christmas gift for all my lovely followers...but I can share a few little gifts around.

Love Elaine xxx

Vintage Winter Blog Candy Winner.

Many thanks to everyone that entered the Maja Design Vintage Winter candy, and my heartfelt thanks to Astrid and Kees for this beautiful pad of papers...the winner will not be disappointed :)

Sadly there can be only one winner and Mr Random has done his duty and picked a number...

Congratulations Teresa A !!

Please EMAIL ME with your full postal address and I will get your candy in the mail.


I'm rather good at making plans in my head and running out of time to actually put the plans in motion...a lack of time is usually the reason, and also this snotty cold which seems to have taken up citizenship and is refusing to leave!
I had planned to organise some Christmas candy's starting back in November but the month just vanished.
Throughout December I will pop on some little candy's but they will be 'grab 'em quick' ones...on for a very short period of time and for my followers only...
I'll be back...

Love Elaine xxx

Maja Design Vintage Winter Blog Candy

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Please indulge me for a few minutes and let me take you back in time a couple of weeks....to the Think Pink blog candy. My thanks go to all who entered, and who posted the candy on their sidebars. We all need to remember to keep checking for lumps, or anything that seems unusual. The sooner any lump is detected, the sooner it can be treated.
Many of you left comments. Positive, reassuring comments, and lots of good wishes for Astrid. I am very grateful for your thoughtfulness but more importantly, Astrid is very grateful and touched by everyones care and concern.

Let me take you back a little further in time to October when I wrote this on a post...

I've also suddenly started to receive "We'll send you one of these free to give away as blog candy" emails. I have refused them all - politely of course. If I was offered something I already use then I would willingly accept the occasional freebie to give away as blog candy. But if I don't use it then it's wrong to pimp it on my blog, in my opinion.


I have always done this because I feel it is wrong to promote something I wouldn't actually use myself just because it's free. I am not saying that I'm right in this matter, just that it wouldn't sit well for me. (hubby regularly tells me that I would cut my nose off to spite my face and that I am the most stubborn person he has ever met) 
But when Astrid and Kees asked me if I would like them to send me a pad of papers to offer as candy I jumped at the chance. This is something I love and something I use so I was delighted at the offer.
(Thank you very much Astrid and Kees, you are so lovely)


Maja Designs make the most gorgeous papers, the only problem I have with Maja papers is actually using them. They are so pretty that it's almost a crime to cut them! The quality of the paper is the best I've ever used, nice and substantial but still easy enough to cut. 
I also love Pion Design papers and Inkido (but I am not allowed to buy any Inkido until after I've opened my Christmas presents!) and you can find a fabulous selection of these papers at Crea Duymelot.


So for my candy I have...

Maja Design Vintage Winter

This is a beautiful pad of 6x6  papers...available to buy Here and it's a nice fat wad of papers too, 48 sheets in total, 2 sheets each of 23 double sided patterned papers and 2 die cut sheets.


And on the theme of Christmas, I also have...

One Memory Box Winterland Tree die, plus my favourite Stickles Stardust glitter glue, and a bottle of fine grade German Glass glitter in clear, which makes the most gorgeous snow.
(Please note that the glass glitter IS glass so handle with care)


Candy is open to my followers, and is open worldwide...though I am not liable for any customs/tax that some countries impose. Posting a picture of the Maya pad on your sidebar would be greatly appreciated. Candy will close on Saturday 3rd December at 6pm GMT.
Please click the blue froggy to enter.
Thanks for looking
Love Elaine xxx

Sugar Bowl Challenge ~ 73

My apologies for my recent lack of activity...I am still full of a horrible snotty cold along with a hacking cough that's keeping me up all night - and half the street too I think! It's been living with me for a fortnight now and I am getting a tad fed up with it, not to mention the cost of decongestants, 4 bottles of cough medicine and countless boxes of tissues. But on the plus side, it is only a cold and will pass.....eventually :)
It's a good job I was well ahead with my challenge cards as I've not stepped foot inside my craft room for a fortnight!

Today there is a new challenge over on the Sugar Bowl with a fab sketch by the lovely Sweetie Cathy and this time the optional theme is "Out of the ordinary".

Well, that was definitely a challenge for me! And it took me longer to decide what to do than to actually make the card. I was going to make a fancy shaped card, since I almost always make the standard 6x6 size, but the stoooopid dies I have wouldn't cut through 2 layers of cardstock.
Then I thought I would use a non-Sugar Nellie stamp....that's definitely out of the ordinary for me but would've no doubt resulted in me getting a very stern telling off!

So this is what I came up with. I used another of Sugar Nellie's gorgeous fairies, this one is called Hazel and Nutty. As always, she's been coloured with a mix of DI's and SU inks.

OK, so what's the "Out of the ordinary" bit then?
Firstly, I used my beloved and much stroked - but not often cut - Pion Design paper...this paper only comes out for very special occasions.Next, I aged all the paper edges with walnut stain distress ink. And finally, I added a whole host of embellies...well, you know me and my simple cards, so this is a embellishment overload for me :)

The prize for one lucky winner is a choice of any 4 Sugar Nellie  stamps, but if there are 100+ entries then the prize will increase to any 6 Sugar Nellie stamps. 
My fellow Sweeties all made such awesome cards, so please pop on over to the Sugar Bowl to view them all.
Thanks for looking.
Love Elaine xxx

Simply Sassy Blog Hop Stamp Winner

A big thank you to everyone that came hopping along with us over the weekend. I guess you must love these Sassy stamps as much as I do since the special offer set was a total sell out!
But you can still purchase the individual stamps at Funky Kits.

So...the winner of the beautiful Cinderella stamp is....drumroll please....Aunty Sue.

Congratulations chick..please EMAIL me with your full postal address then I can pass this through to Maria to arrange for your stamp to be posted.

I've been in hibernation this weekend..full of a horrible snotty cold kindly donated to me by my lovely son. He is always so generous with his bugs, but I really wish he wouldn't! I've not slept much since Thursday as I can't stop coughing for long enough to be able to get to sleep. So I spent the weekend snuggled up in my PJ's watching soppy Christmas films dosed up on decongestants but I will be back soon with some more candy...think Winter...think Maja...think gorgeous!

Hugs Elaine xxx

Simply Sassy Blog Hop ~ set 11.

Good Morning Sassy fans!

I was thrilled and delighted when Maria asked me if I would like to join in with the Simply Sassy blog hop, to showcase the new release of stamps from set 11. Well, I could hardly say no now could I??
I love a blog hop but I love the Sassy range of stamps even more!

If you've arrived here from the lovely and talented Anita's blog then you are on the right path. If not please start at the beginning at the Simply Sassy blog.

For my card I was given the most gorgeous stamp to use Cinderella. Isn't she just sooo beautiful?

As always she's coloured with DI's and SU inks. These pretty papers are Maja design Crea Diem available to buy HERE from my lovely friends at Crea Duymelot.

All the new stamps are available to buy now at Funky Kits.
There is a very special offer on these stamps HERE, for the launch weekend only, you can buy the whole set of 6 stamps for the price of 5 AND with the set you will also get free a limited edition stamp called Seasons Greetings. That means 7 stamps for the price of 5!!

This offer is only for the launch weekend while stocks last, and the limited edition stamp is only available with this offer.

The next blog for you to visit is the lovely Erica and I know she has something awesome waiting for you :)

Don't forget to leave a comment on each of the blogs...for there is rubber to be won!

If you would like to win the stamp I used for my card ( Cinderella ) but a new stamp of course, then leave a comment and a winner will be drawn at random at noon on Monday 21st November.

Thanks for looking.

Love Elaine xxx

Think Pink Candy Winner

Just a quick post from me...I've been up since 2am so I'm going to get in bed very soon!

Big, big thanks to all those who entered the candy, and more importantly spread the word around to keep on checking those boobs!
Mr Random has picked a number...

Congratulations Anne (Felixir) if you can please Email me with your full postal address and I'll pop your winnings in the mail on Monday.

Don't forget that there is a blog hop on Saturday starting at the Sassy blog to showcase the new release of stamps...and they are gorgeous!
Hope to see you tomorrow :)
Love Elaine xxx

Blog Candy...think PINK!

This post will stay at the top...please scroll down for any newer posts, thank you.
I got a lovely parcel in the mail today from my new friends over at Crea Shop Duymelot in Holland.
My addiction to all things papery has been satisfied...for now! I also bought some stamps for gifts and one for a blog candy.
Do you remember me telling you about Magnolia producing a special Tilda stamp, only to be sold HERE?
Magnolia are donating 500 euros to the Swedish Cancer Fund, and for every one of these stamps sold 2 euros is donated to the Pink Ribbon Cancer Fund and so a very good way to raise funds and awareness.
This charity is also very close to Astrid's heart (the owner of the Dutch shop) as she has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer herself and went into hospital last Tuesday for an operation.
There was good news and not so good news. The tumour was small and the surgeons removed it all, and it had not spread. But the bad news is that the biopsy showed this to be the most aggressive type of breast cancer, so Astrid will now have radiation treatment and chemotherapy, as a precaution, to be extra safe.

It was very fortunate that this tumour was caught so early...keep checking your boobies ladies!!

My very best wishes go to Astrid, her husband Kees, and family.

So on that note I have a little candy.

Raining Hearts Tilda

And in keeping with the Pink theme I have added a couple of extra bits and pieces.

A 6x6 pad of MME Love Me papers.

A pack of Prima flowers.

And a Pink mini ribbon kit.

The rules are a little different this time..so please read below.

As usual, candy is for my followers and is open worldwide but I am not liable for any customs/duties that some countries impose.

But this time in order to enter I want you to post the top photo of the Tilda stamp on your sidebar, or in a post and link it back to this post...just to spread the message around again to keep on checking your boobs!

Candy will stay open until Friday November 18th 6pm GMT.

Please click on the blue froggy to enter.

Thanks for looking.

Love Elaine xxx

Sugar Bowl Challenge ~ 72

There is a new challenge over on the Sugar Bowl today. We have a fab sketch from our very own Sugar Mama Gayle with the optional theme of "Ice and Snow". A perfect theme for this time of year when we are all trying to make some extra Christmas cards..or even a card for a Winter birthday.

I am sorry the photograph is so poor..it's dark by the time I get in from work and I am really struggling to take a good photo. This doesn't show the colours of these gorgeous papers off at all well.
I thought I would ink up an older stamp seeing as they have been sadly neglected lately! So out came the beautiful Miss Claus and she was coloured with the usual DI's, SU's and Nick Bantock inks.
The papers are Poppy design and are so beautiful in real life..thank you very much Maria xxx
If you click on her name it will take you straight to Maria's candy on her blog, which includes some of these papers too :) Not much else on here except a couple of MS snowflakes, pearls and lashings of glamour dust on her trim.

The prize for one lucky winner is a choice of any 4 Sugar Nellie  stamps, but if there are 100+ entries then the prize will increase to any 6 Sugar Nellie stamps. 
You can see all the awesome cards from all the other sweeties over at the Sugar Bowl blog.


One last thing before I go...

Ain't she just the sweetest darling you ever did see?
There is a blog hop this coming Saturday, starting over on the Simply Sassy blog for a new release of lovely yummy rubber, and you can see sneak peaks this week on the Sassy blog.
So I know what I'll be doing Saturday morning..I'll be a-hopping...hope you'll come and join me.


Thanks for looking
Love Elaine xxx