Sugar Bowl Challenge ~ 63

As promised, I'm back with a card (at long last) for the new Sugar Bowl challenge. The very lovely Sweetie Erika has provided the sketch for this challenge and the optional theme she has chosen is 'Make Your Own Flowers'. Hmmm a little tricky for me, I do like to add an odd flower to my cards and I did make them myself, sort of?
Ok, I punched them out but that's about as good as it gets from me.

Just for a change I used a Sassy image, bet you're all shocked eh?? This little sweetie is called  Carnival Balloon and as usual she's been coloured with DI's and Nick Bantock inks. The papers are SU but I've no idea what they're called (but I need to order me some of these Nic!) I've used a new Magnolia die that I got for my birthday, thank you Maria xx I got lots of lovely birthday gifts so you'll be seeing them all over the next few weeks :) The flowers are made from a mix of X-cut, EK Success and Woodware punches. A few pearls and the jobs done.

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. 
For all the details on how to enter please visit the Sugar Bowl blog, where you will also find lots of lovely cards for inspiration from the other sweeties.

Just one more sleep until the Carnival of Colour arrives in town, I hope you are all going to come along and join in because it's going to be fun, fun, fun...hope to see you all again tomorrow :)

Thanks for looking and for any comments you may leave.
Love Elaine xxx

Of Proms, Hops and such...

Just some bits'n'bobs of news. I've been a really busy bunny this week, the washing and ironing is almost caught up with and the house is relatively clean and tidy again.
Today I've had an excited boy, getting ready for his school prom tonight. He was up early, showered and a trip to the hairdressers..little wonder I'm broke but our hairdresser has a Jag! Unfortunately he is streaming with a cold but that didn't put a damper on his excitement.
I always pitied the mothers and fathers out there with daughters to dress for the prom. After all, having a boy would surely be a cheap affair as we can hire a tuxedo for the night? But no, Hal had already seen what he wanted to wear and there was no hiring of it and it was bloody expensive! Darn it...I'll not be retiring just yet!

Just ignore the metal sticking out of his lip..that's what happens when you go away for the weekend and leave a boy at home!

I have got cards made and ready to post on here on the correct days. Thursday sees a new challenge on the Sugar Bowl, and Friday and Saturday will be the Sugar Nellie Carnival of Colour blog hop.

A two day hop to celebrate and showcase the new releases (which are all fab) so I hope you will all come along and join in the fun.
I have got a (late) birthday candy planned for my followers but I wanted to wait so I can include some of the new Sugar Nellies..well, it would be rude not to!
Thanks for looking.
Love Elaine xxx

Just A Quick Update..

OK, I know I've been quiet this week. It's been super busy at work plus I've been working extra to clear my desk so I can take a few days off next week.

My stepdaughter Emma got her results yesterday for the BA course at Uni and gained a 2:1 so we were with Emma last night for a little celebratory champagne or two! I'm quite sure I said 'never again' to champagne after the last time?

A heartfelt thanks to all my lovely buddies for your good wishes, cards and gifts, you really made this birthday a very special one indeed, and I was extremely spoiled! I stayed up on the Thursday night to phone/email/text etc but I do still owe a few lovely ladies a reply which I will do either tomorrow or Monday but I am away this weekend at Cleethorpes and what a lovely time I've had so far.
I met Jill from The Hobby House at about 12ish and we went for a spot of lunch, and I then spent the rest of the afternoon in her craft shop...I apologise Jill!! I think they close at 4pm and we left around 6pm.

I've got quite a few cards to show next week, so you'll no doubt be sick of the sight of me before the week is out!

Love Elaine xxx

Happy Fathers Day Dad!

I just wanted to wish a Happy Fathers Day to my Dad, and all the other Dads out there.
I know how lucky I am to still have both my parents, but in our busy working lives we sometimes take it for granted that they will always be here and don't spend as much time with them as we should.
So today I wanted to give a shout out to my lovely Dad, I was truly blessed to be born to wonderful parents.
Last Sunday was my Dads birthday (shhhh 83 but I didn't say that) and since my Dad loves his camera we bought him a portrait kit - don't ask me what, not a clue! Hubby has to point me in the right direction if it's anything camera related. But it was a toy/gadget for him to play with (always a good idea to buy men new toys, keeps them occupied and out of mischief!) and he took the self-portrait below with his new toy.

Looking a bit serious there Dad! I bet he was concentrating on taking his own photo :)
Love you Dad, always.
Elaine xxx

Candy Winner.

I'm sorry! I should've posted this last night but I simply ran out of time. 

Thank you to everyone who entered my little candy, Mr Random has picked a number...

So this time the candy is going to the USA to live with Amanda R, congratulations hunny!

I have always bought the candy first before putting it on my blog, except for this time as the stamps were not available to buy at the time I posted it. As from today you can buy the next set of Sassy's HERE and there is a special offer price if you buy the full set of 6. But Karen also has a whole host of delicious new stamps due for release on July 1st including the sweet Sherbet Pips, there really will be a lot of sweet rubber to choose from! So Amanda, although my candy was supposed to be Sassy stamps if you wish to wait until you've seen all the previews of the other new stamps then I am more than happy to offer you the choice between the Sassy's, Sherbet Pips or any of the other new stamps due out. Just let me know.

Thanks again to everyone for entering, I'll be back soon with a little Birthday candy.

Love Elaine xx

Sugar Bowl Challenge ~ 62

It's time for a new Sugar Bowl challenge, and as always this is a fabulous one! This time the sketch has been provided by the amazingly talented sweetie Marlene and the optional theme is 'Summer'. Here's hoping Marlene, I think Summer passed us by this year! We did have one lovely sunshiny day on Tuesday, just to get our hopes up, then it was back to the usual dull, dreary, wet and windy weather that we are used to!

YES...I'm back to my true self with a Sassy image!
Hmmmm...not the best take on Summer but this gorgeous lady was begging me to ink her up so what choice did I have? And be honest now, you would hardly go out in winter dressed so skimpily would you? If she lived in Oldham she would need a liberty bodice and thermal thong under that dress even in June!
This Sassy lady is called 5th Avenue and available to buy HERE, she's been coloured with DI's and Nick Bantock inks, the papers are Prima Madeline, the odd pearl and a MFT die cut flower.

I flipped the sketch again as my chosen image was vertical not horizontal.

There's lots of fabulous new images due out very soon. Maria and the ladies on the Simply Sassy blog are having a blog hop this Saturday ready for the release of a new set of Sassy's and July 1st will see lots more new rubber at Funky Kits so keep checking the Sugar Nellie blog for further updates.
Some of the new stamps due out on July 1st are these....

Sherbet Pips

Aren't they just the most delightful and sweetest stamps ever? Which brings me nicely to the prize for the winner of this challenge, the full set of 5 Sherbet Pips rubber stamps. 
So what are you waiting for? There's a fabulous sketch, an easy theme and a gorgeous prize so get your entries in to the Sugar Bowl where you will also find lots of inspiration from all the other talented Sweeties.


Thanks for looking and for any comments you may leave.
Love Elaine xxx

A Little Mystery Blog Candy!

This post will stay at the top, please scroll down for newer posts.

As I said in an earlier post, May sort of passed me by without a candy. In truth, I was sick of the sight of Jiffy bags stuffed with Party Bags! I am all candied out and can't think what to offer up this month, in which case I will offer up my mostest favouritest stamps ever in the whole wide world!
Now being as I am a spoiled little bugger I have already seen the soon-to-be-released set of Sassy Stamps- set 8 - from Funky Kits and they are amazing, as always. This set is a little different from what we've had so far but that's all I'm saying, my lips are sealed.
So my candy will be the next set of 6 rubber stamps - set 8 Simply Sassy.

Rules of entry: Simple as always, just like me :)  All I ask is that you are a follower and yes I do check! Candy is open worldwide but I am not liable for any import/customs duties that some countries impose. Please play nicely and only enter once. Candy will stay open until Thursday 16th June 6pm BST.
Please click on my blue froggy to enter.
Love Elaine xxx

ETA Either Mr Blogger or Mr Froggy is being a bit of a devil today! People are entering but it's talking ages to show on my blog although I can see the entries on Inlinkz. If it doesn't show your entry it will turn up eventually!
ETA Again!! I apologise, I've just found out that these new delicious stamps will go on sale on June 18th so I have brought the closing date forward..sorry!

Sugar Bowl Challenge ~ 61

I'm back with my card for the new Sugar Bowl challenge..gosh I think the weeks go by quickly, but it's been a year since my first Sugar Bowl card and I can't believe how quickly that went! They do say time flies when you're having fun, so I must be having a blast! (Or getting old?)
The sketch for this challenge has been done by Sweetie Kiki and the optional theme is Weddings/Love.
Since I am rather lacking in wedding images then I went with love instead.

Maybe I should've warned you first? Another card with no Sassy image on it! I thought I would practice what I preach and dig out a much older stamp for this challenge. This is Luvvie, a Leanne Ellis Annie image, I love this little cutie and it's one of my very well used stamps.
As usual, she's been coloured with DI's and Nick Bantock inks, the papers are MME Stella & Rose (Hattie) which I've been stroking since March so I thought it was about time I actually used them.
The sentiment is from Waltzing Mouse Stamps, the flowers are a MFT die which I've had for absolutely yonks but never used yet I keep admiring them on Fi's blog, a few pearls and the jobs done.

The fabulous prize for one lucky winner is a set of 6 pick'n'mix Sugar Nellie stamps. As always, you can find all the details over on the Sugar Bowl blog along with lots of lovely inspiration from all the other sweeties.

Thanks for looking and for any comments you may leave.
Love Elaine xxx