Creative Bloggers Hop and Totally Tilda Candy Winner

I've been asked by my friend Amanda to join in with the Creative Bloggers hop.

It's a continuous hop every Monday with a host of different inspirational bloggers taking part each week.

I was introduced to Amanda through my friend Patty not long after Amanda had started her blog. 

She's funny (hilarious is a better description) sweet, sassy, and an amazing crafter who also loves cats and we got on like a house on fire. I was delighted when my BFF Amanda came to stay for a week in May and we talked and laughed and shopped and had very sore feet after pounding the pavements of London!

Onto the questions and answers part:

What am I working on.

I've not had much time to work on anything recently but I bought some new watercolour paints - Sennelier L'Aquarelle - with my birthday pennies, and I want to play with them and get more comfortable using them and mixing colours together to create the required shade. 

How does my work differ from others in my genre?

Does it differ? I don't think it does really. 

I do prefer the cleaner and simpler style of card making though I admire and drool over those cards that are loaded with fancy embellishments. 

I like straight lines, symmetry and definitely NO grunge or torn papers!

Why do I write/create what I do?

Pure self indulgence!

I believe everybody should have a hobby or interest outside of work that gives them something to look forward to doing in their spare time. There's nothing I love more than sitting in my craft room playing with stamps, paint and pretty papers. It's total relaxation for me and something I always enjoy doing.

It's my little bit of heaven on earth.

How does your creative process work?

If it's a card for a challenge then the first step is to pick a suitable image. Then I colour all the skin and the hair...I like to get the hair out of the way because I HATE colouring hair!

Then I choose the papers I want to use...which most of the time are Pion or Maja, my two favourite brands, and I finish colouring the image in shades to compliment the papers.

Lastly I play around with embellishments...ribbon, lace, pearls, buttons, occasionally flowers, before sticking everything down.

Now it's my turn to pick 3 bloggers to answer the questions.

In alphabetical order:

Erika

I first met Erika through our mutual love of the very sweet stamps by Sugar Nellie.

Erika is the most versatile crafter I know and I think she can turn her hand to anything.

Her cards range from intricate designs to the more clean and simple designs, and she is the Queen of Spellbinder dies. She bakes, she sews, she crochets and she makes me very jealous of all her talents. 

As if all that wasn't enough....Erika is the loveliest, sweetest lady ever.

I've been lucky enough to be the recipient of some of Erika's talents and for my birthday this year I was absolutely delighted to open the parcel that contained these...

I can neither crochet nor sew so I was in absolute awe!!

The bag now holds all my paintbrushes (see the little pockets on the front..perfect for my brushes!) and other painting supplies and the owl nearly didn't make into my craft room because someone - 19 years old and male - wanted it for himself! It's soft and squidgy with googly eyes and perfectly cute!!

Shirley

Shirley was one of the first people I met when I started blogging. 

She's always been there for me, offering support, helping me with 'technical' blogging stuff when I was stuck, and being a shoulder for me to cry on. 

I can tell her anything and I know she'll only offer me the very best advice.

Shirley is my adopted Mummy and she's the loveliest lady you could ever wish to meet, and I'm proud to call her my friend.

She's also a very talented crafter and she's a whizz with all those fabulous dies, always using lots of them to create her gorgeous cards. 

I was lucky enough to meet Shirley and her lovely husband Ian when they were on their way up to Scotland. 

She's a little treasure.

Wendy

Wendy is a more recent - but equally valued - friend.

She moved from the UK and now lives in New Zealand...how's that for a massive life adventure!

She's also another Sugar Nellie addict...there are a LOT of them!

She's a super sweet, caring and very thoughtful lady who doesn't have a bad bone in her body. 

Wendy emits pure sunshine wherever she goes.

She creates gorgeous cards, from the clean and simple style to more intricate designs.

Girlie cards and boy cards too - anyone who can make boys cards gets an extra Gold Star from me!

And Wendy is an amazing Mama to her two gorgeous children. 

The best thing about blogging is all the amazing people I've met from all over the world!!

Last thing for today...

Over on the Totally Tilda challenge blog, to celebrate the 100th challenge some of the DT had candy.

The candy was open to anyone that entered the challenge and left a comment on the DT's blogs.

My candy goes to entrant number 111 which is Margreet.

Your parcel is all ready to be popped in the mail as soon as I have your address.

Thanks for looking.

Love 'n' hugs