PassionforPromarkers

If there is one thing I really love in my craft cupboard,it's my little box of Promarkers.It's no surprise ,then, that I am so keen to enter the brand new challenge over at PassionforPromarkers.
The prize for the first week is fantastic and well worth a look.
I got new paper and a punch at the weekend and have been waiting for a chance to use them.However,I didn't have a stamp to suit( I actually only have a few) so I remembered that one of my neighbours had taken a photo of part of my back garden and had it framed for my birthday as a surprise and I thought it would make a nice image so I drew it and coloured it with Promarkers.
I don't have lots of Promarkers yet and was really surprised at how many I used for this card
cinnamon and burnt sienna.......................... for the arbour and bench
ivory and vanilla ............................................throw and flower pot
marsh green,apple and meadow green.......foliage
rose pink and cool aqua.................................cushion
ice grey 3.........................................................pebbles
satin ................................................................for outlining
The paper is ..................................................Papermania Blueberry Hill
Scallop circles.................................................Nestabilities
Punch..............................................................Xcut Impress border/fence
Leaf punch......................................................Woodware
Flowers...........................................................Ikea
Phew, that's it!!

Colour Create

I took one look at the colours for this week's challenge at Colour Create (lemon,sorbet pink and chocolate) and thought it was beyond my imagination and I would give it a miss for the first week since I started blogging........then I thought I should have a go!
I'm not too sure about the results but here it is anyhow..
I don't like to give in to the challenge of the colour combos the DT over at Colour Create come up with and they do make some beautiful cards as inspiration
I have used;
papers................download from shabbyprincess
image..................my own sketch coloured with Promarkers
flowers................Ikea, woodware punch and Tesco pompoms
paperclip............Tesco
leaves..................woodware punch
scallop circles.....Nestabilities

Sketch Saturday

The top photo was taken after I realized that I had not added all the elements for the challenge....
then I just decided not to erase the first because I couldn't make my mind up which background looked best?

I paid a visit to Hillmount Nursery today and couldn't wait to get home with my new things to make this card...
I always enjoy the Sketch Saturday challenge and this one is no exception.
I had drawn the topiary rose bush earlier in the week while I was off work sick and thought my new papers were ideal for the image.The only trouble was I didn't really want to actually use the paper-just look at it!!
Anyway this is what I used;
Image..........................my own sketch coloured with Promarkers
Papers........................Papermania...Blueberry Hill
Leaves........................Woodware punch
Lace.............................Dunelm Mill

Have a good Bank holiday weekend!, Ruth x

3 in one challenge card!!

No, I wasn't being lazy...I really did put a lot of thought into getting one card to fit all three challenges!
Firstly I used the colours ecru,tan and sky blue for the Colour Create challenge , used the sketch provided by the team at Double Dutch and added the sweets needed to fit the new challenge Allsorts .
I did manage to include gloss- it's on the coffee but doesn't show up in the photo..
What I used;
Image............my own sketch coloured with Promarkers
Swiss dots Cuttlebug embossing folder
Sizzix leaves
Hand drawn swirl
shabbyprincess downloaded paper
Thanks for looking, Ruth

The Pink Elephant

This was a really quick make! I just remembered I had to make a card for my mum to give to my son whose birthday is tomorrow...so time was limited.
I drew the burger and fries, coloured them with Promarkers and then ,because I had seen the the challenge on The Pink Elephant was to use Letters or Monograms I added the A for Andrew..
The papers I have used are from DCWV /black and white prints.
I'm afraid the photo is a bit fuzzy but the light is not great and gran is waiting for her card....

A Spoonful of Sugar/My Time to Craft

We have friends getting married soon and I seem to be making the cards for all our family to give them.This time I kept it very simple..and I don't usually use many peel offs but I thought it was quite nice?
A Spoonful of Sugar is one year old and they are asking for cards to be made with the theme of Celebration.
The challenge at My Time To Craft is to make a card on the theme of Love and Marriage...so here you are.

Sketch Saturday

Good morning!
Remember last week when I said I couldn't make cards because I was busy at work and had hurt my arm......well after a very painful week,not much sleep and plenty of nagging from my family, I went to A&E yesterday and had some Xrays done.The good news is that it is only muscle damage but because I have not been resting it, it has got worse.I now have stronger tablets and the perfect excuse for a day off work.

I have quite a few cards to make this week and I have started with an 18th birthday card for my sons' friend using the great layout over at Sketch Saturday.I always enjoy using their sketches as there is plenty of scope for creativity...and plenty of inspiration from the design team


I've used the same image I drew for my son's card but teamed it with great papers sent to me in a swap with Shaz from Docrafts.

I'm really enjoying drawing these images now and my head is buzzing with ideas.......

Does any one know...................?

Good morning,
I have almost got myself sorted with the images I am having made into stamps but after reading comments on another site I wondered if any of you know where is the best place to have clear stamps made which are good quality and easy to use?
I have been in touch with one company but just want to check that I have chosen the right one before I go any further....
All comments would be appreciated, Ruth

I'd love your opinion.......

If anyone has a moment or two could you please tell me what you think..( politely! )
I have been asked quite a lot of times now about my hand drawn images on another site and had a bit of encouragement last week so I am seriously looking at the possibility of having them made into stamps to sell.
I'd love you to have a look through my blog and tell me which ones you like best....cute, animals, flowers or which ones would be best to leave out.
I am hoping to get organised soon, so "watch this space"

If you could pass this on to your other blogging friends, I would really appreciate the feedback.

Thanks very much for your time, Ruth

Wedding Acceptance

I'm just getting around to posting the card I made for friends who are getting marrried soon.
I've used another of my own sketches and Promarkers, Cuttlebug swiss dots embossing folder,Woodware punch and computer generated sentiment.

Colour Create/ Sketch Saturday/Cute Card Thurs

Just when I thought I wasn't going to be able to make any cards this week I had a while tonight to have a go at combining blue and green (the colours for Colour Create) and Sketch Saturday and also incorporate Cute Card Thursday challenge where the theme is "letters or numbers"
I hurt my arm and shoulder badly at work last weekend and couldn't get time to rest them - the joys of being self-employed! For most of this week I have been going to work smelling of Deep Heat and taking painkillers,then coming home and ending up in bed with my shoulder propped up on an extra pillow.Any time my arm moved off the pillow during the night I woke up in terrible pain.
So no card making or even much computer.
Our younger son,Andrew,will be 15 next week so I drew a "teenager" to put on his card and followed the sketch and colour scheme of the two challenges.
I hope the "wall" counts as paper piecing!!

Colour Create/ Truly Scrumptious

Red ,cream and chocolate....Well it really had to have strawberries on the card when I saw this combo over on Colour Create .The idea fitted really well with the challenge of making a card "good enough to eat" for Truly Scrumptious this time too!Then I realized that the card for thesecretcrafter challenge this week had to include flowers so I decided to enter this one for all 3 challenges!

I have used an image called "Jenny" which I drew some time ago and I drew 2 little strawberries to add at the corner
The colouring was done with my Promarkers
Woodware punch for flowers
Lace from Dunelm Mill
Swiss dots embossing on Cuttlebug
and brown patterned card from some wrappers at Christmas(shh!)

I loved making this one..

Sketch Saturday

Another great sketch at Sketch Saturday and some super cards by the design team.I thought I'd use some really sweet coloured elements for this one and I hope it works!
I have used papers from shabby princess,
an image of a cocker spaniel which I drew myself and coloured with Promarkers,
scalloped circle nesties
swiss dots embossing folder in Cuttlebug
flowers from Ikea
gems from Jewellery Seal
Woodware punch for small flowers
ribbons from my stash

Again, I haven't added a sentiment yet as I usually do this when I am about to use the card!!

Alex/ Colour Create

Good Morning!
I've been working on combining a couple of challenges for a day or two and I've finally got it together. Alex is offering blog candy with a twist ie it has to be won and I love the idea! Alex has been making wonderful cards for a long time now and I've had great help and encouragement from her on the Docrafts site many times. She has provided a sketch to follow or you can try to make her laugh!!!
Well, I have followed the sketch but adjusted it to suit a male card as my nephew will be 21 next week.
I have used the colours from this week's Colour Create challenge (brown,green and orange) with the added option of a card for a male.It was just the card I had to make this week..
This is one of the latest drawings I have done and hope to have him made into a stamp so I'd love it if you would tell me what you think of him, Ruth

Stamp with fun

I saw the lovely sketch over at stampwithfun and thought it was ideal to try out my new images. I drew the lady a couple of weeks ago and then I drew the man for my nephew's birthday but for this one I put them both together.
The man is one of the new stamps I will be having made to sell soon. What do you think of him??
I have used DCWV Retro papers, my own drawings coloured with Promarkers and some buttons from my stash.
I'll add the card for my nephew in the morning as I still have to take the photo, Ruth

Sketch Saturday

There is a great selection of super cards from the DT over on Sketch Saturday this week and they are all very different styles.
Anyhow this is my card for the challenge.
I have used papers sent to me by Alex from Docrafts(thanks!!)
and I drew the image myself
I coloured it with Promarkers and used a little glitter on the bubbles
I thought the small circles on the paper matched well with the bubbles

Colour Create

I really look forward each week to see what colour combination the team over at Colour Create comes up with and this week I certainly was not disappointed. Black, white and pink with polka dots if you like!
I am a great fan of bold colours and this was great to play with..
Also I had just drawn a new image and these were the ideal colours to use .
I don't often paper piece but I tried it this time and even used my new Glossy accents on the shoes
(even though it doesn't really show up on the photo!)
I have used
papers..................DCWV blackand white prints
image ..................my own sketch coloured with Promarkers
various embellishments from my stash

Wednesday...I thought the card could do with a little extra so this is the updated version..with black flower, ribbon and polka dot bow charm added.

Baby Girl

Saturday again!!
I'm not long back from The Craft Fair in the King's Hall in Belfast where I had a great time wandering around all the stands. My poor husband came along ,too as we had just been on another appointment and he was verrrry patient while I talked and looked!
I noticed 3 familiar faces at the door on the way in....Erin, Liza and Mina from the Docrafts site but I wasn't really sure if it was them or not. Then I was talking to Martine Mcknight inside and by the time I bumped into the other three again, I introduced myself and we got chatting..............I met some other friends I hadn't seen for a while so I was there for longer than I meant to be but got a few things to play with so it was worth my while!

Anyhow, the card!! This is another one I made for my neice using a little dog I drew a while ago.

Colour Create and Sketch Saturday

It's already week 11 over at Colour Create and this week the colours were chosen by Tab. They are chocolate, coffee and cream...colours I love to work with as they are very rich. I'm enjoying the super sketches at Sketch Saturday and the DT provide great inspiration with their take on the week's sketch, so I have combined the two again.
I have used
Papers..................Daisy and Dandelion picnic patch
Image...................my own drawing coloured with Promarkers
Embossing...........Cuttlebug/Swiss Dots
Lace......................Dunelm Mill

Kreativ Blog Award

First of all I must say thanks to Sarpreet for giving me this award. I have had it for a while but did not post as ..............well, just what interesting things have I to write about myself??

Here are the rules for this award:
1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting
5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers
6. Post links to 7 blogs you nominate
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs, letting them know they have been nominated.

Anyhow seven things which may or may not be of interest to anyone are:

1. I am a Christian........this is the most important thing to me

2. I am married to the only boyfriend I ever went out with! We have been together since I was studying for my A levels and have now been married for almost 22 years.

3.I have two teenage sons who "hog" the computers and mean that my blogging time is limited!!

4.I work in property renovation ie I have interior design qualifications but also like to carry out some of the work. By this I mean that some days you will find me drawing and planning someone's kitchen/living room and then I will be assembling the units and painting the walls etc


5.I work full time with my husband who is a joiner(carpenter) and has also qualifications in Building Studies.

6.When I started card making I made a gallery on Docrafts and have made some wonderful friends there..some of whom now keep in touch through our blogs.

7.I just love to draw and sketch..I usually carry a little note pad in my bag to draw things of interest and quite often do this while having my lunch when at work, then I add the detail later.


Now the 7 people to whom I would like to pass this award on to are
1. Judy who not only makes beautiful creations but is generous with her compliments.
2. Tara who has been an inspiration ever since I "met" her on Docrafts
3. Sarita who inspires to with both her comments and her unique style of cardmaking
4. Elaine who has been a constant source of compliments and also makes beautiful cards which I can tell right away when I see one!
5. Kellylouj whose cards are very creative and who always takes time to comment on mine
6. Cheryl who has a beautiful style all of her own but likes to encourage others
7. Christine Last but certainly not least... her cards are amazing..just nip over and take a look!