Madcap Manor

Here we are again with the next Dream Valley Challenge, 'Stamp Something'! So get out the old rubber and get stamping! Our two sponsors are Papermaze who are offering a £10 voucher for their shop, and Funky Kits which is the home of Sugar Nellie, who are offering the winner's choice of one of their stamps! What about the card, then? This lad is Scooter Boy one of the Sugar Nellie Mangas. I love those stamps, they are so cute! I hope he's not going to take that scooter onto the road, though, because he isn't wearing a helmet! I coloured his mean machine green then went over it with an embossing pen and clear embossed, to give some shine (which doesn't really show here, hey-ho!) The papers are a Bearly Mine download called 'The Boys Zone'. The colours are lovely soft blues, browns and greens. The sketch is this week's Cute Card Thursday challenge. The ribbons in the top corner are actually stamped with a Lili of the Valley Additions ribbon stamp,...

Kat has Blog Candy! Mr Blogger won't let me post a picture *shakes fist* but do hop across and have a gander. Her creations are lovely, so inspiring! What a pain Mr Blogger is being, with all these tantrums! I've been trying to post the picture for half an hour with no success. Grrrr! I'll be back in the morning with the next Dream Valley Challenge . We have an amaaaazing sponsor for the next fortnight! I just hope I'll be able to upload my picture :( luv, Mags x

Dream Valley has a DT call! I've been so impressed and thrilled that this Challenge Blog (the very first that I've been on the DT for!) has been so successful! We have a new Challenge every other Sunday - the next one is this weekend, and we have cracking sponsors! Do hop over and see what we're up to, and if you're interested, do put your name forward to join the Design Team. We're a friendly bunch - I've made some good friends there! The more, the merrier! luv, Mags x

I love this little mouse, he's working so hard! I've had him for ages, but haven't inked him up since I've had a blog and a camera! He is by The Greeting Farm, and I think he must be no longer made as I can't find him anywhere :( Anyway, I was going to enter this into the Anyone for Anya? challenge, where I got the great sketch but I'd better not - never mind, it's an excuse to make another card for that challenge!! One challenge I will enter is Cupcake Craft Challenge - well, with a name like that how can I resist? Their theme is 'Bookworm' which as an ex-Librarian I think is brilliant! To the card! Papers are Funky Hand (dots) and Nitwits (I think, I forgot to label it.) I used an ABC embossing folder on brown Bazzill card, then went over it with sandpaper to show the blue core. I found the card with the pawmarks in my scraps box, punched out flower shapes and gave them several coats of clear embossing powder with a sprinkling of glitter on one la...

My daughter Sacha and her friend Rae have a baking blog, The Dukes of Marzipan . They're both very good cooks! luv, Mags x PS Sacha's boyfriend, contrary to local rumour, will not be posing as Daisy Dukes in micro-shorts. We are all very pleased about that!

If this lassie tried to garden in Hoddesdon her hat would be blown away in no time!! She's a Belles'n'Whistles stamp by Elisabeth Bell, but I suspect she might be a re-issue. The sketch is from Mojo Monday and I've turned it on its side. The papers are by K & Co, Classic K I think, and they are so vintage-y and pretty! I used my inside-out corner rounder punch (phew! What a mouthful!)on the image and then stickled all edges with gold. The label is cut with a Nesties die. I put Glossy Accents on the watering can. The ribbon was from Hobbycraft, and it has a little sparkle to it that doesn't really show here. I didn't think it needed any other embellishments, because the papers are so pretty. Thanks for looking! I hope you all have a good week (why does time seem to speed up at the weekend?!) luv, Mags x Promarkers: Putty, Sandstone, Tan; Blush, Dusky Pink, Pastel Pink; Cocktail Pink; Pear Green, Lush Green, Powder Blue, Denim blue; Buttercup, Tulip Yellow

The lovely Mandy has candy! Hop across and take a look at her blog, she's amazing with glitter!

2 posts in one evening! I am really pleased with this! The challenge at Tickled Pink is 'Vintage Colours' which is just right for this fabulous Lil Victorian steampunk image I love this adventurous lady! I had fun dabbing glossy accents on her goggles, watch and those gorgeous boots! Papers are DCWV Rockstar pad, the chipboard word is from stash. I went round all the edges with Vintage Photo DI and then stickled in copper, cut out Lilith and raised her on foam pads, and that was that! Simples! Right, time to finish my cuppa and trail off to bed. Goodnight, all, and thanks for looking! luv, Mags x Promarkers: Blush, Dusky Pink, Pastel Pink; Caramel, Burnt Sienna, Cocoa, Henna; Putty, Ivory; Duck Egg Blue, Cornflower; Cool Grey 2 - 4

Evening, all! It's really chilly tonight, so I've dug out my purple snuggle-blanket! I also made 2 cards today! This one uses a very old stamp, which I found when tidying some weeks ago. It's by First Class Stamps Ltd and there's a Sun stamp somewhere in the house, too. Time to tidy up again, methinks! I embossed in white glitter powder and then sponged with blues from a Kaleidocolor rainbow pad, using a square mask. The challenge at Less is More is for a one-layer embossed card. Here's a detail shot: The stamp's quite detailed, and I think would look better with a much finer embossing powder, but it does glitter very prettily! Hope you're all having a good evening! Thanks for looking! luv, Mags x

Afternoon, all! I have had a very nervous time today - yes, I tore the papers for this card, and it left me a bit of a wreck! I was so scared I'd rip in the wrong direction! Silly, isn't it - it's only a bit of paper!! It's not turned out toooo badly. The papers are Pink Petticoat Vintage Rose - so pretty! I distressed the edges with Spun Sugar DI and then stickled. The image is The Greeting Farm from Dies to Die For, but she was the last in stock, I'm afraid! I used a Nestie, also distressed and stickled, and stamped a Whiff of Joy Christmas Swirl in the corners then stickled them, too, but it's not showing too well. It's just to break up the white background, really. The swirl is a Marianne die, the ribbon is from Hobbycraft and the flowers are, of course, Wild Orchid Crafts I'm entering 2 challenges with this: the sketch is from Inspirational Card Sketches . And Anyone for Anya wants a teen/punk card - this is definitely a teen card!! Thanks for lo...

Evening, all! So who watched 'Eurovision' last night? I thought it was terrific fun! Well done Azerbaijan! Okay, it's Dream Valley Challenge fortnight again. My goodness, we had 316 entries last week, and the variety was just amazing! I hadn't realised quite how inspiring it is to be on a DT and travel round blogland seeing all these amazing creations. On to this fortnight's challenge! It's really a version of 'Anything Goes' with a twist - we're asking for a mix of old stash and new. You can make anything as long as it fits the challenge and if you choose to enter, do tell us which bits are new and which old! The sponsor is: Digis With Attitude is a Digital Stamp Company that brings Sass & Attitude to your stamping projects! Meet the newest Attitude’s in town! ’Grumpy Gretchen’ is a sure beauty with sexy curves and very unique facial features. Her hairstyles constantly change, as does her clothing and element she is in. She is sassy and isn...

Evening, all! Has anyone else had problems recently with Mr Blogger? When he finally returned from his hols I had to sign in again, which is always embarrassing because I can never remember my password! Oops! My daughter asked me to make a card for a friend who is a Raving Harry Potter maniac. Yes, she dressed up in a costume (this is called 'cosplay' I'm told) and queued for hours to get the last book at midnight on the day it was published. She adores Draco, so when I found a set of images at Bugaboo that resemble some of the characters I had to use one! Thanks to Blogger being on Spring Break, I couldn't find a new sketch so I adapted an old Sketch Saturday sketch. Papers are: Funky Hand (striped) K and Co (middle) and Bo Bunny 'Blast Off!' for the triangles. The sentiment is Lili of the Valley stamped in silver Versacolor, and the stars are holographic card, and I used a Woodware punch. All the papers have been distressed in Bundled Sage and then stickled. ...

Good afternoon, all, I hope you're having a good weekend! It's a very humid day here in Hertfordshire, and the forecast is for thundery showers, so I'm keeping half an eye on the washing that's hanging outside! I know it's spring when I no longer have draped clotheshorses everywhere! Enough waffle and on to the card. I am really pleased with it! I was clearing out my sewing box and came across a length of cotton curtain tape and immediately thought 'I can make a card with that!' (You know you've got the crafting bug when everything is viewed for its papercrafting potential!) I also found 3 buttons in my MiL's old button box (these must be at least 25 years old). I swiped an Aged Mahogany ink pad over the tape, and I liked how the raised 'tramlines' show up so well. Some time ago I stamped squares with an Impression Obsession Delft Cube 3 using a Kaleidocolor multi inkpad in Cappuchino Delight, intending to use a punch to make teabag squares. ...

Evening, all! I have finally made a skewed easel card! I used the tutorial on Jacqui Dennis's tutorial blog . It was much easier than I thought, but taking pictures isn't that easy! The challenge at Penny Black Saturday Challenge is 'Milestones' and this card is for someone who's just had her first baby! The sketch is this week's Sketch Saturday offering. I used a Nestie for the circular element - on reflection the text should have gone into the bottom corner, but never mind! Papers are a freebie 'Honey and Hugs' from (I think) 'Papercraft Essentials.' I have a bigger version of this pad, and the papers are so cute and pretty! The narrow ribbon is white velvet, from Hobbycraft. Flowers are Wild Orchid, plus a white rosebud from stash that I coloured with Rose Pink Promarker. The pink blanket is glittered, and so are the cute little socks on the message square. Here's the inside: I hope you like it! I can't produce a list of Promarkers, ...

Afternoon, all! Our new challenge at Dream Valley is very appropriate for this time of year: 'Flowers.' Our sponsor is One Stop Card Crafts: At One Stop Card Crafts we have a big range of ever changing discount making and card making craft supplies. We are always adding to our range of craft supplies which are ideal for making handmade greeting cards, do-it-yourself invitations scrapbook pages, altered items and much more. Our card making craft supplies include free UK postage, our popular discount scheme and quick service means our customers keep coming back for more. Our prices are very competitive and this & makes us an ideal place to buy your card making supplies online. Some of our new products include Petaloo flower layers, Ranger Glitter Glue and Martha Stewart Punches.http://onestopcraftchallenge.blogspot.com/ The prize is a £10 voucher for the store! Now for the card! I wanted to do something a bit different, since I use flowers on most of my cards! I've had t...