My stash from the NEC

A week ago today I flew to England for the weekend to see family and go to the NEC Hobbycrafts fair in Birmingham. Luckily for me my mum and sister only live 20-25 mins away from the NEC and so my sister and I were standing in line when the doors opened at 9.30 am! I was really excited! I'd made my list of things that I wanted to get and was hoping to get everything on that list - sadly I wasn't that successful. I did, however, manage to get a lot! :)
The times I've been to the NEC Hobbycrafts before have been on a Saturday and I am so glad we chose a Friday this time! So much better and not as many crowds. You could actually get into the booths without either been stood on or squashed. We were there for a total of 6 hours and it flew by!

I took my camera with me but totally forgot to take any pictures at the fair. I got so involved in looking at the goodies that it didn't even come into my mind to take pictures until after and then I kicked myself!

Bev Rochester served us at Lili of the Valley stand. I was really happy it was Bev as she'd kept some stamps by for me incase they sold out straight away. I got the very last Postcard stamp - lucky me (Thanks Bev)!

When I look at the goodies I bought on the table like this, it doesn't look like a lot, especially as I know how much it all cost! It definitely felt like I was carrying more! My birthday money sure came in handy though ;)
I was disappointed that there weren't that many 6x6 paper pads. There was one I liked but forgot to go back and buy it - silly me! I'll have to look online for the paper pads and for the things I couldn't get.

Now I've got to get around to playing with it all!

Unluckily for me, I got home on Sunday night and by Monday evening I was feeling terrible. I'd caught a tummy bug and couldn't keep anything down. It's Thursday and I'm now starting to feel normal again but I've just got off the phone to my DH and he is now feeling queezy - great eh?!

The only thing I've done this week is stamp up and colour "Honey Tilda"  and I hope to finish up her card sometime this weekend - isn't she a darling?

Hopefully see you all again here soon!

Hugs,
Becca

40th Birthday

I was born on Tuesday 16th March 1971 at 04.20 in Essex, England and this past Wednesday I turned the ripe old age of 40!
I had a fantastic birthday! I had an open house, and friends and family celebrated with me from early afternoon until nearly midnight, and it was the best birthday ever. I started my new decade on a high and am feeling pretty good at being the big four-oh! I have the best friends ever and I am so grateful for them in my life.
One of my best friends daughter was looking through my cards at the party and told me that she would like one. I asked her what her favourite colours were, so I could make a card to suit her tastes, and she told me they were pink and blue. She is 7 years old.
So today I got to work on her card and then tried to fit it into this weeks challenges. This is what I came up with:

My haul from SimonSaysStamp finally arrived yesterday and I got to play with "Tilda with balloon" from the 2011 You Are So Special collection. From the moment I saw her I knew I wanted her; it just took me ages to order her! The Martha Stewart heart lace border punch and the Hero Arts 3 Dotted Flowers stamp were from the same order. I had hoped they would arrive on my birthday but this way I got to open them on Thursday and it was like my birthday all over again :) I don't have to grow up now just because I'm forty, do I?! ;) (Wow, that sounds weird - f-o-r-t-y-!!)

After my failed attempt at colouring in Tilda's dress in my last post, I really made an effort to get it right this time. I feel it went alot better. What do you think?
But then again I can't really take all the credit. My other order from Lili of the Valley arrived yesterday as well bringing with it the Super Smooth Stamping Card that I ordered and it is brilliant, so I think it's the stamping card that made the difference this time. It is so smooth and the pencils and markers just glide over the paper. I definitely have to get some more when I'm at the NEC next week.....

I made the inside to match the colours on the outside -  I just reversed them.

Card recipe:
Papers: pink and blue - a paper pack from Hobbycrafts / DP BasicGrey sugar rush
Stamps: Magnolia Tilda with balloon 2011 You are so special collection
Hero Arts: 3 Dotted Flowers (the smallest of the three)
Die cuts: Nestabilities oval scallop large and circle large / Sizzix Sizzlits (chipboard heart)
Colouring medium: Caran d'Ache watercolour pencils with Sansador / Copic marker for her skin
Distress inks: victorian velvet, walnut stain
Punch: Martha Stewart lace heart / Gütterman leaf punch
Ribbon: Knorr prandell
Extras: Glossy accents, chipboard, glitter glue, flat back pearls

I'm entering this into the following challenges:
Just Magnolia - Week 98 Favourite colour combo
SimonSaysStamp - Simon Says......Happy Birthday
Friday Sketchers - Sketch #146 (I couldn't do a sentiment as I don't know what Safira wants to use the card for)
Bunny Zoe's Crafts -  Challenge #10 Happy Birthday....with lots of pearls
Totally Tilda - Challenge #18 Tilda with chipboard
Magnolia Stamp Lovers - Die cuts

It's the weekend again......how did that happen? How come the time is flying by so quickly?
I hope you all enjoy your weekend and that you are well relaxed.
Thanks for taking the time to visit and for your sweet, encouraging comments. I love reading them.....

Hugs,
Becca

Romantic Tilda

Two cards posted in one day! I must be ill?! lol!

I had a hard time coloring Tilda's dress today and nearly threw the whole thing in the rubbish but thought "what the heck, nobody is perfect!" and decided to post her anyway. I WILL master shading one day! lol! Do you have days like this too?
I have decided that I am BasicGrey paper junkie - I can't go long without using one of the papers otherwise I go into withdrawl!! :) They just call out to me "use me, use me!" and I can't resist! :)
I used one of Bev Rochester's sketches; it makes life so much easier to follow a sketch - half the decision making is already done for you!

Card recipe:

Papers: DP BasicGrey Kioshi, CS Bazzill

Stamp: Magnolia Romantic Tilda, Lili of the Valley  circular sentiments

Colouring medium: Caran d'Ache pencil with Sansador, and Copic markers for the skin

Glitter glue: Knorr prandell

Ribbon: Interio

Punches: Gütermann (leaves, flowers)

Die cuts: Magnolia Doohickey Tilda Lace

Brads: Stash

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Sentimental Sundays - Go Green

7 Kids College Fund - Mardi Gras

Magnolia-licious - Green

Thanks for looking and leave a comment if you want so I'll know you've popped by.

You make my day.

Hugs,

Becca

Rosie with presents

Hey all,

I hope you had a great weekend?
On Sunday evening after Skyping with my sister in England I got to work and really challenged myself with colours that aren't usually ones I use. The challenge over at Colour Create was to use greens/olive green, brown, cream and black, and believe me it was tough!
Once I'd decided on which papers to use the rest kind of flowed.......
I used the sketch over at Friday's Sketchers 

Card recipe:
Papers: BasicGrey Capella, Bazzill
Stamp: Lili of the Valley Rosie with present
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Caran d'Ache watercolour pencils with Sansador, walnut stain DI
Die cuts: Nestabilities Oval and oval scallop large
Flower: Prima
Brad: BasicGrey Capella
Leaf punch: Gütermann
Black pearls: Hero Arts
Ribbon: Interio (25mm)

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Colour Create - Greens/olive green, brown, cream and black
Friday Sketchers - Sketch #145
Lili of the Valley - Say it with flowers
ABC DT - Happy Birthday
The Shabby Tea Room - Party time

Hope you have a great start to the week. This week is going to be busy for me as it's my 40th birthday on Wednesday and I'm having an open house......I'm getting excited!

Take care and thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Becca

Fruity Tilda

It's been two weeks since I made a card - I've been feeling out of sorts and a bit demotivated - but today while I was looking at the different challenges I felt motivated to make one.  I'm hoping I have my mojo back!

The sketch for this card is from the very talented Bev Rochester over at Just Magnolia Challenge.

Can you tell that Tilda is ready for Spring? Look at all that gorgeous fruit - strawberries and cherries - and her muffin is a fruit muffin, naturally!

 

Card recipe:

Papers: CS Bazzill, DP Bearly Mine

Stamp: Magnolia Tilda w/ cowberry muffin

Punches/Dies: Carl flower punches, Magnolia Tilda Lace, Nesties circle and scallop

Inks: Memento Texedo Black, Caran D'Ache with Sansador, Distress Inks - walnut stain

Embossing: Cuttlebug folder swiss dots

Brads, pearls and doily from my stash.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Totally Tilda - Fuity Tilda

SimonSaysStamp - Anything goes

Just Magnolia and hAnglar & sTanglar - Bev's sketch

ABC Challenge - P is for Pearls

It's Friday, people! It's weekend! Yeah!!

Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs, 

Becca