Followers

Saturday 29 October 2011

Candy Time!

EDITED TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNER

CONGRATULATIONS....

DEL at http://designedbydel.blogspot.com/

please email me at laurie@designerdiva.co.uk
with your address so I can post your candy


 Good Afternoon my lovely bloggers, just a quick post from me as I have packing to do!! It hardly seems fair, me going to lie on a beach in glorious sunshine for two weeks, eating out every night LOL, drinking, shopping, sleeping and being waited on hand and foot (its a hard job but someone has to do it!), while you guys settle into darker nights and dropping temperatures so I'm leaving you a little pressie while I'm away - a small but stunning
'FOLLOWERS CANDY'
 MME Lost & Found 6x6 Breeze Paper Pad
Distress Ink in Brushed Corduroy
4 Bunches of WOC Roses in 'Sepia'
A Generous length of brown Organza ribbon

The usual rules apply
  1. Be or become a follower (genuine please)I will be checking if your name is chosen
  2. Post a picture with a link back to here on your sidebar
  3.  Leave a comment to this post
This candy is open till Midnight on Monday 14th November
I'll pick a winner on the Tuesday from the commenter's
(is that a word?!)

Love 'n' Sunshine Laurie xx

Thursday 27 October 2011

Moving Along With the Boys

Good Morning blog lovers I hope you are all well wherever you are and whatever you're doing! It's DT time again for me as Thursday means a new challenge at
Before I go into that I'd like to thank everyone for the fabulous entries into last weeks challenge, my you all love a bit of vintage! I also want to thank you all for supporting out fabulous blog, its really great to see it grow and grow.

Now on to this week, super Shell is hosting and she says
'No Girls Allowed!'

I used this opportunity to make a card for one of my favourite nephews Isaac
As soon as I saw this fabby paper I knew I had to use it with my new stamp from LCI.

We are sponsored this week by the fabulous
 StitchyBear Stamps and this super prize is up for grabs.

We were all given either images or Digi papers to use and I chose 
doobleboys bluedkbrown doodle paper.

Head over to the main challenge blog for all the details and some great inspiration from the DT.

Thank you for stopping by and for your lovely comments
Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

Tuesday 25 October 2011

It's A Baby!! at LCI

Good Morning blogland, I hope all is well in your little corner of the world. Not long now before I head off in search of sunnier climes. I'm so busy trying to get all my DT work done before I go, I don't want to let any of my challenges down - even though I won't be around to comment.

Its Totally Ladybug Tuesday time again and that means a fab new challenge at
and this week we have a super theme set by the lovely Tams
Babies
I've been itching to ink up this gorgeous Nikki stamp
I had a pram like this for my eldest son, it was great, so much better for the babies as they have lots of room, I had twins next and I remember putting them both in the pram while I was waiting for my twin pram to arrive, seems like 5 minutes ago not 23 years!!
Anyway, back from my trip down memory lane and back to my card - I followed a fab sketch by our very own Mary J for Quixotic Inspirations and the papers I used were free in a magazine ages ago I'm sorry I can't remember what they are called.
You don't have to use an LCI image to join in but we love it when you do, and with images this gorgeous how could you not want to!
Head over to the main TLT blog for lots of gorgeous inspiration from the super talented DT and for all the details of this weeks challenge and last weeks winners.
And I just want to remind you there's just a few days left to get the October Stamp of the Month at Half Price this week - Nikki Running With Buttercup

Thanks for stopping by
Love 'n' Hugs Laurie x

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:

Thursday 20 October 2011

Moving Along with a Vintage Theme

Good Morning blogging community!! For no reason what so ever I'm in an exceptionally good mood!!! Hope it lasts LOL Thursday already can only mean one thing.....time for a new challenge at
And today we have a brand spanking new member joining our Design Team the lovely 
Please give her a visit and show her some love.

Today's challenge is set by Val and she has chosen
Vintage
I've never made a vintage card before, I guess that's why these are called 'challenges'
I dug out some old paper, think its K & Co (only another 499 sheets to use up!) I remembered this stamp I bought years and years ago and thought it fitted the theme perfectly, I coloured it loosely with some pastel distress inks, added the lace (essential in vintage) and the tea dyed ribbon bow et voila!! A few flowers and a rub on gold sentiment - one vintage style card.

We have a fab sponsor this week

The prize up for grabs is a £10 Voucher (P&P not included) and with some fabulous stock in store you'll be spoilt for choice with what to spend it on!!
Head over to the main challenge blog to see what the fabby Design Team have made for your inspiration and don't forget to check if you were amonst the top 3 or a winner last week.

Thanks for stopping by today
Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

Tuesday 18 October 2011

Pink & Brown Circles at LCI

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MY OLDIE BUT A GOODIE POST

Hello again, I still can't quite believe that I have two cards to post every other Tuesday! LOL Oh to be in demand!!

Tuesdays aren't just any old Tuesdays anymore - Now they are Totally Ladybug Tuesdays and that means its a new challenge at 

and what a fab challenge this one is! Set by our very own lovely ladybug Michele.....
Pink & Brown with Circles
Show me anyone who doesn't like pink & brown together!!
I love it and the circles made this one a lot of fun for me.
Now I never make anything other than sqaure cards,  but on my birthday I received a card from my blog buddy Debs and I was amazed by it. So amazed that I had to have a go at it myself and this is my go....not a patch on Debs card to me but I'm still really pleased with it. I have to point out at this moment that because I wanted to make this card so much .....I had to buy a Grand Calibur!!! Thanks again Debs!!
As it cost me so much to make LOL I want you to see it from every angle!!
That gorgeous ribbon is from LCI and you can get it here. I used Robyn stamp who is just as cute as a button I know I will use and use her time and time again. I did a tiny bit of paper piecing on her dress,  I thought she was thin enough to get away with horizontal stripes LOL! The flowers are from WOC  and I've used my favourite papers of all time Making Memories Cosomopolitan.

Head over to the main challenge blog for all the details of this weeks challenge and to see what gorgeous inspiration the Ladybugs have created for you and if you haven't looked yet - it might be you that won last weeks challenge or made the top 3!

And most important of all
Don't forget you can still get the Stamp Of The Month at Half Price


Thank you for visiting
Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Stamptacular Sunday - You Choose
Tuesday ThrowDown - Shaped Cards

Forever Autumn @ Oldie But A Goodie

Good Morning lovely people and welcome to another challenge at
A huge thank you to everyone for joining in the last challenge. We had some amazing entries and we all enjoyed looking through your blogs at your fabulous work.
Today my lovely team mate Claire is hosting her first challenge with us and she has chosen the theme
'Forever Autumn'
We want to see lovely rich autumn colours and/or autumnal images on your cards this challenge.

I went for both with this gorgeous Sarah Kay stamp my dear sweet friend Lisa bought for me when we first met way back before Easter.
This stamp is just perfect for this challenge, I've been dying to ink it up ever since I had it and it was a joy to colour with my copics. And any excuse to whack on some lush flowers from WOC! I love the carnations, I'm not sure if they are autumnal but they were the perfect colour LOL.

Head over to the main challenge blog HERE to see all the details of the prize up for grabs and check out the Design Teams fabulous inspiration makes.
Remember to be in with a chance of winning You must use a rubber stamp (not a digi) and it must be at least 6 months old

Thank you for stopping by my blog today and to those that do for the lovely comments.
Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I would loke to enter this into the following challenges:
Fab 'n' Funky - Crazy For Colours (Fall)
Wags 'n' Whiskers - Fall Colours
CES - Forever Autumn
Paper Sundaes - Halloween or Fall
Stampin For The Weekend  - Colours of Autumn
Deep Ocean  - Fall Colours

Thursday 13 October 2011

BOO!

Hello Peeps me again! Surprise surprise I'm back with a card I made for fun! Haven't had a lot of time for that lately what with work, I was struggling to keep up with my DT stuff but that's all changed now, I've made all next weeks DT cards so out came my beloved Magnolias to play!!

Please scroll down for my MAWTT DT post

I don't usually send Halloween cards so I wouldn't normally make one, but someone I know is Halloween mad so this card will be on its way to her by the end of the month, I'm sure she won't mind seeing it on here first!
I'm not sure what's happening to my photography skills lately but all the colours seem to be coming out wrong - this is much 'warmer' in real life than it looks here! I've obviously pressed something on my camera that I shouldn't have LOL!

The papers are mixed, one is Fancy Pants and the other Echo Park - both extremely lovely. The little bat is a sticker from Simply Shelly that has been kicking around my stash for years, I stuck in onto a piece of acetate and cut around it and the leaves are Cheery Lynn. The chipboard letters were already black so I didn't have to do much there. The ribbon is organza, I tried to wrap it round like a bandage and lovely Edwin was coloured with copics and distressed with TH Antique Linen

Thank you to everyone who reads my drivel and leaves the lovely comments I really do appreciate them, I know how much time it takes to leave them and actually make something!

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
7 Kids College Fund - Happy Halloween
Sketch And Stash  - Sketch
Simon Says Stamp - Halloween/Goth
Simply Magnolia - Autunm Colours
Cupcake Craft - Halloween
Magnolia Mania - Stripes
Creative Card Crew - Spooky Fun
Crafts And Me - Orange

Goodness me thats a lot of challenges! 
If I've entered too many and no longer eligible - I'm sorry xx

Moving Along With An ATC

Good Morning Blog world, hope everything is well in your lives - mine is very quiet and very different from the last few months. I'm still not getting a lot posted but I am trying to get ahead with my DT makes and just finishing off the last of the invites.

Which brings me to the reason for my post today, Thursday can only mean one thing......Time for a new challenge at
And this week Big Boss Lady (bow to her power) Hazel has set us a different challenge
Make An ATC
Now they may be small but this was a huge challenge for me as I've never made one in fact I've never even seen one, but armed with a brief description, some precise measurements and a piece of card that Lisa was playing with during hers and Pam's visit....this was born!
One of the hardest things was trying to photograph it without it blurring - I had to use the macro in the end so that it was legible. The snow effect was done by finely misting bleach on to the ink dusted background, Lisa is just full of fantastic idea's! The snowflake brad is from Karen Foster.

Now I don't DO ATC's, so if anyone reading this collects them and wants it the first person to leave me a comment with their address can have it!

Don't forget to visit the main challenge blog to see what my lovely friends have made for your inspiration and to see if you made the top 3 or better, won last week. 

We are sponsored this week by
and they are giving this fab prize to this weeks winner
Happy crafting

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I would like to enter this into the following challenge:
Die Cut Dreams - Use a Poem

Tuesday 11 October 2011

Tag You're It at Ladybug Crafts Ink

Top of the morning to you all, its Tuesday which means only one thing - time for a new challenge at
and its my favourite Irish lassie Pinky who is your hostess with the mostest today
Before I go into the new challenge I'd like to thank everyone who entered Julie's first challenge last week, we had some fantastic entries and I hope you all took advantage of the fabulous
Stamp of The Month
If you forgot, you still have time, as Kerry is giving it away at half price for the whole month of October!
Head over to the main challenge blog for all the details and to see if you were the winner of a fabulous LCI stamp last week or if you made our top 3

Now on to this week and Pinky has chosen
'Tag It'
Make a Tag or a Tag on a card.
Hopefully mine will be allowed as its a Tag shaped card! 
If not I could be getting 'The Whip!'
I have used the fantabulous 'Birthday Nikki' I can't help thinking someone is going to jump out of that big parcel! I've coloured her in to match the DP's with my beloved Copics and added some WOC flowers, simple but I really like this. The paper is all sparkly and glittered but it doesn't show up very well unless you really zoom in.

Head over to the main  blog for all the challenge details and some wonderful inspiration from the Ladybugs this week.

Thank you for stopping by today
Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp - Sparkle and Bling
One Stop Craft - Anything Goes
ABC Challenge - Anything Goes

Friday 7 October 2011

The First 100

Well folks summer is over with a bang by the looks of it out my window! Unfortunately I'm still not cold - bloody hot flushes will be the death of me!

Just a really quick post from me today as I'm driving to Leicester to visit my Mum again this morning, so if I'm not about its because my Mother has no Internet!!
I wanted to show you the first 100 wedding invitations that I made for my nephew's wedding, they were collected last week and are being sent out at the moment. I still have another 50 to finish but fortunately for me the bride to be has said she thinks she'll only need another 35 - phew!

For anybody out there who is thinking of making wedding invites - THINK AGAIN!!!!!

I changed them a little from the original one I made - hopefully for the better
I'm really pleased with how they turned out, very pretty and delicate
You wouldn't believe how much plain white paper and glue was used in the making of these LOL and thanks to Lisa and Pam for helping when they were here. Lisa cut out all the images and glittered them while Pam and I were colouring them.
I had a bit of a production line set up with making the boxes, my son, his girlfriend and my daughter all had a huge part in that while I was glueing on all the flowers and swirls.
This picture shows all 100 on my kitchen table and the box lids which were separate while the glue dried. The reply card and night before invite were just printed out in pink on white card and I rounded off the corners. I didn't think to take a picture of them but I will of the others when I've finished them.

I know he probably doesn't read this blog but just encase I want to wish my eldest son Jordan a very Happy Birthday - 24 today xx

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'm entering these into the challenge at Bling It On - 'No Patterned Papers'

Thursday 6 October 2011

Moving Along with Autumn Leaves

Good Morning peeps and hasn't the weather changed! It's so windy here you can hardly walk along the promenade - I'm still not cold though!!

It's Thursday already and that means DT time over at
Before I go into the new challenge I'd like to thank everyone who entered last week, it was a lot of fun checking out all your Halloween cards. Head over to the main challenge blog to see if you were the winner or made the top 3.
Now onto this week and my Best Blogging Buddy Lisa has chosen the theme
'Autumn Leaves'
We have a super new sponsor who kindly gave us some images to play with

Please pop over and check out their fab images.
I kept my card nice and simple, along with the tree it's bare of all embellies, I wanted to do a flat card and focus on the colours for a change.
Don't forget to visit the main challenge blog for all the details of this weeks prize and to see what my fabby team mates have made for your inspiration.

Thanks for stopping by
Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Sstamptacular Sunday - Photo Inspiration
The Shabby Tea Room - A Shabby Autumn
Crafty Cardmakers - Anything Goes
Lil Red Wagon - Thanks
Paper Play  - Autumn Colours

Tuesday 4 October 2011

Stamp of the Month at Ladybugs Craft Ink

Please scroll down to see my Oldie But a Goodie DT Card

Hello again - twice in the same day is all a bit much for me, I'm going to have to have a lie down soon!
I'm back with another fabulous challenge at
today we have an exciting new format Kerry has come up with 
Stamp Of The Month
For the whole month of October 
(or while stocks last) this super stamp
Nikki Running With Buttercup
is on special offer and available at HALF PRICE!
What are you still reading this for!!! Head over here NOW!!
The fab new challenge this week is hosted by the lovely
Julie and she set us the task of
NO DESIGN PAPERS
Perfect for a bit of embossing to come into play and with this gorgeous stamp it was ideal to use the snow folder from Cuttlebug. I've gone a bit mad with the glitter but you can't tell from this picture! The sentiment is sticky letters just stuck onto some organza ribbon and my cute snowflakes are a Doo Hickey Die.
 
Head over to the main challenge blog for all the details of this weeks challenge and to see what the very talented DT girls have done with Nikki. This super stamp could soon be yours!

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes (3rd entry)
CES - Gorjuss Girls
Crafty Cardmakers - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion - Anything plus Ribbon

Earn Your Wings at Oldie But A Goodie

Good Morning bloggers and what a good one too! We have had the most glorious weather for the whole of the last week here in Norfok. It has been so busy at the seaside once again I haven't had time to visit all my crafty friends. So much for me catching up in October!

It's time for a new challenge today at

but first I'd like to thank all those that entered the last challenge, you all made some fantastic cards for the boys, don't forget to  check the main challenge blog to see if you were a winner or made the top 3

This week is Sara's turn to host and she would like to see
'WINGS'
I don't have many fairy or butterfly stamps amongst my huge stash but I found the perfect stamp that has been sat quietly waiting its turn in my dust covered draw!
Its from Stampin' Bella and I've had this for so long when I bought it the images weren't allowed to be displayed on the English shop sites so I used to look at the Bella website to choose then ring the Craft Barn I think it was, to see if they had the ones I wanted! The papers are from DCWV and the sentiment is LCI. The fancy flourish is from Cheery Lynn, I can't believe I haven't added one single flower!

Don't forget to head over to Oldie But a Goodie for all the details of this challenge, to see the super prize that is on offer to the winner and to check out all the fabulous inspiration from my very talented team mates.
Remember to be in with a chance of winning You must use a rubber stamp (not a digi) and it must be at least 6 months old

Thanks for stopping by today I'll be back later
Love 'n' Hugs Laurie x

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges:
 Bunny Zoe's - Debbie's Sketch
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Things With Wings
Craft Your Passion - Anything and Ribbon
Simply Create - More than 6 months old