IBSIC #19.......peach, blue and yellow.

Hi there, I'm back today with this week's challenge over at Inspired by Stamping Inspiration Challenge. I still have no internet so I can't add any link but here is this weeks inspiration photo.




I also used this week's sketch from Mojo Monday..



Here's my card using the colours peach, blue and yellow.

I stamped the IBS Elegant Flower stamp in SU Crumb Cake and over the top stamped "forty" with the IBS Fancy Alphabet. I added a sprinkling of glitter onto the IBS flowers to give the card a bit more glitz.
I've got so many packs of gems so to use them up I've been "sprinkling" a few onto my cards, lately, I quite like how they look.

Supplies
Stamps- IBS Elegant Flowers, IBS Fancy Alphabet
Papers- Authentique, SU.
Pretties- tulle, button, IBS flowers, Cheery Lyn Doily die.

Thanks for looking, I'm sorry I can't add any links, hopefully my new Hub will be here soon, so I can get up and running again, properly. Enjoy the rest of your week.

xxxxDebxxxx

One a Day......Tuesday's Tallies

Hello my lovely blog friends, I hope you had a good weekend, thank you for all my birthday wishes. I had the most wonderful week as I've celebrated my wedding anniversary, my birthday and Paige's birthday, but I will tell you more about that in a different post.
I'm back today with my Tuesday's Tallies, unfortunately with all the celebrations this week, I have only managed three rows on my Wonder Blanket.
I've got no wifi so I'm writing this on my iPad using 3G, the only problem is I can't add links properly and I don't know if the layout will look different, I'm using Blogpress, if anybody does know how to add a link, I'd really appreciate it if you could let me know, I can copy and paste the web address.




It doesn't look much different from last week but I thought I'd show you the blue I've added.
I've also got one pair of wellie toppers finished ready for V Festival next month.

The pattern is Fun in the Mud Welly Toppers by Rhian Drinkwater from Simply Knitting issue 92. I used Rico Designs Creative Poems Aran in shade 10.
This was a very quick and easy pattern and I finished them in a few hours, the other pair I'm knitting aren't quite as straight forward it's using intarsia so I need to concentrate more but hopefully will get them finished this week.
Tomorrow, I'm off to North Wales with my crafty friends, the weather is beautiful here in the U.K. so hopefully we can spend some time on the beach but on the evening we plan to do some crafting, some will be papercrafting and some of us knitting/crochet. Whatever we are doing I know we will have lots of fun and laughs, they are a great bunch of girls.
Check out how everyone else has got on this week with their One a Day's

http://gingerbreadgirl-carole.blogspot.co.uk/

Sorry this is the only way I can link.
Have a great week, I don't know what the internet service will like where I'm stopping so I may be a bit quiet for the next few days.
xxxxDebxxxx

IBSIC #18......A Sketch.

Hi there, I hope everyone is having a good week, this week's challenge at Inspired by Stamping Inspiration Challenge is this fab sketch.

I became a Great Aunt for the first time on Saturday ( how old do I sound) and needed to make a baby boy card, so used the sketch for inspiration.

I used the baby carriage and sentiment from the Oh Baby stamp set, I stamped the pram and cut it out adding some buttons to the wheels and a scrap of lace onto the hood. Instead of putting the embellishment on the top left of the sentiment I moved it to the bottom right but apart from that everything else is the same as the sketch.

Supplies
Stamps- Oh Baby !, Fancy Label 3.
Papers- Authentique Carefree and Fresh.
Pretties- Lace, buttons, ribbon, IBS flowers.

Thank you for looking, I hope you'll join us this week, we love to see your creations, you don't have to use IBS stamps to take part in the weekly challenges and you could win a place as a Guest Designer.

xxxxDebxxxx

Whoo Hoo Wednesday......Thrifted Dress Patterns.

Hi there, it's Whoo Hoo Wednesday over at Inspired by Stamping and it's my turn to share a technique with you. I love looking around charity shops for vintage buttons, ribbons, threads and especially old dress making patterns. They are pennies to buy and they are great for crafting, my favourite thing to do with them is making flowers, you can make so many flowers from just one pattern. Here's how I make my flowers.

This pattern only cost me 50p, bargain !!!!!

Choose a die or some flower punches and cut out lots of layers of different size flowers.

I also add some lace, fabric, hessian or whatever you have lying around in your sewing box.

Layer all your flowers and poke a hole through the centre and attach a brad, you could also sew a button in the middle to keep it together.

Once your flowers are secure scrunch all the petals up to the centre, as little or as much as you want depending on the effect you want. When you have scrunched start opening the petals back out until you are happy with how your flower looks.

Here's my finshed flower.

I've kept my card quite simple as the flower is fairly big and I wanted that as the focal point but you could just make lots of small ones, why not make a batch of different ones so they are ready to use as you need them.

Supplies
Stamps- Daisies, Labels 4,
Papers- My Minds Eye Miss Caroline.
Other- K & Co brad, SU pearls.

Dress patterns can be used for other things too, you could use it as your background paper or like I've done here I glued a couple of layers onto chipboard using Glue & Seal, once dry die cut out any shape you want. I used the Sizzix TH Sewing Room and I'll use these on a card very soon.

Thanks for looking.
xxxxDebxxxx

One A Day........Tuesday's Tallies.

Hi, I hope everyone had a good weekend, I just don't know where the last week has gone. This month is always a busy month for me, with lots going on. This week, it's my birthday, Paige's birthday, my sister's wedding anniversary and birthday and I celebrated my 24th wedding anniversary,yesterday.
It's actually my birthday tomorrow but I've just got back from afternoon tea with my friends to celebrate, we had a wonderful time, photo's to follow.
Anyway back to One a Day organized by Carole, I haven't really had a lot of time to do much and haven't done any squares but when I was looking through the links of One a Day, I came across Shateen's blog who was doing the Wonder Blanket that Evelyn has started on the  Ravelry group, Project Stash.
It is such a great idea, it's a simple knitted blanket that is just made from even the smallest scraps and odd balls of yarn of any weight.
I could kick myself because in the last month I have had a sort out and gave all my little scraps away but I did have lots of half balls so decided to use them up.

My bag of half used balls of yarn.

I've made a start on my blanket and managed to do a little bit each night, every row is knit so I can sit and watch T.V. or chat without having to concentrate to much on the knitting. I cast on 200 stitches onto 5mm circular needles, I'm not thinking too much about colour placement and so far have put my hand in the bag and used whatever colour comes out, so far this has worked !!!!
At first I was going to just use DK on my blanket and not mix different weights but after seeing Evelyn's blanket and seeing it works with any weight yarn, I've gone for it and added 4ply and aran into my bag of scraps, whoo hoo get me, aren't I a crazy cat !!!!
I'm still going to be getting on with my Springtime throw when I have the time but this project is pick up any time and not have to concentrate, hopefully I can get more squares made next week when things quieten down.
.
Thanks for looking.
xxxxDebxxxx

IBS Tea Party..........Two for Tea.

This is the last day of July's Release Party Blog Hop and I'm back with a card using the Tea Party set.

I've made a pocket for this card with a tag, holding a Twinings Lavender Earl Grey teabag. I think this will be my sisters birthday card as she like a nice cup of tea.

Supplies
Stamps- Tea Party, Birthday Wishes
Papers- The Girls Paperie.
Pretties- seam binding buttons.

Check out what all the other ladies have created using this month's releases.

Colleen Dietrich

Tammy Hobbs

Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Irit Shalom

Joanna Munster

Kendra Sand

Kim Score

I hope you've enjoyed this month's blog hop, don't forget it's the last day for free shipping today, just add the code"freeshipping" at the checkout.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

xxxxDebxxxx

Inspired by Stamping Inspiration Challenge #17.

Hi, how are you all doing ? I'm back today with a new challenge from IBSIC #17, this week is a colour challenge and we ask you to use Light Yellow, Pink and Blue. 
Here's the gorgeous inspiration photo to inspire you, isn't it delightful !!!!

I just had to go with the cupcake theme too, those cakes look to good to eat, don't they ? I also used this sketch from June CardMaps

I love these Little Phrase stamp sets, you can make up so many sentences and phrases, they are in the SALE, so it's a great time to buy.

Supplies
Stamps- Little Phrases, Little Phrases II.
Papers- Echo Park, Prima Authentique.
Pretties- glitter card, flower trim, button, twine.
Tools- MS Scalloped Lace Border Punch, Marrianne Cupcake die.

I hope you'll join us this week, we love to see your creations.

xxxxDebxxxx

Inspired by Stamping Sneak Peek Blog Hop......

Hi there, I'm back today with some sneak peeks of this month's Inspired by Stamping new releases, as usual they are just gorgeous !!!! This month there are 5 new stamp sets, I'm going to kick off with the Fancy Alphabet. I don't think you can have to many alphabets and this one is beautiful with upper and lower case letters.
Jodie and Paige bought me a lovely Paris chest for Mothers Day, where I store all my handmade cards and for some time I've wanted to decorate the inside of the lid, as soon as I saw these stamps I knew they'd be perfect for what I wanted.


Fancy Alphabet

I covered the lid with the Pink Paislee Butterfly Garden, to adhere it to the lid, I used Claudine Hellmuth matte medium so the paper doesn't lift or warp.
I stamped the letters onto some small tags, adding buttons to the top, to carry on the theme of Paris I stamped the clock face from the Paris stamp set. I then had fun embellishing with flowers, bling, ribbon, pins and the gorgeous MF crown.


Supplies
Stamps- Fancy Alphabet, Paris.
Papers- Pink Paislee.
Pretties- IBS Flowers, ribbon, lace, ribbon buckle, pins, Prima swirl, MF crown.

Tea Party

This set is just adorable, great for any occasion but perfect for invites, if you are planning a tea party or a vintage inspired wedding where a wedding afternoon tea is becoming very popular. I paper pieced the teapot, stamping onto some pretty paper and cutting out.

Supplies
Stamps- Tea Party, Fancy Labels 4.
Papers- The Girls Paperie.
Pretties- IBS Flowers.

Yummy Food Labels

What a great idea for a stamp set, you can make your own labels for all those lovely, vintage jars that are about at the moment. I went with a box of cookies to give as a gift, I made a very simple box, covering with pretty pattern paper, cutting out the centre and covering with acetate. I stamped the label and cookie onto some white card, then diecut out using the Spellbinder oval die. I made the fancy border edge with a Martha Stewart border punch.

Supplies
Stamps- Yummy Food Labels.
Paper- The Girls Paperie.
Other- MS border punch, Spellbinder Oval die, acetate.

Well, that's just three of the new stamp sets, the release day is on Friday and Joanna will be offering free shipping on Friday and Saturday.
Joanna is also offering blog candy today and tomorrow, there will be two winners, one for each day and all you have to do to win a stamp set and some ribbon, that is brand new and arriving in store soon, is to leave a comment on each of the DT blogs.

Today's DT

Deb Hickman (me)

Colleen Dietrich

Joanna Munster

Kendra Sand

Kim Score

Check out the other 2 stamp sets tomorrow on these DT blogs, don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win.

Debbie Marcinkiewicz

Irit Shalom

Tammy Hobbs

Joanna Munster

Thanks for looking and don't forget to leave me a comment for the chance of winning some fabulous blog candy, I'm back tomorrow with a new Inspired by Stamping Inspiration Challenge.

xxxxDebxxxx

One a Day..........Tuesday's Tallies.

Hello my Lovelies, well we had three sunny days in a row, here in the U.K. and now the rain is back with a vengeance, perfect for snuggling up with some crochet.
Yay, Carole from Gingerbread Girl blog is back with One a Day, Tuesday's Tallies, since it stopped so did my Springtime Throw, but now it's up and running again I'm back on it, it was the kick up the bum I needed, you can find the pattern in Cute & Easy Crochet by Nicki Trench. The squares are only tiny so don't take long to make, I've got 21 finished this week but I have got a few projects on the go so if I can get 3 squares done a day, I will be happy with that.

Once I get enough squares I've started making up the blanket by double crocheting the squares together horizontally so it's not such a mammoth task at the end, you never know I might get it finished for next Spring  !!!
I'm also knitting this cable bolero for my little niece, from the Sirdar Tiny White Whispers pattern book, the Snuggly White Whispers DK was a bargain from Hobby Craft at just £1 per 50g ball, the colour is called Whisper of Mint.  I'm on the home run now with just the two front edge borders to finish off so I should be able to show you it next week with her wearing it.

I'm also waiting for some yarn to make some wellie toppers for my girls who are off to V festival this summer and the way the weather is at the moment, they won't be taking their wellies off !!!!
Thanks for looking, I'm off now to see how everyone else is getting on with their One a Days.

xxxxDebxxx

Handmade Heart Swap........

Hello there,did you all have a good weekend ? We actually had a bit of sunshine, here in the Midlands. My garden is a little sun trap so I made the most of it and took my knitting outside, soaking up some much needed Vitamin D and just relaxing, I love those sort of days , doesn't a bit of sun make you feel so much better ?

Last month, Mary Poppins organised a Handmade Heart Swap, I love doing swaps, so I put my name down as soon I saw it. My swap partner was Sarah from Home to Roost, I'm so glad we put together, we corresponded through Twitter, she is so funny and made me chuckle a few times. She is also very talented and dabbles in a few crafts. Here are the gorgeous handmade goodies she made for me.

Isn't this little hand embroidered bag gorgeous, such a talented lady.

A knitted heart keyring, this is going to adorn my knitting bag, it's so sweet.

This is a little hand warmer and the weather we've been having lately, will come in very handy.

A thrifted sewn heart, I love this fabric, look at the cute ladybirds.

Lastly, was a knitted dishcloth, can you see the heart. Sarah, said it's for posh dishes but this is far to lovely for washing dishes so I'm going to use it as a face cloth.

I've had so much fun with this swap, thank you so much to Mary, who organised this great swap and I'll be looking out for any more she does in the future.

You can take a look on Flickr, at all the other swaps that have taken place.

xxxxDebxxxx

IBSIC #16........A Sketch.

Hello, I'm back today with this week's Inspired by Stamping Inspiration Challenge and this week Joanna has designed this gorgeous sketch for us.

Isn't this sketch pretty ? I decided to make a large handmade flower for the focal point and as I used an old dressmaker pattern, I thought I'd use the tape measure ribbon and the Cross Stitch stamp set, so it all ties in with sewing. I hand cut the leaves out from a piece of sheer crinkle ribbon and stitched across the middle.

Supplies
Stamps-Cross Stitch
Papers- Pink Paislee Sweetness
Pretties- East of India tape ribbon, flower made with dressmaker patterns, buttons, twine.
Tools- Paper Artsy flower die, Martha Stewart Lace Border punch.

I hope you'll join us this week, we love looking at your creations.
xxxxDebxxxx