Take Time To Smell The Flowers...

Today sees a new challenge over on the Sugar Bowl with a fabby sketch from the uber talented and very lovely Erika with a theme of 'Make Your Own Flowers'. Easy peasy lemon squeezy! I don't know anyone who doesn't use some flowers on their handmade cards so it's an excellent choice for the theme, let's all take time to smell make the flowers.

A simply stunning card from Erika using the digi image Flora. A very striking colour combo and such pretty flowers, made from a mix of die cut papers, crochet and a brad in the middle..I'm guessing here :)

A beautiful, bright and Summery card off Lilian using the Kathy Hare image Searching, perfectly coloured as always. So the flowers, they could be die cut or maybe circles that Lils has snipped? 

And Pat has used the Sassy image Winking Student for her card. Fabulous colours Pat and I do love that stripey ribbon! It looks like Pat has made her beautiful flower with a Magnolia Doo Hickey die and a brad in the centre.

Please pop on over to the Sugar Bowl blog to see the other sweeties cards and for the rules of entry.

Just one more day to wait until the Carnival of Colour makes it's debut, though I have already seen plenty of tents up in blogland. I hope you will all join in with the fun over the 2 day hop (Friday and Saturday) where the Sugar Nellie DT, the Sugar Bowl Sweeties and some very talented guests will be showcasing the 17 new stamps ready for release at Funky Kits.

Hope you'll all drop by tomorrow.

Thanks for looking

Love Elaine xx

yummy cotton candy

Which concessions stands to have at our carnival?

 Oh the choices and you all know I have a very sweet tooth.

Well clearly no Carnival is complete with these three family favourites

Now I like my pop corn sweet how about you?

As " it's my party and I will stamp my feet if I want to" (line from a song)

I also have to have some of MY favourites

I am going to invite Auntie Anne along with her Delicious Cinnamon Pretzels, on of my must have food's when I visit the Florida Mall, oh how I miss this yummy sugar treat :(

AND finally,

{because that is some serious amount of calories

and I need to loose this spare tyre

 that some one glued around my middle some time ago, when I was not looking.}

no summer party would be complete without strawberries and cream.



I just hope that if I am too busy with my party hat on
 that you leave me one of these cake made by Bunny

So there we have it, food for thought or more like the thought of food. LOL

We can all feel suitably fed without feeling super guilty over our indulgence of all things sweet and yummy.

 If there is anything I have missed let me know I will try my best to please you all ;)

 if you have a special diet, please bring your own food .

Now what does one wear to a Carnival of Colour?

****

The sun is shinning here in Scotland, let enjoy it while we can.

Have a great day catch you tomorrow

Karen

the tent is up

I am just getting this ready for all our lovely guest,

 hope to see you around the Carnival,

which tent will you visit first?

forgive me..........

Where to the days go, was the weekend shorter than normal. Its a sign of old age when time flies. I am sure there are still notes on my desk from January!
I had an unexpected trip to Glasgow on Friday night, when I arrive I opened the car door to the sound of music, not the hills are alive type, more the take that mega hen night hoolie. I know a lot of folks who went down to the most talked about concert around, but I also heard some really bad stories of ladies ( I use that term as loosly as it can be ) who should have known better. But in their world they had fun, a sight for sore eyes for those who had to watch with wonder as to how grown women could behave so badly.

Saturday seen me at the Royal Highland Show, I have not been down for a few years as hubby and son usually go Thursday. But as I had the Saturday off we all wend and took Debbie and Tom  out for the day. I did not see half of the show, but my poor legs had had it after 8 hrs of walking. I was pleased to see the major supermarkets where there and had meal deals on offer, I understand that the cost of space at the show is a premium but the prices for hot food was scary when you have to buy 4/6 of them, now there is a choice.
Some amazing artwork/photography and several craft tents, not all stock was hand made but they all were busy and I loved the had made bags and sweetie jewellery ( http://www.hmbm.co.uk/).

Home via Aviemore where we had a fantastic and quick served meal at the Cairgorm Hotel at the entrance to the MacDonald resort. I was impressed not only with the staff but the food too, will defiantly go again.

So today finds me in the store, I will have to leave soon to be there in time for opening at 10am. But some of you might have noticed I forgot to draw a winner for the snowman stamp.............

Daisychain said...
How cute is this? I would name it 'Snow Buddies'. Thanks for the chance to win it. Hugs Christine x
June 17, 2011 3:11 PM

Congratulations to Chrsistine, email your details to Mark at info@funkykits.co.uk with in the week to claim your prize.

To all my other lovely readers, thank you all for your kind comments, they keep me going. This weeks sees us getting ready for our CARNIVAL OF COLOUR, starts on Friday 1st July.

take care


Karen

Sugar Addicts Showcase Sunday.

Good Morning Sugar Addicts. The very lovely and talented addict in the spotlight today  is Lisa, and first a little background information:

I'm Lisa, and I live in Sheffield with my husband and 2 young sons.  I've always been fairly crafty, starting out with knitting and embroidery as a child.  Then 4yrs ago, after a normal full term pregnancy, we had a stillborn son.  For a few months I went to pieces, work (kindly) offered me voluntary redundancy as I couldn't have gone back and eventually I needed something to fill my days while our eldest son was at school.  I wandered into Hobbycraft, picked up a card making magazine and the obsession began!  I think I was convinced making my own cards would actually save us money, but I dread to think how much I've spent over the years!  Cardmaking has kept me going though when I've had some very low days, so it's been worth every penny, and I now have a great 'hobby' that I don't think I'll ever get bored of. 
I'm now totally addicted to stamps and I'm lucky to be on some fab design teams.  Sugar Nellie's were one of my earliest loves when I first started stamping, and I still get excited when a new range is released.  I'm so thrilled to be showcased - thanks so much Elaine for asking me!

And here is the very Sassy card Lisa sent me for me to show...

Divine! Lisa used the Sassy image Boho Chic to create this fab card. I adore Lisa's colouring!
As always, I made myself a cuppa and enjoyed a good old nosey around her blog to pick some more cards to show you.

A very pretty card using a Leanne Ellis image (sorry, I think this one is out of stock at the moment). I love these Annie stamps and the soft, pastel colours are perfect.

For this one Lisa has used the Manga image Rock Idol. Fab papers and the perfect choice of embellies for a male card.

A totally gorgeous card using the Gorgeous Girls image Bumble Bee. And last but not least....

Lisa used the Sassy image 5th Avenue to create this beautiful and stylish card. Lisa has her own style of card making, quite clean and simple, minimal embellishments and awesome colouring which really shows off the images to their best.
Many thanks to Lisa for allowing me to showcase her fabulous cards and please visit Lisa's blog yourself and leave her some love with a comment, you won't be disappointed by the gorgeous array of cards you'll find there.

Only 5 more sleeps to go til the Carnival of Colour Blog Hop!!!

Thanks for looking
Love Elaine xx

Cor Blimey...I Nearly Fainted!

Just eight more sleeps to go until July 1st is here. The start of another month, but MUCH more importantly, the release of lots of new rubber from Sugar Nellie!

Karen has planned the Carnival Of Colour blog hop to celebrate the release and it will be fabulous. So mark the date in your diaries..you really don't want to miss this!

Don't forget that you have a chance of winning the full set of 5 Sherbet Pips rubber stamps if you enter the Sugar Bowl challenge. The winner is chosen at random so everyone who enters has an equal chance of winning but you ain't gonna win if you don't enter!

Since I started my own blog I have met some wonderful people and made lots of friends. I don't pick cards to show on here made by my close friends, seems like an abuse of the position, but today I made an exception so I hope nobody minds? I nearly fainted when I saw this!

This Sugar Bowl entry was made by my good buddy Amanda from the USA. Amanda and I have lots of things in common except...she is not a Sugar Addict!  Judging by this beautiful card, using the digi image Flora, I think my efforts to convert Amanda from the Dark Side to the Sweet Side are working! It fair made my day to see this card posted on her blog :)

This gorgeous, sweet Summer card was made by Jenni using the Country Cousins image Fragile Beauty. I love this stamp, so pretty and innocent and another one of my favourites.

Summer cards aren't just for girls you know! This fabulous male card made by Shelby using the Country Cousins image To Catch A Big Fish is perfect. Fishing is a great and popular pastime  for many a little guy during the long Summer holidays..and many a big guy too!

The theme of Summer is only optional. All you need to do to enter the challenge is make a card or project following the current sketch and you must use a Sugar Nellie image, either rubber or digi. All details can be found on the Sugar Bowl blog.

Thanks for looking.

Love Elaine xx

Puss in Boots

Or is that Puss with socks?

For all you cat lovers out there, here is a super cute kitty with Christmas robins in adorable hats just shouting out for some glitter or puff.

Stamp will be available in real quality rubber on 1st July.

I have just given the DT and guests their images to play with for the blog hop and I am sure that the

Carnival of Colour is going to inspire you to get you pens out, ink up that rubber and be creative.

Thank you all for your best wishes and congratulations.

Today we are back to normal, the house guest have all gone the washing machines are both working hard,

 I have escaped to work in order to get Internet and catch up with emails etc.

better get the kettle on and keep working

anyone for coffee?

Karen

OMG!

Oh my goodness what a weekend we had here, with a full house and all my children, old and young, gathered in one place. Mr Thomas Bell McAvoy took the opportunity to  proposed to Miss Sugar Nellie herself, Debbie Laura MacIver. The romantic setting of Brodie Castle was where Tom got down on one knee and asked for her hand after having a quiet word with her father earlier that morning.

From that moment on it has been a total spin, they leave today to go back to Glasgow and with Tom leaving Scotland middle of next week and not due back until next summer just in time for the wedding, it was a mad crazy few days of viewings and fittings.

We toured a few venues but as anyone who has been here and done this knows, venues bands and photographers are booked up well over a year in advance, so with half the wedding guest coming from across the pond, we have chosen a mid week wedding. This opens up ever venue, band and photographer and gives those arriving Sat - Saturday a better schedule to work around. We have so many things to think about but changing the date from a Saturday takes so much pressure off.

We all need a little time to let it sink in and get over our emotional hiccups,our little girls has grown up so fast and the thought of her being someones wife and living in America has pulled on a few heart strings, especially her Dad's.
The Internet allows us to share plans with all those involved and with skype too, miles mean nothing with the help of today's technologies. It is only last year that she went across to NY to work for the summer, who would have ever guessed that one tall and very good looking tennis coach would turn her world up sides down.

So forgive me if I have not been around, with no Internet at home again and the computer man due out today, I am hoping that normality with resume sometime this week.

I hope you all enjoyed the SIMPLY SASSY blog hop and I must say a huge thank you to Maria and her DT for all their hard work and amazing creations, girls you are very much appreciated and I only wish I had half your creative talent.

take care


Karen

Sugar Addicts Showcase Sunday.

....But with a little bit of a difference this week.

This lady really needs no introduction as you will already know her from her position on the Sugar Nellie DT and also as a Sugar Bowl Sweetie.
This lady has been on Karen's DT the longest... actually from the beginning, with just a little break last year.
She is a married working Mum of two children and lives in the Netherlands and creates the most beautifully detailed cards and projects. Lots of layers, textures and embellishments which are instantly recognisable as her creations.
So today I would like to showcase Tiets.

A fabulous corner bookmark using the Sassy image Winking Student (now back in stock at Funky kits)

Although the Manga stamp A Cherry On Top isn't really a Christmas image, with the right papers and embellies Tiets has created this wonderful Christmas project complete with a recipe inside for Christmas Cupcakes.

A perfectly pretty notebook which Tiets had published in the Dutch magazine Hobby Journaal, using the Sassy image Romantic Dreamer.

A stunning card using my most favourite Sassy image (I know, I know... I say that about a lot of Sassys but I really LOVE this one) Bella Bunting. This card was also published but this time in Hobbyzine.

A gorgeous Christmas card using the Diane Duda image Winter Birds. 
And finally...

Just look at the amazing colours on this project, so rich and warm and perfect for Fall, using the Country Cousins image Fragile Beauty.
I hope you've liked the cards and projects I picked to show you, a visit to Tiets blog is always a pleasure.

Thanks for looking.
Love Elaine xx

Art work to Stamp

I did show you my card made with the original art but here is what the stamp image will look like.

Paula asked about the trees in the back ground but these and any other small detail we think does not work when the image is transferred into a rubber stamp design are lost. As is any snow on the original as I know you cleaver crafters can add that with your stickles or liquid pearls.

Kathleen asked if these would be digi or rubber, OH rubber all the way.

And Sue asked what date these would be available, Ist July is the launch

save some time that weekend to come visit our

Carnival of Colour

I have not named this one yet, answers on a post card  comment please,

 one stamp as candy to one kind blogger who takes the time to comment.

(notice how that was written into the post so that regular readers have more chance than candy hunters)

take care

Karen

Here Comes The Summer!!

I hope wherever you live you've got some nice, sunny weather. Here in my part of the UK the seasons seem all mixed up! April was unseasonably warm, May was unseasonably wet and June has been mainly wet,windy, damp and dreary. But it's Summer at the Sugar Bowl where a new challenge has been posted today.
Marlene has designed the sketch and the option is...yep, you guessed it..Summer.

Ali has used the Sassy image Winking Student (out of stock at Funky Kits at the moment but due in any day now) for her fabulous and very apt card. Schools will soon be closing their doors ready for the long Summer holidays and this image would be great for a thank you card for a teacher.

Tiets has made this amazingly detailed tag with the Sassy image Spread your wings. I always love all the added embellies and textures on Tiets cards and projects, something I'm not at all good at!

And Gayle has used the Diane Duda image Upside Down (available at a special price over at Funky kits) on her fresh and flowery Summer card.

I'm sure you all know this by now, but July 1st will see the release of some new designs, for example:

The very sweet Sherbet Pips, a set of 5 delightful new images which also happen to be the prize for the lucky winner of the current challenge. All the details and rules of entry can be found on the Sugar Bowl along with a beautiful display of cards from the other sweeties, and you may notice something else? Apart from Gayle everyone else has used a Sassy image, there's a lot of love for the Sassy's out there, so don't forget to visit the  Simply Sassy blog on Saturday and enjoy the hop!

Thanks for looking

Love Elaine xx

Full House

The rubber is all ready, we are ahead of ourselves with this one,

 super sassy girls just waiting to be inked.

Don't you just love the smell of ink and rubber?

Just be careful with the ink pads, don't let them touch your nose

 because I KNOW that stazon is a bu**er to get off!

There are so many wonderful Sassy creation out there in blog land, and with no Internet at home at all, I am into the House Of Sugar just to catch up with my emails. Mina emailed to say that Juls has a great jotter project on her blog, well we know Juls loves her Sugar Nellies and it looks like the Sassy Girls may now be her very best favourite stamps. Great project Juls, love the use of more than one image at a time.

Go see HERE

I have an invasion of family this weekend,

 starting tomorrow we see Debbie and her boyfriend Tom visiting from Glasgow,

Tom stays in USA and we already had a visit from him this year back in January, I think he might like us ;)

Katie is visiting too from Aberdeen with her BF Kris, a very quiet lad but both my girls have good taste :)

 so its a full house and lots of cooking, or we could go out?!

take care

Karen

Sassy Women get ready

Good Morning Sugar Addicts are you ready for the week ahead?

Summer has left Scotland yet again. I just had to giggle when I read this on Cass's FB page today

INSTALLING SUMMER.....

███████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 44% DONE.


Install delayed....please wait.


Installation failed. Please try again.


404 error: Season not found.


Season "Summer" cannot be located. The season you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later

A giggle is just what you need first thing on a Monday morning along with a good cup of coffee.

Back to the card featured at the start of this rambling post, Amelia, I just love this stamp, and the more I see her used the more I think she is just great. Some cleaver crafter have gone in search of quotes from Amelia Earhart and added it to this image to make a truly inspiring card in more ways than one. See some quotes HERE


Sassy Woman, get ready with the inks, there are SIX more SIMPLY SASSY stamps being released very soon and this set included some CHRISTMAS girls. If you just cant wait, a woman with patients?, then keep a daily eye on the SIMPLY SASSY BLOG where the DT are putting up peeks of what sassy girls are about to be a must have for the season.  Here is a little peek I pinched from there blog.........

Want to know more, you know where to find it.....

take care

Karen

Sugar Addicts Showcase Sunday.

Good Morning Sugar Addicts. The very talented lady in today's spotlight is Jenny and in her own words:

Hi, I'm Jennifer, mid thirties, married with four gorgeous children ranging from toddler to teen. I have been crafty in one way or another all my life. I was always busy making something as a little girl. My early creations still adorn my Mother's home to this day! However, I began cardmaking in my adult life about seven years ago. It all started with a little stamping & card making kit from a well known high street store. I was truly hooked. It gave me some much needed 'me' time once the children were in bed. Once we got online at home, it opened up a whole new world to my craft addiction....much to the dismay of my credit card! I discovered Sugar Nellie stamps at the beginning of 2008, with Lola & Simon, and Maggie & Hamish being the first of many purchases. As soon as they drop on my doormat, I can't wait to ink them up and get out my Copics. I'm a true Sugar addict, and it's such a dream come true to be showcased on the blog.

And this is the gorgeous card that Jenny sent for me to show...

Told you this was gorgeous! For this card Jenny used the digi image Summer.
As always, I made a cuppa and had a good old wander around Jenny's blog to pick some more cards...

A really pretty card with such delicate and soft colouring of the Sassy image Missing You.

A perfect boys card using the digi image Nathan. I love the thick twine...why do little boys always have string in their pockets??

And finally is this gorgeous card with the digi image Joy Sitting. As you can see, Jenny loves adorning her cards with pretty embellies and has the knack at placing them all perfectly.
My thanks to Jenny for letting me showcase her beautiful cards today and I hope you all enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoyed choosing them.
I'm sure Jenny would love you to visit her blog and leave her a comment.

Before I go, Maria has organised a blog hop for next Saturday over on the Sassy Blog ready for the new release of Sassy stamps, you don't want to miss this..these new stamps are delicious!!

Thanks for looking
Love Elaine xx

Sassy Saturday

No peeks today but I needed to show off these beautiful cards done by the Simply Sassy DT.

With six new images each month, Sassy lovers are eagerly waiting this months set which has Christmas stamps in it.

I know its only June but fans asked so we delivered the Christmas stamps early.

 Always check out the SIMPLY SASSY BLOG as the girls work real hard to bring you creations and tutorials, comments are much appreciated.

************

Much colder to day and as its not a school day and I don't have to go to work, I might just stick the heating on and venture up to my craft space. I have a few emails to send out this weekend to the girls helping out with the CARNIVAL OF COLOUR :)

Its also my anniversary on the 1st and DH asked if I wanted to go away for the weekend, OH NO its a launch weekend and the thought of being off somewhere without Internet, just cant do it!

have a great weekend, take care

Karen

Oh we do spoil you!

FIRST LOVE

"hold on to my heart"

"the best gift is you"

"together is where I want to be"

I don't think we can call it a sugar rush, its a total over load.

Far too much sweetness for any sweet sugar addict to handle in one sitting.

But we are known for a diverse range and a little of what you like does you no harm at all.

Release date 1st July

10 So Cute ( more peeks to come)

5 Sherbet Pips

3 First Love

are you ready for them?

getting real busy here in the House of Sugar

I will bring you the news one sugar lump at a time :)

Today we are having a bit of a coffee morning in the HOS, we have Cathy arriving sometime today and sugar addicts from our Facebook page are all coming along to meet her, some all the way from Ellon!

No doubt there will be cake but with the grilling that dear husband has been giving me about my weight the last few days,{ hey did he not notice before that?}I will have to be real choosy what cake I eat :)

enjoy your day, the sun is shining here,

 hope it is with you too.

Karen

Something Old, Something New.

Have you entered the Sugar Bowl challenge yet? If not, why not? The rules of entry are very simple and the prize is always a very generous one off Karen. A set of six pick'n'mix Sugar Nellie stamps is the prize for the winner of the current challenge.

All you need to do is make a card following the sketch but you MUST use a Sugar Nellie image, either a rubber stamp or digi image.

Something Old...

A very, very beautiful card off Karyn using an older Country Cousins image called Happily Ever After. 

A perfectly pretty card from Juls using a Leanne Ellis image released at the beginning of the year called Be One Traveller.

And something new....

Lorraine used the much newer Simply Sassy image Butterflies and Pigtails to create this stunning card.

Although I admit to being a Sassy addict myself, I did dig out an older Leanne Ellis image for my Sugar Bowl card so will you show some love to an older favourite stamp or a newer one?

Thanks for looking.
Love Elaine xx

Say Hello to our Sherbet Pip's

These girls will be arriving on the 1st July at Funkykits

and at local craft shops soon afterwards.

(we only sell wholesale to Bricks and Mortar shops)

Please add this banner to your blog and spread the sweetness

 if you love them enough.

Join us for a Carnival of Colour on 1st July.