Foundations and structure

If your are at all familiar with the building trade you will know that a solid foundation and a well planned structure is essential for a successful building. Well the House of Sugar has non of that, its more like that club house build at the bottom of the garden with scraps of wood left over from all sorts of projects and the original one room play house has been added to so much that its a monstrosity that  is still a lot of fun to play in, may wobble a bit under the pressure with lots going on at certain times of the year. There is no doubt that SN is bigger that we ever dreamed it would be but it's still a ramshackle put together back yard business that sits along side those amazing designer mansions in the world that is rubber stamp companies.

So we may offer you BBQ in the back yard instead of a banquet in a top hotel,
A put together blog with an author who failed English in school as is clear to see in my spelling abilities. articulate I am not !
But with all our failings, problem's and traumas, we still  find what stampers are looking for. I  by myself must run  SN with  about 8 hours real work in a week and 60 hours of surfin and chattin, I am delighted to find new artist and bring them into the spot light, I have enjoyed seeing them grow and flourish, some are still very much part of SN even if they have moved on. I am more than happy to say that I have met and become true friends with some lovely girls, those girls are my support system when I begin to doubt why and what I am doing here, when I could be sitting in a craft room enjoying this hobby like I once did, oh so long ago, they are the ones that give me their honest opinions and loyal support. Thank you girls you all know who you are , luv ya all :)

I need to focus, ( I need to do all that b****y paperwork the government chuck at small businesses)
I need to go back to the beginning and have  a good foundation, its too late to save some parts of what Sugar Nellie  has built up as the cracks have already appeared and are unrepairable, I was so naive and trusting in the beginning but everything for now on needs to be signed sealed and solid, lets also improve as we re build, not necessarily bigger but defiantly better.

My first step and they will be baby steps as I ain't the least bit athletic!.......... is to regulate the posts on this blog ...........so here is the plan

Monday~
Tuesday~ try something new, a card fold or a box, maybe a home decor item, what ever I find I will share with you. New products in the craft market, tools toys and papers I will seek them out.
Wednesday~ work day , whats on my desk, news on artwork, mag feature and competitions
Thursday~ challenges, the sugar bowl and other challenges you should know about
Friday~ something for the weekend from Mark at Funkykits
Saturday~
Sunday~ spotlight on a sugar addict, we can now tell where our site traffic comes from and maybe I will trace back to who is sending readers our way and shine the spot light on them.

If YOU have any input just leave me a comment or a suggestion, if its meant for my eyes only start it with PRIVATE and I will read and delete, its easier than emailing me. Sugar Nellie has always listened and been guided by YOU so don't be shy or pop over to the face book page with you can chat with me and all my sweet buddies. If you think I can blether you ain't read anything yet!

Before I go, special hugs to dear Donalda who's not feeling 100%, take care and look after yourself Donalda, I will be thinking about you.
Chrissy's little darling is burning up and in need of some TLC from her Mummy, hugs to you both and I hope she feels better soon.
If anyone else needs a hug. here is yours (((((hug)))) and here is a little treat to cheer you up.

PS Simply Sassy set #2 should be over at Funkykits by this weekend, they have skipped pre order this time and have taken a lucky guess as to how much stock they will need, fingers crossed they have enough.

take care

Karen

Candy over dose

Here we have "party princess" by Judy.

She looks like she missed out on the candy at our little party!Super cute card Judy, I know all my DT

are very excited with all the new things coming this way so on.

Time to give some candy away, to all the Lucky winners please email Mark over at Funkykits as he has all the stock of these, I have nothing left!

The Leanne Ellis stamps are not back from the factory yet and may well be a week away, please be patient as we often get our timing wrong, its all my fault, I get too excited and forget to keep things to myself just a little bit longer.

info@funkykits.co.uk

CONGRATULATIONS TO

Leanne Ellis candy #1  going to Nora
Leanne Ellis candy #2 going to Trish
Leanne Ellis candy #3going to RibenaRuby
Leanne Ellis candy #4 going to Shazza
Leanne Ellis candy #5 going to Emma
Leanne Ellis candy #6 going to Danielle Daws

Krista Simply Sassy candy draw
Bella Bunting going to Suzi
Party Princess going to Janet
I give you my heart going to Mustavcoffee
Fairy Tale going to Tanya R
Luv a latte going to Frea
I love to read is going to xGemmax

Last one..........

Here is the last one from the Arty Set by Leanne Ellis, this one makes six new stamps coming to you December time. I would have to call this one English Rose, unless you can come up with something better. 

I am really excited by this collection, Leanne has amazed me with this artwork.

 I just know that you are all going to create such beautiful things with these designs.

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A huge thank you for all your kind words, yesterday got worse before it got better but its good to know that I am not the only one to have a teenage horror in the house and I hope that as time moves on things will become better but at this time, distance is what is needed. You comments and stories really helped and I thank you for those, I really do.

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I will drawn candy winners tomorrow, I must catch up before starting anything else and we are due a delivery from the factory which Funkykits is waiting for. Mark is back to work today and all things will be up to date before he starts anything new, I am keen to hear his stories from the NEC, I am sure he will have a few :)

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As usual I will give away this stamp to one lovely follower who takes the time to comment on this post. Tomorrow all will be drawn, one by one, I have my work cut out there!

have an ink tastic day girls, if you want to craft that's up to you, you'll find the time if you want it enough, after all who ever notices if the floors have been cleaned and the windows washed, housework can wait.

Karen

Oooops

Sorry to all the Leanne Ellis fans out there, I only got around to showing you 4 of the arty stamps available later this year. Here is number 5 and she is looking rather regal in her attire, maybe a Royal from a romance novel set many centuries ago, she might even be for Europe. She does look rather French, I doubt shes Scottish.

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The imagination is an amazing thing, sometimes it opens up ideas, dreams and fantasies that have a very small chance of coming true.

 It also works the other way when you over worry, over think and prepare for all the worst outcome. I am most of the time a glass half full type of person, but as the mother of teenagers sometimes I look into that glass and just don't know what to think anymore.

This week I have one flying the nest, it would be correct to say that I am pushing her out of said nest as its time she found her own wings and what ever choices she makes in the forth coming months I just hope that there are more right choices than wrong. Its a wake up call that she needs in order to grow up, as beautiful as she is, looks alone will not get you by in this world. I am devastated at how quickly relations ships can change and that the once daddy's girl is now the source of so much friction in the house.

 I reminds me of a quote

" mothers of teenager's can understand why wild animals eat their young"

If you have young sweet but tiring children, cherish them before that grow up, everyone tells you that but I don't think I understood it until I could look back and regret not enjoying those years as much as I could. It's hard work raising a young family, but every day they do something to make you laugh or smile.

Take up scapbooking, there is a new hobby for you, and remember now before it changes to them.

Now where is that glass again, I think it needs topped up, with something strong preferably. LOL

thanks for listening

Karen

Free stamps

I am sure that time is running out to claim your FREE stamps from Funkykits, they are conditions, but only one, for every £10 you spend in their store this week  past you have been given a free Sugar Nellie stamp, if you are  eligible for more than one they will all be different. Of course dispatch is slow while all the orders are being made up and with Mark being at the NEC the skeleton staff  covering are not quite up to his speed. I am not sure when he will remove this offer so its a good time to re stock up on sweet stamps.

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Today I have a few more samples of set #2 of SIMPLY SASSY ,

how about these two beauties from JUDY

I am working on the packaging for these, Funkykits pre order has gone to the factory so I will get them packed and over to Mark as soon as I can.

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DT call, thank you to the girls, I will  not publish your comment but please make sure that the link you leaves me takes me to your blog.

Its will great delight that I would like to invite Tiets back to  the DT, she was will us from the very start, when we had three amazing girls, but life sometime gets in the way and she had to step down, Tiets if you are reading this I would be honoured to have you back and will send you out the next DT package for November. :) Ok so that is Netherlands covered for now, one job done off my long never ending list.

PS the Spellbinder Grand has arrive, competition time soon........

Have a wonderful weekend girls, take care and stay warm

Karen

Please welcome.......

Chrissy as a new member of our DT and part of the every growing Sugar Nellie family.

Here is what Chrissy says about herself..

I live in western PA with my husband of seven years, and my 4 year old daughter. I've been creating/coloring cards for about 1 year. I work primarily with Copics and Prismacolor pencils. My other hobbies include reading romance novels and being a cleaning lady for my daughter. In my spare time I try to catch up on my sleep and cleaning the house. I love Sugar Nellie because of the variety of unique lines of stamps being offered. I adore the new Simply Sassy and Adorables line. And of course Gorjuss, which will always remain a favorite of mine

I am sure a visit to Chrissy blog will show you that she has an amazing talent for colouring in, but a clean and simple style about her cards that are inspiring and achievable, if you can colour that is!

But then again Chrissy has taken the time to do so many tutorials which I am sure we will all appreciate.

One day soon I will learn how to shade with my copic, I might have to lock myself in a room for a few days but it will happen!

I am delighted to welcome Chrissy to the House of Sugar, our team is the greatest!

and just to let you know I am looking for two new DT member,

one in France and one for Netherlands.

If its of interest to you please leave me a comment so I can visit your blog and check out

your style and creations.

that's all for Friday, there goes another week but tomorrow I will had out the candy from Leanne Ellis and Kristas Simply Sassy range.

I am pleased to see a lot of you with the SIMPLY ADORABLE banner, I will be giving spot prizes away later for those.

take care

Karen

Winter prize

This very fitting card by Erika for the SUGAR BOWL CHALLENGE as the prize is a set of nesties and winter themed stamps. This snowman is an all time favourite and can be found in Home Grown stamps.

Funkykits are give away a FREE  SN stamp with every £10 spent anywhere in their store, WOW, work that one out, maybe if you purchased two sugar nellies they would be giving you a third free dependent on the single stamp price, great deal.

Here is the sketch you have to follow to join in the challenge, nice and simple I am sure you can do it. The Sweeties have once again made beautiful samples using his sketch, welcome to the new sweetie who have done  fantastic cards, pop over and see all the samples and check out the prize too.

A shout out to all the sugar addict who have joined in the FACEBOOK page, your all chatting like old times, you sure did miss the chat forum on SCS.
take care, stay warm and keep crafing
Karen