Baby Boy card to share...

Good evening and a warm welcome to a few new viewers (you know who you are *wink, wink*).  Thank you for your support today, I really appreciate it.

Right, let me get to this evening's card... we're having a Baby Shower one of these days for one of our colleagues... and I was commissioned to make a card as the happy couple are expecting their second child, this time it's a Boy!  I went for the Clean and Simple look this time... no stamped image... yikes, that's so not me! 

I managed to find a little bronzed shoe charm amongst my stash and it fitted this card perfectly. Don't you just love that border and doily, kindly punched for me by my blogfriend Debbie.  The gorgeous papers are from my W&M set of papers - just LOVE them!!!  I use blue far too seldom and it was a great opportunity to use some blue ribbon and buttons for a change.

A little peek at the inside... just love completing the inside of my cards too.  The sentiment is a newbie from the Penny Black range of stamps, purchased from The Scrapbook shop in Bellville.  It's a versatile stamp which one can use for any gender.  The teddy ribbon has landed in the bin more than once, but I am so pleased I fished it out just before throwing the contents away, as it really came in handy for this card.

Thanks for popping by and if you'd like to leave a comment, that would be great as I really appreciate them.  Tons of hugs, Sharon x

Here Comes The Bride....

Hello friends, family and blog buddies... I hope you're all having a wonderful Sunday.  My dear Mom is visiting and had lunch with us today and has now fallen asleep on my couch... bless her... it's been a tough week for us with my Dad being admitted to hospital last Sunday. He is looking much better, but is still in ICU.  Sincere apologies if I have offended anyone by not calling them personally, but life has just been far too hectic this past week.

Whilst lunch was on the go, I managed to put this little Wedding Card together, which I've been commissioned to do for a colleague at work... her taste in cards is C&S, but she said I could do my own thing with this one.  I didn't go overboard (LOL), but kept it as plain and simplish as I could.  I really hope you like the little creation I'm sharing with you all today...

Looking at this card, I feel so blessed.  Time and time again I mention what wonderful friendships I've made through my blog and my hobby and this little card is testimony to just that.  The embossed border on the left, the Lili of the Valley image and the white heart were all gifts from my blog friend Debbie, who also lives in Cape Town.  Thanks so much Debbie, much appreciated. 

The lovely white bias binding, little pink hearts and flowers are from my other dear blogfriend, Amelia, who lives in Pretoria.  Thank you so much, these crafty items came in so handy.  The sentiment is from my own stock and was purchased from Merrypak. The image was coloured with Copics.  I've also dusted some chalk around it for softness and for completeness added some pearls and a lovely heart ribbon. 

As this is a wedding card after all, I've used some Stardust glitter on the Lili of the Valley image. I'll probably have to buy this stamp, to add to my collection, as it is such a cute one.

Someone mentioned that they'd like to see the inside of my cards, so I thought I'd add this pic to show you how I've decorated the inside.  I've used my gorgeous large Marianne Die again.

Shew... well done if you've managed to stay with me until the end of this post... thank you so much. I was so happy with the outcome of this delightful card, that I had to showcase it to it's fullest.  I hope the recipient is just as pleased, as I really enjoyed making this one.

Challenge:  I am entering this card into the Paper Take Weekly challenge. Their challenge is Triple Tastic and as I have 3 flowers on this card, it certainly qualifies.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday... we'll be watching American Idols later and then it's back to the hospital to visit my Dad.  Take care, hugs Sharon x

Welcome to another challenge at Teddy Stampers (DT)

TGIF and welcome to yet another challenge over at the Teddy Stampers blog.  If you have any teddy stamps collecting dust on your shelves, you need to dust them off and come play with us over at Teddy Stampers.  This fortnight we have a lovely challenge for you... EMBOSSING... either dry or heat...  Here's my creation which I hope will inspire you.  The Teddy Stampers DT have put together some stunning creations... they ROCK!!!

I've used a little Kanban image for the first time I think. It was stamped for me by one of my friends Paola... thanks so much.  My papers don't have a name, they are from an old scrapbooking pack.  I found them as I was clearing out and felt that I just HAD to use them.  Another friend, Debbie, kindly sent me 2 images and a variety of different embossed paper to play with.  I was thrilled to bits, as I knew it would be used for this card.  I used one of my new Marianne dies to cut a heart from one of the embossed papers Debbie sent me... just love those butterflies, don't you?  It's a must have, I'm afraid! LOL  Thanks so much Debbie.

I so enjoyed using my pins again and threaded some lovely colour coded beads onto them. A few pearls in the corner and a ribbon is all that was needed to complete this card. Managed to decorate the inside as well.

Debbie also kindly punched out a few borders for me.  I don't have these punches, but they so stunning, I can see more money being spent soon.  Just love this one.  My little image was coloured using Copics.

Thanks for popping by and leaving a comment, I so enjoy reading them.  The rest of the DT and I look foward to viewing your stunning creations.  Our sponsor this fortnight is Simon Says Stamps, so you HAVE to come along and play with us.

Take care, hugs Sharon x

Tilda with many Hearts...

Firstly, a very warm welcome to my new Creative Friends, always nice to meet you.  I am so pleased you found something of interest to make you want to join my little corner in cyberspace.

Happy Sunday everyone... may you experience a most blessed day. This is the day I usually set aside to listen to my collection of Christian CD's.  I have quite a few favourite songs, viz. Who Am I, What If His People Prayed, If We Are The Body by Casting Crowns.  I also enjoy listening to Avalon's Testify to Love, Give It Up, Everything To Me, Adonai and... many more.  If my Christian friends know of any artists who sing wonderful Praise and Worship songs, please let me know, so that I can go look for their CD's in our Christian bookshops... thanks.  It would be nice to listen to something new for a change.

I managed to make another Maggie card for you this morning... I am showcasing our gorgeous little Tilda with many Hearts for the first time today.  Before I went to bed last night, which was way past midnight, I had coloured her in, put all the papers together so all I needed to do was put it all together this morning... I already had a picture in my head how I wanted this card to turn out, strange but true...doesn't happen THAT often...LOL

The papers I've used are from bits and pieces of scraps left over from making other cards, so I have no idea who the designers are.  Used my flowers again... added that lovely organza heart ribbon for effect and some pearls in the each corner.

The base of my card is white, I layered some soft lemon coloured cardstock onto that to give a nice border and then found a lovely soft pink and lemon coloured paper to place on top of that.  I also managed to find a nice piece of love script paper to use, to fit in with the theme.

Tilda was coloured using Copics. You can just see a peek of the inside of the card, which I've managed to decorate as well. Nice to finish the insides too.

Thank you for your visits and comments, thank you for providing loads of inspiration and I hope you enjoy the rest of your Sunday.  Next weekend is a long weekend for us South Africans, being Monday, 21 March... yippeeeee   You know what that means... lying in a little bit longer and just chilling and relaxing and of course CRAFTING!!!

Take care, hugs Sharon x

Cross Stitch Tilda and an Award

Good evening all... gosh, today was one of those hectic spring-cleaning days.  I thought I would be crafting, but noooo... it turned out to be a major spring-clean day in my home. Not that I was doing any of the work mind you, but supervising is just as exhausting you know...LOL!

But, I did promise that I would be making some cards, so come hell or high water, here's my newish little Cross Stitched Tilda again (love her!) and this time she's in blue... (here she is in pink). 

The paper is bits and pieces from current stash.  The sentiment is new from Merrypak. Tilda is coloured with Copics. The ribbon is also new from Creative Talent and the lace is also new from Paola. See... I'm using more of my flowers and I still have stacks left... LOL

Used some dimension glaze on her pocket and bows, thought you could pick it up on this pic, but doesn't seem so.

I like finishing the inside of the card as well... used some blue gingham paper and added a strip of white in the centre for the message.  It's plain, but effective, just finishes a card off nicely.

Thanks to Iulia for the Versatile Blogger Award, I am thrilled to receive it.  She is one of the lovely people I have met through the Magnolia-licious group.  If you haven't visited her blog yet, please do, her creations are stunning!

I need time to think about whom to share this with, so watch this space...  If I don't click Publish Post now, then it'll be Sunday... so here's a very hurried cheerio for now, hugs Sharon x

Tilda Spreads Love...

Good evening friends and happy Friday... it has just gone 10.10pm as I type this post. I spent a lovely evening colouring and crafting and thought I would share my other new little Tilda with you.  She's called Tilda Spreads Love, purchased from 7 Kids College Fund.  

Ain't she adorable?  I think we don't praise the artist who draws the Tilda's enough.  I think her name is Paulina, hope I haven't got it wrong?  Thank you for putting a smile on our faces with these little beauties... we just adore them!  Just when I think 'this must be my favourite Tilda', a new collection comes out and I change my mind... they are all so very special, I am sure you'll agree!

The DP I've used comes from a very old scrapbooking kit Kendall bought years ago. I hate throwing anything crafty away and when I was looking for something "new" to use, my eye fell on this little packet and I decided to use them instead of my regular W&M papers.

Tilda has been coloured with Copics of course... I decided to use my new heart-shaped pin on this card and threaded some lovely beads onto it. Haven't used these beads for quite some time now.  The nestie onto which I placed Tilda is a Nellie Snellen die. Used another one of my little heart-shaped buttons for a change.  I received them as a gift and as I only have a few, I'm tend to hoard them, but this colour suited the card perfectly...

In my post yesterday I mentioned that I couldn't wait for the weekend to arrive, so that I could craft up a storm... Well...I've got stuck in early, as the weekends unfortunately pass by so quickly.

Lots of blog hopping to do, so cheerio for now, hugs Sharon x

It's Spring and It's Green at Magnolia-licious

Greetings dear blogfriends... It seems like ages since I've posted another card... Wow, is it good to be home?  I'm a real home-bird and love spending time at my craft desk, dabbling with all my lovely crafty stash... listening to Ryan Seacrest on KFM 94.5 in the background...  Such a sweetie on Idols hey! 

As my 3 new little Tilda's had arrived from 7 Kids College Fund, I couldn't resist stamping them with Momento's Rich Cocoa Ink, purchased from Paola and then colouring them with Copics... So, for the first time on Sharon's Kardz Korner, here is the gorgeous Tilda with Lace Hearts from the You Are So Special collection...  It took between 4-6 weeks for these to arrive from the USA...  I am not complaining, just damned relieved that they did not get lost along the way...

The base of my card is white cardstock. Onto that I layered some green and then grape coloured cardstock. I thought this combo was stunning and coloured my Tilda accordingly.  Cut her out with a Nellie Snellen die, thought this one suited our Tilda perfectly as it looks so lacy.  For embellies I've used a gorgeous diamanté buckle, through which I threaded a piece of green ribbon.  Used some of my stunning flat-backed pearls, a few flowers and a heart charm.

I made a side-opening card for a change and decorated the inside very plainly by using the same DP as on the front of the card.

You can see that I added some dimension glaze to the hearts to make them pop a bit. And to end off a close up of our little Tilda...

Spring is in the air over at the Magnolia-licious challenge blog and they'd like you to celebrate with them by creating a colour-themed card in GREEN, so I am entering this card into their challenge.  I hope Random.org likes this little one...  I really had fun making this card.

It's almost weekend and that means I get to play some more... hope you've had a good crafting week... I'll catch up with you all later... hugs Sharon x 

p.s. It may be the beginning of Spring in the States, but here in SA and especially Cape Town, we got our first taste of Autumn today... a cool, breezy day... Just wonderful after our recent heatwaves.

I'm Back...

Hello blogfriends... I've just returned from a staff conference which I've been attending since Sunday afternoon.  There were 140 of us from all over the country.  The last time we all got together was in March 2008, so it was wonderful connecting with our extended family members again.  There are some new faces amongst our staff, so it was nice meeting them for the first time too. 

I thought I'd just share a few random pics that I took whilst I was there... nothing fabulous, but hey... we're just sharing, right??

Here's one section of the Breakfast Bar... look at all those yummy croissants, muffins, etc.  I am following a very strict eating plan, so had to resist!! Flip... it was soooo difficult, but I did not succumb to the temptation !

This was the healthy side of the Breakfast Bar, which I did help myself to.  Lovely fresh South African fruit with yoghurt to start the day... hmmmm

Here's the main Conference room where we gathered each day... It can divide into 3 to create separate breakaway rooms for the various groups.

This is where we gathered to have our tea and coffee breaks.  This balcony overlooks London Road... which is the front of the Hotel.

You've seen pics of Table Mountain on my blog before.  I've never been up this close and thought I'd make use of this opportunity to show you the part of the mountain where the cable car departs from.

Back: Jacqui, Ilse and Abi  Front: Michele, Sharon and Tanya

And this is our group of Regional Administrators from all over the country. So nice catching up with them.  We had a wonderful, informative workshop session.  So sad saying goodbye today.

Well... this is where I have been for the past 2 and a half days... It is wonderful being home again and I am so going to enjoy sleeping in my own bed tonight. No matter how luxurious the room, I cannot sleep anywhere but in my own bed...

Lovely seeing some new faces amongst my Creative Friends on top.  Thanks so much for joining, I look forward to visiting you soon.  hugs Sharon x

Tilda with Bike, Buttons & Bling

Good evening my dear blog friends... I hope you have had a wonderful Saturday... isn't it nice to enjoy yet another weekend, where you get to spend it with the people you love, as well as just relaxing and chilling out... I LOVE the weekends as it gives me the opportunity to catch up with some crafting too...

I am showcasing the gorgeous little Tilda with Bike, purchased from 7 Kids College Fund. I think she is from the Summer Days collection.  I am entering this card into the Buttons & Bling challenge over at the Magnolia Stamp Lovers challenge blog...  Yet another place to showcase our beautiful Maggies...

The base of my card is white.  I used the gorgeous button patterned paper from my W&M collection, which was layered onto a powdered blue card.  I then chose a contrasting striped paper for the inlay on the left and decorated that with some gorgeous lilac ribbon.  Onto that I fixed some various shaped buttons.  In the corners I used what is left over of the last blingy brads in my stash.  That's as 'bling' as you'll get with me, I'm afraid!!  I found them far too big for our delicate cards and am so pleased to see the last of them go... I really am a 'pearly' girl....LOL   Just LOVE my pearls!!!

Not sure if the dimension glaze I've used on some bits and pieces will be classified as bling...LOL  Thought it would be nice to make these items 'pop' a bit!  Tilda was coloured in with Copics.

Well, that's it for now folks... my one and only card for the weekend...  I leave to attend a work Conference tomorrow afternoon, so there is still lots to be done.  Will get back home on Tuesday evening.  Note, I won't have my laptop with me, so am unable to browse or leave comments at the Teddy Stampers challenge blog, should you have entered our challenge.  Will catch up later in the week.

Important notice re SPAM emails:  It appears that a 'spammer' is using my email address to send emails to my email contacts.  I was alerted to this by a blogfriend in the USA.  The message this time was innocent enough, but it could have been something of a sexual or worse content and I would just like to emphasise that should you receive any spam-related email, it is definitely not from me personally !   Note:  I do have the necessary virus-protection software on my laptop, so my laptop is virus-free.

Right... now I have some ironing to get to (yuck!)... It is 8.00pm and is still soooo darn HOT!!!  The rest of our country seem to be enjoying lovely weather, whilst we're having friggin' heatwaves!!!!

Take care until we meet again later on in the week, hugs Sharon x

Somebunny Loves Me...

Hi friends... This is the joy of having a daughter... from time to time they steal your heart by spoiling you out of the blue... Kendall brought this little gift home for me this evening... Isn't it adorable ?  A little Russ bunny... She saw it at Cavendish Mall yesterday and went back to purchase it for me today...

I adore soft cuddly toys... and this little bunny is too sweet for words...

Here she is sitting on top of a new craft box... 

These are my teddy's that sit on top of my bookshelf in my bedroom.  The teddy on the right I made a few years ago... isn't he gorgeous ?  The teddy in the middle with the red jumper is a Me To You bear, as well as the one on the left with the scarf on. 

The cream teddy was bought for me by a friend from Hamley's, when she visited the UK.  He is incredibly soft and beautiful.

Seeing that it's our challenge over at Teddy Stampers today, I thought it appropriate to share my teddy collection with you all again.  Hope you don't mind ?  Take care, hugs Sharon x

TGIF and Welcome to Another Teddy Stampers Challenge (DT)

Thank Goodness It's Friday.... yay!!! That's means the weekend is almost around the corner and even more fun... it's a new challenge day at Teddy Stampers.   All you need to do is follow this wonderful Sketch and use a rubber stamped or digi stamped teddy image on your card....

It was such a lovely sketch to work with, I am sure I will be using it again.  Here's my little number for your inspiration.... hope you like it !

Don't you just love that gigantic chair our cute little girl and her teddy are sitting on ?  One of my RSA stamping friends, Gail, kindly loaned it to me and I stamped a few to be used as and when... I think I need to ask her where she got it from as I want to have my own... badly... it worked so well.  The girl and teddy stamp are called Bedtime Story and was purchased from Bunny Zoe's Crafts.

I cut out our little twosome and raised them with some sticky foam tape so that it looks as if they're sitting very comfortably in that chair !!!  Reminds of the many evenings I used to sit and read Kendall her bedtime stories... precious moments they were... 

It's the first time I'm using that lovely brown with white spotted ribbon, which was purchased from Creative Talents... they have some lovely lengths of ribbon for you to buy... well worth a visit.  They're in Northumberland Street in Bellville.

My final embellishments are lovely dew drops in the top right hand corner from Andrea's shop, AnnaBelle Stamps in Oz and some paper flowers I've had in my stash for a while.  I won those dew drops in a challenge more than 2 years ago and use them very sparingly... they are absolutely gorgeous!

I hope you feel inspired to join in the FUN at Teddy Stampers this fortnight.  Why not invite your friends along too... we'd love to see your creations. 

I have noticed some new faces amongst my Creative Friends on top... thank you so much for joining.  I am so pleased you found my blog interesting enough to join.  I look forward to visiting you too... have a super crafting weekend... Hugs Sharon x

Totally Tilda Challenge Entry

Good Morning my lovely bloggy friends... it's Wednesday and that means it's midweek... Just a reminder that we have a new challenge on Friday over at Teddy Stampers... so there is still time to take part in the current challenge and on Friday if you come back for a visit, you'll get to see what the new challenge is all about.

Speaking of challenges... I am so loving playing with my Maggies right now and last night it was so hot, 37 degrees celsius, that I couldn't go to bed early so I made this sweet little card for the Totally Tilda Challenge, where the challenge is Fruity Tilda. You must use a fruit on your card, be it paper, an embellishment or Tilda holding a fruit.  I've used Cherry Tilda, she's holding cherries and my DP is beautiful cherry paper... hope you like it...

Is that paper divine or what?  I was wondering when I would get the opportunity to use it. Just love it, but unfortunately it's my one and only sheet....booohooooo!!!

I'm using more flowers, can you notice? LOL.... must start using them up so that I can purchase some more.  First time that I am showcasing the gorgeous heart ribbon... love it... my new heart-shaped pin... love that too... and my new Magnolia background image... so a whole lot of newbies from me....

As you can see, I have decorated the inside of the card as well, but using a contrasting DP and this time I've used a pink and white striped one.

And finally a close up of our little Tilda, coloured with Copics.  First time I've added some whites dots to those cheeks, but they didn't come out white enough... may have to get another gel pen.

Before I love and leave you, I am thrilled that my little Cross Stitched Tilda card won the February Home Page challenge over at the Magnolia Stamps Yahoo Group.  Thank you so much!

Thank you to the new faces I see amongst my Creative Friends... so nice of you to join... welcome!  I look forward to catching up with you soon.  And a HUGE thanks to everyone who visits and leaves a comment.  I appreciate it so much.

hugs Sharon x