A Thank You

Morning friends... it really feels as if Spring has finally arrived in Cape Town... we had hellishly hot days over the weekend and although it's gone slightly cooler, there is definitely a "spring" in the air!

Now that my dear blogfriend Lynn has received her card, she lives in Texas, I can finally showcase it on my blog.  I admired a piece of ribbon Lynn had used on one of her cards and then she popped me an email and offered to get me some. Not only 1 but 3 reels of it. Wow... don't we just have the most amazing blogfriends ever !  Don't you just love receiving mail from overseas ?  I do !

Here's another neglected Elisabeth Bell stamp which I haven't used in quite a while.  Just love Danii.  Added the ribbon in the pic too, ain't it pretty ?  Thanks ever so much Lynn.

Happy crafting everyone. Now I must dash to get ready for work, hugs Sharon x

My Altered Maggie Cube

Hello friends... we had a public holiday in South Africa today, Heritage Day and the day was supposed to be spent with family and/or friends braaing, in other words, ...barbequeing...   It was a real scorcher in Cape Town and if this is a taste of what we can expect for Summer, then I'm afraid it's going to be a real hot one!

Well, what's a girl to to on a public holiday, but shopping as well... I visited one of my favourite local scrapbooking shops, The Scrapbook in Durbanville.  Whilst browsing I met another blogfriend, Charmaine, who was giving a class.  Whilst the ladies were busy, we had a nice catch-up session!  Nice seeing you again Charmaine... I hope you're reading this, as I'd like you to see what I've done with the cube I bought this morning....

OK, without further ado... excuse the long post, but I've just got to showcase each and every side of this cube which I've altered on instruction from my daughter Kendall.  She's been wanting one for ages and I never thought I'd complete it in 1 day... It's taken a couple of hours, but oh how I loved doing it!!!  As I've mentioned before, I love working with a blank canvas and seeing what I'm going to come up with and I must say, I'm very happy with the way this Maggie Cube came out !

I painted the cube in a distressy sort of way, seeing that we were going with a shabby chic/vintagey theme here! I then took my Colour Box cats eye ink and inked around the edges of the box.

Had some glossy pebbles in my drawer which I just glued to the bottom of the box, to give it some height!  I then spent the rest of the afternoon colouring and making 5 different 'pages' as it were to adhere to every side of the box and the top... here we go, hope you like these little Maggies!

Kendall chose the stamp for the top and the colour scheme.

Here's Tilda with Many Hearts

Just wanted to show you what it looks like from this angle

Here's Hello Little Butterfly.  As you can see I'm loving my clouds right now.

Next we have the adorable Tilda with Heart

The butterflies are MM's Paper Reverie Butterflies (No. 36019). Loved using them.

And here comes Beautiful Tilda

As you can see Kendall is a Blue girl, whereas I love my Pink.

Thought I'd end with a close up on the top of the box again

Shew, thanks so much for staying until the end of this post. I really hope you've enjoyed viewing my altered Maggie Box, as much as I enjoyed making it and would love for you to leave a comment if you liked it.

Happy crafting, hugs Sharon x

 

Totally Gorjuss (DT) - Birds of a Feather

Welcome to another challenge at the Totally Gorjuss blog.

It's Birds of a Feather this week.  You can use anything birdy or feathers or both on your creations this week.  I don't really own any birdy stamps, but managed to find this gorgeous postbox with 2 birdies perched on top of it, amongst my stamps.  It's from Great Impressions, a local stamp company, purchased from Merrypak.

My image has been coloured in with Copics and I hope you can see the CLOUDS that I've made...woohooo!  I am so thrilled with the result that I want to add clouds to all my stamped images...hahaha!!!  Just love this gorgeous wide satin ribbon too, which I think I'm using for the first time since I purchased it!

Added some Dimensional Magic glaze to some flowers, leaves, butterflies and the birdies to make them pop !

Our wonderful sponsor this week is Lily of the Valley, so I'd like to encourage all my stamping friends from South Africa and overseas to join in the FUN !

Thanks for popping by and if you'd like to leave a comment, that would be appreciated.  hugs Sharon x

One for Fun...

TGIF... the weekend is only a few hours away, I can just taste it! woohoooo.... such a lot to do in the 2 days, just ain't fair is it ?  Weekends should be 3 days long, don't you agree ?

Our very sweet Financial Accountant at the office will be exchanging his wonderful, free, single life (hehehe) for the ball and chainess of married life (just joking okay?? hehe) next weekend, so I was asked to make him a card from the team and this is what I came up with.

As the invitations were silver and lilac, I was asked to stick with the same sort of colours....  Hope the 'soon-to-be-newlyweds' will like this one...

The image is from Great Impressions (H1154), purchased from Merrypak. I just had to buy it when I saw it!  The DP is from a paper pad by Wild Rose Studio, Lilac Rose.  Flowers and ribbon from my current stash.

I received a surprise email this evening from a loyal follower of my blog. She had a question to ask.  It was wonderful hearing from her and I hope by mentioning this, it will inspire many other followers to do the same.  I really am very easy to 'talk' to.  If you have any questions about any of the products I use, etc. just pop me an email.  I will respond.

That's it for me.  My bed beckons... zzzzzz  Take care, hugs Sharon x

Help please... Deleted my Guestbook and need the link

Hello friends... I changed the layout of my Blog and accidentally deleted my Guestbook, now I have no idea where to find the link. So if you have a Guestbook on your blog, please respond so that I can visit you. Perhaps if I click on the link, I can somehow find out where to find mine. Oh boy!!!! Thanks Sharon

Edited (21 Sept):  All sorted thanks. I managed to find the link myself.

Anything Goes (DT) - It's Anything Goes at Anything Goes Challenges

Welcome to another challenge at Anything Goes Challenges.  This time YOU get to decide whatever you want to create as it's Anything Goes at the Anything Goes challenge blog....  Gosh, what a wonderful turnout at our last challenge.  So many beautiful entries. Congratulations to the winners!

I am usually a creature of habit, but now and again I like to challenge myself by doing something different and as I've been using a lot of my Magnolia stamps, which I love and adore, I thought I'd try this little one which was kindly stamped for me by a blogfriend.  I just love these 2 little friends...

The flowers are available at The Craft Den.  Please pay them a visit for all your crafting shopping.

Thanks for popping by and we hope to see you at the challenge.   Thanks to everyone who entered our last one, your creations were absolutely stunning.

I'd love for you to leave a comment.   Enjoy the rest of your week, hugs Sharon x

Simply Magnolia (DT) - Shabby Chic

Happy Sunday folks and welcome to another challenge at Simply Magnolia.  Thanks to everyone who entered our last challenge and congratulations to the Top 3.

This fortnight it's SHABBY CHIC and have our SMDT sisters come up with some gorgeous creations for your inspiration ? Please do pay the Simply Magnolia blog a visit.  The sponsor is our very own DT sister Tracy's Scrapbooking All Sorts online shop, which you can find Down Under (Australia). 

Look what she's giving away to the lucky winner...

Magnolia Stamp ~ Tilda Spreads Love

6x6 My Minds Eye paper pad

Magnolia Pink Tulips

Kaisercraft Rhinestone strips

I decided to try something different to a card this time.  I've altered a simple Notebook which I will use for myself.  I've been wanting a book to jot down all my craftiness and now I have one. What fun am I going to have using it!

This cute Tilda was stamped for me by a friend.  She's called Sweetie Tilda and is such a versatile little honey, you can use her for just about anything.  The gorgeous leaves are also a gift from a friend, love them! I stamped the words myself. For a bit of shabby chicness I distressed the edges of my paper and also inked over the words to give them a bit of a grungy shabby look!

Thanks for popping by. If you'd like to leave a comment, that would be nice,so  as I enjoy reading them.  Enjoy the weekend and happy crafting, hugs Sharon x

Totally Gorjuss (DT) - Nothing Square About Me

What a wonderful Saturday it is... As my regular followers will know, I have been a Guest Gorjusette for a short while now and when the very kind Net asked if I'd like to become a fully classified Gorjusette of course I said YES!!!! 

Right!  So, as you can gather I'm a very happy bunny indeed... Now if you pop along to the Totally Gorjuss challenge blog, we have a wonderful challenge for you - Nothing Square About Me... let your imaginations run WILD!!!!  I received a brand new set of nesties in the post this week and the largest nestie was big enough to use as a card, so here it is... hope you like it?

Shew, last week's challenge was a real challenge for me... you know I just love my girlie cards.  Well, I've given the sweet Maggies the weekend off as little Daisy was just dying to come out to play.  Ain't she a honey?  She's one of Elisabeth Bell's designs. The nesties are spellbinders Label 17.  I am so impressed with this design that I am sure I'll be using it often.  As the card is rather small, I've kep my embellishments to the bare minimum - just added a gorgeous organza ribbon, popped a rhinestone in the centre and 3 pearls. Sweet and simple it is!  (btw this card was sold within a second of showing it to a friend!)

A huge thanks to our wonderful sponsor: Simon Says Stamps.  Do pay them a visit for all your crafting needs. Thanks to everyone who enters our challenges, we love visiting you!

Can't wait to see what you come up with.  Happy crafting, hugs Sharon x

Little Winged Friends - My Garden

Hello friends... yep, I am still here and it is still very much Winter in Cape Town... cold and rainy weather but I'm not complaining.

Just had to share this sweet little Bildmalarna stamp, called Little Winged Friends - My Garden, which arrived all the way from the USA this week. I was getting worried that it would not turn up at all... took about 8 weeks to get here... so don't you dare complain if your parcels arrive later than a week or 2... hehehe  My dear friend Sandra was shocked when I told her I was waiting so long and commented that the parcel had probably taken the scenic route to South Africa! hahaha

I just had to ink, stamp and colour her in.  Tried some different flicking strokes, hope it shows...  The stamp is what I purchased with the gift certificate another dear blogfriend Lins sent me from one of my favourite online stores... so, if you're reading this Lins, thanks again so very much!

I just love her to bits and have another cute Mimosa lying in one of my CD cases that I need to dust off and use again. Seeing this little stamp just made me realise how cute they are.

Thanks for popping by and if you'd like to leave a comment, that would be great!  2 DT cards coming up this weekend and 1 next Tuesday, so keep watching this space... We'd love you to take part in our challenges.

A very warm welcome to some new blogfriends that have decided to join my blog. Thanks so much.

Happy crafting!  hugs Sharon x

Would you like to come play with the Gorjusettes ?

Greetings friends... hope you're all having a wonderful crafting week.  Work is keeping me busy and the evenings are busy doing some DT work, so I'm not sitting idle.

Would you like to come and play with the Gorjusettes ?  Totally Gorjuss are having a Guest Gorjusette Call out.  So, if you fancy a FUN 6 month slot, just email the lovely Net at totallygorjuss@gmail.com telling her a little bit about yourself and details of your blog.

The Call out closes on 30th September.

 

Totally Gorjuss (GDT) - It's a Manly one this week

Hi everyone, thanks for popping by once again and welcome to another challenge at Totally Gorjuss.  Well, as you all know, I loves me girlie cards so to make a Manly one was a HUGE challenge for me. 

Must admit, I love this stamp.  It's a local one from Great Impressions (J653), which I purchased at Merrypak.  The pirate's map stamp is a Fokus stamp purchased from one or other local crafty store... this stamp has come in handy on more than one occasion, so I'm not sorry I purchased it.  Kept it plain and simple.

Our sponsor this week is Crafter's Companion... do pay them a visit as they have stash to suit all your crafty needs.

Thanks for popping by, hugs Sharon x

Happy Secretaries' Day

Hello friends... It is Secretaries' Day in South Africa.  Last night Kendall asked if I could make her a card for her boss's secretary and I thought I would share it with you today.

I started my career out as a Secretary, so I have a lot of empathy and respect for all secretaries.  They are at times very under-valued and it is nice that we have this special day to honour them for all the hard work that they do.  So, here's wishing all secretaries out there a wonderful Secretaries Day !  May you be spoilt with lots of flowers and choccies !

[Note Wendy, no pink !]  Thought I'd go for red, white and black this time.  A completely different colour scheme to my usual pink... hehe   The image is a Bella one I think, not sure of the name though.  Kindly stamped for me ages ago by Meahni, a fellow SA stamper.  She's been missing in blogland for a while now and I miss her cards as she's an excellent colourist !  The doilie is a gift from another SA stamping friend, Debbie.

I made a bit of effort and decorated the inside of this card as well.  I used a lovely Great Impressions floral stamp (C036) to create a little border where the message is to be written. You can just see a little peek of it in the pic above.

That's it for today.  Wishing you all a super one and thanks so much for popping by! hugs Sharon x

Anything Goes Challenge #49 (DT) - Shabby Chic/Vintage

Welcome to a new challenge on the Anything Goes Challenge Blog.  This is my first DT card.  I hope you'll find some inspiration, so that you can join in the fun this fortnight.  Our challenge is Shabby Chic/Vintage, so let those creative juices flow.  The Top 3 get a lovely badge to display on their blogs.  How cool is that?

This stamp was kindly stamped for me by a friend and I think it's the first time I am using her on my blog. She's called Tilda with Spring Bundle.  Wish I could own most of the Maggies I like...hehehe

The printed paper I've used is from the stunning 6x6 paper stack Lilac Mist by Wild Rose Studio. You can find them at The Craft Den.  The darker purple is from a 6x6 paper pack from W&M, purchased from Merrypak.  I stamped Whimsy Stamps vintage postcard and popped it behind our gorgeous Tilda.  The fence was a gift from a friend and this is the last bit that's over.  The beautiful leaves were also punched for me by another friend. The rest of the embellishments are from my stash.

Please visit The Craft Den for all your crafting needs.

Thanks for popping by. I'd love for you to leave a message, as I so enjoy reading them, hugs Sharon x

Simply Magnolia (DT) - Anything Goes

Woopee doo... happy Sunday everyone and welcome to another challenge at Simply Magnolia, where all Maggie stamp lovers meet.  This fortnight's challenge is ANYTHING GOES, so let your imagination run away with you.

I've tried something different, not sure if I did it right, but hey... we all have to learn something new sometime or other hey!  I received some white acrylic medium which I bought from Paola and thought I would brush some on my floral paper and leaves... and this is the look I've achieved.

This gorgeous little Maggie is a newby, also a purchase from Paola, she's called Sitting Angel.  Ain't she another cutie?  The designer paper is also a purchase from Paola, love them! The flower is from Prima, I think.  The Postcard stamp is from Whimsy stamps and both images were stamped with Momento's Rich Cocoa.  Tilda is coloured with Copics.  I then added a few card candies in the corners.  Wanted to use buttons, but they somehow didn't look right!  Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Thanks so much for popping by and we hope that you'll be inspired to join our challenge.  Our wonderful sponsors are De Egel.  As a prize they are giving away 80 sheets of this beautiful ColourCore 15x15cm paper.

It's such a fun way to make new friends and to see what stunning creations there are out there.  We'd love to leave a comment next to your creation.

Tons of Maggie hugs to you all, Sharon x

Totally Gorjuss (GDT) - A Sketch

It's Saturday... welcome to another challenge at Totally Gorjuss... gosh, I am totally a-m-a-z-e-d at the amount of entries we had this past week.... you girls have been so busy!  What stunning creations, thanks so much for the support, we love visiting you!

It's a Sketch this week.  As I mentioned to my fellow DT sisters, thank goodness for sketches, as my mojo seems to be on a walkabout again.  Here's the sketch for the week and our wonderful sponsor is Joanna Sheen...

I hope my little card will inspire you to take part in this challenge...

This little beauty, called Sweet Tilda, arrived in the post on Tuesday evening and I just had to ink and colour her in. Ain't she a sweetie indeed?  Papers are from my favourite range of Wilson and McLaghan purchased from Merrypak.  The punch is MS's Cherish Hearts, a purchase from Tracy Kendall's shop, Dies to Die For.  The rest of the embellishments are from my stash. Tilda coloured in with Copics and stamped with Momento Rich Cocoa.  The leaves were a gift from a friend.

Thanks so much for popping by.  I'd love for you to leave a comment if you have the time.

hugs Sharon x