Stamps Ahead

Remember this layou t that I submitted to ARTastic Challenges in June, well I have just read I have been awarded a winner prize -"  Margaret who has won a $25 gift voucher from Alacraft . " Thank you ARTastic Challenges and Alacraft. My sister will be excited as well, as she is in the photo.  Now off to look at what goodies await me at Alacraft.

Before I start apologies for the quality of the photos, they were taken with my mobile phone. Reason my Nikon broke in the last week of my holidays and I need to take it and get repaired this week. London Eye - it was a clear and sunny day, so I got great views from the Eye. Wien (Vienna) Austria - this was my birthday. We found this great little restaurant whilst discovering around Vienna. We had Wiener Schnitzel and it was delicious. On Friday night we had neighbourhood drinks (we usually have at Christmas but I was away) and I made (well technically my sister did!) these Angel Food cupcakes and I decorated with Petite Eiffel Tower candiesI purchased in Paris. Aren't they cute. More scrapbooking to be done and I am also making 6" x 6" scrapbook pages to be donated to a good cause. Thank you looking. Bon Annee - that's happy new year in French.

The day of the Christmas market and my table at this market has arrived, it is a twilight event and is called a European Christmas. I have made cards (birthday, thank you, friendship and of course Christmas), 2012 mini calendars, and gift tags and cards. Here are some of the small gift tags I made - I used Spellbinders Scalloped Tag die (the largest die, you get 3 in the pack) and used many fun techniques to create the tags. Thank you for looking. Enjoy your day.

I am thinking all things Europe at present - why? A couple of reasons, but the first one is that I am having a table at a Christmas market in the next few weeks. It has a European Christmas theme. Okay, so this is not a Christmas card, it is a Thank You card as I have made some non-Christmas cards so that I have a range of cards for sale. I have been in a distressing (as in ink/paper distressing) mode recently and this card uses Ranger Distress Ink. I love this Stampin' Up! (r) stamp set that is now retired I believe. Some lace and ribbon from my stash add to the vintage feel that I was wanting. Off now to make some similar birthday cards. Have a great day everyone.

Well, here is it's January again. And that means it's my sisters birthday. If you have read my blog for a while you will recall that she likes blue, shabby chic and all things Paris. Here is the card I have created for her this year. My birthday gift to her was I paid for 5 nights accommodation in Paris during trip she took there in September last year and this card pays homage to that trip. The clock face was one she picked up in the Paris markets.

I have been making some cards for a friend and I wanted to use a new Stampin'Up (r) stamp set called Artistic Etchings. It is perfect for vintage type cards and also images would be suitable to use for a male card. I went in search of inspiration and found this video . This is a complete case of the card as I loved all the elements that the artist has used. Merci for stopping by. Margaret.

Challenge 2 - Sketch Challenge. Simply turn to page 56 of the current Stampin' Up Idea Book & Catalogue.Using the card with the pram on the front for inspiration, create your own card or scrapbook page. I have called mine "Pink Paris" appropriate given that my sister has recently returned from Paris. You cannot see it clearly but I have used Glimmer Mist Chalk spray.