About Me

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My name's Alison but for reasons too long to go into I'm known as Cockney Blonde or CB for short. I've been rubber stamping for several years but now spend most of my time either knitting or crocheting. However, with the advent of a New Year I have bitten the bullet and am tackling my usually hated pastime of sewing. I've even bought 'Sewing for Dummies' to guide me on my way. I've been with my hubby Dave for 24 years and between us we have 4 kids and 5 grandkids. We also have 2 cats and a dog, the latter features as my 'photo' image. I used to be able to blog daily but these days I struggle to blog weekly. Hopefully now we are settled into our new home in the country, I can get back to a daily (well almost) update from the room I now have to share with hubby. No more personal crafting space for me!!! Thanks to all the blogs and sites I follow for all your brilliant inspiration, and thank you to everyone who finds the time to comment on my blog.

Saturday 30 July 2011

Thank You


See, that didn't take long did it. Here I am back with another challenge upload for you. This time its for the folks over at the Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight Challenge which this week is ATCs. Like some of the other participants I couldn't just leave it at one... I've used 2 elements from a  Hero Arts set. In the top one you can see I've stamped the flower 3 times as opposed to just the once in the bottom. I think the top one is my favourite but that could just be the colour combo. The Thank You stamp is also from that same set.

After embossing the flower in white I've sponged Adirondack Hazlenut and Watermelon above, and Sunshine Yellow and Citrus below.

I hope you like them and I'm entering them into the following challenges. Off now for some playtime. Have a good weekend, x

Crafty Cardmakers - Spotlight on ATCs
http://ccmspotlight.blogspot.com/2011/07/spotlight-atcs.html
Allsorts #114 - Free and Easy
http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/07/week-114-last-week-of-free-easy.html


Fairy Peaceful

Morning Peeps. We have sunshine, yay! All on my own today. Hubby eventually got home from Hungary last night after a flight delay and has now gone off to Buntingford for a family reunion. Meanwhile I had to stay behind to drop younger son off for a trip to Manchester United's ground. So, once I've finished pootling (is that a word???) around here, I'm off to play with my pal Diane from Inky Meanderings.

Anyhows, here's the first of my uploads for today. This was my second attempt at the above card which was so easy peasy to do that I shall probably batch make some for Christmas. I've used a Lavinia Fairy in Stazon and then stamped the Clarity 'Peace' to snuggle it and embossed in purple. Edged the layer and the card edges with a copic purple pen and finished with 3 pearls from The Hobby House.

I'm entering it into the following challenges:-

Sentimental Sundays - Focus on the Sentiment
http://sentimentalsundays.blogspot.com/2011/07/challenge-65-focus-on-sentiment.html
Winter Wonderland - Fairies or Angels
http://christmasblogchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/07/fairies-or-angels.html
CRAFT #113 - Fairy Tales
http://trimmiescraftchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/07/craft-challenge-113-fairy-tales.html
Allsorts #114 - Free and Easy
http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/07/week-114-last-week-of-free-easy.html
Hope you like it and I'll be back in a mo with another upload, x

Friday 29 July 2011

The World is Full of Magic

Good Morning Peeps. What's happened to the sun??? It was due to be warm and sunny today but instead its dull and cloudy :(((

Anyhow, here's my card for today. I've had Tilda coloured with copics for a while, sitting on my desk waiting patiently for me to stick her on a card, lol.

The DP are by Websters 'Waiting for Santa & Sweet Season', which are available at Crafty Emma's Store. Now the diecut scalloped circle sitting behind is actually some kitchen towel coloured with acrylic paint and then sprayed with Glimmer Mist. At least I think that's how I've done it. It was a while ago now and I'd forgotten I had it until it 'jumped' onto my table and declared that Tilda wanted it on the card, lol. Whatever, the reason, it's allowed me to only use 2 DP so that I can enter the card in the current One Stop Craft Challenge.

The sentiment is by LOTV and the ribbon from my stash.

I hope you like it and I'm entering it into the following challenges:-

Papertake Weekly - Sketch
http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/2011/07/sketch-58.html
One Stop Craft #141 - Recipe: 1 ribbon, 2 DP, 3 buttons
http://onestopcraftchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/07/week-141-recipe-challenge.html
Crafty Sentiments Designs - Polka Dots
http://craftysentiments.blogspot.com/2011/07/polka-dot.html

Wednesday 27 July 2011

Here's Looking at You Kid

Hello Peeps. Sorry its been a while again but what with travelling back and forth to sit with Mum and then that awful thing called work, lol. Anyhow, here's my latest little offering which I have made for the little girl next door who has a birthday on Friday. Its my latest purchase from LOTV which I got at the last Harrogate Show, although I've only just got around to inking it up. I've used the trusted copics to colour, and the DP is a double sided sheet by Bo Bunny.

The pink ribbon is by Meiflower and the brown suede ribbon is from my stash.

Hope you like it and I'm entering it into the following challenges, x

Create 4 Fun - Sketch
http://create4fun-challenge.blogspot.com/2011/07/challenge-july.html
Corrosive Challenge #126 - Kids
http://corrosivechallengesbyjanet.blogspot.com/2011/07/challenge-126-all-about-kids.html
Crafts & Me #45 - Ribbon
http://craftsandmechallenges.blogspot.com/2011/07/challenge-45-ribbon.html

Friday 22 July 2011

Splash Out and Have Fun


Good Morning Peeps. Just got this card made in the nick of time as its my eldest Son's birthday tomorrow and he's coming over later today for the weekend. Weather permitting a BBQ is on the menu.
I found it so hard to think of a subject to use for his card and thought this little fella by Doodle Pantry was rather cute and the sentiment I created on the PC sums up just what my Son should be doing at the moment.
 Anyhows, I've coloured him with copics and due to accidental ink splots I stippled a matching versacolour to the text areas, lol. The papers are by Bo Bunny. Or should I say paper as I got all of this out of one double-sided 12 x 12 sheet. The lime'ish green paper is from my stash and the piece behind the birdie I've run through my cuttlebug 'swiss dots' folder.


It was quite difficult creating an A5 easel card and getting the balance right without it toppling backwards but I'm pleased with the end result. The punched out vines are from a Martha Steward punch.

I'd like to enter it for the following challenges and the links are below. Hope you like it, x

Sketch Saturday #164 - Sketch
Moving Along With The Times #108 - Cute, Cuddly and a Punch
Papertake Weekly - Getting Cute
Doodle Pantry Digital Challenge #4 - Stock The Pantry (DPSTP04)
http://doodlepantryblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/stock-pantry-challenge-4.html

Friday 15 July 2011


Evening Peeps. A bit late today, I've been going to bed quite early recently in case I get a call out in the night to Mum, but I wanted to upload this before I headed to the land of nod.

I wanted to enter the Tuesday Morning Sketches challenge which is asking for a card with a detachable bookmark. Now, this really wasn't my best effort but my preferred card is for an upcoming birthday and I don't want to chance spoiling the lady's surprise by posting it here before she receives it.

Anyhow, my inspiration comes from my good friend Diane of Inky Meanderings. I'm not sure where she got the idea from. Once I had made sense of the measurements I found it quite easy to assemble.

As you can see, its an 'off-centre' gate-fold card with ribbon to slide the bookmark into.
The central picture above is an Ikea notecard. The DP and images are all by Crafty Individuals.


Here's the card showing the bookmark out of its holder. 

I hope you like it and here comes the challenge link, x


Thursday 14 July 2011

Less Is More #23 and Crafty Cardmakers #50


And here is my second card for the day. This time I played around with some of the mini ink pads to get the colours I wanted. The beautiful bird image is by Simple Expressions and I've used Versamagic in Olive Green and Sahara Sand, and VersaColor in Atlantic and Lagoon Blue. The sentiment, also stamped in Sahara Sand, is by Hero Arts. I find this sentiment so versatile and use it so much that I can't imagine what I ever did without it.

The current Less Is More Challenge is for a one-layer card depicting something with legs, and the Crafty Cardmakers are also looking for a one-layer card.

I hope you like it and the links are below, x

http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.com/2011/07/week-23-one-layer.html

http://craftycardmakers.blogspot.com/2011/07/challenge-50-one-layer-card.html

Sentimental Sundays #63

Hello Peeps. As you can see I'm getting back into challenge mode again. For how long, who knows, as I am still taking a day at a time at the moment. If I disappear suddenly again you'll know I'm tied up with Mum, not literally of course, lol.

Anyway, here's for the first of my cards today. This is a really simple technique using a Crafters' Workshop stencil (mini branches) and stippling Adirondack colours through it in Slate, Eggplant, Denim and Cranberry. I've then overstamped the sentiment, by Paper Inspirations, in Stazon. I should have said that the background is on glossy card.

I'm entering this into the current Sentimental Sundays Challenge which is 'Inky Fingers'. The link's below:-
http://sentimentalsundays.blogspot.com/2011/07/challenge-63-inky-fingers.html

Sunday 10 July 2011

The Pixie Cottage #77

Happy Sunday Peeps. Hope you're all having a good weekend and getting some sunshine. Its currently overcast here in West Yorkshire.

Just a quick upload today in an attempt to get back into the challenges. This little offering is for the current Pixie Cottage sketch challenge. I really love these new DP  by Websters which I got from Crafty Emma's Store and loved the way I was able to match the colours with my copics on Tilda's dress. The ribbon, also from Crafty Emma, is by MME.

I hope you like it and the challenge link is below, x

http://thepixiecottage.blogspot.com/2011/07/pixie-cottage-challenge-77-wet-and-wild.html

Monday 4 July 2011

Birthday Cards

 Evening Peeps. I can't promise regular blogs at the moment but I'll do what I can to keep in touch.

These images are from a couple of birthday cards I've made recently.

The top one is using a LOTV image and Basic Grey DP. The image coloured with copics, what else, lol.

 This is a variation on the Criss Cross technique using an Elizabeth Bell image, again coloured with copics.
I hope you like them both and I'll try and upload some more soon.

Spending tomorrow with my Mum again. She seems to be clinging to life but I know she is being well cared for at her Nursing Home which gives me peace of mind.

Bye for now, x