Happy Birthday To Me!!

So, yesterday I became a 24 year old, I would like to say a BIG thank you for all the lovely messages, cards and pressies I have received. I am overwhelmed with the kindness you have shown me. I completely didn't expect it. Thank you all so much.

I got up and opened them all - there were LOADS!! and then I had a lovely breakfast of croissants and cherry jam :0) I received my present from my family - A Wii (YAY!!) and then came online to receive some lovely messages (thank you). In the evening I went out with my family to dinner which was very nice.

Here are the cards I recieved from some very lovely people:

A beautiful card and yummy chocolates from Julia

Beautiful cards from Jules (Julie's Japes) and Pam (Handcrafted With Love)

Beautiful card from Natalie (Crafting Fun!)

Beautiful card and images from Gina (Card Kabin)

Beautiful card, images, ribbon, buttons & Stickles from Tara (Tara's Designs)

Beautiful card and images from Sue (Slumber Cards)

Beautiful cards from Katherine and her daughters (Cookie Cards)

Beautiful cards from the A Muse Addicts

Beautiful card, keepsake poem, wallet filled with images, papers, ribbon, stamps and flowers from Vicki (Paperlicious Oasis)

Beautiful card, envelope, stamp in handmade box, handmade pouch filled with ribbons and flowers and Ferrero Rocher in handmade packaging ... not to mention the beautiful tags all from Ruth

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart, you made my day :0)

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend :0)

Lots of Awards!!

I have received 3 lovely awards this week. The first one is from Sue and Tara, the second from Tara and the third from Vicki. Thank you all ladies, I really appreciate them :0) For the first two I would like to pass them on to everyone on my blog roll list. The third one (Circle of Friends) I would like to pass on to everyone who visits my blog. I cannot believe how may comments I receive and I am truley appreciative of every one of them. I would just like to give special thanks to: (in no particular order!) Natalie, Julie Jules, Tara, Sue, Vicki, Gina, Sarah, Kerry Jo, Pam, Viv, Maria, Vicky, Alex, Kitty, Ruth, Katherine and Julia A. I really appreciate your support and friendship :0)

I have also just been sent another lovely award (Blogging with a Purpose) from Kerry, thank you Kerry :0)

Happy Birthday Tara!

Sorry I haven't been around much lately, I have been working non-stop! Thankfully I have today and the weekend off so hopefully I can get some crafting done. This is the card I made for Tara's birthday at the beginning of the week. Apologies for the rubbish pic, Tara is actually showing a better one on her blog! I have coloured in the lovely image that Maria sent me (thank you Maria) with watercolour pencils and added touches of glitter with my Copic glitter pen. I have then mounted it to pink Doodlebug CS and added to base with DST. The base has been made by layering up DB paper on to more card. I have added ribbon and made a Natty K bow (thanks Natalie for the idea). I have then added a Craftwork Cards circle message to the centre of a Prima flower and added this in the corner. To finish I have added gem stones in the corners.

STAMPS: Whipper Snapper. CS: Craft Creations, Doodlebug Designs, patterned paper by Doodlebug Designs. ACCESSORIES: Craftwork cards circle messages, Papermania ribbon, Papermania Adhesive Gems, Prima Sprite flower, Copic Spica At You glitter pen.

I have received lots of parcels and cards these last few days, I don't want to seem presumptious but I am guessing they have something to do with my Birthday being on Sunday so I haven't opened them yet! I am really excited though!!

Wallet Cards

These wallet cards have been made to send some images to some lovely people. The top one was for Vicki and the bottom for Michelle, I hope you like them ladies! Both images have been coloured with watercolour pencils.

STAMPS: Penny Black. INK: Stazon Jet Black. CS: Bazzill. ACCESSORIES: Craftwork Cards Mini Message, Papermania Adhesive Gems, Copic Spica At You glitter pen, Prima Flowers, Papermania brads.

STAMPS: Penny Black. INK: Stazon Jet Black, Colorbox. CS: Bazzill. ACCESSORIES: Flowers from First Class Crafts, Papermania Adhesive Gems, Craftwork Cards Mini Message.

Hanging Changito

This card is made simular to the one I made for my Dad back in March just a scaled down version. I have stamped the Changito and vines with Airondack ink and coloured in with Copic markers, I have then mounted him to light brown CS added him to base with 3D foam pads. The base is simply dark brown CS mounted on to a card blank with 3 punched out LB squares added to the corner. Greeting is a Pebbles Inc rub-on.

Stamps: Stampendous. INK: Airondack Pitch Black. CS: Craftwork Cards, Doodlebug. ACCESSORIES: Copic Markers, XCut Mini Square Punch, Pebbels Inc Rub-ons.

Li'l Teddy

I have made this card for the Cute Card Thursday Challenge

Challenge 9: Gems and Jewels

"This week our challenge is to use gems or jewels on your card, it's as easy as that!"

I have coloured in the gorgeous little Whipper Snapper image that Maria sent me (thank you Maria) with watercolour pencils and mounted to Lilac CS. This has been added to base with 3D foam pads. The base has been made by layering up various shades of purple CS with the middle band being embossed with the Cuttlebug embossing folder Swiss Dots. I have added the all important sparkle in the form of gem stones in the corners. Right I need to stop making cards in purple now!!

STAMPS: Li'l Standing Teddy by Whipper Snapper. CS: Craftwork Cards, Doodlebug. ACCESSORIES: Swiss Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder, Papermania Adhesive Gems.

Cass's Blog Candy

Cass over at Pour Some Sugar On Me has reached over 5000 hits and is celbrating by giving away some gorgeous candy. All you have to is post a comment telling her your favourite rock song. Go check out her blog, it is great!

Competition Time!

To celebrate the fact that Diestodiefor and First Class Crafts are merging Tracy has decided to run a competition.

This is a one time only competition. Up for grabs is a 'on-the-go-tote' by AMM. Also included in the prize are:

20 sheets of 12x12 papers including Bazzill and Doodlebug, 2 packs Craftime dress It Up, 1 Creative Card Kit, 1 pack sticky ribbons, 1 pack fibres, 1 pack of pale pink feathers, 1 pack baby magic motifs, 1 pack double sided tape, 1 glue stick, 1 glue pen, 100 eyelets, 1 pack flat backed bubbles, 1 pack little sizzles - textures (leather), 2 packs rub ons, 5 packs of stickers, 2 packs panels, 2 packs of blooms, a selection of die cuts, a pack of 5 cards and envelopes, a High Hopes rubber stamp (Bride and Groom), 5 metres of ribbon, a pack of tags and a pack of Craftime Alphanumerals.

Wow, do you think that's enough? Now all you have to do is make a card (so easy). Now with fathers day coming up I thought you could all make a male themed card. It doesn't have to be for Fathers day, just a male card from age 0-101, as long as it is made using anything listed in the prize.

So for example, stickers, ribbon, papers. How easy is that. It doesn't have to have been brought from her at all. Have fun ... Rules: Please leave a comment on her blog to tell her where she can view your card. If you do not have a blog then you can email or even post your entry (if posting please enclose an SAE if you would like it back). If you have a blog then please link to to her blog. If when you are leaving a comment you leave a suggestion of what you would like to see for sale on the website, your name will be entered twice. This will stay open until 31st May and hopefully everything will then be on the website.

Please see Tracy's blog for full details. Enjoy!!

And The Winner Is ...

Thank you to everone that entered my blog candy draw - all 127 of you! I never expected so many!! So on to the draw ... random.org has picked a number from 1-127 based on your post number. I drew the number at 12.07 GMT. The winner is ...

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:49
Timestamp: 2008-05-10 11:07:31 UTC

Post number 49: Taras Designs

Congratulations Tara, I will get your candy out asap :0)

Blog Candy Time!

I have reached 40,000 hits on my blog since I started in August 2007 and I want to say a BIG thank you to everyone who has visited my little Grotto. One of my favourite colours is purple (the other is blue) which is why I have a purple candy up for grabs! All you have to do is add a post to your blog linking them to this post saying I have candy up for grabs then leave a comment here telling me you have done it and what your favourite colour is.

Up for grabs is some purple Craftwork Cards Birthday Mini Messages, purple Doodlebug brads and glitter, some purple Bazzill Bling flowers and a purple chalk ink pad.

This is open worldwide, only one entry per person please and it will close Saturday 10th May at 12 noon GMT. I will get Random.org to pick a post and will announce it shorty afterwards. Good luck!!

THE DRAW IS NOW CLOSED, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT HAS ENTERED