Rectangles, Squares and Circles!

That's the theme of the new challenge over at Paper Creator today, you must use at least one of each shape on your creation and the card shape itself can be counted, pretty easy, so why not play along for a chance to win a £10 voucher to spend in store - you don't even have to use any Paper Creator products, but if you do you get a second entry into the draw.

Rectangles, Squares and Circles

My card is rectangular in shape, has two square image panels and a circular one, so got all the bases covered there, it also contains buttons (circles) and alphabet stickers (rectangular) and the paper is an Argyle design (squares turned 90 degrees!) even the gingham ribbon is made up of squares - so do I get extra brownie points LOL!

Grip it and rip it Max - Swing me a Story Max and Catch of the day Max - all Sassy Cheryl illustrations at Paper Creator

Papers - Ticket to Ride - Crazy 4 Monograms

 Papermania Madame Payraud Alphabet stickers

Ribbon and buttons - Meiflower

Pop over to the challenge blog and check out the inspiration from the rest of my teamies.

Thanks for dropping in,

enjoy your weekend,

hugs,

Colette xx

I Kinda "Dig" you!

I mentioned in yesterdays post that I was going to the theatre to see Ghost in the evening, well after a bit of a hair raising journey to get to the theatre - gale force winds making it quite scary - we arrived about 15 minutes before the start of the show, about two minutes after taking our seats all the lights in the theatre went out plunging us into total darkness, they came on about five minutes later and then continued flickering on and off, - about ten minutes after the show should have started an announcement was made saying that due to unstable electricity supply problems the show was being cancelled, so I never got to see it after all.
The show still has another week to run and it seems it's not too busy the second week, the theatre are confident that they should be able to accomodate people, so hopefully I will get to see it sometime next week instead.

Now what do sand and a bucket and spade have to do with Valentines day?

- well the answer is the quirky Drawn with Character digi image I've used on today's card and the cute sentiment that comes with it.

Digital stamp - Bucket n pail - Drawn with Character - Etsy

Digital papers and date circle- Love you - Just so Scrappy (no longer available)

Die-namics Double scallop border

X-cut palm punch - large heart

Organza ribbon, stick on gems and heart charm - Meiflower

I am entering this card into the following challenges

Creative Moments - #35 Anything goes/Love
Divas by Design  - Love

Fab 'n' Funky - #203 Valentine/Love

Through The Craft Room Door  - Always Anything Goes

Stamp n Doodle  - Valentine/Love

Thanks for dropping by,

hugs,

Colette xx

I Got Ya!

I think I am just about valentined?!!! out - I spent most of yesterday making my last few valentine's cards using some fab images from Drawn with Character, I will be posting one each day through to Valentine's day on Friday.

I love the face on this cupid, (I have another version too, which will feature on Fridays card), he is obviously very pleased with himself after managing to shoot his arrow through the heart LOL!

Digital Stamp - Cupid with Heart - Drawn with Character - Etsy

Digital Papers - Sealed with a Kiss - Crazy 4 Monograms

Marianne Craftables - CR1225 Hearts

X cut border punch - scallops

X cut palm punch heart - Large

Die-versions Alphabet - Little Lizzie font

Lace - Local Hobbycraft store

Pearlescent string - Meiflower

Beads - Stash

Paper Crimper

I am entering this card into the following challenges

City Crafter Challenge -  #198 Love Bug - Make a project including the word love

Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge  -For The One I Love 

Artistic Inspirations  - Anything Goes / Valentine's Day

Cutie Pie Challenge -  Cute Valentine

Kaboodle Doodles  - To My Sweetheart

I'm off to the theatre tonight to see Ghost, with my daughter, my friend and her daughter, I shall pack the tissues just in case LOL!

Thanks for stopping by,

hugs,

Colette xx

Birthday Candle bird brain

In my last post I mentioned that before I decided to enter their sketch challengeI had made a card for the February Digital Stamp of the month challenge over on the From the Heart stamps blog, you have to use their Stamp of the Month for the challenge, but if you enter you automatically get the next months stamp for free. 

Here's the card I made for the challenge.

Digital Stamp - Birthday Candle Bird Brain - From the Heart Stamps

Digital papers - Heartstrings - Crazy 4 Monograms

Tonic layering dies - Circle

CREAlies CLCS11 - Leaves

X-cut palm punches - Flower, large and medium

Brown pearls - Meiflower

The set comes with a choice of sentiments, here's the inside of my card showing you the one I used.

I am entering this card into the following challenges

From the Heart Stamps - February Monthly stamp challenge

Robyn`s Fetish - # 198- Animals or Birds

Make it Monday  - Always Anything Goes
Through the Purple Haze  - Anything Goes

My Craft Creations - Always Anything Goes

Thanks for dropping in,

hugs,

Colette xx

Birdbrain friends!

I was at the Craft show at Event City Manchester yesterday and you'll never guess what I bought? (If you're a regular visitor then you probably will LOL!)  Yes, I bought more dies hehe! After watching a couple of demo's I 'really needed' them, so look out for roses and fuchsia's on upcoming cards - providing I can remember how to make them LOL!

I've got a card to show you today using the I {heart} card sketches sketch no.52.

 I had bought some digi stamps from {From the heart stamps} earlier in the week and because I spent over $10 and entered the code from the blog I got the Stamp of the Month set for free. They have a monthly challenge where you have to use the stamp of the month , but if you enter, you get the following month's stamp of the month for free - just for playing along - so I thought I would give it a go. My card is made and ready to post, but before I had chance to blog it I noticed the sketch challenge, which only runs for a week, and decided to play along with that too, mainly because the circles in the centre of the grey panel, which I don't think are there other than for decoration, caught my imagination and an idea popped into my head straight away, once again using the Stamp of the Month set, so I made up the card and here it is!

Digital Stamp (inc sentiment) - From the Heart Stamps - Birthday Candle Birdbrain

Papers - Tweet Tweet - Just So Scrappy (only $0.75 in outlet store and contains 42 papers!)

Tonic Circle layering dies

Die-namics Photo corners dies

Stick on Gems - Meiflower

The stamp of the month challenge card will be following in a few days.

I am entering the following challenges

I {heart} Sketches Challenges - Sketch

Love to Create - Birthday / Anniversary

Delightful Challenges - Anything Goes

Crafty Creations -  for the birds

Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge - #15 Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look, 

Have a lovely Sunday,

hugs,

Colette xx

I love you this much!

It's time to begin the challenges again at Paper Creator after the Christmas break, and for the first one of the year we are going to start off nice and easy with...

Anything Goes

We don't have much in the way of rules, just no back linking, a maximum of 3 entries per challenge and most importantly follow the theme, you don't even have to use Paper Creator products, but if you do, you get a second entry into the random draw to win £10 to spend in store.

Here's my card for the anything goes theme, using a gorgeous new Sassy Cheryl illustration called Come On Get Happy.

Digital illustration - Come on get Happy - Sassy Cheryl at Paper Creator
Digital Papers - Owl always love you digital scrap kit - Just So Scrappy
Go Kreate Large Frame Scallops
Lifestyle nesting circles dies
Die-namics die - Rustic Hearts
X-cut heart punch
Ribbon and charms - Meiflower I used split rings to dangle the heart charm from the O of the love charm

Don't forget to pop over to the Paper Creator challenge blog, check out the inspiration from the rest of my teamies and enter our anything goes challenge.

Thanks for stopping by,
Have a lovely weekend,
hugs,
Colette xx

Eat More Cake!

Today is the start of our new Paper Creator challenge and this time around the theme is

Birthday

now that couldn't be easier could it - we would love you to play along with your birthday creation, you don't even have to use Paper Creator products to enter and you could be the random winner of the £10 voucher to spend in store.

I have used the fabulous Sassy Cheryl illustration Avery Celebrates with cake,

The sentiment reads -

Birthdays are nature's way of telling us to eat more...

hmmm, but eat more what ? - 

see that little bit of ribbon hanging down from below the image circle, pull it down to reveal.....

...Cake, of course!

Image - Avery celebrates with cake - Sassy Cheryl at Paper Creator

Papers - My Birthday Girl Digital Scrap Kit - Just so Scrappy

EK success border punch

Grosgrain and Satin ribbon - Meiflower

 and I used this brilliant tutorial HERE (adapted to fit my design) to make the pull down wording.

Don't forget to enter the Birthday challenge and pop over to the challenge blog to take a look at the fabulous creations from the rest of my teamies.

Thanks for dropping by,

have a lovely weekend,

hugs,

Colette xx

Christmas Stackables

We are halfway through our Pink or Blue challenge over at Paper Creator, so you still have a week to get your entry in, if you fancy playing along and being in with the chance to win £10 to spend in store.

This week I have one of the new Christmas Stackable sets to show you, which after my blue advent calendar last week is in various shades of pink, so still following the challenge theme. 

These sets are easy to put together and you end up with a drawer which contains three matching cards (with inserts) and envelopes.

Christmas Stackables set 1 - Paper Creator

Here you can see the drawer, with the envelopes tucked underneath and the three cards surrounding it. I printed the included backing paper out three times and then printed the envelope template on the reverse, to make up the envelopes.

Satin rosebud trio, organza ribbon and tiny red pearls - Meiflower

Tiny holly leaves - old X-cut punch

Ribbon and gems - Meiflower

Star - old X-cut punch

Snowflakes - X-cut palm punch Snow crystal

ribbon and gems - Meiflower

There are 10 different stackable sets available in store.

Thanks for taking a look,

have a lovely weekend,

hugs,

Colette xx

Cherry Blossom Geisha

It's time for another challenge at My Besties this week, and this time around the theme is...

Anything Goes

If you want to play along, just show us any creation containing a My Bestie image, the winner gets to choose five My Besties digital images, we also have a runners up prize and the DT favourite also wins themselves three My Besties images.

This is one of my favourite images, she was such a joy to colour, I love anything oriental, and really enjoyed putting this card together.

Cherry Blossom Geisha - My Besties - Coloured in Photoshop

Digital papers and lanterns - Sakura Garden - Mindy Terasawa (no longer available)

Tree branch - hand cut

Leaves - Cheery Lyn Flourish Leaf strip

Cherry Blossoms - Memory Box die

Tiny blossoms on tree - Crystal sequin blossoms - Meiflower

(I also added tiny stick on gems in the centres)

Pop over to the My Besties challenge blog and check out the fabulous inspiration from the rest of my teamies, and don't forget it you are going to enter the challenge you must use a My Besties image.

Thanks for looking,

hugs,

Colette xx

Princess Twinkle toes

Hi there, it's time for another challenge over at My Besties, this week it is my teams turn, but before I tell you this weeks theme I want to let you know about a few changes to the challenge.

You can now choose to do either - anything goes or follow the theme -  you still have to use a My Besties image for whichever part of the challenge you are following, and if you enter an anything goes card you won't be in the draw to win 5 My Besties Digi images (only cards that follow the theme than do that) but you will still be in the draw for one of the two runners up prizes of 3 My Besties Digi images. 

Another new feature is that  from now on we will also be having a DT favourite, so each week one member of the DT gets to pick their favourite card from all the entries and that person will win 3 digi images, there is also a special blinkie for the DT favourite.

We would love to see your creations using either the

Anything Goes theme

 or Use Purple/Lavender

Digital stamp - My Besties Princess Twinkle toes img 668 - coloured in Photoshop

Digital papers - Glorious Day - Just So Scrappy

Circle die - Lifestyle nesting circles

Doily die - Marietta Buckle - Memory Box

Metallic edged ribbon, purple stick on pearls and 2mm stick on gems (crown) - Meiflower

Don't forget to pop over to the challenge blog and check out the fabulous creations from the rest of my teamies.

Thanks for dropping in and taking a look,

hugs,

Colette xx

Snowey and his Bluebird

It's the start of the next challenge at Paper Creator today and this time around the theme is

Christmas

We would love for you to play along and show us your Christmas creations, the randomly drawn winner gets £10 to spend in store, and you don't even have to use Paper Creator products to enter.

For my card I used the fab Sassy Cheryl illustration Snowey and his Bluebird, and designed myself an easel book card using some brilliant label shapes I bought from a digital scrapbooking site. I used a digital scrapbook kit for the background papers that picked up the colours in the image.

Image - Snowey and his bluebird - Sassy Cheryl at Paper Creator

Papers and Merry Christmas wordart - Santa Baby digital scrap kit - Just So Scrappy

Label Shapes - Chelle's creations at Scrap Orchard

Snowflakes - Martha Stewart border punch (I cut the border apart to make individual flakes)

Wonderful time of the year word art - Computer generated

Ribbons and Gems - Meiflower

Charm was a gift from a friend.

Pop over to the Paper Creator challenge blog and check out the inspiration from the rest of my teamies.

I'll be back tomorrow, with the shark themed cards I made for my grandsons birthday and a pic of his shark attack birthday cake.

Enjoy your Saturday,

hugs,

Colette xx

Monochrome

 It's time for another Team A challenge over on the My Besties challenge blog and the theme is

Monochrome (one colour)

I have to admit, it's not one of my favourite themes, as I love to use lots of bright colours, but I decided to go for a complete change and went with a grey colour scheme, I ummed and aahhhed over whether or not to have the flesh coloured or monochrome too, and after consulting with my design advisor (my hubby LOL!) decided to go with a totally monochrome look. The digital kit I used for the papers is in shades of pink, grey and black, and it was really difficult to just use the very drab grey papers, instead of the more colourful pink ones, but I think I have fulfilled the challenge criteria.

I think I should have put a coloured background behind the card when taking the photograph, because it looks like a black and white photo (at least I know the grey monochrome scheme was effective LOL!).

My Little Dimples My Besties Pals IMG935 - coloured in Photoshop

Papers and butterfly - Ooh la la digital scrap kit - Just So Scrappy

Fiskars border punch (hardly noticable behind the image and embellishments)

X cut palm punch - Petal - Large and Medium

Cheery Lyn Olive branches die

Silver grey pearls and large crown charm - Meiflower

Pop over to the challenge blog and check out the fabulous inspiration from the rest of my teamies.

Thanks for stopping by,

hugs,

Colette xx

Anything but a Card

The new challenge over on the My Besties blog today is

Anything but a Card

So if you would like to be in with a chance of winning $30 to spend on My Besties digi images, then just pop over to the challenge blog and link up your fabulous creations using a My Bestie image.

My anything but a card make was inspired by this post HERE, I loved the idea of turning a pillow box into a little handbag.

I made my pillow box almost A5 size, so it would be the perfect packaging for a scarf and gloves, or some make-up or jewellery.

Image - My Besties img837 - Coloured in Photoshop

Papers - It's Snow Fun - Just So Scrappy

Die for "handle" - local craft shop own make

Spellbinders Oval die

Nellie Snellen MFD007 Ovals

X-cut Border punch - Scallop

X-cut snowflake punch

Couture Creations embossing folder - Intrinsic

Ribbon, gems and diamante ribbon slider - Meiflower

Also a quick reminder that you can now buy the My Besties figurine, with a portion of the money raised from the sale going to Breast Cancer research and awareness

More details HERE

Don't forget to pop over to the challenge blog and check out the fabulous creations from the rest of my teamies.

Thanks for stopping by,

hugs,

Colette xx

Anything Goes Challenge

My craft room is finally getting back to some sort of order, I managed to get about half of the stuff back in last weekend, although we had the new boiler fitted in the week and I think I am going to have to empty everything out again to give the whole room a clean, there is a fine layer of brick dust over everything, but I will hopefully manage to get it all back in over this weekend, especially as it's a bank holiday here in the UK so we get an extra day, woohoo!

Today is the start of our easy-peasy Anything Goes challenge over on the Paper Creator blog. You don't have to use Paper Creator products to enter but if you do you get two entries in the draw, and the randomly picked winner, gets £10 to spend in store, so if you have a card made why not enter, after all you've got to be in it, to win it!

Image - That's what friends are for Sassy Cheryl illustration - Paper Creator

Papers - The Coastal Collection - Nitwits

Red cord and buttons - Meiflower

Pop over to the challenge blog and check out the fabulous inspiration from the rest of my teamies.

Have a lovely weekend,

hugs,

Colette xx

A new Bestie challenge

It's Team A's turn to host the challenge over at My Besties this week and our theme is 

Include an animal

so to win $30 to spend in store just pop over to the challenge blog and link up your creation using a My Besties image and an animal.

I used a gorgeous image called Fifi and bubbles

Couture Creations Embossing Folder - Drink Me

Squeaky Clean digital papers - Just So Scrappy

Lifestyle nesting circles die

Sentiment - computer generated

Pearls - Meiflower

Flowers - Stash

Hop over to the challenge blog and check out the fabulous inspiration from the rest of my teamies.

Thanks for dropping in,

hugs,

Colette xx

Hangin' Around

Have you ever had one of those days were you wish you had never gotten out of bed, well I've had one of those weeks, which started Monday when my computer decided to go doo-lally and I lost 8 hours worth of work!!! It was all downhill from there, although some of the distractions were quite enjoyable, family visiting for hubbies birthday, meal out for hubbies birthday (see not all bad LOL!) but I have been chasing my tail all week, which is why my poor blog has been sadly neglected. I couldn't even find a bit of spare time to do a post.

I've made 16 wedding invitation samples recently, as well as a wedding card and a couple of Christmas cards, and they are all in the queue waiting for their moment to shine - haha! Hopefully I can get some of them posted during this next week.

Today is the start of the next challenge over at Paper Creator and this time around the theme is -

Just Bears

To be in with the chance of winning £10 to spend in store then just show us your bear cards, you don't have to use Paper Creator products, but if you do you get a second entry into the draw.

I used a gorgeous Sassy Cheryl image called Hanging Out to Dry, and even though I didn't have much time, - me being me - decided to try something a little different with my card and so spent more time than I really had, trying to make an idea come together. 

Hanging Out to Dry - Sassy Cheryl illustration at Paper Creator

Papers - Nitwits At the Park collection

Lifestyle nesting doily circle die

Spellbinders circle die

Ribbon and waxed cord - Meiflower

Don't forget to pop over to the Paper Creator Challenge blog and check out the fabulous creations from the rest of my teamies.

There is also free shipping for all orders over £5 at Meiflower this weekend.

I am entering my card into the following challenges

Chocolate, Coffee & Cards  - Animals

Digi Haven –  must use a digi - Any Animal

Sister Act Card Challenge  - Anything Goes

Crafty Ribbons - #54 Anything with a ribbon

Divas by Design - Anything Goes

Bearly Mine Challenges  - #96 Anything Goes

Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge  -Birthdays

Thanks for dropping in,

enjoy your weekend,

hugs,

Colette xx

Black, white and one other colour

Hi there, welcome to a beautiful sunny Monday morning, and a new challenge over at My Besties and this week the theme for our challenge is

Black, White and One other colour

to be in with the chance of winning 10 digi images or one of the many runner up prizes make a card or project using a My Besties image and following our theme and then pop over to the challenge blog and link it up. We would love for you to play along.

Image - img730 Banana Pie (coloured in Photoshop)

Digital Papers - Daisy Chain- Just So Scrappy

Lifestyle Nesting Doily Circles

Lifestyle Nesting Circles

Spellbinders - Labels 11

Die-namics - Upsy Daisies Die

Organza ribbon - Meiflower

As she was called Banana Pie I thought it would be a good idea to make my one other colour yellow, it's a bit brighter than a banana yellow but with all the glorious sunshine we are having at the moment a bright sunny yellow seemed more appropriate.

Don't forget to take a look at the fabulous inspiration from the rest of my teamies over on the challenge blog.

Also a quick mention about the month long Besties of Oz challenge that is running alongside the regular weekly challenges, use one of the Besties of Oz images on your project and play along with the challenge to be in with the chance of winning a massive $100 cash prize.

Thanks for looking,

hugs,

Colette xx

Shabby Chic?

Welcome to another My Besties Challenge, this time around the theme is

Shabby Chic

to be honest I never quite know how to do shabby, and usually end up just rubbing the edges of the papers with a brown ink pad, which is exactly what I've done this time LOL! although I've also used a creamy ink pad this time too and crumpled up the paper I used to make the rolled roses before die cutting them, I rubbed a white metallic paint over the corners to give them a slightly metallic look, which unfortunately doesn't show up so well in the photo.  Hopefully that will be shabby enough, as for the chic part - I don't have a chic bone in my body hehe!

Image - My Besties - img765 Milly Mae (coloured in Photoshop)

All digital papers - Glorious Day - Just So Scrappy

Corners - Lea'bilities Leane 006 Border/corner curve

Roses - Marianne Creatabilities LR016

Bunting - Nellie Snellen MFD011 and spellbinders circles

Stick on Gems, satin ribbon and teeny diamante circle ribbon slider - Meiflower

Don't forget to pop over to the challenge blog and check out the fabulous inspiration from the rest of my teamies.

Thanks for stopping by to take a look,

hugs,

Colette xx

My Besties Pearls and Lace challenge

It hardly seems like 5 minutes since I posted my teams last challenge and here we are a fortnight later and it's our turn again. This time around the theme is 

Pearls and Lace

If you want to be in with the chance of winning $30 worth of digi images, then show us your Pearl and Lace creations using a My Besties image.

There are so many gorgeous images to choose from I always find it difficult to pick which image I want to use, but this time around I decided to go with the beautiful Daffodilla, but as it is now summer (well at least it's supposed to be) instead of Spring I used my artistic licence (bought cheaply at a local car boot sale, as you can probably tell LOL!) to colour the daffodils as sunflowers.

My Besties Image  -Img660 Daffodilla - coloured in Photoshop

Papers and butterfly - Just So Scrappy - Denim and Daisies Scrap Kit

Lifestyle Die - Doily Circle

Lace and pearl string - Stash

Ribbon and stick on pearls - Meiflower

The right hand edge of the card front follows the shape of the gingham border (comes in kit ) and is shorter than the card back, so the green curvy strip at the end is actually part of the card inside. I cut all the little scallops around the front card edge by hand, firstly out of the printed paper, then once the paper was stuck to the card front, I cut around them again, very time consuming, but I like the effect it gives.

Pop over to the challenge blog and check out the fabulous creations from the rest of my teamies.

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes

Hobby House - Anything Goes

Digi Haven - Anything Goes with a Digi

Pennys Paper Crafty - 1 Image, 2 Papers, 3 Embellishments

Alphabet Challenge - I for Image

Glitter N Sparkle - 3 of Something (pearls in groups of 3 around die cut)
Sister act card Challenge - Anything goes

Challenges 4 Everybody -Anything goes

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish my gorgeous niece Nicola a very happy 21st birthday today, and a big congrats on your First with Honours in your Art and Fashion degree - being chosen to show off your collection at Graduate Fashion Week in London and being one of the 10 designers chosen by Victoria Beckham at Fashion week, to meet and have a chat with her, way to go Nic!

Thanks for stopping by,

hugs,

Colette xx

Paper Creator challenge and my new Peacock!

Woohoo! it's the weekend again! shame about the grotty weather! At least there is something to look forward to as today is the start of the latest Paper Creator challenge and I got to pick the theme, which is

You don't have to use Paper Creator products, but if you do you get two entries into the draw for the £10 store voucher.

I decided to make three cards for the challenge, mainly because I used a fabulous Mega Bundle called Simple Cards, which contains 20 card fronts all using Sassy Cheryl images, (simple they may be, but they are also very effective).

Each one comes with two versions of the topper, (one with wording, one blank for adding your own) , matching inserts and the decoupage layers for the image. They all have swirls on too, which I thought would be perfect for glittering or adding gems to and at only £7 for 20 card fronts it's a bit of a bargain too!

Birthday Tweets

I added wording which I came across on the Sassy Cheryl blog to the blank topper and used all decoupage layers, then glittered around the inner blue line of the frame and all the swirls, added glossy accents to hair accessories and the heart on the envelope.The ribbon, birdie charm and tiny diamante ribbon slider are all from Meiflower.

 Swinging by to say Hi!!

I used the topper with wording and made up all the decoupage layers, added glitter around the inner edge of the frame, to all the swirls, her hair accessories and shoe laces, the string the star is hanging by and the spots on the star. I also punched some stars out of a silver glittery paper I bought at HobbyCraft many years ago, and added some yellow stick on gems from Meiflower to the ends of the swirls and the dot of the i.

and finally - Happy Thoughts

This time around I only used one layer of the decoupage, glittered around the inner edge of the frame, the hair bow, shoe laces, dress pattern and the little heart on ted's leg, added my own sentiment, (there is a freebie version of it on my blog HERE if you want to snag it)which is glittered around the edge and above and below the sentiment. The ribbon and charm are from Meiflower, as are the stick on gems which I went to town with, adding them to the swirls using a mix of turquoise blue and crystal, with a few more on the sentiment circle for good measure LOL!

Check the bundle out HERE.

Don't forget to pop over to the challenge blog and check out the rest of my teamies sparkling inspiration.

Now something that has nothing at all to do with cards - just before my birthday last month I came across a gorgeous metal peacock sculpture in our local garden centre that I thought would look lovely by the pond in my garden. I got enough money for my birthday to go and buy it (helped a little more by the fact that my friends daughter works in the garden centre and gets 20% discount) so yesterday, Julie, her daughter Alison and I went Peacock shopping, (which obviously included a small detour into the restaurant for cake and coffee LOL!).  Anyway, I thought I would show you a couple of pics of my new Peacock, standing by the pond, although I haven't quite decided exactly where it's final resting place will be yet.

as you can see from this photo I have a bit of a fantasy theme going on around the pond, with the fairy and goblin sitting on the side of the raised pond and the gargoyle in the background overlooking it.

The lower pond is covered with netting at the moment as my youngest grandson loves to run around out there, and we need to keep him safe, although he is pretty good and knows not to get too close to the ponds, we also need to keep the fish safe as there is a heron about and he has managed to get a few fish in the past.

Thanks for stopping by,

have a lovely weekend,

hugs,

Colette xx