Happy Easter!!!

Hello, Look who's here!!!!!!!!!Yep sweet Luca, my sister and BIL arrived on Friday morning to spend a couple of days with us. Is so nice to have them again and is double nice to spend some time with this little guy. He changed so much since last time I've seen him and even though I see him every day via the web cam( we speak daily) is still a shock to see it IRL. So Friday afternoon we headed to the nearest park even though the weather was grim and showery. We put our wellies on Mimi( he still calls me Mimi LOL) took her camera and off we went. Now of course he is still relatively new to this walking lark and walking in wellies is not fun. Every now and again he ended up like this much to our amusement. And then we found a puddle, and Mimi was the first to teach him just how much fun jumping in the middle of it and splashing everywhere IS( I was so busy showing him I didn't took any pics, boo hoo). You should have seen his little face **priceless**, and I enjoyed that sweet moment before I caught my sister's glare LOL> Well puddles are meant for that especially when you ve got wellies on.

As you can imagine we are having a lovely weekend and I hope you will to. I would love to know how you celebrate Easter.

I have a card to show you, our second challenge at SWUS has been released and the theme is **BIRTHDAY**, so given that I am having such a lovely time with Luca, I started to make a kiddies Birthday card so I pulled my All in the family set out as well as the accessories that goes with it and set to work.

Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive card stock, Rose Red double stitched ribbon, Styled Silver hodge podge hardware and Many Marvelous markers. I stamped everything in black Staz on using the Stamp a ma Jig then added colour with the markers. This card was half inspired by a card featured in a old American SU catalogue. I stamped all the accessories and then I felt like I needed a sun in the top corner well I just went for it without trying it out first and of course it went a bit wrong, but I suppose is meant to look like a child s done it LOL. I have simply wrapped the big brad around the ribbon and secured it at the back. So cute don't you think? I LOVED seeing ebryone s creations on our first challenge and i hope you will play along this time too, is an easy peasy theme so I'm sure you will. Chat soon hugs Monica xxx

Weekend away anyone?

Hello, ooh the third bit of news has been announced ages ago over at StampWithUs but I managed to forget that I didn't told you about it on here as well. I know sooo many of you are excited about the on line classes and we had a FANTASTIC response already but I also know that there is nothing better then a proper get together with lots of like minded people all sharing the same passion and all leaving as friends. Well we are making it all possible after months of preparations we have finally decided to offer the first EVER card making Retreat featuring inspirational classes and projects made entirely with exclusive Stampin'Up! products. Are you a Stampin'Up! fan? are you an avid card maker looking to constantly discover new techniques and try new ideas? are you scrapbooker who would like to branch out into card making and extend those skills you already have? then this is for YOU!!!! the Classes are going to be amazing and inspirational (think gift ideas, home decor, projects for him, projects for her, all sorts You Won't Believe It!!!), the atmosphere is going to be FUN and full of laughter, and all in all WE are going to have a BLAST!!! I know just how popular Scrapbooking Retreats are and it was my dream to offer something similar to card makers out there and WE HAVE DONE IT!!! Lots of you signed up already and certainly Saturday is looking like is filling up nicely so have a look at the different options and come Stamp With Us!! I would love to meet you and spend a whole weekend enjoying ourselves. Have a look here for all details and go on treat yourself to a weekend of fun, or even a full day if your finances don't stretch to a full weekend.

Yesterday I promised you a card and here it is, I LOVE this one!!!. I bought this set for one reason only, to demonstrate the spotlighting technique.( it is brilliant for so much more though)

Now like I was telling you yesterday I made this as an exact replica to the one I have made for my friend Michelle, only that hers was in Tempting Turquoise to match her blue eyes and I can assure you it was just as lovely. I embossed the Fresh Cuts background stamp in black onto my Whisper White layer and stamped the wine onto the pumpkin Pie layer with P.Pie ink then simply stamped again and punched out my spotlighting bit( the gorgeous flower head) coloured it using the Marvelous Markers, the *fabulous friend* sentiment from Oval All was layered onto a Scalloped Oval and I've used the same markers ( Summer Sun and Pumpkin Pie) to add colour to the tiny flower. Rather like this one you know. Hugs M xx

ooh before I go , I have ONE place left for a Stampers 10 CLUB starting as soon as we are FULL, would you like to join one? find out more info HERE and send me an email if you would like to join us. xxxx

Birthday Passionette !!!

Hello have you had a lovely weekend? I did the weather was nice although a bit breezy but the sun was shining nonetheless which is always nice.
Tina one of my lovely Passionettes is celebrating her HAPPY BIRTHDAY today so I have made her a card, Tina's favorite colour is pink and boy did I made her a PINK card!!! I combined it with a challenge set by my SCS sisters and that was to make a monotone card and here it is: Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink with a hint of black. I used the level 2 hostess stamp set Spring Solitude flowers coloured using the Marvellous Markers, Polka Dot background was stamped in Versamark and embossed in white, and the frilly punch is one I had for ages not sure who makes it though (it cuts and embosses), sentiment from the Sincere Salutations and striped grosgrain ribbon in Pretty in Pink. Tina Happy birthday sweetheart hope your day was full of nice surprises and i hope you liked your pinkified card. Hugs M xxx

Talking about birthdays I was still receiving card by Saturday, so here it goes I am sharing some more special cards kind friends have made for me.

This pretty frame came from my dear friend Michelle, we share our birthday and I haven't got a photo of the card I made for MichelleI I sent it at the last minute as always LOL) but I made one exactely the same in a different colour that I will share in my next post so you can see it then.

How cool is this? I love everything about this, the Washington Apple ds paper is glorious, I adore it Michelle what a great way to showcase those papers!!! She also made me a cardMmm yummy colours and the sentiment made me go weak, thank you sweetheart so much.

Then the lovely and ever so generous Steph, this is the sweetest girl you will ever meet with a heart as big as the White House. She sent me this beauty here which I absolutely adore

Made from scratch stamp set and all new Washington Apple papers, isn't it gorgeous? I love it Steph and I also love the cute little tins you ve sent me. Thank you

And my sweet friend Paula made me this

Paula is my local crafting buddy, I introduced her to card making when I moved here 5 years ago, and since then she amassed a huge crafting collection THREE times the size of mine( I am not kidding you !!). her card is really beautiful, shame I cannot photograph the sparkle properly she used a dazzling diamonds along with the heath and stick powder over this gorgeous image, is it Rubber Romance? I don't think it is, will have to ask her. So huge thanks ladies it was very nice to have a prolonged birthday. Hugs Monica xxx

More news....

...... and more cards!!!! Second of April has been the day when more exciting news have been announced over on Stamp With US, we are launching a series of on line classes which are meant to bring cardmakers, scrapbookers and papercrafters together for a full two weeks of learning, sharing and cool things making. Those classes are perfect for today's busy crafter that likes to create beautiful projects but without having to hunt down ideas for ages before getting stuck in. We are on hand to offer you TEN inspirational classes( in fact more than that as we will have cool bonus projects too) with step by step instructions, photographs and videos. There will be live and interactive chats, challenges, fun games and lots of PRIZES as well. I am of course extremely excited about this because if there s one thing that I can guarantee you, is that this will be FUN and inspirational. I CANNOT wait for you to see what we have in store. And guess what? you can get all this FUN for a very affordable £15.00 , this is not per class but for the whole round of StampWithUs. Registration is open now and the official launch date is 1st of May!! reserve your place now by clicking the Paypal button on the right hand side bar. I look forward seeing you there.xx
Well lucky me as more beautiful cards have arrived today,

This gorgeous creations is from Clair and Sharni, it is truly gorgeous and has diamantes on it .Bright and truly beautiful from Julie, not sure what I did with the photo angle here, I rushed taking those photos in my lunch hour) Zingy and totally yummy from Lynne, Lynne's message made me smile as it read

**Happy Birthday Monica, love from Lynne xx

ps.This citrus zesty stamp reminds me of you! and then a smiley face** so sweet Lynne thank you. And thank you Julie, Clair and Sharni for your lovely cards.

Now look at this, isn't she cute?

I had a coffee with my friend Julie yesterday morning after opening my presents and showed her this cute Momiji doll that Carole sent me, she took one look and she squealed ** Oh she looks like YOU!!!* I wasn t sure about her comment to be honest but I decided to name her Monjica. Lots of hugs M xxx

Is my party.....................

and I ll blog cos I want to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hee heee dear reader today I AM 35 years of age!!! Gosh I cannot believe it those 35 years have definitely flown by but you know what? I am looking forward to the next 35 hee heee. And I also know that is all relative, those that are older then me will think I am still a baby while those younger will see me as ancient already. LOL

What a fabulous day I am having firstly the SUNSHINE!! it was glorious today so that put me in a good mood straight away then there were loads of beautiful cards and pressies to be open, beautiful emails and text messages to read and to top it all off Stamp With Us has finally launched today(YIPEEEEE)!!! You so have to go and check out the first challenge, is lovely. I will show you my entry but I think I will have another go as I was quite mojo less working on that card, does that happen to you? sit there surrounded by all the stuff your money can buy and not being able to stick together two layers? hmm yes I thought it did!! oh and I nearly forgot, the Stampin'Up! Mini Catalogue has been launched today as well. Gawd talk about excitement all round.LOL

Not too bad I suppose I would have liked to have some patterned paper on there I think. I love the combo though, Bashful Blue, Rose Red and Certainly Celery, very fresh. The stamp set is one I haven't used in ages called Big Bold Birthday, and the way I went mad with it at on point I thought I will be using all the stamps in the set on one card LOL. So will you be playing with us? I hope to see your entries there.

I want to thank each and of you that has taken the time to make me a card an find my address to send them to me, I had some really nice surprises, I LOVE receiving hand made cards heck I like receiving any cards so thank you. Also an extra special thank you to Carole who not only sent me a beautiful card but she bought me a really lovely Momiji doll ( that I stupidly forgot to photograph, but will do don't worry) and to you Dawn as well for making me that gorgeous notebook, I love it !!! Here's a selection of the GORGEOUS hand made cards I have received (not sure how this is going to work as is the first time I tried it)

I did this in no particular order the program did it for me and I didn't know how to change it, so at the top is Susan's card, then second row 1st from left made by Jo, then Jayne's card, next one is Jenny, gorgeousness from Carole, second row 1st card made by lovely Tara, then my partners in crime Zoe and Natalie sent me this sweet little number along with a well needed key ring( love it ladies, hugs) and the last one but by no means least made by the sweet Alex. And here's Dawn's beautiful duo. I feel so greatful, I really do.

Oh and my work colleagues were happy today as well, I've caught a few of them licking their plates, mmmmm. Sorry about the mammoth post, catch up soon hugs, Monica xxx

And the WINNERS are...................

Five lovely ladies!!!!!
Here s the video with the live draw, of course I am waffling on uncontrollably but hey that s live for you LOL.





I want to thank each and everyone of you for pre ordering with me, and everyone will receive a little gift with their orders. Thank you once again Monica xxx

Birthday Passionette !!!

Woohoooo today is a very special day for Susan one of my lovely Passionette. Susan celebrates her Birthday and in true fashion( I do try to celebrate all my girls in the team with a stamped card on their birthdays), I have made her card. Now Susan absolutely adores the retired hostess set *Heartfelt* and as is a set that I love myself and still have ( I could never part with it) it was only natural that I used it for her card.

Susan's favorite colour is teal so of course I based my combo around her fave colour, but went a step further and combined the Taken With Teal with Olive and Elegant Eggplant to comply with Carole's colour challenge at ILWS. Sentiment comes form the Sincere Salutations set and of course I used those gorgeous new oval punches. The frame was stamped using the SAMJ and the rectangle frame from Frames With a Flourish( I have only inked three sides of the frames and joined them back to back), I love how this card turned up. Susan I hope you will have a FABULOUS day my darling and I hope you like your card. Lots of hugs M xx
I will catch up with you all tomorrow as I have all the winners to announce, you can still be in with a chance of winning just email me with your order before 10 pm tonight!!! See ya later aligator......................Monica xxxx