FIRST ANNIVERSARY AT ADDICTED TO CAS!

Hello lovely bloggers - many thanks for popping by!

Our new challenge at ATCAS is a rather special one - the Code Word may give you a hint!

 Yes - we would love you to help us celebrate the FIRST ANNIVERSARY of Addicted to Clean and Simple! It's one year since our wonderful leader, Kylie, started the ATCAS challenge blog, and I'm sure you will agree - she has done an amazing job! 
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Your Hostess this fortnight is the fabulous Marie ,  and because this is a special occasion, there will be some extra gifts for our CAS Perfectionist, plus 3 sheets of digis from our generous Sponsor, Deedee's Digis.   Your card design can be for any kind of anniversary, as long as it's CAS, with lots of "white space".  Full details HERE.

 and here is my DT card -

Recipe ~
Indigo Blu "Tree-mendous" stamp
Kaleidacolour  Fruitcake ink pad
SU sentiment - Memorable Moments set
SU red Glimmer Paper and Woodware heart punch plus hand-drawn "string"!
Pin-pricked border.
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We are also starting a new feature at ATCAS - a new Guest Designer will join us each month, and our first Guest Designer is the very talented Bonnie Klass ... welcome to the team Bonnie!

Look forward to seeing you all at the Anniversary Party!

A BIRTHDAY AT ADDICTED TO CAS!

Good morning lovely bloggers, friends and followers - thanks so much for visiting!

Today at ATCAS, Kylie is hosting our challenge, and her chosen code-word is 

Our amazing Sponsor for this challenge, is Bugaboo Stamps, and our CAS Perfectionist will receive 7 Bugaboo digis of their own choice.

There is plenty of DT inspiration on the ATCAS Blog, so do pop over and see what my Teamies have been creating! 

Here's mine!

Recipe:-

Melon Mambo Spotty paper and ink - Stampin' Up.

SU Crumb Cake card cut with a Nesties Scallop Circle die.

Nesties circle die.

SU heart punch.

Two stamps have been used for the sentiment - the tiny "with love" is from an old Papermania set, and "On your Birthday" is part of a SU stamp (the other part of the stamp was covered with cellotape before inking, cellotape removed before stamping)!

Look forward to seeing your beautiful birthday cards -

Hugs ~

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MY BLOG CANDY!

LESS IS MORE - CASe IT

Phew - just made it in time with my second offering for this week's challenge at Less is More, (the first one is over HERE)!

The lovely Chrissie and Jen would like us to CASe one (or both) of their cards.

I used Jen's card for my first offering, so this one is based on Chrissie's beautiful creation (well it's only fair isn't it)!
I have never tried this technique before, and if I try it out again, I will use a less detailed stamp and larger diecut letters.  I don't have any large letter dies,(something else for my wish-list)! so I used the Cuttlebug "Thanks".

A click on the pic. will reveal the detail!

Recipe:-
White cardstock layered onto Stampin' Up Rose Red.
Ink - SU Melon Mambo
Stamp - "English Rose" from La Blanche
"Thanks" die - Cuttlebug.
Small sentiment - Lili of the Valley
I would also like to enter this card into the Addicted to CAS challenge -
Code Word "Flower"

Love and Hugs ~

FALLING FROM THE SKY TO SAY HI !!

Hi peeps - this week at Less Is More, it's the "ONE LAYER CARD" challenge - Oooooooooh.

But that's not all - Chrissie and Jen would also like us to take our card inspiration from a FILM!!  

Not a difficult film choice for me - the last film I saw was the brilliant "SKYFALL" starring the delicious Daniel Craig!

A parachute image sprang to mind, and I discovered this fun little Bunny digi HERE.  

Sky created with Weathered Wood DI, a torn piece of paper and an ink sponge.
Image coloured with Copics.
Hello stamp - Hot off the Press
Main sentiment - Stampin' Up.

(apologies for the rubbish photo - the card is white, not blue)!
It may look better if you click the pic.! (or maybe not)!!

A warm welcome to my latest Follower, Darnell, 

and big Hugs to all.

And this is for Sally  - enjoy!!!

LIME GREEN AND BLACK !

Hi there lovely bloggers, friends and followers - thank you for popping by, and a warm welcome to my new followers - Nessa, Wendy and Estelle.

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Chrissie and Jen have chosen a fab. colour combination for us to work with this week at Less is More ..........

LIME GREEN AND BLACK

Recipe:-

Black base card.

White card layer.
Peeled Paint and Crushed Olive Distress Inks applied with
a Tim Holtz Inkssentials Ink Blending Tool .
(No mention of "lime" on those ink pads, but I hope the result
looks sufficiently limey)?!

SU die - Sizzlits Little Leaves.

SU punch - Elegant Butterfly.

Sentiment - hAnglar and stAnglar - part of a Christmas stamp set bought a couple of years ago, and this is the first time the sentiment has seen ink!

I would also like to enter the Hobbycutz CAS (or Sketch) challenge
and the Card Mania challenge - dies and/or punches.
Update! my card was included in the Top 3 at Hobbycutz - thank you
to the DT girls!

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Have a warm and happy week everyone - 
Hugs,

SOME SCALLOPS AT LESS IS MORE!

Hi friends and followers - thanks for popping by!

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It's Lucky Dip Challenge Week at Less is More, and Chrissie and Jen would like us to use  SCALLOPS on our creations.

Although I do have some scallop dies, I decided to use some of my older, long-forgotten stash on this little card. It's great fun to re-discover things, and find a use for them. Anyway peeps - in case you're wondering - this is

supposed to be a couple of garden fences (with flowers) !!

Recipe:-

The topmost fence was edged with a Fiskars border punch.

The small fence was edged with a pair of scallop scissors,

then snipped between the scallops.

The tiny flowers were cut with a VERY old punch - no maker's name - just a label which says "Made in Taiwan" - ah nothing changes does it!

Flower stems drawn with a black Pilot pen.

Fences layered onto a 5" square card with 3-d foam pads.

SU Linen Thread.

SU papers for the flowers.

Small tag punch - Woodware.

Hello stamp - Hot off the Press.

Happy Crafting ~ 

Hugs ~

Fashionable Stamping - Red, Black and Brown.

Hi lovely bloggers - sorry I haven't been around for a couple of weeks - a rather nasty chest infection has left me with very little energy, or the inclination to create. The antibiotics have more or less worked their magic now, and it's great to be crafting again.

 My card is for the challenge at Fashionable Stamping. and the talented DT would like us to use Red, Black and Brown - not a combination I have ever used before, but it's good to try something new!

Recipe:-

Stamps - 

New York Diva from Hampton Art,

Postcard, Sentiment, and Background Text from Crafty Individuals.
All stamps inked with Archival Coffee.

Black cardstock and SU Real Red cardstock.

Distress Inks - Antique Linen and Vintage Photo.

Copic Markers

Machine stitching

TH Ideology metal corner

Black lace from stash.
Distressing on Postcard and edges of main image.

Thanks for popping by, and a happy hello to my new followers!

Hubby and I will be setting off somewhere warm in a couple of days, so I

promise to visit my lovely blogging friends when I return. 
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Update - 12th March - just returned from holiday to a very 
pleasant surprise - my card is in the Top 3 at Fashionable Stamping -
thank you so much to the DT ladies!

Love to all ~

A SKETCH AT LESS IS MORE

Hi lovely bloggers!  What a wet and windy day -  I hope you are all safe and well, wherever you are. 

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Chrissie and Jen have given us a fab. sketch to work with this week at
  Less Is More. and the sketch must be followed "as is".  Pop over for all the details and some gorgeous card inspiration.

Recipe ~

Cardstock - SU Crumb Cake and Real Red

Heart, and Square "Stamp" dies - Cuttlebug

Linen thread - SU

Sentiment - Anna Griffin

Charm from my stash

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The definition of LOVE is from my tatty old Pudsey Grammar School dictionary (and I'm talking 50+ years old)!   I have occasionally cut out parts of the original pages to use on cards, but it seems like sacrilege, so I

photocopied this one, and added some Antique Linen DI. Much less stressful! 

Does anyone else feel bad about cutting old book pages? 

PS: you can read the definition if you click to enlarge!

Happy Crafting peeps

Hugs ~

DISTRESSED AT IN THE PINK!

Hi lovely peeps - here is a card which makes me think of Summer days - none of the white fluffy stuff here!
It's time to join us at the In The Pink Challenge again, and we would like to see
DISTRESSING (and LOTS of pink)!  
This could be Distress Inks, torn edges, sanding etc. If you are using Distress Inks, please tell us which colours you have used.
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I have used a beautiful Mo Manning Cling Stamp from Penny Black - part of my wonderful candy from Debby in her "Favourite 5 Cards of 2012" challenge.

The spotty paper is from a MME paper pad - The Sweetest Thing - also part

of my candy prize. (Thanks Debby)!

I used Distress Inks to paint the image - mainly Victorian Velvet, Fired Brick, Crushed Olive, Antique Linen, Tea Die, and Vintage Photo.

Edges of oval die-cut inked with Victorian Velvet and an Inkssentials  Applicator.

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The pink card is Core'Dinations Primrose Petals (from SU), distressed with a sander. 
Edges of the top two layers distressed with scissors. 
Corner brackets - Cuttlebug die.

Elegant Butterfly punch - SU.

Tag punch - Hobby-Craft

Sentiment - Penny Black.
Stitching - my machine!
I am entering the "New Goodies" challenge at That Craft Place.
(New goodies -  stamp, spotty paper, oval die).
Love to all ~

RED POPPIES AT LESS IS MORE......

Hello lovely peeps - just squeezing in before closing time at Less Is More, so a very quick Post as I am also preparing for my Saturday card-making class. I do hope the "splash" of red isn't too much for the challenge. 

Chrissie and Jen would like to see black and white with a suggestion, a dab, or a patch, of colour. Here is my card.

(Please scroll down if you are looking for my In The Pink post).

I created an aperture and a "frame" with Nestie square dies.

The Indigo Blu "Wild Meadow" image was stamped with Black Archival ink on the die-cut square and adhered to the inside of the card.

The Cuttlebug Poppies were cut from SU Red Glimmer Paper, and the tiny

words are from DoCrafts Chatsworth set. 

Thank you for popping by, and a warm welcome to my new followers - 
Marilyn, Svetla, Viera, Astrid and Pia.

Happy Crafting - Hugs, 

LUSCIOUS LACE AT IN THE PINK!

Happy New Year lovely Bloggers! Have you made a New Years resolution? If so, have you kept to it so far?!   My resolution is to eat less Ferrero Rocher and spend less on crafty things. Mmmmm - may have to give this a little more thought ..............

Wow, the four weeks since our last challenge at In The Pink have just flown by.

Huge thanks to everyone who entered the Pink and Pearlie challenge - we appreciate that you were all very busy in the lead-up to Christmas but you did us proud once again.  In fact there were so many gorgeous projects we had a tough time choosing just 4, so I think there may be more - do pop along to the Blog to find out who the Perfect Pinkies are!

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Christine and I have a fab. challenge lined up for you this fortnight - we would like to see some "Luscious Lace" on your beautiful creations, and lots of Pink, as always!!

Recipe: -

SU Pink Pirouette card

Dotty paper from  the Tilda Flower Garden paper pad

Image - LOTV "Wish Upon a Star" coloured with Copics

Sentiment also LOTV 

Pink lace from Samuel Taylor, Leeds

Glamour Dust and crystal gems to finish.

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Hugs,

OUR LAST CHALLENGE OF 2012, AT IN THE PINK!

Hi lovely bloggers - hope you are all keeping warm and happy, wherever you may be.

It's our last challenge of the year at In The Pink, so why not pop over to the Blog and join in the fun!  You can also find out who the Perfect Pinkies are for the Pink Christmas challenge.

Our theme this fortnight is PINK AND PEARLIE - easy-peasy or what!

This is one of my favourite LOTV Fairies, and I was aiming for a shabby-chic, soft focus, gently coloured creation - not sure if my plan worked!!
Recipe:-
Papers -Papermania Rose Garden (had them for ages).
The Fairy is very softly coloured with Copics.
MS Doily Lace border punch.
Some distressing around the image.
Lace and a little Glamour Dust, and 6 pearl gems to finish.
The base card is SU Pink Pirouette.
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Christine and I  will be back with our next Challenge on January 10th 2013.
Huge thanks to everyone who has taken the time to share their beautiful creations with us over the last few months - we are so looking forward to seeing you again in 2013.
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On a very different note - some of you may remember my FIL celebrating his 100th Birthday two years ago - I posted a little bit about it HERE.
Amazingly, he reached his 102nd Birthday last week - he still lives in his own home (with a great deal of support, particularly from my dear Hubby), he is quite healthy, and has an excellent memory -  There is hope for us yet!!
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Lots of love, and thank you so much for your wonderful comments.

IT'S GONNA BE A PINK CHRISTMAS at IN THE PINK!

Hi peeps - are we all ready for Christmas with cards made and presents  wrapped?  No, neither am I !  So, here  is an opportunity to make at least one more Christmas card -

our challenge at In The Pink this fortnight is ..... 

"IT'S GONNA BE A PINK CHRISTMAS"!

Of course, it doesn't have to be a card - it could be a gift box, a Turkey, or anything else  Christmassy, but it must have LOTS of PINK on it ! 
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We had so many gorgeous entries for our last challenge, it was difficult for Christine and I to choose just 4 Perfect Pinkies - do pop over to the Blog to find out who they are!

Recipe:-
Card-stock - Stampin' Up and Bazzil.
Image - Mo Manning Christmas Fairy Holly, coloured with Copics.
Nestie Dies -  Labels #1, and Lacy Squares.
Sentiment - Cuttlebug alphabet die, and Woodware tiny snowflake punch.
Glossy Accents on the  snow globe, and SU Dazzling Diamonds glitter here and there.

( the detail looks so much better when you click the pic. to enlarge - honest it does!! )
Look forward to seeing more of  your  fabulous projects -
take care, keep warm, and Happy Crafting

I would like to enter my card into 
Mo's Challenge - Favourite colour combo + a Mo image.
and
Fab.'n' Funky Challenge - Use 3 of something (3 letters).

Love and Hugs, 

CHALLENGE #7 AT IN THE PINK!

Hello lovely friends, followers and bloggers - hope you all enjoyed your Halloween celebrations?

You can now put the orange and black inks away, and get out the  PINK ones!  Yes - it's time for our 7th challenge at In The Pink, and this fortnight  Christine and I  would like to see ....................

 CLEAN AND SIMPLE, WITH LOTS OF "PINK SPACE", and MINIMUM EMBELLISHMENTS!  

Thanks to everyone who joined in last time - your projects were amazing!

Do pop over to the ITP Blog to see who the Perfect Pinkies are!

All materials are from Stampin' Up ~
Cardstock - Very Vanilla and Pink Pirouette.
Apothecary  Art stamp set and matching Labels Collection die set.
Leaves from the Bird Builder punch.
Dazzling Diamonds glitter (can only be seen if you click to enlarge)!!

Love to all ~

BUTTONS AND BOWS - IN THE PINK!

Hello my lovely friends, followers and bloggers - I hope you are having a happy week!

Wow - another two weeks have passed already so it must be In The Pink time again!

Huge thanks to everyone who joined in our last challenge - there were over 100 fabulous entries, so do pop over to In The Pink to find out who the Perfect Pinkies are!

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Now onto this fortnight's challenge - Christine and I would like to see BUTTONS and / or  BOWS on your creations.  Of course there should also be a large amount of PINK!

I have used Buttons and Bows - but you may struggle to find them all!

The beautiful image is from Leanne Ellis, stamped with Coffee Archival then coloured with Copics.

Nestabilities Lacy Squares die (cut twice, then spliced to create a rectangle).

The flower is a Cuttlebug Poppy die - the top layer is the smallest flower from the TH Tattered Florals die.

Ribbon from Embsay Crafts. Buttons from my button box!

Linen Twine - Stampin' Up.

Tiny tag punch - Woodware.

Spotty paper - Zoe Pearn.

Vintage text stamp - Crafty Individuals. 

Brushed Corduroy and Antique Linen DI.

Machine stitching.

Hugs  ~ 

CHALLENGE #5 at IN THE PINK - PINK AND ONE OTHER!

Hello my lovelies and Pink Lovers everywhere! Hope you are having a pinkilicious week!

Huge thanks to everyone who joined in our embossing challenge at IN THE PINK - there were some fabulous entries, but sadly there were several which did not include the required elements.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read the Challenge requirements before you enter - we do not enjoy being the "bad guys" and having to leave negative comments - this is supposed to be fun for you, and for us.  It also helps if you let us know how and where you have included the required element. Thank you so much.

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So, onto this fortnight's challenge, which is "PINK AND ONE OTHER COLOUR" !

We don't mind if you also use neutral colours for SKIN, and a white or cream BASE CARD is also acceptable. However, the majority of the creation should be pink, plus ONE other colour, and one only!  

I have to say, this is a real challenge,  and I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with - I just know you will create something amazing!!  

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I chose Pink with Brown:-

This is another gorgeous image from A day For Daisies - I just love Tammy's artwork.
This beauty is called  "Vanity", and a mirror sprang to mind when I first saw her, as she seems to be looking at her reflection and admiring what she sees.
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The frames are both from the Sizzix "Oval With Ornate Edges" die set.
The outer, ornate frame has been cut from the same watercolour paper as the piece which the image is printed on, and the edges have been distressed with Antique Linen, Brushed Corduroy and Vintage Photo DI.
The inner oval frame was stamped with the Indigo Blu Crackleglaze Background, then inked with the same DI as above, then a layer of  Diamond Glaze was added.
The beautiful image was loosely water-coloured with Distress Inks - Tattered Rose, Spun Sugar and Worn Lipstick, and the same brown shades as above, for the hair. 
All edges inked with the above shades of brown DI.
 Computer-generated sentiment. 
Hand dyed silk ribbon from Crafty Individuals.
Pink Pirouette cardstock from Stampin' Up.

Love to all ~

WEEK 86 - TAKE 3 at LESS IS MORE!

Hello lovely friends and bloggers - this is just a quick post today, with a card for LESS IS MORE.

The theme this week is TAKE 3 CHALLENGES.   My 3 choices are - 
Tearing - week 81, Shades of Blue - week 22, Diecuts or Punches - week 55.

Somehow, I also manage to include Embossing - week 15 and A Touch of Red - week 9 !

Recipe:-

White cardstock

One of the stamps from the fabulous Stampin' Up Ornament Keepsake set, embossed with clear powder then cut out with the matching die.

Three  SU ink pads - Night of Navy, Marina Mist and Brocade Blue

Sentiment from the SU Beautiful Season stamp set

Tiny red gems.

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I don't suppose anyone missed me last week, (awwww), but I managed to find some hot sunshine whilst I was AWOL - any guesses where?!!!!!!!

This photo was taken inside the huge Church of Santa Maria Maggiore -
the beauty of it just takes your breath away.

And this should give you a clue - yes, I was in Rome!

Love to all ~

CHALLENGE #4 at IN THE PINK - EMBOSSING!

Hello lovely bloggers and Pinkie fans - hope your week is going well! I have been AWOL in blogland this week, searching for the sun, so this Post is scheduled.

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We had some amazing entries in the "Anything But Square" challenge, and once again Christine and I had a difficult task choosing the Perfect Pinkies.  

Huge thanks to everyone who entered - we truly appreciate your enthusiasm and support.

If you pop over to IN THE PINK  you will find out who the Perfect Pinkies are!

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So - onto this fortnight's Challenge, which is EMBOSSING, and it can be either  

HEAT EMBOSSING or DRY EMBOSSING.  Please  make sure that you also have plenty of PINK on your creation!  

I decided to go with Heat Embossing for the black grasses and Butterfly. 

I also used the resist technique - inking over the images with Distress Inks - Spun Sugar, Tattered Rose, and a little Bundled Sage. 

The butterfly was shaped by using an embossing tool on the reverse.

The scene was created on a rectangle of white card, covered with the pink inking, and spritzed with water.  

The sentiment and Dandelions were "second-stamped" with the black ink, but not embossed.

I pleated the seam binding, and attached with DSST.

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Items used:-

Black Archival ink

Stampendous Detail Black embossing powder.

Indigo Blu stamp set - Wild Meadow (WM 1)

SU Pink Pirouette cardstock for the base card.

SU Basic Black card layer.

Rose Petal seam binding - WOC .

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Look forward to seeing more of your fabulous creations ~

Love to all  and huge thanks to my new followers.

FOLIAGE AND SEASONS

Hi peeps - thanks for popping by! Is it Summer, Autumn, or Winter weather in your part of the world today? It's definitely Autumn weather in this part of West Yorkshire!

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It's great to be joining the Limettes again at the  LESS IS MORE CHALLENGE
This week, it's ONE LAYER WEEK, and Mandi and Chrissie would like to see - FOLIAGE.

  

The little leaf stamp (22mm) is from an Artemio set. One of those things you buy "because 

you like it", but you get it home and it goes into the "I will never be able to make anything with this" drawer.

So thanks to Chrissie and Mandi for giving me a reason !!

Recipe:~

 Black Archival Ink.

Artemio stamp (10020057)

The leaves on the bottom circle are glittered, the other three are painted with
Derwent Watercolour pencils, hopefully giving a representation of the Four Seasons.

Stampin' Up Curly Cute sentiment.

The lines were drawn with a Pilot extra-fine pen.

X-cut corner rounder punch.

Hugs ~

ANYTHING BUT SQUARE, AT IN THE PINK

Hello lovely Bloggers - hope you are all having a happy week and some sunshine?  

Apologies for not being around in Blogland very much this past fortnight -  I do appreciate your wonderful comments, and I will catch up with you all as soon as I can.
A warm welcome to my new followers too!
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 It's time for another challenge at  IN THE PINK, and this week it's ANYTHING BUT SQUARE, and of course - lots of pink!  

Thank you to everyone who entered  the"Things With Wings" challenge - there were some amazing creations once again.   To find out who has won the Perfect Pinkie badges , just click the link above!

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Here are my two cards  for this fortnight's challenge~

Mannequin digi image from A Passion for Stamps.
Digital paper  from Sweet Shoppe Designs (Zoe Pearn).
Sentiment - a very old Docrafts magazine freebie 
MS border punch.  Black Archival ink.
Machine stitching.  Ribbon from stash.
Tiny black pearls (necklace)- Habico.
Dress softly coloured with Copics and a little Glamour Dust on the hem.
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Cardstock covered with Stampin' Up Cheerful Treat designer paper
Nestabilities  Labels 4 and Classic Ovals
Cuttlebug heart cut from the designer paper and coated with Glamour dust 
Sentiment - Papermania Chatsworth stamp set.
Blazing Red Staz-on ink
Ribbon from stash
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Have a fabulous weekend ~
Love and Hugs,