Welcome to the official start of the weekend .. FRIDAY!

Morning peeps,

Ever been delighted with what you found in a craft store and then found out it was really a little disappointing? I've had my eye on a Stampin' Up set (Beautiful You) for some little while but found the price a little high. Anyhoo, I was in a craft store recently and found the very set for a reasonable price ...... guess I should have been suspicious but hey, it was a retail store - so I bought them. When I opened the packaging the images were a little flimsy which led me to believe they were silicon ...... so, I went to the S.U. website where I'm clearly told their stamps come in a case with details on the spine (mine were in clear cello packaging) AND sell for more than I paid - looks like I bought a knock off. RATS! I didn't do it knowingly though, these people (whoever sold to the retailer involved) steal designs from the original artists and manufacturers and dupe people like me (and I bet I'm not the only one) - I'm steamed on my behalf and on behalf of S.U.  and the (hopefully) unknowing retailer too - grrrrr. That said, the store is too far away to return them so I'm just going to use them secure in the knowledge they won't last as long or give as good an impression as the genuine article. However, how on earth do I describe them in my materials used? I can't call them S.U. ....

My card

  

The front, back and inside of my card along with the front and back of my envelope

Materials used:

• White A2/C6, 250gsm, card and matching sized envelope
• One piece of card each of white and purple cut to 5¼" x 3¾"
• Snippets of card in white and a piece of patterned DCWV pink card from the rockstar stack
• White lace ribbon, attached using double sided tape but only across the centre so it would be hidden once my image panel was attached
• Image and sentiment stamped using black ink .... I used the Birthday sentiment from I.O. elsewhere (inside and envelope)
• Derwent coloursoft pencils used to colour
• Glitter pen and dimensional gloss used to "bling up" the frock and to add gloss/dimension to the puddle my image appears to be dancing in!

STAMPS: S.U. lookalike of Beautiful You (see above), Impression Obsession CL533 Birthday
INKS: Memento tuxedo black and grape jelly
Lace ribbon, Mod podge dimensional gloss, Wink of Stella clear glitter gel pen

I'll be entering the above for the following challenges:-

1. Scribbles - challenge No. 64 - FAVOURING FEMININE
2. A Perfect Time To Craft - May challenge - ANYTHING GOES
3. Love To Craft - May challenge - ANYTHING GOES
4. 4CraftyChicks - challenge No. 401 - WOMEN CELEBRATION
5. Seize the Birthday - April 26th challenge - ANYTHING GOES

And now for a butterfly card ... talking of butterfly (mind) - ever craft when you know you really shouldn't? Bet we've all done it. Made this card, was so pleased with it too, right up until the moment I realised that I had stuck the card front on upside down! DOH! Nothing for it but to cut the card front and insert loose and stick them on to another card base!!! I really shouldn't craft when I'm tired and have had a couple of beers! but I had new stash and I'm pretty sure you can all relate to how this even happened then!

My card - FINALLY!

  

The front, back and inside of my card along with the front and back of my envelope

Materials used:

• White A2/C6, 250gsm, card and matching sized envelope
• Two pieces of white card cut to fit
• One piece each of grey and yellow card, cut to mat
• Butterflies and sentiment stamped using black ink
• Pencils used to colour
• Stardust stickles and clear gel glitter pen used to bling up the images

Prismacolour scholar and Derwent coloursoft pencils
STAMPS: TPC Studio ST93416 and Finnabair 965389 "Spread your wings"
INKS: Versafine onyx black and Memento dandelion

I'll be entering the above for the following challenges:-

1. A Bit More Time To Craft - challenge No. 67 - ANYTHING GOES
2. Just For Fun - May challenge - USE MORE THAN ONE STAMP
3. Art Impressions - challenge No/ 231 - WINGED THINGS
4. StarStampz - April 26th challenge - ANYTHING HAND COLOURED GOES