Sweetpea new release and sale

Hi, saturday already. Where did the time go? I meant to do a tutorial on thursday and before I knew it it's saturday! Today I was supposed to go to a shop that used to be here in town, but moved outside of town. They have a much bigger space and today they had an event. Unfortunatelly I wasn't feeling well enough to go. I'm so disappointed that I haven't been able to get my life back from this stupid illness!

Instead I'm resting in the sofa and trying to crochet my little dachshund. Trying to make the best of it and focus on the future...

Right now  I want to show you my card I made for the sweetpea new release. 
This stamp and three more are on sale through sunday 28:th. There are also ministamps on this sheet. You can see and buy them HERE. 
I love how different they are from the other stamps. The frames make them whimsical and you can both keep it or cut them out as some of the girls have done on the blog.

I used my new nestie butterfly die and embellished it with pink pearls. I just love this paper and have been saving it for ages. As soon as I saw this image I knew I had to use this paper with it. I'm very happy with how it turned out. I like keeping it simple when using sweetpea stamps. I think they speak for themselves. The quote is also a sweetpea stamp from sheet 8, plate 30.

I used a sketch from the new sweetpea challenge blog. 
Thought it was simple and perfect to make the image pop.

Super duper happy news!

I'm so happy today for so many reasons:

First I got picked as a senior DT member for the pixie cottage.
Wohooo to me :)

Second: Since march has 5 weeks I will be a guest designer for the whiff of joy challenge blog for one more week. Yey! Here's what I made for this week with Bev's sketch:

I wanted to be as versatile as possible with style and colourchoices. Although I have only been using Alison Acton's images. For my last week I think I'll use something by Elisabeth Bell...

 Third: I got to play with a sweetpea stamp from the new release. It is so gorgeous and a bit different from the other stamp. Just as stunning though. I'm really pleased with how my card turned out too. Can't show it to you yet, but soon...Also, there is a SALE going on at the sweetpea shop through march 28:th. You can get some full sheets for only $13(normal price is low too, only $18) and some single stamps for $4 (normal price $5.25. And did you know there is a new challenge blog for all us sweetpea lovers?

Fourth: I finally started trying to crochet my first amigurumi. I'm so impressed. You maybe thought I could pull it off, but I was doubting and actually swearing a couple of times. Ooops. I just couldn't resist when I saw the pattern in a book I borrowed from the library. It's a dachshund! And it's so adorable and full of personality. Right now I'm just trying on some pink yarn, but tomorrow I'm planning to get some shiny brown/red yarn I saw in a shop today. Didn't want to buy it without knowing if I could understand the pattern. But i kind of did and now I want to make myself a doxie to resemble the one I had when I was younger.

And finally: I got 1-5-0 follwoers!!! Wowza, really? Oh my gosh. I never would've imagined. I know I lured some of you with candy. Hopefully you'll come back. Now there are people actually reading my ramblings, so I have to watch it, lol

I also just changed my profile photo. Thought it was about time you saw what I look like. I do look a little snobbish though :D I'm really not at all. Let's call it poise ;)
And I'm planning on having tutorial thursdays and tip tuesdays (or the other way around). Not sure if I will be able to do it on a weekly basis, but at least I can give it a go. Now I'm off to make something more. Hmmm...crochet the pooch, knit my vest, sew more, make my necklace or more cards....so many wonderful things to do and so little time ;)

Candy winners!

I have randomorg-ed and the winners are...



CANDY A, for my 58 followers so far: New winner picked 30:th march:

Sissi sweet - you have until tuesday april 6:th to claim your prize.

CANDY B:
There are acyuallly two winners. I said that if the winner would live in Sweden, Finland or Norway I would send them some other candy and re-draw. This because I wanted the hÄnglar kit to go to someone that can't buy them. So, my first winner is:

Linda (from Sweden) - claimed

 And the winner of the hÄnglar is:


MONIKA - claimed


CANDY C:
LILACKAT ;) - claimed


Congrats girls! Please contact me before the end of the week to get your goodies.
Thank you everyone who played along and especially all of you that sent me cards. This was the biggest amount of cards I've ever gotten and you truly made me feel special.
It should't be too long before my next candy (check the link after Michelle's name to see why I have a reason to celebrate). You can also come back to check my mothly candylist.

A couplpe of more cards for my b-day

I've gotten a couple of more cards for my b-day. I will announce the candywinners tomorrow when I have written up everyone's names. If you have sent me a card and don't see it posted HERE, then please e-mail me to ensure I enclose you in the special draw.

Today I've been busy making my last card for the whiff of joy challenge blog. I actually almost forgot, but don't tell anyone ;) The medication I'm on is making me a bit unfocused. I normally keep a calendar in my head, but lately I'm missing appointments and forget what I just thought of. Very frustrating. I have decided however that it won't take over my hobby so I'm fighting for it. I've been a bad DT member for sweetpea stamps, so now I will focus my cardmaking on that instead.

There is a fab new release coming soon and I've been asked by Lynette (the owner of sweet pea) to make a card for the new release. Can't wait to play with it. These stamps are so addictive! I just got a huge package the other day with 3+sheets and started inking one of them up. I'm so proud of the idea I came up with. The project just needs to lay on my table for a while, mature and tell me what else I should do with it ;) I'm sure you'll be impressed, I know I was. Never thought I could come up with something like that. Oooh, now I got your hopes up. Don't expect too much, ok? :D

Enough with my babbling. I'm sure you came here for the pics, not the text.
Here are some more cards I've gotten today and friday:

This one is from my friend Sharon. I'm sooo glad I bought this stamp and it arrived a week earlier, otherwise I would've been so jealous. I just love this stamp! Don't know how to use it, but I already have bought a frog-die and saved some ribbon with frogfeet on it. I love her fab colouring and the colourchoice. I never would've thought to mix lime with brown, but it looks so good, don't you think? Oh, the inside says:"then hop on over to this side of 29!" I thought it was so sweet since I've been feeling a bit old *blush* The inside is fab decorated too in the same style.

This one is from Irina in Russia. It got to me in time Irina. That was fast! Love the cheery colour and the different size of her card. I also love how she used mulberry paper for the background. It really looks like a bouquet in wrapping paper seen from above, don't you agree? The flowers are made in 3D, some stand out more than others. Fab card, although I can't read what it says. I will figure it out although I'm a bit rusty. Just learned the russian alphabet on my own.

Last card - a very surprising one - is from another woman I know from one of my house mouse yahoo groups. I must be on her birthday list as I have not been active on that list for years. Just love the bright cheery colours. You can really see how the mice are basking in the sun. Love the usage of stickers. I have way too many that I never use as I'm sure you have to.

Last a card I got last week or even earlier, but it hid on the side of my bookshelf. Naughty naughty. I got some great images with it too. It's from Monika in Germany. I love the elegant look of this and the style of the saying. A bit of bling doesn't hurt ;)

Hope you're having a great crafting day and thank you for stopping by.

Knitting help anyone?

I haven't forgotten about you. Just busy crafting. I started knitting a cupcake today. Forgot to change yarns for the top and had to unravel it and do 2/3 all lover again. Sigh. Hopefully I will be able to finish it today or tomorrow.

I've also started on a lacey vest, but hit a snag. For some reason the stitches don't add up. There is a big "NOTE" section on the pattern, but I don't get it. It says:

when working lace pattern from chart, do NOT work an increase unless there are sufficient stitches to work the corresponding decrease so that the number of stitches remain constant (except where shaping occurs) You may find it helpful to place markers on needle at the edge of side pattern repeats and work stitches beyond these markers in stockinette stitch moving markers in (or out) as required.

Now, what the djuce does that mean?! In the beginning it says to cast on 99 stitches and work in st sts that I have. And the lacey pattern on the chart looks like this:
*yo, k1, yo, sl1k1psso, k3, k2tog, 12times, then:
yo, k1, yo

It all counts to 99 stitches, but the problem is that it leaves me with 2 stitches left on the left needle. Should I have started and ended with a knit stitch? I can't figure this out and my local yarnshop is closed on mondays so I have to wait until tuesday!

Update on my candy

I've decided to keep my candy open for a couple of more days - let's say until sunday march 21:st when my sweetie has his name-day. It will also allow me to get the rest of my b-day cards I know some of you have sent. Candy B is closed though (sending me a b-day card)
This post will stay on top until sunday 21:st. Scroll down for newer posts.

Don't miss sweetpea's new stamp release. Here is a sneak peak of one of the new stamps. Isn't it adorable?