Pink Candy by Caroline

Orange and Almond Cupcakes

I made some cupcakes recently and made a little flag decoration for them for the Fiskarettes blog HERE....

I just thought I would share the recipe as they were so darn yummy....

Ingredients:

• 185g softened butter
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind
• 220g caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 225g self-raising flour
• 75g plain flour
• 60g ground almonds
• 125ml orange juice
• 60ml milk

Butter cream:

• 125g softened butter
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind
• 240g icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk

1. Preheat Oven to 180C/160 fan assisted.  Line 12-hole muffin pan with paper cases.
2. Beat butter, rind and sugar in a small bowl until fluffy; beat in eggs one at a time.  Transfer mixture to medium bowl; stir in sifted flours, ground almonds, juice and milk, in two batches.
3. Place mixture into paper cases.  Bake for approx. 30 minutes.  Leave to stand for a few minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.
4. Make orange butter cream.  Beat butter and rind in small bowl with electric mixter until as white as possible, beat in icing sugar and milk, in two batches.
5.  This makes super fluffy buttercream which you pop into a piping bag and swirl over the cake.  Add your decoration!

Caroline x :)

A bit of an update... (picture heavy)

This is a very picture heavy post showing some of the projects done since I last posted, which was ages ago!

All of these projects can be seen on the Fiskarettes blog...if you are not part of the community already then please join!

Phew! :)

Something for me...

So, I bought myself an iPad. Something just for me. Not sure yet if this is an extravagant and costly mistake or a good investment.

One big downside is not being able to upload photos onto a website (unless you do it via PhotoBucket or something like) - something I would have liked to be able to do.  But then it does so many other things that I might be able to actually stick to work stuff at work and keep the fun of the iPad just for home. ;o)    and there a so many apps that I am sure I will have fun using those. Love the funky touch screen keyboard too, so easy to use!

So the jury is still out on the iPad. I am hoping I have not wasted my money though! Do you have one?   Let me know what you think...

Design work...

Over the Summer I was sent some gorgeous K&CO bits to work with for Karen at Charmed Cards and Crafts.  I made a fair few projects, so this post is very picture heavy.... ;o)

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All projects made using K&Co Nature collection......

Tando Leaves....

Happy Sunday!  What a mega rainy day it is here.  Yesterday was lovely though - not that it matters much as I was inside crafting anyway!  I had left the weekend free to catch up with DT work and to get some crafting done.  I have been playing with some Tando Creative chipboard, white-lined, leaves for the Tando DT, together with lots of lovely Prima and Viva Decor!  What a lovely combination to work with.....

 

Ingredients for both cards:

• Tando Creative - Leaf Group Pointed
• Prima 6x6 Paper Pad - Jack and Jill
• Prima Flowers - Roosevelt Deland
• Prima Flowers - Solid Coordinates Jack and Jill
• Prima Butterflies - Vlinder
• Prima Stamp - Jack and Jill Sky
• Prima Pebbles - Music Notes
• Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Stamp - Pattern Pieces
• Viva Decor Inka Gold - Green Yellow, Old Silver
• Ink Pad - Archival Ink-Sepia

The Tando leaves I used were white-lined so the Inka Gold just smoothed on beautifully, no preparation needed.  For the green leaf I stamped the leaf with the Prima Stamp and Sepia ink and dried the ink using a heat gun.

Ingredients for Tag:

• Tando Creative - Leaf branch with loose leaves
• Prima Flower - Autumn Harvest Clore
• Prima Butterflies - Vlinder
• Viva Decor Inka Gold - Green Yellow, Old Silver

I embossed the whole tag using a Sizzix Tim Holtz embossing folder.  I then inked over the embossed design using an orange ink pad and some Inka Gold.  The white-lined leaf was covered with Ink Gold Old Silver first and then a little of the Green Yellow.  The little 'gift card' is K&Co.

OK, must go and shift my daughter and one of my sons - can you believe they are still in bed?!  Mind you, teenage years and bed are very close friends aren't they, lol.

Summer House

OK, now Summer has bypassed my blog somewhat (three months since I last posted - 3 months?!) but the Summer didn't bypass me personally, lol.  I made the most of the nice weather we did have (even though it wasn't much) and with Abi's help we converted our shed-like summer house into somewhere really rather pleasant to sit.

It was originally wood stained a very dark colour, almost black, and we painted over it in a nice natural stone coloured wood paint.  It took a couple of coats and the help of a sprayer (would have taken a lot longer without buying a battery operated sprayer - great time saver) and two days solid work by Abi and myself and we transformed a dull, dark summer house into somewhere gorgeously light, clean and comfy to sit - an outdoors inside if you like.

Here is a couple of photos I remembered to take once we had started to paint.  You can see how dark the wood was.  I tell you what, my daughter Abi is a great painter and decorator.  She did a City and Guilds course at school and she is well up on her painting and I couldn't have done it without her... :o)

 

I filled in lots of little holes and around the windows with some wood filler (get me! - I do not do DIY.  At least I didn't used to, now I do!) and we have made the little Summer House quite weather proof.

See how dark and dingy it looked.

Look at it now.......I love this little space in the garden.......

 

I manage to keep this little area nice and tidy - the other 150ft of garden has gone to rack and ruin a little, but that will be my task for next summer.  The sweeping hedge you see to the right of the photo falls over into a lovely arch right over this whole area.  I much prefer a natural garden, with natural curves as opposed to structure and straight lines.

I do have to keep a feather duster in here though, and dust regularly.  You should have seen this one spider we had to get rid of when we were painting (by 'rid of' I mean move - we would never kill one), it was mahoosive and black and quite scary looking.  So a quick flick around before we sit and enjoy a cuppa is all thats needed to be sure of a spider free room.

Wonder how long we can pop out and sit in it?  Weather is turning so not long I suppose :(

I'll enjoy it while I can then!

WOYWW #54

Wednesday again!  And its time for WOYWW......

On my desk today is a work-in-progress for some design work.  Didn't get chance to carry on with this yesterday - hoping today I will have more luck - we will see!

Lots of you last week commented on my little green spotty tubs.  I got these from a garden centre in the sale for £1 each!  Don't you just love a bargain like that?!  Rather than having them lined up in the centre of my desk I have shifted some of them to the side and its given me more room.  Mainly because I have put them in a place where I used to just plonk stuff down for me to 'sort later'. 

Rather than just a shot of my desk every week, here is another area of my craft room - its my RUB boxes filled with paper and card.  One box is filled with metal and tools and another has compartments for bits and pieces and two of them are Christmassy!  I love these boxes, so useful.

Thanks for all the comments last week - I really appreciated it!  I did manage to go around about 50-60 blogs and comment but I was blearly eyed by the end of that.  Do any of you manage to go through the whole list?  I also found I couldn't comment on everyones blog - Typepad and Blogger don't always like the OpenID thingie.  I can comment OK if the Name/URL option is available.  Didn't want anyone to think I was ignoring their blog.  I really wish I could comment on them all.

 

Only managed to make one card this week - well I have made others but they are DT work which I can't show yet.  This is one for my son Jake, who is 15 on 25th June.  Bit of an awkward age but I thought good old BasicGrey papers with froggies on would work OK!  For more info on the card pop along to the Fiskarettes blog.....x

Thanks for popping by my little blog.  I'll do my best to pop by yours too!  Have a great week and see you again next Wednesday!.....x

WOYWW and catch up!

Well, another month (or two) went by without me having chance to update my own little blog.  After the other blogs I work on my own Dear Diary does come bottom of the list.  I need to change that!

Anyway, Wednesday is a good prompt for me to change that with the WOYWW update.  My desk is quite tidy actually (might be something to do with tidying it yesterday, lol).  There is some work in progress - mainly some DT work for Charmed Cards, which I need to get on with.  I absolutely cannot work when my desk is a tip - I should really have taken a Before and After photo.  It was really a mess and I do hate it when it gets like that.  I always vow to keep it tidy but it never quite works that way.

I thought I would show you my wooden stamp storage.  Its a fab little cupboard which I think was intended for CD's but its ideal as the doors have diffused glass which means the sunlight which hits that part of the room doesn't bother the stamps.  I need something more organised for my acrylic stamps now.  I keep them in their original packets, but as there are quite a few I think I need to rethink how to store them, not just for space but also for usability - I tend to forget what I have!  Any ideas for some cool acrylic stamp storage???

As I haven't updated in so long I have posted some of the projects I've worked upon over the past month or so.  I do actually craft, believe it or not ;o)  - although you wouldn't think so by the amount of times I update my blog!  Most of the work is for Fiskarettes, although the Hanging Snowman Decoration is for this months Vanilla Sugar project.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This last baby card is on Fiskarettes today!  Hows that for up-to-date!

Dear Diary - I promise to visit you more often....x ;-)

WOYWW

Well, its that day again - WOYWW - when you can be amazed at the mess that is my desk, and can wonder how on earth I ever get anything done in such an untidy space!  Only this week its not so bad and relatively tidy and just begging to be made a mess of again - which I plan to do at some point today. :o)

I rescued a little pink pot from my sons' room, which had been holding pens and pencils for years, but seemed to be a fixture and not really being used so I nabbed it.  Being pink too I didn't think they would really want it anymore and I have to say they haven't missed it, lol.  But it needs a new lick of paint and some craftiness added to it - so thats on my 'to do' list.

And also on my 'to do' list is to create something for tomorows Bubbly Scrumptious - might use last weeks Whispers of Colour as inspiration as those colours are gorgeous together.  I had some queries as to what the little eggs were made of - they are plastic but covered in tidy globules of plastic to create a glistening effect.  Not sure how better to describe it but they are lovely.

Thought I would also show you an overview of my room from where I sit at my desk.

 

Not too bad really, although the sewing machine should be covered up and tucked away and I wish I knew what to do with all the magazines I seem to accumulate.  The grey cabinets on the wall house all my Sizzix dies - not got room for anymore though so those new ones from Tim Holtz are gonna have to find a home somewhere else.

I am also re-reading The Secret.  Anyone else read it?  I do love the whole idea of it and am trying to think positive at all times!  Not always easy but I am trying!

Anyways, must get on - kids are still asleep (its 10.35am) and I think its about time I made a little extra noise to get them moving!

Look forward to seeing your desks too.........xx

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Some of you have seen these on other blogs, but if you haven't you might like to see what I have made this past week:

My Distressed Tag

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

My Embossed Butterfly

Chocolate bunnies........

Well, this little lot is mine - all mine!

.....and yes, I have starting eating the Thorntons.  Actually I scoffed those three with a cuppa tea for brekkie!  lol

Happy Easter - hope you all get lots of choc and stuff...........x

WOYWW - on a Saturday.....

I know its Saturday and the WOYWW is for a Wednesday, but I forget, ok! lol 

Better late than never?  Not sure, especially when my desk is such a mess!  Again....

You can see a pink butterfly - partially decorated.....pop onto Bubbly Scrumptious tomorrow to see what I have done with that.  :o)

Just looking at the photo I can see another brush ruined.  That has been used and should have been placed in water!   The end of it is clogged with Ferro Old Gold which I used to decorate my little bird house for the Vanilla Sugar April Challenge.   I'll pop it into water anyway and see if it can be salvaged.  Good job I don't buy expensive brushes!

Over on Bubbly Scrumptious there is todays Whispers of Colour #6, which is a gorgeously gentle colour palette which I hope will inspire you in any projects you may do.

You can see what I have done with that inspiration, it didn't take me long :o)

 

'Life is Tweet' - hope your Easter is too!

HAPPY EASTER!!

Workshop with Tim, Claudine and Suze

Now I know this was a month ago and really I should blog as it happens but my blog always seems to be at the bottom of my 'to do' list - hence the delay.  I am looking to change that though and put it a bit nearer the top of my list, so pop by more regularly and you might see more posts from me.  There I have said it - got to do it now!

So, end of February Abi and me hop on the train to the NEC for a three hour workshop, with Tim Holtz, Claudine Hellmuth and Suze Weinburg.  And it was a fab three hours.   I enjoyed every minute, although it went too quickly!

We played with Suzes Melt Pot (and of course I have since 'had to' have one), Claudines paints and sticky canvas paper, and Tims Alcohol Inks, Distress Inks, Fragments, and more....

Abi is not a crafter per se, but she is an Artist dahling and so she really enjoyed getting inky and painty.  Even to the extent of getting paint in her hair (I clipped mine up so it was free from my face and paint, lol).  Please excuse the quality of some of these photos - they were taken in haste (and excitement)  with my iPhone!

Three hours flew by, and we learnt new stuff, revisited older stuff and generally had a fun time.  Suze, Claudine and Tim and so friendly, so helpful and down-to earth - they made the three hours a complete joy.  So if you ever have the chance to take a workshop from any of these guys then go for it!

At the end we had a gooooorgeous arty framed mirror!  Mirror is from Ikea!  So pop one into your basket next time you are there, it has a lovely deep frame to create some arty damage to.

WOYWW

Well, February really did pass me by.  A combination of awful weather, dark and dismal days and nothing very exciting happening made me just want to hibernate.  What a difference a bit of sun makes though!  Come March and some sun and I feel wonderful again!  Bring on the Spring!.....

Anyway, back to today, for now, and I have just this minute taken a picture of my work desk for WOYWW.  It is shocking, really.  I am mortally embarrassed but here it is:

Its a combination of end results of making a Mothers Day card and having some new toys to play with.  Hence you can see the Maya Mists (oh be still my beating heart - they are gorgeous) and a Melt Pot!  The Melt Pot was the result of my workshop with Tim Holtz, Claudine Hellmuth and Suze Weinburg.  Thats another story and one I must share on this blog soon.  I have pics and I have autographs! woohoo!

Right, I really must tidy up - this is my desk and the floor is not much better - boxes everywhere!  Perhaps we should have a Whats on Your Floor day - then again, perhaps not, lol.

Hot choccie yumminess...

Take a look at what Abi made me a couple of evenings ago....

 

'Ab, would you do me a drink before we sit and watch Big Brother?...." I said.  And this is what greeted me.  Milky Aero hot chocolate, whippie cream and marshmallows.  Sprinkled with chocolate powder.  Ooooh, it really did taste as good as it looks.  This is now my favourite nighttime drink - whats yours?

Please pop on over to Bubbly Scrumptious to see details of my Abigail Word Book, and if you want to hear what I sound like then pop on over to Fiskarettes to see a video I made.  How is it that we always sound different to how we think we sound?!

25th Club - Blue, Silver, Glitter and Swirls

On the Bubbly Funk Forum we have a 25th Club, where we try to commit to making some Christmas Cards by 25th of each month, with a view to having some ready in time for Christmas.  I wasn't sure if I could do this and time will tell whether I will continue or not, but I am certainly going to try to do two a month.

Joanne set a theme for January which was Blue, Silver, Glitter and Swirl so I've incorporated those elements into the two cards I've made...

 

I inked the card blank with Distress Ink and then added a snowflake stamp in two colours of ink.

I added some sequin waste and the silver snowflake, and the swirl is stamped and then heat embossed.  I added some crystals and dots and there is a tiny blue butterfly just above the snowflake - not sure if that is clear.

I sanded away part of the inked design before I stamped on the sentiment, bottom right.

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This is a stamped image which I coloured with Copics, heat embossed a glittery frame around and stuck to a  card blank, the edges of which were inked with Distress Inks.  The border is created using a Martha Stewart deep edged punch and I stamped a swirl over the top. 

The snowflake is bedded onto a crocheted flower and secured with a brad.

* * * * * *

Thanks for the theme Joanne!  I enjoyed making these.  It always seems a shame to only use Christmas and festive crafty bits for such a limited time in the year.  How nice to be able to spread that use throughout the rest of the year.  Onto the next theme now which TraceyR has set - pop onto the Forum and join in!!

Caroline x

Art Journal 2010

Over at the Kathryn Wheel there is a challenge to journal your 2010.  I put my name down despite me wondering if I could ever keep up with it - but I have so far.  I know we are only 8 days in but still...

My journal is 12x12 and is layered with with gorgeous paper that Abi experimented on at College.  She dropped ink into a bowl of water, laid the paper on top and created the gorgeous swirly pattern.  She was going to throw them away!  Nooooooooooo I said (running in slow motion as I shouted Noooooooo and grabbing them from her hand as I did a stunt man skid across the floor).  I can do something with them.

Click on pic to get a bigger image....

 

and yes, you can see, I am up to date!  woohoo.........

Sooooo, I grunged them up a bit, inked and stamped and glittered and I am doing the daily squares each day and then sticking, cos I have decided to use lots of my stickers, labels, rub-ons etc. and thought it would be easier to decorate the square before adhering to the main sheet.  I love layering and overlapping so this will work better for me than having them stuck down already.

 

So far the snowy theme chosen for January is working out to be a good idea!

WOYWW....on a Saturday

Well, this past week has been manic!  Got a lot done though - all the wrapping is now done, pressies under the tree or bagged up waiting to be delivered.  All cards and pressies posted and I did actually manage to make a few cards this year, woo hoo!  Popping to Sainsburys and/or Tesco on Wednesday for the final fresh stuff and I am done.

Doesn't mean to say my to do list is empty though.  Just done a list of things I have to do - mainly work/craft (house list is separate altogether!) and its humoungous.  Just as well I love what I do!

Top of the list is tidy my craft room - again!  I took the WOYWW pictures on Thursday - messy in the morning and tidy(ish) by evening.......

BEFORE

* * *

AFTER

* * *

But now I am back to square one and its actually messier than the 'before' picture.  How does it happen!  lol

I have a TV card in my computer so I can watch TV whilst in my room.  I have to twist the monitor round to see it if watching from my craft desk, and I keep craning my neck to view as I craft which is OK, but not ideal.  You'll see my laptop on the pic.  Isn't iPlayer fab!  I can watch whatever I fancy on ITV or BBC and its right there in front of me.  Love it.  Also found it helpful viewing Tim Holtz 12 Tags of Christmas whilst crafting too.  Oh the power of technology.

Which reminds me - 12 Tags of Christmas.  Still on #2, hehe.  This is on my 'to do' list though.......I will complete them, I will....

Abi went to see Avatar last night and came back saying it was the best film she has ever seem, omg.  We are all going to watch it sometime over the Christmas break so I am looking forward to that, the trailers look amazing.  Anyone else seen it? 

WOYWW....and me tree....

After seeing Kaz and Kathy's WOYWW I thought I would take a pic this week.  Its a bit of a mess, well a lot of a mess actually and I am a little embarrassed to put this online, but it might encourage me to improve on the photo each week if I show and tell on woyww... :-)

 

omg, that really is shocking isn't it.

You can see that I have started Tims 12 Tags of Christmas - Tag 1 and nearly finished Tag 2.  Bit behind there then, but I WILL do them all as I have an Advent Diary to fill up and I thought they would fit neatly in this album...

(details of this on Fiskarettes)...

I'll finish off those two tags and show soon.

And here is a pic of my Christmas tree.  I must say it looks gorgeous, its THE perfect shape.

Fancy a show and tell with your Christmas Tree or decorations?  I would love to see, cos I am nosey like that.........heheheeeeeee.....x

I love my dog I do....

Had a bit of a scare yesterday.  I was getting ready to drop Abi off at College and then go off and meet a friend when I noticed Sam acting a little strange.  He was lifting his front paws up high in the air and I thought he might have had something sticky on his paw so went over to him to have a look and as I did so he started to loose his balance and sank to the floor.

He was trembling and shaking all over, his eyes were glazed and then not and then glazed again.  He was very warm and just shaking all over.  He was having a seizure, and I have never been so scared in all my life.

I shouted for Abi and we both tried to soothe him.  The fit lasted a couple of minutes and I was in pieces.  I was so scared as I have never seen anything like that before.  Sam is super healthy and not had any ill health in the six years we have had him.

After a couple of minutes he came round, stood up, shook himself and seemed right as rain again!  We took him to the vet who examined him and gave him some antibiotics as he did have a high temperature.  The vet explained that it may just be a one off, or it could be the start of an underlying problem.  Either way we have to watch him and give him extra, extra love and cuddles.  Thats not hard to do as he is a super cute and cuddly doggie.

I have to praise Abi though.  Whilst I was in pieces and crying, it was Abi who shouted at me to call the vet and kept her cool.  She has a good head on her shoulders, for sure.  I am so proud of her.

Here are a couple of more recent pics of Sam...

 

This is Sam posing after Abi put one of her little jackets on him!  Would you believe it, he actually posed on the stairs for us, lol.

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and this is Sam sitting watching the TV!  Note that he has the remote handy - typical man!

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All you animal lovers out there will know how scary this episode was for us.  He is part of our family, a much loved member, and its not until something like this happens that you realise just how important he is to our family.

Right, off to give my doggie a big cuddle......x

Hot daaaaamn.....

It bugs me no end that I fail to keep this blog up to date.  I even signed up for Shimelles Blogging class in the hope of improving that, but I've not been able to keep up with it!  I have printed all the prompts off with a view to reading them though, so thats something I guess! 

Went to see New Moon last Tuesday.  Tuesday is a girly day as Abi has the day off from college so we both went to see it.  Fab film - I think I may have to go and see it again.  Abi is in the 'Jacob camp' but even though he is very gooooorgeous, I am more an Edward fan, lean and mean, hehe.  We had a laugh though - there is a part of the film where Jacob takes his shirt off and Abi said 'daaaaaaamn' in a slightly louder voice than she wanted and most of the audience heard her, lol.

Can you believe Christmas is nearly here?!  Its going too quickly for me, although I am organised as far as presents go.  I only have the boys to do and I am done!  Lots of cards to make though and the decorations to do - need to get a tree this week.

Bit worried at the moment though - FIL is in hospital and he is very poorly.  He has an infection in his liver, which is something he suffered from a few years ago.  I worry every time the phone rings.  Keeping fingers crossed he recovers quickly.

And our very last guinea pig died Thursday night, so sad.  He was very old, over five years old, and had been gradually slowing down over the past few weeks.  He died in his sleep, bless him.  I loved Wiggy (he was very long haired and looked like a wig with legs!) and miss him already.  I would stand at the kitchen sink and be able to watch him in his cage outside and loved hearing his squeak when a bag was rattled as he thought it was food.  We had been bringing him in every night for the past couple of months to make sure he was warm and away from the night chill.  The last couple of pets we had died from ill health and had to be put down by the vet, so I am thankful he went in his sleep.  RIP Wiggy... :-(

* * *

I am going to do Tim Holtz 12 Tags of Christmas - I am determined too!  I made an Advent Diary for a project on Fiskarettes and will make a little compartment to keep the tags in too.  Fingers crossed I can keep up and be organised this December...

 

We have opened our chocolate advent calendars!  We all have one, how exciting!  Can't remember the last time I bothered with one for myself, but why not, eh?!  Have you had yours?......

Fancy Pants...

I did some design work for Charmed Cards and Crafts recently and got to play with Fancy Pants Summer Soiree alongside other coordinating gorgeousness.

It was fun playing with such bright and vibrant paper and embellishments and this is what I made (if you want to see projects in detail then see HERE)...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

to London, to London...

This time two weeks ago I was having tea at Buckingham Palace.....

I've not been to London for many years and it was more fantastic than I remembered.  I loved it.  We did fit so much into our three days, each day ended with us exhausted, but it was fun.

 

When we arrived in London we went around Buckingham Palace.  It is open for a couple of months each year, while the Queen is away - and I can now say that I have had tea at Buckingham Palace, haha.

The above pic is Cam - he is never too pleased at having his photo taken and I do seem to acquired quite a few of his grumpy face, bless him.  They do make me smile though....aaawww. 

We then visited Ripleys Museum - full of weird and wonderful things and the kids thought it was fab.  Certainly a good way to spend two or three hours.

 

This is a mini covered in Swarvoski crystals.  Fantastic it is.

By this time we were starving and so went to Planet Hollywood - we ordered a whole load of gorgeousness to eat and our eyes certainly were bigger than our bellies.  Such a great atmosphere in this restaurant though - and the food was great.  I would defo recommend.

 

Abi - hhhmmmm what shall I have to eat...

We literally crawled to the hotel - our bellies were full and our eyes heavy and sleep was certainly welcome!

 

Walking through Hyde Park...

The next day we went on the open top Bus Tour.  This is fantastic and you can get to see so much of London.  One of the things I admire most in London is the history and architecture.  Some of the buildings are really impressive.  The Houses of Parliament certainly caught my eye - absolutely amazing.  The great thing about the bus tour is that you pay for a 24 hour ticket and can then get on an off any of the stops along the way.

We then went on a trip on the Thames.  Lovely.  We ended up in Greenwich (I think) and walked a long tunnel under the Thames to a little market - I got a gorgeously spotty bag.  We then got the tube back to the hotel - another exhausting day!

 

Jake...

On the third day we were travelling home later in the day and so we went shopping.  You really can't go to London without doing a little shopping.  So we visited Hamblys and Harrods and little shops inbetween.

An exhausting break, but great fun.  And I certainly won't be leaving it so long before I visit London again...

Bubbly Scrumptious Challenge - embossing

Today is a new day and a new challenge on the Bubbly Scrumptious Challenges Blog!!

The challenge is 'DRY EMBOSSING' and here is my card:

  

I used papers and embellishments from the current August Kit - His n Hers.  The journalling label is from the kit add-on Journalling Pack.

I used a Sizzix texture plate for the diamond embossing and then inked lightly with a pink ink pad.

Pop on over to the blog now and see what the designers have done and why not take part yourself?!  We will showcase your design and blog on the challenge blog - its a lovely way to share inspiration...

Heres one I may have missed...

I wanted to show you a scrapbook page a did a couple of months ago, for a challenge on UKS.  I thought I had put it on here but I hadn't so here is the info and pics taken from my gallery on UKS...

These are pictures taken of Abi, my daughter, taken in 2006. I’ve actually scrapped a larger version of the top picture before. But I do love these pics in particular as they capture the essence of Abi just before she got to an age where she got more camera savvy. Now she poses very well for pictures, then I could just snap away without her being so bothered. Abi is a real dreamer, loves nature and animals and is very into art...

 

For my layout I took the American Crafts Taffy and painted with a lighter pink paint around the edges. I then inked around it too.

Taking my two pictures I positioned then on the cardstock with dst.
Before using the Swiss Dot cardstock I cut around the edge to make it slightly smaller than 12x12.
I then marked the dot cardstock where the pictures were and cut out the areas slightly within the marks so that the photos showed through.

I then sewed the Dot cardstock on top of the pink, and sewed around the photos twice. One sewn edge was to hold the photo secure, and the outside sewn edge was to create a frame outside of the photo.

 

I then carefully cut, with a blade, inbetween the sewn frame to create a gap to show off the pink cardstock underneath. Emphasise further by curling back the edges of each frame.

Using a mixture of the two K&CO Madeline papers I cut out flowers and swirls and added them to the layout using a mixture of dst and sticky pads to create lift in some areas.

I then added an appropriate rub-on to the journaling panel and put into place.
Added all the little extras like the butterfly and the roses and then I dotted some crystals around too.

The lace created an additional layer with some old book paper on the bottom left.

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I am trying my hardest to keep my blog updated with what I do but there is bound to be some that slip through as I do forget to put them on here.  I will remedy that just for my own sake - tis supposed to be a diary after all!

Now I am off to do some DT work - will keep you posted, promise, haha...x

EDITED TO ADD - just realised I did put this on the BS Blog so you may have already seen it!  I am losing my mind I am sure.  Anyhow its here now... :-)

Its a challenge...

I suppose knowing that I am taking part in a challenge every week might actually make me remember to update by blog at the same time.  Here's hoping!

We have set up a new blog to house just the challenges - its the Bubbly Scrumptious Challenges which is a spin off from the Bubbly Scrumptious Blog.

Bubbly Scrumptious is a daily blog and so the challenges were getting lost along the way so this should make it easier for all concerned.  Go and take a look - there are weekly challenges every Sunday, and the first Sunday of the month is a monthly challenge with a prize!

This week the challenge is to create a project using a pin or pins.  I made a card using some of the contents from the August Kit.

You can click on the pic to make it a little bigger.

The green background paper was embossed with a Sizzix texture plate and the little chipboard bookplate was painted white and then whilst it was still wet I added a white sparkly embossing powder and heated.  It started bubbling - must have been the paint - and it got very hot but the effect when cooled and dried was distressed and a bit messy.  I'll do it again for a not-so-neat look.

Pop along to the challenge blog to see what the other designers have made.

Designers are Kirsty Wiseman, Karen Boughton, Karen Gist, Terrie Bailey (from Sept) and me - for now. 

Prom...

Whilst Abi and her friends were calling it 'The Prom' the school actually referred to it as a 'Leavers Ball' - I think 'Prom' sounds better somehow.

Anyway, Thursday night was The Prom and Abi spent such a lot of time making sure she had everything just right for the night.  Luckily for me she is not a frivolous girl who likes to spend money for the sake of it, and she is so undemanding of anything.  She is sweet like that.  Some of the girls wore dresses costing £100's, had transport which cost the same again, let alone the rest of what is needed to finish the outfit and evening.

Abi was happy to go with the flow and I found it was me who said that perhaps she should have a new jewellery - she was happy to wear one she already had.  Just a little thing but an indication of what she is like.

We bought the dress from French Connection, and added the straps and the bow with the help of our next door neighbour.  It was totally plain and the good thing about it is that it can be restyled for another special occasion should it arise.  The shoes are gorgeous and very conveniently fit me too, haha.  So we will get plenty of wear from those.

Abi and her three friends drove to The Prom in a Mercedes car - gorgeously classic but quite tame compared to some of the transport we saw.  There was a horse and carriage, numerous stretch limos, sports cars and some fantastically loud cars like ones from Wacky Races!  It was quite a spectacle watching people arrive, have their door opened for them and then walking up the red carpet to where they would have their photo taken.

The red carpet...

It really was made to be a very special event for them all and from all accounts it was a good evening.  Abi enjoyed herself and arrived back home gone midnight and dying to take her shoes off, haha.  The first real experience of wearing heels, as she mostly wears flatties.  Bless.  She is growing up fast.

Abi and Tasha - BFF

It was a real occasion for her to remember for the rest of her life.  I wish I had something comparable to remember my leaving school.  I can't even remember if we had a disco or anything - thats how memorable mine was!

Abi is going with my Mum and Dad to Newquay, Cornwall for a few days tomorrow.
I am going to miss her sooooo much.  Its been really nice since she has left school as we spend quite a lot of time together, she is great company and we do have a laugh.
Still, I've got my boys, love 'em, and she will be back before I know it....  :-)

Obsession...

I am obsessed.  Really obsessed.  I just can't get enough of it and I am gutted as it is nearly at an end.

I am talking about the Twilight saga.  I am on the fourth and last book and I never want it to end.  And I so want my own vampire...haha.

I've not been 100% the past couple of weeks and these books have been my salvation for sure.  I have been reading the Twilight books avidly for the past 9 days and am now on the fourth and last book and I simply cannot put it down.

I also bought the DVD of Twilight and have watched that and as soon as I finished the first book I passed it to Abi who is now on the third book herself.  She is ever so slightly obsessed with it, like me.  The second film based on the second book New Moon, is out in November this year.  And you can guess who will be first in the queue to see that!

I love books, I love reading, but its been a long time since I found a book which gripped me like these.  The basic storyline, for those of you who don't know (are there any who don't know?!) is a love affair between a girl and a vampire.  And lots of other stuff inbetween of course.  Magical. 

Warning - picture heavy post!

In a desperate bid to get everything up to date on my blog I am putting a whole lot of stuff here in one go, and then try to keep up to date a couple of times a week.

It must be the mega sort out of the loft that we had over the weekend which has made me step up a gear into getting things sorted and up to date.  This blog is always last on the list for updating, but I am moving it up a bit as I want this to be a little diary of my crafting and some family stuff too.  I'll forget it all if I leave it too long between posts.

Here is a few Fiskars projects which I haven't shown on this blog yet....

This was for a challenge where we had to use buttons!
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This was a challenge where we had to Recyle!
The Kraft journalling shape is from some K&Co packaging.

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This was a fun challenge where we had to use Wordle somewhere on the project.

This is for a Recipe Box which I finally got round to decorating to contain all the gorgeous recipe cards accumulating during Recipe Swaps on the Bubbly Funk Forum.

Paper is K&Co and the nice 'Made with Pure Love' chipboard sentiment is WRMemory Keepers.

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I also did some projects for Charmed Cards.  I was sent some gorgeous K&Co Lotus Tea Box and Lotus China papers and embellishments.  For full details of the projects go to the Charmed Cards site...

Happy Bird day  card...

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Decorated Box...

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10 Reasons to Smile canvas...

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For You card...

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The Camera Loves You layout....

I think that will do for one day,  haha!  Hopefully have more to show by the end of the week...thanks for looking!

Rose coloured specs...

Happy Easter to everyone!  That's come around quickly hasn't it.

Have had some fabaroo news in the past month - Abi has been accepted into the local Art College to do a Fine Arts Diploma, a two year course starting in September.  They nigh on bit her hand off and told her she had a place on the course there and then at the interview.  They also said her art work, for the piece of work they requested she do specifically for the interview, was the best they had seen so far!

She had to depict one of the five senses in such a way so as not to actually draw the actual sense, iyswim.  So if she drew a picture about hearing she couldn't draw the ears.  Abi did the sense of sight and did a fantastic piece called 'Rose coloured specs....'.  Showing how some people see the world in all its glory but around them there is mayhem.  Excuse my watermark all over the pic but its Abi's work and I want it to stay hers - she did give permission for me to show her pic though and I really have to as I am so proud of her.  This piece took about 10-12 hours and she used a fair bit of my Prismacolor pencils too - she is now hooked and wants the whole range of these pencils, over 100 is there?  So that may be a pressie for her doing well in her exams, which she is predicted to do, bless.

Abi loves doing abstract pieces, and I have really seen this develop over the past few months.  Her attention to detail is amazing.

She popped into my craft studio too and borrowed one of my rubber stamps for the little houses on the hill which she then expanded on and developed further.  Art and Craft go hand in hand for sure.

I love the whole concept of this piece she has done and I think this is going to have to be one of her pics that we frame.

I am keeping a close eye on my Copic markers as she has shown an interest in using those, lol.  The size of the pieces she colours would use all the ink on those I am sure, so they are kept under lock and key in my room, haha.  I nearly had a heart attack when I saw how much of my Prismacolor pencils she had used, but I didn't mind really, the piece of work she ended up with was well worth it.... :-)

Sew far, sew good....

Spring was definately in the air when I made my last post, but its quite chilly today and we are still having to have our heating on in the evenings!

I have made some Springlike projects though over the past couple of weeks and as well as a couple of cards I got my needle and thread out and made this felt bird.

I really enjoyed making this, I haven't done any fabric sewing for a long time even though the sewing machine is permanently out but only being used for sewing on papercrafts.  This project, mind you, was all handsewn.  Stamping on felt was nice too.  I wasn't sure how that would turn out but it goes on easy peasy with StazOn and it was a nice sharp image, so was pleased about that.

I was able to make good use of a few of the gazillion seed beads I have and some of the sequins that I seem to have accumulated.  The little pink flowers are plastic sequins and quite sweet.  And doing good old blanket stitch - when did I last do that!  I even enjoyed that bit. 

I am even well prepared for Mothers Day.  Well almost.  I have made one card and just have one more to make.

And I actually used some BasicGrey.  I am not precious about paper at all, but kinda forgot the little stash of BG stuff that I have, so I have got it out and am going to use it!  This is from the Eva range.  I am trying to use up some of my blooms too and love layering them and aging them a little with ink, paint, whatever really.

And this card was for the recent Fiskarettes Challenge, which is to create a project with a Moving Part.  So this little K&Co journalling wheel was ideal.

Oooh, just thought I would leave you with a couple of sneaky peeks. 
Just completed a couple of projects for the May issue of Scrapbook Inspirations so be on the look out for these when that issue is available, which will probably be soon.......

 

Spring is in the air....

To update this blog goes onto my 'to do' list every day, but it somehow always ends up bottom of the list as more important stuff seems to overtake it.  I thought I should try and get in another post before a new month starts and that will take the grand total of my posts in 2009 to the grand total of three, haha.  Nevermind.

Fiskars asked if I would do a couple of simple Easter cards, using Fiskars tools, and the emphasis on simple.  I'm not sure I can do simple and its harder than it seems really as simple to one may not be simple to another but I think these two cards should be easy enough to follow should anyone want to!

Here are the cards:

Easter egg....

Hoppy Easter bunny....

They are made using only Fiskars tools and stamps and you can see the full instructions {here} and {here}

Cam spent the first half of the week on an adventure trip in Wales with school.  He came home on Wednesday evening and was a little subdued - trying to get any info about the trip out of him was really like trying to get blood out of a stone.  Then he spent Thursday and Friday feeling poorly with what the Doctor called a 'viral infection'.  He seems OK now though so thats a relief.

He bought back a load of wet and muddy washing so I have been really grateful that the weather has been OK this week and I've been able to actually hang it on the washing line and it be dry by the end of the day.  Seems ages since I've been able to do that!  Getting fed up of drying washing on radiators - just not the same as coming in off the line smelling all fresh and airy.

The colours of this layout seems spring-like to me too.  The photo was taken in the summer last year, on one of the very few sunny days that we had, and the lovely greens and lemons were just right for an outdoors pic.  Papers and embellishments are Crate Paper - Lemon Grass and the tree trunk is a Hambly rub-on.  There is lots of sewing, lots of doodling and rub-ons (love rub-ons)......

Now I haven't got the tidiest handwriting in the world and there are many that certainly wouldn't plaster it on a layout (Darren thinks my handwriting is quite unreadable!) but I thought hey-ho, its me and I want my children to be reminded of this little quirky bit of me when they flick through the layouts - so long as they can read it!  it really isn't as bad as Darren says, is it? 

Anyways, I have some design work to do for Charmed Cards, for Bubbly Scrumptious and for Fiskars so I had best get to it!  Just time for a cuppa though - I am sure that was top of my 'to-do' list, haha.....x

Snow Pics - better late than never...

I know the snow has passed for most of us, for now at least, and whilst the sun is shining as it is today its difficult to remember just how bloomin' cold and snowy it was!  But here are a few pics of the kids when they had a Snow Day from school. 

Cam and Jake are sliding down the hill at the local playing fields which are at the bottom of our garden........Cam is on a snow board and Jake has a bin bag, bless him...haha

and here they are sliding down the hill!

and not forgetting Abi, who still manages to look gorgeous despite the wet and snow.....she really knows how to play the camera - isn't she lovely.....x

and onto VD day (as Karen put it until the different connotation of that abbreviation was pointed out, lol) - Darren doesn't usually bother as he thinks it is too commercialised.  And he is right too as I found when looking in a card shop and seeing valentines cards 'to my cat', whatever next.......  but this year he did bother, bless him, and he gave me a lovely card and a scrummy box of choccies, which I am still eating.  Thing is, as I know he doesn't really bother I didn't either.  Still, I didn't feel guilty, haha.......

And I have been asked to show more pics of my mini books that went into the Jan issue of Scrapbook Inspirations.

So I have gone into detail over on Bubbly Scrumptious........x

Caroline x

Busy......

I have been so busy that my little bloggie has been very badly and sadly neglected.
Thanks Di for the little comment in the last post.......x

Anyways, we had a fabulously relaxing Christmas (haha, so long ago now mind!) but January has been mad, mad, mad!  I am here now though, albeit briefly, but I didn't want January to go by without at least one post on this 'ere blog.  I will do my best in Feb to be a bit of a better blogger, haha.

I know lots of you who frequent the Bubbly Scrumptious blog will have seen my Journal Jars, but I just want to record them on this blog too, as my parents and the in-laws were so positive about them and the whole concept.  I was so pleased as you never know about something like this.  Go here for a whole article on how to make these and for a taster here are the journals....I can't wait to get these back!

aaaaaannnnnnnd I just have to show you this - it was our Christmas Cake and it was gorgeous..........x

I have just got to do a scrapbook layout about this beauty........

Catch up!

I can't believe how December has just gone in a blur and here we are with Christmas only a couple of days away.

I did manage to make another card since my last posting - WOW, haha.  It was one I did for Fiskarettes with a sketch......

the 'Let it snow' sentiment was heat embossed and then I went round with a fineline black pen to highlight the words.  The snowman is from Hobbycraft! and the snowflake it white felt die-cut.  The flower sitting behind the snowmans head and the paper is from a festive collection by Heidi Grace - Frost.

This is the sketch on which this card is based.

Early December also saw the putting up of the decorations!  Abi is on countdown for a couple of weeks before hand as she likes them up as close to 1st Dec as possible.  Bless.

Thought you might like to see some photos of the Christmas decs.........

Here is the tree - its a real one and about 5ft tall.  We normally have a mahoosive one as we have high ceilings but they seemed sooooo expensive this year!  So we had this gorgeous fairtale style table in the shape of two big books and thought the table would look lovely on there - and so it does......

This is what the tree looked like at the beginning of December.  The base is now surrounded with piles of presents!

Here is a gorgeous 12 days of Christmas wreath that we have up every year.....

and my very special tin Christmas Angel.......

I am all ready for Christmas now - more or less anyway.  Going to Sainsburys early in the morning tomorrow for those last minute bits and pieces.  They are open at 6am and I am hoping to get there as near to that time as I can!  We will see.  Then its off into town to the cinema and lunch.  I love Christmas Eve.

I have just opened a tin of Quality Street and emptied them into a wooden bowl to have on the coffee table in the lounge.  I did take out all the strawberry and orange ones though and have them in a bag beside me.  Bit naughty really but they are my favourites and I want them to be all mine!  haha.  What the kids don't know about ain't gonna hurt them, right?!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and I will try to be more regular with my posting after Christmas.  I made some gorgeous Journals and Jars for my parents and the in-laws and will sort out photos of those to post next time.......take care........x

More Cards!

Yep, I have done a couple more cards.  Its a quick crafty fix for me as I take ages doing scrapbook pages haha!

I actually managed to do last weeks DCM card!
The challenge was..... "we are dreaming of a WHITE (and splash of pink Christmas!) I would love you to design a card which includes white mostly (ie: snow, snowmen etc ) and also a little splash of pink somewhere on the card. :)"

So this is what I did and I made it with one of my nieces in mind......

The background was embossed using a Sizzix texture plate and then the pink is a strip of vellum.  The ribbon is tied around both pieces which was all then sewn onto the card blank.  The little snowmen is Sizzix again which I layered and coloured in.  There is a smattering of pink ink around the edges and highlighting the embossing under the snowmen.  I also stamped little snowflakes onto the pink vellum.  Aaaaw, love those snowmen - they are soooo cute!

This next card was for the latest Fiskarette challenge (click on blinkie on the left and join us!) - Sew onto a project.  Thats an easy one for me cos I do that anyway.

I used Cloud 9-Christmas papers and chipboard sentiment from BasicGrey Wassail.  The gorgeously thick felt is from a table runner which I bought at the weekend.  I sewed around the flower and up the stem and added seed beeds into the middle of the flower.

I have a load of this table runner to use so you just might see some more appearing on projects over the next few weeks!

Fingers crossed I will get some time to craft this weekend.  I really, really need to!
Last weekend Abi and myself spent the whole Saturday in town, looking at the stalls at the Victorian Fayre and managing to get some more Christmas shopping done.  Abi managed to finish hers too.  The whole town was heaving with people - so many come from far and wide to visit the Fayre and you could barely move!  Had a lovely lunch at Pizza Express though - mind you we did have to queue to get a seat.  Not eaten there before and as I am not really into pizza I tried one of their pasta dishes and it was gorgeous!  Will have to go there again.

This Saturday is free at the moment though - so I must dedicate that to getting some presents made - and maybe more cards!  You never know.... :-)

Serendipity - don't you just love that word?!....

I am so glad I have gotten back into cardmaking.  I had got to a point where I just didn't make them anymore and really thought I just couldn't do a decent card.

Taking part in the Think Pink challenges gave me the bug again and I am so keen now to actually make some to send this Christmas!

Challenges in general are helping me to make them too.  The weekly Fiskarettes challenge makes sure I do some crafty project and that has been cards most of the time.  I just wish I had time to participate in more. 

This is a card I made for a challenge on Bubbly Funk forum, where we are doing weekly challenges in the run up to Christmas.  This was a Serendipity card which I really enjoyed making.  Its free in a roundabout kinda way too as its made from scraps!

Please excuse the darkish pic - I really was fighting the daylight here and this was taken around 4.30pmish when it really was the very last of the light.

I love sewing onto cards - I'm sure I have said this before.  But I think it really helps to enrich the feel of a card.

This is one that is for the current Fiskars challenge - Christmas Flowers.  I used gorgeous Cloud 9 and BasicGrey papers and embellies.

I am so loving the aged, scuffed look right now!  I achieved the edges of this card by inking and then running over it with my fingernail.  I then realised I have actually got a little distress tool, so I might try that next time!

Last Wednesday - 19th Nov - was Cam's 11th birthday.  Bless him.  He wanted money to go visit Games Workshop where they have lots of War Hammer goodies.  He spent a small fortune on some plastic bits that assemble as warriors, soldiers and the like and some paint.  So he is now addicted to model making and painting.  I am pleased really cos its creative and he is enjoying it - despite Jake telling him it is nerdish!

Here is a pic of him blowing his candles out.  My Mum and Dad treated all three kids this year to a birthday cake with their photo on it.  I say treated - not sure the kids see it that way with a huge cake with some photo they would rather forget on it - but its a lovely thought.

I know that once Cam's birthday is over that Christmas is well and truly on its way.  I am pleased so far though cos I have everyones except the kids.  I will concentrate on theirs in December.  I do have some presents to make too though - for my parents and the in-laws - but I do have the bits to make them with so thats good.  I am doing Journalling Jars and Notebooks for the parents this year.  I want to get their memories and thoughts onto paper for us all to appreciate.  I am sure they will enjoy it and it makes for something a bit more interesting than adding to their wine, food, jewellery or tie collection, don't you think?!

Its pouring.....

with rain as I type.  In fact its been raining all day and its a real hard rain being pummelled into the windows by quite a fierce wind.  Just the kind of day to stay indoors and craft!  YAY!

I have been busy over the past few weeks and some of the crafty bits I have been doing can be seen over at Charmed Cards and Crafts where I had a play with some Imaginisce All Kinds of Happy papers and embellishments.

For a quick peek, here they are.  But you need to go to Charmed Cards to see the info behind the designs!  And to purchase this gorgeous paper, embellies, stamps and the Fimo!

 

   

 

 

   

 

Quite excited in that we have decided to make the Kit Blog - Bubbly Scrumptious into a Shop Blog too.  So its open for everyone to see and as there will be daily postings starting from tomorrow, there will be lots to see each day!  Hope you will stop by!

I am at the NEC next Saturday and as well as a shopping trip for Abi and myself (well Abi is more interested in the Art section) I am also going with my Fiskarette hat on and being part of the FiskaTea taking place next Saturday afternoon.  We all know that its nigh on impossible to find somewhere to sit down and have a cuppa at the NEC, well if you are a Fiskarette then you need not both trying to find a seat - just pop along to the room detailed in your Newsletter and there is not only tea and biscuits waiting for you but also you can have a crafty moment if you feel so inclined too, haha!  Either way it would be great to meet you!

and before you get too comfortable sat there with your cuppa, take a look at this:

 

BOO! Cameron - Trick or Treat?!

haha, hope that didn't scare you too much.......x

 

A weekend in Sussex!

Last weekend was spent at the Think Pink Sale which Di had organised.  The culmination of the Forum and Blogs challenges and targets were finally met on the Saturday and I have to say it was a lovely day.  Darren took the boys to Bognor (cards and stuff are not their thing) and Abi and myself spent the day with Di helping on the card and gift stall.  It was so nice to see what people had made.  People have been so giving of their time that its quite humbling and at the same time gives you a warm feeling that I am surrounded in my daily life by some very kind and caring cyber friends.

It was lovely to see Karen and Jeremy too - now that was a surprise!  Nice to meet Leigh and Paddy too - meeting new and old cyber friends made the day even more special.

Here's a few pics of my maties on the day:

     

   

Me and my Boys

 

Pic of Abi and me in the Hotel grounds.  The hotel was gorgeous by the way.  Thoroughly recommend it if you are ever around the Surrey/Sussex border.....

    

Sorry, the photos aren't the best quality - need to check the camera setting!

How old?!

I know my birthday was over a week ago (and Abi's 16th has been inbetween too!) but I have only just recovered from what Darren bought me.

He arrived home from work last Monday and went straight to the kitchen.  I was told to disappear for a bit!  Anyway, with Abi's help he got it all sorted, although she did come and say that I would like it but I would laugh.  Oh gosh.  What has he bought me?!

Darren is not a great gift buyer and has bought some weird and wonderful gifts in the past.  I mean, one year I get flowers and chocs, another year a facial steamer, and then the next year its a car!  A bit obscure to say the least although something to look forward to even if its for a laugh, haha!

So I go into the kitchen and open the first pressie.  Its a back up drive for my computer.  Great, I thought.  Seriously haha I really did need one.

Then, on the kitchen worktop was a huge pile covered up with a couple of tea towels.  I was quite pleased though cos it was a huge pile of cakes!  Although when I counted them there were 50+ fresh cream cakes!  OMG!!  How many can a family of five eat for goodness sake!  Saying that though the kids soon polished off a fair few and then I had to have one or two or five.

Darren is a man of extremes - its all or nothing, lol.

As well as a mountain of cakes he bought me a birthday cake.  On that cake were candles which were numerical.  So there was a '4' and there should have been a '2'.  It was my 42nd birthday.  This is what was on the top of the cake........

He thought I was 43!

The kids had to remind him how old I was and so he improvised....humph

Then he had the nerve to say that at least he wouldn't have to buy any candles for next year!  ROFL

Another year older!

Well, my Birthday weekend was very nice.  Abi, bless her, made sure I had a lovely day on Saturday.  She is so thoughtful and nothing was too much trouble.  The boys did their own thing as usual but when I managed to grab them to make me a cuppa they did so without any fuss.  So nice!

I've treated myself to some Copic Ciao marker pens.  I love bright and bold and these will do just that, I hope!  There might be some technique I have to master to do all the shading, but we will see.  Can't wait for them to arrive now!

Abi added to my little collection of Momiji dolls.  I have three now - all bought by Abi - and the latest one is Ollie, a spiky haired skater, haha, love him.

 

On Friday the Yr 9's, at the childrens school, had a visit from Tony Anthony.  Jake was telling me all about him so he obviously impressed Jake a fair bit.  He gave them all a copy of his book and Jake very kindly passed it on to me as my birthday present, lol.

Anyway he travels around the world telling his story and its quite interesting.  If you pop onto You Tube and type in Tony Anthony you can hear the speech for yourself.  I think the book is going to make interesting reading.....

In a previous post I mentioned that I was going to make a little notebook with the Cath Kidson papers I bought, to match the Cath Kidson chairity bags.  Well I made two in the end as I have two bags and here they are.....

The pages are thick card and there are some Cath Kidson pockets and nice little Making Memories Noteworthy journalling sheets scattered inbetween these card pages.  So it makes a neat little notebook!  If you are interested in bidding for a notebook and coordinating bag - the amount you bid is up to you! - then pop along to the Think Pink Blog and have a look.  There are loads of gorgeous goodies to be had!

Busy being a Fiskarette....

September was a busy month that seemed to disappear in the blink of an eye!  Busy on the shop (some people are just soooo organised for Christmas!), busy getting the children back to school, busy on the forum, busy in general!

Also exciting in that I was appointed as a Fiskarette Ambassador, along with another lady - Jayne!  Go see the Fiskarette site and sign up!  You are able to contribute to lots of projects, articles, competitions (and the prizes are FAB) and lots more.  It has a real community feel to it and we hope to be able to expand on that - so what are you waiting for!  Go and see.....

October looks set to be busy for me too.  The first two days of the month was spent in Nottingham with Fiskars, training.  Great fun though, and met some lovely people.  Got to know lots about the history of Fiskars, all about the Fiskars tools, and also the aim behind the Fiskarettes Blog.  It all seems very exciting.  Stayed in a lovely hotel in the centre of Nottingham, mind you I didn't sleep too well, although I never do away from home.  I was only away from home for two days but I did miss my family and just the comforts of home.  I am such a home body.  Nice to know that hubbie and kids missed me too, bless.....Not forgetting Sam too - his tail was like a helicopter blade when he saw me, I really thought he might take off as it was twirling so much, haha!

Looking forward to the Think Pink sale in Sussex on the 18th October too.  Anyone who lives around that area please come along - it promises to be a fantastic day with lots going on.  See the Think Pink Blog for more details and info on how you can help!  The Auction is live for this next week too, so go and see if there is anything you would like to bid on.......

I am hoping to have a mammoth crafting session over the weekend.  And seeing as its my birthday being able to do that uninterrupted would be the best prezzie I could get, but we shall see!  Here's hoping anyway......

Cath 'n' Cupcakes

Whilst shopping for school clothes for Abi I spotted one of my fave shops is stocking Cath Kidson bits and pieces.  I love her combination of spots and floral and couldn't resist getting these:

The mug and stationery and the lovely flowery box is all Cath Kidson - the cupcake hanger isn't, but I do love it.

This is the little stationery set - spotty envelopes, cards and floral paper - gorgeous!

This is the contents of the floral boxed set - papers and envelopes.  Plenty to make cards and create embellishments for layout, etc...

and then here is the Cupcake hanger - how cute is that!  And perfect for my studio..... :-)

I also managed to get a lovely lady called Tracy to get me some of the Tesco Cath Kidson bags from her local store as my two had completely sold out.  So I also have a lovely spotty and floral Tesco Charity bag.  Very nice they are too!

As a donation to the Think Pink Auction (see Think Pink link to the side) I am donating two Cath Kidson bags and with the lovely papery bits above I am going to make a coordinating mini notebook.  I'll blog it when its available!

Speaking of which - please go and see some of the fab donations so far.  Fancy a sub to Scrapbook Inspirations?  Then send in a bid and see if you get lucky!  Some gorgeous creations donated too - so go see......

Untidy Studio......

I said some time ago about about changes going on at home to accommodate my crafty habit and that I was getting my own room.  This is purely my own stash as all shop stock is stored elsewhere.  Seeing how it fills up a reasonable sized room its a bit scary to see how much I've accumulated over the years.  Tis the nature of a scrapper though I guess - can't bear to throw anything away!

I was going to take some pics of when it was very neat and tidy - which it is from time to time - but then I thought I would just go for it and show you how it is at the moment.

   

Bit of a mess to say the least and I have no table space left.  And the table is not small - its about 3.5" x 7.5", so thats quite a bit of space to get untidy!  That is my next task though as I need it tidy to carry on with some projects I have to do for SI and for the next kit (on sale Monday!), and for Think Pink too. 

Darren found the draws on the wall which fit my dies perfectly - I think it meant to be for CD's but the dies fit just right!

I love the little arched fireplace area.  We have a larger one in the Lounge too and at one time I could imagine a gorgeous fire raged there. 

The drawing board fits into a lovely bay window area, and even though the board is handy for doing my scrapping on - its also a very useful area for storing bits!  There is actually two kits on there at the mo - one of them is the Sept one....ssshhhh.....

I love my baskets and they are so perfect for storing stash.  Kinda spooky too that the basket unit, wooden drawers and the filing cabinet fitted perfectly across the one wall - this room was meant to be mine!  At least thats what I said to Darren and because he is used to any DIY job not going quite right I think I convinced him too as everything just fitted just right into this room without any fuss......

Rightio, suppose I had better clear my desk!  Still, whoever has heard of a tidy scrapper - does such a thing exist?  hehe.....x

A quickie.......

I seem to have been AWOL on this blog this month!

I have been away for a week - went to Looe in Cornwall.  Gorgeous little place, and we stay in a really old cottage just up the hill from the harbour.  On our first day there we spotted a regular visitor to the harbour - a seal!  I managed to take some pics but he only popped his head up from time to time so it was difficult to actually get one but this is OK I think....

The locals reckon he is the son of a regular seal which visited Looe Harbour for 25 years and who died in 2003.  They have actually just put a statue of him in the harbour, which is a nice addition since we visited last.

It was really cool to spot a seal I think.  Quite a novelty for someone who hasn't seen one in real life (other than a zoo) before!

It was a relaxing week, and despite the cloudy days we were able to get out and about and did plenty of walking.  The one member of the family who enjoyed the holiday to its fullest was Sam.  Bless his heart he loves the rocks and sea......

I have a ton of lovely pics to scrap and now I am back home and gradually catching up on things I want to scrapbook some, so fingers crossed I can find the time! 

Hot Pink......

WOW hasn't it been hot!  Too hot for me thats for sure.  We had a thunder and lightning storm here last night and its cleared to air so much - got a lovely fresh breeze blowing through my window right now...... :-)

Just thought I would share a design I did for the BF June Kit.  I loved this kit so much and didn't have chance to do anymore than this but I still have some bits to play with which is good as these Sassafrass papers are scrummy and have a gorgeous scallop across the bottom, and I made sure there was lots of lovely chipboard in there too.  Anyway this is a Birdhouse photographed outside to give authenticity, hehe.

Made some cards this past weekend for my challenge for this weeks Think Pink.  My challenge was to make cards suitable for any occasion, and to incorporate the colours Pink and Black.  I did three so far but will try to do more and catch up with the previous weeks too.  Don't forget to take part if you can - via the forum or the blog - links are on your left.......

I am really getting back into making cards after so long not making any.  The DCM Challenges helped to spur me on and now these Think Pink Challenges make it all worthwhile again..... :-)

Well, the first week of the Summer holidays whizzed past and we managed to fit in quite a lot.  We spent one day having a gorgeous BBQ at a friends house.  They live about 40 minutes away and their garden backs onto gorgeous fields.  We went exploring nearby and visited a ruin of a church where Darren and Pete made up some ghoulish story to try and scare the kids.  Think they scared themselves more though, haha!

Got a whole load of gorgeous pics ready to scrap, but here's one of my faves of Cam and Abi tree climbing!

Anyways, I need to make myself a crafty list as I know I have loads to do and once I have cleared my desk I should be able to get something done - fingers crossed....TFL

*Edited to add* - I am now designing for Scrapbook Inspirations magazine.  Quite excited about that...... :-)

My young man......

A couple of weekends ago we went to BIL's house for a BBQ to celebrate the inlaws 40th Wedding Anniversary.

Abi was holding the camera and she managed to get some fab shots.  My fave ones are those that are taken when people aren't aware, and when they aren't staged.  Completely natural.

This is one of my faves of Jake - 13 years old, he's as tall as me (5'7") and gorgeous.....

and in a pensive mood - cos he is now 13 and these sort of events are a tad boring for him, haha......

He has a wicked sense of humour and loves nothing more than annoying his brother and sister.  The most common thing I hear from the kids is 'Muuuuuuuum, tell him!' and I know straight away they are referring to Jake.  Little bugger.....x

These photos are crying out to be made into a scrapbook page, don't you think?!

DCM

I managed this weeks DCM challenge!

The dare was to use Peel-Offs.  Yikes I thought.  I am sure I got rid of them all yonks ago.  But I did find some black ones which I used for the number on the ribbon.  Its a card made for my in-laws Ruby Wedding Anniversary this weekend.

I used a Sizzix die for the branches and birds and layered them up a bit.  The spotty background is a Cuttlebug embossing plate, which was then swiped with red ink.

You can click on the pic to enlarge it if you so wish, haha.......

Thanks for looking!  TTFN.......xx

Pop Art......

Well, with me moving into my own room we have been busy decorating and sorting out what is now our new lounge.  Part of this new room is a large canvas which Darren has took upon himself to paint.  He is a very good artist, even though he wouldn't say so himself, and came up with the idea of convering a photo of the children into Pop Art and then projecting it onto the canvas to draw and then paint.

Here is the original photo which Darren worked from......

and this is the canvas - a work in progress

and here it is in its special place in the lounge!  How fab is it!!  We also spent ages trying to find the perfect rug and the perfect cushions, not to mention the perfect plants and we are very pleased with the finished effect.  The kids must like it too as they spend much more time downstairs with us, which is lovely.

The rug, by the way, is super funky.  its made up of strands of kinda like polyester string and its fab.  Here's a close-up so you get an idea

haha, Darren just walked in on me on my hands and knees taking a pic of the rug.  Just told him its for my Blog and he said nothing.  Just lifted his eyebrows up, lol.

As we've been busy finishing the lounge, I've not had any creative time since my last post, even though I have loads to do.  I must get on and do an Anniversary card for the in-laws as its their Ruby Wedding Anniversary on Saturday and weather permitting we are having a family BBQ.  So fingers are tightly crossed that this rain will ease by the weekend and we may see a bit of sunny Summer!  My Mum and Dad are in Torquay this week - hope its not a complete wash out for them.

Can you believe the kids finish school next week!  Where has this year gone.....

Hula....

Well, its been ages since I posted but I do have good reason.  I have moved rooms, so now have my own Studio!!  And I don't wish for that word to make it sound any grander than it really is, but its my room and one where I can shut the door and leave any mess behind.  I am hoping it will encourage me to actually craft more - hence the name Studio, lol.  Although of course I do need more hours in the day to help achieve that too....

I'll sort some pics out to share with you when I have finished sorting it all out.  I've been in here almost two weeks but the room I vacated has had to be redecorated and therefore the whole house seems to have been upside down.  Almost done though.

Abi spent a week doing work experience at the main Worcester Library, and she really enjoyed it.  They appreciated her efforts to and she came home at the end of the week with a big box of Quality Street.  Its great as I am the only one in the house who loves the Orange and Stawberry creams.  How can people not like those?!  I'm not bothered about any others, I just love the fruity creams.....

I have done some work for Charmed Cards DT.  I think they are showing on the main site, but here they are:

12x12 layout showing Abi rock climbing and shell collecting in Looe, 2006.

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This card is for my friend whose birthday happens to fall when we are on holiday, so its a card/postcard combo.  Just got to remember to take it with me!

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Notebook, with an acetate cover to protect.  Used my Bind it All too (and about time - I've had it since November.......oh the shame).

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This is a bit of fun.  Shes been naked for ages and these K&CO Grand Adhesions seemed perfect for a bra, hehe.

All made using K&Co Sea Glass collection.  All products can be found at Charmed Cards.

Thats all I've managed to do over the past couple of weeks, although I now need to do some projects for the next Bubbly Funk Kit - on sale 1st July!!

Also, for those of you who don't know already - on 20-21 September, Bubbly Funk Forum is having a mahoosive CyberCrop in aid of Breast Cancer Care.  There are lots of challenges and classes on the day, but also in the coming weeks leading up to the Crop.  We need lots of handmade crafty items to be sold at the Think Pink Craft Sale being held by Di, in her home town, in October, all proceeds going to this charity.  So the next few months will see a frenzy of activity on the forum as we all make goodies to be sold at this sale.  We need loads too as around 100 people are expected to attend!  So get your Think Pink heads on folks!!  And for those of you who don't like Pink (noooooo, surely not!), products made don't have to be Pink - this is just taken from the Breast Cancer charities logo which is the pink ribbon.  Although, no doubt, I will make plenty of pink stuff....... :-)

Anyway more info about that to come.....

Mister God.....

I've managed the DCM card again, and also made it suitable for Fathers Day so a double whammy in one go, lol.  I like it when I can do that.

'Jane this week has dared us all to include a quote on our card.  Stamped, Computer Generated or Rub-ons, its doesn't matter and chooise your own style or occasion.'

So here is mine, using some Cosmo Cricket - Cogsmo paper and monograms.  The quote is one dedicated to being a Father.....

Abi went to France last Friday for the day.  Sixteen hours of travelling in all and about four hours actually in France where the Battle of the Somme took place.  Apparently there were so many mines dropped here during the war that the local farmers are still ploughing them up and finding them on their land.  So much so that a regular pick-up is made of the mines by the local authority.  Seems a bit mad that after so many years they are still being found, and still with the potential to go off.  How scary and absurd war can be.

On the other end of the spectrum I an reading 'Mister God, this is Anna' by Fynn.  Its an old book, first published in 1974 and I am only about a quarter way through but its reckoned to be one of those books that changes your perspective and view on life.  Its about a little  six year old girl, found by Fynn, who is then 'adopted' by his family.  Anna shares his life for a couple of years and during that short time she has a profound and lasting affect on the family.  I have been told to have a hanky or two at the ready....