Pink Candy by Caroline

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.

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

 

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My Embossed Butterfly

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.

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.

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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

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

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AFTER

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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

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... :-(

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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)...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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... :-)

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

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........

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

 

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

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...... :-)

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

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.....

DCM Card - Animalia

Well would you Adam and Eve it.  I actually made a card for the DCM Challenge Blog.  Been meaning to for aaaaages.....

This weeks challenge was:

Hi everyone, it's my turn (Mel) to set the dare this week :)

I've based my dare on the book by Graeme Base called 'Animalia' (just because that book happened to be sitting near my desk when I realised it was my turn for the dare this week).

So, all you have to do is create a card featuring an animal. I hope you all enjoy having a play with this dare, don't forget to come back and let us know where we can see the cards you make - because we do love to see all the wonderful cards you make.

and here is mine!

The image is from PCCrafter.com and I was able to print out in black and white and colour myself.  Used Zig Scroll and Brush pens and then heat embossed a crystal powder over the complete image.  Also used sewing machine, crumpled circles and lacy edge punch.

Thanks for looking!!

a glorious pair........

Been working on a layout for the Bubbly Scrumptious Blog.  We are following the Elsie Challenges on that Blog - which can only be viewed by Monthly Kit customers, and this is what I came up with for Challenge #1.....

Pic of of my eldest son Jake and Sam walking down to the sea front in Looe, Cornwall August 2006.  The words are from a poem by Edgar Guest.

Used KIM Lace Cardstock, Adornit Bleu Circles paper, kraft card, fancy handmade paper.  Some net is used to slightly frill out at the bottom of the photo and the circles are all hand cut and then scrumpled up and doodled on!

Acrylic paint bottom right and then a glue flourish added and covered with Fun Flock to give a velvety effect.

The Bubbly Scrumptious Blog is being very well received and I am so pleased with how the change in the monthly kits has gone.  They are proving popular and the Blog has the potential to be a massive source of inspiration with projects and info being added every month.  Love it!  Thanks to all of you who support it too....xx

The next thing on my craft 'to do' list is this weeks DCM card, which I did aim to do last week but never got around to it, but I will try for this week!  I have been out of card making for so long, but actually made two this past month, and I did enjoy making them so will give it a go.

Another thing to spur me on with the card making is I have ordered some Prismacolour Pencils.  I love stamping and have so many gorgeous stamps ideal for card making and scrapbooking, but wanted a better medium to be working with.  I've heard so much about these pencils and seen the lovely effect they give, so tracked some down on Ebay and they should be with me next week.  Expensive for pencils, but apparently worth every penny.  So looking forward to being able to make the most of my stamps!

My little car has been poorly of late - something wrong with the temperature as sometimes it would overheat and sometimes be OK, but you always had to watch it.  My cousin looked at it today and it needed a new water pump.  Just normal wear and tear for a car of its age, and an expensive job, but what can you do?  I wubs my car so it had to be done, and  and I've just got back from collecting it.  So its like new again!

The new stock of the RiffRaff Chipboard has been a very popular purchase this past week and I have some more new and exciting chipboard on its too!  All the way from Australia, fingers crossed for sometime next week.  So be sure of look out for that folks!

Well a cuppa tea is calling me, and I'll have a little think about the DCM card too - watch this space, lol.

Things that make you go 'oooohhhh......'

Found some gorgeous 'stickers' whilst shopping.  From Accessorize for £2.50 you get 32 flowery resin spots - great for the centre of a flower or on their own.  I do like finding potential crafty items in non-crafty places, don't you, lol ! 

Got two CJ layouts done this weekend.  One for UKS Retailers called 'Pop' where we had to show our first pop idols.  My first really serious interest in music was for Adam and the Ants.  I liked Bay City Rollers when I was ten and I liked others after that, but the ones that really made me go 'ooooh' was Adam and the Ants.  I liked them even more cos my Mum and Dad thought they were rubbish, lol.

The other CJ was for one on the BF Forum and this one was Kathy's called 'Stash Attack', where we had to use some of our favourite crafty bits.  I could of filled a whole CJ on this subject just by myself, but llimited to just one layout I kept it simple.....

left hand side of layout and.....

the right hand side......(the bit of fibre hanging from the top of this page isn't part of my layout, lol - its from a tag on the sign in page)......

I am getting braver with my own handwriting too.  Darren says its awful and difficult to read, but its mine and its me and I can't do much about it!  At least the children will see a part of me on every layout and page I do that has my writing on it.

And, some of you may be surprised now, but I made a card!  And I enjoyed making it too, so you might see some more from me, lol.  This was a Confirmation card for my friends son.  Now what do you do for a ten year old boy on his Confirmation?!  So I just went with birdies and bright and lots of heat embossing!

My cards and my layouts, in fact anything I do, seems to come together if I doodle at the end.  I just have to do some doodley frames or bits to finish it off.   Harry said he liked it anyway, so thats what matters.  Although it might have been the £10 note inside......hehe

Busy

Well, busy has not been the word for it.  Mega busibloominlotaliciously flippin' mega amounts of stuff to be done, lol.

I had DT projects to do, of which you can see some peeks here and then pop over to Charmed Cards to see them in all their glory.....

and I had one for Fidgeons to do too which is due to go out in a leaflet later this month I think, but you can see a sneaky peek here:

As well as that I did two CJ layouts, which cleared me and made me up to date for a bit but they are piling up again, lol.......

I also did a layout for my friend to display for her beauty business, but she picked it up yesterday and then I realised I hadn't taken a photo of it!  I am seeing her tomorrow though so will grab one then.

Anyways, other than the stuff I have been doing things are busy on the shop, with gorgeous new Maya Road goodies in, and the Auction for Ellie finished on Monday evening with a whopping £227 raised and a further £15 donated today.  How fab is that!  I have spoken to Kirsty and she is pleased too.  Thanks you to everyone who helped and took part.  Love you all.....x

I was tagged by Janice a while back - sorry hun not forgotten, when I blog hop I will pick it up and do it.  My desk is looking like a bomb has hit it.  Two weeks of unorganised chaos has left me with a 3 inch space on which to rest a cuppa and thats all.

Catch ya later.........xx

That spring feeling........

We started a Book Club on the Bubbly Funk Forum (hereafter know as BFF, lol) and our first read was The House at Riverton, Katie Morton.  I haven't picked up a book for months and months and so was glad to get into one again.  Anyway finished it within 10 days or so and feeling bereft of books I paid a visit to the local library.  Haven't been for ages but picked up three for now.  I love a bit of suspense, occasional horror and books I know with absolute certainty, I will not be able to put down.

Dean Koontz and Stephen King do it for me every time.  I know I am guaranteed a bloomin' good read with these guys.  Anyways, just finished reading Velocity by Dean Koontz.  The only problemo with reading is that it eats into my day and I know I have one zillion other more urgent things to be doing.  But I just have to get to the end of a chapter, and then maybe just start the next one cos its a short one - you get the picture.

I love reading though.  Transports you away for a little bit.  Whether that be into the mind of an old woman or into the mind of a homicidal maniac, either way you are in their lives for a while.  I kinda imagine that when I have finished reading the chapter and put it down for a while, that these characters are suspended insitu until the next time I give them life.  Or sometimes I think that even though I am not reading about their life, they are still living it and going about their daily business.  Ho hum.....

I managed to finish the Feb Sketch for the BFF (do ya remember what it stands for, lol) and so thats another page for my album.  Must try and do more than just one a month though, eh.  Have some yummo pics of the boys to do too, so that is my creative focus at the mo - scrapbooking.  Love it......

Here is the sketch, which, incidentally, I always make up after I have done the layout.  I don't make up a sketch and work the layout to suit, its always the other way around.  Purely so that people can use the sketch in a simple form if they want, and it kinda gives permission for people to scraplift, which when I do a sketch is fine by me......although it is nice to be given credit for the sketch....

Half term now for this next week.  Have such a lot of exciting things planned - dentist *open wide*, opticians*can you see it yet* (in a Rolf Harris twang), hairdressers *oops*.  The kids are gonna love this week I can tell you.  We plan a whole day sorting out the loft too.  We all need to have hands in on this one, as the loft is chocka with all sorts, that once sorted can go to charity.  I reckon there will be enough for them to collect in a van!

oooh, that Spring cleaning feeling is upon us folks......such fun.......:-)

Catch up.......

Ooooh its been ages since I blogged.  Losing Kappa left me feeling a bit flat for a few days and I still feel the loss whenever we bring Wiggy inside at night.  He must feel the loss more than anyone, and we try to give him lots of touchy feely comfort and some warmth from another living thing, which we all need to survive, don't we.  I have always spoken to them lots and I know he knows my voice.  He has started to make a kind of purring noise whenever I speak to him, so cute, bless him.

Anyways, thanks for all the kind words and comments from those of you who read the last couple of posts.  I knew some of you would understand *hugs*......

Nothing very exciting to talk of really.  Jan-Feb are bleak months aren't they.  Although the sun is shining lovely today and I wish it would stay like that for a bit more than just the odd snatched hour here are there, before clouds roll in and make it a murky grey again.  Can you tell I feel a bit sun-deprived.  I'm not on my own there I am sure.

Did a few crafty bits over the past couple of weeks.  I was asked late last year to be a guest designer for January for the Artist Trading Club - a website is due to be live soon, www.theartisttradingclub.com.  Its a club where ATC's are swapped and exchanged and is run by Christine.  I had to do five Black and White with a red accent, so I am looking forward to getting a mix of five back!  Here is the one I did.......

I was also reminded by Linda that I had her CJ to complete, which I did and it was posted yesterday, sorry for the delay Linda.  Kids Cult TV and my theme was The Magic Roundabout.  Linda's theme was 'Best Friend', so I had to do Dougal of course.  I think I did about Dougal in most of my entries into this round of CJ's.  The top is the left hand side of the layout and the bottom the right hand side. 

I also completed an entry in the Retailers CJ, although that was done a couple of weeks ago.  My Favourite Book.  If you have never read Meet Me Under the Ombu Tree by Santa Montefiore, then you must.  I love it and its one of my faves.  I kinda made an extra page in this entry so I could include a pic of the cover of the book, lift it over and there is a write up of the book.  Go get it now and read!  You will be enchanted.....

I made use of some beads I had too and I was able to sew easily into the cork flower too.  A mass of glue bound the beads to make a centre for the flower - you might see better on the close-up.....

It was Rosie's b'day on 2 Feb and I actually made a card!  Must admit I don't like making them, sorry to you cardmakers out there, but I do try and am usually disappointed with what I do.  Part of it is also busting a gut to make something wonderful and then having to give it away, lol!  Is that selfish?  I only bother with cards if I know the person will appreciate it, and only if I have the time.  I am so desperate to get on with scrapbooking that cards come way down the list......

note the little 'hehe' I have inserted in the doodley bits.  Not sure if Rosie noticed.....hehe xx

It was my turn this month to set a cardmaking challenge on the Craft Diner, so go take a look and see if you fancy having a go!

I am in the process of organising a February Scrap Sketch for the Bubbly Funk Forum too, so will update on that once I have finished it!

Well, so much to do and not sure if I have enough ooomph to do it.  Perhaps a cuppa will give me some much needed get up and go...........xx

Sneaky Peeks....

Well my blocked ear is a little better.  It started popping at the beginning of the week, so I am not quite so deaf, lol !  Thanks for everyones kind concern.....

Did anyone watch {Gordon Ramsay} last night?  Darren and I did and we are going to have a cooking sesh later on and try and do what he did (minus the scallops though) cos it all looked so scrummy and the choc mousse especially looked so delish and easy to make.  Have to make a trip to tescos later.

I quite like Gordon Ramsay.  There is something a little bit sexy about him, I think.  Am I alone on this, lol ?!

Spent some time this past week making bits and pieces with the Design Team kit Karen sent me from {Charmed Cards and Crafts}.  Lovely For Peeps Sake glittery papers and embellies from Imaginisce.  Here are a few sneaky peeks.....

but if you pop along to the Charmed Cards site (link above) you can see them in all their glory.......

Went shopping yesterday with a friend and popped into a little sewing shop.  She has some lovely buttons and I just had to buy these beauties.  A whopping 6cm diameter, I thought these would look stunning in the middle of a large bloom and on the front of a notebook or something similar.....

I love going into little shops like this one and finding treasures, don't you.  There were other colours too, so I may well find myself back there........hehe

Abi - you really shine.......

Well you had a sneaky peek in the previous post and as this is now 'live' on the Bubbly Funk Forum and Craft Diner forum, I can show it here!!

I really enjoyed working with this photo as it shows Abi at such a gorgeous age, and she was a gorgeous baby inside and out as you can see.  Her dress and little bonnet were such a lovely combination of colours that it was easy to coordinate and combine.  I like working with pink anyway, lol !

I vow to do at least one layout a month and sincerely hope I can do more, time will tell.

The pink papers underneath the photo are Blonde Moments Sugar Dumpling, which will remain a firm fave of mine forever, I am sure.  To me they are timeless too and still look good two years after release.  I think I am right there, I am sure they were released two years ago.  Good old Autumn Leaves acrylic stamp 'You Really Shine', acrylic paint to create the spots and ribbon and blooms and buttons.

Here's the sketch if you fancy having a go.  If you do create using my sketch then please let me know as I would love to see!

Happy New Year!!

1st of Jan and the beginning of some resolutions for lots of us I suspect.  I vow to be more efficient, or at least as efficient as I used to be, or as hubbie puts it 'like you were before you had the shop'.  I used to be mega efficient you see and now I have less time to be efficient and so have more time to be dis-organised, lol !!

I also want to scrapbook a lot more and have made a start on that.  I have done a page which will go on the forum as a sketch also, so people may be inspired to have a go.  Hopefully that will go on as a monthly challenge/inspiration thingie tomorrow, but you can see a sneaky peek of the page here:

Twas a quiet new year's eve for me.  Darren was at work, Abi at a friends house sleeping over and the boys both upstairs on their computers.  I didn't feel too good and so spent most the evening on the setee but I did watch the film, Girl with a Pearl Earring.  That was a nice film. 

I managed to get a CJ layout done today for posting this week.  Its Traceys book 'Colour' and I had to go with my fave Pink, Purple and Oranges.  Love those colours together.

This post is taking me hours, lol !  Snatching the odd sentence inbetween advert breaks of Shameless which started a new series tonight.  That programme is soooo brill and I am watching the second episode now in E4 cos I can't wait for next week.

Do you watch it?  If not then why not?!

This isn't aimed at your general direction (hope it doesn't offend :-) ) but meet Frank Gallagher from Shameless.......hehe

Its nearly here.........

Well, the big day is almost here and December for me has gone in a heartbeat.  I planned to do so much but ran out of time.

I did manage to do a couple of gifts for people and here are a few sneeky peeks.  I won't say what they are or who for as you may be reading this and suss it out :-)

ooooooh lovely black and white........

I am loving dotty and spotty at the mo.........

Autumnal colours grace this gift.......

brrrr, ice cold..... wonder if we will have any this Christmas??........

I managed to make one card, yup just the one........

I am ready now, everything is done and I am in the throes of tidying my craft area.  yesterday I spent hours sorting out my stash baskets and making a start on some paperwork.  I am planning on some lovely crafty hours this Christmas and if everything is clear then I should be able to get on with stuff - thats the plan anyway.

The kids are getting excited and this year its Abi more than anyone else.  Quite surprised really as she is the eldest child and also the most excited, bless her.  This is prob the first year that has been stress free for me.  I normally can't sleep as I have so much going on in my head with all the preparation needed for Christmas, but this year I have just gone with the flow.  If its not done now it ain't gonna be done and I am not getting into a tizz over one day.  I have wrapped pressies, food bought, everything is falling into place without me running round like a headless chicken, so thats good!

Off out tonight with some friends to an Indian restaurant for some scrummy grub.  These friends are disappearing for three months after Christmas to visit Singapore and travel around that area, so this may be the last we see of them for a while.  They have done a lot of travelling over the years and are able to as they have no children, but we will miss then and look forward to all their stories when they come back.  Perhaps I can persuade her to scrapbook her travels....... :-o

rap, rap, rap, rap, wrapping......

Well, last weekend I only managed some ATC's and I started the Secret Santa book on the BF Forum.  So I am going to finish that this weekend.  Hopefully make a start on my other bits that I so want to make.  Cards will take a back seat for now and they will be done only if I have time.

This months ATC Swap on the BFForum was Celebrations.....

and I used my heat embossing again!  Really into that at the mo.......

I spent four hours wrapping presents today.  I had brought them downstairs yesterday and piled them onto the dining room table, cos I knew they would be in the way and I would have to get on and wrap them.  Enjoyed the first couple of hours and then it was getting on my nerves, lol !  But they are done and ribboned and tagged and look great under the tree.  This lot doesn't include the kids pressies though as that would be just too tempting for nosey noses and itching fingers!

This is one of my fave decs on the tree.....

Isn't this a special time of year....... :-)

Its back!

My car is back home!  It was delivered to me today and looks brand spanking new, as though the accident never, ever happened.  Took her for a spin and she is lovely, drives like a dream.  I had forgotten just how fabaroo she is.  So my baby is parked nice and neat on my driveway.........

Had a busy craft weekend and managed to get two CJ layouts done.

This first was was for the Retailers CJ I am in and this one was called 'Precious'.  What would you try and save from a burning building - other than family, friends, pets and photos, what would you try to save.

I thought long and hard about this and in all reality I would grab at my crafty stuff after the above had been rescued safely!  But I had a chat to Darren about it and we both agreed that we would try to save 'Buddy'.

He is Abi's cuddly rabbit which she has had since she was two months old.  She couldn't say 'bunny' when she wanted to give him a name and it came out as Buddy and Buddy it has stayed ever since.  This once cuddly rabbit is now a shell of his former self.  His arms have fell off, I have had to recover him twice and all his stuffing has come out.  He is literally a piece of rag.  But Abi loves him and still takes him to bed, bless. 

I love working with bright colours and the giraffe is stamped and then heat embossed to give it a slightly glossy look.  I haven't heat embossed for a while but used it on both my layouts this past weekend.  Its such fun and I love seeing the powder change before your eyes.

This is the CJ I did for DiO's 'Celebrations' for the CJ on the BF forum.  Christmas and Easter had already been covered so I plumped for Halloween.

Anyway the oven is calling me.  I decided to make a Banana Loaf.  Don't think I have suddenly managed to find extra hours in the day, I just couldn't bear to see bananas going to waste........mmmmmmmm......banana loaf.........

Remember, remember.........

Well, Bonfire Night has come and gone although no doubt we will still hear fireworks going off for a few more days yet.  Once 5th November is gone that symbolises a real start to Christmas preparation for me.  I have already done quite a bit but I want most of it done by 1st December so I can have the main Christmas month to do all the nice bits.

A real leap of faith for me on Saturday Night.  Abi asked if she could go out with friends to see a firework display in town.  Obviously at night so this meant her wondering around with her girly friends in the dark and in the centre of town where people go drinking.  The only stipulation I put on her evening was to phone me every 45 minutes.  I know she is 15 but I can remember being 15 and can also remember going out with mates also meant eyeing up the boys.  Which is fine, but you know what I mean.  Its a worry.

She was as good as gold.  Phoned me on the dot every 45 minutes.  So I won't worry so much the next time she wants to do it.  Who am I kidding?  Course I will worry.  But at least she is considerate and I can't ask much more than that.

Anyway, the weekend saw me crafting away.  Now the kids are that little bit older I can have some time to myself and because Darren works most weekends I have designated every Saturday as a 'look after yourself' day.  Which means the kids have to sort out their own food at lunchtime and then we usually have chips from the chippie for tea.  This means I can craft the day away without seeing to the kids as well.  Works fine.  They are getting some cooking, or at least food preparing, skills and I am getting a virtually uninterrupted day.  Abi, especially, is getting a good cook in the kitchen.  She does a mean omlette.  The boys can manage sandwiches or opening a tin of soup for lunch, but its all good....... :)

I finished an entry in the Retailers CJ I am in on UKS and this one was chocolate.  So I did lots of chocolatey quotes - in a tree.  Don't ask me why, I just fancied doing a tree.......hehe

I've had to resize and rejig this one to fit it all together instead of two separate pics, so please excuse the quality, best I could do quickly.

    

I did some layered flowers too, and added a bit of bling.

Used some gold acrylic paint under the oval plaque, which I then stamped a swirly design - Fancy Pants stamps I think it was - and then scuffed it a bit to take away the 'newness' of it.  Chipboard plaque which says about the choccie I like.

Boo!  I desperately need a decent white pen.  I have several but none of them are good enough for writing with.  I do quite like this one though, a Uni Paint Marker, that I used to frame the ATC.  Gives a paint effect and you could get high of the fumes I'm sure.  A very smelly pen! 

Isn't the spider stamp cute too.  Part of the October Kit on Bubbly Funk - I had to have me one of those!

I also managed to get another CJ layout done.  Very pleased that I managed to get three projects finished in a weekend.......

This is one for the Bubbly Funk CJ.  This was Linda's theme and called 'A Night at the Movies'.  I had to do Meet Joe Black, only one of the bestest films EVA!!

We had to use the star template as part of the layout with a piccie of ourselves on it.
There is a tag that pulls out of the top of the film pic which gives a bit of info avout the film.

All put together with plenty of stitching and bling........

So, I am up to date - well, almost -  just have my recipe cards to do........

Tweet, tweet, whats cookin............?!

This week I managed to get my UKS CyberCrop ATC done.  A little bit late but hey-ho.  I had to do April and came up with this:

I am loving my little chipboard birdies and even though I am not a fan of pastel colours I did like how these colours went together.  They were popped in the post yesterday and, fingers crossed, they won't be delayed too much.  Darn Royal Mail strikes......

I've had some exciting news too - I am on a Design Team!!  I am now on the team for Fidgeons Crafts Wholesalers, which is very exciting and I should be getting something to work with through the post at the end of October.

I need a purpose for my crafting I've found.  I can never sit and do things with no aim other than to make something.  If I weren't in swaps or CJ's, that kind of thing, I don't think I would do it just for me.  I would like to, and I really want to get some scrapping done but I guess even that isn't just for me as the aim would be to get it done for my kids. 

I would love to get a book done for them each and it is on my 'to do' list, along with loads of other things, hehe!  I am keen to do a Book of Me too.  Show my children the real me.  Anyway, one day........

Abi has arranged for her sleepover tomorrow night.  We have already had words about her wanting to go on the trampoline.  Its all covered up in preparation for Winter and she wants it uncovered so that her and her friends can go on it.  Now ten teenage girls and one trampoline, however big, is a recipe for disaster I reckon.  I don't want to be fretting about someone getting hurt and I don't want to supervise them either.  We argued about this for ages, which is a surprise in itself because Abi is usually so placid.  She was giving me death stares all evening but I am sticking my ground. 

She had also made plans to do baking in my kitchen!  Another recipe for disaster I reckon and I said no to this initially but I might relent and let them do some muffins or something simple.  It might soften the blow of not allowing the trampoline.

Talking of Muffins - here's my card for the Recipe Card Swap we've started on BF.

Our first swap was Chocolate and I did a Cadbury Muffin recipe which is defo the best muffin recipe I have ever done and it used to be on the side of the Cadbury Cocoa tin until recently.  I couldn't find this recipe anywhere and resorted to emailing Cadbury about it and they sent it to me!  So very pleased about that.

We are doing this swap monthly now and making 6"x4" cards each with recipes of a certain theme.  This months theme now is Christmas, so that we can get some good, tried and tested recipes ready for the festive season.  Put them altogether in a decorated box and you have a fab recipe collection. 

I really enjoyed doing these cards and had some scrummy recipes back too.

Right, I am now going to do some onlike food shopping through Tesco and have a sizeable list of party goodies which Abi wants for her sleepover tomorrow.  Remind me never to say Yes to having this many over again, lol !.............

Create in Colour

I have just spent all weekend preparing a CJ for the Retailers CJ on UKS.  I have know about this for months and still leave it to the very last minute.  What is the matter with me?!

I am doing 'Create in Colour', so its really an open CJ to do whatever you like provided its colourful.  I do love doing CJ's and if it wasn't for my committment to these and ATC's I don't think I would get chance to craft!  I need a committment to make me do it.

Here we go then, cover, intro, layout and sign in at the back.  I am loving orange at the mo, and combined with pink I think its scrummylicious..........

I am truly loving my sewing machine at the mo too. 

I think I blogged this little cupcake pot last week. I am into cupcake anything at the moment and thought it a good opportunity to stick it in a CJ, seeing as the colours are so fab.

Good excuse to use my new cupcake chipboard too.....

I love chipboard I does.  Combined with a scuffer to round the edges off and I am in chippy heaven.

And then this is the sign-in bit.  The pockets were made from my fabbo Bigz pocket die and the little Fancy Pants journalling cards inside fit perfectly.

Ooooh and the Crafters Workshop templates are divine.  I loved doing the circles - made my hand ache mind, having to keep it so still although I could have used masking tape I suppose......

Can't wait to get this back.........lol...

Thanks for everyones concern over Cam's toe.  He is fine and its all healing OK.  My Dad amazed Cam with stories of his youth and how he was stung a gazillion times when smoking out wasps so they could get the grubs for fishing.  Oh how cruel I said.  Thats what we did then, he said.  We all did it, he said, they were the best things for fishing.

Ooookay, I'll take your word for it Pappy........