Friday Sketchers

The idea was to come home from Mum and Dad's party and while hubby went of with BIL in the evening to make a card but I was hurting quite a bit and the only place I could get comfy was in bed. So my card that I started had to wait till yesterday to be finished off. This is one of my DT Dream2stamp stamps, I had great fun cutting out the butterflies and just maybe got slightly carried away. The papers are Doodlebug, the sentiment is Cuddly Buddly and I've used Claudia's fantastic sketch on Friday Sketchers

Just a couple of pics, this one of all my Brothers and Sister with my Mum and Dad and below is Mum with Elliott, who has lost his spot of being the youngest Great Grandchild, little Connor is the latest and sixth Grandchild for my youngest brother.

My nephew Simon is convinced that the album I made and on my other blog is password protected and had to inform as long as you knew where to look its available for all to see.

Golden Day

Donalda on WOJ challenge blog has designed the sketch this week, she sometimes has sketches on her blog which I keep meaning to do so I'm please I managed to do this sketch. I was going through BG papers looking for something for another image and decided this would work with this image. I'm ashamed to say that this is the first time this little darling has been inked up. The papers are quite busy so I punched the small flowers and again I've used the cuttlebug corners.

Congratulations to my Mum and Dad who celebrate their Golden Wedding today, as my brother said its quite an achievement for someone who has been married three times. Mum's first husband was tragically killed while she was seven months pregnant, the second I believe wasn't very nice and if she didn't get married a third time I wouldn't be here, what a disaster that would of been.

Wet Friday

Can you believe it but I haven't 3d this Sarah Kay image for the Spoonful of Sugar challenge which is a fabulous sketch. You will be pleased to hear that these Daisy Bucket papers have now all gone, nearly every last bit has been used.

There's another challenge blog using sketches called Inspirational Card Sketches, so I thought I would give it a go, it didn't quite go to plan, the pearlescent patterned paper doesn't seem to work with the white, so I put the flower on and now I don't like that but it would be unfair not to see the gorgeous Primrose in her itsy bitzy polka dot bikini. I do love her we have so much in common although you won't see me in a bikini it would clear the beach.

On a happy note the Postman been and he didn't lose the Glitter pot parcel and my DT stamps have arrived from dream2stamp, so I'm a happy bunny.

Ismaki Trio

I struggled yesterday to make a card with the sketch I wanted to use it just didn't work and the whole time I was thinking of the Ismaki sketch and how I would use the three Elisabeth Bell girls from Funky kits. I think it works pretty well the option was for hearts so I made mine with a punch, some swirly stamps and white embossing powder. The flowers are Prima and the dotty paper is Daisy Bucket.
Still no post, I hope the Post Office doesn't mislaid my order there's some sweet PB stamps in that parcel and I've been over to Funky Kits maybe the Elisabeth Bell stamps have fallen into my basket and I made sure I didn't pre-order the Gorjuss Girls at the same time so I won't have to wait.
We was going up North to see MIL, she's had an op on her foot, she's fine at home but we thought we could restock her larder while up there but we've had to cancel the weather for the next few days is for Snow so we've postponed it to the following week.

Basic Grey Sketch

I had the BG Urban Prairie pad on my desk and I thought I'll have a go with the Sketch on Basic Grey challenge blog. Love these papers, I think another pack may fall into a shopping basket soon, I've also used my Martha Stewart punch since I've done a couple of cards without it. For some reason I struggled with the sketch, not sure why and I've lost count how many different flowers I've tried and I'm still not particularly happy with these.

So the two cards I've made for my Niece's friend are sitting in a very full Post box and it looks very unlikely that they will arrive in time tomorrow. This is what they're are missing, I have contacted my niece to warn her that they may have to go to a shop and actually buy one.

Snow day

So the challenge on High Hopes challenge blog is from Ila and if you haven't checked out her blog well you have surely been missing some wonderful creations, her colouring is amazing, back to the challenge which is for lace. I've layered my lace because its tiny and I felt three strips of it gave it a bit more depth, the papers are BG and the butterfly and flowers are the freebies from Papermania and of course the fairy is High Hopes.

Catching up with a couple of lovely awards from Sarah, many thanks .

So its official we had a Snow day yesterday and it doesn't look much better today, although a bus did manage to get up my hill this morning but I haven't seen one for a while. I doubt I'll see a Postman today either especially since I've had a despatch e-mail from Glitter Pot and hubby walked again to work. You have to understand that the last time I remember this much snow was in 1987 when my DD was 3 and had just started playschool, two afternoons a week, she had only just settled in and I remember putting her in a sledge, all wrapped up and cosy and pulling her along there.

Cupcake Mouse

My card this morning seem an anti-climax due to the snowfall in the south-east of England this is so unusual for us. It's still snowing steadily, my hubby went out a couple of hours (not in the car he walked) to work and his footsteps are now covered.
Back to the card, its using the sketch for Sketch Saturday and finally I've used my WOJ mouse he wasn't suppose to be cut out but I didn't leave enough room between the stamped images. Not sure on the papers and its on an A6 card so I can send that to Marie Curie that Do-Crafts are collecting for.
I've also been luck to win some amazing High Hopes stamps and whats even better I don't have them.

We have SNOW

I've taken these photos about 10 minutes ago, the Patio table show how deep its snowed, haven't seen it this bad for 22 years. My DD won't forget her Birthday this year. Back later with a card.

Early Sunday Morning

Mmmmm have to say when I saw the challenge on Penny Black Saturday for a circular card, I wasn't keen but that why we do challenges. I'm still not keen and the only time you'll see another circular card will be if there is another challenge for one. I saw this PB stamp on another blog and felt guilty that I hadn't inked him up. The circle card was cut out on the cricut using the Fabulous Finds cartridge and the funny shaped scallop is using Storybook and punched daisies.
Off to Scrapbuddies crop this morning so this is being scheduled. Hopefully I will finish my journal today and FairyKaren can give me some ideas for a Golden Wedding, yes I know I haven't done it yet but Gold is just not my colour, added to the fact I've been asked to do 2 Birthday cards and I tried to convince them that their Mum makes more traditional cards and I do cute but it didn't work.

Daisy Saturday

Carole is the designer of the sketch for Friday sketchers this week and I feel like I'm all craft out but I got out one of my favourite stamp Daisy by Elizabeth Bell from Funky Kits. At least when I use Daisy the card always works out well. The papers are Daisy Bucket and the flower is Prima finished off with a brad from Poppicrafts.

My sis moans about how much I buy and often drops me into trouble when she reads I've got new stamps on my blog, which if you notice I try not to mention. So when we were driving home late on Thursday from her house she rings me up to tell Crafts U love has the new Magnolia collection in, now if that isn't encouragement. So have I brought some, you will just have to wait and see or did I pop online to the Glitter Pot instead and brought some new PB.

I do feel that the Penny Black Saturday challenge are responsible for a new love of PB stamps, I've always had trouble colouring them in and the challenge force me into having another go with the few tucked away in my stamp drawers. Now I'm addicted although I won't have has many has my friend Fairy Karen.

Fi has contacted me and the candy will soon be on its way to her. Just would like to say Thank you everyone who has taken part and especially would like to Thank you all for the wonderful comments on my blog and have taken up to follow me.

Drum Roll please

Using a random selector thingy it came up with this

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers: 142 341 94
Timestamp: 2009-01-30 12:41:04 UTC

So I've counted and any one who posted twice (I've done this before too) I've only counted once, then I counted again. And the winner is

Fi

If the candy not claimed for by Monday night I will past it on to the next number.

Catch up Friday

Dawn has draw another great sketch for Papertake Weekly and I use one of those very expensive PB that I managed to buy just after Christmas, this one cost me a £1. I used Chatterbox papers and the scallop edge is Fiskars threading water punch and technically it shouldn't be there but it hides some messy ink smudges, that were on my fingers at the time of sticking down.

Amazing response to my Blog Candy, the idea of printing the comments and cutting it up and putting them in hat isn't going to work with nearly 400 comments so will have to have a bit of a rethink. I will officially close the draw at Noon, UK time and hope to have discovered a fair way to choose a winner.

Trying to catch up with everyone now this award if from Michele and I need to sort out ten honest things about me.

This one is from Julie

And this one from Heather

Many thanks

Now if you are aware of the drama in my house this week, I've some before and after photos. This is the hall, before;

The hall leads into the kitchen that then leads to the dining room. This is what all the floors looked like and the black stuff smells like tar, apart from the kitchen the floors had to be screened twice, each layer taking 4 hrs to dry.

Now look at the difference. I didn't realise my Hall was that big and so bright, although the floor shows up that the hall is in desperate need to be decorated, more chaos.

Back to Normal

Its all done and I'm back on my PC, the house is one huge dusty mess but the floors look brilliant and my stress levels are returning to normal. Thank you for still visiting my blog and now I need to seriously catch up with everything that I've missed.

The card I made while hiding in my craftroom is using the 2sketches4you by Laura, the papers are BG. I handstitched the lace on the circle and I only mean't to put one butterfly on but got slightly carried away, its turned out a little too pretty and a bit OTT.

High Hopes Hearts

Things are not quite going to plan, the dining room should have been finished and I would be able to access the PC instead I'm on DD laptop and who invented the cursor thingy cos its sending me loopy give me a mouse anyday.
Everywhere is cluttered and I'm finding it difficult to phot pics this poor card looks washed out but is fine in real live. Ah well things will eventually sort themselves out. As for the card I made it for the High Hopes challenge to use hearts, not sure on the papers and the sentiment quickly made on the PC before I was evicted out of the room.

edited; Have changed the photo so it doesn't look so wishy washy.

Another day of Chaos

Talk about chaos, the only areas I had access to was the kitchen and my craftroom and he's coming back today. Not sure I should even be in the dining room but I thought I will quickly put the card I made yesterday on my blog but apologies for not getting around to everyone.

So my Blog has now well and truly past 50,000 and what a fabulous response to my Blog Candy.

Back to the card I used the Ismaki sketch although the skull and cross bones is a bit extra in the corner. The papers are Chatterbox and the stamps are High Hopes, I thought the Pirate ship would take time to colour but it was really easy although the Pirate has quite a beer belly.

Did anyone notice the new item in my sidebar can you believe it, thats one New Year Resolution completed.

Chaos Returns

The floors are to be skimmed, screened or whatever, the worst of it I couldn't take a pic in the dining room where I've set up a tripod etc so this terrible pic was taken in my craft room and poor Sugar Nellie image looks like its foggy. Oh well, hope to replace it when life gets back to normal. I made this card quickly too for the Sketch Saturday with some fab Pebbles paper and I not sure what sentiment to use at the mo so left it out. Not sure I will be able to catch up blogging the PC is in the dining room too, this floor stuff takes 4 hours to dry between each layer.

Roll on tomorrow.

Frame it

Just when you thought it was safe to view my blog without seeing Christmas cards, I've slipped one in. Mainly because today is the 25th January and I've been told this is Rudolph day, so on the 25th of each month you make some Christmas Cards in hope you're not in a last minute panic in December.
The Penny Black challenge is to frame it, the frame is cut with the cricut with the Storybook cartridge but it makes holes in the side so I covered them up with the gems. I'm not going to admit that this stamp I brought last year for my Christmas cards was never was inked nor am I going to admit the Craftwork cards trees were in an unopened packet. The card was a bit rushed to make sure that I could photo in daylight and to arrange a schedule post because I had to leave home early so DH could help BIL so we could get to our favourite Chinese Restaurant on time to celebrate the Chinese New Year, I knew its a couple of days early but it still was a pretty good reason.

Best Day Ever

Still not organised enough to take photos in daylight but they don't seem too bad using a daylight lamp. This card is using Friday Sketcher's latest sketch from Bea, there is suppose to be a torn bit of paper according to the sketch. Now anyone who knows me will know that just isn't going to happen, I come out in a cold sweat when I'm in a class and I'm told to tear the paper but even though I haven't torn the paper I'm really please with this card. The papers are Websters not sure where I got them from, Prima flowers, sentiment Hero Arts and of course a Sugar nellie designed by Elizabeth Bell for Funky kits. I don't make large cards very often but this one worked a treat and is ready for DD Birthday next week, I hope she's too busy to check my blog.

Finally the Imaginisce paper is no more this the very last of the scraps and the Dutch Dare Challenge was for Mosaic, I used a punch on various bits of scraps to make the background. While it sat on desk it bugged me that I should of stamped the Claire's design daisy in brown ink because the black is too bold but not a lot you can do when the papers all gone.

The lovely Clare sent me this fab award, keep checking her blog because she has something up her sleeve happening soon.

Also don't forget to comment on my Blog Candy can't believe I forgotten how to change the date so it stays on the top.