Flipping codes

I've spent most of the morning trying to change the layout of my blog .....easier said than done.  I kept getting a message saying there was a problem with the code, anyway I've got it sorted but whenever I sign in I still see my old layout before it changes to the new one and I can't find the old code to delete it, no matter how much I search for it, I've no idea if anyone else sees the old black/white/red layout, maybe you could let me know.

Mike woke me up in the early hours getting up to look out the window as he thought he'd heard something outside, luckily I fell back asleep, normally once I'm awake that's it, but I woke up again about 7.30 ish and just couldn't  get my bum out of the bed, I was planning on doing more ironing but just couldn't be bothered.  That's when I hit on the idea to change my blog.......note to self: think ideas through when you're more wide awake.
Anyway here's some more makes.

All 3 cards have been made using Craftwork Cards papers apart from the flowers and the sentiments on the first 2 cards, they're done with Spellbinder 'Label 4' dies and good old peeloffs from my stash.

Image is the Lavender Flower Fairy that I bought secondhand years ago off ebay, I watercoloured it with Whisper markers.  Dark blue card has been embossed using Cuttlebug Embossing Borders 'Frills Set' and then distressed.

This was made for a little girl who lives a few doors away from me, for her 7th birthday.  She had Tinkerbell on her cake, so I carried the theme on.  Cuttlebug embossing folder for Tinkerbell was watercoloured with Sakura Stardust pens. Borders were punched with Martha Stewart deep edge punch 'Floral Vine', fairy charm from stash.  The card is an 8x8 from Craftwork Cards

Another quick card that was commissioned.  Image from Elzybells and coloured with copics, peel offs from stash.

This was another quick card, and I was asked to put the receipients name on (I hate doing those kind) but as the person who wanted it said she wanted one of my £2 cards, it doesn't leave a lot of room to really titify the card up (card is 12cm x 12cm) and as I know the receipient loves going to the ballet, I thought this would suit her to the ground. The decoupage image is off FeeJDesigns disc 'Ballet Belles' the backing paper is craft work cards (again!)

Image from Penny Black 2376K 'Toot the Flute' and 'Musical Birthday' BK2040LC from Butterfly kisses. Shaped frame by Go Kreate.  Backing paper is a freebie, flower from stash.

Belles 'n' Whistles 'Sunshine and Apples' coloured with Copics.  Papers by Papermania 'Capsule Collection' in Aqua.  Sentiment from Craftwork Cards, flower from stash.

This was made for a friend's little girl whose birthday we missed, so rather than make a belated card, I made a wall plaque instead.  Image is from sugar Nellies 'Daisy' coloured with Copics.  Butterfly is Cuttlebug 'Cut 'n' Emboss' flower from stash.  Pointy frame by Go Kreate was embossed using Swiss Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder.

Image is from Sugar Nellies 'Picking Apples' coloured with Copics, lemon paper punched with Martha Stewart deep edge punch 'Flower Bed', double sided backing paper from Stampin' Up.

Another £2 card ordered by someone, I wasn't happy with this but she liked it.  Bears are Penny Black 'Bear Blanks' 1450E & 1451F coloured with Copics.  Cuttlebug embossing folder 'Happy Birthday'.

Forever Friends image 'I'll Drink To That' coloured with copics.  Basic Grey paper is from a 6 x 6 pad called 'Two Scoops' and this particular design is called 'Swirl'.  Pink card is done with Martha Stewart deep edger punch 'Floral Vine'.  Sentiment is from Craftwork Cards.

My first ever easel card and Gorjuss Girl! 'Flower Girl' coloured with Promarkers. Red card is Bo Bunny Double Dot 'Harvest Dot'.  Border done with Martha Stewart 'Flower Bed'.

Lazy Sunday afternoon.......

Well it was for me, seeing as how I was up at 7am just to start catching up on the ironing and finishing off a wee bit of washing.  I don't know why I do it, leave the ironing for ages....then have a mad spurt sitting with the steam press watching old episodes of Dynasty and Melrose Place. 

Last night I uploaded all photos that were on my mobile, and two other cameras, then sorted them in to their own folders, it took hours as some were duplicated and I had to keep checking and deleting. A majority of them are of Shane, the rest were of cards.  At least now Michael can't moan at me about the cameras being full.

This little lot are what I made a little while ago.

This was a sympathy card made for a neighbour who died a couple of months ago.  I'm hopeless at Sympathy cards, so I used a design that Shirley had done at Craft Inspirations.  The  turquoise card is from Inspire Me Papers, while  the ivory paper is from my stash.  The metal (tin?) leaves are from Artoz as are the light blue sticky pearls, peel off also from stash.

The two above were a variation on a theme of a card I made at Craft Inspirations, which I'll post when I sort out all the the other workshop cards.  The butterfly card was punched with Martha Stewart Floral Lace edge punch, dark yellow card is DCWV and embossed with Cuttlebug 'Victoria' A2 Embossing folder, butterflies were punched with an x-cut punch,  large flower was made with a Woodware punch.  red card exactly the same except edges were punched with Fiskars 'Scalloped Lace' and smaller flowers were from stash.

This was a design I saw in a Crafts Beautiful book, can't remember the title at the moment though, but I remember only paying £5 at the NEC on the CB stand. Don't think any explanation is needed on how to make this......simples!

This another easy one, Penny Black 'A Touch' 3820K  coloured with Promarkers, and mounted onto purple and silver 'bubbly' type card. Black card is by Paper Mania.

Apologies for the quality of this photo, I used my phone to take it, but I must have moved before it took it fully.  This was sent to Shane's grand-dad for his birthday.  Image is another Penny Black one 'Imagine' 3694K.  Think I used copics to colour. Spellbinder die 'Labels 4' was used for the sentiment that Shane wrote, everything else is from stash. 

This is to Mike's dad.  I was stuck as to what image to put on the front, then realised I didn't need to have an image.  Ribbon and peel offs from stash.  Cuttlebug A2 embossing folder 'Herringbone' used, and Spellbinder nestabilities 'Labels 4' die.

Huh, not impressed with myself, it's only 9.15pm and I'm struggling to keep my eyes open, but I think that's more to do with the fact I've put the heating on as it's gone chilly, nonetheless I'm off to bed.  Mike is giving Shane a bath, they've been down to the skate park, earlier this evening but only because there's no school tomorrow, otherwise they would have gone this afternoon, so I'll bid you all goodnight.

Peace & Quiet

I've just had a nice relaxing shower without anybody knocking on the bathroom door asking to come in to use the loo, by that I mean Shane, who no matter how many times you ask him if he needs to go to the toilet before either his dad or I have a shower, you can guarantee he'll always come up saying he needs to go to the loo.  Mike had tickets for The Gadget Show at the NEC so they're there for the afternoon, while I get some more washing done and carry on blogging whilst watching the omnibus of Coronation Street. 

This was an order for someone who said make it as pink as possible!  Image is Sad bear by The Artful Stamper and coloured with Promarkers, I added the flowers behind his back, they're from a pack of watercolour stamps bought from Sir Stampalot.  Prima flowers, papers from stash. Greeting was done on the 'puter. Ovals cut with Go Kreate dies.  For a change I thought I'd have a go at decorating the inside, mainly because the card was an 8x8 from Craftwork Cards and I couldn't  be bothered attempting to do a traditional insert. I decorated the envelope as well.

This was a very quick card, as Mike told me about 30 mins before he went out the door that he was going to see a friend whose wife had had another baby.  I would have liked to have done a better one than this, in fact I did do another but I wasn't happy with it because I hadn't left any room on the front for the name and date of birth.  Anyway, they liked the one that they had in the end.  Image is by Denami, the safety pin image is by Judikins, bear & pins were heat embossed and pins were watercoloured with light blue sakura stardust pen.

Let the music play on.....

Whilst looking back on my blog I noticed that some of my music wasn't playing, so I've spent the last 5 or so hours sorting it all out, and now I'm off to bed.........night night!

x

Catching up

Just posting these for the moment as I've got a couple of cards to make and get in the post today.

The above 2 makes were made using all Craftwork Cards stuff, just looking at the date I made the first one...it was my birthday then!!

Btw, that's not a stain on my carpet, it's part of the pattern!!

I was in a monochromatic mood when I made these. The top left card is 'Shy Bear', which is very very similar to Tatty Ted the 'From Me To You' bear  If I remember rightly, I bought him a few years ago at the NEC from Stamp Addicts and he's woodmounted,  now I notice he's sold unmounted.  The card on the top right is called Fairy Silhouette (F411) by Great Impressions this is a woodmounted stamp, as is the one below it which is called Frollicking Trio (G342) also by Great Impressions.  The next two were stamped with a Penny Black woodmounted stamp (3636K) Flying Stars.

Good golly.............

Well, it's been 5 months since my last post and guess what?  I can't tell you what I've been doing in all that time apart from that for a while I was suffering from dizziness (vertigo?) and have ended up having my bp tablets dosage increased, as my bp had got higher.  I also had to go to see a gastroentorologist at the end of December because for years I've suffered with tummy/bowel problems and was told it was IBS, but gradually I've been getting worse.  Basically after having tests, it seems I have to put up with it.  I've been given a low dosage anti depressant (I'm not depressed!!! far from it, I'm very happy with my life, boring as it is) but apparently they haven't been prescribed to treat depression for years, but something in the tablet does something to the bowel, which stops the need to go rushing to the loo (as I've had to do on more occasions then I care to remember).....and surprise surprise they work!!!!!!  I don't even have to take them everyday if I don't want to. 
Hope you've all had a good Easter, I've been really good and not eaten any of Shane's easter eggs,  but give it time......

Today some LIli of the Valley stamps arrived, I'll have to have a play with them over the weekend if I can.  I've got a few cards to post on here which also includes some Christmas ones, I made some Easter cards for Shane's grandparents, but for the life of me I can't remember if I took photos of them or not.

For the last few days I've been reading Kirsty Wiseman's blog, and I still haven't finished, think I'm on 2008.  I started reading it last Thursday right from when she started blogging back in 2005.  I've cried tears of laughter and I've cried reading about her fight with the NHS trying to get a diagnosis for her gorgeous curly haired daughter Belle, and whilst doing that, taking a photography course and setting herself up in business as a photographer AND still doing her scrapbooking classes and designing her own range of digi papers, and god knows what else because I haven't finished reading her blog yet.  I wish I had her energy and business brain.

At the moment one of my fave programmes has just started on BBC1....Outnumbered. 

So I'll bid you goodnight and hopefully I'll start o get some pics on here tomorrow.

x

5 Things about me.......

The lovely Susan over at Saramar has passed this on to me, good job I read her post really carefully or I wouldn't have known I have to write 5 things about me! I then have to pass it on to 5 other people.  So here it goes...

1. I hate racism of any sort, having been a victim of it.

2. I like to help others if I can.

3. I wish I had smaller boobs, in fact I'd like to be a perfect size 10 or 12., but believe me it's never going to happen.

4. I've always wanted to be a famous selling author.

5. I always cheat on my diet(s).

I'm passing this on to Enfys, Lisa, Cindy, Paul, Janet

x

Work shop christmas cards

These are what I've made at Craft Inspirations workshops, with Shirley as ever showing us all what to do.

Image is from Stampendous 'Holy Night' and was heat embossed with clear embossing powder after being stamped with Adirondak 'Pitch Black' ink. Unfortunately I don't know what paper was used.  Circles cut with nesties, while the green card was edged with EK Success 'Scalloped Scallop' border punch.

This is ideal for kids to send to their friends.  Images are from Pink Gem Designs, and sold individually, 'Nativity Donkey' 'Nativity Milly' and 'Nativity Max'.  They were painted with Cosmic Shimmers, except for Max's robe, which had been paper pieced. Again I don't know what paper had been used. Star and circles were cut with nesties, sentiment is a holograpic peel off.

I enjoyed making this one, a good old traditional card.  The flowers are Christmas Roses, and even though we coloured them in the wrong colour, they still look good! They're from the U-Mount unmounted stamp range and contains 7 stamps. Coloured with distress inks.

For the first time since I've been going to the workshops, I used decoupage.  The image is by Flowersoft 'Festive Teddies'.  Polar White flowersoft was used as snow while 'Ice Crystals' cuttlebug embossing folder was used for the left hand side panel.  Sentiment from craftwork cards.

'Winter Mimi' from Pink Gem Designs. Paper from Cosmo Cricket 'Silly Chilly' Mimi painted in Cosmic Shimmers, but dress was paper pieced.  Polar white flowersoft used on ear muffs, dress and pom poms. Nesties used for circles, EK Success 'Alpine' border punch used on the pink & red card.  Nesties die for the snowflakes.  Sentiment from Craftwork Cards.

Images from Penny Black T for Transparent '....In A Pear Tree' stamped with Adirondak 'Pitch Black' ink, then embossed with clear powder.  Circles cut with nesties.  Again I don't know what paper was used.  Memo to self: ask what paper is being used at workshops. Tear drop shaped peel offs were stuck on the tree as pears and on the tails of the partridges.

Partridges same as above, painted with Cosmic Shimmers.  Lettering done on cricut using Base Camp 2.5 inches on shadow. Branches were made with a Pine branch punch, may have been a McGill punch.

Christmas cards

Made a start a few weeks ago on my christmas cards, I've still got a lot more to do.

This was an experiment that actually worked!  I stamped the images on to glitter card which doesn't show very well on the photo and very carefully coloured them in with copics. I used versafine ink, then put some kitchen roll over them to blot the ink, though even after doing that the ink was still wet a few days later but didn't smudge, images were matted on to green holographic card, the red paper is from my stash, snowflakes cut from cuttlebug die.

Teddy bear image is Penny Black 'Dear Santa' while the other is Hero Arts 'Classic Christmas Borders' CL112 clear set.

Image from Pink Gem Designs 'Snow Love' coloured with copics. Dark green snowflake paper from a Dovecraft 12x12 pack 'Victorian Christmas' while multicoloured snowflake paper is by Cosmo Cricket 'Silly Chilly' (double sided).

The pink paper is the reverse side of  'Silly Chilly' that was used on  the 'Snow Love' card.  The image is from Penny Black 'Xmas Hat', the hat was decoupaged.

Papers used on this card are from Hot Off The Press Christmas 8x8 papers.  Again image is from Penny Black 'Snow Trot' coloured with copics. Go Kreate dies used to cut the squares.

Paper as before (HOTP) sentiment from stash, ovals cut with Go Kreat dies and embossed with Cuttlebug 'Snow Dots' folder, Penny Black 'Dear Santa'. Copics used to colour.

Pink Gem Designs 'Winter Mimi' coloured with copics. Scalloped circle cut with nestie, white panels embossed with Cuttlebug 'Snow Flake' folder, paper from Basic Grey 'Eskimo Kisses' 'Village'.

I'm not sure whether to put a sentiment on the bottom or something else, card candy?

Green card from HOTP 8x8 Christmas papers, sentiment from stash, card candy from Craftwork cards.  Image is Penny Black 'Sled Ride'coloured with Promarkers. 

Paper is Basic Grey 'Figgy Pudding' 'Pepperberry', red card and cord is from stash.  Penny Black 'Teddy Santa' coloured with copics.

Wanted to make something quick and simple, and this certainly was. Cuttlebug 'Holly Branch' embossing folder with red sticky dots placed over the berries. Red strip of card embossed with 'Snow Flake' folder.  Sentiment from craftwork cards.

The next ones are inspired by Shirley, who does the workshops at Craft Inspirations.

Paper is from Craftwork Cards 'Jack Frost' white range 8x8 pack and 'Jack Frost' Blues. Matted onto silver mirri card, used blue mirri on the blue cards. Baubles are peel offs

Skater Ian

I'm pretty sure this is the first Skater Ian that I've done, I've made another since and forgot to take a photo.  This will go to one of Shane's friends whose birthday is next month.

I have to say I was really impressed with this stamp, it's from The Greeting Farm and stamped beautifully.  With some stamps you have to put a lot of pressure on them, not so with this one.  The card candy is from Craftwork Cards. Ian coloured with copics.

I was so impressed with The Greeting Farm stamps that I've bought some more from Stampezee, which is where I bought Ian from.

I'm off to bed now, try and get a bit of reading done.  I'll hopefully get some more cards posted on here tomorrow, and catch up with some blog hopping.

Night night

x

Why oh why....

Did I think it would be a good idea to make a card in black and yellow?  I really don't like this at all, what was I thinking?????

Tilda was from a swap, circles cut from nesties, rest is from my stash.

Holiday cards

While I was on holiday in August, I went to Dorchester market and bought a few crafty things, with the intention of selling them at the Symondsbury Fete (didn't sell any).  I also went to Traego Mills and The Craft Room in Newton Abbott and bought stuff there as well. Bearing in mind I didn't have a majority of my things, I don't think I did too badly.

Flowers are die cut decoupage which had to be stuck with wet glue to the glitter paper, as nothing else would stick. Black card was from a Papermania pack.

Another diecut, dufex this time, the corners were from a pack of acrylic stamps, yellow spotted card by Bazzill.  Memento ink in 'Rich Cocoa'  I'm in two minds as to add flowers or a bit of sparkle or leave it as it is for the 'less is more' look.

The above 3 were a nightmare to do, as the glue I bought was useless, so I had to use wet glue which wasn't a good idea, the front of the cards feel rock solid.  The images themselves were in a pack that includes 2 A5 cards/envelopes, backing paper and sentiments, but I used square cards.

The 2 above were also in a pack that lets you make 2 cards.

I bought the Crafter's Companion Zinnia flower fairy from The Craft Room, and was my first attempt at using copics that I'd bought from a shop in Bridport.  Paper is by Rico Design

Back again...

I've had to record the rest of Strictly as Shane wanted to watch X Factor, so he's stretched out on the floor, like Lord Muck.  Usually when his daddy isn't doing a party (he's a mobile DJ) we have our family night when we watch a dvd of Shane's choice (which can be a bit iffy to say the least!), and have bags of popcorn, so tonight is a bit different for us.

Here's another card.

Again papers and flowers from stash, image is from Sugar Nellies 'Reflective' coloured with Copics.

Finally.....

I'm updating my blog after not doing it for about a month. I think last time I blogged I was getting over a cough.....well I've still got it, can you believe I had another sore throat last Sunday & Monday which has made the cough worse again.  I've spoken to a few people who are worse than me, with full blown flu and their kids have been the same.  Luckily Shane wasn't as bad as them when he was ill a few weeks ago.

I've taken some pics this evening of christmas makes and everyday ones. I had planned on making some halloween boxes today to put sweets in for the trick or treaters, but I'll try tomorrow instead.

In the mean time here's what I've done so far.

Papers and flowers from stash.  Image is Daisy from Sugar Nellies and coloured with copics.  Nesties were used for the circles.

Think I'll try to update later or tomorrow, Strictly Come Dancing is on now :)