Saturday 31 January 2009

You know you're old when...






I just love these stamps by Gina K> Designs
This card was for a cousin of mine in Australia who has a VERY good sense of humour. I just love these stamps as they really sooo funny!

I can't believe how the time has flown since I have last blogged! Things have been busy here and I have had to focus on some things and let other things take a break.
I was forced to take a day off work on Friday as our buses were suspended!! Grr!! So, I went around our village and took a few snaps. Here are a couple of the ones I like.







A snow dog - not mine unfortunately!!



Here's me!! My mum took this one of me and I just love it!

I have been working on one or two items for DewDrop Craftz but you'll have to wait to see them.

Wednesday 28 January 2009

2 Quick Cards

Hello Bloggers!

Thank goodness that it is Thursday tomorrow then it will be FRIDAY - YAY!! I have gone back to work this week after being poorly and I am coming home exhausted! I forgot how tiring work can be ;o) So, I am looking forward to a weekend of lie-in's and not waking up at 6am and just chilling out. We may go and see the new-ish film Australia, SO can't wait to see it!!

Anyway, onto more important matters.

Here are a couple of quick cards I made for my cousins birthday, both of them are in their 90's so thought I would go with the vintage/elegant look!





The circle stamp is from this amazing company in the US, they have no cart system but you just email them your order and they send you a PayPal invoice, they are so helpful and friendly and the stamps came ever so quickly - I can't recommend them enough! The range of stamps are lovely too.....

Well, I am off to bed now to get an early night, thanks for visiting!

Sunday 25 January 2009

I'm still here...

... well in mind even if it isn't in body! I have been pretty busy the last few days, 1 of the reasons is that I have been working on a project for DewDrop Craftz, shall I let you have a peek?? Oh go on, it is a Sunday evening and everyone needs a treat LOL!



All will be revealed soon!

I just really wanted to say thanks to everyone for leaving me comments and I will get round to your blogs soon xx
Enjoy the last few hours of the weekend!

Thursday 22 January 2009

Don't forget . . .

the challenge over at DewDrop Craftz closes at the end of the month. That means you don't have long to get those entries in to stand a chance of winning Flower Girl



For more info. please visit the DewDrop Craftz blog!

Have fun crafting xx

Wednesday 21 January 2009

Joint effort...

Hello bloggers :O)

This card my mum started off making, I helped her with the nestabilities (the cutting and embossing) but basically she did most of the card, she was then called away and this card had to be sent off quickly so I finished the rest. I just stamped the verse and added the embellishments and added it all together. I also used my new Martha Stewart branch punch which the super duper amazing Rachel got for me, it is soooo lovely! Thanks hun xx



Recipe:
Image was bought from Craft Central on an A4 sheet
PP from my mums scrap box
Martha Stewart Branch punch
Fancy Pants flowers by Prima
Verse by Stampin' Up! God's Blessings set
Brads from stash

Handmade birthday present

It was my friend Karen's 50th birthday yesterday. She adores the jewellery I make (I don't know why hehe) and so I made her a necklace but I wanted to make her a little jewellery box to hold it. Making jewellery is my other love and I have been making it for a few years now but never thought of sharing it on my blog!

First of all I made her this card:





Recipe:
Paper and CS out of my scrap box
Prima Flowers (Esprit)
Brad & ribbon from stash
Sugar Nellie stamped image coloured in with Prismacolor pencils and Stickles added for some glitz
Martha Stewart Doily punch
Sentiment from my K&Co embellishment box
Vera Color Sky Blue & PrettyColor Green ink pads used to ink the edges
KI Memories cookie cutter stickers for the 50

This is the necklace that I made for her:





... and here is the little wooden box that I altered to hold her necklace:





I got to use my gorgeous new 'Scripture Essentials I' from Cornish Heritage Farms. Fab service! I just love these stamps as they feature some of my favourite verses.

Recipe:
'Scripture Essentials I' from Cornish Heritage Farm
Paper by Melissa Frances
Prima Flowers
Heart brad, buttons, butterfly sticker & lace from stash
CS from my scrap box
Chipboard letters by papermania

... and here it is all packaged up and ready to go!



I gave it to her last night as we went out and helped her celebrate her 50th in style. We went to Bar Ha! Ha! and had yummy food and gorgeous cocktails. Surprisingly I feel so much better now ;o) LOL!

Karen absolutely loved it - *phew*!!!

WOWeeeeeee!!

I came across Rhonna Farrer's new blog the other week and she was just so kind in giving away free blog templates so I snapped one up. I just love Rhonna's style and I find her a true inspiration!
I've been meaning to say that last week she comment on one of my blog post's:

oh my gosh! these cards are so beautiful!!
R


How wonderful is that? Thanks Rhonna, you made me smile soooo much xxx

Tuesday 20 January 2009

CBC Crew challenge - Pocketful of Posies

Over at Crafts by Carolyn Carolyn set the following challenge:

...well not necessarily pockets with posies - but I want you to share your projects that include a pocket....how simple is that....


I decided to make a Pocket Gift Card Holder as I had seen quite a few of these on peoples blogs leading up to Christmas. It was really fun to make, I only made an ikkle one but you can adjust the sizes to fit most size cards. I used my Starbucks card as I don't know who to give this to yet......






Recipe:
Card and paper from my scraps box
Ribbons & Buttons from Stash
Cuttlebug Embossing Folder
Tilda coloured with Prismacolor pencils & Glossy Accents for her little boots.
Liquid Pearls for wings

Monday 19 January 2009

A week ago....

I received ALL this....



from my wonderful parents for my birthday! How lucky am I?!

They also bought me this book which I saw on Amazon.



My faith means a lot to me and this year I really want to combine my love of paper crafts and my faith together. I've had a little look and from what I have seen, it is truly fabulous and the projects are just yummy looking!

I also received some gorgeous cards from Birthday Group 3 on Crafts by Carolyn. It was so lovely to receive handmade cards for my birthday. I have been with the group for a few years now and it is always such a pleasure to make and to receive!! You can see the cards here.

I was busy making cards yesterday so will blog them later. Hope everyone's Monday is going ok!

Sunday 18 January 2009

A peek into my haven...

Good afternoon bloggers!

Where has the time gone since my last post? Although I haven't been blogging I have been doing some crafting in between not feeling very well STILL!! The flu thing I have had seems that it is one that has come from Oz and is called the Boomerang flu as it keeps on coming back!! I am A LOT better than when I first had it over Christmas but it has really left me with no energy so I have to force myself to do things. Anyway, enough rambling about that as I am sure I am boring you to death!

Last Sunday (cor, I can't believe that was a week ago), I made a trip to Ikea as I really needed a better desk than my last one so looked online and found this one. Monday, was my birthday (didn't want to make a big deal of it as it is my last year of my 20's!! plus feeling rotten) so my Dad and I set to in building this thing, it actually took us till Tuesday to finish it as we had other things happening. Now it is in pride of place in my craft room. I just LOVE it!!
My mum has joined me up in my craft room and we made a little space for her and so she has a new desk as well! It is going to be fab that we can actually do some crafting together as she used to use the kitchen table.

So without further ado here is some pics of my new organised craft room. *You can click on the pictures to get a bigger look*!

These first two pictures are looking into the room from the door. The chest of drawers hold my cardstock, 6x6 8x8 paper pads, a drawer full of ribbons and another drawers filled with oddments which really needs a sort out.





This is my selection of 12x12 papers.



This is my mums desk, the pink storage baskets is where I keep my mounted stamps and the Ikea wooden box underneath has a selection of punches in one drawer and odds and ends in the other. The Ikea wooden storage box on the desk also has odds and ends. Both these boxes need a good sort out!



This is a tin I made for my Mum a couple of years ago, it was a pressie filled with smellies. She is using it now to store her ribbons.



The top of the bookcase is where I keep my display stands for my craft fairs and there are a few alterable items (which need altering!) also the same for the top shelf. Then the next shelf down is where I keep my dies, pencils and chalks.
The next shelf has a multitude of things, the altered tin on the right is where some of my ribbons are kept, storage boxes of buttons, a PG Tips box that I started altering for a Crafts by Carolyn challenge which Maddy set. Also a couple of packs of mounted rubber stamps.
The next shelf down contains my Tim Holtz binder for my unmounted stamps, my embellishment case, whisper pens, another embellishment case (yet to be filled), scrapbook album and the tins, the top one stores my blooms and the one underneath stores paints & glitters etc...
Underneath is my 2 12x12 Cropper Hopper paper holders, one holds scraps of patterned paper and the other holds my chipboard and sticker letters. I got the rack from the closing down sale at Craft Central and seemed a good idea at the time but not sure what I am going to do with it. The bottom shelf just holds bits and pieces, mainly a few empty storage boxes.



Here is the lookout from my window (lovely isn't it LOL! Also I use this area to do my die cutting.



My LOVELY new workstation!!



The view to the entrance of the craft room.



I got this over the door storage rack from Lakeland, the boxes consist of Cuttlebug dies & embossing folders, blending tools & brayers, Stampin' Up! bits and bobs, unmounted rubber stamps and craft CD's.



I got this Cake Stand in Argos which holds glues, acrylic paints, little ink pads which I use to distress the edges of my mattes and cards and the top tier holds my Stickles, Twinkling H2O's and Liquid Pearls.



This is where I keep my new sewing machine, the pink tins hold my Magnolia & Sugar Nellie stamps and the other holds my Distress Ink Pads and Alcohol Inks, the top shelf holds my Prima Flowers, BIA & my Crop-A-Dile Big Bite.



The 3 baskets from Ikea contain, alterable's & punches and the pink box is The Ultimate Scrapbook & Card Kit which I got from QVC a while ago.



And last but not at all least is my favourite thing in my craft room, the workstation comes with a magnetic board and I found this neat idea for holding Nestabilities. It is soo cool!!!



I hope you've enjoyed your visit to my craft room. I will be back later with a few cards I have made plus the lovely selection of cards that I received for my birthday from the Birthday Group on Crafts by Carolyn and some stash which I was got for a birthday present.

Saturday 3 January 2009

Are you sitting comfortably?

As I have a few things to share with you today!

I was up till 2am this morning crafting, I just couldn't sleep!! Since I have had the flu I am finding it hard to sleep during the night as I am hacking away but I'm able to sleep during the day - I don't get it at all! So, my nights have been turning into day's.

I thought I would have a go at the challenge over at Dottie's World as back in December before I had the massive shopping spree at Craft Central I bought the wonderful new collection Girls About Town, oh my!! it is just GORGEOUS!!! What are you waiting for, get yourselves over there quick if you haven't already!
The challenge was this:

This week the challenge is in the theme;
After all the over indulgence you've most likely had over Christmas ( a few poorly tummies and heads I guess?) The theme this week is Get Well Soon .You don't have to use those words, but it has to be aimed at cheering someone up or wishing them well . If you don't know anyone who's poorly your creation could be wishing them well in their new job or a new home...basically, lots of positive vibes in this card please AND of course a Charmed Download. Nice and easy?


So, it is a friends birthday and she and the family have been having a bit of a rough time of late so I hope this card puts some shine into her life. I just loved creating this card, at first I had a page of the gorgeous My Minds Eye 'Be Merry' paper, I was just staring at it, too good to use and I was just stroking it, I mean it is just so lickable (if that's such a word) but I stopped just before it reached my mouth as I really didn't want to ruin this gorgeous paper! I thought the paper looked like some funky wallpaper so I made a little scene, it looks like she is shopping in a cute Boutique! Ooh La La....





On this particular card I used Nicola, isn't she fab?? I coloured her with my Prismacolor pencils and used Sakura Soufflé pens to add details to her bags and added touches of glitter to make her sparkle.
Base CS is by Bazzill & the strip of blue CS is by Crate Paper & the 'Canopy' is by Sassafrass Lass.
The Sentiment is by Stampin' Up!
Blooms by Prima
Centre brad by Dovecraft
Brads, lace, ribbon and charm from stash

The next card is for the FAB challenge that Nikki at DewDrop Craftz has set. The challenge is . . .

to create any item, be it a card or layout.. even an altered art project.. but whatever the item, it must contain something from DewDrop Craftz shop.. be it a stamped image, ribbon or download..

The theme... each item must depict something 'new' as we are now starting 2009.. this could be a new baby, new house or something else..






You have a WHOLE MONTH for this challenge so get your thinking caps on, cut up that new paper you keep stroking (or licking ;o) ) and get yourself over to Nikki's blog for the chance to WIN the featured stamp that is Flower Girl. The Design Team has worked their magic with this stamp so head over to Nikki's blog for a whole lot of inspiration. Also... for anyone who enters the DewDrop Craftz blog challenges you will be in with a chance of winning some goodies from the shop, how cool is that??!!

Have a good evening... I'm off to have a nice hot cuppa on this chilly evening.