Can you help Ellie?

Can you help Ellie Wiseman? She is the daughter of scrap designer Kirsty Wiseman and she is going to walk a mile to raise money for a trip to see some American Paediatricians to try and help her get a diagnosis, as our health service has been so pathetically useless! Any publicity for this cause would be great and donations very welcome on her site. As a mum of a special needs child, I know how important it is to give your child the best possible chance you can, so if you can, please help or gather your crafty friends and work out how you can help!! Check her out, she is so cute!

Does anyone have relatives in America????!!!!!

How come you can never have relatives where you want them!!!!! I am desperate! I have just seen the TSV for you lucky americans for next monday and I want one!!!!!!!!!!!! :( wah! wah!

It's just not fair!!! I e-mailed and asked if we could buy from them, but no overseas postage! Why not? I can order and pay for a monthly scrap kit with Paypal, so why not this? I can buy craft stuff off e-bay in US dollars too? I'm going to spit my dummy out in a minute! Don't they know what a following they have over here? All those potential customers? It will never get to UK QVC I bet!!! So if any kind american is reading and could take pity on me!!!!! Please!!!! Do you want to see what I'm raving about? This was posted on UKs and I love it!!!!!!!!!

I simply love Cosmo cricket - here is an extract from the QVC blog describing it -

"With over 9,000 pieces (that's right! Nine Thousand!), this kit contains so many projects! You'll be kept busy for months with this one kit alone! .....Included are two beautiful 8x8 albums with an adorable storage box in your choice of colors (either blue or pink), an accordion tag album, a chipboard peek-a-boo album, chipboard picture frames, a mini brag book, mini magnet frames, hanging frames, and greeting cards…just to name a few. There are beautiful double-sided papers, scalloped cardstock, stickers, printed chipboard, naked chipboard, ribbon, felt ribbon, ribbon slides, photo turns, flowers galore, beads, brads of different sizes, acetate, ........." By Lisa Bearnson

SO PLEASE CAN ANYONE GET ME A JOB IN AMERICA? OR MAYBE A paypal PENPAL!!!!!!!

Frost!

Here is a page I have done for a team challenge over on UKs. It was to use something you have been holding on to! Chipboard, A frosty theme and something from the team house you are in - I am in blue brads, so I used them!

This photograph I took last year, when we had snow and I have shown it as a photo on here before, but never put it full size into a LO. The chipboard letters were from Maya Road apart from the O which is from my Brenda Pinnick set. This was white and glittered, so I added it to give the feeling of frost. The other letters were grey, so I inked them with white ink and seafoam white embossing powder, (two coats!) I layered the photo on blue glitter card to keep the frosty theme going and held it in place with the blue brads, with a snowflake sequin underneath. I then added texture with some funky foam snowflakes I have had for years. I layered three up with a jewel brad for the focal one and the others I placed singly, with a sequin over the top. I added some tiny gems to the photo to highlight the sparkles that had reflected on the photo - to add extra twinkle! I love this paper - it is from the Basic Grey Fruitcake collection. TFLx

Scrummy Stash Cafe challenge

Here is my entry for this weeks challenge, to use ribbon in your LO. It also fits a challenge on the do-crafts forum to use buttons, and a vague use of this weeks pencil lines sketch! Not bad hey! Combining all three! The paper ribbon and ric-rac were from a kit I got for Christmas There is a secret journalling tag under the bottom photo, with a ribbon pull. It reads "as cute as a button!" These photo's were taken last night, when Barney decided to make a home in my duvet that I had left on the floor after clean sheeting the bed yesterday morning! I thought he looked so cute, he just sat there. I altered the photo's into sepia, so that the tones would match these "Out and About papers."


The ric-rac was stitched on with my sewing machine. I added photo turns held on with brads and glued buttons in a heart shape. This will be another page in my BOMe, about things that are important to me! TFLx

Look what finally arrived today!!!!

My box full of jewels!!!! My American Crafts ribbon set from the QVC craft day!!! Despite me ordering ahead of craft day, it has taken ages to arrive! I am so glad I got these! They sold out very quickly on the day and I was feeling smug knowing mine were already winging their way to me and it has taken this long!!!!!!!!!!!! Even the papers I ordered after this have arrived!!! So many luscious colours in various textures, I just don't want to use them! It's a common failing for most crafters, not using your favourite stash!!

Look at those scrummy colours and textures! velvet, ric rac, satin, picot edge, they are all there! Drool!

Off took take number 2 son to dance class, but will be on later to post a new LO, done today! Bye for now!

Thankful book

Well, how late is this for today's post! Been at work all day and then had parents over for fish and chip tea, (a longstanding ritual!)so only just getting around to my daily blog! Not had much time to craft either!!!! What a crisis! Ideas book is filling up, but had school reports to write and so no craft time!!!!!! Anyway, one thing I have managed to complete (almost) is my thankful mini book.

This was a Maya Road chipboard album that I got with a Scrummy Stash Cafe kit including the Junkitz Flowerful papers. I made a list of things I was thankful for, as part of my new year resolutions and this is what I came up with.

1. My family - happiness, chrish, Love, Sons, Husband, Team.

2. My extended family - Mum & Dad, Sister & Husband, Nieces - heritage, They anchor me, Make me who I am!

3. My dog - Loyal friend,comfort, relaxation.

4. My PC - Inspiration, Forums, blog, shopping, friends.

5. Paper - creativity, texture, colour, relaxation, expression.

6. Sewing Machine - Joy, Pride, Creativity, Happiness.

7. Camera - Experiment, Look, Expression, Creativity, Recording events, Cherish memories.

8. Car - Freedom, Travel, Discover.

9. Music - Joy, Relaxation, Happiness, Creativity.

10. Bed - Refuge, Comfort, Relaxation, Peace.

11. Health - to enjoy life and my family.

12. Friends - Fun, Laughter, Comfort, Relaxation, Support.

These were 12 things I thought I would not want to be without in my life, when I was first considering my BOMe. I may scrap these as individual pages later, but used this flower book to get them down together in one place. The chipboard was covered with the papers and then I stamped "I am thankful for" on some twill ribbon, which I threaded through the centre and anchored with brads. Each time I open a page, the ribbon lays flat and runs through the centre of the whole book. Each photo has a chipboard monogram from my BP Initial set for each title and the journalling around the photo's is the other words that came to mind. The embellishments are buttons, gems, ribbons, photo turns and chipboard flowers. The front was punched with eyelets using the Cropadile and threaded with ribbon, in a whipstitch effect.

This was the book, you may recall, that gave me the craft knife injury, that prevented me from crafting for two days!!!! So, somehow, I went off it a bit! But, have managed to complete it1 It will remain special for that reason alone!!! The booklet that nearly caused the thumb amputation! Enjoy! TFLx

New Cosmo Cricket sneaky peek!!!!

I love all this new Cosmo Cricket!!!! have a peep here!!!!!! LOve Fleuriste!!!!!! Blackboard!!!!!!!!!! Wow!!!!! Tell me what you think!

I'm a Studio Calico kinda gal!!!

I'm a Studio Calico kinda gal!!! I signed up to their kit and last night was the release night! Eagerly waiting with baited breath, we were all on the forum chatting, trying to guess what would be in the kits and add-ons, sneak peeks flying everywhere, deciding and then ummming and erring which was the best add on! Go for them all people were saying! I had my currency converter up on screen, trying to decide how much each one would be, so it was a race to the death! Checked and double checked what time the release date would be in UK. Got up at 6am! It was all hell and no notion! Stuff flying everywhere, in and out of people's shopping carts, confirmation and reconfirmations, static website, pages not loading, what did I find? Two of them already sold out!! Maid Marion and Nottingham and the Sheffield calendar pages! It should have been 5am I got up! I was already awake then anyway, could have got up too and wandered downstairs to log on! Anyway, as it happens, I had been undecided between the other two kits anyway! Loxley and Friar Tuck. Snapped up the Friar tuck add on for my Sherwood kit and raced to the checkout! Logged in and paid! Then went back to look actually what was in it!!!!! Then looked at Loxley! Liked the clock faces! And the rub ons! So into my basket it went along with a pack of extra paper! I am a chipboard junkie after all! I will need all that paper to cover my chipboard! Tired and exhausted, I got ready for work, had not slept very well anyway, thinking about work! Went to work, came home logged on this afternoon, to find the two kits I ordered were still available!! All that getting up early - Which I NEVER do! - OH was laughing that I could get up early for shopping, but nothing else! I did not tell him I bought two add ons - not yet anyway!!!!!! But, they were a bargain! Honestly! You know how I like a bargain!
So, what's all the fuss about????????

Only the hottest kit in the US at the moment!!! Don't believe me? Well check it out! Sorry all gone now!!!!:( Some fantastic inspiration in the gallery, including Kirsty Wiseman, an extremely talented UK designer and real cool gal!!!! Sent me a lovely message on the forum! So, watch this space - hopefully, when it arrives there will be some real cool LO's posted here! I have some great ideas, just need it now!!!!!!!! Please!!!!!! Decided to add a pack of K&Co Wild Saffron fabric Brads to it all, from a UK shop, as they were cool! So head stateside and have a peek!!!!! Click on the link and drool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sweet 16!

Here is my entry for this weeks DCM challenge "Foiled!" I made this card for a friends daughter who was 16 this week, using yet more of my Brenda Pinnick papers and chipboard letters. (see earlier post) using some plain old kitchen foil. I decided to have a go at scrumpling the foil and then painting it with twinkling H20s! This added a bit of colour in an uneven finish. I then punched flowers out using my x-cut large flower punch and added beads to the centre. I glued them in place with PVA. The chipboard heart was needing a bit of oomph! To make the card have a bit of dimension, I added DST to the back and roughly pleated some organza ribbon on the underside - this adds to the sweet and sparkly theme. Extra dots of glitter glue add highlights. Oh to be sweet sixteen!!!!!! TFL x

Our new baby!

This is why I have been busy today! We have been to pick up our new baby! I mentioned a week or two ago that my elder son was starting driving lessons, so we bought a little car for him to learn in! An older car, as it was almost impossible to get him insured!!! Anyway, we have got him insured and on the road! Trying it out tomorrow! Here is a quick digi page I made with some basic software I have on my PC! Haven't given the car a name yet!

Posting early today! (for me!)

I am on the ball today! Got a busy day ahead, so here is my LO for today!

Not wishing to be slushy - it's not in my nature!!!! - but a lot of challenges are centering around Valentines themes at the moment. This page is for a challenge on the do-crafts forum, to use plain black background, with a small amount of patterned paper and a hint of red or pink. You also had to include some form of embossing and some stitching real or fake! It must include something not normally used on a LO. So here is my offering. This is what it took me so long to find the other day and involved me tipping out the whole of the spare bedroom wardrobe! My wedding album!!!! This photograph of our wedding rings on top of my bouquet was taken on my wedding day in 1988 - in colour! I have scanned it into my PC and converted it to black and white and then printed it out full page size. I have not used this size before, but was reading how someone had done it for a challenge and how it gave real impact, so gave it a go! I downloaded a font I found on the internet that was a romantic style and then printed it on a plain paper. By holding the two images up to the light, I could work out where it would print on my photo and adjusted it. Then, I put the photo back in the printer the correct way around!!!!! and hey presto! The words were on the photo! I know there are other ways of doing this, but if you don't have the money for fancy programmes, this is how you can do it! It worked for me! The card stock is Bazzill, the paper is a Blonde moments freebie that came with Scrapbook Magazine last year, so it has a glossier finish than the original. I cut out two of the hearts and then drew around them on scrap card. I cut just outside this pencil line and then edged the card with my Versamark pen. I used rich red embossing powder and heated it with my heat gun to get this result. Then glued the hearts in the centre. There is a Blonde moments paper tag hidden under the photo, with the journalling about the date and the significance of this photo. The velvet ribbon was from one of my SSC kits and then I used my sewing machine to make some lines - not too straight on purpose! down the side and across the bottom. Two items not ususal on a LO - one was a key and one was a wooden heart from Ikea year ago in the wrapping paper section! I wrote on this in permanent marker, 20 years to show two hearts locked together.
So this will be my first page of my Venice album, we are going for a weekend at Easter, for our 20th wedding anniversary! Where did the time go? I have been ordering some 7Gypsies Napoli papers in the sale ready for the album, and I have not even gone yet!!!!!! Cannycrafter!! TFLx

Pencil lines sketch #68

Here is my take on this challenge LO.

I took some photo's last autumn, when I took the dog for a walk on a misty morning, when all the shrubs and hedges had spiders webs on them covered in dew! Here are just a few of those photo's, that I felt capture the season and immediately, the words of this poem came to mind! I'm not saying I knew which poem, I had to look it up, but I felt the two went together. I printed my titles and journalling out on the PC using a font I downloaded and then distressed the edges of the paper with my distress ink pad. The background paper is the reverse side of a Basic Grey fruitcake paper, then I layered it up with bazzill card stock and then a layer of cellophane covered in leaves. Do you recognise it? It was from the bouquet of flowers I got as a freebie from my neighbour! Crafters never waste a thing!!!! Trimmed with a few pieces of ribbon from my altered ribbon tin. Kept changing my mind about the background colour, not sure I am happy with it still, never mind! Feel free to post a comment! TFL x

Those on a diet, look away now!!!

CATS!!! FAB!FAB!FAB! What can I say, it was really worth seeing and we both enjoyed it thoroughly! Bought a souvenir programme and a T-shirt for Jonni to wear to dance class! The music hasn't arrived yet, but we can't wait! Hopefully tomorrow! The set was out of this world and the lighting was very clever! Some of the effects were very clever too! If you get chance, I would recommend it!

Well, I promised you a picture of this fantastic cake, so here it is!!!!! (dieters turn your back!)

It's not that as if I can't cook or anything, I used to teach it, but I have never been fantastic at cakes! Something always happens and I manage to be disappointed, but not this time! I set off all wrong too! I always make my cakes with my trusty, old (20yrs,) food mixer, not a fan of food processors, it's just how you were taught I guess. Anyway, I put the eggs and sugar in for a fatless sponge and set it going and it refused to whisk up!!! I thought maybe my eggs were very small, so I added an extra egg! Then I realised I had put the K beater on and not the whisk!!!! This I found hilarious and rang my mother to confess my sins!!! So, with the correct whisk in place, NO Problem!!! So here is the result! Fortunately, I took a few photo's along the way so this too can now turn into a page! My best cake ever!!!!!
Filled it with whipped fresh cream and sliced banana! A superb treat! Not had one of these for years, with a nice cup of tea, it made my day! Notice the posh cake fork and napkin!!!! Thought I was photographing for a food mag or something then!!!!!! Needless to say, I just ate it with my bare hands!!!! ( 5,000 calories/portion probably!)

Courage!

I've done it! I'm a member of a team on UKs!! No looking back now! I'm committed! I am really looking forward to it! So here is my first challenge layout, to produce a LO that reflected "Courage or strength, love or dedication, home or country." It had to include a strip running the full length of the paper, a star and glitter on the photograph. 30 points done and in the bag! I hope!

This photo was taken in August when my son got his GCSE results and passed them all despite having Dyspraxia. We are all so proud of him and the way he has overcome his difficulties and through courage and dedication has managed to achieve! Don't you mums, of Dyspraxic children, out there, let people tell you it's not possible! I have the living proof! Let him be the inspiration to you! 10 GCSE's grade C and above!!!!! My parents were so proud of him too - we cried with joy and sipped champagne and toasted the future!

Yes you guessed it more Brenda Pinnick papers and chipboard letters! Will be running out of letters soon! Did email her and suggest we have more vowels in the pack! Will just have to buy blank a and e's and cover them in BP papers!

Off at a tangent here, but, I'm going to the theatre tonight to see CATS!!! It's touring the country and is in Hull at the moment. (Sold out I think!) Can't wait - already ordered my CD on the internet so I can sing to it all week long! Taking my son who's the dancer - well actually, he is taking me!!! I bought him two tickets for Christmas and wrapped them up in his sack, saying he could choose who he wanted to take! Fortunately, without too much pressure, he chose me!!!(Phew!) Having danced in McCavity at several dance festivals he is already singing it!!!

Maybe there will be a LO in that somewhere.

Working on another challenge at the moment, for the do-crafts forum, which has involved me getting everything out of the spare bedroom wardrobe to find my Wedding album! Needless to say, I now neeed to put it all back! Ugh! Wont say anymore about this at the moment! Wait and see!!!!

Just made the most perfect cake I have ever made, will tell you about it tomorrow - off to photograph it now!! Another page in the planning!!

See you tomorrow...........McCavity,McCavity....da da da... da da da............

More Brenda Pinnick!

Here is my LO for today using more of my Chipboard letters and some of my new BP backing papers. It is an old photo I have been wanting to scrap for ages.

It is for the Scrummy stash cafe challenge "Anyone for chips?" I didn't think letters on their own would count, so I added a chipboard tag threaded on ribbon for some journalling and a chip sparkly star embellishment. I used some shapes popped out of the centre of letters to create a fake buckle on the ribbon. The photo is mounted on a plain BP paper that tones with the background border. Simple but these letters are very effective! TFLx

How did you make that card?!!!!!!

Oh no! I had a comment asking me to explain the folding of yesterday's card!!! (only joking! I did ask for it!) So here is my attempt!! I have tried to find where I got the idea from, so I could just post a link, but have not been successful so far! So here goes!

Cut one sheet of 12x12 in half. Make your creases sharp using a bone folder. Take one piece and fold in half to make a 6 inch square, then open and fold each side to the middle crease. Open out

Set this to one side. Take the other piece and fold in half , the same as before, then open it out. Fold edges to the middle the same as before and open out.

Now carry on folding this piece. This time take the top right corner and fold in a traingle shape to meet the centre fold and the top left corner across to meet the centre fold again. Open out. This time fold the bottom right corner up to meet the centre fold then the bottom left corner up to meet the centre fold and open out. You should now have a centre fold and two cross shaped folds on either side.

You have now created a diamond in the centre. The side triangles are going to fold in to cover this diamond in two halves, and you are going to pop the creases so the extra paper goes inside.

Turn this diamond shape over and glue the back with glue stick, then apply to the centre of the other piece of paper, still in a diamond shape, lining the points of the diamond up along the centre fold line.

Cover the triangle of the inner sheet of paper with glue, and close the outer cover over it, being careful to line it up in the centre. Do the same to the other side. Now when you re open the front cover the inner page is opened with it! Hope this makes sense with the photo's, if not, leave a comment and I will try to help!!!

Good luck!

Oh no! My secret's out!!!!

Welcome! Welcome Welcome!

Well, it had to happen! My secret life as a blogger, has been discovered by my work colleagues! Some of whom, say they don't recognise me on here! (Not sure if that's a compliment or not!) No, seriously, as I am a newbie to this hobby (or as my husband now calls it - addiction) I think it has taken many people by surprise, including me! Blogging sounds like the new form of dettox! Have you blogged today?!!!!! Well, uncanny really (no pun intended!) as that was my reason for starting it in the first place-as a form of stress release, and now look! I'm addicted!

Anyway, for those new friends, who have just found me, welcome! Here are my ramblings for today!

DCM challenge was to make a card with something hidden -

"Okay, for my dare we're heading to the playground for a game of
Hide & Seek
I'd like you to make a card which has a hidden component of some sort."

So here is my entry - for once I am not posting on or just after the deadline!!!

Someone- (sorry must protect her identity! She may read this!!!!) at work dared to have her 40th last friday when I was not there! Missed cake too! I only found out yesterday, so I made this last night, using, you've guessed it, my new Brenda Pinnick "Initially yours" chipboard and paper set! With some hand cut letters.The photo turns swivel to reveal a hidden message on the front of the card

wait for it!...................................

I like to rub it in I'm afraid , when people join me in the forties! Although, I'm not prepared to say how long I've been here!!!

This mechanism is all glued on the front of a normal 6 inch card with the fold along the top.

I can't actually remember where I got the idea for the folding technique from, It was a piece of paper I found that I had hastily experimented on, when I was tidying my craft room, so I stuck it in my notes/ideas book! Knew it would come in handy - scaled it up here to produce a 6 inch square card using one sheet of 12x12 cut in half. It is a bit tricky to describe the folding and gluing, but post a comment if you want me to have a go!

What else today? Well, my new 12x12 Brenda Pinnick pad arrived, from QVC, but have not had time to open it yet!!! Been to Year 12 parents evening for my elder son, will have to post here, then rush upstairs and have a look! Missed another parcel, so have to go and pick that up tomorrow - more stash!! You can never have too much paper!!!

Someone at work was very interested in the cropadile - was not sure what one was - so here it is! Other stockists are available!!! There is a video to watch here on You Tube too! I can't believe I have friends who don't know what a Cropadile is! And we're still speaking???????? Would I associate with such a person?!!!!!!! You know who you are!!!! #

Lots of ideas for future posts, can't make each day long enough at the moment! First full day at work today for a long time, and I made it! Got back ache and head ache but made it through! A milestone to recovery! Anything's possible! Daily Blogging is good for your health!!!

Thankyou for looking in! Bye for now!

Storage, storage, storage!!!!

New stash means more storage! So, after a heads up on UKS about using a chocolates tin from christmas, here is my version - my new ribbon storage!!!

Having realised my ribbon stash was woefully inadequate, I signed up for a monthly kit from Little Silver Hat, which was fab, only to find they are closing!!!!!! What fabby ribbons and flowers and buttons I got, and superb quality! What am I going to do now? Anyway, had to find a new method of storage and saw on UKs one lady suggested using the Cropadile! (new toy!) with the choccie tin to make a neat store! So, armed with my bright red tin and some PVA, American craft a la carte paper and my trusty cropadile, I set about the task!! I painted the whole tin with PVA and glued the paper in place. Then allowed it to dry before I punched holes.

Here it is before ribbons are stashed inside, and here it is complete! Wow! what a great idea this lady had - (sorry can't remeber who it was!) I used a disc of card on the lid as my tin had a slight recess with an embossed title that the paper would not have stuck to. Excellent use of the cropadile, so the rough metal edges don't ruin the ribbons! I cut the edges of the circular lid paper into flaps, so it folded neatly around the edges and stuck it with DS tape. A piece of ribbon to trim the top finishes it off! Hope you like it! Have a go!! I am sure altering tins will become easier now I have the Cropadile! may end up needing more than one tin!!

Calling all Stashaholics!!!!

I wonder how to keep some cash?
I'm tempted always, by some stash!

I go out shopping for the day,

And simply cannot keep away-

from papers,ink and special glue,

Chipboard albums, ribbon too!

My husband's tearing out his hair,

The boys have gone into despair!

I cannot pass a paper shop,

I simply HAVE to turn and stop!

Papers all precisely picked,

I'm sure I am a stash addict!!!

So HELP ME! please if you agree,

Or is it a problem just for me?

If you have found a patch to wear,

Or chopped your card up in despair!

STASHAHOLICS ANNONYMOUS needs you NOW!!!!!!!!

Sign up below!! Help me!! And how?!!!!!!!!!

Caroline G 20th Jan 2008

Promised you fun poems and hadn't written one for a while!!!!

So how can you top that? New stash!!

Well you can't have a better day than yesterday, can you? I have been out with the family all day doing some retail therapy - always a torment getting the elder son fixed up with clothes - he hates clothes shopping! But, when you're down to your last pair of trousers that fit, needs must!!! So we attacked the nearest shopping "Mall" an hour away and braved the crowds! The saving grace for me is, it is close to my nearest craft chain store - more silicone glue was required! Also several storage boxes for my 12x12 papers and some tin pails fell into my basket along with some white stazon and some glue dots! The shopping centre in question has recently opened a Paperchase shop where I managed to purchase several chipboard books for altering - very reasonably priced!! And a packet of bright coloured envelopes to make an envelope album, and some flower paperclips!

So, what have I made? Well, my flower bag 3D card was so popular, I decided to make a mini card version for a comp on the do-crafts forum scaling down the kebab sticks to cocktail stick and using the Papermania die cut flowers - all products had to be do-craft products. Here is a sneak peek!

Also, after a fantastic heads-up on UKS, I have been altering a chocolates tin from christmas, to house my new ribbon collection! What a great idea to use up these tins which most of us aquire! It also gave me an excuse to play with my Cropadile!!!! (My new toy from christmas!) So far I have covered the tin, will let you know how it turns out tomorrow!

Wow, wow and more wow!

I cannot believe the days I am having!!! So exciting!!!! Yesterday I had an email from BRENDA PINNICK!!!!!!!!!!!! She had seen my card on my blog and wanted to post it on her blog!!! I could not believe it!! How exciting! Anyway, after several attempts at replying and each time getting the message bounced back from the postmaster general!!!! I finally got in touch by posting a comment on her blog! Think it was my PC having a hic-cup! She emailed again last night and I replied ok and again today!! Was going into meltdown though yesterday - getting all excited on all these craft forums about QVC craft day! What have I bought so far?? Well.......decided to go for Brenda's pad of paper 200 sheets for less than £10 - excluding p&p of course!!! (I hate that!) Goes perfectly with the chipboard letters and numbers and flowers, that I ordered last week after a heads up on the d0-crafts forum! I am not in any way connected with any shops or anything, by the way, but I know when I read people's blogs and see things they have used, I always wonder where they bought them from!! This way, I can tell you where I sourced mine, and help you spend your money too! (If you want to!!!) Not obligatory!!! Then, I could not resist the American crafts ribbon set - not even been aired yet but got a heads up from UKS!!!!!! These look great value to me!! I feel I'm having a fab day already!!

The other thing is - the flowers! Aren't they fab?!!! My neighbour left work yesterday, and was going on holiday today!!!!! So she said I might as well have them!!!!!!! What a fantastic freebie!!! OH says, saves him bothering!!!! I love those lime green Chrysanthemums and the Fushia pink Gerbra! Could not help but get the camera out, I am sure they will appear on a page sometime!!

Talking of pages! Here is today's page!

It is for the Pencil lines sketch #67 I loved doing this, as these photo's have been waiting to be scrapped and this format would suit them perfectly! My son got a moped last year and my dad, in his eighties, was keen to have a go, as he had had a motorbike when he was younger! I took these shots of them talking and found an old picture of my dad's motorbike which I had used in their golden wedding album! Although the old one is sepia (scanned image) I thought I wanted to keep the modern ones coloured to show time past and present. The papers are American crafts doubled sided and I printed the with a font I downloaded from the internet for free - I wanted an old typewriter look for the text.

A few chipboard shapes from my new BP kit, a bit of ribbon and two brads were all I needed to complete the layout. The stitching across the top is fake - using a black Sakura gel pen to echo the ribbon across the bottom.

How can tomorrow get any better?? I don't think so, thankyou lord for such a great day!!!

Another challenge!

Here is my entry for this weeks Scrummy Stash Cafe Blog - the theme was "Brad Pitt..." no seriously - brads. Used 10! using my SSC kit I got for Christmas, here is another page for my BOMe. Where I am now and where I came from. I used Autumn leaves elegant flourishes stamps in the background using a Brilliance ink pad in pearlescent Ice Blue. Next to the black and white photo I went over it using a Sakura White gelly roll pen to add lift and co-ordinate with the white in the back ground of the rub-on.

(Sorry about the flash glare! It is so dark today I cannot get a good daylight pic!)

Here is a close up of the brilliance stamping

DCM challenge

Here are my entries for this weeks challenge on DCM for ME and my SHADOW. To make two different cards using the same items!!! Quite a challenge! I used my new mini download from Pink Petticoat for a gatefold Valentine card and then made the other a thankyou card. Inside each card is a chipboard heart! The brads are papermania. The strips of paper are looped into folds like pleats. Think I missed the deadline but oh well!! TFLx

This also fits in the papertake weekly challenge of something RED! TFLx

What a wet day!!

Again!!!! We have had rain most of the day and I am sure a lot of people who live in Hull which was badly flooded in June, must be feeling very worried again. Some have not yet got back in their houses! Fortunately we were not affected out here where we live in the East Riding. It must be awful for anyone to face. Anyway, gave me a good excuse to stay inside and craft! Back down to one plaster on the thumb injury, so decided to give it a go and complete some items, otherwise I would have nothing left to blog!! Decided to do a challenge I found on Samm's blog spot for some birthday blog candy, so here is my offering! I made a 3D card!This idea came from various inspirations, not least my new set of Brenda Pinnick chipboard letters I ordered in the UK, called initially yours. I had seen a card using chipboard flowers in a similar way on Scrapbooking castle gallery so when my flowers came, I wanted to make a 3D card using that as inspiration. I had also thought how this design would lend itself to mothersday cards or easter cards too! Very versatile! The first make of the bag was far too small for the flowers, so for this bag I made my own template from one sheet of 12x12 Junkitz Flowerful paper, from my Scrummy Stash Cafe kit I got at Christmas. The ribbon was also from that kit. I added one of my chipboard tags with a mulberry paper greeting from Papermania. The handles of the bag are puched with a x-cut flower punch. I anchored them inside the bag by scrunching up a padded envelope and stabbing it with the kebab skewers, but it needs weight, so a blob of plasticene in the base might be advisable. I am sure this is not the only one I will make and personalise, so I will be able to improve with practice!! So have a happy birthday Samm and thanks for putting up those lovely goodies on your blog! TFLx

Just made it!

Just managed to update my blog today, before midnight! Have not enjoyed my enforced crafting rest, due to my thumb injury! Have felt like there is something missing! Here is the offending article!! The chipboard book I was trying to cover in my Junkitz Flowerful papers as a start to my I am thankful for........ book. I wanted to use my new Cropadile again too! I decided to create a laced effect using ribbon around the edge of the front cover.
So all I have to do now is print off my photo's and journalling and add my embellishments!! That shouldn't take long then!!!!!!! Will complete it tomorrow, hopefully! Night night! TFLx

Crafting is bad for your health!

No seriously, of course I don't believe this, but, managed to change the blade in my craft knife last night and then almost performed an amputation of my thumb an hour later!!!!!! This is not the first craft injury I have had either - you may know I have had a bad back and the doctor thought it was sitting too long on a long car journey! I worked out I had been spending too long sitting (badly) at my PC and craft table - not withstanding the fact that we had proper chairs!!! Anyway, gave me an excuse to buy a new craft chair, as posted already and that of course led to tidying the craft room, which of course has lead to replanning my workspace, which of course has led to surfing the net for ideas and cyber shopping at Ikea!!!!!! Here is a fab link to look at some amazing workspace ideas from Two peas In A Bucket! All I can think is my stash is minute, compared to some of those, but then again, I have only just started!!! Judging by how easy it is to accumulate things, i am sure it wont take me long! Anyway, back to injuries various - the other thing I keep doing, is giving myself paper cuts and the last one was quite a severe card cut on the pad of my index finger! Did not know that you could get cuts from chipboard, but I do now! This and the thumb are worse because of the position of the cuts and by applying a plaster or two, you lose all dexterity for fiddly crafting jobs! So, remeber! Watch out for those crafting injuries - maybe there should be a special policy to guard against loss of earnings!!! (Not relevant in my case as I scrapbook just for me!) The frustration I feel, at not being able to get on, is complete! Off to work now, will see if I manage any crafty stuff later!!

A new thing

Just made my first card with a Pink Petticoat CD I ordered last week. They have an offer on at the moment when you order you get a free Christmas double CD included. I thought this style was great for young and funky cards and made a card for a friend who has broken her arm. I love the colours. I used the backgrounds from the free christmas CD and then one of the toppers from the Lola Rose CD. I printed a sentiment out on word. Really fresh I think and will be great to use for teenage girl cards as well as funky friends! I printed it out and then coloured with watercolour pencils. Using my waterbrush I blended carefully without going on the printer ink otherwise it would bleed. Have not worked out what people do to avoid this, unless there is a waterproof ink for printers???

Elder son has taken the first part of his AS levels this week, quite traumatic for him with his special needs, and gloom and doom is the order of the day from his quarters!!! Anyhow, he has his first driving lesson this Saturday, so that should be a great thing to look forward to! I am sure he will learn to drive, but it will just take him a little longer to grasp it. Some Dyspraxics never achieve this, but he has already mastered the moped and passed his CBT training, so nothing is impossible! (Give it a try, that's what we say!) I am so proud of him. Can't wait to get a photo of that milestone and scrap it!

Younger son is approaching his choices for GCSE - the problem being he wants to take all of his 'fave' subjects and has to make his mind up! Dance and Drama look favourites at the moment, although French and Spanish are also in his mind. We only get to pick three and with his dance/drama history, he must surely take those two. I'm leaving it up to him to decide. He has been dancing since he was 5 and has appeared in several shows in the local city centre including Scrooge with Tommy Steele and panto with Cannon and Ball, The Chukle Brothers, Sue Hodge and Alvin Stardust, all of which he thoroughly enjoyed. A year ago he was picked up for an audition for Billy Elliott in London, but unfortunately he did not make it through and was right on the height restriction line!! He has appeared in two local BBC panto's since and thoroughly enjoys the whole thing. He dances at least three nights a week with a local dance school in the city and then enters Rock Challenge with his school. This is a great thing to get involved with even if you don't normally dance! We are lucky that our local comprehensive has performing arts status, so dance features highly in the curriculum. Last year their entry was called 'White Space.'

Anyway, off to unpack some stash that arrived today, more chipboard, and see what goodies I can play with in my new ultra tidy scrap room!!!! TFLx

A small space to play!

What a time to sign in, late on a sunday evening, when most people have finished crafting for the day!!! (NOT!!) Will be starting mine later!

Had a busy weekend tidying my craft room (a desk in the spare bedroom with two shelves) and dusting it for the first time in weeks!!! (Whoops! think I forgot to dust the blind!) Needed to make room for all those lovely new papers I have bought in the sales! (Don't tell OH!) A sale price is a bargain price! I have saved money in the long run! Honest!! OH was looking at holidays last night and all I could think was where would be nice to go from a scrapping point of view?!!!!

REALLY REALLY love my camera at the moment xxxxxx! Am into photographing everything! This morning was even photographing making american pancakes for breakfast !!! (Much to the annoyance of everyone in their dressing gowns and not looking their best!!! I'm ok as I'm always behind the lens! Note to self to make a book of mE as I never feature in any LO's! Whoops! suffering from over use of the exclamation mark again! sorry! As a teacher I find it very hard to write in a quirky way without using punctuation and grammar! I envy my son when he writes in a very casual way on the net, but then hope it doesn't transfer it to his English work! (Never my strong point at school, but I managed a C at O Level.)

So, back to my craft room (alias spare bedroom!) I have a beautifully tidy room with a new black leather chair (courtesy of Netto supermarket! Bargain at £19.99!) I have been suffering with a bad back lately and my doctor wanted to know if I had been on a long journey! Made me giggle to think it might be all the time I was spending in my craft room that was the problem. When I started this blog, I was recovering from stress and had to rediscover a hobby. Now I find myself wanting to craft continuously!!!!! Then photograph it all and resize it etc and post it on here with my daily rambling!

My father has written a diary for years, in his own hand, about the weather and things that were happening and his garden projects etc. Suddenly, by pure fluke, I find myself continuing this tradition in a modern way, not even knowing if anyone is reading it or not!!! Please feel free to comment if my daily drivel is at all helpful. Initially, this was a release for my creativity and aspects of interest from family life, re-living with a child with Dyspraxia. As it happens, the creativity has taken over and not much family life has featured as yet!

I have always kept a notebook in my bedside table, as I find I often have my best ideas as I am going to sleep, or just waking up. Being able to jot them down quickly is very helpful! Sometimes the inspiration for my poetry writing comes to me at those times of day and it can be frustrating not being able to recall them later in the day. This morning I decided to write down 10 things I was grateful/thankful for (couldn't decide which was the best word to use.) Along with family and friends one thing was my camera. Again, right from childhood my father encouraged me, buying me my first Kodak Instamatic 33 with flash cube!!!!!!!OOOOOOOOooooooo! I remember rushing out with it straight away and photographing a ship stuck across a river in the town, a photo I still have to this day - although most have disappeared! My present camera I have had for about 4 years and is a compact digital camera that is such a handy size. I know that it is not some fantastic SLR, but as a means of recording things as they happen it is fab! So get out those cameras you have lurking and resolve to use them everyday to record something!

Look at the 365 day challenge for inspiration!

Look out for my full list of 10 things in a later project! Off to craft now! bye!!!!!

My First Double LO!

Was a bit daunted by this at first, having only just moved to 12x12 from 8x8! A double layout challenge on Pencil Lines! Looking at all those photo's too! This required careful thought! What series of photo's have I got? Then I remebered I still had not scrapped any of my summer holiday photo's and a lot of these were views, which would work well on my gorgeous Periphery papers I got from Basic Grey (yet another sale bargain!!) These papers are fab for evoking a french country feel - designed with that in mind! (That's why I bought them to scrap this French holiday!) I arranged the photo's roughly according to the LO sketch then altered the embellishments to co-ordinate, Bazzill flowers, brads, flower and leaf buttons, ribbon. The title was printed on the PC on printable acetate from the Crafters Companion Print Pack, using a font I downloaded from the internet on a free font site. This I attached using vellum tape then softened the edges with a chalk eye ink pad (Stamp Addicts.) I decided to include the year too. Using my two new Sakura pens, I highlighted the flowers and buttons in clear and then did small dots around the corners of the photos in white, like little photo corner mounts. To complete the look, I masked some photo's and stamped with my new Autumn Leaves elegant flourishes stamps, in Stazon. Really enjoyed this challenge, made me think, which is what it's all about!!! TFLx

Resolution 2008

Today I have made a LO for the Scrummy Stash Cafe Blog Challenge
"Scrap" was the theme to use up your leftovers! Here are my scraps left from making the mini pop-up album with a kit. (See earlier post.) I laid out the scraps on my cutting mat and decided I could piece them together to make a 12" page so I carefully cut them and arranged them and then stitched them together with my sewing machine, as I thought they looked like a patchwork quilt! The hand journaling was done with a white Sakura pen. It is a poem given to me recently when I was ill (sorry I don't know the author) and I felt the words were very apt for the new year - I wanted to promise this to my family!
I arranged B&W photo's taken at Christmas and then added chipboard flourishes which I embossed in copper. The little hearts are punched out and tucked under the stitching etc with a tiny blob of glue for depth. The title is Basic Grey stick on letters. TFLx