Friday Sketchers #37

Carole from England is the host of this weeks sketch. Please just follow the basic layout and add as many embellishments as you wish and wherever you like...and, of course, just place the sentiment where it best suits your image.
CS ~ stash, DP's ~ Linda's RAK, buttons ~ Poppicrafts, flowers, beadcaps, ribbon and brads ~ stash, image ~ RAK from Tab, coloured with WM's, Sakura Glaze and H2O's. I'm gonna put a sentiment on the bottom right hand corner when i've decided what its gonna be!

Mojo Monday #71

Ok so i didn't do any of the resting business. An old friend visited so i ended up spending most of the afternoon freezing my ***s off over the local rec! Yeah i know, its probably not one of my better ideas and i'm gonna regret it tomorrow. But whilst i was waiting for him to load him photos on Facebook i managed to get a few cards made. Yes more February cards finished!

I've flipped the sketch so that it works better with my image and the size of my card blank. CS ~ stash, DP's ~ leftovers, image ~ RAK, but i dont recall who now, coloured with WM's and H2O's, ribbon, flowers, brad and peel-off ~ stash, used my sewing machine again for the edges.

I promised myself a weekend of unadulterated crafting ..... why do i have to open my big mouth?! Yesterday whilst having my hair done i started feeling poorly. By the time i got home at 7pm i felt like death warmed up. If i didn't know better i'd say i had tonsillitis, but i had them removed when i was 17! The back of neck and across my shoulders ache ... dont know if thats from the stupid tickly cough i have or because my glands are swollen.

All in all i feel pretty sorry for myself and dont know if i'll get much crafting or blog hopping done. So, if i dont visit you i haven't forgotten you, i just feel crap! Think perhaps a day of watching my series .... 24, Lost, Desperate Housewives , Prison Break and Ghost Whisperer will do! It's a good job i save them all up and watch them in one go .... i hate cliff hangers lol!

AWOL ...

Don't know if any of you have noticed but i've been absent all week! Firstly, Virgin decided it'd be a good idea to cut our speed due to too much downloading and uploading .... that'll be me with my free papers and digi images. Dont they understand there are 3 of us using the internet in this house and we all download and upload stuff. Then there's my problem with time management lol! .... i dont have enough time and quite clearly i dont know how to manage it!

So, today is an unexpected Rylee free day and i'm determined to use it wisely. I've just had breakfast bought to me in bed and once that's been eaten i intend to shower and dress, before blitzing my craft space for hopefully a whole weekend of unadulterated crafting and blogging! I still have February cards to make and challenges to complete. Not sure how much if any crafting or blog hopping i'll get done today, depends on how long it takes to clean my mess. I've got a hair appointment at 4.30pm for my usual colour and cut, which takes an age cos its my Godmothers shop and i get put to the back of the queue, I dont mind cos i love listening to the conversations that go on!!!!

I will try and visit you all sometime over the weekend and i promise to pick up all my awards and tags too ... thanks ladies!

Right I'm off ... i'm wasting time sat here in bed playing with the laptop!

Sketch Saturday ~ Sketch #35

This weeks sketch is sponsored by Emma Lockley, Emma is an independant Stampin Up demonstrator. And this is the AWESOME prize that you could win this week!...

6 stampin up double sided sweet always backing papers (6"x6")
3 co-ordinating ribbons
a scallop border punch (extremely popular at the moment)
a Yummy stamp set from the sale a bration catalogue

More scraps have been used for this card. CS ~ stash, image ~ RAK from Diane coloured with WM's and glossy accents added to raindrops ... which dont show up in the photo cos i've only just remembered to add them pmsl! flowers and pearl brads ~ stash, sentiment ~ pc generated. Used my new border punch again not sure that it shows up to well in the photo but it does IRL.

Papertake Weekly Challenge ~ Shape Up!

This weeks challenge is Shape Up!

The challenge this week is to use 3 shapes on your card or project. If you're really stuck you can count your card base as one of the shapes!!

Only 9 more February cards to do! This is the second one for my friend Paula, she adores cats so I used this fab stamp from Joanna Sheen that i borrowed off the MOT, i've coloured it with WM's. DPs & CS ~ leftovers, buttons and raffia ~ stash. Not decided on a sentiment yet but will be pc generated and something like "have a purr-fect day".

Friday Sketchers #36

Beatrix, from Germany is the designer of this Friday Sketchers sketch and as some of us know Beatrix and her husband manage a craft supply store in Germany called megahobby and they have decided to sponsor a wonderful prize. So this week you can win 2 very cute Magnolia stamps.

Once again i have taken this opportunity to get another February card made and to use up some of scraps of paper and card. Ribbon, flowers, beadcaps and brads ~ stash, image ~ RAK coloured with WM's, sentiment ~ Whisper Words (docrafts). I distressed the edge of the paper with a tool from hubbys toolbox, much like an edge distresser that i'm having difficulty getting hold of ... none of my local craft stores stock them and I refuse to order one from the net unless i have other things to order that will then justify the postage charge .... tight aren't i? So until that time, hubby has lots a piece of his kit!

Nappy Cake

I've made another nappy cake, this time to fulfill an order not as a gift, so i'm well excited and nervous. I thought i'd take some photos to sort of show you how i did it and how it evolved from just a pack of disposable nappies. ...Here they are rolled and rubber banded.

The bottom tier rolled and wrapped with a blanket and baby products being added.

The second tier

more products added and ribbon.

and the finished product from the front

from the left

from the right

and finally the back.

I've just got to cellophane the whole thing and once its done i'll take a photo and post it on here. Let me know what you think!

Oops nearly forgot to list the ingredients ....

54 size 1 pamper nappies, 5ooml Johnsons baby bath, 500ml Johnsons baby powder, 250ml Johnsons baby softwash, 250ml Johnsons baby shampoo, baby bubble pram fleece, Winnie the Pooh water filled teether, Winnie the Pooh brush and comb, Winnie the Pooh 8oz gripper bottle, bottle and teat brush, Winnie the Pooh digital thermometer, Winnie the Pooh soother and holder, Winnie the Pooh baby on board sign, baby sponge, rubber duck and babycare set (nail clippers, medicine spoon, nail file, nail scissors, comb, snot remover thingy)!

Sketch & Stash Challenge #2

Just loving all these sketches ... yes i found another one and this is gonna be the last one for today .... i need my bed, i'm soooo tired!

Used more leftover CS and DP's, image ~ RAK but dont recall who ... again! She's been coloured with my trusty WM's, pearls ~ stash, peel-off ~ stash. I used my new Nesties i got for Christmas and not sure you can see it all that well, but i have used a border punch that i got from Hobbycrap...craft on Thursday. Another February card made too....bonus!

Mojo Monday #70

I love the sketches at Mojo Monday and have taken the opportunity to make yet another February birthday card. You don't know how much I need these sketches when having to make so many different cards and some of them being for the same person. I can end up making 5 cards for the 1 person ... challenging or what?! This weeks sketch is .....

Again i decided to use my leftover DP's, i'm so pleased that im managing to use a lot of my scraps up. CS ~ stash, flowers, beadcaps and brads ~ stash, image ~ RAK from someone lol! thanks who ever you are cos i just love this image, she's so cute. She's been coloured with WM's and Sakura Glaze pens.

Sketch Saturday ~ Sketch #34

Another fab sketch and another chance to get one of my February cards out the way, that leaves me with 12 to do!For this card i've used CS ~ stash, DP's ~ Papermania Flowery, image ~ RAK from Diane coloured with watercolour pencils, WM's and Sakura Glaze, flowers ~ stash, buttons ~ Poppicrafts. Also used liquid pearls.

Beth's Favor and Cake Boxes

I spent most of yesterday and this morning finishing Beth's 18th birthday partyware. "Thank god" i cry, they're all done. I often start of thinking what a brilliant idea something is and then end up wondering why i thought it was a good idea in the first place. 18 of each have now been completed and shipped out ready to be filled with gifts and goodies. I do have to admit to having had help with these from Beth and my sister Chris ... although this can quite easily been see as a hindrance too pmsl! I did enlist Andy's help too and gave him his first lesson in Cuttlebug last night lol ... keep it clean ladies please!I'm loving these little beauties, so simple to make, although very time consuming. I followed a fab tutorial here which gives precise measurements and instructions. CS ~ stash, acetate ~ is actually laminating sheets gone through the laminator, CS bases have been embossed with various Cuttlebug embossing folders, butterflies ~ peel-offs from Linda (are you sure you dont have some sort of psychic powers Linda ... how did you know i needed these?) i stuck these on the waste laminated sheets and coloured them with Sakura Glaze pens.

The favor boxes have been made to fit a small notepad, pen, party popper and haribo sweets in using my Crafters Companion score board. CS ~ stash, lids embossed with various Cuttlebug embossing folders, butterfly ~ local garden centre (8 for £9.99).

Now, on to the next project ... a nappy cake ... wish me luck ... lol!

Friday Sketchers #35

This is the second sketch of the year and Murielle de France is the host this week.

This weeks sketch is.....D'ya know this is getting beyond a joke now ... yes another sympathy card! I'm beginning to wonder if i'm like the kiss of death lol!

DP's are a mixture of Linda's RAK and scraps, image ~ agapanthus cluster, Stampendous, stamped using WM's, flowers all from stash, sentiment ~ pc generated. Used my new border punch that i got from HobbyCraft yesterday ... think i might be using this one a lot lol!

Dawny's Sale !

Dawny is having one more craft sale tomorrow at Saughall Methodist Church from 1pm - 3pm and would like everyone who can go to go. Apparently there should be some fabulous bargains .... i wish i lived closer .... where is Saughall Methodist Church anyway?!

A Few Awards!

Ok I have to admit to shirking my blogging responsibilities of late and not picking up awards when they've been passed on to me. Here I am cap in hand apologising for being so lax. Of course I couldn't attend any award ceremony without a suitable outfit and now I have 2 that are probably not suitable but are my favs at the moment. So whilst Tab is offline, probably catching up on much needed sleep ... after last nights watch making tutorial until daft o'clock ... cheers honey! .... i thought i'd take this opportunity to say my thank you speech and hand these on to some much deserving others ......

The award for .....

has been nominated by Jill and Vicki

The award for ......

has been nominated by Jill, Tasha and Elaine

The next award is for .....

and has been nominated by Vicki, Jill and Margie

And the last award is for ....

and has been nominated by Barbara and Vicki

I would like to thank all you ladies for thinking of me and because so many of you have already had these awards i'd like to pass them on to anyone who hasn't already had them.

Sad News and WOJ Challenge

A very, very special friend of mine has lost his Grandad and so that he knows I am thinking of him cos I can't be with him, I've made him this card ....

I made this card using WOJ challenge #14 ... colour theme .... purple and green! This is one of my favourite colour combinations. CS ~ stash, DP's ~ all leftovers, sentiment ~ pc generated, eyelets, flowers, beadcaps, ribbon and brads ~ stash, image ~ RAK but dont remember who ... sorry, coloured with WM's, Sakura Glaze and H2O's. Used the sewing machine again ... and the criss-cross ribbon through the brads ... becoming a bit of a habit i think lol!

And another one ......

Well here's yet another February birthday card I still have 2 to make for the 3rd February and then I can move on to the 4th I only have 2 to make for that day lol.

I've been very good and used more paper scraps so the DPs are a mixture, image ~ RAK from Diane and coloured with watercolour pencils and WM's, eyelets, ribbon and flowers ~ stash, used the sewing machine again to do the zig-zag and running stitch. Just got to put the sentiment on and then we're done .... when i decide what to put lol!

Another 2 February Card ....

I just love this image that my fab friend Tab sent me as part of an image swap. I coloured her with WM's and added glossy accents to the raindrops. CS ~ stash, DP's ~ paper at the very back Summer Driggs, other papers are leftovers, eyelets ~ RAK from Linda, ribbon, flowers, beadcaps and brads ~ stash, spacers ~ Poppicrafts. Got the sewing machine out again, thanks Diane ... I tried to help Diane with her new machine via Facebook ... unsuccessfully I might add lol and it reminded me that I'd not used mine for ages.

CS ~ Stash, DP's ~ Linda's RAK, image ~ Tab's RAK coloured with WM's, flower and ribbon ~ stash, buttons ~ poppicrafts, peel-off ~ stash.

My February list has increased to 21 birthday cards! I've managed 6 of those already ... so I'm not doing too bad! Only 12 are needed before or the 9th, which means I'm half way there.

Been busy, busy, busy .... Mojo Monday sketch #69 & PTW

I've done 3 more February cards .... what an achievement! This first card is for my sister from me ... just gotta add a sister sentiment somewhere but can't decide where yet. CS ~ stash, DP's ~ Linda's RAK, flowers and buttons ~ stash, image ~ google search engine coloured with WM's. Don't know if you know, but my sister comes fat club with me ... she's a chocoholic so i thought this image was apt.

DP's ~ Linda's RAK, image ~ RAK but i dont recall who, but thanks anyway, she's been coloured with WM's and Sakura Glaze pens, ribbon, brads and flowers ~ stash, bead spacers ~ Poppicrafts, although I'm not sure they show up very well in the photo. Oh yes and this is Mojo Monday sketch #69

This last card is for Papertake Weekly Dawny's Sketch #6.

CS ~ leftovers, DP's ~ Linda's RAK, image ~ RAK from Diane I think! coloured with WM's and Sakura Glaze pens, corners cut with cuttlebug die, flower, beadcap and brad ~ stash, sentiment pc generated and cut with nesties.

The First February Card ....

So I'm on a bit of a roll today .... god knows why or how cos I'm sooo tired. Tab's been keeping me up most nights on messenger, but boy we've had fun and a right old giggle! Talking about all sorts and not liquorice ones either ... food has been band lol!

CS ~stash, DP's ~ yes you've guess it another one of the paper packs kindly donated by the lovely Linda, flowers, buttons and gems ~ stash, image ~ Sarah Kay coloured with WM's.

I just loved the layout of the card that Tab sent me so decided that I'd pinch it for this one. Its turned out quite well I think. Thanks Tab honey ... mwahxxx

My Last January Card .....

At last I've finished my January card list and have sent out the February card request text. I want to make a start cos its Beth's 18th birthday February and she wants me to make 18 cupcake boxes and party favor bags for her party! So I need to be really organised especially with 3 birthdays on 3rd of February and 1 the 4th .... the rest are later on. That 7 cards for me in February not including anyone else ..... oh hang on .... just got Mum's text she needs 2 cards so I'm up to 9 lol .... busy, busy, busy!

Anyway I used last weeks Sketch Saturday Sketch #32. I didn't have time to participate last week.

CS ~ Stash, DP's ~ more of Linda's gorgeous paper pads, also used to paper piece the pillows and cover on the image, flowers ~ stash, sentiment ~ PC generated and cut out using Nesties, image ~ Rubber Romance Lillette coloured using WM's and Sakura Stardust pens, fringing on pillows blinged with Glamour Dust, can't see it too well on photo.

Sketch Saturday ~ Sketch #33

This weeks challenge is being sponsored by Pink Gem Designs!

CS ~ Leftover in stash, DP's ~ another on of Linda's fab paper pads (i'm getting the use out of these and having soooo much fun with them!), flowers, buttons and ribbon ~ stash, image ~ RAK from the lovely Diane (i'm loving this image gonna have to put these stamps on my too big wishlist!) its coloured with WM's and Sakura Glaze pens, sentiment is PC generated using Kids Print Font on of my favs when making cards from Rylee and I cut them out using my new Nesties that I had for Christmas from the girls.

Only 1 more January card to make!

Friday Sketchers #34

The sketch for this week is............

absolutely gorgeous lol! Loved this one and will defo be using again cos the results are fab even though I say so myself!

Done this for Ellie's birthday and chose the colours to match her bedroom. CS ~ stash, DP's ~ Linda's paper packs, vellum from the same pad (should've let it dry properly before I took a photo lol), sentiment ~ PC generated, gems, raffia, eyelets and flowers ~ stash, image ~ Sarah Kay coloured with WM's and Sakura Glaze. This has to be my favourite card of the minute now lol!

Another New Outfit ......

My clothes obsession is becoming as bad as my craft obsession lol! In all fairness though I do need this outfit for my neice's 18th birthday next month. Its not exactly what i had in mind when i went to Primark this morning. I was thinking more of a red/white striped top ... more of the french look but clearly not! I'm probably about 3 seasons behind lol!The biggy about this outfit is ........ its a size 10 ! I've not been that size since forever! Total spend was £15, bargain or what? Had to phone my VBF Vicki from the changing rooms to share it with her pmsl!