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Sugar Bowl Challenge

Well, I didn't quite meet my challenge of posting again the next day but instead a couple of days later which I suppose is better than I've done in a long time. It was my dad's birthday last weekend and so I made a card for him. I decided to go with another sketch as I hadn't made a card in so long and went for the challenge over at the Sugarbowl where you could choose a sketch from their gallery and what a choice there was too. I eventually decided on the sketch from Challenge 39 but will be using some of their other sketches to make other cards.





I used my new Manga stamp "Scooter Boy" which I won from the Sugar Nellie blog as candy to mark the release of the new Manga stamps. The image was coloured using copics. The papers are Basic Grey and the sentiment is from Craftwork cards.

Be back soon. x

It's been a long time!

I seem to start every post by saying that it has been such a long time since I posted and I keep vowing to try harder at posting. It just never seems to work out that way due to life being so busy. The last time I posted was during the Easter hols but I literally haven't stopped since then with an assignment to write for uni, a school inspection, some job interviews amongst all the other everyday usual things.

I decided that I would use a challenge to make my first card in a very long time as I wasn't sure I'd be able to just unleash some creativity and to ease me into it gently. I've had a go at the Papertake Weekly challenge as I loved the sketch and having made this card I will definitely be using the sketch to make more cards. So without further ado here it is:



Stamp:Gorjuss Girl from Sugar Nellie
Papers:Basic Grey Olivia from Craft Obsessions
Embellishments and tools:MS Punch from Bunny Zoe Crafts

I'm setting myself a challenge - to post again tomorrow.

See you then!

Easter Holidays

We went away to London for a couple of days on Easter Sunday which was a fantastic break. We walked for miles and miles each day with our feet really suffering at night but all good fun! Lewis had an absolute ball and didn't want to leave, neither did we. Now we are back home it seems like such a distant memory, especially I'm now in the throes of having to write an assignment for my uni course which needs to be handed in next Friday at the latest. The plan was not to spend more than a few days doing it so that I could enjoy the rest of my holiday but somehow I don't think that that is how it is going to pan out. :o( I spend the whole of yesterday on it and didn't make very good progress unfortunately so today I pretty much won't be stopping either.

I think most of Saturday and Sunday will be taken up too minus taking Lewis to a birthday on both days. No rest for the wicked and no crafting for me! I was really looking forward to playing with some of the goodies that I got for my birthday, but maybe next week if I get this assignment done.

I'm posting a card today that I made last weekend before going to a friend's house for dinner last Saturday night. I just love making easel cards, they are so easy to make and look really effective. I made another two but will post them later.



Supplies
Stamp:Magnolia Easter collection
Paper:Papermania Retro Floral pack
Punches:retro flower punches, SU scallop oval punch, MS doily lace punch

I also made some bags to put small Easter eggs from M & S in to take with us to our friend's house which they loved. I'd made them before but I was more successful with them this time as I had most of the tools to make them this time. They are called Bag in a box and are so easy to make. I made six of them really quickly although ran out of time to embellish them.






Well, I'm off to get Lewis organised to go to the cinema with his best friend Paul who is 4 today and then it is a long day of work for me! Wish me luck!

Be back tomorrow hopefully!

Greetings!

It's been a while again since I last posted - life has been so busy. I'm at home today as I was yesterday and I will be tomorrow as I feel ghastly with flu-like symptoms. Spoiled my trip to Disneyland Paris at the weekend as I was just beginning to feel unwell and it was bitterly cold there - much colder than here. Anyway, getting bored with sleeping and lying in bed so thought that I would pop on here to post. I made this card and box way back in October believe it or not! How time flies! I was particularly pleased with the box as it is not something that I have done much of in the past and quite liked how it turned out. Think I may have a go at colouring some images now and it may not be so long before I post again.

Hope all is well with you.

Merry Christmas!

Well, it has been some months since I last posted - four to be precise! It feels so good to be posting again as I have really missed blogging and keeping in touch with the friends I've made as a result of crafting and blogging. So much has happened in the last four months, not just with work but with health related issues, particularly with my husband's family and then in the last few weeks with Steven himself. Fingers crossed as we seem to be all right at the moment and had a lovely Christmas. I hope that you all did too and that Santa was good to you.

The weather continues to be very cold with us still and in fact snowed most of the day yesterday! This weather is definitely not going to go away in a hurry.

Anyway, I have managed to make a few Christmas cards in recent weeks and loved having the opportunity to have a go at playing again. I'm going to try and get back into the swing of it again during my holiday, starting with some thank you cards. My hope is that when I go back to work I will keep it up. So I keep telling myself!

Here are some of the cards I made recently.



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Hope to be back soon!

To blog or not?

Morning everyone,

Again it has been ages since I posted on here as my life continues to be hectic even when I'm on holiday! There seems to be a common theme of me apologising whenever I come on here for not posting for ages. I am actually having a bit of a dilemma with this one. I am considering stopping my blog as I feel that I just don't have the time I'd like to spend on it. I go back to work on Monday and have a new role which is going to keep me extremely busy, more so than I was before and to top it all I am applying to go back to Uni to study part time. With that will come lots more work and so realistically I am thinking when am I ever going to find the time to post??

It is such a difficult decision to make as I have really loved having my blog and I have met such wonderful friends as a result of this and I love checking out what everyone else gets up to. Why are decisions never easy? I will ponder some more before fully deciding. At least if you pop on here one day and I'm gone, you'll know what has happened!

Today I am going to be busy with lots of things including filling in an application form, getting prepared for going back to work, ironing and some gardening. Well I'm hoping to squeeze most of that in. I am going to try really hard to find some crafting time tonight (first time in ages) to make some much needed cards for birthdays, engagements etc. We'll see how I got in. I'll leave you with a card I made before I went on holiday. It's very simple but I quitte like it! ;o)

Have a great day whatever you are doing.

AWARD TIME

The weeks are passing by so quickly. I can't believe that my holidays are almost over! I haven't done half of the things I wanted to! I'll need to go into work for a couple of days next week to start getting organised for going back the following week. It's been two weeks since I last posted as I was away on holiday and since we've come back, I've had the dreaded washing and ironing to catch up on that comes with going on holiday and have had lots of visitors. I'm also addicted to playing Farm Town on Facebook - I mean seriously addicted! It's disgraceful! Anyway, I hope to be posting more regularly in the next week or so as we know that once I go back to work, I'll be swamped with things and won't have a life again. The joys!

I have been lucky to be given these awards recently so thought that I'd pop on and get them posted.




I have been awarded this by my lovely blogging pal Vikki who always leaves me lovely comments and inspires me with her fantastic creations. Thanks Vikki!

The terms of this particular award are:-
1. Make reference to award and publish it on your blog
2. Share 5 things you like to do
3. And share with 10 blogs
4. Inform each blog
The 5 things i like to do are :
1. Spending time with my husband Steven and my three year old son Lewis.
2. Research my family tree. I've been doing this for about 4 years now and still have lots and lots to do. I'll still be doing it no doubt when I retire!
3. Scrapbooking and cardmaking - It's lovely to make cards for others and to see their face when they open them. I think it is so important to preserve memories for future generations. Scrapbooking and genealogy go together so well!
4. Blogging - I have met such wonderful friends through starting up a blog. It really was one of the best things I've done.
5. Reading - I never get enough time to do this as I always have more important things to do. The only time I read during term time is for things to do for work. Sadly, reading for me is kept for holidays as if I try to read in bed, I fall asleep after 10 minutes and have to reread what I read the night before the following night. A waste of time!

I'd like to pass this award to the following friends:

Vikki
Sarah-Jane
Riane
Meahni
Mar
Manda
Debz
Kelly
June
Clare


I was also awarded this by Vikki a little while ago and this is me just getting around to getting it on my blog! What am I like?????



Here are the rules of this award:
1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.
2) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.
I would like to pass this award to......

Clare
Kaylou
Claire
Denise
Louise
Sheila
Riet
Avril
Jo
Bernie
Zoe
Melissa

** I've only posted 12. This is taking me so long!



I was awarded this award and another below by my very lovely bloggy pal Debz. I'm sure that most people will be familiar with Debz as she is on the DT team for thePassion for Promarkers Challenge and does the most wonderful colouring! Wish I could colour as well as her. If you've never checked out her blog before, what are you waiting for?

I am going to award this to the following 5 people:

Avril Ann
Kelly
Sarah-Jane
Mel
Stacey



The conditions of the award are:-
I must thank the person who gave me the award.
List their blog and link to it.
I must list 10 honest things about myself.
I must put a copy of The Honest Scrap Logo on my blog.
I must select at least seven other worthy bloggers & list their links.
I must notify the bloggers of the award.

Here we go then:

1. I'm normally a calm, patient person.
2. I'm a perfectionist - to my own detriment at times.
3. I can't stand people being rude.
4. I hate coffee.
5. I love to help others, well most of the time! :o)
6. I hate Daddy Long Legs and freak out if they come near me, especially if I am in the house on my own.
7. I love to have a good natter with my pals.
8. I'm a typical Piscean.
9. I'm looking forward to being my sister's bridesmaid in 2011.
10. I'm thinking of going back to University to study again and gain further qualifications.

I am going to award this to the following friends:

Clare
Stacey
Kelly
Riet
Meahni
Avril Ann
Sammi


Phew!!!That Took me a while! Hope to be back later with some photos of our holiday to Disneyland and maybe a card or two!

Holiday Time!

It's been a while since I last posted. Even though I am on holiday from work, life has still been pretty hectic with lots of things to catch up that I don't normally get done during term time. The last few days I have been busy ironing and packing for our holiday to Disneyland Paris. We leave tomorrow and are away for about 10 days all in all with a stop to Legoland in Windsor on our way back. I have also become a bit of a facebook addict and have become addicted to playing the games on there! It's so nice to be able to spend the evening not doing work - I could get used to that!! The weeks are flying by in saying that and it won't be long until I am working again at night. I'm trying not to think about that too much!

I have managed to have a wee bit of a play and have made a few cards, this being one of them:



Stamp:Gorjuss Girl
Paper: Black cardstock, paper from stash
Medium:Copic Ciao
Tools: Martha Stewart Doily Lace Punch, corner punch
Embellishments: Sentiment from Craftwork Cards

Well I'm off to get more ironing and packing done and then going to get my hair cut and coloured and Lewis' hair cut too. Then tonight I'm off to the picture to see My Sister's Keeper with some friends so looking forward to a good girly night out before I'm up bright and early tomorrow.

This will probably be my last post for around two weeks. I'll llok forward to catching up with everyone when I get back.

Scrapping - Summer Days

Yesterday I spent the day doing some scrapping which I haven't done for quite some day and rediscovered how much I really enjoy it despite the fact that it takes me ages to do one layout. I'm so pernickety and like everything to look just right before I stick it down. I'm my own worst enemy at times and need to speed up! Anyway, I completed this layout of Lewis enjoying the summer weather recently. He just loves to be out in the garden playing with his toys which incidentally take up most of the garden! He also loves riding on his bike at the moment and loves to go for long walks with mummy so that he can cycle which I don't mind because it is good exercise for me. I am really pleased with how this turned out and since it was my first one of the day it spurred me on to do more.

I used this week's sketch from pencil lines and the paper was from DCWV Paper stack 6 which I bought in WHSmith at the weekend in their sale. It has lots of gorgeous papers which is spurring me on to do more scrapping too. I printed the letters onto cardstock and cut them out and the stamp was from a download I purchased ages ago from Designer Digitals I think!

I had great plans to get lots of crafting done today but have only managed to colour some images instead as I have been watching the Michael Jackson memorial on iplayer for most of the afternoon as I missed it last night and desperately wanted to see it. I did manage to colour some images whilst I watched so I will try to get some cards made tonight.

8th Wedding Anniversary

Morning all,

Today is my 8th wedding anniversary which I believe is bronze or pottery in traditional terms and either lace or linen in modern terms. I can't believe where the last 8 years have gone, they have passed so quickly which I guess is a good sign! Steven and I have actually been together 14 years tomorrow which again seems like only yesterday! It is also my friend Carol's birthday tomorrow and she was the one who got us together. A good way to always remember her birthday, not that I'd ever forget anyway!

Here is the card I made for Steven:



I used papers which I bought at the Artstamps show in Edinburgh recently and coloured the Rachelle Miller image which I have had for yonks with my copics. I'm slowly getting used to using these! The red raffia is from Tescos which I bought at Christmas time but didn't use on any cards! The sentiment is from Cuddly Buddly and the dew drops are from Kirsty Wiseman's shop. I quite like the way this has turned out!

This is the card I made for Carol's birthday:



Carol loves handbags and so I thought that this would be a great choice for her and also was a nice change for me to make a card which didn't involve using images. It was so quick and easy to make too. All of the materials used are from Craftwork Cards. I bought a goody bag which cost me £10 at Easter time which was fantastic value for money and was crammed full of lots of goodies. The sentiment included wasn't included but I also bought these from Craftwork Cards.

Well, today I am going to try and get my creative juices flowing and do some scrapping as I haven't done any for a long time. I have so many photos to use and a mountain of papers to use as I keep buying thinking that'll be great for ...... but never get around to doing anything due to lack of time. I'm also going to try and pluck up some courage to use my cuttlebug! We'll see how I get on! :o)

Summer Days

It seems so long ago since I last posted! I have had such a few busy weeks and I'm still recovering! I'm now on holiday thank goodness and I'm looking forward to making up for lost time and getting lots of crafting done! I spent the last week of term away with my class on a residential trip just outside of Aviemore which was great fun. We had absolutely glorious weather to enjoy all of the activities that we took part in. The kids had a ball and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. I never sleep very well when I am away on residential trips, such a huge responsibility being responsible for other people's kids 24-7. I missed my wee man hugely whist I was away and was really happy to be back home last Friday to see him. I have spent the whole of this week trying to recover and catch up with lots of things too. I have also been enjoying the fantastic weather that this week has brought and have coloured some images today and yesterday so that I can get several cards done hopefully tonight and tomorrow. I hope to be back tomorrow to post some of my creations, probably tomorrow night as I am meeting some friends for lunch tomorrow.

The picture above is of Lewis enjoying the sunshine and playing with his water table out in the garden. His "cheeky monkey" hat is so apt at the moment, loves getting up to mischief!