Just to say - I am still here

Oh dear... Poor poor blog... What happened to all those hopes and dreams of 'blogdom' that I had... Inspirational 'how to's....' Links to all those wonderfully inspirational folk on the worldwide webdom of crafting wonderfulness..... Immersing myself - knee deep in pink ribbons, and glamour dust.... Whistful hours, sticking and sewing and dreaming of all things frilly and twee....

Oh well... Real life came back and bit me again!... I am loathe to let my little blog go... It's somewhere to whitter on when I do get 5 mins after all... and yes, I am sorry to have written yet another, 'this is what I've done for Simply Cards and Papercrafts' post... But, these projects are all I have to offer right now and I loved making them... This is a new monthly section that I've been doing - with sketches to inspire... Hope that they work out okay.x.

So, until such time as I do have hours to wallow in trimmings and frills and inks I shall immerse myself in these few projects... and dream..... and how I love to dream whilst scrolling along the lovely Inspirational site... a wonderful place to lose oneself whilst enjoying a cuppa.....x....

Better go back to my real world now... Sorry I don't have much to offer here, but thanks for looking - thank you thank you thank you.x.

Christmas Projects....

Hi! Well - this feels a little awkward, kind of like I'm jumping up and down and shouting - "look at me look at me!!!".... But I am not - what I am shouting is "Look at Mary Fran of Nitwits - she's SOOOOoooo fabulous! and Look at Kelleigh Ratzlaff's Templates coz she's amazing too!!!!" And without their products I wouldn't have been able to have such fun (and I am talking crafting heaven!!!) making these projects for Simply Cards and Papercrafts... I have a few piccies here, but they are not great (sorry - I really need a photography course!)... But I shall share them anyways I must say Mary Fran's collection, Joyful Hearts is just divine - beautiful colours and themes - I think ALL my cards are going to be from this set this year! Kelleigh's templates are as ever an absolute breeze to use - her measurements are so exact and never fail - whenever I have put together something using the templates, they are always spot on - no mismatching corners or wonky creases - honestly you have to try them - they are PERFECT!
Again - apologies for the piccies - ***cringe***

Thank you for looking.x.

a couple of recent makes....

It's oh so quiet.... sssshhhhh ssssshhhhh.... It's oh so still.... sssshhhhh ssssshhhhh.... and then the school bell rings..... and ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE AGAIN!!!!.... No, seriously... It's really strange now the kids are back at school... and it really is 'oh SOOooo quiet'... I feel a little bereft - but it does mean that I have finally finished making a couple of things and have some projects on the go (in between catching up on the housework which is going to take me until the next school holidays I am certain!)....

So here they are... And if you are my sister reading this - please don't look at the Lavender Yin Yang - no don't - I mean it... It didn't quite work out as I had planned it, but it smells nice all filled with lavender so I am going to send it to you anyway.x.x.x..... I have been playing with my now fixed (fingers crossed) sewing machine and some beads and embroidery thread and dried lavender and it was really peaceful.....

The other photos I just found as I was going through the camera... The teacher cards and tags were a simple idea that I played with on the pc and cut with the Robo... Been experimenting with silhouettes... The robo is a fabulous machine, but it's time consuming to get a design just right before cutting (well for me of little brain it is!)....

The baby card was made with the WONDERFUL Shabby Miss Jenn's baby kit... I know I will get a lot of use from this kit as there are lots of pregnant tummies floating around just now! tee hee.x.

Anyway - schools out - back to Mummy mode...x.... Thank you for looking lovely crafting people...

CPS Challenge

Hi.... Well - I have been doing some late night crafting... You know when you just have to 'make something' or you'll go crazy!!! Well, it's one of those evenings - I haven't had much crafting time at all lately (and not so lately) and I'm going crazy and I needed a crafting fix... And then my mind was all over the place and I did not know where to start so I 'googled' card sketch challenge and up popped this lovely site and the rest is.... as they say.... history... tee hee.x.

Only - I got a little carried away... and I spilt some ink on the first card (horror!!!) and after my initial tantrum and subsequent cup of coffee and a comforting cookie (low fat - promise!) I decided I did not want to waste the card, so I covered my 'mistake' with lace... But you know how you kind of feel like it's not quite right because 'you' know that you made a little mistake... and then I thought - well hey - now I am going to make another card because I need another fix of stitching and gluing and 'blinging'...

And so I made two - and now I cannot decide which one I like best.... and if I stare at them any longer I know that I will end up disliking both altogether... Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah....

Lovely Sketch from the CPS Blog!

Above is My First Card 'With Lace!!!'

I used Shabby Miss Jenn's kit - Gracie's Garden - which I adore.x.Second attempt using the same kit and some grungeboard embellishments which I painted pink and some Prima Flowers too...x...

Now I just have to work out how to add this post on to the CPS Blog - I haven't done that before - so wish me luck... Here goes...x... Oh and Thank you for looking lovely crafting people...x...

Hi Honey, we're home!

Sorry - sorry - sorry - sorry....

For not posting anything for SOooooo long! I don't want to let go of my blog, but I am such a lazy 'blogger'... I have so many good intentions of posting tips I find along my crafting pathways and so on and so forth... But is it just me, or is someone making our 24 hours a day thing shorter?... I just cannot squeeze anymore life out of my days/nights as they are full to bursting!

And... to be honest we've also been away - first time holiday for us as a family! It was wonderful wonderful wonderful... We went to Mallorca on a true family active fun packed hols... I could have stayed there indefinitely.x.

Anyhoo in the hustle and bustle of life I have realised that something's gotta give - I just hope I can cling on to some crafting time... Just a likkle bit - pretty please - a small quota of crafting heaven, not a lot, just a bit...x....

Well, I have been crafting - just not had time for posting too... and I have been lucky enough to make some bits and pieces for Practical Publishing's lovely peeps... I can share them now as the magazine's are released...x...

If you click on a pic it will take you to the relevant site.x. Thank you for looking you lovely crafting people!.x.

Simply Cards and Papercrafts - Father's Day

Hi... Poor neglected blog... I wish I could be a super blogger, posting with hints and tips and 'have you seen this' and 'have you seen that'... But no, I am a poor excuse for a blogger... I must shake myself and be a better blogger... I must, I must, I must.... x.... Well, can I just say - I'll try, I'll try, I'll try....x... That'll do for now...

I do, however, have to post is a little 'toot' as I have recently submitted these cards for this issue (on sale now!) of SC & P... I feel so lucky to have been able to do this, and not least because I could use one of my most favourite digi designer's kits... I had wanted to use this for AGES!... Thank you Mary Fran for permission to use your kit - it was a pleasure to use - as are ALL your lovely digi graphics.x.

Thank you for looking.x.x.x.x.

Toilet Humour!!!

Only the delightful Kate Hadfield could have come up with these wonderfully wacky graphics!!!

Click Pic to link to shop.x.

I mean, it's just amazing! How could Kate have known that I needed a 'toilet' graphic! That's just spooky...x... So here's what I wanted it for... Just a little sign - a little reminder to those small people (and BIG PEOPLE!) who just seem to need a little reminder.x.x.x.x..... tee hee....x.

Please Forgive Me....x...

Hi... I just wanted to say that I am sorry for the 'state' of my blog at the moment... I am trying to redesign the thing and all this 'html' code is blowing my already tiny brain into fragments!... pah!.....x...

I do hope, fellow bloggers, that normal service will be resumed shortly...

Sorry - I can't help tinkering - you know what it's like when you get this idea into your head?....

Back soon... I hope... You see there is always the possibility that this pc could end up in a hole in the garden the way it's going!... hee hee.....

Plump Strawberry's!

Just thought I'd share some things I made using a lovely digi paperpack that I am now ADDICTED too! It's Papertrail 2 by Melissa Bennett and it's simply divine.x. I couldn't resist using it to make some very plump strawberry's using a template by Kelleigh Ratzlaff (I am LOVING this girl! She makes Hybrid Life EASY PEASY!)....

I have totally overfilled these strawberry's though - with sweeties.x.

I have also made this 'With Love Card' using Melissa Bennett's Papertrail 2.

Papers: Melissa Bennett Papertrail 2
Die Cuts: Sizzix Decorative Accent, Bosskut Daisy
Embossing: Cuttlebug Swirls
Jewels: Prima
Thank you for looking everyone.x.

Take care all.....

Courage etc....

Very quick post... again... Just a couple of pics of recent makes.x.....

If you click on the pic - full credits are available... Eva Kipler and Kate Hadfield.x.

Lilypad - WONDERFUL BYOC for April

Hi - I have been lucky enough to play with some of Kate Hadfield's delightful artwork - I hope to be able ot spend lots more time playing with it all! For now, I needed something quick and easy for a birthday party today... This took minutes - Kate's done all the hardwork for me with her wonderful graphics, doodles and papers... Kate you are amazing!!! Her artwork is perfect for all those party needs and she covers so many different subjects with her work... There is something for everyone!

Here I used - Hippity Hoppity, New Growth Alpha and Painted Pretties papers. Thank you for making it so easy and quick to create a personalised birthday card Kate - you are an amazing designer - simply amazing! Better get off to the party now - 35 or so 5 year olds - I have my headache tablets ready in my handbag!!!

Hybrid Gift Packaging

Hi - just a quick post to point you over to Eva Kipler's blog - the lovely Andrea has posted about hybrid gift packaging - a really cool idea! I made this little box and bow really quickly using Eva's new kit - Lil' Miss Drama Queen - a fabulously girly kit! You should see what Andrea made (!WOW!) - I LOVE how quickly you can make up these ideas using digital supplies - and how lovely it is to receive something with tailor made packaging...x....

Thank you for stopping by.x.

Boy Crazy Notelets

Just a quick post to show you Melissa Bennett's latest goodies... This is just one of many lil' kits that she has just releasedover at SSD. It's fab - very versatile and I can see that I will use it for many things - especially thank you cards and notelets etc... It prints beautifully! Incidentally, this box template was SOOooo easy - I know that I've seen it on a blog somewhere and remembered 'how to' because of how easy it was to score and fold!...

Boy Crazy

Byeee for now.....x.... and thanks for looking.......x....

Miss Ladybird's Tea Party with pancakes!

Happy Tuesday!!! Did you have pancakes today??? I love pancakes and have now found out that so does my eldest son! He is 6 and has decided that now, today, he LOVES pancakes - he loves them with sugar, he loves them with chocolate spread, and he loves them with ice cream! But most of all he loves them with all of those things - altogether!!! Happy Pancake Day.....

..............................................................

Well - it feels like spring might be on it's way... and I totally fell for this kit by Eva Kipler & Libby Weifenbach! It reminds me of spring - it's so lovely and so colourful and so versatile! I found this little blank ladybird house at Sainsbury's and I had just got the kit the night before, so I thought it was fate and bought the house straight away - and then I painted it up a bit and played and played and played around - no longer safe for real ladybirds I guess - but I am sure I can think of a use - I may pop some hooks inside and keep my spare keys in there - and then I can keep it where I craft because it's so bright and sunny! Yay! I shall do that.x. But I think I will have to buy another house for some real ladybirds as the boys kinda like the idea of giving them a house to keep them snug!...
Thank you for looking!.x.