Stamp Something - glittery

Time for a new challenge at Stamp Something and this week we want to see lots of glitter!  We're sponsored by Simon Says Stamp and one lucky person will win a $20 shopping spree :o)

I've used a Penny Black stamp that I've had for over a year and it's been sadly neglected - I think I've used it once since I bought it.  The papers are K&Co, flowers are from my stash.  I've added pink stickles around the circle - a mistake!  I should have used diamond stickles, the pink looks really messy, so I used diamond around the papers instead.  I also sprayed all the flowers and the sentiment with Crafters Companion glitter spray, but you can't really tell from the photo.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Moving Along With The Times - birthday & circles
• Stamp Insanity - sparkle
• Anything Goes - the letter C (cats)
• Party Time Tuesdays - anything goes birthday
• Bunny Zoes - sparkle & shine
• Allsorts - anything goes
• Passion For Promarkers - anything goes
• Oldie But a Goodie - sketch
• I Love Promarkers - anything goes

I'm still feeling poorly, and I'm quite sick of it now, so you're probably all fed up of hearing about it lol!  Won't be much celebrating for New Year here, but then we don't usually do much... we'll let Morgan stay up for our usual Friday fish n chips and a film, we'll maybe have a glass of wine if we don't feel too rough.  Hope you're doing whatever makes you happy for New Years Eve - see you next year :o)

My Top 10 Cards of 2010

I decided to join in with this hop and post my Top 10 cards from this year... I had no idea how hard it was going to be to choose though, it's taken me ages!  I've missed out Christmas cards on purpose, got a bit fed up of them anyway lol.

Ooh I feel really bad for all the cards I missed out now....

Card for my Grandma

Hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas :o)  I'm actually quite relieved that it's all over - big misery aren't I?!  I'm still ill with the flu so haven't felt like making anything... it's driving me a bit mad because I have so many ideas for things I want to make and no energy to do anything.  The boys have had a great time though, and that's all that really matters isn't it?

We had awful news on Christmas Eve too... A few years ago hubby's lovely mum had to have a mastectomy and chemo to treat breast cancer, but unfortunately the cancer spread and for the last couple of years they've been trying to get her clear of it.  On Christmas Eve she had her last dose of the current round of chemo and got the latest results - her body is now clear of cancer but it's now spread to her brain... apparently this can't be treated with chemo, so we now have to wait and see if it's operable or if she'll need radiotherapy.  I've been so pathetically tearful about the whole thing!  She's such a strong woman and just gets on with it, and then there's me bursting into tears every time I think about it.  It's the thought of the boys having to deal with losing her I think... fingers crossed we'll get some good news from the next lot of tests.

Anyway onto my card - I had to make this one while I was feeling really ill, so I've used a simple layout that I use quite a lot when I need to make something quick.  It was for my Grandma, who's birthday is just before Christmas.  Papers are K&Co, butterfly was cut with a Quickutz die, added some pearls from my stash and a computer generated sentiment.  Sprayed the butterfly with a Crafters Companion glitter spray, so it's all shimmery, but you can't really see it in the photo.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Allsorts challenge - free & easy, anything goes
• The ABC challenge - K is for keep it simple
• CES challenge - anything goes
• Totally Gorjuss - for someone special

Wow I rambled on a bit today!  Off to have a wander around your blogs and see what you've all been making :o)

Last Christmas card

It's Christmas Eve already - how did that happen?  There was loads I wanted to get done this week, but I'm still ill so today's the first day I've managed to do anything... and then only because I had to!  Dex has finally started to cheer up a bit over the last couple of days, after being poorly for more than a week - he's lost so much weight while he's been ill and he didn't really have any to lose, his little legs look so skinny :o(  Poor hubby's ended up doing loads of our Christmas shopping - even though I gave him a list and printed out pictures of items I wanted him to get, we've still ended up with some very random stuff, and he's spent a small fortune - way more than I'd have spent!  Shouldn't complain though, at least he did it.

I still needed to make my mum's card, but I just couldn't face colouring - I have to be in the right sort of mood to colour and I'm really not.  So I cheated and used one of the 'cute squares' from LOTV, and just added lots of glitter.  The sentiment was a free digi one from Pink Gem Designs, I've just personalised it in photoshop.

Well, I hope you all have a very Happy Christmas!  Hopefully you're all much more organised than I am - we still have most of our wrapping to do, so we'll be very busy tonight!  Apologies if I've not returned your comments over the last couple of days, off to do some catching up now :o)

Woe is me....

Still feeling terrible... raw throat, aching all over... getting no sleep because poor Dex is coughing all night.  Joy!  Sorry I'm not getting around your blogs at the moment, I promise I'll catch up when I feel a bit better.

I've still got loads of cards to share (made before I was ill), but as I'm not able to return your comments at the moment I thought I'd just share a pic from a few weeks ago when we had really heavy snow in Sheffield.  We've hardly got any this time but it's currently -6 out, brrrr!  This photo makes me laugh because Dex is practically buried in snow, but still wanted to stay out and play!

Somehow I need to make a birthday card (which will be late!) and a couple of family Christmas cards... maybe tomorrow eh?!  Hope you're all well and warm, talk soon :o)

It had to happen I suppose...

 

I've got the dreaded bug that everyone's getting... I suppose with both kids getting it, it was bound to get me in the end!  I feel completely wiped out, and haven't done any crafting today.  The most I've managed is clearing some toys out of the living room and putting the tree up at last.  I've still got a couple of Christmas cards to make, and I still haven't posted any - wish I was the organised type!  Dex is still really poorly too, so the rest of the day has been spent cuddled up in the chair together, watching Toy Story and Cbeebies pantos.

So I'm just blogging a card I already made, using another new stamp from Little Claire - available to pre-order here.  Haven't got the energy to find any challenges so I won't bother entering any!  Hopefully I'll get round to visit some of you later though.

Stamp Something - with a tag or pocket

Time for a new challenge at Stamp Something and this week the challenge is 'something with a tag or pocket'.  We're sponsored by Whiff of Joy and the winner will be able to choose any stamp from the Whiff of Joy online shop.

I had my card all planned out in my head, but I'm a bit disappointed with it now it's done - something isn't quite right.  I've used a cute little image from Whiff of Joy, coloured with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils, with glamour dust for some sparkle on the snowy bits.  The papers are dovecraft, with coredinations cardstock.  I've been trying to use this blue trim for AGES, so I'm pleased to finally find something it went with!  The tag is cut with a die from Little Claire, available here (although it seems to be out of stock at the moment), buttons from my stash, sentiment is a digi one from Pink Petticoat cut out with the Stampin' Up word window punch.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Crafty Catz - your choice (choose from previous challenges, mine is 60-Christmas)
• Fussy & Fancy - snow
• Totally Gorjuss - snow
• Creative Inspirations - anything goes Christmas
• Stampin' For the Weekend - Christmas
• Cute Card Thursday - one for the kids
• For Fun - Christmas
• Cupcake Craft - non traditional Christmas
• Pear Tree Designs - Christmas

I'm trying and failing to keep up with commenting at the moment - the boys are still poorly and I don't seem to have any time to myself!  Will visit as many of your blogs as I can this evening though - Morgan's choice of film for tonight's viewing is Spy Kids 3... can't see myself wanting to watch that one really so I shall probably do my commenting then!

More snow!

It's been snowing again today - nowhere near as bad this time, but I think there's supposed to be more over the next couple of days.  Morgan's had his last day at school today though, so at least we don't have to go anywhere if it settles.

Here's a card I've made using a stamp and sentiment from this month's club stamp set from Little Claire - available here.  I've coloured the image with promarkers.  Papers are some MME ones that were free with a magazine, with coredinations cardstock.  Finished with some black card candy - they look very strange in this pic, think it's just the daylight lamp doing that.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Fab n Funky - quick & easy does it
• Cutie Sunday - anything but Christmas 

Thought I'd add a pic of my very grumpy looking poorly boy Dex, snuggling up with the cat earlier today.  They looked quite cute together, but he said he couldn't smile for me!  He's seemed quite a bit better first thing, but by this afternoon he was being sick again, poor thing.  I'm shattered, been up half the night with him and his upset tum, and Morgan's still suffering with his cough, so he had me up as well.  I seemed to be back and forth with drinks, calpol and sick buckets non stop... hubby sleeps through it all!

Sorry if I've not managed to come and visit you in the last couple of days, I've not had much time.  Off to try and squeeze some commenting in now...

Bah Humbug!

Why is it that everybody gets ill in the run up to Christmas?  It happens every year!  So far, hubby put his back out, Morgan's been off school with a chesty cough... I've taken Morgan back to school this morning (still coughing, but feeling better), walked back in the house and Dex started being sick - lovely!  I hadn't even got his coat off, so everything's now in the washing machine... sigh.... so much for all my plans to get lots done today!

Just though I'd quickly share another card I made with one of the new Little Claire stamps.  This one is called 'birdcage', although I've cut the actual birdcage part off for this card, the stamp is available to pre-order here.  The papers are Basic Grey 'olivia' with coredinations cardstock.  Sentiment is a digi one from Paper Makeup, cut out with a nellie snellen die.  Black pearls from stash.

36 cards in one day!

Ok, so they are the simplest cards ever, but I'm still quite pleased with myself!  I realised today that Morgan still needed a LOT more cards for his classmates, and I thought while I was making them I might as well make a few more for the neighbours, hubby's work etc.

Used little 10cm square cards, and embossed them with the Cuttlebug swiss dots folder.  Added big Cuttlebug snowflakes cut from raspberry and teal Papermill cardstock, with silver card candy centres.  My Big Shot has had a workout today!  I know they're not very exciting - but never mind, at least they're done!  I couldn't get a pic of all 36 cards, because the kitchen table where I take my pics is overflowing with stamps, paper, ink pads, and all sorts of other stuff that's supposed to live in the craft room.  Must get more organised after Christmas...

I'm entering my cards for the following challenges:

• Creative Inspirations - white papers only
• Simon Says - Christmas with no red or green
• Kaboodle Doodles - clean & simple Christmas
• Pear Tree Designs - Christmas
• Allsorts - last minute Christmas
• Keep It Simple - seasons greetings
• A Spoon Full of Sugar - Christmas card 

Eeeeek! Crafty Cardmakers - first and latest or greatest

Oh my goodness, this is so embarrassing!  Our new challenge at Crafty Cardmakers is 'first & latest or greatest' and we want you to show us your very first creation if possible - if not then the oldest one you can find!  And then show us your latest card, or your favourite one.  This challenge will run for the next 4 weeks and we have lots of fab sponsors, so there are some great prizes to be won.

This is actually my very first card, made in 2007... I made it for a friend but never sent it, even then I realised it wasn't the best lol.  It's odd that its a stamped card, because I didn't really get into stamping for a year or so after I started cardmaking.  I remember buying the stamp though - my first Hobbycraft shopping trip where I just randomly bought things that I thought I 'needed'.  Not that different from when I get in a craft shop now really!  It's coloured with sparkly gel pens, and I used some holographic paper that I thought was great then!  The other paper is just wrapping paper I think, and the butterfly sequin was from a little pot of sequins I bought on ebay.  It's sooo pink isn't it?!  Oh the shame!

My latest card is one I've made using a new stamp from Little Claire, which is available to pre-order here.  Isn't she pretty?  I've coloured her with promarkers and koh-i-noor pencils.  The papers are MME, with coredinations cardstock, card candy and a flower and button from my stash.  Quite simple really but that seems to be my general style.  I often look at other people's beautiful elaborate creations and wish I was that sort of cardmaker, but I'm just not - it's not a look that works when I try to create it myself.

I'm really hoping we'll get loads of you joining in - I can't wait to see how everyone started out!  Will you share your first creations with us?  Hope so!

Cricut - quick question

Sorry, me again!  Just a really quick question... Do any of you have a Cricut, and do you get lots of use out of it?  Would you say you've used it enough to 'justify' the cost?

None of my family are particularly crafty, and they never know what to buy me so nearly everyone gives me money for Christmas, and then my birthday is a few weeks later, and they do the same again.  So I was thinking of using my Christmas & birthday money to buy a Cricut and some... umm... forgot the name for them... carts?  Would you recommend one?

One hubby free to good home...

Oh what a day.... Morgan (my 8yr old) has a nasty chesty cough, Dex (nearly 3) has been grumpy and tearful all day so I think he's probably getting it too, and hubby is still suffering with his back.  I have very little sympathy for him today though, because while I was trying to do some commenting earlier, I heard a loud crash from the kitchen... I can see into the kitchen doorway from my chair and as I sat there, I could see an enormous lake of milk spreading across the room!  Hubby had dropped a 2 litre container of milk on the floor, which exploded and sprayed milk everywhere... and it's the second time he's done this!  You'd think the nightmare clean-up last time would have made him a bit more careful, but apparently not.  He's so accident prone!

Anyway, here's a couple of quick cards using a Sizzix primitive star die that I've had my eye on for ages, and finally let myself buy a few weeks ago.  I love stars and I think these are a great shape.  I've used a couple of scraps of sparkly MME paper, teal Papermill card, Stampin Up Kraft card and some metallic DCWV cardstock I bought a few months ago and then never used.  Did some embossing with a couple of Cuttlebug embossing folders and added some buttons from my stash.

I'm entering my cards for the following challenges:

• Fairy Fun Fridays - use a star
• Moving Along With The Times - lots of spots
• Delightful Sketches - embossing

Right, I'm going to have another go at catching up with some commenting now, hopefully hubby can stay out of trouble while I do it!

Home sweet home

Ah it's so lovely having my internet back :o)  I did manage to visit quite a few of your lovely blogs yesterday, will be trying to catch up with more of you today!

This is another of the new stamps from Little Claire, which is available to pre-order here - this one is called 'a place in the sun'.  It's quite a big stamp and I've just used part of it for this card.  It also comes with the 'home sweet home' sentiment that I've used and a 'birthday wishes' one too.  I've coloured the image with promarkers, then used koh-i-noor pencils blended with sansador for some shading.  The papers are Papermania, with cardstock, ribbon and heart pearls from my stash.

Off to do some more catching up!

I'm back online!!!

Oh my goodness, I'm so excited to be back!  Our new router finally turned up today... it was even more exciting than having new crafty goodies delivered lol.  It's been 2 whole weeks with no internet and I've been close to losing it!  Oh I'm so looking forward to visiting all your lovely blogs :o)

I have lots to catch up with on here, but I thought I'd start with one of the cards I've made using a new stamp from Little Claire, called Birdcage - available to pre-order here.

I absolutely love this stamp, and for a change I was really happy with this card - I had to send it to Little Claire as a sample, and it was a struggle to part with it!  I've coloured the image with promarkers, the papers are Papermania capsule collection, with coredinations cardstock.  The big roses are from Wild Orchid, and I think the purple ones were from Joanna Sheen - I've had them for ages though, found them at the back of a drawer. Used a woodware punch for the leaves, MS zigzag punch for the border and added a Craftwork Cards sentiment to finish.

I'm entering my card for the following challenges:

• Cute Card Thursday - floral frenzy
• Craft Your Days Away - punch it out
• CES Challenge - anything but Christmas
• Paper Pretties - punches

Off to do some online shopping and visit your blogs now... woo hoo, yay!!!

Still alive....

I'm still without internet and I'm sooo fed up!  I feel completely cut off.  We had no post for a week due to the snow, so our new router didn't arrive.  Post has started trickling through again over the last couple of days, but they don't seem to be delivering any parcels yet, so it's a bit of a nightmare really!  If the new router doesn't arrive tomorrow, we'll have been without internet for 2 weeks.... scream!

If any of my customers happen to be reading this, everything has been sent out (1st class recorded as usual) so fingers crossed it will all be delivered soon when royal mail catch up.

Things are a little bit stressful at the moment, as I can't do anything I need to do, I had my eldest off school for nearly a week so it was like the school holidays... and now I've got hubby at home because he's put his back out - he's a terrible patient so that's great fun...

I have everything crossed that the postie will bring the new router tomorrow, I think I'll cry if he doesn't!

A quick grumble

We still have no internet (just connecting again for a few mins using hubby's phone)... thanks for all your sympathetic messages, wish I could come and visit you all!  Just to make the week even worse, we have more snow than I can remember seeing for years - the boys played outside yesterday and the snow went right up to Dex's waist!  So we have no post arriving either... so I can't see the new router arriving tomorrow as we'd hoped.

I miss blogging sooo much - hope to see you all soon!