Magnolia and Friday Sketchers

Hi Guys! So this is another challenge card - this time a double entry for Magnolia's challenge - Punch it out and Friday Sketchers who produced this fab layout:

So this is what I came up with:

I got to use my new Tilda - I just love this stamp, she's such a sweetie isn't she? I coloured her using promarkers and the pinnie is a glitter pen which I dry brushed to create the effect [doesn't show up too well on the photo, sorry). The oval is one which has been donated to me, the papers and ribbon from stash. The boarder punch is Martha Stewart, the flower punches my old faithfuls (woodware and tesco) and the butterflies from my x-cut punch. Candy pips from my new stash acquired at the NEC and I think that covers it all.

Thanks for looking! and Happy Crafting!  x

Creative Inspirations - Green, Brown & Blue!

Well, i'm finally back in the land of challenges and card making! wooh! and my first offering is for Creative Inspirations and their challenge this week of Green, Brown and Blue.

Seemed to me to be the perfect excuse to use my new LOTV stamp and get going on a male card.

Simple design for me really, but I think - nonetheless - effective. I love this image! its just so perfect for mens cards and I had so much fun colouring him in with my new pro-markers. Papers are all from stash - oddments from my box and the candy pips are old one's I was sent by a fellow crafter.

Think thats all so thanks for looking and let me know what you think - good or bad!

Happy Crafting xx

Look What I Got!

Well it's been one of those days - I finally got around to getting my card stuff out and I realised that I couldn't just sit and play. I had to go and pick up a prescription this morning, get some food in and then work out the new washing machine! eeek! Well, I've managed 2 washes without anything leaking, exploding or otherwise seemingly going wrong so *fingers crossed* maybe everything will work out fine! well besides the stupid drying function which I hate on these combi machines - it basically doesn't work, so the airing rack is out but the clothes are going to take at least a day to dry (and knowing my jeans at least 1 day more than everything else!) but never mind.

Anyhoo, this morning I got a lovely surprise in my mailbox from Sue (over at Aunty Sue's Craft Cavern) - she sent me a beautiful card [see below] and a fab sewing kit - perfect given my current major project (which I really must work on tommorow - see post below). So *big hugs* and thanks to Sue - go visit her blog if you don't already have her bookmarked and show her the love!

My fab card from Sue

Think that's all from me today - will update with some cards soon I promise!

Hope you've all had a fab day - take care! x

Can you guess what it is yet?

So I've been in Bristol a week already - scary huh? and of that week i've been in work - 1 day! lol! What a brilliant start to the job, I started on April 1st and have then had easter weekend off, it's been a little weird to tell you the truth, but anyhoo!

With all this free time on my hands, what have I been up to you may ask? lots of crafting? ummm well no - you see, I decided to make some cards and then discovered that of all the things to go and forget to pack, it had to be my perspex blocks! urgh, so nope - no card making as such. Although I have been playing with my new promarkers with some pre stamped images. But i've not really got anywhere further with them at the moment.

Instead i have been getting on with a Birthday present project for my best mate - i've got 2 months to finish this so as long as I actually do a little bit every day it should be fine (although I do need to get it mounted, framed and posted back to Brum in that time frame too....hmmm) anyway - instead of tell you what i'm stitching, I thought i'd leave you to guess!

So can anyone tell me what it is yet?

I hope you've all had a fab easter weekend! best wishes and happy crafting xx

New Flat!

Well im here in Bristol, all alone *sob* and ready to start my new job. It's so weird being this alone though. It'll be better once i know the place and i've made some friends but right now? I kinda wish I was back home in Brum - especially after the saga of moving in.

Last week I phoned and asked them to confirm all the paperwork was sorted and everything was ok to move on monday (today) - yes not a problem they said. Then yesterday morning, I get a phonecall when we're half way to Bristol saying that I can't move in because they havent recieved my job reference! ummm pardon?!?! so I phoned my new manager to be and asked her about it - slightly hysterical by this point - and she assured me it had been sent but that she'd get a secondary copy faxed over asap. Duly done, the estate agents phoned back and said that the completion could go ahead. Great! Then I get here and discover that teh sofa, which was broken when we viewed the property and asked to be replaced before I moved in, was still here and still broken! Pardon? seriously what was I paying the agency £275 in fees for? they don't appear to have done anything. Anyway - after a phonecall or two, the new sofa is being delivered on Thursday for me, but until then i'm stuck using my computer chair or the seats at the table (not the most comfortable of things). Ugh! But having said all that, I do know that this is a step in the right direction, however strange its feels and however much of a nightmare today has been! So I thought sharing might help my blood pressure and stop me feeling quite so alone- so here's my flat!

Hallway, yeah - nothing unusual

Bathroom - isn't it pretty?

Bedroom - Double bed, wow! been a while since i've had one of them.

Lounge - The evil broken Sofa!

Kitchen - Not  a bad little space, I just need to learn how to use an electric oven!

So thanks for listening to me rant and I hope you've all had a good day. Take care! xx

My NEC Goodies

The NEC yesterday was packed! I swear I am one solid bruise from all the elbowing and ramming! not impressed! *sigh* but other than that? great fun! well, with the exception of the seriously limited budget :0( but that is what happens when you have to move and spend hundereds of pounds on stuff to live lol!

But anyhoo - I took £70 and spent it all very easily as you can imagine - so this is what I got:

25 Promarkers - the two sets designed specifically for stamping plus the skin tones set (skin tones curtosy of my brother whose set I had been stealing - he phoned when I was debating which ones to buy as I couldn't afford all 3 sets, so he asked mum to pay for the skin tones at the show and he gave the cash back to her when we got home - isn't he the sweetest? he said it was my housewarming present! hahaha! )

Five 12"x12" papers for a £1 - no real reason for them except they're pretty

Blank cardstock - slightly bigger than I normally use but it's all about change :0) 4 rolls of double sided tape and a new glue roller and refills

A box of boxes - bargin at a fiver! and 2 packets of candy pips (or whatever it is you want to call them)

2 LOTV stamps and 2 of the new Tildas - but as you can see, no moose stamp *cries* I went to collect it and they had the envelope with it in and when the sales rep opened it for me to check he realised that someone had packed the wrong stamp!!!! it was Tilda's sheep instead. He was very apologetic and promised to get the moose stamp sent a.s.a.p to my home address and as a gesture of goodwill he did the new Tilda's at £5 each.

House Mouse Decoupage - I had so much trouble choosing just one set of these, I wanted all of them!

So that's it! doesn't look a lot when I see it all in 1 bag and wonder where the money went but i'll have great fun playing with it all once i'm settled in Bristol.

Hope you're all well this weekend, don't forget to change your clocks this evening! Not sure when i'll be around to post now - hopefully Monday evening once i'm moved in, but thats pending the internet working so keep your fingers crossed!

Take care and Happy Crafting all! x

Look What Mummy Made!

I'd love to say I made these little fellows but I can't knit to save my life! lol! Mum's made these a couple of times before, I just failed to get photo's until now.

Their bellies are made to fit over a Cadbury's Cream Egg - which also gives it the stability to stand.

We have a whole army of these marching off to a fundraising easter luncheon on Saturday. They sell for about £1.50 and all the money goes to the church fund - as mum never claims the money for anything back- for whichever project is nominated this year.

In other worldly news - it's 6 days and counting until my move to Bristol! Eeeek! The house currently looks like i've raided a cookware store and Argos lol! But I have 2 fab things to do before I move: Firstly mum and I are off to the NEC on friday for the Hobbycraft show and then Secondly, on Saturday; mum, me, my best friend and her mum are going to see Les Miserables! I cannot tell you how excited I am! *starts bouncing round the room*

Oooh well - back to the packing: newest dilema - what Jewellery should I take with me, then which shoes before finally - how can I sneak my entire dvd collection into the boxes?

Hope you're all well! take care and happy crafting!