Tuesday 28 April 2009

Hellooooo............I should be creating and ticking off what's on my 'to' do' list, but just can't get into the swing of it yet, so I started a card on the weekend, not for any particular reason, (the one that took my hours lol), and finished it earlier tonight, as I had half hour free ME time, ha ha. I stamped the background with the little flower stamps, cut out the middle section, then used it again to matt and layer the other cardstock. It's not for anyone really, just here in case it is needed one day.............



Materials used:-


Inks - Versacube in Boysenberry and Lime
Kaleidacolor in Desert Heat
Bazzill cardstock - Monochromatic in Velvet
Bazzill Orange from the Bling trio (spoiled brat, 24 karat)
Bazzill Limeade
Labels 1 dies
Valencia ribbon
Misc button
Stamps - Denami Design (think they were the hawaii set from Stamp Addicts)

Size of card is approx 5.5" x 5.5"


I also made up a few meals on the weekend, just to save the toil of doing it straight away when I get in from work. I envy the fact that when I wasn't working, I was able to collect my son from school, then start on the tea and it would all be ready for around 5.15 when Simon came in from work. Everything just seems to be rush, rush, rush nowadays and the time goes soo quickly. Nevermind though, I guess it's the way things go...........



So I made corned beef hash. I know there are various ways of making this, but it was lovely and we ate it for tea yesterday and today. Used a large casserole dish, and whereas normally the meal would be divided into 3, I divided it into 6 lol. It was ample served with vegetables and the other half lasted for another 3 meals. I think we all have to economise and try not to eat too much, what with the recession etc, but it's not going to stop me from having an indian on the weekend, LOL, LOL!!!!
I seem to have moments when I will bake (cakes) on the weekend, then do nothing for weeks, then start back on it again. Think it's the satisfaction of knowing we can eat it at the end, lol.

Anyway, on that note, thanks for looking and see you soon. XX

Sunday 26 April 2009

Helloooo.......It's been a not so sunny Sunday unfortunately, so after a bit of a lay in, (unheard of for a very long time lol), we all got up around 10-15!! I know I certainly needed the extra few hours, ha ha.

I started to think about the last two week's worth of 52Q's, but just didn't get any further than that. I know by now, that this week's will have been announced, so that makes me three weeks behind, nevermind though. I'm going to plan this week, what I need to do for them.

So, I started to make a card, about 2.30 of which I still haven't finished as I didn't really have any particular plan/design to start with, so I took a fair while. I think I left it about 5pm, (I know, I can hear you saying OMG lol) and thought I'd try again next week, if I get the time. I always say walk away and go back to it later on. Doesn't always work for me though, lol.

I did finish off a card I was making for a colleague in work, who did me a very kind deed, so it's basically a 'Thank You' card for her.


Materials:

Hero Arts - Dahlia Blossom stamp
Hero Arts - 'Thank You' Tag stamp
Bazzill Bubblegum cardstock, punched at 2 sides using the Fiskars Threading water punch
Misc - wooden flower (I think though it may have been from Mad About Cards, years ago)
Misc pink mini safety pin
Ribbon - Valencia
Inks - Color Box (Petal Point) Arboretum in Magenta
Marvy Matchables in Orange

I've also popped a couple of pics on of the recent swap I took part in on Bubbly Funk for April. The theme was to have a white background with an image of a bird on it. Need to get started on May's now, lol.

Names in no particular order (LOL!!):-

Hazel, Tracy, Leigh, Nicky S (MHK)
Suzie, TraceyR, Hazel, Karen
Ali, Beth (ME), Nicky S, Paddy
Janice, Carol, Joanne, Gez

Materials used for my bird inchie were:-
Hero Arts Sketched Birds Set - LL1195
Bird - Dove C4691
Inks - Mary-Dee Grueing Blending Blox - Shades of Turquoise on Glossy card
I did another bird for a second set, but have forgotten to photo it, so will do that next week.
There's a few extra photos than I would normally upload, but after going to a car rally a few weeks ago, I took quite a few photos, (have been having a break from photography for a couple of months), so going to the rally seems to have renewed my mojo, lol.
That's all for now and thank you for popping along. XX

Thursday 23 April 2009

For the few moments I had today, I spent them by visiting a few blogs, (didn't cover them all, will do that tomorrow or on the weekend, hee hee), but I love to visit, comment and just see how clever each person is with their beautiful work. Each one is different and just shows a piece of that person's character. The blogs that I mainly visit are those from my fellow buddies on Bubbly Funk. Always inspiring and always something different each time. You are such lovely people and I'm glad I've had the pleasure of meeting a few of you in real life, and look forward to meeting a few more on the Bubblies Retreat in a few weeks time. I'm blinking nervous about it mind, but excited aswell!!

I just thought I had to say that little piece above, I think I may have had one of my 'moments', lol.

Okay, all I have to show for now is the last two 52Q cards that I've done. I was up to date, but am now 2 weeks behind lol, but nevermind.

Here are weeks 13 and 14.
Wk 13 - Best or worst hairstyle to date.
For a bigger piccy of the little ones above........have a little look here.....
My worst hairstyle was this one.................... for some reason I had a very slight perm, I don't know why as my hair was still relatively curly and wavy, but it went a bit frizzy every now and again, plus it was exaggerated slightly in this piccy as it was a bit windy that day, lol.

I loved my hair during my school days, it was thick, long and I just, well.....loved it, lol. This was taken at my friend's house. She loved Nick Hayward from Haircut 100, anyone remember those..............lol?

I think this has to be my most favourite hairstyle, unfortunately the girl that did it, started a family and I never saw her again and no one has really done it the way I like it. It's not exactly exciting in this photo lol, but it was the cut that I liked, she just seemed to do it right. Ooh, notice the white bag in two of the photos.........? Hee hee, I seemed to take that bag everywhere, lol.

My week 14 was 'What was the last book I read?'


I used a book stamp for this, only just thought of it though at the last minute, lol. I forget the name of the manufacturer, but it's a handy stamp and quite versatile too.

So, that's it for now, I had better hurry up and catch up with the other 52Q's and some of the challenges/competitions over on the Fiskarettes and Bubbly Scrumptious Blogs. Thanks for popping by. XX

Saturday 18 April 2009

I've been looking and searching in my little craft room for a small tin to decorate/alter for an Altered Tin challenge that Karen put on the Bubbly Scrumptious Blog a few weeks or so ago. For a start, I didn't think that I had one anyway, but I thought I'd look and hopefully one would miraculously appear, lol. Anyway, for a few weeks now I've been looking and searching, but nothing.

When all of a sudden today, (whilst I wasn't thinking about the altered tin challenge), I happened to look over to the window cill in my room, moreso to just gaze out of the window and do more thinking, LOL, when I noticed in the right corner a LITTLE TIN!! I was amazed and wondered why I had not seen it before.
So, I thought right, I am going to use this. By the way though, I did have a tin to alter, (come to think of it), but it was a big lunch box tin and I would have taken 25 years to decorate that, so I left that one alone, LOL.
I decided to use my alcohol inks on this little tin. It's quite tiny, measuring approximately 2.5" (60mm) x 1.5" (38mm) x just over 0.5" (15mm) deep. Apologies if that was toooooo approximate, LOL!!
I used STREAM, WILD PLUM & LETTUCE inks and away I went. I left the inside blank and thought I would take it to work, place it on my desk and use it for change, should I ever need any spare pennies in work. I shall pop a piccy on the Bubbly Scrumptious too.
Here's my altered tin..........................


As for my 52Q's, apart from last sunday's question, I've now managed to finally catch up with the others. I'm glad I decided to keep up with these. I keep thinking of what they will be like to look over at the end of the year, once they are made up into a little (or BIG lol) book.

I also thought today, (I do a lot of thinking lol) that although with my first few cards that I did, I think I may have printed some of the text, it is only recently that I thought (including thinking today LOL), that I would use my own handwriting and try to develop my own style just for these alone. At the end of all of this, they are staying with me and if I do them without making them look too perfect, then they would seem kind of natural and would relate to the weekly question at hand. I don't know, I thought it makes sense to me, but maybe I haven't explained it properly. ;-)

So, here are weeks 11 & 12. I shall pop weeks 13 & 14 on tomorrow.

I used Rhonna Farrer Flourishes on Wk 12 and the owl is from one of the Bubbly Funk Kits a while ago.


Wk 12 - 52Q's



I used an Hero Arts bloom stamp for week 12, together with some dark/light small pink gingham ribbon threaded through a Bazzill Hillary coloured button. I swirled some pink and white spotted ribbon and used it as the stem of the flower.

Wk 12 - 52Q's



Thanks for taking a look. XX

Wednesday 15 April 2009


Following on from the Orange inchies in my last post, I realised later that I forgot to add the 2nd set, so with a bit of luck tomorrow, I can photograph them in good light and pop them on. Sorry bubblies!!

I've made a big effort to catch up with my 52Q cards and just need to make up 2 of them and then take a look at the recent one just gone, (Sunday) and then do that one too. Since being back at work, it's almost impossible here to do anything during the evening, as I either just want to chill out on the net for an hour and just not have to think about concentrating on anything, lol.

So, I won't bore you with all of the 52's that I've caught up with lol, so will just put 2 on for now.

Wk 9 - What was the last brave thing you did?

Wk 10 - Name 5 movies that inspire you creatively

.................well, I could only think of one right now, LOL!!





The story to this film 'Frankie & Johnny' is absolutely beautiful. I love Al Pacino and think he is such a talented actor as well as a bit of a stonk (moreso in his younger day lol), but he'll do for me whatever age LOL. When Frankie & Johnnie go out for the evening on a Saturday night, (and as Al sings it in the film "Saturday night, the loneliest night of the week"), Frankie reluctantly agrees to go out with him to stop him from pestering her and toward the end of the evening, or rather, earlier hours, they stop in the market area at the back of a delivery van, when all of a sudden the van door slides up and there is the most beautiful array of bouquets of flowers, all different colours. You can almost smell them. This part of the film always inspires me to want to create something/anything with lots of colour in. Something almost misted or watercoloured, hence why I made my card based on my translation from this film. :-)) I always cry when I watch this film, but it is worth watching, especially if you like both Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Frankie requests that the radio station plays "Claire de Lune" by Debussy. This is a beautiful piece of music.

I'm really glad I didn't give up, as, once I started to catch up and keep notes of the events/feelings from the stated week dates, I really felt it was worth it's while, as I know I will have lots of mixed feelings when I look back at what has happened over THIS past year, come the end of the year and a lot has happened in my personal life, so hopefully it will be uplifting and both positive too.

I also intended for my blog to include only craft related blogging stories lol, but I guess now and again a couple of other things will pop in. I thought I'd pop a piccy on of Ozzy our yorkshire terrier who has been quite poorly the past month. Thankfully he is much better now and was well enough today to have his annual booster. The vet has been amazing and said she was so pleased with his recovery. Ozzy has a skin problem, which at the moment isn't too bad, in that it doesn't require any treatment. We have to bathe him twice a week for 3 weeks in a special shampoo and just keep monitoring him. He has an eye condition known as 'dry eye'. which means he doesn't have any tear ducts, so has to have ointment applied to his eyes 3-4 times a day for life. Since having this treatment his eyes have been soo sparkly, it's been amazing. I only have to say to him in the morning, "Ozzy, come and have your face and eyes done" and he trots into the kitchen and sits down in front of me. I tell you, it's amazing. He must know that it makes his eyes better, it's quite funny really. He also tilts his head one side, as the ointment applied, then tilts his head the opposite side for the other eye, amazing, LOL!!

So here's a few pics of him taken in our garden.......................Just to highlight why the photo was taken quite a distance away is because the garden has been extended recently and it seems that he has found his little patch and when the sun is shining, he goes out to the same spot and just basks in the sun. So I took the photo from the back door as this is how far away he is from it, plus he looks funny when looking at the photo as you can hardly see him, ha ha. I popped a closer one on too when I zoomed right in.



This photo was taken on Saturday when we went to a local rally up at Brecon. It was a bootiful day, so I made some rolls and off we went.


Hope you've enjoyed the non crafty pics and thanks for popping by and taking a look. XX

PS - Sorry for the waffle. Nearly fell asleep when reading it back to myself, lol. XX

Saturday 11 April 2009

HAPPY EASTER

Wishing all my online bloggeroo friends a very HAPPY EASTER.


Hope the easter bunny brings you lots of yummy chocolate to make you all fat, LOL!!

So, what's been happening.......?

It was brilliant to finish work on a very rainy Thursday, knowing that I did not have to go back till Wednesday next week, YAY!!

I've not done a scrap of crafting whatsoever though lol, been offline since Thursday too, so have no idea what is happening in blog land or cyber space come to that, LOL!!

I have got a couple of things to show and tell, a card which I made a couple of weeks ago. Now, I seem to remember I made this for a reason, either for a project, challenge (but I know it wasn't for a birthday), but can't for the life of me think what I made this card for. If anyone can decipher why after looking at it, please do tell, LOL.

My reason for making it, was not so much in the image, but for the colour, but I'm still out of ideas.




The materials for this card were:-

Maiden Lady - Stamp (From 'Just for Fun' - approx 5.5" x 4 and a bit)
Stazon - Ultramine. Realised I have had this ink for nearly 6 years and it's still going well.
Blue card
Blue Bazzill
Blue flower & Brads
Navy Blue 1" spot ribbon
Treading water border punch
2 cocktail sticks

I shrunk the maiden lady using white shrink plastic, then punched the border of the card and then threaded the cocktail sticks through the punched holes. Bit tricky, but if your careful it will work okay.

The other show and tell was the ORANGE inchies from the Bubbly Funk swap for March. I loved doing these and did 2 sets, just to make up the shortfall in numbers at that time.

Here's the set with everyone's creations. Thanks girls, these are brill!!

That's all for now, just a quickie tonight. Hope to be back over the weekend with some more. Need to catch up on my 52Q's......................so much to do and so little time. It was too nice to stay in today in this lovely sunshine, so we all went out to watch some rallying and took Ozzy with us. I think he did so much thinking (cos in a strange place), it actually mentally exhausted him and all he's done is sleep since we came home, LOL, Bless!! XX

Wednesday 8 April 2009

Hellooo, just popping in to say that I shall be posting again on the weekend, (I hope), as I have a few days off from work over the Easter break, AMEN!! Needless to say I STILL have my 52Q's to get on with, but just haven't had the time, unless I pinch half an hour here and there, it's just not easy to do. Big Sigh LOL!!

So I thought I'd have a little go at the Simple Woman's Daybook prompts. These are lovely to read and I'm so glad I came across this blog whilst blog hopping. So..........as I'm in work, I will see how I get on with this........

Outside my window........the traffic has been rather hectic today, but it's starting to slow down now. There is always a car or passer by go by our window, so I never feel alone. :-) Plus, we have a little park (only little) over the road and it's displaying the most beautiful bright yellow tulips in the garden.

I am thankful for.........having a lovely lunch and exchanging lovely chatter with my best friend today. It's always a rush as the lunch hour goes by sooo quickly, but it's soo lovely to catch up and have a laugh.

From the kitchen......hmmmm, well, going according to the kitchen here at work, I can't vouch for an awful lot, lol. Say no more!!

I am reading........My current book, of which I haven't picked up in about 3 weeks is called Vanished by Tess Gerritson. Something very different for me.

I am hoping...............for improved health for my Mum...........

I am creating........Just finished the April Inchies over at Bubbly Funk. Next on my list is.........YES, the 52Q's lol!!

I am hearing.........my colleague coughing like a mountain ram, lol and my phone just rang.

Around the house............few bits and bobs to be tidied up, mostly couple of PS3 games that belong to my Son.

One of my favorite things..........For tonight........changing into my jimjams ASAP and curling up in bed!

A few plans for the rest of the week...........Finish work Thursday for the Easter break and settling down to some crafting and finishing off the few projects that are on my list, lol.

Ooh, I've quite enjoyed this. Hope I haven't bored you with my responses. Thanks for popping by. XX