Thursday 30 January 2014

Thursdays news!

Good evening peeps.

I haven't managed to post anything interesting (do I ever?) for a day or two and I guess today won't be much different either!

Yesterday I went to the hairdressers and had a cut and colour and paid the horrendous sum of.........well, let's just say it's beans on toast for a couple of weeks! Why does the hair salon have to be so very expensive? I'm damn sure the hairdressers themselves don't work for £40,  £50 or whatever per hour either.
I know I could always go to a different salon and perhaps pay less but, truthfully, I've been with the same hairdresser for about 10 years now and can't face change in case it's crap!!!
So, for now I love the cut and colour but I'm dreading washing and styling it myself as it won't look the same at all!
Felt quite unwell in the evening though so had an early night hoping for a good nights sleep - which I didn't have so been tired all day today.

And, talking of today, I went to the hospital for xrays on my ankles as I've probably got arthiritis in them and mobility is very painful. But, what a faff with the buses! One bus to get there but 2 to get home and then a taxi for the last leg. Ridiculous non-bus service at tea time!

I have been busy with some scrapbooking in my craft room over the last few days but I have managed to make a few cards just for fun. Sometimes it's nice just to let creativity flow and make whatever feels good at the time instead of following the 'challenges'.

I'm off to see my friend in Canterbury tomorrow with two other friends Jason and Michellebelle! He who works very hard is meeting us there as he is currently in London and it makes sense for him to travel from London to Kent as opposed to travelling back to Leyland then down to Kent!!!! Really looking forward to seeing her again (and her eldest son Giannis and his girlfriend). She lives in Zakynthos and is only visiting here for two weeks so lots of gossip and nattering to catch up on.

Right, all that news has tired me out so I'm signing off for a few days.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

TTFN
Lou x

Monday 27 January 2014

CLEAN AND SIMPLE

Happy Monday peeps!

The amount of jobs I've had to do this morning has been incredible!
Isn't it amazing how, when you start one job, another pops up and inbetween doing these (faffing about like a blue- ar**d fly) the phones keep ringing! Landline and moby - like the chuffin telephone exchange it is

I got up uber early this morning, 6 am to wave his nibs off til Friday but not before I sent him on his way with a couple of sausage buns wrapped in tin foil - and no, I don't add little notes to a lunch-box either!!!

Hopefully the weather stays nice today. It makes a change to look out and see some sunshine and the birdies in the garden splashing about in a little water bath i have for them. I thought it would be too cold for a bird-bath but apparently not. They love splashing about and some of them even form a queue and wait for their turn! Cute :)
I keep meaning to take photos of them but by the time i get downstairs, they've flown away!
Next time I'll be waiting!

So now I have a coffee and time to indulge my crafting passion but not before I enter this card into the following challenge

CLEAN & SIMPLE http://addictedtostamps-challenge.blogspot.com.au/






Saturday 25 January 2014

Sweet!

Hello everyone.
Well, haven't had time to update my blog as I've been working on this card for another lovely challenge online!
The blog name is Beccys Place and it's full of useful digi freebies too! I did indulge my passion and printed the cupcake image to use on the card.
I coloured it with my Spectrum Noir markers and attached it to a kraft card tag which I die-cut with a Sizzix die.
All in all a very easy card to make as it was fun keeping it 'sweet'!!!

The challenge is at Beccys Place, January Challenge








Thursday 23 January 2014

Don't Mind If I do!!!

Now onto my second challenge card today!

Ooooh, I've had such creativity flowing through my veins it's painful!!

Let's face it, nothing else happens round here lately so entering into challenges is the highlight of my days!

Actually, that's not quite true.
I get up each morning looking forward to getting into my craftroom and pulling some inspiration from deep inside me until real life kicks in and I find myself checking Facebook, paying bills, housework and general rubbishness! Eventually, I'm FREE to indulge my passion - cardmaking, scrapbooking and ......drinking martinis (but I don't do that during the day and not even in the evenings these days :( ).
which brings me perfectly round to this card I made for the second challenge!
The theme is DRINK - alcoholic, tea, pop, water..whatever, so this is my entry.

I used Kraft card for the card base and stamped a generic Celebrate stamp onto cream card which i mounted onto aubergine card.
I stamped the card with a bunch of grapes stamp and a Martini glass stamp.
I coloured in the grapes and glass using my Spectrum Noir markers LV1, LV2 , LV5, LG1 & LG2.

A little bit of DecoArt Glamour Dust for sparkle, purple ribbon and a few gems to decorate.
In fact, the purple, metal framed gem on the ribbon was taken from a bracelet which my daughter bought from a charity shop for pennies. I had 12 and now about 7. We love bargains!
So, this card is clean and simple yet again.

TBH, these photos don't do it justice! It's much more sparkly on my craft table x

I'm entering it into this challenge :- Daring Cardmakers  DRINK



"New" Challenge

Happy Thursday everybody!

Well, I'm happy with Thursday as it's one day nearer our long weekend to Canterbury!
Only 8 more sleeps!

So, down to business.

I have just finished making this card - you might notice I like to keep things mainly clean and simple - but sometimes that can be more challenging than bunging loads of detail onto a homemade card!
Less is more I believe!

Anyhoo, I'm entering this card into this challenge "New" At Creative Craft Challenges2.

Hope it's suitable!



I used smooth white card with 7Gypsies Hudson Valley Collection backing paper.
On a piece of white card I used a clear HOME SWEET HOME stamp which I had in my stash.
I embossed the message in black, cut it out and mounted it onto Kraft card which I 'distressed' with
Tim Holtz vintage paper ink pad.
Cream lace trim, a sentiment, silk flower and small gems finished the decorations.


Wednesday 22 January 2014

Easel Card

Morning all,
Been to the doctors this morning and just wonder, why do I bother? Sometimes you can look at the GPs face and just know that behind the glazed expression there really is nobody home! You know what I mean?
Anyway, last night I made this card and I like it! I love making easel cards!







 I used Inky Doodles Gift of Time stamp for the clock and sentiment and Inky Doodles Celebrate stamp for the floral vine on the base.
Kaisercraft Secret Bird Society Collection was used for the backing paper and sentiment stamp all mounted onto Kraft cardstock bought from Crafters Companion.

I'm posting this into the following challenges
 Delicious Doodles
The Crafting Cafe


Tuesday 21 January 2014

New Challenge Card!

Evening all! (sounded a little like Dixon of Dock Green then!!!)

Well, first of all you need to be as old as me to know who Dixon of Dock Green is!!!

Secondly, finished making this suspension card and I'm entering it into the following challenges :-

:http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk
Anything goes

http://cardmakinmamas.blogspot.co.uk/
CMM 79 - Interactive cards

I decided to use simple white card and die-cut a large scalloped circle from the front.
I then cut 2 smaller scalloped circles from a pastel blue paper and stamped an Inky-doodles image with a Versamark pad and used soft gold powder to emboss them both. 
I glued the 2 together, embossed images facing out, with white cotton inbetween to create the 'spinner' element
Using Inky-doodles stamps in blue and gold inks I then created the background.
A sentiment and ribbon threaded through the bottom
 finished it off.

Sunday 19 January 2014

SLEEPLESS IN LEYLAND.

Good Afternoon all :)

As you may have noticed by the post title (doesn't have the same ring as "Seattle" does it?), I had a sleepless night last night.

He who didn't come to bed till very late slept through all my tossing and turning, sitting up, standing up, going to the bathroom just for a walk and general sleeplessness!!!

Have no idea why either! Isn't it strange how we humans sometimes have nights like that?
Today I am more tired than anyone in the history of mankind..............well, ok, maybe not quite that drastic,
but I am VERY tired which will probably make me VERY tetchy!!! I think I should have a note pinned to my craft room door - "BEWARE GRUMPY CRAFTER - ENTER AT OWN RISK" !!!

So, that's how today has started. I intend to get some scrapbooking done at some point today but we still have to go and get some shopping and Mr Lateness is still in bed! I did try giving him a hint earlier by making the bed around him but he just ignored me and carried on watching TV!!!

I will come back soon with some pictures I hope to enter into some fun Challenges this week.

TTFN
Lou


Thursday 16 January 2014

CHALLENGES!

Phew!

What a good girl I've been today! Did my housework, attended the doctors, avoided spending lots of money at the supermarket and decided to use my get up and go to make this card.

I used a papermania hearts embossing board on generic white card.
I then printed off a gorgeous picture of a Crafters Companion Mulberry Wood character which I coloured with my Spectrum Noir pens.
A couple of wooden hearts, some simple white ribbon, gemstones and a handwritten sentiment finished it off!

It was quick and easy, so just might make some more!!!

I am entering this card in the following challenges :

Crafters Companion HEARTS challenge and
Delicious Doodles FLOWERS challenge.
Morning all.

Have not posted for a day or two as I have been busy with my scrapbooking project and it does take up quite alot of time.

Had a lovely phone call from a company yesterday informing me that i'd won a £50 Argos voucher in a monthly raffle! Cheered me up no end as the office chair that my son uses with the PC has decided to give up working (the uppy downy bit is permanently down!) and I need to buy a new one, so that came in handy.

While thinking about the chair, I decided to try and fix it myself and I have - well, I've bodged it a bit with good old gorilla tape and tea towels!- and now I can keep the voucher for something else!

Anyhoo, just before Christmas, I received a big box of goodies from Papercraft Inspirations
as I'd won their Fancy Pants Design competition - result! There's enough stash in the box for all my Christmas 2014 needs - in other words, i won't need to buy anything for this years' cards so that's a load of cash saved :)
So, the tide may have turned at last. I normally NEVER win anything - in fact, He who is in Scotland at the moment won't bother putting money in a bandit if I'm with him as he won't win a bean, yet, when I'm not there, guess what happens? Yep! Every time! So these days I leave the room if he buys a scratch card!!!

As I mentioned the other day, I had a sympathy card to make and the picture below is the result. I prefer to keep them simple -smooth white card, butterfllies and ribbons with light turquoise rhinestones and silver embossed floral vine.
I hope it's well received.


Time to sign off for now as I have yet another doctors' appointment to go to, but not to worry, I shall be back with more words of blah soon....!

TTFN
Lou x

Monday 13 January 2014


Card for the brother-in-laws birthday.
Good Morning peeps!

Haven't managed to upload or write my latest blah on the blog recently as I decided to get stuck in to a
little scrapbooking and it really does take up alot of time!

Also, when 'he who grafts' comes home for the weekend I tend to lose the laptop and only have the tablet
to play on. Tablets are great little gadgets but a little fiddly when it comes to anything like this.

So, today I find myself with more scrapbooking to do and also a sympathy card to make. A friend of my other half has passed away and a card for his wife seems in order.

I guess I really ought to clean my 'craft room' before I do anything today. It is as if a bomb has hit it!
Isn't it amazing how little pieces of paper and card manage to fly all over the place? I honestly don't know how I do it! The carpet looks like........well, around the craft table you can't see the carpet!!!

 Einstein quoted - 'If a cluttered desk signs a cluttered mind, of what then is an empty desk a sign?'....

But, he doesn't mention the carpet..............xxxx

Sunday 5 January 2014

Hello again.
Last night I decided to make a jewellery box using a template on a cdrom by Debbi Moore which I bought from here recently -
http://www.createandcraft.tv/categorygridview.aspx?fh_usertype=category&fh_refview=lister&fh_refpath=facet_12&fh_reffacet=brand_cc&fh_location=%2f%2fcreateandcraft%2fen_GB%2fcategories@lt;%7bcreateandcraft_8127%7d%2fcategories@lt;%7bcreateandcraft_8127_1137%7d%2fbrand_cc@gt;%7bdebbi20moore%7d&fh_eds=%C3%9F

I didn't realise how fiddly it could be - especially when I decided to start 'tinkering' with it to make it my own!!!

I am still making it today! To be honest though, we did go out for lunch with friends today and I did faff about with other little jobs too!!! Something tells me my heart's not in it today but I WILL persevere from this point on!

Weather not too good here. The strong wind is getting stronger and it's raining - I'm just grateful we don't live by the coast as I do feel sorry for those who have been flooded again.

Well, hopefully i will have my craft-room ready at some point this week. I have a craft table coming tonight courtesy of Freecycle so when I have a minute I'll get to it and enjoy the change of view (currently the dining room wall and TV to the outdoors and the school at the back!!!!)

Happy sunday everyone x



Thursday 2 January 2014

Thursday Morning Blues, Reds, Yellows..... etcetera!

Good morning one and all.

The title of this post today is quite apt as I've just spent the last hour and a half faffing (yes, that is a word!) faffing about with the colour of my blog!
As a newbie-blogger I have much to learn about the process and I feel i've achieved something today - the background colour! Hope you all approve - tough really if you don't. :)

Must admit, today looks like a 'lost' day. For once this festive season, we have no plans whatsoever for the day - even if some of the previous week days have been spent feeling sorry for oneself after the night before!
One thing is fab though - my cold seems to be on its' way out. I think I have shown it the door and it heeded my advice!

Right now a cup of coffee would go down well but there's nobody else up and about so looks like i'll have to make it it myself - again. Oh, woe is me!!!!

Looked out of the window earlier and my daughter +Kristin Bogumil  and her hubby are still in bed too (did I mention we are a close family? Yes, they live across the road!).

Ok, coffee and creativity time - must finish the card I started! Pictures to follow xxxx

TTFN
Lou

Wednesday 1 January 2014

A Happy New Year Everyone!

Although I started making a birthday card yesterday, i didn't quite get round to finishing it!
Had to sort things out for the NY party here last night and have a fight with this cold.
I thought I'd won, but I still have it, so obviously didn't drink enough to kill it or cure it after all!
The party was great fun and enjoyed by all - especially the ' firework-off ' him indoors and his best bud had at midnight! Thought our whole road was gonna lift off there was such a racket of rockets!!!! Boys and their extremely noisy toys eh? lol x

Feeling tired today. The weather here is dreadful; wind, rain and cold. Put together that makes a day on the sofa in front of the TV inevitable. And looking forward to watching the new mini series of Sherlock on TV later on - I reckon tomorrow i'll feel much better and I will aim to start crafting again.

Found yet another fab website for all things card and paper-crafty!

Follow this link if you're interested  http://www.polkadoodles.co.uk/

Happy days to all xxxx