Christmas is a coming !

Evening all, hope you've had a good weekend.

The swimming club that the girls go to won a competition to have Mark Foster, the Olympic swimmer visit today.

Sophie decided to give it a miss and go to Wolves (now knocked out of FA Cup - need to concentrate on the league lol ! ) but I took Isabel along.

She didn't know who he was but was more impressed by the fact that he'd been on Strictly !!

Ater swimming I had a nice couple of hours in my craft room and made some..............Christmas cards !!!

Yes, I know it's still January but I did promise not to be so lastminute.com this year so I am trying to make 10 per month.

I know it's only the first month but I feel very smug - we will have to see how long it carries on !

Very simple but love the gorgeous Cherry Cobbler colour. I did make a few other things too so will be back soon x

More Sweet Summer

Hello there,

Well the toilet (and the rest of the bathroom) has been ordered so I don't need to keep studying them and my craft room is much improved but there is still a way to go !

I have got to the stage now where I have thrown loads away ( very therapeutic), rearranged storage and tidied most of it away but then there's a pile that just doesn't seem to go away lol !
I can't find anywhere to put it but I can't throw it away and now I've lost interest in the big clean up and just want to sit and play (and make a mess) on my nice clear desk !!

Anyway in good ,old Blue Peter style I have some I made earlier to show you...

Sweet Summer again but this time a multi coloured background

Sorry , don't know why the picture's a bit blurred but I think you get the idea

Haven't used Rich Razzleberry for a while but I think I might again soon. Aren't we fickle with our favourite colours ?

Last week we started back to floristry after a long Christmas break so I have an arrangement to show you too.............

Hope you like - let me know what you think x

Sweet Summer

Sunday evening again, where has the weekend gone again ?

This afternoon I bought some more plastic drawers for storage for my craft goodies and deciding what to put in them has now led to the entire room being in complete chaos !

I keep moving things then changing my mind - I think it will mean moving everything around.

A much bigger job than I'd planned !!

I did promise you I'd use some different stamps this time -it's still one of the fabby Sale-a-bration sets but this time it's Sweet Summer

Tempting Turquoise and Basic Black - the background paper has been made by stamping one of the stamps randomly in white ink - I love this so expect to see it again !

The hydrangea type stamp has then been punched using the Boho Blossoms punch and makes very pretty flowers.

A bit of bling and some gorgeous black taffeta ribbon add the finishing touches.

Added a bit of shading to the leaves using ink and my til now neglected blender pens.

Also made a matching milk carton box

My message for today is -if you haven't got any white ink, get some, it makes some beautiful backgrounds.

Suppose I better go and do a bit more tidying - think it may take a while lol !

Last of the colour experiment

Okay, I promise this will be the last of my'same design/different colour' series !

I have really enjoyed experimenting and todays version is the distressed/vintage look.

These have a more grown up feel to them and have a lot of dimension..............

I hope my 'dabbling' has showed you how designs can have a completely different feel just by changing the colour and also just how versatile the Stampin Up products are.

Next time you make a card, make another one in a completely different colourway, it's surprising how using different colours can also change your mood !

I promise next time I will use different stamps............. but for now must get back to the toilet dilemma lol !!

Another colour change

Hello all, hope you've all had a good weekend.

We have been looking at new bathrooms and I can't believe how many different variations of a white toilet there are ! Just when I think I've made my mind up I see another one that's a better shape/width/height or has a soft close seat or eco flush !

At least they don't have Stampin' Up style colour combinations.............imagine, the possibilities are endless lol !

Talking of colour , I am still on my mission of 'same card, different colour' and today's version is from the masculine tones.

Olivia has turned back to Olly and looks quite wise in this version, don't you think ?

Off to contemplate a coloured toilet - which SU colour would you choose lol?

The power of colour !

Morning ( only just )

I can't believe a week as gone by since I was up in Doncaster with Becki -we are now half way through January which I always think seems to be the slowest month of the year.

After making my bright, colourful Punch Bunch cards I decided to do a little experiment to show you the power of colour.

I have made the same cards again but in more feminine colours ...............

Don't they look different ? They also have a completely different 'feel' to them.

Colours are Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink and Certainly Celery. Little Olly Owl, as he is known in our house, has become Olivia by changing the hat for a little bow (made by cutting up the smallest flower from the Boho Blossoms punch ).

Hubby has gone off to Manchester this week - I haven't had any invites from anyone in Manchester lol !

Off to play some more - better put the washer on first before I get distracted !

Punch Bunch

Hello,

Just a very quickie today to show you a couple of cards I made with the Sale-a-bration Punch Bunch set - FREE if you spend £45.

Love the cute little owl - made the bunting and his hat by cutting off the points from the star punch.

Paper is from the Celebrations pack and has a 'fun' feel to it !

Back soon x

Becki's Blueberry Crisp class

Tell me why Idon't like Mondays ? as the song goes. This morning it was really dark and miserable and I could have quite easily turned over and gone back to sleep !


However I'm glad I didn't because I had a visit from the UPS man and my Christmas pressies have arrived !! Thank you Hubby !



He couldn't quite understand why I didn't want to order them til after Christmas (because of the Sale-a-bration freebies) but he doesn't need to understand and I'm soooo glad I waited because the freebies are fantastic !


The only problem is I'm not going to get chance to play with them til Wednesday, although I did have to ' just test' a couple of items lol !



As promised I will show you what I made at Becki's Blueberry Crisp class

Firstly we made a box to hold the cards and here are the cards we put inside..........

Don't they make a lovely set ?

I hadn't got (yet) some of the items we used so it was great to use something new, remember when you were young and your friend's toys always seemed more exciting than your own ............? x

Up North !

Hello, hope you are all having a good weekend.

I'm just back from a lovely trip 'up North '. Hubby was going up to see Wolves v Doncaster and on hearing this Becki invited me to visit and attend her class.

Isabel came with me too and had a lovely time playing with Becki's daughter, Leanne.

The lovely ladies in Becki's class made me feel very welcome - hello Elaine if you are reading, please learn how to leave me a comment !

I mentioned yesterday I had a few projects to complete and they were little gifts for Becki and Leanne.

Firstly I made a milk carton box and filled with choccies

I stamped a sheet of the sadly retired Pale Plum with stamps from Always Elegant in Perfect Plum. The greeting is from Oval All and the flower is made from the Vintage Vogue set.

In the same colours I also made a little box to hold a pocket size pack of tissues .......

This time I used the Bella Toile background stamp and made the flower using the Boho Blossoms punch.

For Leanne I bought some pretty pencils and rubbers and then stamped some wrapping paper to match ...........

All wrapped up and ready to go

So thank you again Becki , Leanne and the rest of the family for a fab day !

Back soon with piccies of what we made at the class - and for anyone who is missing Becki's blog, she is having a few problems with her internet at the moment.

Snow again !

Hello,

Has anyone got any snow ? I looked out about 7 this morning and it was just starting to come down. Within half an hour everywhere was completely white and by the time we went to school wellies were required !!

On the way we saw cars getting stuck in places that had been okay in the heavy snow before Christmas - must have been a different kind of snow lol !

Luckily, this time it appears to be thawing as quickly as it came and now its just a slushy mess and foggy ! Roll on summer !

Todays card must have been inspired by the thought of warmer days..............

Flight of the Butterfly using Melon Mambo and Crumb Cake and yes , Santa did bring me some new Nesties !

Must go , have a couple of projects that need to be finished today - back soon with the photos x

Crumb Cake Wedding card

Well, it was back to work today- isn't January such a depressing month ?

I do have something to look forward to though- Hubby gave me some money for Christmas so that I could choose some more goodies !!!!

He asked Isabel to make me a money wallet to put it in and this is what she came up with............

Before you say aaah bless, she told me she did it all by herself except Daddy tied the bow for her ! I think he needs a few lessons lol !! Anyway it's the thought that counts and the contents were very much appreciated !

Todays card is in Crumb Cake using the Bella Toile background stamp, heart from I {heart}hearts, Mr & Mrs from Occasional Greetings and Sentiment from one of last years Sale-a-bration sets. I have used last years sets loads and love how Stampin Up bring us free sets that are really beautiful - have seen some fantastic samples around made from this years sets.

The background stamps are so generous that I had enough to make another card , just varied the orientation this time- I am trying to use up my odds and ends as I go along this year because I don't like to waste anything but end up with a big pile of scraps on my desk and no room to work lol ! Does anyone else do this or am I the only messy crafter ?

Off to choose my new 'toys' and FREEBIES !

Happy New Year !

Welcome back and a very Happy New Year to you all !

Hope you have all enjoyed the festivities and Santa has been very generous !

We have had a really enjoyable Christmas time closely followed by Sophie's 12th Birthday. She has delighted in telling me today that she will be a teenager this year ! At what age do we stop adding the years on and start worrying about taking them off ? I know I have been stuck at 21 for a (short !) while now lol - think I will have to pretend she is my younger sister !

Have you made any New Years resolutions ?

Apart from the usual lose 2 stone ( I wish) I think I will try to be more organised with my own personal Christmas cards this year to prevent the mad scramble the week before Christmas when I have finished my orders and realise the last posting day is tomorrow !

To that end I have decided to let you know at the end of each month , how many Christmas cards I have accumulated so far - how long do you think that will last ?

If you haven't heard anything by June , someone please remind me lol !

I thought I would start the new year by choosing a few of my favourite projects from the last one, so here goes .....

The first one is the lovely combination of Old Olive and Rich Razzleberry and uses an image from one of last years FREE stamps from Sale-a-bration. There are some gorgeous sets up for grabs this year so please contact me for details and you could earn yourself some freebies !

Love this sweet little birdhouse and I have used this versatile bird punch so many times !

Chocolate Chip and Soft Suede and a whole frenzy of stamp sets- En Francais, Oval All, Flight of the Butterfly, Greenhouse Garden and Vintage Vogue- but don't they all go together well ?

The very striking combination of Real Red and Basic Black no neutrals here !

The beautiful Elegant Soiree design papers- too nice to use lol !The very dashing Dasher- kept him warm with a scrf as it's been so cold.

Some of the new colours - Pear Pizzazz with Baja Breeze. I made 5 of these sets for Christmas presents and they were all well received.

My pink pirate card - I had great fun being unconventional !

My personal highlight - discovering how to make a Christmas tree with one of the Tiny Tags stamps - it was such a Eureka moment and I was so excited.

I eventually got round to the monochromatic version too !

Hope you have enjoyed my reminiscing- it has taken me nearly an hour to do this post cos I kept looking at all my old photos.

I think even this small selection shows the variety and wonderful colour combinations that can be achieved with the Stampin' Up products. If you would like to order anything (with the potential of FREE stamps ) please contact me.

Which one was your favourite ?