More piccies.....and the chipboard swap

This post should have gone before my previous post really. Bad plaaning Lisa !! So feel free to scroll down read and then come back to this one. This are just extra piccies of the sports day mini book.
I also wanted to show off my not so naked chipboard from our challenge swap over on Just Bex
http://justbex.co.uk/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=41
We paired up and sent each other naked chipboard to tart up and show.

Sue sent me my little bundle...I received some stars..... a large arrow......


and a big curly arrow.

I really enjoyed the swap and hope everyone else did too. Thanks Sue xx

My Dream Street Mini Book

Now although it's been a busy week (as I was going on about before in my previos post this morning) I did manage to squeeze in this mini book in between everything else...grabbing 10 here and 15 mins there. (one of those projects).
I received a lovely box of goodies from Emma at Sassy crafts earlier on in the week. It contained the gorgeous Dream Street papers - Day Dreamer and some ribbons from 3 Bugs in a Rug.
Take a look at the papers here : http://sassycrafts.co.uk/category_89/Dream-Street-Papers.htm
It was Louis's Sports Day last Friday and these papers seemed perfect. So I thought I'd make a mini book using them.
The book started off as some black 6x6 card blanks. Then they get holed and tied together to make this accordian style book. So easy : )

Thanks for looking : ) lis xx

3 Challenges in 1

3 challenges in 1 just about sums this week up.
I love keeping up with all my fave challenge blogs, but it's been a very busy week in our household and we have a very busy weekend planned too. So this card started off as the loveliest challenge blog : http://2sketches4you.blogspot.com/ It's sketch number 3 from Kazan this week.
I've had the sketch in my head all week and knew what I wanted to do, so whilst the kids had their tea last night and before the hairdresser arrived, I quickly made this card for our little friend Ethan who is 6 today.
In the back of my mind I then knew that this would also qualify for the DCM challenge this week, which is to make a card in under 30mins. As I knew exactly what I was going to do, managed to knock this one out rather speedily. http://daringcardmakers.blogspot.com/

And earlier on in the week I received the most gorgeous pack from Emma at Sassy Crafts.
http://www.sassycrafts.co.uk/ to play and display with.
It included scrummy Dreamstreet papers, 3 bugs ribbons and blooms. I've used some of the papers and ribbons on this card. Very easy to use these papers. xx

This weeks 2 Sketches for You......

The sketch this week is Laura's sketch 2: http://2sketches4you.blogspot.com/
I think you can still see the sketch on my card.....

The card is for my fave Uncle....Dave and my little cousins Hattie and Issie. Their new home is the most beautiful home. Built in the gorgeous Oxford stone and is just perfect. It's set back off the road facing the entrance gates to Blenhem Palace in Woodstock.
I've used MM noteworthy papers and some BG Blush too, along with bazzill, primas, Rusty Pickle buttons, ribbon from stash, pink ink and a white sakura pen xx

Kits Glorious Kits - PART 2 - Sue's Recipe Challenge

I love my kits soooooooooooooooooooo much and get so excited when they are due to arrive.
(I do hope the little old man from Royal Mail realises that it's my pizza boxes I'm so pleased to see and doesn't think it's him!!)
Anyway, I do have a gripe about my kits......they all arrive at the same time. I had Scrapagoo and Bubbly Funk on one day and then my Little Red Scraphouse on another. I wish I could spread them out...and NO I don't have the discipline to not open them and save for the next week.
So, this LO is using the Bubbly Funk Kit. I am really in love with this one. I took these pics of the kids Saturday night in Louis' bed. They do love their books.
This has been made using Sue's Recipe challenge on Just bex last week;
http://justbex.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2983

The recipe is : a window a pearl - or 2 -some letters -some flowers .
I very nearly didn't bother with the pearls, really not my thing. Then last minute, I added some 3d pearl paint spots to the frames.

One last thing...It's Louis' sports day today. Weather forecast wasn't good, but so far it looks promising. We shall see : ) xx

Kits Glorious Kits - PART 1 - THE COMPETITION

My Little Red Scraphouse kit arrived yesterday and was full of very pastely colours. Not usually my thing, I don't go for pastels. They are Crate papers though and they are beautiful, so I am pleased. (and they smell so lovely too). I've had this pic of Hollie on my desk for a while and thought they would go perfect with it. I've also used them for a competition on 'Just Bex'. The competition is hosted by Emma from Sassy Crafts. The competition is to lift a project from the Sassy Crafts blog. I've chosen a card from Jules. Take a look here:

http://sassy-crafts.blogspot.com/2008/06/magnolia-stamp-cards-and-atc.html

(it's the 2nd card down)


Just one more thing.....look what a delivery man bought me yesterday : )
From Adi because he loves me.
The peonies are my absolute fave and they smell devine. Thanks Ade xx

Springwatch

I'm setting this weeks challenges over on Just Bex. If you enjoy taking part in crafty challenges and a good gossip come and have a nose. It's the nicest, friendliest forum I've ever known.
http://justbex.co.uk/phpBB2/index.php

So my challenge today is called 'Springwatch'. I decided this was a challenge I would set last week and knew it was going to be a free challenge to make whatever you choose as long as your creation fits that title....colours.....animals...flowers etc....
but until yesterday I hadn't made my sample card....UNTIL...my lovely Bubbly Funk kit arrived : ) and this is the end result. http://www.bubblyfunk.co.uk/

The papers are lush and from Sassafraslass. The kit came with loads of goodies and a fair few owls too (Sue you would love it!!) It came with a little owl stamp and I forgot that and when I placed 2 further orders (kept going back for a further nose) I ordered a larger owl stamp....so now I have Mummy and baby owl in my stamp collection : ) The chipboard branches are from a Maya Road collection, one of those that comes in those gorgeous tins. That came in my last US kit, buttons and ribbon from stash.

Thanks for looking xx

Nan's Cookies

It was Nanny's birthday on Sunday and everyone went over for a buffet lunch at hers. Luckily the weather held off so we were able to go in the garden and the kids could run around. It was a difficult one for Nanny with Bamps not here anymore. It really hits home that he isn't with us when I go there and just seams 'odd'.
I made Nanny this cookie jar which she loved. We also framed a piccie of the 4 of us and I made her a special 6x12 mini book of her and Bamp's 50th wedding anniversary.xx

Wheels

That's what this weeks DCM challenge is all about: (http://daringcardmakers.blogspot.com/)

So, on to this week and for my dare I'd like you to make cards withwheels
....no, not actually made with wheels, you can still use card and paper ;-), so you don't need to go and steal the ones from the car or the kids' bikes and write a message on them!
I'd like you to feature wheels ON your cards, or as part of them. So you could have cars, bikes etc on your card, or maybe you could actually make a card that moves along on some wheels..... or how about a card that has one of those "wheels" inside it (fixed with a brad) and little apertures in the actual card front so that when you move the wheel the message appears in the aperture? (I hope that makes sense)

Here is what I've come up with :

The circle bit spins around and is secured with a brad. I've used abit of BG Blush, hand drawn, cut and stamped petals...added abit of lace and a few letters and that's it. xx

2 Sketches 4 u # 2

It's been a busy week...I started this at the beginning of the week and finished it tonight!!
Take a look at this weeks sketch and all the other fab cards

http://2sketches4you.blogspot.com/
xx

Little mirrored Note pad

My little cousin is 10 tomorrow, so I've made her this...little notepad with a mirror inside. It was a dodgy notepad before, so just covered it in Basic Grey 'sugared' papers and then cut right into a 12x12 sheet to reach these cute little giraffes. (my friend Julie would be utterly horrified...cutting into a whole 12x12 sheet just for that little bit....sorry Julie !! Remember what I always say.....'you can always buy more' : ) )
Anyway, once I covered in the scrummy papers, added the cute giraffes, I added matching fibres and primas.
Then slotted in a notepad and added a little mirror........kinda cute !!! (and very easy : ) ) xx

I've been Tagged...

....by the lovely Est...well about 3 days ago actually, sorry Est.
So here goes.....

Chocolate or Vanilla:
Well, it would have to be vanilla as I don't like chocolate very much

Big Mac or Whopper:
Sorry, don't do either...if I had to choose it would be a cheeseburger happymeal : )

Coke or Pepsi :
Easy...pepsi max

Beer or Wine:
mmmm am partial to a Pinot but do love a bud


Coffee or Tea:
Can not survive without my latte

Apple Juice or O.J.:
OJ

Facebook or MySpace:
Neither

Summer or Winter:
Summer

Windows or Mac:
Windows

Cats or Dogs:
Would have to be dogs, but prefer guinea pigs.

Now my turn to tag 3 others...I will tag..Nicky Noo, Sue and Melis xx

Sunny Sunny Sunday

Doesn't it make you want to smile when you wake up on Sunday morning and the skies are blue and the sun is shining ??!! : ) That's how I felt this morning, so then I came downstairs, made a latte and quickly made this card. I already had in mind what I wanted to do. This is a combo challenge. Over on DCM this week the challenge is all about quotes. You have to use a quote on your card: http://daringcardmakers.blogspot.com/
So I found this little quote about sisters which I love. I thought I'd make a card for my little sis just to tell her how much I love her. She's such a sweetie, we are so close and when we get together it really is like being kids again, I love abit of sillyness and giggles now and then. The quote is : A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost - Marion C Garretty.
The sketch that I've used for the card was a sketch over on CPS.
http://cardpositioningsystems.blogspot.com/
There's some really good ideas over there.
These papers are so lush, I adore these colours...BG Romani...fab collection xx

Yesterday was supposed to be a work day, although I managed to get some work done, I also made Fiona her journal set ( see below) which she loved when I gave to her last night and I made this LO too. Ade's been playing with his new camera and took some shots of the children and I. Makes a change for me to be in the piccies.
I used a sketch that I found on one of my fave blogs 'nunu toolies'. Kazan created a beautiful LO using the sketch http://nunutoolies.blogspot.com/. The sketch is from Scrap 4 life, I can see myself becoming a regular over on there now too: http://lifeitswhywescrap.blogspot.com/

I've used October Afternoon papers and the little jornaling tag too. I absolutely love these papers. They have quite a countyfied feel, but using the most beautiful and quite vibrant colours.

Thanks for looking....better get some sorting out done in the house now. xx

Fiona's 40th !!!

Fiona, one of my best friends is 40 today.

There's about 16 of us meeting at hers tonight and then going on for a meal and then back to hers. Really looking forward to it. Should be a good giggle.

Fiona also likes to scrap, so I bought her a scrapbook inspirations magazine subscription for her birthday. I wanted to make her something more personal aswell though, so made a journal set, like what I made for Mum last month. Here it is:

For those who didn't see Mum's set, the idea came from Nicky over on the Just Bex craft forum. The little jar is full of questions like...Where did you go on your family holidays when you were a child? What was your first job? etc... Fiona then takes a question out of the jar as and when she gets time. She writes the question and answer into her book and is left with a journal book full of stuff about herself. It will be lovely for her little girls to be able to read when they are older.
I hope she likes it.
Papers, trims and spotted ribbons are from Fancy Pants, prima flowers and masses of ribbons from my lovely ribbon jars xx

Daddies Day

June 15th is Fathers Day.

I feel very lucky and happy to have such a lovely Dad, I can honestly say he's one of my best friends. I feel very proud of our friendship and the fact that I can always speak so openly and honestly with him.......just a shame he's so bloody far away !!!! : (

Dad moved to Indiana, USA years ago, about 14 I think and it never gets easier and now I have children they miss him too.

Anyway cards !! I've set a challenge over on the cosy forum 'Just Bex' this evening. Nice and easy, simply make and show your Father's Day cards. How easy is that ???!!!

So to start them off, here is mine. Better get it posted tomorrow!!

I've been saving these gorgeous papers for a mini book I want to make about Dad and then decided yesterday that I'd start them by using them on his card. They are from a Scarummy Stash Cafe kit which was full packed of gorgeous Card stock, ribbons, loads of these black 12x12 boarders (scalloped edge on card), chipboard, fab jornaling cards and loads loads more. One of my fave kits I've ever received I think. I've finished the card off with alphabet thickers.

Whilst I'm in this sweet and lovely mood I just want to say thank you to everyone who visits my blog. I've only been doing this for a matter of weeks and love it. Think I'm hooked now : ) So thank you for visiting and thank you for your lovely comments xx

Today I will mostly be using.....

JADE AND CORAL

That's this weeks midweek challenge over at Daring Card Makers.

Take a look:

http://daringcardmakers.blogspot.com/

Well it does say coral OR Jade, BUT I fancied making a quick card before I went to bed last night....have been up at 4.45am every morning this week to start work and working through til 10pm ish (with the exception of school runs, making tea, kids to bed etc..) and to be honest...I'm cream crackered !!....but still have the constant urge to craft.

So last night I thought I'd take part in this challenge, it was late, I was tired and I remembered these Crate papers which feature both colours....so this is a quickie that I came up with. Nothing OTT, but a rather safe option.

It'll do and helped ease the crafty-urge last night ...excuses...excuses xx

Another Just Bex Challenge

First challenge this month on Just Bex (http://justbex.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2945)

Set by Nicky....a wee card lift.

I've used Paper Trunk card stock which I've had for what feel like yonks and really don't like : (

It looked so much nicer on the web...and then to top it all I ordered 2 lots by mistake (as you do!!) so I've been trying to use it recently...just cutting it up into bits so I don't have to see large amounts of it. Shame really as the quality is lovely. xx

2 SKETCHES 4 U

sketch 2 above and sketch 2 below

2 Sketches 4 u is a new challenge blog and it's fab....take a look

http://2sketches4you.blogspot.com/

I've just completed my cards using these great sketches. Unfortunately, as much as I would love to add the original sketches here to be viewed...I haven't worked out how to do that...my mind struggles with technical stuff!!!

For my little owl card (sketch 2) I've cut into a piece of saffa frass to reach my little owl and the other papers are Basic Grey Lily Kate. The little stamp is from an October Afternoon set which I've had for a little while, adored and not opened until today!!

The 'wishing you...' card (sketch 1) is a right ol' mish mash....prima marketing card stock and prima flowers, MM noteworthy jornal paper and MM ribbon, Fancy pants words and Rusty Pickle buttons. xx

Cookie Time

We had such a lovely day yesterday. We got invited over to Ade's Aunt's and Uncle's house for a family BBQ. Ade has 7 cousins and a brother, so they were all their with all their families too. The house was beautiful and the garden huge with so many low hanging tress and hideouts for Hollie and Louis, they loved it and didn't want to come home.

Anyway, I made this cookie jar as a thank you, which I was really pleased with. I think I might make up these for the teacher presents this year.

The jar is a very large jam jar from a local store, the papers and clock embellishment from Cherry Arte and prima flowers....other bits from my little stash xx