Bright and Cheerful!

Rainmac has set a sketch challenge over at MSE with a sketch from here.

I found the embossing folder lurking in my stash - must have had it ages but have never used it.
Papers are Papermania Sweet Nothings and image is Pollycraft.

The gems were part of my Xmas pressie swap on Craftyplace and had to result to Diamond Glaze to get them to stay put - I only lost one which must be a record for me lol!

Out of my Comfort Zone

Another early January Birthday card. Why anyone wants a birthday so close to Xmas I don't know lol!

The layout is from Sweet Sketch Wednesday and the image is Evie waiting for Santa from Pollycraft. Embossing is d'vine swirls and papers are making memories. The sentiment reads with love but because it's dufex it just reflected the flash.

Back to Birthdays

At last a birthday card. I don't have any grey promarkers so the only other colour I could think of was pink lol!

The current challenge at Charisma is anything but Xmas and over at Bee Crafty is circles so got my nesties out to layer up and added a flower - the biggest one was from a challenge win at Nutcrafters. The papers are making memories and the image is a Karen doodle

Xmas at Padster Towers

This is our mini tree in the Lounge - the big one was in the dining room as usual.
Before! DD's present stash from Santa taken at the ingodly hour of 6:30!!! She never gets us up that early but was excited this year for some reason. We were certainly ready for breakfast at 9. OH cooked a fantastic lunch of fillet steak but cooked like a roast with all the Xmas trimmings. His stuffing was to die for lol!
Bargain craft box from Craftsuperstore that came with a free storage tote. DD was very impressed that Grandma knew exactly what she wanted - didn't have the heart to tell her that my mum gave me the money and got me to spend it for her. Bless her!
The cat was impressed as usual by all the excitement although she did get a catnip filled mouse which has kept her awake for at least 10 minutes at a stretch! She also found some handy cardboard boxes to sit in!

Hopefully the last

Small child brought yet another Xmas present home from school today.

I'm sooooo glad I stocked up on notebooks pens coasters and calendar tabs.

I also had a spare child sized fluffy scarf that I'd knitted

Am just about out of spares now though - fortunately she breaks up tomorrow.

Image is from Pollycraft

Poundshop Penguins!

We three penguins of Ferriby are!
These guys were proudly sitting on my windowsill today through all the rubbish weather you can just about see the almost horizontal snow in the background = :c)

Maybe I should have sent them to get small child from school they'd have been right at home!

Virtual Cake

My husband has been baking today as it's his turn to bring cakes for the monthly management meeting. He's never made a cake before but is pleased with how this one turned out. He put the sausage rolls and mince pies in the tin before I could snap them.

I would love to be able to tell you what it tasted like but he's only let me lick the spoon after he put the frosting on it :c(. He did make me some lemon curd tarts though.

Update: It tasted great too! Not all of it got eaten so he brought the rest home Yum!

WOYWW Again Already!

I'm sure that December is all just Wednesdays - where has the time gone???
The desk is looking a lot better this week - all the xmas stash has been packed away ready for next year.
Top right are my daughters implements for making 3D snowflakes - she needs to make some more to hang from the fireplace - we were going to replace the decorations this year but haven't found the time not that we have them up yet. Just a lot of cards plus the 3 pound shop penguins on the windowsill.

Team Padster!

I've been invited out to tea on Monday so needed a couple of last minute pressies for a couple of Twilight mad work colleagues.

One bought the books and kindly lent them to me. The other one read them fast enough so I wasn't waiting too long for the next one when I got fed up with the wait from the library lol!

Just need to add some chocs and decide how to wrap them :c)

Last But Not Least!

This my last Christmas card for 2009 for my husband. Found these Forever Friends stickers when I was having a sort out so used them on a card in his favourite colour.

The challenge on Creative Card Crew at the moment is anything goes so would like to enter it for this.

Pink again!

This is my Step Daughter's very pink xmas card! The image is from Nutcrafters and the challenge at the moment on their Nutshells blog is to use ribbon.
The lovely sketch is the new one on Friday Sketchers

Red Green and Silver

There are several challenges that I would like to enter this card for.
Charisma is a colour combp of red, green and white or silver
Creative Card Crew is silver or gold
The sketch which I love is Sweet Sketch Wednesday

Have a Mice Christmas

There's a lovely simple sketch on Truly Scrumptious at the moment so I ticked another one off my list with this cute card :c)

Bit of a change from Xmas

There's a gorgeous sketch at Pollycraft at the moment which runs to the 5th of January- I really enjoy working with the simpler ones.
Image is Pollycraft, the paper is Dovecraft abstract prints and the card is embossed with the cuttlebug script folder.
Was a nice change not to make a Christmas card still have a few more to do though.

Had to use this stamp!

This is the fabulous bear stamp that my friend Furrypig bought me from the NEC as I couldn't go stamp sulk!!!
The papertake weekly challenge this week is no red or green and Allsorts is purple so that matched my wrapping paper perfectly.
Yes santa those scalloped nesties were supposed to be coming to you but I just had to try them out first ;c)

Xmas baskets!

My mother liked her hamper so much last year that she gave me the basket and the cellophane back for a refill lol! So I did as I was told but used fresh cello.

The second one is for my ex mother-in-law from DD - a lot of pound shop bargains through the year add a nice box and voila!

WOYWW!

I'm only posting this to shame me into tidying up before next week!
The pile on the right is my ironing which has been evicted from the rocking chair as it's full of presents to deliver to my mother at the weekend.

The pile of boxes on the right have DDs xmas pressies in - shhhh don't tell her :c)

Blog Award

I've just received this blog award from Craftygranny thank you ever so much. I now need to pass it on to 5 people:
Rusty
Rainmac
Furrypig
Dawnteabag
Sylphraven

You need to answer these questions with one word (not easy for me) lol!

1. Where is your cell phone? sofa
2. Your hair? brown
3. Your mother? old
4. Your father? dead
5. Your favorite food? roast
6. Your dream last night? none
7. Your favorite drink? coffee
8. Your dream/goal? security
9. What room are you in? lounge
10. Your hobby? crafting
11. Your fear? heights
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? maldives
13. Where were you last night? home
14. Something that you aren't? fit
15. Muffins? blueberry
16. Wish list item? car
17. Where did you grow up? Frinton
18. Last thing you did? waved
19. What are you wearing? PJs
20. Your TV? huge
21. Your Pets? millions!
22. Friends? virtual
23. Your life? hectic
24. Your mood? quiet
25. Missing Someone? nope
26. Vehicle? Peugeot
27. Something you’re not wearing? socks
28. Your favorite store? Primark
29. Your favorite color? blue
30. When was the last time you laughed? yesterday
31. Last time you cried? fortnight
32. Your best friend? Lynn
33. One place that I go to over and over? work!
34. Facebook? nope
35. Favorite place to eat? anywhere

More Pink!

Cute Card Thursday's challenge this week is Girly Swirly so here's a pink card.
The circles swing sideways so that the gatefold can be opened.
Images are from Pollycraft and nestie circles are Cordinations whitewash embossed with Cuttlebug stars folder

18th Birthday

I can't believe I'm old enough to have a 18 year step son but a quick glance in the mirror convinces me otherwise lol!

I don't like doing stinky boys cards but am quite pleased with this one (that's his nickname at the bottom!)

Image from Scrapbooking mad

Quick Birthday x Wedding Card

I love nesties labels they make cards so easy to do :c)

Image is from Scrapbooking mad

WOYWW!

Just realised it's Wednesday so took a photo of my desk (well dining room table) as I couldn't find a spare place to work. The pile on the left is my complete xmas stash as I still have cards to make. The diary is a work in progress and at the back next to my guillotine are my new Sizzix Alphabets which arrived today :c)

Am going to play with them tomorrow (although they're supposed to be for xmas) as I really need the alpha bubble numbers for an 18th birthday card.

Yet another Teachers Present

Just when I'd seen enough Diaries and Calendars DD announced she has a third teacher.

Unfortunately Poundworld had run out when I looked in there but managed to find a blank one in a local shop near to me when I nipped in for a gift box for something else - they also sell gems and have a small cardmaking section so will be back in there when I have time :c)

Paper is MME Bloom & Grow

1 piece of paper 2 cards

I needed a birthday card for the early part of next week plus an anniversary card for my mum and step dad which I should really have posted today - oops that'll be me in trouble again!

Paper was from the last stash swap on Crafty Place. The fairy card looked a bit plain when I'd stuck the paper on so ran it all through my daisy embossing folder. The fairy image is from Cute Daisy May

Blue Angel

When I bought this Sugar Nellie stamp I had no idea I would use it so much. Here it is again for the Pollycraft christmas challenge on my daughter's card. Her dress was going to be blue as well but I didn't have the right colour (santa are you listening!) so I used my favourite amethyst one.
Paper is Dreamstreet

Mrs Tilly Claus

For someone who doesn't do pink I really love anything purpley so Papermania Contemporary Christmas suits me down to the ground.
The current challenge on Digital Doodling is to use the wonderful free Mrs Tilly Claus image, a current sketch from another challenge (Friday Sketchers) and something glittery (Sizzix die cut buttons). Buttons are also conveniently the current challenge on Allsorts :c)

Check out this fab candy!

Check out this candy on Wiccababes blog - fantastic for all you promarker addicts.
You need to act fast though coz it ends at noon tomorrow!

Bearly Xmas

Another xmas card to add to my list - which seems to be getting longer and longer

Image is from Doodle Palace

Bauble Tilly

This free image is from Wendy's Digital doodles and the challenge over at Charisma is anything Christmas so I used this lovely sketch from Moving Along With the Times.

Only XXX more to do now :c)

Another Sprinkle!

Friday Sketchers had a lovely sketch this week and as my daughter has yet another party to go to this weekend I needed some inspiration for a card.

Image is Thoughtful Sprinkles from Pink Gem Designs and papers are Papermania Basics - the strip of card across the middle is actually white hammer card coloured with Aubergine Promarker as I didn't have any scraps to match and couldn't be bothered to troll up the stairs to rummage in my stash :c)

Sooo Piiiiiink

I so don't do pink but my daughter wanted a card for her best friend who is the girliest girl I've ever met.

I know this is really an xmas stamp but was told what stamp I was using (who says 9 year olds don't know their own mind!) as her friend loves angels and wants a dog.

Papers are papermania basics and ribbon was in a bargain bag from Crafty Ribbons. The layout is the current challenge on Sketch & Stash

Fairy Hug

I so love this card.

I found this tutorial on Scrap Paper Scissors which was supposed to be an Xmas card and made it in purple for the Lily-Boo Too challenge this month.

Image and sentiment are both Pink Gem designs and paper is papermania. The frame is acutally raised on foam tape but you can't see it in the pic and think next time I'll use a double thickness to make it stand out better

Crafty Place ATC swap

Thought I'd give an easel ATC a go and love it - have used Wifey's ribbon tying method to add the ribbon - by punching a hole laying the ribbon across the front and pulling the ends through to tie and hold it in place.

As the theme was My Favourite Things just had to use my fave bear stamp which I got for 99p off eBay years ago.

Papers are Funky Fairies :c)

Stash Swap Card

Quick make to put in with my stash swap this month - forgot to take a picture of it opened out as it's made from a sheet of 8x8 paper folded into four - an idea I saw on Create and Craft the other morning.

Paper is My Mind's Eye Wild Asparagus or maybe Bloom and Grow - I get them mixed up :c)

Padster Towers Today!

Whoop whoop whoop!
The only thing whistling in this house now is me lol!

We had the french doors done when we moved in as there was an inch gap in the patio doors but now their days are numbered. Just need to save a few pennies :c)

Padster Towers Before

As you can see we were definitely in need of new windows - so much so that whenever it rained lots with the wind blowing the wrong way I had to mop the bedroom floor :c(
I could tell how windy it was by how much the bedroom blind was swinging lol!

Music Teacher's Pressie

These are for DD's keyboard teacher. I've been stroking these papers but as I found another set in the Great Padster Towers clear up I bit the bullet and finally cut one sheet up.

I'm really pleased with how the pattern fitted onto the diary. The paper is Blonde Moments Sugar Dumpling

Teacher's xmas pressies

Having struggles with DD's literacy homework for an hour this morning (how do you explain metaphors to a 9 year old) I wasn't really keen to make these but am pleased with how they turned out especially as they only took minutes to do.

Paper is My Mind's Eye Signature Suite, Post it notes from Tesco and Diaries 50p each from £1 shop. The date was stamped with a clever cuts set and embossed.

Alter a Diary Challenge

This months challenge over on Crafty Place is to alter a diary.

I did a matching calendar as well and even finally found my magnets so I can be stuck on the fridge :c)

Paper is My Mind's Eye Bloom and Grow and the image is Buddy with Honey from Nutcrafters



I decorated the inside with random images from these Whispers stamps which I had forgotten all about - the page shown is xmas which has stars on it but you can't see them very well.