So long since I last posted!

Oh dear, I've been very bad in my posting!  I went through a phase where I just couldn't get inspired to do anything due to the pain in my back and now, for the last two weeks, my craft room has been out of action as I've been having a new kitchen fitted and I can't get near my goodies!

I've spent loads on new goodies just recently even though I've not been inspired to craft and now they're sat there just sat there out of my reach!  I really wanted to enter the National Card Maker of the Year competition this year but I'm really going to have to get my finger out once I'm allowed back in my room! I've got all my ideas written down but having the ideas and making them come to life are two different matters entirely!

I'm hoping that my kitchen is going to be finished this week (with the exception of the decorating that we're doing ourselves) so hopefully I'd be able to get back into my room and fingers crossed that the mojo comes with me.

I'm sorry that I've not gone round blog hopping in a very long time.  I've just been taking a break away completely in the hope that I come back refreshed.

If people are still popping by, thank you so much, it's greatly appreciated.

xx :o)

Belated Father's Day Card

Good Morning All! Hopefully you're recovering from the shock of a 3rd day of posting!  This is a scheduled post as I should be at work now, but whilst typing this I'm currently watching the Men's Final at Wimbledon!

I realised that I didn't show you the Father's Day card that I'd made for my dad.  I posted my Father-in-Laws but completely forgot my dad's; sorry dad!  I used another of the male LOTV stamps, I think this one is called Footy Ted.  I wasn't brave enough to try and recreate my football team's colours as it would've been blue and white hoops and I don't think I could've worked out the shading properly!  He's been coloured with copics and the papers are from Pink Petticoat again.  The sentiment is an Elzybells stamp.  In my dad's case it should ready "There are only two things in life; Football & Bowls!"  The cardstock is some of my favourite Bazzil Basics.

I don't think he looks too bad now does he?? I was concerned that I might have overdone the brown polychromo but it looks fine now.  I do need a new pot to put my sansador in with the sponge as my first one leaked and it's not something you want to smell to often!!  In our LOTV class they used Flowersoft pots with a bath sponge soaking it.

I'd best go as hubby is just starting to dish up my Sunday dinner (Confusing when this is posting Monday morning!! LOL).

Thank you again for stopping by and for any comments you may leave, they are greatly appreciated.

xx :0)

Congratulations!

 THIS IS MY SECOND POST TODAY, PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO SEE MY PREVIOUS POST

Blimey, 3 posts in 2 days!! I'm in shock!

I didn't think I'd be back today but I sat making an engagement card for a friend at work who has just got engaged.  Her fiancé proposed at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower, very romantic!!

I was looking through my stamps trying to decide what to use when I found this Penny Johnson stamp that I've had for over year and never inked up!  The cardstock was a sheet of Bazzil that I love and it was my last sheet!  The paper is from a Forever Friends pad and the embossing is using the Love Language folder from Cuttlebug.  I made a border using my MS Lace Valentine border punch and finished off with some ribbon and a bow that I made using my Bow Easy.

I've followed the sketch from The Sweet Stop.  I did have to adapt it slightly as I'd embossed the second panel the wrong way, I hope that's okay!  I'm also entering this into the Little Claire's Challenge which is Pink & Brown.  My little bears are brown and the rest as you can see is pink!!

I would also like to enter this into Stampavie & More which is More than 3 Layers
I hope you all enjoyed your Sunday.  I was gutted to see Rafa lose Wimbledon but hey ho, c'est lá vie!

Thank you for stopping by again and for any comments you may leave, they are greatly appreciated.

xx :0)

More Hugs!

Good Morning Everyone! I hope the sun is shining as brightly wherever you are like as it is here in Berkshire.  I know, pinch yourself, a post two days running!  One of the side effects on one of my meds at the moment is restlessness so I can't sit still too much at the moment without fidgeting so whilst hubby is catching some extra zzzzz's I thought I would make another card.

I'd coloured two of the Me To You bears that I used on yesterdays card so I had to use him up otherwise he'd be a bit lonely.  I was inspired to make this card after quickly visiting the fabulous Debby's blog and seeing the card she'd posted here.  I don't know about you, but I love visiting Debby's blog as her cards are amazing!

I've followed a similar theme with my card using predominately white embossed backgrounds and some gorgeous purple bazzill card.  I finished off with a punched daisy strip using my MS punch and some rhinestones.

Supplies:

Stamp: It's Me! - Me To You; Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black & Copics;

CS: Bazzill Basics; Tools: Love Language folder - Cuttlebug, Daisies Folder- Crafts Too, Oval Nestabilities, MS Deep Edge Punch

Embellishments: Flower and Rhinestones - Stash - Craftwork Cards sentiment

This card is for a very good crafty friend who's in need of a hug right now so this is winging it's way to her very soon.

I'm entering this into the Sweet Sketch Wednesday challenge.

I hope you all have an enjoyable Sunday whatever you're up to.  I may tune into Wimbledon a bit later even though Murray didn't make the final.  Thank you for stopping by and for any comments you may leave, they are greatly appreciated.

xx :0)

 

Sending Hugs

Okay, I know it's been a couple of weeks again since my last post.  Unfortunately that's the way things are going for me at the moment.  I may be intermittent for a while yet I'm afraid.  I know I've not commented for a while, but that doesn't mean that I'm not always looking because I am.  It's just that blogger doesn't always allow me to comment on everyone's posts still.  Very frustrating!

Anyway, I've been able to have a little play today with my crafty stash so thought I would show you what I have created.  I've used one of my new Me To You stamps.  You know me and teddies, I just can't get enough of them!!  He's been coloured with copics and I actually think he looks pretty good!  The backing paper is also from the Me To You paper pack and the cardstock is Aqueduct Core'dinations.  It was my last sheet so I made a note of the name so I can get some more as it's very pretty!!  I've finished off with some Wild Orchid Roses that have been lightly spritzed with Glimmer Mist and a Craftwork Cards Sentiment oval.

I've used the sketch from A Gem of a Challenge.  I don't own any Pink Gem images but luckily you can use any image to participate.  I'm also entering this into:

Stamping for the Weekend - My Favourite Things - Teddies!!!

Thanks for stopping by and for any comments you may leave, they are greatly appreciated.  I will try and pop round everyone's blogs later.

xx :0)

Father's Day Card

Good evening all.  It's been a while again since my last my post.  I've really been suffering with my back, not just physically but mentally as well.  I've been having to take days here and there off work and it's really been getting me down.  I hate not being able to do things which gets me frustrated and this then gets me down.  I've not been able to craft much either because of that but also because I was feeling down. It may seem strange especially when crafting helps so many people who suffer with depression and other illnesses but I was getting so annoyed with myself that I was unable to want to do anything, if that makes sense!!  I had all of these lovely goodies that I'd purchased that were just sitting there!

Today I decided that I was going to do something about that and I've managed to make my Dad's Father's Day card as well as one for Jon's dad!  I am paying for that now but boy did it feel good!!  My mojo was suffering so I had a look around some blogs which helped to inspire me. 

Tonight I will show you Jon's dad's card.  My inspiration for this came from a card the lovely Marcea made.  I used the Cheers Bear from Lili of the Valley which was purchased at the Masterclass in May.  I love all the LOTV bear stamps!

Supplies:

Stamp: Cheer Bear - LOTV; Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black & Copics;

Card & DP: Doodles of Dots & Harlequin - Pink Petticoat, Core-dinations; Tools: Circle & Scallop Nesties

Embellishments: Glossy Accents, Sentiment Oval - Craftwork Cards & Gemstones. 

A close up of this little cutie. you can't really tell that the beer glass has had the glossy accents treatment, the sun deserted me at that moment!  I don't know if you can tell either but I've started to use some polychromo pencils to enhance the shading on my bears.  We were shown this at that Masterclass. I'm hoping that I'm doing it right!

This weeks Lili of the Valley challenge is Bring on the Music.  I really wanted to enter this card & the only song I could think of was Boney M's Daddy Cool!! I think he looks a pretty cool dad so I hope that's acceptable!!

I'm going to enter this card into the following challenges:

Blogger Challenge - Masculine Card
Fashonista Friday - For Men
Craft us Crazy - Father's Day
Crafty Sentiments - Fathers Day
Delightful Challenges - Anything Goes
Dutch Dare Card Challenge - For the Boys
Lili of the Valley - Bring on the Music - Daddy Cool!
Southern Girls - Anything Goes
Sisterhood of Crafters - Dad
Papertake Weekly - Dad's & Lads

Thank you for stopping by and for any comments you may leave, they are greatly appreciated.

xx :0)

It's been a while!

I know, it's been a while since I was last in blogland. I would be very surprised if there is anyone still out there reading this.  If there is, thank you so much!

The main reason for my lack of crafting has been my back which has been giving me a lot of pain.  Without saying too much, I'm now waiting for a fairly serious operation to remove the troublesome discs and fuse that area of my spine.  The list is 3 months which, at the moment, seems a long way off as the pain has been quite bad this last week.

My other reason was that, for a while, Jon and I thought we were going to lose Bozzy.  He's 20 years old now so is quite remarkable in that sense, but it did look like we would be saying goodbye.  However, he seems to have cottoned on to what we were thinking and has turned around quite remarkably as if to say "I'm not ready to go just yet!".  Here's the gorgeous boy here enjoying a sleep in the sun:

I do have a card to show you too!  Last Saturday I was very lucky to be able to attend the LOTV Colouring Masterclass in Ashford.  We had a whole day with Jacqui and Bev tutoring us and helping improve our colouring skills.  I had an amazing time and learnt some new techniques which I'm hoping to put into practise very soon.  We coloured in 4 LOTV images trying out these techniques and were given a pack to complete one of Bev's stunning cards.  I finished mine this morning and am really pleased with it.

I am so pleased with the colouring of this image.  I have the stamp as I think it's really cute but have been nervous about colouring it in.  Hopefully I won't anymore.

I was also very lucky to meet some very lovely ladies who I spent the best afternoon with; Pam, Lisa, Caz and Caz's mum (sorry, my mind has gone blank for your name!!)

Thank you for still being here and supporting me when I've not been able to visit you all in return.  I will try more.

xx :0)