This is what I got up to today at work...

...I have a terrible job...I got to scrap two layouts at work today!!!

Here is the first

Featuring my eldest, Jack, the "Wonder Boy"

Papers are by K and Co and have all been lightly sanded to distress, BOY has been cut from Olivia cuttlebug alphabet using greyboard then painted with blue acrylic and covered with diamond glaze. Photo covered in acetate, secured with brads then doodled on with white sakura pen. Handmade slide mount, with handwritten caption, J cut again with Olivia and "ack" handwritten...Suprisingly no inking on this one!!!

This is the second

Scan is a bit wonky...sorry, this features My grandparents Fred and Edith...hence the F and E, Papers ar the new Fairytale range by DCWV, F, E and United has been cut from greyboard with Olivia again, covered in versamark, gold embossing powder and heat embossed. Photo corners are handmade and stamped (with new studio G stamps) and embossed. Rings and chiffon ribbon are from work...and hey I threw in a bit of inking on this one!!!

We were discussing at work today how beautiful brides of this era looked...around the 1940`s...considering they were in the midst of world war two they still managed to look the picture of happiness...true what they say...All you need is love....la la la la.....

Di Hickman Card template

I love this ladies blog it is fab and her templates are great too.

Came up with this for one of the templates

Papers are all by K and Co, ribbon and lace from local market stall, flowers are by Papermania, stamped images are from the new range by studio G and guess what...a bit of inking and faux stitchin to finish.

Look what the postie bought me today...

Piccie is only tiny, downloaded from Google as camera battery is still dead, but it is my new (fifth) cuttlebug alphabet, already have Hippie Chick, Typist, Curls and Swirls and You`re not the boss of me...I LOVE my Cuttlebug and all of the alphabets, can`t wait to have a play with this one it is just so damm cute!!!

CPS challenge completed

I am loving these crafty challenges, it is great when you have nothing specific to craft. For the cps design challenge I came up with this...

Papers are all from the scrummy crate paper cowgirl collection, big "H" was handcut after drawing round a wooden letter, big white bloom and big brad is by Papermaina and red bloom is one of the scrumtious new Primas from America, is bit of lace was from local market, hand written sentiment and inking and fake stitching to finish.

I have done the DCM Midweek Challenge

Which was to make a card in black and use only one other colour...I safely opted for White!!!

Here is what I came up with

The scan is not too hot but my camera battery has died.

Patterned paper is Basic Grey black tie, black cardstock, gingham, chiffon buttons and ric rac are from my local market, Stamp is by Magenta, and I have tried to replicate a bit of the stamped image with doodling using a white souffle pen. Lots of inking, hand written sentiment and fake stitching to finish.

...Buttons...

...Yep buttons...

Convinced Harry and Ella this morning to sort out my buttons, I got two packs of those gorgous little glass jars from IKEA, they are supposed to be salt and pepper pots but they are similar in shape to the Prima got flowers bottles. These little jars are a bargain at 75p for two!!!

Anyway ... Colour c0-ordination...Tipped all the buttons out into my new wooden tray and the little darlings sorted through them all, blue buttons in one jar, pink in another...you get my drift. Harry and Ella did a fantastic job and then went on to sort out my ribbons too.

Wanted to post piccies of the little buttons in their new homes but my camera battery has just died!!!

After they finished sorting through my craft stash, I had meanwhile been sorting out our wardrobes, we all went to the charity clothes reycling thingy and threw in all our old clothes, and had a wonderful conversation on the way (we walked each carring a bag full) about how lucky we were to be able to afford new clothes and shoes and how some people have to rely on charities for their clothes ...the innocence of children is so amazing...So they all feel like they have done their bit for charity today and I have a tidy wardrobes.

Excited by my weekend of challenges...

...I poped on over the the Daring Cardmakers and decided to take up this weeks challenge to construct a card using an item of stationery...this is what I came up with.

The item of stationery is one of those cute mini bulldog clips, I think I got mine from Paperchase. Papers are gorgous K ology Hannah, lace and ribbon from local market stall, prima blooms from America...new range of unmounted stamps by Studio g...bargain at £1.49 per pack.

Enjoyed doing this challenge...my very first for the daring cardmakers.

Final Challenge Completed

Thats it I am all done...I have completed my 10 crafty challenges for the fabby forum

http://justbex.co.uk/phpBB2/index.php

Fantastic weekend pure crafting, you will be pleased to know that I finally did my housework this morning though so my house smells like a fruit bowl!!! ...lemon scented cleaner...apple scented wipes...strawberry scented air freshner!!! yummeeeee

Okay so this challenge was to do a baby scrap layout I chose to do an 8 x 8 layout as I am loving this size at the moment.

Isn`t he lovely...this is Harry at about 18 months old...he is 11 now.

Papers are all from a DCWV scrapbook stack, title is cut with cuttlebug Hippie Chick and Typist, button and ribbon are from my local market, lots of inking and faux stitching to finish...I love this photo and it has been sat in my "photos to scrap" box for a while now.

Found a fantastic image...

...On Google images...

My OH calls me Bones...all to do with my cheekbones I think...his opinion not mine... anyway have just found this fabby picture that is begging to be turned into a card...watch this space!!!

Artist Trading Cards

People tend to either love these or hate them, a lot of my students have told me they can`t see the point of them, I am very excited about this challenge though because if I send them off to Bex she will send me four different ones...my first ever swap...yipeeeeeeeeee

The challenge was titled Summertime and four ATC`s on this theme had to be made, here are mine

They are titled Summer, Sun, Sea and Sand. Papers are Ek Success, hessian was from LCS, chiffon ribbon was from market stall, flip flop charms were from another ebay seller and the shells were from Southport beach!!!

Snuggle Time

For those of you that have visited my blog before...thank you very much....you will recognise the picture in this page. I have been scrapbooking for about seven years and have NEVER scrapped myself so this was a first for me...the challenge was create a Layout from a sketch.

Here is the sketch

And here is my layout

Paper is Ek Success and SEI Cardstock is Papermania, Prima flowers, quickutz photo anchors, buttons, spotty ribbon and embroidery thread from local market stall and cuttlebug heart.

PIcture it Challenge

This challenge consisted of altering a mirror or a photo frame, I chose to alter a photo frame complete with little mini easel.

Not sure where I got the frame I have had it in my "to do something with" basket for a while, I like the fact that it is square though, the easel is from IKEA. The finished piece is destined for the girls bedroom I think.

Here is the before photoAnd here is the Transformed frame

Painted with pink acrylic paint, buttons, ribbon lace and ric rac from local market, gorgous prima flowers from Ebay America, charm and safety pin from an Ebay shop that I can`t offhand remember...bad customer...and gorgous piccie from 50% mummy and 50% daddy!!!

Been Working on My Challenges...

...Very hard....so hard I have done absolutely NO HOUSEWORK all weekend...does that make me a bad person...no it just makes me a scruffy tramp!!!

I promise to hoover and polish tomorrow...I just have one challenge to finish first!!!

Challenge 9...Titled multiple pages...was to create a four panel accordian card or a maze book, I chose the accordian book, only catch was you had to decorate the front and the back!!!

Cardstock is scrummy Bazzill Bling, paper is chatterbox, stamped images one of which was a freebie from Papercraft Insppirations, spotty Ribbon is from local Craft shop and buttons were from local Market, cuttlebug concentric stars and lots of inking and REAL and fake stitching

This is the front view

And this is the back

Been a busy little Challenge bee!!!

Headed over to the challenges at

http://justbex.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=325

and completed five out of the ten weekend challenges so far!!!


Challenge 4
"Time for a change"...

This is the Before piccie...this clock was purchased in a pound shop and has been on the wall in my daughters room for about a year...it has never worked!!!

And this is the after piccie...the clock is now ticking away....................................

Challenge 10:

"Two contrasting four words"...

Scrapbook layout...Two contrasting colours Pink (paper and Cardstock) and Brown (inking, faux stitching and stamped images and four words: happy, laugh, giggle and fun

Gorgous picture of Mia that I have been meaning to scrap for a long time...very happy with the result.

Challenge 5:

"No reason at all"...

A card for no specific occasion...gave me the excuse to try out my new dovecraft stamps....

Challenge 1:

"All Four one"...

Challenge was to make either a Card or a LO using the following sets of 4 as a Minimum

4 Patterned Papers: Making memories kids collection

4 Fasteners of any type: Four pink brads

4 Ribbons – of any length: base for flowers

4 Flowers: Gorgous primas

... and 1 main embellishment or Photograph: Cute bear and greeting

Last one for this evening

Challenge 2

"Just chill"

Challenge was to create something that will brighten up your fridge!

Created a little altered peg, painted with acrylic and embellished with word "list"...this is to hold my weekly shopping list, has magnet attatched to the back

I am in a happy pink mood....

...after having a whole day off work!!!

Went shopping this morning and it felt so lovely just browsing without having to worry about getting back for this or that. Then OH and I went for a pub lunch, he also had the day off, this is the first day off that we have had together since November last year when we went Christmas shopping.

Anyway my happy pink mood came up with this

YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEE

...and this... Cute or what...now I remember Strawberry Shortcake from my younger days and now my little girlies play with her too!

And I have decided that I NEED one of these!!!

Found this fantastic blog at the weekend whilst I was browsing other blogs


http://raggedroses.blogspot.com/


This is a very talented lady with some beautiful items on her blogs.


Was so inspired by her pages that I bought a new bag today...bargain £5 from tesco and jazzed it up with a hand crafted "corsage"...Now I am not the best sewer in the world, ask my Mum who usually has to do all my alterations for me...so I am very pleased with little old me.

Have spent this evening pottering in the garden, a little bit of weeding, dead heading my plants and a few photos too. Playing about with my camera I took these...

I love "playing" in the garden!!!

Another card sketch

Found this on the fabby site


Adapted it slightly and came up with this


Papers are the yummy new vintage ones from K and Co and the flowers are cuttlebug dies, bit of doodling and lots of inking!!!

The SATS are over!!!

Poor little children, aka Jack and Harry have been having their Sats tests and they are finally OVER

Will not know results for a while but as long as they have tried their hardest thats all that matters is what I have told them, Harry is 11 and is in final year of primary school and Jack is 14 and in year 9 of high school...I think too much pressure is put on the children regarding these tests...but hey I am only a mum, what do I know!!!

Crazy Photo Warning




Bit of chill out time...

...was chatting with the kids and telling a story of when I and my brother had stuck marshmallows on jacks head when he was about 2, we were young and foolish is all I will say!!! and the kids decided to do the same with fruit gums...funny piccies begging to be scrapped!!!

W.H.Smiths Bargains and Crafty freebies for me!!!

Hi, I am officially a terrible blogger but have had a really busy week, Had the job interview for the light house project...got it!!!

Have also been trying to sort the house out...drawers, cupboards etc, we are hoping to move soon and I am trying to de-clutter as much as possible...not started on the craft stuff yet tho!!!

Went to my local W.H.Smiths on my lunch hour to pick up the new beading magazine and they had a huge sale on, they are relocating into the new shopping centre currently being built.

I got loads of stationary for when the kids go back to school and a new mouse too for £1. I do love a bargain!

Also had a MAMOTH sort out in my workshop at work yesterday and my boss sent me home with loads of freebies.








How cool is all this, will have to spend the weekend crafting now...tragic!!!

Jack turns 14 and Harry has a Black eye!!!

Happy Birthday to Jack, my eldest, who turned 14 this week...Boy do I feel old now

He had a fabby Dr Who Cake piccy not that good tho!!!




He spent the day ...unfortunately doing his SATS...then to grandmas after school for pressies and the cake.

Harry managed a fantastic accident at school this week too...fell off a bench outside whilst waiting for the cross country practice to start...

I got one of those calls at work that begins...Hello, Harry has had an accident and we think you should come and collect him....PANIC...when I got home he looked like he had literally done 10 rounds with Mike Tyson.




He is so brave though and an hour later was busy playing footy with his mates whilst we were watching a school tournament he should have been in...KIDS!!!

I Got a new job :)

With the lighthouse project

http://www.lighthouseproject.co.uk/newsdesk_info.php?newsdesk_id=44

I will be teaching Jewelery making...I can`t wait to start this challenging but rewarding job. I have an appointment on Monday with the lady running this project, I have spoke to her a couple of times on the phone about this and she has confirmed that I will be teaching on a tuesday afternoon, just have to sort out the final details, not sure when I will be starting but I am very excited about this project.

Fabulous Workshop today

Had a Fabulous day at work today, I ran two jewelery making workshops and each lady left with a necklace like this. Was really worried about this workshop as the design was a complicated one.

I feel so proud of my ladies, they have only been jewelery making since January and have already progressed onto an advanced design like this.

I love teaching and it is so rewarding when I can see what people can achieve with a little guidance.

Big wooooooohoooooooooooo for all my workshop ladies today!!!

Happy Bank Holiday Weekend

Bank Holiday Weekend...Bliss...three whole days off work, no paperwork no lesson plans no handouts and no preparation...a FULL weekend to enjoy my kids, my other half and the sunshine...if it continues!!!

I am planning a full crafty day on Sunday, have just bought myself a new scrapbook, the A4 type, not tried this layout before so going to give it a whirl.

My local Craft shop has a sale on you can fing the link below they have 20% off a range of items including ALL rubber stamps...have already spent up!!!

Happy Bank holiday to you all

First Card Sketch

Found this sketch on the fabby Di Hickman site

Don`t usually follow sketches but it is my eldest son`s birthday next Tuesday and although I had the papers all sorted I was at a loss as to how to put them altogether so thought I would give this sketch a whirl!!!

Came up with this!!!

Papers are all Junkitz, "J" is cut from Hippie Chick cuttlebug alphabet from greyboard then painted with black acrylic and then diamond glaze, "ack" is cut from black card using the typewriter cuttlebug alphabet and the stars are also cuttlebug dies, the 14 is a rub on, lots of inking and fake stitching to finish.

Jack is a bit of a "Mosher" so hopefully he will like this card, very hard to please a 14 year old mosher!!!

Finally Found Felt

Yep I finally found felt!

Have seen a lot of cards and layouts embellished with felt lately and have never really fancied it...just reminds me of Fuzzy Felt from childhood. However I thought I would give it a whirl and I LOVE it!!!

Made this card for my Nan who celebrates her 70...something birthday on Saturday.

Also discovered that Quickutz dies cut through felt a dream when used in the cuttlebug.

Paper is making memories, card is bazzill, flowers cut from quickutz die in felt and then embellished with embroidery thread, flower trim, ric rac and gingham ribbon from LCS and Nan is cut with the Hippie Chick cuttlebug alphabet.

Hope she likes it!

New Stash

Went for a little spend at my local craft shop today and this is my new stash.

Lots of Bazzill, needed to stock up!!!

Also got some new Bazzill bling which is just scrumptious. Some gorgeous patterned papers, ribbons, buttons, two new stamps and a bag of hessian...I have plans for this...think beach scrap layout!!!