ONLY JOKING

Such a long time since I've been blogging, however, found these on my camera and thought I would share them with you. Hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year and roll on the Summer!

So sorry I haven't been around for ages but life has been busy....too busy! Anyway, thought I would show the SECOND(!) Christmas card I have made! Hoping to put together some more this evening if time allows. The image is from High Hopes which I've had for over a year but I absolutely love it - my sense of humour completely! Papers are MME which have been distressed and stitched, ribbon is Gisela Graham and buttons from my stash. Can you believe my Lewis was 13 yesterday? How did that happen?!!! Seems like only yesterday I was in complete and utter agony giving birth! Well, I've got lots to get on with, decorating the tree, housework, shopping and yes, Christmas cards. Hope you all have a good weekend.

Here's a simple card I made for my Son to give to his friend's parents for taking him out last week. The image is from High Hopes coloured with Promarkers, sentiment and punch is SU. Since sorting out my craft room, I put all my scraps of paper and card into a box and have been trying to use that up. Distressed the edges and got my old faithful sewing machine out to stitch the edges. Finally added a bit of glitter pen to the flowers. Back to work tomorrow after nearly a week off...yuk! although will be glad of the money!

Where on earth has the time gone? Can't believe how long it has been since I posted something....usual story though - boys, work, house, plus the fact I was too lazy to charge up my battery in my camera, and then when I did, I couldn't find the lead to load the photos on my laptop! I've been having a "sorting out" time with my crafting stuff and have now almost finished my new craft room - just need a shelf put up and to buy a bookshelf of some sort to stack all my rubber! Anyway, have now {obviously} found the lead to my camera and thought I would share this card which I made for a friend. She wanted a slightly funny one for someone's 40th birthday and this sentiment always does it for me! The image is High Hopes Dunno Ducky and the sentiment is Penny Black which I have split into two. Mixture of papers (DCWV) and plenty of stitching - thank God I didn't have to post it, it weighed a ton! Thought I'd enter this in the High Hopes Challenge this week...

Didn't realise just how long it's been since I've posted something....sorry! (that's if there's anyone reading this lol!) This is a card I made a few weeks back for one of my ladies who had major surgery...she's out of hospital now and doing extremely well! Sorry this is an extremely quick posting but the boys are due to be collected in half an hour and I'm still in my dressing gown! Will be back soon with some more creations.

Here's a little something I've been making, in bulk I might add!, to put in party bags for Sam's little friends next week. I've seen some little reading lights which clip on books so thought I would make them a bookmark each to go with the lights. It's funny how things happen because I've been thinking I really must make time to join in a challenge and it just so happens that the challenge on High Hopes this week is bookmarks so think I may have just got in by the skin of my teeth...story of my life! Have used the High Hopes Bookworm which I've had for a while but it has only just seen ink! Coloured him with Promarkers and then used scraps of MME papers. Added some faux stitching, a giant eyelet from SU and some ribbon from my stash and also rounded all corners with my SU punch. Have a great weekend...hectic as usual here!

I meet some lovely people in my job and the following card is for someone who has been so kind and helpful - we call him Doctor Steve (and yes, he is a Doctor!). It's a long story but basically, he is a real expert on coffee and makes the yummiest coffee around. Anyway, I mentioned that I was interested in getting a proper coffee machine but didn't know enough about them - not only did he e-mail me with suggested sites and models but he found me one at a VERY cheap price and last week he even had me doing a trial run on his machine when I should have been cleaning (sorry Ginny!!). So this card is for him and I thought the stamps from High Hopes were very fitting! All three stamps are High Hopes and have been coloured with PM's. Doodled around the edges and added a couple of brads which are a matching green but don't look like it in the photo! Papers are Basic Grey Archaic pad which have been stitched with my sewing machine and distressed. Finally, used my Nesties tags ...

Well, I've finally done it......made a card at long last! Was planning to have a go at the weekend but ended up spending some time with Tony and the boys so my next plan was to make one on Monday (my day off) but ended up working! Had no choice in the end and had to knuckle down to it last night as I needed a get well card for someone I know who has recently had an operation and who I am seeing today. I've kept it very simple because of the time restraints and even used up some of my scraps of paper! The image is Nurse Valerie from High Hopes coloured with PMs and used my Sakura glitter pen on her wings. Doodled around the edges and matted her onto Bazzill c.s. Papers are My Minds Eye. Added a couple of sticky gems from Papermania. Now, I'm not sure exactly if the sentiment is from High Hopes or Alota but it fitted the bill so who cares lol!! Off to work soon but only for an hour or so this morning so have to tackle my own housework when I get back! Have a great day....

Promised to show you the card I made for Finley which I'd also put forward for the High Hopes Guest DT spot, however, it didn't work its magic {big tear}........never mind, better luck next time! However, did have some good news - I won the prize on Friday Sketchers! I'm such a dozey old mare - I visited the blog to check out the sketch for this week and didn't even notice my name in the posting!! Well, here's the card which I actually quite like (and so did Finley by the way!). I just adore these dragons from High Hopes and think the Basic Grey Archaic papers go perfectly with them. Distressed some of the edges and used my sewing machine for the stitching. Rounded the corners and added some jumbo eyelets from SU and some grosgrain ribbon from my stash. The metal clip is also something I've had for ages - it might be Making Memories but not entirely sure about that.

Needed to make a card for my friend who has been very ill lately and also having to cope with alot of other cr*p at the moment as well. I've been so engrossed in my own problems that I forget that other people have problems of their own to deal with, so thought this High Hopes image was perfect. This is another stamp I've had for a while but have never inked up! The image is called Valerie Nurse Angel and isn't that bear just the sweetest! I've coloured them with PM's and framed with doodling. Papers are My Minds Eye and the sentiment is from SU and cut out using SU punch. Flowers are Prima and button is from my stash. Used the Fiskars border punch on the bottom of one paper but it doesn't show very well! Distressed the edges of some of the papers and added some stitching with my machine. For anyone who was asking about where I got my mailboxes, I've noticed that Silly Monkey Crafts are selling chipboard ones for altering, although they are alot more expens...

As promised, here's my second post for the day. Sorry I haven't been posting much but really struggling a bit lately. However, was determined to complete this week's High Hopes challenge and have just got in by the skin of my teeth! This week's challenge is a sketch by Katharina and have kept to my New Year's resolution to use a stamp that hasn't seen ink yet! Sorry, the photo isn't too good, however, the image has been coloured with Promarkers and framed with some doodling. Papers are Basic Grey, ribbon and clip are from my stash. Hope you're all having a great weekend....we've even got a bit of sunshine here!!

I love High Hopes stamps and have been meaning to join in with their challenges each week but just haven't had the time. However, made a real effort this week and finally managed it! The challenge this week is to use lace on your card so this is my effort. I've used Leaping Juliette and coloured her with Promarkers, papers are My Minds Eye and K & Co, sentiment is from Lizzie Anne Designs and the embellishments are from my stash. Don't know what happened to the colour of the clip in the photo but it does actually match in real life!! Thanks for all you wishes, I'm feeling alot better now....just have to try and shift the headache!

The challenge over on Stamp Something this week is "Summer in Winter" and as soon as I saw this, a lightbulb went on in my head - believe me, that doesn't happen very often!! I knew I had the perfect stamp for this one! The stamp is from High Hopes and I've coloured Santa with Promarkers and added some Glamour Dust to his hat and some of the usual doodling to frame it. Papers are My Minds Eye and have distressed the edges and then came the disaster - my sewing machine packed up, so had to resort to adding faux stitching with my Marvy pen. Sentiment is from Cuddly Buddly and mounted onto Bazzill c.s. cut using SU scallop punch. Brads are from Poppicrafts. Well, there we have it - my first Christmas card completed for 2009!! Off to take a look at the other DT Members' creations now.

The theme for this week's challenge on Stamp Something is "Birthday Wishes", so a nice easy one for us all! Used another of my High Hopes dragons for this one. The image is called Warm Wishes and has been coloured with Promarkers, added some Glamour Dust on the cake and doodled around the edges. Papers are Basic Grey and sentiment is from a Studio G set. Finally, added a couple of brads from my stash. Well worth popping over and taking a look at the wonderful work by my fellow DT members and the candy on offer.

I haven't taken part in the PTW challenge for a long while unfortunately, and come to think of it, haven't taken part in ANY challenges for ages!! This week's challenge is a fabby sketch by Dawny P , so, because I was stamping out some of these cute HH images for a blogging buddy, thought I would use one for this card. The image (Gavin the givin' dragon) has been coloured with Promarkers with a bit of doodling around the edges. Sentiment stamp is Penny Black, papers are Basic Grey and c.s. is Bazzill Bling. Finally, added a couple of Doodlebug buttons. Sorry this posting is short 'n' sweet but Sam has a friend round to play and I must get started on their tea soon.

Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all had a good holiday but isn't it great to get back to normal! I do love this time of year as it gives me the opportunity to have a good clear out and OMG, have I been having a whale of a time......chucking this, chucking that.......as they say "out with the old, in with the new"! It's also nice to get some crafting time in as well and the challenge on Stamp Something this week is "New Somethings". I've chosen to make a New Year card for a friend of mine in Canada and have kept to one of my New Year's Resolutions by using this High Hopes stamp which hadn't seen ink......just love the expression on Baby New Year's face! Stamps: High Hopes, Papertrey Ink Colouring: Promarkers Papers: Bo Bunny, My Minds Eye, K & Co Extras: Sewing Machine, Woodware Punch, SU Jumbo Eyelets, Hobbycraft Ribbon A quiet afternoon today - Lewis is out playing with friends and I'm just about to have a go on Spirograph with Sam...

It's just coming up to quarter past four in the afternoon and I have just literally got back to the house and managed to sit down for five minutes! Was up all night with toothache and managed to get in with the Emergency Dentist at the hospital this morning who told me my abscess is back and has given me some anti-biotics to try and calm it down. Since then, have been dropping off Christmas presents here, there and everywhere but did manage to fit in a visit to Santa - the boys were so excited and I can't quite believe that Lewis, who is eleven, still believes in him! Think he is having doubts though as he's asking alot of questions about him and when Santa asked him what he wanted for Christmas, he reeled off a list of the presents which are hidden in my wardrobe - very suspicious!!!! You'll be relieved to hear that I have no Christmas cards to show today! Instead, thought I would show you the gift bags I made a friend and the boys' Teachers. I only had the brown o...

Of course I didn't!! I've had a very emotionally draining day today but have decided I'm not going to let the b******* grind me down......or should that be singular!!! So here are some(!) of the promised cards with a few more to show tomorrow - that's not groaning I hear is it!!!! Stamps: High Hopes, Magnolia, Stampin Up, Doodlebug Colouring: Promarkers Papers: My Minds Eye, Blonde Moments Extras: Glamour Dust, SU Scallop Punch, SU Corner Rounder I think you can tell I was rushing them a bit as there aren't any embellishments on them, however, I did manage to finish them all and posted them Friday whoo hoo!! As mentioned, few different ones to show tomorrow so I'm going to sit down and try and relax now and watch the final of Strictly - I'm suffering a bit as I think my infection in my tooth has started up again so may have to get back to the Dentist before Christmas. Have a great evening and GOOD LUCK LISA AND BRENDON!!!!