ONLY JOKING

I recently made a card using Melinda Blowing Kisses using my red papers so thought I would show the second card I made with her and the blue/brown colour scheme. The Stamp is from Whiff of Joy and coloured with Promarkers with a bit of doodling as is the norm for me lately and some Glamour Dust added to her wings. Papers are.........wait for it! My Minds Eye AND a little bit of K & Co!!, distressed and stitched. Sentiment is from Stampin Up, ribbon is from Hobbycraft and the pin I made myself - sorry it's a bit wonky but had a bit of a hard time trying to get it through the knot!! Corners of the card are rounded with an SU punch. Off to do some housework now as I've got Vanessa and her boys visiting tomorrow.

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.

It's my friend, Jose's birthday today - hope you have a lovely day Jose....I won't ask how old lol!! Here's my card I made for her. I've made the base card from red Bazzill c.s. The image is called Picking Apples and it's another one I've had for a while but never used...tut tut!! She's been coloured in the usual way and framed with doodling. Do you recognise the paper hee! hee! with more distressing and sewing. Sentiment is from SU and rounded the edges with an SU punch. Flowers and button are from my stash. I've added a piece of Creative Smooth c.s. to the inside of the card - the sentiment is Elzybells and the flower stamp is Studio G, then joined it together with more doodling . Off to tackle some college work....oh, I'm so fed up with spreadsheets!!

Can you tell I'm in my "distress the edges and sew" phase LOL!!!! Trying hard to start filling up my card basket again as it's nearly empty and I hate not having a card handy when I need one. At the beginning of January, I stamped out alot of images which I hadn't used before and this is one of them. It's Melinda Blowing Kisses from Whiff of Joy and I've coloured her with Promarkers and the usual doodling to frame her. Is there any point naming the papers lol! (My Minds Eye) and c.s. is Bazzill. Sentiment is Cuddly Buddly and buttons are Doodlebug. Corners are rounded with an SU punch and finally, added a little Glamour Dust to her wings and the hearts. Things are alot better today so thank you to everyone who asked but I'm a tough old bird and seem to be able to cope with anything that life throws at me!!

Now it's the turn of the teal and chocolate colour scheme again!! As I mentioned before, I've made a few cards recently with these papers so I'm alternating them for postings so it's not too monotonous!! The image is called Pen Pal and is coloured with Promarkers (what else!!) with more doodling around the edges to frame it. Papers are.......yes, you've guessed it, My Minds Eye and brown c.s. is Bazzill. Sentiment is from Whiff of Joy and have distressed the edges with more dodgy stitching!! Buttons are from my stash. Having yet more personal problems at the moment....will they ever stop! so sorry the posting is so short.

We had some more sad news in Weymouth....I don't know if you were aware but there used to be three crafting outlets in our small town - Craft Central, a lovely little craft shop at a place called Brewers Quay and a craft shop in our main post office in town. Well the shop at Brewers Quay closed down a little while ago and a few weeks back Craft Central closed as well (apparently, it's gone into liquidation). Now our Post Office is in the hands of an Administrator......can you believe it! The good thing to come from this is they had a closing down sale - everything half price! Because I've been so good and haven't bought anything in a VERY long while and have managed to sell alot of my stamps I don't use, treated myself to my favourite papers and card....My Minds Eye and Bazzill, so be warned, you will be seeing alot of this paper and just to prove my point, here's one I made earlier lol!!! I'm back using my sewing machine again, however, please don't loo...

This week's challenge on Stamp Something is "Recipes" so, because I had a little gift to give to a friend and needed a card to go with it, I came up with this. Now you're probably thinking "what's that got to do with a recipe?", however, added a little something inside the card...... I got the idea for the recipe from a card I saw on Deb's blog over Christmas - she is such a talented lady and produces fabulous cards.....well worth a visit. Also, I've seen so many beautiful cards where the girls are now decorating the insides, so I thought I would combine the two. The image is Whiff of Joy, Willow with Cocoa, or coffee in this case!! I've coloured her with Promarkers and then just doodled around the edges. Papers are My Minds Eye and brown c.s. is Bazzill. Distressed the edges of the paper and then stitched them onto the card. Sentiment is MFT as are the coffee beans on the inside of the card. Flowers are all from my stash and for the centre...

I really can't believe that these are the first bookmarks I've made. It's always been on my "to do" list but never got round to it, however, Sam received a special book for Christmas from my Sister which has a story for every day of the year in it and he decided that he needed a bookmark for it. So that meant I had to make two so Lewis wouldn't be left out! Stamps: Magnolia Colouring: Promarkers Papers: Scraps of My Minds Eye and K & Co Extras: Jumbo Eyelets SU, Ribbon Hobbycraft, SU Punch The boys were really pleased with them but have one more to make now as a friend popped in to see me when I was in the middle of making them and said "Ooh, I want one!" The boys are back to school on Tuesday, so am hoping to be able to catch up on my blogging then. Have a good evening!

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...

Feeling a bit better today so planning on cleaning up the house later in readiness for the big day. Here's a birthday card I managed to make whilst battling through the Christmas cards recently - it made such a nice change! Stamps: Sarah Kay Colouring: Promarkers Papers: My Minds Eye Extras: Stash It's very simple again because of the time constraints, however, this stamp is beautiful to colour and don't always think it needs alot added to it. Hope you have a good day.

Or rather, the never ending Christmas cards!! Yep, there's more! I'm back earlier than anticipated! Stamps: CC Designs, Penny Black, Whipper Snapper, Stampin Up, Doodlebug Colouring: Promarkers Papers/Cardstock: K & Co, My Minds Eye, Miscellaneous(!), Bazzill Extras: Glamour Dust, SU Scallop Punch, Mirricard Well, that's all the cards now until next year when I hope I will have learned my lesson and not end up making them all in the last week before Christmas......in fact, think I'll have to make a start on Boxing Day!!! Will have a couple more christmassy things to show you tomorrow but (breathes a big sigh of relief!), they're not cards. Going to have a BIG glass of wine now and sulk as Lisa and Brendon didn't win......definitely think that was a fix lol!!!

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!!!!

As promised, back with the Stamp Something challenge which this week is a sketch by my fellow DT Member Emily . This week the challenge is also sponsored by DRS Designs and so I've used their stamps which Denise and Erin kindly sent me. This was definitely my kind of sketch so thanks so much Emily! The challenge will be open for two weeks so we can have a Christmas break so take a look at the wonderful work my fellow DT Members have created and give it a go because there is a DRS Designs stamp up for grabs. Stamps: DRS Designs Colouring: Promarkers Papers: My Minds Eye Extras: SU Scallop Punch

A couple more Christmas cards to show you which I made yesterday. Back to the birthday cards today but only the one and my DT work for this week and then will be back to trying to complete the Christmas cards. Got a feeling I'm going to have to end up cheating and post a couple of the shop bought ones but I'll see how I go! This image is Penny Black and was sent to me by my Secret Sister (I think!). Have been using up all my bits and pieces of Christmas paper so apologies again, as I don't know the manufacturer of this one. Image is called Snow Family (I think, again!) and has been coloured with Promarkers and added some Glamour Dust. Sentiment is from SU and layered the papers with mirricard. This is another Penny Black image which I do actually own and I've coloured him with Promarkers and yet more Glamour Dust! Papers are My Minds Eye and sentiment is SU as is the punch used to layer it on. Got to pop into town to do a bit of Christmas shopping and then its back to t...

Actually, I've got two! Yes, have managed to make a start on my Christmas cards. I have already done the ones to send abroad and those have been posted but I'm way behind with the others so here's two I made yesterday while Sam was writing his Christmas cards (bought those!). I'm not going to bother listing the items used as (1) there aren't many and (2) can't remember the make of the paper!! However, stamp is from Cuddly Buddly, coloured with Promarkers and some Glamour Dust added to his hat and c.s. is Bazzill. This one is made using an image from Vanessa (thanks sweetie!), coloured with Promarkers and some Glamour Dust. Sentiment is Doodlebug and the yummy papers are My Minds Eye (really love their designs at the moment). You will probably notice that I tend to doodle around the edges of the image - found it frames the image without the need to layer it, making it quicker to make!! Right, off to see the Birthday Girl now. Will be back tomorrow with a couple ...

It's my MIL 80th birthday today, so thought I would show the card and present I made for her. ....and now for the present - I bought this K & Co kit a few months back and was wondering when I was going to use it! Thought the florals made it ideal for a "more mature" woman!! I just added photos of the boys with the embellishments provided in the kit and it took me an hour to put together. The photos of the boys are a mixture of ones taken over the years. (Just in case you can't tell, it's a desk calendar!) Blimey, think I need a lie down after loading all those!!! Sam is home again today - managed to get him an appointment with the Doctor at 7.00 pm last night (!) and he's got an ear infection so he's now on antibiotics. Hopefully, I should get him back to school on Thursday all being well.