3 out of 4 ain't bad

The DCM challenge this week was actually 4 of the previous challenges, a cut, ribbon, a frame and buttons-well I managed all but the handcutting!

I've made a few cards over Christmas-one of my New Years resolutions is to turn the PC off more in the evenings-I get so much more crafting done!!!

This card I finished this evening for friends who are moving to the country. They are coming to us for New Years Eve so glad I got it finished

I love this alphabet-its a Sizzlit one-First Steps. I also bought Cherish in the Ellison sale but haven't opened the packaging yet-I love this one so much its going on everything!!

Other cards this week

and I found out you can emboss on acetate!!!

Its weird, I've only had literally a couple of hours craft time over Christmas but I've got so much done by not having the PC on (I've also made a couple of rings, I'll try to photograph them to show tomorrow)

I'd love to hear any crafty new years resolutions you have too!!

DCM challenge

I've not done much crafting lately, life's got in the way I guess-but heres my DCM Inside out challenge for this week, the challenge was to decorate the inside as well as the outside of the card.

and the inside

as you probably guessed I used my Bind it all.

One pressie left to make for my sister-but I'm not sure what to make her yet-if I run out of inspiration I may have to cheat and buy her something!

Finally made a couple of christmas presents-I am very pleased to report all the cards are done

I made these organisers from chipboard coasters from Craftfairies, the holes are punched on the Bind it all, now I have got over my fear of the flippin thing!

I have another couple to make but I might fill those with smellies instead

I may have overspent a little in the Ellison sale..............

but in my defence I didn't think I'd get the whole order, and some are for Mum for christmas

and I've used a couple already, the brackets and the First steps alphabet (I love it) on this card for DCM's candy stripe challenge. The card blank, paper and stamp all came from the children in need competition I won on Leo's blog, I've wanted the bird stamp forever!!

I was sposed to be making a Baby card today-but it didn't happen-I just couldn't do it, having a down day and baby cards aren't the easiest thing for me-maybe tomorrow

Talking of tomorrow, wish me luck! I'm off to a ceramics cafe with my best mate and its one of the few crafts I've never tried. Think I'll try a mug to match my new kitchen colours, teal and red-you may see a picture somewhen, if it works!

I have been crafting-just not cards for a change. I started a quilted christmas wall hanging a couple of years ago and decided this year I was actually going to finish it.I'll photograph it this weekend when we put the decorations up.

I think, after this batch I just need 3 more christmas cards then I'm finished for the year!

This was sposed to be for the DCM buttons and bows challenge, but as you can see I only got half way! It just doesn't work with a bow on it anywhere-and I'm actually not any good at bows so I might sit this one out ladies and wait for tomorrows challenge instead!

No gym again tonight, not been a good week for my joints, but we have walked into town and back 3 nights doing about 2 miles each time, so I hope thats helping a little. I'm determined not to put on weight over Christmas or its only more to loose again before we start another cycle of IVF.

Last card, I made it for a challenge on Carolyn's forum, it had to have real sewing on it-no fake rubber stamped stitches-its for my mother in laws birthday this weekend. Papers are from a funky new Dovecraft pack I got recently, and the scrummy flowers are from Craftfairies

Not sure how much I'll get done this weekend-I find putting up the decorations exhausting-but hubby is away Monday night so I have an evening of crafting planned , can't wait.

I have been making stuff honestly, but all for orders. I'm a bit wary of showing them here because my cards and adoption announcements are almost all personalised and it doesn't seem right showing that much detail of other people's lives.





But, finally made another Christmas card, only about a dozen left to go, it fits the DCM birdie challenge this week

I've used a chipboard birdie from Craft fairies

I got the stamp from craft central this monring but its been cut wrong so I've had to fill in some of the letters with a brush pen, hope it doesn't show too much.

In other news....I was lucky enough to win the children in need competition on Leo's blog, it made my day!

and I bought some sparkly jeans to wear at Christmas reeduced in sainsbury's- hubby's comment? They just look like all your jeans do after you've been crafting!!!!

I've had lots of lovely post today, christmas presents I've ordered, finally my subscrition gift from my craft magazine 2 months late and most exciting of all my first design team goodies from Craft Fairies I can't wait to start playing!


I also had the first order from my new ebay shop today-so feeling very relieved-I was beginning to think I'd made a big mistake moving over


I've made a couple more presents, this tin is to hold a necklace (still to be made) for my mother-in-laws birthday pressie

and some jazzed up paperclips to go with the notebook I made yesterday

I've finally picked the floor ofr the kitchen-I don't think it would have been himselfs first choice (or his second, or third) but its red with glitter in it!!!!!! How could a girl not want that? As he rightly pointed out, I'm the one in the kitchen most, and I'm paying for it so I get to choose, hehehe

We are having the same floor in the downstairs loo too-along with tiles with a black and white photo of rubber ducks on them (photos to follow when he's finished)

I've finally used my Bind It All!! Not done anything exciting with it-just a little notebook to practice, its going to be part of a gift set for a friend for Christmas

My card for the DCM challenge this week-yes its another adoption day card for a little boy called Jack, the first got lost int he post on the way to the customer and I have no teddy stickers left so had to stamp one instead. Can you guess the name of the song it was based on?

I bought a couple of the new Cuttlekids dies yesterday-are they really meant for kids though? The penguin is sooo fiddly, you have to cut loads of bits out(but yes I have persevered and made a few (pictures later when I've been tp the gym)

I got the zebra too-not tried him yet, and some rather lovely Making memories black and white chipboard butttons too.

Off to the gym, back later with some more pictures (if there is daylight left!)

Out of my comfort zone

Got caught up on a couple of challenges today, both using colours I don't normally use

The DCM challenge this week was to use a touch of gold- I just don't like gold, but I've tried

These 2 were for a Children in Need challenge on http://scribblesnscrappin.blogspot.com/- I hate using yellow!!! It just doesn't work for me-but I actually quite like the red and yellow one

I've also finished my pages for Melissa's CJ-ahead of time for a change!
I'm clearing the decks because I have a day off work Monday-to stock my ebay shop. I'm giving up with the Mrsite website, I keep getting technical problems andf they can't seem to fix them so I'm hoping Ebay will be better-and hopefully have more coverage too

Life's got in the way lately so I've not had much chance to make cards. Its been nice to catch up a bit today though

These two were for an order, I have 25 adoption announcements to make next week for the customer too, I'm so pleased for her.





This is my DCM midweek challenge for the Pile of parcels challenge

I was stamping some images for a swap on Carolyn's and realised this one fitted the challenge perfectly!

We've booked our holiday today- a week in February on Fota Island in Cork Harbour, Southern Island. It looks gorgeous, I can't wait!!

Its a Pink Petticoat Day

I downloaded lots of lovely Pink Petticoats papers yesterday so most of my cards today feature it in some way hehehe

The DCM challenge for this week was Cut It-so I cut out some flowers from a left over bit of PP Christmas paper. This is my first ever acetate card- I have a mini album planned so I thought I'd practice on a card first-however they are not easy to photograph!

The leftovers were from this project...I found something to do with my clothes pegs-giant photo holders if you stand them upside down!

Its challenge weekend at Carolyn's, this was one of my first challenges -to make a gift.

I've also done the challenge to make a card with 2 or more folds-yup more pink petticoat paper and a couple of stickers from the sheet from Poundland

and finally a baby card using Sue's template challenge

Not alot of time for crafting tomorrow-my little Sis is coming up to stay over and we are off to see the fireworks tomorrow night

DCM challenge x 2

I didn't get any time to craft all weekend ;-( so I'm going to try to make up for it through the week-especially since my Bind it All arrived today!I have a few ideas for little books/albums for my sisters for Christmas so I'd love some time to play.

I got a card order done tonight and finally 2 cards for the DCM's friday challenge, "Wrap it in Ribbon".

I used my Poundland stickers for these-still got loads left on the sheet but I'm saving the snowmen till last cos they are sooo cute

Aren't they cool??

I had to have them, had some idea of covering them in paper- but thats as far as it got-any ideas?

Hubby cannot understand why, if I didn't know what I was going to do with 1 I bought 3!

Some more cards for bex's challenges

3 for the Snow challenge and a swing card

I don't have much time to craft this weekend, so I'm off to do my DCM card for this week, got some lovely xmas stickers in Poundland to use

Not had much to blog lately-I've spent evenings this week cooking (theres a great new cooking forum http://www.thecooksjournal.co.uk/ I've joined) , starting back at the gym (ouch)and generally clearing the decks so Si can paint the kitchen at the weekend and I can go out for the day Sunday.
I'm off to my friend Sue's for a local HMSA meet up-and I'm really looking forward to it.

I have made a few cards- 3 snowmen ones for a challenge at Bex's forum
and 1 for the Cut it up challenge at Carolyns

I also had some greta news I made the Design Team for Craftfairies new website (coming soon). I'm really looking forward to playing with some of the mini albums and bits she sells

Finally some craft time! I have a list of challenges a mile long-but I've managed to do a few last night and this morning. Sio Foo fighters on full blast and off we go....

Its the Daring Cardmakers 1st Birthday this week and the challenge was a Circle of Friends

Then my first couple of challenges for Bex's forum. Challenge 1- Fasten it

Challenge 6- Tags, I did 4 not 3 cos I have 4 little ones to buy for. I stole Bex's idea of putting their names on the front too

I still had a couple of challenges to do from Carolyns forum too, a Play on Words using an old Wildflower stamps set-I forgot I had these

and the All Cut up challenge, well you'll have to wait for that. How long does Anitas 3D gloss take to dry? I tried to speed one set up with a heat gun, not reccomended!!!

Off to do some more

A little inspiration needed

Only one card today- from a template I found on a great blog http://littlebookofsketches.blogspot.com/

I started making adoption cards when my sis adopted my gorgeous niece and then my nephew a year later-I have a very small online shop selling adoption cards now,good thing I like making kids designs, although I admit I struggle with girls cards-boys are always more fun!
I still have another 2 to make for my niece for other family members to send to her and 3 for my nephew, as well as another birthday card for him!I need some inspiration please -every Christmas I try to make a little something handcrafted for my sisters, Mum and best mate. I've saved these little kilner style jars to tart up-but what to fill them with? They are pretty small, about 4 inches high and 3 inches across-any ideas would be greatfully received!

Found it!

I've found my holly stamp so I could finish the challenge on Carolyns forum-What no ink pad

He's the same hedgehog stamp as before but I just left off the flowers and snail.

Still in the Christmas theme I forgot I'd made my snowman last week and not taken his photo

and finally the last of my jobs for today was to make a little paperbag album for the sunshine albums Ellen is collecting up

I've left it quite plain inside but put lots of disney and fishy stickers in the pockets

Doesn't he looked sweet? Like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth-except he's just chewed through the valance sheet on my spare bed-little monster! Bert normally lives in the kitchen and utility room, but while we are (still) having the kitchen refitted he and Ernie have had to move upstairs (seperate bedromms of course)

Somehow I don't think Bert is too happy about it

Only made a couple of cards so far today but I'm feeling virtuous cos I've tackled 90% of my to-do list too

First card is for my sister to give to my mum-her birthday is Christmas day so I'm getting ahead of myself

I was never a fan of these cute stamps-hubby talked me into buying him though and I'm converted, I've used him about 4 times since the weekend but with holly leaves instead of flowers. I still think £8.50 is alot for one stamp though, I guess I'm just used to buying cheap unmounted ones from the States now.

I now can't find my holly stamps so I'm in a huff!

This one is for the DCM midweek challenge-a card with a christmas tree. I love these little Dovecraft clear stamo sets and at £1.49 each pack you can't go wrong (well until you lose your favourite set with the holly leaves on)

Not alot has changed here-I'm off sick again with this cold/chest infection and the kitchen is still being done!

I did get some cards made for the Alternative Christmas card challenge at Bex's forum-all using non-christmas papers. Some are from old SA kits, a couple are from the DCWV Retro pack.

The Penny Black hedgehog actually has flowers round him-but I stamped him without them and added some holly

I bought a load of new Christmas stamps at Art of Craft at the weekend so its been a greta challenge to have a play.

Off for a sleep-might manage a couple more later