Back 2 School... already?!!

Hi there

Happy Sunday! It's a bank holiday weekend here for us, so it's nice spending some time together as a family before the onslaught of packed lunches and homework starts again! It has been so nice not having to get up early. It's not that we've been getting up particularly late, but we've been able just to chill out in pj's and in my case with no make up! I love that.

So, onto my final card as part of the Design Team for the Corrosive Challenge Blog. The theme for this week is 'Back to School'. I had quite a few ideas for this one, including rulers, torn off notepaper, staples, pens. It was therefore quite difficult to decide what to do, I almost had too many ideas! After lots of sketches drawn out on the tiniest of notepads I decided on this as a layout.





Firstly I cut out two squares, one in black and one in Cogsmo DP. I matted these onto a white cardstock base. I then got to work on my little clipboard. I wanted to bring in a blackboard effect so cut out a black rectangle and then found some little white bulldog clips in my stash which sparked the idea of the clipboard. I made a little yellow file using a rectangle of card and punched out a SU! file tab, and then added another blue 'file' behind it, again just a rectangle of card. I attached the bulldog clips and a couple of coloured paperclips and adhered it to the card using pop dots.

I cut out the '1 + 1 = 2' in white Easy Peasy alphabet set, but lots of the alphabet sets don't have the 'plus' sign so I improvised by using my nurse cutter. The nurse has a red cross on her uniform which was the perfect size for it!

I cut out and added the 'Back 2 School' letters in black down the left hand side. I wanted them to look a bit random rather than neat so stuck them down at angles. Finally I hand wrote the words 'Have fun!' onto the tab using a fine marker pen.

Dies: Sizzix 'Nurse', 'Easy Peasy Alphabet Set, 'Playground Alphabet Set', Quickutz Crayons
Paper: Cosmo Cricket 'Cogsmo', assorted cardstock
Accessories: Mini paperclips and bulldog clip from stash

I think it's been a good time for me to be part of a DT because otherwise I wouldn't have got around to being very creative over the holidays. I've had a few problems posting feedback on entrants though, for some reason my system crashes when I try to leave comments on certain blogs. It's really strange. Does that ever happen to you guys?

I would like to say thanks to Janet for all the inspiration over the past few weeks. It has been really good fun working for her and I wish her all the best for her future challenges. I know I will definately be popping in to join in when I get chance. I really do need to get back into doing my challenges though, it just hasn't quite happened lately, but they do get you thinking :o)

I'm sure this week will be a busy one for us, what with labelling new uniform, shoes, pencil cases etc. etc but as the sun is shining we will definately be making the most of our last few days together for the holidays.

Take care, keep creating, and don't forget to check out the rest of the DT's cards this week. You must join in. This challenge is really fun to do!

Wild Thing

Happy Sunday!

As promised here is today's card for the Corrosive Challenge Blog #26, 'Welcome to the Jungle'. I really enjoyed making the card for this week's challenge. I thought I would try and do a scene. I don't often do them, but I came across one of Natasha's little pack of stickers so asked if I could 'borrow' it. Well, she does that to me all the time so it's only fair I get to do it back every now and again, don't you think?!

For this card I cut a rectangular piece of dotted glitter cardstock and using my Martha Stewart punch I cut a green strip to stick along the bottom border. I then cut out a frame using my Nesties and backed the gap with some stripey glitter card just to give a different effect. I stuck on the lion and palm tree stickers and then cut out some extra branches using my 'Tulip Dance' cutter. (if you look at my last posting you will be able to see that the leaves are from the same cutter). All I did was cut some pieces out of them to make them look a bit more jungle like. Now, I am SO not a jungle kind of girl, much more a five star hotel with a hot bubble bath, so please go with it if they're nothing like jungle leaves lol. I cut out a couple of red dots to add a bit of colour on the leaves. I then attached the little 'Wild' brad using a piece of string and then stuck another little brad with the word 'Adventure' in the bottom left corner. To finish I added a plastic sentiment plate which I tied ribbon through, again to bring in some colour, because it was all a bit green!


Natasha and I went out for a coffee and cake yesterday, just us girls because Ian has been poorly, and afterwards we went into one of the little gift shops before heading home. I was looking at one of those little handbag hooks/holders, have you seen them? They look like this, you can get loads of different versions of them. Anyway, I haven't quite made my mind up if they are trendy or old fashioned, but I would really like one. I hate putting my bags on the floor when I'm out. So, we were looking through a basket at them and each was £9.00. I decided I wasn't keen on any of the patterns there so we headed home. As we were walking back to the car Natasha said to me, 'we need to get ones we like, that would have been £18.00 if we had bought those ones'. Umm, at what point had I said I was getting one for her too?!!! I think this is now the age where it starts getting VERY expensive lol. Anyway, I quite like the idea of this one that I found on line here, what d'ya think?

I'm going to have to grab the packet of sticky things off Natasha to find out all of the details for the card, so if you would like them just drop me a line. I'm off to get my forty (or more hopefully!) winks. Sweet dreams x

Wise Old Owl

Hi there everyone!

How's your week been? We have been having really good weather here, which has been great, especially as Natasha is on summer holidays. The weeks are flying by though which is a shame. I love spending time with her, she's so much fun and never fails to make me laugh :o) We bought her a set of steel drums the other day so it's been like the caribbean here. I love it. Soooo much better than listening to a recorder. She's been compiling her own songs too, all that's missing is the rum! Might have to sort that out later lol

I got my Pax bead the other day, woohoo. It's smaller than I thought it would be, but I really like it. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about see my previous post entry here.

My card for this week's Corrosive Challenge #25 is this wise old owl...

I actually messed up on this challenge, because we had gone round to a friend for the day and when I got there I remembered I hadn't made a card for this week's challenge! Luckily, she also makes cards so I was able to have a rummage through her card making bits and pull something together. I love looking through other people's card-making bits, don't you?! The picture is taken from my phone, but it came out ok I think. Phew, nearly missed that one. See, if I'd been a wise old owl I'd have made the card earlier in the week, AND looked at the sketch too!!

The story doesn't end there though. I gave the card to my Mum because she really liked it and wanted to send it to someone so no longer had the card in my possession. When I got home I opened my e-mail from Janet (who runs the Corrosive Challenge Blog) only to find I had remembered the sketch completely differently to what it was! By then it was too late to do anything about it. Anyway, you will get the idea, but let's just say I've used my artistic licence to do this one!!

I'm really sad actually because I only have two more cards to make and then my 3 month DT season has come to an end :o( I've thoroughly enjoyed being part of it. Janet has certainly set some great challenges and got my little brain working on new ideas.

I've put together another card based on the 'wrong' sketch so will share that with you later in the week. Oh yes, I have also just had an idea having seen a pair of teenager socks, but you will have to wait for that one ;o)

I will come back and add the 'how to' make it info later. I'm off out to get some chips!!! Don't ask, it's just one of those things I've wanted all week and now I'm off to get them!

Have fun!!

Don't forget to check out all the DT cards, they're fab.

Mocha anyone?

Hi, it's me again!

Today is the Corrosive Challenge Blog challenge day. This week is all about lurve, well weddings and anniversaries specifically! Pop on over and check out the other DT members' cards, they are all really fab!

For this card I wanted to use the theme of cream and mocha. I always work with white card and fancied a bit of a change. I don't know why I always use white, I think it might be because I'm just too lazy to cut my own coloured ones!

I cut a piece of DP which has a beige flourish and tiny mocha dots (I'm not sure if you can quite make it out on the picture - it looks like a mistake at the top but that's actually one of the mocha dots lol). I then used my Sizzix 'Frame, Hearts' cutter, to cut heart shapes, in mocha and cream. Using my yummy Nesties I cut out a small circle in cream which I had pre-printed on my printer with the bride and groom's names on. I then cut a mocha scallop to stick the name tag onto. I tied a mocha ribbon through the tag and around the DP. To finish I added a MS punched border strip in mocha and added a few swarowski gems which I think you can just make out, and one on the top right of the heart too.

Have a great Sunday. Hope you're having good weather. The sun is shining here and it's quite hot, but tomorrow isn't so great - rain is forecast, so I'm off to enjoy the sun while it lasts :o)

Thanks for popping by. I really love your comments, they keep me creating and thinking up new ideas, keep 'em comin'!

Tweet Birthday

Hey there everyone. I just don't know where the time is going at the moment. I must be getting old! I keep thinking I will blog a card but it never quite happens. I have another card to share with you this week though, and plans to make more.

This week over at the Corrosive Challenge Blog as part of the DT we were asked to make up something in the following three colours...

Aren't these colours great?!

Now, I don't know about you but I'm loving the name of that red!!! :o)

So, how has your Sunday been? I've been working this morning and then sorting out bits and bobs. I'm about to sit down with a lovely glass of wine after a long day, followed by a candlelit bath later with a good book (says she hopefully!) I have recently started to read the Twilight series of books. I wanted to know what all the hype was about. They are great! If you haven't read them and like that whole vampire thing then these are the books for you. I know they're meant to be for teens, but there's no harm in pretending to be younger every now and then, is there?!!

So for my card I stamped out a bird and coloured it in using Copics. I've still got a lot to learn about Copic colouring in. People seem to do it in so many different ways, some do it scruffy and others with a lot more blending. I really like the scruffy look on other people's cards but it SO doesn't work for me. I just want to tidy it all up!! So I'm going to have to work on it a bit more I think, but check me out I stamped a card!!! I know it's a rare occasion so expect a full round of applause when I actually make the effort lol.

I cut out two squares of card, one in 'Pumpkin Pie' lookalike and the other in 'Ruby Red' lookalike! I don't have SU! colours. Then I cut out another square in Basic Grey DP. On each of the three squares I rounded the top right corners. I matted these as shown in the picture.

I cut out a rectangle around the stamped bird in white using my Nesties, and a scallop in 'Bermuda Blue' lookalike. I then attached some black polka dot ribbon before pop dotting my Nestie'd bird. To finish the bird off I added the little square sentiment block that I'd got free from a magazine about two years ago. I stamped the 'Happy Birthday' sentiment onto 'Bermuda Blue' card and rounded the corner, attaching it to the card with a brad and pop dots. Finally I punched out a SU! tab which I attached a couple of buttons to.

Hope you like it! I'd love to hear your feedback.

Don't forget to join in on the challenge this week, there is a prize to be won.

Enjoy the rest of your evening. I will add the recipe at a later date. My bath is calling me :o)

Going back in time

These pictures are the inspiration for this week's challenge over at the Corrosive Challenge Blog #22!

They really stumped me!I tried all sorts of things and eventually came up with this. I HATE it!!!
I just couldn't get my head around this challenge at all so decided to go with the rock theme. I think my mojo has left town!

Using a piece of my daughter's scrapbook paper - Thanks 'Tink' ;o) - with the rock chick on it I rounded off the corners and pop dotted it. I punched out a border in pink which I stuck underneath. I then matched up the colours of the rainbow with some chipboard letters to spell out 'You Rock' and added a couple of gems. At the bottom, above each of the holes I put alternate orange and pink legless brads, and a couple at the top to give a bit of balance. I love those brads, they add dimension with very little effort! Finally I added the sentiment using some little clips that I have had for years and never used, and a couple on the right hand side to add interest. Don't you just love it when you get around to using something that you've had for years. You feel like your halo is glistening, don't you?!!!

Dies: None! (Oh wow, that's a first for me lol!!)
Paper: Pinched from my daughter's scrapbook set. Sorry, no idea who makes it, pink Bazzill cardstock
Accessories: Swarowski Gems, Li'l Davis Designs Vintage Wood Alphabet, Legless Brads in 'Totally Tropical' and tag from Craftwork Cards, Martha Stewart hole punch

Hopefully next week the challenge will be a bit easier. I am sure you guys can come up with some fab creations for this one though, so get that mojo going and join in on this week's challenge, I'd love to see what you all make!

Enjoy the rest of your day. I'm hoping to get a bit of crafting done this week, and have some cards to show you. Now that Natasha is off school we can get creative together. Tomorrow is supposed to be pouring rain so what better excuse to stay in for a bit of crafting?!!

Butterfly Kisses

Hi there everyone

Firstly, I should say sorry for being a bad blogger this week. I have been busy setting up a new business and just haven't had a minute to make cards :o( I really miss it when I can't get creative, it's my little bit of fun! By the way what do you all think of this font?? I thought I'd try something a bit different for a change.

Today's challenge over at the Corrosive Challenge Blog is a sketch. Now as you all know I do like my sketches, and I really enjoyed this one!


I had seen the idea of splitting a piece of paper up on a card at a show I recently went to, so when this sketch came up I used it as an opportunity to play and cross another thing off my list. Do you all have a list of things you want to have a go at? My list seems to get longer and longer, but nothing gets done on it lol. Still, I'll have loads of ideas for a rainy day! It's summer holidays here soon so I will no doubt be creating lots of different things with my daughter. (I had just typed 'little girl' then and had to delete it. I realised she is no longer my little girl, she's nearly ten! My goodness, that makes me feel old!) As I'm sure all you Mums out there will agree, she will always be my little girl I'm sure!) She loves crafting so it's great when we have Mummy time together, I love it! She's very creative too, she often comes up with brilliant ideas when I get to that 'stuck place'.

As you can see from my interpretation of the sketch there's a bit of cheating going on when it comes to the embellishments, but I think I should just about get away with it ;o) What d'ya reckon?!!

I started by cutting out a piece of pink card. I cut a piece of patterned DP into 3 strips. Using my Nesties I cut a circle in white and the scallop in elephant Bazzill Bling (my name for it, not theirs!) I then cut out the butterfly, first in pink which I embossed using a Cuttlebug embossing folder, and inked all over with a charcoal inkpad, and then I cut the same butterfly in grey/cream dotty paper. I cut the body/antennae in elephant Bazzill Bling. I quite heavily pop dotted the butterfly because I really wanted it to be 3d so I'm not sure if you can see from the photo but the bottom butterfly is completely stuck down to the white circle, using pop dots. The pink butterfly is then stuck just down the middle with its wings folded up to give it some dimension. On the top right of the card I cut out a vine which I pop dotted to raise it and some flowers which I used as my stars on the sketch. Finally I added the little 'love' topper from DCWV, some more flowers and some bling on the body and flowers to give it a bit of a lift. I am quite pleased how this one turned out, but then I do really love this pad of Amy Butler papers, so I am a bit biased!

Dies: Sizzix 'Vine', 'Butterfly', 'Flower & Stems' & Cuttlebug 'Textile Texture', Circle and Scallop Nesties
Paper: Amy Butler 'Lotus' 12 x 12 pad, dark grey Bazzill Bling cardstock, pink Bazzill cardstock
Accessories: Swarowski Gems, DCWV 'La Crème' chipboard sticker

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, don't forget to enter the challenge yourself. I love the challenges Janet sets, they really get my creative juices flowing, just what I need! Don't forget to check out what the rest of the DT are making, they have been doing some gorgeous cards each week.

Thanks for popping by ♥

Posh Paws :o)

Hi there. Hope you're all having a fantastic Sunday.

Guess what.. today is Corrosive Challenge day, Challenge #20! This week's theme is dogs. For my card I wanted to use a couple of things that I keep threatening to use :o)... my new paw print brads, a tag cutter that Ian bought me recently, my Martha Stewart punch and black. This is what I came up with;



Using my Basic Grey 'Urban Prairie' papers (my fave ones!) I cut out three random shapes and laid them across each other at angles. I then cut out some black cardstock using my Martha Stewart border punch. I cut out a Sizzix tag and added a pink/white gingham ribbon. I then popped out a Craftworks Card tag with the 'happy birthday' sentiment and added this to the tag. I attached the tag using pop dots.

I then cut out some black brackets and the Cuttlebug dog in black and white onto which I stamped dots using my 'Judith' wooden stamp. I inked all of the card edges prior to sticking them down and then doodled some faux stitching around the edges. I then added a black die cut flower in the corner and two paw print brads. Finally I added the dog using pop dots (I always call them pop dots but they are generically called foam pads so I hope you know what I mean!) I gave my little dog a swarowski crystal gem eye and coloured in his nose with a red gel pen.

Dies: Sizzix Dingbats #2 for the brackets, 'Tags, Happy' & Cuttlebug 'Dog',
Paper: Basic Grey 'Urban Prairie', Bazzill cardstock in black
Accessories: Swarowski Gems, Craftwork Cards sentiment tag and 'Best of British' Die Cut Flower, Mei Flower gingham bow and paw print brads, Martha Stewart Scallop Edger Border Punch, 0.1 Copic pen for doodling

I hope you enjoy the rest of your Sunday. I am hoping to make a few cards next week, I've got a list of orders so I need to get my act together lol. I also want to start entering some challenges again soon. Don't forget to to join in on this week's challenge over at the Corrosive Challenge Blog, I'd love to see your creations ♥

Summer Fun

Hi everyone. How has your week been? It's been absolutely baking hot here this week. Now, for most people that would be fab, but for me I prefer all of the other seasons. I don't do muggy heat very well!

Today is Corrosive Challenge day over at the Corrosive Challenge Blog! Janet has come up with yet another great challenge for you all, the prize this week is a stamp from PMS.

I can't believe it's Sunday already. Where has this week gone? I'm sure the weeks are going by quicker and quicker, or is it just that I'm getting older and noticing?! Don't answer that one please!

The challenge for today was to create something with the theme of summer fun. I went to a craft show yesterday and picked up a few new bits and pieces, one of which was this paper with lots of summer messages on, perfect for the job in hand :o)

For this card I cut out a rectangle of my summer paper, then I added a strip of yellow and aqua glitter at the bottom of the card on an angle. To this I added the word 'Relax' and then using a little tag from Craftwork Cards I added the 'It's Your Birthday' sentiment. I added a couple of legless brads either side of the 'Relax' and another on the tag to add some interest. I then cut out a palm tree in green and brown, to which I added little coconuts. I doodled around the edges of the leaves.

I then set to work on my Hula girl. I used some K & Co 'Sola' stripey paper for her skirt and little legless brads for her bikini top, I thought she needed a bit of a boost, she was looking a bit flat-chested lol. Using my Nesties (yes, I have now FINALLY used them!) I cut out an oval for my Hula girl but it needed a little something extra so I added a bit more doodling.

To finish I added a few Prima flowers to follow on the Caribbean type theme.

Dies: Sizzix - Tree, Palm, Sizzix - Girl, Hula, Sizzix 'Easy Peasy' Alphabet Set
Paper: 'A Shore Thing - Cool Pool Chatter' by Imaginisce, glitter card, yellow Bazzill, K & Co 'Sola' paper from mat pad
Accessories: Tag from Craftwork Cards, Prima Flowers 'Essential 4 Dude' and 'Totally Tropical' legless brads by Craftwork Cards

Doesn't that Hula Girl just make you wish you were on a tropical island somewhere?! Well, as long as they have air conditioning for me, that is!

Enjoy the rest of your day x

Bling Alert!!! (put your shades on!)

Happy Sunday!

How are you all? Are you having a fab weekend making cards/crafty bits. I hope so!

Today's card is for the Corrosive Challenge Blog. The theme was to make something using a flag or something related to your country. Well, I went for a flag. Now this idea SO didn't work out how I planned. It is bling at its best!!!! I really don't like it, but unfortunately didn't have time to make anything else so had to go with it. I am sure to get no comments on this one lol, not nice ones anyway!!

To make the card I printed out a flag and mounted it onto red glitter card. I then embossed a piece of white card through my embossing folder and added the word 'queen' in red. I then threaded a little crown embellishment through some red ribbon and wrapped this around the embossed section. I mounted this onto a piece of blue card. I then cut out a crown and added some gems. Finally I added the words 'for the day' and a silver arrow for even more bling lol. Oh dear!!

I've been really bad at putting my little recipes up for my cards lately, sorry! Here's the one for this card.

Dies: Sizzix 'Easy Peasy' alphabet, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, 'Swiss Dots', Sizzix Dingbats #1, Diva w/crown
Paper: Bazzill cardstock, red and silver glitter card from stash
Accessories: Crown, stick on gems from Mei Flower

Well, I'm shooting off now. Don't forget to hop on over to the Corrosive Challenge Blog for this week's challenge, they have weekly prizes and Janet sets some fab challenges too! I would love to see what you guys come up with for this one. I found it really hard this week

Have fun and good luck!

Mr & Mrs :o)

Happy Sunday everyone!

Today is Corrosive Challenge day, so hop on over to their blog and join in on the fun. Each week there is a different challenge and the opportunity to win a prize :o) This week it's a vintage scrapbook and some ribbon.

The challenge was to make a folded card. I don't often do folded cards so I had to put my thinking hat on for this one! I thought I would play around with an idea for a 'Mr & Mrs' card.

By the way, do any of you watch that over in the UK? It used to be shown over here when I was very little, many many years ago. They are now running it with celebrity couples. Basically the husbands and wives have to answer questions about each other and the winners get money to give to charity. It always sets off a few giggles in our house because we all play it together. Natasha usually comments on what she thinks and then we both say what we would have answered. Generally we are right, so no arguments so far lol. For those of you that have watched it you may identify with me when I say once you hear the tune you can't stop humming it. This card became quite annoying after a while lol.

Ok, so onto my card. I scored a sheet of 12 x 12 card into 3 sections then cut off the top of the folded card to make the angled top. I then cut out two strips of the background paper and adhered these to either side of the middle. I cut out the word 'Mr & Mrs' and stuck this on the centre panel.

Using my Cricut machine and the Paper Dolls cartridge I cut out 'groom' and 'bride' in silver, white and black as seen. I then pieced them together adding brads for buttons to the groom's suit, a pink hankie for the for his top pocket and sprinkled glitter over the wedding dress. That's it. Quite simple really, but a little time consuming piecing the bits together. I was quite pleased how it turned out. I had been thinking through a slightly different idea where I was going to cut around the clothes by putting them on the folds but it didn't look quite right and I ended up with this.

Hope you like it. Enjoy the rest of your day. It was supposed to be sunny here all day, but it's been a bit overcast, the sun is just starting to come out though, yay! I think we might pop out for a bite to eat now to make the most of it.

I'm hoping to start entering some challenges soon, it's just been a bit busy with one thing or another but I'm getting back on track now finally. I like my weekly inspirational challenges, don't you? ♥

Have you been tangoed?!

Hi there

I hope you're all having a great weekend. The weather has been really nice here today so it's been good to get out into the sunshine. We went for a walk by the canal with Lulu and got chatting to a few of our new neighbours along the way. It was lovely. Mind you, Lulu is such a feisty little madam. She is so selective..friendly to some, snappy with others. You never know how she's going to behave. We've been told it's because she is scared since being pinned down by two big dogs so she needs more socialising with people/dogs. That's all very well if they don't mind being yapped/snapped at lol. All tips gratefully received! She's a perfect little puppy other than that. She steals the odd thing, but she hasn't chewed anything up or done anything that you would expect a normal puppy to do, but this is a bit of a problem with her.

I made today's card for the Corrosive Challenge Blog sketch this week. As soon as I saw the sketch I had an idea of what I wanted to do. Do you ever find that happens to you? It's quite rare for me. I tend to mull lots of ideas over, decide what it is I'm going to do and then end up with something totally different lol. This one actually looked like my original idea, yay! I really wanted to use some bright colours now that the weather is cheering up, and found this gorgeous orange paper which kicked off the idea.




Using an embossing folder I embossed two orange strips of card. I overlay a rectangular piece of orange flowery paper. I cut out a small and medium black circle. I pop dotted the small black circle on the top left, adding the number 40 which I had cut in orange as the main colour and then the shadow in white. I pop dotted the medium circle to the bottom right of the card and cut out an orange flower which I finished off with a black and white dotty brad. Don't you just LOVE that brad. I think it is FAB!!! I love all things dotty...no comments please lol. (Ian would say that's because I am dotty!) To finish the card I added a silver glitter topper.

Dies: Sizzix 'Lipstick Love Letter' alphabet, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, 'Bloom Dots', Sizzix Circles # 2

Paper: Bazzill cardstock, Sandylion orange floral paper (sorry the name was cut off the sheet so I'm not sure of the actual name of it)

Accessories: Topper from stash. (I keep saying I'm going to make a load of these myself. They would be ever so easy to do and you could do loads of different fonts/colours/sizes. I must add them to my to do list. If it's written down it might get done...one day!

I really enjoyed using this sketch and I think it's one I will keep returning to. (Thanks for the inspiration Janet!) It's great having a few templates to hand when you can't quite make your mind up what to make, especially when you're in a rush. So, go on, join in this week with the challenge, this week's prize is a Ketto stamp, and some lovely ribbon. It would be great to see what you guys come up with :o) I don't know if you've seen those little Ketto stamps but they are ADORABLE. I've just had a few arrive that I've yet to play with, sooo cute!

Have a great Sunday! x

Hello again!

Hi everyone!

I hope you're all well and still creating amazing designs. Things are improving this end. I finally have a phone line, it went on today...woohoo! (that's odd in itself seeing as the telecom engineers aren't supposed to be out until Monday, but oh boy this girl ain't complainin' lol) The next stage is to get broadband on, which should take about 7-10 days. I have decided to do this posting from my local library rather than even attempt using my little 3g stick. Fingers crossed this will work.

My card making stuff is now all unpacked and I can actually see where things are. I haven't seen it for so long it's like shopping all over again, I keep finding lots of little goodies that I'd forgotten about!! I have missed creating SO much but I just haven't been able to get on line and lost my mojo a bit along the way I think. I've just been designing a couple of cards for the Corrosive Challenge Blog, you must check this site out. It's a fairly new blog and they have had some fab cards sent in already. Janet is so lovely and does some great designs too. This will be the first on line design team that I have been on and as you can imagine I'm VERY excited!!! I feel really lucky to be included in the team for this quarter.

The theme for today's challenge at the Corrosive Challenge Blog is Father's Day. Now, as you all know I find male cards a little more challenging than others so I had to put my thinking cap on for this one :o) I decided to use one of my favourite little Sizzix characters and dress him up with tools. There's something about those little cutters, it's like being a child again cutting out the clothes and sticking them on, I LOVE it!!

I wanted to use a few different papers so decided to use some of my Basic Grey Archaic range. This is a fab range for boys' cards, one of my favourites in fact. I cut out four random squares, yes they are square although they don't look it on line! I wasn't on the wine when I photographed it honest ;o) I just can't seem to get my cards to look straight no matter how I try. I then cut out my wording in olive green and cream using my alphabet set, 'Catty Corner'. I cut out all of the elements for the dress up boy, again using the Basic Grey papers. I pop dotted the man and added a couple of buttons for his dungarees, and some tools; a saw, screwdriver and set square. I love using those little shaped buttons, they're quite hard to get at the moment here though. I hope you like him, it's been so long since I've made cards I had a great time putting him together :o)

I want to thank the lovely ladies for my awards, I haven't forgotten you, but will add them once I'm back on line fully from home rather than try and do all that while I'm in the library! Thank you so much for thinking of me. It's great to know that people are thinking of me even when I'm not able to blog. I really appreciate it x

Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem Chu!

I've just been over to the Corrosive Challenge Blog and Challenge #4 is 'Under the Sea'. So I thought I'd whip up a quick fun card with a baby fish on it, and as I was doing it Marmie (my Mum) reminded me of a song that one of her old friends used to sing to me when I was little with the words 'Boop boop dit-tem dat-tem what-tem chu'! She was asking me what it was called so we did a Google search and came up with this You Tube video.



Do any of you remember it? Now, the ONLY reason I am showing you this is so that you get why my post has the title it does. It's a bit of nostalgia for us, but you will think I'm totally insane if you actually take the trouble to watch it!! The young kids will love it though :o)

(Well, in my 'About Me' section I did warn you that I'm quirky!! In my defence it has got a 4.5 star rating, so it's not just me that's watched it lol)

This is a really quick card to make and could be used as a template for so many different designs...Think heart instead of fish, or shoes/handbags etc. etc. A quick change of papers and die cut and the world's your oyster! (sorry that was an awful pun). I'm in a mad mood today, sorry everyone!! I cut two strips of different card, layering one on top of the other. I cut out two circles in different colours and added the die cut fish. I then stuck on the tag and finished off by adding a few circles as bubbles (using the spots from my Quickutz Easter Egg cutter) and a gem for his eye.

Dies/punches: Sizzix 'Fish & Fish Bowl', Quickutz Easter Egg, small/medium circle punches
Paper: Cosmo Cricket 'Cogsmo: Bandwidth', 'Cogsmo: Links'
Tag: Express Yourself DIY cards (I love these tags, they are full of bling and you just stick them on..one day I might make something similar of my own...one day)
Gem: From my stash

By the way, do any of you know if it's ok just to add a You Tube video to your blog?? I'm guessing it is because you can just embed the code, but I don't want to be breaking any copyright laws!!!!

Following up from my last posting where I asked whether you have a cardmaking budget or not a couple of you have a budget, some just spend until they are broke and one is in a stamp club so the cost is spread monthly. At the moment I am in the middle category, but I'm guessing with a new house I might be entering a lot more 'Use It!' Challenges to use up my older stuff!!

Have a great Thursday!

Going Green!

Hi again

I was going to post this yesterday but it was a bit tricky because the card was for my Mum for St Patrick's Day and she is an avid reader of my blog, although she isn't an official follower. Shame on her lol. I am going to enter this into for challenge #3 at The Corrosive Challenge Blog. The challenge this week is to make a card that has green on, so this one is perfect for it!

It's another quick make, I cut out two rectangles, ran them through the embossing folder and rounded the corners. Before sticking them down I added in a couple of staples (got this idea from Nancy over at 'Scrap This'. Thanks Nancy ;o) Her cards are great, so bright and cheery! I then cut out the heart which I ran through the embossing folder too and then inked the edges. I cut out a little rectangle from Basic Grey paper and rounded those corners too. I stuck the green panels straight onto the card, then added a pop dot under the BG paper to raise it. I stuck the heart on and added the shamrock which I also pop dotted. Finally I stamped the sentiment in green. It's not that easy to see the layering here. Oh yes, I also doodled lines around all of the green card, but not the shamrock.

I took the photo in the garden for a change, it's been absolutely wonderful out there today. Why is it a bit of sun makes you feel so much better in yourself? :o)

Today has been yet another stressful day on the house front, we've have been 'exchanging' since last Tuesday and each day get told that 'today is the day'. Hmmmm, me thinks not! We still have a bit to go on the packing but we're getting there, thanks to my lovely Marmie (Mum) that pushes us to keep going. She's great, she really helps us get things done!

Well this is just a quick post now, off to direct the packing of yet more boxes! I will leave you with the recipe for the card;

Dies: Sizzix 'Hearts, Double', Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' Embossing Folder, Quickutz shamrock
Paper: SU! Glorious Green & Green Galore & white cardstock, Basic Grey Cardstock (spare sheet, sorry not sure what the name is)
Stamps: Hero Arts 'Happy St. Patrick's Day'

Hippie Chick & My News!

Have you seen the new challenge site, The Corrosive Challenge Blog? I've used their sketch for this card and guess what... I am going to be on their next design team. I'm SO excited! Woohoo!

I wanted to do a fun Thank You card for someone using this Penny Black stamp called 'Hip!' Something not many people know about me is that my cousin used to call me 'Hippie Chick' when we were younger, so this post entry just had to have this name! I love these little characters too, they're great. Firstly, I stamped the image and coloured her in using Copics. I didn't have the right dark green so used one of my Tombo pens which seemed to work ok although took a bit of blending! I still need to play around with the Copics to get the right effect, but I think I'm slowly getting there.

I paper pierced the edges of the image and layered it onto s.e.i paper, then onto the K & Co paper. This paper is double sided so I turned the corner over and added a brad. The inspiration for the folded corner came from Crafts by Louly (she does fab cards by the way, you should pop over and have a look!), but instead of loosely folding the paper over I did a firm crease because I'm posting it. I then mounted it onto a big piece of the K & Co , stuck down a strip of the dotty side of the paper, and then added five little brown legless brads down the strip. Now, tell me who wouldn't buy these - they're called 'chocolate drops' - mmmm, good enough to eat!! Did I tell you I'm a chocolate addict? No, well I'm sure you've guessed by a couple of my postings!!

Stamps: Penny Black 'Hip!', Personal Impressions, 'Thanks'
Paper: EK Success 'Chocolate Fun Dots/Green Mini Dots', s.e.i. 'Garden - Petite Pop'
Pens: Copic Y17, Y11, E93, R00, RV06, RV02, YG03, Tombo 158
Accessories: Craftwork Cards Chocolate Drops' legless brads, American Crafts dotty brown ribbon (sorry no actual name on spool), K & Co 'BW Neopolitan Flower Brads'

Survey update... So far K & Co are winning, but I've only had a couple of comments. That's the trouble with being a new blogger I only have a few followers so not many to survey lol. Thank you to those of you that are following me, it really makes my day to think people like what I'm doing, makes it worth it! I'm aiming for 10 followers by the end of next week, what do you reckon? Will I do it?!!!