ooo this is new

Only came on here quickly (I thought haha) to make a blog post and everything has changed.  Hope I can still work Blogger?

What I wanted to show you today was a card I made for the April challenge over on Tando Creative Challenge Blog.  Their challenge this month is Yellow and Green.

I have again been playing with my Copic Sketch pens and on the advise of the talented Joanne over on  Ambrosia and Iron blog used one pen on each monster and practised my shading.  


The monster stamps are from Paper Smooches and I love their big fat bellies so good to make look round and full - haha.


The star is a Tando one in their grab bag and it is painted with several colours of acrylic dabber paint.  Sadly these dabbers are no more as they have all dried up and the remaining paint has been smeared onto pages in my journal to create backgrounds - messy but such fun. :)


So thanks for stopping by today and if you get the chance have a go at the Tando Challenge.  Thanks.

42?

Do two 21st birthday cards make a 42?
And is that really "the meaning of life"? haha

Sorry you can tell it's Friday can't you? tee hee :)

Today I have two 21st birthday cards to show you. I still have another one to make to post out tomorrow but I wanted to show you these two as they have already been sent.

I have been practising with my Copic Sketch Markers again and I was quite pleased with the result on the flower card. I even coloured in some card to punch out stars the same colour as the flower petals.



Please have a look at the flower and help me to improve it. I know one of the petals has some rubbish embossing on the top but when you look at the card from a distance you can't see it. :)

I also convinced myself I needed some more colours so I have ordered some more pens - looking forward to the postman today.

The stamps are the new ones I ordered the other week from Make the Day Special and are by Paper Smooches - these are right up my street.

Well thanks for stopping by my blog today and have a pleasant weekend.

Trying something new

I fancied having a go at making millefiori beads using Fimo. So I watch some videos on youtube and had a go. I firstly had to make canes with several different colours and after making several brown snakes I gave up for a while.

Later in the evening I watched a few more videos (why do they look so easy when someone else does it?) I persevered and produced these. The long stripes are just bits I was playing with and "cooked" them too. I think they now look a little like some bacon. haha.

I left the canes in the fridge overnight as one video said that the fimo gets too warm and the colours start to merge (think that is why I had brown snakes to start with)!

After lunch today I cut the canes into thin slices using a scalpel blade (I don't have the proper cutter tool) and worked them into the balls of fimo to make the beads.

I will leave you with a photo of my Easter tree. I must say the eggs and chocolate bunnies don't look like this now. haha Thanks for stopping by.

Busy days

This week has been quite busy and it is only Wednesday haha.

Monday saw my son, daughter and myself travel to London as my son was taking part in the Young Apprentice interviews. Sadly he wasn't chosen to go through to the next round but it was a great experience for him.

Meanwhile I went to Harrods with my daughter and had tea in a place called Laduree. Boy was it pretty inside and very French. My daughter bought some macaroons to taste at home and they came wrapped in this very fancy "jewellery" box. All very delicious I must say.




Yesterday, Tuesday, my son and I went on our Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Tour. Believe it or not this was my first visit inside a football ground haha. It was very interesting and I learnt quite a bit about the running of a successful football team. Just to think I spent over 20 years living a couple of streets away from the ground and never been inside it.

I even got to sit where the players get there kit off!

Today with the weather not been very pleasant we visited Hatfield House Park Farm. Lots of animals to see and feed if you so wish. My daughter, husband and I just went for a walk and a talk to the animals. The young lambs were so soft and very friendly. My daughter practised her driving skills on this tractor. haha

Not sure what the rest of the holidays will hold hopefully some rest and crafting.

Thanks for stopping by.

thank you

I just wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU to all my blog friends that commented on my contributions to Lindsay's In One Word Challenge. I came second place which I am really happy about.

Your comments are always welcome and the fact that you went the extra mile and commented on another blog for me is really heart warming. Thank you very much.
x x

Guess who?

On Friday we had a visitor here....

He was raising money for his school charity of Great Ormond Street Hospital. He did get some funny looks at the bus stop but raised alot of money so was worth it.

Can you tell who it is yet?

Seeing spots and stripes

Over on the Totally Gorjuss blog their challenge this week is Spots and Stripes.
I have made this card for a work colleague that is leaving tomorrow.



The template of the apple is a free one from a craft magazine, think it might have been "Homemade" but I'm not sure.

So why not visit Totally Gorjuss and have a go at Challenge 124 there is a prize on offer too. The Design Team have made some wonder cards too to take inspiration from.

Bliss

That was the word for last weeks In One Word Challenge over on Lindsay's blog. The challenge, to be creative and use the word bliss in your project.

I decided to practise with my shading using colouring pencils that I found in the back on my wardrobe. Yes I know funny place to keep them? sssh! I didn't even know they were there! hahaha

Everyone loves cake right? So my "bliss" is a giant cake. It was alsobliss to just sit and practise shading with my pencils. Still not sure I have got some of it right but practise makes perfect doesn't it?

Have a lovely Sunday and thanks for looking. If you would be so kind as to leave a comment on Lindsay's blog I will be in with a chance of winning a fabulous creation from Lindsay herself. How fab is that. x x

Fly the flag

As part of my job at the primary school I work in, I have to back and design backgrounds for display boards. This one I was particularly proud of so thought I would share it with you.

The board is 126 cm long and 116 cm wide and when the children have finished their art project it will be covered with portraits of the Queen this will then tie in with the school's celebrations for the Diamond Jubilee.

Another family birthday

This time for my sister.

I cut the pendants using the Craft Robo along with the tiny lettering (I wouldn't have been able to cut those by hand) and then used a stamp repeatedly. Coloured the flowers with a selection of Zig Stardust and Souffle pens finished off with some sparkle from some Stickles.

et voila a card is born.

16?

My son is 16 today ... Happy Birthday Kris ... where did those years go?

I didn't make the cake but I did use the Craft Robo to cut out the pendants and used them to decorate the cake. Also 16 candles on the cake which nearly set fire to the banner. haha

One Word Challenge

Over on Lindsay's blog the challenge word this week is "Home" so I decided to make my friends a card to wish them good luck in their new home.

I have used Paper Artsey stamps and scraps of patterned paper. I love the sentiment and that is where you can find the word home in my project.


Please visit Lindsay's blog for lots of stunning artwork and lettering she really is a clever woman. And if you leave a comment for me over on her blog I am in with a chance of winning a prize as the most comments on anyone piece of work will win a piece of art made by Lindsay herself.

Thanks for reading my blog.

First DCM of the Year

This is the first Daring Cardmakers Challenge I have entered this year. Isn't that shocking? The challenge this week is set by Leo and it is for a card to feature a tessellating pattern.

I thought this pattern looked very much like goldfish so I decided to put two little fish on this card. The background is made using a Tando mask I won in one of their challenges. It will become a firm favourite I know.

Thanks for stopping bye and do check out the Daring Cardmakers Blog for some great inspiration.

Sew far sew good

I fancied doing a bit of embroidery the other night and thought I would have a go with some lettering for the In One Word Challenge over on Lindsay's blog.

I draw round some lettering masks I think they belong to Sir Tim well not literally but from his range. haha. I then used silk to embroider the letters. I think I need to investigate somemore stitches I was running out of ideas, thankfully there weren't too many letters to stitch.

Now I'm not sure what I am going to do with this now it is finished but I like it and that is all I really care about.

Thanks for stopping by and if you want to leave a comment for me over on Lindsay's blog that would be lovely too. x x

Keep it simple

That is what I decided to do when I was making this card last night. I needed a card in a hurry for a work collegues birthday on Sunday and so I made this quick and simple card.

I recently bought the Fiskars punch and this is the first project I have used it on. I'm quite pleased with the result.

Have a great weekend everyone and let's hope the weather improves.

In One Word

I have a journal page to share with you in Blogland today. It was inspired by Lindsay Ostrum's "In One Word" March Challenge. Do visit Lindsay's blog and she can fill you in with all the details. The word for this week is serendipity.

Lindsay is a very talented artist and before Christmas I treated myself to her latest lettering book "Scribbles" and I have been practising very hard so I thought I would just make a journalling page with lettering for this first week in March.

Thanks for stopping by.
- x -

Hazel's Christmas Card Challenge

Here is my card I have made for Hazel's Christmas Challenge number 61
"use a ribbon and/or charm".


I obviously have used a ribbon. :)

A new challenge is up every Saturday so I have just scraped in by the skin of my teeth.

Something to eat?

"Yummy" that is what the Totally Gorjuss Challenge number 120 is all about this week. And for my take on the theme this week, I made a birthday card.

My card features ring doughnuts very yummy but I prefer the ones with raspberry jam in. :)

The stamp is from My Cute Stamps called Sweet Kawaii which I have stamped onto card and coloured with Copic pens and then Glossy Accented and sprinkled glitter into.

Do visit the Totally Gorjuss Challenge Blog where a new challenge is posted every Saturday.

Birthday Bus

Well that is what birthdays seem to be in our family - like buses - they all come along together. haha. Bit like blog posts too tee hee.


The first card is for my sister-in-laws birthday. Here I just used stamps and I tried to colour in the woman's face using Copic pens (still need to practise on the shading - oops).
The next card is for my daughter's boyfriend who turned 21 this week. Always a good bet to include stars on the guys card I find. :)
Lastly there is a card for my 5 year old neice. I printed a colouring page from the CBBC website of Rastamouse and coloured him in with my Copic pens.

March is also another busy month for birthdays so watch this blog. Thanks for stopping by.

Something to show you

Hello to you all ... yes I know it has been over a month - oops! haha

I have been busy with work and also making my Mum a book to celebrate her 80th birthday, which was last Saturday. Thought you would all like a nosy ...

so starting with the front coversecond page

third page

fourth page

fifth page sixth page
last page
one of the two double-sided tag inserts

and here is a photo of us after our meal
(I'm the one on the left without the grey hair!!! haha)

I have also been busy making birthday cards - why do my family have so many in February??? But I will post them another day. Thanks for stopping and leaving a comment.