AND THE WINNER(S) ....

It has been great reading all the lovely comments that you have all left - that I decided to draw 2 names.

The second name out of the jar will win a selection of card, paper, ribbons and papermania 3D stickers.

So all the names were put in a jar and I got the kids to pull out 2 names.



And the first out, picked by Caitlyn was...



And the second name to be drawn by Avie, was...



CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BOTH!!!
Can you both please email me your snail mail addresses and I will get your candy off to you asap! (my email is in my profile).

Thank You to everyone for visiting my blog. Its great to know i'm not talking to myself ;o)

LITTLE UPDATE ABOUT OUR DAY YESTERDAY!!

We had a lazy morning as the kids were at my dads - and did a bit of shopping before going to pick them up. We got to my dads about 12ish and sat down to have a cuppa when the door goes and this bloke asks who the car belongs to that is parked outside. He had only reversed into it!!! Gutted to say the least! The drivers door is bashed in and the worst bit is right at the lock so you can't open the drivers door. Have to say he could have drove off and we wouldn't have known - but he came to the door and he exchanged his details.
So yesterday afternoon my hubby spent over 2 hours on the phone to our insurance company trying to sort stuff out. We have been told that the accident repair place are coming to pick ours up tomorrow and drop off a hire car, but they cant tell us how long it will take as they are a bit snowed under with work.

THANK U!

Its been so peaceful in the house tonight as both the kids are at my dads and hubby is at work! So I thought - do I do the ironing, do I start cleaning out my eldests room - then I thought NAH!!! get some crafting done.

I enjoyed making the Thank U card the other day that I thought I would do another one. I used the same swirly paper and dotty one from the mum card, but instead of hand stitching, I added glitter to the swirls.



I have just realised how different the colours look in the photos - the colours are actually more like the top one.

This photo shows the glitter better.



The only problem is, glitter is now all over the place - LOL!! I should be more careful.

Can I also say thank you to everyone who has visited and left lovely comments - its been great reading them. Please remember that the blog candy giveaway finishes on the 29th march at 12 midnight GMT! I will do the draw around 7pm GMT on Sunday - so please check back to find out who has won!

CHOCOLATE & COOL BLUES...

Today when my dad came round to see me, he asked if I could make him a Thank You card. So I decided to do one using the same colours and papers as the Bookmark. I just love these colours at the moment!!



I used DCVW Retro Papers, DCVW Neutral and Brights Matt Stack. I made holes on the blue card using a needle and a ruler and then hand stitched in brown thread. I inked round the edges of the letters with my Dark Brown ColorBox Fluid Chalk Inkpad (that's a bit of a mouthful) and then tied some ribbon round the 'U' and used sticky fixers to raise the letters up.



The letters I used were printed off my computer and then cut out. I then stuck the DCVW Retro Paper over the top then cut them out again. I really didn't want to use the HOTP Monograms that I have - I prefer to stroke them!!!!

CAN SHARE NOW

I can share this with you now as I know it has been received.

This is the bookmark that I made for the Crafts Beautiful Swap and the lovely Sewdelish was the person to receive it.

The papers used were DCVW Retro Prints and I also used DCVW Matt Stack. I made the card and attached the bookmark to it with the ribbons and also stamped ENJOY under the bookmark using my Studio G Stamps, so when you moved it you could see the enjoy part. I printed the poem out onto matching card and then layered it. I punched a hole, added a flower, then an eyelet and then threaded the ribbon through so the bookmark can be removed from the card.

The poem on it reads:-

1

The Miracle of Friendship

There's a miracle called friendship

that dwells within the heart,

and you don't know how it happens

or how it gets to start...

But the happiness it brings you

always gives a special lift

and you realise that friendship is

God's most precious gift.

- Author Unknown -

1

1

1

And this is the lovely one I got from Sewdelish. I love the paper she has used and also the paper pricking around the border.

So thanks you - it is being used at this very moment as I have just started reading TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.

CHECK OUT SATURDAY MARCH 22ND POST

Just added another piccy of some more CANDY for you to win.

So goodluck everyone!

FOR MUM

Managed to get the 2nd MUM card done for the order.

Can you remember a few posts ago when i said I would be using paper etc that I had for a while - well here is some of that paper.



The background swirl paper was KI Memories - that I am sure I got when I subscribed to a magazine. The dotty paper was bought from a local POUND shop - for - you guessed a £1.00. I did get 12 sheets of papers for a £1.00, but I have to say that the dotty paper was the best of the bunch.



To give the swirl paper a bit of 'life' I hand stitched on some of the swirls. The photo above shows you the stitching better.

I used HOTP Monograms that I covered with the dotty paper. I inked round the edges of the letters with an Anna Griffin Ink Pad, added some ribbon and mounted the letters on foam pads.

I like the card, but hubby thinks its a bit too green. Ever the critic he is!!!

I MISSED IT

2000 VISITS THAT IS

So to celebrate I am going to have a BLOG CANDY GIVEAWAY - now the only problem is you will have to wait till Tuesday or Wednesday for the picture of all the candy as I have to get some more stuff first!!! So between now Saturday 22nd March and Saturday the 29th March (which turns out is my 11th Wedding Anniversary - is it that long already???) everyone who leaves a comment will be entered into the draw.

Just added the piccy of the candy that I have at the moment!



So to let you know what i have so far :-

3 Packs of Studio G Stamps by Dovecraft
Pack of Beetle Black Doodlebug Buttons
4 Fabrico Ink Pads in the colours REAL BLACK, POPPY RED, EMERALD & WISTERIA
34 different ribbons - at 24 inches each
9 Papermania Silk Flowers - 3 white, 3 pink, 3 white & lilac
UPDATE WITH NEW STUFF
Me & My Big Ideas Rub Ons 2 sheets - Girls Only Sayings
4 Taglines by Wish In The Wind (Nose & Toes, Santas Coming, Grandpa Hugs & My Little Girl)

International Bloggers Welcome

I'VE BEEN AWARDED

I have received this lovely award from

Tassie over at http://tassiescraftiethings.blogspot.com

and also from http://sewdelish.blogspot.com .

Thankyou so much ladies!

Now the thing is I am supposed to pass this award on to 10 people - and finding 10 people who havent received it recently is tough - so here are 4

http://filka.blogspot.com/

http://kezzas-corner.blogspot.com/

http://blessedalatte.blogspot.com/

http://nowalinka.blogspot.com/

I will have to go on a search and find 6 more!!!

OK HERE ARE THE PICTURES

It does look better in the flesh - honest! The flower looks very red but it is brown!



These 2 pictures are the best out of 7 that I took - I just couldnt get the right angles!



If I have time tomorrow I may try and get some better pictures.

LONG TIME NO BLOG!

Sorry I haven't been on for a while but life has got in the way (again)!!! LOL.

I have been busy with the youngests birthday (which everyone had a fabby time). She got some wonderful pressies and she was spoilt rotten!! The party was booked for 5pm till 7pm and we had the whole of Wacky to ourselves which was great.

I have also been to the dentist and had 3 teeth pulled out and all I can say is OUCH!!! So I haven't really been in the mood to do anything this week. My mouth is still sore where the dentist gave me the injections but apart from that I 'm not doing too bad.

Tonight I finally started to finish the 60th Birthday card (previous post) and I am just waiting for the glue to dry on a few bits, then that should be finished - so all I have to do is make the box.

The lady who ordered the BROTHER card absolutely loved it and now i have been asked to do another one like it by someone else, but to incorporate 50 into it. So I think the 'O' will become the zero on the 50th! Plus this lady wants one doing for her sister's birthday card. Will have to have a think with that one!

So a big thanks for taking the time to visit me here - and hopefully - probably - maybe - I will stick a picture of the finished 60th card later.

I GIVE IN!!!

All for me not posting any cards for the next few days.

Here is the start of the card for the 60th birthday - bear in mind its not finished yet. I have just finished putting it together and inked up the edges. Now all i have to do is find a nice birthday verse to put inside and some small embellishments, make the box and it will be finished.



The paper is by Papermania - Silk Screened Paper Gold Ornate Metallic. I have used a 12 x 12 sheet to make the card and also some beige Bazzill Card for the accordian bit. I used the paper to cover the bazzill card on the inside. The ribbon I have had for ages and I think it really goes with the paper.



The size of the front and back cover is 11cm deep by 8.5cm wide. And the inside accordian is 10cm deep by 7.5cm wide. That gives me 4 pages to add the verse to.

The only main issue I had using this paper was that the gold rubs off!!! Dont know the reason for this - has it got to do with it being Silk Screened? Has anyone else had this problem?

STILL HERE - NOT GONE AWOL!

Sorry for not posting - but I have been busy trying to sort out my Bazzill card and my 12 x 12 papers. I am slowly getting there but i need to go out tomorrow and buy another folder to put my papers into.

I have also started on a birthday card for the 2nd card order i got. The lady wants a card for her Mum as its her 60th. So I am doing an accordian book style card. So hopefully within the next few days i will have some pictures to show you.

Plus AVIE is 5 tomorrow.

I really can't believe that time has passed so quickly. But that also means I haven't worked for 5 years as well. I took voluntary redundancy when I was pregnant with her as I knew that I wasn't going to go back to work. I have been looking at getting a job doing nights - so hubby can have them in the evening and I can be there for the kids during the day. But so far nothing!

'OH' BROTHER

UPDATED WITH PICTURE OF INSIDE - 12/3/08

Well I finally got round to starting the other card order.
I needed to get this one done first as its needed by the 21st of this month.



Now she asked for a birthday card for her brother but no other details!!!! So I hope she likes this!



I used HOTP papers and also HOTP Monograms (both of which I won in the Crafts Beautiful competition). I havent finished the inside yet but it will read HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO Y O U - with the 'O' being used for the YOU - hope you know what I mean. So that it was I have to do tonight. And believe it or not - I AM HAPPY WITH THIS CARD lol!!

Edited 12/03/08
Just added this photo to show you the inside that I finished today. It has worked out really well!

DEAR SIR/MADAM

Sorry for my absence but it seems life has caught up with me!

Last week at school, was Peter Pan week. It was to raise money for Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. The kids watched the movies and did treasure maps etc and on Friday the kids got to dress up as a character from the book. Well lucky for me the Pirate costume came in handy again for Avie and Caitlyn the big one wanted to dress a a Lost Boy/Girl. So it was throw on anything and add a bit of dirt and she was ready (nice and simple).

Well they both seemed to have had a great time and nearly every kid in the school dressed up as Peter Pan, Hook, Tinkerbell, Wendy etc and even the teachers joined in.

CAITLYNS BIRTHDAY ON SUNDAY WAS GREAT!!!!

All the kids had a 'splashing' time! (sorry lol). There were 21 in the end and they had relay races, biggest splash competitions, musical statues (lot harder when its in the water) - just loads of games and it was so much fun.

I couldn't take any photos of the kids at the swimming because of the new rules and I would have had to get every parent to sign a form to state that it was OK to take the photos - so in the end I just left it.

We got Caitlyn a mobile phone as she has pestered us for ages about getting one, we also got her the PlayStation 2 High School Musical Sing Star (wish we hadn't!!!! - my ears are killing me LOL). My best mate got her some clothes and a ticket to go see High School Musical - The Musical in July at Manchester. She also got a watch from her little sister, and from her friends loads of craft stuff, clothes, picture frames, chocolates, books and she got quite a bit of money. So all in all i think she had a great 10th Birthday.

So now we have Avies birthday to look forward to on Saturday. She will be the grand old age of 5! So she is having a party on the Monday at Wacky Warehouse which is great as I really don't have to do anything! The only problem with her is she doesn't know what she wants so I am really struggling with what to get her present wise!!

BIG 10 TOMORROW

Where has the time gone?

I haven't managed to finish my daughters card on time - the reason being I can't find it. I AM GUTTED!!!! Its her birthday tomorrow the big '10' and I had to go out today and buy her a card. I have had so much to do today that I never got chance to even try and make her a new one. We were at a birthday party this afternoon - and that took up a lot of time and I have the bags and stuff to get ready tonight so we don't have to rush about in the morning.

So tomorrow there will be 19 going to her swimming party - and I have to say they are all looking forward to it. There are a few who aren't strong swimmers, but i spoke to the manager today and he said that wouldn't be a problem as there would be lifeguards on duty and most of the games would be in the shallow end of the pool.

So going to get off and start on the bags. I really want/need to make some cards as I have the second order to start and one of the cards has to be done by the 21 March. Fingers crossed I will have some things to post soon. Thanks for visiting!!!!

Ooops its Wednesday Already

Cant believe we are half way through the week already and I havent posted since Sunday!

Well I have been having a little tidy up of my 'craft stash' - just trying to sort it all out into easy, accessible boxes, sorting my papers out - you know the stuff!!! Its has taken ages.
I sit and moan at my hubby saying that I dont have enough stuff/or I need this and that, but when I started sorting it out i was finding papers, brads, stickers etc that I forgot I had.

So - before i buy any more papers, ribbons, flowers - I am going to start using up the stuff I have already got. So be prepared for some strange creations.

First Up!
This is made using the DCWV Paper Stack - now i only started using this a few weeks back and now I am not that keen on it. I think with this one its more the colours I dont like.
I made a simple frame and covered some flowers in matching papers, and used 3d foam pads on the back.



Now this one - great idea to start with - then down hill from when I stuck the first paper on. Dont know what happened but just didnt turn out the way I wanted it to.
The paper is from my LCS - but I have no idea the make. The flower is cut out from another sheet of the same makers paper. The ribbon was free with a magazine and I also used my Studio G Stamp.



My eldest said she will have this one - because she thinks its strange???? She says the ribbon does funny things to her eyes!

SO as I said there may be some REALLY strange stuff being posted on here - but bear with me as I get rid of my stash.

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

I hope you all had a wonderful day today!

I was allowed a lie in this morning - well until 8am that is, when the kids and hubby came charging into the room with my pressies and a nice cup of tea.

I got some beautiful wooden cream/brown roses from my eldest Caitlyn and a handmade card. From the little one Avie I got a handmade card and a Salt Dough Heart that she made at school. She had put sequins all over it but when she gave it to me there were none on it - so I will probably find them tomorrow when I do her room. I also got some jelly sweets with I Love You iced on the hearts (sure I seen them out on display in Birthdays for Valentines) - but it doesn't matter as the kids bought them. Hubby gave me £20.00 to spend on craft stuff - so I will be having a little shopping spree.

Well today I managed to book the local swimming pool for Caitlyns Party and its great as its actually on her birthday. She didn't want shop bought invites (really didn't have time to buy any and we needed them to take to school tomorrow) so she asked If I could do something.

Now I was going to sit and use my Quickutz and cut out letters for POOL PARTY and also the SWIMMING COSTUME but when she said she wanted at least 25 invites doing I thought NO WAY can I sit I do that today. So I had a little play on Photoshop and came up with the above invite. I also had to drive over to ASDA at 3.50pm to buy some colour ink for the printer - great time for the ink to run out!!!!!!!!

And I have to say SHE LOVES IT - She did have a giggle when she seen her head floating in space.

I managed to get 4 on a sheet of A4 paper and just cut them. They are all in envelopes now ready to take to school tomorrow. I did do some spare just in case the people she has invited cant come!

MARCH 1ST ALREADY!!!!!!

Sorry nothing to show you today as I have been busy trying to sort things for both my daughters birthdays. I managed to book Wacky Warehouse for the youngest - so thats not too bad - but now my eldest has decided she would like a swimming party. So by the time she let us know the local swimming pool was shut so I will have to ring in the morning and hopefull get something booked for her.

When we were out today I finished buying my eldests pressies, but I cant tell you on here as she reads this!!!! My youngest, I have a few things stashed away - but at least her birthday isnt until the 15th so i still have time to get some more for her.

So happy 1st of March - where did Januray and February go??????????????? and hopefully I will get making some cards tomorrow unless hubby has something planned for Mothers Day - but I doubt that very much!