Monday, 16 July 2018

Hello!


 Gosh it's been a long time. I got a bit lost for a while and wasn't being myself properly, but I think I pretty much am again and one of the things I used to really, really love was blogging. I'm not expecting anyone to read this particularly to be honest, but I enjoy waffling (as my blog name announces), so thought I do some waffle in with a bit of craft rather than the other way round (not that there's been much of the craft either!).

We've just had the most glorious weather haven't we? I've loveld every moment of it and spent the last 3 weeks outside in the garden taming the wilderness. We have a massive garden and usually I grow lots and lots of veg and flowers. There was no time/inclination at the start of the year and it was looking very sorry for itself, so I've really enjoyed having the time and being in the right frame of mind to get caught up. It's too late to plant too much but I've got some beans, peas, cucumbers, a pepper and lots of salad growing. Luckily I did weed out and manure the soft fruits a few months ago and they are rewarding us with wonderful jewels to eat. The joy of eating your fresh produce cannot be underestimated and I implore everyone to grow something - even a fresh herb on the window ledge is a source of infinate pleasure to me. The smell of it as you water it in the morning and the taste of it on your dinner in the evening is unsurpassed.

We finally got some rain a few days ago and I just had to go outside and revel in the smell - there's nothing like it! It has a fancy name, which I kept trying to tell Dave and then couldn't remember it but then I did, and here it is - isnt' it a wonderful word?

I've also got back into reading, one of my biggest loves. I really wasn't doing very much at all apart from the obligatory few pages at bedtime. I should have known things weren't right really by that alone. Anyway, normal service has been resumed and this is my current reading pile. Yes - I'm reading them all at once and more besides that are downstairs. Did I mention I love reading?
I've been listening to lots of Vaughan Williams compositions lately. His hopeful and Renaissance-style rather appeals to my mood at the moment. I used to have a bit of a thing for not liking him as I rather resented his fame for Greensleeves rather than MY Henry VIII. Of course, Henry didn't really write it either and Williams created one of his wonderful "Fantasia" around it (like the wonderful Tallis Fantasia). Silly how something can settle in your mind like a little seed. I do have a thing for listening myself sick of things once I discover or re-discover them so no doubt that will happen soon asn I'll be binge- listening to something else. 
I've been in the craft room and tentatively cleared a space in the chaos and made a couple of cards. This was this week's Cute Card Thursday challenge on a theme of "Ribbons and Bows". It was a joy to make actually and fell together really quickly thanks to a gift of 2 Stampin' Blend pens from Natalie O'Shea, my lovely Stampin' Up Demo. Everything was Stampin' Up except the little leaf charms which I made up myself. I really need to steel myself for a long overdue clear-out in the craft room. I have so much it's stiffling me and it's not a pleasure to be in there anymore. One step at a time though.

I've really been trying to take better care of my body recently as well as my mind, and I've joined Weight Watchers. There's plenty of blogs for that, so I won't be sharing too much except to say it really does work and I'm sure my lovely healthy food has contributed hugely to my new feeling of wellbeing. A word of warning though - a surfeit of beetroot will make you poop red! TMI but a public service announcement in case you have an panic attack every day for 4 days like I did! 

Think that's enough to be gettling along with. I'm going to get into my lovely freshly made bed with sheets that were dried outside today and then ironed and put back on - now that's heaven! 

Lynn xx

Thursday, 19 October 2017

CCT 500 - Snowflakes

Yes it’s been forever and I’m a bad blogger!


BUT Cute Card Thursday has reached its 500th challenge and I just had to post! The DT are offering their own prizes as well as the sponsored giveaway this week. To win, I will pick one entrant from the main blog at random and post your goodies!


Lynn x

Thursday, 26 January 2017

CCT#362 - Something Fun!


Hello Thursday! This week on the Cute Card Thursday Challenge Blog we are having fun!

I have used a digital image of Willy Wonka from this week's sponsor Aliciabel and coloured him with Promarkers and Copics. All the card is Stampin' Up and the sentiment and card candi are from Craftwork Cards. The ribbon was from Ribbon Box and the sprinkles paper is from a Papermania pad. 

Have a great weekend! 
Lynn xx

Saturday, 21 January 2017

Crazy 4 Challenges Guest Designer - Sketch


This week Caz has a sketch for you to follow on the Crazy 4 Challenges blog.

 
This is my take on the sketch. I've used a K&Co tag pad with Stampin' Up card and sentiment stamps. The image is a Magnolia stamp and I've coloured Tilda with Promarkers and Copics.

Lynn xx

Thursday, 19 January 2017

CCT#361 - Cool Colours


The theme this week on Cute Card Thursday certainly matches the weather in the UK just now - we are in the middle of dreary winter!

This week we are sponsored by Di's Digi Stamps and I've used one of the beautiful pre-coloured stamps available in the online shop for immediate download. The background paper is from Pink Petticoat and the cardstock and sentiment are Stampin' Up. The little wooden hearts were a freebie.

Lynn xx

Monday, 16 January 2017

Crazy 4 Challenges - New Home


It's week 2 of my Guest Designer spot on Crazy 4 Challenges and the theme this week is "new home or something for the home". 

I've used papers, ribbon, die cuts and card from Stampin' Up and a sentiment from Magnolia Stamps. The lovely image is by Bildamarna and is coloured with Copics and Promarkers. Some little pearls finish it off.

Lynn xx

Thursday, 12 January 2017

CCT#460 - Buttons


I love buttons! 

I made this simple card for this week's Cute Card Thursday Challenge with a Stampin' Up stamp, Designer Digitals paper and lots of buttons! 

 Pop along to the blog to join in and be in with a chance of winning this week's prize from All Dressed Up! 

Lynn xx

Tuesday, 10 January 2017

Guest Designer - Crazy 4 Challenges

My lovely crafting friend Caz (Stamping Caz) asked me to Guest Design at the challenge Crazy 4 Challenges this month and it was just what I needed as I've been terrible not getting crafty or blogging at all hardly the latter part of 2016. Well I'm so glad THAT year is over! 


The theme is "old rock" and I these little houses I made for a swap with friends fitted the brief perfectly! The wooden blocks were from my Stampin' Up wood mount stamps that I re-mounted onto cling last year. I bought the little log slices from Hobbycraft a long time ago and the little trees are from Wild Orchid (also a long time ago), I stamped the Paperbag Studios house front stamp onto Studio Canvas coloured with PaperArtsy paints. The little weaths I made with a small circle punch and Swarowski crystals and the "snow" is felt covered in Stickles. Some outlining and colouring with Posca pens and a little added sparkle finishes them off!

Lynn xx

Friday, 27 May 2016

CCT#427 - Holiday/Vacation

 This week on Cute Card Thursday we're off on our holidays! 


 I've used this sweet image from our sponsor My Besties. She came partly coloured with all the dress and ribbons ready done in the beautiful rainbow effect and I finished her off with Promarkers and Copics. There's 3 digi images of your choice up for grabs this week so you could chose this image as one of your winning images! The background paper is from My Mind's Eye and the little plane die is from a Waltzingmouse set. The sentiment is from PaperArtsy and I've used a Spellbinders Nestablility die to cut out the card. All cardstock is from Stampin' Up.

Friday, 20 May 2016

CCT#426 - Food and/or Drink


Cheers! We're having a food and drink fest this week on Cute Card Thursday. We are sponsored by Di's Digi Stamps this week and there's a great prize of a $12 voucher for one lucky participant!

My best friend got engaged to her lovely partner recently so to celebrate I've brought out one of my favourite dies - the folding box from Sizzix. I have used Stampin Up' glitter card to cut out the embellishments. The champagne bottle is by Kaycee Craft Stamps and the glass dies are by Die-namics. The hearts, stars and balloons are all Stampin' Up punches. The paper is from Pink Petticoat and the stamped sentiment is Hero Arts.

Thursday, 12 May 2016

CCT#425 - More than one fold


There's lots of fab cards around at the moment with more than one fold so we thought we have a go on Cute Card Thursday this week. 

I've used this cute digi stamp from our sponsor All Dressed Up. You can find it here. I coloured the image with Promarkers and Copics and fussy cut it out. The card is made using a die from Sizzix and the papers are Designer Digitals. The lovely flower dies are by Sue Wilson. Please do pop on over to the blog and join in and, above all,  have fun!

Friday, 6 May 2016

CCT#424 - Secrets



The challenge this week on Cute Card Thursday is to have a hidden something on your creation.

In my case, I used this Karen Burniston for Sizzix die to cut out the pop-up insert for this card. The papers are all from Basic Grey's Barista paper collection and card is Stampin' Up. I used a Spellspinders Sapphire alphabet to cut out the letters. The bird and balloon stamps are by Tim Holtz and I coloured the bird with Promarkers and Copics. I also used Stampin' Up punches for the gold balloons and circles and the strings are Karen Foster Scrapper's Floss. 

Think that's it for this one - other than to say please pop on over to the blog and have a look at the other Design Team's beautiful creaitons and check out details of the competition from our sponsor Bunny Zoe's Crafts

Thursday, 28 April 2016

CCT#423 - No Patterned Papers


A perfect challenge this week for me on the Cute Card Thursday blog as I had this new (to me) beautiful floral stamp from Stampin' Up to use! 

The image was stamped onto smooth card and then coloured with Prismacolor pencils. I used Sansodor spirit and paper stumps for the blending and am pleased with how it came out. The sentiment is from PaperArtsy and I made the little butterflies with a Martha Stewart punch. The cardstock is from Stampin' Up.

Thursday, 21 April 2016

CCT#422 - Add a Quote


Something a bit different on Cute Card Thursday this week - add a quote to your creation!

I've used this sweet pre-coloured image from our sponsor Di's Digi Stamps and used Designer Digitals pape rand Stampin Up cardstock and stamp for the sentiment. It was a nice, speedy card to put together and I would highly recommend having a look at the pre-coloured images for when oua re in a real hurry!

Tuesday, 19 April 2016

CCT#421 - Handmade Embellishments



Ooops - last week slipped away from me somewhat! Anyway the theme on Cute Card Thursday is to make your own embellishments and I went a bit mad with this one lol!

I have used this cute little ditigal image from our sponsor All Dressed Up called "A Time to Share" and she's been coloured with Promarkers and Copics. The papers were all from a Craft Assylum paper pad and the sentiment is from Stampin' Up. The card was cut out using a die.