Bugs (again!)

Nothing new to show challenge-wise but here is one of the Christmas cards I have made using a Creative Expressions medallion stamp and Art Institute Glitter a la Jayne Nestroyenko. I am still slaving away at the Christmas cards, in between "doing" Hallowe'en with a very over-excited and tired young man AND both of us being full of another stinking cold. It's just one thing after another at the moment. There's no time for anything it seems. On a positive note though I have finished my Christmas shopping - just need to wrap it all now!

The builders are getting on really well and actually have the scratch coat on over all the crack (which were shockingly abundant once they banged all the loose stone off the top!). Hopefully we can look forward to a snug and dry winter.

Cute Card Thursday #34 - Cheers!

We are having a tipple this week on Cute Card Thursday with the theme "Cheers"! The DT have produced some absolutely drinktastic creations for you to admire so don't forget to pop over and have a look at the challenge blog.

This is Forever Friends stamp has been coloured with Promarkers and Stickles. Background paper is from Dovecraft Birthday pack, flowers are Scrapfairies and Prima. Sentiment is from Cuddly Buddly and ribbon from Hobbycraft with Swarovski crystals. Thanks for looking.

Tilda & Friends ATC Challenges - Hallow e'en spooks

Time for things that go bump in the night from Tilda & Friends ATC Challenges. We want to see your spooky Hallow e'en creations.

Tilda has been coloured with Promarkers and Diamond Glaze. The papers are from Designer Digitals, brad by Karen Foster Designs, sentiment from a Serendipity Cling set and spider's web from Tanda Stamps. Thanks for looking.

An Apology

Did you ever see such a cheeky little devil? Hard to believe this was taken 2 weeks ago as we were waiting to go to the airport to come home. I haven't anything "crafty" to share.

I know I have been the most crap blogging friend ever recently and I am so sorry. I have loads going on (like floods and school holidays!) and at the moment I am trying to make all my Christmas cards in the evenings then make jewellery and loads of other bits for a craft fair on 6th December that I have taken a table for. I will need to work most nights now for about a month I reckon to have enough to sell. Basically I am trying to use up some old stash to sell and raise money to buy new stash!

I will of course continue to do my DT work that I love so much but probably won't have chance to join in any other challenges for a little while. I will be back properly very soon I hope.

I have had a phone call from my builder saying we will have to see what the weather is doing tomorrow as it's not a good forecast. We are hopefully getting dry days on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday so they could get a good run at the job and get it done in one go. Here's hoping!

Cute Card Thursday #33 - Night/Stars

I have just been so desperate to use this Sugar Nellie Santa that I was really chuffed at this week's theme from Cute Card Thursday - even if the fact that he is holding a lantern is stretching the interpretation a bit(well it MUST be night for him to need it so there!).

I have coloured this lovely jolly man with Promarkers and used white fun flock on the trims. The DP is Basic Grey Wassail and sentiment is by Catslife Press. A few layered punched stars, some ribbon and some Swarovski gems finish it off. Thanks for looking.

We are forecast HORRENDOUS rain here for the next few days - 20mm in 24 hours tomorrow and that's just for starters. We will be living in our wellies by the looks of it and only the thought that the builders start on Monday is overcoming my dread at the moment!

Tilda & Friends ATC Challenges - Golden Tones

Well it's autumn! Reflecting this the theme this week on Tilda & Friends ATC Challenges is "Golden Tones".

This is one of the new "Think Pink" Tilda's. She's been coloured with Promarkers and Diamond Glaze.

I am having one of those mad times again at the moment, well since we got back from holiday really! I've been chasing my tail ever since. At least we now have a builder hopefully starting work next week so we should be watertight for the winter!

Cute Card Thursday #32 - Autumn

A very appropriate theme this week from Cute Card Thursday. One thing we really noticed in the two weeks we were away was how autumn had really hit in a big way. We are surrounded by stunning colours everywhere we look and the gorse is starting to flower too. We have sun here today as well so I have been able to get all the windows open and let some of the damp out! No luck with the builder yesterday - worryingly it was too big a job for him so I now have to wait for someone from a bigger firm to come out. I do hope we don't get any heavy rain in the meantime.

This is quite an "old" Tilda but I like her! I've coloured her and the Magnolia leaves and acorns with Promarkers and Sakura pens. Tilda's dress is paper pieced with paper from K&Co McKenna range. Some brown velvet ribbon and memory thread embellishments finish it off.

Do pop on over to the CCT blog - the DT have done some absolutely amazing autumnal creations AND there's a fabby prize to give away to one lucky entrant!

Tilda & Friends ATC Challenges - Tag You're It!

Gosh it's hard to get back into the swing of things at the moment - I have so much going on just now. A builder is coming this afternoon so hopefully we will be water-tight very soon!

The theme this week on Tilda & Friends ATC Challenges is to make a tag - these always come in handy! I have coloured the Sugar Nellie Pirate with Promarkers and Sakura pens and put him on a tag from K&Co Sea Glass Tag Book. A Karen Foster brad, sentiment and some fibres finish it off. Thanks for looking.

Bonjour!

Sunny Monaco taken just this Thursday from the Palace.

Well I'm back from holiday and we had a wonderful time but a few dramas along the way! Our car broke down on the way to the airport (thank goodness we had left early!). Then Newcastle Airport were short staffed and we were two hours going through security. We only just made the plane by 30 seconds and had to run to the gate right through the airport with no shoes on! We then had two fabby weeks and came home to a £320 bill for the car and water damage in Ben's room, the kitchen and bathroom. Wet plaster and damp stink in the house. Apparently there has been non-stop rain for the whole 2 weeks here with driving winds and floods on the roads and rivers so we got off lightly really. Welcome home eh?!!

Holibobs!

I'm off on my holibobs to South of France yet again for 2 weeks and will be back on Monday 13th October. Don't forget to check out Tilda & Friends ATC Challenges and Cute Card Thursday every week! In the meantime I will leave you with this picture of Monaco harbour taken on our holiday last year. Can't wait now!

Cute Card Thursday #29 - Lots of Sparkle

"Lots of Sparkle" is the theme this week from Cute Card Thursday and the DT have produced some really sparkly creations for you to see!

This Magnolia image was sent to me by Annie and I have coloured her with Promarkers and Sakura pens. The background card and sentiment came from a kit and the flowers are Scrap Fairies and Prima. I am still feeling dreadful but things can only get better!

Tilda & Friends ATC Challenges - Something Different!

This week on Tilda & Friends ATC Challenges we would like you to do something different with your ATC. Although Artist Trading Cards are meant to be traded, sometimes we make them for a blog challenge and end up with a pile in a box, so this week we hope to give you some ideas for using them on 'Something Different'. You can choose your own design, just remember to use one of the cute faced stamps such as Magnolia, Hanglar, Cuddly Buddly etc. You can show us before and after pictures or just the finished project, and it would help us a lot if you could include a direct link to your creation on your blog. If you don't have a blog and would like to join in the fun with us please send your pictures to one of the Design Team members to load at the end of this post. The DT have made some wonderful creations so pop on over and have a look!

This is a Spiral Whisper stamp coloured with Promarkers and I have used papers from Designer Digitals and lace from Scrapz. A bit of a quickie this week as I am still not well and had to go to the Dr this morning. Apparently I have an ear and sinus infection which explains why I have been feeling like little imps with hammers had taken up residence in my head!

Embellished Somethings

I had a make a card for a Christening yesterday. Well I think you could say this is well and truly embellished and as this is the theme this week from Stamp Something at least I have something to show you as I haven't produced anything this week that's not for DT work. We go away on Saturday so I need to be in front. Plus I have the MOST stinky cold type bug I've had for a long time so I have no energy. Think I have what Ben had last week. Feeling very sorry for myself and my poor red nose anyway!

I got the central image for this card from Google Images and loads of matting and layering later with the addition of flowers and ribbon from the local florist finished it off! Thanks for looking. I know am a very bad blogging friend just now but I honestly don't have the time or energy. I am here in spirit - honest!

Let them Eat Cake!

No I haven't fallen off the planet - I've been baking! This lunchtime(yes THIS LUNCHTIME!) DH's parents let me know that they could come for their tea tonight. Usually this wouldn't bother me except that it is MIL's birthday and I asked them 2 weeks ago! Sooooo - this gave me four hours to make Moroccan Lamb Casserole (MIL's favourite) and her cake! I have been planning to make this cake for weeks after getting the book Sweet and Simple Party Cakes by May Clee-Cadman. This is the first time I have ever made a "proper" iced cake and I was paid the greatest compliment when everyone thought it was shop bought!


Anyway I am absolutely tired out now but we had a lovely meal. Here are my two boys (or "the twins" as I call them). DH is extremely tired after having spent 2 days travelling home and he is in desperate need of a haircut but I still think he is the most gorgeous man alive (and as long as I do that's all that matters!). Off to beddy-bies now to sleep for a week!

Cute Card Thursday #28 - Food

Yummy theme this week from Cute Card Thursday - Food! There are some yummy ribbons to give away too!

I have coloured Tilda blowing hearts (minus the hearts!) with Promarkers and lots of Sakura Stardust pens. The shrink plastic cupcake and strawberry were coloured with Stardust pens before shrinking. The spotty paper was a magazine freebie and I got the flowers and ribbon from My Paper World when I won a draw. On the inside the cupcakes were coloured with Promarkers and finished off with some prisma glitter.

All this talk of food has made me hungry so I'm off for my breakfast. My husband comes home today so we are in carnival mood here. He's been away 5 weeks and 2 days, or as Ben said "Far toooooooooooooo long"!