Last minute blog candy at Toodles and Binks

Toodles and Bink have some fabulous blog candy up for grabs it closes tonight so if youre interested you better go here straight away.

EMAIL TROUBLES AND Happy Birthday's!

I can hardly believe its Wednesday again already and almost the end of April, i have no idea where the last 4 months have gone, let alone the weeks!

I am having problems with my pc at the moment, i don't seem to be receiving any emails, not sure what has happened, but Pops alerted me via my comments. I also had a friend say she emailed me which never arrived. Please can anyone who has emailed me lately without recieivng a reply leave a comment beneath this post. I will see if i can email you from this end, and maybe you could try sending it again. I am also having trouble with blogger, it takes ages to load and then doesn't load the page completely. Is anyone else having difficulties at the moment?

I would like to say a huge thank you to all of you who have left such sweet comments regarding my dad. It is very hard just now seeing him the way he is, but time is a great healer so hopefully in time, my old dad will be back with us, but then, if he never returns, ill just cherish my new dad!

Its my nieces birthday today and this is the card i made her. She loves her guitar and she is what im told is an EMO!!!! (whatever that is) so Jasmine told me this image would be perfect. Im hoping she is right!

This is one of the templates from my friend Anna-Marie Designs, available from her website.

The papers are from the Rockstar DCWV stack and sentiment is my own.

I had to make a retirement card last week for my sons girlfriends mum!! (confusing huh?! sorry!) anyway as she was an older lady i decided to use flowers. I used the penny black stamp onto acetate and was so pleased with the card , that i didn't have time to photograph, that i decided to make a similar card. Here it is!

Yellow is fast becoming a favourite colour especially with spring upon us and summer just around the corner!! I used some papers from K & Co, the Tim Coffey stack. I have stickled the flowers, sorry for the poor photos.

I have noticed that alot of my blogging friends are celebrating birthdays over the next few days, i would love to wish you all a lovely birthday, you know who you are. I have sent out cards and just hope i've not missed anyone.

Things are gradually settling back down this end. Or at least they are at the moment, unfortunately just as soon as i think we're making progress, something else comes along and sweeps me off my feet!!! We have one car back on the road, but still have no idea whats wrong with the other one. Thankfully we dont need that at the moment unless Deans starts playing up again. Honestly i think we should all go back to horse and carriage!

Well my lovelies im off, must take Jasmine to school, she is much better now thank you to all your well wishes.

Have a great day, hugs Linda x

Creative Crew Challenge Week 8 - A sketch by Sharon

Good morning ladies, another lovely sunny day now thank goodness. When i got up this morning it was dark and overcast and raining, made me feel really grumpy. However what a difference an hour makes! the sun is out and i feel much better!

So another week at the Creative Crew Challenge, and this week we have a fabulous sketch by our talented Sharon! I enjoyed working with this sketch that i've made 2 cards, and Jasmine also had a go.
If you decide to take part in our challenge this week you have chance to win this gorgeous Penny Black stamp, donated kindly by Sharon.

So my lovelies, this is the card i made for this weeks challenge, using one of the fabulous Pollycraft images.

Jasmine used a rubber romance image, one of my favourites, and papers from the DCWV Nursery stack.

Then i made this card using some papers i brought from QVC in one of their TSV last year, and using the fabulous Rachelle Miller image, this is one of my all time favourites, and perfect for that special little girl in your life!

I have used my glossy accents on the toadstool, not sure you can see it very clearly from this terrible photo. Also glitter highlights to the wings.

Sentiment, my own printed on the computer and the letter 3 a revolution die.

So ladies, it would be great to see you join in with this weeks challenge. Go here to find out more.

As many of you know i have had a lot going on here of late and my blogging has had to take a back seat. I am slowly getting back to normal. I have my dad staying with me at the moment, he had an operation a fortnight ago removing a blood clot from his artery in his neck. I have to admit i was shocked to see him, he is a shadow of his former self. Always been a big man with a personality to match, but now, although his size is the same, he is no longer the strong confident dad i remember, he is very weak and has lost his sense of orientation. I must admit i am finding this very upsetting, but hopefully with some tlc and plenty of rest he will return to his former self. So ladies, while i am slowly getting back to normal im not where i should be. So hope you can bare with me for a little longer.

Regarding the cars, we have one mended and the other one is still in the garage, with no idea of whats the matter with it.

Yesterday and today i have Jasmine off school, she has had a bad stomach bug, mine feels a bit dodgy this morning, so no cake and chocolate for me!

Well thats enough moaning and groaning from me, ill be back tomorrow with some more cards to post, that i made sunday.

Have a good day and look forward to catching up with you all again soon.

Big hugs Linda x

Finally some Cards and A short post

I can't believe im finally getting round to a proper post!! It seems a while again, but things are still so busy here. As you all know my dad had an operation the other week, he is recovering, but on Monday when i spoke to him he sounded very weak and shaken. So tomorrow we are going to Lydd to collect him and bring him back here to Aldham for a week or too until he is stronger in himself. It has meant re-arranging the bedrooms a bit, but we are now ready for his stay.

Then when we thought things couldn't get any worse, we had two car break downs this week. My sons car and the clio which belongs to my younger son!! Which means i have now become the family taxi service!!! im fed up with being in and out of the car!

Ally Pally seems ages ago now, but i want to say hi to the lovely bloggers who stopped by to say hi, hello Joey, Sue, Louise, Maria, Tracey and Zoe. It was so lovely to meet you all!! I am still recovering from the weekend, what a whimp that makes me, can you tell im not used to hard work??!?!?!?!

I would like to thank everyone who has left comments on my blog with their kind words, they really do keep me going, when im feeling on a low.

Some of you will know that we thought my son had finally found a job at Comet, unfortunately the job wasn't what he had thought, it was only 12 hours a week and little/no chance of overtime. He also wasn't eligible for the commission so after travelling expenses he would have been left with very little. So its back to the drawing board, i pray he finds a full time job soon.

This morning i did the housework, yes, you all know how much i hate it, but needs must!!!! i always feel very pleased with myself after i've done it, but with 6 children/young adults in the house it doesn't stay like it for long.

I even got to make some cards.

This is an Easter card i made a while back but hadn't got round to posting, i love the papers from pink petticoat, so clean and fresh looking. This stamp i brought from ebay not sure what make it is does anyone know?


It was my friend Ruths birthday on Tuesday, this is the card i made for her.The papers i believe are Imaginese and of course its one of those gorgeous soft centre cuties!

Finally a whiff of joy card, following a sketch from someones blog, but im sorry it escapes me who's it was.

I love this cute whiff of joy image, and im becoming more and more fond of yellow!

Well thats it from me for now. Hope you are all enjoying some gorgeous sunshine and i hope you have a wonderful weekend planned.

Hugs for now Linda x

Blog candy

This is a quick post to let you know of some fab blog candy up for grabs over at charmed crafts. Vistit here to find out more. Will be back tomorrow with a proper post. Linda x

The lovely Debbie also has some gorgeous blog candy up for grabs. I have to say i just can not believe how generous the lovely Debbie is being. Go take a look for yourself here.

If you love the gorjuss girls you're going to love Katrina's blog candy. Find it here.

The lovely Christine is giving away some lovely blog candy, for a chance of winning visit her here.

Some Card Samples and Off to Ally Pally

Its good to be back, even if only for a short while. I would like to say thank you to those who have left such sweet comments on my blog and who have emailed me privately. Your support and friendship means so very much, so thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I am off to Alexander Palace tomorrow to set up the stall. I have been busy working on samples using Anna's fabulous templates. Hope you will enjoy looking at them on this post.

I already know some of you are going to Ally Pally over the weekend, and are going to pop by and say hello, for any others of you going, i will be on the Anna-Marie stall and it would be good to see a friendly face. So please pop by and say hi.

Well apart from the samples for the show, i have been busy with life in general. Many of you know the problems ive been having with my eldest son, they are still on going, although we are making progress. He has managed to find himself a part time job working Saturdays and Sundays which im hoping will be the making of him, only time will tell.

Then at the weekend i found out my dad had been admitted into hospital with suspected minor strokes. This was confirmed on the Tuesday and they operated on a artery that was carrying a blood clot on the Wednesday. Thankfully he is on the mend and making a full recovery. I can't tell you what a relief that is, especially with the craft show looming.

On top of that i have a sore mouth, due to my wisdom tooth! anyway things are on the way up, and i hope things will be back to normal after this weekend. I promise to get round to visit all your blogs over the forthcoming week.

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend and had lots of lovely chocolate!! one can never have too much chocolate or crafting stash, isn't that right?

All these cards have been made using the Anna-Marie templates. They are available here.

Hugs for now Linda x

Lots of Cards and SORRY HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK

Can you possibly believe another week has passed already and April is upon us??? i don't know where the time is going, and im feeling a little like i have no control over things right now. Its been a hectic week, ive encountered several things this week where i have stopped and again re-evaluated my life. I have already cut down on the time ive spent blogging as you know, but unfortunately after finding out my father is poorly combined with the upcoming Alexander Palace show and the children being on Easter holidays i have decided to take a break from blogging for at least a week.

Its not been an easy decision, but with arranging a visit to my fathers this weekend and a hectic week planned ahead i just don't think i have a choice. I received so many lovely comments on my previous post where i had to cut down blogging and i would like to thank you all for being so understanding.

I apologise for not getting round to visit your blogs this week, but i promise when things settle i will be back to visiting you all regularly.

The beginning of the week started well with lots of cards, im posting them all below on this post. I have easter cards to post too but will do that on my return. I hope everyone has an enjoyable weekend.



My favourite home grown stamps by sugar Nellie and a very simple card. Happy Birthday to da dear friend!

Leanne Ellis are adorable aren't they? I love this image and i seem to have favoured blue again for a while!

Black and red another favourite combination, add a gorjuss girl and you can't go wrong!

A special birthday card for a Special 18th birthday. Laura happy birthday hunny.

This is one of my favourite sugar nellie home grown stamps and my favourite retro flower punch too!!

Pink and this beige colour look stunning in my opinion, but then i am a pink girl as you know!

Happy birthday to Grace, she is 7 this week, loving this tea party image , oh they were the days, tea partying with my favourite toys!! i've continued the tea parties, but now with my friends!! i don't think ill ever grow out of that!

These gorgeous angel stamps my TAC have become my favourite images at the moment!!

These cards were made using free papers from one of the card making magazines, aren't they scrummy????

These gorjuss girls really are gorgeous!!

We managed to book a hotel last night at the last minute, so we will be travelling up to Hythe later this morning. I havn't done any packing, so must go and do that now, and make sure there are things left for the boys to eat while we are away. Best empty the washing machine and tumble dryer too as they will not think of that!

Will look forward to catching up with you all again in a week or so.

Hugs Linda x