Sweet Pea Georgeousness!

Wednesday again already, its the middle of the week. I have to say im feeling very upbeat today no idea why, although receiving these fabulous sweet pea stamps has rather uplifted my spirits.



If you like the look of these Sweet Pea Designs follow this link, and become a follower of their fabulous blog and be in with a chance to win a card by one of the fabulous design team members!

Thank you Jamie for treating me to these ! they are just adorable, and although i was a little worried about the colouring when the first arrived, i have to say they were not as difficult as i thought they would be. Decided to use my aquarelle pencils this time as they are a little more forgiving than my pro-markers.

I used some of the fabulous MME papers that ive been saving, and i just love the finished result. This has taken me the best part of 2 hours today, but it totally absorbed my mind and i feel very relaxed.

Have even got the tea ready tonight in between waiting for the glimmer mist and stickles to dry! Who knows i might even get chance to make another card today.

Please go and look a the fabulous Sweet Pea designs for yourself, there is a link on my sidebar. I feel sure you wont be disappointed.


I have glossy accented the moon, not sure how well you can see it here. The My Love sentiment is an Anna Griffin stamp.

The wings have been stickled as have the flowers that this beauty is holding.

Hearts are the nestability hearts and the edges have been stickled.

Whilst blog hopping earlier, i came across the following challenge blogs that i am entering this card into.

Die Cut Dreams - Red and Black with Love

Papertake Weekly - Love Actually

Crafty Cardmakers - Hearts and Romance

Sophisticat Challenges - Love

Cute and Girly - Love

Fussy and Fancy Challenge - Hearts

ABC challenge - NEW (using my new stamp)

Quixotic - I believe in Fairies

Love is certainly in the air at the moment ladies. Do you have any special plans for valentines day? We are not big on valentines in this house, maybe just a nice takeaway, anything to save me from cooking at the weekend!

Well my lovelies, off to have another play, hugs for now Linda x

Crafters Companion Challenge Blog Week 2 and My Time To Craft Week 77

Have finally felt in the mood to craft again, not that my MOJO has completely returned but at least im playing again. Thank goodness as my hubby was starting to look a bit worried!

Really wanting to start entering some challenges again, so here we go, first a card for My time to Craft.

My Time To Craft Week 77 - Fairies

I absolutely adore these gorgeous stamps by Lili of the Valley. They are just the sweetest fairy images ever. Have chosen blue for a change, not my usual colour choice, and a simple layout.

Have added stickles to her wings and glossy accents to the flowers. Coloured with my aquarelle pencils this time.

CRAFTERS COMPANION CHALLENGE WEEK 2

Can you believe it, yet another card from me this week. This time its for the Crafters Companions Challenge Blog. There challenge this week is to use yellow and orange. I have to say i love those colours, helps to cheer me up on a dull miserable day like today! Its been raining most of the day, you know me, i would rather it was snowing!

This is one of the delightful popcorn bear images with sunflower. I adore sunflowers, big , bright and cheery!

Im not sure what the papers are, but aren't they gorgeous? Loving the flower sequins, which came in a RAK from my friend Zoe some time ago. As did the ribbons.

And finally, a card i made last week, but havn't had chance to post yet, using those fabulous DCWV papers!

I trust you all had a lovel day with loads of time to craft will be visiting more of your wonderful blogs tomorrow !

Have a wonderful evening, hugs Linda x

Week 44 at the CCC - Valentine

Happy Tuesday morning. hope your week is going well. SSSSSSooooooo cold here, but this morning im going out for breakfast with my friend Carole, so that will warm me up, maybe a nice english breakfast, or something healthier, what do you think???

So its week 44 at the Creative Card Crew Challenge and this week its called Valentine. Its February already girls and it wont be long till valentine's day is upon us.

I have used some download papers from the amazing Pink Petticoat. Do you just not love their designs? I should use them far more.

I also made this card for another challenge on the "Any Stamp Will Do" site. This time using some K & Co papers called Smitten and a Sizzix Bigz heart die which i brought for just £3.99 in their sale! bargain.

Glossy accented the key and thats what you get when you colour in bad light! colours that dont actually match!!! never mind, must get a new daylight lamp!

Well i hope you will join us over at the Creative Card Crew Challenge this week, as there will be a prize for the winner.

Back later with a full tummy and hopefully a smile on my face. Roll on the weekend!!!

Winter Wonderland Challenge 36

There is a blog hop over at the Winter Wonderland Challenge. The theme is candy cane, to be interpreted however you wish. I love the red and white colour combination, it always looks fresh and clean.

My card is simple, mainly because im off to bed in a minute and wanted to get the card done this evening in case i didn't get chance later in the week.

Hope you've all had a good day, hopefully back tomorrow morning with my CCC challenge card.

Hugs Linda x

New Release at the Creative Cottage

Good morning to you all, and i hope you all had an enjoyable weekend. Why do the weekends always seem to fly by? no sooner is it Friday evening and im feeling relaxed about the weekend, then its sunday evening and im stressing out about the week ahead and the morning school run!

We did have a fairly relaxed weekend, hubby played golf on Saturday which meant i had time to have a play with my crafting goodies, without any guilt.

Then Sunday we went for two long walks with Rocky Bear, which was very enjoyable. It was cold but the sun was out and it was very refreshing! It was a very enjoyable weekend.

I was led into a false sent of security, thinking my bad run of luck had run out. Well, there you go, never take anything for granted. I was brought back to earth this morning with a big awakening bump!!!!

Now as you all know my poor son is very accident prone and attracts trouble!!! so why should this week be any different. Firstly we find out his money has not gone into the bank, now unfortunately my son is unemployed, and although he gets unemployment money we tend to support him too financially like you do. This morning his money has not gone into his account, so im again his personal banker. Now i should have known better, I let him take my car out to Sainsburys as he is going to get me a few bits of shopping. Now i am my own worst enemy, my hubby doesn't like my son using my car (he has his justified reasons), but i didn't think it could hurt, after all he was doing me a favour! Now when will i ever learn? i got a phone call 25 minutes ago telling me he had a puncture!!!!!! he is not good under stress and was stressing about changing the wheel. Generally i would phone hubby to ask him to come out and change my wheel, but i have a dilemma, hubby will go mad firstly because he has to go and change a tyre with a puncture and secondly because ive let him use my car!!!! Sooooooo, has my run of bad luck finished? i think not, although of course some is my own doing. I am still waiting for my son to return my phone call and tell me he is on his way home, wish me luck?????

On a good note, i did get some crafting done over the weekend!! and my lovely friend Tracy has launced her new Digi-download set this morning at the Creative Cottage Designs. Please go over to the blog and see the other DT members cards, they are truly inspirational.

I have to admit this is one of my favourite releases of all time. Pink and black papers, one of my favourite colour combinations, and handbags and shoes, what else could a girl ask for.

I apologise for the quality of the photos, the light in here wasn't good last night, hope you can see the beauty of the papers though, aren't they just luscious???


I would love a pair of shoes like this, mind you i doubt very much i would be able to walk it killer heels like this anymore. My high heel days are well and truly over, my balance has always been bad, but these days i trip up in my uggs!!!

The beaded flower embellishment was made by myself some time ago, couldn't believe i finally got round to using it!!!

Below another variation on that gorgeous shoe! and those lovely flowers which i just adore!

Finally a simpler card highlighting another one of those fabulous flowers, aren't they gorgeous?

Now my lovelies, im sure you are sick of my moaning. I am surprised i have any visitors left at all. I am not off for a bath, a bath always helps to de-stress me, then maybe this afternoon a bit of crafting.

I hope you all have a lovely day and that your week is an enjoyable one.

Big hugs Linda x

Totally Papercrafts Challenge Week 1 - Friends

Happy weekend my lovelies, i hope your having a good one so far. The sun has been out today and it has amazingly lifted my spirits. My lovely friend Emma has started a new challenge Blog called Totally Papercrafts along with 5 of her other friends. This weeks challenge is called Friends. I have made the following card to enter this week. I love this Mo Manning image. The papers are from Anna Marie Designs and the chipboard letters are from a QVC TSV ive had for a couple of years!

Please head over to Totally Papercrafts to see the fabulous DT cards.

Unfortunately my distressing around the sides was not how id planned, but have left it as i didn't want to waste my coloured image!

Flowers are from Orchid Crafts. Gems were a special from Poundland!

Finally this is a card i made several weeks ago but hadn't had chance to post yet. I am loving giraffs at the moment and this is a penny black stickeroo.

I am hoping to be back later with some more sneak peaks from the soon to be released digi images by the lovely Tracy over at the Creative Cottage. So please come back later , big hugs Linda x

HAPPY FRIDAY a card and some Projects

Its Friday again, and another week has flown by, i must admit however, im glad to see the back of this week. You will understand why if you've seen my previous post. I am staying positive though, as im sure my luck has to change!!! how much bad luck can one person have????

Well my MOJO has been on a vacation, i think its due back any day soon, or at least i hope so. I had to make hubby's friend a 50th birthday card for today. I have known about it for weeks, but needless to say left it to the last minute to make it. Males cards are always so challenging for me, because you can't use pretty ribbons and gems, two of my favourite things! in the end i opted for the number 50 as the main focal point with some sayings i thought were appropriate!

The papers are from my lovely La Creme DCWV , i adore this pad! I wasn't overly happy with it, but with time not on my side it had to do!! being a bloke he probably wont even look at it anyway.

Last week i had a go at making my altered memo board. Its missing something but im not quite sure what?

And finally a candle that my daughter made. Hers was so much better than mine. She coloured it with pencils which seemed much more effective than the pro markers i used!

My first attempt, but as you can see, not very clear with the colouring, hopefully practice does make perfect, and i will need to do plenty more practice!!!

So thats me done again for today. I hope you all have something nice planned for the weekend. The weather is cold and miserable here, this afternoon, we've had rain, hail stones , sleet and then finally a sprinkling of snow! Maybe tomorrow the sun will make an appearance!

Hopefully back over the weekend with something else to show you. Big hugs Linda x

One off Challenge and Blog Hop

On the 1st February there will be a very special ‘One Off Challenge’………with some rather special candy as the main prize. No ordinary candy I can tell you, but a really serious piece of equipment that all of us would love to have in our craft rooms.I know I am a tease and I will be sharing some sneak peeks of the prizes on offer over the next three weeks........yes ‘prizes’ because as well as the main challenge prize, there will be runners up prizes and a Blog Hop with prizes to be won at each stopping point. And I will also be sharing details of the wonderful sponsors of this challenge and some exciting news about them as well.

Take a look for yourself HERE

Another Card - An Award - and an Update of my Bad Start to 2010

Its Wednesday ladies, another week almost over!! well i have another card to show you as promised. Made from some of the new Papermania Capsule Collection papers in Blue. These papers are just gorgeous, i love all the colourways and a bargain at just £2.99 for an A5 pack.

One of my favourite sugar nellie stamps coloured with pro markers and again my Martha Steward deep daisy punch (i adore it!).

So ladies what a week ive had so far. As you know 2009 was horrendous but i had high hopes for 2010. However these were dashed pretty quickly.

Before christmas my son had an accident in his car, nothing serious but was his fault, he was given a choice of an advanced driving course or to take his luck in court. We decided to go for the advanced driving course, firstly to save him getting points on his license and also though the advanced driving could only be of benefit. This course cost us little short of £200 and should have taken place Monday morning. My son is not good under pressure and we thought it would be a nightmare getting him there, but to our surprise and relief he got himself up and on his way, in what we thought was plenty of time. We got a phone call shortly after he left saying he had only got down the road just past the carriageway exit and caught up in a traffic jam. There had been an accident, hubby phoned the centre to say he might be late, to which they informed us that would be okay. Son arrives at centre an hour late to be told he couldn't do the course as he was so late!!!!!!!!!!!! they said they had to inform the police he hadn't turned up and they would then send the paperwork of the accident straight to the court ------ aaaaagggggghhhhHH!!!!! anyway my son explained he had been caught up in traffic to which they replied everyone else got here. Son explains we had phoned and they said it would be okay, eventually he had to give them his postcode and they obviously went to check out his story and came back and said they would phone the police, explain the situation and try and re-arrange the course. Thankfully they believed him and today he got his new date. One problem solved.

Then yesterday night son's foot slips off the brake pedal outside the house and hits the front door wall of the house!!!!! OMGGGGGGG!!!!! the builder came out today has had to put a steel joist in to stop the roof falling in!!!! and the wall has to be taken down and completely rebuilt. Can things possibly get worse? we are not sure yet if the house insurance will pay out, or if we will have to claim on sons car insurance. We still have the ongoing claim from the accident he had before christmas! s0 if i seem a little stressed and low, you will understand why.

Now ive bored you all to death, moaning yet again! onto something a little brighter!

AN AWARD

Thank you to my lovely friend Helen for the award below. You are a sweetheart - thank you.

With awards come rules, i have to:-

List 10 things that make you happy, try to do at least one of them today, and tag 3 bloggers that brighten your day.

Ten things that make me happy, uuuummmmm let me think, not easy to think of happy things when im feeling a little low, but here goes:-

1. My family make me happy, i love my children and husband to bits
2. The friends i have made through my blogging and facebook, i would not be coping as well
as i am without their support - love you all xx
3. My crafting (most of the time - except when my MOJO keeps going on holiday!)
4. Eating out
5. Laying in the bath (have done that today already)
6. Spending lazy weekends at home just watching tv, eating and a bit of crafting
7. My lovely Rocky Bear, ive only had him since the end of last May but can not imagine
life without him
8. Receiving surprises through the post, which ive been fortunate with since i started blogging
crafting friends are sooooooo kind
9. Helping others and listening to others problems, as i never feel more worthy then when i can
help someone else
10. Shopping - for crafting stash (when funds allow) and for christmas presents (except last
year, that kind of crept up on me!)

So there you have it ladies. I have struggled with who to pass this award on to, but over the last week these special ladies have brought a smile to my face for one reason or other.

1. My loveliest friend Jill
2. The lovely Jen
3. Shirley



Thank you all for listening to my moaning, and thank you even more for still visiting my blog. You all brighten my day, big hugs Linda x

Tuesday - and Im Stressing Out!

I can barely believe its the end of Tuesday again, where is this week going already? The week has gone from bad to worse, wont bore you with details, but just when you think nothing else can go wrong , life throws bit of rubbish at you. I thought 2010 would be a better year for us, but it looks like it might not be the case. I have to admit im feeling very tired with all these obstacles and problems over the last 18 months, maybe some nice warm weather will cheer me up.

Now i dont want to make you all feel miserable. I didn't come on here to moan, i came to show you two more of the cards i made the other week.

Firstly this gorjuss girl card using some of the Papermania papers given to me as a present. Also using my favourite Martha Stewart deep punch. Simple lines and the blue makes me feel fresh.

Secondly another card using the gorgeous DCWV La Creme papers and the Glitter Girls sentiment stamp from before. However this time using one of the gorgeous Lili of the Valley fairy stamps, which i totally adore.

Used an embossing folder to emboss the round sentiment matt and coloured with my pro markers to blend with the image.

The stars have been coloured again with pro markers and then stickled.

I have to admit i am loving the colours of the La Creme stack. Well thats it from me for today back later in the week with some more makes i hope.

Big hugs Linda x

Happy weekend

Good morning my lovely bloggers. I hope your enjoying your weekend so far. I can not believe how quickly Saturday went. We had to take Jasmine to a belated Christmas school party yesterday at mid-day, which i have to say was a little out of the way and kind of dictated the rest of the day. Then we were out in the evening for a birthday meal. Of course i love to eat as you know, but its always good to get back home and back into my comfortable PJ's. Im never happier than being sat at my desk indoors in the warm! however, it seems to have turned cooler again and sitting in my conservatory is not as warm as i would wish. As much as i loved the snow, i have to admit i am starting to look forward to the brighter mornings and warmer weather, bring on SPRING xxxxx

So i didn't actually get much crafting done today, i made a altered shopping list board, but my camera needs recharging and im unable to take a picture yet. So that will come later in the week. Today i am showing you a card that i made over a week ago, infact nearing a fortnight ago now i come to think of it. Those who know me, know how awful my memory is, a head full of cotton wool, thats me im afraid!!

Today i have my mum for lunch, so have to get the lunch going, but i am hoping to decorate a candle, thank you Diane for the instructions you mailed me, they are perfect. Even I can follow them - at least i think so!

I have had this Annie stamp for a while, but this is only the second time ive used it. I absolutely love this little girl, what a cutie, really must use it more often. The papers are from the DCWV La Creme stack. I finally managed to muster up enough courage to cut into it. Another one of my new years resolutions, to use all those special papers!! - not an easy one to keep though. I prefer to just look, stroke and preserve them!

The sentiment is one i had from a long time ago, by the glitter girls, this ive never used before now! I shall use it again though as i do rather like it. Such sweet words.

Colouring with my pro-markers and copics, with the wings being slightly stickled.

So my lovelies hope to be back later in the week with some more cards i made a while back and the altered shopping list. Will be visiting you all later, hugs Linda x

CHALLENGE 43 PUNCH IT - CCC CHALLENGE Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Good morning everyone, can you believe its Tuesday again already. I have no idea where the weekend went again. January is once again flying by and im still sitting here rubbing my head as to what im meant to be doing!!! My Mojo has taken a vacation - again!!! why wasn't i invited???? and although im desperately trying to organize myself this year, and get ahead with my christmas preparations ( i heard you all sigh- but really, i cant go through another christmas like this year!!) i still havn't made one single christmas card!!! infact i havn't made a card in over a week. As much as im ashamed to admit it , I had to cheat a little this week for my CCC DT card and use a card that i made last week - shocking but true!

Our challenge this week is entitled "Punch it" you can interpret this which ever way you would like! I have used one of my favourite Martha Stewart Punches. Not my usual style, but im trying to get back to basics and use simpler lines.

Yet another new years resolution was to use up all the papers and embelishments that i have stored up for that "special occasion". Im sure you all know what i mean!!! trouble is that occasion never happens, and so i feel i should clear the paths, so i can buy myself new "special occasion" stash!

Now i have recently refound Facebook, and when my internet connection allows, ive been spending my spare hours chatting to my lovely blogging friends. Why havn't i got into this more before now i ask myself? just as well according to my husband as the housework has been somewhat neglected. Unfortunately i am suffering with bad internet connection something that intermitently burdens me. I had hardly any connection over the weekend or yesterday, and today is not much better. I have tried to load my CCC card for the last half an hour but it keeps saying "can't connect to blogger" consequently i am rambling on to you lovely people. Dont blame me blame blogger for the nonsence you are reading!!!

Right, lets have another try, here is my card for this weeks challenge.

Finally, after the hundredth attempt its uploaded the photo, i can leave you in peace now, will be back later in the week with some cards i made over a week ago! have a lovely day, look forward to visiting you all hugs Linda x

Found a New Blog with some Fabulous Blog Candy

While blog hopping this morning i have come across a new blog http://stamping-fantasies.blogspot.com please go take a look for yourself. There is some gorgeous blog candy up for grabs which you are sure to be interested in.

Hugs Linda x

Distressing Mood!

I can not believe its over a week again since i last posted. I am being such a bad blogger at the moment. My internet has been playing on in the bad weather, or phone cables really do not like the wet weather, and with all the snow finally melting, they have almost gone into meltdown. Yesterday i had about 30 minutes internet access all day, and today has not been much better.

At the beginning of the week, i managed to spend some time on facebook. ive been a member for a while, but until this week, never really got into it. Oh dear me, i can see another addiction coming along!!! I would love to chat to you if you are ever online, and if you are not already a friend, please add yourself!

Havn't done any crafting since last week, but i made these cards when i was feeling in a distressing mood - in more than way sense!!!

Loving this owl image as you might have guessed, as the last card i made featured them, and this dog image i believe is Penny Black, it was given to me by a lovely crafting friend.

A friend of mine has been rather poorly lately and i sent her this card to try and help cheer her up! hope it worked.

I just this image and the warm colours here. Those owls just look great as they are, which means it saves me the job of colouring them in!!!! i appreciate any short cuts these days!

Im using much simpler lines so far this year, probably due to the fact that my MOJO has been on walkabouts for months now!!!

Our snow has completely disappeared now here in the village of Aldham. I absolutely loved the snow, but i know so many of you are still suffering with the white stuff!!! hope it soon clears for you all as i know how tiring it can be and how dangerous it is to drive in it.

Will probably be back tomorrow or sunday with some more cards to show. More that i made last week and havn't yet posted. Who knows i might even get a card made tonight - funnier things have happened!!!

Have a good weekend my lovelies and looking forward to visiting you all later tonight!

Hugs Linda x

Creative Card Crew Challenge Week 42 Tuesday, 5 January 2010

CREATIVE CARD CREW CHALLENGE - WEEK 42 - Distressing

Its back to normal, whatever normal means in your household! its another week at the Creative Card Crew Challenge, this is the first card ive made in weeks, and i have to admit im not completely happy with it, but im finding it very hard to motivate myself at the moment even with my crafting.

We have a lovely doodlebug stamp up for grabs this week as a prize so please come and join us.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL

I can barely believe another year is upon us , i dont know where 2009 and went, and i have to say i felt last year was very much a testing time for me. I had lots of family issues, which have been very hard, and some are infact still ongoing. However on the positive side i have met so many lovely friends in the last year, and i have my blogging to thank for that.

November and December was very much a haze for me, and i didn't craft or blog , it took all my energy just to get through the days. I love christmas, but this year was a bit of a lost hope for me. I didn't get my cards out on time, i was late with my christmas shopping and decorations and basically i felt i just wasn't prepared.

I have promised myself that this year im going to get myself organized, i am also determined to make several changes in my life. I am going to be more positive and i hope that within a week or two i will be back on top of my crafting and blogging.

I trust you all have a wonderful christmas and new year, and i hope santa brought you all a heap of new crafting stash to play with.

My highlight this year was a visit to a nearby garden centre, where they had no other than santas reindeer lodging!!!!!!

They are just the most gorgeous creatures ever, and these were the friendliest reindeer ever, they even took time out to pose for some photos!

Well my lovelies, i hope you have a good week and that you are not being too bothered by the snow! we are expecting some more later this evening.

Love and hugs to you all Linda x