HO HO HO!!!!

Hey, when will life slow down-I sooo need a rest! Amelia has been poorly,mum has been rushed into hospital and back on hemo dialysis 3 times a week! In general life is just sooo hectic at this time of year anyway. At least the run of school events,parties and concerts is over and done with. Finished my mum and dad's shopping today and then had to go back out later after Amelia's riding lesson to get our own! Chris is off of work now until the New Year and we now intend to switch off as much as we can and enjoy the festive fun with the kiddies!!

I have been knitting like a mad woman, and also made the odd card or two but not much to be honest. I have some lovely goodies from Lisa at Craft Faries for some Design Team projects-must get going on those!!!! I have also won some goodies on some of the fun and exciting events going on at Crafts by Caroyln and Just Bex.....will take some piccies and update on that as soon as life calms down!!!

Today, I am trying to get all festive with a piccie of our Xmas tree for today's challenge from Elvin on Just Bex. LOL.....well it was lucky the tree actually got put up this year-only a few weeks ago we had no heating in the dining room and bare conccrete floors, so please understand the lack of skirting and the general chaos in the room!!!

Our tree is rather chaotic too, each year we get a dated bauble from Harrods from Chris's Mum & Dad but the rest of the tree decorations are a complete mish mash of what we have collected over our 11 years together. Some mean more than others: We have a little church to represent our Wedding Year (97) of course first xmas decs for both Jack (99) and Amelia (01) and some representing us!!! Chris has a little red shining car...and I am an old boot!!! ( Say no more!)

Our pressies don't really go under the tree......we all eagerly await Father Xmas and his delivery and we have Mince pies, carrots, beer and a bowl of water all ready for preparation!!

Thank goodness it's Friday!!!

It has been a rather strange and draining week in the Dingle household. Poor little Amelia has been really ill, full of cold, high temperature, not eating, and having a sleep during the day- something I have not seen for many years. Bless her, I had to WAKE HER UP at gone 8am this morning when she is usually the early bird of the house and waking everyone else at 5.30-6AM!! Took her to the Doctors today as she just wasn't shifting it!!

The house, well not much progress really this week BUT we have at long last got a radiator fitted in our new dining room- perhaps we won't be wearing hats and scarves for XMas dinner after all!

Jack is the little socialite of the house! Tuesday he was in London visiting the British Museum with his year at school. Wednesday he was one of 4 children from his school & attended a Christmas party at 11 Downing Street!! Yesterday he went for tea at a friend's house and tonight he has his school Xmas disco....and all the while poor little Amelia has curled up on the settee and slept.

I am sooo out of routine I feel sort of lost- I need a kick up the backside to get me back on track and all the while I am desperately dosing the rest of the family up with vitamins and minerals to avoid the lurgy!!! I haver managed hardly any crafting at all, still only a few rows of knitting when I have had a few minutes "spare!" LOL....so much for being organised this Christmas eh!!

Not in the best of 'Elf!!

My little Amelia has been very poorly this week, she has even taken to having a little afternoon nap....something she hasn't done for years. I am rather at a loose end with so many festive preparations I SOOOO want to be doing but only snatching a few minutes to mysELF every now and then.

At least the festive fun has been keeping me going on my favourite forums!!! There is one little chappy keeping us all on our toes over on JUST BEX...the one and only Elvin the Elf. Every day he cracks the whip and sets us a new challenge but like a good little Elfie, a crafty prize is being sent by reindeer to one lucky member each day. So far we have had to load a piccie of oursELF...eeekk, a forum treasure hunt, a template challenge, a language quiz, a maths quiz and today he has got us doing a bit of ol' literacie....errrr...is that how it is spelt? So long ago I took my O'levels....but at the grand old age of almost 132...I don't suppose little Elfie will take that as an excuse!

Right, must dash, got to dust off the tinsel and find the fairy lights!!!!

Elvins Christmas-3rd Dec- A template

Another day nearer over on Just Bex and I have managed to make Chris his Christmas card using this template challenge. Not a great picture again, but I needed to upload it by midnight .......otherwise I might turn into a pumpkin!!! The glossy accent are still wet!!!!

To be honest I am lucky to have got anything done today...poor little Amelia has a rotten bug, she is full of cold, high temperature and was sick this morning. She even had a sleep this afternoon....so I could be in for a rough night! Better get in the shower and to bed while I can!

Nice to see you!!!

Just Bex - Elvin's Christmas Countdown!!!!!! 1st December

"OK everyone I am still sorting out my desk so a nice easy one to start us off You can see me in my avatar pic (not the best pic of me yet - but it was late December and I was not at my best overworked / underpaid) So go and grab that camera and take a picture of yourself and upload it on here by Midnight to be entered into the prize draw I NEED to know who I am dealing with And yes it has to be a NEW photo taken today - if you are home alone then you had better get creative with mirrors etc! "

Oh my, I do not like my piccie tken at the best of times, but especially when I have been up to my eyes in sandpaper and emulsion paint all day!!! BUT a gals gotta do, what a gals gotto do...I tried to hide behind a paintbrush at first but it didn't work!.....can I take it down again tomorow please!!!!

Tweet tweet!!

This weeks Dare from the DCM:

"This week its Rhi here to Dare you... and the theme is to do with our feathered friends!(Are you remembering to feed them now it's chilly out)Robins, love birds, cartoon birds, stamped birds, paper pieced birds, dingbat birds. Its up to you. I dare you to make a card with a bird or birds on, it doesn't have to be a real species, the more weird and wonderful the better! "

Hope I am not cheating tooo much! I actually made up the little birdie earlier on in the year as another of my unsucessful die cut competition entries...and she has sat there, very unloved and unwanted in a heap of scraps on my desk!!! Poor likkle birdie. SO...this was an ideal opportunity to puff away the plaster dust off of her and stick her onto a card!!!LOL.

Amelia's advent calendar!!

This term the school gave us the project of making an advent calendar with our children!!! I really struggled for ideas at first, worrying about making it "user friendly" for both Amelia to help make and also to use on the run up to Christmas. Her fine motor skills are delayed and her concentration is fairly low for a child of 6.

Eventually I decided to make up a Christmas tree that each day Amelia could decorate with a "bauble!" Once I actually got going I thoroughly enjoyed the task that I thought was going to be quite daunting! In fact I was dissapointed that I hadn't had time to start it earlier with her so that we could have shared more time in making it up.

I was amazed by her once again, she chose what coloured baubles she wanted, she helped cut some on my sizzix machine, she embossed some using my beloved Cuttlebug folders (you should have seen her turning the handle!!LOL I had better keep my eyes on my crafty stash!!) I helped her rub her little finger in my metallic rub-ons and she highlighted some of the textured baubles. I was in charge of the PVA but Amelia took great care in sticking some of the larger die cuts onto their baubles.

Then it can the time to decorate the tree with glitter glue tinsel. I made a big mistake here as she just didn't have the fine motor strength and control to squeeze the tube and "write" at the same time- so it was very much a joint effort working hand over hand...BUT she was an absolute pleasure to work with. Next time I will just let her loose with some metallic markers!!

Late last night I made up all the numbering, triplicating each number on the bauble, the tree base and it's final tree position. I made up a large number row too and popped a peg on to show what day we are on....and presented the finished result to Amelia this morning by showing her how to move the peg onto the number of the date, then look for the same number on the tree base and move it to the tree. I seperated the numbers into 3 sections on the base to make this easier for her.

We lovingly took it into school this morning and my goodness, how proud was I when I saw her showing her support worker and the other children how to move the peg and look for the "same!" What was I worried about!!!! One very proud Mummy!!!

Took some piccies but sorry, they really aren't up to scratch but at gone midnight, what should I expect!!

Getting there...

....well at least it seems that way for a while. Just managed to complete the order for the school and with a day to spare!!! So tonight on the agenda is Amelia's advent calendar which needs to go into school with her tomorrow. I am almost giving up hope on making a few Christmas presents as time is just flying by and we still have so much decorating to do....right I am off to update my "to do list!"

Housework...what housework....!!!

I am trying to ignore it...so so busy with my Xmas cards and I want to get things done and dusted. Made up 7 cards yesterday and cut and prepared another 6, all ready in their polybags ready to be assembled. Today I am in the middle of preparing another 4, again all ready for assembling tonight while I watch "I'm a celebrity!" What a sad little life I lead!!LOL It's not too bad as a am working on a few of the same designs at a time now!

Here is a pic of the card I have recently made for a friend. I made a similar 18th card for her in the summer...I still love those big blooms! In fact I popped a few more in my basket while at Dunhelm Mills a few weeks ago....can't go running out now can I!

Not a lot of crafting going on!!!

Trying desperately to find some crafting time but failing miserably it seems. Managed to get a few die cuts sorted today ready to make some Xmas cards up, but I left that in a vain attempt to make an advent calendar with Amelia ( a school project!!) BUT the night is young.

Riding for the Disabled yesterday was great! Amelia took to it like a likkle duckie to water and seemed to thoroughly enjoy herself...worth waiting for I hope!!! Didn't manage any great piccies but I loved the look on her little face on the first photo, it was during her first attempt at a trot!!!

Got a couple of "free days"ahead of me..LOL...whatever they are!! So I plan to get some serious crafting done!!!

The return of the Bad, bad blogger!

Coo eee!!! As I crawl out from under my computer desk!!

Sorry I have been missing in action!! Life tends to catch up and overtake and I am running along after it trying to catch up like a mad, mad woman...and failing miserably!

I haven't stopped but looking back I can't really tell you that I have achieved anything!! Had a few appointments with Amelia and, touch wood, things are moving along quite nicely at the moment. We took her to the Doctors yesterday for an immunisation, I have been putting it off for ages but at least we have some out of the way now!

Got a phone call last week saying that a place has come up for Amelia at Riding for the Disabled!!! We have been waiting for 2 and a half years now and to be honest I had given up hope. Not sure how it will go but she seems pretty excited. I have taught her a new stuctured sentence to say/sign and she is proudly telling everyone "I am going horse riding on Sunday!" "Hat on, fall off!!!" LOL...it amazed my that she mentioned the donkey rides we had on holiday for my 40th Birthday (which was March 2006) There were a couple of donkeys there and she rode on "Old Bear" a few times ....I was gobsmacked that she remember his name! Finger crossed it all goes OK.

As for my crafting I have been busy knitting teddies, not done much papercrafting at all!! However I have got a few card orders and hope to raise some funding for the school too.

My day is passing far too quickly...I am off to hunt for a 48hour day!!!

At last..my SIL's Birthday card!!

This card has been on my "to do" list for weeks!!! Sooo...I thought why not make it and get another challenge done and dusted. So here it is, yeah I know it's not completely different like it said in the challenge, but hopefully different enough to count!!LOL!

Notice the Cuttlebug snowflake die I have used for the flower centre...reminded me a bit of a poppy so now I want to try making one in red and black!! Hmmm...if only I had 48 hours in my day!!

We three......er..reindeer!

My second card for the CBC More than 1 challenge. One more to go!!! Now what shall I do?

I'm dreaming of a PINK Christmas!

I have managed to make a couple of cards today. This one fits in with two challenges;

Firstly this weeks Santa's Little Helper on DMC "This week we'd like you to make and share cards on a theme of Snowmen and Snowflakes."

This card also helps to complete my next challenge on CBC. This time I am having a go at;
"Challenge 15 MORE THAN 1! 3 to be precise – I want you to make 3 cards. Each card must have the same embellishment or stamp used on it 3 TIMES Ok so 3 cards all completely different " I loved doing this one- will have to make a few more of these I think....hmmm...what colour shall I try next?

Another week closer...

...to Xmas and time for me to update my weekly targets.

Here were last week's;

1 possibly 2 Birthday Club cards DONE
Birthday card for DD DONE
Birthday card for SIL NOT DONE
at least 2 Xmas cards MADE 11
more knitting ONGOING
Paint walls in dining room NOT DONE

Keep putting off that birthday card, MUST get it done this week!! So this week I am going to try to make;
Birthday card for SIL
at least 2 Xmas cards
more knitting
start decorating DS's new room (we are leaving the diningroom for now!)
make 1 xmas pressie!!

That will keep me busy!!

Just Bex - Happy Holly Days

Been a busy bee today, here are another three from me. This time for a challenge on Just Bex...not quite there yet, need to make 5 but I am slacking!!!

"Your Challenge is to make five cards that each have Holly on them... The Holly can be the main design of the card or used as an embellishment. "

CBC Big Challenge 10 Good enough to eat!

Here's 3 that I have manged this morning!

"another choice challenge and this time it must be GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT so show me your 3 tasty Christmas cards yup 3!!! "

I struggled with this one, was going to make up some Xmas puddings, spent ages making up some QK candy canes, then embossed them with some glossy accent- pleased with them, but haven't decided on a design yet!! So I stuck to my good ol' gingerbread stamp!!

CBC Big Challenge 16 To die for!

Make a CHRISTMAS card using DIE CUTS. No other rules.

An EXTRA 5 points if you use something on your card that starts with A Please LMK what ‘A’ thing it is you have used when you post OOOO AND I DO NOT MEAN A BRAD A BUTTON!!!!

Well I have quickly rumaged through my boxes of die cuts, thinking b for brad, r-ribbon, c-card, r-rub ons, w-wreath, h-holly, s- snowmen.......everything but As! Then I saw my cut but un-made reindeer, legs, bodies, heads, ANTLERS!!! LOL, well it begins with an A but whether it will be allowed, we will just have to see! LOL.

CBC-Big Challenge 2- A template!

LOL! I am not that great at templates either but BOY...Did I have fun with this one!! So glad I already had a stash of reindeer made up though! This is the first time I recall, EVER having one of my "special, personalised, family" cards made in November!! Thank you for another great challenge!

Will try to update pic tomorrow in natural light!!

CBC- Big Challenge 5-Foward & Back

Another challenge from Crafts by Carolyn. I am really not a stamper (blush) but enjoyed the challenge!

"For this challenge we want you to make a card using RUBBER STAMPS (don't panic if you haven't GOT stamps IMPROVISE!!!!) there are 2 steps to this challenge Use your stamps to make a BACKGROUND as well as having a MAIN STAMPED IMAGE. You can use two different stamps for the two elements or get creative and use the same stamp to make the background and the main image - it's up to you! "

Let it snow...again!!

After yesterday's DCM dare I am rather hooked to hand cutting! I haven't really done much on cards and haven't had the chance to scrap much recently. I decided to bring the technique into the first Challenge on Crafts by Caroyln's Big Weekend Challenge. This challenge was to make a card with more than one fold! Some of the work that has been produced is fabby, but far too technical for me!!! I stuck to a plain ol' concertina card. It's only a little A7 card,, need to get some smaller envelopes now as I am hooked!!

....and CUT!

Just finished a quick attempt at this week's dare!!

This week its Tracie setting the dare and it is to make a card and CUT!
Any theme goes, so for those of you needing a break from Christmas crafting this is the perfect opportunity to have a change. All styles are welcome but there MUST be an element of handcutting somewhere. It could be a greeting, a shape, letters printed on your pc and handcut, anything goes as long as you did it by hand.

Not sure about this one and thge awful lighting doesn't help!LOL. Never mind it's another one for the stock box!

This weeks goals!!

I just realised that I haven't posted this weeks goals!!! Bit late, but better late than never!!

1 Birthday Club card DONE
Birthday card for DD yes on blog !
Birthday card for SIL
at least 2 Xmas cards made
more knitting on going
Paint walls in dining room

Still playing catch up from previous weeks' goals but hey ho!!

Got 30 minutes before the school run...hmmm!

A ribbon topped recipe for Amelia!

Well I eventually managed to finish Amelia's birthday card just before leaving for the school run this afternoon..left my glossy accents drying as I shut the door!! Thank you to the Daring Card Makers for such great inspiration.

If you've already done your "Wrap it in Ribbon for Christmas" card and you're ready for a new challenge how about trying our Little Extra for this week. We're still playing with those wonderful Ribbon Oasis ribbons but this time we've got a Ribbony Recipe for you to play with.
The ingredients you need to use on your cards are:
4 brads/eyelets
3 circles
2 rectangles
and lashings of ribbon!
What sort of card you make is up to you this time - as long as you've got all those ingredients on there the choice is yours.

Here's how I made use of the "ingredients!"

4 Brads- x3 off-centred for flower centres, x1 to hold those scrummy ribbons!!

3 circles- cheated with these. I started off as just circles then I had the idea of using them as oversized centres of flowers!

2 rectangles-the backing papers and card

Lashings of ribbon!!Broke my heart using this lot, but at least I get to keep it in a way! Ribbon bunched with a brad in the corner, the stems and leaves of the flowers, used as a divider between the 2 rectangles, a little dash of ribbon on the greeting and lastly the little cat's collar!!!

We have carpet!!!!

Whoo hoo.....yes, carpet in our new bedroom, and curtains (thank goodness say the neighbours!) It wasn't fitted 'til gone 3pm this afternoon so we have rushed around this evening dismantling our bed and setting it back up in our new room. It's been a great day to have a bit of a "spring clean" too so all the bedding has been blowing around on the line and I have attacked everything in our new room with dusters and the hoover..again and again to try to make a start on getting rid of all this plaster dust!!! We even managed to give the bathroom another coat of paint today as Chris has had a days holiday!!! Shattered now though and it's Amelia's birthday tomorrow and I still haven't made her a card!!! Such a bad mummy!!

Seeing as I haven't a crafty installment from today I thought I'd share a card which I made for one of the girls in the Birthday group on Just Bex. It was a bit of a mad rush because of the postal strikes earlier this month but I have taken quite a liking to my new sizzix die!!

Watch the birdie!

Here is a Robin that I made up a while back for a competition. Seeing the quality of the winning entry I was quite embarrassed of my likkle birdie but thought it was a shame not to put him to good use!!! So here he is proudly fluffing his feathers on a Christmas card!!!

Feelling low!!

The weekend is over, we haven't stopped and there is still so much to do. The kiddies were tired and grumpy and are now fast asleep, I feel that I don't want to be too far behind them but we still need to get things ready for tomorrow.
We have almost finished our new bedroom ready for carpeting on Tuesday. The curtain pole needs to be put up and the door has been taken off it's hinges for me to stain and we have left that off until after the carpet is down. Hopefully we will start "moving in" on Tuesday so the slow process of decorating our old room & splitting the kiddies up again can take place!! There is clutter and dust absolutely everywhere!
Big progress was made over the weekend, most of the electrics are now in and functioning and the ceiling in the upstairs hallway has been plastered so the house smells of dampness. Tomorrow we have the plumbers back and hopefully tomorrow evening we will have our shower working and the downstairs toilet installed!!! I am just soo drained and need to keep focused on the positives of WHY we did this extension in the first place...but the mess is really getting to me as we are starting week 17 ( I think...I have lost count now!!)
Right my dinner is ready now, might pour myself a nice glass of wine too!!

DCM-Ribbons Galore!!!

After a miserable attempt at shoppiung this morning where I couldn't get hardly anything I needed for the kiddies, I resorted to shutting myself away from the builders and crafting. And what better excuse could I have than a ribbon challenge!!! I dithered around with so many ribbons and so many ideas I might need to do a few more attempts at this dare!!! Thank you once again for such inspiration!!