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!