2 more cards, more challenges!

Here are the cards I finished last night!!

Both cards meet the challenges on;
Crafts by Caroyln - Easy as 1,2,3 where you are challenged to make a card, layout or anything else you fancy with one or more numbers on it.
Papertake Weekly Challnge - Elegant Embossing where you need to make your project with the 'Elegant Embossing' theme (wet or dry embossing!).

To do list Week 2!!!

My first week back to list making and I haven't managed much at all!!!!

4 commissioned cards- DONE 3
Sew up teddy- NOT DONE
Complete 3 NVQ assignments- DONE 1, halfway through second!
1 hour tidying desk -DONE but it didn't make the slightest bit of difference!
3 runs (x 15 minutes)- NOT DONE......hangs head in shame...not even once. (will be hobbling around the race for life as my heel has really played up again this week!
1 xmas card- NOT DONE
Start project fot chris’s 40th!! - NOT DONE...but been looking at papers!!

SO THIS WEEK!!!!!!!

I will aim to;

Make 3 commissioned cards
Sew up teddy
Finished the 2 outstanding NVQ assignments
Another hour tidying desk
x1 run of 15 minutes
x1 Xmas card
BUY papers for Chris's 40th project!
Finish Gerry Hula Hoop the Giraffe!!

A weekend over...

....and not a lot done!!! My listmaking isn't going too well!

Gerry Hula Hoop has not changed much, today I manged to put on his bottletop knees and then add his ears and little horn things!!

Out of the 3 NVQ assignments I have only managed 1 still although the second is well under way.

Out of the 4 commissioned cards I have only made 1.....oh well, the week isn't quite over.

The card I DID manage to make was a wedding card- vintage style, using chocolate brown, cream and golds. This is what I ended up with.

I met 2 challenges here;

This weeks dare from The Daring Card Makers.

"Hi it's Keryn here and it's my turn to Distress you all, or at least your cards with this weeks dare. You can make a card for any season, any holiday, any occaision but you need to use either a fingernail, curled edges, sandpaper, tearing, anything you like really as long as looks like it's had a fair bit or wear and tear."

and also sketch # 9 over on My Paper World.

I have promised myself a hot shower and an early night as Amelia must have woke us up nearly every hour last night!!!

How time flies!!!

Goodness, it has flown by this week. Done so much but achieved so little and I am at work tomorrow so not much will get done then either.

I have managed to complete only 1 of my 3 NVQ assignments, the second is well under way.

AS for crafting, not a lot!!! I recieved the rubber stamp from the round robin Stamp Activity over on Crafts by Carolyn and I have stamped various images- I just want to do a few more then it gets posted to the next on the list.....mustn't hold the line up!!!!!! Then hopefully I will get to play tomorrow evening.

Had some great news out of the blue today. I have won "Card Maker of the month" for a sketch challenge over on Charmed Cards & Crafts Thank you, thank you. Will sit down and choose some goodies to make Chris a 40th Birthday keepsake!!

Right, suppose I'd better get back to my text books for a while, then a hot bath and an early night I think.

Back to my list making I think!!!

I really need a kick up the backside........children are back to school and I desperately need to play catch up and feel as if I have some progression in my life. I have just got back from Amelia's first Annual Statement Review and my head is just all over the place as to where Amelia needs to be. Her Speech & Language report shows she is really only working at the lavel of a 3/4 yr old according to the assesssment but the school assessments show that WITH support both her reading and writing are at level 1C. I am happy for her to be at mainstream now but already I feel I need that crystal ball and look into the future of Junior Schools!!!
Just take one day at a time Adele!!!!!!

My life will always be hectic but I strive to have at least a little "controllable" organisation in my world. Personally I NEED it to not feel like a complete failure! SO the lists are back!!!!!!

This week I will aim to:

Make 4 commissioned cards
Sew up my knitted girlie teddy
Complete 3 NVQ assignments
Spend 1 hour tidying my desk
Do 3 runs (even if it's only 15 minutes each) Race for Life is approaching far too quickly!
Dare I even try BUT...make 1 Christmas card!!!
Start on a project for Chris's 40th!!!!!!

Think that will keep me going for a while don't you!! Better stop now!



I will not fail, I will not fail, I will not fail.....!!!!!!!! Oh, oh, with all this positive thinking. I will add "10 minutes of my Yoga DVD that I have had since Xmas and have nbot even opened the case!"

Back to routine!!!

Been a great but tiring day. Children back to school and had feedback about Amelia, who has has a really good day at school. Jack is a changed little boy, read to me before school this morning, did netball after school and has been so calm and relaxed he is like a different boy!

Been at work today so all I had time to do was a quick lunch and a few rows of knitting before I had to do the school run...them Amelia and me set to work on the giraffe...AGAIN. She still wasn't keen on the paper mache but helped rip the paper and stirred the PVA mix. Amelia has named him "HULA HOOP!" and Jack wanted to call him Gerry...so he is now known as Gerry Hula Hoop Giraffe!!!!

One step forward...and 3 back!!

It's been another draining weekend. We have moved furniture around in an attempt to get the house organised after the extension..the kitchen (which is hopefully being renewed soon) was just getting back into a state of normality after knocking out the wall that divided it with what was our old dining room. We used make shift cupboards and got a few cheap worktops and it was great to have such space.

BUT this weekend I have clutter on the worktops where we have moved my lovely old Ducal desk into Jack's room and needed to find new homes for all the "stuff" that had accumulated there. On top of that, today, slap bang in the middle of the kitchen I have had the giraffe!!!! Seeing as it was so cold and wet outside we set up the paper mache camp in the middle of the kitchen...I didn't mind as the floor needs completely renewing and most of it is the very old & grubby Marley tiles. This evening I have been cooking a roast and working around this huge giraffe obstacle!! Jack loved helping but as I suspected, Amelia wasn't too keen on the paper mache...sensory issues get in the way yet again!!! We have now carried him very carefully into the dining room and stood him in front of the radiator to dry....it's going to be a long, slow process I think!!! He's got to go into school around 6th May.

He now has a head!!!!Paper Mache has started at last!

And onto MY crafting...well not a lot has happened. Finished knitting my little girlie bear and will hopefully make her up this week...got to knit some little clothes for her yet!! Gave up on the circular knitting - I was getting so stressed with the children it just wasn't the right timing...I will save that for another day. I have water coloured a few more images all ready to go onto cards and today I treated myself to a few new downloaded images...LOL...yes, they have been printed and I have coloured 3 which are sitting on my desk drying.

Children fed and bathed, uniforms all sorted, school bags at the ready in the hall.......I am going to pour myself a glass of wine and barricade the door of my craft room!!!

Funny mood Friday!

Been another funny day really, started off by having to take Amelia to the opticians...again!! There was me thinking I wouldn't have so many appointments now the Orthoptist doesn't see her at the hospital...so instead she needs to go to the Opticians every 3 months!!! Still- good news is that Amelia is getting on very well with her bifocals and her prescription didn't need changing.....so got a whole 3 months before we need to go again!!



I haven't really got into any papercrafting so far today although my chalenge diary is bulging at the seams, I still have 5 commissioned cards to make and my desk is....errr...well it's under there somewhere. I have a giraffe in the dining room ready to start the paper mache...and instead what am I doing???????????


I am going to KNIT!!! No not the cutesy little girlie bear I have half finished...oh no, that would be far too sensible. Instead I am going to try my hand with double pointed needles. After the many moons of knitting, it's something I have never attempted, being a left hander, my knitting technique is rather unique shall we say. LOL...so this attempt could be an absolute failure but never trying, I will never know. I am hoping for this project to also be my first attempt at felting too.....I never really do things in half do I!


My flame coloured pure new wool stash......kettle on, biscuits at hand, children settled, DVD...check! Here I go!!!!!!!!!

At one with Nature!!!

A fabby challenge over at The Bumbleberry Café where Rach has got us going back to nature!

Right a challenge for all card makers, and scrappers alike!..... I would like you to get "at one with nature", and that leaves it wide open!, so no excuses!!! Make a card or LO using either the colour tones of nature? using a photo of your fav flower perhaps? a fav scene? anything goes really.

Not really sure that this fits in 100% but I love the earthy colours, the blooms and of course the feather. Loads of ideas for this one, might have to make a few more, there is so many angles with this!! (oh no....not good at decisions!)


Paper-Laura Ashley, stamped image- The Artistic stamper, Cuttlebug -Paisley folder.

A better day today!

I haven't stressed about the children, I have been a bad mum and let Jack watch TV nearly all morning and now he is jumping around like a lunatic with Amelia on the Eye Toy...just waiting for sparks to fly again.

Apart from loading the dishwasher,hoovering the dining room and doing 2 loads of washing...I haven't done anything around the house....it will still be there for me tomorrow and possibly the day after that.......

I am cheating with dinner tonight, salmon steaks are seasoned and wrapped in foil ready to put in the oven, new potatoes are in the steamer ready to go on and I have frozen veggies in bags (!!!) ready to pop in the microwave when Chris gets home.

I have tried to tie up some outstanding crafty loose ends just to tell myself I have actually done something!!!! and of course later on I have promised to make a giraffes head!

I have stamped a few images ready for use later and have been so tempted to make up cards there and then, but time just won't allow it at the moment. So I still have 2 Dotties in a state of "undress" just waiting to be put onto cards!!!! I have Cat Dottie (from the Dress up Dottie Set)

and Bathtime Dottie (from Dottie at home) I need to sort her towel out yet though!!

These are such great fun to colour and embellish...I am in heaven with my glossy accents and liquid applique and glitters and liquid pearls............I am also getting a taste back for decoupage...I suppose that started with the Fairie Poppets card I made last month...hmmm..Is my crafting really going round in circles!!

So today I have....

*blitzed the kitchen
*blitzed the bathroom
*had my hair all cut off!!!

*played memory games with the children

*cried because the children are fighting so much

*made a shepherds pie with Amelia (!!)

*sat down to make an unfinsished card and got called away..AGAIN.

*start making a (headless) giraffe!!!!

*had yet another NVQ assessment cancelled on me!

I am shattered to be honest, despite me so wanting to sit down and do something creative, I think all I am fit for is curling up on the settee...might manage a bit of knitting if I am lucky.


The giraffe has been planned for weeks and is part of Amelia's homework-it needs to be over a meter tall and suitable to go outside in the school playground. We still have a long way to go (as you can see by the pics) but at least we have made a start. Paper mache alert!!!!!!

Helping Daddy!!!

Concentration!!

Fine motor skills...who needs the practice?

Letting Jack have a turn!

The result so far.....a headless..er...Giraffe!!!
Please watch out for our next riveting installment of "The headless Giraffe!!!"

Knitting Dotty!!!

I used Knitting Dottie for sketch challenge #5 over on Charmed Cards & Crafts. I am afraid by the time I had finished with it, it didn't look much like the original sketch but I had SO much fun making this one up...look at Dotties lovely shagpile carpet!!!!!!

Another holey challenge!!!

So taken by the earthy colours I used for the vintage swap I was drawn to using a few more for my next challenge card. I cheated a bit on this one by including two challenges into one card, not something I like to do but with so many fabby challenges and the kiddies off school..it was either that, completely fail, or tear my hair out!!!!

I used a faux stitching effect by piercing the paper- again something I don't usually do-if I want a "true" stitched effect I usually get my sewing maching out- but I enjoyed trying out something a bit different for me! This meets the challenge over on My Time To Craft (Try sewing stitches by hand, use a sewing machine, rubber stamps or hand draw them. You can make a Card, Tag, ATC, Skinny, Scrapbook page, Fatbook Page (4x4) Gothic Arch, Moo Mini card, Skinny, Inchie or Altered Art. )

I have also attempted my first Sketch Challenge (#4) over on Charmed Cards & Crafts.

Hole in One!!

Another Dottie, another challenge. This time I used Princess Dottie and took inspiration from the "lace" on her dress to make a picture frame. It fitted in perfectly with a Challenge over on Crafts by Carolyn.

" Hole in one - Your challenge today is to make something that includes piercing. Lots of little holes are what we want to see. You don't need any fancy equipment for this one - if you don't have a paper piercer (I don't!) then grab a map pin or something similar and you're off. "

I had to hunt high and low for the scrap of "little princess paper" I had left over! (if I remember rightly, I THINK its frm 3 bugs in a rug!!)

Vintage swap!!!

Today I got my parcel for the Vintage Swap from Juanita!!!! Lookie, lookies at what I got!!! They are absolutely lovely Juanita, I am SO going to try to tidy my desk so you will be actually able to see the lovley fabric bowl especially!!!

I am still in progress of yours....with the children at home progress has been slow but it is starting to come together now and I am loving working with the really rustic, earthy colours in contrast to what I have been making recently.

Here are a few tasters for you Juanita!!

Meet George!

This is George- he is a handsome chappy isn't he...well Dottie thinks so! You will have to excuse him though...his boot polish is still wet in the rush to get Amelia to bed as Chris collects Jack from Karate!!!!

Footballer George meets this weeks challenge over on Funky Fairys where ....Your challenge for week #15, if you wish to accept it, (and why not? You're brave), is to design a MALE/BOY themed card.

Flower Dottie!

I have snatched a few minutes here and there to make up another Dottie card-this time I have used Flower Dottie from the Dress up Dottie Kit. I started this card, got the part oval idea and the scallopped grass in place then realised the it might suit the latest template over on Challenge Ismaki I played around with the flower stems for a while, added beaded wires and then scrapped them in place of a few doodled stems!!

Dottie Downloads!!!!

After dithering around last night I panicked about which format I should buy my Dottie downloads in....so this morning I took the plunge and ordered my first set......."Dress up Dottie" after downloading and printing off was such a breeze......I just couldn't resist going back in for more!!!! LOL....I now have ...ermmmm....65 images all printed off and ready to colour. The children had great fun this morning looking at them and helping me choose which ones to try out first.

Pencils, pens and watercolours at hand I am going to cuddle up with the children and do some crafting.

My 2nd Dottie!!

Been a busy gal today, after making a scrummy spag bol, with Amelia's help (well actually the phone rang and she threw the rest of the uncut peppers into the bin with the scraps!!!) I left Chris to look after the children while I shut myself away to craft for a while.

First I mounted the blue tag onto a backing and made up a complete card.

Then I set to work on my 2nd Dottie. She is such fun to work with, I suppose it's her quirkiness that made me feel a bit more adventurous with colours as well as attempting my first ever freehand scallops!!!! LOL......I really feel I went over the top with little Charmed Dottie no.2 , but I love her!! Loads of texture with the tiny bubbles CB embossing folder and yet more dots on the BG paper. Look closely and you may see that I have used have a tube of glossy accent too!! But Dotties a very extrovert young girl it seems!!!!

A quick tag!!

I found this challenge on blog by the fanstastic Jules and I thought it looked quite a quick and easy challenge to do while the children are around. I have had Amelia in here with me doing the embossing on the CB!!!

Tag You're It!- the first challenge was "Shade of Blue!" I am not sure about the finished tag, but had fun making it and tried a different effect by doing some freehand embellishes with my glossy accents just to add a bit of dimension!!! I used a friend stamp from Hero Arts, as a collage effect for the large tag and the little girl stamp is by Crafty Individuals....and of course my beloved CB embossing folder!!!

Looking forward to the next one of these.

Hello Dottie!!!!!!!

My first (of what I am sure will be many) Dottie card....meet Charmed Dottie!

This is also my first challenge over on Charmed Cards & Crafts.

Round 2 challenge 4 by LouRight ladies this is a nice easy one, so easy in fact I’m only giving you a week to do it (evil laugh). To celebrate the launch of Dottie I challenge you to make a ‘Dottie’ card (Dottie the character, not polka dots LOL).

Okay so here are the points·

For making a Dottie card........ 30 points·

For adding Scalloping...............10 points·

For Dry embossing.....................5 points·

For using buttons.......................5 points.

50 points in total

I love her so much I am going to treat myself to some downloads later....if the children give me a few spare minutes that is!!LOL. This is another first for me as she is my first card made with a download. I was a bit concerned that the ink would run so I used my marvy markers more than actual water colours, and of course a few features were hilighted with my glossy accents..but not shown that well in pics-sorry.

It's finished at last....

....the card that has been sitting on my desk for 2 days that is!!!! I have been quite low again today, just struggling to get motivated and not knowing what to do first really. So much is on hold for one reason or another and I cannot tick the box and say it's done if you know what I mean. BUT it's another card off my "To do list" and it also meets the latest challenge over on Cute Card Thursday! Our challenge this week is 'Planes, trains and automobiles'
but of course we wouldn't restrict you to just those vehicles, absolutely any mode of transport is allowed!

Using my little Hamish with Tractor stamp, picked up on the background swirls on the papers and used my devine swilrs CB folder....and of course finished with a few glossy accents!!

I just can't resist a dare!!!

So much for sticking to order in my challenge diary! I was half way through a card this morning, then I updated my diary with some new challenges that had been launched today...and then it all fell apart at the seems!!!

I obviously cannot resist a dare!!!!



We've folded.....:)
Now this weeks mid week dare is inspired by Rachel and is called 'Folded' ! This is not folds in the card blank itself, but rather folds ON the card- whether it be some kind of paper folding technique or folded embellishments or even just a folded over message of some type.



Now funny enough this idea came to me at the weekend while making some cards for another challenge so as soon as I read this- I just had to drop everything a give it a go....the other card by the way is still sitting unfinished on my desk!!! ( I have an excuse as the children are at home, I have cooked dinner tidied up and helped hang one of our new vertical blinds in the kitchen! )Now it is time for a nice cuppa and curl up on the settee with hubby to watch Moonlight.

The paper is out of the prize pack Martine sent me, the gold shimery paper is out of the depths of an untouched pack from yonks ago-think it came from Craft Creations

Trying triangles!!

I have been playing with this idea for a "triangle card" for a few days now and kept on putting it off- but the diary system is working and I am trying to put some order in my life!!! So after a very tiring morning at the hospital with Amelia I am treating myself to a short time crafting while the children watch a DVD!

The inspiration came from the latest Arty Girlz Challenge ; The challenge this week is to have TRIANGLES on your project, as usual you choose the format so you could make a card, do a scrapbooking layout Altered Art etc......

So here it is my fairy with triangular bunting!!!!! Great way to use up all those little scraps of paper...LOL.....I don't throw ANYTHING away!!!

Stamped image-RAK, CB embossing folder, blooms by Lisa.

Thank you, thank you!!!

Ellen from Scrappanic has given me an Arteypico Award!!!!! Thank you so much for your kind words. I am quickly posting this for now and will have to have a think about who I pass it on to. The children are up to mischief-must rush!!LOL.

For now, thank you to whoever reads my waffle!

On a roll now!

The diary seems to be inspiring me- I have put in about 12 challenges to do over the next week. LOL- don't imagine I will get many of them done with the children on school holiday but I can try.

My next card is made from a template challenge (no.13) on Challenge Ismaki. I loved working with the dull "masculine colours!"

Right, what's next in my diary!!!!

Long Tall Sally!!

Another card- another challenge. This time I have joined in with this weeks Funky Fairys Challenge where "I want you to make something tall and skinny (like I want to look!! LOL). It can be a card, tag, bookmark - you decide, just make sure it is tall and slim!"

I decided to use the little Imaginisce chick stamp I won over on Just Bex. I attacked her with some watercolours and pearlescent paints, then glossy accents. Popped in a little black brad eye and then cut her out.

Snow - it had to be done!!!

It is still coming down thick and fast here so we made the most of it and had some time in the garden with the children- not sure who enjoyed building the snowman the most- Chris or the children!! All back in the warm again now and the kettle is on!

Papertake Weekly- Making Waves!

I have been looking around for a few more challenge sites and building a nice little list in my favorites- I am still trying to get myself tidied and organised, but progress is slow. If only I didn't take quite so long dithering about what to actually do- then progress would be much better...but that is me I am afraid, I have been like it for 42 years, I can't see me changing now!



I am going to use a big desk diary that is sitting unused in the kitchen, for my crafty use. Hopefully I can put in challenges and deadline dates as well as working towards any cards I need to make personally. My own diary gets filled up with appointments for hospitals, opticians, school meetings, NVQ deadlines....etc.....not anything for ME!!!! Now if only I could find my old filofax and transfer all the birthday dates over I could make a start!!!



Right waffle over- this is my first attempt at a Papertake Weekly Challenge. I found the site a few weeks back but never got around to joining in. But this week I just had to have a go.

Making Waves

This weeks challenge is nice and easy! 'Making Waves' - the challenge is to use scallops or zig-zags (or both if your really keen lol!) on your project! Looking forward to seeing your creations!



I have been wanting to try out some large scallops for a while and yesterday while organising the childrens crafty stuff, I came across an embossing template that came free with a magazine...it had a really large scalloped edge so I just couldn't resist trying it out- and the scallops fit perfectly onto a small square card. I made two this morning- a Sugar Nellie for a girl and a Cuddly Buddly for a boy.