TRYING to tidy!!!

My craft room is such a mess, I haven't had much time to play this week and when I have done, I have been naughty and not cleared up in an attempt to be as productive as possible til the very last minute. Well it has finally caught up on me and I haven't room to hardly move, let alone craft!LOL.

I am ...ahem, cough....er....treating myself to little bits of new stash, just little snippets, here and there and I just haven't got storage organised yet. This week I recieved the lovely stash prize from Martine over on Crafts Beautiful- thank you so much. I have only just got it all out and had a proper look- my fav has got to be the little pack of papers-there are some lovely patterns in it- just my cup of tea. In fact I want to use some NOW- but I mustn't- I have got to tidy even a little space first!

Mr Postie has also brought me a little prize from a challenge I did a while ago over on Just Bex - I won a little birdie stamp from Imaginisce- must try that out too.

Oh, so much I want to do...right no more excuses, I MUST tidy up!

Shrink to fit!!

Had a quick go at the latest dare from the Daring Cardmakers this morning.

"So without further ado, here's my tiny little challenge for this weekShrink to FitI used to be able to make cards with lots of "white space" around the designs, but lately when I've tried to do this my cards just look sooooo naked!
So this week I'd like you to think small - not small cards, but small spaces of embellishment on regular sized cards.
You are allowed to cover no more than a 5x5cms area of your card with paper or embellishment - the rest of the card must be left plain.
How you use those valuable cms is up to you. So you may choose to split up those cms to use around your card, or use them in a block or a line. It might help to cut a few 5x5cm squares then cut those up to work out good ways of using your allotment. Making your whole card a miniscule 5x5cms is NOT an option!! Lets have no cheating (I know what you lot are like),but because I'm feeling generous, I'm going to let you add a SIMPLE greeting as extra to your 5x5 allowance! "

The main stamped image is by Crafty Individuals and I used a friend collage stamp by Hero Arts for the frame which I embossed with a mixture of clear and copper embossing powders. Sorry, not a great pic!!

Meet Hamish!

I coloured this little fellow a couple of days ago, and he has sat on my desk in a bag, with some other new "friends" just waiting to come out and play...sorry I really have cracked now, it's been a long day. To top it all, poor Jack came home from school really poorly, he has had to miss karate tonight and he has his grading on Saturday!!! He seems much brighter so fingers crossed an early night and a dose of Calpol will work wonders for him!

Right, back to Hamish.......this is my first attempt at a My Paper World Challenge, see template 7

Spent all day crafting...

....and achieved a big fat nothing....well I lie!! I have manged one likkle card! I have been playing with different ideas on how to include personalised information on the fronts of these cards I need to make!

Earlier I thought it would be a good idea to make up a little girlie bag card. Looked around for templates but just didn't seem to find what I had in mind. Loads of lovely 3d bags and boxes to add to my "to do" list but I needed something straight forward that would fit in a standard envelope.

Eventually I decided to make one up myself!! Took inspiration from the very simple Quickutz handbag, then played with a closure and clasp, didn't get on with that so I added a little pocket instead. I made the pocket out of a Sizzix large die-super scallop tag, just cutting off the tag shaped end. Next I ran part of it through my CB paisley embossing folder and scored the edges of the pocket.

Really not sure I like it, it doesn't help that I am not a purple person!!!

Oh, and Mr Postie knocked on my door just before the school run this afternoon (!!!) I have my prize goodies from Martine for the Fairy card.......scrummy, thank you Martine, will take some pics later!!

My first Arty Girlz Challenge

Another personalised card from me- this time I took inspiration from the Arty Girlz Chocolate challenge!

Make something that includes chocolate! Chocolate coloured paper, ribbons, flowers, chocolate smelling embossing powder. A chocolate cake perhaps! The only other condition is that it HAS to include only one other colour (oh ok I'll let you have white too then lol)

I decided to make a chocolate and pink card, with a few little cream flowers (instead of white!)

I love the paisley CB folder-first time I have used it!!

Seems like ages...

...since I managed any crafting. The weekend was taken up with trying to organised the house, getting kitchen stuff down from the loft and finding homes for it all in our make shift kitchen. Just started to get straight then Chris decided he would drill out the big whole in the kitchen wall for the extractor fan to go!!! (We need it done before Building Control will pass the extension, even though we still have the kitchen to do!!) Goodness-I know it needed doing but we both really didn't expect it to make so much mess. So yesterday I was clearing up brickdust again!!!

Last night I started knitting a new teddy- I am quite excited about her- I think she is fab and I have all these weird colour combinations in my mind that I want to try out. So far I have only done her body and head front, I am resisting the temptation to do any more until this evening.

Disaster has struck- I have run out of basic white card. I never really used much before I started stamping, I always went for hammer instead, but I have been getting through it quite quickly now I have my new found passion of stamping. Off to the Paper Mill Shop on Wednesday to stock up!

Here is a card I have just finished. It's the second of an order of eight. Struggling to find ways to get all the personalisations on these- I feel I will be repeating myself over and over again if I am not careful.

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Very happy, shattered, but happy!!

I was very unsettled last night, Jack was poorly and I didn't get much sleep. Today I have been to work and didn't really have chance to eat properly as I covered lunchbreaks. I got home in time for a quick cuppa and a look around online before I had to dash back out on the school run!



BUT, what I discovered in that short time has put a huge grin on my very weary face!

Firstly I discovered that Martine over on the Crafts Beautiful forum has selected my Fairie Poppets card as the winning card in her Fantasy Card Challenge. THANK YOU Martine- it was a great challenge and I thoroughly enjoyed taking part.






Secondly, Liz44 over on the Just Bex Forum had asked my about the Hampton Art stamp I used to make my latest inchie cards. I directed her where to go to spend her money- as us crafters do!!! What does she do to repay me- She nominates my inchie card to be feautured on Inspirational which they followed up and I am featured on there today!!!!

Thank you for making a lovely ending to a very long and tiring week!

...and now my first Nellie!!

Well Mr Postie turned up trumps again today, that all my birthday pennies spent!! Apart from feeling really yukky, achey and tired (was awake a just gone 5am again!!) I have tried to cheer myself up with my new goodies. And how could I resist using such fun and bright colours...not my usual style at all. (Do I actually have a style? hmmm- not sure!)

As well as a few more stamps I got some bargain Quickutz dies,only £1.99 so I treated myself to a few "extras " like the photo corners and another fastener (that makes my third now!) a little tag and a lacey thing(!)

Isn't it funny how an image can inspire such motivation for colour!! Or am I alone in my own mad world?

What did I tell ya'!

I am hooked!!!!LOL. After water colouring a few more Cuddly Buddy images last night, this morning i have made a card using yet more of the scrummy Basic Grey Oh Baby! Girl range, the colours are just so much fun to work with!

and here's my second one!!

I did manage to water colour a few images tonight, and in between I finished this. Struggled a bit deciding what paper to use but got there....eventually!!

My first Cuddly Buddly!

Not my usual colours, but I chose the paper first-then coloured to match!! I can see me getting hooked!!

Whooo hooo...letter post has arrived now!!

And with it my order from Cuddly Buddly.......just cutting and mounting some stamps NOW!!!!

Been quite good, only a few stamps, some brads, some gingham ribbon and a sheet of Kling on. Off to play now!!!

Mr Postie has been!!

I got back from the school JUST in time. I had just put the kettle on, looked out the window and there was the red van!!!I got all excited but I still have more to come!!

Today I have got;

My Easter Swap from Champs. A huge thank you, the chocolate looks great- will tuck into some of that tonight with hubby!

and a little parcel of crafty goodies. I was hoping it would be some of the new stamps I have ordered but it was 2 more CB folders!! Yipppeee, I now own "Swiss Dots" and "Perfectly Paisley!" Now I am off to try them out with my fingers crossed that when Mr Postie arrives later with letter post, some stamps will arrive too.....greedy aren't I!!!