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.

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!!