Tuesday 30 June 2009

It's woofin' hot round here..

Blimey - me reckons that summer has arrived at last! I am not a heat/sunlover really, and I have two fans in the house whirring around to cool it down. The dogs are loving it too! They are all really hot and bothered, and even after a couple of minutes outside are puffin' and pantin'! It was around 22 degrees yesterday, and is apprantly around 24 here today!

However.. I my new lickle investment piece arrived today - a Canon IS F4 zoom lens! Ohhhh I've waited for this baby for a while I can tell you! And when I actually did decide to order it, it arrived within 18 hours - how good is that?

Well.. of course I had to have a play didn't I? And my usual two suspects were happy to be apprehended and roped in!

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Fluffball Scoobs is looking a handsome lad these days. And below, you will see Grotbags (AKA Holly!) is just being her usual mischievous self.. lol. Now, you have to meet our little Starlet to realise why her name is Grotbags - our little nickname for her.. and it suits her well! Truly was nowhere to be seen - as is usual when the camera is around. Reckon she must be a bit shy!

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The lens is fantastic.. I love it already.. and the IS is great too - I had a play with some photos using it and not using it.. what a difference it makes when full zoom is on too! Very helpful as I tend to always shoot fully manual.

Well.. I'd better get off and carry on the work - I've got a Designer Kit from Docrafts sat here, unloaded twice and popped back in for a quick peek, but I've had a few magasine commissions come in over the last few weeks so needed to get them done first.  I'm currently working on SU samples, mag work, POW for Docrafts, and trying to get some other work done in between.. as well as trying to get the darn laptop sorted - it's apparantly the power cable - what can anyone do without the use of a power cable??!! I wonder!

Right.. I'm really off now.. off to have a natter with me buddy Nikki. xx

Sunday 28 June 2009

Blinkin' Computers!

Don'tcha just love em?

I'm typing this from my daughter's lappy because mine is acting up today! I've a few cards to show you too, but can't upload from this one as my DD doesn't have the software.. lol.

So what's up with mine now?? Well, my oldest daughter was using it earlier to upload some photos onto facebook and it just went off. The charger wouldn't charge, and after around five hours we've (well, me and the tinternet!) have established it could be the power cable.. that was after thinking it was major renovation time with a new motherboard and even a bit of soldering needing to be done with my power connector! (how professional do I sound?)

Well.. I've replaced the batter on it for now, plugged in the AC cable and it's sat in a precarious position being charged! (did you know you can run the lappy without the battery in place? I didn't! lol)

Oh well.. will come back on later to upload photos, but thought I'd keep you all in the know.. I know you wanted to know.. and I needed to tell.. haha..

see ya soon x

Thursday 25 June 2009

A trip far, far away...

actually, not that far away.. lol.. but still a trip! On Tuesday I had the fantastic opportunity to go down to Peterborough for the Stampin' Up Field Training Event. It was really good - apart from the meeting starting half an hour late because of a darned fire alarm - however there were some rather hunky firemen around! Hehe..

It was a few hours full of chatter, fun, crafting, ideas and inspiration.. and we got a free stamp set to boot! How lovely!!!

I met up with a few people who I recognised from ILWS. I also met Sarah who is also a Docrafts Designer same as me, her upline was there too - driven all the way from Kent! I did make a really special friend, Germaine, who I am hoping is going to become a great person to know.. she has a cheeky personality and is so lovely and warm.

These are the projects we made on the night.. a card wallet and a bookmark. I love the tag punch, I love the colours, and most of all, I love me freebie stamp set!! It was on my wish list but I guess I can cross this off now.

And here is me and my lovely friend, Germaine.
The photos are SOOC so are not brilliant .. but if you'd like to see more, then please go on over to my other blog HERE and take a peek!

Tuesday 23 June 2009

I did it !

Rosie-Dee's challenge blog were looking for DT members last week, and I decided to apply, not thinking I would get on.. and to my suprise, I did it! The wanted me to join their team.

My term on the DT runs from July through to September, and I'm really looking forward to getting stuck into it!!

Still gobsmacked!

Sunday 21 June 2009

What a day..

I have had just the busiest day today. I've been down to the Stamp Magic show at the Dome in Doncaster where I was demoing for Phyllis and Diamond Card Craft.

The day started off great (!) after being stuck in traffic trying to get into the show for around 20 minutes, and I saw lots of faces I recognised. Its really funny actually.... folks stand in front of me, and I'm trying to demo, thinking 'I know you... mmm.. wonder where from?'.. and they think the same too apparantly.. usually between us we work it out. LOL.

Anyway, the day went well and the stall was very busy all day. I did get time to do a bit of retail too.. I bought a camper van stamp, a leafy punch, some bits and pieces for my cards.

I am now tired out.. being creative all day is good - it's really good - apart from it leaves me with brain-mush. Not as much though, I may add, as George and Phyllis.. who rang me around half five from the A57. They were heading home and had taken the wrong turn out of the Dome, and ended up going miles out of their way! They did get on the right track eventually hehe.. I just hope they're home now.

So, what stalls did I love the best?? Wow.. there is so much to choose from, but my favourites had to be the Stamp Man, the chinese guy with the punches (those who go to shows, will I'm sure know who I'm on about.. don't know his name, other than Spike!), loved Dianne's Die Cuts as usual, although I didn't buy anything today, and last but not least Inkylicious... what fantastic storage.. I can see that in my craft studio!!!! And it's cheap!

If you managed to get down to the show - Well Done! If you didn't.. you missed a treat!

I'm just waiting for my son to return home.. he's been doing security down at the Grand Prix this weekend, so I'm sure he's tired after 12 hours shifts!

So.. until next time.. have fun.. happy stamping!

Saturday 20 June 2009

Rosie Dee...

This challenge blog is just great! I love it. And... did you know that they are looking for DT members? Well.. who could resist that?

I read the rules over on their blog HERE and made my lickle ol' card accordingly. Here it is-

 The cardstock is SU, and the papers are from the Craft Den, Sheffield. They are Daisy Bucket.. and I must admit, I'm loving the texture on these papers. The frame for the clown was cut from Nesties and obviously the image was stamped. The stamp is High Hopes.

Here are the details in, well, a little more detail.. lol


I used Craftwork Cards Chocolate Drops for the centre of the flowers, which were punched using an X Cut punch.

Hope you like it..

Friday 19 June 2009

Stamp with Us challenge..

Whoops... a card I forgot to include last night..

Here's one that I made to go with the Stamp With Us Challenge from this week. Did I tell you I made one of the Favourite Five last week?? I got a little award badge. How good do I feel about that?

Anyway, here's the challenge picture I used as inspiration.

I just absolutely love the colours - aren't they fresh and lovely? I used the colours and the hearts, and came up with this....

 
I used the Forever Flowers Wheel from Stampin Up for the background, rolled over a versamark pad and chalked to lift the colours a little. The stamp is a hostess set - isn't it lovely? Do you want the complete set for free?? Then just contact me to arrange a workshop.. there are other stamps to choose from too!
Here's a close up of the stamped image, which shows a little bit of layering too. I coloured the image with copic markers.
 I haven't uploaded pics of the pupsters for the last week or so, so here's a little glimpse of how much they've changed - well, actually, they've not changed, but they're more beautiful every day (does that count? LOL) 
This first one is Scooby, just looking out the window in one of his dopey moments. (one? he has lots of dopey moments, he's a wonderful cuddly springer, who I lubbs lots!)
....... and lickle Holly... she's just so damn cute. She is a bundle of affectionate-cuddliness. She loves her cuddles, and her sleeps.. and the hair is just evidence of that - she's got a bit of bed-head going on here! 
I'm pretty sure I'll be back later, as I'm back doing samples today for Sunday, so call back soon xx

Thursday 18 June 2009

Just a quick post..

I've had a mega busy couple of days so am just rushing on to show you a few things made over the last couple of days. I'm shattered, reckon it must be the weather - or the stress of moving banks again! - but more on that later..

Here are a few cards I've made for the show at the Dome, Doncaster, where I'll be with Phyllis demoing the fantastic Eazi Score boards. See you there folks?

 
This is one card I've made using all Eazi products - well, apart from the addition of little paper roses, but I can make those too if I had time.. lol. I used the exclusive stamps, which are available on the Diamond Card Craft web site.

For this card, I used the stamps again from DCC, stamping with versamark and going over with coloured ink. The flower is from the CD which Phyllis bought out the other month.. there's a new one too.. have you seen it? Have you? Have you???
This one is pretty self explanatory.. just messing - or getting messy! - with inks and stamps, and a little bit of bling. 
And finally..
Some floral shots for you, taken today out in the garden. The light was amazing later on this afternoon, so thought I'd take advantage and shoot a few images. 

Monday 15 June 2009

Fur and Petals..

Apart from a little bit of crafting last night at my workshop, I haven't even lifted a pair of scissors all weekend! The weather has been absolutely wonderful this weekend again, so we took the opportunity to do a bit more of the garden, planted some pots up with the bedding plants and went to the garden centre to buy me a new honeysuckle and potentilla. I love honeysuckle, but we had to lose this and the potentilla last weekend when sorting out the garden. Anyhow, we renewed them and they're waiting to be planted.

Yesterday, I just went outside with the camera to try and re-establish my love of photography, and here's the results - our cat, Kiara (who got diagnosed with cancer a couple of weeks ago, so all photos are going to be treasured) and some of the Sweet Williams that Carley bought me before she shot off to London last week.

Hope you like them.

Saturday 13 June 2009

Out in the open... (lots of photos)

Isn't it lovely to go for a walk in the sunshine? Me and Martina went out not too far from home into the field of poppies to take some pictures - funnily enough there were photographers everywhere doing the same.. haha. We found other things to photograph too..

Here are a few of my favourite shots of the day. I hope you like them.

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Ladybird, Ladybird...

fly away home.... I hope this one doesn't decide to fly away too quickly, as I am loving this little card!

I took myself for a routine visit over to Dawn's Stampin Thoughts and found a little video tutorial for making this butterfly.. adorable or what?

I've used all SU products to create the card, details are HERE on my SU blog if you need more information.
Here's a little close up of the little lassie.. I always think ladybirds have to be ladies, but of course they don't.. lol
That's all for today - had a hell of a day yesterday which has left me aching, moaning and wishing it had all never happened!!! Guessing what it is? Well.. may tell you more on that later.. hehe.

Friday 12 June 2009

Keep it flowing...

well, that's the idea anyway! I've had a busy few days creating some samples for a Stampin Up workshop I'm doing on Sunday evening, so I thought I'd combine some of my time with doing a challenge or two to help along the way (!). I did get somewhat way-layed though on Wednesday... I went out for the morning as the kiddiwinks were in London for a few days. They had gone to a Katy Perry concert at the O2, and were taking a detour to Kent to stay with my sister in law overnight, so they left on Tuesday 6.30am and arrived home last night around 9pm. I reckon they enjoyed themselves, but it meant that time was my own, and after a while you get bored with your own company... right?

So.. off I ventured to buy meself some new copic markers, as I needed a couple of yellow ones and a red or two. Notice I say needed? lol. I decided to go to the Craft Den in Sheffield, owned by the lovely Lynne. I went through the stages of shall I? Shan't I? and decided to hell with it.. I'd have a trip down there. I didn't have my sat nav cable so couldn't use that, and I thought it was okay, as I'd been there before..! Well... what fun! I can honestly say I know Sheffield like the back of my hand, and I know where the footie stadium is.. and KFC... (funnily enough I passed that one quite a few times!) and I also know where Swann knives are made, where the hospital is and every bloomin' side road possible!

When Ieventually got where I was going, I realised it was dead easy to find without a sat nav and actually found my way home quite simply! Trust me to go the long way round the houses.. and any lesser, more intelligent person, would probably have given up and gone home.. but then they've probably never been to the Craft Den! You see, the shop is stuffed with loooooods of luscious goodies that you probably wouldn't find anywhere else! They have wonderful stamps (got a few of those!), a wide collection of copics (got a few *cough* of those), a fantasticoodly amount of papers (mmm.. think I may have got a few of those.. ) and then there was the lace (I really DID need it.. honestly.. ). I can't remember what else I got now, but I probably did need it. And Lynne is just such a doll. She's soooo helpful and a mind of information. Such a help, so thank you Lynne for your advice on the copics.. greatly appreciated!

So over the last couple of days I've got on with the job in hand and made my SU samples and a challenge or two..

This is the first one. It was made for the Copic Colour Challenge and the colours were -
And here's my card using these colours (didn't have the exact match of the first two, but hey ho.. )
The image is Sarah Kay (from the Craft Den) and I cut her out and mounted her on a nested rectangle which I coloured with SU inks. The papers are SU too, and the greeting is one I got from the Craft Den.

Here's a close up..
I used white gel pen to add some spots to the dress and highlights..

I also took part in a challenge over at ILWS and this is the sketch that was provided..

And here's my card for this one..
I used Bashful Blue, Old Olive and Very Vanilla cardstock, which also fits in with the Colour Combo Challenge on ILWS too, although I didn't have the Bordering Blue, which I why I used another tone. The background on the Old Olive was made using my SU Wheel (these are fantastic!!) So Swirly, and I accented it with a white gel pen. The stamps for the panels were Simply Said. I used brads to accent and layered up the last heart. Old Olive and Very Vanilla ribbon finished it off.
I also used these as my base colours for this card..
I absolutely love love love this set!!!! The car is from the Loads of Love set and so are the hearts - there are different items that you can put in the back of the truck.. how clever!!! I also used the Neighbourhood wheel and Watercolour Wonder crayons (you've never seen 'owt so good as these for watercolouring!!!). Hope you like it.
Here's a close up of the car, which I layered up a couple of times with dimensionals.

So.. that's it for now. Have a lovely weekend whatever you're doing, and I hope the weather stays as nice as it is at the moment! Lovely blue skies - perfect for photographing!

Wednesday 10 June 2009

Got a bit of Mojo back...

Hi again everyone... I'm reckoning my Mojo must've come back abit this week, as I made this card last night - first time I've made a card in an evening for a while.

I decided to incorporate a couple of challenge blog ideas in there too, so this fits in with the sketch from Mojo Challenge, the colours from Copic Colour Challenge and colour create challenge. How good am I? Multitasking.... now there's a word I never really use!

So, onto the card..
Here's a little close up of the flowers, which I layered up a little. I finished them off with some little pearl gems.
Here's the finished card. I must admit, I wasn't too sure about it when I finished it last night, but this morning I'm quite liking it. I hope you do too.

The image is a Gorjuss girl, kindly sent to me by Marcea - aren't they just beautiful? I coloured her in with copic markers and cut her out. She's mounted on SU double sided papers, but will have to check the packs to see which ones they are. I finished the card off with a SU sentiment stamped using the Stamp-a-majig and a ribbon bow. The flower along the top is also a SU stamp, but again, not sure which one as they were stamped whilst on a visit to Monica's. I'm sure she'll let me know which one it is.

Just to finish.. here's the inspiration from the challenges I've used..

Tuesday 9 June 2009

Feeling lovey....

not personally you understand.. lol.. but decided this morning to make a couple of cards for this week's challenge over at the Stamp With Us blog, and this week is a Theme Challenge - Congratulations.

So, I had a delve through my stamp sets I got the other week and these are what I came up with...

For this one, I used the Mr and Mrs stamp set and Cameo Coral inks. I also used a slightly darker pink cardstock to layer the card. I added a little bit of ribbon which I stamped along. For the background and the ribbon I used the Forever Flowers wheel - versamark ink for the background and Cameo Coral again for the ribbon. Finished off with little pearls.

Here's a little close up of the stamped layers -

Having made this one, I got out another couple of bits of card and made another - how good am I??

This is the second card I made.
For this one, I used some double sided papers (Summer Picnic and Washington Apple) and pastel cardstock (Barely Banana and Bashful Blue). The stamp I used for the sentiment came from the Cheers and Wishes set and the background of the panel was the beautiful flowers from the Simply Said set.

I also used a scallop and circle punch to make the apertures in the card. The bottom section of the paper is pleated, although because it's stripy paper, you can't really tell.

Well.. that's it for now.. although I'll leave you with a little piccie for today.

This was taken whilst walking the pupsters yesterday. Hope you like it, it's a young fern.. there's something so lovely about watching them uncurl day after day.

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