I'M LATE .. .. BUT WITH EXCITING NEWS

Hi Everyone

So sorry I am late .. .. but today has been one mammoth and exciting day.

As some of you will know I am preparing for a Wedding Fayre on the 20th March and have been working hard at getting samples etc together.

There is still a lot to do but I am enjoying every second .. .. with the occasional nervous panic as to whether I will have everything done that I want to do.  Don't know why I am worrying though because this is only the first .. .. I can always keep working on new designs etc for the next ones.

Anyway, what am I excited about .. .. .. well I should soon have the beginnings of a website for my Wedding Stationery .. yay!!!

I have been busy providing my "setter upper" with the things he needs (I bet he thinks I am well thick as I don't understand the slightest thing about the technical side of how websites work).  But I have been sending him the things he needs and hopefully I shall have something for potential customers to view in a few days.

Lots of stuff I still need to work on but I am told we can add all the other things as we go along as and when they are ready (oh I do hope he has a lot of patience LOL!!).

I have flattened the battery on my camera whilst trying to take professional looking photographs of some of the wedding stationery I have done so far .. .. just waiting to hear if what I have provided are good enough or whether I need to start again.

So, I am now ready to share my first Wedding Stationery photograph with you .. .. I hope you likey, likey??!?

I am not going to go into what I used .. .. other than a lot of love and care.

So now at least you can see what I have been working on whilst not visiting and commenting on your lovely blogs.  I hope I am forgiven.

So other than all my website work, photography session, ordering business cards, working on my wording for some handouts, (oh and a bit of housework) all I have produced today is one card!!! 

But no card could compare to the excitement of my wedding stationery so that is what I decided to share today. 

Enjoy what is left of your evening everyone.

Love

PURR-FECT MESSAGE

Hi there

What another wonderful day .. .. beautiful sunshine and enough breeze to blow my washing about .. .. perfect (doesn't take much to please me does it?!?!).  Still a bit on the cold side though. 

I toddled off to the post box thinking it would be a nice little stroll in the sunshine .. .. only to rush there and back because it was so cold!!!  I ended up needing to put my thick cardigan on when I got home to warm up again LOL!!!

This is my favourite make of the day

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "40-040" Purr-fect Message
Backing Papers:  Aimee Asher
Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat
Martha Stewart Punch:  Traditional Scallop
Woodware Punch:  Daisy
Leone Em Pty Punch: Ash Branch
ProMarkers
Diamond Stickles
Brad from the Stash Box

I do make other cards during the day that do not involve Penny Black stamps .. .. it is just that the Penny Black cards always seem to end up being my favourites.  Must try hard to show you something else tomorrow LOL!!!

Then the very good news of the day is that finally my laptop is happy again.   Yay!!!

There are still a few things hubby needs to put on but hopefully now it is a happy machine and this time it will be good for longer than two weeks!!!!

Have a lovely evening everyone and thank you for calling by. 

Love

BEE COSTUME

Hi Everyone

I hope you have all seen a bit of sunshine today.  It took a while to appear here but was glorious when it did. 

The sad part is that by mid afternoon I have to block some of it out  .. .. the sun shines straight into my craft pod and stops me from seeing properly .. .. shame .. .. but it has to be done!!!

Here is my favourite make of the day:

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "2243K" Bee Costume
Backing Papers:  Aimee Asher
Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat
Woodware Punches:  Daisy
Leone Em Pty Punch: Ash Branch
ProMarkers
Glamour Dust
Diamond Stickles

Brads

A nice bright and breezy one to match the weather.  We are promised the same for tomorrow .. .. but I won't mention the rest of the week LOL!!.

I have my fingers and toes tightly crossed that I can come and visit tonight but can you believe that my lovely Hubby is "still" doing up-dates on my laptop!!! 

My hero was working on it until around 11.30pm last night and has come home from work and set it updating again.  Thank goodness we aren't in the old dial-up days .. .. it would be costing a fortune and be dropping out every 10 minutes or so!!  Tee hee!!!  So there is a silver lining to be found amongst my impatience.

Hubby felt it shouldn't take too long now so hopefully by the time I have had my bath and eaten I can then settle into a good old blog hop!!  Oh I do hope so .. .. I am missing seeing what you have all been up to.

Have a good evening everyone.  See you sooooonnn ... I hope!!

Love

JULES' CRAFTY SNIPPET CHALLENGE - WEEK 9

Hi Everyone

Here we are again then .. .. another Sunday and another attack on all those lovely snippets in my craft pod. 

For anyone new to my blog .. .. Sunday is the day that I try to use up some of the pieces of paper, card and ribbon that remains after attacking those lovely "full size" pieces. I call these my "snippets".  I am now on my 9th week .. .. I seem to be sticking to it OK.

Here is what I have come up with this week

This one used (apart from snippets):

Image:  Magenta "19746" Deco Vase
Sentiment:  Woodware "FRCL076" Female Relative
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Diamond Stickles

This one used (apart from snippets):

Sentiment:  Elzybells
Sizzix Die:  "656635" Fanciful Flight
Woodware Punch:  Circle
Diamond Stickles


and lastly my fav for this week

This used (apart from snippets)

Sentiment:  Elzybells
Woodware Punch:  RectangleShapeabilities: Nested Flower (borrowed from my lovely Sis xx)
Shapeabilities "Doodle Parts"
Distress Ink Pad:  Tea Dye
White Gel Pen

Other people also like "playing along" and using up their snippets too.  My snippet day is Sunday .. but of course "you" can play any day you want.

So who played along over the course of the last week ?

Firstly the lovely Carole who has created a really bright and beautiful creation with her snippets this week.  Such gorgeous colours.

Thank you for sharing your lovely snippet creation and giving such great inspiration.  You can find Carole's fantastic card here but also take time to look at the rest of her blog if you haven't visited before.  There are some awesome projects to be seen.

Next up is the ever eager Annmaree who always manages to find the most inspirational things to make with her snippets.  How come I never find these when I am looking LOL!!  Good job I have Annmaree on the case .. .. thank you matie. 

Annmaree's super cool snippet creation can be found here along with a video link showing how to make a little origami Hawaiian shirt.

Then last, but by no means least, my lovely blog buddy Brenda.  She has been working her magic with her snippets again.  You need to scroll down lots of other lovely creations to in order to see Brenda's snippet creation .. .. but lots of loveliness on the way!!  You will find Brenda's snippet (eventually LOL!!) here.

Thank you ladies for your inspiration.

I was hoping for a blog hop session tonight .. .. but that will only possible if my lovely hubby manages to sort my laptop out!!  No way can I see you all from this donkey machine .. .. it is just too slow .. .. plus it is located in a corner that is very draughty  .. ..  a bit like the naughty corner really LOL!!

My laptop was throwing up Windows activation messages this morning that we couldn't sort out and ringing the helpline they sorted it for us .. .. but in the process wiped everything!!  Nice of them to warn us this would happen!!   Grrrrr!!!!!!

With only having it back for two weeks there wasn't too much damage done - just all my emails lost!!!!

But it is now going through every windows update since March 2009!!!!  A mountain of up-dates that are taking for ever to complete and then hubby needs to install everything "again" and set up my accounts, anti-virus, firewalls etc "all over again".

Poor chap only did it two weeks ago for me!!!  What would I do without him? 

I hope I get to see you tonight!!

Love

LONG STEM CUTIES

Hi Everyone

How are things with you?

I hope you had a good Saturday.

Mine has been a mixed day of crafting and a little "necessary" housework!!  You know the dreaded kitchen and bathroom floors!!

I have been cracking on with Mother's Day as I threatened I would yesterday and here is my favourite of the day.

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "1648K" Long Stem Cuties

Sentiment:  Computer Generated

Backing Papers:  Aimee Asher .. .. sorry they are the same as yesterday but I really love them!!!!

Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Crystal Stickles
ProMarkers
X-Cut Punch:  Small Flower
Ribbon from the Stash Box

So that is me.  No wedding work from me for the last two days as I have a lot of general things I need to get done.  My poor hubby.  Upstairs is general work and downstairs is wedding work.  He must feel I am taking over the house gradually!!

Anyway, I am going to fly as I want to squeeze just one more make in .. .. but I will be back tomorrow with my snippet creations (whatever they may be) .. .. plus I am giving myself the luxury of a good old Sunday blog hop.  Can't wait to see what you have all been up to whilst I have been away.

Have a good evening.

Love

FRIDAY SKETCHERS

Hi Everyone

Friday is here again .. .. yay!!!

I have been in Mother's Day mode today and my favourite of the day used the Friday Sketcher's sketch for this week .. .. another lovely one thank you ladies.

Here is my make:

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "3377K "Whispers"
Sentiment:  Computer Generated
Backing Papers:  Aimee Asher
Acrylic Stones:  Josy Rose
Nestabilities: Standard Circles Large
ProMarkers

This is the sketch if you fancy having a try......

Yet again I find myself saying "one I am sure I will use again" LOL!!!

So that is me for today. 

Lots more Mother's Day cards needed so you might even see another one tomorrow. 

Hubby's cooking night tonight so I might nip and have my bath and then do a little more creating .. .. I love Fridays .. .. not sure if I have ever told you!  LOL!!!

Have a good one and I will see you tomorrow.

Love

PENNY BLACK SATURDAY CHALLENGE

Hi Everyone

Late but here with a card that fits nicely into the Penny Black Saturday challenge where they would like to see pearls and lace.

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "3976K" Acrobat
Sentiment:  Papermania "PMA 10071"
Backing Papers:  Cuddly Buddly
ProMarkers
Diamond Stickles
Lace, ribbon and pearls from the Stash Box

So how did my day go?

Well, my lovely Sis arrived bright and early and we set up our tables with what we had produced so far and decided what else we needed to do .. .. and also how much lighting we needing to invest in.  Once decided it was off to IKEA.

We found exactly what we wanted and rushed home to add everything to our display and we were well chuffed.  We still have lots to do but feel we have made a good leap forward today.

The day has flown away with me and production has been very sparse .. .. but there is a limit as to what you can fit into a day .. .. .. and I did do an hour of ironing!!

Must go and get my bath now whilst the jacket spuds are cooking.  Good job Hubby is at a football meeting for a bit longer yet!!!

Enjoy the rest of your evening.

Love

I'M ENVIOUS

Yes, I am envious .. .. ...  envious of the image in my card  .. .. I just fancy sitting in a chair and covering my eyes for 40 winks!!  LOL!!!

But no time for that .. .. things to do!!!

Here is my little share of the day

This used:

Image:  Papermania It's a Man's World "Couch Potato"
Sentiment:  Hobby Art "CS016D" General Greetings

Backing Papers:  Footballs = Trimcraft "Smirk for Him"  Newspaper = Pink Petticoat

ProMarkers
Diamond Stickles

I made this card for someone a few weeks ago and loved it that much that I decided to make it again (you know .. .. the same but different!!).

So the time has come for me to duck out of blogland for a while.  I have so much to do in preparation for the wedding fayre on the 20th March as well as orders and DT work that I need to be sensible and use my time productively.   Mother's Day is only just around the corner!!

I will still try and post something every day .. .. so you can still play "hunt the heart" ... .. .. but I know I am not going to have chance to return any of your lovely comments if you choose to leave any.  Sorry if I am a let down!!

I am going to allow myself to play with my snippets and share those on Sunday and will have a hop around then .. . but in the meantime I will only be visiting entries to the challenges I am a DT member on.  I am sure that you will understand.

I promise once my Wedding Fayre goodies are ready I will share a photograph of it all set up. 

Tomorrow my lovely Sis and I are off to find some lighting for our display and perhaps a few props.  We are then going to set up tables to replicate what we have hired and arrange all our makes to see how much more we need to create.

Oh I am so excited!!!

Catch you again soon

Love

PENNY BLACK AT ALLSORTS DT CARD - MARCH

Hi there!!

Pinch and a punch first day of the month .. .. .. .. Happy March everyone!!

Here I am bright and early as promised as today is the launch of the next Penny Black at Allsorts Challenge and the theme this week is ......

"Welcome Spring"

Well I don't know about you but I am certainly looking forward to Spring .. .. I hope its beautiful colours and soft sunshine days aren't too far away.

We had some wonderful entries into the challenge last month .. .. you are certainly enjoying sharing your lovely creations with us and we hope that you get chance to play along this month as well. 

Here is my little make to "welcome Spring"

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "3351H" Spring Greetings

Backing Papers:  Funky Hand Paper Factory "Craft The Year Away"
Nestabilities: Standard Circles Large, Classic Scalloped Circles Large

Woodware Punches:  Daisy Flowers

Promarkers and Aquamarkers
(and lots of bits of black in from my Gel Pen LOL!!!)

So that is my share. 

Pop along to the main challenge blog here to see all the creations from my lovely team mates and all the lovely prizes that are on offer this month.

Have a lovely day.

Love

FRIDAY SKETCHERS

Hi Everyone

Happy Monday!!!

I hope you have had a good day.  I have spent some of mine going backwards and forwards to the washing line muliple times putting washing out and then bringing it back in because of silly bits of rain.  Then as soon as I have bought it in it would be fine again .. .. so the whole process would be repeated.  I gave up in the end but at least there has been some lovely fresh air blown through it all even if it didn't dry properly!!

My share for today uses the sketch from over at Friday Sketchers.

This used:

Image:  Penny Black "3470H" Gift Hedgy
Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat
Backing Papers:  Aimee Asher

Martha Stewart Punch:  Traditional Scallop

Promarkers

Diamond Stickles

and this is the sketch that was provided .. ..

I must admit I love starting creations with a sketch sometimes .. .. especially if I have a lot to get through.  It takes some of the thinking away LOL!!!

So today is the last day of February which means I am back tomorrow bright and early with my DT project for Penny Black at Allsorts.

Have a lovely evening everyone.

Love

JULES' CRAFTY SNIPPET CHALLENGE - WEEK 8

Hi Everyone

I hope the weekend is being kind to you.

I am a bit earlier with my snippet makes this week as I have quite a bit to do in the kitchen today.  The lovely Sunday roast and hopefully a quiche too .. .. all whilst the washing machine is on overdrive!! 

But mustn't complain about the washing machine.  At least it is only a case of putting it in.  None of the hassle there used to be with the old twin tubs.  No quick wash in those days!!  LOL!!  (Really showing my age now!!).

So before I get cracking here are my shares for this week.  Only three today but not to worry .. .. at least it has helped in using up those snippets that just sit around.

This one used:

The compulsory paper, card and cord snippets
Image:  Elusive Images "D0306"
Antique Gold Embossing Powder
Martha Stewart Punch:  Embossed Zig Zag
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Icicle Stickles (wish I hadn't used this.  It was a new bottle and for some reason the sparkly bits are huge)

This one used:

The compulsory paper and card snippets
Image:  Woodware "FRM002" Funky Tree
Sentiment:  Pink Petticoat
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads and Gem
Diamond Stickles
Snowflakes from an origami box that contains just loads and loads of snowflakes - all different (LOL!!)

The bottom layer of the snowflake was just plain white card and I heat embossed it several times until eventually it went translucent (I think that is the right word).  Really like the finished look of it.

Last but not least .. .. and my favourite for this week .. ..

This one used:

The compulsory paper, ribbon and card snippets
Sentiment:  Just part of a Docrafts stamp that has no reference number on it
Shapeabilities: Nested Flower (borrowed from my lovely Sis xx)Adirondak Ink Pad:  Pebble
Martha Stewart Punch:  Traditional Scallop
Leone Em Pty Punch: Ash Branch
Glimmer Mist:  Khaki
Josy Rose:  Nail Heads
Brad and Charm from the Stash Box

So those are my shares for this week but who else has been using up their snippets????????????


First up for sharing this week was Tricia.

Tricia was the lady who is responsible for my Christmas make this week.  There are certainly Christmas snippets in my little trays and if I don't start to use them up then they are going to be around for months and months!!!  Can't have that .. so an occasional Christmas snippet share seems a good idea .. .. plus I will have a few stacked up by the time Christmas arrives.  So thank you Tricia for sharing your lovely makes and inspiring me to add Christmas into the mix.  I just knew getting others involved would be a good idea and would give me much needed inspiration.

To see Tricia's creations (yes she has made two!!) you need to hop to here.  Two lovely makes and I think the colours and the Marvey dotting  look great on the first one. 

The frame on the second one caught my eye and set my mind a thinking for another week too!!  LOL!!

Thank you for sharing Tricia.

Next along came Brenda.  She too has made a gorgeous snippet card .. .. it is surprising exactly what you can come up with when you limit yourself  as to what you can use.  Brenda is still struggling and not able to craft to the extent she normally does so it makes it extra special that she used some of her precious craft time to produce this lovely creation here.

Then lastly is Doreen who has been super good and used some of her snippets today.  I was just about to post when I saw that Doreen had played along.  Wow .. and what a stunner it is too.

I really must take a leaf out of Doreen's book and start to put more layers on my cards .. .. that way I will use up even more of my snippets.  You can see Doreens lovely make here.

I hope that you enjoy seeing what my blog buddies make with their snippets .. .. thank you for sharing ladies.  All inspiration is gratefully received.

Oh and before I go .. .. where was the heart last night .. .. not everyone was able to find it ........ well it was here............

Have a lovely rest of the weekend everyone .. .. I am now off to the kitchen .. .. I know my place!!!  (Well on a Sunday anyway!! LOL!!).

Take care everyone and thanks for calling by. 

Love

SEW WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Hi Everyone

I hope the start of your weekend has been good.  Ours started off with mega rain but has finished off quite nice and sunny.

I have been waiting to have a play with this little digi image from Pink Petticoat for a while .. .. well with being a sewing machine lover what do you expect?  My machine doesn't look as trendy as this one though .. ... shame :-(

Here is my share

This used:

Image, sentiment and bobbins:  Pink Petticoat
Backing Papers:  Aimee Asher
My trusty (un-flower decorated) sewing machine
ProMarkers
Buttons, ribbon and thread for winding onto the bobbins from the stash box

The lurex thread wasn't too happy going through the machine and gave a bit of a raggety look .. .. but I decided I liked it!!

Whoever gets this card will also get an emergency sewing kit as there is quite a bit of thread on those bobbins and three button to go at LOL!!!

Have a good evening everyone.  We are having a Chinese takeaway with our friends and guess what I do with their two children whilst we are waiting for the food .. .. yes you guessed .. .. we make cards!!!  LOL!!!

Catch you again tomorrow with my snippet creations

Love

NAUTICAL COLLAGE

Hi Everyone

Friday is here again .. .. yay!!!  Bring on another weekend!!

A share today which uses a lovely set of stamps that I bought from the NEC in March of last year.  The sentiments in the set get used but for some reason the main image never has .. .. so I decided to make amends today!!

It stamped beautifully using a black versafine ink pad and I then heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.  Lovely finish!!  Just a few daps of ProMarker here and there and the job was a good one!!

This used:

Image and Sentiment:  "Butterfly Kisses" Clear 2 Collage - Nautical Collage

Backing Papers:  Aimee Asher

Josy Rose:  Nail Heads

Diamond Stickles

Charm was part of a prize from "An Oldie But a Goodie"

White Gel Pen

Next I really must get rid of my guilt and share the awards that have been very kindly bestowed upon me.  It is always an honour to receive them .. .. especially as I make no secret of the fact that I never pass then on. 

How can a girl possibly choose between all of the fantastic blogs out there .. .. and I would hate to offend anyone.

So first up is a cute one .. .. and it comes "WITH A HEART"   YAY!!!

How cute is that?  This came from a new follower to my blog Ni.  Thank you very much Ni for thinking of me.

Ni is a "newbie blogger" and has only been blogging for a few weeks.  Please pop over and give her a lovely bloggy welcome and if you scroll down the posts a little you will find a fantastic tutorial for making a double easel card!  Well done Ni .. .. it is fantastic.  Must give it a try.

I also received the same award from my lovely "long standing" blog buddy Tracy.  I have known Tracy for a while now and recently she joined the Penny Black at Allsorts DT team.  It is lovely to be working with her.  You must pop over to her blog and see the lovely creations she makes .. .. and also for a glimpse of her gorgeous little boy Bobby.  Don't get me wrong, Tracy's other children are lovely too .. .. but there is just something about Bobby that makes me smile every time I look at him.  I think it may be because he reminds me of my lads when they were younger.

No secrets for me to share with this award .. ..LOL!!!

My next award has come from Elizabeth (thank you Elizabeth) .. .. another lovely blog where you will find lots and lots of lovely creations and great inspiration.  Please take a visit.

Along with this comes the revealing of  another 7  random things about myself.  Oh dear!!

I received this award a little while ago .. .. .. sorry it has taken me a while to respond to it Elizabeth only I thought folk might get a bit fed up with my random reveals if I posted it too soon after my last confession  LOL!!!.

So my randon things .. ..

1.  I have lived in the same town all my life and can never imagine living anywhere else ever.

2.  I have only been a bridesmaid once (and a only a bride once too LOL!!).

3.  I used to have a little seat fitted on the crossbar of my Dad's bike .. .. loved those special bike rides with him.

4.  I got married on Easter Saturday

5.  Our first house cost less than a new card would now  (tee hee cards on the brain ... this should say "car" - thanks Annmaree .. .. can't believe you read this far!! LOL!!)

6. I used to have a Singer hand sewing machine when I was first married and made some lovely crimplene dresses (eekk).  I wish I had kept that machine as I would love to use it now for my cardmaking. Much easier than keep setting up my electric one!!

7.  I broke my foot when I was seven.  My Dad used to keep the garden tidy for a local bank and I used to help by weeding and picking up the pears that fell from the tree.  One week I was "investigating" (as you do) and there was what looked like a slab propped up against a wall.  I pulled the slab forward to see what was behind it but it fell towards me and broke in half over my foot.  It turned out it was the base of a safe.

Strangely my foot didn't hurt at all - but Dad insisted I went to hospital and I got a ride on my Dad's crossbar to the hospital.  They must have seen us arrive and kept asking if I had got my foot trapped in my Dad's front wheel.  I kept saying "no" but they still kept asking how I did it and saying "are you sure you didn't trap it in the wheel of the bike?".

I never got to ride on Dad's bike again after that :-(

If I peep through some huge old double gates in a local memorial ground I can still see into the bank's garden.  I do this sometimes when I go to town and take a little trip down memory lane .. remembering happy times spent with my Dad .. .. but it never looks as tidy as it did when we looked after it. 

OK then I think I have bored you enough for one night.

Catch you again tomorrow.

Love

A LITTLE BIT LATE

Hi Everyone

Sorry I am a little bit late today.

Just a quick share which features some of the colouring I did whilst at my Mum's yesterday .. .. it is the first time I have coloured this one and I think it is really cute.  I shall be doing this one again for sure!!!

This used:

Image:  Great Impressions "G268"

Sentiment:  Funstamps "FG12" Happy Birthday (Dots)

Backing Paper:  Funky Hand Download "I do Wedding Wordbook"

Woodware Punches:  Daisy
Diamond Stickles

Brads from the Stash Box

Although the download says it is a word book there are also some fab A4 sized papers on there too. 

Hasn't today been a beautiful day weather wise?  Lovely gentle sunshine .. .. though it didn't make my windows look that lovely!!  Eekkk!!

No time for cleaning windows that's for sure .. ..LOL!!!

Take care everyone and thanks for calling by.

Catch you again soon.

Love