Normality will be resumed soon

I think someone may have thrown all the pieces of my life into a big bag and given them a bloody good shake!

So things hae all been mixed up, but I WILL BE BACK!

My Craft Space

Hey,

Someone was asking the other day about where I craft so thought I would do a post to show you my space.

I am very lucky in that we moved a year ago into a much bigger place when we had Baby G. The biggest bedroom became a spare room/craft room for me. We have one of those bunk beds with a double bed at the bottom, a single at the top, but the double folds up into a sofa so it doesnt take up much room. There is a TV, DVD, and most importantly my ipod dock in there so i can watch/sing as I craft.

We also have a set of two wardrobes. one is just a standard wardrobe, empty waiting for guests (well apart from my wedding dress anyway). The second looks exactly the same from outside but has been shelved out to store all my bits and pieces.

There is/was some sort of order of things in there but I have crafted since then and it all went to pot lol. A rough idea is

Very top - books, tote bags, things too big for anywhere else, the folders contain templates, project printouts and a sheet of trading card pockets to hold my acrylic stamps.
next shelf - the baskets hold ribbons, small stamps, general bits and pieces, the prima flower jars, brads and buttons etc are all here too
3rd shelf - This is the tool shelf - houses my craft robo, bind it all, scoring boards, cutting mats and trimmers etc. Also tools, punches and stuff
4th Shelf - Bia wires (still in boxes as i have never used the BIA yet!) sizzix and big shot dies, chipboard, other die cuts
5th shelf - "things to do" things to alter, projects to start, canvases, albums stuff like that. This shelf is rather full!
Bottom shelf - paper, paper, paper and a bit more paper - there are 8 paper holders, 8 made up from old QVC boxes which hold the smaller paper, and a stack of magazines which i keep meaning to go thru.

My desk is my pride and joy. I wanted something that was big enough to work on, but still have my laptop on, and room to store stuff. And its major point. I wanted it to be standing height. I have a bad back and sometimes its less painful to stand for things that it is to sit, so i wanted a desk that I had the option for. Just before christmas we went to the Range and found this 3 part desk. When folded it looks like a normal desk but it has a full size pull out extension which makes it L shaped, and a laptop/keyboard shelf too. At the moment the very top surface houses my big shot, a drawer unit that holds all my ink pads, a stationery holder with my basic tools in it, and loads of other crap that I havent moved, like photos and little cuddly cows (random but true!). I means when I need a little extra room I can pull out the extra arm.

Also in the top pic you can see my special racks we made to hold my stickles, liquid pearls, acrylic paints etc. Its a block of wood with different sized plumbers pipe clips on it. The lids of the bottles fit into the clips and hold really securely. The stickles rack is a little empty but going to work on correcting that at harrogate next weekend. That rack also has a couple of hooks for my nestabilities and piercing bugs.

In the very corner, and not sure you can see is a 4 drawer plastic storage unit on wheels which holds a drawer full of pens and pencils etc, a drawer for paper scraps, a drawer for material, and one which holds everything else lol. on top of this is another one of the blue baskets like whats in the wardrobe. This holds all my new purchases - things get dumped in there when they are brought until one of 3 things happen - i use it, put it away, or finish just looking at it.

At the moment its still the same odd grey colour it was when we moved in but in the next few weeks its being painted a gorgeous sage green, with a dandelion clock wall decal - a bit like this one on Etsy

So there you go, its only little, but its mine and i love it!!!

Cos I'm a woman.....

W...O...M..A....N ! and yes I am singing that very loudly, and very badly! in fact J has just said "mummy please dont sing!" hmph! kids these days!

Anyhow, its my turn this week over on Daring card makers to set the dare. As us UK peeps will know this Sunday is mothers day, and in honour of that - and the fact on Sunday I am doing the 300 mile drive (with a 3 yr old and 1 yr old!!) to go and spend a well needed break at my mums down in Kent - this weeks dare is called WOMAN!

I want to see your cards, any colour, any theme, any products, as long as they are for a woman. Its also a perfect opportunity if you are like me and have left making a mothers day card till the last minute.

So have a go, check out the other cards from the team over at DCM, and dont forget to show us your creations.

I think you're amazing .. Mum! (Two variations)

This week I have made two cards, pretty much the same but with a little tweak (ooh that will be one for my mum and one for MIL then lol). I must admit before I show you them that I am not struck on the colour - but by time I had decided that, my printer had decided that it was going on strike and wouldnt print anything else, at all, ever, so there! Despite much shouting, swearing, banging (and a little bit of kicking) it wasnt going to play, so blue they shall be ...

I started by printing some gorgeous papers from Pink Petticoat (the Just Daisies and Sweet Flourishes, both in Airforce Blue - £1.99 for 52 colourways!!) onto some really nice heavyweight matt photo paper I am loving at the moment from Staples. I cut each piece into A5 , then folded to make a A6 card blank.

I then printed the "I think you're amazing" image (a freebie would you believe!!) again from the brilliant pink petticoat store (have had a little spree there the last couple of weeks!) onto plain white Cardstock and cut them out using my nestabilities (the scallop square and plain square) I coloured the image in and used a little stickles in Icicle to add a little bling. I inked the edges of the square cut birdie and mounted them onto the card blank using 3d foam. Then using the offcuts from making the card blank I used the scallop nestabilities to cut a shape (in hindsight a smaller scallop, or bigger circle may have looked better_. I also cut a circle which I inked. I then used Making Memories alphabet rub ons in "heidi" to add the word "MUM". All in all, pretty quick and simple, but I like them (even if I am not keen on the colour).

Am away next week but may blog depending on the net connection as I just got myself a cute little pink "dongle" which is supposed to let me log on from anywhere, but we shall see.

Till later guys xxxx

Oriental Splendour

This week its Sue's turn to set the dare, and boy was it a toughy! Sue asked us to make cards with a touch of the far east...... but without using black or red!

Hmmm well that was all my lovely tattoo/sunset/etc ideas out the window.

Then it just so happened that I was looking on ebay for Momiji dolls (trying to convince the husband that i desperatly need some for my craft room) AHA! methinks, they be oriental, and funky coloured and not red and black (well apart from hair but sssh!)

So as usual (yawn!) I started with a small tall white card blank. I free hand drew the little doll shape onto patterned paper for her dress, cream card for her face and very dark (nooo sue its not black really) card for her hair. I also cut out a "arm" shape from the patterned paper. I stuck it all together, using 3d foam pads for a bit of extra dimension. I also used a black and red pen for the details on her face, a little pink ink for her cheeks, and a little green ink to edge the dress

Then I found a unopened pack of thickers felt stickers in exactly the right colour, During my sort out I found all sorts of products so am on a mission to use them. Happily these stickers were all the same case so I could use them without stress (see last weeks post!) So I decided on a simple miss you greeting. The card looked a little blank so i added little green and pink paper flowers, with liquid pearl centres randomly by the greeting and one in her hair.

I have noticed my card style seems to be moving towards a more contemporary "white space" look at the moment hmmmm interesting.

Dont forget to surf on over to DCM to look at the other oriental delights on the menu. If you join in please leave a comment with a link to your card.

Take Care xxx

Its DCM Day

Hey Everyone!




Sorry for not updating with details on my card last week (or the last few months) but as usual life got in the way and I am trying not to beat myself up when things get in the way of crafting. But anyway I am back!!!




This week over on DCM its was the lovely Lythans turn to set the dare, and she dared us to use 3 different patterned papers, and if we were feeling really brave to use 3 different paper lines! well I wasnt THAT brave but I did manage 3 different patterns.


As usual (predictable? moi?) I started with a white card blank, small tall i think? using a stack of paper strips from Craftwork Cards (winterwonderland i think? rubbish arent i!) I cut two different patterns and layered them together to cover the front of the card. I then I cut a smaller ribbon type strip from a third pattern and stuck that across the centre (using my fabby new Elmers Sticky Dot adhesive stamper - so much easier for my dodgy hands!).



I then found some AC thickers in my stash and thought oooh can use them. So spelt the word "sister" on the front - well ok so eventually i spelt sister after trying about a million different words which just werent "right". am still not too happy with the caption, I think the writer in me struggles with the mix of upper/lower case that thickers have, and the S's just look a bit odd? maybe its just me? Then finally I added a couple of tiny little pink brads.

close up so you can see there really are 3 different papers

Will update later this week with some pics of my new paint storage my hubby made me, and my gorgeous new desk (cos i am sad like that!)

Dont forget to pop over to Daring Card Makers and leave a link to your cards and check out the other designs from the design team

Take Care

xx

All Mixed Up

Its my turn to set the dare this week over on Daring Card Makers, and I thought about somthing close to my heart.

Now I am a car crazy girl, my husband will freely admit I know as much as him, infact more on some models, about cars. He will quite happily ask my opinion on a car fault and I know how to race, strip and rebuild a car, yet this is frowned about cos I am *shock horror* a GIRL! and my little boy loves Dolls and pushchairs, but as a woman in asda said the other day when he was playing with a pushchair "you arent seriously going to buy him that are youou ?"

So this week I want you to make a card that mixes up the gender ideas a little, be it cars for girls, or pink flowers for boys. Dont forget to leave us a comment over on the DCM blog to show us what you have made.

Girl Racer (with wobbly car!!!)

This card was simple and hasnt turned out quite how I hoped but fingers crossed I will try it again sometime and get better results.

I basically folded an acetate sheet over a plain white DL sized card blank. I used a black sharpie marker to doodle a checkered flag border, and used a doodle font idea to write the word GIRL, and then just scribbled racer next to it. I then used a hot pink marker to colour in some of the letters (note: do not use sharpie markers for long periods at close ranges, they give you a woozy headachey feeling!)

Then I drew two little cars on hot pink card and cut round them. I stuck one on the card blank under the acetate. The second I attached to a folded piece of acetate to make a springy bit, and attached it to the overlay so it boings a little.

Christmas???!!! in JUNE??!!!

This week over on Daring Card Makers it was the talented Jo Kill's turn to set the weekly dare, and to be honest I think the crafting has sent her mad cos this is what she said....

Jo here this week with a seasonal dare - just not this season :) I would love this week for you all to make a Christmas card... (yes I know it is only June tee hee) With a nice Christmassy scene just to get us all in the festive spirit and to pave the way for all the cards that we have yet to make....

right, hmm, well Jo honey two words for you... ITS JUNE!!!!!!!!!

I thought I would try something new for my dare this week. I found a carrier bag of bits I brought at a craft show somewhere and there were two pots of flowersoft and a lampost topper. It was really simple really just dab on glue where you want then sprinkle the flower soft stuff over top. I also added a bit of glitter on the snowy bits to add a bit of sparkle. I then inked the edges, mounted the image on brown bazzill, and stuck to a small tall card and tied a piece of brown satin ribbon down the side.

And as this was such a quick make I managed to get started on a project I am really looking forward to doing, and for once its not a paper crafts one.... more on that as it progresses.

Oooh I also made my neice Lilia a little tutu, no reason, just wanted to see if I could. As she lives 4 hours away I had to make do with monkey modelling it, altho J did want to put it on and be a princess.. maybe i will make him one too.

Dont forget to head on over to daring card makers to see the designs from the rest of the team. Why not join in too?



x

Just a quickie

Its friday and you know what that means..............................yep its dare day, and I manage to spare time to make a card for it too ( I know shocking isnt it!)


It was my turn to set the dare over on Daring Card Makers today and I definately had the lack of time in my life in mind.

As you all know I have 2 small children (2 and 4 months!) and managing life with them, my housewifely duties, studying for my BA, life, etc etc etc crafting sometimes has to take a back seat. You know what its like for every item you cross off your to do list, another 2 get written on. And then comes the dilemma, its X's birthday, or A and B's anniversary - what do you do? Time isnt on your side to make a card but you dont want to pay a small fortune for one in the shops either. Well hopefully this dare will help you out.

I want you to make a QUICK CARD! a card that takes you no more than hmm say 30 minutes max to do - start to finish. No set ingredients and pick your own theme, but be quick and be crafty! (and dont forget to tell us how long it took too)

I actually did 3 cards that fit the brief (I know I surprised myself!!)

Tying the Knot (10 mins) - This is one was actually for my twin sister who is getting married in October and asked me to make her some invites. She needed quite a few so wanted simple and quick to make. She didnt chose this one in the end so I show you.... Firstly a took a white dl card, and ran it through my printer to print the "tying the knot sentiment. Then I used a long strip of gorgeous pink organza to tie a knot round the front. Finally I used glossy accents to attach a pink button to the centre of a pretty pink flower and then mounted it in the top corner using a 3d pad.

New Baby (7 minutes) - Found some lovely pastel patterned paper ( I think its from the K&co sweetpea range) and cut a rectangle to cover the front of my card, and then cut it again with scallop scissors about 2/3 of the way down. Using a sheet of 3D stickers from K&co (sweetpea again i believe) I stuck a sheep and two buttons onto a square of white card and mounted that on the largest piece. Using another rectangle of card I made the greeting with a papermania rubon and another 3d button sticker. Mounted on the front of a A6 card and a ribbon tied round the centre.

Baby Congratulations (12 minutes)- Started this time with a "small Tall" blank card by craft tonic. In my "tag" box I found 4 little diecut tags and used MM rubons to add the work BABY. Used a piece of ribbon to mount them, and attached it with brads either end. I also used 3d pads under the tags just to keep them in place. Used another MM rubon to add the lilac "congratulatons" sentiment. Went back to the K and Co 3d stickers (well I have had them 2 years lol) and used a small butterfly and doodled its anntenae and a trail for it.

So there you go - 3 cards which didnt take forever to make. Dont forget to head on over to the Daring Card Makers blog to see what the others have been making.

Whilst I was on the crafting theme I also made these. A towel pram (all towels still usable!) and a baby sock bouquet!

Till next week xxx