April showers..?

....monsoon more like. Got soaked today just going to local shop. I was hoping to make a start on the gardening but no hope of that with all this rain we're getting. The grass will soon be up to my knees at this rate.  Anyhow...at last I'm in the land of the hearing again. A 2 hour journey to the hospital for my hearing aid....and it took all of 10 minutes to sort. A new one for my worst affected ear and new tubing for the other. I've had another busy week with a little crafting. I wasn't going to enter this month's inspirational challenge on the Crafters re-united forum as I didn't think I would have much time. But then I thought, why not. The challenge was a sketch and a theme..a baby card. As there are no new babies due I decided on  small, quick and easy...one for the box. Everything used is from my stash and most of it out of my "bit box"

Now for my bit of playing that I did a few weeks ago. At the craft group we all have a folder that we can keep our unfinished makes in. Saves us having to remember to take things home then back again. Well the folders were cheap..and either a dirty brown or dull olive green. I got a green one and decorated mine using white ink, sequins, and a bit of acetate that I stamped and coloured with glass paints. Didn't have a plan when I started it...just went with the flow so to speak.

O....M....G!!

......My 2 girls...Milly and Molly.....are not. They are Billy and Olly!  How has this come about?  I took them to the vets to be spayed and it was discovered that they were male, not female.  Those of you who have been with me for a while will know the saga. They joined our family 18 months ago from a litter of 5. The RSPCA were involved from the start. I was asked if I had a preference and I said no. The other 3 male kittens were re homed at 8 weeks but the remaining 2 had to stay with their mother another 2 weeks because they were so tiny. At first I was only having one of them but because they were both females it meant that the last remaining kitten was hard to re home and would have to go to the RSPCA. That's how I ended up with 2... according to the RSPCA...female kittens. Molly and Milly. It was a bit of a shock but they are still my fur babies and I love 'em to bits. Even the so called experts get it wrong sometimes.  All this has come at the end of an very tiring week. Craft group on Tuesday afternoon..which I'm having to do a lot of the organizing at the moment because my son, who started the group, has broken his hand. Shopping in town on Wednesday, and the vets with the boys yesterday.  I haven't been able to do any crafting this week but I need to do some this weekend for the group. They want to try quilling. I think I can come up with something fairly simple for them...hope so anyway.

My first...

..scrapbook page. I've wanted to try scrap booking for a while now but didn't really know where to start. A while ago I downloaded a free copy of craft artist compact. I played around with it but didn't actually make anything. This weekend I have been watching Michelle on Create and Craft....so much inspiration and great demos. And the great offer on Craft Artist Professional!  I'm not a member of the C&C club so even  the low price is beyond me at present. My funds are very tight at the moment and I have promised myself not to buy any more crafting goodies for a while. Then I heard that Daisytrail members could download the software for £2.99......and I am....so I did.  And here is the result.  8x8...kept it reasonably simple using elements from the free kits available to download on the site.  Lots of pics on my computer waiting to be scrapped. Think I'm hooked!

Those of you who have been with me for a while will remember my Theo.

It's spring!

Spring has officially sprung and there is so much to do in the garden. It's looking very colourfull at the moment with all the spring bulbs that have come through this year.  I'm itching to get out there but I still don't have the energy. I am starting to be able to do a little more each day but the progress is slow...too slow for me..I want to get going! Not been totally idle though. I've done a little crafting in the form of cards.

This one was for my friend Anne. She was feeling a bit fed up..so a "just because" card.

A birthday stepper card for my great Niece.

Finally this month's forum inspirational. A sketch and using three different backing papers, a ribbon, and a bow...and no image. The focal point had to be text. Found it a bit daunting at first but thanks to a 6x6 paper pad it was made easier 'cos Ii knew all the papers would co-ordinate. This might end up as my SIL's birthday card in a couple of weeks.

Finished one project for our crafting group...but I forgot to take a pic. Will try to remember next week.

Also got another couple of projects on the go and I hope I finish them in time for when I need them. Not telling what they are as that will spoil someone's surprise.

Slowly getting back...

..to "normal"..but still not able to do too much. Sons have been great...vacuuming, washing pots...and cooking.  I have done some crafting....3 cards...and even they have took me a while to do. My concentration level is way down at the moment.  Little steps is the key until I can get some energy back. Anyway here they are.

This one was for my youngest's girlfriend. I don't really know what her taste in cards is, but I'd been playing at making some flowers and I have to practise my colouring.  I loosely based the layout on Jackie's sketch that was used for last month's inspirational challenge. The image is from Lili of the Valley, pink paper from Polka Doodles, Sizzix embossing folder, X-cut and Spellbinder dies. Flower punch from Woodware. Leaf punch and die cut letters borrowed from son so don't know.

This card is for my great niece. A baby brother expected any day now. image again by Llili of the Valley,backing paper by Kate Knight. A bit of glitter card and Stickles makes it a very girly card.

A card for this month's Inspirational challenge on the forum. It's also for eldest at home son's birthday next month. I'm running out of ideas..men are not easy to make for.

 A male card that has to have a least one circle and some ribbon/twine/string etc. I don't know where the backing paper came from and I'm not sure about the stamps.....had them ages.  Used paper string threaded through eyelets and a dymo tape for the sentiment.

I've been playing...

...with my new crafting goodies. My prize from the Do Crafts November prize draw arrived after a slight delay and I've finally got to have a play with it.  A3 glass cutting mat, stamp edge cutting dies and two sets of urban design stamps. Love the cutting mat and the dies..and a bit out of my comfort zone with the stamps. Well I played about with them for a while and ended up with quite a few bits. Thought that I really ought to be able make a card with some of them so... I did.  It's my eldest's birthday today so he got the resulting card. A bit of a mix of things as most of my experimenting was using card and paper from my "bit bag."

An unusual colour combination but I think it works. You can't see it in the pic but I have stamped the main image in a very soft grey over the background, to match the base grey card

What have I been doing?

Not a lot!  I haven't been well for the last couple of months and the last few weeks have been worse. Don't know if it's a flare up of the M.E. or something else. I'm slowly getting back to what is normal for me but I'm still very tired. Everything is an effort. Luckily my two sons have been very understanding and are keeping the household chores at bay and doing the cooking. I'm still without my one of my hearing aids. I did have an appointment but I didn't make it....just wasn't well enough. I haven't made another appointment yet as I don't want to make one and not be able to keep it again. Mmeanwhile I have managed to make three cards so far this year. The first was for my youngest grandson's birthday and I struggled to make a card...wasn't very happy with it but didn't have time to make another. Forgot to take a pic before it was sent off. Second card was for the Crafters Re-united forum.  The challenge was a sketch from the lovely Jackie. My niece is due to have her second baby..a boy..in about 3 weeks so that gave me a bit of inspiration for a card. Third card for another grandson's birthday. I have to make yet another card for my eldest's birthday this weekend.
Here are the two cards that I did take a pic of.

The image is a Bently bear stamp from Adam Prescott. Everything else from my stash.

This one was made using a free download from my Craft Studio.  The letters were cut out using a die then applied glossy accents.

It's Christmas..

First of all.....can I wish you all very happy Christmas..and thank you all for visiting. Everything is done and all ready for a nice quiet day. Just a slight problem with one of my hearing aids....it's not working!!..and it would have to be the one for the worst affected ear. I will cope though..the TV volume will be a bit higher. I now have to contact the hospital for an appointment to see what the problem is and hopefully get it fixed.

I've had to cut back a little more than usual this year but I think that's true for a great many of us. No reason why it shouldn't be just as festive though. Anyhow.....Got all my cards done with time to spare. Forgot to take pics of some of them and the ones I did take haven't turned out too well.

Papers and images include.... Nancy Wyatt, Polka Doodles, Just inklined, FSS, Dustin Pike, Adam Prescot and glitter, ribbons, punches,stamps and adhesive gems from my stash.  Die cuts from Spellbinders and X-Cut, masks/embossing templates from Stamps Away.

                                                                                                                                                                                              

A Very Happy Christmas To You All

Just to let you know..

..that I have had to put the word verification feature on again as I'm getting a ton of spam. It's a pain ..I know ..but it has to be done I'm afraid. Hope to be back soon as soon as I've finished the final Christmas card I have to make.

I'm a Winner!!

Just checked my email and I have one from Do Crafts saying that I am a winner of the November prize draw......gobsmacked!!! Now I can't wait for my prize to arrive. The news has come at the right time to cheer me up, as I've been watching the pennies extra carfully this week.  My youngest has got a temporary Christmas job, and as he won't get paid until after Christmas, things are a bit tighter financially at the moment. I've been sitting on my hands when watching Create &Craft, and avoiding temptation to go onto some of my favourite craft sites to see all the crafting goodies that want to jump into my basket. I'm being very good.
Other wise I have been busy making some cards. Not finished yet but almost there. Just a few more to do then all the inserts need doing....as well as a load of inserts for the crafting group. I've found that they are a lot easier to do now with Craft Artist. I've only got the free compact version at the moment but hope to get the full version soon. Now I just need a few more hours so that I can spend longer playing with it. 
Be back soon I hope with some pics of some of the cards.