beautiful Bank Holiday weekend

Yeah, who am I kidding. Its cold and wet.
BUT it is our wedding anniversary today - 19 years!!!! Yup - only 6 to our Silver Wedding (if Phil doesn't get fed up of me by then)
We don't do that much - he bought me a mag and some chocolate. I gave him a card (the apple one from a dare actually but it was made for today!) and went out for a pub lunch.
We look a bit different now.
this is us yesterday at the Global Day of Prayer at West Ham yesterday
It was a really cool event - apart from the long wait to get in. By the time we were all in all the rows above and below us were packed. They sold 20,000 tickets. I have no idea of numbers but there were a lot of people there! Carys loved it and was "praise the Lord" ing with the best of them. Some of the prayers were done in a different way from which we are used to but it was an inspirational and moving and amazing time of worship on Pentecost Sunday.

I am supposed to be packing but haven't done any yet...But I have done some ironing (faint) and finished a couple of craft projects that were hanging over plus assist Carys with another page.
Would you like to see them?
Tough, here they are anyway.

{the layout will be back}

This is a Letter sized page using a kit from Scraptitude
I cut out all the flowers and swirls from two papers and used some big sticker letters from an old SA kit over a third. The letters are layered (maybe because I didn't have enough space to put them out in a line but I'm not telling). I love this photograph sooooo much. There is another with all three of them in a similar pose that may have to be scrapped soon...


{the layout will be back}

This layout is an 8 by 8 using the May Self Addressed kit papers. It says Mujic Van because that is what Hywel used to call ice-cream vans, not realised that they sold ice-cream. I have finally used some hambly - woo hoo! Maya road Fabric flowers are from this months Cool Blue kit. Sassafrass Lass bracket stamps; Poundland bling; basic grey rubons; circles and letter stickers from the QVC card and scrapbook kit in a box from last year; scalloped circle is my latest punch. Expect to see a lot more of it!

I won't be blogging until Saturday now. Miss me?

(Not so) ouch

Went to the dentist this week. I knew that I had a little filling missing. But also that one of my front teeth had been feeling funny. Not hurting but throbbing quite a lot. Decided to be a big brave girl and mention it to my dentist. One x-ray later and she broke the news that the nerve needed to come out. And she could start the procedure now. Eeeeek! I have had a filling in that tooth before and the injection just sucks. I was pregnant with Hywel and decided to practice my relaxation techniques as I was injected. Oh. My. It felt like someone had punched me in the face. I am sure that it wouldn't have hurt so much if I had been tense.
But that was almost 15 years ago and Dr Reed is just the best dentist in the whole world ever. The injection hardly hurt at all and although the whole procedure felt funny it didn't hurt a bit. Oh and did I mention that I ahve an NHS dentist and that the two visits, clean up, xrays and fillings will cost me £43? I love you Estelle Read and I want to have your babies. (Blackadder quote). Please don't move away ever!

Carys is fine - she just has a big bruise now. That lump was pretty awesome though. I now have permission to scrap it. Whenever I have time to craft again. This has been an uber busy working week - meetings every night. I struggle with that after a while so need a bit of scrap time. Maybe if I get my service done soon this morning!

Anyway, my Dare card for the week - finished right up to the limit again

JO set the dare this week

I would like you to make a card using some thing that you would normally find in an office environment. Such as... staples, paperclips, paper fasteners, file folders, library cards, hole punches, lined paper etc you get the drift.
so what did I use?

well I went to Poundland recently and didn't get any of the lovely chipboard there BUT found these alphabet shaped post it notes and thought they might come in handy. Of course being post it notes they are BRIGHT but there you go. I stuck them onto some paper to put them through the printer and used the U as a mask (although then decided to cut the middle out anyway). Bit of outlining but no inking (shock). Paper is KI memories and it is so versatile. The 2 is a basic grey number painted with pink and green paint. Also added cute bulldog clip from Wilkinsons, some coloured staples from the 99p shop and some holes using my trusty punch! I guess this is one of the most low budget cards I have ever done!

Tomorrow I am on duty at our contact centre. I used to be able to sit there and do some cross stitch but these days we have some lively children who need watching/playing with! Then we are going to visit Phil's friends who live near the Glitter Pot so I think there may be a little shopping. Sunday Phil, Carys and I are going to the Global Day of Prayer at West Ham stadium (will we all wear Bolton shirts?). Monday I will be packing for a quick break at Phil's mum's house but may get a teeny bit of crafting time. Hywel is going to have to take his revision with him for his science GCSE papers in June. Mwah hah hah.

Have a good weekend!

Ouch

Isn't this impressive?

Carys banged her head on the side of the door and in 5 minutes it was this size! She was fine and went to school alright. But it is still up a bit now!

I've had a crafty day today with Sue Hyde and Anita. We chatted, stroked stash and I made 2 layouts!
The first is Letter size - which means I can print straight on it. Groovy. I actually got a picture of Emrys looking happy and smiling - a rare occurence. This sweet photo goes with him being obnoxious - as you can read! All the papers are Christina Cole
{Layout will be back soon}

I showed it to him and he said "am I supposed to like it, it stinks"
Praise indeed.
This one is 8x8 and uses SEI Be Bop papers and 7 gypsies stickers
This evening after going to a meeting ON MY DAY OFF because someone I was meeting could only make it ON MY DAY OFF and finding he did not turn up (and me and someone else waited for 40 minutes) ON MY DAY OFF - the evening was redeemed by the most awesome movie night special called "Stranger than fiction". If you find anything about my blog funny ever then make sure you watch this film because it hit the Nevard family funny bone spot on.

I leave you with my sadly unsuccessful entry into Bex's "Scrap where you are at" layout competition. I decided not to scrap a space because frankly the mess is too embarrassing. I chose instead to scrap a state of mind...
My camera assistant enjoyed this one although I have to confess I am more covered than you might think!
I used my foam alphabet stamps on patterned papers - Junkitz and KI Memories. they are raised on foam pads. Then the other words are on safmat. I discovered that the front papers to the collections are perfect tiny versions of the papers and worked well here. I added a few photo corners and circles et voila. It still makes me smile - although it rather shocked my daughter! (and she wasn't looking at it when she accidentally hit her head I promise)

Birthday boy

Yeppers today my middle one turned teenage. It seems like only yesterday that I was watching 4 weddings and a funeral in the cinema and laughing so hard I thought I would have the baby there and then. Or being stitched and biting my hand and then when Phil said I could bite him instead doing it so hard he swears he can still see the bite marks. Or being slightly ticked off when Phil got out his sandwiches and switched on the tv to watch the cricket in the delivery room ("but you two were both sleeping. I was bored") Ah happy days.

And now he is 13, my little Emrys James. Who I thought we might call EJ but somehow never did. It was always H and Em. He was the cuddliest, most kissable baby (until he went to school. That was the last hug given willingly unless he is sick). He was a beautiful boy too - very photogenic. Could easily have been a milky bar kid (except we boycott Nestle). He is now shy, very funny, very clever and loves to take care of his sister unless he is winding her up to screaming point. (I exaggerate not).

He loved his new computer games; the new school bag and pencil case he asked for(!) and his handmade toys that he is displaying here. Carys made him L'il Emrys and I made the felt cat having been inspired by Tracie Hudson's creations. Mine isn't quite so good (by about 6 miles) but its nae bad for a first go. Carys wants to make a mouse now
It is a Manx cat as it has no tail...

We spent the day bowling (I was last. Oh the shame) eating McD's and watching Meet the Robinsons in the cinema. And Emrys was starring in it! Well the kid Lewis looks like Emrys did when he was little. It was the quirkiest Disney film I have seen. Laugh out loud a lot of the time. Methinks the villain was based on Count Olaf from a Series of Unfortunate Events. Which is cool
Then it was home to hanging out (writing sermons; going to the library and supermarket); lighting candles and eating cake and watching Dr WHo


I leave you with the card I made for my friend Sue's niece. Now at Easter I took photos of photos of Hannah to use on the card. And forgot all about it. And deleted the photos. And Sue was going to scan them at work. And forgot. So it is a cutie pie pink and sparkly number instead. Now all it has to do is get to Swansea in one piece in time for Nerissa to give on Tuesday. If not, Sue will have to print out this photo...

Heidi Swapp number chipboard, chipboard flowers from SA kit, BG Phoebe backing paper; hand written sentiment; Bazzill bling word robo'ed; other flowers cut from bling and funky foam and layered up together. I hope it is pink and sparkly enough!

Darn

Missed it.
The anniversary of my blog beginning that is. Actually I can't find a date on my first entries but I know I was blogging by Emrys' birthday last year as I posted about it. And that is tomorrow. When he is 13. Eek! SO I made sure that my Daring Card this week had him in mind.
Tracie set us quite a challenge

For this weeks dare, I dare you to "start from scratch" I want to you design a card with NO purchased/pre-assembled embellishments - that means no blooms unless you cut them yourself, no buttons, brads etc etc. I guess how easy this is depends on your usual style

**insert evil laugh here**

Well mine was more of a frustrated sob as I couldn't get it to come together. And then I thought - hang on - I actually do quite a lot of this anyway. And set to last night.
Now a word of explanation. At the moment Emrys is into cats. The answer to any question may well be "cat". What do you want to eat? What did you do at school today? Anything. Hence the card and hopefully one of his gifts if I get it finished in time tonight.
The papers are from my mostest favourite SA kit ever (sadly long sold out). The letters and numbers are all hand cut, inked and drawn round. The "buttons" and eyes I did use punches for as circle cutting is not in my gift. The sentiment is hand written (quite pleased with it actually) I have rediscovered funky foam so made him a lovely arrow which I decorated. The card is more layered than you can see here. I think he will like it...

Groan

Keep suffering from indigestion today. I'm exhausted but won't sleep til its gone. Boo hoo. so I might as well show you the other two layouts I have now photographed in a better light.
I taught a class at Imagine That yesterday. Made one huge booboo as I offered to move a bazzill wooden bosher that Pat had just lovingly covered in liquid pearls... and i dropped it.
So i don't just stare and put people off I take something with me to do. So yesterday I cut out paisley patterns from a sheet of Junkitz paper. I added a few letter stickers and cut out some other paisley shapes on the back to make journalling spots. {the layout will be back}
Some of the paisley is raised with foam pads.

The other layout is Sassafrass papers and coasters from Cool Blue. The photo corners were made by cutting a punched scalloped square in two, inking and stamping with a stamps away corner. The bracket stamps are sassafrass. Doesn't Phil look sweet?
its his birthday tomorrow (today). Just struggled through making a really pants card. Oh well...

Creative ups and downs 2

I work in the conservatory. I make mess in the conservatory. I can leave things out in the conservatory. I love the conservatory. except when it leaks. Over my papers. and especially over my Elsie layout.
It is just about salvaged but now has a delicate curve to it.
On the up side I emailed it to Elsie and she called it "adorable". which i shall print out and stick on the back of the curved LO!
This morning I finally finished a layout I have been planning. We found this rockpool full of starfish close to the sea and wondered how they got there. Then we spotted some girls with buckets dropping more in - maybe so they would get taken out on the tide? Anyway I took this rather fetching photo and coupled it with some Crate Paper and fabby starfish buttons, plus some shells. Beads stuck on with glossy accents and the word starfish is alcohol inked acetate cut on the craft robo

{the layout will be back}
And the journalling is on some Maya Road chipboard painted and inked
Have got more to show and tell but my keyboard is playing up, the photos are pants and it is already tomorrow. Hopefully i can squeeze in a little blogging time later!

Give your loved ones a hug

As well as church today I have been to see a lovely friend whose husband died in his sleep this morning. One of the things that was upsetting her was not being able to kiss him goodbye while he was alive. It reminded me how important it is to keep telling those we love that we do love them because we never know what life will throw at us.
Norman was an amazing man. He was interned in a Japanese POW camp in China as a child (his parents who were missionaries in China managed to escape but he and his siblings did not). He was a Minister, an evangelist and an accountant which makes for an interesting mix!
we did not always see eye to eye but respected each other. Although he could seem quite stern he loved children and babies and they responded to him. He will be much missed - both here and in China where he was so loved and brought many people to faith in Christ.

I was able to give my loved one a hug yesterday as he came back from Prague having had a good time. He even fitted in a bit of sight seeing.that put the lid on a good day for me. In the morning I went to Imagine That and helped design a class on improving your journalling. I so enjoyed the brainstorming session. It was a good distraction ( I think) for Emma as her sister was getting married that afternoon and things were NOT going to plan (I'll find out tomorrow).

In the afternoon Carys and I did some scrapping together and I managed not to interfere with what she did (major achievement!)
She didn't want to use patterned paper (I couldn't choose between fainting with shock that someone didn't want patterned paper or thinking all the more for me!)
and she really does look like that when she is angry...

I finished my last NSD challenge for Bex forum - we were given an extension!
This challenge was to scrap and inspiration. I was going to go worthy with a page about Jesus - which i think I shall still do sometime. But went for something light and cheeky.
Its a Letter size page using SEI background paper and spotty paper.
I also used some bits of bazzill, April SA kit paper and arrows; ribbons, safmat and doodlebug buttons that i doodled on (yup, can't stop now). Scalloped edge done with giant scalloped scissors that Jo recommended. They are fabbo.

Just been called for lunch (love that DH) then more work this afternoon!

Full on Friday

Got heaps of proper work to do today so i am going to make this a rather brief blog entry. Just the facts (ma'am) on the cards for this weeks Daring Cardmakers challenge.
Kathy set the dare which is all about food and the results are mouthwatering!
I was s inspired I made two and have thought of lots of other fruity cards which will probably never get made now. maybe just as well.

The one I put on the blog was actually the afterthought which now I prefer!
Piggy tales patterned paper. Printed text boxes (so excited to have mastered white writing so expect more of this). The apple looks scrummy in real life. It is strips of various patterned papers glued onto card and cut out in an apple shape then triple embossed using UTEE. One of the buttons is a doodlebug spotty one. The others are plain doodlebugs which I have added to using a cheapo paint pen from Wilkinsons. It is pants for writing but the bizz on buttons. So expect to see more of these soon too!

When I was first panicking about the dare I suddenly remembered an old SA kit with lemon paper and lo a card was born.
(ah flashback to Hywel aged 2.5. we walked past some houses and I said that while I was pregnant with him those houses hadn't been born. The precocious cheeky brat looked at me with scorn and said "houses aren't born!" . Those of you who may wish to have children who learn to speak early, trust me. it is never good. it just gives them more years of putting you right)
Papers all from that SA kit - April 2006 - there are still some for sale. Printed out words. Lemonade glass is white card behind vellum and a tiny piece of one of the small patterned paper behind. Loads of black pen. The lemons have got some glossy accents on them to give a bit of depth.
Must fly now!

WIIiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Guess what arrived at our house today?
The kids had a wii on order since january with no sign of coming. i started to haunt the wii locator blogs and finally struck lucky on Saturday. I kept filling in the form wrong in my haste to purchase the thing before it went out of stock again. (I've kept missing them by a couple of minutes apparently).
Honestly I am so proud of myself, I'm like a caveman who has hunted down a mammoth all by himself!
Haven't had a go yet - but will soon. And take photos natch.

I have had loads of parcels arrive in the last few days - I have to stop spending now! I bought two new albums as I have completed my 12x12 and you can't put any more pages in. (I have finished 2 8x8 as well but they are extendable). I bought some more bloomers in black and especially white so i can paint them. My cool Blue kit arrived which is awesome and as it was Scrapbooking day on Saturday Scraptitude offered 50% off everything so i had to get a kit from there which includes Hambly screen prints wot I have always wanted to try.
And I went to hobby craft and bought some more felt because suddenly it is lovely again. The spotty ones were bogof so i did. Oooooh and then I had to get my new diary in Smiths and they had sharpie pens for £1.
Its better than clothes... or food.

well maybe not chocolate.

And also fitted in a great Elders Meeting at one of my churches. And planned a Bible study series called "My faith Scrapbook". Yup what could be better than combining the two loves of my life (outside the family) Jesus and patterned paper? I think it will be a lot of fun!

I leave you with the canvas Carys made at her friends party at imagine That. I have finally taken a photo to put on it. In some of the other shots she looks a little girl but she is a bit of a glamour puss in this one which is rather scary! I straightened her hair on Saturday which helps with the grown upness!
Must go to bed as Phil goes off to Prague at 5 in the morning. He is back Saturday night and as he is at a conference probably won't see much of that beautiful city. But he is flying business class on the way so I expect lots of photos of the comfy chairs

Creative Ups and Downs

well I've had a good weekend really!
worked hard and played hard which is always a good mix.
Didn't spend enough time with Carys (the boys are quite happy being left alone thank you very much - but she needs company) but I am slowly getting her into crafting so that she can come and sit with me rather than watch tv. I will have to change what I listen to while I craft (audio books have a lot of swearing you know!) but that is really no hardship.

Saturday morning was spent sorting out my evening service for Sunday. Saturday afternoon was the Romford church craft club. Now this has got quite successful - we get about 8 people coming and more adding on - not all church members which is great. BUT I provide all the stuff (from my stash which still doesn't get any smaller). I try and bring a limited range of things and show them a technique - but they mostly just like doing their own thing which means bringing oodles of stuff which I have to pack and unpack - taking away my own precious crafting time. I think I will have to buy another box (!) and just leave a set kit in there so I can simply add a few basics and something new to try (most are very stamp resistant but I am determined!)
At the other church the club is teeny - although someone else is starting this week. I have decided there that I am going to be more prescriptive and make up some kits so we can make one card and then if time, work on some other bits too.

Saturday evening I did my fastest layout ever. I have joined Bex's forum and the fun and enthusiasm is infectious! There are some National Scrapbooking Day Challenges and one was to take inspiration from an ad. I started the page just before Dr who and completed it just after so it was about 20 minutes in all ( and don't you dare say "and it shows") Its my first 8.5x11 (Amercian Letter size I think) layout and I love this size. I can easily print directly onto card stock too which is something I plan to use in the future.
Papers are from the April SA kit. I used a Stamps Away journalling stamp, Doodlebug rubons and SEI letters plus three pink gems.

Sunday I squeezed another challenge in the space between morning and evening worship! This was to use a half page map. I found 6x12 a struggle but I think this is becasue my photoprinter had died and I didn't have time to set up the new one until Monday. I had to use prints which meant all the photos were really too big. I shall do another one though (why? So can can store two side by side in my 12x12 album!)
BG Phoebe papers and letters (mmmm my fave) Doodlebug rubons (guess what I just bought?), primas, brads, chipboard flower from SA kit.
family wise we watched the Return of the King. Once more the kids talked ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

Monday I spent wrestling with new printer (no probs really just me being dense!). My old one was less than a year old but as we used "compatibles" when the print head went wrong that was it. Decided to upgrade while Phil looked on ebay fro second hand ones. He skyped a printer then forgot to unskype it. so we now have two new printers. (If you don't know what skype is, it means that you can jump in with a bid at the very last minute)
Monday afternoon I did a chipboard class at Imagine That and great fun it was too. Emma is such a good teacher and the time flew by. In the evening I finished a layout for a compy and we went for a meal to nando's. Which i have decided is really a slightly more expensive macdonalds with more chicken. The kids love the unlimited drinks and frozen yogurt though!

I also discovered I didn't win Kirsty's scrap your hands comp. The one I thought would win did and I can totally understand it. it is powerful and honest as well as being good to look at - which sums up a good page to me. And though I would have loved to win all the prizes (natch!) looking at all the entries I think mine was a contender and as I have been scrapping less than a year I think that is an achievement. (Now that sentence sounds a bit full of myself but I am working on trying to praise myself becasue find it hard to do)
PLUS - it was the first scrap compy I have ever entered - and at least I did.

This week is a bit busy - and Phil will be away so i don't know how much scrapping/crafting time I will have. Plus the boys have run out of undies so I need to do some washing etc (or buy some new ones). I am trying to organize the house too - very slowly one drawer at a time. And I need to do a bit more of that (most satisfying!).

Don't forget to look at the DCM blog - and especially the comments this week as all the cards sent in are amazing!

Some more of my stuff

This time it is the scrap pages I have been doing.
I also taught a class at Imagine That which was brilliant fun (squeezed in between a school assembly and a service at a nursing home followed later by a baptism visit). Still need to work on my timings though. This was a clipboard class using Basic Grey Phoebe papers and some bazzill bling. (The other) Emma (hmmm must ask for their surnames...) designed it and it cleverly teaches using loads of patterns together, alcohol inks and painting with pigment powders all in one class!

As to my layouts
I think this layout is still a work in progress.
My mum still has all my childhood photos but she found a few doubles. Including this one. Of all the pictures to have two of... Although as the journalling says "its not a terrible photo. i really did look like that. The hair. the teeth. the glasses. the dress. the 70's"
The idea was to make everything else look rich and gorgeous with that ugly mug there in the middle (well the side) so i think it is going to need some more bling put on it. Any suggestions?

Credits:

• Basic grey Urban couture (still love it so) Don't you think the stripe echoes the one on my "lovely" dress pretty well?
• banana frog stamps
• some ribbon from an SA kit.
• Auntie Sarah's bloomers plus one from Dunelm and one from the may SA kit painted with Blonde Moments pigment powder
• "go" is BG letters covered in Jo Sonja opal dust
• "on then" letter stickers from stash (7 gypsies?)
• "laugh" are qvc chipboard box letters painted with pigment powders and opal dust
• gems coloured with alcohol ink
• journalling spot is a purple onion stamp.

Phew if I add anything to it, 'twill be the longest credit list I have ever done!

this one is much simpler
(for some reason i only took one photo and didn't straighten the page. Doh!)
Bazzill card stock and Piggy Tales papers from Imagine That. The ready covered chipboard letters were a bit of a luxury - but they are so substantial and well made (may cut up what is left or use it for stencilling as the letters are so clear) I cut up a sheet that already had circles on and then punched circles out of 2 others. All are double sided so you get these gorgeous toning palin shades too. Then I realised that I could use all the middles of letters as well so there are chipboard circles for extra dimension. all inked and gone round with black pen for extra "pop"

And finally...
I entered Kirsty Wiseman's competition to scrap your hands. Nearly copped out because I am not very good with competitions. But I am pleased with the end result as a page for my scrapbook so that is the whole point really! (although the prizes look tempting!) the results aren't out yet but I am pretty sure who is going to win. Plus people on UKScrappers have already shown theirs - so here is mine.

• bazzill card stock (love this white stripey one)
• BG lollipoppe shoppe
• junkitz flowerful
• Provocraft itty bitty pad scrap (now there's a paper name quote you won't have heard for a while) (incidentally I have loads of papers. these are some of my fave colours so why only 3 pieces of paper that went anywhere near going together?
• anita's acrylic paints
• Ranger alcohol inks
• Ranger paint daubers
• Heidi swapp (so called) self adhesive letters
• letter stickers from April SA kit
  
• prima flowers
  
• acetate/brads/gems/black marker pen
  

NB: do not attempt to paint your hand with dauber inks and then stamp it on a page becasue they dry too fast. even wetting with water does not help and it is then a b****r to wash off. Bottom layer was hands done with less dense paint!. then I alcohol ink and paint daubed layers of acetate. I then cut round a template of my hands and attached the layers with brads. You can "peel back" the layers to read what it says about my hands and me on the different layers
And this is what it says
Top layer: These hands hold my children when they are sad or ill
These hands break bread and pour wine at communion
Layer 2: These hands fill up the washing machine and fold clean clothes
These hands hold people in prayer and in greeting
Layer 3: These hands tap endlessly on computer keys
These hands fiddle with my hair constantly and end up in my mouth as I bite my nails
Layer 4: These hands lovingly caress my husband
These hands create art with paper, ink and glue
Layer 5: These hands no longer itch to do so far not succumbed to damage
And hope that they never will
These hands still hope that God has a purpose for them and that it involves creativity

Now i have services to prepare, a card making class to lead at church, Dr who and Casualty to watch, a full days work tomorrow. And lots of scrapping ideas in my head. One of which my DH is very much looking forward to helping me with!
Have a good bank holiday weekend
and don't forget there is a Prize Draw on the DCM blog this week!

Here's some I made (much, much) earlier

Haven't been able to sleep properly last few nights. Not totally sure why. its a shame becasue I was tip top after last week!
But it meant that I was able to do some crafting and fit in work. Bonus!
Subsequently there is a lot to share. I never know whether it is better to have loads on one post or share them out.
Tell you what I'll do as much as I can in 5 minutes!

So firstly,
the daring cards.
And the theme is...

WINGS!

You can pick any subject, any colour but the card has to incorporate WINGS of some sort-so you can do - butterflies, angels, fairies, insects,birds........anything basically if it has wings!

Still not really sure about this one. Anyway

• ranger copper pen and doodling template base
• alcohol inked acetate attached with brads
• brown ribbon covered in opal dust
  
• squares of Heidi Grace paper ( see below if time)
• paper artsy stamp using distress ink. wings covered in glitter glue, opal dust and a sophistiquin each
• liberal use of sophistiquins and copper glitter glue

I think probably it is the background I don't like.

to make up for it, made this at 6:45 this morning

• April SA kit card and papers (the owl has teeny tiny wings see).
• Teensy diamentes
  
• a cream flower from the kit painted with blue blonde moments powder

Only time for one more this post. Another quick card - one of a pattern I use soooo much.
And even easier than usual

• The squares are all cut from the same sheet of paper. Heidi Grace new mini squares. And the best bit is, touch the bottom left hand square. see its all suedey (that's why it looks blurred in the pic!).
  
• Just added a button heart,
  
• brads
  
• safmat sentiment.

This is a great way to use up scraps and can make good mens cards for those not into cars/shirts/ darts/beer/fishing (thought I wouldn't advise the hert uness it is your boyfriend not your boss)

More new shoes

this time for meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

And not quite such a bargain.
but look, see and you will understand.

Unless you hate crocs.
(strange person)

Yesterday I had a great day playing with paper with my friend Sue. We looked at each others new stash and then went for a sarnie. Is there nothing better than a toasted sarnie done in a big flat hotplate? No there is not.
Then we went to Imagine That for a class using Blonde Moments pigment powders and stamps. I love the classes and crops at IT. Emma has a really relaxing manner and makes it such fun.
first we made this card...

isn't it sweet? And thanks to sue for tying my bow otherwise we would still be there. (locked in a craft shop now there's a thought!)
then we made this

a black inked square of backing card was smooshed with three pigment powders, sprayed with water then utee'd with an inked stamp pressed in on last go with the UTEE. More powder was brushed onto the stamped image for definition.
And finally (well we made bits all through the session)


We stamped using versamark and swooshed the pigment on (can you guess my favourite new word?) Then on the cover turned the powder into paint with a little water to paint an embossed image!
Coolio!

If you live anywhere near Upminster Emma will be repeating the class in a few weeks time so check her website for details. If you don't but are keen I have a spare bedroom going at very competitive rates...
And there is a free day of crafting fun on 9th June including Mrs Paper Artsy doing a demo!