Its about time

I blogged again.
I have been away. I did hope to do some of that clever scheduling stuff but didn't manage it :(
Just before going away was extra fraught this year thanks to a rather lovely but extra worky prayer day on the Saturday!
We find it quite hard to find the right holiday as we like to go from Monday not Saturday or Sunday so that we don't go straight back into preaching as soon as we get back. We have done it and it is not fun. So I have actually been back 5 days but washing/work/washing/a mag commission/washing has rather taken up my time since then!

We went to Weymouth in Dorset. My confession is that I had been a little embarrassed saying that before hand as it sounded like an old lady holiday. Well I can now sing loudly (to the tune of Katy Perry's rather annoying song)
"I holidayed in Weymouth and I liked it"
It is gorgeous.
I love Chesil beach (our campsite looked out over it)
I love Portland
I love Lulworth Cove.
The kids loved the 36" flatscreen tv...
and the swimming pool
and vegging
and the Where's Wally book.

Haven experimented this year with a Book Scheme in a few sites. We got a bookbag full of books and also agreed to be interviewed (and paid!) about reading. I enjoyed the Katie Fforde. But the most read book out of the lot was Where's Wally. Go figure.
And I still haven't found him everywhere.

I have loads of photos to share but will do that anon as I really need to get on with sermon prep as I have two services this week. So instead I will catch up with my crafty bits
I did manage to do a card for last weeks Daring cards - inchies. I needed a card for my dad. His birthday was while we were on holiday but he was spending it at our house - oh yes as well as all the extra work before we went away we had to make sure the house was clean and tidy (it isn't always, especially when we are going away. Blush). But it did mean that his card and present got to him in time!

I have these fabulous inchie stamps that I bought last year at Ally Pally. I had nearly bought them the year before and regretted it. They are Impression Obsession I think and fab quality stamps. It is a simply card using the stamps and white embossing powder, square nesties and Costco papers. I have to be honest and say that I can't remember if I came up with the sketch myself or not. It is rather a nice layered one I think! Also used: a Martha border punch and Docrafts stamp

Now onto this weeks Dare. poor Rein had a bit of an accident this week - get well soon Rein! It is lovely to still have Lynda and to welcome Paula as Guest Designers. Rein's dare is

SUNFLOWERS

We love their happy, sunny appearance, somehow seeing them never fails to cheer, does it? So we'd like to see lots and lots of glorious, cheerful sunflowers on your cards.

I did have a bit of a panic as my mind was blank and then I had a brainwave. I decided that my sunflower would be a bit abstract rather than real. SO here it is!
I was waiting for Hywel to sign in at college for Upper Sixth and doodled a card sketch for this card. And kept to it! I cut an A6 card black down a little so that the flower could poke over the top and still fit in a normal envelope. The middle of the flower is an Elsie doodle stamp from Fontwerks. The rest of the flower is hand cut. Everything inked, a little bit of outlining, hand written sentiment and some lovely Prima bling that I won in a draw from Sarah's cards (you will be seeing a lot more of these, trust me!)

I managed to once again fail spectacularly to Get Funky when I could. I am also even more behind on Salt which I plan to catch up with next week. Ruth chose the Get Funky challenge this time. It is a great one and don't forget that if you enter you have the chance of winning a £20 Funky Hand voucher. Here is the challenge

Two Little Boys

Both my boys have their Birthdays in September - Jacob will be 4 and Samuel will be 6.

So my challenge is to make a boy themed card, layout, project or what ever you fancy as long as it is aimed at a boy and uses a Funky Hand paper or extra.

and here are my cards
I used Funky Seasons papers for both cards. For Jacob's card I printed out papers 4 to one A4 sheet. There are a lot of foam pads used on this card. The letter/number are Sizzix Playground and the car is a Quickutz die. I love how the car turned out!
As Samuel is now 6 and very grown up (as AA Milne once wrote "But now I am Six, I'm as clever as clever, So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever.") his card is a bit more grown up looking. For this one, I printed out some of the ATC's to keep the pattern small. The candles are QK
I also used a nesties die and lots of outlining with a sharpie pen.
Pop along to Get Funky and see all the great boy cards you can make with Funky Hand!