Mum Le Taxi

If you are of a certain age that title will get you singing along to one of the most irritating songs ever (and I'm not biased against it because she is now Johnny Depp's partner, that would be stupid and childish. Obviously). If you don't get it, don't click. You have been warned.

Emrys has an AS level exam today. He needs to be there at 8:50. The bus he normally takes, may get there for that time. So its better that we drive him to make sure. And then pick him up as he is on study leave apart from exams. Which is a few round trips! We would share it out but Phil did the same yesterday and he is off being examined himself today - the last part of his bike test. He is obviously nervous as he was awake for hours (which kept me awake although he didn't make any noise. Weird). Later today I will take Carys to the dance group she has just joined. Although I worry about my kids spending too much time indoors, I don't know how we would cope if they were really sporty types!

In between I will be preparing for Sunday - this week the key phrase is "always be ready to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you" (1 Peter)
I suppose for me hope is a key part of faith. I think life is a lot harder without hope. One of my favourite lines in the prayers for a funeral is for the family when I say "may they grieve but not as those without hope". For me, hope is the promise I have from God that he will always be with me and love me no matter what. As it says in Romans 8
For I am certain that nothing can separate us from his love: neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, neither the present nor the future, neither the world above nor the world below - there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.

And that is what keeps me going. Sometimes with a skip in my step, sometimes with gritted teeth, sometimes only just hanging on by my fingertips. But always with hope.
That first reading about being ready to explain the hope says that you must do this with "gentleness and respect.". I hope I have!

Well that has helped me to get the juices flowing so I can think about the service whilst I spend time fetching and carrying Number 2 son so now I can share my Daring Card for this week.
It is a special week on Daring Cardmakers as we have 4 new members of the team. Lots of people applied which was lovely and it was tough to choose who would become part of the team but these 4 had something special as I am sure you will agree. So to Fran, Keilly, Leo and Sharon - thanks for saying YES!

To celebrate there is a fabulous giveaway from my most generous, lovely and talented local craft shop owner - Emma of Imagine That. It is a lovely shop (both real and online) and the classes there are many and varied (even if some people's tend to over-run. That would be me). One of the best things about it is the shop designed clear stamps. I have clear stamps from other places that have started to show wear and tear but Emma's are still going strong. And you ahve a chance to try one of the sets out as there are three up for grabs this week. All you have to do is

1. Join in this weeks Dare
2. add links to Imagine That and The Daring Cardmakers
3. link to no more than 5 other challenges.

We had a fab challenge set this week by Zuzana - Passion for Fashion. All of the Design Team creations are too die for. Some of those shoes and bags and dresses I want for myself. Here is mine. Don't want to wear this one...well I might if my waist was that small!

I often doodle dresses so I did a couple until I had one I thought I could replicate in paper (ie it had to be pretty simple). I thought of making a fabric skirt but decided to stick with paper. I cut out all the pattern pieces, doing two for the skirt so that I could layer up the pleats. I added tiny punched circles underneath to make a 50's style petticoat. The dress is on foam pads to give some dimension.

Details: Cardstock: Papertrey Ink; Papers MME Stella and Rose; Stamp: Imagine That Write Big; Ink: Memento Black and Distress Ink Pumice Stone; Dies: Nestability; Card Candi

Its my mother's birthday today. Happy birthday mum! HOPEfully she will have her card as I actually sent it on Wednesday (early for me!) so I will show it here
The card is based on this week's Kortkissen sketch. I love simple clear sketches but don't often use them. (or any other sketch). I did doodle a few myself at a conference the other day (whilst concentrating I assure you) and have tried one out which I like. I'll save that for another day

Details Cardstock: Craft Creations; Dies: Sizzix Tattered Florals and Nestability circles and tag; Punches: Woodware circles and Martha Stewart leaf; Papers: MME Stella and Rose; Inks: Memento Black and Distress Ink Pumice Stone; Stamp: Waltzing Mouse; floss and brads from stash;

Actually during the time this has been written Emrys has been returned home (exam "OK") and ideas for the service thought about in the car duly noted. And we will definately sing this though not quite as ethereally - which is far less irritating than the song I started with in my opinion!