Workshop projects

Here are two of the three projects we made yesterday. The first one we did was a card and I had made it about a week and a half ago which I was pleased with at the time but when it came to explaining to the girls how to do it I made a right mess of it! I ended up taking it apart and when I put it back together it looked like it had been in a fight and lost lol. I was really disappointed in myself that I hadn't refreshed myself on the mechanics of it but hey....it's a lesson learned right?!

This was the second project we made which went a lot more smoothly :D

These are the Bo Bunny papers I got from Hayley at Funky Farm Scrapbook Barn (link on the right) I had gotten the buttons sometime last year and had obviously been saving them for the right time lol.

This is the inside of the notebook. It's kept closed by a tiny (and I mean tiny!) magnet.

I decided to go all out and decorate the pen as well...I think it's a nice touch :D

Me getting creative lol

And a close up of the pen. I really loved making this notebook. I had seen one on a Youtube video but it was made of cardstock and although I thought it looked great I didn't think it would last long so I changed it to chipboard and covered it with the Bo Bunny paper. This one is quite simple...nothing fancy...but I think it still as the wow factor. Anyone would be happy to receive this as a gift.

The is the final project. I've had these clear boxes I got from the States since my mom brought them over last July. They've been burning a hole in my drawer so decided now was the time to bring them out. I've since found out they've been shown on Create and Craft but don't know any details.

There are so many options in decorating these boxes but I decided to go simple (again) this time and just make a handle out of cs, pp and an i-top brad. Speaking of the i-top brad I really hope they go back and re-design it the tool as it's so fiddly. Annette M and I had a heck of a time yesterday using it and we're both pretty capable girls when it comes to these things! I was doing it the way the cd shows and Annette was doing it her way but it definitely was as simple as it implies. Annette came up with a great idea of having a magnet to hold the metal pieces on while getting the papers lined up...you really do need a third hand when using this thing!!

We made 6 cards to go in the box...all the same in design but in 3 different colours. When packaged up I put the same colour card at the front and the back with the rest of the cards and envelopes in between. The card size is 5" x 5" and the box size is 5 5/8 x 5 5/8 x 1.

This is a Cat's Pajama's stamp I've had for years that hadn't seen ink (shame faced). I love it because it's so simple ... it needs very little colouring and a bit of glitter and it looks fab. The sentiment is from an Elzybell's set.

A close of up of the fiddly i-top brad.

And that's it! What do you think? The girls said they liked them so I've got to take their word for it lol. Our next get together is March as I'm concentrating on Stitches for next month (can't believe it's February tomorrow!) and it will be a crop with a make and take with the workshop in April.

I've a lot to do now so I better get going. Hope you like the projects we made.

Thanks for stopping by :D

Catch ya later x

Tired but happy

The workshop was great fun today...lots of chat, laughs and crafting...the perfect way to spend a Saturday :D Ten of us squeezed around the tables and I'm happy to say our Newbie Annette survived our rowdiness and will be back to do it all again in March.

I've tried taking photos of the projects but the lighting isn't great so I'll try again in the morning and post them then. In the meantime here's another Ruby card I made last week.

Flower Ruby is so pretty and I think she would suit any occasion :D

Poor Rocky was at the vet today because he's been limping all week. He's got to take an anti-inflammatory for a week and if it doesn't clear up he'll have to go for an x-ray. Thank goodness for pet insurance!! The worst of it is he can't fun freely...he has to be on a lead at all times and only go for short walks. You try and tell a hyperactive boxer he can't run around like a loony. He's not going to be a happy camper : (

Hope you've had a good Saturday.

Catch ya later x

F14

F14 can only mean one thing....Fault 14....sound familiar? My washing machine broke down again yesterday. I was answering emails when my power went off. When I switched it on again there was a funny noise coming from my utility room. When I investigated there was steam coming out of the machine and lights flashing saying flood, F14, turn off water, call engineer! (I'd put a load of towels on earlier) Wednesday of next week was the earliest I'd get anyone out which might as well have been Wednesday a month from now!! I was thinking of the trips to the laudromat I was going to have to make but hey ho. A couple of hours later I realised there was a damp musty smell coming through the house and it turned out I'd forgotten to turn off the washing maching and it was heating up and there was even more steam coming out of it. I called the Dyson hot line (excuse the pun) again explaining the latest results and because it was now deemed a fire hazard they managed to get me a callout for Monday. In the meantime I had to empty the machine to rescue my poor towels. It took forever because the water was so hot but after a couple of hours I eventually managed to open the door and let everything cool down. This morning I wrung them out and took them to get re-washed at the laundromat. What a flippen' carry on! I'm hoping when the engineer comes on Monday he'll tell me it's not worth fixing so I can get a new one ;D

Ok...onto the card. I loved the Bo Bunny paper so much I had to use it again with Slobbing Nikki. I can't seem to finish her off without 'Ugging' up her slippers. I found glitter that matched the colour of the paper exactly but I'm not sure if it's a bit ott. I also put it on the towel on her head but it looked ridiculous so I had to scrape it off, restamp her head and cut the towel and glue it on top of the other otherwise I would have had to start all over. Good save!!

Workshop day tomorrow...so looking forward to it. I've a few last minute things to do for it so I'll head and get started. I'll post pictures of the projects tomorrow or Sunday.

Hope you have a great weekend.

Catch ya later x

Fairy nice!

As I was colouring this Ruby I decided I wanted to have some Fairy orientated sentiments so came up with this one. I'm sure there's one like it already so I hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toes! I've got a few others written down and you'll see them over the next week or so. If there's any particular fairy sentiment you like let me know and I'll put it with mine and decide which 8 I'll use.

Another stash of paper I've had for ages...Basic Grey Porcelain...it's so soft and pretty :D

I was trying to make a 'quick' card (I don't seem to be able to make anything in under an hour
!) so decided not to sew on this one. It felt strange not to and I thought it looked naked so I added the heart button and twine to the ribbon. It probably took me just as long anyway while I sifted through all my buttons lol.

Gonna grab myself a coffee and get back to work. Thanks for stopping by.

Catch ya later x

More new old stash!

So whadya think of the chic Handbag Nikki and her 'cashmere' cardi? As I was colouring her in I was trying to think of something other than glitter to add a bit of glam and texture. Eventually the light bulb came on and I remembered some Papermania glittered fluffy stuff I had bought a couple of years ago...and you guessed...never used! Why do we do that? Because we know that ONE day we will need it for something :D At this point I would have added an LOL or ROFL or LMAO but I got a lecture from Nicole today while she was driving me to drop off an order to CW. I didn't think she looked at my blog but obviously when she's working for her dad in the office and it's quiet she's bored :-O Anywho, the subject of my blog came up and she told me I shouldn't put LOL etc in because she laughs more when they're not there! I'm not sure it's because she actually thinks it's funny or more like OMG my mom is so embarrassing! The thing is, I put those abbreviations in because as I'm writing I'm doing those things...okay I'm probably not rolling on the floor laughing or my ass hasn't fallen off from laughing but if I wasn't typing I probably would!!! And there's always the point that I might think it's funny (I think I'm hilarious!) but you might not so just in case you don't I put them in so you know that's your cue ;D

Back to the card...So I think her cardi is fab and what about the paper? Can you guess whose it is? I've had this for at least 5 years in 3 different colours...3 sheets of each colour... and never been used! It's none other than Bo Bunny and I got it when I was home and was feeding my paper addiction at Precious Memories.

I haven't used my i-top brad maker for a while and decided it would look perfect for this card. Don't tell the girls but it might be coming with me on Saturday for the workshop!

I love Nikki's cardi...isn't it fab, almost looks like the real thing. You can't see it properly but there's a black diamond Swarovski crystal holding her cardi together...told you she was chic LOL...oops...couldn't resist that one Nic!

I've another 2 cards on the go in various stages so hopefully I'll get those done and maybe squeeze in another one before lights out.

Hope you're having a good day. Thanks for stopping by

Catch ya later x

Stops and starts

Just a quick post before I disappear back into the depths of my bomb site aka my workroom! Dropped Rocky and Ruby off then headed up to EK Mall to do my banking and bits of food shopping. Got a text from my friend Margaret who I haven't seen since......the summer maybe...she was in the area and was in between calls did I want to meet for a quick coffee. So you'll know what's next...I invited Margaret for a coffee to my house but told her she was on a timer and had 30 minutes lol.

I had about an hour before she arrived so I started my dads birthday card. His birthday is February 5th but every year it catches me out so I thought I was doing quite to even think about it at this 'early' date! I've wittered before about how I'm not a lover of making men's cards...don't know many that are...but I've managed to make him a card that I really like :D I don't have many male images and those I have I've probably already used for him in the past but then I remembered I had this image from Emerson....

This card is mostly made up of materials I've had for years and have been collecting dust. I've had the stamp about 3 years and this is the first time it's seen ink (shocking I know!), the Doodlebug paper I've had for longer (I KNEW I'd need it some time lol), and the orange Lasting Impressions button has been in my drawer longer than the paper!!!!

If you're trying to find the glitter you won't. I decided I couldn't do that to my dad but I did give the old guy some nail heads for buttons (well, they're almost crystals right???) and some glossy accents on his glasses and chair. I don't know if you had beach chairs like this over here but when I was growing up in Canada we had loads of these chairs over the years...the ones made of the plastic strips. As I was colouring this chair it reminded me of them so that's why I put the glossy accents on it...a trip down memory land so to speak lol. I hope the button isn't too girly...I did tie the twine in a bow but that was just too too girly so settled on a knot which is much more manly for my dad lol. And I can't seem to make a card without sewing so maybe he won't notice heehee.

I'm glad to say my dad doesn't look grumpy like this lol!!!

Ok folks...that's it for now...if I manage to make a decent amount of cards from now till bedtime and I have time I'll post one.

Have a great day :D

Catch ya later x

Busy Bee

I've had a busy time of it the last few days. As I said in my last post I was going to be working on the kits for the workshop this weekend. I ran out of a few things so HAD to go to Craft World and got everything I needed except for a couple of pieces of cs they were out of. I got most of the kits done and finished them off tonight. I'm really pleased with 2 of the projects and the jury's out on the third but hopefully the girls will like them and enjoy making them.

Today I had to go to the printer's to get the artwork sorted for Ruby's packaging. On the way home I stopped at Hobby Craft to pick up a couple of canvases for Nicole. She has been painting up a storm and has made a huge acrylic picture for her dining room wall and for one of her spare rooms she has 6 rectangle canvases (8 x 10) and painted a scene of those dandelion wish things (I never know what to call them...they're supposed to be weeds but I used to love them when I was a little girl and pick them and blow the seeds everywhere [I was a gardener's nightmare lol] )... you know the ones I mean. It's absolutely gorgeous...I forgot how good she was at art. I'll see if she'll let me take pictures of them and post them on here. You never know...she might get commissions lol. So back to Hobby Craft...I remembered they sold the cs I needed and they did have the colour but it was 20p a sheet more that CW. Now I know 20p isn't a lot of money but you'd think HC being the bigger store it would be the same price as everywhere else!

I haven't made any samples in about 4 days so I'm really behind my target. I've got this card I made from last week...I told you you'd be seeing Cool Nikki again soon :D I was very daring and decided she was going to have bare legs...she's young and slim enough to carry it off lol.

The dogs are at DDC tomorrow so I'm going to turn off all the phones and computers and get stuck into the samples. Hopefully I'll get a few extra done to make up the numbers.

Catch ya later x

Sentiments posted

Happy Saturday everyone...I hope your weekend is going well. I took the dogs a loooooong walk this morning so hopefully that will give me a good few hours of peace and quiet :D

I finally posted the list of sentiments in my store. They haven't got a buy now button but if you wish to purchase any (£1.50 each or 5 for £6 plus p&p) please email me.

Now onto Swinging Ruby...don't you just love her??!!! Well, I do but that isn't a surprise is it lol. She was such fun to colour and made me wish I was on a swing with her :D

I'm dedicating this weekend to getting the projects ready for the workshop on the 30th. It seemed like such a long way away and now it's only a week today! I've got a full house...fuller than usual (or is that more full than usual??) so it will be chaotic...it could be a loooong day lol. I finished cutting and sorting one of the projects last night so only 2 to go (or is that 3 {wink}).

Anywho, thanks for stopping by. Let me know what you think of the new Ruby's. Have a great weekend.

Catch ya later x

Introducing...

...a new Ruby!!! Actually I've got 2 new Ruby's but you'll get to meet Swinging Ruby tomorrow :D I was so excited when Moira sent me the final images of Flower and Swinging Ruby yesterday...as you can see I didn't waste any time colouring her up and making a sample. I used the free My Mind's Eye paper pad that came with the Cardmaking & Papercraft magazine. I'm almost tempted to buy another few magazines just for the pad lol.

Here she is...what do you think? I love love LOVE her. Moira's detail is fantastic and I made sure she drew the fabulous ruffle at the bottom of Ruby's skirt. That's one of my favourite bits of Ruby's clothing...it's so feminine.

I've got a few errands to do before I can get back to my workroom so I'd better get my skates on. Hope you have a great weekend (I felt like I only said that yesterday for last weekend!)

Catch ya later x

Catch up

I'm playing catch up today. It's been a couple of days since I made any samples and times a ticking away so I'll keep this short. Before I forget, I went to Craftology or Craft World as it's now called and the new store (right beside the old one and with a new entrance around the back which is the front!) is fantastic! Bigger than the other one...and that one was big...and so much more room to move around in. Everything's either hanging up, on a shelf or in a container so nice and tidy :D I had a good walk around noting what I wanted to buy and half way home realised I'd forgotten to buy my stash!! Too busy talking to Donald, Eileen and June lol. Shame...now I'll have to go back {wink}.

This is Posh Shopper Nikki who hasn't seen ink for a long time so sorted that PDQ. I love the colour of her hair...I don't think any of the other Nikki's would suit this colour...strange that. This is an unusual colour combination but it works.

Ok, it's back to work...can't waste another day especially since I'm dog free!!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.

Catch ya later x

I finally got it!!!

Didn't Karen do well??!!!
Catch ya later x

God loves a trier...

...(some might say I'm trying lol) and I certainly tried to get that magazine yesterday. I went to a total of 6 different stores and none of them had it in stock. So today's the day ... I've a few things to do this morning and I'll get it when I head out. Craftology have moved their store next door and I haven't been yet so I'm going to go along and check it out :D Can't promise I won't come back with anything {wink}.

Here are another 2 cards from the article...hope you like them.

I'd better get cracking or I'll never get anything done today. Have a good one.

Catch ya later x

4 strikes...

...and I'm out! I know it's 3 strikes and your out but I struck out 4 times this morning trying to find the Cardmaking & Papercrafts magazine with Karen's article in. Four stores and not even a sniff of it until tomorrow...TOMORROW!!! I went into WH Smith's first and it was just as well I knew the girl who worked there because when I asked where the February issue was (there were plenty of the Jan issue) I could hear the hysteria rising in my voice (and if I could hear it I'm sure she could as well as the whole mall!) when she told me it wasn't in until the next day. THE NEXT DAY! Forgive me if I'm wrong but if someone (the magazine editor) says something is on sale on the 19th surely it should be on sale ON THE 19TH!!!! Ok...I can see I'm getting slightly hysterical again so I'll try and calm down lol. After WHS I headed to McColl's, Asda and my last hope Tesco. It's the biggest Tesco on the planet so surely it had to be there....Nup, Nope, Nine, Nada, NO! By that point I figured it wouldn't matter where I travelled (unless it was to Stranraer to look at Pat's copy as Karen suggested hmph) I wasn't going to get it today so to console myself I browsed the stationery section and bought myself 2 lime green binders for my paperwork :D

Since I couldn't get the mag I thought I'd share the cards with you anyway. I've had these babies on my laptop for the last 2 months burning a hole in my hard drive lol. So many times I wanted to sneak them on my blog but I knew that meant big trouble for Karen so I held back. So without further ado here they are ....

Love Winestool Nikki's sparkly LBD

Hmmm...I've got some of this paper...been saving it but think I'll have to break it out..Love it!!

This is Casual Nikki's first appearance but not her last!

Good ole' Martini Nikki and her pampered pooch. Better not let Ruby and Rocky see this one lol.

So what do you think? Fabulous or what? I'm really pleased with all the cards. I'll post the next set tomorrow.

Must get some work done now that half the days gone. Have a good one :D

Catch ya later x

One more sleep

Hey there...hope you all had a great weekend. I probably won't sleep tonight with excitement till I get my copy of CM&P tomorrow! A few more people have seen it and said it looked great...note to self...renew my subscription lol.

I had to stick with this colour combo...no doubt you'll be seeing a lot more of it :D And no I wasn't drunk when I was sewing...it's supposed to look like that lol. And can I tell you it's a lot harder to sew crooked then you think :0 I couldn't find the right colours in my many pencils to match the turquoisey blue of the card so I dusted of my Copics and set to work. I was a bit unsure of it at first as I hadn't used them in such a long time but I'm pretty pleased with the result. My bff Karen is Copic certified so the next time we get together I'm going to have her give me a few tips.

I just love Ruby...I'll let you in on a little secret...Ruby's amazing illustrator Moira is working on another 2 images for me in time for Stitches and you will not be disappointed!! I wish they were ready now so I could colour them up for you tonight. Patience is a virtue Kerry (I should practise what I preach to my kids lol).

I'm making butternut squash soup just now...I found the recipe on a blog at the weekend...if it's as good as it sounds I'll post the recipe.

Catch ya later x

These are my efforts from yesterday...the green and turquoise are so pretty together. Poor Unwell Nikki doesn't look very happy...I wonder if it has anything to do with the way I had to tilt the image because I cut it at the wrong angle with my Nesties! I decided I didn't want to waste all my efforts so improvised...it's a bit different from the norm.

I'm not sure what I want to call this Ruby Fairy...Vanity Fairy? Fairy's Day Off? What do you think? Well whatever she's called she's gorgeous :D

I got a phone call from my friend Pat yesterday saying she received her copy of Cardmaking & Papercraft and that the cards Karen did using Nikki & Friends looks great! Oh how I wish I'd kept my subscription now : ( I can't wait to get my copy on Tuesday...I'll be camped outside WH Smith as soon as I drop Ruby and Rocky off at ddc lol. If you get your copy or happen to see the article let me know what you think....good or bad lol.

Must get dinner started then the ironing board is coming out and Dancing on Ice switched on. It's one of my favourite reality programs....it certainly fills a void after Strictly and X Factor. I tuned into So You Think You Can Dance last night and there are some very talented dancer's on there...I love Louise Redknapp :D and Cisco is pretty funny when he's on his high horse lol.

Anywho, that's it for today. Hope you've had a great weekend and thanks for stopping by.

Catch ya later x