I'm coming home!

Hello peeps!! Well, it's our last day today and I think I'm ready to come home. We had a great couple of days after the show and did a little bit of retail therapy....some more than others lol!!! Tracey and Shelly are being picked up by the airport Shuttle at 10:30am and Karen and I at 2pm but we're heading to the IHOP for a final farewell :-D I've heard from OH that the weather in the UK is..... well unpleasant to say the least so I'm hoping it will be more settled the closer we get to landing.

All regular blogging will resume shortly!!

Catch ya later x

TLT - Pinky's Challenge - Card for a Child - February GD!

Happy TLT!!! Bet you didn't think I'd have anything for you right?? Wrong!!! I wasn't sure if I'd have a chance before I left for you know where (just in case you're sick of reading about CHA lol) but I did manage to make my card for Pinky's Challenge. We have a Guest Designer for February (OMG...is it really February??!!) and she comes to us from Germany. Make sure you give Dominique a big Ladybug welcome and check out her blog when you see her first card for TLT.

Before I show you my card I want to thank you for all the flabulous entries for last week's challenge. Check the Challenge Blog to see if you're a winner :-D

Ok, here we go with my card. Not sure if you'll notice but my last weeks card and this one is not square though having withdrawals so might just have to do one for next week.

Here's what I came up with....

I thought Make a Wish from the Cupcake Cuties was a good place to start for a child's card. I also used part of one of the sentiments and the number 4 from Sentimental Numbers. I picked up the Doodlebug pp recently from Craft World along with the Nesties. I've seen this shape a lot recently and when I saw them I thought it would be rude not to put them in my basket lol.

I used my SU! whatchamacallit it punch to punch the sentiment. I used Mary J's trick of cutting out the image and Michele's flab idea of paper piecing the cupcake liner.

I did a bit of a whoopsy by not colouring the frosting before applying GA then brown flock so the colour isn't as deep as I wanted it to be. I thought it would be fun to have fuzzy frosting :-D

Today's the last day of CHA. It's been a flabulous experience and I've met some really lovely people. I'll upload more pictures tomorrow if I can fit it in. Tracey, Shelly, BFF and I are spending the day shopping. We've located a Michael's (OMG) and fingers crossed we're having lunch at the Cheesecake Factory and dinner at PF Chang's....I cannot wait lol!!

Last but certainly not least Jeanie AND Meahni have made megamazing cards this week...I'm feeling really spoiled lol.

Thanks for stopping by today :-D

Catch ya later x

Booth set up

Greetings from LA!!!

I am too pooped to chat so I'm just going to show you pictures of  us setting up the booth.

This is what we saw when we arrived this morning (Friday) We all got super excited :-D

No rest for the wicked...BFF and Shelly putting the velcro dots on the flowers

Tracey decorating the work counter

Annette's hard work

Mrs Spock lol

Getting there

Shelly

This is how we left it though we have a few things to do on opening day (Saturday - we're 8 hours behind so it's still Friday as I'm typing this) The creative director (Tracey) is going to make a table out of cardboard boxes and cover them with black fabric we bought. We're going to put 3D items on there so will take a picture and show you the final result on my next post.

Sue from Craftwork Cards is across from us and Debbi Moore beside us so it's like little UK in LA lololol. I needed a hole punch so wandered around the other booths to see if I could borrow one when I stumbled across none other than Emily from Stamping Bella and her hubby Ryan! It was flabulous to meet her in person as we had shared some emails in the past. I'll try and persuade her to get her picture taken with

me :-D.

That's me for now...my bed is calling and I've got a big day ahead....hope I can get some sleep! Will report back tomorrow.

Catch ya later x

I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again...

This is it peeps...the final countdown eek!!! I THINK I've got everything packed...samples, passport, tickets, money, laptop (once I've finished this lol), uniforms, Skechers. Well... um there might be a little problem with the Skechers. When I tried on my black trousers they were a little itty bit on the tight side so Monday night I was surfing the net for high waisted trousers to tuck that muffin top in. Finally found a pair in Matalan of all places. Thing was Tuesday I was taking Ruby to Stirling for her checkup at 11 and I had to get my business cards in Falkirk so what I did was found a Matalan in Falkirk in case I had time on the way but also another couple in case I had to go on the way back. We set off at 8:50 to drop Rocky off at Doggy Daycare then headed to Falkirk, got my business cards and directions to Matalan...found the store and raced in and grabbed 2 pairs (£14 each...can't beat that and they're pretty flab!) and managed to get to the vets in time for Ruby's appoointment. So back to the Skechers. The longest length the trousers came in was 31" and I'm at least 33". I tried the shoes on and I looked ridiculous...shouts of 'the floods over' rang in my ears so I grabbed a pair of scissors and let the hem down. Still didn't look right so I tried on another pair of black trainerish shoes I've got and they're fine. So after all that about my Skechers and my Cindy Crawford butt it looks like I'll have to put up with a saggy bottom for a bit longer hmph!

As you know my team have made samples for CHA. I haven't posted any of them on here because they've posted them on their own blogs. But I wanted to show you a couple of things Annette made for me. You are gonna love these and if they don't sell a stamp or two along with all the other gorgeous samples then nothing will!

When I was in CW the other week Annette asked me to pick up one of those chipboad circle albums but they didn't have one. They did however have a cupcake one and this is what Annette came up with...

Annette stamped Cupcake Cutie - Cherry on Top onto shrink plastic, coloured it then shrunk it!

A cupcake recipe and Make a Wish

Cupcake Stack

Wagon full of Cupcakes

and finally Cherry on Top

The end!

Annette had posted on her blog a little set of cards using Buttercup In the Doghouse and Curious she'd made for a friend. Of course I loved it straight away and asked if she'd make me one for CHA and she did :-D

Front

Side

Roof lifted

Notecards and envelopes

Curious Buttercup. How adorable are these projects!

Once again thank you to my Lovely Ladybugs for their samples, Elaine and Annette for cutting out my stand decorations with their Cricuts and samples and all my friends, family and you for your help, support and encouragement in getting me to CHA. I'm so excited, nervous, scared all at once but I've got BFF and my sisters to keep me calm and hopefully we'll have a great time. I look forward to meeting some of the people's blogs I follow... I'll be blog struck lololol! I plan on taking plenty of pictures and trying to post as much as I can so you can see how we're doing.

I guess I'd better get to my bed or I'll sleep through my alarm! Have a great week and thanks for stopping by :-D

Catch ya later x

TLT - GD Amber - Plum Crazy With Stitching

It's that time again...TLT and today is the turn of our lovely Guest Designer Amber. Sadly this is also Amber's last week with us so make sure you give her lots of Ladybug Love.

 For her challenge Amber has chosen Plum Crazy with Stitching. Well, you all know I love stitching on my cards so that was a no brainer and also my one of my favourite colours is purple and plum is part of the purple family right :-D I wanted to use a stamp that I hadn't inked up in a while and Swing Ruby was definitely a candidate!

I knew straight away the perfect pp would be from Bo Bunny...this one is full of plum gorjossity! I stamped Swing Ruby on Copic X-press cs and coloured her in with my Copics (doh). I've started to love this cs even though it is a bit thin but it does what it says on the tin...no or very little bleeding. This was the third image I coloured, the first two I stamped on other cs and the bleeding was terrible.

I sponged the sky with a blue Colorbox cats eye inkpad

I used plenty of glitter on her wings, ruffle of her dress and a dusting on the leaves. Sparkly amethyst Swarovski crystals finished off her shoes.

I {heart} Ruby Fairies...I don't use them enough but that's going to change!

Make sure you check out the Challenge Blog to see if you're a winner from last week. There were some fabulous entries and I hope you'll enter this week with the same enthusiasm :-D If you're the winner of the stamp of your choice can you please let me know before Thursday so I can mail it to you before I leave otherwise it won't be until after February 4th.

Sorry this is short and sweet but I have to take Ruby to see her surgeon this morning and have to fit in some stops before and after! No rest for the wicked lol.

Thanks for stopping by...enjoy TLT and let us Ladybugs know what you think!

Catch ya later x

Miss me?

Phew...what a busy time I'm having! Have you ever been soooo busy that you can't remember what you've done? That's me at the moment lol. I'm slowly getting through my list and getting things packed for CHA. Did I tell you I was going??? LOL I've only had one coffee so far today so I'm not THAT giddy!!

Anywho, thought I'd just check in with a few things while I've got a couple of minutes. First thing is did anyone get their Cardmaking & Papercraft magazine yet??? Well if you didn't check this out...

Nikki & Ben have made the 'My Favourite Valentine's' page :-D It's not strictly a Valentine's stamp but that just shows you the versatility of the stamp. A lot of Valentine's stamps are restricted in their uses but this one can be ANYTHING be it Anniversary, I love you, thinking of you...whatever your imagination allows. So that was very exciting. Also there's a rumour going around my mug is in the Papercraft Essentials magazine...I only hope they got my good side lololol.

Next I want to show you a card that arrived this morning and put a big smile on my face. This card was sent to me by Magnum & Lily's illustrator's daughter Chloe (still with me lol?) who is 10 (I hope I got that right!) I went to visit Moira and Chloe last weekend for a catch up. I spent a lovely few hours with them and the new addition to their family ... a very fluffy ball of fur called Oscar. This is the card Chloe made...

Look at the colouring...I'm sure I couldn't colour that well when I was 10! If you click on the picture you'll see the beads and crystals Chloe's has glued on. She's assured me that this card took a long time to make lol and I believe it!!

Don't you just love the sentiment she put with Catflap Magnum lol. Thank you Chloe...I LOVE my card :-D

I thought I'd treat you to a few more cards that Ann and Gaynor sent me the other week....

Cute or what!

Adorable!

Awwww!

I've got to get on with more packing and rethink the clothes I'm taking with me to LA. I got an email confirmation from the hotel this morning and at the bottom it gives the 7 day forecast...the average temperature is 23 degrees Celsius and it's going to be sunny for the most part! I know we'll be indoors for 4 of the days we're there but there's the other 3 to take into consideration. Heat.. I can't wait to feel warm again without having to wear layers and turn the thermostat up to high!

Oh...I just remembered how my morning went (my head's all over the place lol)...I met Suzy Q at CB to pick up a clip board she got for me at CW at the weekend. Then I went to Elaine's to pick up the ladybugs she cut out for me with her Cricut. I then picked up some dog food and finally went to the PO to post a couple of orders. I parked my car and walked around to the main street where I nipped into a cobblers to get some heel lifts as my super duper Skechers are digging into my ankles. I came out of there only to realise I left my mail in the car so headed back only to arrive at my car for it to dawn on me I'd put the mail in my handbag doh!!! Back to the main street to the PO. I'm standing in line next to be served when when an old dear comes back to the front of the line (she'd just been served)...chats to a lady saying she'd forgot to post a letter when she'd paid a bill and wasn't going to stand in the line again and promptly stood in front of me! She didn't look at me...didn't ask if I minded...didn't even look embarrassed. I turned to the lady behind me and she was already shaking her head and tutting lol. If she had just asked me if I minded it wouldn't have bothered me. When it should have been my turn she walked straight up to the window and did her business and turned and walked away! I called out after her 'your welcome' and she didn't even flinch! And they talk about young people being rude!!

Ok, that's definitely it for me for today. Hope you have a great week. Make sure you stop by tomorrow for TLT...you will {heart} what the team have got for you :-D

Catch ya later x

One week today...

...I'll have landed at Heathrow and looking for BFF {squeal}!!!!!!!! I can't believe it's only a week before I go. It seemed so far off before Christmas and now it's almost here and I'm in the middle of chaos trying to make sure I've got everything...ticking my non existent list (must make another one PDQ!).

 But there is good news people...I remembered where my samples are!!!! I was getting myself into a right twist yesterday trying to remember where on earth they could be. My memory is shocking these days...I'm hoping it's just on overload at the moment...and I was making a last ditch phone call to one of my customers thinking I'd lent them to her (knowing deep down I hadn't but I had to try) and just when she answered, the light bulb went on in my head....Craft World!!!! I finally remembered I had taken them to the SECC for Gaynor and Donald to use on their stand. I'd made arrangements in November to pick them up so off I went to the store...chatted away to all the girls...bought some stash....walked out and went home....without the samples!!! I called Gaynor and sure enough they were still there so I'm heading over today to pick them up....PHEW!!!! That's one crisis over lol.

BFF called last night...it was supposed to be a quick ten minute call...one hour and 10 minutes later we were still yakking lol. Of course we are going to LA to work (honest) but we have one full day to shop before we get our flight home so we were planning where we were going to go. As there are 4 of us it might be tricky to all agree on the same place but we'll give it a go. BFF works for the Post Office and she gave me a top tip. If you're going to the States (I'm sure other countries are included in this) and want to buy your $'s, order them through the PO online to be sent to your local PO and you'll get a higher rate...even higher than going into the PO!!

My fellow Ladybug Mary J has awarded all us Ladybugs an award...My Blog Has Attitude! How cool is that...thanks Mary J :-D

For this award I have to tell you 3 things you don't know about me. Now I don't know how interesting these are but here goes...

1) OH proposed 2 weeks after we met. I said no to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd proposal. I got sick, thought I was dying and proposed to him (didn't want to die without being married!). Six months to the day we met we got married

2) My mom was born in Shanghai China and is half Chinese which makes me 1/4 Chinese

3) I played softball for 10 years and was the star pitcher

The deal is I have to pass this award onto another 5 but don't feel you need to do this...it's just a bit of fun :-D

 Jeanie

 Annette

Gail

Alison

Gayle

Now speaking of Jeanie, I received another email from her at the beginning of the week with another flabulous card. This one's for TKT - That's Krafty Thursday and you all know Jeanie LOVES her kraft cs! You will LOVE this one....

Isn't Buttercup gorgeous! Jeanie's used one of my favourite ladybug pp's....I think I've got a small piece of it left saved for a special occasion :-D

Ok, that's it for me for today (phew says you lol). I've got plenty on my plate so I'm going to skedaddle. Hope you have a great Thursday. Keep those entries coming in for the Challenge..they're looking flabulous!

Catch ya later x