A couple of challenge cards

Here is the card I have made using the Papertake Weekly sketch, loved this one! I don't know who the image is by, it's one of the many that my dear friend Linda gave me when I paid her a visit last week. I would also like this to be my entry for the My Time to Craft 'cheers me dears' challenge, think my little matey has had several too many lol!!!

My 2nd card is using one of the stamps I bought from Linda, it's from the snow,rain,sun Miss Anya set. This is my card for the Sugar Bowl another great sketch and the added element of buttons (I've used 2 tiny heart buttons on her coat) papers are from Anita's classic blue christmas pad, I've die cut the snowflakes and just added a bit of glitter for that christmas sparkle!!

We are off to my Uncle and his girlfriends for a family bbq this afternoon, fingers crossed the weather holds out. Enjoy your bank holiday.

Another trip to the beach

We visited Matthew's mum and dad on Friday and after lunch we risked the weather for a walk along Mundsley beach. It was pretty windy and when we got there a couple of ladies said they had been on a website and it was reported that there were supposed to be 5ft waves (we didn't see them though!).
In this picture the sky is nice and blue, but that didn't last for long! Lillie and daddy trying to find creatures!

The girls with nanny and grandad heading back towards the cars as there was a BIG grey cloud right over our heads!!! Matthew and I were a couple of minutes behind and just look at that sky!

We just made it up the hill to the car as the downpour started. It didn't last long but as the skies were pretty grey we headed back. Only to sit in the connservatory and it not to rain again for another hour, typical!

Well to my utterly disbelief and surprise my police check report came back yesterday, clear of course!! They said at least 4-6 weeks, it's been 1! So guess I will be starting work the same day as the girls start back to school, oh there go my crafting hours!!

A busy week - the beach, zoo, meeting a blogging friend, flying kites!

We have been pretty busy since Sunday! On Sunday morning we headed off to Clacton-on-Sea for a couple of nights, a little break, unfortunately with the kids lol!!! We have hubby's 'other' daughter for a week in the summer holidays so thought we would do something. We hit the beach shortly after we got there and boy was it hot, I burnt my face, I looked like rudolph with my glowing nose and also a strip down the front of each leg lol!! We hadn't packed swim things for the girls as we hadn't banked on them getting we but as the sea was so close (we had to move twice!) they thought it was great jumping the waves and yes they got soaked! Here's Hollie with 3 buckets of water to fill the hole they had dug, the other 2 are on the left of the piccie.On Monday we went to Colchester Zoo, last time we went was 2 years ago and we had really heavy rain and thunder!! This time it was lovely and warm. We were lucky enough to feed one of the elephants, it was just like putting a bit of something in the end of the hoover nossil but with less suck, you literally put it in the trunk and you could hear it sucking, it was fab!

I think my highlight of the visit was meeting Rajang the orangutang whom I have been watching on the tv series Zoo Days. We went and saw him twice!! First time round I couldn't really get a good piccie and then he went and sat in the corner with his back to us, but 2nd time he came right up to the window opposite me and kept reaching out and stroking the window about where my belly button was!! It was amazing, he kept doing it and even when he went for a wander around his enclosure and I managed to get to the window near him again, he did exactly the same again!!! It was amazing to watch him, it was as if you could see him thinking about things, the keeper said people always thinks he looks unhappy but he isn't it's just that they don't have the facial muscles to allow them to smile!

Then we went and visited my dear blogging friend Linda (Linanna) when I mentioned to her that we were going to the zoo, she invited us round for a drink as they live quite close by. Lucky I had put the postcode in the satnav as when we went to look for the paper with the house no. and phone no. on we couldn't find it anywhere, still haven't, yet it was there in the car when we were on the zoo carpark. Anyhow we found Linda's house, it was a bit of a surprise bless her as I had said we were going to the zoo on the Tuesday and would call in then, but here we were a day early!! The girls loved playing on the WII with Linda's daughter Jasmine whilst we had a chat. It was really lovely to meet in person, although I am sooooo...... jealous of Linda's crafting area!! oh and she so kindly gave me a big bundle of stamped images which I have already used one of but yet to post it on here, if you are reading this Linda 'Thank you so much' and thanks for sending us to the Harvester our meal was fab!!Tuesday we just played it by ear, we had a wander along the pier, had a look around the market and the local craft shop (yep got a few goodies not many though), went in the arcades, until it was time to head home.

Here is my fave piccie from our time away, it's of Hollie walking along the pier it was so sweet watching her as she walked along watching the cracks!! Lillie hated it and kept crying, she didn't like being able to see the sea below!!!

Today we had to pop into town so that I could take more papers in for the police checks for my new job and I have now accepted a different job, still in the canteen but for another school in town, this time it's for more than twice the hours so more pay which will be nice!

We then headed to the playing field so that the girls could have a play and fly their kites.

Tomorrow we are off to Matthew's parents, they live near the coast so no doubt we'll go for a wander along the beach!

Charisma Cardz - Scrap It

Good morning, at Charisma Cardz this week we are asking everyone to make a scrapbook page. I don't make as many scrap pages as I would like to so this was a great challenge for me this week, the only disadvantage was having a printer that doesn't print correctly I couldn't print any new pictures. This picture of my girls was taken last year on a ride at the Baytree Nursery winter wonderland, before we headed off to meet 'Santa'. I haven't decorated my page too much as I thought the baubles down the side of the paper were a nice feature, I gave them a bit of a zing with a gem on each! The papers are Papermania naughty and nice christmas, I have cut the 2 phrases and 'love' from one of the sheets. For prize details and to see the rest of the DT pages please check out the Charisma blog.

A Spoon Full of Sugar -challenge 66

I've scheduled this post so hopefully it appears ok, as I am currently wandering around or at least on my way to Colchester zoo!!
At A Spoon Full of Sugar this week we have the following fabulous sketch which has been designed by Flati.and here is my card, I've used yet another of my new stamps (a gift from Linda/Linanna) I'm always a bit worried when using several different papers that it won't look right, but I do really like this card it just seems to work!For sponsor and prize details please go to the blog, and whilst there check out the gorgeous creations from the rest of the team.

I would also like to enter this into the Cute Card Thursday challenge which is called 'lazy dayz' and a picnic is just right for that!!

5 card catch up and 2 from my girls.

I've managed to make a few cards over the past 2/3 days, so as I will be going AWOL for the next few days thought I would catch up with a few challenges!
First up is my card for Sketch and Stash, another lovely sketch to follow, I've used my newly purchased Sarah Kay stamp (from Jill) such a sweet image and lovely to colour! I would also like to enter this into the Cupcake Crafts 'something sweet' challenge, as my girly has a basket of super sweet apples!!!My next card is made following the Just Christmas and Birthday sketch and I'm also entering it for the Lili of the Valley 'add a charm' challenge. I've used another newly purchased stamp this time from Linda (Linanna) I just adore this Tilda she looks as though she is wearing her ballet outfit, hence I've coloured it in my girls ballet colours of plum!Another new stamp (fom Linanna) and my very first Gorjuss girl, this is so my girls expression when they are getting told off and think they have done nothing to deserve it!!!! This card is my entry into The Sugar Bowl challenge, we also had to use handmade flowers, mine are made using 2 different sized punches.Yet another new stamp (from Linanna) and my first Greetings Farm stamp this time!! This is my entry for the Friday Sketchers challenge, I loved this sketch! Am also entering this for the Pollycraft challenge which is 'favourite things' mine are flowers and these scrummy Papermania spring burst papers, oh a square cards!!!!My last card is for a new challenge I found whilst blog surfing, and it's for Kellie's sketch challenge, yet another lovely sketch which I am sure to use again. and yes another christmas card to check off of my list lol!!Finally a couple of cards that my girls made to thank my Auntie and Uncle for taking them to the farm on Wednesday. I cut the papers, they did the rest!

Hollie's card (4 1/2 yrs) Lillie's (6 1/2 yrs)Well that's it from me, back on Tuesday with my card for A Spoon Full of Sugar.

Charisma Cardz -colour challenge

It's Carly turn to choose the theme for our new Charisma Cardz challenge as she has chosen a colour theme of pink, yellow and green (there is an inspiration picture on the blog).

I've used one of my older Sugar Nellie images which I've watercoloured with my shimmer paints, I've used some downloaded papers, an embossed panel which was part of an old PIF and a few other embellies to finish off. We are proud to be sponsored by All That Scraps this week, and Christine has kindly donated the following prize :
We look forward to seeing your colour combo creations, and if you are looking for inspiration pop on over to the blog and check out the rest of the DT pieces.

If you are stuck for ideas for layouts, give Vee a visit she has just started up a new blog with lots of lovely sketch designs to try. Just click on the link below :