Challenge time

Only submitted my first card for 'Daring cardmakers' (link on the left) yesterday and have already made the following card for their next challenge set by Lythan, it was : "I am woman"
As its coming up to Mothers day in the UK here’s a chance to make a card that celebrates women and girls . So I’d like to see a card with at least one feminine image on it . And that's it for rules really.Apart from this one.And it is sneaky. No Tildas, Sugar Nellies or Bellas please. I love them all. But there are loads of great challenges out there using them so for this challenge you can give them a well earned rest! Here is my effort

I have also seen lots of entries for the 'Paper Take Weekly' (link on the left) challenge during my blog travels, the challenge at the moment is "blue and green should never be seen" well from the entries I've seen it most certainly should!!! So thought I'd have a go, and made a boy card for a change using my Sugar Nellie 'Hamish with Tractor' stamp

Hollie and I stayed at school for a while this morning, we had been invited to watch an 'ERR' learning session, I have no idea what ERR stands for but this way of learning is obviously working. Lillie is in the middle class so she is ok, not great, not bad, obviously as a parent you want them to be in the top group but as long as she is learning and taking in what they are teaching it's not so bad I guess. Doubt I'll get any cards made this weekend as I have my cake order to do and also take the girls to yet another party tomorrow, then on Sunday, Matthew says he is taking me to Park Farm as we know they are lambing and I sooooo....... loves little lambs!!!! Also off to the pub for lunch, heh it's Mother's Day so I'm allowed a treat!!!!!!!!!!

Wishing you well

I have just made this 'get well' card as my entry for Tina's 'back to work, blog candy challenge' (see here : http://yummyscrummycreate.blogspot.com/2008/02/blog-candy-give-away-to-celebrate-my.html) I love this Sugar Nellie stamp I think she is so cute and can be used for many occassions. I have painted her with my new pearly watercolours and her clothes have such a pretty shimmer! I don't really like peel-offs but this multi-coloured greeting seemed to go perfectly.

The next card is my first ever entry for 'Daring card makers' challenge blog, http://daringcardmakers.blogspot.com/ 'This weeks little extra doesn't have to be for any specific occasion but you do have to follow a reciepe. Two buttons, one ribbon and a 'spoonful' of flowers.....! Put all the ingredients together and bake in a craft room until complete !' all of my favourite crafty ingredients so what better challenge to start with?!

We have babies!!!

Yes last night as I was coming down the stairs I heard one of the guinnea pigs let out a little grunt, I looked straight in the cage and saw our littlest cleaning a baby piggie!! I can't believe we've got one with black on it ALL of our guinnea pigs are brown and white!!! I sat and watched and roughly 10 minutes later out came another one, brown and white this time and quite a bit smaller than the 1st but sooo.... cute! These pictures were taken when the babies, (pups I think they are called) were 13 hours old, Here is the doting mum and her babies, it's good to see her making a fuss of the little one who likes to cuddle up to her a lot, the other one (black head) is very independant and is always exploring his new home!! I love them!!
It is now a waiting game to see who is going to be next, Treacle can't possibly get much bigger and they are moving a lot, bless her, as far as we can tell all 4 of our girls (now 3) are pregnant so we could be overrun with babies soon!!!! Heh.. who cares they are sooo... cute!!!

Well the earth moved last night!!!! Not sure if I was awake or woken up by the 'earthquake' but it was the strangest feeling, what with the rumbling noise and the bed and house shaking. I thought the heating had gone potty but why was the bed shaking?? Matthew and I just looked at each other a bit puzzled and I said 'earthquake' but he was on another planet and just grunted. It was a bit nervy and my my heart beat a little faster, but luckily the girls slept through it, with Lillie being a pain sleeping anyway she would've been a nightmare.
Well no cards or anything made by me (only the tea!) but my youngest (3 & 2months) did make me a mothers day card at nursery, bless her she can't wait to get to the craft table and is totally engrossed when they have something to make, she must take after me!!! Here is my lovely card it's not a marvelous picture, there is a flower shape underneath the bun case with glitter in the middle!
Well my shopping spree wasn't as successful as I was hoping for, no tops I took 4 into the changing room and only fitted 1 on! But I did have a new pair of jeans, the only annoying thing is the lenth, you can hardly see my feet so this will be another pair I have to wear with turn-ups or just wear holes in the bottoms!! The girls both a jumper/dresses, they look sooo... cute in them!

A good day for making cards again today! Mum and Dad in-law are moving house in the next day or so, so Matthew has been helping them put most of their bits into storage, he's going tomorrow to help with the final bits, bed etc. They are going to the coast but there are delays with the house they are buying so they are going to live in their motor home for a while until it is all sorted. So with Mother's day at the weekend I have had to get the cards sorted and it's also FIL's 70th birthday on the 10th so have made those to, didn't actually need the birthday cards as Matthew has invited them to lunch and possible a 'tea party' the weekend before (think his birthday is the Monday) but at least they are made and I now don't have to worry about them. This is for MIL from us, made with a freebie decoupage sheet! The following 2 are for FIL the bookatrix card is from us and the bottle from the girls (obviously) the small card is for us to write our message on as there wasn't room on the actual card
The last one is a spring card which I have had the base card feld and sitting on my desk for ages, like them because they are different but never really know how to decorate them up! Started out making this for MIL from the girls but now it's made I like it toooo... much and may give it to my mum from the girls or even for one of them to write on for me LOL...!!!! This is also my entry into Kristine's ( http://kristineskort.blogspot.com/2008/02/kristines-blog-candy-challenge-blogg.html ) blog candy challenge to make a card with your favourite stamp! Kristine I hope you like it!
Well 4 cards made the last 2 days, it could be none tomorrow as we are at playgroup in the morning and then off to Matalans as there are a couple of tops and bits I want to have a look at, yep more clothes!!!

Lillie had a very exciting time on Saturday with going to 2 birthday parties. The first she went dressed in her mermaids costume, when we arrived there were stickers with their names on waiting for them (good idea!) and when I left her at the hall they were then making pictures, mermaids for girls, pirates for boys! Here is her effort when I picked her up they had also made necklaces!! We got to mum and dad's where she had a quick change and it was off to party no.2 she was whisked off and dressed in a princess dress, how fab! I think they were party organizers and had a table covered in dressing up out-fits for each of the children to wear, I'd not seen it before, yes going to a party in dressing up themed clothes but not when you got there. I left her there and managed to get my cake order done before I had to collect her.
The Ann Summers party I went to on Friday night was ok and quite a laugh, it was a good job we went as there were only 7 of us and that included the girl who was having it, her sister and neighbour. We felt a bit awkward to start with as we thought/assumed that there were going to be loads of us there as she is a friendly type thought she would've invited most of the mums who have children at the same school! I won a prize in the raffle, what a choice!!! My friend is getting married next year so if she has a hen party I might give it to her as a laugh!!!
Yesterday was operation guinnea pigs! With all 4 of our girls pregnant (well we are pretty certain, 3 definately are) we have split them all up, they like company but Treacle lost 5 babies the last time she was pregnant so I wanted to keep an eye on her and our little Boots to as it's her first time. The boys are now out-side in the 'guinnea pig palace!!' with the other 3 boys, no not all in together as there would be some major scraps, Matthew has divided the caging system up so they can still see one another but not actually get together. Here is Potter having a browse around my desk, had to keep an eager eye on him as he tries to nibble anything in sight!
Today I have managed 4 cards and even did the housework first LOL..! These first 2 are using images I got from ebay a while ago, they are a it different to the cutesy images I usually use!
The next one is an order for my friend, she saw one of my hedgehog cards and asked if I could make her a pink version, I've yet to add the greeting, this will go in the top right corner and the following final card for today is my entry for the latest Sugar Nellie challenge (see link on left) you have to include any sugar nellie image and the colours lilac and lemon! I paper pieced the flower and bunnies dress and the small flowers are primas, this is my first easter card!

Can't believe I'm being dragged to an Ann Summers party tonight kick off isn't until 8.30pm so it's gonna be a late one!!
My friend Mandy asked me if I could make a bag charm for her friend, along the same style as the one I did for her, I can't get overly enthusiastic about jewellery making at the moment and I spent all that money before christmas!!! I'm just enjoying my card making too much at the moment! Anyhow here is the finished article I also get really paranoid whenever someone mentions bits they've had from me as I automatically think they have fallen to bits!!
I've also made 2 quickie cards, the first one is a very simple card with a die-cut girl holding a balloon for the little girls who's party Lillie is going to tomorrow afternoon, after she has been to one of her ballet friends party at lunchtime! The second card are I think quite pretty is for her!

Wish me luck for later, oh I'm sooo.... not looking forward to it!!!!!!!

I've been a busy bee this morning, I did the school run, hoovering, cleaned out the guinnea pigs (nice and clean now just incase the babies decide to appear any day soon!!), put a load of washing in, and put casserole in the slow pot for tea, I must be ill ..LOL...!!
I had a lovely little package in the post today sorry about the picture quality my camera is playing silly beggars!! I have some Sugar Nellie stamped images thanks Kay (from Stamp Galaxy - sugar nellie challeng blog) so I can join in the doggie challenge, bless her she has kept it open so a couple of us without the dog stamp could take part! I also received 2 packs of zooms and some flowers, love em!
So here is my entry into the dog challenge again sorry for the bad picture
Just a bit of fun, I found this on another blog, what finger are you?

You Are a Ring Finger

You are romantic, expressive, and hopeful. You see the best in everything. You are very artistic, and you see the world as your canvas. You are also drawn to the written word. Inventive and unique, you are often away in your own inner world. You get along well with: The Pinky Stay away from: The Index Finger

What Finger Are You?

Another day another couple of cards!!! I received some stamped images from Claire from the image swap on the forum, so got straight to work with the Magnolia image of the boy and the balloon (I think he is Edwin, not sure!), same layout as the purple Maggie card I made a couple of days ago, I will be using this layout a lot!!! The following card is using my Sugar Nelie -Duck in Boots stamp and painted using my new pearl watercolours so there is a slight sparkle which looks pretty, I also like this layout and intend to use it a lot more with various different images, I made a blue baby boy card the other day this is the pink baby girl version!!!
It's our 6th Wedding Anniversary today so we are off out to the pub for a meal this evening, the girls are having a couple of hours with Nannie and Grandad so they are pleased. Matthew liked his little gift and flashed his card off at the tea bar!! (Yep another 1 I hid in his dinner tin, along with 2 heart shaped choccie biccies in a bag tied with red ribbon LOL!! I got another very nice bunch of flowers, not really shown at their best here they are a bit squashed in the vase but it was the first one I could find,
the orchids at the front weren't part of the bunch they are still the ones from my QCME celebrity card bouquet (received 2nd week in Dec.), I can't believe how long they have lasted!
Right must start working out what to wear and get the girls their tea!!!

Had quite a productive day today, I've made 11 atc's which are for organized swaps on the CM&PC forum (link on left), 1 card and a little gift for Matthew for our anniversary tomorrow.
These atc's are the last that I owe for the 'alphabet swap' I really can't get into atc's at the moment, but thought I'd better get my swaps done and in the post, so here are S,T,U and V and here are W,X,Y and Z This has been a really nice swap, as you will end up with 26 atc's of which each letter should be made by a different person!
The following 3 atc's are part of a 'mystery item swap' Claire sent out 3 items which had to be used each on a different atc, it will be very interesting to see what everyone comes up with
This card uses one of the Magnolia Tilda images that I received as part of a swap, this may well end up being the little girls whose party Lillie is going to at the weekends birthday card I will just put a 5 in the corner, now that I know how old she will be! It's a shame I couldn't have gotten hold of a Tilda mermaid or that I can't print a 3d sheet of Ariel (the mermaid) for her card, as her party theme is 'mermaids and pirates!'
We got Lillie's mermaid out-fit yesterday, it's quite sweet and will last her a good year and then Hollie will be able to have it!
Finally made this very quick (so far from neat, nothing measured!) cover for a bar of white chocolate for Matthew as a token gift for our anniversary, we don't bother with presents as such, think he may have got me some more flowers, we are going to the pub for a meal tomorrow evening without the girls, we would like to do this more often but time and funds don't always allow it!
Oh and how cold has it been these past couple of days??? Freeeezzziinnggg.....!!! We have had freezing fog for the past 2 days, I thought someone was having a bonfire yesterday as it looked just like smoke blowing past the window, but it was out of every window, then I worked out it was the fog! Everywhere was white this morning, every cobweb, the plants, the trampoline, car etc so it was scarf and gloves on each time we left the house today! Here's a piccie of a cobweb hanging from the girls playhouse

Woo...Hoo.... I've won the 'orange' challenge on the Sugar Nellie challenge blog (see link on the left) I couldn't believe it when I was reading my comments and there was one saying I had won, I should be getting some 'zooms' they look a bit like gems? I've already made my card for the next challenge in which you have to use any sugar nellie image and baby pink, I have used my bunny with flowers image and it's also my first attempt at paper piecing!!! Not that you can tell all that well because the paper is quite plain but it is the same as the backing paper I have also used, not added a greeting as I can't decide yet if it will be a 'baby girl' or easter card! So here is my challenge entry
Here is another attempt at paper piecing, you can see the effect better with this one! It was a bit fiddly cutting around the bunny slippers but I think it's pretty cool! The greeting was a freebie with one of my mags and I think it finishes it off nicely. This is my entry into the Sweet Sugar Challenge (a new challenge blog for sugar nellies yeah...!!)(see link on the left)
My last card for now is my entry into Claudia's blog candy challenge (see link on the left) you have to make a card using your favourite colours, guess mine is purple for now LOL..!
Lillie had a lovely time at her friends party yesterday afternoon, we left Hollie at mum and dad's so she could play with her cousins. Matthew and I had a quick shop and it was quick as the shops were set to close they locked me in the works as I was the last customer but I didn't care, I bought a set of pearl watercolour paints (used on todays cards, they sparkle and look quite pretty!) a watercolour pad, some paint brushes and a pack of square cards with envelopes. We then nipped round Matthews bro and sis-in-laws for a quick cuppa and look around their new house, so quite a hectic afternoon!!
Now off to get Lillie and then off to the fancy dress shop to pick up her mermaids out-fit for the party at the weekend!

I had a bit of a stampathon this afternoon LOL.... I owed some images as part of a swap on the CM&PC forum, thought it would be nice to send some to a friend who is going through a bit of a rough time at home at the moment, hopefully cheer her up a little bit (you know who you are!!) and then of course I need some spares for myself for when the urge takes me to make a card etc...!!!
I made my cakes this afternoon, 7 again, so they will get delivered on the way to taking Lillie to her friends birthday party tomorrow. Can you believe she has 2 parties next week, and the times don't clash so she can go to both, I been chasing around trying to find a mermaids out-fit for her for one of them the theme is mermaids and pirates, a pirate would've been much easier but I don't think she would like that much LOL..!
So only the one card made today and that's for the little girl who's party it is tomorrow, nothing spectacular but children are more interested in the presents anyway aren't they?!
Had a text this morning from Kay who I made the footy card for (her hubby picked it up last night) she loved it, so that was good. She's coming for a visit in the week, seems like ages since we've had a good chinway, in fact I don't think we have since before christmas so lots to catch up on.

Only the one card to show and nothing to report.
The image that I have used for this card is from a swap I did on the CM&PC forum, I thought the little rag doll was cute
The second picture is not of a card or anything craft related (unless you call flower arranging a craft I suppose) these are some of the miniture daffodils that have popped up in the flower beds in our front garden, I just love the minitures they are sooooo...... cute, not sure if we planted any tulips or not, shame if we didn't because I think I like them more than the daffs!!!
No doubt next time I see mum and dad I will come away with a bunch of full size daffs as they have dozens of them and I think they brighten up the place even if they don't last that long!
I cannot believe that there is still life in the orchids that I received for having my 'celebrity card' printed in the Quick Cards mag, I've had them since the 2nd week in december and naughty naughty haven't changed the water once, but there are still beautiful flowers at the tips of the stalks even if the bottom flowers have died away, so impressed!!!
We had ffaaaarr.... too much food last night, and neither me or Matthew particularly enjoyed it as we both felt pants!! It's the thought that counts!!!!! I am feeling better again today, but for how long, who knows?!

Happy Valentine's Day one and all! Matthew had left me a bunch of flowers, a pressie and 2 cards in the kitchen this morning, 1 card he bought and 1 he made last night (the bought card lights up!!) bless him!
my flowers and funky fairy stamp
We don't tend to push the boat out, as long as I get some flowers and I hide his little treats in his lunch box that's about it. We had toyed with going to the local pub (well local to mum and dad, about 10mins away) for a meal but changed our minds so now I am cooking, we'll go out next week for our anniversary! I've got the prawns thawing for the prawn cocktails served with heart shaped bread and butter (would've done creamy garlic mushrooms with prawn on a bread crouton, but it's too filling!) then we have gammon steaks which we bought from our local butchers, so it'sll be chips, mushrooms, tomato, egg, pineapple, the works!! Then not sure what to end on, may be butterscotch angel delight served in the heart shaped ramekin dishes I bought last week (not v exciting but one of our faves!) and I have made heart shaped mixed choc chip cookies to go with them!!!
Anyhow I'm feeling a bit pants again, I've got the sniffles and a really annoying tickly cough. Don't know why I keep getting ill, seems to be a regular occurance of late, yet normally I go months without catching anything even when the rest of the family have it. So no crafting done by me today, I've been blog surfing and still kind find the urge, so I'm going to slob out in the room with the kids for a while until it's time to start the tea!
I was really pleased to receive my sugar nellie candy this morning, and yippee it's one of the stamps I don't already have!
Oh we had a lovely trip yesterday afternoon, I met up with my friend and her 2 boys and we went to the local windmill, they had a 'make and bake' session for the children. They learnt how flour was made and were then given some dough which they made into a shape, of course I had to help LOL... Hollie made a cottage roll and Lillie with a lot of help made a plait. Whilst they proved (is that right? were rising) they had juice and a bun and a biscuit and got to colour windmill pictures. Then after that they played music and put a bubble machine on for them to dance and play with whilst the bread was cooking. Their rolls were quite big and they were really excited with them, we sliced them and had them with butter and jam as our dessert after tea!

Very pleased with what I've made today. This being a card for the sugar nellie challenge blog (see link on the left) you have to use any nellie stamp and it had to have the coloure orange somewhere on the card. For this I used my latest nellie stamp 'Lola with bunny'
The 2nd is also using another of my new nellie's this time it's 'Duck in boots' I bought this one thinking if I coloured the bib/boots and flower in either blue or pink it could be used as a 'new baby' card. My bestest buddy is pregnant at the moment so thought I'd use the stamp to practise on some baby cards! Only made a blue one today as I'd already got the papers laying on my desk, hope it's not an omen as she would really really love a little girl this time as she already has 2 boys!!
Last card and yep you guessed it, another of my new nellie's (only got the 'bunny' left to play with, so watch this space!) this is the oh so cute 'Simon and Lola' and I decided to make make Matthew another valentine's card, I always tuck one away in his dinner tin along with choccie hearts or something similar, this year it's a jelly rose thing on a stick!! Still very unsure about my watercolouring on these images, I have no idea how to do the shading properly or nicely, I've been lucky with the penny black images as I can go onto a website that sells them and they show the image coloured!!!! anyhow here's my lovey card for hubs

After struggling to find the powers to make anything today I finally made 2 cards. The first is for a friend who wanted a Man.Utd card done for her hubby's son (previous marriage) I normally 3d a picture of the shirt but I still haven't done anything about sorting out or ordering any more ink for my printer!! I really only miss it when I want a backing sheet other than those I already have and with 1 colour refusing to work even though the cartridge is full doesn't make the printing pretty!! Anyhow luckily I had asked someone on the CM&PC forum for a couple of folltball stamped images so coloured this in the team colours, I think it turned out ok, not sure what she will think as it's different to the ones she normally has!
The following card is for Kimmie's final celebration challenge, you had to make a card just to tell someone you care for them, could be thanks/love anything. So I decided on the black/white/red/grey colour scheme and used a nellie image from the above mentioned stamped image swap, and made a 'Just because we love you' card for Matthew from me and the girls. We do love him very much and he works soooo.... blooming hard so that I don't have to work, and we can still have nice things and go on nice trips etc and he's sooooo.... understanding when he comes home and his tea's not ready or the house is a mess or the ironing pile is touching the ceiling because I haven't left my desk all day!!! (he says he knows I enjoy it, aaahhh.. bless him!)
That's about all, we r one child down at the moment, expecting her back shortly from her much loved 'sleep over' at nannie and grandad's. We went over yesterday for lunch and left her there, if she behave's she can go again for another night in the week, Hollie bless her she wants to stay to but nannie says they are too much hassle when they are together, aahhh... Hollie's the better of the two!!!!!

I'm soooo..... excited!!!... I checked to see if there was anything new on the Sugar Nellie blog (link on the left) and there was, the design team are working on more new stamps (haven't played with my latest lot yet!) Best of all there was a list of the latest blog candy winners and I was on the list Wooo.. Hooo.... I will be receiving a nellie stamp yippeee......!! All for leaving a comment about sherbert dib dabs we used to get as kids!
Nothing else to report, nothing made. Friday Hollie and I went for a shopping trip that was about it.
Today I been baking, I did my order now reduced to 6 sponges as there are not so many drivers calling in now the sugar beet campaign has finished. Actually made 8, just merrily did 4 jam and cream so the spare has gone in the freezer, also made 2 2lb weetabix cake loaves these are similar to a tea/malt loaf and are scrummy with a little bit of butter spread on it!!! (I've had 4 slices!!) good job I used sweetener and not sugar and there is no fat in it only that which I spread on top. Matthew's mum and dad are here at the moment they came for tea, and brought us the details to their new home (if all goes through ok).
Well doubt I'll get anything made tomorrow either as we are scrounging lunch at my mum and dad's hehe...! Always get a lovely roast, and the girls haven't seen their cousin's for ages so no doubt it'll be like a mad house!
TTFN.

Nothing to report today so just going to add some cards that I have made for various reasons.
First one is for Kimmie's celebration week over on her blog (link on the left) challenge3 it is to use a card using 'spring' colours, not sure if these are springy or not but it's what I've done so heh ho!! Will be sending this to a friend for her birthday!
The next card is also for Kimmie's celebration week and had to be lovey dovey challenge4 not necessarily valentine's so with it being our 6th wedding anniversary I thought I'd make hubby's card. I used an image and chipboard hearts from my winning candy from Pootle and the little surprise in the middle of the card came from her to!!! the inside

Finally the following card is for a candy challenge on Fran's blog (link on the left) you had to make a card using any fold other than a basic single fold, I think this is called a 'z' fold and the little pup also came from Pootle's prize!
Doubt I'll be lucky enough with any of my entries but as Isa says "you've got to be in it to win it!".
I'm off to have my hair cut, ta...ta...!