Time to 'Relax'

Today's card is for this weeks Cute Card Thursdays challenge which is 'in the house', I used a Bella image I received as a RAK a long time ago, she is watercoloured with my normal pencils and my pearls which give the pretty sparkle. I used one of Nicola's sketches from My Paper World, take a look they are great for inspiration!

BLOG CANDY ALERT

Bev has some delicious blog candy up for grabs here http://bevscrafts.blogspot.com/ she is celebrating reaching 20,000 hits, well done Bev.

Karin is offering some blog candy to celebrate her daughter Ruby turning 6 in August, her daughters Ruby and Britt are also offering their own lovely candy to celebrate the occassion. Take a look here http://karinhoeve.blogspot.com/

Karin would like us to make a party bag or invite etc so here is mine, I know they are christmas but she does state you can use an old picture!! Hollie's birthday is just before christmas!! These are full of goodies!Ruby and Britt would like you to make a fun card, so I think this would be fun for 2 little girls (she says hoping they like Disney Princesses!)

Let it snow and an award!

Well I've not done a lot of blog hopping or card making this past week, so finally had a bit of a catch up. I managed to combine 3 challenges with one card, Papertake weekly are asking us to make a christmas card (yippee another 1 done!!) and My Time to Craft would like us to use 'red, black and white' and over at Daring Cardmakers they are requesting that you use up your old stash, be it papers, embellishments etc my papers are over a year old so guess that's old in crafting terms! I used one of Katharina's fab sketches to!Whilst visiting Camilla's blog I noticed she had passed on the 'Wylde Woman Award' to a big list of people and I was there, yipee... thank you Camilla you are very kind!
The rules of this award are:
1. You can give it to one or one hundred or any number in between - it's up to you. Make sure you link to their site in your post.
2. Link back to this blogsite http://www.tammyvitale.com/ so Tammy can go visit all these wonderful women. And remember the Purpose of the Award: To send love and acknowledgment to women who brighten your day, teach you new things and live their lives fully with generosity and joy.

Again I don't have time to pass this on, so if you are on my blog roll on the right or are reading this message right now consider yourself awarded!!

The very lovely Jaqui (Cats Whiskers) is celebrating receiving 10,000 hits with some very yummy blog candy, go have a look Jaqui's creations are fabulous http://jacqui47.blogspot.com/

Yesterday the girls had a lovely day out with my auntie and uncle as we had a funeral to go to. Sadly my auntie Glayws, dads sis-in-law passed away last week very suddenly, so we had the 3+hour journey to Bridgenorth. It was only 2 years ago that uncle Tony (her hubby) died, we only just made it in time as the AA route planner didn't take into consideration the new toll road!! We were literally running down the road, what a palava! This time with the sat nav and better organization we made it with an hour to spare. The service was very nice and Kevin and Clive (sons) did very well (Clive found her and Kevin was on hol and blames himself for not being there) it was nice to catch up with them although would have been nicer under happier circumstances. We left home to pick mum, dad and my sister up at 7.30am and got home at 7.30pm so it was a long day. We picked the girls up, then left them with mum and dad, whilst we nipped to the pub and had a very nice meal to finish off the day.
Poor Matthew he said when he came home, that since the funeral all he's thought about today is who will be next, thinking that his parents aren't getting any younger, but you can never guess, it could happen to any of us no matter what the age.

To finish off on a happier note, we had a lovely day out, well afternoon, at Park Farm on Sunday, we should have been going to a Fairy Fair but someone Matthew spoke to had been the day before and said her daughter was so scared of the craft tent she wouldn't even go in, and there were a lot of people dressed as goblins walking about that were a bit scarey. So we changed our plans knowing that it took all day before Hollie would go near Gully and Gilly mouse at Gullivers! We were in the barn on time to feed the lambs and as it was quiet visitor wise we got to feed 7 times per family so that was fab! I love photo's like this of my girls, I've seen other peoples photo's like this, and the walk at the farm is just the perfect place to take them. Funny to think that when I took the last ones the last ones on Mothering Sunday the girls were in winter coats and wellie boots!!!

A Spoon Full of Sugar -challenge 10

This weeks A Spoon Full of Sugar challenge this week is 'animal magic' yes you have to make a card with an animal on it! Bryony from Silly Monkey Crafts has kindly supplied the prize for this week of a new High Hopes stamp 'Henry the Great' it's so cute!!

I've not had much time to be creative this past week so my cards was a bit rushed, and it's also a duplicate of a card I've made in the past.

It's a pleasure visiting everyone's blogs and seeing the fantastic cards that are being created, I apologize again if I didn't get around to leaving a comment, I do try my best! If you need any more inspiration for the challenge nip over (link on the right) and look at the other girls cards they are just gorgeous.

Wedding card

Very quick post, thought I would show you the wedding card I made this afternoon for one of Matthew's friends who got married this afternoon, just dropped Matthew of at the reception, I didn't want to go, nothing to wear, too fat (the usual!!) plus we had mum and dad babysit the girls last night so we could go out for the annual dart & dommie team meal, so to ask again would be a bit much!

I used Katharina's sketch that she did for us for the A Spoon Full of Sugar challenge, and if you notice I used the same patterned papers to!! The only difference is the outline paper is a darker colour and I've used a bride & groom die cut, folded a flower in half and made the greeting on my pc which I cut out with my new punch. We have given them a gift card so inside the actual card I made a little pocket to put the gift card in, and thought it nice to print the verse onto one of the patterned papers to tie it all in. I know I would like it, I hope they do to.

Joanne x

Another award!

I would like to thank the very kind Mueppi http://mueppis-bastelwelt.blogspot.com/ for kindly giving me the following award, so thank you! I feel honoured to receive this, it's nice enough to know that people at least look at my blog but to then give awards is a total bonus!

I don't have time to pass this on to individuals (sorry) been busy painting the last few days, and have the children on school holidays! So I would like to award this to all of my blogging friends that I visit on a regular basis, you offer me so much inspiration. Thank you!

So Sweet

The very lovely Katharina is opening up her own stamp company called Whiff of Joy, she has a lady called Alison Acton on board who's characters are Charlotte and Charlie, and also the very talented Elisabeth Bell who's designs I adore!! So I cannot wait, pop over to Karathrina's blog (link on the right) and take a look at Charlotte and Charlie they are so cute, and whilst you are there Katharina is running a naming competition for Elisabeth's characters there is a wonderful image a young girl with a mug of hot chocolate (a must have!!).
Katharina is also hosting a competition to find a guest designer to join the team every couple of months, there is a sketch on the blog which she wants you to make a card from, so here is my effort, I used my new Sugar Nellie, Elisabeth Bell design, Pen Pal stamp I just love her attitude she reminds me soooo.... much of my girls!! I kept the colours quite neutral for this one and I kinda like it.
and would you believe it, Katharina has also designed the sketch for this weeks Papertake Weekly challenge (there is no stopping this lady!). Here is an atc I made using the sketch, sorry for the awful picture I just couldn't get the lighting right and gave up trying!

Well that's it another school year over, Lillie is no longer a reception pupil and will go back in September as a Year 1, Hollie has another year at nursery sadly the little friends she has made all move up there are only 2 of them staying!! Lillie's class had a presentation assembly this morning, we were invited to watch, all of the children were given rossette's (the ribbons amuzed us!! obviously modified horsey ones Lol..!) and certificates with their achievements on. Then we got to have a biscuit before we left, Lillie was so happy to be one of the helpers going around with a plate of biscuits, perhaps a waitress in training, heh I did it for 4 years!!
All day long I have been thinking it's Friday, thinking we'll be grocery shopping later, and won't need to do Matthews packing up for work, looking for challenges that start on a Friday, even more fuelled when Matthew just arrived home 2 hours earlier than usual, which made me think oh yes he has the dentist (on Friday!). Must be going mad!! They have given him the day off tomorrow as there isn't much on, which is nice I love having him home, so it's painting for us, be it inside or out I'm not sure, will see what the weather is doing.

A Spoon Full of Sugar -challenge 9 sketch

We are on challenge 9 over at A Spoon Full of Sugar (link on the right) this week Katharina has very kindly done a sketch for us. The lovely Lim has kindly donated a very cute Rachelle Ann Miller stamp for one lucky winner who will be selected at random next week.
Here is the sketch and here is my card, I am really pleased with this although I liked the card without the stamping but thought I would risk it and ended up actually penning over the swirl at the top as it didn't fully stamp properly, I think I got away with it!! This is the second of my new batch of Sugar Nellie stamps, designed by the wonderful Elisabeth Bell (I haven't had time to play with the rest yet boo..hoo..!). I had to use my compass cutter to cut the blue circle and cut it a bit big so took 1/2 a cm off and think it looks quite effective how I've still used it on the card.
Please pop over and take a look at the rest of the girls cards they are fab as always. Look forward to visiting your blogs to see how you use the sketch.

Bugs and candy

Just made this very quick card for the Tilda & Co challenge this week it's 'bugs' knowing I hadn't really got anything apart from a couple of spiders from a halloween set, I had been sent this image in a swap so thought I'd make a very simple halloween card!

Hanne is celebrating 10,000 and 11,000 hits to her blog by offering the most delicious candy, ooo.... flowers, images, I sooo.... want these, to be in with a chance yourself take a look here to see what you have to do http://hanneskrumspring.blogspot.com/

Ila has some fabulous blog candy on offer, lots of yummy magnolia stamps etc to be in with a chance take a look here http://artfullyila.blogspot.com/

Funky Fairy are going to give one very very lucky winner freebies from their site for a whole year, yes everything new from Aug.'08 to Aug. '09 wow downloads, stamps everything!! They are celerating getting over 11,000 visits in 4 months a great achievement, take a look here http://funkyfairyinspirations.blogspot.com/2008/07/fabby-blog-candy-giveaway.html

Last of the Thank you's!

Yes this is the final instalment, I promise, these are for the head teacher and her assistant, Lillie chose the blue bag for her favourite Mrs Todd! The elephant has a tea light in the top, I was going to put a little note around their necks saying 'elephants never forget and I will never forget you' but we thought that was a bit soppy!
The girls went to the seaside with my Uncle and his girlfriend today, it was the first time they had been out with them so none of us were sure how it would go. My uncle was unsure as to whether to take Hollie incase she played up and wanted me!! They had a lovely time, they went on some rides at the funfair and came home with new sunglasses!! It was a success and they have said they will have the girls and take them out again!
So Matthew and I went into town to get the paint for the new room. Naughty Matthew said about going to the chinese (that does the buffet) for lunch, I didn't need any persuading Lol..!! We got the paint, and bathroom accessories, some new cushions (just to dress the bed!) some summer clothes for the girls for next year in the sale and a couple of bits for christmas pressie's, so not a bad outing really!

Thank you's

As promised here are the picture's of the teaching assistants pressies, these bags started out as plain A4 envelopes which I turned into bags and decorated them up with patterned papers, images from Pink Petticoat (she ewe's woolly coats are glittered!) and ribbons.

and here is the third bag and the contents, along with the thank 'ewe' cards I showed yesterday!
The Penny Black challenge this week is 'snow much fun' to make a christmas card featuring snow in some way. I was lucky enough to receive a few christmassy image in a swap I did with Julie from the CM&PC forum, I have glittered the snow which doesn't really show up in this picture.I couldn't believe it when I read the most recent comments about my Sugar Nellie, Sweet Art Ebony, Post Box card and I had received a really lovely comment from Elisabeth Bell creator of these wonderful images, yes the lady herself! She has added my card to her gallery which I find a great honor, I am thrilled. Elisabeth's blog is here http://clintlisbell.blogspot.com/ take a look it's fab.

Thank you/ewe!

The past few days I have been thinking about Teachers thank-you's for Lillie to give out on Monday. I purchased the 'Thank ewe' download from the Pink Petticoat website as I thought these would be perfect for the job! I got inspiration from Mandy (a little space of my own) for these first thank you cards these are for the teaching assistants. I am going to write their names under the 'thank ewe' that is when I know how to spell them!!The following are for the head teacher and her assistant (Lillie's favourite and the feeling is mutual!). I have waited a year to make these Lol!! Nicky from the Just Bex (link on the right) made the most wonderful thank you's for her sons teachers last year, I just knew I had to have a go!
here are pictures of them open, when I showed Matthew last night he commented on the bottom greeting being a bit soppy! He asked if I was trying to make them cry, well it wouldn't be the first time (I made Lillie's nursery teacher a card which brought her to tears, it had a picture of her with Lillie on sports day, she didn't know I'd taken it!). The picture lifts open like card and I am going to write a message underneath, and also get Lillie to write something herself for that exta special touch!
I have whited the teachers faces as I don't have permission to show them, they might not appreciate having a guest spot on my blog, it's also a rare appearance for Lillie as I tend not to show family pictures that often.
I have been making bag-a-lopes (or whatever they are called) thanks to Sarah's fab instructions over at Just Bex, oh how I love making these!! These are to put the pressies in, I will show them over the weekend as again I want to write the teachers names on them.
When I picked Lillie up this afternoon her Miss Mills gave me a list of words that Lillie has crazed her to write down so she could learn them over the weekend, she won't be that eager when she starts bringing homework home!! Miss Mills told me how impressed she is with Lillie, she said she has now started to really concentrate and 'wants' to learn, shame it's taken until the end of the school year heh!?!


The freebie that comes with this months Quick Cards Made Easy (starring me! haha!) is a Paddington Bear rubber stamp. So today I inked him up and made a card which I can enter for 2 challenges, first up Cute Card Thursdays want a card made with 'animals only - no people allowed' so ok Paddington is a bear! and Friday Sketchers well obviously to use a sketch (nice easy one this week!) I stamped the image twice so that I could add a bit of dimension by colouring his hat and suitcase and adding it with silicone glue. Going to send it into the mag. again who knows might be lucky enough to get in again! I am going to give this card to Hollie's nursery teachers and helpers, because although she is going back in September for another year they gave all of the children a neatly wrapped pressie today, it was a Charlie and Lola book which was really lovely of them, even better because Hollie loves this programme.


One final picture for today, I had a little helper this afternoon, yes here is one of our 17 guinnea pigs Tash (called this because if you look at her she has a ginger/brown stripe that runs under her nose accross ways and looks like a moustache!) she liked putting her front paws on my keyboard, I didn't realize until I started typing she had put my caps lock on little devil!! I'm still amazed at her colourings as all of our older piggies her mum included are browns and whites, where did the black come from??Have a great weekend.

New Sugar Nellies

Just look what my postie delivered to me this morning

how thrilled was I? Very! Not only did he bring me my gorgeous new Sugar Nellie stamps but also my Quick Cards Made Easy magazine which I appear in not once but twice hehe...!!
I couldn't wait for Matthew to cut me some blocks so stuck one of my new stamps onto an old one and stamped away!! He's going to be busy in the shed tonight, I've got a long list of measurements for blocks I want cutting!! It was a hard choice deciding which one to use first but I went for my Sweet Art Ebony 'mail box' of it's sooo... scrummy! I coloured the image with my watercolours and pearl watercolours and added glitter to the spots on her hat and ribbon for that extra bit of sparkle! It's the first outing for my swiss dots embossing folder, it was one of those 'must have's' I've had it at least a month, can you believe that!?!
Here is my completed card
Here is the card I mentioned yesterday, it is my entry for the Penny Black challenge this week which was to use the sketch supplied. I am so happy with this card I just love the yellow and orange together, I used my pearl water colours on the balloons and pressie which give them a nice sparkle!

Maya is celebrating her 10,000 hits to her blog by offering one very lucky person a bag filled with 140 Hanglar & Stanglar stamped images, oh how I would love those!! You can find it here http://mayas-hobbyblogg.blogspot.com/

Baking Tilda

Here is the card I made this morning for the Friday Sketchers challenge, quite a simple sketch this week so didn't take too long. I meant to colour the sentiment before I stuck it down but forgot so used a gold edged button in the centre of one of the flowers to tie in the gold! I thought the edges of the scalloped cirlce were too bare so got my punch gadget out and punched small hearts all the way round, I think they match the cookies rather well.I have made another card which I'll show tomorrow, incase I get none made, also need to concentrate on my teachers cards etc or else I'll have run out of time!
We got the girls school reports today, they are ok, it's nice to know they are getting on ok, learning and taking part. Lillie's says she has now started taking a big interest in her learning, which is true she is always writing (not all that readable but she can tell you what it's supposed to be) and is always reading books, I say reading, trying hard, it's good to hear her sounding out words, and although they should be in their beds going to sleep, Hollie usually hops into Lillie's bed one of 'her' stories!!

I am sooo... excited, I received an email from Funky Kits http://www.funkykits.co.uk/catalog/index.php saying they had a load of new Sugar Nellie stamps in yesterday, I swiftly purchased 5!! 1 of which is a christmas one!!! I can't wait I love these stamps (well stamps full stop) amazing to think I only started stamping at the beginning of the year!

A Spoon Full of Sugar -challenge 8

Can you believe we are on challenge 8 already at A Spoon Full of Sugar, doesn't seem possible. This weeks challenge is called 'One For The Girls' got to be the easiest of challenges, I know that I make more girly cards than anything, I should imagine it's the same for most of us! Silly Monkeys have kindly donated this weeks prize of 2 sheets of Karen Foster 'bubbles' paper and a fab High Hopes stamp called 'Good Clean Fun' oooo.... I want it!!!! As from this week you can now start using Sarah Kay images so no excuses not to take part!
Here is my design team card, I did a 'z' fold this week I should have photographed it on a different background colour as it tends to blend in a bit, but I feld the right hand corner of the paper over and attach a button, think it looks ok!?! The flower looks so pretty in the corner and I used a gem to match the 2 on the left hand side. We all very much enjoy visiting everyones blogs and seeing your creations, and I apologize if I don't always leave a comment I try to leave as many as possible, but sometimes I just run out of time and the next challenge starts.

I would also like to enter this card for Tink's blog candy challenge, she is celebrating her blog anniversary with some fab candy, go take a look (link on the right)

Candy overload!

I am so glad that I made the decision not to go to the Mcfly concert at Thetford Forrest tonight. 50% of me desperately wanted to go as they were so close and it was my one possible chance to see them up close, the other 50% said no as I had seen them twice last year. Had the sun have been shining and it have been nice dry and warm I may have been kicking myself right now, so although I feel very sorry for those standing in the pouring rain I am glad to be home, nice and dry!
Yesterday I at last had a play around and did my best to design the voucher for Kay for her shop, it's very basic as I don't know how to add borders or anything fancy, Matthew says they are fine, so I will have to see what she says when I take them in. Today I made a gift card as an example to put the vouchers into. Obviously for a baby girl! Very simple but Kim prefers the more simplistic look so this may be too much for her. I hadn't planned to cover the whole front with the spotty paper but I didn't like the card I used at all, hence the inside flap being covered toI also added the ribbon to the flap it just kind of wanted it!!
and that was it, nearly got carried away again today and just got to the school in time to pick Hollie up today!! At least with the summer holidays coming up I won't have to worry about watching the clock!!

There is lots of blog candy up for grabs in the world of blogging, here are a few I have found:

Jill has 2 lots of yummy candy up for grabs as a thank you for reaching 2,000 hits on her blog http://jillscards.blogspot.com/ well done Jill, I'm like you, still can't believe people look at my creations and read my tales!!
Ying is also giving away some High Hopes stamps, just leave a comment and a link on your blog http://yingandrubberstamping.blogspot.com/2008/07/high-hopes-new-release-blog-candy.html
Over at the Spiral Whispers blog they are giving away some freebies to celebrate 10,000 hits http://spiralwhisper.blogspot.com/ There are also a couple of naming competitions if you look for the links on the right hand side of the blog!

Oooppss!!

Yes it was a very big ooppss... this afternoon I was so engrossed in making a pram embellishment for a card that when I looked at the time I was almst 10 minutes late for picking Lillie up from school!! Still she was with her favourite teacher so she didn't mind!

I haven't really been in a crafty mood today, not in the mood to do a lot at all. But I did make the following 'very basic' card which combines 3 challenges, hooray for me! My Time to Craft and Daring Cardmakers are asking you to use numbers and over at Cute Card Thursdays they would like you to make a card for a child! Lillie has a party to go to on Saturday so this fitted in quite nicely, up until last week this was the way I did my spring cards but now I know the correct way with the bottom on I will stick to that way from now on, as the way I used to do it loses it's spring pretty quickly!! The number is actually 3 layers of decoupage, should actually be 6 layers but I am being a bit frugal and making 2 cards out of the one sheet!! Plus 6 layers will be a bit tight in the envelope!

I had a wonderful day out yesterday with Paula, I wasn't sure if anyone else was going, but no it was just the 2 of us. We arrived in London at 11.30 and our appointment wasn't until 2pm so we caught our bus to the street we needed, lucky for us a chap wearing a DoubleTake (name of the studio) t-shirt got on the bus just in front of us, so we got off when he did otherwise we wouldn't have had a clue! We found where we were going, getting soaked walking the streets of London! Then found a nice pub to while away the time in with a nice bottle of wine and a bite to eat, it was very nice, other than 1 man we were the only ones in there when we arrived, when we left it was really busy!! Instead of getting soaked walking to the studio, we hailed a black cab to take us the short journey up the road, it only cost £3 and £2.20 was already on the clock before we set off so you can tell it wasn't far haha..!! We were met at the sudio with a glass of bucks fizz, then taken downstairs to have hair and make-up done, starting off with a hand massage and face pack oo la la!! I was thrilled with the end results, my make-up was great and I loved my hair! Met Paula back in reception, she looked great to! Then we were whisked off by our photograhers, we both had different ones, and proceeded to select 3 of our 5 out-fits then do some posing, it was fun but I felt a bit awkward at times, constantly trying to breath in which actually doesn't help that much with a belly like mine, as some of the photo's showed OMG!!
Anyhow we then went back to reception and was given another bucks fizz, and then filled out a booklet for recommending friends to have the same experience, by putting 15 names down you could have a free cocktail, so I had a blue lagoon, I used to love drinking these on holidays abroad, turning your tongue blue!! After about 45 minutes we went to view our pictures, some were really good, others just plain awful, then came the crunch, the prices, big ouch..!!! I didn't realy want to go home empty handed but wow what a price, but the lovely Ben fiddled things quite a bit ssshhhhh.......!! and we got our package down to about a 1/3 of the price, still a lot in my mind, but heh you don't do this sort of thing every day do you?!?
and that was it, Matthew picked me up from the station the girls we so excited the first thing they said was 'show us your face mummy' as they knew I was having my make-up done!! Ben worked it so we could bring home the 'contact' sheets (small pictures of each pose) and typically Matthew chose different ones to those I chose, but I did see them on a big screen and think I chose the best. I will put a couple on here for you to see when I get the cd!