It was Jocks' birthday last week and he's finally made it to the big 65 - as you can guess he hails from over the border and is very proud of his Scottish heritage so I had to make him a card that reflected that. The tartan cardstock was perfect and I used the trusty Sizzix to cut out the numbers from holographic card - Barry composed a rude poem which seem quite appropriate and which Jock found really funny. Can't repeat it as Jock would not find that funny!!!

Christmas & Snowflakes !!!!

 
These are a couple of ATCs I have received from a lovely lady in N Ireland called Gloria. Aren't they just lovely - I love the Christmas one it really is so cute, just my subject I love Christmas crafting.

 

Snowflakes in March! Have I gone mad - no more than usual. LOL These are two beaded snowflakes I made from a free pattern I found on the internet. When they were first finished they were a little floppy so I dunked them in Finish Floor polish and let them dry flat on my craft mat and they went rigid, they didn't lose any of their shine. I strung them on a ribbon and they look great as they really catch the light and glitter. I was quite impressed - I knew I would find a use for all them beads I have gathered over the years. Do you think you can have red snowflakes?

New Tim Holtz Mini Masks

 

 

Bought some new mini masks from Tim Holtzs and have had a play with misting inks. I like the result but next time I must remember to cover everything up on my desk as everything is covered in a beautiful copper sheen including several new ATCs I had just made. I was unable to rescue them so they had to be binned - that will teach me to check my desk before I start with a messy job!!!!!

ATCs - Messing about

 

 

 

Here are this weeks atcs I have been messing with. I've been trying to creat one 'with a flourish' for Craft Stamper but I have really struggled and haven't felt inspired

Weekend Blogging

 


Well it looks like I'm turning in to a weekend blogger - to tired to blog when I get home from work during the week and to be honest staring at a computer screen for 8 hours a day is quite enough for me without starting again in the evening. So weekend it is.

Had a great morning at Kendal Paper Warehouse on Saturday - I did a Copic pen class with Melaine Heaton from Bramwells - it was great fun and I really enjoyed it. The time just flies past and before you know it it is time to go home again. Judith and I went together and she did the starter class as she hadn't done it before but as I had already done the beginners I was let loose with the pens and the end result was the card in the picture. There is definitely a knack to using the pens and I tend to be a bit heavy handed with the dark coloured ones which can make them bleed. Got to remember to be gentle with them. We have both booked again for the next class in April - can't wait:-)

Don't read on if you are squeamish

On another topic Max the cat has had his yearly worming dosage this weekend as he coughed up a tapeworm (OMG) on Friday and it was gross. I was appalled and he has been asked not to bring anymore home. If he does he will be looking for somewhere else to cough it up!!!!!

Now I freaked everyone out I'm going

XXX

Mother's Day - I don't think so!

It's Mothering Sunday today but you wouldn't think so in our house. I must be a terrible mother - neither of the miserable toads even bothered to acknowledge the fact that I'm their mum.

I feel so hurt that yet again they don't think it's important to take the time,just once a year, to make the effort.

I hate Mothering Sunday.

 


The is a lovely puss cat we saw at Sawrey by Hill Top Farm and I couldn't resist taking a photo he was a real bruiser.

In the Lake District Hills

 

 

 

 

Just got back in from a great afternoon out - we went up the Lakes and went right over to the west coast. It was lovely when we set off but the clouds came down and it created a really weird effect as it blotted out the sun. I took some photos but they haven't come out as well as I hoped they would. The first one is looking back to the estuary into the bay and the mist is the cloud descending. The others are just looking across to the hills which still have snow on them.

We had a lovely lunch at the Byre at Bootle just before Waberthwaite and the puddings are to die for. Barry had Date and ginger sticky pudding with custard and I had a sticky toffee muffin with toffee sauce and cream mmmm lovely. Didn't do my diet any good and I had indigestion all afternoon but it was lovely at the time.

We came back over Rynose and Hardknot pass - very scenic but very scary glad I wasn't driving.

Check my emails when I got home and I had one from a lovely lady called Gloria who had received one of my ATCs in the Craft Stamper Swap. She wants to swap a few more - sounds like fun. I'll let you know how it goes.

Day Out in the Lakes

March's Xmas Cards

 
 

Well that's the Christmas cards finished for March if fact have made 15 in total this month because I got on a roll. The snowflake on the blue and white cards are coloured using the decorater's gold powder that son number 2 gave me and the photograph doesn't do it justice. It is so rich and oppulent - it is absolutely fabulous. James reckons it is real gold powder if that is so each card must have about £5.00 worth of gold on them. lol

Off to make a birthday card now then I'm going to play with my melt pot.

 

The Christmas card challenge continues and I have completed the first 6 of this month's Christmas cards - I ran out of green card otherwise there would have been 10! Ha. The design was based on a card that I made at the Stamping and Scrapbooking Expo in Las Vegas a couple of years ago.

STRANGE BUT TRUE - I received a letter from the USA today from a nice lady called Karen Dixon - this is really spooky as my best mate in the UK is Karen Dixon - how's that for a co-incident. I sometimes feel like I have slipped into an alternative dimension and there should be the theme from the X-Files playing in the background. lol

I will write back and hopefully I have another penfriend. I do enjoy writing and exchanging cards with fellow stampers it really brightens my day when the post arrives.

 
 
 
 

Here are some of the items I made at the Harrogate weekend at the Art from the Heart Studio with the lovely Dyan in January. She is one of the most inspirational artists I have ever met and fills me with confidence to try and create something different (some of my results tend to be a little strange but hey we all have to start somewhere) Thank you Dyan - I wish I lived closer to the AFTH Studio I'd be there every week.lol.