Boozy Bella (winobella) card

Cardstock - White Gold Dust Card
b/g Papers - Pink Petticoat
Image - stamping bella
Metallic greeting - Julie Hickey
Flowers - Prima

I told myself that I would enjoy making these cards up, took no time whatsoever! I won't bore you with all the others, all done along the same style, different b/g papers and greetings.. I'm on a roll!!

Christmas definately over....

Well, the decorations are now down, the funky outdoor lights and the Christmas tree are now down... that's it until 11 months time. What with tidying the front room to make space for the tree, there is now LOADS of space for the girs to play - we certainly had lots of fun this afternoon once the boxes were back up in the loft. I got the camera out and snapped away, even managed to get one of all 3 of them together. They're still a bit pale from the illnesses that they've had, but I'm just glad to see some smiling happy faces.

We played silly buggers all afternoon... it started by Rob getting Molly to get down a ceiling decoration that we missed, and holding her up.. He then had to take it in turn to help her and Aimee walk on the ceiling, got some funny photos!! LOL!

With the visit to Papermaze yesterday, my mind is full of pages that could be done with the pictures!! Guess what I'll be doing this week as well!

Stamp frenzy!

Will'n'Way Zoo critters, Sugar Nellie Knight & Nellie with Spring Flower & Magnolia Autumn Tilda with Basket & leaves, ALL from Funkykits
Magnolia Tilda with birthday cake and Tilda sitting back (not sure of exact names) I got these (after losing a cheque in the post) from a lovely lady on ebay at bargain prices!!

Justifying purchases

I met someone called Janette, and she told me that doing a blog would prove to be expensive, I of course was worried that there would be a cost involved... OH NO... she told me it was because you would see stash on other peoples blogs and just WANT it!!! Oh so true she was.. if only I hadn't listened to her. My justification is.. (craft purchases always have to be justified don't they!?) I did really well at my Christmas Fairs, so I wanted to spend the money on some more stamps.. (cough cough!!)

I enjoyed my work last night that I'm seriousy going back into my stamping... I've so many that I can play with, create backgrounds (see Stamping Moments for a great paisley b/g) and adapt images for different occasions.

Anyway, I'm glad that I've got them and shall have a play during the week when the kids have gone back to school

Big Bums and Beautiful Bella's

A friend stamped these Dolly Mama stamps for me a while ago, and after reading Stamping Caz's tutorial for painting stamps, I was so eager to give it a try.
I have to say that I really enjoyed it, and coloured in 10 in all, so tomorrow I'll be able to quickly create some cards. WOOHOO!! My mojo's coming back.

The photos didn't come out too good, and I couldn't scan them, but the cards that will be made tomorrow, will look fabby, hopefully!

I love these Bellas, they took ages to arrive, but I've enjoyed using them. I used them on some Christmas cards, had the pressie bella. It's great how you can simply adapt stamps to certain situations by changing the colours.

I used my fake H2Os again, they are just so glittery and yummy. However, using a paintbrush can have its advantages, I only used one eggcup of water and when I washed off the glittery paint it left the fine mica in the water. When I went to use the watercolour pencils, and bleed the colour through the image, it left behind a glittery sheen. Nice effect.

Gonna go and make up another book.
Have Craft club on Tuesday, so shall start to think what I'm going to take, maybe I'll do some scrapbooking!?.. have to see what mood I'm in.

Hugs
Em x

Virus' galore..

OH NO... AAAGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The PC has thrown a wobbly and as we speak Rob's running a virus check to get rid of the blighter. Hopefully anyway.

So I missed a blog entry!! What am I to do.. Oh well, been a busy bee today.

Jo, Lynda, me and the girls had a jolly out to Papermaze. WOWEE.. we had a great time, the paper stash there is simply amazing. Great WHOLE collections, better than I've ever seen, and so much nicer to see them and feel them in the flesh. I bought some lovely stash, some ribbons and Love Elsie papers, I'll take some pics tomorrow as the pics I took tonight haven't liked the dark lighting.

Yesterday Molly went to Charlotte's 4th birthday party. She wanted to help make her card, we decided to use the left over wrapping paper, here's our effort, and help from a 4 and 2 year old..
I saw the style of this card on another blog, I'll have to put the reference back in tomorrow as it's in my favourites on the PC (on the laptop atm) OOH.. it's bad of me, but at least I'm being honest!
The b/g paper is the wrapping paper and the raised flower is the spare gift tag. We put a strip of vellum 1/3 down and then stuck a cricut cut 4 on the flower. It's a bit hard to see, but there are hole punches around the curve, done randomnly with the crop a dile.

Right, that's it.. I've got paint drying, so going to check on them and see how the pc's is taking it's medecine. hopefully it might be a bit better.

Bye for now,
Emma x

Today I'll be mostly using Pink Petticoat! I got these before Christmas and now that there's not a demand on seasonal cards, I can have a proper play.... I love black and white at the moment, especially contrasting patterns like this.

I painted the flower with some fake H2Os that I picked up in The Works, I just love the glittery effect they have. The buttons I found in Craft Central, I've put on top a sequin, just to tie in the blue with the flowers and the paper (also printed from PP) HOWEVER!!! I didn't wait long enough for the glue to dry and it's spurged onto the scanner! ! (Don't tell Rob) I've tidied the mess on the glass as best I can... OOPS

Also had a pay with my new Nestabilities that I got for Christmas. Rob got them for me, but not a coordinating set, so I've found some more on ebay and they should come next week. He got me the Petite Scalloped Small Circles and the Classic Small Squares, they're the ones I asked for, but wished I'd got the normal scalloped ones.. also have got the rectangles on my wish list...

I picked up some Doodlebug papers (similar to PP design) from Craft Art UK and had a play with them a while back, there was an article in one of the magazines and I knew that I had the paper sitting there, so grabbed it when I had a craft block... enjoyed making it, but it turned out small and I don't have a ready made envelope for it.... I'm going to see how the dimensions turn out on a taller card.

I don't normally make my own envelopes and don't think I will go into that.. not when you can buy perfectly good ones in the sizes that fit into my card display stand. However, I did have fun playing with this design, and will probably use the 3D handbag template again.

The ribbons I used on this were a set from Making Memories, it's great that they're the reverse patterns, just hope that I don't run out of it too soon!

My memories....

HEART Bracelet

I've been looking for a while for something to remember our loss in October. I felt by having something tangible that I could touch every day, our memories would never be forgotten. I finally found something today, and I'm getting there, feeing better... I am getting there physically, but mentally and emotionally it is so hard. One step at a time....

We've both been strong for our 3 gorgeous children, but in a way that has hidden the pain that we have been going through, and I know that it is more pain for me than Rob. He has been so strong for me and so supportive. But in the back of my mind I still can't get over that it was also the year anniversary of his Mum's passing. I know also that they are both together in Heaven, Mumsy will for sure be looking after our little one - that is one thing that has eased Sarah's understanding of it all.

It's not a great picture, but I promised Jill (my SIL) that I'd take a picture of it for her. She's been one of the most supportive people, even though we live so far apart... she gave me a hug at Christmas, which to me spoke a thousand loving, caring words - and I know that she's there for me, even though she's a busy career woman! Oh.. and loving mother to my little neice Doris (the hamster)...

This blog has also been good for me... it's really the first time that I've managed to speak about what I'm going through.. I don't really care if no one reads it.. it's off my chest.. kind of!

Em x

HAPPY 2008!!!

What a night! We ended up staying in on our own. The girls still haven't recovered really and Molly was sick, so a quiet one really - making sure the girls were OK.
BUT the fireworks on our estate were AMAZING!! Cheap I know - watching other peoples dispays, I really love fireworks, Rob thinks they're a waste of money... maybe I'll persuade him for the next celebration!

Anyway, here's a card creation.. Monkey Business. Found this paper in Artbase and fell in love with it! I always find it hard to make for boys/gents and thought this was ideal. The base card I printed from my new stock of Pink Petticoat files - I'm just in love with these! Really easy to print off and perfect printed directly onto cardstock.

My stash of ribbons is growing rapidy, so I decided to use some I bought from Craft Art UK in Stanway. SEE.... it isn't always meant for girls cards! It was a nice quick card and will no doubt be used again and again!

Anyway, I'm JUST managing to blog daily. Rob is back to work tomorrow, and we're going to try and get to bed earlier than 2am, might help get up earlier, especially with Molly starting morning nursery next week. I can't believe that by the end of this year she will be in full time education!! My little baby.

Some more piccies

A couple more journals that I've created...

Grumps' one (My dad refused to be called Grandad when Sarah was born 11 years ago and decided to be called Grumps instead... yes, we get asked all the time who GRUMPS is, my explanation is that he's a grumpy old sod - worst thing is that poor Mum is known as Mumps - it's just attention seeking me thinks - on Dad's behalf that is) was made speedily on Christmas Eve. Dad is the kind of person who takes offence with wasteful presents and I had to check with Mum first if he would appreciate a handmade book. Anyway, Dad's a great gardener and has learned lots over his lifetime. He's now gardening by the moon - very interesting and probably uses common sense! So he's going to use the journal to write and design his gardens in it.

I cut the lettering out on my Cricut, using Opposites attract (my fave font cart - so versatile) and the little picture was cut out from a pack of Kim Martin's paper - All Occasions. The green is actually quite flowery, but it looked right. I outlined the lettering by hand, but still would like to get a cricut pen to go in place of the blade - have heard that they work really well with outlining. This time I used Mount board for the covers, it tears a bit when I cut it in my guillotine, but have just sanded the edges. Even cheaper for the insides, some old dot matrix paper that Dad had given me for Sarah to draw on (good job that I decided that it was to good for waste paper - despite the fact I've hoarded it for the past 7 years!! Oh well it's in good use now!)

This next one is for a family friend, Chloe, she must be 14, nearly 15 and has gone through most fashions... goth, mad coloured hair, a very individual young lady! We decided that this was a great design for her, she's doing her GCSE's next year, so will no doubt need lots of space to write her revision notes..

The cover was Dovecraft KRAFT coloured 8" x 8" boards, with the front covered in DCWV Rock Star sheet. I have a lovely friend called Karen who has an ebay shop, who I know I can rely on for papers that I don't have!! I managed to get this set from her on the last day at school, and am so grateful for her!! Chloe isn't really a girly girl, well last time I spoke to her she wasn't! So I didn't put too many ribbons on it for her.

I can't wait to hear what people are using their books for..... I really enjoy making them.

Anyway for now, I'll be off. Didn't make anything today, but will be stamping before long as I have som Magnolia's and Nellie's on order!! Oh.. and a Will'n'Way set as well... I'm so naughty!

Hugs, Em xx

Well, here's the first lot of my artwork. I said that it would be every day, I'm only just going to make it!
I bought myself a Bind it All machine back in November, knowing that I would be making severa presents with it! Well that was the excuse anyway... here's some of the presents that I made - let me know what you think!

Jo's my bestest crafting buddy and we agreed that we'd make something for each other this year instead of buying - unfortunately she ran out of time to make mine.. but I kept my part of the bargain!
Here's the inside of the book, I even managed to put tabs in it for her. I'm hoping that she will use it for her card layouts and ideas as I know she has sheets loose on her table, I know that she WILL eventually use it after stroking it for a bit.

The chipboard I bought from The Range, Dovecraft and the cover sheet is one of my favourites, Rob & Bob Studio. The inserts I used was a pack of laid writing paper I found reduced in Sainsburys'!! You'll get to learn that I am a one for bargains!

I'll have some more to show you tomorrow.. maybe a card, depending if I manage to get my space on the dining table back for a couple of hours..

Hugs, Em xx