I've been tagged!! Middle Name Game

I've been tagged by Jenny from http://stampingmoments.blogspot.com/ in the Middle Name Game!

WHY ME!!! My middle name is just too long.. so I've spent a long time thinking about this one.. can't you tell!

These are the rules:
You must post the rules before you give your answers.
You must list one fact about yourself for each letter of your middle name.
Each fact must begin with that letter.
If you don't have a middle name, just use your maiden name.
After you've been tagged, you need to up-date your blog with your middle name and answers.
At the end of your post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name.(Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged and need to read your blog for details.

My middle name is Rebecca so here it goes.

R - Rob, he's the LOVE of my life.. My best friend. He's one of the reasons that I live.. We're still looking for the perfect opportunity so that he doesn't have to go out to work - so that he can be around his family all day long!

E - Everyone around me, I really value my friends. A couple of my friends from Uni, have recently found me again after **** years!! It's been lovely, as Jane and Jen both came to our wedding last year - made the day really special! Jane also came down from Lancashire and we met in town and caught up!! BUT, my bestest friends are my crafting buddies.. well... you have to share your passion with someone don't you!! (For one, your OH's don't listen!) Seems ages since we all met up! (NOTE TO SELF! - Doesn't help EMMA when you hide yourself away!)

B - Beautiful children, my wonderful 3 girls, the other reasons that I live!! The smiles on their faces, their loving hugs and bundles in bed first thing in the morning.. all put the biggest smile on my face. I'm so lucky!

E - Ebay, I seem to spend alot of time on there.. it's totally addictive!

C - Crafting!! Rob calls me a crafty woman.. and most of my friends know my absolute passion for making things!! Mostly papercraft these days,

C - Car, I don't know where I'd be without my car.. I'm quite naughty, and use it alot when I'm late picking the girls up! BUT also, wouldn't be able to go to my craft groups without it! Ever since Rob and I moved in together, we made the decision NOT to get rid of my car, he insisted that I still have my independance (little did he know I'd be out most days going to craft shops!!LOL!!)

A - Airline.... I wished that I could have my own airline, that way I could also go and see my Mum & Dad whenever I wanted... and travel the world, wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted! Unfortunately Rob doesn't have that travel bug, and doesn't want to venture out of the country for holidays, apart from to France of course!!!


Thats me!
I don't know many people who haven't already been tagged!! So feel free to take this challenge on!

Blue card

Here's a card that I attempted to be like one of the recent challenges - can you guess which one!?

I couldn't match up the colours on the bottom half - meant to be another panel on the bottom, but, instead I just left it as it was - looks OK I think!?

I put a pink petticoat image on the top half. I cut it out using my nestabilities, and then embossed it.. by the way, those of you who have the nestabilities, I use the magnetic sheet and find it really helpful, helps keep everything in place. (I use my cuttlebug to cut them out.

This went to Sarah's friend Ellie, it was her birthday yesterday. We had a bit of a birthday party weekend really.. more next weekend too.. oh joy! Lots of birthdays this week too, Belated wishes to Jenny who celebrated a big bday yesterday (##Hugs## Jen!)

Taken the plunge...

I've gone and done it... My application to become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator was sent at the weekend.
I've been taking to Jenny and she's agreed to be my upline, I know that probably alot of people have gone directly to the company (as it only started on November 15th 2007) BUT, since seeing Jenny's blog, I think that her creations are amazing! It'll be great as we're gonna work together and bounce ideas of each other!
Well, let's see how things go!!

Bye for now.
Em x

Getting Creative

I challenged myself to make something at least every day... well, it's harder than it seems, especially when you've got a busy family and added commitments now it's not holiday time..

Well, from looking at other peoples blogs and other card making websites, I have found some brilliant inspiration! Not only are there layouts for cards/scrapbook pages, but there are examples of them too.. so.. on a definate try to achieve my goal, I'm going to refer to these places quite often.

So here we go with my first ever card challenge..


BEATES WEEKEND SKETCH CHALLENGE #31

This card was based on a sketch from Beates blog, link on the right (not sure how to enclose it here!)
Using one of the paper pieced magnolias I stamped up last week, and a Pink Petticoat phrase, mounted up on pink c/s and using a A5 sheet from my Payper box.
HUGE 3/16 eyelets that I've had from a RAK and never used them!


DI HICKMAN CARD SKETCH JAN#4

This from another great site for sketches!!

I posted a comment on Jenny's blog (Stamping Moments) saying that my favourite colours atm are Chocolate brown and lime green, however, I can't remember using them in combination together very much, so I gave it a go!

The c/s again is from my Payper Box (still using this up ready for some new stock!) and the green papers are from a pack I bought at the craft club I go to, Dotty About Cards. The phrase is Pink Petticoat and the flower is from a pack I bought from Lakeland in the sales (Brown and pink embellishment box - another great colour combination!). The gem is a Dovecraft one, I'm always worried about them falling off, but it seems to have stayed stuck!

WELL, I hope that you enjoyed them! I enjoyed making them and shall be (hopefully) keeping up with the challenges.. and seeing what I can come up with.

Bye for now,

Em x

Stamping again...

Why is it I get to this time of night and think... oh damn.. I should have blogged.. it shouldn't be like that - should it!? Well, just to keep my motivation up, I guess that's why I do it... mmmm... Had a bit of a pooooeeeey weekend, didn't feel 100%, and NO it wasn't alcohol induced either! Today I've been recovering and been duly pampered by all the girls with loving hugs (don't need to tell these guys anything, they just 'know' when somethings not right) don't you just love kids!?

Anyhow, here's the same Bella stamp that I used in Katie's card, I paper pieced these ones, but Sarah and Rob said that they preferred the painted one. I had fun cutting out the little bits and using up my 'smaller bits folder' (see Jo, they DO come in handy!)
It's so much fun giving the little Bella's their own character. Molly helped me to choose the colours, I'll have her dressing herself yet.. no such luck at the moment....


Here's the monkeys out of my lovely new set.. I simply couldn't resist, but Papermaze has got 20% off all month.. I couldn't resist these little beauties... I can see so many scrapbook pages being embellished with these! They're Autumn Leaves, a set called Mindy's Zoo.. yummy.. Not sure how I'm going to finish these ones off, I was mainly playing around, I haven't yet stamped directly onto a card, but enjoyed this and embossed them as well, so has all around touchy feeliness! Any ideas for titles to go on these would be great!! Could have a caption comp...
Also, not sure if the right hand one is too busy, I had a play with masking the bits.. and as I read somewhere else... kept the post it in with the pack for the next time I need it!! (Saves on cutting it out every time!)


Finally for today... we've been introducing Aimee to the potty this week!! BUT... (Karen found this out rather rudely SANS (without) knickers on Friday!) SHE DOES LOVE HER NEW WELLIES!!! So whatever her evening attire, is always accompanied with her LOVELY wellies!!

Maybe I should let Molly free with her, advise her what to wear!

Night Night all.. xx

Em xx

My Mum is THE BEST!!

My parents live in France, so we don't get to see them very much. We had a great Christmas this year, they came over to England and stayed in a farmhouse near by.

I don't think that I would be as crafty as I am now if it wasn't for my parents.

When Mum met Dad, she was a photographer, she loves crafts, she sews, knits, crochets, loves pottery, cold porcelain, what else,I remember when I was younger she came into school and taught macrame, helped build production sets and probably loads more! Since I started making my own cards back in 1999, I've now got her into card making.. say no more..

Dad, also LOVES creating things.. from woodwork, turning, pyrography, making beds out of sideboards, building chicken sheds! He has a passion for 'his' birds in his garden and I've seen some lovely drawings he's pencilled. His only school qualification is in ART.

Anyway, I guess that's where my artistic flair has come from.

With Mum being in France, she's quite lucky NOT to be surrounded by craft shops, I say this as the creations she comes up with are totally unique with the supplies that she has! She's a total magpie like me and when she sees something shiny, thinks of another crafty uses for it!

Mum now has her own room in their house where she will soon be creating... so I thought a nice pressie for her was this craft bag. So, on the phone this morning I asked if she had filled it... put it this way, sounds like she is getting organised and sorted out her 'small' bits like sticky pads, pens and tools etc.! Secretly Sarah (my eldest) wanted the bag, maybe I'll have to get her one for her birthday... (hope she's not reading this)

The other great news, when i see embellishments made by BIG companies, I always think of ways I could recreate them myself, cheaper.... well with Mum's great craftiness, I've asked her to do some crocheting for me...
I saw these lovely flowers, thought of Mum and asked if she could help me by making some.. and she said YES!!!! She also made me and Sarah 2 lovely crocheted netted (holey) bags for Christmas presents, and she's now made some more for Molly & Aimee, they're going to have fun with them! So they should be coming in the post next week.... ooooooh, like parcels!

I'm on a buzz now from talking to my Mum and Dad, it's so lovely to hear their voices... I really miss them. BUT, shall get on and do some crafty bits with the girls now that Molly's back from Nursery.. Have promised to do some painting (don't do this often as it's messy!)

Hugs,
Em x

Katie's card

I made my first magnolia card at the weekend. It was my friend's daughter's birthday on Tuesday, so she should have received it by now!

I used my newest of my nestabilities, I bought a magnetic sheet at Craft Central so that I could keep them die in one place when cutting out on the cuttlebug. It seems to have worked, and didn't dent the sheet too much. I'm loving these dies and can see an endless use for them! Have ordered some Rectangle ones now, as I like the effect they have embossed onto a plain card blank.

The b/g paper is one of the new dovecraft papers, part of the pack Retro Floral. The plain cardstock is Creative Memories, I'm trying to use it up (the reason to be explained later!)! The flowers are new primas we got at Papermaze (we got 3 bottles between us, (me, Jo & Lynda) and split them!) They're really nice as there are 2 different sizes of each colour. The brads are papermania. The greeting is from Pink Petticoat.

Hope that you like!

Hugs, Em x

OK one more before going to bed (maybe)

So... if you're anything like me, I read alot of peoples blogs! You can tell alot about what people are into by their title. It's about time I showed you a picture of my shed... sorry conservatory... in progress.

Rob's been working hard on it for 18 months now.. it's included him digging the footings, filling with cement and now putting up the wood base structure.. He's worked so hard and loves creating things (just like me but BIGGER - well he's a man isn't he!?)

OH MY GOSH.. it isn't 18 months at all!! I've just looked at the photos and he started digging the footings in May 2005, so this year it will be 3 years (hopefully completed!)

So, here's the first picture, May 2005. the length of that wall is 15' and the shed will be along that wall.. it's more exciting now that it's nearly finished, I still can't get over the fact that it was almost 3 years ago (bearing in mind we've had another baby since then.. ) But that simply seems ages ago! Time just flies by!

Em x

WARNING Dodgy 'L' key!!!

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!

I've been rereading a few of my posts and realised that the dodgy 'l' key on the keyboard is worse that I thought. I'm usually quite a stippler for grammar and spelling, I couldn't believe how many mistakes there were... I also had Sarah telling me that there were errors - I obviously brung her up proper (Sorry, starting to talk suffolk now!)

That'll teach me to type in the middle of the night and not check through, my speedy typing! Oh well.. won't change them now, I'll just have to keep bugging Rob to get a new keyboard at some stage.

My layout from tonight.

Here's the layout I did tonight.

I have lots of Creative Memories albums left still from when I was a consultant, and they will get filled, as I'm not going to sell them!

I get fed up with the size of the pages (11 1/2 x 12), and have seen this style used in a couple of inspiration books/magazines I've been looking at. With the white pages of the album, you can add a square in the middle (8x8 here) and embellish around it.

Anyhow.. more mojo returning, it's like an electric shock going through me bursting with ideas and inspiration with the stash I already have (SHOCK HORROR!)

Keep your eyes out for more, might even get some wedding ones done!

Got behind already!

Well what can I say. The kids go back to school and my blogging goes to pot!! Well, not quite, I've not really crafted much this last week, not through wanting believe me! Our rotten virus cod/flu thingy we had over Christmas turned into an eye infection which turned into a very nasty head cold. (me and Sarah got this - bad) So I've not really been concentrating on much on crafting, eye ache been just too bad..
I went along to craft club last Tuesday and didn't do alot, made a few scrapbook templates and chatted with friends.
Didn't go to my other craft club, just wasn't in the mood, that and it was very cold, windy and rainy last night... yercchhhhhhhh...........
Have sat tonight and made a scrapbook page. I've not sat down and finished a page for ages! Had fun, and now I can't stop! Said that I was going to bed an hour ago, and am sat now printing more photos out for a layout that I have in mind!
I don't write down resolutions, I aways end up breaking them with in a month or so... but in my head I have a list, of to do's that I'd like to achieve. One of them being, to journal and display our photos more. Our children are growing up so quickly, the photos are wasted just say in photo cases or on the harddrive!! I've really enjoyed tonight, being surrounded by lovely photos of our gorgeous family!

Don't worry, more pictures will be posted soon. Have been quite productive tonight and don't intend to stop again now that I can see and concentrate better!

Bye for now - and NO I'm not going to sleep!
hugs,
Em x

3 takes on one stamp image

Today, I've been mostly tidying up today! I promised Rob that I'd keep on top of the dining table being clear, so I've kept to it. They even ate at the tabe again.. (might sound normal to you..... but believe me it's an amazing sight in our house!) I, on the other hand, ate out tonight, had a tea meeting with our youth group team and it was ACE!!

Anyway, crafting... I thought I'd show you how different 3 images could be.... they're the ones I finished off the other night.

Nice and simple, white A6 card, pale blue cuttlebug dots embossed, both matted with dark blue c/s.

This one, 5"x5" cream card, cuttlebug swirl embossed 3/4 of card, layered c/s with concave paper punch on corners, mounted onto cream gold dust card. 3 primas on corner with crystal stickles centres.

Final one, same cream card as before, pink Cuttlebug swirl embossed mounted onto lilac c/s. image mounted and raised on left hand side, with Julie Hickey (spring colection) wording (metallic silver) triple mounted at bottom.

Hope that you like.

Hugs,
Emma x

One quick photo of a tent card that I made this afternoon.. OK so I'm being naughty and staying up late again... this is going to stop... You know what it's like, once you start crafting, you can't seem to stop (well I can't anyway)

It's only just Monday, gonna tell you what's in this card and then go rest my head.

- 4" x 4" white gold dust card

- Pink Petticoat image with doodle border

- Cuttlebug embossed, Rob and Bob flowers

NICE and EASY!! Fits into a C6 card, and a little bit different to the normal plain folded card.

SWEET!

Night Night,

Em x

Molly's Creations

See what fun Molly had at Sunday School this morning...
Aimee was in her class for the first time today, it seemed like they had fun and behaved themselves!!
So, on the left we have a parrot whose name is Big EYE (he only has one big eye) and on the right we have a zebra called blue stripes!
We have to thank Beth for helping her of course!!

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.