A Bit Different xxx

I've posted the pics in a different order.

And these are not my usual colours, although I love this colour combi. But I thought I'd ink up my new Penny Black stamp which I bought from Port Sunlight a few weeks back. It was in the bargain section and I just fell in love with it. Well actually Jan spotted it first and there were 2 so we had one each :)

So Penny Black Saturday Challenge, here we come lol xxx

This week it's a recipe challenge and it is 3 flowers, 2 papers and 1 brad/ charm.

So ...

Here's 2 of the flowers, and there is a Kars blingy diamond in the middle

The 2 papers are both PP

And the 1 brad / charm is American Crafts (brad) and Craft Bitz (charm).

I hope I am ok using both girls, and sorry if I got this wrong!!!
Oh and here is the other flower!!!

The glare from my lamp at night is awful and it makes the papers look really shiny, which they aren't cos I dont like glossy papers really. I used the old PMs and Glamour Dust duo - went a bit OTT with the sparkle as you can see .....

... on this pic. IRL it doesn't look that bad though.


Well I am sporting 2 of the biggest blisters you have seen - one on each heel so I am nothing if not matching. Actually, they arent that big, but they sure as hell are sore.


I had been a bit down yesterday and lack of fresh air doesn't help, so Richard and I went for a walk tonight after dinner - we are so lucky to have some lovely countryside round here. Stupidly, as we weren't going far, I thought I'd wear a new-ish pair of trainers that have not yet seen the light of the gym.


We do a bit of a circuit which is only 3 miles or so, and about half way round, I felt the shoes chomping into my ruddy heels. Well what could I do? I had to keep on going cos R was not offering any piggy backs (can't for the life of me think why lol xx) By the time we got home, it wasn't nice. I never walk in anything other than stuff which my feet are used to, so I don't know what possesed me!!! But be sure, it is a mistake I will never make again.


The diet is back on (again, yawn yawn) so at least the blisters will stop me wandering into the kitchen looking for snackage - well for tonight at any rate lol xxx


Have a great evening and me and my blisters will be back soon, hopefully :)

Hugs xxx

Sun-shiney Anya Meets Papertake Weekly xxx

Don' t know about you but I could certainly do with a bit of sunshine lol xx

I thought I'd try and cheer us all up with some nice bright colours and a summery image so I used Miss Shine from the new Rain, Snow and Shine Anyas for our Papertake Weekly, which this week is one of me sketches.

I am so loving these stamps - you can get them from the fabbytastic Dies To Die For.

This is the bit where I usually say I coloured the image with PMs and Glamour Dust etc etc.

Except tonight, it isn't quite true!!!

No, I can't and won't take credit where it isnt due, so I have to tell you that Nikkie coloured this for me - she wanted a fiddle with the stamps and I liked what she did, so I used it here - hope that's ok and not cheating too much!!!

So the PMs and Glamour Dust were used, just not by me in this case :)x She also Glossy Accented Anya's shades as well, but they don't show up here very well, no doubt due to my awesome photography skills!!!!!

The ribbons are a mixture of fabulous Poppicrafts (lime) and a freebie from a mag (lemon)

The brads are also Poppicrafts and the flowers were from Costco. The super cute lil flip flop charm was from the sale I did but they are Crafty Bitz which I think you can still get hold of.

The papers are a mixture of PP and Wild Rose Studio Spring CD - so gorgeous

The letters were also from the sale and last but by no means least, my beloved doily punch was used not once but twice!!


So that's me card.

Pop over and see what the girlies have been doing - it's all brill xxx


No waffle tonight you will be pleased to hear, cos I am a bit late getting this done and we are expecting visitors in a sec, but before I go, I just have to say that Dawn and Ann, 2 of my blog buddies, are starting up a new challenge blog called The Next Level and it all kicks off on June 1st. You can check it all out here.


Good luck girls, and I hope it all goes well.


Have a great evening and biggest hugs xxxx

Inspirational Anya xx

It's all very sparkly in this post, so glare alert girlies:)))

I couldn't believe my eyes this morning when Mr Postie delivered this little sweetie.

I didn't have an Anya to me name and of course I've seen all the lovely work everyone has been doing with them, and of course, I had to have a set. And I just love them!!

So this is Miss Rain from the Rain, Snow & Shine set which are available over at the fabulous Dies To Die For - you can see her and the rest of her buddies here, but best be quick in case they all go!!

So I used her for the challenge at Inspirational Card Sketches which this week is a gorge sketch by Dawn

PMs, Glamour Dust, MSBP, PP, blah blah blah, you know the score, cos I am predictable, even down to the crappo pic!! I cannot seem to get the lighting right and some colours are worse than others.

I added Glossy Accent to her boots - I managed to un-clog the bottle!!!

Here's the papers and also I blinged up a strip of the grey spotty dude :)xx

Then I added a bit more bling -can't have too much sparkle I don't think!!!

And there ya go.

The weather has been awful here today - in fact, it has rained more or less solidly for the last 48 hours. Yesterday was really dreadful - it was literally bouncing. I was going to go back to Hobbycrap for some more jewellery making odds and sods but I just couldn't face going in the rain. To be honest, I couldn't really have faced going even if it had been cracking the flags - the rain was just the last straw :(

I did find some bits and pieces as per the earrings that Nikkie made, but also I went on line and ordered myself a bracelet making kit with Swarovski crystal beads. Well along with my Anyas, it arrived this morning. So guess what I have been doing all day!!!!!

I have come to the conclusion that being as blind as a bat is not really an advantage when you are making jewellery!!! I'm short sighted (one step removed from a Labrador), so up close isn't easy with the lenses in as they are for distance. So I took the lenses out - fab for the beads but everything else was a bit of a haze. I ended up with my specs on my head and the OTT light about 2 inches from my nose!! I am so going to have to get bifocals - another sign that I am crocking on a bit I suppose.

But I got there in the end and eventually ended up with this ......

I'm a bit chuffed with it to be honest for my first go.

It isn't up to any sort of standard, of course, but I'm happy with how it turned out. It has given me a bit of confidence to try and make something without a kit next time.

And finally, I got this cute teddy award from Jacee. She hasn't been blogging for long and her work is just gorgoeous. Thank you so much for this chick - I do appreciate it. I will pass this on next time I post cos it is a bit late and the hot choc, pjs and book are calling to me. I've had a hard day lol xx


Have a fab Saturday night lovelies xxxx

Tilda, Kids & A Bit Of Bling xxx

These are really not my usual colours at all, but they remind me a bit of a peacock and I sort of like them.

I got this stamp at the NEC from Mr Magnolia himself and this is it's first inking.
So I thought I'd use it for this week's Just Magnolia challenge which is a gorgeous sketch by Naoual. Please excuse the pics cos my camera batteries are on their last legs so I took these really quickly. Despite mucking about with the photo editor, they still don't look right, but peeps, I did me best with them :)xx

I got me doily punch out, just in case it was feeling left out. Tracy at Dies To Die For is trying her hardest, bless her, to get some more btw. And keep checking the website cos there is something fabulous coming soon. Shhhh, I cannot say any more.

The old faithful PMs and Glamour Dust dynamic duo were used to colour and highlight and the papers are again from Wild Rose Studios Spring CD - I coloured them with the PMs to match the image.

Now, the reason for the change of colour is .......

... this butterfly.

I got the stamp from Port Sunlight at the weekend (Pauline, how the hell did I miss you chick? I am gutted we didn't get to have a catch up!!)

Anyhoos, I stamped it onto acetate using Stayzon and then I coloured it in on the reverse with PMs. Apparently it colours beautifully if you use Stazon ink (coloured, natch), but in the absence of any of that, I resorted to my bad boys (they never let me down!!). But I had to use fairly strong colours for it to show through. I dabbed on a bit of Stickles and then cut it out and added some teeny pearls.

I wanted it to look like Tilda was looking at the butterfly, but it is probably a bit big for this card. And to be honest, it's a wonder that the poor girl isn't in A & E having a coronary, or at least in a severe state of shock, cos IRL relatively speaking, it would be like something out of Jurassic Park!!!


And how do I close the envelope now??
Oh well, I'll do a box for it. It isn't for my friend either but that was the only sentiment that fit along the side lol xxxx

I didn't do all that well all things considered!!!

But I'll tell you who did!!

My eldest was sitting with me yesterday as I was colouring some stuff and she went and got some stamped images and using the PMs, this is what she did ....

The girl can really REALLY colour.

I call her Can Craft, Won't Craft!!
I am trying to persuade her to use her talent and do something with it, but she won't. I even suggested she start her own blog, but nope, not interested!!! Maybe I am biased cos I am her momma but I think these are really good - better than I could do if I being honest!!!

She was just 'mucking about'!!! I mean, what a flippin waste!!!

Remember the Hobbycrap saga from yesterday?
Well, get a load of these ....


No, not me (are you having a laugh!!!!).
It was Nikkie again. Never done it in her life, then she picks up the pliers and beads and an hour or so later, we've 4 pairs of earrings.

Just like that!!! I kid you not!!!

I got some of the beads from Dulcie (thank you chick xxx) and the rest of the beads and the bits and bobs were in my craft box. They are called findings apparently - I've been on the internet today, you can probably tell lol xxx). I found them last night while I was rooting about for something. I got them from that sale I did to help the girl out ages ago so I needn't have bothered going to HC after all.

And finally .... are you still with me, cos I've rambled a fair bit tonight, soz!!!

I got this from the lovely Caryn.
Thanks for this one darlin - it's fab, and I love being a rockin' girl xxx

Have a great evening and a great weekend if I'm not back before Monday.

Huggles xxxx

Sweet Willow (and a teeny bit of a rant xxx)

Here's Willow, and she's practising her ballet moves.

She is the star of this week's Willow Sketchie Challenge and you can see her and her brother Woody here.

This week it is the turn of Katy to design the sketch and I have to say that I just loved this one. Don't forget to pop over and see what's what :)xx

It's all a bit predictable chicks!!

I coloured Miss Willow with PMs and gave her a fair old sprinkling of Glamour Dust. The papers are from the Wild Rose Studio Spring CD.

Now, as it is a Willow Sketchie, there is always a bit of a twist. So this week it is buttons, bows and brads.

The buttons you can see above - they are Poppicrafts faberoonies and I coloured some twine with my PMs and threaded it through.

The brads are Amercian Crafts which I got from Hobbycraft - more about them in a sec (boo hisss!!)

And bows - well it isn't strictly a bow, but a blind man on a galloping hoss would not notice, would he lol xxx This fab ribbon was in my parcel from my lovely pal in the US xxx I will so cry when it is all gone!!!

Of course, I used my new MSBP which you can get from Dies To Die For - I think Tracy is expecting some more some day quite soon. Nab one for yourselves peeps, cos they are FABULOUS!!! I dabbed a bit of bling on the scalloped edges cos I just couldn't help myself!!

And there ya go :)x

Now why the booo hiss for Hobbycraft (or Hobbycrap as my kids call it, and I am inclined to agree with them at this moment in time).

You see, I have been harbouring an urge to make some jewellery for a while now, so I went to get some stuff earlier today. I had a 'recipe' that told me what I needed to make a 'simple' bracelet and some earrings. Now, if you make jewellery already, you will no doubt know what a two hole spacer, a head pin and tiger tails are. Sadly I don't, and even less do I know what these things look like!!!!!

But anyway, we were not to be deterred and we trawled the bead aisles looking for these things. After 30 minutes or so (I am not exaggerating) we gave up and leaving Nicola still searching, I went to ask an assistant. I spoke to a lady who was on the till who told us that she was the only person in the shop who knew about jewellery but she could not come and help us as she was on the till. But she gave me a leaflet with pictures.

So back up I went and we tried again. But still we could not find these sodding items.

Back down I went.

Same girl still on the same till said she would get someone to cover her and come and help us - hurrayyyyyy!!! But she couldn’t get anyone - they were all busy (standing round gabbing about what they were having for their tea or the price of fish or whatever else they were blathering about - ohhh yer nasty moo, Dawny P).

At this point I was ever so slightly losing the will to live and thinking that possibly going to Next and getting the same sort of stuff I wanted to make from there at a fraction of the cost probably would be a better option.

But wait - help was at hand cos just then a Hobbycraft man appeared so we asked him. I kid you not, this poor sod stood there looking at me like I was speaking to him in Swahili - I knew how he felt cos it was all a bit Greek to me as well. Then he went sort of glazed. Then he stood there looking at these things hanging up with the blankest expression I have ever seen, for about 5 minutes.

I could stand it no more.

So, I thought, to hell with it, to hell with it all. I said to him as nicely as I could, even if it was through gritted teeth, that I would leave it. I have never ever seen such relief on someone’s face. We were in there for nearly an hour and what did we get? A Princess sticker book for Kyla - that was it!!! So I'll stick them on me ears and round me wrist then shall I!!!!!

I know how Basil Fawlty feels and probably to the rest of the shoppers in there I must have looked a bit like a mini version of him !!

Now call me old fashioned, but it is a craft shop - well, arts and crafts. Should there not be people in there who know about craft or is that too much to ask? I know I am a moaning old goat but that sort of crap service does my head in. Yes, the teeny tinylittle packets do have descriptions on them but you would need the eyesight of a hawk to be able to read it, and in all fairness, I am a bit like Mr Magoo, even with my contact lenses in (I've told you the Donald Pleasance story before!!!).

And breathe .......

So that was it peeps. I am off to trawl cyber space looking for these things. I feel at this moment in time that I would have more luck finding Lord Lucan, Shergar or the Holy Grail!!!!

But ya never know and I'll let ya know if I find them :)xx

Have a fab night xxxxx

Faking It And A Warning For Ya Peeps xxx

Ohhh and a sneakie peekie as well ...

but more of that in a sec!!

I thought I'd do the nice bit first :)x.

I've done a combined challenge here using this sweet pair!!!

And they are 2 of my fave challenges (as well as my fave stamps) and they are Just Magnolia, which is 'in stitches' and Colour Create, which this week is blue and green.

So of course, I used my PMs and they got plenty of use on this card cos not only did I colour the image with them, but I did the flowers and also the main backing paper as well.

Due to my awesome photography skills (not!!!) you probably cannot see the main paper too well. But anyway, they are both from the Wild Rose Spring CD (which you knows I just love love LOVE). There is a section on the CD which is 'Colour It Yourself' and I have to say that this is ruddy fantastico cos never again will you be stuck for matching paper.

You just print it off and ..... colour it yerself lol xxx

So I did!!

And like I said, I did the flowers as well

And of course, I did the stitching thing .

Fake (or faux if you are posh!!) of course, cos how safe do ya think my fingers would be if I was let loose with the sewing machine lol xxx

And here's the bit where you can see the dimension, which I just love.

OK, now for something not so nice.

Yesterday I got an e-mail from Paypal telling me that there had been suspicious activity on my account and that they had placed a limitation on it. So of course I went and checked and there was a transaction for nearly £700.00. The transaction was actually in Euros but that was what it converted to.

Well I mainly use Paypal for my crafting stuff - I guess quite a few of us do - and as much as I would love Richard to tell me I could go ahead and spend that amount of wonga adding to my stash, it aint never gonna happen in a million years cos, well, sometimes he is tighter than cramp!!!

Only (half) joking lol xxx

Now, at the same time as this, I got an e-mail thanking me for my order. It was in Italian, which I don't speak (apart from vino blanco), but I think that was what it said. So I contacted Paypal and told them that I had not authorised this and I didn't know a sodding thing about it. I sent the e-mail, which had a link on it straight, to their spoof bods. I also rang the bank and told them not to authorise the payment.

I was told that had I clicked on the link on the e-mail, these beggars would have had access to all sorts of info, including my Paypal account.

Later on, I got another e-mail from these sheisters, asking me for proof of my address so that they could deliver these 'goods' to me and they wanted this in the form of a copy of a utility bill. Obviously this is potential identity theft.

If they knew me, they would soon change their minds, poor things!!

But seriously, Paypal's fraud department etc are looking into this but I just wanted to tell you to be careful. If you get anything from Paypal, RING them and check it out straight away. I know you might have to wait in a queue but it's better than being ripped off.

And don't click on any links - even if the e-mail says it is from Paypal, cos these people lie like fish on a slab. I know you all probably know this anyway, but I just felt that I ought to mention it. Better safe than sorry!!

So that's it.
Before I go, I'll leave you with a sneakie peek of tomorrow's Willow Sketchie. I can tell you that there is a gorgeous sketch from Katy to look forward to, so don't forget to check it out.

Mmmm, pink and black!! That's not like me is it lol xxx

Have a fab day xxxxx

What A Week!!!

But first, how cute are these lil fellas!!

This is my card for this week's Papertake Weekly which is Animal Antics . So I thought I would use Louis and his friend cos they are so sweet. These are the Wild Rose Studio bears and this is also one of the cards that I did for Port Sunlight on Saturday - more of that in a sec!!!


I used the old PMs and Glamour Dust combi, and I have to say that if you use Cool Aqua and then go over with the Glamour Dust, it really does look like rain drops. You cannot tell properly from the pic here but IRL it really does look like the rain is bouncing off the umbrella. I paper- pieced the umbrella with paper from the Wild Rose Spring CD papers - those papers are just fabulous.

The beautiful ribbon was in the parcel which came from the US (thank you to my lovely friend again for getting it for me xxxx) and the button is from the ever wonderful Poppicrafts - check out the website cos there are lots of ribbons at fantastic prices.

Can you just about see the MSBP here? Tracy over at Dies To Die For is hoping to have some in really soon so keep an eye out peeps. Honestly, this punch is a beaut!!!

Talking of Dies To Die For, there is a fab comp that Tracy is running - you can see what's what here. It's as easy as ABC, so have a go cos you have to be in it to win it as they say lol xxx

Also, just to let you know that there are some new Penny Black stamps in stock and we all just love them don't we.

And finally, if you fancy grabbing yerself a bargain, nip over and visit Tracy's ebay shop here - it really is bargainous!!

So it has been a week since I last posted which must be one of the longest I've ever been away. My poor old blog has been very sadly neglected and blog hopping has been vitually non existant - shame on me!!! Work has been mad again for a variety of reasons - not that I am complaining cos considering the climate, we are really glad to be busy!!

Also it was the Port Sunlight craft fair on Saturday and I have been busy getting my samples ready. I was demo-ing for Creative Pastimes - Pro Markers and Wild Rose Studio stamps and papers, plus Elzybells stamps, so I was in absolute heaven I can tell ya!! .

Well it was a great show I have to say and I got to meet some lovely ladies including Helen and Sonia. To all the girlies I met, thank you for your lovely comments and support and you all just made my day xxx

So I am off to put my feet up and have a 5 minute chill cos I am sooooo tired. I just noticed that I have gone past 50,000 hits so I reckon some blog candy is in order, so watch this space.

Have a fab night and hugest of hugs xxxx.

Happy Bank Holiday & Papertake Weekly xxx

I do love Alota stamps, and this cute donkey is just gorgeous. So I thought I'd use this for our Papertake Weekly challenge which this week is one of me sketcheroonies :)xx

Sometimes I do a sketch and I really like it and this was one - I'm sure I will use it again.

So the image is an Alota - Sweet Little Donkeys #1 which you can get over at Dies To Die For - and this set is one of my all time faves. I mean, look at that little face!!!

I coloured it with the old bad boys and gave it a dusting with the Glamour Dust.

The papers are a mixture of PP and Wild Rose Studio and I've used my new border punch which you can get at Dies To Die For. It's fast becoming my fave, and one of my card club ladies told me tonight that she is desperate to get her mitts on one so it would seem that I am not alone.

And of course there's dimension and doodling :))x

And that, my little chickadees is that for tonight. I've just got in from card club and my back started aching like billy-oh driving home. So I don't know what I've done to it. but it is rather sore. So I'm off to beddy-byes and see how it is in the morning.

Hope you all had a fab day and big hugs xxxxx