Stars And Stripes and Spicy Browns xxx

What gorgeous colours in the new December kit from Raspberry Ribbons which is now on sale. Check it out here

These are some of my cards made with the new kit xxx
I used my new Pollycrafts stamp again cos I just love that little face. I must do another one but colour it as a girl. The card blank is Craftwork Cards and the DP is Tinker & Co. I coloured the image with PMs and used a Sakura Glaze pen to highlight.

DP is from the extremely lovely and kind lady that is Summer Driggs - this is from her Vintage Oreos set. Again, Tilda is coloured with PMs. You probably can't tell from this picture but that ribbon is the most beautiful colour - like a rusty rich coppery brown. Delish xx

And that's a Martha Stewart punch, you're right, but it's not the usual suspect.

Thanks to one of my very good blog buds who will remain nameless cos I dont want her to get inundated (but she knows who she is and she knows I am truly thankful for all her help of late xxx), my MSBP has a new pal to keep it company.

This little beauty not only cuts a fine zig zag border but it embosses and punches little dinky holes at the same time. It's fab and at the mo, they are on offer at MS - although when I went to the site to put the link on, there didn't seem to be any of this type there. That's the bad news. The good news is that all the punches are reduced from $14.99 to $11.24 including my beloved doily punch, which you know I just lubs a lot xxxx

So, will this one replace the doily punch in my affections???

NOT a cat's chance in hell, although I think it is quite fetching and I do rather like it.

A lot.
And talking of liking a lot, this is one of my gorge Alota stamps coloured with PMs - just for a change. I used the PP Really Big Dots download again which I love so much (no doubt cos I am a bit dotty meself lol xx).

So all in all, I think this one has to be my personal fave.

I'll be back with some more tomorrow but for now I am going to get my heavy duty sex kitten pjs on, compelete with bed socks (I've given you that particular picture before and can't bring myself to inflict it on you lovely peeps again). Then it's a fab night of telly for the Phillips-May household.

Stricly Come Dancing First - ohhhh Bruce gets more and more toe-curlingly embarrasing as the weeks go on, but I LOVE Bruno and Craig - fab-you-lous!!.

Then X Factor - Alexandra to win, she's awesome and I'm sort of glad that gobby Rachel went. What an appalling flippin attituide!!!.

Then to top it all off, IACGMOOH.

Can I just ask, nobody in Blogland is voting for the arrogant, smug, self satisfied, hair gelled to within an inch if its life, half wit that is DVD are they ????

Oh please don't lovlies - it's just encouraging him. I think he is starting to think that someone likes him lol xxx. Sorry if you are a Dollar fan (that really is shameful, and that's coming from a Shakin Stevens fan as well lol xx) but I have an overwhelming urge to give him a fistful of the beggars every time I look at him!!!!

Harsh but true. But have a great evening and see ya manana xxxxx

2 More From A Lovely Lady xxxx

Oh my - it doesn't get any better than this xxx

Both of these came from the wonderfully talented Kathy. If you haven't checked out her work, then you are missing out big time cos this girl can COLOUR.

Kathy hunny, thank you soo much for these. It's always nice to get them and especially when they come from people whose work you just admire so much. Congratulations as well to you for getting them in the first place. You are a very nice and verrry sweet lady, and sorry I was so late putting them on here xxxxx

Lovely Friends xxx

Ohh look what I got :))

I feel very honoured to have been given this, but to have been given it by some many wonderful girlies, well I feel especially honoured. So I have to say huge thank yous to the following top chicks. It goes without saying that I appreciate their thoughtfullness and admire (and envy !!) all their creative talents.

Thanks girls - mmmmwwwwaaaaahhhh & {{{hugs}}} xxxx

Dawn, Rach, Tracie, Marcea, Pauline C, Sally-Ann, Steph, Jill, Beth and Debs

This is a nice award because it stands for the following -

This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships!These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind blogger's aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight blogger's who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

I think that's so nice and verrrrry sweet. But who to choose for my eight then? Oh how hard is this, cos all the girls above would have been on my list, plus gazillions more. So I am going to pass this on to everyone who visits the pink pig sty regularly. Thank you for stopping by and brightening my otherwise dull and dreary day :))))) xxxxx

And if that wasn't enough to smile about, then look at this baby xx

I was truly touched to be given this by my very very dear and lovely friend Jacqui. Not only is she one of the nicest, sweetest people in Blogland, she is amazingly talented. Thank you Jacqui - this is very special xxxx

So, the RULES for presenting this, hopefully soon sought after award are as follows -

Pick 5 bloggers that you consider as your best blogging buddies and deserves this award for their contribution towards the blogging community, no matter what language. State the name of the author of each blog as well as a link to each one's blogs. Each blogger (upon acceptance) of this award should do a post and show the award on their blog and put the name and link to the blog that has given her/him the award.

This really is a toughie and I can't wimp out again. The problem is that I can only pick 5 and I could pass this on to so many wonderful peeps.
But I have to chose, so my 5 are

Kath, Claudia, Enfys, Mich and Cheryl.

Cheryl, for those of you who don't know, is Mich's mum and her blog is a truly inspirational place for me, as she is a wildlife gardner. Her photographs are extraordinary and her affinity with the natural world is something quite special. I felt a connection with her from the very first time I visited her blog.

Anyway, Each person will know why I have chosen them and all have been the best and most helpful blog buds I could have wished for. Girls, I am so happy I met up with you in Blogland. You are all very special to me and I thank you for your friendship and hope it will continue.

As usual, I am having to apologise for being a tad on the slow side getting these on here.

This yukky virus thing is sitting on my chest like a great sumo wrestling demon and can I shift it??? Not a chance. Plus yesterday, due to changes at work, I was without my computer

all day :(

Oh the shock to my system. I could log in and get comments published via my phone, but that was about it. I think I went through some kind of withdrawal syndrome cos by 2pm, I was getting twitchy (oh how sad to admit that, even to myself!!)

Then last night was the open evening. I sort of croaked my way through it but by the time I got home last night, I was sounding a lot like Phyllis Pearce (her with the purple rinse from Corrie - alright Percy luv lol xx).
But on the plus side, I got to meet up with lovely Shell again. It was nice to see you again chick xx Hope the PMs are behaving for you, and hope you can make Monday xxxx And also 2 of my lovely Saughall girls, Pam and Jane, came to say hi.

But there was some sad news....

Old Santa didnt turn up, bless him - he wasn't there. I'm unsure whether he had to postpone his visit, no doubt due to his very heavy work schedule at the mo, until, Saturday. Or if it was because I had got it wrong and he was never meant to be there until Saturday in the first place.

I would like to say here and now though that it had nothing at all to do with the fact that I called him the fat lad in the red suit.

I hope xxxxx

Papertake Weekly xx

It soon comes round doesn't it!!

This weeks PTW challenge is based on one of my sketches and here it is ....I am sooo loving doing these sketches.

And here's my card ....
Papers are all PP and the image is Pollycrafts. I saw this on my friend and fellow PTW DT mate Kim's fabulous blog and I just had to get me one. I think this little elf is soo sweet. I wasnt sure if it was a boy elf or a girl elf (!!!!) - I dont suppose it really matters lol xx

The ric rac was in my stash and I coloured it with PMs and Glamour Dust. The snowflakes were done on the Cricut - Christmas Cheer I think!!

This Thursday, it is the Christmas Open Evening at Sycamore Garden Centre in Ellesmere Port, where Creative Pastimes is, and I am demo-ing the fabulous PMs, along with Nestabilities and Elzybells stamps. The last open evening was really good so if you are in the area, pop in :)). There will be food and drinkies and the fat lad in the red suit will be there as well. Maybe we can get him making a card or 2!! I hope I am feeling better by then cos I have been really grotty this last week - aching all over and feeling like lead - very strange. I have had a bit of a bad run recently - not sure why. Think it's probably a viral thing.

Never mind - hope you are all well and see you tomorrow if Mr Mojo sorts himself out - grrrrrr xxxx

A Challenge or 4 xx

I am so loving that pale green PP washed solid at the mo - I can't stop using it lol xx
Now I have to say that I haven't got the balance and LO quite right on this card, but on the plus side, I love the colour palette. Even if it doesn't look exactly right here due to bad light!!

But not to worry. This is my card for 2 challenges. Firstly this week's Spoonful of Sugar challenge 26, Bloomin Marvellous which is to use flowers or floral paper. And the other one is The Secret Crafters Saturday Challenge 7 - Cute As A Button.

There are 2 blooms and 1 button so I think it qualifies for both lol xxx
The ribbon, brad and blooms are Poppicrafts, the paper is PP and Tilda has been coloured with Pro Markers.

But wait, I hear you cry, there is not a scrap of Glamour Dust in sight!!!! Ahhh, but the old punch is there again, bless it.

Another Tilda, this time she's giggling - must be something in
that bauble lol xxx

This one is for the Magnolia Vs Stampavie week 3, tie that sketch. As before, paper is PP, ribbons are Raspberry Ribbons (sheer and satin) and Poppicrafts (spotty) and the sentiment is Woodware.

You know the rest hee hee xxx

3 down, 1 to go.

At the NEC, I bought some Penny Black stamps, including this one, so natch I did this weeks Penny Black Saturday Challenge which is Monocromatic. I'm not a 'brown' person as a rule, but I love the PP leopardy paper. The spotty paper is Dinky Dots - can't find the link now, sorry peeps.

I used my American Crafts Thickers for the first time. I coloured them with PMs and they seem to have gone a bit streaky - I think it looks ok and it sort of goes under these circumstances, but I can see that there will be times when I don't want it to happen. Any tips anyone that's used them??

Or perhaps Tilda is giggling at this .....

I just have to share this with you cos it really REALLY made me laugh.

Kyla is going to be in her first 'play' at nursery - she is a star. Not THE star, just A star, but hey, if it hadn't been for a star, who knows where the wise men and the shepherds would have ended up. Although they would have to go some to beat me - I set off for Abersoch once and ended up on Anglesey (it's so true xx ). It was in the day before Sat Nav, although not in the days before maps!!!

But I digress.

She has been practising her Christmas songs, bless her, at full pelt, and usually when she is in the bath (maybe she knows more about echoes and acoustics than we give her credit for!!).

So tonight she was singing her version of 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas'. What she actually sings is 'We Miss You A Merry Christmas', but we get the jist. But it's the middle bit that gets me. Did you know, it actually goes 'tidy up your things for you and your kings?'

No, me neither (snigger snigger, naughty grandma for laughing).

Now I have to admit that I am a big softie and I always cry when I hear kids singing - even on the telly. I cried at every one of my kids' play - yeah very embarrassing for them I know, especially when they were 16 (joke lol xxx). Maybe this time though, they may be tears of laugher!!!!

Oh do e-mail me your funny stories re the dinks and their songs. I'll gather them all together and do a special post near Christmas if we get enough.

Off for a long over due blog hop now.

See ya soon xxxxx

The Weather Outside Is Frightful, But The Fire Is Sooooo Delighful lol xxx

Ohh I just 'heart' this image xxx

Over at Papertake Weekly it's time for another challenge and this week it's

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

The background was made using Cuttlebug snowflake die cuts which were given a generous dusting of Glamour Dust and stuck randomly onto a piece of card. Tilda was a RAK (thank you sooo much to the lovely girlie who did it for me xxx) and I coloured her with??? Yes you are right, although I am not sure how you knew it was PMs. The chunky snow is Cosmic Shimmer Glitter Jewels (Ice Crystals) which I just love. Ric-rac and lace were both from Hobbycraft (or Hobbycrap as my girls call it - probably told you that one already but it does make me larff a bit). The sentiment was part of a Snag'em Stamps snowman stamp, but I just inked the words. So get the glitter out girls and pop over and check it out :))

So why is the fire so delightful????

Well, tonight, we lit our kitchen stove for the first time this year and oh how nice to sit in front of it after our dinner, watching the logs burning (love that smell!!) with a wee glass of mulled wine, complete with a stick of cinnamon. I could almost hear Bing crooning in the background - ba ba ba boom lol xxx When I've decorated it, ready for when the fat lad in the red suit comes a-calling, I'll take a pic and show you. It's not posh or anything, it's just cosy!!! Sitting there gazing at the flames almost made us forget that our bathroom tap has broken and we have just been told that it will cost about £200 to replace!!

Almost, but not quite!!!!!

Just as well I was very good on Friday then - grrrr!!!

Right I am off to finish me 'vin chaud' as they say in France (or vin warm as it is now lol xx) See you tomorrow maybe, if I can tear myself away from the fire to do a card or 2.

Hugs xxxx

Red & Green On These Cards Is Seen lol xxxx

I didn't plan it to be such a colour co-ordinated post...

But as it happens, these sort of match!!!!

Not only because they are the same colours, but also cos they match in the -truly awful photograph stakes :(

Ohh the light has been dreadful tonight and as it happens, the old camera doesn't much care for red and green at the best of times, so these are not so much Norman Parkinson, but more Norman Wisdom lol xxx.

This one is for Cute Card Thursday which is Red & Green.
I got this Sugar Nellies image last week and I just loves it - soooo sweet :) I used my new nesties labels set which I got from the NEC and also the sentiment which was from Butterfly Kisses.

The papers are PP's Really Big Dots and it was coloured with my dynamic duo of PMs and Glamour Dust highlights. Creature of habit that I clearly am lolxxx Ribbon is Poppicrafts

'Scuse the skew-wifty-ness of the ribbon btw - I should have straightened it before taking the pic (doh!!)This one is my first card for my awesomely talented and very lovely DT bud Kim's sketch challenge. This is #2 - a fantabulous little number - pop over and check it out here. Love this sketch Kim - thank you chicken xxxx

Dontcha just love the expression on the pengies face!! A bit like mine when I realised the ribbon on the other card wasn't straight lol xxx

Both image and sentiment are Butterfly Kisses, the papers are PP (I am so loving those washed solids at the mo), the holly is Making Hand Made Cards and the ribbon set at an ever so jaunty angle is Poppicrafts :))

We (my eldest Nikkie and I) had a great day on Friday at the NEC. I was ever so good and did not bankrupt us. In fact, I was well under budget!!! Tis indeed a first. High spot was meeting up with Marlene (she is fab!!) and low spot was getting stuck in a horrible traffic jam and not getting home until well past 8pm.

Had a very weird thing happen this afternoon. My niece came round to see us and as she was leaving, I walked to her car with her and waited as she was strapping her little boy into his car seat. I felt something nudging my foot (I had no shoes on, just my thick fleecy sex kitten socks) and thinking it was our cat, carried on gabbing to my niece and not taking too much notice. The nudging got more persistant so I looked down and I could not believe my eyes. It was a ruddy ferret!!! From whence it came I do not know, and if the stories of stuffing them down yer trewsers are true then I really don't want to know either (what an unsavoury pastime lol xxx) but I tell you, I have never run so fast into the house.

Cheeky little beggar!!!!

And finally ....

Arthur is back.

Woohoo, Mrs Wonka's errant boy has returned, thin, thirsty and hungry but in one piece. I do so love a happy ending lol xxx

See ya tomorrow for another fabulous Papertake Weekly xxxxx

New Launch - Grab a Bargain xxx

Ohh this a short post tonight cos I am having an early night cos I am going to the NEC tomorrow :))) If you are going and want to meet up and say hello, send me a quick e-mail and we can do the swapping moby numbers thing!!!

Now lovely peeps,

IF you liked the stuff we all did for the new Making Hand Made Cards printables, and

IF you want to grab yoursleves a real bargain, and

IF you 've got 60 seconds to spare, and

IF you want to see an awesomely well put together promo vid with our cards on it

Then check THIS out

A fabulous job Claire and play that funky music Mr Tchaikovsky - you and your Sugar Plum Fairies (truly, I know a few of them, wink wink lol xxx).

BFN and I wouldn't be surprised if you see the fruits of tomorrow's squanderings on here

very soon lol xxx

And Now For Something Completely Different ...

How about a lilac Christmas??

Here's some more of my Poppicrafts cards...

The image is a Sugar Nellies and is coloured with ..... can you guess????
Yeeeeees it's that old 'PMs highlighted with Glamour Dust' chestnut again (yawn yawn) lol xxxand zooooom xxxx
Cuttlebug snowflake btw, covered with Glamour Dust.


And some non Christmas ones. And I cracked the whip again with the MSBP cos it has had a rest, so now it must get back to work again.


DP is Funky Fairy
Paper is Tinker & Co and the scalloped card is from Craftwork Cards

So that's it folks.

BTW is anyone going to the NEC at the weekend? Ohh do let me know if you are - it would be completely fab to meet up and say hi while I am squandering my children's inheritance!!!

:)x

I'm Dreamin Of A .....

Red and green Christmas...

Well it isn't strictly the way Bing told it, but never mind!!

This is some of the stuff I did for my first 'sesh' for Mich over at Poppicrafts. I have to say I had a fabulous time putting it all together.

So before you look, think of log fires, mulled wine, mince pies, mulled wine, sleigh bells, snow and mulled wine. Are you getting the picture?

Nooo, not the 'does the P in Dawny P stand for plonkie?' picture (it does btw lol xx).

I was thinking more along the lines of a traditional sort of Christmas.

And these are what I did. .... Cuttle bug folder, highlighted with Glamour Dust with a ribbon bow thing - sorry I cannot for the life of me remember what the heck those things are called!!
A 'nestie' card with Nitwits Homespun paper, Cricut holly leaves and a fabulous Poppicrafts big and gorgeous fabric brad and ribbon. Sentiment is Woodware. Very quick and easy to make this one!!!

A bit of detail for ya xxxx

Another quick and easy 'nestie' card with some funky-tastic PP Tis The Season paper, and a Poppicrafts Poinsettia complete with big diamond brad.

A bit more detail for ya xxx

And if you think those fab blooms are just for your cards, then check this out.

This is a plain pine garland which I got from our local garden centre, unadorned and looking quite frankly a tad on the drab and dreary side. But a few poinsettias and a bit of Glamour Dust later et voila...

Now how much do they charge you ( nay, rip you off) for one of these??? I tell you it cost next to nowt to make and they are really easy peasy

And even more detail xx

Are you feeling festive now????

I bet you are all thinking 'my God, what has happened to her photograhs? They are much better than usual?' Well you are right, they are, cos I didn't take these lol xxx

No, I have to give credit where credit is due.

So eager was I to get them posted back to Mich, that I forgot to take the pics!!! So she very kindly let me lift them from the Poppicrafts website. Thanks Mich - I so appreciate your generosity xxxx

.
I'll be back tomorrow with another smattering of cardage, this time more non-traditional.
BFN xxxx

Papertake Weekly - It's My 2nd Sketch xx

It's time for another challenge over at Papertake Weekly. I cannot believe how this week has flown!!!

I did another sketch for this challenge and here it is .....
This week there is also a fabbytastic prize up for grabs - wooohoooo - pop over to PTW and check it out but here's a clue... thanks Katharina, you lovely lady xxxxx And congratulations on your 1st Blogaversay xxxx

Anyway, here is my interpretation .....

I just 'heart' this image - it's one of my fave Tildas and it was a RAK (mmmwaaaah to my PTW team mate who sent me this - she knows who she is xx). I wanted to try and get her dress to look like leather or suede - hope Tilda isnt a Vegan lol xxx - it does sort of look suede-ey dont ya think??

I coloured it with my PMs and highlighted it with Glamour Dust. The bloom is from Poppicrafts and the sentiment is Funky Fairy. The papers are a freebie from the fabulous Retrodiva. Thanks Tracy xx I got them ages ago so the link will have gone now, but there is some gorgeous stuff there and you can buy access to the archives for a teeny tiny amount of wongaroonie xx

And now a very over-due thank you to the lovely Mrs Wonka for giving me this years ago. Well it wasnt really years ago but it was a while ago, so slaps to the pink pig (yet again) for not sorting it quicker!! Thank you for thinking of me darlin' - I love it and you are very kind xxx

While we are on the subject of Mrs W, she won last weeks PTW
prize, so well done to her xxx

But she is having a bit of a time of it at the mo cos her lovely cat Arthur has gone awol. I know how it feels cos one of my cat boys went missing years ago. One minute he was there playing with his brother, the next he had vanished. He never came back and the not knowing is just awful. I know I am a big softie where kids and animals are concerned - I can't help it - but I just wanted to say that I hope he comes back home soon xxx

Have the most wonderful of Monday evenings peeps. My new stamps arrived from Funky Kits this morning (awesome service) and I am just dying to have a fiddle. One may appear on here tomorrow :))))

Hugs xxxx

A Challenge or 2 xx

Well that's another weekend gone!!!! Why do they go so quickly??

I managed to get a couple of challenge cards done yesterday, both using sketches (aren't they a life saver sometimes!!)

This one is my card for Sketch Saturday. It is my great nephew Haydn's first Christmas so I thought this would be nice for him. I used the new PP download, Sweet Cheeks, which I really love, and the papers are both PP. The ribbon is Poppicrafts and I coloured it with PMs and highlighted it with Glamour Dust ( you know, the usual lol xxxx). This pic doesn't really do justice to the gorgeous green washed paper which is from One in A Melon. I love it xxNow I have to say that I am not 100% with this card. It's my first WOJ challenge card based on a gorgeous sketch but I faffed about with it too much and ended up not sure about it. Anyway, the image is a RAK (thanks Jill xxx) coloured with PMs, the papers are all PP (Tis The Season), beautiful blooms are Poppicrafts and the little bells I got last year from Creative Pastimes (hi girls xxx).

And not a MSBP in sight!!!!
I'm giving it a few days off for good behaviour lol xxx

I am hoping that the mojo is starting to return cos it has been soooo hard in recent weeks. But I suppose it can't be turned on and off like a tap. When you get into that sort of creative zone thing, you just have to go with it. But I think it's also good to give it a bit of a rest occasionally.

Oh btw, has anyone received their Christmas Magnolias yet? This is the first time I pre-ordered and having read some worrying things on other people's blogs re them not turning up and then they won't reply to your e-mails etc, I am a little bit concerned. Call me Paranoid Pam, but I just thought I would check.

Have a great week xxxx

Who Fancies A Freebie?????

Yes???

Well who wouldn't eh??

After all the doom and gloom that I have had to work in lately, this is something to smile about so I just had to share this xxx

Pop over here and check it out peeps xx

There is a free subscription to the Making Hand Made Cards e-newsletter which is fairly new, plus there is a freebie floral doodles printable kit as well which is available for a few more days.

What you need to do is susbcribe to the newsletter and then you'll get a confirmation email just double checking that you really want the newsletter. Once you click the confirmation link in there, you'll receive the freebies email within minutes. That e-mail has the free floral doodle kit plus other freebies.

This is all the work of the lovely Claire, and one of the reasons I've been a bit quiet here this last week (apart from the dreaded 'W' word lol xx) is that she e-mailed me recently and asked me if I would be interested in doing some samples for her using her new downloadable kits that are soon to be released.

Well I had to have a look of course, and I was amazed. There are shed loads of papers and images and sentiments and the colours are fab. But what I really love about these is that each kit comes with contact sheets so you get a snapshot of everything in that kit along with the relevant file number. It saves hours of trawling through files to find the paper etc that you want, so a fabbytastic idea me thinks.

So here's a bit of a sneeky peekie!!

Everything on the cards, apart from the ribbons and brads is included in the kits.

Ribbon is Raspberry Ribbons (Wintery White), brad is Poppicrafts and it's coloured with PMs and highlighted with Glamour Dust.

Where oh where has my MSBP gone? Usurped by the interloper from Fiskars (Threading Water) lol xx. But fear not, it's just having a well earned rest!!! The image is self coloured btw so the PMs had a bit of a rest as well :)

Ribbon is Poppicrafts and the PMs rest was very short lived, poor things, cos I used them here to colour the tree and the holly.

I was ever so pleased to have been asked, so thank you Claire xx

And I'm sure when the kits are released, you'll just love them - I had to give them a toot cos they are pretty fab I have to say.

If you subscribe to the e-newsletter, you'll get a free sample of each kit in the next few days, plus you'll also get access to a videos with lots of Chrizzy cards (mine are on it - woo hoo - plus there are other fave bloglies cards in it as well but I cant say whose - mainly cos I dont know, but I bet they'll be fab lol xxx). Also, in a few days time we'll be told the launch date for the kits and Claire tells me that the first first few people to get it will get extra goodies.

So all in all, it sort of feels like Christmas. Which is jolly holly nice :)



Sorry about the loooong post and at the risk of sounding like cook-a-long-a-Gordon (Ramsey) I hope you 'stayed with me' lol xx


Hope you are all having a fantabulous weekend and see you tomorra with a challenge card or maybe even 2, but for now, it's X Factor and a glass of something white and ever so lightly chilled for me


Hugs xxxx

Guess Who Has A SPECIAL Birthday?????

None other than of my bestest blog buds, the one and only Kath!!

It's very special day for her today, so, all together now ....

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear Kaaa-aath

Happy Birthday to you

We all love ya loads Kath, not only for your awesome creations which inspire us all, but also cos you are one of the nicest bloglies going.

Pop over here and wish her all the best if you get a sec

May see ya later xxxx

And Here's Another xxxx

NOT that she is a figure of fun in this house - of course not, bless her!!!!

But sometimes a picture can say more than a thousand words, as the saying goes.

So as it is a horrible day - and as I haven't done any cards to show you (slap slap, maybe later), I thought this might amuse.

Kyla and Emma went to Spain recently and while they were there she bought a dolly which she just about fell in love with. She called it 'Dolly', as opposed to the rest of her dolls who are all called 'Baby' (hope the imagination gets fired up soon lolxx).

Well she was playing happily with Dolly, when diaster struck.
Now I want to say here and now that I am in no way maligning Spanish workmanship here.

But Dolly's hair came off.

In one piece!!

As luck would have it, my camera was nearby and I managed to get this shot of her after she had put the hair on her own head. I swear to you we did not put it there for comic effect.

Dolly cost about €10 but that expression is just priceless.

We should have auditoned her for Annie!!!!

Bad, naughty, wicked Grandma for laughing.

As I said, aww bless her!!!

Have you seen ......

.... the awesome Christmasy stuff over at Poppicrafts ???

Well it gets better and better cos the lovely Mich has her Santa hat on and she has taken 25% off the price of everything in the Christmas Shop until midnight on Thursday (6th November).

So it's worth popping over and checking it out.

Also, Tracie and Sara have done the most amazing work which will give you lots of fabulous ideas. Their creations can now be seen in the Poppicrafts gallery.

And finally, a question from a few weeks ago...

What do you get if you cross a bored nearly 3 year old with a full tub of Sudocrem and you turn your back for a split second?

The answer is ........

She looks like a cross channel swimmer.

We laughed about it after.

That is, after we had used up almost a full bottle of shampoo and body wash.

And after we had changed out of our white streaked clothes.

And after we had scrubbed the bath for almost 15 minutes to get rid of the greasy residue.

Kids eh!!!!

Papertake Weekly is Simply Sparkling xx

Remember remember, the 5th of November!!!

As it is bonfire night on Wednesday, the challenge over at PTW this week is to create something sparkly and glittery. You can use glitter, gems, anything at all, as long as it sparkles lol xxx

Well I didn't need to be told twice, cos you knows how I love me glitter.

So I used an Elzybells stamp, coloured with PMs natch and layered with a nestie, and the giant snowflake is a Cuttlebug cut and emboss folder, which I covered with Glamour Dust. The silver sparkly mesh ribbon, which is absolutely gorgeous in real life - you cannot tell properly from this picture - I got from a wholesale warehouse near here.

The little gem, in the centre of the snowflake is a Swarovski crystal (it really is I promise you!!) which I got from Craftwork Cards, but the other bling is just cheapo stuff which I had in my stash. The chunky snow is Cosmic Shimmer Glitter Jewels. And last but by no means least, and just by way of a change, my very fave and very gorgeous MSBP. Oh I know I am getting a bit boring with it but I can't help it - it's sat there looking at me and practically begging to be used lol xxx

Here's a different angle so you can see the faux snow a bit better!!! Unusually for me, there is not a scrap of patterned paper in sight. A very rare thing, but I think it is better without in this case - I wanted the glitz to do the talking lol xxx!!!!

Can't wait to see your fabulous and sparkly work. Check out the other DT girls fabulous stuff as well cos it is just fabulous.

Have a great evening - while you are reading this, me and my cold (thanks Richard - not) will be hard at it at card club so I am going to schedule this - hope it works.

BFN and love and hugs xxxxxx

Sharing Sunday (plus Thanks) xxxx

Heeeyyy lovely Peeps xxx

Hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend and that it isn't too cold where you are (unlike here which is freeeeezing!!)

It was our monthly workshop yesterday which was full of festive fabulousness and we had a great time up to our eyes in glitter, glue and etc, plus one or two laughs along the way!!

So in the absence of any challenge cards, I thought I'd share one of the samples with you which I did and which isn't my usual style but I kind of liked how it turned out.

This is a card on a card lol xx.

I made a small card with the nesties and then layered it with one of the new and fabulous PP images from Tis The Season (coloured with PMs) plus some Nitwits paper and then attached it to a larger card. The ribbon was from a wholesale warehouse near here.

There is a message inside the small card, also from Tis The Season

.................................

And here are a couple of cards I did with the new Raspberry Ribbons Wintery White kit which is out now and is just gorgeous.

I found this apricot cardstock (which is pearly) whilst having a root at The Paper Mill Shop and I thought it went quite well with the creams and whites. The little white 'fluffy balls on a string' ribbon is included in the kit and I sort of nicked the idea of wrapping it around a die cut Christmas tree (Cricut, Christmas Cheer) from one of Liz's cards over at PP. The sentiment is Elzybells. The MSBP was kept busy yet again, poor thing.
Will I never tire of this punch??? It doesn't look like it lol xxx

This is another Elybells image coloured with PMs. I made the frame using the nesties and ran it through the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder. I was sad enough to yet again go over the dots with my PMs. The gorge and ever so scrumy DP is PP (Tis The Season) and that beautiful fabric snowflake is from the new Raspberry Ribbons kit. The little gem (diamond, not lettuce lol xx) is one

I found somewhere in the tip that is my card room - God only knows from whence it came!!!!

Talking of craft rooms, did you all see my fab blog bud Dawns blog candy last week where she asked you to post a pic of your craft room? Well I thought it was a fab idea and I did see the pics and ooohh there are some craft rooms to die for, mentioning no Rach's and Bevs lol xxx but I have to say that I was far too ashamed to post a pic of mine as none of you would ever speak to me again lol xxx It has shamed me into making a start on re-organising the whole sorry heap.

Who knows what I might find in there once I start!!!

I have to say a huge thanks to the lovely Pauline for giving me this award as well. She gave it to me a while ago now so apologies to her for being a slow coach and not getting it on here quicker. Sorry chicken - I am a bad bloger at the mo :(((( xxxx

And finally .....

I just wanted to say MAHOOSIVE THANK YOUs

to everyone who took part in this week's PTW challenge with my sketch. I have to say that I was ever so nervous about putting it on, but you have been very kind to me and have done some awesome work with it. I am truly gobsmacked with the response and lovely comments xxxxx

Well this post has gone on a bit - it was October when I started it lol xx

Have a great Sunday and I'll be back manana with my card for the new PTW challenge which is a cracker (no, that isnt a hint!!!). I'm off for a quick blog hop and then to get my stuff organised for tomorrow night's card club. This will be the second one and I have to say I am a bit sort of worried that no one will come back!!!!

oooo errrrr!!!

The huggiest of hugs xxxx