Where’ve Ya Bin??????

Morning peeps and hope you are all OK xxx

I have been MIA for a few weeks now and I just have to say a quick thank you for your emails to see if I was OK. I’ll explain at the end of the post.

So it’s Tuesday and time to check otu what’s going on over at Papertake Weekly today.

Well we have a nice challenge for you – it’s Bloom & Grow and you can either use something nice and flowery on your cards or you can use a Molly Bloom stamp. 

Or you can do a bit of both if you want :)

We are sponsored by Mary & Andrea who make up The Ribbon Girl

and there is as always a fab prize up for grabs so nip and check it all out if you get a sec peeps.

This is what I did – I used Molly and some flowers :).

This image is Molly In The Garden – you can see her here – and I coloured her with these Copics -

E00, E21, R11, R20 (skin), E33, E35 (hair – yes no blonde today!!), C00, C1, C3, RV0000, RV00, RV02, YG0000, YG01, YG03 (clothes etc)

And there is a fair bit of  the old Glamour Dust knocking about today – just for a change!!

I used Nitwits papers – these are from the Promises Collection – and a bit of  Lord Timmy’s Scalloped Die which you can get form the good people over at the Simon Says Stamp Store

I cannot tell you how much I love this ribbon. It’s open weave  (I used lavender)  and it is so easy to use cos it sits just where and how you want it to sit. Which of course we LIKE :)

I added a little gem to the centre of the flower charm and popped a polka dotty button on top of the bow. 

The ribbon, charm and button are all available from The Ribbon Girl and the sweet gems are of course from Wild Orchid Crafts ….

…. as are these beauties here. I used a selection of blooms -

a 20mm open rose, some 10mm open roses, some tea rosebuds, some 4mm closed rosebuds and a couple of yummy poppy stem flowers

     

So that’s me card peeps.

OK, so where have I been then?

Well it’s been a very sad time for us here because quite suddenly and without warning, my uncle died on the May Bank Holiday Monday afternoon. The day before he was laughing and joking and winding Kyla up and was in top form. To say we were shocked is an understatement and I still cannot quite believe it.  It’s just so weird because I don’t ever remember him not being there - my aunt and uncle were married for 48 years (I was a bridesmaid – a dinky one!!!!). It’s  a great way to go I have to say because there was no suffering,  just a dizzy feeling and that was pretty much it. So great for him, and we are all glad of that because he always said that he would not like to linger,  but rough on the family, especially my aunty who is coping remarkably well under the circumstances. 

I have found it nigh on impossible to actually sit and concentrate long enough to make a card,  hence the lack of stuff on here, and have felt really restless. But on Friday we went to see him at the Chapel of Rest and I cannot explain this but I have felt so peaceful since – it might seem strange to say but I am glad that I went (I wasn't going to).  Those that know me will know that this is very unlike me because usually I am spooked by this sort of stuff and poor Richard ends up having to come everywhere with me – even to the loo (poor sod!!) cos I such a wimp!!!

Today is his funeral which is quite a long time after he died but my cousin was away and also we believe that there was crematorium probs so there was a backlog – I guess it happens. Kyla has been quite fascinated with the whole thing, as only a 5 year old can,  and we have had a few ‘death’ conversations since and lots of questions like ‘what is he doing now’,  and ‘is he lying down or sitting up’ etc etc!!!!! 

So on that sad note, I am off but before I go I have to say the hugest thank you to everybody connected with the DTs I am on. Everybody has been so understanding and nobody has put any pressure on me to make anything,  and for this I am truly grateful. So I’ll see you tomorrow and normal service will be hopefully now be resumed.

I’ll leave you with a pic of my unc – a top guy, very wise,  a really good laugh and the life and soul of the party. He wasn't perfect cos he was an Everton supporter, oh bless (we are all Liverpool bods in this house!!) but for a blue, he was OK!!

Good night God bless Uncle Ed xxx

And to balance it out, new life that has arrived at chez Piggy …

Hugs to all xxx

And The Winner Is ….. Plus A First + Another FAB Giveaway :)

Hi peeps and hope you are all enjoying your weekend.

Firstly, it’s time to let you know who my winner is for the Wild Orchid Crafts blog hop …..

Wooohoo Mummylade, it’s you chick and it you ping me a quick email I’ll pass on your deets to Paul & Siri and hugest of thanks to them for donating the prize. And of course, thank you so much to everybody who left me such lovely comments and joined in with our hop xxx

I don't usually do any cards over  the weekend BUT I made an exception today, partly because I was announcing the winner, but mainly because  a certain little lady arrived here recently and I was smitten.

Yes, I am now the proud owner of some Molly Bloom stamps and as it’s such a sunny day I thought I’d use this Sunflower Molly image. You  can get her from The Ribbon Girl and there are others which are just as cute so nip over and check it all out peeps of you get a sec:)

I thought I’d enter this for this week’s Cute Card Thursday challenge which this week is to use a sketch, either a previous CCT sketch or you can use one of your own, which is what I did …

…  and I used this bad boy here!!!

So this is the card and I coloured Miss Molly with the following Copics -

E00, E211, R11, R20 (skin), E40, E43, E50 (hair), E35, E37, E42, E43, E51, Y17, Y38, YG03, YG63, YG67, YR04, YR07, YR16, YR23

Phew that’s a fair old few for me, but I have to say that these images are a joy to colour, they really are, and I just got carried away once I started!!!

The papers are Docrafts and I got them from Purple Butterfly Crafts 

This gorgeous ivory faux silk ribbon is also from The Ribbon Girl – I LOVE it, I really do.

I don't usually use a lot of these Wild Orchid Crafts cherry blossom blooms as I automatically reach for the roses etc but they are so lovely and they were perfect for this. I used the bright colours from the mixed pack.

Here’s a close up – check out that orange :)

I also used some sweetheart blossoms and some hip rosebuds plus some white self adhesive pearls to finish it all off with. The sentiment is Pink Petticoat printed onto Safmat

So there’s the card all done.

Now I did say that there was another giveaway and there is ………….

… and it’s this one here.

It’s all happening over at The Ribbon Girl blog and if you click on the pic it will take you straight there.

The prize includes:

Strawberry Molly stamp, Saddlestitch ribbon, Large check gingham ribbon, Microdot ribbon, Organza spot ribbon, Satin spot ribbon, Polka dot buttons, Strawberry charms, ... all in a felt strawberry bag. What a lovely prize to win – someone is going to be very happy if their name is picked for sure :)

Did you see the wedding peeps?

Didn't she look a picture – that dress is my fave ever royal dress I think. It was so stylish and elegant and I spoken to my relative who was there and she got a really good look at it and she said it was amazing!!  I have high hopes for these two and what a credit William is both to his parents ( and was it me or did he understandably look a little sad here and there when they were in the Abbey?) .

  I cannot look at Harry without a smile – he is one of the most natural of the royals I think and has the look of a real rum lad!!!

And on that royal note, I’ll say toodle-pip and see you in the week.

Sunny hugs to all xxx