Cat on a flowerpot

Todays card is the first from the new Joanna Sheen cdrom. Of course I had to pick one with a cat on..lol. It is a lovely cd and the different styles of image make it something really different. It is called Janet Kruskamp..The Collection. It features cats, dogs, florals, boutique shops and some fantastic room images. The image that I picked for today has a lovely long haired cat on it..which actually reminds me of a friends cat called Archie who also gets called Lucifer depending what mood he is in..lol. I love this picture because it features what cats actually do...sit in the one place that you don't want them to.It's just the sort of place my cats would lie..somewhere that looked uncomfortable..somewhere that they are lay on something precious and somewhere they could ignore you.When I looked at the image I noticed that the pot in front had been covered with shells...something I can remember doing when I was younger...so I made a couple of flowers using some tiny shells from my stash.

As promised here is a picture of the skull that I have started. You will have to bear with me...this is the first laying down of colour and always looks a little rough. It's just about getting the colours and shapes where you want them.I will keep photographing it as I go along. I aim to do a little more later. When all the colour is laid down, I will be detailing over the top with fine line detail and pattern in white. He is beginning to look a cheerful little chappy though.

Well the coffee is calling...and maybe a scone..lol. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting.

White stripes

Todays card features some of the wonderful artwork of Pollyanna Pickering. This cd is available from the wonderful team at Creative Crafting World. There is so much on the cds produced by this team. There are an absolute mass of images, in lots of different styles, alongside backing papers, greetings, gift bags...you name it..it's on there. I love this image of the zebras..it would make a great card for a male..just something a little different. The border is also from the cd..the image is so striking..it really doesn't need anything else.

As I am sat here today I keep shaking my head..just to hear the sound of my earrings. I have always said that it doesn't take a lot to get me excited but today I am so happy. I have never been able to have my ears pierced because of my blood condition and have spent years searching for something I would wear that was a clip on. Years passed and I was just so jealous of my friends when they showed me their fabulous earrings. Because I'm a large lady and a little bit gothy (I know..but I've never really grown out of it since my punk days..lol), I never wanted to wear small earrings. They would just get lost. And then to my absolute joy as I was trawling facebook I happened to come across a small business that created earrings and yes there was clip ons and oh my goodness they were fabulous. I contacted the owner Annette because I spotted a pair of long dangling beauties and asked if they could be made for clips and here they are sitting on my ears. I'm just so chuffed. I contacted Annette again and asked if she had anything a bit gothy..anything with skulls..she didn't but then she sourced some for me. They will be arriving in a couple of weeks.The name of the business is Annnettes Beads..I found them on their facebook page but they also have a website..www.annettesbeads.co.uk..The website is full of wonderful beads and so much more. If you get the chance please check them out..Annette is so lovely and the work that she has put into making this gothy lady happy is a total credit to her. When my gothy earrings arrive I will take a photo so you can share in my joy.

What a day today has been. I had to speed wheel with Reg..we had got about half way back and it started to rain. I was wheeling as fast as I could, there were flying cats everywhere. They didn't know what to do..get out of the road of the rain or stay with me..lol. When I got back I decided to do the prep for dinner tonight..and then I even made scones with my spare hand whilst washing up. I managed to shock myself that I could manage to get so much done in a sort space of time. I think it was the fact that I wanted to sit down and paint that pushed me on..lol

Well the coffee is calling and so is a scone.I hope you have a fabulous weekend. So until tomorrow ..take care and happy crafting

Hanging hearts

Todays featured make isn't a card but a picture I've made for my hall.It is featuring the digital flower designs of Jiggery Makery and made for the design team over at JB Crafting supplies. The idea came to me looking at a pile of the flowers that I had coloured and cut out. So I cut out two heart shapes and layered up the flowers. I then mounted the two hearts onto some green card and framed them. As I'm getting my mojo back I'm planning creative corners for my house. I think that I'm going to have a few themes and they are all connected with Henry. The themes that I've come up with are angels (bedroom),owls, foxes and rabbits and of course hearts (hall) and the colour orange. I've already started my second heart which I will share when it's finished.

Well I finally found my case of acrylics, so I have started the first of my skulls...I will take a photo tomorrow, so that you can see the progression of my idea. As I said yesterday I'm taking my inspiration from the skulls painted for the day of the dead in Mexico. I'm having great fun with it. When I was thinking about it yesterday I thought that I would also like to cover a skull with cabbage roses...this led me to ringing Home Bargains and asking how many they had left. They only had 4 left and my friend is going to pick them up for me. It will be another collection..Henry and I always collected skulls..I even have one from Transylvania..so these painted ones will fit in well. So when you're all out and about if you see anything that you think I could paint to fit in with one of the collections..please let me know.

I took Reg out for a wheel this morning and we ended up absolutely soaked. It never bothers Reg..he just trots along , happy in his own little world. What surprised me the most was the number of cats that came. Rave, Tankie, Milky and Jeff all made their way through the wind and rain with us. We are becoming well known now..a car stopped yesterday and the couple said that they had noticed us a couple of times and that they couldn't believe that the cats came too. I said that I didn't have a say in the matter..that they just followed. Pictures are now going to be appearing on facebook..lol

Well the coffee is calling and I have lots of work planned for this afternoon. So until tomorrow take care and happy crafting

Daisy Handbag

Todays featured make is this little handbag gift bag that I made for the design team over at JB Crafting Supplies. The daisies were designed by Adele over at Jiggery makery. I reduced them in size, coloured them and then cut them out. I have to admit that, that was a little labour of love...lol..but every girl loves a handbag. The butterfly is a diecut from my stash which I coloured with my copics.

The weather here today is either bright bright sunshine or torrential rain depending what minute it is..lol. I took Reg out for a wheel in a dry patch but today for some reason he wasn't very keen. I think perhaps the weekend has taken it's toll on him as well. We had only got as far as the park and he turned round and wasn't for going any further, just determined to go home. So we did. At the moment he is asleep in his basket..snoring gently but loudly..lol.

I'm definately feeling creative at the moment..I just don't know what to do first...I'm thinking of starting the skull..I just need to find my acrylics.I know that I have a small case of acrylic in tubes..but I also need to buy some new bottles.I'm also planning to paint the kitchen in the next couple of weeks..I will share when I've done...the plan involves some raspberry bellini and cream paint and lots of strange art. Just hold that thought...lol.

Well the coffee is calling and then the hunt is on for the acrylics. I hope you are having a good day.So until tomorrow take care and happy crafting.

Every one needs a pinny

Hello everyone, I'm back. What a weekend. In fact my weekend officially ended at 11a.m. this morning. On Friday the visitors started coming and by Saturday night I was thinking of having a revolving door fitted and a coffee machine added..lol. The festival day on Saturday went really well with people packing the Shiloh, dancing and chatting going on, bands playing and food shared. People shared their memories of Henry and a picture that a local lady had painted was unveiled, so that he would always be remembered in the community centre. What really blew my mind was that for a tiny village with a permanent number of 96 villagers..the day raised £1200+ towards the Henry Memorial Fund. Hopefully if we manage to get match funding that should mean that we have enough money to get the two defibulators for the village. And there is still more to come in..what an amazing outcome. So my whole weekend including the Monday was taken up with visitors. Tuesday was the hospital again and then Tuesday night an old friend arrived and decided to stop over. We probably hadn't seen each other for about 10 years and it was a really great night catching up and sharing memories. He has a beautiful wife and the most adorable children..I got to see lots of photos and he got sat on by lots of cats..lol. What was really fabulous was that even though we hadn't been in the same room for all those years..when we were in the parlour it was if we had never been apart and we chatted until the early hours. I'm now shattered..lol.

The card that I've made for today is a design team make for the wonderful JB Crafting Supplies. I was looking at the flowers that I was given to work with and suddenly they reminded me of a pinny that I had as a young girl. So I recreated it in card form. I hope you like it. I reduced the flowers until they were tiny and created the border, coloured it with my copics and just made a couple of spoons to add to the pocket. As I made the card, this made me think of a handbag that I had at the same time ..which I used to refer to as my daisy chain bag..so I had to make something similar..I will share that tomorrow.

I'm still working on some cards from the new Joanna Sheen cd..Janet Kruskamp..the collection..hopefully I will have time to share them this week. When I went to the hospital yesterday, after my appointment I asked my friend if we could go to Home Bargains I hadn't been for years and now I have the wheelchair it meant that I wouldn't have to give up half way round because my pain was too much. What I'm really excited about is that I found a cream ceramic skull. Strange I know, but Henry and I have always collected skulls and I thought that I could add this to the collection. Not as it is though. I intend to paint it..similar to the way that they decorate skulls in Mexico..to celebrate the day of the dead. I'm thinking of painting it black with bright coloured flowers. I will share this project as I go along.

Well the coffee is calling. I hope that you all had a great weekend. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting.

Braver, Stronger, Smarter

Todays card is one that I made for the jb-crafting supplies design team.The flowers are designed by Adele over at Jiggery Makery. I used the flowers to decorate the frame that surrounds the words. The leaves are from the Signature die range and I coloured both using my copics.

I hope that you are all having a good day. I have already been visited by quite a few people today all wanting to share their memories of Henry. It has been a bit of an emotional rollercoster so I'm going to retire for the weekend. I keep getting phonecalls from people who are hoping to call in..and I'm looking forward to seeing them..hopefully I have enough tissues..lol.

So with all this in mind please excuse me until Monday. I'm going to keep the coffee and tissues to hand and keep remembering to breathe..and then hopefully everything will be fine. I hope that you all have a fantastic weekend..so until Monday..take care and happy crafting

Pink Tangle

Todays card is a design team make for JB-Crafting Supplies. It features a flower design by Adele at Jiggery Makery.I have blown up the original design and then coloured it in various shades of pink using my copics. I then zentangled over parts of the design and added a huge gem to the middle. I have had those gems in my stash for quite a while..just looking and stroking ...as you do..lol. I mounted the flower onto some white card and then onto some pink holographic card. This in turn I mounted onto the base card, added some peeloffs and the greeting.

Well today is a strange sort of day..both in the physical and head wise. This coming weekend is Henrys Midgestock...a music festival in the village to raise funds for Henrys memorial fund. We are hoping to raise enough money to get 2 difibulators for the village and also a bench in Henrys memory. A lot of people are coming from all over the country and there is going to be a picture of Henry going to be unveiled in the Shiloh (which is our village community centre). I'm very touched that this is all going ahead and hopefully going to be a permanent memorial to Henry in the village.People have been so kind and have showed their friendship in many many different ways. But for whatever reason today feels really hard...I can't put my finger on what is the matter but I feel completely drained. I think sometimes I just carry on and then all of a sudden it catches up on me. I reckon I need a good kick up the backside..lol

So as always..everything will be better after a good cup of coffee...so until tomorrow take care and happy crafting

Butterfly Handbag

Todays card is another handbag which really is a giftbag as well as a card.I made it for the design team over at JB-Crafting Supplies. It is made using a digital design flower. I have been having so much fun playing and creating with the selection of flowers. The bag itself is made using a cream coloured card which has a golden shimmer.The scrolls at the bottom of the bag were diecuts from my stash, as is the butterfly. The flowers are coloured in three shades of pink using my copic markers. One of the things that I am going to play with this week is colouring the flowers using my h2os and my ordinary watercolours...just to see what effects I can come up with.

I was lucky today when I took Reg for a wheel..we missed the rain. I've had a busy morning with the nurse coming to take a load more bloods. I have hospital next week as well..I'm hoping when they have all finished with me that I will be a new woman..lol. The biggest surprise was the council actually managed to come and look at my path...goodness knows it's only taken them nearly 15 years. Somehow when they resurfaced the pavement all those years ago, they managed to get the rain water to flow around a drain and so funnel it all up my path. I have whinged my way though the last 15 years and have been promised that they would do something and well, bless me they turned up today. And he said well I'll have to come back when it's raining..so it may be another 15 years..lol

Are you all out picking blackberries? When I was wheeling Reg today I noticed just how many there was ready for picking. When I was a little girl I used to go to a magical place called Carry Copy to pick blackberries with my Gran. I think it was a disused railway line and the brambles used to go on for miles. We used to take a picnic and it remains in my memory as a golden time.
Well the coffee is calling..so until tomorrow take care and happy crafting

Swinging away Monday

Todays card is another from the cdrom Pretty Sweet by the wonderful Polka Doodles. When I was little I loved to swing. I was never a throw myself off the swing type of girl though. And never too high. I am and always have been a wuss. I remember some girls going up so high and then hurling themselves off onto the grass. Not me..I wouldn't have wanted to get my dress dirty..lol. No I was a gentle swinger, swinging and dreaming. It's funny thinking back to those days..I can remember my favourite pair of shoes...well sandals actually...they were bright red and I loved them. In my day there weren't such colours available as there are now. A lot of my shoes and sandals were black or brown and hard wearing. I didn't want hardwearing...I wanted pretty and dainty and shiny...but it never happened. It makes me laugh now because when I was a teenager all I wanted was a pair of doc martens. And even now I'm a bit of a doc marten girl.Mind you I'm saying that and I have a pair of pumps on my feet...not ballerina type pumps but the type you had to wear for games at school. The reason I have them is that they give me extra grip if I should need it. So here I am many years later still dreaming of shiny pretty girly shoes...perhaps I should get a swing..lol

The card image and the backing papers are all from the Pretty Sweet cdrom.I have layered them and added peeloffs and then added diecut foliage and some roses from my stash. It is a really girly card...if I can't do it in real life at least I can do it on my cards.

Well what a day today has been. In the village we have been blessed with a team of council workers who are trying to resurface the pavements. There are only 3 in the whole village and of course the council never bothered to inform anyone of what they intended to do.If I had known I could have kept my animals in and everyone would have known to park their cars somewhere else..but it was more than the council could do. So chaos has reigned here today. I haven't been for a wheel with Reg because I can't get the wheelchair out and if I had managed to get it past the sticky stuff..they have managed to park all their vans all over the place. And did I want to take on 8 council workers just to get 200 yards past them..no. Not today. I know I can be a mouthy madam but the thought of getting them to move all their vans was just too much. Of course if the council had informed the village as it was supposed to we could have been organised..but it's not worth the argument today.

Well the coffee is calling and I think I need to get the hoover out. I hope you all have a grand day. I won't be blogging tomorrow due to my hospital appointment so until Wednesday..take care and happy crafting

Sweet Sunday

Todays card is made featuring the wonderful artwork of Polka Doodles. This image is from their Pretty Sweet cdrom. All the backing papers are also from the cd. There is an amazing collection of backing papers on the cd and I've used 3 of them on this card. The leaves were diecut using a die from Joanna Sheens Signature die range and the flowers and greeting were from my stash. My ever growing stash...lol..if I see a flower that I like it goes into one of my stash boxes.

Reg is in so much trouble today..he's lucky to have been given some gravy bones at any time this century. Whilst I was sleeping he brought himself into the parlour and into my crafting recess and caused total chaos. I had been working on a card for one of my design teams, which involved a lot of colouring and he managed to get hold of the card and trample it. It can't even be saved..so I have to begin again. I tell you it's a good job that I love him..lol

When I took him for his wheel today we were joined by the girls..Rave, Tankie, Pinkie and Milky. As I was wheeling I was picking blackberries and Reg was sniffing his way through the grass , looking a bit like a demented hoover..lol. Coming back was a very strange experience. Following my friend getting bitten by next doors dog, the neighbours have put up a wire fence. To all the world it looks as if I now live in a prison camp. There is nothing nice about it..wooden poles with square netting attached. The cats think that it has been put up for them to swing on. They have so far had 3 of their team all hanging from it..hanging on by their paws looking through the squares. I don't know what the neighbours think it looks like. What amazes me is that they have proper fence panels which would look so much better..but what can I do..nothing. The only positive thing is that hopefully my friends will be able to visit without being bitten. We shall have to see.

Well the coffee is calling and so are the athletics..lol. I hope you all have a great dat. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting.

Ginger has arrived

Let me introduce you to Ginger. She is another digital design from the very talented Adele at Jiggery Makery.I love these sassy ladies. Please excuse the photo today..the light in the valley has disappeared and I've tried about 20 times and this about the best. I really enjoyed making this card though.The plant pots,and foliage are die cut and I have coloured the diecuts and Ginger with my copics. How I wish I had legs like that...lol The backing paper is from my stash and is I think from a Joanna Sheen cd rom.

As you will appreciate I am sitting here watching the athletics and enjoying every minute. I've got lots of design work for over the weekend. At some point in the next week, I'm going to have to sort my working area out. Everything just gets piled around me and I get to the point that I can't more anything without a pile falling over..I am at that point now..lol It's my plan to sort it all out..again..lol..one day next week. I'm going to miss a day next week on the blog because I have to go to hospital on Tuesday. I'm am,azed that this appointment hasn't been cancelled. This is about the sixth appointment I've had..the hospital has kept cancelling them...but it looks like this one may happen. Keep your fingers crossed for me..they even work out what the matter is, what is causing this extra pain.

I took Reg for a wheel today and we had 4 black cats with us.It was dry but kept threatening to rain.We were dripped on a couple of times but managed to get back dry. The cats were so funny today..they were all walking at the side of the chair and meowing all the way. They all had a lot to say today. Somedays it seems as if they are my little minders and they encourage me the whole way. Due to the number of cars parked at the side of the road, to get to the grass I had to go along the middle of the road which is a nightmare. The camber on the road is so steep it wants to carry you to the left towards the river, so you are fighting it all the way. No wonder that Reg thinks he's turning into a husky..when he pulls towards the grass. I've told everyone that if they ever see Reg standing by the river..follow his lead..I'll be in the river. The camber is so steep that if ever I ended up going down that road, I wouldn't be able to stop..so it would definately involve a lot of splashing..lol

Well the coffee is calling and so is a scone.I hope that you all have a good weekend and that the weather is kind to you. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting

Hippy Chic

As promised here is the other half of the face that I did yesterday. As you can see, it is the same but different..if you know what I mean...lol. I decided to go a little hippy with this lady. I have given her curly hair, put flowers in her hair and painted her face. I made the flower border using another flower design from Adele at Jiggery Makery, just colouring them to match. For all my colouring I have used my copic markers, simply because they were to hand...by the same thought it could have been my promarkers or even my watercolour pencils.

I'm very excited today as the new Joanna Sheen cdrom has just landed through my letterbox. It is called Janet Kruskamp-The Collection. I can't tell you anything about it yet..I have been so busy today, I just haven't had time to go through it. I envisage a afternoon with a coffee in my hand, looking through it. I shall try and get some cards on here using some of the images after the weekend.

Today when I took Reg for a wheel, I came back like an itching fool. We had managed to make it out between showers and the midges were everywhere. They don't bother with Reg or the cats but go straight to my legs and as I'm sitting here I'm trying very hard not to scratch. I hate them..I know that hate is a strong word but having lived with the little blighters for over 20 years, I have had enough. They are so bad in this area, I know someone in the next village that actually moved house because their lives were made unbearable by the little terrors. Nothing works, I've tried lotions and potions of all sorts and still no relief from the itching. Maybe this is one of the reasons why I'm so happy after the first frost..no midges.

Well the coffee and the new cd are calling..so until tomorrow...take care and happy crafting

Thinking of You

Todays card is another design by the very talented Adele from Jiggery Makery made for the design team over at JB-Crafting Supplies. For the team work I was given a face and some flowers. I wanted to have a play and I came up with the idea of using half of the face and to have her peeping round a doorway of sorts. I coloured the flowers,cut them out and then decoupaged them. The face I also coloured and then I decided to colour her hair blue. I have made a similar card with the other half of the face but it has a different look..I will share her tomorrow. I really enjoyed playing with this design.

It is sunny here today and I really enjoyed taking Reg out for a wheel today. We were joined by Jeff, Rave, Pinky and Tank.We went all the way to turnaround tree and enjoyed a sit down there for a while. As I sat I thought about what a year it has been and how time goes by so quickly. As I was learning to use the wheelchair, I've watched the time fly by, watched the raspberry bushes come into blossom and bear their fruit just as I've watched the blackberries ripen. Today I ate my first blackberry of the season and thought about Henry...he would always bring me the first blackberry back as a treat and then he would always pick a colander full for the freezer. He said that we could always have summer in the middle of winter. I miss him so..perhaps I always will..perhaps I always should. You never think that you will bury your child and you shouldn't have to..it seems so unfair. But I know he would be giving me a good talking to..so I will remember all the precious years and go on. I thought of him again today when Reg walked through a group of dandelion clocks and they burst drifting away on the breeze. Without any thought I said well Reg that's a lot of wishes and it reminded me of me and Henry making wishes when he was little on the dandelions.These were the precious times and are worth more than gold. At the moment the road ahead seems such a long lonely one but as Hen used to say it can only get better. So as always I shall count my blessings and keep on.

Well the coffee is calling and boy do I need some caffeine. I've got athletics to watch later and lots of crafting to do. Oh and by the way I took on the battle of the watermark issue and can now say that I've won...it was hard work on my poor brain but as you can see..I can do it. So until tomorrow, take care and happy crafting.

Floral Handbag

Well here I am back again..thank goodness. I was all ready to post yesterday and then I became so ill I had no option than to take to my bed...rather like a victorian maiden lounging on her chaise..but with me it was a case of a whinging ball of pain returning to her cave with her ever faithful hound. Yes I ended up in bed for the afternoon with Reg. I haven't been ill like that for a few months so it was a bit of a shock. I think it was just a case of everything getting a bit much for me..solicitors,coraners,social services,ex partners and missing Henry..it was just too much I think. But I'm glad to say I feel so much better today..I've evn managed to wash out the fridge and hoover the parlour. I have to add that before I can hoover the parlour I had to go round with a dustpan and brush..thanks to Reg and his memory foam fetish. I had thought that I had removed it all but he keeps finding more and spreading it round the floor...everywhere...lol

Todays card is shaped as a handbag. I made the bag using one of the glitter girls boards.I added flowers designed by Adele at Jiggery Makery. I coloured them using my copics. The foliage was made using a die from Tattered Lace. The bag is made so it opens so there is a good space to write your greeting.

The weather here today doesn't know what to do with itself. I took Reg out for a wheeland the sun was shining and it was pouring down. I got thoroughly wet and Reg enjoyed every minute of it. He doesn't mind the rain at all and skips along. The hardest thing is when he thinks that he should walk in front of me..directly in front of me and the chair. I end up kicking him up the bum at every step or rather..every turn of the wheel. Sometimes I think he thinks that he is a Husky and should be in charge..lol. At this very moment Reg and Jeff are in the dog basket in disgrace...while I was cleaning the fridge..they decided to help themselves to the dog treats..I returned to the parlour to find the two of them tucking in...and enjoying every minute. I'm also being helped to type this by Raven...she likes to sit on my chest while I am typing..which doesn't help because I can't see what I'm typing.

Well the coffee is calling..and thank the stars..I have more coming later. I really need to keep my caffeine levels up. So until tomorrow take care and happy crafting

Tangled flower

Todays card is made using a design from the wonderful Adele over at Jiggery Makery and is featured as a project for the design team over at JB-Crafting Supplies. For this design I enlarged the digi image and then I zentangled the petals. I love doodling like this..it is one of the few times that I'm quiet..lol. I have mounted the flower onto some black glitter card and then matted that onto some plain black card. I'm thinking of doing something similar but using colour...if I do it, I'll post it when I've finished it.

What a day it is today. The wind is roaring round the valley. I took Reg for a wheel and I think I covered most of the ranges of weather in half an hour. During the wheel we got bright sunshine, strong winds, rain that hammered down, followed by hail. It was that heavy that poor Reg squealed. Now for those of you that don't know Reg that well..he is a bit of a big girls blouse..and can squeal like a girl...lol. I have to say that I nearly squealed myself..it hit very hard. We virtually got blown back to the house. At the moment the sun is shining and there is hardly a breeze. I've seen on the news that some areas are really suffering with the tailend of the hurricane Bertha..so I count myself lucky that the weather is as it is. Wherever you are I hope you are safe and dry. It's got to be the right sort of day to stay in and craft.

I had a lovely weekend with lots of crafting and some lovely visitors. I've so many ideas going round my head at the moment, I've decided that I need to go with the flow ..lol Lets hope that I can get all the ideas out of my head and onto the cards.

Well the coffee is calling, the wind has picked up and I have cats running in the window. I think that the wind ruffles their fur and sends them a little crazy. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting.

Just Chilling

Todays card is from the wonderful cdrom Gruffies and Happy Hoppers from Joanna Sheen. I love this image of the Gruffie at his desk surrounded by coffee cups and pieces of paper..it reminds me of my working area. I thought this would be a good reminder to everyone of the challenge over at Gruffies and Guests. The theme for this month is boys, so this card would work over at the challenge too.I have used the backing paper that goes with the image on the cd.

It is so hot today I just don't know what to do with myself..lol. Reg is lay down on the cool bit of the floor and all the cats are stretched out on the studio roof. I had a lovely phonecall today from an old friend who I hadn't spoken to for a while. He had heard about Henry and wanted me to know that he was still around for me. It was really good to catch up..it amazes me that he is a teacher now and he teaches RE. He said that he is going to call over to Wales soon..it will be really good to catch up.

I have so much work on I've decided to have the weekend off before I begin. I'm intending to have a time just pottering around the house and to catch up with some friends that are coming over. I'm hoping that after a weekend off, I'll be raring to go come Monday.

Well the coffee is calling and I can feel the need for some chocolate. So until Monday..take care, have a great weekend and happy crafting

Exciting News

Todays card is another featuring the wonderful digi designs of Adele Bradwell aka Jiggery Makery. I have so enjoyed working on these designs and there are more in the pipeline. This sassy lady is eating her strawberries and cream rather than having a game of tennis. The backing paper is another from the Pretty Tuff cdrom by Polka Doodles. The doiley is made with with a tonic die. The flowers that I used, I made using a stamp from Chocolate Baroque which I heat embossed with gold and then coloured and jewelled. The greeting is one that I made up because that's just how I feel most of the time..lol. The image I coloured with my copics. As always I must state that all copyrights belonging to the digi design of the lady remain the property of Adele Bradwell. To see more of her images and find out more, please get in touch with Adele through her facebook page Jiggery Makery

Today I have some more exciting news. Yesterday I was given the chance to join the wonderful team over at The Crafting Musketeers. So I was more than delighted to become a member of their very talented design team. I have been looking through the work of the other members of the team...and it took my breath away. There are some supremely talented and inspiring crafters on the team...I will have to be on my A game. But I'm really looking forward to working with them. Since beginning my crafting journey, I have met some wonderful people..more than happy to share their knowledge and love of crafting.

Well I took Reg for a wheel today, alongside 5 of the cats. Tankie spent her whole time rolling in the cut grass and flinging it over everyone else.Jeffrey was the only male among the group and I have to say that today he spent most of the walk being henpecked. He will wind the ladies up every day in one way or other and then wonders why they get their own back. It made me laugh today..his innocent ..(lol) face, looking shocked that they would gang up on him. It's very hot here again..they keep threatening more rain but it's not here yet. We had a small spell yesterday but then it was fine. My friend visited from Liverpool and he told me that it was hammering down there last night when he got back. It makes a change I have to say...most of my visitors usually tell me that they have never had anything but rain in Cwm.

Well the coffee is calling and then I'm off to win the battle of the watermark. Adele from Jiggery Makery has designed me a beautiful watermark for use on my cards but I'm just so thick when it comes to computers..lol. But today I'm off to fight the good fight and hopefully master the beast. I will let you know how it goes. Keep your fingers crossed for me. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting...

A Jiggery Makery lady has arrived

Here she is ...the first lady from the wonderful Jiggery Makery. She is a digital download only available through the Jiggery Makery facebook page. All copyrights belonging to this ladies digi are owned by it's wonderful designer Adele Bradwell. If you need to know more about any of the Jiggery Makery designs please contact Adele. To make this card I have used some background paper from my stash from the Pretty Tuff cd rom by Polka Doodles. I just love this image of the tennis player because it is something so different and I just couldn't resist coming up with a funny greeting. There are lots of my girl friends that would have a laugh at this one. I am so excited to now be a member of the Jiggery Makery design team and I am lucky enough to be able to share my designs with you. The lady featured, I have coloured with my copics, and I have to say that the joy I get from colouring is as great now as it was when I was a little girl..lol. My Gran knew that if she presented me with paper and pens she would be guaranteed an hours peace. To think that most adults have left the pleasure of colouring in behind them...so how lucky are we crafters to get to still do it.

I took Reg for a wheel today along with four black cats...it's no wonder that people talk about me..lol. On the way back it started to hammer it down..which saw Reg ignoring it, four cats hiding under a raspberry bush and one very damp wheelchair driver. Reg is the only dog that I've known that is not bothered in the slightest by going out in the rain. My old dog Hilly would just refuse to move if it began to rain.Reg just skips along..quite happy in his own little world..lol

Well the coffee is calling and I'm expecting visitors this evening. I will have to tidy up Regs memory foam madness. I don't know where he keeps getting more from. It seems every time I look up he has put even more lumps of the stuff on the carpet. So after the coffee it'll be a case of woman with dustpan and brush..I can't use the hoover because the lumps are so big ..they just block it up. Reg has a lot to answer for..lol. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting.

Dotty about his bike

Todays card is one I made for the design team over at the wonderful JB-Crafting Supplies.The card is made using the fabulous cdrom 'Pretty Tuff' brought to us crafters by Polka Doodles. I've been spending the last week making cards suitable for the males in your friends and family. Todays card is for the younger ones. I love this cd not only for the amount of different from the norm images but because of the amount of really great backing papers. The really exceptional thing about the papers is the range of colours in each pattern. And there is such a selection, should you need a paper for another craft project..the chances are you would find one here.I have a number of cds from Polka Doodles and have always found them to be easy to work with  and a joy to have in my library. One this card I used 2 of the toning backing papers which I layered onto the card. I then cut an oval from a plain blue card and added the image onto that oval. I just added some peeloffs and some card candi. All I need to add is a greeting at some later date.

I have the feeling that we are in for some rain some time soon. Reg got taken for a quick wheel today...I didn't fancy getting caught in a downpour. We were joined by Milky, Jeff,Rave  and Tankie. The side of the verges had been mown this morning...well the cats thought that it had only been done for their enjoyment and spent the whole time tumbling in the piles of grass..just like children playing in leaves...they were grabbing pawfuls and throwing it in the air. Well that obviously caused some hilarity on the road..which then caused them all to go giddy and they were all playing chase me in and out of the wild raspberry bushes...lol. They are all now exhausted, lay on the studio roof.

Well the coffee is calling...so until tomorrow ..take care and happy crafting

Just Hanging around

Hello everyone..what a weekend..it feels as if there has been a revolving door on the house..lol. But straight back to the crafting now..lots of orders to do and a head full of ideas, Todays card is another one that I made for the design team over at Gruffies and Guests. A new challenge has begun..so why no pop over and join in the fun. The wonderful sponsers for this month are Petal U and are offering a £10 lucky dip as a prize. For the card I've chosen an image from the House Mouse triple cdrom brought to us by Joanna Sheen. I have decoupaged the image. The greeting is from my stash and says..just hangin...which made me smile..after all the theme is boys and all the boys that I have known spend a lot of time just hanging around.

Even my daily wheel with Reg was hectic today. For the first time ever he shot off before I could get him on the lead. Hastily followed by my friend I have to add. Admittedly I had got stuck getting the wheelchair out of the door and ended up with the lead stuck in the wheel. Well Reg obviously was so desperate to get to the grass..he couldn't wait any longer..bless him. My friend said that he got to the grass and then waited for me to get there. It was harder than usual because there was a removal van and 2 large cars in the way..and 2 loose dogs .and 4 of my cats to get round. Everyone ended up laughing. When I finally got Reg onto the lead we had to go off roading as a large van then arrived on the road and decided that he needed all the road and both sides of the grass to get past me. I can tell you I was ready for a lie down myself by the time we got to turnaround tree.I was relieved to get home and have a drink. At the moment Reg is in his basket with Jeff for company and all the other cats are stretched out on the studio roof. Peace is all around today..now..lol

Well the coffee is calling and I've lots of crafting to do. I hope that you all had a great weekend. So until tomorrow take care and happy crafting

Boys will be boys

Todays card is one that I've made for the design team over at Gruffies and Guests. As you all know by now I just love the work of Ellen Jareckie of House Mouse fame..so when I discovered the Gruffies and the Happy Hoppers cdrom  from Joanna Sheen..I was over the moon. And then I was lucky enough to get onto the design team for Gruffies and Guests...well I was over the moon. The theme for the challenge this month was boys...and when I saw this image of the happy hoppers jumping around it just reminded me Henry and his friends jumping around when they were younger...It did involve a broken couch I have to say...lol. So the challenge is up and running over at Gruffies and Guests..so why not pop over and join in the fun. Our sponsers for this month are the wonderful team from Petals U and they are offering a £10 Lucky dip prize for this months challenge.

The card image and th greeting are from the same sheet from the cd, the backing paper is from my stash, as is the boys will be boys tag.To bring a bit of contrast I've added some black peeloffs. I hope you like it.

When I took Reg for his wheel today, we were joined by 5 cats..it felt like old times. Sick bay has now been dismantled..thank goodness. There was a bit of a moment here last night though. My friend was coming over and as she came in the gateway she was bitten by a dog next door. Now I know that it wasn't these dogs that attacked my cats as the cats have lived by them all their lives and have the sense to stop away. But I do have to say that they have terrorized every visitor to my house for a long time. They hang over the fence and many a delivery driver has ended up by the shed in an effort to stay out of their way. My friend has had to go to the hospital today to have a tetanus and now has antibiotics to take. I hope that this make the owners think about how they are going to restrain them in the future. But you never know.

Well the coffee is calling..and I'm feeling a little tired today.. hopefully the caffeine will help. So until tomorrow take care and happy crafting.

Under the brolley

Todays card is from the Gruffies and Happy Hoppers cdrom from Joanna Sheen. I thought that this would make a great get well soon card..'feeling under the weather'.The umbrella has been decoupaged and I have added some glossy  accents to the rain puddle and to all the raindrops. The backing paper is from the cd as well. This a 7x7 sized card but could have easily worked on an 8x8. I love the way in which you can pick up on the lilac colours in the edging.

I needed an umbrella today when wheeling Reg but didn't have a spare hand..lol. It was hammering down when I got up this morning and I was dreading taking him out but luckily when we did go out..it had eased a little. We still got wet but didn't look as if we have been dunked in a water butt. It was so funny watching the cats running under the raspberry bushes to get out of the rain. I had four today...Jeff, Rave , Milky and Pink. We had a bit of a sticky time when we met a large lorry..I had to go off roading for the first time..lol...and I have to say I'm not good on grass. I think Reg thought that I'd lost my mind.The lorry driver was kind enough to check that I was ok...I can't imagine what he would have done if I'd have been stuck. He may have needed to use his crane...that would have been a really good photo...lol.

I have been thinking more and more about doing some mixed media art over the past few days. I may have a play over the weekend. I used to do such a lot of different types of art..painting,combined with decoupage. I did a couple of canvasses for a company for their lobby and it seems an age since I had a play. Who knows what I will decide to do...I shall have to see if I can find my acrylics.

Well the coffee is calling so I'm off to have a hunt for my paints and then I'll have a caffeine hit and have a play. So until tomorrow take care and happy crafting.