Jiggery Makery

Todays creation is a design team make for the wonderful team over at Jiggery Makery.I love this valentine inspired digi. Every Jiggery Makery design that I have featured is available to buy as a digi design. This one I have coloured with my copics and have added a silver pen design to give the impression of lace. I have painted the door hanger with black acrylic and added the do not disturb in chalk. I thought that this would be the perfect thing to make for valentines day. You could write whatever you wanted to on it for a bit of fun. There is a challenge beginning on Jiggery Makery using the valentine inspired digis. Why not pop over and have a go.

This morning I have spent sorting out all my pens...copics, promarkers, spectrum noirs and all the others have been put into their own boxes. I have even got to the point of putting all my skin tones in one box of their own. I've yet to sort them into colour groups...but that will be another day I think. I've sorted loads of the paper out and all the plastic boxes out. The only thing left to do in the parlour is to sort the shelves out by my chair. That may take a week..lol.

As I sit here looking at the mountains, it looks as if I live in the alps. We haven't had much snow but have had loads of hail, and so the mountains is now wearing it's white dress. The sky is a very funny colour, so I don't know what is going to happen later. All I do know is that it's getting colder by the minute. The longjohns may be imminent..lol

Well the coffee is calling and Sparkle has just arrived. He does have amazing timing. Virgo came round earlier and made me one..so I have been properly spoiled today. I'm off downstairs shortly to make dinner ready for the oven. We are having fish pie tonight..and as usual there will be more vegetables in it than anything. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting

A Garden Seat

Todays card is a Joanna Sheen cdrom...Janet Kruskamp - The Collection. This cd is full of wonderful images, that are suitable for so many people. There is so much detail in the image, I rarely put much embellishment on. I have mounted the image and the backing paper onto some pink card.I have also added an organza bow at the side.

We have snow..not much but the mountains are white and the road is covered as well. I can say that if it freezes tonight..we may have some trouble. The gritter doesn't come up as far as here so it could become quite hairy. All the cats have sat at the window, looking at the whiteness and not even asked to go out..lol. As I sit here typing, I have Pinkie on the wing of the chair and Raven on my feet, Twinkle and Icabod have retired to their bedroom level in the duplex and are curled up together.

Last night I watched the secret life of cats on the television and have come to the conclusion that the people that made the programme need to come and meet my tribe. They have created their own family which includes Reg and their behaviour doesn't match the normal cat one..lol But I have to say that I've always known they're a little strange. The incident that made me laugh was when they were talking about how neatly a cat drinks. They should have met my Gizmo...he couldn't eat or drink without being covered in it and he never cleaned himself..his sisters would wash and grrom him every day.

Well the coffee is calling...Sparkle has just passed me one...so I'm off to enjoy it and watch the snow at the same time..so until tomorrow...take care and happy crafting

Decoupage Delights

Todays cards are the first for my new design team..Decoupage Delights. I am so excited with the possibilities that are coming my way. I just adore decoupage and vintage so this is a perfect team for me. I just love the images that they have and there are some great new cds on their way. I know that fashion and florals are on the way...and most of you know, I can get very excited..lol. For the first two cards (from the forthcoming fashion cd), I have used the same image but changed the backing paper and the mount card. It really shows what a difference it can make.Both images are decoupaged and were printed out on the same sheet. When I was first looking at the backing paper, I couldn't decide which I liked best so I decided to use both....lol

I often tell people to try different colour backgrounds against the image that they intend to use and try picking out different colours from the image..it can be very surprising what different effects can be created. On the first card, I mounted the image and the backing paper onto some silver holographic mirri and the second onto some pink mirri.

If you get a chance, please pop over to the Decoupage Delights facebook page and have a look at the wonderful cdroms that are available now and to get insights to the new cds on their way. There are often free sheets to download as an added bonus. The prices of the cds are amazing and well worth every penny. Wednesdays will now be Decoupage Delight day on the here..so I will get to share with you many more cards. The card below is another that I made using the Fancy Floral cdrom from the current range. Sometimes when I'm working, I just want a piece of decoupage to add to another card and there are so many floral images on this cd, I will always be able to find a flower just right for the person that I'm making the card for.

It's the day that the weatherman said that we would have snow. And I have to say that it's trying. The wind is bitter and we keep getting hit by snow and hail...and it's tonight that it's supposed to be at it's worst. Luckily for me, tesco delivered all the cat food this morning. He was laughing that there was a lot of food, both tinned and dry and I said I wouldn't want to live here without it...lol.At the moment they are all sleeping the sleep of happy tummies...no doubt that will only last until I move and then the starving hoards will return. It does make me laugh just how much they all try it on. So as far as I'm concerned the weather can now do it's worst..at least the cats and Reg will be fine. There is some snow but not a lot.I shall wait with anticipation to see what happens..lol

By where I sit and craft is a small recess in the parlour...I have my chair there and can put my legs up while I craft. I am surrounded by shelves so that I can reach a lot of crafting goodies with out moving. The printer is also by my side. As you can imagine..and as a lot of you know, there is a huge amount of paper there. Well Jeffrey has somehow managed to make himself a hole on one of the shelves...this involved kicking a lot of paper out and getting a large cat bottom in. So now there he sits watching my every move. On the next shelf up..there sits Pinky keeping an eye on Jeffrey...lol. I remember when I first had these shelves made..Sparkle did it and it's an amazingly strong set of shelves (as he knows it needs to be..lol) and before I even had the chance to put even a pencil on there....there were 3 cats already deciding which space would be best for them..lol.

Well the coffee is calling..so I'll be sending the vibe out that Sparkle needs to arrive. He does make the best cup of coffee in the world. When I make a brew or anyone else makes me one, it is never as good as Sparkle makes. I can't answer why this is the case, but that's how it is. It's the same with my friend Sunshine..she makes the absolute best brownies in the world.They are so good that I have to put them out of reach so I can only have a couple at a time. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting  

Fast Cars

Todays card is one for anyone who loves fast cars. This layered decoupage has been in my stash for quite a while and every so often I make up a sheet. I have layered the decoupage and mounted it on to some mirri. Luckily for me, it actually told you what the cars were. My friends that I have absolutely no head for cars and as far as I get is what colour it is..lol. I can tell you the colours of all their cars but don't have a clue what sort they are. I can honestly say that I have always been the same. I think perhaps it's because I don't drive. When I had a motorbike back in the day..a lifetime ago..I could have discussed bikes but even that now has left my brain. All the more room for crafting techniques...that's what I think..and I'm staying with that excuse..lol. The middle strip of paper on this card is from a Robert Adams cdrom which has lots of useful background papers.I have a number of his cds and when you're looking a different type of backing paper...especially for men..that's where I look. I will try and make a list of the ones I have and share it with you this week. I look upon my shelves of cdroms as a library and often have a look through when I've a special personalised card to do. I love making cards for people, often the more unusual the better. I will even research for a while trying to get it just right.

Are we going to get snow, I wonder. At the moment it's a fine day with the sky a very strange colour. As long as it holds itself back until tomorrow afternoon. I have a delivery coming from Tesco and there will be some very unhappy cats if it doesn't get through. I'm sure in weight there is more animal food than human. I looked at my order an hour ago and my portion of the order seems to be all vegetables. I think I'm a little obsessed...either that or I'm tight.I often say that dinner is a case of spot the meat...lol. I will stuff a ridiculous amount of veg into everything. Often I don't even to put meat in.Not because I'm a vegetarian but just because the price of meat is just so high. I can remember back in the day, my Grandmother could afford a large Sunday joint and made it last for 3 or 4 dinners. It was a case of hot roast on Sunday, cold with bubble and squeak on Monday, shepherds pie on Tuesday and often a meat and potato pie on Wednesday. My friend Pretty seems to be keen on the meat and potato pie when I make it. He and Henry would munch their way through it..lol. It's strange to think that my Grandmother could afford to buy such a large joint. I have to watch all the offers and work out how many meals I can get out of a large joint if I buy one. Mind you, I buy most things on offer. If they're not on offer, I may have to wait until they are.

Well the coffee is calling and Sparkle has just arrived...perfect timing if you ask me. As I type, I can hear the kettle boiling..so I'd better get ready for the joy of a caffeine hit. So until tomorrow...take care and happy crafting.

Flowers for you

Hello everyone..I'm back. I just had to have a few days off following last week.I would like to thank everyone for their kind messages and support. It means so much to me.

Todays card is from The Gruffies and Happy Hoppers cdrom brought to us by Joanna Sheen. As most of you know, I alongside all my other passions, I have a little love of rabbits. On this cd the art work featured is by the very talented artist Ellen Jareckie who also is responsible for the adorable House Mouse.To make this card I have mounted the image first onto some purple mirri and then onto some holographic card. I then mounted the backing paper onto the same holographic card.I created a border using a strip of the same holographic and some spare flowers that were left on the backing paper. I cut them out and overlapped them to decorate the border. The greeting was also on the printed sheet with the image, and I also mounted this on the purple mirri and holographic.

During my days off Virgo man has created the new cat duplex. And they love it. Twinkle and Icabod now have twice as much room as well as an upstairs bedding loft.As I write, they are both upstairs asleep. I have to say that Twinkle is still a destroyer of the bottom layer but it so much easier to clean and put straight. I have now two doors to reach through and it is the perfect height, so I can sit down whilst doing it. The only thing I've left to do is to sort the mountains of paper out..but now I'm quite looking forward to it. Somehow it's worked out that I have more seating in the parlour..which seems strange..but the cats love it. I'm planning to do some sorting later. Al the cats are well and Milky is sat by me as I write this. So according to the weatherman we are due lots of snow from Wednesday onwards..we shall see. Ihave to saythat everywhere else has had quite a bit but we've only had one sighting here. I was watching the news today and America is bracing itself for about 3 feet. I've warned the cats but I think they'll all be happy as long as the electric blanket is still working.

Well the coffee is calling and Sparkle is here so my wishes will come true. And then it's onto finsh some cards and then the paper mountain is to be scaled..lol So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting.

Sassy Stacey

Todays card is a design team make for the fabulous team at Jiggery Makery. The card features the devine Stacey who is available to buy as a digi from Jiggery Makery. I had such a time trying to photograph this card because I had decided to cover the card with a piece of black mirri, but I was pleased with effect. I coloured Stacey using a variety of pens. For her hair,and skin I used my copics.For her underwear I used my copics as a base, then went over the light pink with a white glaze pen to look like lace. The edging on the jacket, I used a glitter glaze pen. I have not put a greeting on the card yet because a lady has ordered it and the intended message is a little private. That is really the great thing using an image such as this is the fact that you can make it as personal as you want.

Today is definitely a stay at home day. The mists have come down and we are back in Brigadoon. All the cats have stayed in. Tank and Sprout have retired to bed, Nicademus and Jeffrey have taken over the couch..and Pinkie is in the cupboard. They are all so funny when they take themselves off to their own funny little places. You can give them all the cat beds in the world and they will still find a special place and take up residence there...whether you like it or not..lol.

There is a lot of stuff going on here at the moment. The Virgo man has decided that he is going to build me a cat duplex for Twinkle and Icabod. It will be twice the size and have an upstairs for them. To find the space for this 'Love Shack' I will be moving the parlour around. I'm really looking forward to it. When it's all done and in it's new place, I will post some pictures. It does mean that when the duplex is in it's new place, I will have easier access to my shelves and there will bemore seating in the parlour. The only down side is that I will have no excuse for not sorting all my paper out and that may take all weekend..lol

Well the coffee is calling and I'd better sort myself out and get down to some paper sorting..lol. Thankyou all so much for all the kindness and support that you all have shown at this difficult time. For those of you who are also finding this a difficult time, please know that my thoughts are with you. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting

Henrys Owl

It is a year today since my beloved son Henry passed away. I never thought that I would get to this point. So for today I thought I would share his drawing of the owl that he drew for me. This owl has become the symbol of his memorial fund. It was produced onto Tshirts to sell for the Henry Memorial Fund and it is only today that I can confirm that we have raised enough money to buy 2 defibs for the village. This was part of an idea I had to ensure that even though we live in the middle of nowhere we would be able to do our best in an emergency. It will be done in Henrys memory. We aim to continue the fund to find out other pieces of equipment that would be useful. If all this work at least gives someone a chance that Henry didn't have, then it will be worth it.

So please forgive me when I say that it will be a very short blog today. Henry was only 17 but he knew every day that he was loved and every day since he passed, I have missed him so much. I miss his laughter, our chats and him sharing his dreams for the future. A future that he never got to have. I have to believe that there is a greater plan, that we are not meant to know.Every thing I do from this point is to honour his memory.

I would like to thank you all for your friendship and support. You have all helped me get through this nightmare of a year. So until tomorrow..take care.

Pink Roses

Todays card is another type that I don't usually do but I thought that I would share it with you. It's a card made with one of the many fabulous card kits out there. I am thinking that this a hunky dory kit but please don't hold me to that. I know that hunky dory do fabulous co-ordinating kits and the quality is outstanding. I don't normally buy kits but occasionally I see one that takes my eye and will sit with my stash until I need a quick card. This was the case with this card kit. I loved the roses and butterflies and thought that this would be a perfect addition to my stash. The only embellishments that I've added is some card candy and a ribbon.

I can tell you that I'm amazed that I made it so far today. The fact that I'm not a quivering wreck hiding under the duvet is an amazing fact even for me. It began badly as I got up and continued to be a nightmare for over an hour. As most of you know, one of my cats has brain damage and has made her home in a cat pen where she rules the roost over her chosen partner Icabod. I'm talking of course of Twinkle. She doesn't mix with the other animals because if she can she attacks them. Icabod though , loves her and her quirky little ways. These quirky little ways usually involve her claws and teeth,....but I do have to say that she adores Icabod (as long as he does as he's told!) Well this morning she got out. She hates me cleaning her pen and will try and hang onto it at all costs. I usually get bitten or at least scratched but it's all part of loving her. But today she shot out of the pen, lapping the walls about halfway up as she went. There ornaments flying, the dog trying to hide and Jeffrey...who was the only other cat in here...trying to stay away from her. And goodness me she is quick. After trying for an age to catch her, she finally just walked back to her pen as if nothing was the matter. As I shut the pen door I turned round to an absolute disaster area. Promarkers, Copics, watercolour pencils, glitter card and cards were scattered everywhere. By the time I had picked everything up and managed to get to my chair my legs were killing me and are now refusing to move. Jeff and Reg are collapsed in the dog basket and Icabod is looking at me as much to say what happened there. Madam Twinkle is fast asleep, looking as if butter wouldn't melt. Personally I'm still ready for a lie down..lol And all this before 11a.m.

This chaos was followed by a tesco delivery, where all the cats discovered that new cat biscuits had arrived and were not for leaving sight of the biscuits. I got the shopping put away and more importantly the biscuits into the bowl. And I have to say that it's so cold today. Still no proper snow but even now it's got to be below freezing. The cats with sense have all disappeared into their own special places. Milky is determined to sit on me between me and the computer which makes typing rather a pain in the neck literally..lol

Well the coffee is calling and it may even turn into a day for the long johns,,,lol  So until tomorrow take care and happy crafting.

A Blue and White Thankyou

Todays card is a design team make for the fabulous team over at JB-Crafting Supplies. I was lucky enough to be able to use this fabulous stamp from the Stampendous range, featuring this lovely teapot with it's bunch of roses. I mounted this blue and white paper onto some blue card and mounted the image and the greeting onto some of the same. I coloured the image with my promarkers for a change. And finally I used some peeloff borders and a peeloff greeting to finish it off.

It's so cold here in the mountains today, my winter socks are on, as is the leg blanket. And as usual the leg blanket has attracted a cat and as usual..it's Raven. I have to say that earlier she did have a sulky moment because she went to jump up and found to her disgust..Jeffrey had beaten her to it. It did take some serious pushing on her part to get him off. But she is a female that never gives up when on a quest..lol. All of a sudden, she was in her place and Jeffrey was on the floor wondering what the heck had happened. There has been small doses of snow and hail but nothing that warrants getting a scarf out. The only cats that have ventured out are Sprout and Obie. They left quite determined to do their daily walk around the village. All the others have found themselves a little nest. Tankie has taken herself to bed and is refusing to move. Not to be content with lying on the quilt, she has managed to get herself under it, with her head on the pillow and I have to say that she looks really cosy..lol

Well the coffee is calling and I'm really hoping that Sparkle will appear and make me one..lol. I feel sometimes that I should have a coffee bell which declares to the world..get this woman a coffee before there's trouble..lol. I haven't really decided what I'm doing for tea but it may be curry...I've got a new recipe for some flatbreads which I'm going to try. I will let you know how they turn out and if they're really nice I'll put the recipe up on the blog for you to try. And of course, I shall have to make some scones for tablet time..it's the only thing that I can manage to eat if I'm facing my tablets. So until tomorrow...take care and happy crafting

Meeting Neptune

Todays card is made using a wonderful image from Josephine Wall. It is from the cdrom brought to us by Joanna Sheen. There is also a project book available which has even more of these lovely pictures.There is just so much detail in the picture and so many different colours, I decided to go a little different with it. I took the colours in the image as my inspiration and used my inks to colour the base card.I also added a row of pearls in different colours to embellish it.

I woke up this morning to a white blanket everywhere and a whole group of cats refusing to even move..lol. It had snowed during the night but it wasn't very much and has now gone. It's still cold though and the blanket is over my legs.It has just started snowing again here. Sprout came over to me looked out of the window, saw the snow flakes and went oh no and headed back to bed..lol. I don't think that Raven has moved off my legs all day.

I've been sleepy all day..I don't know why because I had a good nights sleep for once but to be honest, I could have stayed in bed all day. But as always the cards began to shout and the cats began to meow...so out I got. You would not believe the row that they can all make when it's coming to breakfast time. They follow my every move to ensure that I don't forget my only true mission in life..lol Their food goes on a large tray and they all have their own special places on it. That is everyone bar Jeffrey. He has to be fed on his own in a different room. It always makes me smile as they are all jostling for their special places.

Well the coffee is definitely calling today. Perhaps a good dose of caffeine will sort me out. Sparkle has arrived and he always does make a fabulous brew..so it looks as if I'm going to be lucky. So wherever you are I hope that you're having a good time, and that the weather is being kind to you. Take care and happy crafting.

Geese and Larkspur

Todays card has put me right into my comfort zone. I just love this image and the delicate floral design. It is from the Shirley Barber Project Book from Joanna Sheen.It is a wonderful book full of inspiration and of course it also contains a cdrom which allows you to print the design again and again. And if you're like me, every time you make a card using one image it will be different to the last. I've often said that you could give me the same design time and time again and every time it would be different..lol. It would depend what I was most into creating at the time, and what crafting pieces or embellishments I've got to hand. On this card I have mounted the image onto a bluebell coloured card, along with the backing paper. The only embellishment I've used is the small piece of decoupage and some jewels in the right hand corner. I've used this image many times to senda just because card to friends. I havemany friends that I don't see from year to the next but we keep in touch through letters and cards. It is so nice to receive something through the post rather than a bill or junk mail.

The weather seems very calm at the moment but who knows whatever will happen later. It is quite cold but the sky is nearly blue. I've been busy since I got out of my bed...and I didn't want to do that..lol. I was cosy,having a cuddle with Raven and it just seemed to be wrong to even have the thought of leaving my nest but cards were calling. Well more a case of the cards screaming that they needed to be done and I should get me lazy legs out of bed and get on with it. So I did..lol.

I have to admit to the fact that last night my craving for toad in the hole won out over pizza..lol. I went downstairs with every intention of doing the pizza but all of a sudden I was making a batter. And I have to admit that it was everything that I thought it could be. We had the toad in the hole with mashed potatoes, sprouts and onion gravy. But tonight is definitely going to be pizza..lol. I had to laugh last night..after dinner there was some mashed potatoes, gravy and a sausage left over which I put down for Reg, but he never got a look in. Pinkie decided that she wanted it and she must have inhaled. What surprised me the most was that she went for the mash and gravy rather than the sausage. Over the years I've found that a lot of the cats that have lived wild and had to fend for themselves are right carb heads. They prefer bread or potato to the meat. I have come to the conclusion that it's because when they are living wild they often have access to bird tables and waste bins and it seems that's where they get their love of bread and potato. I was surprised when this morning Pinkie was first at the food tray,,telling me that she was starving. She is now sat by me having a little snooze..probably dreaming about supper..lol.

Well it's time to go and do some work. The coffee is calling and then a pile of nearly finished cards are shouting to be finished..so that's me for today. I hope that you are having a good day. I'm sure that my friend Sunshine will be having a fab one in her new car. I've decided that Mr. Cheeks will need a good scarf to keep his long hair in check when Sunshine drives. I shall have to find him 'a being driven' scarf...lol. So until tomorrow take care and happy crafting

A Jiggery Makery Princess

Todays card is a design team make for the great team over at Jiggery Makery. She is called Princess and is available to buy as a digi from Adele over at Jiggery Makery. As I said yesterday I don't do many of these type of images but I have to say that I've had so much fun playing with the colours. This image reminds me of all the pictures that I loved to colour when I was a little girl. I adored designing the colours of her dress. In the end I've settled again for green and purple. I can't help myself..they are my favourite colours. I also loved playing with the colour of her hair. For someone who has stepped out her comfort zone...I can highly recommend it. I have so much fun I just can't tell you. I have coloured her with my copics. She is layered onto some green mirri and edged with purple mirri. I used a punch to create 2 borders and added lace strips. The outer ribbons have also been embellished with some silver bows. I then finally added some jewels to her dress and hair.

I really feel as if I've done a full days work already today and yet I've still got loads to do. I was up at 7.30 this morning seeing to the cats, then I took 2 pens down and cleaned the parlour. At 9 I was on the phone making enquiries about the defibs and also speaking to the treasurer of the village group. I've still got 4 phonecalls to make, as well as a long line of work. I'm currently working on some ideas for invitations for a party. I've got some ideas and know that I want it to be art deco and black,silver and purple. But I can't decide on the shape yet. Because the customer is so special, the invitations need to be equally special. I've been visited by Sparkle and Virgo today...bless them. I would just like to add that Sparkle is a gentleman...I know that a few of you thought he was a cat..lol.

The weather is quite a bit brighter today..it does feel as if it's going to get colder but at the moment there is a little bit of sunshine trying it's hardest to get through. Saying that though we did have a good dose of hail earlier. Now the weatherman has said snow again but we will still have wait I fear. Only two of the cats have gone out, the rest are in their usual places. There will be a lot of sulky cats later as they have eaten their way through a whole large sack of cat biscuits and will have to wait until next week before they can have any. Mind you it doesn't matter just how much they eat...they still think that they're hard done to..lol. They have their tinned food for breakfast and supper and biscuits for those little moments in between. We won't even mention the treats and the scraps..lol. If you saw all the little fat tummies you would have to laugh when they're telling you that they're starving. And while I remember..they do steal anything that is forgotten to be put away..lol.

Well the coffee is calling and I'd better get on with my jobs. I think tonight it will be an easy dinner. I have a pizza in the freezer..a plain one but I have lots of bits that I can find to add to it and then I think it will be chips. I am craving toad in the hole with onion gravy..so that will be appearing soon on the dinner plate..lol. I hope that you all have a great weekend. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting.

Lacy Sunshine Lady

Todays card is a design team make for the wonderful team over at the Crafting Musketeers Challenge Blog. I using this chance to remind you all of the wonderful challenge that is nearly half way through for this month. The theme is hats and or valentines. There is a great prize of some digis given by our sponser over at Lacy Sunshine Digis. I don't getthe chance to work with images like this often and I have to say that I've had a fantastic time. As you all know I just love to colour, so this was a great excuse to use my pens. For this image I have coloured it using my copics. I have mounted the image onto some purple and then in turn mounted that onto some green mirri. I coloured a diecut flower to match in with the image and embellished using hat pins and pearls.

As I'm sat here in my corner, the wind is battering the house. We have had a wild night of it again, with the wind and rain hurling itself at the walls of the cottage. It may say a strange thing to say but the wind doesn't normally drive itself in this direction.It normally blows itself sideways on to the house but last night and today it is blowing directly at my window. So effectively I'm sat in a gale..lol. Even though I have double glazing, you would never think it with the breeze that is flying past me. Even the cats are not sat in the draft. They are cuddled down...sprout and Tank on the bed, Nicademus and Obie in the airing cupboard, Jeffrey in the dog basket with Reg, Pinkie and Milky on the shelves in the parlour and Raven, as usual, on my legs. Twinkle and Icabod have been in their bed since breakfast..lol. Sparkle is here with me at the moment...last night he came within striking distance of the dreaded glitter boxes..I just had to laugh. He calls it the devils dust. He was helping me look for one of my embossing boards and suddenly ended up with one of the glitter boxes in his hand. He does so suffer being a friend of mine..lol.

The house has seemed as if it has a revolving door on it this week. I am now the official co-ordinator for the Henry Memorial Fund. This a fund which was started after Henrys death to raise funds for anything which would be a good thing for the village. Our first project is to raise the money for 2 defibrulators for the village. As most of you know, as a community we are a very rural village and I felt that anything that could give people even a small chance in an emergency could only be a good thing.  So many people in the village have given their support to the cause, it has taken my breath away. Fundraising began properly in August and over £1400 was raised on one day and contributions following.For a small village of about 90 residents, that was an amazing amount. Other funds have been donated and I was about £ 300 still short.The defibs are going to cost around £1000 each. Well today I answered a phone call which offered to make up the difference whatever it was to enable us to buy the defibs. When I put the phone down I have to admit to having a good cry...the kindness of strangers sometimes takes my breath away. The memorial fund can now go ahead with the purchase. The fund itself is an ongoing concern..we are also looking at what would also be of benefit to the village in an emergency situation. Another thing that we are aiming to have made is two benches made for the village in Henrys memory. They will be put in the places where he always hung out with his friends. And of course we want to keep enough money in the fund should anything need to be replaced or checked on any of the equipment.

Well the coffee is definitely needed today, I shall have to smile at Sparkle...he does make the best brews..lol. So as I recover from my news..I hope that you all have a good day ...so until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting              

The Garden Shop

Todays card is another from the wonderful Janet Kruskamp 'The Collection, brought to us by Joanna Sheen. A fabulous detailed image with a little decoupage. I have mounted the image and the matching backing paper onto some pink card. Again I think that this card could be used for a wide variety of celebrations or thoughts. The only embellishment that I've added is a cream organza bow.

How is the weather with you all. I got woken in the middle of the night by a hailstorm, the likes of which I had never heard before. The hail stones were larger than marbles. At one point the cats and I were all just sat there looking at the ceiling...it was just so loud. When I finally got up this morning, most of the hail had gone but the studio roof was still white. The weatherman has predicted snow for tonight..so I will keep my fingers crossed...after all I'd sooner have snow than weeks and weeks of rain. The only two cats that have ventured out have been Obie and Sprout. They spent a good five minutes looking at the hail on the studio roof and then finally hopped across it. The other cats have taken one look and turned round and headed back to bed..lol

At the moment, as I write this, a gentleman who I shall call Virgo is hoovering my carpet.It seems that he is a true virgo and cannot just let it be. He said to me just get on with your blog and leave it to me..so I have. Virgo lives on a piece of my land and part of the deal is that he helps me when I need a manly job doing..but never for one minute did I expect him to hoover. I asked him if he could put the rubbish out for me and suddenly he's got a hoover in his hand. Later in the week I shall introduce you to his dog, who is called Jack.

Well the coffee is calling as ever and hopefully Virgo will have not killed the hoover. I had to laugh though as he was hoovering he disturbed Pinky who has a special bed in a large cupboard in the parlour. Well it must have scared her and she shot out of the cupboard bringing the contents with her. On her trail of destruction she also managed to take out 10 plastic boxes, a huge box of stamps and a box of ribbon..lol.At the moment she is under my chair out of the way. Virgo has come to realisation just how much crafting stuff one woman can have..lol. Mind you he hasn't been in the studio yet.
So until tomorrow...when hopefully the chaos has stooped...take care and happy crafting.

The perfect view

Todays card is made with the fabulous cdrom..The Janet Kruskamp Collection brought to us by Joanna Sheen. This cd has some amazing images and I just loved this peaceful view. I have mounted the backing paper,greeting and the image onto some gold mirri. The image has also been decoupaged. I thought this would make a lovely card for a get well soon or a just because. I like to send cards sometimes for no other reason than that person happened to pop into my mind and I realise that I haven't been in touch for a while.

Well I said that I would tell you whether or not the weatherman was right or not today with his predictions and I have to say that he was. When I got up this morning it was snowing. Sadly it didn't last long but it was a pleasure to see. Especially when you're inside all warm and cosy, with no need to go out...lol. It has stopped now and a lot of it has melted..but the weatherman has predicted more for tonight, so we will have to wait and see. I've got my socks and cardigan on, with a blanket over my legs...so I'm all ready for an afternoon of crafting. I had other plans for today but my legs have other ideas. For some reason they don't want to move today and when I've tried pushing them..the pain is a little too much. So rather than fight the pain and have a horrible day, I've decided to just carry on with my orders...that way I can at least say that I've been productive. I know that I've got some colouring in to do..so with a little music in the background..I will be really happy.

Last night when I was pottering round the kitchen, I was listening to some motown. I hadn't listened to any for an age and have forgotten just how much I love it. I was enjoying myself so much that I had made dinner before I'd realised..lol. We had a cheese onion and mushroom quiche which I made from scratch and we had that with chips. I only have chips once a week so it's always a treat. I also decided to make a pudding..we had pineapple almond crumble with ice cream. I'm happy to say that there is enough pudding to have the same tonight. As for dinner tonight we are having homemade chicken fried rice. It really is amazing just how much vegetables I can chop up small and get in the dish. I also had my Tesco delivery today and I have to admit to it being just vegetables and animal food. I have quite a bit of meat in the freezer, which I'm going to try to use up and then perhaps at the end of next month I will be able to stock up the freezers..this time with meal plans in place for the next couple of months. I am a little in love with the slow cooker at the moment and have a few dinners in mine and have been really pleased with the results. And of course I felt really virtuous because it cooked itself whilst I was crafting. I have to admit to being a little sad in the way that I love to chop vegetables..lol. For me there is nothing nicer than being sat at the kitchen table, listening to my music, preparing a mountain of veg. Most of the meals that I've cooked lately have been a 80/20 mix with vegetables being the 80..lol. I tend to do at least 3 meals a week that are meat free. I always have a laugh with people when they are eating dinner here..I always tell them to play spot the meat..lol. It's just so expensive. The supermarkets always blame the crops for the price of goods going up but you never hear it the other way round...you never hear them say..because we had really good crops this year we can put the price down. I know that I moan but butter has gone up to £1.70..what is that all about? So now all the time I'm looking for the best offers or the cheapest version. I think that's the way we all have to be. I wonder if the Prime Minister has to worry whether he can have butter on his toast..lol

Well the coffee is calling and the work needs to get done. I hope you all have a really good day...so until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting.

The Hidden Cottage

Todays card is a design team make for the wonderful team over at JB-Crafting Supplies. I have used the Thomas Kinkade paper pad from Joanna Sheen.The backing paper is from the Thomas Kinkade Triple cd rom, also brought to us by Joanna. I mounted the backing paper and the image onto some burgundy card. The greeting was also on the paper pad and some small decoupage. I have used some rub on and some small flowers to embellish.

What a wild night it was last night. In my younger days meant a night on the tiles,arriving home in the early hours..lol. Now a wild night involves lying in the bed, listening to the slates rattling, the rain and hail lasing the windows and realising that the power has gone off. When I got up this morning, the power was still off, so I was unable to blog...in fact I couldn't even see it was so dark. It finally came back on about 1p.m. and I've been playing catch up. All the cats cuddled up last night.. think they were a little bothered by all the noise and decided that by mother was the best place to be.

Today the weather is fine and I have to say..very quiet. The sun is actually trying to shine..which has been not the case for the past few weeks. Mind you the weather men have said snow for tomorrow...but we will have see. At the moment I'm thinking what to cook for dinner. I have settled on the thought of making a cheese, onion and mushroom quiche. It's so easy to make..I'll be feeling really idle later..lol. Since Christmas I have discovered just how much I'm enjoying pottering around in the kitchen, music on and sad to say singing along..lol.At least it's only Reg and the cats that get to hear me. I'm planning this week to unpack the final crates this week. My other quest for the week is to pack all the christmas crafting stuff away. That alone will take me a whole day but it will be worth it in the end. I know that Sparkle will be glad that most of the glitter will be packed away until September..lol. Pretty (Henrys friend) said he couldn't believe just how much glitter I had..lol..well there are so many varieties..fine, chunky, ultra fine, sequin,liquid, tinsel and that's before we begin with the frantage and of course I have it in all types and all colours.Ok I admit to having a little problem..lol..but a woman never knows when she'll need that extra bit of sparkle.

Well the coffee is calling and then I've a couple of cards to make, which will allow me to concentrate on the kitchen later in the week. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting.

A Kiss for Sunday

Todays card is made using another of my favourite cdroms from Joanna Sheen..The Joesphine Wall Collection. I just love this picture of the fairies kissing under the cascading lilac. I could quite happily use any of her images and find a card for anyone. I've kept this card very simple just because there is so much detail in the image. I have matted the image onto some silver mirri and added a greeting with a butterfly. I think that you could use this image for so many different occasions..valentines, anniversary, engagement besides of course birthdays or a just thinking of you card. With valentines day approaching love does seem to be in the air..even in this house.

Don't get me wrong here..it's not me..I've given up on all that..I'm just becoming the cat and card lady..lol. But in the house love is all around. Tankie has taken up with Sprout. I keep finding them together..I think that their love for the electric blanket was what set them off. Now they seem to be always in a heap..lol. The other romance in the house is a long standing one...Twinkle and Icabod. I nearly wet myself laughing at their antics this morning.Twinkle has come on heat and the only way I can describe what she was doing ..was twearking..lol Poor Icabods face looked as if he was trying to disown her antics and she was just dancing to a tune in her own head. It went on for about half an hour and was just so funny. At the moment they are having a little sulk with each other..they are sitting back to back, ignoring each other.

At the moment, the weather seems to be at it's calmest for at least a week. I watched the weather report this morning and accordingly we should be having snow. I can't wait. But are they ever right. If I write on Tuesday that I'm sitting looking at the white stuff..they it did what they promised..lol. Ever since I was a child, the promise of snow has always been enough to send me a little giddy. There will always be to me a magic in watching it fall...to be looking at the sky watching the snowflakes, takes me back to being 5 years old asking my Grandmother will it last. I can remember one of her sayings that I couldn't understand when I was little...she said many times it's too cold to snow...which to me as a little one made no sense at all....until one day I found myself saying the very same thing to Henry..lol. I can remember Henry and his best friend Pretty going sledging down the hills..when they came back, they used to be both bright red and soaking wet. But they had such a good time. I could sit by my window and here them laughing. Such memories make me smile.

Well the coffee is calling and the cats are driving me to the caffeine. They have all got their silly heads on and are racing around. Raven is sat on my legs of course and Milky is sat on the wing of my chair. All the others seem to be paying tag. I can only hope they play away from me when I start work in a minute..lol. So until tomorrow take care and happy crafting

The Tea Table.

Todays card is from Janet Kruskamp 'The Collection', brought to us by Joanna Sheen. I love this image of the table with it's fabulous flowers. I have mounted the large image and the two small detail squares onto some gold mirri. The backing paper is from the cd but I don't think it is the one that went with this image. I do that a lot..another backing paper will take my eye and I'll use it. I love looking through the backing papers...I use them many times not just for the image that it's suited to. The Joanna Sheen cdrom Hollypond Hill has some absolutely gorgeous papers on it...so many times I've been looking for a paper and I've found one on that cd. Another Joanna cd which has fabulous papers on it is the Age of Elegance..it has the William Morris papers on it...which I love.

How are you all doing with the weather? It's gone really cold here..it's still very windy but it seems as if they are threatening the prospect of snow. I have to admit to loving the snow. We have had only one incident of snow coverage and it sadly didn't last very long at all. The funniest thing that happens in the snow is the cats going out and trying their hardest not to touch it. Some of them seem to take it as a personal attack and come and look at me as much to say what have you done now mother..lol. The funniest of the tribe is Icabod, my ginger boy. I remember him a couple of years ago standing opposite the house, looking at the snow. He seemed to think that he should be able to walk on the top of it and took an almighty jump and he disappeared..lol. All you could see was the tip of his tail. One very angry cat then proceeded to jump his way home, coming up to me complaining the whole time and then he shook all his snow all over me. He continued to sulk for the rest of the day..lol. Now he doesn't even bother. he spends most of the day in the pen with his girlfriend Twinkle. I let him out every morning to give him the choice of where he wants to be and every day after about half an hour is crying to get back to his lady.

Well the coffee is calling and then I intend to go and get the slow cooker on. I've got some minced beef and am going to add lots of veg and I think we will have it with roast potatoes tonight and pasta tomorrow. I feel as if sometimes I should write a mince recipe book. How to convince your family that there is a lot more meat than there really is..lol. The proportion of meat to veg must be 80/20...the 20 being the meat.And when that's simmering away I'll get on with some work. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting.

Give me Butterflies

I have had such fun making this card. It is a design team make for the wonderful team over at Jiggery Makery. I wanted to create a valentines card that was just a little different. I was thinking of a saying which I love that says..never settle for anything less than butterflies. I love the saying because it's true on so many levels. So many times in life we settle for something that is really less than we want or for that matter deserve, just for a quiet life but really why should we? Let's all make this year one when don't settle, that we really do get our butterflies. And all this because I fancied making a valentines card..lol. So I made the background card using butterfly shapes from a Glitter Girls board. I layered them using blue mirri and a blue and silver card. I edged all the shapes with a silver peeloff. The lady who is called Lucy, I coloured with my copics.I then added the little sign that says..you always give me butterflies. And today that wasn't enough for me. I took some peeloff butterflies, mounted them on blue mirri and cut them out. I then attached the butterflies to some clear acetate and attached them to the card, so that they dangle in front of the large butterfly shape.

What a day today in the mountains with the rain and the wind. What is all this with the weather on the television. All of a sudden we're not having bad wind and rain but we're having a weather bomb. Where has this term suddenly arrived from? The last two really bad storms we have had have both been weather bombs..it's a horrible term and wish that they would stop using it. In a lot of ways I think that the world has gone mad. My thoughts are with the people of France and the horror that they are going through. I admired all the people that stood for the freedom of speech. In a different world, even writing this blog could be considered wrong, because of the opinions that I sometimes express. I know that in the great scheme of things my little blog is hardly a murmer but in some countries today even what I have to say would be considered wrong. It's a sad comment on the world itself, the way in which things have changed. It just makes me grateful for where I live and the people that are in my life.

Wherever you are I hope that the weather is being kinder to you than it is here. The roads are starting to flood and areas that I have never seen flood are now under water. No wonder my cats have given up the idea of going outside..lol. Again they have taken themselves to bed. Last night it was really horrible and for some strange reason I was woken by being dripped on. The rain must have driven under a slate or something. I got up and looked to see where it was coming from and I couldn't see anything. It happened twice and I've looked again today and still can't see where it came from. I bet the cats know where it is and are not getting wet. Sometimes when the wind and rain are in a certain direction I can get a drip in the bathroom but I've never had one in the bedroom. I think come the better weather there will have to be a man having a look..lol.

Well the coffee is calling and I have a long list of work to do..so I'd better go and do something. So until tomorrow take care and happy crafting.

The Garden Gate

Todays card is made using the brilliant cdrom Janet Kruskamp 'The Collection' brought to us by Joanna Sheen. The cd has a huge amount of wonderful images. I loved this image of the garden gate with it's path to the house. There are various pieces decoupaged on the image. The backing paper has been mounted onto some green card as well as the main image. I have embellished using some diecut leaves and some pearl effect flowers.

Here in the mountains it has just started raining even though we have a perfectly blue sky. Last night was a wild one with the wind and rain lashing the house. It is supposed to get wild again tomorrow. Just as I've written this it's stopped raining..lol.It looks as if it's going to be one of those days. The cats are not having any of it though. No-one is leaving and they have all cuddled up and gone to sleep.

When I look at this picture I think of the pride that my Grandmother had in her flower garden.On the farms that we lived on, she had a flower garden in both. The largest areas were always the vegetable gardens, producing most of the farms vegetable and fruit needs. I can remember picking peas for a sunday dinner and being sent to the herb garden to pick the mint for the mint sauce. As hard as she worked in the vegetable garden, alongside the work she did with the animals and the keeping of the chickens, it was always her flower garden that gave her the greatest joy. I can picture her now watching for the first shoots of the snowdrops coming through. The banks of daffodils that she grew on the banks of the drive. The perpetual battles that she had with the slugs over the marigolds. And of course the roses. I can still remember the rose bushes flowering in the flower garden. They were all a deep deep red and I can see her now stroking the petals gently as if they were a child. She always considered it a marvel every time something bloomed. She grew a lot of the flowers for the house and loved to see them in all the different rooms. She had a special glass vase..blue and white with streaks of lilac which she always kept for the hydrangeas which she grew. They were always a bluey purple colour that went perfectly with the vase. I still have the vase and it lives in my bathroom on the window sill where the light shines through the glass and takes me back to a different time.

A lot of people considered my Grandmother to be a hard woman.She wouldn't stand for any messing and wouldn't take any nonsense off a man or a woman. She could work as hard as any man, loved her animals and worked hard to ensure that they had the best lives possible. I can see her now, after spending a night up with a sick cow, still getting on with making breakfast for the farm hands as if she had had a full night sleep. She was a good friend to many and the house was often filled with her friends.But most importantly to me the house was always filled with love and understanding for anyone who was down on their luck. If I could manage to be half the woman that she was..I would be a happy woman.

Well the coffee is calling and a caffeine hit is the urge of the moment. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting.      

A Flower for the Puppy

Todays card is made using a stamp from my stash. I know that it is a Sarah Kay image but sadly the original packaging has disappeared. I love this image and also adore the Sarah Kay range. They take me back to a happy time and place..it was everywhere in the 1970s. For a change I coloured the image with my promarkers, which I think give a totally different look to the image.When deciding to make the card I picked up on the colour of her hat, finding a toning gingham paper and backing card. Just round the edge I did some faux stitching and embellished with some paper flowers from my stash.

I think that I was inspired to make this card because of all the music that I've been listening to lately. I've found some of my old cds and have been playing them while pottering in the kitchen. Last night I was listening to Smokie...Oh Carol,....Wild angels..Living next door to Alice..I have a cd with their greatest hits on it and goodness how it took me back. Mainly to the 7o's when I still believed in love and romance and a time when life hadn't turned me into a cynical old boot..lol. A time with no worries (and no bills), a time when I sat in a meadow and dreamed. I was raised a country girl and would often take myself to the river, picking flowers..with not a care in the world. It's hard for me to remember a time when I didn't have to live with pain but just listening to those songs allowed me to spend a happy time with memories. The children of the late 60's and 70's knew a different place to where we live now. I could spend hours out of doors, wandering the fields, without a care in the world. Isn't it strange how music can take you back to a place, how songs can help you recall a different time.

Well here today in the mountains we have returned to a rain lashed valley, with a wind that is making the slates on the roof rattle. Consequently all the cats are inside..lol. My airing cupboard which is waiting to be finished has become the chosen place to lie. There and the bed have been taken over. The four that are in the parlour are all fast asleep and quiet for a while..which in itself proves to be a miracle. Jeffrey and Pinkie are the loudest of the group and sometimes you just have to wish that they weren't quite so vocal..lol. The pair of them have something to say about everything...mostly that they would like some more food. I think that the pair of them have hollow legs. Jeffrey eats a whole tin a day plus biscuits, plus treats,plus gravy bones from the dog walker..and he still complains. Mind you he is massive..he is now the biggest of my babies..he is now 49cm from his neck to the base of his tail and is still really only a youngster. If you ever hear of a black beast roaming the valleys of Wales..it may well be Jeffrey..lol

I managed to get all my orders off last night..thank goodness..so now I'm trying to get ahead. The coffee is calling. so I think I shall enjoy a good dose of caffeine and then get on with some work. So until tomorrow...take care and happy crafting.

PoppyFan

Todays card is a special order for a very special lady. As requested I have made an A4 size card. No matter how I tried to photograph it, I still had to photograph it twice so that I could share it with you.On the left hand side of the card I have made a fan using a board from the Glitter Girls. I can't remember what it's called but it's one of their boards that I use the most. It has 3 layers to it. I had some poppy peeloffs which I have painted using my H2O's and have cut them out and layered them up. I'm still playing withit and have yet to decide on jewels and bows..that may take me the rest of the afternoon once I get those boxes out. I'm also hoping to get a pile of cards ready for posting and you know what that means...the dreaded inserts. I think that one of my new year resolutions will have to be to spend a day doing a load of inserts ready for use. Everyone laughs at my hate of doing the inserts and I don't know why they have become my nemesis. It was perhaps that a few years ago I had an order and had to do 90 in one go..all the same one after the other..perhaps that's what sent me over the edge..lol What part of cardmaking do you dread? And I have to laugh because it drives me insane if I have to send a card out without an insert..I personally think that they make such a difference to the project. Below is a picture of the right hand side of the card where I have made a floral edge using a different type of peeloff. Over the years peeloffs have received such a bad reputation..but they have improved so much that they are so very usefull to have in your stash.

It's a lot warmer in the village today, as you can tell by the noise of a chainsaw which is driving me to distraction. On and on it keeps droning..I'm getting to the point that I would like to go out and put that chainsaw where the sun doesn't shine. Some of the best days here in the village have been ruined by continuous chain sawing or building work. It does make me laugh though..people move to the village and you live with the noise of their building work for a year and then when it's someone else..they moan and moan about other peoples noise. I may moan but really I'm only venting..lol. With a lot of new people moving into the village it amazes me when they have made opinions about people without taking the time to get to know them. My Grandmother always told me that if you can't find anything nice to say..then don't say anything at all. There is a gentleman who has moved into the village who has said to one of my friends how strange I am.It made me laugh so. It was because I was out in the wheelchair with Reg and the cats and the fact that my hair was purple. Perhaps he thinks everyone should be beige..lol. He would get a greater shock if he saw me now..my hair is green at the moment. I always promised Henry that I would grow old disgracefully..and my punk side has never really left me..lol.But I suppose it takes allsorts to make a world. And bless him..the gentleman in question doesn't know me..no doubt when he does..his opinion will still be the same.

Well the coffee is calling and thank goodness I have some now. What a difference it makes. I'm seriously considering having it on a drip..lol..I'm a whole new woman once the caffeine is in my system. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting

Teapot Posy

Todays creation is a design team make for the wonderful team over at JB-Crafting. I decided that I wanted tomake a little piece of art for my kitchen. I decided to use this lovely stamp from the Stampendous range. It's called Cling Teapot Posies. This stamp was a pleasure to use, it stamped so easily and cleanly. Over the years I have been lucky enough to use many different brands of stamp and many are just a pain. Some you end up having to fight with to get a good image. But with this particular range, I can honestly say that I have never had a problem.

I have a book into which I collect small sayings or quotes and this little saying has been sitting in the book until the mood struck me. I had a small canvas board which I painted with a buttermilk acrylic and then I edged it with a burgundy. I stamped the image 5 times using my memento inkpad and coloured it with my copics. I cut the roses off 4 of the images and added them to the corners and then I mounted the whole image at the bottom of the canvas and added the little quote to the top. It will now be living somewhere in my kitchen.

My kitchen is coming on, I have only 5 crates left to empty but have been a little ill over the new year, so as soon as I'm feeling well enough I will be getting on with it. My projects for this year are to get the back room changed into a dining room and to find my studio under from all the stuff that has ended up being stored in there. And if I can ever save enough money I want to replace my two front windows. More than anything else..this will be the worst..it means that I will have to clear my corner, right by the biggest cat flap in the world..lol Goodness only knows what I'll find. It may take me a week to clear it all. But at least I won't have to face that until the summer. I have already told the builder that the new window will have to be suitable to be a cat flap..lol. I couldn't face having all my cats sulking at me.

It's still cold here in the mountains. My bones are aching with the cold. I have my socks on and a blanket on my legs..so I'm not cold on the outside but it feels as if every bone is hurting. I have to laugh sometimes..I can ache with the cold and the rain and I'm not supposed to go out in the sunshine, so I've come to the conclusion that I'm just meant to be a moaning minny..lol Sprout is the only cat that has decided to brave the cold..all the others are taking it in turn to keep the bed warm..lol. Jeff is back in his pen because he is still having a slight limp and it's the only way to keep him quiet..lol. When he's out and about he's like a wild thing dashing around..so until his leg is properly healed it's days in the pen. He does have a lot to say about it but then he does have a lot to say about everything..lol

Well the coffee is calling but it will just have to keep calling this week. I ran out a couple of days ago and there is no hope until next week. I may find myself with a whole different personality before long..either that or I'll be asleep due to lack of caffeine...lol So until tomorrow take care and happy crafting..I'm off for a cup of tea.

The Dove Cote

Todays card holds the secret of my first exciting news of 2015. Right at the end of 2014 I was so pleased to accept the first place on a new design team.In the next few weeks I will be sharing designs for the new design team of Decoupage Delights. I have their cds and have always loved vintage designs as most of you will know, so I'm really looking forward to working on this team. I have been so lucky on my crafting journey, being able to work with some extremely talented people,,I have seen some creations that have taken my breath away.

The card for today is a complete card design from the Floral Delights cdrom by Decoupage Delights.Every thing prints out and you can decoupage it as much as you like. The good thing is that you can alter the layers depending on whether you want to post it or not. So many times these days you have to be aware of the postage that you want to pay. I love this card because of the pansies. My Grandmother was a great fan of pansies and always grew them in her flower garden. At different times of the year I can remember her waiting for the first snowdrops,..smiling when the daffodils came out..gently touching the petals on the pansies and loving the colours on the sweetpeas. So many memories are involved with different flowers. Henry always bought me one of the first bluebells and every year I can sit in my chair and watch the mountains turn that blue purple as the bluebells come into bloom. I have a rosebush in my garden that continues to thrive despite me not knowing what to do with it. It has bloomed every year for the past 25 years..it has a lovely shade of pink and I get to see it every year from my window. There is also a buddlia which was only a few inches high when I planted it and it is now over 10 foot high. Such small pleasures that touch our lives.

It's very cold here again..I've moved on to my thicker socks and if it continues, I may have to break out the long johns. I have my legs wrapped in a blanket..with a cat sat on them of course. It's Raven who is always sat on my legs. To tell the truth she really is my shadow. When I'm sat down, she's on my legs...when I'm in bed she's by my side and when I'm in the kitchen she's with me there. She is so funny and is another of my chatty cats. She barks at birds..a strange noise all of her own and has an absolute passion for crisps and wotsits.In fact she can eat wotsits quicker than I can..lol. Raven is the sister to Milky and Tankie..yet their personalities are so different. Raven is now top cat in the pecking order. Any sign of a disagreement within the tribe and she is the one to sort it out.

Well the coffee is calling and I'm still working away at top speed. I managed to get 10 cards nearly finished yesterday but am in dire need of more glue. I should own a factory with the amount I go through...lol. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting

Chocolate Bliss

Todays card is a design team make for the wonderful team over at Gruffies and Guests. A new challenge starts today and is anything goes with the option of buttons and bows. There is some wonderful inspiration from the other design team members, so if you get chance, please pop over and take a look. Why not enter the challenge..there is a wonderful prize of a £10 voucher to spend in the online store of our sponsers Scribble and Scrap. To enter a card it must feature a gruffie, house mouse or happy hopper..but if you're like me..you just adore them anyway.

For my card, I used a decoupage image of two little house mice who have been munching on a box of chocolates.I mounted the decoupage onto some purple mirri..which happened to be a certain purple that reminds me of a certain chocolate make..lol. I added a yellow ribbon and some chocolate coloured buttons.

Well I have to say it's freezing here in the mountains today. All the cats are in and all cosied up with Reg.During the last week we have some horrible weather..the mists have been down, the wind has ragedand we have had rain by the bucket full. Everyone that has visited has looked as if they have been dipped in the river. The roads flooded in certain areas and as I lay in bed I could hear the slates banging on the roof. Today it's at least dry but as I said it's really cold. The weather man has said that it's going to get bad again soon. Just the weather to stop in and craft.

Jeff has spent the last few days in a cat pen due to the injuries that he received after a fight with Sprout. He hurt one of his back feet and could not put it down. I put him in a pen so that he could rest it..and today is his first day out..and he's making up for his quiet time. At the moment he's going round causing chaos and hoovering up any food he can find. Don't get me wrong..he had a tin a day to himself..so he can't be hungry..just greedy..lol. He keeps jumping up on my knee giving me lots of love..and goodness help you if you're on the computer..the delete button is working overtime as he types when he lands. The rest of my cats are still in love with the electric blanket and it's a hard job to get in bed round everyone else..lol.

Well the coffee is calling and I still have a pile of work to complete. I am hoping to get my first order of the year off on Monday.I am aiming to start a new order book but haven't had the time to start it due to the amount of orders that I received over the christmas season..I hope that this year proves to be a busy one. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting

Happy New Year

Hello again everyone and a happy new year to you all. I hope that you all had a wonderful christmas and have not worn yourself out. For the first card of 2015..it's a design team make for the wonderful team over at The Crafting Musketeers Challenge Blog. The theme is hats or valentines or even a mixture of both. I was so lucky to get to work with this digi image from the team over at Lacy Sunshine Digis. They have a wonderful selection of digis available for you to buy and are well worth a look. The Lacy Sunshine team are our sponsers for this challenge and have been kind enough to offer some digis as a prize, I do hope that you will come on over to the Crafting MusketeersBlog and join in the fun.

The card itself was a joy to make. I first coloured the image using my copics. There is nothing nicer than settling down to some colouring. I've loved it since I was a child and I still do now. I layered some blue mirri onto the card. I then added some pink pearlescent paper.I created a border using some more blue mirri and added some flowers and pearl jewels. I stamped a greeting and mounted that also on blue mirri.

It seems to me that christmas and new year went in a flash. I was so spoilt by my friends and had some amazing presents. My friend Dotty gave me a truly amazing witch on a broomstick for the ceiling collection. She has joined the others and is now flying around the ceiling light. She is called Rowena and is a witch from Pendle. Dotty also gave me a bag that is a furry black cat..I just love it and so do all the other cats. They keep cuddling up to it..I've put it on the bed to use as a nightdress case. Sprout now thinks that he has a new friend..lol

I had 3 friends for christmas dinner and it was really nice.We had a traditional dinner with turkey and it was lovely..the only trouble was that the turkey ran out too soon.Most people I know moan that they end up with loads of turkey left over but it wasn't the case here. I could have done with another one.lol. After all the cats had to have a little piece each..it was their christmas too. We had a gammon as well and that also went really quickly.Christmas was so hard in a lot of ways..the most being it was my first without Henry. But thanks to all my friends that got me through and helped me to remember so many happy christmas memories of Henry. Even though he left us far too soon..I am really blessed that I had him in my life for 17 years and have so many happy memories and tales to tell.

Well the coffee is calling and I have lots of orders to do...at least that keeps me quiet and busy. I wish you all a wonderful 2015 and hope that you will continue to join me on my crafting journey. So until tomorrow..take care and happy crafting.