All grown up . . .

Emily looks every inch an almost 15 year old teenager - how scary. She looks gorgeous with her new hair style and is very pleased with the effect. I'm not sure how it will look after I have tried to style it - apparently that is my new job !!!

M x

Just a quickie . . .

Hi, just a really quick post for the time being - ironing calling! This is the card that I couldn't post a couple of weeks ago because it was for my Dad's birthday on Tuesday. The paper and ribbon are by American Crafts and as usual, everything else is Craftwork Cards.


Got a busy weekend with a surprise 30th birthday party tonight in Mildenhall (about an hour or so's drive away). Haven't even made the card. Not to mention loads of homework to oversee.

I'm also taking my teenage daughter to the hairdressers for her first proper haircut - I think it's going to be an Emo type style - can I cope with this?!

See you.

M x

Sunday

Only one Christmas card today - other commitments took priority. I have used more Craftwork Cards products that I have had for a while. I've lost count of the cards that I have made this week - I think it's over 40 though.

This is a birth congratulations card for a colleague at work who has had her baby this week - simple but effective.

Another batch of vanilla cupcakes - Edward chose the colour this time, green being his favourite. When I've got time (??) I would like to try some other recipes from The Hummingbird Bakery cookbook, but these cupcakes are so lovely and such fun to make that I don't do anything else. I'm desperately waiting for payday this week so that I can treat myself to some lovely new Sprinkles I've seen and some new colours. Also we love the edible glitter - it's so pretty!

I probably won't have time to post much this week - hopefully it will be a normal week at work. Although I do have something exciting to show you - an early birthday present! I just haven't had time to photograph it yet. Watch this space.

Have a good week.

M x

More Christmas Cards and Cupcakes

I was planning to post these photos yesterday, but time ran away with me as usual. It's been a funny old weekend, and not very relaxing. A weekend of duty and jobs - never mind it goes like that sometimes.

I made these vanilla cupcakes yesterday and Mark chose the colour - quite jazzy.

Here are the latest batch of Christmas cards (as of yesterday). These are more traditional in their colour scheme, but with a modern design. Can't remember the name of the range of papers but they came from Craftwork Cards as usual.

I'm hoping to post again later this evening to show you what I have been up to today. Here's a little clue - it's more of the same!

See you later.

M x

(Inspiration - Craftwork Cards)

Christmas Cards - Day 2 Continued

This is my final card from the Winter Wonderland papers. I am very pleased with the 32 (!!!!) cards I have made over the last two days, but now I am ready to do something else. They're lovely papers but I'm getting a little bit bored. It may yet be more Christmas cards (I'm on a roll now!), but there again, it maybe something completely different. Watch this space!


Well done David Tennant for winning his award (and another one for Dr Who) at the National Television Awards last night - he's so lovely. Dr Who won't be the same without him.

And it's the new season of Gray's Anatomy tonight - I can't wait. Poor George and Izzy.

Take care.

M x

Christmas Cards - Day 2

Another day of sick children, another day of Christmas cards. I forgot to say that the papers are called Winter Wonderland by Colour my World and everything else is Craftwork Cards.

I think this last one is my favourite so far. Even though I'm not really a pink person, I do like this pink and white snowflake paper - very subtle.

Altogether I have made 28 cards over the last two days - not bad.

M x

Christmas Cards

Here are the Christmas cards I made yesterday - I made twenty in total - which I am really pleased about. I only used one range of paper which I have had for quite a while, and I used a lot of card blanks that have been knocking around for a long time.

I have decided that my new mantra is to use up existing stuff - and apart from Stamperama at the end of February, not to buy anymore bits and pieces apart from essentials like glue, double sided tape etc. I have so much stuff that it's ridiculous, in fact I have forgotten some of the things I have got. Time to get a grip on things. (Obviously it doesn't include a couple of sale bits Mum and I bought on Monday night from Craftwork Cards!). It starts NOW!

Hope you like them.

M x

(Inspiration - Craftwork Cards)

Sick kids equals day off work . . .

. . . making . . .Christmas cards!!!!

Unfortunately both children are unwell at the moment and have had a day off school - it's not looking too good for tomorrow either. It's nothing serious, just general coughs and colds etc.

However, I ended up having quite a productive afternoon. Yes, I have made some Christmas cards, and yes I do know it's only January - but it's been quite relaxed and fun and very creative. I'm hoping that I will end up with a boxful of finished cards so that by the time the madness of Christmas 2010 is upon us I will be totally organised - here's hoping!

M x

Colourful Crochet and Cupcakes

Look at my colourful little pile of stars. Talk about planning ahead. I saw a lovely Advent Garland that Lucy made over at Attic24. There was no chance that I would make it for the Christmas just gone, so I'm planning ahead. I have to say that these little stars are addictive and they take no time at all to make. I'm using the Patons DK Cotton that I am using for my hexagonal blanket as the colours are so lovely. I've made 15 so far, so not too many more to make. Aren't they sweet?!

Yesterday I made another batch of vanilla cupcakes. I decided that I rather fancied Sky Blue. They look a bit wintry with the silver balls and white chocolate chips - my celebration to the fact that the snow has finally gone!

I'm looking forward to payday when I can pay a little visit to the lovely cake decorating shop in my town and buy some new colours and decorations - another addiction!

Mmmmm delicious!

M x

Grape and Grey

Here are the cards that I had planned to make last weekend. I really love these papers from Craftwork Cards, the colours are so striking. So far I have only used the white printed set, I still have the silver embossed ones to use.

I've made another card today and I will post it in a couple of weeks as I don't want to spoil the surprise for the person whose birthday it is for.

It's been good to have a creative day today. Have had a pretty grotty week, so it makes up for it . This week has just been about tramping to work in the snow and ice and lots of stress - am really glad it's over. Hopefully next week will be better - at least all the snow has gone!

See you later.

M x

(Inspiration - Craftwork Cards)

No card making today!

So much for my grand plan of having a play with my Grape and Grey papers. It's very frustrating (and entirely due to Edward procrastinating with his homework and spending the whole day doing it!!). This is the problem when I don't have a dedicated craft area - the dining room table has to double up as the homework zone as well. Unfortunately Edward is not blessed with speed, so although his homework is fantastic, it does take him ages. Too much time staring into space and getting distracted. This does not bode well for secondary school in September.

I have been downloading some new crochet patterns and have a couple of grand plans for later (much later) in the year. However I have had a little play with crocheting a star and will update you further when I have made more. One solitary little star won't make a very exciting photograph.

Well, no more snow this weekend, despite the forecast. Let's hope there is no more and school can resume for Emily and that Edward and I go back to a normal week unlike last week.

Keep safe in this weather.

M x

Yummy Scrummy

I've been busy today making some cards with the new Dark Chocolate and Mint Yummy Scrummy papers from Craftwork Cards. They only arrived this morning and I was desperate to have a go with them. I bought two versions - foiled with silver and printed with white. I didn't fancy the gold foiled ones. I have only used the silver foiled ones today - making eight cards (two of each design).

I particularly like this flourish/scroll paper.

Lots of dots - with Elegant Messages foiled in silver.

Tomorrow I want to have a play with the Grape and Grey papers (also Craftwork Cards) - so watch this space!

Edward has been out playing in the snow again - a little bit of sledging with an old tray from the garden - he had great fun.

Well, dinner is almost ready - Mark is cooking a roast gammon joint with some sort of citrus, rum and raisin sauce - sounds interesting - can hardly wait!!

M x

(Inspiration - Craftwork Cards)

And more snow!

This was the view from my front door this morning around 7.30. Needless to say I am at home having a snow day. I expect we will be off again tomorrow as the snow hasn't let up so far today. Have spent the morning taking down the Christmas decorations, drinking coffee and eating stollen and trying to watch the series of Emma that I recorded before Christmas - bit of a blow to find that I don't have the final episode (I have high hopes of BBC Iplayer).

M x

The best laid plans . . .

Today was the last day of mine and Edward's Christmas holiday. Emily doesn't go back until Thursday and Mark went back to work today. I had a lot of plans today - lots of card making (Mark's birthday card being number one priority), the children doing their thank you letters, me doing my thank yous and a bit of tidying up.

It wasn't boding well when I couldn't connect to the Internet on my laptop despite rebooting it numerous times. Gave up on it in the end, but it meant no Facebook or checking my favourite blogs. Did manage to watch the final part of Cranford though - I really enjoyed it.

I finished the cards I started yesterday. Had planned to make some Christmas cards, but couldn't find the paper I wanted anywhere. Have started to doubt whether I bought it in the first place! The cards I have made were stamped with some of the Craftwork Cards clear stamps, also got to use some of my new grosgrain ribbon (see, I knew it would come in handy!).

I made three of each design - one of each colour way has been turned into thank you cards for Christmas presents. I have made three of them birthday cards (see below) and left three blank just in case. I'm really pleased with them, particularly the colours as they are a bit different for me.

And then on to the problem card of the day. I have just got my Silhouette die cutting machine up and running after being put away for a year. This has not been without problems and lots of emails to Quickutz to resolve issues. Mark has been brilliant and it was finally operational yesterday.

I downloaded a couple of guitar templates with a view to using one as the focus of Mark's card. Well! It took all day and a lot of fiddling about to get the finished article, not to mention plenty of wasted card. Emily helped with the overall design of the card because by then I was past it!! I am quite happy with it, but it should have been a lot easier. I'll just need to practice a lot more.

I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed with my card making at the moment. I think it's because I have so many bits and pieces, I don't always know where to start. I just need to concentrate on one thing at a time and try to be systematic about it. When I get overwhelmed I don't tend to produce anything worthwhile. Another New Year resolution maybe.

See you!

M x

(Inspiration - Craftwork Cards)

Starting as I mean to go on . . . . .

Happy New Year one and all! Hope you have all recovered from last night. I have been feeling somewhat sluggish today, too little sleep probably. I think the Christmas holidays can do that to you, and all the days merge into each other. I feel the need to get back to normal now, get the card making stuff out and get going!

Talking of card making stuff, look at my beautiful box of ribbons - a recent QVC purchase. They are from American Crafts and there was a choice between grosgrain and satin. I went for the grosgrain as I love the texture. Now I have a ribbon for every colour card I could possibly make.


I also bought these lovely papers, rub-ons etc and Thickers letters - also from American Crafts, they're called Blue Skies. I can't wait to have a go with them, although really I should save them for my foray into scrap booking.

My first job this year is to update my birthday list so that I know who I am making for and when. It's almost like my bible for the year. I've got Mark's birthday this coming week - I know what I want to do but it depends on my Silhouette die cutting machine doing what I want it to. I haven't used it for a year so I'm a bit nervous of it. I'm also going to make a few Christmas cards ready for this coming year - I know it sounds a bit mad - but I realised last year that there simply wasn't enough time to get them all done, and then I felt a bit sad that I couldn't send out as many hand made cards as I usually do.

Oh, I've just watched the last Gavin and Stacey - so good, but so sad it has finished. I agree that it had to go out on a high, but it's such a great programme I didn't want it to end. Ah well, perhaps I'll treat myself to the boxed set at some point. Talking of which, I am really enjoying the boxed set of Sex and the City that I got for Christmas - what a treat.

Anyway ta ta for now.

M x