About Me

My photo
My name's Alison but for reasons too long to go into I'm known as Cockney Blonde or CB for short. I've been rubber stamping for several years but now spend most of my time either knitting or crocheting. However, with the advent of a New Year I have bitten the bullet and am tackling my usually hated pastime of sewing. I've even bought 'Sewing for Dummies' to guide me on my way. I've been with my hubby Dave for 24 years and between us we have 4 kids and 5 grandkids. We also have 2 cats and a dog, the latter features as my 'photo' image. I used to be able to blog daily but these days I struggle to blog weekly. Hopefully now we are settled into our new home in the country, I can get back to a daily (well almost) update from the room I now have to share with hubby. No more personal crafting space for me!!! Thanks to all the blogs and sites I follow for all your brilliant inspiration, and thank you to everyone who finds the time to comment on my blog.

Saturday 31 July 2010

Gibraltar Piccies

I'm a bit slow getting back in the craft room at the moment so I thought I would share some piccies from the first part of our holiday - Gibraltar

This is the view of our hotel from the top of The Rock. We were on the East side which is the quieter side with some stunning views
These little guys greet you as you get off the cable car at the top of the rock. I kept my eyes closed for the journey up!!!

In fact, the one scoffing the 'stolen' crisps is female and has a piccie with her details near the info point which states that the reason she is so fat is cos she loves junk food...





This fella was sat outside St. Michael's Caves on the walk down from the top of the rock. He was quite happy posing for photos and at one point a tourist placed a map in his hands which he sat happily with.














This was the view from our hotel balcony over Caleta Bay towards Africa. It really was a lovely view.
Finally, this was the view of the runway from the top of The Rock. We knew it was close to the sea but just how close was clear from this piccie. The pilots have no room for error...
Posted by Picasa

Thursday 29 July 2010

Tri Fold Oriental Card


Here are some piccies of the birthday card I mentioned last night. I managed to get up early this morning and make it so that I could get it in the post first class. Here's hoping that it arrives in time for this lovely lady's birthday tomorrow.

I have no worries of her seeing it as I know she doesn't blog, yet, lol



I made another of these Tri-Fold cards. They are so simple to do once you've decided on your theme.

This friend loves anything Oriental so I'm hoping she likes this.

Wednesday 28 July 2010

Just a Quickie

Sorry, still not organised yet to be blogging fully but wanted to upload this quick little card I've made for the little girl next door who has a birthday tomorrow.

I know I'm going to be late now with a friend's birthday card but I need to spend more time on creating hers so hopefully it will be a job for tomorrow.

Off to bed now to try and catch up on some sleep that seems to have gone missing, lol, x
Posted by Picasa

Tuesday 27 July 2010

Blogging in Gibraltar

Just popping in quick to say we arrived home safely from our travels to Gibraltar and Morocco, and uploading some proof that the journal accompanied us on our travels.
DH took this piccie of me on our balcony in Gibraltar wearing my complimentary dressing gown. We had a fab view overlooking the sea. A pity we only had 2 nights there.
Will be back soon with more piccies and some completed journal pages, x
Posted by Picasa

Sunday 25 July 2010

How Lucky Am I...


I am so lucky to have so many beautiful Grandchildren. Here is one of our wee Scottish Grand-Daughter from our last visit last month.
Last scheduled post as we are driving home today from Gatwick to Yorkshire.

Oh I do hope its not raining...
Posted by Picasa

Saturday 24 July 2010

Enchanted Deco Pages

These are the recent deco pages I've done for one of my group members on KCUK.

I'm hoping that if she is a blogger then these will have arrived before my scheduled post, lol.

Her theme is Enchanted, so fairies or anything mystical goes.

Enjoy, x



BTW, we should be on our flight home by now
Posted by Picasa

Friday 23 July 2010

Monkey Swing


Decided to pop this one in today cos it's Daddy (my #1 son) giving Casey a monkey swing. It's Daddy's birthday today so I hope he is having a good time and I'll catch up with him when I get home.

Last night of holiday today in Marrakesh :(((
Posted by Picasa

Thursday 22 July 2010

Dog and Friend

Ok, ok, I know I'm obsessed with grandee pics but had to pop this one in for you to enjoy.

As you know this is our lunatic dog Joss who becomes a changed canine whenever Casey comes to visit. She is like her little shadow and is so gentle with her. It is lovely to watch.

Should be in Marrakesh, x

Wednesday 21 July 2010

Growing Good...

I love this picture of my little Grand-daughter. She looks as though she's just sprouted from the vegetable patch, lol.

Anyway, today will be our second day in Rabat, moving on tomorrow, by train, to Marrakesh where we will finish our trip.

Hope you've been enjoying my daily pics, x

Tuesday 20 July 2010

Tri Fold Card



These are a couple of pictures of a Tri Fold Card I made recently. I was reminded of this technique by my good friend Diane which we were originally shown by Cath of KCUK Yahoo Group.

As you can see from the 2 pictures what should have been my front page was in fact my last page as I joined them together in the wrong order, lol.

Anyway, I hope you like it and thank you Cath and Diane for reminding me of this lovely technique

Posted by Picasa

Monday 19 July 2010

More Journalling Pages


I'll make this last prepped journal pages to show you, I don't want to bore you as hopefully they'll look completely different once I've added some detail.
Well, today is Monday (I think), which means we should have arrived in Tangiers this morning. Just spending one night here and then onto Rabat tomorrow. Hopefully the ferry crossing hasn't been too choppy and I'm not too green, lol, x

Sunday 18 July 2010

Journalling

Here's another of my journal pages. They've all been prepped with Adirondack Dabbers and I've chosen the colours in the Bright range as I am hoping there will be plenty of colour in Gibraltar and Morocco.

Still in Gibraltar but should be planning an earliesh night ready for our ferry trip to Tangiers tomorrow morning. Not looking forward to that as me and boats don't get on, lol, x

Posted by Picasa

Saturday 17 July 2010

Journalling 1

Hi everyone. Thought I'd show you one of my prepped journal pages which may have been added to by the time you read this.

By now we will have landed in Gibraltar and have checked into our Hotel Caleta and should be wandering among the Barbary Apes, lol.

This journalling book is fab as it has a mini concertina file in the bag for holding all the bits and pieces you collect on holiday, tickets etc. Got it at Art From The Heart. This is the middle sized journal.

More pages tomorrow, x

Friday 16 July 2010

Cockney Blonde Mascot


I couldn't go away on holiday without leaving you with a reminder of my beautiful mascot, Joss. She is such a poser, lol.

I may have to change this to my 'personal' piccie.

Tonight we are staying with my cousins, near Gatwick Airport, ready for our early morning flight tomorrow to Gibraltar, x
Posted by Picasa

Thursday 15 July 2010

Grandad's Girl

Here is another cracker, this time with her Grandad. Very much Grandad's little girl.

Thought I would leave you with this one of our little cutie and her Grandad. Enough to cheer anyone up after a funeral which is where we will have been today. My closest and oldest friend of over 26 years lost her brother of 46 very suddenly 2 weeks ago. He was very special to all of us, but knowing this piccie is bringing smiles to everyone will cheer us up.

For now, hubby and I will be in a lovely seaside hotel in Eastbourne for the night, no doubt with a crowd on a Turkey and Tinsel break, lol, x
Posted by Picasa

Wednesday 14 July 2010

A Hard Days Night....

And he's been sleeping like a...................................cat!!!
Simba sure knows how to relax, lol

This is the first of several posts I've scheduled while I'm away on hols. Unfortunately we have a funeral to attend first which is why we've left home 3 days earlier than planned but then its off to Gibraltar and Morocco. But for now we are heading South down the M1 and beyond.
Hopefully by the time you're reading this my journal pages are all prepped and ready to go and I can get on with the task of completing them in the sun.

I'm in no doubt that this will probably be one of Simba's favourite positions while I'm away on holiday, x
Posted by Picasa

Tuesday 13 July 2010

Naily There...

Ha! Ha! Ha! I hear you chortle.....

Had to show off these fabby nails done for my holiday by the lovely Angela. I have got another finger and a thumb but I was trying to hold my 'ready to go' journal and take a photo at the same time, lol.

I don't know the name of the colour but I thought it was very Moroccan, just right for my forthcoming trip.

I have scheduled a daily post, hopefully, just to keep my blog alive while I'm away. Please feel free to comment although I won't be able to publish them until I return. However, I will look forward to reading them all when I get back.

Meanwhile, I'm probably the only person who is glad that it has been persistently raining for the past 48 hours giving Mark's crops a head start in the water front while we're away. Fingers crossed I get to see my neighbour tomorrow to ask her to keep an eye on them.

Bye for now, x

Friday Sketchers; Copic Creations #31; Charisma Cardz #27

Just a quickie to upload this card before I dash back out to work. I'll be back later with a final blog before my hols.
Anyway, I've used the current Friday Sketchers sketch as my template and using a MFT image I've stamped the owls and coloured using my copics:

birds: E31, 33, 37, 00
flowers and branch: E43, 47, YG63, 67, BV 02, 04

The DP are from a Pocket Full of Posies.

I'm also entering this into the Copic Creations - Birds challenge, and also Charisma Cardz - Watch the Birdies Challenge.

I hope you like it and the links are below, x

http://fridaysketchersblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/sketch-110-sponsored-by-motivet.html

http://copiccreations.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/challenge-no-31-birds/

http://charismacardz.blogspot.com/2010/07/week-27-watch-birdie.html

Monday 12 July 2010

Whiff of Joy; Quixotic #31; Colour Create #48

I've made this cute little card for a friend of mine who, as far as I'm aware, doesn't blog.

I've followed the current Whiff of Joy sketch and used a Sarah Kay image on a nestablities shape, which I've coloured with copics:

skin: E00, 02, 21
hair: Y21, 28
top: YR00, 02, R00, 02
jeans: C8, 5, 3
cat: E31, 33

The Colour Create challenge this week is to use the colours baby pink, peach and black, and the Quixotic challenge is to feature pearls.

I hope you like it and the challenge links are below, x

http://wojmondaychallenge.blogspot.com/2010/06/challenge-82.html

http://quixoticpaperie.blogspot.com/2010/07/quixotic-challenge-31-pretty-pearls.html

http://colourcreatechallenge.blogspot.com/2010/07/challenge-48-baby-pink-peach-and-black.html
Posted by Picasa

Courgettes

And this is Uncle Mark proudly showing off his first courgette. I can confirm that it tasted delicious, x
Posted by Picasa

Strawberries and Cream

This is a fab photo of our beautiful Grand-daughter displaying the strawberries she helped Uncle Mark pick from our Garden on Saturday, x
Posted by Picasa

Sunday 11 July 2010

Papertake Weekly; Paper Sundaes #26; One Stop # 88; Treehouse Thursday #57

Evening Bloggers. I'm the right side of Midnight this time, lol.

I've made this card for a friend's Grandson's 4th Birthday but thought I'd enter it in a few challenges while I was at it.

I've used the sketch from the current Papertake Weekly Challenge.

Both the One Stop Challenge and Treehouse Thursday Challenge is to go 'monochromatic', and finally Paper Sundaes are asking for lots of layers, I've counted 5 plus the base card.

The VW Beetle is a Funstamps stamp which I have coloured with Copics :

R35, 37, C3, 5, 7, 8

The papers are oddments from my stash.

I hope you like it and the challenge links are below, x

http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/2010/07/sketch-44.html

http://papersundaes.blogspot.com/2010/07/paper-sundaes-challenge-26-lots-of.html

http://onestopcraftchallenge.blogspot.com/2010/07/challenge-88-monochromatic.html

http://treehousestamps.blogspot.com/2010/07/treehouse-thursday-challenge-057.html


Posted by Picasa

Open For Business & Candy For Grabs...

Good Morning Everyone. I want to tell you about a brand new on-line store run by the lovely Emma of http://craftyemma.blogspot.com/

To go have a peep just click on the banner in my side bar

She's also offering a £10 gift voucher as blog candy - again click on the link in the side bar.

I've never met Emma but through blogging feel as though I've always known her and would love it if you could go give her some support.

Off to take a peek myself now, x

MoJo Monday #146; Theme Thursday; ABC 'Y'

I was planning on uploading this before Midnight ie Saturday and then when I got upstairs to the PC it was Sunday.....How did I lose a day simply by climbing the stairs?????

Anyway, I'm a little disappointed in my creation but will share it anyway. I think my mind was on the events of the day and not the creation but here goes....

I've used the sketch from the current MoJo Monday Challenge. I am also entering it in the Theme Thursday Challenge which is Animals, and finally the ABC Challenge is 'Y' for 'You and Me'.

The Alice stamp was a gift from my good friend Dot which I have coloured with Copics - not my best effort, sorry.

I hope you like it and the challenge links are below, x

http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/2010/07/mojo-146-contest.html

http://abc-challenge.blogspot.com/2010/07/y-is-for.html

http://themethursday.wordpress.com/2010/07/07/thursday-challenge-animals/

Posted by Picasa

Wednesday 7 July 2010

Just Magnolia #62 Special Monthly Challenge - Criss Cross Card

Well, here is the reason there was no upload from me yesterday. Its taken me 2 evenings to finish it, lol.

I now understand what some others have said about the tutorial looking simple... It does, I agree, and I even did the bit about putting one side inside the other before cutting the second diagonal...mmm
 Anyway, you can't see the error on here and I have to say I'm quite pleased with the finished article    












I've coloured Tilda with copics (surprise! surprise!)    
 Skin - E00, 02, 21                                                  
Hair - E31, 33, 35                                                   
Clothes - R20, 22, E33, 35, 37

The DP is Papermania Signature range - Regency
The sentiment stamp is by Paper Inspirations and the corner stamp is by Clarity










I hope you like it and the challenge link is below, x