A Fond Farewell

It has been a trusted friend for over 21 years, the best of its kind.

Never letting us down, never seeking attention from outside the home.

Always performing to its full ability.

Never shying away from its duties.

So its with sadness and a tear we say a fond farewell to our microwave...

 Ha!

Got you all going there, lol

This is the only piece of domestic equipment that has lasted the time including 4 house moves. Can't be bad. Of course it had to go 'poof' the night before we're going away so its replacement can't be sought until we return but so what.

Anyway, I shall use our week away to write an appropriate eulogy and then we will have a full sombre ceremony with the appropriate 'burial'.

Perhaps I've had a bit too much sun!!!

Anyways, hope you all have a lovely Easter weekend, don't eat too many eggs and I'll be back with you in just over a week, x

Christmas at Easter

Evening Peeps. Just wanted to get this evening's card uploaded before the computer decides to bed down for the night, lol.

I'm back to my Christmas cards and this time I've used the 'Spotlight' or 'Hotspot' technique to fit in with the current ABC Christmas Challenge. The image, sentiment and papers are all Henbury Lane by Papermania. I stamped the image twice, cutting out the full image with a nesties scalloped circle. Then using a smaller circle I cut out a part of the main image and coloured it with copics in RV34, YG63, 67. Finally I edged both circles in black.

The curly gardenia (not very Christmassy but the colour matched) is from Crafty Emma's Store and the leaves I've punched using a Martha Stewart border punch. The pearls are from The Hobby House.

Hope you like it and I'm entering it into the following challenges:-

ABC Christmas Challenge - 'H' for Hotspot
http://abcchristmaschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/h-for-hotspot.html
Cupcake Crafts #138 - Lots of Layers
http://cupcakecraftchallenges.blogspot.com/2011/04/cupcake-138-lots-of-layers.html
Allsorts #99 - Sketch
http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/week-99-sketch.html

On top of the world

Evening Peeps. What another beautiful day here in West Yorkshire. Got the washing pegged out, got it dry and then the line broke!!! So its all back in the wash tomorrow:(((
That'll teach me to do domestic stuff instead of crafting.

Anyway, here's one I made earlier, well yesterday to be precise but the computer has been having a 'slow' day today so its only just decided to let me upload it.

The cute digi image is by Designed2Delight called 'Ladybug Balancing Act', and I've coloured with copics:-
R00, 02, 24, G21, 28, C5, 7
I distressed the background with Antique Linen to take the starkness off, and added a large pearl brad to the flower which I got from the Meiflower stand at the Harrogate Show.

The scrummy DP is from a Webster's Pages pack which I got from the brill Crafty Emma's Store.

The circles are cut with scalloped nesties and the 'flag' shapes are from my new Spellbinders shapeabilities 'pennant' set. The top sentiment is by LOTV.

I hope you like it and I'm entering it into the following challenges:-

Designed 2 Delight Challenge - Ladybug image
http://designed2delight.blogspot.com/2011/04/ladybug-balancing-act-free-stamp-of.html
CES #32 - sketch
http://ceschallenges.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-32-sketch.html

'Hope'

Yep, that's the name of this cute digi image by those clever folk at Sugar Nellie courtesy of Funky Kits. I've only used her head and shoulders for this card using my scalloped nesties to cut her out and frame her. I've then matted both layers onto a doily. I've coloured her with copics:-
skin - E21, 00, 93
hair - E31, 33, 35
lips - R22
YG00, 03, V12, 15

The flowery DP is by DCWV and the lime green is from Kanban

Ribbon by Meiflower and pearls by The Hobby House.

I've made this for my friend's little girl who will be 5 next week. Can't believe she's at school already.

I hope you like it and I'm entering it into the following challenges:-

The Sugar Bowl #57 - sketch + purple and green
http://sugarbowlblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-57maria-thereses-sketch.html
Simon Says - For a Child
http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/simon-says-card-for-child-challenge.html
Fussy n Fancy - For a Child
http://fussyandfancychallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/fussy-and-fancy-friday-challenge-card.html
Bling it On - Use a digi image and bling
http://blingitonchallenges.blogspot.com/2011/03/challenge-2-and-winners.html

Ladybird, Ladybird, fly away home...

Evening Peeps. I hope you've all had a good weekend with plenty of sunshine. Hasn't today been glorious. I managed to fit in a riding lesson (been a very poor attender since Christmas) and also loads of gardening. End result...can hardly move as my back is killing. Undone the effects of the massage yesterday. Hey! Ho!

Believe it or not this card is for my hubby. Its our Wedding Anniversary tomorrow and as per usual I left it until the last minute to make his card and then couldn't think of what to do. However, I've teamed it with one of my own little verses inside which reads - 'Sometimes you can bug me, but I still love you loads'. I'll give you all a minute to finish with your buckets before I continue, lol.

The image is by Digital Delights and I've coloured it with copics: 100, C5, 8, R24, 27, 29, E00, 21, 93. I've also added some glossy accents to the toes of her shoes.

I hope you like it and I'm entering it into the following challenges:-

Crafts & Me #30 - ribbon
http://craftsandmechallenges.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-30-ribbon.html
Create4Fun - sketch
http://create4fun-challenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-april.html

Poorly Hedgehog

Evening Peeps. I hope you're all having a good weekend so far.

Unfortunately I had to work this morning, but that's never too bad when the sun is shining. However, I was then able to relax with a fab massage this afternoon. I don't find the time often enough but when I do it is such a pleasure and she managed to ease my back pain which was a bonus.

Anyhow, I just want to share this little card with you before I go for a hot soak and then cuddle up with hubby to watch a late film, assuming neither of us falls asleep, lol.

This fab image is by Elizabeth O Dulemba. She creates some fantastic piccies and they are a joy to colour with my copics. For this one I've used: C2, 3, 5, R35, 37, YG03, 63, E04, 31, 33, 37, 51, 93.

The DP is MME 'Wild Asparagus', the flowers are from The Hobby House.

Hope you like it and I'm entering it into the following challenges:-

The Pixie Cottage #65 - sketch
http://thepixiecottage.blogspot.com/2011/04/pixie-cottage-challenge-65-sketch-andor.html
Cupcake Challenge #137 - Doctors and Nurses
http://cupcakecraftchallenges.blogspot.com/2011/04/cupcake-137-doctors-and-nurses.html
A Spoonfull of Sugar #147 - All Creatures Great and Small
http://aspoonfullofsugarchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-147-all-creatures-great-and.html
Fab n Funky #68 - Spotty and Dotty
http://fabnfunkychallenges.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-68-all-spotty-and-dotty.html

Another Easter Bunny

Evening Peeps. Hopefully here is my final Easter card, this time for our Grandson, Dan, hence the concentration on blue.

The image is by Daisy Doodles and I've coloured him (this one is a him, lol) in copics:-
C1, 3, V01, B32, RV000.

The DP was a freebie with a crafting mag ages ago and the ribbons are recycled. Quite a cheap card on the whole.

Anyhow I hope you like it and I'm entering it into the following challenges:-

Corrosive Challenge #111 - sketch
http://corrosivechallengesbyjanet.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-111-sketch-time.html
CRAFT #98 - Easter
http://trimmiescraftchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/craft-challenge-98-easter.html
Delightful Challenge - Easter
http://delightfulsketches.blogspot.com/2011/04/easter-challenge.html

Friendship

Evening Peeps. Isn't this a lovely sentiment by Paper Inspirations. Where would we be without our friends...

After stamping it in black Memento I then masked it (not easy) and overstamped with Penny Black Poppy. I coloured the flower in Distress Ink 'Fired Brick' with my water brush.

Not much else to say really other than I hope you like it and here are the challenge links, x

Less Is More wk10 - One layer -sentiment focussed
http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.com/2011/04/week-10-one-layer-challenge-sentiment.html
Penny Black #146 - Say it with flowers
http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/penny-black-saturday-challenge-week-146.html

A Garden Party

Evening Peeps, hope you've all had a good day. At least we've broken the back of the week now and it'll soon be the weekend.

My card this evening is made using the current Designed2Delight image 'Garden Party'. If you're into digital images and like a challenge this is worth following. Its a progressive challenge which if you enter enables you to get a free digi image to play along again the following week. Check out the link below for more details.

I've used copics to colour:-
G03, 07, Y11, 13, 17, C3, R00, 20, 37, RV34, E11, 15, 18

The DP is from a large scrapbooking pack from Costco. The flower ribbon is from Meiflower and the brads etc are from my stash.

I hope you like it and I'm entering it into the following challenges:-

Allsorts #98 - Anything but square
http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/week-98-anything-but-square.html
Dream Valley #4 - Things with wings
http://dreamvalleychallenges.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-4-things-with-wings.html
Designed2Delight - Garden Party image
http://designed2delight.blogspot.com/2011/04/free-stamp-of-month-challenge-garden.html
Sketch Saturday #150 - sketch
http://sketchsaturday.blogspot.com/2011/04/week-150-9th-april-sponsored-by-simon.html

Two More Easter Cards

Evening Peeps. Its been a long day today including a trip to the dentist, yuk! Fortunately nothing wrong so here's to the next 6 months, lol.

I've put together two more quickie Easter cards. The top one I inked and coloured this image last year and never got round to making a card with it. Sorry but I can't remember who makes the image and I didn't keep a note of the copics, duh! Anyhow, I love how the colours blend perfectly for this time of year. All I can tell you is that the DP is by K & Co, 'que sera sera'.

I hope you like it and I'm entering it into the following challenges:-

Moving Along With The Times #93 - sketch
http://movingalongwiththetimes.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-93-sketch.html
Lets Ink It Up #12 - Easter
http://letsinkitup.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-12.html
Simon Says - Spring colours or Easter
http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/simon-saysits-time-for-spring-colours.html
Stampin For The Weekend - Easter
http://stampinfortheweekend.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-7-easter.html

This next card is also following the sketch from Moving Along With The Times but this time on an A5 card.

The image is by Digital Delights and I've used copics:
skin - E21, 93, promarker satin
hair - E31, 33, 35
clothes - YR02, 04, 07
egg - Y21, 26, 23

Again the DP is by K & Co 'que sera sera'.

I'm entering this one into the following challenges:-

Moving Along With The Times #93 - sketch
http://movingalongwiththetimes.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-93-sketch.html
Ooh La La #77 - Easter
http://ooh-la-la-creationschallenges.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-77.html

Goodnight and see you tomorrow, x

A Daughter's Wedding Day

This is the second card for this evening and then I'm off to bed.

I've made this card for the parents of the bride to send congratulations on their daughter's wedding. I started making cards in this vein a few years ago for parents of children on their wedding days and find they are always much appreciated.

This is a silhouette stamp by Kaycee which I've had a while and is so versatile. I've used it for many different types of cards. I've edged the white layer and the flowers in her hair with copic B60. The white flowers with pearls are from Crafty Emma's Store.

The dies are by Go Kreate available from Samuel Taylor.

I hope you like it and I'm entering it into the following challenges:-

Charisma Cardz #14 - Wedding or Anniversary
http://charismacardz.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-14-wedding.html
Oldie But A Goodie #16 - Wedding or Anniversary
http://oldiebutagoodiechallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-16.html

Caught on CCTV??? and Happy Easter

Well, I can't be certain but it is possible seeing as there was a big notice on one of the gates we climbed saying 24hr CCTV in operation.

Yep, me and hubby in trouble again, lol. I won't tell you where we were for fear of incriminating myself but suffice to say we, plus 2 dogs, got a bit lost on a walk while we were away at the weekend and had to climb over 3 gates/fences/barbed wire with 2 dogs. 

Now for those of you who know me you will realise that this was no mean feat seeing as we have a labrador and a lab greyhound cross, but hubby stepped up to the challenge and galliantly lifted the ladies over the obstacles so that we could hot foot it to a public footpath.

So, enough chat, here's the first card this evening. I managed to get a few cards partly assembled while we were away relaxing and then was too tired yesterday to consider blogging so here goes.

This cute image is by Daisy Doodles and was a dream to colour with copics C1, 3, RV000, 34, Y11, 13.
The DP was freebies from ages ago and the floral ribbon I got at the Harrogate Show from Meiflower.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:-

CRAFT #97 - Animals/Pets
http://trimmiescraftchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/craft-challenge-97-animalspets.html
Simon Says - Spring Colours or Easter
http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/simon-saysits-time-for-spring-colours.html
Totally Papercrafts #61 - Sketch
http://totallypapercrafts.blogspot.com/2011/04/totally-papercrafts-challenge-61-sues.html

Just a quickie

Evening Peeps. Just a quick blog this evening as hubby and I are off in our caravan tomorrow for the weekend. Son #2 is away on respite this weekend so we are taking the opportunity of getting some together time....Or rather hubby has a rugby match he wants to go to in Wrexham.....lol

Rather than leave you with a blank space I am showing a couple of birthday cards I've sent recently to fellow bloggers and KCUKers.

Wishing you all a good weekend and here's hoping the sun shines, x

A watering can full of blooms

Evening Peeps. Well, its been another one of those evenings. I think my computer sees the word 'blog' and goes into meltdown. Anyhow, I'm up and running again now and here is this evening's offering.

This beautiful digi image is by the Designed 2 Delight people and it could be really versatile depending on the colours you use. I've used my old faithful, copics, although I didn't keep a record of the colours duh!

The DP is by Prima 'Fairy Flora' which I got from Crafty Emma's Store, and the curly gardenia is from here too.

The adhesive pearls are from The Hobby House.

I hope you like it and I'd like to enter it into the following challenges:-

Designed2Delight - watering can image
http://designed2delight.blogspot.com/2011/04/spotty-dotty-watering-can-free-spring.html
Delightful Challenges - flowers
http://delightfulsketches.blogspot.com/2011/03/delightful-challengeflowers.html
Allsorts #97 - bloomin' blossoms
http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/week-97-blooming-blossoms.html
Paper Sundaes #63 - spring blossoms
http://papersundaes.blogspot.com/2011/04/paper-sundaes-challenge-63-spring.html
Bearly Mine #7 - sketch
http://bearlymine-challenges.blogspot.com/2011/03/challenge-7-sketch-by-marie.html

Memories From The Past

Evening Peeps. So who stole Monday??? I promised you a card yesterday and then it was Tuesday. How does that happen???

Anyhow this is not the card I intended, that's still on the drawing board, but this is one that I needed to do for my friend's hubby's 60th next week.

I decided to make a drawer easel card so that I could pop his wee gift and voucher inside. I used the voucher as the template to get the drawer size correct and then built the card around it.

Isn't the little boy a cutie. He is one of the new Sugar Nellie images and its the first time I've put colour to him. I've used copics:
skin - E21, 00, 93
hair - E50, 51, 53, 31
top - YG91, 95
shorts - B32, 34
train - R02, 05, 08

The DP is by Papermania 'Rose Garden'. I've followed the current Sugar Bowl Challenge sketch but didn't go OTT with bling as it is for a man. I can't remember where the metal bellie is from but it says (rather appropriately) 'memories from the past'.

I've used an EK corner punch to give it some variation.

I hope you like it and I'm entering it into the following challenges :-

The Sugar Bowl - sketch
http://sugarbowlblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/challenge-56kikis-sketch.html
Totally Papercrafts #60 - One for the boys
http://totallypapercrafts.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-60-one-for-boys.html
CES #30 - Children
http://ceschallenges.blogspot.com/2011/04/challenge-30-children_02.html
Papertake Weekly #55 - Anything + use something new (image)
http://papertakeweekly.blogspot.com/2011/04/anything-goes.html

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all Mums out there. This little lady popped by to give her Grandma a surprise yesterday. Her Daddy brought her over to visit and Grandad and I took her to the park while Daddy was fixing computers, lol.

We had a lovely time and she was so confident using the fireman's pole. Why is it that they have no fears at that age.

I was still recovering from my few days in Stratford Upon Avon with my friend. Talking until 2am didn't help, not just one night but all 3... Anyway, I went to bed early yesterday evening and had a lovely lie in until 9.30 this morning. I had 2 stunning cards from my Sons and Son #1 bought me some lovely scented candles and Son #2 took me out to dinner today. What more can a girl ask for. Oh! and Grandee phoned me this morning to say Happy Mother's Day, aw!

Hope you all had a lovely day too and I'll be back tomorrow with a card for you, x