Little Pressie for Mother-in-law

Hmmmm - two posts in one day...worrying!  This is a little brag card - it will have a photo on either side of the tag....photo of my child of course!  The tag shows the paper on the other side of the card - its reversible!  Now for the fun bit...its made from a squashed toilet roll middle - yep really!  Saw this somewhere on my travels, but it was done as a book (by fixing a few of them together) - but just wanted to keep this really simple for her bag - she doesnt do with fancy fripperies!  This was so simple, so straightforward - little tip ... iron the toilet roll middle flat (and microwave if you are concerned about the germs!).  Would change it next time, would use one piece of card all round (I had to colour the exposed edges with a sharpie).  Would also use eyelets to finish off better.  Hey its all a learning process!  Will possibly decorate the front when she arrives later but need to chat to her about what she would like (dont want it being a pain in her bag!).  Will definitely do another one of these sometime!  Oh and the papers are stampin up - I won them in some candy from Carol Houghton x

ABC Challenge

A is for Angels....ok, not promising I will do all of these challenges....and this is not exactly an angel...more a fairy really!  The challenge was to include charms and bling - check!  Actually, looking at her here, I could prob persuade people she is an angel!  This image came from the candy that I won from Samantha at Penrith Crafts....seems only right that I should use it for this card (ABC is run by Samantha and pals).  I bought the little bells from Rymans ages ago, knew I would use them sometime!  The card looks a little plain now I have photographed it - there is glitter on her star, the little dots on her outfit and her wings....all done with sakura tiara pens (the glittery ones!)              The idea behind the blog is that you get ahead with your Christmas cards....I have a little issue with this, as I never send any!!!  Hmmmmm, see a bit of a flaw in my plan?  But she is just so pretty, she may well not make it until Christmas anyway - do I get told off if I use her early I wonder?   If you want to come and join in the fun....here is the blog!

Candle and box

You might recognise this box as one I made a few weeks ago - it was from Funky Fairy's workshop....well, I finally got round to doing the candle that was from the same workshop.  And how about this.....I didnt do it to match with the box, or to fit the box, but its just perfect!  Kind of a summer/winter thing going on there! 
I have never done one of these candles before and they really are a breeze - apart from being a little heavy on the heat!  See, if you look at the bottom of the candle....few candle runs!  But - still pleased with it! 

Candy posts!

Ok - we have Jude's birthday candy - here is the pic - and HERE is the link!  And it ends on 6th Jan!

Ok - the second lot of candy belongs to Caz - it will include these stamps but also some other goodies!  HERE is where you go for this one!  And this one ends on 24/12/09

This Candy is from Wendy - she will be adding goodies to the package until the closing date - its due up on 15th Jan - and you need to click HERE to get to it!

Last lot - belongs to Marianne and finishes 16th Jan - you need to click HERE to go to it!  Phew such a lot of candy in blogland!  Will link all these into the sidebar soon!

Good luck all!

Now there is a banner too!

Appeal!

Have pinched this from Lorraine's blog - she says it so well!!!!


I appeal to everyone to please turn off word verification !! If you like use the owner approval option ,, then you can weed out undesirables ! I have never used word verification and I have NEVER had any problems ,.. When you have to leave so many comments on cards it takes twice as long and in my opinion completely unnecessary ! With everyone being so busy at the moment this little gesture will make all the difference to many of us

And I dont even have that many blogs to post on - lolx

Character cafe blog hop!

Here is the character cafe twelve hops of Christmas - go check it out!

Monkey and Libraries

Just thought I would post here quickly to highlight a couple of things with my other hat on!  When not crafting I work in libraries - yay!  We have a facebook reading group - so if you are on facebook go search for Havering Reading Group.  And we have a blog - Monkey Monkey!  - tis a take on Mums Monkey and is a monkey who travels around our libraries and generally shadows me in my job!  So much fun!  Well if you want a bit of an inside look on the life of a librarian...!!!!!  Havering Libraries are also on Twitter and Youtube - oh yes - there I am - the blonde Dawn French!  LOLx  I think the ID for both of these is HaveringLibraries - not original but it works!  Come and join us on Facebook or check out Monkey Monkey or one of the others!   Rx

Comes in 3's

Aw - we've had a tough time this last week! 
Last Monday we had to have our pet rat Sidney put down!  He was quite old and had got a chest infection but when they checked him over they found a lump in his kidney!  Twas a bit sad as Josh was with me and he has never been involved in the death of an animal (we have lost a few along the way (lost as in died!) but he has never really seen the going of them).  He was dead upset. 
Then last night we lost our mummy gerbil (yes we have an awful lot of beasties!)...she was really old so it wasnt unexpected.  Unfortunately she normally sleeps in Josh's room - we had to take her out because it was obvious she was dying ....so Josh got upset again!  Bless.
Then, we came in from school tonight and found a dead bird in our hallway - one of the cats had brought it in!  And....Yep, Josh was upset again!  Didnt help that he wanted to bend down and stroke it!

Poor lad - he has been through the wars - all in one week too!  Still, that is the way it goes and the absolutely worst bit about owning animals!  Now we are down to two cats, one lizard, three guinea pigs, a daddy gerbil and some fish! 

Whoop whoop - a card!

Phew - at long last - I have been able to produce a card!  Its not for a particular challenge or owt....but I did it!  Not sure my Mojo has fully returned, but it seems to be popping in for short visits!

There you go - coloured with promarkers (my first time!) - its a birthday card for a nice neighbour!

Phew!

Instead of crafting...

Notice all the yummy candy on the sidebar.....well guess who isnt crafting????  Yep - me!  My mojo has run off - gone - deceased - fatally!  Not sure where it has gone - but have got the dreaded lurgy - Josh is off school too.  Keep trying to blame it on that - but in truth has been a couple of weeks now!  Oh well - sure it will be back soon - I hope anyway.  Meanwhile have dealt with my desire for pretty things by blog hopping and checking out everyone else's yummy things!  Not well - boo hoo - gonna go and take some tablets now! 

sorry - but thought you wouldnt want to miss out!

First a little apology!  Not done very much crafting this week - no challenges, nothing really!  Busy at work, mojo run off, ya da ya da ya da.  mind you am still nosing around at blogs everyday!

On my travels found this stonking candy!  Emma, over at Something Sweet has candy.  Emma asked that this be in the sidebar but I really think it deserves to be in a post - and thats not just because I dont know how to put it in the sidebar....really.....well actually,.....yes it is, ok I confess!  LOLX

Here is the pic and it finishes on 5th Dec

Desk Tidy and "Matchbox" THING

Well ok, so the workshop over at Funky Fairy ended yesterday, but we were given so many projects I think I will be working through them for a long time yet!  LOL

This was the desk tidy - it was really simple and thats just how I kept mine.  I could have decorated it with ribbon to join the individual boxes together and also stand them on a base, but I was just so in love with the paper designs that I left everything plain and just started using it straight away....the boxes are all joined together so it doesnt just fall apart.

And this is my matchbox THING - you know the little drawer thingies using match boxes...well funny thing was that I had tried this the weekend before and made such a hash of it!  We were given instructions on how to make the boxes themselves from scratch and then how to lay them out and sandwich them in chipboard.  Just love it, could have been a bit neater on the finish but its definately something I will use - its gonna be filled with brads, buttons and STUFF in about 15 mins!

Oh well -thanks for stopping by and looking - happy crafting!  rx

candy downloads!

Candy alert!  Creative Cottage are offering free downloads to lucky winners - here

and here is the photo of the yummy sweet stuff which ends on 11th Dec

And....if you check out the DT blogs there are more downloads up for grabs!

Enjoy!

Third post today!

Wow - my first ever Easel card - and ok, I own up, it was easy!  Followed one of the fabulous sets of instructions that are out there and it worked out just fine!

It's for my boy's teacher from last year who has just had a baby girl.  We saw the pics and she is just beautiful x.

You cant really see it in this photo but there are flashes of sakura tiara pens on the flowers, birds etc.  All the flowers were funky fairy and I think the image was Lili of the Valley - I received it as blog candy - YAY! 

OK - neeeed to go to bed now!  Too much crafting!  OK scrub that last line, you can NEVER have too much crafting lolx

Was so tired, I forgot to say that this is an entry in Crazy 4 Challenges and Saturday Challenge on the secret crafter blog which were to make an easel card.  It also fits the One Stop Craft Challenge which was to make a kids card. And also Stamp, scrap and doodle challenge which was to use special folds.
Ok - I am really finished now!  Night!

Second post today!

Really enjoyed making this little folder!  The instructions were to make it from a manilla folder but I kinda changed it a little and just made it from double sided card. 

It is meant to be closed by a ribbon but I have made it for my boy (who reads sooooo much) to use as a wishlist for books.  There was no way he was going to faff around with ribbon - not to mention how girly it would make him look!  Found a little clip that was used to clip baby shoes onto a little hanger!  Worked perfectly and even had a hole for the pencil - how lucky was that?  And the best thing, cos it was a pair of shoes....I have another clip left - yay!

More workshop goodies

Loved doing this - I still have problems getting things to look neat but am enjoying trying out so many different projects - still catching up with projects and havent done anything about todays one yet!

Image from Pollycraft.  Papers from Funky Fairy.  Flowers from stash (candy!)

Have just realised that this also fits into the Pollycraft challenge here which is anything but a card - yay!

And this is the other project - a little gift container!  How sweet...

Papers from Funky Fairy and "ribbon" from stash (candy again!)


Rx

Latest workshop offerings!

This is my keepsake box - decorated with liquid pearls and made with funky fairy papers

This is a mini album which matches the box I made on about day 2 or 3...sorry, all seems like a bit of a blur - havent done so much crafting in ages!

And I just love this bag!  Used Funky Fairy images - going to decorate this a bit more later but wanted to get the pics posted before I went to mother-in-laws

Quickie door signs

These are some quicky door signs - did one for Josh and his friend Frankie saw it and wanted one with South Park figures on it...did them in inkscape and then just laminated them - quick and easy.  The first one is our house address (not the hot chocolate!lol) but decided I didnt want everyone to know where I lived!

Oh bum - have put them up in the wrong order! This is yesterdays project - havent even started on todays! ---- just seen the time that should be - this is the day before yesterdays project, I havent started on yesterdays! How did it get to be sooooo late! Its 1.34am here - need to go to bed. The ribbon is at the side because the roof opens up so that you can put sweeties in or somesuch goodies! mmmmmm but because of the time, I ate all the sweeties! Nightynightnight x

Fairy Castle

This is another workshop project - gosh, we are certainly getting lots of fun things to make - and its really challenging me!

OMG this was a nightmare for me!
The paint I used to paint the edges smeared with the glue I used to glue the papers! I should have used spray stick stuff but didnt (didnt have any!).
I found it soooo hard to cut the chipboard evenly. Then I tried to put it together - but only had a setter to make the holes....hubby ended up coming and helping me do it when he came in from work this evening!
THEN I decorated it, went to take the pic and the glitter glue ran!!! LOL - was able to wipe it up and it didnt leave a mark...oh and after that I knocked the camera on the floor, went to put away the George Foreman, knocked that on the floor and broke the handle!

Have decided NOT to attempt the next project tonight - lol x

Day 4 Workshop results

This is my little tealight holder - looks lovely lit up....the "vellum" is actually wrap from some flowers my hubby bought me ages ago! See I knew I would use it for something! LOL x

more yummy stuff!

Carlyann over on Sweet n Crafty - has some massive candy....its HUGE - you gotta check it out.....go now! No Really - now! LOL x  Ends 1/1/10

Day3 cont....

This is the ornament from yesterday - got another project from then to do and also todays! Rx

Detail - Funky Fairy paper, made tissue flower (put button on top but you cant see it!) and gold star brad above "tassel"

Rx

Day 3

Well this is my little box....had internet problems all day (and was at work so hey!) so I didnt download the projects until this evening. The workshop has been fun so far, I read the instructions and think "I cant do that" but then I take them step by step and they work well.
What I am actually posting here is not all the projects we receive (I just dont have time to do them all LOL) - yesterday we also had an ornament and a beautiful fairy castle journal to make. And today we had the box, a little journal and a treat container. I will get round to doing them all over the next couple of weeks!

Day 2

There were 3 projects today - this is just one of them. Was working today and have to finish off something tonight so have only done this one today! Will hopefully do one of the others tomorrow - but then we have tomorrow's project to do then. I have to say, am learning loads and getting more confident by the day!

Funky Fairy's Workshop

Oh yes - what fun I have had today....it is day one of funky fairy's christmas workshop and we all got our first projects to do.....

the first pic is a little storage folder thingy - its not a great pic as it doesnt show you inside!!! The card was from Tesco!!! It was slightly glossy and good weight - double sided too! The image is Dustin Pike...didnt really know what I was going to use it for but liked it so I coloured it...you know how it goes! I think the original plan was for us to use a vintage Christmas photo on it and do it as a Christmas design but hey! I am going to use it to store my images that are coloured or waiting to be coloured.

The second one is a little photo box frame - its really sweet - the gorgeous guys inside are my brother in law and my son - not sure I should call my BIL gorgeous! LOL. Not sure its clear from the photo but the frame is about 1cm deep and the pic sits at the back of it - the aperture is covered with acetate. Really clever idea!
OK - thats it for now. Have to go and tidy up now!
Rx

Havering Reading Group

Have just added a little box at the bottom of my blog to promote our online reading group....well its not really a reading group as such....well not in the traditional way.
Ok, here's how it is - we dont all read one book at a time and have indepth conversations about it - I cant do this as I forget about the book too soon, get to the group and have nothing to say! Its a place where people can post comments about the books they have read recently.
Am now wondering whether a blog might be appropriate, but for now, its just a page on facebook. If you have facebook, please feel free to check it out - we could do with more members!

Rx

Halloween Treat Box

This is my halloween treat box - I found the template on the Martha Stewart website (linked to it from various other blogs, you know how it is!). Was playing around with it and decided to put hairy spiders legs on it (not sure why! LOL). And the image was from Robin's artful Musings Blog - it was a freebie and printed beautifully (thanks!). Decorated it with a couple of webs and the Boo! That was it - took a bit of thinking (think as I do!!) but could prob knock one out in about 20 mins now! Hubby wants to take it to work with him, Josh wants it filled with sweets (and just a swiftly emptied no doubt!) - I might take it to work with me! Actually, it will probably go to school with jelly beans in! The first picture is it creeping across the floor to my mum - she was horrified that I took a pic of her tatty slippers, she has to cut the sides to get her feet in! Have assured her that in the crafting world there is probably much worse than tatty slippers!

Am entering this into Saturdya Spotlight Hidden Potential Challenge - treat container.
Have also rather cheekily entered it into the Furry Friend Challenge on the Allsorts Challenge Blog! Well it is quite friendly and definitely furry!
And Cute Card Thursday Challenge - its for Candy Corns (we dont have them in UK!) but I looked at some of the projects and it looks like its all to do with sweeties! Sorry if I have got it wrong folks!
And finally, Kaboodle Blog's Spooky Challenge!

Rx

Get Sketchy Number 11 and Simon Says Get Well Card

I just love this image from Dustin Pike - used it for Josh's Get Well Card (his foot is much better thanks - final tally was broken big toe, broken middle toe and broken bone in foot - he is now back in school shoes, doing PE etc and will be riding tomorrow!).

This is a 2 challenge card. Simon Says Get Well Soon Challenge and the Get Sketchy follow a sketch Challenge. Found the sketch quite hard to follow (looked so easy LOL). http://getsketchy.blogspot.com/2009/10/gs-11.html - is the link for the sketch....and http://simonsaysstampschallenge.blogspot.com/2009/10/simon-says-get-well-soon.html is the link for the Simon Says Challenge.

The background paper is from Funky Fairy and the little smiley faces were real cheapy foam thingies! Image coloured with Whispers brush pens and Sharpies. Inked the edge of that and the sentiment and chalked them both up. OK all done for the night - Josh has friend over for a sleepover tonight so not expecting much sleep!

Night night (wishful thinking me thinks!)

Rx

Funky Fairy Challenge

Phew - only just in time! The Challenge was to Alter something! This was a twiglet tin that I was already using for pencils...have never altered anything and had to do this in a rush! Thats my excuses over with...oh apart from one more....it was my birthday recently and my son bought me the pom poms so I needed to use them on something!
Papers used were Funky Fairy - grrr - cant remember which set....eclectic lurve or the garden one? And of course the Funky Fairy!

New Job Card

Ok - can you tell I am behind on my cards???? Worked yesterday so just needed to finish a few bits off!

This is for my neighbour who starts her job today! YAY! The image is Dustin Pike - the papers are Funky Fairies (checked paper) and the other papers and ribbon come from my stash

Rx

Birthday Card

Just a quickie card for a friend of mine - had made another one and then couldnt find it! Luckily had this picture coloured on my table! Nicky is a difficult one as she doesnt like all the cutesie stuff - and isnt into flowers and such like! The image is Pollycraft Attitude, and the papers are from Funky Fairy - also the pouch thingy (which I will fill with something in a short while!)...they come from the cupcake range!

Bee Crafty Challenge Bookmark

This is my bookmark for the Bee Crafty Challenge - took it upstairs and it ended up in Josh's book straight away! He has a stash of books under his pillow and needs lots of bookmarks! Hubby has now asked for one - and I am a librarian so I suspect I may be making more of these! I deliberately didnt put a ribbon or tassel on as Josh didnt want one - "it'll look like you made it for a girl!"
Book image - Bee crafty free download - here the book bug is from Dustin Pike and the rest of the bits and bobs have been lurking for ages!

1 Card and 3 challenges!

Oh my gosh! Just finished this card, thinking that I was doing 2 challenges - and there was another blog challenge, opened it, read it - yippee my card fits that one too!

OK - Challenge 1 - Pollycraft - Black and White and one other colour (Red, in case you missed it!!!) http://pollycraftchallengeblog.blogspot.com/

Challenge 2 - is the Sketch and Stash Challenge - followed the sketch (rotated the rectangle) - new item is my Pollycraft Cherry Kisses digi stamp

Challenge 3 - Papertake Weekly - Fake it! I faked the stitching and also the "black lace" and flower at the bottom!

This is what I used - Black and red card from stash; image is Cherry Kisses Attitude (Pollycraft); shiny card from stash; swirly paper from Funky Fairy (free download!)

And Josh says "Thanks for all the kind thoughts - I feel like I am famous in Blogland and I'll do my best not to fall off the horse again!"

Get well card for my Joshua!

This is my get well card for Joshua after his fall off the horse! I actually made it because I wanted to enter Funky Fairy's tag card and also the Rosie-Dees Challenge (2 squares and a rectangle recipe!)....Josh saw me printing out the image (Dustin Pike) and just loved it, so I decided that, since I was looking for something to make for the challenges, that he could have it on a card. Love it when it works out that well!

Ok - background paper Funky Fairy (distressed)
- off cuts come from K&Co
- image - Dustin Pike (has a great deal on at the moment so I suspect we will see lots of his work around!)
- everything else from my stash

Please feel free to add comments

Rx

What a day and some blog candy

Wow - what a day! Did all the usual things this morning (washing, taking child to wing chun, picking up mum etc) then went with Josh (child) to riding. We ride at my friend's yard where I used to keep my horse (she died)....anyway, Josh was looking really good trotting up a hill towards me and a pheasant came out of the bushes and spooked the pony....Josh took a tumble but got his foot stuck in his stirrup - got dragged a little way.... lots of screaming (mostly from me! LOL) - he has got a broken toe and a poss break in his foot! 2.5 hours in casualty - then round to mother-in-law for a late tea. Phew, absolutely exhausted now!

Still came home to find some interesting blog candy - got to http://changeofheart56.blogspot.com/2009/09/its-my-birthday-and-ill-cry-if-i-want.html and check out Christine's birthday!

Rx

Christening Card - Bee Crafty Challenge

The top picture is my Christening card for Rachael Louise who is being Christened on Sunday. It is also my entry to Bee Crafty Challenge! The image is a digistamp from Pollycrafts - Cherry Kisses series. The papers are from Funky Fairy - the sentiments were from computer and the ribbons and stuff were from my stash - think the ribbon was used to tie something up!

The second picture is our dining table when I had finished - the crafting cupboard was even worse! Have to go and tidy up now.