December Birthdays

Dont we have enough to do without peeps having birthdays in December!!! Only joking, some of my best friends have birthdays in December so I really dont mind making cards for them!!! Here are a few I've been doing. This one is for my uncle, the text was done on my Cricut machine and the decoupage I've had for quite awhile.



This one is for my friend Kerry whose birthday is on Monday, the image was given to me by another friend, which I coloured in with my new watercolour pencils, but I didn't use water!!!




This is for a forum friend who will be 40 today, I used some new dufex decoupage that I got this week, I kinda guessed she might be having a tipple over the weekend!!!



I made a great card for my other friend but I forgot to scan it so I cant show you - sorry!

Anyway, thanks for looking xxx

Birthday Treat

A lovely person called Tracey will soon be 40 and to celebrate she is offering some candy here! Why not have a look xxx

Meow

I'm a bit late posting this on my blog as it was last weeks Pocket Challenge and the theme was pussycats :) I just couldn't get on line until today so better late than never I guess!!! Anyway here it is!



I do prefer the front to the inside - even though there aren't any pussycats on it, but its kind of pretty with the prima flowers on it.



The inside is ok in fact its nicer in the flesh but it just hasn't scanned very well - but I have to say I do love this cat stamp - I think she looks French, dont ask me why. Anyway, thanks for looking :)

Tie A Yellow Ribbon

Its the Sunday Stamper theme and a great song too! Below is a little atc that I made for this week's challenge (week 33 - can you believe it!). I used some Basic Grey paper, some yellow ribbon (yeah, really!!) and a fab Tim Holtz stamp - hope you like it and thanks for looking :)

Halloween Party

We had a great time last night at our local pub, as we all dressed up for a Halloween party! Well, I say all, Andy and Vinny didn't bother but then some might say they're scary enough anyway!!!

I went as some sort of bat witch type thing and Kelly went as a Black witch and we were lucky enough to win a bottle of champagne for our efforts - which was fab!!! We haven't drunk it yet but I guess it wont hang about for long!!!



By the end of the night everyone was drinking and dancing and having a great old time, Vinny even tried on my eyelashes, I think they suit him dont you?



Here are some more photos of peeps looking particularly gorgeous!!!









As you can see, it was a fun night - thanks for looking xxx

A gift for someone

I've made this little pocket for someone as a gift. Its another one of Sara's Surfaces which I have decorated with some papers and a lovely big Prima Flower and some ribbon. Inside I have put some stamped images which I hope she will find useful. Instead of scanning this I've used my camera so I hope it looks ok!

Purple Rain

What a fabby challenge Hels has set us today on the Sunday Stampers challenge - right up my street - for those of you who dont know, I love Prince, he's got to be one of the most telented musicians on the planet!!!! Anyway, the challenge is called `Purple Rain' and we have to use purple on our creations! I have decided to make a little pocket to keep my old Prince ticket in from the O2 concert that I went to last year.



I started by using one of the Sara's Surfaces which was a tall coin envelope which I covered with some Hot off The Press paper. I stamped a guitar image (inkadinkado) in Imperial Purple versafine ink and also the Rockstar text with the same. I used my Cricut to cut out Prince and also a bracket which I added to the front. I finished off by using a grunge board crown which I covered in the same ink, then added glossy accents over the top and sprinkled purple glitter on whilst it was still wet. My scanner hasn't done the colours justice, cus it is purple - honest!!!

A card made on my cricut!

My second card made on my new cricut machine! This is a card for a little girl I've never met but I heard from her grandad that she loves to craft so I got a few bits and bobs together for her to play with!

A thank you card

I made this quck thank you card for the lovely lady who sold me her cricut create machine. It was a bargain and I absolutely love it. Unfortunately I haven't played with it as much as I would have liked but I'm hoping to change that very soon!!!

Some more houses

I cannot believe I haven't blogged since August - where on earth does the time go? Anyway, I had to make 10 houses for a house swap that I joined in with and here are a few of my attempts! I know they don't look it, but they are all the same size!!!

A couple of birthday cards

Hello bloggers! I've been MIA for a bit but I've been so busy at work that I've not felt like doing much else except chilling out! Anyway, last night I had to make some birthday cards and so I thought I would blog them. They're not very creative but its a start isn't it!!!

The first one is for nan who will be 93 on Tuesday! We recently went to Egypt on holiday and we really loved it so thats why I got this Egyptian kit from QVC, it makes nice cards so I'm hoping nan will like this one!


















Then I have a friends birthday later in the week so I made this card using some Basic Grey `Perhaps' papers, silver mirri card and another one of those glossy, floral rub-ons, finishing off with some little sparkly accents. I then made a matching atc - hope she likes them !!!!!! Thanks for looking xxx

My First Ever House

There is a new swap on Hels Crafty Angels where we will be making houses to swap and then we will have our own little streets - what a lovely idea! Anyway, I was a bit nervous about joining in cus I'd never made a house before! I designed my own house template and then went from there. The first one I made went straight in the bin, it was really awful! Eventually I made this one, which has got the distress inks peeled paint, broken china and a touch of worn lipstick dabbed onto the background and I then went round the edges with my copper leafing pen. I used this lovely stamp from The Artistic Stamper as the main focal point and added a grungeboard crown to him. I then found this hand which was part of another stamp which I thought would be fun to put in the roof and looks like its trying to nick his crown!!! I really enjoyed making this house but I'm not sure about what to do for the next nine!!!!!!

In My Pocket - A Butterfly!

This weeks In My Pocket Challenge was to hide a butterfly! I was having a rummage in my craft room and found some papers that came free with a magazine so I thought I would use them to make this pocket. There were also some paper flowers and butterflys which I cut out and layered on the front flap. I also used some ribbon and a buckle to decorate the front.



Inside I used a Tim Holtz stamp on the top flap and then the rest was decorated with more flowers and of course the secret butterfly which is from the Stitchel collection! I love this pocket - I think its really pretty!! Hope you like it too!

Hula boy Andy

Andy'll go mad if he finds out I've put this here - but it is funny isn't it!!!!!

A Birthday Card

I made this card this afternoon for a friend's birthday which is in a couple of days. Its quite simple, as you can probably see, as I didn't feel like stamping today! So instead I used some new rub-ons that I got from QVC which are textured and glossy, a little different from the usual ones, sort of have a watercolour feel to them. I matted and layered using the K&Co Hannah papers and some silver mirri card. I'm pleased with the overall look and it didn't take took long at all - perfect! Hope you like it and thanks for looking!

I've got lurve in my pocket

This week on My Pocket Challenge is a love theme! I made this pocket using basic grey papers which I've had forever - but I do love them - honest!!! The two hearts on the front were stamped onto more basic grey using Hels own design of Stitchel stamps, the curly dot love heart, the detail on the flap is a Hot off The Press swirl stamp and the front is held closed with a big heart clip.



Inside I have made a couple more heart embelishments and then I've put my secret message, which is a Cats Life stamp, and if you cant read it, it says:

`Do you love me?' She whispered. He looked at her and kissed her...this time no words were needed.

very romantic! On the other flap I have stamped a Paper Artsy image, I think she looks like she has just been kissed and might be about to do something naughty! Hope you like it and thanks for looking xxx

Sunday Stampers - Games

This week on Sunday Stampers the challenge is `The Games People Play'. I decided to make a pocket as I really enjoy making these! I happen to have some game themed stamps which I haven't actually used yet - so they were perfect!



The front is a true replication of the colours but the inside seems a bit dark, I just dont know why this happens - but thanks for looking anyway!



Taken this one with my phone which is a little bit better!

Cute and Cuddly

Over on CSF there is a monthly rubber stamped ATC challege, and this month it is Cute and Cuddly! I made this very basic ATC using a Simon and Lola stamp and colouring the image in using Twinkling H2Os, then all I did was round off the corners - sorry its a bit wonky - its my scanner - or should I say its the person operating it!!!

Even more blog candy!!!!

I think everyone is in a very generous mood as I have just popped over to Lydia's blog and discovered there's even more blog candy up for grabs at the Funky Fairy. They are celebrating over 11,000 hits in just 4 months - an amazing achievement - well done :)

Ladies

I must admit I have been neglecting my Fat Book Lists on the Craft Swap Forum since I've got back from Egypt. However, last night I made a start on them, and I do feel better for doing that!

This is one I made using Hot off The Press papers and a lovely stamp by Hero Arts called `Intriguing Lady', which I inked up with an Adirondack `stained glass' ink pad. I finished off with a ribbon stapled to the edge - hope you like it :)

More Blog Candy!

My Sister Maria has had 5000 hits on her blog - thats brilliant Maria, well done!! Anyway, to celebrate Maria is offering some really scrummy blog candy, so please visit her blog here and have a peek.

In My Pocket Challenge

Hello!

Week 2 of the In My Pocket Challenge (here) and this week we're `coining it in'! Dont know what came over me but I've gone a bit morbid for this challenge!

I've used 7 Gypsies `morocco' paper to cover the front and I've put on a grungeboard skull and cross bones and then drawn in the gallows.



Then inside at the top I've used another 7 Gypsies paper to decorate it with and then printed the text `Money for Old Rope. Apparently this saying comes from the old days when there were public hangings. The hangman was supposed to keep the rope but apparently he used to cut it up and sell it to the crowd - nice!!! Anyway, I attached a bit of old rope (well, string!) and then below are my coins along with a very sad looking face! I said it was a bit morbid didn't I!!!!



Hope you like it and thanks for looking xxx

Blog Candy!

Karen has set up her own business called Kerudoc Création so to help celebrate this fact she is offering some lovely yummy candy, please take a look here! Good luck Karen.

I won an award!

I won this award yesterday from the lovely Shaz, thank you!

I now need to pass this award on.

The rules for this award:

1. The winner can put the logo on her blog.
2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs you've nominated.

So, my 7 nominated peeps are:

Rachel
Angela
Sam
Sheila
Fifi
Kazza
Tina

This Old Heart of Mine

Well over on The Sunday Stampers this week's challenge is to create something with a heart as the theme is This Old Heart of Mine! I spent hours in my craft room last night and it was a complete disaster - I knocked over a whole new pot of white embossing powder all over my dark blue carpet - what a nightmare!!!! Everything I tried to do went wrong - grrrrr! Anyway, I found a jigsaw piece that I had started to alter a few months ago so I decided to have a go at that instead! I covered it with various papers, stamped one of the sayings that I've got from my Cats Life stamp collection. Then I roughed up an old heart I had and stamped on that with a Paper Artsy stamp, added some gems and a paper flower and then finally used a dabber on one of my grungeboard flourishes! Hope you like it, I was quite pleased with it considering the nightmare I was having!!!!

My Birthday Surprise

I had a lovely surprise today, an unexpected parcel arrived and when I opened it I found the loveliest little atc box that Hels had decorated especially for my birthday - and that wasn't all - lurking inside were 2 gorgeous atcs. I was totally bowled over and it meant so much to me, so I want to share it with you, hope you like it as much as I do :) Thanks Hels, you're a star xxxx

In My Pocket

A new challenge was started this week by the lovely Hels called `in my pocket' (see here for more info).

Well as I've not done any crafting for about 3 weeks I really wanted to have a go at this! I thoroughly enjoyed making my little pocket, and am quite pleased with the result. I used some lovely papers from K & Co - the Hannah collection and various stamps and inks and a lovely little closure that I've had for a couple of years and never used! I added some pretty little paper flowers that a friend gave me for my birthday - and voila! Oh nearly forgot, I added the all important buttons which are hidden on the inside! Hope you like it!

Our holiday in Egypt

Well we had a fantastic 2 weeks in Egypt, even if it was extremely hot - I'm talking between 40 and 45 degrees every day - phew! We had one week cruising down the Nile which was a lovely experience but very hectic as we visited loads of places, in fact there was something to see every day! The cruise was made extra special as there was a lovely bunch of people on board and we made some great pals. Also I celebrated my birthday on board and they even made me a cake - how fab is that!





Every morning the guys who cleaned our cabin made sculptures out of the towels, they were lovely, especially the one they made on on my birthday!






I guess I should show you some piccies of the sites so I shall start of by showing a mumified crocodile!!!! I must admit, I wasn't expecting to see one of those!





One of the most amazing places we went to was Abu Simbel. We had to leave at 4.00am in the morning - well as they say, no pain no gain - all the coaches had to meet up and go as an armed convoy (I wasn't expecting that either!) but when we got there it was all worthwhile! The second picture shows Andy standing outside the temple for Nefetari.







Here are the colossi of memnon, The temple for Queen Hatshepsut and me standing outside Tutankhamon's tomb (I'm the one with the silly hat on!). We went inside but were not allowed to take photos but he was actually out of his coffin and on display with his head and feet showing - amazing but I felt a little disrespectful looking at him if you know what I mean.







The Valley of the Workers was my favourite place, although the tombs were a lot smaller they were so much more colourful with amazing, intricate paintings, almost as if they had been done that day! It was quite scary going down there as it was very claustrophobic but definitely worthwhile, again, I wasn't allowed to take photos so I cant share with you how beautiful it was, but if you ever go to Egypt, please visit the workers tombs, you wont be disappointed!

We saw some fantastic things at Luxor Temple and Karnak temple and also at Karnak museum, and I have taken plenty of photos but I dont want you all to get bored!

Finally we went up in a hot air balloon that took us over the Valley of the Kings, it was a first for us and truly an amazing experience!



Hope you've enjoyed looking at these photos, look forward to reading your comments!

Hugs
Karen xxx