House Mouse!

No card again today even though I did make one... it's my Auntie Jill's 60th birthday soon and she sometimes sees my blog, lol, so I can't upload the card.

Anyway... I was visiting some blogs of those people that leave comments after my posts, and came across a House Mouse challenge blog. I only possess one HM stamp, and I love it and of course want more of them.... Coleman's by me stock them. I have added a button just under the clock on this page, so you can go and have a look and see some of the stunning cards that are made with these stamps. I can see that HM stamps are going to be my next collection, lol.

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate...

Did I mention CHOCOLATE?

I mentioned at work today that I almost called for an ambulance during the early hours of Wednesday morning when Matthew had breathing problems, and I was asking who was on shift in A&E. I then got moaned at for not calling an ambulance because Matthew has a history of breathing problems and because he's been hospitalised for it before. So next time... I'll call for an ambulance. 

A card for Hannah.

Todays card is for a lady at works grand daughter. I love the Forever Friends new stamps, but wish I'd bought different paper packs - I bought the Christmas packs, but no Christmas stamps! Typical of me.

I used...

Stamp - Forever Friends.

Papers from stash can't remember make.

Ribbons from pound shop.

Prima flowers.

Gems from Let's Make Cards magazine, and two Kanban jewels.

Cricut Storybook cartridge for the lettering and numbers. 

Prismacolors for colouring.

Cheryl came over last night with a big box of craft stuff, and two little tool box type cases for me if I wanted it. It had been given to someone at work who works for the council and they were chucking it out, so he wanted £20 for it, lol. Matthew immediately took one of the tool boxes as it contained childrens crafty bits, and after Cheryl had left, I had a good rootle through the other boxes. There was tons of stuff... but not what I'd use. Lots of rubber stamps... but they were handbags and fashion type things, so I decided not to keep it, and offered a fiver for Matthew's box that he wanted. 

Matthew has gone back to school today. He is fine again now. Thanks for all the good wishes from those of you that left comments here. 

It was Tescos as usual this morning with dad and Darryl. Just as we were leaving our street, we came across a squashed hedgehog in the road... it may have been Spike... awww.

Cuddly Buddly, Charley with Sal.

Here is todays card. The colours never seem to show as they really are on the card... nevermind.

Anyway... I used...

Stamp - Cuddly Buddly's Charley with Sal, and Cuddly Buddly's circle greetings stamp.

Cardstock - Bazzill, K & Co Mira collection patterned paper.

Pink gems were from the one issue of Let's Make Cards I bought a while back, as was the little paper flower with gemstone on the top left.

I used the Cricut Expressions Storybook cartridge for the scalloped ovals and the little butterfly decoration on the top right.

I used a cuttlebug embossing folder in my sizzix.

Ribbon from stash.

Coloured with Prismacolor's.

I have taken Matthew to the doctors, and after a few tests, the doctor reckons that Matthew still has a tendancy to get croup, but also gave us a Ventolin inhaler to try next time just in case it is asthma... so there you go... found out nothing new really, lol! I suppose the only thing is that at least it's on record that he still has these breathing problems.

We still have Tom here, and it's been quite noisy here, and we'll also have Abby here later, so it's a roast chicken dinner, with the odd sausage thrown in as well, lol.

No card today due to...

Matthew being off school due to what I think was an asthma attack in the night, so then he got today off school.

When he was about 2 and a half years old he had a problem breathing which came out of the blue as far as I'm aware. He had to work really hard breathing in and out and was in hospital for one night, then sent home, only to be back in for another two days a day later. He was put on nebulizers and oxygen but the nebulizer didn't seem to do anything. The oxygen put his levels back up from 89 to 99/100%. Anyway, he was sent home from hospital and we were none the wiser as to what had happened.

Since that time, every year (he's now 7) he has these breathing problems a couple of times a year. Last night he went to bed as usual at 9pm and sounded a little bit "croupy" after coughing a couple of times. Within half an hour he was up out of bed having trouble breathing but managed to settle enough to get to sleep. At around 2am his breathing worsened (he had been wheezy all the time when he was asleep), and he couldn't speak a sentence, just words here and there and his chest and throat were going in with each breath. He then threw up. It took around another half an hour for his breathing to improve enough for him to sleep.

Today he's been ok, his voice is a little wispy, but other than that he's fine today. So we'll see what the doctors say tomorrow.

We went to dads for dinner - chops, gorgeous! They were lovely and soft, lol. Dad had to get the results of a blood test today, and his potassium is half what it should be... so plenty of bananas for you dad!

Darryl has his old school friend, Tom, staying tonight. They'd gone to the cinema to get the 6.15pm showing of Grease but it was full, so we had to pick him up on the way back home from dad's and they're booked in to the 8.45pm showing. They just had pizza delivered!

Oh, my Cuddly Buddly stamps came today. I got Peace on Earth (cat with mouse and Christmas pud), then a little girl with a cat, and I think a boy with a dog, but I can't remember all the names off hand... I have stamped them, but not coloured them so far.

Charming! A Spoon Full of Sugar Challenge 18.

This weeks challenge over at A Spoon Full of Sugar challenge blog is to make a card with a charm or to use a charming character, and I think I've covered both here. Not sure what I'll use this card for yet... maybe next years Valentines card?

I bought this stamp this morning along with two other Forever Friends stamps. The shop had had to wait ages for the order of the new stamps to arrive. I've used the other stamps this morning as well, and I've coloured them. I will probably make cards out of them tomorrow, so you'll have to wait and see.

Stamp - Forever Friends & Anna Griffin sentiment stamp.

Bazzill cardstock.

Organza ribbon, key charm.

Kanban jewels.

Prima flowers.

Hello Friend!

My new Nestabilities ovals came today, they took a week to come from America. I got them from Cut at Home, so I thought I'd use them on this card. The photo doesn't show off the colours as vibrant as they are in real life.

Stamp - Magnolia Tilda relaxing.

Papers - Dovecraft

Prima flowers

Kanban jewels

Ribbons from stash and various card

Butterfly swirl cut with Cricut Expressions as were the rectangle scalloped layers

Coloured with Prismacolors pencils

Heart charm from pound shop.

Work was ok at the weekend. Cheryl wasn't hungover either day! Woohoooo, that's always a bonus. I've decided to give her and her husband the Christmas card from the post below and have added their names to two of the little parcels.

We have Abby over later tonight when she's finished college for the day so that's Darryl up in his room for most of the time, lol.

I can't believe it's already midday! I've only made one card and the time has flown by. I'm always surprised about how much mess is made from making just one solitary card... I need a piece of card from that box, papers from that box, bits and pieces from that one... the Cricut out of the box, the Sizzix to use the nestablities... never ending!

OooOOooOo, just had an email from Cuddly Buddly to say that my three stamps have been dispatched!!!! Hopefully they will be here tomorrow.

Another Christmas card as well!

I had great fun with this card. I'm going great guns at the moment, that's two cards made today! See post below for the other card.
I used...
Stamps - Magnolia Santa, Cuddly Buddly circle greeting
Papers - Dovecraft Contemporary
Kanban jewels
Anita's Christmas ribbon
Hand punched holly
Cricut cut scalloped circle
Prismacolor's pencils
Anita's snow writer and glamour dust for sparkle on Santa's hat, beard etc.
Little silver Santa bells.

Friday Sketchers!

This is my entry for the Friday Sketchers challenge for this week. It's the first time I've entered a sketch challenge as well. I'm on a roll this week! Check out their blog and enter a card too!
I used...
Stamps - Magnolia Tilda (not sure of correct name), Cuddly Buddly circle stamp
Bazzill cardstock
Dovecraft embossed paper
Prima flowers
Kanban jewels
Cricut cut scalloped circle mat.
Prismacolor pencils, and Sakura pens.

We had a little visitor.

Tonight we had a tiny visitor, a hedgehog! The dogs were puffing away at the back door, so Justin got up to let them out, and spotted the hedgehog. I have no idea how they get into the garden as it would be very difficult for him to fit underneath the back gate. I've nicknamed him Spike, what do you think?!

A Spoon full of Sugar Challenge 17!

This is my first attempt at a challenge!! I'm always visiting A Spoonfull of Sugar blog but never joined in... well plus, I've only got back into rubber stamping about a month ago. Anyway, here's my card. Head on over to their blog and join in the fun!!

I used...

Stamps - Magnolia Christmas Edwin, and Cuddly Buddly Christmas greetings circle stamp.

Papers - Trimcraft and Bazzill.

Punched holly with Kanban jewels. Cricut Expressions cut scalloped edge of greeting.

Anita's snow writer and glamour dust for the snow and fur on hat.

Coloured with Prismacolor Premier pencils.

A blue Christmas card for Tiffany.

Above is a card I've made for one of my supervisor's grand daughter Tiffany. I was asked a few weeks ago to make one for her, then I got an order for about 6 more cards!

Anyway, here's what I used...

Stamp - Magnolia Edwin's Snowman

Papers - Dovecraft 

Snowflake punched white glitter card.

Snow made by using Anita's Snow writer and glamour dust to make it sparkle.

Coloured with Prismacolors.

And to show I've been practising my colouring. This is much better in the "flesh". His face is the best I've managed so far! I used Prismacolors, but instead of adding the cheek colour straight from the pencil and then blending, I used the sansodor wet paper stump directly onto the pencil and then lightly coloured his rosy cheeks... exept the camera didn't pick this up at all really.

Other news.

Darryl and Abby went to London last night, firstly for a meal at Planet Hollywood in Piccadilly Circus, and then to see the stage show of Monty Python's Spamalot. They had a great time! They'd bought a bargain package - a meal and the theatre for £20, although they paid more for the meal as Darryl bought something else as well. He said that the meal was fantastic even at the budget price. They were supposed to be sitting in the balcony seats, but they'd been changed to the best seats in the dress circle which should have cost £55! Darryl seems to have all the luck, lol.

Tonight they're going to put chocolate butter icing on top of an already iced shop bought birthday cake... I think we're all going to feel a bit sick later...

Richard Wright dies...

...aged 65.

Founder of Pink Floyd.

Click here for the news story.

Rest in Peace.

Orange Tilda!!

Here is my Tilda for tonight! I scanned this image, which I'm not happy with. I did take a photo of it, but then the camera battery went flat! She looks like she has a mucky face, lol.

Papers were Bazzill and K & Co Mira collection.

Prima flowers.

Kanban jewels.

Cricut Expressions, Storybook cartridge for the flowery red embellishments at the bottom.

Coloured with Prismacolors.

Blue Tilda.

I've been playing with my new Tilda stamp and my Cricut Expressions Storybook today. It took me almost 2 hours to create this!

I used the Cricut to cut the scalloped ovals, and the corner embellishment. Papers were Venetian collection by Papermania. Kanban jewels. Prima bitty bag flowers. Colouring with Prismacolor pencils.

The cheeks went slightly wrong... I'd used my face colour water colour pencil, everything fine, then I added the pink cheeks with the Prima's... but it didn't seem to like it when I added the Sansador ontop of water from using the watercolour pencil... oh dear... oh well, we live and learn. Since uploading however, I have added a blended blue edge to the white oval, and Tilda is now standing on a grassy green bit!! I always seem to have a fiddle with a card after uploading it... I should learn to wait.

I also got a couple more bargains for cake making today in Tesco's. This time it was sugar flowers and hundreds and thousands. I don't know whether Supercook are changing all their cake decorations, but they're selling them off really fast!

Darryl bought a new album today, Melody, by Sharleen Spiteri. It's excellent. If you love the sixties sound and a bit of Northern Soul, then you'll love this album. I've already copied it onto the hard drive of the new hifi... and I've played the whole thing 4 times so far today, I can't get enough!! Have a listen! I don't think you can hear them if you're using the new Google Chrome browser though...

Words to Francoise by Sharleen Spiteri...
(And they reckoned the lyrics from the 80's songs made no sense...! Feel free to leave a comment to explain these lyrics to me... song is gorgeous though!)

I, what did i say
Cause i, cant remember your name
And breathe...
And i, dont know what you once said,
And now, look what you do,
Im free...
To say, what you wanted was mine
Not free, dont stop its the end,
Im tired... of it,
But not to ones self,

A place, i couldnt change,
Theres more, its hard to explain,
For me...
So smile, theres no time to reflect,
To fall, from secrets like these,
Im free...
To say, what you wanted was mine,
Not free, dont stop its the end,
Im tired....of it

But not to ones self, im tired of it
But not to ones self...

[instrumental]

To say, what you wanted was mine,
Not free, dont stop its the end,
Im tired....of it,
But not to ones self, im tired of it
But not to ones self......

Fanny Craddock!

That's me! Tonight I have made a mouth watering sultana and cherry fruit loaf, it is smelling delicious in my lounge. I wonder what I'll make next? My cousin made a blackberry and cinnamon cake yesterday, sounds wonderful, so I want the recipe from her!

I've decided that next week I'm REALLY going to have a play with my rubber stamps and make some cards. I want to make some Christmas cards using my lovely Tilda stamps, and my Edwin and his snowman. 

Shell's making me jealous. Her Autumn Magnolia stamp club stamps turned up today, and they're gorgeous... I WANT THEM! They are now taking orders for the Christmas stamps. 

Prismacolor's

Well this is my first attempt with Prismacolor Premier pencils. They're oil based and you need a paint thinner to blend them. I didn't blend any colours, just kind of blended in the only colour, lol, but I'm liking them very much. They're lovely pencils to use, very smooth and glide perfectly. I'm using Sansodor artists paint thinner. Anyway, I think I did ok for the first go... well, apart from the face!!! LOL!

Storybook...

My Cricut cartridge, Storybook, came this morning and I'm in love with it already. It is amazing! I have cut out the most gorgeous leafy panel for a background, some gorgeous climbing leaves, some oval mats... oooohhhh, it's the best cartridge yet!! Anyone contemplating getting this cartridge, stop! Just get it, you won't be disappointed. 

I keep looking at the cards Bev makes over on All the things I love blog... they are stunning. Try as I might to replicate one of them, I can't... must try harder!!

We went to dads after picking up Matthew from school today, and we had a lovely roast pork dinner. Dad gave Matthew lots of coppers (bronze money for those not a Brit, lol), so he put them in the copper tub that we have at home. We save them and 5p's all year and end up with around £40 by Christmas, and it normally buys the chocolates/sweets/nibbles for the festive period. 

I did visit Sainsbury's again this morning and picked up another ten tubs of the little cake decorations. Angelica - 9p! I still have no idea why they're so cheap as they're all well in date. I also bought some glace cherries and saltanas, and will use them to make a fruit loaf. I bought a electric hand mixer for under a fiver as well! I am tempted to make my own Christmas cake again... I say again, I've only ever made one once and that was about 14 years ago. I made an 8 inch square one and it must of had quarter of a bottle of brandy putting in it over a period of 4 months - I made it mid September! My friend Elaine came over, she had also made her own cake, as had her friend Carol. Elaine said that my cake was the best she'd tasted, and I believe her, it was so moist (all that brandy in it!) and just yum! I did cheat with the icing though... I bought roll out marzipan and roll out soft white icing, and covered it in a ton of Christmas decorations. I'll have to hunt out a photo of it to show you.

"They", Justin and Darryl, are watching The Sarah Connor Chronicles on Blu Ray... zzzzzzzz... we had the football on earlier, and England beat Croatia 3-0. I'm beginning to get tired now but will probably stay up until this next episode of Sarah is finished. Tomorrow, hopefully, my Prismacolor pencils will arrive. I'm also going back to Sainsbury's, but this time to buy some food colourings so I can make pretty coloured butter icing, lol.

Fridge pickers wear bigger knickers.

Fairy cakes!

Matthew with a slightly strange grin... lol

This evening we have been making fairy cakes! It's cheaper to buy them ready made! As luck had it, I had already got some icing sugar, so that saved a quid. All of the "embellishments" like the jellies and sprinkles, Sainsbury's are selling them at 12p and 19p! I bought four tubs, but might get some more tomorrow.

Matthew had fun making them and licking out the bowls. It was a joint effort, Justin was doing most of the mixing and Matthew added the sweets. They tasted lovely!

EDIT 10th September - of course they're not Fairy cakes!! They're Butterfly cakes!!!!

Shock, horror, no updates!

I know, sorry, I've not been a good blogger just lately. I've not really done much of anything. I haven't made a card or a scrapbook page, or done any cross stitching...
Work was busy! Cheryl was obnoxious for the first half an hour and we had a row going along the ramp. She'd calmed down ten minutes later and we had a good laugh.
Sunday night I watched Ghost Hunting with Paul O'Grady and Friends. They visited the King Capuchin's Catacombs in Palermo,Italy
click the link to see lots of photos, paying particular attention to "Sleeping Beauty". More pics are here. I then got on to reading about Saint Bernadette... reading how after being buried for 30 years, her liver was almost the same as if she was alive. Quite fascinating stuff.

So... Paula's got me buying Prismacolor pencils now... they should be here in a couple of days, and while I was in the buying mood on Ebay, I put an offer in for the gorgeous Storybook Cricut cartridge. I've loved it ever since I saw previews of it 2 or so months ago... my offer was accepted and hopefully I'll also get that in a couple of days as well, wooohoooooooooo. I now need to do some serious playing while Matthew is at school!! Paula, I wish you could just come round to play girl!

Credit crunch?? Eh???

That's the weekend over...

Work was ok at the weekend. Cheryl had a hangover yesterday and it took her most of the day to get over it. I really couldn't do that every weekend. She says it's not every weekend, lol, but I say different.
I reinstalled my Sims 2 games onto my laptop and have been happily watching them get to know each other. I made a little bungalow similar to Justin's dads, and made a little character like Justin and called him Jusstin Castell... sad I know, lol. Jusstin also had a dog just like our Abby.
I've no pictures of any new cards to show you, so here's just a couple from our holiday.

Me and Matthew eating at Paddington Station. (I was relieved to have got off the tubes!)

Three nutters on Woolacombe Bay Beach. (I had to buy the hat coz the sun was in my eyes and I'd left my sunglasses back at Steve and Joans!)