Allsorts # 140, Cute Card Thursday # 202, Craft Us Crazy # 20 and Papertake Weekly

Started this card on Sunday but am only getting it finished this morning. 

Hollie went on a residential trip with the school on Monday morning and won't be back until Thursday afternoon.  Although the place where they are going is only about 10-12 miles away (Woodhall, Kilrea), it is the first time Hollie has been away from home. She said part of her wanted to go and part of her didn't but she got packed on Sunday and went smiling to school on Monday.  They are not allowed to have any contact with home while they are away, this was annoying Hollie, so I packed her an old mobile that we had and told her if she used it not to get caught.  She rang on Tuesday morning and so far so good.  Up until midnight chatting and enjoyed the activities on Monday - forest walk and a maze.  She said they were going orienteering on Tuesday and then canoeing on Wednesday. House is so quiet without her.  Thought I would try and craft while she was away, as I wouldn't have to do homeworks etc. and would have a bit more free time but I am used to her crafting with me, and it makes me miss her even more.  Roll on Thursday to have her home again. She doesn't have to go to school on Friday and then she is off for a week for half term and it is also her 10th birthday on Valentine's Day and she wants to go ice skating and out for dinner.  

I am entering my card into four challenges:-

Allsorts # 140 - Free and Easy February - Part 1
Cute Card Thursday # 202 - Buttons and Bows
Craft Us Crazy # 20 - Anything Goes - (2nd entry)
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

I made this card for my brothers daughter who is one today.

Cardblank - Craftwork Cards
Cardstock and Ribbon - Local craft shop 
Patterned Paper - Echo Park
Pearls - Mei Flower
Buttons from stash
Image - Sugar Nellie
Coloured with Distress Inks

Thought I would mention that Hollie got a special mention on Saturday on A Gem of A Challenge for the card she entered into challenge 38.  She was so pleased and smiled about it all day.

Thanks for popping by, hopefully get round to visit later before I go the Girls Brigade.

Papertake Weekly, Flutterby Wednesday # 188, Craft Us Crazy # 20 and Pollycraft Monday # 125

Can't believe I got a chance to make another card.  Thought I would try using Pippi Longstockings from Sugar Nellie again. 

I am entering my card into four challenges :-

Papertake Weekly - Follow Sketch
Flutter by Wednesday # 188 - Open with fairy, angel or butterfly
Craft Us Crazy # 20 - Anything Goes
Pollycraft Monday # 125 - Favourite Things - Love these My Minds Eye Papers and think this image has now become a favourite too.

Cardblank - Craftwork Cards
Cardstock- Paper Mill
Patterned Papers - My Minds Eye
Image - Sugar Nellie
Coloured with Distress Inks
Ice Stickles
Stickles
Card Candy (white and then coloured with distress inks to match image)
Ribbon from stash - think it is really appropriate as it took me a long time to make my mind up about this image, now I love her.
Flower - Sissix - forgot I had this die, found it when I was tidying my craft shelves

Thanks for popping by and I appreciate you visiting my blog and leaving me comments.

Sketch Saturday # 164, Kenny K's Krafty Girlz Challenge, Allsorts # 112, Craft Us Crazy # 13

Got some cleaning done and got another card made.  Like how this card turned out, which isn't that often for me.  Love these images but I am always scared to colour them as there are so many gorgeous cards in blogland with them.

I am entering my card into four challenges:-

Sketch Saturday # 164 - Follow Sketch (turned it on its side)
Kenny K's Krafty Girlz Challenge - Anything Goes plus Blog Hop
Allsorts # 112 - Free and Easy (2nd entry)
Craft Us Crazy # 13 - Anything Goes

Cardblank - Craftwork Cards
Cardstock - Paper Mill
Patterned Paper - My Minds Eye
Image - Whimsy Stamps - Kenny K
Coloured with Distress Inks
Gems- Mei Flower
Sentiment - Whimsy Stamps (had to cut this out freehand as I can't remember where I put the die for it.  Left it somewhere for safekeeping until I found out how you used it and can't remember where)
Ribbon - Local craft shop

Thanks for popping by, off now to link up and comment on the blog hop.  I hope the weather gets better as it is our international youth football tournament (The Milk Cup) next week and there is nothing worse than taking the girls and watching it in the rain. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Lily of the Valley # 104, Moving Along With The Times # 106, Craft Us Crazy # 12

Another card or rather two from me tonight. 

I am entering my card into three challenges :-

Craft Us Crazy # 12 - Christmas in July
Lily of the Valley # 104 - Sketch
Moving Along With The Times # 106 - Christmas in July

Cardblank - Craftwork Cards

Cardstock - Paper Mill

Patterned Papers - Papermania

Image - LOTV

Coloured with Distress Inks

Stickles

Gems - Mei Flower

Stars - Baking Cutters

When I make a Christmas card, I like to make two, as it helps for when Christmas comes around. I couldn't make these the same as there was only one sheet of each paper in this pack but in four different colourways.  So I used two of the colourways and I like how they look different  but have the same elements.

Thanks for popping by and I hope you have a good weekend.

Papertake Weekly, Stampavie and More # 146, Craft Us Crazy # 11 and Kenny K's Krafty Challenge # 51

Just a quick post from me this morning as taking the girls to get their hairs cut now that they have finished school and if it stays dry long enough, hoping to get the grass cut when I get back.

 I am entering my card into four challenges ; -

Papertake Weekly - Follow Sketch
Stampavie and More # 146 - More than three layers
Craft Us Crazy # 11 - Red, White and Blue and/or summer (didn't do summer)
Kenny K's Krafty Challenge # 51 - Hooray for Red, White and Blue (first time entering this challenge)

 

Cardblank - Craftwork Cards

Cardstock - Paper Mill

Patterned Paper - Echo Park

Woodware Flower Punch

Gems - Mei Flower

Sentiment - Whimsy

Image - Kenny K's

Coloured with Distress Inks

Thanks for popping by, it is always appreciated.  Still have a couple of more blogs to catch up on, so is I haven't got round to you yet, hopefully will later tonight. Apologies again for not visiting sooner. 

A Gem of a Challenge # 21, A Spoonfull of Sugar # 152, Craft Us Crazy # 8, Dream Valley # 7, Moving Along With The Times # 99, Papertake Weekly

Got a chance to make a card this morning as I didn't see much point starting housework, etc when Shannon was only in school for 2 hours or so for her AS English Literature exam. She had her Spanish and French orals last week and her Spanish AS written exam is this Wednesday.

I am entering my card into six challenges:-

A Gem of a Challenge # 21 - Aqua, Lemon and Pink
A Spoonfull of Sugar # 152 - Anything Goes (too late)
Craft Us Crazy # 8 - Something New or Favourite Embellishments - Papers are one of my most recent set and the woodware punches are my favourite flowers
Dream Valley # 7 - Dig out the old to use with the new - Papers - New - Image Old
Moving Along With The Times # 99 - Sketch
Papertake Weekly - Bloom & Grow - Use flowers or Molly Bloom image - Flowers
Hope my card is suitable for these challenges

Have put in these two photos as wasn't sure which one was better

Inside of card

Cardblank - Craftwork Cards
Papers - Dovecraft
Image - Pink Gem
Coloured with Distress Inks
Sentiment - Pink Gem
Pearls - Mei Flower
Woodware Punches

Tried to distress the edges again with my blender sponge but smudged the flowers by accident.  Not really happy with this card but at least its a start at making them again.

Have been really busy this last week or so as it had been our local road races - North West 200 - and we are either out at the practice racing sessions or at the pitts during the week.  Race day was on Saturday and was a disaster. Weather played a large part in it as it was really wet and isn't safe for the riders.  We were on one of the grandstands at the paddocks and got soaked.  First race went very well and Hollie was cheering her favourite rider on - Cameron Donald - he finished second and she was really chuffed.  Wasn't able to see him this year as everytime she went round to his paddock stand he wasn't there, so she was disappointed.  What happened next you couldn't have predicted - an announcement to say due to circumstances beyond their control, could everyone please leave the paddocks - security alert.  This was at 12.15pm and they said racing would commence again at 1pm.  You couldn't really check and make a large area safe in 45 mins.  Racing was held up indefinitely and it just got wetter and wetter.  Time for home.  Watched the rest on the red button on the tv.  No more racing, when they had a practice lap, a bike was leaking oil and it wasn't safe.  They tried to clean it up but it was just made worse as it was only resurfaced recently.  Should have been called off long before 5.30pm.  Felt sorry for the riders as they sat on the grid all afternoon wanting to race.  Spectators waited but ended up going home after  seeing no more racing.  Really disappointed in the whole event this year. Even before race day it lacked atmosphere, etc. Here are a couple of photographs which I got on Friday night.

William Dunlop and Hollie

Michael Dunlop and Hollie.  Both brothers but race for different teams

Gary Johnston and Hollie

Adrian Archibald and his son with Hollie

Apart from the racing, this is one of our favourite things to do, spot the riders and get photographs and autographs.

Anyway, sorry for the long post and if you are not interested in road racing.  Thanks for popping by and I hope you have escaped the weather we are having.  Today showery with very strong gales.

Craft Us Crazy # 7, Dream Valley # 6, Pollycraft Monday # 91, Papertake Weekly and Sketch Saturday # 153

Just a quick post tonight as I am watching the football match.  At the minute it is two nil to Man United.  What a final it will be if it is Man United and Barcelona. Knew I wouldn't be able to craft tonight so made this card earlier today after doing a lot of bookwork for hubby as it is the vat quarter and end of year accounts.

I am entering my card into five challenges:-

Craft Us Crazy # 7 - Flowers or Mothers Day - (went for flowers - hope the flowers on the papers and image and new spellbinder die count)
Dream Valley # 6 - Flowers - (again hope flowers on papers and image and spellbinder die count)
Pollycraft Monday # 91 - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Sketch Saturday # 153 - Follow Sketch

Sorry for the poor quality of the photos, think I left it too late to take the photo.  Have put them on as large size as Katina asked me to do this.  Not sure about the size as I think a lot more of my flaws will show up.

Cardblank - Craftwork Cards
Cardstock - Bazzill
Patterned Paper - My Minds Eye (free with magazine)
Pearls - Mei Flower
Image - Stampavie - Sarah Kay
Coloured with Distress Inks
Spellbinders - Flower Doily and Motifs Die
Ribbon - Amercian Crafts

Sponged around the image in blue distress ink to soften it a little and quite like the effect.

Thanks for popping by, hope you are still enjoying this gorgeous weather although we have rain forecast for tomorrow.  Off to watch the second half of the match and then collect Shannon from work at 9.30pm.

Sketch Saturday # 152, Simon Says Stamp, Stampavie and More # 139, A Gem of a Challenge # 19, Craft Us Crazy # 6

Just a quick post from me today.  Isn't the weather beautiful.  Not often the girls are off school and have good weather.  Lets just hope this is not our summer. 

Got a chance to make a card last night while watching Holby and between taxi runs for my daughter Sophie who was watching a football match for U16's.  More likely the boys she was watching and not the game.

I am entering my card into five challenges :-

Sketch Saturday # 152 - Follow Sketch - (left off sentiment and put it inside instead)
Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes
Stampavie and More # 13 - Pearls
A Gem of a Challenge # 19 - Pearls and Swirls
Craft Us Crazy # 6 - Thinking of You with sentiment and/or animals (didn't use animals)

Cardblank - Craftwork Cards
Cardstock - Paper Mill
Patterned Paper - Echo Park
Woodware Punch
Swirl - Marianne Design
Pearls - Mei Flower
Image - Stamapvie - Sarah Kay
Coloured with Distress Inks

Off now to make Shannon some tea before she goes to work.  She is not getting to enjoy much of the sunshine between working and revising for her AS levels.

Thanks for popping by and your comments are very much appreciated.

Craft Us Crazy # 5, Simon Says Stamp Challenge, Papertake Weekly, Allsorts Challenge # 97 and Pollycraft Monday Challenge # 87

Again haven't had much time for crafting this week.
As Shannon and Sophie had a disagreement on Sunday, I went to the McFly concert with Shannon.  I have seen them before and wasn't that bothered about it but they were actually very good. They also had two very good support acts, City Stereo and That Sunday Feeling. 
Westlife concert was last night and as usual it was very good.  Think that was maybe my eleventh time seeing them. Sad or what.  Well that is concerts now until June thankfully so get a break from driving to Belfast as it is 60 mile there and back.  Although the craft show is next weekend so will possibly have to go to that.

Anyway onto my card:-
I am entering my card into five challenges:-

Craft Us Crazy # 5 - Spring/Easter
Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Spring Colours/Easter
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes (didn't do optional extra of using something new)
Allsorts Challenge # 97 - Blooming Blossoms (hope the flowers on image, paper and MS border count as well as the punched flowers)
Pollycraft Monday Challenge # 87 - Use an old/neglected stamp/image (used one of the first Pink Gem images I bought)

Cardblank - Craftwork Cards
Cardstock and Patterned Paper - Doodlebug
Image - Pink Gem
Coloured with Distress Inks
Woodware Punches
Martha Stewart Deep Edge Punch
Sentiment - free with magazine
Gems- Meiflower

Just noticed I forgot to colour the butterfly.

Thanks for popping by and visiting, it is much appreciated.  Must go and get Hollie now as she is finishing early for the next few days for parent interviews, mine is on Tuesday and then  the girls all finish next Friday for Easter.

Friday Sketchers # 144, Craft Us Crazy # 3 and Cute Card Thursday # 154

Another quick post as I am heading out to do the school runs and then life kind of takes over until bedtime and I won't get a chance to post.

Had a good time ice-skating on Sunday although I didn't go on the ice but the girls and hubby enjoyed it and then we went over to Ikea.  Well there is not much point going up to Belfast and not stopping by.  Now that Shannon and Sophie are older they have been wanting full length mirrors in their rooms.  Got two in Ikeas sale, so two happy girls and then out for dinner on our way home. 

I made this card last night as I was waiting for Shannon coming home around midnight.  She was at The Script concert with her friends and our friends daughter was driving so we didn't have to take her up.  Worried about them on their way up and way down but they had a great night and Shannon said the concert was amazing, one of the best she has been to.

Anyway onto my card, I am entering it into three challenges:-

Friday Sketchers # 144 - Sketch
Cute Card Thursday # 154 - Signs of Spring (I know my colours are maybe more Autumn but hopefully the image and flowers and butterfly with count)
Craft Us Crazy # 3 - Nature (Again, hope the flowers and butterfly count)

Cardblank - Craftwork Cards
Cardstock - Paper Mill
Patterned Paper - Echo Park (definitely one of my favourite companies as their papers are always very versatile and colourful)
Martha Stewart Punch
Woodware Punch
Gems - Mei Flower
Butterfly - K & Co Grand Adhesions
Image - Sugar Nellie
Coloured with Distress Inks
Sentiment - Computer Generated

Thanks for popping by.  Rain has arrived this afternoon after it being nice and springlike for a few days. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Papertake Weekly # 53, Winter Wonderland and Craft Us Crazy # 2

Well I have finally got the chance to make a card tonight.  I have had a very stressful two weeks.  Have been helping hubby with orders in the shop, doing my dads accounts and doing the vat quarter for my hubby's accounts.  There has also been a lot of hassle with BT for the new shop but we got it finally opened on Monday, phone line in yesterday but have to wait for 5 days for broadband even though the order was placed on 4th February and were told it would take 10 days.  Who would have thought that a flood caused by a shop next door over Christmas would cause this much hassle and put us out of business for over two months and have to relocate premises. Just glad things are getting back to some sort of normality.

I am entering this card into three challenges:-

Papertake Weekly # 53- Follow Sketch
Winter Wonderland - Include an animal (also must be a Christmas card)
Craft Us Crazy # 2 - Brrr It's Cold Outside 

I know it seems odd to make a Christmas card now but you are never to early to start, so I made two.

Sorry for the poor quality.  As I was taking the photograph the table collapsed and one of the legs fell off.  It has been a bit loose and had asked hubby to re-glue it but he has just been so busy.  It is glued now and hopefully will be set for tomorrow or there will be no Sunday dinner.

Both of the insides are different as I ran out of paper.  I only had one sheet of each .

Cardblank - Craftwork Cards
Patterned Papers - My Minds Eye
Cardstock - Die Cuts With a View
Image - Stampavie
Coloured with Distress Inks
Stickles
Martha Stewart Punch
Gems - Mei Flower
Sentiment - Hero Arts

I received these awards from Lizzy on the 22nd February but I am only getting a chance to post them now. Thanks very much Lizzy for thinking on me, it is very much appreciated and I accept them both.

This special award - Liebster Blog -  is aimed at bringing unknown good blogs to light, and, in accepting this award I have to agree to the following ........


1) You have been tagged, do you want to accept? YES! then create a post on your blog and post the love blog photo.
2) Link back to the person who gave you the award and say if you accept.
3) Choose 3-5 of your favourite blogs to tag, link these in your post too and tell the lucky people they have been tagged.


As the aim of this award is to bring unknown good blogs to light, please don't tag somebody with 3000 followers.


I am passing these awards onto:

Mina - Pinkpuds
Debby - A Scrapjourney
Melly -Mels Craft Room
Christine - Dol Creations
Sandra - Cherry Pickin's

Thank you very much for all your comments and encouragement. Please feel free to take either or both.

Thanks very much for popping by and visiting my blog.  I appreciate all your comments.

Sketch Saturday # 140, Simon Says Stamp, Lily of the Valley # 83, Moving Along With The Times # 84 and Craft Us Crazy # 1

As I wasn't overly happy with my last card, what better way to motivate myself than to try another card.  So I started this one last night and finished it this morning. 

I am entering my card into five challenges : -

Sketch Saturday # 140 - Follow Sketch
Simon Says Stamp - Love Is In the Air
Lily of the Valley # 83- Romance plus LOTV image
Moving Along With The Times # 84 - Red (as main colour)
Craft Us Crazy # 1 - Anything Goes (This is a new challenge blog)

Can't believe I got a few challenges to enter my card into, think I have only done this once before.  Normally only enter it into one or two at a time. Hope my card fits all these challenges.

I am pleased that I am still doing the insides of my cards as I go along.

Cardblank - Craftwork Cards
Cardstock - Paper Mill
Patterned Paper - Cosmo Cricket - Mitten Weather (Christmas paper but think it works well as I don't have a lot of red papers)
Image - LOTV
Sentiment - LOTV (comes with image)
Coloured with Distress Inks
Martha Stewart Punches (heart border and branch)
Woodware Punches (flowers and circle)
Gems and Pearls - Mei Flower
Ribbon - Got this in The Works bookshop the other day. Thanks Mina for the heads up on this.

I am pleased with how this card turned out.

Thanks for popping by.  Hope the weather is better were you are.  We have gales and very heavy showers.  Enjoy your weekend and hope you can get a little time for crafting.

P.S.  Almost forgot - Sorry Melly - Thank you very much for this award it is much appreciated and accepted.

Received this award from Melly and have to pass it on to 3-5 others.
There are a few rules to follow - sorry

You have been TAGGED .Create a post where you post the 'LOVE BLOG' image.You should also blog the person link that gave you the award and inform her/him that you accept the award.You can then choose 3 to5 favourite blogs which you also link in your post, then each blogger will inform you that they have been tagged.

I am giving this award to :-         
                                                     Trish
                                                      Lou
                                                      Mieke
                                                      Kezzy
                                                      Fleur


I would love to give all my followers this award but I have given it to my newer followers to say thank you very much for your comments and to different followers that got my last award to make it fair.


I would also like to say hello to my newest follower Liz and say thank you.