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.

Sugar Bowl # 58, Cute Card Thursday # 161 and Totally Gorjuss # 77

Hope everyone has had a good Easter weekend. 
Shannon was working yesterday and when she came home we had a family barbecue.  Today I made our usual Easter dinner of Turkey and Ham (same as Christmas dinner) and then got a chance to make a card.  Two posts in two days better not jinx it.

I am entering my card into three challenges:-

Sugar Bowl # 58 - Follow sketch and optional theme of buttons (I rotated the sketch, hope that is ok)
Cute Card Thursday # 161 - No text (works for this challenge as I couldn't find a verse/sentiment using a butterfly/rainbow quote)
Totally Gorjuss # 77 - Bling It On (hope my paper works - it is glittery but with a 3d glossy effect - not sure it shows up really well)

Apologies for the photographs as they haven't turned out to good.

Cardblank - Craftwork Cards
Cardstock - Paper Mill
Patterned Paper - Wild Rose Studio and Best Creations
Image - Sugar Nellie (Simply Sassy)
Coloured with Distress Inks
Glossy Accents for the Paint, Picture and Paintbrush
Crafts Too Flower Punch
Buttons from stash
Cotton Twine

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

A Spoonfull of Sugar # 148, Bunny Zoe's Crafts # 11, Papertake Weekly and Stampavie and More # 138

Hope everyone is well and enjoying this lovely weather.  Sorry for the lack of posts but haven't had much crafting time as it has just been so busy.  Had a couple of GB rehearsals and then the GB display, Hollie won the shield for her section and also best squad, went to the craft show in Belfast, gave the garden its first cut and lots of weeding and strimming, went shopping in Belfast with the girls on Thursday and of course taxi service for the girls.  

When I did get a chance to make a card it just wouldn't work and I just left it, as I don't think I was really in the mood.  Have tried this sketch (Allsorts) since last week and have made three or four attempts using different papers and then when I went to put it all together last night and checked the challenge, I was too late as it had to be uploaded before 6pm.  So I then repositioned the image and added the embellishment and sentiment in a different place and I am a bit happier with it but not much, although I did get it finished.  Was a hard sketch for me. 

I am entering my card into four challenges now:-

A Spoonfull of Sugar # 148 - Let's Celebrate (Birthday)
Bunny Zoe's Crafts Monthly Challenge # 11 - One for the Boys
Papertake Weekly - Spots N Stripes
Stampavie and More # 138 - Birthday

Cardblank - Craftwork Cards
Cardstock - Paper Mill
Patterned Paper, Embellishment and Letter Stickers - Echo Park
Image - Stampavie (definitely one of my favourite from their last release)
Coloured with Distress Inks

Sorry for the poor photos, it looks much better than this and I had edged it with blue distress ink which doesn't really show up.

Thanks for popping by and I wish you all a very happy Easter and hope the weather continues to be good.

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.

Dream Valley # 3

Sorry for the lack of posts but life has just been very busy.  Hubby has had "Man Flu" recently and Hollie was off school sick too. 

Went to see Taylor Swift in concert last Friday night and it was amazing.  She was totally overwhelmed with the audience and the girls had a great night.  I really enjoyed her support act, Ryan Sheridan, not often these acts are that good. Tomorrow night Shannon and Sophie are going to see McFly and on Wednesday night we are going to see Westlife.  When we got the girls these tickets for Christmas, we didn't realise they were quite so close together.

Anyway, I haven't had any time to do much crafting but got these items made last night and this morning for my mum for Mother's Day.  I have missed most of the Mother's Day challenges but think I am still in time for Dream Valley Challenges.

I had made my mum a calendar card for Christmas and she picked the papers, so I thought I would use the same papers and make these for her instead of buying a present as she can be hard to buy for and never asks for anything.

I made a tissue box.  This came as plain wood and I altered it with the new amazing Distress Stains from Tim Holtz, think this is my new favourite craft item.  I used K & Co Wild Saffron papers and K & Co embellishments.

Two bare wood tea light candle holders, again Distress Stain and K & Co Wild Saffron Papers and some gems and K & Co flowers.

Wooden calendar, Distress Stains and K & Co papers and Gems.  Image is one of my favourites, Daisy from Sugar Nellie.

And finally a Papermania word album - Family - K & Co papers and ribbons from stash. I have left it for mum to put on her own photos, etc. 

I hope my mum likes her gifts, I am nearly tempted to keep them myself as the colours would go so well in my home.

Hope you are all well and have had a good weekend. Thanks for popping by and visiting.

Lily of the Valley # 88, Flutter By Wednesday # 147

Just a quick post from me today as I am running late and this card has to be uploaded today, for one of the challenges. 

I am entering my card into two challenges:-
Lily of the Valley # 88 - Sketch By Bev (left off the sentiment as not sure yet what I will use it for)
Flutter By Wednesday # 147 - Open theme plus fairy, angel or butterfly

Sorry about the photos, looks much brighter

Cardblank - Craftwork Cards
Cardstock - Paper Mill
Patterned Paper - Kaisercraft
Image - LOTV
Coloured with Distress Inks
Woodware Punches
Martha Stewart Punch
Card Candy - Craftwork Cards - coloured to match
Gems from stash
Stickles

My washing machine is working really well at the minute, fingers crossed I don't jinx it, engineer due tomorrow morning to finish the repair.

Hope you are all enjoying this lovely weather and thanks for taking the time to visit my blog.  It is much appreciated.

Sugar Bowl # 55, Pollycraft Monday # 84, Papertake Weekly, Simon Says Stamp

Quick post today as I really need to get my hoovering and ironing done.  Shannon has a driving lesson after school and Hollie and I have Girls Brigade tonight, so posting now in case I don't get a chance later.

I am entering my card into four challenges:-

Sugar Bowl # 55 - Erika's Sketch
Pollycraft Monday # 84 - Teen Card
Papertake Weekly - Trio Tastic - 3 of something.  I used three word frames
Simon Says Stamp - Happy Birthday - Sentiment on inside

Cardblank - Craftwork Cards
Cardstock - Paper Mill
Patterned Paper - Doodlebug
Image - Simply Sassy - Sugar Nellie
Coloured with Distress Inks
Gems from stash
Word Frames, Border Strips and Hearts - Doodlebug
Sentiment - Stampendous
Martha Stewart Punch (inside)

Found these papers and thought they would be perfect for this image but just couldn't get it to work.  That is why I used the strips and frames and it looks better but still not sure.

Anyway, my washing machine saga continues.  The engineer called yesterday morning, for the assessment, only he hadn't been told that.  Said the springs that hold the drum were broken, so he replaced them.  Thought it was a bit bouncy, so replaced the suspension.  Tried to fit the drawer after clipping the casing back together but ended up replacing the casing as well.  Then he repositioned the brushes.  Told me to be careful using the washing machine as he needed two clip on brackets to hold the springs and as they had to be ordered, I won't get them until Thursday of next week.  Told him he was having a laugh.  Fixing my machine and then more or less telling me to try not to use it.  Bet he doesn't have three children with piles of washing.  Anyway he put cable ties on and said that should hold it.  He is also going to try and get me a new lid as it was the springs that damaged it.

Well I put on my first wash and everything seemed to be going ok, so thought I would nip out quickly to the supermarket for a few things.  Checked the machine before I went out only to see the prewash button was flashing.  So cancelled the program and switched it off but it didn't clear so rung the repair line again.  Back came the engineer although I had to leave him in the house as the girls needed picked up from school.  Came back just as he was finishing and he said he needed to replace the module. This is the memory board for the machine apparently.  Told him he would have been better saying it couldn't be fixed and got me a new machine.  His reply was they don't replace the machines if it can be fixed and as my machine is 6 - 7 years old you can still get parts.  At least all it is costing me is the monthly payment of £8.19 as insurance cover, as he told me the call-out fee would be about £120.00 for a machine of this age and then the parts would be charged after that.  Knew I took that cover for a reason.  Sorry to bore you but just thought I woould let you know what happened.

Thanks for popping by and visiting.  It is much appreciated.