My New Kitchen

At last the workmen have finished and I can start to get back to normality (whatever that is!) we are still putting things back in but am doing it slowly so that I can hopefully get things where I want them. Anyway just some quick pics for you to see how it turned out. And I LURVE my new cooker! lol actually love the whole kitchen!

Latest on the kitchen etc

Well after today the renovations should be complete and we should be free of workmen, I'll believe that when I see it! but I thought I'd just post the pics that I took last Thursday (23rd) and then hopefully later this week I'll be able to show you the finished pics! (keep your fingers crossed! .lol) I can only say I will be extremely relieved to get it all finished and over with! At least we have had a kitchen

sink (under the window)to be able to wash up in and that certainly made a difference but we havent been able to use our shower as the bath hasnt been sealed in thats today!(thankfully MIL lives just at the bottom of the estate and her work was completed before ours started we have been using hers and her washing machine!) Oh well time to get ready for work and then when I get home tonight it should all be done! yipeeeeeeeee! will let you know tomorrow.

Dotties World Challenge - Frame It

This week over at Dotties World Tara set her first challenge and it went like this ... I would like to see you creating some sort of a frame or border on your card. You could create a frame for your image, your card or both. Feel free to use the downloads for your frame, or you could try stamping elements, die cutting, punching shapes, embellishments......... anything goes really! Just remember to use one of our downloads for your main image too! So I managed to squeeze in my card last night as its been difficult getting any proper crafting sessions fitted in at the moment, but the end is definately in sight! Anyway I put together my card in PSE5 (pre coloured images) and then put a frame from PSE round it then once it was printed off I added some glitz using sakura stardust pens to lift it more. The glitz doesnt really show in the pic of the card so I did a close up with the flash to show. TFL

2 in 1

Here I am running late again! Too busy sorting out Ria and her blog tonight to get on with my own stuff!lol Anyway I managed this card which is for 2 challenges, the sketch over at Spoon Full Of Sugar and MTTC which is A Bird in the Hand. I have used another image I won in some blog candy, coloured with copics, whispers and Sakura then a little Stickles Frosted Lace added for good measure, the papers are K & Co Mckenna the gems and flowers are from my stash and the little button is an Amy Butler one. TFL

The latest on the home improvement front is that the bathroom is partially tiled, tiler is back tomorrow and the kitchen has a bit of paint on the wall and the holes etc are all filled so it finally feels like they are doing something as I felt really fed up with them by the weekend after only having one guy in for an hour all day! Will take some more pics soon.

A new blogger in blogland!

Yes there is a new blogger out here in blogland! I finally gave in and agreed to Ria having her own blog so that she could post her own bits and pieces and not have to wait til I'm around to put them on mine! And she has started off with a challenge card for Spoon Full Of Sugar. Please stop by and check her out you can find her here and no doubt she will be posting pics of the dragons too! Thanks x

Sketch & Stash Challenge 14

Another fantastic sketch over at Sketch & Stash. I ran out of time to do the last one but was determined to do this one! So I have used my new papers K-OLOGY Addison, the image is a MIss Anya that I won in some blog candy coloured using copics, whispers and sakura clear glaze on the boots and coat (but it doesnt show up very well in the pic.) I have also used Glitz It glitter glues for the buttons and in the eyelet, the fibres I have had in my stash for an age. Really like this sketch. TFL

Dotties World Challenge - Oh La La

Ok the challenge over at Dotties World this week went like this ... The 14th of July marks the French public holiday of Bastille Day so to join the French in their celebrations I would like us to make something with a French feel. It could be the image, it could be a french sentiment or it could just make you say Oh La La! It might even be just in the colours of the French flag (red, white and blue), it's up to you! Just have fun! Oh and don't forget to use one of the Charmed downloads! Now there are some really gorgeous images to choose from and it did take me a while but in the end I went with the Holly & Madison World Tour collection and a background from Girls About Town collection, I combined them in PSE5 printed it and then coloured it using a mix of Copics, Whispers, Sakura and pencils. I remembered at the last minute (I was about to stick it to my white card blank) that I had some red card blanks left over from christmas and thought this would add to the design. Not sure if it could really do with something else but nothing in my stash seemed to be working for me so I have left it as is. TFL and did you see that I managed to get it done with a day to spare - really good for me! lol.

Crafty Muse Challenge - Photo Inspiration

The challenge for this fortnight over at Craty Muse is a Photo Challenge and you need to use the photo to inspire your card. My card was inspired by the colours. I used MM Cosmopolitan papers, coredinations cs, my nesties, ribbon, flowers and brads from my stash the sentiment is K&Co Proverbs to go and the delightful image is Betty & Molly from the new Sisters & Friends collection available at Crafty Muse and coloured using Copics and Whispers. So why not pop over and see what the rest of the DT have been up to and then join us and dont forget the lucky winner (chosen randomly) will win a download of their choice. TFL

SCSC # 40 A Sketch

Over at Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge this week is a sketch, now I really enjoy working with sketches I just struggle deciding which papers to use and spend ages pushing sheets around my desk and then finding I go back to my original thought! If I just went with this I'm sure I'd be able to produce more cards! lol - anyone else have this problem? Anyway back to my card, I have used papers from my K-ology Hannah pad (got it yesterday) and the image is Onion from the Daisy and Dandelion range coloured with copics and whispers, a little bit of coredinations cs and a couple of cuttlebug embossing folders, the ribbon is Anitas self adhesive and gems from my stash the sentiment is also Daisy & Dandelion. TFL

Friday Sketchers #60

Very pretty little sketch this week over at Friday Sketchers, loved working with it but it took me ages to decide which papers to use! Anyway the 2 I settled on are from the papermania signature range Blueberry Hill pack (really pretty papers), the sentiment is a free stamp from a magazine recently but I cant actually remember which one (sorry!) The organza ribbon (yep there is some there!) flowers and gems are all from my stash. The gorgeous image is Angel Annie available at Charmed Cards & Crafts coloured with whispers pens, her background is a nestie which I then chalked to takeaway its whiteness. TFL and its definately a sketch to use again.

Hello Blogland!

Just thought I'd pop on and say a quick hello as I seem to have been MIA recently but a lot has happened with which I wont bore you with the details suffice it to say that the house is still in an upside down mess! and I havent done much in the way of crafting but did go out yesterday and bought a few bits including some perfect pearls which I have never used before so thought it might be time to try something new! and now I plan on getting some crafting done today as there really isnt much else I can do (except ironing and that can wait a bit longer! lol) so hopefully back later with a little something.

Dotties World Challenge - Blooming Beautiful

Right over at Dotties World this week this is how the challenge went ... Hello folks, Louise here.This week's challenge is brought to you by me but it was actually thought up by Juliet some time ago. Here's what she said..."The summer bedding is looking so beautiful at the moment, so this week I would like you to look to your garden (or someone else's garden) for inspiration, be it using flowers on your card, using colours from your garden or it could be some garden wildlife or bug! As usual, use a Charmed download and let your imagination run riot." Lovely challenge and it was really difficult deciding which of all the fabulous images to choose from, in the end I went with one of the new pixies collection. This is Daisy from collection 1 (they are all gorgeous!) I have coloured her with a mixture of copic ciaos and whispers (only got 8 copics and I used 5 of them for this!) oh and I added a tiny amount of sakura stardust too (for good measure!) The papers are K&Co Classis K McKenna, I always struggle using text paper so I hope this looks ok. the fabric flower is from my stash as is the large brad and the silver butterflies are an old earring! TFL

Sketch Saturday challenge 58

Its been a while since I had the chance to join in the challenges over at Sketch Saturday but as I cant do anything else in the house at the moment its a good time to do my rounds of the challenges and this is my card for this weeks challenge. The background paper is from a digi kit but not sure which one as I had it already printed and in my paper drawers, the black starry cs is actually some backing card from some packs of cheap adhesive gems and the red cs was an off cut in my box, ribbon is from my stash and while I was looking for the right ribbon I started to sort out my ribbon drawer which is in such a mess!lol the buttons are a mix from my stash and Amy Butler, the little red rosebud I have had for ages and thought as I was using the pixie from the new collection at Charmed Cards & Crafts called Rosebud it fitted quite nicely. Rosebud has been coloured using Copics, whispers and sakura. TFL

The home improvements continue to be noisy and now they are having to lift floorboards along the landing and into my bedroom which we were not expecting but hey ho thats the way it goes! We also could not move the vivarium so the guy very kindly took the shelves out of the airing cupboard and slid into the cupboard and worked that way! Just as well he was on the slim side!lol I think everytime they move onto the next bit of the work they find something else that makes it more awkward! Right I'm off to sort some more ribbon and maybe make another card so bye for now.

1 card 3 challenges

Well I have managed to make a card this evening and catch up with 3 challenges, firstly over at CCT the challenge was 'stitch in time' real or faux I did faux round the tree, next I followed the sketch over at Friday Sketchers and turned it upside down (sort of) and last but by no means least over at Stamp Something the challenge was 'Christmas in July' I think my card says it all for that one! lol I have used papermania papers, ribbon from my stash, the tree shape is actually half of a shaped card that I bought years ago and now wish I hadnt! but perhaps if I can use them up this way it wont be quite so bad lol The snowman image is Lilli of the Valley collection by Inca stamp which I recently won at Dotties World 1st birthday party, the gems, snowflake brad and epoxy stamp image are all from my stash. TFL now I'm off to see if I get another card made tonight.

The Kitchen

Well as mentioned yesterday here are a few pics off what is happening here at the mo. Today has been particularly noisy as they are trying to take up the old flooring and making the spaces for new sockets and our walls are pretty hard! Also today the bathroom has been dismantled and already the new bath is in! They need to do work on pipes from the tank in the attic but its quite a squeeze up there with all my storage! so he decided to do it from the airing cupboard but the lizards vivarium is in the way of the second door of the cupboard where he needs to get to so decided to go back up in the attic only to discover the tank is an old asbestos one and is a no go when it comes to adding pipes etc so back down to the airing cupboard so tonight or early tomorrow morning we have to very carefully move the viv (its very very heavy) and fingers crossed the glass dont break! What a palava but it will be worth it in the end! It is so noisy here though at the moment and I have to pop across the road to a friend every time I need the loo at the mo too! lol Anyway I have had a chance to go blog hopping and that was niceto catch up with what people have been up to and to see what challenges I have missed - might try to get some done over the next couple of days as really cant do much in the way of hw LOL. Hopefully be back later xx

the kitchen is no more!

Well I pulled a double shift yesterday and was completly shattered by the time I got home (07.15 - 21.30) No more of those thank you very much! And today was the start of the home improvements. Took some pics before the workmen got here at 8 this morning and by the time I got home this evening there is no kitchen, just an empty wall with a few pipes sticking out! I plan to take some more pics in the morning and try and get some at different stages of the process. Hopefully I will be able to put some of the pics on the blog tomorrow as I have the day off so plan to use it to catch up with all your blogs and see what you have all been up to just so that you know I havent abandoned you all. Right am off to bed now as need to be up and at em and have everything ready by 8 again no lie in for me for 3 weeks (not til the weekends anyway!) x

Major alterations taking place

In our house for the next 3 weeks. We are having our kitchen refitted, including the removal of old pantry and the bathroom and toilet are also being refitted. This is being carried out by the housing association and they start on Tuesday for 3 weeks, I'm really looking forward to the finished rooms, must try and get pics of the different stages. We are spending the weekend clearing everything out and finding spaces for things like the microwave so we can still have hot food! I think the thing I will miss the most is my dishwasher! but another bonus is that we are also getting a new cooker, well if you knew my old one you'd say about time too (huh mum?!! lol) well that arrives on Thursday. So we have the builders in from around 8 am to 4.30 pm, unfortunately I'm not sure how much crafting I am going to be able to get done - I will definately be trying! Mind you I might get more digi los done as I can do that anywhere in the house but I want to keep the craft room as dust free as possible, but I'll definatley be doing some blog hopping - thank goodness for Samson my netbook! Right I'm off to bed now so that I'm well rested for carrying on tomorrow. Take care out there in blogland and thanks for stopping by. xx

Dotties World Challenge - Let the Sun shine

Louise set us a great challenge this week over at Dotties World when she said "Summer is finally upon us so I want you to use some sunshine in your card/creation, it could be an actual sunshine image, a card shaped like a sunshine or even the use of the word sun/sunshine somewhere on your creation. Don't forget to put your Charmed download in there somewhere too!" Well I decided on another digi lo again this week, (mainly coz my desk is so cluttered I couldnt find the right bits to make a card with! but I am enjoying digi at the mo too so its great to combine the images with my los) The papers and elements are from a collaboration kit by A Work In Progress (Vicki) and Charlie's digi scraps annd its called Bright Lights of Summer and the alpha is also by A Work In Progress and is called Bling Alpha (its gorgeous) The picture is of Ria and she must have been around 3 at the most and we didnt have a paddling pool at the time but she insisted that she wanted to play in water in the garden so we used her baby bath! She loved it. I thought that the cute image of Bathtime Dottie from the Dottie at Home collection was ideal for this lo, I coloured the image using PSE5 and the flowers are an element from the kit. TFL.

Crafty Muse Challenge - a sketch & recipe (DT card)

Well here is my first offical card as a Crafty Muse DT member and can I just say its great to be working with a very talented group of ladies. The challenge for this fortnight is a lovely sketch with an additional recipe. You can see the challenge and the beautiful creations by the rest of the DT here I have used BG Sugared paper, Coredinations sparkly cs, my trusty Nesties and teh adorable Sitting Pretty image (available at Crafty Muse) the cupcake holder is covered with ribbon, the topping is diamond glazed and Angelique has been coloured using copics, whispers and sakura stardust which I then went over with a wc brush, brads and peeloff sentiments are from my stash. So come on over and join us for the challenge and dont forget you dont have to use Crafty Muse images just come and join the fun. TFL xx