Friday 25 July 2008

Quick card

It's been a lovely day here and we had a barbecue for tea (yum). Whilst my hubby was poking around at the flames I had a quick colour in of a Tilda stamped image that I stamped about a week ago but didn't get round to colouring. Once tea was over and the kids were in bed, I put a quick card together.



















We bought a new table and chair set for the patio today. It was a real bargain at Wilkinsons so we snapped it up. Here's a picture of the girls sitting at it this afternoon.



















The girls had their hair cut the day before yesterday. I finally managed to persuade Abigail that her hair is much prettier a bit shorter. Maddie did very well and kept really still. It was her first time at the hairdressers. Here is a pic of them both with their new "do's"




















Yesterday we went to Magna which is in Sheffield. It's an interactive science museum type thing which is great, but outside they have a mahoosive play area (the biggest I have seen) and also a water play area where water literally shoots out of the ground, pipes, arches etc. It is fantastic and we stripped the girls down to their knickers so they could get wet through. It's a sad state of affairs that I don't feel I can post pics of them on here, but here is a pic of the actual water play area.














Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!



















I love this photo of Abigail and I adore the dress she is wearing. It's a 1940's tea dress which was a bargain half price in the Next summer sale - yippee!












I could really get used to this not working malarkey! It's great :o)










Let's look through the square window....

Who remembers Playschool then? This card really made me think of Playschool. It was my very favourite programme on TV when I was about 4 or 5. This card is another Funky Hand Christmas card. I used the Funky Little Christmas papers again for this one. The scene is made using black and white card and lots of the Christmas tree toppers. I also added glitter glue and used my white sakura pen for the falling snow. The glass in the window is acetate stamped with a snowflake stamp in white stazon. The curtains are made from the papers and tied with funky fibre knitting wool. The word is made using Basic Grey Phoebe stickers.



New DCM dare - Golden oldies

It's a team dare this week and it's a great one!

"with so many new things /latest papers/ trendy stuff constantly coming on the market, we thought it would be nice to have a look back, and dig out some of our 'old' papers and embellishments and make a card with our 'preloved' treasures. I think the tendency these days is to get on the 'latest must have' band wagon, sometimes, its nice to recognise what we already have- even if it isn't the 'latest' embellishment/paper"

I decided to use some Junkitz paper that I have had for at least 2 years! It's all Junkitz Shabby Chic papers except for the the ribbon, craft wire and alphabet stickers which are out of my stash.









Funky Hand is 2!!!

It is celebration time over at Funky Hand as it is officially 2 years old! Happy Birthday Funky Hand!!!!!

To celebrate, Anice is offering up some fantastic blog candy. All you have to do is leave a comment on her candy post here. Run run as fast as you can and check it out now!

Wednesday 23 July 2008

More Funky Hand Christmas cards...

The first two cards use Funky little Christmas download and the last one uses Funky Christmas Time. The angel on the first card is a Jozza original which is why it is so pants!! I can't draw for toffee lol.






































New Funky Hand Christmas downloads

I know it's only July, but Christmas will be here before we know it and we crafters have to get cracking with our cards at some point don't we?

Fully knowing this, Anice has been very busy designing some fabulous Christmas downloads. They were released here last night so what are you waiting for? Run over there as fast as you can and buy them :o)

Here is a card I made with Funky Christmas Time papers....








Tuesday 22 July 2008

Daring Cardmakers little extra

The fabulous Jane has set the little extra dare with is "I do - with a twist".

This weeks little extra dare is to make a Wedding card - but wait- there is a twist ! We want bright funky colours ! We want non traditional colours - thats no creams, no whites, and no silvers :).

I'm afraid I forgot about the no white bit for my card - oops! I did try to make it funky and bright though and I flocked the bride and groom in the stamp (didn't work very well as my glue pen is rubbish!).

Monday 21 July 2008

Notebook for Abigail's teacher

Tis all done now. I had loads of fun making this! I used a cheap exercise book for the inside pages of the notebook and the covers are made from mountboard. It is boud together with my bind it all. I actually really want to keep it for myself but I can't! Will have to make myself one some time but it did take a good few hours to make!



















The back cover.



















The inside of the book (the inside of the back page looks the same).



















The notebook with the card.

Funky Fairy challenge 28 - stitching

The challenge this week is to create something with stitching on it and was set by Karen. I made a couple of cards, one of which went terribly wrong and had to be rescued so it's not brilliant. Basically my sewing machine had a wobbler halfway through my sewing, so part of the card has proper sewing and part has faux! lol The baby card only has faux stitches.




















Card for Abigail's teacher

Abigail breaks up from school tomorrow so I've been making a thank you card for her teacher. I also plan to make a matching notebook but I need supplies first! The card I have made is very similar to one I made for my mate Heather last week. I liked it so much I thought I'd revisit it :o)



















I had planned on doing a proper teacher themed card at first, but having woken up this morning with the beginnings of a cold, and also having a 3 year old needing toilet visits every 5 minutes, my mojo has gone a bit awry!


Saturday 19 July 2008

One year ago tomorrow....

We were on our way to gay Paree (or Paris if you're not feeling romantic hehe). Oh what a fabulous holiday it was! We had 10 magical days there and stayed in the most beautiful house. *Sigh* one day I shall return....in fact I'd love to live there one day. Thought I'd post some pics on here as I'm feeling nostalgic. Wish we were going back this year :o(














Abigail on the bateau mouche (can't spell it!). Yes she is insane! She takes after me hehe

































Keith my hubby and Madeleine - posing at Madeleine underground station. It had to be done!















A pic taken from the top of the Eiffel tower. I am very happy to say that I did not take it. There was absolutely no way I was going up that thing - I would have flipped out big style! Far too high!!! I was very happy to take Maddie off wandering up the streets that led us to the Champs Elysee and salivate down the windows of shops such as Jimmy Choo etc. Then we sat at the side of the Seine with a pain au chocolat whilst the others went up and down the tower (the fools!)














My beautiful Abigail (how I wish her hair was still that length....it suits her so much!) and my gorgeous nephew James in the gardens of the Palace de Versailles.




















Tres chic at the arc de triomphe














The Louvre. Ah we had to go in and see Mona. Have you ever been? That painting is soooooo small! I expected it to be much bigger. The Louvre is massive!! We were hours trying to get out (I kid you not!)



















Disneyland Paris. Quite possibly the best family day out in my life. No theme park in the UK comes close! It was worth the money just to see the parades let alone everything else. I have got to take the kids back there!!















The fantillusion parade took our breath away (even Keith who was soooo cynical about the whole Disney thing but he turned into a big kid just as we all did!)















My beautiful girls and gorgeous nephews up a tree in the garden of the house we rented.

Au revoir Paris.......je t'adore......

Friday 18 July 2008

Yippee!!!

I'm so excited to say that I've been asked to join the Daring Cardmakers team full time!!! It only took me about a millisecond to say YES! I am thrilled to be counted among such a talented bunch :o)

This week the dare is set by the lovely Rhi

Journalling spots. They're used all the time in scrapbooking where it's extra personal to read someone's words and memories in their own hand. Use a journalling spot, be it stamped, premade, handcut, digital or doodled, to frame your handwritten message on your card.

I downloaded a free kit from Two Peas in a Bucket and used the papers and a thought bubble on my card. I also embossed the card with birds and swirls embossing folder which I highlighted with watercolours, I used a bird stamp by Imaginisce which I paper pieced and I used a border stamp by Paperartsy for a border and also the birds legs. A little extra tail on the bird was added in the form of a cut flower and I added a few button embellishments.

Thursday 17 July 2008

Funky Hand DT stuff

Every time I get a CD in the post from Anice it is like my birthday and Christmas rolled into one! Likewise with her downloads! Recently I received It's Funky Too CD to play with and let me tell you it is jam packed full of loveliness :o) Here are a few cards I have made so far.........
































































New Funky Fairy downloads

I'm really quite behind with this blogging business. The thing is....I set out to post stuff on my blog but then think that I will just check out some of my favourite blogs first...then 3 hours later I still haven't posted on mine! I'm also a little ashamed to say that I have become hooked on Big Brother (blush). How sad am I?

Anyhow back to business! Here are a few cards I made with the new downloads from Funky Fairys Papercrafts. The downloads are called Funky meets shabby chic and Funkys garden. They are both gorgeous - choc full of beautiful papers, images and toppers etc.




This one uses funky garden download. The bird is a Jozza original haha. The scalloped square is from Craftwork cards. The stitches are a stamp and the fibres are basic grey.







Again this is Funkys garden, including the scalloped circle. The ribbon is from my stash, the scalloped square is craftwork cards and I've embossed it with birds and swirls in my cuttlebug. The sentiment is K&Co.






This last one is Funky meets shabby chic. The shopping girl is a Penny Black stamp coloured with prismas and sansodor. I also shrunk her down on shrink plastic and added her as a little embellishment :o) Ribbon & flowers from stash.

Tuesday 15 July 2008

Just because......

This evening I sat down and made a card. Not for a DT deadline.....not for a challenge.....but because I want to let someone special know that they mean a lot to me. I am rather fond of this one - I hope you like it too :o)










Magnolia blog candy

Wowzers! Andrea is giving away some fabby Magnolia blog candy here. What are you waiting for? Go check it out :o)

Fab Competition!

Pop over to the Funky Fairy Inspiration blog and enter the fab competition that is running this month. All you have to do is leave a comment on the competition post to say why you would like to win. The prize is a whole years worth of free Funky Fairy products - so everything that is released between August this year and August next year is yours! Awesome prize!

Monday 14 July 2008

2 sketches 4 you challenge

I've been meaning to have a go at this challenge for weeks now and have finally got round to it! The sketch this week is by Laura













Here is my take on the sketch. I used Basic Grey paper (Phoebe), image from here coloured with prismas, ribbon, bloom and brad from stash, stitches stamp and some doodles :o)

Someone's happy!

Hmmmmm what could Maddie be looking so happy about??



















Ooooooh! Minnie Mouse "clip clop" shoes from the Disney store! Hehehe that's what happens when you let your 3 year old spend their birthday money at the Disney store! Bless her - a new Imelda Marcos in the making me thinks! (Do excuse my big clodhopper croc feet in the background!)

Sunday 13 July 2008

Penny Black Saturday

This week it is a sketch challenge



















I used DCWV papers, swiss dots embossing folder, prismas for colouring, a bloom from my stash and a make a wish stamp which is a dovecraft one I think.




Friday 11 July 2008

DCM challenge - cards with a certain a-peel (off)

This week the challenge is set by Lythan and she is daring us to make a card with peel offs!

Eek! I admit I am an "all peel offs are the spawn of the devil and should be destroyed" kind of person hehe. However I do actually own some. Must have been suffering from an excessive case of PMT when I bought them lol! They're just not my cup of tea and never really inspire me personally so I'm not having a go at peeps who love them :o)

I've put together a very quick card. Not very good so I do apologise. The image is Penny Black, coloured with Prismacolor pencils. I used a peel off frame and sentiment and a bit of doodling for good luck.






Thursday 10 July 2008

Maddie's birthday

Bless her cotton socks she had a fabulous day! Loved all her pressies and really enjoyed a visit from both sets of grandparents. We had lunch out at The Farmer's Cart which has a fantastic farm shop and serves the most delicious meals in their cafe. I had mushroom and bacon ciabatta on a bed of salad with the most delicious salad dressing. Yum yum yum!!! Thought I would share a few piccies of Maddie's day. She loved her card and cake by the way :o)














Presents!




















Maddie adores this Fifi outfit from Auntie Kay

































Tea party














Finished cake














1....2....3...BLOW!