New stitching..

... yup I've started another new stitchy project. I know, I know, I should finish off some of my other projects - well I am waiting for my hubby to cut me some mount card for my little welcome stitchy - so thats my excuse and I am sticking to it - lol!!


Here is my new project:



This is a cute Barbara Ana design that I originally saw on Craftymoos blog and fell in love with it as I thought it summed me up on a morning - when it is finished it will say 'hand over the coffee and no one gets hurt!' - lol. Loving the colours.

Right, I need to ask any super stitchy ladies out there - how do you store yours??? Your threads that is - do you store them in numerical order or the order of colours on the dmc chart?? Mine are alway in a right pickle and I cant seem to find a way to keep them organised. I've now got a list of dmc colours (taken from an old cross stitch magazine) with the numbers ticked off so I know which ones I have, but then trying to find them - aargh!!.

I took some photos last night of my desk, and my little sewing area around the chair where I sit on a night - but having just looked at them again now - I am ashamed to put them on here - good grief I am untidy!!! No wonder my kids are messy - oops!!

Right I can smell burning best go and check the tea :-). Thanks for looking and any advice on storage would be great.

Ali
xx

Hoping this works...

... hmm been having trouble with either blogger or my pooter not sure which, I can see only so many blogs on my dashboard and when I try to link to them nothings happening - so hopefully this post will work.

Been out and about with hubby & the kids the last few days so not getting a lot of time for crafting but I did manage to make this just to have a card for a man handy incase I forget anyone.



Another photo to try and show the 3d golf balls:



The image is a cute penny black one that I got in a bundle of stamped images from ebay coloured with promarkers. The papers came with a magazine and then I have stamped some golf ball images (the stamp was a bargain from Hobbycraft - probably the only one!!!) then punched them out and 3d sticky squared them onto the image. The green card was in my stash from the Papermill.

I would like to enter this into:

DYSU (Do you stack up)- Boy or Man
Forever Friends - 3d
Papercrafting journey - anything goes.
2 sisters - boys and their toys
Challenge up your life - for men
Crazy for challenges - male themed

Right going to hit the settee now - been swimming with the family for the first time in ages and now all I want to do is curl up and chill out - how lazy is that!!!

Thanks for looking

Ali
xx

Morning...

... all hope you are all well. I'm not sure how it happened but I was talked into having another sleepover last night - but THAT IS IT!!! No more it was only one boy but it was worse than having the two that I had last time - lol. I am not used to late nights.

So before I chill out with a nice cuppa I just wanted to blog this card. I dont think I'll send it but you know when you see an image that you just want to use:



The image is another cute freebie from the lovely Spyder - thank you. It will only be there another couple of days so pop over to her super blog soon to grab it.

I have coloured him with promarkers and then added sakura glitter pen to moleys fur. He is matted onto alphabet paper that I had printed off ages ago really sorry cant post a link but if it rings any bells with anyone please let me know and I'll pop a link up. Then just used red card that I have punched along the edge and blue card with die cut letters stuck on.

I would like to enter this into:

2 sisters - back to school
paper creators - red and blue (hmm might be tenuous with the image- but just let me know and I can remove it)
Fairytale - back to school
Creative inspirations - back to school

Thanks for looking

Ali
xx

Another post...

...just before I pick up the boys from their nannas.

I had coloured this image the other night and had a go at decoupage with my new silicone glue - hmm not sure if I've got it right - think I need a bit more practice:



I have only decoupaged the balloons and then added 3d glossy accents. The whimsy doodles image is coloured with pro-markers and then matted onto some American Crafts paper and patterned paper from Echo Park - and that bl**dy guillotine is def. NOT cutting straight!!! I have the paper flush along the top so I dont think its user error.

I would like to enter this into:

Aud Sentiments: anything goes
Cupcakes - sketch
One stop Craft Challenge - Bold & bright

Thanks for looking

Ali
xx

Playing with colouring in...

...again, yup having a bit colour of another of the lovely images Claire sent me. When I started off it wasnt going to be a get well card but sometimes things just go off on a tangent - lol. What a trauma I had with the cutting and gluing aargh!! thought I was going to have to chuck it but managed to rescue it and I am sure my x-cut guillotine doesn't cut straight!!!

Anyhoo, here is my card:




I have coloured him with pro-markers and added sakura glitter pen to the raindrops and puddle although not sure it shows in the photo. Matted onto purple card and then Basic Grey Eerie paper printed off the sentiment (since our other motherboard or something went in the other pooter I've lost loads of lovely fonts and now cant remember what to do!!- doh) with ribbon from my stash.

I would like to enter this into:
Basic Grey -anything goes.
Aud Sentiments - anything goes.
Stamp scrap & doodle - sympathy/get well
Thanks for looking

Ali
xx

Isn't it spooky...

... when you have an idea in your head and then the perfect challenge comes up. Well, that is what happened with this card - I'd had the image for ages that one of the girls (sorry cant remember who - oops!!) from MSE had sent me. I also had the map image downloaded for a while and while I was sorting through my images had the idea of putting them together, but wasnt sure how it would work out from my brain to paper - iykwim!! because sometimes things get lost along the way - lol.



Not sure if I have over done it with the distress inks??? The card blank is an 8x8 from a £1 stall at the pins & needles fair. The brilliant treasure map was from Spyders blog (thank you) with ribbon from my stash - the image has been coloured with promarkers and a little silver pen on the knife blade and buckles - he has been 3d sticky squared on so he stands proud of the map a little bit - doesnt show too well in the photo.

I am really pleased with how it has turned out - now my son wants a treasure map printing - hmm wonder where he is going to find the gold - aaaarrrr - sorry couldnt resist - lol.

I would like to enter this into:
Creative craft world - for a child
passion for promarkers - a pirates life.
Cards for men - anything goes (not sure if you are allowed 2 entries so I can easily remove it if not)

Thanks for looking.

Ali
xx

Just a quickie..

.. hoping it might kick start my mojo as I am all up date with birthdays and wondering what to do - keep looking at stuff but nothing is jumping out at me.

This is just a quick card I made for a friends son :


The image is from pollycraft - coloured with pro markers and 3d glossy accents added to the balloons. This was matted onto red, yellow and orange card - and used some more of the 12x12 sheet from my stash. Another freebie ticket sentiment altered to include the birthday boys name.

I would like to enter this into:

Cards for Men - anything goes.

Thanks for looking

Ali
xx

By gum...

... I'm getting a few posts in at the moment!!! Just about to start making a shepherds pie, but before I do just wanted to blog a couple of makes:

This is for Ians dad whose birthday is in a couple of weeks:



Quite plain and simple and pre-coloured LOTV square put onto kraft card, some of my new paper from Echo park, then added twine and a button.

I would like to enter this into:
4 crafty chicks - twine
cute card thursday - c&s
Pixie dust - boys will be boys.
Freshly brewed - c&s (less than 3 embelishments)


Next card is a bit different for me trying to get adventurous with my colouring again!! erm... see what you think...


She is coloured with promarkers and matted onto black card and striped paper - then I have die cut a circle from some flocked card I had - then added ribbon and flower and card candy from my stash.

I would like to enter this into

Crafty Sentiments - punches/diecuts.
Craft us crazy - anything goes
Meljens designs - use black

Thanks for looking

Ali
xx

Bloomin' weather...

... well we were supposed to be meeting friends and going to climb Roseberry Topping, but the wind and rain has put a stop to that - mind you I think the boys breathed a sigh of relief - but there is always next week mwah ha ha!!!

So a sneeky bit of craftin has been done and then I really must step away from the pooter and do some much neglected housework.

Here is my first Christmas Card of 2011, I saw a challenge on a gem of a challenge and thought that was quite different and fancied a go - popped to the Pink Gem shop and spotted a super cute image and knew what I wanted to do - yay I was finally going to get to use my fluffy stuff and heat gun (which hubby bought me last christmas and I've only just took it out of the packaging!!)

It was quite tricky to get a decent photo but I hope you get the idea:



I have used my fluffy stuff on the bear and promarkers on his scarf then Sakura gitter pen on the star. I have matted the image onto embossed paper and then distressed/glittered around the edges (not sure if that shows) added white organza ribbon from stash, punched some snowflakes and again used sakura pen on them and that is it.

I would like to enter this into:

A gem of a challenge - white on white
Paperplay challenge - christmas in August
Simon says stamp - all white
Ooh la la - christmas
Craft room Challenge - white on white
Fab & funky - christmas
Thanks for looking.

Ali
xx

A little stitchy update...

... nearly finished my little welcome sign - I have had to adapt the pattern as I was pushing it with my little bit of linen. Just some bees and odd little stiches here & there still to do. Hopefully I've left enough to cover some mount card:




Would anybody like a copy of Issue 25 of Do Crafts Creativity magazine, my mum bought me a copy reduced in the Range but I already have it - it comes with free cupcake stamps.


Just leave me a comment.

Dont go yet...

I have a couple of cross stitch patterns that I know I will never do - would they be any good for anyone:


If you just leave a comment and what magazine/pattern you would be interested in - I'll just do it on a first come first served basis - hope this is ok.

Thanks for looking.

Ali
xx

Just before I...

... settle down for a dvd night with the family, I just want to quickly blog this card. Its quite a different image for me - its one that Claire sent me ages ago and to be honest was a bit scared of it - only because I didnt think I would be able to colour it nicely iykwim!! Anyhoo, I finally bit the bullet and coloured it and am really pleased with how it turned out:


I did nearly ruin it when trimming the image down, but thats another story - lol. Okey doke the image was coloured with promarkers and sakura glitter pen on little bits of her. The papers are Basic Grey and the image and sentiment is matted onto mirri-card. The butterfly was one that Gem kindly sent me.

I would like to enter this into:

Creative Craft World - Birthdays
Ai Factory - anything goes
CYDA - Birthday Celebrations

Right Diary of a Wimpy kid & popcorn are calling - catch you all later.

Thanks for looking

Ali
xx

(p.s. thank you for your kind comments on Toms card - he was dead chuffed!!)

Another anniversary card...

... morning all, just a quick post - falling behind on blogging, keeping up, housework etc... and I've only done a day and a half at work!!

Just wanted to blog the card I made for hubby for our anniversary:




This was another freebie lotv image with a magazine coloured with promarkers - I really struggled trying to find papers that werent too girly found this heart paper and tried to butch it up a bit by matting the image and papers onto black - not sure if it worked?? I printed and die cut a sentiment for the inside of the card - which I think came from Nettys blog - who has some lovely sentiments that she shares - pop over and check her lovely blog out.

I would like to enter this into:

CRAFT - anniversary.

Right off to get some housework out of the way before I take my eldest to see Harry Potter (at last!!)

Thanks for looking

Ali
xx
`

A post on behalf of Tom...

... well those immortal words have been issued "mmuuuummm I'm bored!!" - followed by can I play with your posh felt tips - so after I managed to control my breathing I replied "Of course you can hun", followed by and your cards and pictures and glue- omg - the wine was cracked open and I let him free on my crafty desk - not a lot of space as its very messy again - oops - but here he is with his card:



He was well chuffed with it and it is going to be for a friend (erm, not sure who yet lol) and I've told him he can enter it in a challenge:

Simon Says Stamp Summer Holiday Challenge - anything goes.
Stitchy Bear Kids Challenge - anything goes

Good Luck Tom x

Squeezing another post in...

... been to Whitby today with a friend and her boys we both forgot change for the car park so couldnt stay as long as we wanted - DOH!!! Remembered the camera and forgot to take photos - DOUBLE DOH!!!

Any hoo, home now and psyching myself up to start the ironing but this is far more important - lol just a couple of cards to blog and enter into challenges:

The first for one of the young men we were out with today - little Leo who is a cutie:



The backing paper could be Basic Grey??? The image was a free Molly Bloom Stamp with a magazine which has been coloured with pro-markers I added his age to the balloon and then 3d clear gloss finished it - then punched some circles and used alphabet stickers for his name.

I would like to enter this into:

The stamping boutique - for a young male
Cupcake - how old?
I love promarkers - anything goes


My next card - grr - I got the LOTV image with a magazine and I love, love, love this image and coloured it not badly I though until I did the dog and didnt like the colour and thought oh if I use the blender it might lighten it a bit gah!!! it bled terribly so to try and rescue it I cut the image out - anyhoo see what you think about how I have tried to salvage it:



The paper is Basic Grey, I then die cut the centre out which I then stuck to the back inside of the card, the image was coloured with promarkers. I have then added peach flowers and cream flowers which I again used my promarkers on to match her apron and then pearls from my stash to hide a little mark from where I had removed a sentiment that I had put on and then didnt like - honestly sometimes I dont know when to leave things alone!!!

I would like to enter this into:

I love promarkers - anything goes
Allsorts - free & easy
Papertake Weekly - anything goes

hmm do you think this could be classed as monochromatic???

Thanks for looking

Ali
xx

Week 2 in the big brother house....

... and the children are still getting on - wow - no arguments/whinging lets hope it continues for the rest of the holidays :-) .

Hope you are all well, and those off with the kids are surviving!!!

Right what have I managed to squeeze in:

Well I won a couple of candys huge thanks to Rainmac & Janey xxx

A little bit of retail therapy at Kandipandis folksy store. With one of the super kits to start patchwork that I'd admired before but as soon as they are in the store they are whipped up straight away:


The kit is amazing value with everything you need to get started, full instructions and the sweetest little sewing kit - erm I just need to get my bum in gear and have a go - so at the moment it is on my to do pile but I keep getting it out and having a little stroke - lol.

Check out Kandis store there are some gorgeous things there.

What else, oh yes eldest son went to scout camp and had a fab time which left some time for youngest to have some one to one time with his dad and then me when I wasnt at work - so we got the train to York to go to the railway museum (Tom was in charge of the camera so here are a couple of his pics. from the hundreds he took - lol and I'm gutted to say he is a better photographer than me!!)
Oh I'd love to have lived in that era. (I would of had to have been rich though!)


And of course the Minster:

A quick nip into York for lunch and then supposedly a mooch round the shops him Disney store - me Cath Kidston/crafty shop - but strangely his tummy started to hurt after the Disney store so I never got to CK hmmm me thinks his dad has been giving him lessons - his back used to start hurting whenever we went shopping ;-) . Oh well maybe next time.

Right, I am nearly done honestly!!

A quick pic of a card I have made for a party that Tom is going to soon:



It is a LOTV square cut image (pre coloured) matted onto gingham paper and plain blue card - it doesnt show to well on the photo but the blue card is raised up on 3d sticky squares.

I would like to enter this into:

Cards for Men - clean & simple

Phew, got the post done before hubby comes in - right best make a start on the tea and look like I have been busy.

Thanks for looking

Ali
xx