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

Just a quick...

... post before I pop out with the boys to meet some friends for a woodland walk with a play area - think it might be more play area than walking!!!


Just wanted to blog a quick anniversary card (Paul if you are reading this look away now!!)



Made with all freebies - lol - papers from a magazine, image from here (I think). Coloured with promarkers, and cut with my b.s. (it is actually layered rather than cut from the patterned paper - iykwim) and another ticket stamp freebie from Caz.

I would like to enter this into:

Totally Gorjuss - punch or diecut.
Diecut dreams - animal antics.
Creative Craft world - anything but birthdays.
Forever Friends challenge blog - pastel colours.
Passion for promarkers - animal crackers

Also, I have started more stitching:



This is a lovely freebie patttern - cant find the link to the blog at the moment but on the pattern I've printed off it is Bee Welcome - copyright Abi Gurden if that helps. I have followed the pattern but seem to have gotten an extra stitch on my bee hive (ooh theres nothing worse - lol) and I cant see how I've done it??? I just needed to add an extra square to the door and think I've got away with it.

However, I feel I am really pushing my luck with doing it on this scrap of linen - not sure if it will all fit on and be able to make it into something - not sure I'll have a lot left to play with so may need to adjust accordingly - we'll see though.

Right best link up these posts and rally up the troops.

Catch you later.

Thanks for looking.

Ali
xx

I should really...

... be doing housework - but its coffee time so I thought I'd quickly nip on here and post a couple of pics of cards I've recently (and not so recently made!!). Its' been a bit mental here with end of term activities and Jack saying goodbye to Primary school forever - sob!!

So I wont be waffling too much as I REALLY need to mop the kitchen floor!! (yup I know such a glamourous life!!!)

This is the other thank you card I made for Jacks teacher, I showed Jack some cute images (like the one I did for Toms teacher) but it was nah!! So I let him look through my images and this is what he chose:

I have coloured the image which was a freebie from here and coloured it with promarkers and then added 3d glossy accents to the whole of the motorbike. Then die cut some stars - leaving it quite clean and simple - the sentiment was just typed and printed out.

I would like to enter this into:

C.R.A.F.T - thank you teacher.

This is a card I've had made for a while that was given to one of Toms friends:


The paper is possibly smirk?? The image is a cutie ready coloured square from LOTV matted onto black card. The sentiment was a freebie from Caz's blog and the little ref's whistle was from a pack of puffy stickers from accessorize.

I would like to enter this into:

LOTV: Fun & Games


Phew, lastly a card recently made for my friends son:




The image and papers are basic grey (I've had the papers for ages but not wanted to use them - too cute!!) I have inked the edge of the image as well and then justed matted onto black card and added black card candy.

I would like to enter this into:

Totally papercrafts - for a boy.
My mums craft shop - card for a teen

Okey doke the mop is shouting tea break over - boo!!

Thanks for looking

Ali
xx

Chick, chick...

....chicken!!! yay - I've finished my chicken with a few ickle mistakes - err I mean a bit of artistic licence - lol:






I must admit, though it was nice and easy and not too much stitching - and I do feel I've finally got the hang of stitching on linen/eavenweave - now is the pesky task of making it into a cushion- uh oh I have the feeling that it might go on my to do pile which is getting bigger - I really need to stop starting new projects and properly finish what I have.

I have had the foam for the seating on my pew for over a fortnight and I've had the material to have a go at covering it for weeks as well but the two have never been introduced - is anyone else like that??? I really need a kick up the bum to finish stuff.

Ooh, I know I had a question as well - would you put any interfacing on the back of the sewing??? and will I be alright just making the cushion as is or would you do anything to prevent further fraying of the edges??? (the cutting to size will get rid of the current raggedyness - is that even a word??)

Lastly, I've only got a thin piece of linen left that I bought from a quilting/xstitch show at Harrogate can anyone recommend any good/cheap online suppliers I've used sew & so before but not for fabric.

Thanks for any advice & thanks for looking :-)

Ali
xx

An early morning post...

... blah!! up this early on a Sunday - hubby has gone to work and he is soooo noisy so we are all up, ah well can get the grocery shop out of the way as soon as Mr A opens and then seen what the boys want to do today (although I've noticed its starting to rain again!!)

I just wanted to quickly blog my brothers birthday card:



The image and sentiment are Bugaboo and is very apt for my brother (he is totally bonkers!!). I have coloured it with promarkers and added glossy accents to his glasses. The dp is cut from 12 x 12 American Crafts sheet then I have added ribbon and plain red and blue card from my stash.

I would like to enter this into:

Crafty Creations - boyz to men
Totally Gorjuss - All about boys
Sweet Stampin' challenge - one for the boys
Allsorts - Free & Easy

Thanks for looking

Ali
x


(p.s. thanks for your kind comments re my colouring - while the boys are having their xbox time today I'm going to be checking out some tutorials and having a little practice :-) ) xx