OUCH

Nothing from me today....I'm sorry but spent this afternnon at Ffi's harvest festival which made me cry....will tell more later. Then at teatime I got hit on the head by two heavy obects....an accident but I don't feel good and so I am going to bed.

meet the neighbours

Time you all met my neighbour I think. They like the odd peanut and adore banana chips......they are never rowdy and don't mind how much noise the girls make in fact they are quite the best neighbours I have ever had.

I suppose you can tell from the random post that I have not done anything crafty today.....well with the exception of stamping a few images with a nice Magenta stamp that I bought a little while ago, buying some Halloween ribbons oh and taking delivery of some yummy Stampin Up stamps.

MMMmmm Stampin Up I can't wait for them to start to sell over here...even thinking of signing up ...I really do love their stamps

Weird weather still its been sunny and rainy (with rainbows) and flipping well cold at times. The leaves are dropping like there's no tomorrow - you notice that kind of thing when you live somewhere like this. School are stopping swimming now because of the cold and they don't normally stop until half termish. Ffi is most disappointed.

Hartsholme Park right next to Tornado Alley

Yikes what is happening to our weather. The picture shows Ffion stood in the driveway in the recent floods. The rainfall was constant and heavy and parts of Lincoln suffered very badly. Last night we had a Tornado....it didn't actually hit the park but touched down just outside and the damage was horrendous. It uprooted massive trees (I expect about 100ft high) and snapped trunks of others clean off .....not branches but trunks about 2ft in diameter. When we left for school this morning the clean up had begun there were a team of treefellers (I suppose about 15 or so of them) with shredders, trucks and chainsaws clearing up and when we came home at about 4.00p.m. they were still clearing up and still had a lot to do. Makes you wonder what will happen next -Ffi is personally hoping for at least 6ft of snow this winter :lol:

And now the news that you are waiting for .......Yeay I got my cybercrop mystery kit so I will be stalking the postie from tomorrow.

Joy

Yes oh joy, tomorrow morning sees the release of the UKS CC mystery kit.....I love the mystery kits. I guess it has soething to do with liking being handed a box of stash and having to make something from the contents and very little else.

I am not very good at being told what to do as in following classes I much prefer to ake something of my own. Some of y personal favorite layouts have been made using the CC mystery kits like the one in the picture which was from the Alice in Wonderland CC.

The kits are limited and there is always a grapple to get one ....they never last very long. I had plans for tomorrow morning but they have all been done away with, so that I can sit at my lap top watching, waiting and anticipating the release of my must have kit . I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

UKS Cybercrops make me go all weak willed.

I love the cybercrops on UKS and last night the latest one was announced. I duly registered only to be told that I was a Jiggly Jelly....oh well at least I'm not a clown or a pudding:lol: "No kits this time" Iannounced as I have serious amounts of stash. In hindsight as I went to bed I had decided that was a little rash and that maybe I would just get the mystery kit after all I always enjoy the mystery challenge. Well the first thing that happened when I turned on the lap top this morning was the announcement of the Banana Frog cc kit.....ooohhh Pink Martini papers and rub ons and Banana Frog stamps. Was I strong, did I resist.....did I heck..click,click,click...oh its so easy isn't it. In my defence I love these papers to bits.....yep I already own the ones in the kit so now I can do the class and still have some to stroke.

The picture has nothing at all to do with any of this it is a layout of our home (my cottage in the woods. I used a kit from Scrapagogo and not much else with the exception of my MM Tagmaker which I love to bits.

No time to play.

Well seeing as how I still have a headache and also a poorly Ffi I didn't do any crafting at all.

I have new Penny Black stamps Just waiting to be played with and tomorrow should get my first Magnolia Stamps and I have no time to play.

So todays photo is a picture that I really love .....Lincoln Cathedral by night. I keep promising a few more Lincoln pictures so whilst Ffi is off school is a good time to sort a few out.

I want never gets!

I know what they say but I so want a windmill.....Jay won't get me one (he says it has something to do with them being 100ft high and planted well into the ground). I know some people hate them but I love them, they fascinate me and I could watch them for hours. This one is at Whisby Nature Park which is just up the road from us and a lovely place to visit.

I am still plagued with the cluster headaches and doing very little and to top it all poor Ffi was sent home from school ill today. So no crafting here ......consoled myself in buying some new stamps.....decided to try some Magnolia designs ones.......not the ones that everyone is going for (well apart from one). So in a couple of days I should be able to see what all the fuss is about:)

Something for me

Well most of what I make seems to be for someone else but I decided it was time to make something for me and here it is. A mini book of Jay and our girls. The papers are scrapbook walls and it is put together with my Bind it All. Most of the ribbons were from whats left of the September Ben Madigan ribbons. I am definately changing as I actually chose to use browns and I am really pleased with the results.

Was that the weekend.

No really was that it......gone in a flash. Yesterday was mainly spent at Ella's party so a bit of a journey for us. The picture is Ella's card ......I'm still trying. I handcut the chipboard letters and covered them with DCWV paper, the other paper is just some that I had that has no brand but is very prettn none the less. The card and the paper are both inked with cats eye pigment pads and the flower and button was from a pack that I bought ages ago and I think is craft creations. The happy bithday is my handwritten scrawl.

Something about Men in Uniform
Today Jay and I have been to sunny Mablethorpe for the Mablethorpe Marathon......No don't worry we weren't running it .....if we were I certainly would not be back by now. Jay was part of the Lives Team that provided the medical cover for it. We were not actually in Mablethorpe but out in the sticks at about the 21 mile mark. It was a nice day and very pleasant. We were well prepared and must have looked a slightly strange sight when I took the second photo just after the last runners came through the marshalls had just moved on and it looked like a paramedics picnic for a few minutes before we moved on.

A year ago

A year ago we had one hell of a shock. A shock we are still coming to terms with. Especially Laura......my thoughts are always with you especially now. I couldn't do this yesterday and the card I made for you is still here. So no scrapping from me today. The picture is a layout that my friend Chris did shortly after Lisa died which said it all and still does. I don't know where the year has gone but its had its ups and downs for all of us but I do know that no matter what happens Lisa you will always be only a thought away.

A pressie for Ffion

Well heres what I made with my fabby Ben Madigans Jaynes Addiction kit. Tis a sign foor Ffion's door and once again it look so much better in real life. I'm not sure if its a new camera I need or photography lessons or even both. The colours are much more vibrant than in this picture. Anyhow for those of you who may be remotely interested the base of the plaque is chipboard and is painted with Blonde Moments lustre paint. The letters are handcut chipboard too then inked with brilliance inks. A couple of layers of utee and then the second f and the o were stamped with HOTP stamps using a matching cats eye pigment ink. The ribbons are as previously mentioned my namesake ribbons and the photograph is of Ffion. I am really pleased with the finished item and it even raised a complement from Rhiannon who remarked that she would like one for her door......that would have to be a very big doorhanger so I think we may have to go for a nameplate.

Its not about me

Well as the title suggests its not about me at all today.....I don't feel good but all the same made something I was pleased with but didn't get chance to photograph so will do that tomorrow. So these stunning and beautiful cards were made during our school craft club...the children age between 7 and 10 and so I think you will agree they have done a fab job........shame I can't say the same about the photographs....twas the cameras fauly of course.....but I assure you that i won't be able to blame the camera for much longer.....a new one I hope is imminent.

I don't normally ask but if you could spare a moment to comment on the cards I will print them off and take them to let the kids see them at the next craft club:) I am sure that they would enjoy seeing them.

artquest the pitfalls

Heck I love my artquest watercolours so much but today I realised they have a fault. I bought some fab new Penny Black christmas stamps and when I went to paint the stamped images.....they looked bad....because there are no real solid colours. All of the sets I have are sparkly with lovely metallic and pearlescent lustres and sheens to the finished images but I wanted to paint the cats and dogs and pearly and metallic just doesn't look right so no finished images as I need to find something else to colour them with. So away went my lovely new stamps and out came some much loved rubber stamp tapestry ones and I made a christmas card......and gues what????.......Its another brown one....those ribbons are slowly being used......then they have to be because LSH's ribbon kit for October is ....yep brown.....oh well I have been asked to make more of the mini photo albums and Ben Madigans will be yummy halloween colours and I have plans for those already....roll on October....eek I'm wishing my life away for ribbons. LOL.

Brown Again

Yep twice in a week....brown, what is the world coming too. I made several cards today and they all had brown ribbon somewhere on them including the one in the picture of a stamped teddy watercoloured with Marvy pens and a stamped happy birthday greeting. I really like stamping so much. Someone asked a question on UKS today ......"name your top 3 stamps"......so after about 15 mind changes in five minutes I gave up....I have so many stamps that I don't even think I could choose my top 3 manufacturers let alone stamps....I could probably do my top 3 most used stamps at the present time and this little bear would certainly be in there he is so cute......who made him ....I really can't remember offhand but I have had him for a long time and I think he was part of a set which consisted of him, a greeting and a pawprint.

Dining Room Disaster

Yep disaster struck our very own dining room tonight.....Jay and I were sat having our meal when part of STASH MOUNTAIN collapsed all over the floor....oops I got a very "I knew that would happen" look from Jay......I didn't laugh....I was really restrained but it was really hard. So how did this disaster occur.....well we have a spare dining chair at the side of the door and for several months now stash that has been used and done with and a couple of albums that I bought and didn't get taken away and varying other paper related items have gradually been put onto said chair and today it obviously all became too unstable resulting in the paper avalanche at teatime. Ever the optimist I see this as a very good thing as whilst I was picking it up I found a pot of utee that I knew I had somewhere.....a stamp that I need to make some atcs for my friend because he liked the ones I had done and several packets of sticky ribbon which Justine and Ffion can use on their CJ's. Not so bad after all then but I bet you don't need 3 guesses as to what I will be doing when I have dropped Ffi at school in the morning.

On the scrap front a very productive day as I have almost made my 24 pages for my calendar swap and 2 sets of covers....I can't really put pictures up as they are for a swap so todays picture is the first thing I ever altered....an a....it was a very last minute thing as I joined the altered monogram swap at the last minute.....I chose an a because I thought it would be a very useful letter. It is handcut from chipboard, Inked background is cats eye chalk Bisque (I love that pad)

stamped using more cats eye pads and Cardio Tapestry Stamps and mod podged....So glad I did this swap as it really gave me a taste for altering which I now love.

Where does the time go

Eek I don't know but I wish it wouldn't go so flipping fast. It seems like only yesterday that I plucked up the courage to join my first ever CJ (Circle Journal) ......Well it wasn't yesterday, last week or even last month......It was a whole year ago ......it has been to lots of different places including over the Irish Sea and now it home and full of lots of peoples lovely work. It is fabby to see other scrappers work in real life. Things look so much better irl than in photographs...well the photographs I take anyway.. My CJ for example is so much prettier sat here in front of me.....so sparkly it makes you want to pick it up and touch it...not like in the photo where it is just another journal......I think it might be time for a new camera.....I only have a compact point and shoot....oh okay who am I trying to fool ....I have decided to take the plunge and buy a new camera and am now trying to justify my decision.

Fame at Last

Well Nelson has his Column, JFK has his airport and now me I have my own ribbons named after me. Well you have to start somewhere and I am after all still alive (only just according to my UKS teamies the Pink Fluffy Fairies:lol:. Very pretty ribbons they are too. How do you get a set of ribbons named after you I hear you cry. Well I was challenged to use my latest Ben Madigan ribbon kit.....easy I hear you say......no it wasn't they were brown and I DON'T DO BROWN. Anyhow I made the mini photo album a few posts down and low and behold Jaynes Addiction....you can see them in the picture.......so much better than brown don't you think and whats more .......I get the very first ones.....no problems using these I think.

Baubles for stig

Baubles especially for stig.....can't remember the make of the stamp but I love it. The baubles are painted with art quest watercolours(two different sets) onto black card. This picture does them no justice as these paints are absolutely stunning irl.

Today is rubbish....Ffi went back to school and I missed her like mad.....even my new stash that arrived this morning couldn't cheer me up......and it was Penny Black stamps and Rusty Pickle Adams Family paper so if that couldn't do it then nothing can. Everything was dreadfully quiet and my mind was in another place almost seven years ago (those of you who know me well enough irl will know where it was and that I am not a total nutcase) ...... In a nutshell I'm sad and my mind is working overtime.....its going to take a few days before I get used to not having Ffi where I can see her me thinks.

A pumpkin

A pumpkin for the very demanding woman over the sea.....yes you:lol:

Brown - what a challenge

Well here it is a mini altered photograph album using the latest Ben Madigan Kit.....I don't do brown so this was always going to be a challenge. But its done and uploaded for the mad woman of Belfast so I think I win:lol: I get a ribbon kit named after me.....Jemms Jasmine something or other....I am sure it will be beautiful and not brown and when I get mine (which will be the very first one I am sure:)) I might even upload you all a picture on here so that you can see how beautiful and unbrown it is. Oh and in stigs case probably go and buy one for yourself:lol:

Oh my what a day

The photo is an atc card that I made for a ruby wedding ......this however has nothing at all to do with today (which in my opinion was hideous and should have been cancelled before it was even allowed to begin. LOL).

I was really looking forward to today as my first ever completed cj was due home. Linda posted to me on Friday and as we don't get post on a Saturday I was eagerly anticipating its impending arrival today.....I'm still waiting as RM (Rubbish Mail as they are now known) didn't bother to show today. Theresas CJ which I posted on Saturday morning however has arrived safe and sound...Think I need to go and kick a post box...won't do any good but I'll feel a whole lot better.

Feeling rather fed up I just made a special journey into the city to pick up my holiday pics (250 plus) and got home, sat down with a drink for a nice pleasant hour or so of reminisce............Trouble is they are not my holiday photos at all....the name on the envelope is mine but the pictures are of a very lovely wedding....Eek whats the poor bride going to do when she opens up her wedding pics to find an assortment of landscapes, ffion covered in ice cream and various scrapping projects.......DH reckons that she will be far more distraught than I am but I am really not happy....mainly because I deleted one of the cards to use again.

IS IT TOMORROW YET??

Slice of Cake?

Well the cross-stitch thing got me thinking and one of the other things I used to love to dabble in was sugarcraft. i haven't done anything cake wise for ages either and seriously think I need too. So I have just bought two lovely cupcake stands a regular size one and a mini one and I can't wait to fill them......the girls say that they can't wait to empty them. The cake in the picture was done for Ffion's birthday and her name and the butterflies and stars are all very sparkly in fact the whole cake was sparkly as it had a final sprinkling of edible glitter.

Happy Easter

Well I did tell you things might get a little mad around here. I like to be a little different so whilst most crafters I know are starting to think about christmas......I thought I would be one bunny hop ahead and make an easter card. I love the stamp to bits...it is Magenta and is actually joined but I cut the individual squares out. They are painte with art quest watercolours....I love those too. The ink is my chestnut roan chalk cats eye pad...again much loved and I think thats about it except for oh thats it ....HAPPY EASTER. LOL