Don't Faint

But I've actually got around to making some Christmas cards this year!!


In the interests of recycling, I've done a design with a re-usable gift tag (ok, the person may have to change the ribbon, but they can definitely use the tag again, and if they glue it on, they can cover the glue on the back of the ribbon {hope that makes sense}). The last one in line looks a bit wonky, but I think that is due to squishing them together in my little portable studio thing, combined with my pretty crappy (lazy) photography skills.

Here's a little close-up some of the tags.

I'm going to do the design in other colourways as well - already have made some blue tags, with snowmen, penguins and snowflakes and have some lovely pink, black and grey Christmas papers I would like to use as well and quite a few other Christmas dies I haven't yet used this year (actually probably never used if I'm being honest).

I also made another batch of Christmas chutney when I got home tonight, and a batch of chilli jam last night - need to label the jam and take a pic tomorrow.

Thanks for looking.

For my Mum

Tomorrow's Mum's birthday, so I made her this card.

The background paper is Dovecraft Hint of Pink (from my new stash). Flower dies are Bosskut Wild Flower and Wildflower Cutout. Font dies are Curly Girlie. The border is one of the Cuttlebug Frills Border embossing folders (also from new stash - I love love love using new stuff). Edges are inked with Dark Peony Cats Eye Chalk Ink (I think this colour is just fab!).

Here's a little close up of the border embossing - I bought these and thought I might never use them, but actually I really like this one.

I'm quite liking my white background for a bit of a change, although I really need to make myself a banner for my title. A long time since I've done anything like that, so may have to trawl for a tutorial.

Toodles

Lisa xoxo

A Bunch of Stuff

After a few weeks of not really making anything, managed to get a few things done this week.

I had a call from a colleague on Thursday who needed a pair of earrings to wear on Saturday night. As I was busy Thursday and working Saturday morning, I made them on Friday and she popped round to pick them up Saturday afternoon. I had never thought of putting these colours together (well would have put some of them together, but not the lilac), but they turned out really nice.

As it was a last-minute order, I had to scramble about and use stuff I had which fitted the colour remit of orange, red, yellow, black and lilac. She also wanted chunky. I've had these orangy/yellowy discs for a while and always liked them. The others were just picked from my jumble of beads. I threaded the discs on eyepins, the top section on eyebins and the bottom danglers on headpins and just hooked the lot together.

Thursday was Stu's birthday, so I made him a cake. I asked him what sort of cake he wanted and he decided on chocolate. I don't like chocolate cake, except for Black Forest Gateau, so made one of those - not the prettiest thing ever, but it tasted really nice. I didn't have any kirsch though and couldn't see any in the Asda next to work, so just added some vodka to the cherry juice!

I also made this card for him. I always struggle a bit with man cards (I think most people do), but did manage to find a nice Metallica font, which kept the rock god happy, especially since Death Magnetic was released on his birthday. I've used DCWV Rock Star papers, inked with dark peony Cat's Eye chalk inks. The font is Pastor of Muppets, with the last letters being Pastor of Muppets Flipped.

Treated myself to one of those little portable studios from Maplin everyone has been raving about and I love it (even though I've only used it once, to photograph the earrings). Still need to faff around with it a bit though, as I was getting quite a bit of reflection of the glass on the background, although I think it looks quite nice. Anyways, I'm great at faffing, so shouldn't be too much of a hardship.

Thanks for looking. Toodles xoxo

New Stash

Popped into my local craft shop, for some pearly card blanks for wedding menus, sadly the only one left in town from about 6 a couple of years ago - unless you count the paltry collection W H Smiths have (but I'm not speaking to them anyway after rushing into town after work one day for something only to find it all closed up and in darkness at 23 mins past 5 when they're meant to open until 5:30!).


Anyway along with my blanks, some other stuff popped into my hand, then I had to order white 12x12 card from Papermill (local shop only stocks Bazzil, which is fab, but too thin for the thing I was doing) - so I ended up with this little bundle of extras:

From Papermill I got DCVW Rock Star 8x8 pad and Dovecraft Funky Masculine Brads. From my local shop I got 2 sets of Cuttlebug embossing folders - Snowflakes which I wanted since last winter and Frill Borders (which I thought looked really nice, but now that I have them home I'm not sure if I'll use them. I also go Dovecraft Rose Tinted Christmas and Winter Wonderland brads, Winter Wonderland, Fantasy, A Hint of Pink & Wedding 6x6 pads, DCVW Rose Tinted Christmas & Christmas Wishes 6x6 pads and a Laura Ashley Contemporary 6x6 pad.

Now to use it all (and perhaps have a bit of a clearout of existing stuff).

Toodles xoxo

Invitations

I managed to get my wedding invitations sent out last week. Everyone should have theirs by now, so reckoned it was safe to post here (not that most of the people coming along read this blog!!).

Unfortunately because I printed them on pearly card and I'm a pretty crap photographer they look a bit speckled here(they don't look like that in real life - just pale gold pearly).

Stu got measured for his new kilt at the weekend and put the deposit down on it - should be ready 2 or 3 weeks before the wedding.

On other matters, I have had the strangest desire to sew and was thinking of half inching my mum's sewing machine as she never uses it. Don't know what I fancied making, but had visions of me running up little beach bags and decorating stuff I already have - maybe that needs to be hand sewn - I really have no clue.

Also weirdly (I don't know what's come over me these days - keep thinking I'll do stuff I normally have no interest in), I was in my local craft shop buying blanks for my menus, when I spotted nice pink and black DCWV Christmas papers in 1 6x6 pad. I also saw a nice blue Dovecraft one and then another DCWV in red and green, so I bought them all (along with some Christmas brads) - really odd since I hardly even give out cards at Christmas - who knows maybe this year will be different (but if you're one of my friends reading this, please please don't hold your breath, as you'll probably end up dead and that would make me feel guilty!!!!)

Off to do something productive now - had a long list, but had to go back into work for a couple of hours tonight just as I was getting settled.

Toodles xoxo

Still around

Well sort of. I just never seem to have any time for stuff these days - I'm sure I'll be back on track again soon though. I did make this rush card for a workmate - the first one I've done in ages:

I used Blonde Moments papers, metallic DCWV card, Sizzix Girls are Weird Alphabet and the cake was made using a Sculpey push mould. Edges are inked with Cats Eye Dark Peony.

I've also been busy doing my wedding invites - got both the all-day and evening ones finished now - just need to do the inserts and addresses. I'm really pleased with the way they've turned out and will post a pic once I've sent them out.

Next will be working on a layout for place names at the tables and a cover for the CD w're going to do for favours.

Thanks for looking.

xoxo

Wedding Fever

Finally a chance to update. Stu's sister got married last Monday. It was a lovely day and bride and groom looked fab (as did the bridesmaids and ushers!!)

Bride & Groom

Not long til ours now too - I must get myself into gear with losing weight - on holiday for the next 2 weeks so that should give me a good start - always easier away from work.

Looks like I have a final design for my invites now - will get them printed off soon, so that all I need to do closer to the time will be the inserts.

Also got holiday booked for next year - off on a Caribbean cruise in February - can't wait.

Did these card for colleagues as well:

60th Birthday

Teacher

New addition to family 80th Birthday Ruby Wedding Hopefully I'll have some time when I'm off work to do more cards and my first jewellery in ages. I really envy those people who seem to be able to get so much done.

Toodles xoxo

Eggstremely Late

Yup, Easter was well over a week away and I'm just getting around to posting the cards I made!!

First one was for Stu:

I've used Making Memories Ethan and DCWV papers/card. Bunny cut using Quickutz Peekaboo Bunny, nameplate is Sizzix and font used is Quickutz Sunshine.

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This one uses papers from my local craft shop and card is DCVW metallics. Nameplate again is Sizzix and Easter Egg is hand cut and embossed using the Cuttlebug Swirls folder.

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Final one uses English Paper Company papers and a Quickutz chick. Tag is a Bosskuts one and Easter Egg is again hand cut and embossed using Cuttlebug dots folder.

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Finally, it was Stu's Dad's 60th on Easter Sunday, so I made him this card. papers used are Making Memories Ethan (I actually forgot I had these papers and they are so good for guy cards), number is hand cut and inked and font is Quickutz Sunshine. Thanks for looking and toodles for now xoxo

Thi-thi-thi-thi-thirty

It was KB's 30th at the weekend. Party had a mod/northern soul/motown slant to it and it was well good. Since he's right into his rugby, I made this card for him - put the local team colours in the "3".

Hand cut the number and rugby ball using DCWV cardstock and chalked the edges. Grass paper is from a DCWV stack (you know when you look at a stack of paper and think to yourself "when on earth will I ever use that one? Well, bingo!!)

Got another party this week - need to make a CD with 10 songs with the first letter of my name for it. I've sort of picked mine out, so it'll just be a case of burning them onto a disc.

Toodles xoxo

Just Stuff

Hello bloggy-types, hope you are all well. I'm doing just fine and dandy and still managing to dodge bullets :D:D
Got a few book/film/game reviews, but I'll leave that for the weekend when I'm in full-on geek mode.
Here's a pic of a card I did for one of my friends at work:

The papers are Making Memories Kids in Kate, the buckes and buttons are Sizzix, the Tag is Bosskut and the font is Rebekah's Birthday. The gorgeous white flower (sorry my botany skills are crap so I have no idea what kind it is, but it looks a bit like an orchid) is part of my Craft Fairies Design Team kit.

Thanks for looking.

Lisa xoxo

Oh Baby!!!

My wee cousin had a little girl at the weekend - chuffed to bits for them as I think at some points over the last few years they thought the day would never come. Went up to see her last night with Mum & G and made cards for us to take up - here they are (N.B. I've tried to do photos instead of scans for a change as I'm always jealous when I see other people's beautifully photographed items). I used Fimo embellishments for all 3 of them, cos I love Fimo on baby cards for some reason.

This is the one Stu and I gave her:

Papers are Making Memories Cosmopolitan, teddy and feet are fimo, square and frame are Cuttlebug and letters are cut using Curly Girlie.

Mum gave her this one with the baby in a pink nappy:

Papers are DCWV, nameplate and corners are Sizzix, circle and frame are Cuttlebug embossed with a Cuttlebug emobssing folder and font is QK Sunshine.

The last one with the tag and pram is the one G gave:




Papers were from my local craft shop, embossed using a Sizzix Big Impressions plate tag and butterfly tag were cut with Sizzix dies and font is Girls are Weird.

Life in general is ticking away nicely. Hoping to get moved into my new job in the next few weeks (but we have to get someone in place for my current one first!), although getting paid at new salary so that's ok. Will also be enrolling for a VQ Management Level 4 course next week.

Not really added any more wedding plans, although have an appointment with the florist on Saturday.

As always I do promise to try to update more frequently than I have done lately - just had a lot of stuff going on and time just seems to fly by - one day I will be organised though :D:D

Toodles xoxo

Up the Ladder

Sorry it's been so long since I last posted, been lots going on recently and just haven't had the time. Still working away at the massive clear out - couldn't do it without Stu who has been a great help. Now have dining room, big hall cupboard and lock up done. Need to start on little hall cupboard and build the rest of the bedroom furniture next. Then it'll be some extra kitchen wall units (I have a spare wall in there anyway) then the chaos that will be the bathroom.

Got some good news on Friday - got promoted at work - well chuffed about - will be quite a challenge, but I'm sure I'll love it. As a congrats, Stu gave me my birthday present early - a Nintendo DS with Big Brain Academy and Brain Training. Got my brain age down to 20 tonight, which is not bad going as I've only done the daily brain age 6 times. A bit disappointed it didn't unlock more of the training games - heacount was my last one (and the first one I've managed to get a rocket for my speed). Big Brain Academy is great too - think my best is about 1560g and a B+.

As well as having my nose glued to the screen I made this card in the early hours of Tuesday morning for everyone at work to sign for a colleague who's going off on maternity leave.

A bit of a crappy scan as Fimo teddy made it sit wonky. Also bubble green circle was definitely not as lime as that!! Really must get to grips with taking photos of cards instead of scans. Paper was some I got from a local craft shop (in fact the only one left in town now I think). Photo corners are Sizzix, circle with frame are Cuttlebug, embossed with Tiny Bubbles embossing folder and teddy is made of Fimo using a Sculpey push mould.

Got P & K coming to dinner on Sat, so will need to cook something nice - thinking of having venison, cos I love it and haven't had it in ages, and I think I'll do a sweet instead of starter, as K has quite a sweet tooth.

Finished The Alexander Cipher by Will Adams at the weekend. Was a really good read - if you like things like The DaVinci Code and The Righteous Men you'll probably enjoy it as much as I did.

Wedding update now (hope I'm not boring you with all the wedding talk) - G has her bridesmaid dress and really likes it - I love it too, but not seen her in it yet, we also got another one the same, to pull apart and make a dress for P - that way they'll both have the same fabric.

Think that's all I've got to report for now. Hoping to get Mario & Sonic at the Olympics for the Wii on Friday, so will give a review of that next week.

Toodles for now xoxo

First Offerings...

...of the year and for the Craft Fairies DT. I still have lots of goodies to work my way through, but thought I'd post my first efforts.


Here are the goodies I got:

So far I've made this:

Covered using DCWV card and paper I had in my box. Flower were also part of my DT goodies. Ric rac was stuff I already had. Twill hanger was part of packaging in a set of bedsheets. Font is QK Sunshine.

and this:

Used paper and sparkly card I got from my local craft shop, flowers again from the DT goody bag and handled made using seed beads and wire. I then covered the inside of the card in a matching pink:

Will hopefully have more finished in the next couple of days.

Called about my missing order from Ellison today and was told it was despatched on 18/12 and that apparently DHL couldn't find a location for the address - a bit odd as I was getting it delivered to work and DHL are in there almost every day (so much so that our Receptionist is on first name terms with the driver). Hopefully it will turn up in the next couple of days now though - I'm really getting desperate for the stuff now (especially as it was a Christmas pressie).

Anyways gotta jet now - hope you're all having a good 2008 so far, bloggy-types.

Toodles xoxo

'Tis the season to be jolly...

tra la lala la lala la la. Finished my last batch of cards orders last night. Seriously thinking about not taking on any more now before Crimbo (apart from Mum, G and my own). Now I can spend time concentrating on my jewellery orders and playing with my Craft Fairies Design Team Kit - yippee.

Here are the final cards. It was actually an order of 5, but 2 of them were the stocking design I posted a couple of days ago.

I'm quite chuffed with this one. Papers are English Paper Co - really wish I had got a big batch of about half a dozen of the designs and not the bumper mix pack, as there are about 6 I really love and the rest I don't have a clue what to do with. Dies are Sizzix and a gorgeous Bosskut Rudolph I borrowed from the lovely Rhi last year. The diecut tree is part of I swap I received over at the Crafts by Carolyn forum.

This one uses one of the English Paper Co designs I don't really know what to do with, although I love the one with the stitched ribbon I've used on the bottom. Dies used are Sizzix and Quickutz, brad is from my stash and holly is made using Fimo in the Sculpey Kringle & Snowman mould.

This one is to be given to a little girl who has been in hosiptal for the last couple of weeks. I agreed with my customer that it might be nice to have a little bit of a Christmas theme (without being too Christmassy). Papers are yet again English Paper Co (another lot I don't really know what to do with as I find lilacs & pinks quite difficult to use for Christmas). Big tag is Sizzix, snowflakes are a mixture of a Zip-e-mate and some I received in the Crafts by Carolyn forum Christmas diecut swap; button is from my stash.

Thanks for looking xoxo

Rest of the Batch

A bit of delay in posting these I'm afraid, but you know how it is even at normal times of the year - the days just fly by so quickly - and at Crimbo everything seems to go at 4x speed.

Anyways, here are the remainder of the 5 cards I made for a colleague:

I did try to stick to traditional for all the cards in the batch, but I struggled a bit - I've been using English Paper Co papers this year, and some of them are just a tad too traditional - not really sure what I could do with them, so this one ended up with a bit of a modern squiggle tree twist (or should that be twist tree squiggle?). Dies used are Sizzix and Cuttlebug. Tree brads were from my stash and font is Not His Angel.

Back to the traditional look for this one. I actually quite like it , even though it is verging on frumpy. Yet again English Paper Co papers, Quickutz & Sizzix dies and brad from stash.

This one is for one of those tricky beasts (aka men!!). Yet again English Paper Co papers (plus a Christmas tree one I got from my local craft shop last year). Dies Sizzix and Quickutz and fon on label is Baby Bowser.

I'm now going to start on another batch of 5 for another colleague - at this rate all my friends and family will be getting cards from the garage!!

Sorry for not posting many comments on my favourite blogs lately - I have been looking, but sometimes have been sneaking a peak at lunchtime etc from work and can't post from there.

Speak to you all soon, bloggy-types xoxo

On the Second Day of Christmas (card making)

Yup, it's true folks, I've actually made my second Christmas card of the year (also for the guy I did the reindeer one for). Have stuck with the traditional theme for this one as well (perhaps that'll be a trend for me for the whole batch of them).

Stockings and holly are both Quickutz dies. Papers are English Paper Company and font is Courtney Dorkling. Want to get the order finished tonight, so I should have more to show tomorrow - thanks for looking.

On the home front, had the day off on Friday, so managed to get some Christmas shopping done. I also managed to get bedroom curtains - it only took me a year and a half, but got the Jeff Banks ones that match a set of my bedding (and even better - they were in the sale!). The Murder Dinner Party was a great success on Saturday night - felt slightly below the weather on Sunday though - don't know how much was alcohol-related and how much was just because I was shattered as I didn't stop all day Friday or Saturday. Got work's Christmas lunch on Friday, but I'm not going to drink at it as I have a retirement and another work's Christmas lunch the next 2 Fridays, so will wait til then, as getting my tree on Saturday, so want to be on top form and safe for driving etc for that.

Speak to you all soon, bloggy-types.

Toodles xoxo

DCM - Santa's Little Extra Helper No 7

Well, well, well, I must have psychic tendencies as I made this card last night then read the DCM Little Extra today:

It's Tuesday again so we have a midweek challenge for you to play with. Santa's Little Helper this week is themed "Buttons and Bows"Just in case you're one of those super-efficient types who've made all the cards they need already, you can still join in with a non-Christmas card for this one.I made this for someone at work to give to his daughter and boyfriend. I've got another 4 cards to make for him, so need to get a wriggle on. Diecuts are Sizzix, Quickutz and a mistletoe one I got in a swap. Font is Chopin Script. Tree brad and gold bow were just stuff I had lying around. Papers are from the English Paper Company - hope it's not cheating to use printed buttons & ribbon.

Thanks for looking.

Toodles xoxo

Love is in the Air

Stewart's sister and her boyfriend got engaged on holiday, so I made this card for them. I'm not going to post it as they're coming to my murder on Saturday anyway.

Paper and dark card are DCVW. Light gold card is Paper Cellar stuff I got in a mix box last year around this time. Dies used are Cuttlebug Circle Frames & Hearts. I printed the words in Missed Your Exit and chalked round the papers with a tan(ish) colour.

Tomorrow will be like Friday for me as it's my last day of work this week - in fact the way I've wangled my annual leave, last Friday was the last full Friday I'll work all year. Got to spend the day getting ready for the murder on Saturday - it seems to have gone from being weeks and weeks away to only being a couple of days away in the blink of an eye. Hopefully I'll spend some time getting organised Friday afternoon/Saturday during the day.

Thanks for looking

Toodles xoxo