52 card challenge - week 4

The challenge this week from Nat was to...

Your challenge is to use paper from a paper pad on your card!

Now I only own one paper pad (I know, shocking!) and it is a very old Papermania one I was given as a gift.  At least it narrowed down the choice of paper and speeded up my card making!  The pad was Heather, pictured below;

And this was the card I made.  Yes, it's another Mother's Day card in January (see previous post! lol!).

You can catch all the challenges over at Kool Kitty Musings and there will be a new one today :)

UKS Weekly Challenge - January Week 3

Suzy has set the challenge over on UKS this week with a lovely sketch for us to use...

This was the rest of the challenge;


I am well known for sewing on nearly all of my layouts so I would love you to use some sewing on your layout somewhere (either faux or real) for 5 points

I also love making an inky/painty splattery mess in general so please use paints and/or inks on your layout for 10 points

Finally as this week sees the commemoration of the birth of Robert Burns, Scotlands greatest poet I would like you to use a line/quote/title of a poem (this does not necessarily have to be a Burns poem) in your layout for your final 10 points

I decided to scrap a photo of Alex from her birthday a couple of weeks ago.  I have some hidden journalling behind the photo which explains the firework in the photo taken at our local Indian restaurant.  (We only asked for a sparkler!) It also tells how she managed to persuade her Dad to go for a curry which he really doesn't like!

The layout was made using another Sarah's Cards Kit from way back featuring Glitz - Love Nest.  It's more fussy than my usual pages but I like how it's turned out.  I misted the background paper to soften the colour and also a journalling spot behind the photo an the "14" (These are Pink Paislee mistables)  I added machine stitching and I used an Irish Blessing for my poem as I really likes the first line...

May love and laughter light your days, 

and warm your heart and home. 

May good and faithful friends be yours, 

wherever you may roam? 

May peace and plenty bless your world 

with joy that long endures. 

May all life's passing seasons 

bring the best to you and yours!

Thanks for looking :)

52 card challenge - week 3

OK I know it's only Jamuary but last year I made and sold a lot of mother's day cards at work for charity so I thought I'd best get started on some stock to do the same this year!

Nat set the challenge this week around colour aasking us to use the pic below and base the card on two of the colours.

Well I kind of did that...except I think I used a few more!  I found some scraps to use up from another page done at Sarah's retreat and thought the colours matched so well that I made this...

I'm nearly keeping up with this challenge so off to work on week 4 now.  If you want to join in head on over to Nat's blog to see all the challenges.

Thank you for all your comments - I do love reading them and it is appreciated :)

Simply a moment...

I hear the bell of the tea shop door ring behind me as Tony and Josh leave.  I am standing outside on the pavement looking across at the village green, all pretty covered in snow.  I am happy to feel the sun on my face.  Too many days recently there have been clouds; low, oppressive clouds.  I much prefer these crisp, sunny winter days.  On the green I see some children having a snowball fight and another set starting to build a snowman.  I smile at their luck of having snow when there is no school.  I give thanks that I live in such a lovely place with a sense of community.  We did not have to get the car out this morning but took a 20 minute ramble into the village to treat ourselves to a family breakfast.  Something else I am grateful for I realise; that we are able to have such a treat and that we enjoy spending time together.  Josh interrupts my thoughts by telling me that there will only be two more Doctors after Matt Smith.  Why? I ask.  Because the Doctor can only regenerate two more times, says Josh.  Another typically random fact from a boy who has so many in his head.  I wonder how he keeps them all in there.  I stand and stare a moment longer, soaking up the sun and the snowy scene.  Then I realise I am feeling rather full and it is time to get moving to walk off some of the wonderful breakfast I have just eaten.  And so we head off, crunching through the crisp snow as we go...

Simple a Moment is a chance to reflect once a month and is the brain child of Alexa.  Visit her blog and find out more here.

Layout catch up...

I've  managed to scrap some layouts recently so thought I'd better share them! They have both been done for the monthly sketch challenge set by the Sketchy Scrappers which is a group I belong too on UKS.  This was the sketch we used in October...

And this was my page - it is straight, I assure you!!  Used some of the Sarah's Card kit I had left on my desk from my last layout and a new heart shaped punch I bought the other day...

This was November's sketch...

And this is what I made having rotated the sketch.  This was using up a very old Sarah's Cards Kit - Pink Paislee - Amber Road and some BG rub ons from years ago.  Still stash busting away!

Well it's snowing outside again so back to  my craft desk to rustle up another layout!

Thanks for stopping by and keep warm x

RAK

A random act of kindness - one of my colleagues came up to me yesterday and said "Hey, that cake show you were telling me about (she is an awesome baker!) are you planning on going to the Hobbycraft show at the same venue?"  "I am" I replied.  And then she produced a leaflet and a complimentary ticket!

So now I am hoping I can acquire a free ticket for the cake show later on at Event City to repay her kindness.  In the meantime I am looking forward to a day out mooching around followed by lunch for my friend's birthday the next day!

Details of the Creative Stitches & Hobbycrafts show at Event City, Trafford Centre can be found here.

Anyone else planing on going?

52 card challenge - week 2

This was my "clean and simple" card as per the challenge Nat set in Week 2.  Sorry about the rubbish photo but used my iPhone for quickness!

Using up some scraps from a kit I got given at Sarah's Cards retreat a few years back.  I am determined to make all my cards from scraps (unless the challenge means I must use something new!!!)

You can find out more on Nat's blog here. 


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

My month in numbers - December

So I am a little behind with my blogging (a bit like the rest of the world it seems, I too have been struck down with lurgy over Christmas and am now playing catch up!)...but without further a do can I wish you all a Happy New Year and share with you my Month in Numbers...

1 Premier League football manager, 1 Saudi prince and 2 free bottles of wine was how we ended our trip to the Manchester Christmas markets when 6 of us headed off for an Italian meal to end the day! We have now coined the phrase #itsneverdull as we always seem to attract weird and wonderful things when we get together!!

£465 - the amount of donations I took whilst volunteering to take calls at our call centre for Text Santa - I took donations ranging from £5 to £100 and it was really fun and just a little bit humbling.

18 of us went out for a Christmas meal followed by a very entertaining night at The Comedy Store.  Only one of the comedians was really any good but that's the luck of the draw - by that point we had consumed copious amounts of alcohol and were beyond caring!

3 is the number of houses we visited on New Years eve to celebrate the end of 2012. We started off at one for starters, onto the next for stew, lasagne and delicous chicken pie and finally the last one for cheese & biscuits and a good old boogie!

3 was also the number of times I made this mince pie slice over the festive period.  My work colleagues and my Dad just could not get enough of it! Thanks to BBC Good Food for a great recipe.  And for those that have started to count already I added 40 stars to the top!  This was it before it was baked btw!

I'm sure I must have had more numbers but we are half way through January now so I can not recall them! (Note to self to make notes this month!!!)

And this has nothing to do with numbers but I had to share this as the best "little extra" pressie I bought at Christmas for my daughter.

She is a creative sole like myself and has spent many a happy hour doodling, tearing, scribbling and writing in this book!  There are three to collect and we have already stocked up on some for presents as they are down to just over £6 on Amazon.  (Other book sites are avaialble lol!)  Here is how Amazon describes it...

Think of Keri Smith's Wreck This Journal as the anarchist's Artist's Way - the book for those who've always wanted to draw outside the lines but were afraid to do it.

For anyone who's ever wished to, but had trouble starting, keeping, or finishing a journal or sketchbook comes Wreck This Journal, an illustrated book featuring a subversive collection of suggestions, asking readers to muster up their best mistake - and mess-making abilities to fill the pages of the book (and destroy them).

Through a series of creatively and quirkily illustrated prompts, acclaimed artist Keri Smith encourages journalers to engage in 'destructive' acts - poking holes through pages, adding photos and defacing them, painting with coffee, colouring outside the lines, and more - in order to experience the true creative process. With Keri Smith's unique sensibility, readers are introduced to a new way of art and journal making, discovering novel ways to escape the fear of the blank page and fully engage in the creative process.

Thanks for stopping by

Julia

52 card challenge - week 1

This year I am joining in with Nat's 52 card challenge.  I think I managed about 8 cards last year so am hoping to do a lot better!  The first challenge was;

Make a card featuring something new!

It could be any of the following:

• New stash
• A new arrival
• An announcement of some wonderful news
• A card for someone new in your life
• A new home

The choice is yours!

I went with a new job - two ladies at my work do a fab job with all our administration and organising the managers but had been asked to take on Reception from the 7th January.  They were not looking forward to the challenge and the extra work so I made them a card to go with box of choccies I bought then to wish them luck!

So here is my card made with some lovely papers and products from my Gossamer Blue kit...

Need to play catch up already as I have not made last weeks card yet!  Yikes!!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone