Exhausted...

We've spent most of the day lowering the work benches in my workshop today as they were just a bit too high and my shoulders were aching after sitting here for a while. Of course it's not that easy as everything from on and under the desks had to come out and both computers had to be disconnected and then reconnected whilst crouching under the desk. We had no internet after putting it all back together but worked out that two of the wires had got mixed up when putting it together so it's fixed now.

Today I was tagged by the lovely Anne:

1. If you could have £100 worth of scrapbook paper or assorted embellishments, which would you choose? I'd choose lots of lovely Christmas papers in 8x8 or 6x6 size and then zillions of chipboard and acrylic shapes to play with.

2. If you had to choose between using only stamps or rubons, which would you choose? Stamps for sure, I'm a bit of a skinflint and would much prefer to buy stamps that I can use over and over again rather than one off rub-ons.

3. If you knew how to do both awesome cards and layouts but could only do one for a whole year...which would you do? Cards - no contest really!

4. Would you rather own a scrapbooking store or have your own scrapping room at home...(can't have both he he he) If I won the lottery I would have my own little crafty emporium but for now I'll settle for my lovely workshop

5. And last but not least, what is your CURRENT cardmaking or scrapping style. Oh my goodness, I have no idea. Do I have a style? I suppose clutter free with nice straight lines?

I tag:

Joanne

Annette

Maria

Caz

and anyone else who fancies having a go!

Back to school tomorrow, but only 8 weeks until the next holiday which means Yipppeeee!! only 8 weeks until Christmas!

Answers to a few questions that have been posted as comments recently:

When I print my digi papers I use glossy photopaper from Costco as it's cheap and fantastic to work with.

I use photoshop elements 5 to resize all my bits and pieces

The stamps that I used way back with the fat ladies and the yachts are different to the Magnolias but still called Tilda and came from Panduro

And to the three ladies who left me comment on Friday morning but they haven't been published - I'm sorry I deleted them by mistake and couldn't remember who you were. That will teach me to come on my computer when I've just crawled out of bed, I pressed the wrong button :(

A Quick Catch Up...

Just catching up quickly on a few things from this week. It's been great being on holiday but I've still been super busy and my shoulder is aching from sitting at my desk for too long.

First is the little extra challenge over at DCM, I was completely inspired to open up my new packet of cuttlebug mini embossing folders.

This one was for the CPS sketch and I finally managed to use some of the lovely black and white papers from Pink Petticoat that I got a while ago.

The final one was for the Sketch This (cards) blog and I think it's my favourite out of the three. I'd forgotten I had a whole pack of these papers in 6x6 size but I found them when I was hunting for something else.

This little gingerbread man was one of the posts over on It's A Creative World with step by step pictures if anyone wants to have a go, it's easy peasy and needs no sewing.

This very pink card was over there too last week, I like it because it's so simple and I emailed the photograph to my lovely Mommy to tell her that I love her.

Lots more to share but that can wait for another day xx

NeeNah - NeeNah - NeeNah...

I've been playing with the vehicles set of Kates doodles again. They make fabaroonie cards for boys. I was asked to make a card for a 3 year old who loves fire engines and 'NeeNahs' - I guess if you have a 3 year old boy in your family you will understand the fascination with emergency vehicles.

(MAMBI paper, Kate Hadfield Doodles, American Crafts Foam Thickers number, Pixie alphabet stamps, Papermill white card, Colorbox charcoal chalk ink)

I printed the fire engine in quite a large size so it would fill up most of the card and added the road so it would have somewhere to drive along.

I printed a second image out and cut different parts of it out (wheels, windows, ladder, shutter, lights, bumper etc.) and used sticky foam pads to give a raised effect and add dimension to the flat image.

I added a number 3 sticker and spelled out his name with alphabet stamps. I'm sure it will be just perfect for a fire engine themed birthday party for 15 three year old boys!!

Smile...

Two people last week gave me the 'You Make Me Smile' award and I must apologise as I had forgotten. I'm not too sure who actually reads my bloggie blog - so if you do and I made you smile then consider yourself an 'awardee'

A busy weekend...

I've been celebrating being on half term holidays by being super busy it seems. I've been crafting like crazy but most of it I can't share yet, but these things were just for me.

First up is my contribution for the Daring Cardmakers Blog challenge for the theme circle of friends. I used polka dots paper (circles) and a bumble bee with doodled dashes to show where he'd been flying - in circles! and it's a card for a friend who is 'the bees knees'.

(Paper - Lettering Delights, Bumble Bee - Jacque Larsen, Font - Typical Writer)

And then, because I liked the bumble bee so much I used the ladybird from the same set to make a birthday card, I've had a special request for cards so this is one of them.

(Paper - The Shabby Princess, Ladybird - Jacque Larsen, Paperfrill - Doodlebug, Font - CKTailor Sloppy, Ribbon - Pandura)

(Paper - The Shabby Princess and Pink Petticoat, Cupcake element - The Shabby Princess, Paperfrill - Doodlebug, Font - Typical writer)

(Paper - Lettering Delights and Pink Petticoat, Paperfrill - Doodlebug, Heart element - Meredith Fenwick, Font - Typical Writer)

The two smaller cards are for the same special request and they will be going in the post this week.

Saturday was spent doing a spot of hairdressing for my Mam in the morning and then shopping in Newcastle in the afternoon, the shops are starting to look quite festive so we had several detours to visit Christmas departments.

Today we went for a walk in the woods looking for signs of Autumn I took my big girls camera with me and Mam took my little one and we spent a happy hour wandering through the trees, we spotted one squirrel but we made so much noise stomping through the leaves that we scared him off and he was away jumping through the branches before I had a chance to snap his photograph.

Back on the sketch trail...

Yay - only two more days until half term. I am so looking forward to a few extra hours under my duvet and lots and lots of crafting. I have a huge list of things that I want to do by the end of the holiday!

My new Magnolia stamps arrived on Friday and I finally got around the playing with them. The first card is for the CPS sketch blog which I haven't joined in with for quite a while and the second one is just because I wanted to and I've left space to add names and sentiments as it's for my 'last minute oh my goodness I forgot' card drawer!!

I'm waiting impatiently for the new Sugar Nellie stamps to be released, roll on November!! but I'm filling the waiting with online shopping, last night I bought some fab Christmas Doodlebug stamps - like I need more Christmas stamps!

Daring Cardmakers Challenge

(Dinosaur doodle and dinosaur footprints by Kate Hadfield at the LilyPad, digital papers by the Shabby Princess and Pink Petticoat, Typical Write computer font, chalk ink and doodling)

This weeks dare from DCM is 'The Wild Ones' - you don't get much wilder than this 'Birthdaysaurus'.

A Spot of Catching up...

What a busy week! Somehow it is Sunday night again and I don't know where the weekend has gone.

I have finally moved back into my new and improved workshop and it's lovely having everything to hand but it took a long time yesterday sorting, tidying and putting everything away. I took these photographs yesterday because a forum friend was asking about the room, I've since been shopping for curtain fabric and today we made curtains.

I have a new logo over there ------------> under the 'I Design For' title, I am now on Kate Hadfield's Design Team and if you haven't been over to the Lily Pad and bought up all of her doodles - what are you waiting for? I've already used lots of her digi doodles in the past for my cards and I'm looking forward to playing with more in the future. I used some doodles for ATCs for an ongoing swap and they are just the cutest things to play with..

(Kate Hadfield Vehicle doodles 2, Lettering delights digi paper, Typical Writer font, ric rac)

(Kate Hadfield Haloween doodles 2, Pink Petticoat and Lettering Delights digi papers, Typical Writer font)

I've spent some of the weekend playing with Kate's doodles and also making some cards for people at work.

(Shabby Princess digi papers, Queen and Co felt, Sizzix heart die, Typical Writer font, Cuttlebug embossing folder, ric rac)
(This card was part of my blog post last weekend but I've adapted it with a name and a number)

Although the weather has been sunny and dry here today it was quite windy and my cards kept blowing away whilst I was trying to take photographs so they are indoor shots so not the best.

Only one week to go until half term and a whole week off - I'm looking forward to spending time crafting (I haven't even opened my new parcel of Magnolia stamps that arrived on Friday yet and also making the bunnies that some friends have ordered :)

Exciting news...

Well it is for me anyway - I'm a Pencil Lines sketch girl :)

Back home...

I had a fantastic weekend away with my scrapping pals. Although I know them from the forum we all belong to it's not often you go away for a weekend and spend it with 14 people you've never actually met!

Although I spent a weekend crafting I didn't actually make that much - too much giggling, eating and chatting - but I did make a card for tomorrows Creative World blog post and spent some quality time with my Magnolia stamps, I even managed two sets of Christmas ATCs but I've forgotten to photograph them.

(digi papers and elements from my scraps draw, Doodlebug paperfrill, ric rac and Making Memories magnetic alphabet stamps)

I've made this card design before but I made a six of them this weekend in readiness for Christmas - it's not long you know :)

Weekend Away...

I'm going away tomorrow for the weekend to spend time with friends making cards, scrapbooking, crafting and chatting! We're going to Scotland and I'm so looking forward to my little adventure.

There are exciting things going on at It's A creative World this month as we try and raise money for Breast Cancer Research please go and visit and perhaps leave a small donation via our just giving page - we have set a target to raise £310 - just £10 a day, we hope you'll join in with the fun and possibly a few prizes during the month.

No crafting to share today as I've been busy making things for the Creative World blog and getting organised for my weekend away but I don't think I shared my Baby card that was on the blog last week.

Have fun this weekend, I'll be back next week and if the post ever gets back to normal after the current strikes I might just get my new Christmas and Winter Magnolia stamps

You'll never guess...

I've moved into my new workshop :) Nothing is organised and sorted as yet but at least everything is in the same room instead of being distributed around the house.

Of course I haven't had time to craft as I've been 'managing' the build - giving orders and making the tea etc.!! but I did make this card for a forum friend who is poorly in hospital and I needed it at just the right time as Patsy has a challenge on her blog to make a get well soon card.

Tonight I have been printing papers off to take with me at the weekend and beginning to collect everything I will need - I bought lots of chocolate this afternoon and I'm trying to get my cotton wool brain into gear to be organised.

I also placed an order for 4 more Magnolia stamps and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my new stamp order arrives in time to take them away with me.

I also wanted to say have you been over to It's A Creative World this week to see how we are raising money for Breast Cancer Awareness and the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer, we have a challenge to 'scrap your boobs', I hope you'll join in.