Truth, look at the time!!!!!

Hiya everyone, I've been that busy with everything else these past couple of days that I have been neglecting my blog (bad Karen). Anyway there have been a few major progressions in my life these past 2 days. Firstly, I have received a booking for my new company "Arty Party NI" for this Saturday. Basically the company is a mobile arts and crafts workshop where I travel to peoples houses/community centers/churches etc to let them "experiment" with various arts and craft techniques that are available without the initial outlay of purchasing the products themselves. It's especially good for children as I believe that they don't get enough time in school to be more creative. 2nd big thing is that I have finally got my old oil tank removed (not really exciting I hear you cry) but my old oil tank held 4,000 Litres YES and it cost an arm and a leg to fill it. It was made of iron and my hubby and I have the lovely task of trying to cut it up as we cannot carry it in one piece. If the weather brightens up tomorrow I will take a pic and post it here for all of you to see it. Anyway going to bed now as it 01:50 and I have to get up at 08:00 for the kids (wish they were back at school). Tara for now xox Karen xox

Oh what a day!!!!!

Hiya peps, I haven't had much time to get onto the computer today. With the kids being off school, the hubby not working their is a queue to get onto the computer. I think I might have to invest in a laptop and keep it hid from everybody else. With all this "free" time on my hands I have managed to finish my ironing which I started on Sunday - hate ironing. Completed a few more pages of my scrapbook, still a novice at it but its really funny looking back at old pictures and trying to remember what year they were taken. The 2 scrapbook pages above are of my beloved dogs. Syd was my hero, when my 1st marriage split up (another story for another day) its was just me and my daughter Kelsey who was 8 weeks old at the time. Found that my bed was very cold and I had nobody to tell my worries to as I lived so far away from home - hence I bought Syd. He was a cavaliar king charles spaniell and was more loving, affectionate, caring than my 1st husband could ever have been. Unfortunately due to a bad heart problem, he had to be put down last year and I never want to go through that heartache again!!! Bruno on the other hand(doberman/collie) is my son Joes digging partner, Joe may I add is only 4. The 2 of them would go out into the back yard and dig a hole in my lovely green grass so that Joe can play with his Bob The Builder toys. I don't know who's to blame the most, Joe for being covered in muck or Bruno for helping him. Joe will climb on Bruno's back and get horsey back rides all around the garden, he is a big softy with the kids but if any stranger comes near the house you should hear him bark! Hope you have all had a good day and had plenty of more crafty things to entertain you over this day. Speak soon xox Karen xox

Have you heard of PSP?

http://artylicious.blogspot.com/

If like me you have never heard of this illness before. Glenda from Artylicious is knowing 1st hand what it is like to live with someone whos suffering. Please visit the link above and read up on this illness. As a thank you for everyone who goes to this post, Glenda has provided a free download which is taken from her new CD that is due for release soon. Take a look it won't hurt you!!

Somebody else from Northern Ireland

Here is a link to a lady from Newtownabbey, just a few miles away from where I live. Her cards are adorable and she won the BBTB competition for Easter. Please take a look as she definately has inspired me. Karen

http://jayceecreations.blogspot.com/

Look at the size of this!!

Woke up this morning and my hubby, Trevor, had set out my Easter egg for me. I know its a day late but he was working yesterday so we have had to delay Easter by 1 day. I had dropped enough hints for him to remember to get me an egg, but I didn't reckon on one this size. Its that big that I don't even know where to start - any clues.

xox Karen xox

PS Does anybody know why we give eggs out at Easter time?

Baby Card Challenger

I visited a blog site http://regina-bittenbythebug.blogspot.com/ where I found a competition for anybody addicted to their Cricut machine. The challenge was to design a baby girl card using only pink and lime and/or a baby boy card using only lime green and blue card. You could use ribbon on both cards also you had to use your cricut machine while making the card. I thought to myself "dead easy" - how wrong was I. I only got my cricut expression machine at Christmas time and it came with the Plantin Schoolbook and Accent Essentials cartridges and I decided only to use 1 for this competition, the Plantin Schoolbook. The wording is used with a lime green shadow and I decided to put the word "Girl" onto a flower. The stem and petals of the flower are made using ribbon. I hope not to sound as if I'm bragging, but it looks pretty good I think.

Arte Y Pico (Art and More Award)
I am thrilled that my Scottish friend Kath from All That Glitter has recommended me for having this award. Thanks a million Kath.
The "Arte Y Pico" (Art & More) is given to bloggers who share their art and creativity making their contribution to the blogger world.
The rules!
1) You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also contributes to the blogging community, no matter what language.
2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.
3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself. 4) Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of "Arte y Pico" blog , so everyone will know the origin of this award.
5) To show these rules.

As I have only been blogging now for 6 days, if you visit my blog please feel free to upload the link yourself and enjoy having this wonderful award.
xox Karen xox

HAPPY EASTER !!!!!!

Just a quick note to wish everyone a Happy Easter, I'm just going to my mum and dad's now to see if the Easter Bunny left me anything there. Can't wait to get my big turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Will be back later though, if the Easter Bunny visited your house last night, why not leave a picture of your gift and a wee commet.

Speak soon xox Karen xox

1st Sketch Entry

Hi everyone, found a brilliant blog www.carolspaperplayce.blogspot.com
I have entered this card into a sketch competition, never done this before so I'm not quite sure what I'm doing - but hey its worth a go.
I made this card using acetate as the front cover (something new for me) used 2 co-ordinating papers and stitched the front paper onto the card using red thread (again something new for me)and layered on 2 paper die cuts with flower gems in the center. I'm quite impressed with it to be honest with you. It's amazing what you can do when there are no kids around.

Check out my Slide Show!

HALLELUIAH!!!!!!!!!!!

I did it, can't believe it, but I did it and I am so so so happy :-)

Maybe I could get some better pictures to put onto the show, but at least it is now there.

Can Anybody Help Me?

Hi, trying to set up a slide show of my cards and also a counter to view how many people has seen my blog. Does anybody know how this is done? If so please email me. Many thanks Karen

Here goes ........

Well I hope this is going to work, as I haven't got a clue what I am doing. A friend of mine from Scotland (see knows who she is) set up her own blog and I have been very very impressed with what I have seen. As a result of her doing this, I have looked at other peoples blogs (sounds rude) and I have come to the conclusion that blogging is the best way to meet other crafters. So if you would like to leave a comment, please feel free to do so and I hope we have a very good crafting relationship. Karen