Sunday 29 June 2008

Daring Card Makers Challenge


Over at DCMC they are celebrating Christmas! yes I know it's only June but we all need a little bit of the Christmas spirit throughout the year, well here is my entry. I used a snowflake template and chalked various sizes in different colours to give a subtle background, next I glued on some chipboard flakes, metallic flakes and some sticker flakes. Lastly I "wrapped" the card with a Christmas text ribbon. I really love this card as it is not of a "traditional" Christmas scene and is very easy to do, might even get the kids to make these for the school pals this year!! Karen

2 sketches 4 U challenge



Well here is my entry for this weeks 2 sketches 4 u challenge. I know it has taken me nearly a week to finish this entry, but for some unknown reason every time I finished a butterfly it seemed to fly away !? (2 culprits, Kelsey & Joe and neither know anything). Anyway for this card I decided to create an aperture card, firstly I layered on some water coloured paper that I won from Sammi as some blog candy (thanks Sammi), next I used my Cricut expression and the Accent Essentials cartridge I got to work, cut out the aperture in a scalloped circle, measure the center of the card and selected my "center" button and cut out a shadowed 9cm scalloped circle in multicut option 2 as I had 2 layers to cut through. Next I decided to cut French Filous Flowers (think that's what they are called?) option Accent 16 in the hand book! Coloured in the French things (?) with my orange souffle sakura pens then painted the whole image with my new cosmic shimmer (love these going to Belfast on Monday with Mum to buy some more). Next I stamped out 2 butterfly images, (sorry don't know the maker) one on white card and the second onto velum. Coloured the butterflies in using my souffle pens. Lastly for the sentiment I used a silver peel off and coloured in again using my souffle pens (didn't think this would work, but it did :-) So what do you think of the finished card? I quite impressed with it as I haven't used my stamps in ages and never tried my cricut before to create an aperture card. Hope you enjoy, any comments would be very much appreciated. xox Karen xox

Saturday 28 June 2008

Other Blog Candy

Here is the link Dana's blog candy, yet more fantastic candy, you have until Sunday the 28th June to enter. Take a look over, this stuff is FAB.

Rene is also offering some fabulous candy, go over and try your luck. It's worth a go!!!

You know I'm amazed as to how generous some people are in the world, makes me happy :-)

Friday 27 June 2008

School's Out

Well, this week my son "Graduated" from nursery school, can't believe that Joe has finished a whole year of school and he is really looking forward to starting "proper" school in September. Well at his graduation party all the children were presented with lovely scrapbooks of their work throughout the year. Lots of paintings, colouring in, and pictures of my wee man, need to scan a few and let you see how cute he looks. He is very good at painting flowers and they are all for his mummy!
Kelsey finished primary school on Wednesday and didn't shed a tear, all the other girls in her class were sobbing away, but not our Kelsey, oh no she couldn't wait until she had finished as she found P7 quite boring with not very much going on after they had finished their 11+ exams. As she got an A grade, she will be going to the Ballymena Academy, the best grammar school in the area and it will be a shock to her as her timetable has 15 subjects, most new and exciting things. Kelsey is a very academic girl and enjoys nothing more than sitting in her bedroom reading a good book or drawing, colouring in , making cards etc..... I know she is going to do very well in her new school.
As a result of the kids finishing school and starting a new one in September, my to-do-list has got awfully long with new school uniforms, school bags, books, shoes etc so I'm trying to work as many hours as I can to try and save some pennies for them as it's quite expensive for Kelsey's uniform, as a result I have to try and reduce, notice I didn't say stop, the amount of crafting products I buy. I am seriously thinking about selling some of my crafting goodies on ebay to try and turn some money around to buy new things, if I do put some on the auction site, I will let you all know as there will be plenty of bargains to be had. Hope everyone is keeping well and that your weather is a lot better than it has been here as few days, rain, thunder, rain ..... you get the picture:-(

Tuesday 24 June 2008

I've Been Tagged!!!

Well guess what, I've just been tagged by Kath (thanks mate?!). I need to answer the following questions:-
WHAT WAS HAPPENING 10 YEARS AGO?I had not that long moved from my 1st matrimonial home and was living in a house nearer my parents, no money, no furniture a 1 year old child ..... things weren't good, then my parents decided I needed a break, booked me a flight and accommodation to go to Crete for a week on my own. I loved it, no partying, just me doing things that I've never done before, scuba diving, mountain climbing. Had a ball and meet 10 Welsh boys who had a scoring system going and it was fun watching them the next morning, scoring the females from the night before - and no I WASN'T on their score sheet thank you.
NAME 5 THINGS TO DO TODAY:Things I have to do today, take the kids to school, have a shower, collect Joe from nursery, hang out some washing, collect Kelsey from school, and ooh that's 5 and it's only 3pm.
SNACKS I ENJOY: Ok if your easily turned in the stomach, look away now. I love love love dulse sandwiches, if you don't know what dulse is well it's dried seaweed. Can't get enough of it, dulse tea, dulse sandwiches, dulse on its own. This was something my grandad got me into and my kids love it to. A bit chewy and very salty, but its LOVELY, yummy
THINGS I WOULD DO IF I WERE A MILLIONAIRE:If I were a millionaire, I wouldn't tell a sole. I would continue in my normal life, pay off the mortgage, clear any of my family debts, my hubby would probably leave work (well if I told him anyway), open my own craft shop and run children's workshops, give quite a bit to worthy charities, oh yes and have plastic surgery!!!.
PLACES I HAVE LIVED:I have always lived in Northern Ireland, mostly in the Ballymena area but when I was foolish and in love (cough loudly) I lived in Larne for a few years, although it was only 22 miles from my parents house to mine, Scotland was closer! I did however have the opportunity to go and live in Canada when my first marriage split up but I couldn't leave my family and it was to soon after my life was turned upside down. I love where I live now as we are about 10 minutes drive from the town center, only 5 minutes walk from unspoilt countryside and although we live in a small park because the house numbers are all up the left, nobody can find our house - ye ha!!!!
Hope you have all found something new about me, now I have to pass this onto 5 other LUCKY people..so here goes........1st is Georgie, one of my Fiskar buddies, 2nd is Sammi a lovely girl who send me some blog candy, 3rd is Jami who has got the most adorable little boys, 4th is Alison another person who I met through Fiskars and lastly Ana another crafter who lives in Northern Ireland.

Monday 23 June 2008

Tilda Dotty Challenge




Over at the Magnolia challenge blog, this weeks challenge is to go Dotty, well I'm half way there in the head anyway. On this card I decided to bite the bullet and use my Heidi Grace "Let's Party" papers. Why is it that I feel so horrible when I cut into lovely papers? Why else did I buy them if it wasn't to use them? Anyway, back to my card. Soon it will be Erin's birthday and I thought that this would be a good opportunity to make her something. I stamped out my little Tilda and coloured her in using permanent pens on the trousers, and watercolours on her top, the reason I did this was to show the different tones in the colours (hope it worked). I purchased some cosmic shimmer on Friday and used this on her wings as Erin is a little angel, well at times!!! Used larger chipboard circles/dots with smaller letter circles/dots to spell out her name down the right hand side, used some of my dotty ribbons to make a "flower" on the top left hand side and added an adhesive star. Lastly put some rub on birds under Tilda's feet as I feel in this stamp that she is looking at something. This is a very cute, girlie card and as Erin will be 9 she is still a baby (in my eyes anyway) but not quite into makeup and proper girlie things. Well what do you think? Is is suitable for the challenge? Do you think my card could win? Watch this space :-)

Thursday 19 June 2008

Jami's blog candy

Jami is giving away some wonderful stamped High Hopes Stamps images, all you have to do is click here leave a comment like this on your blog and post a comment on her's and you too could win, give it a go, you never know. Karen

Wednesday 18 June 2008

Hint Of Pink


Ok girls, another new challenge that I've entered into tonight, it's Artygirlz challenge. This week they are asking for cards with a hint of pink. Here I have used a chocolate base card, layered on some baby pink handmade mulberry paper, cut another piece of the chocolate paper and punched two holes so that I could thread some ribbon through, decided to add a small bead to bring the card to life a bit more. Lastly using my Fiskars wire bender, made 3 flower heads and stuck some baby pink flowers onto with small gems to highlight the center of the flowers. I have never used chocolate brown and baby pink papers together before, but I'm really happy with the way it turned out.

2 Sketches 4 you challenge


This is the first time that I've entered the challenge over a 2 sketches 4 you I used a blank card stock, matted and layered some paper, with smaller pieces of paper I made a teabag folded embellishment, added an adhesive gem to the center of the teabag. Next cut a piece of co-ordinating paper, punched the edges and tied a small piece of ribbon. To finish the card I put a sticker saying " True friendship is seen through the heart not through the eyes." Unfortunately the picture doesn't do the card justice, but I think it's a good 1st time effort.

Monday 16 June 2008

BLOG CANDY GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Hi everyone, well as promised I am going to giveaway some blog candy to celebrate over 2000 hits on my blog. I can't believe that so many people have come to see my work, I'm really chuffed and overwhelmed by the res ponce, so as a THANK YOU I'm giving you all the opportunity to win some candy.


Now to enter I would like you to leave a comment and also post a link from your blog telling everyone about my candy.


As it is coming to the end of the school year here in Northern Ireland, I would like to know what your most memorable moment of school was.
The closing date for entering this candy giveaway will be Monday the 7th of July 2008 and I will get Kelsey to draw out a name of the winner. This candy is open to international bloggers also, so please don't be shy tell us your most memorable school moment!!!!
I will add further things into the candy, just need to find everything first (oops KELSEY!!!!!!!)

Wednesday 11 June 2008

No 1 Dad



Hi everyone, well this is the card that Kelsey made last night for Father's Day. She enlarged the number 1 on the computer and then cut it out using the Fiskars shape cutter, inked the edges to give it more definition. Next she used some of my peel offs, coloured them in and layered them. Lastly she used my eyelet setter tool and put 3 weird eyelets in that I had sitting about. Only on weddings or funerals does her Dad wear a shirt and tie, oh and big band parades, but he does look sexy when he's all smartly dressed I must say (scrummy even), the rest of the time when he's not working he's out the back kicking football with both Joe and Kelsey and they enjoy themselves messing about while Mummy is doing all the housework, gives me peace. Anyway, I've tried to upload this onto the Fiskarettes blog for her to enter their competition, but needless to say I've had no luck. I've also entered this card into the blog candy that Lainy is giving away, and I've promised Lainy that if the card wins that I will give the candy to Kelsey. She is getting very good at this card making business, she is picking up a few tips from my fellow Scottish card makers and really enjoys reading what they've been up to. Hope you all have had a good day, it's rained here most of the day so no doubt its heading over to Scotland and England tomorrow, enjoy it a wee pressie from Northern Ireland xoxox

Tuesday 10 June 2008

The smell of lavendar


Bought some new lavender plants today for my new levelled garden and all I can smell is lavender on my hands, yes I have washed cheeky!! Anyway I think this aroma has affected me in my card making as I seem to be on a purple theme at the moment, well this first card was using one rub on transfer that I bought in a packet for 99p a bargain I think, mounted it onto white card and then carefully cut/ripped an oval shape from purple handmade paper, backed the card with some free downloaded paper and added a small peel off.



















The second card I used some backing paper that my Mum bought for me ages ago, used 2 butterflies peel offs, mounted onto white card and started colouring them in. To try and "lift" the card slightly, I cut around the images of the flowers and I think it really complements the softer colour tone of the base card itself.


I haven't forgotten about the blog candy, and yes Lorraine you will have plenty of time to enter when you return from your travels.

Monday 9 June 2008

I'm Back !!!!!


Sorry I haven't been about as last week, my life has been completely MAD with hospital appointments, working, sorting plans out etc. For those who know me, the little Op that I had at the end of last year, well it turns out that it has caused a "little problem" with my kidneys as I have been at Causeway Hospital trying to sort it out - no joy yet, but the doctors are still working on it (I won't hold my breath). Anyway I had great joy today opening some candy that I won over at Sammi's blog, and was delighted with what I received. There are over 20 papers, 3D tag kit, theme eyelets all in a boys theme (great timing for fathers day me thinks!!!) and eyelet tool and shapes, and a lovely card folder containing some of the cutest images I have ever seen, so THANK YOU Sammi so much I can't wait to get playing with them.
Anyway as it appears since I have been away I have had over 2000 hits so as a thank you to everyone I am going to be offering some candy of my own. Hopefully I will get a picture and details of the candy posted within the next couple of days, so please come back.
Got to go now and take my tablets, hate tablets and these ones are like something you would give to a horse, they are massive. LOTS OF HUGS AND KISSES TO U ALL, Karen

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