Hi everyone sorry not been crafting recently as DD and I have had the lurgy. I think it was just a nasty cold or viral thing as we seem to be on the mend now. I wanted to share information about a special girl called Alicia. Alicia Jackson is a 3yr old girl with a benign brain tumour who needs expensive treatment in the USA and without public generosity she may not get this treatment as up to £50000 is required. She is the grandaughter of a lady I have met on a cardmaking forum and I hope to be able to support this worthwhile cause. There is a blog here dedicated to raising money through card and craft sales and you can support her via Facebook here.

Going Buggy Blog candy

Enfys has some wonderful Martha Stewart goodies in this wonderful collection of crafty stash so get on over to her blog here and have a look. I have been following this blog for several months and there are always fun ideas and inpirations on there (I am jealous though as she gets to spend lots of time in Florida as well as in the Uk so she can buy lots of stash in the USA!)

Halloween

I am one of those who loves Halloween and have done for years! I have lived in my current house for 8 years now and have had a Halloween party every year with my kids we love it! We will definitely be 'trick or treating' again on October 31st and it's a Saturday so it will be less of a rush to get organised for all the themed food and games!

Anyway, Melissa over on MSE set a challenge to make a Halloween or Monster card and I came up with this one today.

This is the recycled swing card from last months card swop on Crafty place that went really wrong! I managed to cover up all the awful mistakes and I actually quite like it now!! I would have been happy to send this one if I had come up with this card in the first place!

On the front is a ghost that was 'squeezed' for me ages ago by Choccy (thanks hun!), stuck onto a punched scallop circle (paper form a scrapbook set in poundland, with a little bit of doodling on the outline with a black glitter pen). I used a mixture of punched and bought paper flowers with a couple of brads. On the 'backside' I used another scalloped circle run through the swiss dots folder in the cuttlebug, decorated with 2 bats cut and embossed with the cuttlebug (hadn't used it for ages so getting my money out of it again today!)Now I just need to decide who I am gonna send it to!

Two challenges in one card!

Creative Card Crew challenge this week is 'scallops'. I have used another of the scalloped cards from Craftwork Cards and a scallop circle (from a 3 " punch). The lace apple cardstock in the background looks kinda scallopy at the edges too I think!

Over on The Crafty Place TheladyBoz (aka the wife aka Jennie) set the October challenge as 'something Autumnal'. So I chose an Autumnal image coloured with promarkers and whispers pens, set on Basic grey orange/green paper, Apple green lace cardstock and a couple of orange roses (sent to me from Rusty thanks xxx) with a couple of orange flocked flower brads holding it all together!

Mega Blog Candy for Alzheimers Charity

I was perusing some new blogs and came across a link to this fab blog. Jude does crafting to raise money for Alzeheimers, she says 'This is what you will win a tote with all contents and more as items will be added the more who join in.This is my way to thank everyone of you bloggers for supporting my alzehimers fund raising whether through messages of support or craft items you have sent to me to sell at the up and coming bazaars i have planned'. I am going to look at the blog in more depth and learn about her charity work but wanted to spread the word and show off the mega candy!!

I think this runs until 29th October and if 200 people link to the candy Jude will add a 'mega craft item' so go sign up people!!

Crafty cardmakers challenge again

I decided to make another card featuring ribbons and enter it into this challenge. Unfortunately the mirror card is very reflective so the photo' is not great. It is a little out of my comfort zone as I am not usually into shiny/bright/bling in a big way but I think I have combined all of the above fairly easily!

Another challenge card!

Hi I decided to do a last minute card for the Lili of the Valley Challenge number 38 which is to make a Christmas card for a child. I used the layout from Get Sketchy, which was so simple this week and I thought it would suit my card idea. I just changed the oval shape to a circle as i really loved the little shaker circle and I thought a child would love it! The image is a die cut from Lili of the Valley (from Rainmac) and I have used some DCWV card and some other card from my stash.

I think I might need to add some shimmer or glitter or gloss to the image just to make it zing a bit more but the challenge closes today so I have to pop it on my blog!

crafty place swing card

This was a harder challenge than I suspected as I got as far as the swing card shape then I tried to attach the image and it went all wrong!! I won't even show you the mess that I got in! In the end I had to use my cute image on a 'swing' from Nikky (see her blog here). So it wasn't as adventurous as first planned but i quite liked the finished result! But it was sent very late so sorry again Dragonllew!

Sketch Saturday challenge 72

Another fab sketch over here. I really take delight in completing sketch challenges as they seem to kick start my creativity. I can also use what I have available and knowing what cards I need I can adapt them to suit!

Anyway this is the card I made for my friend Lesley's birthday using this sketch...

Very pink, sweet and girlie, just like my friend, I hope she likes it as it's her birthday tomorrow.

Crafty cardmakers challenge

I have just come across this great blog for 'newer card makers and bloggers' sounds ideal for me and some of my poor cards!!

Challenge 5 is 'ribbons and fibres' and I have managed to create a fairly simple (as usual) card with Christmas in mind.

I have used a precut silver bauble shaped card, some snowflake lace/ribbon, a couple of simple diecuts and a silver ribbon and white fibre at the top. I am happy with the end result I think! Will definitely be visiting this challenge blog again.

Distracted!

I also have to confess to my latest distraction! I became completely addicted and unable to concentrate on anything else. Now I am on the road to recovery and fairly able to maintain the normal daily functions of everyday life! I have a clear insight and can confess as I am now free of the constraints of the addiction!



OK you have probably guessed what I have been up to, if not here is the evidence.....

I read them all really quickly and forgot about everything else! So no phone calls, no internet, no housework, no MSN no social life for several days! I have to apologise to those who are waiting for their September swops from Crafty Place but I have got everything organised and they will be in the post tomorrow I promise!! Sorry to Flourgirl, Dragonllew and Hels. I have finally got back to crafting and organising myself!

Now what to read next....????

I've been AWOL!!

Ok maybe not AWOL but definitely missing in action!!

I have been preoccupied with getting another year older (yep it was my birthday on October 3rd!!). I had a great day and was very spoilt I had 2 breakfasts made for me, lunch out at TGI Fridays (kids choice) and then in the evening I had about 20 people over for a 'camp reunion'. We all had a trip away for 2 nights under canvas, 8 adults and 11 children and it was a blast! I was official photographer and the evening meant a continuous slide show whilst eating and drinking (New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc anyone??)

I also got some crafty presents including 2 sets of nesties that I haven't tried out yet ( need to read up on how to put them through my cuttlebug) also got some fab piggy stamps again unused (insert embarrassed face here!!). I was really chuffed to get a whole bunch of hand made cards and here they are....

As you can see I had a few piggies! The one on the left is from Padster and on the right is one from Dragonllew. They are both more fabulous in real life and the attention to detail is amazing.This collection of handmade goodies came from Flourgirl and includes a card, a tea bag holder and a cross stitched piggy coaster!! Again you cannot see all the tiny embellishments including the pearl necklace and bracelet on the pig card!The top card is from The Wife and is actually a wallet with a lovely message tag inside. The card is absolutely gorgeous and double sided so it is also beautiful on the inside as well and so unusual. The cute Tilda card is from Choccie and it is immaculately coloured in shades of brown including the lace. I love brown so I was delighted!This card is by my talented daughter and is cleverly disguised as a gift! She also decorated it inside so more lovely papers!

As you can see, I was very lucky and was remembered by many people, both friends and family and I am grateful and thankful for everyones cards, gifts, bithday wishes and thoughts.

Thank you all xxx