Merry (belated) Christmas

I hope you had a good one wherever you were and whoever you spent it with. It's been a busy few months and I've been a naughty blogger and not blogging but I have my laptop back so my new year's resolution is to blog more regularly! Yes, I know it's not quite 2011 yet but there's no time like the present eh? In October I became an independent Stampin' Up! representative so I'm looking forward to being able to share my love of crafting with others. I've even managed to upload a card today. It was actually about 9 cards in the one card which I made for my friend's 40th birthday back in October. I was really pleased with it and I think she was too. This is only one side of it but you get the idea! It's a card in a box and I used images for daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend, nurse, reader, crafter and domestic goddess (using Ladybird Crafts' Ironing Nikki!!) The paper was a retired set from SU.

TFL.

Susan xx

OK...

I didn't get round to crafting last night. Opened a bottle of wine instead. Oops!! Really must get some cards made. Or do some housework... Mmmmm, choices! Susan xx

Oops!

It's been a while since my last post. My laptop seems to have died and the pc is sooooo slow I can't bear it!! Been on my hols to Scarborough for a couple of weeks which was fab. We were joined in the middle weekend by Andy's cousin and his family which was a lovely surprise and as all our kids are the same ages they had a ball. Lots of photos taken and a few scrapbook layout ideas (not put in to practice right enough) Came back from holiday last Saturday. Tried to get up to date with the washing (yuck) but the rain had other ideas and then my first day back at work last week and I had to go to Birmingham for 2 days. Next week I have to go to London for 3 days :( Went to a Stampin' Up class at the Beanscene in the West End today - as usual a good time was had by all. We made a box to hold mini toiletries or whatever you like really. Now I've got the basic idea the possibilities are endless. I'd post a photo of it but unfortunately the usb port is at the back of the pc's hard drive and it is a pita to try and haul it out. Really need to be making some cards but I think my mojo's gone on holiday and not come back yet. Will try tomorrow though. Maybe ;) Susan xx

A few cards

Had a busy old weekend really and I can't believe it's Wednesday already. Boys have been off school and nursery since Thursday - they go back tomorrow thank goodness. And yesterday was Scott's 5th birthday! He had a high old time. We had a party for him at the Big Adventure which he loved and he got to play with lots of nice new toys - although he says his favourite things are the Barcelona strip with Scott and 5 on it, the goalie gloves and the water pistol.... Anyway here are some cards I've done recently - sorry still can't work out how to turn them round. This is using a LOTV stamp (I ordered some of the new ones on Tuesday as well :D!) Did this for an anniversary card for my brother in law and sister in law's anniversary. I just loved it - and didn't actually want to part with it. I fear I may need to make this card again. This is a card I made using another LOTV stamp (did I mention I ordered some new ones...) for the people next door who had a wee girl a few weeks ago.

And this is the one I did for the new big brother...

And lastly a card I did for my friend Gill who was leaving work to start a new job. It's the SN coffee time (I think) manga stamp. I really liked it but felt it was missing something and after I did a class using Stampin' Up! stuff I realised what it was. It could just do with some old olive ink around the nestie edge! I think this is another card that may see the light of day again.

Off now to finish Scott's thank you cards for his presents and to make an anniversary card for some friends. Now I wonder what card I might use for that.....

TFL

Susan xxx

Lovely new stamps!

Look at these! Some of LotV's new stamps available from the 1st June. There are 12 of them in total - 4 dressing up girls, 4 boys, 2 babies and 2 get well. Can't wait :D Will try and be back later with some of my creations... Susan xx

Phew it's warm!

Been very warm here for the last few days. Don't want to complain though cos I've got a horrible feeling that this could be the summer!! At last I managed to get the cards done for the baby next door and her big brother. Took photos on my phone but I can't find the cable to upload them so you'll just need to wait till tomorrow. Craig has just got up to announce that he's read a whole book in one night. Don't know whether to be pleased that he's reading or to be angry that he was still awake 5 minutes ago!!! Not looking forward to getting him up in the morning now. Susan xx

Sorry

been mia for a couple of days. Haven't been feeling like blogging or doing anything else in the last couple of days. Hopefully normal service will be resumed tomorrow. Susan xx

I'm admitting defeat!

I asked Cass how to turn my photos round and she gave me a link to some help topics but unfortunately they haven't helped! Still can't work out how to turn them round. So I'm afraid you'll just have to squint to look at them. This is my attempt at a card I saw on the Whiff of Joy Inspirations blog http://whiffofjoy.blogspot.com/2010/04/accordion-card-by-inge-groot.html I'm quite pleased with how it turned out and Yvonne loved it so I suppose that's the main thing. I used a couple of SN images (Isla and Mackenzie) and the papers are My Minds Eye. Lovely day here. It's just a pity I can't be bothered doing anything with it!!!

TFL.

Susan xxx

Aaarrrgggh

I can't get my photos to turn round the right way so that you don't have to lean your head to one side to look at them! Going to check with a friend and see what she does. I've been trying for ages and it just ain't working.

Oops

Thought I'd be smart there and edit a post I started the other day - unfortunately it's posted it with last Sunday's date and not todays as I expected! Never mind. I'll get to grips with this eventually. Found some other photos on draft posts too but they are from last year so I'll need to find the photos again so that things don't get too confusing.....

Christening card

Made this for a friend who is her friend's baby's Godmother. The christening is on Sunday. I hope that baby Erin (or at least her Mum!) likes her card. It's an easel card and I used a FF bear stamp. The paper is from an old FF kit I found in my stash! I should really be making a card for my friend's birthday on Sunday but I feel overcome by a great tiredness so I suspect there will be no cardmaking done tonight. Still waiting on the result of a job interview I went for last week. I just want to know, like yesterday!!! TFL Susan xxx

Busy busy busy

It's been a busy old day at work - seem to have got loads done. Pity I can't translate it in to housework..... Here's the card I made for the 15 year old the other day. It's a Nikki stamp which I thought was very appropriate for a teenager. The sentiment is also a Ladybug Crafts stamp. Paper is an old pad I had of Papermania purple and green - spring fling maybe but I could have made that name up ;) Really pleased with it - it's my first attempt at a tri fold card so am chuffed it turned out so well. I was having a real crisis of confidence in my card making the other day. Decided I couldn't make cards so I wasn't going to bother trying. Glad I did now. Was out for lunch today with a friend from work who is leaving our office tomorrow :( It was very nice but I thought I'd better not have any dinner as lunch was quite filling. Now that I've made that decision I'm absolutely starving!! TFL Susan xx

I'm on a roll now...

Here's another card I did recently for a friend's birthday - it's using the LotV Rosie Posie image and coloured with coloured pencils. The paper is Daisy Bucket.

I started off this post by adding lots of photos and then I decided rather than do them all at once I'll do them one by one - that way I have to come back every day to post something.

Been out tonight collecting the Christian Aid envelopes I'd popped through peoples doors yesterday. Out of about 60 houses I got 8 back :( Still at least I didn't get the door slammed in my face this year.

Just having a cuppa and a sneaky biscuit (supposed to be cutting down) and then I'm going to get on with some crafting. Got a friend's birthday on Sunday and as she's a cardmaker too it has to be something kinda good! Either that or I'll put my pj's on and go to bed!!

TFL

Susan xx

From my phone..

so not the best quality photos but better than nowt! Can't work out how to turn the photo round but this is using Ladybug Crafts Bathtime Nikki Made at a class at Craftworld - can't remember which Nikki this is though. But I like to think of her as me. Coffee and a book!!

Baptism card using my fave Sugar Nellie stamp!

Another SN stamp. A card which I did as a commission for my friend's mum's birthday.

Got more to upload tomorrow :D

TFL.

Susan xx

Too late

for inspiration to strike. Was supposed to be making 2 cards tonight. One for a friend who is Godmother to give to the parents of the baby at a christening on Sunday and a birthday card for a friend's daughter (15) - I have half done a christening card but am not overly happy with it so I've left it on my craft mat in the hope that it'll still look ok to me in the morning and I can stick it all down or that inspiration will strike through the night. I've also got a card half done I could use for the soon to be 15 year old. Blowed if I can remember what I've done with it though. Ah well, tomorrow is another day. Susan xx

Hello again...

It's been a while... almost half the year. Oops! I've been made to feel suitably guilty by my lovely friend Tracey who keeps asking if I've updated my blog! Here you go Tracey, this one's for you!

Lots of photos too. Some of the quality is not the best - they were taken with my phone. Going to try and be much better and post every day with a photo.... fingers crossed I actually manage to do it this time.

Birthday card I made recently for a friend using the Lili of the Valley Story Time stamp

Card for Craig's 8th birthday using Sugar Nellie's Manga Boy

Another card for Craig - Lili of the Valley's Milk and Cookies

My first attempt at an easel card using Little Miss Attitude. Love her!!

Think this is a Woodware stamp from a set. No idea what it's called though.

That's enough for the moment. Hopefully back tomorrow with more!

Thanks for looking

Susan xx

Don't know if I've posted this before...

and not even sure it's actually the finished article but I found the photo on my phone. It's a lo of me and the boys on the beach in 2008. Not the greatest photo in the world cos of the flash going off and shining in the middle of the picture. Finished the card for my friend's birthday and I've taken photos - I'll post it tomorrow. I've put the usb cable away somewhere. Safely. You know what that means don't you?! The boys have been playing at a neighbours for most of the day so we haven't actually seen them all day. And now they are in bed!! Got some more cards to do tonight and I'd really like to get a lo down - got some ideas floating round in my head which I should really jot down in the ideas book that Sandra gave me for my birthday last year before I forget them. TFL Susan xxx

Happy New Year!

Hope it's a good one.