Coaster Desk Tidy

These were actually thin beer mats that I glued together to form each of the 4 sides. Then I used my cropodile to punch holes in and stitched together using rik rak. Each side has a different purpose 1. Calendar 2. Acetate pocket 3. Pin board (glued cork to the side before stitching) 4. Notepad.
I then took some large paperclips and decotrated to match
Then made a little post-it note cover to co-ordinate. I found some clear pens and rolled up the paper and put inside finished off with some matching velvet pencils that I bought.
Papers were 3 bugs in a rug and pink acyllic paint
Hope you like
Toodle pip x

My New Position

Wowww how excited am I to finally be able to share this news.

I decided to apply for the Bubbly Scrumptious DT, not really imagining that I would be accepted BUT I was!!!. I feel so proud of myself and have been grinning like a Cheshire cat ever since.

I was offered the chance to be a part of a fab new challenge blog Vanilla Sugar where once a month there will be a challenge that is new and exciting.

So come on over on the 1st of January and play along.

See you there

toodle pip x

Merry Christmas

xMerry Christmas Everyonex

It's begining to feel a lot like Christmas

My craftroom has become the wrapping station and I don't even want to begin to tell you how messy it is, the floor has all but dissappeared!
On Friday we went out for our meal with the dog club (no the dogs stayed at home this time!). We were all dressed up and in the car when we discovered we had a puncture grrrrrrrr, so after settling the dogs with a pigs ear I had to go back in, in the warm , while Leon just about froze changing the tyre and he must have been cold cos it took him all of 14 minutes LOL
Jenny did a quiz and our team came LAST! We are official dunces lol We had a great time but my camera battery died and of course I had forgotten the spare!
I do have some very exciting news that I can't share right now but will soon.
Am determined to be ready for christmas this year so it's off to wrap the remaining pressies
Toodle pip x

Managed to do a little scrapping this weekend

I managed to fit a little bit of scrapping in this weekend as well as putting up the tree, well when I finally found the lights. We got the rest of the decs down and then Peggy bit the head off of the little drummer boy that goes in my musical tree grrrrr ,she's a pest!
Leon was trying to decorate the kitchen but all I could hear was him cursing as he dropped this and knocked hiself on that!! it was hysterical.
But I did get these 2 LO completed and even photographed, I'm amazed
The first was is for stuck sketches.
I used some scraps of my yummy October Afternoon pp and various bits and pieces from my stash
The second one is for 52weeks 52sketches sketch 49
I love the sketches over there they are so comprehensive and I often turn to a sketch when my Mojo is failing me. More October Afternoon pp and yes the 2nd piece on the right is upside down on purpose(I always felt a bit of a dunce at school so that is why I did it, and maybe you have to be in my head to understand that but hey ho lol)
Well another weekend over and it's back to the grindstone tomorrow yuck!
Toodle pip for now x

My poor poor bloggy woggy is all unloved and neglected, but my craft room is readying itself for the big move after Christmas into the bigger(well actually the biggest) bedroom in the house! God help the kids if they decide to move home again LOL
Have been creating a little but can't show yet but I have found a couple of pics that I havn't put up yet

Leon snoozing by the pool in Zante(not the best pic sorry)

My BIL and Nephews enjoying the pool in Zante

Leon doing the recycling thing!


A close up of the flower soft I used on the "GO" to give it a bit of texture
That's all for now

Toodle Pip x

Down in the dumps

I am feeling very low have not been in the craft room all week despite having some new stash too!!
Don't know if it's because I have reached the ripe old age of 45 or the fact that my back has been really really bad for the past couple of weeks I just don't know
Anyway winge over
Toodle pip x

Fell off

It seems I "fell off" of blogland for a few weeks, naughty me

have been scrapping in my own little world and created quite a bit really. I am pleased with the majority of it but always feel like "it's not good enough" good enough for what I really don't know

I am going to make a new years resolution to "learn not to be so hard on myself" anyways I took part in the cyber crop at UKS this weekend and here are some of the things I made with the Mystery Kit

Will add some more tomorrow when I get them off the other puter

Toodle Pip x

Our House

This was a challenge on Scrapping the music The song was Our House by Madness

Reflecting on my mood I had to scrap my 2 remaining "babies" at home. Rodney and Peggy.

They have become our focus ever since we first set eyes on Rodders, anyway I digress

I love these October afternoon papers and it was also my first LO on Kraft cardstock

The lyrics go Our house in the middle of our street and I cut out the little houses and trees and arranged them into a street like row

I didnt think it needed any journalling as the title says it all

Hope you like it x

Time of change

I have been very bad in updating my blog recently(smack on hand)
Things have changed round here as my youngest has flown the nest, just me Leon and the dogs now (well apart from this week when we have Josh to stay), at only 17 and her being my baby it has for some strange reason been hard to let go. Maybe it's the same for most mothers when their last child leaves the nest.
I have questioned many times over the past few weeks "have I somehow been a bad mother" It feels like I have almost driven them away?

But there is a big positive for me lol I now get a HUGE craft room!!!
Will be starting things moving prob after Christmas am thinking of the Ikea expidit units and sky tv and a relaxing chair oh and a hundred other things LOL

I have been scrapping but only a little and will upload some pics tomorrow to share

Toodle Pip x

Eyes wide open

Started this challenge for its all about me blog and inccorperated the OLW challenge 61 too

All about me challenge was

{AAM Challenge #3} Pigeon-holed
Pigeonhole:1. A small compartment or recess, as in a desk, for holding papers; a cubbyhole.2. A specific, often oversimplified category.3. The small hole or holes in a pigeon loft for nesting.Pigeonholed:1. Placed or filed in a small compartment or recess.2. claissified mentally; categorize.3. Put aside and ignored; shelved.For October's first challenge we'd like you to do a little thinking; a little soul searching and a little creation that's straight from the heart. We want to know -Do you ever feel as though you've been pigeon-holed? Categorised? Labelled? Misunderstood? As though you've changed, but no-one else sees it? Who does everyone think you are? Who do you really think you are? Are they the same? There was this sketch you could use too and I sort of stuck to it

The word up at OLW was open

I say I sort of used the sketch as it was a mixture of that and a scraplift from Frances Sylvia here

I used Basic Grey Sugared pp, buttons & alphas

Did some stitched sunrays and stitched the ribbon

Also made a flower embellie

As I am on holiday at the mo I had a scout around for something to make the cloud from and I happened upon an old copy of a tourist mag so had to sneak a page or 2 in the name of craft!

There is hidden journalling under the pic on the right that reads

"we were asked the question 'do you think people perceive you correctly'?. The answer would be No, I have my eyes wide open to how people see me, they see my illness and assume, but I am much more than that and striving to become free of these chains that bind me. Then maybe you will see more of the "real" me.

The house represents me, as home is vitally important to me and the sun is sort of the light at the end of the tunnel.

This was a really difficult topic to scrap and took me all day but I am pleased with the result and my efforts

X TFL X

3 in 1 challenge

Created this LO and managed to complete 3 challenges in 1

Dreamgirls -

Prompt:Bring out the eyelet love! Use at least 10 eyelets on a layout and get down with your old school self!

Technique: Doodle - Doodle a border or frame or swirls on your page

Product: find a way of sneaking in a Bird or Owl onto your page

52weeks52sketches

this was the sketch

Lastly Scrap Friendzy Blog Hop 1

Create a LO using

3 different pp - BG Oh baby boy

Bling - papermania adhesive gems

Something Old - The eyelets are among the first thing I bought when I started scrapping/cardmaking

x TFL x

Mix it up - Mixer 29

I've found a great challenge blog Mix it up. It looks fun and funky, this weeks challenge was to use Foil and Masking tape on your LO. It was quite a challenge as it turned out LOL

I used foil behind 2 of the small pics and the "world" font is masking tape sprayed with glimmer mist and put throught the bigshot! I also used glimmer mist to create the coloured squares, Felt thickers and I forget who the small circle rub on was from!

Looking forward to seeing more challenges from there

xTFLx

Scrapping out Loud Flowerific challenge

Challenge:

We are asking you to use hand made flowers on your layout, whether they are paper, crocheted, fabric, or plastic show us your flowerific layouts!!!

Here is my take

Used SEI pp for flowers

Bg buttons

scrumpled brown paper for leaves

We R Memory keepers glazed snap

Various bits from my craft box!

Really enjoyed this challenge and it was sort of a different style for me

XTFLX

OLW - 60 - Invincible

OLW challenge word up 60

Invincible: incapable of being conquered, defeated, or subdued.

Also a lovely sketch by Beck Fleck of page maps

This certainly describes our little Peggy Poo, despite looking like she is going to take off with those ears she was in fact a very poorly puppy. Our vet described it as the worst chest infection he had ever seen in a pup that young, we seriously thought we were going to lose her. She battled thru and is now a fine happy young lady who we love so very much!

I used Dreamstreet skywriting pp and BG oh baby boy Matthew pp along with a few stamped clouds and plane (love elsie - toby)

There is hidden journaling under the "runway", which reads something along the lines of the above, which slides out

X TFL X

52 weeks sketch #36

I am so rubbish at taking nice pics of my LO's if anyone can give me some tips I would be grateful!
This was created using MME Laundry line glittered cs some AC chip flowers gems and the flower embellie I made using beads and glossy accents(one of my essential scrap items)
The desserts in our fave restaurant Tessaro's in Zante were yummy!

Conversation with Leon

Leon "we've lost a saucepan lid" (puzzled expression on his face)
Me "oh it's in my craft room"
Leon (by now totally perplexed look on his face) "may I borrow it"?
Just a quickie but made me giggle. Will have some pics to share tomorrow

toodle pip! x

There's nothing like a challenge

To kickstart your 'mojo' back into action!

Dreamgirls challenge 35 - It's not easy being green Challenge was to use packaging, Trees and your own handwriting on notepaper. I admit the handwriting isn't lots but it is written by me LOL

Used cardboard packaging from one of my many pizza boxes that have brought me goodies

Thickers and Bg alphas and fancy pants chopboard tree

Oh and almost forgot paperchase notepaper and puffy stickers

Really enjoyed this and have been waiting for ages for some inspiration for the beer pic

Toodle pip

X TFL X

All about me challenge

This was the challenge

I Wish I May, I Wish I Might.....

Can you remember as a child, wishing upon the first star you saw? What did you wish for? As you've grown older, have those wishes changed? Your challenge is to create a layout focused on what you wish for.

And this is my take on it

For as long as I can remember I have wished for a dog and now look my wish has come true x2

Tried some sort of shadow doodling on this one and hand drew and cut the scrolls, a scrap of my fave crate paper (only enough for 1 more LO now) BG alphas and unknown but very nice rub ons

I am pleased with how it turned out

Toodle pip xx

52 Sketches #35

Here is my take on this weeks sketch, went overboard (pun intended!) with the doodling on this one I just can't seem to stop. . .

It took me all day

But I have finished the covers for my book

I will probably add something to the back cover later on but just left it as it is for now

I have learnt something today and that is I am outdated!! my daughter has just bought a new pair of boots and I swear they are stilts in disguise!! I am behind the times lol

A new month and a new challenge!

Today is the start of the "Learn something New everyday" class that I decided to join over at Shimelle.com. I am really quite clueless as to what to do but I have made a start on my album covers and have decided to use Fancy pants 'Celebrate' range of papers throughout the book so I don't have to think to much about the actual papers for the pages each day. I'm sure all will become apparent in due course LOL.

latest LO

Found a new website with a weekly sketch challenge http://52sketches52weeks.com/

So decided to play along, this was the sketch

I didnt have a "set" of six pics so decided to take this large one of Leon and crop into pieces.

Once again used no PP (this doodling is so addictive lol) cut everything on my cricut using cutting up and Locker talk carts.The 'chain' is just a string of o's joined together. Really enjoyed this one and it was a quickie for me too only took about 4 hours LOL xTFLx

Am feeling happy

Just completed a LO I am really pleased with can't share pic right now but will be doing so tomorrow
All I wanted to say really
Toodle Pip x

Just said bye to Josh

Have had Josh staying with us for the week and it has been nice.

We had a small birthday for him as we won't see him on the actual can't beleive my "baby boy" will be 20!

few more of my Zante album

These are my cheeky nephews Reece and Jamie, can beleive how much time they actually spent in the pool.!

Love the "clean lines" of this LO, used urban lily pp MM tiny alpha and thickers

Cool - this was my first LO using no PP I doodled the flowers then cut some buttons with my sizzix and added some actual butto, BG chipboard alpha and voila. And I do have to say I look a right wally in this hat! Last one for now the boys again jumpimg in the pool. This was my SLYMI week 34 LO

I have actually completed 12 pages now of my Zante album and I am really enjoying doing these 8 1/2 x 11 layouts

Thought I would share a few more of the pics

Twisted sketch challenge 011

Here is my take on this weeks challenge.
Took a lot of thinking about this one for me, my sewing machine was really playing up and wouldnt zig zag for me lol
Enjoyed it nonetheless
X TFL X

OLW - one little word challenge 58

The word at olw http://onelittleword.typepad.com/ this week was "play" and Leon and the boys were having a great time in the pool it was a joy to watch

Used cosmo cricket Cogsmo papers, have had them for ages and thought they fitted these pics perfectly

Couple more LO's

Couple more for my Zante album am doing an 8 1/2 x 11 album and have decided to do them all landscape

Loved this of the in laws , they look bored to tears but steve was watching the boys play table tennis and dianne was trying to play with her new digi camera

Our main reason for visiting Greece this year was Leon's brothers wedding, it was a lovely day and the bride looked stunning

I did my first attempt at machine stitching on this LO it wasn't perfect but I am very pleased with this lo it looks pretty and fresh

Am even getting a little better at blogging to let's hope I can make it a regular thing

Hugs x

Twisted Sketch 010

Twisted Sketch 010

Twist - use tags

Not 100% happy with this LO but the more I fiddle it doesn't "improve" so am going to leave it as is

Used MM passport papers and embellies

Pic of me and Leon just before the wedding in Zante

X TFL X

Twisted Sketch 09

Here is my LO for the Twisted Sketch 09
I love to doodle so this was right up my street
xTFLx

Here I am again, time passes and I have done loads but as usual failed to share with blogland

I have been meaning to participate in the twisted sketch challenge each week and finally on week 9 I produced this.

the twist was to add doodling, well I seem to be doodle crazy right now and virtually all of my LO contain some doodles somewhere. Of course this obsession could also to be to do with the fact that my doodle dogs are amongst the best parts of my life.

Couldn't pass without sharing a couple of pics of them

Rodney seems to have found a "burr bush" and this is what happens when he gets a little nosy

And of course Peggy at 7 months couldn't be anything other than cute so a cute one of her

Will be back in the next couple of days to share some of the pages I have done

Toodle pip for now

How bad am I??

Loved these pics of Star on her birthday when she discovered her Wendy house in the garden!

Am rubbish at this blog thing it's a fact

On the odd occasion that I sit here typing I wonder is this just another step in my ladder to the madhouse cos not only do I talk to myself I am now typing to myself!!! How mad am I???

Have been trying to keep up with the SLYMI challenge on UKS and it makes me complete at least 1 LO per week, I feel guilty if I just come home from work and scrap all day but I think I must do that at least one day per week, if I'm not physically scrapping I am reading looking learning about it so may as well be getting something done too.

Am waiting on Mr Postman to deliver me some felt so I can complete a LO, how can I have so much stash and still not have what I need??

Well I have wittered enough to myself for one day am off to the craft room to do some planning. . . .