Snow Fun Sunday

So no crafty project for me today as I have been having to get up early all this week and have been going to bed when I normally have time to craft...LOL

I just wanted to share a little montage of pics I took in the snow on Sunday.....and yes I am actually in TWO of the pics (but I kept them small...LOL).

What the montage doesn't show is David going into a tree...TWICE and also getting hit in the leg by a wooden sledge, and me getting knocked onto my butt by two small girls on a sledge.....both David and I are sporting some nice bruises...his worse than mine.

Will be back tomorrow with something crafty!!!!

So many things so little time!!!!

As always things have been a little hectic here this past few weeks...as we are busy preparing to have our new kitchen installed. So many things to get rid of, don't know why we hold onto some things for so long...LOL

We also have a Birthday in the house this weekend....My Hubby. Georgia has been spoling her Daddy and made him a lovely card with Newton's Law (her favourite bear) on the front...what was so heart warming was what she wrote to him inside...so adorable!

Yesterday Georgia had her swimming distance test and she managed a whopping 1000 metres...a whole Kilometre....40 lengths of the pool....A-Maz-Ing!!!

I am also busy making cards as samples to be shown on Create & Craft next weekend....during the Stamposaurus hours (9am on Sunday 11th July)...so my blog has been a little more neglected than normal....but next weekend I will have stacks of the sample cards that I can show you...using the super cute Ellie stamps.

As the end of the school year is rapidly coming to an end (July 22nd) Georgia has a flurry of activities....2 Sports Days, a School Play (Ali Baba) and Opening evening...and more. She also got her school report and I am so proud of her, she has finally settled into the school (last year was her first year there) and has exceeded the expectations they had for her and made some great improvements on her prior year...Well Done Sweetie!

So much going on here....but make sure you come back on Monday as I have the first sneak of the new Some Odd Girl Clear Stamps release....all topped with a blog hop at the end of the week, and the following week a Tiddly Inks/Make it Crafty blog hop launching their combined Steampunk Release....

Ok, break over back to the grindstone...LOL

Update 10.30pm- sat in my craft room with the windows open  and can hear The Foo Fighters playing live at the Milton Keynes Bowl....pretty cool....the MK Bowl is just 2 miles away...and now they are playing my fave song of theirs...At times like these you learn to live again....

WANTED - Magnolia Winter 2010 Stamp Club...

I have borrowed this picture from the lovely Tanja's Blog, If anyone has a spare kit, or wants to sell their's please email me....link to the right.

Halloween Pics...

I just wanted to share a couple of pictures from yesterday's Halloween festivities. Georgia, David & I went around to friends for Sunday lunch (yummy Lamb and roasted veg...I tried butternut squash and sweet potato for the first time) and in the evening the kids went trick or treating around their neighbourhood. They had done a fantastic job decorating the outside of the house with a witch crashed into the bushes, rats and pumpkins by the front door, a skeleton in the window and more lanterns in with window....it looked brilliant.

So the picture above is Georgia all dressed up in her bat costume....she has on the most amazing strippy socks....

Below is a picture of Georgia and her friend all set to scare the neighbours...see don't those socks look awesome.

I particularly like the spooky figure inside the house....we all had lunch in the room and when it got dark turned off the lights so that the kids could see the pumpkins glowing.....and my camera flash revealed the ghostly figure...LOL

Be sure to come back tomorrow and see some none spooky projects...

Update...

I am starting to feel better and this evening have actually ventured into my craft room, so will have something so share tomorrow.

The Summer Festival went well and I sold some cards, gifts, keyrings and three of the four bags I had. The one remaining was my favourite...so I have kept it for myself...LOL

I have taken an order for a tool belt/apron that I have previously shown, and had lots of interest for stuff, including personalised Diwali cards.

They have said they are also doing a Christmas Bazaar and would I have a stall....so I will be doing it all again in December. This time I will be taking more gifts than cards, but the cards I do take are going to be Christmas cards for family members etc. I am going to be starting on all this during the summer holidays so that it is not a rush.

Sorry...

Apologies if you have dropped by and there is nothing new from me. Since Sunday I have had a dreaded Gastric Flu Bug and it has completely wiped me out. I have been unable to work or craft and have barely made it out of bed each day...one morning I didn't and had to call upon a friend to get Georgia to school.

Anyway enough excuses...I am on the road to being healthy again, and hope to have stuff to share over the weekend.

Wedding Mini Books...

I wanted to give my cousin and his new wife a personal present for their wedding, so came up with the idea of a mini book, which I would fill with photos that I took on their day. So here is what I made...

It is a Bo Bunny Binder that I have covered with DCWV "Be Mine" papers and where the canvas on the binder meets the paper I have added some co-ordinating ribbons. I decorated with American Crafts Glitter Thickers, Bazzill tulle, pearl pin and some Martha Stewart butterflies. The inside is more of the same papers and embellishments...take a look at a couple of pages...

I will be filling it with photos this afternoon and giving it to them at breakfast in the Hotel before we leave...

I then decided that I would make one for my Auntie using all the same stuff....just a little different...so here is hers...

And a selection of the inside pages...

The mini books are very similar, I have just used slightly different paper combinations...one is a little more pink, the other a little more aqua.

We arrived at about 2pm...just as they were taking the photos, I didn't bother with any of the large group shots as I was only interested in getting the Bride & Groom. So when all the other guests boarded the red double decker London bus that was taking them all to the reception, I followed the official photographer and got some of the shots he was taking....don't worry he never complained and I stayed right out of this way...LOL.  The plan was to then print them once I got back from the reception (I took my Laptop and my little Canon Selphy Dye Sub printer) and hand them over in the morning over breakfast at the hotel...(can you hear the Mission Impossible music in your head...) Well all went to plan and we got back to the Hotel at a little after 1.15am, and David & Georgia fell straight into bed while I sat and printed 18 photos (9 for each book). I punched butterflies and swirl to overlap the photos, and I am so pleased to say that both recipients LOVED them, in fact every guest that saw them thought they were fantastic and said how fantastic the photos were, and what a wonderful gift it was. So much so that I have decided to make another for Rachel's lovely Mum, Anna. We stayed back this morning to help take down the decorations and clean the marquee as it is being used for another event tomorrow, and after went back to their house for a delicious lunch...and ended up sitting in the garden with the rest of my family (Aunt & Cousins) and waved off the newly weds off as they drove to the airport to go on their honeymoon.

We finally got home at 6pm, tired but having had a wonderful weekend...and now I am back in my craft room trying to get back on track with my DT commitments...I will be ready with a preview of one of the new Pixie Dust Studios 3rd June release, and also a Squiggle Stamps card...so make sure you are back tomorrow. I will also show pics this week of the third in the mini book series...and this time I will show you one with pics in it...just to prove it got finished.

A Digi for ME!

Rachel over on Critchley Creations is trying to raise money for AYME (pronounced AIM)Action for Young People with ME. This is a great charity who provide information, support and friendship for young ME sufferers. She has THREE digi images designed by Lexi of Lexi's Doodles.  They cost just £1 each and if you buy all three you could win a bumper prize of goodies from the Lexi Doodles DT.

Here is just one of the fab images...

So make sure you head on over to Rachel's blog and purchase these fab stamps for an amazing charity. I had the pleasure of meeting the founder of the charity in early 2009 and she is an amazing woman, it was inspiring to sit and hear how she talked about the young people her charity helps.

Oh god help me...I've gone over to the darkside!!!

After so many people asking me if I was on Facebook...and when I said "No"...I was asked Why Not!....I have finally succumbed and joined. So if you are on Facebook, feel free to add me to your friends....or not. My name is Caroline Sears.

I think I need a crash course...LOL

News...

I am pleased to announce that I have joined the Creative Treasures DT along with KathyB and Maddy. It was lovely to be asked by Tracy and I look forward to working with her products.

This morning my first DT parcel arrived and so this afternoon I will have to have a little play this afternoon....head cold permitting (feels like someone has me head in a vice and is turning the handle?

More News!!!!

I am pleased to announce that I have been asked to join the Anyone for Anya? challenge blog DT. Sadly one of the DT members was unable to take on the commitment and Dawny asked whether I would like to join the DT....well I hesitated for all of a nano second and then said HECK YES!

So from next week you will see me onboard as a full DT member...you would have seen me anyway as I was going to be a Guest DT for the next two weeks...but now you have to put up with me for longer....LOL

Thanks Dawny for asking me...ya know I love my Anya's!

Look at these cuties that I just ordered from All That Scraps... aren't they adorable. I especially love the girl in hair rollers and holding a mug of coffee. The set are called Kiki La Rue, and are a limited edition....so if you like them, grab them while you can.

Today I have a weekend visitor...David's Mum, Pam. Georgia and I are also getting our haircut this afternoon in preparation for our holiday...yay, only a week to go now.....which means it is almost the end of the school holidays....just two weeks left.

I am still sorting my craft room...and slowly getting there, will have lots to get rid of, some for sale and some as giveaways. I am also going to do a Blog Candy while I am on holiday....I have some Greeting Farm Anya stamps...maybe even a set of Miss Anya's and a Wild Sprout too!!!!

Tilda & Friends ATC Challenge "Recipe 1,2,3!"

A super quick post from me this morning as this week is slammin', and I have to "To Do!" List that could be a novel....

This week on the Tilda & Friends ATC Challenge Blog we have a recipe theme for you. We want you to use 1 Character, 2 Patterned Papers & 3 Embellishments.

So here is my ATC, I have used one of my new Pink Gem Designs stamps coloured with Copics. The papers are all SassafrasLass "DayDream" and I added 3 pearl gems to the corner.

Tonight is Georgia's Year 2 Leavers Prom at school and I am taking photos to sell the following day. So the Prom finishes at 7.30pm and I have to have over 100 photos printed and back at the school be 9am on Thursday in time for the Leavers Assemby so that the parents can buy copies.....I am so looking forward to Friday afternoon....yay just a couple more days, and on Monday I am having a LIE IN, and a DAY OFF...to craft.

I am almost finished with the Teachers Gifts, which is just as well as time is running out. All I have to do is print a few pics and also add names to some of the photos...so fingers crossed I can get it finished by Friday morning......Plus I need to finish the inside of the cards and also go and buy some wine....

The Sugar Bowl - Challenge 13 "Lilian's Sketch"

Over on The Sugar Bowl there is a fab sketch by Lilian together with the "please include" option of using Kraft paper, or brown and cream cardstock. To be in with a chance of winning the fab Gorjuss Girls 3 you need to use the option.....so that is what I have done.
For my card I have used one of the girls from Gorjuss Girls set 2, coloured with Copics. The papers are all DCWV "The Green Stack" layered with Core-dinations cardstock. I have used my Nesties to cut the matts for the main image, and my new swirl punch. The flower was given to me by Marlene when I was visiting yesterday....actually she never gave it to me.....I just chose it, and she was good enough to let me have it.....thanks hun x To finish off I have used some Basic Grey Opaline in a teal colour, and a TLC rubon.

As you can see below I have decorated the inside with more of the same papers, and also another image. The back is also decorated with smaller scraps, and my handmade by stamp

Thanks to Lilian for the lovely sketch and also to the DT for more fab cards..... x

I has such fun with Marlene and her family yesterday, we got there at 8.10am, and left at 8pm...Georgia said that it felt like we had been there 2 days as we got there so early...LOL

This weekend I got an email asking if I wanted to have a stall at a local "Colour/Image Evening", so I will have to decide this evening and start preparing this week....luckily I have a stock of cards already made...LOL

Something from the weekend....

Well I have no card to show you this morning as last night I was working on my ATC for this weeks Tilda and Friends Challenge, and I was also planning my card for CCT this week. So instead I thought I would show you this completed wall hanging I made a GoGo Getaway. The workshop was taught by Mary Anne Walters (owner of UKScrappers and DT member of Scrapbook Inspirations) and I am so pleased with my completed project. The base of this wall hanging is made from mount board, and all the papers are from Scenic Route "Garden Grove". Now I am even more impressed with myself as those pictures were only taken on the Saturday, and I printed them on my Canon Selphy CP760 (love my little printer) and then used on Sunday morning....I think that may just be the quickest I have ever scrapped a photo.... The only things that weren't included were the glitter thickers that I added. I even managed last night to unpack my stash from the weekend and get it put back to where it lives (at the moment), and I went into my Craft Room to do some more sorting so that I can move most of my stash back up there.

So, while I was away my new iPhone arrived....and the minute I got home I just wanted to play and get everything set up....and once we worked out that you needed to read the online manual to work out ho to get the dang SIM card in....all was well. Last night David also managed to get my purchased iTunes songs off my sick Nano and onto my iPhone.....we had to sync my iPod to my desktop seeing as how my Vaio is still poorly, and so far I am loving my iPhone....it looks so gorgeous and sexy in black.

Desperately Seeking....

X-Cut Dimension Butterfly Punch. If anyone has a spare, or has seen them in their local D0-Crafts stockists please please can you help me. I have been to all my local shops and also searched the internet for a shop online....and nothing, nada, zilch, zip........woe is me.

Tilda & Friends ATC Challenge "May Flowers"

This week over on the Tilda & Friends ATC Challenge Blog the theme is "May Flowers". Many of you may well have heard the saying "April showers bring May flowers"....and that was where the idea for the theme came from. I would like to say a huge "Thank You" to Hazel for being our Guest DT member in April, and also a welcome to Sue who is our Guest DT member for the whole of May....please check out their blogs and see what gorgeous ATC they have been making.

For my ATC I have used a couple of the new Chasing Butterflies range by Magnolia, and I have coloured them with my Copics. The backing paper is Basic Grey "Porcelain" and I chose the one with the roses all over it. Pretty simple this week....as a certain Dutch lady phone me last night and we were on the phone for OVER 2 hours....LOL

I am going to be selling my complete set of ProMarkers with wallets and a set of AquaMarkers....if anyone is interested please contact me by email...the link is to the right of this post.

Happy but tired...

Got home tonight at 8pm after spending the day with Marlene at the Hobbycraft Show in the NEC.....we had a great time meeting up with like minded crafters....Hi Carole, Dawny, Sonia, Karen & Cheryl. Carole & Marlene have some pictures so will post them when I have some copies.

The highlight of the day...after meeting all these lovely ladies was being able to buy Magnolia stamps....in the flesh from Magnolia. For the first time ever they had a stand at a UK craft show. Anyway I was explaining to John from Magnolia that I had been unable to order the club kit from the site and how I had tried for three weeks with no luck, and that it was the first kit in one year that I had not been able to order. He then chatted to his wife and he offered to send the stamps to me today from Sweden if I paid in cash at the show.....so now a set is winging it's way to me. This really made my day as I was gutted after seeing the pics. Another great thing about the Magnolia stand was the fact they had a show exclusive.....mini stamps. These are about a third of the size of the regular stamps, and will only be available to buy at the show (for those going....look at the two baskets right in front of the till....) I will stamp some comparisons tomorrow to show you...

I have also been lucky enough to get a set of the new hAnglar & stAnglar club kit, thanks to a very kind friend in Sweden....Thank you for the beaming smile I have on my face....you know who you are..... :0)

I got lots of lovely bits including some really cute bear dies from Go Kreate.....so very darling....will have to look for some more now.

I am now exhausted but happy, and will be having a relatively early night...well for me anyway.

Tomorrow I will be back with another card using my DT stamps from ww.dreams2stamp.de

Getting back in the swing of things...

OK, so I hope you are sitting comfortably...this will be a long one...LOL

So I am feeling so much better, almost back to full strength. Thanks for all the get well wishes, I am sure they all helped. So if any of you read Marlene's Blog, you will have seen her showing off pics of her newly decorated Gorjuss iPhone. So I thought I would take the opportunity to show my iPod, Nintendo DS, and Laptops.... So first the iPod...

This is just the back there is something on the front, but the main image is on the back. There is a funny story that goes with this iPod....trust me, it could only happen to me. David asked me what I wanted for Christmas, and I told him a Red iPod Nano, so he told me to go ahead and order one. I thought it would be nice to have an engraved one, so ordered from Apple direct...anyway I was having problems with my broadband connection which resulted in me having to bo back a couple of times...well I made a mistake on the engraving...so under the Gorjuss image it says....."This is iPod is the property of Caroline Sears". ...LOL did you know that within 5 minutes of confirming your order Apple are getting ready to engrave.....well I do now. The Guy was really sweet and said as a gesture of goodwill I could send it back for replacement....but I decided to keep it and remember the funny story.

So next we have my Nintendo DS...

Now onto the notebook (top image) and 17" Laptop (bottom image)...

So I am now fully Gorjussed up....and waiting patiently for the stamps to come. ***ETA - These can be purchased fully licensed of course from http://www.skinizi.com/ who are based in France.***

In other news I was very lucky to be picked for some Sugar Nellie "Candy" and will be receiving 4 Sugar Nellie stamps.....2 will be from the new release.....yay me. All I can say is that it lifted my spirits as I was feeling a little melancholy, as from the 31st January I will no longer be on the GoGo Design Team. I have had an amazing time during the two years that I have been designing for them, but both they and I need a change, and while change is good, it is with a little saddness that it is the end of an era. I wish Lorraine & Janice @ ScrapaGoGo all the best and I am sure they will continue to go from strength to strength. So now I am open to and looking for new challenges.....who knows what 2009 will bring.
While I spent a fab day with Marlene on Sunday I finally took the plunge and had a go at watercolouring with Distress Inks.....and here is the pre-card result...
So apart from the Boy looking a little flushed I am pleased with my first attempt.....so much so that I went and ordered some more, ok loads of other colours. I already had 3 and Marlene gave me some of her duplicates and I was lucky to have a voucher to spend with http://www.sillymonkeycrafts.co.uk/ from my lovely friend Lynsey...and also some shopping points....so now I am just waiting on some more colours so that I can do some more. I do love the effect, and it so much easier that when I tried to watercolour before......thanks to the hot pressed paper.

So if you come back tomorrow, you may actually see a card...LOL

Happy New Year

Twas the night before Christmas...

Twas the night before Christmas,
I'm glued to the tree.
I'm wondering what Santa
brought just for me.
Could it be cardstock
or chipboard or lace?
Or a Cricut, I said,
with a smile on my face.
And that's when I heard him,
"Hi Santa, " I said
"You know....good little girls
Should be in their beds."
"I know I should Santa,
And now I've got caught.
But I was just so excited
To see what you brought."
"Well, let's take a look
In this room where you work.
He shook his head quickly,
And left with a jerk.
I heard him exclaim
As he put it in gear.
"You've got enough crap,
I'll see you next year!"