An oriental feel

i decided I wanted to do something a little different for a change and as there are a couple of challenges with an oriental theme in honour of the up coming Chinese new year I decided I'd have a play and see what I could do. I was surprised at how many oriental style stamps I actually have , from the stampman, simon says and some kits from QVC too. I didn't want to do a card so decided I'd alter one of the plain note books I bought for keeping notes about different challenges in, you know if I don't write it down?

I didn't fancy using a person so went with this cute Panda from Simon says along with some bamboo that I used to create a bottom frame from The Stampman. I stamped the panda in just black whispers dye ink and the bamboo he is eating I coloured with sakura pen. The bamboo leaves I stamped with 3 different green inks and then cut around the top edge and tucked the Panda behind on the book front. The top space looked quite bare and rather than leaving it or adding some text I used a blossom stamp that is Judikins from stamp addicts and the lanterns are again from the simon says set. The blossoms I coloured with promarkers and the lanterns again with sakuras and then just stuck them on. I stamped a sentiment from a gardening set also by the Stampman over the bamboo leaves, not actually oriental but I think it has the same kind of profoundness.

I have to say I love the look it has given the book it feels quite relaxing when I look at it probably all the soft colours and the cuddly looking Panda.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:-

The Stampman-oriental
Sentimental sunday-oriental/Asia
daring cardmakers-oriental or rabbits
Simon says-animal antics
rainbow lady-use a bear

A card for Luke

I read about a little 6yr old boy Luke on Lacey's blog and how on new years eve he had a seizure that left him needing to learn how to speak and walk again. Lacey was asking if anyone would send Luke cards and put on it where they came from so he could have cards from around the globe and of course cheer him along.

Having been in a position though now a few years ago where we had to coax, argue and plead with our son to do his physio(and now he's bigger I still have to nag) I can totally empathise with how hard and frustrating it will be for both Luke and his parents. My son didn't have the misfortune of being a happy healthy mobile child as he has cerebral palsy but still had all the anger and frustration that he couldn't do what his friends did and run around and definitely not have to do physio twice a day along with all the pain that does come with it despite what the physios say, it has to when you are teaching your body new positions and activities , it must be like anyone doing a strenuous workout when they aren't use to it and all the aches that brings , my son use to say and still does that sometimes it get to the point where it feels like torture. So how do you explain that it will be worth it to a 6 year old and them properly understand?

Well I couldn't not do a card for Luke and this digi freebie from Barbara at forgotten scraps seemed just perfect for a 6yr old boy. I couldn't decide on a sentiment so I used 2 both from LOTV as they both said things I know Luke will be doubting.

I used a technique for using up scraps on the craft barn and coloured my monster with my beloved Promarkers.So here's my card. I added a link to Lacey's post should you find it in your heart to send Luke a card too to cheer him along what will be a long hard road to a full recovery.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

Forgotten scraps use one of their free digi's (if I'm not too late)
The craft barn-use one of the paper scraps techniques
Sarah Hurley-layout
Fab and funky-delight in your digi
Critter challenge-a circle and distressing(I distressed my paper scraps by tearing and spraying too)

Love my coffee

I know its bad for you when you drink it in excess but I do like a nice cup of coffee, though I'm sure what I call nice wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, bad use of words ...sorry.

Well I normally drink decaff coffee , which I take quite weak and milky, mum always says for my tea and coffee I might as well be drinking milk let down with warm water. I do however have some coffee I treat myself to once and sometimes twice a day. My first treat is how I start my day and if I've had a bad day then I have another mid afternoon, I love my skinny latte or cappuchino instant mixes and though the tin is nescafe, I also don't mind the unsweetened Kenco and Asda's but definitely unsweetened and skinny if possible and if I find some that is also decaff I 'm in heaven, what a sad life I lead, don't all agree at once please be kind, lol.

I had this tin that had the instant powder in but since haven't been able to get another so for now I open a box and put the sachets in my tin. My special treats, though hubby has cottoned onto this and when he was doing the shopping post my surgery he came home with some for me as they were on special offer. Funny I did the shopping this week whilst he was at work and he was desperately trying to convince my son that he needed him to get something from the supermarket this morning though my son wasn't co-operating as I think he's got use to going supermarket shopping on a Saturday and may be suffering withdrawals, he's now watching TV cooking programmes, doubtless looking for something he can make that we don't have ingredients for.

Sorry digressing again. I decided that I would make my coffee tin a bit brighter and a lot cuter too by decorating it. Now my kitchen has beech units and black marble effect worktops, was going to have shiny worktops but was advised that they get scratched really easily so they are matt. They will probably sound awful but they have like watery swirly splodges in them and have like a blue grey tint with touches of lilac and like a yellowy ochre in them if you look real close, so when I decorate my kitchen these are the colours I use. The first time I had all pale blue walls and the second the paint colours were called bracken and lilac mist. I wanted my tin to blend in with my kitchen though the blues I used are actually the wrong blue far far too bright but I still love it and I can always change it when I redecorate.

The image I chose is a Sassy girl lurve latte well what else?

I used a 12x12 sheet of lilac paper with swirls on I think its papermania but not 100% sure so please correct me if I'm wrong. I coloured my girl with promarkers and sakura glaze pens and added some glitter sparkle to her shirt. The blue glitter paper is from my stash and I think the heart paper came from the same stack as the purple. I then punched some yellow hearts and stuck them around my image. I made 2 images the same and duplicated the layout so I have the same on both sides of my tin.

I would like to enter my tin into the following challenges:-

The sugar bowl-layout
CES-bold and bright
raise the bar-purple, blue and yellow
Order of opus gleui-use a key, heart or something you love
totally gorjuss-as you like it
if the shoe fits-anything but a card

Old Blue eyes

Now my Dad drives my mum mad with his music , well amongst other things but that's love I suppose and he does listen to all sorts including a lot of the up to date stuff but the rat pack are amongst his favourites. He has a birthday coming up and I've had this Kanban pack for ages and thought I'd have another look through it, and when I saw this image I knew it would make a fab birthday card for Dad.

I kept it fairly simple as the topper didn't need anything, I suppose that's the whole point of Kanban's kits and I found a nice simple layout to follow, so without further ado as not much else to say here's my card.

I would like to enter it into the following challenges:-
Tellen's place-make a guy card
Alphabet challenge-M is for men
Pear tree designs-blue

Not everything is black and white

Apart from being a rather dull place if everything was coloured black or white and no shades in between nothing ever seems that staraight forward there are always the grey areas, aren't there, the loop holes and clauses you can't read, a bit like in the movie the santa claus. Well thats another story, lets just stick to craft, far mor interesting and definitely more fun.

This card is for my Dad for his  birthday that's coming up at the beginning of february, so now only one more to make from mum to dad. I always find these the hardest, how loveu dovey should I make it? what style ? somehow it doesn't seem to matter as mum always likes what I make and then I wonder why I was worried still it does cause me a few headaches deciding.

This one didn't though, Dad has a mercedes not sure of the exact model but my son was helping him work out what gadgets it had when he first got it, I say he as mum didn't want to change cars and this was in no way her choice, and Dad is so protective of it she's not allowed to drive it. I suppose I should explain, mum had a brain tumour and for a long time wasn't allowed to drive and Dad swapped cars while she wasn't allowed. Since being allowed to start driving again Dad won't let mum drive his baby as it's automatic and apparently not staraight forward to drive and it has now become a standing joke that mums not allowed to drive his baby. So this car is his pride and joy and it's silver so hence the image and colouring on my card, maybe mum would like this card for Dad come to think of it, will have to ask her.

I used a mixture of greys from Promarkers, I love how using a mix of cools1,2 3,4,5, warms1,2,4,5 and ice 1,2,4 greys you can get such a feel of textures and depth. I first powder embossed this fab LOTV image in black sparkle embossing powder which I also distressed the edges of my backing paper with after ruffing them up with a pair of scissors. I also added extra sparkle with sakura glitter pen. The other papers I think are papermania not sure as I've lost the front cover to the pad. I added some silver star brads to the corners and added stickles for more sparkle, and to lift all the monotones too. The ribbon is from my stash as are the black peel offs and the black glossy card which I used for my base backing and scrunched up layer too.

I also found a fab way to recycle some christmas cards I found that I'd forgotten to put in the recycle bin, I used the plain bit to stamp on, this one had a cute westie on you can just make out its nose on the back of the stamped image, not all the cards were suitable some were too glossy but waste not want not and it will save a few pennies.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

LOTV-layout
Make it colourful-monochrome/vintage photos
Allsorts-card for a male
Teddy stampers-anything goes
Paperplay-black base
Passion for promarkers-glitter
Everybody art-use favourite things, Promarkers, sparklies and one of my 2 fav stamp companies is LOTV
The corrosive challenge-recycle
craft your passion-use 2 different patterned papers
Paper sundaes-distressing
Easy craft challenges-black and white(hope shades of grey are allowed)
crafty Ho's-photo inspiration
Glitterbabe challenge-anything goes and sparkle

All pink birthday

Good morning to everyone, hopefully this will be a quick post before I go do breakfast and then get lunch ready as Mum and Dad are coming over as it was their wedding anniversary yesterday.

Mum asked me to make a birthday card that was girly for my sister in law Claire, who has a birthday at the beginning of february, same day as my dad's.

I decided to do pink, as many will know something I do struggle with for some reason but I think I'm getting the hang of it, perseverance is the key I think.

I decided on this fab Sassy fashionista girl from sugar nellie and as Claire is mummy to her westie Simba this scottie stamp also from Sugr nellie works perfectly. I coloured her in Promarkers and added sparkle with sakura glitter pens. The background circle is fuchsia mirri card and to soften it I stamped it with a lace stamp from the stampman and used moonglow imperial gold purple powder also from the stampman.. The paper is forever friends and the pearls and Peel offs from my stash. The gold card was from some packaging so recycled, waste not.

The photos don't seem to show the colours well so I used blossom, carnation,fuchsia, mulberry and plum with dusky pink and satin for the skin tones and sandstone and caramel for the hair.

I would like to enter this into the following challenges:-

The sugar bowl-layout and birthday

Totally gorjuss-hot colours

Whoopsi daisy-pretty in pink

The corrosive challenge-lace and pearls
Alphabet challenge-L for ladies
Phindy's-lace and pearls
Totally papercrafts-add a heart
Do you stack up-think pink

Licks for kisses

Well this is the other card I sent to my older nephew for tomorrows hug day, hope they like them and that they can spread some hugs too, really ought to get a move on as not sure where the last 2 days have disappeared to and I have several cards in progress for the bugaboo party and the deadline is tomorrow , whats more I've just dicovered I still need to print an image off for one of the challenges , not good news at all. The best laid plans and all, never mind.

This card uses a meljen freebie and I thought my 9 year old, think he's 9 nephew would like it as they have 2 dogs, not little ones like this though. I coloured with Promarkers and added some distressing, though still feel guilty damaging the paper and card. I added a button and some twine, boys I'm informed by hubby and son like it simple on cards so printed sentiment and done.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

RRR-hearts
Marks finest papers-hearts
The stampman-distressing
Crafty purple frog-distressing
Craft your passion-button up
Pixie dust studio-button up
Auds sentiments-love theme
Fresh brewed coffee-love theme or valentine
Simply Create, Alford- colour theme and photo inspiration
Pear tree designs -anything goes

Bugaboo catch the bug week of mini challenges

Over at Bugaboo it is their first birthday and to celebrate as well as their weekly challenge which is birthdays see my earlier post here, they are having a mini challenge each day for monday to friday and you have till 22nd ( I think) to enter them. I have decided to stop me getting too confused( need all the help I can get) I am going to put them all, well those I manage to do on one post, this one and just add them as I manage the cards etc. Hopefully it won't become too long winded and I'll try and cut out some of the waffle I would usually type, so shout shut up Julye and get on with it PLEAASE!

Here is Monday's blue and white challenge.

This gate fold card I made with a fab old friday freebie from the clever and talented chappets at Bugaboo and as a non practicing nurse myself it really appealed to my sense of humour, believe me there are still quite a few of these nurses around and I suspect at least one in every department too. Its fun trying to spot them when you have to visit a hospital for any reason and can help with the boredom of waiting rooms too.

I used promarkers to colour in using various shades of blue, I even gave her a blue hair rinse, but hope you don't mind I stuck with more usual skin tones. The papers are all form my scraps stash so various makes, got to use them up somehow. I decided not to ad too many embellishments so as not to detract from the fab image and sentiment, well what more does it really need.

I would like to enter this card for the following challenges:-

catch the bug mini monday challenge- blue and white

Friday sketches-layout

Crafts and me- monochrome
The shabby tearoom- white plus one and bright and cheerful
crafts for eternity-colour challenge
Digi doodles-anything goes

This next card is for the sketch challenge, I know I've done them out of order but as I said I've not had time to print off the clown to do the bling card as I didn't realise thats what I had to do , and I'd got all organised and done another image for the bling challenge before seeing we had to use the clown, confused yet? I'll soon have you all as confused as me.

Well the sketch challenge was wednesdays mini challenge and I decided initially I'd do a passing your driving test card but it sort of changed to become either a passing your driving test or a good luck card for a driving test or I suppose a bon voyage card too as I used the LOTV believe in your dreams sentiment. The image is a cute monkey driving their car and as most of my sons friends who seem to be doing driving lessons seem to be girls I decided to do it in pinl with a british racing green car, although my son then corrected me and said it was actually Irish racing green first, either way it's dark green.

I was dubious at first about my colour scheme but when I used the leather embossed pink card for the base it all seemed to come together especially with the flowers that just seemed to balance the card.

The image was coloured with Promarkers and I added brads to the wheel hubs, and used craftworks candy for the flower centres.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

The ribbon girl-pink and green
Catch the bug mini challenge-sketch
Tanda-pink and brown
Truely scrumptious-pink,brown and green
Simon says-bingo, brads,flowers and ribbon
Cooking it up with Katie-use green brads
Cute card Thursday-recipe 1image or ribbon, 2 brads, 3 faux brads or flowers your choice

My next card is for the Thursday challenge and that was birthday. I decided to use this flowers image as not everyone likes girly cards but this is still sort of girly. I coloured with Sakura pens and stuck to 3 main colours, teal, turquoise and brown and oops can't count 4 colours green for the stalks. I wanted it to be bright and cheerful and the flowers sort of reminded me of art deco and enammelling hence the sakura pens. I added brown and turquoise ribbons and recoloured a silver peel off with promarkers so it stayed with the colour scheme. The base card I dry embossed with a fiskars board and the layer is white glitter card for added sparkle.

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

Catch the bug mini challenge-birthday

Sarah Hurley-birthday girl

For fun challenges-Glitter

Paperstar-use 2 of ribbon,stamped image embossing or die cut and some or all of colours turquoise, teal,brown and deep pink

MAWTT-layout and option flowers

Friday

This card is for todays challenge and todays mini challenge is anything goes. I decided I'd make a get well card using this cute ladybird in the jam jar. I wanted to make it bright and cheerful so stuck to red, yellow and green for the colour scheme. I kept it simple and used polka dot paper for the cross band. I wrote the sentiment to keep the colours matching, never sure how true colours are on my printer.

This card I would like to enter into the following challenges:-

Claudia and co.- red,green and yellow

Crafty creations-polka dots and a bird(not sure if my ladybird will count?if not never mind)

Catch the bug mini challenge-anything goes

Crafters companion-layout

wild orchid crafts-lets be sentimental

Simon says stamp and show-polka dots

Delicious Doodles-get well

Saturday hope I'm not too late?

Here is my last card for the catch th bug mini challenges, I finally got around to printing it in between taking my son to the dental hospital, his mouth is too small for all the teeth he has and he has to have 2 out, one top and one bottom, we went to the Dental hospital as as he has never had anything done other than check-ups out dentist though as he still gets hyped up at 16 it would be best done at the hospital. Anyway managed to print this cute clown whilst cooking dinner and got around to blinging him up this morning, so now just got to post and link and hope I'm not too late. 

I decided glitter was the best thing for bling and though I'm sure I will have forgotten about this card come september when my nephew is 5 thought I'd work on a card for him. He is autistic so thought he might like the bright glitter and big number 5, now just to remember and put it somewhere safe?!

I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

catch the bug mini challenge-bling

Cards for men-lets party

Creative Cowgirls-turquiose and brown

Stamp something-cute things

Papercutz-anything goes

Charisma cardz-magic numbers

creative cottage-shaped cards

anything goes-what an easy challenge

What a fab way to start our challenge year off over at Penny's paper crafty challenges with an anything goes challenge, good job the DT is all refreshed and up for some serious blog hopping around all the fab entries I expect we will be getting and can't wait I have to say.

We have a fab sponsor this time yet again, not sure how Courtney does it getting all these fab prizes from such generous sponsors but this time we have whimsy as our sponsor. They have a great prize up for grabs and we all had the chance to play with some of their digi images and how diverse is the variety too.

My cards, 3 in total I tried to make very different in style so I don't bore you all. The first I decided to make for my just in  box and it's a retirement card, though in the UK not sure that many would get the relevance of a moose and a beaver fishing as we don't tend to have many roaming our countryside and it would probably scare most fishermen to death if the saw one. The fishing element though I suspect is relevant to many a male retiree and a healthy way to relax too, along with a great excuse for tall stories in the pub after.

I coloured with promarkers and the border I coloured with sakura glaze pens to try and make them seem like glossy fish scales. I stuck with the green theme to symbolise the great outdoors.

I'd like to enter this card for the following challenges:-

Creative inspirations challenges-celebrate
MAWTT-make your dreams come true
Charisma-good luck
Pile it on-anything goes
creative card crew-for a man
Belli-P is for (papers and peel off, both the background paper and the peel-off I have had for ages and never used
creative craft world card challenge-cute and cuddly
Fab n funky-animal magic

My next card I decided to do as a thank you card, and what has now become one of my favourites white on white, though I am definitely in need of some more variety and stock of white papers. The image again is coloured in Promarkers and then sakura glitter glaze for that magical touch. I used lace for probably only the second time though I definitely still feel very wary doing so, and a variety of white papers and cards from my scrap folders, not many white bits left at all. The bugs are some my son picked out years ago they are sort of like a bubble sticker and I felt they went so well with the gardeny feel of the image and just lifted all the white a bit.

Going buggy-use a bug on your project
Paperplay-cutie patootie
Hodgepodge-white on white
Colour create-pink,blue,grey and white-grey is on dandelions and her skirt
Crazy for challenges-thank you
Fun at fairy knoll-thank you
Crafting life's pieces-layout which I rotated
sketchy colours-white

My final card of the 3 I haven't yet decided what occassion it could be for as I made the sentiment up and then printed on the computer, well I will have by the time I post this. I thought 'sending you showers of love' went so well with the image and I suppose it could work as a birthday which was my original idea but I suppose it could work as a get well or a valentines or at a push an anniversary or just to say I love you, like for spouses day on 26th or national hug day on the 21st of this month.

I again coloured with Promarkers and the paper is from a Disney Winnie the pooh print studio again years old as it was my sons and have to admit I was so surprised it worked when I installed it on the computer which is probably 2 or 3 operating systems more advanced than it was intended for. The pearlised green card I thought lent itself well to the dry embossing I did of raindrops from a fiskars board and the 2 lilac ribbons with 2 bows one stuck on top of the other and the umbrella charm and purple brad just finish the whole thing off.


I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

Our creative corner-dress up the layout
Wags and whiskers-show some love
Delicious doodles-use 3 colours green, various shades of purple and blue
Phindy's place-valentine or for a loved one
CRAFT-moving parts well mu brolly charm moves on the brad pin is that ok?
Anything goes challenge-brads and eyelets(only one brad hope it's enough)
I love promarkers-sweet and simple
Passion for promarkers-all you need is love
flourishes timeless tuesday-at least 5x7 card which is just the size of this card base

Right now it's your turn, for more inspiration pop on over to Penny's and the rest of the DT's blogs and see what they have to inspire you ,and then you can all inspire us in return with your challenge entries.

Whats the(monochro)matter

Morning all and happy Tuesday to you all. Well tuesday means time for another fab challenge over at creative craft challenges and this time we are going all monotone so pick your colour and find all those shades and get colouring!

We have another 2 fab sponsors WOJ and digi with attitude and we were given a couple of fab images to use and some sentiments too. Have to say when I initially saw the images I wondered what I could do with them and the image I used so reminded me of my baby sis as she is so not a morning person and definitely a night owl. Then I saw the sentiments and the one I chose just jumped out at me as I have heard her say it so many times as she glares at the recipient with a superior look. She works as a psychiatric community nurse and so has loads of paperwork so I thought this project would be perfect for her desk or home as she never seems to be in when I call her or is in bed after being called out overnight, not quite sure what her job entails but she sems to enjoy it and that I suppose is all that matters.

The papers I think are papermainia and I thought the black and white and grey swirls circles just fit the base was made by covering some packaging corrugated card and covered with recyclesd printer paper underneath and the rest I made like an easel card. I put a ribbon across the base so memo notelets can just be slotted over and covered the notelet pad I used with some more glossy black card and used sakura pen for the message. The image was coloured with Promarkers and mounted on mirri card.

Have to say I am quite pleased with the way it turned out and can't wait to see what my sis thinks.

I would like to enter this project into the following challenges:-

Paper pretties-non traditional fold (though I guess easel cards are fast becoming so

Meljen-square or round no rectangles( the main bit of my card is square)

Cute card thursday-monochrome

Patties-anything goes

Stamp scrap and doodle-anything goes

Pile it on challenge-anything goes

Bugaboos birthday,first challenge

Over at Bugaboo they are having a week long celebration with a challenge each day this week as well as the usual challenge set on saturday. I have to say I love the quirky images and sentiments that they produce but as hubby doesn't like me buying from abroard, which we won't go into and that I am generally a die hard rubber girl and only tend to use digi's when I have to though there might be other rare occassions I only have some of the freebie digi images from bugaboo so don't always have one suitable for their challenge. I decided that of those I already had and had printed I could certainly enter the birthday challenge and will try with some of the others too as there is some fab prizes on offer so why not give it a go yourself.
It did say no combining challenges but I'm presuming that means the challenges they are setting during the week and not with other challenge blogs challenges but I'm sure if I'm wrong they'll put me right, so I would like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

catch the bug -birthday
Simon says cahllenge-layout
Totally Papercrafts-happy birthday
Prairie Fairy friday-birthdays

There she goes-wet embossing

Die cut dreams-use digi and rubber

More Hugs

I am so loving this idea of sending 'Hugs' and as my  my 2 youngest nephews both live quite a distance away I don't get to see them very often and I'm quite sure they wouldn't really want physical hugs unless on their terms as they are 7 and 9 yrs old. I thought this and one I still have to make would be a hug they wouldn't mind receiving.

I made this for the younger of my 2 nephews and as his favourite colour is blue what other colour could it be, he had good taste in colours as many of you will know blue is a colour I tend to favour too.

I used this fab Sugar Nellie image available from Funky kits and it just so reminds me of my son when he was little and in fact many of the young boys who would cling to a soft toy whilst in hospital from my nursing days, they always looked so vulnerable when , when their mums were there they would be real tearaway characters.

I also decided to have a play and make a side step card after seeing one on the Penny black blog hop, not that my decoration fully utilises the style but I don't think more decoration would enhance the sentiment of the card and would probably be lost on a 7 year old.I coloured the image with Promarkers and the die cut Hugs which was a candy prize from Susie at die cut dreams. The other wording was a sakura glaze pen and the little hearts a paper punch, not much more to this card really.

I would like to enter this Hug into the following challenges:-

One stop craft challenges-card for a male
Stamp something-anything
CES-no designer paper
Saturday challenge-with love
Totally Gorjuss-cuddly
Raise the bar-use image of a child
I love promarkers-use punches
Claudia and co.-no square or rectangle cards-hope stair step counts as no rectangle
Creative inspirations-colour challenge , brown blue and white

Creative card crew-Fancy folds

Lets start a revolution!

I know there are many challenges out there gearing up for valentines day but sometimes you might care for someone but not as a Valentine, and lets face it there aren't many cards out there that just say happy Valentines day thanks for being a friend are there.

I was at a bit of a stand still itching to craft but not at the point of wanting to make valentines for the sake of it so I needed inspiration. My hubby bought me a book I asked for 'A card a day' and have to say it wasn't quite what I expected and was a bit disappointed. Yes it has 365 cards in it many very simple and non decrepit but I thought it would be like an occasion to send a card every day, hence my disappointment. Anyway I decided to add to this book as a few of the days did have things like Martin Luther King day or doctors day so I spent one afternoon googling each date of the year and I found a few more. Many were a bit odd and also just applied or were celebrated in the far east and again some just in the Us but those I thought I could work with I wrote on the appropriate days in my book.

I looked for inspiration and found 2 days coming up in january. The first I think is from the US , well as neither say international they both probably are but I think the world should adopt them both.

The first is on January 21st and is national hugging day, when you should give out hugs. I thought that this might get you into trouble if you just went around and started hugging each person you saw in the street so how about creating a card to give to those you care about or special friends so it's not a hands on hug but telling them that you care. My son has a couple of special friends at school and those that are female have boyfriends so hugging them probably wouldn't go down well and neither would giving his male friends a hug either so I decided to make some cards to give them. I have only done 2 so far but feel more on the way, in between the birthdays etc I still have to do, so why not join me and together we can make the world a happier friendly place as everyone feels better when they get a hug don't they?

This is the first hug and I used a bugaboo freebie image, just think its so cute. I mounted on white glitter card and black gloss card which I dry embossed with a grid pattern, coloured the image with promarkers and added a peel-off 'hugs'. I made it like a plate card so made a stand for it. I'd like to enter this wee hug into the following challenges:-
catch the bug- embossing
Scrap creations-love is in the air(hope hugs count)
Flourishes-red,pink and white and valentines(not strictly valentines but definitely affection)
There she goes-red, pink, grey and white
The Corrosive challenge-layout

My second hug  I used a woj image I was sent forever ago so long I can't remember who it was from. Again coloured with promarkers which I also used to colour the ribbon as I didn't have the right shade. The papers and cards were all from my scraps file so again yonks old and the flowers I got just before christmas but if I say last year does that make them old. The card candy I used in the flower centres , please excuse the still wet glue just noticed how bad it looks in the piccy. I would like to enter into these challenges:-
WOJ -layout using hug in a mug
If the shoe fits-ribbons and bows
Order of the Opus gleui-tropical well I would say my colour scheme definitely has a tropical taste
TPE-aqua,orange and pink
Oldie but goodie-bright and cheerful (I've had this image forever and never used it along with most of the papers and cards.
Fab and funky-warm colours hope tropical counts



Oh thought I better say in case some of you are wondering, the other date is 26th of January and it's Spouses day when you should tell your spouse how much you care.