my addiction...

Good morning everyone did you all have a super fantastic weekend?...hands up all those super organises people who have all their shopping done for Christmas?...you can do off some people you know lol...I have just started mine but one ticked off the list is my lovely Dads, I haven't even thought about the decorations yet although they are down from the attic at least bt are just a guilty reminder every time I go into the bedroom...sitting in the corner accusing me of neglecting them lol...I wish my festive spirit would arrive and poor Phil would come home to a wonderfully festive scene straight out of a movie...well we can all live in hope cant we...go one then tell me you have your tree up and make me feel even worse lol...right now onto my card for today...I seem to have become totally addicted to paper piecing atm, I love cutting out and find it one of the most relaxing things ever, I have actually been known to nod off half way through cutting something out I get that relaxed...this amazing little bit of cuteness is of course from Mo's Digital Pencil where else, this sweetie is called Little Elf Ava isn't she a perfect Christmas image?...I coloured her with my usual distress inks and paper pieced her star...the amazing papers are from the Carta Bella So this is Christmas 6x6 paper pad, I'm sorry to say that I bought the last one though..the trees I added as embellishments were cut from the same pad and I finished with a sentiment stamped from the AmyR CC Designs Stamps Christmas Verses II (told you that you would see more of this stamp set lol)...the fab paper pad and stamp set are from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...oh btw someone emailed me this weekend asking about paper piecing so if a few more of you have any questions about paper piecing I will do a little post about it...hands up all those who would want one please...anyway back to my card, the fab sketch is from the Creative Inspirations Challenge and I'm also entering it for the Stamping Sensations Challenge and the Cute Card Thursday Challenge too...I'm going to hopefully have an organising day today, make lists to do for Christmas, get organised with my DT work and sort out the decorations...keep your fingers firmly crossed for me that I at least get two out of three done...whatever your up to today I hope your not running around starting things and it a relaxing one for you instead

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose, spun sugar

hair - frayed burlap

hat - antique linen, peeled paint, shabby shutters

top - pumice stone, antique linen

trousers and hair ties - fired earth, frayed burlap

shoes - antique linen, peeled paint, shabby shutters

shading - pumice stone

sniff, sniff...

Good morning everyone how you all feeling, I hope your not feeling like this poor little fella...there is a few spring colds going around, mind with snow still in Scotland its little wonder people aren't feeling well...well I finally managed to get my Dads chiropodists appointment right phew and I was sitting in the waiting room while I waited for him...playing a game on my tablet and a woman sitting next to me started chatting...now I'm a pretty friendly person but I must just have one of those faces because by the time my Dad came out I knew where she lived, how many children she had, that she had just given up smoking and what make her phone was...there's such a thing as giving too much information you know...she was a nice lady though and a good natter does you good sometimes doesn't it even if it is a bit one sided lol...right my card for today is using this oh so cute and perfect for get well soon card Mo's Digital Pencil digi, this is the fab Beary Sick...look at that poor little face, it just makes you go aaaaawwwwww...I coloured him with my usual distress inks and the stunning papers are from one of my new buys from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...these are from the Kaisercraft - Elegance 6.5"x6.5" Paper Pad...the sentiment is from the same pad too...I added a Prima flower (one I have had for ages and ages) and two cut out freehand leaf shapes...the design is quite simple but the papers and image make it look like it isn't don't you think?...the fab sketch is from the Sketch N Stash Challenge and I'm also entering it for the Twisted Tuesday Challenge and the Creative Inspirations Challenge too...its supermarket day with my Dad today (groan) but I don't mind really as it gives us a chance for put the world to rights coffee time too and some days have to dedicated to the mundane things like grocery shopping don't they... so I'm off to put the old war paint on...whatever your up to today I hope its a little more exciting than mine lol
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

bear - antique linen, frayed burlap, spun sugar,

nose - victorian velvet

eyes - tumbled glass

nightshirt - pumice stone, evergreen bough,

hankie and slippers - evergreen bough, spun sugar

shading - pumice stone

nothing says Christmas like a green spotty hat...

Good morning everyone...hands up who has their Christmas tree up yet...er...that wouldn't be us then lol...poor Phil didn't get home until sixish and by the time we ate and caught up with the chatter for the day it was too late to start putting the living room one up...but I have a tree ordered online which we will pick up today so will get them both up today hopefully....my lovely Dad rang to see if I fancied a little mooch around the shops so we headed out and I bought some more baubles, some lush tin ornaments and a box of white tipped pine cones and a hanging set of tin hearts which jangle away but I have a feeling after a while they will grind a bit lol...we were walking around a shop and Christmas songs were playing over the tanoy and walking past one of the assistants he was singling away to them, I said 'someones happy, you sound really festive'...his reply ' its day 1, wait until the 24th I will be sick of the sounds of this soundtrack'...bless him lol...right my card for today is using an amazing image from the wonderful Mo's Digital Pencil, I love the face on this stunning Lhasa Apso with Santa Hat don't you...so funny and cute...I coloured him very simply by shadowing him with distress inks and paper pieced his hat and bow...the fabulously christmassy paper is from Echo Park's Merry Christmas collection and is called Winter Wonderland...lush isn't it...I finished with a fantastic sparkly Cosmic Green/Gold Glitter Ribbon-25mm ribbon from Crafts & Me...this is a stunning ribbon and its available in loads of colours too (I have a few more to show you so watch out for them), and a sentiment tag cut from the name strip of the paper...the lush sketch is from the Papertake Weekly challenge and I'm also entering it for the Creative Inspirations challenge and the Cute Card Thursday challenge too...we are off out today, Phil's work is so so busy atm we have to take any opportunity to get all our Christmas shopping done while we can just in case he has to work weekends again and of course we have to pick up our lush new 7.5 ft Christmas tree, cant wait...whatever your up to today I hope its something festive and fun

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

shading - pumice stone

we all need a little protection sometimes...

Good morning everyone I hope your all well and have a fantastic weekend planned...I'm running around like a headless chicken today getting every ones things ready for the wedding trip, why is it always us Mums that do that...Phil does this thing on the way to the airport...he waits until we are about halfway then he starts, have you got the tickets...a pause...passports...did you pack this did you pack that...every single time we go away too lol...one of these days I'm going to wait until we are at the airport and say I have forgotten something lol...I decided yesterday to put a small dart in my dress as it was a teeny bit loose and stuck my finger with the needle, yes you guessed it blood on a white linen dress is not a good look...with a bit if cold water it came out though with no problem but for a few minuets I had a vision of having to run around buying another one lol...anyway onto my card for today...I fell in love with this amazing Sara Burrier digi from Crafts and Me...isn't it so beautiful...its one of Octobers new ones and should be in the store real soon...its called The Protector, couldn't we all do with a protector like this one now and again...I coloured it with distress inks and glittered his wings and the lantern...oh btw someone emailed a while back and asked what glitter I use...its Stickles Glitter Glue-Star Dust and I buy it from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...its lasts for ages and ages and you need only a teeny bit for great effect...right back to the card, I used two Kars papers...one for the background and one that I cut the holly out off...I didn't add anything else to the card as I thought the papers and holly were enough...I'm entering this for the Whimsy Stamps challenge, Fab 'n' Funky challenge and the Creative Inspirations challenge too...well I'm off to do my french manicure and a facial and then a bit more running around, I'm going to need another holiday at this rate lol...whatever your up to today have a great one

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose

haor - frayed burlap

wings - antique linen

womans dress - scattered straw

mans skirt - shabby shutters

lantern, sword and belt - peeled paint

never ask a man to choose...

Good morning everyone, hows your week been?, I hope it was a brilliant one...I think I sorted the pink out, isn't it amazing what a bit of old printer paper and some double sided tape can do, well it will do for the time being anyway, not the best but better...all I need now is to sort the room out lol...I managed to get all the holes filled in the bathroom but that's as far as I got...my lovely Dad had to go out so of course what choice did I have but to go with him, well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it...I picked up a catalogue from our local diy store of all the new stuff they are getting in and wow wow wow to their range of wallpapers...I have my eye on three of them for our bedroom, now Phil keeps saying do what you want it doesn't bother me the colour or whatever so I chose what I liked...one has the most amazing pink and blue design on it and it very loud, the second is more muted with a pale washed out grey background and pale pink huge roses and the last is lavender and yellow roses (I cant show you photos yet as they aren't on their website until they stock them)...so I made the big mistake of asking Phil what he thought and which he would chose...apparently he doesn't like any...moral of that tale, don't ask lol but then I was only asking his opinion and will choose the one I want really, wouldn't you?...right now onto my card for today which is using this beautiful Hannah Lynn digi from Crafts and Me, stunning isn't she...this is Monarch Mermaid...I coloured her with my usual distress inks and used this lush yummy paper from Graphic45's The Magic of Oz collection...its called Poppy Fields...I used a wired checked ribbon for the bow and some of the poppies (my favourite flowers) for decorations, the sketch I made up as I went along but I'm entering this for the Crafty Sentiments challenge, Bearly-Mine challenge and the Creative Inspiration challenge...I have my paint brush poised today and I don't mean the craft sort so you know what I will be doing...whatever your up to today have a brilliant one and don't forget if you don't want to know don't ask
Mina xxx

Distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - pumice stone
cat - frayed burlap
outfit - glittered
flower - fired earth, ripe persimmon
leaf - peeled paint

HELP!...

Good morning everyone have you got anything fantastic planned for the weekend, I would love to know what your up to...Phil rang me yesterday afternoon to say he would be home early and did I fancy going to Town for coffee, aaaahhhhh I thought brilliant because I needed to get a Hello Kitty Birthday present for my Niece...so we were walking around Tesco looking for hello Kitty stuff (which we didn't find) and this stupid woman who was totally oblivious to everyone and everything else picked up her basket and whacked me on the arm with it so hard it almost knocked me over, how ignorant is that...she didn't even say sorry or even acknowledge I was there either...well that was until I said to her as she was walking away 'I'm so sorry was my arm in the way of your basket there' (I know a bit cheeky but she asked for it)...I now have a huge red welt on my arm and four bruises, that shows how hard she hit me doesn't it...why are some people ignorant like that, if I caught someone with my basket I would be gutted and so apologetic...where have all the simple good manners gone...I think it makes it worse too that she was of my generation and age, didn't her parents teach her manners...ok rant over now lol...onto my card for today, I love love love this image she looks so tired doesn't she...she is of course from Saturated Canary and is called Pack Light, I used my usual distress inks to colour her and these lush coloured papers from the Bazzill Basics 6x6" Multipack - Vintage Marketplace from Bunny Zoe's Crafts, I love this pack so much I might have to buy it again when its finished...I added some fantastic wooden letters and heart (I bought these in a pack for £1.99 from The Works...bargain) and finished with a pink satin ribbon and blue bow...the fab sketch is from Sweet Sketch Wednesday challenge and I'm also entering it for the Creative Inspirations challenge ...btw I did find a fab Hello Kitty teddy and a cute little umbrella for my Niece at another shop just in case you were worried lol...Im packing (yes that again lol) a bit more today so nothing exciting for us this weekend...whatever your up to this weekend, I hope its something exciting and fun
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - antique linen
outfit - shabby shutters, pumice stone, worn lipstick
suitcases - pumice stone, worn lipstick, wild honey, broken china

normal service is resumed - well as normal as it gets anyway...

Good morning everyone, how are you all it seems ages since we had a good natter...first off my Dad is doing fine, hes very tired but getting up at 6am and hanging around a hospital forever will do that to you, he gets his dressing off today and all being well he will have perfect vision...oh no he will be saying I have more wrinkles now lol...ok own up which one of you was it that suggested we move house lol...I'm exhausted and am falling asleep before I even get a chance to get online so no blog hopping for me, I have most of the bedrooms sorted, packed and ready to go and we did the attic and cupboard at the weekend, poor Phil thinks I'm going next door for bags to take to the dump lol...did you all enjoy the first three days of the hop then, fab stamps aren't they and lovely to colour too don't forget there's one more day on Friday and one more chance to win goodies too...right now onto my card for today...isn't this amazing image from Sara Burrier just beautiful...all that hair is fabulous to colour...this is Poppy Princess and she will be available at Crafts & Me soon...I coloured her with my distress inks and teamed her up with these amazing papers from the Graphic 45 8x8 Paper Pad - Olde Curiosity Shoppe pad I bought from Bunny Zoe's Crafts, I finished with a black satin edged organza ribbon, a Cherish sentiment tag and some of the butterflies cut from the paper...the fab sketch is from Sketch Saturday and I'm also entering it for the Sassy Cheryl's Digi challenge and the Creative Inspirations challenge...I'm off out to Town today I need to get a few things and need a day away from packing I think before I go a bit stir crazy, don't forget I will be back at 9am tomorrow for the last day of the Sugar Nellie hop...whatever your up to today I hope its a brilliant one
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - antique linen,
dress - scattered straw, crushed olive, pumice stone
butterflies and heart - stormy sky

bling, bling, bling...

Good morning everyone, I hope your all well and having a brilliant week...well wwwwoooohhhoooooooI'm finished the invitations at long last (that goodness for that I hear you all cry maybe now she'll stop moaning about it lol), 75 of them all done dusted and ready for parcelling to reach my Niece in loads of time for her end of July deadline...all I need to do now is 60 order of service and menus but they don't have to be thought about for a few months yet phew...we went out to breakfast yesterday with our gorgeous Daughter and then went for a walk in town, now there's this fabulous little jewellery shop, you know one of those places you just cant resist looking at the diamonds in the window, come on we've all done it...so while Phil's getting the ticket for the car park I always nip over to drool at them, there's this beautiful solitaire I have had my eye on for ages, it has my name written all over it...so I'm standing with a pool of drool at my feet and Phil comes over 'Are you still drooling over that ring'...err yeah lol...ok says Phil come on, he only went inside and bought it for me...I know! I was gobsmacked too, not gobsmacked enough to say no though lol...I will take a photo and show you my new bling, its gorgeous...I will have to walk round with my hand on my face so people notice now lol...and for those people who asked no I'm not lending him out lol...right enough waffling onto my card for today which is using this fantastic little sailor boy, isn't he adorable...of course only Mo Manning can draw that much expression into an image...this little cutie is one of the set called Sailor Boys, another amazing value set from Mo's Digital Pencil...I coloured this cutie with distress inks, had to colour it twice though, the demon red struck, it gets everywhere doesn't it...the stunning papers are from one of the new ones I bought at Bunny Zoe's crafts, the Graphic 45 8x8 Paper Pad - Little Darlings pad, its a stunningly gorgeous pad...I finished my card with a Little Darling banner cut from one of the papers and a red gingham ribbon to bring out the red in the image...the fab sketch is from The Sweet Stop challenge and Im also entering it for the Creative Inspirations challenge (I used Ribbon, Blue & polka dots from the bingo)...We are having a big family dinner tonight so we have to go shopping for the gubbins to make it today...whatever your up to today have a brilliant one
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - antique linen,
outfit - stormy sky, pumice stone, barn door
boot - frayed burlap, pumice stone, barn door
soilders - black soot, barn door, peeled paint, antique linen, frayed birlap, tattered rose

Tropical holidays are calling...

Good morning everyone I hope you all have something fabulous planned for this weekend...poor Phil has to go into work for a few hours so I dont think we will be up to much but Im hoping to get a visit to my local craft sorted because I need ribbon for the invitations...the lace arrived for them but not the one we chose that didnt arrive so I had to order a much cheaper back up lace, but its much nicer than I thought...the other one I ordered four weeks ago never got here, my poor neice was beside herself but we managed to fin the one that arrived and they will look just as gorgeous...oh btw we went to see a house last evening, stunning place needed decorated and a few 'us' touches but just perfect but...just a bit out of our price range maybe even with negotiating, I knew we shouldnt have went to see it, we loved the old doors and the design of it...but you never know do you...Im rapidly becoming obsessed with houses arent I lol...right now onto my card for today...how beautiful is this Hannah Lynn image from Crafts and Me...shes called Sadie's Dragon and is a dream to colour, I think my mojos back as I enjoyed making this card so much...I coloured her with distress inks and used this amazingly stunning paper from Graphic45, dosent it remind you of holidays?. Its from their Tropical Travelogue Collection and is called Garden Isle...I finished with a rich blue ribbon and a Prima flower, I didnt think it needed anything else, do you?...the fab sketch is from Creative Inspirations challenge and Im also entering it for the Cards with Attitude challenge and Chocolate, Coffee & Cards challenge...right Im off to get the war paint on in the hope Phil gets home early enough for the craft shop visit...whatever your up to today I hope you manage to fit in some crafting too
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - black soot
dress - victorian velvet, stormy sky
headband - victorian velvet
dragon - scattered straw, shabby shutters

whats blogger fixed now...

Good morning everyone, I hope your all well...ok who fixed Mr Blogger again, I have been enlarging my photos the same way for the last two years and now it wont work????...its one of those 'it wasn't broke but we fixed it anyway' kinda things that blogger does now and again I think...any ideas anyone?...you can still see a large sized photo by clicking on it and I will have to do some research as to the best way to enlarge them again so bear with me for a few days...we went shopping for my Dads things yesterday and I will never ever let him moan about women shopping ever again...I cant believe how many pairs of chino type shorts we looked at and after all the shops that sold them were scoured we went back and got the first pair we saw at the first shop...aaaaarrrgggghhhhlol...its a good thing I love him to bits isn't it...but we got everything he needs for his holiday anyway, oh and just before we left the house he told me he didn't have travel insurance so I had to do that too...but its sorted now anyway...very expensive for him though as he has COPD and needs existing medical insurance...right now onto my card for today which is for our new challenge at Crafts and Me Challenge, I'm the host this time and I chose (well what else would it be from me) Add a Ribbon...I used this amazing new release digi from Crafts and Me called Hidden, stunning isn't she, she isn't available yet but will be around the 1st June...I coloured her with my usual distress inks and glittered her wings...I teamed her up with this stunning flowered paper from K&Co...I love the flowers on this don't you...I finished with some seam binding and a flower cut from the paper...the lush sketch is from Mojo Monday and I'm also entering it for the Simon Says Stamp challenge and the Creative inspirations challenge too...right I'm off to the craft room as its a lot cooler today and I wont risk melting hopefully lol...whatever your up to today have a brilliant one and when you have time pop on over to the Crafts and Me challenge to check out the rest of the DT's fab work

Mina xxx
p.s. now my photos have started to vanish...whats going on blogger?????
p.p.s. message from blogger
'Images uploaded in HTML mode may display smaller than the original size for some users. We're working on a fix to the problem, but in the meantime you can still upload images without issue via Compose mode.'

distress ink colours used

skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - antique linen
dress - spun sugar, victorian velvet, frayed burlap
flower - victorian velvet, shabby shutters

back to normal...

Good morning everyone are you all enjoying this fantastic sunny weather, I'm loving it, its so wonderful not to have to put the heat on at night, I still haven't forsaken the woolly socks yet though...you never know do you...we went for a lovely drive and walk yesterday morning and then for breakfast...although I had to bite my tongue while I was in the breakfast cafe, there was two workmen there who were making obscene gestures behind some schoolgirls backs...it makes me so mad and sick to the stomach they were so pervy and creepy, they think its ok to do that in public and I was so tempted to go over and say something but the girls were leaving and the men caught me watching them and got embarrassed and stopped....aaaarrrrggggghhhhhh what is wrong with them...your ok you can come out now my soapbox moment is over lol...right now its a normal day today no blog hop so I have made my card using this so so cute little CC Designs Swiss Pixie Rainy Day Birgitta isn't she so sweet sheltering underneath her leaf...I coloured her with distress inks and paper pieced her sweet little dress with some of the lush Prima 6x6" Paper Pad - Fairy Belle papers, this is such a beautiful pad but then which Prima pads aren't lol...the pad and stamp are from Bunny Zoe's Crafts I finished my card with some beautiful purple organza ribbon and bow and a stunning charm I bought a few weeks ago from a local shop...amazing isn't it. The sketch is from Mojo Monday and I'm also entering it for the Saturday Challenge and the Creative Inspirations challenge too...I'm going to have a crafting morning then I'm cooking for my Dad and Phil and making Fajitas...but don't worry I'm not quite domesticated yet lol...whatever your up to today I hope you get time to enjoy the lovely weather

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - pumice stone
leaf - bundled sage
raindrops - stormy sky, dusty concord
bow - dusty concord

broken tinternet...

Good morning everyone sorry I'm late today but I had a broken tinternet...rotten BT as always, I really have to change my provider, Sky have excellent deals on atm do any of you have sky internet...is it ok?...thank you so much to Naomi, Marie Louise and Tracey, you are some of life's shining stars, they donated to the wonderful Stephs cause for the Belfast Marathon, thank you both so much you will never know how much it mean to me and Steph and her family and I can never thank you enough...I swear it will come back to you two fold girls karma works I promise you...I found out the secret to preparing meals last night...do you want to know what it is?...eat out lol...Phil worked a little later than his usual 5pm so we decided to go out to eat, yummy food, excellent service and no clearing up...defo the secret to meal planning...mind every night might be a stretch do you think...right now enough waffling onto my card for today which is for our new challenge at Colour Create challenge...this time its the fantastic Kerry's turn to host and she chose the stunning combo of Rose Pink, Kraft and White and the extra option is to use masking...I love this colour combo and masking but I rarely do it so had to use the extra option...so I used this fantastic Tilda coloured with distress inks (btw have you seen the new seasonal DI colours and they have reinkers with them too this time)...I masked her and used a long forgotten free lace stamp for the masking part, I used frayed burlap DI for the lace to match the paper and a damp brush to fade it a bit...isn't this paper amazing its from Sasafras Lass but I haven't any idea what its called because the scalloped edging I used is exactly the name strip from the bottom...I finished with two satin ribbons and a cut out flower from the paper too...I cant for the life of me remember where the sketch is from and have lost my bit of paper with it on, I will find it when I don't need it lol...I'm entering this for the Joanna Sheen challenge, Simon Says Stamp challenge and Creative Inspiration challenge too...right I'm of to my craft room today to finish off a few things I need to do then off to the supermarket, my lovely Dad comes back from Belfast tonight so I will get a massive catch up tomorrow with him...whatever your up to today have a fantastic one and if you have time pop on over to Colour Create challenge to see what our amazing team came up with
Mina xxx
p.s. thank you so much to
Naomi,
Marie Louise
Tracey
Suzie
Sharon
Sheena
Amy
Mel
Andrea
Julie
your donations mean so much and so generous of you, dont forget to add your extra chance link for my candy...many thanks xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - frayed burlap
top - antique linen
trousers - worn lipstick
shading - pumice stone

Kissy kiss...

Good morning everyone did you all have a wonderful day yesterday, ours was very very quiet but we are going to have a mooch in town today so we will make up for it, oooohhhh and I still have gift cards to spend...thanks for all your emails asking about my Dad, your such lovely thoughtful people, hes much better but we are still waiting for some results from Hospitals and Doctors but we have all our bits crossed that its nothing too bad, but like I said to him yesterday even though its happening to him whatever it is we will cope with it together, as a family...oooohhhhh that's deep for this early on a Sunday morning isn't it lol...right now onto my card for today, how beautiful is this Hannah Lynn digi from Crafts and Me, shes called Kissy Fish, I love how Hannah Lynn draws hair don't you and its a dream to colour...I used my usual distress inks and added a little bit of glitter to add a bit of bling...the lush papers are from the K&Co 12x12 Classic K Bailey scrap kit, love this kit so much, I finished my card with some of my favourite cream satin ribbon and a bow and a couple of flowers from my stash...the fab sketch is from Sweet Sketch Wednesday and I'm also entering it for the CES challenge and Creative Inspirations challenge...I'm off to have a look at the Boots website to see what goodies they have on offer for me to spend one of my cards on...whatever your up to today have a fantastic Sunday
Mina xxx