enough winter...

Hi everyone...I hope your all well and having a good start to the week, I know everyone is trying to get back to normal after the holiday season but who's the thicko who forgot to set her post and just had it on draft then...yep that would be me lol, I got it all ready last night but just forgot to press publish so it went to draft and I didn't discover it until I came on line a little while ago...are you all surviving the storms then, I hope there's no flooding where you are and are managing ok...right now onto today's card which is using this sweetie...this little darling is of course from Mo's Digital Pencil and is called Serious Sharon, bless her she is very serious isn't she...so I decided instead if being serious that shes dreaming lol...I coloured her with my usual distress inks and teamed her up with these summery pretty paper (enough of the winter and the miserable weather I think don't you?) from the Kaisercraft - Lady Rose 6.5"x6.5" Paper Pad...I love this stunning paper pad, the colours are so lush aren't they...I added a rub on and a piece of Organza Ribbon - White (25mm Wide) and finished with a Prima flower from my stash...the ribbon and paper pad are from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...the fab sketch is from the Feeling Sketchy Challenge and I'm also entering it for the Challenges 4 Everybody Challenge, Totally Gorjuss Challenge and Allsorts Challenge too

oh and before I go...a bit of news for you Mo is having a winter sale so pop on over to grab a bargain or seven just click below to go straight there...sorry about my late post but better late than never I guess lol...I will speak to you all tomorrow and enjoy the rest of your night
Mina xxx

Mo's BIG WINTER Sale!!  20% off your digital stamp order

Tis the season...

Good morning everyone Happy Christmas eve, I hope your all sorted and are going to spend this evening watching some rubbish tv with a large glass of wine, relaxing and feeling smug and warm all over for having finished your epic Christmas organisation...I definitely think whoever decided that Christmas should be classified as a 'holiday' wasn't a Wife or Mother or anyone who had to shop, organise and stress about everything to do with Christmas were they lol...we did out shop last night and Phil was totally gobsmacked at the price of an average sized fresh Norfolk Black turkey...an amazing £80...he spend the rest of the night randomly muttering '£80 for a turkey...that's crazy' and shaking his head bless him lol...needless to say we didn't buy it...I would rather have no turkey at all than spend that much on something to eat...right now onto my card for today which is using this stunning Simply Adorable beauty from Sugar Nellie...isn't she beautiful and like all the Adorable's shes a dream to colour...this one is called Ballet Student...I used my usual distress inks and yes your eyes don't deceive you there not a drop of glitter in sight lol...the fabulous papers are from the Glitz 6x6-Joyeux Noel paper pad I bought last year from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...I couldn't resist this lush ribbon from a local shop it makes a fabulous bow doesn't it...I finished with a sentiment and a heart charm from my stash...the fab sketch is from Tuesday Morning Sketches but I'm too late to enter it...but am entering it for the Totally Gorjuss challenge and The Crafty Bloggers Network Challenge too...I'm cleaning the house today, its strange the rituals we go through isn't it but I wont settle until the house is spic and span for the holidays...oh and I have presents to wrap too...whatever you do today take some time to relax and chill for a bit you will need it...I have a card for tomorrow to wish you all merry Christmas so will speak to you all then

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

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

eyes - peeled paint

hair - frayed burlap, amtique linen

dress and shoes - peeled paint, shabby shutters, fired earth

shading - pumice stone

not just for Christmas.....

Good morning everyone are you all well and having a good week...yes your eyes don't deceive you its me with another card...three in a row is that a record lol...hands up all those people who reckon I got my craft room tidied...yep your right I didn't get started too many distractions and glittery bits and pieces oh and two new packs of buttons to be used...now who can resist buttons, not me...I did do a bit of research on the net though as I'm hoping to get my new printer tomorrow...so its a coffee and shopping day with my lovely Dad...I love going shopping with just me and my Dad, he just wanders and doesn't mind how long you take ooohhhing and arrrggghhhing over all those gorgeous gadgets...he just wanders off and drools over the huge tv's even though there's no way one would fit in his lounge...I would so love a 3d tv though wouldn't you especially now the technology makes them crisper and clearer...ooooohhhh a scary movie must be fantastic on a 3d tv although I don't like 3d movies at the cinema they are too large and fry my brain trying to keep up with all the action etc...my card for today is using Christmas papers and colours but it just goes to show you don't need to use them just for Christmas do you...how stunningly beautiful is this Sweet Pea Stamps digi, look at those eyes...she is from their Elaine Cox collection digis and is called Bess...she is one of the ones I lost in the last computer crash though so I wont be able to use her again boo hoo...I coloured her with distress inks as usual and the beautiful papers are from the Teresa Collins Christmas Cottage 6x6 paper pad I bought last year from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...lush papers aren't they...I finished with some Gingham Wired Edge Gold Thread Ribbon - Burgundy made into a bow (really easy because its wired) and a scattering of new buttons I bought at my local craft shop...the fab sketch is from Sweet Sketch Wednesday Challenge and I'm also entering it for the Totally Gorjuss Challenge and the Allsorts Challenge too...right I'm off for a shower and to get my face on for printer shopping...whatever your up to today have some fun and have another look at all those unused Christmas papers you have to see what else you can use them for
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

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

eyes - peeled paint

hair - pumice stone

lips and spots around image - barn door

flowers - peeled paint, shabby shutters

shading - pumice stone

where has all the light gone...

Good morning everyone hows your week going, its chilly now isn't it there a definite smell of Autumn about and before you know it the fire will have to be lit 'sigh'...with the Autumnal weather the light has changed too don't you think, it far more wishy washy (that's a technical weather term lol)...plus it doesn't show dust as much negative its harder to take your photos, although our garden is still blooming and I don't have enough vases for all the stunning roses which reminds me I must take some photos of them before they are all gone...I had a relaxing day yesterday but didn't get any crafting done at all so will have to head into the craft room today, its a real mess too and needs a proper clean up and declutter I think...I have a bin you know but never seem to use it and always have an ever growing pile of tape backing, if only there was something we could make with the backing strips, I will have to have a think about that, all suggestions gratefully accepted of course lol...right now onto my card for today and its another of the super stunning new Winter Wonder release from Sugar Nellie...this is the gorgeously pretty Elf Made Magic coloured with my distress inks and glittered, well glittered in fact lol, with a few pearls added to her outfit...the amazingly lush papers are in fact from a Baby paper pad, it just goes to show you don't have to use Christmas papers for a Christmas card do you...they are from the Kaisercraft - Bundle of Joy 6.5"x6.5" Paper Pad...I added a bow made with beautiful Organza Ribbon - Dusky Pink (25mm Wide) and cut out a couple of holly leaves from the check papers and added some pearls for berries...I like this colour combo for Christmas don't you?...the paper pad and ribbon I bought from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...the fab sketch is from the Just Us Girls Challenge and I'm also entering it for the One Stitch at a Time Challenge and the Totally Gorjuss Challenge too...I'm off for a coffee and a ponder over getting enough energy together to start tidying my craft room...or not lol...whatever your up to today have a gorgeously sunny warm one

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

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

hair - frayed burlap

outfit and parcels - iced spruce, spun sugar, victorian velvet, pumice stone

shading - pumice stone

do they work?

Good morning everyone I hope your all well and have had a fantastic weekend...sorry I haven't been about for a few days but the dreaded not being well poked its ugly head up again...that together with a few very busy days and I barely had the energy to climb into bed at night let alone do any crafting, in fact my lovely Phil has been doing the cooking too (one of the perks of not being too well lol)...I don't know about you but I so love being cooked for and not having to think about what to cook...he made a gorgeous herb salmon, honey glazed carrots and parmesan crushed new potatoes followed by apple and cinnamon crumble and nothing ready prepared either all cooked from fresh...it was scrummy and although my appetite isn't the best atm I ate every single last morsel...the poor man had to pop into work yesterday morning and came back sporting quite a deep gash to his head...if Phil is going to injure anywhere it will be head...we were once travelling to Las Vegas and Phil stood up and whacked his head on the tv monitor...I have never seen flight attendants move so fast...I think they had visions of emergency landing but despite the blood dribbling down his head he just shrugged it off he has a skull like granite thank goodness...this time he had done the same thing but on a machine at work...ouch...hes ok though...right now onto my card for today...have you seen these new pencil drawing type images from Mo's Digital Pencil yet?...alert to all you people who love colouring these are amazing to colour and look so real don't they...this is just one of them, you can tell which ones they are as they are so much more detailed...I love love love them to bits...this is the beautiful Mara and I coloured her with my distress inks and used some beautiful bright papers from the Echo Park - Here & Now 6x6 Paper Pad I bought from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...Im loving these bright colour combos that are about atm dont you...I added a lush green ribbon bow and because one of the challenges was sunflowers and I didn't have any thought I would use a punch and try to make some instead...it didn't quite work though did it lol...maybe a darker centre would have worked better...the fab sketch is from The Sweet Stop Challenge (that's the one the sunflowers were for) and I'm also entering it for the Totally Gorjuss Challenge and the Totally Papercrafts Challenge too...my Dad needs a new travel wheelchair so I'm off out with him today to see if we can hunt one down...whatever your up to today have a brilliant accident free one

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

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

hair - frayed burlap

outfit - spun sugar, pumice stone, tumbled glass scattered straw

dog - antique linen, frayed burlap, victorian velvet

bunny - pumice stone, victorian velvet

shading - pumice stone

just a heart or two...or three...

Good morning everyone how you all doing?...well I didn't get out at all yesterday because of the return of the klutz, I only fell down the stairs didnt I, which was painful enough but I bent some of my toes weirdly when I fell and spent the rest of the day limping and nursing a very bruised knee...omg sometimes I'm too dangerous to let out of bed lol...they aren't broken (well I hope they aren't) because I can bend them ok, I think I just wrenched them...ouch...point of that was though that I didn't get out so no shopping trip or coffee or anything...ok are you feeling sorry for me yet lol...ok enough feeling sorry for myself onto my card for today, this isn't a colour combo I would normally use but it works ok don't you think?...how stunningly beautiful is this image from Mo's Digital Pencil...perfect for any love card...this is the gorgeous Full Heart, I coloured her with distress inks and I have been playing around mixing some colours together to get different ones for this beauty, having loads of fun discovering what they look like together too...I teamed her up with these lush papers from the My Mind's Eye - Oliver 6x6 Pad I bought from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...that yellow really suits her don't you think...I finished with just a few more punched hearts (well you can never have too many hearts or butterflies I think lol), a lush cream coloured satin bow and a cream crinkly rose...I made the sketch up as I went along but am entering this for the Card Makin Mamas challenge, Totally Gorjuss challenge and the Papertake Weekly Challenge too...Im going out today come hail, rain, shine or stairs lol...whatever your up to today watch out for those things that life puts in your way they are lethal lol
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

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

hair - frayed burlap

dress and shoes - mix of scattered straw & antique linen, mix of

tumbled glass & shabby shutters

hearts - victorian velvet

leaves - shabby shutters

shading - pumice stone

Not just for Christmas...

Good morning everyone I hope your all well and having a good week...well I'm finally back just as sick as before but at least making cards for now...thank you all so so much for your get well wishes yesterday...isn't it amazing how kind and caring our fellow crafters are to care so much for each other...well what did I tell you I knew I wouldn't be able to get past the receptionist didn't I lol...the next available appointment is Friday 19th...seriously how far ahead do you need to book to become ill...I think I will make an appointment for sometime in the summer just in case lol...she did get a Doctor to give me a 'phone consultation' ????...he said from the symptoms and pain I have either a Kidney or Urinary Tract infection...wrote me a prescription for pick up and asked me to drop in a specimen for lab testing...so at least I'm on antibiotics...boy I hope they work fast and I start to feel better over the next couple of days...Phil is back at work today and I have strict instructions to 'keep warm and not do too much' from him...like I need told lol...I might just stay in bed all day...right now my card for today just goes to show you don't need to use Christmas stamps just for those cards doesn't it...its from the Christmas CC Designs Sweet November range called Chrissy but shes out of stock at Bunny Zoe's Crafts but theres still loads of Christmas stamps at bargain prices that can be used year round...the lush papers I used with her are from a Prima pad but I don't know which as they were loose sheets...in fact they might not even be from the same pad, sorry Im not doing well on my information for you all today am I...I finished with a ceramic sentiment, a bow and a couple of bright yellow buttons...I cant for the life of me remember where the fab sketch is from but am entering this for the Card Makin Mamas challenge, Totally Gorjuss challenge and the Creative Creations challenges too...right I'm off back to bed now as I'm shattered yet again and my temperature is sky high and you never know what I will end up typing lol...whatever your up to today have a good one, stay safe and well and I will hopefully speak to you all tomorrow

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose

hair - frayed burlap, antique linen

outfit & tights - tumbled glass, victorian velvet, pumice stone

gift - pumice stone, scattered straw

it may or may not be...

Good morning everyone I hope your all having a brilliant weekend...did you all enjoy the hop yesterday?, how amazing are those new Vintage Adorable's bet you couldn't chose just one...if you didn't join in the hop its the post below this one and there's a chance to win prizes so why wouldn't you join in eh?...I know Phil was meant to be resting but he has been like a whirling dervish over the last few days, he has backed and cooked and even made my Dad another Dundee cake...it must be that time of year when everyone isn't well I have heard of at least ten family and friends with Flu and now I have a kidney infection I think...very sore kidneys and back and omg it hurts to wee, yelling hurt I mean...but I will spare you all the details I don't want to put you off your Sunday breakfast lol...suffice to say I'm not putting up with this pain for long and off to Docs on Monday and if I cant get an appointment then emergency clinic I think...too painful not too...right now my card for today...how beautifully elegant is this Art Deco Esther Digital Stamp from Crafts and Me...I coloured her skin and hair with distress inks and couldn't resist doing a lot of paper piecing fir her amazing dress...I would so love to try on a dress like this wouldn't you?...so elegant and feminine...the amazing papers are from the Teresa Collins 6x6" Paper Pad - Christmas Cottage pad...this is on sale with 25% off at Bunny Zoe's Crafts...theres so many deals about atm I bought seven new pads from Bunny Zoe's on Thursday night and they arrived yesterday morning...yyyyaaaayyyyyyy playthings for next week...I finished with some pearl clusters, a Bo Bunny sentiment and a huge glitzy ribbon bow...I think this is my last Christmas card for this holiday season but it may not be, you never know when a lush image or paper will rear its head from my stash do you lol...the fab sketch is from Mojo Monday and I'm also entering it for the Totally Gorjuss challenge and the Crazy 4 Challenges challenge too...I don't think I will be going very far today unless my back and kidney pain eases a bit but every cloud has a silver lining and Phil is making pies for dinner...yum yum...whatever your up to today have a good one and I hope your all well and stay that way

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose

hair - frayed burlap

fan - pumice stone, peeled paint

shading on paper piecing - pumice stone

so not me?...

Good morning everyone did you have a good day yesterday?...did you ever have one of those lazy days when you don't want to do anything at all except laze around...well we had one of those yesterday, when I got up we just looked at each other and both knew we wouldn't be heading for any sales at all...I think things just caught up with us...we plodded on and I got dressed and make up on then came downstairs, Phil said 'You don't really want to go out do you?'...don't you just love it when they agree with you lol...Phil said he didn't want to go out either so I popped back into my jimjam's while Phil made us a sandwich for lunch and we lazed around, had warm fruit cake with cream and watched Ice Age The rise of the dinosaurs...next thing I remember is waking up at 6.30pm...I must have dozed off, well I say dozed off went unconscious would be a better description I think lol...then our lazy day was followed by an equally lazy evening watching tv and eating junk...oh well I guess we will be rested for today anyway, well that's if we ever get our butts in gear to do anything today...fingers crossed...right now onto my card for today which has to be one of the fastest cards I have ever made and I'm don't think its my style do you?, at the beginning of the year I always make a few stock cards, you know the ones don't you...the sort that you might need during the year and will have stashed away so your not running around like a headless chicken having to make one...this one for a baby boy and I will make a baby girl one too, so when I decided to make this I knew straight away I would use the stunning Graphic 45 8x8 Paper Pad - Little Darlings pad...I love this stunning pad and it has so many stunning images in it I didn't even have to colour one (I know shock horror lol)...the image is from the pad and all I needed to finish was a few beautiful mixed pearls, a stunning satin ribbon and bow and a few roses including one from the Kaisercraft Paper Blooms - Sage (10pcs) pack, these are fabulously crinkled flowers...the pad and flower are from Bunny Zoe's Crafts and there's a 10% off across the store until midnight 1st January promotion on atm too so go on grab a bargain...the fab sketch is from Mojo Monday and I'm also entering it for the Charisma Cardz challenge and the Totally Gorjuss challenge (my something new is a New Baby card)...well hopefully we will be so rested from yesterday we will be heading out today but you never know when the lazy bug will strike do you lol...whatever your up to have a fun day everyone

Mina xxx

Joy is...

Good morning everyone I hope you all had a brilliant weekend...we did a little more shopping and still haven't reached the end of the list but are getting there and I enjoyed matching the gift with the person so much...we then popped to the supermarket for something for dinner...omg you would think they were giving food away, so so many people and so angry and busy, my Dad was telling me about a man the other day who thought he was in his way, keep in mind my Dad walks with two crutches and is severely disable, who kicked my Dad in the shins to get him out of his way and when confronted he said 'you shouldn't have been in my way'?????, then a woman actually ran over Phil's feet with her trolley, no excuse me or apology or anything, no smiles, no festive spirit at all...whatever happened to the joy of the Christmas season, if they are feeling grumpy and angry they could just remember that there is a lot of people out there much worse off, remember all those poor families from the Connecticut elementary school shooting, the devastation, all those in pain from the loss is unimaginable... or they could try to look at Christmas through a child's eyes, remember the joy they feel at Christmas and be just a little thankful for the family and loved ones they have and the things they have to be joyful about...I actually came out of the supermarket feeling angry and annoyed at those people for making me feel that way...apologies for the rant but its over, phew breath Mina lol...right now onto a much calmer nicer subject...my card for today is using this beautiful little boy and his dog, look at the joy in his face...he is of course from Mo's Digital Pencil and is called Baron and Butch...I coloured this sweetie with distress inks and matched him up with this lush paper from My Minds Eye Winter Wonderland range, its called Christmas Trees and aren't the colours just lush, I think this image makes a perfect Christmas card for my Nephew who is into games, x box etc don't you...I finished with a sentiment and a few scattered buttons...the fab sketch is from Sketch N Stash but I was too late to join in so I'm entering it for the Joanna Sheen challenge , Totally Gorjuss challenge and the Here Comes the Boys Challenge...I'm going to do some gift wrapping and parcel wrapping today and a little bit of crafting I think...whatever your up to today remember the joy of the Season please and smile at a stranger and wish them a Merry Christmas...you never know it might make someones day

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose

hair - antique linen

jeans - stormy sky

sweater - iced spruce, shabby shutters

socks - pumice stone, shabby shutters

dog - pumice stone,antique linen

ball - shabby shutters

star...

Good morning everyone did you all have a fabulous weekend...we headed for Ikea yesterday, our beautiful Daughter and her other half needed to go and her car is still broken down so we decided we would make the sacrifice to take them (yeah right lol)...of course we didn't need anything at all and still managed to spend more than they did...£50 later and some massive bargains including a picture frame and poster to go in it...the picture frame is huge and was a bargain £7.50 but the poster was £7 reduced to £3.99...but when we got to the till he charged us £3.99 and then it was discounted £3.99 so it was free????...I asked him if that was right he says that's what it scanned so it must be...well who am I to argue?....ooooohhhhh I do love a bargain don't you, but that's ridiculous lol...after that we went and picked up our new Christmas tree for the kitchen but as we didn't get home until after 7pm we still don't have them up and I also bought new floaty curtains for the kitchen and would like to get them up first so maybe today but as Phil has the day off for Christmas shopping I don't hold out much hope...oh and we are getting my Christmas present today too, I have my eye on a pair of boots so Im hoping they have them in stock in our closest Clarks store or it means another trip to Belfast...such a shame lol...right now onto my card for today how lush is this fantastic stamp from Crafts and Me...its by the super talented Robin Pushay and is called Tree Top Blessings...such a beautiful Christmas image isn't it...I coloured her with distress inks and glittered just about everything I could think of...the star, her wings and the flames on the candles...the amazing papers are from Graphic45's Christmas Emporium Collection and is called Tis The Season...I finished my card with a gorgeously glittery Noel sentiment (this is a decoration I bought in the sales last year) and some pearls...I'm entering it for the Lady Anne's Challenge, Paperplay Challenge and the Totally Gorjuss challenge too...right I'm off to get the war paint on, a girl cant go boot shopping without her lippy can she girls...whatever your up to today have a brilliant one

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose

hair, dress, wings and shading - antique linen

tree - shabby shutter, peeled paint

reds - barn door

hair decorations - peeled paint, barn door

star - scattered straw