Happy Post and birthday gifts

 This gorgeous envelope arrived today, I didn't open it for ages and when I did I was careful to not damage the artwork by Bibi of Rubber Dance Art Stamps in the Netherlands, and inside....

Lots of lovely rubber! These are all the stamps I won in a recent celebratory giveaway on the Rubber Dance blog, WOW if I hadn't been so tired today I would have already got stuck into stamping with these babies! Thank you Bibi, now I need to enter the July challenge!

 I also won a challenge at Cute Card Thursday and got a £10 Bunny Zoe's voucher, Bunny Zoe's is having a 60% off sale so I got even more than I would have done normally, and at these prices I did add a little more to my order which arrived yesterday - thanks Nikki!

These are all of my 60th birthday cards and two ruby anniversary cards, which just goes to show that if you don't throw a party you don't get many cards! These are lovely and much appreciated though. The second from the left is hand made by Myriam - see below, the third was made by my Mum, the sixth is made by Marg - see below, and the eighth is made by Mum for Hubby to give me.

Today I decided to take them down and put them in a keepsake box, which is when I found I had so many more for my 50th, and even for subsequent birthdays but since I took early retirement I don't get any from work colleagues, and my remaining family members have all sorts of problems and haven't remembered I guess. Other friends who did know clearly only give if there is a party going on that they are invited to!

The keepsake box was slightly overflowing, I found some old photos in there and some keepsakes from the holiday to Prague that I had for my 50th - which I had forgotten were in there. I looked at another little keepsake box thinking there might be space in it, only to find it was full of embellishments I forgot I had. So another surprise today!

 Hubby's family didn't know about my birthday or our anniversary either, as the lynchpin of the family - mother in law who knows all the birthdays and dates to remember - has been ill and in hospital then a home for weeks and only returned to her home this week, so the news would not have got round to anyone, although she doesn't see much of the family these days so it might not have made much difference. MIL is the reason I am so tired today, after two good nights and days home she had a bad one and we were called out in the early hours, and she has continued to have a bad day so I had to call the doctors and get a home visit for her, but let's hope tonight will be better and she will settle down again.

 This sweet little card was made by Quirky team mate Myriam and came all the way from Costa Rica with the little gifts shown, Myriam I love it all - thank you so much! It even arrived just in time.

 This very elegant and opulent card was made by another crafting buddy, Marg Byatt, Thank you so much Marg, Hubby was much impressed with this one.

 These were little gifts on the day from Hubby, who is going to put money towards a new camera for me when I decide which one to go for, which could take me some time!

 My son Richard and his girlfriend Julie bought me a gorgeous rainbow seaglass bracelet by Seaham Waves, I have wanted one of these for a few years since I first saw them, I love it thank you.

I also had money from the parents, and my other son Chris and his wife Vanessa and little Kenny and bump, or I will have toward that camera - I really need to decide but so many things have taken up my time in the last few weeks and months I have been to the camera shop to try the weight of the ones I have thought about, but do I change to a CSC, big decisions!

I don't normally grow sunflowers, well not deliberately - the birds have planted the odd one in the past. This year I did, and these survived the onslaught of the moluscs, when this dark red beauty showed it's face I was quite surprised because I can't remember the seeds I bought being anything special, but they probably were as I got them from Thompson and Morgan. I will take a better photo of it soon.

This is another view of it. I have normal yellow ones growing too.

Finally - a while ago I bought The Cinch to replace the Bind it All, I am talking months ago too. I had not used it yet until I made this. Richard asked me for a list of birthdays and dates and I thought why not make a little birthday book. There are downloadable pages for this and instructions on the WR Memory Keepers blog. It was so easy, I am in love with The Cinch and think I will be making many more books. The Bind it All was a good little machine, and took up less room in it's pretty matching tote but I never managed to get the pages and covers quite lined up, or the right number of holes just where I wanted them but The Cinch has changed all of that. I covered the greyboard that I used for the covers with paper from a Sara Book, and I used a free balloon die from Simply Cards and Papercrafts magazine, part of set of two dies which are this month's cover gift. I added strings and birds in the sky with a Souffle pen and the birds, and die cut Birthday with a Spellbinders die and book with Quickutz dies. 

I have actually entered a challenge or two with this book:

Crafting from the Heart - #68 anything goes (Sun)

Papertake Weekly - don't be square (Tues)

Creative Fingers - #87 Anything goes (Fri)

Bunny Zoe's challenge blog - Summer breeze (Aug 9th)

Die Cut Divas - Summer (July)

Challenges won:

Incy Wincy - doodle what? 

Published in  Simply Cards and Papercraft magazine issue 140

Betty Boots - oh whoops I forgot!

I had a few problems photographing this one, this is the third attempt (the sparkles in the cardstock cause problems) and now it has gone from here so I can't try again. I didn't actually forget Vanessa's Birthday last Saturday, I just ran of of time to make a card and I knew I would see her this weekend. Now it might seem a little silly that I didn't just send one of the cards from the two boxes I have of them already made, but I am weird like that, I like to make the card for the individual when I can. This isn't the card I intended to make originally but when sorting through some stamps I found this set that I bought recently and it was crying out to be used. 

Betty Boots is the creation of That Craft Place, the digital images are sold under the name of Ditzie Designs on Etsy and some of them have now been made into stamp sets by Creative Expressions. I really love this character, but she took around four hours to colour mainly due to her hair. I used Graph'it Markers to colour her hair, and ProMarkers for the rest of her. All die cuts are Spellbinders. The sentiment came with the set, and inside the card I used another of the sentiments from the set which says that it is a good job you get more patient the older you get, or something like that.

Daughter in Law is a Papermania stamp from a clear set, and I added some ribbon and buttons from stash.

I have entered the following challenges:

Tuesday Throwdown - no patterned paper

Inspiration Destination - #41 anything goes (Wed)

Addicted to Stamps - #152 Make your Mark 

Cute Card Thursdays - for the ladies

Ribbon Girl - anything goes with an image (Sun)

Crafting from the Heart - #68 anything goes (Mon)

Sugar and Betty's challenge blog - anything goes (Jul)

Christmas in July reminder time

I was late again, I am late again - but here I am at last. It has been a hectic week, (It was my Big Birthday Tuesday and we went out last weekend and on the actual day in the evening, and have still been driving to visit mother in law then sorting things out for her return home tomorrow, and making a late card for my Daughter in Law) they all seem like that recently. How did I have time to go to work?

Over at Quirky Crafts we are playing Christmas in July, and we have three lovely sponsors, Crafty Ribbons, Bugaboo and Limited Runs.

My first card features an image from Limited Runs called Trees on a Cupcake, I thought I would coloure these in modern colours with my Promarkers - I think my bright green is running out because I use it so much.

I die cut the image and panel behind with Spellbinders card creator dies. The ribbon is one of the exclusive ones from Crafty Ribbons.

I added some Ice Stickles glitter glue which is still wet here.

 This cute image is called Puppy - enough reindeer from Bugaboo, he comew with the sentiment and together they make a very cute card. Just look at the tears welling up in his eyes because he can't be a reindeer!
 I coloured the image with Promarkers and a gold pen for the bells. Again this is die cut with Spellbinders Card Creator dies. The paper was a freebie with a magazine. The ribbon is from Crafty Ribbons.

From Bugaboo comes Stella - Merry Christmas not Happy Holidays, I find Stella (and Gus) so very amusing, I hope the recipient of this card does too! This is an 8" X 8" scalloped card blank, but all the images for all 4 cards were cut out the same size with Spellbinders card creator dies, and yet they are all on different size card blanks. I coloured Stella with Promarkers, the papers are by My Mind's Eye (the top paper with little house scene) and Papermania, and the "Keep Calm" ribbon is a Crafty Ribbons exclusive which seemed perfect with the sentiment.

My last card features another of the Limited Runs cupcakes, this one is called Snowman on a Cupcake lol. Again I coloured it with Promarkers, die cut it with Spellbinders card creator dies and added Ice Stickles which are still wet here. There are 3 different ribbons from Crafty Ribbons on my card. The spotty paper is by My Mind's Eye.

I added three buttons to the side, I just thought I would, maybe I need some the other side too.

Come on over to Quirky Crafts Challenge blog to see some more wonderful examples and to play along and maybe win some great prizes.

I've entered a few challenges, different cards into different challenges so none of them breach the numbers rule:

Papertake Weekly - Christmas in July (Tues)

Passion for Promarkers - fancy that - Snowman on a cupcake (Tues)

Tuesday Throwdown - no patterned paper

Addicted to Stamps - make your mark (Wed)

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - furry creatures

Creative Fingers = #87 Anything goes (Fri)

Daring Card Makers - no black, no neutral Trees on a Cupcake (Fri)

Creative Card Crew - die cuts (Tues 21st)

Digi Chooseday - Christmas in July (Jul 28th)

The Ribbon Girl - any image (Jul)

Challenges won:

Catch the Bug - Christmas in July Jingle all the way 

Facebook blues

I can't login to Facebook, in fact it logged me out then when I tried to log in again it said my computer was infected and I needed to click on a link and run some software I have never heard of, dodgy or what! Well I ran a full scan with BitDefender and it found a few things including a Trojan, and those are sorted or quarantined now, but still I can't log into Facebook! I do a lot of Quirky stuff there so this is annoying to say the least. I can go to the Facebook help forum but when I try to record my problem hoping that it will be sorted out I can't - guess why - yes I need to login to Facebook to report problems on the help forum! So I am getting nowhere fast.

You better be good, you better be nice....Santa Claus is coming to town - Quirky style

I am so late, it is gone 1:00 in the morning and I really really need my bed now. I was late to bed last night 2:00 in the morning in fact, and had to get up at 7:00 and all because we were helping at the Cannon's House fete and having a stall which I really needed to prepare cards for - not that I really sell many, normally only 2 or 3 but I felt I had to get as many ready as possible, and take display racks etc.

Anyway it is challenge time again at Quirky Crafts and we have three great sponsors, Crafty Ribbons, Bugaboo and Limited Runs, what a great combination! The challenge set by Lyn (we are so pleased she is back with us) is her favourite Christmas in July and it is a great time to start on those Christmas cards - if only I can keep it up!

So I started with Stella Note to Santa, it was too funny and I couldn't not choose this one! I know a few Stella's, maybe I am one!

I coloured the image with ProMarkers, die cut it with a Spellbinders postage stamp style die with matching ribbon slider which I hand wrote on. I added two ribbons from Crafty Ribbons amazing range of Christmas ribbon, much of which is exclusive to them. I added a bit of Ice Stickles glue to the white fluffy bits of Stella's outfit, and added gold gel pen to the baubles. The paper is by My Mind's Eye.

My second card features one of Limited Runs great cupcakes, from a set of two called Penguin Set Cupcake, the other cake has a blank sign. I coloured the image with ProMarkers and die cut it with a Spellbinders die, mounted onto a die cut rectangle of red. The Singing Penguin ribbon (which I really love) is a Crafty Ribbons exclusive. The snowflakes are all Spellbinders die cuts, and again I added some Ice Stickles in Star Dust to the image. I can't eat cupcakes but I can never resist the wonderful Limited Runs ones!

So now I can go to bed, at 1:30am hope I get a lie in! You, on the other hand, might like to hop over to Quirky Crafts to see some wonderful examples by the team and play along with us to maybe win great prizes.

Now to enter some challenges:

Inspiration Destination - #40 anything goes (Wed)

TTCRD - anything goes (June 30 - Jul 6)

Addicted to Stamps - anything goes (Wed)

Crafty Ribbons - anything goes (Thurs)

Coffee, chocolate and cards - seeing red (Fri)

Creative Fingers = #86 anything goes (Fri)

Crafting from the Heart - #67 anything goes (Fri)

Winter Wonderland - all that glitters (Fri)

Crafty Cardmakers - Sentiment  (Sat)

Sketch Saturday - sketch #368

Christmas card challenges - colour combo or anything Christmas (July 20th)

The Ribbon Girl - anything goes or stars and stripes (July)

Challenges won or top 3 etc:

Cute Card Thursday - we love cake 

Rubber Dance Art Stamps: And the Winners are .....

Look what I won: Rubber Dance Art Stamps: And the Winners are .....: Helloooo, stampers! It's Bibi here today (the owner of Rubber Dance) and the day has come to draw THREE winners of our blog's 1st ...

Quirky reminder - rosettes all the way.

I think this Cartoon illustration of a happy boy in a wheelchair, by Ken Brenner and available from our Quirky sponsor - Stitchy Bear Digital Outlet, is great. You don't often see images for kids in wheelchairs, and I thought I would make it into a well done card. I coloured the image with Promarkers and Graph'it Markers (the hair), die cut it with Spellbinders squares and matted onto a scalloped square. The trophy is a Marianne die. The sentiments are stamped with Hero Arts clear stamps. The rosette is a Sizzix Tim Holtz die. The card blank is shiny red card, I had to dumb down the lighting in the mini studio not to get too much shine.

Hop on over to Quirky Crafts to see some wonderful creations by the team and to play along with your rosette makes.

This card had raced into the following challenges:

Crafty Gal's Corner - anything goes (Wed 1st)

Inspiration Destination - anything goes (Wed)

Creative Fingers - #85 anything goes (Fri)

Glitter and Sparkle - sentimental (Sunday)

One Stitch at a Time - red, white and blue (Sun)

Pile it on - flag colours Red white and blue (Sun)

Chocolate, Coffee and cards - Seeing Red (Fri 10th July)

Time for some Quirky Rosettes.

Kemly set the challenge over at Quirky Crafts this time, and all we had to do was add a rosette, or rosettes.

Our sponsor is Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps, who provided us with some lovely digital images to use. I have used two images by Ike's Art: Cushion Kitty who I gave a crown, so she could be queen for a day (or king for a day) using Coronet.

I coloured the image with ProMarkers and added some Liquid Pearls and Stickles glitter glue to the coronet on the jewels to make it pretty. The image is die cut and the coronet cut outside of the frame, then mounted onto a die cut gold panel which looks quite regal, all with Spellbinder dies. The rosette was die cut with a Sizzix Sizzlet Tim Holtz rosette die in red paper with gold circles and the number 1 is cut with an Accucut Zipemate die. I found an oddment of red ribbon from Crafty Ribbons to add a tail to the rosette.

The sentiment is stamped with a clear stamp from a Hero Arts set. This could be for a birthday, or to say well done to someone I think.

I am late posting this, but at least I managed to make something this week, but I managed to mess up the Quirky post royally. First it didn't go out on time - my fault for not pressing the button and thinking I had, second I mixed up two of the guest designers, only put one card on with the wrong name and link against it. It is all sorted now, but what a prat, I put it down to tiredness - I knew I was out all day today and would be late, and I should have realised what I had done with the guests last night when I did it. So big apologies to everyone.

Having said that, if you would like to see what the team have done and maybe play along just hop over to Quirky Crafts now.

I have entered the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - oh so pretty (Tues)

Passion for Promarkers - anything but square (Tues)

Crafty Gals - #24 red, white and blue (Wed)

Left of Centre - ribbon, twine (Fri)

Little Miss Muffet - anything goes (2nd July?)

Crafting from the Heart - cheeky or anything goes (Mon)

Quirky Kitchen

The challenge at Quirky Crafts this time is K for Kitchen, and we are sponsored by Robyn's Fetish and Digital Delights. I have had some family problems which escalated in the past few weeks so while I have been busy in the background keeping the blog cogs turning I just haven't had the energy to make something for this challenge. So I thought I would share this recipe scrapbook that I made for a previous challenge which fits the theme perfectly.

Above is the front cover, and below some of the pages with pockets and decoration, all digis are from our main sponsor Robyn's Fetish.

I also made some cookery book tag markers to go in one of the pockets of the book. All ribbons are from Crafty Ribbons.

Another bright shirt, that's Quirky!

I found this shirt which I had put under something, so I finished it off. The  "Shirt and Tie Shaped Card" files are from The Cutting Cafe, I used some double sided paper to make the shirt and some American Crafts paper that looks like fabric for the tie and handkerchief. The sentiment is also from The Cutting Cafe and is from a printables set called  Assorted Celebration Word Circles. I have teeny tiny buttons and one normal sized button which has Tim Holtz twine though it.

You have until Saturday at midday UK time to play along with us at Quirky Crafts.

I've entered the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - anything goes (Tues)

WOYWW #313 Wells

I bought Shaun a bargain ticket to go into The Bishops Palace and Gardens at Wells and it expired this month, so today we went and it was lovely. This is a photo of the cathedral from inside the palace grounds.

Here is Angel Shaun...

and Angel Carol lol.

There once was an ugly duckling, with feathers all stubby and brown.... couldn't stop singing that sone when I saw these cuties! 

I took over 100 photos today, but better not put them all on here or it will be a long and maybe boring post for some.

I've somehow not had the heart to join in WOYWW lately, every week I take the photos then don't do it, but last week I really wanted to join in the anniversary celebrations and even make an ATC, unfortunately MIL had other ideas, she had 3 falls, and we got called out 4 times, had to get paramedics twice, and the doctor once, and she ended up in hospital, and Wednesday evening we spent 5 hours waiting for the doctor after the paramedic called out of hours, then the ambulance. MIL was tucked up in bed - we were not! So I was far too tired to do a thing - and I hadn't managed to make my first ever ATC. I know it is Thursday now, just, but I thought I would pop in this week and explain. I seem to have become an occasional WOYWWer when I used to be regular so to speak!

This is what I started on last night, a dog sweater for Alfie. I trimmed the dogs short ready for Summer a couple of weeks ago when we had a few really warm days, but then we had a lot of really cold days and poor Alfie was suffering with his arthritis. I've been meaning to do this for ages, and today it was so hot he doesn't need it. This one I tried on him and it is too tight but I think I will finish it anyway, it might be ok for next door's Dachshunds if they want it and if I lengthen the body. Now this is the right way up, the holes are for the front legs and there are cuffs to do, and the instructions say to join it from the neck to the start of the shaping, so just past the leg openings. Poor old Alfie is way to stiff in the legs to get this on over his head and legs, so I have decided I better redesign the pattern so that the seam is along the back, the reverse of how it is here, and then work a button band so I can pop him into it and button it up - then it will be easy to put on. Alfie may object strongly to wearing clothes, he never has been keen on his waterproof coat! 

Oh well I better show you the desk, looks pretty messy but I have made a lot of progess putting away stamps. There is a bit of stamping going on here, I have good intentions to enter challenges with real stamps as well as some digis, I keep finding they have closed by the time I get round to actually making something!

The only problem is more stamps are on the way, and some have arrived:

The sad reason is that many shops are closing down, like Whiff of Joy and these beauties were up to 90% off, most of the stamps were less than one Euro each! How could I resist! Quixotic Paperie closed, I had to buy some Kraftin Kimmies, and I was going to buy more but left it too late. Clare Curd had a closing down sale, I bought a couple of things there. CraftsULove have their weekly bargains that you have to grab quick and they have the WR Memory Keepers flower punch board for just £9.99 and there was free postage on the bank holiday weekend - hrmmmp, yes it came my way! Then I won a Kraftin Kimmie $10 voucher, more than $10 of stamps fell into my basket and there is postage on top, and I wondered if I should have chosen my first choice but the ones I chose were in the Frugal Friday sale!

Now I need a load more EZ mount, and haven't finished putting away the stamps I have, and I have a load of stamps I have had years and not used or used a long time ago and think maybe I need to clear them out. Well I did start doing that, but the awful events of this year put a stop to sorting out and selling stuff cheap, and tidying really. I have only just got back to it.

Also I am coming up to our 40th wedding anniversary, and my 60th birthday which the family will combine into one celebration, we don't normally remember our wedding anniversary or celebrate it, but I guess we will have to this year, so maybe a giveaway is in order, if I can get round to it!

To find out what this is all about and join in hop over to The Stamping Ground now, where the legendary Julia Dunnit will explain all!