Wintertime Bear

Happy Sunday Everyone, I hope your day is going well.

 

I'm having a lazy day, it nice and peaceful, no kids (they're out visiting their grandparents), no parents (they're visiting the seaside) and no work!  Could anything be MORE relaxing?

 

My card today is a little trip into the "I'll do something different today" zone, so my chosen colours (or shades of said colours) are not ones I'd usually use, you decide, does it work? Or not?

 



The black mat has been embossed using a Sizzix embossing folder.  The rich dark pink cardstock is from Dufex and the glittery blue/white cardstock is by Hunkydory.

 

The polar bear is cut out using my Cricut Expression (naturally) using the 'JOYS OF THE SEASON' cartridge (p. 52), this was cut at 2 2/3".

 

The "wintertime" and the swirly dots are from my local pound shop.



 

I'm still not convince that it all works as a whole, but hey ho...

 

Challenges:-

 

FUSSY AND FANCY FRIDAY CHALLENGE - ch.#83 - 'Pink and Black

 

CREATIVE CRAFT CHALLENGE - Ch. #4 - 'A Sketch for You'

 

DIE CUTTIN DIVAS - Ch. #103 - 'Polar Bear'

 

LITTLE SCRAP PIECES - FunFriday Challenge - 'Emboss it'

 

CARDS FOR MEN - Ch. #4 - 'Wintertime'

 

A CARD A DAY Blogging - Sunday

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 



Basic Grey

Just finished work for the day!  Wales won the rugby (always a bonus) and all our loyal customers have had their cawl!

 

Now I can do some more crafting.

 

Sketch Saturday have another sketch to follow this week...

               ... so I decided to give it a go!

Used that lovely Saturated Canary stamp again - I just love it!

 

 

 



Card base - dark brown cardstock (5 1/2" x 11") - scored and folded in half

1st mat - dark red cardstock (5" x 5") - embossed

2nd mat - BASICGREY Life of the Party 'shindig' (2 1/2" x 5 1/4")

Top square (its not really square!) - dark brown mat (2 5/8" x 2 3/8), dark red mat (2 1/2" x 2 1/4"),  BASICGREY Life of the Party 'Ice Cream Headache'

Botton square (neither is this one) - dark brown mat (2 5/8" x 2 3/8), dark red mat (2 1/2" x 2 1/4"), BASICGREY Life of the Party 'Candy Bag'

Image Mat - dark brown (3 1/8" x 4 1/4")

Stamped image - SATURATED CANARY 'Summer' (3" x 4 1/8")

Inside...

1st mat - dark red cardstock (2" x 4 3/4") -  embossed

2nd mat - BASICGREY Life of the Party 'Candy Bag' (3 1/2" x 4 1/4")

3rd mat - dark brown cardstock (3" x 3 3/4")

4th mat - BASICGREY Life of the Party 'shindig' (2 1/2" x 3 1/4")

Brads and button - from stash

All edges have been inked with TIM HOLTZ 'Tea Dye'

 

Gosh when you write it like that ^ it seems really complicated ----- its NOT!

 

I'm glad I've got around to using this paper pad from BASICGREY, it really has got some lovely patterns, and... 'Ice Cream Headache' what a name for a piece of paper!

 

Challenges...

 

SKETCH SATURDAY - Ch. #247 - 'With Wings & Willows'

 

BASICGREY CHALLENGES - Ch. #88 - 'Anything Goes'

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

Award Blinky!

Firstly I'd like to thank the Design Team at MY PAPER CRAFTS WORLD, thank you for choosing my (humble) little card as one of your 'Top Three Chefs', (I feel like I'm at the Oscars, LOL), I'd like to thank... sorry getting a bit carried carried away!  The 'Outreach' challenge was really fun to do, its always nice to be able to offer comfort and encouragement to other people.  Check out the fun challenges and see for yourselves...

  <--- Award Winner!!!

I've even got another little blinky - how cool am I?

 

Today's card is as follows...

 

The little carrot and flower have been cut out using my Cricut Expression, both cuts are from the 'CREATE-A-CRITTER' cartridge (possibly my fav. of all time).  The sentiment 'Have a 24 carrot day' has been generated (posh word!) on my computer and the birthday sentiment is a glitter peel-off.  Underneath the cream faux stitched mat I have stuck various strips of patterned paper (off-cuts from my ever growing stash), its a great way to use up some of those really loved papers that we are loathed to throw away!

Challenges? Yeah...

BROWN SUGAR - Challenge #30 - 'Fruit/Vegetable'

A CARD A DAY Blogging - Friday

MAY ALL YOUR RIBBON BE UNTANGLED!

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

 

Hip Hip Hooray!

I've just finished my shift in the bar.  All the sausage and chips have been eaten, the bread and butter and sandwiches are long gone, and the glass washer has done its final load for tonight.  Both pool teams have now all toddled off to bed.  The game tonight was a bit of a grudge match since we are second in the division and we were playing the top team - well we won!

 

I'm not posting a card... I'm about to go to bed, but before I go, I was left a comment earlier tonight from Stephanie (Cricutmimi) about my washing machine, thank you by the way.  So just for you Stephanie here's a picture of my purple Dyson Washing Machine (which I've just found out CAN be fixed hip, hip, hooray!).  The picture doesn't do it justice by the way, as all the purple is glittery...

 

Cool isn't it!  Nighty Night xxx

Blah... blah... blah...

 

Purple!

I thought I'd do a quick post before starting work (pool match tonight)... after flipping through my cricut booklets I came across this charming cupcake.  A very nice man from town has been out today to fix my Dyson machine machine - the first time it has broken down in thirteen years (yes, 13), is two months after they have been declared 'obsolete'!!!  Apparently Dyson only made them for one year because they couldn't make any money on them!  Anyway, what has this to do with my card? I hear you asking.  Well my Dyson washing machine is PURPLE, yes it really is - a sparkly purple at that, hence the colour for my cupcake!

 

I used my Cricut Expression to cut out the shadow (black), and then two cuts of the cupcake (purple and patterned),  the cherry has had some glossy accents plastered over the top to make it shiny, all this was done using the 'HOME DECOR' cartridge. Yummy...

 

 

Challenges:-

 

FANTABULOUS CRICUT CHALLENGE - #149 - 'Kiss the Cook'

 

BITTEN BY THE BUG 2 - 'Amethyst Colored Birthday Cake or Cupcake'

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

 

 

Just Because...

Hello crafters,

 

I've never tried a sketch challenge before so I thought I'd give it a go... 'Sketch Saturday' had a fairly simple sketch (even for me!)...

 

 

... here what I came up with

 





The stamp used was 'Isabella' by SATURATED CANARY, gorgeous isn't she? Coloured with my promarkers, of course.  The white pearl card base is topped with a piece of white cardstock which has been embossed, on top of this is patterned paper  from an old stack (oldie but goodie) called 'Upcycle' by COSMO CRICKET ( it has a very vintage feel to it) I also used this for the thin border strip across the front. I matted and layered using green and purple and added a simple stamped sentiment onto a piece of  'Dots & Stripes - Candy Shoppe' by ECHO PARK (lovely, lovely 6x6 stack, all yellows, pinks, browns, orange and turquoise, I used 'lemon drop').  The stamp was a 'Mixed Sentiment' set by PERSONAL IMPRESSION and the buttons are from a local charity shop!  I hope you like this as much as I do...

 

Challenges:-

 

SKETCH SATURDAY - 'Week 246' - 'Sassy Studio'

 

COME AND GET IT - 'Colorful Challenge'

 

A CARD A DAY Blogging - 'Thursday'

 

May your glue never run dry!

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

Red/White/Grey

Morning peeps...

 

After yesterdays card 'train wreck' I'm doing a re-write and hoping to get it right this time!.  So...

 

I'm happier with this...

 

I embossed a piece of white cardstock using my Sizzix 'Texture Boutique' and a flower embossing folder.  Using my Cricut Gypsy,  I created the topper (believe~hope~joy) and its shadow from the  'GYPSY WANDERINGS'  cartridge and then cut it out using the Cricut Expression.  I added a flower (although it was sadly faded from being kept in a plastic box for about three years! A promarker - poppy- soon livened it up abit), a little bit of glitter,ribbon and a 'love' sentiment.  Hope you like it :)

 

Challenges:-

 

BROWN SUGAR CHALLENGE # 29 - 'Red, White and Grey'

 

CELEBRATE THE OCCASION # 100 - 'Happy Anniversary'

 

CRAFTY CATZ #170 - 'Eyes Down, Its Bingo Time' - I used 'embossing', dies or punches and flowers'

 

PAPER CRAFTING INSPIRATION # 121 - 'Card Outreach'

 

A CARD A DAY Blogging - Wednesday

 

Happy Crafting!

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

Grey is the new Black

Hi folks,

 

So I made this card for a challenge and then decided that it was a BIG mistake.  I think I've got a few things wrong with it.  The challenge was for anything using grey/red/white, which, incidently I did manage to do, but I think the wording is too large and the inking around the edges of the shaped mats too... something?  Anyway I thought I'd share my latest mistake with you!

 

 



I'll post again when I get it right!

 

 

Blah.. blah... blah...

 

 

 

 

With Love...

My promarkers have been having a really great workout lately, I decided to keep at the colouring-in and gave this 'Saturated Canary' stamp a go.  This is my first card using this stamp, I've never attempted anything this complicated before, but I'm pleased with the result, especially the hair!

 

 

I stamped my image using 'Memento' (Tuxedo Black), after mounting the stamp onto a 'Rock-a-Block' (Crafters' Companion), and then I coloured her in.  This stamp is called 'Summer', I think she is absolutely gorgeous.  I did some matting and layering, using a patteren paper by 'BasicGrey' from a 6x6 paper stack called LIFE OF THE PARTY, I used 'House Party' (its got some really lovely patterns in this pad); some brown and blue paper (cricut 6x12) and then added three little pink buttons and a sentiment.  I hope you like it as much as I do.

 

Challenges?

 

SATURATED CANARY CHALLENGE - #37 - 'Love'

 

BASICGREY CHALLENGES - #87 - 'Your Favourite'

 

A CARD A DAY Blogging - Monday

 

What wonderful products out there, and what wonderful crafters, thank you to that amazing group of visionaries who invented the internet!

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

 

 

S.W.A.L.K.

I purchased the 'Crafters' Companion' complete S.W.A.L.K. stamp digital collection a while ago and have finally got around to doing some colouring-in with my promarkers!

 

My Aunt is not very well at the moment and is going through some rather nasty treatment, I thought this might cheer her up a bit...

 



I used a 'Hunkydory' A4 piece of cardstock (very pretty pink) and scored and folded it in half.  I did alot of matting and layering using black (courtesy of our local pound shop), pink (cricut paper) and a gorgeous piece of 'Echo Park' from the 6x6 paper stack - 'Country Drive' (this has got to be my all time favourite... so far).  The 'Thinging of You' was cut using my Cricut Expression - 'CRICUT ALPHABET', I tried to match this to the little girls dress but I didn't quite get it right - its a couple of shades out - but hey ho, I didn't do it again 'cause, its Sunday... I'm allowed to be lazy, !

 

<--- LOVE THIS, TRUELY, check it out!

I used 'Clover Meadow'

 

 

Entered into...

 

RAISE THE BAR - Challenge #131 - 'Anything Goes'

 

A CARD A DAY Blogging - Sunday

 

STAMPIN WITH THE DRAGON - Blog Hop With a Twist - 'Anything Goes'

Code Word...STAMPING DRAGON

 

CHALLENGES 4 EVERYBODY - Challenge #14 - 'Anything Goes'

 

PIN AND TUCK - Challenge 6 - 'Anything Goes' 

 

"Spark Your Creativity Now!"

 

 

 

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

 

 

 

I'm So Happy

How could you NOT love this digi stamp from Doodle Pantry? AND it was FREE!!!  I downloaded the image (so quick and easy), then simply printed it out and coloured it in with promarkers, what could be easier?  Its such an up-lifting image, I decided to use greens to make it 'spring-like'.

 

I used some black and apple green cardstock to mat and layer along with some patterned paper from a 6x6 stack from CRATE PAPER 'Emma's Shoppe Collection', with the addition of a couple of little butterflies (Hot of the Press) my card is complete...

 

 

Entered into...

 



DARING CARDMAKERS - 'Fly Fly Butterfly'

 

DOODLE PANTRY DIGITAL CHALLENGE - 'Use A Doodle Image' DPDC31

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

Hearts and Flowers

I hope you all had a very romantic valentine's day... if it was like mine - it was just another ordinary day (bitter? not much!).  Another card with a romantic theme... just in case we haven't had enough of the sweetness!

 

<---outside

<---inside

These colours are just great for romantic cards... I used my cricut expression to cut the hearts (using all the bits - the outties and innies), I used the 'ACCENT ESSENTIALS' cartridge.  The card base was embossed with a flower embossing folder using my Sizzix 'Texture Boutique'.  After adding some red ribbon to the bottom along with a rub-on sentiment the card was almost complete, I just wanted to add one more touch... the little pink flower embellishment to the heart.  I also place a white mat to the inside (after inking the edges with Tim Holtz - victoria velvet) along with the remaining hearts. Simple but effective...


Entered into...

COME AND GET IT CHALLENGES - 'Show us your Heart - Love is in the Air'

HECK OF A CHALLENGE - 'Love and Flowers'

CRAFTY SENTIMENT DESIGNS CHALLENGE BLOG - 'Valentine's'

FAB 'N' FUNKY CHALLENGES # 158 - 'Whats Inside'

DARING CARDMAKERS  - 'Love is in the Air'

A CARD A DAY BLOGGING - Friday

Enjoy your day

xxx

 

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

 

 

 

Apologies First...

I am SO sorry about last night's post - what can I say - I'm a bad, bad girl (bad? probably an understatement, girl? that is stretching the imagination) - I was a little inebriated!

 

If it is any consolation I am now paying the price for my indiscretion.  I may not of actually 'cast up my accounts' as yet but I am decidedly green around the gills!

 

My very uncomfortable nights sleep, was spent restlessly in my bed (not where I collapsed on the sofa - I did manage to drag myself to bed, although I'm not quite sure how my pj's ended up inside out and back to front!).  In-between the occasional forty winks and the desperate guzzles of water (at least I remembered to have some to hand to help flush out the rose wine) I managed to sleep - very little.  Serves me right!

 

It didn't help my cause that my lovely cat came in to my bedroom vocalising his need for sustenance at 6.30 am (how my 70 year old mother manages to get up so early after indulging in the rose wine as much as I did - possible more - is, and will always be, one of life's mysteries), I do wish my mum had not let the cat in. Perhaps if I had inherited her cast-iron institution and her slim body, along with her need to arise before the birds start singing, I, too, would be as bright as the proverbial button this morning, instead of a rung out dishcloth!

 

I am glad to say that the LVA (landlords) meetings only happen bi-monthly, I don't think my liver could take any more!

 

Back to business... It is Wednesday Today! (see yesterday's post)

 

Valentine's is nearly upon us, with this in mind, this is for all those love-lorn fools romantics out there...

 

 

I took a piece of white carstock 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" and scored it at 4 1/4" to make a card base.  I dry embossed another piece of white cardstock (4 " x 5 1/4") using my 'Sizzix' texture boutique. after tying a burgandy ribbon around it and inking the edges with Tim Holtz (victorian velvet) I adhered this to the card base.  I cut a heart (and its shadow) with my cricut expression using the 'CRICUT CRAFT ROOM BASICS' and also adhered this to the card front.  The banner with stamped using the same Tim Holtz ink and stuck on using foam pads.  With a little pink heart embellishment, my little valentines card is complete!

 

This will be going into a challenge or two...

 

A Card A Day Blogging - Wednesday

 

Celebrate the Occasion Challenge #99 - 'Valentine Anything Goes'

 

My Craft Spot Challenge 86 - 'For Your Sweetheart'

Allsorts Challenge week 193 - 'Valentines'

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

No Card

I haven't got a card to show you... I've just been out to the Indian with the Licensed Victullars Association (pub landlords to you and me) and am a little bit drunk (I'm so gonna regret this in the morning!)... so I thought would say hi...

 

 

HI!

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

Gain a day...

...gain a friend, that's what they say,

 

 

by they, I mean... well I don't know who I mean, the 'Old Wives' I suppose, I wonder if its true.  All day I've been thinking its Wednesday, why? I dunno.  By 2 O'clock I realised it is,  in fact (as I'm sure you are aware), Tuesday... I wonder who my new friend will be!

 

 

 

I made this matchbook card from a piece of My Minds Eye paper (its pretty thick), it measured 12" x 4", I then scored it at 5 1/2" and 11", this made the base for my card.  The hearts are cut from the 'DOODLECHARMS' cartridge on my cricut expression.  I used 'shadow', 'heart' (p.85) and 'heart-s' all at 3 3/4" from black, pink and red cardstock (from my ever growing scrap pile), with a little bit of ribbon and a heart embellishment my card is now ready for the 'Bitten by the Bug 2' Love is in the Air - Heart or Cupid Challenge and the 'Twisted Tuesday Challenge' for a loving couple (the twist?) black ribbon.  Have a productive crafting day xxx

 

oops nearly forgot - 'A Card A Day' Blogging - Tuesday

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

 

3 x 3 x 3

= ?


In this case it equals the Cardz TV Kidz Cardz Challenge (#24) of 3, 3x3 valentine cards for kids...

 

I found some card blanks in my stash in a very pretty pink and white (these were VERY, VERY old) I matted and layered some pink cricut paper and pink My Minds Eye paper on to the card blanks and then made up some fun cricut toppers.  I wanted to keep to the Valentines theme so I made my layers from black, white, pink and red.  The addition of some extra sparkle in the form of glitter, pearls and 'candi' completed their look. I think they turned out rather well. I think I will enter this into Little Scrap Pieces challenge as well, since its all about 'Love is in the Air'.

 

I'm doing well... two posts in one day!!!

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

This & That... charming

Hello there craft peeps...

I hope your day is going great!

 

I decided today I would post this little 'daddy' card.  The backgound paper (with all the numbers) is from an Echo Park 6x6 paper pad called This & That 'Charming', its a super paper pad for male cards.  The colours are in lovely shades of greens, yellows and browns with some great manly themes, and its all double sided, i love this pad...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway... this is what I made...

 

As I said the background paper is from Echo Pad and the giraffes are cut using my cricut expression with the CREATE-A-CRITTER cartridge, the sentiment "A father is someone you can look up to /No matter how tall you grow" was printed out using my computer.  The cm tape was an old one (that had been stretched over time and so could no longer be used to measure accurately, so it got recycled, here!), I believe you can get  'washi tape' that has measurements on it, but since I haven't got any... I had to improvise!

 

Challenges entered? Yes indeed, here they are...

 

A Card A Day Blogging - Monday

 

One Stitch At A Time # 150 - 'Anything Goes'

 

Cards Galore Challenges - 'One for the Men'

 

Raise the Bar # 130 - 'A Couple of Things'

 

Cards for Men # 3 - 'All My Love'

 

Brown Sugar Challenges # 28 - 'Anything Goes'

 

Challenges 4 Everybody # 13 - 'Always Anything Goes'

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

 

 

Two For One

I wanted to enter into this weeks challenge at 'Fantabulous Cricut' and I also needed to make a card for a five year old boy... can I incorporate the two?  This weeks challenge is called 'Queen of Hearts', you can see my dilemma... can I make the little boys card masculine enough whilst still adding the required hearts?  You judge...

 

 

The cute little robot is from the BOYS WILL BE BOYS cartridge (cut at 3") and the heart is from DOODLECHARMS cartridge (cut at 3/4").  I actually love how it turned out the red and dark navy cardstock (hopefully) make it manly enough for a little boy.

 

This will be going into -

 

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge # 147 - 'Queen of Hearts'

 

A CardA Day Blogging - Sunday

Paper Crafting Inspiration - 'Hearts to You' - # 120

 

 

Thanks for stopping by...

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

Twisted...

easel, that is.

 

I'm really into easel cards at the moment... so a variation on a theme - twisted!

 

I took a piece of wine? (maybe burgundy?) cardstock and cut it to 4 1/4" by 9 3/4", this I scored at 5 1/2" then on the diagonal to form the base.  Having folded the diagonal score line, I adhered another piece of the wine cardstock to it, this time measuring 4 1/4" by 5 1/2", this formed the twisted easel card ready for decoration.

 

Using papers and die-cuts from a Artful card kit by 'Hot Off The Press' called 'Red Velvet' I matted and layered various papers with some more wine cardstock, added a couple of die-cut toppers and some peel-offs ("with love").  Having completed the card front I then placed a 'stopper' and a couple of mats to the base (along with a cute little butterfly)... and viola, complete.  I liked the way it turned out... I hope you do to!

 

 

 

 

I shall be entering this little creation into a few challenges...

 



A Card a Day Blogging - Thursday

 

Pile it On - #5 - Fancy Folds

 

One Stitch At A Time - Challenge #149 - Not Square

 

Crafty Catz - Challenge #168 - Anything But Square

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

I Did It My Way

As Old Blue Eyes would say... "mistakes, I've made a few"... but none more than my latest offering!  The cardstock? Is lovely, the colours? Really quite stunning, the topper? Equally pleasant, so the problem?  Its just all wrong!!!

 

Firstly I didn't think it through, then to compound that mistake, (being too tight-fisted to throw it away) I tried to fix it.  Needless to say I didn't fix it... I botched it!

 

The wording "D.I.L.W.Y.N." is a man, the cardstock I used is WwAaaaYyyy too feminine, and the topper? just all wrong for a man! See picture below...

 

 

My next mistake was in changing the topper to something more macho, instead of removing the wording (that is what I should have done) and then I should of made an altogether different card for the unfortunate 'DILWYN' using more masculine cardstock.  I only added the blue bow, in the first place to try to make it more appealing to a man, even the ribbon used is the wrong shade (another mistake)!  So now (see above) I have a card that is OK (except for the colour of the bow), but which is totally unsuited to the person who is supposed to receive it (DILWYN)! So what did I do? The sensible thing? And start again... Oh no, not this miser!  See below...

 

 

I just added different toppers!  So, now we have a card for a man, in feminine colours, with a bow that doesn't match, with a couple of toppers added to try to 'butch' it up!  WHAT A DISASTER!  Still, I suppose we all make mistakes...

 

And this is a corker!

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

 

 

 

I don't care what the weatherman says...

It's been a quiet week, so far... not a lot happening, not a lot to do.  Winter can sometimes get you down, what with a near constant rain, freezing wind and lack of sunlight, but aren't you glad you don't live somewhere where it is always the same?  I know there is a lot to be said for constant temperatures and sunshine, warm winds and dazzling blue skies (even in winter) but... really, how boring is that?  Apart from anything else what would perfect stangers have to talk about, if not the weather?  We British are always talking about the weather, but is that really any surprise?  It is constantly changing, always giving us something new, we never know what we're going to get and even the expert weather predictions and reports change from one televison channel to the next!

 

In the country there are always experts on the weather... lots of red berries? then we're going to have a hard winter; a spider spins its web in the morning? the day will be fine; cows lying down in the field altogether? rains on its way; and my personal favorite - squirrels have really bushy tails? winter is going to be cold.  But whatever you belief (or don't) and however the weather news is told, one thing is certain... whatever you predict, you will always get it wrong! 

 

I found a lovely piece of 'Hunkydory' cream lace cardstock in my stash and decided to make an easel card with it.  I cut it down to 8 1/2 " x 5 1/2 " and scored it at 2 1/8" and 4 1/4".  I then cut another piece of the card, and a gold mat, to cover the 'easel part of the card.  After placing a topper and ribbon on this section I make a 'stopper' and punched three circles out of the remaining cardstock.  These were adhered to the card base along with a sentiment.  I matted some cream card onto some more gold card and stuck that to the inside of my card (you have to write onto something, right?).  I think it turned out rather well, especially with the addition of a few peel-off gold flowers and gems.

 

 

~ a Card a Day Blogging entry ~ 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

 

National Pride and rugby grudges!

Whatever your nationality, national pride is always strongly felt.  Never more so than here in Wales (I'm not Welsh by the way, I'm English and proud), and Welsh national pride is never felt more than at (or watching) the Six Nations Rugby Tournament. 

 

I have lived in Wales now for nearly thirty years and have increasingly enjoy this wonderful sport (something I NEVER did in England).  I suppose the fact that we run a clubhouse and during the winter months there is nothing else much to do, might account for it! 

 

However, on 'rugby days' the fire is lit early, not just to ensue our local customers have a haven from the snow, wind and rain however, but, the hotter the club is (and with all the excitement - Wales might actually win this one), the more the locals will drink!  So anyway, the club is toastie warm; the beer is flowing; the wide-screen television is polished and at its loudest surround sound and we all know, win or lose there is cawl (welsh soup/stew) to follow.  The joking and banter is at its all time high and after the tear-jerking national anthems are sung the serious business of bitching at the ref can begin. 

 

You see after all this time in Wales I am now considered part of the community... but only as an adoptee! That is to say, they do not consider me English anymore, I am now honorary Welsh. You see, the Welsh have a little problem with England (yes, they do indeed).  I have studied some of Wales' history and acknowledge that there have been some unsavoury moments for the poor down-trodden Welsh people, due largely to their English neighbours, but lets be honest here, that was a very long time ago.  But not where rugby is concerned!  In fact where rugby is concerned every Englishman (only yesterday) raped and pillaged he way through the whole of Wales, inflicting pain and suffering on all!

 

During rugby matches all past English deeds seems to be remembered and it is ok for anyone to win as long as its not England.  Now being somewhat patriotic myself I have always found this a rather unsavoury aspect of the general Welsh character, until, that is that I discovered that it is not just the Welsh that feel this way, oh no, apparently the rest of the 'Six Nations' nations do as well!  Go figure?!%*?!!!

 

If you are interested there is a great (light-hearted) look at this phenomena at 'Paddy Power Blog', take a look, but remember (as I do)... its just a game (I've got to go and wash my mouth out with soap now!)

 

Just finished off the last of the cawl, yes for breakfast (mostly potatoes and juice) and then finished off a card I started yesterday.  I've been looking through past kits (you know the ones... you bought them but would rather look at them and stroke the beautiful cardstock than use it.  Oops, or is that just me? Crafting has turned me perverse!).  I have to say 'Hunkydory' do have some gorgeous colours and patterned cardstock.  After watching 'Create and Craft' TV (never a good thing when on a budget!) I decided to attempt a card Ms. Marden demonstrated, only using different colours and papers... and here it is

 

 

 

Happy Crafting Everyone...

 Don't forget to visit a Card a Day blog...

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

 

Tee Time...

Here's a little DL (landscape) easel card I knocked up from a Kanban kit ('So Macho').  It can be SO hard to sort out the men in our lives (where cards are concerned that is... I'm not actually concerned about sorting out any other aspect of your men or indeed my men - in my humble opinion most men are without a doubt... beyond hope!).  Anyway... I inked the edges of the topper and mount to make it 'pop' a bit better, and raised the 'stopper' (is that the correct term? Not sure! But in my world the 'stopper' is the little bit that stops the card - hence its name - from falling flat).

 

I shall be sharing this with a Card a Day blogging...

Have a great weekend...

Blah... blah... blah...

 

Pop-Up Heart

Hi everyone... I hope you're having a great day...

I made a pop-up card on my gypsy, I welded and melded until I had the perfect little card that does what it says on the tin... it pops up!

 

I took an ordinary rectangle (oblong to those of us who aren't posh) and welded a heart at one end, next I layered other hearts (all from the 'cricut craft room basics') and an 'i' (with a welded heart) and a 'U'.  Here are some photos...

 

<~~~ gypsy what a marvelous invention

Front cover ~~~>

 

<~~~ Inside

 

 

 

 

On the inside I stamped some hearts (using a free stamp from a magazine... 'Candi Stamps' and added the 'candi' - by that I mean the little siver circles) with a sentiment (from the same free stamp set) and  some gems my little valentine's card is complete!

 

Entered into...

 

'A Card A Day' blog ...http://bloggingacad.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/wk-beginning-28th-january.html

 

and

 

'Be My Valentine' Cricut Cardz Challenge #124 http://cardztv.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/be-my-valentine-cricut-cardz-challenge.html

 

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

 

Pictures????

Why Blogger will not allow me to insert pictures is (to me) a total mystery.  I have been doing so (inserting pictures, that is) up until now.  I am totally confused.com!

 

My way around it...

 

I've uploaded a picture to my google account and I am now going to try to upload said picture from my google account rather than using the 'insert picture' button (as seen in the 'new post' window)!  Will it work? Who knows (not me!), but I'll give it a go since a blog about card-making is not much good without pictures now is it?

 

Yes It worked!!! above is the picture for yesterdays post.

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...

 

 

 

Do YOU Love The Snow???

... oh it's lovely to look at, but then it becomes a pain in the behind!

 

The white turns into the most disgusting shades of grey and brown with all the other not so pure things that it is mixing with!  The flattest and easiest of pathways becomes an obsticle course for those of us that no longer find falling on our rumps quite so much fun! AND, if you have managed to brave 'the slush', 'the cold' and 'the fear of falling', you then have to fight for the last loaf of bread (or pint of milk) in the supermarket because any minute now the electricity is going to fail (it's been threatening all night with its imitation of a strob light!).  I am NOT a fan of the white stuff!

 

However... it does give some of us a 'snow day' (as the Americans call it).  A couple of years ago, I was snowed in and being a conscienious employee, I walked to the end of my lane (1 mile, in order to get to work) where I had left my car the night before because the lane was blocked with the white stuff.  I forgot that I was no longer a teenager who still found such things an adventure, and by the time I had reached my car (did I mention it was 1 mile?) I had fallen three times and was no longer in any fit state to attend work anyway!  So after phoning my son from a nearby house (thank the lord for quad bikes! perhaps I should have asked him to take me in the first place!!!) I swore I would NEVER do that again.  Never let it be said that I don't live and learn... now I am happy to gaze out my window and hope that the road clears soon.  But not before I have done a few cards!

 

Back to the crafting... I am making a conscious effort to use up some of the left-over bits that are always acclumilating, with this in mind I made this from some scraps, peel-offs and ribbon...

 

 ?

 

 

You are now supposed to be viewing my marvellous creation... but alas no... for some reason blogger will not longer allow me to 'browse' my images in order to select one to upload to this blog post! Why? I've no idea?????

 

We are ALL aware that I am NOT the greatest of bloggers (I get confused very easily) but I swear it is nothing I have done this time!  Its kinda boring without a picture!!!  I hope I get it fixed soon...

 

 

 

Blah... blah... blah...