hop, skip and a jump - its a double day

Good morning everyone, how fantastic is this weather I'm loving every single second of it and even the fluffy socks has been discarded to be replaced by my Birkenstocks...I love the air when the weathers like this everything smells so fresh and clean doesn't it and everyone seems to have a smile on their face...right I wont waffle on as its a double day and a release day and a hop day...phew...well today is the long awaited release day of the new Country Cousins from Sugar Nellie, you can finally pop on over to Funky Kits and buy to your hearts content...but first onto our final day of hopping for you...don't forget to leave comments for the chance to win too

your should have arrived at my blog from the amazingly talented
JANE
wow isn't her card just stunning, this little bit of sugary cuteness is called Schoolgirl and I have to admit she is my very favourite, I think I judge favourites on how much fun they are to colour and I loved colouring this cutie...I used distress inks and teamed her up with these lush papers and cut out tags from Graphic45...I finished with some ribbons, a few wooden letters from Bunny Zoe's Crafts and a beautiful angel charm...the sketch is from Tuesday Morning Sketches and I'm also entering it for the Lexi Creations challenge too

your next hop on our hop is the fantastic
VICKY
just wait until you see what she has to show you...wow, enjoy the hop and don't forget your comments

right now for my second card for today which is using this oh so cute and just in time for Fathers Day release from the Stampfairy (many thanks for asking me to be your Guest DT for May), this is the gorgeous Herb Basketball release avail at the Stampfairy shop, the basketball image I used for my sentiment is a freebie today too...I coloured him with distress inks and found this lush paper at the bottom of a paper stack but I'm so sorry I haven't a clue who its by but its perfect for a Fathers Day card isn't it...I finished my card with a lush gingham ribbon and knot and a few buttons scattered around...I'm entering this into the Simon Says Stamp challenge and the Try it on Tuesday challenge...phew that was a long post today and thanks for sticking with me

I'm off out shopping with our beautiful Daughter today, spot of girlie chatter, lunch and retail therapy in the sunshine, now that's a perfect day don't you think...whatever your up to today I hope you get to enjoy the weather too and thanks for staying through my long long long post
Mina xxx

its a double...I really need a diary...

Good morning everyone I hope the weather is a bit better where you are, its has been raining here for about 24 hours and is so so cold...its more January than May...we are off on a sad little jaunt today, Phil's boss gave him today off to go down to the farmhouse to finish off signing documents and papers needed to tie up any loose ends, kinda sad but we have decided to make it a day out and stop a few times at an antique village and for breakfast...we are making this the start of a new chapter rather than the end of one...that's the way to do it don't you think...onwards and upwards...Phil seems ok about things and that would be the only thing I would really worry about...my lovely Dad and I were having our 'PTWTR' coffee yesterday and guess who arrived back, yep you guessed it the 'builders bum' girl, same trousers different top...my Dad says 'Mina go pull that girls trousers up will you its putting me off my tea again', now him being a bit deaf you can imagine how loud that came out lol...he is so dry and funny and always makes me giggle...right now I have to get on as its a double day...

I seriously need to buy myself a diary as I have two Guest spots today so this is quite a long post I'm afraid...soz...I was lucky enough to win a Guest spot on the Fussy & Fancy Friday challenge blog, their theme for this fortnights challenge is Butterflies, Ribbons & Punches and you still have a week to enter it...I chose this amazing Bildmalarna - Tulips stamp and I used her with some of the amazing new Magnolia papers this one is called Magnolia Forget Me Not 12" x 12" Paper, stunning isn't it, I bought the stamp and punch from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...the punches I used are a Tonic doily one and the Martha Stewart Butterfly punch, I punched it twice once in white to make a white underlay for it...I finished with a gorgeous blue ribbon...the fab sketch is from the Card Patterns weekly sketch blog

my next card is for the Stamp Fairy Blog who kindly asked me to do a couple of Guest spots for their new releases...how cute is this little fella called Barry Moving and you can get him at the Stamp Fairy shop, I love white teddies so kept him white with shading and a cute pink nose...the lush papers are from My Minds Eye-A Happy Heart 6x6 pad, I bought this at the Kings Hall craft show at a bargain price its such a lush coloured paper pad too, I love it...I finished with a rippled ribbon and bow, a few buttons and a freebie circular sentiment from the Stamp Fairy Shop...the fab sketch is from the Sketch File challenge...phew that was a long one wasn't it, thanks for sticking with me

I used distress inks for both my images of course...btw a few people have asked me about tutorials for distress ink colouring, its not that I dont want to show you all how I do it, its just I'm absolutely rubbish at tutorials and they take me days and days to make, but I promise next week I will sit down and do my best to right out a post explaining the best I can how I do it and what I use if you think it will be of any help...I'm off to put some war paint on now for our little jaunt (I dont even put the bin out without at least masscara and lippy on)...whatever your up to today I hope it stays dry for your and if you have time pop on over to The Stamp Fairy Blog and the Fussy and Fancy Friday challenge blog to see my posts...ooohhhh two in one day how chuffed am I lol
Mina xxx

ever wished you hadnt got out of bed?...

Good morning everyone I hope your all well and happy today...boy did I have one of those days yesterday...the days that should definitely be spent in bed...everything I touched fell to bits, I tried my very very hardest and everything I tried to make went wrong, I even fell down the stairs (just the last two so nothing more than a bruised ego) and stepped off a chair when I was changing a light bulb (I know not a good idea when your having an off day), I even set fire to my toasted sandwich lunch...after that I just sat huddled up on the sofa just in case anything else happened lol...oh well today can only get better (maybe I shouldn't have said that)...anyway onto one of the cards I managed to make and even though I'm not happy with it I thought I would show you anyway as I love this little fella, isn't he just a fab image for a boys card, hes from The Stampfairy and is called Tommy Sports1...as soon as I saw this paper at the weekend I knew I would use it for Tommy, its perfect for him isn't it...its from Echo Parks Sweet Summertime collection and is called Citrus Circles...I coloured this little fella with distress inks and paper pieced his hat and jersey with the reverse of the paper...I finished with some string, ribbon and buttons from my stash...the lush sketch is from Sunday Sketch and Stamp...I'm taking no chances today and heading out its too dangerous staying indoors lol...whatever your up to today have a safe and sound one everyone
Mina xxx