summer...not yet...

Good morning everyone I hope your all well there seems to be an awful lot of bugs going round...ok enough is enough isnt it, my poor Dad got a phone call from the docs yesterday to say there is a big problem with his liver function test so he has to go see him...ok now the powers that be thats enough my poor Dad has enough on his plate ok...we also have some other worrying things going on in our lives that I cant tell you about yet, but I will when we have them semi sorted...we didnt get out yesterday I dont really know why but just one of those days when it caught up with us very fast before we had really done anything if you know what I mean...well your all Wives, Mothers, Taxi drivers, general cleaner uppers etc so your bound to know lol...my card for today is a plea for spring to hurry up, Im sure the sun and bright skies brings good things and stops bad things seeming so bad, dont you?...this beautiful image is called Summer and shes from Sugar Nellie of course, shes one of the Simply Adorables, I coloured her with distress inks and teamed her with this lush Basicgrey double sided paper from the Marjolaine collection called Expresso Souffle...lush colours isnt it, I added a chipboard tag from my sentiment box and added a fabulous ribbon bow and a sprinkling of buttons to finish...the lush sketch is from Mojo Monday (I turned it around) and Im also entering this for the Paper Creations Ink challenge and My Mum's Craft shop challenge too...Im off out for coffee with our beautiful Daughter today and my Dads coming too, well thats unless my day gets ahead of me again lol...whatever your up to today have a fantastic trouble and bug free one
Mina xxx

colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - frayed burlap
dress - stormy sky, walnut stain
umbrella - shabby shutters, scattered straw

and the winner is....

Yyyooohhoooo everyone its me again and its that time...I have to pick a candy winner...don't worry if you didn't win this time though as I will have more very very soon...so drum roll please
the random thingy say its no.....

and that is ..................
LEE
huge congratulation Lee could you please contact me by Thursday so I can arrange your prize to be posted to you
keep an eye out for my next candy everyone and I will speak to you tomorrow
Mina xxx

distressing...

Good morning everyone, I hope your all safe and warm after the terrible weather the last few days, we still don't have any of it yet...did you all have a fantastic weekend?...we had a lovely Sunday lunch yesterday and it was brilliant catching up with my lovely Dad, he said he hadn't realised his eyes were so bad until after the tests he had and he was amazed he had driven so long, which is not a good thing to tell his constant driving companion is it lol...he is so looking forward to getting them fixed and my lovely Phil and our wonderful Daughter will all muster through for him until he can drive again and he is going to spend half his time at my Sisters too as she drives...I have never felt so frustrated in my life that I'm not able to drive and be his chauffeur like he has to me for many years, I so wish I could but will just have to make it up to him in other ways...right now onto my card for today, which is an unusual one for me, I don't usually do distressing as I find it really hard to get right but had a go at it with this card...its for our new challenge at The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop challenge and this month its a brilliant anything goes challenge, I cant wait to see what you come up with...I used one of February's new release digis at Crafts and Me called Forest Guardian for my card, what a stunning image isn't it, I coloured it with distress inks and even distressed the edges with Tattered rose...the amazing paper is a double sided one from the Baby 2 Bride collection called From This moment...isn't it just beautiful, I distressed the edges and cut out some of the roses for embellishments...I added some Clear Dew drops - 5g pack amazing value at 50p for 50 and a lush Silky Crush 38mm Ribbon - Champagne these are both from the Pretty Little Ribbon shop...I finished with a sentiment...I made the sketch up as I went along but I'm entering this for the Allsort's challenge, Secret Crafter Saturday challenge and Fab 'n' Funky challenge...I'm off out today as my Phil has a day off so you never know where we will end up, oh and of course Dad will come too...whatever your up to have a fantastic day and when you have time pop on over to The Pretty Little Ribbon shop challenge to see what the rest of the amazing team came up with
Mina xxx

dont you just love grey and pink...

Good morning everyone well are you all snowed in and frosty enough...we haven't had any so far and fingers crossed we don't get any, you can keep it thanks...I so envy you lovely people who live in sunnier climates, I'm just waiting for an invite to holiday with one of you lol...I think we could all do with some sun...my Dad is fine and it was lovely to see him again, he seems quite upbeat but then he hasn't got used to not driving yet, we did a lot of ringing round Doctors and hospitals to see if we could get it done privately but it is horrendously expensive and I know he is so worth it but we are all too stretched this close after Christmas, but we still haven't given up hope of getting it done faster, thank you all so so much for all the positive things and advice you gave yesterday it is helping so much...right now onto my card for today which is the girl version of the one I made on Friday, this gorgeous little girl is called With Love and is of course from Mo's Digital Pencil, only Mo could draw that wonderful face...I coloured her with distress inks and I'm so sorry but I have no idea what make these lush papers are but they are gorgeous aren't they, I paper pieced her heart and paper like on the boy version and cut out the edge of the paper for the letter bar at the bottom, the lush flower is cut from the bottom edge of the paper too, I finished with a ribbon and a satin bow...the fab sketch is from Papertake Weekly challenge and I'm also entering it for the Ribbon Carousel challenge and Joanna Sheen challenge too...btw did you see that Graphic45 are having a DT call, ooooohhhhhhh how I would love to be part of that team but I don't think I would be what they are looking for, but its a thought isn't it...we are having a family Sunday lunch today, lush food, good company and Phil will go pick up my Dad too...whatever your up to today have a fantastic one and if its very snowy be careful and stay safe
Mina xxx
p.s. today is the last day to join in with my candy, so if you havent pop on down and join in, the link is at the top of the sidebar

colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - frayed burlap
clothes - spun sugar, victorian velvet
boots - frayed burlap
flowers - victorian velvet, bundled sage

dont you love a freebie...

Good morning everyone I hope you have something fantastic planned for your weekend, we aren't destined to get to Ikea, my wonderful Dad didn't come home yesterday and is coming home this morning so we will have to go to the supermarket with him today as he will need provisions after being away for a week, I don't mind though as it will be fantastic to see him...we will maybe and I say again maybe Sunday but you never know do you, I wish it would hurry up as I keep changing my mind every time I go onto Ikea's website...I know, I know I should stop going on it but I keep getting dragged back, you all know what its like you cant help yourself can you lol...for everyone who asked if my Dad was ok, we had some bad news at the start of the week, he went to see an eye specialist and although we knew he probably had a cataract we didn't realise it was both eyes and how bad it was, the specialist has told us he will need both eyes operated on and he isn't allowed to drive until they are done and the first one will be up to 6 months before hes reaches the top of the waiting list, he is devastated bless him, hes disabled and cant just hop on and off buses, his wheels are his independence and we have been trying our best to reassure him it wont be too long and he will spend half his time at my Sisters in Belfast as I don't drive...well I cant drive as my eyesight in my right eye is too bad for a licence, I have no peripheral vision in it all either...at least he wont be stuck in the house full time being at my Sisters who can drive...right now onto my card for today and I used this cutie, which is a freebie from the amazing Saturated Canary's blog...oooohhhhhh don't you just love a freebie...I coloured her with distress inks and used just about every colour I could think of on this card...the lush colourful papers are from the Basicgrey Nook and Pantry 6x6 paper pad from Bunny Zoe's Crafts, I finished with a lush May Arts Gingham Ruffle Ribbon YELLOW, from the Pretty Little Ribbon shop, a black ribbon and a sentiment from my sentiment box so no idea what make it is sorry...the fab sketch is from Tuesday Morning sketches and I'm also entering it for the DYSU challenge and Truly Scrumptious challenge too...phew thanks for sticking with me through this long post and I promise I will pass all your lovely wishes onto my Dad when I see him today...whatever yonur doing have a good one
Mina xxx

colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - antique linen
eyes - shabby shutters
dress and shoes - scattered straw, tumbled glass, peeled paint
red is barn door
shadows and shading - pumice stone

pink is for boys too...

Good morning everyone bbbbbrrrrrrrr it is freezing here it was a frozen wilderness last night and I have rarely seen such a crisp clear sky, it made me wish I had a telescope to see the stars more closely...hasn't this week just flown by, I cant believe its February already it only seems two minuets since Christmas, is it just my age that makes the months seem to fly by or are you all thinking the same thing...I didn't get out yesterday but had a crafting day instead and did loads of lush relaxing colouring, I think colouring and cutting out are two of the most relaxing things to do, they should made stressed high powered businessmen do them to relieve stress, can you imagine them with their teeny scissors in their glossy offices, it would be worth teaching them just to see it lol...right that's my little ramble over for today now onto my card, I love this cute little With Love Boy from Mo's Digital Pencil don't you, I have the girl version done to show you on Sunday too...I coloured this little fella with distress inks and paper pieced the cut out heart and pieces...now I know pink isn't usually for boys but I think this Basicgrey Urban Couture/Silk paper is beautiful and matches the green Archaic/Timeworn paper so well and it makes a perfect Valentines card don't you think...I added a Gingham Wired Edge Gold Thread Ribbon - Green from Bunny Zoe's Crafts and finished with a few buttons...the lush sketch is from the Skipping Stones Design sketch challenge and I'm also entering it for the Cardmadfairy Digi Day challenge and Scrappin' it challenge...well I'm of out to the Supermarket today with my lovely Dad and Phil who has a few days off work...oh joy of joys how much do I love supermarket shopping lol...whatever your up to today I hope you stay warm and have fun
Mina xxx

Steampunk Alice...

Good morning everyone, are you all staying warm?...I hope its not as cold where you are....oooohhhhh I cant wait for spring to peep through that's if it ever does here lol...I did manage a bit of blog hopping yesterday not as much as I wanted though, I would usually on a good night visit between 50 and 60 blogs (see I'm totally addicted) but last night only managed about 20 as its like running in the sea at the minuet my connection is sssssooooo slow its like surfing in slow motion...I think a slap on the legs for BT is needed again don't you...right now onto my card for today and its for our new challenge at Colour Create challenge, this time its our fabulous Shanna's choice and she chose White or Cream, Light Brown and Dark Brown with an added option of adding hearts, I love this combo don't you and its perfect for a vintage look...I used another of the new images from Wonderland stamps for my card, I love this gorgeous image don't you, I coloured her with distress inks and teamed her up with this amazing double sided Graphic45 paper from the Steampunk Debuntante collection called Mechanical Mind, I love Graphic45 don't you, I would love every single one of their papers and their embellishments, do you think they would give me a job lol...the little piece with the dragonfly on is another of their papers too called Botanicabella collection/Antiquity, I finished with some gorgeous Seam Binding 1/2 inch CROQUETTE BEIGE from the Pretty Little Ribbon Shop and a Prima metal flower and a charm...the fabulous sketch is from Mojo Monday and I'm also entering it for the Fab 'n' Funky challenge and the Creative Craft bingo challenge (Ribbon, Brown & Flower)...right I'm off out today I need some fresh air to clear out the cobwebs...whatever your up to today have a fantastic one and if you have time pop on over to Colour Create to have a look at our amazing teams makes...oh and btw The Pretty Little Ribbon shop still has a challenge on
Mina xxx

at long last...

Good morning again, yes at last, don't know what happened but I couldn't get my photos to upload no matter how I tried to do it...I think it was a problem with my internet connection yet again...oh well never mind at last its done...I had a lovely crafting day yesterday and played with some stuff I hadn't used for ages, that's what happens when you do a clean up isn't it, you come across loads of things you had forgotten about, I didn't get any commenting done though as my internet was like ploughing through treacle, so will have a catch up today instead. I had a little look at CHA videos a couple of minuets ago and saw a Tim Holtz one for the new distress markers, they look so lush but I think they will be horrendously expensive, if anyone of you fab surfers know how much they are let me know will you so I can start saving now, I definitely will need the Picket Fence one (white) as I can see loads of uses for that one, hhhmmmmm I wonder if they are refillable...right now onto my card for today which is using this gorgeous little Kraftin' Kimmie stamp called Tori which is on sale too, bargain price...I coloured her with distress inks and paper pieced her top with the one of the papers I used, they are two of the new Magnolia papers, Magnolia Cloudy Pink Hearts 6x6 and Magnolia Cloudy Purple Hearts 6x6, they are so soft and pretty aren't they, I finished with a lush pink satin ribbon and bow, a resin flower from the Blossoms-resin flowers Fuschia pack and a sentiment that comes with the stamp, everything I used except the ribbon is from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...the fab sketch is from the Sketch N Stash challenge (I chose sketch 40), I'm also entering it for the Sweet Stampin challenge and Simon Says Stamp challenge...I haven't a clue what I'm up to today as we had a little bit of bad news yesterday and I'm trying to get my head around it, I will let you all know when my head stops spinning lol...whatever your up to today have a fantastic one
Mina xxx

aaaarrrrgggghhhhhh....

ok cover your ears AAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHH I have tried for ages to upload my pictures but no joy so I will be back a little later this morning to try again
speak then
Mina xxx

a vision in blue...

Good morning everyone, ok which one of you brought the winter back with a vengeance, it is freezing here, I'm sitting here with a hoodie on and yes the hood is up (now there's a sight) mind it is lilac and really soft knit, the heating on full blast and I'm still cold, I'm one of those people that when they get cold its really hard to heat up and vise verse...I'm always the opposite of everyone else, my poor lovely Phil is either sweating or freezing because of it lol...I had a fantastic Mother/Daughter day yesterday, we shopped, browsed and had lunch then did a bit more window shopping, of course I had to do my Mum thing and bought her a dress, top and trousers in the sales, all for an amazing £22 would you believe...ooooooohhhhhhhh I am such a sucker for a bargain and when she tried them on she looked so beautiful how could I resist, anyway that's what Mums are for aren't they...my card for today is using one of the amazing Funky Kits Simply Adorables, this one is called Victoria...oooohhhhhh how I love colouring these, I think its the eyes and hair...I used my usual distress inks to colour her and the papers are scraps, this is my only crafting resolution this year, to use up gorgeous scraps and not waste them...the blue swirl is an Echo Park Christmas papers and the gingham is from Craft Creations...I finished with a fabulously silky striped ribbon and bow, a couple of roses and leaves and a ceramic sentiment...the gorgeous sketch is from The Scrapbook Sisters sketch challenge and I'm also entering it for The Ribbon Reel challenge and CES challenge too...I'm going to have a crafting and commenting catch up day today, I'm so behind on surfing all your gorgeous blogs and I miss surfing them, I love a good nosey at what you have been up to...whatever your up today I hope you manage to stay the temperature you want to be
Mina xxx

Daddys little helper's...

Good morning everyone I hope you all had a fantastic weekend and did some lush crafting...we had a fab day yesterday but I was shattered when I got in and had to have a little nap which turned out to be a couple of hours long...oops...I wasn't too happy about it though as itv3 have had a Poirot weekend and I couldn't watch it as Phil loathes it, well I could have watched it as he wouldn't have said anything bless his little cotton socks but I wouldn't make him suffer like that now would I, but I was looking forward to snatching a few hours of them yesterday evening but I couldn't, it just doesn't work through your eyelids does it lol, when I finally got round to watching one wouldn't you know I had already seen it before many times...sods law...I love love love Agatha Christie, I bet she would have been amazing to meet, she had such a clean logical brain but there was a part of it that was a bit naughty and I bet she had a wicked sense of humor as it sneaks into all her writing...a woman way before her time I think...right now onto my card for today which is using these two fantastic helpers from Mo's Digital Pencil...the boy is called Fixer (Boy) and the girl is just called Fixer...I used my distress inks to colour them and teamed them up with these stunning papers from Pink Paislee's Hometown Summer collection, this is called Sunnyside Lane, the black numbered paper is the reverse...I printed the Daddy's little helpers on my laptop and added a house cut from the paper to finish...I love that paper don't you, see what you find when hunting through your piles of paper...the fab sketch is from The Sweet Stop challenge and I'm also entering it for the One Stitch at a Time challenge and Simon Says challenge too....right I'm off to get my war paint on as I'm out to lunch with my beautiful Daughter today and you never know maybe a bit of retail therapy too...whatever your up to today have a wonderful time and I hope it stays dry for you
Mina xxx

yum yum yum candytime...

Hi everyone its time for a little bit of candy, its not a huge one but it is a yummy one with some of my favourite things...I have included

3 12x12 sheets of my all time favourite Gingham in Blue, pink and lilac
2 sheets of the yummy Kars collection 12x12 papers
one red rose and the other green quilted satin look (love them)
5 sheets of double sided 12x12 Prima papers from the Madeline collection (me favs atm)
1 12x12 sheet of the double sided Prima Be Mine Black Damask (stunning paper)
5 metres of lush thick satin ribbon
and a mixture of fabulous roses cause every girl needs roses

sorry about the rubbish photos but its been tiddling down for 12 hours here
all you need to do is
post you name and blog link in Mr Linky AND leave me a comment
use the photo above to add a link to your blog (sidebar is fine)
its open worldwide and you have until midnight (GMT) Sunday 5th February to join in...I will draw the winner on Monday and announce it asap after
enjoy the rest of your Sunday, Im off to my garden to build an ark just in case
Mina xxx

a touch of spring green...

Good morning everyone did you all have a fabulous day yesterday?...we didn't get to Ikea our home phone broke down and we had to spend the time we should have been drooling around Ikea wanting everything in sight checking out the specs of phones and finally deciding on one although I say we I'm the gadget person in our house poor Phil still doesn't know how to use our TV yet bless him, now I just have to spend hours reentering (is that a word it doesn't look right but spell check says its ok) all our phone numbers into a new phone...oh joy of joys lol...we are going out with our Daughter and other half today so cant get to Ikea today either, oh well it gives us an excuse to go next weekend doesn't it and gives me 7 more days to look at the online store and decide again how many thousands I could spend there...my card for today is using this stunning fairy from Crafts and Me, shes called Casting Down Imagination and is by the amazingly talented Sara Burrier, I coloured her with distress inks and of course you know the rule, if she has wings she has glitter

the stunning paper is a double sided one from the Panduro Tilda kitchen Garden paper pad I bought ages and ages ago, don't you just love that soft green and of course the gingham...oooooooohhhhhh I love gingham don't you...I finished with a sentiment, a butterfly charm and a couple of Prima flowers...the fabulous sketch is from My Time Made Easy challenge and I'm also entering it for the Paper crafting Journey challenge and Crafty Catz challenge too...ok now onto the tidy craft room photos

the wardrobe (which I put shelves in as a cupboard), the kitchen table desk, chair (love my chair) and two chests of drawers (perfect size for my printer on top of them) are all Ikea, all massive bargains of course...the small table at the front with my guillotine on is also from there too...don't you just love the cardboard box on the side of my desk, I need more storage

the picture was there when it was my Daughters bedroom, its not my taste but I just haven't got round to replacing it yet

ok now hands up all those people who fancy a rummage through these huge piles of paper (there's another one under my small table too ssssshhhhhh don't tell anyone), the box in the centre is full of my 6x6 paper pads, the sofa is my Daughters sofa bed she used to have her friends stay over on, it is all marked with make up so that explains the throw covering it lol

ok this is about two thirds of my cards all piled up in bags...shocking isn't it...so there's my craft room, not the biggest, most organised or tidiest but its all mine and I love it to bits...its my space and I bet you all know exactly what I mean...I hope whatever you get up to today you have a fantastic time and don't forget to pop back later for my candy
Mina xxx

colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - antique linen
hearts on dress - forest moss
dress - crushed olive

queen of hearts...

Good morning everyone do you all have snow then?, we haven't, well not yet anyway but you know what its like here we can get all the seasons in one day lol...well all the boxes are sorted out and my flowers and sentiments have never been so tidy, I just have the mini mountains of paper to get sorted into the two paper boxes Phil bought me, looking at the piles and then the boxes it ain't gonna work...I think I need a shoehorn lol...I also have a huge pile of cards, at least 400 of them which I haven't a clue what to do with, I offered them to a couple of charity shops here but one said they dont do square cards and the other said if I bagged them and priced them for them they would would consider it, what do they want for nowt lol...I was thinking I may try to sell some on Etsy, even if I just got a couple of £'s each for them just think how much stash I could buy with that money, or more storage might be a better option and use up the stash I have but I would be gutted if none of them sold...I will have some photos for you tomorrow of the tidy craft room and piles still left to do oh and don't forget my birthday candy tomorrow evening, its not massive but its lush, I wouldn't mind winning it lets put it that way...ok now onto my card for today...how amazing is this brand new image from the super talented Gayle at Wonderland stamps, you all know Gayle better from Teddybo

when I saw this beauty I knew exactly how I would colour her and what paper I would use, I used my usual distress inks for her and some of the stunning rose paper to paper piece parts of her amazing dress, I lost the bit for her ruffled neck though but coloured it best I could to match the paper, I think it looks ok do you? I'm sorry I don't know what make this paper is as there's no writing on it but I'm off to my local Crafter's & Co shop today and will ask Sara is she knows so I can tell you all...I finished my card with some black lace, I chopped it up to be raggy but couldn't quite make it too raggy as its so lush, organza ribbon and two charms, I put the heart in the frame as I wanted it to really stand out...I love this stunning image don't you, she reminds me of a book I had with original drawing when I was small, my Sister didn't like it she thought it was creepy but I loved it so much and can still remember the illustrations vividly...I'm entering this for the DYSU challenge, Crafty Ribbons challenge and the fab sketch is from Cards & Things challenge...you will see another couple of Wonderland stamps images from me over the next week, my colouring hand is twitching already lol...whatever your up to today have a fantastic one and stay warm
Mina xxx

colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
lips - barn door
hair and dress shading - pumice stone, grey marvy pen
ruffle collar - barn door, black soot
reds - barn door

hugs for you...

Good morning everyone well its almost the weekend, do you have anything amazing planned?...I think we might take a trip to Ikea this weekend we got a rather large Ikea gift card from Phil's Mum for Christmas and its a closely fought thing to buy either a chair that Phil has his eye on or some more storage for my craft room...I personally think we should split it and he can put more to his half to buy his chair, I think that's fair don't you, and he should consider himself lucky I didn't sneak up with my Dad during the week and blow it all on storage lol...I did a bit more sorting on my craft room yesterday but still haven't finished sorting but its tidy enough to take some photos I think...so look for some this weekend oh and I will have some birthday candy for you all too probably on Sunday...right now my card for today is for our new challenge at Just Magnolia & hAnglar & sTanglar challenge and this time its a lush sketch from our wonderful Jane, great sketch to work with, I turned it so I could have this fabulous A Little Gift Tilda from the Sweet Christmas collection sitting on the centre even if she does look like she might slide off at any second...the lush paper is the New Magnolia Paris Red Peony 12x12 paper, I love it, its so soft and pretty looking isn't it and of course I couldn't resist cutting out some of those beautiful Peonies for embellishments could I...I finished my card with a stunning Dark green wired (25mm wide) organza ribbon, a Made with Love tag charm, Fancy Heart Charm and finished with a cute little sentiment, everything I used except the sentiment is from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...Im entering this for the Simon Says Stamp challenge and Anything Goes challenge...I am determined to get finished my tidying today before Phil gets home...so that's my day sorted...whatever your up to today have a brilliant one and if you have time don't forget to pop on over to Just Magnolia to see what the rest of our team came up with this week...so much gorgeousness
Mina xxx

colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - frayed burlap
clothes shading - pumice stone
sock stripe, gift ribbon and hair ribbon - barn door