well who knew I could do that...

Good morning everyone did you all have a fantastic weekend?...I hope you did and that the weather stayed ok for you...we had a lovely Sunday, we went to the huge market and car boot sale in Antrim and it was a thick pea soup fog all the way until the last few miles then it lifted and although it was cold it wasn't too cold...I must admit there was a couple of the most shocking stalls I have ever seen in the market...one sold paramilitary type clothing including the ski masks with the eyes and mouth cut out complete with two small boys dressed in full gear including toy machine guns and the other was a Nazi stall, with full regalia, flags, bust of Hitler the lot...I was flabbergasted and so angry and thank goodness Phil was with me or I would have been a lot louder and if I had had a few more guts they would have got a tin of paint around the stalls...seriously why????? would they do that...but besides from those two shocking moments the rest was fine and I bought a few things nothing special, well unless you counts a bag of fresh dug spuds special and two new pillows lol...we stopped off for coffee then came home and made dinner for the whole family, Phil cooked his Italian dish with the lushest garlic potatoes and I made Tiramasu cupcakes, complete with coffee syrup and marscapone, Marsala and vanilla cream...now who knew I could make cupcakes...not me, I was quite impressed with myself lol....I will take a photo of the couple that's left to show just to prove I can cook when I want too...right now onto my card for today which is for our new challenge at Bunny Zoe's Crafts monthly challenge and this month Tracy chose the theme is Celebrations anything celebration you want really so there's a lot of choice there, I chose Birthday and used this fantastic little Whimsy stamp called Sam's Special Delivery isn't he so so cute...I coloured him with distress inks and paper pieced his sling...the lush papers are from the Authentique 6x6 Paper Pad - Blissful this is such a beautiful coloured paper pad and on sale too, I finished with a printed banner which I cut out and strung with some Sew Easy Bakers Twine - Neutrals twine a gorgeous Gingham Wired Edge Gold Thread Ribbon - Brown bow and a few yellow buttons, everything except the buttons is from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...the lush sketch is from Tuesday Morning sketches (I hope it still counts as I moved the sentiments so I could fit it in), I'm also entering this for the Papertake Weekly challenge and Allsorts challenge...phew thanks for sticking with me for this super long post, boy I can waffle cant I lol...I'm having a crafting day to do my projects for the Graphic45 call...whatever your up to today have a fantastic one
Mina xxx
p.s. in case your wondering why the photos are small Im having a blurry image thingy again when I enlarge them...havent a clue why though

ITS YUM YUM CANDY TIME...

Good morning everyone...how do you all fancy a bit of sweet stuff...its time for my monthly Bunny Zoe's Crafts candy and I am so jealous this month as the Nikki has given me some fantastic prizes for you
NEW Kaisercraft Clear Texture Stamps - Flourish
and *NEW Kaisercraft Paper Blooms - Amethyst (10pcs)
these are both on my list for this month the new Kaisercraft stamps are so so lush and you get a chance at this one and the flowers too

right now what do you need to do to win -
add your name and link to Mr Linky AND leave me a comment
add the photo to your sidebar with a link to the candy
and that's about it-of course I would love you to be a follower but only
if you like my work and want to
the candy is open to everyone and you have until midnight GMT Sunday 19th February to join in
good luck everyone and have a fantastic Sunday
Mina xxx

the busted sofa is still going strong...

Good morning everyone do you have anything exciting planned this weekend?...as you guessed from the post title my busted sofa hair is still here, I couldn't get an appointment so it will have to stay how it is until next week...well when I say as it is, I will brush it of course lol...my lovely Dad has gone off with my Sister for a week, I hope he has loads of fun with the little ones, they certainly keep you on your toes...we are going to a huge car boot sale on Sunday and today we will be doing a bit of food shopping for the weekend, Phil has a new recipe for a Italian hot pot type of thing, it sounds yummy and I will let you know how it turns out, I'm so lucky Phil loves cooking because if it was up to me we will survive weekends on toasted sandwiches...I can cook just hate doing it is all lol....right now onto my card for today, how fantastic is this A Big Whoop image from Mo's Digital Pencil, she was a freebie on facebook for a while but if you missed her you can still buy her in the shop of course, look at that adorable face, so full of joy...I coloured her with distress inks and distressed the edges of the image with Antique linen...the amazingly gorgeous papers are from Websters Pages, sorry I don't know which collection as they are all mixed together, I added some punched butterflies, orange twine and a lush orange button and twine bow to finish...the fab sketch is from Sweet Sketch Wednesday and I'm also entering it for the Totally Papercrafts challenge and Sir Stampalot challenge too...I'm off to make the best of my busted sofa before heading out...whatever your up to today have a fantastic one and don't forget I have new Bunnyzoe's Crafts candy for you all tomorrow
Mina xxx

there a hole in my head...

Good morning everyone I hope your all well, I did a lot of hopping last night and there was a surprising amount of people saying they didn't feel well or had sore throats or coughs, so take care everyone there's some nasty bugs about, so wrap up and keep warm and for all those lovely people who aren't well I hope your feeling a bit better really soon...I have decided I'm going to give the Graphic45 DT call a go, I may not be the best or what they are looking for but you never know do you and if your not in it, it wont ever happen, so I went out yesterday to get some papers for it because I wanted to make a couple of new projects for it...got some lush lush Graphic45 papers, then went to Dads cause he has a leaky sink, then to shops to run a few errands...finally I got home and just got in the front door and realised I had completely forgotten what I was going out for in the first place...my busted sofa hair is still there lol...I have a hole in my head where my memory should be I think...oh well I will try to remember tomorrow or could write it on the front door for going out I guess, or better still on my hand or its back to getting up looking like I have had an electric shock during the night lol...my card for today is for our new challenge at Just Magnolia & hAnglar & sTanglar challenge, this week its our lovely Mo's turn to host and she chose Pink, Pearls and Lace...beautiful combo isn't it...I used this cute Tilda who I'm ashamed to say had never been inked, I got her ages and ages ago when I used to get the Magnolia stamp kits...I have an idea shes called something like Love cone Tilda although I might be totally wrong...I coloured her with distress inks and teamed her up with these lush papers from the Kaisercraft English Rose 6x6 paper pad from Bunny Zoe's Crafts, stunning soft pinks and greens in this pad and the paper with the white swirls is flocked and so soft too...I added a few pearls to the end of the swirls and at the side, the sentiment is from the same pad and I finished with a beautifully soft lace bow made with White 25mm Flat Lace - Polyester from The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop and a couple of pearl headed pins...I love this sketch but cant remember where its from so if anyone knows could they let me know so I can leave a link...I'm entering this for the Ribbon Carousel challenge, Crafty Cardmaker's challenge and the Allsort's challenge...fingers crossed for my hair today everyone and whatever your up to have a fantastic one and if you have time pop on over to the Just Magnolia challenge to see what the rest of our amazing team came up with
Mina xxx

what no colouring ????...

Good morning everyone I hope your all well and happy...we went to the Docs yesterday and my poor lovely Dad must be so fed up with Doctors offices and hospitals bless him, his liver function is way way way too high and the Doc says hes needs to go to hospital for more tests, a scan and an ultrasound so we just have to wait for an appointment (yet again), the receptionist at the Hospital must think my Dad has shares in the place lol...of course hes still cheerful and we had a giggle sitting reading the 2 year old magazines in the waiting room...he was so gobsmacked at one of the dresses in the mag I was reading and he shouted 'who on earth has £400 to spend on a frock' and everyone looked at him...I started laughing cause he said frock too which made them look harder...he really is such brilliant company and has a wicked sense of humour...I love him to bits...my Sister is coming down today to pick him up to stay at her place for a week...he has fun with her little ones there and there's much more going on around him too...it does him good I think, you all fed up with me worrying about my Dad yet lol...right now onto my card for today, I used the fab Greeting Farm Hoo Loves You set again, I love these gorgeous little owls and the sentiment is from the same set too and would you believe (now don't all faint) no colouring, except for one of the owls yellow beak the owls are paper pieced with these amazingly lush papers from the K & Company Julianne 6x6 paper pad, this pad always inspires me to create it has such beautiful designs in it, everything is from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...I cut some of the lush blue roses out for decoration and to finish...the fab sketch is from Sketch Saturday...I'm going to try get a hair appointment today which means a trip to Town, so fingers crossed I get one as I'm getting my busted sofa look back rapidly lol...whatever your up to today have a brilliant one
Mina xxx

Chrysanthemum...

Good morning everyone are you all recovered from the cold snap them, I hope so, we are finally getting bitterly cold wind here, well I knew it would arrive sooner or later...thank you all so much for the lovely things you said about my image colouring yesterday and the two emails of the people asking me if it was a pre coloured image, I promise it wasn't a printed one I did colour it, I think it looked like that because I had dirty fingers and ended up having to cut it out and put it on with foam pads and that caused a shadow, I was so chuffed you all thought my colouring made it look like a photo though but if it was I would have said...we went out yesterday afternoon and it felt a little strange my Daughter picking my Dad and I up and driving down to Town, I don't know how I will get used to things like that, I'm used to my Dad picking me up and us going on our little jaunts to the Supermarket and out to have 'put the world right' coffee...it wont be long though I'm sure before hes nipping about in his little blue car again...we had a little mooch around town then while my gorgeous girl did a few more errands we went for coffee, the wind was so cold I felt my face had dropped off at one stage, I'm sure I had a candle dripping from my nose on a couple of occasions too lol...now that's attractive for a woman of a certain age isn't it but where the freezing wind is concerned who cares eh lol....right now onto my card for today which is for our new challenge at Crafts and Me challenge, the theme this time is to use a New Image so anything you have that's brand new, I cant wait to see what you come up with...I used this stunning new Sara Burrier image called Chrysanthemum from Crafts and Me, I coloured her with distress inks and glittered her wings...I teamed her up with this gorgeous lush Fancy Pants 12x12 paper from their My Family collection called Sister, I cut out a couple of the flowers from it and raised them up at the edge, I finished with a lush rich coloured Satin Ribbon 25mm BURGUNDY from the Pretty Little Ribbon Shop and a dreams sentiment from my stash...the fab sketch is from the Totally Gorjuss challenge and I'm also entering it for the CES challenge and Ribbon Carousel challenge too...I'm going to have a crafting morning this morning then I'm off to the Doctors with my Dad to see about his liver function test...whatever your up to today I hope it isn't candle drip weather for you
Mina xxx

colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - frayed burlap
dress and gloves - antique linen, stormy sky, aged mahogany
flower - stormy sky

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