Im baaaccccckkk....again...the fastest card I have made

Good morning...again...I hope your all well and you had a fantastic week in our unexpected sun...the weather at the farmhouse was fantastic, it was like being on holiday and my Dad loved it, it was the first time he had been down to the farmhouse and I don't think he wanted to leave he loved it so much, we were out and about every day and went for a fantastic meal on Wednesday for our anniversary, I had the best roast beef I have tasted in my whole life, it was so good I even dreamed about it that night lol...when we came home from being out on Thursday the local farmer was cleaning out his cow shed and spreading it on the fields (surprisingly unsmelly actually) and my Dad and Phil just sat and watched him for hours????...is that a man thing do you think, I went inside for a shower and my Dad says where you going, I answered 'well there's just so much sh*t shovelling a girl can watch in one go'...so true isn't it lol...I made the fastest card today and I'm really not happy with it at all but it will have to do until I get a good crafting session done this afternoon and the thing with coming home after being away is all the shopping etc you have to do isn't it...groan...anyway I used this cutie Magnolia Tilda stamp, she is one of my favourites and so so sweet with those flowers behind her back, I think shes called something like Secret Tilda but don't quote me as Im not sure...I coloured her with distress inks and teamed her up with these stunningly soft papers from the Kaisercraft Pink Gelato 6.5"x6.5" Paper Pad from Bunny Zoe's Crafts, its so soft and gorgeous, I added a cut up doily for lace and a soft lilac ribbon, the tag and flower are from the same pad too...I'm entering this for the Simon Says Stamp challenge and the Fairy Tale challenge too...right I'm off to get ready to go to the supermarket....oh joy of joys lol...whatever your up to today have a fantastic one
Mina xxx

Im bbbaaaaccckkkkkkk....

Good morning everyone Im back safe and sound and we had a brilliant time but I will tell you about it later as we got back much later than we thought so I wont have a card to show you until a little later than usual...so will speak to you all then...oh and thank you all so much for your lovely comments while I was away, I will catch up with you all tonight when I hop around to all your fabulous blogs
Mina xxx

ducks and elephants...

Good morning everyone its the virtual me again but I will be home tomorrow so last virtual day...I forgot to tell you I managed to get an appointment at a hairdressers on Monday before we went away, my usual one like every other hairdresser but the one I went to are closed on Mondays but I'm so glad I went there, the cut was excellent and I was in over an hour because we were all having a huge giggle fest and it was a huge £15 cheaper...anyway I went to buy hairspray and was having a look through them and it reminded me of the first time we went to Yugoslavia (when it was still Yugoslavia) it was back in the days when the local shops had nothing english in them (which is why we loved it so much),I had forgotten to pack hairspray so off we troop to the local shop, not a soul spoke english, so common sense prevailed and I went to the section that had the shampoo in and bought a spray with a woman with long flowing hair on the front, well it made sense to me, there was something stopped me using it though maybe it was the smell and I decided to go to hotel reception just in case to get someone to translate it for me and the girl there set off giggling then panicked and asked you didn't use this on your hair did you...it only turned out to be oven cleaner would you believe...I think she would have noticed if I had used that already lol, the people who cleaned their ovens there must have been very glamorous if they all looked like the woman on the front of the can...ok now here my Christmas cracker joke for today...
Why do ducks have webbed feet?
To stamp out fires.
Why do elephants have flat feet?
To stamp out burning ducks.
lol love it...daft isn't it...right now onto my card for today which is using this stunning little beauty from Wee stamps she is called Wee Florist, of course I couldn't just buy her could I...oops a few more jumped into my basket, funny how that happens isn't it...I coloured her with distress inks and teamed her up with these lush Prima Madeline paper pad, Bunny Zoe's Crafts doesn't has the 6x6 paper pad in stock but there is an A4 pad on sale...all I needed to finish is a Kaisercraft sentiment and a lush rich blue bow...the lush sketch is from Mojo Monday, I love their sketches don't you...right that's me for today speak to you all in real life tomorrow and whatever your up to today have a fantastic one
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - antique linen
trousers shading - pumice stone
roses - antique linen, shabby shutters, peeled paint
shirt - tumbled glass

every girl has a good sulk now and again...

Good morning everyone I hope you are all well and happy...I bet some of you haven't even noticed I'm not here lol...fancy another little joke then...not a belly laugh one but a chuckle maybe, the sort of jokes you get in a Christmas cracker and kinda apt for my anniversary lol
A man and a friend are playing golf one day at their local golf course. One of the guys is about to chip onto the green when he sees a long funeral procession on the road next to the course. He stops in mid-swing, takes off his golf cap, closes his eyes, and bows his head in prayer. His friend says: “Wow, that is the most thoughtful and touching thing I have ever seen. You truly are a kind man.” The man then replies: “Yeah, well we were married 35 years.”
an oldie but a goody lol...right now onto my card for today which is for our new challenge at Colour Create challenge, this week its our lovely Julies choice and she chose Deep Purple, Bright Green and cream lush combo isn't it and the extra option is Bows, now a girl doesn't need to be asked twice to use bows now does she, well I don't lol...I used this amazing new image from Mo's Digital Pencil called Patty, I love that face it makes me smile every time I look at it...I coloured her with distress inks and paper pieced her dress with these lush papers from Kaisercraft, I cant remember which pad its from though as the sheets were loose in a box I put loose pad sheets into...now when Julie asked for a bow I couldn't resist but use the biggest bow I could make could I...I used some organza wired ribbon for it and of course theirs bows on the gorgeous Patty too...I cant wait to see what you come up with from this lush colour combo...the sketch I made up as I went along...right that's me for today so will speak to you all tomorrow...if you have time don't forget to pop on over to the Colour Create challenge to see what the rest of our amazing team came up with...have a brilliant day everyone
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - gathered twigs from the Autumn set
dress shading - antique linen
bows and pants - crushed olive
shoes - black soot

springs arrived with a little bit of blossom...

Good morning everyone, well I'm still not here but here if you know what I mean...don't you just love technology, I cant imagine life without my laptop now isn't that weird how much you get used to technology...right now because I'm not here I'm going to leave you a joke everyday instead...so here we go...
Becky prepared a pasta dish for a dinner party she was giving. In her haste, however, she forgot to refrigerate the spaghetti sauce, and it sat on the counter all day. She was worried about spoilage, but it was too late to cook up another batch.
She called the local Poison Control Center and voiced her concern. They advised Becky to boil the sauce again.
That night, the phone rang during dinner, and one of the guests volunteered to answer it. Becky’s face dropped as the guest called out, “It’s the Poison Control Center. They want to know how the spaghetti sauce turned out.”
lol good one isn't it...right now onto my card for today which is using this beautiful new stamp from Whimsy stamps, its by Elizabeth Bell and called Whimsy Apple Blossom, isn't she stunning, I coloured her with distress inks and paper pieced her dress with some of the spotty paper I used, these stunning papers are from K & Company Sweet Nectar 6" x 6" Paper Pad scrummy aren't they, such gorgeous bright colours, I cut one of the sheets out because I loved the shape and that's what made the card shape, I finished with some more of the Prima Flowers Perie Bebe - Meadowlark pack flowers and I finished with a rich coloured Satin ribbon 15mm RED from the Pretty Little Ribbon Shop, fabulous colour isn't it...the paper, stamp and flowers are all from Bunny Zoe's Crafts, the great sketch is from the Sketches by Carly challenge...I will be back tomorrow with another card and a joke too maybe...have a brilliant day everyone
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - frayed burlap
leggings - spun sugar, tumbled glass
dress shading - punice stone
apples - shabby shutters, barn door
basket - frayed burlap

bee my best friend...

Good morning everyone I hope your all well and happy...we will probably be on our way now as we wanted to get an early start and stop for breakfast...I love travelling by car don't you, it means you can take what you want with you, no luggage restriction, although I think Phil would disagree with that lol...and it means if you fall asleep and drool there's no one there to giggle at you, well there is but they have seen it before lol...my card for today is using this super cutie from Sugar Nellie, isn't he just adorable look at his cute little bee friend, hes called Aviator and is available at Funkykits, I coloured him with distress inks and used this very old paper I found in my stash, its from We R Memory Keepers Vintage Blue collection and is called Simply Wonderful...I added some lush orange two tone ribbon ( a gift from a good friend thanks J) and loads of big buttons...I love the colours in this paper and think its just perfect for this little fella don't you...the lush sketch is from the Pixie Cottage challenge...wish me luck that there isn't too much drooling involved in my travels and whatever your up to today have a brilliantly sunny one
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
hedgie - antique linen, frayed burlap, walnit stain
plane - spiced marmalade, stormy sky, barn door
scarf - shabby shutters
goggles - pine needles, stormy sky
bee - scattered straw, stormy sky

all you need is a touch of pink...

Good morning everyone did you all have a fantastic weekend? ours was kinda quiet but the weather here was glorious yesterday the sun split the heavens and it was 22degrees, went and picked up Dads glasses on Saturday while Phil was away marshaling the motor bikes to make sure they are all safe, then yesterday we had a little mooch in town it was lovely walking around in the sunshine, but it kinda spoilt it when we called into Sainsbury's for prawn crackers for the chinese we were making for dinner and I saw a lovely little dog locked up in a car, the poor little thing was panting so hard, we went inside to see if anyone could help but no one seemed interested and luckily when we went back to the car minuets later it was gone...how stupid is that to leave a dog in a car in that heat...today will be a running around getting everything together for this week kinda day, its fine when there's just me and Phil going to the farmhouse but with Dad we need to get extras, like making sure he has all his medication and getting his stuff ready too...shopping is fine because although we usually just drive right through I don't think my poor Dads walnut sized bladder will make it for over 2 hours without at least two stops and there are a few nice places to stop on the way down, including a whole antique village to mooch around so we will stop for food shopping on our way down...I have scheduled all my posts so there will still be something every day while I'm away, as a Friend once told me 'I'm like Disney only shut for Christmas' lol...cheeky...anyway onto my card for today which is using this beautiful Sara Burrier image from Crafts and Me, shes called June, isn't she beautiful but then all Sara Burrier fairies are so stunning and a dream to colour, this one is coloured with distress inks and of course she has wings so you know the rules, wings = glitter...I teamed her up with these amazingly gorgeous papers from the Prima 6x6" Paper Pad - Almanac, love this pad so much...I bought it from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...I finished with some beautiful black and pink satin ribbons and the sentiments are cut from the same paper pad...the lush sketch is from a new challenge blog for me Crafting For All Seasons Challenge and I'm also entering it for the Hotshots Craft challenge and Stampin with the Dragon challenge too...right I'm off to pack some flat shoes, I don't normally do flat shoes and like my high heeled boots but needs must in the countryside...whatever your up to today have a brilliant one
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - walnut stain
dress - tattered rose

WE HAVE A WINNER...

Hi everyone I bet you thought I had forgot....no we have a winner for this months Bunny Zoe's Crafts candy winner and the lucky winner of her choice of two Stampavie stamps is
lets have a drum roll please

no 59 who is
CHERYL
huge congratulations Cheryl, please email me your details and I will pass them on to Nikki for you (if you email me after tomorrow there will be a delay as Im away for a few days)
dont worry if you didnt win this time as I will be having a candy really soon and there will be another Bunny Zoe's candy next month...I hope you all had a brilliantly sunny day it was fantastic weather here
Mina xxx

fancy a sleepover?...

Good morning everyone I hope your weekend is going brilliantly, I went to Town yesterday and despite visiting many shops I came up with a total blank for Phil, I'm totally stumped, I should have kept the processor for our Anniversary shouldn't I, hes not a gadget man, the new tent he has his eye on for going round the races is way out of my price band and the everyday things like, watch, phone, camera etc he has them all and whats worse he has the ones he wants so I cant even improve on them...so I decided I will just cook something for him next week...well it seems like an idea anyway, maybe not the best one but the only one lol...anyway onto my card for today which is using this fantastic Slumber Party Dena from Mo's Digital Pencil, isn't she just perfect with this paper...I coloured her with distress inks and the paper is from Graphic45 An ABC Primer collection and is called Games and Playtime...I added some Prima letters (well I think they are by Prima must double check) and some lush striped ribbon and a huge red button to finish...the fab sketch is from the Stampin' Royalty challenge and I'm also entering it for the Sweet Stampin' challenge too...I think we are heading out for a walk along the beach today if the weather is the same as it was yesterday, if not it will maybe be a lazy late breakfast and chill out day instead...whatever your up to today have a brilliant one
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - antique linen
sweater and stripes- stormy sky
boots, skirt and stripes on shorts - scattered straw
sleeping bag and handbag - peeled paint

beautiful Belle...

Good morning everyone have you got anything exciting happening this weekend...go on tell me I'm dead nosey you know lol...I got a phone call from my Dad yesterday did I fancy a trip out?...how says I, apparently over the last few days he has been taking longer and longer jaunts on his own in the car and he is driving like a dream, sneaky man lol...well we went out and even got to have 'put the world to right' coffee too, hes like a new man, super confident and fascinated at how much he can see and the distance he can see...he said something that made me have a big lump in my throat though, he said every morning he wakes up hes scared to open his eyes in case his eye has gone back to the way it was before.... aaaaaawwwwww I gave him a hug and told him it wont happen now its fixed it will stay fixed and its only a few more weeks before the other is done too...it isn't an urgent case like the last one and he can see with his glasses on fine just in case you think hes driving around half blind, I may be a bit nuts but I'm not nuts enough to get in a car with a half blind man I promise you lol...right now onto my card for today which is using this fabulously gorgeous new Ribonita release sweetie from Sugar Nellie, shes called Belle and is available from Funky Kits...I coloured her with distress inks and added just a hint of glitter (couldn't resist, once I open the glitter glue I have to use it lol), the fab papers are from Basicgrey Marjolaine collection and are called Tuxedo Pie, lush colours aren't they, I dinished with a fab satin ribbon, sentiment, buttons and cut some of the flowers from the paper to finish...the fab sketch is from Sunday Sketch and Stamp challenge and I'm also entering it for the Stamptacular Sunday challenge and Sweet Stampin' challenge too...I'm heading to town today to see if I can get any ideas for an Anniversary present for Phil, I haven't a clue at all so any ideas gratefully accepted...whatever your up to today have a brilliant one
Mina xxx
p.s. if you havent joined in my candy yet you better hurry up today is the last chance it finishes at 12 midnight gmt tonight...good luck everyone

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - antique linen
dress - tumbled glass, shabby shutters
shoes - shabby shutters
headband and ribbon - stormy sky
shading - pumice stone

all together now...aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh...

Good morning everyone I bet you all did it...that's what I did when I saw this little cutie...isn't this dragon just gorgeous, so so cute look at that face...I had my crafting day yesterday and yes I managed to stay awake too although it was hard to stay in as the sun was shining and it looked lovely outside, well I had to as I'm going down to the farmhouse next week to spend some time with Phil as its our anniversary on Wednesday, phew 36 years would you believe, how amazing is that and it has just flown by too...don't know what we will be up to but maybe just enjoy some time together, it wont be romantic though as my Dad is coming with us for a break too...he will enjoy it I think as he grew up as a country boy and even worked on farms when he was younger, I think he needs the break anyway

right now onto my card for today which is for our new challenge at Just Magnolia & hAnglar & sTanglar challenge, this weeks choice is Anne and she chose the theme of More Than One Fold...this fantastic little dragon is of course a Magnolia from their new Prince and Princesses collection the dragon is called Lilyrose the Dragon, I coloured her with distress inks and used some of the same collection papers for her too, this dragon magnolia paper is the Magnolia Magic Dragon 12" x 12" Paper but with the addition of some pink gingham it works brilliantly for this girl dragon card doesn't it...I finished with some 15mm Berisford Small Check Gingham HUNTERS GREEN from The Pretty Little Ribbon shop and some beautiful Prima flowers these are from the Prima Flowers Perie Bebe - Meadowlark pack, the flowers, paper and stamp are all from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...I didn't use a sketch this time but I'm entering this for the Cute Card Thursday challenge, Dutch Dare challenge and Paper Crafting Journey challenge...I haven't a clue what I'm up to today but I still have a few things to finish for next weeks posts so might just knuckle down and get them done but you never know the sunshine calling might be too great for me...whatever your up to today have a brilliant sunny one
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
dragon is a blending of - spun sugar, milled lavender, Victorian velvet, tumbled glass, crushed olive
shading - pumice stone

just like I promised...

Good morning everyone I hope your all well...we are definitely getting warmer weather now as my spiders are out again...uuuurrrrrggghhhh...its ok I wont post anymore photos of them and the two that were invading last weren't quite as big as the last ones I posted...and they are definitely not as big now they are squashed, I'm sorry I just cant pick them up and put them outside, I just cant go near them they make me shudder...I had one of those eyes attached to my bum days yesterday, I even fell asleep while colouring in my office chair, mind it is comfortable, I woke up with my paintbrush still poised to paint too lol, mind I did have a very stiff neck...right now my card for today, as promised here's a new artist I found called May Green and her shop is MayzyArt, isn't this gorgeous creature just wonderful and she is a dream to colour too...she is called Looks Like Rain Xandra, isn't she brilliant I love her, see what happens when you go surfing you never know what you will find do you...I coloured her with distress inks and I could resist a bit of glitter, she looks like a glittery girl doesn't she...the fab papers I chose for her are from K&Co Julianne 6x6 paper pad which is back in stock at Bunny Zoe's Crafts, I cut out loads of the flowers from the paper for embellishments...I finished with a ribbon and some seam binding...the fab sketch is from Tuesday Morning sketches challenge and I'm also entering this for the My Mums Craft Shop challenge and the Craft Room Challenge...I'm having another crafting day today hopefully without the closed eyelids lol...whatever your up to today have a brilliant one and when your surfing keep your eyes open you never know what you might find
Mina xxx

distress inks used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - frayed burlap
dress - Victorian velvet, antique linen
bows and jewellry - peeled paint
umbrella - victorian velvet, antique linen, peeled paint
shoes - victorian velvet

groovy baby...

Good morning everyone, how are you all doing, well and happy I hope...well we have another weeks respite from telling my Dad he cant drive yet, I never realised but he was really struggling because he wore very strong bifocal glasses, half because he basically couldn't see any distance at all and the bottom just reading glasses, so it wasn't until I saw him yesterday I realised he cant read because he cant wear the glasses as they were hurting his new eye...so off to the opticians we went and between us came up with the idea of putting clear glass in his right lense but adding the bifocal part for reading, that was the only way we could think that he would still be able to wear his glasses for his 'bad' eye and be able to still see with his new one...does that make sense, well it did to me and the optician lol...I took the opportunity to ask the optician about how bloody my Dads eye is, he said its not too bad just looks bad to me and was telling me that a few weeks back he had a guy come rushing in to ask him the same thing, he had sneezed the day after his op and hemorrhaged in the eye, he said he hadn't seen anything like it before and it made even him cringe, his story made the bones in my legs ache if you know what I mean lol...so its a week before his specs come back as they have to be sent away so his eye should be well on its way to being healed and he can maybe get in the car then...fingers crossed...btw are you fed up yet with my never ending stories of my Dads eye lol...right now onto my card for today which is for our new challenge at Crafts and Me challenges this time is our lovely Vix's choice and she chose Light Airy Spring Colours, this gorgeous groovy chic is called Fashion Melody and shes from Crafts and Me of course, I coloured her with distress inks and paper pieced parts of her dress and her headband...don't those colours suit her...the lush paper is another one of my hidden stash sheets and is from Making Memories Flower Patch collection and is called Large Floral Flower Patch, the large green check is the reverse...all I needed to finish my card was a peach and green ribbon and a huge Prima flower, don't remember the name of the flower pack I'm afraid...the lush sketch is from Mojo Monday and I'm also entering it for the Sweet Stampin Challenge and the Crazy 4 Challenges challenge...I'm having a crafting day today as my one yesterday was cut short by going out, so a lock in day in my craft room is called for I think...whatever your up to today have a brilliant one and if you have time pop on over to our Crafts and Me challenge blog and see the lush work the rest of our team came up with
Mina xxx

distress ink colours
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - antique linen
coloured part of dress - tattered rose, shabby shutters

a touch of lace and loads of hair...

Good morning everyone I hope your all well and happy...well I finally got the food processor that my darling Phil wanted and I'm expecting some wonderful cooking creations to be made...so Phil will be a happy bunny, hes not the gadget person in the family, but he so loves to cook...I can see I'm going to have to sit on my Dad hes chomping at the bit to be driving again and I'm having to persuade him not too until he has had his check up just to make sure his sight is has improved enough...I had great fun yesterday afternoon colouring this amazing Make it Crafty image, isn't the hair just stunning and brilliant for people like me addicted to colouring...this gorgeous beauty is called Adele, of course I used my usual distress inks to colour her and I'm loving doing blonde hair atm, I love making the shadows darker and its not as hard as it look...honestly lol...I would do a tutorial but I'm absolutely rubbish at them and they take me forever to do...I teamed this gorgeous image up with some more of the amazing Prima 6x6" Paper Pad - Almanac I bought from Bunny Zoe's Crafts, lush lush pad...I finished my card with some stunning deep cotton lace I bought before Christmas and just found a couple of days ago and a couple of punched butterflies...the sketch I just made up as I went along but I'm entering this into the Use Your Stuff Challenge and the Creative card Crew challenge too...O still haven't got around to commenting on your blog yet, I'm so so sorry, bad blogger Mina and a slap on the wrist...I just haven't had the time as my DT work has been keeping me so busy, I think maybe something will have to give as I'm missing my blog hopping so much, well I'm off to my craftroom today to see how far ahead I can get to free up some time for a wee hop around tonight...whatever your up to today, if you see my Dad out in his car send him home please lol
Mina xxx

distress inks used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - antique linen, grayed burlap
eyes - shabby shutters

has Spring sprung...

Good morning everyone did you all have a great weekend? I hope you did and where you are the sun shone a bit, it shone here but rained on and off and we even had a few hailstones on Sunday morning (which made Phil swear at the sky as he had just got the lawnmower out to cut our grass for the first time this year), so maybe Spring hasn't sprung just yet...am I wrong or do the clocks change next weekend?...omg how fast is this year flying by...blink and another month nearly gone...I had a lovely day yesterday we went to pick up my Dad before we went to Town and I went in with a bit of anxiety in case his eye looked bad and boy was I right, I expected a little bit of blood in his eye but was shocked at how bloody it was, its bright red with a white ring around his pupil and a beautifully clear blue eye which has his sparkle back in it, he is totally amazed at how much he can see now and gushed about seeing things, including his own wrinkles (goodness knows what he thought of mine lol), I knew I shouldn't have gone up though as I now have a job of cleaning his carpets because he never noticed they were dirty before lol...we went for a mooch in Town had a late dinner and then my Daughter and her other half arrived with pressies and hugs and kisses...so an all in all good one...I hope yours was just as great...my card for today is using this fabulous Alice Mae image from Some Odd Girl, she is stunning to colour and I love colouring stripes don't you, I think these spring colours are perfect for her but might have been a little light handed on her pink dress as you can hardly see it lol...these amazing papers are from the My Minds Eye Miss Caroline - Howdy Doody 6x6 Pad I bought from Bunny Zoe's Crafts, lush papers and perfect spring/summer colours...I finished with some fabulous Sheer Elegance 15mm LIGHT PINK from The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop and a couple of roses cut from the papers...the lush sketch is from The Sweet Stop challenge and I'm also entering it for the Ribbon Reel challenge and Paper Sundaes challenge ...we are of to pick up the food processor Phil wanted today and hes already talking about recipes for using it so watch this space...whatever your up to today have a brilliant one and I hope the sun shines for you
Mina xxx

Distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - frayed burlap
dress, stripe, bow - spin sugar
underskirt - scattered straw
stripe - tumbled glass
shoes - victorian velvet
bow on dress - shabby shutters

Happy Mothers Day - well it makes a change from flowers I guess...

Good morning everyone and Happy Mothers Day to all you Mums out there...I hope you have a fantastic day planned and you get spoiled rotten...and those of you lucky enough to still have your Mums make sure you give her a wonderful day and send her loads of your love....I had a quiet day yesterday and even did more cooking, ok so it was just a pasta sauce but still that's mega cooking for me, I made a mushroom, tomato, garlic and onion sauce and while I was chopping the mushrooms it reminded me of last year in Majorca, we always make some of this sauce to keep on the fridge in case we have had a long day out as it makes a quick meal, so first day there we went scouting for shops and bought the ingredients but couldn't find any mushrooms except those button things that have no taste whatsoever, so we bought a bag of those then hunted in the canned section to see if they had something in tins we could add...we found a huge jar of what looked like brown oyster mushrooms...while I made the sauce Phil was sitting on the balcony and I couldn't for the life of me get the mushrooms from the jar to slice, they just wouldn't cut...so there was a small corner of one in the jar which I popped in my mouth, omg I have never tasted anything like it in my life, it was hard and chewy and tasted like rotten tree bark...now isn't it strange that when we taste or drink something horrible we have to get someone else to taste it to lol...I gave Phil a bit to try and his reaction was so hilarious, you would think I had given him poison lol, needless to say they went in the bin but we did wonder what on earth they were used for, except maybe to sole shoes...right now enough waffled and I know this gorgeous little Mo's Digital Pencil image has a pineapple for you for Mothers Day but I guess it makes a chance from flowers lol...she is called Pineapple Girl and I coloured her with distress inks...the lush paper is another of my hidden gems I found, its another Deja Views Cherry paper, this one is called on one side Flower Medley and the other is Dark Blue (it looks more purple ish to me)...I cut three of the flowers out for decoration and finished with a lush Lavender Mesh Ribbon-16mm ribbon from The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop...the fab sketch is from the Sweet Sketch Wednesday challenge and I'm also entering it for the Allsorts Challenge and Moving Along with the Times challenge too...my beautiful Daughter is at work today so it will probably be this evening before I see her but I'm looking forward to it anyway...have a wonderful day everyone and enjoy yourself
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - frayed burlap
dress - shading pumice stone
pink is a Whispers pen
pineapple - scattered straw, shabby shutters

ok own up...who broke Mr Blogger...

Good morning everyone I hope your all well and happy and looking forward to a brilliant weekend, ok which one of you was it who broke Mr Blogger yesterday, I couldn't leave any comments, well I tell a lie I did comment on two which took me half an hour so I gave up and just surfed your blogs but didn't comment, will catch up with my commenting tonight though well if blogger is better, oh and my followers vanished last night too...my wonderful Dad comes home today, I was in floods of tears talking to him last night on the phone he was full of joy over how much he can see already and how he feels like a light has been switched on, I had to make a hasty retreat as I knew I was going to bubble like a baby, he would have called me a soppy sod lol...he always had such vivid blue eyes and I found myself wondering if his eye is bright blue again, I'm going daft I'm sure...we (with Phil I mean) had our lunch out yesterday and I made a cheesecake last night, I know who knew I could actually enjoy making desserts and cakes?, me whose idea of cooking is to open a tin of soup normally lol...we didn't get the food processor yet as we saw a couple of good bargains and wanted to do a bit more research on them to see which suits better, I think we should go with a brilliant one that has the same as the others but also has a coffee grinder which he could make fresh pesto in...I love fresh pesto yum yum yum...right enough waffle my card for today is using the most stunning summery image, isn't she amazing, she is from A Day for Daisies and is called Violets In My Hair, I loved colouring this beauty and when I was I found myself humming beach boy tunes lol...I coloured her with distress inks and yes there is a teeny bit of paper piecing again (I couldn't resist), the amazing papers are from one of the newest paper pads I bought from Bunny Zoe's Crafts (don't forget there's a 10% on until Midnight Sunday)...these papers are from the gorgeous Glitz 6x6 paper pack-Vintage Blue that colour combo works so so well doesn't it...I added a ribbon and bow and a few daffodils from my stash...the sketch is from Ribbon Carousel challenge and Im also entering it for the Papertake Weekly challenge and Crafty Ribbons challenge too...I'm having a day at home today, Phil's away marshaling at the motorbike racing and my Dad wont be back until this evening, so a spot of crafting I think and I will move away from the cutting out scissors I promise lol...whatever your up to today have a brilliant one
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
lipstick - victorian velvet
hair - antique linen, scattered straw
flowers in hair - faded jeans

MOTHERS DAY SALE

Morning everyone just popping by to tell you that the wonderful Nikki at Bunny Zoes Crafts is having a Mothers Day Special and until Midnight 18th March theres 10% off everything
Pop on over to see all the bargains (your ok to get as much as you want I already got mine lol)
Mina xxx

is there such a sport as extreme paper piecing?...

Good morning everyone I hope your all well and happy...when I was looking for something to do yesterday, I had a little digi buying spree some lush new digis are now printed and coloured and I even found a new artist which you will see in a few days, I had a bit of a play and maybe went just a little overboard with the old paper piecing...if there's not a sport called extreme paper piecing maybe we should start one, I paper pieced and paper pieced to my hearts content yesterday so just shout if you fed up looking at it lol...my lovely Phil came home yesterday (I think he just wanted to save my sanity and keep me company) and bless him he even stopped on his way home to get me the Creative Cardmaking magazine with my publication in it, hows that for a man on a mission, it takes him over two hours to drive home and he made a detour to get it for me, hes definitely a keeper isn't he...my card for today is heavily paper pieced, in fact the only thing that isn't is her face , hands and hair, I even paper pieced the tiny apple and flowers lol...the fab image is from Funky Kits and is one of the Sugar Nellie Leanne Ellis stamps...this one is called Patience...fab and funky isn't she, the lush rich coloured paper is one I found at the bottom of my stash when I did my clean up a few months back, I think I have had this paper for at least a year, its from Deja Views and the pink one is called Cherry Burst of Circles and the dotty one is Cherry Green Dots (now what else would it be called lol)...all I used to finish was a lush hot pink stripped organza ribbon and bow, a few punched daisies and pink gem centres for them...the fab sketch is from Sketch N Stash challenge (my stash is this long lost paper) I'm also entering it for the Stamp and Create challenge and Cute Card Thursday challenge too...no paper will be harmed today I promise I have stepped away from the scissors for a while lol... we are going out to look for a food processor for my Phil's lush cooking to be even better...whatever your up to today have a fantastic one
Mina xxx

brilliant news...

Me again sorry you must be fed up to the back teeth with me today, I just spoke to my Dad and hes out of hospital, totally successful op and hes home eating a sausage sandwich and looking like an extra from Pirates of the Caribbean...I can sleep now and thank you all for your fantastic good wishes for him...they certainly worked
Mina xxx
p.s. if your looking for the Mo's blog hop its just below this

its a double...

Good morning everyone, I hope your all well, sorry there wasn't a card yesterday but my head is so busy worrying about my Dads operation today that I just couldn't make one, I'm sure everyone who knows me had kinda guessed that, I know its not a major operation and will be over in a few hours but its so important to us and after all...hes my precious Dad isn't he...I hope you all joined in with my candy yesterday as the prize is a lush one and well worth winning...its a long post today so I wont waffle on too long lol...my first card today is for our Blog Hop at Mo's Digital Pencil Dreamteam this month its our lovely Debby's turn to host and she chose Verdigris (a touch of green), you should have arrived here from the wonderful DEBBIE who is bound to have something wonderful to show you as her work is always so stunning...I chose this gorgeous little cutie from Mo's Digital Pencil called Easter Carly, there's two versions of Carly and the other is with a carrot...only Mo can draw that beautiful little face...I coloured her with distress inks and used a mix of K&Co and My Minds Eye papers, I finished with some lush ribbons and a few Petaloo sparkly flowers and velvet leaves and sticky gems...

your next stop on our hop is the fabulous POPS and don't forget to leave a comment on everyone's blog for a chance to win one of two $5 vouchers for Mo's Digital Pencil...the fab sketch I used is from The Sweet Stop and I'm also entering this for the Simon Says Stamp challenge and the Allsorts challenge.
Right now for the next one, are you all still with me or wandered off lol?...this one if for our new challenge at Colour Create challenge, this time is our wonderful teamie Sharon's turn to host and she chose the stunning combo of Pink, Blue, Sage and Cream/White, I love this combo as I can always find lush papers in these combos, so fantastic choice Sharon, the added option (which I forgot about oops) is use something ripped or torn...I used this fantastic image from High Hopes stamps, isn't she fantastic, I love love love that hair and she made me smile while I was colouring her, she is called Annie with her Kitty

shes on sale too (even better) over at Bunny Zoe's Crafts, I coloured her with distress inks and paper pieced part of her fabulous dress with some of the lush papers I used from K&Co Julianne 6x6 paper pad...love this pad soooooooo much...I finished with a mix of rose some punched leaves and a lush rich pink ribbon and bow, the sentiment is from my stash...the fab sketch is from Sunday Sketch and Stamp and I'm also entering it for the Crafty Bloggers Network challenge too...I cant wait to see what you come up with for our challenge this time

phew that was a long one wasnt it thanks for sticking with it and listening to me whinging on...I'm off to try and keep my mind occupied today so I'm not thinking too much, I so wanted to go with my Dad, but with his 'I don't need a bloody audience' attitude didn't think it was a good idea for us all to go lol...whatever your up to today have a fantastic day and don't forget your comments for the hop to stand a chance of winning
Mina xxx

CANDYTIME...

Good morning everyone, no card today becasue I have a double post for you on Thursday and done want you to get fed up coming here lol and also because its that time again...time for Bunny Zoe's Crafts monthly candy and yum yum yum do we have a great one for you this month...how do you fancy two stamps of your choice from the past and present Stampavie releases...you lucky people you get to choose which ones you would like and wow they are ssssssooooo lush too just check them out here

right so what do you need to do to stand a chance of winning
leave me your linky details AND a comment
post a link using the image above on your blog - sidebar is fine
you dont need to be a follower but of course I would love it if you loved my work enough that you wanted to follow me
its open worldwide and you have until midnight on Saturday 24th March to join in
I will announce the winner on the 25th March
and thats it really
good luck everyone and I will speak to you all tomorrow...enjoy your day whatever your up to...Im off for another crafting day
Mina xxx

the cherry on the top...

Good morning everyone I hope your all well and enjoying a little bit of the warmer weather we are having, there's no sun...yet...but its definitely getting warmer, oh and how nuts is it that there is going to be a hose pipe ban in some areas of England, I hope it wont effect you...I cant believe there's anyone in Britain has that little rain in the winter...crazy...my lovely Daughter was off work yesterday on a days holiday so we took my Dad out for lunch and a little bit of a mooch...I was relieved that he didn't have to sit in on his own, no one should have to do that on their Birthday, I gave him all your Birthday wishes last night and he is flabbergasted that all these people who don't know can be kind enough to send him Birthday wishes...onto my card for today, we are having a Ribonita feature week at Sugar Nellie, I love these new stamps don't you and this little bit of gorgeousness is called Lolitta I coloured this little stunner with distress inks and boy did I have fun colouring all that lush hair...I teamed her up with this fabulous Graphic45 paper, I know it G45 but it didn't have a name edge on but I think its called Cherry stripe or something like that...I finished my card with some ribbons, a huge amount of button, I counted them and they all made it to the card you will be pleased to know lol, and a sentiment...the fab sketch is from Sketch Saturday and I'm also entering it for the Crafty Creations challenge and Totally Gorjuss challenge too...I'm having one of those super crafting days today, you know the ones where you craft and colour to your hearts content...oh and btw I forgot I got an email a couple of days back asking me which glue I used for attaching buttons, I use a Zig glue pen, the blue ones that dry clear, brilliant for loads of things, hope that helps...I hope you all have a wonderful day and no getting those hose pipes out now lol
Mina xxx
p.s. dont forget to leave a comment as the fabulous girlies at Sugar Nellie are offering some candy over the posts for this week...you can find all you need to know here

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair is a mix of frayed burlap, walnut stain and black soot
green - peeled paint
red - aged mahogany, barn red

all together now...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU...

Good morning everyone, I hope you all had the best weekend and didn't get accosted by any little old ladies in bathrooms...we had a fab day yesterday, I had a really good natter with my Dad all about his surgeon and operation he is so excited and his surgeon says because he is operating on his really bad eye he will be given the all clear to drive again within a few weeks, I hope has hasn't forgotten how, its fantastic to hear him so upbeat as not getting about was weighing him down, he likes his Independence...its his Birthday today, my wonderful, gentle, kind Dad is 79 today, but its always tinged with a little sadness for him as it would have been his anniversary too and just brings home how much he misses my Mum, we all do and its the reason I don't really make Mothers Day cards...I haven't anything planned as we don't have any transport but I will come up with something to get him out, just need to get my thinking cap on...right now onto my card for today which is for our challenge at Bunny Zoe's Crafts monthly challenge...this month is our wonderful teamie Karina's choice and she chose Shabby Chic/Vintage, I always struggle with this as I never know if I'm doing it right...isn't this little Bildmalarna - Mimosa Picnic stamp just sssssooooo gorgeous, I coloured her with distress inks and these amazing papers are from the new Prima 6x6" Paper Pad - Almanac I love every single one of these papers they are so so lush, even the tiny music sheet, newsprint and the cut out butterflies are from the same pad...I added some of the gorgeous Kaisercraft Pearl Flourishes Decorative - Black, I finished with a few teeny roses from my stash and a 25mm Berisford Small Check Gingham SHOCKING PINK from The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop...I know it doesn't look shocking pink but that's because I stained it with antique linen distress ink, it works ok doesn't it...everything except the roses and ribbon are from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...the fab sketch is from the Crafty Cardmakers challenge and I'm also entering it for the Cutie Pie challenge and The Ribbon Reel challenge...I'm off to put my thinking cap on for my Dads day and make a card, whatever your up to if your lucky enough to have one or two parents still with us, show or tell you love them today, they are worth a little effort
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
shoes,dress, hatband and trousers - tattered rose
hat - antique linen
greens - peeled paint
flowers - scattered straw
wheel - black soot

Heartless...

Good morning everyone I hope your all having a brilliant weekend...my lovely Dad is home for a couple of days before hes off for his operation, its fantastic to see him and my Sister of course when she brought him home...we even managed a coffee and a little bit of shopping to get his Birthday presents, which is usually a struggle but as hes of in June to my Niece's wedding in Sicily he needed short sleeved shirts, so I bought them for him, blue of course, he never wears anything other than blue shirts...we had a lovely afternoon...well except for one tiny incident, we were in the bathroom, with my sister I mean not my Dad or Phil lol, and I was chatting away to her while she dried her hands and a little old lady actually physically pushed me out of the way of the sinks, what on earth has happened to peoples manners, we were flabbergasted and it was either push her back (not a good idea to a little grey haired old lady no matter how bad her manners are lol) or laugh...so we laughed it off which didn't make her grumpy face any better lol...my gorgeous Phil and I had a lush dinner of fajitas and settled done with a drink to watch telly and then I found out I won a voucher to spend in Joanna Sheen's from the Totally Gorjuss challenge, all in all a lovely family day and today we have a yummy family lunch planned too...I so love family weekends...right now enough waffle onto my card for today which is using this fantastic image from Mo's digital pencil called Heartless, I love it don't you, I coloured her with distress inks and used some scraps from Graphic45's Fashionista collection called En Vogue...lush papers aren't they...I finished with some black lace from my stash and cream satin ribbon, I punched some hearts and the gorgeous glittery glass heart at the front is actually a recycled earring, I bought these years and years and years ago for a fancy dress party, they were only about 30p and all I needed to do was take the hook off the top...doesn't it make a fantastic embellishment...I didn't use a sketch but I'm entering this into The Stamp Man vintage challenge (I think this is vintage, well I hope it is), Stampin' Royalty recycling challenge and DYSU recycling challenge too...I will catch up with all your lush blog tonight and until then I hope you all have the best of Sunday's
Mina xxx