dont you just love a freebie...

Good morning everyone, did you all have a fab weekend?, I hope you did...we went to have a look at a huge sale in Town and I didn't even get half way around the store before I was so tired I had to sit down, so no bargain but coffee and cheesecake instead, yum yum...now today is D day, you need to wish me luck before I have to head into the deepest darkest interior of...........the craft room dah dah dah...(did you like the dramatic music lol)...its packing time for the craft room, I may be back, or I may be lost in boxes for the rest of eternity...you never know what I might find, or (sssssccccrrrreeeeeeaaaammmm) have to throw away...wish me luck and if you don't hear from me for a while send help lol...now I know a lot of you wanted to help and I thank you all for the thought but I couldn't afford the stash that would mysteriously disappear now could I...right now onto my card for today (btw aren't I doing well keeping up with my cards while we are packing)...don't you just love a freebie especially when they are as beautiful as little Eva from Saturated Canary...yes she was a freebie can you believe it...I coloured her with my distress inks and teamed her up with this lush paper from the My Minds Eye Miss Caroline -Howdy Doody 6x6 paper pad from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...this is a stunning pad but I'm not sure if its still in stock...I finished with some lush gingham ribbon, a kraft luggage label (I bought these from a £1 shop, huge bargain) and a Prima flower...I'm entering this for the Stamp Man Challenge, Challenge Up Your Life challenge and the Cardmadfairy's Digi Days challenge too...right I'm off to get my hunting gear on and gather the weapons for the assault on the Craft room...whatever your up to today have a fantastic one
Mina xxx

all good plans...

Good morning everyone I hope you all had a fantastic weekend...as you can guess from the title things didn't quite go to plan yesterday, we went to collect my lovely Dad and he was hacking and coughing, I don't know if I have mentioned it but he has COPD so a cough like that usually means a chest infection at best...so we spent a load of the afternoon ringing Doctors and getting prescriptions then hunting down a chemist to get it filled, so lunch in the Town just didn't happen but the important thing is he is sorted and can still go for his appointment on Tuesday...so my wonderful Phil has taken him to Belfast very early this morning and he will be away for most of the week I think as my other Sister from England is there visiting too...I had a lovely few hours hopping around your blogs last night and plan on doing loads more tonight too...I have been a shockingly bad blogger lately but the days just seem to fly past...I still cant believe its March already it only seems five minuets since Christmas doesn't it...anyway onto my card for today which is for our new challenge at The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop challenge and this month its my choice of theme and I chose Spring Colours...I love the soft gentle colours of Spring don't you and they always make a card look so fresh, so dig out all those lush coloured spring papers and I cant wait to see what you all come up with...I used this amazing new release digi from Crafts and Me, shes called Cali Girl and I coloured her with distress inks...the fantastic papers are one of my latest buys from Bunny Zoe's Crafts, they are from the My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline - Howdy Doody 6x6 Pad, how lush are they...the ribbon is of course from the Pretty Little Ribbon Shop and is Sheer Elegance 25mm - Pink, isn't it so soft and beautiful, I also used some Leaf Trim - Olive Green but cut the leaves out and used them with some beautiful roses to finish the sketch is from The Sweet Stop and I'm also entering it for the Simon Says Stamp challenge and Cardmadfairys digi challenge...I'm off out to Town on my own today as I didn't get a chance to do the shopping I needed yesterday and you never know might even get a bit of crafting done this afternoon too...whatever your up to today I hope it goes to plan and if you have time pop on over to The Pretty Little Ribbon Shop challenge blog to have a lot at the lush work from the rest of the team
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - antique linen
dress - Victorian Velvet, Evergreen boughs
eyes - evergreen boughs

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

cold, frosty and...er.....yellow?...

Good morning everyone did you have a fab weekend, I really hope so...we had a lush Sunday lunch and for a change I cooked...yes that's right I cooked it, did you all faint...domestic goddess I ain't but I can make a mean salad lol...I was watching my Daughter and Dad together yesterday...all those years separate them but they have the same smile and laugh and share the same sense of humour, it gave me such a beautifully warm feeling, I love them both so much...btw a few people have asked me why I never mention their names, for that very reason, its their names and I don't think I have the right to write about them and identify them by name without their permission, I'm sure they wouldn't mind but its just easier for me than asking them everyday...so basically its laziness lol...its the same with photos of them...I will ask my Dad if he minds but I know my Daughter wouldn't like it as shes hates photos of herself (shes my girl in that way) and I wouldn't want to upset her by publishing one without asking her...I had an email asking about paper piecing digi images the other day from Sheila (Sheila in Cyprus)...I will do a tutorial when I get the time if you would like it...ok now onto my card for today....ooooohhhhhhh I love this fantastic Winter Fairy Halla from Mo's Digital Pencil, Mo is a true artist isn't she, look at this little sweetie, just perfect, I coloured it with distress inks and added a little bit of glitter...I bought the acetate I used for the wrap last year at the Kings Hall, isn't it lush, its from Making Memories Mistletoe collection and is called 12x12 Acetate Snowflake Mistletoe, I love using acetate don't you but its a bugger to stick and manipulate, yes I know the snowflakes are yellow and yes I know what they say about yellow snow lol...I finished my card with some beautiful 15mm gold Berisford small check gingham from The Pretty Little ribbon shop, btw we still have a Valentine challenge on at the Pretty Little ribbon challenge blog if you want to join in...I'm entering this for the Stampalot monochrome challenge, Truly Madly Crafty challenge and the Cardmadfairys challenge too...I'm having a crafting day today, I love the kind of days I can just colour and colour to my hearts content, I get lost in colouring its so relaxing and usually don't stop until my stomach starts rumbling...whatever your up to today I hope you have a brilliant one
Mina xxx

a little rant...

Good morning everyone I hope your all keeping well...I'm going to have a little rant today, well I'm about due one lol...I'm not a gamer and I don't own an Xbox or 360 or anything like that, I have only played one racing game once and I fell over twice when going round corners on the racetrack, I'm not built for games too top heavy lol...anyway back to the point, have you seen the advertisements for all those horrendously expensive games for Christmas, is it just me but does it seem right to you that the ads aren't actually the game footage, how on earth do they get away with that, its like showing a Mercedes on an ad for a Mini after all their both cars...how on earth do they get away with it just because they have in tiny print 'not actual game footage' would any other product get away with that...ok rant over lol...I'm still at the farmhouse so I'm sorry but no commenting or blog hopping this week but I will catch up with everyone this weekend I promise...my card for today is using this beautiful image from Crafts and Me called Angel Rays...she has a real ethereal look about her (oh my way a big word for this time of day lol)...I coloured her with distress inks and added loads of glitter...the fun fab paper is from Basicgrey's Jovial collection called Button Nose, I love those little snowmen don't you...the beautiful ribbon is from The Pretty Little Ribbon shop and is called Sheer Ruffle Edge Antique Gold, gorgeous rich colour isn't it...I'm entering this for the Totally Papercrafts challenge and Cardmadfairy digi challenge too...enjoy the rest of your day and have a good one
Mina xxx

a true Christmas image...

Good morning everyone well did you all get your cobwebs blown away lol...we had a gale all day long yesterday and every single time I stepped out of the car the heavens opened, to the extent that Phil said he would go to a shop by himself as he didn't want to get wet again, and would you believe it didn't rain while he was out of the car...sods law lol...my poor Dad, the powers that be said they would ring him as soon as they knew what was happening about either his car being fixed, a loaner or even a rental car...they finally rang back and said we can only get you a hire car but you have to pick it up in Belfast before 1pm, we live 60 miles away from Belfast and they rang at...have a guess what time...12.40am...yes that's right 20 mins before the place closed...how stupid is that, I am so angry that they have left a severely disabled 78 year old man without any transport at all, even though he pays for all the extra help hes supposed to get if anything happens to his car, at least Phil was here to drive him around this weekend but I don't know what will happen next week as I don't drive...if I could have got someone on the phone I would have ripped a hole in them the poor things lol...they better run and hide before Monday though...right my rant for today is over (phew thank goodness I hear you all yell lol), I will get onto my card which is using this fantastically christmassy image, there's something about an image with a Robin isn't there, this little darling is from Just Inklined and is called Gatepost Robin, I coloured it with distress inks and frosted the gatepost because I wanted to make it look snowy and covered with frost...the stunning papers are from the Fancy Pants 6x6 Saint Nick paper pad from Bunny Zoe's Crafts, this really is THE perfect Christmas pad and there's bits of everything in it, I love the paper with the Saint Nick printed on it as it has a real textured old leather look to it...I finished with some lush ribbon and a few berries, I'm rapidly running out of these berries must have a hunt around for more for next years cards...the fab sketch which I tilted is from Inkspirations challenge and I'm also entering it for the Fairy tale challenge, Craft Your Days Away Challenge and the Cardmadfairy's digi challenge...we are going to huddle indoors and have a lovely ulster fry lunch today so no jaunts out as I'm not ricking another umbrella blowing inside out...whatever your up to today stay safe and warm
Mina xxx

now thats what I call glittery...

Good morning everyone, I hope your all well and happy...I got up yesterday and took these photos, just managing to get them as my camera was running out of charge, so I plugged it in and went about getting ready to go slipper hunting with my Dad, when I was ready I pulled the charger cable out and the whole usb thingy came out with it...oops...I tried and tried to get it back in but had to give up putting it down to the technical term of knackered, aaaahhhhh my poor little camera has gone to camera heaven bless it...so I rang Phil and said you know you wanted to know what I wanted for Christmas...well er...so I'm now the owner of a spanking brand new bridge camera, that's the term for not quite the massively expensive SLR professional photographer camera but not a point and shoot digital either...its in middle of them, it even has one of those in and out lens and a viewfinder and its fab (here's the link to it if you fancy a peek), now I just need to go back to school to learn how to use it, or plough through the 90 page guide online, I have to take some photos today with it so goodness knows how they will turn out, luckily though the memory card fits from my old camera so at least I got these photos loaded and I didnt have to buy a new one...I got my Dad some lush leather slippers and he loves them so another off the list too, we were having lunch in Town and having a good old chin wag and he was telling me about a friend of his who isn't very well, I said aaahhhh that's a shame, whats wrong with her...he leaned over and very quietly said 'I think there's something wrong with her falujah', I knew instantly what he meant and starting roaring with laughter which set him off laughing too, he really is a lovely man I love him to bits...right enough waffle and onto my card for today which is for our digi teams challenge over at Crafts and Me challenge, this week the theme is 'Simples' so no masses of embellishments and keep it as simple as you can...I have been dying to use acetate lately so I found some printable acetate at my local office supply shop and printed this stunning Sara Burrier digi stamp called The Blessing from Crafts and Me, I then printed her out again and coloured her with distress inks and cut just the beautiful angel out and glued it over the top of the acetate, I then added white glittercard to the back to make it look frosty and added glitter glue thickly to the front where the landscape is, I wasn't sure it would work but I think it looks ok, I used some gorgeous frosty card for my blank and the only embellishment I added was a white satin bow...what do you think is there enough glitter lol...I'm entering this for the Allsorts challenge, Crafty Catz challenge and the Cardmadfairy digi days challenge too...Im having a camera education day today so wish me luck, if you have time hop on over to the Crafts and Me challenge to have a look at the rest of our fab Digi teams creation and have a fantastic day everyone
Mina xxx

the return of the colour fairy...

Good morning everyone...yes about time too my colour fairy has returned with a vengeance... Autumn is a funny time of year isn't it, everything turns kinda muted and I think my brain had gone there too lol...but with these stunning papers it has defo returned...my card for today is for the digi teams new challenge at Crafts and Me Challenge, this week is our lovely Vixx's turn to choose and she chose the theme of Stripes...this lush We R Memory Keepers Vintage Blue Rainbow connection paper fit the bill perfectly didn't it...I used the beautiful Analinda digi stamp from Crafts & Me coloured with distress inks and glittered to within an inch of her life...well a bit of glitter never hurt anyone did it...I finished my card with some lush ribbon, a Prima rose and a sentiment...the fab sketch is from Sweet Stampin challenge and I'm also entering this for the Stamp with Fun and Cardmadfairy's digi challenges too...I haven't a clue what I'm up to today but have a feeling I will be seeing Phil sometime today I think he has man flu and we all know how bad that is don't we...have a wonderful day everyone and if you have time pop on by the Crafts & Me challenge blog to see what the rest of our wonderful team made
Mina xxx

hang on tight, Christmas is on its way...

Good morning everyone I hope you all had a fantastic weekend...I'm feeling even more human today, thank goodness for that I hear you all sigh, you must have been fed up to the back teeth hearing me moan and feel sorry for myself...I went to Boots yesterday to get some cough medicine for night time to help me sleep and took some yesterday afternoon at 4pm, yes you've guessed it I finally woke up at 9.15 lo, but I did manage to catch up with some blogging and thoroughly enjoyed my little surf around your lush blogs, I will catch up with everyone else tonight and my challenge blogging, phew maybe I should take myself back to bed Im exhausted just typing this lol...now that is good stuff isn't it, anybody want some lol...right now onto my card for today which is using this fabulous Emerald Faerie Garden digi called The Larakins, how fab are these two sweeties and I know they aren't strictly for Christmas but they work so well for a Christmas card don't you think, I coloured them with distress inks and glittered up their wings...ok now these are more scraps of paper I'm afraid, so little in fact there is no name on them but I have a feeling they are Cosmo Cricket...the fab ribbon is thanks to my mate Jak for reminding me I had it, imagine having forgotten all about this lush Christmas word ribbon...amazing the stuff we have stashed away isn't it, I finished with a few buttons to match...the lush sketch is from the Inkspirations challenge and I'm also entering this for the Fab n Funky Bingo challenge (I chose Digi Image, Ribbon and 3 papers or layers option) and the Cardmadfairy digi challenge which is lots of layer, I defo think I have that covered don't you...I forgot I had to go with my wonderful Dad for an appointment he has had ages (good thing he reminded me isn't it lol) so my lock in craft day will have to wait until tomorrow...whatever your up to have a fantastic day everyone
Mina xxx

seeing spots and checks...

Good morning everyone well I'm not here but I am if you know what I mean...I'm away but hopefully Mr Blogger technology will do my proud this week...you should have seen us struggling to stuff a three seater sofa into the car yesterday...a couple of shoe horns or three burly men might have helped lol, at the finish we gave up and didnt take it...my card for today is for our new monthly challenge at The Pretty Little Ribbon shop challenge and this month the choice is mine and I chose Monochrome so I hope your all going to join in so I can see your gorgeous creations...I chose lilac and this stunning Teddybea image called Teddybea_139 isnt she so sweet, I coloured her with distress inks and paper pieced her gorgeous little dress, I used a mixture of lilac papers from Craft Creations, a beautiful lavender sheer polka dot ribbon from The Pretty Little Ribbon shop, a Prima flower and a silver charm...I used the gorgeous sketch from the Pink Ink sketch challenge and I'm also entering it for the Cardmadfairy Digi days challenge and the Stamp Something September digi day challenge too...have a wonderful day everyone and if you have time pop on over to The Pretty Little Ribbon shop blog to see what the rest of our amazing team made
Mina xxx

oh no hes the wrong colour...

Good morning everyone well what you all up to today...anything nice?...I'm off to get my haircut today, the only thing is when its super short it shows all the grey, or should that be lack of colour lol...my card for today is for the Teddybo black and white and one other colour challenge and have you noticed something...oh no Teddybo is the wrong colour, I coloured this fabulous Teddybo Bo's Bubbly smiles with the usual browns but it just didn't look right for the challenge so I was going to colour him black but decided his cute little face might disappear under all that black so I decided on grey and just did the shadows...I added blue as my other colour...the fab black papers are from the Kaisercraft Velvet Ensemble paper pad, I love this and cant stop using it...I added a sheet of blue from another pad and a sentiment ribbon I found in the bottom of my ribbon box, a few buttons and its sorted...I used the fab sketch from Inspirational Card Sketches challenge and I'm also entering it for the Cardmadfairy's digi challenge which is to use buttons...right I'm off to draw a picture of what I want my hair to look like for the hairdresser so he can make it look nothing like it...have a fantastic Saturday everybody
Mina xxx
p.s. I finally got my cleaner at 4pm yesterday