is it a bird...is it a plane...

Good morning everyone...no its the sun, yes we had sun yesterday I almost didn't recognise lol...big huge success for the dinner last night and because my lovely Dad is heading off on his travels for Birthday no 2 we even exchanged Easter eggs...I bought my Dad a Caramel egg as that's his favourite sweets...of course even though our Daughter and her other half are 28 and 32 they got chocolate Easter eggs too...oh and one for Phil too...in fact I'm the only one who didn't get one...now that doesn't seem right does it there's something amiss there lol...I had a little colouring play after I had finished preparing dinner yesterday and had one of those days...you know the sort...no matter what I coloured or how I coloured it, it just wasn't right...too bright, too faint and then some that were well, just rubbish...so I just coloured today's and didn't do anymore I think colouring days like that shouldn't be dwelt on and the paint brushes should be put aside for a better day when the hands and brush work in unison don't you...anyway onto the card I did manage to use...this fabulous stamp (which I didn't do justice too) is a stunning Leanne Ellis stamp from Sugar Nellie called Day Dreamer...I think I will have to have another play with this one...anyway I coloured her with distress inks and I don't know if it was the suns influence or wishing thinking for spring, I used these amazingly colourful papers from the Echo Park - For the Record 2 Documented paper pad I bought from Bunny Zoe's Crafts for my card...lush colour combo isn't it, I must use this again...I finished with a fab green ribbon and bow, a sparkly letter sentiment and a gorgeous Prima flower from my stash...the fab sketch is from The Sweet Stop Challenge and I'm also entering it for the House of Gilli Challenge and No Matter Which Challenges too...I'm in two minds today...either a cleaning day (the sun showed up the dust too much lol) or another try at colouring day...hhhhmmmmmm I wonder which I will pick...whatever your up to today I hope wherever you are the sun shines a little on you and you don't get that horrible cold white stuff on you

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose, spun sugar

hair - antique linen

outfit - stormy sky, scattered straw

flower - scattered straw, shabby shutters

birds - scattered straw, stormy sky, shabby shutters

window - shabby shutters

shading - pumice stone

hop, hop, hop...

Good morning everyone we had another day of stunning sunshine yesterday, we will be getting used to it at this rate lol...welcome to our Mo's Digital Pencil Dreamteams monthly blog hop...you should have arrived here from our fabulous Debbie's blog but if you didn't and want to join in the hop for the chance to win a prize of a £5 credit for Mo's Digital Pencil then hop on over to our host for this month, the fabulous

Debby 

to start at the beginning

as you probably know by now our theme for this month is Babies, now who can resist a baby image, especially this cutie Cookie Dough S image from Mo's Digital Pencil...look at that adorable face. I coloured my cutie with my usual distress inks and used a beautiful pastel coloured paper from Fancy Pants Designs Time Spring collection called Ruffles...pretty isn't it and I love the soft colours...I finished with some wooden letters I bought ages ago from The Works, a few scattered buttons and some white seam binding...the lush sketch is from the Tuesday Morning Sketches Challenge and I'm also entering this for the Cutie Pie Challenge and House of Gilli Challenge too...your next stop on our hop is the super talented

 POP'S

 don't forget all your comments along the way for a chance to win...I hope your enjoy our hop and whatever your up to today have fun

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose

hair - antique linen

eyes - tumbled glass

dough - antique linen

spoon - victorian velvet

bowl - mix of tumbled glass, stormy sky, pumice stone

altogether now.....Santa clause is coming to town...

Good morning everyone...bet your singing in your head now lol...isn't it amazing that when you get your head in the 'mode' you can get more done in one morning than you have in the month before...I got loads of the extras for Christmas done yesterday I was like a woman on a mission stotting from shop to shop, lists in hand ticking things off as I went and whoosh before you knew it finished what I had to do, I still have a bit to do but didn't have the lists with me lol, I'm one of those people that makes lists for everything or I would remember nothing at all...I kinda wished I had the rest with me I'm sure I would have got the whole lot finished...well we finally managed to get our Daughters car fixed it would have been cheaper to buy her a new one lol, well that's a bit of an exaggeration but you know what I mean...we said we would get it fixed for her Christmas present as she needs her car but it seems strange just having little things to put under the tree for her...mind Phil says my idea of 'little things' and other peoples are totally different things and most people would call my 'little things' main presents...well shes our only child and is meant to be spoilt don't you think lol...right now onto my card for today and Santa has finally arrived, I just realised the other day I hadn't used a Santa image for a card this year, well that had to be rectified asap so here's the fabulous happy gorgeous Skating Santa...isn't he brilliant, look at that face...hes by Rick St Dennis...I coloured him with distress inks and glittered him up to within an inch of his life lol...the amazing papers are a sheet from Cosmo Cricket's Dear Mr Claus range and is called Santa's Letters...I love the stripe side combined with the ornaments side don't you...see this is why I love double sided papers they go together so well and you don't even have to think about it...I finished with a thin red ribbon and attached a ribbon bow to one of the baubles cut from the paper...I have no idea where the sketch is from I found it in an old notebook and liked it so used it, if anyone knows tell me so I can give them credit please...I'm entering this for The Pretty Little Ribbon challenge, House of Gilli challenge and the Sweet Stampin challenge too...I'm off to finish the rest of my lists today while I'm on a roll...whatever your up to today have a good one

Mina xxx
p.s. I just remembered the sketch is from Sunday Sketch & Stamp challenge

distress ink colours used

skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose, spun sugar

shading - pumice stone

boots, belt & gloves - black soot

suit and hat - fired brick

a beauty with a violin...

Good morning everyone...firstly thank you all so so much for the lovely comments for yesterdays photos, you really cheered me up...I spent a lot of time on Monday feeling very tearful and upset because I miss my family in England so so much, it was so wonderful seeing them all again but because it was a busy wedding and we were only there two days I didn't really get a proper catch up with any of them...the worst thing is I miss my Sisters which is shocking because one only lives 50 miles away so there's no real excuse for missing her is there, except sometimes everyday life gets in the way of the important things that are close to our hearts...I love my family so so much but like most people never really make the effort to show them, so slapped legs for me and all my family lol, my resolution is to contact one a day at least even if its just a text to see how they are...so thanks for cheering me up and for the couple of emails too they were lovely...I found another photo of my Daughter but one in which she is smiling, she has such a wonderful warm smile that stretches to her eyes and makes the world light up so it was a shame she wasn't smiling in yesterdays...I will ask her if she minds if I post it on here and put it on tomorrow if not...did you notice anything, none of my wonderful Phil, everyone I took he was either making a daft face for the camera or turning around lol...I will see if anyone has one of him near decent because he looked so handsome in his suit and lilac tie...I will let you know...right now onto my card for today which is for the new Crafts and Me Challenge...it was our wonderful Mona's choice this time and she chose the theme of Lace & Pearls...I used this amazing brand new Sara Burrier digi for my card, shes called Strings of Worship and will be available very soon in the Crafts and Me shop the paper I teamed it up with is from Basicgrey's Scarlet's Letters collection and is called Love Letters...I added some brown lace, a gingham ribbon and some pearls...the sketch is from Sketch Saturday and I'm also entering it for the House of Gilli challenge and the Fashionista Challenge too...I think I will head into town for my lunch today as I need to get out and a mooch, come on girls we all need a mooch now and again don't we lol...whatever your up to today phone or text someone you miss to show them how much you care and have a brilliant day

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose

hair - frayed burlap

wings - antique linen

outfit - antique linen, peeled paint

violin and flower - gathered twigs

the lushest flower stamp ever...

Good morning everyone I hope your all well and happy...we got everything my Dad needed for his holiday thank goodness, honestly he is worse than three teenagers to take shopping lol...he needed a new pair of sunglasses as he sat on his Polo glasses and snapped the arm in half...so off we trot to loads of shops, lots of trying on and there were loads of them I thought were lush but after a while my Dad decides to tell me he really wants some of those sunglasses you can clip on top of your own glasses...well he could have told me before the first shop couldn't he, I cant get angry with him though hes to funny lol...so back to the drawing board today...right now onto my card for today which is using this stunning flower stamp from the Kaisercraft Clear Stamps - Magnolia Grove, isn't it stunning...I stamped it three times on card then four times on papers, I coloured the leaves and then cut out and mounted the flowers making the peach coloured one 3d...I love these Kaisercraft stamp sets they are just beautiful...the papers I used for the backing and the paper pieced flowers are from the My Minds Eye Miss Caroline-Howdy Doody 6x6 paper pad (I think its out of stock atm though)...the stamp and pad are from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...I finished with some pearls and a lush seam binding bow

the lush sketch is from the Stamp with Fun Challenge and I'm also entering it for House of Gilli challenge and the Secret Crafter Saturday challenge too...right I'm off out for the sunglasses trek again so keep your fingers crossed for us that my lovely Dad doesn't change his mind again...gotta love him to bits haven't you lol...whatever your up to today have a brilliant one
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
for the leaves - shabby shutters & peeled paint

bee my honey - Sugar nellie DT + Papertake weekly challenge + House of Gilli challenge

Good morning everyone, the weather is lovely here and really beginning to warm up not warm enough to not have the heating on at night yet though...I hope wherever you are its warming up to I know some of our American cousins are still having shockingly bad weather...bbbbrrrrrrr...my card for today is using this gorgeous Sugar Nellie Homegrown Manga called Honey Bee, isn't she a real cutie sitting on her honey jar and all that lush hair...I coloured her with distress inks and paper pieced the top and label of the jar...the lush paper is from Basicgreys Sugared collection and is called Adorable, I used a bit of kraft card for the layer and the punched flowers too...I added some of my favourite Thicker's, its a good thing I don't have these in more colours as I wouldn't make a card without them lol...I finished with a cream satin ribbon and a sprinkling of pearls...the fab sketch is from Papertake Weekly challenge and I'm also entering this for a new challenge I found called House of Gilli challenge which is Ribbon and pearls...well today is supermarket day but my Dad doesn't need much shopping with all the time he will be spending away so a quick visit I think, but as always we will manage a coffee and a natter too...whatever your up to today have a wonderful sunny time Mina xxx