roses and butterflies everywhere...

Good morning everyone, how was your week...the most amazing thing has happened our garden has sprung up again its all blooming again and there are butterflies (and the dreaded wasps) everywhere...our three rose bushes have 42 new buds on them ready to flower (loads of photos will be posted when they are open)...I was gobsmacked and would you believe the plants I persuaded Phil to chop to the top of the soil and he said had died have new life and are flourishing too...is this another summer I ask myself, well we can live in hope cant we lol...my poor Dad has a really nasty chest infection the poor lamb, its sods law that happens after we have booked the cottage so fingers crossed it clears up before next weekend...I'm quite looking forward to the cottage it looks beautiful (I would be looking forward to it more if someone could promise me I wont be ill while Im there though) and don't worry I will take loads of photos, I bet you were really worried I wouldn't take any weren't you lol...yeah right...right now onto my card for today...I love this gorgeous Tiffany digi from the Simply Sassy's at Sugar Nellie don't you...she is so pretty and those eyes are amazing...like all Krista Smith's images she is amazing to colour and I used my usual distress inks for her of course, it was only after I had loaded these photos I realised the last time I used this digis the colours were almost the same, they must just suit her lol...the lush papers are from a very old pad...Bo Bunny Gabrielle 6x6 paper pad its so long since I bought this I cant even remember where I got it from...the fabulous butterflies are cut from the pad and I finished with a lush cream satin ribbon and a few of my favourite 15mm Flat Back Rose Cabochons - Mixed Bag from Bunny Zoe's Crafts to finish, perfect colours for the papers aren't they...the fab sketch is from the Sketch Saturday Challenge and I'm also entering it for the Saturated Canary Challenge and the Paper Crafting Journey Challenge too...I'm going to do a little bit of gardening tidying, some crafting  and make seafood pasta for dinner tonight so busy busy today I think...as you can tell I'm feeling a bit better today thank goodness so Im going to use my day while I can...whatever your up to today I hope you have a great one

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

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

eyes - evergreeb bough

hair - antique linen, scattered straw

outfit - evergreen bough, pumice stone, tattered rose

headwear - evergreen bough, tattered rose

shading - pumice stone

lil' Robots...

Good morning everyone how are you all...we had sunshine yesterday but why is it still so cold, surely all that sun and blue skies would warm the ground up a bit, well I'm sure there's an explanation why it doesn't but I cant figure it...apparently its the wettest April here since the early 1980's, cant be the warmest one either...Phil's first day went brilliantly, he loves it and says the people are so nice and really friendly but he got lost a couple of times wandering around...he was kinda surprised, but I had to bite my tongue to stop myself saying 'you cant find the car in a car park at the supermarket so how do you think you can find your way round on your first day'...its ok I stopped myself lol...well the stir fry was lush even if I do say so myself, but the cupcakes didn't get made as I had all the ingredients except icing sugar to make the frosting and cupcakes without frosting are like bread without butter, just cant be done I'm afraid...right now onto my card for today, isn't this little cutie just perfect for any of those boys cards we have to make now and again, I love that cheeky little face...hes from the Simply Sassy stamps from Funky Kits and is called No. 1 Fan and is coloured with distress inks, I coloured his hair a little differently and have just noticed while doing this post...its rubbish lol...I teamed him up with another craft show buy, this is a double sided My Minds Eye paper from the Lil' Robots and is called Multi Bots, isn't it brilliant and perfect for boy stamps, I have a serious addiction to papers don't I...I didn't want to cover the little bots on the paper so finished with a few buttons and the sentiment is cut from the name label...the lush sketch is from the Allsorts Challenge and I'm also entering it for the CES Challenge and Totally Papercrafts challenge too...I'm having a crafting catch day today and I'm so looking forward to colouring to my hearts content, well I was going to clear out some drawers but the call of the ink is too great lol...whatever your doing today have a good one
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - frayed burlap, walnut stain
trousers - crushed olive
t shirt - stormy sky, shabby shutters, spiced marmalade
undershirt - spiced marmalade
shoes - frayed burlap

come fly with me...

Good morning everyone...you have been warned stand back 'cough cough'...well at least I did warn you lol...I have a sore throat my head is thumping and I definitely have whatever my Dad had, good thing his only lasted a couple of days so hopefully mine will too, although my Daughter is still feeling very rough...we did go the shops yesterday though but everyone seemed to have the same idea though...I would normally stay away after holidays because people seem to buy things like there is going to be a shortage but my poor Dad needed the essentials so needs must, mind not feeling the best I nearly had a couple of trolley rage incidents though I managed to keep it going, now I know how they felt on Sunday and cant believe they even managed to eat their lunch...my card for today is for Sugar Nellie and is using a gorgeous uninked Simply Sassy stamp from Funky Kits...I cant believe I have never even opened this stunner can you...smack on the legs for me I think...this is the fabulous Amelia coloured with distress inks, how lush are these fabulous papers from Graphic45, its from their An ABC Primer collection and is called Bedtime Stories, the advertisement is from the reverse...gotta love Graphic45 haven't you...I finished with some fab cotton twill ribbon and buttons from my stash...the sketch is from the Totally Gorjuss Challenge, I'm sure there was a couple more challenge I was going to enter but I need to get back to my bed but hopefully they will come to me later...I'm just going laze around feeling sorry for myself today (well everyone deserves a day like that every now and again dont they) but I will hopefully catch up with all your fab blogs tonight...whatever your up to today watch out for those virus's (is that even a word lol) cyber or irl
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - frayed burlap
clothes - peeled paint, antique linen,barn door
clouds - stormy skies

you cant beat a bit of gingham - Sugar Nellie DT

Good morning everyone, did you all have a fantastic Easter break then?...ours was very quiet, family lunch Sunday then everyone left me in peace while I spent the whole day in my craft room, you will never guess how many cards I made and how many images I coloured, lets put it this way I have a permanent dent in my finger from my paint brush and my eyes are killing me and they look just as bad from the outside as they do from my side too...my poor Dad is finding it very frustrating with the Easter break because everything is closed so he cant get his dented car sorted...I think he needs a coffee infusion do you...today's card is for the Sugar Nellie DT and I used the fab sketch from The Sugar Bowl for it to...I hope Marlene doesn't mind that I tilted it to fit the image...this gorgeous little Simply Sassy girl is called Party Frills and I coloured her with distress inks and I think I may have overdosed on the gingham a bit as I even paper pieced her in it...poor lamb will have checks before her eyes lol...the gingham is from Craft creations and I added a white ribbon, a gorgeous Prima flower and some buttons to finish...I'm entering this for the CES challenge Spring colours/Image challenge and the Fussy and Fancy Friday Springtime challenge too as I think nothing says spring like a bright blue gingham and this image...right I'm off to put eye drops in and get my clag on (which to you non geordie's is make up lol) and go out for coffee with my Dad...have a wonderful day everyone
Mina xxx

Im off to buy a wig !!! - The Sugar Bowl challenge Marlene's Sketch+Allsorts Challenge all about the sentiment

Good morning everyone...just a quick post this morning as I will be back later with my Bunny Zoe's Crafts Candy winner...I did nothing I had planned yesterday but plans are meant to be broken so I don't mind things like that happening, oh I did manage to buy the CD I wanted though much to my poor husbands despair as I was singing at the top of my lungs to Cee Lo Green lol, we just chilled watched a bit of TV and I did a bit of hand stitching trying to make organza ribbon roses, they need just a tad more work I think before I use them on my cards, but they are defo a work in progress...right onto my card today and the reason I need a wig, I want this little beauties hair don't you, how amazing to have hair like that and I loved colouring her hair today...this is of course a Sugar Nellie Simply Sassy stamp called Windswept...I coloured her with distress inks and used these gorgeous pretty girly papers from Memory box Gossamer collection...I think I maybe got a bit carried away with the buttons though lol...I finished with a satin ribbon, velvet ribbon and bows, and a Prima flower, the sentiments are from a bargain ribbon I bought for 50p in a sale...this is for the Sugar Bowl challenge which this time is the fab sketch from Marlene and Allsorts challenge which is all about the sentiments...have a wonderful Sunday everyone I will speak to you later when I announce the candy winner
Mina xxx

its amazing what you can find when you try - Fairytale challenge #6 Flowers + The Sweetest thing-sweet sunday sketch challenge 101

Good morning everyone are you all fit and well I hope so, there seems to be loads of nasty bugs doing the rounds doesn't there, I hope you have have managed to duck them so far...now the last time I was having a crafting day I was having a rummage for some papers when I came across a box, oooohhhhhhh don't you just love a mysterious box, it was full of fabulous flowers, the sort that have bust out of their packets or the last one in the pack sort of thing, the flowers I used for today's card were in there too, now how on earth do you forget you have these stashed, I also found a pile of 6x6 papers that had fallen out of their pads, I think the flowers are from Prima...the image is of course a Simply Sassy girl, this one is Bella Bunting coloured with Distress inks and paper pieced, you sick of seeing my paper piecing yet?...the papers are definitely K&Co but I have no idea which pad they are from, I finished my card with a saddle stitched ribbon and a Tim Holtz sentiment ticket...the fab sketch is from The Sweetest Thing and I'm also entering this for the Fairy Tale flower challenge too...I'm off to have another rummage you never know what I will find next, I really must stop stashing things in safe places and forgetting about them lol...have a brilliant day everyone
Mina xxx

my internet fairy has returned - Sugar Nellie round two card

Good morning everyone, first of all a huge apology for no blogging last night but my internet fairy went on a little trip and I had to change over wires, routers and bits and pieces before she would come back...I prefer to think of my internet as a fairy because if I think about it mechanically or as a little IT person sitting in an office I get hopping mad and the mist forms...anyway shes back now so normal service is resumed....I sat and thought and thought about what I would make for round 2 of the Sugar Nellie competition, then I was talking to my husband on the phone and he said and I quote 'just get on with it and make a card' so thats exactly what I did...I used this fabulous Simply Sassy Pillow talk I bought from Funky Kits, don't you just love that chilled out attitude, coloured her with Distress inks (yes I used the dreaded red ink again) and teamed her with with another of these amazing My Minds Eye Lush papers, this one is called Daisy Paper (flocked), I wish you could feel it as it really is like velvet, I cut and raised some of the flowers and added a cream satin ribbon and bow and a 'gorgeous' zipper tag...I'm not sure it works as she look like shes floating instead of sitting on the flowers like shes meant to be...what do you thing does it work okay...I have all my bits crossed and hopefully can still manage to shop for the gubbins of some chicken soup for my Daughter (shes not sick just loves it) with them crossed...have a wonderfully warm day everyone
Mina xxx

No Fairy visits yet - The Sugar Bowl challenge 47-Maria Theresa's sketch

Good morning everyone are you all warm enough it is freezing cold here I just cant get warm, I was sitting last night with my polar fleece on, my pj's and my fluffy dressing gown and socks, a woman came to the door collecting for charity and as I opened the door she was hit with a wall of heat as my heating is pumped up to 25degrees and she says 'are you cold?'...well duh lol...the fairies still haven't brought my head back just yet I went to the shop with my Dad and then tried to get into the wrong car when I came out, my Dad was sitting in the car watching me cracked up laughing now don't you think he could have tooted or something, men huh...if you know any friendly fairies tell them enough is enough please before I end up driving away with someone strange lol...my card today is for the Sugar Bowl challenge which is a fab sketch by Maria Theresa which I tipped on its side for the image to fit properly, I used this fantastic stamp from the Simply Sassy range called Pillow talk isn't she a fantastic image for a teenagers card, I really want some of the new ones but will have to wait for my shocked purse to recover from the NEC first...the lush papers are from the Basicgrey Olivia paper pad and I finished by adding a zip pull tag and green ribbon and a yellow Prima flower...I hope you like it and stay warm everyone and if you live somewhere warm send me some please
Mina xxx