Tis the season...

Good morning everyone Happy Christmas eve, I hope your all sorted and are going to spend this evening watching some rubbish tv with a large glass of wine, relaxing and feeling smug and warm all over for having finished your epic Christmas organisation...I definitely think whoever decided that Christmas should be classified as a 'holiday' wasn't a Wife or Mother or anyone who had to shop, organise and stress about everything to do with Christmas were they lol...we did out shop last night and Phil was totally gobsmacked at the price of an average sized fresh Norfolk Black turkey...an amazing £80...he spend the rest of the night randomly muttering '£80 for a turkey...that's crazy' and shaking his head bless him lol...needless to say we didn't buy it...I would rather have no turkey at all than spend that much on something to eat...right now onto my card for today which is using this stunning Simply Adorable beauty from Sugar Nellie...isn't she beautiful and like all the Adorable's shes a dream to colour...this one is called Ballet Student...I used my usual distress inks and yes your eyes don't deceive you there not a drop of glitter in sight lol...the fabulous papers are from the Glitz 6x6-Joyeux Noel paper pad I bought last year from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...I couldn't resist this lush ribbon from a local shop it makes a fabulous bow doesn't it...I finished with a sentiment and a heart charm from my stash...the fab sketch is from Tuesday Morning Sketches but I'm too late to enter it...but am entering it for the Totally Gorjuss challenge and The Crafty Bloggers Network Challenge too...I'm cleaning the house today, its strange the rituals we go through isn't it but I wont settle until the house is spic and span for the holidays...oh and I have presents to wrap too...whatever you do today take some time to relax and chill for a bit you will need it...I have a card for tomorrow to wish you all merry Christmas so will speak to you all then

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

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

eyes - peeled paint

hair - frayed burlap, amtique linen

dress and shoes - peeled paint, shabby shutters, fired earth

shading - pumice stone

an apple a day...

Good morning everyone I hope your having a brilliant weekend...bbbbbrrrrrr its cold here, but not as cold as some other places in Britain so I'm not gonna complain my lips are sealed, just in case...our Daughter and her other half had a brilliant time in Amsterdam but where shattered when they flew in so we skipped lunch to get them home for a snooze...but they picked up the ball of fluff adorable sumo cat later in the evening...I must admit though I wont miss the hair, it has taken me ages with the aid of a lint roller and a roll of sellotape to get the hairs off my sofa and that despite the fact she lay on an old towel and not on the material...the hairs get everywhere...oh and I wont miss my itchy nose either...we didn't do anything on Saturday, well I say that but I did a few hours playing in my craft room while Phil did a clean up of his shed...so we didn't just sit on our butts all day lol...right now onto my card today...go on have a guess who this cutie and her best friend are by...go on...you don't need much of a clue with that beautiful drawing do you...its from Mo's Digital Pencil of course and is called Elke and Bear...I coloured this stunner with my usual distress inks and had brilliant fun cutting it out...the lush papers I used are some of the few I have left from the Kaisercraft - Remember Me 6.5"x6.5" Paper pad...this is a beautiful paper pad and like all the Kaisercraft paper pads there are four sheets of sentiments and embellishments at the back of it which is where the sentiments came from, the pads from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...I finished my card with what else but a few buttons (well I couldn't resist any longer)...the fab sketch is from the Sweet Sketch Wednesday challenge and I'm also entering it for the Crafty Bloggers Network Challenge and the Charisma Cardz challenge too...I think we are heading into town today for a little pre Christmas shopping mooch and coffee, so wish me luck with my many lists for Christmas, I will need it...whatever your up to today have a lovely warm wrapped up one

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

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

hat & cardigan - tattered rose, victorian velvet, fired earth

dress and boots - antique linen

tights - pumice stone. victorian velvet

bear - pumice stone, spun sugar

scarve - faded jeans, spun sugar

swing & rope - frayed burlap

tree, leaves and apples - frayed burlap, antique linen, peeled paint, fired earth

shading - antoque linen

can you ever have too many spring flowers?...

Good morning everyone and yes its finally here...well at least on paper anyway lol...there's me ranting on about technology yesterday and guess what I got...a Samsung Galaxy tablet lol...oooohhhhhh I so love a new gadget but I promise (my hand is on my heart as I type) I will not be playing with it in coffee shops unless I'm all alone and need to look busy and not like Billy-no-mates lol...the sun was actually shining for our last day of Phil's holiday yesterday so we decided to head for the coast...well that was the plan until we saw the three mile long traffic jam of people who thought the same thing...well I guess great minds think alike...ok now onto my card for today and its for our new challenge at Crafts and Me Challenge, this time the choice of theme was mine and I chose Spring Flowers...yes I'm an optimist lol...I chose to use the beautiful Hannah Lynn's Daffodil Springs from Crafts and Me for my card...there's nothing that says spring like Daffodils is there?, btw did you hear because of the weather there apparently a shortage of Daffodils and come to think of it there aren't the usual clumps on the verges that there usually is...that's a shame isn't it?...I coloured her with distress inks and used some papers from a Christmas pad would you believe...they are from the Kaisercraft Turtle Dove paper pad I bought ages ago from Bunny Zoe's Crafts for my card and finished with a tag from the same pad, a scattering of spring flowers, some punched leaves and a gorgeous Cosmic Green/Gold Glitter Ribbon-25mm from Crafts and Me made into a bow, this is gorgeous glittery twinkling ribbon and it holds its shape beautifully...the fab sketch is from the Sketch Saturday Challenge and I'm also entering it for the The Crafty Bloggers Network challenge and the Creative Creations Challenge too...I'm having a crafting day today as my lovely Phil is back at work and I have some spare time, boy those Husbands keep you busy when they are on holiday don't they lol...whatever your up to today have a fantastic one and if you have time pop on over to the Crafts and Me Challenge to check out the rest of our DT's makes...they are lush

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

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

hair - black soot

eyes - milled lavender

outfit - punice stone, milled lavender

daffodils - scattered straw, antique linen, shabby shutters, bundled sage

shading in background - stormy sky

you just never know what you will find...

Good morning everyone are you all having a good week?...its still tiddling down here and I'm expecting my first delivery of wood and nails this afternoon lol...I could hardly see a thing even with the light on either it was a very bad light day or my glasses need changed urgently...I'm hoping its the light lol...I was having a mooch through my cards and sorting them out and realised I seem to have an aversion to using black, mind you it is a bit like the dreaded red and takes care and time to use, just a teeny bit too much water and it goes everywhere and I don't know what is it about red and black inks but I always get covered in them when I'm using them and either look like an extra from a horror film or a coal man lol...so I thought ok bite the bullet and get colouring with black for a change so watch out I just used a tiny bit today but there is a card with much much more in the next few days too...I did get a bit distracted though, I found a box I hadn't touched since the move and loads of long forgotten goodies in the bottom of it, including these lush flowers I used on today's card...right now the details of the card...this stunner is of course one of the beautiful Vintage Adorable from Sugar Nellie and the last of the new ones I got to colour, look at all those amazing curls...this is the beautiful Suzie...I coloured her with my usual distress inks and teamed her up with some papers from the Teresa Collins 6x6" Paper Pad - Now and Then (I bought it from Bunny Zoe's Crafts but its out of stock atm I'm afraid)...I added some lush black ribbon and bow and these amazing flowers from K&Co, I'm sorry I don't know what they are called or which collection they are from but they match this card brilliantly don't they?...the fab sketch is from the Sunday Sketch & Stamp Challenge and I'm also entering it for The Crafty Bloggers Network Challenge and the One Stitch at a Time Challenge too...I'm off out today I need a walk around in the fresh air even if its still pouring down and feel a little bit of retail therapy coming on I'm sure its hiding somewhere at the back of my mind waiting to pounce...whatever your up to have a brilliant warm, dry one

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

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

hair - frayed burlap, antique linen

ribbons - black soot

eyes - peeled paint

sweater - stormy sky, black soot

oopsie...

Oops I will start again as I scheduled this post last night because I had to pop out early this morning and oops guess what I didn't do, I forgot to click the publish button didn't I lol...so start again Mina duh lol...I hope your all well and having fun in the snow (yeah right) I think its only the children who like snow for this long isn't it...I needed some flowers and summer colours I think...I sssssooooo long for warmer weather and always feel like I'm hibernating in the depth of winter, I think it has something to do with lack of light don't you...how cute is this image then...but its really not one but two...my lovely friend Jane asked me to join her DT for her fabulous new Garden Stamps...she is an amazing gardener (check out her garden site) and found inspiration to draw the flowers and plants from her garden...of course when I saw them I jumped at the chance to colour them as I love flowers so much too...so I'm now a member of the Janey's Digi Designs team as you can see from the DT badge below...instead of using this fab Janey's Designs Dropwort image alone though I used The Larakins from A&T digital designs with it and then finished with a wordart sentiment too...I coloured them with my usual distress inks and teamed them up with the lush summer papers from the Teresa Collins 6x6" Paper Pad - Now and Then pad I bought from Bunny Zoe's Crafts, stunning isn't it, I cut some of the graph paper from the same pad to look like washi tape too...I finished with a fabulously coloured satin ribbon bow and a few scattered pearls...the fab sketch is from Sunday Sketch and Stamp challenge and I'm also entering it for the Simon Says Stamp challenge and The Crafty Bloggers Network challenge too...well hopefully it will be normal service resumed tomorrow if I can get my act together lol...whatever your up to today have a lovely warm one

Mina xxx

click on the DT banner below to go our fab DT's blog to see what all the rest of the team are up to

its all about the eyes...

Good morning everyone how you all doing?...I hope you haven't got any of the nasty bugs that are going around...bbbbbrrrrrr its so cold here but at least we haven't got any of the dreaded white stuff, well yet anyway...poor Scotland and England seem to have got the worst of this time...so wherever you are I hope your managing to stay warm...well the whole family came for dinner last night and from 9 pies and the Victoria sandwich cake Phil made there are a very sad two small pies and a slice of cake left...what do you think?, are they keen on Phil's cooking or what lol...I love family dinner like that don't you...everyone in the kitchen wandering round while I cook and serve up and around the dinner table chatting about their day or joking about...the best times ever...I so wish though that my Dad could hear better because he misses a lot in the hubbub of the chatter but then no matter how hard we sisters try to persuade him I still cant get him to make an appointment and stick with it, he has cancelled or makes excuses not to make one, I know it must be hard for him but surely its easier than missing out on a lot of things...I'm sure that's why he avoids occasions where there a lot of people too...I will keep working on him though...right now my card for today which is using another of the amazing new Vintage Adorables release from Sugar Nellie...I am loving these sweeties to bits they are amazing to colour and I could sit colouring them in all different sizes over and over again...I think its their eyes, they are so real and soulful don't you think...this one is the beautiful Rachael and you can get her at Funky Kits of course...I coloured her with my usual distress inks and teamed her up with some papers from one of my new pads I bought last week from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...this one is the beautiful My Mind's Eye - Oliver 6x6 Pad aren't the colours lush...there's loads more new pads to show you over the next few weeks so watch out for them...I finished this one with a rich navy sating ribbon and bow and a few roses from my stash...the fab sketch is an old one from Mojo Monday but I'm entering this for the Card Makin Mamas challenge, the Crafty Bloggers Network challenge and the Digi Darla's challenge too...I'm off out today first time for a few days but I'm up for it today I need a mooch and some fresh air so fingers crossed the white stuff stays away...whatever your up to today I hope you stay warm, dry and above all healthy

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose

hair - antique linen, frayed burlap

eyes - mix of shabby shutters & stormy sky

haor ornaments and top - mix of shabby shutter & tumbled glass

some days are so lucky...

Good morning everyone, I hope everyone is safe and sound and that all my American friends haven't been touched by the devastation that is Superstorm Sandy...nature is so beautiful most of the time but can be very cruel sometimes...I like most of us in the UK watched the news unfold with bated breath and hoped that this time wouldn't be too bad and only property would bear the brunt...I'm so sorry to say it wasn't and my heart goes out to the people whose lives were touched by death and destruction...some days are so lucky arent they and you end up feeling so glad to be alive...we went out to dinner last night, just a lovely quiet meal at a seaside town for the two of us...it was a fabulous dinner and of course we ate too much lol...we left about 7.30 so it was dark and Phil crossed the road just ahead of me, of course I looked before I crossed, always do, I learnt my green cross code at school lol...a motorbike was bombing up the road without its headlight on and spotted me at the same time as I spotted him...I knew it wouldn't miss me and know enough about bikes (thank you Phil) to know it would be easier for him to try and go round me than for me to run and for him to try and dodge me...so I just closed my eyes and waited for the thud...when I opened them the bike had stopped about 30cms (12 inches) away from me and Phil was standing on the pavement with his mouth open...some days when you walk away from something like that you feel utterly blessed...that will teach me to eat too much lol...right now onto my card for today which is for our new challenge at Crafts and Me Challenge which this time is our wonderful Nic's (Coops) choice, she chose the theme of Bling It Up...I used this beautiful Horn of Praise by Sara Burrier from Crafts and Me for my card...stunning isn't she...I coloured her with distress inks and glittered the sun and her wings...the amazing paper is from the Graphic 45 8x8 Paper Pad - Olde Curiosity Shoppe pad from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...gorgeous colours isn't it, did you know some people in Northern Ireland consider the peacocks feathers to be really bad luck (full of useless information aren't I lol)...I finished with loads and loads of blue gems...the fab sketch is from Sunday Sketch and Stamp but as I didn't use a stamp I cant enter it...but I am entering it for the Fussy & Fancy Friday Challenge, Anything Goes Challenge and The Crafty Blogger's Network challenge...I'm off out today I feel in the need of a mooch, well we all do sometimes don't we...whatever your up to today take care crossing the roads and stay safe

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose

hair - frayed burlap

dress and wings shading - antique linen

leaves and dress trim - peeled paint, stormy sky

trumpet and sun - scattered straw

nothing beats a teddy hug...

Good morning everyone are you all well and having a good start to your week? we had a lovely relaxing day yesterday starting with a bit of you tube hunting for songs and a little bit of a dance (really badly) and a lot of giggling to the Rizzle Kicks - Mama Do The Hump...then it was my stern face while I told face to get on with his studying for his exam today...he did for a few hours then he needed to get out so we went for coffee then straight back to his studying, in the meantime I made this card and a couple of others and was about to start colour a few more but the rumbling started and I knew Phil would be hungry too, I had made some Irish stew though as I didnt want to be rummaging in the kitchen for hours while he needed some quiet...so a nice dinner and then a bit of TV, Phil was snoozing on the sofa by10.30 and his snoring was making sure I knew about it too lol...I hope his exam goes well today...I'm sure it will though hes very clever, well he chose me didn't he lol...right now my card for today which is using one of my favourite releases from Sugar Nellie...this is one of the Simply Adorable's, shes called Nancy, isn't she stunning...I love colouring this release the way the shading is on the print always makes you look like you have spent ages shading and filling when really you haven't, I think a few people got a bit daubed when they first saw the shading and wondered how to colour them, but if you have tried one have a go I bet you will be amazed at how professional it looks when your finished...I coloured this beauty and her cutie bear with distress inks and used some of this lush Fancy Pants Designs My Family collection paper...this one is called Family Tree...I love the colours on it don't you and the tree and branches are a great designs not just for scrapbooking but great for a card too...I finished with a few buttons, a circle shape cut from the paper stamped with a Daughter stamp from the Crafty Impressions Baubles stamp set from Funky Kits these are fabulous sets and not just for Christmas either...the great sketch is from Sketch Saturday and Im also entering it for the One Stitch at a Time challenge and The Crafty Bloggers Network challenge too...right a crafting morning this morning and then a wait for a call to say Phil's exam is over...I wonder if I can colour with my fingers crossed lol...whatever your up to today try to do it with your fingers crossed too

Mina xxx

wedding photos at last

Good morning everyone...I waited to post this morning until I had downloaded some wedding photos to show you...isn't it strange that you have a picture in your head and I don't know if its getting older or just not noticing but you download photos and someone pops up that looks like you but an older version and you suddenly realise its you lol...its little wonder I hate my photo taken...ooohhhh btw I forgot to tell you about something that happened after we had finished the photos outside the church, we all trooped out across grass and all of a sudden we heard a yell and a friend I hadn't seen for years had actually stood on a dead hedgehog with her high heels on...I know its yucky but I couldn't stop giggling, visions of Victor Meldrew and his dead hedgehog slipper, that probably went straight over everyone who isn't from the UK's head so here's a link for some episodes of One Foot In The Grave, when I have more time I will see if I can find the episode for you all...its so so funny...so I know it wasn't funny for the woman at the church but it was so funny too lol...right now onto my card for today how cute and perfect for Christmas is this Bildmalarna - Skates stamp...its so cute I will have to colour this in a different colour scheme too...I used distress inks for this cutie and used some of the lush new Glitz 6x6" Paper Pack - Joyeux Noel pad, isn't it fabulous traditional colours but with a twist...perfect for Christmas

I finished with some punched borders, gingham ribbons and a wreath charm...the papers and stamp I bought from Bunny Zoe's Crafts...I made the sketch up as I went along but am entering this for the Simon Says Stamp challenge, The Crafty Bloggers network challenge and the Stamp with Fun challenge too...right now onto some wedding photos

wow wow wow the stunning Bride and Groom, isn't she just stunning her dress was amazing and the lace edged veil perfect for it and he looks so wonderful in his uniform, there were a lot of sailors in uniform there too

me in my dress, I'm still not sure this is me lol...I love love love this dress not only does it look nice but was so comfortable all day long...I'm watching for Laura Ashleys sales now and will buy something in them every time, the quality is superb...what do you think it was defo a huge bargain wasn't it for £35...shame I cant say the same about the shoes, they came off twenty mins after this photo and didnt go on again until I walking to the car lol...but I had painted my toenails to match my dress just in case

now I'm sure my beautiful Daughter might be a bit unhappy about me putting her on my blog, but this photo of her and her other half is so lovely I wanted to show it off...well that three of the photos, I will post some more later on this week...I'm off to catch up with some crafting today fingers crossed...whatever your up to watch out for squashed hedgehogs they sneak up on you lol
Mina xxx