ambrosia

No not the creamed rice variety but basic grey paper pad. Bought this as I thought the colours were so vibrant for spring cards. They work really well together and my pad is almost finished! Really like the pads and the easy way it is to choose papers. Anyway this card is a commisioned one for a 70th birthday. A lady at work asks me to make all her cards now and is really pleased with her families reaction to the personalised touch. Well it all helps fund (or in reality a minute portion) my stamp addiction.
This card is 5 and a half inches square. The stamp is one I bought from the well known auction site ages ago and have not used. Now I have it may not find its way back to the box for a while! I have coloured it in using my fabby dabby promarkers and layed up 3 of the flowers. Accented the flowers, the spout and some of the little flowers with glossy accents. Punches used woodware and stampin up, sentiments from pink petticoat. As you can see for the second pic Ive carried it on inside the card - I really like this look and think it finishes it off really well.

Tagged!!

Yes I have been tagged! Seems like this is doing the rounds as Ive seen it on quite a few blogs but also feel a little pleased that anyone has bothered to tag me!!! So Thanks Ellebelle
So the idea is to go to the 6th album and 6th picture on your comp and explain - so here is a sheep decoration for the Christmas tree!
6 years ago when my daugther was 7 towards the end of November she came running out of school in tears. Turned out she had been picked as a reader for the school nativity but she really wanted to be a sheep! So one chat with the teacher and her wish was granted. On a trip to London just prior to christmas I found this little decoration in Harrods Christmas shop and just had to have it! So now each Christmas we remember the story when she hangs it on the tree aaaaahhhhhh. I took a photo of it 2 Christmases ago for a scrapbook page on family traditions so thats why its there - the folder also contains lots of other pics of decorations!

So who to Tag? Not been blogging long and lots of people I visit haver already been tagged so picked these from my list of blogs I follow - hope its your first tag girls x

michelle http://shelleyspapercraftingparadise.blogspot.com/
Tracy http://craftytracy.blogspot.com/
Carol http://carnivalcrafts.blogspot.com/
Deb http://pinkdandelionscraftspace.blogspot.com/
Becky http://craftybeckylee.blogspot.com/
Joy http://joycards.blogspot.com/

A bit of sauce

Last Thursday when Michelle and Elaine came Michelle was playing with some images from Pink Petticat and making some rauncy valentines!! They were great and would be a real hit in the shops Im sure - inside she had put come and find me!! what an invitation oooeeeerrrr. Well she gave me a few images to play with and this is what ive done. Not as saucy but I still like them. The image is from Pink petticoat I believe. The paper and ribbon from Kanban, card from stock, stamped sentiment from Dovecraft (mini stamps)image coloured with ruby promarker and doodled sitches and kisses. For the first time I have carried the theme on inside the card using the same materials. Oh forgot the punches I used are from woodware and stampin up.



This is another version just changing the sentiments around and this time using 7 gypsies paper. Forgot to mention i have put glossy accents on the heart in the "love". The cards are 5 1/2 inches square.

looking for candy?

check out the links on the right some fabby candy and sherbet to be had just click on the pic to zip over and find out!!

I cant believe it!

My crafty pals came round today. I told them I suspected Tim Holtz may be visiting Dys shop in Feb. Then in the afternoon the email came with Dys newsletter and whopee its true. Quick as a flash we had 6 places booked so we can all go and see the Master in action. I cannot tell you how excited I am! Not just to see the Master but also to be taking my crafty buddies to my fav shop! I Looovvveee Art from the heart and all thats in it. The link below the posts will take you straight there or you can visit via Dys blog. Im still working on the technology to get links!!!
Hope your day has been as good as mine x Will I sleep for the next 3 weeks??????

A new stamp I bought last weekend in the sale. I thought it would be useful to have an "everyday" sort of stamp.The flowers are coloured in with promarkers and along with the hello decoupaged to give some depth. The papers are from basic grey Eva and ribbon from stash.
Another playday tomorrow hurrah - must get my brothers scrapbook finished His birthday was the 19th!!!! but his party is not till the 30th so I plan to have it done for then. Hope your day has been good

Sooo busy!!!

Its been a mad few days here at the Clarke house! On Sat we had a surprise 60th birthday for my mum. She had absolutely no idea!!!! Everyone has been fab at keeping schtumm even the kids. Think she enjoyed it - I just worried peeps didnt have enough to eat! I made Jamie Olivers beef and Ale stew and dumplings and my brother made veggie Chilli but everyone wanted the stew Arghhhh out of 56 people there were only 14 takers for the chilli so the stew and dumplings disappeared fast. So I must try the recipe again as i didnt even get a taste!
Worked the rest of the weekend and Mon and today so am shattered and looking forward to my days off. No playing tomorrow as its Mums actual birthday but Thursday is a play day with my pals Yay!
Check out this blog for some ace blog candy as well as loads of inspiration :0) http://katysbloggeroo.blogspot.com/ Great stash choice huh???

Lovely day yesterday

Had a fab time with my pals Elaine and Michelle - we spent more time howling with laughter than we did crafting but laughter does you so much goo doesnt it? Elaine had a hangover! On Tuesday the clearance firm arrived to empty the hobby room where the fire had got into her house. She knew all her stash was not salvagable but was so upset when they tipped her lovely stuff in the skip. Sooo she had had a bottle of red wine the night before and was a little worse for wear - however was not so grouchy she couldnt have a laugh. We howled when the first thing she told us was that her daughter Charlotte had received her invite to the palace to be presented with her Duke of edinburgh gold award! Wow what an achievement and how lovely she wanted Elaine as her guest to see the ceremony. Elaine however was gutted that the event is in March - "Im still fat" she wailed tucking into an eclair!!! Michelle and I were in stitchs and in dire need of tena ladies!!!!
At lunchtime we met up with two lovely gals I met at the craft retreat in Malham, North yorkshire. Georgina and her daughter Joanne. Georgina is a scream - I sat next to her at the retreat and we giggled away for the whole weekend - shes also an amazing crafter and has a lovely gallery on Docrafts where she goes by the name of Georgy girl if you fancy a mooch. After replenishing craft supplies (michelle bought new papers for a scrapbook layout she was working on - I got bits and bats and Elaine was restrained!) we came back to mine to play and giggle all over again. Quick break for tea then we met with the craft group for a stampin up demo - It was lovely, we made a card and some tags and spent more money on essential stash LOL So yesterday was a super hit as far as I was concerned - the best sort of day :0)
Heres a card I have made for a colleague at work - she adores frogs and hens which is why they are included on the card. Papers basic grey eva, stamps dovecraft and woodware. SU scallop punch, Pink petticoat birthday round (50 added by me)and flower stamp freebie from Craft stamper I think August issue.

A few days off from blogging

but Ive still been busy crafting making cards for the shop my son works in. They only sell a few cards as they are a furniture shop but it all helps keep me in with my stamping addiction!
Here are a couple. Tilda images and Eva papers by basic grey. The little girl card is on acetate so the photo doesnt make it look that brill.

Hope you like them x Hello Jo in Aus xx

I dreamt about making this

Smelli! Borrowed some teddy stamps off my mum last night and went to sleep thinking about what to do with them! I liked the browns in the time flies smelli so much I thought id stick with that colour and recreate an old looking bear. Firstly I stamped the bear onto the smelli then onto some spare card to make a mask. Masking the bear meant I could build up the background colours then overstamp the footprints. The bear is coloured in using promarkers my newest toy (think ive told you that already but I do love them!)He is then outlined in white gel pen to give him definition. I really liked these stamps so plan to play more with them. The stamp set is from Habico and I remember Mum buying them and wondering what could be done with them!

Time flies

This is smelli made for bobs. The theme is time. The background is made using distress inks old paper, tea dye, brushed corderoy building up the colour. Overstamped with time flies and the clock face using brushed corderoy. The butterfly was stamped onto card coloured with tea dye then embossed with distress embossing powder. The butterfly wings then cut out and edges inked and glued onto the card. The clock face is a wax seal added at the end x

last one for today

Heres my atc for the valentine swap on docrafts. As you can see Ive been using up odds and ends from my other projects! Distress ink background - overstamped with same colour using the craft stamper freebie stamp feb issue. Minasie moo papers.
Must tidy up now as we cant eat at the table tonight for my craft mess. I am a dreadfully messy crafter and have taken over the whole 6 seater table! Have really enjoyed my day though and getting on top of my swaps - just got to brave the cold to post them all off now!!!

And a house atc

Lots of exciting swaps going on at the moment - this is a house atc. Ive used distress inks for the background, minasie moo papers, craft stamper border stamp and paperartsy house stamp.
As you can see ive been busy today - these new swaps have really inspired me to get going again. Still gotta finish those birthday books though......

Another smelli

This time for
Helen x The theme was oriental - used white card, Habico stamps and gold Kylon.

Return of the friendship swap

I am also pleased that this swap has returned after a short break. My partner is shell someone I have not swapped with before so i hope she likes what i have made for her.
Distress ink background, overstamped with a flourish and highlighted with gel pen. Butterfly stamped onto basic grey Eva paper twice, cut out and layered up for dimension using silicone. Friend stamped and highlighted.

Smellis rule!

Smellis are a new phenomenon launched by smellihelli from docrafts forum. The same principal as an atc but the shape is a protracter! This one is for suzanne2 and is made using Blonde moments Minasie moo papers, stamps, embossing powder and dusty concord distress inks. I enjoyed the challenge of a new shape so hope they stay around!

This is a card I made last weekend using Dovecraft papers and sentiment stamp, Magnolia image watercoloured in (now you know why I neeeded promarkers!) Woodware scalloped edge punch, shiny card and martha Stewart doily edge punch.

p>

This is another from the weekend Magnolia image. Basic Grey Eva papers. Scalloped oval nestabilites and ribbon from stash

This one one from just before christmas - Think its a Sarah Kay image - not sure as It was given to me. Water coloured in then used Blonde Moments friends junction papers, ribbon from stash and a knaban sticky heart made into an embellishment using the friends junction heart behind. The flower is also cut out from the papers.

I have managed to use my bind it all so will hopefully upload the birthday books tomorrow. Have a good day whatever you are doing x

Isnt snow pretty?

When you dont have to go out into it!! I was on a sleep over at work which basically means you are the second person if something goes wrong in the night - there is a waking night staff too. Once Liz (the night staff) had done her jobs she went to put the water outside from mopping the floor and was met by the beautiful blanket of fresh snow. I peeped out of the curtain like a small child - why does snow arrive at inconvenient times? Its 2 weeks late! We should have had it on Christmas Eve! Still in the middle of the night when all is quiet the snow is an amazing sight!

I really should have been in bed long before I went but Liz is also a crafter. She is a keen family history researcher and busy making scrapbooks to record her relatives on both sides of the family. Im afraid we were talking craft most of the time inbetween jobs. Liz borrowed some mags for inspiration and I gave her a blog tour of my favourite sites. I drooled over Tim Holtz Tags of Christmas yet again and confessed to Liz that I had bought some stamps too. Looks like I will be in Christmas mode all year!

Well this evening Ive been doing more of my birthday books one of which is ready to bind. Now all I need to do is watch the how to DVD for the new bind it all that I was given for christmas by someone far too generous but I love it!

Well ive tried to upload some pics of cards I completed last weekend but its not allowing me to do it so I will try again later. Hope your day went well and you managed to see some magic in the white stuff too!

Oh Buggar! (in a posh voice please!)

What a lovely day ive had today. Michelle could not come after booking into Center Parcs - not a good advert for our crafty group huh! Still she sent a lovely email and will be with us next time.

Lots of busy crafting today - Elaine was stamping and embossing as well as playing with my new promarkers and Barbaras stamps. Elaine had a house fire on 21st November and sadly lost all her craft stuff. People from our craft group and the docrafts forum have been really kind and sent her emergency parcels which have to be honest kept her sane over the last 6 weeks. I think promarkers may be on the shopping list when the insurance company finally pay up.

Debbie was busy scrapbooking her mini break in London with some fantastic views from the London eye - an excellent close up of St Pauls cathedral from it too! Barbara made a birthday card and sadly needed to make a sympathy one too. Once they were finished it was punching and stamping for the rest of the day!

And me - well Ive nothing concrete to show for my day. A partially completed birthday book - the one from Decembers craft stamper and a lot of stamping from Barbaras ever growing collection. My favs being some from Debbie Moore so Ive lots of work still to do before i can show you something from my day.

The post title is really what we have been laughing about today. My 5 year old nephew swore on new years day much to the horror of his parents it was rather funny! We have been swapping stories about children swearing without understanding what they are saying and have howled with laughter. Barbaras had to be the funniest as she replicated how she said "Oh Buggar" as a child in a very posh little voice.




This is Bee - a fabulous lady and great friend who is rather cross at me tricking her into having her pic taken -













and this is the rest of us giggling away! As you can see we are very messy crafters LOL

I am a lucky lady knowing such a fabulous bunch of people x

Son No. 1, Tom is as I type heading back to Bangor uni where he is studying Psychology. I love having all my baby birds at home and find the day hard when one of them goes back to their away from home life. In September James will be doing the same - My babes are growing up and away and that is hard. I am however very proud of them both - Kind, thoughtful (most of the time) and generally good Lads. Both have clear goals they are reaching for and working towards so I am very lucky - Just dont feel it today I suppose!

Also taken down the decs which is another sad day - Love it when its all trimmed up for christmas but I am going to busy myself cleaning up because the girls are coming to craft tomorrow.

I have some Fab crafting buddies and have missed playing with them and listening to their news and ideas - So hopefully Elaine, Michelle, Barbara and Debbie will arrive about 10-30am tomorrow for a day of play. Then we have Katys class in the evening to look forward to too Hurrah!

Above is a Brak (birthday random act of kindness) for a 13 year old. Angel - All that scraps, Papers basic grey Blush, ribbon from stash and sentiment recycled from my birthday cards LOL.

And below is a Rak for a certain someone - hope she likes it!

Well today was my first day back at work for 2 weeks. I hardly slept for worrying I would sleep in for my 7am start! Tim is taking me in to work when he can as we are down to one car since his was bumped in the snow on the 2nd Dec. Hopefully we will be getting another brand new one this month bit will fill you in as that happens.

So after an 8 hour shift and hours nap and a takeaway (what a hard life lol) I settled down to make some atcs. Yes another one of my crafty passions. I have more than 650 miniature works of art from lots of fabby docraft people, the website I most frequent for crafty chatter and ideas. The site is jam packed with lots of inspiration and talent and well worth a visit www.docrafts.co.uk

These atcs are for a Tag swap hosted by my mate Mandy who was the first person I did a 1-1 swap with and a truely gifted crafter.

The background is made using theRanger distress ink pads worn lipstick and peeled paint. I learnt this technique at Art from the heart, with Dyan, and its still one of my fav messy backgrounds! I have overstamped with peeled paint using a little stamp I got off ebay from Malasia. I have highlighted areas of the stamped image with white sakura pen. The butterflies are from blonde moments which I have embossed then painted using the blonde moments pearl pigment powders. I love these powders - they are sooo versatile and another messy medium to play with LOL Think most of these can be purchased from www.afth.co.uk

Then this little atc, which is a totally different style altogether is a Rak for Mandy. Rak stands for Random act of kindness so I send a Rak just because I want to and not expecting anything in return. The little Angel is from All that scraps and is coloured using promarkers - my newest toy - and gel pen for the wings. The paper is by basic grey -wassail and the ribbon from my stash (one day I may photograph my obscene ribbon collection and share it with you it is an addiction to keep buying them!)The punched lacy edge is another new toy doily edge punch by Martha Stewart.

Sorry about the pic its not the best I will try harder next time x

Well not sure how to begin this blog. One of my new years resolutions is to start a blog and try to post every other day work allowing. I suppose I should begin with a little about me.

I am 42, a mother of 3 fabulous kids Tom 21, James 19 Meghan and 13. I am a Resource Centre Worker, which is a fancy name for a social care worker, in a respite centre for children and young people who are learning disabled. This is my second time of working here as I worked in the same place before I had Tom and as this stint has been since 1991 I must like the place, staff and young people!

One of the Team leaders set me off crafting 4 years ago buying me a kit from QVC for scrapbooking. Although I had always been crafty, knitting, sewing, cross stitch, I never considered myself arty (not sure I do now!!). Well I have not looked back! I joined the Art from the Heart scrapbooking club in 2006 and was hooked to Dyans style of work and from hating paints and inks and anything messy really now the messier the better is what i prefer. This is some of my work from the last month.