Try it on Tuesday Altered dreams

Its the last Tuesday of the month again so time to alter things at Try it on Tuesday - sponsored by our great friends at the Craft Barn. If you ever plan to visit then this weekend is an excellent time to stop by - Not only is the barn filled with celeb crafters this weekend our fabulous team mate Neil is giving demos there too! Neil is very talented and definitely someone who can fill you with inspiration so do stop by if you can, say hello, stock up on stash and generally have an excellent crafty time!
So onto this weeks theme - alter it with dreams. Chosen by my ultra gorgeous pal Georgina. I may have told you before how wonderful this lady is - in truth there are not words to describe what a wonderful person she is inside and out so I will not go on too much! Anyway Georgina challenged us to alter something with the theme of dreams so I chose this fab little project inspired by another uber talented teamie Yvonne (My team mates inspire me all the time!). A couple of years ago Yvonne made me a gorgeous post if note wallet which has been such a useful as well as decorative gift so I thought I would have a play for another non crafty pal whose birthday was at the weekend. The papers are gorgeous and double sided but have no name so I could not tell you who designed them. The stamp is from ebay eons ago, unmounted again with no name. the flowers, pearls and ribbon are all from stash.
Here is what it looks like inside. Just a little gift but such fun to make. I used mountboard inside the papers to give the cover some strength.

As ever my Try it on Tuesday team mates have been very creative so do stop by and check out all the fun projects. You may like to dream up something yourself............

happy crafting x Janet

Rockin' my world Friday!

So its Friday again Rockettes and I am around to play along. I've been holding back my news all week to share today so I have a BIG NO1 to tell you!

1) I had a specialist appointment on Tuesday and he says I can apply for my license back! Well actually he didn't think I had surrendered it thought I could just drive straight away - I won't query why he doesn't know the laws about what you have to tell the DVLA about your fitness to drive but I know I went through all the proper channels . i may have to wait about 3 weeks before I get the bit of paper and yes I still have to prise the car away from Tim occasionally but it will be sooo good to have that bit of independence back!

2) As always my family and friends for putting up with my foibles, whims and especially my craft obsessions!

3) docrafts - now I have been part of this forum for over 5 years now and it really is an amazing place. Last weekend we found out DD suffers from Polycystic ovarian syndrome in both ovaries. Quite a discovery for a 15 year old to cope with however I asked on docrafts if anyone would be willing to share their "story" via a private email and I was overwhelmed by the lovely response - all positive - giving their story, offering advice , books to read, websites to visit and a whole new forum to introduce us to. This was wonderful and has made the information so much easier for our Megs to cope with - the forum we were told about has a whole teen section to it so she can "chat" to other teens about the problems and how she feels which is great. I have to say I think the docrafts community really is amazing and although most folks you will never meet - they do become cyber friends. I have met folks through it who have become dear friends - So I will always be grateful to docrafts for giving me that community.

4) Crafting friends - the last couple of days has seen me meet up with a few crafting buddies which has been brilliant always good to chat and craft.

5) Colleagues - we have been fighting a difficult issue at work and as ever I seem to have been the spokesperson and getting on the bosses nerves! - the situation reached a head last week when we sent the boss a letter signed by us all outlining our grievance and he agreed to meet with us on Tuesday. I asked everyone to voice their concerns and not just leave it to me and they did! I hardly said anything really as they said it all - it didn't change anything but it did make the Boss see we were all saying the same thing and it really is a group concern. I felt very proud of them. Not sure where we go from here with the issue but it was really heartening to see us working together to try and resolve the whole issue. I was a Union rep for quite some years but stood down about 6 years ago but I really hate injustice and if I think I am not being treated fairly or my colleagues aren't I get quite fired up. Think this is the first time my Boss has seen me like this as I am usually quiet, compliant and always up for doing what needs to be done . Think he is going to see a different side over the next few months as I become inflexible and pedantic about what he wants from me. Such a shame but he really has asked for it LOL. So Yay for solidarity with workmates!

Stop by the Celtic house - home of Rockin' your world Friday and share more positives to kick start a great weekend x

Hope your Friday rocks !!

My Christmas card classes

Okay so I don't normally share my Christmas passion here but I thought I would today and show you what I have been up to this month. I have a Christmas card class twice a month here at home where the same theme is repeated for each session in that month - this month its been leftovers and diecuts. The card above is my favourite although I find the white space a little alarming I am trying hard not to add to it!
As you can see the papers are really old ones and mixed with some stamping I am hoping to wade through my old stash to make way for new stuff!
All the inks are distress inks - papers are by papermania and stamps, snowflake Tim Holtz, snowflakes verse butterfly kisses and the sentiment stampin up.
The stunning die cuts are Tim Holtz dies which I love - I only bought the tree as it was dirt cheap but its a gorgeous die and so easy to use. These 4 were made at last nights session so quick and easy cards were the order of the day and the top 2 are flat for postage with an ordinary stamp too! next month we are stamping with Tim Holtz stamps so that should be fun! I have been surprised how popular the Christmas card class is - Ihave been trying to use ideas which will be of use for everyday but folks do seem to enjoying getting ready early which is fab!

Hope your day is good x

Janet

Try it on Tuesday The wild card!

This is the extra week this month so we have a wild card challenge - we challenge you to make something a little different from normal - this week its scraplings. Now if you dont know what a scrapling is the do stop by Try it on Tuesday not only is there great inspiration there but a link to someone who explains perfectly what they are!

my little scrapling is the end of a card when i made a square card from an A4 sheet and to keep with the scraps bit I have used scraps on my scrapling too! All these elements are from Stampin up from a tiny project I will share on Thursday. I quite enjoyed the size and shape of this so may make a few more!

Have a great Tuesday x Janet

Busy busy busy

Yesterday was The Stamp Man open day, met some wonderful crafters "waves" ,new friends and old. This was my make and take project using the wonderful nestie stamps Jill has designed. These fit perfectly into the petite scalloped circle die. Working in monochrome is lovely one of my favourite colour combinations for sure. If you did come along then you will have bagged some huge bargains as Jill and Ian have been having a huge sort out of stock - the sale room was full to bursting which also spilled out into the shop too - amazing!

Now its not too late to pop along and bag the bargains as there are still lots left - the shop is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10-4 and Saturday 11-4. Keep an eye out for more open days too!
When I was tidying my stash away last night I found this bit of stamping I had done for a mini book but then changed colour scheme so I then turned it into a card. See the little blue heart? that's one of my bargains from yesterday. Stamped with coffee archival and a jump ring added its a perfect charm for a card or any other crafting project - this is one of the sale room bargains - about 20 of these little beauties in assorted colours, shapes and size for £1 - I know its a bargain aright! The rest of the card is made using stamps from Tim Holtz and off course distress inks a bit of layering and its ready to send to a cyber craft buddy who has been sending me lots of poppy cards and bits and bobs for the ladies group - Creative Crew - who should be ready to sell their cards via their own website very soon!

Today is a chill day - tidy up a little, catch up on the washing/ironing and a roast chicken dinner for tea with the family. Big news to celebrate - our Tom has got a job at last and starts on Monday - nothing flash but he will be employed so we are very thankful.

Our James had a successful "paid" gig last week too which went really well so he is really happy and in turn so are we :0)

Happy Sunday folks x

Mr MoJo please come back I miss you!

Went to my local shop for a craft day yesterday - a whole day surrounded by stash and folks full of ideas and I just felt MoJo less! This book is a commission from a colleague - for another colleague who gets married in August. Her hen do is a week somewhere hot with 5 friends so the idea is all her pals give her a piece of advice by writing it in the book - advice on married life and how to keep the harmony!
So as it was for the hen week I thought I would go hen themed - perfect to use my Crafty individuals hen stamp. I have attempted this book a few times over the last few weeks and didn't like what I was doing so as I was at the shop I decided to get some papers I liked and work it around that. The title of the book is "clucking from the hen coup" which I thought sounded a bit of fun but now I am not so sure LOL.
Anyway papers are Echo Park I believe - the letters I am not sure but they were in the sale section. CI stamps and peeled paint and barn door distress inks. So now its done (this took me 3 hours (Can't believe I took so long with bits of paper!) and I will pass it on later today. I did also manage 3 days of my advent calendar so I am up to no 17! Hope I feel more excited after my planning session with Michelle at lunch time!

Hope you are having a great Wednesday x

Janet

ps am loving google chrome!

Try it on Tuesday - Rolling back the years!

Over on Try it on Tuesday - I picked the theme this week which is to roll back the years till the 70s - think TV programmes, music, fashion, colours lots of scope with this one. The 70s brought us Grease, saturday night fever, the bay city rollers, the Osmonds, Flares, boob tubes (never could wear one of those) and satin trousers.Colours - well nothing was out of bounds along with metallics, stripes, paisley patterns, pink and purple. For TV remember Ivor the engine? the clangers? the Cedar tree - anyone remember that one? Grange Hill, As you can see I have chosen a TV programme - the wonderful Bagpuss. TV was such a treat in the 70s only 3 channels for a start and kids programmes were on a set times in the day. I remember seeing Bagpuss with my little brothers and sisters and when I had kids I introduced them to the big saggy cloth cat who was so endearing.
My niece and nephew enjoyed the revival in the noughties too. When our M was just a toddler one of his favourite toys at our house was a Bagpuss mouse who sang "we will mend it we will mend it we will stick it with glue glue glue, we will stickle it every little bit of it , we will make it like new, new, new" - he loved it and we loved seeing his little face light up when he heard it sing. We now have the boxed dvd collection so Bagpuss is really special at this house and available at any time for a little fond nostalgia :0) ( My SIL has the professor as bookends on her mantle shelf so the whole family is a little Bagpuss mad!)

Stamps I have had a few years - cant remember who they are made by . Papers are by stampin up, the friend ticket stamp is from pink gems and I have used promarkers to colour.

Hope you feel inspired to join in - stop by the Try it on Tuesday blog for more inspiration and to add your entry.

Hope all is well with you and yours. The next bit is not about the challenge so please feel free to move on if you hate moaning!

Its been a rollercoaster the last few days On Friday I had my first vertigo attack in 10 and a half months. I felt it coming on and at full pelt I was unable to move for about an hour. It stopped me doing a class for the disabled ladies we work with and left me emotional, drained and feeling pretty helpless. In some ways having them regularly means I never forget what they do to me - it has been so long I forgot how disabling and helpless they make me feel.

I think I may have had a virus last week as I had very loud tinnitus, was very deaf and also had headaches Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I must confess I wept most of Friday afternoon - partly as the attack makes me feel so emotional and partly through feeling so sad that I have no control over it at all - None. Thats what I hate about the condition having no control whatsoever - I had lulled myself in to a false sense of security and wham it reminds me all over again.

Still only had Friday to wallow as back to work Sat, Sun and Mon and that in its self does me good - I hope this disease never stops me from working as working really does keep me going in the sanity department - no time to think about myself when there is a job to do and people needing caring for and I have been fine - tired but fine - and this week is a busy one so no time to wallow. Sorry for moaning but it does help getting it all out.

Am off for a days crafting today so its a chill day got 2 commissions on the go that I must finish asap so wish me luck. Happy Crafting folks x Janet

Huge thanks

To those who took the time to read my plea and leave a comment. thanks to suggestions I am now using Google Chrome and so far all is working as it should - phew. wow I never thought I would get so stressed over blogger LOL

hope your Monday is like mine starting off well x Janet

Help!!!

Since bloggers blip on Thursday/ Friday I am having such problems. I can access my blog, can get to my dashboard but as soon as I leave the dashboard to go elsewhere it signs me out. So I sign back in and it takes me to the dashboard and the same thing happens all over again.

I thought that signing out myself may help so clicked on sign out on the dashboard it clears the screen and then takes me back to the dashboard again.

This is so frustrating when I cannot leave comments on any blogs. I cannot access my admin blogs except to leave an actual post and the whole thing is very annoying. I seem to be only having this problem with blogger so has anyone any ideas? I didnt realise how much I would be lost without blogger I must say but then this to boot arrrggghhh!
please please help!

Don't you just love candy??

Last weekend I met the most wonderful artist - Clare Bloom. Clare is the designer of a wonderful whimsical range of stamps called Molly Blooms. Based on her children as they grew up Clare has captured the innocence and playfulness of childhood and with the beautiful accessories she has designed to compliment the figures the whole range is just gorgeous.
If you are new to Clare's work then I urge you to visit her blog. The colour palates she uses and the way she turns each card into a piece of art is wonderful so do stop by her blog here


My reason for posting the picture is I have just found the blog of a gorgeous little shop in Northallerton which I have visited with my lovely friends Joanne and Georgina. Georgina introduced me to these characters at Christmas and the shop is filled with the most gorgeous stamps and of course other stash to make beautiful art. Today I discovered not only is there a shop blog but this gorgeous candy too which is to be drawn on the 15th of May. If you would like a chance to win such a wonderful prize then do stop by The paper lane blog it could be you! Please let them know I sent you too!

Try it on Tuesday - One for the boys

Go on then guess who got a new die last week at the Stamp Man??? Michelle and I spotted them and just had to have them - isnt he fab? So over on TioT the theme is One for the boys - perfect opportunity to use the die and phew Michelle didnt use hers LOL!
Now this was done super quick after my Christmas card ladies left last night - last minute again so was made with supplies close at hand - lush stampin up papers left over from the scrapbook day on Saturday and some black card. not one bit of stamping but some black soot distress ink for the edges.

these words jumped out from the text papers making me feel a little guilty that I had so little time for the tag so nothing for it but to add them in!

I paper pieced the umberella and added some stickles to it. I wanted to do the hat too but could not get it to look in proportion to his face so I left it. The photo corners are a stampin up punch - 2 sizes on the punch - love it!

Now if you play along with TioT this week there are a few goodies to win and my team mates have made some amazing tags so its worth stopping by and checking it out on the Try it on Tuesday blog.

Have a great day x

Janet

Just a quickie!

Hubby asked me to make a Thank you card so whipped this up quick last night - stamps by stampin up. Papers by prima, doily edge punch Martha stewart, ribbon from stash - butterfly an old but well loved wood mounted stamp and card blank from kanban.

Got another charity do to prepare for today with my lovely pal Kerry who is running it so we have 100 card kits to prepare using donated stuff - Huge thanks to Jill at The Stamp Man for some gorgeous goodies sure to go down well x

The Stamp Man challenge - Poppies

Most of you know about my Poppy quest (click on the page above if you don't for more info) and Jill and Ian have kindly agreed to support us too - full details at the stamp man challenge blog
I have gone for a very basic and clean look and hoped to achieve a look of a medal on the card. The ribbon is some recycled ribbon left over from Christmas and matched the poppy colour perfectly. The Poppy is a hero arts cling flower . You can't see too well but I have embossed some lines onto the card blank which is one of the large 6 and 1/2 inch square cards - a lovely size to work with. The nestability shape is labels 5 which works perfectly with the stamps Jill has designed - this one is especially for this challenge and is lovely.
I do hope you feel like playing along with the challenge it would be great to visit your projects and if I get to see some in real life too I will be thrilled.
Happy Crafting folks x
Janet

Rocking my world Friday

Well this week has been a bumpy ride I must say hospital appointments with DD on Tuesday and the turbulance at work Tuesday through to Thursday but I am happy to report my gratefuls this week and have not got too far to dig to find them.
1) As always my family nothing special just because I wouldn't function without them x

2) My friends - today is a lovely day as my pals Emma, Andy and Georgina are coming for the weekend - they are fabulous folks who brighten my life just by being there. Never any pressure they accept me for who I am and still come to stay- good job as I am No domestic Goddess as the notice warns them as they come throught the door! Tomorrow we celebrate National scrapbooking day together - the 5th time I have organised something so we will be joined by some of my other crafty chums too - lovely

3) The weather - another glorious week - a little rain yesterday but the gardens needed it! another week of dry washing too!

4) B&M bargains! yes I know this is a funny one but Michelle and I were out scouting for men gifts yesterday for workshop ideas and we found a beaut! Tis a secret for now but we have laughed a lot at it and laughter is good for the soul is it not?

5) Craft stamper! it was late again - I just cant cope when its late - I count the hours to the postie coming again - must have been the bank holiday that delayed it but hurrah it arrived yesterday - as always a fab read - I am so greedy I devoured every detail last night before bed only another 4 weeks to go before the next issue - I wonder how many times I will thumb this one? I tided up beside my bed last night and my issues are rather well looked at - I revisit old issues inbetween the new ones for inspiration and love trying out the projects. So there my secret is out I am a CS junkie!

Hope your week has gone well - I am out at The Stamp Man today playing again and awaiting the arrival of friends - really looking forward to the weekend and hope you have good things planned too x

Janet

Try it on Tuesday Something old something new

This fab theme was chosen by our team mate Carole with the stipulation we had to use something older than 6 months and something newer than 6 months.
As Michelle and I had card projects to prepare anyway we did them together - so there are a few old things here - the easel card - been around ages now but a style that's going to stay me thinks, the heart brad is definitely old possibly more than 4 years!!! The stamps I have used are a new set with a bit of an old set combination as the lace comes from an old set from long ago and the nestie stamps are new ones from the Stamp man .
As you can see we have gone for a monochrome look which is for an upcoming Make and Take session. More about that soon.
Try it on Tuesday is sponsored by One Stop card crafts this week. A brilliant place for a wee bit of retail therapy so do stop by and check them out.
Back at work today so although I am fired up with MoJo - thanks Michelle - I am pushed for time - maybe I will get an hour in the morning to play. hope you enjoy raiding your stash for old and new things to use - i love what my team mates have done always such a creative bunch and some fab techniques too! do stop by Try it on Tuesday and check them out.

The Stamp Man atc swap

We are late with this months theme with all the weekend excitement i forgot yesterday was the 1st May LOL. Anyway here is my Friendship atc for the swap this month. I used adirondack inks sunshine yellow and juniper the overstamped with timber brown stazon. I used 2 freebie stamps from craft stamper as well as a creative expressions sewing stamp set and Tim Holtz shabby french for the words.

Hope everyone is well. I've had a mixed week - work is soooo hard at the moment and very stressful I have not known what to do with myself when I get home I have been so wound up. I have had no MoJo - zilch - so have not even had my usual crafting outlet. I did manage 2 cards but they were not brilliant and have gone off to their recipient with no pics taken.

Still I am hoping Michelle can kick start me again as I am going to hers today for a Lovin' Ink planning meeting for upcoming workshops. We like to plan 6 months in advance if we can so up to Christmas needs to be sorted. We like to bounce ideas around based on what we like, what we have seen and trends that are developing. Usually after these meetings I am fired up and raring to go so I hope today is no exception!