Hey! Back in blogland.

I've had 6 months off from blogland, actually some might say 6 months off from more than that, but it's time for me to get back into it. So I've re-jigged my blog and will be posting twice a week photos of my makes aswell as the goings on in my barmy life.

Snow Day!

Wow! How fab has the snow been today? It looks so peaceful and calm when it's snowed but it causes so much havoc. There was no school for Faye today and no after school club for Leah so I finished early to collect her from school. We got changed straight away and took the dog and the sledge to the wood for an hour.

I gave Leah lessons on building a snowman (rolling big snowballs) and made a head that big that i couldn't lift it on top of his bloody body!
I bet there are huge snowballs left instreets all over the place, you know like that artist (Andy somebody). The kids in our street have done it. Not sure if it was in the name of art though...

I made this card just before Chrsitmas for my lovely friend Linz' birthday. Let me know if you want a supply list.

Hope your snow day was as good as mine.



Lou x

Here are my babes.....

.....and the reasons I get distracted from crafting!

These were taken in Whitby during the Chrsitmas break.

This is Spence on one of our trots around Fryston Wood.

These are some tags I've made to put in the Folksy shop I haven't set up yet.

Do you know what? I've really been fancying doing some sewing just lately. I bought the 4th issue of Sew Hip today and NEED to buy vintage fabrics. I'm going to trawl the charity shops in Pontefract tomorrow and car boot on Sunday. I've got ideas to stamp on Calico but haven't got any and need to research what ink I can stamp on fabric with. do you know you can make a tote bag out of a pillowcase? How fab is that? I NEED to make one. Of course I'll post the results. My only worry is that my sewing machine chews up the thread underneath the fabric which really tests my patience. Iv'e asked Ed to service said sewing machine but don't think he's interested.

Anyway enjoy your weekend lovelies.

Lou x

Has anyone seen.....

...my MOJO? It's gone AWOL! I have done a bit of creating but they are all cased projects. There's not really much I can call my own. I've taken a weeks leave to be off with my girls this week and have done these few bits and my MOJO is gradually coming back.I've been a bit stressed(for a change)and am working full time so haven't got as much time to craft even if the ideas were flowing. Even the delivery of new stamp sets hasn't managed to get me going. I have stroked them lots and ooo'd and ahh'd over them though. I have eventually used them on these cards and am happy with the end results.

To help I've used some inspirational sketches. This one is Mojo Monday sketch 58.

Supplies: All SU (unless otherwise stated)

Stamps: Crazy For cupcakes, Circle of Freindship

Cardstock and Papers: Whisper White base, Pink Passion,. Summer Fun, Only Orange, Regal Rose

Ink: Basic Gray

Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch Non SU Ribbons, Stickles

The next one using the same supplies and Stamp set uses a sketch from Cats Pyjamas Designer Team Member Leigh. I have embossed the whole image with crystal clear embossing powder so it's super sparkly. I've coloured the images using my Watercolour pencils.

This one is a complete case of a card by Beate for Ed's Mum's birthday on Friday. (snigger at Mother in Law's birthday on Halloween!!)

Supplies: All SU! unless otherwise stated

Stamps:Pocket Shilloettes, Cheers and Wishes, Season of Joy

Cardstock:Old Olive, choc Chip, Bordering Blue, Whipser White

Ink:Basic Gray, Bordering Blue

Accessories:Choc Chip Double Stitched Ribbon,Rhinestone Brads, White Signo Pen, Nestabilities oval die, Woodware large Scallop Circle punch, Flower Punch, Ticket punch, Coluzzle, Non SU! Watercolour pencils,

I've got a few more bits to show you that I'll upload tomorrow using some of the new sets and papers from the new catalogue. I feel a bit more inspired now I've shown you those!

Bye for Now

Lou x

P.S. Look at these gorgeous little bundles of gorgeousness. They're my sisters new additions to the family. A pair of Jugs! Cross between a Pug and a Jack Russell. Coco and Alfie. Spencer tolerates them but is not that keen because they keep biting his nose! Bless him.

I am a bad blogger!!!!!!

I can't believe 2 weeks have passed since I last posted. You know what they say 'Time flies when you are having fun!' Well I can't say that I've been having loads of fun but things are certainly mostly good at the moment. To be honest I've lost my Mojo for crafting. I started doing a Halloween mini album and that's when my Mojo went AWOL. I can't do Halloween. It's a bit like I used to be with cards for men. I have a gorgeous new set from SU from the new catalogue that is lovely for men 'For Father'. Not actually made any cards yet but I do have an idea in my head. Here's a sneak peak
It's in the new catalogue that should be landing on my doormat any time now.


I had been doing a lot of Christmas makes before my Mojo went in preparation for the October workshop. Here's a peak of a project I am working on using another of the new sets from the new SU catalogue 'Season of Joy'. Scrumptious! The colours are not great on these photos. Took them this morning while I had time but there wasn't much daylight!

Have fun!

Lou x

Summer Mini Book

I went to Carol's yesterday and had a lovely afternoon. Carol organised for us to make a mini paper bag book with a Summer theme. Carol supplied some lovely mini paper bags and had lots of summery themed stamps, dies etc on hand for us to use. I'd had a look at what photos I've not scrapped yet(loads) and decided to make my book about last years holiday in Alcudia. My printer is not well so I couldn't print out the photos i needed but got the gist of the colours etc I would need.
This is my end product!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I only got half way through at carol's but couldn't stop when I got home and finished it last night. I'll post photos again of the completed book with photos and journalling when my printer is working again.

Thanks Carol I had a fab time again.

Lou x

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Hero Arts -moments, Family

Paper: Sandylion DP, SU Cardstock -Certainly Celry, So Saffron, Bashful Blue, Regal Rose, Bazzill

Ink: SU -Taken with Teal, Versamark,

Accessories: 3 4" paperbags, Sizzix and Quickutz dies, Prima Flowers, Buttons, Paper Yarn and Ribbons, MM Hardware, rub ons and stickers, Shrink plastic, SU Tab punch, Cuttlebug Embossing folders, SU Stampin write marker.

The Retirement List is up!

Hi Crafters!
The new Stampin' Up! catalogue is being realeased on 1st October, so to make way for all those lovely new products we have to say goodbye to some of the ones in the current catalogue.These products will only be available while stocks last. So if you want any don't hang about ordering them! The list can be found here.
Good news! The prices have been evaluated for the new catalogue and some items have been reduced in price. EG. Designer papers will be £7.75 and were £8.50. The new prices have been taken into account for the Retirement List, so grab yourself a bargain!
Bye for now!

louise x

I had a lovely day at the craft fair at the National Coal Mining Museum, Wakefield on Saturday. It was unusually quite but I met some lovely people. I did a door prize draw and the winner is Mrs E Bromby who has won £10 to spend in the Stampin Up! catalogue. Congratulations! Your prize will be posted out to you tomorrow. Thanks to everyone else who took part.

I made these super quick cards last week. I just love the spiral punch. I've used creamy caramel and Bashful Blue card stock for the base of the cards. I cut a small piece of Whisper White and used the spiral punch along the top edge. The Circle of Friendship stamps were stamped in Close to Cocoa and punched out with the 1" circle punch. Then more layers were cut using the 1 3/8" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch and Scallop circle punch. Dimensionals were used to pop these and then added to the card. Some Bashful Blue Taffeta ribbon was added and voila, done! Piece of cake. I did these in lots of other colour combos too. Old Olive and Real Red, Pretty in Pink and Creamy Caramel, Certainly celery and creamy Caramel. I think these would make a great card to demonstrate.

I'm having problems uploading today and unfortunately this is the only one I can get to upload. will keep trying as I have stacks to show you!

Happy crafting!

Lou xx

Busy busy!

Sorry I haven't posted for a while. I've been busy with the school holidays, my lush new job and preparing for a craft fair on Saturday at the National Coal mining Museum, Wakefield. I''ve crafted my socks off so should have plenty to show you. I'll try and post Saturday night or definately Sunday with mini books, stationary sets, and of course cards! I've also not had an August workshop so promise an extra special September one to celebrate the new catalogue and National Cardmaking Week. Details to follow.
Take care everyone.
Happy Crafting
Lou x

and the winner is.............................

Lindsey Williamson

Linz has won the blog candy I had up for grabs to celebrate the hits on my blog!

My little helper Leah picked Lindsey's name out of a hat.

Your Candy is on it's way to you Linz. Enjoy!


Two quickies here to show you. Because I am the super efficient and organised person I am I had to spruce up two bottles of wine for the girls teachers at 8am on Friday morning! So I basically made two tags to tie on to the bottles! I did make a 2,4,6,10 box for one. It didn't go too well but was ok. Unfortunately Faye forgot to take it with her so I drank Mr Rollinson's bottle last night! I did have plans (as always) to mkae a little gift album or similar forthe two teachers but didn't get around to it. All teachers love wine anyway don't they?!

Anyway, I'm off. It's too hot to be inside.

Bye for now.

Lou x

Busy Weekend!

I've had quite a busy weekend. firstly on Friday night I had a lovely night with Linz, Carol, Cath, Yvonne, Joanne, Leah and Lynn at a workshop at my house. It was lovely to see everyone. I've been totally inspired and have started a mini album in citrus colours hopefullt to be finished later this week. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet. Will definately be selling it but not sure where yet. (thinking aloud here)! I've been listing some more old non SU! Stamps and craft bits on Ebay today, check it out and grab yourself a bargain!!!

Anyway, we have been thinking about getting a dog for a while now. So, on Saturday we decided to visit a couple of kennels. It was so upsetting to see so many dogs needing homes. We visited the Dogs Trust in Leeds and we all fell in love with 15 month old Spencer, a Patterdale terrier. We took him out for a walk and he is just so lovely that we decided to adopt him!!! We should be able to bring him home with us on Friday. We've walked him again today and he is just full of character and really obedient.

Here he is-

I've just ordered the Tailgating standard wheel to make dog announcement cards to send out!!!

Here's a card I did really quickly last week in my favourite colours of the week - Taken with Teal (Yum), Close to Cocoa (Yum Yum) and Creamy Caramel (Yum Yum Yum).It's the Seeing Spots set randomly stamped across the centre of a 5x5 card front. The corners were softened with a corner rounder. The sentiment is from the Cheers and Wishes set. I used a Creamy Caramel Water Colour crayon and wet it with a paint brush for the smallest stamp that's just visible, then flicked it on to the cardstock for a speckled effect. We were shown this technique at the Leeds SU! Expereince tour.We did something similar to this for the Make and take on Friday night.

This is another quick one from this week. I used the Time for a tree roller and coloured using pencils and Odourles thinners. I matted this on not Quite Navy C/S and ran the Whisper White card base through the Cuttlebug Snowflake embossing folder. My first Christmas card fof the year! Beter get a move on and do more!

Don't forget to comment on the thread below to take part in my BLOG CANDY GIVEAWAY!!!!

Take care

Lou x

FREEBIES!!!!!!!!!

To celebrate my blog getting to 1000 hits, Woohoo! I am going to giveaway some Blog Candy Yay! I have made a Stampin Up! Soft Subtles bundle. There is an A5 sheet of cardstock in each of the 12 colours in the Soft Subtles colour Family plus Very Vanilla and Whisper White. Brads, buttons and ribbons. I have also stamped up a sheet of images from the Simply Said set in , you've guessed it .....Soft Subtles!

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning the candy, is leave a comment to this post and I will randomly pick a winner next Friday at 4pm.

Staying with the SoftSubtles colour family , here's a card I made for the inspiration challenge on In love with Stamping froum ITC1. The bird is from the little Spring Fling set.

I did this card yesterday for a friend who wanted a 5oth Anniversary card. I've raised the people on the stamped image on dimensionals. I don't usually do mettalic but i quite like the waxy stuuf i rubbed on the cuttlebug embossed background. I got it free with a magazine years ago and have no idea what it is! The set is summer by the sea and Cheers and Wishes.

I've got a workshop at mine tonight with some of my crafting buddies and I'm looking forward to that. Also going to have a look around some rescue kennels for a little dog at the weeekend. So hopefully going to have a lovely weekend.

Hope you have agood one too.

Lou x

I've got an award!!!!

Wow! I've got my first Blog award!

Thanks Abi.

Abi's Blog

The rules for this award are:
1. The winner can put the logo on their blog.
2. Link the person you received your award from.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links to these blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs you have nominated.

So I'm going to give awards to:

1. http://lindseywilliamson.blogspot.com/

2 http://cazamataz.blogspot.com/

3. http://reneevs.blogspot.com/

4. http://mypaperprojects.blogspot.com/

5. http://craftystorage.blogspot.com/

6. http://michellescraftypaper.typepad.com/

7. http://justgivemestamps.typepad.com/

check them all out and let me know what you think

will be back later to post a photo

Lou x

Blog Candy

For the chance to win some gorgeous blog candy hop over to this very talented lady's (Ila) blog and leave a comment. Then take a peak at her gorgeous creations!
Louise x

Cupcake Tower

It was my Mum's 60th Birthday yesterday and we had a bit of a party at her house to celebrate. With a lot of help from Leah, my youngest daughter, we cobbled this together!

I made these two cards last week, inbetween baking 80 cupcakes, in my fave colours at the moment - Chocolate Chip, Bashful Blue, Very Vanilla and Close to Cocoa. Mmm, sounds good enough to eat!

The stamp set is the Level 1 hostess set Pretty Posy. The punches are Scallop Circle and 13/8" circle. All supplies are Stampin' Up!

Have loads more to post. Will try and upload more this week.

Double pocket card

I hope everyone had a great night on Monday at the Stampin' Up! expereince tour. I know I did! Can't wait for the next, especially if it's going to be as close as Leeds. I'll post pics of the lovely make and takes later today.

I've been busy in my craft room again this week, I even give it a good tidy up on Sunday and it's looking lovely now!


My first photo is a double pocket card that I have used as a money wallet.

The two pockets inside are envelopes cut down to size.

I cut two cards and added a round tab punch to each and a strap to one to hold the money in.

The card is held closed with a 'clasp' made by layering up a 1", 1 3/8", 1 1/14" circles and a scallop circle mounted on a dimensional.

I've used Green Galore and Tempting Turquoise card stock, Taken with Teal ink pad, Seeing spots and Circle of Freindship stamp sets. All supplies Stampin' Up!

Please visit this ladies blog for a video tutorial of how to make this card. http://dawnsstampingthoughts.typepad.com/dawns_stampin_studio/

Bye for now

Lou x

In Love with Stamping

There's a new website and forum for Stampin' Up! demonstrators and customers called in love with stamping. It's really good and worth a visit or 5! Click here to visit


I've got some free time today for a bit of crafting so I'm going to get on with some of SCS challenges for this week.

I'm having problems with my camera so I'm uploading a few cards I did earlier in the year. All supplies are Stampin up! If you need more info please contact me



Thanks for looking again.



Lou x



I'm so excited that people are looking at my blog and can't beleive the counter is upto 800 already. I'm planning a giveaway for when I get to 1000 posts. More details to follow.

Stampin Up! Open Night in Leeds

Hi
Stampin' Up! are having an Open night at The village Hotel, Headingley, Leeds on 30th June 7-9pm.
There's going to make and takes, demonstrations and prize draws. There will be the chance to learn more about Stampin Up! and becoming a demo if you're interested. It's all free!
If you are interested in coming along, I'll be there with a few of my crafting buddies, please let me know and I'll send you an invitation which will be used to enter you into the prize draw. It should be a good night!
Lou x

I'm back!!!!

I'm back from my hols now. We had two fantastic weeks in Rhodes for my friends wedding.
I went to Carol's on Saturday which kicked started me back into crafting. I stamped off a few of Linz' new Magnolia stamps and will post later what I made.
I've got loads to upload to here. I've got most of the ironing and washing done from the hols so might get time tonight to post some more.

There's a few really good promotions on at the moment from Stampin Up! If you're interested please email me for more info or to order.

The first one is E-scape-

Put down the phone, turn off the computer, and break free from the ‘e’!
Remember when you got letters in your letterbox instead of your inbox? This month, unplug, unwind, and reconnect with your friends and loved ones through handmade cards. eScape with Stampin’ Up!
Connect with your "wireless network" by attending or hosting an eScape event. Take advantage of the 25% discount on select products when you purchase the eScape bundle, and create that special message from the heart.

The event I am hosting is

on Sunday 22nd June 2008

from 11am until 3pm

at my house in Castleford, West Yorkshire

The Make and take(class)will be a small box containing 4 love notes using the Circle of Friendship Set.

I will be demonstrating the coloured pencil and Sansador technique (instructions, templates and some freebies to take away too)

There will be a prize draw, challenges and the chance to look at Stampin Up! products and samples and to place an order.

There's a small charge of £5 per person which includes a light lunch and refreshments.

Booking essential.

Email me for more details or to book your place.

Stampin Up! have created a bundle to celebrate

eScape Bundle
includes

Love notes assortment

Circle of Freindship Stamp Set

1 1/4" Circle Punch

The bundle price is £28.39

with a saving of 25% of the catalogue price.

If you would like to order please email me.

Please check out other Promotions in the left hand coloumn under June Promotions .

Wild about You!!!

I borrowed Linz' Wild About You set on Saturday. It's lush and I've been none stop with it ever since! I did want to do some pastel shades for baby cards with it but you know when it's just not happening.....



I'm loving using my sanded background stamp at the moment. You might be able to tell, it's on a lot of my stuff at the moment!

I've used Close to cocoa, Very Vanilla, Bordering Blue, Creamy caramel. So Saffron, Tempting Turquoise, Mellow moss, Green Galore. More Mustard and Old Olive Card stock.

Inks: Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip, Bashful Blue and Versamark and Pastels.

The ribbon used is all Whisper White but coloured with a marker pen in choc Chip.

Also used : Nestabilities, Sizzix circle die, Stampin@ Up! Round Tab Punch.



I've done a pop up sliding card, but it just didn't photo well so I'll show that another time.



Had a lovely time Saturday afternoon crafting. Can't wait til next time. Have been listening to a load of old CD's while ironing this afternoon on Faye's Walkman. Just listening to Squeeze's Greatest Hits now and doing a bit of chair dancing while I'm typing this!!



Hope your weekend has been good.



Take Care.



Lou x