Male Leaving Card

Hello Folks - well, it's the last week of the school summer holidays here, and we've not done anything exciting - don't suppose we will now either LOL! Boy have these 7 weeks gone by sooooo quickly!

This week is also the last week of work for a male colleague in our office. I really struggle with cards for men - little boys not so bad, but men uuughh! But, as I'd promised the others in the office that I would make a card, I really had to come up with something. I'm not over impressed with it myself, but our colleague liked it and that's what counts.

He used to be in the RAF, and he owns his own aeroplane now, so I hunted around the internet for an aeroplane digi - I didn't think a cutesie one with a teddy or boy in it would be suitable, so I chose this vintage spitfire from Stitchy Bear Stamps.



I didn't colour the image at all, but did add it onto a sky background on the computer. The blue backing paper has been embossed with Swiss Dots, and I just added stickles and some buttons and black gems.

I followed the nice n easy sketch at Cute Card Thursday, and would also like to enter the following challenges:

2 Sisters Challenge - Boys and Their Toys - does my card count as it was for a man rather than a boy, but he does enjoy playing in his aeroplane LOL! (I will understand if you have to delete my entry)
Cards For Men - G is for ... Going - this is a leaving card
Do You Stack Up - Boy or Man
Crazy 4 Challenges - C4C102 - Male themed

Nothing more I can say about that card really.

My cousin had a baby earlier this week, so I plan on making a new baby card for her very soon. Also, sshhhhsh! don't tell my hubby, but today I took delivery of some more beads for jewellery making - but my excuse is that I will be making presents with it LOL! I'm not going to tell him that I just can't help it, I'm addicted!

Anyway, thanks for looking, and I hope you can pop by again soon!

Love, Andrea xx

Some More Jewellery

Hello and Happy Thursday to you all.

Eleri's been to her friend's birthday party this afternoon and had a lovely time. It was such lovely weather here this morning and then, as soon as I took Eleri to the party at 3pm, we had a nasty rain shower - such a pity as there was a big bouncy slide in the garden for the party. Thankfully, the rain did not last too long and the sun did come out again.

Anyway, I made another stretchy bracelet for the present - using jade and quartz gems. I do worry when I make something as a present that it will fall apart - I really hope that doesn't happen - I've used a double strand of elastic for the bracelet so it shouldn't snap, but you never really know do you! I didn't want to make exactly the same bracelet as I did earlier in the week (see picture in this post, so this time I added three quartz beads in a cluster in the centre.



The earrings weren't part of the present (I'm not sure if she has pierced ears) - I made those earrings for myself - and I love them!

Maybe this is a better photo of the earrings - sorry about the quality of my photos today!



There is a challenge at Tuesday Throwdown this week for dimension and texture. I'm not sure if I can enter jewellery, but I'll give it a go - please delete me if my entry can't be included.

I've got a card to make for a male colleague who's leaving next week - and I'm struggling with ideas for that one - so don't know whether I'll get that done tonight or not.

Hope to see you soon.

Love, Andrea xx

Another Pink One

Hello again everyone - I hope you're having a good week. It has been such a lovely day here today - I even spent some time in the garden reading this afternoon, and that's a rarity LOL!

I've made another pink and girlie card for another friend of Eleri's who is having a party on Thursday.



It's based roughly on the Sweet Stop sketch again, like my last card. This image is from the same Pollycraft set, and she's called Retro Melody. I paper pieced her dress again. I would like to enter this in the following challenges:

CES Challenge - Banners, bunting and flags
Crafters Companion Monthly Challenge - Glitter and glitz - I've added stickles to the bunting, and the adhesive dots are glittery and I've used quite a few of them, also used Copic Spica pens on parts of the image
Glitter Fairies Challenge - Pretty in pink
One Stop Craft Challenge - Bold and bright
Stamp With Fun - Summer - Melody is in a summer dress
Corrosive Challenge - Girlie
Divas by Design - Birthdays

I'm planning on making the gift this evening - another stretchy bracelet. So I hope to show that to you soon.

Thanks for looking.

Love, Andrea xx

That's Life!

Hello Folks - Happy Monday - I'm not working this work, but not sure what we'll be doing. Have just got back from buying Andrew's new school shoes - I couldn't believe he's size 5 and a half already - he's only 10, and about to go into the last year of primary school. That was £42 on Andrew's shoes this morning, and £53 last week for Eleri shoes and trainers - OMG that's scary when you see it in black and white. Still got to buy some new uniform yet! Oh well, no more craft or jewellery maker buying me thinks :(

Gosh, I was a 'Naggy Knickers' yesterday, and it was poor Richard who got the brunt of it, as usual! In the evening he came up to me and said "Am I in your good books now, can I have a kiss?" And then as he was walking away he said "I don't know why I'm in bad books anyway, I only washed up!" Yes, that's right he did the wrong thing by washing up LOL! I said to him "It was the fact that you cursed as you walked into the kitchen and saw that the washing up wasn't done, and I said I was going to do the washing up as soon as I'd finished what I was doing (I was preparing for the card below!), and you just ignored what I was saying and started washing up". Then Andrew said to his Dad "Hey Dad, you've just made me realise something - I'm never getting married!" And Eleri said "No I'm not getting married either" and Richard said to her "Well you'll just confuse any bloke you have, you've just confused me anyway!" (because she was telling her Dad that she'd just told one of her friends that she didn't want to be her friend anymore - I'd made her go to apologise because I reminded her how she felt a couple of days ago when some other girls said that to her - and she'd said to her Dad that she only said it to get it out of her mouth!) And, I thought to myself - Isn't that what we're here for anyway, to cause our men confusion? ROFL!

Anyway, I hope I haven't caused you too much confusion for a Monday morning.

Here's the card and present I've made for the little girl Eleri said she didn't want to be friends with anymore (they're upstairs playing at the moment LOL!)



The image is Evangeline Retro from Pollycraft - I decided to paperpiece her dress, the flower in her hair and the flowers - I thought it would be easier than colouring it but it was so fiddly to cut out - I like the way it looks though.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge - the sketch with a spin of fabulous fibres - my fibres are the lace and the fabric flowers
Truly Scrumptious - Lace - I've used a lacy ribbon, which I think is gorgeous
Fussy and Fancy - their 1000 followers celebration challenge

And this is the gift I made - an elasticated bracelet made with jade and quartz.



Well that's it for now - it's already lunchtime - cripes, where does the time go?

Thanks for looking.

Love, Andrea xx

1000 Sheets of Paper ... Wowee!!!!

Wow, I've just found this mega fantastic candy. Amy has managed to use 1000 sheets of paper in the last year, and is celebrating that and her blogoversary by giving away some paper and stamps candy.

You must take a look at this. I am becoming a follower of Amy's blog - she makes some gorgeous cards, and designs stamps too - wow!

Love, Andrea xx

Another Congratulations Card

Hello Again

This is a quickie post to show the Congratulations card for my other work colleague who recently gained the Level 3 Diploma in Independent Advocacy. This was such a lot of hard work for the two ladies who gained it, so they deserved a special card each. I hope she likes it. The one I made earlier this week went down a storm!



Same image again from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with Promarkers - dark hair for a dark haired lady (I do try to do that for all my cards - colour the image to look a little like the person it's aimed for!) The backing paper is from a Kate Knight stack - and the matting card is a pearlescent dark green. I made the diploma on the computer. I'm contemplating putting some flowers of some kind in the bottom right hand corner, but I'm still undecided.

I followed the sketch on Sunday Sketch and Stamp, so would like to enter that challenge.

Must go over to my Mum's now.

Thanks for looking, and have a wonderful day. See you soon.

Love, Andrea xx

I Haven't Done This In Over 30 Years!!!

Well, I plucked up courage to take the children on a cycle ride this morning, and stopped for a little picnic and some play time by the river on the way back home - we did have a lovely morning - I think!



...and now I have a sore bottom, stiff hips and an achy knee, but it must have been worth it - right?? I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to get in that saddle again LOL!

Here are a few more photos:


Andrew - it's not often I manage to get a decent photo of him these days - he usually objects to having it taken - must have caught him on a good day!


Eleri - look at that messy hair - she won't let me put it up very often when she's not in school - we really must take a trip to the hairdresser! And all she wants for Christmas is her two front teeth!!!


The two of them getting ready to throw stones in the river.

Well that's it for now - I wonder if I'll be able to move at all tomorrow? LOL!

Love, Andrea xx

I've honestly been crying with laughter ...

Hello again

Have you ever laughed so much you've nearly really cried - well I have just been like that LOL!

When I was at the play day last week, one of the play leaders was telling me about a blog he'd been told about called Sleep Talkin' Man - the man's wife records her husband when he's talking in his sleep, and she posts it all on this blog. I just remembered about it and had a quick look. OMG, as long as you aren't easily offended, take a look/listen. I hope I remember to have a look here again sometime - it was just the tonic I needed!

Love, Andrea xx

Congratulations

Hello Fellow Bloggers and Crafters. I hope you are all well. My hubby is suffering with sciatica at the moment and he is in a bit of a state, but he's still insistent that he wants to play cricket at the weekend!!!!

Anyway, on to my card. Aaahh, no, must tell you (LOL!) - I sent another entry in to the Jewellery Maker Wall of Fame (the bracelet shown in my last post) - I don't know if this one has been seen on the big screen, but I have been able to see my piccie on the wall behind the guest designers for the past two days - even that is exciting for me! I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that my name will be drawn out of the hat tomorrow afternoon. But I know that everyone else is feeling the same way - I always feel happy for whoever wins though!

So, now to my card.



The two Mental Health Advocates who work in the same office as me have recently obtained the Level 3 Diploma in Independent Advocacy. This was such a lot of hard work for both of them, and the Diploma is well deserved. So I thought I really must make them a card each. So this is the first one.

The image is from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with Promarkers (I'm not good at colouring black things - I think it is because I haven't got enough shades of grey but its a bad workman who blames his tools as the saying goes!). The papers are from two different Kay and Co stacks (I'm sorry I don't know what they're called). The flowers and ribbon are from my stash, as is the pearl brad in the centre of the flower and the pearl gems which I coloured with promarkers. I made the diploma on the computer.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Sweet Stop Sketch 121 - the sketch I've followed
Papertake Weekly - a bingo challenge - I've chosen the top line - free (ribbon), pearls and blooms
Incy Wincy Designs - a recipe challenge - 3 embellishments (ribbon, pearls and flowers), 2 papers and 1 image - I hope my entry counts as I have more than 3 embellishments so I will understand if you have to delete me!

I haven't managed to make the other Congratulations card yet - I hope to do that sometime this week though. I was planning on making it this evening, but I've spent time blogging and watching TV, so its too late now - think I'll go to bed to do some reading instead LOL! I'm reading the third book in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy by Stieg Larsson - I think they're brilliant books.

Thanks for taking the time to peek at my blog - I hope to see you again soon - and enjoy the rest of the week.

Love, Andrea xx

New Home Card and Another Bracelet

Hello Peoples - I hope you're having a good week. Over halfway through the school holidays already - I just cannot believe it!

There was a free play day at our local sports centre today, so I took the children along. But I couldn't get Andrew to join in anything - breakdancing - neither of the children would have a go and they wouldn't let me attempt it either LOL! Eleri did paint a little on a graffiti board, so did I! They both did some modelling with salt dough, and Eleri coloured a clown face to hang on her bedroom wall, and I did some cutting out for her! I think Andrew bounced a ball across the room whilst we were doing that, and then sat at the table with us and put his head on the table, looking extremely bored! I really wish I could get Andrew to attempt things, or show an interest in something besides the TV and DS! He completed all the levels in his swimming lessons at the end of school term and he's refusing to move onto the next level next term which would be swimming lengths and improving stroke and speed - I've told him that, if he won't go swimming, he has got to take up another class of some kind, but he is refusing to try anything I suggest. I just don't know what to do - I really worry about him, and I don't want him to be like me - I was always too shy to do things when I was young (not much better now actually LOL!), and I've never been sporty - I wish I could find him something that he really enjoys that will increase his fitness.

On re-reading this, I think I've made Andrew out to be a real couch potato - he honestly isn't that bad - he does go out to play with his friends, kicking the football, riding his bike, trampolining etc. But I would like him to have a structured sports session once a week - but something he enjoys! Maybe I'm wrong in that, I don't know!

Anyway enough of my woes, onto some photos to share with you.

This is a new home card I've made this week for a workmate of my hubby who has just bought his first house with his girlfriend.



The wooden house is from a kit I bought from Create and Craft years ago. The flowery background paper is from Cute Companions CD. I cut the top right corner off the front of the card, and used the backing paper on the inside, and added a layered die cut flower to the corner. Ribbon and ribbon slider from my stash. Lots of spray glitter, and adhesive gems (maybe it's too glittery LOL!). (Oh in case you're wondering what my watch is doing in the corner - it was holding the front of the card down so that I could get a reasonably decent photo!)

I would like to enter the following challenges:

Inspirational Card Sketches - sketch
Ellephantastic Challenges - add some layers

I've also made myself another bracelet.



I'm using real gemstones - and this one has jade, quartz and agate - the quartz rounds look just like bubbles in real life. I so love the feel of gemstone jewellery - they feel cool on the skin, and I love the weight of the jewellery when it's on. Trouble is, I'm addicted to buying the gems and love making the jewellery - but haven't got the courage to sell any, so I have got to put this to a stop. I do want to make some jewellery for presents though, so maybe that's an excuse to buy some more gem strands LOL! What do you think?

I'm entering this bracelet in the following challenge:

Inspire Me Fridays

Anyway, I'm sorry my posts turn out so long - I just keep typing what's popping into my head, and hoping it makes sense!

Thanks for popping by. I hope to be back soon.

Love, Andrea xx

My Other News!

Hello Everyone!

Well, has anyone called back to check what my other exciting news is? Here goes - I am thrilled to have been asked if I would like to be Guest Designer for Craft Your Days Away 1st birthday challenge today - how good is that? (big smiles from me!!).

So, here's the card I made. This is a card I made for a friend of Eleri's, who had her 6th birthday party yesterday.



The image is the other half of the image I used the other day (Molly and Tom from Digistamp Boutique), and I've coloured her with promarkers. The papers are My Minds Eye Quite Contrary - I've nearly finished this pad, which is very disappointing! The sentiment was from the pad too. I've added stickles to her goggles and around the image, added some die-cut flowers, and popped on some Papermania adhesive shimmer dots to the centres of the flowers, to the dot above the 'i' in the sentiment and to each corner of the card (unfortunately, you can hardly see them in the photo).

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Pollycraft Monday Challenge - the sketch I followed
The Paper Shelter - Flowers, flowers, flowers
Totally Papercrafts - Holidays
Charisma Cardz - a Bingo challenge and I chose Flowers, Gems and Circles

So now I'll show you the present I made for Eleri's friend. I made a necklace and bracelet set, along with a keyring.





I have to say I am a bit disappointed with the keyring as I hadn't got the same colour beads left as I used in the necklace and bracelet, and I hadn't got a letter I in the same sort of beads as the others for the name, so I had to mix the beads up. I prefer things to match much better than this. But I hope Eleri's friend likes her gift. I popped some money in the gift box as well, just in case LOL!

Well, that's it from me - I have been making another bracelet this evening, and I have some more cards to make over the next couple of days. So, hopefully, it won't be long before I pop back here again.

I want to finish by saying a HUGE Thank You to the ladies at Craft Your Days Away for inviting me to be a Guest Designer today. And thank you fellow bloggers for taking the time to check my blog, and have a lovely weekend!

Love, Andrea xx

I'm So Excited!!!!!!

Hello Everyone

This is one excited lady here :) - I did intend posting about this when I have a picture to show you, but I can't wait LOL!

Some of you might know that I am getting into jewellery making, and I'm addicted to the jewellery maker tv channel. Well, the bracelet that I showed on my blog last week (see my post here) has been shown on telly today (whoop whoop whoop!!!!). It was just pure flukey chance that I saw it this evening. So how did this happen? Well, customers of the tv channel are encouraged to send in photos of their jewellery - they might be shown on tv, and each one is allocated a number, and then a draw is made every Wednesday and there are two lucky winners to win a credit of £50 or £100 to their account. Unfortunately, I didn't win the draw but that doesn't matter because my creation was shown on telly - wow, wow, wow!!!! And the 4 hour show is repeated throughout the 24 hours, so my bracelet will have been on telly 6 times!!!!!!!

Can you tell, I'm sooooo happy!

I've also got something else to tell you but that really does have to wait a while! I'll leave you hanging on for that (maybe call back to see me again sometime on Saturday! LOL)

Sending you wishes that something wonderful happens for you too!

See you soon.

Love, Andrea xx

Another Birthday Boy

Hello Peoples - Middle of the week already - why do they go so fast?

About to take the children swimming, so this is a quickie, just to enter this week's Cute Card Thursday challenge. This is the card I've made for my nephew, whose birthday is tomorrow - Happy 7th birthday tomorrow Jake!



The image is from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with promarkers. The papers are Basic Grey Cupcake (I think), and I've used my paper crimper again.

Must go now - may add more details later!

Love, Andrea xx