My Mojo's On Strike!

Hello All

I hope you're having a great weekend. Andrew and I went to the cinema this afternoon to watch War Horse - we really enjoyed the film but Andrew kept saying to me that it's not like the book! We both really enjoyed reading the book. I had to admit to Andrew that I did cry during the film too, so be warned if you go to watch the film and you have a tendency to get emotional - you'll need a tissue LOL!

Well, on to what I want to show you today.



I've really struggled with this card - my mojo must be on strike! I wanted to print the image direct onto the card, but didn't manage to do that. The image is Roller Skating Milly from Pink Gem Designs, the background is from a Summer Driggs digi set, and the sentiment is from TLC Creations. Because I've used the pre-coloured version of Milly, it did not have the transparent background, hence the white space! The first time I stuck the ribbon down it was straight, but I hadn't got the super sticky DS tape and it started to come off, and then when I did get some super sticky tape I didn't manage to get the ribbon straight (typical!!).

And I've made another shamballa style bracelet for another friend of Eleri's, using rose quartz beads - I love the fact that these bracelets are adjustable so will fit a variety of wrist sizes, for instance this bracelet fits me and Eleri. So I think this is going to be THE gift that I make this year for little girls LOL!





I have three more ideas of bracelets to make and hope to make them over the next few days (mojo permitting!). If I do manage to make them, I should be back soon - plus Eleri has another birthday party to attend next week so I will have to make a card as well (cripes, I hope Mr M makes a speedy return!).

Nearly forgot! I'd like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Secret Crafter - Ribbons
Charisma Cardz - Pretty in Pink
Simon Says - Anything Goes
Do You Stack Up - Ribbons

Love, Andrea xx

And This is the Gift

This is the gift that went with the card in my previous post.



A Shamballa style bracelet made with Rose Quartz - I love it, and I'll probably make a few more for presents this year. So easy, but beware if you ever decide to make one - make sure you cut the cord plenty long enough - don't get to the end and then realise you needed another 1-2cm of cord to be able to tie it off (yes, I'm speaking from experience LOL!).

That's it from me tonight - short and sweet!

Love, Andrea xx

First Birthday Card This Year

Hello and Happy Friday peoples! I hope you've had a good week. My week has been extremely busy at work, and I have brought work home but I don't know whether I'll get the motivation to do anything with it.

Eleri is going to a friend's birthday party tomorrow, so I have made a card and present. I was going to wait to show them both together but I've realised some of the challenges I was going to enter end tonight/early tomorrow so I thought I should show the card on its own.



The image for this card was a freebie from Pink Gem Designs, called Rollerskate Milly - I've used the pre-coloured version because of shortage of time and lack of mojo. The papers are from the same pad as my previous post - a free pack from Crafts Beautiful magazine. The embossing folder was also a freebie in Do Crafts Creativity magazine. Nothing more to say about the card really, except that the photo makes it look a bit more wishy washy than it is in real life.

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

Sweet Stop Sketch Challenge - the sketch I followed
Charisma Cardz - Happy Birthday
Anything Goes - Anything Goes

I'm just going to make the gift box for the pressie, and hope to show that over the weekend sometime, so see you then.

Love, Andrea xx

Happy Brand Spankin New Year

Hello Everyone

I hope you are well, and enjoyed the first week of this new year. It's flown by hasn't it?

Today I'm going to show you the Happy New Year card and gift I am sending to my friend. She came to see us just before Christmas, and we hadn't seen much of each other last year - it was so lovely to see her. Well I'm not much of a coffee drinker so, when I told my friend we only have Lidl coffee and I don't know what it's like, she decided to bring her own Cappucino LOL! She even brought one for Richard, and made them while she was here - cripes, that makes me sound like a useless hostess! After she'd left I found her little tub of Chocolate Topping Sprinkles, so I decided I'd send them back to her, but in a little keyring so she shouldn't leave them behind again! I have to say this is not my idea at all - I saw these keyrings on Tabbycrafts blog - then I found a pattern on the internet and my clever sister made a few up for me. I just cannot crochet, and my sister has crocheted some gorgeous things - I am envious! These keyrings are perfect for holding lipsalve or USB sticks.



Now onto my card - just a simple card. The image is a stamp from a set which was free with Crafts Beautiful, and the papers were also a freebie with the magazine sometime last year. I paper pieced the bird. The sentiment was also a freebie, from TLC Creations. Paulette creates some beautiful word art and graphics, many of which are offered free - you really should pop over to her blog.

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

Craft Your Days Away - New Beginnings
CES Challenges - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - New Something
Card Crafters Circle - Make It Colourful

Now for an update on Eleri - she is still suffering with tummy pains, and sometimes says she feels sick. I took her to the doctor again today. The doctor today gave her a pretty thorough examination, during which she started to have a giggling fit (a bit embarassing when I have requested an urgent appointment because I was worried about her - she certainly wasn't acting ill in the doctor's room today!). The doctor then said that children of Eleri's age do sometimes present with symptoms like irritable bowel, and the cause is never discovered. He did not feel that it was worth doing tests such as blood tests or stool sample because he really feels that they would not show anything. He also said that she might have these symptoms for 2-3 months. :( The doctor wants us to go back again if she is no better in about a month, but to go back sooner if she does become more ill (eg if she starts being sick). He said that it is OK to give Calpol if she is in pain, or to use a hot water bottle or something - I am trying not to give Calpol every night, and we have been using a little cuddly hottie (a wheat bag which can be warmed in the microwave, and which fits into a special cuddly bunny) - that does give her some comfort. If she becomes constipated again, I am to contact the doctor for something to ease that. I have accepted what the doctor has said because, apart from the pain and the slightly weird toileting things, Eleri does seem well most of the time and she is eating and sleeping normally.

Woohoo! I have been swimming this evening - I have decided that I really need to start doing some regular exercise, which I haven't been doing for about 18 months (and it really shows with the weight I have put on and the size of my tummy). I nearly didn't go because my legs are in a very hairy state at the moment (not a pleasant sight LOL!) but I decided if I didn't go tonight I would never get around to it. Anyway I did enjoy it - swam 16 lengths - I had planned on 10, so that was good. Only problem was I wanted to eat when I came home - that chocolate and orange muffin has been shouting to me :) - but I have resisted, and ate a clementine instead.

Sorry I've waffled - hope I haven't bored you to tears. I'll go now.

Love, Andrea xx

First Creation of 2012

Hello Fellow Bloggers

Back to work for me tomorrow :( We have done absolutely nothing during the holidays and I'm not totally sure whether that's a good thing or a bad thing!

I have made my first creation of 2012 - this is a Get Well card for my friend and colleague who had an operation just before Christmas.



The image is a Whiff of Joy stamp, and I've paper pieced the little elephant. The papers are Do Crafts Hanoverian. The swirls are a new Sizzlits die I've had from Stampin Up, and so is that gorgeous antique brad in the middle of the flower. The embossing folder was a freebie out of one of the Do Crafts magazines - but dopey me didn't check which way up it was and I debossed instead of embossed - oopsie! - but I decided to leave it as it is because it looks quite good really LOL!

I followed this week's Papertake Weekly sketch, but I couldn't make text fit so left it off. The text will just be inside the card.

I would also like to enter the following challenges:

Card Crafters Circle
Simon Says Stamp
Secret Crafter
which are all Anything Goes.

Eleri seems to be a little better today - she has managed to go to bed without Calpol and without her Hottie teddy being warmed to rest on her tummy. So I'm hoping things are on the up - but I'm still a little nervous about the results to come from the doctor tomorrow.

*** Update on 3.1.12 - Thankfully, Eleri's results were clear. She is still complaining of tummy pains though so I'm keeping a close eye on her. ***

Anyway, I'll love you and leave you with that. I do have to create a birthday card and present for one of Eleri's friends so should be back again soon. See you then.

Love, Andrea xx