Good news aboput Paddy and Poppy!!!!

Good morning all, just a quick update ......... I got the orders I needed to go ahead and order the stamps :-D

I e-mailed the company yesterday and am just waiting for them to come back to me now so hopefully Paddy and Poppy will be winging their way to happy crafters VERY soon.

Paddy and Poppy Progress Post!

Thank you to everyone who has supported me in my attempts to get Paddy and Poppy out into the big wide world. So far I have had 25 stamps pre-ordered so I only need another 5 to be ordered before I take the plunge! If anyone out there would like to order any of the images please let me know.

We now have 8 designs in the first collection:
Santa Paddy
Angel Poppy
Baby on tummy
Schoolboy Paddy
Schoolgirl Poppy
Graduate Poppy
New Mum Poppy with Baby
Get Well Soon

Paddy and Poppy - my new project and BLOG CANDY

I am lucky enough to have a rather artistic dad who had created some little cute characters with me in mind! I am thinking of having them turned into rubber stamps which would be available for sale initially through my website at www.foxcraftcards.co.uk But I need to see if people would be interested in buying enough of them to make it viable before I go ahead! Following my dad's lead I have 8 different designs lined up ready to go.

If you would be interested in buying any of the designs, please leave a message on this post so I can judge the amount of interest that is out there.

To celebrate the launch of the designs, I am offering some blog candy! I have some 12x12 sheets of Papermania Decorated Acetate and 12x12 coredinations cardstock so it's suitable for cardmakers or scrapbookers alike! Simply mention my new characters and my giveaway on your blog and then leave a message on here and a link to your blog so I can go and have a nosey! I will do a draw for the winner on 1st December :)

Ever wish you hadn't started something?

I finally had to admit that my crafting stash was taking up FAR too much room in the dining room and sort it all out! Hubby wants it all well hidden in time for the Christmas decorations to go up and as I usually put the tree up on December 1st I thought I'd better make it sooner rather than later.

Well after over 24 hours I can actually see the back of the dining table at last! For the past goodness knows how long it has been covered in boxes and piles full of crafting stuff and it's amazing what was in there that I had forgotten about!!!!!!!!

In the midst of the chaos I have found 2 corner rounder punches, 4 embossing tools, 2 unopened packs of the same style of ribbon, 8 robo cut Christmas cards that I had forgotten about and 5 pairs of scissors amongst other things!!!

The REALLY bad bit is that I STILL haven't finished :S However the dining room does look a lot bigger than it did and Hubby is a lot happier than he was!

One of my DoCrafts friends Ann has started her scrapping December project from Shimelle Laine's class and it looks like it will be a great journey. Unfortunately I can't spare the $30 price tag for the class at the moment so I will have to give it a miss but I have decided to try to scrap some of the most important bits of the build up to Christmas as well as the big day itself. It's always busy with the kids and with Litte Miss's birthday being right in the middle of it but the thought of recording bits like the decorating the tree, wrapping the presents, school concerts and parties and the like has got me feeling all festive. Jingle all the way!

I got a visit from the stash fairy

One of my LOVELY crafting friends who will remain nameless sent me a parcel of crafting goodies today and it made my day! Especially since one of the items was a luscious, flower shaped Cosmo Cricket tag book that I can't wait to play with!

I delivered my order to the school today - 30 cards, all with a watercoloured stamped image on the front took a little longer than I anticipated but at least they are done and the head was pleased with them.



I've also arranged to make a large advent calendar for my eldest son's classroom - the teacher is getting each child to make a picture to go in one of the windows so I just have to do something for the front.

I've been busy but I'm back again

I've been making the 30 Christmas cards that were ordered by the headmistress for her to send to the governors etc. I've also been making sample candles for mum and dad to show off at their fundraising event in Camelford on Saturday - they turned into a bit of a pain coz the printer kept smudging all the text. I finally got it sorted in time for Dad to collect them yesterday.

I was on such a high last week after seeing my cards on the telly! Hayley had 8 of the 10 cards I sent her on display for the whole show AND she copied one of my designs as an in-show sample make!!!!! I literally bounced around the living room and was talking so quickly it was like some sort of high! I can't wait to try some more products once they are ready for me to try another CD. I'll keep you posted......

My doodled designs are coming along and should soon be able to go onto the website. I hope that people will think that they are worth buying! I like the line drawing effect so I hope other people do as well.

Some REALLY exciting news

Well, I think it's exciting anyway Little Lou's Craft Supplies is having a premier show on Create and Craft and Ideal World shopping channels on Saturday night at 5pm.

"What's so exciting about that?" I hear you ask .............. well, they are premiering a new CD of Toffee Bear designs and should have some fab samples on show on the telly for everyone to see!

Hmmmmm, maybe I should mention that the reason I am so keen to see the show is because 10 of the samples for it have been made by ME

I can now officially say that I am a member of Little Lou's Card Design Team and that has made me feel like a kid at Christmas! It might not seem like much to some of you who are more experienced Design Team members but it's a progression I've wanted to make for a while and to know that Hayley and the team at Little Lou's have faith in my designs gave me a real buzz.

I'm back again

I've missed a few days because we've had a busy time of it. My nan has been down visiting from Liverpool so we've been trying to get as many visits in as possible, along with numerous kids parties and a hubby with a stinking cold (I would say ManFlu but I'd get told off!)

Nan asked me to make some Christmas cards for her while she was down so she got a selection of 12 cards from the website designs plus four personalised designs for the great grandkids.

How would you like to win some SERIOUS candy?

On Elaine's blog there is the chance to win not just one Promarker but a whole load of them! All you need to do is leave her a comment and link it to your blog and you're in with a chance.

Would you want a trick from this little lot!?!

Portly Pumpkin, Pinky the Witch and Pop-out-Eye the Pirate


This is the first year that my kids have really got into the whole halloween thing so we went to a party at their friends house, went trick or treating around the local houses and played daft party games. Even the adults got dressed up ----- I was a witch with a green face and a black wart and a hat that didn't fit (hats NEVER fit me, my head's always too big for them!)but I didn't want to risk breaking the camera taking my photo!

Wow another award!

It's called The Wylde Women Award and it's purpose is to send love to and acknowledge women who brighten your day, teach you new things and live their lives fully with generosity and joy.

The rules of the award are:


1. You can give to one or one hundred or any number in between.

2. Make sure you link to their site.

3. Link back to Tammy hereso that she can visit all these great women.

4. Remember the purpose of the award.

I would like to pass the award on to Sue bubbles, Em and Alex

Challenge cards ........

One of the lovely ladies over on DoCrafts has introduced me to the lovely Whiff of Joy stamps from www.whiffofjoy.com. Here is my entry to this week's Whiff of Joy challenge fromt there challenge blog.



This is my card for the Tilda Challenge that is being run every week over on the DoCrafts website. It was a 321 challenge - 3 colours (I chose red, green and copper), 2 brads, eyelets or buttons (I used Papermania gem brads) and 1 ribbon.

Ups and downs of a suburban crafting mum

I am really annoyed with the postal service now ...... I sent the pink card I made for the blog challenge to my friend Sue (Sue Bubbles) and it has gone AWOL! As if that's not annoying enough, the card that I made for Sue before she went to hospital also went missing between the postbox and Sue's letterbox! Surely we have to pay enough for postage it shouldn't be so hit and miss?

On the other hand, I have been lucky enough to receive four lovely cards full of stamped images from ladies from the DoCrafts forum. I am very very grateful to them for their generosity but it probably means I will end up spending a fortune on new stamps now as they have whetted my appetite! I am especially taken by the Tilda's from Magnolia and the Willow's from Whiff of Joy!

Earlier this week I had a meeting at the nursery at school confirming that Little Miss will be starting nursery in January 2009! She's been given the morning sessions that we wanted and although she has a few short sessions with me in tow she starts PROPERLY on January 26th!!!! Where have my babies gone?

I've spent most of the week butting heads with the kids it seems - they are all so confident and wilful it can become a real tug of war at times! However at different points this week they have ALL made my heart swell. Our eldest was awarded a "Child of Note" award for his hard work at his class's French Study day ..... apparently he has an excellent accent and attitude! Then middle tiddler came home with his first House Points Certificate for collecting 25 house points, plus a challenge award for super story writing and he has also been put up a level on his reading scheme so I am as proud as punch of that. Finally, Little Miss has developed a real taste for all things crafty (wonder where she got that from!?!) and has been creating some lovely paintings, glitterings and colourings with very little mummy-intervention .... not bad since she's not even 3 yet.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month Pink Card

Over on her blog, http://slumbercards.blogspot.com, Suzanne is offering blog candy - to be in with a chance of this lovely pink selection you need to make a pink card, preferably to be sent to someone who needs a bit of cheering up or some TLC or who has been affected by Breast Cancer in some way.

I have made my card, here it is


I will be sending it to an inspirational friend of mine who has had to face Breast Cancer and still managed to come out bubbly and sparkly.

Oh my, I've been TAGGED! plus Challenge Caz Candy

Canny Crafter (another Caroline geez we're good lol!) has tagged me so now I have to say a HUGE thank you and pass the tag on to 6 other bloggers. This is the difficult bit, I love blog hopping and get so much inspiration from them that I'm not sure who to name! SO I'm taking a leaf out of some other bloggers books and saying that you ALL deserve it - please feel free to add it to your blog and pass it on!
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Over on the DoCrafts Scrapbooking forum, some of the ladies have been setting each other crafting challenges and I was feeling left out so I asked for a challenge (That's right, I ASKED for it!) and Sall came up with the first challenge which was: Book shape, ribbon, stamped image, handmade embellishment, 2 photos or decoupage, brads or eyelets, glitter and a Christmas theme. Here's what I came up with:



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The next Challenge Caz Challenge has been a group effort and the criteria are:
Glitter, a candy cane, 2 christmas puddings, Christmas ribbon, 5 Christmas coloured buttons, 2 stamped images, 4 types of christmas paper and a robin.

I haven't done it yet but if you fancy a laugh why don't you join in. If anyone is up for it, post a picture on your blog and leave a comment here linking it to your challenge card. If anyone is brave enough to join in there might just be a little prize in it for the winner.

See me ..... I'm Mrs Goodwife I am!

After my cake baking earlier in the week I've had another cookery day today.

I made my first ever batch of chutney - a pear and apple chutney based on a recipe from Valentine Warner's WHAT TO EAT NOW series. It took a while and started off smelling rather vile but ended up smelly REALLY scrummy. The only problem is that now I have to leave it to mature for 6-8 weeks and I am such an impatient so and so! Anyway, by Christmas we should be enjoying lovely spicy chutney with everything since I made enough for three big jars!

I also boiled a bacon shank to do a good old fashioned Northern Lass dish of bacon, cabbage, butterbeans and boiled potatoes and made a great big pan of soup with the stock from boiling the bacon. I cannot lie - these recipes do mean that you have to sleep with the windows open lol but they are lovely and comforting on such a cold night.

Finally, I am also pickling some onions to go in the cupboard ready for Christmas and New Year. Since my Little Miss has apparently followed in her late grandmothers footsteps and got a taste for pickles I think I might have to make more than just one big jar!

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Oh and I successfully managed to get the complete text of the Camelford Town Charter in both English and Latin onto one of the large candles I got from Asda so I'm hoping that mum and dad will like them for their medieval do. Once they've been approved I'll post pics.

Another candy competition

http://slumbercards.blogspot.com/

Sue is doing her bit for the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign and is offering some lovely pink candy into the bargain. I'll be making a couple of pink cards this weekend I think.

A nice end to the week

Yesterday when the boys came home from school we spent some time baking yummity scrummity chocolate cupcakes. I love baking with the kids, I remember baking with my mum when I was little (and the kids still love baking when they go to Nanny's now) and I guess things like that are the magical memories of childhood that don't cost a fortune!

Recipe (makes 24)

8oz self raising flour, sifted
8oz granulated sugar
8oz softened butter
4 large eggs
1tsp vanilla essence
3tbsp cocoa
2tsp baking powder

Shove all the ingredients in a big bowl, whisk with an electric whisk until combined, spoon into a bun tray lined with individual cake cases. Cook at 170 degrees until risen and springy (approx 15-20 mins)

Easy as .......... CAKE

Today while the boys were at school, me and the little miss went for a stroll to town to my favourite local butchers for our weekly carnivorous fix! £17 lighter but satisified knowing we were going to enjoy making homemade soups, stews, roasts and other scrummy stuff we came home happy. (Little miss was most impressed as I bought her a painting set from the craft shop - I was quite impressed by small reels of ribbon for just 49p per metre!)

I've also been busy making cards for entry into a big competition but I'm keeping them under my hat for a little while longer!

Natalie's Blog Candy

To celebrate her 1000 hits milestone, Natalie over at www.ngcards.blogspot.com is offering one lucky blogger some delish blog candy including a VERY cute Sugar Nellie stamp (really must get myself some of these!)

If you want to be in with a chance of it all becoming yours, just pop over and leave a comment on Natalie's blog. She's a very talented crafter so even if you don't win, you can't really lose because you're bound to be inspired!

Another first for me

I have joined in with my first ever image swap on the DoCrafts forum and as part of that I had to make a wallet card to protect the images when I post them to my swap partner. I have to say I was a little daunted but thanks to the beautiful JulieI over on DC I managed to spend the afternoon making and decorating this card. The papers I used all came from Readicut, the ribbon is from Papermania and the image is a watercolour pencil shaded image of Autumn Milly from Spiral Whisper by the very clever Janet (CraftyCairn).

I have made some progress on the 750th Celebrations project as well - my mum and dad have approved the ideas I have had and are passing them on to the committee for consideration. However, it looks like they will probably want at least 100 to sell(eek!), a dozen larger candles for their medieval banquet fundraiser and one of the committee wants me to have a stall at their summer fayre. I know I have til June to prepare but OMG I'm suddenly nervous!

Had my thinking cap on lately

At the end of the summer term I offered to make cards for each of the kids who was going up to secondary school and each kid who was going from nursery to big school. I did these for free as a way of getting the website name more well known (www.foxcraftcards.co.uk) but when I approached the head to offer some Christmas cards to send to the governors she insisted that they would pay me for this lot. Her brief simply said "the real meaning of christmas" so this is what I designed.....


I've also been scratching my head (no it's not nits like one of my friends said!) about a design for the candles for my mum and dad's town celebrations for the 750th anniversary of them getting the royal charter. This isn't needed until 2009 but I need to work out some samples for them to get approval. All this brain work makes me want CHOCOLATE lol!

Sorry I've been away for so long but I AM BACK!

I had a bit of a squiffy summer, not quite sure if I was coming or going for a while but I'm back on track now thanks to some very supportive friends.

I've recently discovered a couple of new pass times - decorated candles (thanks to inspiration from DoCrafts) and Dotee dolls (thanks to inspiration from Sue Bubbles!)

I will add pictures of the new "obsessions" as soon as I'm back in the driving seat of my blog.


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Wedding cake papercrafting - another first for me

I have made this to go with the scrapbook for my friends sister's wedding. She is having blue bridesmaid dresses so hopefully it will tie in quite well. I used a robo template from UKScrappers for the project.

Measurements for my 12x12 exploding boxes

QVC http://www.qvcuk.com have a craft TSV today and lots of craft shows throughout the day - one of the items included die cut exploding box templates and that made me realise that I hadn't put the dimensions of my exploding box up on here yet.

Anyway - here they are:

I marked in 10cm from the edges for the outer layer using the full sheet of card (31cm full width)

For the middle layer I cut the card down to 29cm square and marked in 9 1/2 cm from each side

For the inner layer I cut the card to 27cm square and I marked in 9cm from each side.

The top was made from a square 15 1/2cm with lines scored 2cm from each edge.

About time I added more crafting pics I think!

I have been experimenting with some new styles of projects this week and I'm really pleased with how they turned out so I thought I'd share them with you.

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This was a challenge, I was asked to make a card for someone who calls her hubby monkey and he calls her piglet. They are a very "rural" couple, she rides horses, he shoots etc so I went for the farm type images. The lady was really pleased with the bookatrix style card.

Next, a bootee cut from the Cuddly Buddly cuttable collection by Rupert the Robo! I chose not to use the print and cut version but cut it from textured cream cardstock instead. This was for Clare's weekly challenge on the DoCrafts Creativity forum where we had to create a card in an unusual shape.


Also, a card for my friends' little girl who loves the Yellow Power Ranger. I had some Power Rangers wrapping paper so I took a scrap that was left over and cut out the character images and the title block. I also hand cut the Lightening Flash and the number 6 which I attached with 3D foam
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Finally, I have also made my first ever exploding box - my friend ordered one for her mum's birthday. I used photos on the first and third levels and then a verse on the middle layer which read:
"You're our wacky mum and grandma, we're your daughter and grandson, we have a tie between us, that can never be undone. We drive each other crazy, but we love each other too, and so now on your birthday, we're sending our love to you"

There is yet more Birthday Blog Candy up for grabs

Go and have a peek at http://ellieskeeperscreations.blogspot.com/ - some more lovely candy being offered for a milestone birthday! Don't you just love all these generous crafters? I know I do!

And the winner of my PIF candy is ............

DRUMROLL PLEASE

Joanne at http://takelifebythehand.blogspot.com/

Just need you to contact me hun so I can get it all in the post to you.

Sorry I've not been around for a week - More BLOG CANDY

Debs over at http://meandlilg.blogspot.com/ is about to celebrate a rather special birthday so to mark life beginning she's offering some yummity scrummity candy on offer to the person who gets chosen by Lil G with the most inventive and feasible birthday celebration.

And now my excuses for being AWOL - my lovely little apprentice has proved herself to be a big clever girl and has been out of nappies since Tuesday but of course that means I've been hopping around keeping an eye on her rather than blog hopping! She's doing really well though and I can count the number of accidents on one hand so normal service should be resumed very soon.

More Blog Candy and I got the album finished!

Em is giving away some more blog candy to celebrate her birthday and hits milestone so pop over to http://elf-creations.blogspot.com/ and have a look.

Also, I have finished the album for my friend and she collected it this afternoon - she was really pleased with it and told me off for doubting myself with it (*again*), can't help it - especially when I've submitted so many layouts and cards for publication in various places and they've not been used. Ho hum, guess I just need to persevere!

Woooooohoooooooo I'm on a roll - more scrapping done!

As the (infuriatingly annoying but catchy) song goes "Sun is shining, weather is sweet"

Anyway I think the nice weather has given my creativity a boost because I've made another three 12 x 12 layouts for my ordered album so I've only got another 8 to do. My friend is coming to see my progress on Tuesday so I hope she likes it all.
















I also made a daft card for my dad who has just won a town council election - he's either going to love it or disown me lol!

Busy scrapping again

Here are the next two layouts for my current order - I have decided to definitely not show the picture of the third layout because it contains baby change mat time pictures. Sad sign of the times but I don't think it wise to put that on the internet.

Anyway, these two layouts use a lot of Papermania products and I even brought myself to cut up a 12x12 sheet of patterned vellum on the green layout. I layered it directly over the same pattern elements on the paper but overlapped it with the photos to make the whole design tie in together.

It's getting quite difficult to come up with new page ideas for these photos as this is the fifth album I've made for this lady and there are lots of photos which I have already used in other layouts but I am trying to make every page different :-S I hope she likes them when she sees the finished article.

It's a happy day today!

This morning I was over the moon to recieve both my PIF Blog Candy from Debbie (thank you - more about PIF later but I LOVE the blingy bits!) and my new book ..... yes despite having three youngsters I HAVE managed to read a couple of books lately, "The Innocent" and it's sequel "The Exiled" by Posie Graeme Evans. I enjoyed them so much I just had to have the third and final book in the series and was made up to find a new copy available on e-bay for just 99p & P&P! That's me engrossed in the world of medieval subterfuge for another week or so then!

Anyway, back to the serious issue of Blog Candy ..... I am now in the position to list the bits which will form my PIF package:

Jewelled Brads
A5 Glittered cardstock
A5 Holographic cardstock
Mini inkpad
A selection of stamped images
A selection of my own Foxcraft doodles (if you win I'll give you a choice of themes)

To be in with a shout please leave me a comment on my blog and then a link to this post on your blog. GOOD LUCK!

Oh and I finished another 12 x 12 layout this evening and 3/4 finished another (just waiting for inspiration for a title to complete it) AND got an order for an exploding box!

Smiles all round :-D

And some more

Cass, a rock chick at heart has some super duper candy on her blog http://poursomesugaronme-rockchick.blogspot.com/ just for letting her know what your favourite rock song is.

Check it out and let the rocker in you roll

And yet more Candy - especially for Bella fans

Kitty over at http://kittyskrafty.blogspot.com/ is also doing her bit for crafterskind with another generous blog candy offer including a choice of Bella stamps!

I've just been and left a comment and had a peek at some of her cards (love the quickie with Hamish!), why not follow my lead?

Michelle's giving away Candy as well

Michelle over at http://cardgrotto.blogspot.com/ is offering some Blog Candy to celebrate her huge hits milestone this week. It's all based around telling her your favourite colour and the candy is all in her (and my) favourite colour PURPLE! Yummy!
Why not pop over there and say hello, her designs are great so you never know how you'll benefit even if you don't win the candy (please don't win it coz I want it tee hee hee!)

An A-maze-ing day - Blog Candy and more

I have just found out that I was the winner of Debbie (bubblegum)'s PIF Blog Candy http://bubble-deb.blogspot.com/ so I guess it's my turn to drag all my stash out into the open and make up some parcels! All you need to do to be in with a shout is to leave me a comment on my blog between now and May 14th and I will get my darling little apprentice to draw the winners name at random. I will post a picture of the goodies up for grabs as soon as I have sorted a suitable stash out.

And now, as promised, here are the step by step pictures of me making a mini maze book - based on an idea from DoCrafts Creativity Magazine.






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Take a plain sheet of 12 x 12 cardstock (I used DCWV)








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Fold width ways in half and then into quarters






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Turn and then repeat so it is folded into 16 squares







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Make a cut three quarters of the way up the first and third folds






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Then cut three quarters of the way down the middle fold from the opposite side to the previous cuts





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Concertina fold each square one by one following the folds in the paper

Happy Scrapbooking Day!

To mark the occasion I have made two layouts. One of them must remain secret as I am submitting it to a magazine ........ I will upload it when they have decided whether to use it or not. It is a wedding layout using some of the Bazzill Stitchz Cardstock which is a bit unusual. I also used Letraset Safmat for the titling and had a bit of an appropriate magpie moment using the ribbon from the chocolates that Hubby gave me for our 10th anniversary as a major part of the layout.

The second is for my CALENDAR GIRLS Calendar on the DoCrafts Scrapbooking Chat Forum. All of my layouts for this so far have been for other people but my June page is for my own calendar so I chose to use one of my fun photos of the kids from last summer and quite a few heavier embellishments (the button and brad flower and all the felt butterflies probably wouldn't have travelled so well in the post!)

Well that's it .......

We have joined the realms of the self employed as of today! It's totally nerve wracking at the moment but if the saying is to be believed you should only ever regret the things you DIDN'T do!

I got my papers from Capture The Magic today so I can't wait to have a play now - I've got loads of ideas floating round my head for pages for my own album and it's about time I put them down on paper.

I made a blank mini maze book as a favour for a crafting friend from the DoCrafts forum this afternoon so I promise to put the step by step pictures and instructions on here as soon as I get chance.

My clever boy and Oh dear you should see the state of my garden!

The summerhouse was delivered yesterday but of course hubby is working this week so he hasn't even STARTED prepping the garden for it yet - we weren't expecting it to be delivered til next week! As a result, all the component parts are now messing up my garden!

Luckily it's been raining almost constantly since it was delivered so the kids aren't hankering to play in the garden anyway but even if they were I wouldn't be able to let them out there for fear of half a tonne of wood falling on them :S

My clever little boy got Special Child of the Week in his class last week in recognition of super writing but he missed his moment of fame since he was off sick .... he was rather upset at having missed the opportunity to stand up in assembly and take a bow but I'm still very proud of him and the certificate is up on the fridge for all to see.

New layouts completed at last

These are once again for my friends' album order but I PROMISE I will get some of my personal scrapping done soon - my snapfish order was delivered this morning so I have some of my own photos to play with at last!

Loretta's Monday Challenge Card

Loretta over on the DoCrafts Cardmaking Forum is running a challenge each Monday so here is my attempt at it.





I used the new Dottie At Work collection for the image, with the desk decoupaged to give an extra dimension. I used Papermania brads which I got from Crumbleycat as a birthday present and textured papers from Readicut.