Need a hug ?

This so cute young man obviously does and is getting one from his best friend teddy.This is such a cute stamp I think from Sugar Nellies latest range and there are some other fab oneson my wish list too. Unfortunately my wish list is so long I think I would have to live to 150 years plus and have quite a few unbirthdays too to get everything on it and all the things I will doubtlessly keep adding to it, but you never know I could win the lottery and blow the lot on craft stash. How fun would that be?

Well sorry waffling again, back to my card, the fab layout is the sugar bowl which I think ends tomorrow unless I'm a bit behind as per, but love it anyway. Not sure what other challenges it fits , but will add them to the list when I find them. Thanks for popping by, off to peg out some more washing in the sunshine and do some ironing. Andrew decided he wanted to learn how to iron, and can so far do T-shirts, underpants, trousers and T-shirt vests. He is quite pleased with himself and says he didn't realise how warm you get when you're ironing and appreciates me ironing a bit more. I have suggested he could do a full weeks load but he stated quite firmly that he was only doing his own. How long the novelty will last who knows , but I'm training him well. He can use the washing machine and tumble dryer, the oven and microwave and knows how to use the dishwasher but still needs some work on how to load it.Some day he'll make a wonderful wife....oops I mean well trained husband! Sorry Andrew, please don't any of you go sneaking off and telling him what I've been saying.

Challenges:-
The sugar bowl- sketch layout, girly and feminine- (not sure if this counts but I wouldn't mind recieving it )
Raise the Bar-an evening theme (well my son always use to hug teddy at bedtime, does that count?)
Papercutz challenge-circles, stars or squares (I have lots of squares on my check paper and 4 circle brads
Charisma-card for a guy (not sure if it's man enough?)
Cute card thursday-renew, reuse or recycle ( I used the plastic cover from some papermania buttons as a template for my image base is that ok?
Simon says-check it out

pink innocence

I love this cute image, I think it's so cute when you see one young child kiss another as there is so much love and caring and innocence there. It always use to make me laugh when my son was at primary school as you would see the boys and girls walking hand in hand proclaiming to the world that they were boyfriend and girlfriend , and the following week they would all have swapped partners without giving it a second though.

I think this image makes both a fab engagement and anniversarry card which is why I haven't yet added a sentiment.The papers are forever friends and they remind me of daisy chains another childhood memory.

I would like to enter my card for the following challenges;-

Pixie cottage-fab layout
Cooking up with Katie-  make or alter an embellishment and add sparkle use a die cut-(I made my daisies )
Tellens challenge-summer
ABC-extra dimension(I think my daises add x tra dimension to my card)
Busy Beauties- anything goes
Sew many challenges-anything goes
Paperplay-it's sunny here
Pear tree challenges- summer loving
Ooh la la- simply summer
Quirky crafts-ribbons
The corrosive challenge-lots of flowers
Magical crafts fortnightly challenge- flower power
just cute bears-anything goes ( I do have a bear on my image hope it's big enough)
Just scraps-double(two children)
Pollycraft-pinkalicious

just a quickie

Hi all can't believe it's the start of another week, where does time go? Just had to pop by and share my news I have been accepted as a new design team member for PENNY'S PAPER CRAFTY CHALLENGES. Have to say I was so suprised after applying to several dt calls over the last few months and now I can say i'm a DT member of two fab challenge teams, there's hope for everyone if you keep trying. I'm really excited and can't wait for my first challenge and congrats to jackie the other newbie. I do hope you will come along and play when our next challenge is underway, in fact why not pop along and join in with the challenge now running. Hope to see you all soon. Have to dash ,I've got a list of 101 things to do to get ready for my hols and Andrew has just finished his last exam so he's in party torment mood which isn't helping much .See you all real soon enjoy the sunshine while it lasts.

For the Princess next door

One of my neighbours daughters has a birthday tomorrow and she is the grand age of 7. She frequently tells me she is a princess, usually when she is running around playing in her pyjamas or nighty with her fav footwear of wellies on and her hair in a real bad bed head state. Needless to say she is a truely pink girl and apart from when she is in school uniform always has pink in her outfit somewhere.

I saw this cute magnolia tilda image and it just reminded me of her dancing around in her clumsy way and thought it would make the perfect birthday card.

That left me with my problem of making a pink card, and I am so not good with pink, don't know why after all it's just another colour but I find it so hard to make pink cards look right. I think I managed it this time and I quite like this card but I went through so many papers trying to find the right one, in the end I actually used some of the packaging from the magnolia stamps packet. The corners I used a border punch on each corner and then on the vellum at the base of the card, I figured it might look a bit like lace organza, but it fits with the subtle theme. The pink ribbon flowers are from anitas but I've had them ages so not sure if you can still get them.The other papers are from daisy and dandilion set by docrafts and the sentiment is a magazine freebie (not sure why it looks red as it's shocking pink) from forever ago.

The base card is pink pearlised and I dry embossed a flower design over half to fit in with the fab layout from Tickled pink monthly challenge. There challenge also included making a book mark to match which I thought would be a nice little gift. I had to alter Tilda a little so she would fit on the bookmark though and I felt quite guilty chopping off her arms and one of her legs. Think I might try making this card in other colours too, so you may see them later.

I would also like to enter this card into the following challenges:-

Tickled pink monthly challenge- sketch and matching bookmark
Paperplay-something old(my daisy ribbon)
Just magnolia- in the garden

Totally gorjuss-sugar and spice

ISB-swirls(do my little swirls on my punched bits count?)

Magnolia down under-embossing

Paper sundaes-pretty princess

Alphabet challenge-H is for heart(again on my puched bits)

Stampavie and more-hearts(again my punched out hearts)

Crafty creations-add shine

Card for my brother- which will mum choose?

Mum asked me for a card for one of my step brothers, but I'm never sure what kind she wants as her tastes changes week by week, last time for my one of my other step brothers she took a dragon, but you never know with my mum. I decided to hedge my bets and give her a choice.

The first one is a dragon, a fab Dustin Pike freebie and one of his high hope sentiments. I'm not sure if pink is ok in small amounts for a male but I just thought it went well with the green on my dragon, who looks so cute and helpless floating along.
This card I want to enter into the following challenges:-

Doodle dragons- grown male card

Donnas Den-happy birthday

High Hopes-anything goes(hope the sentiments enough to enter)

Sketchy colour-colour challenge,green,blue and pink

Crafty Ho's-fab layout

My second card I made for mum I did non cute and used one of my fav sentiment stamps, it just makes me smile. It's from a set by the darkroom and is fab for older birthdays.

The card I used the stamp man background map and I used promarkers on a darkroom car, as they dry quickly they give a worn out look which just seemed right fot the card style.

I decided to go monochrome for this one too. I am entering this card into the following challenges:-

Creative Inspirations- monochrome

Paper Romance-easel card
Craftilicious-monochromatic
Sentimental sundays-fav sentiment

Simon says papercraft planet challenge-masculine

Creative card crew-easel card

In case any of you wondered , mum went for the car card, suprises me every time.

If at first you don't succeed...

...just keep trying eventually it pays off, am I talking jibberish, hope not, I'll explain. I decided a few months ago to start applying for positions on design teams , not everyone I saw but those I thought I'd enjoy being on and it finally paid off. I am so excited and happy to say I am a design team member with Creative craft challenges. I found out on friday and am finally coming back down to earth, all the girls seem really nice and there are 3 other newbies on the team too as far as I know, who I'm looking forward to getting to know too over the next few weeks . It would be great if you popped over to the Creative craft challenge site so you could meet them too.

Whilst there you could join in with our latest challenge, it does seem funny typing that but I really look forward to getting use to saying it. It's called 'stampin up' and you can probably guess you need to stamp something. We have a fab sponser too, The Crafty pad and we got some cute cupcake images to play with. Why not pop over to the Creative craft challenge site and join in.

I used some of the cherry cupcake decoupage images and made them into a giant stand alone cupcake. I coloured them with promarkers and added some stickles for extra sparkle. I topped it off with a stamped 'thankyou' which I stamped with promarker and added clear embossing powder to. Inside is another of the crafty pad digi's , it makes a fab verse, and I think would make the recipient feel really special, what do you think?

If you pop over to the Creative craft challenge you will see all the other fab ideas for projects the team designers came up with for your inspiration, so hop over be inspired, give them some hugs with comments and join in.

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges:-

Cowgirl challenge- anything goes

Cupcake craft challenge-strawberries and cream ( I used the colour combo as I don't have a strawberry I used a cherry)

Lexi's challenge-something old(my fancy cutting scissor were on of the first crafty things I had bought for me )

A thankyou

Many of you will know that I have had my son at home post surgery for several months now, he had surgery in January and then was non weight bearing and then as he wasn't very staedy on his feet couldn't go back to school as if he fell and couldn't get himself back up for health and safety reasons couldn't go to school. Not that he was bothered as it meant he didn't get bullied so a blessing in disguise really. Then a couple of months ago he would have been out of school anyway on exam leave which thankfully there are only 2 left so he has been doing all his exams at home, then we can finally concentrate on getting him back to being as mobile as he was instead of sitting and revising all the time, well most of the time.

During his time off school he has had a teacher come for supposedly 6 hours a week from hospital and home education services. I have to tell you his teacher has been fantastic and spent probably far more time with Andrew than he should, he has been great especially whilst Andrew is on exam leave he has still been coming and helping him with revision. Andrew normally has a scribe for his exams as his hands get tired really quickly and then his writing becomes unreadable, and Gary his teacher voluntered to scribe for as many exams as he could fit in around his other students.

We won't know how well Andrew will have done in his exams till we get the results in august but I can honestly say he deserves to do well as I know he has put the effort in in revision and although there have been some days he hasn't wanted to revise he has generally worked really hard and has been getting 80% plus in the practice papers. He does get really nervous so unless they take their toll and mess up what he says in his exams he should do ok, which will hopefully give him a confidence boost as he has really low self confidence in himself.

Andrew wanted a card for Gary to say thank you for all the work he has done with him,although Gary says helping him has been a pleasure and he will miss coming to teach him as he works really hard and is intrested which many students aren't. Andrew wanted a card with walkers on as Gary likes visiting Scotland and I think he's presuming they go hiking, not sure as I'm not privy to conversations when Andrew is having lessons, I keep out of the way, just far enough.

I used jolly nation walkers stamp and stickers and a couple of thankyou stamps, one sugar nellie and on the darkroom two different styles for contrast. I also added a sticker on the inside.

The layout is for the moving along with the times challenge, I haven't added text to the top right corner yet as Anderw wants Gary's name there but isn't sure what colour to have it in or whether it's spelt with one or two 'r's' so I will add that later.

I am also entering my card into the Pile it on challenge who want you to use stickers.

Raise the Bar have a challeneg for a special guy, I think Andrew thinks his teacher is a pretty special guy.

Thanks for dropping by and happy father's day to all you dads out there.

Under the weather

I decided to bite the bullet so to speak and have a go at making a step ladder card. It went slightly wrong as I made my first cut a bit wide si decided to make it a one sided ladder card, but it was quite a happy accident as I'm happy with the result.

I decided I'd have a go at the picture challenge at Penny's challenge. I love this kind of picture and thought it might be fun. The colouring bit was easy and just had to add glossy accents to her boots and puddle too. I found it hard to work out how to place her on this card, one day I'll plan a whole card instead of making it up as I go along, but not yet. I have kepy it simple but have a new fad, I love daisies and have found I can make them so easily with my new mini punch and sizzix die, but the larger flowers aren't so easy to use on my style of card but I am determined to adapt so I can use them. Saying that I've only got baby daises on this card.

I plan on entering it for the following challenges:-

Penny's challenges-picture inspiration and DT call too

Bunny Zoe's- nice and girly

Tuesday morning sketches-step ladder card

Treehouse Thursday-favourite tool (promarkers and new daisy punch at the mo)

Charisma-all about bling (on this card less is more I think)

Pixie Dust challenge-red,black ,white and or silver

Crafty catz-shaped card

Crazy4challenges- paper flowers

Please drop by

and say hi to my son. I have encouraged him to make his own father's day card for his dad and after he got such lovely comments about the last card he made and I posted he wanted to post this and enter some challenges which I have helped him to do. I dread if he takes craft up as I have spent the afternoon running up and downstairs too and from my craft room with bit he wanted and then changed his mind, and despite the awful colour scheme(just my opionon) he's not done a bad job.
I think half of it was to get out of maths revision but it's something different and now I have helped him add his card to some challenges I've got my note book back. That's the worst of it his arms are so long even when he is in his wheelchair if he holds things up I can't reach them talk about blackmail me into helping, but hey it's all good fun and distraction too.

I'm sure he'd love to get some comments and it might even get him putting more posts on his blog, which is supposedly to review restaurants from a mobility challenged persons point of view, and definitely not craft. I don't need competition.

Another card for a Dad

I have to admit I've made this for my son to send to his Dad just in case he doesn't get around to making the card he keeps saying he intends to. A standby if you like, hence I haven't stuck a sentiment for father's day on it as it may well end up as just a birthday card for a male at a later point if Andrew gets around to making his card in between revising and exams. I don't want to add on the pressure so I'm not metioning it, just being prepared.

there are so many male/fathers day challenges out there it seems a shame not to try and enter them all, though it's hard to make different cards for each when there's a limit to how many Dad's there are in your family to send cards to.

I used one of the fab teddy stamps from lili of the valley on my card and some basic grey papers , love these muted turquoise blues and brown together. The image is coloured with promarkers and the faux brads are craftworks. The saying is form a stamp man set, and oh so true as I'm sure any gardener will agree, not that hubby is a gardener and this is certainly more what he thinks a garden is for.

The challenges I am hopefully entering are:-

Stamp something-happy something (this so sums up this card as it's not sure if it's a father's day or birthday card yet)

Basic Grey- turquoise, cream and brown

Secret saturday craft challenge- Incluce a quote

Totally gorjuss- card for a male

sunday sketch and stamp- fab layout

magical crafts fortnightly challenge- father's day or male card

Just cute bears-here comes summer ( I really hope this will be the norm this summer)

Pear tree designs- father's day

Crafty card makers-cards for men

Cupcake craft challenge- one for the boys

Incy wincy designs -one for the boys

Forever friends- something not forever friends

A crafty little place- one for the boys

Papertake weekly- ice cream colour ( mine are cornish vanilla, chocolate and bubblegum, never sure why it's this colour as I always think of the old big pink penny bubblegum but that's what it is turquoise blue, well around where I live anyway)
Creative inspirations-for the boys
Clean and simple- father's day
I love promakers-bears

I decided to add some more faux brads as the top corner looked a bit empty and I thought this balanced it up more , let me know if you agree or not, thanks Julye

OOOps made an error

Hi Mandy and Squirrel, thanks for your lovely comments but not sure if I should have said anything till next tuesday but thanks anyway Julye.

Summer lovin' anniversary

I just love this image it was one I won as candy from Michelle at the Pixie cottage and it just made me start humming 'summer lovin' from Grease for some reason, so thought it would make a fab anniversary card. I decided to find a layout from my list of challenges and though I'm on the last legs with deadlines again I decided on the Papertake weekly layout and they have an optional lemon and liliac colour scheme. I rotated the image and added some extra embellishments to finish it off.

The craft garden have a monthly challenge of a project with 6 no more or les flowers, as I have one on my image and have added 5 I made , I have my 6.

Raise the bar have a 'sweet music' theme and Pollycraft also want a song related project. I don't know if I'd call John Travolta's high pitched squark sweet but that's the song I had stucj in my head whilst making this card, so hopefully it will count for entry.

Paper romance also has a summer theme as do Quirky crafts and sentimental sundays.

Over at a spoonful of sugar the theme is floral delights and I am quite delighted with my little michealmas type daisies I made so I intend entering their challenge too. I punched them from white paper and coloured with liliac and lavender promarkers.

Just scraps has a challenge of butterflies, birds and flowers , not sure if it's a combination or you have to have all 3, well I have 2 out of 3.

Well that's all for now thanks for popping by hope to see you all soon .

More Dad's day cards

Well that's another of my son's exams over , 75% done and only 4 left now then no doubt he will start to fret over his results and what he's doing next.

Well I have managed 2 cards, being banished whilst he does his exams has its perks. The first is another card for Andrew's other granddnd, he didn't make this one just picked out the stamp image and the colour scheme, have to admit I don't know if he likes it as I haven't shown it to him yet.

I am planning on entering this card into the following challenegs:-


Cards for men - fathers day
CRAFT- fathers day /mans card
Pixie cottage- layout and father's day
Tellen's place-father's day
Simon says- 1 image, 2 patterned papers , 3 types of embellishments-I have brads, insect buttons and basic grey lattive lace.
Papercutz challenge- father's day card hope I can enter more than one?
Creative craft challenges-the man in your life(one of them)

My second card is for my Dad who is in lovewith my sister in law's dog Simba . She is a cheerful westie who doesn't think she is a dog at all but my sil's baby. Dad and mum dog sit a couple of times a year and dad reall looks forward to it though he won't admit it. We have all offered to buy them one of their own but Dad says no as it wouldn't be Simba. I got this fab digi from sj's little musings and thought it would be perfect for Dad's father's day card so thankyou to SJ .

I plan on entering this card into the following challenges:-


Creative craft challenges- for the man in your life(another of them anyway)
Papercutz- father's day
Klsns- shaped card( first time I've made this style I think it's called a 'z' card)
Tellen's place-father's day
CRAFT-father's day/man card
Cards for men-father's day card (hope I'm allowed 2 entries)

I love daisies!

I treated myself to a new sizzix die as I only had 2 sizzlets alphabets so I got a build a flower, there wasn't much of a choice at our hobbycraft stoe and as I only went for tape I shouldn't complain. I also picked up a daisy paper punch a bargin at under £3.

I decided to play and made these flowers, I made one with all 3 flowers from the die but it was a little big so I experimented and came up with these. I wanted something small enough to put 3 on a card. The card is for my nieces birthday later this month and she is a girly girl so this is my attempt at being girly. I do hope she likes it.

The layout and colour scheme are from the challenge at the sugar bowl use pink ,black and white and of cousre a sugar nellie image but you can now combine with other challenges too.


Create for fun have a colour challenge too, black , white and one other colour so I can enter their challenge with my pink.Cupcake craft challenge have a theme of dazzle us. I don't have loads of bling but both my flowers and girl have some so hope its enough.

Aday in the life of renee has a pink and crystal challenge well I have pink and crystal stickles so hope they count.

For fun challenges want a  birthday card for someone special and as this is for my nieces birthday I think that counts.

The creative cottage have a pink colour challenge and for me this is pink. Hope they understand and accept my entry.

Well I'll have to finish this later as my son wants to play Pirates of the caribbean online to unwind from his english exam so his turn now.

Help 2 more children smile...

...well 3 really. I read this story over at scrap-creations and though my son has cerebral palsy and we have our own problems, even he was touched by the stories of Ethan and Bella, and said there is always someone worse off than me. Though he said he gets down and frustrated about his problems with his mobility and other associated problems with his cerebral pasly he said that he wanted to send hope and good wishes to both Ethan and Bella and thier families, so we picked some cards and sent them off. I'm sure after you read thier stories printed with permission from kristens blog page here you too will want to send cards and thank  whoever you believe in for all the good you have in your lives.


From Kirsten's blog;-

Ethan is my cousin's son. He is 8 years old .Ethan was diagnosed with Neuroblasto​ma Stage 4 on March 5th, 2005. This devastating news came just days after his 3rd Birthday. The doctors told us that Ethan’s overall chance of survival was only 25%. Who would have ever thought that his leg pain and unexplained fever was cancer.

The worst of the worst…a deadly form of cancer where there is no specific treatment meant just for Neuroblasto​ma. Instead, trial studies and experimental​l therapies were in our future.

Etha​n underwent 6 rounds of extremely high dose chemotherap​y, surgery to remove the tumor in his abdomen, a stem cell transplant and 12 rounds of radiation to the tumor site. This trial study was followed up by an experimental​l therapy at Sloan Kettering in New York called 3F8 Antibody Treatment. Ethan received 5 rounds of this treatments before becoming “Hama” positive, which means his immune system is trained to fight neuroblasto​ma cells.

Today​, Ethan is cancer free and is back to enjoying all the childhood fun and games that was taken from him for over a year and a half. Doctors have also increased his overall chance of survival to 50% (considering​ the high rate of relapse).



UP​DATE:

In November 2007, a lump was found on Ethan's left shoulder blade...lat​er to be diagnosed as osteochondr​oma, a benign tumor growth in the bone. This is in part, a side effect of having Total Body Irritation for his Stem Cell Transplant.​

Around June of 2008, several benign tumors were discovered on Ethan's liver.

On Nov. 21, 2008, we found out that Ethan's cancer had returned, Recurrent Neuroblasto​ma. MIBG uptakes were discovered in one shoulder, his leg, his spine and chest...alo​ng with in his bone marrow. There were a total of 12 spots at re-diagnosi​s

Ethan underwent 2 rounds of high dose chemo followed by a set of scans. The scans showed that the chemo was not acting effectively.​

Ethan then underwent o​ne round of maintenance chemo before becoming the first patient in a New England hospital to receive MIBG therapy (aka liquid radiation).​ The first round was scheduled the week of Ethan's 7th Birthday (feb 17th). Follow up scans show a HUGE improvement​, leaving residual uptake on MIBG scan and small traces in the bone marrow. Then Ethan underwent a 2nd round at the beginning of May 2009, scan results show "stable with limited improvement".​

At this time, Ethan only had two more spots to take care of. So he underwent more chemotherapy​y, using irinotecan, carboplatin and temodar...followed up by a much needed stem cell rescue. Results "stable with no improvement".​ At that point, we decided to allow Ethan's body to rest and put him on a treatment known for stability called ABT-751 at the beginning of Sept. 2009. However, in November 2009, Ethan's cancer showed 2 new spots of progression and we had to discontinue the use of the ABT-751.

Fro​m there, Ethan began a treatment using Temodar and Thalidomide​, which consists of taking pills at home...ever​yday. Also, at this point, I added Harmazone, a form of"Essiac" to Ethan's daily routine. La​ter, I added the use of a DHA supplement.​ Thus far, the DHA has proven to rid Ethan of his mood swings and temper tantrums.

Af​ter 4 rounds of Thalidomide​/Temodar treatment, On March 18, 2010 scan results showed massive "widespread" progression throughout Ethan's entire skeletal system, from his shoulders down his arms, down his spine and chest cavity, to his pelvis, and down his legs, right down to his ankles.

We then decided to try out a new phase 1 protocol using both IV and oral cyclophosph​omide, with Avastin and Zometa. This treatment is primarily used for bone metastesis.​ Unfortunate​ly Ethan's LFT's remained too elevated to remain on protocol.

Sc​ans were conducted in Vermont, as preparation for a new study. Results show even more progression to several area's in skull and soft tissue mass on spine. Radiation was conducted to the orbital area and spine, along with etoposide and velcade treatments.​ Biopsies were perfomed for DNA and RHA testing for Personalize​d Medicine Study in Vermont.

Well, today we received devastating news. The Brain tumor has more than doubled in size and is now causing focal seizures. They will do radiation for comfort only at this point. Things are not looking good for Ethan and he is in need of prayers and whatever happiness we could give him. Ethan & his sister sierra love to receive cards. If you could find the time to mail them a card, I am sure it would bring a smile to their face. Particularly Ethan, as he is in Boston Children's Hospital continuing with radiation. If you would like to mail them a card you may do so to:

Ethan Smith and Sierra Smith
27 Donna Street
Nashua, NH 03060


If you would like more info and would like to stay up to date with Ethan you can visit is journal here:http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/ethansmith

Meet Bella Tucker

Bella Tucker is an 8-year-old girl who attends South School Elementary in Londonderry, New Hampshire and is a member of the Phantom Gymnastics team. Bella came down with a near fatal infection on Easter Sunday. Doctors gave little hope for this third graders’ survival, but after five days in a coma she miraculously survived Streptococcus Pneumonia Sepsis with DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation).

Unfortunately, her survival from this infection was not without significant cost. The infection caused extensive tissue damage, and on April 27, 2010, Bella underwent quadruple amputation surgery and is currently facing an extremely long and hard recovery at Children’s Hospital in Boston with extensive rehabilitation to follow, as she learns to live life without her limbs.

Fortunately, Bella has the love and support of her three older brothers and younger sister during these trying times. The family is suddenly faced with significant challenges, many of which can be eased with financial help. For example, their home in Londonderry, New Hampshire will need extensive modifications to accommodate a wheelchair. Bella's mother, who is also her primary insurance holder, must be by her side during the extensive rehabilitation process and therefore she will be unable to work, causing the family to lose significant income. Since her mother will be with her during this process, the family needs funds for daycare of their other children. Lastly, she will be faced with medical challenges for the rest of her life.

Bella loves receiving cards and they would be sure to make her smile. I am currently awaiting her address, but you may mail her cards to my address until further notice.
Kristen Catalano

c/o Bella tucker
5 Baymeadow Dr
Nashua, NH 03063


You may visit Bella's webpage at :http://www.bellatucker.org/

I know we all have some cards sitting around, it would mean so much if you could get one out to Ethan and Bella. They need all the smiles they can get right now!

Thanks so much


For some reason the photos haven't copied and pasted so pop over to Kirstens blog to see them, she also has candy for an extra incentive though after reading the stories it seems unneceassary but a wonderful trat for us anyway. Thanks Kirsten, hope this post helps get more cards.

A change of project

Yesturday and today (edit now 2 more days have past, where do the hours go?) whilst my son has been doing his exams in our kitchen and I have been banned from the room I decided I'd do some crafting but couldn't decide what to do. I thought I'd have a change as I have quite a few scrap books still to do for Andrew though have to admit as he got older he became more camera shy so there are fewer photos for each year.

I am up to 2005-2006 his final year at primary school and first at high school. I am part way through and the pics won't have much meaning probably to anyone but his close family. Andrew calls his scrap books his legacy and he wanted them as a way to remember things he's done and been to so in later years he can show his family. I think if he has children they will find some of the photos and stories as amusing as we did at the time if not more so and though Andrew isn't embarrassed now I'm sure he will be as he gets older.

I decided as a challnge to use a couple of challenge layouts just for a change. My scrap pages are usually quite plain as I normally don't want to distract from the images soworking to a layout was a challenge in itself. I have to say I found it daunting at first but quite enjoyed the second.
I am not saying which order I did the layouts in as that reveals which I found more of a challenge so I will do them on this post in the order I have the layout challenges in my note book.

Now I've had a look and the first I have noted down is.....

Saturday crafter secret challenge. I am also going to enter this page into the craftalicious challenge which has a theme of new. I hope first day at a new school counts.The corrosive challenge also has a theme I can enter this page to and that is to use die cuts, well my a,b,c, are die cut so I'm in. Crafty Ho's also have a theme I can enter, anything goes.

I had intended the other page I did to enter the pink elephant as that was the layout I used but I have missed that deadline but never mind, I can still enter it for Easy craft challenge as thier theme is green and that is my predominent colour all be it just the background. I used this fab stamp from sugar nellie , the wee sports manga boy he just seemed perfect for this page. The football stamp is from a sheet from the stamp man the papers just from my stash that I seem to have had forever.

Well missed challenge or not it's another 2 pages done. The weather is still miserable here and Andrew has another english exam this afternoon and I still have another couple of posts to finish before I have to unplug everything for his exam. The only good thing about being banished is that I get chance to do some crafting  as even the tv in another room would be a distraction and I find it easier to knit which is my other option for me time when I have the tv on so I may have more to share ovetr the next couple of days.Thanks for dropping by and keep smiling afterall we could have snow!

High hopes new release

Make a note in your diary for the new release of magical brilliant high hopes stamps from Dustin Pike's imagination on June 14th! There will be a fun blog hop too so come join the party.

New challenge blog

There's a new challenge blog starting this month over at Bunny zoe's and to help spread the word there's candy too. Pop over here to join in and have the chance to win a real treat!

2 cards for a distant Dad

Well Tenerife is a fair distance from th UK. Hubbies parents retired to Tenerife earlier this year after alot of deliberation and eventual persuasion they finally made the move permanet. They have had an apartment there since hubby was little and were spending months at a time there coming back for a month and then going again, it just seemed silly so last christmas they made the decision to move there permanently.

Fathers day is looming in a couple of weeks so thought I best get a card made and my wonderful son decided he wanted to send his granddad a card too. He didn't like the idea of messing stamping , well no he likes stamping but not colouring as his cerebral palsy affects his fine motor control and when he goes over the lines he gets frustrated with himself. I found some images and pop out die cuts from a magazine freebie which he liked and with a little help with the fiddly foam squares and positioning he came up with this.


Not bad for a 16 year old boy who says he's just not into arty craft as he's rubbish at it. His disability frustrates him so, I think he just says he doesn't like things he can't do as he wants to beable to and no amount of praise seems to move him. Children at school are so cruel when they are ignorant as are many teachers and bullying comes in many forms. I know his secondary school art teacher has a lot to answer for when  she told him he drew like a five year old and ought to give up trying. I told him as he loved drawing he should continue, after all Lowry drew stick people and it didn't stop him.

It's bouncing with rain here at the moment so a far cry from the sunshine summer hubby's parents have with their long hot summer, my card for hubby's dad has him fishing off the beach pier, though as far as I know they haven't yet aquired a dog. I used a High Hopes image coloured with promarkers though did have some fun getting the suntanned skin tone, not to look daft with Dad's grey white hair.

  oops thunder and lightening too, hubby says got to unplug computer back later.

I am entering it for a few challenges listed below:-

Simon says-father's day/masculine card

The Creative cottage challenge-father's day
Creative inspirations-beach theme (hope my beach pier is ok)
I love promarkers-2 different papers(patterned and yellow the others are card),3 buttons and 1 ribbon
Stampavie-summertime(now I'm not sure of the rules so this might not be enterable)
Papertake weekly-fun,fun,fun
Everybody art-summer
Moving along with the times-fab layout sketch(and they have a DT call too)
Totally papercrafts-more than one fold
High hopes-masculine card
Scrappy frog-summertime fun

I can't belive my card fits so many challenges as I look through my little note book. Have to admit I set out with doing a father's day card as I remembered making notes of a few father's day challenges but had to make them anyway and decided to use the MAWTT layout but didn't plan further than that. I so love it when things just fall into place. To anyones challenge that I enter and have not adhered to the rules of number of challenges or right stamp all I can say is sorry and I will try and check as I enter but if I get it wrong please forgive me, I feel a little giddy with how many challenges I've found. Hope you all have a great day well whats left of it and thanks for dropping by.

Another anniversarry

This is another anniversary card as not only is the summer when many marry but they celebrate their anniversaries in the years that follow.I know it's not a very neutral card and more girly but how many men admit to taking notice what a card is like and aren't anniversaries more for girlies to get things after all they look after their men don't they.

This is a really quick post sorry but here is the list of the challenges I will be entering my card for:-

The pixie cottage-sketch and use metalwork

The critter challenge-flowers and purple

Quirky cards-girlie card

Pear tree designs-floral delights

Magical crafts fortnight-use some metal
Crafty Ho's-use ribbon,flurishess and bling, hope the swirls of my flower stems are flourishy enough
Daring card makers-anniversarry( not sure of the deadline time but got to go do dinner hopefully will get back in time to publish post and link and not miss deadline)

Cover to match my kitchen...

...well better than black anyway.

My hubby love cooking but not cleaning up. I also got fed up a couple of years ago asking what hubby and son would like for dinner and getting the same answer each time...'whatever'. I decided partly under the guise of educating our son that each week over a 3 week rotation we would construct a menu for the week, that way I get 2 weeks off out of every 3 in deciding what we are eating. I still cook and shop but don't have to come up with the meals and have a menu to work from. We have rules, you can't repeat your menu meals twice in a row nor can you have something from a previous weeks menu that way we get variety.

Other rules include it has to be a balanced menu and healthy too and each meal has to be complete, no good saying fish it has to be what kind of fish and served with etc. My son is now quite capable of coming up with healthy meals and often enjoys cooking even if he sometimes needs a little help as he can't carry the pans to drain etc and use his wheelchair at the same time.

All quite irrelavent I hear you say, whats this got to do with crafting. I'm getting there sorry for the delay. Hubby found recipe zaar web site and has got into the habit of choosing his meals from there, he thinks of an ingredient and searches for the highest rated. When I ask for his shopping list of ingredients I often just get a list of numbers so I have to find the recipes to find the shopping list, he's very naughty and I am so trying to break this habit. He then prints off the recipes and piles them in the corner of the kitchen so I now have them in a file that looked like this.

I decided that was boring so as I found a challenge that had colours that would co-oprdinate with my kitchen I decorated the file. Hope we don't get voloumes of them in the future.

I am entering my project for the following challenges:-
Ooh-la-la - colour challenge, colours of their blog
The Corrosive challenge- something to do with cooking or baking

Sorry for the long winded post but maybe it gave you a giggle too or an idea of how to get out of menu planning. See you all soon and thanks for dropping by. Julye.