WOYWW 27th October

Did October really happen - how come we are at the end of it already?  

It’s been a sparse month for me in blogging and card making/crafting terms... I just haven't had the energy or motivation - i need a kick up the jaxi!!!

Thanks to all those who stopped by last week on WOYWW - I did reciprocate all my visits (I hope), and did try and get round everyone - then I had a couple of days when I barely opened the laptop (probably because most of the time it was under a pile of rubbish)!!!

On Monday, I had a rare excursion out... my son took me to town where i bought a few bits and bobs.  It was a struggle - but fortunately I had my DS with me who made a great bag carrier!!!  When we went into the pound shop to see if there were any crafting bargains to be had (not many mind), he did that teenager thing - he kept moaning that he didn't want to be in the shop and that it was awful... mind you, there were a group of staff in one corner slagging off a colleague who was on the tills.  DS recons it’s because she looked normal and the rest didn't like it because, in his words (a teenage thing), they were all munters!!!   I didn't bring him up like that - honest, but you have to laugh because he was probably on the nail.

That afternoon/evening/night I brought that piece of furniture in to the conservatory that was in the garage - (I think I’d put in my last post that i was going to have it restored to its original pride of place...).  Mind you, when I say I brought it in - of course I mean that my huffing and puffing OH did it - sighing all the time - does anyone else's OH do that - instead of just saying they are hacked off for some reason - they just huff and puff to make you feel guilty...  My mum recons it's my fault.

Anyway - the big unit is now where the smaller cupboard was.  The smaller cupboard is now where the TV (all 32" of it) was on its low unit.  A piece of board has had to be put on to ensure the oversized TV (that used to be in the lounge before we got the 42" plasma 3 years ago (and overpriced because they were new on the market and i could now get 2 and a smaller one for what we paid for ours) - (sorry I digress..) anyway the TV is now there and higher.  The sofa is in the same place, and the doors to the garden are still accessible.

The unit that the TV was on now has my printer with two sets of drawers underneath that houses the papers I regularly use for printing on.  This is next to my desk – so is technically in the kitchen!!!!!!  Anyhow – I’ve yet to wire it up and check to see if it works while it’s there, so it may move yet.  The unit has casters, so I could turn it and angle it towards me if I need to.

The big unit has all my plain paper and cardstock in it, along with envelopes, my peel off fileI think of it as my very own stationery cupboard!  The open shelving is going to house my Cuttlebug and embossing folders, along with the scanner – which is a printer too – but I’m not using it as a printer – I just want to use the scanner function every now and again.

Inside (this isn't how it will stay as there are a few things i've yet to house properly and sort out.  The bottom shelf has one full large papermill box of hammered and linen cardstock in white and cream (thats the brown box on the right), the left of that shelf sees all my white cardstock from Century Paper Mill 300gsm and 190gsm.  The top shelf in the cupboard part needs sorting out.  I've hidden some crisps away from the children so that i can limit their munching - i'm trying to get them to eat fruit between meals rather than meals - they are growning, granted - but they have soup, sandwhiches or tortilla wraps while waiting for tea to be cooked - then guess what - they don't eat all of their tea.  Try reasoning with two growing teenage boys :O.

The top open shelves.  The weighing scales are actually the bottom part of my kitchen scales, but its there as I use it to weigh my post if i have a largish item to send:

The unit under the TV houses all my folders with my stamps in (that’s where they were before too), my decoupage and card kits, and all my boxes, frames, voltives, candles etc. etc. that are there for making into gifts.

Inside:

Because of the extra storage, I’ve been able to improve the appearance of the Expedit shelves and its contents; hopefully I’ll keep it like that!!!

I’m pleased with how it’s all looking so far – a big thank you to my lovely Mum who sorted the big unit out (despite her own health issues), and sorted all my cardboard and jiffy bags out too.  There is a big storage box that i've put all my big equipment in such as my Purple Cows guillotine, Martha Stewart Score Board, my Ultimate Pro and my Carl paper trimmer.

It now remains for me to sort out my drawers under the desk, as I’d shoved everything in here off the desk so we could make a start… the desk, as you can see, still needs sorting out which will be done later so that I can do some crafting.  

Heres a pic of the desk

Here is the unit with the printer on - that used to have the TV on, and which technically sits in the kitchen... i'm not sure i'm happy with that, but here's the pic for now:

You may just be able to detect next to it the chair where Dylan sleeps - it wasn't originally intended for him, and before I took over the conservatory, it was in there - with another one, but he seems to like it and gets a bit out of sorts if someone else sits in it!!

Here is the view from the craftroom/conservatory into the kitchen.  The cat followed me when I took the picture - in fact she follows me everywhere.  She's back on the sofa in the lounge with me now, whereI am sat typing this up.

Thats it for piccies...

I am hopefully going to a friend’s (and former colleague) 60^th Birthday party on Friday, so need to make a card. The invitation says that its fancy dress to reflect her love of 60’s rock.  She’s a 60 year old rock chick – who’s about 18-30 in her head… I hope she’s still like it when she’s 70!  I won’t be dancing or drinking – but wouldn’t miss the party for anything.  I went to her 50^th, she came to my 30^th, I was her bridesmaid a couple of years after that… So, I need to make her a suitable card.  I also want to make her one of those bags to house the present I got her – which is a bit of costume jewellery, which she loves!!!

Hope you enjoyed the tour.  If you’d like to see more desks and craft spaces, pop over to Julia – who hosts this fabulous concept where all participants show their spaces – they all add themselves to Mr Linky – you go and see their space and hopefully leave some love!!! Julia can be found at the Stamping Ground…

Thanks for visiting – I look forward to reading your comments – and over the week – making a return visit to see your space.

Take care, hugs n stuff,

Paula x x x  

WOYWW - 20th October '10

What is on my workdesk this Wednesday indeed... well, pretty much the same that's been there since Sunday actually...

The 'box' at the front of the desk has some of my cards I've made in - i've sorted a load of cards out i'd made when i first started crafting a couple of years ago - and i cringed LOL - I gave them all to my mum as I know she'll make good use of them - and maybe even pass them off as her own (yes- she would actually do that!!!)

Believe it or not, I did actually clear up since my last post, then decided to clear out my envelope box so that I could actually find the right sized envelope rather than pull a handful of random sizes out. I used all of those cereal boxes i've been saving (I knew they'd come in for something useful - even if my OH didn't)!!!

I'm really pleased with myself how this has turned out - I feel so efficient and organised - however, I should have take a pic of what it looked like before - you would have thought it was the box of stuff ready for burning!!!

I've been making a few of my favourite style cards this last few days - being Forever Friends... I'll save those for a later post, but I just feel like I'm pouring my heart into one of those cards.

Anyway, because of the state of my actual desk - you can obviously see that there is just no way I can craft on the desk at the moment, so unfortunately, the table in the kitchen suffered.  Here is a picture of the table this morning - I was doing some bits and bobs last night.

Even this is tidier than it was!  Fortunately, because the conservatory and kitchen are open plan to each other - this table is just to the left on my desk.

Here it is before it got too bad (eek - seems i'm setting a trend)!!!

However, at the weekend, I got Ashley doing some crafting - he was bored so I asked if he wanted to register some craftrak cards... which he did - but not before he attempted to make a card of his own - here is Ashley and his effort (he wouldn't look up for the picture so unfortunately, you have the top of his head)!!

Here's his card (I've ruined it by putting a shadow round the pyramid - in the sky LOL - I knew it looked wrong when i'd done it, but couldn't think why - then i realised)!!!

He was basically messing about because he'd seen the camel on a set of stickers I had, so decided he wanted to make a homage to Karl Pilkington - of 'An Idiot Abroad' fame!  - Do you watch that programme?  We watch it as a family and find it hilarious!

Finally - here is a look at my shelf units which are starting to overflow... i recon i certainly need to bring a piece of furniture for storage back out of the garage - it is IKEA of course and will match everything else I have in here...

Hmmm, best not show you the whole of the floor in front of the shelves!!!

Righto then - that must be the shortest WOYWW post for me - like ever! (yey I hear your cry).

WOYWW you ask? Well, if you pop to Julia's blog by clicking here, she'll also show you her desk and in her post will explain the guidlines for joining in the 'just for fun' weekly bloghop.

Thats me then, hopefully will see you back here soon - remember to come back to see my FF cards and projects.

Paula x x x x

Just one or two projects...

Well, good evening bloggers.  I thought I'd do a quick post with something I was working on for a few days...  its one of those little handbags that, to be quite honest are so easy to make, they could become quite addictive - and i can see me making some for Christmas too to put choccies in etc...

The design papers are both from the forever friends CD - I just love the hot pink with the white daisies on...  i matched the colour of the embroidery thread to the pink DP (well, I tried to match it), then used my very sharp poky tool to prick round the edges of the flap then sewed around it it - which keeps the two parts together that makes up the flap.  I remember when I was sewing it a few days ago, the sun was streaming through the lounge window and was so warm, so I sat on the windowsill as its a big(ish) bay.  Its a place that Dylan often goes to sunbathe, and so do the cats.  There are no ornaments in the bay window these days - as some have been broken in the past by the dog going mental at the postman, anyone that dares to walk down the street or when he sees one of the neighbourhood cats.  He goes off on one - then fusses them silly if he gets to them.  oops! There i go again, digressing!!

Back to the bag.  With this one, rather than secure the flap with brads at the back like i did with the one in a previous post, I used those book rings (i think that's what they're called).  To prevent them from ripping, i used my cropodile and put two eyelets in the back and also the flap.  Not sure if this picture shows the eyelets up very well, but its the best i got!!

The tag obviously spells out the recipients name.  The letters are die cut from the only set of alpha dies i have.  Its a sizzix set called 'Tina thinks you're cute' (who thinks these names up??)...  Its cut out of the same paper the flap is made from - - i forgot to say that i'd embossed the flap with the cuttlebug embossing folder 'Textile'.

The tassel was bought from the local Dunhelm Mills.  To be honest, they were a bit overpriced for what they are, but must admit that this one did finish the flap closure off very nicely.  The faux gem is actually a button, from a selection I bought from here which is an online craft shop called The Hobby House.  They sell them in a mixed pot of 25 for £3.99.  I snipped the thread loop off at the back so that it would sit flat.  I stuck this to the bag with princess pinflair gel (that stuff's good)!!!  To fasten the bag closed, I put a bit of hook and loop tape on.  TOP TIP:  If your hook and loop tape is a bit strong (and likely to pull away from the paper like mine was, snip away some of the hooks (the stiffer bit) or loops (the softer bit)

Anyway, my friend, whose daughter this bag was destined for (it had a pink and white gorgeous necklace in), unfortunately lost her brother just over a week ago, so I made her a card and popped it in with the parcel.  I also popped in a candle and glass voltive so that she could light it for him.  Here's the card

I took this photograph at night time and had my overhead desk lamp on, hence the bad shadowing to the card.  The sentiment is an Anna Griffin one from her sentiments collection.  The embossing folder is by Crafts Too, ribbon from stash - can't remember who the manufacturer of this is.  The label which the sentiment is on is a recent purchase and from the Spellbinders set called 'Fancy Tags', which I can see are going to be used time and time again.

I sent Sam, the recipient of the bag, a Gawjuss Gals birthday card and was one from a kit I bought a while ago from QVC.  Its a die cut decoupage kit and at first, I wasn't that keen, but looking back at the picture I took, I'm quite happy with it.  Obviously, with die cut decoupage you can make a card as plain or as elaborate as you want.  Some people don't think that using die cut decoupage and kits constitutes crafting, and I'll admit to feeling a bit of a cheat at times, but the only difference between this and say CD crafting, digi stamp crafting or stamping (as I see it) is, that someone has provided the raw, precoloured materials instead of having to do them yourself - how you assemble them, lay them out and embellish them up, is no different to any other crafting... or so I've come to realise - and to be honest, i didn't find it to be any quicker, but I'll tell you one thing, because of all the lovely images, it was sure hard to decide which one to choose.

Isn't she gorgeous?

Right, I think that's it for this post (nearly), apart from to say that earlier, I was feeling pretty great and while I wasn't exactly doing a tango in the kitchen while cooking tea tonight (did you get that, I was cooking tea), i did feel pretty great and singing and messing about with DS - I was also in a frame of mind to consider the prospect of going back to work.  Next March will see my 40th Birthday and I never in my wildest dreams considered the prospect of being off work sick - it just isn't in my game plan.  Now while I'm in a bit of pain today, recently I've had some better days and hopefully these are going to get more regular.  Maybe the painkillers I'm on are the right thing, but I just worry that the side effect will be the thing to hold me back.  I'm hoping that everything will sort itself out soon.

Finally, if you read my post yesterday, you will remember my saga with the wedding anniversary card/year.  I thought it was my out-laws in-laws Golden wedding anniversary but its not until next year.  Its also the FIL Birthday, so I'd made two cards for him too - one from Darren and one from the kids.  I had to stop and start a new one.

Anyway, because getting the 'new' card finished was such a rush, i didn't take a pic of it, however, here is a pic of the card that would have been.  I abandoned it as soon as he said it wasn't their 50th.

If I discover anyone else who is celebrating their 50th, I might finish it off!!!  This was made using the My Craft Studio 'Tattered Lace' CD which has the ability to do these lovely books and scrolls.  The rose is also a decoupage from the same collection too... just imagine, i sat there ages cutting that out too!!!  The card is an A3 folded to an A4 landscape card, so is pretty big.

Well, its not past midnight, but I started this post when it was still Thursday evening.  Must be trying to tell me to keep my posts shorter!!!

Thanks for reading - if you like this post and want to know when I post in future - complete the little 'subscribe' box at the top of the page on the left.  You'll never miss a post that way as it will come to you as an email.

OK, that's me then!!!

TTFN Paula x x x x

WOYWW (on a Thursday again)!!!

Phew, what a day I had on Wednesday...

little sleep during the night, woke up early, 3 parcels delivered (only one for me- even the dog had a delivery!!!), phone call from OH "have you made my dad a card" - no mention of a card for their wedding anniversary - although they don't send us one (no comment)... but it was their 50th.... well, that's the last i remember from the conversation the night before.

Phone call from my mum - "My kettles broken" (she'd only had it in June - and can't find the receipt) "I've not had a drink for 2 days" (which turns out to be untrue because she'd been boiling water in a pan.... "Come down here, I'll lend you one of mine" (not that I have loads of kettles laying about the place, but I do have a decent one that I take camping - or glamping as my OH calls it - nothing less than electric hook up for me and mine!!!  We've not been this year but was still accessible, so OH got it out for her as she was coming down on her 'scooter'...

She turned up with a friend in tow while I'm rushing about making this 50th Wedding Anniversary card.  As my craft room now had mums friend sat on my chair, and mum sat on the sofa, I ended up standing up to print things out (that I'd designed on MCS first), then sat to the dining table to cut out and assemble... "could you pass me a length of gold ribbon please" I said the the OH... "I want a touch of gold on here but don't want to make it obvious by making it a gold card"... of he goes to get my box of ribbons... comes back, chooses one, watches me while i cut it, secure it then tie a bow round it.  Mum and her friend disappear after 2 cuppa's, i go back in the craft room to try and find a suitable 50th Wedding Anniversary poem.. not a lot of them around, but find something suitable.  Then I ask him if he's gonna arrange them a bouquet of flowers or does he want me to do it... then he says  "Its not their 50th until next year"... jaw-dropped-on-floor!!!  "but you said last night it was, we discussed it" .... further discussion took place on how he hadn't said it was tomorrow - I couldn't argue because its likely he didn't say it after all - tablets 1- Paula 0!!!  Oh well, I said I'll have to start another from scratch and save that either for someone else (don't exactly know anyone due for their 50th Anniversary mind), or save it for next year (if I remember that I've done one LOL)!!!

So, made another, but left construction until tomorrow.

I've not taken part in WOYWW for the last 2 weeks - even though i have taken pics of my desk... by the time I've even nearly got round to it, its been rather late, and for me at least, the moment has past.

So, in all the mayhem that was today, I didn't even take a pic - but believe me when I say it is worse that the ones I taken over the last couple of weeks.

Here's the first pic which was taken week before last!

scruffy desk

Oops - a bit of a mess!!! On the top of the mountain you can see 2 ATG gun boxes - well, I ordered one and it just wasn't working so phoned the company up where I got it from and explained that it appeared to be broken as it wouldn't wind the waste backing paper around the second spool - and it was set up exactly right and according to the video that was on their website.  The guy said he would send me another and just throw the first one away - it wasn't viable to send the cost of postage to get it returned.  Second one came... OH looked at it and discovered that the first one had been set up wrong (it actually came set up, but I'd ripped the tape, hence me having to put the tape on according to the video.  The spool and spring had been put together upside down by whoever put the additional tape in that I'd purchased... so, thanks to their stupidity - i have two guns for the price of one - one with 12mm tape in and the other with 19mm tape in... cool!!!

HHHmmmm seeing the pic and knowing its far worse is shouting at me to get it cleared up later... maybe when I've finished the 49th Wedding Anniversary card of perhaps!!!!

He is a pic of the desk from last week

 

Actually, last week doesn't seem as bad as the week before, meaning that i must have tidied it up in the meantime - then reverted back to scruffy - then some!!!   In this pic, you can see my new Purple Cows 2in1 trimmer and guillotine.  The guillotine is really great, very precise and crisp.  However, the trimmer (which is detachable from the main bit), but it is almost meant for a left handed person - you have to action the trimmer with your left hand - which I'm having trouble with anyway as I can't exhert any pressure on the slider thing - I suppose I could use it upside down.  My other trimmer, which is a Carl trimmer is the right way round, so maybe its just that I'm used to using that one - who knows!!! 

If you want to join in with WOYWW - Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday - pop over here to Julia and she'll tell you all about the rules (or rather lack of them) - shows you how laid back it is, I'm two weeks late!!!  And it can't be all that bad, we're on week 71 with membership growing weekly!

Thanks for reading - if you enjoyed this post and want to receive an e-mail when i post in future, why not complete your details in the box at the top left of the page... I promise I won't clog up your email inbox!!!

Hugs - and bye for now, 

Paula x x x

Long time - no post....

Well, hello!

Seeing as I haven't blogged - as in posted for a while - maybe the longest time between posts for me(?), I thought I'd come on here and tell you about a few of the things that I've been up to in the last couple of weeks (if I can remember)!!!

First of all, I'm on a new regime of medication since I went to the pain clinic so I'm persevering with those, and so far, I've not been experiencing the high level of pain that i was - and because that seems a bit better - some of the other pains that were still there lurking 'underneath' that one (that's the only way I can describe it) have come to the fore... Anyway, as I said, it seems to have taken the edge off the pain (happy dances) (well, its not quite got that good yet)!!!  However, I think (?) I mentioned in my last post that the side effects of the new tablets... well, if it didn't say on the leaflet that I'd have memory impairment, I'd have seriously thought I was going mad.  The number of arrangements and appointments I've missed (despite having them written down) is just too embarrassing to share with you.  I can talk without either a) forgetting what I was saying b) repeating something I've already told somebody c) using the wrong words for things (I called the cat a human being the other day)...  The best thing I've done recently though is asking the OH to take me to the NEC at Birmingham on Friday just gone (8th Oct) to the ICHF (Craft Fair)... Because I only broke it to him on the Sunday that I wanted him to take me ( he doesn't work Fridays as he does his hours Monday to Thursday) on his day off... well, the request wasn't met with much enthusiasm, but he agreed.  Funny thing is, he was working in Birmingham all week, but he kept asking me to get the directions.  I told him that it would be signposted as we approached Birmingham - and its not like he shouldn't know how to get there huh?  And, we've been before anyway.  On Thursday night, he came back home from the pub quiz (he went on his own, sat on his own and ended up in the tie-breaker question at the end... but he lost - the question was something like 'when did the 100 year war start?' - he'd got no idea.  He was 'head-hunted' while at the quiz, as he got more right on his own than quite a few groups with many 'heads' did...  Eldest DS didn't go as he was poorly, and so was youngest DS.  They've been off school all week.  Anyway, he came home from the quiz and asked me to get the directions and look at a map of the NEC to see if there was anything local that he could do while I was browsing.  I checked to see if I could pay on the door and couldn't find the details - after a bit of searching - DS came and sat beside me and said 'its not until next month... the date is 4-7th November'... well, i could have punched myself - but everyone here thinks its highly amusing.

So, he's promised to take me in November (if I'm OK on the day), so if any of my lovely blog buddies are planning to be there would care to meet up and witness 'madness' for themselves - please let me know if you're going and you're up for it - I'd love to put a face and voice to a blog header!!! LOL.

Well, i haven't been blogging much, or rather, blog hopping too much recently - so if I haven't been by your blog, its not personal, although on the odd, rare occasion, I have been having short spurts at catching up with a few blogs - but they are short spurts!!!  I have been meandering a lot on the inter web, doing a bit of craft shopping too.  I've been thinking about starting my Christmas cards - goodness knows it appears that I have enough time!!!  A couple of weeks ago, the lovely Lynn (Linby) came to see me - and of course - we NEVER stopped talking. We were going to do this and that, I was going to give her a demonstration of my Cinch which I bought from QVC on easy-pay and had only got it out of the box the week before Lynn came by.  I bound a 100 page document for my eldest Son which is a book he'll be required to refer to time and time again over the course of this year - his final A-level year.

Anyway, as I said, Lynn came by and we just talk away... the time just flies and we still have plenty that we needed to share with each other, but time just runs out. 

Looking back on my last few weeks, I've got to say that I recon I've spent more time replying to e-mails than anything else!!!  I did take pics of my desk on the last two Wednesdays, but didn't take part because but the time I've been waking up its been way late to take part by the time I've got my act together. Anyway, the last time I did take part - I made a balls up with the link - which was a sign of things to come!

Anyway, I thought I'd show a few bits of what I've been up to recently - in no particular date order, but where I can remember, I will give details of the project (just in case you're interested)!!!

gift bag - using Pink Petticoat 'roses' collection DP

side view showing ornate handle attachments

showing tag sat inside bag

The above are pics of a little handbag I did for a friends daughter who did really well in her GCSE'sfabby templates and tutorials are is called Mel Stampz - well worth a visit.  I loved making this and my friends daughter loved it.  I put a little tag inside with my greetings on, and also put some chocolates in too... the tag was the card substitute if you like with the bag being an envelope which makes a card a bit more of a gift and helps it to stand out from the rest.

The DP is from a collection from Pink Petticoat called Roses and the colour is called Ocean.  If you've never been over to the PP store or blog - its well worth a look as there are some great collections - which come in 52 stunning and very modern colours.   The fancy ornate bit has been done using a cuttlebug ornamental die  - left (middle) die.  It was attached to a strip of the card then secured the handle with tiny flower brads. 

The handbag flap was made using 2 pieces of cardstock cut using the Spellbinders No. 8 label, pierced pieces all around the edge, then got my lovely embroidery threads out and sewed both pieces together. I then embossed this with the folder called 'Textile'.  This was then scored in two places - the measurement between the two scored lines was the width of the bag opening so that the flap sits in place comfortably.  The back was secured with brads, and the front had a little tab of hook and eye tape.  To finish the front off, I glued the die cut shape from the same ornate die using the bottom left shape (see above pic).

rear of bag showing how the flap is secured by brads

front of bag showing the ornate 'clasp' with a gorgeous gem in the middle

inside of the bag, this shows the embossing off really well

I'm in the process of making another one of these bags to put a little gift of some costume jewellery for another friends daughter.  I'll show that one too, when I've finished it.

cute!

FF card approx 8x8 size, decoupaged by printing image of a few times

Inside of card, with tag of baby's birth details :O)

The above picture and card were made for a friend/colleague who had just had a baby girl (way back in July)!!!  Because of one thing or another, we didn't get together until about 3 weeks ago when she came to my house and I met the little lady - Jasmine.  She was 9 weeks old already and had masses of hair - but still felt and looked like a newborn... sooooo cute.  I had a little cuddle until it started to ache, be she was so lovely.  Anyway, the above projects were made as follows:

Picture:

Ikea frame, Elli image and ALL papers in the image from Pink Petticoat - elephant image was paper pieced and slightly decoupaged.  Flowers, leaves etc were punched from cardstock printed with PP design papers.

Card:

Was made using the Forever Friends CD ROM which is awesome.  The circular images on the card front were cut using nesties and matted on a slightly larger scalloped nestie.  The tag inside with the birth details on was printed on the PC then die cut using Spellbinders labels 8.

tent card using Kanban tree image

I made the above card for my Mum's best friend, Carol.  Mum and Carol went to school with each other - in every single class together throughout their school life.  I thinks its wonderful how they are still friends after all this time.  While I was growing up, mum wasn't really in touch with her.  Not sure what happened, but they got back in touch and now Carol goes to see my mum every week - sometimes twice.  I recon they'll end up living together one day in a nursing home for the elderly... Carol is one of those lady's that everyone will know when she's around... actually, she is polar opposite to my mum in loads of ways - she's loud and swears a lot, my mum is a wallflower and doesn't swear.  Carol is so funny and good company for my mum - its been good to have her in mums life, especially after dad died.  

Card details:

This card was made in the tent style 150x150mm square.  The layers were made using cardstock I've had for a while.  The tree was inked up using blue ink (sorry i can't remember which i used), then blinged up using various gems and pearls.  Apparently, she absolutely loved it. :O)

Well, not a small post (as usual), but i can be forgiven since i haven't posted in a while!  Also, i think I've given value for money with all these different pics and projects!!!

There are loads more, and I would have blogged them sooner had I felt like it - but hey, I'm doing it now :O)

I will post some more later!

Bye and thanks for reading - hugs, 

Paula x x x