Paula's Paper Playground

Forever Friends Black and Gold handmade cards

2012-02-08T23:16:00.000Z

I LOVE Forever Friends.

I've loved them for years (I was even alive when Forever Friends hit the high streets - was it 1987 or thereabouts?)! So, when the cute little character came to crafting, I was over the moon.

I first delved into crafting with him after purchasing the original Docrafts triple CD ROMS collection. Only trouble is, the programme wouldn't fully load on my laptop. So instead, I had to copy all the images off the CD and put them in files on my laptop so that I could still use the imagery. That way, I could use them with other programmes such as My Craft Studio or Serif's Craft Artist to enable me to craft with it still. Then came the Black and Gold collection. Again, the programme wouldn't load up on my laptop so I also copied all the jpeg files to my folders on my PC so I could still use the images etc.

Now, I just thought I'd show some of the cards i've done using the Forever Friends Black and Gold collection... there are some I've done for birthdays in the last few weeks and some that are a bit older (yes, I was late with them all).

The above cards have been made in the last couple of weeks.

this one is a bit older. Apologies for the quality of the pictures. I must have taken them at night in unnatural daylight.

Recently, I got the black and gold CD ROM for free with another purchase of the NEW Docrafts Digital Designer. I like this software and the features are ever improving and come free - for ever.

Just a couple more...

I have loads of toppers I made, which are in my scrap box (remember i'm going to show this in another post). I have a plastic wallet specifically for Forever Friends Black and Gold - sorted into papers, toppers, greetings, ribbon and die cut shapes for matting and layering. I might even give you a little peek when I blog about my bits lol!!!

Ooh - just something funny to tell you before I sign off... My mum is here as I write this post. Earlier on out of the blue, she said "Paula, have you got any nuts" to which I replied "no, I'm a laydeeee" (imagine the voice of David Walliams when he dresses up as that woman who's a lady)... She fell about laughing then explained what she actually meant (like I didn't know)! To explain, she had bought a massive bag of almonds and wondered if I currently had some because I usually have some in a tub to put on my 'flakes with red berries'. Yum. And banana chips.

Right - I'm now very tired after making two posts in one day. Tomorrow I will be visiting a few desks on WOYWW, amongst doing my filing and telephone calls (we've been changing bank accounts and of course this has caused a fair amount of paperwork and telephone calls). It feels like I am working full time but from home - it's been very tiring.

Back soon with news of my 'bits'!

Crafting hugs

Paula x x x

WOYWW and a little bit of sorting out!!

2012-02-08T14:43:00.000Z

OK, so I've not posted this year. There's a lot of things I've not done - apart from doing more 'sorting' that is. I think that sorting things out seems to have been my forte for the last couple of years since I've been off work - which incidentally coincides with the conception of this blog of mine.

In the Christmas aftermath, the 'craftroom', which is our conservatory, was not a pretty sight. In fact it had almost just become a place to pile things up and store things - although once I had done all my Christmas crafting, I did put my Christmas drawer away (yes I have a Christmas drawer). Because of increasing exhaustion, my Christmas crafting was a tad slow-going. I didn't do nearly enough of what I actually wanted to do. But that was how it was. I was still printing out napkin rings and wraps for the table candles at well turned midnight into Christmas Day!

So, onto my New Year resolutions. There's this one resolution I make each year. Whatever other ones I might make - this one particular resolution is always on the list. My OH laughs and doesn't know why I bother to say it. Now I papercraft and make cards, you would thing that this is something I shouldn't get wrong. It's a simple one - remember everyone's birthday ON TIME! Well, I'm embarrassed to say that I've already broken it in January and I only needed to make 3 or 4 cards (you may roll your eyes here!!!).

Back to the crafty mess... It took me no less than the best part of 3 weeks to get on top of the 'sorting' and tidying up, and afterwards, I could even sit down again on the sofa to watch TV and relax with my sweet cat Katie Kitten on my knee. There I was wrapped up warmly in my slanket with the heating cranked up of course!

The best part about the conservatory is that it is built just off the 'dining area' of the kitchen and when we had the kitchen renewed in 2006 (OMG, doesn't seem that long ago!), we removed the doors and plastered it up to make it more cohesive but open space. Not having doors ensures that, while the temperature is colder in the conservatory - there is a huge difference by not shutting it off. The temp is more even between the kitchen and conservatory than it used to be.. We know that if we wanted to sell thought, we would have to re-instate the doors. It is great that the kettle is literally round the corner from my chair. The downside is that if I don't keep the area tidy - it can be seen from the kitchen by visitors - although most of my visitors by and large know all about my crafty habits.

Here is a peek at how it looked before I started to sort it out and tackle some little projects (that I'll post about separately):

oh dear!

Then there was this:

There is a desk underneath all that believe it or not! Although it looks heaps better now (well, certainly better that this), it has started creeping back to being a mess but that seems to be because I've had a really good sort out and have been able to empty some of those clear A4 and A5 storage boxes you put paper and stuff in. Today only, I brought an empty cardboard box in from the garage today (well, dragged it in) and tidied some of the empty plastic storage boxes away.

Squinty eyed (because I daren't look properly) I decided to take a photo while writing this post just for your amusement.

not too bad?

getting there!

More work needed to make it a bit better. There was a interim period when it looked even better than this but alas, it didn't last long!

You may see on the sofa on the right (back) of the picture; I have had to make a nest with a cream fleece blanket for the cat. Next to that is a wicker bread type basket with a handle on. I've put a fleece blanket in that too. She swaps between both so has no particular preference. She also comes over to talk to me while I'm sat the desk. Well, when I say comes to talk to me, I really mean she comes over, meows loudly, grabs my leg in an attention seeking way, uses me as her 'stretching post' drawing blood while casing the joint to see if it is OK to go through the open 'Buddy' gate.

During my 'sorting out phase', I wanted to make my paper scraps a bit more accessible. They were already sorted into poly pockets and put into 2 lever arch files - one for the colours and the other for the metallics, black, white etc - the more neutral colours. These just ended up sitting on a shelf though, so I decided to put an idea I'd had into action. I will show what I did in another post because, as usual, this post is a bit long.

That's all folks, I'd love to have you come back to my little area of the world wide web to read future blog posts - if you haven't already, please consider subscribing, then you'll have my post straight in your in-box (if you can bare it). If you are not already a follower, consider becoming a follower too as I am well overdue a give-away for my blogaversary which happened while I've been busy sorting out. There will be something special for my followers to celebrate this, so it will be my followers that are up for a little something (not sure what it is yet, but I will make it nice)!

Anyway, I'm pleased to report that the exhaustion hasn't been as bad recently - its still there but just before Christmas it was at an all time high. However, I've managed to be able to fight it off. The pain in my arms and legs, hands and feet has increased - it almost feels like a pay-off! I'm at the pain clinic at the end of this month though so I'll mention all of this to my Consultant. I'll have to write it down on the letter I get from the hospital because my memory is so bad, I constantly forget to mention things. I'm also going to ask him if there is any alternative to the pain patches I wear because they are really damaging my skin in the places that I wear them. I make sure that they are on my upper-body because of sitting in the bath. If they get wet - which they often do, they dry out really tightly and pull my skin then dry wrinkled. This hurts my skin and there are marks and dry patches where I've worn them. I'll just have to mention it to him to see if there are any alternatives, and if not, has he any advice for me. I'm still on all the other medications I was on but in quite a few instances, they've increased in strength since I started them. We'll see.

Anyway, I'm going to show my desks to the world and link up to Julia's WOYWW where she gets a load of us crafters to share our spaces with you - whatever that space may be! Go HERE to see what I'm talking about and perhaps join in if you feel like it.

Your comments are really important to me - who doesn't like to read a comment on their blog posts... please consider leaving me a comment to make my day!

Lots of crafty hugs

Paula x x x

My Christmas Crafting 2011

2011-12-29T18:32:00.000Z

For my handmade Christmas cards this year, I bought some new material over the summer despite still having some of last years Kanban kits left (which I'd bought from QVC last summer), but I didn't think it was enough and sometimes it's nice to actually get the pens and inks out rather than just use a paperkit - having said that, amongst the new stuff I got for this years Christmas crafting I bought another kit which was the new Christmas blockbuster kit from Kanban when they moved over to Create and Craft. I also bought: Humphreys Corner Christmas CD and Stamp collection; Me to You CD ROM which had a Christmas collection on from Docrafts (for their new Digital Designer software); Papermania Christmas collections from the Digital Designer CD; Me to You clear stamp collections (x2 different sets); a Hero Arts Christmas stamp set; My Craft Studio Papercraft Library 'Winter Whimsies'; several free gifts of stamps from craft magazines plus a Christmas paperstack from another, and of course my Funky Hand Papercraft Factory '12 Crafters Crafting' collection (I believe there is a 50% discount sale on at the moment).

In my stash, I already had fair collection of Christmas digi stamps from various resources - both freebies and purchases; I have my gorgeous Anna Griffin Christmas stamps which have some great vintage images amongst them; The original Forever Friends CD which has a massive resource of Christmas images for that much needed dose of cute (essential); a large resource of Funky Hand Christmas papers, as well as freebies collected over time and other digi collections bought in the past from Pink Petticoat.

Despite having all that resourse, and when I finally got round to it following numerous speights of bedrest, my chosen medium for my Christmas cards, was Funky Hand's '12 Crafters Crafting'.

I'd spent some time getting stuff ready to make my Christmas cards by pre-making the embellishments bit by bit using the MCS die cut Christmas embellishments kit which included the Christmas roses, poinsettias, mistletoe and holly and individual ivy leaves. I also printed out a lot of the pre-coloured digi images from the 12 crafters crafting CD and printed some papers out too. However, following my bedrest I seemed to have the crafting version of writers block...aaaarrrrgggh! I thought I'd better have a look round blogland for some inspiration then I remembered that my crafting friend Ruth (Tip Top Toppers Things) actually ran a challenge blog for Christmas cards called 'Crimbo Crackers'. I noticed that the challange at that time was a sketch... I made a card to fit the sketch but didn't end up putting the card into the actual challenge because I literally felt like I didn't have the time to write the blog post and link it up, but was thankful that I'd looked to see the challenge in the first place as it was something I felt was doable enough to ease me into the Christmas craft frenzy I was about to commence; it certainly gave me the kick start I needed... here is that card:

Made following a sketch from Crimbo Crackers.

Anyway, because I liked the look of this, I did a great deal of my cards on a variation of this. These ready coloured images from the 12 Crafters Crafting CD were great and a godsend. I did go around the image with a grey Promarker to make it pop from the page, then I added some glitter to the rim of the hat and the pom pom on the end. I really liked the look of this card - some of my crafting friends might recognise that their card would look something like this card.

On the 12 Crafters Crafting CD there are 12 collections of 20 papers - each collection being a different set of colours. There is one collection called "all I want...". When I first saw this collection, it was my least favourite - but do you know what? In the end it was the collection that I used the most of and just simply fell in love with it. The collection is based on red, black, white and two tones of grey. Also fantastic for the male cards - although it looked great with a robin on the front... Here is another card actually made using this collection:

picture taken before snowflake embellishment and glitter added

Because I started my Christmas crafting so late, I knew that I had to work hard to make the deadline of getting all my cards in the post in order to get them delivered in time for Christmas. While I'd finished the majority of the cards, I still needed to write in them - and some of my greetings ran into the realms of small letters (not like me eh?). Because of this, I ended up missing the post for the last day for gauranteed Christmas delivery. I soldiered through and got them in the post the very next day, sending each and every one by first class. Some of them slipped into the large letter catagory so in all, my small pile totalled over £17.50. Some where regular shop-bought cards for non-crafting friends, but for my crafting friends, each and everyone of them were freshly handmade.

With the relief of getting those in the post, I could now concentrate on friends and family close to home - and not all of them got a handmade card... Of course, in the middle of it all I had another printer nightmare where the blue ink just packed up on me - even though it was coming out of the ink wells and into the CISS pipes, it just wasn't coming through the print heads. Depsite my best efforts to carry out numerous nozzle cleaning it wasn't happening, so I had to swap the printhead for the coloured inks. Eventually, it all came good (thank goodness) as getting a replacement in time for Christmas was highly unlikely. Not long after that - I ran out of black ink. I couldn't believe it. I'd gone below the minimum line so it stopped coming through. Thankfully my sister came to the rescue and lent me a new bottle she hadn't used. I'll just replace it after the holidays when everyone is back to normal and open for business again... I think I should buy a bottle of each of the colours while I'm at it. They have lasted me a year so I can't complain - and when you see the volume of printing I do, I think I've done really well. It should cost me less than £25 to buy 4 bottles of ink which should last me another year - not bad eh?

I will show you some more of my cards over the next few posts, but first of all, I'm going to check out to see whether I can enter any of them into any Christmas challenges. If I post them before I check, I won't be able to enter them because no back links are allowed usually.

Do you work to the wire or do you like to get things done as early as possible. In my former life as a Governance Officer where one of my jobs was to co-ordinate everything to do with the company's board meetings, learning to prioritise was key to my role, so with so much stuff on usually, we were all working to the wire - and there was no bigger flaunter of the report submission deadlines as the Chief Executive! She'd be putting in and changing reports minutes before the meeting - and if it went pear-shaped - she blamed me!!!!

Hey ho. Card making is supposed to be for fun so while we all have deadlines for challenges, the post, someone's birthday etc. - I'm pretty sure that no one ever died from a late hand made card!

Sending crafty hugs

Paula x x x

Being a Bad Blogger!

2011-12-28T21:02:00.001Z

This is a very wordy post with few pictures, so if you don't want to read on, I'd click off right now. I tried to find some good clip art, but couldn't find quite the right depiction of the message i'm trying to get across. Anyway, if that doesn't bother you (that there are a lot of words without pictures), you are more than welcome to read on.......

Quite often, I will think about writing a blog post on a subject then by the time I've actually remembered I was going to do it - the moment has gone. I also feel like I need a reason or a card to blog - not sure if that bothered me when I first started blogging as I was uber-excited about talking which brought many new followers.

When I started to write this post, it was way before Christmas - in fact it was at the end of November, and for a few days prior, I'd been on a bit of bedrest - exhaustion had been and still is a bit of a problem - and the most frustrating part is, I've not exactly done anything that might tire me out - apart from sleeping lol.. well that's what it feels like. You know, if I'd run a marathon or taken the dogs for a nice long walk (I wish), I wouldn't mind it so much, but when it's just a regular part of your everyday - then it can be frustrating. Also - I could understand it if I just sat there for hours on end doing absolutely nothing, being all moronic, but that's not the case either - I try and do as much as my body will physically let me before the pains start.

If I gave you a couple of examples, it might set the scene a little better. At the beginning of November I went to the NEC Hobbycrafts show with my husband and sister (another post started and not finished). We spent a good few hours there (as you do) walking round. We went for lunch out in the main concourse to Wetherspoons, and the sit down was heavenly. I found that I could barely get up let alone walk when I got back up. By the time we had finished near to the end, I could barely put one foot in front of the other. I was dragging my right leg almost because when in a lot of stress or pain, I get a real bad pain in my right groin/top of my leg in the inner joint. As happens often, I find myself having to literally lift my leg into the car to get in. Thankfully I had taken my walking stick with me and used it from the offset. By the time we were making our way back to the car - I could have done with a walking frame. My lower back had also gone - something that can happen by just standing still for a short length of time - or even if I have to bend. Bending over the bath to bathe the dog is leaves me with excruciating pains across my lower back (straight across the back of my pelvis (or so it feels) and then I have to walk around the house with my stick (sorry, I digress)...

Anyway, after dragging myself back to the car - which was parked in the blue badge area (and not nearly near enough to the event), I knew it had been the right decision not to have driven myself there - even though I had to put up with my OH rolling his eyes when random people told him he looked fed up (which he could have tried to hide), I knew I couldn't have done it without him. My sister took her trolley on wheels for all our goodies - which was also another plus because I couldn't have carried a thing. Anyway, once we were on the road home, I think about 10 minutes into the journey, I fell to sleep and slept almost all the way home. I was then 'out of it' and in my bed asleep for the following 5 days. That was one example - and while it sounds extreme, it is a very typical scenario for me - although walking around something like the NEC is definately not a regular occurance and one I know that, unfortunately, I won't be able to repeat until everything is under control.

Another example is when i've been out to lunch with a friend - It's taken so much out of me that I've ended up dropping to sleep when I return which might also affect the next day too.

The feeling of 'exhaustion' can even be present when I've just woken up - which might be early - in that I really didn't get a decent sleep so I get up anyway or it might be late, in which case my OH might leave me there to sleep - after all, he figures that my body needs it if I'm still sleeping. Either way, I feel like I could go straight back and sleep right through to the next day and find myself dropping off all the time. One of the worse things I can do is read - 2 lines and I'm gone... my OH says if he didn't know better, he'd say I had sleep apnea because he can be talking to me one minute and the next, I'll have dropped of. And no, he's not really that boring, it's just that he's the one that's there when it happens.

I appreciate that the amount of medication I am currently taking, along with the pain patches, may have a big part to play in all this, but I am informed that the Fibromyalgia itself has a very big part too and is often associated with other chronic fatigue syndromes or disorders. In the New Year I will be starting on a programme through the hospitals Health Psychology department which is called 'building blocks' (I think) - the programme is supposed to help me come to terms and help me to manage my 'long term chronic health condition'... It's run by other sufferers who have been on the programme too, so I'm looking forward to that because I want to learn about 'pacing' myself so that it's not all or nothing each day. With the pains and exhaustion, I calculate to have only one to two good days per month - maybe three. There is always something that sets it off, or its just there when I get up (if I get up).

So, what do I do when I'm on bed rest (and not asleep)? Well, the laptop of course is almost a constant companion and I have a plethora of magazines by my side. I read for a bit, fall to sleep, wake up, have a look round the net, have a look on Facebook - see what is happening in the world of craft looking at all those pages that I 'Like'! Follow a couple of links and end up in a maze of blogs and websites I didn't know existed as a regular card maker. I SKYPE my sister a lot while she shows me what she's been up to on her Craft Artist and Silhouette Cameo, then drop to sleep again.

This pattern repeats itself - often.

At the moment, as well as getting re-acquainted with blogger dashboard and google reader (both of which I am still pants at keeping up with - bad blogger (me that is, not blogger.com)! No. I've been trying to catch up with everyone but I don't seem to make it very far from the top! Google reader recons I've got 1000+ posts to read.... I don't think so. I apologise to all those mutual followers that will be reading this - all I can say is that I will try harder at reading stuff from hereon in.

Also, added to that - at this precise moment in time (at the time of typing that is) - I have 277 emails to sift through... That's one of the reasons I'm pretty slow at getting back to my lovely crafting friends who often send me lovely emails. Thing is, I like to sift through the rubbish first (you know, the stuff I thought I'd quite like to read so subscribed to the newsletter - times by too many)!!! Once I feel that I have nothing to distract me, I can sit and reply to said emails - and if you know me by now - they never stop at a couple of paragraphs!!! (another NY resolution perhaps?)!!!

On that note, I've deleted everything hereafter that I'd written so that I can make further and hopefully shorter posts. No point in telling all my news in one go, then not blogging for a while and then doing a massive one again! That seems to be the cycle I'm in, so we're on to perhaps NY resolution number 2 then????!!!

Before I 'sign-off' this post, I've decided it's time I had a little candy give away - afterall, it will be 2 years since the PaperPlayground was 'born'. On 4th January to be precise... 4 days before my tumour was discovered and I shared the rest with blogworld! Anyhow, i'm not at all sure what it will be yet but I know that I want to do it because it's important to me to give something back. I am so grateful for every single one of my followers but not sure who actually reads my posts out of them all - so it would be great if you are reading this and just say 'hi' so I know you're still around. I'll be back with another post later and more news of my bloggaversary giveaway in due course...

Crafty hugs to all.

Paula x x x

When was the last time you got 43% discount?

2011-11-24T15:16:00.001Z

Yep, you really did read that right... Anice is having a one day 43% sale to celebrate her Birthday.

So, for 24 hours only - starts 00.01 on 24th November and ends on 00.00 25th November, go HERE to say Happy Birthday to her - bet you can't guess how old she is though!!! lol.

Everything is included in the sale - so go and get some BARGAINS for Christmas presents... Anice also ships free with any £10.00 and over purchase - to anywhere in the world. Downloads also count towards this so, if you buy say a CD which needs shipping but is under the £10 and you bought a download which took you over the £10 minimum - you will still receive free postage and packaging... Imagine that!

Some examples of prices in the sale:

12 Crafters Crafting (brand new CD recently launched) £16.99

during birthday celebrations £9.68

All I want for Christmas (download) £3.49 today only: £1.99

'Tis The Season (Wordbook download) £4.89 for 24 hours £2.79

Happy Happy Birthday (as seen on C&C) usually £16.99 - today only £9.68

So - what are you still reading this for??? Go HERE to get you some bargains - and if its not for you - how about for a daughter or granddaughter or friend who is into crafting - at those prices, they're Secret Santa presents (the CD's).

All include papers and images with an easy-to-use software interface - so perfect for children to teenagers to crafters to the elderly...

Above is a screen shot to show you how easy it is to use - you work in the one screen all the time - printing is one click once you've found the paper you want to print.

Papers can be used for wall art - either on a canvas or in a frame to brighten up a plain wall, for lining drawers - line your drawers with some funky designs adding a touch of scent to the paper before you lay the sheets in the bottom. How about backing all those dreadful school/college books - with all the choices of colour - you could colour code your lessons. Or what about regular scrapbooking, paper construction and of course card making.

If you struggle to match papers up with each other - each CD has 12 collections. In each collection, there are 20 papers which are based around 5 matching/co-ordinating colours so any combination of papers from the same collection will match - there are even plain colours to co-ordinate with the patterned ones. They make great stocking fillers anyway... Downloads are also colour co-ordinated around 5 colours too.

Let me know what bargains you've got recently or if you know of any sales - bet you won't find many as good as this though...

In the States - the last Friday in November - which also coincides with Thanks Giving is known as Black Friday (Happy Thanks Giving to all my American Crafting Friends)- you won't believe the bargains our American friends are able to take advantage of. Now, I wonder if there are any bargains good enough that its worth getting goods shipped over to us... Remember though - don't go buying electrical goods from the States. They are completely different from ours - and it's not just the plug, the power the appliances are run on is a different speed of motor so our 240v system is too powerful (I used to work in the textile machine industry - we manufactured cutting machines for the domestic market and to ship to the States (Buffalo, New York)... different voltage motors were used).

If you are a Silhouette owner (SD or Cameo)- and don't know this - they are also having a 50% sale on their downloads (the ones you get from their on-line store through your software). All shapes are just $0.50c all weekend - starting midnight Mountain Time... 25-28th November. These are the times to take advantage and increase your library. There is no discount on the Cameo machine though.

REMEMBER: for that 43% discount from Funky Hand, GO HERE

Take care and happy crafting.

Paula x x x

The new Get Funky Challenge for Nov/Dec

2011-11-16T00:17:00.000Z

Well, it's the 15th of the month (Funky 15th) which can only mean one thing... there is a new challenge over on 'Get Funky' - the Funky Hand Challenge Blog.

This month, it is the turn of Jackie to pick the theme of the challenge, and she's decided that she wants to see 2 cards from us this month using the new 12 Crafters Crafting CD, which is the recently released (and seen on TV) Christmas CD... And while she wants to see a Christmas card from us (of course), she's also stated that one of our cards has got to be a non-Christmas card. Now that really is a challenge... or is it?

With so many lovely bright and vibrant colour collections on the CD - I'm sure that we'll find much inspiration in the colours alone to make a non-Christmas card... there are stripes, stars, dots and circles that can be used all year round... oh, another twist... the Christmas card has to be made using the traditional colours of red and green.

Just a little hint from me - you can use more than one colour collection to make your card. There isn't a Funky Law that says all of your card has to be made from the same colour collection... of course Anice does a fabulous job of choosing 5 colours for each colour collection and they never fail to be stunning, but once in a while, it doesn't hurt to step out of that comfort zone.

So far be it from me to tell you what to do, but that's what i'll be looking at doing come my turn. In the meantime, I'll be upping my Christmas card tally while practicing.... best start making card number 2 in my tally then eh!!??? lol (and no, I really haven't started my Christmas card crafting yet!). Shame on me!

Right if you want to join in but don't have anything by Funky Hand to join in with... if you go HERE, you will find a fabulous freebie to make a card with and join in with the challenge this month - and remember that, in order to qualify for the challenge - your card has to have at least ONE Funky Hand element on it...

Can't wait to see this months entries - but don't forget to keep checking out what the Funkettes will be sharing with you all month for your crafting inspiration.

Happy Crafting,

Paula x x x

Autumn at Funky Hand

2011-11-10T08:00:00.000Z

Well, in the last few posts for Funky Hand, I think I've gone through just about all four seasons! Today is my turn to post my challenge card on the Get Funky challenge blog.

It's been all go recently what with the recent release of 'Happy Happy Birthday' and the launch of that on Create and Craft (back in September, when Leoni showed my little stationery set folder)... I taped the shows and showed them to my Mum - I think she went all proud. It was fun because I was taking the mick out of those shows that show somebody gathering all their family round the TV after having a party with the full works, and when it comes too, they've either been 'cut out', severely edited - or it was only ever a bit part that the 'actor' had played up! Well, apart from my Mum, my lovely neighbour who is also a friends Mum. Anyway, she watched as I showed them one of my projects and she loved it so much, she ordered one for a friend. I've made two now so she can choose from either one. Anyway, apart from 'Happy Happy Birthday', Anice - Lovely lady who is the designer and owner of Funky Hand quickly released the next CD - '12 Crafters Crafting'. There's a clue in the title as to what is the content of this CD - can you guess what it is yet?

Right... back to this months challenge card (i'd forgotten what I was doing for a moment!). The lovely Amanda set the theme on the 15 October challenging us to make card that was reminiscent of October, be it the colours you use or an October theme (Halloween by any chance?)...

Well, I had a couple of options to show - but my camera is broken so i've not been able to take any pictures of one of my projects.

As it stands, I've had to take a picture of it on my phone so will apologise in advance if the quality is somewhat lacking.

I decided to show my card that has autumnal colours in it and has got to be my favourite colour collection from the 'Craft The Year Away' CD. I've also used a digi from that CD too which is the pram, and the reason I've used the pram is because my best friend has told me that her daughter has announced that she's pregnant - with baby number 2, so I did a little card to congratulate the three of them (Daughter, Son-in-law and grandson of my friend).

On the worksheet area of the CD, I loaded up three papers (brown, the cream and the unusual striped one).

I then reduced them to a quarter of the page size (A6) then dragged the image on the pram four times. To make sure you re size everything to exactly the same size, click on each image while holding down the 'shift' key, and then drag one of the corners to re size as desired. This re sizes all four at the same time. Each image of the pram were then dragged on to each of the quarters of the page - as follows:

You can see that once I have selected all four images that only ONE box appears around them all - also, the bottom right square on the box has turned green. This is because I clicked on it so I could re size the box, which basically means that all four of the images get re-sized at the same time. You can see all the other great digi stamps to the left of the workspace - well actually, that's not half of them judging by how far the scroll bar has still got to go down the digi-stamp page!

So, after printing the above out - which is only one click in the programme (then it brings your own printer option box up), I cut each of the prams out, but the plain white one was kept intact with its white background as that was to be its mat too (you'll see what I mean when you see the card).

After snipping up all the elements from each of the coloured images - wheels, body, canopy/hood, frill... I started playing around by placing them on the white version - I was seeing which combination would work the best. For those who aren't aware, this is what paper piecing is.

I didn't want the card to look either too masculine nor too feminine either because when all said and done, no-one knows what the sex of the baby is, and its not due until late May 2012 anyway.

The greeting on the card is the congratulations banner, which I placed over the striped paper to get exactly the look I wanted. I then matted the finished image onto the multi-coloured polka dotty paper from the same collection to bring the look together.

Even though the collection is called 'January Blues', I personally think that it is full of the warm colours of Autumn and the collection remains my favourite on 'Craft The Year Away'.

You still have 4 whole days in which to join in - and if you can't because you don't have any Funky Hand papers to craft with - particularly any autumnal colours, Anice has kindly designed a freebie especially for the challenge. In order to qualify for the challenge - you only need use this backing paper in some way on your project with anything else you have from your stash.

Here is a thumbnail of the freebie - which you can download by going HERE:

Here are the bits left over after I did the hack job on all three samples (enough to make 2 more prams, but nothing to mount them on):

Looks like child's play!

Here is my finished card complete with greeting:

So there you have it, a very different kind of card for the autumn theme - got the colours about right, but I have to add that the news of the impending birth was announced in autumn. Actually, I think its a good name for a girl and I'm pretty sure that I've heard someone call their kid that already...

Thanks for coming to take a look at what i've been up to (nothing much since the NEC last Friday - cannot believe it's a week since we were there.) I've some photos to share from that little jaunt anyway.

Be sure to check out Amanda's post HERE and read all the rules before you join in the challenge... (well, there's only one, which is to use something by Funky Hand on your project - and there's no excuse because I already told you (above) that there is a freebie for those who don't have anything by Funky Hand already.)))

Happy Crafting

Paula x x x

It's finally launched

2011-11-06T21:11:00.000Z

Wow, how exciting as Funky Hand's Christmas CD Twelve Crafters Crafting is officially launched on thier website www.funkyhand.com.. From what I understand - there were loads of eager crafters placing orders before the official launch yesterday - I really hope those crafters enjoy the CD as much as we design team girlies do and even perhaps join in with a challenge or two using them and the inspiration from the design team. Anice started despatching the CD's on Friday so hopefull, funky fans should have received them yesterday.

Well, we've all been working with the CD for a couple of weeks or so now getting our samples ready for Anice to take down to Peterborough with her so that she can demonstrate live on Create and Craft TV next Wednesday 9th November at 8am and 1pm (set your alarm for that early one!!!).

Please please join Anice so that you can have a closer look at Twelve Crafters Crafting - and see what demonstrations and banter she will bring to the shows... (she can be a naughty minx at times you know)!!!

Keep coming back to see cards from this amazing CD... I really have to say that this is totally my favourite CD so far.

Until next time... keep crafting.

Hugs and stuff

Paula x x x

Music Saves My Soul Saturday - What are you listening to today?

2011-10-29T13:54:00.001+01:00

oooh - just a quickie from me seeing as I'm writing this at silly o'clock...

I've not joined in for a few weeks (bad blogger aren't I?), so I hope Marcea is cool with my sporadic joining in.

What am I talking about?

Music Saves My Soul Saturday of course!!!

Hmmm - so difficult to make a choice actually, but last night, my brother and I were on SKYPE playing a quiz to find the missing words to the lyrics of 80's music - and every time I got one right, I'd start to sing it... he said if I carried on, he was going to cut me off! So, I think my choice this Saturday, should be something I sang (badly), last night.

So, here is another one that reminds me of the school disco!

Sit back and enjoy a bit of the MJ!

If you want to join in - or see what videos/music other participants are sharing this week go to see Marcea, founding member of MSMSS, at her blog 'Marceas Crafting Corner '

Thanks for listening...

Paula x x x

Please join me for Funky Hand's First Ever BLOG HOP

2011-10-29T09:00:00.000+01:00

Hi there

yiippppeeeeee!!

A big massive warm welcome to Funky Hand's 1st ever Blog Hop... If you are here to join in with the blog hop, you have probably just arrived here from Amanda's blog .

If you haven't but would like to join in the fun and win a really cool prize, you really need to start by going over to Anice's blog for a welcome and short introduction to the hop. Anice is the incredibly talented designer and owner of Funky Hand.

It is quite fitting that this should be Funky Hand's first ever blog hop as it's also a first for me, so I've been really excited all week making the arrangements and getting this post ready to actually be part of the blog hop and not be the one hopping - if you know what I mean.

Anyway, the purpose of this exciting blog hop is to introduce you to the very latest Funky Hand CD:

"12 Crafters Crafting"

This CD Rom is the latest addition to the Papercraft Factory collection and is even bigger and better than the last - they just get better and better each time - although the design team didn't think that it was possible after the launch of the 'Happy Happy Birthday' collection!!!

As usual the CD Rom has 12 colour collections which each have 20 patterned and textured papers in.

Each collection is centred around 5 colours to ensure that every paper in that collection co-ordinates with the others perfectly.

As well as the 240 (12 collections x 20 designs) design papers there are:

Nine templates
a write feature to type your own message or greeting - you can choose from 9 different fonts and the 5 colours from each colour collection - plus black or white
5 re sizable upper and lower case alphas to match each colour collection.
Wordbooks - you choose the colour collection, design and letter - and colour of letter (from the 5 in the colour scheme)
Numerous sentiments to put on your card front

In addition, "12 Crafters Crafting" also has a humongous amount of Christmas digistamps (over 100)- which come either ready coloured or black line and ready for you to print out and colour in. All digi's can of course be re-sized too and can be printed out on plain or patterned paper which is great for paper piecing and saves having to put your paper back through the printer. Digi's include Santa, snowman, Christmas Tree, Angels.... and SO much more. Look at it this way - if you had to purchase each digi separately elsewhere - you could easily pay for the CD over and over again - but this way, you have them all in the same place and they all match each other perfectly - it just gets better doesn't it? The images have a timeless charm so they can be used to make your Christmas cards and papercrafts for years to come.

Blog Hop details...

The blog hop will start 9.00am on Saturday 29th October and end at midnight on Sunday 30th October.

The winner will be announced by Anice on Monday 31st October and will receive a copy of the fabulous "12 Crafters Crafting" CD ROM.

How to complete the hop:

Firstly visit Anice's blog (HERE) for a welcome and introduction to the blog hop
Visit each design team members blog to have a look at their sample
Collect the letter for the word/s from each blog
Leave a comment for each design team member at the end of their post
Go back to Anice's blog and post that you have visited each member (this will be checked later if you win) and tell her the word/s you have come up with after rearranging the letters you've collected on the hop (don't worry because comments made with the answer included will not be published)
Note any blogs where you had difficulty in leaving a message and include this in your message

What you need to do next:

after you've done as stated above (left a message here and collected the letter), then go on to visit the very talented:

Jenny - http://www.breakouttheglitter.blogspot.com/

Collect your letter from Jenny, leave a message - and so on until you've collected a letter from each of my fellow designers.

Once you have rearranged those letters and you have the word/s, you will need to leave a comment on Anice's blog telling her what you think it is (remember she won't reveal your answer, but keep it safe through moderating her comments). Once the blog hop is closed, Anice will check all entries and put those names who have given the correct answer and have left a message on each DT members post in a hat and will announce the winner on Monday - she'll make a video of herself pulling out the name of the winning entry.

Remember - the winner will get a (yet-to-be-released) copy of the fabulous "12 CRAFTERS CRAFTING" CD ROM... How fantastic is that then???

So, as each member will be sharing a card or project from the new '12 Crafters Crafting' CD ROM, here is mine:

set of pillow boxes using the resizeable template

My project is from a collection on the CD called 'O'Christmas Tree' which is themed around shades of plum and shades of green - a very stylish and contemporary colour collection. The pillow boxes have been made using one of the 9 templates on the CD - i've used the stars design paper. The greeting on the boxes has been made using a combination of the writer where you type your own text from a choice of 9 fonts (the words 'Have a'); the word 'Funky' has been made using the alpha in one of the colours from this collection (from a choice of 5) and the word 'CRIMBO' is one of the digi stamp greetings on the CD... The holly is one of the coloured digis that can be re sized to suit.

The template is re-sizeable - as are all the templates on the CD (and on the other CD's), and here I've re-sized it to create a set of 3 pillow boxes which descend in size. You could continue to reduce the size to make even smaller boxes, but I made this set of three to show you some of the many features you will find on this fabulous CD.

Anyway, now you need to collect that letter - right? so without further ado, here is my letter for you for the hop...'R'

Don't forget to leave a comment (no matter how small) in order to qualify for the winner's prize as Anice will check that those with the correct answer have left a comment on each blog hop post before she puts you into the hat for the draw which will take place on Monday. Answers will be accepted until midnight on Sunday 30th October.

If you are not successful, or don't want to join in but would still like to purchase the CD, it is available for pre-order HERE for £16.99 starting TODAY- and further still, it will be free p&p.

Remember that the official release date is Saturday 5th November 2011so you won't have to wait long for it to be shipped.

Anice is due to appear on Create and Craft for the first TV viewing of 'Twelve Crafters Crafting' on Wed 9th Nov 8am & 1pm however, keep a look out for updates and any possible changes to this on Anice's blog HERE.

Don't forget that once you have left your comment, your next DT member on the hop is:

Jenny - http://www.breakouttheglitter.blogspot.com/

If you encounter any broken links on the way, please make your way back to Anice's blog to view the whole list and take it from there. Similarly, if you have any problems leaving a comment on any of our blogs, just let Anice know which blog you've had problems with - but remember your letter from that blog though!

Good luck with the hop and hope you have fun and find plenty of inspiration on the way!

Thanks for reading - crafty hugs to you

Paula x x x

2011-10-27T18:33:00.001+01:00

Hi blog buddies

I'm just a tad excited to be able to give you a little heads up about the forthcoming Funky Hand Design Team's very first BLOG HOP this weekend. It's to celebrate the launch of the new Christmas themed craft CD ROM 'Twelve Crafters Crafting', which is officially released on the 5th of Nov, BUT is going to be available to pre order on the website www.funkyhand.com from this weekend!! If you join in the fun with our blog hop you could be in with a chance of winning a fabby prize! Find out what it is on Saturday!!

So, just to let you know that it will be starting on Anice's blog, Funky Hand Thoughts on Saturday 29th October at 9am and you will be able to join in and add your answer right up until 12 midnight Sunday 30th. The winner of the Blog Hop prize will be announced on Monday 31st.

It's going to be great fun hopping around the rest of the Design Teams Blogs seeing example of the cards and craft creations that we have been making with the new Christmas CD (its seriously enjoyable - I loved every minute and lost myself in my crafting loosing all sense of time - with only my family shouting me to pack in for the night!).

Anyway, get ready to see the usual high level of fabulous, funky and colourful creations and have fun with the rest of the Funky Hand DT (the Funkettes!).

I'm starting to get really excited {{more squeals}} and this is my very first blog hop EVER - and as previously mentioned, it a first for Anice and Funky Hand. Anice has provided loads of details on her blog - and at 9am on Saturday when the hop kicks off - go to Anice's blog where she will be doing a short intro to get your juices a-flowing and to tell you all about the fun fun fun (You know there's fun in FUNky Hand CD's (was that poor or what?). Don't worry, it won't be hard to do - but it will be lots of fun.

Hope to see you back here looking for your clue and to sneak a peek at what the new CD has to offer.

Sending you crafty hugs

Paula x x x

Craft Room Security - Don't become another victim like I did

2011-10-23T14:12:00.002+01:00

Have you ever had to consider the security of your craft room and your crafting items. DO you have to lock them away through necessity rather than by choice?

Well, until recently, it's not something I'd ever thought of. I didn't think that there were any true threats to my crafting tools, cardstock, consumables etc etc, due to living in a family where I am the only one interested in craft and being the only female (it's amazing what I can hide in my drawers in my craftroom)...

Like most crafters, you have to have all the latest gadgets, tools, papers blah blah - and if you calculated the cost of all of this, it would probably amount to a fair pretty penny. Have you considered insuring this as a separate entity - you would consider it if it were your jewellery - right?

Anyway, in this weird old world of ours, I actually have to insure the perpetrator, and I'm also going to name and shame too, but first a couple of pics that give you an idea of the devastation that can be caused when visited by the said perpetrator. These were carefully placed in a plastic container and put away in a box, but obviously, my security wasn't tight enough.

Even my OH has been victim to the behaviour and had his prize pepper plants stolen and destroyed - clearly theft isn't enough here and has resorted to adding insult to injury. He now has to think more strategically and plan things meticulously to avoid any repeat of this devastation.

A trail of devastation

One down, 2 to go (and they did)

So, here is the thief and head of destruction:

I'm sure he had white legs!

"They'll never know it was me"!

"oops... caught red-handed (or pawed)" - no mucky paws!

And why on earth did he go to all those lengths?

For this....

one of his favourite places is the mat at the back door... you can see his trail of soil in the sills of the door!!!

Yep, he destroyed 3 plants in the end for the sake of the pots they were in! Once he had finished 3 healthy pepper plants off (that might have had fruit on right now), he found that he could make his way into the 'greenhouse' (we have one of those frame things that have a cover over and zip doors as we don't have room for a proper one)... He often pinches plant pots that are bigger than his head. And eats plugs of compost that are for setting seeds in.

Anyway, when he can't get outdoors - he resorts to 'bullying' the cats (not really, he knows his place as they have put him there a few times)!!! However, he showed a bit too much interest in Katie Kitten's new 'Giddy Kipper' toy which was full of catnip - hence Katie being in raptures and quite oblivious to Buddy near enough having his nose on it!!!

"Can I have a chew please Katie?"

So there you have it - the very reason I have had to increase my craft room security as there have been too many occasions when he's been found with a ROLL of ribbon under the kitchen table, a stamped image I've coloured to make a card with, a gift box I've made - and much much more.

Here is a picture of the security measures I have now taken to avoid repeat offences.

Quick, shut the gate, he's coming!

The gate is occasionally opened up for good behaviour!

Hope you enjoyed this latest post about my new woolly baby - I'm sure he'll feature many many more times on my little corner of the world wide web!!!

Crafty hugs

Paula x x x

Funky Hand 25% off Sale - reminder!

2011-10-22T06:00:00.000+01:00

Don't forget the FUNKY HAND SALE this weekend. ALL Funky Hand products are on sale at 25% OFF - YES, you only pay 3/4 of the usual price!!! e.g. CD's usually at £16.99 will be £12.74 during the sale. Buy any four things at the same price - the fourth one is basically FREE.

GO HERE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS OUT: HERE

FREE P&P too on all orders over £10

Don't forget the sale includes downloads - Halloween, Wordbooks, Wedding themes, Love themes, winter themes, seasons, Christmas theme....

Just take a look before my fingers drop off by typing everything you get in the sale!!!

Thanks for looking

Crafting hugs

Paula x x x

SALE, SALE, SALE, 25% OFF SALE....

2011-10-21T15:26:00.001+01:00

Just a heads up to any of my followers/regular readers that, starting Saturday 22nd October 2011, FUNKY HAND are having a sale where there will be 25% off - that's right ONE QUARTER OFF all Funky Hand Products.

You will not believe this, but that even includes the brand new and recently released on Create and Craft: 'HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY' CD Rom:

Just think, If you bought all four of the Papercraft Factory CD ROMS, you are basically getting one of them for FREE. Even if you have one or two of them already you still get 25% off whichever you don't already have!.. There are loads of Funky Hand products on the website to choose from - and even though some of the original Funky Hand backing paper CD's are at a fabulous price already right now, you still get 25% off of those prices too. NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY!

Basically, with the original CD's (and some of my favourite collections are on those), it's a case of miss it, miss out because once they have sold out, Anice will not be having any more produced, instead concentrating on the Papercraft Factory CD Roms.

The Papercraft Factory CD Roms also include:

Craft The Year Away

Colour Me Happy

Dreams Come True

(sorry about the above two icons being so small)...

When you count the papers, the digi stamps and the every popular Word Books over these four CD's, you'll be amazed. Buy direct from Funky Hand and pay absolutely NO P&P. Yes, and spend over £10 is P&P FREE.

There is more...

The sale also includes this very topical collection:

now this dowload includes 20 backing papers, 4 sets of alphas and toppers - and guess what...

during the sale, you can get this for a mere £2.62 (or thereabouts) - and you can download it straight away and be crafting for HALLOWEEN immediately! WOW!

You seriously need to take a look round the shop and see all the products that you can buy at a fraction of the price starting tomorrow. The sale includes all Funky Hand Products - please note, it does not include the Promarkers that are on the site, as this is not allowed.

Thanks for reading - I just wanted to make sure you got a bargain so that you can enjoy the FH CD's as much as I have over the years - remember, before I was a member of the DT, I was a genuine fan who got the 'position of her dreams' and that was a spot on the design team. In January, I will have been there a year!!!

Right, off to continue my samples for something very special that is coming up in the next few weeks - so please watch this space - or sign up for the newsletter from Funky Hand.

Here are some links for you:

Funky Hand Shop: click here

Funky Hand blog: click here

Funky Hand Challenge blog: click here

Funky Hand Facebook page: click here then 'like' (if it doesn't work, simply type Funky Hand in your search bar on Facebook)

Sending you crafty hugs

Paula x x x

Happy Happy Birthday - TV Samples

2011-10-18T00:03:00.002+01:00

Hello Bloggers

The other day, I began doing a post, got sidetracked (not hard at all), came back, all the words had disappeared (now remember something happening to browser) so wondered where all my witty remarks had gone...

Fibromyalgia is an awful thing for the memory and thoughts process. I find myself lacking in focus - even when it's ME that's speaking never mind when someone is trying to explain something to me! It's quite a sickener at times, funny at others - don't worry, I can certainly take the micky out of myself! - but this is just one of those things that i'm having to come to terms with. Pain in one thing, but when it affects the faculties - that's entirely another! There I go again - digressing - which I suppose I was already good at anyway lol!!!

I think I was saying something like "in time old tradition, and after the proverbial missing horse and its stable door now being secured, I thought it was best that I tell my fellow bloggers/readers/followers (those who have wondered in thinking it was something else) all aboutthe release of Funky Hand's latest Papercraft Factory CD, "Happy Happy Birthday". This is now the fourth CD in the PF series, further updating the previous ones with even more digis, sentiments and templates.

Whenever a CD is due for release, we generally get a copy a while before so that we can make the samples which Anice will take with her to dress the set with at Create and Craft TV.

It is usual for us to make about 5 samples each - and this time, so we covered the CD well, with no template or colour collection being left accidentally uncovered, we had a plan. We each chose 2 templates and five colour collections to choose each. Well, the reason for this post is because I never shared my samples with you.

As sad as I am, I obvioused SKY+ both the hours that Anice was on (way back on 15th September) - this would be for later boring family and friends with when I pointed out my samples and those fantastic ones of my fellow DT members.

Anyway, just a bit of a background to each Papercraft Factory CD ROM that Anice produces:

20 patterned background papers

12 different colour collections

Each collection based on a colour palette of 5 co-ordinating or contrasting colours

100+ re-sizeable digi stamps and sentiments (both coloured and ready to colour/paperpiece)

9 resizeable templates

9 fonts in the 'writeable text' feature (and scaleable) in the same 5 colours for each collection plus black and white

5 co-ordinating alphas + numbers for each colour collection (all resizeable)

Happy Happy Birthday and Craft The Year Away both update the previous two PF CD's (Dreams Come True and Colour Me Happy) by updating the workspace area and allowing them the template feature.

I have to say that it is a pleasure to use and you'd be hardpressed to make the same card as the next person because there are so many variations - then, when we take the resize function is taken into consideration....

Whether you prefer your cards CAS, whether you like big cards, small cards, busy cards, one layer cards or many layers on your card, 3D projects, home decor project - you name it these CD's have it covered.

The 12 collections are named as follows (in Anice's usual quirky style):

Birthday Boy
Birthday Girl
Sunshine Birthday
Blow Out The Candles
Birthday Dude
Birthday Gal
Surprise
Pressie Time
Just 4 Men
Cake Anyone
How Old
Winter Birthday

There seriously is something for everyone in this CD again - and added to the other collections - boy have you got a library to choose from!!!!

Right then, here are some my samples (as seen on TV) lol.... some were shown in more detail on TV, but at the end of the day, for me, the kudos is being on the Design Team in the first place whether or not they get picked out to be looked at specifically!

This is the project I chose to do with the 'Birthday Girl' collection. I chose to do a split easel card (a first for me):

I used the champagne bottle and the glasses digi stamps that were already coloured, and used the text writer to create the two sentiments using the co-ordinating colours in this colour collection then die cut these out with Nelly Sneddon dies (rectangles 014). I added glossy accents for the champagne spray and on the glasses - then sprinkled some glitter into it while it was fresh. I added card candy above and below the images.

My next project is a stationery set I did using papers from the 'Surprise' collection, and using the envelope and notelets templates.

I made an outer cover by printing 2 co-ordinating designs one on one side and the other on the reverse by feeding it back into my printer. These were ' direction non-specific' which means they are neither meant to be portrait or lanscape - but can be used either way (I've made that term up by the way). this was then folded into A5 portrait, pockets made with contrasting paper then labelled. Using the templates, made envelopes and notelets, trimmed these and made them up to put in the pockets. Decorated the front of the cover with rolled roses of the same design, using labels 15, I die cut, mat and layered the two DP's up then used the text writer in co-ordinating colour to read 'my little stationery set'. Finished off with corners on the outside and inside.

Here is the result:

View of the front cover

View of the inside and contents

I made rolled roses to go on the front with a lovely aqua ribbon secured under the topper which closes the folder. Inside you can see the wiggley notelets and matching envelopes made from the same two designs. I bit of doodling with a fine line pen to finish off.

I'll just share one more of my samples in this post and leave the others for another post.

The next sample is from the 'Just 4 Men' collection. This is such a lovely colour scheme for the male of the species - but works equally well if you use it with say a pink to bring it right up to date to use for a girlfriend.

This is such a popular digi image with the Design Team - we've loved using this image - perfect for 99% of blokes! The greeting/sentiment was made using the alpha feature in co-ordinating colours. I just LOVE the fleur des lys design which appears in each collection of course, in different colourways.

In a later post, I'll share the following collections with you which are the ones that I did samples using:
Cake Anyone and Winter Birthday.

I'd started this post on Thursday but Friday and Saturday where somewhat manic as I was doing a card all day Friday for my in-laws because it was their 50th Wedding Anniversary and I was late doing it (nothing new there), plus it was my FIL's birthday too, so I had to make 2 cards for him (one from us, one from the kids - DS1 put his card together, I just printed it out, cut it out, folded it... come to think of it - apart from sticking it together - I did the majority of it anyway... DS1 took full credit of course when he was told it looked like I'd made it... oh, and I told him where to stick things too, so all he did was the physical act of sticking it down lol!!!

Anyway, as I said, I started this post on Thursday (I has started the cards then btw), Friday busy all day; Saturday I didn't go to bed until about 4am as I got carried away working on the in-laws card, which involved playing with my Cricut Expression machine for the first time since I'd had it back in March!!! So, because I went to bed late, my sister arrived before I was up. We went to the My Craft Studio warehouse open day which is down the road from me - we met Nancy Watt, Stephanie and Diane Peternall there - it was funny because my sister was a bit 'star struck'! She had a chat with them and they were prepping for a show this Wednesday where they launch a brand-new CD (which I've already bought, being a platinum member of the MCS Club). Plus there was this most phenomenal product on sale which hasn't been on C&C yet - so just because I'm not sure whether it's a secret or not, I shall not mention the product but after they've launched it, i'm going to rave about it!!!! Needless to say, I bought it... So, that will be on at 9am on Wednesday so i'm going to watch that.

So, we went to MCS, then took a ride up to our local fabric shop where we buy our ribbon. Came back and did more work on the card and didn't finish it until about 7.30 turned - we were due to In-Law's Golden Wedding party about then, but got there for about 8.30pm. Seeing as I no longer drink - and couldn't anyway because of my medication (this is why I don't, but I've lost the taste for it since I've been ill anyway) I was designated driver.

Then - on Sunday, I had the DAY FROM HELL. It involved a certain new fella in my life (Buddy), and Poo. I shall leave it to your imagination - but the poor lamb (ha!) has probably eaten some teddy fur which has caused some diverse effects. But the day started off with me having a coffee in bed, brought to me by my thoughtful husband - but because just going out had tired me out, I fell to sleep sat up in bed with the coffee in my hand, which I tend to rest on my chest, and hold with my chin. That woke me up and thankfully it wasn't piping hot, but I have scolded me in the past because I fall back to sleep easily (something to do with FM and having so much medication that makes me drowsy). OH says it's almost like I've got narcolepsy (but not quite so severe).

Because of such a busy weekend, which included day from hell, I neglected to announce the start of a brand new challenge on Get Funky. The theme this month is Autumn and the hostess is Amanda. Click HERE if you want to check out her gorgeous card.

Well, that's it for this post - sorry it's a long one - but you know me by now (if you are a regular follower)!!!

More samples to follow and lots more chat and general banter to come.

Crafty hugs to you all, and thank you for reading.

Paula x x x

Get Funky DT Card/s for September's Challenge

2011-10-12T18:38:00.000+01:00

Hi there one and all

Thanks for coming by to find out what I've been up to!

Well, this post is all about the Get Funky challenge that was set in September - on the Funky Fifteenth!

I'm all excited about this challenge as it's a nice and easy one - after all, Birthdays are the most popular cards we make as crafters (I recon - this is based on no sound evidence except in my head) - so I was actually on a roll with this one.

The very lovely and talented Jenny started this months challenge off HERE to coincide with the launch of the very latest of the Funky Hand Papercraft Factory CD's aptly named 'HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY' - in the meantime, the design team have been entertaining our eyes and stirring up our crafting juices with their fabulous projects - wow, there are some corkers this month. Well for me, I've just played it safe and done a couple of cards for you. I was on too much of a roll to stop at just the one though - and truth be known, I didn't stop at two either!!! ;o)

Here is the first one I've brought here for you:

This might look like I followed a sketch - but truth is, I was at this layout for ages - and wish I had have followed one, but I was really happy with how it turned out. This is nice, pink and girly and suitable for a girly girl young or old.

The next one is quite a bold one in contrast to the first one. This is the front of the card which is a square gatefold:

inside the card:

I'll show you the rest of the cards I did in another post. In the meantime, I want to share a secret with you. I have used scraps on all of the cards I made and haven't purposely printed anything off for these two cards (although I had pre-planned the sentiment). You see, when I first got the CD, I had been having printer problems, so my sister kindly lent me her spare one until I got sorted again. So just in case, I thought I would print off a few of the design papers. I'd also printed loads of the digi stamps off in various sizes, and did most of this way back when we first received the CDs in order to produce our samples. I currently have quite a boxful of sentiments now, but those little corner digi's are another thing. I became a bit addicted to them so printed them out in other colours by shrinking the design papers on the workspace... I think that they make such a difference to a card... give it a try - try your design with, then without a corner - you don't even need to do all four - and you'll soon see what your card was missing. I now have a small bag of corners done ready in different colourways, but there are that many, I haven't even scratched the surface yet. Here is a screenshot of the workspace in the programme where I have put some corners on and demonstrated that they are re-sizable and that you can shrink the design papers behind them so that you have corners that co-ordinate with your card or project. Imagine what you can do with these if you play about and arrange loads of them 'Barbara Gray' style - you could Mosaic them on a square space... anyway - here is what they look like:

All you do to get the digi you want on the workspace is to click and drag with your mouse. It really is that easy.

If you want to create a mirror image of the corners so they look OK in all four (not being symmetrical, they may look a bit odd as they are), you may have to do this using your printer set up. However, Canon printers don't have this facility (well mine doesn't anyway), so instead, you have to tell the printer you are printing on Tee-shirt transfer paper - which needs to be printed in mirror image - and that's the way to do it. If you want any of the images printed out in a mirror image for what ever reason - just select tee-shirt transfer paper in the drop down menu (rather than plain paper or photo paper - whatever you print on regularly).

Thankfully, I now have a new printer (after first receiving one with the belt unattached), so then had to wait for another one (I've really not had much luck in the last few months with printers - but I've now run out of inks that came with the 2nd new printer.

Since I started writing this post, I've managed to connect my CIS (Continuous Ink System) up. Mind you, I didn't think it was going to play ball because the colours just wouldn't come through... after what seemed a million nozzle checks and head cleans, I've got it going - hopefully that's me sorted for a while - I did start to feel a bit cursed on the printer front and wondered how on earth I would print the funky and gorgeous backing papers that Anice designs for us at Funky Hand. In the meantime, having no printer certainly encouraged me to make use of what I'd already printed - and then again, I've got loads of paper pads and there's always the stamps I have - (over 50% of them have never even been within a sniff of an ink pad). Of course, this is complete and utter worse case scenario!!!

I don't know about you, but I think that you can achieve a sort of CAS style with the most busy of colourful of design papers. The key is how you use it and not using too much that it takes it being too busy to be CAS. I'm probably talking a load of rubbish really, but isn't it all about fun and experimenting? My CAS may not be some one else's CAS - someone else's busy may be my norm... it's about what works for you at the end of the day. Ellis just said something on C&C "one mans meat is another mans poison". How true is that!

Just as a reminder, both my cards have been made with the Birthday Girl and Birthday Gal collections respectively, but these collections can quite easily be used together.

If you fancy taking part but have never taken the plunge before and haven't got anything by 'Funky Hand' to be able to join in, go HERE where you will find a very generous freebie from Anice, the designed of all the Funky Hand CD's and papers. There are only 2 more days in which to be able to obtain the freebie - and also to join in. You must have entered your card before midnight on the 14th October because on the 15th, another challenge is will start. Anice creates a freebie each month to download so that you have something FH to enable you to join in. Sometimes the freebie may be quite general but there are times when it fits in with the challenge theme which is an added bonus.

Just one more thing to note - at least ONE element/item in your project must be from Funky Hand. If there isn't, then unfortunately (and this is quite sad) - you won't be considered a contender for the prize - winners are announced on the morning of the 15th - just before the launch of the brand new challenge for the month.

Well that's all for this post - I will (and I always say this with good intention) try and post a bit more than I have been.

Happy crafting

Paula x x x

Back from AWOL

2011-10-12T02:33:00.000+01:00

Although I know that this blogging thing is entirely a personal thing and we aren't meant to be under pressure to post, I actually feel really bad for not posting for what feels like an age. So much has happened since I last posted and to a certain degree, this is what has kept me from posting.

Part of the reason has been down to my health and symptoms of the conditions I have - Fibromyalgia and Benign Hypermobility Syndrome and of course pain still remains from my operation which was just over 18 months ago now (OMG - where does time go). I know a lot of people who read my blog posts also suffer from Fibromyalgia so identify with me when I say that my sleeping pattern plays a large part in how I feel. Sleeping for me is a luxury. Getting to sleep is usually a problem in itself so I try to go and go until my only part-charged batteries have totally run out - this could be at silly o'clock or early. If I do go early - I find it really hard to get up and really have to force myself to get up because with the exhaustion, I could easily stay in bed all day and not get up at all - so fighting the urge to go back to sleep, I'll get up and find that I fall to sleep on and off all day. Other times I'll go to bed at silly o'clock and manage on 3-4 hours - and find myself falling to sleep all day... Recently, I had to go to the docs with pains around my achillies tendon and feet - which where sensitive each and every step I took. The doc put me on water tablets being as I have been suffering really badly with swollen legs, ankles and feet. His advice to me was to spend more time with my feel elevated, which I told him was easier said than done... So more tablets to take!!!

I've also been referred to a Healthcare Psychologist who has now accepted me on a programme which is designed to help people cope with long term health conditions. The waiting list is a pretty hefty one, so in the meantime, i've been advised to go on another programme to meet people with similar (or the same) conditions so that they can pass on their advice on how they deal with the day to day. I should also be hearing from the Healthcare service about some relaxation and meditation/aromatherapy sessions to help me relax.

Despite all the above, I have been trying to get on with everyday and do normal things and so for me, that is making cards for stock, cards for Birthdays - and some special birthdays; finishing wedding stationery off and about to embark on some more. Some days I just can't do anything either because of the pain, or because I have zero energy left, then again some days it's down to sheer distraction. No one single thing is resposible for my lack of posting, but rather a whole load of things. Having said all that - one of the BIGGEST distractions has come to me in guise of a hairy four-legged specimen as pictured below.

We weren't exactly looking for another dog (we already have Dylan, a 5 year old Bedlington), but my sister had told me about a dog she knew was being abused and she'd threatened the owners that if they did anything again, she'd report them (and she would). Anyway, the (female) owner decided that she would part with the youngest of the dogs as that was the one that tended to get the abuse out of the three they had. The youngest was kept in a cage with one of the other dogs nearly all day while they were out at work, then punished (punched or kicked) for yapping - and wasn't house trained at nearly 6 months old.

My sister brought him round because I said I'd have him to save him from the rotten life he seemed to be subject too. It was love at first sight. We decided to change his name and after 3 attempts at a name for him, we came up with Buddy. Due to my Fibro or tablets or something, I just couldn't remember the first couple of names we tried even though I did like them, they just didn't come easily to me when I tried to shout him. So Buddy has stayed - although saying that - he doesn't always get called that - but for other reasons - not for loss of memory.

This is only one of many such occasions when I've been doing something in the craft room (conservatory) and I've realised it's gone quiet.

nom nom nom!

OH had been growing peppers (not very successfully) outside near the greenhouse; they had been late starters, but were about to flower. In the photo, I'm not entirely sure which one he had but he ended up having all four... after the first one, OH didn't move the tray so Buddy had another. The third was then put on the dustbin my yours truly out of the way... only to have DS2 put in on the floor when he took the bin out one day... so that was number 3 destroyed. The fourth one had been planted near the tomatoes at the back of the garden - but he sniffed it out and dug it up (oh dear).

Here he is enjoying his spoils with a trail of devastation behind him!!!

Although he's always up to something - like stealing plant pots out of the greenhouse because they are his new favourite toy, it's really hard to be mad with him at all because he is so cute - and also because of his past. As a puppy he's never been allowed to explore the great outdoors as much as he has since he's been with us. He's now at his true home.

I have loads more pics like this, what he's been up, what he's been doing with (and to) Dylan and the cats alike.

Here's just one more of Dylan and Buddy together after they've just has a rough and tumble about on the sofa:

I've got loads on in the coming weeks - I have got to make some wedding stationery samples, I want to make more stock to sell, I want to make a start on my Christmas cards - oh, and I want to blog some of the many cards that i've been making recently.

It is my turn to blog my DT card for Funky Hand on the 'Get Funky' Challenge blog tomorrow, so watch out for that coming up. The theme is 'Happy Birthday' and was set this month by the lovely Jenny (see her post HERE.

So, bye for now, happy crafting and speak soon,

Ciao,

Paula x x x

New Challenge at Get Funky - 'Birthday Fun'

2011-09-17T21:35:00.000+01:00

Hi all

Over at the 'Get Funky' Challenge blog, a brand new challenge called 'Birthday Fun' which is being hosted by the lovely Jenny. Jenny has done a word book using the latest release from Funky Hand's 'Happy Happy Birthday' which, in my opinion, is the best and most versatile Funky Hand CD to come out yet.

My turn to post a card for the DT on the challenge blog 'Get Funky' is on October 12th - so hopefully you will come back and have a look at my effort then.

Because I hosted last months challenge 'At the Seaside', it was my turn also to pick the overall winner and the three 'runner-up' winning entries. If you go HERE you will see what I chose from those who entered. Not every card could be considered as they hadn't followed the rule of using at least one Funky Hand product in their project, which is a shame as there were some great entries. This is what happens when people enter challenges en mass - because they just see the title of the challenge then enter, without considering that it may have some, if only minor, stipulations.

Anyway, the challenge runs from the Funky Fifteenth until 11pm on the 14th of the following month. Each month, just in case you don't own anything from Funky Hand (and why not?), Anice kindly offers a FREEBIE paper so that anyone can have a go at joining in. Go HERE if you want to see what this months download is.

I'll be back shortly with news about the new Funky Hand CD - which I would have mentioned before now had I a) not been finishing wedding stationery off b) been at the wedding itself yesterday, c) been well enough to blog and do anything for that matter - and not end up in bed asleep or in fact asleep anywhere I sat... watch this space anyhow.

Thanks to all those who read and commented on the post before this one - which is a far cry from my usual post and not at all like me to get on my soap box, but I was doing it for a cause - and on the request of the campaigners for a fairer welfare benefits system, not the shambles that is the current state of the welfare reform 'attempt'.

Thank you

Paula x x x x

Thanks for reading - please leave a comment to say you've been - then come back again. hugs, Paula x x x

What an outrage!

2011-09-14T17:01:00.000+01:00

Apologies for the following blog post that is not my usual type of post, and will be a rather long one. Please bare with me and take time out to read. Thank you in advance.

Many of my followers and regular readers may already know of the health problems I suffered totally out of the blue - especially as I was a happy-go-lucky, healthy woman of 38 - when all of a sudden I was told after a routine x-ray for yet another chest infection and pains in my back, I had a tumour in my chest cavity. I had to have major surgery to remove the tumour , which included having a full bi-lateral thoracotomy on my left hand side - this basically meant that I had an operation to cut my chest open between two ribs, then clamped open while my lung was deflated in order to remove the tumour. It was actually found to be growing on my intercostal nerve and pushing against my lung - which, if left any longer would start to fuse with lung tissue (according to the surgeon).

Unfortunately, during the operation and because it had involved removing part of my intercostal nerve, I suffered nerve damage and now take a heck of a lot of pain killers each and everyday which still have to be increased in strength from time to time.

During this time, I tried to go back to my full time job but was in too much pain and ended up having to leave work due to ill health. I am still an outpatient at the Pain Clinic where I regularly have to see a pain specialist and sometimes an aneathatist. In November 2010, I went to see a rheumatologist who diagnosed Fibromyalgia and Benign Joint Hypermobility Syndrome.

For me, symptoms range from chronic fatigue where by I cannot stay awake for days; lower back pain when standing or after short bursts of activity, pain in my elbow joints, ankles, knees, my left shoulder area (feels like its going to drop off - and is really painful as I write this). In the morning, if I've had 6 or more hours sleep my body totally locks up and my OH has to lift me off the bed with my hands and get me to a sitting position, then lift me to my feet so I can [crawl] to the bathroom (I won't divulge what I can't do next). Going up and downstairs is painful - I have to go down the stairs by putting both feet on the same step at a time - I've had to have another hand rail installed. On really bad days, I have to get about the house using a stick, but always take a stick out with me now, and cannot make it around Tesco for example without the pain becoming chronic that I just want to sit down on the spot i'm in at that moment. Most of the time I cannot drive my car because my ankles and feet hurt, or my shoulder hurts or I cannot turn round enough because of the pain... I used to LOVE driving - and feel like a degree of my freedom has been taken away from me.

There's more - but you get the general picture. Back in January, I put in a claim for DLA then in March I had a visit by a Doctor from ATOS - the agency contracted by the Government as part of the Welfare Reform. The Doctor was in my house for all but 20 minutes. Made some (very wrong) assumptions (which I am contesting) and came to the conclusion that I was unlikely to be in need of care or have any mobility issues. I was refused DLA and am now appealing - I have got to attend a tribunal in a court house (not one of those big ones though), just to justify why I have appealed against the decision of a Doctor who was probably always going to say I was't worthy.

I have subscribed to a website called Benefits and Work who assist people in getting what they deserve and inform subscribers (or members) of the latest news or legislation that may affect our claims etc.

I received an email today with regard the news of how the government is making underhand movements to pass the reform bill despite the fact that the House of Lords have many questions still unanswered about the governments proposals etc.

Please read the below newsletter from Benefits and Work - it will take two minutes... - thank you in advance.

Urgent call to action
After an incredibly constructive debate yesterday in the House Of Lords the government appear to be concerned about how many Lords had significant concerns about the Welfare Reform Bill, even those Lords who in principle supported the bill had major questions they wanted answers to.

For a bill of this size and importance, convention dictates that the next stage of the bill should be kept in the main chamber of the House of Lords for debate. It's particularly important the bill be continued to be debated in the main chamber as disability access to the smaller committee rooms is very limited and people will not be able to access the committee rooms to exercise their democratic right to observe the passge of the bill from the public chamber.

At 3.30pm today the govermnent are tabling a motion to move the grand committee stage of the bill into one of the smaller committee rooms. Presumably the government are hoping that by moving a bill into the committee rooms it will be harder to scrutinise - there won't be enough space in any of the committee rooms to allow for all the Lords to participate, let alone for us to scrutinise online or attend in person.

This is an outrage - the government are clearly concerned by the level of queries and opposition to the Welfare Reform Bill highlighted by yesterday's debate and wish to quietly sideline it to a committee room where they hope it will pass with less opposition. Tabling the motion for the afternoon following PMQ's is also an underhand trick as it means it will be harder for us to object through the main stream media.

This is our call to arms. This bill affects us, our families and every aspect of our lives, as well as the lives of those currently paying into the system in anticipation of protection should they require it. If we can make enough noise in the next few hours the government will be forced to keep the passage of the bill in the main chamber of the house of lords where it can be effectively and appropriately scrutinised by all.

What you can do to help is this:
Please post copies of this blog onto your facebook, your twitter, stumbleupon, wikio etc. Please email it to everyone you know, please talk about this on your own blogs. Email or phone your MP to register your objections, email or phone the house of lords to explain your concerns, email or phone the media, local or national and explain that whether or not people are in favour of this bill, that it is a fundamental democratic right to have it debated in the main chamber of the house of lords where there is space for all who wish to attend and observe. Highlight the injustice and hypocrisy of the governments behaviour in trying to sideline this important bill into a room too small for all the Lords to attend and certainly too small to allow those in wheelchairs, or with guide dogs, the very people most affected by this bill to be able to observe from the public gallery.

If we make enough noise before 3.30pm today the government will have to drop this underhand tactic and the Bill will continue to be debated in the main chamber of the House of Lords where everyone who wishes to can attend and observe.

UPDATE 13.30
The email addresses to contact are:
anelayj@parliament.uk – this is the chief whip to whom you should send the email and cc it to the others.
bassams@parliament.uk – opposition chief whip.
freudd@parliament.uk – David Freud

You can read the original post on the Broken of Britain blog.

Does this affect you or your family or someone you know? Please pass it on for their sakes as they may be the next one to suffer from the governments decision or like me, have a visit from a Doctor from ATOS who is there to prove you don't need help, not to see that you get it.

Thanks for reading this very unusual and pictureless blog post - it isn't my usual kind - but something that is really important to me.

I haven't been able to blog since my previous post due to the very problems I mentioned in my opening paragraphs. The very problems the Doc from ATOS didn't acknowledge but affect me on a day-to-day basis. So much so that I don't know what I'm going to wake up to - and to avoid having to be helped out of bed and to the bathroom and sometimes off the toilet - I tend to only have four hours sleep - because the better the nights sleep I have - the worse I feel the next morning. I go to bed at silly o'clock then get up about 4 hours later with my son for school - then spend the rest of the day falling to sleep. This affects my day to day life and has now impeded on my hobby of crafting and cardmaking.

Thanks again for reading - I'd love to hear from you if you have a comment on the above.

Paula x x x

Music Saves My Soul Saturday

2011-08-27T10:00:00.002+01:00

This is the second time I've joined in with this feature, where basically - when you bloghop to those who join in, you get to enjoy about 3-6 minutes of musical magic.

Crafters have a varied taste in music which makes it all the more interesting to visit each one to see what they have in store... sometimes you are met with an old (or new) favourite - or sometimes you discover something completely different to anything you would normally listen to because its a different genre to what you stick with.

Here is my offering this week - I'm loving getting some of these out the old 'memory cupboard'. I've chosen this one because it reminds me of my school disco days! This one is one of those that you can't help liking.... I remember me and my friends all in a circle or row doing the same moves to this one. I really could sit here all day adding all my favourite music from that era - I promise for something a bit more modern next week - but i've got my fingers crossed! lol...

If you love this feature - go over to Marcea's blog here- as she's the master DJ who set this whole fabby feature up some time ago (but I only discovered last week - but too late to post anything). Immediately as I visited and decided to join in, I knew what my first tune would be: (see my first post here).

Hope you enjoyed... Go on, dare you to show and tell what tunes you're tapping your toes to at the moment.

Crafty hugs

Paula x x x

Music Saves My Soul Saturday

2011-08-20T17:40:00.000+01:00

Over on the Crafters Companion Facebook group - i've 'met' lots of lovely crafters - some on the design team for crafters companion - but lots and lots of regular crafters who are in love with Crafters Companion products... I know there aren't many [paper] crafters who don't own something from them.

Anyway, I've come to follow a few of my new found friends as they post their blog posts on FB - which is clever - especially because I continue to forget to open up my google reader (doh)!!!

However, one crafter in particular, Marcea, has this fabby feature which is so self indulgent, i'm in seventh heaven. It's called 'Music Saves My Soul Saturday' where you simply insert a video from You Tube of your favourite tunes, changing it each week and sharing with others by linking up via In-linkz on Marcea's blog... just hop around everyone elses blog to see what their choice of music is this week, leave a comment after enjoying (or not) the music of the blog host.

This is my first ever week joining in, so here is my choice of music - which, as soon as I saw this feature on Marcea's blog, I KNEW I would choose should I join in.

This would always be my first choice simply because it reminds me of the school disco - something that I was rarely allowed to go to, but when I did, this was playing once and it captured my heart since 1986 (or thereabouts when I first heard it).

I will keep you in suspense no longer. I hope you enjoy as much as I do - let me know what you think and whether you have a song that reminds you of the school disco... better still, go HERE to Marcea's blog and join in - enjoying other crafters taste in music while indulging in tunes that have a special place in your music collection.... oh, I have loads more to come yet so I'm going to enjoy getting involved with this one.

Collaberation of Gorgio Moroder and Phil Oakey (of Human League fame) in 1984, taken from the film 'Electric Dreams'.

Hope you enjoyed as much as I do... it's that guitar rift that does it every time!!!

Off to Marcea's to link up and see what the other participants have shared this week.

Crafty hugs

Paula x x x

Thanks for reading - please leave a comment to say you've been - then come back again. hugs, Paula x x x

Guess who's the Hostess for this months Funky Hand Challenge

2011-08-15T13:10:00.000+01:00

Yep - it's meeeeeee.

As these things tend to work, it has come round to being my turn to host the challenge at Get Funky (yippee), so I've chosen the theme :

At The Seaside

Well really, its more about the colours that remind you of the seaside - is it the sky, sand, water, buckets, ice-cream flavours, stripes of the deck chairs or wind-breaks, beach balls, canyfloss?... the list goes on - but its all about what reminds YOU.

For my challenge card, I chose (quite predictably) the colours of the sea, sky and sand - and came up with this

inside views

Did you notice these bits:

this was me singing while I was putting the card together - the happy crafter that I am - so I couldn't then resist typing it out and actually putting it in the card itself!

Now, I bet you're singing right now aren't you? I thought so! ;o)

The card is 8x8". The front cover in folded diagonally in half then covered with DP's from the Craft The Year Away CD. On the front - but cannot really be seen, is the same colour that the square toppers are made in (my sand colour)!

To stop the diagonal flap springing up, I punched a hole in both bits, and then again at the top. I wrapped some bakers twine through a few times - which was a great, and aesthetically better than ribbon!

The square topper on the front was layered up on white card with another triangular piece of the same design on the back seeing as it could be seen from inside the card. I then doodled around every edge of the card - both inside and out as well as both toppers - the wonky/wobbly line is far better than drawing a straight one with a ruler as it adds a fun element to the card.

The inside topper which was attached to the diagonal was slight smaller so that you could appreciate the outside one from behind. The inside layer was kept simple with just a pre-coloured digi sunshine which I cut up just so I could spread the rays out a bit wider. I added the little sentiments/song on at the end - and voila - a fun, uplifting sunshine, seaside card. I'm rather pleased with it actually!

I was on a roll by then, so while making previous card, I printed out some other similarly gorgeous papers - and came up with this:

Using a 6x6" card base, I then made the cloud backing paper in the workspace area - by adding the blue mottled DP from the 'My July' collection on 'Craft The Year Away' CD then dragging the digi clouds on top of that - sizing them a different random sizes. I added the pre-coloured digi sunshine in afterwards which was printed out on a separate sheet - along with the buckets and spades (I did three different patterned sets on the same sheet). The gorgeous green DP was cut to size, then torn across-ways to look like a sparkling mediteranean sea with gentle waves with the bottom third of paper to represent the beach. The bucket and spade had glossy accents on to give them that shiny plastic finish.

My next and final card was based around an ice-cream, and seeing as I had made more than one when making my DT card this month, the whole card centred around it as you'll see.

I simplymade the backing paper in the workspace area of the card using the 'writer' function writing the different words then changing the font, size and the colour. The layers that the ice-cream are sat on are papers from the Craft The Year Away CD and die cut with labels seven Spellbinders nestabilities.

That concludes my Challenge card entries for this months theme of "At the seaside" where I asked to see colours that remind you of the seaside.

Just to recap:

Funky Hand Papercraft Factory CD's:
Craft The Year Away, Dreams Come True and Colour Me Happy - all found HERE

The challenge these cards are for is the 'Get Funky' Challenge for Funky Hand where this month, I have set the theme of the challenge - found HERE

just one last thing... if you wish to join in with this months challenge but haven't (yet) got anything from Funky Hand to join in with (remember this is the ONLY rule for joining in with the challenge) Anice is offering the following FREEBIE which can be downloaded from HERE then go to page 3.

Well, you really haven't got any excuse to join in now as we've covered all bases - so get on over and have a look what else is on the website as you might see something you like more to make your challenge cards from - there are 3 FULL pages of instant downloads - so no need to wait for Mr Postie to bring you a parcel of any kind - but there are also plenty of CD's for sale if you do like receiving things in the post - what ever floats your boat really!!!

Thanks for looking - remember the rest of my teamies will be posting throughout the month providing you with plenty of inspiration - so, as long as your entry is in before midnight on the 14th September - it's in with a shout... at midnight - the frog link (inlikz) turns into a pumpkin and disappears then its too late! Winners will then be announced on 15th just before the new challenge goes live.

Only one entry per person, and no backlinks to old posts.

Easy as that - look forward to seeing your cards

Crafty hugs

Paula x x x

WOYWW 10.08.11

2011-08-10T10:45:00.000+01:00

Good morning one and all and a happy WOYWW to you!

I'm on a roll as its the 2nd Wednesday in a row that I've joined in this global desk hop for a while - the 'older' WOYWWers know that I twice (with the help of my lovely friend Wipso) posted from my hospital bed last year... anyway - for one reason or another - I don't always manage to make it so I for one am pleased I've been able to post twice on the trot!!!

Right - not much happened this last week in terms of creativity. I've either had no energy or health to craft or make a single card - plus I've been drooling at the talent on the 'I'm a Crafter's Companion' Face book page - looking at the colouring talents of the DT from CC on there using either the lovely SWALK stamps (need some), or the Humphrey stamps (already got some) or using the new Spectrum Noir pens (now nicknamed speccies) - or using both stamps and pens... if you can - hop over there and have a look at some of the colouring in by these guys... if you look on there - you'll also find a tutorial and even a comparison of Speccies V's Copics - interesting.

Anyway - here is the desk despite the lack of activity:

Oh - I lied it appears... I did print off ONE (my first one btw) Me to You sheet I'd designed for an A4 card. Very simple design for a first birthday card.

In front of that you'll see the Summer Crafting brochure from Doncaster a few weeks ago. There in it is Nigel's autograph - which incidentally I didn't ask him for - he assumed I wanted it (bless him)... I did also have my photograph taken with him, also with Phill (who I'm not sure is actually with DO crafts anymore - and I have one with the Glitter Girls too (how friendly were they???! - loads that's how much).

The little shaped 'box' is one from a book of die cut shapes bought from QVC the week before. There are absolutely NO instructions to put these boxes together, and when this one is secured at the top - there is no opening to get anything in or out - bad design.. There is another one on the desk - (in the next photo) which was pretty straight forward, but a third I took out of the box had loads of curved lines (all have only very feint score lines) and just didn't make sense at all - even the picture was no help, so I gave up and have now sent the pad back. I've put a review on QVC and only awarded it one star - the die cuts were easy enough to get out of the page and the cardstock was of a good quality and the design papers were nice - but without instructions were pretty terrible to put together. Anyone with dexterity problems (such as I on a regular day) would struggle - but I tried these when having an exceptionally good day and still not easy.

Here you see the second box, which was easier to put together. The black box in the bottom left of this picture is a box we've had for donkey's years - since we first had a home PC and Internet - back in 1998. This stored all our CD's in. Its been all round the house and lastly was in my sons bedroom. It's covered in dust (no surprise there) and had some of those original CD's in - plus some DK ones that my Dad collected years ago from the Daily Express (his choice of newspaper - not mine!). I'm going to give them to my mum as they are things such as the solar system, wildlife, dinosaurs etc etc. - that's if they work on more modern computers (not sure).... The best bit though is that I'm going to alter the box - which is something I'm looking forward to doing.

The rotadex is a relatively new purchase so needs populating. I found this in the bookshop 'The Works' and was £2.99... I have more address books - all for different sets of people - so I thought I'd would amalgamate and put them all in one place - plus it takes me back to when I was a telephonist/receptionist - I had a MASSIVE one which was jampackedfull!!! That was back in the day when I worked in the textile machine industry - I packed the job when I was 25 and just having had K, my 2nd son.

Of course there is also my lovely carousel on the desk - which I wouldn't do without.

Then there is my blue 'bits' bin, kindly given to me by a fellow classmate from when I was well enough to go to card class on a Tuesday night. I have missed not being able to go, but I've not been well enough to go for weeks and weeks.

Last photo is just a pic of the back of my desk - the DVD cases house all my Spellbinders, with some Marianne Designs, about 4 Nelly Sneddon die sets and a couple of Cuttlebug dies - the rest are nesties and shapeabilities.

Right, that's about it - if you want to join in with this massive global desk hop - you need to go to see the Chief - Julia of Stamping Ground here. She'll explain the ground rules (of which there are few)...

I tried to visit as many people as I had the energy to over the course of the week - some wouldn't even give me a comments box :O( so, sorry if I didn't leave a comment on yours. Note to self... will try harder!

Thank you to all those who came to visit me - your visits and words are very much appreciated and keep me going. Also, thanks to anyone who became a follower as a result - I love to see a new face in my followers box, so thank you and welcome.

Right - I have an appointment this morning, then this afternoon the boys are at the dentist - so will work round the trials and tribulations that the week might throw at me and attempt to visit lots more people this week.

Big crafty hugs

Paula x x x

Weekday Ramblings and Wedding card commissions

2011-08-10T03:47:00.000+01:00

How rubbish has the weather been the last few days? Its been like the back end of October here - although it hasn't been quite as cold. Wind, rain, black cloud, miserable. Today is warmer again - but the wind has built up since this morning. Anyway, it's just a good job I've had my been able to do some reading, blogging and follow discussion on my favourite Facebook pages.

Last year, when I was still employed but off sick, I made a decision to come off Facebook for one reason and another (which isn't worth going into here), and to be honest, I didn't miss it much. However, I became increasingly aware that more and more craft companies and things of interest to me were accessible through groups and the such on FB so I ummed and aahhed about re-activating my account. I finally made the decision to reactivate it for the purpose of reaching those craft companies and companies of interest only, so decided to remove the majority of people on my friends list - who I really didn't interact with much e.g. people from school etc. so removed all of those - and removed most of my remote family who I didn't interact with much, along with all but 2 of my former work colleagues. Therefore, from just under 200 people, I whittled my list down to 24.

By getting back on FB, I've really enjoyed 'liking' those sites and groups that interest me and have added and made lots of new friends in the process - those who I have much more in common with - and that is the love of all things craft. Slowly, my friends list is building up again - but only with people who have a shared interest (going to the same school no longer counts as a shared interest to me - I didn't have the best of times in school, being bullied and singled out, plus its not like I socialise with them or anything. Some people i'd removed have asked to be friends again so figure that they are the friends worth having because they've clearly missed my friendship so to speak... I'm really happy with my list now and this will be the principles used to add friends in the future - they will be crafters - they will add me or I will request their friendship, or they will be people I know who want to add me (then i'll think long and hard about whether I want them to know what i'm doing on Facebook!!!)... I don't want to sound pompous or stand-offish (cos that really isn't me), but I will not be 'collecting' people for the sake of it. My son has over 700 friends - and I bet he doesn't even know half of them, no, not even a faction of them - and doesn't socialise with them - so that is my point entirely. Having more or less people on your friends list isn't a measure of how popular you are (or not). It means you know them somehow in someway so just add them. I know of people who will add their doctors receptionist or dentist (well, i'm using that as an example that they will add anyone)!!!

Anyway - if you are a crafter and want to be a friend on facebook - please feel free to add... crafters (and my nearest and dearest) welcome!!! You will find me as Paula Michelle Hemingray-Gale.

I hope all the above makes sense.

Anyway - putting FB to one side, I keep telling myself I need to start putting more and more stuff on my blog - I've got lots of stuff that I haven't yet blogged. A lot of my work hasn't really been character crafting - which has become increasingly popular. I do have a fair amount of stamps, CD's and card making kits that I need to get my finger out and make to sell hopefully. If I don't sell any or continue to get any commissions - people are getting rather expensive greetings cards from me - and I certainly haven't saved any money by making my own - I figure I have, like most crafters, thousands of pounds worth of stash, including machines, CD, Spellbinders, punches, tools, paper and card stock, specialist pens, ribbon etc etc (you get the picture) - so I'm going to make an effort to sell more of my stuff.

I will be doing 40 Order of Ceremony's soon for a friend who gets married in September. Judging by the amount of content in the ceremony itself, I think each one is going to run to at least 6-8 sides, so pretty full to say the least. I think I may set off the lazer printer to do those.

I bought a Samsung lazer printer in February and only got it out of the box when I re-jigged my craft room (again!). By the weekend - I still hadn't managed to set it up on the laptop so this was one of the goals I set myself for this week. I finally managed to set it up yesterday and couldn't believe when it printed 3 full sheets of A4 out in less than 5 seconds.... Its only a Black and White printer (why called black and WHITE I've no idea as it doesn't have white ink or anything in. Just black laser toner.

Another goal, while I'm thinking about it, is to have a play with my new cuttlebug embossing folder system. I bought the Pick of The Day over on Create and Craft a couple of weeks ago. At the time of typing this, they are still in their packets waiting to be opened and played with. I want to play about with the letterpress capability of it - I wished I had Jinger from Provocraft here to help me out (one of my 'Likes' on Facebook - both Provocraft and Jinger). Need to ask if she will do bookings the next time she is in the UK. I could do with some lessons on how to use my Cricut Expression more effectively.

Right, enough of the waffle. Here is a couple of not-seen-before cards...

In the last couple of months, I've had 3 commissions for wedding cards - 2 from the same person, and one for my BFF (her mum).

Here is the one for the first wedding - the brief was just to do it in the same colours as the invitation.

My friend loved it. The black and white DP is from the Black and Gold Forever Friends CD. The envelope was of a real good quality but the DP lining just finished it off nicely.

Anyway, the next wedding was a few weeks ago so my friend (K) asked me to do her a card similar to the last one. Her mum (W) (my BFF) asked me to do her something special to send as it was her nephew getting married. The colour scheme of the wedding was light blue - so I used a soft baby blue in both cards.

Here's the first one I did for K.

Underneath the monogram on the card, there is a big ampersand but it looks really pale of this picture.

The monogram is cut, matted and layered using Spellbinders Labels Two dies. The design paper on the top is Hunkeydory cardstock and the cardstock on the bottom is the matching colour in plain silk art card. This was embossed using the Trellis embossing folder. Small diamante gems were placed where the pattern crossed.

Now, for the card I did for my friend. She'd seen a card I'd done previously for my God Daughter (which I haven't previously blogged either) - so here is that card which inspired my friend into asking me to do her wedding card using the same format:

The book-shaped paper is from The Clipart Fairy, printed out, scored, then slightly curled to look like pages (to give them their curl, I slide them over the edge of the desk sliding back and forth until I get the depth of curl I want. Each page is attached by using double sided tape down the 'spine' and sometimes I add a bit to the edge of the page to keep the shape of it and keep it in its place.

I made the flowers on this one using a crealies flowers die - number 11 and the foliage dies from crealies too. I purchased both from Joanna Sheen.

So, here are some pics of the card I made for my friend for her nephews wedding:

I think this is a good selection of pictures of the card. I thoroughl enjoyed making this with all the detail and each handmade flower embellishment too. It really was a labour of love. I can't wait until someone else commissions me to do something similar.

That's all for now - until my next post,

Take care,

Paula x x x

My Funky Hand DT Card - August

2011-08-03T03:07:00.000+01:00

Hello to my blogging friends - and blogging family!

Its my turn to post my DT card over at Funky Hand Towers (aka Get Funky) for this months challenge which was set on the Funky Fifteenth, by the lovely Ruth. The theme she set for us this time was Boys, Boys, Boys!!!

Well, having 2 boys of my own - I thought that this challenge was going to be a walk in the park. However, my printer had other thoughts and has been playing me up - well - THEY have been playing me up - more on that later...

However, despite all the problems I had - I came good in the nick of time and virtually only got my card finished and photographed at the 11th hour (i.e. - the day before this post goes live)!

Following the theme of 'Boys Boys Boys' - I thought I'd make a card for my Godson and kill two birds with one stone - and further still, enter my card in to the sketch challenge over at 'Fetch a sketch'.

Here is my card - made by using the Papercraft Factory collection of CD ROMS which incorporates 'Colour Me Happy', 'Dreams Come True' and 'Craft the Year Away' - and used a paper from each CD to make my simple card. The boots which are a digi image from the 'Craft the Year Away' CD were printed out on a fourth paper then coloured in with promarkers to finish the pattern off.

Here is the card:

I have two sons - both have played football for local Junior Football Teams - my younger son still plays, while my older son has been a tennis fanatic for the past 5 years - he did both for a couple of season - but soon knew which one he preferred! He now plays mens tennis competitively and has been picked for the 'A' team a couple of times.

I will be entering this card for the 'Fetch a Sketch' challenge number 3 -

All details of the card are explained in full on the 'Get Funky' Challenge Blog - HERE

Thanks for reading - please leave a comment to say you've been - then come back again. hugs, Paula x x x

WOYWW

2011-08-03T02:16:00.002+01:00

Gosh - I haven't posted for WOYWW for months - sorry Julia.

This, in part, is due to not being terribly well, and not being an efficient blogger either - plus also letting Wednesdays creep up on me and go again before I get chance to notice what's happened - but that's true of the other days in the week ; the weeks, and even the months.

However, I've written a few posts today so it seems I'm on a roll.... so why not do one more.

A couple of weeks ago - OH and I had a trip to IKEA to see if there was something that would clear up some of the things in my craft room/conservatory that were hanging about without a place to live. All available shelves and cupboards were full to bursting - so it needed something else - another solution to try and sort it out - or get rid of some stash - which of course, I'm not going to do!!!

We went and found the perfect solution so spent over £250 getting just 3 sets of drawers to do the job.

So that OH wouldn't (and couldn't) procrastinate - I set to supervising the boys to empty the cupboard where a lot of the stuff was already stored. Everything out of the cupboard ended up on the floor and the sofa - here's what it looked like:

My mess even spilled over to the kitchen...

Here are a few of the improvement shots after a long weekend of tidying up:

These drawers now house all of my papers, decoupage sets, special papers (for having - not using). I emptied over 15 of those plastic storage boxes - much to the dismay of him indoors because he said there was nowhere to put them in the garage - along with all the other stuff I've got in there for those 'just in case' moments!!!

Anyway, the improvements continue. The printer is a laser one that I bought back in Feb/Mar. I hadn't had it out of the box until we finished the change over. I bought a laser printer to work with the Foil-It machine I bought at the same time - which is still in the cello wrapping. One day...

At the end of the drawers, OH fixed 3 spice racks from IKEA - these were about £3 each. All the jars I already had. New stash of buttons bought at the Doncaster show all sorted into the cute little spice jars and perfect to have behind me - at the swish of the chair...

The Cinch fits perfectly on top of the new drawers at the end, ensuring most of my large tools are kept together and in one place.

Right, here is the desk area after OH has put additional rails up for my punches. Below the punches is the storage for my Spellbinder dies and other dies. Everything at hand - however, I've found it better to stand up when I'm using the Cuttlebug - I usually take it to the kitchen table or a counter top as that it just the right height.

I had a spare spice rack and a bit of space above the desk on the wall - and I knew just what I wanted to put there... I had the cross bar removed so that I could use the shelf for my ink pads. I'll have to make sure I don't go above the light switch with more ink pads. I've tried to sort them out into appropriate colour families but not sure I've managed it.

A better view of my growing collection of EK Success punches.

Here is my lovely carousel which I don't think I'd be able to do without now. It holds so much stuff!!!.

Hope you've enjoyed the little adventure around my craft room! Its not looking quite so tidy at this moment in time... Ive been making my DT card for next month for Get Funky - where I will actually be hosting and setting the challenge - that kicks off on the Funky Fifteenth, so please come back to have a look at what the theme is to see if you can join in!

I'm going to join in with WOYWW this week, although technically - the pics are from when we did the change of furniture - well, thats the Royal 'we' as OH did it. The bits and bobs I managed to do took me out for 2 days - I was in pain and slept for the best part of 2 days...

hold on - I've just taken a pic of my desk - not brill as its 1.55am, but its the best I can do considering... This post is on the laptop while I took the pic and added this little bit on - quite surreal isn't it?

There might be a few things of interest on there tonight - particularly the cookie on top of my cup - I put it there to soften the while Belgium chocolate... hmmm. The main bits on the glass mat (thats not suppose to scratch, but is scratched to the nines) is my project for FH so unfortunately I had to cover it up... you don't mind, do you?

Thanks for looking - please go and join Julia at Stamping Ground for Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday. It will be good joining in again cos I've not done it for months (Hi Julia if you read this)! Also hi to all my old friends who I met through WOYWW - there are some very special people and friendships found and formed here...

Keep smiling!

Hugs,
Paula x x x x

Just a quick note...

2011-08-02T22:49:00.000+01:00

This is just a quick note to welcome all my new followers - that seem to have popped in the last couple of days - thank you and welcome - hope you will visit the playground regularly...

Here's a quick role call:

Kaz - Crafty Kaz's Cards

Linda -

Katina Killey - Katina's cards and chat

Lesley - Pinkles Dreams

Marcea - Marceas Crafting Corner

Donka

Miskyla - Everything is better with glitter

Karen - Krafty Karen's blog spot

Nandi

Kirsty - Kirsty M's Card Corner

Wendy 1406

Zoe - CraftygasheadZo

Lis-Murphy

Elaine - Lazy Daisy Designs

Yummymummy73

Paula - Paula's Corner

Those without links don't seem to have blogs when I connect to them through blogger - so apologies if I'm wrong.

I just want to thank ALL my followers - I appreciate each and every one of you. I know I've been terrible at blogging recently - but that's been more of a health thing.

I've loads of cards to show - and will post in time - but instead I thought I'd treat you to a few sweet pics of my woolly fur babies.

This is Dylan who seems to have found my comfy spot on the sofa in the conservatory - talk about jump in your grave!!! I've got plenty of piccies on this theme - he really knows how to pic his spot - when you've got up to make a drink usually.

This is another one who will find a good spot - usually where the sun is shining or right in the middle of my bed... she'll sneak through the door if someone leaves it open. Here she is on the sofa in the conservatory - probably when Dylan got off! This is Tiggy by the way!

This is Dylan again this morning - bless him. The doors to the conservatory are just behind him so I think he was enjoying a cooler moment. Even when you look at him he just looks up at you with those doe eyes that make you melt. He gets straight down when told - but we don't often tell him... he doesn't stay too long anyway - and a bonus is that he doesn't malt or shed hair. He gets cut 3 times per year - you can tell here that he's due. Next month I think - OMG - next month is September!!! Anyway, I'm sure there are plenty more like this - so I shan't bore the nation any longer. However, my OH recons he'd make good Christmas cards (if we get him in the right pose)... watch this space!!!

Thanks for reading - I promise to bring you a card or two soon... in fact I'll be scheduling my DT card for Funky Hand tomorrow so please come back and have a gander!

Big crafty hugs

Paula x x x

OMG - Late as usual

2011-08-01T01:05:00.000+01:00

Hi all

As usual, I've managed to miss telling you about this months challenge over at 'Get Funky'. I'm lucky I haven't been given detention for being late - but Anice is far too sweet to do that and is extremely understanding. In fact she's the best - and so is every single member of the Design Team.... not one of them has tapped me on the shoulder and said 'oi you, you are neglecting your duties as one of our team'... I'm sure they don't think that - but me always being on the guilt trip (i've got a one way ticket), I wouldn't blame them.

However - without boring you with my aches and pains in this post, I'll bring you lovely folks up to date in a differend one. But before I do that - I want to tell you more about the 'Get Funky' challenge.

This month, our lovely Ruth is the hostess and her chosen theme is 'BOYS, BOYS, BOYS' which is the perfect choice for Ruth as, like me, she has two sons - (all be them younger than mine). And, as she has their birthdays around this time, she's killed two birds with one challenge - see her post here!!!

If you want to take part in the challenge - there is a freebie paper on offer by Anice - perfect for those boy cards... please think about joining in with us this month.

Here is a pic of the freebie

It's my turn to post on the 3rd August - so I'd better get my skates on!!!

You don't have to use this one if you want to join in, but you do need to use something by Funky Hand; a paper, digi stamp or download - and mention where you got it from i.e. which CD/collection/download...

Before I forget to mention it - just a heads up to let you know that I'll be hosting next month for Get Funky, where I get to set the theme and kick it all off... so watch out for that - and hopefully I'll be able to manage at least that post on time!!!

Have fun.

Crafty hugs

Paula x x x

A Challenge Entry - first in ages!!!

2011-07-07T03:32:00.000+01:00

Well, I hope everyone is well and happy - and probably tucked up in bed as I write this post at silly o'clock in the morning. I'm hoping to finish it before I nod off in front of the laptop at my desk. Do you ever do that and find that you have left your finger on a key so have loads of characters across your page or whatever you are doing? e.g. lllllllllllllllllllllllllllkkkkkkkkkkklllllllllllllllllllllllk

That in mind, this will actually be rather a quick post all things considered (i.e. I want to go to bed)!!!

I sat at my desk a couple of days ago with July's birthday/card list in hand, and thought that I'd try and
a) remember to send a card and
b) not start it the afternoon of the potential recipients birthday

That in mind, I set about making a birthday card from my little bro who's birthday it is on the 20th - although I have some in between too, but will be easier to make for.

In addition - I thought again (no smoke coming out of my ears either!)... I thought that I'd try and combine making his card and entering the sketch challenge - the one I told you about in my previous post HERE.

Here is the sketch:

And here is the card - but minus the sentiment - which has blown off my table when I had the conservatory door open... (whats happened to the weather? - its like back end of October out here tonight. All raining and blistery - mind you - it always sounds worse on the conservatory roof!)

Anyway, I'll put the sentiment on either when I find it, or make a new one.

The image is a digi from DigiStamp Boutique, purchased recently. The papers are all free one from various places - apart from the orange which is a Funky Hand design paper (available in many colours) from the Papercraft Factory CD ROM - Craft the Year Away. If I want something bold, colourful or striking - or all three, I always turn to the FH Cd's as I'm hard pressed not to find something I need.

As you'll probably know - the dot thingies are card candi by Craftwork Cards - and can be purchase from most craft shops.

Right then, I'm going to enter my card in to the following challenge re the sketch above:

Fetch - a Sketch which can be found HERE

This is an exciting challenge to enter because it is the very first one for this brand new site - set up by a couple of my fellow DT members, Jenny and Ruth. I wish them every success with the challenge and find it exciting that I'm entering their very first one. If you have a minute or so, please go and wish them luck and lots of success. The first challenge has bought some rather generous sponsorship so its worth a try.

That's it from me then. My neck is getting really stiff and my pillows and bed are calling!

Hope you leave a comment to say you've been - its interesting to see if people still read my lil' ol' blog!!!

Paula x x x

A brand new Sketch Challenge

2011-07-02T17:06:00.001+01:00

Everyone needs a sketch to help them with a card - right? Everyone likes a challenge - right?

Well, why not combine the both (do ya see what I did there?) and make a visit to a brand new (launched this week) sketch challenge that will be re-newed every other Monday.

Two of my lovely DT chums at Funky Hand, Jenny and Ruth, have launched this brand new challenge and have secured some AWESOME challenge prizes for the (very) lucky winners.

Anice at Funky Hand has offered the following as a prize:

While Nikky at Polka Doodles has offered this bit of lovliness:

Wow - not bad eh? Those girls (Jenny and Ruth) must be REALLY pursuasive to get that little (not exactly) lot out of Anice and Nikky - either that - or they have something on them both LOL!!!

Anyway - rather than me show you what the sketch is - why not go HERE, to the blog called 'Fetch-a-Sketch', to find out. Even if you think you have no cards to do for anyone or anything in the near future - what about the 'C' word... isn't it worth starting on those - if you've not already started... at least you won't be stuck for ideas on what to do now!

Now, if that doesn't even entice you to join in - just drop by and say 'hi' - they could do with all the support they can get, it being a brand spanking new venture and all that - who would't appreciate a bit of a 'good luck message' huh?!!!

That's all from me folks - I might even have a go myself... not sure i'd be able to though - then again, I could always join in - I suppose I just wouldn't be eligible to win (well, we all have to think BIG)!!!

Don't forget to go and see Jenny and Ruth HERE!!!

love and hugs

Paula x x x

My DT Funky Sketch Challenge Project for June

2011-06-29T06:00:00.000+01:00

Thanks for stopping by to see my DT card for the June sketch challenge.

This month the challenge was set by the boss herself... Anice gave us this lovely simple sketch to use for the challenge

How fab is that... another one for the collection! Anyway - I suppose you've come here to have a look at mine - so here it is:

The papers are from the 'Delightful Fun' collection which you will find on my favourite CD 'Dreams Come True'. You can find that CD by clicking here.

As you can see, the card itself is rather self-explanitory really - and that is testimont to the no fuss sketch Anice provided.

If you would like to join in - why don't you wing your way to Anice's initial post where she kicks it all off and tells you all you need to know to be able to join in. Remember to use a Funky Hand element on your card (either paper, digi download or digi image - and say which collection its from). If you don't own anything already by Funky Hand (where have you been????), Anice has kindly created a brand new digi paper for you to download and use in your project - remember, please don't share this, but rather direct someone to the website where they can get it for themselves and maybe have a chance to browse round if they've never been before. HERE is the link to the download - you will find the paper on page three of the digi downloads- which looks like this:

So it would be great to see your creations, and because its such an easy peezy challenge this month - I'm sure you'll be using this sketch time and time again - I know I will!

Thanks for coming and having a look at my project, please leave a little 'hi' to say you dropped by, and have a happy happy day.

hugs and stuff

Paula x x x

Its Time for Tea...

2011-06-27T23:27:00.000+01:00

Well, it isn't now cos its a bit late for that - but it is time for me to share a brand new download collection out together by the very talented Anice over at Funky Hand. And guess what it's called?... well, it's not a fair question to ask really cos you probably have no idea - it's called 'Tea's Up' and can be found right HERE.

The collection consists of 20 design papers, 3 pages of alphas (same font but 3 different colours), and an A4 sheet of toppers in 'tea theme' wording! Each sheet of the download (24 in all) is in 300dpi quality (you'd expect nothing less of Funky Hand)!, and comes in a colour palette of browns and pale orange - with a twist of blue, and a bit of a grungy feel (get those inks out) - so perfect for card making, scrapbooking etc. Talking of which, by clicking on the link above to go see the collection - further down the page, you will also see a gallery of ever increasing proportions - so go and check out what my fellow DT members have been up to....

In the meantime - here's one I made (I'm in the middle of many more - but went away with my husband and youngest son at the weekend on an impromptu trip, so didn't get the chance to get many in)...

Above card created using a square scalloped card blank in white, inked edges with Momento Rich Cocoa. Layered a square of teapot DP with brown grosgrain pull ribbon attached and secured round the back. On the front there is a rectangle of DP that looks like a hessian texture (it has faux stains and splodges on which are great), then layered on top of that is the cup (using Craftworks Cards template) cut out of the 'time for tea' DP with teacups on. All inked as before. A little bit of fluffy stuff tied round the handle - and that's the front of the card complete.

Here is the inside of the cup - made following instructions from my youngest son - who sat there giving instructions while he played away on his laptop. Best thing was - this was his card to my Mum for her birthday!

The sentiment is off the sheet - and the two borders are strips from the DP mentioned previously - 'Time for Tea' with the rows of teacups. On the left we have a common-all-garden teabag presented in a Popsicle cello bag - tag just cut using nestie tags and secured inside the card with a foam pad. Bakers twine attached to a label telling her to slide out cos knowing my mum she's have ripped it of with great enthusiasm!!!

I really enjoyed making this card - you know when you have something in your head and it comes off dead easy (the idea, not your head!)... well this was exactly one of those ideas - executed to perfection...

Don't forget to go and get your collection of papers - see what you come up with... ideal if you want to tell a friend that its time you met up for a cup of tea cos you haven't seen them in ages! At only £3.49 for the set - that's less than a pot of tea for two (in some posh places anyway) - and this collection will last as long as you keep it safe and sound on a memory stick/hard drive somewhere for you to use time and time again - you can't say that about a teabag now, can you?!

Oh, just one last thing, you won't have seen these papers in any other collection so won't be doubling up as they are all Brand New Designs.

Hope you enjoyed!

hugs, Paula x x x

A load of old waffle...

2011-06-23T04:06:00.000+01:00

... nothing new there then!

Hello to all my blogging friends and visitors new and old. I hope you are all ok - and if not, I wish you well soon. I thought I would do a quick post (what do you mean I can't do one for toffee?)

Anyway, without further ado, I thought I would remind you that this months challenge over on 'Get Funky' is actually a sketch challenge. As long as you use at least one element (paper, digi image or download) from Funky Hand, you can enter the challenge and have the chance to win a download of your choice from the website. Go and have a look here to see what you could choose from. However, if you don't currently have a paper to be able to join in with, Anice has designed a download for your use. Did you know that she designs a different download every month - and makes it available for free until the next challenge starts. How cool is that.

For your delictation, here is what the sketch looks like -

and the paper looks like this

I must add that this picture just doesn't do the paper any credit whatsoever. The colours are vibrant and certainly wake any project up that you would use it on. Imagine your summer projects with this happy happy paper on... imagine that it would make a wonderful scrapbooking paper for those holiday and summer layouts too - or even pictures of your loved ones in the garden - whether working or playing - the paper says it all.

Summer Crafting

I'm thinking of going to Summer Crafting in Doncaster - and wondered if anyone else is thinking of going? Would any of my blogging buddies like to say hello if they have made arrangements to go. I learned the other day that there is going to be a shuttle bus service from the railway station to the racecourse courtesy of the organisers (Stephanie Weightman) which might make it a bit easier for those who are not really wanting to take the car, or might be worried about parking (which I understand is also free should you decide or choose to take the car).

Some may already know this, but I live not very far away at all from Stephanie Weightman (i've never been round for cofee though), and also the warehouse/HQ of Crafting UK - or My Craft Studio. She had an open day last Saturday, where she opens up the warehouse and you can grab yourself a bargain or two... well, my OH wasn't too keen of coming in with me, but it was a day when I found myself needing to use my stick (did I tell you that i've found myself needing a stick??)... anyway, I couldn't walk with the stick and hold boxes at the same time, so I made him come in with me to hold stuff. I got quite a few bits and bobs (ended up spending about £75 - but that did include buying a Cricut cartridge at £35 so it wasn't all that bad). One of the things you could do, was to fill a box for a £5 - OMG - you would not believe the monies worth of stuff I got in that box for £5. TWO items came to over that on their own. I got meltdust paper, die cut paper for MCS (also called die cut studio)... I got sheets of gold leaf, meltdust vellums, die cut decoupage - but I mainly filled my box up with glossy card and paper - and figured that in terms of retail price, I'd got over £20 of paper alone. I wish I could have filled two now, but my back was absolutely killing me. We were chatting to Stephs sister who was on the til (she's a Director of the company, but she said she gets all the best jobs lol), she was the one who told us of the courtesy shuttle bus, cos I'd told her i'd love to go to Doncaster, but a) i'm no longer confident enough to drive myself there, and b) no one else wants to drive me there - OH's face dropped when it looked like he thought he was chauffeur for the day!

I haven't yet bought a ticket cos I don't want to end up going on my own - I don't know anyone who would want to come with me - my mum wouldn't be able to get round and has decided that she wants to make jewellery instead of make cards and do papercraft, so she's out too.

On the day of the open day at Stephanie's shop - she was entertaining some crafters from Scotland who had won a competition to spend the day with her at her house - and they'd been at the warehouse in the morning.... there were about 20 boxes waiting to go back to Scotland as I think they had first dibs at all the sale stuff - lucky ladies. I hope they enjoyed their day in my little village with Steph, who I am sure would have been a very generous and lovely hostess. They were watching C&C according to Stephs sister and crafting in her craftroom... I think i'm going to go round and knock on her door one day and see if she will show me how to do something on MCS (not really) LOL!!!

Some more cards

Right - I'll leave you with a couple more cards from my back catalogue (well, some things that i've done recently and not had time to post). Enjoy...

The selection of cards above were made from a dowload from Pink Petticoat and this collection can be found here. I just checked and it's in the retiring area and is now only £1.99 for the whole collection of vibrant papers and sweet images with sentiments - get it while you still can. I think that it is a very quirky set which I love - so lighthearted... both recipients of these cards were quite tickled pink - but there are papers where you don't have to use the melons... green, white, pink and black is that main colour palette!!!

Finally

I couldn't finish of this blog post without a picture of my daft cat 'Tiggy'... in she can get on in or in it - she will try. Here she is getting in my little basket that I use to put my craft magazines in which I take with me upstairs to bed - I can't lots of things up the stairs any longer, so feel safer taking them in this basket. She uses it as her bed when its on the floor next to the bed - but this is about the first time she realised she could sit in it!

She doesn't like me to gain evidence on her incase I do something like this and put it on the world wide web!

Take care - hope to hear from you if you stop by and have a read.... more interesting things on the way - like a lovely new download coming from Funky Hand, but more on that in a later post.

Love and hugs

Paula x x x

Funky Fifteenth (of June)

2011-06-14T22:02:00.000+01:00

Hello there friends, blog buddies and new visitors to my blog.

Thanks to everyone who has been to visit me recently - all your comments are best wishes are so gratefully received. I do try and get back to each and everyone of you, although sometimes the e-mails says "Blogger-no reply" - I will try better to visit your blog (if you have one therefore).

Just a quick post really to tell you about the upcoming new challenge over at Get Funky - the challenge blog for Funky Hand. Tomorrow is of course the Funky Fifteenth - the day of the big challenge launch over of Get Funky. Anice, owner and head honcho at Funky Hand has set the challenge and will therefore kick it off with details on the blog, along with her card/project, which is her take on the challenge set. I hope you will be able to go HERE and check it out. Thereafter one of the Funkettes' will post a challenge card every other day until the 14th of the following month (or thereabouts). I'm scheduled to post around the 26th June, so watch out for my card coming, and come back to see what my take of the challenge is.

Tomorrow is also a very special day for me - and my darling husband, as we have been married for 20 years. I was a 'child bride' if you like - I was 20 which seems very young now, but back then I knew what I was doing and knew I'd found the love of my life. We all know that it takes a lot of hard work to make a marriage work - and there are times when things aren't all rosy - he left his chin hairs in the sink, or I left my cup on the table instead of putting it in the sink... those kind of things. However, we work at it and that is why, at only 40, I am celebrating a big milestone wedding anniversary - well, it is in my book. Before we know it, we will be celebrating our Silver Wedding Anniversary which is humongously strange because it doesn't seem 2 minutes since I was setting up a surprise for my mum and Dad's 25th Wedding Anniversary when I was 6 months pregnant with my first child who was born on my 22nd birthday. My Mum and Dad managed to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary, but sadly my Dad died 2 months before their 41st. How I am so glad I held a little party for them. They didn't want any fuss, that's why I had a few people round at my house I just told them that I was going to cook for them.

I got a roll of wallpaper lining and put it horizontally on the wall at the back of my kitchen and drew a timeline of their marriage together on it, with all the births of their children and grandchildren on and other milestones and memorable dates. My Dad had been diagnosed with cancer only a matter of weeks before the anniversary and on that same night, he had his last cigarette after having smoked 50+ years. He chose that night of all nights to stop, and he did so well. I was so proud of him and even went to the smoking cessation classes with him. I supported him like that all the way through his battle with cancer - which we thought at one point he had won. Anyway, I admired how, despite having more downs than ups, and more poorer than richer - they stood the test of time.

My in-laws will also be celebrating their wedding anniversary this year... their Golden Wedding Anniversary. We are both very lucky that we had such good role models, having both come from homes with strong family values and good solid marriages - whether there were good times or bad, they were solid.

You know when you sometimes have an argument and at that very moment, you wish they would just take a long walk off a short pier (admit it, we've all been there once or twice), I stop and think this: sometimes I might not be able to live with him (the regular men are from Mars, women from Venus stuff) - but I know with all my heart that I couldn't live without him. And that's it. That is the be all and end all for me. I could not live without my husband. So, he might well be from Mars at times - but I'd rather put up with that, than him not being anywhere in my life.... so - Happy Anniversary to my darling, beloved husband, who I've loved beyond 20 years. I've loved him since the day we chatted when I took my Mums dog for a walk when I was a mere 16 year old, just about to leave school and still taking my exams (he was 3 years old and working).... and 3 days later - we became a couple who were inseparable. We both KNEW we had met the person we were going to marry and be with for the rest of our lives... hard to believe that a 16year old would know that - and we were engaged when I was still 16. We officially got engaged on the 24th December when we took both sets of parents out for a meal to announce the news. They were all delighted too.

So - I better make him a card I suppose.

In the meantime - here are one or two cards I've made recently for you to enjoy...

This is a card I made using the Serif Craft Artist, Platinum edition. It is actually a project on the programme, and I made this for my next door but one neighbours who have just had their first child - a son they have named Charlie. I did change some of the images on here though so it isn't exactly the same as in the project, but I love the colours and the designs on the base card. Gorgeous.

These are a set of cards I made using an image that a blogging friend from the States kindly sent me last year - apologies as I don't know the name or origin of the stamp at all. I've matted the stamped images in each card on a layer of blue/aqua coloured hand made paper which is extremely fine, but effective nonetheless. I later stamped greetings in the bottom right corner of the card base to read, 'thank you' and 'best wishes' (I think)!

Hope you liked my quick post LOL and my quick cards...

Don't forget to check out Get Funky tomorrow - maybe consider becoming a follower so you always know when one of the design team have posted their cards - always dazzling and delighting with colourful creations.

Bye for now and thank you for reading.

Paula x x x

More cards to share

2011-06-12T17:00:00.002+01:00

Hello blogging friends and new visitors

I thought I'd start sharing some of the things i've been creating recently while not being an active blogger.

Here is a card I completed after getting the image while I was at the card class I've started going to - having said that, I've not been for a couple of weeks cos i've not been well. With having the fibromyalgia - i've found that in a morning, my right hand doesn't work and on a bad day - this will be the case for all of the day. Also, my knees have been bad again and my energy levels feel as though someone has sapped me of it all... a bit like when someone goes near Superman with Krypronite (or is it when they take it away? - I don't know)! I've been having some funny spells where I go all funny and feel all floaty. I had an appointment to go to the doctors originally about 2 weeks ago. OH was on afters so he couldn't take me. DS1 was at tennis, so he couldn't take me, so we sorted out that DS1 would take OH to work in my car and OH would leave me his (DS is only insured to drive mine - complicated, I know!).

Anyway, I had another one of my 'spells' which make me go all floaty - but heavy limbed at the same time. its almost like I've had a 'hit' of something - reminds me of having an injection of morphine when I was in the hospital the second time. The feeling is not a horrid one - au contrer. However, its not a feeling you want happening while you're driving, so I cancelled as I didn't want to risk it happening while I was driving. I finally made it to see the doc last week - DS took me. He check my ear (for balance probably) no probs there, blood pressure - perfect :O) - about the only thing with me that is at the mo - i've got to have a new complete blood screen, so i've already had those taken in the week. I now have to book and have an ECG and keep forgetting to make an appointment. That will be my first job on Monday me thinks.

Right - speaking of my card class - the other week we were having a Promarker Master Class where we 'played' with several images and looking at matching three shades of the same colour for shading purposes. I hadn't finished by the end of class - so brought my images home to finish off. Therefore, I have no idea what the image is called or who it is by. I'm sure I can find out - but for now, she'll just be known as little girl!

Border punch is made using an EK Success slim border punch bought from Dolly Cottage Crafts, where I go to card class. The sentiment is one from the massive stash of Kanban ones I bought from QVC. I'll still be using them when i'm 80 there are that many!

Here's another card:

Here is another Forever Friends card made from the Black and Gold collection. I got the distress inks out on this one/ The border is another EK Success punch, sentiment as before, and the bow made out of some gorgeous seem binding ribbon. I have some of this in several colours and it makes bows like a dream. Really easy to make it look vintage - ink it up and die it to other colours of your choice, but best of all, it scrunched up and crumples and creases like a dream. The flowers are made to emulate those in the image. They are from the plain petaloo ones I bought from QVC a while ago - got a massive bag for about £14 odd quid. Here are 3 daisy shapes with pearlescent gold card candy in the centre.

Thanks for looking. Please leave me a message to say 'hi' if you have dropped in for a look. It makes me blogging all the more worthwhile!

Love and hugs

Paula x x x

A card or Two

2011-06-12T03:40:00.000+01:00

Well, its the early hours of Sunday and I'm here at my desk blogging (which I haven't done for ages), and so I thought I'd actually start to blog some of my cards - hey - I've done enough to blog a couple of times per day/hour for a while. I never seem to be motivated enough these days to actually blog them because it feels like a distraction. I think its because at one time, I spent so long blog hopping that I didn't really get much actual crafting done. Its probably a reflection of my energy levels though.

My sleeping is all upside down so much so that I went to bed all afternoon on Saturday. I couldn't keep my eyes open so went to have a lie down. I took the laptop upstairs with me, but just kept falling off! Anyway, I got up at a really silly time, ate at a silly time (turned midnight - so technically never ate all day Saturday) - and here I am, still up and blogging. I suppose that means I'll either be like the walking dead tomorrow or I'll be in bed til silly o'clock. I prefer to be like the walking dead and not miss any of the day!

I thought i'd start to share some cards i've been working on recently - when energy levels permit, I'll make a few from the papers I print out for specific project, then try and use up the rest on another card - well, thats the plan!

I have quite a lot of new stuff to use - some of which I've not even opened yet - so in my head, I've got work to do for the coming years - and that's just on the stuff I have and not used. Another thing is that I'm trying to use more of my scraps. I file these by colour in 2 massive 4-ring binder folders. I have one for all my naturals and metallic and monochromes - then the other file has all the colours of the rainbow in - and its filed in order of how the song goes.... have to sing it each time I file or try to find something lol!!!

Here is a Forever Friends card I made recently - its not for anyone in particular yet though. I actually made this card from scraps from the Forever Friends Black and Gold CD.

For my favourite crafting resources - I have a folder for all the scraps I create for the following: Forever Friends, Funky Hand, My Craft Studio, Pink Petticoat, then I have a misc folder - all of these folders are kept in something that I bought that looks like a magazine rack - but its made of fabric. Actually its sold as a craft folder thingy - I bought it from 'The Works' at a cost of about £3.99. In fact it was so useful, I went back and bought another!!!

Here is a pic of the file holder:

In the other one, I keep a folder on the Funky Hand DT stuff, and have put some card blanks in here too. Each unit stays under my table and slide easily on my laminate floor (well, when I kick them out of the way with my foot!! They're really useful and serve a purpose similar to suspension files - I don't have a draw spare - all my drawers serve a proper purpose so its not like there is a load of rubbish I could potentially throw out to make room, so these were a good alternative to yet another piece of furniture in my conservatory.

Right, here is another card for me to share:

Again, this card has a Forever Friends image that was already printed out and in the FF folder. I bought some paper doilies ages ago with the intention of using them on cards - well, here is a card that I initially stamped with a swirly flourish stamp (Anna Griffin) stamped in Dusty Concord. The flowers were cut using a Crealies Creative Flower die (no. CF11), cut from Funky Hand polka dot papers. The fern like leaves are from another Crealies die - this is a Crealies Creative Shape die (CS11) - I bought these at the same time from Joanna Sheen. The sentiment is from Kanban, bought from QVC. They did a box full of sentiments - far too many to count, but there were loads.

I'm not keen on this card - its way too busy for me - and I'm not sure I'm liking the 'doily' look! Way too much going on here!

I think that's it is for tonight / this morning - don't want to write 'War and Peace' and put you off coming back to read again ha ha ha!

More cards will be drip fed over time - perhaps then, I might catch up with them all one day - I didn't realise just how manyI'd made until I look back at the pics (not many get through the net - they all get the photobooth treatment)!

Have a lovely Sunday - please say hi if you stop by to have a read.

Love and hugs

Paula x x x

Get Funky Challenge for May - Master Chef Recipe

2011-05-27T05:30:00.005+01:00

Well, its that time of the month again (not that one - the other one) where I post my offering to the DT of my card that will hopefully inspire others in the 'Get Funky' challenge.

This month, Kathy has challenged us to create a card using certain ingredients as follows: 5 flowers, 3 design papers (at least one of these should be a Funky Hand one), 2 buttons and ribbon, with a dash of seasoning (light sprinkle of gems or pearls)...

In my last post, I teased you with a few clip its of my card:

For this challenge, I used papers from the download collection called 'Shabby Saturday'. Its a lovely mix of pinks and creams with a bit of a dark taupe/brown in - have a look here cos it also has some great flowers to print and cut out, then it has some sentiment toppers too, then a co-ordinating alphabet too. Its a really great colour palette which can be printed out or used with your graphics programmes.

Here is my card anyway which just 'happened'. It grew and evolved and turned out like this...

If you are up to the challenge - or want more inspiration by looking at my fellow DT members projects, go HERE where Kathy kicks off the challenge and lets you know what you have to do. She also has put a bit of a tutorial together so its well worth a look - oh, and there's a freebie too (which I have used on one side of both of my card base pieces (its on the reverse of the polka dots).

Remember, at least one of the elements must be from Funky Hand.

While I've not been blogging, I've not been laying idle! I have lots of projects and cards to share - such an eclectic mix of stuff.

If you were asked what your style of crafting was - would you be able to answer that question. I know I couldn't. I don't think I have a particular style because most of my cards just 'happen' and evolve - just like the one in this post.

Well, I'll leave it right there and over the course of the next few posts, will update you on what has been happening at chez Paula!

big hugs and stuff

Paula x x x

Wannabe Ottlite Owner? - Read this!

2011-05-26T13:28:00.001+01:00

Hi folks

I just wanted to share something with you - because try as I might, i can't keep this one to myself...

Now, if you're like me, you've been thinking of investing in an Ottlite for your crafts or creative area - but either can't justify the expense, or already have a desk lamp and can't bring yourself to replace something that seems to be in perfect working order. Yep, that was me.

Thing is, (and I may not be the first to discover this whatsoever), yesterday, I sat at my desk (in the conservatory, in the daytime) wondering if it was possible to buy a replacement bulb to fit a lamp that isn't an Ottlite lamp. Hmm - it appears you can - or rather, if you have a lamp that fits one of their bulbs anyway. However, if you haven't got a lamp to fit a replacement bulb - you won't have to pay a fortune! I wish I had a £ for everyone who might read this and go out and buy this now LOL...

I have one of these on my desk:

Its a desk lamp from IKEA - called a Global and sells for £13.99 (I think I got mine for around £12 last year). Product code is 300 185 60

Yesterday, after looking at Ottlites on Amazon, I wondered if they sold a bulb that would fit this lamp as they seem to have one that looks similar. So, I went on to a couple of websites and found that the Ottlite site itself was the cheapest. I ordered a bulb with the SAME fittings as the IKEA lamp. The bulb cost £10 (inclusive of VAT) and shipping was £1.20 - and it came this morning. My son handed me the parcel from the courier and said that's lite, are you sure there is anything in it - but I couldn't remember what I'd ordered! Then I saw the shipping note and laughed (and was surprised at the same time!) - it was my bulb - in a bigger than needed box (probably as its a fragile shipment), opened it up, got nervous in case it didn't fit after all my hopes were up - and lo and behold... it does, and it works.

That's why I just HAD to share this with my buddies and anyone in the crafting world wanting to own a daylight lamp, but in these hard times when a full priced Ottlite is out of the question. I certainly can't afford or justify the purchase of a new one.

Here is the bulb that fits the lamp:

Its an Ottlite 508 Illumination bulb which is reported to last up to 10,000 hours, will reduce glare and eyestrain, and give superior image and colour rendering - and let you "Enjoy life in HD"!!!

I know I can for £12.20 (bulb + Shipping)... when all said and done - I already had the lamp so unless I was going out to invest now, I haven't really included this in the amount it's cost me to get Ottlamp quality lighting - but if I needed both, its going to cost the grand total of £22.20 - and probably your dinner at IKEA (or whatever you usually do when you get there) LOL!!!

Hope this helps... same as I said - I couldn't wait to share this with you.

Please leave me a message if you think this might be something that has helped, or whether you think you will go for it! I should be on a commission - what do you think?

Paula is one Happy Bunny right now :O)

hugs to all

x x x

WOYWW 25th May '11

2011-05-25T20:39:00.000+01:00

Gosh, its been so long since I did a WOYWW post that I anticipate there is going to be a whole new load of WOYWWers - and loads that I've yet to meet!

Well, to those who haven't been here before, I'm somewhat well known for doing rather lengthy blog posts. However, I think that I must have turned a new leaf - either that, or just the fact that I actually fall to sleep at the laptop all the time - because i've not been blogging at all recently. I have all on keeping up with my e-mails and reading the things that i've subscibed to. I haven't blogged or blog hopped for a while - so apologies to all those blogging friends that I haven't visited or kept up to date with - I hope you are all well and that you are all keeping healthy and happy.

Things are still tough with me. I still suffer pain from my op last year - I await my appointment with the pain specialist to see what they plan to do this time. I'm on 18 pain killers (controlled) per day, plus now having to take omeprazol due to my stomach lining being inflammed now. I wake up a lot of mornings with a sicky feeling and the doctor examined me - boy did it hurt when he pressed on my upper stomach - he said it was inflamed so has put me on these additional tablets. Then there is the paracetamol I take in addition when things get really bad. My sleeping is starting to get erratic again. I managed to tame it for a while and even went to bed early a couple of times, but needed to get up about 5am, because my body had had the usual lenght of sleep - well, actually more sleep.

Yesterday I had to go to a medical examination, then in the afternoon, I had another appointment and I think the anxiety I suffered while waiting for yesterday to come along and have these appointments and it took it out of me. I went to rest on the bed because my feet were like Shrek's feet so took my new craft magazines to read and ended up falling to sleep. Came down and never went back to bed! I feel that I haven't got anything done today, but i've felt a bit 'spaced out'. Sometimes I get this feeling when I have changed my morphine patches - like i'm getting a 'hit'. I felt so weird earlier that I had to cancel going to my card class that I started. I've fallen to sleep twice sat at the laptop today and feel like that now, so i'm gonna leave my post right there for today.

I'm looking forward to hearing from new people to my blog - everyone is welcome to get in touch - unknown bloggers are strangers waiting to be friends...

Here are some pics of the craft room starting with my desk - a bit boring, some free stamps on. The baby oil bottle for those beedy eyed of you was so I could see whether I could blend some colouring with artist pencils (Derwent). They did blend a little bit - but then I started to want gamasol, then I started looking for Prisma pencils (really want some!)

I recently bought the camping table in so a friend could have somewhere to craft along with me too. However, this has become a semi-permanent feature in my craft room - and actually, it means that I can leave the desk to do admin stuff at and designing on the laptop - then turn 90 degrees to the right and i'm at the camp table crafting and facing my large flatscreen TV enabling me to watch Create and Craft all day!!!

On the camp table (which needs a bit of a tidy), I have a box at the back which contains all my Tatty Teddy stuff which I bought last week. The green caddy has some unopened stamp sets in (this is a temporary measure until I find them a home), and the blue caddy is a bit bin for scraps while I am at the table crafting. I have all my promarkers out at the moment because I've been colouring in some Funky Hand digi's I printed out from the Papercraft Factory CD's.

Here is a pic of my sofa where I sometimes retire to when I want to watch TV or the mojo has gone again - regular home of Katy Kitten so loads of hairs under the brown throw which is not where she lays - she lays on a blue throw which matches the cushions LOL.

These are the cats spread out on the sofa - which makes me smile cos of the Keep Calm cushion - oh don't worry, they're calm alright:

Above is a view back at my desk to show you how I've stored my dies. A couple of DVD shelves fastened to the wall with all my dies in thin DVD cases where I've put a strip of magnetic sheet to keep them secure. I've made coverslips for them using Microsoft Publisher making sure that the name of the die and manufacturer was printed in the right place so it landed on the spine. Each manufacturer has a different colour printed on the spine so that I know where they all are. It was one of those jobs that niggled away at me until I completed it. I was so relieved when it was done and the final case went on the shelf unit (sad or what?)!

Right, I'll leave my post right there and go join in the fun... its literally months since I was on woyww with Julia - a fantastic host, I know that a lot of people appreciate what she has done, because there are no other incentives to join in other than getting a right good nosey around all over the world, and making friends. Better than a bag of ribbon any day of the week! Over now to link myself up on Julia's blog.

Looking forward to your comments and perhaps meeting new crafting friends

Hugs and stuff

Paula x x x

erm, is any body there... it's me, Paula!!!

2011-05-24T20:28:00.000+01:00

Wow... its been so long (so it seems) since I last blogged, that I'm hoping I remember how to do it LOL.

I actually started a post on Good Friday, which turned into me continuing it on Saturday - and thats as far as it got. I think I need to get my blogging mojo back - I think I'll file a 'missing mojo' report at the local police station cos i've not seen it for a long time.

Well, I do have a reason for blogging and hope that my followers will still read my post and even make a comment (how i've missed hearing back from you lot)!!!

I'm here with my head hanging in shame really because I didn't post my last DT card that I did for Funky Hand last month.

The theme had been set by my fellow DT member Debs who asked us for spots and stripes in our projects.

I loved this challenge and was inspired by the fact that around the time of me making my DT card, it had been St. George's day - and the Royal Wedding was fast approaching at that time.

So without further ado - this is what I conjoured up for the challenge, which can also be seen on the Funky Hand challenge blog 'Get Funky' HERE

This design actually took ages to make as the triangles are different sizes and to get the angles and positioning right was a nightmare - however, i'm quite happy with how it turned out. After I got the pattern right, I attached acetate to the front so I could put my sentiment on this rather than placing it directly on the card.

Here is a look at the back of the card - I covered where I'd attached the acetate with a strip of paper which I punched with my EK Success scalloped doily punch.

ooh- reminds me of a punch and judy tent a little huh?!!!

I had printed the inside of the card in stripes leaving a blank space to write a greeting inside:

If you are interested in the polka dots paper - which matches the striped paper (same colour palette), you will find them both as downloads on the Funky Hand website - you'll find them in the download section here. Check out some of the other downloads while you are there - they're stunning and as a fan before I became a DT member, I had almost everyone of them!!!

On the Funky Fifteenth of May, the DT kicked off another challenge. This time it is a recipe concocted by Kathy. She's asked that everyone includes the following items (ingredients) on their cards: 5 flowers, 2 buttons, 3 different FH papers and one ribbon - then a pinch of glitter and/or gems!

My effort is ready and will be posted here and on the Get Funky challenge blog on the 27th. Hope you can come and join in with this challenge - it certainly gets the ol' grey matter working!

Here are some sneeky peeks of my DT piece:

Thanks for looking and reading - would love it if you left me a message to let me know you still read my stuff...

Hugs and stuff, Paula x x x

FUNKY HAND EASTER SALE NOW ON - 25% OFF EVERYTHING

2011-04-24T04:33:00.000+01:00

This is just a quickie post to tell you that the Funky Hand Easter sale is now on.

Go HERE to get 25% off everything purchased on-line. This offer ends at 10pm on Monday April 25th.

Have a good look around the site as there is much much more than just the Funky Hand CD's available. There are download collections too, as well as other crafting goodness in the shop that all come in handy when working with the Funky Hand CD's.

Also - check out the Funky Hand Challenge Blog - 'Get Funky', where this months theme is 'Spots and Stripes' which was chosen and kicked off by our Debs no less. See what my other design team mates have produced so far for your inspiration. You just have to remember to include at least ONE Funky Hand element in your design entry for a chance to win.

If you don't have anything from FH yet - Anice has kindly offered a freebie rainbow striped paper to help you take part in the challenge - and its great - but only available until the 14th May so go visit the website and grab it while you can... you'll find it in the downloads section of the shop.

Remember, if you want to own more FH stuff than just one freebie paper, you're not paying full price for it until 10pm Monday 25th April - so get your skates on and grab yourself a funky bargain. Also - Funky Hand offers FREE P&P to anywhere in the world... not many crafty websites can boast that offer now can they - which is always on by the way - its not a limited offer! As long as you spend over £10, there is nothing, nada, zilch to add on for postage and packaging... Now that is funky!

So, thats all for now folks. I'll be back with a post in the next day or so because it's my turn to show off my April's DT challenge card...

Hugs and stuff

Paula x x x

A Thursday WOYWW, with Funky Hand Matters and a bit of this and that!!!

2011-03-24T17:48:00.000Z

Well, where do you start when you haven't blogged for a while? If you have a brain like mine at the moment - that question proves to be a rather difficult one.

First of all, I would like to point out to you that my friend and Funky Hand fellow DT member kicked off this months Blog Challenge on the Funky Fifteenth of March over on 'GET FUNKY' with the theme 'Zing into Spring'. Lou, who set the challenge, wants to see vibrant spring colours on your projects or cards. It will be my turn to post my offering on 2nd April - so you may just have to come back to see what I've been up to! I just want to add a little apology to my teamies at FH for not posting sooner - the trials and tribulations of the Gale household and general life (like everyone has but more manic just recently) have just well, got manic recently...

Now, one thing I can mention, which is timely is a brand new download collection that the lovely Anice (Funky Hand owner and Designer of all the papers and download collections) has put together and is in the Funky Hand on line shop.

Lets say if you are dotty about your spots, she's put together a full rainbow (and then some) of polka dot papers - both positive and negative, go HERE to check them out!!! Perfect colours for all time of year, but in particular - some cracking colours for spring - and at only £3.49 for a collection of 26 papers, they are sure to be a staple in your crafting calendar.

Some of you may recall all my shinanigans of last year, but yesterday was one whole year since I said goodbye to Tommy... I'm not sad that I said goodbye to him, in fact I was rather glad to see him go - but I've been in a tremendous amount of pain since he went. Who is this Tommy some of you may be wondering. Well, he was my tumor. The tumor was in my chest cavity and when first discovered (due to a routine chest x-ray following several bouts of chest infections and a lasting pain in my back), it was thought that it was growing on the outside of my lung - bridging the cavity between my lung and chest wall and actually growing on my ribs. Luckily, it wasn't actually adhered to my lung, just pressing against it, it wasn't growing on my rib either and thankfully, that meant that I didn't have to have part of my rib removed. However, it had been growing on my intercostal nerve so part of this was removed in the operation. It wasn't anything to do with the chest infections or the cause of them at all, but the lasting pain was due to me coughing and probably aggravating it as my chest wall and rib cage moved up and down

This has lead to months and months of pain - because as well as that, the actual operation required me being opened up just from under my left shoulder blade - in an operation called a thoracotomy - with a bi-lateral incision. Obviously when you are opened up in any operation, the surgeon has to cut through a lot of tissue, skin, muscle - and a lot of nerves... and its an extremely delicate operation in itself as to whether you will be put back together with all the nerves intact... I was told it could be up to 6 months before I got all of the feeling back from the operation - around the wound site.

The thing is - the intercostal nerve goes around the rib cage from the spinal cord (I've been told) and is a pretty major nerve which lots of strands of other nerves run off. Its some of these nerves that were also damaged in the opening up of the chest - as well as where the tumor, known as a schwanoma (quite a rare tumor - which I've never seen following research on the net) where someone else has been reported as having it where I had it (which I find very strange). Anyway, here we are 12 months later and I still have pain from the operation (not the tumor) and am on 18 painkillers and a high strenght morphine patch which releases the equivalent of 20mg per hour into my system. I have to say that even with that amount of medication - it doesn;t completely take all of the pain away - its down to a tolerable level with twinges.

To add to this, just before Christmas, I was diagnosed as having Fibromyalgia and something called Joint Hypermobility Syndrom. Both were diagnosed by a Rheumatology Consultant/Specialist who said that he couldn't give me any more medication than I was already onto control the pain of these issues... so godknows what it would feel like if I was on no medication at all... Added to the 18 painkillers per day, I often have to top these up with paracetamol. I won't go on much more about it... i'm mainly writing this because of the anniversary of the surgery was here - and because there may be new readers to my blog.

The Fibromyalgia means that I have good days and bad days when I don't function and can barely move. On good days I go mad and end up over doing it meaning that I could face 2-3 days afterwards in agony not being able to move or function. The unpredictability of it all is the worse as you can't really make firm plans about going out because who knows if it is going to be that day. However, saying all that - I'm not one to rest on my laurels and while I don't drive as much these days and rarely go out, I don't let any of it get me down. You won't find me being miserable about it anyway - its just something life has dealt me - and I deal with 'it' in turn. I just get on with it.

Right - enough of all that... I apologise if you came to see my desk and now I finally get to the point - I have to admit that its pretty boring actually. Here's some random pics of the desk - and the surrounding area

A card in the making above on the desk... all the elements for it are from the Funky Hand CD: Craft the Year Away or the new collection of polka dots - details as before.

The butterfly cards are something i've been designing with some new software - i've had it a short while but only opened it up that day so very simple stuff - but I quite like that designer look - wonder if Hallmark are looking for anyone?!

You'll see the DVD shelving at the back. My DH fastened those two units (9.99 each from Tesco) to the wall because they were precariously resting on top of the radiator and my desk... one sharp move of my desk before and they were all over - shelves over, contents spilled the works. So he fastened them to the wall.

You may also notice the mug tree that formerly housed my small rolls of tape. Well, because I now have an ATG gun, I no longer use the small rolls of DST which I hung from there. Following a re-arrange of my desk area/drawers etc (again), I decided that I'd put my scissors there instead rather than in one of my round tins as they are easier to see and find the right pair for the job. I have to admit that having them hang there makes it much easier to select the one I need without pulling the wrong ones out more than once and cussing about it (naughty). It's working well so far. Here is a better pic which I took putting the stand in my home made photographic studio (cardboard box covered in white packing foam sheets over white copier paper!)

Other than that, I'm in the middle of making some thank you cards to send around the globe to some rather generous people who have really made celebrating my 40th Birthday last weekend (not the one just gone). Some lovely crafters have sent be some wonderful cards - which at one point during diagnosis last year - I didn't think I'd be here today to celebrate it - but here I am writing long blog posts again (and procrastinating on making those cards)!! Here is a picture of my Birthday cards on the windowsill:

Right... as I get to this point in the post, its 2.25 and i'm flagging, so I'm going to go to bed and have a sleep and a lie in (that would be nice) and hope that i'm going to be ok and be able to move in the morning. My shoulders and back are starting to ache as I type - and I've not added any photos yet - so they'll have to be added later when I get up... The next time I type after this paragraph will be in the morning.

Well, its now Thursday - I didn't get anything done the rest of Wednesday, so here I am editing what i'd already written with fresh eyes (they're still mine though!), and have edited the bad grammar (maybe not all of it) and added my photographs.

Enjoy and thank you for your visit - I hope you'll come back!

hugs n stuff

Paula x x x

FUNKY HAND DT offering for February

2011-03-07T01:26:00.000Z

Even though it is now March, my February DT piece was scheduled for March - its because we launch the new challenge each month on the FUNKY FIFTEENTH.

This month, the challenge was set by Jules - who said 'show us your heart'. The only stipulation, as well as meeting the challenge criteria, is to use at least one Funky Hand product in your project.

This month, my offering was something that I dedicated to my Mum, who loved it....

All the elements in my piece, apart from the ribbon (although ribbon is now available in the store - HERE) are from the new download collection called LOVELOVELOVE... I really loved the papers in this collection because they were perfect for either a feminine card - but even better for a masculine card.

My project is constructed on the same principle as the project posted HERE.

6 scalloped hearts cut from the larger die, then 3 hearts cut from a smaller heart nestie. The letters were from the same LOVELOVELOVE collection, and the heart was from the latest CD ROM called 'Craft the Year Away'. Basically you cut 2 large shapes for every piece you need in your hanger - these go back to back with the ribbon in between. One smaller shape for each hanging piece, then whatever you want to put on the front to fit with your theme. Its not at all complicated to make.

My Mum absolutely loved it and said she would hang it in her lounge... aaawwwww bless!

If you want to have a look at my post or see what my fellow funkettes have been up to with their interpretation of the theme 'show me your heart', click HERE which takes you to the challenge blog "Get Funky".

Here are more of my projects from the same collection:

And finally, this is the card that I made and sent my husband on valentines day... however, as you can see from the colour scheme - perfect for mens cards - be it birthday or anniversary cards.

If you fancy the look of the collection - believe me, you won't be disappointed - take yourself along here to the Funky Hand Shop - where you'll find other fantastic items of stash.

Thanks for dropping by - hope to see you here soon.

Paula x x x

At last - the blogaversary Prize Draw is Drawn...

2011-03-06T23:45:00.000Z

O M G ... How sorry am I that its taken this long? Very as it happens.

Now, I hope that this isn't going to end up being a massive post (and i'm sure you don't either), but just too much has been going on with me recently.

Firstly and most importantly was the fact that my son has been quite poorly recently. So much so that he's hardly been in school during February (who stole February anyway)?

He had been suffering with lethargy big style and could barely keep awake. it wasn't due to burning the candles at both ends because he'd come home from school and fall to sleep. have the best part of 13 hours sleep, get up and have a bath - then fall to sleep again just to wake up to go to school. He also complained of a sore throat etc. etc. This had been going on since at the very least between Christmas and New Year. To cut a long story short... he had 3 rounds of blood tests over several weeks. These kept showing abnormal things up - so as you know if you are a mother - you fear the worst - or is this because of past history or even because I worry too much??? Whatever it is, the doctors were perplexed too. They'd ruled out glandular fever so what could it be?

In the meantime - I had to take him back again because of the lethargy and knowing it wasn't glandular fever - plus I wanted to put my mind at ease as to what "C Plasma Rentention Protein" meant as I'd had a call from the receptionist saying the doctor has requested a repeat blood test in 3 weeks. The doctor examined him and gave him a thorough physical examination - but he said to him, he looked a healthy 14 year old... I said I just know he isn't well - i'm his mother! His only other symptoms were headaches and tireness. So I felt loads better - positive thinking now... just need to know what the next round of tests bring - the doctor brought the test forward a week so to get it over and done with more quickly.

He had another blood test on 10th Feb - then next day woke up saying he felt really poorly - poorlier than ever before. DH took him to the docs - he was diagnosed as having a bad bout of tonsilitis and received a prescription for some serious antibiotics. The blood test came back minus the worrying thing before - but showed up with issues with his full blood count. Another test a week later - and at the end of his antibiotics and it finally came back OK. Much to my relief!

I believe that he must have had something underlying waiting to come out seeing as his first test was indicitive of an infection - thank goodness he's ok now - and finally, firmly back at school - and happy to be back too!

Other than that, some other news is that my husband who worked for Auto Windscreens was made redundant. He actually made the windscreens in the factory in Chesterfield which was also the head office and where the call centre is based. Someone has now bought the call centre, but the factory had no buyer. We also believe that some of the fitting centres were bought and will retain the brand name Auto Windscreens. In the meantime, a former employer got wind of what was happening so got in touch with my husband through the kids on the x-box as our youngest played football with his son. Hubby is now working for the company again, but will be looking for other, better paid work. However, in the meantime its better than claiming so he's happy. He said its also easier on his body as he used to spend 9 hours a day lifting and shifting large transit van windscreens (and the like) and it did take a toll on his body. He worked on the furnace part that actually bent them to the required shape of the windscreen. He ocassionally did one- off bespoke windscreens and did one for a Morgan once.

On a personal level, I've been struggling and done very little - to no crafting. I've struggled with my feet, hands, fingers and thumb and my knees. My neuropathic pain as a result of my surgery last year has come back with a vengence - so one of my painkillers has been increased in dosage (I'm on 18 painkillers per day, plus the patch) so sometimes I'm fit for nothing. My ankles and feet are currently swollen - but it is a side effect of the pregabalin that i'm on. This is the medication that the doc has asked me to increase so it could be that. I'm going to wear my sexy white stockings that I had when I had my ops (they've got a name but it currently evades me). The doc advised that it wouldn't be a bad idea considering... I hope that customs are ready for the amount of 'drugs' i'll be taking with me to Malaga... they're not that exciting though.

A couple of weeks ago, I finally (and reluctantly) said goodbye to my BMW and traded it in for a 18month old Corsa (vrum vrum - c'm on) so that my DS who passed his test in January is able to drive. No one willing to insure a 17 year old for a BMW, and to be honest, I haven't been driving so its been sat there on the drive... no point in DS buying a car when I might as well buy one but allow him to use or i'd be wasing money). So we went for a corsa which is brill. I was actually at the desk in the Vauxhall Dealership when my DH phoned to tell me he'd been called for a meeting - thats when they announced that AW had gone into receivership. I still went ahead with buying the car because I had the money anyway and I driven a really good bargain so it would have been silly not to go through with it... i've bought extended warranty and a plan for the services and MOT's so should never have a big bill... Anyway - the good news is that DH got another job offered straight away from a former employer who heard about the fate of AW...

Thinking positively certainly eases the stress - although i'm not saying that things are totally brilliant - but all going in the right direction... its just me now messing things up.

Right - remember that blogaversary draw that a fair few people took part in by commenting HERE.

Well, my first idea was to draw this using the gadget - random generator where you put the numbers in 1-64 for example. But i couldn't because it wasn't as simple as that.

Some comments had come through several times (that would be our Brenda - Butlers Abroad who was having issues with posting not knowing her comments had published - but they had... several times LOL...

Then there were a couple of commenters who didn't want to take part in the draw although they wanted to leave a comment. Then there was a couple of commenters that used this blog post to get in touch with me.... it was all it took to confuse me... by the time it came round to my OH doing the grand draw for his birthday - I was totally doolally, then that it the time that DS2 got poorly so it was kind of put back in the list of prioritis for a while.

All the time i'm moving the parcels around from one place to another and back again, so because I'm going away in the morning, i've decided that once and for all to make the draw -even though it must have been a couple of weeks ago when I decided how it had to be done to be on the fair side.... So, those who commented and wanted to take part had their name written down on a piece of paper. Then for every person who made a second comment, they got an additional chance by having their name written down again on another piece.

Yesterday, DS2 (fully back to peak fitness), cut all the names out and folded them up.

mixed them round before pulling one out

So - here is the result of the Derbyshire jury... in third place, all the way from the old USA its (drum roll please)...

Okienurse - who can be found HERE

In Second place, I'm absolutely delighted to announce thata price will be going to bonnie Scotland, to

Carolynne - who can be found HERE at her craft table!

And finally... the moment you have all been waiting for.... the winner of the 2011 Playground Blogaversary Blog Candy is.....

the one and only Crafty Chris... - so her parcel will be winging its way to Belfast while I'm winging my way to Malaga no doubt.

Chris and I go back a long way to when I first started blogging. We 'met' through Julia's Stamping Ground, and the wonderful feature known as 'WOYWW'... Chris was one of the bloggers who was extremely supportive when I was going through my issue with the tumor and the aftermath of the surgery and without her or other fellow bloggers support - recovery would have been very lonely and a great deal harder.

Well done to all three - but a massive thank you for all those who came by and commented. Also - thank you again to all my wonderful followers old and new - I look forward to 'meeting' many more of you - please feel free to get in touch via email at any time for a chat... anything goes, as they say!!!

Funky Fifteenth and a new challenge for February

2011-02-15T13:14:00.000Z

Hello to one and all

Just a quickie to tell you all about the latest challenge for Funky Hand on the 'Get Funky' challenge blog.

Each month on the 15th (now known as the Funky Fifteenth), one of the Design Team members takes a turn in setting the challenge and kicking it off on the blog. This month, our Jules has kicked it off with the theme "Show us your heart".

If you want to hop over to the blog, go HERE to see Jules' contribution and inspiration. Every two days, another DT member will post their offering for inspiration so its worth keep checking the blog to see what is there to inspire you and hopefully get your creative juices flowing.

For each challenge, you simply have to follow the theme and ensure that you have at least one Funky Hand design element or paper incorporated into your creation.

My DT piece is due on the blog on 3rd March - I'll be posting here as well as on the 'Get Funky' challenge blog - so keep your eyes peeled.

Hope you are having a happy day - and that somehow it involves some element of creativity.

Big hugs

Paula x x x x

Funky Hand DT Samples for Launch of 'Craft the Year Away' (As seen on TV)!

2011-02-08T15:47:00.000Z

I thought I'd share my DT samples that I made for the launch of Funky Hand's new CD - 'Craft the Year Away'.

These samples were on Create and Craft last week when Anice - (Funky Hand head honcho) went down for the two live shows. Her first was with Nigel and the second with Joanne. Repeats are still being shown through the night so if you missed, you could set your SKY+ box to record - channel 671. This one wasn't shown though!

Everyone loves a word book - and this has been made using one of the colour collections on the CD called 'January Blues'. All the text inside and the images are off the CD too.

how lovely are these colours - and how sweet are these images???

I'll show other samples in posts over the coming week - but if you want to see ALL the DT's samples in the gallery - click HERE. This will take you to the Funky Hand site where you will also be able to purchase this versatile CD. Remember - Funky Hand CD's are basically collections of modern/retro/highly designed and very unique design papers - saving you having them stacked up in your craftroom - the CD being there to dip into as and when you want that certain some something original and vibrant.

Hope to see you back soon - why not sign up for an email alert of my blog posts so that you get them directly in to your inbox? You'll never miss another rambling from me again!!! LOL.

sending big hugs

Paula x x x

Less is More - A CAS Challenge card

2011-02-08T05:06:00.000Z

A very dear blogging friend, Chrissie from the blog 'Simply One of a Kind' along with another blogging friend Mandi from 'Enchated Occasions' have set up a brand new challenge blog and named it 'Less is More', which basically is all about clean and simple cards.

Their very first challenge was launched on Saturday 5th February - and they kicked off with a colour challenge; pink white and black.

My cards can never usually be accused of being CAS so, I thought this was definately the challenge for me.

If you want to visit this new challenge blog - click HERE and have a look at what Mandi and Chrissie have come up with.

Here is my entry to the challenge:

The sentiment is an Anna Griffin stamp and the image is a digi from the latest Funky Hand CD - 'Craft the Year Away' which has been cut with a Spellbinders nestibility.

The pink and black are basically strips of card stock - the pink being pearlescent.

No embellishments or ribbons in sight - I really think my card is quite CAS - clean and simple - with lots of white space as required!

I could get to like this look - and to be honest, it was one of the quickest cards i've ever made.

Thanks for looking - hope to see you back in the playground soon.

Paula x x x

p.s. congratulations to Chrissie's daughter and her little family as they welcomed Chrissie's first grandson, Sebastion Jack into the world yesterday (7th February 2011), weighing in at a modest 8lb 3oz.