Creative things making up for my lack of sleep?

I've been doing nights this week at work, which is fine when you can sleep during the day! But my neighbours kids are the loudest in the world so I gave up at 11.30 this morning after about 4 hours of broken sleep! So I'm going to be a barrel of laughs at work tonight, don't do too well when I'm not rested. Better work alone me thinks? So I used my free time to do some crafting, made some random cards for any occasion and a New home card for my bestest friend in the world who has justed moved house. I'll post the pics when I've more time and blogger isn't playing silly sods!

Creative card crew challenge 12

Creative card crew challenge is to use Pretty flowers, so here's lots of pretty flowers with a twist!
Pink Petticoat papers and images, with die cuts from craftwork cards. And a few mini prima flowers for good measure.

Cupcake craft challenge 41

This challenge was great fun to do, I'd been playing with some of the features on my printer (not being that technical n'all!) and discovered I could put some than one image on a sheet (doh! I hear you cry!) so I used the two colours that printed together on one sheet as my inspiration.
the papers are from 'One in a melon' from Pink petticoat and images shrunk from pink petticoat 'Lola Rose' occasions. I coloured with my whisper pens and sakura pens. Ribbons, flowers and brads from stash, Dew drops from The glitter pot. I cheated a bit with the 2 ribbons bit by using two different colours instead, hope that doesn't count me out?

Colour create challenge week 17

This is the inspiration for this weeks Colour create challenge, I've really struggled with this one this morning. I must have changed my mind on what I wanted to do half a dozen times. The colours are lovely but I just couldn't seem to get it all to gel together, but eventually I managed to produce this card.




I think the teddy is depressed she's got a face on her like one of my team when I've had to tell them off!
Anyway I used part of a stamp which I've had for ages, cut and decoupaged the feet and bow, the background paper I stamped with a basic grey floral stamp with versamark ink and then used Moon glow pigment powders to colour and highlight it (don't think the photo shows the shimmer but it does?) Flowers, ribbons and brads from stash. I inked the edges of the flowers and then also put a bit of shimmer pigment on them.

I can craft away all day lovely lovely!!!!

Just had a very very busy bank holiday weekend at work again! (The third in a row, If someone would write to my boss and tell him he's a meanie that would be great? He He!)
So the one good thing is that now everyone else is back to work I'm at home chilling out in my craft room, feels that justice to me.
So after all my rambling on here's the card I've created from my parents wedding anniversary which is today.


I used a Rachel Ann Miller stamp coloured with my Whisper pens and H2o's, Pink Petticoat background paper, various bling card and miri card. Ribbons and beads from stash.
Bless my Mum she keeps all the cards that I make for both her and my Dad in their display cabinets, so here's another Mum.

No time to do any crafting Boo Hoo!!!!!

It's been a mad busy weekend at work and not being home all day means I need to spend some quality time with my husband when I get in, so there's been no time for craft or blogging! But he's gone out to the pub for a few drinks so I'm going to indulge myself with a bit of time on the computer. But the weather's too nice to sit in my craft cos it's at the front of my house and doesn't get any sun at this time of the day. I've been stuck inside at work all weekend so feel the need to be at least near outdoors, if only if by the patio doors?
Hopefully I'll be able to do my some crafting on my day off this week and then it's on to a week of nights for stocktake oh deep deep joy!!!!

Been to the Garden centre

I was feeling so guilty because I hadn't spent any time with my parents for ages, so I took them over to a local garden centre this morning. My Mum is a very keen gardener and is very good at it unlike her daughter!! I love to look at the beautiful plants and picture them in my garden but it never quite works out that way. I'm trying with some tomatoes and strawberries this year (hoping that the weather will be better than last year!??)
But I got the photography bug whilst walking around and took a few snaps on my phone, it's got a better camera than my actual camera but it's really hard to see the screen when the suns shining very brightly. So I'm no David Bailey but here's what I took......

Cupcake craft challenge 40

Here's my take on the sketch from cupcake craft challenge 40,
I used stamp from Rachel Ann Miller range, coloured with whispers pens and H2o's to highlight the image, papers are Basic grey and Pink Petticoat, ribbons, flowers, brads and buttons from stash.

Hope you like it?

I'm such a proud Mum

My daughter has her hand in for the end of her second year of Uni today and I'm so proud of what she has achieved so far. Just check out her blog for a preview of a future talent in knitwear design in the making. I'm missing her like crazy and it's even worse cos' she won't be home this summer as her placement starts straight away once she has finished her 2nd year. Well hopefully we'll get to go and spend some time with her later this summer and have a better explore of Robin Hood country???!!!

Cute card Thursday challenge wk 60

Cute card Thursday challenge wk 60

I've used digi stamp image from Pink Petticoat coloured with whispers pens and H2o's, chipboard letters painted with dabbers and then embossed. Paper & buttons from stash.

Not quite sure why I've made so many baby cards lately, maybe it's cos' there's so many people I know who are going to be parents this year.

Basic grey challenge wk 35

Basic grey challenge wk 35

I've used Basic grey Porcelain papers, a digi stamp image from Pink Petticoat coloured with whispers markers and H2o's. Pink ribbons from stash.
It's not the most inspiring card I've ever made but simple.
Anyway my favourite ice cream Praline and cream not a very challenging colour palette??!!!

Penny Black saturday challenge wk 49

Penny Black challenge wk 49,


Recipe 3..2...1Three Flowers....2 Papers.....1Charm/Brad

I used doodlebug papers & stickers, flowers & brads from stash, Penny black oh so cute stamp, loving the hedgehogs. Coloured with my whispers pens.

Couldn't resist a new toy....

After meeting up with my friends in town, my friend Lucy and I decided to have a look around the local craft shop. She's a lover of craft too so we went in to ohhh and ahh at the shiny pretty things (like you do) but I got very excited when I spotted a Hello Kitty die for my Big Shot. It called my name so I had to buy it. Sorry Mr bank manager I'll be good next month!!!!!!???
So here's the results of my first play with the new toy.

Pink Petticoat digi stamp coloured with whispers pens and H2o's, flowers, ribbons and brads from stash. Sorry about the dry embossing never have been very good at that!
Pink Petticoat digi stamp coloured with whispers pens and H2o's, crate paper, papers ribbons from stash.


One last card for tonight, Basic grey paper, Tilda stamp, some glimmer mists on the card. I love the bird cage paper it's so so pretty.

Colouring in for grown ups is such good fun!

I love the person who decided that colouring in for grown ups was OK. I've gone back to my watercolour pencils and have done a sheet of Tilda's. Also used my H2o's to highlight.

Going into town to catch up with some old work mates today, should be a giggle.

Just Magnolia challenge week 5

Well not quite sure if I'm happy with this one or not really, I'm loving the back ground papers and the way the sketch came together but my colouring of my Tilda has a lot to be desired? Still struggling to use my whisper pens, maybe I'll go back to using my watercolour pencils I seem to be able to control the colour better with them. I've been using photo paper to stamp the images on because I like the shiny surface but that's what's making the colouring difficult.

Anyhoo! I used Basic grey papers, sprayed my cardstock on central square and flowers with Glimmer mists. Ribbon and brads from stash. And of course Magnolia stamp.

Here's a bonus ATC I made with some scraps of Basic grey papers.

Back to the card making...

Pink Petticoat papers and some simple bling.

Some Amy Butler papers and my new much loved magnolia stamps.
Pink Petticoat digi stamp and some paper scraps.
Pink Petticoat digi stamp, some paper scraps, ribbon from stash and craftwork cards die cut flowers.
Pink Petticoat paper and digi stamp, ribbons from stash and dew drops.


Here's what I made yesterday and I tidied my craftroom too!

Going to have my hair cut Hooray!!!!

My normal Hairdresser has been unavailable so I've managed to track down the lady who cut my hair quite some years ago! so excited can't wait to be able to see where I'm going again????

So here's the before picture.... even managed to put on some makeup this morning (wonders will never cease!!!)

Sorry hope there's no small children in the room which may be scared by this image! Ha ha!

And here's the after, I can see again. My hairdresser is a miracle worker, just need to get rid of the grey hairs! I feel human again.

Creative card crew challenge 10.... minimal

I made this card this afternoon to give to my Husband, just because!
I used Pink Petticoat digi stamps and my sakura pens to highlight, cord and beads from stash.
Simple really.....

Gift of Friendship

Just received this from Victoria who's blog I've been following. It's great to meet new people who share the same interests as you do. I Love this blogging thing!
check out her blog here 'Blue jelly too'

Thank you xxxx

The creative flow continues....

Made this this morning, I didn't get dressed til after 1 o'clock isn't that bad. Good job I work normally otherwise I'd spend my life in my PJ's!
I used basic grey papers, ribbon, flowers & brads from stash, Magnolia stamp coloured with waterbased whispers pens, the stickers on the inside of the card were from a QVC set.

Just received a letter from my daughter via 'snail mail' it's so nice to have something from her which I can keep forever. I miss her so so much..... Wish she was at Uni a bit closer to home.

I know I've blogged too much today... get a life!

Thought I'd share my baking from yesterday with you, be warned this isn't for anyone on a diet.
Yummy chocolate cheesecake......

Here's the recipe adapted from one off the internet.

Chocolate cheesecake

Ingredients

150g dark chocolate (use 70% plus cocoa solids.. soooo good!)
275g caster sugar
225g digestive biscuits, crushed
150g butter, melted
2 tbsp caster sugar
400g soft cream cheese
100g Mascarpone
142ml double cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs (use good free range ones)

Method

1. Preheat the to 170c/gas 3
2. Melt the chocolate and 125g of the sugar in a bain-marie (bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water) once melted set aside to cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile make the biscuit base by mixing together the crushed digestives, melted butter and 100g of caster sugar (if you prefer not so sweet I guess you could leave the sugar out, but it did make the base nice and chewy!) Press in a 20cm spring-form tin. I lined mine with baking parchment as the mixture was quite runny.
4. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone, remaining 2 tbsp caster sugar, and double cream, vanilla extract and eggs until well mixed.
5. Divide the mixture between 2 bowls, add the melted chocolate mixture to one portion and mix in thoroughly.
6. Spoon in alternate amounts of the plain cheese mixture and the chocolate one onto the biscuit base. ( Mine was really runny cos my eggs were large and I had 2 double yolkers, so it was more of a pour than a spoon?!!)
7. Bake for 50 mintues (maybe a bit longer if the mixture is runny, mine was about 1 hour and10 minutes) until firm, cool before serving (if you can wait that long?)

Enjoy......

A spoon full of sugar challenge number 51

Here's my entry for 'A spoon full of sugar' challenge number 51. I love using buttons so this was easy, Basic grey papers from 'lime rickey' paper pad, magnolia stamp, buttons from stash (nearly used up all my favourite one the clear pastel ones with the ribbon tied through them, boo hoo! )
I thought I'd go bright for this one so sorry about the colours if you're a lover of pastels!

Basic grey challenge

Basic grey has to be one of my favourite papers to use, so when I found this challenge site via another blog I was thrilled. so here's my first attempt.


I used Porcelain paper pad and Pheobe paper pad plus magnolia stamp and flowers from stash, swirl is a sizzix die cut. Hope it's ok and I've used the sketch within the guidelines.