Thursday 28 February 2008

DCM Dare


This weeks DCM little extra doesn't have to be for any specific occasion but you do have to follow a reciepe. Two buttons, one ribbon and a 'spoonful' of flowers.....! Put all the ingredients together and bake in a craft room until complete ! I've used the recipe for one of my Mother's Day cards.

Wednesday 27 February 2008

Birthday Card

It was my DS2's birthday this week. He is a very talented musician and, when I saw the card tha Lisa had made on Craft Journal with the guitar template, I knew this was the card I would make for him.

Monday 25 February 2008

Reminder - Ellies Auction on Bubblyfunk Forum



I've copied the information below from the Bubblyfunk Shoppie page about Ellies Auction. Please click HERE to go to the website where you will be able to link to the Fotopix site.

As many of you may already be aware Kirsty Wiseman is raising money to help her daughter get health treatment in the US.

We have decided to hold a little Auction for the Ellenor Wiseman Trust
. If you are a Bubbly Funk Forum Member, you can view items for auction and add your own items to sell on. If not, please visit the Fotopix site where you can see what is available at the moment. If you would like to contribute by adding your own items for auction, please email me.

If you are interested in bidding for anything, again please email me either through the Contact Us page, or via PM on the Forum. Closing date for receiving all info and pictures of items for auction are Wed 27 Feb, with auction bids to be received by me by Mon 3 March, 7pm when the auction will be officially closed.

DCM Dare - Plastic Fantastic

This week it's Rhi here to dare you and I'm on a recycling mission. I dare you to look again at the plastic packaging around you and transform it into a brand new card. It could be food packaging, craft packaging or just something plastic that's destined for the bin or recycling. Trim it, die cut it, alcohol ink it, crop-o-dile it, give it a new lease of life then share it via your blog for us all to see. Happy Recycling!

I used the black plastic base of a box of cherry tomatoes, punched out circles with my Cuttlebug and them used the little embossing folders with the flowers on. I cut round the flowers and stuck them onto punched gold card flowers. I've had the paper for ages, got it off Ebay and the ribbon was recycled off a box of something (can't remember what) at Christmas. A little bit of doodling round the flowers and gold pen on the edges.

I based the card on the Card sketch that Rosie put up on Bubblyfunk Forum

Friday 22 February 2008

HS:MS - Packet

Rosemary is my favourite herb. I found these crackers in the supermarket tonight, I had to had to have it!

Thursday 21 February 2008

Art Journal Cards



These are my Art Journal Cards for this week. Over on Bubblyfunk Forum, some of us have been following Emily Falconbridge's Prompts - I know we are a whole year late, but that takes the pressure off a bit. Some crafters are following the list by the weeks, others are choosing whatever takes their fancy. I'm following the list and I'm at number 6 - Shoes, they always tell a story.

Tagged Twice

Tagged twice!
Carolyn and Maria tagged me with this MeMe tag:

Here are the INSTRUCTIONS:Select five people to tag

1) Rosie (Freycob)
2) DiO
3) Caroline
4) Hazel
5) Rachel

I wont be offended if you decide not to do this - its just for fun.

Next, send them an e-mail or let them know by commenting on their blog that they have been tagged. They are then encouraged to select 5 different bloggers and to tag them.

What were you doing 10 years ago?
I had just finished a secondment to a management job and had to go back to my ordinary level. I found it frustrating not being in the know and able to influence decisions. My sons were 11 and 9 so I spent a lot more time doing things with them. Cross Country once a month with DS2 - OMG how I hated that.

What were you doing 1 year ago?
I was very worried about the situation at my work and although my job was secure, I had a lot of friends who were far less secure. Although there is more certainty now, there are still a lot of decisions to be made. I was also going to craft fairs to try to sell my felt handbags - never made enough to make it worthwhile.

Five snacks you enjoy:
Green and Blacks Chocolate
Oatcakes and Mature Lockerbie Cheddar
A Banana
Thick hand fried crisps only in ready salted or salt and black pepper (I don't buy them, because once I start.....)
A slice of fruit loaf (try not to make this too often either, as I just eat it)

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:
Build my own swimming pool and gym next to the house
Build a studio for all my craft projects
Build or buy houses for my boys
Let my DH stop work and go back to farming full time (buy him a new tractor)
Go on luxury holidays

Five bad habits:
Slouching
Gossiping
Being intolerant
Not exercising
Oh dear that's quite enough!

Five things you like doing:
Talking
Digi-scrapping
Felt-making
Machine embroidery
Reading cookery books

Five things you would never wear again:
Mini skirts
Long hair
High heels
Leggings
Shoulder pads

Five favourite toys:
Computer
Camera
Bread Machine
Sewing Machine
Cuttlebug

Wednesday 20 February 2008

HS:MS - Intrude

Slight cheat here, as I didn't take this, but my DS2 did. He is the talented artist who is concentrating on his music just now, which is great, but I think he has an artistic eye and I love this picture. This is the cottage at the top of our road which is now a semi-ruin and covered in ivy.

Tuesday 19 February 2008

Walkies

The Monochrome LO challenge on Just Bex Forum gave me the chance to play with the new 'Babs Dreaming' kit I bought from Digiscrap Girls.

HS:MS - Cosy



I know I have blogged this picture before, but it seems to sum up Cosy for me. James and Jenny always find the warmest spots.

Monday 18 February 2008

Tonight's Sunset

Isn't that just a gorgeous sunset? It did look like this in the sky, but I had to enhance the contrast (I am learning something over on the Toggers Forum!) to get the pic to look like the real thing IYSWIM.
Here is my tree in the sunset too. It is a litle out of focus, but it was getting dark and the little Nikon Coolpix L2 is not only a compact so even on the sunset setting it wasn't really getting enough light. Not enough time to scrap them tonight, but you may see them again.

Sunday 17 February 2008

Just Bex Challenge

Over at the Just Bex Forum, they are having a BIG CHALLENGE weekend. Well it's Sunday night and, although you can post your stuff all week, I am feeling a bit guilty for not joining in after all the effort the girls have gone to to set these challenges. So I've had a go at the LO challenge - digifiied it and it will double up for my Tree Journal.

Mad dog-loving woman strikes again!

I didn't want to blog this until I knew that it had arrived safely. It nearly didn't as some 'b' had slit open the envelope to see if there was a gift card in the envelope - they must have been v. disappointed to see that it was only a pic of William! Anyway, they stapled it back together again right through the card! The reason I know all this is that this card was sent from William (my friend's West Highland Terrier) to Maisy, a little girlie Westie and pet of Rosie (Freycob), and Rosie told me what had happened.

I had such fun making it. The Heart Pocket template came from Splitcoast Stampers and I made it in vellum with a little heart shaped eyelet holding the pocket together.

This photo was inside the envelope.

and inside the card was a stamp from Little Claire ( I must get a bigger acrylic block as this stamp is huge and the feet are not a clear as they should be because they fell off the end lol) and the sentiment stamps are Stampin' up from Rachel Booth.

Saturday 16 February 2008

HS:MS Kindness



I am using every opportunity to plug the Bubblyfunk Auction for Ellenor Wiseman. I thought it rather appropriate for this to be a Her Space - My Space picture and I hope Kirsty and Caroline will forgive me for 'borrowing' their logos for this good cause. The digi papers were given in kindness to Bubblyfunk by Kirsty and now we hope to repay her with the proceeds of our auction going to the Trust. If you want to find out more about the Auction, there will be details in the Bubblyfunk Shoppie very soon. If you don't want to take part in the auction you can donate directly to Ellenor's Trust Fund

The New Calves have arrived!

Here are some of our new calves. They arrived last night just before six o'clock, there are 17 of them and they are Belgian Blue cross bullocks. We buy them in already reared, so we don't have to feed them milk, they are on to concentrate and hay right from the start. It is really hard to take photos of them as they are very nosey and come right up to you.

It was frosty this morning with a bit of freezing fog, but that soon lifted, so it has been quite a nice day. DH has been out with his tractor and muck spreader, putting last years muck out on the fields. We still have an old-fashioned midden so the dung gets well rotted before it is put out, it doesn't even smell very much, unlike the horrible slurry that comes from the neighbouring dairy farms.

Wednesday 13 February 2008

Some things I am auctioning for Ellie



Angelnorth pointed out that I hadn't shown what I am putting into the auction so I thought I'd better remedy that,details of the auction are on the post below the doggie valentine. There are a number of items including some wool and beads which I wont post here, but also the following items which I have made:


Remember you can only bid for these items on Bubblyfunk forum.

Happy Valentines Day

Some of you may know that I have a bit of an obsession with my friend's dog, William. He is a very photogenic pup, when you can get him to stay still! I took a lot of pictures on Monday, but only two of them actually contained more than a tail or a blurred white object moving off camera. This was the best and is William looking wistful, pining for love perhaps? Ha ha ha, not likely. I've printed this off and put it on a card for my friend, I'll give her it tomorrow.
OMG I've just noticed the typo in this post, Freudian slip or what 'Williman' must have been the vertical lettering that threw me lol

Auction for Ellie Wiseman on Bubblyfunk Forum

Kirsty Wiseman is a well known name in the world of crafting. Her daughter Ellie has a condition for which doctors in this country have been unable to find a solution. She is currently trying to raise funds to take Ellie to the USA for treatment. You can read more about her HERE

Over on the Bubblyfunk Forum the members are having an auction of stash and some items they have made, to help to raise funds for Ellie. To bid for items you would need to register with the forum and the Auction Thread is in 'Chit Chat'. Here are the instructions for the auction as posted by Caroline:

This is the thread specifically and only for those of you who have pics and info ready for auctioning. If you wish to chat about the auction please use the thread entitled 'Raising money for Ellie'If you can get your pics on with info and a price guide and people can have a general look around to see what they may like to bid for. Anyone interested in an item should PM me with a bid. The highest bid received by 7pm Sun 24 Feb, will be notified by me and payment will be arranged.So, can we aim to get all auction items on this thread by 20 February, then bids will need to be in with me (via PM) by 24 Feb, 7pm Sunday evening.

I hope you will come along and look and bid, or if you don't want to do that, you can donate directly through Kirsty's blog (see link above).

Sunday 10 February 2008

Down by the river


It was a beautiful day today, mild and still. DH and I went for a walk down our fields to the river which runs along the edge of our land. Makes me sound like some kind of gentry - hee hee! The landscape is quite flat in the river valley and it is hard to find a focal point, I haven't done anything with the pic at all, just posted it as it was taken.

HS:MS Pride


Pride (or Vanity in one's self) is considered the original and most serious of the seven deadly sins and is identified as a desire to be more important or attractive than others, failing to give compliments to others though they may be deserving of them, and excessive love of self. Show us Pride in your space.

I am not sure if this is my pride or his vanity! This 'self-portrait' is stuck on the door of my DS2's bedroom, I pass it every day and no longer notice it very much. He did this when he was about 16, just messing around, if he had spent as much time on the art work he was supposed to be doing for school he might have got a better grade! However, I really like this piece of art and I am very proud of how creative he is.

Saturday 9 February 2008

Primroses

It was quite nice this afternoon, so I went up the field to see if the primroses had come out. They used to be pure yellow, but must have become cross polintated with cultivated primulas so now we have colour. They are just peeping through and quite early really.

HS:MS Envy

Not my own picture, but if I had an MX5 then I wouldn't need to envy those who have, would I? One of my forum friends has one already and another was test driving one on Friday - you know who you are. I know it would not be practical at all, but where's the fun in that.

Friday 8 February 2008

Love Actually

These are some of the fabulous freebies being given away by the Collaboration Girls. Nicole Seitler at Sugarplum Paperie has links to all the Girls who are part of the collaboration to give away love-related digi-papers and elements. I don't have a lot of 'lovey' pictures so I thought that my pink hat might be the link for this picture, taken on the River Tule in a part of California that is not often seen. It was a very hot day and we had been walking for about 2 hours before we reached this shady spot by the waterfall.

Thursday 7 February 2008

HS:MS Sloth



Didn't manage a pic for Greedy, but thought my sleepy cat might qualify for Sloth. Cats are supposed to spend 14 hours each day sleeping, but I am sure that James spends 22 hours asleep and only 2 hours awake in the winter. Here is on the warm tiles around the oil stove in our inglenook fireplace.

Tuesday 5 February 2008

HS:MS - Gluttony


Mmmm chips! I was going to be good and have a baked potato, but after working late I phoned my DH and asked him to put some Homefries in the oven for me - they were delicious.

Monday 4 February 2008

Stormy Seas

Another digi-scrapped LO from me. This one is using the free kit you get when from Digital Craft Cottage when you have made 10 posts on the Forum. The photograph is from Cambria, California where we visited our friends last summer. It wasn't stormy, but it wasn't particularly warm on the pacific coast, even in June!

HS:MS - Lust!

You're not getting a picture of any bottoms on my blog! You'll have to look at the HS:MS site to see what I mean, anyway I thought an unmade bed conjured up just about enough lust to be going on with - lusting after my bed all the time :-)

Sunday 3 February 2008

HS:MS SOS




I am really excited by the things I am learning on Digital Craft Cottage I did the tutorial on making your own backing paper and have combined this with the photograph I took of the snowdrops which are in bloom up our road. I thought this definitely met the criteria for Show Off Sunday on HS:MS.

Saturday 2 February 2008

HS:MS - Again


So there I was thinking I was so clever getting my SPS up, then I visited HS:MS blog and found that this week the challenge is to put up someone else's portrait. That is quite easy for me really given all the pics I've taken of my son, Steven for his 21st - so here he is with his gorgeous hair and lovely smile.


Little card with swapped images


I took part in two stamped images swaps on CBC, but they have been sitting around for ages waiting to be used. So when I was sending a little card to my great-aunt with pictures from Steven's 21st, I thought I would use one of the flower images. The paper on the bottom half is K and Co, I did the top bit with watercolour crayons and the stamped image came from someone on the forum, again coloured with watercolour crayons.


HS:MS -SPS I'm back!


Here is my Self-portrait in 'coloured pencil stylee'. I was struggling to take this as it was bitterly cold outside and my eyes kept watering. Decided to mess with the picture in PSE -mind you, I think the lines round my eyes look worse in coloured pencil than they do in the original photo!