Printables!

Well I've been having a good time this week! I spoke to the lady from the PTA who is in charge of organising Bel's School Fair and I'm now having a little stall there, all proceeds are going to the School so its going to be mainly more printable bits like I made the other day which I can sell for "pocket money" prices and which haven't cost me too much to make - and besides that they're really satisfying to make up! I've found several sites which have lovely, inexpensive things to download and which also have an angel policy so that they're fine to use for craft fairs etc. This is my list, I'd love to hear of any more which people may know of!

Daisie Company

Cuddly Buddly

Aimee Asher

Bits of Ivory

Dazzlemania

Gift Boxes by Shala

Alenka's Printables

Crafty Clip Art

Ewe 'n' Me Printables

Studio Style Designs

I'm hoping to make some more this weekend and will post some more pics after that!

More!

Well here are the cards I made yesterday, apart from one very small shopping trip I made in the week I haven't bought anything new for a while (just reminded myself I haven't scanned the cards I made a few days ago with the results of the shopping, I'll do that in a mo!) and was feeling rather uninspired so I had a rummage to the bottom of my craft unit and tried to use some items I haven't used for a while - my Ikea bargain papers, alcohol inks and acetate just to mention a few!

Today I decided to make a few bits and pieces for Bel's School Fair in a couple of weeks' time, and following a visit to Cuddly Buddly I had a lovely day making up these

I've used Cuddly Buddly graphics before but not the printable boxes, and I'd definitely recommend them, they're easy to make and fit together beautifully... the only problem I had was deciding which ones to buy! And before I forget here are the cards made with the bits I bought - I have never used the Dufex decoupage before but its very effective - although not see easy to scan or photograph easily!

Cards

Well after a busy fortnight, both at work and at home I've finally managed to get somw precious cardmaking time, and I've hardly anything to do today (other than roasting a chicken) except crafting - woo hoo!! Here's a couple I did manage to make last week:-

I've got a couple more I made yesterday which I haven't had a chance to scan yet (I can't get to thg big computer at the mo) and hope to make some more today so watch this space!

Toe by Toe

As you may know from previous posts, my Daughter is quite severely Dyslexic – she was tested when she was 6 ½ (apparently the earliest they test for it in our area) and it was confirmed (although we obviously already had our suspicions). Now she is 8 she is quite a way behind most of her classmates but is going through a stage where she is most enthusiastic about learning to read and write properly. When she was first diagnosed we had had the Toe by Toe system recommended to us – we discussed this with the School but they felt she was probably too young for it at the time. Now that she’s a bit older and showing so much enthusiasm we have bought the book and done our first four sessions (usually not long after she wakes up as she starts each day wanting to do her “lesson!”)

If you haven’t heard of it the Toe by Toe website is here for anyone that is interested. It takes things right back to basics and can show dramatic increases in a child’s reading age.

We’re quite hopeful that its really going to help her and hopefully once we’ve done it through the last bit of the Summer term and also through the Summer Holidays that she’ll start Year 5 in September having taken a big step forward!

I'm still here!

Apologies for lack of blogging, time just seems to slip away at the moment - I had thought after the Show I'd have more time but it doesn't seem to be working out that way! Anyway, I shall attempt to catch up and then get myself back into blogging (and cardmaking) routine again!

We have really springlike weather here in Hastings today which is great as its Hastings Jack in the green Festival today

Here's a few photos:-

Hastings on Bank Holiday Monday is also host to an unofficial but ever-growing motorbike meet - we have had up to 20,000 in previous years, but I reckon this year will have broken all records! They are everywhere, the seafront carpark is full with bikes (its closed to cars today), they are parked on the promenade all the way up to the pier (which is actually in St.Leonards-on-Sea, and on every spare bit of concrete anywhere in Hastings! This was the seafront earlier this morning

We came home before the end but the procession ended up at Hastings Castle where at 3 o'clock Jack will be "slain" to release the spirit of Summer for another year.

One piece of news, Del has at last received his Sleep Apnoea mask - he has had it for a week now and he reckons its making a difference, even though its not easy to get used to! He has to go back on the 19th May and they've told him that provided everything is OK he should get his Bus Licence back almost straight after that!!

Its been a very long wait (he was first referred to the Sleep Clinic in August last year) but it looks like the end is finally in sight!

I had managed some cardmaking, although not as much as I would have liked! Here's a few:-

Caardvarks Challenge

Caardvarks' challenge this week is black, white and any other colour... I think think mine looks red on the scan, but its actually a deep pinky colour. I just couldn't resist the opportunity of playing with Tilda again (and you might see a bit more of her soon too) I'm determined she will soon have a "friend" but will have to sneak that in when OH isn't looking lol.

My Tilda arrived...

.. on Saturday morning, so superquick delivery! I've had a little play and here she is!

It gave me a chance to use my watercolor pencils, and to try the paper piecing technique which I'd not tried before, great fun! Also made two more, the jeans pocket for my FIL and the bear for a 5 year old on the Post Pals site - didn't think I could get away with using Farmer Tilda on "lads'" cards lol

Confession time!

You know I consider myself an "ex" stamper, having sold all of my stamps a while back (although I have been known to have a play with magazine freebies!)? Shell at Stampstash has some Magnolias in, Farmer Tilda, Dala Tilder and Horse amongst others.... and do you know, while I was taking a look, Farmer Tilda climbed into my basket? She has apparently now made her way out of the basket and into the Postal system so I shall be waiting for the Postman!!

Cardmaking Friends - Sketch Challenge

This is the sketch challenge on Cardmaking Friends this week

and this is my card

We'd really love to get more people joining in the challenges so if you would like to join us, just click on the banner to be taken to the forum - we'd love to have you :-)

Arte y pico award

Yay! I've been tagged by Shirley and received this award!

The "rules" are as follows:-

1) You have to pick 5 blogs who deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material and also contributes to the blogging community no matter what language.

2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to the blog to be visited by everyone.

3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and the link to the blog that has given her or him the award .

4) Award winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of "arte y pico" blog (linked in my title) so everyone will know the origin of this award. (Cut and paste the info into your blog to make things easier)

Hmm.... now, who to choose.... I've omitted a couple of my favourite blogs as I know they're busy ladies and prefer not to be tagged, but as I've got more than five favourites this is not a problem! So I choose the following (just click on their names to be taken to their blogs)

Jackie's Jewels

Annette's Blog

Challenge Addict

Blue Daisy Crafts

The Creative Corner

Thank you very much Shirley :-) :-)

New home card

Someone at work yesterday asked me if I had a new home card - she hasn't had any cards off me before and I didn't like to say no, so I said I thought I had one at home and knocked this one up last night!

Post Pals

Been having fun this evening making a couple of cards for Post Pals - children's cards are such fun to make :-)

Cardmaking Friends - Sketch Challenge

Here's a card for the sketch challenge on Cardmaking Friends this week

Apart from that I've been doing some cards for Post Pals - if you are not familiar with their work, take the time to click on the blinkie on the right hand side to be taken to their site. There are some truly inspiring stories of some very brave children on there, and you can help raise a smile just by sending a card or letter.

More "naked" cards!

I enjoyed the Daring Cardmakers Challenge so much I made a few more "simple" cards - I've also been pratising using the Framey board I bought quite a while ago and have not really got round to using! (I thought I ought to, I can't afford it at the moment but I'd really like a Cuttlebug, particularly for the embossing - Del is in favour of it but I'm waiting for him to point out I never usually emboss anything anyway!) lol

Daring Cardmakers

Wow! Great challenge this week - here it is:-

"Shrink to Fit

I used to be able to make cards with lots of "white space" around the designs, but lately when I've tried to do this my cards just look sooooo naked!

So this week I'd like you to think small - not small cards, but small spaces of embellishment on regular sized cards.

You are allowed to cover no more than a 5x5cms area of your card with paper or embellishment - the rest of the card must be left plain.

How you use those valuable cms is up to you. So you may choose to split up those cms to use around your card, or use them in a block or a line. It might help to cut a few 5x5cm squares then cut those up to work out good ways of using your allotment. Making your whole card a miniscule 5x5cms is NOT an option!! Lets have no cheating (I know what you lot are like.....),
but because I'm feeling generous, I'm going to let you add a SIMPLE greeting as extra to your 5x5 allowance! :-)"

I have exactly the same problem! In fact I wasn't sure about the Bunny card in the post below for exactly the same reason so I thought I was really going to struggle with this one - but once I got started I really enjoyed it! Here's my challenge card

Normal service (almost) resumed!

Well its been an odd week as I managed to lose my voice on and off for part of it! Not good.... lol. Anyway, I'm just left with a cough now and feeling OK and attempting to get back to normal, not least on the crafting front and blogging front! What with show week last week as well I've watched the poor blog slide down the "Crafty Blogs" listings.. aw........ :-(

I did a couple of "just cos I felt like it cards" on Thursday which I didn't get a chance to blog straight away, so here they are.

I received the Doodlebug paper in a Backing Paper swap on Cardmaking Friends.

Funky Fairys Challenge

The Funky Fairys Challenge this week was to make something tall and skinny, a good challenge as I rarely do tall, thin cards (in fact given my way I'd only make A5 cards lol). The gorgeous paper on this one is from the Funky Fairys Inspiration Blog (and there are more Pink Petticoat owls lol.)

Papertake Sketch challenge

I had yesterday off as holiday and had planned a lovely long cardmaking day - however with not being well I only got two done :-( One was for a sketch challenge for Papertake - however as they put a new challenge up each Monday although I got the card done yesterday (honestly) I didn't get it scanned until today so it looks as if I'm a week late lol. Anyway, here is is. The owl is from Pink Petticoat - they seems to have some lovely (and inexpensive) images coming out on a virtually weekly basis at the moment.

Pinocchio(3)

Well its all over for this year! It went really well and was great fun but very tiring which probably explains why I've got a bad throat/cough and am feeling a bit sorry for myself! Anyway here's a couple of photos of me and Bel in our costumes (I did have a multi-coloured wig to go with my clown costume in the second picture but you'll have to just imagine that!

There was a nice surprise at the end on Saturday, their teacher announced that she had had a phone call in the week from the organisers of the Hastings Music Festival and the Mime group had got the highest marks out of all the mime catagories so they had won a trophy! She presented it to them on stage which was lovely :)

Pinocchio(2)

Its...... OPENING NIGHT! Dress rehearsal went much better last night so am feeling fairly confident about it. The main difficulty is keeping the girls quiet backstage as its a small theatre... the words "don't forget you've got to keep quiet because you can be heard from the audience" mean nothing to a group of over-excited 8 year olds!