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My Sweet Life

Saturday 8 August 2009

Im alive!!!

morning all, i have been guilty of neglecting my blog for the last few weeks! ive been interviewing for, and getting, a new job! im going to be a support worker for adults with autism and learning disabilities and im soooooooooooo happy and excited about it. im just waiting for the crb checks and everything to come through and then i will get a start date :) at the moment im working in a filling station and i hate it with a passion so i cant wait to hand in my notice and walk away from there for good.
also! im going to be 40 on monday, eek! where does time go?? but! with a new job to look forward to im really thinking that maybe life does begin at 40 :)
i will be back soon with some new projects ive been working on, i just wanted to check in and let you know i havent disappeared for good.
hope all is well with everyone
see you sooner!
V x

Monday 1 June 2009

You tube colouring link

morning :)
heres the link to the simple colouring technique i mentioned yesterday, click me :)
i say simple because its not to intricate and seems to be an excellent starting point, ill definately be giving it a try.
another busy day ahead so away i go, hope you find the tutorial helpful, theres are tonnes of great videos on you tube, wish id gone there sooner!
see you soon
V :)

Sunday 31 May 2009

What a busy time!

morning folks :)
what a flurry of activity my life is at the moment! ive still got my new zealand friend with me and work is full on so at the moment im just getting to walk passed my craft room and look longingly into it and keep right on walking!
ive got a couple of days off from tuesday so im going to make sure i get in there and put together a card or two because im starting to suffer paper and stamp withdrawal lol
ive been looking out for some prisma pencils because ive watched a fab tutorial on you tube with regards to colouring and blending so cant wait to get stuck in with having a go at that, im desperate to improve my colouring and this was fab. ill post the link to that tutorial later on, i found it really helpful so pencils, sansodor and paper stumps here i come! ill keep you updated on here with my progress when i get all the things i need.
it never ceases to amaze me the amount of new things there are to learn and do with this addictive habit, ive been doing it a while and still constantly learning, its wonderful!
have a wonderful day all
V :)
,

Tuesday 26 May 2009

Im still here :)

hi everyone, just a quick post to say i havent deserted blogland! my oldest school friend arrived here yesterday from new zealand and is going to be staying a while so we have an awwwwwwwwwwwful lot of catching up to do! :)
ill get some pics and post them and ill be back soon with some cards cos ive recently done a little bit of stash shopping, ill soon need a bigger house!
see you soon
V :)

Tuesday 19 May 2009

One last quick post for today

hello again, 3 posts in one day??? there must be some kind of blog madness taking over me :)
managed to get the card done for my friend that i did the frame for in the last post.
just a little something to let her know im thinking about her

i keep coming back to this hero arts stamp (fancy vase) it makes it easy to do a simple pretty card in a flash.....well......flashish, all cards take time as we all know :)
anyway, making memories paper, dcwv cardstock, hotp sentiment and a bit of ribbon from my stash. ive watercoloured the flowers and vase with marvy and dovecraft pens, oh and some gems.
thats me for today, got washing to fold and want to jump in the bath.
night folks
V :)

Buddy frame

2 posts in one day again? this is getting to be a habit! enjoying it though hehe, nice to have some free time for a change....off to work again soon unfortunately but wanted to share this frame ive altered before i go.

its for my very dear friend who just a couple of weeks ago lost her beloved dog stan. we dont live close to each other so other than support via phone calls i havent been able to do alot for her so i wanted to do this just to let her know i love her and that im here for her whatever she needs, going to make a card to go with it tomorrow hopefully so if i get time ill post that too. when shes feeling better shes going to send me some pics of stan and i think i will put together a little mini book for her, just a little keepsake, and will it make me feel useful!!
ive altered frames before, just poundshop ones and i love them

heres how it came out





im determined to use up some of my scrap box so cant tell you where the papers are from im afraid apart from the blue one which is junkitz and was left over from a card i posted yesterday.
theres a couple of making memories doodles, some organza ribbon, prima flowers (over stamped with a tim holtz stamp) the letters are from a huge qvc kit i got forever ago, they were just plain white but ive stamped on them too with the same stamp and a studio g friends for life stamp.
ok, hi ho hi ho and all that.
thanks for visiting.
see you soon!
V :)

Just for fun card

Morning :)
felt like doing something a little fun and different this morning and had been itching to use the papermania secret garden stamps i picked up at a car boot sale, brand new, for £3!! what a bargain! there are 3 owls and they are just tooooooo cute.
heres what i came up with


the papers are from my scrap box, the owl and the stamped flower background are from the papermania set.
ive inked round everything with an ink pad from ink it up
ive watercoloured the owl with pencils, the sentiment is computer generated (font 2peas goofball) hes a little bit sparkly because there must have been some sakura glitter left on the waterbrush from another project but it really suits him :)
the flowers are prima, finished off with liquid pearls and the liquid pearls are there again on the bottom left for a finishing touch.
i think ill be using this owl again :)
back soon!
V :)

Monday 18 May 2009

Two posts in one day? Whatever next?

Yep, im back with my second post of the day, unheard of just lately!
anyway, a friend at work has his birthday this week so ive set to this afternoon and made a card for him.

here it is



didnt take long at all, a hotp card makers sentiment, card scraps from my scrap box, bit of inking and matting and layering, some faux stitching (i think im addicted!) and a dymo labeller and it was done.
it was an easy make that came together nicely. i like to spend time on cards but sometimes its good just to get the job done.
right, need to make room on the comp for the homework brigade.
back soon
V :)

Flutter by butterfly

Afternoon all, yet another long break between posting, really struggling with time management at the moment!
Ive come to post my magnolia challenges card, over on just magnolia there is a sketch to follow this week and on magnolia down under challenges the theme is flutter by butterfly. ive combined the two again.
You know when you get an idea in your head for a card and you think its going to be fab but when you do it you just cant quite recreate it and theres something not quite right? thats whats happened here, maybe ive lost my mojo and need to have a hunt round for it.
heres what i came up with anyway

just didnt work out quite the way i wanted it to, im happy with tilda but mainly because shes my favourite one i think :) shes coloured with pencils, whispers markers and chalked around. the papers are junkitz, a papermania butterfly stamp, hotp sentiment, prima flowers and some silk flowers ive had in my stash for ages.
ok, see you sooner!
V :)

Tuesday 12 May 2009

Magnolia challenges card

Afternoon, what a beautiful day! a little bit to windy but always nice to see the sunshine. my youngest is on a school trip to alton towers today so im thankful its not raining at least, she text me earlier and even though shes been bitten by a duck shes having a great time lol.

Anyway, to the card for today. im a bit pushed for time all the time just lately it seems so ive combined the just magnolia challenge for this week which is "stitching" (ive gone for faux but you can do it any way you want to) with the magnolia down under challenge which is "thinking of you."
heres what i came up with



i think this is one of my favourite tildas, shes so sweet, ive coloured her with pencils. the papers are from dream street papers, hotp sentiment, american crafts flowers, sizzix sizzlet swirl and the gems are from my stash.
i really enjoyed making this card and the paper is divine! lots left over so youll be seeing it again soon im sure
okie dokie, onwards and upwards
back soon!
V :)

Monday 11 May 2009

Some favourite layouts

Happy monday everybody! a start of another week, where is time going this year?? it seems to be flying by. ive popped on today to post a few of my favourite layouts.

the 1st one is a layout of my husband and i, i HATE having my photo taken but when i saw this one, taken by my youngest daughter when we were ready to go out to my works christmas meal in december last year, i really liked it

The paper ive used is basic grey, the spotty one was free with a magazine sometime, the heart is cut from a perfect petals template from craftwork cards, american craft letters and the love embellishment is from a colorbok scrap pack.

this next one is another one taken by my daughter, this time when we werent looking! she really is becoming a super photographer and theres a link in my link doodah, over there >>>>>>>>>>>,
where you can take a look at an online gallery of hers


the journalling on this one reads: "even after over twenty years together its not unusual to see us strolling along..........."
ive used making memories papers (i think! im terrible for that, took it out of its packaging and forgot whose it was) definately some colorbok paper and lettering (in), prima flower, chipboard circle and american crafts rub on and ribbon.
this 3rd one, "oh so funny," is of my bestest buddy and me just after christmas


ive used some free digital elements here that ive printed out, acrylic paint, american crafts ribbon, staples, dymo labeller, rhonna farrer autumn leaves swirl stamp and a heart template from craftwork cards.
the journalling reads: "here we are, just after christmas, two cameras pointing in our direction, striking a pose, but somehow not seeming to get it quite right. but what fun we had trying!!"
good times :)
back soon!
V :)

Sunday 10 May 2009

Has it really been that long since i posted??

wow, how time flies when you get caught up in life and dont have time to do anything it seems........or if you do youre to tired to do it! i havent had time to participate in my favourite magnolia challenges this last week but hoping to have a go at this weeks in the next couple of days.
ive come to post a card i made a while ago but love because it was so quick and simple to make....i have this and a few other projects posted on my docrafts gallery but im going to post them over here also....i have some more cards and some layouts to share.

making memories checked paper, the background star paper i cant really remember where it came from! but ive had it forever, hotp card quote and a dymo labeller (one of my very favourite things!) i used the sizzix red original die for the stars.
ok, back sooner!!
V :)

Sunday 26 April 2009

Spot the dots

Afternoon :) wow, 2 posts in one day! you can tell the kids are to busy to come near the computer today hehe. ive come back to post a pic of a card ive made for the magnolia down under challenge blog, you can find it here, its a wonderful blog and the design teams cards are amazing!! i follow it but this is the first challenge ive done. i found it by visiting kellies blog, a fabulous blog that i follow by a very talented lady, take a peek :)
anyway! the challenge was the title of this post, spot the dots, heres what i did
i love spots and stripes so it wasnt hard to find plenty of things in my stash that would work perfectly. i ended up with making memories paper (i think!) dcwv textured cardstock, a dollar ribbon i got from walmart while visiting my sister in the states last year (6 different ribbons in a stack, super bargain!) a computer generated sentiment, prima flowers, brads from stash and i coloured tilda with pencils + shes got sparkly wings :) i really enjoyed putting this card together and i was pleased with how it turned out.
i dont think ill be back again today but stranger things have happened
V :)

Giraffe template

Morrrrrrrrrrrrning everyone, another bright and beautiful sunny day. always seems to lift my mood to get up in a morning and see the sunshine, lovely!
so, today im back with another cute baby template, theres an elephant on my previous post, with a link to where you can find the templates, but last night i decided to go with a giraffe for a baby girl card


the papers are from a deja views baby girl tablet "the sharon ann collection," prima flowers, heidi swapp sentiment and the brad, button and ribbon from my stash. it wasnt originally going to have a ribbon but i managed to get a smudge of the liquid pearls ive used in the flowers on the top right side of the paper so had to have a hasty rethink of my original design! turned out ok in the end though.
ill be back later, if i can win the fight for the comp when the kids get up! wish me luck
V :)

Saturday 25 April 2009

Cute baby templates

afternoon folks! another beautiful day :) cooler though but still bright sunshine......bright enough for me to spend the morning mowing! boo hiss. we have one of those lawns thats to big for a regular mower and way to small for a ride on so we keep plugging away with the petrol push along.
and bluebells?! dont get me started on bluebells!! love them i may do, but year after year in spring they take over our garden, and year after year i try and dig up all the bulbs to stop them coming back. 8 years we have lived in this house and i still havent beaten them yet! maybe one day but im not holding out much hope.
so, to the cute baby templates. having been a blogger for a couple of weeks now, ive spent alot of time blog hopping and looking at all the fab blogs out there, sheilas blog is lovely and it was there i spotted her link to some cute baby card templates, you can find them here, i downloaded them at the time before i forgot where to find them but only got round to having a go yesterday, theres an elephant, lion and a giraffe, i had a go with the elephant


it was lovely to work with the soft pastelly "baby" colours and i really enjoyed making this card.
the papers are from moments to go, american craft ribbon and rub on, papermania small sparkly brad and the heart stamp is from smoochie manoochie (stamped in sky blue brilliance and heat embossed clear)
right, hopefully this afternoon im going to find time to do some crafting....got some h****work to do first. didnt want to write that word in full in case if offended anyone ;o)
bye for now
V :)

Friday 24 April 2009

Just Magnolia 2nd challenge

Afternoon all! ive been busy busy at work for the past few days and havent had much time for posting but i had a free morning this morning (woohoo! not many of those around) and i saw the fab folks over on the just magnolia challenge blog had posted their second challenge so ive spent some of my morning making a card for that.


the theme this week is PINK and GREEN i love this colour combination so couldnt wait to jump in and have a go. no sketch or anything to follow, just as long as your card is pink and green. this is what i came up with






the pink patterned paper is from the forever friends "with love...." 6x6 paper pad, the spotty ribbon is american crafts, the flower is the sizzlet peace flower and all the other bits are from my stash.
hope your day is going swimmingly!
back sooner
V :)

Sunday 19 April 2009

Just Magnolia challenge card :)

evening all :)
well, now that im a week into having a blog i decided it was time i took on my first challenge. the just magnolia challenge blog issued their first challenge sketch this week so i thought as they were as new as me this is where i would start!
soooooooo, from this :
i came up with this:
im pretty disappointed with how it looks in the pic, its much prettier in real life but im still working on my photography skills so this is as good as it gets for this one lol
ive used papermania paper, flowers from whsmith, studio g sentiment, beads from stash, tilda coloured with dovecraft, marvy, whispers markers.
the paper string and pretty beads have been in my stash for soooooooooooooo long so it was nice to use them and im pleased with how that idea came out.
id better go, theres a queue for the pc, we reeeeeally need a couple of laptops in this house, me first, me first!! hehe

Thursday 16 April 2009

Tilda birthday card :)

yep, im yet another tilda fan :) theres alot of us out there! shes so sweet. my second post for today, just wanted to share this card before i head off to bed








cosmo cricket papers, papermania flower stamp on basic grey, tilda coloured with watercolour pencils :)
ok, back tomorrow sometime no doubt, nighty night xx

A very practical gift and a card

Hello, im here again :)
i wonder if i'll be able to keep the blogging up at the rate im going so far? i do hope so.....i am now an official blog hopper and there are soooooooooooo many fab blogs out there and so much inspiration i sort of get lost in them and time slips by without me noticing!
anyway, today i thought i would actually make something to post.....had the itch to get my hands on paper and scissors and thought i would make a quick card, something simple and pretty were the thoughts in mind....oh yes, but first the gift! look what my lovely mum gave me yesterday....




a full stack of top quality smooth card, fab!! months if not years of card making and more especially stamping with this lovely lot! and she made us a sponge cake too, yum, we enjoyed some of that after dinner last night and we're finishing it off tonight, pretty top mum ive got :)
and so to the card...simple and pretty i think i said....this is what i came up with anyway
making memories papers, hero arts stamp (fancy vase) that my eldest daughter bought me for christmas and ive only just got round to using! watercoloured with marvy and dovecraft pens, studio g sentiment, a few gems, chalk ink and faux stitches and it was done.....looks a bit dull in the main pic but you can see the colours better on the second one. some of the inspiration for this design came from kaths blog, fab blog! take a look :)
ive now decided i need one of those little easels to stand my cards on to photograph them? ive seen quite a few on my blog travels and that has inspired the NEED, hehe, doesnt take alot. anyone any ideas where i can get one? comments appreciated.

Wednesday 15 April 2009

Craftroom

Evening all :)
im one of those few lucky crafters to have a dedicated room to do it in, im not sure my son would agree though because its his old bedroom and now when hes home to visit (which he is now) he has to make do with a mattress down on the floor! is it wrong that i dont feel guilty? lol
at least i waited til he'd been gone 5 minutes before i changed the use of the room!

sooooooo.....anyway, it was getting rather untidy and ive got some pics to prove it!...........




how does anyone work on this desk? i couldnt tell you! it was so untidy i couldnt do alot on it.



a disgrace huh?



oh ohh, more slobishness (is that a real word?)



ok, ok, i know :(

so i decided it was time to pull my proverbial out and get it sorted.

got pics of that too.........



so maybe this shelf looks like a before shot but it really is an after lol. ive still got some work to do on the shelves but i do actually know whats where



yep, definately a bit more work to be done up there



better......



definately better.....



a clean and tidy usable desk....now i have no excuse not to settle down and get some crafting done!




one last pic......at work we used to sell hallmark cards but they were binned and the stand was to be tossed out!! oh no, no, no, that wasnt going to happen was it? ok so it needs a tidy too but its really handy :)


just got to work to keep the whole place tidy now!! wish me luck, i think im going to need it.......

Monday 13 April 2009

Afternoon all

another day another dollar......well barely with the job i do but it has to be done. only 6 hours of workday today which was brill, went pretty quick.....8 hours again tomorrow then 4 days off! woohoo!
i might even get a bit of crafting done and absolutely craft room tidying....ill definately show you some after pics but ill take a couple of before pics too and vet them seriously hehe.
hungry children and baked potatoes calling...........

Sunday 12 April 2009

Oscar again

Taylor has been out and about randomly with the camera again, she does that alot! ive never known anyone take so many pictures of themselves, maybe its an age 15 thing? she certainly doesnt get it from me because ive always hated, and still do, having my photo taken.

anyway i managed to get a go with the camera and took a lovely photo of her with oscar, she looks beautiful and dont let oscars sad looking face fool you! he looks like that so he gets lots of attention all the time so really hes grinning like a cheshire cat inside!

in the background you can see my rather messy craft room that im going to post some pics of when i get it tidied, its usually pretty messy so itll be nice to see it tidy and have a blog record of it........not sure how long it will last though.........

Early Bird

Isnt it always the way? could happily lay in til 8 today, even though its a work day but not starting til 10, and there i am wide awake at 5!! i think it says somewhere its against the law getting up 3 hours before the alarm!
I got up and had a cup of tea with oscar, i say with oscar but really he just lay in his bed eyes tight shut ignoring me......now that is one dog who is not an early bird! Ive got a nice picture of him in the snow a few weeks ago.....................

there we are :) i think he is quite possibly the sweetest, gentlest dog in the world, and most handsome of course!

Saturday 11 April 2009

Latest layout- Love You Always and some altered frames


























as this is my "crafty ramblings" blog i thought i should post something crafty :)
i have a few things uploaded to my docrafts gallery, thats here i think, lol, still new to this. im going to upload them here gradually and keep adding things. im putting this one up first because it is my latest and favourite ever layout to date.

ive seen the circle "flowers" around alot just lately and wanted to give them a try, theyre great and so easy!
cosmo cricket papers with a few scraps of basic grey, prima flowers, imagination project coaster, american crafts rub on on the tab and alot of sanding and paper rolling!

also had a go at altering a couple of frames recently, only a pound from the pound shop and really pleased with the results









Vikki is Made Of Charm, Wit, and Silliness
3 parts Charm
2 parts Wit
1 part Silliness

And a Splash of Courage

Chug!
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