I have decided that I quitel like cold wet Sundays. Think about it ...... it's too wet to work in the garden so what better time to concentrate on crafting. I'm guilt free this afternoon as this morning I made the bread rolls for tomorrows packed lunches, did the ironing, cleaned the kitchen and prepared the first of this years onions ready for pickling tomorrow, they should then be ready for Christmas. I must get some red peppers though to make lots of red pepper and chilli jelly for my Granddaughter, she loves it.



The preserves shelf is looking pretty good at the moment, there are still a couple of jars of Cognac and orange marmalade from earlier this year, together with this years Rosehip and apple jelly and Crab apple jelly and tomorrow will see the start of the ever increasing pickled onions. So now ..... on with some crafting!

More Cuttlebug cards

I just love my Cuttlebug and although I didn't think these cards quite met the Cuttlebug challenge criteria (where there are borders they are either ribbon or peel offs), I thought I would show them to you anyway, the dark one hasn't photographed very well but it looks quite effective, I've embossed it onto dark blue glossy card and highlighted with stickles. I'm really pleased with them .... what do you think?

Cuttlebug Challenge

This is the card I thought I would enter for the Cuttlebug Challenge, that's if I can figure out how to of course. Oh I do wish I was computer literate!! It will be the first time I have ever entered a challenge, wish me luck.

I'm having great fun playing with some of the stamps that I bought at the Craft Fair last Sunday, one in particular is proving to be very versatile. Here are three cards using the same stamp, the first one is my take on an idea from Cardmaking and Papercraft Magazine. I stamped the image onto white card using Versamark ink then embossed it with white embossing powder, I then cut an oval from scrap card to use as a stencil which I placed over the stamped image and sponged with lilac ink. This was then matted and layered onto lilac and turquoise card before being placed onto a white base card. I finished it off with a greeting stamped in black ink with a small gem above the I in Christmas and crystal stickles on the end of the branches.

The second is again taken from a card in CM&P and the third

is a very simple red and white card (the red ribbon running along the bottom has Merry Christmas in gold running along it and I have added red stickles to the branch ends to give a bit of sparkle.

I've also made some cards using my Cuttlebug machine and I have just discovered a Cuttlebug Challenge I'm now trying to decide whether to enter one of them for that, the trouble is I can't make my mind up which one if any are good enough. Sigh!

I had the shock of my life this morning! I was cleaning upstairs when Bonnie came running up and almost attached herself to my ankle. Where I went, she went .... unheard of ... she thinks cleaning is boring (can't say I blame her). Anyway when I had finished upstairs I carried the vacuum cleaner down ready to do downstairs, Bonnie usually runs down in front of me but this morning she refused to come down. As I walked into the living room there on the floor was a dead bird! It was a collared dove which I think must have flown in through the open back door and as they are such nervous creatures I assume it died of fright (it's a wonder I didn't join it!). At this point my brave guard dog!!!! came down to see what was happening. I suppose this will remain one of life's little mysteries ..... The mystery of how a dead bird came to end up on my living room carpet! .... do you think I could make a best seller out of it? Maybe not.

My nephew and his partner have just had a baby boy, this is the stitched card that I have made to send to them.

I have also been playing with some of the stamps that I bought last Sunday at the Ringwood Craft Fair, I'll photograph those and show them to you next time.

I must now get on with the ATCs that I started to make yesterday. Each week two friends and I get together for an afternoon of crafting ... BLISS!... We try out new techniques and ideas and decided that ATCs were easier to make and swap than cards, we are currently going through the alphabet, it can be any subject in any medium as long as it is the letter of the week, this week it's 'O' so I'm off to get my thinking cap on.

I'm so excited as my friends on the CM&P forum that I belong to have found me (thank for all your help and lovely comments and thanks Sally for sorting it out for me.) I can now ramble away in the knowledge that I am not talking solely to myself! (as I usually do!!)

I had a fantastic day yesterday as I went with two crafting friends to a "Crafting Extravaganza" in Ringwood. It was great and as I had my birthday money with me I was able to buy lots and lots of goodies and I got some great ideas from some of the demonstrations.

I promised to introduce you to Bonnie, my beloved dog and constant companion, she is a 6 year old adorable Westie and as you can no doubt guess I love her to bits. My first job every morning Monday to Friday is to take her for a walk (Rob takes her Saturday and Sunday), the day can't begin until we have had our walk together. Here is a photograph of her (well it will appear somewhere but I can't guarantee where!). You see, I said it would appear somewhere ... I just didn't expect it to be up at the top there!! You never know, I may just get the hang of this blogging some day!!

Thanks for joinging me.