For my No.1 Grandson

Hi all,
I have another card made using the beautiful My Minds Eye (MME) papers from my Lost & found, Union Square paper pad.   I adore the colours and patterns in this particular pad as it is so versatile.  I have used it for 'Moulin Rouge' style cards and also 'Western'  (Cowboys & Indians) themed cards and it looks great with either and various others too.

This particular card is for my darling Grandson who will celebrate his birthday this coming weekend.  The only trouble is I think I concerntrated more on the papers that his actual age.  Nevertheless I am pleased with how it turned out;  I love to do different styles and themes.  I do hope you like it too.

I used Lily of the Valley Boys Sentiments stamps for the centre and the Happy Birthday greeting was from a Creative Expression stamp plate.  The fringing on the bottom was made by knotting small pieces of leather effect cords along one long piece. 

Well that's it for today, I know it is a very short one  but I am still trying to catch up.  However before I go, I would like to welcome my newest followers:  Hi all and thank you for your support.  Also thanks to everyone again for the lovely emails etc. 

Have a wonderful day all.  Hugs Linda xx

PS I have a lovely mini card for you tomorrow (I have scheduled it in as I am busy, so let's hope I have done it correctly this time!!)

For my grandson

Hi all
I hope today finds you well and you are looking forward to a happy crafting weekend (among other things).
I am going to finish sorting and reorganising my pins/beads/accessories.  I have bought more spacers, caps and beads and now need to reorganise my boxes to keep like with like.  I am a neat freak in that way.  I can sort my boxes of stash one week, buy some similar items to something in a full box and I will spend the next two hours gingerly removing tiny spacers or beads etc to make room for the new stuff.  I now have an organiser for pearls, one for faceted gems, another for beadcaps..... and so on.  What started out as one box of jewellery making items has ended up a tote of 5storage boxes with another 5loose in the cupboard and they are all full now!!  I have become addicted to making my Decorative Pins.... though I do make other embellishments like beaded flower centers and beaded wire wrapping etc for home decor items.  I originally started off only making bracelets and necklaces, these days I rarely create any jewellery at all, but I will do it again.  I tend to craft in cycles.  Are you like that with any of your crafts?  I keep cardmaking but tend to alternate the other crafts I enjoy; and I enjoy alot of different crafts I can tell you!  Knitting, crochet, cross stiching, sewing, home decor, drawing, cardmaking, scrapbooking, jewellery making...plus a few others that I do rarely now like Wedding stationery and furniture renovation (chair covers etc)
Ok enough of my chattering today, I have a card to show you that is for my grandson, though it is actually for my daughter to give to him, so of course it's for Nephew.

I had this paper pack back last summer I believe and I had forgotten all about it.   The problem now is that I cannot for the life of me remember who designed it.  I have a feeling it is Kirsty Wiseman but I could be very wrong..... sorry, that's what I get for unpacking items and throwing away the packaging, which of course is usually where the name is if it isn't on the back of the papers.  Anyway, I wanted to start using up some of my old stash;  I have so much I cannot justify buying anything else for a while.  Also, I have noticed how papercrafting is getting as bad as fashion.  We are all exposed to the same sales techniques and sales pitches aren't we.  Everywhere we look in the craft world there are 'buy me' pics of the latest items, 'have you seen' articles in all the magazines and we are tempted left, right and center.  So I am making a stand with myself to use up some of my 'old' stuff   ............  Ok, Ok,  I can't lie, I did buy some stunning MME floral papers from the Lost & Found 2 collection last week (hanging head a bit now)...... Oh....and I picked up a couple of sheets of the Prima Almanac papers too (I just adore Toile so I had to have them!!).

Ok, thats it for today.  I am going to try and make a card for my grandon from ME today and I also still have to do a get well soon card.  Fingers crossed for me, I get so distracted these days; I start with the intention of making more that one card and then I spot my beads etc and the next thing I know the time has gone and I have a desk covered in all the wrong things and no 2nd card in sight!! Ah well, I enjoy myself so what does it matter....lol!
Have a fantastic weekend all.  See you very soon.  Hugs Linda xx

A favourite LOTV stamp

Last november I managed to get to the NEC and while there I could not resist one of my favourites,  Lily of the Valley.  The trouble is I love their stamps so much I couldn't decide which 4 to treat myself to,  so I spent ages just walking back and forth repeatedly looking at them all, my daughter by now beginning to sigh heavily in frustration.  Well to cut a long story short, I didn't buy this one and regretted it when I got home.   So, to salve my crafting broken heart I went online and treated myself to a few more stamps, the one I have used on todays card included.  So now.......  a happy chicky again and no daughter sighing over my shoulder!  lol!!   I am so grateful to my daughter, she is a darling and without her I wouldn't have been able to go to the show in the first place.

What do you think of these papers, aren't they beautiful?  They are from a pad of My Minds Eye glittered papers and I can't get enough of them, especially this rose one, it gives Pion papers a run for their money I think.    Well that's it for today folks, I am a very busy girl today;  I have my grandson then I am also making the cake decoration for my nieces First Communion on Sunday (remember the invites I made for her), plus I will be helping her mum and brother make cards for her too.
I hope you all have a lovely day.  I will do my best to catch up with all your blogs tomorrow, its the only day I have free so I have lots to cram in.
Oh, before I go, I have updated the Freebies (Tab at top of the page)  it includes a varied mix of papers from Donna at a wonderful site called Bearly Mine Designs.  I just adore the shabby chic and distressed papers.  If you have a couple of mins, stop by and take a look, I think you will find it worthwhile.
Hugs Linda xx

My Recipe:- Base card- ivory linen Papermill Direct.  Pastel green card- Anna Griffin scrapbooking kit.  Paper- MME Lost & Found Market Street glittered papers.  Rosy Posie stamp-  LOTV.   Ivory vintage seam binding ribbon- Sam Poole.  Metal embellishment, Tulips, 10mm & 25mm rose- WOC.  Spellbinders Border die Damask Accents-  Sam Poole.  Peach rose cluster from my stash.

What a day I have had!

Hi, I hope you are all having a good day today.  I have had one problem after another since I woke up today.  First I needed to take some photos for todays cards and I couldn't get the camera to come out of set up mode for some strange reason and then every photo I took had a shadow in it that I wasn't spotting while shooting and to top it all off, I found out that I had messed up all but one of my email links on my posts (I just hope that I have corrected each and every one properly now!)  Well I managed to sort the camera eventually, but then I crashed my blogger account as I was trying to upload my photos.  Yep, you got it I am not the best at this photography lark, in more ways than one.  I blaim everything on my meds;  my memory has gone to pot since starting them....... What do you mean you don't believe me........!  Oh, come on give me a bit of understanding here, you don't want me to come across as being totally dumb do you?! lol
Well you get the idea, I am learning everything and it is very slow.  So I ask for your patience and help, if you think I can be helped......oh bless me! :(
Well at last I 'think' I have a card for you, so here goes

My Recipe:-  Base Deepest brown 280gsm card,  Papermania Kraft card,  Spellbinders Labels 11 (S4-246) and Foliage (S4-328),   'Time & Travel' 6x6 paper pad (sorry forgotten manufacturer),  LOTV Lazy Afternoon stamp,  Papermania Greeting Stamp,   Distress ink in Walnut stain, Antique Linen, Peeled Paint & Bundled sage.  Mottled card and ribbon from my stash.

This card was created while having a 'teaching' session with a young friend Ellie, the daughter of my friend/neighbour (yea, I know what you're thinking, me teaching, I can't even control my camera! Well I am quite good at some things, they just all tend to be either crafting, housekeeping or DIY related).
Anyway, we were practicing basic matting and layering, stamping and colouring with distress inks and the theme was Vintage and/or Memories.
This is my version of the card but unfortunately, Ellie gave hers to her grandad for his birthday and I was unable to get a photo to show you.
I am sorry, again, about my photography and editing skills (ok,ok so I have none, we have established that...LOL!) but I hope you get the idea and like something about it. 
Joking aside, this is the weakest side of my crafting;  I am not very good at colouring.   I am, however, trying to follow the tips and tutorials that several of you very talented bloggers are providing and practicing when I have an hour to myself.
Well that's it for today, I have taken so long to do this that I daren't waste anymore time chatting on or it will be posted tomorrow instead.  So I hope today has found you well, see you soon.
Hugs and biggest thanks to you all for not only your continued support but also for your helpful tips.
Linda x