2009 is fast approaching !!!!!!

A very good morning to all of you wonderful people out there in blogland.....

Another apology from me for not having blogged over the last few weeks but life ended up in turmoil before christmas as it does for all of us but you will be glad to know I did manage to do some christmas shopping (immediate family only this year) but I also managed to make around 80 cards which was good going for me... In addition to that, the week before christmas I was at the hospital 3 days in a row, nothing bad, Mon for my shoulder, Tues for my post op check & Wed for hubby. You know how long it takes when you visit the hospital though so these visits ran into hours. In addition to that on the Tuesday I had my final workshop to run so time was really not on my side that week.

Alas christmas has come & gone for yet another year and I so hope that you all had a marvellous time with your friends & family. Was Santa good to you???? Since christmas I have been resting up as all the running around beforehand didn't go down well with my stomach which decided to swell up & stay up so have been getting it back under control again as I plan to have a very busy time of it in 2009. Too much of this year has been lost (1st admitted to hospital on August 21st) hence I've basically been sat on my back side for 4 months now with lots of restrictions on my movements. Time to move on now me thinks although I do have to be careful for another 6-8 weeks as according to the surgeon that is approx how much longer my internals require to heal....

This has been a good year for me in some ways as I have been accepted as a demonstrator for Fiskars & Marking World (Sakura) but due to my ill health I will be glad to put this year behind me know. For all of you out there who have had health problems also I sure hope that 2009 is better for you. Stay strong & stay well....

Well now that you all know I am still in the land of the living and not been abducted by aliens I will bid you all a fond farewell for 2008... May 2009 be a much healthier & wealthier year for one and all...

Remember the new Sugar Bowl kick starts tomorrow so make sure you all come along & join in the fun...

In finishing off my speech for 2008 may I close by saying a huge huge thank you to all of you out there who have supported me through my ill health. Both my hubby & I have been left amazed at the messages of support I have received on my blog, by email & by gorgeous handmade cards.... It even continued through to the Christmas cards and may I tell you that these cards all have pride of place in my living room and my visitors have a ball looking at them all in detail.

THANK YOU & HAPPY NEW YEAR WHEN IT ARRIVES.......... speak to you all in 2009.

Happy crafting

Lorraine xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Merry Christmas 1 and all

Apologies

I do apologise for not getting back to you all yesterday with pics of some new cards but it turned into one of those days... had lunch then a visitor arrived, by the time she left late afternoon & I got some housework done I ended up completely shattered lying on the sofa... later last night I had to muster up the energy to do some stamping as I had 6 new Sugar Nellie stamps arrived & I was desperate to try them. Ended up on the sofa with my images & water colours watching tv.

Will try to be a better girl today & something uploaded but in the meantime I hope you are all working away hard & getting organised for crimbo.

Happy crafting

Lorraine xxx

Good Morning

Just popped on to say good morning to everyone & what a glorious day it is here... Yes there is lots of frost lying on the ground but currently we have a gorgeous blue sky scattered with some fluffy white clouds... I'm sure it's freezing outside but currently in my big pink housecoat so that don't matter.

Workshop was fab yesterday again & next week we are going to be working with sketches so that will be really cool for them. I must admit that they have progressed well over the last few weeks & one lady in particular has got almost all of her cards made now which is fantastic for a complete beginner...

Currently I am considering whether or not to phone the hair dresser & see if I can get in for a dry cut today. Never had a dry cut before but have no option this time... can't slouch back in the chair else I stretch my belly too much & can't bend over to have it washed as it pushes on my belly too much... Hell this whole belly op stuff creates a whole load of inconvenience... will let you know later what I decide but hey if it don't happen today it will be very soon as the old mop hasn't been cut since late July early August so I'll leave your imagination to work on that one... Must ensure I look pretty for the festive season you know, special friends coming to visit & let's not forget I must look good for Father Christmas.

Happy crafting & will be back later today with some pics...

Lorraine xxx

2 sketches 4 you

Now what a fabulous we had to work with this week over at 2 sketches 4 you and I did start out with the best intentions of working to the sketch but I ended up altering the layout slightly.. it really does give a completely different look yet all I done was moved the ribbon down so that it all shows instead of it being behind the image... so I really didn't alter much of the layout... even better is the fact that my OH loves this image (makes sense as we have 8 rescue bunnies) so I think I can say that I now have his Christmas card made. So that's 2 made yesterday only another 100 to go...

Images are Joanna Sheen Messy Rabbit
Ribbon from stash

The image has been coloured using brush markers & the little "Wish List" on the left hand side is infact raised using silicone. Sorry my photos are crap at the moment as my camera is heavy & I find it difficult to balance the weight in order to get a good pic.

Ok I'm off again as I've got a workshop to host at 1pm & currently sitting here in PJ's, sipping coffee...

Happy crafting
Lorraine xxx

Our Buddy

This here is the latest addition to our family & he just managed to acquire the name Buddy due to the fact that on the day he arrived my OH kept speaking to him & calling him Buddy... funny how things stick ain't it!

Well this little man arrived 2 weeks past on Sunday. The family he was with originally had loved him then when they became bored they shut him in a shed... thankfully someone went to check on him & found him in a shed approx 3 inches deep with his own dirt, no food & no water... poor wee mite was nothing but skin & bone... the girl who found him decided no way was this poor bunny staying there so she simply lifted him & left taking him to her own home for a week and giving him loads of love. She was unable to keep him herself as she has a ferret so asked if we would oblige by taking him in... well we did have a spare cage & find it oh so hard when someone asks & we don't have anywhere to house them. Well when this wee darling arrived he was still well underweight & done nothing but eat & sleep and that is no exaggeration... he would actually wear out just with eating food...

Now I am glad to report that 2 weeks on from coming to live with his new mummy & daddy, he can tell a much different story. Weight has been gained, we can now stay alert during the day although we do still love to throw ourself onto our side for a long deep nap & then in the evenings he loves nothing more than to come out & have a run around the living room chinning everything in sight...

I really do wish that people would realise the extent of care that these wee animals require, they are not made to sit in a cage all day long with nothing but straw... they require regular exercise to maintain their health & also a well balanced diet & clean environment...

Hope you love Buddy as much as we do.

Lorraine xxx

Penny Black Challenge

Firstly I do apologise about the lighting whilst taking this picture but it is now extremely dark outside & really didn't want to wait till tomorrow.... already 2 days behind.

Well this week over at Penny Black we were challenged to work with a sketch which I do love... I actually like this one so much that I think it will be used for a lot of this years cards as counted them up today & I have over 100 cards to send out & not a single one made yet... think I may have to raid the challenge cards to get me started but this is such a quick & simple layout that I could really batter these cards out in no time at all.... Thanks so much for that.... Image coloured using brush markers... snow using stickles & hats with cotton wool....

Image & sentiment : Penny Black

Papers : DCWV

Ribbon : Stash

Ok must dash now as dinner just about ready to come out of the oven & I'm starving....

Happy Crafting

Lorraine xxx

Tag You're It Challenge

What a fab challenge this week over at Tag You're It... Triangle Tag... this was great fun & simply complemented the style of the Christmas trees...

The tag was put through the cuttlebug then some torn & inked edges on the papers, the green trees are laid flat with the pink mounted on foam pads for depth. The dots have been highlighted with some stickles just to add a shiny snow effect. Also added to the trees...

Papers & trees from Funky Hand (Funky Christmas Time & Funky Little Christmas), both are available as downloads costing only £3.49 each & both sets have fab alpha's & toppers as well as gorgeous backgrounds...

Ribbon from my stash.

Happy crafting

Lorraine xxx

Good Morning Just

Well just a quick note to say good morning to everyone on this yet another fine british morning... if anyone has sunshine please let me know so I know that someone somewhere is not looking out on dark clouds...

Currently sat here in my pj's & fluffy housecoat paying bills & trying to do some online christmas shopping. Due to my operation I have the best part of cancelled christmas this year as I don't have the energy to deal with it all the moment but you do always have those presents that must be bought & now I'm worried that I won't find what I want... Thus for a few hours today my bum is going to be sat here putting stuff in shopping baskets (hopefully the companies will gift wrap too)....

Silly me also lost my challenge list yesterday so alas no cards made at the moment to upload but I have now got my list again so will get something posted later...

Off to shop in my slippers & pj's now, back soon.

Happy crafting

Lorraine xxx

Papertake Weekly

Over at Papertake Weekly where we were given the recipe for our card...

1 Ribbon

2 Rectangles

3 Small round embellishments...

Well here goes with my effort.... very simple & nothing to it...

Papers by Laura Ashley

Ribbon & gems from my stash

Green stalks & flower centres have been highlighted with a Sakura clear glaze pen but unfortunately you can't see it in the pic because of the poor light I have today... Sorry

Happy crafting everyone

Lorraine xxx

2 sketches 4 you

Well there is a surprise that we have been given yet another fab sketch over at 2 sketches 4 you set this week by the very talented Laura... how do these girls manage it week after week?

They have us scratching heads over what fab products to use & looking for the most delicious ribbons etc that we have in our stash... no wonder we love them so much.

My card this week has been kept very plain & altered the layout slightly as it is for a very special lady who sadly lost her mum at the weekend & is now due to celebrate her birthday this weekend... Don't think there will be much celebrating going on... For this reason I wanted something that did not say Happy Birthday or anything but thought that these colours were a little bright without being too in your face to help brighten her day...

Papers, ribbons & alpha by Heidi Grace

"4U" & heart rub on by Doodlebug

Flowers, button & gems from my stash

Doodling is with a white Sakura pen & the flowers on the alpha have been highlighted with a Sakura clear glaze pen...

Sorry about the quality of the pic but I'm not great at keeping the camera steady at the moment & the lack of light is unbelievable at the moment... to get this amount of light I have a main light & a spot light on the card... like so many others awoke this morning thinking the ground would be snow covered as forecast but no, just another dull day to look forward to....

Happy crafting wherever you are.

Lorraine xxx

Good Morning

Well what a lovely morning it is here, beautiful blue sky but.... yes thick with ice and freezing cold.... don't you just love these kinds of days so long as you don't have to leave the house.. at the moment I'm sat in my nightie & huge pink house coat all wrapped around so I'm very warm indeed...

Sorry I haven't got anything posted but yesterday was a very busy day which left me nothing less than exhausted. Had an appointment at the hospital about a shoulder injury I received almost 4 years ago during a hit & run but lo & behold still trying to find out exactly what damage was done... you see it droops, my scapula is now winged and my collar bone protrudes slightly. Well my appointment was at 10am so off I trotted at 9.20am thinking I would be home by 11am at the latest... How dare I think my day would run smoothly... Infact I got home again at 12.25pm at which time I had to ram half a roll down my throat (hadn't eaten all day) and I had a workshop starting at 1pm so everything got thrown in the car & off I set with my travel mug full of coffee...

Fun was had by all at the workshop then I had to pack up & return home as quickly as possible as I didn't fancy being on the roads when the ice came down again... thus by the time I unloaded the car I was worn out...

Whilst at the hospital I had to do all these stretches including touching my hands above my head with my arms straight & had to hold a huge canister filled with water to weight my arm whilst having x-rays done... now normally that would be fine but whilst recovering from surgery and not being able to stretch properly for months and not supposed to hold anything over 2lbs in weight at the moment, I quite simply slumped into the sofa for the rest of the evening...

Alas this morning I have to make 2 sympathy cards, a birthday card & one for a new baby... Sadly an old work colleague of mine has just lost his father & a very very close friend has sadly lost her mum. Both of these people were ill at the time of passing & thankfully they passed pain free so for that we have to be grateful.. My thoughts are very much with those left behind at this time...

Off now to make a start on the day & I will join in a challenge as soon as I have a minute... won't be long I promise...

Happy crafting

Lorraine xxx

Fab 5 @ 2sketches4you

Wow what a start I've gotten to this week... due to my shopping expedition yesterday I didn't manage to log onto my computer and for to open my emails this morning and read your lovely comments was amazing... Yes this is the first I knew.... that I've actually been chosen as one of this weeks Fab 5 over at 2sketches4you....

Well I'm sure you can imagine how I feel and as I'm one of those people who never expects anthing like this to happen, so it just made it all the better for me...

I simply play along with the challenges for the fun of it although I must admit that I love Kazan & Laura to pieces as they are always coming up with such fab sketches for us to work with that if you're every lacking in mojo, it's the first place to start...

Thank you so much Kazan & Laura, you are both extremely talented ladies who give such inspiration to the rest of us... long may it continue.

Happy crafting everyone

Lorraine xxx

St Andrews Day....

Well as you will know yesterday was St Andrews Day here in Scotland so how did you all celebrate???

For me I braved the elements and instead of setting out to complete a card challenge, I had a personal challenge to accomplish instead... and yes I achieved it so I'm over the moon...

Yesterday morning I donned my clothes including hat, scarf & gloves and set out into the freezing misty morning with my sights set on making it to the craft fair in Ingliston... Through the mist I went, then a light fluttering of snow for all of 60 seconds & what did I find at the other end but fabulous blue skies... wow it was like being in a different world instead of only 5 miles from my house...

My main reason for going was to see the lovely and very very talented Wendie Rhodes and Audrey Sibert so had a lovely time with them & a right good chat to catch up with everything that's been going on. Needless to say I was being pampered by them due to my recent operation...

Obviously I had to do a little shopping whilst there though nothing much as I can't carry much weight at the moment so had to be extra careful... Got a tidy tray as I've been telling myself for the last year that I need it but never actually gotten around to it, the lovely funky fonts templates by Wendie & also her sugar plum christmas stamps, some cuttlebug embossing folders, collall photo glue as I'd be lost without it and rubber stamps by Little Claire & Penny Black....

All in all I had a wonderful day & was well chuffed with my accomplishment for the day... just to make sure I stay well, had a lovely long soak in a nice hot salty bath last night... then up & moving on this morning...

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend & a belated Happy St Andrews Day to all you Scots out there...

Happy Crafting

Lorraine xxx