Thoughtful Thursday

Well I had the best sleep last night I have had in ages, honestly I went to bed very early about 7pm and woke up about 1am got a drink and a sandwich (I had gone to bed with no dinner again)

then went back to bed about 2am and slept will the alarm went off at 7am so I got around 11hrs sleep which is unheard of for me absolutely unheard of I do sleep a lot but it is for short bursts 2hrs sometimes 3hrs at a time and then I am awake for 2/3hrs x 

So although I am sore this morning I am going to try and limit my movements so I can stay awake and not take my painkillers until lunchtime and then hopefully 2/3hrs nap and then awake till bedtime thats the hope anyway.

Yesterday I didnt nap at all so I did a little bit of crafting, I made a card and a bag for my little great nephew Freddie, I bought him a few wee outfits that were so cute, Denim dungarees (my favorite on wee boys I just love them) and a wee blue and white striped top and then 2 bedsets one says my daddy is my hero and the other says my mummy is the best x so made a wee bag using 12x12 papers and a base then chopped the `12x12 down to the height I needed I then just added ribbon to close it and a wee ribbon round the base to just pretty it up a little. The card was really basic I actually turned my room upside down yesterday (no kidding) looking for a hunkydory baby boy card set I bought a while ago (also bought a girls one) and I cant find either of them anywhere in this guddle of a craftroom, I would love to declutter but honestly I use almost everything in this room I have loads of things but I do use it all as I jump from one craft to the next in the drop of a hat. So to bin anything or sell it on, I know within a few weeks I would need to rebuy it. GRRRR

Going to get Ian to pop out to Barrhead today and pick up another 2 sets of drawers for my craftroom and try to get rid of the bulky plastic boxes I used to use when I used my shelving they worked fine but realistically they are too heavy for me to be lugging across the room back and forth when I need them, I have been looking out for a filing cabinet second hand of course to store my papers in (not my paper pads) just my a4 & smaller and my scraps in colour schemes to make them much more easily accessible as just now I have 2 boxes of scraps and they are just sitting there cause to root through them for what I need just annoys me.  I am the most annoying person in the world for being so messy and cluttered I do like things to be put away in a set fashion.

Yesterday I also made my niece Leah her Birthday cards 

I made ours to look like a tag and have told Carol and Eugene that they can cut off the back and let her use it as a bookmark when she is taking down her cards,

The one from the boys is just leah to a tee, such a princess but playful x 

I stamped and coloured this using promarkers and then added some crystal stickles x the paper on the mat layer is from the funfair line the colours just worked perfectly for a fun girly card x 

This one was coloured using promarkers and sakura gel pens x 

This morning Amanda has launched a new feature on Scrimpys

a monthly golden ticket you buy your ticket (or 10 lol) and then at the end of the month the whole amount bought 50 or 100 will be the prize for the winner Amanda is making no profit in this whatsoever the winner gets the full amount made that month.

It is superb you will get store credit to that value to spend on items or for kits such a great idea x 

So the link is here to buy your ticket for this month x

And Amanda also is starting the pot each month at £10 :) so go buy quick ;) x

Hope you all have a great day and today could everyone just take 5 mins and send a friend or two a quick message to say Hi and that you are thinking of them x sometimes in life we are so wrapped up in our own wee worlds we forget to say hi to other people we care about x 

Lots of Love and Hugs Always Karen xx

New Great Nephew & Happy Birthday to my niece Leah who is 5 today

Freddie Born 20th Sept 2016 

weighed 6lb 5oz

Ians Sister Heather with Freddie and Big Sister Olivia

The Handsome Lad

Sheree and Gary with their gorgeous Boy

Happy Family

Sheree was just in school when I met Ian and now look at her she is a brilliant working mum of 2 amazing kids and has a fab partner in Gary who is just delighted with their son.

She really was born to be a mother. 

Our Leah on her first day at school in August,

She is such a wee cutie and the cheek just looks out her, but honestly she is just adorable.

So need to make her some cards today and get Uncle Ian to drive through tonight with them for her when he gets home.

My dads birthday card from me and Ian,

Dad although his parents are irish and his older siblings, my dad was born and bred in Scotland and does love his country (but loves Ireland almost the same)

So I saw a card similar to this on Pinterest Here

and used that as inspiration.

I took a piece of scrap tartan paper and scored small lines to make pleats on either side I scored ten

then the middle section then looked too flat so to build it up I cut a piece of the paper to fit in that area and popped it up on foam pads to give it some dimension and more substance. 

The top I simply used black satin ribbon 10mm and glued it on the back that also helped pinch the pleats in at the top, I then took some chain and cut two equal lengths and punched out the sporran shape from the stampin up fox builder punch (the body upside down) 

added small holes on the side using a pokey tool and then used jump rings to add the chain to the sporran and tucked them under the ribbon and glued them in.

The buckle for the belt is simply the number 0 on its side and I die cut them from the new dovecraft basic die range which I love. Also die cut his age and coloured them with Silver sharpie marker.

The happy birthday is an old "inca stamp" from a job lot I bought when I first started papercrafting properly 6yrs ago, it is actually on two layers but I cut them into 2 strips and placed them side by side I stamped them with versamark embossing pad and then used silver powder to match the numbers.

My Dad absolutely loved it and couldnt believe I made the embellishment from hand but to be honest it wasnt difficult at all x  

The kids card to my dad was super simple I adore this paper in botanical notes by First Edition and dad loves wildlife something both my boys have shown an interest in over the years so this card was just idea to keep the paper as it was already stunning, The layer behind it is a wood effect from wild at heart first edition paper pad and I used the same paper for the name and die cut it using a marianne die and used the decorative labels punch from stampin up I cut out both papers used and the wood effect on I cut up the middle and used it almost as a border around my label to make it stand out a little.

Otherwise my crafting has been pretty minimal as I am actually in so much pain and not really being able to sit on my PC for very long at all with out being in too much pain to bear. I am defo going to the doctors hopefully I can get an appointment for Friday morning or Monday at the latest because honestly I am barely able to stay awake for 2/3 hrs then I am absolutely shattered. I am checking in on my mobile trying to keep inspired and upto date on youtube and facebook etc, and when I am up I am making what needs made, like Dad's cards and Leahs cards today (no idea yet what Im making tho) then I head back to bed and read my ereader and dose in and out basically the rest of the day, I went to my dads last night to give him his cards and honestly I felt hellish, but he is my dad and I hated not getting over on his birthday but the thought of 3 under 11's racing around mums livingroom along with mums dog just was too much for me to contend with lol x so I dragged myself over last night and done my daughterly duties.

Anyway will post tomorrow the results of my nieces cards (Our birthdays are all like buses none for ages then they all come and get you at once)

2nd May - Ians

8th May - Olivia (my great Niece)

10th May - Jayden's

25th May - My nephew Jack

28th June - my niece sheree

2nd July - my brother

5th July - Ians sister

9th July - Ians Brother

20th Sept - Freddie (My great nephew)

25th Sept - my gran

26th Sept - My Dad

28th Sept - Leah

9th Dec - My niece Kim

17th Dec - Jordan

31st Dec - My sister and my cousin

9th Jan - me

14th Jan - my cousin

The rest are dotted around the calendar but gosh these wee bursts leave you skint lol x 

Anyway until tomorrow Happy Crafting people xx 

MIA & Birthday's

This past week has been a pretty rough one, needing my full quota of pain relief to just get through the day sadly the downside of that is that I tend to sleep almost around the clock.

But I have got up early today as Jayden has school and I need to make my dad a birthday card he is 69 today and he just amazes me honestly absolutely amazes me, the amount of pain and discomfort he suffers day to day is unreal yet he still plods on with a happy face and a smile and hug for us all.

He truly is our hero.

A wee bit of history about my dad I suppose, my nana and papa were living in Carndonagh in Donegal Ireland when Dad was conceived but due to having 8 children already and a 9th on the way

they headed for scotland leaving the oldest 6 Children with family in Carndonagh they set of with the twins for Paisley, Scotland to find work and set up a new home.

They found that home in Barclay Street in Paisley and in time the older kids came home too.

They ended up a family of 15, 9 girls and 6 boys.

Dad worked in the shipyards and in chrystlers cars then started working for Pirie's of Paisley

and after a few years he worked for a Sister company Tarmastics and half his family joined too, Uncle Tommy, Uncle Michael, Uncle Tam, Uncle Morris and I think there was a few nephews at some points too, sadly the company went under and Dad went back to Pirie's and enjoyed the job working with friends he had known for years who I still to this day call uncles crazy but true.

Dad and Mum are just perfect for each other and make it look so easy, the biggest argument they have ever had was over a pot of burnt potatoes yep again sad but true, both watching antiques roadshow and no-one watching the potatoes led to a stand of for a few days "ask your father?, Tell your Mother" you get the idea but seriously though in 40yrs thats the biggest one thats helluva good going.

Family is dads heart and soul, us weans and the grandweans and all the weans from around and nieces and nephews they all mean the world to him and he really does put them first every single time.

I actually dont think Dad has a bad bone in his body, he has views on certain things that may be a little dated but he in general keeps them under his hat and gives everyone the same warm welcome.

if I had the choice of which person I would want as a dad I would pick him every single time.

Thank you dad for all you do we all love you heaps.

Happy Birthday Dad.

Dad with his parents Dad is front far right (nearest his dad)

Dad with his brothers Tommy and Michael

Dad and mum, Jordan Wee mary and Mirin

Dad and his siblings with his mum (Dad's back row with the grey waistcoat on)

Our wee family (Minus Leah as she was still to arrive) and Ians Brother standing in as Laura's plus 1

Gran, Dad Laura and Me

Gran and Dad

Dad and Mum with Jordan

Dad and his big brother Jackie and Mum

their wedding day

Jacqueline, Nana, dad, mum, Gran and Uncle Tommy

Me & Dad

Me & Dad

Me & Dad

Mum and Dad

Mum & Dad with me

Mum & Dad

Mum & Dad

Eugene, Laura, Dad, Ian and Me

Scott, Elizabeth and Aunty Bibby

mum and dad with Jayden

Mum, Scott and Dad

The grandweans and Carol with Dad on Jayden's 1st Birthday

and yesterday was my wee grans birthday too (mums mum) miss her loads every day but I know she is around us all x 

So happy Heavenly Birthday Gran

My Gran

Me and Gran

Me & Gran

Will post some crafting bits and bobs tomorrow but for today Happy Birthday to 2 of the best people I have ever known x 

Stampin Up

I cannot believe how addictive stampin up products can be, I started out thinking oh they are just over priced stamp sets!!! now..... oh my gosh, I cannot imagine having had stamped without them.

I have bought a fair few over the past few weeks and also have earmarked some more in the catalogue that I NEED not want haha.

But today I got my 2nd delivery this week of stuff, 2 halloween papers from the clearance rack. The line was called Happy Haunting and it is really cute.

I also got 3 stamp sets

Cookie Cutters Halloween Clear Stamp Set

Oh What Fun Photopolymer Stamp Set 

Foxy Friends Photopolymer Stamp Set and Foxy Builder Punch

and just look at all these cute critters you can make from this set

So tonight I am going to try and sit for a few hours and play with these wee sets and see what I can come up with I have seen LOADS of ideas on pinterest for this wee set and all it can do and im excited. x 

Otherwise today I made another card for my monday card making series and it is so cute.

these are just perfect for young childrens school friends and they dont take a lot of supplies or time.

the paper used for this card is from the candycane lane papers they are from the christmas catalogue 2016 available until 2nd January. - this card will be live on my youtube channel on the 10th October 2016 (I have scheduled a few weeks in advance) 

Things on the home front are quiet which is a welcome relief.

Jayden has come home from school with a clarinet, anyone have earplugs??? lol but if he enjoys it then so be it we will just need to grin and bare it.

Jordan spoke to his support worker today and she is coming out to see him next week and has said she will get him on a training course earning £55 a week, it isnt a lot of money but... it will give him something to do and stop him from following the path he was on hopefully and it might just go in his favour when the case goes to court knowing that he has been really trying they might suggest a suspended sentence.  But time will tell.

Anyway I am off to play with my new goodies 

Happy Crafting everyone, 

Love and Hugs Karen 

Chilled out Sunday

Afternoon to you all I think my little body is finally trying to recover from last weeks drama as my body is shattered, I slept from 11pm last night till 2.30am and then got up to deal with something on facebook after I got a private message, on groups I admin on so I done that and stayed up till 8am and then went back to bed as my head was bursting.

And I have been in bed until now 5pm almost.

But I am up now and going to do some watercolour projects tonight.

I have been following someone on youtube for a little while now and his youtube channel is The Spin Doctor he is a fantastic artists who has recently started a series on beginners watercolours, I had actually mentioned to Lindsay AKA The Frugal Crafter a few weeks back about doing this type of series to start with very very basic painting and techniques and work through similar to the style Cinnamon Cooney is doing with her Acrylic Painting classes.

and then I saw the Spin Doctor had posted one and I honestly had the angels above my head singing hallelujah. It was EXACTLY what I was looking for and he teaches them so well, no fancy arty farty talk just genuine grounded wording that we can all understand.

He posted episode 2 last night which I watched and am going to work on tonight.

it is brush exercises and a very basic painting.

He does also have a website where he has invaluable downloads for you making your own colour wheel, and gives instructions on how to do that. 

http://www.the-spin-doctor.co.uk

I would 100% advise anyone starting on this wonderful new adventure to check out his website and his channel for details and follow his suggestions.

I intend to get a bit to eat, a small glass of juice and then stick on some music (my only difference from the spin doctor is I am not a classical music person, I do like light classical vanessa mae etc) so for me it will be some soft easy listening michael buble, phil collins, elton john, pink, celine dion, alanis morrisette a variety of easy listening songs/ballads that arent too tiring to listen to or too big that you want to lose yourself and sing along with them x 

I will add on my blog tomorrow what my outcome of episode 2 looks like x 

wish me luck -
Changed my mind and decided to post on here x I am not happy with the clouds and sky they definitely need much more practice and I will be trying this again tomorrow and they day after until I get the result I want but just want to share the episodes lesson that I have done so you can all see and hopefully give you some encouragement that even Leonardo Da Vinci had to start somewhere x

Exercises part 1

Exercises part 2

colour Mixes used 

Top is Intense Blue/Phalo Blue & Ultramarine

Alizarin Crimson with a tiny spot of the grey mix beside it

Ultramarine with a small amount of Burnt Sienna to give a blue grey colour

and finally Alizarin Crimson with a small amount of Ultramarine

My outcome the sea I really like I can see the dark and light shades to give you the feeling of movement, the sky colour I like but the clouds and the alizarin crimson sunset colour isnt right but it is something to work on and as a first composition of sort I am ok with it, lots of flaws but all workable with to improve

Lots of Love and Hugs Karen xx 

Happy Saturday

Wow a week has gone already and I feel like it has been a lifetime since last saturday night when the start of our bad week started.

But I am so glad it is all over. 

Yesterday I got so frustrated with my craftroom I have so much stuff and nowhere to put it all x so I have had to do a massive clean up, Ian took me to poundstretchers to buy 2 new sets of drawers (they are huge drawers and they also stack, so I can put 2 up on top of each other to give me 8 drawers high and still have some storage room for boxes on top.)

The drawers are wide enough to hold 12x12 paper pads. which are brilliant for keeping everything organised. I just love it

I also use my drawers to store my laces and trims I store them on 6"x3" chipboard and store them like soldiers standing up length ways. 

and can fit in 4 rows which is tons of room for trims and easy to flip through and see what you want.

So I came home and got busy trying to organise (gosh wish I hadnt started lol)

But I had a happy mail delivery (an order from Amanda) my subscription box for Sept (beautiful) if you want to order on for yourself I will leave the link HERE 

I also had a fab stampin up haul and 2 little glass jars and 2 little fairys (so cute) going to make a small captured fairy for my neighbour :) x 

But my stampin up haul was a huge order and I am delighted I got 

Stampin’ Scrub – 126200 - £15.50 Stampin’ Mist – 102394 - £4.00 Embossing Buddy – 103083 - £5.50 Clear Tiny Treat Boxes – 141699 - £6.75 Metal rimmed pearls – 138394 - £4.50 Paper Piercing Tool – 126189 - £3.75 1 -1/2” circle Punch – 138299 - £14.50 Cookie Cutter Christmas Photopolymer Bundle – 143493 - £31.50 Merry Mice Clear mount stamp set – 142145 - £15.00 Candy Cane lane designer paper - 141981 - £10.00

because I hosted the online party and got some orders and my own big order I got 2 stamp sets free as a hostess bonus and they are absolutely BEAUTIFUL

Love you Lots Photopolymer Stamp Set - 141801 - £8.00

Gift of Love Photopolymer Stamp Set - 141796 - £9.00

also ordered since then and waiting on the being delivered.

Cookie Cutter Halloween Clear-Mount Stamp Set - 142255 - Price: £15.00 Foxy Friends Stamps Set + Fox Builder Punch - 142326 - Price £36.00 Oh what Fun - 140386 - £19.00

and some halloween papers that were on clearance.

so last night when I had enough of the tidying and I decided to have a play and the cookie cutter christmas is so so cute I love it x here is some of the items I done yesterday x

From the Love you Lots Set,

From the Love you Lots Set,

Cookie Cutter Christmas Set

Cookie Cutter Christmas Set

Cookie Cutter Christmas Set

So cute I love them all so hard to choose my favorite but I will be making some projects using them on my youtube channel to see my haul please pop over and watch the videos as I show them in much more detail.

Jayden had a sleepover birthday party last night in my neighbours (2 doors down) her little boy Sean is 10 and Jayden and him are the only boys in the street among a ton of girls all around the same age,

Skye, Kasey, Kiera, Mirin, Megan, Holly and the boys, Reggie is just started school, Joey and Brian are toddlers so they only really have each other. so they are either in here together or in Lynn's together so I know he would have been fine and if not he was only next door and could come home easily.

Jordan had a quiet evening too, went round to his friends and watched a bit of TV then came home about 10.30pm and watched the chelsea match he had sky+ earlier in the night.

it is so good having him home.

Ian is going to pick me up another 2 sets of drawers next week as they are so much neater and tidier than boxes and shelfing as they just look messy at least in the drawers they look tidy and out the way and I can still easily access everything I need.

I do need to find a new storage solution for my cling and clear stamps, right now they are in lever folders but they are so messy I have them in a4 pockets on laminated paper so they stick to it and are easy to see what I have and I love it but they are so bulky, I think I am going to look on ebay for DVD cases and see if I can pick up some there so add them by theme and then I can store them on shelf and have easy access. I love the way Stampin up have their sets it is ideal and so much less mess.

So I think I am going to give that a shot.

Anyway thats about it for today.

Happy Crafting and Lots of Love and Hugs Karen xx