Love and Marriage

Good Morning Everyone 

it is a beautiful day here in Sunny Beith as my mum says 

a good drying day (I have never ever claimed that lol)

Mum is washing obsessed as soon as their is a bit of sun she finds washing.

I have been working on a project for my parents Ruby Wedding Anniversary

because I have been poorly I didnt have the energy to be honest to sit at the craft desk for any length of time, but yesterday I felt pretty ok and wanted to get cracking with it, I will post some preview pics but wont show the full project till tomorrow x 

The base of my canvas the paper is from First Edition called J'Adore

I am not sure if this line is now retired I have hoarded it for a long time

but Im sure a look on amazon or ebay you will find some somewhere x 

I then covered some small wooden hearts with Artiste Acrylic Paint - Dark Red 

just a quick coat, then gave it 2 coats of Sizzling Red Glamour Dust Paint

I then stuck on two Diamantes and then covered the whole thing with glossy accents

The Wooden Words came from The Crafting Insomniac AKA Anita Blake 

they are just beautiful and they fitted this theme perfectly, I painted the words with the same paints only I didnt finish them with glossy accents

I cannot wait to see their face when they receive it, I have kept things very subtle, no 40 on it, so it can be kept up for years to come, no ruby anniversary but the colours obviously say that and I have added 3 lovehearts ( like the one above) a large one signifies me the eldest child and I have 2 diamantes to symbolise my two kids, my sister has a slightly smaller heart being the middle child and has one diamante for her daughter, and lastly my brothers is the one above he has the smallest heart as he is the youngest and has two diamantes for his 2 kids but there are no names just nice accents.

So I will likely need to explain those to them Dad if given time would work it out mum I doubt it lol x 

Today is also the last day of the school holidays (Thank goodness)

So Jayden is almost ready for going back to school, Ian just needs to pick up some underwear and gym shoes from Asda tonight and he is done.

I will be so glad to get him back in to a routine.

Anyway I hope you all have a lovely crafty Day 

Love and Hugs Always Karen x

My Big Girls

4am on a Monday morning and I am awake nowt new there really but over on facebook us scrimpy ladies all seem to be awake so we have decided to have a wee cocktail party ;) haha x 

Today at 9am my wee niece Leah and my great niece Olivia start primary 1 such a bitter sweet moment that the last of that generation is going to school and the first of the next generation is starting school x 

Our Leah - This is my brother Eugene's daughter 

And our Olivia - this is Ian's Niece Sheree's Daughter

(my niece also but on Ians side)

Our beautiful girls x seems like only a few years ago it was our Kim and Kieran Starting Primary 1 

yet they are now 24 & 25 respectively 

Todays agenda I want to try and make a canvas for my parents 40th due to being ill and very lethargic I have been putting it off and was also waiting on some bits arriving which are now here so going to get going with that today I will photograph some of the process and will hopefully video some of it for my youtube channel.

which is linked on the right hand side ;) 

anyway nothing more to say today really except have a good week folk and keep crafting.

Love and Hugs Karen xx 

Quote of the Week

Happy Anniversary

Good morning everyone, Hope you are all well this lovely Sunday morning?

I am absolutely shattered this "flu" has been lingering on for weeks, I am not left with a bunged up nose and sinus area and lethargic so my sleep pattern is just CRAZY.

Today is my parents 40th Wedding Anniversary

Do you see me in the photo? pmsl x

And they are more in love now than ever which is just amazing, and believe it or not (true story)

their worst argument EVER was over a burnt pot of potatoes both of them sitting on a Sunday evening watching antiques road show and the potatoes burnt and they both put the blame on each other, for days I was piggy in the middle "ask your father", "tell your mother" honestly it beggars belief and we do now laugh about it a lot x 

But they have taught me so much about how much work needs to go into a relationship and how much support you need to give each other regardless of what others may think.

I am so proud of them both and how much they have taught us x Wish them all the love in the world.

As for the rest of yesterday I actually done very little I did do a few cards which were good, and filmed a few tutorials, I also received my order from The Crafting Insomniac (Anita Blake)

I got a lovely selection of goodies washi tape, chiffon flowers, charms, wooden words and some satin leaves so pretty and such amazing prices.

I also watched some youtube videos aswell (although I am way behind in a lot of my friends videos)

was trying to get some inspiration for new designs for Christmas Cards, not to copy but to give me so layout ideas, card folds etc. No joy right enough I did also scan Pinterest but think sometimes thats the worst thing to do as their is so much choice it is overwhelming.

Then just before bed last night I saw Cruella has dished out another load of rubbish. I honestly feel sorry for the woman, who would waste so much time on negativity when you have beautiful grandchildren to enjoy time with and in spare time craft rather than keep breeding and spreading negative vibes it is so very sad. I am so pleased my life is not empty to the extreme I need to go to those lengths to fill my time, I can message friends and have a laugh, create some lovely projects or phone family or better still sit with my family and spend time with my kids.

Today I should be going to my parents but with this lurgy hanging over me still, I dont want to pass on any bugs to my dad, he is due to go into hospital in the next few weeks (anything from now - 12wks) for another big spinal operation so I am not going to pass it on to him incase it pushes back his operation.

Dad has had two big spinal ops the first one took out a disk and grafted a nerve on to another nerve (the disk had crumbled and the vertebrae had crushed a nerve in between which died so they grafted it on to another nerve and it worked and gave him a good 12-15yrs before he got trouble again, then in 2010 he got another operation done this time they put a cage around the nerves in the spine as the arthritis in the spine was pinching the nerves and stopping him having feeling in his hands and feet but the operation failed the cage had slipped when he went back for the 6wk post op check the cage wasnt where it should have been but where it was it was safer to leave it and carry on rather than risk a 3rd op where the risks of him never walking again were too high so they consultant told him then that their was an operation that he can do but he would rather wait until dads mobility was so poor that if the worst happened and he couldnt walk again then he had at least bought some time.

About 3 months ago dad spoke to us and told us the time had came and his quality of life is so poor that he is going for the operation, he made an appointment with the surgeon who has put him on the list, we are obviously really worried and pray everything will be okay with him but we know the risks and are prepared for it.

Whatever happens he will fight 100% he has never laid down to anything and I am so proud of him.

Anyway hope you all have a lovely sunday and I will catch you all tomorrow 

Lots of Love and Hugs Always xx

Happy Crafting xx  

Reading and Watching

Happy Saturday Everyone,

For once in my house everyone is up and about before 9am (most unusual)

Ian is off to work, he has a contract with a church to keep their grounds so he has 6hrs down there and then he will pop home and collect Jayden and take him over to my parents in Paisley for Church, then when he has finished his other work he will collect him again, Mum feeds him and stuff so it works out well.

Jordan was out last night drinking with his friends (I dont mind him having a bottle of beer or 2 at home but anything more and he does it elsewhere) so he has came back this morning looking fresh as a daisy so think it must have been a quieter night that he had intended.

I didnt sleep much last night, took an extra sleeping tablet to try and sleep the whole night but that failed and was awake before 4am, so sat and watched the movie Selena (Starring Jennifer Lopez) such a good movie, I love music and movies with music just make me happy, nothing better than screaching (yeah I cant sing) along to the songs. 

Then when that was finished I downloaded a few ebooks Cathy Glass (fantastic writer and have a lot of her novels) Silent Cry, and Girl Alone. And I downloaded Tortured by Victoria Spry (I have read the other 2 novels by Christopher and Aloma) I am sure this is the other child who was terribly abused by Eunice Spry.

I love reading especially when I am laid in bed and just chilling, I am rereading the Harry Potter Novels at the minute after last week reading the screenplay book Harry Potter and the Cursed Child which I will be honest I enjoyed it does take a little bit more thought going into it as you are reading various people but once you get your head round that it is a great book and I enjoyed it.

Todays Agenda includes videoing 2 or 3 if I can new youtube videos for my Monday Card Making series, I have first tutorial ready to go with the preview made and all the 2nd one prepped ready to film, saves so much time that way otherwise I um and ahh about where to place things which doesnt make for interesting viewing lol.

Got the second tutorial kind of made up in my head ready to get done and the 3rd one well that might not happen lol x but I am a few weeks ahead anyway (think I have August covered, so planning for Sept) like to keep just ahead of myself so that I am not behind when I feel under the weather.

Mood wise I am actually feeling not bad, I did make a start on my craftroom yesterday but gave up, I am actually looking forward to Ian finishing for the holidays so I can get some work done in here, it is crying out for shelving so I can work more efficiently, We had planned a move of house but after talking and considering things we have decided to wait a few years and let Jayden finish primary school where he is, and then look for something nearer the coastline doing this seems more sensible as my eldest has already mentioned he is hoping to be out the house again in the next few years so this way we can find a house suitable for us long term as I HATE moving it is so stressful.

Anyhoo I think thats enough babbling for this time in the morning but I hope you all have an amazing weekend.

Lots of Love and Hugs Always 

Happy Crafting xx

Cards and Stampin Up

Good Morning

Beith is rather dull and murky this morning, our summer must have been and gone while I slept one night lol x Sad that the kids havent had much good weather for their holidays, not that it has stopped Jayden, He counts down the time in the mornings till I allow him out to play, most of the kids up here are late sleepers and I hate kids chapping my door early mornings so he isnt allowed out till 11am and then he is GONE, he is 10yrs old and very good at crossing roads etc, that said our wee town isnt that busy the main roads are not near us as such so he is pretty safe.

He pops home when hungry and right back out the door again, he is most definitely going to work outside, you cant keep him in. Playing football, riding his bike, going to the local community project (they do a lot of activities for the kids learning them about the environment and planting food, keeping chickens how to recycle etc he really enjoys spending time round there) and they ALL know him he is a right little chatterbox.

I still have man flu floating about me (3wks past now) it is only my sinus and nose that are blocked now although I am sleeping more than I usually do, but in small doses 2hrs at a time.

In between that I have been crafting mainly cardmaking of late tbh, yesterday I made 2

This one is pretty basic stamped background using a large snowflake stamp and then

a woodware word stamp on a white cardstock which I coloured with promarkers and added some crystal glitter glue on the O (snowflake) and then added it to the card using silicon glue.

I really love this one, I will be adding a personalized sentiment using the same glittered cardstock

and it will look smashing, so simplistic but elegant and Christmassy x 

I am also waiting on a stamping up order coming from my friend Amanda (Scrimpingmommy)

I have ordered the scoreboard (get so stressed out with small score lines (1/4" and 1/8" etc) as my hougie only does 1cm spaces on one side and 1/2" spaces on the other side so needed something more detailed, I also ordered the metric plate for it to make it easier all round lol x

also in my order I order 2 stamp sets Butterfly basics (which anyone who knows me will tell you I adore butterflies for a very special reason) and Teeny Tiny Sentiments which is something that never goes wrong.

Todays Agenda follows as such, reply to youtube comments (done) do blog (done) Check emails 

Give Ian a shout for work, then go for a shower and wash my wig as it is badly needing done due to my medication I sweat a lot and my hair being long it gets yukky also my hair falls out a lot due to stress so it is easier to wash it and comb it out in the shower than have handfuls falling out on me throughout the day.

Then I will likely catch up on some youtube videos and maybe if I have the energy tidy my craftroom floor (zero space and too much stuff) so lots end up piled beside me to reach easily so need to get that sorted and if I can persuade Jordan to pull out my pc/craft table and go in the cupboard behind it and pull out my Christmas stuff (stamps, toppers, embellishments and older papers etc) that I store away yearly. but didnt pull it out last year due to the hassle of moving everything lol x but need it out to try using it again. 

Anyway until tomorrow folks have a crafty day x 

Love and Hugs Always Karen 

New Blog a Quick HELLO and Intro

Good Morning Everyone

I have decided to open a new blog to share my day to day life with you all.

It will have a variety of topics ranging from my kids & fur baby and my O/H who has been my rock and best friend for the past 20yrs.

Also included in my blog will be my extended family, siblings, parents and weans (children in Scottish) galore. 

Some of my daily health issues physical aswell as mental, and lastly my passion in life which is crafting or any description. 

So a little about me then, 

I am a 39yr old woman who lives in Scotland with my family.

I was born and bred in Paisley, My parents and Irish/Scottish heritage,

My Dad's family originate from Carndonagh in County Donegal in Ireland, where we tend to spend all our holidays now as it is the most tranquil place in the world.

I have 2 siblings Laura is 4yrs younger than me and Eugene is 8yrs younger than me, I get on well with them both now although in our younger years myself and my sister would have given Tyson and Holyfield a run for their money. I also have my soul sister Nicky who has been my best mate for 38yrs almost and her and her 2 girls are family without question.

my Other Half Ian and I have been together since 25th December 1996 and he is my everything, we have 2 sons Jordan is 17 and Jayden-Jack is 10 and we have our furbaby Max who is a 5yr old Jack Russell Terrier who is my companion and is VERY protective of me.

Ian comes from a family of 4 he has 2 older brothers and a younger sister so between us both we have a lot of nieces and nephews and have 2 more great nephews on the way (1 in October, 1 in December) 

Both my dad and Ians mum came from large family's my dad is one of fifteen and Ians mum is one of eleven so LOTS of aunts and uncles and cousins.

I have a few health issues my main one is I have agoraphobia so dont get out and about much and when I do it is a military operation to make sure that I feel safe and dont panic. I have depression and social anxiety as well as a few physical ailments, arthritis, diabetes, migraines and a dodgy hip that gives way when it feels like it, usually when I least expect it and fall in a heap x 

But my big passion in life is crafting it really helps to get through the day and not lose days to depression, before I found crafting, I could spend 3/4 days easily doing zilch, nada nothing to show that I was even alive on those days but now I make it a purpose no matter how low I feel or how sore/tired I create one thing can be a card, an ATC (artist trading card, basically a credit card size postcard) a lace flower, anything that I can to say I won that day not depression, it may not seem much but to someone who feels that low it is a massive achievement to have something tangible to show for that day.

Anyway keep posted for my next blog 

Speak Soon Lots of love and hugs always Karen x