Busy Bee

Been working on a few projects and been making so many projects over the last few days it has been great.

Firstly let me share my gorgeous heart shaped box that I mentioned in my last blog.

The box was from Scrimpys Subscritpion Box Kit from August stunning absolutely stunning.

I used Floral Muse paper collection to cover the box all the trims and laces came from Scrimpy's lace Closet the flowers are from Samaflora and Jo's Crafty Pad I just love the mixture of them all together the colours all work perfectly together I absolutely love it.

The base I covered using white felt, and pearl flatbacks for feet. 

I also have been working on a loaded envelope,

The tutorials I found online I didnt really get them so I worked on it myself and made my own from scratch, I love the measurements but wanted more space for goodies so I decided to make a second one with wider gussets and more give on both sides.

I will post the tutorial tomorrow with photos to cover the tutorial x

but here is the one I made today x

I adore it x again it is using the floral muse paper collection.

Enjoy your day and happy crafting.

Lots of Love and Hugs Karen xx

Quiet Weekend

This weekend I have been very quiet and just resting lots as I have been on a wee down spell but not letting get hold so trying to keep my head up and keep plodding on.

Anyway I have applied for a few design teams this past few days some for papercrafting and some for embellishments I do of course Design for Scrimpys Lace Closet and that wont change (anytime soon I hope) but need more challenges to keep my active and keep my creative.

So I hope that one of them at least see my work being similar to waht they are looking for for their store.

The last few days I have created a few altered Boxes, One was a round Papermania Bare Basic's box I just LOVE the quality of these boxes and the sturdiness of them they are absolutely worth the money you pay for them the second was a heart shaped box with a split lid, I took a long time decorating that one as I didnt really know what I was doing with it but I am really happy with the outcome just need to add the embellishments to it and I am done x 

This is my papermania box, (the heart box I will show later in the week once it is properly finished)

I have used the candycane lane papers from SU and used trims and laces and the bling and the floral all from Scrimpys Lace Closet

I absolutely love it I did video it but to be honest it is SO LONGGGG and boring as I just take so long in deciding what I want on my box as decoration and this one took me even longer than normal as red is not a colour I stock much of, and ideally I would have preferred something different to the red ribbon around the top but my supplies in the colour scheme were limited.

The bling chain I used e6000 to attach it so that it wont be coming loose anytime soon.

Anyway x I hope you all have a lovely crafty day, I have the pleasure of my youngest sons company this week as it is the october week holiday in our area (so much fun NOT) but I am sure I will manage to craft in between the wee one and his friends running in and out all day x 

Lots of crafty hugs Karen xxx

Christmas is getting in closer each day

The last day or so I have been working on lots of Christmas Card for the Christmas season,

I love the giving at christmas not the expense but the actual gesture of sharing something you have spent time on it really does make me smile inside.

So thats what I have been doing and I love it.

heres a few I made yesterday and today

Made using a technique by Chari Moss

Small shaker card since I had my sequins out x

I had embossed this stamped butterfly last week and it has been sat on my table doing nothing and by pure chance it fell on a scrap of this paper and I though "oh they look so nice together" so then the card was born haha x amazing how random things lead you.

This one is close to my heart it is from the paisley and posies paper line from Stampin Up

(I have ordered the stamps and dies) but I was born and bred in Paisley and only left in 2008 but am back through when I visit my parents.

so the Paisley pattern is close to me cause my mum and gran both worked in the mills of paisley where these patterns were made and literally took off from and in the paisley museum they still have original shawls that were made using the paisley pattern and one of the girls I went to school with her ancestors were part of the original weavers. it is an amazing story

https://www.flickr.com/photos/paisleyorguk/sets/72157630059582129/

some of our Paisley heritage in the museum in Paisley

and for the history buffs their is more information on the Paisley website on the patterns history

http://www.paisley.org.uk/paisley-history/paisley-pattern/

This was using a technique by Kristina Werner 

it uses mirrored stamping to get the above effect and it worked brilliantly I adore it.

This was again thanks to Chari Moss

and another shaker :)

"real" life thankfully has been quiet and very peaceful which I must say is a very welcome friend ;) long overdue.

I have been watching a bit of TV recently on Sky Go while making my cards

Masterchef Australia (I love the process they have much better than the UK one and the judges are much nicer)

also Ross Kemp Extreme Worlds, I have been following his documentary history from WAYYYY back and Ian bought me the book on his first series Ross Kemp on Gangs and since then I was hooked I love his style and how he can sit and be so non judgemental is absolutely beyond me, I remember watching one last year on the diepsloot in South Africa and on the rape epidemic over there and my god he spoke to a number of folk who admitted they had raped and I swear to god how he could contain himself was just I just dont know if I could control myself not to react to their replies just absolutely vile monsters.

But they plus side is with being so non judgemental and being so open to hearing their stories we are hearing from the darkest sides what is really going on and not just what we are being fed by the media. it really does open your eyes.

I remember watching on based in East Africa where the witch doctors are still firmly believed to be healers and that hitmen went out hunting for albinos and literally would chop of their limbs, and when an albino was buried they had to lay concrete over the coffin to stop robbers coming and taking the deceases body away to sell, it is so bad that albinos were actually seeking sanctuary in leprosy clinics to stay safe. just beggars belief that in these modern times acts like this still occur.

Anyway enough of my rabbiting on and boring you all with my crazy media interests.

Hope you all have a craft day x 

Love and Hugs Karen xx

Sparkles and Glitter

Thats my theme today, I am not a fan of dry glitter, I dont really like the fact it goes EVERYWHERE but, I decided today to pull out my glitter as I had an idea for a card and wanted the elements to be super glittery, so I used my hunkydory Diamond Sparkles Fairie Kisses its clear iridescent with a purple hue to it so pretty.

So while I am covered in glitter anyway I am going to do a few more sparkly cards today ;)

Yesterday my neighbours 4 tyres got slashed awful so Ian wired up one of our other CCTV Cameras to cover the front where her car is (since we got the new car he had been meaning to put up the 2nd one anyway to cover out own) so now the camera covers her car and our front entrance so it is all good and hope they come back to try again cause this time they will be caught red handed. 

I have been making a lot of cards recently and envelopes to match if they are not regular card sizes.

It just makes them look much prettier.

Also yesterday I launched my 2016 Santa Letters

I have done them every year for gosh 8-9yrs and I still get a huge smile when mums and dads tell me the excitement the wee ones get opening them I just love it x 

I type them all individually I do have 9 samples that I use as a base but I then type up all the personal information and edit it so no two are the same.

I honestly get a real joy doing it and for me now Jayden is past believing in Santa it keeps the Christmas Magic in our house going that little bit longer. 

Also my Dad has bought a car, Dad hasnt had his own car since before I was born, he worked on the roads (tar and asphalt) so he always had the transit van which had seats in the back for the crew so he never needed a car really. But recently with his mobility really playing up he needs it more than ever so he is now a proud owner of a Honda HR-V 4WD and it only had 28,000 on it even though it is almost 15yrs old, the last owner is my dads neighbour who is 88 and has now decided he cant drive anymore so it is a beautiful car and in pristine condition so I am going over tonight to tax and insure it for him, because he hasnt owned or driven a car regularly for a long time his insurance is a tad high but I am sure in a few years that will drop dramatically.

It is fantastic and I am so pleased he has decided to get the car as he will have so much more freedom (both him and mum) can jump in the car and go for a wee drive whenever they wish rather than him wasting away in the house all the time.  

Anyway keeping it short today as not much has been going on, but will add in some cards I have made over the last day or 2 x 

Golden Spinner Card

Fun Santa Spinner Card

A lovely layered Card using a cutting technique and using a mat layer to bridge both sides 

This Mornings GLITTERFEST haha 

and the result (the glue still needs to dry on the trees so it will be less white.

And just before I go my aunt posted this photo on Facebook the other day and it is a huge blast from the past, it is my cousin Donna-Marie's Birthday(She is front with the red with the red ribbon bow)

I am back with the Black version of it with my hair in a side pony tail. 

I just am stunner how like me my niece Leah is, she pulls that face all the time just now lol x 

gosh to go back to then and have a redo would be brilliant so many happy memories.

anyway hope you all have a lovely day x Speak Soon

Love Karen xx

Awareness

Breast Cancer is something that when caught early enough the survival rate is very promising and has a high success in treating and going into remission but it is SO IMPORTANT to know what to look for so here is some bullet points.

• swelling of all or part of the breast
• skin irritation or dimpling
• breast pain
• nipple pain or the nipple turning inward
• redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
• a nipple discharge other than breast milk
• a lump in the underarm area

These changes also can be signs of less serious conditions that are not cancerous, such as an infection or a cyst. It’s important to get any breast changes checked out promptly by a doctor.

So please if you have any and I mean any concerns see your GP right away 10 mins of his/her time could save your life.

Also it is Pregnancy, Infant and Child Loss Awareness month and again sadly this is another subject extremely close to my heart.

My nephew Jamieson was born on 23rd May 2012 at just 27wks gestation and weighted just 2lbs 7.5oz but he was doing superb and these photos show Jamieson from Day 1 in the first photo to Day 3 the night before he passed away.

You can see he was breathing unaided and had less wires and tubes etc, the sad fact was that on the Saturday they decided to change his feeding line from his umbilical line to a picc line as their is higher infection risks the longer the umbilical line stays in place.

Sunday Morning they sent for Kelly and said that Jamieson was poorly, what we didnt know then was that the picc line they had placed in the day before was just too long and instead of just being threaded near heart (it goes in to a certain vein but dont want to get to technical) it actually pierced his heart and flooded it so it had no room to beat anymore, the technical name for what he actually died from is known as Neonatal Cardiac Tamponade.

The frustrating thing for us as a family is that in our mind Jamieson was only going to need the feeding line for another day or two as he was starting to feed from Kelly (well she expressed so they could see exactly what he was taking) but he was feeding.

so realistically we feel that the picc line wasnt needed at all.

But then we are not medically trained we just know what we see, I have read shortys medical notes and there is a few errors in his care, that I feel contributed to him not being here today and the hospital have now changed the policy on the picc line placement and have said it wont be that length any longer. So at least no more babies in that hospital will pass from the same as Jamieson but.. what we would have liked is for that policy to be rolled out globally and help prevent other parents suffering the way Kelly & Jim and the extended family have.

I also lost the same year in December my nephew Shaun,

he was born asleep on 8th December 2012 

So hard to see someone so young like Kim (my niece) having to make decisions about burying her son, it just is not right. my heart ached to take the pain away from her and let her be the mum she was born to be, Sadly 5yrs on almost and Kim despite trying for another baby hasnt managed and the nhs are making her jump through hoops of fire before the even entertain helping her.

it honestly beggars belief, throughout her pregnancy with Shaun she was trying so hard and had cut out cigarettes as much as she could manage each day didnt drink, ate well was exercising and doing everything they recommended yet they still question her lifestyle before helping her to have a family, they want her to give up smoking, she said fine and would go on the ecig and try cut it down to a minimal amount before giving it up and that wasnt good enough before the sign her up for help she needs to be nicotine free!!! I understand I really do but when you see junkies and alcoholics having kids and not giving a monkey about them and leaving them anyone and everyone while they go and get smashed is just GRRR it pisses me off so much.

I just hope and pray that Shaun will help his mummy and daddy and send them an earth angel to love.

I also have friends and other family members who have lost babies/miscarried and it is devastating no matter what stage so please know that despite these babys not being here on earth they are still very much loved and part of the family and remembered every single day x 

Craft wise yesterday wasnt a productive day (sadly neither will today I am rather sore)

but I got a new stamps and dies (and punch) from Stampin Up

I got Peaceful Pines photopolymer Stamp set and Perfect Pines Framelit dies set

so had a wee play last night nothing wonderful but I do like the effects 

They are really pretty 

and I have also got my paper swap papers yesterday

Amanda basically had £20 from everyone who wanted to take part, she bought paper with all the money and then chopped it down to 6x6 and split it among all us who took part and they are just beautiful sadly they will be hoarded for a while as they are just to pretty ;) x 

I then placed another order last night for my last biggish haul before the xmas reigns need tightening in (sadly) but I ordered

Fast Fuse 129026 - £9.00 Fast Fuse Refil 129027 - free promo Neutrals Ink Pads - 140933 - £30.50 Paisley and Posies Stamp and Die Bundle - 143515 - £40.50 Jar of Love Stamp and Die Bundle - 142342 - £48.50 Wink of Stella - 141897 - £7.25 In The Meadow - 140754 - £18.00 Punch 1/2" Circle - 119869 - £5.50

Punch 1 3/8" Circle - 119860- £14.50

The punches I love because of the flat shape for storing and the inkpads, I needed as the distress inks as much as I love them they dont stamp perfectly. so needed a proper ink pad to work with, I will buy the other colours but will likely be next year now boo hoo, I am really loving Stampin Up products and honestly they are well used x

Anyway hope you all have a lovely chilled sunday x

Love and hugs Karen xxx

World Card Making Day

Happy World Card Making Day

I have done 2 videos to mark the occasion

One is a Christmas Themed Card

and one notecard set 

so go check them out, the link to my channel is →

Here is the photos of the cards I made

This is the Christmas Card Video

Notecard Set

Didnt video this one but I thought it was cute and wanted to share it with you all x 

Todays agenda is very quiet 

Ian has gone to work and took Jayden to drop him off with his nana and papa for mass tonight,

Ian will collect him when he finishes work.

Jordan is asleep still he was out all night so no idea when he will surface.

I have been awake since about 7ish am so am just making sure I have sorted what needs done then I am going back to my bed to read my ereader, I started reading the scarpetta series by patricia cornwell a few weeks ago and am now on book 4 x I love the series and would love them to turn it in to a movie as I think it would be great ;)

There has been talk about it for a number of years but it has never came to fruition so who knows.

I did download the 3 short stories from the harry potter series that were just released but havent read them yet infact I havent even uploaded them to my ereader.

October is also a month for me with a lot of awareness needing raised 

Breast Cancer Awareness

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness

and also Mental Illness Awareness Week (2nd-8th)

So I will be posting lots of stories on my blog this month in relation to these subjects and hope to open some peoples eyes to the unthinkable reality that some people need to live with day in and day out x 

Anyway until Tomorrow Happy Crafting love and hugs always Karen x