Long overdue!

Hello folks its been an awful long time since I posted anything or indeed did any blogging! 

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and you all have something fabulous planned for the new year celebrations? I think I'll be having a quiet night in this year. With the flood this is the first time in 10 years I haven't had to work so I should be out partying as I won't have an early start but maybe age is catching me up!!!

I thought I'd better get a move on and post this as I made it weeks ago and if I didn't post it now I'd have to hang on to it till next Christmas!!

It was made using a LOTV topper so no colouring other than a little extra shading here and there and the papers are from a LOTV block I bought last year too. I do love a bit of kraft with blue!

I haven't done any of my DT work for weeks but do check out the current challenges at

DIVA'S BY DESIGN

MOVING ALONG WITH THE TIMES

HECK OF A CHALLENGE

I hope to get things (crafting and blogging) back to normal soon. I'm off on a little holiday at the beginning of January, then I have a weekend in Devon for my eldest sons PhD Graduation but after that I'm all yours!!

Thank you to everyone for all your good wishes re the flood and Christmas

Love 'n' Hugs and a Happy New Year

Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into a couple of challenges

Songbird - Merry Christmas Everybody
Totally Papercrafts - Non Traditional Colours
Cute Card Thursday - Anything Goes
Ready Teddy Go - Contemporary Christmas

Candy Winner

Hello Peeps, sorry I'm a bit late with this post, the big clean up continues!! We have met with 2 out of the 3 insurance companies, last one tomorrow then lots of red tape to get through to decide which one will (if any) pay for what!!

Any way enough of my misery I'm here to announce the winner of my scoreboard candy, I let Mr Random do the honours and this is what he came up with

That's you Wendy F  

I'm going to post it off first thing in the morning as I'm dashing off to Leicester to my Mums after the insurance man has been. I can get your address from Diva's. Congratulations and I look forward to seeing what you make with it.

I'll put some more candy up after Christmas, hopefully the drama will have settled down by then!!

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

Storm Damage

Hello my lovely friends I will be missing for a while and I just wanted to explain why as I will miss you and my creative outlet very much.

We live by the coast and last Thursday we were hit quite severely by a storm and a tidal surge (along with the highest tides of the year and the wind just happening to blow in the wrong direction at the wrong time).
We own a couple of businesses on the promenade and sadly we suffered some substantial damage.
Our Fish and Chip Shop/Restaurant was submerged under water but I'm pleased to say the recovery mission is well under way and with the help of a team of professional cleaners this should all be up and running again hopefully after Christmas.
Here is a photograph of the restaurant after the tide went back out. You can see the footprints in the slime/silt left behind and when I say its EVERYWHERE that is an understatement!!

Next door to this we have a surf shop, selling Billabong, O'Neill, Rip Curl and other brands, this was hit much more severely, with the force of the water breaking all the windows and ripping the doors off. The damage and destruction in here was much worse and at the time of writing we are still waiting on the loss adjuster to arrive re the insurance. Thousands of pounds worth of stock has been ruined, we just spent 3 days itemizing it all, it was heartbreaking!
Here is a photo, again after the tide had receded.

As if this wasn't enough, the shop was looted that night! I really don't know how some people sleep at night!!

So as you can see I might be busy in the coming weeks and card making and blogging might not be top of my agenda!! I have made a few cards that I'll hopefully get around to posting and if I don't get to visit you I'd just like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year, I for one won't be sorry when this year is over!!

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

Colourful Christmas @ HOAC

Happy Sunday Peeps, hope you all have a relaxing day planned. December 1st already! How many of you are in a panic over Christmas and how many are all done? I'm probably somewhere between the 2 (well hopefully I am as this is scheduled from early November!!)

Time for a new challenge today at

HECK OF A CHALLENGE

and this month Kevin chose the theme

Colourful Christmas

I really needed a push to make Christmas cards so this was good for me, and to make it even quicker I decided to use a topper that I didn't have to colour from the Hobby House.

 The papers are a bit of a mixture, a couple of them were a gift from Zoe @ Stampin Up! (link in my sidebar) and I think the pink one is Echo Park. Lots of pretty snowflake dies and flowers. I did just add a bit of colour to the image with my pencils to get a bit more depth.

Head over to the main challenge blog for lots of colourful inspiration from my lovely teammies and all the details of the challenge and the prize on offer from the Mandy's can be found HERE and

their fabulous online store

http://www.everycraftsapound.co.uk/

or if you're in the area call in to the bricks and mortar shop

The Craft and Hobby Store, Heckmondwike

That's all from me today, enjoy your weekend

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges:
The Hobby House - Christmas Topper 
Crafts 4 Eternity - Non Traditional Christmas
Stampin For The Weekend  - Feeling Festive
Totally Papercraft - Ho Ho Holidays
Creative Knockouts - Tic Tac Toe (across the bottom)
Charisma Cards - Christmas
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Creative Craft - Non Trad Christmas Colours
Songbird Challenge - Die Another Day
Love To Create - 3 Favourite Embellishments
(Flowers, Pearls, So Wrapped Doo Hickey Die)
The Ribbon Girl - Ho Ho Ho Christmas Challenge

Use Red @ Diva's

Good Morning everyone, time for a new challenge at

DIVA'S BY DESIGN

and this week Rebekah wants you to 

Use Red

That shouldn't be a problem with all the Christmas cards we are all (if you are anything like me) rushing to make!

Kept this one nice and simple, recoloured the image in Photoshop to print in red not black, a bit of double matting, a lovely crisp gingham ribbon and bow and a rub on sentiment - Bob's your uncle - done in a flash! Might even whizz a few more of these out! It does look a bit pink but I can assure you the cardstock is bright white! so difficult to photograph.

The super image is from this weeks sponsor

 http://deliciousdoodles.blogspot.co.uk/

Head over to the main challenge blog for all the details and some gorgeous inspiration from my teammies.

That's it from me today, thank you for stopping by

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges

Music Inspired @ MAWTT

Hello again, I'm back with my 'struggling to make' one card a week post! I don't know what's happening but my mojo is in slow motion lately. I'm missing a lot of things I'd like to be joining in with but I just don't have the motivation! 

My daughter left to go to Japan yesterday, she is spending 6 months there. She really has wanderlust in her veins that one, you can't keep her here for love nor money. She has a job this time and she is going to be teaching children to ski, so I won't worry as much as I usually do when she goes off traveling on her own! Her twin brother (Joel) and his mate have booked to go and visit her in January and learn to snowboard. What exciting lives my kids lead! I wish I had had their opportunities!

She is already planning her next trip for this time next year!!

Don't forget to link up to my candy, I have a brand new Stampin' Up! scoreboard to give away to a new home, I plan on redistributing a lot of my unused stash in the coming months too!

I'm here today with a new challenge at

MOVING ALONG WITH THE TIMES

and this week my lovely friend Pam is hosting the theme

Music Inspired

I'm having a bit of a LOTV surge at the minute (for a change, I have lots of un-inked little lili stamps that I love and I'm determined to use) and I still have a zillion Christmas cards to make!!

Here's one more to add to the pile.

I'm quite chuffed how this turned out, even if it did take me an age to make it lol. I know there is only 3 of them but it makes me think of '9 Ladies Dancing' from the 12 Days of Christmas song. Also you can't keep me off the dance floor when Abba's Dancing Queen comes on!!The papers are last years Echo Park (I was also determined not to buy any Christmas paper this year) and the red ridged paper I found 3 rolls at the back of the cupboard that I'd had for years. I do love traditional Christmas colours don't you? The eagle eyed might have spotted my 'so wrapped' die cut tag again - I can't help using it I love it and my favourite Doo Hickey die snowflake.

Head over to the main challenge blog for all the details on the challenge, the prize that's up for grabs this week and some beautiful inspiration from my teammies.

Thank you all for stopping by and for all the lovely comments you leave me. I'm off to book myself a little holiday as it's suddenly got colder I'm craving a bit of winter sun then I'm heading to my Mums for a couple of days to get all her jobs and shopping done.

Have a lovely weekend

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges

Songbird Challenge -  Favourite Song (Dancing Queen)

Deep Ocean - Favourite Colour Combo

Creative Card Crew - Pearls (2nd entry)

Bearly Mine - Traditional Colours & Die Cuts

Crafty Catz - Anything Not Square

Christmas Stampin' - Stripes
ABC Christmas - Winter Wishes
The Paper Shelter - Christmas is Coming
Fab 'n' Funky - Anything Goes

Something Snowy @ Diva's

Good Morning friends and bloggers, hope all is well in your corner of the world.

I'm here today with a new challenge at

DIVA'S BY DESIGN

and this week we'd like to see 

Something Snowy

Just what I needed to make me get on with some Christmas cards, I'm so behind AGAIN!

 I've been itching to ink up this cute LOTV stamp ever since it landed through the front door! Super cute image or what? Love that Maja paper too, Vintage Summer LOL definitely in season then! The snowflake is a Martha Stewart punch, since I've made this I've had a new snowflake die that I can't wait to use so watch out for it!

Head over to the main challenge blog to check out the fabby inspiration the girls have made for you and all the details of this weeks sponsor and prize

Bunny Zoe's Crafts

That's all from me today, thank you for stopping by to visit and for your lovely comments.
Don't forget to check out my candy.

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie 

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges.
The Ribbon Girls - Lovely Lili Challenge Sparkle
Stamping Sensations - Christmas
Bunny Zoe's - Shabby/Vintage
Deep Ocean - Winter
Creative Card Crew - Pearls
Papertake Weekly - Snow & Ice
Sweet Stampin' - Christmas

A Candy For Christmas

Good evening everyone, I have a little gift to give one of my lovely followers just in time for Christmas. I will have to think about moving soon and I have far too much stash to fit into anywhere! So I will be redistributing all my unused stash in the coming months to lovely new homes.

 I bought this Stampin' Up! scoreboard last year and its still in it's original box along with the diagonal plate add on.

Here is a link to the two items on the Stampin Up
catalogue from Zoe

http://www2.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ItemList.aspx?categoryID=1875

Please follow the usual rules.

1. You must be or become a follower of my blog (No candy only bloggers please, I will check)
2. Post the above pic with a link back to here in your sidebar
3. Leave your name and contact with the Linky

Leave a comment after entering just encase the linky goes walkabout!!
I will choose a winner at random
Good Luck  Laurie xx

Swirly, Pearly & Girly @ MAWTT

Good Morning folks, short and sweet as I'm nipping off to my
Mums for a couple of days to get her jobs done!
 It's time for a new challenge at

MOVING ALONG WITH THE TIMES

and this week my lovely pal Debs is Hostess and has chosen

Swirly, Pearly & Girly

What a fab title for a challenge theme!

 I've continued my threat to play with my Magnolia stamps and had a little play with a relatively new one (well new to me compared to how long some have been sat unused in my stash)

and I tried the lighter stamping technique, um not sure how I feel about it!!

This is Clown Tilda and I've coloured her up with Copics to match the Bo Bunny papers and lots of flowers that actually match better in real life than they do in this photo!

Head over to the main challenge blog for all the details and some gorgeous girly inspiration from my teammies this week.

Short and sweet like I said!!

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges
7 Kids College Fund - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
The Ribbon Girl - Include Stripes
Simply Magnolia - Anything Goes
Tilda's Town - Anything Goes
Magnolia-licious - Anything Goes (2nd Entry)

In The Frame @ Heck of a Challenge

Good Morning everyone, I'm back again this week with my 2nd DT card, this time its a new challenge as its November already at

HECK OF A CHALLENGE

and Mandy has chosen

In The Frame

A few of the DT have been given frames to decorate, I was on a little break from there when they were sent out, but as I had a little time to make something I decided to play along anyway.

I used a little decoupaged Eeyore that I have had FOREVER and I feel like I have cheated as there is no image I coloured in! Before I started blogging hardly any of my cards had coloured images but now they almost all do! The metal heart frame is from Making Memories, it's part of a tag maker set and the sentiment is a sticker so this card shouldn't have taken me as long as it did!! It's ages since I made one of these little mini cards with my Nesties.

Head over to the main challenge blog for lots of fabulous inspiration from my talented teammies.

We have lots of new teammies joining us today so please give them a visit and show them some love, also Lisa is taking a little break for personal reasons but we all hope she will be back with us soon.

All the details of the challenge and the prize on offer from the Mandy's can be found HERE and

their fabulous online store

http://www.everycraftsapound.co.uk/

or if you're in the area call in to the bricks and mortar shop

The Craft and Hobby Store, Heckmondwike

That's all from me today, thank you for stopping by to visit.

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges
A Creative Romance - Metal Mania
Crafty Hands - Anything Goes
Use It Tuesday - Creatures
Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes
Die Cuttin' Diva's - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Challenges For Everybody - Anything Goes
Creative Knockouts - Banners/Pennants

Use Orange @ Diva's

Good morning to my lovely blogging friends, I hope you were all safe from the storms that hit the UK the last few days, my it was windy here but nothing bad to report, I think we were lucky and missed the worst of it!
A couple of people have asked me about my new blog design, I made it myself with elements from Raspberry Roads 'Seaside Romance' and I'm a bit chuffed how it turned out!!

It's time for a new challenge at

DIVA'S BY DESIGN

and this week we would like you to

'Use Orange'

Nice and simple and gives us all lots of scope.

I'm not a big Halloween fan so I went for a simple everyday style boy card

This is 'Goldfish Kid' and I coloured him with Copics and matched up to some Halloween paper I had left from last year. Not sure what it is, sorry. Kept him nice and simple, not sure you could call it CAS because the stripes, what do you think?

Head over to the main challenge blog where you can find all the details and lots of inspiration and what prize you can win from this weeks sponsor

http://www.kennykdownloads.com/

That's it from me. Thank you for stopping by and any lovely comments you may leave. I'll be back in a couple of days with a new challenge at Heck of a Challenge, 1st of November already! Where did the year go?

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx 

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges

Digi Haven - Orange & Black

QKR Stampede - Seeing Orange

CMC Copic Challenge - Guys, Dudes, Masculine

LIM - String or Twine

Stamping Sensations - All Creatures Great & Small

Shape Up @ MAWTT

Good Morning everyone. I'm back today with a news of a new challenge at

MOVING ALONG WITH THE TIMES

and this week I'm hosting and chose the theme

Shape Up!

Now I am on a major fitness and health campaign but I assure you this challenge doesn't involve anything strenuous or the restriction of chocolate you might need to consume to join in!

Just cards and projects that are not square please!

Here's what I came up with...

I made this card for a commission and later personalised it but I took this picture before I put the recipients name on it. I used another one of my unused Tilda's, I'm working my way through them! Lots of WOC flowers and a couple of rolled ones too. Papers are MME, Miss Caroline I think. The letters are glitter stickers, I have 100's of different stickers and rub ons and die cut alphabets I need to use up!! I was a bit heavy handed with the frantage, Tilda looks like she is hiking through the snow!!

Head over to the main challenge blog for all the details and some fabulous shapely creations from my talented teammies. They have really pushed the boat out this week for your inspiration.

This fabulous prize is on offer to the winner this week

Thank you for dropping by and for any comments you may leave, hopefully I've settled back in and caught up with all the  holiday washing and ironing and I'll be along to visit you ASAP!

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges
Magnolia-Licious - Anything Goes
Midweek Magnolias - Anything Goes
MDU - Anything Goes
LHOSW - Dots or Stripes

Autumn Colours @ Diva's

Good Morning guys, I'm here today to share with you a brand new challenge at

DIVA'S BY DESIGN

and this week the lovely Rebekah has chosen

Autumn Colours

I said I was going to find time to play with my Magnolia stamps this year and so far so good! This cute little Tilda is actually one of this years releases and as I'm running about 3 years behind in using my unused Magnolia stamps I guess she queue jumped a little!

I don't suppose I'll ever use all the stamps I bought and unfortunately that doesn't stop me from buying the new releases!

The papers are 'Walking In The Forest' from Maja Designs and the flowers are mostly from WOC.

Please head over to the main challenge blog for lots of beautiful inspiration from my teammies and all the details of the fab prize on offer from this weeks sponsor

http://www.ivanovachest.com/

That's all from me today, thank you for calling by and any lovely comments you might leave, I appreciate every single one.

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges
Midweek Magnolias - Song Birds (If I Had A Hammer)
Time For Magnolia - Fall or Halloween
Simply Magnolia - Flowers and Lace
Magnolia-Licious - Shaped Cards
RRR - Autumn Leaves & Ribbon
 

Halloween @ MAWTT

Morning all from the sunny beach in Tenerife, hopefully I'm cooking nicely!
 Time for another new challenge at

MOVING ALONG WITH THE TIMES

and it's Team A's turn to share with you the theme of

Halloween

Now I know I was on Team B but the lovely Hazel did a reshuffle for me so I didn't have to post the only 2 cards I'm likely to make in a week on consecutive days! As I don't really send Halloween cards I thought I'd make some treat bags for when the kids come knocking!!

I'm sorry they were so difficult to photograph as the cellophane bags kept reflecting the light! The said bags were from my lovely friend Zoe at Stampin Up! (link in my side bar) and I used the cute little 'Bobblehead Ghost' from Bugaboo for a couple and made another 2 really plain. I will have to make some more but I still have lots of time.

Head over to the main challenge blog for all the details and some scary inspiration
from the MAWTT crew.

Thank you for stopping by today and don't forget to join in the fun at MAWTT

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter these into the following challenges

MAWTT is BACK!

Hello again everyone, getting sick of seeing me this week? Nothing for months then 3 posts on consecutive days!! Hope I can keep this up.

Exciting times today and an old favourite is back with us

MOVING ALONG WITH THE TIMES

is back in blogland and we are restarting the challenges with

Anything Goes

Everyone loves being on this DT and I for one, am a happy bunny to see it back up and running (well done Hazel you do such a great job!)

 My card is one that didn't get finished for a DT job in the summer so that's why it's a bit out of season LOL (or you could say its perfect for me being at the beach this week!)
I just love these images and I really wanted to play with them.

Bathing Tilda and Coastal cottages from Magnolias Summer Breeze collection all available from the lovely Janice at Sir Stampalot and the papers are Maya Designs Life by the Sea from a couple of years ago now I think. I sent Joel down the beach to get me some sand to fill the tiny bottle and I stuck a few grains on the image too.

We have this fabulous prize up for grabs to the winner from our sponsor

 

http://www.sirstampalot.co.uk/rubber-stamps.php

Head over to the main challenge blog for all the details and some fabulous inspiration from my lovely team mates. We have some lovely new teammies joining us, please stop by and show them some love.

Thanks for stopping by

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges.

CAS @ Diva's

Good Morning everyone, I back again (busy week) with my 2nd of 3 DT cards this week, tomorrow sees the return of MAWTT which we are all excited about but first up today is a new challenge at

DIVA'S BY DESIGN

and we have my hardest challenge

Clean and Simple

I know it should be the easiest of them all but I have to sit on my hands to stop 

myself from sticking things on!

I just printed out my image and sentiment on cream cardstock added a scrap of furry velvet zebra paper with a die cut border and shaded in my zebra stripes with pencil.

Very simple in the end but hours of agonising went into this!!

My image is a freebie from this weeks sponsor

http://www.2cuteink.com/

Please head over to the main challenge blog for all the details and some beautiful inspiration from the Diva's this week.

That's it from me today, hopefully I'm sunbathing in glorious sunshine!
 Thank you for stopping by on your blog travels

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges

By Heck I'm Going Again!

Good morning and a new month already! I don't know where this year went? 

Christmas will be here and over before we know it!

Well I know that I only just made a comeback to blogging and crafting but I'm off again as I'm nipping to Tenerife for a bit of sunshine. I fly this morning at 6.45am so I won't be around again for a couple of weeks. I have got a few posts coming up while I'm away if Mr Blogger plays nice and schedules them properly!

I've been missing from this DT for a couple of months but at last I had time to make a card for this new challenge at

HECK OF A CHALLENGE

and this month we would like to see your

Autumn Colours

I've had this little stamp half coloured on my desk for weeks, I bought him a couple of years ago I think (it could be just one year - time flies) either way I think its just the cutest!!

I have another image from the same set, that one is a little Indian on a hobby horse, they are from Nellie Snellen, I added a little sheriff's badge charm which I believe is Karen Foster.

Head over to the main challenge blog for lots of fabulous inspiration from my talented teammies and all the details of the challenge and the prize on offer from the Mandy's and

their fabulous online store

http://www.everycraftsapound.co.uk/

or if you're in the area call in to the bricks and mortar shop

The Craft and Hobby Store, Heckmondwike

That's all from me today, I'll be back tomorrow with my Diva's card and Thursday with the return of MAWTT, busy week for me especially has I've hardly made anything lately!!

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

If I can find some decent wifi I'd like to enter this into the following challenges..

I'm Back!!

Hello blogland, I'm back and boy have I missed you all! My summer season is over and I have no work (apart from running a home) for the next 5 months or so and I should be posting regularly again now on. I still have a fair bit of turmoil going on in my life and I'm expecting the builders to restart renovations soon, but not enough to keep me away from you all I hope. I might nip off for a bit of sunshine as our glorious summer ended with a bang before I was ready LOL

I'm back just in time for a brand new challenge at

DIVA'S BY DESIGN

and it's everyones favourite...

Anything Goes

I hope I can keep up with my commenting! Its been that long since I tried.

I have several cards that I started for DT work and didn't finish in time so I'm half way through my next few makes. Here is the first.

I just love this fab image from Mo Manning (I love all of Mo's super images) and I've had it half coloured on my desk for months, itching to use it. The papers are digital downloads from Scrap Orchard called Bella Gypsy, I'm addicted to my Magnolia Doo Hickey die So Wrapped tag and the WOC flowers are available from our fabulous sponsor this week

http://www.liveandlovecrafts

If you haven't been over there yet you are in for a treat! I love this shop!!

Head over to the main challenge blog for all the details and some fabulous inspiration from my teammies - I hope they remember who I am!!

Thank you for visiting me today and for hanging in there with me during my absence, I should be popping by your blogs any time soon.

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges

Mo's Digital Challenge -  Say It With Flowers & GDT Call

Hobby House - Hobby House Artists

Dream Valley - Purple and Green

A Creative Romance - Dies or Punches

Creative Knockouts - Recipe

Oldie But Goodie - Dies & Punches (old charm, twine, butterfly & stickers)

Top Tip Tuesday - Get In Shape

ABC - V = Very Cute

Getting back in the swing of things and DT calls!

Good evening Bloggers just a quick post to let you know I am still alive and I hope to be posting again in the next week! That might not go as easily to plan as I hope but fingers crossed the Mojo makes an appearance in the not too distant future.
It's no secret I've struggled of late but I have been colouring away this week and I've at least a dozen half made cards I never got to finish in time for my DT deadlines so with a little bit of luck and a lot of determination I'll get some finished and posted ASAP!

The main reason for my post is to let you know that 2 of my much loved DT's are having a DT call at the minute ........ here's the details, I hope you want to join us!!

 

Moving Along With the Times Challenge is Back from our Summer Break on the 3rd Of October and we are looking for some New Design Team Members. 

If you would like to join our Friendly team can you say YES to the Questions Below??????

Can you work well in a Team?

Can you make a Card/Project once a fortnight for the challenge?

Can you Comment on a set amount of entries every fortnight?

Can you host a Challenge once every 6 months?  (This means choosing a theme and writing the blog post for the challenge that week)

If you are interested email Hazel at didosdesigns@yahoo.com with Design Team in the Subject Line.

In your email can you show  2 of your favourite makes, your blog address and WHY we should pick you to be in the Team. We are happy to have folk on the Team who are on lots of Other Design Teams or if you are just starting out in Blogland. 

Good Luck

 

Design Team Call is Open till Saturday 21st September 2013 at 17.00 BST

 

 

Another DT call is on at Heck of a challenge.

Due to life commitments a couple of our DT have left recently and we are looking for some new members of our team.

We need someone who loves to craft - any type of craft ,not just cardmaking .

The requirements of being a team member are to create one craft project a month, and then to comment on 2 out of every ten entries to our challenge.

If you think that could be you please email lisa.coe@btinternet.com telling us why you would like to join our little team and with a link to your blog or giving examples of your work.

Entries close at the end of September.

 

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

 

Use Twine @ Diva's

I made a card!! OK it didn't take long it's very simple but I'm getting there!!

Time for a new challenge at

DIVA'S BY DESIGN

and a lovely simple theme

Use Twine

Here's my little card

Don't you just love that little knife and fork!! A Magnolia DooHickey Die.

Image is CP Test from this weeks sponsor

http://www.bugaboostamps.com/

Head over to the main challenge blog to check all the details and some fabulous inspiration from the Diva's this week.

Short and sweet from me, thanks to everyone for sticking with me, 

hopefully I will be backaround soon

Love 'n' Hugs

Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges:

Look Who's still here!!!

Well hello strangers.... Remember me?

I can't believe how long I've been missing but this lovely weather has been playing havoc with my craft time, rendering it non existent actually!! That a few little life changing events that I won't go into at the minute but at long last I have a card to share!!

Today is the start of a fabulous new challenge at

Diva's By Design

and we have a lovely game of 

Bingo

for you to play along with.

Here is my card which took me a whole month to finally finish!! 

I've used the lovely 'Fairy Fae' from this weeks sponsor

http://deliciousdoodles.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/fairy-fae.html

I cut my card base with a Go Kreate die and coloured my image with Copics. I've thrown everything but the kitchen sink at it and I think I kinda like it LOL

In real life the colours are much more softer, I'm surprised how bright they actually photographed at 7am yesterday morning before I dashed off to London on a buying trip for the shop.

Head over to the main challenge blog for lots of gorgeous inspiration from my very talented teammies and all the relevant information to the challenge.

Ooops almost forgot.....

Here's the Bingo Board!!

 I've gone diagonal with distressing, die cuts and pins or across the top as I have some fantabulous distressed ribbon from Live and Love Crafts and an assortment of flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts and EVERYWHERE!!

Thank you guys for sticking with me and I hope to be back in regular action sometime in September.

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges

Wild Orchid Crafts - Birthday Party
Creative Craft - Tic Tac Toe (Pins, Lilac, Distress)
Crafty Creations - Texture

Charming @ Diva's

OMG! I have been so missing this last two weeks, I'm sorry to all my friends that I haven't been around but so much is happening I'm barely keeping up with myself! And work is a bit mental with all the glorious weather too. I will explain my absence at a later date when things have settled down.

Just by the skin of my teeth I made the new challenge this week at

DIVA'S BY DESIGN

and the theme of

Charming

Here's my offering, honestly these cards are taking longer and longer to make!

At least two weeks for this one LOL
I took this picture really early in the morning and the colours haven't come up very good.

Another of my lovely UNUSED Tilda's this time a special edition from Sir Stampalot, Poppy Tilda. Papers are Maja and flowers from everywhere! My new die cut pinwheel and a charm tied up with some twine and a net bow.

Head over to the main challenge blog to find some really 'Charming' inspiration from my talented teammies and don't forget to check out our fabulous sponsor this week

http://www.stampandcreate.com/

Short and sweet - sorry!

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter the following challenges
Lovely hAnglar - Flower Power
The Ribbon Girls - Add A Bow
Magnolia Down Under - Shabby
Allsorts - Favourite Things (easy that's Tilda!)
Papertake Weekly - Old, New, Borrowed, Blue (new die)
Cupcake - Anything But Square

Oh IDo Like To Be Beside The Seaside!

Well I actually do live beside the seaside beside the sea!! And I really don't appreciate it enough I can assure you. It's like a ghost town in the winter and over flowing with holiday makers in the summer and I'm not sure which is best!!

Anyway enough of that, can you believe it's the 1st of July already? I can't and I would like the first half of my year back please, I'm sure there was stuff I had to do in it!!

But the 1st of July it is and that means a new challenge at

HECK OF A CHALLENGE

and this month we have a theme of

The Sea

(hence my post title)

I've gone down a whole different route for me and made a CAS card. Christine made one the other week that I just loved so here is my CASED version

 I just love this Tiddly Inks image. I got it last year with a voucher Sarah got me for my birthday and I can't believe it's taken me so long to colour up!

Nothing else needs explaining on this card LOL except I used peel offs! I never thought I would!!!

Head over to the main challenge blog for some gorgeous inspiration and all the details and the prize that the lovely Mandy's are giving away this month from their fabulous online store

http://www.everycraftsapound.co.uk/

or if you're in the area call in to the bricks and mortar shop

The Craft and Hobby Store, Heckmondwike

Catch you all later - gotta fly!

Love 'n Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into these challenges (if I have time!!)

Pretty Pearls @ Diva's

Good Morning Guys, well according to the forecast summer should be here! I say should be as I've scheduled this post encase I'm working hard and didn't get the time LOL

It's time for Team B at

DIVAS BY DESIGN

to share their makes with you for this weeks brand new challenge

Pretty Pearls

I'm lovin' playing with my favourite stamps at the moment, even though I don't have too much time and card production has been severely reduced by work and the summer season, a whole lotta love is going into my one card a week!

I made this for my son Joel to give his Goddaughter for her first birthday next week.

The cutest of cute Magnolia stamps from last years collection I think (it could be the year before!) available from Sir Stampalot and pretty papers from Maya Designs Vintage Spring 6x6 pad, a lush pearl swirl from Hobby House and Lisa will be thrilled I used my Cricut again!!!

We have a fabulous sponsor this week

http://www.craftie-charlie.co.uk/

Please support our sponsors they are so generous in their prizes for you to win.

Head over to the main challenge blog for all the details and some beautiful work by the Diva's, they have excelled this week for you.

That's all from me today, my 3 kids have all gone to Glastonbury Music Festival so work is going to be a bit harder without my main man Joel!! I will be getting my eldest son home after though has he has finished his PhD now and coming home for a couple of months before starting work. I can hardly believe I have a son who is a Dr. When we go to his (3rd) graduation ceremony I'll probably explode  with pride!!

I'll be back on the 1st with a new challenge at HOAC (I can't believe its going to be July 

in just a few days - gimme back my year!!)

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter this into the following challenges

Totally Tilda - Going For A Song (One by U2, I love this song)
Tilda's Town - Special Occasions
Simply Magnolia - Garden Delights, flowers & Butterflies
Lovely hAnglar - Favourite Colour Combo
Midweek Magnolia - Make It Girly