Surprise!! I'm Still Here

LOL I bet some of you thought you might never see me again (I did wonder myself to be honest) The summer season is taking its toll on me again, along with life which I think is out to get me sometimes, I haven't had a chance to make or blog anything, but a new release at

http://www.the-papernest.com/

lured me back into action! Absolutely everything that could go wrong did, including my not used for so long glue gel going all runny and showing through the image right on the face! I was up until the early hours colouring another image then this morning the camera battery was dead. I think someone is trying to tell me something!!

Anyway long overdue but finally here is my creation for the fabulous Zodiac release 

 I got Virgo which is quite fitting cos that's what I am (well according to some I am and others I'm a Leo as I'm on the change over day)

I decided to make an Origami gift box, I'm sorry I can't remember where the instructions came from, only that I googled it and found it. Made from 2 12x12 scrapbook papers and the lid is all furry and very tactile!

The bow is using the amazing ribbon from Stampin' Up! which is just awesome, I have several colours and I wish I'd bought them all.

Head over to 

http://www.the-papernest.com/

to see all the new release and what the talented team have done with them, there are prizes to be won and all sorts of fun.

Right that's it from me, I'm not going to promise I'll be back soon as this glorious weather is keeping us busy at the seaside and I can't keep up with life in general but I do hope to keep making the odd appearance!!

Love 'n' Hugs and enjoy your summer

Laurie xx

Anything Goes @ Diva's

Good Morning Guys oh boy do I have a project (and a story) to share today!

First things first lets get the challenge and theme out of the way!

Today is a brand new challenge at

DIVA'S BY DESIGN

and this week Rebekah has given us

Anything Goes

It was Anything but a card when I made these but I guess as the owner Rebakah has the right to change her mind lol

Michael (my husband) is chairman of his 'Fridaymans' club this year (15 businessmen go out to lunch on the last Friday of each month and once a year they take their wives!!) And as chairman he (read me) have to come up with a present for the ladies. I was told they were having a 'spring' theme and to wrap it in 'springlike' paper.

I decided I could do a bit better than that and made gift boxes!!!

I googled 'Origami box' and found some instructions. I had to alter the fold a bit as the top of the box was as deep as the bottom and I wanted mine to finish half way down the box if you know what I mean??

I already had an idea what I wanted to put inside them as I'm a 'Clarins' fan and love all their products, Beauty Flash Balm is a miracle cream as far as I'm concerned but a tad pricey - so imagine my excitement when I was flicking through the craft channels and saw the very product I wanted at almost HALF PRICE on the Deal Channel!!

You might want to go and get a cup of tea as I haven't got to the good bit yet!!!

After ordering and receiving my bargain and feeling pretty smug with myself for coming up with a fab present at an even fabber price I was totally surprised to get a phone call from Joanne from Ideal World, (yes 'THE' Joanne from Create and Craft) Curiosity had got the better of them as to why I wanted 15 bottles of Beauty Flash Balm! I had such a lovely chat with her, and they had googled my blog (they took a punt it was connected to my email address) and I was grinning all day after that!!
Little Darlings have a fabulous competition on which I thought I'd try and enter too.

Anyway after that rather long (but I hope not tedious) story you might want to actually see what I made!! Warning I have gone overboard with the photo's as I'm so pleased with them

and inside

all 14 (I didn't need the 15th as I didn't go)

From the side

A close up of another

And finally 2 more group photo's

As they have now been received I can tell you all the ladies were chuffed to bits with the fab presents and the unique boxes which were designed towards them (hair colour, glasses etc) I had so many thank you cards/flowers etc I was quite emotional!!

Back to business!! Head over to the main challenge blog for all the details of this challenge, the prize on offer and some fabulous inspiration from my teammies.

That's all from me today, after that marathon post I think I need a lie down lol

Edited: OMG were we busy at the seaside this weekend! I don't think I've ever worked so hard or so long. Crafting and blogging has taken a back burner for me and I'm not sure how much time I can devote to it at the minute all I can say is I'll  try!!

Love 'n' Hugs Laurie xx

I'd like to enter these into the following challenges
Wild Orchid Challenge - 3 or more different flowers
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Saturated Canary - All things bright and beautiful