Catch A Star

Hi,

Three weeks ago i got very emotional as my Rheumatoid Arthiritis was starting to hurt me again and it hasn't done that in 3 and a half years, so we had a look at the dog rescue website - we found a brown and white collie (who was a year old), but when we got to the rescue centre she was gone, they asked us if we still wanted to walk a dog, we said yes and they came out with 'Clio', the first thing she did was jump up at Harrison and cuddle him, with that we were hooked and 12 days ago after a lot of grief from the home checker, she came home with us - (now the tissue time, sorry) she was found dumped in a ditch pregnant in Co Kerry, Ireland, she unfortunately lost the puppies and they still don't know how she survived, she also has a scar on her back, from being burnt, but she is the most loving adorable Labrador Collie X (she is 1-2 years old), you would ever want to meet and absolutely loves children and she has made our house a HOME again.

chilling out in the conservatory

Photo bombing Harrison's school project

Now on the card, the image is : Penny Black - 'Catch A Star / 2094E/ 2002', the papers are pearlescent : Craftwork Cards - 'Tis The Season', the circle shape is : Go Kreate - 'Plain and Scalloped Circles', the star circle is : Memory Box - 'Starry Wreath', the shooting stars is : Memory Box - 'Beloved Stars', the adhesive stones are from : Kars, the ribbon is from my stash.

The Challenges I Would Like To Enter Are : 

Creative Inspirations  - where Challenge No; 330 is 'Stars / And Or Stripes'

Stempelgarten - where Challenge No: 42 is 'Dies'

The Ribbon Girls - where the Challenge is 'Any Image)

Crafty Cardmakers - where Challenge No: 149 is 'Circular Cards'

As You Like It  - where the Challenge is 'Monochrome Or Colour' - i find monochrome makes a statement and stands out and i like the way it does that

Thanks for looking and for any comments you would like to leave, would be most appreciated, Luv Sam x

Fantasy

Hi,

Confession time, i didn't make the McMillian coffee morning last Friday, as my lovely friend Liz's, young son Luke had 12 seizures Thursday night (he is a very sick little boy, that visits the local children's hospice) fortunately he is a lot better now and apparently £505.17 was made at the coffee morning.

Today is the first Sunday in October and that means a new Challenge over at Penny Black And More and this month we would like to see 'Warm Autumn Colours' and as usual, we have some fabby sponsors too :

Penny Black 

Yours Or Mine Papercraft

Marianne Designs

And one lucky person using a Penny Black image will be picked to be Guest Designer for next month, so pop over to Penny Black And More, check out the other amazing inspiration the very talented team have up with and join in the fun - but please do remember you can use any image you like, except Digi's.

I decided i would use an image that is great for lots of different things, including men's cards - Penny Black - 'Fantasy / 3880K / 2008', i started by cutting 2 pieces of card the same size, then cutting a circle in the centre of one of them and then sticking together, i stamped the image with : Versafine / brown and covered it in : WOW - 'Clear Embossing Powder' (i also embossed the sentiment too)and then distressed it with : Tim Holtz - 'Barn Door / Spiced Marmalade / Scattered Straw' and at the end added some tiny brown beads, the sentiment is : Penny Black - 'Thanks, Thanks / 2915F / 2004'.

The Challenges I Would Like To Enter Are :

Penny Black Saturday - where October's Challenge is 'Embossing'

Alphabet  - where they are up to 'Q Is For Quick And Simple'

Cute Card Thursday - where Challenge No: 393 is 'Masculine'

Papertake Weekly - where the Challenge is 'Take Your Pick - i've picked : Colour Theme, Technique Theme and Product Theme'

Thanks for looking and for any comments you would like to leave, would be most appreciated, Luv Sam x

Angel Praying

Hi,

I'm scheduling this post, as i will be at a Macmillan Big Coffee Morning, a few of us from the school have decided to go, as one of the mum's who has a 7 year old daughter, was diagnosed with Lung Cancer in February and who sadly passed away last week - i didn't know her very well, but my friend Liz did, so i'm going to support her.

Last weekend we went down to the New Forest for some cycling - we did 12 miles on Saturday to the Deer Sancturary (going pass the ponies / horses en route) and 5 miles on Sunday, as we met up for lunch with a friend, who lives in Eastleigh.

I thought it was about time i used one of my LOTV images and this one is 'Angel - Praying', i've covered the wings in Glamour Dust and i've edged it with : Stampendous - 'Shabby Pink Embossing Enamel', the round snowflake die is : MB - 'Frostyville Wreath' and the corner die is : MB - 'Precious Snowflakes' - both are covered in : Stampin Up - 'Heat And Stick Powder, then Dazzling Diamonds' and decorated with pearls from my stash, the papers are : Bo Bunny - 'Holiday Cheer'.

The Challenges I Would Like To Enter Are : 

Sketch Saturday - where they are up to Sketch No: 379

Allsorts - where Challenge No: 329 is 'Sparkle'

Papertake Weekly  - where the Challenge is 'It Will Soon Be Here - Christmas'

Fussy And Fancy - where Challenge No: 148 is 'Fantasy'

ABC Christmas - where they are up to 'S is for Silent / No Sentiment'

September Rudolph Days - i so love entering this fabby Challenge is it's run by the lovely Mo

Thanks for looking and for any comments you would like to leave, would be most grateful, Luv Sam x

Things To Do !

Hi,

Thanks for all your lovely comments about my holiday snaps, i'm glad you loved them, as much as we enjoyed Vancouver, Alaska and San Francisco - we found that Alaska got under our skin, so don't be surprised if you hear that we have gone back in the next couple of years !!

I can't believe, we are up to mid month at Penny Black And More, this months Challenge is 'Anything Goes' and as usual we have some fabby sponsors too :

Penny Black

Stix 2

Sizzix

And one lucky person using a Penny Black image will be picked to be Guest Designer for next month, so pop over to Penny Black And More, check out the other amazing inspiration the very talented team have come up with and join in the fun - but please do remember you can use any image you like, except Digi's.

I have no 'Thank You' cards left, after our holiday/ cruise, as i took 5 with me, to give to our waiters, the girls in Fun Factory (kids club), the guys that cleaned our room, so i thought i would start on the cards for our next cruise (that we booked, whilst on the ship this time !!), the stamp is : Penny Black - 'Things To Do ! / 1683K / 2000' (that i haven't used, for 4 years), i've stamped the sentiment : Penny Black - 'Salutations / 30-014/ transparent set' in black versafine, then embossed it using : WOW - 'Clear Embossing Powder' and then distressed it and the embossing section (Cuttlebug - 'Bubbles') with : Tim Holtz - 'Old Paper', the papers are : LOTV - 'Country Gent', the strips are cut using : Die-namics - 'Fishtail Flags' and the tops are : Whiff Of Joy - 'Notebook Border'

The Challenges I Would Like To Enter Are : 

Sketch Saturday - where they are up to Sketch No: 378 

Cardz 4 Guyz - where Challenge No: 88 is 'Embossing Heat or Dry' - i've done both - sentiment heat embossed and strip dry embossed

As You Like It - where the Challenge is 'Your Favourite Die and Why' - mine is Fishtail Flags, as they are so perfect for men's cards and give a different shape to a layout

Papertake Weekly - where the Challenge is 'Animal Magic'

Thanks for looking and for any comments you would like to leave, would be most appreciated, Luv Sam x

Hedgehog Birthday

Hi,

Well what can i say - we had the most amazing holiday ever (and i can see us going back before long), we were in Vancouver for 3 days, then we joined a cruise ship for 12 nights to do the inside passage way of Alaska, with Victoria (Vancouver Island), Oregon, finishing off in San Francisco, where we stayed for another 36 hours - meeting up with Alan's friend Chris and his family - i've added some photos at the bottom, some different ones to those on Facebook (if you follow me)

As the lovely Squirrel is doing one of her challenges, it was rude of me not to enter and it's also helped me get back into cardmaking, as the last 3 cards were made at the beginning of July, the image is : Penny Black - 'Hedgehog Birthday / 40-016 / 2010', papers : LOTV - 'Promises', the sentiment is : Woodware - 'Circular Greetings', the flowers are : Sizzlits - 'Tattered Flower Garland', the ribbon is 'The Ribbon Girls' and the buttons are from my stash.

The Challenges I Would Like To Enter Are : 

Squirrels Purple Friendship  - where the Challenge is 'Purple Friendship' - where you have to use purple and have a friend

Sweet Sketch - where they are up to Sketch No: 'SSW2 -67'

The Ribbon Girls - where the Challenge is 'Any Image And Ribbon'

Allsorts - where Challenge No: 328 is 'Buttons'

Crafty Ribbons - where Challenge No: 126 is 'Happy Birthday With Ribbon'

As promised some photo's of my holiday ;

At the treetops at Capillino Suspension Bridge, Vancouver

Alan and Harrison Sea Kayaking in Sitka, Alaska - i was in the other kayak with the guide

Alan and I at Tracy Arm Fjord, Alaska

Davidson Glacier, Skagway, Alaska

Harrison on the bridge of the Cruise ship with the Captains hat on !! (thank goodness we were in port at the time)

Me being 'Attacked' by a puppy, after we had gone Dog Mushing - believe you me, i offered to stay and work for free to look after the puppies ;-) 

Taking a break from cycling in San Francisco, to have our photo taken, with the Golden Gate Bridge, in the background

Thanks for looking and for any comments you would like to leave, would be most appreciated, Luv Sam x 

From The Heart

Hi,

I'm scheduling this (so i hope Mr Blogger doesn't play up), as our flight from San Francisco doesn't land until 1.15pm and by the time we get home from Heathrow, all i'll be fit for, is bed !!

Today is the first Sunday in September, so that means a new challenge over at Penny Black And More and this month it's an easy one 'Anything Goes' and as usual we have some fabby sponsors :

Penny Black

Stix 2 

Sizzix

And one lucky person using a Penny Black image will be picked to be Guest Designer for next month, so pop over to Penny Black And More, check out the other amazing inspiration the very talented team have come up with and join in the fun - but please do remember you can use any image you like, except Digi's.

I've made today's card for Alan's Dad, as he used to play a guitar in a band and the sentiment will appeal to his Yorkshire sense of humour !! The image is : Penny Black - 'From The Heart / 2874F / 2004', the sentiment is : Penny Black - 'Croaking ..... / 2472E / 2002', the papers are : Three Bugs In A Rug - 'Snips And Snails', the twine, charm and buttons are from my stash.

The Challenges I Would Like To Enter Are :

Penny Black Saturday  - where September's Challenge is '3 Or More Patterned Papers'

Stampin' Royalty - where Challenge SR#293 is 'Circles'

Allsorts - where Challenge No: 327 is 'Lots Of Layers'

Sweet Stampin' - where the Challenge is 'Let's Get Musical'

Thanks for looking and for any comments you would like to leave, would be most appreciated, Luv Sam x