Busy Busy

Gosh, this time of year just flashes past doesn't it? Tomorrow's the 1st of December and before we know it the big day will be upon us.
But I've made a pretty good start to the xmas shopping, in fact I have the bulk of it done and dusted - xmas cards, however are another story.
Don't have anything that I can share with you at the moment, and I'll be busy over the next couple of days with a Uni assignment so I thought I'd show you some pics I've taken lately.
Now I don't pretend to be any David Bailey, I'm a point and shoot kinda girl. The one good thing about this time of year is the stunningly beautiful sunrises, and being right on the NE coast, it's such a treat to see the sun rise over the sea...

Oh, it's also St Andrew's day today - so I've come over all patriotic and changed my FB profile pic to this...

In case you don't know, this is Scotland's other flag - most of you will already be familiar with the saltire (the blue one with the diagonal white cross) The Lion Rampant is the Royal Standard of Scotland.

So what's everyone else up to today? Have you entered my candy?

Sunday Roundup

Hiya,
back for another Sunday Roundup - 
remember to have a nosey at Kim and Lou's blogs for their Sunday Roundups too.


Well, that's the last weekend of November nearly over, and another week has passed in a blur. 
The weather seems to be featuring quite a bit at the moment - now I know there are folks further North of here that are getting it a whole lot worse so I'm not moaning, but I had to laugh when I got up this morning to be greeted with this...

apparently our Koi have decided to take up trampolining during the night! Although I don't know how I'm going to manage to pull that out of there on my own!

So what's happening in craft and blog land this week?....well I'm giving away some Simply Sassy stamps over the next few weeks - you'll find this week's giveaway here. And keep your eyes peeled as I have 2 more stamps to give away soon.

Here are a few more candies that you might be interested in...

Marianne is giving away some candy here.

Another bloggy friend of mine, Cathy, is giving away some Sugar Nellie candy too here.

I was lucky enough to meet the very famous and talented Andy Skinner and Lindsay Mason last night at The Papeterie. And I practically got them all to myself as all the other customers had gone home and they were just waiting for their taxi.
Unfortunately I couldn't make any of the workshops today with either of them as Graham is offshore and nobody else is brave enough to look after my kids :)


Are you looking for christmas present ideas for the crafter in your life? or are you trying to think of what you would like from other people this xmas. Well, Letraset have released the 4 12-packs of Flexmarkers so all 72 colours are now available, there are also some cracking Metallic packs - all 6 metallic markers are now available in a pack and these are really lovely - silver and gold that have always been available, but now you can also get red-gold, green, blue and violet - let me tell you they are gorgeous - these are water based. There is also a couple of combi packs available - contemporary christmas contains 5 pretty contemporary coloured promarkers plus a silver metallic marker OR traditional christmas contains 5 traditional coloured promarkers plus a gold metallic marker. 
And there's even more.... check out all these fab gift packs.

Right, better get back to making soup and laundry duties, ready for the school week starting again.

Congratulations....

Well, it's time to draw a winner of my Winter Distress Inks giveaway, because I'm just away to post some more candy after I've done this.


But before I do, can I just say TGIF!! I don't think I've stopped moving all week, in fact this month has just been a blur. But I'm really pleased that I've made some big inroads into the mahoosive xmas shopping that I have to do. While I'm on the subject of xmas shopping, why is it that I have to buy, wrap and send everyone's pressies and cards and all the other half has to do is get mine!!
Anyway, have managed to get some presents for some of my close crafty chums, the majority of the kids things and some bits and bobs for family.
Graham's home for xmas this year so we'll be having xmas dinner at our house with my parents coming over - the deal is we cook and feed them, mum makes the sweet and they do the dishes after the meal. Which as far as I'm concerned is a great deal.


So now that I've bored you to tears, I'd better announce the lucky winner - and I'm really pleased to see that Mr Random.org has picked a lassie that regularly visits my blog and leaves such lovely comments, so come one down Lee (craftyloops) email me your home address and I'll get your yummy Distress Inks off in the post - if you're quick I might even get them posted today.
If Lee doesn't email me before Sunday noon, then I'll redraw a winner.

Winter Distress Inks Giveaway

This candy is now closed


As promised, I'm giving away a set of Tim Holtz' Limited Edition Winter 2011 Distress Inks

Let me tell you, these colours are absolute must-haves. My favourite so far is the Evergreen Bough, and here's a reminder of the birthday card I made for Kath using it...

So what do you have to do to get you sticky mitts on a set for free?
well it's easy peasy, just leave a comment telling me what is top of your crafty wish list for xmas and post a pic of the inks with a link to this post on your sidebar.


The giveaway ends on Friday 25th November at noon GMT and I'll draw a winner in the afternoon.

Happy Birthday Tina

Hi folks
I have to apologise again, it's been another busy week, dentist appointments for everyone this week, Willow's had 2 hospital appointments, I've had one too. And of course made a good dent in the xmas shopping so I'm afraid there has been a distinct lack of crafting going on, let alone anything else.
But I did do a late-night crafting session to make a 40th birthday card for my beautiful friend Tina...

Image: The Collector - Gorjuss Stamps from PI coloured with promarkers and flexmarkers
The 4 and 0 are papermania stamps, coloured with promarkers and flexmarkers then covered with glamour dust
MS border and butterfly punches, core'dinations card, stickles
the gingham paper was a gift from Tina.

Remember to enter my distress ink candy - closes at noon Friday, and look out for more candy tomorrow too :)

Sunday Roundup

Thought I'd join in with Kim Dellow's Sunday Roundup - which I read about on the fabulous Lou's blog.
So what have I got to share with you? well if you're quick you can pick up an exclusive stamp... this weekend only Sugar Nellie have a special offer on the last release of the beautiful Simply Sassy stamps. You can buy all 6 for the price of 5 plus you get an exclusive stamp also free. So that is 7 stamps for the price of 5. So pop over here and grab yourself a bargain.**edited - sorry folks the special offer has sold out, but you can still buy the 6 stamps individually here . And if you need a little inspiration - you can pop over to the Simply Sassy blog-hop.


Talking of stamps, Hero Arts are showing off some sneaky peeks of the 2012 stamp catalogue, so just click on the blinkie below for your chance to join in and win some prizes.

I've had the 2012 diary out and have booked in some dates for the first half of the year, with some exciting new classes and demos happening and some exciting other things that I can't tell you about just yet ;) You'll find all the info you need on this page.


Another giveaway that finishes tonight is Kath's super Distress Ink giveaway.

And if you're not the lucky winner of that giveaway, don't despair - I'll be posting a giveaway tomorrow for my followers :)


**Edited to add - I have had a clear out of some of my rubber stamps and a few other bits and bobs, so please have a look at my For Sale page and grab a bargain

Breaking Dawn

Yes, I'm off to the pictures this morning - how decadent is that!, going to the pictures at 10am on my own woohoo.
Yup, I'm off to see the latest of the Twilight movies... Breaking Dawn part 1

The kids are off to school in some home made spotty tops - thank goodness for Promarkers, I tell ya - in aid of Children in Need.

I've pledged £1 for every time I bubble at CiNRocks last night and at CiN tonight on the telly. I'm one of these emotional saps that cries at the John Lewis advert, the RSPCA and NSPCC adverts, I even bubbled at Andrea Bocelli singing Nessum Dorma last night. So there's a good chance CiN are going to make a fortune out of me :)


Hopefully I'll be back later to update this post with pics of the kids in their home-made spotty tops :)

Ugly Gordon

Hiya,
haven't had time for any crafting this week yet, so I thought I'd share a story with you today instead.
As I said in yesterday's post, we were off to the Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital with Willow for her consultant appointment. For a treat, and because I was in a fairly generous mood I let Willow choose a small toy at the WRVS shop. So that nobody felt left out I also chose something for Faith and Scott too. Scott got an alien keyring and I chose a wee soft toy for Faith. They had quite a large stand of small RUSS toys, the usual selection of kittens, puppies, lions bears etc and then I spotted the ugliest thing I've seen in a long time, and I knew Faith would love him like nobody else... so here's Ugly Gordon...

 I've checked and apparently he's supposed to be an Orangutan - think I need to watch more nature programmes, cos they didn't look like this the last time I checked.
But I just knew Faithy would love him, she's gonna be the one who takes home all the waifs and strays, I just know it.

Bluebird 2

Good afternoon,
back again with the last of my samples for last weekend using the Letraset Flexmarkers.
Yesterday was a busy busy day - had lined up a photo shoot for the kids seeing as they were off school, so we trotted off to Deeside Photographics in Banchory. I'd asked for Logan to do the shoot because he is fantastic with kids, and he always puts everyone at ease. I personally hate my photo taken, and always feel really awkward when asked to smile, but Logan did my engagement and wedding photos many moons ago and my cheeks were hurting with the amount of smiling I'd been doing. So I would highly recommend him - although be warned, he can be a bit cheeky, so if you're easily offended you might want to choose someone else lol
Anyway, Willow did her usual and came over all shy - but Logan managed to coax her into it.
So after that it was home for lunch then off into town for Willow's consultants appointment which ended up taking much longer than I'd planned, but hey-ho.
And then home to wait for my Tesco grocery delivery which never arrived. After a few phonecalls it turns out that the driver fobbed the customer services team off by telling them he was on his way when in actual fact he had already taken the van back to the store! So I had to reschedule the delivery for this morning.
Today has had a little less drama though, some guy from some agency came round to look at the insulation in the loft, so we're going to get more fitted next week. I've had to cancel Willow's hospital tooth extraction appt tomorrow because she's developed a chesty cough, and now Graham has a cold.
Don't ask me what I've done today - it just seems to be a day spent making phonecalls, paying bills and sorting out paperwork.
Anyway, here's a wee cuties to look at...

Image: Bluebirds Proposal - Gorjuss stamp by PI coloured with promarkers and flexmarkers
assorted ribbons and twills all coloured with flexmarkers all woven to make the background.
prima e line flowers, american crafts and papermania pearl brads coloured with flexmarkers

Bluebirds Proposal

Here's another sample from Saturday's demo at The Papeterie, we also used these stamps for the class...

Image: Bluebirds Proposal - Gorjuss stamp by PI, coloured with promarkers and flexmarkers
Papers are BG Two Scoops (don't ask how long I've had that paper pad!), blue core'dinations card and spellbinders nesties

Rose, Mk 2

Morning, I'm back again with another take on the same stamp I used on yesterday's card.
This is the colour I would love to dye my hair, couple of problems though... 1 would be the cost and 2 would be the level of maintenance. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm not into faffing around. I wash my hair, towel it roughly dry, brush it through and that's it... I never ever use heated things on my hair or any other products, apart from the odd semi-permanent dye to cover the ever increasing grey hairs lol
Anyway, you didn't come here to listen to me waffle on about my vanity.
Before I forget... I've been having a bit of a clear out of my rubber stamps - so if you fancy a bargain, have a nosey on my Facebook selling album. I'm selling a selection of Whiff of Joy, The Greeting Farm and Sugar Nellie stamps.

Image: "Rose" - Gorjuss stamp from PI, coloured with promarkers and flexmarkers (Imperial Purple, Wild Orchid flexmarkers)
black and white card from The Papeterie, spellbinders A4 impressabilities stencil to emboss the white panel. Tim Holtz limited edition Fall Distress Ink in Seedless Preserve to blend the edges. The seam binding (also from The Papeterie) was coloured with Imperial Purple flexmarker. 


I'd like to enter her into...
CAS Sunday - flowers (in the debossed background)

Flexmarkers at The Papeterie

MIA again folks, sorry!
But now that I've finished my last demo/class for the year I might be able to get back into blogging a bit more regularly. 
Yesterday was my Flexmarker demo morning with a promarker class in the afternoon at The Papeterie. And another crafty hooligan, the fabulous Kath was also in residence demoing the new Tim Holtz limited edition Distress Inks.
So a big thank you to all the ladies who came to see us, it was lovely to see some familiar and some new faces.
And a huge thankyou to my beautiful chum Tina, who came down for lunch and then come to my class - the cupcakes are gorgeous and I'll be trying out the jellies later xx


Here's one of my samples for the demo, using the brand new Gorjuss stamps and Flexmarkers...

 Image: "Rose" Gorjuss stamp from PI, coloured with promarkers and flexmarkers (the dress/boots are Egyptian Blue, Sapphire and Celestial Blue, her hair is Saddle Brown, Auburn, Nutmeg and Light Fawn, all in flexmarkers)
I also coloured the adhesive stones with Egyptian Blue, and the ribbon with Sapphire flexmarkers
The papers are Kaisercraft - Black & White Timeless, black and white card all from The Papeterie and the faux stitching was done with Letraset Fineliner.


I'd like to enter this card into...
A Gem of a Challenge - sketch, stitching and sentiment
Allsorts - Black, white and one other colour

Happy Birthday Kath

Slap my wrists again, I've been a very naughty blogger and haven't blogged in a whole week, and I don't even know why.... apart from the fact that I've not done any crafting to blog about.
Anyway, never mind that, it's our local celebrity, and my very good friend, Kath's birthday today - she's 21 :)
So by the time you read this I'll have been over with the card I made for her and a wee pressie.
so here's the totally Kath-inspired card that I made for her, using some of her favourite things... remember to pop over and wish her a happy birthday.

The butterflies are part of one of the new Hero Arts/Sizzix stamp/die combos, coloured with flexmarkers. I've also used Poinsettia Circle and Envelope Pattern stamps which are also Hero Arts. Do you like the shade of green on the poinsettia circle, envelope pattern background and the seam binding? well it's the brand new Evergreen Bough from the Winter limited edition Tim Holtz distress inks - isn't it gorgeous? The greeting is PI and the seam binding and white cardstock are from The Papeterie.

I'd like to enter it into:
Crafty Catz - anything goes
Papertake Weekly - anything goes
Ribbon Carousel - anything goes
Top Tip Tuesday - make your own backgrounds