ET for Ebay?

I read somewhere that someone had put The World on Ebay. I wonder who the first bidder will be?

Penny Black Saturday Challenge Mum's Get Well Card

Funkyfairy have a new kit out, don't forget to go over and see. Meanwhile...here's my make for the Penny Black Get Well Card. (My second challenge! whoopeee) I decoupaged the little bear, coloured him with Whisper pens and dabbed on a bit of glitter. Then I made him a bunch of flowers, then added his arm to make it look as though he was carrying them. The card's for John's mum who's in hospital, hope it cheers her up! I printed the lavender large flowers (Pink Petticoat) straight onto pearl card this time, not done that before (cut off the white bits) and then made a sort of gate fold. I used my Woodware punches for the scalloped circles and Nestabilities for the rectangle. I bought a pack of Glitter Sheets today, spyed lilac and purple and couldn't resist it! The lilac flowers were actually punched out of the back of the packet! I was going to do a negative and positive insert for the inside, but me being me put the paper in the wrong way round and hey-presto!! it looks as if it's been embossed!

Bit early for Halloween...

I think I must have a 'thing' for spiders, skulls and all things that go bump in the night! But when I saw this challenge over on Pink Petticoat, I couldn't think of anything but making these little sour cream cartons into something to put a 'trick or treat' in.
I didn't expect to find dragons teeth or frozen eye-balls at this time of year, but am I wrong to say, whatever happen to BlackJacks? I did find some but have they got smaller...or has my hand just got a lot bigger!
The Spider and the ghost you can see dangling on acetate from the card at the back of the picture are from your 'ClipArt' on your computer. These were printed on to glossy photo paper. They can be made smaller, or if you feel brave...bigger!! The papers are of course all from Pink Petticoat.

Little Pocket

I've been dying to make one of these ever since I opened my Secret Santa on Christmas morning and at last, I have. It's very easy, just a strip of good quality double-sided scrapbooking paper, about 12"x4 and a half inches, some ribbon, a flower and a brad, glitter and some scrap paper to make the guttering at the side, so you can add some crafty goodies inside. I used a Jolly Nation stamped image on mine coloured with Whisper Pens. I just loved the one I received, such a good idea! This one just flaps over to close but mine had a tiny little magnet to snap it closed. (Thanks Debs!)

take it easy...

Thought I'd do a green card today, edged with some black. Penny Black Stamp (of course) Whisper pens, scalloped circle punches, brads, flowers, some ribbon from stash, not forgetting a bit of glitter. The font I chose this time is called 'Keyster' and is available as a free download.
So that the brads don't show on the inside of the card, I first attach them to a small circle of card, then fix them with 3D foam pads.

The White Fairies

Actually no, these aren't white fairies at all...they're the new Isle of Wight Ferries. Wight Sky and Wight Light and at last they sailed today! In January 2008, John visited Croatia to watch the launch of WightLight. She first touched the water over a year ago, to the sounds of bands playing, cheers from proud workers and villagers, after being blessed by the local Priest.
Later leaving Croatia, crossing the Adriatic Sea, staying close to the coasts of Italy, through the Mediterranean, Gibraltar, up past Portugal, through Spanish waters, past the Cape Finisterre with dolphins for company and heading East into the English Channel. So, John was very excited today as TV cameras watched from the Quay side as these proud new Ferries, after sailing over 3,600 miles, finally sailed up the Lymington River... to become the new link between the Mainland and the Isle of Wight...

Pictures by John

Lovely In Lilac: Ooh-la-la-Creations Challenge Blog

Been surfing...(don't be silly, not the sea, I'd sink like a brick! I mean, the web) and found 'Ooh-la-la-Creations' challenge for a striped card. Now, bare with me, I still haven't worked out links and things, but I think I might have a go... I have a few stripy cards down there, now then... I think I'll pick.....that one!
Now, if I've done it right, clink the title above and you should find the site!

Pan Cake Day

Pancake day! Don't you just love it! Hunting for that 'special recipe' your granny gave you. Diving into the back of the cupboard to make sure you have a bottle of lemon juice-and that it hasn't gone past it's sell by date...and then the tossing of the Pancakes. I can remember the girls having a go when they were little, to see who could get it to stuck on the ceiling first...the smoke filled kitchen, the fire alarms going off and the clearing up afterwards...oh what fun...

Two More Cards

I've used the Forever Friends stamp again. (I really must get some more stamps!) Someone should think of a 'Stamp Library' where we mad stampers can go and look at stamps, talk about stamps and then chose a stamp or stamps and then 'borrow' them (like a book) for a week or too. They would make money, especially from me, because I never return my library books on time. (Lost somewhere in my craft room under piles of stuff!) Anyway...where was I? Ah! yes, the cards I made today. The top one also doubles up as an ATC.
(Hero's is on now...so I'll catch you tomorrow!)

Another day another dollar (not)

Monday. Sometimes I think the days go by, and when they think we're not looking, they take a day off...five seconds ago I'm sure it was Friday. Anyway, nearly catching up with Birthdays and forum makes. Four ATC's, three Fat pages, two birthday cards.... (and a partridge in a pear tree) It's all go...
This is my first Fat Page...no I lie...it was supposed to be my first, it's my second! A lovely forum member sent me one of hers to show me what they looked like and this is what I'll be sending back. Thank you Rhea!

Had a letter fromThe Sun this morning. (groan)
Dear Sir/Madam (I must stop using John's shower Gell) I wish to inform you that The Sun will not be publishing Sun Fun Cartoons for the foreseeable future . I am in the process of returning all the cartoons we have received and you may get your cartoons returned in stages. The Sun would like to thank you for the time, effort and laughs you have given to us and all our readers over the years.
Please could you send me your address, telephone number and email so I can put this on file should we need your cartoons in the near future....Many Thanks...BlahBlah Blah.... oh poo...not that they've had any of my cartoons for ages and ages...(Well, they've had them,they've just not bought any!) Huh. Banks are going down, Woolworths has closed, and now The Sun doesn't want to make us laugh...Oh well...look on the bright side. More time to make cards!!!

Blue Hedgehog

Another day over. The weekend always seems to go by so fast. Spotted three Sparrow Hawks hovering over the back of our garden yesterday, probably spying on some mice in the fields or something bigger in the woods. Sometime last week one even swooped into our garden, did a swing around the bird table, a backward flip up through next doors apple tree and was gone in a flash! Whether it grabbed a blue tit or a sparrow on it's way, I didn't see , it was so fast! Today, another Sparrow Hawk, dived in from nowhere, but this time hit the fence and somersaulted backwards across the lawn, then, a little dazed but still with the ease of a jump jet fighter plane, shot straight back into the blue sky, and was gone. Definitely not the kind of bird I thought would be visiting my bird table! Finished another card today but am still behind. I couldn't decide if it needed a blue ribbon or not then was thinking entering him into a blog challenge but chickened out! Still haven't worked out how to do the links, but I'm sure I'll soon get there one day! Although hubby says, if my navigation of the internal workings of my blog-site is anything as bad as my map reading...it'll be sometime never!!

Sun, Sparrow Hawks & Spiders

While John was out in the garden in the sunshine yesterday, attacking next door's monstrous bush, which was trying not only to grow over our shed but move in, I made a few more of the 'Fat Page with ATC ' for a forum swap. I wasn't sure what to do not having ever made a 'fat page' before, but had some nice 'hinges' and some blue ink blotted paper that I was dying to use. I still need to do a few more, but for some reason, my printer doesn't want to print the blotty paper, it only wants to save it. Strange! So I ended up scanning it first and then printing it out.

I hope it's been a lovely day where you are, it's been really sunny here, spring is really trying to take hold! Spotted three kestrel type birds were hovering over the back of our garden, probably spying on some mice in the fields or something bigger in the woods beyond all the houses. Yesterday morning one even swooped into our garden, did a swing around the bird table, a backward flip up through next doors apple tree and was gone in a brown blurr. Whether it grabbed a blue tit or a sparrow on it's way, I didn't see, it was that fast.

Today, after John had finished attacking next doors over ground shrub, another brown bird of prey, probably a Kestrel dived in from nowhere, but this time hit the fence and somersaulted backwards across the lawn, then, a little dazed and with the ease of a jump jet fighter plane, shot straight back into the sky, and was gone. Definitely not the kind of bird I thought would be visiting my bird table!

Google Photo

Yippee! It's Your Birthday!

Haha! A different hedgehog! He looks as though he's just had the best birthday pressie ever! I know hedgehogs aren't pink (well...I won't admit I've seen a pink one!) but to me keeping the colours almost the same as the papers looks really nice. I was going to put 'Yippee!' on this but changed my mind!
I cut out two hedgehogs to make the 3D and used silicon glue and a bit of stickles glitter. The Happy Birthday was printed straight onto the paper before cutting it to shape, so the font is on my laptop.

Who's spotted it? This card has been here already...

A Little Bit of Decoupage with Penny Black

I love this Happy Hedgehog by Penny Black. Card was made for a forum buddy. Hope she liked it! I haven't got this stamp, but it's on my wish-list, this was given to me by another forum buddy in a swap as was the mouse with his spider web. I would really love this stamp, but haven't seen it anyway...yet! I just layered different sized squares of Pink Petticoat papers over the top of one another and when round the edges with my black pen. At the time I didn't have the Big Dots so I made theses bigger on the computer but the edges of the dots were a little blurry.

The flower, was punched out with a Woodware punch. I love using acetate, it makes the peel off dots look as if they're floating, so I've added some to where I shaped the card. I printed the insert out on the computer with little pink dots printed on the outside so that it would show at the front of the card when it was closed. The wording was also done on the computer, the font it a freebie. The inside of the card has my usual Loony Lyn! I've decoupaged the Happy Hedgehog and added a bit of Stickles glue to give him a little bit of sparkle.
Thanks for stopping by...

Good Night or should I say...Good Morning

It's a bit late but I just wanted to add this card, using The Forever Friends stamp and papers. The 'Happy Birthday' font is from my laptop and when I remember what the font is I'll let you know, as it was a freebie, and we all like freebies...

The topper on the front of the card is also an ATC. (Or was, but it looks as if I've stuck this one down! I've not made many ATC's yet but have been busy making a few for Forum Swaps. This card went off to a forum buddy. I hope she liked it.
Some people say, but most people don't.
Thanks for stopping by...

Blue Bear

Penny Black Blue Bear. Don't you think he's cute! I've called him blue because he looks blue in the photo, but I'm sure he was either lavender or lilac. I used whisper water colour pens and also did a bit of embossing on him too, (the swirly bits were free stamps with a magazine!) which made the paper/card bend a little, but I have a huge English dictionary that comes in very handy for flattening things! I used acetate again, to make the little silver peel off dots appear as if they're 'floating'. I still haven't worked out how to make links so the cards can be seen larger, but I have an idea, and will try later....so if I press the wrong button, and it all disappears again, please cover your ears!! ...the language might be a little....blue!


(You can now click on the pictures to make them a little larger....sometimes I surprise myself!)

What A Beautiful Day

I got up this morning half an hour before I went to bed, in a real rush. (No change there then!) Forum birthday card to post (late as usual!) and some Fat-pages to finish -but no time, had to get off to work. Rushed off down the road to post said birthday Card, only to find I'd left it behind! So, a quick U turn and back again to get it, moaning all the time about "Where's all my petrol gone, I'm running on air!" as I listened to Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince. Anyway, at least the card caught this morning's post. Arrived at work, no workmen today. The whole place is being renovated so three quarters of it has been sealed off. (The bit that's left is still three times bigger than my little bungalow!) After saying hi to the cats and puppies (dogs now, they're so big!) I ventured up-stairs up-stairs... (as there's two lots) and gazed out of the bedroom window. Wow...the sea was as calm as a mill pond. Beautiful. There wasn't a ripple to be seen. I quickly whizzed round and did all the things I had to do and then took the puppies down on the beach...it's hard to believe it was raining and snowing last week. There was a little breeze, a bit of mist around the Island, the sound of the Terns and the Oyster Catchers waiting for the tide to go out and the waves rippling further out to sea where the sandbank was just beginning to show. The puppies foraged on the beach looking for shells to chew and crabs to chase and as the sun reflected off the calm sea I thought...what a beautiful day!

Spyder's Corner

Friday 13th....I got through the day without losing anything, (unless you count an earring) or spilling anything, (unless you count the petrol hose burping petrol everywhere) or burning anything (unless you count turning the top oven on instead of the main oven....the grill handle sort of went wonky) or... with even being abducted by aliens. It was quite disappointing really!
I made this card using Pink Petticoat Halloween papers and images all available as a download....
Well, that was short and sweet...don't really want to tempt fate seeing it's Friday the 13th so...time for coffee and a chocolate biscweet! yum!

The 'Bits' Have Arrived

For the past month my car has not only been locking itself whenever possible, it's been squirting water all over me! Any slight turning, either to the left or to the right would cause a deluge of ice cold water to soak me from head to toe! I had visions of fixing an umbrella over the sunroof. Today, nearly two weeks after John put an order in for the 'thingamejig' (I've no idea what it is) it's arrived. So at last it can be fixed!
After a forum swap I found I had a lovely image of a cute little girl with an umbrella...I thought of me and my car, so I made this card!

(sorry...at the moment it won't load!)

In The Beginning and how do I do a link?

 I've been trying to start a blog for ages. I've already accidentally deleted it all and gave up. But I'm back and I'm here to stay! (she says bravely, knowing full well no one is listening, and waving my imaginary sword! 'Take that you dogs!')

I still can't quite work out why some of the pictures are nice and small, while others take over the whole page...like invasion of the body snatchers, little Tilda looms at you like the marsh-mallow man out of Ghost Busters and Merry Christmas over there is very tiny? Aah! They've suddenly got a bit smaller...now...what button did I press!? Oho!! I've found the BIGGER button, oh joy!! (I'll just do a little jig...I'm soooooooo glad you can't see!) Now then....how does one do a link?? Why do I need a link??? Why is the type different sizes? And is this the button to upload pictures to put on here?? I guess these are things I will find out, so watch this space! or...don't, coz it might be a long time before anything, if anything, happens!
First, what does this do...ow!

oh wow....a card!!!! Wish it was bigger though!

 *****************

Closed for comments...as they were only silly people asking rubbish questions, which I can't answer coz you're anonymous!   ALL anonymous comments are deleted and are not published unless I know you.... yes I have a secret button that tells me who you are.... and if you are reading this, you're madder than me.

Another Monday Morning

Monday the 2nd of Feb. (saved as draft, so hence the date above, I think)

We woke up to snow...lots of it. We don't get much snow down here, it's nice to see it if you don't have to go to work and can play. I remember taking my girls to school on the sledge, with hot hard boiled eggs in their pockets to keep their fingers warm.
'You can eat your egg at break time.' I'd say.
'Yeah.' said the girls in chorus giving each other knowing looks. It was only last week, more than twenty years on, Emma confessed, they never ate their eggs.
So, Monday morning, late as usual, I quickly throw some wild bird food at the angry blackbird in my garden, lock up and crunch my way past our little red van, looking sad with it's engine in bits, to my car parked in the drive, with a little voice in my head yelling, 'You shouldn't have done that...' I unlock my car, turned the engine on to help melt the thick layer of freezing snow and listened to Harry Potter blaring out, while I scraped away the snow. Did I tell you my central locking is playing up?? and why the little voice in my head was telling me not to lock the house and was now telling me, on no account to close the car door??? You've guessed it. The central locking suddenly went haywire. Click-click-click-click-click-clunk! and the car was locked! Engine running and me with no way of getting into it or back into the house to get the spare key.
'Oh NO! NO!' I yelled, with visions of Basil Fawlty hitting his little red car with a tree branch now in my head...'No you stupid car, no!'
'Is something wrong?' said a voice from the other side of the hedge. My neighbour, from across the road had earlier tried to reverse her car back into her drive but it had slid out again, and lucky for me, there she was with words like, 'Can I help?'
'Er? Any good at breaking in?' Were my first thoughts, which quickly changed to, 'Um...couldn't use your phone, could I?' Of course I didn't have my mobile. Someone from India, (can you believe a phone stalker!) has been ringing me day and night leaving messages, so I'd turned it off and left it in the kitchen. I had a sudden thought of, 'I could poke a stick through the cat flap and get the spare key or even my phone, but then 'neighbour' from across the road said,
'You can use my phone, while I make a cup of tea.' Of course not having my phone meant I couldn't remember Hubby's work number, so after ringing Portsmouth to get the number of the local Office, John finally came on the line.
'Yeah? What? Where you ringing from?'
I could hear the frown...
'Um,' I said slowly...'Remember I told you about the central locking not working properly and locking itself whenever it felt like it? Welllllllll'
'You've locked your keys in the car.'
'Yes...and the engines running...with the heater on and Harry Potter's playing, you can hear it... but at least all the snow's melted now.'
'Damit!' Came back the frowning voice..'I'm coming' and the phone clicked dead.
Twenty minutes later, hubby arrived. So, the moral of my story? Don't trust central locking and... if you have other cars parked in your drive, check to see if they have their keys, because sitting in our broken little red van, not more than a few feet from me all that time was a set of keys.
Shame that little voice in my head didn't tell me this....

Snowy pictures by Emma-Marie, taken near Eastleigh, Winchester.