Papertake Weekly

Thank you everyone who took part in last week's challenge; your cards were just so beautiful! This week we have a sketch that I'm pleased to say didn't stress me out (much!). As it's the last challenge of the month we're sponsored by the fabulous, one and only Simon Says Stamp

 The prize is a $20 voucher for you to spend in Heidi’s shop!

Thank you Heidi – you are totally fabulous xxx

I decided to make a card for my son-in-law this week and used the fab Football Maxwell image from Digi Stamp Boutique. The papers are from Wild Rose Studio. Kev's not a 'cute teddy' sort of bloke, nor is he the smooth sophisticated type (sorry Kev!) but he is the best son-in-law in the world (love him to bits) and has a brilliant sense of humour. He is also footy mad so I think this card will suit.

This card also fits the challenge at Allsorts this week which is Challenge 87 - Male/Boy (my second entry!). Have a lovely evening evryone and I'll be round to visit you soon. xxxx

For Luis xx

Hope everyone has had a good week. I can't believe how cold it is again and so foggy too! The Ofsted inspection was as stressful as I expected it to be but, thankfully, we did well. We are a Good school overall with certain areas coming out very strong and I'm relieved to say SEN is one of those! I couldn't wait to get into my little room this morning to make some cards and begin the de-stress! My card today is for my cousin's youngest son, Luis. He is a gorgeous little boy who hasn't been too well lately. I've used a Cheryl Seslar clip art image from Digi Web Studio that I've had for ages and added my own sentiment.  All done on the computer, cut out and layered up. Hope he likes it! I'm going to enter this card into this week's challenge at Stamp Something which is Cute Somethings - I think this little fella fits that description. He also fits the challenge at Allsorts this week which is Male/Boy. I've just noticed this card also fits the challenge at Charisma Cardz which is Magic Numbers; think my number 5 should be okay!

Will be round to see what you've all been up to later. Have a lovely evening!  xx

Long Post - you may need coffee and cake!

Oh my goodness - what truly lovely blog friends I have!!! Thank you so much to all of you that left me comments after my last Post, and 'Hello' to my new friends - thank you for becoming followers. It seems many of you feel the same as me at the moment but you also had lovely little snippets of good news to share and that made me feel happy for you - fab! Kerry, your news was so moving it made me cry! Some of you gave me such good advice too, so thank you xxx
This week there is lots of good news! My uncle is home now and recovering well and my ex mother-in-law also seems to be on the mend even though her family were told to prepare for the worst. I've also been asked to do some GDT work - I can't say much more just yet but I'm so excited!
 I'm really late tonight because I didn't get home from work until after 8pm. It's been a bit manic because on Monday morning we got the call  from our friends the OFSTED inspectors! We're being inspected tomorrow and Thursday and it doesn't matter how organised you are, you always feel like you're not when you get the call. As a Senior Manager and SEN Coordinator I'll be interrogated (they call it interviewed!) so wish me luck!!
Now, I really must get on to my DT card for Papertake Weekly! We have a nice easy theme for you because  it’s Ribbons & Pearls and all you have to do is use either or both. We have a brand new sponsor this week, The Paper Shelter, who have the cutest images that all the DT team fell in love with. I chose to use Shopping Girl and I've teamed her with some papers from the Forever Friends Spring collection.

I'm off to bed now as I've got an early start tomorrow. I'll be round to visit you all as soon as I can xxxx

I'd love a bit of good news!

Well what a week it's been! On Monday we heard that my eldest children's nan (my ex mother-in-law) is very ill in hospital. On Tuesday my uncle had an operation to have a brain tumour removed and, thankfully, he's recovering well. So many people I know have family members who are ill and there's so much awful news on the TV that I've been feeling really disturbed and low. Does anyone else find it hard to stop thinking about events in the news? Happy events seem to be thin on the ground right now! So,what I'd love you to do if you leave me a comment is to tell me something nice that has happened to you, or someone you know, no matter how small it is. One small, but lovely, thing that did happen for me this week was receiving an email from Jo who sent me some gorgeous digi images from Crafty Sentiments and I've used one to make today's card. Her name is Blitz and I think she's so cute!

I'm going to enter Blitz for the following challenges:

Fab'n'Funky - Challenge 55 - Warm and Toasty (well she's wearing a scarf and mitts!)

Stamp Something - Anything Goes

I'll be round to visit all your blogs later, bound to cheer me up! Don't forget, if you've come to visit me, leave me some happy news xxxxx

Papertake Weekly - Cold and Frosty Morning

Hope everyone is well and having a good week. Thanks to everyone who took part in last week's challenge - we had almost 600 entries!!!! I thoroughly enjoyed looking at everyone's cards, scrapbook layouts, diaries and gifts and found yet more blogs to follow! This week's theme is Cold and Frosty Morning (hopefully we won't be seeing many more of them!!) so we would like to see winter scenes and /or icy colours so blues, whites, lilacs, greys etc.   Our sponsor this week is Robyn's Fetish so one lucky entrant will win 5 digital stamps or 4 digital stamps and 1 paper set of their choice!



The GDT and the DT have made some wonderful cards for your insiration this week. We were very kindly given a choice of images to use, so thank you Robyn! For my card I chose to use the 'In the cold' image. Looking forward to seeing what you all come up with this week!

Getting organised!

Well, I'm trying to get organised with my card making this year and have them made in advance. So today we have a Valentine's card for my hubby, Dave. I stopped sending him Valentine's cards years ago because I suppose I just got complacent and a bit lazy, as you do! We celebrate our silver wedding anniversary later this year and we've certainly had our ups and downs. Last year was particularly hard and really tested us, so this little card is a small way of showing that I love and appreciate him no matter what. We had so many plans for our anniversary but they've had to be shelved. The important thing is we have each other.
For my card I've used the gorgeous and too cute Valentine Zoe image from Digi Stamp Boutique. I've coloured her with Promarkers and the papers are my new Basic Grey Olivia. I know the 'flower' is a bit odd but I'm practising - bear with me!!

I haven't entered any challenges for a while so here goes!

Sketch and Stash -  Challenge 52 -Sketch

Basic Grey -  Challenge 35 -Dots/Spots (Basic Grey Olivia paper pad)

Fab'n'Funky -  Challenge 54 - Anything Goes

Creative Inspirations - Use something new (papers)

Will be round visiting your blogs later - have a lovely evening! xxxxxx

Papertake Weekly Challenge

Hope everyone is having a good week. It was a real shock to the system getting up at 6.0am for work this morning! It's the first Tuesday of the new year and that means a brand new Papertake Weekly challenge and some exciting changes! From now on, the first challenge of every month is going to be an Anything Goes challenge so that you will have a free rein to do whatever you want and really get to create without any restrictions. Of course, it’s still a challenge so we will be having an optional extra but this is just what it says, an option only and you don't have to do it if you don't want to.

So our theme this week is ANYTHING GOES and the optional extra is to add lace (paper or fabric) to your work. We also have a brand new sponsor joining us every month too. Our Anything Goes challenges are going to be sponsored by the fabulous and hugely popular

And our winner will get a £10 voucher to spend in the Lili Of TheValley shop! Thanks so much to Laila, Lisa and all at Lili of the Valley.

For my card this week I've used another of my new stamps that I just love. This time I've teamed it with some Wild Rose Studio papers from the Spring CD.

First card for 2011!

Hope everyone is well and happy. Thought I'd get this card posted tonight as I've got to get the house organised tomorrow before going back to work on Tuesday :o(  Every year I'm like a big kid and can't wait to get the tree up and then as soon as it's new year I can't stand the sight of it, lol! Today's card is for my youngest son to send to Rachel for her birthday tomorrow. I just love this LOTV image and the papers are the new Forever Friends Spring ones which are doublesided with lots of stripes and pretty floral patterns that I like. Have been practising my shading too as I really want to get better at it. I've made this one quite bright (too bright?) because I just want to feel like spring is nearly here! I do love all the seasons for different reasons but I'm really fed up of these grey days now.