Rant, Moan, Blah.

One question I'd like to ask all of you crafters is how do you make the time to be creative? I'm in a moaning mood today and I'm getting annoyed at myself for what I feel is a constant lack of productivity. We all have the same hours in the day and I read so many blogs where people have made fab cards on a daily basis, yet I'm usually lucky to come up with one a week!

This, BTW, is this week's card:

I'd love, for instance, to keep my Etsy shop more regularly updated, and to enter challenges and to share ideas, but I always seem to prioritise a million other things over cardmaking. Has anyone got any tips regarding how they motivate themselves and make the time? Does anyone else feel guilty if they sit making cards when the toilet needs cleaning? I'm in need of advice on this one!

OK, moan over. Despite my little rant there, I've had a pleasant weekend. Himself and I began decorating his man-pad and a good few hours were spent on Saturday rollering walls and ceilings in the lounge. There is still a good way to go but at least it's a start. We didn't even fall out and start throwing paint at each other! Even better, we got to stuff our faces with pizza afterwards!

Sunday I was working so no rest for the wicked there. It was quite "invigorating" though. I'd forgotten how hectic weekends at work can be. And through all this there have been cat bowel worries (againnn - zzz!) as I hoiked Ben to the vets for the millionth time. He's so crabbit when he's there, he turns into Devil Cat within seconds. You gotta love him though. Maybe.

Sorry for the lengthy waffle tonight and lack of cards to show. Normal service should resume soon!

Waa-choo!!!

Snuffle. Snort. Parp. Etc.

Yes, people, it's that time of year again and I have a cold. A fuzzy-headed, stuffle-nosed lurgy. There was me thinking I'd escaped the nasal bugs this winter too. Oh well. It's a good excuse to bundle up cosily at home and drink Lemsip. "Yum"!

When I've not been beset by sneezing, I've been planning a class for March called Spring is Sprung, using the new range from Daisy and Dandelion entitled "Some Bunny Loves You". No pics yet but watch this space!

Elsewhere, my colleagues and I have been inspired by some Card Candy we were shown at a Stampin'Up party the other night, and I have subsequently made a selection of Baby-themed embellies:

As soon as I've purloined some acetate to back them onto, these will be a new feature in my Etsy shop. They are assembled from various bits and pieces from my stash and, once more, it's a great way of using up scraps.

OK, time to go and evacuate the nose area.

See you soon!

A Good Weekend!

Hi, I'm back in blogland after yet another unexplained abscence!

Actually it's just been a busy few days and I'm only just stopping to draw breath now. The retirement party was a good night out, with a live band and amusing conversation with friends being the main source of entertainment. Along with the retiree donning a blond pigtailed wig (the retiree was a man!) and leading the band in lively renditions of Abba numbers. In a dramatic moment of exhibitionism he flung the wig asunder and it landed with unfortunate preciseness on a lit tealight!! My reflexes were like lightening as I plucked said wig free from a firey doom. It wasn't even singed!

Oh, and I still enjoyed the evening, despite the fact I had to undergo a nightmare "someone-else-wearing-same-frock" situ. The embarrassment did not stop me from "hitting" the dance floor, although I could not bear to make eye contact with the identical-outfit-wearer. Himself said it looked better on me. That was the right thing to say!

Sunday was a quiet affair, with a pleasant, but bitterly cold walk in the nearby country park. After getting up early to watch the Federer/Murray match whilst munching toasted waffles with cream and syrup. Yurrrm!

I've realised I never showed a pic of my diary for this year, well, let me put that right!

Just a plain black diary from Asda, that I covered with Doodlebug papers and stickers from the Pretty Kitty Essentials Kit.

It matches nicely with this notebook Kim and Julie made, which, for some kind reason they gave to me:

Today I took the day off to get my car serviced, and then a kind man fixed my craft room light switch so I can now see what I'm doing - wahey!

Tonight these cute (I know, I know!) animal mini cards will be going in my shop:

The stamps are from Jolly Nation and I think they're Jolly Nice!!

Honey and Hugs

Well, hello there, I'm pleased to report that there has finally been some craftage around these parts, beginning with this set of stamped fern notecards:

And following on with a couple of cards made using the Honey and Hugs notelets from Papermania:

I've not got any of the backing papers for this range yet but I'm loving the notelets - this range is sooooo c...(banned word!)!!!! The Hug embellishment is from the Cricut Paper Pups cartridge and is not part of the notelet, I must add.

Also a set of tags for my shop using purple and orange stuff:

And that's about it really. Geoffrey hasn't seen the light of day yet, but Frank has been enjoying the view from the window:

The other furry residents of Mushroom Towers, however, are less than impressed with the new boy:

Ben: "Gruh!"

Corrie: "Yawn!"

Join me next time for another "exciting" instalment! (Yes, I really have lost the plot now!)

Colours Galore

I just love collecting different colours of card and paper.

I'm lucky that my job enables me to do that quite nicely.

It's good to see some spring-like shades coming in!

I am going to help Himself to decorate his flat. So yesterday we B&Q'd. H is depressed at the thought but I am going to be his Motivator as I enjoy painting. I don't think he'll let me loose with a palette of colours like those above though!

Today I feel like I don't want to leave my craft room. I'm making tags. Cup of orange mocha coffee beside me. Feet on a hot water bottle. It's a good feeling but I'm going to have to tear myself away in order to make curried parsnip and coconut soup for tomorrow's lunch. Plus, I have eye strain in the crepuscular gloom. I really have to get that light switch fixed soon!

Using Up Scraps...

...by making Valentine's tags. Only problem is, I'm now left with even smaller scraps! I'll have to make some mini tags!

I can't believe the week is whizzing by so fast. The weekend was very enjoyable, with the housewarming party turning into a reunion of schoolfriends who have known each other for nearly quarter of a century (scary!) and a comparison of hideous hairstyles we have all "sported" in the dim and distant past. My "friends" particularly like to remind me of my "Leo Sayer" phase, when I had a very unfortunate perm. Why does no one tell us at the time how bad these things look??? At least, for some, it was not long before they went The Way of The Straightener. It took me somewhat longer to be enlightened, sadly.

And, yes, there are photos but they are not for viewing by those of a nervous disposition!

Love Is In The Air...

The light switch in my craft room met it's death last night and that's mildly annoying, as for the time being I will have to craft by lamplight. I can feel some eye strain coming on.

Never mind, the snow is melting ( a bit) and the sun is shining wanly and last night I came out of enforced hibernation to go to Card Night at Kim's.

Where I made 7 cards.

Woo!

Continuing the wedding/anniversary/romance theme:

All made using Cosmo Cricket Everafter papers and embellishments from the Paper Company Studio.

I think the reason for the success was that we decided to have no nibbles all evening, which allowed us to focus purely on the crafting.

Or maybe I was just on a roll, which doesn't happen very often!

Tonight I'm off to a housewarming party which is also a Christmas-present-you-liked-least-swapping party.

Which gives me a dilemma.

Because I liked all my presents :o(