It's official...

Hi folks...it's official...you heard it here first...I'm declaring myself INSANE...completely and utterly bonkers...I must have been possessed by DIY demons to take on the "bitten off more than I can chew this time" cubbyhole make-over and I may well be carted off kicking and screaming in a strait jacket before completion. I fear this may well end up being the longest DIY project in the history of the world.
For the first stage of the mad make-over...I chose Willow Tree...a soft olive green

GREEN is the colour of growth...the colour of Spring...Renewal and Rebirth

It renews and restores depleted energy

It creates a sanctuary from the stresses of modern living and

restores us back to a sense of well being

doesn't seem to be working it's magic so far...

2 walls painted and before you know the first unit is in place..my new storage area is taking shape...

but it may be some time before it's joined by the second...hubby and flat pack furniture do not go well together and he's been left somewhat traumatised. I'll be back tomorrow to share...surprise surprise...a craft project featuring a cute threesome.

Hugs Kath xxx

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

Hi folks...ha...ha...I love the optimism of the folks who've commented that the make-over will be fiinished before I leave for The NEC and I'm sorry to disappoint but there's not a cat in hell's chance of that prophecy coming true. I had no intention of starting what at the moment can only be described as chaos until after Christmas but you know what it's like when you plant a seed in a man's brain and he takes the bait...you've just got to grasp that opportunity and strike while the iron is hot....it's called feminine guile...make him think it was his idea and my motto is "if you've got it...use it. But before hubby got cracking on the ceiling...I covered up the crafty stuff with spooky ghosty dust sheets...

And got stuck in to saying au revoir to the "loved it at the time but way out of favour now" RED WALL...

and too impatient to sit and watch paint dry...I turned my attention to my workdesk tools...looking rather sad under their mucky coats of dust...wow it's amazing what a bit of time spent rub-a-dub dubbing up to my elbows in a sink of hot soapy suds can achieve...the blending tool tower is all of a sparkle for the first time in years...

and hitting the ground running I set off to pick up the storage units...

and choose the new cubbyhole paint colour...crikey I surprised even myself on that score...no humming and haa-ing...to or fro-ing...I was in and out in 15 minutes and believe me...that's a world record. I just need to work those magical powers of persuasion on the man with the screwdriver and with a bit of luck...the wall of storage will be done and dusted.

See you all tomorrow

Hugs Kath xxx

Crikey...I'm speechless...

Hi folks...it doesn't happen very often but yesterday I was rendered absolutely speechless when I just happened to mention my plans for the cubbyhole to hubby...crikey before I had time to finish the sentence I could hear Demolition Man's cogs whirring...obviously it would be ideal if the room could be emptied but there's absolutely no chance of that happening so it's going to have to be done a bit at a time but hey ho...crafty clutterers can't be choosers so I cleared the first lot of shelves and before I could blink Demolition Man and his trusty screwdriver had them gone...

I'm taking myself out of the equation today...off to pick up the new units leaving the Decorator Extraordinaire to work his magic on the roof and the Redcurrant wall has to go...I suspect it's going to be a devil to cover up...gesso might work but I'm not sure it's available in gallon size tubs...

No turning back now...the cubbyhole make-over is underway
See you all tomorrow
Hugs Kath xxx

There's good news..."if only" news and great news...

Hi folks...I'm in a bit of a hoop-de-doo mood this morning...the last project has been ticked off October's crafty list...ready to be packed up and sent on it's way for publication in January...

but before I can be let loose on the crafty play stuff...the cubbyhole needs a good old scrub down and if I'm totally honest a complete re-jig. I've totally fallen out of love with all the bits and pieces shelving...the cubbyhole is shrinking before my eyes because of all the clutter...the truth is if I don't see it I don't use it but this lepoard is going to have to change her spots and don my clear out hat with the intention of turning the current "junk shop look" cubbyhole into a minimalist crafty haven...in my dreams I visualise plain unadorned walls with all the shelf clutter moved into storage units along just one wall and I'm thinking that a couple of these guys might do the trick...

but first I need to find myself a gang of hunky magic elves...a couple of Pickfords Removal Men...a painter and decorator extraordinaire or IF ONLY there was a crafty fairy godmother  who would fly in...wave her magic wand...move everything out...complete the paint job and move everything back in again all in the space of 24 hours...crikey I suspect that not even Santa could pull that one off and I doubt if it will be happening this side of Christmas anyway that's for sure so the cubbyhole crew will just have to keep on dreaming while we trip over each other and the overspill littering the floor.

But there's some great news...the Furry Hooligan has taken on board the blackmail threat suggestion concerning his dodgy alarm clock and woohoo slept right through to 6.40am...it was Happy Monday Morning indeedy...let's hope it wasn't a flash in the pan.

See you all tomorrow

Hugs Kath xxx

Seriously...

Hi folks...Monday morning once again and the last week of October already...seriously where has the rest of the year gone.  I've had a very productive weekend in the domestic goddess department...no stone left unturned on my mission to clean the house from top to bottom...I shopped 'til I dropped and the larder is restocked.  And despite the "got it wrong again" forecast of rain...rain and more rain for Sunday...the sun put in an appearance so I spent a day in the great outdoors pottering around in the garden...I can't believe there are plants still flowering when we're almost in to November...

especially the clematis which normally by now has gone into winter hibernation...

and talking of hibernation...I sure am ready to fall into my cosy bed tonight after yesterday's "middle of the night" wake-up call...The Furry Hooligan's been given a good old talking to and warned in no uncertain terms that any repeat of those shenanigans and he'll be red-carded and sent packing to his new bedroom aka the kitchen.

Hopefully after a good night's kip I'll be fighting fit and ready to nail the magazine commission...woohoo the very last item on this month's crafty list and then it's playtime.

See you all tomorrow

Hugs Kath xxx

Wakey Wakey...

Hi folks...I bet a dime to a dollar that you're all still snuggled up in your cosy beds (lucky beggars)...in my case the dreaded prediction came true... a 5.00am rather rude face washing awakener from a certain YOU KNOW WHO and when that didn't get the desired response...he decided to flatten me into submission...he may have lost a shed load of weight but it's still a "help I can't breathe-no win" situation...nothing else for it but to stumble downstairs...let His Nibs out for a toilet stop AND here I am...I may well have risen but I'm certainly not shining...even I can't conjure up that bushy tailed feeling at "pitch black" silly o'clock...far too early even for this early riser...there's a world of difference between early morning cuppas out in the garden when it's daylight and the sun is shining AND sitting huddled at the computer right next to the radiator in the dead of night with the wind howling outside and the rain lashing against the window. And sod this for a game of soldiers...His Nibs has snuck back upstairs and is currently snuggled up on MY bed...snoring like a train. Time to pay Mr Google a visit...someone's bound to know how to reset a dodgy canine built-in alarm clock".
BUT for this "never enough hours in a day" crafter...I guess I've got my wish and shot myself in the foot at the same time...decisions...decisions...how to spend that extra hour...do I make myself another cuppa and get googling ...get a head start on tomorrow's magazine commission...

or sneak in a little crafty play with this gorgeous "Evergreen Pivot Card- Pop It Up" die...

or the one that's looking most appealing at the moment... take myself back upstairs for a "if you can't beat 'em-join 'em" snooze.

See you all tomorrow

Hugs Kath xxx

Please Behave Mr Blogger...

Hi folks...before you know it's the weekend again which I'm planning NOT to spend in the cubbyhole...yes even this crazy crafty lady needs a break...there's the small matter of household chores to catch up on and the urgent need to stock up the Old Mother Hubbard cupboards again.
The tutorials are done...well I should say the projects are made...I now need to upload the huge files of photos and write the old bumph but I have a sneaky suspicion that Mr Blogger may be gearing up for a tantrum day...he wasn't on his best behaviour yesterday so let's see if he will allow me to upload some sneaky peeks of what's been keeping me out of mischief this week...

OK so far so good...I may have to take the "come at him sneakily with little dribs and drabs" approach. Softly softly catchy monkey as they say. And who knows what the weather's going to be like this weekend. Don't forget to put the clocks back one hour tonight...wooohoo an extra hour under the duvet...well there's very little chance of that happening due to The Furry Boy's dodgy built in alarm clock...chances are I'll be rudely awakened at 5.00am instead of 6....OH JOY.

Hugs Kath xxx

Christmas Joy...

Hi folks...I'm sharing my last October DT project for Inspiration Journal today and after all the Halloween/Autumn/Fall projects...I find myself in a little bit of a Christmas mood ...after all it is only 9 weeks away...OH JOY...you can read into that what you will...I do love Christmas really...just not the charging around like a headless chicken in the run-up to the big day.
And continuing this week's Clean and Simple theme...I used the Lawn Fawn Stamps and Dies that came in my DT parcel to create a card that would be perfect for the last minute production line...

using a fake shadow technique that was featured on the Hero Arts Blog but I took it one step further using 4 die-cut words layered up to create dimension...fixed slightly off for the drop shadow effect and coated in Glossy Accents.

Then I die cut "Christmas" from Tim's Merriment Paper Stash Pad using Holiday Words-Script Thinlits and oh boy how did I ever live without the magical so easy to use...Stick-It.

The first tutorial is in the bag...it seems that Mr Mojo has returned in cooking by gas mode...let's hope he's up for "Tutorial Numero 2" ...today's challenge...sewing with hessian...

You still have time to enter this month's challenge over at Inspiration Journal...who knows you may be the winner of a fabulous prize - 50 Emporium dollars to spend over at Inspiration Emporium.

See you all tomorrow

Hugs Kath xxx

Sod's Law Happy Mail...

Hi folks...I'm back to share another play day card...more White on White...

I always use waxed paper when cutting Thinlits Dies so instead of throwing the waxed paper die cuts in the bin...on this occasion I used them to create the shadow effect and I have to tell you that I find myself hopelessly addicted to Tim's Texture Paste...it's a pot of  smooth creamy goodness...so easy to apply...just like spreading butter on your toast and dries pretty quick too.

and just when I was getting used to spending my days playing with the new goodies...the errant wanderer chooses today of all days to come home...sod's law and inconsiderate bad timing I have to say...because this month's happy mail DT parcel has just arrived from Inspiration Emporium...

choc-a-bloc with yummy goodies but I can't look a gift horse in the mouth so it's back to the tutorial projects I need to nail before I can take off on my November Holibobs...5 days of Fiskars Fun at The NEC.

See you all tomorrow

Hugs Kath xxx

InLinkz.com

Take your time Mr Mojo...

Hi folks...well the "storm" has arrived...lashing rain...freezing gale force winds and a bit of sunshine thrown in for good measure but hey nothing out of the ordinary for this neck of the woods and there's still no sign of the AWOL Mr Mojo so I've had to abandon the tutorial stuff I was working on for November in favour of a fun play day with some of the new TH Christmas goodies and another card for the October Colour Challenge over at The Ribbon Girls...another WHITE creation...

but it would seem that there's WHITE and there's WHITE...the Texture Paste looks white on the card but up against the brilliant white of the seam binding bow and sentiments seems to have taken on an off white creamy appearance...

but I rather like the contrast of the different shades of WHITE alongside one of my favourite Distress Ink Pads...Pumice Stone...love the speckled effect you get when you stamp on the textured surface of Distress Watercolor Cardstock and I'm giving you advanced warning that I'm now obsessed with the gorgeous Holiday Words Script Thinlits Dies...

so I'm planning another play day and am now in a "take your time coming back Mr Mojo" mood.

See you all tomorrow

Hugs Kath xxx

InLinkz.com

Twiddling my thumbs...

Hi folks...the weather seems to be the topic hitting the headlines again this week with the tail end of Hurricane Gonzalo due to arrive in the UK today and how bad it's going to be seems to depend on which weather forecast you've tuned in to but just in case for once the weather boffins have got it right...I've put any thoughts of gallivanting on hold...we've battened down the hatches and were looking forward to a mega "marooned in our crafty space" nailing the crafty list session but we didn't bargain on Mr Mojo leaving us in the lurch...he's jumped ship again and left his cubbyhole crew mates up the creek without a paddle...isn't it just typical when you're raring to go that it's looking like a frustrating "nothing else for it but drink coffee and twiddle my thumbs" day until the naughty absentee decides to grace us with his company again. I wonder if he knows something we don't and has hightailed off to higher ground.
But anyway..I'm back to share what we made in the afternoon session at Kath's Klub with the gorgeous give-away stamp...Christmas Cottage from Stampendous...

 perfect for a little bit of watercolouring with Distress Ink Pads...

and a dusting of Chunky White Frantage Embossing Powder...

See you all tomorrow
Hugs Kath