Happy Days...

Hi folks...time spent with crafty friends sure gives you that happy feel good factor...it's the best therapy ever and guaranteed to be lots of fun when my special buddies Ann and Hels come to town...

what a fabulous fun technique filled day that passed in a flash in the company of lots of lovely crafty folks and it was great to sit on the other side of the table for a change...relax...have fun and concentrate on getting mucky.

not sure I've quite got the hang of this selfie thing...holding the camera aloft whilst looking down and pressing the button at the same time isn't as easy as you might think...well not for this technology challenged oldie

I'll be back tomorrow to share more pics and lots and lots of tags....in the meantime...enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Hugs Kath xxx

Woohoo...

Hi folks...woohooo...what better way to chill out after a frantic manic "headless chicken" week than to spend time with friends...I'm meeting up with my lovely "we will try to behave" buddy Ann who's travelled up from Glasgow and heading to The Papeterie for a whole day workshop with my fellow Tim Holtz addict...the one and only adorable Hels Sheridan....I can't tell you how excited I am but before I spontaneously combust I'm sharing the canvas I made for this month's issue of Simply Homemade simply because the sentiments sum up today in a nutshell...

See you all tomorrow

Hugs Kath xxx

Christmas In The Cubbyhole...

Hi folks...your eyes do not deceive you...the cubbyhole crew have been in Christmas mode this week...having fun with an 8 project magazine commission and it seems in the publishing world...Christmas comes around earlier and earlier...

but with a bit of huffing and puffing...we made it and the glittery sparkly projects are on their way to my favourite Editor.

leaving time for an extra escape the cubbyhole treat...a little road trip yesterday to Ballater with the Friday girls...

A 100 mile round trip give or take a few miles to visit our favourite butcher to stock up on our and Her Maj's favourite steak sausages...bonkers you may think but believe me they are the best bangers ever...

There's just time to hose down the cubbyhole...take a deep breath and get ready for treat number three tomorrow (crafty not culinary)...I'm so excited I can hardly wait.

Hugs Kath xxx

Tea for two or three or even four...

Hi folks...I'm cracking on with the Christmas magazine commission so there's no crafty stuff to share today...instead I'm sharing Monday's treat...an afternoon of absolute "how the other half live" luxurious decadence at Aberdeen's recently refurbished 5 Star Chester Hotel...a beautiful 19th century granite building set in the leafy West End suburbs...

with decor to die for...

the occasion was a birthday "afternoon tea for two" treat for my little Sis...

and to say it was delicious was the understatement of all time...every morsel was divine and definitely no pastry soggy bottoms but I can't help but think it was portion control "enough to feed a small army" gone bonkers...for us lesser mortals who are used to grabbing a quick coffee and a biscuit of an afternoon...it quickly became apparent that demolition of every culinary delicious delight set before us was never going to happen...

unless we had a break halfway through for a little snooze but that wasn't included in the price of the package...

so stuffed to the gunnels...we admitted defeat and headed home with our doggy bags (hubby demolished mine) resulting in a beached whale/I will never eat another thing/couch potato evening. All in all a fabulous once in a blue moon culinary experience but I don't think I'm cut out for the "how the other half live" millionaire lifestyle and I'm sure my digestive system would agree...somewhat relieved that it's back to basic cubbyhole catering...give me ONE Rich Tea biscuit and a cuppa...happy days.

See you all tomorrow

Hugs Kath xxx

Love Lives In A Garden...

Hi folks...I'm sharing the 2nd project I made for my Guest Designer spot over at the Oak House Studio Blog. We all know men can be a nightmare to buy gifts for and with Father's Day coming up soon...instead of falling back on the old faithful "panic at the last minute" pack of SOCKS...what about making a Garden Planner...also suitable for a female friend who loves her garden...

I have to confess I fell in love with the gorgeous Double Daisy Stamp Set...a 2 for the price of one...use together as I did to create a beautiful scribbly flower or separately...

and to see how it all came together...pop over to the Oak House Studio Blog for all the info.

See you all tomorrow

Hugs Kath xxx

"12 Tags of 2015" - May

Hi folks...this "skidding in by the seat of her pants" crafter is mightily relieved that finally I've managed to make this month's tag for "12 Tags of 2015"

a quick "basically followed Tim's tutorial" effort this month...no time to wait for Mr Mojo to come up with any thinking out of the box alternatives...

and I'm loving the new Tiny Tattered "ever so cute and dinky" Florals Thinlits which come with their own quilling tool...

and in true killing 2 birds with one stone style...this is my 2nd DT Project for Inspiration Emporium and also the Get Pasted Challenge over at Inspiration Journal...you still have time to enter if you get a move on and the chance to win a $50 voucher to spend in the online store.

I'm looking forward to a very special posh nosh treat today so a major scrup up is required..toodle-oo for now and I'll see you all tomorrow over at Oak House Studio Blog with my 2nd Guest Designer project.

Hugs Kath xxx

6 days shalt thou Labour...

Hi folks...six days shalt thou labour and on the seventh day...shalt thou rest...so says the Bible...well...fat chance of that happening around here...God obviously didn't factor in that in general...a woman's work is never done and in particular this crafty person has an insomniac dog and crafty deadlines to contend with although and I say this with fingers crossed...I think the dodgy alarm button may have reset to default...pinging into action at 6.00am yesterday...not ideal but far better than the middle of the night alternative. And no lazy Sunday papers and crosswords day for me...I'll be pounding the keyboard tackling the "filling me with joy...NOT " Fiskars step-by-steps.

because the job's not finished until the paperwork's done...

just like any job...there are the tasks that require big girl knickers and much gritting of teeth...nine times out of ten the making of the project is the easy bit...it's the photos/editing/instructions and linking up all the products that take the time but the quicker I stop waffling and make a start...the quicker I'll be having fun with a tag...

and if I can get away with it...the "goodie goodie gumdrops" new members of the Distress family

enjoy your Bank Holiday weekend and with a bit of luck I'll see you tomorrow to share a tag.

Hugs Kath xxx

Don't believe everything you read...

Hi folks...all is definitely not well in the cubbyhole and don't "for goodness sake" believe everything you read...the latest mutterings from the furry bundle have well and truly taken the biscuit...what he omitted to tell you is that his "doing his bit for the production line" morning wake-up calls have turned into an absolute nightmare...he's wide awake and bouncing around at 4.30 aka sunrise...now the clue's in the name...it's the time that the sun rises...definitely not the time I want to rise and not once but 3 mornings in a row and believe me...it's not boxed ears he needs to worry about but being red-carded and relocated permanently to the garden shed.
But it's not all doom and gloom...Phase 1 of the Fiskars samples are done and winging their way to Fiskars HQ as we speak...

and hey I even managed to sneak in a Fiskars Coffee Break Card for Simply Cards and Papercraft...

and it's not only sleep deprivation I've had to cope with...my old nemesis aka modern technology has joined the "out to get me" brigade...a printer that only seems to work when it feels like it and a camera that's prone to the occasional tantrum BUT I care not a jot because today I'm in MUTINY mode...I'm leaving the whole darned lot of them to their own devices and taking off with the Friday Girls for a fun "friends are the best tonic" adventure.

See you all soon

Hugs Kath xxx

Father's Day makes for Simply Homemade

Hi folks...at last I can share a few of the projects I made for this month's issue of Simply Homemade on sale now at a store near you...the brief was "Father's Day Mixed Media Tim Holtz style" projects using the new Distress Colours Cracked Pistachio and Abandoned Coral"...woohoo great combination and here's what I made...

And all is not going according to plan with nailing the crafty list  so onwards and upwards "I will not have a nervous breakdown" is the motto for today.

Hugs Kath xxx

The Gloves Are Off....

Hey bloggy buddies...a very good morning to you all from your favourite bundle of golden deliciousness...

things are a bit hectic round here so I'm holding the crafty fort today. The gloves are off and we're punching our way through the crafty list...the cubbyhole is in "lockdown" and this motley crew are confined to barracks in the company of the new arrivals from Fiskars...

which means lots of samples for the new products launch in September...it's all "our lips are sealed/Top Secret/ Cloak and Dagger" stuff but I haven't been asked to sign the Official Secrets Act so I'm chancing my luck and sharing some carefully cropped sneaky peeks...

I have to say that my "up at crack of dawn" routine sure is making a difference...those extra hours in the day are paying off...fed...watered...spruced up and off for our morning stroll by 7.00am...back by 8.00am for a jig around the house with Mr Dyson and my old Mum is limbered up and ready for another "cooking by gas" action day in the cubbyhole while I settle down for my "one eye open and ready to spring into action" power snooze.

I'm not sure she "who must be obeyed" appreciates my efforts to keep the crafty production line on track...I'm having to do a bit of ducking and diving to avoid getting my ears boxed at silly o'clock every morning but it's all in a day's work and sometimes you just have to "man up" and take one on the chin for the team.

See you all soon

Big Hugs and Furry Snuggles

Buddy xxx

Craft Stash...

Hi folks...did you know there's a new kid on the block...a brand new online store where you can top up your crafty stash...rather appropriately named...CraftStash and I was thrilled when my lovely buddy Sarah from Practical Publishing invited me to join the Design Team...

And to celebrate the launch...there's a very special offer

You can keep up to date with what's happening over on the CraftStash Blog or Facebook Page where you can enter this fabulous give-away...

or pop over to the CraftStash Pinterest Page where you'll find lots of inspiration from the Design Team and here's what I made with the dies and Panduro sequins that came in my DT parcel...

 Shapeabilities Victorian Tags

along with Tim Holtz Wallflower Paper Stash Pad...Idea-ology Pocket Cards and Simple Sayings Stamp Set

 and with the Large Scalloped Rectangle Nesting Dies

 and Tim Holtz Flower Garden Stamp Set

It looks like it's going to be rain rain rain for the rest of the week...not good news if you're out and about but I'm going to be head down with my nose to the grindstone...confined to the cubbyhole for the foreseeable future trying to get the better of the "doesn't rain but it pours" crafty list so the "rained off" outdoor coffee stops may well work in my favour...just saying.

See you all tomorrow

Hugs Kath xxx

Fun with Colour Chemistry...

Hi folks...I was absolutely thrilled when the lovely Lynnda at Oak House Studio invited me to do a Guest Designer spot over on the Oak House Studio Blog and very kindly sent me some of her fabulous products to work with...right up my street...lots of inky spritzing fun and here's my first project...a Stampbord Wall Hanger...

so why don't pop over to the Oak House Studio Blog to see how it all came together and don't forget to leave some crafty love and I'll see you all tomorrow with more makes from the cubbyhole.

Hugs Kath xxx