Papertake Weekly Challenge...Sketch 32

Morning folks....I think I am on a roll here...lots of challenge cards done this week....and no skidding in by the seat of my pants either....well you know the old saying...."make hay while the sun shines".  And the challenge this week from Papertake Weekly is another fabby sketch from my lovely bloggy bud...the gorgeous Miss Pink Piggy ...the one and only Dawny P.....this is another one that will be filed away in my sketch folder for future use in times of missing Mojo.

Papers: Paper Cellar 6 x 6 Wedding

Image: Sugar Nellie......Daisy

Flowers....Prima

Ribbon.....American Crafts

Sentiment: Craftwork Cards

Pearls from stash

I have a little confession to make......this was my very first attempt at colouring with Promarkers....followed the tutorials on Debbi's blog and was quite pleased with the result until I came to do the hair....and then it all went pear shaped......so all you expert Promarker girls out there especially Debbi.....don't look too closely.   Can't wait for Debbi's workshop on Saturday now to find out where I went wrong with the hair....always something new to learn in this crafting malarkey and it just goes to prove that you can teach an old dog new tricks..well I'm hoping anyway.

Catch up with you all tomorrow for a sneaky peek and the winners of the "How Much Snow" give-aways.

Hugs Kath xxxxx

2 Sketches 4 You Challenge

Morning folks.....and yes another challenge card......and it's been so long since I've had time to play along at 2 Sketches4You....one of my favourites....so perhaps cooped up in the cubbyhole in this snowy weather hasn't been so bad after all.    The sketch this week is from the lovely Laura.....and a perfect opportunity to play with some of  the new stash that was my Santa present to me.

I am fallen completely head over heels in love with this gorgeous Hero Arts Cling Stamp....Antique Brocade and it looks sensational stamped onto Kraft Cardstock with the Stampin Up Whisper White Ink Pad

Paper: Stampin Up Kraft Cardstock

Hero Arts....CG 102 Antique Brocade

CL 293 Scattered Leaves

Sentiment: Hero Arts CL 278 Great Flourish

Ribbon: Stampin Up Twill Tape

Flowers: Hobbycraft Roses

Petaloo...Flora Doodles

Brads from stash

Stampin Up Ink Pads....Whisper White & Close to Cocoa

Big change in the weather here....after a night of heavy rain....the snow is disappearing literally like "snaw aff the tap o' a dyke" (translation in a posh voice...snow off the top of a stone wall)....gone is the Winter Wonderland look...we now have black roads bordered with lots of dirty snow....but I am not complaining.

Catch up with you all tomorrow.....Hugs Kath xxxxx

Spread the Word

Hi Folks.....have you heard the news about a very exciting event happening on 1st February.....our lovely bloggy buddie  Brenda is organising a very special one-off challenge and blog hop.....with lots of prizes to be won.....so go check it out and mark the date on your calendar.

Hugs Kath xxxxxx

Allsorts Challenge

Morning folks and time for another challenge card.     The challenge this week from Allsorts is a sketch from my lovely bloggy bud Emma.....and I love this sketch so it will be going in my sketch folder.....oh yes a great source of inspiration when Mr Mojo takes himself off on a jolly.
And it's time to chase away those winter blues and to brighten things up a bit.......I dug out some old favourites....papers and embellies from one of my favourite papercraft companies....WeR Memory Keepers

and another favourite from Penny Black

Papers & Sentiment: WeRMK...White Out Collection

Image: Penny Black

Ribbon....American Crafts

And on the weather front.....things are improving....it was a balmy 4 degrees yesterday...the roads are back to black but are now peppered with potholes.....and I managed to get out with the car and stock up those food cupboards.....let's hope the thaw continues but somehow I don't think we have seen the last of the snow.......catch up with you all later....Hugs Kath xxxxx
Tiff asked....how did I do the umbrella.....I suppose it does look like an umbrella but it is actually a flower that the mice are sitting under.....just stamped onto the patterned paper...cut it out and popped onto 3D foam pads.

Dreams Come True

Hi Folks....some information for all you FUNKY HAND fans out there......the brand new 

"DREAMS COME TRUE"  CD 

will be officially launched on Create and Craft on 16th January at 12 noon but....it is available to pre-order NOW over on the Funky Hand website......this one is going to go like hot cakes folks and you wouldn't want to miss out now.....would you......so if I were you I would get over there quick.

Hugs Kath xxxxx

Let's Have Some Fun

Morning folks....I think it's time for some fun....I know I said a few days back that I love snow....well the novelty has well and truly worn off......I'm beginning to feel a little bit stir crazy here....I just want it to go now but that won't be happening anytime soon ....the stuff is now rock solid after days of freezing temperatures......-7.5 yesterday at midday but much much colder during the night....check out the icicles hanging from the guttering.

I have noticed on some blogs recently folks are measuring the amount of snow they've had...well there is no show without Punch....so I decided to check just how much has fallen at chez Kath since just before Christmas and the best place was the patio table where the snow has lain undisturbed ever since.    Now this may come as a bit of a shock.....but I don't own a 12" ruler....so using the next best thing....my trusty Fiskars 12" Cutting Mat

and more forecast for this week......

I must admit I am feeling a bit cooped up in the house.....no long walks with "The Budster"...even he is fed up of wading through the deep snow.....so let's have a bit of fun......why don't you go out and measure the snow outside your home.....post a pic on your blog....leave me a comment here so I can come visit and at the end of the week... if I am not buried under mountains of snow....will be sending goodie parcels off in the post to two names chosen at random.

COME JOIN IN THE FUN

Hugs Kath xxxxxx

Daring Cardmakers Challenge

Morning folks...time for a challenge card.     One of my favourite challenge blogs....Daring Cardmakers are running a series of linked challenges throughout 2010....the first dare of the month will be to make a card using the birthstone for that month and the birthstone for January is......

GARNET

Images: Hero Arts....CL375"Big Flower" 
CL161"Fill Your Heart"
 CL406 "Buttons"
Martha Stewart ...."Background Patterns"
Ribbon...American Crafts
Sentiment & Hearts cut from Red Bazzill
Ink: Adirondack Cranberry

You know me....I am an all or nothing girl.... I wouldn't normally use Red as the main colour on a card....but with St Valentine's Day just around the corner.....I thought I would go a little bit wild.....I think I am suffering from being cooped up in the cubbyhole....feeling a little stir crazy...so it's good to let your hair down just once in a while.....and wooo...hooo... my favourite programme starts again tonight.....yes Dancing on Ice.....so my bum will be on that sofa looking forward to seeing Mr Sex on Skates....the one and only Daniel...yee haaaa... and I think it's time for some more fun.......we are all having a tough time with the weather and the fact that the snow is lingering on....so pop on over tomorrow for a fun competition and some prizes.

  In the meantime stay safe and warm.

Hugs Kath xxxxx

Penny Black Saturday Challenge.....Week 83

Morning folks....it's Saturday once again and time for another challenge at Penny Black Saturday.
The challenge this week is a sketch (in fact.....2 sketches) from our lovely teamie Nat and you can choose which one you want to use or in fact.....do both if you feel so inclined.....I went with Sketch 1 and once again living life in the fast lane....decided to flip it.


And I struggled a bit with a theme for this card......still can't get my creative thoughts away from snow and snowflakes....so decided to go with the flow and when I saw poor little "Robbie"...who is a regular in the garden each winter.....hopping around looking for food.....I just had to use this gorgeous image....and in the words of the nursery rhyme

The North wind doth blow and we shall have snow,
And what will poor robin do then, poor thing?
He'll sit in a barn and keep himself warm
and hide his head under his wing, poor thing.

Papers: Funky Hand CD....Dreams Come True

Image: Penny Black....Wishes for Kisses

Hero Arts: Tiny Snowflakes

Cuttlebug Snowflake Die

Martha Stewart Scalloped Border Punch

Decoart Glamour Dust

Gems from stash

Sentiment....computer generated

And in this arctic weather our poor feathered friends are struggling to find food.....so every morning I am out in my jammies and dressing gown.....filling up all the feeders and breaking the ice on their drinking water.

We have another fabulous prize for one lucky winner

$20 voucher from 1-2-3 Stitch

 who have a treasure trove of Penny Black stamps in their online store......a great excuse to stock up on some of the gorgeous new Valentine stamps.

Look forward to see what you all create with this week's sketches and hey if you do both.....you have 2 chances of winning the voucher.....will be popping over to visit....catch up with you all later....

Hugs Kath xxxxx

Back to Square One

Morning folks.....I am a bit later this morning.....decided to have a bit of a lie-in.....my body is feeling the after affects of my mega excavation job yesterday......decided I was fed up being marooned so I spent the whole morning yesterday digging out the driveway......well the cupboards were almost bare....a case of Old Mother Hubbard.....did eventually get the car out of the street and onto the so called "cleared main road"....and I had a hair raising drive to M&S only to find that the shelves were almost empty.....their lorry couldn't unload because the hydraulics were frozen....couldn't unload it manually because Mr Health & Safety would be on their case.
Managed to get a few morsels to keep us going and get home again safely.....but I am not taking the car out again....the condition of the roads is a joke...they keep saying that they are giving priority to main roads...but not here they ain't ....travelling in second gear and even then the car was sliding all over the place.  And then it started to snow again heavily and guess what......my lovely black driveway is white once again......I give up.

But there is someone in the family who is loving all the snow....can't say the same for hubby.....

So just one itty bitty little sneaky peek today and yes your eyes are not deceiving you.....it could possibly be a snowflake.

My wrists are aching after my digging work yesterday......so this could be a bit of a no crafting day.  Catch up with you all tomorrow for another challenge over at Penny Black Saturday.

Hugs Kath xxxxxx

Papertake Weekly Challenge

Morning folks....I have surprised even myself...here I am with my challenge card for Papertake Weekly....blimey none of that skidding in at the last minute this week......could this be a case of "start off the year as you mean to go on".....don't hold your breath....it may just be a little hiccup in my chaotic crafty world.
The challenge this week over at Papertake Weekly is...

NEW BEGINNINGS

and I don't know about you folks.....but any creative thoughts I have still involve snowflakes and snowmen....I suppose the covering of snow outside the window doesn't help either..so drastic measures are called for....look out the bright zingy spring colours and take it from there....and they don't come any zingier than this fabulous collection from WeRMemory Keepers....a huge 12 x 12 pad of gorgeous papers that just goes on and on and on.....

Papers..Rub-ons and Alphabets: WEMK....Nonsense Collection

Stickers: American Crafts....Giddy

Sentiment: American Crafts....Fabric Thickers

Ribbon: American Crafts

Well I've made a bit of a start in the plan to ditch Christmas but shock horror....there is still a slight hint....the house looks as though it is sitting in a field of......yes you've guessed it.....SNOW.
And this tickled my sense of humour this morning....the table on the patio which is my photographic studio when the weather is a little kinder.....I think it is well and truly out of commission for a while

and check out the icicles hanging from the shrivelled up clematis

and more snow on the way apparently.....think it's time to look out the cosiest of jammies...my hot water bottle and hibernate.

A big thank you to my lovely postie who....day after day....has been  trudging through deep snow to deliver the mail.....I know that Royal Mail get a lot of stick but the posties in our little town are just the best and regardless of the weather he always has a cheery smile and today I was the one smiling when he brought my parcel of Promarkers so I'm all set for my class on the 16th......just need to figure out a way to get there.....this snow ain't going anywhere anytime soon.

Catch up with you all later....Hugs Kath xxxxx