A CHALLENGE ... from me!

My very first (and quite possibly my last - *lol*) challenge. There will be no blogging from me for 3 weeks while I'm on my fantabulous exotic holiday so I thought I'd post a challenge for those that may be interested. There's only two actual requirements - well, 3 really, if I'm to know you've taken part - and an optional one.

Requirement #1 - To make something, anything, using one of my freebies. There's a list of links to my freebies on the left hand menu and there's also a tab at the top of the blog which will bring them all up.
Requirement #2 - To post a link to the challenge on your blog, if you have one or spread the news in the best way you can. You don't have to have a blog to enter.
Requirement #3 - Post your details with a link directly to your entry - be it blog, gallery, album just as long as I can access it - on Mr Linky. Please realise that I have to be able to see it and any entries I can't access will not be valid.
Optional - Become a subscriber/follower of my blog (I don't post much so it's not a big ask *lol*) but it will give you more chance of knowing when the winner is announced! This is not compulsory.

There is just one other thing .... and it's important.
I'm posting this challenge as I'd like to see more of what people do with my freebies and would also like to put a bigger selection in the slideshow on my sidebar.  To that end I'm putting one stipulation on entry - that your entry is on the understanding that I may, if I wish, take a copy of it and use it in the slideshow.  If you don't agree to this then please don't enter.

The challenge will close at midnight on 7th March.
A winner will be selected at random and will be announced at 8pm on 10th March (to give me time to recover from my holiday and to look at the hundreds of entries I shall find???). There will then be 72 hours for the winner to contact me to claim their winnings of .....

A selection of Papermania Metal Accessories and a pack of glittery Dovecraft ribbon stickers (aka sticky ribbon - *lol*)



IMPORTANT:
If Mr Linky goes AWOL or doesn't work for any reason just keep popping back. I've never used Mr Linky before but I understand he can be a bit temperamental *lol*

Enjoy!!

Punching with Paula/Martha meet Sizzix ...

Thursday 11th February - Homework!

I think this card was planned for the morning workshop as the relevant papers were given out first thing in the morning. We didn't quite get round to doing anything with them and they were carried over to the afternoon. The afternoon saw us complete the rosette, sizzix based card and time was running out. Paula gave us the measurements for each element and the punches and stamps were passed around. I decided to take it all home to put it together and here's the finished result. I have made one mistake which I remembered we were told to look out for after I'd put the card together so it will have to stay but, overall I'm really pleased with all the cards we made coming out of this day of workshops. (Photos are not good as light was going and acetate is notoriously difficult to photograph.)

Ingredients:
Base card: A5 Acetate scored to make A6 card
Papers: My Minds Eye - Be Loved range.
Punches: Martha Stewart Punch - Monarch Butterfly, Martha Stewart Lever Deep Edge Punches - Doily Lace Trim and Garden Trellis, variety of scalloped circle and circle punches.
Sentiment: Personal Impressions as before, with ink

Enjoy!!

Whoop, Whoop!! ...

... I'm off on my exotic holiday with Jackie - TODAY! Can't believe that this time tomorrow we shall be near to landing in Dubai on the 2nd leg of our journey to our fantabulous holiday in Tanzania (the first, getting to the airport!) I'm all packed and ready to go now. 2 nights in Dar-es-Salaam, 3 nights on safari at Beho Beho and 14 at Fundu Lagoon on Pemba Island. Can it get any better?

I've got 2 cameras packed - just in case of breakdown - and enough memory for over 5000 photos. Reckon I shall have enough to look back on this holiday in my dotage (if I make it to my dotage) and remember it fondly. We land back on 7th March.  Will have to take a notebook (remember to slip one in case) so that I can make notes for any potential scrapbook I might do later on as the likelihood of blogging while we're away is pretty much zilch - lol!

Off to bed now. It's nearly 12:30am but will I sleep?????????

Thanks for dropping by .....

Martha Meets Sizzix Workshop

Thursday 11th February - afternoon at the Glitterpot
Once again with Paula.

A mix of Sizzix and Martha Stewart punches and Paula's creativity. She shared with us one of her methods for getting her creative juices flowing with Sizzix dies. She punches the shapes and plays for some while before actually trying to make anything. She doesn't get a die and dive straight in as I guess most of us do but likes to get a feel for the die and the patterns it makes.

Ingredients:
Card blank: Core'dinations card, Bigz XL - Card, A2 Eyelet & Ornate
Papers:  My Minds Eye - Be Loved range
Punches: Martha Stewart - Punch Around The Page Punch Set - Scallop 3-Dot (edge punch for rosette and internal border of first 'page'), Martha Stewart - Punch Around The Page Edge Punch - Lattice, various sized circle punches
Sentiments: Personal Impressions - Clear Mixed Sentiments Set (another of Paula's designs
Ink: Brilliance Dew Drop - Pearlescent Rust

Enjoy!!

Punching with Paula Workshop

Thursday 11th February - morning at the Glitterpot
With Paula Pascual (Crafty Storage and Paula Pascual blogs).  These were re-scheduled classes.  The original classes were cancelled back in January because we were all 'snowed in' - lol!

A great class using Martha Stewart punches. Labour intensive and very technique based. Paula is so enthusiastic about her craft and I think it rubs off. She showed us an easy way of making a pop up card. I've had some ideas since the workshop so could be putting this method into practise sometime in the future.

Ingredients:
Base card: Core'dinations
Papers: My Minds Eye - Be Loved range
Punches: Martha Stewart - Punch Around The Page Punch Sets - Scallop 3-Dot and Eyelet Lace, Martha Stewart Punches - Classic Butterfly and Monarch Butterfly, scalloped circle and circle punches.
Sentiment: Personal Impressions - Essential Circles (Paula's own design with nestabilities in mind)
Other:  Brilliance Dew Drop - Pearlescent Rust

Enjoy!!

Confused? ...

... not me, Dad, methinks - :0( It's been just over a week since I last called on him. I was greeted with 'Many Happy Returns for yesterday' Hmmm, my birthday was 2 weeks ago, the day after his. I saw him on his birthday and mine wasn't mentioned at all when I left him that time. Today he wishes me happy birthday for yesterday. This is a worry as it was somebody's birthday yesterday .... it would have been Mum's 81st! Seems as though I'm no more and have become my Mum, or more .... his wife! I guess it's good he remembered that it was somebody's birthday even if it wasn't mine *lol* but a bit concerned if he's looking on me as his wife. I could understand that more if I was still calling on him twice a day, 24/7 but my visiting routine is now just once a week. I shan't be seeing him now for nearly a month because I'm off on MY EXOTIC, LUXURIOUS, ONCE IN A LIFETIME HOLIDAY on Sunday! Perhaps the prolonged break will do some good - or confuse him even more. He doesn't like it when his normal carers have a break (as one is at the moment) and that makes him confused, having different people, who he doesn't really know, coming in and out so not sure what he'll be like when I come back but I soooo need this holiday.

Hubby is sort of managing when I'm not around and I'm sure he will get by, even if he has to shout for help occasionally. Just got last minute running around to now and all is ready. Roll on Sunday afternoon!


Thanks for dropping by .....

Storage Update - Spellbinders dies (including Nestabilities)

Remember this? Good starting point but it didn't last long *LOL* A few weeks later my collection had increased and my wallet was too small so on to version 2 - a 96 CD wallet ....

Version 2 is now no more 'cos I've moved on to Version 3 and think this is the one that works for me now, and into the future. Version 2, although not having every pocket filled, was crammed and I was growing concerned that the dies would eventually bend out of shape. When I got version 2 I also bought some 1 inch self-adhesive magnetic tape, cut it to length and stuck onto pieces of card, which added to the bulk. The tape is a stronger magnet than the magnetic paper and holds the nestie pieces a little more securely. I now use a mixture of tape and the paper (which isn't) depending on the dies.

Version 3 is still a CD wallet but it's more of a case and will hold 240 CDs. There are versions for 300 and 500 CDs but the case dimensions were the same. It's just the number of 'pages' that made the difference. In this wallet a set of nesties can take up one side of the page and the other side can be left empty and there's still plenty of room. I loved the fact it's a ring-binder so gives more movement and less crushing - and other methods of storage can be added for different makes of dies. There's a pocket in the front which is ideal for storing my tan mats (of varying sizes) and the 'sandwich' needed (in case I should forget *LOL*) I just love it ........!

Dimensions? Approximately 31cm x 30cm x 9cm. Where did I find it? Good old eBay! Cost? A bargain! Just £7.99 with free p&p. I ordered it Sunday and received it Tuesday. Excellent seller (Daisychain Supplies - 100% feedback with thousands of sales) and I think it's worth buying just for the case *LOL* .... Now, there's an idea - mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Enjoy!!

Going to plan ...

... for a change - *LOL* Hubby is now home so we've now got a few days to assess what he can do and what he's gonna need help with while I'm away. He doesn't have his post-op assessment until the end of March but there are other appointments before then for him.

I've progressed well with my plans this weekend. It does make a big difference when I can spread out and not have to worry about leaving space for hubby to move around. It also means that I don't have to clear everything away until I've actually finished so time is saved as well. My sorting out is nearly finished but finalising that will have to wait now until I'm back from holiday. I've ironed the new clothes that I'm taking on holiday and decided what I'm taking. Having to allow for a couple of city days, 3 nights on safari and the rest beach! Tomorrow I will be packing (all except the last minute bits) and making sure I'm within weight restrictions. Need to be well under if poss 'cos Jackie's got to take a couple of sails with her (don't ask - *lol*) so needs all the spare we can muster between us.

I'm getting really excited now but ..... we've had snow again today and, although it laid it disappeared quickly. Unfortunately the forecast is for more heavy snow towards the end of the week starting on Thursday. Please, nooooo! Thursday I'm at the Glitterpot for the Paula Pascual class that was rescheduled because of the snow in January. We also don't want anything that's likely to delay our flight on Sunday as we don't have a long layover time in Dubai before the connecting flight so any delay this end could put catching our flight out of Dubai in jeopardy. We didn't want a long layover and thought 3.5 hours would be enough. Just hope it is ....

Thanks for dropping by .....

At last ...

... third time lucky and hubby's had his op. Turned out to be worse than first thought and the joint 'was totally shot' in the words of the surgeon! He had to do so much work on it that the left thumb is going to be somewhat shorter than it was. His hand is now encased in plaster going nearly up to his elbow. He's also in severe pain and the painkillers they've given him have made him nauseous. He's not being allowed out of hospital until Monday so he's got a weekend being completely waited on and I've got one where I can do things that are difficult when he's around because of taking up space - like more sorting of the study and craft stuff.

I did get his birthday card made yesterday, so that was a bonus and I'm pleased with it. Can see where I could have done better now but it's too late to do anything about it but hey, he'll like it anyway. Well, I hope he does. I've made the 'sentiment' a little cheeky - some might not think it appropriate - but he will .... as do I - *lol* I'll post it when I'm back from my holiday. Can't do it before 'cos his birthday is while I'm away and he might see it before the day!

Hadn't been back long from the hospital when there was a phone call from youngest. Emma, middle g-daughter, broke her arm/wrist this afternoon. They were waiting for her to be plastered before bringing her home. Seems it's a bad break and had she been an adult it would have been operated on. Bless her! Which arm? Her left, to match Grandpa's, so they can compare plasters together when he's out of hospital. She wants a pink one. Pretty sure Paul will be happy with white *LOL*

Thanks for dropping by .....

I've finally plucked ...

  ... up the courage and rang the hospital to book my impaired glucose test. Yep, that's the test I was told I needed wayyyyy before Christmas. Well, doc said there was no urgency *LOL* Nice man on t'other end of phone told me that there would be a bit of a delay and the earliest they could fit me in was 15th February. With grin on face I told him couldn't do it and it would have to be March 'cos me will be away on my fantabulous exotic holiday with good friend Jackie! Not such good news, although he said he'd be kind, I'm going to have it 2 days after we return. Hopefully I will be so chilled from the holiday that 2 needle sticks in one day won't bother me .... yeah, right! It's something else to look forward to. 12 hour fast, needle stick, glucose drink, 2 hour fast and another needle stick .... what joy! At least I've got an early appointment, being so far ahead, and I should be home and drinking a cuppa by mid-morning.
 Hubby has had his phone call from the hospital and it's all systems go for his op tomorrow. Just hoping he doesn't go down with some bug or other overnight. Told him to stop breathing then he can't catch anything! He wasn't keen on that idea. Can't think why. Got to make the most of him being away for the day (although it looks as though he's late on list so will probably be an overnighter) and get his birthday card made. It's the least I can do as I'm now away for his birthday. Have a plan for it but whether it comes together or not remains to be seen. He's already had his pressie although he's not set it up yet. Or rather, I've not set it up for him although he's unlikely to be able to use the controls until his hand is healed. He wanted a PS3 so that's what he's had. Guess I'll be setting it up when I get back from hols so he'll just have to make do with his PS2 in meantime if he finds he can use the controls.
 Kieran (eldest grandson) is at stage 2 of his Army application. Having had his initial interview last week, to chat about the jobs available and what he'd like to do, his application has gone in for the Royal Logistic Corps. He now has to wait. No idea how long and not sure he knows. Trying to get information out of him is like extracting teeth *LOL*

Thanks for dropping by .....

Lovely surprise ...

... yesterday. I was sitting having a cuppa when the doorbell rang. I went and answered it and there, on the doorstep, was a really nice man with a big black box. The box had gold writing on and it was addressed to me. Now, I wasn't expecting anything by way of online purchases to be delivered (well, not yet anyway *LOL*) then I noticed it was from Interflora.

Totally lost now! Who was sending me flowers? Hubby looked as flummoxed as me so I knew it wasn't him. It was my birthday last Friday so I assumed it might relate to that so, being very careful I started to open the box. It was a plant and container and there was no way this plant, or container, was going to be damaged in transit through being poorly packaged *lol*. There was tissue and bubble wrap and it was all held securely in the centre of the box by a cardboard cuff.

Carefully taking everything out, unwrapping and then putting it back together, there it was in all it's glory. A beautiful jasmine plant. I'm now crossing fingers that it doesn't die on me before the buds open. I don't have a good track record with plant survival :0{

Who was it from? My dear friend Jak and her family. It's beautiful and I love it but most of all I love the fact that they thought to send it when they really had no need to and .... there's a bonus! All that gold tissue. It's found it's way into my craft stash. I have ideas for that *LOLOL*!


Thanks for dropping by .....