Holidays now for two weeks!

Morning everyone. Well holidays got off to good start this am as I was up before 6am in newsagents by 6.30 and had washing on line before 7am! just cannot lie in even on a weekend but shall probably be dozing by 4pm! I am going to make  2 Christmas cakes today so will have the lovely aroma of spices floating around the house most of the day. Middle of the week will see me travelling to Nottingham to see my aunt and drop my mum off there for a few days, then Friday I am off to Stoke to see my eldest daughter and then we are off to the NEC Sunday for the craft show and will also meet up with my bestest buddy from Walsall, not got much money this year for the show so will have to bargain hunt. I am a bit nervous about going because just getting over the Vertigo and these hot flushes I keep having- major crowds is probably not good idea but have to try. Then Monday onto Lincoln to see younger daughter at University(can't wait) on our way back home phew exhausted just writing about it!

Onto my card now its for Christmas Crafting and this month I had to decide what the challenge would be, so I chose decoupage. When I first started making cards this is what I used to use so thought it was good idea to go back to my roots of crafting so to speak. So I used a 8x8 card and used House Mouse decoupage and used some lovely black papers for my base, added some ribbon, flowers and a sentiment.

Well thats me for now may get the chance to do some challenges later in the week. So whatever you are up to this weekend have a good one and thanks for dropping by love and hugs Arlinex

3 Challenges but Head off on a Whirl!

Well thought I would make some challenges and see how it would effect my balance/vision, so all was going well until I had finished and then I felt like I was drunk it is a real weird feeling due to the Vertigo. GP last week decided she would refer me to Neurology at the hospital to rule anything else out and as an urgent case....first urgent appointment is 7th January 2013! I hope it is just Vertigo as could be really ill by then! So here are the cards I have made the first one is for Lili of the Valley Challenge and their theme this week is Classic Christmas. So I have used this cute image of two angels and kept the colours traditional-added some flowers, ribbon and a sentiment.

My next card is for Penny Black October Challenge and it was the sketch, so this is my take on it. I have used a cute little hedgehog image, kept the colours simple and added some ribbon and a sentiment.

Finally this card is for House Mouse Challenge 130 and it was to use an ATC on your card. So I have used this image of the little rabbits dressed as bumble bees and used greys, yellows and black to make this card. Added some flowers, ribbon and a sentiment to finish it off.

Well that's it folks thanks for dropping by and leaving your lovely comments, love and hugs Arlinexx

Little Home Made Gift for Homesick Daughter!

Have recently been speaking to daughter who is at Lincoln University in her final year and she is a bit down and a bit homesick, not helped by the fact that her student loan was over a week late so had virtually been living on fresh air. We had filled her cupboard, fridge and freezer up when we dropped her off beginning of September but think she was sick of the site of pasta by last weekend. Then her laptop broke down and there was problem with her phone so think things got bit on top of her and also she was home for about 16/18 weeks this time. So I had made her this little book for her stocking for Christmas of her favourite pin up at the moment and that is the diver Tom Daley. She is Tom Daley mad and has collected all the mags, papers etc of him over the summer. So I have put some photos here below of what I made-think this will cheer her up- what do you think?

Well there it is just a few pages of my little creation that I made for her and I am sure she will be thrilled with it and hopefully will cheer her up. Thanks for dropping by. Love and Hugs Arlinex

Gosh Where does Time Go!

Hi everyone again I have let my blog posts go downhill what with work etc just don't seem to have had much time to do anything and still have hundred and one things to do before the Festive season is upon us. Since I last updated my Blog my brother and his wife came to visit from Sussex and my youngest daughter has returned to University for her final year at Lincoln Law School. I have been off sick again from work these past couple of weeks with Vertigo- brought on by homonal levels due to the Menopause, so doc says. Well ladies all I can say is I wish it was at the end and not just the start I feel dreadful with the sweats, no sleep, etc I can tell you and now to have the Vertigo due to the sweats is terrible, so I haven't been able to do much or any crafting due to inbalance. When it comes on as I know some of you who have been through it will know its like a whoosh and you feel all over the place! What else is new- my youngest son who has just finished his Masters at Sunderland University is off to RADA at the weekend to do a workshop. He has always wanted to do acting and I hope he enjoys his day there, it has cost him enough to do one day. He eventually wants to move to the London area to do acting but he is brilliant at writing stories, scripts etc and feel that is the road he should take but he knows what he wants to do. So you have to encoursge them to reach their goals in life even if they don't work out, they have to at least have the freedom to try. I have made one card these last few weeks and it is for the monthly challenge over at Christmas Challenge blog, so why not take a look and enter your creation, you may win a lovely prize and as we are now fast approaching the Christmas festivities maybe you would like to enter. This month we have been sponsored by Bugaboo and we have been given a digi stamp of our choice to make our creations with. So below is mine and I have cut the image out and used tradional colours to make my card hope you like it.

Well thats it for now folks thanks for dropping by and leaving your lovely comments. Love and hugs Arlinex

Very Productive Day Crafting

Well we have ahd a busy week here at our house. Wednesday saw me finish work at lunch time and drive to Lincoln and back (as couldn't have day off on Thursday due to staff shortage) to drop off younger daughter off for resit Land Law Exam on Thursday morning. Then it was back again on Friday to pick her back up and where we had a really dreadful meal in the Toby restaurant in Lincoln. Needless to say they have had a very strong complaint letter sent off to them! So on Sunday we decided to get the craft stash out on the dining room table- not all of it or the table would have collapsed- we had a fab time. Lindsay dosen't get much time to craft being at uni all term time but I think she had a great time and she made quite a few cards, for various friends and relations whose birthdays are coming up. I think she may need to update her blog it must be well over a year since she did anything on it. So here is a few cards I have made for a few challenges this week the first card is for I love Promarkers and there theme this week was Anything Goes and also Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge which was Animal Antics. So I have used this new stamp I bought while on holiday and it is of Owl and Pussycat in their team GB boat, I have added a sentiment and some bunting along the bottom of the image, that was a bit of a fiddle but it looks nice, when I eventually got it stuck in the right place! Promarkers used were poppy, denim blue, china blue, vanilla, blush, sandstone, tan,caramel, peach,slate, warm grey 1, duck egg blue, and cool aqua.

My next card is for Lili of the Valley Challenge and also for Allsorts Challenge and they both had Anything but a Square Card as their challenge this week. So here is my little card and I have used a LOTV image and used the colours from the backing papers as my inspiration. Added a sentiment, some flowers and a small bow, hope you like it?

My final challenge card today is for Just Magnolia and their theme this week was Pretty in Pink and the sketch was this weeks from Sketch Saturday. So I have used this image of Magnolia and used various shades of pinks to colour her with, used some delicate patterned paper and then some bright spotty paper. added some flowers, ribbon and sentiment to finish it off.

Well that's almost it but just wanted to add one more card I have made this evening and its for one of the Community Sisters I work with. She has been on holiday for two weeks and arrived in today to tell us she moved home yesterday to a farm near Durham which has been standing empty for two years! She has got a very good deal on the rent and all because the lady and her daughter loves horses! She has three I think, maybe four and she was having to pay to have them stabled out of town and she lived in the town centre here in Sunderland and she saw this proerty last week and moved in yesterday, so hence the Good Luck card with a horse on it. I do hope her and her daughter will be very happy there, together with their horses.

Well happy crafting everyone, thanks for dropping by and leaving your lovely comments- Love and Hugs Arlinexx

Christmas Crafting Challenge for September

Hi everyone just a quick post but will be back later with longer post. I am a DT member for the Christmas Crafting blog and for this month our theme is Traditional Colours(red greens gold etc) so here is my creation for this month. Why not visit the blog and enter one of your creations this month we are sponsored by Lili of the Valley who have given us a fab gift voucher worth £10.00 just think what you could spend that on if you entered and won! Wow wish I could enter myself- so if you are into making Christmas Cards or Christmas Creations why not enter and if you do Good Luck!

Been away too long from Blogland!

Good evening everyone well I haven't been on my little blog since 1st July! I just don't know where the time has gone, work has been manic and I have been away to Stoke on Trent for two weeks to look after DD cat while she and her hubster went off to Canada and guess what she had 90 degrees heat, we had rain rain and more rain. Its good job Olympics were on or we would have been so bored. Didn't Team GB do us proud? I don't like much sport but I do like to watch the Games. Well today I came home from work and decided to do some crafting but that didn't go as plan either you know when you have a great card idea in your head and it dosen't come together well I have had one of those sessions today but I decided not to start again but to try and make the best of one of my cards. Unfortunately I cannot show it yet as it is for next months Christmas Crafting Challenge and it won't be on that site until 1st September never mind, will show you what else I have done today instead.

My first card is for Saturday Secret Crafter which was to use a circular card and also for House Mouse Challenge 126 and their challenge was Double Trouble so I have used this image of the little mouse getting a got scrub from his mum in huge teacup. I have kept it quite simple just added some ribbon and some roses to finish it off and haven't added a sentiment then I can use it for any occassion.

My next card is for Penny Black Monthly Challenge and that was also Double Trouble so I have used this images of these cute friends in a Union Jack Mini, I hope this will be okay as there is three of them not two! I have used reds and blues mainly added a sentiment and some little Papermaina flowers.

This is my final card for tonight and it is my take on the Sketch Saturday Challenge and also for Promarkers Challenge whose theme is transport this week. So I have used a image from Hanglar Stanglar of little girl riding her bicycle and used dusky pink theme for the back ground colours, added a sentiment and some buttons to finish it off. Promarkers used Blush, China Blue, Denim Blue, Tan, Caramel, Sandstone, Pumpkin, Berry Red, Amethyst, Cool Grey1&2 and Ice Grey 1&2. Well that's all for tonight, thanks for dropping by and leaving your lovely comments and hopefully will get some more crafting done over the Bank Holiday weekend. Love and Hugs Arlinexx

Christmas Crafting Birthday Blog Hop!!!!!!

Hi everyone here is my card for our challenge over at Christmas Crafting. This month we are celebrating our first birthday over at Christmas Crafting-where has the time gone! Thanks to all of you who have taken part in the last 12 months and we hope we can count on you for your continued support. As part of our celebrations we have decided to have a blog hop around our very talented Design Team! We have four prizes up for grabs so definitely worth taking part! If you have arrived here from Morgan then you are hopping in the right direction. If not then please return to the Christmas Crafting blog to start again. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning one of these fabulous prizes is to visit each blog in order, leaving a comment as you go, and then returning to the Christmas Crafting Challenge blog and leaving a final comment letting us know what you love about Christmas. On 1st August we will randomly draw four comments to win the prizes. To continue with the hop, you now need to go to Sara's blog. Good luck and thanks for joining us at Christmas Crafting this month.

OMG Fantastic Weight Loss this Week!

Just came back from Weight Watchers and just had to brag a bit this week, I am on week 13 and I lost- drum roll please an- incredible 8lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The leader made me get on and off the scales twice as she couldn't believe it. So working all Bank Holiday did the trick and also the long walk I had along the beach from one end to the other, with younger daughter when she was home. So am feeling really pleased with myself and so focused. I have now lost 2 stone and found it so easy this time round. I have a friend who I only see usually once a year in November, at this rate she will not recognise me! as I have not told her I am losing weight. So peeps that is my quick update for tonight. Love and hugs Arlinex

Grr Trouble with Blogger!

This is very quick post before I head off to work. I have tried numerous times over the weekend to upload these cards for a couple of challenges but for some reason it dosen't want to, so here goes. My first card is for HMFMC121 and their challenge is here comes the sun. So I have used this image of those little mice eating what we all love when it is warm an ice lolly and because they are 8x8 cards kept both these cards quite simple, because of the postage costs these days, which is just silly! I have used the colour on the image as my colour combo. And this next card is for Cute Card Thursday which is water water everywhere, which is quite apt this week looking at the weather outside. I have used some funky bright paper which I have had in my stash for some time. The image is of the cute little mouse singing in the rain. Well I hope these have uploaded okay this time. Have a good week what ever you are up to this week. Love and hugs Arlinex

A Couple of Cards Made

Well peeps I did get three cards made today not my best but the weather here dreadful here, like most places so was snug indoors and decided to enter some challenges. So my first card today is for a couple of challenges and they are Sketch Saturday and Penny Black, whose theme this week was red, white and blue. I have used this cute Penny Black image and I have coloured her in using my Copic pens which I love to use, but most of them have now ran out, so will have to save some pennies to buy some more. The sketch is my variation on it. I have some bling to it and a cute sentiment "Being a princess is a tough job but someone's got to do it", very apt in this Jubilee Week! My next card is for Lili of the Valley Challenge and theirs this week was one for the boys. I don't do many boy cards as I don't have many male family members to send them to. It is really plain but my colour combo was mainly reds and greens. I added a small cotton wool ball for his cricket ball and used my Promarkers to colour the cotton wool red. And finally my last card for the day and that too is for two challenges I Love Promarkers and their theme was a girl card and also Allsorts whose theme was Ice Cream Colours. So to one of my fave set of stamps and they are the Humphrey range and this one is of the two little friends together. So I have used nice subtle colours from the Promarker range and they were Cool Grey 1 and 2, Meadow Green, Gold, Tulip Yellow, Lilac, Carmine, Denim Blue, Rose Pink and Pink Carnation. I have added some flowers, some candy dots, some bling and also some little bows courtesy of my best friend Jill who lives in the Midlands. She oftens sends me little packages through the post and there are always these little packs of bows in them and I always forget I have them, so I have put them in with my scissors etc so I know where they are now. Well thats it for now I am off to bed to watch my Vicar of Dibley boxed set, they must be worn out by now I watch them so much, Dawn French is so very funny love her, wish they would bring it back. Well goodnight everyone. Love and hugs Arlinex

Is Having Crafters Block

Hi there everyone out there in blogland. Haven't blogged in a couple of weeks and haven't made any cards either. I just haven't been in the mood, you will know how that feels I am sure. I am having terrible problems with my hip at the moment, well around that area anyway and the pain is terrible kept me awake all last night and am so tired today after being to work - with all lifting etc with my patients, didn't help. I did have six physio sessions through work and I had accupuncture and it helped greatly but as soon as that stopped the problem reared its ugly head once more. I have to laugh as had meeting with my boss yesterday and team lead and I told her was still having problems at work lifting, doing heavy dressings etc and what work did I have today -yes you've guessed heavy dressings etc! I sometimes think because we are nurses we are not allowed to have anything wrong with us- that will stop us being able to do our shifts, good old NHS- getting their priorities right as usual not caring about staff health or welfare. On a positive note the diet is still going well and I have lost just under 2 stones in 12 weeks. It was hard this week as no WW my class is on Tuesdays and it was closed for Bank Holiday, so I did the next best thing I worked both Bank Holidays so was out of the house and also out of way of temptation haha(that probably didn't help hip) Things are still not sorted in Lincoln where daughter is being bulllied, as now the rental agency where she has been for two years is telling her that it is too late to change now for September but Lindsay being Law Student has been to Law Clinic on Campus and they are sorting it now for her. The only problem is while they mess her around she may lose this room at other house she is keen on. She was here last week for a few days and I was dying to confront the madams who have made her life so unhappy these last few months who she shares house with when I took her back at the weekend but surprisingly they had all gone off home. Now was that I wonder because they knew I would be taking her back and was frightened in case I did say something to them, maybe? I met her other friend from the Law School where she has been going to and she said the have been really horrid to her but Lindsay wouldn't let her friend confront them about anything that has been going on, so I do not think I know the full story, just the basics. It is still very worrying as Lindsay is the one who lives the greatest distance away and cannot afford to keep coming home every week like they do. When I knew she was having some problems a few weeks ago I made her some bunting for her room, as she had been wanting some for some time and I saw the Papermania packs and I also bought the Portobello Road papers to make it for her. I think I will enter this into Papertake Challenge this week as it is Anything Goes I hope you all like my effort. So here it is after I first made it I added large letters for her name and added some red white and blue buttons to finish it off. I have added anothe couple of pics for you to see the finished bunting. Well thats all for now peeps the last image is the only way I could show it at full length but it dosen't show up well on the beige wall. Will try and get mojo back over weekend and do some crafting . Love and hugs Arlinex

No Crafting for me this week!

Hi everyone out there in blogland. Well I haven't had time to do any crafting this week, do not know where time has gone this week. Been really busy at work this week and the weather has been beautiful, so have been walking along beach couple of times this week. I joined Weight Watchers 11 weeks ago and the weight is still coming off I have 5lbs to lose to my 2 stone sticker, so am really thrilled. Uniforms are starting to look baggy on me now, not that makes much difference, as they are a horrid grey colour. I still cannot believe some HCA's actually picked that colour, what were they thinking of. Anyway my daughter Lindsay is coming home at the weekend and I can't wait to see her and give her big hug, after all the things that have been going on at Lincoln. She has now finished her second year of Law and can't believe where the time has gone. I still remember leaving her the first time and cried all the way home to Sunderland in the car, I still cry but just for about 10 mins now. Tonight we are off to my other daughters in Stoke, as her hubby is 30 tomorrow and he dosen't know we are going to surprise him as there are couple of things planned for him over the weekend and I have had a special cake made for him-picture below not quite what I had in mind when I placed the order as I wanted 8in square with car on the top and who ever wrote in their book, wrote car cake and not as I had requested! Well it's done now and not a lot I could do about it as we need it to take away with us tonight. So I hope he will like it, she has assured me it will cut into 40 pieces, I have my doubts? but hey ho. I know daughter will look at this and think why has she put it on her blog already but I think I can safetly say my son in law is not into crafting, so won't be looking at my blog!!!!!

Well what ever you are doing this weekend have a lovely one and don't get too burned with the sun. Loove and hugs Arlinexx

Bye Bye to Bullies!

Hi everyone I have great news yesterday my daughter at Lincoln University signed a new rental contract at a new house and she will have the keys 1st of July so I now might at last, get some sleep tonight as since last week and her news I have been unable to sleep for worrying about her. She seems a lot happier in herself when I spoke to her yesterday on the phone so now mum has been asked to get some boxes together for her, as some of her stuff will have to return home in July, as her new room is only a single, but I would rather have her stuff home and her happy than unhappy. I will be seeing her next week when all her exams are over, and she comes home for a while. So that will be lovely and I will be able to give her a big hug then and make sure she is really okay. So today I have been to work and made a few cards for a couple of challenges when I got home. My first card today is for Penny Black Challenge and also Papertake Weekly Challenge and their challenges were both the same and that was In the Garden. So using a Penny Black image of the hedgehog in a plant pot and I added some ribbon through the die cut and made a bow, added a sentiment and some roses from Wild Orchid crafts.

My next card today is for Sketch Saturday and Allsorts. Allsorts challenge was a card for a man/boy. So this time I have used a Crafters Companion image of this little dog asleep in the baseball boot cut or what? I have used mainly blues in this sketch, added a sentiment also from Crafters Companion and added some silver stars to complete the sketch.

Finally today is my card for Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge which was I Love You Mum and also for Promarkers Challenge this week which is Anything Goes. So I have used a cute Humphrey stamp with this little flower in his trunk. I have used a small round card and used blues and reds for this card. Because it is only a small card I had to find a wee sentiment to fit on it. I have added some flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts to finish it off. Promarkers used Cool Grey 1 and 2, Denim Blue, Berry Red, Green, Yellow and Tan.

That's it for now. Thanks for dropping by. Love and hugs Arlinexx

Bullies at Lincoln!

Morning everyone, hope you are all fine. I have had a couple of upsetting days due to events happening to youngest daughter at University in Lincoln. She had been getting bullied by two of the girls she shares a house with, and so has been spending all night in the library or sleeping on a sofa at another girls house up the street! We have had tears on the telephone and she is very low at the moment so has spent the last week unbeknown to me until Friday looking for somewhere else to live before her contract on this house need renewing next week. I know she is my daughter but Lindsay is a very nice person and mixes well with everyone she meets and is always there for her friends so I cannot understand why they are being so awful to her. I told her I think it is jealousy because she is into everything at Uni and does spend little time in the house but that is her nature she is always into everything- she is President of the Law Society Group at Uni and she is only in her second year, she is Vice President of another law group, and she is on the football team for Uni and they keep moaning to her that she dosen't spend any time with them at the house?, but it has gone further than just snide remarks and since Easter have made the bairn's life unbearable! My son and I were going to go down on Saturday but she said as much as she wanted to see us, she will be in the library all weekend studying for her second year end of term exams which start on Monday. She may be 19 but she is my baby still and I am very worried about her and Lincoln is a good three hours from here, so feel a bit out of the way for her just now. I hope these two girls realise just how miserable they have made Lindsay's life and I hope they are proud of themselves. Anyway on to a card I have made for a few challenges this week, this is the only one I have done so far but I am going out later so wanted to get my blog done.

This card I would lkie to enter into Lili of the Valley which was favourite tool-Cricut, Cute Card Thursday which was food or drink and finally Promarkers Challenge which was to add hat pins or charms. So I have used this LOTV and image of a little girl making tea and used a die cut to print her image onto, I have used some lovely papers with teacups and teapots on and a sentiment which I got free on some recent magazine. I have added a little teapot charm to my red bow, and the Promarker colours I have used are Blush, Orchid, Green, Denim Blue, Blue Pearl, Berry Red, Tan, Cinnamon and Warm Grey 2. Hope you like it, have a good day this lovely Sunday morning and thanks for dropping by. Love and hugs Arlinexx

Its a Night of Richard Armitage for me!

Hi everyone, hope you are okay today and have a nice day whatever you have done. Well I was up at 7.30 and through to Durham for 9am for physio, where I had my last session of accupuncture on my hip, seems to have helped too. Once back home I cleaned the house from top to bottom. My son works every Wednesday at the local cinema as its Orange Wendesday so it is always really busy so it's a day when I have the house to myself and do what I want. So I have had my bath and done my nails and shortly will be having my tea but wanted to do my blog first before I settle down for the evening to watch the gorgeous one(Richard Armitage) in North and South swoon. So I hope I get no visitors or phone calls just me and my dvd lush!(plus I am in my pj's now). So here is my first card and its for House Mouse Challenge 119 and this week it is humour and also for Joanna Sheen's Challenge which is flowers. So I have used a decoupage for this card of this little mouse stuck in the bird feeder and I have taken the colours from the decoupage for my combo. I have made this on a 8x8 card so have kept it quite simple.

My next offering is for Penny Black Challenge and their theme this week was a Case It Challenge so I hope this meets the criteria. I have used a cute image of theirs and used pinks and blues as the main colour combo. Added some flowers, a sentiment and a double ribbon bow using the two colours.

My final card today is for the Papertake Weekly Challenge and that was a cutie, so here is my cutie and its Humphrey dressed as a clown, such fun, So I have used here pinks, blues and green. I have kept this card quite simple too but still fun. I love this little elephant he is so adorable.

Well that's all from me at this time, I hope you have enjoyed my creations and thanks for taking the time to drop by. I am off now to put my feet up and watch the gorgeous one. Love and hugs Arlinex

Old People and their Seats at Bingo!

Bank Holiday Monday was here so had lie in until 9.30 which is unusual for me so had had breakfast and decided I was going to craft for the day so had all my bits on table in lounge, when I got a phone call from my mum to ask why I wasn't at her house picking her up to take her out for the day???????????? Must explain at this point I always take her to bingo on a Monday evening, so thought I was losing the plot as remember telling her on Sunday I would see her Monday at 5.30, so was thinking had I missed something here. She told me as it was BH she was expecting a run out, news to me! So needless to say I had to get ready and pick her up at 11am. Anyway off we went up the coast to Northumberland and it was blustery to say the least but the world and his wife were also on the coast as it was BH Monday. Anyway there was method in her madness as we ended up in Blyth and at the Mecca for afternoon bingo, surprise surprise. Once that was over at 3pm-she then said to me why don't we just sit in the hall and wait for the eveing session(which didn't start until7pm!)I explained I didn't mind taking her back for then but there was no way on earth I was sitting in an empty hall until 7pm looking like some saddo! So I got her back in the car and we went up the coast a little further and ended up at a place called Newbiggin by the Sea, a place I had never been to before and was quite surprised by it. We parked right near the beach in a free car park, unusual too not to have to pay at the coast. So I braved the wind and I mean wind, it was freezing but had a walk along the prom and took some photos and left mum in the car eating her crisps, and she was quite happy. When we got back to Blyth it was only 5.20 but she had to get out of the car because she wanted to sit in a certain seat? I have this debate with her when I take her at home on a Monday she has to be in the hall by 5.30 in case someone takes her seat and she is usually the 2nd one in there every time! These people who play bingo have to be in a certain seat all the time and I tell you what god help you if you sit in a seat where they usually sit they keep saying thing so you will hear them and even say to you, you are in my seat! I have actually seen a fight break out because of it and the thing that amazes me is there are about 1000 seats in the place!! So by the time we got home it was after 10pm so not crafting done, but I have put some photos on for you to see.

On this last photo this is called The Couple, interesting it's a huge sculpture of a couple stuck in the sea on a huge platform, what do you think? Anyway thats all for now folks, have a good day love and hugs Arlinexx

Trapped in doors due to Road Closure!

Good morning everyone, hope you are all well and enjoying your Bank Holiday Monday. Yesterday was glorious here but unfortunately most roads in our city were closed due to 10km Road Race, so was really not possible to venture out towards the coast as you just couldn't get anywhere near it. I have to say felt so sorry for those who live on our coast as the roads were closed there from 8am until 5pm and those people were virtually prisoners in their own homes all day and it was such a lovely day, needless to say you can imagine the uproar it has caused here. I did the best thing and just satyed indoors and crafted what else can one do? I have only a couple of cards to blog this morning but will have probably a few more tomorrow, as not going anywhere today either and as usual typical Bank Holiday on TV, nothing worth watching, so what can one do but craft. So here is my first card and it is for Promarkers Challenge and that was to use a fairy on your creation. So I have used this cute LOTV image and used yellows as my theme, I love the sentiment on this image as it says " Never too old for a hug" how true. Colours I have used are blush, pastel beige, sandstone, caramel, yellow, tulip yellow, gold, and vanilla. I have added a nice bow and to finish her off have added some glitter to her wings and the stars on her dress.

My second card today is for Allsorts challenge which was black and white and also the sketch is this weeks challenge from Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge. So I have used one of my all time fave stamps and used the monochrome effect hope you like how I have done it.

So that's it for now. Hope you have a lovely day whatever you are doing. Love and hugs Arlinexx

Another Try at Blogging!

Hi everyone well I hope I have better luck today trying to do my blog and enter my cards for some challenges. So I am not going to waffle on today just going to upload pictures and link them if I can, so wiosh me luck! Here is my first card today and this is for Penny Black Challenge which was May Day-Spring and the sketch is the challenge from Sketch Saturday. So I have used this cute little hedgehog image asleep in the walnut shell under the Daisy and kept much to the sketch really and used nice bright colours.

My next card is for Cupcake Challenge and that was anything British and you don't get more British than a cup of tea! Lollipop Challenge Anything Goes, Papertake Challenge also Anything Goes and finally Lili Of the Valley whose Challenge was also Anything Goes so I have used one of their images and used pastel colours Lemons, peach and turquoise. Added some ribbon, flowers and an appropriate sentiment, this I have made for a friend whose birthday is at the weekend.

That is all for today and I hope blogger has worked thanks for dropping by love and hugs Arlinex

Blogger Trouble!

Well this is my fifth attempt at trying to do my blog this week-there seems to be a big bug around here somewhere as my daughter was also having trouble last night when I spoke to her, doing her blog too. Well the last week has seen me go off to the dentist to have a broken front tooth removed so I have lived on soup all week due to the pain and the fact that the new pallette didn't fit my mouth properly. So revisited dentist yesterday to have it altered but shall have to visit again tomorrow as now it is cutting into top lip underneath and it is so sore when I try to bite anything. The weather here like everywhere has been pretty dreadful but Friday of last week I took mum out for the day as it was beautiful here and the sun was actually shining so off we went up the coast from Sunderland via Tyne Tunnel, Tynemouth, Whitley Bay and onto Blyth. The coast was gorgeous and looked beautiful from what I could see being the driver. We had lunch in Blyth and later in the afternoon travelled back down the coast road and into South Shields for a 99cornet for my mum to end her day out at Minchellas Ice Cream Parlour on the coast road. And when I dropped her home she told me she was worn out- brilliant I thought, all you have done is sit in the car and look out of the window at the view? Oh well at least she enjoyed herself that was the main thing.

So above is my card which I made for Christmas Crafting whose theme for May was The Night Before Christmas and as a DT member I would like to say if you enjoy making Christmas cards why not join in this months challenge and you never know you might just win! You can link to the blog if you click on my link on my sidebar on the logo and this month we are sponsored by Di's Digi Downloads, so go on why not have a go? This card I would also like to enter into the House Mouse Challenge 118, The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge which is Cute n Fluffy. Well that's it for now hopefully I will get some more cards on tomorrow if this thing is working properly, we will have to see. Thanks for dropping by and leaving your lovely comments. Love and hugs Arlinex

Long Way Round to Iceland!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Morning everyone well yesterday I had another productive day due to the weather, but by lunchtime I had cabin fever and had to get out for a short while, but as usual it was pouring down. So I decided I would go out and take the the scenic route to Asda. So I headed off down the coast road but it was so miserable I turned back and went to Iceland instead. Shopping done I headed off home and did some crafting instead. So here is my first card and it is for Lollipop Challenge and their theme was Spring. So I have used a House Mouse Stamp of two little bunnies dressed as bumble bees smelling the flowers. I have used spring colours of greens and yellows, used some flowers and a sentiment to finish it off.

My next card is for Papertake Weekly Challenge and their theme is a stitch in time. So I have used a Hanglar Stanglar image of this little girl with her knitting basket and I have used two of my fave combo colours brown and blue, did some faux stitching around the image but she does have her knitting needles in her basket! To finish off added some nice ribbon and sentiment.

Well finallly today I have made a card for Pollycraft Challenge and their theme this week was cute critters. I have used my new stamp from Whimsy Stamps and this is so cute of a baby elephant holding onto her mums trunk, I love it. So I have used pinks greys and blacks as my colour combo, added a little bow and a sentiment.

Well thats it for now folks I have to pop off now and will do some blog hopping when I return from taking my mum to her gps. Anyway hope the weather is better where ever you are in the world today. Happy crafting and thanks for dropping by. Love and hugs Arlinex

This Weeks Challenges So Far........

Good morning from a cold grey Sunderland and as is usual I am on holiday! This week I have done nothing but attend appointments starting with physio on Monday on my hip and for that had to go through to Durham, then I got back home had a cuppa and then off to another appointment in town. Then Tuesday it was the gp at 8am argh- then the poorly cat to the vets where appointment was 11.10 and it was 12.30 before I got out of there, then it was off to Weight Watchers. I have to say I have been going to WW for four weeks since joining and have lost 5% of my body weight and a stone in weight and I am thrilled to bits. Next week dosen't look that good either as dentist Monday and Tuesday, to have major work and teeth out and Wednesday cat beck to vets! So hopefully in between all of that I would like to go out for a couple of days, somewhere. Anyway I did some crafting last night for some challenges and sorted my craft bag out so here is my first card and that is for Cute Card Thursday which was spring flowers. So this is my card with one of my fave images on and for this card I have used mainly greens and oranges, added a sentiment and some roses, a quite simple card but sometimes that is all you need.

My next card is for Just Magnolia and that was to use lace on your card. So you may need your sunglasses on here as I have used some vibrant striped papers and colours pink and purples, the image is a Hanglar Stanglar image. This is an easel card, so I have used some purple lace added a sentiment and crystals and a flower.

The next card is for Winter Wonderland and their theme this week was pretty in pink and the Christmas card had to be pink. So I have used this cute Humphrey image and he is coloured all in pink. I have added some little white snowballs on the corners, a sentiement and used Stickles for the snow, I think this is so cute!

This next card is for two challenges Sketch Saturday and Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge and their theme was a man card, so with Fathers Day coming soon I have made my card with that in mind, gosh getting ahead of myself here! The sketch is the first part of the challenge and I have used a Country Companions stamp which I stamped while I was at my daughters. So with the image in mind I have used various papers with the brown theme, added a sentiment and some brown gingham ribbon.

Lastly and I nearly forgot about this card and it's for the Penny Black Challenge-this week their theme was spots and stripes. So used this stamp one of their newer range of London, I have used spots and stripes for the backing papers added some flowers and a sentiment. I thought when I had finished it, the colours are a bit patriotic blue, red and white.

I have to say I do not like the way the blogger system is now uploading stuff I found it very confusing and twice as long to do my blog today. Well that's it so far this week thanks for dropping by and hope you all have a good day whatever you are up to. Hugs and kissess Arlinex