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

Two Weeks Holiday Yipee!!!!!!! and a Bit of Help From Oscar Cat!

Today was my last day at work for two whole weeks so looking forward to them- although while I am off have to go and have a broken tooth removed and I had to laugh at the dentist when I said I was worried how he was going to get it out and he said don't worry  I will get it out but I may have  to cut the gum slightly! Today I have started a project for my younger daughter which I hope she will like, more on that maybe over the weekend, will see how I get on. I have busy since tea-time making a card for another challenge and I hope you will like it. My card is for House Mouse Challenge 117 which was Things are so Sweet. So I have used my new stamps which I received for Mothers Day from my daughter and its of a cute bunny eating a box of chocolates. Used pinks and browns for my colour theme and added some pearls, flowers and a sentiment.

I thought I would add this next photo of my cat Oscar, he is quite old now and is a poorly cat but at the moment he is doing okay. Anyway Oscar always sits on the arm of the sofa next to me when I am crafting or doing anything actually. But this is his cute image, he rolls over for you to stroke him and pushes his paws against you so he gets the attention he wants, which when you are trying to do anything is a bit annoying but he is old so will forgive him for that.

Well thats it for now thanks for dropping by my little blog and leaving your lovely comments. Hugs and kisses Arlinexx

Day Three of Challenge Cards!

Hi everyone hope everyone is doing okay and not too depressed with the awful weather. Today I have been to work and worked two hours over my time as we are so short staffed at the moment and the powers that be in our local NHS have decided to implement a new computer system way of  picking our calls out to go before we go out to visit patients - it's a nightmare and we are taking longer before we get out and on the road. Why they just can't leave well alone and we just keep our daily diaries is beyond most of us at work, the sisters are stressed out with it all. I can never understand when something is working well they go and change it and make everyone's daily working day a nightmare is beyond me, but hey we are just the staff at the rough end doing the job. Anyway back to my blog and some more cards, as I said in one of my earlier blogs I was at my daughters in Stoke at the weekend and we had a great time crafting. I really enjoyed my time with her, as we both love to craft and being so far away we don't get that much of a chance to do things together, especially crafting.


So my first card today is for Winter Wonderland Challenge and that was to have a robin on the card. So I have used a Humphrey stamp of the little elephant feeding the birds in the garden, I have added some Stickle glue to the snow on the ground and around the bird table. Hope you like it.

My final card for now is Christmas Stamping all Year Long and this was to use your fave colour an a Christmas Card and I have used another Humphrey stamp and this one is of him dressed as Father Christmas with his Mistletoe and of course my fave colour purple! I have used some little gems as the berries on the Mistletoe, added a sentiment and used some lovely purple ribbon to make a bow.

Well that's it for today-and you never know I may be back over the next couple of days with some more creations. After Friday I am off work for two weeks so I will be crafted out by the time I go back to work at the end of April. Hope you all have a good night and nice day tomorrow whatever you are up too. Thanks for taking the time to drop by. Hugs and kisses Arlinexx

Another Day, Another Post and Some More Cards !

Well I have been to work today but thought I will post some more of my cards I made while at my daughters over the weekend. She has just bought herself a Cricut, so we were having a play with that yesterday before I left for home, it's a wonderful thing but makes a real funny noise, I don't think her cat Charlie was very impressed with us using it. She has cut lots of shapes and letters etc out for me to add to my stash of craft bits which will be very useful for one project imparticular, which I hope to get started next week.

So to my first card and this is for Lili of the Valley whose theme was ribbon, buttons and bows. So I have made this card for a friend's daughter whose birthday is in June and she is a ballet dancer working in Estonia, so I am sure she will love this cute image of the little ballerina. I have used mainly pinks on here and added a lovely sentiment recipe.

My next card is for Joanna Sheen's Challenge this was It's a Mans World- so I have used a cute Humphrey stamp where he is wearing his dad's shoes, my colour theme here was blues and reds. I have stamped the pair of shoes also and added those to the card, some tiny red buttons and a sentiment to finish it off.

My next card is Just Magnolia Challenge and that was anything goes. So I have used this image of her shopping and what do girls do best buy shoes! Hence the sentiment. I have used some soft colours pinks and light blues but with a beige colour card for my base and to finish added some lovely flowers and candy dots.

Well finally  for today my final card is for Crafters Companion which was Four Legged Friends so here is my card and as I don't have a lot of Crafters Companion stamps have used daughters stash of stamps, she is a huge Sara fan and has a lot of Crafters Companion stash! I have used this image of the little dog having had his fill of strawberries and is now slumped against the glass as he has ate so much! I have used some lovely papers that was free on one of the recent crafting mags, and they have strawberries printed on one of the papers  and then I have used the gingham paper too. Finished it off with some nice bright flowers and a sentiment.

Well that's it for today but never fear I will be back tomorrow with some Christmas cards, which we made for a couple of challenges too. I hope you have enjoyed looking at my cards and thanks for taking the time to drop by and leave your lovely comments. Hugs and kisses Arlinex

Wet Easter Weekend Away!

Hi everyone well this weekend I took my youngest daughter back to Lincoln Uni as she is off to Spain today with the ladies football team for seven days and then I travelled across country to Stoke on Trent to stay with my daughter and son in law for four days. Well as usual the weather has been dreadful but we made the best of things. Saturday morning my daughter and I being huge Pride and Prejudice fans went off to Belton House near Grantham, which was used in the  BBC version as Rosings Park. I must say at this point we love the TV version better than the film version. So here we are at Belton House in the drizzle.

We took lots of pictures it was drizzling but we had a fab time just the two of us (excuse the look on my face don't know what I was looking at) as I get very little time to have days out with her. But I was so excited to see the actual bedroom and desk where Colin Firth had actually sat and wrote his letter about Wickham to Elizabeth Bennett, so here is the picture below!

As you can see it doesn't take much to please me but I was one happy bunny!

After that it was only 40 minutes to Lincoln so off we went to drop in on younger daughter to have a cup of tea with her, but being a student we had to take our own milk and cakes in! Saturday evening back in Stoke- my daughter and I  we started crafting and we made lots of cards to do lots of challenges and we continued into Easter Sunday as weather was dreadful. My son in law Steve cooked us a lovely roast dinner while we crafted, how lovely of him-but he refused to do the washing up!

Here is just a couple of  cards that I made as I am afraid my batteries died in my camera so will blog again later in the week and upload the rest of my cards. Here is my first card and this is for three challenges Sketch Saturday  this is my take on their sketch, Allsorts which is bingo, so I have used pink, green and ribbon, and then for Totally Papercrafts Challenge which is also a bingo theme and for that one I have used flowers, lilac and pearls. So I  have used a Flower Fairy stamp called Canterbury Bells and used pinks lilacs and greens for the colour theme. It is a lovely stamp and I think it has turned out really well.

My next card is for Promarkers Challenge this week and the theme is Springtime, so for this challenge I have made an easel card and some nice fresh greens and yellows. The stamp is one of my daughters and think it is a Sugar Nellie stamp called Pip, she is so cute and lovely to colour in. The butterfly on the card is from Prima and just finishes the card off nicely. Colours used are-blush, ice grey1, tan, sandstone, meadow green, soft green, pastel yellow, rose pink, lavender, cornflower and blue pearl.

Hope you have all had a nice weekend whatever you have been up too and enjoy the rest of the Easter hols. Hugs and kisses Arlinex

Christmas Challenge

Hi everyone, just a quick post with my card for the Christmas Crafting Challenge for this month and it was to use gingham on your Christmas card-so here it is.