I'm back!

Boo!

I'm back! This time I can't blame my absence on aliens, time warp, cosmic imbalance or any form of paranormal activity. Nope lucky old me has been on holiday! Though with the foul weather now - listen you can hear the rain hammering on the windows - it seems ages ago :(( Ahh the sun... the lovely hot sun! It was F A B U L O U S !!! I lurve France! I mean don't get me wrong I love America too but I actually enjoy the getting to France. Drive to the ferry, catch boat, have a lovely meal, a few beverages ;)), bed a nice drive on roads without potholes and we're there. Much better than the airport drama of luggage and queues!

So prepare yourself I have photos!

This is me with the Chateau de La Bretesche in the background.


A little sidestreet in a pretty little seaside town called Piriac


The beach at Piriac. Now this 'ruin' is on the beach and is below the tide line. I don't know what it was really but I'm guessing that it was perhaps something to do with oysters. All those white splodges are actually oysters! There were loads of people on the beach chipping them off the rocks and digging up clams and cockles.

Rocks at the same place!

You can see some of the folks digging, they all had little rakes and baskets.

Part of the gatehouse at La Bretesche - isn't it beautiful?

Little backstreet at Le Croisic - it was just a car width! Ours only just fitted!


Little cove near Batz sur Mer - these rocks and sand actually sparkle! Oh I tried a paddle - freezing!

I think this house is just so pretty, its in the medieval part of Guerande


The beach at La Baule, this beach is just fantastic!

The chateau at la Bretesche, its built in a lake!

So a taster of our French trip - I have about another 600 photos.... I'll share a few more, unless you want to see them all..... ;))

Now onto the important stuff ;)) The new challenge at Totally Gorjuss this week is in honour of my holidays, well kind of. Its Ooh la la! hehe kind of appropriate huh?

I've used this little sauce pot from Kraftin Kimmie - isn't she Ooh la la personified? She's one of my favourite Kraftin Kimmie stamps. Papers are some scraps of Basic Grey Scarlets Letter.


Here's the arty shot of those beautiful flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts.

Pop over to Totally Gorjuss and check out what the Gorjussettes have come up with. this week we're sponsored by Crafters Companion. The lucky winner will receive £10 to spend in their online store.

Ooh all manly!

Ahoy there mateys! Oo'ar Jim lad, spice the mainbrace, shiver me timbers and other piratical phraseology!

I hope non of you have suffered in these awful winds. Its been blowing a hooley here! Or if you prefer its been bloody windy! We've had the aftermath of Hurricane Katia, thank you so much for sharing that with us! It would have been much nicer if we'd have had a share of some nice warm sunshine instead....

Now there's another challenge over at Totally Gorjuss This week we want you to go all manly! So something for the man/boy/bloke/chap/fella/hombre/guy in your life! See easy again? I know you all love making boy cards ;)) And just to encourage you to play along there's a £10 voucher from Crafters Companion for the lucky winner ;))

Here's my little offering. Isn't this little Nellie Snellen pirate boy cute?


For a change he's been coloured with Promarkers ~gasps~ I was lucky enough to be sent some so I thought I'd best give them a whirl. I'm thinking I need more practice with them though haha!

So here's the arty shot ;)) The little star was hand cut from a scrap of corrugated card and wrapped with twine.

You likey? I kind of think it works..... but that's at the moment..... I might change me mind!

Pop over to the TG blog and check out what the Gorjussettes have made.

Only me!

Oh heck!

Yup tis only me, the victim of more time theft! Oh and also wondering where on earth Little Mojo has gone to! If anyone know the whereabouts of a scruffy scrappy looking thing that's Little Mojo, please give him a poke in the ribs and send him back here please!

So anyway whether he was here or not I had to make something for the latest challenge over at Totally Gorjuss This week is a sketch kindly sponsored by Joanna Sheen


My card this week is incredibly simple! Oh and it was quick too ;)) There's a C word event looming so I know quick cards will be very useful ;)) Certainly in my world at any rate! So the paper is all from last years Papermania Christmas collection, ribbon from stash and a Marianne star die which has been glamour dusted.


I think it took me longer to glitter the die than it did to actually make the rest of the card! I think it kind of works though....

Now I went on a bit of a jaunt this weekend. My first ever quilt show. It was the Great Northern quilt Show at Harrogate. So it would have been rude not to go wouldn't it?

Not only were there copious amounts of stash for sale.... more of that later ;) There were some fantastic quilts on display. My only gripe being that the lighting could have been better. Some of them were just awesome!

This one in particular caught my eye - its done on leather!

Where it was displayed didn't show the lovely colours that the maker used. However the flash picked them up nicely.

Now stash.... There were several stalls who were selling fabric at £4.00 per metre! What a bargain... I think it only fair to indulge when people have been so kind as to sell it at that price!

Oh and I got a few patterns too.... well you have to don't you!

Ouch!

Brr! and as the title says Ouch!

Bizarre as usual eh? Well first the Brr! Well its 12c here folks, which for what is allegedly the middle of summer is about 20 degrees amiss in my book. Admittedly I like it hot but I think everyone would agree that for this time of year it really is rubbish! The heating was on again last night and I just know its going to be on again tonight too!

Now the Ouch bit.... well yours truly when head over apex in the garage the other day. As usual I was hurrying up... when aren't I? Well as I went in, down two steps, I tripped up over a brush which had fallen over nicely at mid shin height. So then I'm going through the air at about 500mph! Well it felt like it ;)) I realised I was going face first towards the corner of the tumble dryer.... somehow I managed to miss it with my face and opted to head-butt it instead. When I came round I was wedged between the tumble dryer and some shelves. Half an hour later I managed to get myself out! Yup I was shouting my head off.... OM was sat in the lounge watching TV.... So to say I have a few bumps and bruises is an understatement. Oh and the cracked ribs too.... So less dashing for me I reckon don't you?

I hope no one has nodded off....

Now in the middle of this another challenge went up at Totally Gorjuss this week its extra easy. mainly because I chose it and I love easy challenges! This week we're sponsored by Kenny K Kenny and Elena also provided the DT with images too. I chose this little cutie. I think she's fabulous! Actually this is the spitting image of me! In my dreams......



The papers are Jovial by Basic Grey, one of my fave ever pads. The sentiment is LOTV I cut the sentiment out and then edged it with some lace which was a gift from my kind blogging buddy Hazel - thanks babes its fab! Then because its so lovely I used it again down the edge of my punched border too.

Then I couldn't decide what embellishments to use.....


So a couple of punched holly leaves. But then I had no berries! So a couple of little rosebuds instead.

The arty shots for you fans ;))


I still think she's missing something though... I might have to have a fiddle round with her later on!

So come and play with us peeps, the Gorjussettes have made some super cards to inspire you.

Oh and one last bit of advice look where you're going, especially if you should be in my garage!!!

Boo!

Boo! Its only me! Sorry if that disappoints.... ;)) Missing in inaction again! I don't really know how it happened.... But you know how one thing leads to another and then... well times flown by at a great rate of knots. But I'll spare you the boredom of it all!

So another challenge over at Totally Gorjuss This week its 'cute and cuddly' so an animal on your card! The sponsor kindly giving away $10 to spend instore is Simon says Stamp So whilst perusing my stamps and digis my eye fell on this super sweet Snow Bunny Isn't he just adorable?

He got the Copic treatment, Basic Grey papers, WOC flowers and a LOTV sentiment and here he is, all finished and another one off my Christmas card list!

Oh here's my 'famous' (in my dreams!!!) arty shot.

Now also this week was my last showcase as my July DT spot over at Stampotique finished :((

I loved this little stamp by Maryse Carrier called 'Hello' I did a little 'hello' sentiment by adding letter stickers to a punched flower. Oh and I used the last of my MME 'quite contrary' papers too.

Now there has been a dearth of Harry and Tinker photos and stuff lately - for some reason Blogger does not like my little videos :(( So here's a couple of photos of Harry. Part of the morning ritual is lots of preening! Those feathers take some looking after!

So here she is doing her chest! Each one is combed through her tongue and beak. She does the same to my hair if she gets chance ;))

Then of course the ones at the bottom of her tummy needed a bit of attention too!

So you just have to get your leg in the air!

Totally Gorjuss and some more Rawr!

Hi there - have you summer weather, monsoon weather or a bit of both? We've had some most peculiar weather! Tuesday this week was glorious.... it basically seemed to go downhill from then on! We've also had some torrential rain. Fortunately no flooding here - unlike some areas - one of the advantages of living on top of a very big hill!

So a new challenge has just, well yesterday, gone live over at Totally Gorjuss This weeks its an easy sketch - remember I draw them so they're bound to be easy :)) The prize this week is from Joanna Sheen - who has some marvellous new stuff in... ~nudge nudge wink wink~

So here's my take on it....

One of the last releases from Lili of the Valley - isn't she sweet? The sentiment is also a LOTV stamp. Papers are basic grey Eva, coloured with Copics.

Close of the flowers all from WOC - Now I can't remember ever buying the orange ones but they were really useful and brighten this arrangement up nicely.

Now when I was rashly chopping up my sheet of this lovely green card for matting I thought I wasn't going to have enough to cut for the scalloped surround on my image. I had a sudden light bulb moment! I cut the scalloped piece out of my base layer!

Like this... and no one knows... well apart from you reading this of course ;))

So the Rawr in my title? Well there's a few more monsters in the family!

This cute little chap is Rufus... cute horns huh?

This is Malcom

Lavinia his sister

And last but not least Montgomery. Montgomery is a bit saucy, if you don't watch him he's always winking at the girls!

So when there's a few more in the family these little guys will be off to their new home. At the moment there's some heated discussion going on in the bag they're in. Montgomery has been winking at Olivia!

Red hot oh and yellow and orange!

Phew!

Its scorchio! Which to me is of course fantastico!

Now in relation to this the latest challenge at Stampotique Designers Challenge - where yours truly is Guest designer - have a new challenge happening which is red, yellow and orange. This theme chosen by the talented Kaz She obviously knew this week was going to be lovely! In which case I want to know she doesn't do all the challenges! You know something like 'balmy warm days', 'perfect weather for sitting in the garden' themes. Maybe you'd like to give it a whirl Kaz?

This is what Kaz had to say;

"When I took this week for my challenge back in the winter, I thought it would be lovely and summery so I decided to set a colour challenge using the sizzling colours of red, yellow and orange. I should have known better really as I do, after all, live in England. It's been positively Autumnal this month. Rain, wind and grey skies. Yuk. So I'd like you to help us entice the sunshine back to help warm my cold toes!!"

This challenge runs till 9 August at 5.00pm eastern time and its Stampotique stamps only, the lucky winner gets $30 to spend in store!

Anyway here's my entry - late I'm ashamed to say ~hangs head and pokes chair with foot' Not entirely my fault - the card was made then I did a favour with my camera..... Anyway its photo'd now.

Now this is a bit different for me... actually its a lot different! No flowers on it for a start!!! I know how weird is that?

So I stamped this lovely 'Daniels hearts' stamp and swiped Copics over the details, then cut it out with a Spellbinder heart, made a heart border, added paper lace cur out a few hearts to spill out and stamped 'mwah' and it was done!

Oh and look an arty shot! I stuck the little cut out hearts on a blob (technical term) of pinflair glue gel to raise them up a touch.

So a bit different for me huh? Well when I saw the colours kaz picked I thought 'whoa! they aren't colours I ever use together!!!' But I rather like this card and the colours. I guess a shove out of our comfort zones is good for us really.