A Little Bit Of Sunshine...

Hi There,
I hope you had a good weekend. Mine went in a bit of a blur!! Don't they always!
However, despite the freezing cold temperatures we endured, the ice and frost, and the
pale greyish sky, I had my own little bit of sunshine delivered to me on Saturday, in the form of a parcel from my best friend, Bonnie.
I must admit I had been really down in the dumps the last few days, and she always times these friendship parcels just so perfectly, and I feel thoroughly warmed and cheered!

Every year we celebrate our Friendship anniversary, based on when we first sent correspondence to each other, all those 13 years ago, in October 1997.
We still write but instead of wacky, pretty, colourful stationery paper we now write in notebooks, they are literally like novels!!
We also both have had the privilege of meeting each other, which I'm sure I've mentioned before. I went to visit Bonnie in South Africa in 2006, and Bonnie came to visit me in 2008.
She more than a pen-friend, she's my best friend.
I really love the things she sent me, most of it was all handmade by herself, and that makes it all the more special and personal.
I wish I'd thought of taking photo's as I unwrapped it as everything was wrapped up so cute!
But here is all is laid out on my table

 click on the pix to see them bigger!

I really do just love every little thing, love the little mobile phone holder at the front there, that fits my phones perfectly! and so many embellishments, tags, crocheted flowers, paper flowers, felt flower, a little notebook, a adorable little blackbird, my favorite rooiboos skincare products...the only thing Rooiboos or Red Bush we have here is Tea, but these skincare products are just fabulous! Bon had sent me shower gel and body moisturiser before and I just loved it so much, so I can't wait to use these bits.

Here's some up close pics of the mobile phone holder, crocheted flowers, and other embellies that I just loved the colours of.

Lurrrrrve the vintagey buttons, peals, gems, stamps, mini cards and the cute little crocheted pebble warmer!! My little son had really taken a shine to this, especially since my eldest son put a wibbly-wobbly eye on it, he carried it all the way to school today, and despite my putting it back on display as soon as he puts it down, he soon gets it back again, its currently 'sleeping' in his jeans pocket at present!!
So Thank you so much my dear friend for such generosity, and for your loyal, supportive, stead-fast friendship.

As you know also, I have been taking part in Bonnie's flower class, and the lesson I wanted to learn the most - the crocheted flower - has certainly proved to be the most challenging lesson! I almost gave up...but then I realised that perhaps I wasn't in the best of moods and frame of mind to be taking on something new, and pretty much sulked with my knitting all last week...until disaster struck!!
Thursday evening, I came to the end of my ball of wool, so the next day, I trudged to my local craft shop, and horror of horrors, the wool had been discontinued!!! Is that really difficult to match colour -I call it a dusky duck egg blue, they call it soft teal.
So, I moodily plunged through the bargain bin to look for something to take home!! and I came across so cotton yarn, such a lovely ice blue, and another one in a soft lime-ish green.

There was a sales 'advisor' there, who gave me the impression that I was out of my depth!!
She said that all double knit wool/yarn is the same thickness and that's regardless of what it's made from. Well, missy, you're wrong!! As when I tried the crocheted flower again, with my double knit cotton yarn, it FELT finer and it IS finer!!
I have made lovely little flowers!! Because I FINALLY got it!! it just twigged!
My first one I admit went a little wrong but I know why, but I actually rather like it, I'm calling it a 'snow flake' !!

Then I tried a few more, using this yarn and the yarn Bonnie sent me and here are my fabby, chuffed-to-bits-with-myself crocheted flowers

My favourite is the one on the bottom left, I added a little pearl Bon had sent too.
Then I just got the bug, and sat all evening, making these addictive little flowers, here's some more

So, then, I got a little adventurous and tried a double petalled one, it did go a little wrong, so I simply sewed the inner petals to be closer together, and then I tried and lacy, wavy one, by having a 'shell' of stitches on every stitch, and I thought that was ok. Not brilliant, but ok!!!

                                              wavy one on the left, double petalled on the right

                                                         And here they all are together

So today, I popped back to the craft shop, and got some more bargain bin yarns, including 'bamboo' wool and 'soya' yarn!! All in such soft pretty colours.
I do love the wool section! I love seeing all the colours, but its just so expensive!
I try to get the half price stuff! Oh and yesterday, on EBay, I found my discontinued wool!!! So I will be able to finish my knitting project soon!! yay!! I do love EBay sometimes!!

Talking of fab websites, if you haven't already pleeeeeease do pop over to Bonnie's new beautiful website, where you can get you're own goodies like mine!!

Click on the button here to go visit her brand new website

Well, I hope you all have a good week. I must say I'm quite glad the snow has virtually gone from our area now, and that the kids are back to school!!

Although it is still literally freezing. Last night it was -3, and all day today its been 0!

I am were thick woollen tights, thick boot socks, jeans, and two jumper dresses (yes I look ridiculous!) and I'm still cold!

Time to get cozy in front of the wood stove, cuddled up in my blanket and absorb myself in some crocheting! (and Shrek 4!!)

Take Care Xx

More Snow!

Hi there!
I don't think I've ever blogged so much within a week, but its snowing!
We went for a nice walk yesterday. I had so many layers on that I was actually boiling! On the was home, the boys were complaining of cold feet, so we carried them. Hubby picked up the little one as he gave up first, then my 6 year old started complaining, so I gave him a piggy-back home, so I was roasting when I got home!!
Anyway, I thought I'd share a couple of photo's I took yesterday whilst on a trudge through the snow in the village

the big abondoned house up the street

Last night we had a power cut, which was exciting, until I realised I still had dinner cooking in the oven!

We have an electric oven, so then I had the idea of cooking it on the woodstove in the living room...today our living room stinks of dinner! But it worked and we were all fed!

We played games, I knitted (still) and it was fun...until the lights came back on about 2 hours later, we all made a strange sound of 'Yeeeeyyyyyyyohhhhwa' a mix of being glad the electricity was on and disappointment that we no longer needed to be in candlelight! So we turned off the lights and kept the candles on!!

The snow is still here Today, but I don't think any more has fallen much since last night, although we have been forecast more snow is to come.
I just don't want it to rain...because it will just freeze and everything will turn to ice and it will be just so dangerous to drive.
I do have to venture out in the car today. I have to get groceries (and more wool! haha!) and my nearest supermarket is 4 miles away (not walking distance with two kiddies and a trolley full of groceries!)
I hope my car starts as it hasn't been driven in 3 and half days. its a "4x4" so I shouldn't be slidding about too much.
Anyway, have a good weekend
take care

Snow Days

HI there all,

Well, it is fffffffffrrrrreeeeeeeeeezzing here. We have such a nasty artic wind and a thick blanket of snow outside. We've opted to be 'snowed in'!! We haven't been out for a day and a half now!  Except Hubby who still went out to work, bless him.

But I took the boys to school yesterday, braving the ice and snow, crawling along in my car, heater full on, wrapped in so many layers I could just about turn the steering wheel! only to be told to take the kids home as the school was closing...didn't tell me that when I phoned an hour earlier to ask if they were still open!

So I crawled along to the shop, bought some essentials and came home again. Took me 20 mins to drive our usual 8 mins drive home!!
Snow is such a novelty here!  my sister lives 'up north' near the peak district, and at its shallowest point up there its knee depth! where as here in the south-east, its ankle deep.
It does amuse me how the schools all shut down, and everything comes to almost a standstill!
I suppose its because we are just unprepared for it. We don't have snow tyres and enough grit and salt for the roads and paths. the local governments won't buy stuff that's only needed for a few days a year! its not like it lasts the whole season! So..we all stop, huddle up and get cosy!!

So, yesterday,when we got home we had a little play in the snow...

My son making the first footprints in the garden!

Look! Snow!

Shortly after this we went in, needing a nice warm drink, so I prepared the supplies I had bought...

And made real Hot chocolate (double cream, a bar & half of chocolate, squirty cream, mini marshmellows (my little one called them 'mashmoes' cute!) and about 10,000 calories, but oh my, it was pure heaven in a mug!

and so after this pix, I sipped and knitted and we watched Disney dvd's!!

Last time I watched so much TV as that, I was newly married and we got the box set of the new series '24'and we sat and watched the whole thing...actually lasted 17-18 hours not 24! but we did it!! 

Not that we watched 17 hours of Disney dvd's but we watched 'Beauty & the Beast', 'race to Witch Mountain'and 'How to train your dragon'!!

I knitted the whole time and I was astounded at how much I did!!

I did hope to do some more crocheting, but my pc is in the draughty area in our house, and i need to rewatch the tutorial again and I just couldn't bare to get cold again and leave the hot, cosiness of the living room, with the fire blazing in the stove. Can you blame me?!!

This morning, I thought there would only be a little scattering of it left, but was surprised to see a blanket of fresh snow over the footprints we made yesterday...

So, we've stayed in again. This time though I got off my butt and did some housework! and started working  those 10,000 delicious calories off!!

So nothing really to show creative wise,although I do think that the Hot Chocolate was a work of Art!! haha! What have you been up to?

Crocheting & more Organza flowers

Hi Ya!
Hope you're having a good week. Many thanks to Angela & Bonnie for your comments about my flowers so far.
Go on, Angela, join up!! its fun! you know you want to!! Hee hee!!

So I am droping in quickly today, to show you two organza flowers I made last night.
I went and got some buttons and some more supplies, and I discovered a remnant of this wonderful, irresdesant  lovely, weirdy fabric a type of organza  ...I'll start again! I've grabbed my dictionary and yes the fabric is truely iridescent  "displaying a spectrum of colours that shimmer and change...as the observer's position changes"  Its a gorgeous turquoise, and so I thought I'd see how that heats up! Ewwww! does it smell!!! and it melted so fast!! it was scary!! But eventually I managed to shape it as I desired and it's made a really lovely flower.

                  It's really hard to see how its iridescent here, in fact, its near on impossible to capture at all!

The next one I made with silver & turquoise organza's and teal tulle. I love these new buttons I found!

I have no immediate use for these flowers as yet, although I may turn this one into a brooch to wear on a lovely grey woollen tunic I have.

Then early evening, as I finished these flowers, I saw a new lesson up and I did a little happy dance when I saw the title 'crochet flower'. yay!

But it is tricky! Its not been without its struggles and little sighs and frustrated 'arrggghh's' haha!!

I still haven't finished or made a flower yet, and the trouble I have is when it comes to adding the next colour, one looked like a star!! I haven't kept all my attempts as most were unravelled, but here's the beginnings of the 5th & 6th. the 'middle' bit, which just don't look right to me. Is that because I've yet to complete it?? I've tried adding the second colour to do the next stage, but I have unravelled it 3 times now, as looks too loopy & holey.

The one on the right is the latest. It's smaller because I realised I was adding too many chain stitches, I looked on another site that Bonnie suggested Attic24, and I followed along her instructions, and the one on the right is meant to look like this  (photo by Lucy Attic 24)
and it doesn't look as tight and neat like this. Why?? Any ideas??
Anyway....
I'm going to work on it some more. I'm going to change my wool that I'm using to a finer 'yarn' and see if that has any effect.
Please let me know if you have any suggestions for me! I do love hearing from you.
Until next Time
Em Xx

'Pocket Full Of Posies' Flower Class

Hello!
Hope you're all ok.
As I said in a previous post I'm taking part in Bonnie's flower class, making different types of flowers from different fabrics.
I've really enjoyed what I've learnt so far, and I think now I know how, I'll never have to buy a fabric flower for anything ever again! Ha Ha!
First Lesson we had was to make a flower out of felt, a little rose.
Oh my, it was so easy and simple! i've made two so far, but it would be quite easy to make up a whole batch of them! and it wouldn't take long either.

I finally have fixed my beloved camera! I needed a new lens as the motor had gone in the other one, so the actually camera was fine. Thank Ebay, I found a bargain replacement lens, and so I am happy to quit moaning about quality of photo's etc! haha!
So here are the first two felt roses I made :

Then for the next lesson we learnt how to make loopy pom pom flowers for a brooch, I printed out the instructions and made it while watching Fringe, and I think I've made a mistake along the way as it doesn't look right. I think I got the measurements wrong for the top layer.  But its my first attempt, so I'll have another go soon.

I added a brad in the middle as I haven't got any nice buttons at the moment, I must get some more! 

Then the next lesson was for this organza & tulle flower, which was really fun to make as we had to hold the fabric over a naked flame! and oh yes does that tulle smell !!

 I really like this one, although I wish I had bought more colours! I saw a remnant basket of netting and organza and thought it would be fine, and it was plenty,but I didn't really think properly (probably due to having my little one sitting in his buggy grabbing everything he could reach!) and I didn't really get tulle and organza that co-ordinate.
The light blue and burgandy is ok, but I'm not fond of the colours together, personally ( hope I'm not offending any West Ham supporters!!)
I also cheated a little here too, I added a brad in the middle and used that to hold it together rather than stitching it together, as like I said I don't have any pretty buttons or stamens, and I do really love these pearly brads. So get used to seeing them!!
I got some from my local craft store then saw that on Ebay you can get more for half the price! arrgghhhh!! hate it when that happens!!
Incidently, my local craft store, which I must say is good as it caters for so many hobbies - fabric mainly and wool, but also paper craft stuff too.
Its called "The Cheap Shop", but its actually genrally more expensive than anywhere else!! you never get a bargain in there, but its handy as it does everything, although its not as bad as Hobbycraft. A new one has opened up near me, Mum & I excitedly went along, and found it so overpriced and just not alot of choice. They sold cuttlebugs but only 2 dies!

Anyway, I have digressed, so I need better co-ordinating colours and more buttons!!

I really do recommend Bonnie's class. Its self-paced and her instructional video's are very easy to follow. And she's just such a lovley sweet person, its a joy to just sit and listen to her!!
So go on, treat yourself, its only $15 for the class, and I must say, just what I've learnt so far has saved me ALOT of money on gifts and embellishments, as anything can be done with these flowers.
Today I was wearing the loopy pom pom brooch on my purple crocheted beanie hat, looked v.1920's!!
And I gave Mum the little organza & tulle flower, as it matches her colour scheme (the burgandy) and she attached it to a teddy that sits on her armchair and looked so cute!

I am still eagerly awaiting, hooks and wool at the ready, for how to make the crocheted flowers. I am currently knitting a chocolate brown cushion cover at the moment, and I'll be attaching the crocheted flowers to it when I am finished.

So, no card making at the moment, although my supply of cards I've made is dwindling! 
But I have invitations to a jazz evening to make, and cool table decorations for that also, I am making these by the very talented Veronica, (who I came accross because she's doing the flower class too I really like her blog, its so inspiring.)
So,  with the rest of the flower class, I have lots to keep me busy!
Although I have become a little bit addicted to Spider Solitaire again on my PC. I clicked on it by accident a few weeks ago and its so additive. A few times I've managed to get a score lower than 100 (even 95 once!)  which is really quite an achievement, one of my bro-in-laws said he has never got below 100! I know its so sad isn't it!! haha!
but I do like to have a quick few games. I always know when I've played too much when I start dreaming about it.... Tossing and turning and yelling "Nooo, a King is on the card I need,....I can't move...I, I, I HAVE NO MORE CARDS!! "*waking up sweating and terrified* hahaha!
Ok. Annnnd that'll be a good place to end today!
Have a good week, and I'll post back when I've made some more things to show

Take Care
Em Xx

bakin' but no makin'

HI Everyone,

I hope you had a good weekend.
I've decided today that I think Sunday is my least favourite day! Its a day of rest for everyone but me so it seems!!! but enough with the whinging!! I'm glad its over!!

So I've not been up to much crafty wise. I had one of those weeks, last week, where I've been so busy and nothing has been finished!!
I started on my blind, only to discover when I got Mum's sewing machine out that the pedal wasn't in there. sigh.
So I moaned to her about it only to find that actually I had it last and hadn't put it back in the case!!! D'oh!! (sorry Mum!) So its somewhere in my house!

We started decorating last weekend previous, and still haven't got it finished as Hubby was really ill and had to do extra work too, but he felt better Saturday and got some more of it done. I'm not complaing that its not been done, but its a pain having the room upside down!

I lost my phone too. I turned my home inside out looking for and I this morning after 10 days of searching for it, I finally found it! 
I'd had awful feeling that my little 3 year old son had got hold of it and dropped it, and it got scooped up with all the stripped soggy wallpaper and thrown out!!
It wasn't thrown out but I was right about him getting it. It was in a little lunch tub and had fallen somehow behind the pc tower!! I found it there as I was vacuuming today! I'd never have looked for it there!!!
Little Sam was so pleased I'd found it and offered to hide it again!!

I didn't realise how much I depend on it, well, ok I do know how much, as I've missed it! especially for my alarm in the morning. I've been getting up at 6am with Hubby, otherwise I'd sleep until 10am!! But that's been a good habit to get into if I'm honest. 
Hubby said he worried when I went out, as 'anything could happen' and dreaded the thought of the police coming to tell him I'd had an accident' ...ahh bless he does worry!!
I thought that was just my job!! haha!

I didn't have any time to make any cards last week, but I did make some cookies with the boys....they stood with their little aprons on, grasping wooden spoons, eagerly waiting for bowl to lick!!hahaha!!

                                             yeah, they didn't stay around for long!!!

So, as much as this past week was a bit hectic, what I am REALLY looking forward to this week is Friday. I'm eagerly anticipating the start of Bonnie's new class!! Yay!

Aren't they lovely flowers?? Want to learn how to make them all by yourself??!!

The class is all about making these flowers from felt, organza, fabric, crochet, and lots more things too.

I like to think my hints to her helped make this class come about!....'oh I'd love how to crochet'..... 'your crocheting is soooo good, I'd love how to do that' ....'please teach me'.. and so on!! I think she did the class just to shut me up!! hahaahah!! (as if! she probably had it all planned ages ago!)
So if you want to join in too please see Bonnie's blog here, (or click on the pictures above)
of how to join up for the class. G'on, you know you want to!!
I can't wait for it to start and I'm planning to stock up on supplies so that I'm all ready for Friday.
Come back soon to see what I learn!! I can't wait! Have I said that already?!!!
Take Care

Discovering Myself Mini Journal

Hello! How are ya doin'?
I'm ok. Still snuffly and spluttery, but feeling much better in my head, the 'cotton wool' is subsiding!! yay!
I am immensely pleased at myself, because I made my mini journal, finally! and I'm so surprised at myself, its beautiful! even if I do say so myself, and I am my own harshest critic!
I sat down to it yesterday evening and had intended to just get things prepared and ready for starting it today. I cut out all the little goodies that Bonnie had made especially for the project, which I had downloaded and printed out. Such beautiful and cute little vintage pictures, tags, tickets and journaling pages, but before I knew it I had made the front cover, and then the first page!
 I even added little extra pages, and I eventually told myself to stop, as the clocked struck midnight, after I had finished my 5th page! after every page I kept thinking 'right, I'll stop there' then suddenly got a whiff of inspiration and started on another!

Today I had to take my car into the garage in town, so I spent the day at my Mum's house. I packed up a little picnic basket full to the brim of my crafting bits and pieces, and sat crafting all day!!
I've been a terrible mummy today, I had forgotten nappies and wipes for my little one! and for dinner tonight we had McDonalds! I think my family all breathed a sigh of relief when I announced "It's done!!"
But Oh! it was so much more enjoyable than I thought it would be, and I was really amazed at how I never felt stuck for an page idea.

My whole little book is made entirely from scraps and the printed stuff from Bonnie, and some stamps. everything I used was in my scrappings boxes

So here it is from the side, so you can get an idea of the wad of it all!! 

I actually didn't stick to all the intructions, oh naughty rebellious me! I made it a bit bigger, it's 9cm x 13cm. purely because that was the size of my first piece of scrap card!!

Front Cover

I can't remember all the details of the papers etc as they are scraps from many years, however this one, is

from Websters pages, Discover pic is Bonnie's

Inside Cover & First Page:

I thought I'd add some photo's to it too, this one I vintaged it up to make it look really old and even burnt! all with the magic of chalk & ink!

3rd Page

Paper is K&Co. ticket is Bonnie's.

4th page:

Postcard is Bonnie's, I made it into a little folder to hold the tags, there are two linked together with a brad for the journaling, I have much that I miss about childhood!! I didn't realise as I took the photo that the ticket has slipped off its tape!
                                                               5th Page

The Stamp in the middle reads " know the song in your heart and sing it like no one is listening"

As I was making this page, a song from Moulin Rouge came to mind, and I decided to put that as a life motto! and today in the car, listening to a Muse song, I heard " Don't waste your time, or time will waste you" ..I NEED that on my wall as a motto! So I scribbled that in there too!

Love label is Bonnie's

6th Page:

I love this pic bonnie gave us, so cute! the little circle at the bottom says 'cherish', it's stamped,and then has stickles on it. Again, making this page I had a giggle thinking 'My Precious' a la Gollum from Lord of the Rings. The papers are again a folder to hold the journaling tag.

                                                                         7th Page :

8th page:

                          used Websters Pages, in fact most of the papers are, now I think of it!
                                                                       9th page:

random page I added in, as I love this photo my brother in law took of my Hubby & I while we were in the Lakes, I realised the other day, there's not many photo's of Hubby & I , as one of us is always behind the camera!!

                                                                10th Page:

Yes, I had that annoying Christina A. song on my brain while doing this, sorry if you love that song, but step-daughter played it to death when it came out, now we all can't stand it! haha!

                                                                   Page 11:

                                          
                                                                Page 12:

Paper used here is actually a Cath Kidston design, It was a 'thank you for shopping with us' postcard thingy that I thought 'ooh I'll use that for something' and I did!!
Also, here's a quick card I made with the rest of it, on Monday,

                          Just cannot get the colours right!! the background is a soft grey, the green card, is a lovely sage green. Stamps are WMS

I hope you enjoyed seeing my journal, please let me know what you thought of it.

I thoroughly enjoyed making it, and when Hubby looked through it, he held it so gently, like it was a fragile, ancient work of art, and it just warmed my heart to see him admire it so. He has been very patient with me and my mess all over the dining table! and he really looked at every bit and was rather impressed!!
Then he said, 'So, what are you going to do with it? '......
Tsk!


As much as I want to get going on some more card making, I've had to put everything away, we have friends coming over, and I have to spend some proper quality time with my boys while they are off of school. Shame, its so miserable, raining and cold.
And this weekend we are decorating our living room. Woo-Hoo!!

Have a great week, whatever you are doing
Take Care
Xx

Another Snotty Sunday!!

Hello there friends!

I hope your weekend have gone well, and you are looking forward to your week ahead.
This coming week is half term for our kids and they're off school for a week. I am actually looking forward to this as I am looking forward to some lie-in's!
I still have a cold, and a irritating cough now too.
We were meant to have pleasant weekend, my niece had her engagement party...which she knew nothing about! Her Fiance had planned the whole party as a surprise, he proposed to her on Saturday, and then came straight to his "sister's anniversary" party, and there she found out "SURPRISE!" it was her party!!
But I wasn't well enough to go.  Hubby took the kids, and I stayed at home, head full of cotton wool and thudding, and coughing and spluttering.
Before he went that afternoon I made a card for them. I had the colours in mind, I know her favorite colour (and wedding colour) is Orange. So I made an orange & white card. I also knew I wanted to try out my embossing folders and new Spellbinder dies..well I say new, they're several months old now!!
I've never worked with orange before.
Here it is...

Deet: Orange card from craft shop,

White card embossed with Cuttlebug 'Swirls' Embossing folder

Stamp: Penny Black coloured using Marvy markers

ribbon from stash

But I'm warming to it, it is very cheerful and colourful. I've never heard of orange being a wedding colour though, but in my local craft shop, where I went to get some orange card, they said that traditional colours are going out for weddings, now, girls want orange, yellow, teal, turquoise and brown even.
I had lilac and purple for my wedding colours, apparently they are now 'so last decade' !! and totally out of fashion! I must say, I myself have gone off of lilac. I think I overdosed on it, by having it all over my kitchen and bathroom walls in my first flat!!
So...after the family left for the party, the still and peace that surrounded me, my craft stuff littered all over the dining room table, I thought 'hmm, I'll just make one more, while its all out' (since I missed my friends 1st anniversary last week)
I had a little browse through blogland, and saw a really cute little birdy, apparently its part of a PTI bits and pieces/button thing, I saw and thought..I can make that!! so armed with my cuttlebug and spellbinder dies, I set to work and I am Sooooooooo pleased with the result, although once again my camera does not do it justice at all (yes, I am still moaning about the camera!!!)

Deets: Turquoise card, white card & teal card from Paper Mill Shop

Spellbinders 'Circles', 'Scalloped circles' dies

Cutltlebug Polka dots embossing folder

movable eyes nicked from the boys craft box!

ribbon & lilac lily from stash

sentiment stamp: WMS

birdy feet, tails & beaks hand-drawn

Then, I made another, this time totally inspired by this card on the WMS sketch challenge, I thought "I have that paper!! and I have those dies, I'm gonna make that!' and I did my version as I don't have those fabby WMS stamps! or the lovely lace. But, yes, totally copied it, I do not take any credit for the design & layout!

Deets: Sage green card, cream card from Paper Mill Shop

paper Webster's Pages

WMS stamps

paper roses & pearls from stash

Then Today, still ill, coughing, spluttering and with Hubby now ill too (well, it was his turn! it'd be a miracle if he didn't get it!) I sat and made two cards. One I don't like so much, I feel it needs 'something', but I don't know what...

Deets: White & Raspberry card from PaperMill Shop

Paper 7 Label from Papermania Rose Garden

Flower pre-cut shapes had for years!

Cuttlebug 'Swirls' embossing folder

ribbon & button from stash

And one I made with my very best friend in mind, and in my opinion is one of the prettiest cards I've ever made. but since she reads this blog, (Hi Bon!) I'm only going to show a sneaky peek of it, because I know how much she LOVES surprises! don't you Bonnie?!!! *muffled evil giggle*  (think chipmunk gone bad..oooh now there's an idea for Alvin & Co. for the next movie...Chipmunks gone BAD!!") annnnnnd, I digress, it will be on the way to Bonnie soon, as its for our friendship anniversary. 

I'll show it to you all once she's got it!

And to think I was meant to be making a roman blind and making that mini 'Me' Journal! Tsk!!
I am more than pleased with my crafty output forthis weekend though.
Have a good week, and please let me know what you think of my cards, I do love reading your comments, gets me all happy and warm!
So, I'm going to make myself another 'stinky' drink as my family calls it, I don't care how smelly it is, it certainly does the trick, 1 teaspoon of honey, 1 tablespoon (or 2 capfuls) of Cyder Vinegar, and hot water.
such more effective than lemon I feel, especially for sore throats. It works best at the beginning of a cold, but it is very soothing during.
OH OH OH, I nearly forgot!! How could I?! I amazingly, especially after my long blogland absence, recieved an AWARD!! I know!! I couldn't believe it either!!!
the lovely Ruby Two Shoes passed it to me, at first I assumed it was another 'Em' so I clicked on her link and it went to someone elses blog, but then the next person had the same link too, so I thought 'Ohh! what if, it is me?!!' I left a little comment, leaving my wondering with her, thinking, that it must be someone else,and on her next post, she comfirmed it was actually me! Yay! 
So here it is...

Thank you very much Ruby.
And I'm surposed to tell you 3 things about me...

1/ I need to change my blogname as actually, I prefer being called Emma, not Em!!
Everyone calls me Em, and I don't mind it really, but I do just like my name!

2/ When I sing along to songs that I know, I generally sing the harmonies or backing vocals! Its a habit, I got into, because when I was a teenager I adored the Beatles ( I know, born in the wrong decade!!) and I liked George & John best, and so would sing their bits in the songs! haha! so I learnt to listen for it, and then when I was in a duo, I sang harmonies alot on my partner's songs, and it just became something I end up doing!!

3/ My husband thinks he doesn't like cheese. But I put cream cheese (a lacto-free one as I'm terribly intolerant to Cheese) in our mash potato, and he wolfs it up, and since I've been putting it in, he has been commenting on how delicious and lovely the mash is. I've told him its because I put a vegatable stock cube in while cooking, and use desiree potato's!!! I know I'm so deceitful!! but he is so incredibly fussy, as anyone who knows us knows, somethings are a geneuine intolarance, some foods just make him gag because of the texture (fruit & veg mainly and pasta) and some of it is because of the way his mum made stuff that put him off for life!! and most of it is due, I believe, from the few serious head injuries he has had, that have impaired his taste. So occaisionally I throw something in, just to test him, to see what is pychological, and lo & behold, he hasn't been sick, or had tummy ache, or indigestion, nothing but satisfied.
But I do feel a little guilty over it, so here is my confessional!! haha! I feel better for getting that off my conscience. I will tell him eventually!

Well, that wasn't really about me was it, that last one, more about Hubby, but he's my other half, so it counts!!
Besides, I couldn't think of anything else!!

Anyway, I'm off now, Hubby's woken up from his nap and is looking very rough and is sounding like Chewbacca.
I think its hungry!
Take Care