Ooops...left it a bit long again

It's been a while since I've posted but I've had such a hectic month since my last post.

Started off with a trip to Cardiff for the Heineken cup final. What a brilliant weekend. I don't think I've ever experienced anything like the atmosphere that was over there. It was something else altogether.

Crowds outside the Millenium Stadium

Some of our group.

It was great that they got the win but we would have enjoyed it even if they didn't there was such banter and shenanigans going on. Our ferry was delayed on the way back so we didn't get home until 3 0'clock on the Monday morning and then I had to go to work :( Didn't mind it so much though because we had the Sciath na Scol Final (a schools hurling competition) which we won. I think it might have topped Cardiff. It was a huge deal in our school and obviously the win had to be celebrated that night.

Spent the week putting finishing touches on outfits for a fancy dress that weekend. Myself and BF went as Dorothy and the Tinman (thanks Jackie for the suggestion) I made both of the costumes.

I got the shoes in Penney's for €12 and they had these awful gold buckles on the front. I intended to sparkle them up with stickles but when I took of the buckles and put on little red bows they were quite cut so I left them alone. I wear them out now the whole time and I've never received so much compliment on a pair of shoes. Typical.

My Mum and Dad went as Mike and Sully from Mosters Inc. - his name is Mike and Mum's maiden name is O' Sullivan so some people would call her Sully. I made their costumes too.

Here's the card I made for the birthday girl.

The following day was my Nana's 85th birthday so I drove up to Kerry for that. I made her a very similar card.

(Ooops -glue was still wet under some of the gems when I took the photo)

The following Tuesday this little guy arrived.

This is my nephew Matthew, who was born on the 3rd of June, weighing in at 9lbs 4. He's the first child on both sides of the family so we're all chuffed to bits with him.

I was inspired by Mella to make a star card for him, except my star only has 4 points so its more like a square card :) And obviously I don't have her drawing/painting talent so I cut shapes on my CraftRobo instead.

I also made this album of some of the photo's I took of him on his first day. I got it from Linny's shop at Crafteire. She did a fab class with it which I missed unfortunately but I bought the blank book and she was kind enough to email me the instructions. I used Cosmo Cricket Dutch Girl papers beacuse the journalling cards were just right. I wasn't 100% happy with cover - I think it's lacking something but I was pleased with the rest of it.

I made this Thank You card for a TY student I had helping out in my classroom during the year. Its using Basic Grey Cupcake papers, from a 6x6 pad I bought in Cork Art Supplies

Had to do a birthday card for my BF's golf mad dad. Used the same papers and the golfafella stamp from Stamping Bella.

And a wedding card that I totally card lifted from Kate.

Did this card for my Dad for Father's Day. He's big into Sudoku.

Tfl, Jan

2 'finished off' LO's, some photos and Geocaching

I finally decided to put the finishing touches to some Lo's that I've had lying around for a while that weren't quite done. Most were just missing a title or journalling so it wasn't too hard to do.

The first is a LO I've had done for quite a while and I wanted to finish it off at Crafteire by adding the journalling spot but I lost my stamps so I had to order new ones and wait for them.

The second one started off a challenge for Crafteire but when I came home I changed it a bit but never added a title so now I think it's finished.

I've been busy taking photo's for Cj's Painting with Light course too. I'm really enjoying it and learning loads, even if some weeks it's hard to get the time to really play around with the camera. Anyway here are some of my shots from the last 3 modules.

These are shots of BF's aunt. I was so pleased to get some nice pictures of her. She has Down's Syndrome and whenever she know's her photo is being taken she tilts her chin right up and 'smiles' which means her whole face is scrunched up. I thought these turned out well.

We had to try some silhouettes last week. I'm not sure about the sun flare in the first one but i love the shot other than that. Its my BF pucking around with his hurley and sliothar. Had to give him something to do coz he was so uncomfortable just standing there having his photo taken. Last is a shot of Drake's Pool on the Owenabue River near Crosshaven for anyone who knows my neck of the woods.

We had to take some people shots this week and this is what I came up with.

BF and BF's mum.

This morning I went Geocaching with my dad. We were looking for a cache down in Currabinny Woods. For anyone who doesn't know the woods there's two entrance points and the satnav was guiding us towards the 'back' entrance. So we parked up there and ended up walking beyond the co-ordinates IYKWIM. So we decided to leave the trail and trek through the trees. When we got to the co-ordinates we had great fun rooting around lloking for cahce and were delighted when we found it.

Have earmaked a few more that are nearby so hopefully we'll get out to them soon enough.

TFL, Jan

DCM, Tigger's 40th, Caroline Crop, Some Cards and Some Photos

Well I've been busy since I've last been on. Have gotten 2 DCM dares done, been to Tigger's 'surprise' 40th birthday party, went to Caroline's crop, taken loads of photos for CJ's Painting with Light course, made some cards and bought a few stamps online too.

I'll start with the DCM dares. This weeks one was 'Most Distressing.'

Hi it's Keryn here and it's my turn to Distress you all, or at least your cards with this weeks dare. You can make a card for any season, any holiday, any occaision but you need to use either a fingernail, curled edges, sandpaper, tearing, anything you like really as long as looks like it's had a fair bit or wear and tear.

I made two cards for this (well really 2 versions of the exact same card) and another almost identical one that has no distressing because it just didn't suit the colours.

The lighthouse is one of the stamps I bought in my little shopping spree.

I also tried out Lythan's doodling tutorial and I have to say I love it. Thanks so much Lythan. Here are the two doodled cards I did.

On Friday night it was Tigger's 'surprise' 40th birthday. We were all asked to wear black and orange out of respect for her tiggerness. I had nothing black or orange so I bought a €3 top in Penney's and altered it with some felt and fur.

Here's a group shot of all the crafter's . I'm second from the left.

Me and Caroline - thanks for the seat for the night Caroline : )

Eva and Tigger admiring the birthday LO's.

More admiring.

Then on Sunday I went to Caroline's crop. Another great day with a fab class. There was an option of either a mini book or a LO with the kit, which was REALLY generous.
The mini-album was absolutely gorgeous, I loved how it was bound but I though I have quite a few that have never had any photo's in the yet, and I had a picture that suited the LO so I took the easier/lazier option and went with the LO.

The green cardstock with the picture on it is a flap that lifts up to reveal a space where there should/will be jouranlling at some stage.The photo is my mum and granny taken at my Mum's 50th last year.

Then I did this LO all by myself using Cosmo Cricket Dutch Girl papers from a pack I got in the US last October that had never been opened. I'm really happy with how it turned out and that its finished with nothing else to be added (for a change.)

The photo was taken the same night as the one in the other LO, when we were all together for Mum's birthday.

I also made some cards. I bought a flowerpot shaped punch from Meg - well it was half price so I had to. Made a few variations of the same kind of card.

Also made some cards using my new Magnolia Tilda stamps and a sketch from My Paper World.

This cake and candles stamp is a Magnolia one too.

Cut the scallop circle and inner circle for this on my CraftRobo.

Oh and the pictures I took for CJ's course last week.

Well its taken me ages to load up everything for this post, so if you are taking a peek please leave a comment, if only just to say hello.


TFL, Jan

Some cards and photos

Well since we've gone back to school after Easter I've been hectic. I don't have a minute to myself and really I'm only crafting as is necessary - basically birthday cards that are due.

Here's some I've done recently

Got the idea for this one from Jackie's tutorial on Scrapwest. Thanks for sharing it Jackie.

Used the CraftRobo for this one. Can't take credit for the boot template though. I'd never have had the time to come up with it myself so thanks to 'Sugar and Spice' over on UKS for putting it up.

Again Thank You here was cut on the Robo. (Apologies for rubbish photo. It was a really 'get it in the post asap' so photo was taken at night in my craftroom)

I haven't had time to keep up with any of the recent dares over on DCM, but have a look at this weeks Little Extra. It's a FAB tutorial from Lythan that I can so see myself using loads. Its brilliant. Definitely worth a peek!

I've been busy keeping up with CJ's Painting With Light photography course too. It's only the second module but I'm loving it.

Here are the 3 photo's I submitted last week.

First is a picture of our washing line - well Mum's really. I'll be perfectly honest and say I never really have much to do with it.

Then this is obviously a swan. Taken at the Lough in Cork for anyone who knows it.

Last one is the arm of a rocking chair we have. I don't know what it is about this one but I really like it.

Here are the ones that nearly made the cut.

View into our garden from the gate.

Another swan.

TFL, Jan

DCM Shrink to Fit

Kathy set the challenge this week, it was a bit tough but I enjoyed it.

Shrink to Fit
I used to be able to make cards with lots of "white space" around the designs, but lately when I've tried to do this my cards just look sooooo naked!
So this week I'd like you to think small - not small cards, but small spaces of embellishment on regular sized cards.
You are allowed to cover no more than a 5x5cms area of your card with paper or embellishment - the rest of the card must be left plain.
How you use those valuable cms is up to you. So you may choose to split up those cms to use around your card, or use them in a block or a line. It might help to cut a few 5x5cm squares then cut those up to work out good ways of using your allotment. Making your whole card a miniscule 5x5cms is NOT an option!! Lets have no cheating (I know what you lot are like.....),but because I'm feeling generous, I'm going to let you add a SIMPLE greeting as extra to your 5x5 allowance! :-)

The greens match better IRL.

I also made a birthday card for someone I work with. I think the patterned papers are 3 Bugs and the greeting is cut on Craftrobo.

We got our first assignment for Cheryl Johnson's Painting With Light photography course so I was out snapping over the weekend. Some of the other doing the course have produce some fab pictures. Here's one that I took, don't think it's going to be in the top 3 but we'll have to see.

TFL, Jan

DCM Pretty Pastels and a bit more

The theme is Pretty Pastels, I think Jane was feeling all springlike and summery when she came up with this one!!! And you know what she was right - they do look scrummy all lined up on the blog don't they. We would love to see what you make of this theme!

I'm a bit late with posting this. I'm back to work after the Easter Holidays and for some reaon I seem to have less time for crafting and blogging LOL. I actually did this challenge on the day it was set but haven't had time to upload it. Had 3 cards to do for the one lady so it was great to get a bit of a push. I embossed some white card with the Paisley Cuttlebug embossing folder and chalked it in pastel colours. The greeting is computer printed because it was a personalised card and I didn't have time to stamp the whole greeting with individual letters. Here are the other two i made for her.


The photo's are poor because as usual they were taken in a rush before I had to give them away.

Last weekend I went to the Cork Croppers Crop and had a great day. This is the LO we did. Caroline had done hers with loads of pictures of 'Me Trough the Years' but I couldn't arrange my pictures in a way that I liked so i took the easy option and just put in one picture. Its my mum and me at my brother's wedding last year.

I did get another LO (almost) done. I just need to add the journalling. I'm waiting to use a journalling stamp that I have ordered. Hopefully it'll arrive this week and I can get the LO done, I even know what I want to say!



Must say thanks a million to Joanne who gave me a little storage box. Can't believe she was giving it away. I have about 7or 8 of them, I find them so handy. Thanks to Ber too who brought stamps and loads of papers that she didn't want anymore. Actually I used some for the right hand birthday card above. She also gave me some baby rub ons because my brother (the one who got married last June) is going to a Daddy soon (wow that's wierd) so I'm hoping I'll have loads of pictures to scrap.

Anyway, TFL, Jan