Not much going on here

Well what can I say - I've not been blogging or crafting so much but I promise I'll get myself sorted soon, lots going on at the moment. But I couldn't not join in with Julia as it's Wednesday and she wants to see what's on my desk! So hop over to Stamping Ground and join in.

I've been out most of today hence the late post, I did a fabulous Stampin' Up! workshop for a bunch of lovely ladies - hello if you're reading! and so my desk is a little bare:

My fellow teamies at DCD might look closely and spot something or someone to make them giggle on here! Pretty much all that's out is the patterned paper I'd used to make some pretty biros for the guests at the workshop today:

Oh and the messy brayer? A project that didn't work out and has been introduced to the B1N file in the corner lol! Still on the bright side I finally have ink in my printer and get get digi stamping!

Hugs
Victoria
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Life's a beach

How hot? Very apt that our challenge this week at Die Cut Dreams is 'life's a beach'. So let's see your seaside themed projects! The Design Team have come up with some fabulous projects this week to inspire you, here's mine:

I've used one of the new CC designs stamps, I just love the cute rubber ring she's sat in. I've shaded her with Copics and cut her out to sit her on my seaside scene. I tore up a piece of patterned paper and then stamped a bucket with a towel and sunglasses off another CCs stamp and cut it out. The shell came off a scrapbook page I'd made that I wasn't keen on so at least it's been put to good use now! I've had the metal framed sentiments for ages and I'd planned to use them on scrap book layouts, but I just don't get the time to scrap these days. I'm joining in with:

• Cute Card Thursday - Reuse, recycle, renew
• Paperplay - It's sunny here
• Stampin Bs - Summer fun
• Pile it on - Fold it, bake it, do something with it (I tore it!)
• Rosie-D's - Summer Birthdays

Hope you're enjoying the good weather, I spent the afternoon cowering under a kiddie gazebo with Blake in his stroller and Zac in the paddling pool!
Hugs
Victoria
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Ooh it's all going on here

Well it's Wednesday which generally means chaos and mayhem and today is no different! Started the day by Zac being picked up by hus Grandparents and me taking Blake for three jabs. No he didn't like it and yes he is a bit grisly this afternoon! Anyway, we came home and started prepping a little something. At least I did, Blake played with foam blocks. So as usual on a Wednesday it's time to join in the fun with Julia over at Stamping Ground and show What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday.....

I've got a workshop next Wednesday morning for 15 - 20 ladies and this is a little look at the gift I'm making to demo for the lovely hostess. I'll show you the finished project after the workshop! Next Mr UPS came a knocking on my door to deliver this lot....

I'm doing a Greenhouse Garden class on Saturday and several of the ladies have ordered their own set to use and take home and funnily enough, these are the yummy colours we'll be using too. Mixed in here are some other stamps I got for FREE for achieving the second part of my Stampin' Start. Another fab thing about being a demo - work hard and you get rewarded with free stamps, I love it!

Now normally I'd share a pic of Blake with you and I am, but it's a bit of a cheat as these were taken on Sunday. I wanted to save them for today though. So here is Zac with my Hubby and Blake and Gangan in the background:

Then a not so good one of the boys but a rare one of me with them both. One day maybe we'll get one with all of us looking in the same direction!

Right, I've relocated me and Blake to the living room so I'm in postion to watch what could be Englands last match this World Cup, I have my fingers crossed Hubby can get out of work early but he thinks it won't happen. So I'll be doing my class prep at the table whilst shouting at the tellybox!

Have fun
Victoria
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An easel frog

Our challenge this fortnight at Creative Card Crew is to make an easel card. We all used digi images on ours, but you can use anything you like. Here's mine:

I've used this cute image Beach Baby Jayne which was a freebie on the Whimsy site, just love her. Went for one of my favourite colour combos of pink and green and coloured her with Copics. I've had this patterned paper for ages and not sure if I've used it before or not. The ribbon was in one of my ribbon drawers and the button is by Doodlebug.

The sentiment is by Stampin' Up! as are the oval punches used. I'm going to join in with:

• Everybody Art - Pink and green
• ABC - Weather

Please hop over and check out the fabulous creations the other Design Team members have made to inspire you. Also we say goodbye to Paula this week who has decided to step down from both running and being on the Design Team and welcome Janna as the new Chief of the Crew!

Hugs
Victoria
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Colour combo for a teenage boy

This week at Die Cut Dreams our challenge is blue and green for a teenage boy. We were all given a digi image to work with but you can use any image you like.

I've shaded him using ProMarkers and a white gel pen and then used Doodlebug stickers for his hat, top and the cake and background too. About time I started to use this kit! Have a look at the rest of the DT creations - you'll see Susie and Vikki's Christmas Club team have joined in too. I'm joining in with Passion for ProMarkers as I followed their sketch and they have a male card theme too.
Hugs
Victoria
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Whoopie Dad

It's Fathers Day here in the UK and this is the card I made for my Father in Law from Hubby:

I've used Football Jim from the Digi Stamp Boutique and he's brand new for June. For the main image I shaded him with Copics and cut out with nesties ovals. I didn't have any football paper or stamps so I coloured another Jim in on the PC and popped him on at different angles to make my own paper. Simples! The sentiment is from Stampin' Up! as is the real red card.

We're off to the park soon with the boys, but I have to share with you what I've baked this morning. Hubby requested these whoopie pies after hearing about them on the radio:

The cream filling is made with melted marshmallows and butter - so sickly sweet!

If you want the recipe you can get it off the Sainsbury's website - enjoy!
Hugs
Victoria
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Pink and Girlie

Is the theme this fortnight over at Bee Crafty. Remember to use a digi image too! Here's my creation using Whimsical Girl and Ice cream:

I've done some paper piecing with the Doodlebug papers, took me a while to get the flower on her top in the right place, but I got there in the end. I daubed around the image using a SU ink and stamped a matching butterfly from Flight of the Butterfly stamp set. Image and frame are cut out using oval nesties and flowers have been punched using boho blossoms punch from Stampin' Up!

I'm going to join in with:

• The Pink Elephant - Sketch
• Papertake - Ice cream flavours. I went with neapolitan
• Paperplay - Something old. This is one of the first images I got from Bee Crafty
• Dare U 2 Digi - Blooms and butterflies
• Fun with Shapes - Flowery
• Crazy 4 Challenges - Paper flowers
• Just Us Girls - Light Pink, chocolate and vanilla

Can't stop, I'm off to bake some whoopie pies for Hubby as a Fathers Day gift tomorrow from the bubbas. Will post a photo so you can drool over them!

Hugs
Victoria
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It's Wednesday

And that means it's WOYWD with Julia over at Stamping Ground and time to show my desk which embarassingly for me is in a bit of a mess. But I do have an excuse this week. You'll be pleased to know Blake has now fully recovered but his big brother Zac has come down with the same illness so I'm a little busy right now! Luckily my Mum and Step Dad are here for a few days on a holiday from Spain visiting me and my brothers, so I have some help. Anyway, they sent me upstairs yesterday for a spot of crafting therapy and I haven't had chance to tidy up yet:

You can see the project I was working on yesterday which will be on my Stampin' Up! blog tomorrow if you want to see the outcome. You should also be able to see a very pretty handmade box which was a gift from the lovely Val (another demo) and is filled with ribbons and felt flowers and right next to that is another gift from another demo - Deborah, she sent me a packet of flowers and pearls and all things fab from the pretties kit. Aren't I lucky? I've popped a little plastic container behind my cutter too to pop my recent creations in whilst they await bagging up or writing and posting! I really need to have a good tidy up and sort out but that's not my priority right now. Can you see how trashed my orange ink pad is? I dropped it yesterday and the lid fell off and I spent 20 minutes trying to put it back on the wrong way round - you should have seen my hands, good job it wasn't red ink, it would have looked like a nasty accident. Must clean that ink pad up today.

Just so that you can stop worrying about my smallest boy - here he is this morning showing you how well he is:

Still in his pyjamas but hey - it's only early and we haven't had breakfast yet. Hopefully Zac will be looking this happy again soon too.
Hugs
Victoria
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One for the Boys

It's challenge time at Cupcake Craft again and this week our theme is 'One for the boys'. I've made a Fathers Day card and matching gift card wallet. I think I might put photos in it instead of a gift card though!

The faux leather look has been achieved by embossing some tan card in a cuttlebug folder, daubing over it with So Saffron, Close to Cocoa and Soft Suede inks and then rubbing a Versmark ink pad overthe top and heat embossing with clear powder. I've seen lots of other examples and had to have a go!

The sentiment is from Occassional GreetingsI've added some faux stitching by pricking the card and using a white gel pen to look like cotton. I've used a tag punch a a jumbo eyelet to create a wallet style closure for both the card and the gift card holder. All products are Stampin' Up! except the embossing folder. Here's the inside of the gift card holder:

Now the card has had a bit of an accident since I took the photo - I dropped it in the washing up bowl whilst it was full of soapy water! Somehow it has survived and the ink only bled a teeny little bit! I'm going to join in with these challenges:

• ILWS - Stitching real or faux
• Sweet Stampin - Doodling
• Totally Gorjuss - For the boys
• If the shoe fits - Navy, dark green and tan
• Stamp Something - Happy somethings
• Alphabet Challenge - Green
• Crafty Catz - Embossing
• CRAFT - Fathers day
• Crafts and Me - Friends and family
• Double Dutch - Dad's treat
• Creative Craft - For the man in your life
• Caardvarks - Embossing

Oops - didn't get to publish this yesterday as Zac has come down with whatever Blake had. We've been to the Drs - I said we should set up a camp bed in their waiting room and is on the same medication Blake had too. Here we go again....at least they didn't both get it at the same time and Blake is good and well  now.
Hugs
Victoria
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Pants on Fire

OK - time for a bit of a giggle. My boss over at Die Cut Dreams Challenge Susie (the ex model!), has given me an award, not the sort of award you'd normally get on a craft blog might I add. But one that has given me a well needed giggle!

As the recipient of this award, I need to tell you just one truth about myself and six fibs! So let's see if you can guess the right answer about me. I will award a small candy prize to the winner (obviously more multiple correct entries and names will go in a hat, or a plastic box in my case). Will draw next week sometime so check back to see if it's you. OK here are seven facts about me - which ONE is the truth amongst the six fibs (you'll be able to tell my taste in music back in the eighties lol!)?

1. I have kissed Nick Cave - from Nick Cave and the Bad Seed
2. I have kissed Slash - from Guns n Roses
3. I have kissed Justin Sullivan - from New Model Army
4. I have kissed Robert Smith - from The Cure
5. I have kissed Ian Astbury - from The Cult
6. I have kissed Sting - from The Police
7. I have kissed Julian Cope - Used to be in The Teardrop Explodes

Honestly one is very true! Can you guess? Can you?

Oops forgot to say I'm to pass this on to 7 other people who may turn out to be creative writers too so:

1. Lynn
2. Tracy
3. Penni
4. Louise
5. Linda
6. Angela
7. Chrissie

.....tag you're it!!

Hugs
Victoria
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Oops it's a 'he'

I really should check if the images I'm using are male or female before I start (so sorry Sally-Anne). So with that in mind, here is Eddie ...ahem! Or should I re-name him / her Edwina for the purpose of this card lol!

Eddie is another of the new images available in the offer of the month at the DigiStamp Boutique. Eddie has been shaded with ProMarkers and Copics as I didn't have all the colours I needed in PMs. All other products are Stampin' Up! I'm joining in with these challenges:

• Passion for ProMarkers - Pink birthday
• Crafty Creations - Childs play
• Sketch Saturday - Sketch
• Polka Doodles - Nursery Rhymes (round and round the garden like a teddy bear)

Hope you've had a lovely weekend
Hugs
Victoria
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Birdie Sing Song

Apologies for my absence, Blake has been my focus this week. We took him to the Doctors for the fourth time yesterday evening. The little man has managed to hold fluids down for 24 hours now so I really, really hope this time he's on the mend.

Right, I've been having a play with another of the new images from the DigiStamp Boutique, this time with Birdie Sing -song, one of the images in the offer of the month:

Not sure about this one to be honest, I think the image needs stronger colours so I might have another go and create something a bit brighter! I've shaded the image with copics and sponged the background with SU inks. All other products are Stampin' Up! I'm going to join in with:

• Lots to do - Birds / wings
• Just Us Girls - Digi
• Colour Create - Pale pink, pale blue and something soft (ribbon) - not really entering as I'm on the DT!!!!
• Truly Scrumptious - Sketch and gingham or checks

Have a fab weekend
Hugs
Victoria
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Nutty Wednesday

Phew - Blake seems to be on the mend, he's had watered down milk today without being sick after a night on Dioralyte. So being as he's actually sleeping soundly, I'm doing some evening crafting! It's Wednesday so that means it's WOYWW over with Julia at Stamping Ground and here's my desk as it right now!

Hmm so what do we have? A glass of wine which I've just moved to show you the gorgeous coaster my friend Sue sent me for my Birthday (belated but very gorgeous), some images to be coloured, some velcro dots that need putting away and some stamps that need cleaning - shhh - don't tell anyone I didn't clean them immediately!


Next up is a card. I'm a little late in announcing this but I'm chuffed to bits to say that after being a GDT over at Digistamp Boutique, Sally-Anne has asked me to join her team full time! This is my first creation using Woody who is one of the images available in this months offer set.

I've probably made Woody feel a bit camp using all the pretty flowers and pink but I've never got round to using this paper and I thought it would be cute with the image! I've shaded Woody with Copics (during wine so forgive my slips!) and sponged the background with SU inks and a dauber.

I printed the sentiment on the PC and punched some flowers using a SU punch with the matching papers. I'm going to join in with:

• Sweet Sketch Wednesday - Sketch
• Copic Creations - Animals
• Pile it on - Quirky

OK, I'd better tidy up and get everything back in it's place in case I get to sneak back up here tomorrow too!
Hugs
Victoria
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Angels

This week at Die Cut Dreams our challenge is 'Angels'. We've all been given an image to work with and here is mine:

I went cute and girlie with this image and used lots of pearls and glitter and pretty things I had in my stash! I think the large scalloped oval is off a journalling pad and I die cut the smaller one once I'd stamped the sentiment.

The sentiment is by Stampin' Up! as is the Melon Mambo spotty ribbon and the very posh pins are made by my friend Vikki.

I'm joining in with these challenges:

• Pollycraft - Ribbon and bling
• Corrosive - Die cuts
• Cuttlebug - Colour challenge #86
• Daring Cardmakers - Pearls

Thanks for all your get well wishes for Blake, he's not much better but has had lots of sleep today - making up for the absolute lack of it last night! Poor mite, so no blog hopping for me tonight, I'm done in and off for a sleep whilst I can get some.

Hugs
Victoria
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blooming Marvelous

What a day, I was up most of the night again with Blake and ended up back at out of hours with him this morning. He's OK apparantly - all throat related but can't do anything other than calpol to treat it, even though it's making him cough so much he chucks up all his feeds. So a very late and very tired post from me. It's challenge time again over at Bee Crafty and we have a fab challenge of 'Blooming Marvelous'. We want to see flowers and a digi image on your projects. Here's mine:

I've used the 'flowers in vase' image which made a nice change for me as I don't usually pick floral images. I gambled this week and just asked Merrigan to send me an image to use and really enjoyed working with this one. I went for a simple theme and layout and kept to black and white and red. I added red to the patterned paper using a Copic. Sparkle has been added with red and black gems and my little added extra is:

a flower tied into some Real Red ribbon and a couple of very posh pins from our lovely Vikki. We say goodbye to Kim this week on the Bee Crafty team, Kim's been a member of the team since it started and creates fab stuff. Miss you Kim.

I'm joining in with:

• Charisma Cardz - Flowers
• Paperplay - Flowers and sparkle
• Crafty Catz - Red and black
• Alphabet - Flowers
• Stamp Something - Digi image
• Create 4 Fun - Red, white and one
• Crafty Creations - Black, white and a splash of red

Hope you can join in.
Hugs
Victoria
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Ceesore

My two year old hasn't quite got a grasp of what words go with what at the moment and calls a swing a 'ceesore'. Being as my card today features a swing I thought I'd share that with you!

I've used a CCs stamp and this time used Copics to shade her with oodles of Dazzling Diamonds on her wings and the butterflies for sparkle. I've used a mix of patterned papers that haven't been used before and some lovely chiffon ribbon I won from a challenge a long time ago!

I'm joining in with these challenges:

• Papertake - Fun, fun, fun
• Everybody Art - Summer
• Colour Create - Light aqua, pale green and butterflies
• CRAFT - Blue and green
• Paperplay - Up in the air
• Anyone for Anya - Sketch

Also I've finally pulled my fnger out and have my first set of stamp class instructions available on my other blog. This is the first class:

If you'd like to have a go at making everything in this photo, full instructions are available on my Stampin' Up! blog in the right hand side bar. You will need to provide your own materials though!

Hugs
Victoria
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