Cards made by me and Emily for Chris's birthday on the 19th. Fancy having a birthday so close to Christmas, very inconsiderate of him lol

New Year Birthday Card

Image coloured with whispers pens. Backing paper a free download from http://raspberryroaddesigns.blogspot.com/search/label/Freebies Gems, lace and flowers from my stash. Beads glued around the neck for the necklace.

Hollie's 16 Birthday

I made this card for Hollie, my daughter's BFF. They have been friends since nursery school. The image I received in a swap, coloured with Promarkers and Whispers pens. Covered in Anita's 3D gloss. The sentiment is a See D stamp also covered in gloss. The backing paper is a free download from Shabby Princess called Sweet Sprinkles. The ribbon and brads from my. stash

Last Xmas Cards (I hope!!)

Just finished the 4 last christmas cards for this year. Hopefully there won't be any more as I am all christmassed out now. Would you believe it is my day off work today so asked my hubby and daughter to get the christmas tree out of the loft for me last night so I could put it up today. I have just got all the bits out and the middle part of the tree is missing!!!. It looks so funny, all the bottom is there and the top piece but it is bare in the middle. There is no way I am going in the loft so it will have to wait again until they get in from school and work.

Only 2 cards this weekend

I have only made 2 cards this weekend. One for my son's girlfriend Clare and one for her mum and dad. Stewart came home from Uni this weekend and Clare stayed over last night. They were on the guest list of a new club in Manchester so guess who was the taxi driver, yep me.... It didn't start until 10 o'clock, I am usually in bed by then, or at least in my jammies. I heard them come in at 3 this morning and they finally surfaced around 1pm. Chris has just set off to take them back to Liverpool so should be back around 9 o'clock. I am also entering these cards into the Secret Crafters Saturday Challenge which is to use Embossing, Heat or Dry. The first card is using the Cuttlebug 3 x 3 combo Ice Crystal embossing folder and the second uses Cuttlebug embossing folder swiss dots.

Xmas cards

I spent an enjoyable afternoon making xmas cards. I don't know if it was the snow outside but I was really in the mood today. Here are some of the cards I made.

Freddy's Birthday

It is my brother-in-law's birthday today. I hate doing man cards, I can never think of what to do. I received this image in a swap from another site, coloured it with my new Promarkers. The sentiment is off Greeting Card Factory, inside the card it reads 'and that's no bull'. I have gone around the outside of the red paper with a black marker. Why waste your black card when you don't have to.

Pink Poppy Sketch Card

Debbie at Pink Poppy Craft Box is celebrating 5000 hits. She is offering a fabulous Sarah Kay Stamp to celebrate. All you have to do is make a card using the sketch on her site. She would also like to know what is on your christmas list this year. Her blog is lovely go and take a look. I liked the sketch so much I made two cards lol.

Friendship Swap

Here's my latest offering. It is a friendship swap card from DC forum. I have only just started getting back into my cardmaking since my bad cold. It really floored me, good job I have had my flu jab. I used a Sarah Kay stamped image, coloured with whispers pens. I downloaded the backing papers from the beach house impressions kit here. Franziska has some lovely papers to download and print off. Her blog is a good read too with lots of inspiration.

22nd Anniversary

It was my 22nd wedding anniversary yesterday. I have been feeling a bit pants over the last week, have been full of a stinking cold and didn't feel much up to crafting. I very nearly "bought a shop card" but managed to make this card before my wonderful husband Chris got out of bed Saturday morning. I could have spent a bit longer on it but don't think it turned out bad. He thought it was fab anyway.

Civil Partnership Card

We have been invited to a Civil Ceremony wedding next weekend. This is the first time I have been to a gay wedding and was struggling with what to put on the card. I know I could have just done a normal wedding card with hearts, champagne glasses etc but wanted to do something a bit more personal. I asked on a couple of the forums I am a member of and was sent this decoupage image. I hope they like it. Alison is one of the GPs I work with, I have never met Catherine.

IMAGE SWAP WALLET CARD

This is the first image swap I have done. I was partnered with another member of the DoCraft Forum and we had to swap 10 medium to large stamped images. I was partnered with Doreen G who lives in Co. Down, Ireland. Hope she likes the card and images it contains.

Scottish Holiday

Just got back from a very enjoyable, but tiring holiday in Dalmally, Scotland. Just the three of us went me, Chris and Emily. Stewart stayed at home as he had been offered a couple of weeks work in Affleck's Palace, Manchester (he is a student and needs all the money he can get lol). We stayed in a gorgeous, cosy cottage in a little village, surrounded by the mountains, lochs and rivers of Scotland. Our main aim this holiday was to climb Ben Nevis, Chris has climbed it before two years ago but me and Emily gave up about 2/3 of the way up (it was the hottest day of the year and we thought we were going to die). Well this time we were determined not to give up and guess what we did it!!!!!! It was 17 degrees at the bottom and we were wearing shorts and t shirts, about half way up we had to put on our fleeces and then our coats. We got to the point where we gave up last time in about 1 and half hours (it took 3 last time). Towards the top we couldn't see where we were going as we were in the clouds and it was blowing a gale. Finally got to the summit in 5 hours. It was 6 degrees but the wind made it feel a lot colder. Had to put our hats and waterproof trousers on at this point but we had forgotten to pack our gloves. Purple hands all around. Then we had to get down again, which for me was a lot worse than going up, my knees started to pack in and I was in agony. Took another 4 hours to get down. I am glad I did it and the feeling you get when you know you have finally done something you have wanted to do for ages is great, but I won't be doing it again in a hurry. The rest of the week was a bit more gentle, we visited the sealife sanctuary and saw the rescued seal pups, we went to the most western point of the British Mainland, Sanna lighthouse and found the most gorgeous white sandy beach with loads of rockpools. It was a gorgeous sunny day although a bit windy. We did lots of local walks, visited Kilchurn castle, St Conan's Kirk, Inverary Castle, Oban and Fort William and lots more. I need another week off work to get over this holiday but unfortunately am back tomorrow.

BRITAIN'S HIGHEST MOUNTAIN BEN NEVIS

Behind us you can see the path where we

gave up last time. You can see from my hair

that it was a wee bit windy.

Not much view from the top, could hardly see Chris taking the photo

Thank You Card

I have just completed a thank you card for Caroline at work. She has been working with us temporarily whilst Fiona has been off work. Fiona has had a double mastectomy and reconstruction surgery. She has been off work for 3 months but will be back with us (hopefully) within the next two weeks. I'll have to make a welcome back card too.

I used a Sarah Kay stamped image, coloured with Whispers pens and pearly paints from The Works. Backing paper is a free download from two peas in a bucket. Swirls and photo corner is a sizzix die that I cut on my Cuttlebug. Thank you sentiment printed on computer. Ribbon from Poppicrafts. I have entered this card onto the stamp something challenge blog 'thank you card' http://stampchallenges.blogspot.com/2008/08/thank-you-somethings-challenge.html

Ruby Wedding Anniversary

Have just made a Ruby Wedding Anniversary card for Debby at work to give to her mum and dad. Hope she likes it. I have given her a few verses, she just has to decide on which one she wants and then I can put an insert in. Don't really like making cards for other people, the problem I have is that I have that many ideas going through my head, I can't make a decision and stick to it. If it was for me I would probably stick a load of glitter on it, but my daughter has told me off (less is more mum!!). If Debby wants any glitter on I can always add it later.

SNOWDON CLIMB

I am so proud of myself. Last Tuesday I managed to climb to the top of Snowdon. My legs took 2 days to recover lol. The four of us went and although it took my 3 hrs 45 mins to get to the top I really enjoyed myself. It was quite cloudy on the way up, which was probably a good thing as I couldn't see how far I still had to go, but once we got to the top the clouds lifted, lovely blue skies and we had a lovely view as we walked back down, another 2 and half hours.