Surfin' Tilda

Surfin' Tilda is one of my favourite Magnolia stamps and I really love their range of papers too. They feel really special and one sheet can go quite a long way (especially if you're as frugal as I am!).

I'm getting very excited about the arrival of the new Magnolia stamps (Farewell and Destinations) and papers but the best news is that the new magazine is only a couple of weeks away - I read it over and over until the next one comes out and I am so impressed with the level of creativity on each and every page.

So keep your eyes peeled for some more Kraftin' Kimmie and some new Magnolia in the coming weeks.

Take Care and speak to you again soon

Andy

X X X

New Cards!

This card gave me the opportunity to use some of the Marianne Designs cutters I bought recently and I love the way they look, so easy to use with your Cuttlebug too (especially if you ignore the instructions enclosed which made using them ten times harder!). The card is a bit of a mish-mash of things, there's some Basic Grey paper, some Magnolia wording and the stamp is by Lilly Of The Valley, who make the cutest images ever.

So I told you I was now into the Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps and this is the first one I have done. The look on her face is absolutely priceless and I love the costume to bits!

The flower is made using the Tim Holtz flower cutter and it's the first time i've had a go at it. I'm quite pleased with the end result, but I think next time I will use it with the stamps and some Distress inks too - give it some more character.

Overall though i'm quite happy with the finished result - Hope you like it too.

Hippo Birthday!

You can't really see it but this has been decoupaged. This lovely image (from Magnolia obviously!) is called Gloria the Hippo and she really lends herself to being layered up. I also used an embossing folder - I have a stack of them but never remember to use them! Shame really, 'cause they are really pretty and a doddle to use. The background paper is from the Honey and Hugs range from Papermania.
Next up for me is going to be some Kraftin' Kimmy stamping. Just saw one in the recent Craft Stamper Magazine and instantly fell in love with them. Kepp your eyes peeled, they will be here soon.

More Pirates

Another couple of Magnolia stamps. I have only recently started buying more Edwin's and I really love this little image. My wife is not a big fan of the stamps as they don't have mouths but I have seen people draw them on and they don't look right to me!
As you can clearly see, purple features quite prominently. The reason for this - it's my absolutely fave colour ever, if I could paint the world purple I would!

Some New Cards For You To Peruse

I have been very busy just lately doing some thank you cards for a neighbour. She runs a charity called Cats in Crisis and she wanted some cards to send to people who have made donations. It's a very rewarding experience to be paid for something you love doing. The neighbour (Lucy) was really surprised I think, when I told her that all the cards had been hand coloured too.
Anyway, on to this little beauty which is part of my Magnolia range of stamps. I have also used a Martha Stewart punch (which I am beginning to really love - such beautiful punches and they are so easy to use) and of course my Nestabilities, which are being used more and more these days. I also bought some of the Magnolia paper and I was pleasantly surprised. The quality of the paper is really fantastic, very, very strokeable, something we crafters really like!
Anyhoo, hope you like this, there are going to be another couple put up today for your viewing pleasure.

Why?

Been having a rough couple of days. It seems that every time I go to work I end up being abused by some horrible person who just wants to take their frustrations out on me.
We seldom have a working Chip and Pin machine and this jumped-up little oik started having a go at me becuase the machine wasn't working and I had the temerity to pull him up about his fraudulent act of signing for his petrol, using his wifes card! In the end I accepted his transation and threw the card back at him, telling him to "just take it" and get out of my sight.
I came very close to walking out of the booth and never going back and i'm still not 100% convinced i'm doing the right thing.
You shouldn't have to go to work to be abused - isn't that why you get married?
(only joking Jo x).

On to happier thoughts!
Getting a new suite in the morning and I am going to TRY and get a couple of tickets to see the Scissor Sisters at Nottingham Trent FM Arena in Dec. I love their new album to bits and after Glasto I can't wait to see them.
Also, Kylie was on that dreadful Channel 5 show (can't remember what it's called but one of Alan Sugar's losers is now a TV presenter on it!!! - How??), and she was announcing she would be touring next year. I have never seen her live (except in all the DVD's), and seeing her live would be a (wet)dream come true.
So swings and roundabouts this week - you may try to avoid them but they are always going to be there, getting in your way!
Once the living room is back in some sort of order I will put some more work up.
See you soon
Andy
x

Apologies for being away...

Sorry I haven't added anything for a while, I have been tied up in the most gargantuan task ever! I am transferring all my CD's into I-tunes before I buy myslef an I-pod. Space is always at a premium in a bungalow and the office really does look like downtown Beirut on a wet wednesday!
We've als had bookshelves installed in the living room (hmm, lovely books all in a row), so now the bedroom likes like a tip too! Plus, we are getting a new suite on wednesday and hopefully the B.H.F will be taking the old one away tomorrow morning (or is that today now?), so everything is really topsy turvy but I promise to post some more work again really soon. At least by the following weekend God and space providing!

This is my favourite card at the moment. The stamp is just so beautiful, you should see quite a few Magnolia stamps on my Blog because they are my current obsession. I have about 40 of them so far but that's just a drop in the ocean.

I coloured the pearls on the cupcake with my PM's and used a sliver of Basic Grey paper in the background - I am a total Basic Grey whore, I can't get enough of their stuff.

This is the inside for the 60th Birthday card. I liked the idea of doing a pop-up card with the ladies on a runway.

Some cards i've made recently - Hope you like them

This was a commission from my wife for a friend of hers who is about to turn 60. This sort of image seemed the most appropriate for a lady of her age and it gave me the chance to use these stamps for the first time.

Welcome One and All

Hi, this is the very first post in my very first blog. I want to put up some of the cards and scrapbook pages I create and some of the other special items I occassionally make for friends and family alike.