Sad Sad Day!!

I know lots of you have dogs so you will know how my husband and I are feeling tonight.
Sadly we had to have the vet to our house this evening to help Bailey to a better place away from his pain and suffering.

He was almost 14 and had been blind for many years but had recently developed a kind of dementure which made it almost impossible for him to find his way about without knocking his head on furniture and walls and this last week he had also stopped eating.

I know we have done the right and proper thing but it is still very difficult to come to terms with.
We have gone from having 2 dogs 18 months ago to none and the house is very empty.

This was taken in happier times when he was blind but coped very well.

Sue :o(

New Baby

Just wanted to share these with you before I take them to work today for Geneen....got to play with my little Elephant stamp!!!
Layout inspired by Michelle at the card grotto.



This one has been made for her to give her grandson the gorgeous giraffe is High hopes.
Thanks for looking.

Sorry about the photos a bit Grey here today!!!

Sue :o)

RAK from Jill

Thank you to Jill who won my blog candy for this RAK which she sent me on Saturday.
Jill doesn't have a blog but she does make lovely cards as you can see by my picture

I have managed to have a play with my elephant stamp tonight as Geneen at work had a new grandson yesterday.... good timing!!!.
I will take a picture tomorrow in the daylight.

Sue :o)

Elephant & Baby

Several of you have mentioned the elephant stamp in my stash!!
These stamps are designed to be used with shrink plastic which I have never ever used before.
I had a quick play tonight so you can get the sort of idea...I need a bit more practise!!
Just need someone to have a baby now!!!
Sue :o)

Sunday 24th

Sunday morning and again Natalie came and picked me up from the hotel this time with Julie who was feeling a little worse for wear after 4 nights of performing her show and then an end of show party Saturday night/Sunday morning but to her credit she made it!!
We all went to Harrogate to the great paper extravaganza, the girls have been before but it was my first time and it was like being a kid in a candy store. We shopped from 10-1pm stopped for some lunch than shopped again until 2.30...This is when Natalie and I were booked in to do the craft work cards work shop.

Natalie and I doing the work shop

Sorry to say it was a little disappointing very rushed and not very well organised.... the cards we produced weren't really to my taste but it was an experience.
I think there may have been a time when I would have been very happy with what I had made!!! but our expectations change!!!


The Cards we made !!!

A bit more shopping and then back to the hotel.... to have a look at all my new goodies!!


My new stash click picture for a better look!!!

Here it is all layed out on the bed doesn't look a lot but it was!!!!... I exceeded my budgets by 25% but never mind its only money!! back to work tomorrow to pay for it I knew there was a reason to keep working full time!!!.
You can't see them in the picture very well but I did get some bargain Penny Black Stamps!!

Thanks to both Natalie and Julie for a great weekend. Sue :o)

Saturday 23rd

Natalie Me and Julie

Well I finely arrived in Leeds 3 hrs later than planed due to a delay with the flight!!!!..... 3hrs delay on a 1 hr flight but hay I had all the time in the world!!!
Natalie came to the hotel on Saturday with her mum to pick me up and take me to watch Julie in her show The Full Monty.
Well what a show..... it was fantastic it was set in Buffalo USA rather than Sheffield UK.
They did so much better than I could ever have expected... I have seen several professional shows that could have taken a few tips from these guys It was so well polished and Julie was great as the old has been Jewish piano player... well done girl you did good!!!

Sue :o)

Fun Weekend coming up!!

This will be my last post until Monday...I am flying to Leeds tomorrow morning to meet Julie form Julie's Japes and Natalie from Crafting Fun. Natalie is one of the sisters from SBS9.

Natalie and I are going to watch Julie tomorrow evening in her amature dramatics performance of the "The Full Monty"
I am so looking forward to a good fun night!!

On Sunday we are all going to Harrogate to the "Great North Paper Extravaganza" which I am reliably informed by the girls is an Aladdin's cave for crafters as they both went last year!!

And I get to spend some time with girls who are as potty as me about paper ribbon flowers brads stamps.......... and on and on you get the picture!!!
I will report back on Monday about my fun weekend and whatever new stash I have managed to sneak back into the house!!!

Sue :o)

SBS9 February Sketch

I have quite recently joined SBS9 and this is our first sketch challenge by one of the sisters. I have struggled with this a bit but I have now completed one that I am reasonabily happy with!! Sue :o)

Katharina's Sketch Challenge

Katharina has an amazing sketch over on her blog with a chance to win a Tilda.

This is a little out of my comfort zone colour wise...but my husband said he liked the paper so I thought I would give it a go!!!

Sue :o)

Lynn's 100th Post Blog Candy

Lynn over at Craft and Waffle has some lovely blog candy on offer all you have to do is make a card for a friend.
This has been made for a friend of 30 +yrs!!! for her Birthday in March.



Just thought I would show you that my bargain penny blacks arrived safe and sound from US yesterday.
Already have another list of new ones I want to buy!!!!

For those of you who have asked I bought my stamps form HM Rubber Stamps and they took about 12days to get here!!

Sue :o)

Paper take Weekly Challenge /Natalie's Blog Candy

The papertake weekly challenge is spring so I have used Lola and her spring flower.
Because it is pink I am also going to enter it for Natalie's blog candy. Sue :o)

Natalie's Blog Candy

Natalie has some great blog candy up for grabs!!
All you have to do is make a birthday card in her favorite colour pink.

Bella and her Fella have been out on a Birthday shopping spree and he has made her feel like a princess for a day!!!
This is the stamp that the lovely Isa sent me and it is the first time it has been used!!

Sue:o)

Sorry for any confusion

The Julie who won the runners up prize was Julie who emailed me a picture as she doesn't have a blog!!
I wrote Julie's Jupes on the other entry!!
And in fact she is Julia not Julie oh dear what a difference a letter can make!!! I am so sorry. Sue :o)

Cards for the Winners

I made these cards last night to go with the winnings for the lucky people that won blog candy.

I am so pleased I bought this Tilda she has been used so much in the past few days and she hasn't even been here a week yet!!!

Look out girls this is just a selction of the papers coming your way!!!

Very bright springy and very retro hope yuu like them!!! Sue :o)

The Winners are!!!!!

Thank you to my DH who played random org with pieces of paper and a cuttlebug box!!!

I had 45 entries for this blog candy and every single one was gorgeous well done to you all and thank you for taking the time to make your card.

If you see the post below you will see I have 4 runners up Kimmie Julia Jessis and Andrea who will each recieve a set of stamped images and some pretty retro designer papers from dovecraft. If I do not already have your address please can you email it to me .


Runners up prizes

I will now delete the post with all the photos on as I wouldn't want anyone to think I was the one that made all your gorgeous cards!!!

Thank You again Sue :o)

PIF candy from Marlene

I want to say a big thank you to Marlene for this very generous PIF.
I have decided to do something a little different for this one, I have just drawn the winners of my Blog candy and I am overwhelmed at the response I had 45 entries and I would like to say thank you to every one for taking the time to enter.
I only had two sets of stamps to give away and it didn't seem enough for all your hard work so I have picked 4 runners up who will each receive a set of all 4 images stamped and some pretty dovecraft retro designer papers to go with them.
They are Kimmie, Jessis, Julia and Andrea. Please email me with your snail mail and I will get them in the post on Monday. Sue :o)

Claudia's Blog Candy

Claudia here at Simply Pressings has some lovely Tilda blog candy up for grabs all you have to do is make a card in you favorite colour.

Mine is definatley lilac with pink coming a near second!!

This card is being sent to someone who has had a rough week this week so I wanted it to be bright and cheerful.

It has both lilc and pink on it but it isn't completely made from either of my favorite colours!!

Sue :o)

Blog Candy open until Saturday 16th February

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS TAKEN THE TIME TO MAKE A CARD THEY ARE ALL AWSOME. I AM SO PLEASED I DECIDED TO MAKE THIS A RANDOM DRAW... THERE IS NO WAY I WOULD GIVE ANYONE THE TASK OF CHOOSING JUST TWO!!!!
I WILL CLOSE THE ENTRY TODAY AT 8PM GMT AND PUBLISH THE WINNERS LATER THIS EVENING GOOD LUCK SUE
This post will stay at the top until the 16th all newer posts below
My new Lola stamps have arrived today.....I am not sure about them yet,I still like the Nellie's!!!!
I have orderd 4 extra stamps to give away as blog candy as I am looming towards my 5000th hit!!!
As you may or may not be aware I love the colour lilac.... your challenge is to make a card with this colour on it.
I don't mind what type of card or what layout as long it has lilac somewhere!!
I know we all have busy lives and that work and housework get in the way of us having fun and playing, so I am going to leave this open until Saturday 16th February. I will randomly pick 2 winners who will each receive 2 stamps each.
Post your card on your blog with a comment here, it must be a new card made for this challenge.
If you do not have a blog email a picture to me, my address is on my profile.
Good luck and happy stamping. Sue :o)
You girls are amazing....another 6 entry's have arrived today.
Please take a minute and have a look at all these wonderful cards...you are a talented bunch!!!
My Sample

Good Luck Tilda

Sorry about the picture but I need to send this out to a friend tomorrow!!!! Sue :o)

wow wee it is me!!!!

I have won some gorgeous blog Candy from kraftin kimmie's week long challenges with my tilda and her umbrella. I just can't believe it I am just sooo chuffed!!!! Sue :o)

Happy Happy Happy Post Day

Guess who has just been delivered to me at work... yes he's back its my CUTTLEBUG.
Well done to cuttingedge crafts for a first class service.
It's not my old one may he rest in peace, its a brand new one and he is just so welcome, he will be so happy living with me I will love him forever!!!
Sorry a bit over the top I know but can you tell how HAPPY I am!! Sue :o)

Happy Happy Post Day

Oh the lovely postman has brought me High Hopes from Canada and Tilda's form Sweden..I think I love him even though I never see him!!!

Ann-Marie has provided another first class service from Canada and again has enclosed a surprise unmounted stamp.. it is the little boy fishing with his dog she is soooo sweet!!!

Tilda service wasn't to bad either about 2 weeks.
I will update my list girls.

Off to do some stamping!!! Sue :o)

kimmie's Kreations Challenge # 2

This one was a sketch challenge.
I have made this for a cousin who will have been married 25yrs in March... I don't see her very often but 25yrs is quite a milestone!!! This sketch was perfect as I wanted to keep it simple... Thank you to Gina for the Monkeys they are just so cute I think I need this stamp!!!
Well I think that is it for today...who says drugs don't work I don't know what is in these things I am taking for my tooth but it certainly sent me into a crafting frenzy this weekend...just have to clear the mess up now!!!! Sue :o)

kimmie's Kreations Challenge # 4

This one was to make a Valentines card or a romantic card.

Hope this one counts I make it a few weeks ago but it hasn't been entered in any challenges!!! Sue :o)

Kimmie's Kreations Challenge # 6

This card has been made for Kimmie's challenge to make a card for someone to show how much you appreciate them!!
I am going to send this card to DH when I go away for the weekend on the 23/24th Feb.. it will be the first time I have ever been away on my own!! We have spent lots of time apart... for many years he worked away from home for 2 days a week.. but it will be the first time I have been away and he has been left at home alone!!!
Sue :o)

Han's Blog Candy/Beate's Weekend Sketch

Han has some fantatic Pink Cat Studio stamps up for grabs over on her blog...all you have to do is design a matching card and tag for mothers day.
I liked the sketch so much this weekend over at Beate's I used it again to make these.
This little bear was one of the first stamps I ever bought and he has been stuck in the drawer neglected...so I thought I would dust him off and bring him out for this challenge. Sue :o)

Nikki's Marie Currie Challenge

To be in with a chance to win this blog candy (I will also be adding 10 stamped images of the beautiful Sugar Nellie bunny when it comes) I would like you to make a card (or cards) for this years appeal. To find out exactly what you need to do please see this website but briefly you need to make cards in A6 size and get a bag from a Docrafts stockist and post it off to the address on the back.
The card can be any sort of card you wish using any materials.

Here are mine by the skin of my teeth again ,I look at these postings and think I have plenty of time and before you know it another week has flown by!!!

I am having trouble getting hold of the bags this year so may just put them in plain bags and let them change them over when they get there.

This is such a good cause and I have done it every year for the past 3 years... I think there may be a few more to add to these before they go. Sue :o)

Tara's Blog Candy

There is so many challenges at the moment I nearly forgot Tara's blog candy!!!
Think I might just have made it!!!
Sue :o)

Beate's weekend Sketch # 34

Made for no other reason than I like the colours!!!
Crafting is taking my mind off this tooth pain!!!
Sue :o)

Kimmie's Kreations Challenge # 5

First Ever attempt at paper piercing clothes!!!

Sue :o)

Feellng Sorry for myself!!!

I am sat here early in the morning crafting and feeling very sorry for myself!!!!
I have an abcess on one of my back molars, I went to the dentist yesterday and he has started me on antibiotics... but the are not working yet!!! It is so bl---y painful!!!
And if this wasn't enough I need a root filling in the tooth ..... cost is £400....just think how much crafting stuff I could buy with that money....oh yes there is more and then it will need a new crown another £250 I am saying no more!!!
Have a good Weekend Sue :o(

Kimmie's Kreations Challenge # 3

SPRING COLOURS!! We need to brighten someone's day with a nice peppy SPRING card!!!

This one started off going to be one of the other challenges, but I coudn't get it to go right!!
So I decided to enter it for the Spring challenge.
Here in the UK we have a saying "April Showers Bring Forth Flowers " so I don't mind the spring rain because then you get a beautiful summer garden!!!

This card will have a special place in my heart....it is the last one made using my beloved cuttlebug.
He has been packed up safely in his box and sent back up north to see if he can be mended...I miss him already sob sob

Hope to get another couple done this weekend really want to have a go at the paper piercing. Sue :o)

The unthinkable has just happened!!!

I was just using my cuttlebug to emboss an image I had just coloured ... there was a HUGE BANG and the side popped off!!!
I tried to put it back together but it keeps popping open!!!
It is well and truely BROKEN ...how am I going to cope!!! I will have to contact them tomorrow and see if there is any warranty on it.
If not I'm sorry but we will have to starve this month...I can't possibly manage witout it!!! Wish me luck!!! Sue :o)

Happy Birthday Alex

It is my blogging sister Alex from the SBS9 Birthday today,I sent this card last week to sunny California... I don't know that it is sunny but I always think of it that way...and thankfully it got there on time!!! Sue :o)

Look what came today!!

Hubby agreed I could have some new polychromos (guilt I guess for all the money he spends on golf)
But hay I dont mind what the reasons....they are here!!
I only ordered them yesterday that's what I call service!!!! shhh keep it secret but guess what some new Tilda's came from "sirstampalot" as well that's what I call good timing!!
Sadly rather busy tonight for playing!!! so it might have to be tomorrow when he goes to the range!!
Enjoy your pancakes!! Sue :o)

Tilda ~*~ 5 ~*~ Romance/Buckle

The challenge over on the Tilda blog is romance or Buckle
Mum has asked me to make a silver wedding anniversary card for my cousin.
Nothing too arty just plain and simple!!! her words not mine!!!
Do you think this will be plain and simple enough?
Thanks to Annie for the party Edwin and Tilda just right for this card. Sue :o)

Cuddly Tilda

I am not a great fan of yellow, but this bazzil card is such a soft pretty colour.
This is the third card I have made with it and I love them all they are so freash and spring like!!
The backing paper is DCWV and the lovely cuddly Tilda
Have a good day Sue :o)

Spread The Love & You Cheer Me Up Awards

I have been given the Spread The Love award by Annie at "Ink & Rubber"...that is so sweet!!
I was also given You Cheer Me Up award by Claudia at Pretty Pressings...quite funny because her blog always cheers me up!!
I would like to pass these on to all my sisters in the SBS9, I am not going to list you all...you know who you are!!! Sue :o)

PIF Cards

These little cards are going to the 3 lucky people who will be getting their PIF candy next week. Sue :o)

New Pad

Geneen at work asked me to make a new home card at the last minute!!
As I was quite busy last night it had to be quick... I remembered I had these penny black stickeroo's so I dusted them off and used them to make this card.
Geneen was pleased so that's Ok!!! Sue :o)

PIF Blog Candy from Andrea

This is the wonderful PIF blog candy which I received from Andrea when I got home from work today.... I love the little duck he's so cute. Thank you so much Andrea I can't wait to have a play with the images.
I'll send out some PIF blog candy to the 1st 3 people who leave a comment under this post and then you are supposed to send PIF candy to another 3 people.... Who will get here first!!! Sue :o)