A little bird house in your soul

All the time I was making this card I had that song in my head!



I had some good customer service yesterday, not too often you can say that these days. I bought 3 Craft Robo blades from ebay and they arrived the very next day! However I think I must have got a faulty batch as 2 of them snapped on the first use and the other is not cutting through the card and snagging etc. Does anyone else feel like a thief when they have to complain about something like this? Do you think the retailer is going "yeah right, all 3 blades are defunct are they"? Makes me feel really bad lol. However the lady was very good and offered a refund straight away and said she would test that batch in her machine. I've said I will purchase 3 from her that she has tested if they are in working order. Fairs fair and all that!

My first blade lasted 2 years!!! Think that has spoilt me really.

Through the Round Window

Hiya its my teams turn this week over at Twisted Sketches pop on over to take a look at the sketch and join in. Heres my take on the sketch, its a photo from early last summer when we visited Weston Super Mares aquarium. (colours are a little washed out/over exposed on this)

I had my 6 week weigh in today, so in 6 weeks I have lost (drum roll please) 0lbs Yay!!!!! Jason was saying that one of his pupils has joined a gym and has a personal trainer who told her that in the first few weeks she could expect to GAIN 5lbs as she lost fat but gained muscle. I am hoping that this is what my body is doing and that soon the muscle will stop building and the fat will have to be taken and that the scales will eventually move!

Personal Best on the treadmill today 3.91km, this is an achivement as I have really really hurt my arm and I can hardly move it, the running motion however does not hurt it. What really hurts it is Hoovering, ironing, chopping meat/veggies etc. I'm not sure what I have done to this arm but its been 5 days now and its getting worse and worse and I can do less and less each day, I can only just dress/undress myself if it gets much worse I shall have to go get it checked out I think!

Now I need to go and elevate/rest this arm as this is hurting to type!

Hang on Tight

Hope you all had marvelous weekends. Mine was rather nice if a little tiring. We went out on Sat night for the first time in agggeees and we went to Bath on the train with some friends - I hate nights out in Bath generally as it always a pub crawl and I get fed up having to drink fast and move every 30 mins, but this one was really good, we got the last train back and then managed to get in our local winebar for a late one. Got in at 1.30am and then the clocks were going forward so that was really 2.30 in terms of sleep. Considering we went out at 5pm it was a looooonng night!

Today I have made a layout, I just opened a couple of old scrapagogo kits and forced myself to just pull out and stick on - that works when I am not sure of the old mojo.



I've noticed that my tendency to grab white or kraft card for a background have stopped a lot lately and all my backgrounds seem to be patterned paper, not a bad thing considering I have so much of it!

Now I am off for a lovely bowl of pea and ham soup - yum.

Are you being served

This is one of those layouts that just hasn't photographed very well, that and the green splodges that were probably ill advised too and hmmm not sure. My work desk is definatley not happy about the green splodges as I managed to spill my glimmer mist everywhere! Pah!

What I have been enjoying though is playing with my new promarkers and learning how to colour in (who knew that you needed to learn that!)

These are all digital images I got from tinternet for free - theres a wealth of them out there, just google a topic, hit image and then hit outline on the side bar! Amaze!!!

And now for something a little unsavoury - look away if you are of a delicate disposition. Major disaster last night and a reminder of why I love my hubby. It was 9pm and we were saying goodnight to the children, I realised that one of them had left a little something in the toilet and so I flushed it before I went to use it. The flaming toilet blocked BIG style. Now I have mentioned before that I am phobic of flooded toilets and I am worse if I see it happening. So I am off on a major panic attack which included me running into the hall way screaming and doing a funny little jog/jig on the spot, the kids thought this highly amusing but Jason knows that I get very frightned so he stepped into the breech whilst I attached myself to the bedroom ceiling with my finger nails.

Half an hour later and he is still on his hands and knees, rubber gloved up and stuck trying to dislodge the offending article. I should mention now that my children are not Jason's children, he is however an amazing stepdad and has fathered them brilliantly in the last 6 years, but dealing with this was above and beyond really. I felt really bad that I couldn't deal with this myself but it took me 15 mins till I could come into the hallway.

And then Google came to the rescue and armed with a mop that had a carrier bag attached to the head and a couple of thrusts and woooosh problem gone! - It was my idea to google and I found the solution so I am maintaining that I dealt with the flooded toilet LOL.

Jason rocks!

Butterfly Project

Last week I mentioned a butterfly project I had made for Jessicas bedroom - well here it is, I finally got round to photographing it. A very simple project, just cutting loads of butterflys out of paper (I used paper from Crate Paper for this project)sticking them back to back and attaching them to string/ribbon. My string is actually DMC floss 6 strands and then crocheted in a chain stitch. I then attached each string of butterflies to jessicas lightshade via the wires.

It looks really cute in her room (which at the moment is just plain white) and adds a bit of interest - Jess loves it!



I was asked to make a wedding card this week and this is what I came up with - this card was inspired by a card on this post the shape of it more than anything.

My new laptop arrived on Tuesday, its so nice to have a new laptop that works at a great speed not being bogged down with all the crap that I download onto it!!

Running update - going well in the last two days I have had a personal best both days and am now up to 3.86k in 30 mins (and that includes warm up and down) Loving the intervals even if it nearly kills me. Total weight loss in 5 weeks = 0lbs. Yup I am pissed I am not gonna lie!! I am beginning to wonder if I have a thyroid problem, because I try and I try, I eat no more than 1500 cals a day (sometimes more like 1300-1400) and I exercise 5 days a week and walk the dog twice a day, if only I knew what my body wants from me.

Catching up

I hadn't realised its been so long since I last blogged! Bad blogger. I have two excuses, I've not done much and what I have done I can't show - my blog would be a lot craftier at the moment if it wasn't for designing for assignments!

Secondly my laptop is about as annoying as it can be, I paid another £40 a couple of weeks ago to have the charger jack fixed AGAIN and now the mouse is playing up and its taking about 5-10 clicks to open anything, and dragging or scrolling bars is next to impossible. I've bitten the bullet and ordered a new one which I should get by Thursday. I've not had this one for quite 2 years yet but I suppose that it is used lots and lots and is probably a bit tired now. Much as I love getting a new piece of zippy technology I am not looking forward to loading all my software, fonts, silhoutte files, pictures, printer drivers etc etc. This laptop can then be used by the kids or for downloading stuff. Still its an expense I could do without thank god for interest free credit!

In crafty news I treated myself to a load of promarkers last week (typically before the laptop mouse started playing up!) So I have had fun colouring in and learning to shade etc, they look so pretty in my box too - I have never grown up from the little school girl who LOVED new stationery!!

One thing I have done is make the above card which I will probably give to my mum for mothers day.

In running news all is going well - I typically warm up, run for 11 mins at 8.5kph, walk for 2 and then do 10 mins of alternate sprinting (12kph is a sprint for me) and walking and then a warm down. I had the most painful back ache at the weekend which I think is a result of sprinting and using different muscles than jogging, its gone now though thank god. Weight loss is still a mind numbing 1lb in almost 5 weeks but I can tell the difference in my clothing!

Signing the Register - Twisted Sketches 92

Hello, its my teams turn at Twisted Sketches



The twist this week is 'brads' Why not pop on over here and join in!

Double Trouble

I may well just be getting back into the swing of things here!




Made this yesterday morning, we had a very relaxed 'stay at home' weekend (mind they have all been like that lately!) and so I got in some scrappy time, this is another one that made itself!

I then started on a dangly butterfly project for Jessicas lightshade in her bedroom which I finished off just now, I will take photos and show you all tomorrow, its simple (although time consuming) and quite effective I think.

I felt so sorry for Jessica yesterday, she was v bored but due to go swimming with friends in the afternoon, unfortunatley everyone let her down, and she was doing sympathy howling (honestly you would have sworn there was a wolf howling at the moon up there!) in her bedroom, I did feel for her, so we took a last minute dash to Tescos to get some baking supplies and we made cupcakes (chocolate and coffee iced) and also st clements cakes which burnt on the bottom so we turned the good bits of cake into a st clements pud with madarin oranges and whipped lemon cream - that perked her up!

Back tomorrow with the butterflies!

Father and the Bride

This Layout came together so easily yesterday, I've had a total mind block with scrapping, but this one made itself and nice and quickly too!



Thanks for looking!

The Running (wo)Man

I thought I would let you know how I have been getting on with my running today. I've had the treadmill for 24 days now and I have done 17 runs and 1 high incline walk on it, not bad eh?

I am so contrary at times, running on a treadmill is supposed to be a bit easier than outside running as it is easier on your joints as its lower impact and you land on a nice spring cushioned belt. I of course am finding it harder! My poor calfs are SCREAMING at me about 3 minutes into a run, however they only hurt for the duration of the workout and don't give me any bother at any other time, no stiffness etc, which is good.


(I don't feel superior ha!)

I find it easier to keep the belt flatish (little to no incline) and run faster, running at a slow to moderate pace kills me, running at 8.5-10 kph feels so much more comfortable to me.

Theoretically I am up to a 25 min run, I tried to do this yesterday and my legs were not having it so I did longish intervals instead. Today I did a custom workout on the treadmill and did my furthest distance and calories in my 30 min workout ever!

I HATE running but I LOVE it sooo much more! Its so lovely when you are at the end of a workout, its even lovely when you are at the start, but the actual getting on the treadmill, the effort to psych myself up for it, to get my running gear on and do my stretches is the HARDEST bit of all.

The buzz when you are done is Fantastic it makes you feel so good, you have just done it! you knew you could! you have burnt off 300 cals yay.

In 3.5 weeks the scales are showing a 1 lb loss - but thats ok because some parts of me are ROCK solid, I could kill a man with a vice like grip of my legs I am sure! (ooer) My back is so much more streamlined, my face is thinning out nicely and my cellulite is all but gone!

Pancake Pandemonium

How was your pancake day yesterday? Ugghh I am glad that is over for another year (although I do get conned into pancake making quite regularily). This year for space saving reasons I picked up a pancake batter in a bottle that you add milk to and then shake it and pour into the pan.

That should have been my first clue!

So there I am merrily making pancakes, they were sticking like mad as I used a different oil than I normally do, so that was making me a bit huffy. Joe walked into the kitchen as it was his pancake next, I decided that the batter had been sitting a while so I would give it another shake. Can you guess what happened next? Yup the lid was not on properly, I gave it one almighty shake and kaboom, pancake mix EVERYWHERE! Joe bless him was blinking at me startled through a mask of batter, I managed to miss my face but had it all over my shirt and the kitchen looked like a pancake slaughter had just occured, pah! I hate pancake day!

No scrapbooking to show but I have made a cute little card and tag set for a birthday Jessica is going to on Friday - this might be my most favourite card yet!

This tag has a little stand attached so it can be displayed in her bedroom etc afterwards (if she is so inclined!)

Spring like

Its encouraging how light it is outside at the moment, nice to have some natural light in the kitchen whilst I scrap. I've also already heard wood pigeons this year, I love that sound and associate it with spring mornings. Still blummin cold though!

Still managed a shocking job on photographing this LO though! Could not get it straight for the life of me and also I was a little self concious as next door was putting her washing out and I don't like an audience!



I started this a few weeks ago and then just could not complete it, so today I just stuck it down, slapped some paint on and called it done!

I dont know whats wrong with me today, but I can't stop eating, I think I am catching up from not having much appetite the last 2 weeks and living off soup and cereal.

One girl and her dog

Well what do you know, I've actually managed to get off my bottom and make a LO, amazing as I've been in such a slump recently! Its not photographed fantastically but here it is. I must make an effort to use different sized photos more often as that was all I needed to get going this time!



Jess reckons I have used that title before, she might be right!

Next up some cards, with my creativity slump I have just been pushing scraps around and in those moments one or two cards were made!

Love making mini cards at the moment!

And then this full sized one, its missing something though

I've recently joined Pinterest and wow there are some inspiring things on there, I saw this and thought "yes"!!! and immediately made a few crocheted shapes to make a start on my very own crochet wall.

We are finally in the last stages of decorating Jessicas room, its been striped, de-moulded, painted white, re -arranged and now we just have to do the fun bits, I have decided that I am indeed going to paint polka dots on 2 of her walls - this could be disastrous but it could also look pretty damn cool! We shall see! My craft robo is going to be busy cutting out all the templates thats for sure!

What a Racket - Twisted Sketches

Hiya all, long time no speak, what can I say I have been having a blogging/crafty break and have just not felt much like talking, plus I had nothing to show so it would have been a bit on the boring side anyway!

Well its my teams turn at Twisted Sketches and here is my take on the sketch (not a favourite of mine I have to say!)

I've also made some more cards, but that can wait for another day as I have yet to photograph them. I'm on a bit of messing about with scraps kick at the moment, making a whole Layout is feeling a bit daunting at the mo!

The treadmill is going well, its not played up since the unsticking of the start button and I am working out at least 5 days in 7, I have speed charged my way through the couch to 5k program and my next run is the dreaded 20 mins of solid running, my calfs are screaming at me on just the current 8 mins at a time so god knows what will happen with that, but i've done it before and I can do it again. Ooooo this is exciting too - 2 weeks of good solid exercise and counting calories total weight loss? 0lbs I am so pleased about that I cannot tell you! HATE MY STUPID BODY.

Its world book day today so I shall leave you with a picture of Jess all dressed up as the wicked witch of the west from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. That green face paint was not easy to apply even though I tried to melt it in the microwave to soften it, it was SOLID and I nearly dragged Jessica's face off applying it, well us girls have to suffer for our looks!