A very Girly birthday card!

Hello all in Blogland - and apologies for being AWOL but life sometimes just gets in the way lol! I seem to have been so busy and I just realised that I haven't blogged for well over a week (which is quite a long time for me!). A very warm welcome to my new followers and I'm so pleased that you want to follow my blog - complete with it's waffle! I can't believe that June is speeding by so fast. My daughter has just finished her finals exams at Uni and is now waiting to see how she's done. It's her 21st birthday in a few weeks, then graduation, then she'll be heading South to Brighton to start her teacher training - and it's going to feel so strange when she leaves home!  I'm so thrilled for her starting a new phase in her life, but will miss her like mad. I suppose it's all part of the joy (& pain!) of having children. But I'll still have my 'little soldier' at home - although his face is a picture when I call him that lol! Teenagers are so easy to wind up, it should be a national sport! He'll be 16 in September, now 6' tall and with a deep voice - where did my little boy go?

Anyway, I got to thinking about ages and how fast they grow when I was asked to make a birthday card for a friend's daughter's 8th birthday and was given the 'brief' of "as pink and girly as you like" and she'd be thrilled to have her name on!  So I came up with this

I've used one of the new fairy stamps from LOTV, coloured with copics and pencil with some added glitter. 

The papers are from LOTV, and I've added so many other bits too lol!  The starburst die is from Joanna Sheen, with a Memory Box 'precious star', the lace, ribbon and pearls are from stash, and the lettering, sentiment and number dies are All Occasion Dies. 

The silvery paper insert was edge punched with a Tonic punch. 

Hope you like it - but I'm hoping that the little girl in question liked it which is the most important thing! 

Thanks so much for all the lovely comments about the crocheting. And I apologise that I haven't been around visiting Blogs over the last week or so and will try and get my act together a bit this week! 

Back soon,

Kim x 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:-

CraftyBloggersNetwork - bingo (dies/image/patt. paper)

DragonflyDreams - things with wings

Pile it on - use patterned paper

The Ribbon Girls - girlie + LOTV

Crafting Musketeers - stamped image

Big Stripy Blanket!

Hello and hope that you're enjoying your weekend? We've had some lovely sunshine today and things in the garden are growing like mad - especially the weeds it seems!  So the intention to do a bit of gentle pruning and tidying gradually turned into a sweaty session of trying to clear the invading goose grass that insists on clinging to all bits of clothing, hair and the cat!  I keep thinking I'd like to appear like one of those glamorous women in nice magazines that wander gracefully around the garden keeping it tidy. But I always seem to end up sweaty and grubby! Sigh.

Anyway, I said I would share a few pics of the 'Project Stripy Blanket' that I've been crocheting

It's still a work in progress, but it's growing by the day!  I'm never normally one for bright colours, but I'm enjoying adding all the lovely wavy stripes in this

The pattern has been quite easy to do once I got into the swing of it - and it's very warm!  And everyone seems to like snuggling under it already, even though it's not finished yet! 

And I'm really liking the summery bright stripes! Something to cheer us up on a dull day! I'll just add a little bit more to it and then I'll have to edge it - and then start on another project !

Hope you like the stripy blanket too.

Back soon,

Kim x 

Friendship

Hello all and I hope that all is well with you and that you enjoyed a relaxing Bank Holiday weekend (for those in the UK!) and that you've all had some sunshine wherever you are.  Thank you so much for all your lovely thoughts and comments about the loss of my little dog, they have meant so much and been hugely appreciated.  We miss Tilly the Dog so much, she was such a big character and gave us all so much fun and laughter - along with doggy cuddles and kisses! But we're trying hard to remember all the good things and not dwell on the sadness (despite me having the odd 'wobble') - and to reassure Grumpy Poppy the Cat that things are ok. She keeps wandering round, peering into corners, obviously waiting for the dog to bounce out at her!  Our dog and cat spent a lot of time together, slept together at night and jostled one another out of the way when it came to getting fuss and attention - so I suppose it's only natural that the cat is a bit confused now that she's an 'only cat'!

Anyway, as crafting has always been my 'therapy' I've 'Carried On Crafting', doing some colouring, card-making and crocheting.  I'll share some pics soon of the crocheted blanket I've been making for the last couple of months - I'm quite pleased with it!  But thought I'd share a card with you that I made and delivered to our vet and his great team (as a thank you card) - they have always been so good with us, particularly over the last difficult few weeks.

I've used a sweet LOTV stamp coloured with a mix of copics and pencils.

The papers are from LOTV, with some ribbon from stash.  The 'stitch' stamp and sentiment are also from LOTV. I've used the DooHickey doily flower and MB precious hearts dies, with pearly centres from WOC. 

I wasn't sure about the colours at first - the aqua and lilacs together - but I think they work ok. 

I'll try to catch up with all your crafting in Blogland and I'll be back soon to share some pics of the crocheting! 

Take care,

Kim x 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:-

Craft Your Passion - frame it

Created with love - layers

Love to create - cute + punches/dies

A short sad post

Just a rather short sad post from me today. As many of you know, my fur-baby Tilly the Dog had become very ill with a brain tumour and had deteriorated rapidly, having great difficulty getting to her feet, struggling to move and falling over whenever she did, and the wag had definitely gone from that tail. We discussed things with our trusted vet who has looked after Tilly since we got her at 8 weeks old, and there was nothing more we could do.  Thankfully she didn't seem to be in pain, but was failing so quickly each day. So we made the heartbreaking decision to let Tilly go.  This was done very peacefully at home in my arms, with lots of kisses and cuddles from us all,  yesterday morning - and I'm typing this now with tears falling on the keyboard.  She had a pampered, spoilt and much loved 9 years with us and I wish all dogs could have such a cherished existence.  Thank you for all your good thoughts, wishes and vibes - they have meant so much.  And apologies if I'm missing from Blogland for a little while - although crafting has always been my therapy so I won't be gone too long.  Tilly's Crafts will still carry on - and the name of the blog is extra-special to me now.

Tilly   30.1.2005 - 21.5.2014

A little pencil colouring...

Hello all and I hope that you've been enjoying your weekend - and that you've had some lovely warm weather.  We were blessed with lovely sunshine this weekend and rounded it off with a barbecue this evening. It was just so nice, after a busy and rather stressful week, to just relax with my family and enjoy the weather. Tilly the Dog is still with us but is sadly deteriorating rather quickly - although she did enjoy a sausage from the barbecue as I'd promised her we'd cook one specially for her!  Spoilt or what?!  But I would just like to say a heartfelt 'Thank You' for all the lovely supportive comments you've been leaving about my poorly pooch.  It means so much to know that people are thinking about her (and me!).

Anyway, as I was in need of some retail therapy I decided to treat myself to two tins of the new Spectrum Noir pencils and I've really enjoyed doing some colouring with them.  I always find colouring is therapeutic - whether it's with watercolours, pens or pencils.  This was my first attempt with them

I've used one of the b&w images from LOTV and coloured it only with the pencils and some blending solution - and it felt a bit odd to not use my pens lol! 

The backing papers and sentiment are from LOTV and the sheer ribbon is from Joanna Sheen.

I've used a border die from Joanna Sheen too.

Hope you like it! 

Many thanks for all your support - and your lovely comments.

Back soon,

Kim x 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:-

The Ribbon Girls - lilac/purples

Allsorts - purple passion

PaperCreatorsCrafts - ribbon & bow

QKR - punches/dies

Stamping with the Dragon - flowers

Sweet Fairy

Hello all and apologies for being AWOL - but quite a busy time at work and a rather stressful time at home. I hope that you are starting to enjoy some spring sunshine - and definitely less rain and cloud.  Thank you for all your good wishes and comments about Tilly the Dog.  Sadly the medications she is taking don't seem to be helping now as much as we'd wished.  Thankfully she doesn't seem to be in any pain, but is steadily losing her mobility and balance, so the vet feels that it's only a matter of time. As long as she's not in pain we're just taking each day at a time and enjoying the time we have with her. She's always been a very spoilt pooch - particularly in terms of affection! - and is now getting extra extra kisses and hugs!

Just thought I'd share a little card with you and I decided to make a crisscross style card with a gorgeously cute image from Mo's digital pencil

I've coloured the image with soft pastel colours using copic pens and a touch of pencil - and a touch of glittery Stickles on the wings

The backing papers are from LOTV. I've used a Martha Stewart punch on the edges, with ribbon and some flowers from stash.  Hope you like it!

I'll try and get around and see what everyone's been up to - and I hope you all get some May spring sunshine this week. And thank you for all your kind and supportive comments - they mean so much.

Back soon,

Kim x 

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:-

Mo's Digital Challenge - whimsical images

Crafty Bloggers Network - pink and ribbon

Hobbycutz - fairies

Togetherness....

Hello all and I hope that you've had a good week - and for those of us in the UK, that you've enjoyed a pleasant Bank Holiday!  My husband flew off (very) early yesterday to Abu Dhabi for work for a week - so it's just the offspring, furry beasts and me holding the fort!  It's been the usual busy week, and I've been trying to get my garden sorted too, so at least I've not got time to be bored. Tilly the Dog is ok - still on a high dose of steroids for another week and then back to the vet. The medication has definitely helped her although she still has spells of 'wobbliness' and seems to topple over, but she's pottering along and seems quite happy. She's been helping me in the garden in her usual fashion, i.e. standing on plants, trying to eat bird food, barking at frogs, etc.  I'm just a bit more nervous when she goes near the pond as I really don't relish the idea of dragging her out if she loses her balance and falls in - I can't imagine it would do the frogs much good either!  So we'll go back to the vet in a week, but as long as she's ok we'll just take things a day at a time.

Anyway, just thought I'd share this card with you that I made with one of my favourite Bella and Bronte digi stamps from Mo's Digital pencil

I've coloured the stamp with copics and promarkers

It's such a cute image - and Bronte definitely bears more than a passing resemblance to Tilly the Dog, complete with a tubby tummy, but always ready to play, join in and provide kisses when needed! 

The backing paper is from K&Co and I've used some satin sheen paper for the die cut flowers, using Spellbinders blooms dies.  The sentiment stamp is from LOTV and the ribbon and pearls are from stash.

Hope you like it.

I'll be heading round Blogland this week to catch up with all your creations - and thank you so much for all your lovely comments, they are very special and mean so much.

Back soon,

Kim x