Friday Musing - I don't Bee-lieve it & Other critters

Allo allo...

I know, before you say it "where were you last week??!" I am sorry. I was busy preparing for the craft fair... forgive me? Good. Now we have that out the way, welcome! :)

I am back on track with a musing this week... well, I say "back on track" - I drew them today lol... so my gorgeous and patient and lovely DT haven't had a chance to play with them yet - Emma Bryan did suggest the theme though...so without further ado, I introduce...

"I don't bee-lieve it and other critters"

As normal, you can purchase and craft with the digi set instantly by clicking HERE or the picture above

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(thank you to all who support little musings - I adore you all)

I really wanted to show you a printed sample... but ran out of time to do something awesome.. so forgive me for the primitive card I quickly coloured and folded (lol)

Hehehehe - it made me laugh again just to see it.

Finlay loved it, and I when I gave it to him, he gave me a kiss... gotta be worth it right!?

Bless his little bee-loving-heart.

And now I have this rhyme in my head.

"isn't it funny how a bear loves honey, buzz, buzz, I wonder why he does"

Craft fair

Well...

I did it! I had a stand / booth at a craft fair!

The venue was great, but the advertising of the actual event was lacking, and it was much quieter than everyone exhibiting had hoped. Some people didn't sell anything at all!

I didn't do too badly - and I had some lovely customers and comments which spurred me on.

I had quite a good pitch, sited next to a grand piano which I ended up using as extra space for some paintings and pendants on a metal tree <3

I had some lovely comments from customers about the angel stamps - everyone seemed really surprised to learn that they were my own artwork, which both confused and pleased me lol!

But my best seller of the day were the menu frames!!

So so so so so so so so chuffed that they were a popular choice!

Would I do another one?

Yeah, totally, but it has to be well advertised!!!

For some of the day, there were just the stall holders in the hall!

*Que a tumble weed and awkward whispers of disdain!*

Still - it was a fun day!!

Hello to anyone who is reading my blog from following my business card links, it was nice to meet you!

xxxx

August Scraprat kit sneaks!

Oooo - I haven't been part of a kit club design team for ages, after taking a year and a half out to scrap "just for me" I am pleased to be part of a team again - fun :)

Here is a sneak peek of the August kit from Scraprat....

And here...

And here are two sneaks of my projects.

 

I love being part of a team again :)

If you can't wait for the August kit to come out - why not join in the fun with the July kit:

Scrapology sponsor

I am the sponsor over at the Scrapology challenge blog this week!

The challenge is "Anything but square!"

The scrapology team all used my little musings digital stamps, and I love what they did!

It is very lovely as the designer of these stamps to see them all used so wonderfully in so many ways.

They are all so creative - so cool. If you wanna take part in the challenge, and win some digi stamps -then why not pop along and submit your own "anything but square card"

xxxxx

Friday Freebie Digital Stamp - "Seahouse"

Morning blogsville. I have a freebie for you today - I know I have done a Beach hut freebie once last year - BUT that is no longer available, and it is the one that I get the most emails about requesting!

So - I hear by placate all you sea house enthusiasts with a new beach hut freebie!

(It's a bit cuter than the last one me thinks!)

It is cuter because... it is double layered.

You can use it three ways:

1: Colour in the outline yourself

2: Use the "painted" version for artistic cards

3: (my fav) is to layer the outline on top of the painted version to create this:

You could use it in so many ways - add a sentiment, or a number above the door, or make it 3D by decoupaging it... have fun go mad.

You can download the FREEBIE HERE

getting ready

So - on the 23rd of this month, I have a stall at a craft fair, the first one I have done in years!

I have been busy for months making and designing bits to go with it - I designed some menu planners months and months ago, but only got around to printing and framing them today.

I gotta say, I love how they have turned out!

They are designed using my own illustrations, and printed on high weight matte photo paper (which takes the ink beautifully and crisply) I then framed them. 

They are so easy to use, literally use a dry erase marker on them to plan your weekly meals and then wipe clean each week! I can't wait to set them up on my stall :)

konad nail painting plates

I am getting a bit obsessed with the Konad nail system....
I was bought a set for my birthday and I think my nails have been painted ever since!

I'd never heard of Konad before - but its basically stamping onto your nails!
The designs are etched into a metal plate, which you paint with their special polish, scrap off the excess, and using their rubber stamper you transfer the image to your nail!
It really is easy...
And here are my latest 6 efforts!

Cards, Smash and Dragons

I have had a really lazy Saturday!

Today I literally have done nothing apart from go out for a walk into town with Fin in the buggy and sit around adoring my order from Phoenix cards!

My awesome buddy Laura is now a Phoenix cards agent - and here is a sneak peek at a couple of my favs from my latest order.....

I have so much more than this - but these are my favs...

I adore the reward chart pad SOOOOO MUCH - and - having a tear of pad of them makes so much beautiful sense that I wonder how I have coped without it before!

I love my to-do list pad too - gorgeous!

It is not a secret that I love sending cards and letters - and my polka dot case full to the brim with cards makes me one happy correspondence fan...

If you wanna get your order in with Laura - why not have a look at her blog here.

* you know you want to *

You can order via her online shop front OR you can email her and request a brochure.

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In other news - look what else I have in my grubby mitts!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm SMASH pad!

How gorgeous is this pad?! I knew I wanted the red one from the second I saw them...

I love the doodled illustrations in them - I think it is just the most beautiful note book ever created.

I have no idea what I will do in it yet - but I am thinking create a journal of "me" for Finlay to look back on when I am dusty and gone... I would just adore something like that of my own family...

Talking of memories and Finlay...

I captured a "Finlay first" on camera on Thursday

His first bike and his first attempt at a bike ride.

He hasn't mastered it yet - I would imagine it is quite a shock for his legs.

If anyone else is debating buying their kids a new bike at the mo, Argos have them half price! (So do halfords!)

He absolutely adores it. It has a image of a dragon on the side - and he calls it "My brand new dragon bike!"

Bless.

He was so sweet on it.

We met a one legged seagull - it was quite an adventure.

My little baby has long gone.

*nostalgic sigh*

Button Buddies Friday Musing Digital Stamp

Hello!!

Well - life returns to normal (even if I am a bit late this morning in uploading)

and this week I have a set of patchwork animals for you called Button Buddies...

They would look really cute on new baby cards, or coloured vibrantly for teenagers or subtle colours for a more gentle look...

I have some cool samples for you this week... so stay tuned :)

You can purchase and download the kit for £1.50 from my digi store

HERE

 I hope you like the set!

Here are some awesome samples...

Lisa Hines has come up with this pretty card full of frill and charm. She has used the pre-coloured image from the stamp set  - and I think it is fabulous.

Emma Bryan used the outline cow image to create this awesome card coloured with markers, I love it!

 

Then I coloured in some too to show you what they can look like in various different shades..

I created two owl shaped cards, but printing an owl at the base of an A4 sheet - and folding in half at the point of his owly ears, and then cutting out the folded owl shape. When you stand this owl card up, he rocks from side to side too, very cute!

 This following cow, I printed onto four different patterned papers and then cut and paper pieced them together to form a fabric effect cow..

 And then this one I coloured with promarkers in boy colours.

So there you have it - Button buddies! Available now.

Hello! I thought I would do a quite post to say that I am planning on cracking open my crafty stash this week and catching up on some projects that I have been meaning to do...including scrapping on a piece of cardboard that my birthday Orla Kiley fruit bowl came in - it has the famous Orla vines on and I love it! 

Till then - I will let you have another peek into life in a new house...

I am loving the orange lillies that have bloomed in the garden, and so do the hover flies...

I hung a birdcage that was gifted to me from Ben's mum in a tree, and in it I hung a tin bird, which I thought was cute - but what I found funnier was Finlay... who I caught doing this...

Stand and deliver!!

What a rotter! He is so cheeky!!

mmmmmmmm cake

 What else is new? Well, Ben's Gran popped in for "afternoon tea" on Sunday, and her favourite cake is a coffee and walnut.... I have never made one before, but gave it a go, and apparently it was just lovely!

I did a two layer cake (normal) and iced the middle with vanilla icing and the outer with coffee - and chucked in loads and loads of walnuts :)

Check out the cake stand! So lovely.. another birthday treasure...

 So - now I am settled - I want to get back into the swing of crafting... as I miss the familiar sound of snipping paper and tearing tape...

Talking of crafting - I did manage to find time to do some colouring in this week... I love promarkers combined with my digi stamps - the finished results make me very happy..

sneak peek at this Friday's musing?

Next time I blog I will have crafty goodness!!!

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Smiles

I still admit, the past 24 months have been a crazy roller coaster of emotional riding.. but I was worth it so much to find a place we love. Yes, we rent now.. and yes we sold in order to rent - and while most might see that as lunacy, I know that some of you will understand 100% why we made that step off the property ladder in order to find ourselves somewhere to call home. Somewhere that isn't on the market, or without a garden, or mouldy walls, or a constant reminder that we made some bad choices....

Home, somewhere to feel safe - somewhere to grow pretty flowers and pumpkins and lavender...

Somewhere for Finlay to play in a sand pit, or ride his trike or sit with us in the sun...

Somewhere were my heart can rest.

xxxx