Twisted Sketches #102

Another fun week over at {{Twisted Sketches}}. Join us this week for the twist "play"

Here is my take on it, featuring my all time faves {{Def Leppard}}, who have a new CD coming out and I am counting down the days until it becomes available in the UK on 20 June 2011...*sigh*

Until then I just have to listen over and over to their new single {{Undefeated}}

Papers: Sassafras Lass, Scribble Scrabble, My Minds Eye, My Little Shoebox

Rub Ons: Kaisercraft

Stickers: Rusty Pickle, Dymo

Create Your Own Kit - May 2011

Here is my fifth Kit for this year - I see red :)

...and by the way: do you know just HOW difficult it is to get yourself some red papers together which are NOT based on Christmas...?!!?

** click on image to enlarge **

3 sheets of 12 x 12 cardstock from Bazzill

2 sheets of 12 x 12 double sided paper from Cosmo Cricket

1 sheet of 12 x 12 double sided paper from Scribble Scrabble

1 sheet of 12 x 12 double sided paper from Scenic Route

1 sheet of 12 x 12 double sided paper from My Minds Eye

Attempted Goal:

4 Layouts

2 Cards

I wish...

...that bloggers TAKE their blimmin' annoying word verification OFF. I generally try to comment on every blog I visit and to those who have left a comment on mine but I really don't have the time and patience to waddle through a plethora of verification words. If you are so worried about spam (which I never see on any of the blogs which don't use verification), enable comment moderation. It makes life easier for everyone.

...that car drivers in this country would have to re-take their license every year. The amount of motorists who SPEED LIKE HELL when the traffic light turns amber and subsequently run through a red light once they get there, is frightening. You simply CANNOT ever cross traffic lights when it shows green for you and you see a car approaching if you value your life. Drivers please remember - it is not always adults crossing the roads, children have no idea that you all seem to forget that amber = slow down.

...that I am still within a chance to get to the second interview stage for the job I applied for within our company. We were all supposed to hear whether or not we would be going forward by then end of last week, beginning of this. Hmpfh - patience is NOT my middle name

Now that I had my rant for the month, here's a layout I created with the contents from my {{March Kit}}. I love the look on Mr P's face....he is not impressed that his Nan is pulling him into the picture :))

Clickety Click

I have been busy with my {{March Kit}} so far - but I can't show all of the layouts yet as one if for a later 

{{Twisted Sketches}} assignment.

But here is one layout and card I can share.

Papers: My Minds Eye, My Little Shoebox, Scribble Scrabble, Cosmo Cricket ** Stickers: Sassafras Lass, Rusty Pickle, Making Memories ** Other: Cosmic Shimmer, Alphabeads, Punchinella, Embroidery Floss

The card was done with the left overs from this layout and for the life of me I cannot remember where I got this digi stamp from. It was a Freebie and I have had it for way over a year....if anyone knows, please leave comment as I would love to give credit where due.

Cardstock: Bazzill ** Papers: My Minds Eye, Scribble Scrabble ** Digi Stamp: unknown ** Stamp Sentiment: my STAMPbox ** Pens: ProMarkers

Create Your Own Kit - March 2011

I am doing really well with my Kits so far - having started in September 2010 I am now on my seventh Kit and I have to say that this was the best idea I have had to get myself working on the stash I had at my fingertips.

Whilst it is of course great to have all the latest papers and embellishments, it should be more important to actually use what we already have.

I was a bit disappointed that I did not fare so well with my {{February Kit}} - I totally failed it and I guess it is due to the colours...I got totally bored and depressed looking at those earth tones, which is why I only managed the grand amount of ONE (= pathetic attempt) Layouts...ugh.

For the March Kit I wanted to go with some colour again and which better one to use than the one that still scares the living daylights out of me: YELLOW...uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh. It is the most underrated colour in crafting, I think and the reason is probably that I am not the only one being intimidated by this colour. That is also why I have set my attempted goal higher than usual, as you will see at the end of the post.

You may, correctly, say that not all the papers you see below are in fact yellow, but that is just because I decided to take a picture of the flip side of the paper. The picture looked totally boring when I showed all the yellow sides....so there!

** click on image to enlarge **

3 sheets of 12 x 12 cardstock from Bazzill

2 sheets of 12 x 12 double sided papers from Cosmo Cricket

1 sheet of 12 x 12 double sided paper from Prima Marketing

1 sheet of 12 x 12 double sided paper from Sassafras Lass

1 sheet of 12 x 12 double sided paper from My Minds Eye

1 sheet of 12 x 12 double sided paper from Scribble Scrabble

Attempted goal:

5 layouts
{{Clickety Click}} ** {{Lemme Go}} ** {{We Rock}} **

2 cards - Achieved
{{ For You }} ** {{Hmm}}

Twisted Sketches #89

Another week and another sketch over at {{Twisted Sketches}}. As per usual, if you want to work with us from the sketch, please go over {{here}} to see Anam's blueprint and the reveal of the rest of the DT.

The twist for this week is: Pins - one of my favourite items to work with!
I tried being a right clever dick this time around and used a safety pin (ha!) to attach my date tag and some beads from it. I made use of my {{February Kit}} for this layout.

** click on image to enlarge **
Papers: My Minds Eye, Rusty Pickle ** Stickers: Rusty Pickle ** Decorative Tape: Retro Nana ** Mist: Cosmic Shimmer ** Other: Alphabeads, Masking Tape, Punchinella, Embroidery Floss

Twisted Sketches #86

Today is reveal day for sketch #86 over at {{Twisted Sketches}}.

Whilst it is not "my week" (Team A will go live next Tuesday) this week, I thought I share my submission layout with you, seeing that I used my {{January Kit}} to create it and therefore achieved my goal of four layouts and one card with the Kit...woot woot

You can see the sketch and twist to go with this layout {{here}}

** click on image to enlarge **

Papers: My Minds Eye ** Tag:Bazzill (hand cut) ** Chipboard: Cosmo Cricket ** Stickers: Rusty Pickle ** Pens: Uniball Signo (white) ** Mist: Cosmic Shimmer

Create Your Own Kit - February 2011

For my second Kit this year I have chosen to go with some more earth tones, as I have really overlooked them over the past six months. I used to be a muted colour scrapper, but somehow I really got into using more bolder colours during 2010. It feels like it is time to get back to my trusted "staple"

** click on image to enlarge **

3 sheets of 12 x 12 cardstock from Bazzill

2 sheets of 12 x 12 double sided paper from My Minds Eye

1 sheet of double sided paper from Pink Paislee

1 sheet of double sided paper from Rusty Pickle
1 sheet of double sided paper from Sassafras Lass

Attempted Goal:

4 Layouts
Queen Of The Castle

2 Cards
Failed

Thankful

Well, here it is - the layout to go with my word for the year. You can tell I am already much more focussed on living by my word seeing that it only took me two days into the year to actually create this layout :)

I guess right now I am thankful for being creative and inspired.

Of course I used the papers and cardstock from my {{January Kit}} and I surprised myself at how well I am dealing with the "pinkness"....you see, even though I love the colour pink, I have a hard time scrapping it - not this time though.

** click on image to enlarge **

Ingredients:

Cardstock: Bazzill ** Papers: My Minds Eye, American Crafts, Cosmo Cricket ** Tag: Collage Press ** Stickers: American Crafts ** Chipboard: My Minds Eye ** Artisan Tape: Pink Paislee ** Buttons: My Little Bit Of Whimsey, unknown ** Borderpunch: Fiskars ** Other: Cosmic Shimmer, Pearls, Rhinestones, Alcohol Inks, Uniball Signo

Watch Out

I know, I know - some of my long standing online buddies will remember the following picture and that I have previously scrapped it...but I always itched to do it again.

For those of you who don't know the story behind it:

When Mr P. and I went on a winter holiday (bearing in mind that Mr P. has been living in the South of England all his life, so snow is not something he is used to) we made a promise to ourselves. I always wanted to jump into some fresh snow and make a snow angel but Mr P. had other aspirations: to pee his name in the snow.

Yah, he did exactly that and this is why you should always follow the old saying to "Never Eat Yellow Snow" - you just never know when Mr P. has been in town :)))))

I used again my {{January Kit}} and the reason why this layout doesn't look too pink is because I used the reverse side of the papers (see, I am not as stupid as I look)

** click on image to enlarge **

Ingredients:

Cardstock: Bazzill, Staples ** Papers: Cosmo Cricket; My Minds Eye ** Die Cuts: Cosmo Cricket ** Stickers: American Crafts; Cosmo Cricket; Making Memories ** Chipboard Shapes: Maya Road ** Other: Cosmic Shimmer; Buttons; Uniball Signo; Alpha Beads

Do any of you use Google Reader to organise the blogs you like to look at?

Well,I do and what I like even more are the recommendations Google makes to you with regard to blogs you may be interested in. This is how I found out about the wicked digi images of {{KennyK}}...I mean, how can you NOT love the Rock dudes???

Memba, when I said that I don't really love people images so much? Uhm, ya I am so over that statement already - because I seriously love those KennyK images - they are different and they have attitude with a capital "A".

I decided I may treat myself to one image per month - they are only $3.00 each so, why not, eh?

And while I was there, I saw they have a challenge blog too - so naturally I had to razzle up something quick for {{Challenge #26}} using the theme of love

I made us of their Freebie for the month and one of the Valentine's Images and created a tag and a card

**click on images to enlarge **

using: SUNDAE

using: HEART TEDDY BEAR (January Freebie)

Sketch Love

Crafting is really a funny old world - I used to love creating to sketches and for many years I thrived on being part of DT's making use of weekly sketches. I started with {{Pencil Lines}} which also gave me the chance to get to know {{Anam}} very well and we have formed a fabulous online friendship over the years. Which led me to becoming part of her first {{Twisted Sketches}} DT, which I adored. There also was {{2 Sketches 4 You}} - which really got me totally into making cards again.

Somewhere along the line I started to become intimated by sketches - and I stopped looking to them for inspiration. I carried on being the sketch artist for {{Upsy Daisy Designs}} but that was different because I drafted the sketches after I created my layout. 

A couple of weeks ago, I re-discovered Twisted Sketches and I am TOTALLY and UTTERLY into creating from sketches again. So, you will see quite a few cards and layouts popping up over the coming months, using sketches from challenges.

Let's start with the recent layout and card sketches from {{Twisted Sketches}}.

The twist for {{Sketch #083}} was to use the word "Time" which in my case is incorporated in the title..I scare myself sometimes being so clever *giggles*

** click on images to enlarge **

Layout - Times Square

Papers: My Minds Eye,My Little Shoebox ** Stickers: American Crafts, Rusty Pickle ** Chipboard: Cosmo Cricket

I also enter the layout in the recent {{ ScrapFIT #035}} challenge, asking to make use of your scraps and do a mixed alpha title.

And then there is the Twisted Sketches {{Card Challenge #041}}, with the twist of using "ribbon". Now, I am not too hot on ribbons anymore, so I am declaring the twine used as being my ribbon :)). I also used one of my older {{Some Odd Girl}} images. Generally I am not too much of a people stamp person - but who can resist {{Toby and Buddie}}??

Card - For You

Cardstock: Bazzill * Papers: 3ndypapir, Imaginisce * Digi Stamp: Some Odd Girl

But there is more....

The recent {{My Minds Eye challenge}} for layouts. 

Would you believe that the papers I have used here are from the {{Holly Jolly}} line? Nah, me either - they really do not look like Xmas papers at all, do they? That is what I love about MME - the flipside of the papers is generally totally generic and can be used for any theme *heart*

Layout - Mom

Papers, Die Cuts, Chipboard, Brads: My Minds Eye * Stickers: Rusty Pickle

Whoopsie

Uhm...

Sorry to those of you who have seen a different post go up earlier today...

Had to re-schedule it as this post, right here and right now is the one that should have gone live.

First of all I am super delighted and extremely THANKFUL that one of my cards was picked up for submission by {{Scrapbook Trends}}. Two years of constant monthly submitting finally paid off and all I need now to make me even more THANKFUL is to have one of my layouts picked up by them :)))

Some of my Facebook friends may have noticed me being on a downer a few days ago, THANKFULly I managed to pick myself up again and start afresh. It just seemed that too much was going against me during the first 5 days of the year and I was facing unexpected bills, like the one from my dentist for £200.00 (approx $350.00) - right after we used our savings for a much needed couch...and then I got knocked back on every single submission for DT and magazine calls. Yah, I just needed to vent at that time and now it's off my chest, I can look again at being THANKFUL for what I have.

And isn't it funny that the days after I decided to grow up and stop whining, I get the call from ST?

But enough of all that. There is lots I have to share with you today - no worries: it's all positive :)

First of all the January Digi Day for {{Some Odd Girl}} has kicked off and this month, there is one challenge only and it is hosted over on the blog. Play along and be in with a chance to win  a digi stamp of your choice AND also a digi that no one else can purchase before March...wicked, hu?

See the requirements for the challenge {{here}}

The card I created for the challenge is making use of one of my older digi's - I have been itching like mad to use {{Buzzie}} for some time now but somehow it never fell together. Until today :)

** click on image to enlarge **

Dont forget: there is still some time for you to get your applications in for the {{DT Call}} at Some Odd Girl. 

That was not all I did today though - oh no. I am a layout and card churning machine...and I so wanted to play along to the fabulous challenges over at the {{MME blog}}. I will enter the layout challenge as well, but for now this card will have to suffice:)

**click on image to enlarge**

Everything on this card apart form the mist, the floss and the bling is from {{My Minds Eye}}.

But there is more...oh yes. But this time you will have to endure my face rather than my cards or layouts.

Thanks to {{this}} post from Kristy I have decided to play along to {{52 Week Project}} in which you take a self portrait of yourself every week of the year.

I went with the Mirror prompt (just as Kristy...yah, I am such a copy-cat) and the first picture is the one I like the most. 

Probably because I have gone totally against the grain and decided to take a picture of my in front of the mirror looking into the camera rather than into the mirror. 

And here are two pictures I dismissed but thought they were still ok enough to share.

I like the first one because you can still see the bit on the right hand side, where the mirror broke some years ago. And the stripes on and under my chin are actually reflections of light.

And the second one is totally blurry but I like the motion in it - and besides I wanted to have one picture which looked funky converted into black and white.

So, who else is doing the 52 Week project?

Create Your Own Kit - January 2011

Oh yes, just because we have a new year doesn't mean that I stop creating my own Kits from my old stash...that is definitely an ongoing thing for the time being.

I am going back to basics though as I did on my first two kits, i.e. I only select the papers and card stock but do not match embellishments to it. I found that I am much more creative, when I can delve in the abyss that is a plethora of embellishments in all colours of the rainbow (holy cow...where did that sentence come from?!???).

When I chose the embellies for my {{November}} and {{December}} Kit, I found that I was less creative. So let's see how I fare with my first Kit for this year

** click on image to enlarge **

3 sheets of 12 x 12 cardstock from Bazzill

2 sheets of 12 x 12 double sided paper from My Minds Eye

2 sheets of 12 x 12 double sided paper from Cosmo Cricket

Attempted Goal:

4 Layouts
'London Rocks' ** 'Thankful' ** 'Watch out' ** 'Wembley'

1 Card
'Thank You'
Achieved


Well - I actually already achieved the above goal because I pretty much used up the Kit and have 4 layouts and 1 card completed since yesterday....but some have been done for challenges, so I cannot show them all just yet.
But these two I can:

Card - Thank You
Created for the recent challenges at:

• Allsorts {{Challenge #84 - Thank You}}
• 365 Cards {{Challenge #308 - Sketch}}

I used one of the brand new images from {{Some Odd Girl}} which was part of the brand new release...yummo!

**click on image to enlarge **

Ingredients:

Cardstock: Bazzill ** Papers: American Crafts, Cosmo Cricket ** Rub Ons: Upsy Daisy Designs ** Other: ProMarkers; Stampin' Up punch; Uniball Signo; Sheared scissors

Layout - London Rocks

Create for the recent challenge at:

• Twisted Sketches {{#82}}

** click on image to enlarge **

Ingredients:
Cardstock: Bazzill ** Papers: My Minds Eye; American Crafts; Cosmo Cricket ** Stickers: American Crafts ** Chipboard, Die Cuts: Cosmo Cricket ** Other: Bakers Twine; Alpha beads; Buttons; Decorative Tape; Paint: Cosmic Shimmer **

Ouw...again

Well, the discomfort of having my nose {{ cauterised }} was for nothing because yesterday evening I experienced again one massive nose bleed. It went on for more than five minutes and I was really annoyed - guess I have to go back to the surgery and have them do it again. After all, I was told that it could take more than one session for it to stop. Hmpfh.

Other than that - I have some exciting crafty news, which I can share in a few days time..
Yeah, yeah I know it is annoying when peeps say "I have some news, but I can't share yet" but I just had to let a little of that positive steam off for now :)))))

I have a few layouts to share, which I created over the last couple of days - I know I said it before but I really dig scrapping the smaller 6" x 8" size...

** click on images to enlarge **

Ingredients:

Cardstock: Stampin' Up; Papermill ** Papers: My Minds Eye; Scribble Scrabble ** Stamps: Purple Onion Designs (Swirls); Dustin Pike (digital) ** Stickers: American Crafts Thickers ** Tools: Circle Punches - Stampin' Up; Woodware; Border Punch - Martha Stewart ** Other: Cosmic Shimmer; Flowers; Pearls; ProMarkers; Uniball Signo Pens

Ingredients:
Cardstock: Stampin' Up; Papermill ** Papers: My Minds Eye ** Stickers: Rusty Pickle ** Tools: Border Punch - Fiskars ** Other: Pearls; Uniball Signo Pens; Digital Image downloaded from www.cakewrecks.com

Whoaaaaaa

Geez - I can't believe just how much mojo-overflow I have at the moment, cranking out layouts and cards left, right and center. So, prepare yourself for a picture heavy post :)

First off here are a few layouts I created just because - just free-flowin' chuckin' it all on :)

I also finally made use of many of the deco tapes I bought off Etsy {{ here }} and {{ here }}. They have been screaming at me to be used for ages!

** click on any of the following images to enlarge **

Ingredients:
Papers: Upsy Daisy Designs - #BLO011. Awakening, #SYLA013. Everglades,  #UDD0158. Love; Scribble Scrabble * Stickers: Making Memories, Jenni Bowlin * Pearls: Papercellar* Border Punch: Stampin' Up *

Ingredients:
Papers: 3ndypapir; Daisy D; My Minds Eye * Stickers: Dymo; Making Memories; Rusty Pickle * Buttons: Rusty Pickle * Pearls: other * Paint: Jones Tones

Ingredients:
Papers: My Minds Eye * Stickers: Rusty Pickle; Making Memories; Dymo * Pearls: Papercellar * Stamps: Catslife Press; Hero Arts * 

And then there are some cards, which were created for a few fun challenges, across the net.

The recent challenge at {{ Allsorts }} is asking for the use of tags/tickets on your card, for which I dug deep into my old Rusty Pickle stash box for some vintage tags. I used the {{ Yummy Cupcake }} stamp from {{ Some Odd Girl }} and a selection of my ProMarkers.

Mrs {{ ODDity }} pointed out a fun challenge for me straight from the {{ cards }} blog, who were looking for creations with punny sentiments...Now THAT is something I don't need to be asked for twice.
Enter my feathered friend {{ Birdie Hatch }} another stamp from SOG and more ProMarker action :)

This card also qualifies for the recent sketch (I flipped it 90° to the left) over at {{ 2 Sketches 4 You }}, who are celebrating their 2nd birthday this week - and there is no doubt that {{ Kazan }}, {{ Laura }} and their DT are an EGGcellent inspiration week in, week out ! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY my lovelies :)

Phew...I guess that's it for the moment. But I am sure I will have more to post soon.

Busy..busy..Be-freakin'-USY

Actually, busy doesn't even begin to describe the last couple of days - ugh, I didn't even get the time to work on my March 2010 Summary yet. Well, I guess I still have 20 more days to get it done before April is due...gnaaaaaah.

Aaaaaanyways - this is going to be a sort of picture heavy post as I have scrapped quite a bit but didn't get the time to blog all about it so far. Better get started now then, hu?

First off, is my take on the recent {{ 2 Sketches 4 You }} challenge. That {{ Robot }} stole my heart and I simply cannot stop using him *swoon*

** click on images to enlarge **

Ingredients:
Cardstock: Bazzill
Papers: My Mind's Eye
Stickers: October Afternoon; Making Memories
Stamp: Robo Heart - Some Odd Girl
Tools: Border Punch - Martha Stewart; Promarkers

Then there is the latest challenge at {{ I Love Promarkers }} where the only requirement was to showcase animal/s. What better way than to do that with my friend {{ Owlie }}. He was ho{o}vering on my desk for well over a month now, waiting to be used...eh voila!

** click on images to enlarge **

Ingredients:
Cardstock: Bazzill
Papers: My Mind's Eye
Stickers: Making Memories
Stamp: Owlie - Some Odd Girl
Tools: Border Punch - Fiskars, EK Success; Circle Punch - Woodware; Promarkers


And then I just created a layout for the sheer heck of it - because I am loving monster images a lot right now. Getting {{ Bulz }} and previous Freebie Spike to work together, was just a given for this cute picture of my nephew and niece. They look like wee monsters, don't they?
I also used the contents of the {{ March Mega Muse }} - I still have so much left from that gorgeous Kit...

** click on images to enlarge **

Ingredients:
Cardstock: Bazzill
Papers: My Mind's Eye; Scribble Scrabble
Stickers: Rusty Pickle; October Afternoon
Stamps: Bulz, Spike - Some Odd Girl


Speaking of the {{ ScrapMuse }} Kit - the April Mega Muse is now up {{ here }}. A must have for those who love {{ Cosmo Cricket }} and {{ Sassafras Lass }} - I reserved my Kit allright and cannot wait for it to hit my doorstep!



Okay, so that's it for now but I will be back shortly with a re-cap of Mr P's 40th birthday

The Tooth Fairy...passed me by

The last two days were spent in quite some discomfort - for the last couple of years I have been trying desperately to register with a National Health Dentist, which is something I am so not used to from the health Services in Germany. There, you just went to any dentist you liked and got treatment when you needed it and not when it would fit within the yearlong waiting list.

So, due to me not being financially able to afford the extortionate private health care, I basically have to wait until either my teeth fall out, break off or until I am no longer able to control any pain with self medication, then I MAY get an emergency appointment (great health service, hu?). Monday morning one of my fillings fell out - just like that, I did not even eat anything that would warrant the filling to go. Yesterday I got my emergency appointment with the same clinic I had been to in 2008 for emergency treatment and to my "joy" I was told that "there is no way we can do a filling here again - the tooth is too brittle. It needs to be pulled"

Say WHAT????? Holy shit, what is it with dentists in this country - they don't really believe in preserving your dental work - they just rip it out and hope they make they big bucks when you have to go back to them for dentures...sheesh! The pulled a tooth in 2008 on my left jaw side, now the pulled a tooth on my right jaw side. Give me two more years and I will have to feed through a straw.

Well, I would like to think that the dentist was honest when he said the tooth was brittle and not save able but I would dispute this statement slightly when I recall the strength he had to muscle up in order to get that sucker out. Seriously, that was one of the most evil things I had to endure for a long time. He tried to break parts of the tooth in order to get to the other bit to pull it out but had to drill it down in the end because my oh so "brittle" tooth refused to give way...he was leaning on my lower jaw, his nurse had to hold my head in place when he was wiggling the pulling tool from side to side and through all of this I had to listen to all the cracking and creaking noised that were going on...nice.

After half an hour of pulling, pushing, prodding, drilling the dentist had to give me another injection (number three!!!) as the area was so sore that I was in quite some pain. But, in all honesty, the dentist itself he was really friendly and considerate - he always stopped immediately when I indicated that something was uncomfortable and looked at other ways to get to the tooth. Nevertheless, I am feeling a wee bit sorry for myself now....and to know that I have a cavity on the top right doesn't make me any happier. Unless my registration with an NHS dentist is approved there is nothing I can do about it but wait until the pain becomes unbearable and try the emergency helpline again. Shall we take bets already that the tooth will be pulled in the end?

So yeah, you can probably tell I am feeling really great right now - lost a tooth and the flippin' tooth fairy didn't even show her azz around here *pouts*

I decided to work from home today has my jaw is so sore and I would have just not been able to talk to anyone over the phone. At least I got quite some stuff done - AND it gave me a moment to update my blog too - yay :)

And while I am in a posting mood, here is a layout I created for one of the challenges posted over on {{ScrapMuse}} during our February Spread The Love Contest. We were asked to take inspiration from this ad:

And this is what I came up with...

**click on the image to enlarge**

Ingredients:

Papers: My Minds Eye

Heart Shape: Cut with Cricut from a scrap piece of kraft paper

Stickers: Rusty Pickle, Bella Blvd

Other: Paint; Bubblewrap; Twine; Star Punch

I *heart* ad-challenges because like no other they really leave you room for interpretation. Do you like a certain colour, a particular element, the font, the subject? As soon as I saw this ad I knew I wanted to use the Russian writing as my inspiration. The picture of Lyndon in front of the T34 tank has been sitting on my scrap table for about four years now and I lacked the idea on how to approach it. The ad gave me the kick up the wotsits that I needed.

Awards and Gift Bags

I doubt that I will be blogging much over the next couple of days - so here's one last crafty post before the Christmas mayhem begins and I shall be back with one last post prior to the year end, with my high - and lowlights of 2009.

From Monday till Wednesday I still have to get to work, so I was busy preparing a few gift bags for my co-workers. I do this every year instead of Christmas cards, that they get a little gift container with some candy. This year it has become a bit more demanding as our team increased from four to eight....needless to say I was kinda busy the last two days.

But before I got cracking on those containers, I received quite a surprise on Thursday evening. At work we introduced this year an Awards Ceremony, which recognises those who have gone above what was expected of them. Everyone in the office was asked to vote for a colleague who they felt should be receiving an award. There were many different categories and here is what the winner of each would be getting:

The reason why I have such a fabulous close up of the bottle of bubble is because I AM A WINNER!!! Woooohooooo - my lovely colleagues have voted me the Passenger Relations Executive 2009 for the brands we work with. How stinkin' exciting is that?? And no, I haven't opened the bottle yet - I shall leave that for New Years Eve:)

So, that vote totally gave me the necessary inspiration to crank out those gift bags (I have been wrecking my brain on how to do it this year...) and this is what I came up with. Lots of My Minds Eye yummyness and Cuttlebug embossing. It didn't take too long to make these babies up and I hope my colleagues will like them.

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone

MME - Blog Challenge #6, 2S4Y - Sketch #41

I don't know what it is but at the moment I struggle with being motivated about every day life. When I am at work I can't wait for the weekend. But when the weekend is there I can't wait for work to start again. Vicious cycle - everything bores me....Lyndon is convinced I am having some form of midlife crisis, as I am forever looking to get to gigs of those bands from way back when both those bands and I were much younger *sniggers*.

But at least yesterday I managed to drag myself out of the pool of self-pity and created two projects for some challenges.

The first one is a card for the recent {2s4u} challenge from Kazan. I flipped the sketch 90 degrees to the left and this is what I came up with (click on image if you wish to see it bigger)

Not too bad considering that Mojo was absent and probably pouting someplace :)

Ingredients:
Cardstock: Papermill
Die Cut: My Mind's Eye
Chipboard: Rusty Pickle
Other: Flowers - Fancy Pants; Bling - Kaisercraft; Cosmic Shimmer; Button; Ribbon; Brads; Twine; Stickers - Pink Paislee

And then there is one of my favourite monthly challenges now --- the My Mind's Eye Blog Challenges. For a start it gets me in the habit to actually use my extensive collection of everything MME and an added bonus is that the winner of the challenge will get not one, not two but everything of THREE collections of her/his choice. That is incentive enough for me :)

So, here is the wonderful sketch DT Member Anam created for the {recent challenge}

And this is what I came up with - as you can see LOADS of hand cutting, which I find incredibly therapeutic. If I am in a bad mood and need to calm down, just give me a pair of scissors and a piece of purdy paper. Works a treat every time. The flowers and branches were cut form two sheets of the 8 x 8 Bloom & Groom cardstock collection, which is an {exclusive} to the UK. I adore those papers, especially the embossed surface ones *swoon* (click on image if you wish to see it bigger)

Ingredients:
Everything is My Minds Eye, apart from the creme cardstock (Stampin' Up), the sewing stamp (Sassafras Lass) and the date sticker (Making Memories)

So, now I have gotten the creative push, I may even snap out of superboredom :), but until then I reminisce in the good old days, when I used to go to Rock Gigs every two weeks or so.