Boyz 2 Men

I've not been overly creative of late - apart from a couple of noteable exceptions that I'm not allowed to share for months. So I thought I'd share this layout from our last ever Wednesday night class. I'm loving the new fold it bows template from HOTP right now - designed by the fabulous SNJ (the only freelance Brit designer there!) AND my latest can't-live-without product: Bazzill ric rac. This is a mini ric rac & I'll have it available in the online store within a couple of days! Fab stuff in loads of colours & lightweight enough that it sticks successfully with a glue stick!
My plan for the rest of this week is to update the webshop with the new stock and add a whole bunch more not-to-be-missed clearance goodies (at 75% off RRP); get ahead on my DT stuff and finish off the projects for my next round of classes at MCC. So lots to do as always! LOL

Whoot!!

Just caught a comment on a previous post! I am the highlighted artist of the week on Robin's blog! (YAY!!)
Pop on over to see what it's all about ... and if you'd like to be featured there yourself, you can e-mail Robin & maybe it will be your turn soon ... such fun! LOL
Thanks Robin - you brightened up my day!

Rebuilding My Life!!

My entire life was stored on my PC ... & noooooo it wasn't backed up. I now have a new 'puter but until I know whether the hard drive from the old one can be recovered, I have no idea whether I'm starting over.
All my passwords, sketches etc for DT work, Class schedules, photos etc are stored there ... so if you are waiting for work from me, replies to e-mails etc ... there could be a delay until normal service is restored!
Wish me luck!!

Missed Deadline!!

This first card is the one I made for Di Hickman's Card Sketch Team this week (March #2) - but I forgot to e-mail it over on time (I am an idiot!!). I loved this sketch so I made a couple of others too! Having a bit of a run on St. Patrick's Day Cards! LOL. I bought these rub ons 3 years ago & hadn't touched them, so it was about time - I still have a few left, so I'll be using them for some good luck cards I think.
The papers, shamrock ribbon and card blanks were all from a HOTP Personal Shopper for CardMakers kit (Feb 07) - currently on sale in the shop for just £6.99 (RRP 17.50). There's a bargain or two to be had over there! LOL.
You could also try your hand at winning one this week - We are sponsoring the challenge over at Arty Girlz and have a March Kit up for grabs. I'm gonna try & get around to comment on every entry - but if I miss you out please don't hate me!! I'm making lots of DT stuff right now but it's all a bit secret squirrel. I really want to get ahead on some deadlines so if I'm AWOL from blogland again for a while - that'll be why!! LOL
I have a busy family week coming up too - Dad visiting next week before he returns to Bulgaria, DS4's birthday on Monday (St. Patrick's Day) & his party the next week on Easter Monday. So lots to do!!

This Girl Gets Around A Bit!!

If you subscribe to Becky Fleck's PageMaps newsletter, you'll already have seen this card. My first for Becky, making me an official 'friend of PageMaps'. How cool is that???
Some of the details are lost in the smaller pic - but if you click on it to enlarge, you can see the ribbon detail & BG white rub ons - gotta say I love this card!!
Pop on over & visit her site to sign up for the newsletter, download current & past maps or just to drool over all the yummy stuff that this month's friends have provided. You'll find the card maps here.

Next up is March #1 card sketch for Di Hickman's weekly challenge. There's a new sketch every Wednesday, so if you aren't already taking part - why not make this the week that you join in. Di has recently added a few new features to her blog: Friday Freebies; Theme Thursdays and Tutorial Tuesdays as well as the sketches, loooooads of inspiration, reviews and more. There's a newsletter you can sign up for too!

Finally, last Saturday's Journaling Junkie challenge, set by 'Celeb' scrapper Janna Wilson to stash your journaling. This is my fave pic of DS1 (which he hates! LOL) taken when he was 17 - can you believe that was 5 YEARS AGO????
Loved doing this page & it's a mish mash of new & old: Lace cardstock that Auntie Jane brought back from the US on her last visit (I'm gonna have this in the webshop soon!), an odd sheet of BG that's about a million years old (probably 3 or 4! LOL), Fancy Pants Fashion Sense felt (currently 25% off!), Maya Road clear ribbon (luuuuurve the birds trend - I shall keep it going well after it's no longer de rigeur!) & a 'goth' stamp set I recently acquired. I outlined the solid gaps between the letters on the lace cardstock, it's subtle but makes it 'pop' I think! If you want to know about the hidden journaling, it's all here.

That's me done for today. I'm working on a few bits for online classes at MCC so I should have some more to share next week.

Go Me!!

Remember this shadow box I made a few weeks back for Journaling Junkie? Well ... I e-mailed the manufacturer, C&T Publishing, to thank them for providing the box (they sponsored JJ in February) & gave them the link in case they wanted to take a look. Anyway, I got this great e-mail a week later asking if they could use it on their website! Ummmmmm, let me think! LOL - so obviously I said yes & it should be up in about a week.
But the reason I've been sitting on this is that's not my big news. The big news is that C&T also asked if I'd be interested in taking a place on their DT. Just like that - I didn't apply for a place (there's no call out to my knowledge) - just do I want one????? It took me maybe 5 whole seconds to accept! LOL. I couldn't make the announcement until all the paperwork (non-disclosure etc) was complete & I'd been given the go ahead.
So that's it - my first manufacturer DT position, where I get to work with actual prototypes months before they are available in the US (& months more before they'll get here I guess! LOL) So I might not have much to share until late June - but I know you're gonna love it!

More fairy cards!

Just a few more cards that I've been making for DS4's nursery school to sell. I am determined to use up this entire paper pad so that I don't add any more to the scrap mountain! LOL
Once I have finished tho' I think it might be time to start on a few male cards. I know a lot of people find cards for men (& boys) a bit of a challenge - so I'm putting together a class over at MCC at the moment on just that subject: Cards for Dads & Lads. I should have previews for a whole bunch of my new classes online by the end of the week - I'll post a link when they are up!!

Possibly my last challenge for a while!

Just a quickie card that I made using the Sketch This Cards #43 sketch. I fear this may be my last challenge entry for a while cuz loooads of stuff is going on right now & I'm a bit swamped. In fact I'm struggling a wee bit! LOL.
My mum is on holiday for 3 weeks, which means I have NO childcare - so I'm playing SAHM for a few weeks.
The sale on the webstore is going great guns & I'm finding that I can't get it all online quick enough (we closed the retail store & are having a huge clearance for those that didn't already know). So as quick as I'm uploading it, we are selling out & I'm spending A LOT of time packing orders. I'm not complaining mind, just explaining why I might be AWOL from blogland for a while.
There's also my DT commitments - and right now that is all the creativity I'm managing to fit in. I'm soooooo grateful to be on these fabulous teams - & when it gets a bit manic (like right now! LOL) there's nothing like a deadline to build some crafting into my day.
I started supplying my cards to DS4's nursery school Tuesday last week and by friday, they were starting to ask for more. Happily the cards have been a bit of a hit & together we are raising some funds - it's great for the warm fuzzies that are sometimes missing from my day!! I managed to get together another 35 cards this weekend to top up their supplies on Monday ... not sure I could keep up that level of productivity for long! LOL. I'll share a few images in the next post.
I will still be creating & blogging - but maybe not much in the next few weeks. & I also need to apologise to everyone that has stopped by and left a comment. I do usually visit each and every one of those bloggers and leave a li'l reciprocol luuurve - but not this week. I hope you'll all keep visiting me & I promise I'll do my best to catch up with you all soon.
I'm also sitting on a couple of bit of exciting news (well I think it's exciting) & I'll be back to share that as soon as I'm allowed! LOL

Oooops! Nearly Missed a Challenge

I was just going through all the challenge sites, as I do every Saturday morning & I realised that I hadn't blogged these ones that I made earlier in the week. The first is my take on the Ismaki sketch #8 & the 'use ribbon' optional challenge. The second is Sketch This! Cards #42 - but I missed the deadline for that now! LOL. See, that is what happens when I break my routine and do the challenges early on! LOL. Lots more of those fairy papers here. The store has sold out now but I still have loads in my stash, so I think I'll be making lots more with them this week!