Yessssssssss ....

.... holidays are here at last!!!!  I am so happy - and relieved, it's been a very, very busy year.  Nine weeks of sloth and hibernation ahead.  Yippee!

The last of this week's rush cards was for my son's teacher - here's what I made for her:

I used this week's sketch from Mojo Monday, and I'm also entering it into Mo's Digital Challenge ("Book or Story" - mine is a school reader called "10 Red Apples") and Creative Inspirations ("Summer").

Thanks to my friend Anne for the fab seam binding - Anne, it is lovely stuff to work with and very crumpleable!! 

I used this gorgeous new Mo Manning image - isn't he such a cute little fella with the plaster on his elbow.  Here's a close up:

Recipe:

Papers: October Afternoon "Thrift Shop"

Image: Mo Manning "For Teacher"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Seam binding, flower stamps and red e.p., Hero Arts smooth gems, needle + thread

Am off to bed now and will have a massive sleep-in in the morning - woohoo!!  I love holidays!

Thanks for looking!

On a roll ....

.... or is that a rollercoaster?!!!  Second last day, my desk in work is almost clear and only three hours to go tomorrow!  To compound the madness, one my son's friends had a birthday party today - so I made a quickish card last night.  He's the first of the gang to hit double figures, here's what I made:

Recipe:

Papers: Basic Grey "Archaic"

Other: Archaic stickers, Thickers lettering, needle + thread

I'm entering this into Basic Grey Challenges ("Stitching"), Crafty Cardmakers ("Spots and Stripes" - you have to look closely, but the dinosaurs spikes are stripey!  I think BG meant the round "spots" to be rocks, but I think they could also be dinosaur poo!!) and CES Challenges ("Anything but Square").

Thanks for looking!

The end ....

.... is nigh!!  End of school year, that is.  One and a half days to go, woohoo, then two months of sleep-ins, late breakfasts, even later lunches, and lots of time for crafting!!

I was delighted recently when Timi and Nicole from Crafting Ireland Magazine asked me if I would like to be showcased in the Designer Spotlight section in the second issue of their online mag.  I didn't have to be asked twice!!  So the issue went live yesterday, and I'm so excited to see my work "in print"!!!

On the current craft front, I'm still trying to struggle through the school housekeeper's card orders before we close, here's the next one:

I used the sketch from this week's Sunday Sketch and Stamp, and I'm entering this into The Shabby Tea Room ("My Favourite Things" - I love these papers and love making my own chipboard embellishments) and The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge ("Embossing").

Here's a side view of the layers - I love that embossing folder:

Recipe:

Papers: Cosmo Cricket "Circa 1934

Image: Mo Manning "The Tramp"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Cuttlebug "Tiny Bubbles" embossing folder, needle + thread

Thanks for looking!

Bonjour/Guten Tag ....

.... hello, c'est moi - I'm back, even though you didn't know I was gone!!  Not for long, actually, we were away for four days/three nights the weekend before last, camping in Switzerland at a Mini event.  And it has taken more than a week to recover!!  We had a marvellous time, I've always wanted to go to Switzerland and even so, it surpassed all my expectations.  Look at this for a campsite:

We had such a good time, got very little sleep, and then back to the madness that is the last few weeks of school before the summer holidays (1 week and counting!). 

The housekeeper in school ordered some cards quite some time ago, but kindly gave me a long lead-in - the first is due next week and here's what I made for her son's 40th:

Used the same 4 and 0 font as for my brother's birthday a while back - and broke out the BG "Oliver" papers - I've just realised I've been cheated, my 6" x 6" Oliver pad actually measures 6" x 5.75"!!!  I'm entering this into Stamp Something challenge - "Pretty Papers".

Thanks for looking!

Here's my new baby ....

.... collected it from the bicycle shop today!!!

Isn't it pretty?!!  I love the basket, and the big springy saddle - very comfy, like cycling an armchair!!  I am hopefully going to start cycling to school next week with my kamikaze son, he'll have to slow down to keep pace with me - this bike has two speeds: slow and stately!!!

Have done no crafting at all in the last two weeks - work is crazy busy - and I realised to my horror today that we have three weeks left, not four as I thought.  Eeeek - how will I get it all done?

Thanks for looking!

It's a beautiful day ....

.... here in Dublin.  I was at school and didn't even realise the sun was out until I stepped outside the door at going-home time.  Aaaaaggghh - the glare - had to grab the sunglasses quickly!!!  And now here I am at home sitting inside at the computer!!!

But only because it's Thursday, PaperPlay day.  Our sponsor this week is Simon Says Stamp and they're giving the winner a $15 store voucher.

(Please note: This is a voucher code that entitles the winner to a $15 saving off their order in Simon Says Stamp,  P+P charges will still apply unless the conditions are met to earn free P+P,  please check here if you would like to see these conditions)

This week's challenge is very appropriate - "Summer Citrus Splash", use greens, yellows and oranges.  I have been making a series of quick and clean/simple (for me!) cards and the first of them is my DT entry.  Here's what I did:

I'm entering these into the following challenges: Cute Card Thursday ("Embellish It"), Truly Scrumptious ("Summer Sparkle"), Stamp with Fun ("In the Garden"), A Spoon Full of Sugar ("Flower Power") and The Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge ("Clean and Simple").

I've coloured the images with distress inks, used rub-ons for the sentiment on the thank you card and printed the sentiment directly onto the congrats card.  I popped the images up over the ribbon for dimension and added rock candy stickles on the centre of one flower and glossy accents on the other (don't think it shows in the pics, though).  Here's a close-up - and you can see that I took the photos on different days, the light is so different!!

Recipe:

Papers: Cosmo Cricket "Togetherness" and October Afternoon "Thrift Shop"

Images: Hero Arts "Peeking Posies" set

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Making Memories alpha rub-ons, gingham ribbon from stash, East of India hearts ribbon, needle + thread.

Thanks for looking - I think I might just have to go out to the garden now!  Happy bank holiday weekend to all my fellow Irish crafters!!!