Easy to know ....

.... that I'm back in school - the house is in tatters, the laundry is backed-up and there's dust on the desk in the craftroom!!  I haven't yet managed to get up at my target time of 7am, keep lounging on 'till about 7.15/7.20 or so and then rushing around like a mad thing trying to get to school on time.  Sigh - even though it's Autumn and I love Autumn, I just hate September!!

Had a nice day on Saturday - I went to a crop and made this card:

 

Update 03/10/13 - Jen has picked this card as one of her favourites on Deconstructing Jen - thanks so much, Jen!

I used the sketch from this week's Deconstructed Sketch and I'm also entering this into the following challenges: Party Time Tuesdays (colour challenge) and Totally Gorjuss ("Stripes").  I used a stamp that my craft friend, Fiona, lent me - wrote the name down somewhere but I can't find it.  Here's a side shot of all the layers.

And here's something else I made.  We were staying in a relative's house down in Wexford at the end of August.  After such a beautiful summer, the hedgerows were groaning with ripe blackberries, so we picked loads and, combined with apples from our garden, I made blackberry and apple jam.  Here's some of the jars all prettied up and ready for gifting:

Recipe:

Papers: Crate Paper "Lemongrass"

Stamp: Will find out and add!

Punch: EK Success "Threading Water"

Other: Hairy string, crackle accents

Thanks for looking!

It doesn't seem ....

.... like a year since our little godson, Matthew, was born - but we attended his first birthday celebrations yesterday afternoon.  The birthday boy revelled in all the attention, smiling for the cameras, doing all his cutest performances and generally wowing all his admirers!!!

Our challenge on Sentimental Sundays this week is "Happy Birthday", so my card for Matthew is also my DT sample. 

This week's sponsor is:

Birdie Brown Store

Birdie Brown Challenge Blog

Donating: 3 digital images, winner's choice

Here's my card:

 

I'm entering the following challenges: Mo's Digital Challenge ("Goodbye Summer"), Card Crafters' Circle and Shopping our Stash ("For the Boys"), Daring Cardmakers ("Heavy Metal"), The Ribbon Girl ("Use numbers"), Party Time Tuesdays ("Anything Goes") and Make it Monday

I used a cute Mo Manning image that looks really like Matthew - the little chubby hands and cheeks, unruly hair and nappy sticking out the top of his trousers!!  Here's a close-up:

 

Recipe:

Papers: Fancy Pants "The Daily Grind"

Image: Mo Manning "Birthday Surprise Boy"

Colouring Medium: Distress Inks

Other: Ancient brads from stash, Fancy Pants ribbon, handmade number and letters

 

Thanks for looking!