Race For Life - Team Happy Feet

Just thought I'd share with you some of our photos from this years race.  We had a super day in lovely weather conditions and all managed to run the full 5K.  Jx

Cats R Best

The latest challenge over at As You Like It is pick your favourite animal and say why - clearly I couldn't sit this one out and clearly there is one obvious choice - well in my case anyway!

Cats win hands down, they are loving and cuddly, cute and funny, loyal when they want to be and easy to look after/co-exist with!

Currently I have two cats, Femo a 6 year old female and Merlot a 2 year old male.  Love them to bits and could never be without a feline companion...or two!

Anyway back to the challenge and my card,

It uses a Sami stamp, two sided papers and some die cuts.

Challenges;
As You Like It - Favourite animal - CATS - see above!
City Crafters - Balloons
Crafty Sentiments - Birthdays
Lemon Shortbread - Anything goes
Passion for Prpmarkers - Digital
ShowUsYour Pussies - Furrything goes
Sami Stamps - Add pearls or beads - pearls on hearts
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Jx

And finally just so there is no doubt, this is why I like cats best...

 Meet Merlot

 My one eyed cat!

 Here as a kitten before his op!

& my senior lady, Femo

Love ya lots Merlot & Femo xxx

Pearls & Lace

Morning all and welcome to the latest challenge over at Ooh La La - chosen by Avril and it's

Pearls & Lace

A lovely feminine theme and perfect for the decoration of the card I made to celebrate my son's, girlfriend's 21st!

So, in a change from the norm, I did not use an Ooh La La image, instead I used a family photo then co-ordinated it with papers off 2 Ooh La La CD's. ( The Shawn Jenkins Collection and The Paula Oakley Collection to be precise available here.)

I love making cards using old photos, but it can often be the hardest bit getting papers to match, that's why it was so handy having so many CD's to hand.

My card also encorporates lots of die cuts for the embellishments and obviously the compulsary pearls and lace.  Then to finish off the birthday set, I made a little gift bag to hold a Nomination charm.(Tutorial Link Here)

So that was my take, the DT ladies have some beauties on the main blog page so do check them out too.

Challenges;
Crafty Girls Creations - Anything Goes
Creative Moments - Anything Goes
Fab n Funky - Die cuts and/or punches - die cuts
Papertake - Anything Goes
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes
Creative Craft Cottage - Challenge 51 - Anything Goes
The Ribbon Girls - Nov - Anything Goes - with lace

...and just for completeness, here is a photo of the birthday girl at her 21st party;

Alan's Scrapbook

Once Upon A Time...

Baby Days

Brothers

Sun, Sand & ...Snow!

School Days

Happy Days

Sports Man

Action Man, Birthdays & Christmas

Dressing Up

Happy Holidays

So that was my bit, then it's over to Alan's girlfriend who was going to complete the book with pages from school & Uni. Jx

Happy 21st Birthday Alan

Today's post is all about Alan, our first son, born on the evening of 27/10/1994, and today he turns 21 and we are off out for an Indian meal with him tonight along with Colin, Christy & Chloe - so more photos of that later.

First, a pic of action man on a card, this time play surfing at Banff beach.

and next, 3 studio pics of him at the milestones of 3, 6 and 12 months.

Sorry picture quality isn't the best - it's photos of photos - never the best!  Later this week, I'll share some more pics with you as I upload scrapbook/photo album pages I laid out for him.

Happy Easter

No card to share with you today, but rather some news and a photo!

First off, Happy Easter everyone, hope you all have a lovely weekend, and that the sun is shining where ever you are.

And now for my photo - obviously it's several years old now, but it just brings a smile to my face every time I see it!

This is Colin & Alan one Easter Sunday...

Both boys would have left the house, with little baskets in search of eggs left by Easter bunny - clearly big brother found the majority and little Colin was not pleased!!! Look at his face - brilliant!

Obviously both boys got the same amount of eggs despite Alan finding more - but Colin didn't know that as the photo was taken!

Anyway that's the photo - now for the news..

As you all know I'm now on the Ooh La La DT and it is from there my news originates.  There is a new CD launching from Ooh La La next week, and it will be featured on Create & Craft by Kathryn Sturrock on Tues 7th April at 2pm.

Now you can see samples of cards we've already made over on the Ooh La La blog and I have to say it's a really lovely CD.  If you want you can pre-order it here or if you prefer to wait till the C&C launch make a note to be seated at the telly on Tues at 2pm!  I know I will be as the CD is just brilliant!

So, that's my news for the day.  Hope you are all well and enjoying the holiday weekend. Jx

Happy BIG Birthday Liz!!!

What am I like, no cards in over a week then 2 in the same day!  There is however a reason for such over production, it's my sis's birthday today...

Happy Birthday Liz!

Hope you love being on my blog - I know the girls will love seeing you here, he he he! And I also hope you have a really lovely Birthday!

And for the ones that know me well, you will have therefore concluded that it is in fact also my birthday as we are twins!

So, my card for Liz - uses a family photo lots of dies and a special 50th ribbon - in case that had gone un-noticed!  You actually are lucky to see this card, as it was handed over before I remembered to photograph it, however John cane to the rescue and took me a quick snap - that's why the photo isn't to the usual high standard!!! Lol!

Finally, another old photo taken on a disposable camera, massively over exposed, but of such a happy day out!  Before either of us had kids, we took the ferry and went on a day trip cycling round Millport (Isle on the West coast of Scotland).  We had such a laugh that day, it was really sunny but also really windy and we giggled and carried on the whole time then arrived home rather red and rather sun burned - but it was still a great day out!  Thought Liz would like to see this one too to bring back some memories. (...of the bus!)

I'll need to raid my parents photo albums for more childhood photos tomorrow, so if you pop back at the weekend hopefully I'll have a few more photos of us up loaded by then. 

And in case any of you are wondering who's who...I'm the more active child in all the pics, poor Liz just had to put up with me - still does!!! Jx

Happy 50th Birthday

Hi everyone, hope you are all cosy and crafty - I have been and am just posting this card before I head out for a spot of babysitting.  Not that my nieces are babies any more, but I'm looking after them while their Mum & Dad are on a night out. So look out for more crafty projects from them next week!

Back to today's card now and it's a special one for a close friend who is having a big birthday this coming week.  I do so love including an old photo on my card instead of a stamped image - it makes for a more personal and individual card.

Old photo's can however be quite hard to source when it's not a family member, but with much pleading and pestering I usually get there!

Once I had my image, my next problem was to get papers to match, I went through my numerous pads & sheets, but nothing suitable, the photo was quite pale and my blod papers tended to swamp the image.  Then I thought of my Ooh La La CD and it came up trumps - loads of pastel/neutral sheets to pick from!  Finally, my card has Magnolia cut flowers, a ribbon from the Papeterie, pearls and is easel style to accomodate a larger sentiment.

Femo checking it out!

Challenges;
Ooh La La - More than one fold
A Creative Romance - Something Old - Old photo
Wags & Whiskers - Add some leaves
CCEE Stampers - Photo or photography
Crafters Cafe - Anything Goes
Crafting For All Seasons - Birthdays
Papertake - So girly
Crafty Catz - Winter theme - Dressed up for winter - she was actually sat on Santa's knee in the photo till I cropped it!
The Kraft Journal - thought I'd give you a mention as it was your sketch I followed, but sadly I didn't use kraft cause in the end the image suited grey better. (But I loved your sketch!) Didn't enter challenge!

Birthday Girl

The other week, I was delighted to read that Funky Kits and All Dressed Up had teamed up to bring us more gorgeous stamps.  I've been a big fan of Sugar Nellie for several years, & I also now have a few lovely Dressie images - although they haven't all seen my Promarkers - yet.

The image used today however jumped to the top of the pile as she is the current freebie and is the one required for the current challenge.  Not that that was a problem - she's lovely and has made a perfect girly birthday card - perfect for little nieces I'd say!

If you like her - grab her now from here - the challenge is almost over and I don't know how long she'll still be availabe without charge!

Challenges;
All Dressed Up - Birthday Girl
Sketchtanten - Another lovely sketch
Come & Get It - For a Child
Dragonfly Dreams - Mainly Pink
4 Krafty Girlz - Anything Goes

Finally - Merlot...he's doing fine post op, back outside and just getting on with things!

My Guy!

It's been a few days since I last updated you on Merlot's progress.  Some of these have been good days, others not so.  But we made the desision yesterday to start letting him outside again as he was just so low being stuck in, and it has certainly had the desired effect, my guy is much happier now, the spring to his step has returned and so to has his purr!

On the down side though, the Aberdeen vet thinks he has a jaw fracture and wants to repair that which may involve taping his mouth shut for two weeks and him being tube fed, and the final blow was when they said they'd just remove his eye while they were at it!  ME THINKS NOT!

All of the above may eventually come to pass, but I do think Merlot has improved loads without surgical intervention and I'd like to see how far his recovery will reach before making drastic decisions...watch this space! Jx

Merlot

No card today, but instead a progress report on Merlot - yup that gorgeous kitten I showed you the other week beside the mouse.

Unfortunately he was badly injured on Wednesday and had to be rushed to the vet.  Still don't know if he was hit by a vehicle or attacked by an animal, but his injuries were extensive - to horrid to share.

Anyway he was in the vets till Fri and as he was managing to eat they let him home.  He has to go back this coming week to be assessed.

He has nasty facial injuries, a horrendous eye and a squint jaw.  He now goes about dribbling and with his tongue out so goodness knows what's wrong.  Hopefully as the swelling goes down some of the above will correct, just have to wait and see.  Our main concern however is his left eye, it is considerably calmer, but unfortunately he hasn't seen through it since the accident and it's not looking as it should.  Fingers crossed my little kitten makes a full recovery.  Rest is a great healer and he's getting plenty of that along with much love.
Jx

"P" for...

For those of you who have visited my blog earlier today, looking for my MAWTT card apologies! Let's start a fresh with the post as it should have gone out in an ideal world!

Today Moving Along With The Times celebrates it's 5th Birthday, so as well as having a challenge we are also having a blog hop with loads of great prizes up for grabs.

Firstly our challenge theme;

Birthdays Buttons & Bows

And if you make us a card you could win a fabulous prize from one of our great sponsors who are listed on the main blog.  The DT have also tried to use sponsor items where possible, so I am show casing the fabulous Ooh La La Creations and files from their new "Say it With Words" CD.

My card is made using items from the Time Spent With Cats folder - which I just love!

Ribbon, buttons pearls & punches are from my my cluttered desk!

Now for those of you following the blog hop as well, you'll know by now you are collecting letters - my letter is

 P for Promarkers

so can you guess my prize?

Yup its a fantastic set of the new limited edition Summer Pens - 12 Promarkers + Blender.

Now you should have come here from Wendy and after me head over to Debs , if you get lost along the way, head back to our main MAWTT page.  There you'll also find all the rules and what to do with the blog hop word/phrase you have made.

Finally, for those here earlier - the shower room is now done - and looking rather nifty too! Jx

Challenges;
Delightful Challenges - Seize the daisies - Yellow/white/flowers
Southern Girls - Punches & Die Cuts - Punched border, die cut banner
Little Red Wagon - Animal - cats
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Fantastic Tuesday - Anything Goes
Party Time Tuesday - Anything Goes
Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Layers
Cutie Pies - Cute & Girls