Just Magnolia & A Bit Distressed :)

How sweet does she look.

Now I know that these are not my usual colours and there are also one or 2 other differences today.

I was absolutely chuffed as chuffed could ever be when I was picked to be a GDT girlie for Just Magnolia. I LOVE that challenge and it's the one I always try to do, no matter how busy I am.

Plus there are quite a few of my blog buds on th team, most of who I will be meeting up with tommorow (more of that later!!)

So this week, and my first challenge for JM, is Distressing. Well can you imagine my face when I saw it. I was indeed distressed cos I am so useless at it, I really am, and you know what it's like when you want to make a super special card for your first go on a new team.

But I needn't have worried cos there is a brilliant tutorial by the talented sweetie that is Chris Dark xxx

So here's what I did.

Tilda was coloured with PMs and there is a bit of bling in there as well.
You can get a great range of Magnolia stamps over at Dies To Die For, as well as loads of other fab stuff

Now, shock horror, there is not a scrap of digi paper on here.
Instead, I delved into the mountainous pile that is the DP I've acumulated over the years but cannot bear to cut and I found these K & Co papers. They are so soft and pretty so I thought I'd use them.

I used my scissors and Ancient Page inks to distress, and you know what? I kind of like how it turned out and I actually enjoyed it.

It's quite therapeutic in a weird way so maybe there is a destructive streak in me after all lol xxx

The gorgeous lace is a piece I've had for ages and never used. It might have come from Hobbycraft, but I wouldn't swear to it.


I've had these flowers a while and cannot remember where I got them. I'd used them on an AFA card I did recently and hadn't got round to putting them away (ohh lazy mare) so they came in handy again.

So there ya go. That's me and my distressing for you :)x
It is a bit different from my usual stuff but I am not at all unhappy with the way it turned out.

So tomorrow is the biggie at the NEC. I cannot wait, I simply can't. Not only is it stash nirvana, but there are going to be so many fab chicksters there like Bev, Marcea, Jacquie, Tab, Kim etc etc who I am hoping to meet up with, plus I'll get to catch up with Dulcie, Marlene and Caz again. So the camera batteries are getting charged, all ready to go.

My Nikkie is coming with me as she always does, bless her, even though she probably hates it, but she doesn't like the thought of me wandering about by myself. We usually drive but this year we are letting the train take the strain. I am such a sloooooow driver and a terrible passenger that I usually end up stressed before I've even started, so this year it will be much better.

Plus we might be able to sample a glass of the mulled wine that we could smell last year but didn't dare try lol xx

Have a fab weekend and I'll see you Sunday with hopefully lots of NEC piccies.

Hugs xxxx

What A Palaver xxx

Yes, this cutie has given me a headache!!

I started this card on Sunday and I have faffed about and mithered with it until I am fed up of looking at it. Still I am not happy with it, but I thought I'd share it all the same.

It started out with good intentions and I decided to combine the Secret Crafter Saturday Challenge which is masking with the Sketch Saturday Challenge which is .... a sketch!, and a gorgeous one at that - thank you Ria xxx

So I used PP and K & Co paper. I have the most ginormous stack of K & Co paper and just can't bring myself to use it, and this has to stop quite frankly cos it is sitting there like Piffy just gathering dust!!

I coloured it with my usual partners in crime and sparkled it up a tad, as is my wont.

I punched some flowers and added little pearls and used an odd bit of lace I found

I doodled.

And it has taken me 2 days to move this and shift that and generally muck about with it and nothing I did felt quite right.

When I first laid it all out I liked it, but I wouldn't leave well alone would I!!


So consequently, by 6pm tonight, I was sorely tempted to shove that log somewhere the sun don't shine, followed swiftly by the Easter egg!!!!

Poor poor Tilda - it is not her fault xxx

Anyway, I did try, but I'm not totally fussed with the result to be honest.
But not to worry. Tis only card at the end of the day (oooh, sacre bleu and wash my mouth out!!!). Do ya think we can get a bit hung up on everything being totally perfect all the time?

So I'll try again tomorrow.

So on that note, I'm off up the wooden hills. I'm having a bit of a change tonight. No Options hot choc for me, cos I had a cherry scone before (comfort eating re that ruddy card no doubtt!!) and it's left me feeling a bit rebellious. So I am going to go mad, throw caution to the wind and have Horlicks instead - I really do know how to live (but obviously not how to diet).

See ya tomorrow with another cardy offering - hopefully one I like this time.

Tara for now xxxxxx

Paper Take Weekly Challenge - A Stitch In Time xx

FirstlyI would like to thank Steph for giving me the opportunity to join the fabulously awesome PWT design Team xxxx. I am sooo chuffed peeps, I cannot tell you xxxx And thank you to the other DT girls for making me feel welcome xxxx I do appreciate it, being the new girl and all that!!!

So onto this weeks challenge, which is a stitch in time, which is simply to use stitching on your project! It can be real or faux!

I've gone for faux seeing as my sewing machine is somewhere in the depths of my spare room and I would need a search party worthy of the SAS to find it!!! Some of these are hand drawn and some are rub ons.

I'm sure if you look carefully you will be able to tell which is which lol xxxx

Just for a change, I have used my MSBP (yes, it is a bit sad when I am down to abbreviations, safe in the knowledge that you will know what I am talking about!!). The papers are all K & Co, as is the flower which is from a press out book (it's just fabulous!!). The little brad is Poppicrafts with a bit of bling stuck on the top, the sentiment is from the PP Tiny Tags set and the ribbon is from my stash. Don't forget to check out the rest of the DT 's work cos it is uber fabbytastic.

I hope you are all having a fab bank holiday btw and hope the weather is better for you than us - grey and horrible here.

Finally Mich at Poppicrafts is having a monster sale - 15% off this weekend - so pop over there and check it out.
TFS xxxx