DCM bead dare and Caardvarks micro challenge

Needed to make a wedding card, so had a go with this week's DCM challenge of using beads and Caardvarks micro challenge of using a number.

Ingredients: PP by Anna Griffin and TLC, Rhonna Farrer stamps, TLC chipboard, pearly beads, chiffon ribbon, Porcelain font.

Presenting... the Magness family

We've had some lovely visitors bearing lovely gifts! We're so thankful to God for the way he has looked after us these last few days! Though I'd share this pic...

Made a birthday card for a friend last night, so I'm itching to do some more! Making a tiara for a family friend who gets married in two weeks! So need to get that finished!

Nehemiah 3:7

Well, after much searching and deliberation... we've found a name!

We have to admit being a bit stuck for boys names as we've already had two! Ben was our top favourite, but somehow didn't seem quite right. Then, this morning, whilst tralling internet baby name sites we found Jadon, and it fits! He looks like a Jadon, it sounds good with Magness and the meaning is wonderful... God's beloved/friend or grateful, and is found in Nehemiah 3v7 as one of the rebuilders of the Temple. So the official name is Jadon Graham Ben Magness, Graham after my father and Ben as it was still a favourite, not least with Luke! Phew!

And now some pics!

It's a baby boy!

Yay... Praise the Lord!

19.06.07
4.20 am (GMT)
9lb
90min labour

Name to be confirmed!





Ingredients: Tom and Ruth and God

Gory details to follow!

No sign of baby yet...

... and I'm still waiting...

Braxton's are getting tighter and a little bit more painful. Trying to think of all the little jobs that would be nice to get done...

I know the kitchen cupboards need a clean, and the bathroom too... also have a tiara and hairclips to make. Maybe once they're done baby will decide to arrive...

Trying to take Arnica regularly to keep me calm. And so enjoying eating lots of chocolate biscuits!

Will let you know if anything happens...

Caardvarks MIX IT challenge

The challenge was to use 3 papers from 3 different manufacturers. This is a card for my dad for Father's day.

I've used his initials and added extra dimension by cutting into the floral paper and putting pads behind the petals to lift them up more. Also used really delicate leaf punchies to create more interest coming from the hydrangea flower.


Ingredients: PP by Basic Grey, TLC and HOTP, flower by Prima, Hemp string, vintage button, Leone Em leaf punch and hand doodled faux stitching.

Bump due today!

Well.... I'm still waiting!

Thought this baby might have come early, but not so. With all the Chicken Pox goings on its been a real blessing not having this one arrive yet. God has such perfect timing!

Thought I'd share this pic. Never had profesional pics taken before. We had a photographer come to our breastfeeding group and this was mine and his favourite. He even wants to put it on his website!

DCM Celestial and the pox!

Poor Luke is covered with chicken pox, he's been really good so far, not picking at it too much... dread what he'll be like when the scabs really start arriving!


Had a go at the latest DCM challenge. Found a great "star" dingbat font called 90 stars BRK. Printed the verse and some stars onto acetate.

Ingredients: PP scraps from stash, Stamps by Rhonna Farrer, eyelets, angel hair, and wired fibre.

Wednesday Stamper and paper Squares challenge

I was very happy when I saw this weeks Wednesday Stamper challenge of flowers, it's one of those themes I find easy as I have so many floral things in my craft stash. Thought I'd combine it with the current sketch on Paper Squares.



Ingredients: PP by Basic Grey, Stamps by Anna Griffin and Rubber Stamp Tapestry, flowers by Prima and chalks from stash.

Couldn't resist getting Ethan to pick daisies from my neighbour's garden, we took them round to her, as technically they do belong to her!!!

Had a play with a digi layout... not done it for ages!

Ingredients: PP by The Shabby Shoppe, Daisies by Cheryl Barber from Scrap Girls, chalk effect from Corel Photo Paint.

Comissioned mini album... Bon Voyage

These are the pics of the recent mini album... using LUSH Basic Grey papers!

Fold out...

Other side of fold out...

Ingredients: PP by Basic Grey, CS by Bazzil, Bookplates and Lettering by Quickutz, flowers by Prima, ribbon, butterfly and dragon punches and stamps by Rhonna Farrer.

CPS and Sketch this cards

Managed to squeeze in some card making.

Luke has the pox now... so has done mostly watching videos and playing Xbox today - looking very spotty.

Had a lovely morning catching up with a friend who is also heavily pregnant. She bought a bunch of flowers and yummy cakes to have with our tea!

Here are the cards... for CPS challenge got a belated card for Tom's uncle done, used fab new Basic Grey paper pad....drool. Funny how I have a whole pad of paper, but was still so frugal!!!

Ingredients: PP by Basic Grey, repro vintage cigarette card, stamp by Anna Griffin.

And with the Sketch This sketch I made a long overdue baby card... I not that happy with the colours, I love the chiffon bow on the button though!


Ingredients: PP by anna Griffin, Prima flowers, vintage button, ribbon from stash. Stamp by Heidi Swapp.

A Not So Sticky Challenge from DCM

What a fab midweek dare by DCM. I love being challenged in this way, it makes you push the design techniques.

Used the dare to make a wedding card for a young couple.

The PP is attached on one side with brads, then on the other with ribbon lacing.


Ingredients: PP by Basic Grey, Fiskars scallop scissors - 2 sizes, ribbon, Quickutz letters, MM setter and hand stitching.

Made this late birthday card for my mum with the scraps...

Ingredients: PP by Basic Grey, Fiskars scallop scissors, ribbon flowers by Prima, button, Quickutz bookplate, Rhonna Farrer stamp and hand doodling.

Will post pics of the mini album from which most of the above scraps came from once I've taken pics!

DCM, I can see clearly now...

Well everyone... life has been busy in my household. baby not here yet, but been trying to get through my list of jobs before he/she arrives. Like... making tiaras for friends, a mini album comission, buying bits for the birth, tidying the house even though I haven't had the nesting instinct yet as well as doing normal housy stuff!

Had a fabulous weekend, I went with a friend to the Hay on Wye literary festival to hear comic writer Neil Gaiman talk about his adult fairytale story Stardust that has been recently made into a film. It's not quite finished, but he was able to show us about half an hour of clips. There's quite a star cast including, Peter O Toole, Michele Pfeiffer, Rupert Everett, Ricki Jervais, Robert DeNiro and Claire Danes. He came across as being very amicable and was very gracious when someone asked a slightly uneducated question. We then had opportunity to get something signed by him, and I asked him to draw a self portrait in the sketch book that Tom keeps about our family life - will post a pic when I get the camera back! When I got back from that our friend was in the garden creating a boarded off playarea for the children... again pics soon...

So card making has been on the backburner. Thought I'd do one tonight but DH has left digi camera at work... so I'm afraid I'm going to cheat and use one "I made earlier" - although I don't think you've seen it yet.

I made using this freebie I created a while back, which I am happy for people to save and use themselves.

Ingredients: PP unknown, polka ribbon, my circle wordings printed on acetate, flowers from local source, vintage button and twine, stamp by Clever Cut.