nothing says Christmas like a bit of....pink?...

Good morning everyone did you have a fab Saturday...we went to the continental market but our lovely lady who sells all the olives and the lush smoked garlic had no garlic...OH NO!!!!!....but she said she is heading for the Belfast Christmas market this week which is a fabulous market at the front of the Town Hall so we will head there next weekend and get some and it gives us a chance to get some of the fabulous continental foods they sell there...we had hot roast boar sandwiches last year when we visited all washed down with mulled wine...so so lush....and of course I can get some Christmas shopping done while I'm there too...oooohhhh I forgot to tell you when I wasn't feeling good last Monday I made a monumental  decision (well for me anyway) after 40 years of smoking (my one vice) I gave up...I must admit it has been a massive struggling but I'm still going strong...I have been gobsmacked at how supportive everyone has been and how much they had encouraged me so much...I think it helps that Phil gave up a couple of years ago and he was part of my reason for giving up...I didn't smoke all day Monday because I wasn't well and put on a fluffy warm cardigan and took it straight off again because it smelt so badly of stale smoke and it suddenly hit me I must have smelt like to Phil all the time...yuck...poor bloke I don't know how he managed cuddling at all...I don't know if I will manage it but I am trying my best and so far haven't strayed at all (fingers crossed) and I must admit to being a bit chuffed with myself too lol...right now onto my card for today, I love this gorgeous Madison Attitude image from Kenny K she is such a perfect girlie image isn't she...I coloured her with distress inks and used some of the lush Kaisercraft - The Lake House 6.5"x6.5" Paper Pad from Bunny Zoe's Crafts I think its out of stock atm though...the love sentiment is from the same pad and I finished with a lush ribbon bow from my stash and a few little pearls...I'm entering this for the Totally Papercrafts challenge, Sweet Stampin challenge and the Totally Gorjuss challenge too...we are getting stuck into one of our spare rooms today, its about time it was done we have put everything off lately and its time to get on with them...well that's the plan anyway but you never know do you lol...whatever your up to today have a brilliant day and keep your fingers crossed for my giving up please

Mina xxx

distress ink colours used

skin - antique linen, frayed linen, tattered rose

hair - pumice stone

outfit - spun sugar, victorian velvet, shabby shutters

bags - victorian velvet, pumice stone, shabby shutters

boots - black soot

dance with joy...the house photos are below...

Good morning everyone how was your weekend, I hope it was brilliant...ours was full of running around, but that kind of running around when you don't really seem to get anything done, do you know what I mean...btw I posted the house photos below this post as I don't want to overload this with loads and loads of photos...I hope you like the house, we love it to bits...right now so you don't have too much to read I will get on with my card for today which is using this stunning digi from Mo's Digital Pencil ,well of course its from Mo, look at those faces...this beauty is called Cutting the Rug and as always I coloured them with distress inks, don't you think the rich colours of this stunning Carta Bella - Beautiful Moments 6x6 Paper Pad go so well with these two cuties, I bought this from Bunny Zoe's Crafts and the tags are cut from the same pad...all I needed to finish was a huge green bow and a rose corner cut from the pad too...I made the sketch up as I went along as I don't have enough time to follow a load of challenges like before, but I am entering it for the Fairy Tale Challenge and Totally Papercrafts challenge too, they are both song inspired and I chose Dance with Somebody by Whitney Houston...so shocking that she isn't with us anymore isn't it...I hope you enjoy the photos of the house as well as my card and I will try my best to get around blog hopping tonight but I'm not having much luck fighting the 'eyelids attached to my butt' syndrome atm, I fall asleep as soon as I sit down lol...whatever your up to today have a brilliant one everyone
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - girl - frayed burlap boy - antique linen
boys outfit - antique linen, pumice stone, frayed burlap
girls outfit - victorian velvet, pumice stone, black soot

drip, drip, drip...

Good morning everyone I hope your all well and have a fabulous weekend planned...ok now enough is enough, whoever is in charge of the great tap in the sky we have had enough turn the sprinkler off or I will need to get a lot of wood and nails to build a crafters ark...is it ever going to stop?????...I hope its not too bad where you are and your all safe...our beautiful Daughter is off to a fancy dress party tonight but I managed to wriggle out of making her costume this time at least, I didnt want a last second dash around like for the ringmaster outfit (do you remember that)m shes going to a wild west themed party as a saloon girl and wow does she look amazing in her costume...oh how I wish I could look that good but then again she has some of her Mothers genes lol...are you up to anything exciting this weekend? oh go on tell me we have nothing planned at all and I love a little nosey lol...right now onto my card for today how gorgeous is this little cutie from Mo's Digital Pencil shes called Carolina and I think she is so beautiful and those carrots are brilliant arent they...I coloured her with distress inks and teamed her up with some gorgeous papers from the My Mind's Eye - Honey Cake 6x6 Pad, lush arent they and I finished with some fabulous green seam binding, a sentiment and a beautiful Prima flower from the Prima Flowers Charlotte - Snow, I love this set...the fab sketch is from the Sweet Sketch Wednesday challenge and Im also entering it for the Totally Papercrafts challenge and the Chocolate, Coffee & Cards challenge too...Im off to get the war paint on just in case we decide to do something exciting or unexpected, well you never know do you...whatever your up to today I hope you stay dry and warm
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique line, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - frayed burlap
dungarees and flowers in hair - victorian velvet, spun sugar
carrotts - wild honey, spiced marmalade, bundled sage, shabby shutters
shading on basket and t-shirt - pumice stone

lil' Robots...

Good morning everyone how are you all...we had sunshine yesterday but why is it still so cold, surely all that sun and blue skies would warm the ground up a bit, well I'm sure there's an explanation why it doesn't but I cant figure it...apparently its the wettest April here since the early 1980's, cant be the warmest one either...Phil's first day went brilliantly, he loves it and says the people are so nice and really friendly but he got lost a couple of times wandering around...he was kinda surprised, but I had to bite my tongue to stop myself saying 'you cant find the car in a car park at the supermarket so how do you think you can find your way round on your first day'...its ok I stopped myself lol...well the stir fry was lush even if I do say so myself, but the cupcakes didn't get made as I had all the ingredients except icing sugar to make the frosting and cupcakes without frosting are like bread without butter, just cant be done I'm afraid...right now onto my card for today, isn't this little cutie just perfect for any of those boys cards we have to make now and again, I love that cheeky little face...hes from the Simply Sassy stamps from Funky Kits and is called No. 1 Fan and is coloured with distress inks, I coloured his hair a little differently and have just noticed while doing this post...its rubbish lol...I teamed him up with another craft show buy, this is a double sided My Minds Eye paper from the Lil' Robots and is called Multi Bots, isn't it brilliant and perfect for boy stamps, I have a serious addiction to papers don't I...I didn't want to cover the little bots on the paper so finished with a few buttons and the sentiment is cut from the name label...the lush sketch is from the Allsorts Challenge and I'm also entering it for the CES Challenge and Totally Papercrafts challenge too...I'm having a crafting catch day today and I'm so looking forward to colouring to my hearts content, well I was going to clear out some drawers but the call of the ink is too great lol...whatever your doing today have a good one
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair - frayed burlap, walnut stain
trousers - crushed olive
t shirt - stormy sky, shabby shutters, spiced marmalade
undershirt - spiced marmalade
shoes - frayed burlap

A little tale to tell...

Good morning everyone I hope your all well and have a fantastic weekend planned...a few of you have noticed over the last few months that I haven't quite been myself and have emailed to see if I'm ok...so I decided to tell you all about it, on Christmas week my lovely Phil was told the place he had worked at for the last ten years was closing down (yeah I know not the best Christmas present eh), there was nothing wrong with the work or even lack of it, their tax incentives were finished and they were closing it and moving to England...so from then on we were in a kinda limbo and as you can imagine very worried, his job finished at the beginning of March, that's the bad news...good news Phil started his new job yesterday...even better news its here with me in fact only 3 miles from where we live so no more commuting and living away from home...so excuse me, cover your ears quick but...wwwwwwwwwwwooooohhhhhhhhooooo my mans home for good...mind it may take a bit of time to get used to after all those years just pleasing ourselves....oh no I will have to start cooking again wont I, Phil is lovely but cereal for dinner isn't really his thing I think lol...over the last week or so we have been up and down to the beautiful farmhouse we so loving brought back to life to empty it, we thought it would be really sad and although we are a bit sad we wont ever be there again we are too happy at being together full time to let it upset us, mind our house looks a bit like an Ikea bring and buy sale atm, does anyone need some furniture?...so there's my tale, ok so why didn't I tell you all before?, well we all have problems in our lives don't we so I'm sure the last thing you needed was to hear more from me...right now onto my card for today which is using this fantastic Sugar Nellie stamp, this is the cute Dougal, I love him to bits don't you...hes one of the Home Grown Soft Centres stamps from Funky Kits...they are so so fab...I coloured him with distress inks and used some amazing paper from An ABC Primer collection, its called Alphabet Soup and the red edged images and alphabet strips are from the reverse...I finished with a scrunched up red bow (I haven't used one for a while so thought I needed the practice lol) and a couple of red star buttons...the fabulous sketch is from Tuesday Morning Sketches challenge and I'm also entering it for the Totally Papercrafts challenge and Stamptacular Sunday challenge...my fab Phil is dropping me off in Belfast this morning to pay a little trip to the craft show (if you see me say hello), he is a keeper isn't he...then hes off to the farmhouse for the last few bits and pieces before picking me up on the way back then we are off to Ikea (we are keeping Phils new wardrobe and we dont have any bedside cabinets to match, well thats how I convinced Phil a trip was needed anyway lol)...and out for our dinner on the way home, phew I'm tired just thinking about it lol...whatever your up to today have a fantastic one and don't forget to pop by tomorrow for my followers candy
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
antique linen, frayed burlap, walnit stain
pumice stone for ground shading

has Spring arrived?...

Good morning everyone, is it just me or is it getting a little bit warmer?...oooohhhh I do hope so, I'm officially fed up with the cold miserable weather now aren't you...I was tidying up my computer yesterday and came across some holiday photos and that made me think of warm days and beautiful clear nights...I did my work yesterday, yes I managed to get past the eyelid/bum situation finally and had a fantastic day just crafting and drinking tea...mind my head was sore last night and my eyes were feeling a bit worse for wear too...but it was worth it, I really enjoyed myself...I also watched a few back episodes of Family Guy last night and chuckled away to myself, isn't it strange how daft we feel laughing out loud when we are all alone and its so quiet lol...right now onto my card for today which is for the digi teams new challenge at Crafts and Me challenges, its my choice of theme this time and I chose Shades of Spring so any spring like colours at all and don't forget you don't need to use a Crafts and Me image for the challenge either, I used one of the beautiful new digis from Crafts and Me called A Princess is Born, isn't it gorgeous...I coloured this beauty and her Princess with distress inks and used more of the stunning Prima 6x6 Madeline paper pad, I'm totally addicted to this pad and it seems to be lasting ages because there are so many papers in it, I added a lush soft pink ribbon and bow and some butterflies punched with my Martha Stewart punch, I also cut one of the butterflies from the paper too...I also added a stamped sentiment...the lush sketch is from The Sweet Stop challenge and I'm also entering it for the Fairy Tale Challenge and Totally Papercrafts challenge too...If it stays nice today I may just take myself into Town for a little wander round, although maybe I shouldn't have said that as it will probably rain now lol...whatever your up to today have a dry one
Mina xxx

distress ink colours used
skin - antique linen, frayed burlap, tattered rose
hair adult - walnut stain
princess - antique linen
dress adult - shabby shutters, tumbled glass
princess - victorian velvet, tumbled glass
cushions - antique linen, tumbled glass

ooooohhhhh for a set of wings...

Good morning everyone have you anything exciting happening this weekend?, we are just waiting for the predicted cold spell to hit us here so haven't decided what we are up too...we might head out or just stay snuggled in the warm, it all depends on how cold it gets...I went for put the world to rights coffee with my lovely Dad yesterday, I missed our chats about world affairs and whats needed to sort them out...I don't know what it is but the rain here seems to wait for me to step out of the house...it was a lovely day all day yesterday until I set foot out then the heavens opened and the wind picked up to the extent it blew my umbrella inside out twice, its hard enough when your on your own doing the 'turn the upside down brolly right side in' dance but when your trying to hold it over your Dads head too its worse and he kept looking at me with the 'what you doing' expression on his face lol...but we had coffee, cake and loads of chatting, I love those afternoons with my Dad they are so precious...hes back to my Sisters today so I wont see him again for another week I think...right now onto my card for today, this amazing image is another freebie from Victoria Case on Facebook....oooohhhhh don't you just love a freebie...I coloured this stunning angel with distress inks and used some of the Basicgrey Cappella 6x6 paper pad for her, the softness suits her I think dont you, those wings are amazing...because the paper is so beautiful I didn't add a lot to my card except a lush cream satin ribbon and bow and a couple of the stunning pins that Lee (Crafty Loops) makes, she sent me these as a gift for doing her a favour...thanks Lee they are so gorgeous...the fab sketch is from CLP challenge and I'm also entering it for the