Wednesday 31 October 2012

It's time again

Hello dear friends and followers. How glad I am to see you all back again. Feeling a little tired after my weekend at my brothers. But it was so good to get way from home after a long week with hospital visits, sick kids, employment office etc. Now we have a new week that is busy in another way. My oldest is turning 6 on Sunday, so it's party time and this will be my last week with sugar for quite some time. I will now try to eat better and live better to get my joints and rest of my body to feel better. I feel this will be the challenge of my life, but I thought sharing it will make it a little easier.

Hopefully doing this I will lose the weight I have gain when I have not been able to move and take pills that put weight on when you go on them, and then the same when you go off them... Oh well. Have not taken a painkiller in 6 weeks or so and finally start to stabilize a little more. Just a little more pain without than with the pills, and I already feel a lot hmmm cleaner in my body. I can't put it in any other way. I don't feel foggy anymore that mist is gone. Now time to kill everything that likes sugar in my body. I will do this in small steps and don't throw myself out like a maniac, step by step is my way. Keep your fingers crossed as two more doctors want to do surgery on my foot at this moment. I don't!

Ok, got carried away again. I hope you know you don't have to read everything I write here. I just feels good to let everything out somewere, and this place is as good as any other. LoL But I do have a card to show you as well. Nice, right?


This one is showing the image called Tango. Isn't she just lovely? I needed a break from Christmas for a while and thought I could do a card without red for a change. Yeah, right! What colours do I go for? That's right, black and red. Oh well, not Christmas at least. The designer paper is from Dovecraft and I have had it for while and didn't got to use it. As always I am hording for worse times, whenever that will come. I like having my pads and bits and bobs around. But even for me it's starting to get a little too much. LoL

Back to my poor card. She is coloured with my Letraset family in warm greys and reds. I made some flowers for the first time in very long, I have lost the grip when it comes to that. Tried making some old fashion roses, disaster. Have to take my scrapbox and cut tons up and work on that fingering again. These rolly things ok, but the others. Some swirly die from Doohickey/Magnolia is used as well as a leaf branch. Pearls from Bunny Zoes and some silver stickles on top of the flowers in the end.


As always when we have a challenge from the Paper Shelter going and this weeks popular theme is Anything goes we are sponsored by the Paper Shelter with a gift voucher worth $30 if you play with a TPS image. Playing with another brand gives you the chance of winning three digis of your choice. I hope you will come and join us in our fun this week.

Sorry, this post got a little long, I am really trying to keep things short but every now and then I have a minor setback. LoL

Love n hugs
Marie

Challenges for this card
Make it Monday - Always anything goes

Monday 29 October 2012

Winter greetings

Hello and welcome to my corner in the blogging land. It has been cold this weekend, really cold. Even minus degrees and we are still in October even if it's not far from November by now.

Today I have a non colouring card to show you. I have made a circular easel card for a change and now I think I need to get myself the big circles from Spellbinders. It's so much easer to cut with those than by hand. LoL. I have used designer papers from Card Craft work I think. They are old and non used but now they are working for me. The raindeer is cut with a Tim Holtz die that I just love. To get the pattern on the raindeer I have use some glossy accent and made a pattern with that. When it was completely dry I took some of my old paper distress ink and went over it with a sponge to give the raindeer some colour.


I have also used some snowflakes made with MS punches and a die from Whimsy Stamps. Flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and to finish the whole thing off, I used a sentiment from Maja Design saying "Winter greetings" in Swedish. Of course isn't a winter card complete without glitter in the snowiest way, so ice glitter from Rangers is also used on the sentiment and flowers. Hope you like it.

We have a new challenge up for you over at the Crafty Card Makers blog and our theme is "Shaped card showing a  raindeer or two." So raindeers it is. Pop on over to the blog and have a good look at what my fellow teamies have been up to. Oh and the card has to be shaped as well, no squares or rectangles .



We are kindly sponsored for this challenge by The Stampman (and Lady of course!) who are offering the winner a £10 voucher for their store, you can spend this online, in the shop or if you're lucky enough to see them at a show!  They have a ton of items in store, enough to tickle any crafty taste bud. 

and

$10 GIFT VOUCHER

I have been drawing since a child and studied graphics at College many years ago, I now work as a Medical photographer part time but my love was always drawing. I started cardmaking about 4yrs ago when I bought my daughter a cardmaking kit which we did together, but I’m afraid I got the bug! My daughter preferred scrapbooking. I then started looking online at other blogs and this then became my passion and I loved sharing my cards with likeminded people.

I love stamping and loved finding images, but sometimes I could not find what I wanted so I started to draw myself.
This then has become my second addiction and I have never looked back, I love thinking of new images, and its just fabulous to see others take them and make them into beautiful works of art. Long may it continue!


Love n hugs
Marie

Challenges for this card
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
Hooked on Crafts Challenges - Christmas no red or green
Wild Orchid Crafts - Bling it up (silver details for bling together with icecle stickles from Ranger for sparkle and shine)

Friday 26 October 2012

Happy Friday to you all!

Hope your week has been better than mine and that you are ready for the weekend. I feel so tired, have a cold sneaking up on me which isn't that strange. Have had one of the kids home four days and one home for two days. Then two visits to the hospital with me, and then my Employment office coach on top of that. Tomorrow off to my brother for a while.

Luckly I have taken some time to craft as I really needed it. I have used one of the new Christmas images from the Paper Shelter called "Are U ready?" One of the cutest Christmas images around this year in my opion. I just love it and know that I will use it on a few cards. They are coloured with my Letraset family and paired up with some Christmas Traditions papers from Bearly Mine designs. There is also some papers from Mini dots and Winter's Swirl.  Christmas Traditions is one of three new Christmas sets out during this month.


I have made some decorations with some flags from a Magnolia die and matched them to fit the text "Merry Christmas" in Swedish on them. A big snowflake made with dies from Whimsy stamps and some pearls are my decoration this time.

Challenges for this card is: Passion for Promarkers - Pets (Santa's pet has to be the raindeers, right?), Papertake weekly has the theme of Fireworks (in other words glitter and sparkle) ( I have used glitter around the flags and some silver mirri card for some extra shine on the card), ABC Christmas Challenges has the theme of U for Up to you. Paper Crafting Journey has ribbo or twine as their theme this week. (My baners/flags are hanging from that)

Love n hugs
Marie

Ps. And a BIG Thank you to the PFP team for picking my bee cards for their top five last week. Thanks again gals!

Tuesday 23 October 2012

Christmas is coming closer and closer...


Hi there! How are you all doing? Fine I hope. I am happy that it is today and not yesterday. Had a very long appointment with the MRI machine yesterday as they are looking for inflammations in my right foot. I wasn't prepared  on how bad they were with the needle. Two tries this time and every time I ask them not to put the needle in my right arm because it won't work. It's out of order when it comes to this subject. Countless blood test has gone wrong in that arm and it filled with scars. Do they listen? Nope! I really love the health care. I think that if someone knows my body, it would be me right? So really smiling about having that over and done with. Today is a new day. And tomorrow too, then it's time to meet the foot specialist in the orthopedic clinic. Keep your fingers cross that they find something that is easy to fix. 


Oh well, how lucky I am to have this blog to ventilate all my frustrations at. Now time for something more fun hopefully. Taadaa! A new card is up. This time I have used my lovely Santa from Magnolia Stamps, Sweden. I have paired him up with some lovely looking designer papers from Bearly Mine Design. They are called Festive Fun and is one out of three new Christmas sets Donna has out. There is also Christmas Traditions and Pastel Christmas found in the shop. Lovely sets all three of them. If you scroll down a bit you find a card made with the Christmas Tradition set. Yet to come is a pastel Christmas card. :) 


My dear old Santa is coloured with distress inks this time and then I have given him some shining surroundings with some golden rod glitter from Rangers. A doily from Nelli Snellen is used. The text is saying God Jul with means Merry Christmas in Swedish. My flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts and so is the golden corners. The rest is from my way too big stash, wonder how I will ever use it all up?


It is Tuesday today and it's my turn to host the new challenge over at Bearly Mine Challenges. This week's challenge is Easel cards. The only not so fun part about them is to take their picture. LoL I hope you will come and join us in our new challenge. Maybe make a Christmas card as that time is soon here and I for sure can't wait for it. I look forward to have the cozy evenings at home with candle lights and playing board games. Just wish that P wasn't such a bad looser and makes it not as fun to play. But what can you expect from a four year old? LoL


Our sponsor this week is Fred, She Said Designs. You have the chance of winning a gift certificate worth $20 to spend in their store. It's filled with lovely sweet images. I am sure you find something you love there, so please stop by and check them out.

Love n hugs
Marie

Challenges for this card
Make it Monday - Always anything goes

Sunday 21 October 2012

Good Evening

Hope your weekend has been brilliant, mine has been Ok. Had a really busy day yesterday with my nieces here and my oldest was off to two birthday parties and a sick hubby. Life is just so kind that you can handle it right? Anyway, it was lovely to have the twins here, they are 8 years old and filled with energy. Fun and my guys loves them. :)



I have taken the time to make a little gift set with cards and took inspiration from the challenge over at Passion for Promarkers this week with their theme of Bee happy! (Use black and yellow). Totally odd  challenge so I had to "bee" in it.

And I actually had the perfect deal for it but hadn't got to using it before. Pink Prettycoat has the most lovely little bee designs and some fabby papers to go with it. I had planed to use this for a friend of mine but got another brilliant idea for him instead, so this was kind of saved up in the idea bank.

Enjoy!

Love n hugs
Marie

Challenges for this card
Passion for Promarkers - Bee happy!
I heart Promarkers  - Anything goes
Challenges 4 everybody - Anything goes


Wednesday 17 October 2012

Boys's games

Hello and welcome to a new fresh day. I hope that you are off to a good start of your day and look forward to what the day has to bring. It's getting really dark here in Sweden by now and the weather doesn't make it any lighter that's for sure. Wonder how this day will turn out? It's hard to get good pictures when the rain is poring down like crazy every single day. I do like it in away, it's very relaxing, but the darkness... And now it's only a week and a half before we turn the clock back an hour. Then it will be even darker, Winter's half of the year will be hear by then.

My Midweek card then. I have used an old Paper Shelter image called Little Cowboy and with a whole bunch of little lads in our family, and all of their friends this is a favourite to turn to when it comes to making birthday cards. The boys are always playing war or cowboys, or knights so a perfect digi for the card.  He is fun to colour and as most of the time he is coloured with my Letraset family. The browns on his trousers wouldn't blend properly for some reason, but I decided that he wears suede, they did that in the Wild West, right? Then the shadowing can be a bit "crazy". LoL


My little guy is paired up with the most wonderful autumn papers from Maja Design. They are just to die for. The colours in this pad is just magical. I was not that impressed by their design a year ago, but when their two latest summer papers was released I fell totally for them and they are one of my favourite ones by now. Really good quality as well, I like that. Wonder where you can buy that kind of paper to print of my own digital ones? LoL

The card is made for one of W's friends that will celebrate his birthday on Saturday and boys are not that much into flowers and stuff (I'm guessing). I kept the design very simple using a sketch from Charisma Cardz Challenges. Love this design! And only used a charm, a web ribbon, some card craft candy and some string that I made into a lasso. Have used some leftovers inside the card to make a pocket for a gift certificate, some string and some more stars to pick up from the front of the card. Only the writing left now. Hate that part as I always feel like I am messing the card up then. LoL


We have a new challenge up on the Paper Shelter blog today and our theme is Charming! (Use a charm). I hope you will come and join our fun. If you play using a TPS image you have the chance of winning a gift certificate worth $30. If you play with us using a different brand of image you have the chance to win three digis of your choice. Pretty good that too.

With this I leave for today, hope to see you back soon and thanks for all the encouraging comments that is left on my blog. You all are one of the reason I have not given up during a very hard time of my life. You all mean the world to me. You are the best!

Love n hugs
Marie

Challenges for this card
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
Charisma Cardz Challenges - Sketch
Lollipop Crafts - Happy Birthday (my text wasn't in when photoed...)
Tammys Scrappin Corner- Anything goes
I heart Promarkers - anything goes





Monday 15 October 2012

Good afternoon!

Hello and welcome to a new week here with me. Hope you are doing fine and have had a lovely weekend. As I am still having trouble with my shoulders I spend as little time as I can by the PC, but I miss it too much and can't help myself. LoL So still tons of pain and fighting the health insurance office, not taking those two in to count it's a good day. You see, positive thinking! I like it. It's almost as good as gratefulness. Have you been grateful for what you have around you today? If not, it's time to start that thought now.


This card of mine is made with a lovely digi image from Sweet and Sassy. It's called autumn collage and I just love it. I have managed to fool my laser printer this time and got it printed on water coloring paper. Coloured have I done with distress inks in wonderful rich lovely autumn colours. My designer papers are from Bo Bunny. The flowers was white in an earlier life, I recoloured them with my Letraset family. Some golden corners, a piece of film strip and golden pearls are my decorations for this card. I took inpiration for the card design from a sketch provided from CLP challenges, the sketch is an older one.

Milk coffee Digital Stamps
Cute digis for cute creations 

This is also my first card for the Crafty Card Makers. I am so pleased to have joined this wonderful team. A whole bunch of new crafty friends. Thank for having me! I hope you pop on over to the challenge blog and come and join us in our theme of Autumn or Autumn festivals. And since this is a card made to inspire you at our new challenge over at Crafty card Makers, there is also a sponsor and that is Milk Coffee Digital stamps, be sure to pay them a visit.

Love n hugs
Marie

Challenges for this card
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
Challenges 4 everybody - Anything goes
Joanna Sheen - Autumn Breez
Stempel Sonne - Fall




Friday 12 October 2012

Mr Santa

Hello and welcome to a new Friday here with Mi. Hope you're fine and have a good start of you weekend. Mine is a bit so so, fighting with the Insurance Office to get the right sick leave money and the union is not helping out with the certificates that I need, so for now stuck in between these wonderful places and during that time I lose a fourth of my income. Life is great! And all this just because I am trying to get back to working life again. Is it really worth this? No, not really at this point, maybe I can see it in a another light later on, who knows? At least the Employment office do what they can to help me out here. Always something I guess.

Last Friday Bearly Mine Design had three brand new digi sets up in the store and I have finally managed to make a card using one of them. Christmas Traditions in lovely greens and red colours. I have paired the papers with my favourite Santa from Sugar Nellie and coloured him with prisma and polychrome pens. Not the best colouring in the world from me but I was mad and it was dark and then you get this. LoL And it smeared as I forgot to fixate it. Oh well, nothing is perfect and certainly not this card. The wonderful white/greyish designer paper is from another one of the Bearly Mine Digi sets called Christmas Light. My poinsettias is made with a Doo Hickey die from Magnolia. Have also covered them in diamond glitter glue from Rangers, golden rod is used around the circle. Some big pearls used in the corners from Rox Stamps. In the middle a embossed panel.

Love n hugs
Marie

Challenges for this card
The sugar bowl - Sketch with autumn theme (not followed here) LoL
Crafts and Me - Anything goes
Deep Ocean Challenges - Anything goes

Tuesday 9 October 2012

Miss Halloween

Hi there, hope you are all doing well. Here it's better than during the weekend but I have a bit left to feel like my old self again. My body decided it doesn't like my meds alonger so it has gone right to the tummy. Yeah! Life is fun sometimes. So for now, no more medication for me, a detox is going on again, and I don't even take any hard meds at the moment. Have to find some kind of solution to this soon, the pain is killing me.

Anyway, while this goes live (hopefully) am I off with W. class and ice skating! My gosh! Keep your fingers crossed as I have not been on my skates since I was about 17, and that is... well, lets just leave it with that it's way too long ago. LoL I have even had the skates sharpened for this event. After this I might need both cast and new meds, can't wait to see how this will all go with 60 kids and maybe 10 adults. Lots of skates to tie, I might not even get out on the ice.

A card is made as well and since I wasn't feeling well at all this weekend I have not been able to colour my own image. Lucky for me I have the wonderful images from the Paper Shelter that also comes pre coloured. So for my card have I used Miss Halloween. A real cutie found here. She is paired up with some yummie designer papers from Bearly Mine Design and the Happy Haunting digi set.

Flowers are a mixture from Prima and Wild Orchid Craft. The corner stamps are from MME and the pearly swirly is also Prima. A border punch is also used together with some spellbinder dies. Pearls from my stash.  Feathers from Magnolia, Sweden. Some glitter is used on the flowers as well.


The card is made for our new challenge over at Bearly Mine Challenges and our theme is Pearls and Swirls, a real favourite isn't it? Come on and join in the fun! Our sponsor this week is the Paper Shelter that offers a gift voucher worth $20 for one lucky winner.

Love n hugs
Marie

Challenges for this card
Make it Monday - always anything goes
Paper Playtime Challenge 85 Trick or Treat + diecuts or punch




Wednesday 3 October 2012

A new challenge card

Hello and welcome to my little corner of the world again. Hope you are having a wonderful week with lots of fun and crafting. (As those two isn't the same? Right) LoL

For my card have I used the wonderful and very lovely image called So stylish. A real treat to colour and I gave here lots of colours before I ended up with this and sent the rest to the trash can. The rest of the gang didn't feel right of some reason. So I have paired her up with some wonderful designer papers from Maja design and used lace, flowers and some nick nacks as decorations that I found in my boxes. I hope you like what I came up with. 


We have a new challenge up over at the Paper Shelter and hope that you will join in. We have the lovely theme of Distressing and I for sure can't wait to see what you all come up with. You can use your inks, tear and rip your papers, wrinkle them etc. But just colour with distress inks won't do it, ok? 


As always if you use a Paper Shelter image on your creation you have a shot at winning a gift Voucher worth $30 to spend in the store. Using another brand gives you a chance of winning three digis of your choice.

Hope to see you around

Love n hugs
Marie

Challenges for this card
Make it Monday - Always anything goes
Cutie Pie Challenges - Use a digi + birthday candy



Monday 1 October 2012

There is a new challenge up

Hello there and welcome to my corner of the world. This is just a quicky to let you know that we have a new challenge up for you all over at the Crafty Cardmakers challenge blog. The theme for this challenge is Indian Summer. I don't have any card for this challenge as I am still suffering from my shoulder pains and can't use my arms that much even if I cheat and use them anyway. I am nicer to them now however, have even taken a break from my hard workouts at the gym, but it hasn't eased at all so I think I'll go back there any day now. LoL

Anyway, here is an inspirational picture for you for the challenge. Do pop on over to the blog to see all the criteria you need to follow to be in the challenge. Hope to see you over there.

Love n hugs
Marie