See - just when you thought it was safe and I had left you, I've turned up like a bad penny!! 

Got home Sunday night after a fab much needed holiday.

Unfortunately though this again is only going to be a fleeting visit as we still have no proper Broadband connection as beloved BT laid the fibre optic cable to the wrong cabinet.. whatever that means - LOL

But I understand enough to know that for the time being I'm having to connect the PC to my mobile phone and use up all my internet allowance to access anything - so visiting and commenting are still at a premium - as are uploading pictures onto my blog.. but hey ho thought I'd sneak this one in...................

Here is the view I am now blessed with seeing from my new lounge window and from my new bedroom......

The sloping green bit is our garden (bit of a change from the other one eh???? LOL), the small road is a private service area for the residents, no caravans, boats or anything else allowed to ensure your uninterrupted view only 'visitor' parkling!

(Please note I didn't take any pics of the cardboard boxes, bubble wrap etc which is currently housed on the entire top floor room of what is eventually going to be our office and my craft space...)

Life is going to be a bit hectic over the next few weeks - (as if it wasn't bad enough moving just 4 days before we went on holiday!) - we don't have any wardrobes or storage space anywhere - wardrobes, new bed etc all being fitted middle of next month, new furniture arriving for the lounge next week (I hope) and we're going to make a start kitting out the office once the floor has been laid so until then no crafting for me (sob sob - have got SEVERE withdrawal symptoms  as it's now over 3 weeks since I last made messy!)

I promise to try and stop by you all as often as I can and thanks for calling in and commenting.... hopefully I should at least be able to have Broadband by the middle of next week.....even if the stamps and ink and stuff are still asleep tucked up in cardboard!

Hugs from me. x

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge 91 - 3 different techniques

 I have scheduld this post and am keeping fingers crossed that it appears when it should as I am still on holiday! 
Our latest challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers has been set by Sharon  and is the theme 'Pick Three Different Techniques'. Our fab sponsors this week  are MILK COFFEE DIGITAL STAMPS   and   Sir STAMPALOT.
 
Take your pick of 3 from the following list and be sure to state which 3 you've used to qualify for a winner or Top 5 slot:

1. Embossing (wet or dry)

2. Distressing  

3. Masking

4. Making your own flowers  

5. Paper piecing/patchwork

6. Shrink Plastic 

I chose this lovely image from our sponsors Milk Coffee Digital Stamps called 'Michelle in Hot Air Balloon'. Isn't she pretty?

Having chosen what image I was going to use I thought about my 3 different things... and promptly ended up using four from Sharon's list!!

I paper pieced the balloon using different scraps of pink papers - (My first technique done!)- and cut it out with an oval fancy frame die.

I coloured the rest of the image with promarkers.

The background is Core-dinations cardstock, embossed with 'Oriental Blossoms' folder (second technique) and then sanded it. I also distressed the edges (third technique).

So with all my techniques done I decided to finish off the card by using a trellis die cut along the bottom and some twine - and as Michelle was scattering flowers from her balloon, I stamped two flowers onto some shrink plastic, coloured them and blasted with the heat gun to shrink them , popped them onto the trellis with a couple of die cut leaves and a pearl in the centre. So 4 techniques for the price of 3!!!

A sentiment printed out onto a tag, layered onto pink card, some twine and a couple more pearls finished it all off.

Hope you can join us this challenge!

a quick hello

Hello everyone!  Just a very quick visit. House move went smoothly..I have no idea how I managed to accumulate all the stuff that I did! Mixed emotions too - sad to leave after 26 years but looking forward to a new place.
Anyway we're here and so far so good-settled in better than i thought and it actually feels like home despite all the cardboard boxes!!! And the boxes will be here for a while yet as we're off tomorrow for 2 weeks to sunny Cyprus
Our new neighbours (there's a novelty -neighbours LOL) are keeping their eye on the place so we're leaving behind this amazing view to look over blue sea!
So will be trying to pop in on you all dependent on internet connection - thank you all for your good luck messages. Will be back soon. X