Just Catchin' Up

Our American visitors have caught their flight back to Atlanta today. It's been a blast having them over here and we've all thoroughly enjoyed their visit but I am cream crackered! I am far too old for going out so much and I just want to crawl in a hole somewhere and sleep for the rest of the week. I guess the 3 bottles of champagne we downed on Sunday night didn't help much either!

So I now have a mountain of washing and ironing to work my way through this week, and I need to try and catch up with all my emails and go blog visiting.

I want to do a little shout out to my lovely Sugar Bowl buddy Erika "A very Happy Birthday today Sweetie, I hope you have a fab day and are treated like a proper little Princess", and also the very sweet Cathy who's birthday is also today, "Happy Birthday Cathy, I hope your day is a special one".

My ink carousel is all nicely stocked up now and in action and Martin has decided to make some and see what the market is like (thank you for everyones input) so if anyone wants anymore information they are available on Ebay HERE or on Folksy HERE.

I've only just realised that I didn't do a candy in May...I was all candied out after the party bags! So I need to try and think of something different to offer up..any ideas would be appreciated! Is there anything in particular you would really love to see in a blog candy?

For those of you who don't know what's in Grimsby - or rather Tetney which is home to the very lovely Jill owner of The Hobby House and my first port of call for paper. I always have a good stock up on papers when I see Jill at the Harrogate shows, so this time I am going to visit her at the shop. I am so excited!!!

Lastly, for those of you who haven't nodded off yet zzzzzzzzzzzz

A blog candy that came to my attention...but you need not bother to enter this one cos I NEED to win this!

I love the colours and all the papers yum yum.

But seeing as I am so nice then if you pop over HERE you can enter the candy.

Ok, I'm off to tackle the washing.

Thanks for looking

Love Elaine xxx

You May Need to Sit Down Before Reading This!

Firstly, a big 'Thank You' for everyone who took the time to leave their views on my ink storage carousel. I hope that all your comments can help Martin make his decision. He already knows how much I love it! And another big 'Thank You' to my lovely hubbly for my early birthday present. Since I had already filled the carousel with my inks (for photographic purposes of course!) it was too cruel of hubbly to make me take them out again and wait until my birthday :)

OK, now to a card....you may need to sit down and take a deep breath for this one, hold on to your hats.....

It's not a Sassy image...the first non-Sassy I've made since about January! It's not even a Sugar Nellie image... the first non-Sugar Nellie since maybe last October? But in my defense it was for my lovely buddy Gayle's birthday last week and she does love these hAnglars. I know Miss hAnglar is dressed up in her winter clothing with hat and scarf, but it's bloody cold up in Scotland!
As always she's been coloured with DI's, the frame around her and sentiment is from Waltzing Mouse Stamps, DP is Tilda Kitchen Garden, the frond thingy is a Marianne die as is the flower - thank you Gayle, I love it.

We have family coming over from Atlanta tomorrow - Phil's brother Neil and his wife Bev, so I know I won't be around much. We don't get to spend too much time together so we all try and make the most of their visits.

On another note, my hubbly is taking me away for a long weekend at the end of June. I am VERY excited about this trip! Where are we going? It begins with the letter G....Germany? Gibraltar? Goa? Well, maybe not Goa for a long weekend! Nope....Grimsby! Well, near Grimsby, it's actually Tetney...if anyone knows what or rather who lives in Tetney? If you do know then you will understand why I am so excited!

Thanks for looking.
Love Elaine xx

Could You Help Me Please??

A little while ago I posted on Facebook asking if anyone knew where I could buy a storage unit for my Distress Inks and re-inkers in the UK.

My friend Trish called and asked me if I'd like her husband Martin to have a go at making me something.

Martin and Trish run their own business Hillside Crafts and make wonderful wooden gifts from plaques to rocking horses.

Yesterday my storage unit arrived.

The unit holds 24 Distress ink pads and 24 re-inkers on two opposite sides so a total 48 ink pads and re-inkers plus room for mini misters, or in my case Sakura pens.

The other two sides hold my other ink pads. There are also hooks on two sides which hold at least a couple of pairs of scissors on each. The top area holds all my other smaller ink pads and bits 'n' bobs.

The unit is hand made by Martin from wood and is a carousel which makes it so easy to use. This is a beautiful and solid piece of workmanship and I am absolutely delighted with it. I rang Trish and Martin as they'd asked for my honest opinion, was there something he could do to improve it? Did I like it? And to me this is totally perfect and exactly suits my needs. So I had asked Martin had he thought about producing these to sell on his website? Since Martin designs and makes them himself they can be made to hold different makes of ink pads etc.

Now I asked Martin if he could make this for me without too much thought to the cost, so I thought it was a very reasonable price at £70 plus £10 delivery...this is a heavy and solid piece weighing about 14lbs! 

The only other storage I could find in the UK would've cost me £60 plus p&p but that was molded from plastic.

But just because I love it and bought it would anyone else be interested? Before Martin can decide whether or not to start making these it would be helpful if he could get some feedback other than mine!

So my question is, would you please leave me a comment with your HONEST opinion. Whether that be good, bad or indifferent. Is it the sort of thing you would buy? Is the cost acceptable? Are there any other storage solutions you would like to see eg Copics, wall mounted units etc.

I would be truly grateful if you could spend a couple of minutes and leave me your honest views on this.

Thanks for looking and for any help you can give.

Love Elaine xxx

Sugar Bowl Challenge ~ 60

I'm back with a card for the new Sugar Bowl challenge, and the sketch has been provided by Sweetie Maria Therese. The option is a nice and easy one...Birthday, very handy as we all need a steady supply of birthday cards and this week is packed full of birthdays for my family and friends.
Today is my Sugar Mama Gayle's birthday....*Happy Birthday Sweetie, hope this day is a special one*

I wonder who will spot my stupid mistake??

I coloured up this gorgeous Sassy image Boho Chic a couple of weeks ago, the minute I got my inky hands on her. But I must have had a little interruption in brain activity because on my image she is wearing a scoop neck top, and on everyone else's that I've seen since she has on a polo neck! A little brain blip on my part.
As usual she's been coloured with DI's and Nick bantock inks, the box around the image is a Waltzing Mouse stamp set, the DP is Stampin'Up Elegant Soiree, the teeny weeny tag is made from PTI's Tiny tag stamps and dies.

The fabulous prize for one lucky winner is a set of 6 pick 'n' mix Sugar Nellie stamps. What would you choose? To maybe buy some older images and fill in some gaps in your collection, or the new Sassys perhaps?
For all the details please pop on over to the Sugar Bowl blog where you will also find lots of inspiration from all the other Sweeties including.....our own lovely Pat who has returned to the Sugar Bowl *Welcome back Pat, I kept the home fires burnin' for ya!*
Thanks for looking and for any comments you may leave.
Love Elaine xxx

Carnival Balloon

I did fully intend to post this card several days ago but I've been working much longer hours all week and I just haven't had the time. Then of course Mr Blogger has been  bloggering about and making things difficult for everyone!
I made this card following Sugar Bowl sketch 58 (not the current one but the one previous) I know that many folks have already seen this card on the Sugar Nellie Facebook group but I said I would post it here too to show the difference between this one and the Butterflies and Pigtail's card which I disliked so much that it did go in the bin.

Same papers but I used pink around the image on this one. You can judge for yourselves but I much prefer this card.

Thank goodness it's the weekend and I can look forward to spending it catching up with the cleaning/washing/ironing since Cathy did not turn up and do it for me! Though I did try and tempt her as Cathy knew I already had set 7 of the Sassy stamps in my possession!
Don't forget that over on the Simply Sassy Blog they are having a blog hop at 8am and you can buy the stamps at Funky Kits now.

Right I'm off to my bed as it's late and I'm pooped.
Love Elaine xxx

Candy and Waffle!

You'll be pleased to hear that I'm on my way out to go food shopping so this will be the quickest of quicks!
My apologies for the lack of commenting this week, just been a busy old week but I hope to get some time later on today to catch up a bit with you all, even if I don't comment I do still look at all your gorgeous creations!

You've only got a couple of days left to enter the  lovely Debbi's candy as it closes on Tuesday 10th May. It's a lovely bundle of goodies that's on offer including Promarkers.

Also the very sweet Vicky has a lovely selection of candy to celebrate her first year in blogland. This candy ends June 6th.

And finally, the winner of Party Bag number 6 has never come forward with their name and address so Mr Random has picked another number...

Entry Number 6 Debbie B.

If you still want it Debbie then please EMAIL ME with your full postal address and I can get it in the mail.
ETA...It's now May 18th and no-one has come forward to claim the candy, so I have posted it out to one random lady and I hope she will like the total surprise when it turns up!
Have you read the Sugar Nellie blog today? Every Sunday they show cards from a Sugar Addict. If you have a Sugar Nellie addiction and fancy a turn in the spotlight then you can either leave a comment on the Sugar Nellie blog or email me.
Ok, I'm off to Asda.
Have a lovely Sunday everyone.
Love Elaine xxx

Sugar Bowl Challenge ~ 59

Yayyy Yayyy It's Sugar Bowl day...and that's the full extent of my poetry skills!
The sketch for this challenge has been provided by the very lovely Erika and the option, if you choose to follow it, is distressed/vintage. Thankfully the other Sweeties have done a much better job at this than I did, the most distressed thing in my craft room was me! It was one of those cards where everything went wrong and it will now be filed in my special storage system under 'B' for bin.

The image - which is the only thing I like about the card - is called Butterflies and Pigtails  and you can buy here HERE. She's been coloured with DI's and Nick Bantock inks. The papers are First Edition, some butterflies from a MS punch and a few pearls.
I coloured her over a few nights and when I took a proper look in the daylight I wasn't much impressed, much darker than I was aiming for. I did distress all the paper edges with Brushed Corduroy except around the image where I used Antique Linen and that I think was my big mistake. Around the image is now very creamy coloured and it looks out of place next to the white of the papers. Add to that a fuzzy image - though I think it might look better in soft focus!
I did make another card using the same papers but a different image and sketch and I will dig it out and pop it on here later in the week just so you can see the difference.

So now to the best bit...the prize for one lucky winner is a 'Steampunk' themed gift bag containing stamps, embossing folders and charms. 
For all the details on how to enter please pop on over to the Sugar Bowl blog where you will also find inspiration from all the Sweeties.
Thanks for looking and for any comments you may leave.
Love Elaine xx

Booby Prize Number 2 Winner

At long last it has all come to an end *sigh* As much as I have enjoyed the party bags it is a relief that it's now over. I seem to have spent most nights bagging up and writing address's on jiffy bags and I've neglected my commenting duties! And I'm sure Mr Random will be glad to see the back of me for a while.

So Booby Prize number two goes to...

Entry Number 43 Semsee

If you could please EMAIL ME with your full postal address and I will get the parcel in the post on Tuesday morning.


Do you remember This post   Is it too late for Easter Candy?
I posted the winners name on April16th and still no-one has come forward to claim the prize, so Mr Random has picked another name....

Entry Number 28 Vicky (stickywithicky)

If you would still like this candy then please EMAIL ME with your full postal address and I will get the parcel in the mail on Tuesday.

The winner of the 6th party bag hasn't emailed me yet (Stempeltiger) please get in touch or I will pick another winner on Friday.

Finally, thank you again for everyone that entered and all your lovely comments.
Love Elaine xx