Swine Flu!!!!!!

Hi there everyone :) I'm sure you've been wondering what on earth has happened to me....or maybe you didn't even notice I've been missing....LOL! When I told you last Sunday that I had a bad cold I had absolutely no idea just how sick I was going to get. I finally got to see my doctor yesterday and he thinks that I most probably have had Swine Flu! Without a test there is no way of being 100% certain, but the symptoms indicate that it is. I didn't bother with the test (even though Dr Ross offered it) because the health system is under enormous pressure with the Swine Flu problem.

I am slowly improving, but have very little energy and a very dodgy back after all the coughing! Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that I'm still alive and hope to be back to normal asap! I probably won’t be posting again this week until the MDUC card on Sunday…I still need lots of R&R before I can sit up long enough to create something.

I hope that you are all being super vigilant about hygiene and taking your vitamins :) Believe me when I tell you that you DO NOT want to get this flu…I have NEVER been so sick in my whole life! It was horrible and I hate the thought of any of you guys suffering like that. I fully understand how it can kill people…last Friday I could barely breathe and anyone with breathing problems (like asthma) is definitely in trouble if they get this flu.

OK, gotta go back to bed….see you soon!

MDUC #20!!!!

Wow! I can’t believe we’re up to TWENTY challenges! The only time I missed doing them was when I was in hospital :) I have loved every one of them…though some were more challenging than others!

Today’s MDUC challenge is no exception. It’s Father’s Day here next month, and so Kellie set this fortnight’s challenge as *Father’s Day*. I don’t give my father a card (long story) so I thought I’d make one for Abby to give to my brother, Shaun, for the day. Of course it had to be purple and for Abby’s sake it’s got some glitter and bling :)

I’ve used some of the US in-colour Rich Razzleberry (ribbon & layer) {thanks Leslie} as well as Lovely Lilac and Lavender Lace. Tilda is stamped on watercolour paper and coloured with SU markers & an aquapainter. The bling is Basic Grey & the glitter is SU Supernova. The wooden letters and heart were from a sale & don’t have the manufacturers name on the packaging. They were coloured with Copics.

I hope that both Abby & Shaun like the card…my other sister, Anna, thinks they will. OK, gotta go back to bed now…I’ve managed to catch a cold on top of the sore back and I’m feeling rather miserable. Hope it doesn’t last long! I’ll see you again soon,

More blog candy…

Tracey is giving away blog candy to celebrate 10,000 hits. This is the prize:

Having been the lucky winner of her last candy I can assure you that this prize will be awesome…though I hope I win again! Is that greedy????? LOL! You have until the 24th of August to enter…just click on Tracey’s name or the blog candy photo to go to her blog :)

Before I go I just wanted to acknowledge that I have received several blog awards recently that I need to get pictures for to post. But I wanted to make a point of saying thank you to June for her generosity in always giving me awards…and generally just being a very nice person :)

OK, better go check on the children…catch you later!

Together…

This one’s a very quick (10 minutes, seriously!) card I made yesterday to test out my new *Sense of time* set. It had been sitting here, un-mounted even, since I got it at the start of July! I loved it as soon as I saw it used (by Lydia, I think) and wanted it desperately. When I saw it was in the new Mini, it was the first set on my list! And yet I’ve waited til now to use it!!!! Anyway, I loved it, even though I only used it for a minute :) I can see sooooooooo many possibilities for this set.

I stamped the cogs onto a piece of *Porcelain* DP in Kiwi Kiss and the clock face in Close to Coco. The sentiment…well I cut it out from something and it’s been sitting in my *I really have to make something with this* basket for ages. I layered it onto a piece of Mellow Moss with inked edges  and the clock hand was inked with Close to Coco and stuck on with a jumbo Choc Chip brad.

You could use this card for an anniversary or engagement or even a wedding card…very versatile it is ;)

I also want to say thanks for all the input about the suitcase. I got Madonna to have a look at it yesterday and she showed me how to make a template and I think I will attempt it on the weekend. I will take the advice of those who obviously know better and make the first attempt with paper I don’t mind wrecking :) I hope to be able to show you the finished case, lined and all, next week :)

Right, better go fortify myself with a last cup of coffee…I am minding Mad’s older kids while her and Mark have to go to a family funeral. I am looking forward to getting to spend some extra time alone with them…and I think a photo session is probably on the cards. I do need more scrapbook material…

See you soon,

For Madonna and a question…

Yesterday I was able to sit at the craft desk and make a quick card. Nothing very spectacular, but inspired by a card I’d seen in my web travels. Unfortunately I can’t remember which blog it was…but if it seems familiar let me know…LOL!

This one’s for Madonna because she will be so proud of me….I voluntarily used Cameo Coral!!!!!!!!!!! Rather startling I know, but the use of lots of Basic Gray tones its garishness down a bit :) I’ve just cut some strips of the new Walk in the Park papers and stuck them onto the CC. I’ve used a Grey card base, ribbon and ink to stamp the sentiment from the single Birthday Wish stamp. It was stamped on So Saffron and layered with Baja Breeze to bring together all of the colours from the DSP. I finished it off with a new Kiwi Kiss corduroy button.

To be honest I didn’t really like this DSP when I saw it in the new Mini and I didn’t order it. But after seeing it in real life and in action at Madonna’s launch I am now in love with it. So in love that I decided to use it to cover a paper-mâché suitcase I picked up at Spotlight. Bit now I’ve run into a problem! I’m going to pick Madonna’s brain about what to do this afternoon, but I want to ask you all as well….you can’t have too many options :)

This is the dilemma:

This hardware is not easily removed and I’m scared that if I try I will wreck the whole thing…so I need a way around it. Any suggestions????

I’ve covered the top, bottom and back of the case in this paper:

It is sooooooo pretty. I have thought about painting but I’m just not completely sold on that idea. So please, please, please let me know what you think I should do with it. Thanks, you guys are the best :)

OK, I’m going to go make my DT card for this weekend now, while I’m feeling alright. I’m looking forward to hearing your ideas about the suitcase and I’ll be back soon (I hope!).

Forest Friends

Sorry I didn’t get here yesterday…my back is being *difficult* at the moment and doing anything is a bit of a challenge. I spent most of the day in bed yesterday, but I did get into the craft room and have a tiny play with my new Forest Friends set. When I saw this set in the new Spring Mini I knew I had to have it. Those little animals are too cute and I thought it would be good for all kinds of cards. As my mojo is still MIA this card is pretty simple…but the gorgeous Porcelain paper & stunning rose trim makes up for that….I hope :)

Yes, I’ve just realised that the trim is sagging when I stand it up like that…so I’ll pop a little glue dot under it before I give it away.

And here’s the card from Sunday’s MDUC. It too is very simple. There’s one thing to point out though…the blue and silver paper was the belly band on the beautifully wrapped book that Lauren sent me for my birthday. I loved it so much I couldn’t bear to throw it away and wanted to use it on a card. As the theme is *Winter is here* I thought the blue & silver looked *icy*…LOL!

OK, that’s enough of sitting in this chair for today. I hope I am feeling up to making something later on today…after a little rest :)

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend,

Home again…

I am home from my mini-break at Madonna’s place…tired and slightly sore, but I had the best time hanging out with my awesome sister and her amazing family. There were lots of hugs and kisses, some reading and, of course, some crafty activities :) Madonna had a launch for the new Spring Mini Catalogue on Saturday and she designed 3 awesome projects for her guests. It was fantastic to see her in action as a demo and to see the girls having so much fun making the cards and the tin that Mad had devised. I participated in the card making and here are the two cards that I made…

(Please excuse my bad photography…it’s very difficult to take a pic of acetate!)

Aren’t these great? No, not my work…the design…LOL! I really enjoyed myself making these…I didn’t have to think about it, just follow the directions :)

We also started making magnetic message boards from cookie sheets…mine’s not completely finished yet, but as soon as it is I’ll share it with you.

I also have to apologise for the lack of a MDUC post on Sunday….I scheduled it, but it has somehow disappeared into the ether and I don’t know how or why. I will re-do it and post it for you tomorrow. If you can’t wait you can click on the MDUC button in the side bar and go check it out over there, along with all the other gorgeous creations by the DT. I have to admit that it’s not my best work and I’ll will be working extra hard on the next one to make up for it ;)

OK, gotta go catch up on my emails and Google reader stuff. I’ll see you tomorrow :)