Getting into this crochet...

It was our Wedding Anniversary last Friday and following a strong hint from me (lol) my husband bought me these baskets to organise my yarns and current project. They were a nest of 4 from Wilkinsons and the colours are just delicious. I added an Ikea plastic cup in pink (of course!) which serves as a bin for my 'ends' when I'm finishing a project. I also had the project folder which helps keep my instructions tidy and sits on top of the smaller basket if I need to keep Bryn's nose out! I've been treating myself to the Wendy Supreme Cotton DK yarn from eBay so I now have a lovely selection of colours to go at for little projects. As the smaller basket has room for the yarn I'm using I just have to grab that one and my iPod to go and spend a happy hour hooking in the garden!

So what have I been up to?

 I've become an avid follower of Attic 24 as Lucy explains things so wonderfully with loads of pictures. She made these as Christmas decorations but I fancied trying them now so I chose 4 ice cream colours and have an idea about finding the perfect twiggy branch to bring inside and hang them on! I copied the entire tutorial, including the photos into Word and edited it as I needed- removing some photos to save on ink and reducing the size of others- then printed out all 14 pages of what remained!!! But I am so glad I did because, as a beginner, I could keep going back to the instructions to check things. I have stuck to the 4 colours but each decoration will be different. I plan to make 8 altogether- but so far have finished 3 and have 3 ready to make up.

Here are the finished ones hanging in my baby apple tree.

(A Mothers' Day present from earlier this year, which I don't think will bear any fruit this year- so here's it's moment of glory!)

I could start a circle before, but I now know how to:-

• join colours and carry on
• increase the stitches to make a flat circle
• make the long DC into the previous circle for the outer decorative ring
• crochet two pieces together

They aren't perfect but I'm really rather proud of them and of what I'm learning as I go along!

'Tweet' wedding wishes...

Sorry about the grotty evening photo of this card but inspiration struck late and about 5 minutes after taking this photo the card was through my neighbour's door!

The image was from Elzybells (now closed down) and has been coloured with Promarkers. The papers are from a digi-scrap blogtrain called 'Morning solitude'. I created the sentiment on my computer and cut it out with a much neglected ribbon slider die from spellbinders.

Thank you to those of you who have been wishing me 'get well soon'- I am well on the road to recovery after my op now and life is starting to get back to normal- cleaning, cooking, walking the dog and driving my son about!!!

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:-

• DYSU- a little birdy told me
• Dutch Dare- sketch
• Paperplay- summer lovin'
• Moving along with the times- celebrate (no birthday)
• Southern girls- die cuts
• Creative Belli- wedding
• I love promarkers- die cuts
• Ruby's rainbow- things with wings
• Waste not Wednesdays- neglected stash

Bright bear...

Wow, managed to get a bit of bright sunshine to photograph this card before the sky turned grey and it threw it down!
I was really inspired to follow the sketch on Sketch Saturday- such great shapes! My papers are from a digi-scrap blogtrain from STS called 'Bicycle Blues' and my image is by Bugaboo. He is coloured with promarkers and his nose is glazed. The sentiment is from Sentiments4you and I ran it through the printer twice to have it on some of the plain DP. The stars have been cut with a sizzlet die. A few Candi to finish.

I would also like to enter this card in the following challenges:-

• Papertake- Cute
• Dutch Dare- birthday fun
• Totally Papercrafts- no pesky girls!
• Allsorts- for a man or boy
• CES- anything goes
• Craft your days away- all creatures great and small
• Pink Ele- polka dots and stripes

What else have I been up to?...

Now that I'm feeling better I have been doing quite a few cards- you may have noticed that the frequency of my blogging has increased.

I'm starting to be able to do more around the house too, which is beginning to lift the strain off my husband, mum-in-law and son. Plus I think I have learned to 'chill' a bit more about the housework which will hopefully give me a bit more 'me' time in future.

I haven't been able to drive- but I have treated myself to a bit of online shopping so have had some 'happy mail'! I'm hoping to try driving again at the weekend, if my car hasn't completely seized up, which I'm looking forward to.

Our poor, energetic Welsh Sheepdog pup, Bryn, has just had to calm down a bit! Otherwise we would have struggled to live in the same house. Last weekend we decided that I was sufficiently healed to allow him to sit with me on the sofa, so all he wants to do now is sit ON me and he is rather large to be a lap-dog! I think he missed some 'mummy' time! I haven't been able to walk him either, which we have both missed, but I'm going to see if I can start again next week- so long as he wears his Halti as he pulls like a train without it.

The other thing I have been doing is trying to crochet again. Last summer I persuaded a lady from my church to get me started. I am not a natural and it took her two afternoons to get me going! After that I found a really clear picture-heavy tutorial for some simple little flowers and I learned how to do them and made quite a few. But then we got Bryn at the end of last August and that was the end of crocheting for a while! I decided to try again now he is older- although I have still had soggy wool a couple of times, but I think he is learning that that is a no-no now! I had a frustrating few hours before I got it again but have now made some more of the little flowers that I am planning to use on my cards.

I found the blog with the tutorial again and her stuff is so inspiring- I would love to try some of the bigger stuff but am not quite brave enough yet! However she recently posted another flower tutorial for May Roses and I decided to give them a go. I did one first time- although my husband kindly pointed out that it must have taken lots of concentration as I had my tongue out lots!!! They are too 3D for cards but I love doing them so thought I may make a brooch or something with them.

The good life...

Another of my pre-stamped images from 'the box' - this time I used a rubber stamp that I have had for ages from Paper Nation- I tend to stamp a couple as they are in a crate and when I've got them out and inked them I might as well! I teamed him with one of my favourite digi-scrap papers from an STS blogtrain called French Tulips- this check (I know more checks!!) is so versatile for guy's cards. I printed the sentiment from TLC straight onto the paper and finished the card with some foliage cut with a Crealies die and a few Candi.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:-

• Make it Monday- linky party
• Cupcake- Ooh la la (French Tulips papers- reds and blues)
• Cards for men- kicking back, relaxing
• Waste not Wednesdays- neglected stash (image stamped ages ago)

On the mend- freebie sentiment...

I printed off 2 of this image from MelonHeadz ages ago, one which my son made into a card for his friend and another which went 'in the box'- so, in keeping with my mission to use up printed images, I used it for this card! He is coloured with Promarkers to match the digi-scrap papers from an LDS Blogtrain called 'choose the right'.  I know- I need help for the 'check addiction'!! (and I still have another check card that I will post later!) The blue paper has been run through a folder called 'Christmas stars' but I flipped it to use the de-bossed side. Green card has been cut with MTF Large Ric-Rac die and faux stitching added. The star is a Sizzlett die and the button and baker's twine are from my stash.

I made the sentiment as I wanted it to say 'on the mend' and if you would like it please feel free to grab it. (Click to bring up full size then right click and 'save as'.)

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:-

• Cute card Thursday- one for the boys
• My time to craft- happy healing (get well)
• Craft-room challenge- emboss it
• creative craft challenges- anything goes
• Oldie but goodie- die cuts
• The perfect sentiment- get well, without saying 'Get Well'!

I'm addicted to checks...

It's official, I am addicted to checked papers! Yesterday's card had checked papers, as does this and another I made but haven't blogged yet- and when I was looking back through my photos of cards there are alot of others too!
Continuing with my mission to use printed but uncoloured images up- I chose this Stella image from Bugaboo from my box to make this card. I cut her out with a nestie that I must use more often and drew around it on Core'dinations for a neat mat. The papers are from a digi-scrap kit called Apple Pickin' and I coloured Stella to match with my Promarkers. The flower was cut with a Sizzix Originals die using paper I printed from the kit for a perfect match and the little swirls are cut from a Marianne D swirl using the Core'dinations. The sentiment reads- The more candles, the bigger the wish. It was a freebie from Bluebirdflats and I coloured the tiny candles to match the card. A few Candi to finish.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:-

• Simon says- anything birthday
• Dutch dare- spring has sprung
• One stop- celebrations
• Secret crafter- sketch
• Catch the bug- anything goes
• Make it Monday- linky party

I've been dying to try these..

I have been dying to try these Suffolk Puff flowers for ages and I finally got around to it- Love them!!

The fabric is a pack of quilters 'fat quarters' which gave me a lovely selection of colours to go at. They were cut out with a nestie, which went through 2 layers without a problem but 3 layers did not cut the last properly! I then hand stitched a smallish running stitch around the circle and left them flat until needed. When I was ready to make this card I gathered them up and tied off the threads. I had ordered some slightly larger buttons- but as they are coming from Shanghi they aren't here yet- so I was careful to make sure the small buttons covered the gathers when I sewed them on.

I am on a mission to use all the images that I have printed, to fill up the page, but not used so I chose this trendy Cherry Kisses girl by Pollycraft and coloured her to match the papers from a digi-scrap blogtrain called 'April Fool'. The ribbon was saved for me by my son- who knows better than to throw away anything that could have a crafty use- it was on a valentines chocolate lolly and has Thorntons printed on the back of it!

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:-

• Papertake- anything goes
• Simon says- anything birthday
• Little red wagon- stitch it up (hand stitched Suffolk Puff flowers)
• CRAFT- use buttons
• Fairy fun- photo inspiration (I took girly and purple)
• One stop- celebrations
• Totally Gorjuss- sketch
• Make it Monday- linky party