Cards at last!...

Firstly I would like to thank my followers who have hung in there during my prolonged absence! It has been so long since I have made a card- two and a half months to be exact- but however much I enjoy cardmaking, I think I needed the break. Bryn, our puppy, is starting to calm down- although as he grows the crafting stuff that I thought was safely out of reach is now within reach leading to several chases around the house to rescue chewed stash!
On the subject of Bryn, he is the reason I have made these cards. I want to send some photos of him to a couple of people so I made these to send them in. The image and sentiment are both from Elzybells (now closed down) and I stamped the sentiment to fit within the die with the image. Bryn's markings were quite tricky to draw onto the image but I think I have got it as close as I can. Judge for yourselves...

... here he was a few weeks back. The top two cards have been made with digi papers from a Stuff to Scrap blogtrain called 'French Tulips' and the bottom one uses papers from Summer Driggs called 'Thanks for Giving'. All have some Card Candi and the fibers on the botton one are wool from the £1 bin in the market!
My son was desperate to get Bryn but the reality of a puppy in the house and the extra work it entails lead to him getting rather fed up with him, although he wouldn't admit it. He got a shock at the weekend- he was walking him with a friend and paying more attention to chatting with his friend than what Bryn was doing. Bryn pulled the lead out of his hand and ran off at a rate of knots and Matthew thought he would never see him again! He gave chase and then arrived back at our house, only to find Bryn waiting there for him in the front garden! He came in saying " It's alright, I found the dog!" to a very surprised us, who had been unaware until then that he had been missing! It obviously made him realize how much he loves him as Matthew got really upset in the evening about what could have happened if he had not found him or if he had got to the main road. I think the bonds of friendship grew stronger this weekend! (I was also pretty impressed and relieved that our 4 month old puppy can find his own way home!)

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

• Charisma- Cutesy
• CRAFT- Cute
• DYSU- inspired by a song (How much is that doggie in the window?- we saw the advert for Bryn in the coffee shop window!)
• Challenge up your life- friendship
• Pollycraft- friendship
• Make it Monday- always anything goes
• Hooked on craft- punched or die cut (nestie 8 for mat)

Peaceful puppy allowing crafting! After he did battle with his bed to turn it upside down as he is incapable of sleeping in it normally!

No Cards for Men card from me this time...

It's time for a new challenge at Cards for Men but I haven't had time to make my DT card for it! Hope you can find the time to play along with our 'anything but square' challenge as it is sponsored by the wonderful Pixie Dust Studio and the rest of the DT have made some great cards with their digis for inspiration.

As I don't have a card to show you I thought I'd share some photos of the reason why!! This is our Welsh Sheepdog puppy, Bryn, looking angelic- but it won't last! (He hasn't worked out how to sit on the steps so looks rather uncomfortable!)

Here he is eating the chives!

...and chewing on a dead stump that had not made it to the tip yet- but it has now!

Running off with lumps of soil is a great game and now he can jump up on the raised bed too!

And finally, drinking water out of a tray of plants- anyone would think he didn't have a lovely fresh bowl of water in the house!

While I was typing this post he started off asleep but then woke up and tried to chew the lead for my camera then when foiled on that one he turned to the lead for the printer! And I wonder why I'm not getting any cardmaking done at the moment!!!

We have our hands full at the moment...

We have been keeping an eye out for a new puppy for a couple of months now and while visiting Mum and Dad we found this little beauty who we have called Bryn. Dad likes to go to the same cafe for a latte every morning and we saw a poster with pictures of a beautiful litter of puppies ready for new homes. I immediately got on the phone and we went to visit that afternoon. To save Mum and Dad from puddles on their carpets the lady said it was no problem to hang on to him for us until we were going home.
He is now settling in nicely with us here and we love him to bits but it is like having a baby all over again! Toilet training is still a bit hit and miss, he crys and howls a few times a night and if I had a pound for every time I have said, "What are you eating  now Bryn?!" I would be very rich!
My craft stuff has had to be whisked out of the way to save it from chewing and my time is rather taken up at the moment so I may go a bit quiet in blogland. I will have to become a nap-time crafter and blogger again for a little while!