1ST DAY OF TERM...

That's the kids in Scotland been back to school for 2 weeks now...only 6 weeks til the tattie holidays...haha This year is Morgan's 1st year at the academy....and we got him a netbook for keeping up with his homework(saves him arguing with his sister about using hers and keeps him of my laptop!)...he was chuffed although he doesn't look it...lol...

And here are the girls ready to set of on their bikes...

Today I have been busy making cards like this to stock up my shop as I have my first event on 17th September....eeeek!!!

Finally I have a couple of things to share with you from two fab blogs.... The first is from Miss Smith at Curiouser and Curiouser...she is having a giveaway with a twist involving these little beauties...why not pop over and see what it's all about...

And my bloggy friend Darcy from Art and Sole has a downloadable freebie on offer over on her blog...these are fab and I can't wait to print them of and start using them...thanks Darcy for such a fab giveaway...you're a STAR!!!


Well that's me for today...I will try and be back before the end of the month with something else but not promising as I have caught a bit of an exercise bug this last week and am determined to keep it up...we walk about 14 miles and cycled 10miles(mostly up hill on the way but a tremendous rush downhill on the way home...lol.)...this will be weather permitting as today has been the worst day in such a long time - horrendous wind and rain...

TFL

Kirsti xxx

MY FIRST EASEL CARD...

The other day I was flicking through the July issue of Craft Stamper looking for inspiration for a 40th birthday card for my next door neighbour Clare for her sister...Kate had done a card using the free stamp and it was an easel card...I have never made one of these before so I thought I would have a go...

I didn't make the base card the same way Kate did but from a tutorial found here and simple though it was I still managed to cock it up by putting the front on the wrong way round...back to the beginning..was easy once I looked again...

I used papers from a 6"x6" stack called Madeline by Prima Marketing...they are gorgeous papers...I stitched round the flowery piece in the middle before sticking it down so the stitching wouldn't be seen on the back...

The ribbon on the top is from Simply Create from my stash and the ribbon on the bottom is also from there and just bought on Tuesday....was searching through all my vast collection of ribbon looking for the perfect piece....you know the feeling right when you have the right colour but not the right type of ribbon or the right ribbon but not the colour you need...AAARGHHH...spent ages looking and then remembered the piece I bought that day and it's just perfect... I also added a diamante to the centre of each flower...

I added the little matt with the pearls to hold the card upright...and the 'Celebrate' was a stamp that I also bought on Tuesday in the Simply Create sale...

The chandelier(free stamp) is stamped onto the corner from one of the sheets in Timber Brown Stazon and it matches in perfect with the patterned paper...I matted it in dark brown and added a diamante...

Overall I was very pleased with the way it had turned out for a first attempt and fortunately so was Clare...I will definitely be doing some more of these in the future...

As I said on Tuesday I went over to Simply Create for a mooch around the sale with Kerry and Trish...bad influence...I had planned to wash the floors but they were going over and in the end we had coffee and scones at the Bistro, a rummage round the sale(if you fancy any of the canvas classes I am doing in the shop please phone the shop soon on 01975 564010 to book you place as I think they are filling up (excited.com and also verynervous.com!!!), we then went to the charity shop which was actually closed but the volunteers let us have a nose around...then it was back to Inverurie and of to Andersons for lunch...a totally indulgent day but then it was the first day of the new school term so I think it's allowed...lol...

I didn't buy much as I am still on my stash busting mission...but check out this glorious 100 buttons that I did buy...Lush or what??? The colours are so beautiful and vintage looking...There was a time when I used to go into raptures over new shoes and boots and now its buttons...heehee...

Will be back (hopefully) tomorrow (or maybe even later today) with some piccies of the kids first day back at school and Morgan's first day at the Academy!!!

TFL

Kirsti xxx

JULY - MONTH IN MUMBERS...

After seeing Julie Kirk's project 'my month in numbers' last month I thought I would give it a go starting from July...

I have made mine into a scrapbook page using an old Kenner Road kit that I won waaaaay back when...lol...so this is also part of my stash busting drive too...

So I started of with the number FOUR...this being the number of books I have read this month(quite a slow one!) which is equal in this case to the total of ((1799)) pages... I have added myself to the Goodreads website and it's quite fun updating all the books I am reading or have currently read...Last year was a total of ((52)) books and so far this year I am on number ((43)) which I am very chuffed with....the problem I have is that I can NEVER give books away and if I lend them I have to GET THEM BACK with the result being that I have literary hundreds of books...

The papers/stickers/borders are from the Bliss collection by Crate Paper and in true Scottish fashion I have even cut out the middle of the back sheet before sticking the scalloped one on top...no sense in waste...lol...

The word NUMBERS is American Crafts Thickers 'Jewelry Box' and the tiny letter stickers are by the girls paperie by Margie 'Vintage Whimsy'...I also added loads of diamantes down this side for some added sparkle...

My second number is FOUR THOUSAND (at least) and is the number of times this month with us Scottish folk being on summer holidays that I have gone into either the conservatory or the living room and switched the tv of because no-one is in the room...kids huh!!!

My third number is THREE SQUILLION(about) and is about the sheer number of jelly fish that were stranded on the sand at Lossiemouth beach each time the tide went out...there were thousands of them and it made the kids a little wary of going barefoot...there was also an article in the paper that week(this isn't the actual article) about jelly fish and chips being on the menu...couldn't think of anything worse...yukkkkk

I added diamantes round all the labels as well...the stamped birdie and the felt flower embellishments are by Stampin Up... and I used some border stickers from the kit and folded it up and then sewed up and down then a couple of times to create a pleated effect....

So that's me for this month and hopefully I will have some more NUMBERS for you next month....

TFL...Kirsti xxx

UFO NO 3...

Here is UFO Number 3....There are so many piccies of it that I decided to collage them instead of uploading them all and boring the pants of you all...haha...

This is another Rusty Pickle from the same class as the last one...It's called Candyland and its very bright and cheerful which I thought was just right for the photos from Niamh's Mad Hatter's Tea Party she had for her 5th Birthday last year...

As you can see I have used loads and loads of very colourful buttons and some lovely ribbons as well...

I love the little mini book that pops out from one of the pages and have filled it with photos of Niamh from the day...

I also used the tags for individual pictures of all her guests on the day...

And last but not lease is the POP up in the very back cover..very ingenious don't you think...

Well that's me for today...hope you enjoyed this as much as I have...am now of to find something else to finish...have a great day...xxx

CLASSES....

Does anyone fancy coming along to Simply Create in Alford for some canvas classes with little old me....please?!? Jacqui and I thought we would maybe try out Wednesday mornings for these classes for those of you who maybe have children commitments at the weekends and evenings (like me!!)....

This is the first one....

Wednesday 7th September at 10.30am

The second one will be a version of this one...

Wednesday 5th October at 10.30am

and the last one will be a winter version of this one... Wednesday 9th November at 10.30

If you would be interested in any of these classes please phone Jacqui on 01975 564010 for further details and to book your place...go on...you know you want to!!

Hope you are all enjoying the summer holidays...

Kirsti xxx

UFO NUMBER 2...

Well here is my UFO number 2 as promised...still on a roll...this is another picture heavy post sorry but I know how much us crafty peeps love to look at pictures...lol

This is a Rusty Pickle class kit called My Life Album that I started at a class with Lance himself over at Simply Create along with my lovely friends Erika, Emma and Kara...and OMG I can't believe that was March 2010...doesn't seem that long ago... Oops I almost forgot that the lovelry Judy and the equally loverly Lorraine were there too...

In keeping with the vintage grunginess of this one I changed all my photos to black and white or sepia and put them through the Time Machine feature on my Paint Shop program....Love how they turned out...

So that's my album finished...I am very pleased with it so now it's time to look out another UFO which may I think be the second album we did that night!!

Have a great day even if it is raining where you are....xx

MY GARDEN...

Not got any crafting to show you today so I thought I would show you some photos of my garden and also proof that sometimes the sun does shine in Aberdeenshire...lol...

This is my gorgeous Willow which I grew from a baby from my neighbours...I love it and it has got so huge in such a short space of time but unfortunately it is probably going to have to come out as we are planning an extension which it will probably interfere with...boohoo...

These are all my gorgeous baskets and tubs that were planted up this year using bedding plants from Tesco that had been marked down to 75p per tray...I think I spent around 15.00 so not a bad display for such a small outlay....

Hope this little bit of colour and sunshine has cheered you up....take care....

Kirsti xxx