Paris!

Well what a lovely afternoon it has turned out to be. The sun is shining; earlier it was so warm but cloudy.  Today I had fun crafting with my niece. She's 9 and loves making cards.  Today I showed her grown up crafting and let her play with my water brush and distress inks to colour stamped images of Tilda. She loved it, and sat quietly working away to make my mum a get well card and me a thank you card.

Mum's on the mend after her Gall bladder op. I've been helping mum and dad as much as I've been able to, over the last few weeks, which is why I haven't made too many cards myself. Along with the fact that I've not been so good anyway.  I thought I'd share with you a card that I've made for my friend whose birthday is in August.  She's love the vintage style and loves my cards which is always lovely to know.

I've got distressed mad and went to town with inks, and Tim Holtz goodies.

As you can see I had great fun playing. I also found that if I emboss after I stuck the card together it helps curl the papers/card to add dimension. Lol. I enjoyed making this card not so perfect and loved screwing up the card and inking everything in sight. Paris means something to my friend and she's a writer so I know she'll love the papers and pen and post card etc.

Enjoy your evening. Take care Zo x

Nature's Wonder

Hope Wednesday has been fine and dandy for you?  It's been warn here, well warm enough for me to get my legs out! But it's been cloudy most of the day.  I have been rather slow lately, and haven't created much in terms of cards, but I have finished my Rural Rovers article, well ahead of deadline too!

Right thought I'd share with you a card I've made for my dad to give my mum for their Anniversary in August. He hasn't asked me yet but I know he'll be expecting a card.  I've used one of my new Creative Expression's stamps which I stamped onto white card and coloured using the distress inks.  As you can see I'd used the Tim Holtz Distressed Core-dinations card-stock to create a vintage distressed look.  I also used spellbinders dies to create the flower, a 1st for me, but I'm pleased with the effect. My butterfly punch came in handy to embellish this design.

I used Weathered wood and Frayed Burlap distress inks and core-dinations card.  I did think about putting more onto this card as I was worried it lacked something, but I'm pleased I didn't as I feel anything too ornate wouldn't suit mum or dad. Thanks for looking. Take Care Zo x

No cards but new hair!

Hello!

My card making is on a go slow and I'm struggling to put anything together. I've got lots of cards to make for August so really need to get on with them. Just had a bit of a buying session as I NEED a few crafty things. I really do need them!

Thought I'd share a pic of my new hair colour.  I dyed it last night, it's called Cosmic blue, but is actually black but with a blue sheen that shines when light is on it. I love it. Think the blue might have been stronger if I left it on longer but I was scared to. lol

The pic isn't brill as I was trying to get the light on hair to show the blue tone. But you get the idea.

The blue looks quite subtle in this pic but believe me when the sun shines on it, it really does show up!  I've always changed my hair colour and have been everything from bleach blond to red, all shades of brown but never black until now! Fancied having blue and so when I saw this is the local supermarket I couldn't resist.

Right going to make a cuppa then got to get on with my dad's anniversary card for mum (not that he's asked me yet but I know he will!)
Take care Zo x

Under The Sea!

Good afternoon everyone - well I'm feeling much happier now. Mum had her op this morning and is back on the ward recovering. The wait has been agonising, I haven't ate a thing but I've managed to rewrite my first Rural Rovers article and make this card, which I'm entering into the Glitter Geeks - Under The Sea challenge

I've made this card for my friend's wedding Anniversary in August. I used Joanna Sheen's Enchanted Dreams CD featuring the wonderful art work of Josephine Wall.  I thought this image was perfect for an Anniversary and different than normal.  Hope you like it. Take care. Zo x

Hoping for improvement

Hello everyone, hope all's well with you?

I'm feeling a little better, though know I have to be prepared to get worse again as unfortunately my mum is back in hospital. I find all of the travelling in and out (hospital is about half an hour away) really effects me and always means I'm in lots of pain and struggle more than usual. Saying that, there's no way I'll not visit mum while she's in there. I've found if I go in the afternoon I'm a little better as can recover in the evening before starting all over the next day. (I'm the same whether I drive or go with someone else)

As said this last week has been difficult for me anyway, the Fibromyalgia has become far worse than before (I seem to be getting worse each year) so even the most basic of things are taking me so much longer and I'm struggling with increased pain and my mobility is reduced, combine that with my other 2 conditions it's all good fun! But I keep smiling and remaining as positive as possible.

I've struggled to make any cards this week, I get frustrated when I can't as the whole creative process helps me to cope with everything else.  However I've managed to make 2 cards, though it has taken me days to make them.  They are both for my parents anniversary.

I've used Debbi Moore's Regency CD for the 1st card and Nikky Hall's Polka Doodles, A double sprinkle of Kraft cd for the cute owls in the wellies image.  Since I've got worse I find CD crafting a fab way to craft, it means I've always got papers and images to hand without having to leave my house.  Internet shopping makes things so much more accessible and having it delivered to my door is perfect.

Anyway take care and enjoy the rest of your day. Zo x

Morning!

Well I've been rather quiet over the last week. I've struggled to make a card (though I've lots to make for August!) and my creativity is low.  I haven't been so good in myself and have been struggling to walk (it's my conditions) so spent yesterday resting up, catching up with Nikita, Torchwood and I watched Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows part 1 on Dvd. I can't wait for the second part to come out on Dvd. I would love to go and see it in the cinema but just don't feel that I could cope with it at present so I've got to be patient and wait for the Dvd.

Today we're having lunch with my parents (mum always cooks for me on a Sunday, that way she know's I've had at least one proper meal a week!!), and then having another quiet day, probably end up catching up with all the EastEnders & Casualty programs I've got recorded. 

Can't believe my son has been at Secondary school for a year, and has only this week left.  I'm looking forward to the school holidays, we haven't got any plans as such but it'll be lovely not to have to set the alarm. Right best get myself sorted to go to mum's. Thankfully they only live at the end of my garden!  Our gardens meet so we have created an access through. It's been very handy when I've had falls etc that my son Keagan can phone them and help is on hand pretty much straight away.

Hope everyone has a lovely Sunday, the sun has just started shining though it's been raining all morning.
Take care Zo x

Me & My Stick!

Good morning, well it's beautifully sunny here in Somerset.

Right this post is to show the bit of fun I had when I decided to decorate my walking aid/crutch/stick whatever you want to call it! I've accepted that I'm going to have to use it all of the time now when I go out, but what I couldn't accept was using a boring grey stick! So I set about (with a little help) to Zoe-fy it. Of course, blue & white had to come into it.
 The Pebeo paints work well on metal, but to finish it off and protect it I used Crafter's Companion's Spray & sparkle clear varnish with glitter! Then I used My craft studio's paper expert glue to attach the gems. I now have a stick that reflects me, not boring old grey. lol What do you think?

It's different that's for sure. My friend suggested I do another one it a different colour scheme too.  So if you ever see a rather short lady with this stick, it'll be me! Take care Zo x

A Balanced Diet!

Good morning, well it's cloudy here but warm.  I've just come back from being pampered (well tidied up!) as I've had my eyebrows and my toe nails sorted. I've now got Blue toe nails! As those of you who kind of know me know blue is my favourite colour & of course Bristol Rovers play in blue & white. lol

Right today's post is a card I've made for the Glitter Geeks - Tea party challenge.  As soon as I saw the challenge I knew what toppers I'd use.

I love these Kanban toppers, full of yummy cakes & hot chocolates & coffee. A perfect balanced diet if you ask me. lol

I'm really thankful that I've got such good friend's to support me and today is no exception, my friend Debs, is taking me to our local farm shop so we can have our own cake and coffee.  Plus I'm going to get her to help me decorate my crutch/walking aid. I use it all the time now so thought it was about time I put my own personality on it.  I've already tried painting a small section blue (of course) and will get Debs to help me finish it with more blue & white then I think a spritz of  spray & sparkle is needed. Perhaps a couple of gems too! Will post a pic when it's done. Take care Zo x

One for the boys!

Wow I'm amazed at myself, making 2 posts in one day!

Anyway earlier while I was peeking through everyone's blogs I came across the challenge over at Here Come The Boys challenge blog - Sporty so I thought I'd enter. I've been waiting to use these dimensional cricket embellishments for ages, and I desperately need to make more male cards so the challenge gave me the perfect opportunity to do so.
Here's my card.

As you can see it's Popcorn the Bear decoupage taken from the cd-rom along with the fab cricket embellishments. Hope you like it. Take care Zo x

SWALK Wedding

Morning Everyone

Thought I'd share a couple of wedding cards I've been asked to make using my SWALK stamp. I've also got some new Spellbinders dies so just had to have a play and use them.

I love this cute image and have used it quite a lot, I love the way it can be left simple with no colour or can be coloured to match a theme. Here's hoping the ladies that asked me to make them like them. Right off to make a couple of cards for a couple of challenges I've spotted! Take Care Zo x

Purple anyone?

Afternoon everyone

Funny isn't it, how we crafter's go through themes and colours when crafting. Recently I had a trend for making all things green, now it seems that purple is my preferred colour of choice!

I've made this card to give to my auntie for her birthday later this month. I'm really into the distress inks and style at the moment so thought I create a card using those techniques, but in a vibrant colour instead of the usual.

The main image is a La Blanche foam stamp that I stamped onto Bazzil card using Dusty Concord distress ink.  I used an embossing folder that came with my Cuttlebug V2 for the background which I then sanded and inked.  The sentiment is from Craftwork Cards and I finished it all off with ribbon and a butterfly punch.  I'm really pleased with effect of the card, and hope my auntie likes it.  It's a little modern perhaps than my usual choice for her so I hope she 'gets' it! Lol

Take care Zo x

Christmas in Green!

Evening!

Well today as hurtled by, it feels only moments ago that I was sat in the Hairdressers having my layers chopped back in. Now here we are, 18.10pm. Time really does fly.

Anyway thought I'd share a few Christmas card designs I've been making lately.  I actually bought these La Blanche foam stamps last year but didn't get round to using them as much as I'd like.  So out came the Pine Needles distress ink, Centura pearl card & embossing folders and away I went.

I'd like to enter the card above into the Monochromatic Christmas challenge as I've used one colour, green, in a monochromatic way.

I'm planning on using these stamps with various different colours for this year's general cards.

Hope you all have an enjoyable evening. Take Care Zo x

Me & My Rovers Writing.

Good afternoon everyone, well what a wonderful day of weird weather we're having! One minute beautifully sunny, the next absolutely chucking it down to the point of the main road outside being flooded with rivers of runaway water!

Right, since I started this blog I've only ever talked about my crafting. So I decided it was about time that you saw the other side of me, and my life as a writer of articles for the official award-winning Bristol Rovers match-day programme.  The Pirate.

A couple of seasons ago, I was honoured to be invited to write for the programme. For me, it was the combination of two things that I love - Bristol Rovers (obviously) and writing.  I jumped at the chance and set to work on a provisional article to be submitted to the editor, Keith Brookman.  I knew straight away that I wanted to put across a different view, to show what it's like to support a team despite living out in the countryside, not even in the outskirts of Bristol.  Thankfully Keith loved my idea and 'Rural Rovers' was born.

The 'Rural Rovers' articles give me chance not only to flex my creative writing, but also to tell Gasheads about the Norton Radstock Gas Supporters branch that we have running in our area.

Here's some pictures of the articles I wrote last season;

The pictures show two articles at a time, easier to photograph like that, as you can see I get an whole page to myself!

The last one also shows, on the left hand side, the commercial page as at the bottom is a picture of us girls; my friend, Sue was the programme sponsor for the Brentford match and we had our picture taken with Man of the Match, Will Hoskins. I'm the short one on the right!

To mark Sue's very special birthday I included our celebration in my article, which was in the programme that day, 'A Change of View'.  Sue had quite a surprise to find herself talked about throughout the pages.  She loved me really for telling the world she was 50. LOL

I think my favourite article was 'Under The Dome', as I wrote about football and books (another passion mine - reading), using book titles to tell the story of a football season.  It was in the Oldham Athletic programme.  Quite a few Gasheads I know either told me or sent me messages telling me how much they enjoyed this article.  It's great knowing that people are not only reading my work, but enjoying it too. It's also a great buzz to see my words in print, published for others to read.

I'm looking forward to writing 'Rural Rovers' again this season, though I'm hoping that the football on the pitch as well as the results are a whole lot more positive than last season, when unfortunately we were relegated. Who knows how the new season will start?  But start it will, on Saturday August 6th, so keep and eye out for my thoughts as I endure the thrills and spills of a football season in league 2 (ouch - saying that still hurts.).
Take care Zo x

A Tilda for Tuesday!

Well it started beautifully sunny here, but now it's raining! One thing I love is that fresh earthy smell you get when it's been hot and then it rains.

Right then, I'm starting to find my way around blog challenges and saw the opportunity to use one of my Tilda stamps.  I'm going to enter this card into 2 challenges, but first here's my card.

Ok the two challenges I'd like this card to be entered into are:

The Totally Tilda distressed challenge
The Official magnolia inspiration challenge 5 easel card

The challenges required the card to be an easel card and also to be used in a distressed manner.  What fun I had, especially as the distressed look and products is being shown everywhere at the moment.

Right I used Chocolate Centura pearl card for the easel base, then I used my Core-dinations card stock for the layers, embossing and distressing as I went.  The Tilda stamp is stamped on light coloured Core-dinations card using Walnut stain distress ink.  I coloured her in using a water brush and using Walnut stain and Tea dye ink. I also got to use my Cuttlebug V2  with one of the embossing folders that came with it.  I also used my new spellbinders dies for the flower & corner embellishment and a punch for the butterfly.  The sentiment comes from one of  Sheena Douglas's A little bit sketchy stamps.

I had great fun making this, so I hope you like too. Take care Zo x

The need for Speed!

What a beautiful day! Just wish I could enjoy it more, but my conditions are really bad at the mo and stopping me from doing many things, including walking properly.  So frustrating but I battle on and manage, just a case of having to.  Anyway I wanted to post my entry  for the Glitter Geeks challenge, week 4, Speed! I recently made this card for my friend's little boy as he loves F1 so thought I'd share it with you as well as entering it for the challenge.

I used MCS 'Meny-y happy returns' CD-ROM to create this one. Making my own decoupage by printing multiples of the car and cutting to suit my idea of what looks okay!
As you can see I personalised it for Harrison.  I also printed onto watercolour card to get a different texture to the background and image.

Anyway hope you like it. Take care Zo x