WOYWW 149 - celebration!

Hello everyone!

Before I show you mine, just in case you haven't heard of WOYWW, you'd best pop over to Julia's place and find out what all of this flashing the desk malarkey is about!

The desk -

So there's the finished altered box (top right), the Altered book I'm working on (bottom right) and then some of the papers I'm using to cover pages in the altered book!

Here's a closer look -

The box, top and side -

Inside -

Pretties -

Yes, I've used the torn bits of pages from my altered book to cover and decorate my box!

Here's the Altered book up close -

The front cover -

 The finished niche -

 The back cover -

Covered pages ready for me to add photos etc throughout the year -

I thought I'd used the British/red, white & blue theme for my book as it's to be used as a decoration in our family room which will have this colour scheme. Plus I want to keep pictures of me and my boy from 2012. I've chosen images of favourite places, things that I like, things that are on trend at this time etc so it will be a record of this year.

Oh nearly forgot, the button collection has grown - 

Couldn't resist the purple buttons that were sold in a little bag at the local haberdashery store!

Lastly, I want to share with you another piece of art that I have created that is also destined for the family room, a Zentangles page, drawn around mine and Keagan's (my boy!) initials -

Just a heads up to all you WOYWW-ers I've got blog candy on offer to celebrate reaching 100 followers and for actively posting for nearly a year now! You can find out about it HERE I'd love to see you all join in!

Take care Zo xx

Blog Candy!

Good afternoon everyone.

Well I've been planning on doing this for a while but finally got myself sorted so that I can offer up some blog candy!

The reason behind this is I've now got over 100 followers - wow, what can I say but a Huge Thank You.  The fact that you take the time to read my mumblings and comment on my creations means so much to me. Also another reason is because I've now been actively posting for nearly a year! Again wow, I feel I've come so far with my crafting and love sharing with you all. Over the time I've 'met' so many talented people who have inspired me greatly.

So on to the Candy -

Here's a picture of it all and is the image I'd like you to use to post to your sidebar and link back to this post (I'll explain my rules in a mo!)

 Then here are some pictures of it all separated just so you can see it properly. In this first picture are the 3 packets of Tulip elements and the 2 metres of lace.

 In this picture you can see the storage pots, the heart box, pack of aperture box cards and the Seraphina & Friends CD-ROM.

 In this last picture you can see the 5 packs of toppers and the canvas (though it doesn't photograph too well)

Okay so to be in with a chance to win my blog candy all I ask is that you are a follower, I hope people will continue to follow my blog into the future and not just because of the candy. I also want you to post the top image to your sidebar with a link back to this post, the more the merry and finally leave me a comment here on this post to tell me you'd love to be in with a chance of winning and that you've posted to your sidebar and linked back ( I will be checking!). Then I will put all of your names into a hat and get my boy to pull one out on 1st May 2012 so that's 3 weeks time.

The prizes for the candy are a mixture of things I have bought especially and of things I have donated from my own stash. I hope as many people as possible will join in, to celebrate my reaching 100 followers and for me being an active blogger for nearly a year!

Take care Zo xx

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Hope you're all having a lovely Saturday?

I'm sat listening to football commentary on the radio - a Saturday afternoon without football doesn't feel right to me. Anyway a while ago I came across this picture on a blog I follow -

So I followed the link to http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/ and came across a wonderful idea of recording notes, ideas and observations prompted by.......well prompts!

I've been meaning to join in but never had the time until today so I made sure I sat down and wrote -

So FOR TODAY April 7th 2012 here are my entries to the Day book -

Outside my window...  of my craft room is the main road, but it's quiet. I'm in a rural town so our main roads aren't that busy.  Beyond the houses on the other side of the road, I can see the trees and fields that stretch out towards the Mendip Hills.  It's grey and raining.


I am thinking...of the Easter eggs I have to give tomorrow and wondering if I can get away with opening my chocolate today!

I am thankful...for all of the family and friends that I have who spend so much time helping me each and every day  so that I can live in a lovely home and get through each day.

In the kitchen...are my Easter eggs! I do love chocolate.

I am wearing...a typical Zoe outfit of boots and jeans, with a vest top and cardi. 

I am creating...an Altered book at the moment, something I never thought I'd be able to do, typing this I'm waiting for the pages to dry that I have glued together.

I am going...to enjoy my peaceful afternoon, my boy is at my parents, so I'm listening to the football commentaries and generally just resting as I have been busy of late.

I am wondering.....if the right football teams will win and the results go as I hope!

I am reading...well I'm about to start reading 'Killing Me Softly' by Nicci French.  My good friend Debs has lent it to me so I will start it later.

I am hoping...I haven't forgot to buy Easters eggs for those I should have bought for!

I am looking forward to...seeing my nieces on Monday and also hopefully seeing my life long friend and her children as well.

I am learning each day to accept me for who I am - and that while my conditions do have a huge impact on my life, it's down to me to make the most of each day and not waste a single second dwelling negatively on it all.

Around the house...I have huge ideas about how I want my rooms to look! Little by little it will be done, all with my supervision of course! I have an idea to create a room that's teenage friendly but also somewhere I can enjoy too, I think the union jack themes are fab and funky so I'm collecting red (though not too much red!), white and blue bits and bobs. My altered book is in those colours so it will be a decorative piece for that room. I may create canvases to go in there as well.

I am pondering...whether to have another cup of tea or whether to treat myself to a hot chocolate instead.

A favorite quote for today...is 'when all around you lose their heads, make sure you keep yours!' I heard it on the radio, it was in relation to football but I liked it for everyday.

One of my favorite things...has to be when I'm tucked up in bed, the TV on with recorded Craft programmes playing and I'm all cosy and I can sit and create Zentangles and get totally lost in creativity.

A few plans for the rest of the week - it will be a quiet week really, just spending time with my boy as it's the school holidays, catching up with friends and crafting. Oh there might be a football match to go to if I'm lucky!

A peek into my day.....I'm an early riser, it hurts too much to stay in bed for too long.  My days are pretty boring in comparison to some but, for me, they are what needs to happen in order for me to be able to walk so my days involve lots of rest, crafting and reading essentially.

I hope you enjoyed reading a little bit about me and what life's like here in the wonderful world of Zoe.  I enjoyed thinking about these prompts and writing my responses, some came easy while others I had to think about a bit more.


Take care Zo xx

A wonderful day out!

Good evening - just a quick hello from me.

Just to say I will get round to all the WOYWW posts over the next few days so if I haven't visited yet, I will!

I've had a lovely day today, my wonderful friend Debs, from Debs Pen Pot took me to Hobbycraft and The Mall, which are the other side of Bristol, about an hour away from where we live in Somerset. Had a lovely time browsing shops and was quite excited to walk into Hobbycraft and see all that lovely crafty stash!

Here's my new goodies -

There's some new Papermania stamps, the black & white flag book has black pages that are ready to create layouts/pages. Giraffe/Zebra felt - lush! Then some wooden bits and bobs to decorate including the deep frame. Then quite a few little bags of metal embellishments.

I can't wait to play but now I need an early night as I have football tomorrow!

Take care Zo xx

WOYWW 148 - A little bit of this & that

Good morning everybody!

Am a bit later than normal, but I've only just got up.  I'm loving the Easter Holidays, no real routine to follow so me and my boy can just chill. Fab!

Right my desk -

Just as the title says - a little bit of this & that - there's my new journal which I'm creating Zentangles in along with the pens I'm using to do this, my Altered Book project (I'm not following any tutorial specifically, I'm just playing and seeing what happens, random, very much like me!) and my box, that I'm altering, is sat there drying off ready for the next bit..... whatever that may be as I don't know yet!  Seeing it like this I realise I do like using blue!

OK, for once, I know.......... I can hardly believe it either, I'm being super brief (trying to earn brownie points off Julia!) so head over to Julia's (The Stamping Ground) to see what all of this desk showing off is about!

Take care and enjoy snooping!
Zo xx

I'm inspired.

Hello everyone - hoping this Tuesday is a good one for you. Me and my boy are having a quiet day, just chilling at home, I'll be crafting no doubt and he'll be playing on his game console and watching TV, you know, just chilling like teenagers do!

Anyway, I want to share a card with you that I've made using a stamp image from the very talented Krista. I've only recently found Krista's blog, but was pleased to realise I have come across her work before and I know I will be visiting her shop to purchase more images in the future too. This card is made with her latest 'freebie' - Boobies! Am sure you'll recognise the charity ribbon.

 I coloured this lovely girl using my Pro/Flex markers. I'm thrilled with my colouring, I don't mind telling you!

I also used my pens to colour the blossoms so that they matched in with the papers (which were freebies). I used my Lacy Square Spellbinder dies to create the centre piece for my image to sit on. I recently bought the lovely lace from the local Haberdashery and have been waiting for a pretty card to use it, this one called out for it I reckon.  I added the Thinking of You sentiment as I want to enter this card into the Saturated Canary Challenge 14 which is themed around 'Thinking of You'.

I'd love to know what you think, this is a style of card I don't always do, but reckon I should try and make pretty cards more often!

Take care Zo xx

Nautical theme for Crafty Boots!

Hello everyone - can't believe I had to turn over my calendar's yesterday, April! Scary.

Anyway it means it's time for another challenge over at Crafty Boots and the theme chosen by the lovely Emma is Nautical, so come on, dig out everything and anything you can relate and join in!

For my DT cards (I got carried away so made more than one!) I used one of the new Sheena Douglas stamps 'Destination' and combined it with distress inks, H2O's and Tim Holtz Kraft paper. Boy did I have fun.

 For this first card, I had great fun tearing the stamped image and paper before inking, splashing with water and generally distressing. I used Centura Pearl card for the base and also I used the reverse of it to print background paper on to from the Sheena Douglas Paint Fusion CD and then stamped on to it as it's very good and works well with ink and water. As you can see I painted the sails with the Pearl Blue H2O paint.

This second card is more simple, and was a case of stamping the design and distressing with ink and splattering with water. Again I painted the sails with the pearl Gold H2O. A spot of simple matting and layering finished it off.

Both images were stamped using distress ink and I used a water brush to bleed out some of the lines.

I think both of these cards can be used for any occasion and though I've used masculine colours, I think this stamp could be used for a more feminine card by altering the colours to suit.

I see I've now achieved 100 followers on my blog - wow! Thank you so much, I love sharing my work with you all and reading your comments. To celebrate I will be sorting out some blog candy shortly so keep popping back!

Take care Zo xx