I Supervise so well!

Good afternoon - I'm holding my wrists out, ready to receive 'Bad blogger' reprimands! Lol

I'm sorry I've been so poor at posting, though I have tried to visit and comment in between supervising the menfolk in their bid to transform my boy's bedroom before the carpet fitters arrive on Tuesday - I hate scrabbling at the last minute so insist on it all being done with days to spare.

So for today I thought I'd share a couple of cards I've squeezed in and some before and after-ish shots of the room too. Though I will share more pics when the room is all finished!

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A friend asked me to make this one - so I got out the Art Parts, chipboard letters and wooden embellishments, am pleased with how it went considering I didn't quite know how to put it all together. I just played around and stuck with glue when I felt it worked!

A quick and simple card using my Teresa Collin's paper and embellishments, with added buttons and candi.

I've made more cards but the photos were rubbish so I won't share those!

Now for the before shots - 

Bare floor of the landing.

Looking into my boy's room from door, old paint colours.

And looking across his room.

Took these pics after most of furniture removed and obviously after carpet took up. You can see the holes in the wall where the old fitting came out of the plaster!

Now for the lovely new walls, all painted and new curtain pole fitted with curtains!

Much better - softer neutral tones.

Makes his room seem a lot bigger.

I know the pole is meant to fit the window but this was the smallest size they did of the pole we wanted, BUT it does mean Keagan now has somewhere to hang his special football scarf which I bought him while in Paris, it can now be hung up as a feature - well it will be when everything gets unpacked and put back after the carpet has been fitted!

New light shade, you wait till you see the matching floor lamp, very posh, I can't wait to show you his new blind and canvases too, his room is going to look amazing, and all chosen by the boy himself and paid for by moi!

Take care Zo xx

My new wheels!

I don't often post too much about me, snippets are said to those of you I 'talk' with often and I let bits filter through. Many of you have no clue as to my circumstances, and that's fine, I want you to see the happy, bubbly talkative Zoe. But today I want to share something that has happened. We all make conscience choices in life. Some good, some bad. But sometimes we don't do ourselves any favours by our choices. Now many of you know I've been a bit distant, not joining in as much as I would normally. Well I just couldn't, things have been tough, physically, mentally and emotionally draining but that's cool, cos that's what happens. Up until recently I've been a stubborn cow!

Yes you read that right.....darn right stubborn. Not giving in to things, being Miss-I-can-manage, but do you know this weekend I realised that by being this way I was missing out on so many things. I can't walk far, I have spells every day where I can hardly walk at all, but I've fought on. Saying no to so many trips out, not going places because I knew I wouldn't be able to walk around and therefore I'd spoil it for everyone else who can.  That changed this weekend, I used a wheelchair for the first time. My boy pushed me the entire seafront of where we were. It was amazing. I really enjoyed the experience of sharing that with my boy. Usually I'd have sat on a bench somewhere while the rest went off. So I decided I was going to get myself a set of wheels.

This is the picture of the chair I bought.  Blue, of course! Light weight and modern.  At the shop today both mum and my boy practised folding and lifting it, and both declared it to be light and easy to manage. We even had our first outing this afternoon, only along the road to a friend's but it was fun! 

So there you are, my new wheels. There'll be no stopping us now. Lesson learned too; being a stubborn cow isn't always the best idea!

Take care Zo xx

WOYWW 166 - new goodies

Hello everyone - well a rather later-than-normal post from me, but I know you'll forgive me considering it's the school holidays.  And that means I get to sleep in late.  On one hand it's annoying as things just don't get done, but on the flip side it means I get to sleep and let my body recover and after the last few months I need it. Am hoping this spell of being able to sleep as long my body needs will help and see me getting back to the brighter bubbly self!

Right desk, not much creativity going on, but there are new goodies - 

Close up of goodies

Sideways view of the whole desk.

Don't forget to pop over to the Queen of all Desk's Julia's to join in the fun.

I'll leave you with a photo of my boy, Keagan and a rather yummy pudding we both sampled on our weekend away - 

It's an Eton Mess, and yes, we had one each! 

Take care Zo xx

Crafty Boots - Postcards

Hello Happy Monday to you, it's time once more for a new challenge over at Crafty Boots Challenge blog and the theme this fortnight is POSTCARDS chosen by the very talented and lovely Gabrielle.

At first I was a little bemused about what to do, do I do a traditional style seaside type postcard, or should I write a postcard type project I wondered, but then my Hunkydory kit arrived and I saw this fabulous Christmas postcard and knew I had to use it. 

The base is a 8 x 8 Elegant edged card which I inked with distress ink (vintage photo).  I backed some coordinating card from the kit (which I inked too) onto gold Mirri card and stuck it onto the base card.

The postcard was backed with red Coredinations card.

I added a couple of extra embellishments from the sheet - the sentiment and stamp - before finishing it all off with a huge fabric Poinsettia. 

It didn't take long to make, but I think it looks fab, and will be kept back ready to give to one of my friends/family this Christmas.

I hope you'll join us in this challenge - don't forget postcards can be of any description - summer fun, Christmas wishes, travel or just a joke. 

Look forward to seeing your entries!

Take care Zo xx

A New Toy!

No, not craft related but an iPad! Am still finding my way around it but am loving the apps. I'm enjoying a weekend with my boy, chilling & re-charging my batteries.  Been watching the Olympics all day & have not left the sofa hardly at all! Sometimes it's important to do that I reckon. Having the iPad means I can now keep up with you all from the comfort of the sofa or my bed .  As some of you know the last few months have been difficult &I've not been at my best but with new tablets I'm starting to feel better even if I'm still not physically able to do stuff. Feeling better makes it all so much easier to cope with! So there you go my first post from my iPad! A quick hello from me, hopefully my scheduled post will go up Monday morning when the new Crafty Boots challenge launches.  Take care Zo xx

Winning, I think!

Just a quick post from me - unusual I know, cos usually I ramble on and take up huge amounts of white space with my words. I'm like it in real life too, talk too much, mostly random nonsense I know.

But today seems lost to me, I'm frantically trying to get things done, feeling like things are swarming over me and they are controlling me not the other way round. Until I logged on, you know just for a moment just to see what you all are up to and boy am I glad I did cos I'm a winner!

A Wicked Wednesday winner according to Angie Delarie

I won, some super digital images from the very talent Angie. So today my post is just that - just a post to tell you I won and to suggest you pop over to Angie's and check out her wonderful wicked work!

Might not be around much till next week, lots going on, school holidays you see! Usual thing - chaos.

Take care Zo xx

None for ages & then a whole load!

Good afternoon! Well the craft desk has been in a whirl of activity this weekend. My slump in health and general well being has meant little has got done and I find myself on the verge of August with hardly any cards/projects ready.

So this weekend I got my act together and sorted out what needed to be sorted and got stuck in. I've still got some cards to make that a friend has asked me to make, but most of my own personal cards are nearing being finished - well most things are ready to be put together at least.

I turned to Craft Artist Pro for some cards though and designed digitally, printing out the whole card in one go, it meant many were finished at a touch of a button. Okay so it's not glue and ink type crafting, but needs must and I have a whole lot of cards that need doing.

Here's a small selection of what I've done so far - 

I've made similar inserts for the rest too, continuing the design to the inside.

I have many anniversary cards to make for August including cards to make for my friend.  Many of the cards are going to the same couple so making different cards is going to be a challenge!

This card is from the free Hunkydory card kit from Create & Craft (members club).

This garden card is one of the cards I've been asked to make - am really pleased with it, must remember to take a pic of the inside as I stamped a sentiment and some butterflies.

Touches of glossy accents here and there and some extra layers printed out have meant the cards look fab, I've also turned to some kits I have to put together other cards.  While I love making something from scratch, you know colouring the image, creating the background etc, sometimes I just don't have the time nor energy so digital and kit crafting is what I do when needs must.

How about you? Do you plan and make sure you have time to do things from scratch or does your health/life mean you end up taking the 'easy' option?

Is it an 'easy' option or just another form of crafting? What do you think?

Go on tell me, I won't be offended!

Take care Zo xx