Just one layer...

...is what they want to see over at "Less is More" - oh, and don't forget to include a bird LOL

As Copics/Promarkers tend to show through to the other side of the CS I decided to go for a different method of colouring.
The background was roughly sponged with Ranger's *Jenni Bowlin* Malted Milk ink pad and then shaded over the top with a selection of browns from my Inktense pencils
The chicken image came free with the January issue of Craft Stamper and I shaded it with the Inktense pencils without using water to blend so that the effect had a bit more texture like feathers. The base card was a 5x5 ivory card blank from Papermania.

It wasn't until I had finished this little notelet that I realised my chicken looks very patriotic colourwise **hehehe** could be the influence of all the new ranges that are hitting the stores at the moment in readiness for the Jubilee & the Olympics.................................

It's Digi time...

...for those winter/Christmas babies.

The folk over at "CHNC" want to see a digi image and/or paper used on a creation and I have to admit that I'd almost forgotten about the "CDACPC9" challenge but I found the perfect image amongst the digi freebies that were provided for this stage of the progressive challenges.
I decided to keep this one quite simple and feel it would work for either a new baby/baby's first Christmas/first birthday of a Winter/Christmas baby. The card has been created from white CS and then the front was covered with some icy looking blue CS.
The image has been coloured using Copic pens. The image (supplied as part of CDACPC9) is a baby on a moon shaped ornament by 'Just Some Lines'. It was a lovely image to colour.

Why not hop over to both sites and have a look at the creations that folk have been producing - it might help to kick-start the old mojo....................

Not a good day...

...I might have been ready for the cold snap but my car decided it wasn't.
Whilst my car had been prepared with anti-freeze and everything else needed for the winter months no one could have prepared for a dead battery. Not just flat...well and truely dead...not even the hint of a whirr.

Oh, and it seems loads of other folk have been having problems too due to the drop in temps as the minimum wait for the RAC was two hours.

Despite the long wait I have to give praise about the service I received. I received two calls from the call centre keeping me informed and a call from the engineer to say he would be with me in a few moments.

A good booster charge of the battery and a check of all the electrics and I was good to go. It appears something in the computerised system of the car had got stuck & drained the battery - by the battery going dead it has cleared the problem (it will still be booked in for a going over just to be safe).

There is something to be said for keeping machines simple; don't ya think?.....................

I'm ready...

...for the chilly temps that have been forecast for this weekend.

My hot water bottle cover is finished and on the bottle here...
...it feels lovely and soft and so very cosy and warm
Although I kept the knitting very simple I decided to decorate the top edge with a bit of crochet just to finish it off.

I'm rather pleased with the finished item - what do you think..................

Are you like me...

...you buy a pretty calendar with good intentions of using the pictures for something at the end of the year but never quite get around to it?
Well this year I intend to try and use as many of the images from my calendars as possible and this is the calendar I have used to make a start with. It wasn't very expensive (I think it was from the Card Factory - something like 59p or 3 for £1) but I just loved this little knitted character. Anyhoo, over at "CHNC" the current challenge is to make a card using something recycled...they are asking folk to breath new life into something - give it a new lease of life.

Not only have I recycled something but I've also made use of some bits that have been in my stash for some time.
The base card is a Papermania Kraft 8x8 card blank onto which I matted some Christmas PP from a cArt-us paper stack that I picked up in the sales. The image was the December picture from the calendar.
The glitter word 'believe' was from Making Memories and has been in my tote for ages and the red flower was a Papermania bloom that was left over from a pack (again found in my tote). The centre of the flower and the gems on the mistletoe were from the same sheet as the glitter word.

This is my entry for the current challenge, I've just got to think of some ideas on how to use the rest of these cute images.................................

Do you suffer from...

...Stash Mountains?

I know many crafters do...my problem is that my 'mountains' aren't just confined to paper crafts. My second biggest mountain has to be my yarn - I have loads of the stuff.

Just like my paper related stash, I know I should use what I have before adding to the pile but I do so love pretty, unusual yarns and I love to play...

I decided last night that I needed a new hot water bottle cover so I'm now in the process of knitting one.
I have lots of Double knit but I get bored with it because it takes so long to knit up. However, I have some lovely super soft DK yarns that I bought when making baby things for friends. I decided to combine two to give a thicker yarn.
I want this to knit up quickly so I am keeping it very simple by just using garter stitch. I managed this much last night before the old wrists & fingers started to complain.

Hopefully, this won't take me too long to do unless the 'arfa-ritus' plays up big time. I really do need to make a dent in this mountain.......................

What do you do...

...when you can't think of any ideas for cards?

Make a minibook of course...

I've been struggling for a few days to think of some ideas for making cards and returning to work Monday doesn't seem to have helped the motivation...so I thought I'd just have a play and this is what I came up with...
...a little BIA bound 6x6 inch minibook. I've only made the basic book but it was fun using up bits and pieces from my stash.
A little bit of decorative border punching - this one is from EK success (not sure what it is called) - and a fair bit of distress inking.
Some torn paper pockets to tuck stuff into.
Some PP matts with rounded corners.
A bit more border punching...
...and a bit of fancy frame work.

All fairly simple and straight forward with the punching, matts and pockets being repeated again to create a suitable number of pages. I will add more trims and embellies once I have decided what photos I'm going to use but for the time being it was just nice to get something made.

Think I'll get the knitting needles out and make a couple more scarves - that might help to spark the old imagination a bit...............................