Time for something a little bit different...

My brother is 21 in March and this year I have resolved to make everyones cards early instead of in a mad dash the day or two before! This is his card:

Its the first time I've attempted to make a side stepper card and I'm quite pleased with it. The images are digis from Kenny K's and the 'Happy Birthday' stamp is from papermania. The papers are also papermania and I've used the Martha Stewart doily lace border punch at the front. The embelishments are chipboard stars I found at the bottom of my stash, which I coloured with promarkers and added gems to finish. I made the sentiment on the computer.

I'm entering this into the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes

KennyK Krafty Girlz No Flowers

Truly Scrumptious Something Forgotten (Chipboard Stars)

I've got to go out now and take mum to a hospital appointment, which I dont mind except that Mr Postman has new stash for me coming today and I know I'll have to wait until tomorrow before I can go and fetch it from the sorting office! Oh Well!

Thanks for looking and take care

Berni x

Rescued Cat

OK, time for my first card now that I'm back into this blogging thing again :)

Its Pumpkin, or Aubergine? and I rescued him. My SIL took up crafting about a year after me, but she has one toddler already and another baby on the way and decided to give it all up. Luckily for this little cat, I was on hand to give her crafty stash a new home instead of it ending up in the bin :) I've coloured him with promarkers and layered him up to give it depth. The papers are from Forever Friends Spring collection and the sentiment is LOTV.

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Passion for Promarkers Recycle something (rescuing is the same as recyling right? He was going in the bin!)
I Love Promarkers Purple & Pink
Simon Says Stamp Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday You're a Gem (Pearls)

Hope you like my first card entry of the year

Thanks for looking

Berni x

An Apology

Dear friends in blog land

I'm back.

You may or may not remember me. I disapeared and I'm sorry.

It started when my computer caught a virus, I couldn't get online and I couldn't upload a card for my DT spot at Stamping for the weekend I also had no way of letting my fellow teamies know. Eventually my lovely OH managed to make my computer better, but by this point I had missed at least 2 challenges and was too ashamed to get in touch to say sorry.

Then then pressures of my job took over. You may have noticed on my last post that I had left my job for a new, much better one right? No, not right. My new job involves working 45-50 hours a week including alternative Saturdays. Suddenly crafting took a back seat- I had no time or energy to make cards as my time off was spent doing the housework or laundry ready for the next working week.

Then I had the task of making my best friend and my brothers wedding stationary. I loved doing it and at the weddings I enjoyed having guests come over to me to ask if it was really me who made the wonderful invitation they receieved. But it had a downside- crafting had become a chore that I had to do and it came with a deadline. I spent hours alone in my craft room making the same thing over and over again. Its enough to sap anyones creativity, but I'd gladly do it again.

For a while now I've been considering coming back to my blog, I've found a way to manage my home/work relationship and Ive been crafting again since before Christmas. But I wont be looking to get on any Design Teams again as I have enough pressures as it is. I've been lurking around and reading my favourite blogs, theres one in particular that always gives me inspiration- A Scrapjourney - Thanks Debby, you've made me want to come back and enter some challenges again :)

I sincerely hope I didn't cause too many problems and upset when I disapeared and hope this goes someway to expaining my actions.

Thank you

Berni x