Loving wedding couple....

Hello everyone, I'm in with my Swedish Housecrafts DT for you today and I've been having super fun playing with a criss cross card fold.

I love this fold because of the beautiful ways you can decorate the 'card' you pull out of the criss cross pocket and the fun you can have decorating the outside of it. For this one, I used some simple lace from my stash and die cut the Gummiapan- Integrated Hearts die. Then I carefully cut away some of the hearts to leave me with the big heart and 2 smaller ones for decorating the centre.

Once I'd done that, I cut the Roxstamps special - Congrats die to pop on top of it. I cut it twice, once in my white cardstock and once in the kraft cardstock. I offset the kraft layer underneath when I glued them together to make a 'shadow'. Then I pressed the congrats into my Tsukineko Emboss Ink pad and covered them in ultra thick embossing powder. It looks so lovely IRL, I hope you can see from the photo.

For my Magnolia Stamps Wedding Collection- Loving Bridal Couple I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try some Distress ink colouring. I really enjoyed it. I need more practice but that's the whole fun of trying new things!!

Once I had coloured Tilda and Edwin and they were fully dry, I used my Tsukineko Emboss Ink pad with the Gummiapan- Worn Hearts stamp and randomly stamped them around the sides up to where I knew they would be hidden by the criss cross fold. Then I went over them with 2 different shades of gold perfect pearls dust. It is so shimmery but I cannot get that to show in the photo!!!

Then I popped my piece through my Bigshot using the beautiful Roxstamps- Curlicue Edge Decor die. I repeated that with a Kraft cardstock too and then slightly offset them at the top to make the 'shadow' again. I also tied a tiny little twine bow and glued it to the centre.

I decorated my Criss Cross card fold with some of the stunning papers in the Pion Designs- Summer falls into autumn 6x6 collection. They are so pretty I almost didn't want to cut them!!!

Right, time for me to scoot! I don't know what I'm going to do today yet but I can feel that crafty feeling so I'll go with it!!

Thank you for popping in, huge hugs Lou xxx

Cupcake Hamster...

  Image- Cupcake Hamster.

 Morning everyone!

I'm popping in with my Dream Team make for Mo's Digital Pencil today. I have decided that I can no longer wait until my Dream Team blog posting day because sitting here scheduling my blog post for over there is too tempting to just post on mine today!! hehe!!! And this little Hamster!!! oh my gosh!!! It's just so cute I want to squish his little full cheeks!! awwwwwww, It's too cute!!!!

Let's take a closer look at the yummy cuteness!!! to get that 'furry' kind of texture on him I just coloured a little bit of cotton gauze with my blender pen and then squished it onto him once he was all coloured up. I love how it looks.

And then there's that yummy, scrummy pink frosting!!! eeeeeeep!! I love it!!! it looks delicious!! I just coloured it up and then splodged on some glossy accents and added a few real cupcake sprinkles to the places where the little drawn ones were!

I even felt umphy enough to turn the handle on my bigshot and cut out the letters for my niece's name!! go me!!!

Now...did my niece get her card on time even though it was made and ready....errrrrrrr...no she did not!!!! I feel so awful about it but then I think my niece would actually be more shocked if her card arrived on time!!! Luckily thanks to the cleverness of PayPal, she had her birthday pennies for her girls weekend away with my big sister so it's not all bad!!!!!

I have been pootling along quite nicely with recovery. I am doing good on not many painkillers at all ( I had 4 paracetamol yesterday and none yet today!! wahoooooo!!!!) and I've managed to get a fake kebab made (...Scott had to get the food processor out of the back of the cupboard for me but other than that, I've managed everything ok!!).

Right, I must pootle off and chop up some salad to go with this fake kebab, it's got 20 mins or so left in the oven and then it will be ready for nomming...which is good because we are all starving here!! lol!!

I hope you've all had gorgeous Sundays, thank you for popping in, huge hugs Lou xxx

You Rock.....

Stamp set- Dino-Mite clear stamp set (retired)...But don't worry!!

Image- Dino-Mite from Tiddly Inks.

Papers- Bazzill Basics Dino-Mite.

Card layout Sketch from the gorgeous Dawny.

Good Morning all!!

It's Fab Friday over on the Tiddly Inks blog so I couldn't resist a little Dino-Mite . I really felt like a nice little bit of fun crafting time while I recover from my Booby reduction on the good side so I am no longer The Hunchtit from Notre Dame...!! I had my operation on Wednesday.

Of course, the stockings of doom have had to be re-applied for the next 2 weeks..

 My amazing surgeon practised his geometric graffiti skills...!!!!

I was given a new type of anaesthetic that is done by an infusion pump and you have a brain activity monitor popped on your head! very exciting but with my feather veins,getting the cannula was a struggle for them and then when the infusion started, it incredibly painful going in but my theatre nurses and anaesthetist were so lovely and caring and gave me pain meds to try and combat it. An hour and half later and I was in recovery, apparently having a wonderful chat with my Nana and Grandad!! The nurse thought it was hilarious but I can only remember waving goodbye to them as they walked back to their caravan?!! lol!!

 I was well enough to go home by 4pm which was wonderful. I cannot thank my surgeon, theatre staff and the gorgeous nurses on Branston Ward enough. They are always so wonderful when I am in the hospital.

 And now...well now I look a bit like this!! Oh, how I laughed on dressing investigation when I got home and saw this!! Firstly I thought my surgeon must have an S&M fetish going on but then sense told me it's so they can keep an eye on my nipple!!!! bwah ha ha ha ha!!!

So there we go!! the tale of Lou's week!!! he he!! 2 days later I am feeling pretty good really. I'm sore but not to the point of tears and am managing my painkillers really well with good breaks of 5-6 hours between them. 

Today I am going to try a weaker dose of 2 paracodol as I have been having 2 paracetamol and 30mg of codeine but it makes me feel quite nauseous so being as I am doing ok pain wise, I'm going to knock it down a little. I went from 3:30pm yesterday to right now, at 6:34am, once I have finished my breakfast before needing anything else so I'm on the right track!

Thank you for popping in, huge hugs Lou xxx

4 Dad...

Image- 4 Dad Boy S.

Papers- Crate Paper 'Boys Rule'.

Hello everyone!!

I know...it's a day early again but because it's Fathers Day, I wanted to share my Fathers Day make using 4 Dad Boy S.

Isn't he so cute?! I 'out of the box' nestied him to get him to fit in that cute little position. If you need help learning how to do that technique, please check out this fabulous tutorial HERE. 

Let's take a closer look at his cuteness!!.... awwwww!!!! I love him!!

I coloured him up so that his little picture of Dad has the colouring out of the lines some like a little dude would colour, sooooo sweet!!! My marvellous Little Mo liked this image and technique so much that he used it for his Grandad Prickly's birthday card but I didn't get chance to take a photo of it because he was so excited to get it written and in the envelope ready for today!! I absolutely adore that he makes cards for people like me, it's so special to know I've passed on a little thoughtfulness to him.

We've had a gorgeous day out at Yorkshire Wildlife Park today with Scott's mum and Dad. It was so special to spend Fathers Day with Scott's Dad and we had such a lovely time and now we are all pooped out and thinking zzzzzz's!!! It's such a gorgeous 'zoo' to go around though and the enclosures for the animals are just amazing. Mo's favourites are still the Polar Bears, closely followed by the Meerkats and the Giant Otters.

Right, I'm going to relax with a lovely liquorice tea and then I'm going to have a bath.I'm taking extra time on them this week ready for not being able to lie down in the bath for a little while after my op on Wednesday!! lol!!  Needs must and all that!!!

Thank you for popping in, Hugs Lou xx

Fixer Upper Edwin....

Stamp- Fixer Upper Edwin.

Dies-Fixer Upper Painting brush, Hardware & Hammer.

Papers- MME Boy Crazy.

Morning peeps!! 

I'm in for you today with my Swedish Housecrafts DT make and I think it's just perfect for Father's Day which is fast approaching us now.

Fixer Upper Edwin is just the sweetest little stamp to help you along with those slightly harder to make for males! and I ADORE him. I thought a little notebook for Dads' to jot down bits and bobs would make a really lovely father's day gift so using a little mini notepad bought from the shop, I got to work. You just need to gently remove the front cover and replace it with a piece of kraft cardstock. I allow 1/2cm for the "spine" of the notebook width and then a good 1.5cm to go down the back of the notebook so the front is secure. Once that's done, you are ready to decorate it!

I stamped Edwin out on some normal colouring cardstock and then onto some papers from my paper scrap box (the little pieces I find in there from my stash of used bits were just perfect for a little notebook altering!). Then it was time to colour up and have some fun paper piecing his hat and shirt to match! so cute!!

And how fabulous are the little screws and bolts in the Fixer Upper Painting brush, Hardware & Hammer dies set? I think they are just magic. They would be just perfect for a shaker card too you know! Just imagine those little screws and bolts floating around!!

Right, I need to get my butt into gear! I have my pre op appointment today...ooooh there's nothing quite like swabs around your nose and crotch area to check for MRSA!! I tell you, there's always something to look forward to in Lou world!!! romfl!!!

Have a magical monday peeps! Thank you for popping in, Hugs Lou xxx

March Hare...

Image- March Hare from Mo's Digital Pencil.

Sentiment- WMS Afternoon Tea stamp set.

Dies- Magnolia Doo Hickey 14.

Papers- Maja Designs Coffee in the Arbour.

Hellooooooooo everyone!!

I am sat here giggling because regular visitors to my little Lou corner of the blogging world will know that posts later on a Sunday afternoon from me mean I could not sit on my hands at all with my Mo's Digital Pencil DT make and I just had to blog it right away but seriously people...March Hare and tea...what's not to post???!!!!

We have had a really gorgeous weekend again in the little Daubney Trio. Yesterday we just pottered around and today we pootled off to the local downhill challenge. It was super to watch (...right up until Little Mo had a funny turn and did that thing where he goes pale white with blue lips...except today he added going face first into the wall he was leaning on and sliding down it much to the alarm of the poor lady in the food tent!! poor lady! I did explain to her that it happens!!). He was 100% again after a bit of a sit-down and a drink and a nibble on his beefburger so it was an easy fix but he just doesn't do too well in heat or places it's a bit crowdy.

This afternoon he and Daddy fixed up the remote control car and had some fun with it, then we snuggled up to watch Diary of a wimpy kid The long haul movie, then they went back out to play with the car so I grabbed some playtime of my own!!

I LOVE this March Hare from Mo's Digital Pencil. I always get my Little Mo to pick my image to use and he really liked this one because it reminded him of our Marvin bunny.

I had a lovely play with some of my Magnolia Doo Hickey 14 dies on this one too. They are the most gorgeous little tea themed bits. And that wonderful sentiment is from my Waltzing Mouse stamps 'Afternoon Tea' set my beautiful friend Jenny sent me last year. It is the most wonderful set and has some cracking tea sentiments on it. They have closed now but if you can find it anywhere it really is a good one to buy.

Right then, time for me to pootle off. I have real bunnies that want their munchy Excel nuggets for tea and their hay tube filling back up for nighttime munchability!!!

Thank you for popping in, huge hugs Lou xx

Tiddly Inks Challenge #214...Colour Inspiration.

 Image- Sloth's Life.

Papers- Crate Paper Earth Love.

Card base- Lori Whitlock Diagonal Fold Pop Up card.

Morning everyone!! 

It's time for another fun challenge over on the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog and we felt it was time for some inspiration from the wonderful Seeds colour swatches...swoooon!! they really do rock a colour swatch selection over at Seeds.

'Colour Inspiration'

 So grab your images and colours from this palette and create away!!

 (**remember...We love to see any new creation, a card, 3D project, journal page etc 

but you must use a Tiddly Inks stamp or image **)

I used the super sweet Sloth's Life image for my make and a super duper cut file by Lori Whitlock, all linked above!!

But oh the cuteness of that sloth! he has the softest look around his eyes, I adore him! Teamed up with those gorgeous Carte Paper papers which were so easy to merge him onto with him being a .PNG file that this card was just the most fun to make! 

And this is how he looks all tucked up in his little card ready to pop out and surprise someone!! 

Right, the school morning awaits me...urgh...roll on the end of term! I much prefer my Little Mo at home! it's too quiet without him!

Thank you for popping in and huge hugs, Lou xxxx

Here.......

Image- Here.

Papers- Echo Park- A perfect summer.

Hiyah everyone!

Well, I couldn't wait for Monday morning to come to post this little cutie so I just had to do it now!!

She is my super sweet make using Here. She so reminded me of my BF's icecream loving little lady that I knew she had to be the one for her birthday card....and I have to confess...I am super duper late in making all of my BF's little people their cards. I am a bad Lou. I have 6 more to go until I am caught up (... so I should have covered their birthdays by the time I need to get their Christmas cards made...!!!)

I glossy accented her little ice cream, welly boots and eyes to make them pop a bit too. She looks so super cute I could squish her!!!

Plus tomorrow I will be nursing the back to school mummy blues and going to my appointment at the Breast Clinic so I worried I might forget to share her cute little self here on my blog if I didn't do it now!!

I have had the most gorgeous half term holibobs time with my little guy. Scott managed to get most of the week off only working for 2 days so we have had some really lovely family time. My birthday was just lovely. We met Mo's best buddy from primary school and his gorgeous mummy and sister for a catch up day which was so needed as poor Sharon has been quite poorly with a nasty flu bug that turned even nastier and she ended up with a hospital stay so I haven't been able to see her for a long time now. 

Then on Saturday, I had the most amazing crafty day with Lou at Sir Stampalot and I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed it. I have already booked myself in for the October Christmas makes class! you can find the linky to book your place HERE. We did 3 amazing makes on Saturday so I can't wait to see what the Christmas makes hold!!

Right, it's time for me to get these achey bones to bed!!.and of course, snuggle the mini man before he nods off...though he's got his head in a Harry Potter book and would stay that way all night if I didn't prise it from his hands!!!!!

Thank you for popping in, hugs Lou xx

Unicorn Treat Box....

Roxstamps- Curlicue Edge Decor.

Gummiapan- Apple Box die.

Magnolia- I Believe in Unicorns stamp and text.

Crafters Companion Neenah Desert Storm cardstock.

Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black ink.

Morning everyone!!

I'm popping in with my Swedish Housecrafts DT make. I took some time to play with the gorgeous Gummiapan- Apple Box die. It really is the perfect little die for making super sweet little favor boxes for parties and it is so quick to put together too. The best thing is that you don't need any glue to put it together (...which is even quicker because you don't have to allow glue drying time!). The little handles simply tuck through the 2 slits that are in the side when you assemble the box. 

I used Crafters Companion Neenah Desert Storm cardstock to make my little box, it looks so sweet in kraft coloured paper. My top tip with this die, once it is cut, is to fold every scoreline both ways before you start to put it together because it makes it so much easier to fold around. Also, take a second or 2 to gently roll each handle around a pen so that they are easy to manoeuvre into the slits.

Now, onto that cute little Magnolia- I Believe in Unicorns stamp and text.! oh my! it is the sweetest! I stamped the text onto pink cardstock from my stash and then cut it out using a fishtail die, also from my stash, but I know that Suha has some gorgeous Gummiapan Stitched Banners in the shop. I adhered my little banner onto a wooden kebab skewer and cut it to size, hot gluing it onto the back of the box.

Then it was time to stamp and fussy cut the little unicorn. I used Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black ink. It is perfect for me because I colour with promarkers which are alcohol based pens. I also added a little bit of glitter pen and glossy accents to the horn to make it 'pop' a little! it looks so sweet. I hot glued her to the inside of my box.

And not forgetting my beautiful little Roxstamps- Curlicue Edge Decor on the sides of my Apple Box. It is such a beautiful die. I cut 4 of the edge and then cut each edge to size, gluing it onto my little box. 

To get the little glittery strip all the way around I just attached a strip of thin double-sided tape all the way around the box and then dipped it down into some fine glitter from my stash.

Then I tucked a little paper doily from my stash into the box and filled it with yummy little foam Unicron sweeties from Asda!!

And, more excitingly, as you know Suha is having a wonderful celebration during the month of June. Please pop in on Suha’s post HERE for a video where she explains all about it.  Everyone is invited to join the party, we are all being celebrated no matter what you make.

And even more special is that Suha would love for you to share your makes with us so she and us DT peeps can pop in and see your wonderful creations. All you need to do is write a short post with your make and then link to the post here so we can come to visit you. I cannot wait to pop in on you all!! 

Suha has even thought of a fantastic hashtag you can use if you post on any social media you use, she has made it especially to show that we are 'One Special Community' and she will be keeping a special eye out for you using it and here it is...

#1SPECIANITY

Right! I need to scoot!! woofers to walk and then my saturday morning weigh in at my fabulous Slimming World group and straight off the scales to my gorgeous friend Lou for a crafty class. I can't wait for a lovely catch up and crafty fun.

Have a wonderful day everyone, thank you for popping in, huge hugs Lou xx