Tiddly Inks challenge #212.....Let's Go Around...

Image-  Narly Birthday.

Morning all!!

It's time for a super fun new challenge over on the Tiddly Inks challenge blog and this month it's...

'Let's Go Around'

So let's have some fun and get some circular makes done!

Think paper lollipops, circle cards, hanging decorations etc and
circular makes only please, no corners, squares or rectangle matting allowed!

 (**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 knew exactly what I wanted to do. You see April is Autism Awareness Month and I wanted to make something special for my Little Mo. He is such a unique and funny little guy so I wanted to pop that in in a super fun way!

I decided to go with a decorated bauble and the gorgeous Narly Birthday I adore this set so much!! just look at the cute variations you get in there...

A little bit of colouring, fussy cutting and splodging stuff in a bauble later, I had this super cute gift for my little man!! I love how the little bubbles worked!! too cute!!

ASD Awareness is so important for all people to understand. This little guy has a whole lot to contend with every single day before we even get onto the 'normal' things that people do every day. Scott and I have worked tirelessly over the 13 years to pootle our lives along in a way that makes things so much easier for Mo to cope and pootle along in his Little Mo way. There are a few people who know and understand how we work for that. It's not easy to miss out on things we would love to be a part of or plan them quite meticulously making sure we account for every little thing that could set him off balance but we do it with great gusto hoping that we will make it easier for him. It gets hard and we get tired...a lot!! but it's also worth it because lots of people often look at Mo and forget everything he is going through because of the work mummy and daddy put in. We are happy to do it because he is our little guy, we are ALWAYS learning and ALWAYS looking for the best way.So my plea to you all today is just so simple...just be aware and remember.

As parents, Scott and I help his school in the best ways we can, they don't always get it but then, how could they when it's a world for Mo that changes constantly and he's constantly working to work it all out? it's a struggle most weeks. We help them by helping Mo with meds for his ADHD which complicates his Autism and his rare gene gain is still proving to be extremely rare as the gene organisation he is registered with try to find others with the same large gain (...nothing yet peeps, he is still the only one in the world on their records with it, but we keep hopeful!!).

Don't write off the struggles of parents whose children look 'just fine'....you all know the saying 'Never judge a book by it's cover' right?!!! Now I am lucky. I have the best friends around me who ALL understand Mo, but a lot of that is because I am happy to be completely transparent and open about how Mo and our life is. I do not believe in hiding it, or sugar coating it or making it out to be more than it is. Our life is just what it is and we are living with Autism.

I am entering this little bauble into the Stamping for Autism Awareness Blog Hop. I cannot tell you how beautiful a thing it is when you are a crafter and you see stamps/images you can really identify with and there is a whole tonne of amazing sponsors who have produced them.

I also wanted to share a link to the Awareness images Christy from Tiddly Inks made for me last year. I cannot tell you how much they touched my heart and I wanted to share them again in case anyone new to my blog hasn't seen them.

Phewsh!! I've waffled on a lot!! but y'all know it's something very close to my heart so I know you'll forgive me!! and...

Be aware and show you care!

Thank you for popping in, huge hugs Lou xxx

Lydia...

Image - Lydia.

Morning everyone!

I'm in today for you with my make for the week using the super sweet Lydia, which is also linked to our fabulous April Showcase Challenge over at Mo's Digital Pencil Challenges on Facebook.

Isn't she just the cutest little fairy?!! and she is just $2! I had so much fun colouring her up in yellow. I don't often use yellow but I am braving using it more and more in bigger areas!! 

I added a little sparkle to her wings with my sakura clear star gel pen, it looks so delicate IRL but getting a photo of it is super tricksy!!

Entering is easy peasy!! You can make anything you wish, as long as it features Lydia in your project. Once you have purchased Lydia and had some fun creating with her, add you Lydia make to the Lydia facebook challenge link in the comments. 

Throughout the month of April, the Dream Team girls will be adding their makes in the comments too to inspire you.

**Remember you MUST use the 'Lydia' image for your make**

**All entries must be newly made from the date of the challenge start please**

**ONE ENTRY ONLY, please 

**THIS CHALLENGE WILL CLOSE ON SATURDAY 28th APRIL AT 10PM GMT**

The winner will receive a $5 store credit.

Thank you for popping in. I'm off to pop the kettle on and enjoy the rest of this rainy icky day in the warm!!, huge hugs Lou xxx

Insta Tilda.............

Stamp- World Wide Web- Insta Tilda.

Dies- World Wide Web- Computer Icons.

Get Well- Stethoscope Die.

Hi everyone!
I'm a bit late popping into my bloggy today. We've been busy enjoying the first day of the holidays. So, we've been ou for a cooked breakfast, delivered Ryan's birthday cake to Scott's mums because that's where we are going to eat it after our meal tomorrow, done the shopping and had lunch! wahoo!!! so now I can show you my Swedish Housecrafts DT post!!!

I've used World Wide Web- Insta Tilda for my make today. She just has such a sweet little face and I absolutely adore her little heart on the lens of her camera. To make her eyes and camera lens really pop, I splodged a little glossy accents on them.

I made a tent fold card base and glued papers from my stash on both the inside and outside of my card base. Then using a little circle die from my stash, I cut a little window to "reveal" the papers inside. I fussy cut my Tilda out and then placed her on my card so she made a feature of the die cut circle.

I LOVE this fold. It would be so easy to just tuck a little cellophane bag filled with treats in there to make it into a gift card, but today, I just felt like a card to make someone smile.

How super sweet are the little World Wide Web- Computer Icons?! I stamped the little Instagram icon twice, once on a patterned piece of paper from my stash and then again on some white card. Then I fussy cut around the sweet scalloped edge of the patterned paper and on the white piece I cut just around the circle. Then I glued the white Instagram icon right onto the centre of the red layer. I love how it came out.

This gorgeous little heart is just perfect for squeezing onto your makes as a little embellishment. It is the negative cut from the Get Well- Stethoscope Die. But it is too cute a heart to miss out on not using that piece you would normally throw away! I glued it onto my card and then used it as a little "background" element behind the bow I tied. It really does look so cute!

Right, I'm going to finish off my coconut milk coffee and get my colour on while Mo watches an episode of the Haunted Hathaway's and Scott pops a bit of decking down!! I LOVE holiday time so much.

Thank you for popping in, Huge hugs Lou xxxx

Pirates........

Images- Pirates.

Background - Laura.

Papers- Echo Park -It's a pirates life.

Good morning everyone!

I'm in with my Monday Dream Team make today and I just couldn't resist a little more merging fun! It's such an effortless way to get a scene using a digital image and well, let's face it....it's just too cute!!!!!

This time I merged the super sweet new Pirates onto the beautiful watercolour Prairie background in the Laura image. I kid you not, that background is good for so many different images. I adore it! Teamed with some gorgeous papers, Echo Parks 'It's a Pirates Life', a little cotton gauze, twine and of course, an anchor charm for added seafaring fun, it was done!

I have had a slow couple of weeks with making cards because we've finally been moving all the last bits of my craft stash out of the spare room and I've painted it, Scott has put up a gorgeous new blind and we've had new carpet laid all in time for us to buy some new wardrobes to go in there in about a months time.

I'm really looking forward to getting back into my little crafty routine again this week. It's funny how much you can miss something when you've had a couple of weeks of not doing it like you normally would!! 

Right, time for me to get ready for the day! I'm going to walk the pawsy members of the family before the school run and then we need to nip to Aldi and get some veg and bits for the week ahead before Scott has his ultrasound done. 

Have a wonderful day everyone, Huge hugs and love, Lou xxxxx

Wryn on her horse...

Image- Wryn and her Horse.

Sentiment from- Be my Sunshine clear stamp set.

Dies- Magnolia Lovely Fence Doo Hickey.

Gummiapan Button Heart.

Good morning peeps!

My poor little blog has been a bit quiet this week! I have been super busy giving our spare bedroom a new lick of paint ready for a new carpet that is going down today ahead of us turning it into a dressing room in a few weeks time. It's too teeny to be a bedroom really so we are making the most of it in a new way! he he!!

Have you seen the scrummy new images and stamp sets in the Tiddly Inks shop recently?? there seriously is too much cuteness to choose from! and I had a hard time choosing too!! lol!! but I decided to go with Wryn and her Horse.

I went for a dapple brown colour for my horse, dotting my blender pen on to get that lovely dapple effect. And then the fun bit!! I actually had enough time to sit and make a little 'scene' from some of my favourite dies. I popped the frame and little fence up on some foam so it looked like Wryn had ridden up to the fence to greet whoever gets this card!! so much fun!!

Right, I need to get a wriggle on. Pawsy peeps need walking and the laundry needs to go on! It was a gorgeous sunny morning yesterday and today its a bit meh!!!

Thank you for popping in, huge hugs Lou xx

Bunny Tilda easter cuteness....

Stamp- Magnolia Mini World Bunny Tilda.

Rabbits panel- Pion Design Images from the past Valentines Animals.

Memento Ink Pad Tuxedo Black.

Hi everyone!

I'm so excited to share this little Mini Bunny Tilda with you today because she has been sat patiently waiting for the right month on my craft desk since December!! 

Here's a closer look at her. I stamped her with my memento ink Tuxedo Black ink pad and then coloured her up before having some fun 'fussy cutting' (cutting her out with my scissors and some patience!!!). Whenever I fussy cut a stamp out, I always go around the edges with a small sponge and some walnut stain distress ink to make sure there are no rough, white edges showing.

A few highlights of white gel pen dots helped to make her fur look bobbly. I love that effect.

To get that wonderful easter feel I couldn't wait to nestle her in with these stunning vintage rabbits from the Pion Design Images from the past Valentines Animals sheet.I love how you almost miss her when you first look at the card. 

The little egg, border and backing papers are some Pion papers from my own stash, but Suha has a beautiful selection of easter Pion papers on sale in the shop too.

I really love to rip a little section of the paper open on some of my cards. I do it by placing a ruler on the paper and then gently tearing a small slit in the paper. Then, I adhere a small section of another contrasting paper behind the tear to add a little focal point.

Using a little pokey tool or punch I then add 2 little holes to thread a piece of twine through and tie it into a pretty little bow to finish off the look. A great crafty friend of mine taught me this years ago and it's still one of my most treasured lessons.

Thank you for popping in! Huge hugs Lou xx

Birthday Pig...........

Image- Birthday Pig.

Hello everyone!

I'm in with my Monday morning Dream Team make....I know its Sunday and I'm posting it on my blog a day earlier than the Dream Team blog but seriously...... squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! this little pig is just the cutest and I couldn't wait to share it with you all!! 

Birthday Pig comes with 2 super cute sentiments you can use too, I loved the 'Feel free to pig out' one because it goes so well with the scrummy cake!!......and because I let myself have a scrumptious slice of St Clements cake when we went for our Mothers Day walk around Rufford Abbey today.

We have had such a lovely day. I was woken up by Mo and a lovely basket of flowers with Mo-memade vouchers for me to 'spend' and a card that he made himself and coloured with pencils. I love that so much. 

So, mummy slushing over, back to my piggy card!! I coloured and based my card on the scrumptious challenge colours for the March colour inspiration challenge we are having over on the Mo's Digital Pencil Challenges on Facebook. We'd love you to pop in and join us! the colour palette is just gorgeous, It's from Design Seeds and we love it...

Right, I'm off to get the plates out for tea. Scott has gone to fetch an Indian takeaway because our local one does a wonderful Syn free chicken shaslik that I can enjoy and not worry about! ....just the slice of cake that might have gone over my syns but I don't mind for one special day of the year!!

Thank you so much for popping in. Huge Hugs Lou xx

Tiddly Inks Challenge #211...Molly Month...

Image- Molly Floats. 

It's time for another fun challenge over on the Tiddly Inks Challenge Blog and we thought it was time for an image showcase challenge! so it's....

Molly Month!!

 So go grab a gorgeous 'Molly' images, you can find here HERE in the shop 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 decided on the fabulous Molly Floats. She is just such a sweetheart with those balloons. She is one of the first Molly's from all the way back in summer 2016 but she is just such a beauty to use.

Right, I need to scoot as always! I always write my blog posts as soon as I get up and get the pooter on and as soon as I begin the bear that is my empty tummy says 'feed me' and the coffee monster says 'for lord's sake girl, drink me, you look like a bear in hibernation'....!! bwah ha ha ha ha!!!

So I shall send you all big Thank you for popping in hugs and go and feed the bear!!!! huge hugs Lou xxxx

Mistress Mary.......

Image- Mistress Mary.

Morning everyone! 

It's Lou in with a post for you today...and yup!! It's official!! I think Mistress Mary is my most used image from the shop!! I can't help it, there is just something cute about her cross little face that makes me want to colour her up time and time again! 

A little bit of die cutting, punching and flower sticking on-ness and my card was done....which was good...because it was blooming freezing in my little crafty garage!!! Since I had my chemotherapy my body has struggled to keep any whiff of a good temperature inside it so cold days are quite difficult for me! Lots of layers and wheaty bags are required!!! 

We've had a fabulous few snow days and Mo's school had to close but I have to say, it's wonderful to see pathways and roads grey and clear out of my window today!! and I will feel 100% safer driving on them then I would in the snow. 

Right, need to get myself going a bit. The dreaded girly time is giving me a bit of a bashing today so a couple of painkiller type tablets need to find their way into me with a good cup of coconut milk coffee before I can get going properly!!

Thank you for popping in, huge hugs Lou xx

'Cause I love you.....

Lovely Emojis- Cause I love you Tilda.

Lovely Emojis- You're a star (text).

Magnolia Doohickey- Lovely Fence.

Gummiapan Dies -Old Paper.

Morning everyone!

There's just one more crafty day to go until Valentines Day and I have been busying away making Scott's card.

I adore the Magnolia Lovely Emoji's collection and I bought them all last year because there was no way I could choose just a few things!!! 

Cause I love you Tilda is my favourite though. There's just something about the way she holds that little heart in her hand that makes me smile.....plus her hair is pretty much like mine right now so I can identify with her!! he he!! I added a little glossy accent to the heart to make it stand out even more, and I doodled some teeny little white hearts onto her socks too....

For a little scenery, I used the Magnolia Doohickey- Lovely Fence die.Now, when you cut it out, make sure you keep all those gorgeous little heart negative cuts that come out of the fence tops. I used these to scatter around my card and to accent a few of the corners of my matting. 

For the matting on my card, I used the stunning Gummiapan Dies -Old Paper dies. The effect on their edges is just so pretty. I added a little distress inking with Walnut stain distress ink to them once I had die cut them just to add some softness to the cut edge.

For the sentiment, I just stamped it and cut around it with the edges of one of the smaller dies so that it matched the rest of the matting.

A little lace and twine from my stash just finished it off. The little flowers on the fence are from the Magnolia Doohickey 14 kit. I blooming love that kit.

Right, time to move my booty!!! I need a cuppa and some brekkie!!! Thank you for popping in on me, huge hugs Lou xxx