Dead computer!

It is official, my laptop is dead. The computer guys at work are not sure if it is a problem with the screen or the graphics card but whichever, it is not worth repairing and so a new one has been ordered. Fortunately all my work has been rescued from the hard-drive, which is working properly, however, it means that I am stuck on an ancient laptop with minimal software or capabilities until the new one arrives and is set up, hence the dodgy photos!  Thanks to the computer problems I only have one card to show you today, a clean and simple Christmas card made with two inkadinkado swirl stamps (stamped using green and red distress ink) and a Hobby Art sentiment stamp. I then added pearls to some of the dots.  As a result I am entering this card into this weeks Crafty Creations 'CAS', Delightful Challenges 'Pearls and swirls',  Do you stack up 'swirls', Penny's Challenge 'Anything goes' and Simon says stamp 'anything goes'.  That is all from me for now. Have a nice weekend and enjoy the unexpected sun!
Love,
Caro
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Continued computer problems

Well my laptop screen is definitely defunct and we are not yet sure if it is fixable - I hope I will find out today.  At least the guys at work should be able to rescue my data from the hard drive (I hope). Yesterday I spent the day in Leicester doing a student viva and got the opportunity to meet with my uncle and Great Aunt for lunch as an added bonus! Meanwhile Alex came home last night with his first ever reading book from school. He was so proud to be a big boy and to try reading. The only trouble is that he knew the first few pages by heart.  We think at the end of his reading session he could recognise and read the word 'The' but we will find out for sure when we try again tonight! The other words were recognised by the pictures they were associated with not the words themselves unsurprisingly.

This is my desk as part of WOYWW for this week.  Those observant ones among you who have seen my desk over the weeks will realise that there is something missing...my mug of tea.  Don't worry I am not ill! The kettle is boiling as I type this.  On my desk you will see a strange looking card covered with post-it notes as I was masking out most of the card ready to stamp in the top left corner. You can also see a pile of Christmas stamps in the background, some scrap pieces of card, distress ink pads and some scrap paper on which I was stamping my background image before stamping onto the main card.

And here is the finished card (I do now have tea!) which follows this weeks Less is More sketch.  It also fits with MTTC 'musical medley' thanks to the music background stamp, and Speedy the cat's friends 'things with wings' challenges.  That is all from me for today. Once again I apologise about the picture quality...I want my computer back!! Have a great rest of the week everyone.
Love,
Caro
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Very mixed weekend

Well both life and the weather have been very mixed this weekend.  Driving back from the shops with Alex yesterday the car engine cut out while we were on the main road and refused to start again.  The AA came and rescued us and said that it was a battery problem, but that wouldn't normally cause an engine to cut out while we were driving along. Fortunately we have been able to borrow a car from our garage to tide us over so we were able to get about.  Yesterday afternoon we met one of Alex's friends in the park which was good fun and made up for the difficulties.

Today we went down to visit my in laws in Kennilworth which was lovely. The boys went to the park where Alex was very happy on the swings and then they played reasonably well together after lunch.  Sadly when we got back home this evening my laptop refused to work...it is obviously booting up as the hard drive is working and the lights are on but I have no computer screen so can't see or do anything. I will have to take it into the guys at work tomorrow and ask them to look at it, although I suspect a new computer may be necessary.

Crafting wise I have made my DT entry for Quirky Crafts this week. The theme, which was chosen by Cazzy, was In the Jungle and we had to use jungle images on our creations. For this layout I followed the sketchy Thursdays sketch for this week.

I went with a scrapbook layout of Alex in my parents garden as he likes to pretend it is a jungle. I am also entering this into MTTC 'L is for lion', and PTW 'creature comforts' challenges.

I also managed to find a little time between the chaos to make a card for this weeks Less is More challenge which was a sketch.  This card also fits with Stampin for the weekend 'What a cutie' as I think this little elf is very cute, and All sorts 'keep it simple'challenge. My apologies about the quality of the photos...there is no photo software on Tim's computer so I can't crop them. That is all from me. Wish me luck with getting my computer fixed.
Love,
Caro
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LIM card #15

This is my 15th card for this weeks Less is More challenge and this is probably going to be my last, unless I can sneak in a quick one before the challenge deadline tonight!  This time I used a Hobby Art sentiment and then tapestry stamps in an oval around the edge.  Super quick and very effective.  I am also entering this one into Sew Many cards 'Ovals' challenge.  If I don't manaage to post any more, have a great weekend everyone.
Love,
Caro
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LIM card #14

Well I am onto my 14th card for this weeks Less is More challenge (Anything CAS) so I have definitely made more than I thought I would manage!  This one uses Hobby Art stamps, with distress inks sponged onto it and an oval nestability to create the embossed frame.  Can you tell I love this technique?!!
More soon,
Caro
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LIM card #13

My 13th entry to this weeks Less is More challenge (Anything CAS) used an oval nestability for the embossing, and crafting individual stamps with distress inks and some gold glitter glue.
More soon!
Caro
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LIM card #12

Here is my 12th entry for this weeks Anything CAS goes at Less is More. With only a 6.5 hours to go I am not sure they will make the 1000 target, but you never know!  This time I have used a free stamp coloured with promarkers and sakura stardust and a nestability die as an embossed image. 
More soon,
Love,
Caro
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LIM card #11

Yes, you read it right...I have made 11 cards for Less is More this week!  Here is the latest offering using Crafty Individual stamps, promarker pens and a nestability. I got the stamping slightly lopsided on this one LOL! Can you see a theme to my Christmas cards this year?!  One layer cards, most of which use embossing, often with nestabilities, and a nice stamp or two.  Clean and Simple is definitely the brief. More later all being well.
Love,
Caro
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LIM card #10

Woo Hoo! I made my goal of making 10 cards for Chrissie and Mandi's attempt at getting 1000 entries to their anything clean and simple goes challenge over at Less is More.  I wonder if I can make more - watch this space and we will see!  This card using a frame layed over the background card and then I stamped the trees using three impressions from the same stamp, I then added the deer in the foreground and some sakura sparkle for the snow, finally edging the picture in a cool grey Promarker...I don't think I like that bit as much...next time I will use a thin black pen for the frame. All the stamps were from Crafty Individuals. I am also entering this card into the DYSU 'Duo' challenge for the two little deer. 
Love,
Caro
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LIM card #9

For my 9th entry to this weeks Less is More 'Anything clean and simple goes' challenge I used a Crafty Individuals central stamp and tapestry stamps round the edge for a change.  If anyone has a little time today to make a clean and simple card then please go ahead and help Chrissie and Mandi achieve their goal of 1000 entries this week, you have until this evening. I am hoping to make quite a few today!
Love,
Caro
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LIM card #8

Well I am still trying to help out Chrissie and Mandi over at Less is More with their ambition of achieveing over 1000 entries to their Anything goes provided it is clean and simple. This is my 8th card for them which uses the embossing technique with a scalloped circle nestability and some stamps from Crafty Individuals coloured with promarkers. Hope you like it...more soon!
Caro
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LIM card#7

Another Christmas card for Less is More's attempt at getting 1000 clean and simple cards for this weeks 'Anything goes' challenge.  I used a nestability die as an embossed shape on this card, then stamped the image and coloured using sponges with distress inks.  Simple and effective.  I am also entering this card into Fresh Brewed 'Keep it simple' and Simon says Stamp 'Dies to die for'. Have a nice evening.
Love
Caro
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LIM card #6

Another quick, CAS card for the Less is More 1000 card attempt.  I love how easy it is to create a good effect with tapestry stamps.  This time I made a Christmas wreath on the card so it also fits with the Pixie Dust challenge of 'circles'  I hope you like it.
Love,
Caro
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P.S. I have just had someone put an extremely abusive and upsetting comment on my blog. What made it worse was the fact that the person in question didn't bother to find out the facts before being abusive or even have the courage to admit who they were. Please note that such comments will never be published.  On a more positive note, thank you to all those lovely people who take the time to leave encouraging comments. You really make my day.

LIM card #5

Well here is another quick card for LIM's attempt at 1000 entries this week.  I was hoping to do more than one tonight but have spent the evening in A&E with Alex who put a sharp piece of plastic in his ear. Fortunately they managed to get it out with out too much damage, only a little inflammation that should go down overnight. The stamps used on this card were free with a magazine last year, sorry, I can't remember which one.  Have a good day.
Love,
Caro
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WOYWW and LIM card #4

Hello there! It is Wednesday and time for another WOYWW.  Last week I showed you my nearly cleared garage with all those toilet rolls...well I can inform you that I have completed clearing the garage and found over 200 toilet rolls! What amazes me is that this is from over 2 years ago when my husband used to do the shopping...since I took over I haven't bought a single toilet roll so there must have been at least double that LOL! My clearing is continuing well as we now have a tidy entryway. I am no longer tripping over bikes, scooters, the recycling box etc...there is space!  So now I have moved onto the study alcove.  This is the most frustrating of all as Tim wont let me throw anything away from in there which is making it hard to improve it.  I think that even though it is the smallest space to tidy it will take the longest.  Anyway, enough of my ramblings about the rest of the house, what you are interested in is my desk.  Here it is in the process of making a CAS Christmas card. My trusty mug of tea is there full of lovely hot tea, my box of versacolour ink pads, the tapestry stamps I am using, an adirondack ink pad, some nestabilities and a few other random stamps and punches.

Here is my 4th entry into the Less is More 'Anything CAS goes'.  Mandi and Chrissie are trying to get 1000 entries this week so do please enter and help them achieve that goal. Seriously, anything CAS will work. They are currently at 368 so without a lot more help it is looking less likely. I used a cuttlebug embossing folder and some tapestry stamps for this card. That is all from me. Have a great rest of the week everyone,
Love,
Caro
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Less is More entry 3!

I am trying to do one entry a day to less is more this week for their 1000 entries challenge. It is a bit tricky with working full time, looking after a tired 4 year old and an ill husband, but I will do my best! The only stipulation is that your card has to be CAS, other than that anything goes!  This is a Birthday card for my brother-in-law who is into music and wine.  I used an image I had saved on my computer ages ago and then masked over the bottle and stamped a Stamps Away music stamp over the top.  I then layered this image three times, drew in brown around the edge and stamped the sentiment in Walnut stain underneith. I will also be entering this card into The Crazy Challenge 'men only', CCCB 'Let's face the music', MTTC 'L is for...layers' and Stamp Scrap and Doodles 'birthday' challenges. That is all from me today, Check back tomorrow for another LIM entry!
Love,
Caro
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Less is More entry number 2!

I know that I don't usually post on a Monday, but the girls at Less is More, Chrissie and Mandi, are attempting to get 1000 entrys into their challenge this week.  The challenge is 'Anything clean and simple' goes, so here is my second entry to it, another Christmas card using the embossing with nestabilities technique, and my Noel tapestry stamps.  I was pleased with how this one came out so will probably make some more of these! I am also entering this into Stamp with Fun 'anything goes', CCT 'anything goes', and Stamptacular's 'Just sayin' challenges.  Have a great evening everyone and I will try and be back with another card tomorrow!
Love,
Caro
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Gentle fun

We have had a lovely weekend at home this weekend.  Yesterday I finished tidying the garage and sorted most of the entryway.  Which means we now have room to move some of the things out of the study to make that tidier which will be a huge relief.  In the afternoon Alex and I went to Crookesmoore Park where he had a great time scooting, climbing and swinging.

Today I had the bizarre experience of shopping with a very hyper excited Batman!  It was a shame I didn't get a photo, but he had a great time going round the supermarket in his cape and mask. He remained like that for the whole day including our trip to Whirlow Farm Fayre this afternoon; a great time was had by all despite the intense rain shower that absolutely soaked me!

Sadly the rainbow was too faint for the camera to pick up, but this was the amazing contrast of dark looming sky, with the sun shining on the tree, wall and grass as the rain stopped....if I hadn't taken the photo myself I wouldn't have believed the colour contrasts...amazing!

This weekend Less is More are holding their first ever 'Anything goes' challange where they are trying to reach 1000 entries in a week! As a result I decided to make a few more Christmas cards.  For the first time I experimented with using a nestability to make an embossed shape rather than cutting.  I was really pleased with it - Quick, easy and effective, just what I like. This first one I am also entering into SCSC and Speedy the Cat's Friends 'one layer card' challenges.

I also made this one which I am entering into Meljen's 'Paper Piercing' and DYSU 'silver' challenges.

Finally I made a scrapbook layout to fit with this weeks Sketchy Thursdays  and ScrapFits double challenge 'Sketch and Friendship'.  I used various scraps of paper for this layout and added appropriate words round the main photo. Sorry about the lighting on this one. That is it from me for now.  Have a great week everyone.
Love,
Caro
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Total exhaustion!

I don't know about you, but I am absolutely dead this evening! Having somewhat over done it on Tuesday evening whilst clearing the garage, I was so uncomfortable I couldn't sleep on Tuesday night managing only about 2.5 hours, hence for the rest of the week it has felt like I have been trying to think and work through treacle.  Needless to say I haven't done a great deal more on the garage as I have been letting my shoulders and back recover.  It is not far off being finished now, so I can move onto clearing the entry way followed by the study!  I have three weeks in which to get it all done. Alex has also survived his first full week of school. He is tired but seems to enjoy it, and although his teacher says he isn't very good at sitting in one spot (I could have told her that!!), I am sure he will soon learn.

Crafting wise I made this scrapbook layout based on the Sketch from Pencil Lines for this week.  I couldn't resist scrapping these photos of Alex playing with my old digital camera. He loves photography and is really getting quite good these days.  As a result I am also entering this layout into the SCSC and Simon Says Stamp 'inspired by a song' challenge for this week with the song being Lady GaGa's Paparazzi! This layout also fits with Simon Says Stamp and show 'steampunk' challenge, CCT 'Anything goes' and Paperplay 'punches and dies'. That is all from me for now. I am determined that I will make some more forward progress on the garage over the weekend so don't know how much crafting I will do!  Have a great weekend everyone.
Love,
Caro
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Mid-week chaos!

Well the garage clearance/skip filling is going well. Not only that but we have had a load of things taken away by a recycling firm and another load by a charity shop.  The garage is definitely improving (see my previous post for the bomb site it was) as we can see the floor in some places, although there is still a long way to go, hence the title of chaos! I am determined to get the house fully organised by my birthday so I have a few weeks to go.

Alex seems to be enjoying school and going off happily in the mornings. He came back yesterday all excited about having done PE and showing us what that involved, including taking his shoes and socks off and doing a move called the Curly Whirly (waving his arms round in big circles) and star jumps with clapping over his head.  His antibiotics finish today so hopefully he has finally shifted the chest infection, although he was still coughing this evening...I guess we will find out tomorrow at the doctors. At least the night-time Ventilin has been helping him to sleep.

Here is my desk for this weeks WOYWW. I haven't been crafting as much as usual due to skip filling, but you can see my trusty mug of tea, some distress inks, my craft notepad in which I write down all the challenges each week, some foam for spreading the distress inks and the card I was working on.

Here is the finished card which I am entering into this weeks Less is More 'one layer card - seeing double' challenge.  My double is the footballers which were taken from an old set of silhouette digital stamps I have had for years (sorry can't remember who they are by, although i think they were free at the time). I masked around the edge and coloured grass and sky with distress inks, then stamped the birthday sentiment. This is for a work colleague who is football mad! I am also entering this into The Crazy Challenge 'birthdays', TioT 'dig out the old', cards for men 'anything but a square',  and Meljen's 'sporty' challenges. That is all from me for today.  Have a great rest of the week everyone.
Love,
Caro
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Skipping!

Firstly, an apology for not updating on Friday yet again.  This picture shows you the reason why!  Our skip (which I have wanted for over 4 years now) finally arrived on Thursday and so I have spent the past few days fighting my way through the garage and beginning to empty it of the accumulated rubbish that comes with 10 years of marriage!

This is what the garage looked like when I started so you can see why I was desparate to do it LOL! So far I have taken one huge box of things to the charity shop and have some more that will go on Tuesday, and the skip is half full.  The funny part has been that both Alex and Tim have been hovering by the skip at different times to make sure I don't throw anything away that they still want - they are both such hoarders! 

Despite the weather being changeable, Alex and I have also been out to the park a few times where he has been scooting really fast, bicycling, and having fun on the bouncy slide (going too fast for decent photos!).

Crafting wise I had to get my DT entry for this weekends Quirky Crafts challenge finished; not least because it is my challenge this week!  The challenge is quite simple this time round; to make anything but a card and it is sponsored by Robyn's Fetish who provided the digital images I used on my layout. I just had to scrapbook the photos I took of Alex on his first day at school this week.  I used the sketch from this weeks Sketchy Thursday and am also entering this into CCT 'something you would find in an office', Delicious Doodles 'fresh start' (first day at school), Fussy and Fancy 'back to school' challenges.

The only other crafting I have done has been this weeks Less is More challenge, which was to make a one layer card 'seeing double'.  I have used two fairies on this card,and the stars consist of two imprints of the same stamp (with part of it masked so that the wording round the candle could be seen). I added sakura stardust to the wings and glitter glue to the stars. This card also fits with PaperPlay 'use 2 or more stamped images', Aud Sentiments 'a card for a girl' and Stampin' for the weekend 'pink' and Stamp something's final 'anything goes' challenges.  That is all from me for now...I am off down to the garage to continue filling the skip!  Have a great week everyone.
Love,
Caro
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First day at school!

Alex had his first half day at school yesterday and he was so excited.  We were ready really early and he was impatient to be out of the house and getting there.

 By all accounts he enjoyed it and loved wearing his school uniform and has bounced out of the house happy to be going full day today. 

It was quite emotional for me seeing him in his school uniform looking so grown up; don't worry, I didn't disgrace myself by crying!

As it is Wednesday it is time for WOYWW. Well truth to tell this is my home crafting desk late last night...I am currently sat at a completely empty desk at work because my office is due to be moving at somepoint this morning, although judging by the massively long list I am not going to move until this afternoon at the earliest! On my desk you can see various things that I was playing with while trying to plan out a diamond wedding card. These include some cuttlebug dies and embossing folders, flowers, doilies and a photograph of the couple.

Here is the completed card. It is for the Diamond Wedding of my work colleagues parents and I used shiney ribbon, Bazzil Bling cardstock (for the shimmer), doilies, white flowers and little diamonds. I am entering this card into Kaboodle Doodles 'Lace, fabric or ric rac' (well a doily has a lace edge and a ribbon is fabric!), Ooh La La 'anniversary', Creative card crew 'anything goes', papertake weekly 'anything goes' and TioT 'monochrome' (I assume white on white with a black and white image counts as monochrome!).

As promised I also made another card for this weeks Less is More metallic challenge.  This time I stamped inkadinkado swirls in silver on my card, then embossed the butterfly with silver embossing powder, then punched some silver flowers, edged the card with silver ink and added lots of little diamond gems, which also look silvery. I am also entering this card into Speedy the Cat's friends 'bling' challenge (well there are 15 little gems!). That is all from me for now.  Have a great rest of the week everyone,
Love,
Caro
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Crazy weekend!

Well, my attempts to give Alex a special 'Big Boy nearly going to school' treat were a complete disaster!  I took him to the cinema to see Cars2 and all went fine until the adverts started very loudy making him jump, the trailers were apparently too scary as was the beginning scene so after screams of 'I want to go home!' we gave up and went a played arcade games instead which he did enjoy. The afternoon's trip out was much more successful as we met up with my Maid of Honor at the park where Alex also met two of his friends.  Today he had a hair cut for school and then went to a birthday party at Planet Pot.  Considering that he had to sit still for 1.5 hours he did really well and he did actually make a good effort at painting his bowl.  Don't you love the look of concentration on his face!

Crafting wise I haven't had a lot of time this weekend, but I did make a birthday card for a friend who has given birth to a baby boy.  As I used a metal ribbon charm on this card it fits with this weeks Less is More 'metallic' theme. I will definitely have to have another go at this theme as I am sure I can do better!  This card also fits with All sorts 'green and blue', Meljen's 'no patterned paper' and Delicious Doodles 'fresh start' (well isn't a baby a fresh/new start!).

I have also made a card for Alex to give to his nursery teachers to thank  them for looking after him for the last 3.5 years.  I used all images from Robyn's fetish which I put together to make the background paper, coloured in with promarkers and then colour washed over with pale blue watercolour paint.  I then put the bookworm image and the text on top.  As Alex is now starting school (first day on Tuesday) I feel that this card fits with Fresh Brewed 'School ABC=123', The Pixie Cottage 'back to school', Pixie Dust 'school is cool', Stamp something 'digi day' (this card uses 5 different digi images!), and Crazy4challenges 'back to school' challenges. That is all from me for now.  Have a great week everyone and please pray that Alex settles in well to school...his first day is Tuesday (I am probably more nervous than he is!).
Love,
Caro
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