What arrived in my pizza box?

Pizza box is not the right word, but you get what I mean I'm sure!

I recieved my kit off Debbi Moore a while ago now, but I've just been told I can upload the samples I made onto my blog for you all. The kit I got had some fantastic vellums and images in, and the colours were just what I love! And - lots and lots of ribbons! Absolutely lush!

Here are some samples - I think they're pretty straight forward to what I've done with them, but if you need to know more, just ask.

With this one, I've taken the image and made a pyramage effect.

I used the Eazi Score board to create the pattern on this card above.

There's no wag in that tail.....

My little bub, Holly, has got a poorly tail!

She woke up this morning and her tail is just hanging.. I don't know what she's done in the night with it, but it's just not got a wag at all!

It's not nice to see her with a hangy tail - those with Springers with tails will tell you - as it's usually wagging that fast she looks like a helicopter.. going at around 3000 mph!

I'm ringing the vetties later .. so more tail news soon!

Baby Holly is not a happy girl!

OMG!

Oh what a day.. two fantastic things = me on cloud 9!


I had a comment left me yesterday from Freycob (Rosie Dee's Challenge) to say I'd won the RAK last week - I can't believe it... I mean, I've never won anything in my life! Well, apart from a little 'something' when I was around 12 years old at a raffle, and that caused more than enough upset and has haunted me all my life!!!!!

But enough of that... this is what I've won..



It's a little RAK kit to make this fantastic little pen pot..

Now isn't this just fantastic? I love it, and it'll take pride of place in my studio when I've made it!

I have dreamed of this moment all my life since I was 7 years old, in my
bathroom, holding a shampoo bottle.. but this is no shampoo bottle...

LOL... Don'tcha just love Kate Winslet!!!!! Funnily enough, you know exactly what she means when she comes out with the blurb.. exactly how I feel knowing I won something on a challenge blog! LOL... Me reckons that she does blog challenges too!! Yeah right!!

This winning malarky has got me in the vibe now - I may just come back later with a bit of Blog Candy / Rak myself!!

Watch this space......

Secondly, you know the fantasmalogically oober talented Ms Kirsty Wiseman? Well, she's only gone and featured a couple of my cards on her brilliant blog!!!

Now, sssh.. but me lubbs this talented, clever designer.. She is so genuine and sweet and has oodles of paper fashionista coming out those skant little veins of hers! Raw talent! That's what I call it... she takes to the computer and creates all these wonderful things with her own fair hands. Very clever lady!

Take a peek over at her blog and have a rummage around - you won't be disappointed, and I'm pretty sure you're going to be hooked. Her new cd range is to die for, they print out fantastic and the quality never fails!

And... do you recognise these??

These too were created by someone I know lol, and I think they are luvverly! They are available at Docrafts stockists for now, they came out in January and are probably near to selling out in the stores.. so go grab yourself a pack.. the colours are great and the designs are lush.. somewhere on here is a card or two I made with them.. can't remember where.

Talking of Docrafts, there are some really pretty things coming out on the 1st March - two trips to the Range I've had, and still no sign of seeing any of it .. I might just take my tent and camp outside! Mind you, I was told yesterday the new bits were in the warehouse, just not out on the shelf - now if that's not holding strawberries out for this ol' donkey, I don't know what is! Tormenting I say... tormenting! So cruel!

So.. excitement over.. that's it for now.. who needs the Oscars when you've got a blog eh?

Till later xx

Yuck..

• I have a migraine
• I feel crap
• Sky man's just been - again! Bloody Sky+ is a pain!
• I lubbs that Mrs Wiseman - what a clever pants and oober talented!

I forgot to show you this....

Now, I always thought that I had a pretty peculiar sense of humour, but I reckon my DD Carley beats that one hands down!

Let me explain -

Last week, I had a knock on the door from a Policeman, to ask if I had heard anything the previous evening. No, says me.. and then he asks if I'd lost anything out of the garden.. I thought it was an odd question, but I counted the dogs and yep, there were still three.. My studio was still there standing .. so I said I hadn't..

He then held out two bird feeders and asked if they were mine.. chuckling under my breath at this very stupid question (and more oddly because I actually recognised the feeders as mine!) I said yes.. The PC handed them to me and said they were in the next door's garden, along with a shovel .. had I lost a shovel?? I said no.. then after what seemed like aaaaaaages.. he told me that the house two doors away had an attempted break in the previous evening. Fortunatly, Ann or Chris who live there had disturbed the whoever-it-was's and the break-in wasn't succesful. They were apparantly after the handbag in the kitchen, which was placed on the worksurface.

The police were presuming that the shovel was used to try to lift the window from the sill (!) and it had broken the sill and glass. ... but they couldn't work out what they were doing with my bird feeders.. hahaha. Maybe it was going to be used as a weapon - I mean, peanut allergies are lethal you know!

So.. onto the story of the poster on the window...

I was telling my family about Ann's window and Carley got a bit mortified because she sleeps downstairs in her purpose built bedroom.. although she has Scooby, she thought maybe the burglars would come to break in our house.. so she made this sign and stuck it to the window.
(the sign reads - PLEASE BEWARE, THIS IS A BEDROOM, I DO NOT WISH TO BE ROBBED WHILST I AM ASLEEP, PLEASE USE BACK DOOR INSTEAD, please don't wake my Scooby-Doo, he has trouble sleeping and has a very loud bark.. woof!)

Witty? I think not!!

A few little bits and pieces..

I've been spending today getting samples made to go down to Create and Craft with me in a couple of weeks, and here's a peak at some of the things I've been doing.


This first set is a Birthday set - hat, invite and gift box.




The papers are Paper Pizazz.



This second one is a little album - papers are again Paper Pizazz wedding ones.


And here's a close up of the brad decoration on the front of the card.. cute eh?

The next card I want to show you was made for the Forever Friends Challenge blog. The theme this week is black and white, and the background paper I made myself.

I used the Eazi Score board and embossed the lines onto the Coordinations cardstock. The flowers are also embossed and decorated. I added little gems in the middle of each of the flowers.

I hope you like it.

A little bit of cuteness

Oh I am sooooo loving these little characters. They're due to hit the shops at the beginning of March and I can't wait! They are the new designs by Erica Martyn and they really remind me of my little pupsters!

Here's the card I made with the free download available HERE

And here's a little close up of the decoupage part of the card

All the parts of the decoupage are ready to be cut out when you've printed off the design, and it tells you which part goes on which. The papers are there ready to go too..

The only little extra that I've used on here is a flower punch, doodling, docrafts organza ribbon and papermania gems.

Hope you like it.. If you've made any cards with the free download already, why not go and leave us a comment on the challenge blog and I can come and visit your blog.. maybe showcase them on the blog?

Till later. x

A recipe of sorts..

Not the typical type of recipe you'd think of., but more of a crafting challenge recipe.


This week over at the LOTV blog the Challenge is a recipe -

• Three Brads,


• Two papers,


• One flower.

Alot of folks don't know this, but you can also use any image. It doesn't have to be LOTV to enter the challenges, and neither is mine this week.

I've used a Sugar Nellie (I think?) that I got in an image swap a while back. Here's my card -

I coloured the lovely young lady with Whispers pens and then added some white pen for highlights. The papers are DCWV Spring Stack and the ribbon and flower are from my recycling box.

I cut out three of the circles from the brown paper and placed a brad in the middle of each.

Back soon with more I hope - I've got quite a bit of work on this week, so if I don't get back on here later, you know I've drowned under a sea of paper.. lol.

Feeling Hoppy...

Hi all..

Hasn't it been a miserable sorta day? All clouded over and very drizzly rain - you know the sort that makes you extra wet!!

The little furbabies went out this afternoon and came in looking like drowned rats., which is always funny - Holly loves her cuddles whilst being wrapped up in the towel to be dried, Scooby tries to do his disappearing-slow-but-sure trick (in which he never succeeds!) and Truly just absolutely hates it! She hates being wet in any fashion. Funny puppies!

So, as well as trudging around in my sexy new moonboots to keep me tootsies nice and dry, I've started my challenges for this week, so thought I'd share.. well.. one of them anyways..

The one I've done is for the Colour Create challenge number 3.

We would like you to make your card or project this week using the colours red, white and blue.There is an extra option available which you can use if you wish, although this isn't compulsory. This week's option is 'Holidays and Travel' and I hope that the wonderful Design Team cards will give you the inspiration you need. Finally, remember that you are allowed to combine our challenge with any other you would like to take part in during the week. GOOD LUCK!!!

And here's my take on it..

I used the Forever Friends decoupage kits, I bought the Easter one because I do send a few - not alot - and these are just soooooo cute! I changed the colour of the greeting because it was originally yellow. I hope you like it.. I reckon it's fairly cute!!

Here are the layers in a little more detail - me thinks a box is needed for it!

As well as this card, I've made my one for the LOTV tomorrow.. but that can't be revealed yet, although I will put you a little sneak peak.. as long as you don't tell Mummy Fairy LOL..

I'm Back again...

Two posts in one day? Aren't I doing well...

I thought I would get the projects photographed and put up today for you from this last weekend..

Funnily enough, they also fit in with some challenges.. lol.. so here we go.

This one fits in nicely with the challenge over at Rosie Dees - to use a coaster or beer mat.. Here are a couple of close ups. It was made with alcohol inks, coaster size mats, and Ranger clips and pieces.

This is the top section of the hanger. The little heart is a Heidi Swapp embellishment. Coloured with alcohol inks in the new pen that will be available soon.

This is the centre section and must admit, this is my favourite panel. Again, a Heidi Swapp flower was used to embellish it a little bit.

This is the detail of the bottom section. The greeting and butterfly were stamped with Ranger inks.

As soon as I have got around to tidying up the studio or office, it will be hanging in one of them!

This one is just an extra. It was made from products by Elusive Images. The Chalkboard is used for the backing, stampboard for the image at the bottom right and grungeboard for the flower. Here it is in more detail.

I used glimmer mists to colour it and stamped the design onto it with stazon. Stickles were applied around the edge.

Hope you like them... now off to hunt out some more challenges.. they're quite fun you know!

Very Purple - Forever Friends meets SCSC!

What an apt title for this post!

Here is my card that I made for this week's Challenge over at the Forever Friends Blog and it just happened to turn out very purple! Funnily enough, it also fits in with the theme over at the SCSC blog.. "Spring colours".. and the colours on this card remind me of Spring flowers.

The papers are the new Docrafts papers and let me tell you, they are realllllly lovely! The colours and patterns in there are absolutely beautiful but the papers I've used on here must be my favourite! I have used an acetate card which I made from the new acetate packs to match the papers. The ribbons are also the new ones from Docrafts too.. great value for money.

The fluffy fella was created by using the decoupage kits from Docrafts and I reckon all together it looks pretty neat.. Really pleased with this card I must say!

There are some absolutely stunning cards over on the FF blog, so why not nip over and take a peek.. We have just hit over 100 followers on there, and the cards submitted every week by talented folks are absolutely beautiful.

It is because of the success of the FF blog that I have decided to start up the D and D Challenge blog too.. I'm just hoping these cute little fluffy folk are as popular too in the coming months!

I feel quite honoured..

I got another award this morning.. you know, I reckon I shall put them on my sidebar at some point.. but thank you to everyone who has nominated me for one over this past year..

I sometimes have those times - I reckon like everyone does - when I think my work is pants! So to receive awards is a great honour.

This one has come from Abi who said 2. Jo I love her fun designs and her colouring

I mean.. me? Wow! Thank you so much Abi.. here's the award.

Now I have to pass it on to seven more people who inspire me ... so here goes:

1. Jacqui - A lovely lady who does the most fantastic cards and colouring!

2. Erica - a very talented young lady - Creator of many rubber stamps!!

3. Chris - lovely - nothing else I can say!

4. Lythan - A brilliant inspiring scrapbooker!

5. Sheila - the one lady who always inspires me to try something new.

6. Kathy - this lady never ceases to amaze me with her fantastic talent.

7. Ila - a great lady, loads of talent and the reason I bought my set of Prismas!

Enjoy the award ladies... don't forget to pass on the love!

OH NO!!!!

Luminarte are shutting their doors - these are the people who make the Twinkling H2O's...

I can't believe it!!!

What a time!

Ooooh I've had such a wonderful weekend! But sorry, no photos till later!

As you know, I was down at the NEC on Saturday doing some workshops with Phyllis.

We started off the day with a Tim Holtz workshop, and got down and dirty with some alcohol inks. We made a brilliant little wall hanging using various techniques and some totally new product. I'll show you this later.

In the room with us was Suze Weinberg - what a lovely lady she is. I did have my photo taken with her and Tim, (also a very lovely gent..)

I snaffled this photo from her blog - I hope she doesn't mind.. lol

This was all of our little group together. It was great fun.

Then next, both me and Phyll went to different workshops. I did Punch Perfect - working with punches, quite an easy class for me, and Phyll went back to Suze to work with Utee and making jewellery. That seemed quite interesting.

Later in the afternoon, we had a workshop with Glenda from Elusive Images - again, I'll come back and show you the finished items later.. but they're prettyful!

We worked with stampbord, Chalkboard and the new glimmer mists.. these are some really lovely products and the colours are so pretty.. loved it loved it loved it!

Spray flew everywhere, but we did have a pizza box to try and keep it contained and not sprayed in the persons hair in front of us - however, Phyll did have a bit of a dilemma - she sprayed it right out of the box and all over her table.. hahahahaha... so funny!!!

All finished projects will be on here later, I'll edit the post, but they're not even photographed yet as I had a busy (!) family day yesterday at home.

So, till later... xx

Happy Valentine's everyone.

A little bit early I know, but I'm not here tomorrow.. I'm going down to the NEC to the Trade Show, so will only be able to do a quick post when I get back tomorrow evening.

Here's the little card that I made for this week's challenge over on Lili of the Valley Challenge Blog. This week the theme is to use a sketch created by Moi!

I used a download from the LOTV site, and also some papers and flourish stamps. I finished the card with three eylets and a ribbon brad. Hope you like it.

If you've not done your Valentine already, why don't you nip over there and take a peek at the challenge cards. There are also some over on our Forever Friends site.

A few Challenge cards..

I have had a fairly quiet day today, so thought I would have a play with a few challenges.

Here are the ones I've managed to get done. I hope you like them.

This is the first card, which fits in with the challenges below:

Cute Card Thursday

Challenge 47

MUSIC AND DANCE
We would love to see your creations with a music or dance theme this week. Think instruments, song titles, dancing, musical notes etc. I can't wait to see what you all come up with - have fun!!

Daring Card Makers
Jozza has set the challenge this week - The dare is feeling green. I want to see lots of green on your cards in any shade you like.

After blog hopping this morning, I remembered that I too had bought some of these Smirk characters for my neice's birthday card. So, here she is in all her glory.. all decoupaged and completed. I did trim around the decoupage though, because I didn't like the edges all that much. I think Docrafts definately has the quality on their decoupage sheets, well, compared to these Trimcraft ones anyway..

Now, onto card number two -

I used the scrap pile I've accumlated over the years to delve deep and find papers to match the image. This fits in with the challenge over on Rosie Dee's Challenge , SCSC and also Papertake Weekly
Week 21 - Rosie's Challenge

Hello again from a very snowy north Northamptonshire. Wow, have we had some snow!!! If you've had some too then we hope you've stayed warm and safe.
My challenge this week is to use up some scraps. I, for one, are in a real scrap splurge kind of mood at the mo, so I want to see what you can make with yours.

SCSC - Week 18

Recycle Something....

Papertake Weekly
Dawnys Sketch #8

Hi all, hope this week finds you all well and that everyone is coping ok with the bad weather! Thanks to everyone who joined in last week!
Well, this weeks challenge is one of Dawnys fab sketches:

And... it also fits in with this one.. lol.

Our Challenge this week is

Doodle Doo
We would love to see some doodling on your cards. This could be hand drawn or if you have scrolls and swirl stamps you can also use these.

This pretty girl is a stamp I got way before Christmas, and although she's been stamped a few times, I've never got around to colouring any. I coloured lots of images yesterday whilst AOL was offline, so today I decided to place her on this card. Here's a close up of the colouring.

Now, isn't she one cute little stamp? I stamped her with permanent ink and coloured her with prismas and whispers pens.

So... who won my OWOH gift?

Well, it's all over for this year! What a great time I've had. I can't wait until the one next year. It's been an eye opener checking out all the blogs that have been entered.

Thank you all of you who entered my Giveaway. The one who was chosen to recieve this book is below - I did it this morning on the Random Number Generator.

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:168
Timestamp: 2009-02-13 08:35:19 UTC

Again, thank you for entering.. I'm going to go email the winner now, who (if I can count right!) is HEIDI JO ..

Love Jo xx

Yippeeee..... I'm back online...

• Computer came back the other day, and was still broken.
• I fixed it by pushing the keyboard back in place..
• Yesterday AOL was having a hissy fit.
• Couldn't get online alllllll day!
• This morning I'm back online!!!

Why is it when you have the opportunity to go online you don't want to, and when you can't, you do???

What a fantastic idea! (keeping to the top.. please scroll down)

As you know, I love blog hopping... and after visiting Jackie's blog yesterday, I thought this sounded like a fantastic idea!

So, I have decided to participate in one of the largest giveaway events in the blogging world! The One World, One heart event. Click on the sign above to go and visit.. there are hundreds of blogs listed!
Here is what it says on the site...

It’s all in the spirit of sharing and meeting fellow creative bloggers.
click on the above link to visit the OWOH Blog and hostess,Lisa "oceandreamer" Swifka who created this giveaway and says..

"The original idea behind this giveaway event was tobring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet. It closes the gap of the blog community and enables us to interact, discover new and wonderful people, and in the process possibly win a prize or many prizes along the way...This is more than wanting to win something.......in the end it's about finding kindred spirits. Someone who may be fairly new to blogging, not sure how to navigate, find others and have others find them....Some are long time bloggers
and in some cases well known in the art community. Whatever the case it brings all of them together...We are not solving the worlds problems nor are we curing anything nor are we changing the world. We are merely generating a closer community between humans through blogging."

What I am offering for my giveaway is this book by Jane Alford.

(You can't click on the look inside bit, I just took the photo from Amazon, so visit there to see more).

It is a great book, with lots of great ideas, however, I know most of the techniques shown, so it seems silly it just being sat here.

My giveaway is for anyone who has an active blog, and I don't mind if you're involved in the OWOH or not. All I would ask, is that you leave a comment ON THIS POST ONLY for a chance to win. Please make sure that you have a way I can contact you - therefore, no anonymous comments please, otherwise I won't be able to accept your entry.

The Winner will be announced on February 12th, 2009.

Again, if you want more information on this event, click on the logo above.. Happy Blogging!

At last!!!

I have actually got my lappy back this morning!! How happy am I?!

Well, actually not much! Why? Because the bloody keyboard isn't in properly!!!!!!!!

Comart, Rotherham.. don't use them! Their timings are rubbish for repairs and the repairs aren't that good either! Grrrrr...

But at least my little Silver streak of lightening is home.. **smile**

Nothing else to say.. nothing else to show.. just needed to share my joy!!! lol..

Have a very good day!

Just clowning around..

Two posts in one day? How good's that?!

At the moment, I'm still having problems with my comment boxes, it's not counting how many comments I have on a post, however, I can still see them when I click on it so that's okay..

Well, I'm back with a little card I made earlier. I haven't actually used this stamp that much since I used it, and I reckon it's pretty cute.. It's Juggles the clown, a High Hopes stamp..

The papers are Die Cuts with a View, not sure which pack though. I used Papermania alphastickers for the greeting and highlighted it with a gel pen.

The clown was stamped with permanent ink and then coloured using Prisma's and Whispers pens. Some parts of the clown had 3D gloss on to highlight certain areas.

I hope you like it - it was just a quick card to try this colouring technique and quite well it turned out too! Thanks Maddy.

See ya soon xx

Happy Valentines Day

I know it's a bit early, but this is the theme this week over on the Forever Friends Challenge blog.




This is my card... I hope you like it..

The papers are some that I've had in my studio for a while, and I can't remember who's it is... the image is a Forever Friends decoupage from Docrafts. These are just wonderful for people like me who don't particularly like all that cutting! These just pop out - stick them together and off you go! Just great!

I also used a Papermania ribbon brad and a length of ribbon from the Range - again, can't remember who's it is, but it was so pretty. The wording is Doodlebug rub ons..

Why not go over to the blog and take a peek, it's definately worthwhile this week. We have some new design team on board, and they've made some brilliant cards..

Thanks for looking.

Jo xx

Comments box..

Somehow, it went missing in action - I don't know why, but it went on vacation!!!

anyway, I got it back me thinks.. so hopefully if you're revisiting you'll be able to leave a comment.

thanks for being patient and special thanks to all those of you who emailed me to let me know. xxx

A quick little card... and a good old chinwag!

Carley came home from work on Friday and asked if I could do a quick get well card.. This is what I came up with.


I didn't get a chance to do it until last night and she wanted it for today for her friend Rachel, who had fell down in the ice and snow and broken a rib - ouch! So, family helped to come up with the card - Paul suggested the doll with a ribby set of bandages. Carley said to use the lilac stripy paper, which is out of the docrafts pack and is so pretty. The wording is cut from the Impress machine and other stuff was from stash and punches.


I put some 3D gloss on the lettering to make it stand out a little more. Rachel loved her card although did mention that she didn't wear dresses.. lol.. Oh well, you can't win 'em all.


So what else have I been upto today?


Well, Martina started off the day by making a fantastic cake.

It's a Marble Cake from her Rachel Allen baking book that she wanted for Christmas. She has made quite a few cakes from it, and this must be nicest one yet. The marbleing doesn't show up too much, but when you cut into it, it is really good. A strange looking cake, but it tasted good! Not that it did much for my gluten-free, but hey.. once in a while eh? Stomach pains and bloating here we come!!

Whilst Teen was baking, we took the fluffers for a walk in the wood. It was quite chilly, still a bit icy but great for a walk. Whilst out, we met another couple of lovely springers - Treacle and Charlie who belong to a couple I know. Then we came across a really beautiful German Shepherd puppy.. honestly, be still my beating heart!! He was a stunning little fella. Those who know me know we lost a GSD before we got Holly and it still breaks my heart, but the little furbabies we have now make every day a joy..

When we got back, I got stuck into doing the dinner for this evening. Again, I decided to delve into the realms of my OH's new book, below...

We had roast pork, roast veggies, home made gravy (which I have never made before), and by golly it was lovely. I followed every step in his book, even though I make a roast most weeks and have done so for all the 22 years of married life! but I feel like I've learned something new.. how good is that!

Now, it's just around 10pm and I've just sat and watched my two favourite programs, Wild at Heart and Dancing on Ice. Poor old Todd... but what an entertainer eh?!

So.. that's all for me for now.

But if anyone is reading in Australia, Keep safe and sympathies to all those lost in Victoria today. Our relatives in Adelaide are still safe and well for now.

Waiting time is over....

So, what's the big announcement I hear you ask??

I'll give you a clue -

This is where I was on Friday, and spent all week preparing for! I had a screen test down in Peterborough at Head Office... and I did 'fantastic' apparantly! I was also told by Martyn, the presenter that I could talk!! Well, isn't that what my job is all about?! He is actually a very tall bloke - I never realised he was quite so tall! I mean, I know I'm a shorty, but he just towered above me.. lol.

I had a great time there - even if it was only a short (very short) time on camera, which seemed really wierd. You stand in front of the cameras doing the filming, and also two tv monitors at the front of you which you have to avoid looking at.. lol.. quite odd.

Anyway, I did my party piece, my demo, and that was it. I was told my floor manager Howard and my contact there, Michelle, that I had done great and there were no problems at all. They were all very pleasant down at Ideal, and yep.. I'm loving the fact that I can be a part of it!!

I am down to do a recording mid March, and also a meeting down there mid Feb, so watch this space...

I feel so very lucky and those who have helped make this possible - you know who you are! And a very big, heartfelt Thank you to you too!

Snowy Thursday!

blimey... it's Thursday already - and snowing really heavily. We've had around a couple of inches at least this morning. I always think it looks lovely when it first falls, then hate it when it turns to ice! I am however, keeping my fingers crossed that some of it disappears for tomorrow. I am off down to Peterborough for the afternoon.. more details to come - but its very exciting!



I've been out with the dogs this morning. They absolutely love it when it snows as you saw in the photos the other day. Today, Truly has been collecting snowballs! So funny. She was running about on the field and when she got back into the car to come home, she had collected lots and lots of little balls of snow under her tummy. Holly found another little cocker to play with, so they ran theirselves rugged, and Scooby just enjoyed playing snowballs.


Because of the 'thing' that's going on tomorrow, I've been busy running samples up and trying to finish my Debbi Moore cards too. But I do have two cards to upload for you. The first one is this week's entry for my Forever Friends challenge blog and the second is for Lili of the Valley challenge blog.

I made this card for the imminent arrival of Baby Jaeden. I used the Forever Friends decoupage kit from Docrafts for the card. The ribbon is from my stash, and I just thought it finished it off nicely. The theme for this week is Tall and Thin - have a play and leave us a link.

This handsome little guy was used for the Lili blog. The theme this week is Men. I used Trimcraft papers from last year, as I thought they went with the Die Cut of the boy well. I used the Easi box board from Phyllis to make the topper. The little chipboard stars are Basic Grey and so is the rub on wording at the bottom.

That's it for now. I'll be back tomorrow to give you all the gossip..

Jo xx

Great start to the week ....

Guess what... ?! It's snowing! And pretty thick stuff too. The pupsters are loving it. Scooby loves chasing the snowballs, and can't understand why he can't find them.. lol.. Holly just runs around with her mouth open snapping up all the little white things falling from the sky, and Truly... well.. it's been absolutely wonderful for her this morning. Let me explain..

When we got Truly last May, she had come from Ireland straight to us to foster for a Springer Rescue. (she is now permanent, but that's a different story. ) Anyway, in the time we have had her she has come on so much. She now loves to go for a walk, loves food, and is an all round star. The only thing that is a reminder of her past, is that she will only pee and poo on concrete at home. That's usually down the side of the house, which makes it easy to clean so that's fine!

Today, she has revelled in the fact that there is white all over the place and has been for her first walk up the garden. She got so excited that she found Holly and Scooby playing that she joined in, and came in covered in snow! She absolutely loved it. And me? Well, I felt very proud of her! What a proud mummy I am sometimes..

To remind me of this fantastic achievement for her - and us - I've snapped a couple of shots of the pupsters this morning.

(yep.. photos can now come thick and fast - my lappy still isn't back, but I upgraded the desktop at the weekend so I can now upload piccs and stuff on there! Why didn't I think of it earlier!)

This is Truly sniffing at all this funny stuff.

And this is Holly, sitting lovely for her piccie

And here's Scooby.. Mr Poser.. he loves having his piccie taken sometimes..

Don't they look great? Ahhh, I love my spaniels.. can you tell?

I did mention the other day, that I also have two puddytats..

Well, here's Senna.. I even managed to get the photos and videos etc off my phone this morning - actually, I'm loving the desktop because it has the card reader built into the front - easy peasy!

Oops.. just realised, it's on it's side.. I'll change it later. Senna is now 11 years old, and we lost his brother last year. He is coping really well, and loves all the extra attention. Sweet.

Another little photo I want to share with you, is this one that was hiding on my phone card. It's a piccie of Holly, which we took when she was around 8 weeks old. When we bought her home at 6wks old, the first place she wanted to go and explore was the veg rack. We don't know why, but she loved being under there. We put her a little cushion on the bottom rack and when we were doing dinner in the kitchen, she would go and sit in there and fall fast asleep.. Oh Memories.. aren't they great?

Another great thing I discovered this morning was that Youtube now accepts MP4.. so I just had to have a play and upload a quick video of Holly and her sister Arwen. Arwen is the one with two spots, Holly just has the one. Hope that helps.

*** I can't upload the videos.. but if you go to www.youtube.com and go to joaustin22, then you should be able to pick them up there. *** I'll try again later.