Designer

I am very excited because Sarah (Tiggertastic) has kindly agreed to be a designer for PollyCrafts. There are now some free designs with step by step instructions for some really pretty jewellrey that is simple to make. You can find them at the PollyCrafts site under Design Ideas

Don't forget there are also some free images you can download, and the Fairy Challenge runs until this Friday 8th, with a Fiskar's bowmaker as the prize. There are some beautiful entries and I know it is going to be very difficult to pick a winner! Take a look and see what I mean!

Despite being a poorly chick, it has been a busy ol' time lately as PollyCrafts is taking off slowly but surely, and the entries there for the Fairy challenge are just brilliant. Take a look and see what I mean. It isn't too late to enter - you have until midnight UK time on Friday 8th August.

I have also been busy in my craft room and here are some of my recent creations

Hope you like them :-)

Lauren's Blog Candy!

Lauren is back from holiday and has got some fabulous blog candy on her site. Check it out here Lauren's Cards Etc.: Blog Candy!#links

New Challenge with Prize

The first PollyCrafts challenge is now open at PollyCrafts blog . The theme for this challenge is fairies and as a thank you for taking part the prize will be a Fiskar's BowMaker which will come in very handy for all sorts of occasions (not to mention Christmas which is getting nearer by the week!). Hope you can find the time to take part :-)

More Candy and Some Free Images

PollyCrafts now has its own blog and to celebrate there is some Christmas candy up for grabs. Check it out here Christmas Candy

There are also some free images for you to use on your cards and projects here Free images

Have fun!

Plans Agley

You know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men (they "gang aft agley"!)
So it was with me - just when I was getting excited about some new stock arriving for PollyCrafts and thinking up a challenge as well. Before I could utter a peep about any of it I was taken ill and rushed to hospital. Almost a week later and it is a huge relief to be back home and above all to have my own bed and my own bathroom again! Amazing what you take for granted isn't it. The lovely ladies on the CB forum have been just awesome. I have been quite humbled by the outpouring of well wishes and I received this lovely card and a RAK from my dear friend Sarah (Tiggertastic). . .

and this gorgeous card from the lovely Louise (PinkPuppy)

and then this pretty card and RAK came from my friend Jackie (Torpenhow)

Thank you to all my dear friends and everyone else who has been so kind in wishing me well.

PollyCrafts

I am SO excited! I have just launched my web-site (www.pollycrafts.com) to sell a small range of card making goodies. It is only in early days yet (well, day 1 as I write this. lol) and I have lots of ideas for the site, but please have a quick visit and tell me what you think (there is a guest book on the site). At the moment, it is just a few things for Christmas which I know is early but I am hoping by the time I get the site a bit more established people will be thinking about their Christmas cards.

Eventually, I would like to have a design team and some ideas pages for a hopefully increased stock of goodies. I would also like to post some how-to pages on there but Rome wasn't built in a day, eh :-)

Please visit http://www.pollycrafts.com/ I hope you like it. Do let me know xx

CB forum members please PM me before buying and you can benefit from a 10% discount and free P&P

Blog Candy

Wow, have been so busy the past week or more, taking people out for birthdays and weekends away and work, work, work. Have been out and about so much there has been no time to craft which is really sad and I am missing it loads! On the other hand, my blog counter is showing over a 1,000 hits now, so to celebrate I am offering some blog candy to one lucky person.

Here's what you need to do to be in with a chance of winning:

Link my blog to your blogroll. It counts if I am already in your blogroll of course :-)
Please write a post on your blog letting everyone know about my blog candy.
Leave a comment on this post, so I can come to visit your blog, after you fullfilled the other points

The closing date will be Midnight Sunday 20th July! And I will be more the happy to send the candy internationally! Thanks for taking part :-)

21st July Update: The number out of the hat was 12 so the winner of the blog candy is Ultramum! Congratulations Eve! Blog Candy en route to you for when you return from holiday!

Tagged!

Yikes! I've been double-tagged by PinkPuppy and Ultramum! Thanks ladies :-)

The Rules of the game
Each player answers the questions about themselves.
At the end of the post the player then tags 5-6 people and post their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.
Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answers.

Ten years ago?
I was at uni (as a mature student - which is an oxymoron if i ever heard one!) studying history during the day and working in BUPA's call centre at night. Where on earth did I get the energy from?????

Five things in today’s to do list?

• Clear out cupboards
• Make blueberry muffins (diet variety unfortunately)
• Work on my new website (details to be announced soon I hope)
• Order new mattress for my Dad
• Clip Twinkle's claws (not yet done)

Snacks I enjoy?

• Custard cream biscuits
• Salami wrapped round cream cheese
• Mini Cheddars
• Marmite crisps
• Bananas

Things I would do if I was a millionaire?

• Ensure my loved ones are well provided for
• Give up work and adopt a child, or at least fund some children in 3rd world countries
• Buy a house in the country and a holiday home in a warm sunny country
• Spend a few months in a top notch health farm getting fit and well
• Host a big crafting weekend at a posh hotel for all my CB friends with mega stash laid on of course :)

Ohh it's lovely to dream even if just for a few minutes.

OK I am going to tag the following peeps:

• Tiggertastic
• Copse
• FreeHartz
• Lollies
• LizLovesWill
• Max62

Blog Candy

Not much crafting accomplished this week as have been away for the weekend with Dear Dad - we went to Eastbourne - which has cruelly been dubbed God's waiting room, but unfairly - we had a brill time, and there are some great shops for craftaholics! Speaking of craftaholics, if you head over to Max's blog you could win some great blog candy as Max has accumulated two thousand hits and is giving candy away to celebrate. Hope to have more craft related things to show you next time!

Recent makes

These are some of my recent makes. I just love the paper and silk butterfly on the first card, and could hardly bear to give it away! lol I will have to go and buy more of this paper I think :)

This card was my first bit of wirework using a jig as well as chalks and coloured peel-offs. I really enjoyed playing around with new ideas.

This card has several layers of decoupage and was really fun to make. I think I could get addicted to cutting out little patterns! lol

And here's a quick thank you card I made.

Quick update with some of my recent creations. The first cards are for June at Foll's Field, as are the handbag and phone charms. The car is to wish my friend Ed good luck on his driving test (I will update you on whether he passed or not) and the last card is my first attempt at paper folding.

New things

I hope you like the beautiful new header on this page which was made especially for me by the fab Martine. You can check out her site here http://thecrafttable.blogspot.com/. Thanks so much Martine

Yesterday I had such a fantastic time with Tiggertastic, shopping in my favourite place, The Art of Craft. Piccies of our haul are on the CB forum here (http://www.crafts-beautiful.com/site/index.php/forums/viewthread/4541/) I had thought we were being reasonably restrained - until we got the check-out! Still, at least we can say we have done our bit to help keep independent retailers afloat! LOL

Now as it is a Bank Hol, I have time to actually play with all my new goodies so that is what I am off to do. Take care and have a fun weekend x

Necklaces

These are the necklaces and earrings I made at the weekend. The pic of the pink and green one (on the black background) does not really do justice to the lovely summery pinks and greens. It is very delicate and pretyy - just right for summer (which I hope we will have lots more of!). the darker set are a really gorgeous iridescent purple and green - and look fab when worn with just about any colour. Have also updated the pic of the charms (further down the page) I am making for June at Foll's Field Sanctuary. Thanks for looking :-)

Awards

Wow! The fabby Sarah at http://tiggertastic.blogspot.com/ has generously bestowed these awards on my blog (see below). I am SO delighted, I can't tell you how much it means :-)

I now have the pleasure to pass these awards on to three friends from the Crafts Beautiful forum:

http://sewdelish.blogspot.com/

http://hermumbles.net/talk/

http://cardsandothercraftystuff.blogspot.com/

Enjoy your awards ladies!

Therapy

Had an out-of-sorts few days but spent the weekend making a few bits of jewellery which is good therapy. Will post pics of some necklaces and earrings I made. In the meantime here are some charms that are part of a set I am sending to June to add to her crafty sale which will raise money for the horse and pony sanctuary. You can read more about that here http://www.follsfieldsanctuary.org.uk/

Sunny Sunday

It's a truly beautiful morning, the sun is shining in a blue sky, the birds are singing their hearts out and I have mastered the art of crimping! This is a set of Cinnibar jewellery I made yesterday. Cinnibar is a Chinese carved wood, and it is delish to feel as well as look at.

Aso made a birthday card yesterday using a twisted pyramid which I embossed with clear powder to give a glossy finish, and the tiles are chipboard covered and glossed to look like tiny ceramic tiles.

And a very quick card made this morning:

Now have to do a little bit of work on a spreadsheet that was meant to be complete for a project at proper work tomorrow and then going to enjoy this lovely Sunday :-)

THE Wedding Card

After much deliberation on what to make for my two guy friends who are getting “hitched” here is the result. It’s not a great pic I’m afraid. The silver writing says “Congratulations” in the top left and “Phil & Chris” in the bottom right. The pink card is not glitter - it’s just the way the light has caught it - it’s a kind of shiny pearlescent. Also, the top hats have velvety black bands around them, though that is not v. clear in the pic. Anyway, hope you like it :-)

Time flies!

Can't believe a whole week has flown past since I last posted. In that short space of time I have managed to nigh on bankrupt myself through craft shopping both at my fave local shop (http://www.art-of-craft.co.uk/)as well as numerous online stores. You know the feeling you get when you just have to have a pretty / shiny / sparkly/cute something-or-other? Well I think I have a sickness as that's how I feel any time I am near anything crafty! LOL Judging by my fellow CB forum buddies, this is quite a common affliction ;-)

Not all bad news tho'. I made this cute card for a few pennies by judicious use of free wallpaper samples and magazine freebies.

Have also been busy making a card for my friend Phil who is getting "hitched" to his partner Christopher. Almost finished now so will post piccie next time.

Have also made some phone charms but the pics are rubbish so I will get some better ones to post up.

Last, but by no means least you will be crazy not to check out SusieB's site as she is offering a very generous helping of Blog candy to celebrate her well-deserved 10k hits. Take a look here http://whiteribboncards.blogspot.com/ and enjoy browsing her site.

Music while you browse

Been a poorly sick chick today so stayed home and made some ATCs for the CB swap - tho' won't post any pics of them til after the swap so I don't spoil anyone's surprise.

Have also added a playlist to the site so you have music while you browse (though you can pause the player if you prefer)

Back to work tomorrow - but have enjoyed playing with crafting goodies today :-)

Have also learned about the plight of some horses from a fellow CB-er. Please visit her site here http://www.follsfieldsanctuary.org.uk/ and if you can help in any way then it really is the most worthwhile cause!

My work

Here are some pics of jewellery and cards I have made. Hope you like them :-)

This is the first jewellery I made at bead and wirework class. I love the colours.

And I love the colours of these beads too!

The paisley shapes on this card are decoupage and finished with little gems


This is just a very simple card I made for Easter but didn't get around to sending.

Email

Decided to put some pics up of my jewellrey and a couple of cards - but cannot transfer from my phone as the bluetooth connection on this pc is non existent and I can't find the cable (grr) so will have to wait til tomorrow to post them up.

In the meantime, have made a card for no particular reason at all, which is a first for me as up to now I have only made them as I need them so it was fun to make a random card with no thought as to who it will end up being given to.

Photos

Here are some photos of my trip to Las Vegas. It was my first visit there and .. wow! It's just a big, grown up playground - and I loved it!

These beautiful glass flowers are a huge (and I mean, massive) sculpture that adorns the ceiling of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas

This is the world's biggest chocolate fountain - it's 27 feet high and pumps over two tonnes of white, milk and plain chocolate! I could have died happy in that fountain!

The famous fountains at the front of the Bellagio which dance to music every night.

I just loved this funky looking tree in the botanical garden at the Bellagio

First post!

Well, here we are! I've been thinking about it and now I have done it. I've created a blog. I have seen so many great blogs (mainly those from the Crafts Beautiful members) and decided to join in the fun.

Now all I need to do is get some photos together so you have something to look at!

Hope you will enjoy this page

Chris x