Look what she made

My friend, Janey, made me this for me, for my birthday.

Isn't it a thing of beauty? Thank you, Janey x

Croak

I've been in Birmingham less than 12 hours and I've got a very sore throat. I rang home to speak to Marko and he thought I was a man! And then afterward retracted it and pronounced that it was bordering on Deirdre Barlow.

And now I'm in my room, all alone with no craft supplies. I feel bereft. Instead I jotted this quote on complimentary note paper whilst scoffing the complimentary bickies.

I almost passed out plus lens for sale

Honestly, I nearly did pass out!! I choked a little when I saw this and laughed my head off for hours afterwards.


Queen couldn't have penned such a lyric so poetically!

And another quote......a funny one, why not?

Again, brought to you so colourfully by Rhonna's exquisite graphics and brushes

If you are going to Stitches this week; hope to see you there. I'm demonstrating with Letraset. Coolest markers ever. Going to kiss goodbye to clean fingers for three days, anyway!

PSSSST! Don't forget to leave your name in this, yesterdays or the day before's blog post to win a huge bag of buttons from Fantastic Ribbons

Double PSSSSSST! Im selling my 70-200mm L F4 USM IS lens. It's been used less than 5 times but what I really want is the F2.8 version, now. I have a figure in mind but if you want to make a sensible offer on a boxed quality lens, email me here (Im not using ebay for this transaction).

Love
Kirsty x
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Small substrates

Ive recently joined an ATC swap group on Facebook. There are 24 of us split into two groups. The group I am in sends the next person on the list an ATC. The next month we send the 2nd person on the list a swap and so on - for a whole year. I love ATC's. Small spaces that can command big work. Im waiting to receive my ATC but this is one of the ATC's that I sent to my next girl. I made one extra for myself so that I will end up with 24 little beauties come next January.

and I wrapped it up in string and sent it lovingly on its way like this:


Today I had to go for an eye test. I haven't been since 2008. I am supposed to wear glasses for reading even though my prescription was literally tiny. But since November last year, I have been really struggling to focus plus I have had the most rotten migraines. I knew it was my eyesight and finally I took an appointment today. Needless to say I have to wear glasses all the bloody time now. Not that Im really fussed but its a case of "getting used to it" and admitting that Im getting old! I used to work in an opticians years ago and already knew that from the age of 40, peoples eyesight starts to diminish. So I wasn't really surprised.

I bought these frames for my readers (just waiting on getting my distance an NO! I do not want either bi or varifocals). Don't you just love the sauciness of French Connection UK branding? Its enough to make my Granny swivel in her grave. I am picturing being stood in the queue at our local post office and all the pensioners gawping and gasping. Naughty, really but actually - not so much ;)


Whilst I was at the opticians I had x-ray style photos taken of my eyes. The optician told me that I must go and see my doctor in relation to that. I think I know what it is but its not dangerous. Just a little unsettling. Other than that, the health of my eyes are good. And Im glad, cos I totes rely on these organs so that I can smother my babies with kisses and admire the beauty of them whilst they remain focused!

Taken last night, its a bit dark - sorry. You might be able to make out my two sticky, toffee puds.

And lastly, I'll leave you with a quote. Ive used Rhonna's amazing brushes and fonts to make this truly thought provoking quote. The message I glean from this is that walking away gracefully is key. It's a wonderfully sobering experience....... take it from me.
Its a mantra we should all adhere to - imagine if the world stood by this?
**wow, I want to live in that world so bad!**

Love
Kirsty x
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feeling a bit inventive

First off, Let's start off with a quote.
I'm feeling so quotey right now, I want to write a book about the best ones I have seen so I can keep it with me at all time, read it and smile that I think "not alone".

So, this inventiveness thing - yeah?
It's probably all been done before but what the hell, I think I invented something. I'm going to smother myself in self adulation, clasp my hands and look wistfully at everyone who may applaud me on my apparent ingeniousness or die with fright from the sheer horror that its old hat (pick one). Either way, here is my inventive baby. Using a glue gun; those bloody things that burn your finger ends away, right to the bone and give off whiffy-burny skin aromas **pong**

I was faffing with my hot glue gun tonight, for a project that I made for Fantastic Ribbons. I always use a heat resistant/non-stick mat to rest my glue gun on. So when I came to clear up from the ribbon project, I noticed a lovely mound of silicon looking/feeling melted glue. Oh I do love to play with that. As my glue gun was still hot, I squidged the rest out to "play" with and made this pattern here - next to the tag. As it lifted off the non-stick mat so easily, it was like a piece of art, waiting to be abused by ink!

I thought "Im going to use that as a mask. And so I did. I squirted yellow ink over the top and was left with this lush pattern.

I built upon the tag and obvs got too carried away and hid the masking bit, but I'm chuffed with my sunset coloured tag and how glorious she shines


But the best thing was, I further made more hot gluey magic by framing the picture of the little girls and etched the frame with a daub of silver ink.
**skips happily at such inventiveness that's probably not inventiveness but still.....**

So, the ribbon project?
This week the DT at Fantastic Ribbons have been making accessories using ribbon. Today was my entry. To see how this lush rainbow ribbon bow was put together, come hither

Don't forget to leave your name on either yesterdays or today's post to be in with a chance of winning a huge bag of buttons from Fantastic Ribbons.

Love
Kirsty x
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Little red shoes and giveaway!

Part of my Online Photography Course that I am teaching covers Design Principles or in 'togs terms, Composure. You are either born with en eye for photography or you can be taught it using some basic design rules. I think the Rule of Thirds was something that I had come to me naturally as I always seemed to draw pictures or take photos using this method and never knew it was an art form in itself.
We are in week 3 now and I have done a whole batch of principles for the students to mull over and as a last addition to the gallery I shared with my students, I took a picture (with my iPhone, no less) of my sweet little, red shoes. Only I made them into a heart to rest on the sweet spot, in the Rule of Thirds.

There are several ways that the "Rule of Thirds" can be interpreted and here is another, but used on my card.



Mastering design rules can make creativity so much more WOW as opposed to MEH!

I used my fab Sizzix Big Shot to cut out that delicate flower die (I have no idea who makes that steel rule die, sorry), Mei Flowers for my little pearls and Tonic Studios for that coolio border punch that I shall probably take to my grave.

What else? Oh yeah, yesterdays bunch of quotes? Weren't they lovely. Your comments and emails were so touching and I'm glad you found an affinity with them too. Well, I found another quote today that I just loved IMMEDIATELY. I think all us big-girl cry babies can identify with this! Isn't it gorgeous?

FINALLY - Add your name below to be in with a chance of winning a lovely big bag of candy coloured buttons from Fantastic Ribbons. You can also try HERE for another chance PLUS all the DT's blogs too (links to other dt blogs are there!).

Enter all of them, you never know, you might win twice or even thrice!

Love
Kirsty x
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If i lived my life by quotes.....

........I'd find it easy to convey my thoughts and feelings so much easier than umming, ahhhing, coughing and spluttering to find JUST the right words. Commnication, in the written word can be dangerously misinterpreted, especially if poor grammar is apparent. So you can imagine that, when I find such quotes, Im overwhelmed by their meaning. Its like putting a little worry to bed because the quote explained it to me so well.

Take these new foundlings of mine - some true, some funnies, some cheeky. Tell me which ones resonated with you. By the way, the quotes are not a veiled attack nor do they reflect how I feel right now but they may help anyone who is trying to figure a few things out.

This one makes me breathe:

Jaki sent me this, I love it so. BTW, my tongue is made of fluffy pillows so that words come out softly.

Oh my, ain't this the truth?

We all should say this as a mantra at the end of the day:

Walk before you run:

Let go, my god - sometime people need to let go:

ugh, this made me weep:


Walking away gracefully:
I could identify with this from many walks of life, in my life:


Im fine - the words you say when you are clearly not:

And now for the Ying to the Yang:


Finally, a post isn't a post without a sweet little project. Here is a birthday card for a very special someone:


I used October Afternoon papers from 383473673 years ago along with Tonic Studio Border punch, Mei Flower bling and craftwork cards greetings

Love
Kirsty x
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Happy Valentines and GIVEAWAY link

Aaaaaaw! I hope you got a card (at least) and maybe a sweet little treat from your loved ones today. Mark and I have exchanged cards every year that we have been together but we don't do the mush fest and over priced roses.

I think a card says it all (and choccies often say it better!)


I used my slim swallow die in my spangly new Big Shot from Sizzix, a chipboard frame, a Stampin up Heart punch, bling from Mei Flower and a Martha Stewart border punch.

Also - why not nip over here to be in with a chance of winning a bag of candy coloured buttons from Fantastic Ribbons. Also, check out how 'mezzin the DT's projects for this month have been so far.

Love
Kirsty x
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