An update on the.....

*VALENTINES Craft Stamper HEART Challenge*
As well as the Craft Stamper magazine Apron that I am offering as a prize, Katy Fox, is also going to give a £20.00 Goodie bag to the challenge winner too (for blog entries only ** there are seperate prizes in the group, including an apron) You can read what Katy has written on the Craft Stamper blog, she has written a lovely piece for us The Cupboard Trilogy 

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http://craftstamper.blogspot.com/

Craft Stamper Magazine

craftstamper.blogspot.com

This card has been made .....

Following Stella Owen Hibbert's February Sketch challenge, over on The Craft Cupboard group on Facebook 

& The Cupboard Trilogy Blog

I have used a free paper from a magazine, some Kanban toppers that I bought from somebody in The Craft Cupboard, black cardstock & mini flowers from my own craft stash.

Thanks for visiting

* Jane *

Made a Little Card for .....

A challenge set on The Craft Cupboard group on facebook. The challenge was set by one of the admin members Vanessa & the brief is to create a card suitable for a child between the ages of 1 - 16 for any occasion. Vanessa is very kindly offering a Spellbinders "Fluer de Lis Squares" Die as a prize, I don't have that one yet & would love to win it ... The challenge will be judged by Vanessa's 3 children, which I think is a great idea.

Here is my card, I haven't added a greeting yet, because I'm not who I will be sending it too or why.

Happy Valentines Day ...

I am off out babysitting later so my son & daughter in law can go out for a meal, so my other half will be spending the evening with the dog... I hope that you all have fun whatever you do to cellabrate Valentines day.

I have a Valentines Challenge over on The Cupboard Trilogy blog. It runs from today through to 1st March, there is a Craft Stamper magazine embroidered apron up for grabs for the lucky winner. You also have 2 chances to win, but you have to enter with 2 different Cards, Scrapbook LOs or 3D projects to get both.

There is a clause though, your entries MUST include the image of the freebie stamp that was attached to the February edition of the Craft Stamper magazine.

The reason that I have chosen to use that particular stamp is because it was designed by Sarah Lawrence, the owner of Crafty Notions, who sadly & suddenly passed away in December 2011. So this challenge is a tribute to her.

The challenge will be judged by Katy Fox ~ Editor of the Craft Stamper & Scrap365 magazines ...

I hope that you will all try to join in with this fun challenge! 
You can find The Cupboard Trilogy blog HERE

Take care

Jane x

The CHA 2012 Previews .....

Coming in thick & fast now, I just love looking through them to see what's new & going to be hot for the next 6 months. I am always on the look out for Tim Holtz launches, because there is always something there to wet the appetite. Take a look at his blog HERE for sneeky peeks of what he is launching this time around. I am particularly interested in his Distress Pens, complete with a transforming white one!

~*~ Jane ~*~

Quick Card for ......

Stella Owen Hibbert's Sketch Challenge in The Craft Cupboard's Show & Tell group over on facebook! 

I'm not completely sure I like it, I'm not used to skimping on the embellishments. For this sketch we were limited to only adding 3 flowers & MUST include the 3 sentiments, I felt a bit daunted by the simplicity of it. So I started off with a bold background, then that in turn had me scratching my head. In hindsight, I wish I had inked the edges of the dies cuts, but that's what a challenge is all about, so well done Stella!

If you would like to take part in Stella's Sketch Challenge yourself, feel free to give it a try & then pop over to The Craft Cupboard blog & link back to your cards page, so that we can view it, we would love to see it & I'm sure that you will do better than me!!

~*~ Jane ~*~

I just wanted to say ....

\~/ Thank you ScrapaGoGo \~/

I am now able to buy your kits again, finances have been much tighter since this stupid Arthritis took a turn for the worse, so had to cancel my subscription! Now, you have just released your 'Essentially GoGo' kits, same great value, still packed high with quality craft yummies, but at a lower price .....

That's not all you get for the £14.00 with GoGo, oh no there is so much more on offer too, included in the price your also entitled to join in with the fun over at The Clubhouse too, along with subscription discount if you choose to attend one of the GoGo Getaways I have attended one of these myself & I can highly recommend it, your treated like a craft princess for the whole weekend. Oh & there's more in the form of Tutorials by the amazing GoGo Girls DT, challenges, prompts & more ......

So what will I get in my yellow box each month?

5 12x12 Quality Papers

3 12x12 Bazzill Cardstock

1 Alphabet

1 Bespoke Embellishment Pack

1 Exclusive Stamp

1 Sheet Exclusive Hybrids

1 Idea Booklet

I couldn't resist this fab deal so, I signed up this afternoon ;)

Just got to wait for February now to start looking out for the postie with my Bright Yellow Box of goodies ♥ ♥ ♥

~*~ Jane ~*~

I guess it's time ....

To get rid of the Christmas header on the blog

I'm a little sad to see it go, so think I will keep it to use again later on this year

~*~ Jane ~*~

As The Year Winds Down....

I pause to think over the year just gone by & am counting my blessings for many things, which include gaining another grandchild, a 'pink one' Yasmin Millie Deedee, born to my youngest son Paul & his lovely lady Leona & a sister for Mason! We also celebrated my father's 80th Birthday which allowed extended family members to catch up & see how thier families have grown too!


There were also sad moments along the way, back in March my dear Mother had a fall at home & left her with a nasty break to her ankle which required surgery. Then she contracted the dreaded MRSA bug, she still hasn't healed now & still needs regular dressings!


My pain levels have been through the roof this past year & my mobility has definately worsened. I am lucky that I am a patient of the reknowned Royal Mineral Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases in Bath, where I spent 9 days as an in patient in October! There I was told that my Ankylosing Spondylosis is now very active, so I am due to receive a new medication in the New Year, there have been some positive feedback from this new drug, my consulting team are quite positive that it will help me! On a positive note I met some wonderful people, fellow patients with a whole range of rheumatic conditions, friendships that are continuing now that I am back home. It's helpful to get this support from others that really do understand why I am like I am & not having to explain myself all the time or apologise that I am unable to manage something or keep an a appointment or a date!


I started The Craft Cupboard on Facebook, a group where fellow crafters could sell on thier unwanted craft supplies, I had no idea how popular it would be, but apart from a few teething troubles, it has gone from strength to strength, so much so that I ended up creating a second group, to allow the members to be able to show what they have made, share knowledge & tips & techniques, along with challenges, inspiration station for those days when craft block sets in! I then noticed that some members liked to sell thier handmade goods, so a third group was created to allow this to take place. This means that The Craft Cupboard is now a Trilogy .... I think I will leave it there though, because I couldn't cope with anymore, even with my happy band of admin members!


My middle son Steve has just turned his childhood dream into reality, by qualifying as a Fire Fighter, my other oldest son was asked to step up as Head Chef for The Castle Hotel in Castle Coombe & my youngest son has managed to get himself a job after some years of unemployment. I am very proud of all of them, in fact all four of my lads!


My partner Alex's son left school this year & is now at college studying engineering & his 2 younger daughters are growing up fast.


I spent a very happy Christmas weekend at the home of my oldest sons Kevin (he's a twin) & his lovely wife Donna (I'm convinced she is a direct decendant of Mother Nature herself) & family!
I can't remember the last time I saw so much fabulous food & drink under one roof,certainly not since my 4 sons grew up & left home, it was so special to be sat watching my grandsons opening thier gifts from Santa  ;)


I will see the year out at home, with Alex & his two daughters who are staying with us for the week, we will be playing games, watch a nice film & just be content to have survived another year!


I wonder what next year holds for me?
Whatever it is, I will do my best to make the most of it & stay as happy & mobile as I am able to do, share both laughs & tears & be thankful for my family, friends.

Happy New Year to you all

Woman's Prayer

Lord, Before I lay me down to sleep, 

I pray for a man, who’s not a creep, but, one who is handsome, smart and strong 

and whose willy will be, thick and long. 

One who thinks before he speaks, when promises to call, he won’t wait weeks. 

I pray that he's gainfully employed, so when I spend his cash, he won’t be annoyed. 

Pulls out my chair and opens my door, massages my back and begs to do more. 

Oh! Send me a man who will make love to my mind, knows just what to say, when I ask

"How big’s my behind?" 

One who’ll make love till my body’s a twitchin’, in the hall, the loo, the garden and kitchen! 

I pray that this man will love me no end, and never attempt to shag my best friend. 

So as I kneel here and pray by my bed, I look at the dickhead you sent me instead...

By Linda Parsons

~*~

Jane