The Treehouse

A lovely day...

a bit of crafting and a shopping arrival - perfect :D

It's Catherine's 12th birthday on Thursday - I really don't know how that happened at all, where did all that time go, it went in a flash and it seems to be going quicker and quicker each year. I asked her what would she like for her birthday...she is truly her Mother's daughter, she gave me a list of books! Anyway, here is the card - I am super prepared this year, presents are bought, wrapped and hidden and now the card is made as well - just need to work on a cake on Thursday morning. We are off to the pictures on Thurs evening to see Night at the Museum II - Catherine's request, we're looking forward to that (and I can sneak in a Starbucks while we're there :D )

This stamp reminds me of Catherine - even more so now than when I bought it because she's has had her hair cut in the same style (she's never seen the stamp though!). I am in love with Coredinations card - I might have mentioned that before and I do plan to buy that white pad with coloured core as I'm so enjoying this black pad with coloured core.

After a lot of cricketing in between now and Saturday, we are off to London for the weekend - I am looking forward to Kew, the chicks are looking forward to the Dungeon and John is looking forward to not working bless him. 

I forgot to say my favourite book for last month - I read an awful lot of easy reading and thoroughly enjoyed it...I was indulging myself as I managed to trap a nerve in my back again and that just wasn't nice at all! Anyway - last month's favourites - The Grave Tattoo by Val McDermid, a new author to me and I loved this book and the Sookie Stackhouse series - ate those all up in one go thanks to Carole and now am needing more!

ooh...a layout!

It's been a while since I did a layout - quite a long while actually but finallly, here one is! Using oldish stash too - bought this lovely Crate paper on a whim, because I liked it and consequently it's sat unused ever since. I was going to do some lovely stamping with my new Tim stamps and then happened upon this packet of Crate in my bag which was perfect for the job I thought. The flower and the leaves are cut with Sizzix dies from Grungepaper...which I've developed quite a fondness for. They're subtly sparkly but that doesn't show on the scan of course.

Anyway, here is Catherine's hand on her 11th birthday, post manicure - we had to go for very pale polish because the next day was a school day! A bit more Martha Stewart punch playing on here as well - I like those a lot, and they cut much easier than the Fiskars Threading Water punch. Those little letters are Maya Road - I like those rather a lot too and will be looking out for some more of their chipboard letters.

     

Some cards...

used up my last notecard the other day and managed to find time to make a few more last night and tonight - some inspiration from Jennifer Maguire and Wendy Vecchi!

This first one was a bit of an experiment to see if the Tim watercolour technique would work with clear stamps - it did! The little butterflies and dragonflies were from Hobbycraft a while ago and the card I have had for years, it was a packet in a kit and I just never could work out what to put in the hole! I have 4 more to use up.

The second one is the first of 3 inspired by one of Jennifer Maguire's designs. On all three I put my new Martha Stewart punches to good use. Also the background uses my new roller stamp thingies from Stampin Up - I really like these very much, especially embossed with Versamark and clear embossing powder. The stamp is a new one to me by Crafty Individuals - bought to feed my birdie addiction!

This time the chequerboard punch and a lovely new flower stamp by Crafty Individuals...snuck in a bit of sewing on this one too!

More wheelie stamping, this time in distress ink and a tree stamp by Hero Arts and another gorgeous Martha punch - I'm really not sure which is my favourite one!

This last one was inspired by a piece on Wendy Vecchi's blog - I love the Red Pepper ink pad which is strange as I'm not really keen on red at all! Dug out my Rhonna flourish stamps again for this one and a bit of sewing :wub: