Hello... there!

Supplies:  Studio Calico - Valley High Card Kit

I am back creating but just didn't have enough hours in the day to post some photos!  My PC ground to a halt as it was running out of memory - just transferred/backed up to an external hard drive so we are back in action! Yipee!

Here I am sharing a card I created with the Valley High Card Kit I got during/before the Summer but never managed to get a chance to use.

Thanks for peeking - hope you have a great day.

Missing this little cutie!

Missing this little cutie - even asked the boys yesterday morning what colour/breed of dog they would like next!?  Am I mad?

I actually tweeted this photo a few days ago and the @irishguidedogs responded 

@DeirdreIrl Absolutely not! Who could resist the chance to do something so rewarding while spending time with such amazing dogs?

I know they are sooooo right!  I just thought I'd take a little break!!!

My hubby reckons we won't last past the end of October! LOL!

I spoke to the trainer that has been assigned to Clarly last Monday.  She told me Clarly is settling in well and getting to know her kennel companions.  Most, if not all of her litter is now in training - which is fantastic.  The trainers have to initially create a bond with each new dog so that is what they are working on with Clarly this week.  Next week she gets to leave the centre to do some training in urban locations.

Thanks for stopping by - hope you have a wonderful day.

Where did the Summer go?

Clarly - 12 months old

Hi everyone - I know.... I haven't posted here since June 24th!.  I am sorry but this year Ireland actually got a Summer!.  It took about 15 years to get here so the whole country took advantage of al fresco dining, swimming in the sea and enjoying the outdoors!.

Boat Buddies!

We had a wonderful time and enjoyed the school holidays. 

I have been doing some creating with some Studio Calico card kits that arrived and I will share them over the coming days.  I have challenged myself to create with the kits before I look at any of the inspiration/creations online.  It's not going too badly! (hope I don't jinx it!).

Leaving soon!

This little girl turned one during August and returns to the Irish Guide Dogs next Thursday to commence her formal training.  We will be heartbroken but hope that she will go on to have a positive impact on someone's life after her training is completed.

Will be back with some creations I promise!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

At 10 months!

 "Clarly" - aka cutie patootie came into our lives last October - you can read about her here.

Jan 2013

She has such a fun personality.  She loves company and children and has such a friendly disposition.  She doesn't wag her tail - she wags her whole body with excitement. We call it the "body wag"!.

 (above) Four and a half months of cuteness!

 

Here she is in her training jacket (May 2013) doing some fundraising for the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind annual campaign - "Shades".

Cola Bottle anyone?.  She loves playing "fetch" and we have a vast array of chew/fetch toys for her to play with.  Wish you could hear the squeak the cola bottle makes - she runs around the garden squeaking it in her mouth - I'd say the neighbours think we are batty!.

Here she is just this week - chillin' after a walk - she is 10 months old.  She will be leaving us at the end of the Summer to enter Early Training with the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.  We are so proud of her and her progress to date but dread the thought of handing her back to start her "formal" training.  

Lots of Summer Fun yet to be had with her!.  It's hard to think of life without her but truly hope she will have a hugely positive impact on someone's life.

Thanks for peeking - hope you have a great week.

Using some hand crafted paper!

I am sure if you are the same as me you have an extensive collection of gathered items over the years - quite a lot of them will be connected to paper supplies!.  I recently came across a sheet of this beautiful handcrafted paper in my wrapping paper container (have had it for at least 10 years!) and decided to use it to make a card to match packaging for a friend's birthday.  I think I got it at Paper Source but could be wrong!... it was quite a while ago!.

I matched the flower centres with a sheet of AC Cardstock.  Cut feathers with my new fave dies - Die-namics Feathers and Arrows.

Used some white ribbon from ribbonbox.co.uk and a button from my stash.  I machine stitched the paper to the card base and hey presto - card done!  Imagine - no stamping!

Thanks for peeking.

Mixy-Matchy Style Challenge!

Supplies:  pp/cardstock butterfly/alphabet letters - 

Vintage Bliss - Simple Stories, pink cardstock - Papermania, 

Tape strips - kneehighs & bowties by Basic Grey, Labels 14 

die - spellbinders, Enamel dot - basic grey, versamark ink, 

embossing powder - ranger industries, paper scraps - AC, acetate 

sheet, white sequins - Gutermann, alphabet stamps - Heidi Swapp, 

machine stitching and 6x6 card blank - Craftworks.

When I saw that Cath had posted a new style challenge on Moxie Fab World I knew I would have to make a card!.

My SIL recently got engaged so whilst the card above isn't the one I made for her and her fiancé! (forgot to take a photo - oops!) - it has me thinking about making some Engagement cards!.

I also have been enjoying making shaker cards recently - so it's a mish-mash of mixy matchy patterns and styles!.  I stamped the sentiment on a die cut piece of cardstock with versamark ink and heat embossed with white embossing powder.  Then I machine stitched to the patterned paper.  I then secured the acetate to the base layer and card base with free form machine stitching - popping in the sequins right before I sealed the last side.

I adhered the "congrats" to the outside of the acetate so that the sequins could "travel" without catching. Yes, I did intentionally position the banners to be slightly offset - since the stitching was "free form" for this you read wonky I decided I didn't want the banners to be perfectly straight.  I think this makes them more dimensional - looks like they are fluttering in a light breeze!. 

Thanks for peeking - hope you have a great week.

Summer has arrived!

So the sun has come out here in Ireland!

 Photo taken yesterday from the top of Lough Hyne - Sherkin and Cape Clear Islands in the distance

You know this country is known for it's green-ness (proof above!) - that comes as a result of excessive moisture aka rain at all times of the year and not a lot of hot sunshine!

So when the sun comes out to play - so does the whole country!

I will be missing for a little while!

Sunscreen - check

Hat - check

Sunglasses - check

items to fussy cut in the sunshine - check! (see I won't be idle!)