Valentines Card

Here's a card I made. Initially I made it for a swap but have since decided that it can be hubby's Valentine's card. I love how the red pops against the black backing polka dot backing paper.

Cards made this week

I've been laid up this week, getting over my recent trip to hospital. I find it so hard to relax but in between crashing out on my sofa and being full of pain relief, and other tablets too, I managed to make these cards. 

The images used are from Lili of the Valley, background papers are for the most part Graphic 45 and some K&CO. stash I had from ages ago. The ribbon and bling is from my craft stash and the punched flowers are made from my EK Success punch...so glad I bought that punch.

Thanks for taking a look and feel free to leave a comment.

   

  

  

  

Steampunk ATCs

Over on Digital Art & Images by Kym, my friend Josie hosted a swap where we had to make Steampunk ATCs. I'm still trying to learn what Steampunk entails so played around and came up with these...I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out.

The backing paper is from Steampunk Spells by Graphic 45. The windings are from Tim Holtz, bought at Michaels while in Orlando last December. The feathers, letters and hearts I had in my stash quite some time and can't remember who they are by.

Thanks for stopping by.

My first DT Project

I'm so excited to have been chosen as a DT member for Pattie's Creations Design Challenge. What amazing images Pattie has too, you'll find them over on her Etsy shop. 

The first design challenge for me to take part in is Challenge 84 - For the Little Girls. When I saw these images I knew I had to use them. 

My friend's daughter has recently started dancing and so I thought to make a door hanger for her room would be fabulous. I'm so pleased with how the images printed and I'd great fun using my MS Markers for colouring them in. Obviously I had to add flowers and bling to make the hanger even more girlie.

Pattie's Creations Design Challenge is open until the 6th February. Below are the challenge details and you can use the links below to visit the blog page and her Esty shop too. Go on, you know you want to take part.

Challenge 84 - For the Little Girls 

(MUST ALWAYS USE AN IMAGE)

Checkout Pattie’s Creations Design Challenge
Our theme for Challenge #84 is 'FOR THE LITTLE GIRLS'. Any creation that is suitable for a Female Child.

 It is Our Rule that you also include any Digital or Stamped Image on your creation! Stop on over to Pattie's ETSY Shophttp://www.etsy.com/shop/pattiescreations and have a look at her many images. Don't forget to check out the Freebie First Friday of the Month page up above on the menu bar. The Freebie will be available for 3 days, and then it will be removed from the site!

The challenge starts now and ends Thursday, February 6th at 1PM CST (Central Standard Time).

So let's have a look at our DT and their creations! You can check their details by clicking on their names to leave some Luv at their blogs.

Cajun chicken and spinach bake with rice

Last night I made a recipe from the Tesco Health & WellBeing website, and it was amazing. I love cooking and trying new things but rarely do I actually get excited about the food I cook...until now.

I made the Cajun chicken and spinach bake with rice and it was amazing. Hubby agree too. Pop on over to my Recipe Box page for the recipe. Here's a sneak peak of what it looks like though.

Tesco Health & WellBeing are a free healthy eating site that offer great a resource for helping you shed those pounds and get to your ideal weight. They've so many plans to choose from and lots of fantastic recipes to try out too. Go on, pop on over and check them out...did I happen to mention it's FREE!!

"Me" TIme

I've wanted to craft for the past week but the week was mental and if I'm honest, I've no idea where it went. Every day after work, I had something to do and even with that I didn't get everything done. I miss crafting, it's my way to unwind and I need it right now.

Do you struggle to find time to craft and use all your crafty goodies that you've put aside for that rainy day? Well, we've had plenty of those this week...rainy days that is. I don't want to go into another week wondering if I'll have time to craft. So I've just scheduled time with myself for the week ahead to get some crafting done, I've two definite time slots.

I hate breaking appointments with people, as do many of us and so why should it be any different when it comes to myself. Why should I break my own appointments and so that's what I've done, set some appointments for myself. Tada....craft time!!

Challenge Time

Hey Crafters,

It's challenge time over on Pattie's Creations Design Challenge....just click HERE to go direct to Pattie's blog.

Challenge #83 is STITCHING, FAUX OR REAL. 
You can have digital stitching also. For full challenge details visit Pattie's Creations Design Challenge.

Stop on over to Pattie's ETSY Shop and have a look at her many images, they are amazing. Don't forget to check the Freebie First Friday of the Month page on the menu at the top of the blog page. The Freebie will be available for 3 days and then it will be removed.

The challenge starts now and ends Thursday January 23rd at 1PM CST (Central Standard Time). So go on, hop on over and enjoy the fun!!

Home made flavoured water

I'm great for drinking the water but at times like to have some fizzy pop, who doesn't? But I realise that if I want to take my health serious and build on my healthy eating regime, that some things will have to go by the wayside. Looking for something else to drink, as I don't drink tea or coffee, I have started making my own flavoured water and it's so simple to do.

Choose some fruit, clean it and slice it. Fill a bottle or pitcher half with water and half with ice (optional) and then pop the fruit into the water. Leave for a couple of hours in the fridge and the flavours will fuse into the water. This week I've made one using orange, lime and today I made one with raspberries and strawberries. Here's a pic of today's and it tastes berry nice too!!

2014 & 17.2K

On Sunday 29th December I decided to take the plunge and go out running. I hadn't ran for weeks due to an injury sustained from passing out while in hospital, stupid me and so I was nervous about going back to training. I went out and it was a great success.

I've been running every second day since, covering roughly 3K each time and gradually stepping it up. With the January weather here it's so tempting to just stay put, lie in bed in the mornings and veg on the sofas during the afternoon. I've battled with the internal voice that spends half an hour talking me out of running and another half hour talking me into running...but I always win. I pull it together and get my butt out there. As the Nike logo states "Just do it" and so I have.

I've been keeping a running diary, you'll see a tab above to this page where I journal each training session. Today I've calculated just how far I've run and I'm amazed. In less than 1 1/2 weeks I have ran 17.2K or just over 10 miles. It's going to be a good year.

SMILE

Saw this and I wanted to share it with you all....SMILE

Attitude for 2014

My attitude this year is to "Just do it". Nike use it as their logo and it's so true, just do it. Are there things you've wanted to achieve but haven't to date? Do you want to try something new but don't know how to or lack the confidence? How will your dreams ever become your reality unless you "Just do it" and say "F**k It" to life? I've wanted things to happen in the past but I've lacked the confidence. There are things I've seen others achieve that I couldn't achieve myself but why? I didn't have the confidence to, the thoughts of failure far outweighed the thoughts of success but 2014 is the year that I'm going to "Just do it".

2013 sucked big time for me. I suffered terribly with my health to the extent I ended up in hospital a number of times. I let opportunities pass me by because I didn't think I could do it. As if things couldn't get any worse, I saw my beautiful, inspiring, go getter of a father lose his battle with cancer and I just went into hiding. I found myself giving up on life and I really felt that I would never get out of that dark place. Then a thought came to me. Was life always so straight forward for my dad? What happened when he was faced with challenges? Simple, well not simple, but the thinking behind it was "Just do it". Get up off your butt, look at what lies ahead, find a new way around it and truly believe that when you put your mind to it, everything is possible.

I read a wonderful book called "F**K It" it's a Western take on Eastern Spirituality and teachings. Synopsis taken from Amazon.

"Saying F**k It is like massage for the mind - relaxing you, releasing tension, giving up on things that aren't working. Just starting to say F**k It can transform your life. Saying F**k It feels good - to stop struggling and finally do what you fancy; to ignore what everyone's telling you and go your own way. John C. Parkin argues that saying F**k It is a spiritual act: That it is the perfect western expression of the eastern ideas of letting go, giving up and finding real freedom by realising that things don't matter so much (if at all).This is the Fuck It way."

So to you the reader I suggest you stop what you are doing, ask yourself what you want to achieve and then "Just do it". So what if you fall flat on your face, you're still moving forward aren't you? You've grabbed the opportunity to try something new rather than always wondering, Now you've had your first rehearsal and so it's time to try another way. Are you ready?

Today's lunch had a serious "YUM" factor

Today for lunch I made my colleague's famous salad, Cruncy veg and noodle salad in a peanut butter dressing and it had a serious "YUM" factor. I cheated a little and used stir fry veg and less oil than stated in the recipe. It was so nice that I just know I'll be making it again.

Check out my Recipe Box page for this delicious recipe.

Don't limit your beliefs

Had I been asked last week did I feel ready to run, despite wanting to, the answer would have been "no". What was holding me back? Fear! Fear of not being able to do it and fear of hurting my knee further. But I went out there and started training again. Week 1 and I've covered 9.5K in total. 

Why am I telling you this? I honestly believe that we can hold ourselves back from achieving the things we want because we are fearful, fearful of failing and fearful of hurting ourselves - pride and ego stepping in. BUT if you really want something and put your mind to it, everything is possible. 

Don't let your thinking limit your beliefs or stop you from realising your dreams. I honestly believe I've learned a great lesson this week, one which can spill over into many areas of my life. You can do it too. Listen to yourself, your thoughts and your inner beliefs, then by putting one foot in front of the other set out and prove yourself wrong, prove that you CAN do anything you want to.

Winter Fat Page

I've taken part in a swap over on Paper Digital Art & Images By Kim....you'll find a badge below that you can click on and visit the site through. The swap was to create a Fat Page (still don't quite understand this concept) based on a Winter theme and using Graphic 45 papers. I remembered a page I had from last year and so went about chopping it up. Below is an image of the fat page and if you click on Sticky Fingers, you'll see the whole thing. Thanks for stopping by.