Kool Kitty Musings

Project of the day at the frog blog

Just posted over at the frog blog, but here's my project of the day featuring those brand new Banana Frog stamps! Yuuuum!

The "It's all about... Circles" stamps are lovely for adding a bit of flourish to projects.

 

I totally love this Basic Grey collection, but I usually resist using it on cards! Well I'm resisting no more, because seriously it is just too nice for it to wait on a shelf until I finally have a layout idea!

As you can see, still addicted to turquoise, and still addicted to satin ribbon!

Then again...

I can post this card from the Feb colour focus challenge over at the Banana Frog blog:

 

Stamp set used, the one I am most partial to, Flowery Thoughts! Papers are SEI.

 

Odd how the "white" looks a bit grey in this photo, in Photoshop it was very white. Bizarre!

Agggh that age old problem....

The downer after you finish a really good book!

I've just finished the latest "In Death" book - Promises in Death, and now I wish I could go and reread the series from the beginning because the next instalment doesn't come out until November! Boooo...

I am in a right funk now. So may just go and start another book, not in the right mood for making anything as my cold is just dreadful now, plus I have consumed far too many nice pancakes! LOL

So I am off to change into my PJs (with their lovely elasticated waist!) and snuggle under the duvet. hehe

Confessions...

Well sorta of a shoppaholic...

Because a certain someone finally took the digital SLR step on Friday and purchased this:

 

Well, I've yet to read all the instructions in detail, but have had a play in auto and just tried to work out where everything is for the time being. Until Friday I'd never had a go on a digital SLR so I looked like a right numpty in the shop trying to try it out.

On Thursday, I was all for getting the Canon 450d - it seemed the popular choice, was lighter, a bit more compact, and generally cheaper to get lenses for (well so it seemed). But this one won out on the price as the Canon 450d is now quickly going up and up in price due to the yen rate and there's not much existing stock about under £500 with the kit lens... hm, kind of scuppered my plans that!

But this Sony had a better kit lens, rotatable LCD at the back, and excellent reviews plus was recommended over the Canon in a few of them! And? I could get it for £120 less than the Canon + kit lens was going at local stores - the only place the Canon was still relatively in my price range was at Amazon for £469.99 - but if I was going to invest in the camera I wanted to get it from a place I could go in the event of problems and queries.

I just hope I made the right choice, as this camera will need to serve me a good many years that's for sure!

So all that rambling, I will no doubt need a zoom lens soon as it's so weird to no longer have massive zoom! I'm keeping Toddler Lumix of course as he is my handy compact, but I will probably hang onto my bridge Lumix as it still has great zoom and allows me to do a fair few things easily. Until I am expert with my dslr I shall be keeping all my options open! LOL I'll need to be proficient by the time I jet off to Florida that's for sure as I am hoping for lovely pics!

In other news had a lovely day out with Zoe and the girls yesterday, we went swimming then basically Zoe and I were completely knackered until the girls went to bed (they'd had a replenishing nap on the drive home - not so for us!) - I was so tired in fact that there was no scrapping! LOL I suppose it didn't help that the sore throat I've had for a couple of days was still there, and now it's becoming a proper old annoying cold. Hence not having anything creative to share today. I've done a couple of Banana Frog projects but can't share them just yet. ;o) And the only other thing I've done today excluding drinking hot water with lemon and honey has been to start reading Promises in Death - will be returning to that after Lark Rise to Candleford and then falling asleep.

I wish I had the time...

To sit down and read all my Shopaholic books in one go again. I totally loved these books when I first started reading chick-lit - my first ever foray into chick-lit was Can you keep a secret? So it was only a natural progression to Becky land!

And wow, yep they have remained my favourite light-hearted chick lit series.

And I am really pleased to report that despite initial misgivings re what they had done to the Shopaholic universe in transferring it to film, the movie was really good! OMG I much preferred it to PS I Love You where I just felt they'd not come close to matching the book...

If you are a die-hard Shopaholic fan, then suspend all preconceptions and just enjoy the movie for what it is. :o)

More spotty ribbon...

Yes, my love of it seems to have no end at the moment...

Here's my card for CPS sketch #103:

 

American Crafts and Doodlebug papers, and yet another owl - well there had to be didn't there?

I *heart* colour....

Of a certain variety at the moment!

Yes, I succumbed to another promarker spree for some more useful shades (I'm talking browns and greens here - naturally the colours needed for owls!) and while I was at it I added a couple of Momento dew drop inks to the mix.

And OMG I think I may have finally found that shade of shocking pink I was after. The PTI Raspberry Fizz cube was too mulberry, and didn't look at all like the pics I'd seen when I came to stamp it, then my opera pink Versacolor is too purpley pink and a bit washed out... and well now I think I have found The Shocking Pink Ink!

Ta -da ----------> Momento Rose Bud as shown by the stamped owl above! I just need to try it out with those AC Metropolitan papers and of course my Sassafras Lass heart papers.

Anyway, off to watch TV then some more chapters of my book before bed.

My one weakness...

Aside from Lark Rise to Candleford on a Sunday night (thank heavens there still seems to be hope for Dorcas and James! :thud:)... seems to be satin ribbon at the moment! LOL

I've made a couple of cards today between watching DVDs (not going to admit to just what I was watching... but I am sure Banana Frog Bev would approve of one of them!), this one is in response to recipe challenge #35 over at Sketches by Tamara:

 

The challenge was to use hearts, ribbon and patterned paper - well my hearts are actually from the patterned paper but to be sure I cut a spare one out!

 

Good old owl stamps - still plenty more to try from that little spree!

And here's an interpretation of the current sketch challenge over at the same blog, sketch #82:

 

I just love that apple lace cardstock... yum.

Major PS actions love!

Cor dear, I need another time suck like a hole in the head, but I have downloaded Pioneer Woman's new set of actions and I just cannot get enough of the Seventies action! I love the light and colour tone, and photos look cool just by hitting that one button - I mean even one of me looked rather nice, so I was doubly impressed. I now have the urge to go and "Seventies" every photo in my collection, but I'd best refrain as at this rate they'd never get scrapped! LOL

I promise I am going to go and actually do something productive now! :oS

Mmm red and turquoise

Still my favourite colour combo with a dash of white or kraft! :oD

After a day out that included yum yum dinner at Chiquitos (mmm chimichangas and virgin pina colada - cor nice!) I finally sat down to make some cards.

Here's the first one for the Mojo Monday Week 73 sketch challenge:

 

Finally used one of those v. old Lil' Davis buckles!

 

I kind of made another card with the scraps:

 

Again with the dots!

Feeling green

Just a quick update with my card for the current Daring Card Makers dare - to go green!

 

Sassafras and my new big oooooowl stamp. :o) And I went and tried out my promarkers on this stamp - not bad on the back of plain old Bazzill!

Snow and snow and snow

Rather an eventful day in the North East - at long last we were hit by an impromptu snow day!

So we shall see how the roads are for getting to work tomorrow, or whether it's a better idea to just work from home!

Anyway, I finally got my translation projects for the day out of the way, did a little sorting of the workspace (aka my desk and surrounding random surfaces) ready to get a card made. I also decided to get out an old Scarlet Lime kit and make something with it... Particularly challenging when the kit in question isn't really your style, iykwim. Nothing like a challenge eh?

But here it is, my card in response to sketch 3 over at Inspirational Card Sketches.

<------------ See my little self-organisational aid for keeping track of the sketch blogs/sites!)

 

And yes, the first of the Hero Arts stamps has made an appearance.

And I am very tempted to get stuck into my new book that arrived from Amazon:

Restraint! Must finish current read first....

The new American Crafts papers?

Mmm, a lot nicer in real life - I was only taken by a few...

 

I went for the more versatile designs, but they had to be fun! ;o)

And where's this evening's card project?

Well, I finally managed to get a CD wallet thingy and have been sorting and sticking my Nestabilities into it. The long dies only just fit in between some pages, but it'll be fine. They're all together for now!

And after sorting those out, I tackled my unsorted ribbon bags so I have all my spotty ribbons nicely bagged together since I seem to be addicted to spots right now!

I *heart* nice packages...

Not necessarily brown paper ones tied up with string either, but as long as they contain something nice, I definitely *heart* them!

Because this is what arrived for me today:

 

      

Mmmmm I think I've filled my bird quota for the year... well maybe the month! I wish I could play with them tonight, but am off out to see a play with some family friends at 7 so no playtime at all....

And the other thing that arrived....

 

I got them from Amazon and thought some would be great on pages and cards, the rest nice for mailing stuff!

Mmmm red...

For some reason at the moment I can't seem to get enough of the colour red in ribbons and accents on cards... and this one is no exception! I thought I'd try my hand at this week's CPS sketch:

 

I used the backing of some October Afternoon softie embellishments but should have stamped with Staz-on by the look of it:

Also, am almost ready to get my Nestabilities in a CD wallet, managed to get some magnetic tape in Maplins, but no nice CD wallets that aren't too huge or have the right top loading and clear sleeve look to them... will have to try the pound shops next as Maplins, Smiths, Asda Living, Paperchase and Argos were all fruitless!

Pooped to say the least!

Just back from a jaunt to Ikea and Costco with Angela and my ma. I didn't sin too badly in Ikea - I suppose it would have been another matter if I'd been in the market for some actual furniture, including that fab drawing desk... but I was in the market for some storage jars especially - 4 little ones to be exact and a wonderful Kilner style jar at just 97p was a must purchase too. Plus a nice lilac and turquoise bowl similar to the one below, which is really diddy and perfect for larger tea lights - mmmm...

  

Yes, I definitely partook of some giant tea lights and a big pack of the regular sized ones in vanilla. Buuuut managed to persuade ma she needed to buy 3 different designs of paper napkins, they were gorgeous mind!

Now off to do a little button sorting, finally my MM Funky and Garden Party Blossoms & Buttons boxes can be emptied into an easier to use home!

Also just a heads up - head over to the frog blog for news of the current challenge, you may just win yourself some new stamps!! ;o)

A little Oriental influence...

So having finished off all my file organising on the PC, I finally got down to tackling my to-do list... I have many a challenge/sketch card to do to keep on top of 209 in 2009 - so decided to check out the current Daring Card Makers dare, to create an Oriental card without red or black. :o)

And I decided to go with these Basic Grey papers that feature a pattern that reminds me of Japanese cherry blossom:

 

I am rather loving satin ribbons at the moment... nice wide ones too - the shades are much more subtle in real life too....

Early spring cleaning

I have just been doing some blog tidying, then that went into tidying up my various photo folders on my PC... Oh dear... I hate it when one thing leads to another like that, because before you know it, your Saturday has disappeared!

So I forgot to post a pic of my lovely Paper Source calendar with it's February page:

 

Oooh I just love the colours of love this month. :oD

And speaking of piiiiin, here's a card project I made using Paperchains stamps for the frog blog:

 

Neat idea

If you are getting overwhelmed by your Nestabilities... check out this storage idea from Lorelie. Will definitely need to make a note, especially if it makes it easier to see just what dies I actually have! :oO

Here we go...

A little Valentine's makeover courtesy of Nancy Kubo's new digi kit at Little Dreamer Designs. Lovely stuff!

Have been battling a bit of a headache this evening so not managed to make anything so far for the cyber crop. And tomorrow I'm out to the gym in the morning then back in the afternoon. So should knuckle down to something then but without the Herma I may just get on with some cards and save LOs for another time. In the meantime I think it's time for jammies and my book!

And my Herma dilema is sorted, think the post has just been typically slow when you need it not to be! LOL

Well...

...still no herma. Tragic!

Alas, cyber crop starts tomorrow but I still have no herma refills. Have filled out contact us thingy on the sponsor's site but not had any reply yet. Been too busy at work today to try reaching them by phone but yes... ahhhhhh typical that it'd happen now as they have always delivered my refills very quickly in the past - perhaps it's been the overwhelming volume of pre-cyber crop restocking going on! :o(

Looks like it's the d.sided tape for me then! LOL

In other news I need moral willpower to prevent me from buying a digital SLR just at the moment. However, if the weather holds am off to Ikea and Costco on Sunday and we shall see what will fall in the trolley instead.

Are you a BFF?

Something for those Banana Frog Fans among us arrived through my door today.....

 

A couple of the brand new stamp sets! :oD They can all be found here on the Banana Frog blog. Will definitely be looking forward to playing with them soon! In the meantime it's Masterchef in 10 mins or so and I need to decide whether I'm planning on doing anything creative this evening, or just getting back to my book... hm... the book is kind of winning out right now. LOL

The stocks are running low!

I am almost in a Herma crisis, just two little rolls of perma herma left before I totally run out and my restock order from last week still hasn't arrived, I really hope it gets here soon as it's the Cyber Crop this weekend and it's going to be tough if I have to resort to the d. sided tape! :oO

In other news, minimal herma usage tonight - made a simple little card but can't share it just yet.

Have been working from home today and didn't finish until just gone 7.30 ish so it feels like the day has runaway from me. Just now off to get in a chapter of my current book before I need to decide whether to rewatch Big Bang Theory on Ch4 (or watch the repeat on E4 - since it's a season 2 ep. I've already seen) or catch the Harry Hill repeat... or do my usual trick of watching two shows at the same time!

CPS sketch 101

Back to some sketch cards I think! I'm rather behind with all the sketch blogs at the moment... and there are some rather nice ones to try!

Here's the one for the current CPS sketch, #101

 

And also an excuse to chip away at the really old stash - Jolee's and Heidi Swapp chipboard alphas! :oO

Sunday catch up

I just love Sundays sometimes! And especially a relaxing one finally spent reading my book from cover to cover!

After finishing that late this afternoon I got got a little card made for a certain new addition to the Banana Frog fan club, Trish's new baby boy!

 

Banana Frog stamps used are Tiny Type and Postage

 

And yesterday's crop did at least end in a layout! LOL It's week 4's Scrap Like You Mean It challenge - and Shimelle's sketch.

 

Afraid the photo isn't too great as it's quite dim lighting in the evening.