INCHY CHALLENGE BLOG / OSTARA BLESSINGS

We're up to K on inchy challenge blog this week and my K is for key, through the keyhole to be exact. I think this is a Cherry Pie stamp.

I'm sharing some Ostara Blessings I received yesterday from Wendy from Painting Dreams - if you are not familiar with her work check out her website - she does gorgeous paintings and she also has a book out about a Lunar Hare, as well as calendars and cards.

I finally have some daffodils in flower in the garden - only the small narcissus but very welcome - normally I have loads dotted about the garden by this time of year - let's hope they show their cheery faces in time for Easter.

INCHY CHALLENGE BLOG - LETTER 'J'

We're up to J already on our alphabet challenge on inchy challenge blog - my J is for Jewel (in the Crown)

INCHY CHALLENGE H AND I PLUS MORE.....

Oops - I didn't come on here and post my H for last week's inchy challenge - so here it is - H for Hat

and here's this week's - the letter I for inchy - can you believe it took me ages to think up an I

I've been surfing round blogland again trying to come up with some inspiration to get me crafting again

I came across Maddy's site and she's offering blog candy - look at Herbert - isn't he so nice - my DD doesn't want chocolate for Easter - he would be just perfect! Hop along and join in and good luck - you'll find her here

And, yes even more posting - I've entered my pup Tegan and one of my old cats Megan into a comp - please if you have the time and the inclination - pop along and vote for them - if you think they're the cutest of course!

Tegan - the pup - is here

Megan - the cat is here

And - wait - there's more:

I'm still doing a bit of crafting for a forum and we're doing a CJ - well I had committed myself to doing it so couldn't let them down - its a stamping CJ and I received the weirdest stamp I've ever had to work with - the stamp is the nun with the gun!

Here's my take on the stamp - the wording is all thanks to DH - obviously been watching too many Clint Eastwood films!

INCHY CHALLENGE BLOG - 'G'

We're on G this week at inchy challenge blog - and I found this letter quite difficult. I went for G for Grapes in the end. The stamp is a Stampin Up one.

OPERA CARA

Yes I know it doesn't have anything to do with crafting but it is Art! Lol! Thought I might just mention my new venture along with three of my very talented colleagues - if you are in the South of England and fancy an opera quartet at a do you might be holding you'll find us here.

www.opera-cara.com


Weddings, Funerals, Barmitzvahs, you name it - we'll come sing for you!

How's that for a plug!

INCHY CHALLENGE BLOG - LETTER 'F'

We're up to Letter F on the inchy challenge blog. I've done F for fairy! I nearly did F for Fiona but couldn't find a picture I liked! Not that I ever like pictures of me anyway Lol!

Here's a picture of my two Welshies, Tegan the pup is getting a lot taller, she's still all paws and legs though and is making my old girl run around like she hasn't done for years!

INCHY CHALLENGE BLOG - 'E'

My 'E' for inchy challenge blog this week is an Eye. Sounds strange - E for I! lol!

INCHY CHALLENGE BLOG - 'D'

We're up to D on the inchy challenge blog this week and my D is for Daffodil. Its a lovely spring like morning here in Hampshire, blue skies and sun but I'm told there is rain and maybe snow on the way again so I'm making the most of this nice weather with a spring theme for the challenge.

INCHY CHALLENGE BLOG - THE LETTER 'C'

We're up to C on the inchy challenge blog and I forgot to post my inchies on here.

Thanks to Karen Missy K for the prompt.

Here's my C's - as I have three cats I had to do one each for them!

And here are my little darlings - this first one is Megan - she is 11 years old - do you think she's trying to tell me something in this picture?

And these pair are my oldest and youngest - Felix is the black and white and he's 17 and Pepper is the grey and white and he's nearly 1!

We're on B on inchy challenge

We're up to B this week on inchy alphabet challenge - here's my B for Beauty

I came down with a rotten cold yesteday so spent most of the day in bed with DH doing a lovely roast beef dinner for us all. Still not feeling 100% today yet and the dogs are looking so forlorn wanting a walk. At least as pup is still so small she can't walk miles yet and the garden is good for burning off her energy - but its not the same as a formal walk. Hopefully I'll be up and about more tomorrow.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

A belated Happy New Year bloggers - I've been in two minds whether to carry on with my blog. I've kind of stopped crafting for a while - I'm no longer a Stampin Up Demo and I think trying to keep up with the demanding world of SU and always thinking of new ideas took the fun out of my crafting. So its all put away for the time being and maybe I'll go back to it.

Inchy challenge blog is continuing though - I don't find little inchies too taxing, but this year its a slightly different theme as we work our way through the alphabet. Yep, you guessed it - this week its A!!! I thought it would also give people the chance to do some in advance and it may give them longer than a week to join in. Hope you would like to join us sometime this year.

In my real life - I've just completed a course on dog behaviour and training and am offering help with all those doggie problems people seem to have. And in order to brush up my skills we brought Tegan in November. She's a baby Welsh Springer Spaniel - up to mischief with my older Welshie Tara. I may even let her have her own blog and document how the training is going.

Here's a picture of both of them - out in the snow. We've had another massive snow fall here in Hampshire today - it still looks pretty but I must admit its wearing a bit thin. Its got me busy baking though with Choccy muffins yesterday and healthy celeriac soup and home-made bread today.

Hope you all stay warm.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT BLOGGING.........

..is the wealth of friends I have "met" from all around the world and I am always blown away by their generosity. One of the blogs I love to visit is Lesley's and she plays along with my inchy challenge. Now Lesley is a true artist and creates wonderful decorate folk art which I just adore. I happened to mention to Lesley that I love her work and would love to purchase something from her if she would ship it from Canada over here to the UK.

Well, imagine my surprise when this morning I received a package from Lesley as a gift. It was a beautiful Home Sweet Home sign and here it is in all its glory.

It also has pride of place in my hall and looks so lovely nestled among the decorations don't you think.

Thank you so much Lesley - I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. xx

INCHY BLOG - LAST CHALLENGE FOR THE YEAR

THIS IS THE LAST CHALLENGE I WILL BE SETTING FOR THIS YEAR'S INCHY CHALLENGE BLOG - THE THEME IS CHRISTMAS CAROLS -

NEXT YEAR'S CHALLENGE BLOG WILL RUN ON A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FORMAT SO WE DON'T ALL GET BORED. HOPE YOU'LL CHECK US OUT IN THE NEW YEAR - YOU'LL FIND US HERE IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW.

CHRISTMAS CARDS, CAROLS AND MULLED WINE

Sounds good doesn't it - a friend came round last night, we had the carols playing, mulled wine and we sat and made loads of Christmas cards. We both needed that extra bit of motivation and managed to get a lot done.

I've found another new challenge blog today, the Play Date Cafe, and they are asking for Christmas colours of Red, Green and White, always my favourite - this card fits the colours requested.

The colours in this one don't quite fit, but I love this sentiment taken from The Night Before Christmas.

Shabby Christmas !

I found a new challenge blog on my blog travels and it inspired me to join in - I've made a Shabby Chic Christmas Tag. You'll find Let's Get Shabby here - there are some fabulous samples from their DT team.

INCHY BY INCH CHALLENGE - PRESENTS

I thought I'd get you all in the Festive Mood early with a Christmas challenge on Inchy by inch this week - the theme is PRESENTS.

Also stay tuned - there will be a new format on the challenge blog starting in the New Year - I was thinking of stopping it but had my interested sparked with a slightly different idea so I'll keep it going for a bit longer - stay tuned to 2010 to see what the new format will be!

I've also received my first Christmas card - thanks Karen (Missy K)

Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday

It's Wednesday again and that means its time for WOYWW - I've tried to do this many Wednesdays before and even got as far as taking the pictures but not as far as putting them on the blog! doh! Well, here's today - its a CJ I'm doing for a forum that needed to be done by the 15th November - looks like I'm a bit late then! Oops

INCHY CHALLENGE BLOG - GUEST DESIGNER - JAINE

We have a Guest Designer Jaine, this week over at Inchy challenge blog and her challenge for us is Texture. Pop along to the blog to find out more about Jaine and see her great inchies.

Here's mine - I've used some mulberry papers, pink and purple and purple beads plus some purple fibres.

INCHY CHALLENGE BLOG - WINTER WHITE

The challenge over at inchy challenge blog this week is Winter White - all white but with an addition of one colour - tricky one to scan or photograph! Here's mine:

There is also a Christmas Inchy Swap running if you fancy joining in!

SMALL WORLD OF INCHIES/TWINCHIES /ONE POWERFUL HOUR

Over at the Small World of Inchies blog this week - the theme is faces. Over at One Powerful Hour the theme is small - well can't get much smaller than an inchy can you?

INCHY CHALLENGE BLOG - MEET OUR NEW ARRIVAL - ATC CHALLENGE - MIXED MEDIA MONDAY

As its Bonfire Night here on 5th November in the UK - our challenge over at Inchy challenge blog is Fireworks. I've done the Catherine Wheel as its one of my favourites so I thought I'd see if I could find out where it got its name. Wish I hadn't bothered - apparently it was named after an instrument of torture, the breaking wheel, upon which St Catherine was martyred. Hmm, not so nice.

I thought you might like to see a picture of a new addition to the Whitehead household - puppy! She is a Welsh Springer Spaniel and will be ready to come to us on 13 December. She's not really for Christmas - definitely for life! - its just so happened that's when one has come available. We thought we didn't quite have enough pets what with 3 cats, a dog and a horse!!! Isn't she gorgeous - We're all busy trying to decide on names for her? Any suggestions????

CHALLENGES

Its a while since I've been joining in with the challenges - but TMTA sparked my enthusiasm this morning with their theme of BROWN - I love the colour brown in all its nuances - I've used all Stampin Up stamps and supplies for this ATC. I just love this pheasant and have used him lots of times already - he lends himself really well to embossing!

The Challenge over at Mixed Media Monday this week is Opposites Attract - I used a Cherry Pie stamp here