FMS

I feel so much better today!

Yesterday I was ready to sit in front of the train - I could barley stand up. This past 10 days have been sooo painful and wasted - even the old goat was beginning to worry. Today - well I could not conquer the world - but I planted out a few trays of seedlings and swept up a bit. Then I sat at my bench - I even got out my PROPER NIBS and ink, real dip nib stuff instead of my trusty parallel pens. Great stuff!!

I picked up this pirate cut and emboss die up for about £2 on ebay - not something I would go out and look for - but, hay - kitten never turns down a bargain! Still working out what I can do with it, but I can see possibilities.

This is brass stencil work (still LOVE brass stencils). Embossed bunnies in brown - simple but so effective when layered

So - I have caught up on loads of things and cleared a tray on my bench - I had forgotten some of the things there!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

CUTTLEBUG

Ok - so I bought myself a new embossing folder at Janet's yesterday. I have always liked this one - and I am going to do a Cripsmouse range with it. The word 'Christmas' is banned until November, so until then it's Crispmouse!

ANY WAY - I love the 'bow frame' - and you can just use inner bit to make a smaller card. It is amazing what you can use for the centre bit. This one is embossed in brown pearl, matted mirri gold, over the same paper as in the centre, matted mirri gold. Did this about 6" square and I am going to work it out to do a small A6 cheepie note card as well

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

FMS

I was to explain my 'Buffy' quip that I made the other day - so here you go.

I am an absolute Buffy The Vampire Slayer nut. I have all of them except season 8 (which is like gold dust - never managed to find it) on video. One (and the only one) advantage of having the brain fog that goes with FMS/ME is that I can gently watch an episode or 2, and when I have worked my way to the last tape - I can start again at the beginning and re-watch them all. It takes me about 6 - 8 months to get through them all, so the most I see one is twice a year and it's like new.

The same works for Taggart - and for Midsomer Murders

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

CUTTLEBUG

Went to craft class today - it was a bit of a strain and I am totally wiped out now - but I just had to get out and do something. Cancelled the last one so I have not been for ages.

This effect is neat. Cut the background card into 4 smaller, equal squares (make them a tiny bit smaller so you can mat them and have the mat colour show through. Then emboss each square in a different pattern. I have highlighted the embossing with glitter glue - 'cos that's what I do!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

FMS

That's me done - off to catch an hour of Buffy!!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

NEW PROJECT

Went to yoga this morning - over did it - what's new!!!!

Have been making a few wedding favours - it's the wedding season June/July/August.

Really cute photo screens - I class them as albums - anything you can add a photo to is an album as far as I am concerned!

The back is wedding papers

The front has gems and a bow added



It is a fairly simple origami fold square joined with a card hinge to the other squares

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

FMS

Have to sleep!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

DAY OFF

Monday is kitten's day off

I have reached 'that' point - Fibro guys will know - something has to go.

Now - what do I cut out - what do I do, that uses too much of my precious energy, that I no longer need? I stopped going to Sunday service about 6 months ago, what next?
- Supermarket shopping - well we need to eat
- Church office - not much stress - no one about - and I work on my sites
- Yoga - go get stuffed!!! - I sooo need my yoga - not not ready to go it alone - it's all that keeps me walking!
- craft class - 2 a month - my ONLY social outlet
- monthly ostio - could do 6 weeks??
- nails every 2 weeks - so not fair - it's the only 'beauty/girl/glam thing I do - well - could cut
- I have to have my neck seen to every 4 months - make it 6 months??

That's my life- in a capsule - so what's to go??

Personal dignity - that's what. what ever I end up losing - it's a knock to the 'can't do that any more' camp - and something I will never get back
yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

CUTTLEBUG

- STOP PRESS - STOP PRESS - STOP PRESS - STOP PRESS - STOP PRESS -

The pre-order forms are out from Cuttlebug for this years new images (bit late - they said June, now it will be August - so you can bet September).

Want to see?? Course you do

Embossing folders - I love the owl - could do loads with that! Quite fancy the diamond plate too.

Not quite sure what the journal one is all about though.

There does not seem to be any die cutting in this release. Although provcraft had originally said June and Christmas for releases this year, not sure if they will make the Christmas deadline on this






More embossing - quite fancy Celtic knot and love the organic borders

This is a new Idea - not sure how it will work until I actually see it. It's called 'punch and emboss'. I do like the first one though!

Costs are going up because the exchange rate with the dollar is not nearly as good as it was a year ago. The only thing I have bought direct this year is the H2Os - and that is only because they are ceasing to make them. With the costs and duty, it's not really worth all the hastle. So expect the folders to be around £3.50 - £4.50. the borders around the £6 mark - and I have no idea about the new punch ones - guessing it will be similar to the combo ones.

To my knowledge, nothing is being discontinued - all the previous ones are still on the order sheet

The BIG problem is - - can you wait until August?

That's a no then

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

NEW CARD

I have been paper cutting today - I love paper cutting.

I mostly cut out black paper shapes and underlay with different colours.

So - how do you draw a cutting line on black card/paper that you can see? Well you don't - that's the answer!

You do your workings/tracings on tracing paper - and staple through the lot. Cut the tiddly bits first, and re-staple as and when you need to.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

Princelet bought me a game for my DS at Christmas. I am not a huge game player, but I do like the puzzle type things and solitaire, mah jung, tetris stuff. Anyway, he bought me this Hotel Dusk and I must say I am really enjoying it (I still haven't finished it, but I am up to chapter 6 now). It has really kept me quiet in my house while I am supposed to be resting.

I have got my eye on another one similar for when I have finished this - Christmas again I expect! He has told me not to buy second hand DS games because it stores where you are on the chip and you get everyone elses games and might not be able to play it properly - so I won't be able to pick up real bargains, but on the other hand - they do last me a long time.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

NEW PROJECT

Think I over did it at yoga yesterday - oppps. Was feeling fairly bouncy and did several of her vinyasas, usually I only do 1 or 2. Bit stiff and sore now.

So I spent the afternoon fiddling about with castle ideas - and here you go - a fairy princess castle.

There are 6 pages and every one is different with turrets or shaped edges. Some are covered in paper and some are textured card. The front page is one of the white wash cards. I am going to add loads of decoration tomorrow, but I am too tired now.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

SCRAP BOOK PAGE

And I did a scrapbook page from my latest sketch

Can you believe that the palace guard dog was once a teenie tiny ball of coat and nothing!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

NEW CARD

Have been playing with letters again.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

SCRAP BOOK PAGE

MONDAY IS KITTTEN'S DAY OFF

but I did do you a new scrapbook sketch

http://www.princesskitten.co.uk/scrapbooksketches_30327.html

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

NEW CARDS

Today (feeling much better) I have been making teddy cards.

The teddy pictures are cut from a set of cards I bought millions of years ago and have been sitting in a box on the top of the unit.








I love re-discovering stuff, it brings back all the memories -

and it creates new ones while making stuff. The cards are blanks that I have had even longer than the teddies! I bought a huge assorted pack from Craft Creations, way before I had princelet. That shows you how long I have been at this - he is away playing war games this weekend with the Army Cadets and the TA.



This is a layout I use a lot - equal squares or rectangles staggered over a background. Just put the backing paper into the aperture and work over the whole lot.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

FMS

Fibromyalgia - what is that all about!

I have been fighting a flare-up all week (as I have posted) - suddenly while I was doing dinner tonight, it stared to lift. I could feel it changing and my body defiantly getting more 'bounce'. Home alone tomorrow, but I hope to get back in the office and do a bit of work - yipee

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

CHALLENGE

http://charismacardz.blogspot.com/2009/05/star-is-born-challenge-19.html

This week it's 'Reach for the stars'

This is a scrapbook page of the palace guard dog when he was just a few weeks old. All the stars are cut from all sorts of different papers with the Fiskar's star shape cutter and the gold stars are big plastic shapes that were left over from Christmas

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

NEW SITE

I am resting - I am - I am - honest.

I have discovered http://www.vistaprint.co.uk/

You can get all sorts of printed bits and bobs for free. It is quite a pantomime to process the order and you have to be very careful not to press a button (or miss un-ticking one) that will add to the cost. All you have pay for is the postage, and that's not wildly expensive. I am waiting for a tee shirt, pen, mouse mat - spent a couple of hours setting up a brochure for printing - 25 for free, that's loads for me.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

FMS

poorly kitten - icky kitten.

Had my nails done today - black with sparkles - then spent the rest of the afternoon - well you can live with out the gory bits.

Got a tiny bit of chicken for my dinner the snuggles with fidget

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

HOLIDAY

I have been 'under the weather' for about 10 days now (fibro winning again!), so am retreating to the new house with fidget to sleep and snuggle for a few days.

I am still about and picking up emails - but will not be in the office for a few days.

I am here is you want me but probably won't be creating new projects this week - well that's the intention, but you know me!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

TIP OF THE DAY

have to share - Mad About Cards have See D's and Morsels for £1 each

http://www.madaboutcards.com/section.php?xSec=1728

Yes £1

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

you have to see this

http://talent.itv.com/videos/video/item_200163.htm

out of this world - a real, 'natural' (not castralto), male soprano - I am blown away

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

NEW PROJECT

The old goat is doing a wedding today - so it's all quiet on the home front. It is such a novelty when he is 'at work' (away from home) for the day - there is no colourful language drifting down the stairs to my office, and there is a really good play on a Saturday - so I was in heaven.

Yesterday I saw a picture of a really cute 1940s writing case, and it struck me - we just don't have pretty writing sets these days. How many people even have a desk to write at: the computer's in the way.



So today I have been doing my favorite thing - experimenting with pretty papers. I have made two. The first one to get a feel for it and rough out the instructions - then I did another, just to check a few things

This is just perfect to tuck in a drawer to keep everything together.



This is the front

And the inside

Inside there is a big space to put one of these small note pads, and on the other side, a pocket for envelopes, and a pocket for 'secret' bits - even a tiny pocket to tuck a stamp book in (now you know where to find it!)

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

CHALLENGE

This weeks challenge from

http://charismacardz.blogspot.com/

Is a sketch.

Now, you know I am not good at sketches - but there is this 3 fold card that suits just right. The top flap is the white with the borders and big flowers, underneath is a gold heavy embossed handmade paper with the smaller flower sprig. It looks really good when stood on a shelf.

It's an A4, Z folded - and cut off half of the top fold off, if you want to copy

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

NEW CARDS

Children's age cards are always popular, they seem to sell as soon as I put them out, then I never have the right age. So I thought I would do a huge batch of tiny little cheapie ones and display them in a basket on the stall.



I thought would use up some of the smallest card blanks that were knocking about (don't tell anyone - I have had these longer that I have had princelet!! - hoarder me?).




I have made up 20 or so, and they are really cute, just smaller than an A6. I shall be thrilled if they sell

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

TIP OF THE DAY

I have discovered something messier that loose glitter - flocking. Have you ever used it? I have been making Children's age cards with my jungle stamps and I thought it would be fun to add fluffy bits.

OMH - you should see my desk!

oh - hang on

There you go.
There are pots of fluff all over the place





I wanted to do quite a large batch of small, simple animal cards with numbers on to sell cheaply, so I thought I would do lots at the same time. I have about 25 toppers in various states waiting to be finished. What have I started!

Oh, and the figure in the middle of all that is a Peter Rabbit that the old goat me because he's out all weekend.

TIPS FOR FLOCKING

- it's a bit like flowersoft, and well packed into the tub - so put in a large box (my trusty take-away post) or tub and give it a good shake to get rid of the lumps

- use loads of glue

- press down gently and leave to dry before you shake the powder (and it is powder) off.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

NEW CARD

I am hopeless! - I sat down to use the pearl 'wedding day' embossed card that http://www.ashtondale.co.uk/index.html sent me a while back.

What I did was look for a pretty wedding paper - spot a cute baby pattern, and think "If I cut that. . . . . ." and before you know it.

One really cute baby card. Patterned baby paper, added glitter and gems on balloons, added glitter on nappies, cut into equal squares, matted gold, then bright pink, raised over a background heart patterned paper that is set on the front of the card.

That's why I never get anywhere!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

NEW ALBUM

Finished my 'Days of the Week' album. You know the one - Monday's Child is fair of face etc




Did a bit of sponging and stenciling OVER the calligraphy text - that was a bit nerve racking I can tell you!








Going to do a pink one now - it's all cut out ready on my bench

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

NEW CARDS

Found these rose images in an old folder while I was clearing out

- It's amaxing what you can do with a few scraps.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

CHALLENGE

The topic this week is 'thank you'

http://charismacardz.blogspot.com/2009/04/challenge-no-17-thank-yous.html

fairly simple - corner stamp with varigated browns - h2os - liquid pearls - centre raised - cuttlebug embossed centre - calligraphy greeting, but you could use a stamp or peel off. (What am I talking about - 5 years training - you MUST have a calligraphy greeting!!!)

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

NEW CARDS

Finished several monkey cards - these are quite popular (we have all got little monkeys lol). The monkey is part of a woodware clear stamp set (would it be anything else?). There is a giraffe, crocodile and lion as well. I going to make those up with ages - one day!

Painted in with Marvy pens, monkey and leaves glazed with 3D galze and the papers are the Do Craft garden from last year

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

Ps. - I did make my monkey cards - but the gloss has not dried yet

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

FMS

Small tip for you guys. I had to stop using a self tan cream because it was just too painful on my arms to rub it in. Johnson's holiday skin is brilliant because you can't make a mess (!) and it's a lovely moisturiser but takes far to many goes to work into a tan - so I gave that up too.

I have just discovered spray self tan. I mostly use No7 because it's so gentle, and I put my last Boots £5 voucher towards a spray tan. I build it up by using a tiny bit every day (you can't see it - so you have to be careful). It only takes a second or two to spray - so easy, it doesn't hurt my arms and I get a bit of colour!

Treat yourselves before this B-B-Q summer we are going to have.

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

BOOK REVIEW

I have just finished reading Memoirs Of A Geisha' - I loved it.

I have seen the film and liked that - but the book is so much more. I could not wait to get back to it every night. Poor old goat - ousted by a geisha!

They have got second hand ones for 1p - I will never get over the thrill of buying a book for 1p!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk

NEW CARDS

People often ask how I manage to have so many different ideas - my problem is the opposite. I sat down to make a few 'cheeky monkey' cards (very popular for kid's birthdays), while I was just tidying a bit I found my block letter roughs - and ended up making these instead.





I have left the papers and card for the kid's cards out on my desk AND stamped the monkeys ready to paint - so tomorrow - I have no excuse.

Remind me of that (and I have my baby book to finish - not even started the pink one yet). Not enough ideas? Not enough energy/time!

Yours

P XXXX

www.princesskitten.co.uk