Can't stop the feeling

I do attempt organisation, I may fail frequently but I keep trying.  It's not helped by having the personality of Jekyll & Hyde and never knowing which one you'll wake up as!  Don't hormones drive you crazy?  Or is that just me lol?

In a sane-ish moment, I did make a Christmas card to let you know all about the July challenge at Christmas at Sweet Stampin'.  We're having an Anything Goes month so as long as it's Christmas/Holiday, themed you're in.

We're sponsored by someone new to us, Ppinky Dolls so hop over & check out the rest of the teams creations with her lovely images.

Entering a challenge or two:

ABC Christmas - N for No Rules

Christmas Card Challenges - Christmas (optional snowman, not for me today!)

Fab n Funky - Add a Sentiment

Sparkles Forum Christmas Challenges - Snowflakes

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

Just take my hand, hold me tight

Humph, nothing sunny about this Saturday.  Got drenched this morning so I'm compensating this afternoon with a cosy crafty afternoon in!  Fingers crossed it'll be a bit more productive than recent days,  i've been sitting down at the crafty space, looking at papers & stamps wondering what on earth i'm supposed to do with them.  I was asked this morning if I would stop crafting when I run out of stuff?  Um, no.  I'll just buy some more!

This card was made to fit the brief at Sweet Stampin' this week, to use a sentiment as the focus of the card.  I used a stamp from SU that makes me think of the amount of afternoons girlfriends & I have sat putting the world to rights!  Clearly we haven't succeeded yet.

Stamp - Stampin' Up
Dies - Spellbinders & Cheery Lynn
Papers - Papermania (yay, using old stash!)
Card - American Crafts & SU
Embossing folder - SU

Playing along with a challenge or two:

Crafty Calendar - Dies & Punches
Cut it Up - Anything Goes (100th Challenge, Congrats!)
Penny Black at Allsorts - Anything Goes +Stamp

That's Crafty - Feminine

Appreciate you stopping by, have a great weekend

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

Waking your heart & shaking your walls

Woohoo, getting in early for my July post lol!  Actually hoping i'll make it more than one this month.  Why does it take me such a long time to get back to blogging after the April/May festival?  Also, since when did July get here so darn fast?

Since July is a good holiday month, we want to see creations with a Summer or Holiday Destination theme over at Sweet Stampin' this week.  Here's what I made, not based on my hols at all:

Now, I LOVE this card & especially these papers which come from our sponsor this week, Michele R Designs.  I've never really used digital papers before and now i'm wondering why?  They were such a doddle to use and I love that I can layer before printing to help keep it in the lower postage bracket. 

Joining in with a few challenge:

Crazy 4 Challenges - Lighthouse/Ocean

Just Us Girls - Summer

Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes

That's Crafty - Masculine

It was really lovely to read your comments about libraries & being a librarian, it's great to know there are plenty of other book passionistas!  I'll think of you all while I'm on duty this week.

Right now, I'm reading 'Ship of Brides' by Jojo Moyes.  I only heard of Jojo Moyes when the lovely Lisa talked about the book 'Me Before You'.  I remember her being very passionate about it & thought that I would get a hold of it.  Eventually I read it & enjoyed it, which led to me reading 'The One Plus One' (also enjoyed) & now I am working my way through the rest of her books along with a heap of others.  I currently have 16 books waiting in my 'to read' pile, I don't like to run out!

I notice there is now a sequel to Me Before You called After You.  I'm not sure I want to read it.  I can't imagine where you can go from where it finished without being terribly cliched.

Have a lovely day folks, thanks for reading my waffle!

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

Go on, shake your tail feather

Well it's June & here I am again, carving out a rare minute to blog.  I needed something to get mojo up out of the armchair so I went back to my friends at Freshly Made Sketches for this fab sketch and combined it with the challenge at Sweet Stampin' this week of STARS.  My halo is even shinier because it's not actually my week to play!

We are looking for a lovely new team mate or two at Sweet Stampin'.  Head on over to the blog if you are interested in applying, all details are there.

Entering some challenges:

Brown Sugar - Anything Goes

Freshly Made Sketches: Sketch

Simply Papercrafts - Anything Goes

Earlier this year, I started volunteering at a local library in order to keep it open.  I love books and feel passionately about reading.  So much so that I finally feel I have discovered what it is I want to be 'when I grow up', it's just unfortunate I discover this as the position of librarian is being seriously cut back......

Is it just me?!

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

February to May

Well I totally missed March & April but I'm sneaking in before May is over!  As regular visitors will know, March & April are my super busy months, I make cards at a fast rate of knots but have no time to blog them.  

I'm dipping my toe back in the water with this week's Sweet Stampin' challenge.  It's a subject that is almost as challenging as the objects themselves, Terrible Teens!  Something I am quite familiar with.

The image came from Dr Digi after a lucky challenge win and I thought he'd be great for teen boys (and older ones too lol!).The games console is a very old Sizzlets die & the Master at Work/Play cam from a set of golf stamps, gotta love versatility.

A few challenges to play along with too:

Allsorts - Happy Birthday

Brown Sugar - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz - Anything Goes

So if you've a tricky teen to create for, head across to Sweet Stampin' and play along.  Thank you so much for stopping by my blog.

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

Sit back & Chill out

I've christened it 'Man Week' in my house, I have made nothing but male cards since Monday, am up to 11 so far.  I'm quite impressed.  It was all sparked by a couple of comments about the general lack of men cards everywhere and I thought I'd challenge myself, you know how I love a bit of pressure lol!  Speaking of which, my 150 cards in 113 days is still going well and I am absolutely on target to make it, woohoo!

This fab digi image is from Karen's Doodles (find him here) and seems perfect for those hobby-less men.  Some DSP & CS from Stampin' Up and a few Promarkers completed the card 

I was also hugely inspired by:

Creative Moments - Anything Goes (optional embossing)

Fab n Funky - Male card

Sketch Saturday - Sketch

Thanks so much for dropping by, I hope to be out visiting you all today and tomorrow after the chaos of birthdays and then getting hit by a hormonal mood, love 'em!  Who'd be a woman?!

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

Eleanor's first outing

The title refers to the Stampin' Up set I've used on this card....Everything Eleanor.  It's conceivable that I could have had this set for 3 years and not inked it until now.  But it's here now to let you know about this week's Sweet Stampin' challenge which is CAS, one of my favourites.  

I was inspired to make this card by the following challenges:

Craft for the Craic - Something to make you SMILE

One Layer Simplicity - Friends

We are sponsored this week by the lovely Nikki from Bunny Zoe, sadly Nikki has announced she is closing the shop but that does mean there are bargains to be had with at least 30% off in the store, click the banner below to go see if there's something you can re-home!

Now, I know it's been a while since I blogged but it's a very busy time for Birthdays in my house, still one more to go which finds me cooking a full roast dinner followed by choccolate brownie this weekend.  Plus I have some pictures to share with you (once I have them organised) after a certain small cherub decided with a weeks notice she wanted a Harry Potter Party.  Kids!

Thanks for popping by,

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

Be mine, Valentine?

Yep, Valentines is our new challenge over at Sweet Stampin'. Not a favourite theme of mine as I'm not a terribly romantic person!  I'm very practical and if OH sent me flowers for Valentines, I'd likely just think what a waste of money they were!  I might also be thinking that the money he's spent could have bought me that MFT smart phone die that I'm tempted by but (wo)manfully resisting!  Or on a VERY practical day, I could be thinking that it's 25% of a new Fridge freezer!  See, not romantic at all.

Anyhow, eventually I came up with this card using a cute kangaroo from SU and some gorgeous papers from Authentique.  I won't be sending it though!

Inspired by the following challenges:

Brown Sugar - Anything Goes

Crafty Girls Creations 13 - Anything Goes

Mojo Monday - Sketch

Thanks for dropping by, I plan on some blog hopping time later to check what you've been up to!

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

Game Time

I almost started crafting last night at 1am, it was another poor sleeping night.  Strangely though I don't feel tired today.  Maybe it will catch up with me later but for now, I am a whirlwind!  So here's another card for my tally, I am a wee bit behind schedule.  I recently sorted out all of my clear stamps and found a *few* lotv stamps that have never been inked.  I teamed this one with some SU paper and this lovely sketch and hey presto!

Inspired by these lovely challenges:

I love Promarkers - Anything Goes
Little Red Wagon - They say it's your Birthday
Simon says Stamp - Anything Goes
Sketch Saturday - Sketch

The Male Room - Babies or Little Ones

Thanks so much for sropping by,

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

You Rock!

Whizzing by......I'm still crafting away as I have some personal birthdays coming up too.  This card didn't end up as it meant to, First off when I scored my card, it veered off course which annoyed me, grabbed a new piece of card.  Then my guitar didn't stamp fully.  Decided to make do rather than scrap another piece so added the 'you rock'  to cover the bald patch!

Inspired by these fab challenges:

Brown Sugar 182 - Black, Blue & Brown RANDOM WIN!

Retro Rubber - Sketch (Music stamps c2009)
Southern Girls - Anything Goes

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

Merry Swirls

Here's my second Christmas card of the year, all part of the grand plan for organisation and stash using for this year.  A nice CAS card this one using some Inkadinkado swirl stamps that I've owned since about 2008 and a Verve sentiment that's only been in the stash a couple of years at the most.  Unfortunately I didn't add to my stash of cards over the weekend as I got so absorbed in to Spring cleaning, can't believe it myself either!

Today is card day, it's a reward.

Insppired by the following challenes:

Freshly Made Sketches - Sketch

One Layer Christmas - Anything Goes

   

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

A Golden Mojo

Morning, just flying through as I'm sneaking a quiet bit of blog time while I'm the only one up!  Have you got anything lovely planned for the weekend?  I'm on housework and cards because I've set myself a goal again....I had 113 days from the beginning of the year and want to make a minimum of a card a day.  Ideally I'd like to reach 150 in those 113 days.  I suppose it depends how my ratio of housework to cards works out.....

I ned to find one of those little countdown thingies that goes on my blog! *ETA* Look, I found one lol!  That should keep me on track hopefully.

Inspired by the following challenges:

Mojo Monday - Sketch

Shopping our Stash - 3, 2, 1. (3 hearts, 2 Circles & 1 Sentiment)

Southern Girls - Anything Goes

Enjoy your weekend folks, I'll be out visiting you all later,

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

Birthday Blues

Another night of not sleeping enough last night, is this my new normal?  I have never ever had a problem with sleep before so it's strange for me but I suppose I will get used to it.  The big black panda eyes are another thing altogether though!

Here's one for the male card stash, ideal for those men who have no particular hobbies or interests.  I love the clean lines of this card.

I was inspired by the following challenges:

Crafty Catz - Word Art

Just us Girls - White, light blue & dark blue

Sketch Saturday - Sketch

Thanks for dropping by, have a lovely day

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

Roaring in at the last minute

I feel distinctly dozey this morning, had one of those nights where I just couldn't sleep.  I read a whole book while attempting to drift off!

Here's a card I put together for a couple of challenges, one of those tricky male cards.  I always need more of those but I still can't work out what you put on a man card if they have no hobbies, don't drink and don't like cars or bikes.  If only there was a male equivalent to flowers....

Inspired by the following challenges:

Brown Sugar 181 - Movie Madness

Freshly Made Sketches - Sketch

The Male Room - Anything Goes

My movie inspiration comes from watching Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone after hearing about the death of Alan Rickman, so very sad.  This bike reminds me of the one on which Hagrid turns up at the Dursleys with baby Harry.

Thanks for popping in, todays cake offering is fairy cakes with peanut butter icing, hurry or I'll have polished them off!

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

It's a bit.......BLAND!

Sliding in with a late Mojo Monday entry, I really couldn't decide where to go with this sketch and ended up going WOW (white on white).  Unfortunately it didn't 'wow' the OH who took one look at it and said "It's a bit.......bland!"

Can't win 'em all eh?  Best slap some colour on the next one!

I was inspired by the following fab challenges who hopefully like my 'bland' card a bit more than hubby does!!  

Allsorts - Girly & Sparkly

Craft for the Craic - January Blues

Mojo Monday - Sketch

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

Winging It!

I had a lovely meal out last night, tuna steak with new potatoes, carrot and swede mash, broccoli and curly kale followed by sorbet, yum!  I fully expected to have a lie in this morning as I didn't climb in to bed until 1am, but no.  I woke up at a very sensible time and realised I still needed to write my post.  

Here's a cutie bear from Penny Black, definitely one of my older stamps but I love it.  Made for a little girl's first birthday and kept fairly simple for this weeks Sweet Stampin' challenge of 'THINGS WITH WINGS'.  We'd love to see your winged creations so why not come join in the fun...

Playing along with the following challenges:

Fab n Funky - For a Child
Penny Black and More - One for the Girls
Penny Black Saturday - Anything Goes
Southern Girls - One for the girls

Thank you so much for dropping in, the kettles on and choc chip cookies are just out of the oven.  Help yourself, they're calorie free!

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

Dramatic Hearts

Woohoo, I am congratulating myself on using 2 items from my very old stash today.  The brads have to be at least 8 years old, I couldn't even tell you where they came from.  The heart ribbon is another Lakeland purchase.  I was a bit phased by this sketch but went to grab some circles to use, the circles were too big but happened to be in the same box as these hearts.  Serendipity!

Inspired by these fabulous challenges:

Allsorts - Ribbon/Lace

Just Us Girls - Metal (Brads)

Sketch Saturday - Sketch

It's pelting down with rain here today so I think it's perfect weather for a nice cuppa and some more crafting, thanks for stopping by.

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

CASS with BOWS on!

Well hello, I'm dropping in just a little late to show you my first Christmas card of the year, yes I did say Christmas!  I like to attempt organisation, even if I don't always reach the dizzying heights of success with it.

At least with Christmas at Sweet Stampin' I'm guaranteed 12 cards minimum each year!  This is the first using a beautiful image from Robyn's Fetish who are our super sponsor for January.  A bit of backing paper from a seriously old pack (a Bah Humbug win if you can remember how many years ago that was...)

Would love to enter in the following lovely challenges too please:

Brown Sugar 180 - Anything Goes

Crafty Catz - Flowers

Shopping our Stash - Something New (digi from RF)

Thank you for dropping in, if you too want to be as organised as me (ok that may not be the best encouragement to give you) drop by the challenge blog and join in.  The theme is bows.

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

New Stash Alert.....

Hello again!  Yes, I did say a NEW stash alert and NO, I'm not breaking my resolutions already.  It was a Christmas gift so I haven't spent anything! Everything else is old I promise.  This pretty stamp was found in the Sir Stampalot sale.  I love this company, super friendly and their parcels always arrive well packed and swiftly too.

See that panel with the orange crackle on it?  I HAD to have that stamp (Stampin' Up) after seeing it used as tree bark on a card.  I may have had it 3 or so years, do you think I've ever used it as tree bark?  No bonus points for the correct answer lol!

Inspired by the following fab challenges:

Allsorts - What's New
Brown Sugar 180 - Anything Goes
Craft for the Craic - january Blues (I'm chasing them away with this bright flowers)
Crafty Catz - Flowers

Mojo Monday - Sketch

Appreciate you dropping by, I'll make cakes for next time.  Chocolate ok for everyone?!

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

Happy New Year!

Yes, the chaos has finally receded enough, children have been packed off back to school (even if I did get the wrong day!) and I am back in the world of crafting.  I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year, we certainly did.  Lots of games and giggles

Of course, I have been reflecting on my crafty resolutions for 2016.  Really I want to continue in the same vein as last year.  So I'm going with:

1. Use up more of my existing stash.
2. Only buy essential items (adhesives, cards, envelopes etc).
3. Improve my one layer cards.
4. Experiment with shaped cards.
5. Send Birthday cards!!  (Cobblers children syndrome!).
6. Leave comments as often as I can.
7. Create more Christmas cards throughout the year.

So my first blogged card of 2016:

It uses some retired S.U. paper & my very oldest S.U. stamps.

I was inspired by the following challenges:

Penny Black & More - One for the Girls

Shopping our Stash - Monochrome (Pink for Leslie)

Sketch Saturday - Sketch
Southern Girls - One for the Girls

Thank you so much for dropping by, I will be around to visit soon

The Genius (Occasionally!) xx

P.S. I hate gloomy weather.  It took 4938 attempts to get an acceptable photo of this card!