David's 2011 Summer holiday Scrapbook homework

David made this album all by himself using My Memories Suite II Scrapbook software.  Remember David is only 7 and if he can do it anyone can.  Using my Special Code will give you $10.00 of this lovely software package: STMMMS9893.  And there are also training video's on Youtube if you wanted to have a look at it first.  I will defintely recommend it and have already had a friend buy it for her and her kids to play with.

I am also Hosting a free giveaway for a copy of this software so if you are interested leave a comment and I will choose a winner next Wednesday evening (12/10/11) and post it on the blog.  I think it is brilliant software and will post my review on it shortly.

Something to think about

I am a Christian and I feel that everyone should be free to believe as they wish and that we should respect each others religion and believes as Ben Stein so kindly puts it.  Maybe if we start respecting each other and ourselves again things on earth will improve for all of us.  This is my Very early New Years Wish for all on earth.

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God ? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Hurricane Katrina).. Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

If you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein

Changes and Challenges for the next 2 months

The UK School holidays will start shortly and I will also have some family visiting from abroad.  The best news however is that we got the house at last, after what feels like a million attempts.  This means only six weeks of no crafting and then I will have my own Craft Space.  We will be moving after the 12th of August 2011, so if all goes as planned I will be back on track at the in September after the UK school start again. 

My mother-in-law will also be moving to the UK shortly after our move to help out with the kids.  This will give me and the Hubby more time together but also give me a bit more time to do the other things I love.So there is a lot of things going on in our lives at the moment and we are both excited and bit stressed at the same time about these changes.

Great site for Video Tutorials

 

Register it is Free!!

 

Nancy Watt does a few special fold cards using the Hougie Board.

Update on my little mini album

The little girl in question absolutely loved it and her mother was just as impressed.  David was in seventh heaven with his "commission".  He love setting mum little challenges to create custom presents for his friends.  ~He even had me make a little toilet roll mini that he then decorated to give to an occupational therapist that has been working with him at school.  He should be seeing her on Friday and will give it to her then.  Unfortunately he would not let me take photo's of it but promised that I will be allowed to showcase the next one we make together.

My newest Project

I made this little mini Using a Sainbury's Recipe folder and free recipe cards, you can pick these up in your local Sainsbury's for £0.49 for the folder and the recipe cards are free, you can not get a cheaper mini album any where:)

I simply sprayed the outside of the album with Stick and Spray and then covered in the paper of my choice and cut the title with my CraftRobo.  As it is for a little girl  (7 year old) I also covered it with a protective self adhesive plastic.  I used the recipe cards as a base to create  very sturdy pages.  Then I pasted coloured card on one side and turned it over to punch the holes in the right place, turned it over and repeated the process before decorating.  Hope she likes it.  We are giving it to her this afternoon.

Here is the rest of the pages, hope you love it:

Paper Used:  Petal Party Scrappin Kit by Stampin Up

My Kids, My inspiration

At last I got a photo of all three monkeys together.  It was not easy as Bianca and David always try to steal the spot light from each other as well as poor Juliet.  I took about 15 photos, thank goodness for digital cameras, and could not get one where all three are smiling or looking at me:)

Support Epilepsy Research

A friend of mine makes the loveliest Knitted Bears which she sells to help raise funds for Epilepsy Research.  Please pop over there and have a look:).  She will also be adding other items from time to time and does personlization as well, wow that it just brilliant.  Well doen Deb.

Lack of Tutorials for Hougie Board Yahoo Group

I am sorry I have not been able to post any as so many things are going on at the moment in my personal live.

I have been hoping to move just before Christmas, so all my crafting stuff are in boxes, but the 3rd attempted House purchase has just fallen through due to the vendor not disclosing all the info needed.The first one changed his mind just before exchange, 2nd one got a better offer just before exchange and 3rd one bought the property from the council, who still have a hold on the property till october unless she pays the penalty.  Each time we have paid solicitors, search fees, morgage arrangement and valuation fees, so over £3000.00 later we are still without a new property and its not for a lack of trying.  What upsets me the most is that all my crafting goodies, half my baby clothes and most of my kitchen appliances havce been packed up since before christmas as we were suppose to move before Juliets birth. At this rate she'll be walking, talking and getting married before we get something:).  Fingers crossed we will find another house to buy, this time without any complications, soon so I can start crafting and adding stuff to the Hougie board group. There is a few other members who have tutorials on their blogs. As I say between trying to sort out the house purchase, a seven year old that wants to craft as much as mum does and my 2 little girls (15 months and 15 weeks old) I have neglected the blog and both my Yahoo groups a bit:)

Nappy Cake and Booties

Here is some Photo's of a lovely gift I got from Dawn  my StampinUp Demonstrator, after Juliet's birth.  Thanks again Dawn:)  It is a simple Nappy cake made with a few nappies, a few bodysuits (onesies) rolled and wrapped in a gorgeous fleecy baby blanket and secured with a nappy pin.  She also made a lovely keepsake and card to go with it.

Here's some close close-ups of the pair of paper baby booties, aren’t they just gorgeous!
 

Go have a look at all het lovely creations, she is so talented and have really great gift ideas.

Even more reason for absense

Ok now it is taking really long and I am getting frustrated.  We have been trying since 24th of December 2010 to get a bigger house sorted out and it was suppose to have happened before Juliet's birth.  I even packed most of my crafting goodies so I would not have to worry about it while in hospital but then our buyer had issues and then the person we were buying from pulled out, just one thing after the other.  Now at last it looks like the move might just happen in the next few weeks.  It better I so need to craft even just making one card would be excellent stress relieve.  To add to it all it is school holiday in the UK and because most non essentials have been packed my seven year old is doing my head in.
More news soon hopefully.

I have however found the most beautiful digi papers at Bearly Mine Designs.  I think Donna makes the best papers I have ever seen, I am hoping to use them in some mini albums I plan to do ones the move is over and everything is in it place. Oh just remembered I need a new printers as Bianca managed to reck the one I got two Chrismasses ago, cause Daddy up it on a low shelf and his little Princess dad great fun with it while Mummy was out to have her eyes tested. Please pray with me that this happens quickly.

Take care till next time and please do go look at Donna's blog.

Reason for my long absense

Sorry to all of you who used to follow my blog for my long absense, the reason for this can be seen in the photo below:

Her name is Juliet and she was born on 11-01-2011.  yes I do now have three children: David who turnrd 7 in December 2010, Bianca who turned 1 in December and our precious little Juliet.  I am sure having two littlw ones will take a lot of my time and limit Crafting time but even busy mums need to relax sometimes, so I will have to make time for crafting.  Maybe when everyone is asleep at night I will get a chance, providing I do not fall asleep myself.

Envelope made with the Hougie Board

I got this Idea after looking at the Martha Stewart Scoreboard. Everybody have a 90 degree triangle and if you do not they are very cheap from any stationer or even a Pound shop.

Making Envelopes with you Hougie board is very easy.  Simply follow the steps below and soon you will be making envelopes in minutes.  Using the metric side you can also make envelope boxes for your 3d products.

Before starting line up your trinagle as shown in the photo above, the size of the traingle does not matter as long as it is has a 90 degree corner to fit nicely on your board.  I use a smaller if I make smaller envelopes.

Decide what size envelope you want to make, check the table below to find out what size paper you need to start with and cut your paper accordingly.

Envelope Size	Start With in cm	First Score	Second Score
C6	21x21cm	6.5cm	9cm
DL	24.5x24.5cm	6.5cm	12cm
C5	28x28cm	9cm	12cm
5"Square	21x21 cm	8.5cm	8.5cm
4"Square	17x17cm	6.5cm	6.5cm

More to sizes to follow.

Now for the steps:

1. Place your paper on the board against with the edge of the paper firmly against the traingle and score down the indicated line.
2. Rotate the paper 180 degrees and score along the same line again.  Then score the remaining two sides on the second indicated line.  I use a corner rounder to soften the corners and make the envelope look more profesional.
3. Fold the two outside corners toward the centre.
4. Apply your choice of adhesive along the bottom edges of the flap.
5. Fold the bottom flap of your envelope and press down to secure.  
6. To add the finishing touch tuck the top part into the envelope or use a decorative corner punch for a nice effect.

Next time how to do a envelpe box and line your envelopes.

Easel Card and Envelope made with the Hougie Board

Here is a Easel Card and Envelope both mede with my Hougie board.  The Grahpics used came from the Purple Pansie set at Fred, She Said Designs .

For the Easel Card:

1. Cut you cardstock 12" by 4".
2. Score at 6" and then again at 9".  Fold at 6" to create your standard 6"x4" card base.  The 9" fold will be on the front of your card and will be the part that help the card stand up.
3. Cut a second piece of cardstock to measure 6" by 4", this is the piece that you decorate.
4. Adhere you decorated Card stock to the bottom 3" of you card front.
5. Open the card and decorate inside.  Remember to use a bit of foam tape or double sided foam pads to raise a part of the inside decoration as this is where the top flap will rest when the card is standing up.

For the Envelope:
A full tutorial in the next post.