Lets get Shabby Challenge 9

Do we ever have a Wonder(ful) challenge for you!!

Not only is the criteria tough (please read rules carefully) but the DT samples are mind blowingly awesome!!

1) Create a Shabby Garden on your project.

2) Include a quote from the book Alice in Wonderland.

note: as gardens are usually full of a mix of flowers you will need to include at least 5 flowers.

You don't have to base your creation on the actual story but if you like there is a wonderful website full of inspiration here: Alice in Wonderland

I finally used my freebie stamp from craft stamper for the tag.
My garden/rose bush is quite small but I packed the page with loads of reference to Alice in Wonderland...I used a page from the book and highlighted some of the words. I did this by printing the page from the net, staining it and gluing on a second copy of white (un-stained) words over the original ones. There is a bunch of keys, a mirror and lots of hearts and crowns. The miniature playing cards are the soldiers from the book that look like cards.
OMG this new challenge is sooooo exciting!!!!! I do hope you will join us HERE

Love and wickedness

Ruth xxx

Bubbly Board book..only half blessed!!

My personalised word book from Bubbly Funk is coming along lovely........
......OK so it's only half finished but it's been one of those weeks!! (Thats the last time I work an extra shift at work it seriously cuts into my crafting time!!)

I love the way the first couple of photos are peeking through the letters.

I think this is going to be one bulky board book by the time it's completed. I may have to join the pages together with elastic to help the ever expanding waistline...lol!!

You can see my handy tips over at Bubbly Scrumptious HERE.

Love and ever expanding waistlines

Ruth xxx

Prima Picks...I wish they'd pick me!!

It's that time of the month again....when Prima make you sick with envy and full of lust for their awesome products.....I think I could probably break all of the 10 commandments over their stuff!!
Yup!.... steal, lie and cheat.... I'd do it all to get my hands on this lot!!

A canvas digital camera bag.....why didn't I think of that!! .....If only I could paint...when I win the lottery I'll have a commissioned one made for me by Kelly Rae who paint the prettiest pictures like this......
Now that would be a groovy altered camera bag!


Click HERE to enter the Prima giveaway and make sure you take time to oohh and aarhhh over the DT work and Iris's gorgeous photo of her daughter.

Love and lies
Ruth xxx

Personalised Word Book kit from Bubbly Funk

This week I have finished part one of my word book....the painting , stamping and covering of the pages.

My favourite Websters Pages paper that is included in the kit.


The quality of this chipboard is fantastic!!

To see more of my pages and how I painted the letters or to order your own special word book please visit Bubbly Scrumptious.

ps: also included in the kit is a chipboard keychain with words and symbols and a whole chippie alphabet too!!
Love and stuff
Ruth xxx

You know how it is when you are supposed to be doing something else....

...and you do everything possible to avoid it!! I am supposed to be decorating a wedding cake and no matter how hard I try I keep on turning to the other side of my kitchen where the scrap piles live.

I have never decorated a wedding cake before, apart from my own and that was 10 years ago and all I did was stick on some bright ribbon and some fresh gerberas on top. But I figured that with a punch or two and some moulding paste (icing to you and me) I could give it a go. I don't think I am allowed to use Glossy Accents to stick the flowers down though so will have to make a batch of Royal Icing.

When Jackie showed me a cake in this beautiful book by Peggy Porchen. I decided that I really want to do this hobby badly!! Her cakes are incredible...nothing like those WI cakes of years gone by.

This is the one that she wants but the flowers are hand made and I can't do that so we are going for plain white flowers made with a punch and coated in white pearl glittery stuff. White on White and very minimal. Thank goodness she doesn't want the cake at the top of my post!!

Happy Valentines everyone.

Love and marriage

Ruth xxx

Studio Calico House-The Walls!

Thanks to everyone who commented on my last post it was fun to read your ideas.

I took some photos of my collection of Red and Cream vintage tins and then changed my mind about using them as I had a better idea for them...something along the lines of cream and red hearts.

In the end I went with a watered down Andy Warhol Pop Art type look. OK so I'm not very good at altering photos and using such a basic programme doesn't help but I still ended up with four different ones......not entirely too sure about the green martian faces though!!

For me this was very much out of my box working with the colours from the kit, and as much as I had tried to make it quite nuetral on the outside and keep the insides in one colour palette it just didn't work and I had to release my inner rainbow.

I used the number Four as my theme for the title and carried it through the walls, with four numbers, four flowers, four photos and the repetition of all four colours on each wall.

All tied up with last years date on the front as thats when the photo was taken..... Hmm now I think about it, it might have been 2008..oops I think Ben is only a couple of months old and now he is 2!!

I finally used my Papermania Vintage Furnishings stamps...these were the ones that caused so much trouble whilst I was queing to pay for them. Ben had splattered a pot of glitter glue on the floor in the craft shop and the customers were complaining about the screaming kid outside. If they hadn't taken so long to serve me then this wouldn't have happened!! (It was a chain store not like my lovely LSS's they would never be so uptight!!)
They are too cool for words and such fab value for money! I am hoping to use them on my next Lets get Shabby project. Which reminds me have you finished your sweet love notes entry yet?

Love and four strong walls make a strong family

Ruth xxx

Hummingbird Bakery Book

I couldn't resist sharing this sweet book here, it's called The Hummingbird Bakery and I bought it from the Book Club at work for £5. Thats the great thing about book clubs you can read the book all night and then decide if you want to keep it!! You can find the book HERE.

I noticed that all the recipes are made from everyday ingredients unlike some celebrity chefs who shall remain nameless........... and if it's good enough for Gwyneth Paltrow then it's good enough for me!!

The book is full of gorgeous pictures like these lavender cakes and if you think you haven't got lavender then do what I am planning on doing and walk a little closer to your neighbours fence next summer when the lavendar is in full bloom!! ( You only need three flower heads)

I treated myself to it for my birthday......(that would be the week before we both went back on a diet)..... so I guess I won't actually be making anything from it for a long time.....:(

Love and lavender picking

Ruth xxx

Just enough time for a quickie before the next round of Doctors visits...yup if it's not one thing it's another and usually with Me, Mark or Ben...Georgia is blessed to never have anything wrong with her except for last week when the Quack said she had tonsilitis and she sooooo did NOT!! Trust me that girl could talk and eat for England!!

So I now have DH home on crutches..not caused by a sporting injury but it is exactly the same as premier league players get except they don't play spinning games in the lounge with their 2 year olds and snap a tendon in their legs!!


I haven't had time to take some better photos but thought I'd better share my house before I decorate the insides of it. The pattern is Karolas and can be found on Webster Pages HERE. I used the cool Studio Calico Home Front kit from Bubbly Funk.

The house opens up into a dispay piece for the mantle so I am debating about pretty family photos or funky trendy styling of random pictures of our house..what do you think!! I'd love to hear your opinion?

Love and wacky wallpaper

Ruth xxx

Birthday wish list.....heres dreaming kid!!

Today is my birthday and I composed this wish list a few weeks ago......what I actually got was a huge imposing chest of drawers for the bedroom...sometimes in life practicality overtakes desire......I had to have somewhere to store my supersized knickers after all!!

1) Kath Kidston satchel bag...just like we had at school but only cuter!! 2) Love Links leather necklace so I can put my Pandora beads onto it and a locket so I don't ever lose my bracelet again!! 3) Websters Pages new die cuts......to die for!!

I am having a lovely day at home with Ben...we are working hard on a new secret mission for a magazine and he is busy destroying my bedroom as always. I am not going to make a cake and I am not going to cook tea ..I am going to take the day slowly as I will need all my energy tonight because I stupidly said my daughter could have a friend to sleep over...duh..what was I thinking!!

Back later with my Studio Calico house but I need to take some better photos of it first....If you can't wait it can be seen here on Bubbly Scrumptious.


Love and many candles
Ruth xxx

Word of the Year - Blessed-Whats yours? Did you know that you could have it personalised too!!

I know it's a little late in the month to choose my word for the year but I have a very good reason.

Last year was horrible lots of hard and difficult things happened and this year I am going to take the time to remind myself that I am blessed.
So with that in mind and an e-mail from Caroline at Bubbly Funk asking me what 7 letter word book I wanted? I looked at this antique print hanging over my bed and thought hmmmmmm eventually I chose Blessed!!

The fab thing about this months kit is that it is personalised....totally individual and all for a set price. So you see you could choose any name you like.......I did think of rumplestiltskin!!


You could choose one of those awkward to spell childrens names...a family surname.....an inspiring word...a place name.......the list goes on.........check out the quality here and get your thinking caps on!!

Love and blessings
Ruth xxx