December 7th - Forum Prize!

OK Elvin has set yet another challenge over at the Just Bex Forum and this is todays prize sponsored by Craft Obsessions.

There are daily prizes for doing very little! So come on over and join in the fun - all new members welcome :)

Love Bex

Goodie Giveaway over at Just Bex Forum

Sorry for lack of blog lately - life is beyond hectic!

I STUPIDLY employed an Elf from the North Pole to "Help" me run the Just Bex Forum throughout December and BOY am I paying a price - he is a rude little thing that is now threatening to take a vacation to Florida!

Do not fear though - I have him locked up in the mailroom and he will be posting prizes DAILY to forum members in exchange for some silly activities.

It is actually great fun over there right now so if you are not a member then sign up and come and join in the fun / abuse!

And if you need tempting further we are only on day 5 and so far have given away ........

2 lots of Black Tie Prima Flowers

Prima Flip Flop Fancies

Karen Foster Brads pack of 20

And doddlebug tokens and Sandy Lion Stickers.

AND a sneak preview of tomorrows prize ........... A FAB Making Memories Alphabet rub on set - you NEED these!!

So come along and say Hi and join in the madness that is JUST BEX
Love to all

Bex x

Another Photo and an update ramble!

Well here is another photo from the HUGE box I found the other day. This is my Grandma and I have to say that I think the photo is just beautiful! If anyone would like a copy to use in vintage cards etc then please email me and I will send you a high res version.

OK so time I think for an update on the life of Bex!
Life is pretty good to be honest. I am absolutely LOVING my new job - I am at the point where a day off seems boring as I have so much to do and want to be working!
Not sure if I mentioned it before but the new job is as a Sales Floor Manager for Hobbycraft in their Basildon store - so if you are passing pop in and say Hi!
I have a lovely team of staff who make me laugh all day - and the customers are pretty fantastic as well. I regularly spend over an hour with a customer chatting about paper and ribbons and teachniques etc and it is SO up my street. Did I mention I am loving it??

So not sure what else I have to update you all with really! There has been a serious lack of crafting this end due to working long hours and just getting used to a new job etc.
I have now sorted out a load of my craft stuff and my room is looking fairly tidy so the challenge now is to start playing more in my hours off! We will see how I do - but I better achieve it as I have SO MANY Chrimbo pressies to make.

Right time to get into PJ's and enjoy the nice glass of wine my Dad poured for me over an hour ago!

Love n Hugs to all
Bex

Kids these days!!

Over at the Just Bex Forum Est has started a conversation about the way kids dress these days - like something straight off an adult catwalk it seems!
So I thought I would share some pictures of how we were dressed when we were younger - Clothkits eat yer heart out!
Only thing that was a total bummer about all being dressed the same was that as the youngest I would have to grow out of 3 outfits!
So introducing the Clothkits girls ..........

Sarah Rachel

And Bex!

Pretty cute eh? I will have to do somthing with these photos I think - hmmm I spy a nice little canvass coming together I think!
Love n Hugs
Bex

Birthday Club B Cards

As promised here are the birthday cards I received from Birthday Club B at the Just Bex Forum.

They are seriously scrummy:)

KateT

Adele (Dingledel)

Lisa (FunkyFairy)

Est26

Sue

Paula C

Andrea (HoneysMum)

Andrea

Nicola (DollyDimple)

Suzy

Maura

Another Year Older!

Well I am starting to feel old! Another Birthday has gone by and as some people may know I usually ignore my birthday ........ I couldn't this year though because I received a BEAUTIFUL selection of cards from the members of the Birthday Club over at the Just Bex Forum.

It was so lovely to have so many gorgeous cards so thankyou to all of you x

These are the cards from the A Club - I will post the B Club tomorrow x

BettyBoo (Paula)

Tink (Nikki)

Tracy

Sarah
SadieB

NickyNoo

ItsLeigh

Annette

CraftyHazelnut

JackieW
Net

Love Bex

OUCH!!

Hi Guys

Sorry for the lack of blogging this week
New job is going just great - I am going to so love it and already have a list longer than a toilet roll of things that need to be actioned.

BUT the ouch is for my poor little size 4 feet.
I cannot tell you how much they hurt! I know all will be fine in a few weeks as the large part of my career I have been in an ops environment on my feet ................ BUT I have just spent a year sitting on my not so large fat arse in front of a computer screen so right now it hurts!!!
In store they reckon the floor manager walks near on 10 miles a day - I am not sure this is accurate but I think my feet would say 20!!
So in one way roll on tomorrow evening when I have a weekend off - and on the other hand not wanting to leave the shop for 2 days!!!
I am SO in to this new job and already know that I am going to love it.
I am also going to nick the counter gadget that my Step Mum Sheila has for next week as I will be intrigued just how many miles a day I am walking!

SO all in all a very dull post for you to read - I LOVE my new job and am sure I am going to love it for some time, I am looking forward to 3 weeks time when my feet don't throb uncontrollably at 4pm ................ And I am looking forward to the whole body adjust thing so I can come home feeling a bit less washed out.
Dad has been away this last week and I am now off to do the guilty teenage thing of tidying the house to a state way better than it was when they went away .............. even though all I want to do is crawl into bed!

All I can say is that Dad better have a nice glass of red awaiting me at 7pm tomorrow - and my sister will hopefully have prepped my nephew who is coming to stay that Bex is NOT to be woken before 10am on Saturday. This is a naff wish though as I know he is up at 7 and his Mum and Dad are off to France on a booze Cruise at 6am so he will wake up ............ All I can say at this point is that I wil try not to swear when he comes in to my room and jumps on me :)

So Saturday is childcare zone with no doubt a trip to the beach etc, Sat night hopefully I will be rewarded with a French platter of pate, bread and wine ............ and then Sunday I really want to play!!!!

OK am rambling now and should be cleaning so will dash x
Love to all and I will visit your blogs and return comments on Sunday - sorry but life gets in the way sometimes xx

Love Bex

Altered Storage Challenge

Another Forum Challenge - To alter something from your craft space to use for storage
I have had a few of these tins in the cupboard for a while now and have only just got round to decorating one of them - and there is one available as a prize for this challenge. Using one of my favourites - The Avenue Collection from Crate Paper - Yummy :)

Feel free to come and join in the challenges - new faces always welcome

Love N Hugs

Bex

Big Challenge Weekend!

Well I have calmed down now and plan to play along with the many challenges over at the Just Bex Forum.
I think I probably need to focus on the Christmas ones as I have only made one card so far!
So in the attempt to get people organised for Christmas here is the "Tagged" challenge. Think I have quite a few more to make though!
So if you are crafty and fancy winning some goodies this weekend pop on over and play!
You could win a nice Crate Paper kit
Or an Accordian Book kit ............

Or blooms, Christmas Embellishments and lots more!

Quick Post ........

Cos I don't have much time - FAR too busy dancing up the walls and skipping across the ceiling




I GOT THE JOB :)

Sorry anyone from the forum - I know I have been skipping round all evening already - but I have people reading this who don't "go there"!!!!

So yes folks - happy Bex - TRYING to now unwind and go to bed BUT my head is buzzing with ideas etc ............. VERY happy is what I am.
This moving home to allow myself to get a job i actually WANT is FAB so far x

Loving it - and OMG can you tell I am a bit happy tonight!!!

Right off to try to sleep - I have lots of forum challenges to do tomorrow xx

Love to all
Bex

Are you Ready for the Big Challenge?

We have a manic wekend of challenges over at the Just Bex Forum.
Challenges are being launched throughout the next 3 days and there are lots of goody bags and points up for grabs ....... feel free to come along and play :)

I have a busy day today with a second interview for a job I actually REALLY want so keep fingers crossed please x
Mind you when I get home I will be having 3 days of crafting bliss with the house to myself - FAB.

I will blog again tonight with some challenges completed hoepfully!

love Bex

More Playing!

Having a nice relaxing weekend of playing with cards and the spinner is getting full ........... slowly!!

So I thought I would use some of the challenges on the Just Bex Forum to get me motivated.

First is a challenge set by Sue to make 2 cards - one using OLD paper and one using brand shiny new stuff.

Well it will surprise no-one that I have quite a lot to choose from!

I made the first card with Avenue papers which are totally lush and I am now on my third collection pack - so I sort of class them as old but lush!

I figured Sue would accuse me of cheating so I went through my "Old must use up" box and found some pink creative impressions papers that I have had for over a year.

In total I made 3 of each of these so that is another pocket on the spinner filled!

And then for the NEW papers (Bo Bunny Shabby Princess) I loved cutting these up they are such gorgeous colours. All rich and earthy and yummy - and now nearly gone as I made 8 cards with them.

And then on to a challenge set by Leigh - to use Paisley.

There have been some gorgeous cards created for this and mine is fairly simple - but I did cut up the 2 sheets of paper and make 6 cards - all using different stamps and no sentiment but with different embellishments etc - so yes - another pocket full!

Right - I am off to find the next challenge to complete and will report back!

Love N Hugs

Bex

Weekend to play!

Ooh I do love a template! Sue set a template challenge on the Just Bex Forum and I have to say I found it a tricky one!
As you can see I have managed it in the end and for once it does still resemble the original template (I think :))
I have been a busy Bex this week and can't believe the weekend is here again already.
One of the florists I supply have decided this week that instead of the little basket of cards they currently have on the counter they would instead like a full floor spinner .................
OK so I have managed to get a really good deal on a lovely spinner for the bargain price of £40 which is good. This lovely spinner though has 36 pockets - and each pocket will hold up to 8 cards.......... which by my maths means I need to make about 288 cards.
So i thought I would be good and do a few more of the same and fill one pocket!


I much prefer to sit and play and do different cards but I think for a spinner they sort of need to be similar in each pocket - so now I am going to look at a pocket a time and perhaps use the same stamps and embellishments but different papers.
I'll report back with progress updates over the weekend as I really would like to deliver the spinner on Monday - although not sure how realistic this is!
Of to make a cuppa and tidy up then get crafting - I might even manage to actually do a few of the challenges on the forum for once!
Have a good weekend all x
Bex

Friday Night Challenge!

So whether you like to believe it or not Christmas really isn't that far away!
So over at the Just Bex Forum we are launching Christmas related Friday Night Challenges to get everyone ultra organised!
It seems to be working so far and lots of fantastic cards have been produced - in fact seeing them all has made me dig out my Xmas stuff and make a few this afternoon.
So the latest challenge is to create 5 Cards for Christmas featuring ............................... Buttons!
We like to keep them nice and easy as it is all about HELPING people get organised.
So if you are reading this and need a little nudge to get ready for Christmas then come on over and say Hi!

Have a great weekend all
Love Bex xx

A VERY Special Place xx

On Sunday I went to meet my sister at Wiccaweys

This place and what they do is just amazing.

As some of you will know I adore dogs, and others will know that the mere sight of a dog in the street sends Bex into doggie language of "Oh Hi!".

I think it is only since I became a dog owner a couple of years back that I can honestly say I don't care about the bad breath, the stinky fur, the muddy paws - they are all just little angels and can make me as grubby as they like! Oh, and btw they all smell of roses really :)

So when my sister started to fundraise for animal shelters, and when I read my fabby friend Carols blog ........ well we found Wiccaweys - and I am SO glad we did.

Wiccaweys is run by Sarah and Paul - and crikey these guys have seriously dedicated their lives to rescuing and caring for Border Collies. (Oh and a few intruders in disguise!)

Along with a fantastic team of volunteers they work non stop to care for the dogs, to take in as many as they can from all over the UK & Ireland, and of course to rehome them.

Since Sunday I am trying to think what on earth I can do to help. I wish I had stacks of money but I don't :(

So instead I am going to book some craft fairs for the festive period and donate a percentage to Wiccaweys. I am also going to provide a box of cards for their little shop on site.

And most importantly once I have sorted out my work schedule I am going to make sure I am around every so often to help walk the dogs and do whatever is needed at a practical level.
I am also trying hard to think of an event to run on my forum in the new year to make a few pennies x

So for all my ramblings I would like to introduce you to 2 VERY special boys who me and Rach instantly fell in love with.

First off is Jim. Jim is an old boy, and is blind. He arrived at Wiccaweys in a poor old state and had to be shaved. This boy has the BIGGEST paws and is SUCH a gentle giant. I adored him and after realising that he wasn't in fact trying to push me over when walking him, but instead nestling into my legs for reassurance of where he was going - well I loved him even more.

Mind you, he can jump up and land on you with about 99% accuracy for cuddles :)

And second was Allun, another gorgeous blind boy who was just so sweet and needs lots of talking and cuddles x I think Rachel and him bonded pretty well :)

So the point of all my rambling?

Well you never know who reads these things - and if anyone reading would like to know more about how to help Wiccaweys - well the link is here

So if you have time then do stop by and have a read up on a place that really does do some fantastic work and needs all the help it can get to fund the ongoing costs xxx

Love Bex

Card Template Challenge

Over at the forum we are launching lots of new challenges over the next few days gearing up for yet another month end - I cannot believe they come round so quickly!
Here is a simple template to get those creative mojos started!
And here is my attempt using the lovely Infuse Papers from Basic grey kindly donated to the team Challengers by Craft Obsessions

So if you are looking for a friendly place to hang out with lots of ideas to get you started - well come on over and say hello!

Oh, and this is a quick card I made with some offcuts of the infuse papers!

My Circle Journal from Just Bex Forum

So here is my completed CJ from the Just Bex Forum.
My subject was "Smile" and I had a fab group with PaulaC, NickyNoo & Julie.