Saturday, 2 March 2013

30 Days of Lists (Journalling Challenge) Days 1 & 2

March already and time for the 30 Days of Listing Challenge.

I decided to use the Simple Scrapper kit that was produced just for this challenge.

Photos 1 & 2 show the front and back covers of my journal.....it took longer to remove and replace the wire than it did to decorate...







Papers are from the Pebbles Inc "Seen and Noted" 6 x 6 pad. The title was done using my box of leftover alphas. 
Brads by Basic Grey "Two Scoops" (front) and Eyelet Outlet (bird)
Arrow (and other stickers throughout the journal) are Studio Calico "Hearts and Arrows"

Day 1....I am a lister because....



Day 2....About me....


The numbers are Pretty Little Studio Number Tags "Bingo"


I'm looking forward to some deeper journalling as the month progresses.

Monday, 25 February 2013

Guest Blogger - Victoria Blisse

Today I'd like to welcome  Victoria Blisse to my blog to tell us all about her latest book.




Writing Menage. 


I love writing scenes with more than the expected 2 bodies in them. I love it, but it is a real challenge. You have lots of extra limbs you have to keep track of, and you’ll have at least two of one sex so you have to be careful how many times you use the word ‘he’ or ‘she’ and make sure it’s obvious which participant you’re talking about. I’m not a writer who plans, but I found with the sex scenes in Vanilla with Extra Nuts that I had to know what I was going to write before I attempted it. I pulled some strange faces and shifted my body in weird ways as I worked out just how two guys and one girl could interact. It was hard work but also serious fun, too!
What is your opinion of Menage? 



A New Release from Victoria Blisse.

Vanilla with Extra Nuts is a ménage story, featuring two hot guys and one shy and sexy vanilla girl. Here’s the blurb:

She’s just a vanilla girl until she finds her perfect toppings.
Megan is slowly falling in love with Adam until he confesses he’s seeing a guy behind her back. She thinks the relationship has been ruined until the night she indulges in a threesome with the man she loves and Simon, his lover.
As much as she enjoys being sandwiched between the two men she’s not sure the arrangement can last. So Megan has to decide.
Can she come to terms with sharing the man she adores with his male lover or will she have to say goodbye to her soulmate forever?

Mild Excerpt

“I’m going to just be honest with you, Adam,” I said, and took a step towards him. “I would like nothing better than to walk over there right now, to pull you to me, and to kiss you and just forget this whole business. I’d love to go back to the way we were, but that isn’t going to happen. I don’t know if I can live with sharing you. I’ve always been a pretty vanilla girl. I have the average fantasies of a straight woman. I dream of meeting a man, falling in love, marrying him, and having babies. Not at any point have I thought about sharing a man with someone else. I mean, you were honest with me about fantasies and I have wondered what it would be like to be with two men at the same time, but I always thought that was just fantasy. Anyway, what I think I am trying to say is that I want you, but I just don’t know how to deal with this situation.”
“Can’t we just give it a go?” He stood up and took a step towards me. “All I’m sure of from this conversation is we both want each other, both regret what has happened, and want to go back to how we were. Can’t we do that and work out the rest as we go along?”
He was so close to me I could have reached out to touch him, but I didn’t. I didn’t know what to do.
“I want to do that, I do, but I still don’t know if I can handle being less than your one and only. We could fuck right now and love it, but would we just be delaying the inevitable heartbreak? I don’t want that, Adam, I really don’t.”
He brushed at my cheek and ran into my hair, holding my face gently in his hand a moment before he responded. His response was a kiss. At first I didn’t do anything. I wasn’t thinking straight. I was a little angry at how he’d ignored my question. This sweet impact of lips on lips was exactly what I didn’t want to happen because if I just let my body feel, my mind would switch off and the issues would not be settled. Instead of stepping back, pulling away, or yelling at him, I stood completely still. I froze as my mind whirled and my body begged and I battled with myself over what to do next. The low, masculine moan that vibrated through me was my undoing. It was as if the vibrations loosened me and my lips began to respond to the kiss, my arms wrapped around him instinctively, and my breasts pressed wantonly against his chest without me even realizing what they’d done.
Wrapping his arms around, he held me tightly as I had longed for them to do all week. He pressed himself into me. I could feel his arousal and sensed his relief. Our twin emotions twined around us and knit us together. I felt invisible hands pushing me towards him, keeping me from pulling away, and even though I knew it is all my imagination I didn’t fight it. I didn’t want to. I wanted Adam and maybe that would be enough.
His hands worked up under my T-shirt and cupped beneath my lace covered breasts. He squeezed and gasped, then broke our kiss for a moment to pull the top up and over my head. His lips fell back to my neck and the newly exposed flesh. Fingers scrabbling with the clasp at my back, his lips trailed over my collarbone and down to the V of my cleavage. When the clasp gave and his fingers worked to slip away the straps down my arms, his mouth feasted on each new inch of tit that was revealed. When he had discarded the bra and was once again cupping my breasts, naked this time, he lifted my nipples to his lips to suck and nibble at them.
By that point I was helpless, lost in lust. A little corner of my mind felt uneasy, knowing that the issue had still not really been resolved, but the rest of me was just ecstatic to be touched by him again. I had missed him so very much. His ever-busy fingers now pulled at the button and zip of my jeans. It took him only a moment to loosen them and seconds more to pull them down to my knees. He knelt at my feet and pulled off my boots, then slipped my jeans down my legs.
I felt naked, maybe even more so as I only had on the flimsiest of knickers. Their tininess emphasized the largeness of the rest of me and I felt awkward. I was not terribly confident in my skin and would normally wear a light negligee that would hide all my bumps and imperfections. The exposure was uncomfortable, but as he rose to his feet and pulled me over to the bed with him, my worries melted away.







Pick up your copy from:




Victoria is also one of the brains behind the fabulous Smut by the Sea Event taking place at Scarborough Library (UK) on the 22nd June 2013. A day dedicated to Erotica with a mini erotic marketplace and lots of Author Readings, Fun Giveaways and Exciting Talks.
She is equally at home behind a laptop or a cooker (She is TEB's Resident "Naked Chef") and she loves to create stories, poems, cakes and biscuits that make people happy. She was born near Manchester, England and her northern English quirkiness shows through in all of her stories.
Passion, love and laughter fill her works, just as they fill her busy life.
You can find often find Victoria procrastinating on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest

I'd like to thank Victoria for sharing some of her writing secrets and wish her luck with the new book.

Sunday, 24 February 2013

Artful Readers Club - February

Apologies for the late posting....I read the book in good time but the artwork took longer than intended......sigh

This month we move to New Orleans in the company of Carmela Bertrand, owner of Memory Mine scrapbooking store and the heroine of  "Postcards From The Dead" by Laura Childs.





This is #10 in the series so I was amongst old friends again. It's what the Americans call a "cozy".... there is murder and mayhem but the tone is light.

It is Mardi Gras and as the parade moves through the French Quarter Carmela is waiting to be interviewed  for TV by Kimber Breeze. The interview never takes place as Carmela finds Kimber dead, hanging from the balcony of the Hotel Tremain. Shortly after her death postcards start arriving supposedly written by the victim.

And so the story starts.....Carmela can't resist trying to solve the murder despite being warned off by her policeman boyfriend. She is helped by her friend Ava, owner of Juju Voodoo, the premier voodoo shop in New Orleans.

The story rattles along at a brisk pace and, as usual, the action is interspersed with scrapbooking tips and recipes.....any food eaten is described lovingly and in great detail.....this is not a book to read if you're on a diet!!

The atmosphere of New Orleans is captured perfectly.....the descriptions make me want to visit the city.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and liked the fact that I was surprised by "whodunnit".....I hate it when I figure out the murderer early on in a book.

It is thanks to this series of books that I'm a scrapbooker. The first couple I read the scenes in "Memory Mine" didn't make much sense to me ....then I discovered our local craft centre and the rest, as they say, is history.


So, what artwork have I produced? I've done a double page collage...about chocolate......
I can imagine the head scratching that this announcement will have caused....but it's quite simple...

Every time Ava and her shop were mentioned I had the words to "That Old Black Magic" (as sung by Frank Sinatra) running through my head....this led to memories of Black Magic chocolates. They used to be my favourite boxed chocolates...until they stopped making the cherry ones.....boo, hiss!


Next month we're off to Canada!

Thursday, 14 February 2013

This month I've mainly been making...cards

Apologies for my long(ish) absence and for the lack of comments on your blogs...I'm not ignoring you....honest....

I feel as though I've been drifting since the start of the year...there never seem to be enough hours in the day for all the things I want/need to do, yet come the end of the day I've achieved ....nothing.

I took the decision to have a break from blogging and sorry, but that included reading other people's....apart from the Artful Readers Club.

I've managed to keep in touch with some of you on FB.....you know who you are...and I'm grateful for your friendship.

Sadly,I can't see the situation changing any time soon.....my get up and go has got up and went..

I haven't even done much crafting......one LO and a few cards is all....


This was made using Sultane papers and a Pagemaps sketch for a challenge called "Black Accents" on Flying Unicorn and this month's challenge on Pagemaps.











I've managed to make all the cards I need through to the end of March - I've been playing with layering...you probably guessed that...

I'll be back with my next book review on 25th.....

Hugs to all of you xx

Friday, 25 January 2013

The Artful Reader's Club

It's time for the reviews of the books we chose for January.
I'm looking forward to seeing what others have been reading and what they thought of the books.
If anyone is interested, all the books will be linked to Darcy's blog.


My book for the month was "Le Champ du Potier" ("Potter's field") by Andrea Camilleri








This is # 13 in the series featuring Montalbano, a detective on the island of Sicily.

Reading this was like being reunited with old friends - all the regular characters, with their quirks and foibles, are present.

The body this time (there are an awful lot of murders on Sicily!) was discovered in a muddy field.....the mud being used for clay, hence the title.

Montalbano pursued the investigation in his usual laid back way....assisted by his motley crew...from Catarello and his inability to ever get a name right (and his mangling of the Italian language) to Ingrid, a sometime lover, despite Montalbano having a fiancee (Livia) on the mainland.

The plot develops in a leisurely fashion but never drags as there is a fair amount of humour in the book.

Camilleri really comes into his own with his descriptive skills...whether it be a meal, the sea or the countryside. I could almost feel the heat of the sun and smell the wonderful dishes that Montalbano eats.

I can recommend this book, and the whole series, as well written murder mysteries that aren't too heavy but that do make you think.

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My artwork was inspired by Montalbano and Livia's relationship - it's tempestuous at the best of times and their phone calls often end up with one or the other slamming the phone down!



I did a page for my art journal. I was playing with some new (and very detailed) stamps and experimenting with monochrome with only the odd pop of colour.


Tuesday, 22 January 2013

A Random Post

What to do when you're woken up at 03:30 and can't get back to sleep?
Do a blog post of course!

I do have some crafty stuff to share...



Friday's snow was very timely as one of this month's challenges was to do a winter themed LO. We had to add snow to the LO (I used structure paste and a Dylusions mask) and add something unexpected (paw prints, bone brads).

I used Bo Bunny "Winter Joy" papers and stickers .
Title and word stickers are Echo Park.


Next up is a birthday card made with Graphic 45 "Bird Song" papers. 

I love Graphic 45 but always had problems using their papers until I realised that they're best used cut up....there's just too much going on to use them 12 x 12.

I hope to be back Friday with my "Rocking" post.....

Friday, 18 January 2013

What's Rocking My World Friday



And it is actually Friday....gasps of amazement all round...

So what is rocking my world at the moment?

The snow....I don't have to go out in it (yet) and it looks so pretty...winter has finally arrived. And when I do go out I can wear my new snow boots.

Ebay....my Gelli plate has arrived and I'm planning to get messy with paint this afternoon.

Amazon.com....for providing me with some new punches to play with..I had a $25 gift voucher to spend...can't buy books for Kindle from USA so I did the next best thing...

Daytime T.V. ...BBC 1 has started showing some rather good dramas in the 14:15 slot....last week it was all about the final group of men/boys conscripted into National Service; this week and next it's "Father Brown".
In "Un Village Francais" (TV 5 Monde) we've reached Nov. 1942....have two more episodes of this series to watch.
On the same channel I happened across a contemporary drama series, "Les Soucis et  Les Hommes" which provided a slightly surreal moment..I'd missed the start of the episode so hadn't heard the theme tune....it was Annie Lennox singing "Angels From the Realms of Glory"....weird!

Quiz night....we didn't win last night but it was fun...and we have a double helping this week as we're going to a Charity Quiz on Saturday evening....our team of 4/5 will be seven strong....and one of the "extras" knows his music... yay!!

Man. Utd....despite not playing that well we're top of the Premiership and through to Round 4 of the FA Cup. I can't remember how much we paid for Robin Van Persie, but he's worth every penny.

The return of the mojo....it's wonderful to be crafting again....have more ideas than time but that's a good thing ...I think...
Here's my latest LO..


I stamped the background using Pink Paislee "Butterfly Garden" stamps, made the tags from the packaging of said stamps, scraps of paper from the same collection and random embellies. This is one of my all time favourite collections....and I'm literally down to scraps...:(

The Hairy Dieters....I made their chilli this week....very,  very moreish...I did give DH a laugh though..I described it as looking "manly" as it was cooking...well, I knew what I meant!

FB....for the friends I've made on there and for the offers...everyone will be getting a Shamballa bracelet for Christmas this year....how organised am I??? In a similar vein I've just bought a Groupon for a visit to a winery near Henley...should be an interesting day out...


I think that's it..I'm off to link up to Virginia's  post...thanks for visiting and have a great weekend whatever you're doing.