Are you a card-making fan?

I have a fun giveaway for you from Stamping Up consisting of a card-making kit.

One lucky reader will win a Hip Hip Hooray card making kit.

cardmaking

Instead of buying a card for a special occasion, make your own as they do say it is the thought that counts. Make a beautiful card in just a few minutes. The Hip Hip Hooray Card Kit contains everything you need to create 20 special cards for a variety of occasions.

Are you ready to start card-making?

Card Making Kit

The Hip Hip Hooray Card Kit includes:

* Cardstock and envelopes for 20 cards
* Twine, clips, and adhesive die-cut embellishments
* Three-piece Hip Hip Hooray Stamp Set & clear stamp block
* Stampin Dimensionals
* Basic Gray Stampin’ Spot (mini ink pads)
* Full-colour instructional brochure

You could win this lovely kit by entering via the Rafflecopter below. The competition is open to UK residents aged 18 and over only.

My daughter is very creative and loves making cards. I tend to think of myself as not being artistic but I do enjoy it when I join in with her and get those imagination juices flowing.

I think my Mum would have liked to have the time to spend time doing fun things like crafting. She enjoyed drawing. Despite my encouragement, she lacked confidence in her efforts and would not take up my suggestion to do an art class at the local college.

I have done one thing that she always did. The bottom drawer of her Welsh dresser was always reserved for greetings cards for just about every occasion. She was always prepared and looked like she had remembered special occasions even if she found out at the last minute. Mum was a magpie loving pretty things so people always loved the cards she selected for them not knowing they came from her bumper collection.

I love those card collections they sell now so that you always have a card when your child gets invited to a party or whatever. You can often find them in charity shops too brand new and for no money at all.

I hope you enter the giveaway and good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Win competitions at ThePrizeFinder.com

giftbag

INGREDIENTS

Stamps – Cool Kid Stamp set

Tools – Raspberry Ripple, Basic Black, Summer Starfruit, Gumball Green Stampin’ Write Markers

Inks and Cardstock – Birthday Basics Designer Series Paper, Whisper White cardstock

Punches – Decorative Label Punch

Adhesives –Sticky Strip

Accessories – Mini Metallic Clothespins, Island Indigo Bakers Twine

Step by Step

1. Take a piece of 12x6in designer paper and score along the long edge at 3.5in, 4.5in, 5.5in, 9in, 10in and 11in. Turn 90 degrees and score at 1.25in.

gfitbag1

2. Make a paper cut at the 3.5, 5.5, 9 and 11in score lines, just as far as the horizontal score line. Fold each score as shown in the picture.

giftbag2

3. Add Sticky Strip to both long edges of the 1in end panel, across the 2 pairs of 1in panels and then on the reverse of the middle 3.5in section, as shown in the picture.

giftbag3

4. Fold the bag into shape and tape the two long sides together. Then fold in the two small panels on the bottom in and the large panel with no tape down onto them. Finish with the taped large panel to seal the bag. Pinch the top closed, ready for your stamped tag.

5. Score an 11.5 x 6.5in piece of Whisper White card across the middle and fold in half. Take the Cool Kid stamp and colour in the stamp carefully using your chosen colours, then stamp onto the cardstock, near the fold. (Tip: If your ink dries before you are ready to stamp simply huff on the stamp to reactivate the ink.) Punch the Decorative Label out, taking care not to punch through the fold.

6. Tie a bow in a piece of Bakers Twine and use a Mini Metallic Clothespin to attach it to you bag, along with your tag.

I have always wanted a book on parenting. I know they exist but not in the form I would like. My perfect parenting book would say

On Friday 14th August 2006, you must wean your child.

On Wednesday 22nd April 2008, you can let your child walk to school on his/her own

If your child is not potty-trained by 2nd January 2000. you need to consult your GP.

Well you get the idea.

backtoschool

A couple of weeks ago I asked my 13 year old son if he needed anything in readiness for the back to school. Did his uniform still fit? It was bought relatively recently after we relocated. Was his bag still OK for him? And so on.

“Yes Mum”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes Mum”

Are you absolutely sure?

“Yes Mum”

Yesterday, I asked him to get his uniform out and ready. He did this with a bit of a grumble. I usually do this for him but am aware he is getting older and at some point presumably will leave home and need to know how to organise himself.

When his Dad returned from work, my son announced that he would have to go to the supermarket because his shirt and trousers did not fit. I insisted he showed up. He put them on in a strop and they fitted perfectly.

His Dad can no longer drop him off at school every day due to his commute to his new job. We gave our son a bus timetable. He has used the bus before sometimes but for some reason, seemed very unsure. So Him Indoors took my son out and showed him exactly where to catch the bus, where to get off and so on. He returned in a happier frame of mind.

His Dad taught him how to iron and he declared that is was actually quite good fun.

Today after two calls and one shake, he got up and ready. He looked so smart and grown up. I made him breakfast. I brushed his hair. I hugged him. I checked he was OK and had everything he needed.

He set off with me calling out for him to have a nice day and reminding him that I loved him. I could sense him saying “For goodness sake, Mother, go in. You are such an embarrassment”

He will be OK. Of course he will. And yet I love him and I still find it hard to let him go back to school sometimes.

If you do happen to see that book on parenting, let me know. The one with the specific dates. I would like to get this parenting thing right.

What are your thoughts and feelings as the children head back to school?

Are there changes you wish to make in your life?

Mum Power

Do you feel you are stuck in a rut?

Would you like to take up new interests but lack confidence to do so?

Do you yearn for the you of yesteryear and want to get that person back?

Perhaps you have a poor self-image?

Or perhaps it is just time to shake things up a bit?

If any of these feelings resonate with you, I would love you to get involved in an initiative to feel that mum power.

It is you that can change things. It is not always easy to do. So what if a group of mums came together online to support each other in their individual paths towards a bright future?

Welcome to Striking Mums!

Every week, I will post something inspirational and ask you to get involved too.

You can do this by linking up a blog post and then visiting others on the linky to offer your support, tips and/or personal stories.

We will also have a Striking Mums Twitter party on a weekly basis using hashtag #strikingmums to share our hopes, aspirations and the baby steps we are taking towards that exciting future.

If you follow me on Pinterest I will follow you back and then you can pin in the Striking Mums collaborative board. I am hoping this will become an inspirational visual image of just what us mums can do when we support each other.

Why is it called Striking Mums?

Striking as in mums that stand out

Striking as in mums on strike in terms of taking a little time for themselves

Striking as in the striking beauty of all mums

You can stand out and you are beautiful whether you feel that or not.

First week’s challenge

We will keep it simple for the first week of Striking Mums. Share a blog post about what you want to achieve. It can be anything that will make you feel better. Sometimes it could be as simple as getting out of the house more or setting up a night out with your partner or friends. Maybe you want to set up a business, return to work to take up studying. It is your life so dream a little dream and share it with us.

We will have a badge ready for you to display on your blog soon courtesy of my lovely friend Jo.

Details of the first Striking Mums party will be shared shortly.

I look forward to reading your posts and don’t forget to visit other mums taking part in the linky.

If you would like other mums to find out about Striking Mums don’t forget to push those share buttons so we get the word out quickly.

Here is a badge for you to display on your blog if you believe mums matter designed by my lovely friend Jo.

Kate on thin Ice Striking Mums

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    When I was on holiday with my son in France, there was a lovely, life-affirming moment which proves that life goes on after loss. I did not say anything to him for fear of upsetting him. I did not mention it to my brother either. As ever, the blog is a safe place to share it.

    We visited a café and sat outside in the sunshine. My son ordered a pancake with lemon. He clearly enjoyed it very much.

    IMG_1666

    I remember a day when he would not eat one.

    This post will only really make sense if you read tough post on my old blog.

    My mum died in September 2009 and almost 5 years later her son, daughter and grandson went on a holiday to France.

    The day where my son would not eat a pancake is also the one where my parents and my brother cancelled a holiday to France because she just could not face it with the horrors of her illness.

    In 2012, Dad was due to go on holiday to France with my brother but did not go as his final illness took hold.

    Yet in July 2014, my son sat happily in the sunshine on his first visit to France eating his pancake completely unaware of how very much this meant to his Mum.

    Life goes on. You think it won’t but it does and in time you smile at memories instead of being devastated by them.

    Now that is a kind of magic.

    ethannevelyn.com