Rotty's in the news!

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Would you believe it folks! Rotty appears to have hit the local rodent headlines again, this time with his silly antics....by that i mean walking out in a huff! He's almost as big a drama queen as Calvin Mouse!!!

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I did try and tell him i was making him a house, but he is so stubborn, i wonder where he'll end up with his so-called "streetwise survival skills?

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"Ah look who we have here....Rotty....what are you up to?....are you telling me you've only got as far as my rubbish bag in the garden?"

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"Yeah well it's better than false promises of houses...and the foods not too bad either!"

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"Rotty my old mate, why don't you come on in, i'll show you how i'm getting on with your house."

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"Likely story, actually i only stopped here for a quick nap, then i have to get some things together and i'm off!"

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"Oh really Rotty, and where might that be eh? Next door's garden bin? Quite the adventurer aren't we Captain Scott!"

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"Very funny, i have somewhere in mind, don't you worry about that".

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Hmmm i don't like the sound of this, i'd better follw him....

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" Rotty what are you doing here at the train station? These are dangerous places you know."

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"I told you, i'm off to stay somewhere, i have contacts up north."

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"Oh really Rotty, you have friends nationwide now do you?"

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"Yep, well kind of....now if you don't mind i have to catch a train..."

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"Oh Rotty, i really wish you wouldn't go, you have to be carefull on trains, there are lots of big people around that might step on you....see that police lady just missed you!"

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"It's ok, i gave her the slip...ah here's my train now....byeeeeee!"

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Well folks, that looks like he's really gone this time, i just wish i knew what he was up to, that train goes half the way up the country....who on earth would take in a stray rat?
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Rats it!...I'm off!!!

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Hi folks, tonight i wanted to show you a couple of new additions to Calv's residence.....well the garden anyway. My new birdhouse, which i bought.....and my new beehive which i made.

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I love the birds coming into the garden, so do the kids, so i thought i'd treat them to a nice box i'd seen on the net, they are going to love this little beauty...

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Some of you may remember that last year i bought a solitary beehive for my garden. It's for the bees that live on their own so you don't end up with a huge nest and swarms. Anyway i wanted to get another one, then when i looked at my other one i did what any crafter would do and said, "I could make one of those!"

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So i did...

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The individual bees make tiny nests inside the holes, it just gives them somewhere to stay. What with all the decline of bees going on in the world, i thought it would be a nice gesture. The hive is not finished yet, i want to decorate it a bit more, but i'll show you when it's done.

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Uh Oh! Look what the cat dragged in.....and he doesn't look too happy! "Hi Rotty, hows things?"

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"UNBELIEVABLE!!! What the heck do you call these then?"

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"What? The bird house and the bee hive? Yes they are pretty fantastic aren't they? What do you think of them Rotty?"
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"I'll tell you exactly what i think boss! I think you have gone too far this time! You buy a house for those flippin flappin things, all they do is flap about and eat things...and i'm sure they purposely aim for me sometimes yanno!"

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"But Rotty, i can explain."

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"Then theres the bee hive!!! You must have spent ages making that, when all they do is sting me on the backside all the time!!! Then theres Rotty here who has waited what seems like a lifetime for a certain house that i was promised!!!"

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"Oh come on now Rotty me old mate, it takes a little while to make a house good enough for the likes of you".

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"Yeah yeah, i've heard it before boss..well thats it.....I'm OFF!!!

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"Rotty don't be silly mate, let's talk about this, i have started the house i promise."

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"Boss, it's too late for words and idle promises, i've seen your handy work, let's just say i'm not entirely convinced you've even thought of my comfort lately have you? I'd have probably ended up in a cardboard box like all the other rats!"
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"But Rotty....where will you go.....it's a big wide world out there".

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"Bye boss....I'm a sewer rat remember, streetwise and tough as old boots, you just think about who is going to look after your stash now!"
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Oh well folks, that's him gone..for now. Yet another over reaction from the drama queen that is Rotty, i'm sure he'll be back when he gets too hungry. If he had shut up for five minutes and let me get a word in, i might have given him a peek at a certain "residence in progress"...

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I'm sure when his little toes get cold, i'll have something here to warm him up again some day soon :)
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Thanks for stopping by, and if you see a struggling rat down your way starving and pretending to be streetwise....give him some food please. :)

Stunned once again!

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Just a quick post to say you have to pop over to Maddy's blog and check out her new creation...Cupcake Cottage!!!

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Above is just a glimpse of what she's made, there is so much more to see, and what's inside the box will surely make you smile. :)

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Just to add, when Maddy makes something like this, she often mentions that she's been locked away in her craft room for hours, sometimes days..finally emerging like some kind of cave woman. Well for those who doubt this, she's just said to me, "I need to go and have a wash, get dressed....and what day is it?"!!!

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Honestly, it's like some bedraggled hermit type figure of a woman, crawling outside, blinded by daylight...with fimo and paper bits all over her!

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Great job once again Maddy xxx

A rare sight...a card from me!

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Yes folks, shock horror it's a card from me!

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I say that like it's an infrequent thing because it is compared to most of you, although they end up ok, the proccess is rather a stressfull one for me lol. Nothing matches in my eyes, i haven't a clue what to make....so i'm kind of a "throw it on and eventualy something will come together" kind of guy.

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Maddy's always a good influence for me, so thats what got me going on this one. To help me with the layout i followed this weeks Sketch Saturday challenge, always a big help for someone like me.

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I enjoyed this sketch, easy enough not to be daunted, but enough room to jazz the card up as you wish...i used a Maya Road key stamp set for the main image...

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I did some hand stitching around the oval, very time consuming but one of my fave additions to a card. I also gave the oval a very thin dusting of Distress Crackle Paint, it gave it the finest, almost invisible crackle effect...

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I punched some small holes along the edge of the card and laced the sides with ribbon...

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I added a custom made stamp that the lovely Nikki made me over at Dewdrop Craftz. ( For the record, i just got permission off of Maddy to call Nikki lovely...no black eyes for Calv tonight!)
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A bit of lace and a tassle....you can't go wrong with those two can you?
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So thats my yearly card making session over! I need a bath and a cuppa! :)

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Thanks for stopping by, see you soon.

Easter elegance.

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Yes i know it's a little early, but i finished Maddy's Easter prezzy today and couldn't wait to blog it. Click on the pics for a better look.
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This lovely little egg trinket box started off as a delapilated mess on a charity shop shelf. It was bare apart from some of the beads going around it, it was scuffed, scratched and had the remains of a terrible paint job on it..... So i bought it with an Easter project in mind.
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I've used Distress Crackle Paint on the egg itself, i mean eggs do crack now and again don't they? Painted with a thin coat, the crackles are lovely and fine. I also added a few little things to fancy it up a bit.
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First i punched a simple heart out, distressed it a little and hand stitched around the edge.
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A few fabric flowers and more beading dotted around the place...doesn't that crackle paint look great close up?
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The little butterflies are lazer cut, and with a coat of antique cotton paint and a stamped text pattern on them, they really come to life on the project. I was able to enter this into the Charisma Cardz Challenges this week as they are ofter something with Beautiful Butterflies.
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This pendant/charm was a great find, it originaly came as part of a belt, but in true Calv style i wrecked the belt and used the only bit that was left intact! I can also enter it in the Creative Inspirations "charms" challenge this week.
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I know what you are thinking though, yes Calv that's fine but what about the choccy!!! Have i ever let you down yet? :)
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Filled with mini easter eggs, Maddy has the choice of white, plain and dark choccy to indulge herself in.
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What would this kind of project be without some reference to Alice in Wonderland? It gave me a chance to compliment the box with something nice, whilst using one of my fave stamps, an Alice in Wonderland quote...
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This handmade scroll was made on patterned paper, wrapped around a couple of dowelling rods i chopped up this afternoon. Painted again with crackle paint and finished off with tiny brass knobs.
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A dainty button and some ribbon later.....and Mr Carroll would have been proud of me! :)
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I love these butterflies...
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A close up of the wonderfull quote...
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So there you have it, one Easter prezzy for my partner in crime. :) Hopefully Maddy will forgive me for spoiling the suprise, she'll just have to wait for the choccy now.....i'm sure i'll take good care of it. :)
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Thanks for looking everyone.....and Happy early Easter!!!
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My "effort" with Fimo.

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Well folks, here is a perfect example of why the saying, "Leave it to the experts" was invented. I would like to introduce you to my rabbit "Smudge"....you'll find out later why i gave him that name.
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Yes it's my attempt at Maddy's great Fimo Easter rabbit tutorial. The tutorial was great, even a guy like me who has the clay modelling skills of a drunk chimp....who had it's arms in a sling....could follow it with ease. I would like to add that as Maddy lives 250 miles away from me at the moment, she did not help me with this....she was cooking dinner during the whole process!
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What amazes me when i watch Maddy do her thing with Fimo, is how she keeps it so clean!? I'll let you into a little secret folks, Maddy's craft room is never going to be the kind that you'll see in these books about organised scrap rooms.
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She has the stash, she certainly has the talent, but unlike the ones that look so clinical and as though nobody ever crafts in it like in the mags, Maddy's craft room usualy looks like 50 burglars have been in.....with all their mates!!! :) It is well used and looks like it too. So how on earth she manages to keep her Fimo spotlessly clean i do not know!
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I dropped mine on the floor about ten times, accidentally dug my nails into his teeth, which by the way are rabbits teeth and not a walrus.....but i did really enjoy making this little fella.
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So a big thank you to Maddy for sharing this tutorial, i'll be passing it on to my girls....then when they look less than impressed with dads efforts they can ring Maddy and get expert advice! :)
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If i could pass on my tips that i've learnt during this project it would be....
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1. Don't drop white fimo on a carpet and expect it to come back clean.
2. Licking your finger and trying to rub off dirty marks just makes it worse.
3. Remember to use oven gloves when removing the plate from the oven. Ouch!
4. Don't put the plate straight into the fridge to cool down, it burns the plastic on your shelf.
5. Don't attempt to use Fimo at the same time as eating a chicken curry, prawn crackers and sesame seed on fried toast....it kind of counteracts all the times Maddy instructed you to wash your hands!
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Thank you to my friend Oliver who owns my local craft shop Emerald Crafts, your Fimo was put to good use as you can see! :)
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Thanks for looking....now go try one yourselves!!! :)

Fancy a wabbit for Easter?

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How great is this little fella?!!!
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I'm always blown away by my partner in crime Maddy's Fimo creations, this time she has made this fantastic Easter rabbit out of Fimo, and look at the great box that it comes in!
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His name is Herbert, and on Monday he is going to be free to win on blog candy at Maddy's blog. You can get the box that he comes in too.
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Now if you're like me and have the Fimo skills of a drunk badger, you'll be thankfull that Maddy has done a tutorial on how to make your very own simpler version of an Easter rabbit. Here is what you could make if you go and see the tutorial that's on Maddy's blog now....
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For anyone who has never done one of Maddy's tutorials before, i'd totaly recommend it. Not because i'll be a battered hubby if i don't.....but because the tutorials are so easy to follow even a monkey like me can do it! :)
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Also, if you do get stuck or need any help along the way, why not pop a question in Maddy's chat box at the side of her blog, she'll hopefully get back to you asap.
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Thanks for looking.

Fiskars 18 piece scissor set.

Hi everyone :)

Today i wanted to show you my new set of Fiskars paper scissors that i bought from Create and Craft the other day. I know most of you will have some of these scissors in your craft room, but maybe you are like me and have only ever bought the rubbish ones in the past, you know the ones that break in five minutes or don't cut properly.

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I've paid as much as £3 for a single pair of poor quality scissors in the past, yet these were a total bargain at £14.99 for 18 pairs, that includes the great perspex storage stand.

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So straight on with the scissors, here's a few pics to show you the edges that you get...

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May i just say what great quality these scissors are, they cut cleanly, the plastic handles do not feel like they are going to snap any minute. At under a pound each, this is a great addition to the craft room.

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The stand is solid and has a hinged lid that closes, ideal for keeping your scissors clean and dust free.

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When i bought these, i had my kids in mind, they will love these different edges and what with all the projects they are doing at school at the moment, they will be able to create so many different effects.

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Then again, whilst having a play with these this morning, i can see they will be great for someone like me who has limited edge punches and tools like Nestabilities. Also, with the various wonderful colours that they come in, what craft room wouldn't be brightened up with a set of these sitting on the table?

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Thanks for looking. :)

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Edit: I know this is probably obvious to you ladies out there, maybe most of you guys too, but i will have to point out something with the scissors. I was a bit miffed because the mini scallop scissors didn't give me a typical bumpy scallop edge, so Maddy pointed out that if i turn the scissors around....you get a different edge!

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So as Sarah C rightly pointed out, i actualy get 36 pairs for my money! :)

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Typical women....always right!!!