Little Mermaid

Hello Everyone, back again after a lovely Christmas.  I do hope you all had a really lovely time with good company, friends and family, good food and drink and loads of wonderful gifts.
Alistair and I spent Christmas Day with Moreen and Damian and all the pets.  It was a lovely day, really relaxing, and I felt that it was the first day since I began my holiday that I could comfortably collapse.  We enjoyed wonderful food, and I relaxed the careful, diabetic diet with the most delicious Belgian Chocolate Tart.

We gave Alistair an astronomical telescope as his gift and he was so excited by it, hadn't a clue what this huge box contained, it was so much fun watching him opening it and then realising what it was.  However, in order to set it all up, he needs lots of space, so he tells me I'm better out of the way, as I would get annoyed with parts all over the floor.  I guess he's right as we have such a small house.

Sadly I didn't get my cushion cover finished, but hope to while still on holiday.

Thank you one and all for the lovely comments left on my last post, I do appreciate each and every one of them and although I've not been posting I've tried to keep up with those of you who have managed to keep crafting.

I've had a break from making cards too, but manged to finish this one in order to enter it into;http://liliofthevalleythursdaychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/

The theme is "Something New", I decided to use my new LOTV Mermaid stamp.
The papers are Nitwits Promises paper pad, matted on to lilac co-ordinations. The image is stamped on to a Spellbinders Floral Oval die and colours with promarkers metallic markers. Memory Box loopy Rings die, Marianne Creatables flourish die, LOTV sentiment, Hessian, ribbon, pearls and anchor charm from The Ribbon Girl, .flower buds and gems from my box of tricks,  sea shells from Nairn Beach and finally lots of Glamour Dust

My photo is not all that good so apologies for that.  The colour palette is lilac and green but not showing up too well.

Well, folks thats me for now, I don't expect to to be back posting this year so, it just leaves me to wish you all a VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!! and look forward to all your new creations and news in 2013.

Best Wishes,  Kate X

A Very Merry Christmas!!

Good Morning Blogging Friends, I hope you are all well and managing to keep sane in this final run up to the Big Day. 

It's crazy as it comes around every year and yet we all get stressed out by it.  I intend not to, having no car has made me realise that there are things that wont be possible and that's just life.

Anyway, this will be my last post till after Christmas and I just wanted to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas whatever you do and wherever you are and to say thanks for all the wonderful words of encouragement and the fantastic inspiration that you have all given me.  So many wonderful crafty folk who share their ideas and also their kindness.  Here is a little card for you;

And for those of you out there who find Christmas time a bit sad and difficult, for all sorts of reasons, here is a BIG HUG!

Lots of Best Wishes to Everyone   Kate Xxxx

To An Oldie

Good Evening All, and I trust you are all well and have had a good day.
Thank you very much for popping in to read my blog and comment on my cards, I know that everyone is busy just now so I do think you are all marvellous to take the time to do it, and still find time to make cards, boxes, tags in fact all sorts of wonderful creations.

I am on a countdown till my holiday on Friday night and I can't wait to be finished at 9 o'clock.  Friday sees our Christmas Meal for our clients so we are full steam ahead preparing for that.  My self and my colleague Susan are cooking while the others are setting the tables and preparing the room, organising the entertainment, and anything else that needs doing.  We expect around 27 folk.  It's a good day but we are so whacked by the end of it, we can hardly stir ourselves to go home.  Anyway, we will all enjoy having almost 2 weeks off.

I managed a card for you today and it's for my son's birthday in January;

When I saw this LC stamp I immediately thought of using it for Damian's card as he has his own tortoise called Toby who is a little Horseshoe tortoise, and he is also fostering four others over the winter for his friend who has all sorts of wonderful beasties from boa constrictures to bearded dragons.  Nick is the man to whom, the Animal Service,( I've forgotton the name) go to when they have to take exotic animal from people who can't look after them, or, animal which have been brought into the country illegally. Nick is an authority on these kind of animals.
Anyway, the new tortoises are settle in the sun house where they are all cosy, and one of them is 130 years old.  This is such a sad story as he belonged to a very eldery lady who is 93  and now has had to go into a care home and she has not been allowed to keep Tank, yep that's his name.  Tank was brought home by this ladies father when he returned from one of the wars in the late 1800's and has been with the family since this lady was 6 years old, and Tank was a fair old age then.  She has grown up with this wee beastie and she was just in bits when she was told that Tank couldn't stay with her.  But Tank is in a good home, in summer he will go back to Nick and be out in the garden, and both Damian and Nick sneak him in a holdall to visit with his long time friend. Aren't we as a society just cruel at times with our elderly folk!

So, back to my card,  I've sued a LC stamp, sentiment and Promarkers to colour it,Matted on to hunkydory Adorable Scorable card, Background papers are freebies from Making Cards magazine, Hessian from The Ribbon Girl, Xcut dies and buttons from my stash.

So, there we are,  another card made which is thankfully not Christmasy.

I will bid you all good night, and hope to be seeing more of your creations tomorrow.

Kate x

I would like to enter this card into http://ilovepromarkers.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/challenge-148-anything-but-square.html
and, http://www.littleclairesdesigns.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/little-claire-monthly-challenge-28.html 

Knitting You Good Wishes!

Good Morning Blogger Friends, I hope you are all well this morning.  We have fog, but it is clearing up now, how,  I hate it, it's times like these I don't miss the car.

Thank you all for the lovely comments on my last card, I always look forward to reading them.

My last day off before the Christmas holidays and I am going to make the most of it by doing nothing, except going to see the Hobbit this afternoon.  I wish I'd managed to read it once again before going to see the film, it's been decades since I last picked up the book, but no doubt the story will come back to memory.

We're meeting friends for a bite of lunch in the Hospice, they have a lovely cafe and then going to the cinema.
Today is the anniversary of my mum's death and even although it's 8 years ago, the memories flood back as if it was yesterday.

This is my card for today;

What a pants photo sorry about that I'm not sure why it's turned out like this, just took the shot as I always do,

That's marginally better,  This is a Sugar Nellie digi stamp and I've coloured it with a mixture of Promarkers Flex markers, watercolour pencils and Promarkers. Background papers are First Edition Desert Blooms, co-ordination card, LOTV sentiment, WO roses, The Ribbon Girl butterfly charm, Memory Box butterfly, corner and trellis border dies, gems and Aurora sparkle glitter.
I think this is such a pretty little stamp and one that could be used for a number of occasions.

I would also like to enter this card into  http://www.sugarbowlblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/challenge-98-fionas-sketch.html

Well Ladies and Gentlemen is there are any out there reading this post, have a good day whatever your doing, wrap up well and I hope your weather is'nt too bad,

Kate x

It's My Party!

Good Afternoon Everyone, and It's been quite a nice day here, dry and sunny.  Alistair has even managed to go for a cycle.  I hope you are all well and having a good weekend.

Thank you for the great comments on my last card, Alistair loves it, he keeps picking it up and looking at it, but hopes that I've not told everyone that he's like Scrooge, as if!!

Well got the decorations up today, I don't do all that much as no one comes, we go to Damian and Moreen, but I feel we should put up something.  I've made Christmas Pies for Alistairs friends and I'm now about to take the card I made for Moreen to give to Damian over to her.

Gosh it isn't half becoming dark now, it's obviously later than I thought.  Well I have a card today but not a new one,

I made this one donkeys ago and looking at what I do now it's quite spars on embellishments.
I'ts a LOTV stamp and sentiment,(I think it's a great image), and coloured with Promarkers, Papers are Papermania, gems and ribbon from my box.  Base card is Hunkydory.

Enjoy the rest of your day,  Kate x

Bah Humbug!

Good Evening Blogger Friends, I trust you are all well, keeping cosy in this really cold weather.  We had snow in Inverness yesterday and rain today so most of it is gone, thank goodness.  Plenty snow on our hills though which is good for the skiing and giving folk work.

Thank you all for the great  comments on my Charlie Chaplin card, I'm pleased you liked it.

Been having a bit of a rest over the last couple of nights from card making and trying to concentrate on the Aran cushion cover that is intended for Damian and Moreen as part of their Christmas gift, well I've taken it back three times and I'm only at the third row of cable, Alistair just keeps talking to me as I'm knitting and I get put off my count, it's not even all that a difficult pattern. Oh well maybe not this Christmas.

I have at last finished my Christmas cards, and this one is for Alistair, here it is;

He'll have a good laugh at this.  I found this wonderful image of Scrooge by Mo Manning and fell in love with it and thought perfect for hubby. He isn't a Scrooge at all, although he does make noises about the cost of Christmas. I just ignore him. He is however a great Dickens fan so I thought this was just the ticket for him.

It's a Digi stamp and coloured with Promarkers, Background papers are both Papermaina and First Edition Vintage Christmas.  Co-ordination card, gold glitter card, sentiment from PC and gems.

I am so pleased to be finished with Christmas cards and looking forward to trying out some new crafty things, not sure what though.  There is plenty of inspiration fro all your blogs so I'll be spoilt for choice.

Thanks for taking the time to look at my creations, I love to read all your comments.

Well, I'm working tomorrow so I think it's now off to bed with my book.

Good Night All
Kate x
I am entering this card into the  I Love Promarkers blog challenge "one for the Boys"

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Good Morning Everyone,  I hope you all have has a good night's rest and are raring to go this morning.  Gosh it's cold here, grass and roofs are pure white, I thought it was snow,just a heavy frost though.

Thank you for all the lovely comments on the star card, it was something a wee bit different for me.

Today's card is a rather different image for Christmas, but it's for our friend Sean, and he is not a conventional guy, so I hope he likes it;

I have used a MO Manning digi stamp and coloured it with pastels and watercolours. Papermania background papers, co-ordinations card and silver mirri. Black square gems, sentiment is a Charles Dickens quote. 

I have no real idea why I chose this image, I meant it for something else entirely but, somehow I rather like it.

Off to work now, have a good day all
Kate x

Star Card

Hello Blogger Friends, how are you all this evening?  has it been cold where you are today?  Inverness was very cold, I don't think the frost lifted from the grass at all.  I am really glad I invested in some thermal vests as I'd forgotten how cold it can be waiting for buses.  Even with the vest I was pretty cols by the time I got in from work.

Thank you all for the lovely comment about the Snowbuddies card and I am so pleased it made you smile and that you liked the wee story.  They guys played a couple of months ago at Alistair's final Munro party, and there were a couple of young folk in the company and they couldn't  believe what they were hearing or seeing for that matter.  It took many weeks of practise to be that bad, but oh how they entertained us.

So my card today  is for Graham,

This is a DL card embossed with a Spellbinders folder, edged with tumbled glass distressed ink.  The stars are Xcut dies and then folded to give 3D effect, edged again with blue ink, sentiment is from LOTV.
Just a simple card. I sort of struggle to find cards for some of our male friends who are on their own, but I think he will like it.

That's all for now, have a good evening,
Kate x

"It's the Snowbuddies plus One"

Good Afternoon Blogland Friends, and I hope that every one is well today.

I missed posting anything yesterday as I had a busy day wrapping parcels and writing out the card.  I felt I should get cracking with it all whilst I had a long week end.  I realised that I also had to make sure that I'd made enough cards, which I hadn't.  I've only two to do now, one for Alistair and one for our friend Sean.  However, what a sense of achievement to have got all the others posted today, and I even learned how to use the self service machine at the Post Office.

It's a short post today, but before I share my card I just want to say thank you for all the lovely comments made on my last card, I really do love reading them and they keep me going, I love peeking into your creative world too, such inspiration to be had on all your blogs.

There is a story behind this card which always makes me smile.  It's for our friend Dougie and he along with my hubby and Simon(Laurie's dad) get together on Monday evenings to play music, nothing serious, Simon being a Cockney, knows lots of funny little songs, and they are interspersed with old time music hall jokes.  The three of them are hilarious, as they argue about whose turn it is, one of them played a bum note or whatever.  And then there's Ken, who sometimes joins in if they are playing at a party and sings the most awful depressing songs, Leonard Choen is cheery by comparison, but it's so funny.  Anyway thats Ken sneeking in at the back, oh and he does lots of sports and has a hat for each of them, he's a hat man.

So I've used a Debbie Moore "Snowbuddy" CD background paper and sentiment also from CD, co-ordinations card and gold glitter card, Marieanne Musical Notes dies, stickels.
I think Dougie will love it, the groups not meeting just now as Simon's heart is not in it, understandably.

That's me for today, enjoy the rest of your,
Kate x

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Good Evening Everyone
I hope your Saturday has be enjoyable, as for me I had an early start into town in order to go carol singing with the Choral Society.  I don't think my voice was at it's best this morning, but I wasn't alone in there were a few croaks.  Anyhow, I think the main attraction was the gorgeous Guide Dogs which accompanied their folk to collect money, this is our chosen charity this year.  They are just so wonderful dogs and although they were strictly speaking working as they all had on their harnesses, people were allowed to speak to them and pat them.  It will be a week or so before the total amount collected is announced, we usually make between £2000-£3000 at the Carolthon.

Thank you everyone who left lovely comments on my last card and also for the kind wishes about my accident.  Both Alistair and I were remarking on just how tired we are today and have come to the conclusion that it's been all the stress of the week.

Anyway I do have a card for you, it's one that's taken me a few evening to make as there was quite a bit to it.  I'm pretty impressed with it especially as I was using a paste thing for decoration.

I've copied the idea from "Creative Stamping" mag.  I've used the Holly Berry Lovers stamp from "Just Inklined" and coloured it with promarkers.  The figures and holly are cut out and put on with foam pad to give a 3D effect.  Around the bridge image I've used White knorr Prandell Deco-Paste.  Memory Box Snowflack Border die, Little Clair sentiment cut out with Xcut dies.  Pearls on the snowflakes Glamourdust for a bit of sparkle. I also used white pen on the berries.

I have to say I love this stamp and I may get the others in the range, they are all scenes and the card examples in the mag have been created by Jak Heath who is one of their designers.

Well, thats my contribution to Blogland tonight,  enjoy the rest of your evening,

Kate x

Huge Hugs!

Good Evening All, and thank you everyone who left messages on my last post, they are very much appreciated and I look forward to reading them.
I have been following what you all have been making and have just been delighted by all the gorgeous cards and paper projects I've seen.  Tremendous talent out there.

I've not managed to do much crafting or posting this week as it's been quite a difficult few days as I had a car accident on Tuesday whilst driving to work.  A huge TNT truck collided with me on the A9. I've never been involved in an accident before and my brain went into meltdown.  Both myself and the truck driver were unhurt physically, although I have had a sore chest, which may be the result of the seat belt or having twisted myself, but I was so shaken by it all and I've been in shock.  Absolutely horrendous.  There were new road works where a slip road onto the A9 is and I momentarily got confused by all the cones, the two lanes had become on and there was no slip road, and although I stopped, I then pulled out and the next thing I knew this almighty bang and this huge truck sending me across the road.  I have been very lucky, a moment slower and it would have been my door that would have been hit instead of the wing, wheel and the front. The other driver was a really lovely man, who also hadn't been in any accident either, he was pretty shaken too, but he stayed with me until Alistair arrived.

I still seem to be having sort of flashback and I know I'm not emotionally OK, and Alistair keeps saying it's only a car, but as I am totally responsible for it happening it all constantly goes through my mind.  Anyway, the car got towed away, no way was it drivable, but word today that it can be repaired.  Whether I will managed back behind the wheel is another thing altogether.

But life is difficult without the car, getting to and back from work, shopping etc, i didn't realise how dependent I was on it.
However, I have a card for tonight;

I've made this card for Laurie, I've no more news regarding him just now, so I'm hoping he still continues to progress.

I've used a LC stamp, it's this months club stamp, coloured with Promarkers LOTV sentiment, Papermania paper and co-ordination card and gems.
I have no idea why I chose to use this stamp other than the little dachshunds are such cute little dogs and quite plucky wee things.

Well I hope you all have a great weekend whatever your doing.  I'm singing with the Choral tomorrow in the Eastgate shopping centre, it's our Christmas Carolthon where we sing all day and collect money for our chosen charity which is Guide  Dogs for the Blind this year.  I'm in the first group at 10am so I hope I can find my voice.

Night all, Kate x

Forest Friends

Good Morning All and I hope you all had good sleeps, for me it wasn't too bad, at least 5hrs. Oh but it's cold this morning and looking out of the window I can see the ground is covered in frost, thought it was snow at first, but no just a heavy frost.

Thank you to everyone who left such lovely comments about my Boofle card.  Do you know, I can't remember how I made him, I'm no use at these fancy fold cards.

Anyway, today's card is another Christmas card;

Sorry the photo is not good, all the enhancing hasn'te helped.
This is a Sugar Nellie digi stamp coloured with Promarkers, stamped on to an Xcut die shape then glitter card. LOTV christmas paper, WO flowers, Anita ribbon and sentiment, Festive candy and a Ribbon Girl heart shaped gem.  Star dust Stickles.

I am entering this card into; http://www.sugarbowlblog.blogspot.co.uk/
The Theme is "A Winters Tale"

Breakfast now, and then getting hubby down to the dentist before I go to work.

Have a great day whatever your doing, but wrap up well,
Kate x

A Caroling We Will Go

Good Morning Everyone, and what a bright, crisp morning it is.  Very cold though no snow as yet, only on the hills.  Thanks to every one who left comments on my last post and especially for the kind words for Laurie.

This will be a short post today, I'm off to work in a wee while so need to go and make myself presentable.
My card today is a bit different from usual and made yesterday at my local craft shop in Howdens.  there was to be a Docrafts demo but the demonstrator couldn't make it and Docrafts still sent out info so folk turned up.  The manager decided to to a make and take as an apology and here it is;

Way out of my comfort zone here, it was a mathematical challenge, but with Lesley's help it turned out well. I've got it sitting out, won't give it away as I rather like it.
It was made from Boofle Decoupage and other bits from the Boofle range.

Have a good day everyone and remember to wrap up well,
Kate x

Hush Little One Sleep

Hello Everyone, are you all well?  Hoping you are.  It's been a really cold day here in Inverness and it seems as if the temp is still dropping, I've been forced to put the hall heater on, I've been trying to do without, but it's difficult to be economical when your cold.  Goodness knows how some folk are going to manage this year if it's a severe winter with the hike in energy prices.

A thank you to all who visited and left comments on my last blog.

I've a little news about our friend's son's condition.  I can give his name now, it's Laurie and he has had two skin grafts and they seem to be taking, however now there is a fear of infection.  There are some parts of his body, waist and legs that have 4th degree burns.  I had to look that up as I had never heard of that degree,  I wont go into it but it is worse than 3rd as you can imagine. I just can't begin to get my head around what this lad is going through.

The attackers have been in court and have been charged with wreckless behaviour, I just can't remember what else but, it's something that is just nonsense and they won't even get community service.  I't really makes me wonder what sort of society we are living in.  however Laurie is is staying strong and that is the main thing.

I have a card for you today, it's another LOTV stamp;

I think this is such a sweet image and I've coloured it in using pastel pencils, sentiment is one that goes along with the stamp, backgrouns papers are First Editions Desert Blooms.  Spellbinders die for stamp and Xcut for semtiment.  WO flowers, The Ribbon Girl ribbon and Papermania gems. I've used pastel shades throughout.
I am entering this card into http://liliofthevalleythursdaychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/  
The theme this week is "Pastels".

So that's me for today, almost time to go and fix dinner.  Off out to cimema tonight to see the new Great Expectations film.  Mind you it's too cold to go out, but maybe a brandy would help.

Have a good evening,
Kate x