Tuesday 15 December 2015

Merry Christmas One and All!

Hello Everyone, here I am with my last post for this year, and  hoping you are well today and coping with all the Christmas preparations.
I thought I would be putting up the decorations today, but Alistair has come down with a nasty cold and is keeping to his bed. I've trying to explain to him that there is a difference between the cold and the flu as he can't understand why when he has had the flu injection that he should have a cold, oh I sometimes need the patience of a saint, and I am certainly not one of those. Anyway, I need a bit of help with the deccies, so they will have to wait until he feels a bit better.

Thank you all so much for your kind comments on my previous card.

Damian has just popped in with Moreen's gifts for me to wrap, she's a lucky lady I can tell you, I rather fancy the new dressing gown myself. Thankfully, he has brought the wrapping paper, ribbons and bows, and it's a purple theme this year.

Alistair and I decided to not do the gift thing in a big way this year, well what do we need, and I think we will try to get a holiday deal after the year instead, just a few days in a nice hotel, just to recharge the batteries. We usually find somewhere that's offering a DBB three nights for two sort of thing.


Here is my final card;
Photo is not good, It's an Indigo Blue image and inked in green, not showing well though, and gold WOS. LC Sentiment and a snowflake embossed background.
It's for our neighbour who works in forests so we thought a card with trees would be appropriate for him. The real life one is much better.

For many folks this time of year can be so difficult and sad, Christmas is portrayed as a family time and for many people that is just not the case, and for others it's a time where loved ones are missed, for many reasons, I always think it's good to keep that in mind and count our blessings.

I thought I would  leave you  with our new Christmas decoration that Alistair  made for the garden, 
Isn't he lovely, I tried to photograph him in the dark so that the lights in his antlers lit up, but the camera wasn't playing ball. A local garden centre wanted £55 for one very similar, get on yer bike my hubby said I can make that, and so he did.

Wishing You All a Very Merry Christmas and Health and Happiness in the coming New Year, and one that doesn't go quite so fast as this one has, look after yourselves and I'll see you in 2016




Monday 14 December 2015

Mistletoe for Colour Challenge17 at Chocolate Baroque

Good Afternoon One and All, I hope you are all fine and dandy and keeping calm in the run up to the Big Day.

We had snow overnight, but I don't think it will lie too long but oh what a murky day it's been, I'm just hoping that it doesn't freeze later as I have to go out for choral rehearsal and I'm not confident driving in those sorts of conditions. It's our last reheasrsal for the Carolthon which is this coming Saturday, so I feel I have to go, besides I do enjoy singing the Christmas songs and carols.

Thank to everyone who left comments on my last card, I do enjoy reading them and appreciate the time you all take to visit me.

Here is what I've made for the CB Colour Challenge;

The photo is a wee bit fuzzy so sorry about that;
I've inked up CB December's AYOS stamp and tried to interperate the colours by using WOW Red EP and Wink of Stella Gold, SN pens and paper from Papermainia, Centura Gold Card, Liquid pearls in Opal White.


Well I've managed to get all my cards written except one which I still have to make , but as it is for our neighbour that isn't a problem, it was so good to see them off into the postbox.
I'm going to have a real break from card making after this one and also a break from blogging over the next few weeks, I'm spending way too much time on the computer, so I will be back tomorrow to post my last card, I will be having a quick scroll through your blogs, but won't be commenting, hopfully you'll understand, in fact many of you might be having a break too.

So I will say cheerio for now and catch up tomorrow
I would like to enter my card into;
http://chocolatebaroquechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/challenge-seventeen.html 



Sunday 13 December 2015

Christmas Deer for the CCC!

Hello Crafting Buddies, and how are you all this Saturday, well I hope.

Well, has your week been as hectic as mine?? I just don't know where the time has gone, and I don't know really what I've done.  I' have managed to get almost all of the Christmas cards written, a job I hate, love making them, but not writing or addressing them, but all but a couple are done and posted.

Now I'm here to post the Christmas Card Club's last card of the year and this time the choice was from Zoe and it's Anything Goes, so easy peasy;
Using an Imagination Crafts Stencil and their Glitter Paste, DI and paper from LOTV, I whipped up this little scene. only added a little Liquid Pearls to give the impression of snow felt it didn't need anything else.

I'm going to schedule this post for tomorrow Sunday when the CCC goes live, when the other members will be sharing their cards.  Being a part of the CCC is a great way to keep ahead of Christmas card making, so why not join us next year. All you need to do is click on any of the members blog and get some info.

Off now to do some ironing, while Columbo is on, I just love him.
Thank you all so much for your kind comments on my last card, I will have to try and catch up on your blogs.
Enjoy your weekend whatever your doing, and see you next week, take care everyone




Tuesday 8 December 2015

12 Days of Christmas!

Hello to you all, and I hope you are all safe and well and coping with these dreadful floods that are happening around the UK. Cumbria is in a bad way, and it's just heartbreaking for all those folks who have had their homes ruined, can't even imagine what that would be like.

We had torrential rain on Saturday, so the craft fair was a washout, honestly if you didn't need to go out, well you just wouldn't.  It was such a shame as Dale and Stewart put some real work into all the organisation of it.

Our journey down to Livingston wasn't too bad except for the rain, and it was so dark, it felt as if we were travelling through the night, however, for me it was a chance to spend some time with Dale and Amanda.  We had a super few days, and laughed our way through it.

Thanks to everyone who commented on my last card, you are all very kind.  I've been trying to catch up with commenting and I think I've managed to get around most of your blogs, but forgive if I've missed you out.

Here is my card for today;
I've used a wonderful stamp set created by John Lockwood of Creative Expressions, and I've stamped with Versamark and heat embossed with WOW EP.  The sentiment is also by John.  It took me ages to do the embossing as sometimes my embossing just didn't look right, but I eventually got there. 

Sorry that the photo isn't too good, I think I was trying to take it in too much of a hurry.

That's me for now, enjoy your evening and see you soon,

Wednesday 2 December 2015

Fun with the Snowman!

Hello Everyone, I hope you are all well and surviving some of this dreadful weather that's been going around.

I've been very busy over the last few days getting cards made for yet another craft fair organised by my friend Dale down in Livingstone.  I hope that the Forth Road Bridge is fixed by then, it's been under repair yesterday and today and traffic is having to find alternative routes, but as we are not away until Friday I'm hopeful that it will be alright.  Unfortunately we couldn't get booked on a bus, so we have to drive and Alistair now hates long journeys.

Here is one of the cards I've made for the fair;
I realised that I didn't have many Children's Christmas cards, so I've made a few with the wonderful LOTV images, I do love them especially the Christmas ones. To save time I used a pre coloured image and added lots of sparkle.

Off to bed now, it's been a long day, keep well everyone and be back next week to see you,
 

Sunday 29 November 2015

Holly and Ivy for The Christmas Card Club!

Hello Everyone and I hope you are all well and enjoying your weekend. I hope you weather is better than ours, gosh it's rained well today.

Time once again for the ladies of the Christmas Card Club to share their cards and this time it cards showing Holly and Ivy.  Now I'm not sure whose choice this was, can't find a name on the list, but anyway here is mine;
This is a very Hunkydorry Topper with Holly and Ivy around the door and on the wreath.
The background card and sentiment are also from Hunkydory.
I've added some Holly Leaves cut with a Di'Sire die and I used green sparkly felt, doesn't show though and put a little robin on a tree branch, also from Di'sire. A little glitter and a couple of gems and that's that. A very traditional image and colours.

I'm going to schedule this post for tomorrow when the CCC goes live. 

Do have a look at what the other club members do, there is always beautiful cards from them.

So just before I go, I want to thank everyone who visited and left a comment, I love to get them and always enjoy reading them.

Enjoy what remains of your weekend, and see you soon,
 










Friday 27 November 2015

Another Friday Oldie!

Hello to You All, I hope all is well and good with you today.
Can hardly believe it is once again Friday, and it's  dull and wet one here, a bit of a Black Friday weather wise.  And speaking of which, did you know that the origins of this particular day goes back to the slave trade where the slaves were sold at discount prices, so in my opinion, it makes it a very "Black" day indeed. anyway, off my moral soapbox now and on to my Oldie card, thought I didn't have one looked out but had one left;
I remember that this was a commissioned card and it's all Hunkydory, it was for a Diamond Anniversary.

Friday Oldie was started by Erika of Snappy Crafts and you can find her blog here.
Erika would like you to share anything that you've handmade at an earlier stage in your crafting career, it could be card making, knitting, sewing, etc.  It's good to see how your crafting has changed or developed over the time and it's just for fun, so why not join in and share your makes.

I want to thank everyone who left a comment on my knitted projects, I very much appreciated your kind comments.  

That's me for now, I'm still trying to catch up with housework, especially the washing, with having the kitchen out of commission, and of course now it's raining, we are like a wash house here.

Have a good day and I will be back at the weekend with my card for the CCC, take care everyone,


Tuesday 24 November 2015

Colour Work of a Different Sort!

Good Evening Everyone, and finally getting some time to get into Blogland.
I hope you are all well, and coping with the fast approaching Winter, it's really woollie warmer weather now.

Well, it's been a hectic few days here, what with getting our kitchen done and the concert, I'm tuckered out, but thankfully getting back to normal, whatever that may be, now.  Our new cooker is being delivered tomorrow and I'm excited about that, not that I'm planning wonderful meals, I try to limit my cooking these days, but I just hated the old cooker which was in the house when we move here. The grill was in the oven and that was just pants.

Then there was the concert, which was brilliant, and well received, so a lot of hard work paid off, but thankfully, we won't be doing that piece again for a while. Gearing up now for our Carolthon in December and this time around the charity we are collecting for is the Children's Hospice, so I hope we do well for that. The Carolthon is a big sing throughout the day on Saturday 19th, and it's all Christmas Carols, easy peasy after the African Sanctus. So for all you Inverness folks, if you can come along to the Eastgate centre and you will here us sing. Of course if you want to come through, come across, or come up, you would be more than welcome.

Now for my colour work;
A pair of cosy socks for a friend, who now has them and getting some wear, with a few rows of colour work, my first time ever giving this a try and I have to say after having taken the cuff back about nine times I finally got the hang of it, I was knitting the selvage stitches into the pattern, silly me. So having been successful with these, I decided on this;
 
 Arne & Carlos Bauble
A free kit in a knitting magazine, made in the round, isn't it pretty, and so easy, I hope to make some more of them. The most difficult bit was stuffing it, and I can see I've not got it completely spherical.
I love these little projects, Alistair hinted about a Fair Isle jumper, fell on deaf ears though.

Thank you so much for all your lovely comments on my last card, very kind of you to take the time to visit me.

Time to put my feet up now, hope you're doing the same,


Friday 20 November 2015

Little ClaireTrailing Birdhouse for Friday Oldie

Hello Everyone, and hope all is going well with you today, me......well I'm running around like a headless chicken, just taking a bit of time to do this post, because there is so much to do in preparation for tomorrows concert, and if that wasn't enough, we are having a new worktop and cupboard doors  put in to the kitchen. The young chap along the road is doing it and, and he has to work in along with his wife's shifts as they three little ones, and of course it's sods law that it's happening the same day as the concert.  How on earth did I manage when I was working, this is something I constantly ask myself.

Anyway enough of that as I'm here with my Friday Oldie, all started by Erika of Snappy Crafts and you can find her blog here, to show a handcrafted make that you had made at an earlier time in your crafting journey, it's just for fun and it can be anything not just cards, some folk have put on the most beautiful knitting, embroidery, it's just whatever;
I was asked to make a Mother's Day card for a friend and I used LC images, can't really remember what else is in the recipe, but I would think that it's coloured with Promarkers.  LC have the most beautiful images.
So that is all from me today, I hope I will be able to get around some of the blogs, but forgive if you don't see a comment from me this weekend.
Oh, and before I forget, thanks for all your lovely comments, have a lovely weekend yourselves, whatever you're doing,


Tuesday 17 November 2015

Little Boxes All Made Out of Ticky Tacky!

Well here I am again, so Good Evening to You All, I hope you are well and getting ready for Barney....Barney I ask you, wonder who thought up that we now give our storms/gales a name?
Anyway I think we might miss it up here.

I have to report good behaviour last night at the rehearsal, that could be because Gordon concentrated on the Sanctus and there was no time to rehearse the other piece, just have to wing it.

I met a former colleague today and learnt that one of my former clients whom I was very fond of has died. She was only in very early 30s, but had such a crap child hood with sexual abuse that it manifested itself with her self harming, really badly that she had septicaemia. However, it's not known if it's the infection or cutting that has caused her death.  We as a team know she wouldn't make old bones, but I have to say I was shocked to my foundations when told.  She was a lovely young woman, had a degree in Law, but was too damaged to function at top level. She would come to my craft group, and she was amazing at cross stitch. I just feel so sad that she had no life to speak of, poor lass.


I had a day to myself whilst hubby took to the hills, he was beginning to have cabin fever, so I was having a play at boxes again;

I saw this tall box design on Christine Griffith's blog the other day and and thought it was just so lovely, at least hers was. She used a SW striplet die, and so I thought I would use the only one I had which is a floral one, a very pretty one, but could I get it to cut....could I ding, and believe me I tried every which way.  So, thinking that this crafting lark is about fun, I thought I'd make a cuppa and have a think about it. With a coffee and a digestive biscuit slathered in butter and Teallach beside me having some of his Dreamies, I pondered on this dilemma about me and these dies that will not cut for me.  Then, it was like a light bulb moment, I suddenly knew what to do....BIN THE BUGGER!!, no more stress, so I ended up using an Xcut die and it cut through the card like butter.
Added Hunkydorry snowy acetate and decorated with MB snowflake border and Di'Sire Bell die which I coloured with WOS.  Wrapped up some tea lights and put them in the box.

Little box is made with an Xcut box die which was half price at one of my local craft shops, and very easy to put together, I decorated with a Sara Davis Snowflake die. Not sure what I'll put in it, maybe chocolates.

Thank you all for your lovely comments on yesterday's card, I always look forward to reading them.

Well that's the footy on, have to find something on iPlayer to watch, have a lovely evening whatever your doing and see you soon,
PS.... I didn't really bin it, I'll give it to a good home.



 

Monday 16 November 2015

Tea Light Candle Card!

Hello Everyone, hope you are well and not getting drenched and blown away, weather here is just pants.
I have to go out later as it's my Choral rehearsal and the last one before our concert on Saturday, I can hardly believe it's suddenly here. I think that this time around there are very few of us feeling confident about one of the pieces, Missa Criolla, which is sung in South American Latin and I for one can't get my tongue around the words, and the music score is so difficult to read I loose the plot at times. To make matters worse not everyone has the same music book, there are two editions and both folk on either side of me has a different one to mine.
My buddy Fiona, all but collapsed in laughter last week when we both lost the place, flicking back and forwards to find the right bit, but of course everyone else signing on and leaving us behind, but then cam a bit of La La' ing that we could join back in, so we gave that laldy, only to realise afterwards that it wasn't so much of a La La, but a Lar La Lar..... we had left our rs out.  Mind you I've always had trouble with my rs....lol. Of course by this time we are almost helpless, which infected those close by and I'm afraid that we got stern looks from Gordon our conductor, that made us worse. Note to self, DO NOT LOOK AT FIONA!!, when plot is lost.
I'm sure it will be all right on the night.

Now just to say thank you so much for all the lovely comments on my last card, and to give a warm welcome to Amanda for hitting my Follow button, think she is getting the hang of it now.

Here is my latest efforts;
I wanted to have a go at one of these cards for ages, so found a tutorial on Christine Griffiths blog, obviously it's not perfect, you know me and measuring, but it's not too bad I made a box as it wouldn't go into an envelope,
And this is the inside, sorry a bit blurred.
Papermania Paper, Centura Gold Card, XCut nesting dies, Di'sire sentiment die, WO Poinsettia,
SB and CC Poinsettias dies, XCut sentiment on box, a bit of ribbon for the bow Oh yes.. Aldi for the tea lights, Apple and Cinnamon.

Have a lovely evening and be round to see you soon,



Sunday 15 November 2015

Feature a Post Box for the Christmas Card Club!

Hello to You All, and I hope your weekend is going well, whatever you are doing.

Thank you so much for commenting on my Oldie card, you are so kind and thank you too for visiting Amanda's new blog, she is beside herself with excitement at it all. She will be hooked in no time.

Anyway, I will be scheduling this post for tomorrow when the Christmas Club goes live. This time around the choice is made by our lovely Mrs. A and it's to feature a Post Box, so here is mine;
All Hunkydory from a couple of years ago and I've decoupaged the lovely image, I have to say I love the blue plaid card in the background, but it's all gone now.

That's me for now, time to sit with my feet up and my knitting, I'm going to have a go at a Christmas Bauble in Fair isle. Another thing on my bucket list is to be able to knit with colours, but it's the concentration. Alistair has hinted he would like a jumper....aye right!!

Hope you've got your feet up and enjoying your evening, take care of yourselves and see you soon,


Friday 13 November 2015

A Robin for Friday Oldie!

Hello from a dim and dismal Inverness, I hope it's a bit brighter where you are.  We had sleet this morning and I wouldn't be surprised if there was snow in the hills.

Anyway, I'm here a bit later than I'd planned with my Friday Oldie,
A very traditional Christmas card, I think it might be a Docraft's topper, but can't remember.

Why not play along with the few of us who share one of our older projects, it doesn't have to be a card, just Handmade.  Friday Oldie was started by Erika from SnappyCrafts and you can find her here as a bit of fun to show how our crafting has changed/developed over time, as I say it's just for fun.

Now just before I finish up here, I'd love you to check out my friend Amanda's new blog, those of you who regularly follow me will know she is my friend Dale's lovely daughter and she has recently started to make the most wonderful frames, some of which I've shown on here.  I suggested she should show here beautiful creations on a blog and she has now managed to start one up, here it is
http://flutterbiesandheffalumps.blogspot.co.uk/
She is very artistic and I would love if you have time to pop into see her and maybe give the Follow Button a click, he only has me at the moment.

Thank you all so much for all your lovely comments on my last card, very much appreciated that you all take the time to visit.

You all take care of yourselves and I'll be back......soon,

Wednesday 11 November 2015

Black and Silver!

Hello Everyone, hoping today sees you all well, but if not then sending out kind thoughts that you will feel better soon.

Thank you all so much for the lovely comments on my last card, I know it takes time and I do appreciate your visit to my wee bit of Blogland and your comments.

I was at my multi-cultural ladies group today and doing more sewing, this time it's tweed handbag that one of the Jordanian ladies is teaching. This lady is amazing in what she makes and makes it all seem so easy, anyhow I'm enjoying it.

Just a short post today, I've spent far too long on the computer and I think it's given me a headache, not to mention that I wanted to do a bit of crafting and never got around to it.
This is a DoCraft's image inked up in Versafine ink, silver ink around the edges and matted on to black card. The paper is from First Edition, some ribbon and black and crystal gems. Very simple, but I thought quite effective. Alternative colours for Christmas.

Here is a photo of my contribution to the quilt made by our group for one of the ladies who has just had a baby, never thought but should have taken a photo of the completed quilt;
The whole quilt was quite stunning, you'll have to take my word for that I'm afraid. Took me ages to make this little square.

Alistair is out at his music group tonight so I've got control of the TV zapper.
Enjoy your own evening and see you soon,



Monday 9 November 2015

Mushrooms and Leaves!

Good Morning....just. Hoping everyone is well and your weather is better than ours. What a day yesterday was with high winds and rain, and through the night it wasn't much better, didn't help with the sleep, so this morning I'm just a tad shattered and feel as if I've gone 10 rounds in a boxing ring.  However, just because I can, I'm having a slow day with the dressing gown on, and will get myself together later as it's Choral practise tonight. Mind you, I have a bit of an achey throat which I hope is not going to develop into anything so near the concert. I was so annoyed with myself as I couldn't sing in the last concert in May nor at the Russel Watson concert, so I'm determined to make this one even if I just have to mime, so long as I can stand of course.

Anyway, here I am with today's offering, which is make using Chocolate Baroque,s latest AYOS stamp, what do you think??
The Mushroom image has been heat embossed with WOW powders in Gold and coloured with DI.
Background is coloured with DI and stamped with the leaves from the Autumn Edges set of stamps from CB, Sentiment from CB McIntosh words set.

That's me for now, just before I go though just to say thank you for all the lovely comments on Alistair's birthday card, you are so kind.
See you soon, keep well,
I would like to enter my card into;
http://movingalongwiththetimes.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/7-leaves-and-or-trees.html

Saturday 7 November 2015

Happy Birthday Husband!

Hello Blogging Buddies, I hope you are all well and having a good weekend. I've been reading that quite a few of you have been to the NEC in Birmingham, but commenting on your mixed reactions to it. Shame when organisers are so greedy.

Thank you for your kind wishes for our Anniversary and hubby's birthday you are all so kind.
We have had a lovely couple of days, our meal was delicious, I was very careful with what I ate, I always suffer, especially when I eat later in the evening, but the Birthday Boy fairly tucked in. We rounded off the celebrations last night by going to a concert by the Mahler Players, totally brilliant concert with Mahler's Symphony No. 5 being the main piece in the programme. Wonderful piece of music and so well performed. Mahler is Alistair's favourite composer so it was really lucky that this concert was on at this time.  So I've got his birthday card to share;
I thought the images were just the sort of his card, I used a DoCraft globe image which has been heat embossed with WOW gold powder, Chocolate Baroque Cogs stamp and Kanban heels and cogs card, some twine and a little clock charm.

Well it's almost time for the Scandi Noir drama and as it's all subtitles, I'd better finish off here, cos if you miss any words, you miss what's going on.
So I will say Good Night and hope to see you soon, take care everyone,

 

Wednesday 4 November 2015

Art Deco Anniversary Card"

Hello Everyone, I hope all is well with you and that your weather has not broken as ours has, foggy, drizzly and dark today. Not all that cold, just damp.
However, out we went for a lovely walk and a bit of lunch to celebrated our 20th Wedding Anniversary, always a bit overshadowed by Alistair's birthday tomorrow, so another celebration as he will be 70 years young. Here is the card I made for him;
This is how I like to think of us, in my dreams!!
Here is what we are like for real;
First selfie I've ever taken, don't know if will bother with another one LOL.

For my card I used a DoCraft image and papers from their Art Deco pad, gold card and SN Pens.
Now spookily, Alistair's card to me is an Art Deco couple too.

Our walk took us along Loch Duntelchaig, which is one of the Lochs that give Inverness our beautiful water, the colours of the trees just now are gorgeous, here are photos of both sides of the Loch;



We enjoyed the scenery, but enjoyed even more getting back home and putting the feet up, it really is a day for cosying indoors.

Thank you so much for your lovely comments on yesterdays card, It has arrived at Dale's and she is delighted with it, so it will be given to her sister at the weekend when there is a family co for Rachel's birthday, I'm sure she will like it.
Thanks too for the help regarding making the boxes, I do use my CC box maker, but you still need to measure so that the card fits into it. So Pam your instructions made sense, thank you, I might managed to make them quicker now.

Off  now to have a look at your blogs, see you all soon and take care,

Tuesday 3 November 2015

70th for Rachel!

Good Evening to You All and I hope you are well.
Another gorgeous day here in Inverness, we are most certainly having a much better Autumn than we did Summer.

I didn't expect to be posting anything today, but my friend Dale got in touch last night with a  request for a 70th birthday card for her sister and needs it by Friday, no pressure there then I thought, but a challenge is a challenge, so I'm showing it here so that Dale can see it.  I spend most of the day making it and a box so that I could get it off in the post, so she will get it in plenty of time.
I had a trawl through Pinterest for some inspiration, and found two cards which I combined, here is the outcome;
I've used a Honey Doo stamp which I bought a wee while ago and never inked up, I found a card on Honey Doo Gallery using this image, and the rocker card is made with SB Dies and this shape was the other card I drew inspiration for, but there was no name, only saying it was pinned from Docrafts.
So thanks to the talented crafters for their inspiration.
Coloured with SN Pens and Wink of Stella, Centura Pearl card to make the card base, Tattered Lace birthday die and a peel off Sister, finished off with a few gems.
The box is made from Centura Card and I've added a big bow.
I have to say that the box almost took as long as the card to make, I am just pants at the measuring, so if anybody has a guide of how to measure I would be so grateful for their help. I have a CC box making board, but it's how much to add in order to make the depth, maybe I'm just a bit dense about these things as I could never do arithmetic.
My photography doesn't do the colours justice, but I'm pleased with it ans hope that Dale will be and Rachel who is the birthday girl.

Thank you all so much for your comments on my last card, very kind as usual.

See you soon,