Critter or Critters for the Christmas Club Card!

Hello Everyone, and I hope all is well with you, but kind thoughts going out to those who are not so good for a speedy recovery.

Another two weeks have passed and so it's time once again for another card for our friendly Christmas Club Card, and this time around the theme has been chosen by our lovely Maureen and it's Critter or Critters.

lots of scope for this theme me thinks, there are always loads of lovely Christmas Critters around, but here is mine, I'm sure you'll recognise her;

Well of course it's Bluebelle, from Wild Rose Studios, and isn't she just so sweet.
I've coloured her with Prismacolour Pencils, Papermania Pigment Ink, Embossalicious EF, Tattered Lace Bow die, Green Pearls from my stash.
Sorry about the border, it's a little too much, but it was done and dusted before I decided it wasn't quite right, but you can still see the image.

I'm sure there will be lots of lovely cards from the other CCC girls, on Sunday.
I'm Scheduling this as I will be on holiday.
Bye for now,

 

All of a Flutter!

Hello to Everyone, and I hope your day has been better than mine. I'm sure you've all had them, the sort of day when nothing goes  right, keep dropping things, tripping, and feeling like I should call a halt to day and begin again.  My lentil soup, split over the a cushion seat of the sofa and a bit of the carpet, just to put the tin lid on it. I could have wept, and this was because I put the bowl on the arm
of the sofa the whilst I answered the door, and I wish I hadn't. I know, I know stupid place to lay it down, but there you go. I've given it as good a clean as I can at the moment, but you can see that it's staining, of course Teallach was over trying to help by licking it up, so I was attempting to keep him at bay. Then Bloody Blogger was playing up, couldn't get on to it, or any websites. The circle just kept turning, eventually I'm here at last.

Thank you all for the lovely comments on my last card, you are kind and I do appreciate each one.
My offering today is a tag, not something I make really unless for Christmas gifts and this one has come by default as I was trying to do a water colour wash as a background and made a bit of a botch of it, but didn't want to discard it completely, see what you think;

As you can see my card is for Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge, and unfortunately the colours are not too good in my photo, but I have tried to replicated the colours for the challenge.
I've used images for CB All of a Flutter stamp set and coloured with Ink Intense and Prismacolour pencils. DI for the background on Strathmore Watercolour Paper. Star Dust and gems, ribbon and pearls from my box.

Well back to work tomorrow, and I hope we will have some news about our continued existence as there was a big meeting between the Bigwigs on Monday,  I just wonder why it takes so long to decide, both the staff and our clients are fed up with the state of limbo.

Anyway, I'll away and get the dishes washed, my dishwasher is away at his music evening, so take care everyone and this post will be my last live post till I'm back from holiday, I've scheduled my CCC for Sunday.

I would like to enter my cards into;
http://chocolatebaroquechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/challenge-nine.html

In Our Thoughts!

Good Evening all my Crafty Friends and I hope your have been enjoying your Sunday.
Thank you all for your lovely comments on my previous card, and I'd like to welcome Dawn who is my latest follower, I hope you come back often Dawn and like what I do. It's just fab to have new followers and Dawn made me up to 90 Followers which is just great, so thanks to you!

We had something of a dull day with threatened rain, but still managed a walk. We decided to go out and have a breakfast at one of our local garden centres, Howdens, which just happens to have a craft shop, so to work up an appetite we walked there, about three miles, through some farm land and let the wind blow the cobwebs away.  It's quite a nice walk, at least there were horses to see and some lovely black faced sheep, even caught a Red Kite and a Buzzard. We used to have some gorgeous places to walk but the amount of building that's going on is amazing and eating up all the green land, however, I know people need home to live in, but I do wish they would employ architects that have some inspiration and not just fire up houses that look like boxes.
We had a nice breakfast then walked back home, around six miles, my legs were a bit sore, but pleased we went out and it didn't rain.

Well our Solar Eclipse was a damp squib, cloud was pretty heavy, but I did feel it as it got cold, dark and very windy. Alistair had no luck at the observatory either, but he did end up being on the 6 o'clock BBC Scotland  News.  A News Team were there and interviewing somebody important, when the camera swung round and there was my DH, talking very animatedly to someone, without the least idea that he was within the shot. He says he's expecting to be recognised now when out and about, lol!!

Anyway, I have one of those cards that we don't like having to make, I had quite a spate of them a few month ago;

Really just a simple card, with an image from a CD and just added ribbon, pearls and a little bit of sparkle.  I don't like to add too much for sympathy cards.

I've a few days off work, then back for three days then that is me finished for our holiday, this time next week we will be settling ourselves on board the Magellan and sailing up to Norway, or is it over to Norway, my geography was never up to much.

So that is me for tonight folks, enjoy the rest of your evening and see you soon, take care out there,

Elegant Flapper for Friday Oldie!

Hello Everyone,  I hope you are all well and awaiting with bated breath for the Solar Eclipse. Goodness knows whether we will see it here, as according to the weather will be cloudy, so we can only hope.  Alistair is heading off to the observatory but I'm working.  Hopefully you'll be successful in seeing it wherever you are.

Thank you all so much for the lovely comments on my last card, I do read and appreciate everyone of them, and so delighted that you take the time to visit me.

Well it's time for another "Friday Oldie", all started by Erika of Snappy Crafts as a bit of fun to look back at creations from an earlier time in your crafting career. It can be anything handmade. Here is what I've found to show;

From a Debbie Moore CD, name of which I can't remember, WO Roses, Marianne Flourish, gems and gold peel offs.  This is yet another CD I never use now, but maybe I'll unsurface it again, the images are lovely.

Just a short post this time around, not much news, leading a quiet life here,
Bye for now,

 

A Lavender Bag Hello!

Good Morning Everyone, and I hope all is well with you the Monday morning.  After the most beautiful day yesterday, we are a bit dull and it looks like it might rain and, certainly colder. It might have to be drying clothes inside today.

Was Mother's Day a good one for you, I do hope so, but I know it can also be a sad day for those who have lost their mums, I always feel a grab of my heart at this time, where I see so many gifts that she would have liked and I find myself looking and reading the shop bought cards, I didn't make cards when she was here, what a pity as I think she would have loved my cards.
Damian organised my flowers and card before he left for Boston, which really touched me as he had so many things to see to making sure that Moreen had everything she needed, and that their animals had everything they needed.

Thank you all for the lovely comments on yesterday's card, the snow folk are so cute I will be using them lots I think.

I have a little card today made to say hello to a friend that I've been out of touch with;

Image is from Just Inklined, coloured with a mixture of SN and Copics, Xcut die shape, Sizzix Hello die, First Edition paper and purple card. Gems and a little lace butterfly from my box. Wink of Stella on the scoop.
Just a simple little card to say hello and hope all is well.

Alistair is way up a mountain again, I hope his weather is good.  He loves his cowl and said his pal Bill would love one, I said no problem I'd knit him one, oh no says Bill, Sheena, his partner is a knitter and he has refused to wear anything she has knitted for him. Now knowing this lady and I'm sure her knitting skills will be ace, so it will be Bill's loss. I had to chuckle at this.

Anyway, I'm off to pop in to see if Moreen is OK and anything needed done around the home, then a wee practise of my music in preparation for tonight's rehearsal, and if I'm lucky a wee bit of crafting.
Bye for now,

 

Anything Goes at the Christmas Card Club"

Hello Friends and Visitors, I hope you are well and having a good Saturday, well it's nearly over. We are just home after spending the evening with Moreen, we decided to have and Indian Takeaway, so safe any of us cooking and Moreen does love Indian food.
She is feeling a little better, and although still in pain she thinks it has lessened, is that a word?

Thank you all so much for your comments on my last card, and lovely to hear from Pharmacy Michelle, I do wish you had a blog, Michelle,  then I could return the visit, but it's lovely for me that you want to pop in from time to time.

I'm here with a new card for the friendly Christmas Card Club make and this time it's "Anything Goes" and chosen this time around by our lovely Sylvie.

I can't for the life of me remember whose digi image this is, I'm thinking Bugaboo, maybe, it is a pre-coloured image and I just jollied it up with Stickles.
SB Embossing Folder, pearlised card, Ribbon and Gems from my box. Britania Sentiment die.

I'm going to schedule this post for tomorrow and hope that it pops up when it should, so I shall say Good Night and see you soon,

Oldie for Friday~ The Match!

Good Morning my Lovely Crafty Friends, and Anyone who visits me. Welcome to my blog on this lovely fair morning. It looks as if it might be a bright day, if cold.

I hope you are all well and looking forward to the weekend, I hope that the weather will be better for it here, well everywhere really.

Just a short post today in order to play along with Erika of Snappycraft Blog, who began the "Oldie for Friday", showing your crafty makes from an earlier time, it's fun and good to see how we all progress and improve. Here is my offering today;

This was a commissioned card and I used a La Pash image from a set called The Way We Were, at least I think that is what it was called.  I still have them somewhere, never again used, just one of the many C&C buys which I thought at the time was fantastic,but in reality, not everything in the set was usable for me. We live and learn.  Anyway, this particular was just perfect for the occassion as the Dad, love his footy and was a great supporter of our local amature team.

I'm off to work now, Alistair went away early this morning to climb in the Cairngorms and Teallach is sound asleep as he has been on the tiles all night.
Have a super day whatever you get up to and see you soon.

A Roses Gift Bag and a Tweed Cowl!

Hello Crafty Friends and Visitors, and welcome to my wee bit of Blogland. Always great to see you here, and read your lovely comments which I do really appreciate, as they give me encouragement that what I'm doing is fine and it's liked.

Popped in to see Moreen yesterday to take her card and the marathon one, she loved them both.  She had managed to shower herself and get her hair washed, so she is beginning to be able to do wee bits and pieces, her shoulder is still painful though. She is however a very independent lady and didn't want any support, so we sat and had a blether. She thanks you all for the good wishes.

Well I have some amazing news.... not I've not been asked to be on a DT team, neither have I won the lottery, BUT.... only to sing in the forthcoming Russell Watson Concert here in Inverness.

Th Choral Society have been invited to sing with him, what a great opportunity it is to for our own publicity.  The only thing is that we are a choir of 140 souls and only 60 are needed and to be divided as far as possible into the four singing parts. The only fair way was to pull out names, and I was one of the sopranos pulled out along with my choir buddy Fiona.  Now, the downside is that I am working that day and the rehearsal begins in the afternoon and carries on until the performance in the evening, so I am hoping that one of my workmates might stand in for me. I should be a fab concert though.

Now my make today is;

I am so chuffed I managed to make one of these at last.  I just Love Patricia's of http://patricia-summerhousecrafts.blogspot.co.uk/ 
She makes the most wonderful gift boxes and bags.  I'd bought the SB die before Christmas but never got around to using it until now and it was so easy to make with Patricia's tutorial. However, I wish I had seen her post yesterday to help with the roses, mine are not that good, but I'll improve.
I've used First Edition Rose Garden Papers and SB Rose Creations die, a Marianne die for the other leaves.
Liquid Pearls and some Satin Ribbon.
It has a beautiful Skye Candle and Lip Balm in it for a gift for one of my colleagues.

I've also got another cowl to show you this time modeled by my lovely assistant;

 "Am I good looking or what! May be Alistair could be a knitting pattern model, after all Roger Moore was and look how he turned out......perhaps not.

This time I've used a a Tweed Aran by Sublime and in a rustic shade.

Well that's me for today, I must catch up with your creations now, and mabe a little crafting too. I'm back at work tomorrow for three days, but I feel I've had a good rest, and I have the evening to myself as Alistair is going to his music group.
Cheerio for now

Marathon Good Luck!

Good Afternoon Crafty Friends and Visitors and welcome to my little bit of cyber space. I hope everyone is well, and if your not, sending you out kind thoughts and hugs that you will feel better soon.

We went to see Moreen yesterday, and she is still in a bit of pain, mostly from her shoulder which had dislocated and she is all bruised. I was asking her what had crashed in the kitchen, nothing, she was in the kitchen when she heard a noise outside the living room window, and it was when she was going to through to have a nosey that she tripped and fell. Honestly, I wonder what goes on inside Damian's head at times to have told me something different.  Anyway I forgot to take her card over, I was so intent on the magazines and flowers, so I will pop it in tonight,  Their cats are so clingy with her, they know she needs some TLC. Thank you so much for your get well wishes for her.

I have a little card for you today that Moreen asked me to make for her neighbour who is going to run in the London Marathon, just a wee good luck card, here is what I came up with;

I found an image on the web and matted it on to pink card, background is a Papermaina embossing folder with I've slightly inked with DI. Papermania Washi tape and Xcut stare. Peel off Letters and computer sentiment, Liqid Pearls.

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my last card, I do appreciate the time it takes and we are all busy these days. Thank you too to the lovely visitors who have no blog that leave comments.

I'm going to rehersal at Choral tonight, but I don't know how much singing I'll manage as I'm still coughing, it's such an annoying cough too.
So I'll say cheerio and hope to see you soon,

Butterflies and Kitten, Get Well!

Good Afternoon to You, I hope you are all well and having a lovely day and that your weather is fine, we are blustery again but with a little sunshine which was quite warm. 
A quite relaxing day for us, shopping in morning, but that didn't take us long, I hate food shopping, and a wee meal out and the cinema tonight.

My son popped over this earlier to say that Moreen has broken her wrist, she had a fall earlier on in the week when she got out of bed to investigate a crash in the kitchen,, this was in the middle of the night, and poor girl trip on he PJ's and went down with a clatter, breaking her wrist and dislocating her shoulder. Had to have surgery on her wrist and pins put in.  This is me just getting to know about it now, honestly, talking about keeping yourself to  yourself, Damian just says you know what she's like, doesn't want fuss. Anyway, Damian has been working from home to look after, but he is off to Boston on Thursday, so we will help out. Poor lass, she is in quite a bit of pain.  We will pop over to see her tomorrow. 
So I quickly made her a wee card;

As Moreen loves cats, I remembered I had this little topper in my stash, popped it onto an embossed card which I coloured with Derwent Coloursoft pencil, a bit of Wink of Stella on the butterflies, Liquid Pearls, and a butterfly and flower form my box.
I hope it cheers her up.

Off to get ready to go out now, but before I go I just want to say thank you for the lovely comments on the little cardi from yesterday.
Have a lovely evening and see you soon.

 

Friday Oldie! Miss Kitty!

Good Afternoon Friends and Visitors and welcome to my Cuilliesocks Blog. I hope you enjoy what I have here.
Thank you all for the lovely comments on my last post, and I can say that my knitted cowl is so cosy, I might wear it out before I get on holidays.

I hope you are all well and not experiencing the blustery day we have here, even Teallach doesn't want to go out sit is so windy.  The rain is just managing to stay away.

Friday once again and time to show an "oldie", this was stared by Erika of;
http://snappycrafts.blogspot.co.uk/ 
Showing something you've made at an earlier time in your crafting life, it doesn't have to be a card, just something hand made, it's fun and now quite a few of us are joining in, her is mine for this week, and sorry but it is knitting again, haven't had time to look out an old card:

For a friends little Granddaughter and made with Stylcraft yarn and a little Miss Kitty Applique, word back was that she loved it. It will be well grown out of now though as it was knitted a number of years ago.

Well we are heading into another weekend, don't they come around so fast.  I got tickets to go and see the Second Best Marigold Hotel tomorrow night, so we are looking forward to that, we haven't been to see a film for quite a while.
So whatever you are doing have a really good weekend and hope to see you soon, take care

Woolies for Norway!

Good Evening All, gosh it's been cold today, but at least all the snow at our level has been washed away.  Yesterday morning was something else trying to get to work in a snow blizzard. The bus was well and truly late and I was frozen waiting for it. As the bus stop is just at the back of our house I phoned Alistair to see if he could give me a lift into town, no problems he says, I'll be there just as soon as I get changed and as sod is true to his law, the bus comes along. Tried to phone back to let Alistair know, but he must have just left and I felt guilty that I'd disturbed his morning. We were having a meeting at work and didn't want to be late, but I shouldn't have bothered as I still have to understand what it was all about, just a waste of time really.

I don't have a card today but a bit of knitting to show you;

A new pair of socks and a cabled cowl.  The cowl is so cosy, wore it today and kept it on even when indoors, I seem to need something at my neck these days.
The socks I was pleased to get finished as I didn't like the yarn, it is sock yarn and was fairly expensive, but it kept splitting as I was knitting.
Alistair liked my cowl so much that he wants one too, so that is on the pins just now, I do like the colour he has chosen, I dragged him into Hobby Crafts to choose it himself, Autumn colours.
I downloaded the pattern from Love Knitting which was free and it's made in Aran yarn and it's so quick to knit up.  I can see these being Christmas gifts.

Well folks that's me for another evening, I'm missing Wolf Hall, the fabulous Drama that's been on for the last six weeks and there is nothing on TV to take it's place, so I'll just pick up up the pins.
Have a good evening yourselves whatever your doing and I'll see you soon.

The Art of Chess!

Good Afternoon One and All, I hope everyone is well, but sending out hugs and kind thoughts to those of you who are not so well.
I am happy to say that both of us are feeling much better, though I'm still coughing, but I believe it can linger for a while, however I'm off back to work tomorrow and it's a whole day of meetings, no clients, so I can just sit and ruminate.  Our CEO is coming up with various other head folk and they are calling the meeting a "Roadshow", I ask you!  Apparently it is to tell us the future plans of the organisations and to hear our views and to have our say about things not so good. OH Yeh! like there is any notice taking. Gosh I'm so cynical, but fifteen years of experience makes me like this in this organisation.
Anyway, enough of that, Alistair's gout has eased too, and he has been able to get out more.  We didn't get to Skye, weather not good, but we will go another time.  Went out for a walk yesterday and as soon as we got out of the car the snow started but, we carried on and it was a lovely walk, good to get the cobwebs blown away. I've been indoors for most of my time off and I really need the fresh air.

I have a card that was commissioned for a chap's 40th;

Sorry not the best of photos, I've used a brilliant stamp from CB the Art of Chess.
Stamped on to black card with Brilliance ink in White to make a background.
Main image matted on to Silver mirri. Tattered lace numbers and sentiment Dies.
It does actually look better than this in real life, honest. I hope he will like it, he does play chess.

Well I'm off to choral practise tonight, I wonderful if I will manage it or if the cough will take over, I'll give it a go anyway.

Thank you all so much for the lovely comments you leave me and all your good wishes for our recovery, I'm sure all the positive thoughts helped.
Till next time,

Poinsettias for the Christmas Card Club

Hello Everyone, time for another card for the Christmas Card Club. I almost missed it, lost all track to time and days since I've been off work. February having only 28 days has thrown me too, I keep thinking there is still another few days until the end of the month.

Anyway the theme this time around is Poinsettias and chosen by, Duchess Margaret, her is my effort,

This is one of my favourite stamps I've had for a while from Papermania. Coloured with a mixture of SN, Copics and Prismapencils. Festive Berries round the edge and matted on to an embossed card, Diesire Folder Bells.  Stickles in Icicle and liquid Pearls in Opal White. Sentiment from same stamp set.
I wanted to keep it fairly simple letting the focus be the lovely image, I didn't think it needed any bows and whatnots.
I was a lovely challenge Margaret, I enjoyed playing aling so thank you very much for your choice.
They other lovely ladies from the CCC will be along too to show off their lovely creations.
It's a smashing wee club to belong to, they member's choices are always fab, even the challenging ones and of course it means getting ahead of the game with your Christmas cards.

I hope things are well with you all and thank you so much for the lovely comments on my last post,