Sunday 28 June 2015

Get Well Soon!

Good Morning Lovely Blogging and Crafty Friends and of course anyone who happens by.
I hope all is well with you and that you are enjoying your weekend. Still not getting the weather that should be Summer up here in Inverness.

Alistair phoned from Iceland last night to say that the weather has been wonderful and they have all had the best of times, so there will be lots of stories for him to tell.  He should be on his flight back now, but will be staying with his friend Mick in Heysham and coming home by train tomorrow.  I am looking forward to having him back.

This is just a quick post today, I promised myself I would do some housework so I had better crack on, but here is my card;
As you can see it is a Get Well Soon card and it's for my friend Dale who has shingles on her head and it's very painful, so I thought I would get a card together for her.  We are going down to visit her and Stewart in July for the Edinburgh Jazz Festival.
I have used, Time Holtz Sizzix die, with Silver Centura Pearl card behind it, there are 4 in the set and all really useful.  Sheena Douglass poppy stamp and die set, and  Textured EF all from the Summer edition of CC Inspiration Magazine. Die'sire sentiment die, SN Aqua pens, star dust which isn't showing, Hobby House pearls and a tiny Papermania bow.
Dale loves poppies and has all sorts of ornaments, pictures, curtains you name it around the house so she is sure to like this.

Thank you all so much for your lovely comments on my last card, and I'm pleased to have made some of you chuckle at Teallch's photos.

Take care of yourselves and enjoy your Sunday,


Friday 26 June 2015

"Friday Oldie" and a Starving Kitty!

Good Afternoon Everyone, and I hope you are all well and have plans of a terrific weekend.  Let's hope that we all have some good Summer weather. Hasn't it been awful, can hardly believe that we are almost out of June and the weather has been so dark, cold and rainy. However nothing we can do about that, except wear the right clothes as Billy Connolly would say.  We are quite thundery here in Inverness, muggy warmth.

Thank you for your kind comments on yesterdays card and your words if encouragement as I begin my retirement, it's all a bit strange, but at least I remembered not to get up for work, but I has to get up and go for food for Teallach, can you believe he had none in his cupboard, he wasn't amused I can tell you and this has never happened before, so it just goes to show where my head was to forget to stock up in cat food. In fact here was the consequences of that;
Good I've spotted my breakfast!


Where'd he go!
Poor boy has now been well fed and is curled up on his cushion fast asleep.

My "Oldie" for today;
One of my favourite stamps from Papermaina, and I think it's Promarkers I used to colour it. It's a large stamps so makes a super topper.

Why not join Erika of Snappy Crafts showing handmade projects from earlier in your crafting career. It's just a bit of fun and it's god to see how you've progressed, changed style and even all the different crafts that you do.

It's my friend Linda's 60th today so I'm joining her and her mum along with another friend for a meal tonight. She is having a party tomorrow night, but I'm not a party person, so this will be lovely tonight.

That's me for now folks, I must try and get around to see you over the weekend, so take care and see you soon,



Thursday 25 June 2015

Kimono and a Friend!

Hello Crafty Friends and Visitors, thank you for popping in to visit, always delighted to see you here, and if you have a live blog, I will visit you to see what you so.

Thanks to everyone who left comments on my last card, you are all very kind and I do appreciate your time in doing this.

Is everyone well, I do hope so but kind thoughts going out those who are not feeling so good.


Well the day has arrived, after 42 years of working life I am now done with it all. YIPPEE!!!!
 Mixed emotions though, no farewell party, some of my colleagues not there to say cheerio, that's a bit sad really, but hey ho that's life.  It has been a roller coaster of emotions for all of us over the last two weeks, all of us in our different ways have found it difficult to finish and strangely enough, how to be with one another.  I've felt quite annoyed, ney angry that our managers and the CE have concentrated on the clients, and rightly so as we have, but not one of them had been interested in the emotional well being of the staff.  Won't go into it here, but I felt I had to say how disappointed I was at this especially from a personal point of view as over the last couple of weeks I've been physically unwell, because of being out of routine at work so therefore my diabetes has suffered, the area manager was quite taken aback at me, but honestly, you get to a point....know what I mean.  All of us feel we have been treated quite shabby. So he want's to take us all out for a meal.  I declined,  but I think some of the others are going.

So now begins the next phase of my life, I wonder  what it holds?

I have a card;
I treated myself to this lovely CD from CC, Kimono, and all of this is made from the Card Companions, with Centura Pearl embossed with a Kimono EF, Signature Fan Die, Dazzler, Velevt ribbon from Papermania, a bit of glitter, and all put on to a stepper card, and if I say so myself I think it's quite lovely.   I would recommend this CD it is really lovely.

It was my friend Jackies funeral yesterday and what a beautiful celebration of her life it was. Many assistants from years gone by came from far and near for it, and it was lovely to see some of them who lived with me and Jackie, she would have just been delighted with it all.  I thought I would show you a couple photos of us taken many years ago, I think this was around 1991;

I have so many wonderful memories of her, some too that were not so wonderful, but she taught me so much and gave loads of love, it's like a little candle has blown out, but many lives are the richer from having known her.

Well, that's me for today, I hope I can find an "Oldie" for tomorrow, and I hope I remember not to get up for work either, LOL!!

Take care everyone and happy crafting,



Monday 22 June 2015

Garden Lace Scene!

Good Afternoon Friends and Visitors and welcome to my wee bit of Blogland, I hope you enjoy your visit and pop in often.

Thank you all so much for the lovely encouraging comments on my CCC card, you are all very kind.

I got a call from my dear hubby last night to say they they had arrived in Reykjavik ans the weather was glorious, most unexpected as they had been following the weather for the last couple of weeks and there had been snow. Anyway, they can't get to do the walk planned as there is quite a bit of flooding, so if I understood rightly, that means the volcano, oh dear!.Walkers are very good at adapting to plan B though, so all will be well.

My card today is for The Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge;

As you can see the colours are fabulous but, I struggled a bit to come up with the right shades, you think you must have every colour under the sun, but wasn't the case here, so I hope they will do.
Anyway, I've used a wonderful Garden Lace Scene CB stamp , and the sentiment is from CB Macintosh Sentiments Set.
Coloured with SN Pens. The background papers is also from CB, it was a free download from Lesley, again the colours reflect the challenge, red card, Papermania Lace, Pearls from my box and Gold Glamour Dust.  I'm quite pleased with the result.

It's a dismal day here and really quite cool, Teallach is snuggled up on his cushion, I'm snuggled up in a fleece, more than half way through June and still no sign of Summer.  I hope it is better where you are.

Keep well everyone and see you soon,
I would like to enter my card into;
http://chocolatebaroquechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/


Sunday 21 June 2015

Pink and White for Christmas Card Club!

Hello One and All and I hope it's a good weekend for you and that you are feeling tip top. Here is a hug though if your not.

Thank you all for the lovely comments on my "Oldie" card, it's fun to look back at what you've done.

My card today is for the Christmas Card Club and the theme was chosen by our Karen which is pink and white, with accents of black, gold and silver.  Well i have to say I struggled a bit with this one as I'm not a pink girl really, however here is what I came up with;
I'm sure I've seen pink poinsettias so I thought I would use my SB dies cutting Centura Pearl card in pale pink and white. Gold for the leaves and I guess the silver is in the glitter.  The swirl is from a Sizzix die set, Embossialicilous Embossing Folder, Bazzil pink card a bit of black card and some Gold Liquid Pearls.  Not a bad effort in the end.  So thank you Karen for the challenge.

Well, it's just me and Teallach for the week and Alistair is away on a walking holiday with some chums to Iceland, the country that is not the shop.  I'm poor, sick jealous as I would loved to have gone back, but it is a boys holiday and they will be camping, not my idea of fun.  They are hoping to walk around the big volcano that erupted a couple of years back and is set to go any time again, so I made sure I knew where all his money is, lol.  I am sure they will have a fab time. When we went to pick his friend Bill up this morning, his partner Sheela said Bill hadn't slept all nigh he was so excited. Alistair too, he was up before dawn, packing, unpacking , repacking, this had all be done yesterday too.  Anyway I got them off safely to the train to Morcombe where they are meeting up with the rest of the "boys" and then flying out tomorrow.  Oh bliss!!!

I've only 18 hours to do next week and that is me finished with my job, we will all be so pleased as the closing down has been a shambles, and no thought to how the staff were having to cope with clearing out the building, anyway nearly all over. Managers!!!

I'll love you and leave you, and hope to get around to see what you've been doing, Blogger is acting up again not letting me on to some of your pages, but I keep trying.

Enjoy your weekend,


Friday 19 June 2015

Walk in the Snow," Friday Oldie"!

Hello Everyone, back again with my Friday Oldie, I don't know where the week has gone.  I hope everyone is tip top, but if not I hope you will be feeling better soon.
Well I'm back in my woolie socks, I can't bear my feet being cold and yesterday at work having no socks on they were like blocks of ice.  Where is our summer!!!

Anyway, Joining Erika of Snappy Crafts in showing my Oldie;
This was a card I made for Damian and Moreen a few Christmases ago, from Hunkydory, the acetate made it difficult to photo I'm afraid. Yes I've definitely improved looking at this. This is what is great about sharing your older makes is looking at how you've progressed in your crafting, but it's just a bit of fun, so why not join in and share your Oldies, doesn't have to be a card, could be sewing, knitting, just something handmade.  

As I've only been crafting for a few years I'm running out of cards, especially as I had never thought of photographing them, but hopefully I can keep going for a wee while yet.

Thank you once again for all the kind comments on my my last post, and especially about Jackie, they are very much appreciated.

So, I am going to attempt to schedule this for tomorrow, Friday, Wouldn't do it for me last week, maybe lucky this week, see you soon,



Tuesday 16 June 2015

Dandelion Sprite!

Hello Crafty Friends and anyone who pops in, I hope you are all fit and well and have enjoyed your day.
Thank you all so much for the lovely comments on my last card, and for the kind words regarding my friend Jackie.  Sadly she died today, surrounded by those who loved her, she just slipped away. I managed to spend some time with her yesterday and she was really very weak, so the call came as no surprise.

It's just a short post from me tonight, I'll be off shortly to bed, I snoozed for the best part of two hours on the sofa this evening, just so tired, I was even too tired to get up and go to bed, have you ever been like that?

So here is my card:
I have a little Sprite here from Aurora Wings, it's the Dandelion Sprite and coloured with SN pens. Now through my photo editor I seem to have lost a bit of colour, but her dress is quite yellow in reality and her face has more colour. SB Dies and Embossialicious Embossing Folder, card from my stash, ribbon and bling, topped of with some Glamour Dust.

I would like to enter my card into; http://aurorawingschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/challenge-16-sprite-delight-ii.html

That's me for tonight, see you soon,


Monday 15 June 2015

Glam Shoes and Bag for a 60th!

Hello Fellow Bloggers and Crafters, I hope tonight finds you tip top, but if not I hope you will feel better soon.
Thank you all so much for the super comments on my Oldie and for all the lovely Birthday Wishes. I had a lovely day, our Turkish lunch was wonderful, no one can cook lambs liver like the Turks
.
A friend contacted me through Face book to say that one of the ladies I lived with whilst I lived in the L'Arche Community was very poorly. I came to Inverness in 1990 to join this community to live with people with learning disabilities and Jackie was one of the core members along with another three folk. Jackie has Downs Syndrome and is ages with me. I was her main carer and have always loved her.  The stories I have could fill a book. Anyway thanks to pneumonia which has affected her chest she is very weak and the Community have brought her home and it's just a matter of time, in fact I sat with her today and there has been quite a change since I saw her on Friday. Although she has had a loved and happy life in the community, she has always been in care and has now no family, it's so sad. I'm just so glad I can share some more time with her.

So my card today is for another friend for her 60th;
She is a dressy up party girl, so I used Chloe Shoe and Bag stamp, cut them out and glittered them up with Wow glitter. now doing this wasn't that easy and what a mess, but the effect is quite good.
Embossalicious Patchwork folder, SB Aster flower die, distressed ink then sprayed with CC diamond glitter, Wink of Stella on the bag handle, Blue Liquid Pearls. Number and sentiment from Hobby Crafts, oh and a bit of ribbon.  Blue is her favourite colour, hence my colour theme.

Had my days off and now back to work tomorrow, strange going into the building whilst it's being cleared, but hey ho.

That's me for tonight, feet up and a cuppa, take care everyone and see you soon,


Friday 12 June 2015

By the Light of the Silvery Moon, "Friday Oldie"

Hello All my Crafty Friends, and Visitors of course and welcome to my little bit of cyber space, I hope you will always want to pop in to see what I'm doing.

Well the sun has been shining for two days now and it has been lovely and warm, long may it last.
I've finished my hours at work for this week and what a tiring week it's been, cleaning out cupboards, shredding documents, the amount of junk that's been collected over the past 24 years is amazing, we have another two weeks of this, I'll be glad when it's all finished.

Anyway enough of that, it's time again for a Friday Oldie, all started by Erika of Snappycrafts and you can find her blog here. 
This is a bit of fun where a few of us share a handmade project from an earlier time, doesn't have to be a card, could be knitting, sewing, just as long as it's handmade.
Here is mine for this week;
No idea who this was made for, but it's one of the lovely LOTV images and my guess is that it would have been coloured with Promarkers.  It's such a sweet image, but on looking at it, I think the colouring leaves a lot to be desired.  I hope I've improved somewhat.

I'm scheduling this post, it's only Thursday, as tomorrow I plan to have a lie in with my book, well I don't sleep and I expect much pampering from hubby as it's my birthday. He is taking me out for a lunch at a Turkish restaurant, I love the food there, and just generally have a fabby day.

Before I go I just want to thank you all for the lovely comments on my last post, I do appreciate your encouragement and support for my efforts.

Hopefully you are all well and enjoying the nice weather, remember the sunscreen.
cheerio for now, I'm off for a wander around your blogs,

PS. having troubling scheduling this, so here it is tonight.

Tuesday 9 June 2015

A Beautiful Maiko!

Hello to you All, and  hoping you are well, but here is a BIG HUG, just in case you're not.
Thank you so much for your kind comments on my last card, I do appreciated you popping in and having a look, I hope you all continue to like what I do and keep coming back.

Weather was better today, sunny and quite warm, it's not before time though is it.  Alistair was up in the Cairngorms today where there was quite a bit of snow, he's come back really burned with the sun, silly boy had no sunscreen with him. I always though he kept it in his pack.  I've been on at him for years to protect himself from the sun, but he doesn't listen, thinks that if the sun isn't out he won't get burnt.

I've spent the last couple of weeks colouring in my card share today, it was a bit daunting;
This beautiful image is from Aurora Wings and I believe that she is a Maiko which is an apprentice Geisha. Coloured with SN pens, cut out with a Tonic die, Papermaina Paper from the Oriental pad, Black and yellow/gold card, finishing of with Glamour Dust in Crystal.
I didn't want to add any embellishments as the image I felt didn't need it. I'll add a sentiment when needed.  I'm quite pleased with my colouring and like the colours I've chosen, gosh listen to me....self praise is no praise at all it is said.

Just going to put my feet up tonight and chill with my knitting, enjoy your own evening and I'll see you soon'

Monday 8 June 2015

Honeysuckle Butterfly!

Hello Crafting Friends, Monday and the beginning of another week. I hope you all had a good weekend and had some good weather. Ours wasn't great, heavy showers at times and not all that warm.

On Saturday we closed our doors to our clients after a farewell party.  There were some tears and not just from the clients, even I had a lump in my throat, but we all put up a brave front.  Our CEO, Area Manager and Service Manager were also there and we are, both staff and clients wondering why.  It felt awkward especially as the clients felt they didn't fight hard enough to keep us open and they are quite correct as the organisation didn't want to antagonise NHS Highland in case they withdrew their funding from the other Highland projects, we were the sacrificial lambs.  So, the end of an era, 24 years of something that worked well for Mental Health clients, but.........does anyone really care!
My colleagues and I don't finish up until the end of June, but there is much to do in clearing out the building.

Thank you all so much for your comments on my CCC card, and I'm pleased that it evoked memories for some of you.

Here is my card for today;
Using an image from Chocolate Baroque's Honeysuckle Butterfly stamp set and Mackintosh Sentiments set, I've coloured it up with SN Aqua pens. Embossalicious butterfly folder, SB Frame, give to me by a lovely Blogging Friend so I don't know which one it is, a piece of beaded lace from my box. The sentiment is embossed with WOW EP, Liquid pearls and glitter to finish.

The card has been made for the colour challenge at CB;
Fabulous colours to create with.

I would like to enter my card into: http://chocolatebaroquechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/challenge-eleven.html

That's me for another day, off now to make a cuppa and get the knitting out.
Keep well everyone, and hug to those who are not so well and hoping you feel better soon.
See you soon,




Sunday 7 June 2015

A Christmas Scene for the Christmas Card Club!

Hello Lovely People, here I am with another card for the Christmas Card Club which is a little collection of ladies....so far, who want to get ahead by having some cards ready for Christmas. You know what it's like, the mad rush in the last few weeks trying to get them made and then running out of time and then having to buy them......eek!
So once a fortnight one of us chooses a theme and we all see what we can create. This time around it's my turn to choose and it's I'd love to see your Christmas Scenes. now this can be an indoor scene or an outdoor scene, just whatever you interpret the challenge. Here is mine;
I have to say I love this scene as it takes me back to my childhood, when getting up on Christmas morning, when the fire was roaring the tree lights were on, and a beautiful doll sticking out of my stocking, whom I named Carol.  She had on the most lovely layette my mum had knitted, and I loved her from the minute I saw her.  Ooh, getting all emotional here with the memory.  Goodness knows where my mum found the time to knit the clothes as she worked as well as being a housewife and mum.
Anyway, it's another decoupage card and it's from Papermaina a couple of years ago. I thought the tartan ribbon went well and the candy, lots of glitter which isn't showing up as usual.

Looking forward to what the Club Ladies come up with. 
If you feel like joining us just let me know and I will pass you on to Margaret who organises everything.
See you soon,

Friday 5 June 2015

Scrouge for" Friday's Oldie"!

Hello Everyone, I hope you are all well, but Big Hugs for those who're not, and hope you feel better soon.
Thanks to everyone who has visited and left kind comments on my last post, the little girl will be given it tonight so, I'll hear tomorrow if she liked it.

Well, it's time for another "Oldie" as it's Friday, where did the week go!!!
Oldie for Friday  started by Erika,http://snappycrafts.blogspot.co.uk/  to show our handmade creations from a earlier time. It doesn't have to be cards, just something hand made.  Here is mine for this week,
Now, somewhere along the way I have deleted the photo of the whole card and just left the closeup, so sorry for that.  It's an image by Just Inkedline and I think it's a fab image. I made this for Alistair's Christmas card a couple of years ago.  He isn't really a Scrouge.

Why don't you join us and share your "Oldies", it's just a bit of fun.
See you all soon,

Wednesday 3 June 2015

Lavinia Fairies for Sally!

Hello Everyone, and how are you today?, well I hope and certainly better than us. Thank you for all your good wishes yesterday, we are both a little better, but feeling quite rough. Alistair is out of bed, but still saying he is not great and doesn't feel like eating. As for me, well I have to be OK as I'm back to work tomorrow.  Carol, suggested eating Pro-Biotic yogurt, so I bought some and hoping it does the trick.  Anyway, enough of us, it will pass.

Another showery and cold day here, at least I felt cold, I don't think we will be saving on heating much this year, I've usually got it turned off by now.

Thank you so much too for all the lovely comments on yesterday's card, I always forget I've got the LOTV Art Pads, and they should be used more often. The problem of course is that I've too much stuff, but again don't we all.

So here is my offering for today;

I bought a set of butterflies from the MDF Man last year whilst at the Birmingham Craft Fair and only now getting around to doing something with them.
I decided to paint one of them and stamp some Lavinia Stamps. On one side I've used Lavinia Scenescape paper then stamped on the fairy image and added a bit of bling. I've painted the other side with silver Pebeo Acrylic paint and them stamped the fairies and toadstools and added WOW Glitter.

This is for one of my colleagues little girl as she loves fairies. Hope she likes it.

I'm going to enter it into;http://laviniastamps.com/blog/lavinia-stamps-challenge-6/
Use any Colour.

Off now for another dollop of yogurts, have a good evening whatever you're doing and see you soon,



Tuesday 2 June 2015

Sorry you're feeling rubbish!

Hello to all my Friends and Visitors and welcome to my wee space of Blogland. I do love that you visit and comment and appreciate your very valuable time.

Well can you believe it's June and no sign of Summer, in fact there wasn't all that much Spring. It's dull and cold here, and I've got one eye on the window as I type this so that I can rush out and get the washing in if the rain comes on.

Both Alistair and I have been hit by another bug, much like the one at the end of our holiday, we seem to have delicate digestive systems. I was in bed all day Saturday and now it's Alistair's turn. It really annoys me as it's such a waste of a day, hopefully, we'll get over it soon.

I have a card made for a friend who has not been tip top recently;
Now what would we do without LOTV Art Pads when we need a quick card, Embossalicious EB folder, SB Dies and LC sentiment.

Fortunately, my friend is on the mend.

Thank you all for the kind comments on my last card. I hope you are all keeping well, but sending kind thoughts out to those who are not feeling well.

It's quite a sad day for us in the Highlands and Charles Kennedy has died today, for those who don't know he has been the MP for Skye and Locharbor for many years and I believe one of the few politicians who had integrity and cared about his constituents. He will be sadly missed.

So that's me for today, happy crafting and see you soon,