Fritillary!

Good Evening Folks, I hope you have had a good day, for some it's been a holiday, so I hope you enjoyed it and had good weather.
Do you remember me saying on my last post that the sun was out and it was really hot, well by lunch time it heavens opened, couldn't believe it. I watched a huge big black cloud making it's way over the roof tops and thought that I'd better get the washing in, just in time I might add.  Today, it's been much cooler and dull.  One would think that it isn't too much to ask to have at least a week of consistently good weather.

Anyway, thank you so much for your lovely comments on my CCC creations.

Here is my card for today;

Using the gorgeous Fritillary stamp from Chocolate Baroque, I coloured it with SN pens and cut it out with a SB die that I won on Sue Wilson's blog, can't remember the name of it, but I know all you lovely ladies who use these dies will know.  Inked the edges with DI. Background is a lovely Kanban card with rainbow shades that I've had for ages, then on to black card. Finishing off with Lilac Liquid Pearls.

As I don't really make cards for people since I stopped work, I need to look for reasons to make them now, but I was aware that I never have cards for myself when I need to say Thank You , Get Well and the like, so I've made a few of notelet  size cards for that sort of occasion, and this is one of them.

I also want to enter it into:http://chocolatebaroquechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/challenge-twenty-three.html

CB always put together wonderful colour swatches and this one I think is beautiful.

A wee update on our swan family, happy to say all eight cygnets are alive and well and we also have a new family of Eider Ducks with six ducklings, hope to get som photos soon.

That is me for tonight, a bit of knitting before bed I think, take care everyone and see you soon,

A Christmas Carol for CCC!

Good Morning Everyone, I hope all is well with you and that you have the marvellous sunshine that we have up here in Inverness.  It's boiling, I sat outside to have a coffee and had to come back indoors, even Teallach who loves lying in the sun has sought out cooler corners.

Thank you all so much for the lovely comments about my Oldie card.

Time for another Card for the Christmas Card Club and this time the choice was from Rita who wants to see cards made with Christmas Carols in mind. I've made two, here is my first one;

Well of course the carol is in the sentiment which is one of Sue Wilson's, and amazing I got it to cut, I think the embossing folder is from SB. I made this one last year, hope I've not shown it, I don't think so, very simple one really.

Now for my second card I've taken a bit of artistic licence so to speak;

Not a Christmas carol, but from a Christmas Carol and one of Dicken's most famous characters, the redeemable Mr. Scrooge.  I think this is a Mo Manning image, had it for ages and made a card for Alistair with this a few years ago. Coloured with Derwent Colour pencils, and used paper from an old Making Cards magazine, which went perfectly with my colours.
I had this card in mind for friends who don't celebrate Christmas as such and I always look for a humorous one for them, I think this will fit the bill.

I've been taking my photos with my new tablet and I think this is why I have a far away image, must try and fix that one, but If you click to magnify you should see it better.

The other team members are on my sidebar, so do visit them and see the fabulous cards they make, and if you fancy getting ahead with your festive cards, do get in touch and I will point you in the direction of how you can join us.

That's all for me today, enjoy your Sunday whatever you're doing and see you soon,

Woodland Winter for Friday Oldie!

Hello Everyone, Friday once again and it's time to share an Oldie with Erika whom you can find here.
This where we share something handmade from an earlier time in our crafting career. It doesn't have to be a card, it could be ; sewing, painting, knitting, photography, as you know handmade things are endless.  It's just for fun and there are quite a few of us joining in now, why don YOU.

Here is mine;

LOTV image, I do think this is so sweet, well they do cute and sweet really well don't they.

This is just a very short post today, but I wanted to thanks to everyone who left such lovely comments on yesterday's card, very much appreciated.

I hope you are all well and looking forward to the weekend with some nice plans, I'll have a quite one as Alistair and the "boys" are away on a canoe weekend, oh bliss!! I'm going to pop in and see Milo, as I've not been to see him this week as Damian and Moreen are on holiday and can spend time with the wee chap.

Take care and see you soon,

Lilac Birthday !

Good Morning....just, I hope you are all well and that your day is going well.
Thank you for the lovely comments on my last card and box of course, I do appreciate each comment and the time it takes to visit my blog. Let's face it time is so valuable, not to mention precious.

I had a lovely time wit Hazel and Patricia at the Sheena Douglass demo on Tuesday, it's brilliant to see her in action, and she is an absolute hoot with all her anecdotes. Sheena was demonstrating new foil products which will be coming out soon, and they looked amazing.  I'm afraid I didn't take photos to show you, it was all pretty busy and noisy and I found it difficult to hear and concentrate on what Sheena was doing, nevertheless I enjoyed the day.
Boy was it long or was it long!! I spent yesterday recovering and lack of sleep isn't the main concern of a really early start, it also plays havoc with my insulin injections and eating pattern and takes a day or two to get back to normal, whatever normal is.

So on to my card for today;

This is the card I made for Amanda from myself and Alistair.
The background card is pale lilac, not showing up too well, and the card is made using one of the new Papermania emboss and cut folders. You can just make out the pretty lady embossed in the corner, and the little cutout butterflies, which I put silver card behind. The sentiment is Papermania too, a bow, a few gems and blooms and job completed.
Amanda sent a message to say she loved it as she did with the one I made for her mum and dad to give her. 

I'm so disappointed in our weather as it's taken a turn to lower temps, and heating is back on.
The other disappointing thing is that the car failed it's MOT and is at this moment in the car hospital, and I believe the bill will be around £300+, and the tax is due too. Oh joy!!  Still that's life if you want a car and it's only just now that it is costing money, it is 7 years old, mind you it's the labour that costs the most.

That's all from me just now, hoping to get around your lovely blogs as the day goes on.
Take care and see you soon,

 

Excitement and an Elegant Birthday!

Hello Everyone, I hope you've had a great day whatever you've been doing. It's been a lovely warm sunny day here, Alistair was away coast steering today, the first time this year, and had a brilliant time. I got on with bits and pieces around the house and went to get my eyes checked, new glasses needed I'm afraid. I find it difficult to do close up work now, so new specs for that.

I saw this funny little photo and it's just how I feel about tomorrow;

Now I don't have a sister, it's just the little girl's face and obvious excitement that I love, but I am feeling excited as I am travelling down to a demo by Sheena Douglass. I've been invited by Patricia and Hazel, of Summerhouse crafts and Basket of Joy fame.
Sheena is demonstrating at Hazel's local craft store, not sure where that is but I'm up and on the 6:50 am bus to get to Perth where Patricia will pick me up. 
Now Sheena Douglass is one of my stamping heroines, I love her work so I am looking forward to the day.  I have to say thanks to the lovely Jules as she has this photo on her blog page and I pinched a copy!!

I have a card I made for my friend Dale to give to her daughter for a landmark birthday at the weekend  just past, some of you know Amanda of Heffalumps and Flutterbies;

I thought this wonderful Stamping Bella Uptown Girls image was just perfect for a very elegant and beautiful woman. I always thought that Audrey Hepburn was the epitome of elegance I also made a box;

All the papers were from Making Cards Magazine a while back, and I thought they were just the ticket as I was looking for something sort of French.  Word back was that Amanda loved it.

Well that's me for now, off to get organised for my early start, enjoy your evening, oh and thank you for all the lovely comments on my last card, kind as ever,

Iwould like to enter my card in to the following challenge;
http://allsortschallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/week-364-happy-7th-birthday-allsorts.html

Christmas Robins for Friday Oldie!

Good Day to your All, another Friday arrives, where did the week go to!!

I hope you are all well and getting ready for a lovely weekend. We have no plans as such yet, but I'm sure whatever we do will be good.

Had a busy morning houseworking, I'm whacked now, but no need to see Milo today as Damian is working from home, a bit of a break.

Thank you so much for your kind comments on yesterday's card and about our friend, I'm sure he feels the positive thoughts and that is one thing he is, is positive.

So today it's all about sharing an Oldie with Erika and you can find her here .

You can share anything that is handmade, it doesn't have to be a card, and it's just for fun, here is what I've unearthed;

A poor photo, and I can't remember for the life of me what the image is. I know I have quite a few LC robin images, but I don't know if this is one of them, it kinda looks like a recycled image.  Anyway, that's my offering.

Do join in with us, there quite a few of us now and it's always good to see different stles and how you've changed over the time you've been crafting.

Off to link up with Erika, then down to look at the Swan family.
Have a great day and see you soon,

 
 

Stars are Like Friends!

Good Evening Everyone, I hope all is well with you and that you have enjoyed your day, or if not I hope tomorrow will be better. As Scarlett O'Hara said "tomorrow is another day".

Rain, dull, and cold up here, really dreich weather for May, but hey ho it is Scotland after all.

Not much news from me today, had a play and a very unsuccessful walk with the pup as someone with a very noisy petrol mower switched it on and poor Milo freaked out. We were far enough away, but he refused to walk, just sat down and wouldn't budged but whined. So walk abandoned, not point in stressing out the wee guy.

I have a card I made for our friend who has cancer, he has gone through very intensive treatment for five weeks, so it's now wait and see. He was however in hospital last week as his throat was badly burned and he couldn't swallow, so had to be fed by drip.  He has been a guinea pig for these trials, so the oncologist at med team don't really know what to expect by way of side effects. He is a very brave man, and we are all hoping he comes through it all.

An Inkylicious verse, chosen because at the moment he doesn't want any visitors, as he would want to talk, but he can't, so I thought this verse was so appropriate.  Memento Inks applied with Ink Dusters and matted on to black card. Very simple card, the verse is the important part.

Now Pamellia asked for a phot of Milo, I have put one on my side bar, he is 7 weeks old in it, here are two I managed to snap today, not easy as he doesn't stay still for long;

He is fairly getting big and not so easy to lift and hold him now, he is 11 weeks old now and I think he is going to be a big dog.

That's me for now, a little bit of time in my craft room I think before Peaky Blinder starts.

Take care and see you soon,

Poppies For You!

Hello Everyone, I hope you are well and are having a nicer day than we are in Inverness, it's been chucking it down all day, through the night too, I know cos I was awake most of it.  However, it's just weather, things could be much worse when you think of  some of the awful days some people waken up to, especially those hit with war and disasters.

I met up with my friend Karen whom I used to work with and it was lovely to catch up with all her news, I've not seen her since last year, so it was non stop talking.

Damian was working from home so I wasn't needed for Milo, who is getting a big boy now at 11 weeks and going out for walks with his new red leash, he thinks he's quite the thing.

Alistair is away in the hills, can't keep a good Action Man down.

Here is my care for sharing today;

 I wanted just a little wee card,and this image from Little Claire was just perfect, coloured with SN pens, background inked up with Memento inks on Inkylicious Satin Card. SB frame, and a little butterfly gem.

Do you remember the Swan family nesting in the lake at our uni campus, well we have been keeping an eye on them, and here is what we saw the other day;

 Mum and eight babies, they must have been born, or I sould say hatched the day before

 and here is dad joining them.  The Cob has been so protective of the mother swan, always by her side right throughout the nesting time. I hope all the little ones survive, there are loads of nasty seagulls around this area.

That is all from me just now, except to say thank you for all the lovely comments on my last card, you are all very kind and I do appreciate your visits,

Take care of yourselves

 

Just a Note! CB Colour Challenge 22!

Hello Everyone, it's lovely to see you here and I hope you will leave a comment and I can go and visit you.

A big thank you to all my lovely followers who left such kind comments on my last cards for the CCC.  I'm getting a fair pile of Christmas cards now, but of course there will always be one for someone needed at the last minute and having to rush to get it made.

Anyway, it's not a Christmas card today, but a lovely Spring like one for the Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge 22;

And here are the colours to follow;

Fabulous colours and I just saw daffodils when I first saw them.

I used the lovely Daffodil Script from CB and coloured it with the gorgeous Gansai Tambi Starry Colours Watercolour paints, and also colours from the original colour pallet.  My background is the same watercolours swooshed on to Yupo Paper and some orange card. Sentiment from CB McIntosh Sentiments and butterfly flourish from Signature Dies. Finished off with a few gems.

I would like to enter this card into; http://chocolatebaroquechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/challenge-twenty-two.html

Well we didn't have the weather with us yesterday although it started out well in Inverness, but it was really chilly and showery in Ullapool. The boats weren't sailing till today, and I doubt we would have gone anyway as the price was £35 each. Thought that was just too pricey.  So what to do?? So we went for a run further along the coast, that took us up until after lunch time, came back to Ullapool and had wonderful fish and chips siting at the harbour, oh but they were tasty, the seagulls eyed us, but we just ignored them.  It wasn't a wasted day in the end and it meant I didn't have to cook in the evening.  And just to top it all I spied four Red Kites, and a Buzzard, and a huge seal playing in the harbour, then following a fishing boat out.

I'm away behind with commenting, so please forgive me, I will try and catch up.

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

Snowy Trees for the Christmas Card Club!

Hello Everyone, I hope your weekend is going well and you are enjoying it all.
It's time again for our fortnightly share from the Christmas Card Club Ladies, where did the last two weeks go. I almost forgot about getting my card ready as I had been concentrating on this wedding card, but remembered in time in order to make two.  It was our lovely Christine's choice this time around, here is what I came up with;

Now there is bucket loads of Stardust on the trees and the snowy hills but it doesn't show up too well.

I used Die'sire Tree Dies and Inkylicilious Deer stamps and also their Mountains and Valleys stencil. DI for the background

Next card;

Dark blue card embossed with an Embossalicious Folder, Die'sire Village die, lots of Stardust and white pen for snow. The sentiment is from a stamp set free from Creative Stamping the other year.  

I'm going to schedule this post to go live tomorrow, we are hoping that if it's a good day with weather we will go to Ullapool and have a sail.

Our concert today was really good and really quite well attended. That is the Choral on holiday now until mid August, which is good too as it's nice to have a bit of a rest.

The town was so busy today with the Vintage and Classic Car show, lots of tourists and for once the weather held for it. Some fabulous cars on show, and towards the end the cars drove through the town centre with our Pipe Band to help them on their way. I did take some photos, which if they are  any good I will put them up. I did take a video on my phone but no idea how to put that on.

Do have a visit to the other CCC member's blogs, there will be fabulous creations to see, till next time, take care and enjoy the weekend,

 

Friday Oldie!

Hello Everyone, I hope you are well and looking forward to heading into another weekend, don't they come around so quick.
It's Friday so time to share an Oldie with Erika of Snappy Crafts and you can find her here.

This is just for fun and to share a make from an earlier time, it's good to see how our crafting can change over a period of time. There are quite a few of us play along now and it doesn't have to be a card, just something that has been hand made. Here is mine:

I just love this wee guy, well I love snowmen. I think this was a CC image.

The Choral Society have another concert on Saturday in Inverness Old High Church and again it is a lovely programme. Some pieces from our concert just past and a couple of beautiful pieces from Elgar.  I haven't done many of these extra concerts over the years as I've always been working, but I'm so pleased to be able to take part in this one. So if anyone is in Inverness on Saturday, do pop in at noon and you'll be pleasantly entertained.

There is also a Vintage car rally on which is also worth a look, old Inversneckie will certainly be busy on Saturday.

Thanks to everyone who visited and left a comment on my last card, you are all so kind.

That's me for now, take care all

Glorious Spring!

Hello to You All, I hope all is well with you and that you are enjoying the better weather. We have had some lovely sunshine and real warmth.

Thank you all so much for the lovely comments on my previous card and for the kind remarks about my little accident.  I ended up being quite bruised and still sore.

The duty manager phoned and was very apologetic and yes staff are trained and I should have seen a First Aider or the duty manager. He took details over the phone and said they would be recorded with there personal injury department.  He also said that Tesco would like to give me a gift card which would be waiting at the customer service desk for me on my next visit.  I duly picked that up along with a gorgeous big bouquet of flowers, and I have to say that the gift card was a generous amount. I wouldn't want to do that again though, the old bones won't take it.

So my little Action Man is back home having had a great time, although saying he wouldn't likely go back as it's a theme park for climbers, everything all laid out on the cliffs, meaning....not challenges onor excitement. But a beautiful island, weather and food wonderful.  The quietness for me was lovely, as I type this the fiddle is going it's duster and the thumping is surely going to bring the ceiling down.....oh yes he's home.

I have a card I made for a CB challenge for their shop blog and the theme was Spring;

Inked up my background with Memento inks and used the Glorious Spring stamp set. The colours aren't showing up all too well, but they are shades of green and darker colour to make the hills, then shades of blue obviously for the sky. Bird images from Inkylicious. 

I've been very industrious in my craft room making a wedding card requested by a friend for his Granddaughter, and could I get going with it, could I ding. All inspiration flown out the window, anyway finally got it finished, but I've almost got bald patches with tearing my hair out. now just the box to make and a gift bag to decorate.  I've decided to just buy boxes as I didn't want anymore stress and my boxes aren't the best no matter how hard I try. And to think I was going to make two cards and give him a choice, glad I changed my mind on that one.

That's me for tonight, off now to have a look at your creations. Enjoy your evening,

 

Free Climbing Friday Oldie!

Hello Everyone, I hope you are well and enjoying this rather upturn in the weather, at least ours is lovely up here in the North of Scotland.  I hope it lasts.

Thank you all so much for your lovely comments on my previous post, especially about my Action Man.  I want to give a BIG HELLO to Pamellia who is my new Follower, I am delighted that you have found your way over here and decided to Follow.  I know may of you know of Pamellia's blog and her wonderful cards and the beautiful wild life photos she posts, but if you don't it's well worth a look see.

Anyhow with climbing in mind I've looked out an Oldie to join in with Erika at Snappy Crafts Friday Oldie today and you can find her here;

As you see this was a birthday card made for Alistair a few years ago.  I have to say that thankfully he does not free climb any more. I think he did when he was much younger.  Now this is scary stuff, not ropes or others to hold you., just some karabiners and a bag of chalk.

Please have a go at joining in with us, it's just for fun and it's good to see how your crafting has changed over time. There a quite a few of us now who join Erika.

I'm not on Milo watch today as Damian is working from home, and I'm so pleased as I had a crashing fall whilst in Tesco earlier today. I slipped on a strawberry and went down on an elbow and a knee, which are both stinging, so I expect bruises at some point. Don't you feel daft though, at the time I was more concerned with my pride, thankfully a kind lady helped to haul me up, that would have been another fiasco trying to do that.  However, I had to go and find an assistant to clear up in case someone else became a cropper, and it wasn't until I was home that I realised that the young lad didn't ask if I was alright, nor did he indicate that it should have been recorded in the accident book.  So I'm left wondering about their staff training.  So just to make the manager aware that there is a hiatus in staff training, I've phoned them, but the duty manager wasn't available so I'm waiting for him to phone back.  Not that I want the young lad to get into any sort of bother, but good staff training and customer service is one of the things that I think is so important, and the last think I'm thinking of doing is contacting Injury Lawyers 4 you.

Anyway, back to Milo, he is doing so well, and it's a joy to spend time with him. He was fascinated by the tortoises who were all out in the garden yesterday, in their pen.  He has had his first injections so it won't be too long before we can go walkies.

A longer post than intended, so I'm off now to link up with Erika.

Hope you enjoy your day and see you soon,

Quilts and Friends!

Hello Everyone, and I do hope all is well with you.
Thank you to all who visited and left comments on my poinsettias cards, I am so pleased you liked them. I was on a bit of a roll wasn't I.

Yesterday was my lovely friend Dale's birthday and I always try to find something that reflects her hobbies and interests. I'm lucky really as she is the most wonderful sewer/quilter, and the most talented florist, can't go wrong there.  So here is the card I made;

This lovely Woodware stamp jumped into my hand the other week and I thought just perfect for Dale's card. I had actually made a floral one for her, but changed my mind when I saw this.
Coloured with SN pens and the papers are patchwork from a Papermainia pad, it's a teddy bear one, can't remember the name.

I thought I would also show some photos of the my hero on one of his play away days;

Now I photographed photos so they are not the best, I couldn't be phaffed with all the scanning in on the computer.  
I think the first two are on Ben Nevis and the last one is on top of one of the Torridon mountains.

As you know who pop in often to visit, he is away in Greece just now climbing, and having a great time. One of "the boys" posted a photo of him climbing on a cliff in Klymnos, and it frightened the
 bejeesus  out of me, completely sheer cliff face, just amazing what a 70 year old can do with an artificial hip.

I hope I've not bored you too much, I'm off now for a mooch around your blogs,  see you soon,
Take care

Poinsettias for the Christmas Card Club!

Hello to You All,  hoping you are well and enjoying the weekend.  Don't they come around so quickly, May already, scary or what!!

It's time again for our shares from the Christmas Card Club (CCC), fairly getting ahead of the game and not leaving card making until the last minute.   We are a little group of ladies whom every fortnight make and share a Christmas card, and we all get the chance to choose a theme and this time it is the choice of our lovely Mary and she would like to see cards with poinsettias.  Always a favourite choice.

Now, I'm showing off here as I have more than one card, I don't usually do this but I was on a roll, here they are;

This lovely poinsettias image is a Papermania stamp coloured with watercolour paints. I used paper from the beautiful First Edition Silent Night pad, the ribbon is in fact white, but looking a bit grey in the photo. Xcut die and Liquid Pearls and a couple of gems, sentiment is from a wonderful set by the very talented John Lockwood.

Next up;

Same stamp and again watercolours, but embossed first with WOW embossing powder. Little poinsettias stamps from Cardi-O in the corner. Music score background is from a Papermania pad from a couple of years ago. CC sentiment, gold lace to make the bow and some gems.

Are you still with me? and for No 3;

Same stamp, again coloured with watercolour paint, card base cut out with an Xcut oval shape die then embossed with an Embossilicious Swiss Dot Folder and them some little gold gems. CC sentiment in gold ink, but not showing up too well.

And at last my final card;

Papermania Embossing folder, SB Poinsettias die cut from card painted my Imagination Crafts Starlight paints, the leaves are painted with IC Sparkle Medium. IC Noel sentiment stencil with Starlights and Sizzix leaves flourishes. Gold gems.
This last card was inspired by today's Hochanda's demos by Imagination Crafts. I love the Starlights and you can do so much with them.

So there you are, four cards, but like I said I'm showing off, however I did have peace to get on with it all as Alistair is by now in Greece on his climbing holiday.  Teallach is sleeping on Alistair's side of the sofa and loving it and all is calm and quiet, blissful......

Invited to dinner tomorrow by Damian and Moreen, so more Milo cuddles, and I believe steak pie, yummy, and no cooking, what more could one want.

Scheduling this now, so hope it works, then off to finished visiting your blogs.
Enjoy the rest of your evening and see you soon,