Sunday 24 December 2017

The Night Before Christmas!

Hello to You all, I hope you are well and ready for tomorrow. 

I'm all prepared, and too bad if there is something forgotten, not the end of the world.

Christmas time for me and Damian has mixed emotions, as my mum died  on the 17th of December and her funeral was on Christmas Eve, an although that was 13 years ago, it still feels like yesterday. However, I was lucky to have mum as long as I did.  Christmas can be a difficult time for may folks for all sorts of reasons, and it's a time of reflection for all the good things in my life, and a reminder to not take it all for granted. Whilst I was still working I worked with many people who had nothing much, even not good health.  So Yes I have many blessings.

I want to thank everyone of my lovely blog Followers and Visitors for all your words of encouragement throughout the year, I appreciated all your visits and comments.

Here is my last card for the year and it is just so perfect for today;
This charming image is from Crafty Individuals, I love it.

Wishing You All a Very Merry and Peaceful Christmas and a Healthy, Happy and Prosperous New Year, I hope 2018 will be a kind year to Everyone.

Love and Hugs 

 


Friday 22 December 2017

Christmas Tags!

Hello to Everyone, well are you all on track for the Big Day? I think we are, despite having a nasty virus which I'm still trying to get over. 

Thank you all so much for you lovely comments on my last post and good wishes for our Carolthon, it will be a wee while before we know the end amount raised, but I think we will have raised quite a bit.
However, I had no voice, I'd been croaky the day before but Saturday morning I couldn't talk at all let alone sing, but I was determined I wasn't going to miss out, so I just mimed. I must have run on adrenalin too, then collapsed in a heap once home, but it was good. I'm still not feeling  tip top, but felt I just had to carry on. The good thing about miming is that in my head I sang like Cecillia Bartoli, and for those who don't know who she is, she is the most wonderful Italian Mezzo Soprano, and I love her voice. A girl can dream.

Anyway, nearly there and today I have a selection of Tags, made for the family gift bags;
First up are the tags for Damian and Moreen. Sue Wilson poinsettia die and Chocolate Baroque stag image.

I thought this Jolly little Gingerbread Man from Papermania was just right for Alistair.

And just because I could I made a tag each for Milo and Rowan using TH Crazy Dogs stamps and coloured them with the new Procolour pencils from Derwent.

We have been out with our friend Dougie today had had a very lovely Christmas Dinner and we are all stuffed, Dougie was looking forward to having a snooze when we dropped him off and Alistair is now sound asleep on the sofa, and I'm just pleased I won't need to cook tonight.

So that's me for now, have a good evening and I'll see you the night before Christmas, take care of yourselves,

Wednesday 13 December 2017

Trinket Box!

Hello Everyone, I hope you are well and keeping cosy in this cold and snowy weather. We are in the minuses tonight, anyway it is December.

Thank you all so much for the lovely comments on my last cards, you are all very kind.

I've been finding it difficult to get to the computer to post and comment, so if I've missed you out please forgive. I don't know where the time goes and I've not managed to get back into a routine.  since my trip to Glasgow, but I expect you are all the same. I did manage to get all my cards written and sent off today, that felt a relief.  Still to look out the Christmas decorations too, that's going to have to wait until the weekend, anyway here is my make for today, it's part of a gift for my choir buddy Fiona;



I bought this little box from The Works and have decorated it with Imagination Crafts Rice Paper and various stamps and stencils, Starlight Paints are the paints of choice and some sequins. I have to say I loved doing it, I hope Fiona likes it.

It's the Choral Society's Carolthon on Saturday and I am really looking forward to the big sing, we will be in the local shopping centre singing all day...in shifts and this time for a number of years we are being allowed a larger choir at lunch time to the special Carols and pieces from the Messiah. Here is the fabulous flyer for it, drawn by a little girl from one of the local schools;
isn't just so sweet. I hope we manage to raise loads of money, however saying that, there are lots of people struggling just now, but you never know.

That's me for now, see you soon and take care of yourselves,

Sunday 10 December 2017

Christmas Gifts for the CCC!

Hello from Winter Wonderland, yes we have a great deal of snow, but at the moment sunshine too, it's all lovely if you don't have to go out in it. We travelled back from Glasgow last night by bus and the further North we got the worse the roads, however we had a good driver and he go all home safely.

We had a lovely time in Glasgow, and I had a great meet up with our lovely Rita. The Italian restaurant we had our lunch was super, great food, and we spent ages chatting, we also got a we bit of shopping done too.

Now it's Rita who chosen our challenge for the CCC this time, it's our last one for this year and, she would like to see Christmas Gifts on our cards.  So without further ado here are mine;
First up is this love LOTV image coloured with Derwent Inktense Pencils and Snow Glitter. First Edition Papers and Die'sire  tree dies, next;
Here we have a lovely Chocolate Baroque image from the Gift at Christmas stamp set with a water coloured background. I used Sakura gel pens to colour in the ribbon and bows on the image. Sentiment is from Inkylicious and background papers is from Crafty Individuals and Starlight paint in Silver around the edge of the image card.
Thank you Rita for this challenge I really enjoyed creating these  cards.

So a quiet day at home for me, but we are going out to a concert in the Cathedral tonight, I hope they've got the heating on, it's not the most comfortable place anyway, but it can be Baltic.

This is a scheduled post, so hope it goes live when it's supposed to. Please try and visit the other CCC ladies to see what they have created.

Thank you all so much for all the lovely comments on my last card, I really appreciated it.
Keep cosy and see you soon,




Monday 4 December 2017

Snowpeople!

Hello Everyone, start of another week, where do the go to!
I hope you are well, but if not sending out kind thoughts and hugs.

We are all well and dandy up here, and I am looking forward to a visit to Glasgow later in the week when a meet up with my lovely blog friend Rita is on the cards. I decided to stay overnight and not rush, so of course Alistair included himself on the days out. He will do his own thing though and we will also meet up with his brother and niece in the evening. I've not seen Karen for years and she is now in her early twenties, time has sped by there too.
It will be lovely to catch up with Rita and have a nice lunch, she has booked an Italian restaurant so we will be nice and stuffed when we hit the shops.

Thank you so much for all the lovely comments on my Santa cards, you are so kind.

I've got a little Snowpeople  card today;
This is one of the new images from Crafty Individuals, isn't it lovely,  I've coloured it with a mixture of  Derwent  Inkintense Pencils and Sakura pens. I've added some snow  and glitter to the Snowpeople. The background paper is also from Crafty Individuals and the sentiment is a Chocolate Baroque one. 
I must have more that enough Christmas cards made now, but I do so enjoy making them and I've so many new stamps on my desk, I feel the need to keep going with the Christmas images, they will always do for next year.

Alistair is having a fiddle practice just now, and I can hear the thumping of the foot, the fiddle is one thing the thumping quite another.  Did I mention that he is part of a concert in a week or so. His teacher has all sorts of students of varying abilities,learning and ages they are holding a concert. Well of course I'll be going, Alistair is quite nervous having never done anything like it before. It could be a mini Blazing Fiddles.

Well that's me for now, off to make mushroom soup for tonight. I'm a bit behind with my commenting, but I'll get around to you soon, take care everyone and see you soon,


Wednesday 29 November 2017

Colourful Santas!

Hello Everyone, I hope all is well with you, but sending kind thoughts to those of you who are not so good just now.

Thank you all so much for the lovely comments on my last card, much appreciated.

Not much news for you and no funny stories, thank goodness do I hear you say, lol.

We did go to the cinema yesterday to see the new Murder on the Orient Express. We went to a showing in the afternoon, it's a wee bit cheaper, but I quite like going in the afternoons, and then coming out and going for a bite to eat.
I was a good film, however for me the original with Peter Ustinov was undoubtedly better, however Kenneth Branagh had a magnificent moustache, it was all fine for a Tuesday afternoon.

So here are some little cards I made a while ago but not posted;


I think this little Santa image is from Little Claire, he's a jolly wee soul, a selection of papers and embellishments and I think they make lovely little cards.

That's me for now, Peaky Blinders on tonight, so that's me sorted, you have a good evening and see you soon, till then,


Sunday 26 November 2017

Mixed Media for the CCC!

Hello Everyone, I hope you are well and keeping warm. Is your weather as cold as ours?  It must be bad when Alistair puts his bed socks on. His poor feet are always like blocks of ice, years of mountain climbing in the cold weather has scuppered his circulation a bit, but it doesn't stop him from going up the hills in freezing cold weather.

Thank you all so very much for your comments on my Snowman card and good wishes for the concert, which, went very well. so all the hard work paid off. Our professional soloists were brilliant and not only did the sing with the choir but had solos of there own choosing.  So, now it's on with the rehearsals for our Carolthon in December and this time around our charity is Alzheimer Scotland, so I hope it will be a good day.

A warm welcome to Dimi who has clicked the follow button, it's lovely to see you here and I will be over to see you just as soon as I can. I hope you will pop in often to see me.

I'm a bit later than usual with my CCC card, but I was so tired after yesterday that I've had a bit of a slow day, but here I am now and this time its our lovely Mary who has chosen the theme and it's Mixed Media, here is my effort;
I've used a Justinklined image, I love this one and have used it quite a few times, it comes along with corners flowers. but this time I left them off.
I've stamped it all in blue ink, with a little yellow on the lamps. For the snow, I've added Knorr prandell Deco Paste and sprinkled glitter into it whilst still wet. The sky is coloured with DI and glittered. For the life of me I can't remember where the sentiment  is from, severe memory lapse, anyhow I've stamped on to velum.
You can probably guess this card is for my lovely hubby... I should have put, and slippers too, Lol.

Thank you Mary for a super challenge, I really enjoyed it and I love using this stamp.
Please visit the other CCC ladies and see what they have created, the names are on my sidebar.

That's me for now, take care of yourselves, and see you soon,


Friday 24 November 2017

The Snowman!

Hello to You All, are you keeping warm and cosy??  We are cold here, with snow yesterday, but it didn't stay of long, except on the hills where it can stay.

Thank you so much for your lovely comments on my last card, I do appreciate the time out take to visit my wee blog.

Yesterday, we went to see if we could buy each others Christmas prezzie as we wanted particular things, me.. slippers, oh yes I'm getting old when slippers become really important and they had to have a good sole to be able to go to the washing line and dustbins etc. The fact that I have small feet and the shops in Inverness don't often keep size 3 I thought it was better to seek them out early. Alistair was successful in spending his money and the said slippers are put away until the big day. Next  it was Hubby's turn, he wanted particular trousers for wearing in the mountains, so off we went to a mountaineer shop.  What a price!! well, he does need good equipment and I don't grudge him, but oh my I wasn't prepared for it. However, what an amusing time it was. There wasn't too many to choose from, and sizes seem to be limited, but I advised he take a few pairs of different sizes to the fitting room to try, especially as he said he was a 34 waist,  well one pair were okay in the waist but a shade too long, tried another make and they were too tight in the waist, but not too bad in length. I was back and forth looking for other makes and sizes, honestly he wouldn't have spent so much time if he was having a bespoke tailored suit  fitted.  Anyway,  we were gradually narrowing the trousers down, but he spied another pair that looked like the length would be good, but they were a 32, oh they'll fit fine he says, and off he goes to try them on. I gave him a few minutes and went to see how he was getting on.. well laugh, I nearly bought a round, he was stuffed  into them, could hardly breath and looked as if there would have been little movement for sitting or stretching legs. He did eventually acceded that they were no use, I mean it was like me trying to get into a size 12 or 10. In the end he found something and he is pleased, but the sight of him standing there kept me amused all day, and reminds me why I married him....he makes me laugh.
So trousers are away till Christmas, although I bet he is wishing he had them on today as he is away for a low hill walk.  

Right, here is today's card;
This is for my friend Fiona who loves all things Snowman. It's a small card as I had difficulty finding a larger image to cut out, I've added snow and glitter to him but it doesn't show,
The inside has images from the Snowman. Fiona did say she wanted her card this year to be in the shape of the Snowman, so hope she likes it.

Now, tomorrow is our Choral concert, all of a sudden it's upon us, so tomorrow will be a long day with rehearsal during the day and the evening performance and it's the first time that choir, soloists and orchestra come together.  Our weekly rehearsals are accompanied by a piano, so it's always exciting to hear the actual orchestration of the pieces we are doing. Here is what we are singing;
This is a rather lovely painting for our programme, it's along the side of the River Ness, and I worked in a little cottage near the furthest away church, although not good memories of that.

Well, rather a long rambling post, but I'm signing off now and getting the ironing board out.
Have a lovely weekend whatever your plans are and I'll see you soon, take care everyone,




Wednesday 22 November 2017

Naughty! Not Me!

Hello Everyone, I hope you are well ,but sending kind thoughts to those who are not so well, or struggling with life at the moment, I hope things get better for you.

Well, we had some rain yesterday, so bad that Teallach refused to go out, he must have some willpower when it comes to needing a wee.  It got so dark in the afternoon it looked like night.
Today is better, no rain but dull and much colder. Seems like snow,  is on it's way not only for the mountains but lower ground as well, Brrrrr!!

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my last card, you're very kind and I do appreciate your time.

My card today is one I made ages ago, and I hope I've not posted it, I've looked back to 2014 and can't find it. It was in a folder named cards not posted, but that means nothing here, anyway here it is;
I'm not too sure whose stamp this is, could be Indigo Blue, but the paper is a Papermania one. Then just added a few little embellishments. If you've seen it before, I do apologise.

Just a short post  today, I've strained across my neck and shoulders, so typing is a bit painful, no idea how this has happened, I was okay this morning.
Enjoy your evening and see you soon,

 


Sunday 19 November 2017

Floral Notes!

Hello Everyone, gosh it seems a while since I last posted anything. 
I hope you are all well and enjoying your weekend, and if like us up here n the frozen North, I hope you are keeping warm.

Although I've not been posting I've been trying to keep up with all your lovely creations, but I may have missed a few of you, so please forgive as I've been trying to get the living room back to normal again. We are there now, but it seemed to take for ever as we wanted to change the furniture around and our paintings, we have quite a few of those from our artist friend  and wanted to display them much better than before. I also lost some surfaces as there had been shelves on the walls that I didn't want any more, meaning that I had to find places for ornaments and photographs.  I now know why some people prefer minimalist. Anyway all the upheaval has been worth it as we think the room looks great, and thankfully Teallach has settled down now too, he was very stressed.

So, I have a card made a while ago but never posted;
Sorry about the photography, it's a bit pale. I've used an Imagination Crafts leaf stencil and the floral image and words are from CB Floral Notes stamp set. I've added some little butterfly gems. I think I coloured the flowers with watercolours, but can't remember what sort.

I've been trying when I've had time to get some Christmas gifts made, slow going though, what doesn't help is that I keep changeing my mind about what I'm doing, luckily I don't have many folk to make for.

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my last post and a warm welcome to my latest Follower, I'm afraid I don't know your name, but your blog is Cherished Happy Moments, so hello to you and thank you for clicking the Follow button, I hope you visit often.

That's me for now folks, enjoy the remainder of your evening and I'll see you soon,

Sunday 12 November 2017

Shimmer and Shine for the CCC!

Hello Everyone,  I hope you are fit and well, but for those who are not, I hope you will feel better soon.

Just a short scheduled post today as I'm up to my eyes having the living room decorated, so we are in in an upheaval. It's going well and I think the decorator is almost finished, but it's looking good. We will be hard at it getting everything back in situ tomorrow.


Thank you all so much for the super comments on Alistair's birthday card, you are very kind.

Anyway, another two weeks have flown past and it's time for the CCC ladies to share their cards, and this time Lorraine is the hostess and she has chosen Shimmer and Shine.
Now I usually do two or three cards, but as time was short and I had to be out of my craft room as that is where everything from the living room has gone to, it was rather a ruched job, in fact it was a botched job as I made a right mess of my card as I hadn't let the ink dry so smudged it all, so here is the second attempt;
I think you will have to enlarge to see any sparkle, but it is there.
All the images I've used are by JND and you can purchase them from Mrs. Duck here.
I've stamped the images in silver ink, but the sentiment and Santa are in black. Black glitter card. I left it without any embellishments as I thought it didn't need any.

That's it this time around, I hope your like it. Please check out what the other ladies create, there is always beautiful cards from them.

Whilst I'm up here in my bed room typing this out, the painter is downstairs and has his radio on and you'll never guess what he's listening to....Christmas songs!! it's Jingle Bell Rock just now but, there's been Santa Clause is Coming to Town, oh, now its Let it Snow, Let it Snow. Goodness knows what station he's on, however it's quite apt I guess. LOL.

I'll be back t o see you soon just whenever I have a chance, take care of yourselves
 

Monday 6 November 2017

A Reeling Cracking Birthday!

Hello there, how are you all doing, I hope you are fit and well, and over the 5th of November celebrations.  I don't know if you are like me and hate fireworks that go off all over the neighbourhood. Just have a big organised event at a certain time and get it over with. The poor animals just hate it. I was amused at Teallach who was under the table with his front paws over his eyes. Goodness knows how Rowan got on as she is so skittish  anyway.


Thank you all so much for your lovely comments and kind wishes for our anniversary on Saturday, and for my card, and as if that wasn't celebration enough, it was Alistair's Birthday yesterday and the fun I had making his card, here it is;
The minute I saw this little fiddler I just had to buy it, I knew it was perfect for Alistair at some point. It's by Crafty Stamps, I've not heard of them and I bought them in Edinburgh in the summer. He's coloured with watercolours. The cottage is from Hobbyarts and the other stamps are CB. The hills are much more vivid in reality, somehow the photo isn't picking that up. I added Glossy Accents to the specs and windows. Found a wee bit of tartan ribbon that sort of matched his kilt.

Now Alistair doesn't have a beard, but he did have a few years ago and I always thought he looked like Captain Birdseye. He did though live in a wee cottage in the middle of Glen Bucket with a wee burn by the side of it, and could only be reached by a rough track which played havoc with your car. On fine days and evenings he would sit outside and play his fiddle, well there was little else to do as he had no TV or radio. This was all before I met him I have to add.

Anyway, he had a lovely day yesterday, we went for a lovely walk along Rosemarkie beach, very early morning and really had the beach to ourselves, sadly there were no dolphins to be seen.

Kerr phoned us last night to say how much he loved his card, so that was good. That's the birthdays over now, until January, thank goodness.

That's me for now, away to zap the mushroom soup, quickest thing to have when we are both out tonight at different times.
Take care and see you soon,
 

Saturday 4 November 2017

Love You to the Moon!

Hello One and All, hope all is well with you and that your are all set to enjoy your weekend.
A sunny cold morning here today, but all is sunny as it's our Anniversary, 22 years of bliss.....well mostly LOL, here is the card I made for my Adventurer;
Mostly Card-io stamps with a Woodware sentiment. I used the new inks that JND used to colour the sky and they are brilliant.  I think it's a rather youngish couple on the card, but we can dream.
Anyway, Alistair loved it, especially as he is a star gazer.

Getting ready to go and pick up Damian and Moreen and go for a lunch to celebrated.

Thank you so much for all your lovely comments on my last card.

See you all soon,


Thursday 2 November 2017

For a Special Person!

Hello Everyone, an early start for us today as we are expecting our new bed between 7 and 1 o'clock, so up at 6.30 to get organised and the old bed out, and you know that thing when you're trying to do things quietly but in actual fact make even more noise, it just never fails. Anyway, old bed outside and waiting to be dealt with by dear hubby.....no not for him paying an extra £60 to get the delivery men to take it away, I'm staying out of it lol. It will be Sod's Law that it arrives at 12.59, oh well.

How are you all doing, well I hope and that your week is going well.
I'm having a real break from the dogs these days, this week it's Damian who is on holiday, and has for once turned is phone off so that no one from his work can get in touch, he's learning at long last that he is entitled to have a peaceful holiday, instead of trying to deal with things, that others feel they can't do.
So, I went out for a lovely walk with them yesterday to some new woods.. well new to me, although the dogs knew it very well and, we had great fun with their new ball, I felt I had had a good workout.
It's little Rowan's birthday today, she's now a big girl at 1 year old.

Thank you all so much for the lovely comments on my little Robin plaque, you are so very kind, and it's always appreciated.

I've got a birthday card today to show;
This is for Kerr who is my friend Dale's Grandson, he will be 14 tomorrow...where have the years gone??
Using an Imagination Crafts stencil I inked through with Oxides and matched some lovely Dovecraft paper and some grey card. Chocolate Baroque sentiments, twine and a key.
Kerr gave me for my birthday a pack of Dovecraft papers and embellishments, he also gave me the keys, but like them so much he wished he had kept them, so I told him that I would include a key for his birthday.  I have to say that the papers are gorgeous and I love the colours, so I hope he does too.
Kerr is far too busy to look at my blog so I feel safe in putting it on ahead of his birthday.

Right off to get some breakfast now, I think porridge is needed today, it's quite cold and dull, need some inner warmth. Have a good day whatever you are doing and see you soon, take care,



Monday 30 October 2017

A Winter Robin!

Hello to You All, hoping things are good with you and that your weekend was a great one. Did everyone remember about the clock change?? I didn't bother to change the clocks as we had nowhere to be on Sunday that we needed to be time accurate, so changed them later in the morning. However, what a long night it was as I had difficulty sleeping....no surprise there, but it seemed worse than usual, so yesterday I was really tired.
I blame all sorts of things for my poor sleep patterns and indeed have been like this for years and have tried all sorts of remedies to no avail, but now as a last resort we have a new bed arriving on Thursday, so fingers crossed, and if that helps, the expense will be worth it.

Thank you all so much for the lovely comments on my last cards for the CCC. I have to say a have a big box which is overflowing with Christmas cards, however I still have a few special ones to make. So I must get a wiggle on there.

I have something a wee bit different today;
Sorry the photo isn't great, It looked better on my tablet. Anyway, this is my first attempt at doing this sort of thing and really I don't think it's bad at all... of course self praise is no praise as they say.
I found this little wood slice in Hobby Crafts and thought to myself maybe I could do something with that, so I gave it a coat of white gesso then, stamped this beautiful Robin and branch from Hobbyarts. The branch is embossed with WOW powder in Copper and the bird has been stamped in black Archival ink and clear EP. I put some Gansai Tambi watercolours over the bird, then stamped some of the small leaf stamps from JND around the edges. Liquid Pearls and that's it done.
Not too bad for a first attempt, what do you think! 
I found it quite difficult to take a stamped image, perhaps I was using the wrong ink, I'll have another go later sometime.

We had the most marvellous skies a few nights ago, I just had to go out and take a snap of them,

The street lamps on takes away just how dramatic the sky was, and I thought how marvellous the changes taking place between photographing from the front of the house and walking around to the back of it. Nature is phenomenal.
Talking about Nature.. did anyone watch the new series of the Blue Planet last night and catch the part with the mother Sea Lions and their pups?  Honestly, I had to wipe a tear or two watching one mother and pup trying to find a piece of ice to climb up on to get away from a hungry Polar Bear. The love between them was amazing once the pup was helped on to the ice, the gentle way the mother held it and stroked it was amazing.  I thought that's why I pay a TV licence, a magical moment in Nature.

Well, that's me for now, it's our respective musical evenings so early tea,  just some leek and potato soup, easiest thing to do ,so I'm away to put the finishing touches to it, so cheerio for now, take care,





Sunday 29 October 2017

Sentiment as Focus for the CCC!

Hello Everyone I hope you are well and enjoying your weekend.  We've been for a lovely walk along the side of Loch Ness at Dores and boy was it rough. I've never seen the loch with such turbulent waters and the waves fierce. Very dramatic.

Another fortnight has gone and it's time for the CCC ladies to show off their creations and this time it was our lovely Sylvie who did the choosing and she would like to see the Sentiment as Focus, so without further ado here is what I've come up with;

Both very simple cards using an Xcut die. The first card has a shadow made by cutting the die out twice and the second card is matted on to a JND EF. Gems and sequins and that's that.

Please remember to check out what the other ladies have created, you'll find there names on my side bar.

Thank you all for the lovely comments on my last card, very kind of you and most appreciated.
Just before I go here is a photo of  the Loch from our walk today, there was some sunshine between the hills looking down the Loch but unfortunately it hasn't shown  up.


Take care everyone and see you soon,