Breath of Spring!

Hello to You All, I do hope that things are tickity boo for everyone, it seems an age since I last posted, so if you're not so good I hope that you feel better soon.

We have been away for a few days at our friends who live in Gairloch and the weather was fabulous, and of course their B&B looks on to the sea, so it was just magical. It's been quite a while since we visited, so there was much to catch up on and Graeme and Alistair had a couple of good walks, whilst Isabelle and I talked the hind legs off a donkey, as the saying goes.

I've not managed to do much commenting I'm afraid, but I have seen many fabulous creations on my reading list, so please forgive if I've not popped in to see you.

We also went to the theatre to see a troop of Japanese drummers last night and my goodness, what energy and stamina they had to beat these drums, some of which were huge. It was a terrific show and my hands were aching with the clapping, and the audience gave two standing ovations, a fabulous night out and to think we almost missed it. Alistair bought the tickets a couple of months ago and even although both of us had put it in our diaries, we forgot all about it. Alistair happened to be cleaning out his drawers.....Mrs. Duck please don't go there..., and discovered the tickets, luckily in time to get to the show.

Anyway my card today is for the Chocolate Baroque Colour Challenge;

The background paper is one that Lesley from CB created a while back and I thought the colours were just perfect.
The image is from Breath of Spring stamp set and I've heat embossed it in white powder and coloured  with Derwent Coloursoft pencils. It's been stamped on to a background made with DI, and the flourish stamp and sentiment is from the same stamp set. I've added a few sequins and pearls to finish.
Once again the photo is not great, sorry about that.

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

Here is where we were;

If you click to enlarge the photo you will see the Torridon Mountains to the left and straight ahead are the Cuillin Mountains of Skye, what a wonderful place to live. Just behind the hill are the Islands of Harris and Lewis, which obviously can't be seen because of the hill.

This s An Teallach with a bit of snow, passed this on our way to Gairloch, and it's the mountain my beautiful cat is named after.

So, that's it for now, it's been a quick week, and I'm still trying to catch up after having been away.
Take care and see you soon,

I would like to enter into the;http://chocolatebaroquechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/challenge-thirty-three.html

Tiger Lily!

Hello Everyone, I hope you are fine and well, keeping warm if your weather has turned chilly, ours has, and had a good day.

All day I've thought it was Monday... loosing the plot I think. The days are going so fast I can't keep up.

Thank you for your lovely comments on my CCC cards, hope you got to see what my teammates created too.

I'm keeping this a short post tonight as I want to go and get a pan of soup on the go for tomorrow, I lead an exciting life!! So my card tonight ;

I was lucky enough to win a fabulous candy prize from Linda Simpson and it contained two Tonic dies, this is one of them Tiger lily Die.
I had no idea how to use it as there was so many pieces to it, and had to search for a You Tube tutorial to help, thankfully I found one.  This has another cutout which is very open which I will used at some point and I had coloured it all with Pixie Powders from CE, I used the flowers to ad to the solid shape and added dazzlers to them,  edged with DI, sequins and a dragonfly gem. 

Hope to get some time later to visit your blogs, but for now that's me, take care of yourselves,

 

Two or More Papers for the CCC!

Hello Everyone, time yet again for the Christmas Card Club ladies to show their latest creations. Where on earth does the time go, it seems no time since I posted the last ones. 
This time it's the turn of Granmargaret to choose the theme and she would like to see two or more papers used.

Now I don't seem to use papers all that much although I've got loads of the stuff, so I was a wee bit daunted by the challenge, however I put my thinking cap on and here is what I came up with;

I've used different papers from First Editions Gilded Winter for this card and SB Poinsettia die, and Sue Wilson little flourishes.  Gold ribbon and some gems, lots of gold glitter and a First Editions die cut sentiment. 

Silent Night is the paper choice from First Editions for this card. TH die to give a bit of texture, various snowflake dies and the Joy sentiment is a First Edition die. Blue ribbon and a few gems. The paper has a lovely sparkly tree and there is a different paper behind the die panel and the snowflakes are another paper from the same pad.
Well, it was quite a challenge for me this time around, and as usual the photography is pants, but hey ho, I hope they will do. Thanks for making me think Margaret, a good challenge.

I hope everyone is well and enjoying their weekend, and thank you for your lovely comments on my previous card.

So visit the other CCC girls and see what they are creating, that's me for now, away to schedule this post for tomorrow, take care and see you soon,

Spring Meadow!

Hello Everyone, I hope you are well and having better weather than we are, it's been raining all day, is dark and chilly. Last night when Teallach was about to go out, I opened the door for him and it was snowing, much too wet to lie, but my boy was having none of it and refused to go out. How he manages I don't know, but he was fine till this morning when he made a dash in and then back in.

Unfortunately, we had to go into the town this morning, hate it, but once home got settled into my craft room and came up with this little card;

Difficult to photo because of the mirri card, Little Claire stamp and coloured with Derwent Ink intense Pencils.Background is DI and applied with Ink Dusters, Inkylicious little birds stamp, lots of sparkle. Matted on to card and edged with Amethyst Starlight Paint.

Just a short post today, but before I go, just want to say thanks so much to all of you lovely people who visit and leave such kind comments, much appreciated.

I hope your day has been a good one, and here's to a great weekend, take care,

I'd like to enter my card into;
http://theflowerchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/the-flower-challenge-6-reminder.html

Warm Wishes!

Hello to You All and I hope you've had a good day and are well.
Our weather today has been very blustery and with huge downpours at times, a day for staying in and crafting which I would have done if I didn't have my puppy minding duties.

Thank you all for your visits and you lovely comments on my last card and photos, really appreciated. 

Just a short post tonight showing a card made with one of Crafty Individuals new stamps;

This is as you can see is a lovely snowy scene and I've coloured the sky with Derwent Pastel Pencils and added loads of glitter.  I've used First Edition Gilded Winter paper and die cut it using a die from Tim Holtz, which behind I've used the same pencils as the sky to add some colour. Imagination Crafts Alchemy Wax in Gold around the edge of the paper and after adding the image to CE Foundation card in Graphite I added it to the paper. First Edition Sentiment die and some Just Pearls and Ta Da, finis.

Teallach and I have the house to ourselves tonight as hubby is away at his little music group, and I'm going to settle back and watch the last part of  The Replacement which has gripped me from the start, so hoping that the end isn't a damp squib as can sometimes be the case.

Have a good evening and see you soon,

Little Cards and Little Images!

Hello Everyone, I hope you are well as we yet again head into another week, my they are going quickly, wish they would slow down a bit.
Was your weekend good?? We went to Ullapool for a Fair Trade event, Ullapool is a Fair Traid town. It was lovely weather although got a bit cold towards the end of the afternoons, but it was good enough to sit on the harbour and eat fish and chips, and no seagulls amazingly.

Thank you all for your visits and kind comments on my last cards, I really appreciate them and enjoy reading everyone.

I've got two little cards today;

This is a 31/2 inch square card, and I've used a Sheena Douglass EF and Alchemy was from IC. The floral stamps are all from Crafty Individuals, they came along with the stamps that I'd purchased as a wee thank you and they are fabulous. I coloured them with Tambi Gansi metallic paints. The sentiment is from CB, finished with Just Pearls.

Photo a little light, sorry about that. More of these little complementary stamps. This one came in a strip, I don't think you were meant to cut them, anyway I didn't, but coloured up the skies and the meadow with Faber-Castel Pastel pencils. Mated on to lilac card and silver mirri. I stamps on to the card base itself with another little stamp from the collection and finished with Just Pearls.

Here is where we were at the weekend;

Ullapool Harbour

We walked around the corner from the harbour and I took this view, some snowy mountains in the distance.

As it was quite warm we found a bench to sit and admire the view and enjoy the peace and quiet, and then the ferry came in from the Isles and caused some lovely waves. Alistair did see a seal playing in the water, but I missed him.  There we are another little bit of Bonnie Scotland.

Off now to see my puppies and see what destruction there's been today.
Keep well and see you soon,

A Highland Scene!

Good Morning from a very wet one minute, sunny the next Inverness. Boy when the rain starts it's coming down in lumps. No one in this house wants to go out in it, Teallach is snuggled up in his chair, Alistair is at his computer composing a new story and me... well I'm typing this post, after which I will be giving my nails a home manicure ready to go out this evening to our little craft group Christmas night out, a little late, but it it took until now for everyone to be able to agree a date. So looking forward to that and perhaps it will be all rained out.

Thank you all so much for you comments on my last card you are all very kind and for a new visitor,
Dortesjs, thank you so much for your visit and comment and I'll be visiting you shortly.
I'm pleased you enjoyed the photos and yes I consider myself indeed very fortunate living where I do and wouldn't swap it for all the tea in China. I always feel when the sun is shining Scotland is beautiful, but wild rain makes it dramatic, especially Glen Coe, if you ever get the chance to go through the Glen I'm sure you would agree.  We have so many wonderful places of beauty the length and breadth of these Islands, but not the greatest of weather and warmth. Anyway on to my card;

I fell in love with this Hobby Art stamp set, and although Highland cattle are all over, I thought this little scene looks like the Highlands of Scotland. Coloured with SN pencils and DI for the sky, I used an aperture card and set the scene behind it and framed it with a Tonic die and some lovely Thistles.
An XCut sentiment die and a few sequins

This is the inside. I love the image of this beautiful cow, and Hobby Art stamps are fabulous to work with. I've edged the card with coloured charcoal to give it a frame. I hope you like it.

I almost forgot my big news of the week.... on Monday 6th March I officially became an OAP, yep that's right I can now expect to collect my" huge" state pension that I've paid into along with millions of others for 42 working years. HUGE LOL!!  I was made redundant around 18 months ago but as I was well over 60 there was no way on earth I was doing any more labour, considered I'd done my bit and earned some peace from both mental and physical stress.  So I'm just delighted and count myself lucky that I am of a generation that still is able to stop work and get something back.

I hope you are all well, but if not will feel better soon, have a good day whatever you are doing and see you soon. Take care of yourselves,

I'd like to enter my card into ;
http://sirstampalotchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/march-close-to-nature.html

Spring Bird Tulip!

Good Morning to Everyone, and welcome to my blog. Here we are at the beginning of another week, where did the last one go?? Anyway, I do hope all is well with you, but if not here is a virtual Hug and I hope you will feel better soon.

Thank you all for your visits and comments on my last selection of cards, you are very kind in your comments and I love reading them.

I'm back with another Chocolate Baroque creation for the Colour challenge;

Stamps from Spring Bird Tulip, coloured with Derwent Inkintense Pencils and Derwent Metallic pencil in Gold. Background is a selection of DI and using Lesley's block technique, adding some small stamps to the background. I cut out the tulips and mounted on to black card and cut around that. Added a few Just Pearls in Gold, and a little sentiment. The base card is not a DL in width, it's smaller, but don't know what it's called, and it is in a soft green shade, a packet of these were given to my by my friend Dale.

Friday was a glorious sunny day, and to clear away the cobwebs from my journey to Glasgow I went out walking with  Damian and the Pups, and boy was I walked. We went to Dores, about eight miles outside Inverness on the banks of Loch Ness. It's a favourite walk for them and the get to run mad and paddle in the water. Perhaps some of you have been here, the views are stunning, can't really capture it on a camera,  but I thought you might like to see the beauty that is the Highlands.

Milo loves wood as you know and he found this huge branch which he was not going to let go.

That's all from me today, it's quite a good morning so I'm off out for a stroll, have a good day and I'll see you soon,

I would like to enter my card into;
http://chocolatebaroquechallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/challenge-thirty-two.html 

I would also like to enter my card into;
http://theflowerchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/the-flower-challenge-6-anything-goes.html

Quirky and Unusual Colours for the CCC!

Hello Everyone, I hope all is well with you and that your weather is much better than ours in Inverness, It's rained non stop  from throughout the night, a really horrible day. 
On a brighter note Alistair and I went to the Choral Society Coffee Morning, lovely home baking and Sheila our accompanist playing some lovely music, I even won a raffle prize. This is a twice a year event and it's a way of raising funds for the society and is always well attended. Speaking of fund raising, last week we handed over a cheque to the Chest Heart and Stroke association for £2800.00 from our Carothon event before Christmas, in actual fact we raised twice that amount and it gets divided between us and the charity, so well worth doing.

Now mentioning Christmas brings me nicely to the latest Christmas Card Club creations chosen this time by our lovely Zoe, and she wanted to see, Off the Wall, Quirky and unusual Colours, here is what I managed;

This is a Mo Manning image and I've coloured it with Derwent Coloursoft Pencils, Papers are from LOTV, loads of sparkle that of course doesn't show up.

Not sure where this images is from but I just love it, the expression on his face is one of pure pleasure of having a scarf to wear. Coloured again with the same pencils. Die cut with and XCut die. A little tree stamp dotted around on the background  and LOTV paper, loads of sparkle.

My ever beloved Snowmen, well these little guys look like a Snow Family, they are from Card-io, and background made with Ink Dusters and DI, the trees are from a freebie from Creative Stamping Magazine, loads of sparkle.

I hope these will do Zoe, thanks for the challenge, I enjoyed making them.

Do visit the other CCC ladies and see what they create there are always wonderful cards to view.
That's me for now, I hope you are enjoying your weekend whatever you're doing.
Thank you for your super comments on my last card, and your commiserations on my on my awful bus journey.

Take care and see you soon,

My New Stash and a Study in Green!

Hello to Everyone, I hope you are all well and getting ready for another weekend.

Well, what a day I had yesterday, it started at 2.30 in the wee small hours when I wakened and couldn't get back to sleep, but dropped off at 4.30 which wasn't good as I needed to be up and about by at least 5.50 to get ready to catch my bus to take me to Glasgow for the craft show. With a thumping headache and a couple of painkillers, I got myself together and Alistair drove me down to the bus station to catch the 6.50 bus.

I had decided as it was so early, to take my insulin and eat a bacon butty en route around 8o'clock, unfortunately, to avoid the major road works on the A9 the bus driver decided to go a different route which entailed a roller coaster of a road, result... travel sickness!! and worse no toilet on the bus.Boy was I stressed out!! I've been up and down to central Scotland so often in my 26 years of living in the Highlands and never experienced this, but then it's always been on the main road.  Scrabbling in my bag I luckily found a carrier bag, just in case. I kept keeping deep breaths trying to calm myself, the bus was so hot which didn't help me. I managed to not let myself be sick and reached Glasgow, but felt awful for most of the day.  It was so good to get off the bus and into some fresh air, which really helped to revive me.

I met up with Rita.. some of you may know her and visit her lovely blog at the show and spend a good few hours in her lovely company.  We headed for the Imagination Crafts stand and spent our pennies.. well pounds actually, and had a lovely chat with Sue whose company it is.

The show was a bit disappointing this time around as there were quite a few of the companies I'm interested in were not there, so I did not spend all that much, but was satisfied with what I did buy, and here is my new stash;

Lots of lovely new stencils and three pots of Sparkle Medium amongst the haul.

Apart from the poor start to the day, it was just lovely to meet up with Rita again and I'm pleased to say that the bus journey back home was much better, but what a long day it was and without much sleep I was done in. Alistair picked me up and I was back in the house by 9.30, tea and toast and bed. where thankfully I had a much better sleep. It's been a very quiet day today.

Now, after this long story, and well done if you've stuck with me this far cos I've got a card to share;

Using Baroque Meadow from Chocolate Baroque I embossed the image in Malachite Cosmic Shimmer EP. The background is different shades of DI and the sentiment is from the Breath of Spring stamp set again from CB, matted on the two different shades of green card, some Just Pearls to finish off my card.  I know it's self praise, but I think it's turned out well and I really like it.

I am loving all the new stamps from CB, so many possibilities for them and you can find them all 
here .

It's going to be another early night, so just before I go just want to say thank you for all the lovely comments on my last card, see you soon,