Wednesday 29 April 2020

'Twas the Night!

Hello Everyone, hoping all is well with you and that you are coping with yet another week of lockdown.  I have to say that I'm feeling that the weeks are whizzing past, where I would have thought that the days would drag by with not being able to go out for lunches, meeting friends for a coffee and what have you and the couple of activities that I do. I am losing track of the days though, they are all merging into each other. Are you feeling this?

Anyhoo, I've got a little card for Hazel at Dido's Designs Challenge;
http://www.didosdesigns.com/2020/04/fezziwig-says.html and this time it's for CAS cards,
This is a first time out stamp from Little Claire called Sleep Tight. I just love all the little owls sleeping waiting for Christmas morning with their little stockings. Coloured with Copic Markers and white gel pen. Mounted on to glitter card and a few sequins. The sentiment is from a Creative Stamping magazine.  For some reason the colours are not showing well, it is a little more colourful than what it's showing here.

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

That's me for today, keep yourselves safe and see you another day,

Sunday 26 April 2020

Baubles for the CCC!

Hello to You All, and I hope your weekend is going well and you're enjoying it as beat you can.
We have had a week of fabulous weather, unheard of really here, it's usually raining at this time of the year, but I believe there's some low pressure coming in tomorrow so that will change.

Well, it's another fortnight over and time again for the Christmas Card Club Challenge and this time it's me who is choosing the theme, and I would love to see your cards with Baubles on them, or of course there is always Anything Goes, if you can't manage baubles.


My first card uses a Whimsy image and I've used Altenew Metallic Watercolour paints on Arches Watercolours paper after i heat embossed the stamp with Wow EP. It is brighter in real life, unfortunately the camera hasn't managed to capture the gorgeous colours. Next I mounted it on to Rose Gold mirror card then on to a turquoise card, finishing of with my little clear gems.


I just photographed these two little cards together as they are from the same sheet of paper from a very old Making Cards magazine. I loved the colours and added a little glitter to the baubles. The card with the rocking horse I made the background with Copic markers and added a border with my black pen. The sentiment on the single bauble card is from Clearly Besotted, again some tiny gems to finish., very simple.

Do look at the cards that the other ladies from the team create, they are always fabulous.

Thank you so much for your lovely comments on my last card, and I have to say that Dougie phone me the other day to thank me and said it brought a tear to his eye, wasn't that lovely, it's that kind of thing that makes it all worth while.

That's me for now, take care and keep safe,
  I would like to enter my first card in to 
https://scrapsoflifebyscrappymo.blogspot.com/2020/04/april-rudolph-days-challenge.html

Thursday 23 April 2020

Up Up and Away!

Hello Everyone, I hope you continue to keep well and are managing with the lockdown, it would seem that we will be in it for some time to come yet.
Listening to our First Minister today in her daily update,  she was asked by a journalist is she was cancelling Christmas. I just despair of some of the questions that these folks ask,  I'm sure our Nicola would love a crystal ball, however she has said she won't be cancelling Christmas, however, I'm sure it's going to different from other years.....  that's my opinion.

Anyway, we are still fine, thankfully, and managing to cope. Mind you our weather is beautiful for this time of the year, so that  helps to life the spirits.

So I have another card made for a friend,
This card for for our friend Dougie, who has quite a few health issues, and has been socially isolating even before it was  asked of us. Sadly, he get's a bit down, and is missing his music sessions with Alistair and Lawrence, so I thought this bright card would cheer him up a bit.
Honey Bee stamps, it's from their latest stamp launch. I treated myself to the stamps, dies and sentiments and I just love them.
So I started off with an Oxide background, and splattered water and silver paint on to it. Coloured the balloon with Zig watercolour markers. The clouds are a mixture of Memory Box and for the stamp set and the sentiment is one from the set. As usual I'v added a few wee clear gems and a bit of Sparkle pen to the clouds and balloon.
I hope he likes it.

Well, it's lunch time now so I'm off to see what I can find.
Thank you for the lovely comments on my last card, and Hello to my latest  Follower, although I can't return the visit as you don't seem to have a blog, but thank you for clicking the Follow Button.

Take care of yourselves and see you soon,

Sunday 19 April 2020

Thinking of You!

Hello Everyone, I hope you've all had the lovely weather as we've had here in Inverness, absolutely gorgeous sunshine and really quite warm. Alistair and I had a lovely walk through Culloden  Battlefield this morning and it was so quiet, only the odd dog walker. The view from the battlefield was stunningly beautiful across to the Black Isle and Ben Wyviss which still has some snow fields. A lovely way to take one's exercise.

Thank you for the lovely comments on my last card, I do so appreciate them.
I've been spending my time making cards for friends whom I don't see often, and I thought a wee card would help to cheer them up, here is one of them;
I've used Oxides to make a rainbow coloured panel and them stamped and embossed SU Dandelion Wishes, Wow Embossing Powder in Silver. I added some silver mirror card at the side of the panel. The sentiment is from Honey Bee Up Up and Away stamp set and cut with the coordinating die, embossed in Silver. A few gems and silver thread, although it's not showing up in the photo.

I would also like to enter my card into;
http://sirstampalotchallenge.blogspot.com/2020/04/april-somewhere-over-rainbow.html

Here's a couple of photos  I took on our walk of the lovely Highland cattle happily munching away at their hay ,

The second photo shows Ben Wyviss in the background.

I hope your weekend has been as good as it can be in the circumstances we find ourselves in at the moment, and that you continue to cope with the lockdown. Keep smiling and stay safe, 

Thursday 16 April 2020

Sailing by!

Good Evening Everyone, I hope your day's been a good one and that you are sill managing to cope in these strange times.
We've had quite good weather today, so Alistair was out doing a bit of gardening and I went for a walk early morning. I have to say that I'm loving walking whilst it's so quiet, the bird song is so much more pronounced, it's just lovely.  It seems that  the roads have to remain for a while to come.

Thank you for the lovely comments on my last card, I do appreciate them and the continued visits.
Here's today's card;
When my DiL asked me to make a birthday card for her brother, I made two so that she could choose, this is the one that she didn't choose.  The image is from Crafty Individuals and I've stamped it in blue ink. Matted on to navy card then blue glitter card and the paper is from a pad bought from the Works which is all sea colours and images. Sentiment from Clearly Besotted. 
It's quite handy to have this one in my box for a male.

A short post tonight, so I'll love you and leave you and hope you will all take care of yourselves and see you soon,

Tuesday 14 April 2020

With Tulips!

Hello Friends and Visitors, I hope all is well with you during this very unsettling time and that you are finding something positive in your day.

We continue to do fine, and since I've discovered Whatsapp, I'm enjoying being able to see friends whilst talking to them on the phone. This is for many where technology comes into it's own. Brilliant for keeping in touch with family, and friends and especially the grandchildren. I have one friend who uses it to read a story each night to her little Granddaughter. I have no grandchildren, but Damian sends little videos of Milo and Rowan playing and getting into mischief, which brings a smile to my face. But I do miss going out for a fish supper, and I'm fed up cooking lol. Alistair has promised to take me out for a slap up meal when this is all over....I'll be wanted more than just one!

I've been spending a lot of time making cards for friends, especially ones I've not seen for quite a while, and not likely to for ages yet, so that's been keeping me busy, here is one I made for one of my Choral friends;


Pretty Pink Posh are the tulip image and coordinating dies for this card, and coloured with Altenew  watercolour paints, Distressed Oxides on the background and some Perfect Pearls splatters. The sentiment is by Clearly Besotted Stamps, and this one is getting loads of use these days.
I was pleased that my friend phoned to say that she loved it and how lovely to get something nice through the post, so that warmed my heart.

Thank you for all the lovely comments on my Christmas Card Club cards and welcome to a new Follower, sadly you don't have a blog so that I can't return the visit, but it's lovely that you clicked the button to follow me..

Well that's me for now, I hope you can keep your spirits up and remain well and safe, till next time,

I would like to enter my card into;
https://theflowerchallenge.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-flower-challenge-43-springautumn.html

https://caswatercolour.blogspot.com/2020/04/cas-watercolour-april-2020-challenge.html

Sunday 12 April 2020

Christmas Critters for the Christmas Card Club!

Hello Everyone, I hope you are well and enjoying your Easter weekend as well as you can. I'm sorry that for many of you it will be a difficult one not being able to be with family and friends, or not going away for the holiday. It's to be hoped that next year will be better, and all this will be behind us.

Well two weeks have gone by and it's time again for the Christmas Card Club Challenge, where our little team of like minded ladies like to get ahead of the game and make our Christmas cards throughout the year.....certainly takes the pressure off card making in December.

So, this time it's our lovely Maureen who is hosting the Challenge and it's Christmas Critters, or of course Anything Goes.  Here's what I've made;


I've had this digi image for ages and this is the first time I've used it, it's by Just Inklined and such a fun image. Coloured with Copic Markers and Sparkle pen, I've also used some gold gel pen. Clearly Besotted sentiment, love the font on this one, papers are form Dovecraft, And to finish off some clear gems and Sparkle Dust.
I decided that the reindeer wasn't Rudolph hence his black nose, Rudolph would have been too busy getting ready to pull Santa's sleigh.

Number two card is a different sort of critter, but nonetheless cute;
Yeh he's a fish and definitely a Christmas one as he has his Santa hat on and put up his tree. Another digi and I thing by the same company, again had it for ages. Copic colouring and papers for a pad bought in the Works, which is not Christmasy at all, all ocean images and colours, but \I thought it worked well, pale blue glitter card and a Lawn Fawn sentiment, gems to finish.
I'd like to enter this card into https://www.fezziwigsfestivefrolics.com/2020/04/fezziwig-says-festive-animals.html

Thank you Maureen for the challenge I did so enjoy it and again got to use old stash.
Thank you to everyone who left comments on my last card, as always they are so much appreciated.

Well, that's me for now, please have a look at what the other CCC ladies make, they are always fabulous.

Keep yourselves safe, take no risks and enjoy the  remainder of the weekend,

Thursday 9 April 2020

You'er a Classic!

Hello Everyone, how'er things with you all, coping and staying safe I hope.
I'm surprised at how quickly the days are flying past, one would think it would be the opposite with this lockdown, but I'm finding that I'm busier than normal. 

I phoned one of my Choral friends to day,who also goes to the aqua aerobic classes, and it was lovely to have a catch up, and fortunately, like me she is not finding the social isolation too difficult, and is enjoying her gardening. It really does help the situation having hobbies, but I do feel for the folks who don't.....but who knows, maybe this is the time when new talents, and interests will be found.

I have a card that my DIL asked me to make for her brother's birthday;
 These are all images from a Creative Stamping magazine the other year, and I thought they would do very well and Frankie likes to play the guitar and has loads of old records. I found an EF from Spellbinders which just fitted well with the theme and kept the colours sort of mono except for some colour on the guitar, and put Glossy Accents on the record and the guitar and a few black gems. Moreen was pleased with it so that was good.

Now for something pleasant,those of you lovely folks who have followed me for a while will recall me mentioning our lovely swan family at our university campus, well, once again Mum Swan is on her nest, here a few photos;

and here is Dad paddling around making sure she is safe.  It's just lovely that they are still choosing to stay in this situation, and it will be Mum Swan's fourth time of producing cygnets, and Dad's second time. Sadly, Mum's first partner dies after a dog chased it, not that the dog caught it, but it was thought that the swan died of fright, and we wondered what Mum would do, but she went out and found a new bloke....like you do, and obviously  the match has worked well for them.  So in a few months all being well there will be more little swans. There are usually around seven cygnets and what good parents as they have managed to keep them all safe considering there are a ton of seagulls always around the lake. So something to look forward to.

Thank you all so much for your continued visits and much appreciated comments.
That's me for now, keep safe, and keep smiling, have a good laugh, there's bound to be something to tickle you and I'll see you soon,


Monday 6 April 2020

Get Well Soon!

Hellooo Everyone!   I do hope you are all well and finding positives even although we are having to stay in more. It's hard for most folks and just not what we are used to. I've always been a bit of an unsociable sod, so I'm a bit ahead of the game lol.

Mind you, what a cheek the Scottish Chief Health person had visiting her second home at the weekend, not only once but twice...stupid or just incredibly arrogant!. In my opinion she should have been sacked, not allowed to resign. Bad judgement call on our Nicola's part me thinks. I listened to another health expert Professor Jason Leitch, trying to justify her behaviour by calling it a wee mistake...what twice!  No justification whats so ever, not when we are in such a health crisis, and the majority are taking the Government's advice...what ever Government and staying in and minding the social distancing, and there are some poor souls who even have no garden to get out into let alone a second home, utterly disgraceful. Although, someone really privileged arrived in Scotland at their second, third or fourth home, and brought the virus with him. No one is above this health scare.  Poor show Scotland. Rant over!!

Anyhoo, I've got a card today to cheer up our friend Jean, who had had an operation on her legs, well veins really and she was in danger of having a leg off if she didn't have the op, and we all thought that she might not get it because of the situation at the moment, but she has and so far so good.
I've given the card a bit of a rainbow hue with Momento dye inks and then stamped Altenew Leaf Canopy over it. A Clearly Besotted sentiment, Perfect Pearls splatters and a few black gems.
I would like to enter this into;
https://sirstampalotchallenge.blogspot.com/2020/04/april-somewhere-over-rainbow.html

I had to go into the town this morning, somewhere I've not been for at least a couple of months, well before this lockdown, and I couldn't get over the quietness of the roads, I kept expecting  to see the tumbleweed to roll by, really spooky. Now Inverness is not a great big city, but even we have traffic jams, not now. Morrison's car park was almost empty, you can hardly get a space most times . It's all quite something! Anyway, I treated us to some M&S curries for dinner tonight.. I have to say I am missing going out for something to  eat and not having to cook that night, so this is the next best thing.
Well Star Trek is almost on... we've taken to watching it instead of the six o'clock news, and I'm finding so funny, it's the original series and so dated now, but still worth the watch...if you'er a fan.

So I'll say cheerio for now and hope you stay healthy and safe,
  

Thursday 2 April 2020

Star of Wonder!

Hello Everyone, I hope all is well with you and that you are remaining safe and sane.

I joined Jo Wicks this morning in a workout for seniors..it's very good and really gentle exercise, some of the movements I was doing in my aqua aerobic classes. I also went for my walk and boy was it bitterly cold, well at least the wind was, still it was good to get out into the fresh air.

I've got a card to join in with Hazel's challenge at https://www.fezziwigsfestivefrolics.com/2020/03/new-challenge-time.html

This is a digital image but I'm not sure where from, I gave most of my crafting CDs away and I had printed this out years ago. I think it so sweet. It's just mattered on to black and blue glitter card and the base card is blue. Sentiment is from a Creative Stamping magazine and I've added lots of glitter and some sparkly gems.

Well, I'm off to clap! Back now, and this time there was many more folks out there. I wish we could all give them the PPE that they so badly need, but this is all that we lesser mortals can do. for all the workers who are keeping us going.

That's for now, so keep safe, take care of yourselves,