Weekend is here again

Well I don't know about you but this week has flown by for me.  It only seems like yesterday that I was thinking about what had to be done on the week off (No grandson this past week) and here we are again at another weekend.

Today I have created a bright summery card with some lovely retro K&Co Papers by Brenda Walton called Neopolitan.  I have had them for a while and I just can't resist them when I need cheering up a bit or the weather is miserable, as it had been all day yesterday.
I used some Deep Toffee card for the base and added some sugar pink for matting using Spellbinders Labels One.  Then I used a white inksentials pen to do the dotty background so the brown card wasn't so bare.  I cut two matching papers with the largest Postage Stamp die for my background and then made a rosette with another, coordinating paper and topped it with one of my lovely pearl buttons from The Hobby House.

The butterfly was from a mixed Metal Embellishment pack at WOC and the American Crafts 'joyful' ribbon slider and the ribbon were acquired at Michaels in Florida, when I was on vacation about five years ago.  I decorated the inside with the same papers and put a Spellbinders Labels One panel in the sugar pink card for writing on.

I hope you like it as much as I do.  This really cheered me up and brought a little bit of sunshine into an awful miserable day yesterday (from both the funeral and the weather).

Just to let you know, the funeral went off really well.  It was quite short, but really nice actually.  They read some lovely, very moving poems, including the one sent to me by Christine Harrop (on the blog last week) and everyone enjoyed them I think.   I feel alot better now.  I think seeing my niece and saying farewell to the little one helped to give me some strength and some closure.  Emma was so brave, scarily so in a way, but brave nonetheless.  We still have no news on the autopsy, but have been told that it can takes weeks to get the coroners report.  So we will not know the verdict of negligence for some time yet.  I am still praying for a natural death for Emma's sake.

Well that will be the last of the updates now,  I hope you will understand.  I need to let everyone recover now and heal.  My brother, his wife and family send their warmest thanks for all your wonderful words and prayers.  They have been truly touched by your warmth.  Thank you, again, from me too.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  Hugs and best regards Linda xx

Back to my favourite

Well it didn't take me long did it, not really.  I have played with a few new ideas and tried a couple of new techniques also, but I just had to come back to my favourite piece of equipment.
I had to put the Grand Calibre back firmly on my desk and start using my Spellbinders, and other dies, again.  I think the problem I have with doing other things is that I keep looking at my box of dies.  It sits on the lower shelf above my desk, right at eye level.  All the dies, sorted into little pockets, named and coded so I can refer to them on the blog and always have those details at hand.  Lined up in an order I know that makes searching easy for me. Ready and waiting like little soldiers on parade.
What I am supposed to do?  After all I have spent a cool fortune on those dies and have not used them all yet.  Well, in my organised and financial budgeting mind I see them sat there and think 'When are you going to earn your upkeep?' and that's the end of it all.  They just have to come out and play and earn their way in my craftroom.  I mean, what in this crafting world of ours can afford to sit idly by and do nothing?   Umm............. now I've said that I remember that I actually have a Quickutz Silhouette that just sits there and an old Cricut baby too.  Oh and a Cuttlebug that's parked lonely under my desk, abandoned now the Grand Calibre has moved in. Plus I have a new shelf unit that is full of fancy paints and inks that have not been touched in a month of Sundays (truthfully, that is probably two months of Sundays!!)  Dear me I have really started something here now haven't I.  I think, if I am being truthful, I have alot of  'stuff' that does just sit by idly, never earning its keep!!  I keep meaning to start doing more home decor items to use up the paints etc, but I just can't seem to find the time or the inspiration at the moment.
Ok, chatter over, here is my Spellbinders card for today...

Here is a close-up of the flowers and the central panel.  I used the Rose Creations die and some of the backing paper (which, by the way, is by Nancy Watt) to make the flowers.  I added a fabric layer to the top and some pearly stamen also to give them alittle more dimension.  The pearly embellishment in the center panel of my Parisian Motif diecuts is just a fancy button with the shank cut off.

I hope you like todays card.  I had fun making this one and playing around with some of my last acquisitions, namely the Moroccan Accents (corners) and Twisted Metal Tags and Accents (Scrolls).

I hope to be back over the weekend, but I have to be honest it depends on how we all feel after the funeral today.  It is baby Lees funeral, but the service is for both the twins, Ruby and Lee.
Take care dear friends, be happy and I hope you all have a good weekend.
Hugs Linda x

My Recipe
Black 260gsm card & White 300gsm card -  Kanban
Designer Backing Papers -  Nancy Watt
Diecuts -  Spellbinders Moroccan Accents, Parisian Motifs & Twisted Metal Tags & Accents
Pearly Stamen -  Wild Orchid Crafts
Satin edged Organza Ribbon - Club Green at Hobbycraft
Diamante -  Bobbity Boo Gems online
Pearly Button -  The Hobby House
Pearls -  From my stash

My first Christmas card for 2012

Hi Everyone and a very good morning to you all.

Here it is, my first Christmas card with my first little angel for 2012.

I fell in love with these papers as soon as I saw them on the website.  They are so soft and delicate and are aptly named the Heavenly Collection and they are from the fabulous Nitwit collections.

Click to go straight to Heavenly at Nitwit Collections,

I don't know about you but I definitely am starting my Christmas cards very soon.  Last year I left it till the last minute to start and so ended up with only a handful made and alot of them were not even delivered.  I think I have about 8cards still in my box upstairs in the craftroom. How appalling is that?  So, this year I am on a mission to make a card every week to show on the blog (fingers crossed tightly here!!) and then in the summer holidays when my grandson is with his parents on holiday I am going to spend some good crafting time with my friend Ellie.  We plan to make lots of Christmas cards together and also start some altered boxes as gifts for Christmas too.  Who knows, we may even try some mini canvases too.  I am really looking forward to it.  Since my health took a turn for the worst we have not crafted together and I have missed it.

Ok, before I go I would like to show you a Bookmark I found on the Whimsey Stamps blog yesterday. I am fixated with these things at the moment, sorry.  I just adore the different ways people find to design them.
This is absolutely gorgeous and perfect for a young persons book, don't you agree?

Click HERE to go to the Whimsey Stamps Inspirations Blog

Bye for now.  Have a wonderful day, whatever you are up to today and take care of yourselves.

Regards and best wishes Linda xx

Yeah Baby Yeah

This is my Austin Powers inspired card.
I received some lovely zesty and summery papers with my cardmaking magazine this month and the words that instantly came to mind were 'Yeah Baby, Yeah'.  Of course these words orginally came from the mouth of the zany Austin Powers himself and so I thought well how about a card inspired by him.  First choice for me was the right mix of papers and keeping with my recent 'busy' theme I chose the flower power pinky red with the 'Oh so' dashing stripes.
Now, I also had the Queens Jubilee concert in my head still after watching it till late the night before on TV, so I thought why not crown a nesting shape with a filigree diecut and add some fancy leaves and flowers.  Of course the next addition had to be some ruffles and the shorter of the flaps seemed the perfect place to put them as it reminded me again of Austin Powers in the form of a ruffled fronted shirt under one of his velvet jacket.
So here it is, I have taken a few different shots to give you a better view of the different components.  I hope you like it.

It is again a bit out of my comfort zone being quite busy (though mainly busy papers this time), but I am desperately trying new ideas and new styles.  For a long while, I was stuck in the rut of just colouring and die cutting with my Nesties and I was determined when I started my blog that it would be an exploration of variety.

This next picture shows the under the main flap.  Here I diecut a frame and inked it lightly with tumbled glass DI to coordinate with the blue of the flowers in the backing paper. Also I cut a faux nestie to provide an area in which to write. 

The last picture shows how easily the flaps fold behind and in front to fit into an A6 envelope (please ignore the paperclips, they were needed to keep the flaps in place while I took the picture).
Also in this picture, you can see the fine crochet lace I used to cover the ends of the ruffled lace.  I think you will agree it gives it a much neater finish.

Well that's it for today.  I am still really busy at the moment, but I am glad I found time to do this card as it is really growing on me now.

The family are having a service for our little Lee and his sister this Friday, I am hoping to find enough strength to attend; also hoping to sleep as it is an early, 9.30am start.  So please bear with me and my eratic blogging at the moment,  life is still full of ups and downs but I promise you I am getting there.  I am feeling stronger everyday and starting to get the old 'Happy Me' back again.   

I am sorry to say, I did not realise how many days had gone by since my last post and so I sat down yesterday and made a couple of cards so I can scheduled one or two incase I cannot get here again at any time.  I have a sweet little Christmas card to show you tomorrow.  I know some of you will be groaning at me using that word in June but I need to get my head around it early this year.  Last year I left it so late I didn't have enough time to make cards for many of my friends and some family members too.  It was shameful.
So if you are able to pop by, I would love to know what you think.  It is quite a simple card but I think it is a successful one.
To end I would like to thank you all again for your continued support and wonderful comments.  Even though I am unable to view my blog on my laptop everyday at the moment, I do read your comments on my phone, as soon as they are posted.  My latest phone is set up to inform me as soon as new comments or emails are received.  Boy these phones can do everything now can't they....... well almost; the only thing they lack is the ability to wash up and make the beds!!!! LOL!   Now that would be a phone worth owning....!
Have a good day all and remember to smile, you never know you may get one in return.  They are very infectious you know :)
Big hugs and smiles Linda xx

Now this is what I call bright!

Hi all
I hope your Saturday has started well and you are able to look forward to some 'me time'.
Again, before I start, I would like to thank you all for your beautiful comments recently, they have been thoughtful and so very considerate and I am so grateful for them all.
Well, I managed to get some crafting done over the past 3or 4days but I have ended up with a stiff neck and I cannot think what I am doing that is causing it.  Maybe I am not sitting properly or I am tilting my head incorrectly when crafting, I really don't know, but boy is it a bother.
Well I have now moved myself downstairs and I am sat on the sofa, its seems alot easier here so I will finish my blog post in a little more comfort.
I started off todays card with a plan to just do something with holes and bows.  I wasn't sure at first of the overall design or the paper I was going to use, but as I pulled out my 12x12 paper pads I knew it had to be the stunning Mariposa papers.  They are such a mix of bright and brilliant colours and of course having butterflies all over there was an added bonus for me!  What person in their right mind doesn't like butterflies.  I like them not only for their beauty and ethereal qualities but also for what they stand for.  Their life is short and yet they work diligently until the end. Making the best of the life they have. A lesson in there for us all I think.
Ok thats deep enough for a Saturday morning, now to the card.......

 

I can remember, only a short while ago, when a busy card was  a no-no for me.  I adored them made by other fabulous crafters, but for me it was always too much of a risk.  Everytime I tried it I seemed to end up thinking the same thing 'Too busy and I don't think it looks right'.  Then one day I just decided to try again and slowly, the more I relaxed and just let it happen, the easier it got.  I don't think I have mastered the 'busy' card yet but I am definitely liking it more now and I actually looked at this card again after completion and was pretty pleased.  Whey hey!!

Well that's it for today.  I am going to try to get another card made now to schedule for tomorrow.  As it will be Sunday, it is, of course my 1st Grandsons birthday and we have a party to go to. My daughter will not be taking me this time as she has to work, but I am hoping that my eldest son or his wife will come along and then I will have all the grandchildren together for the day.   I really cannot believe he'll be 4 tomorrow, where does the time go.

Funnily enough that thought takes me back to butterflies and a quote that I really like: 

The butterfly counts not 

months but moments

and it has time enough! 

Rabindranath Tagore

This leads me on to a final thought for you:-

 We say we waste time, but that is impossible. We waste ourselves.
Alice Bloch

Well I hope you have time enough to do everything you planned for this weekend.  Take care of yourselves and stay crafting.  See you soon.  

Hugs Linda xx

My Recipe

Red smooth card & Ivory Linen card -  Papermill Direct

Spellbinders Damask Accents (border) - Sam Poole Studios

DCWV Mariposa 12x12 paper stack ( Ebay, Papermaze, Craft at Home & Hobbycraft )

Wild Honey Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad

Red & Yellow organza ribbon from my stash

Poem shared

If you are looking for todays card it is below this post.

A very kind and thoughtful lady, one the blog followers in fact, sent me a wonderful poem to give to my niece to help her when she is alittle stronger.  I was so impressed with not only the kindness shown by the lovely Christine, but also the way the poem helps lift something so devastatingly sad into something joyful.  Please, don't think for one minute that I am being thoughtless by saying I have found joy in this tragedy, but I think once you have read it you will understand what I mean.  Thank you so much Christine, I have read and re-read this poem several times and each time I found it tearjerking and yet calming at the same time.
From the emails I have received, I know that there are many among you who have experienced this tragic loss yourselves, so with you in mind also, I would like to share this poem that Christine Harrop sent to me.

From Your Baby

 Daddy please don’t look so sad, Mummy please don’t cry,

Cause I’m in the arms of Jesus and He sings me lullabies.

Please try not to question God, and don’t think He’s unkind,

Don’t think he sent me to you and then He changed His mind.

You see, I am a Special Child, I’m needed up above,

I’m the special gift you gave to Him, a product of your love,

I’ll always be there with you so watch the sky at night.

Look for the brightest star and know that’s my halo’s brilliant light!

You’ll see me in the morning frost that mists your window pane,

That’s me in the summer showers, I’ll be dancing in the rain.

When you feel a gentle breeze from a gentle wind that blows,

Know that it will be me planting a kiss upon your nose.

When you see a child playing and your heart feels a little tug,

Don’t be sad Mummy that’s me giving your heart a hug.

So Daddy please don’t look so sad and Mummy please don’t cry,

I’m in the arms of Jesus and He sings me lullabies.

Take care dear blog friends.  Who knew blogging could fulfill more than just our crafting needs!!!

Big Hugs Linda xx

Another Mini Card

Good morning all
 When I saw this little bird sat among the paper of my Pink Paisley paper pad, I knew I had to find the right setting for him.  After a little playing around with shapes from my cutouts (I diecut all my Spellbinders etc so I can see the finished cut for size and effect) I realised that the Fleur de Lis squares were perfect for what I was after.  It gives the effect of the bird sitting among the thorny branches of a bramble bush which seem to extend from the branch he is actually sat on.  Not bad I thought!  I then used the Postage Stamp die to give just a hint of white layering for added effect.

The diecut alone, even using 300gsm card, is a little too flimsy to sit on its filigree edges for long so I reinforced them with an inner card.  I will explain with the following photos, I hope you get my idea.

Here is the card complete

I started by cutting two large Fleur de Lis squares and  a folded centre section.










The center section was cut just wide enough to fit in between the cutting positions on the sides of the die, with the fold below the top cutting pieces.  The length of the card was longer than the die so that the filigree edging was cut into it, to add extra strength where the card would stand up.

The front and back pieces were then glued onto the folded card, ensuring the filigree cutouts matched.  When they were dry the added thickness gave the card more rigidity for standing. 

 

I lightly scored across the top, above the folded inner card to allow the filigree to bend when the card was opened (I also glued these together for added strength).

I then added a Postage stamp matt/layer in white, followed by another Fleur de Lis square in teal, before the final white Postage stamp matt/layer and the Pink Paisley paper with decoupaged bird topper.

The card was finished off with another piece of the paper added to the inside of the card. 



All in all a simple card to make; no embellishments, no ribbons or bows etc and yet the two dies have given the card alot of character and I think anything else would have been too busy for such a small card.   Anyway, this way, the bird gets all the attention!!
So what do you think, do you like the teal, white and pink? I do hope so.

What ever you are up to today I hope the day turns out to be a good one.  Take care and thank you for popping by.
Hugs Linda x

My Recipe
Spellbinders Postage Stamp - Sam Poole Creative Studios
Spellbinders Fleur de Lys Squares - Ebay
Papers - Spring Jubilee by Pink Paislee
Teal & White Smooth Card - Papermill Direct