New Home . . . . . . . .

Good morning one and all. Hope your bit of the pond is warm and not too wet . . . . .well, as non wet as a pond can be lol !!! Hopefully, John, Val and Wendy are the other side of those nasty storms and flooding.

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my jewellery. I really should start playing with it again as the cards have somewhat taken over.

I've been trying to catch up with some crafting. I had set Thursday aside but ended up going curtain hunting (not my idea of fun) with Nesta Vipers instead as I was in too bad a mood for crafting. Woke up happy and raring to go but then forgot it's a dog eat dog world out there and I think I was wearing marrowbone underwear that morning hahaha!!!
If there's one thing I've learned it's never craft when you're cross; a craft knife and tension is not a good combo except if you fancy afternoon in A & E lol !!! 
We came home curtain less (Patricia, you have my sympathy for your recent curtain capers) but laughing so all was not lost. Five minutes with Nesta was enough to remind me that there are still some nice folk in this world.
I have been crafting today (Friday) instead so I will have some more cards in readiness for the pond.

Now, today's card was a "need a card urgently" one, that then wasn't as urgent after I had raced to do it. It was for Nesta's niece and her fiance who have just bought their first house.
It had to have purple in it (as per the engagement card a few weeks ago) and who am I to argue when I love purple.
I got the door idea from Patricia's lovely Christmas card, a week or so ago. Lucky Patricia had an embossing folder (I think) for the door but as I haven't, I had to improvise.
The base card is a piece of A4 PMD cream linen card Hougied in half to A5. I matted this with a slightly smaller piece of purple card (I did gut the middle of this, frugal duck that I am) 
I then took a slightly smaller piece of the cream linen card and embossed, freehand, a door shape using my Hougie. I don't think it looks too bad for an improv.
I then masked around the door and gave it a light sponging of Dusty Concord Distress Ink.
I stamped the plant pots on either side of the door (I got this stamp from my local craft shop, for 25p last week) and coloured them in using a mixture of distress ink, promarker, Staedler fine liners and felt tips. Same goes for the flowers around the door, which were done with a stamp I thought resembled a clematis and my leaves were freehand. Now you can probably see why I don't normally do colouring hahaha!!!
The letters were cut out of purple card using an X-Cut alphabet die and stuck onto the card in a jaunty fashion (lol!!!)
A bling door handle, a line for the letterbox and the door number completed the look. Apologies I had to handwrite the door number, as my number stamps were too big.

Hope that you all have a fabulous weekend with no more floods or pestilence.

TTFN

Ang x

A Bit of Bling . . . . . . .

Good morning my little duckadees. Hope you are all fit and well.

Welcome back to Heather from her hols. St Albans certainly looks nice this time of year and the council  have done a great job renovating that bandstand hahaha!!!

Big congrats to Kate for being on Joanna Sheen's daily talent spot yesterday. . . . . .I saw it and thought "I recognise that card !!!"

Thank you for all of your kind comments about my buddleija card. I can honestly say that I am really not a patient person. I punched the iddy biddy (technical term) flowers out of a piece of card whilst I was watching TV so it didn't seem a chore and sticking them on didn't take as long as you may think.

Now today, I have decided to show some more jewellery as its been a while and I need to get some more cards photographed, so I hope that you don't mind. Please excuse the photography; I was not having a David Bailey moment lol !!!

I have used my favourite Swarovski crystal bicones in different shades of purple and pink and also graduating sizes to create a tapered effect on this pendant, hanging from a silver chain.

Each crystal is attached, individually, to a piece of chain by headpins and the earrings match.

I also made the same set in green and blue Swarovski too.

Hope that you like them.

At least the folk who bought them did lol !!!

Have a great day all and lets be careful out there!!!

TTFN

Ang x

Best Wishes . . . . . . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope the Sun is shining wherever you are. I also hope that Heather has had a safe journey home and that John is safe and sound back in Spain.
A big hello to Maggie in France. So glad that you are able to comment now after John's guidance.

Now, today's card I made for one of my lovely friends who is moving to Wales. A few of us had lunch together last week to wish her all the best. It was sad as we usually all meet up once every month but it won't be the same with one missing from now on.
I started with an A4 piece of white card Hougied in half. I then cut a slightly smaller mat out of a bright blue card and pierced the edges and stuck this to the base card.
I then cut a slightly smaller layer from white card and rounded the corners. I inked the edges with a light blue ink (freebie, make unknown). I made up the buddleija as before with lots of flowers from a Tonic Daisy Punch, shaped with a yellow felt tip pushed into the centres and foam pads in a domed shape to give them definition. Leaves and stems are just hand cut card and the sentiment is stamped, heat embossed and cut with an SB Scalloped Ovals die.
This layer was then foam padded onto the blue mat.

Happy girlie as F1 has been on all weekend (it was a Belgian Doctor this weekend Val lol !!!. . . . . . have you heard from Barbara Gray yet chuck?). I have tried hinting to Mr Duck to take me to the Singapore GP next month but its falling on deaf ears. Perhaps he is afraid of a big bill . . . . . . .boom boom !!! . . . . . . Hey, don't start rolling your eyes, the entertainment is free hahaha !!!
Have a great day yawl and thanks again for taking the time to pop by for a paddle.

TTFN
Ang x

From the Heart . . . . . . . .

Good morning my crafty chums. How's it hanging? Most of my sniffles are gone thankfully.

Apologies for being a day late with my post but you will have to blame John Lockwood (http://johnnextdoor.blogspot.co.uk) for keeping me out all afternoon yesterday so that I didn't have time to do my blog. . . . . . . well, it was probably me keeping John out as I probably bored the socks off him lol !!! No, we had a good ol' chin wag, fortified by lots of coffee and Pepsi Max and I think we both had a caffeine surge hahaha.

So, as the card says, From the Heart, a big thank you to John for taking the time out of his short  hols to spend the afternoon with moi. I can say, hand on heart, he is a genuinely lovely guy and it was great to meet him. I am really looking forward to meeting everyone coming to the NEC in November too.

Before I forget, a big hello to Maggie in France. John passed on your "hello" and explained that you are unable to follow/comment for technical reasons but that you do pop by for a secret paddle. He did suggest that I put an email button on my blog but after his hacking episode, I'm not sure about that. I don't need ads about coffee and weight loss . . . . . . . .well, actually, the weight loss thing may not be a bad idea lol !!!

Now, today's card is another of my subtle creations in muted tones . . . . . . . .titter . . . . . . . . but was a quick and easy make. I hadn't used this embossing folder that Nesta Vipers got me for my birthday and I thought it high time that I did.

The base card is a 5x7 white card blank. I then popped a slightly smaller mat of white card through the GC in the SB M-Bossibilities Framed Labels Eighteen folder. As I don't have a Labels Eighteen die set, I ran a piece of card, just big enough for the label portion of the folder, through the GC in the folder again and cut the label out by hand.

I inked the bottom of the embossed card with Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink and the top in a mixture of Shabby Shutters, Spiced Marmalade and Mustard Seed. 

I then twisted some yellow and orange organza ribbon together and attached it across the card, adding a double bow of both ribbons. 

The cut out label was inked up with the Spiced Marmalade and Mustard Seed inks again and the sentiment stamped with Shabby Shutters. I then foam padded it onto the embossed card and then that onto the base card.

I know that its very bright but it matches my cheery disposition . . . . . . .hahaha!!! Hopefully its nearly as tropical as where Heather is lounging, half dressed and oiled up . . . . . St Albans I think she said lol !!!

Hope you all have a wonderful day, wherever you are and thanks for popping by the pond.

TTFN

Ang x

Glittering the Tree

Good morning chaps and chapesses. Hope this finds you all in fine fettle (what is a fettle anyway?). Hope those sunning themselves in St Lucia and Leicester are settled into their new surroundings. Makes me want to get away (not to Leicester. . . . . .no offence but its not that far from me). Haven't had a holiday this year yet as we are looking at September/October. Now I'm getting back to normal (I do mean that loosely Patricia lol!!!) I'm thinking of a trip to a foreign pond.

Now, we have another Christmas card. I told you I would go mad with this stamp. Thank you all for your lovely comments about my last card. Don't worry, I'm expecting divided opinion on this one hahaha!!!

Sorry Wilma, but as you can see, the number of germs I have, is not inversely proportionate to the level of "not in your face" with my cards. 

The base is a 6x6 white card blank. I then cut a slightly smaller mat out of a piece of card that I had left from my shaving foam shannanigans. I stamped this with the Baroque Christmas Tree stamp in a mid blue pigment ink and then heat embossed with my Ranger sticky embossing powder. I then added some superfine twinkly blue glitter (this looks so sparkly when the lights on) onto this and rubbed it in well. Pink heat embossed sentiment and all done.

I could get used to this speedy crafting mularky. 

Well th, th, that's all folks. Have a super splendid day wherever you are and thank you so much for popping by for a paddle again.

TTFN

Ang x

Gilding the Tree . . . . . . . . .

Good morning one and all. Hope this finds you happy and healthy. I'm feeling more my normal self so hopefully I've shaken off the germs. Thanks again for your kind thoughts.

Thanks for your comment Marion. Look forward to hearing from you again. 

Val.....Don't know if Wendy managed to pass a message on but I think you should get in touch with Barbara Gray. I think it was Lydia suggested that too. I think that you will get further with Barbara.

Happy holidays to Heather and welcome back to blighty to John. Hope you both have a fab week in St Lucia and Leicester (not much between the two LOL!!!) respectively.

Now, I post this card with a soupcon of trepidation as it features. . . . . .gilding flakes. They have been a somewhat controversial subject during the last few days but Ducks go where angels fear to tread.

Some of my purchases last Saturday were Indigo Blu's Baroque Christmas Tree Stamp, some black pearlised card and some Ranger Sticky Embossing Powder (does the same as Mica Boss)

I started with a 5x7 cream card blank and put double sided tape around the edges. I then added Indigo Blu's Chariot of Fire Gilding Flakes to make a gilded frame. 

I cut a slightly smaller mat out of the black pearlised card and stamped the Baroque Christmas Tree with Versamark onto it. I then heat embossed with the sticky embossing powder. For those of you that haven't used it, its amazing. When heated, it leaves a clear sticky pattern that you can glitter, gild or dust with mica and saves you using glue on your stamps. The detail you achieve also seems better. I added the Chariot of Fire flakes, pressed them onto the sticky and then scooched off the excess. I also did the same with the sentiment, then popped the mat onto the base.

Sorry the picture quality isn't great but I was trying to show the sheen on the card. its like there are little gold flecks in it. This is the same pic as the first one with flash, which kinda shows it a bit.

Hope that you like it. Its a stamp I have lusted after for a while so it may feature quite a bit on my festive creations.

Have a great day and be good!!!

TTFN

Ang x

50 Posts today . . . . . . and they said it wouldn't last!!!

Good morning my little Duckadees. Hope you are all being good in your respective bits of blogland. 

This is my 50th post today. It seems a long time since my first attempt but thank you all for joining me and sticking with me along the way. Hope a few more folk may like to become followers as I'm still a bit short of my 4000 for the blog candy hahaha!!!

Thanks again for your kind best wishes. I'm still not 100% but getting there. So sorry if I came across as miserable. Bit of an auto immune thing going on so if there is something going around, guaranteed I will catch it and take ages to get shot of it (hence the tummy bug I have picked up now too but I won't dwell on that one!!!). Could be worse but sorry again if my posts were laden with misery . . . . . . .lets face it, you don't come on here to feel down!

Sadly, that was not a Gelli Plate in my pile of goodies; it was a pack of clear stamps that cost £1. How are you getting on with yours Val? Yes, there were some turquoisy glitters and also a black and gold pack too.

Before I forget, I made a comment on Patricia's blog extolling the virtues of organza ribbon from Sanctuary Beads. I checked their website afterwards, only to find that they only have two colours currently in stock (red and green if you are still in Christmas mode). I emailed them to find out when they are re-stocking and sadly, they have said it won't be for a while. Sorry if I got anyone's hopes up. I'm just glad I got a job lot when I did.

Well, not like me to cause a consternation with my last card lol. Do you know what? I am so pleased that everyone feels they can be honest with me about what they don't like about my cards. I really don't mind if folk say they are not keen. Its refreshing and wonderful that you all say what you think!

Now, on to today's card. I was trying to use up some bits (following Patricia's lead).

The base card is an A4 piece of white hammered card, Hougied in half. I also cut a slightly smaller mat out of white card.

I then cut three of the middle die of SB Elegant Labels Four, two out of green card and one out of yellow card. Also, I cut the curved square shape from the SB Botanical Swirls and Accents set from some yellow card. I ran each of the EL4 die cuts though the GC with a Forever Friends embossing folder.

As these were too long to fit on the card, I cut them in half and trimmed a bit of each half until they fitted how I wanted. I then foam padded them on to the mat and put a strip of yellow card across the joins.

I then added a piece of Creative Expressions Crochet Ribbon across this. The ribbon was originally white but I inked it with Mustard Seed and Shabby Shutters Distress inks to tone it down (me tone it down? Whoda thought it eh lol!!!) I'm not sure that I succeeded in what I was after as the colour of the crochet now seems to resemble a piece of Steptoe Snr's vest!!! (if any of you are old enough to remember Steptoe and Son. . . . . .I, of course, only saw the repeats)

I popped the BS die cut on the top and then tucked the centre portion into the frame, after stamping the sentiment. Lastly,I inked around the edges with Mustard Seed and stuck the mat to the base card.

I know it won't appeal to everyone but that's ok.

Hope you all have a wonderful day and no worries Sandy, I've been called a lot worse than Kate before and will probably be called worse in the future lol!!!

TTFN

Ang x

Normal Service is Resumed . . . . . Technicolour Duck is Back!!!

Good morning Duckies. Hope you are all ticketyboo. I am feeling heaps better so thanks for all of your good wishes. My voice is still a bit Aled Jones (pre-puberty) but its getting there.

As you can see, its back to the sunglasses.

Now, I made a few purchases at The Great British Craft Festival on Saturday, fortified with throat lozenges and a Kit Kat (its a balanced diet as I had one in each hand LOL!!!) Here are the goodies on my desk . . . . . . . . . . .

You may notice the Apple Blossom Radiant Rain Spray. I wanted to have a go at the shaving foam again as I had tried with paler colours (I know, whoda thought it hahaha) but wasn't happy.

See Sue Wilson's tutorial on her blog if you are not familiar with the technique.

I used the Apple Blossom and swirled it with a pencil (I'm sure there is a special tool to do it that costs £20 but a pencil did the job) and this was the piece of card I ended up with . . . . . .

I trimmed it to fit as a mat on a 5x7 white card blank. I wanted to keep as much of the background showing as possible as I liked the pattern, so I simply stamped and heat embossed the sentiment, added some pink organza ribbon and a blinged up turquoise SB Les Papillon.

I know that its bold and bright but its what I needed after feeling that my nose was going to explode and my throat was like the bottom of a bird cage.

Hope I haven't frightened you all off LOL!!! Have a wonderful day.

TTFN

Ang x

Captivating Squares and a Peeky (rather than Peking) Duck . . . . . . . . . .

Hello everyone. Hope you're all ok. I feel like a bag of poo. After the sore mouth at the dentist on Friday, I have now got a stinking cold and raging sore throat. I made it to the Great British Craft Festival at Stoneleigh yesterday but am suffering for it today.

If you don't mind, I will keep this post brief as I'm trying to type and hold a tissue to my nose at the same time. . . . . us women and multi tasking eh?

I didn't want to go another day without a post as I know other folk have got worse than a cold and still manage to blog.

Hello to Sue (snowqueen62). Glad you managed to comment and hope to see more in the future. Val, well done for winning Sue Wilson's comment game.

Now today's card was a play with my new SB Captivating Squares.

All I did was cut a solid of the larger die and a frame from it too using the next die down. I then cut SB Medallion Four out of the solid piece and layered them up on a piece of card after I inked up using distress inks. The piece of card was also inked with distress inks through the Delicate Special Touch Mask, except the bit under the medallion cut out.

Popped onto a white card base. I haven't pricked around the sides but instead used a Staedler fine liner with the piercing ruler to see how it turned out. 

Sorry its not very exciting but I haven't been craftily productive for the past few days. . . . . .its difficult when your face is throbbing for various reasons with a nose a shade of red that Rudolph would be envious of LOL!!! Please forgive me.

Thank you for your best wishes for the dentist and comments about Mr Duck's choice of card. I think its gone to his head but of course he has good taste, he married me hahaha . . . . . have to remind him of that looking like I do at the moment LOL!!!

Hope to be back with you in a couple of days and hopefully feeling more ticketyboo. 

TTFN

Ang x

Love You . . . . . . . arrrrrrrrrrrh

Good morning my little duckadees. Hope all is well in your part of the world. I'm trying a new thing on my photos in case you thought I had ripped all of the edges LOL !!!

Thank you so much for your wonderful comments about Mr Duck's anniversary card. I think he felt a bit chuffed too that everyone who commented liked it. Thanks for thinking that my handwriting isn't too bad either.

Ita, so sorry you have to endure an op. Hope that all will be well with you soon. To answer Lydia, Kate and Val, yes Mr Duck did get me a very lovely card. He tried to pretend that he had made it himself by spouting technical terms he has heard on C & C, like "triple embossing" but I wasn't fooled. Also, he keeps every single card or letter/note I have ever sent him, in a box.  His choice, not my prompting. How lovely is that?

Now, today's card was just a quick and easy card I pictured in my head and thought I would try. Apologies that it is verging on the Valentine as that's worse than Christmas LOL!!! Wait until the weekend's Easter card hahaha!

The base of the card is a piece of white hammered card (sorry, it was an offcut and I forgot to measure). 

I cut the hearts, innys and outys, using the two smallest dies from a Sissix die set, out of fuchsia pink card and a piece of pink spotty card (think that was off a packet of something so I hope I did good Patricia).

I stuck the larger hearts alternately to the card.Then I Hougied down the middle of the small hearts and glued them in the centres of their opposite colour, lifting the sides for dimension.

The ribbon holes were done with a Tonic ribbon punch and pink organza ribbon threaded through. A two finger bow added to the end.

I then re-thought how to do the sentiment and punched tiny hearts using a Hobbycraft punch and hand wrote the letters.They are stuck on with silicon glue.

And finally, a picture of the beautiful card that Mr Duck gave me for our anniversary. He has definitely upped the anti since I started making cards but I do feel sorry for him having to buy me cards when I make them.

Hope that you have a splendid day. I shall be meeting  a group of good friends for lunch, which is always a good laugh so I hope that whatever you are up to, it makes you smile.

TTFN

Ang x

Happy Anniversary . . . . . . . . .

Bonjour mon petit canards. Hope you haven't found yourself under 6ft of water. 

Thank you so much for your best wishes for our anniversary. We were both very touched (steady on now, not like that !!!). Thank you also for your lovely comments about the card on my last post.

Firstly, messages to our sponsors.

A very warm welcome to Claire (Claire's Crafty Creations) who has jumped into the pond with us.

To Gail and Mr Gail, a belated Happy Anniversary to you both for the same day as ours.

Elaine, 50 years WOW!!! We have got to 10 years without my resorting to violence so "hurrah" to you and Mr Nattyboots.

And Val, so sorry you had a sad day. Hope that the bereavement wasn't family or too close a friend.

Finally, welcome back Ita; hope that you are better and that your tests went ok.

Now, my lovely Mr Duck had agreed that I could show the card that I made him for our anniversary so here it is. Its almost A4 in size.

I know that it won't be everyone's cup of char but Mr D wanted red and white and he likes the more structural style cards that I make. He also likes me to handwrite the sentiment on his cards as he says its more personal for him.

I won't go into the recipe but I have taken pics of the various stages. The ingredients were just;

Red card

White card

SB Bracket Borders

SB Majestic Labels 25

SB Classic Ovals

White Pen

Like I said, I realise that not everyone will be a fan but I enjoyed the challenge of getting what was in my head onto card and it was one of the few occasions where a card turned out exactly as I wanted it. Mr D loved it too so that's the main thing.

Have a great day folks and thank you so much for popping by for a paddle.

TTFN

Ang x

What day is it? . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Good morning one and all. Hope this finds everybody healthy and happy.

Apologies for this being a day later than usual but real life caused another bloggus interruptus yesterday. It was mine and Mr Duck's wedding anniversary and various events conspired to fill our day with nonsense so we didn't get as much time together as planned and I didn't get chance to schedule my post. We have spent Saturday having fun so better late than never. Mr Duck has given me permission to show the card I made for him so I will do that for my next posting.

A good time was had by Nesta and myself on Friday. She had a lovely birthday and thanks you for your good wishes. She also loved her card. . . . . . . .phew!!!

Elaine, somehow whilst we were out, the email came through with your comment (not sure how as my data was switched off) but we did have a laugh as the scenario you described was exactly what was going on. There is an excellent tutorial on Joanna Sheens website on how to do the fuchsias but next time I do them, I will photograph each stage and put it on a post in case anyone is interested. Incidentally Gail, I got the Britannia Medium Rose die, used to make the fuchsias, from Joanna Sheen for £9 (free postage at £9 and above)

Special message for Wendy (Spanish Crafter). Thank you so much for your kind offer but I was more than happy to help/suggest without reward. Save the postage chuck and get dear little Hollie an ice cream on me next week, how's that? Safe travels today and enjoy your visit back to Blighty.

Now, today's card was a relatively quick and easy card but I liked the way it turned out.

I started with a 5x7 white card base which I cut down to 5x6. I then cut a slightly smaller mat from lilac card (only a itsy bitsy bit smaller). 

Out of this, I cut one of the SB Bracket Borders 6 times in the pattern shown. I had done rough measurements to know that the pattern would fit.

I then cut the same die twice out of a piece of white card, as per the picture, to make a label/tag for the sentiment.

I wrapped some white organza ribbon down the left hand side of the lilac card and the foam padded it to the base card. Then the label/tag, complete with sentiment, gems and a two fingered white organza bow, was foam padded onto the lilac layer and that was that.

I do love the Bracket Borders for their versatility. I did go a bit mad with them on Mr Duck's anniversary card but that's for next time.

Offski now as its been a long day and I'm typing this for scheduling at an hour where most folks would be making ZZZzzzzz.

Have a top Sunday folks and big, big, big thanks for popping by the pond.

TTFN

Ang x

Happy Birthday my little Nest of Vipers . . . . . . . . . .

Good morning my crafty chums. Hope you are all ok and behaving yourselves. Sorry this is a little later than usual but I wanted to make sure that the recipient of the card had seen it before the rest of the world (ever the optimist me). I will be back to 6am from Saturday.

We have another follower in the pond folks so a big hello and welcome to Sandy. I don't know how you found me but thank you for joining our merry band. 

Next, an apology to Jackie. I had already left a comment for Heather before you left  yours explaining what you were doing so when I saw Heather welcoming you back from jollies, that's why  I thought that you had been away again. . . . . . I blame Heather. . . . . . hahaha!!!

Welcome back to Wilma, who I know has been on her hols and Val, you did make me laugh about me having a Hungarian doctor visiting.

Now to the card. I told you it was a labour of love as it took a while to do and it is for my best friend, code name Nest Of Vipers as she wants to remain anonymous (I'm beginning to think she may be wanted by the authorities and hasn't told me). Its her birthday today and we shall be off having fun in the sun for the day.

Rather than induce sleep detailing the recipe, I shall just list the ingredients as most of the work was flower making and assembly.

Cream hammered card

Pink card

Yellow card

White card

Sissix Frame, Iron Gate die

SB Bitty Blossoms, Jewel Flowers and Flourishes and Foliage dies

Britannia Medium Rose die (fuchsias)

Variety of distress inks

Seed beeds 

Paper twine

I think this is one of my favourite cards that I have made. I do love my flowers real and paper.

Hope you all have a marvellous day and if there is something that you are really hoping for today, I hope that it comes your way.

Thank you to all of you for taking the time to pop by the pond for a paddle. It really is appreciated.

TTFN

Ang x