Get Well Soon Nesta. . . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope you are all well and if not, you can share this with my good friend Nesta (She's a generous gal so she won't mind).

It was lovely and mild yesterday and supposed to be today too so I shall be venturing a line of washing. I'm at work from lunchtime but Mr Duck has a day off so I'm entrusting him to be on weather watch and gather it in if the weather turns inclement. This has been misplaced trust on several occasions previously so I'm hoping I won't have to go into eye rolling, head shaking mode around 16.30.

Thank you for your lovely comments on my last post. You were very kind but I knew it wasn't my best effort.

Now some messages for our sponsors. . . . . . . . . 

Big congrats to Wendy (Spanish Crafter) as she is a Nanna again to dear Noah (thank goodness he didn't arrive two by two as he's a big lad)

Val, hope your getting back on your feet. No more vigorous behaviour in bed missy!

Christine, fingers crossed for your being re-computerised soon. 

Now, today's card was given to Nesta the other day with the flowers I mentioned. I thrust them at her from arms length when she appeared on the doorstep, sniffing and with a red nose to rival Master Rudolph's. 

Its not technically challenging but it did remind me how useful SB Nesties can be just to simply mat and layer as they are. So it was Nesties for Nesta lol !!!

The base is a 5x7 cream card, which has been topped with the various sizes of SB Butterflies Circles in pink and cream card. The sentiment was from a die cut sentiment sheet from a craft shop and then I added the butterflies that popped out of the largest die.

Quick and easy but not too shabby methinks.

Just before I waddle off, you may notice another HOC winners badge sitting proudly on the right hand side. Thank you for your kind comments and your confidence in me with my entry (here). In fairness, there were only three of us entered this time but I did think the other two cards were very nice so I'm still thrilled to have won.

Anyhoo, have a good day folks and don't let the you know whats grind you down !!!

TTFN

Ang x

Happy Birthday. . . . . .with flying things

Good morning everyone from a chilly pond. Don't worry Patricia, I will never let it get to skating temperatures. The warmth of everyone's kindness will keep it defrosted. . . . . . don't pretend to be sick now, I meant that from the heart lol !!!

Jackie, so glad that your heating is sorted. After something similar happening a while ago, I made sure that we had an electric shower fitted when we moved here so that it was independent of the boiler and we could still have a hot shower if the boiler threw a wobbly.

Lydia, congratulations on your Sue Wilson win, you lucky girl.

Thank you for your concerns but I can assure you I am eating well (yummy homemade toad in the hole duly demolished last night, Mr Duck's favourite). I have lost 10lb now in 2 wks but it is due to all the running around that I'm doing. I will have to get one of them pedi things (pedicure would be nice but I mean one of them step counter doobrys) to see how far I walk on a shift.

Only 3 hours today so hopefully some crafting to be done. Was going to lunch with Nesta but she's laid up with a cold. I shall pop round with some flowers and if they won't go through the letterbox, I shall thrust them into her clammy hand and leg it.

Now, today's card is one I had done ages ago but hadn't blogged. I'm guessing its because I may not have been totally happy with it as the stamping looks a bit naff (I'm guessing that's why I didn't do a close up). I do, however, like panelled cards so if it gives someone an idea, all is not lost.

Its an 8x8 base (PMD hammered white card) topped with C&C silver linen card. I then stamped and silver heat embossed the top and bottom of some more hammered white card (think that's why the stamping is naff) and cut it into 4 panels.

Wrapped in Mei Flower silver satin ribbon and foam padded onto the silver linen. 

Sentiment stamped onto white card and cut out with the 2nd smallest SB Decorative Labels

Eight.

That's it. Not a classic but I've made worse (yes, really I have, though looking at this I know you are trying to imagine what worse may look like hahaha!!!)

No more F1 until March waaaaaaaaaaaah and boooooooooo hooooooooo. No more Mark Webber waaaaaaaaaah. What's a girl to do? 

Have a great day folks and lets be careful out there.

TTFN

Ang x

Best Wishes . . . . . . . to you all

Good morning* duckadees. Here's hoping that you are well and if not, I hope that you get better soon.
I send particular best wishes to Val in Spain. Poor Val has lost her precious cat Bertie to illness so big hugs to you chuck. I have passed on folks kind words from my last post to Val.
Welcome back to John from his sojourn across the Med, hopefully minus an eyepatch and a bandana.
Work is still busy but I guess its the time of year. Its just a shame its causing a physical condition called Craftus Interruptus. I think you can get a cream for it lol !!! Its also playing havoc with my Brazillian F1 Qually session tomorrow. Thankfully I'm not working Sunday for the actual race or hysteria may have set in. If I get get taken on permanently, I will have to supply them with a race calendar for 2014 and tell them to work around that. . . . . . . should go down well eh?

Now, today's card is one that I'm entering in the HOC Classic and Elegant Challenge for November (see here). I know I usually work with a muted colour pallette (snigger) but I went for the dramatic using the options given. . . . . . . 

It is a cream base with layers of black and orange card topped with a piece of First Edition Noir et Chic paper from a 6x6 pad (love this pad) and some orange organza ribbon.

Sentiment stamped onto the cut out second smallest SB Decorative Labels Eight, inked with distress inks. Couple of bits of peach bling in the corners and voila !!!

Hope its not too left field for folks but wish me luck.

Have a wonderful weekend all and keep warm.

TTFN

Ang x

* I said good morning then realised I will have to post now to link to the challenge so good evening too to the late folk.

Violet for Violet. . . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. . . . . . . Yes, I'm back!!! I hope you are all well and that you've missed me (whatcha mean "no"!!!) Its very irritating that work is getting in the way of enjoyment but hey ho, I'm just thinking of the goodies I can spend the hard earned dosh on.

One good thing is, after 10 days, I've lost half a stone so its like being paid pounds to lose pounds lol!!! I'm hoping that at this rate, by Christmas, I will actually weigh less than our turkey hahaha!!! (no jokes about stuffing please, this is a family show!)

I am sorry if I am late getting round to everyone. . . . . . . I will get myself into a more organised state eventually.

Now, today's card is the 94th birthday card I mentioned a couple of posts ago. It started as a "no rush, its not until mid December" to "ooh, err its actually end of November and needed a week before for everyone to sign". This is what happens when you let a fella loose with sorting out these things (no offence John, I know you are super organised).

Its an A4 card, as folks from a sheltered housing complex all have to sign it, and the base is a sheet of lovely A3 white 300gsm card from Lime Tree Crafts (NEC purchase) This is super quality card. 

I then popped on a layer of lilac (or as its for Vi, violet) PMD card, gutted in the middle. On the waste piece, I stamped the Kanban roses stamp (love this stamp) in purple pigment ink and heat embossed with clear powder. I then stuck this piece on the card in the middle and at the height I wanted.

Then I took another piece of white card and cut it slightly smaller than the lilac layer. Out of this, I cut the largest SB Majestic labels 25 die to make a framed aperture. And foam padded this above the stamped image.

Flowers are SB Bitty Blossoms and Tonic Punch daisies, cut from Lidl lilac/purple paper and flourishes and butterflies are from SB Jewelled Flowers and Flourishes.

Trying a different frame.

Sentiment topper is the second and third SB Majestic Labels 25 dies and "Vi" is cut from an Xcut  alphabet die.

Hope that Vi likes it and that you do too. I also should apologise for the slightly askew photography on the top image.

Hopefully it won't be as long until my next post. I promise I shall try to build up a stash on my next day off.

Meantime, take care folks.

TTFN

Ang x

Little Boxes. . . . . . . (but no ticky and hopefully no tacky)

Good morning my little duckadees. My felicitations to you all. A quickie today as my time is not my own at the moment as you know. For those of you who mentioned 48 hours in a day would be handy, I say nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo as I would probably end up working even more of them hahaha!!!

A picture heavy post today featuring the ever popular origami boxes but the lilac one, alongside its larger blue and cream buddy above, I did create the patterned paper for.

I took a sheet of Lidl's lilac paper and cut it to 9x9 to get a smaller box to the usual 12x12.

You can see why I didn't put this as my opening picture. . . . . . . . wouldn't be pulling in the viewers eh?

I then had a little stampathon with some small stamps from a bargain bin at my local craft shop and Dusty Concord and Victorian Velvet Distress Inks.

I then folded in the usual way, stamped and cut an extra piece using one of the SB Decorative Labels One to pop on the bottom.

As you know from my last box, I like a strong covered bottom and in this case, unexposed flaps. . . . . . . steady on now!!!

For the lid, its SB Captivating Squares, embossed with the Cuttlebug Moroccan Screen embossing folder, topped with a SB Bitty Bottoms flower.

Bit of bling on the side and voila!

Hope you have a great day folks and be good.

TTFN

Ang x

Christmas Snowflakes . . . . . . .

Good morning one and all. Hope you are happy and healthy.

I must apologise in advance that my posts may be short (but hopefully sweet) and spaced out for a while as I now have a temporary job, as well as volunteering at the charity shop, and this week's rota is very busy. I'm going to try and get the hours reduced as its not quite what I was expecting so please bear with me until I get get myself sorted. I also may be delayed getting to your blogs but I shall make it to you at some point.

Now, today's card is simple and quick if you have to make a few.

The base is an A4 sheet of ivory linen PMD card, Hougied in half. I cut a piece of gold mirror card slightly smaller than the base and pierced it around the edges. I then cut a slightly smaller piece of ivory linen card and then cut this in half. One half, I ran through the GC with the bottom section of the SB M-Bossibilties Framed Labels 18 folder, which I had to do twice to extend the pattern. I then stuck the two halves flat to the gold pierced layer (I had to cut it in half to get the pattern for the embossing right) with the plain piece at the top.

I cut a piece of gold card to fit across the middle and fishtailed the ends and then did the same with a cream piece, which I then gold heat embossed with a Indigo Blu Merry Christmas stamp.

I then topped the gold piece with the cream piece and foam padded this across the middle of the card to hide the join between the embossed and flat pieces.

Three Marianne Collectables snowflakes (LR0125) cut from gold mirror card finished the look and then I foam padded these top layers to the base card. . . . . . . . Done!

Hope you like it and can bear with me until I next get chance to post. Jenny, I haven't forgotten about a step by step for my last box.

Be good.

TTFN

Ang x

Bracket Borders Box. . . . . .and NEC Gossip

Good morning one and all. Hope you are all hunkydory . . . . . no craft pun intended. . . . . . . well, maybe a little bit. Sorry its been a busy few days but here I am again.
Firstly a big warm welcome to the pond to Shirley. Thank you for joining our happy band and thank you for your lovely comment. Hope you will enjoy our little bit of fun and happiness.

Now, I shall explain about my box before I move on to the raucous debauchery of the post NEC party with Christine and the Scottish Posse. I'm an impressionable young gal and these ladies were wild.

The basic box was made from one whole A4 sheet of purple PMD card and scraps for the lid and to cover the bottom (you should always cover your bottom!!!).
I should explain why I seem to have a fetish for making my boxes in purple card. I do love purple anyway but I have a job lot of purple A3 card (about 30 sheets remaining) after a splurge when ordering from PMD so it makes sense to practice out of this, unless someone asks me for a different colour. 
I Hougied at equal intervals across the widest part and also at 90 deg at the length I wanted, to form the flaps for the bottom. I lay the whole piece flat on my GC cutting plate then lined up one of the filigree dies from SB Bracket Borders at the edge of one of the sides and ran it through the GC. I then turned the die around and did the same on the opposite edge of the same side. I repeated this for the other 3 sides. I then cut a hole out of the centres using one of the iddybiddy circles from one of my medallion dies.

The lid was the tricksy bit. I made the lid in the conventional way but before sticking it, I ran the edges through with the Bracket Borders to give a fancy edge. It was a bit fiddley lining it all up but I think it looks ok-ish. I added two die cuts of the 2nd smallest SB Decorative Labels One foam padded to the lid after popping a hole into the middle of the top layer and tying a lilac ribbon pull through it.

Lastly, I stuck the bottom flaps together and added a square piece of card inside and out to strengthen the bottom (so always remember, bottoms should be strong and covered and you won't go far wrong in life hahaha!!!)
I was going to do a step by step but John is the box tutorial King so I didn't want to assume folk would want one from me.

This is a picture of my NEC purchases. Underneath are two huge packs of A3 300gsm white and cream card so my arms are now two inches longer lol!!!

Jenny, Every Crafts a Pound were there and that's where I got the paper pads and Christmas stamps from.

As for the ladies, well, what can I say. . . . . . . . . Christine (whose blog is here) and I met for a coffee at lunchtime and had a lovely chat, then Christine kindly gave me a lift to the local Harvester (I had parked my car here earlier and bussed into the NEC) after the show to meet the Scottish Posse for dins. My those girls can party!!!

Seriously, we met , Elaine (Patricia's friend from the Tearoom), Hazel (blog here), Kate (blog here) and Patricia (blog here). . . . these are in alpha order as I love them all equally lol!!!. . . . . . and we had the most fabulous evening. We were put in what we called the "naughty corner" as I think they realised we were going to be a handful but we were out-raucoused by another table nearby.

I haven't laughed so much for a long time. All five of the ladies were terrific and it was sad to say goodbye. Patricia brought me some of her super handmade tablet and I recommend you give it a bash using the recipe on her blog.

That's me for today folks. Hope you all have a great weekend and for those going to the NEC, have a fab time. . . . . .Val, work on John and Wendy for next year!

TTFN

Ang x

Happy Diwali. . . . . . The Final Part of the Trilogy

Good morning duckadees. Heating having to go on in the pond now as its getting decidedly brrrr!!!

Mr Duck returned from North of the Border today, glad to be home after waking to -5 this morning. No tablet but a bunch of flowers and a bottle of Prosecco (I can live with that lol!!!)

Meant to say, I loved Jenny's story about her parents living in India. Reminded me of those dramas on TV set in the days of the Raj. My Grandad was from India so it made me smile.

Glad that decorating is finished Sue. At least you're sorted in time for Christmas. Welcome back Jackie. Hope you had a good time with your Mum and Jacquie, I promise no more bad jokes. . . . . .if I can help it hahaha!!!

Now, today's card is the last of this years Diwali collection and was for Nesta's sister and hubby.

Its a 6x6 PMD cream linen card base to start. I then cut another piece of cream linen card a fraction smaller all round. Out of this piece, I cut the SB Die D-Lites Grate Works four times to create four apertures. I then cut four of the Grate Works from gold mirror card. I stuck the cream aperture layer onto the base card,then stuck the gold die cuts into the apertures.

I cut the 3rd SB Captivating Squares die out of cream and gold card. On the cream one, I gold heat embossed an Om symbol and then foam padded the gold, then the cream squares at opposite angles onto the middle of the card.

I used a Debbi Moore gold embossing powder which is quite matt in appearance, so I wasn't 100% happy with it. After seeing John's Holly and Ivy (here) and its shiny gold embossing, he has advised me of the brand he uses, so I shall keep a look out at the NEC.

I also embossed the envelopes with the That Special Touch Moroccan Mask and none of them wanted to rip the envelopes open, bless.

That's me done for now chaps and chapesses. I have an A4 card to make for a ladies 94th birthday so wish me luck.

Have a great day folks.

TTFN

Ang x

Happy Diwali 2013 . . . . . . . . .No 2

Good morning everyone. Hope you are all ticketyboo. Hope all those who were celebrating, had a wonderful Diwali yesterday. Nesta's niece was visiting from down south so I cried off joining the trip to Leicester this year so they could do family things without me gatecrashing.

Bless her though, she turned up on my doorstep, in the rain, at 9.30 last night on her way home with a bag full of samosas(indian savouries) and jalibi and barfi(indian sweets). We didn't leave her out as we got her some oriental lilies and a big box of biscuits.

Thank you for your comments on her Dad's card. He apparently loved it, bless him.

Now today's card is Nesta's. She's is partial to elephants (we did a hill trek in Kenya to see some up close and personal a few years ago) so again, I decided to draw Lord Ganesh for her on her card.

The base is a 5x7 cream card, onto which I popped a layer of gold mirror card. I then cut the largest SB Elegant Labels Four and the second largest SB Decorative Labels 28 from PMD burgundy card (honestly, it is burgundy) and the largest SB Decorative Labels 28 out of gold mirror card.

On the burgundy Labels 28, I drew the image with a Versamark Pen and heat embossed in gold. I then added two tiny red bling for the eyes. This layer was stuck flat to the gold label.

The Labels Four burgundy layer was stuck flat to the base and then the Labels 28 "topper" was foam padded to this.

Fairly simple to put together but Nesta loved it, thankfully.

Hope you have all had a super weekend and best wishes to you all for the week to come. . . . . . NEC at the end of the week yeahhhhhhhhh !!!

TTFN

Ang x

Happy Diwali 2013. . . . . . . . . . No 1

Good morning my blogging chums. Hope that you and yours are well and those who have not been so good, may your paddle to recovery be a short one.

Thank you so much for your lovely comments on my plant pot and for the advice/offers of tablet. Mr Duck is off north of the border again next week so I shall see what he comes back with before I give Patricia's recipe a bash, and have my dentist on standby lol!!! I will do my best to describe it to him again but my money is on a box of Anadin hahaha!!!

Hello to Vicki who kindly left a comment. Hope you can pop by the pond again soon.

Annie, if I ever make it to Oz, we will have to get together. I have an Auntie and cousins near Brisbane, friends in Freemantle, Sydney and the Gold Coast so take your pick of venues lol!!!

Now, today, I'm back with a Diwali card for this year (Sunday). This one is for Nesta's Dad (I'm fairly confident that a certain 80 year old asian chap will not be looking at my blog)

The card is a 6x6 white PMD card base. I then cut a 6x6 piece of gold mirror card and I cut an aperture from the middle of it using the largest of the SB Captivating Squares. Next, I ran the gold frame through the GC with the That Special Touch Moroccan Mask,

I cut a second Captivating Square out of burgundy PMD card and then cut the centre of this with the SB Medallion Eight. I popped a piece of gold card behind this and then attached a piece of black sparkly card (You can't pick up the sparkle on the photo sadly but John can vouch for me on this one) to the back of the gold frame. 

This was then stuck to the base card and then I popped the burgundy square into the aperture. I then cut the smallest die from one of the SB Blossom sets and gold heat embossed the "Om" symbol on it and foam padded it to the centre of the card and that was that.

I have a couple more to show in the next few days (Nesta's sisters' and of course, the lovely Nesta's) so I hope you don't mind.

Another GP weekend, Abu Dhabi but only highlights on the Beeb, sadly. I know the Vettel fella has got the Championship but I will still watch, if only to drool over Fernando Alonso and Jenson Baby.

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend, whatever you are doing. Thanks for taking a paddle.

TTFN

Ang x