100 Not Out. . . . . . .sadly not an English Ashes score.

Good morning and MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all. Thanks if you're sparing time in your busy day to have a paddle and if one hand is still up a turkeys nether regions, please remove it now as at Christmas, you have to follow Elf and Safety. . . . . . .its the way I tell em.

Now as you know, today is my 100th post. Hurrah! I hear you cry (or something similar) so there are two things different today. 

Firstly, there is what the illustrious Sue Wilson would call a twofer. These are the cards that I made for my two favouritist people, Mr Duck and Nesta for Christmas. I've shown Nesta's first as its a bit more ornate and girlie.

It showcases one of my new dies, the SB Tapestry, which I'm in love with so watch out for future makes with it.

The poinsettias and snowflake are Marianne's, leaves SB Bitty Blossoms, and pearls courtesy of John and his Chinese connections. Cream card, gold mirror card and soft gold shimmer card. Card size, 8x8.

Nesta loved it and I hope you like it too. Before I forget, Nesta asked me to pass on her best wishes to you all for Christmas and New Year.

Then my darling Mr Duck. . . . . . .

He loves red so that had to feature but my is it difficult doing a "manly" card. I used SB 2010 Ornament dies, an X-Cut alphabet die and SB Ironwork Motifs. Red satin ribbon and cream, gold holographic and red card. Card size A4.  

Mr Duck also loved his card but he would say that when he wants feeding today lol ! Mr Duck also sends his yuletide felicitations to you all and thanks for his birthday wishes.

Now to the second item on the agenda. I decided, on the auspicious occasion of 100 posts, to have a draw and send one of you lovely folk a little something as a thank you for your support. I only decided this a couple of days ago (last minute Annie me) so I will buy something in the next few days and post it after the Christmas madness so there's less likelihood of things going missing.

Also, I didn't want to stipulate that you leave a comment today to go into the draw as that would be a bit unfair on Christmas Day when you all have better things to do (giblets and Parsons Noses to meddle with etc) and also when I know some of you are away and not wired for blogging. I even threw Nattyboots (Elaine) into the pot even though I discovered she is not actually a follower (tut, tut) but Elaine does comment regularly so I thought it only fair to include her.

Anyhoo, last night, I threw all names into a bowl and my glamorous assistant, Mr Duck, pulled out a name at random and of his own free will and that name was. . . . . . . . . . . .drum roll. . . . . . . . .another drum roll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CHRISTINE ta dah !!!

Congratulations Christine. Please email me your address and I shall get something suitably crafty for you my dear and pop it in the post next week. Apologies to the rest of you (blame Duck Boy not me). I wish I could send you all a gift but please accept my sincere thank you to each and every one of you for your wonderful comments and support since I started blogging in April. The Pond would be a very lonely place without you all. Time to stop before I start getting all Gwyneth Paltrow on you.

So have yourselves a merry little Christmas, hope Santa has been generous and see you again nearer to New Year. Make sure that meat is cooked properly. If a good vet can revive it, then its undercooked!!!

TTFN

Ang x

Ps. . . . . . .forgot to tell you, I have been made permanent at work from Friday this week so woo hoo.

A Christmas Wish . . . . . . .

Good morning Duckadees. Hope that you are super and all ready for Wednesday.

This is my virtual Christmas card to you all, my blogging chums. Its been fun and I'm glad that you have all come along for the ride. Hope you will continue to visit the pond during 2014 as its been amazing getting to know you.

My Christmas wish for you all is health, wealth and happiness. 

Ingredients

A5 cream card base

Gold mirror card, pierced around the edge

Green PMD card

Red PMD card

Marianne Poinsettia Die

SB Decorative Labels One

Red satin ribbon

Sentiment stamp

Holly stamp

Versamark pad

Red pigment ink pad

Cosmic Shimmer clear embossing powder

My next post, which I will schedule for Christmas Day, will be my 100th. In honour of this, I will be doing a special little something, to mark the occasion, for my lovely followers (the 28 that I have as of today).

So, even if you don't have time to pop by on Christmas Day for a paddle, have a dip and look at the post at some point this week as it may be worth your while.

Hope that you are all set and remember no stressing and no arguing and no stuffing anything other than the turkey!!!

TTFN

Ang x

Happy Birthday Mr Duck. . . . . . . . . .xxx

Good morning my little paddlers. Hope all is good in your bit of the pond and that your extremities are not frostbitten.

Busy few days for moi. Mince pies had to be made (72 so far), presents bought for Mr Duck (Birthday and Christmas, bad timing by the parents I say), food shop Plus (call it this as its a normal shop Plus the last of the non perishables for Christmas), last of the Christmas card making, charity shop and of course, the four letter word, work.

Should find out at the weekend if they are keeping me on so fingers crossed. I've got another couple of stone to lose so it would be nice to get paid to do it hahaha!

I have persuaded Mr D to try one of those 3 bird roasts this year. He has been resisting as he's a traditional Turkey guy. He has tried using the cannibalism excuse (one of the meats is duck!) but resistance was futile. . . . . . . .same when I see a SB die I want.

Nigella will be coming out on Friday. No this isn't another scoop revelation from the trial. I mean my Christmas cake, a Nigella recipe hence the nickname, will be coming out of the freezer where she has resided since last year. She will be fed a little more brandy (probably needs it at the moment, poor love) before topping with the white stuff. . . . . . . icing in this Nigella's case.

Anyhoo, this won't get the lady a baby as my darling late Mum used to say (think its some Malaysian saying) so I'd better get on with the card.

This is Mr Duck's birthday card. He actually asked that I put it on the blog bless him.

Please excuse my colouring on Wellington as I'm not a colourist by any stretch of the imagination.

Ingredients 

A3 white card

Navy and red PMD card

SB Fancy Lattice

SB Bracket Borders

SB Decorative Labels 28 

SB Decorative Labels One

Docrafts Wellington Stamp Pack (bargain £2.50 instead of £9.99)

Vintage Photo Distress Ink

Coloured Pencils

Red pigment ink

Red organza ribbon

Red satin ribbon.

Hougie Board.

Foam pads and tape.

Throw it all together with a spoon of kisses and a pinch of love.

I've done a list rather than one of my lengthy explanations as you are all clued up folk who can see how its put together.

Righty ho, at work again today and tomorrow so see you in a couple of days. The big 100 posts at the pond is almost here too. . . . . . . . and they said it wouldn't last (or rather they hoped it wouldn't lol !)

TTFN

Ang x

A Break From Christmas. . . . . . . . .

Good morning Duckadees. Hope this finds you well and happy. A bit of a quick post today as you may have noticed, its a late one and live. I deliberated, digested and cogitated (al a Loyd Grossman circa 1980) as to whether to enter the latest HOC challenge (see here), which is also a DT call. After a bit of prodding by Mr Duck, I decided to have a go. . . . . . . . . .nothing ventured, nothing gained eh?

This is the inspiration photo. . . . . . . . . . . . . 

The base card is 7.5x7.5 inches plain 300gsm white card (Limetree Crafts). I topped this with a smaller layer of silver mirror card, which had been pierced around the edges, with foam pads.

I cut four of the corner pieces of the SB Botanical Swirls and Accents out of white card and also the rounded square die from the same set out of silver card. I cut this again out of white so that I could have the centre portion in white for my sentiment.

I glued the corners to a piece of silver damask card and used a rounded punch on the corners.

I then stuck this to a piece of white card, added some silver satin ribbon across the middle and stuck this to the base.

I then added the silver rounded square to the top on foam pads. the sentiment was heat embossed in silver onto the white centre portion and I then popped this into the centre of the rounded square.

Various sizes of AB bling added and that was that.

Wish me luck folks and keep everything crossed (that'll keep you still for a bit Patricia !!!)

Have a great week and be good.

TTFN

Ang x

Seasons Greetings. . . . . . . . .

Good morning everybody. Friday the 13th. . . . . . eek!!!  Hope all is well with you and yours. Thank you for your concern and best wishes. Feeling better now thanks but still sniffy and a bit Russian shot putter. . . . . . Ivor Chestikoff. . . . . . . boom boom!!! Never fear, I shall never let illness stand in the way of a terrible joke.

Why is it that folk are always willing to share germs but not cash?

Kate and Gail, whose this Toddie fella that does you wonders and can you spare him for a few days hahaha!!!

Jackie, its probably too late to wish you safe travels and thank you for your lovely comments. I always try and find a bit of humour in what can be a sad world and would rather smile than frown (not sure which gives you worse wrinkles but heyho).

Now today's card is another quick make. I started with an A5 cream card base and I ran the front through the GC with my homemade baubles mask. I then cut four different sizes of the SB Heirloom Ornaments 2010 from gold mirror, red and cream card as shown.

Also, I cut two of the calyx from the Britannia Medium Rose die from red card. I layered all the baubles with thin foam pads. I used a gold Promarker to draw veins on the calyxs to look like a poinsettia, popped this on top and then added a gold gem. I then popped a star on top.

Sentiment is heat embossed in gold.

Quick and easy but hopefully nice. Aiming for something a bit more elaborate for next time.

Until till next time folks, keep warm and well and be good.

TTFN

Ang x

'Tis the Season. . . . . . . . .

Good morning my little Duckadees. Hope you feel better than I do.

Several colleagues decided last week that they would come to work with stinking colds and true to form, I've caught one. Thankfully, it didn't appear until after the lovely Thai lunch on Saturday. I got an itchy nose Saturday evening and by Sunday morning, my mouth felt like the bottom of a birdcage. I went to work Sunday afternoon and almost lost my voice (Mr Duck was on the edge of Christmas coming early for him lol !!!)

Had to admit defeat for yesterday's shift and stayed at home as I felt like a bag of poo. I doubt whether I would have made it into the charity shop today. As you read this, I shall probably be cocooned in the duvet with tissue up my nose and dribbling into my pillow (sorry to put that image into your head).

Anyhoo, big congrats to Elaine (nattyboots) and Lydia for their being pulled (steady now!) by Sue Wilson and Julia Watts respectively. Lucky girlies.

Also, further to some of the comments on my last post, I too used to have to write thank you notes after birthdays and Christmas. I don't now admittedly but I always ring people to say thank you.

Nesta still hasn't heard anything and the worst of it is, she physically handed the stuff over to her neice and there wasn't even a grunt of thanks at that point so she had hoped it would materialise later but alas, no.

Now, today's card I made for a friend who is a Coventry City supporter (yes, there is one) hence the colour scheme.

The base is A5 in size, white card topped with a slightly smaller silver holographic card layer. I then cut a slightly smaller white layer and scored some horizontal lines across the bottom and top using my Hougie, leaving the centre panel plain. 

From the centre panel, I cut three of the Marianne Creatables Snowflakes (LR0125). I then backed the apertures with double sided adhesive and sprinkled with some blue glitter.

I then added some silver satin ribbon, the heat embossed, matted and layered sentiment and some blue bling. This was all then foam padded to the holographic layer and that was that.

Here's hoping your day is runny nose free and supahdoopah.

TTFN

Ang x

  

Happy 30th Birthday. . . . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope you all survived the horrendous winds. Its fine if your house has been blown into a different county, as long as you are all safe. Only a few ripples across the pond so we escaped quite lightly (in fact, I think Speedy Gonpatricia causes more of a wake on one of her zoom abouts)

Thank you for your lovely comments as usual. to clarify from my last post, on Tuesday's I volunteer in an RSPCA charity shop. I love it as itsmy way of helping the animals without me blubbering over a sick cat or me doing 6 months for GBH if I got my hands on anyone abusing an animal.

The paying job is in a large chain store. Won't say who, in case I want to whinge about em hahaha!!! 

Now, today's card is one Nesta asked me to make for her niece who, unsurprisingly, was going to be 30. This is the same niece with the purple and gold wedding theme, for whom I made the engagement card as shown here .

Its an 8x8 cream card base to start. I then cut a slightly smaller piece of gold mirror card and then a slightly smaller piece of purple card. Out of the purple, I cut the largest SB Majestic Labels 25 and also one of the SB Bracket Borders, top and bottom, as shown. 

I embossed the portion of the gold card, that would show through the frame, with the That Special Touch Delicate Mask.

I then cut the nesting layers from the Majestic Labels 25 in gold and purple and also the leafy shaped die from the SB Botanical Swirls and Accents (did wonder if I would ever use this odd shaped die in this set but there you go). I matted and layered them on top of each other and stuck the leafy things on either side of the top layer. 

In the centre of this I used. . . . . . . . John, look away. . . . . . . number peel offs for the 30. For the Happy Birthday, I did cut the letters from gold mirror card using a X-Cut Alphabet die. 

Nesta loved the card but I have no idea if her niece did as the miserable g#t hasn't even bothered to text, nevermind phone, to say thanks to Nesta for the card and her present.

Well that's me for today folks. Day off (hurrah !!!) so off to the NEC for the Airport Duty Free Christmas sale first thing (handbags, perfume and Estee Lauder come to Momma)  followed by a reunion with former workmates (one of whom has just come back from New Zealand) at a Thai restaurant for lunch and witty reparte lol !!!

Have a great day yourselves, whatever you're all up to.

TTFN

Ang x

White Christmas . . . . . . . .I can hear you singing now

Good morning my little duckadees. Hope your fettles are fine and everything else for that matter. Can't believe we're in December, who pinched the rest of the year without me noticing? Mr Duck's birthday is the week before Christmas so I always have a double whammy for thinking of pressies. I did suggest he may like to sponsor a tiger/panda but that was met with a stare, which I read as "no". Did think he may like to sponsor my crafty endeavours or a week in the Bahamas but thought that may be met with a similar stare so didn't suggest it.

Thanks everyone for your comments on my embossing mask. I've done a snowflake one as well and some none Christmas ones too. Yes Sue, its a much cheaper way of doing it (I confess, I'm tighter than a fishes oojits) and you get a pattern you want/need.

Thanks too for your good wishes about the job. I have worked my socks off, so if they don't keep me, it won't be due to laziness. 12lb lost in just over 3 wks so I'm not slacking. I'll need to keep working to afford the new wardrobe I'll need hahaha!!! 

Hi Donna. I'm very flattered that you think I should apply for the HOC DT. I shall try and fit something in before the deadline so thank you for your suggestion.

Ita, thanks so much for your comment. It was lovely to hear from you again chuck and glad to know your on the mend. Glad I provided a bit of amusement for the nurses too.

Now, today's card was a quickie (a common thread at the moment I'm afraid). Its an A5 white card base with a layer of silver holographic card straight on top (gutted in the centre. . . . .being a good girl for Patricia).

I then cut a slightly smaller piece of white card and ran this through the GC with a Splodgeaway "White Christmas" mask (there are three in the set) across the middle. The song instantly pops into my head when I see this but I resist the urge to warble out loud as poor Bing would spin at warp factor six if he heard me. 

I stamped the snowflakes (25p bargain bin stamp from my local craft shop) with VersaMark and then brushed with silver mica powder.

With some holographic snippets, I cut four Marianne's Creatables Snowflakes and made two fuller snowflakes, sticking two of them together, than added bling to the centres.

It does look better in real life as it was a tricksy business trying to photograph it at the right angle to capture the embossing. Having a white background behind the card was probably not the smartest move (will withdraw that job application to David Bailey lol !!!)

That's all folks for today. Hope you have a super day and keep warm and well.

TTFN

Ang x

'Tis The Season. . . . . .

Good morning my dear blogging chums. Hope you are all well. I'm still trying to get used to this work mularky. I'm sure things will be more settled if I get kept on after Christmas and have a contract with a set number of hours.

Nesta is better and thanks you for your good wishes.

Now, today's card was my first play with my SB Heirloom Ornament 2010 set. I thought it was crying out for a dangler (steady !!!)

I started with an A4 piece of 300gsm cream card from Ross Papers, Hougied in half to make an A5 card base.

I then cut an aperture in the front of the card with the 2nd largest bauble. 

I had made an embossing mask already with the bauble dies (see pic below) and ran this through the GC to emboss the front of the card.

This is an A5 mask as I tend to make that size card.

Then I made a frame, using gold mirror card, by cutting the largest and 2nd largest baubles together.

I cut various sizes of the baubles in gold and cream for the dangler and did the same for front and back. Its dangling from some Nymo jewellery thread.

The sentiment is from a Dovecraft Christmas set that I got for £1 from the NEC, stamped and gold heat embossed on cream, then matted onto gold mirror card.

A gold satin Mei Flower ribbon bow completes the card.

Have a great week folks and I shall endeavour to post more regularly again if possible.

TTFN

Ang x