Easter Continues. . . . .

Good morning everybody. Hope all is good with you. Not sure why I'm scheduling this as I will be up now as I, in a fit of madness, agreed to go into work for 7.30am. Not only that, I agreed to stay until 16.30!!! Note to self, engage brain before mouth in future.

Thank you for the comments on Mr D's card. I'm sure he'd try and eat it if he could.

Ita, lovely to know you're still paddling. Gosh, you have been through the ringer chuck but I look forward to the book lol! Great you still have your sense of humour and I'm sure everyone, along with me, wishes you well.

Sorry that the Easter theme is ongoing but I wanted to show the card I made for Nesta. She was thrilled, bless her and I have to admit, I was pleased with the way it turned out.

Now, I started with an A5 cream card base. I then cut another piece of cream card, slightly smaller and cut an aperture using one of the SB Scalloped Ovals, large enough to fit my daffs.

On this top layer, I stamped my Card-io Daffs stamps with various Distress Inks, added the "Easter" cut from an X-Cut Alphabet die and stamped and heat embossed the "Happy" above it. I inked the edges with Mustard Seed DI.

I lightly marked the base card, in pencil, through the aperture so I knew where to assemble my daff display. The daffs are actually flowers cut from the HC Sunkissed Fleur die, larger ones in yellow card, small ones from orange card. I shaped the orange ones to form the centres so they looked like the"trumpets" on daffodils.

The leaves are actually from the SB Carnation Creations set so no actual daffodils involved but I do think they look daffodilesque.

I then foam padded the top layer onto this and that was that.

I hope you indulge my artistic licence with the daffs.

I only have one more Easter card to share, just to warn you.

Hopefully, I will be back soon if today's 9 hour shift doesn't polish me off!!!

TTFN

Ang x

The Striplet and The Easter Egg. . . . . . . .

Good morning to you, one and all. Hope everyone is well, although I was sad to read on one of the blogs that Ita is not doing so good and may have to go into hospital again. Ita, if you still have a paddle and read this, hope you start improving soon chuck.

Thank you all so much for your kind comments on my foray into egg making. It wasn't the tidiest of creations but when it didn't touch the sides, it didn't really matter lol! Yes, Mr D has kept the box (sensible lad) but I dread to think what he may keep in it; slugs and snails and puppy dogs tails maybe.

Now, this is the card I made for Mr D for Easter and the egg box was made to match (sad, I know).

Its an A5 cream card base and I started with a faux purple layer with marker pen again. I topped this with a smaller layer of paper from the First Edition Desert Blooms (12x12) pad.

I was then deciding what to do on top when I thought about cutting an oval for an egg. This then went a bit further when I realised the Couture Creations Compassionate embossing folder had a pattern, in parts, that resembled the markings you normally get on an Easter egg.

So, I cut three descending sizes of SB Classic Ovals from Lidl chocolate coloured card then ran them through the embossing folder. I shaped them to curve around slightly and foam padded them together.

A bit of Cadbury Purple ribbon from Mei Flower, triple bow and a pearl finished it off nicely.

Next, I cut a strip of cream card to go across the middle and cut The Striplet (just when you thought it was safe. . . . . ) out of the right hand side, in the middle. This was stuck flat to the card and topped with my "egg"

I then heat embossed the top sentiment using bronze embossing powder. The "Easter" is actually a Hobbycutz embellishment that comes attached to a rabbit.I nipped off the rabbit with a craft knife (that's what I stuck to the Easter egg before I gave it to Mr D) and Versamarked the "Easter". then heat embossed this in bronze as well. Popped both on the card and voila!

Mr D liked it , almost as much as his real egg. Hope you do too.

Now then, I have have photographed Wendy's Pond Blogaversary Prize and was going to put the pic on today but Mr D seemed to think it may be rubbing it in to everyone else, a bit like Jim Bowen on Bullseye. . . . ."Look at what you could have won" I hadn't thought about that as I suppose, normally, the goodies get displayed upfront (trust me to be different). What does everyone think? More to the point, will it spoil Wendy's surprise? I shall be guided by the majority.

Enjoy what's left of the weekend folks and lets be careful out there.

TTFN

Ang x

Duck Egg. . . . . . .Thank goodness I didn't lay it!

Good morning to you all. Hope all is well across The Pond. Have we all put on half a stone and got pimples after choccy chomping? Cheesy puffs are all gone but 90% of my choccy remains, although Mr D is circling like a shark. He's got enough of his own eggs to munch on but he has eaten the one above which I laid. . . . . .I mean made for him.

Now I said made, I melted bars of chocolate, poured them into two large egg moulds (in 3 layers to stop the chocolate running down the side) then glued the two halves together using more melted choc, after popping some teeny tiny eggs in the middle. Didn't have any fancy foil so its Tesco's tin foil I'm afraid covering. A few pics to follow, I'm afraid.

This is the naked egg. . . . . . 

Don't think Cadbury will be offering me a job any time soon hahaha!

And this is what it was filled with. . . . . . . 

Now I obviously put more than 8 teeny tiny eggs in. I had put them in a fresh bag (you don't know who has been manhandling them in the shop of if the pack had been dropped on the floor) and saved these for me to try. I then realised I hadn't photographed them before I sealed them in the egg, hence the photo above.

The box. . . . . . . . 

Don't worry, I won't teach any of you Grannies how to suck eggs (pun absolutely intended) as I'm sure you will all know how to make a standard box. All I did extra was cut the frame from the SB Decorative Labels 25 (this does not cut around the edge) out of the front panel, and backed with acetate and then added paper on the other three sides from the First Edition Desert Blooms Pad. I made a little stand piece, which you can just see in the bottom, to stand the egg in.

I used the cut out piece from the front to write my message on and stuck it on the back.

I edged the lid with purple ribbon and popped on a bow and pearl.

This is the top. . . . .

I wanted to keep it quite simple as I didn't think Mr D would appreciate too much frillyness so I know its not as ornate as our John's creations but it suited its recipient.

Bless him, he was quite chuffed with it and I felt quite pleased with my efforts. I did add a Hobbycutz bunny to the front of the egg, just before I gave it him but forgot to snap it with the rabbit.

Gail, I will drop you an email later. Time has not been my side the last few days so apologies for my tardiness. Look forward to seeing what you come up with using The Striplet. 

Jackie, don't get me started on the BBC and the Red Button. Hope you managed to catch up with the GP but it wasn't as edge of the seat as the last.

Lesley, C&C don't do anyone any favours with their horrendous postage. For £7.99 I would expect it to be hand delivered by Dean Wilson, lol!

Jacquie, hope you had a nice break. Not many days left of your hols now so enjoy what's left.

To all tempted by The Striplet, go forth and buy! For those who have given in, enjoy. There is no cure for Stripletus Overuseus. Attacks arrange from a mild need to stroke it (steady!) to a full blown cutting frenzy. A rub down with an anti-static pad can take the edge off but you'll never be the same again.

Will be back soon with Mr D's Easter card, which coordinated with the box (I know, I'm sad) and a pic of Wendy's goodies. Been working extra hours this week so have been chasing my tail a wee bit and forgetting what's photographed and what's not lol!

Be good.

TTFN

Ang x

House of Cards April Challenge. . . . . .CAS/Classic and Elegant

Good morning Duckadees, me again. Blog posts from me, like waiting for a bus. . . . . you wait for ages and then two come along at once lol!

Hope you all had a splendid Easter Sunday. Cheesy Puffs (prefer them to chocolate) roast turkey dinner followed by bread and butter pudding made with hot cross buns and Sue Wilson and the Chinese GP on the box. . . . . . . .happy days!

Mr D did buy me chocolate as well but most of it was his favourites (I'm a Galaxy girl by choice) in the knowledge he will get to eat most of it.

Now, today's card is my DT one for House of Cards April Challenge. This months challenge is this sketch. . . . .

As you will notice, The Striplet has an outing again (you can't keep a good Striplet down).

The base card is A5 white card. I used my black marker pen to do my faux black layer again (times are hard!) and topped this with a slightly smaller layer of First Edition Neroli 8x8 paper. I was very lucky to be able to pick up a few Neroli pads in a sale at work for much cheapness and I love em.

I cut The Striplet out of this, slightly above centre (you have to extend the pattern) I then stuck this to the card base.

I made the frame using the different size SB Captivating Squares. The centre piece was heat embossed with Stampendous white powder and this was stuck flat to the card. The frame was foam padded to give it depth.

The paper I used is double sided so I used the reverse of the offcut  to cut the smallest die of the set as an embellishment. I then made a few dots around the edge of the centre using a white gel pen and added a few of John's Chinese Pearls in the corners.

It still looked lacking so that is why I added the strip of black card across the centre of The Striplet, cut with my dear Mum's pincking shears (I can sense her finger wagging from her cloud!) and more JCP added across its middle.

I hope you like it and also that you will pop over to HOC here and see what my DT chums have come up with. Be lovely to see you join in the challenge too. Our own Jackie D got top 5 last time so even if you haven't got a blog, you can enter by email.

Will be back later in the week (doing extra hours this week to cover someone on leave) with Mr D's Easter pressie and a snap of Wendy's blog prize. . . . . Hope its stuff she will like.

Meantime, lets be careful out there.

TTFN

Ang x

Hobbycutz Challenge 44. . . . . . . . . CAS

Good morning everyone and a very Happy Easter to you all. Hope your faces aren't all smeared with chocolate from your eggs just yet; let's get brekky out the way first eh lol! Time to enjoy whatever you may have given up for Lent. This year, I gave up housework hahaha!!!
Mr Duck has been given his eggs inspite of his faux pas with the names the other day. . . . . . . more on that later.
Its been a busy week at work but my, the weather has been lovely. Heating has stayed off for a few weeks now so hopefully we're moving towards some real warmth.

Now today's card is for the latest Hobbycutz Challenge which is Clean and Simple.
I love really well done CAS cards as I can't help adding all the whistles and bells to my usual cards. I hope that I have achieved a sense of CAS with this one.

The base card is A5 white card topped with a layer of purple PMD card, I then took a slightly smaller layer of white card and cut an aperture using an SB Scalloped Oval big enough to accommodate my beautiful Hobbycutz butterfly. I kept the actual die cut to use momentarily. 
I then cut a smaller scalloped oval out of a piece of purple card and stuck the aperture piece to the back of the white aperture to give a bit of depth. 
For the stamping, I used another new set of Card-io stamps with roses. I kinda went with a waft across the page design again. I stamped the white scalloped piece from earlier trying to match the rest of the pattern.
The sentiment is an Aly's Inky Fingers stamp, stamped in purple ink and clear heat embossed.
I foam padded this top layer to the base and then popped the glued stamped scallop piece through the aperture. I covered the Hobbycutz butterfly in purple ink and clear heat embossed and then glued it in the aperture.

Hope you like it. CAS is not my forte but then again, what is hahaha!
Please pop along here and see what my fellow teamies have come up with and why not have a bash at entering the challenge.

Now to my blogaversary draw, take two! My glamorous assistant has dipped his beak into the re-filled bowl and has pulled (steady!) drum roll. . . . . . . . . another drum roll. . . . . . . . . . .
WENDY !!!!!!! Thanks chuck for your lovely comments and support.

Congratulations Wendy and commiserations to everyone else. . . . . .blame Mr D for the picking. For my 100th post , I did forget to photograph the pressies I sent to Christine. I will post a picture of what will be winging its way to Wendy on my next post as I forgot to photograph them yesterday, doh! Will drop you an email today Wendy about the postage details.
Well, that's me done for today. Will be trying to avoid the news so I don't see the Chinese GP results before the highlights programme, so an excellent excuse to watch the wonderful Sue Wilson.
I will actually be back again tomorrow with my House of Cards DT card. . . . . Gosh John, I don't know how you manage to post everyday so kudos to you matey.

Enjoy your eggs and whatever you're up to. 
Hasta manana.

TTFN
Ang x

When You Need A Job Doing . . . . . . . . .

Good morning my lovely Duckadees. Hope you have been enjoying a paddle in warmer waters. Patricia did promise not to splash too much whilst she was speeding about.
Thank you all so very much for your fantabulous comments on my tiptoe through the archives. Its been a wonderful year and I have met some fantastic people and made some amazing friends. Here's to the next year and beyond!
I would like to give a big welcome to The Pond to Kristie and Irish Cherokee. Both have blogs to visit if you click on their name. We are a friendly bunch and like to have a chuckle so enjoy.
Also, lovely to see Ita back. I hope that your recovery is progressing well chuck.

Now, I shall make an apology before going any further. I was going to be announcing a blogaversary pressie winner, as drawn by my handsome assistant. However, as my post title states, if you want a job doing. . . . . . 
I was in a bit of a rush for work yesterday so I had thrown your names in a bowl and as I was half way out the door, I shouted "do your stuff with the bowl please" I had mistakenly assumed that he had been listening during the 5 minute conversation, on the lines of my writing out 40 odd names, folding the bits of paper, putting in a bowl and he draws a name. . . . . .simples!. . . . . . . Or so you would think!
Apparently, I had been conversing in Serbo Croat as I came home yesterday evening to discover Mr D had disposed of the bowl contents into the recycle bin, without pulling a name! He thought my "do your stuff" meant tidy up and put in bin! I give up!
So deepest apologies. I will reorganise the draw for Easter Sunday as I hadn't got time to write everyones name out again in time for this post as I've had this plus two DT posts to organise too. I will get Mr D to pull the name, but in my presence!

Now, I'm showing a couple of cards today as they were easy peasies and I didn't want to short change you lol!
The first card at the top, was a bit of a practise that I thought looked quite good. I bought some Card-io stamps at the NEC and one of the sets were daffodils. I cut a wavy shape from a piece of copier paper and popped it onto my A5 white card base to use like a stencil. I then stamped the daffs and the leaves using a variety of distress inks so they kinda waft across the card.
I then stamped the sentiment, another NEC purchase from Inkylicious, in black ink and that was it.

The next card is one I made for my cousin in Malaysia. I made it relatively flat and non fussy due to postage costs. Its 5x7 but still cost £2.15 to send. They nearly had to get the smelling salts to me in the post office. I usually send all the birthday cards and Christmas cards all together as its heaps cheaper but had forgotten this one.
When the postmistress said the price, I did say its just a card, not a bag of sugar but I think she thought I was joking.
Will definitely look into those e-cards now after that shock.
As I said, its a cream 5x7 card base which I inked around the edges with Spun Sugar Distress Ink. I then cut the largest of SB Decorative Labels 8 out of cream card and onto this I stamped a Kanban roses stamp with Versamark and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I then lightly inked with the Spun Sugar over the embossing and added the sentiment, stamped with Victorian Velvet Distress Ink.
This layer was then thin foam padded to the base.

As I said, easy peasy cards but serving a purpose. 

Before I go, someone asked (I think it was Anne O but forgive me if not) how I had cut the paper from my 12x12 Desert Blooms pad when I did my Hobbycutz DT card. I thought the easiest way to describe it was to show it.
This is the original sheet of paper. . . . . 

And this is how I cut the sheet to fit my card and also leave usable pieces for another project. 

Hope this makes sense but I know what you mean when you hesitate to cut a lovely piece of paper.

Anyhoo, time marches on so time to bid you adieu.
Hope you all have a great day and I shall get that draw done for Easter.
Enjoy your buns (hot cross or otherwise!)

TTFN
Ang x

Ps. . . . .if you're reading this Jackie D, have a great break on the IoW (saw your comment on John's)

Its The Final Countdown. . . . . .

Good morning my blogging chums. Hope the Sun is smiling on you wherever you may be.

You will be very relieved to know, this is my last recap of my first blogging year. You have been very kind with your comments and I feel so lucky to have such a lovely such fabulous folk having a paddle in The Pond.

I have been naughty and included more than one per month in this group of faves but it is the last card fest until next year now lol!

I will get Mr D to do the draw for the birthday candy in time for my next post. Its lovely to have you comment but its not a pre-requisite for the draw as I know you are friendliness rich but time poor sometimes as you are busy folk. I will just throw all 39 of you into the bowl (not literally as my bowl is not that big hahaha!)

Thanks for stopping by.

TTFN

Ang x 

More Reminiscing . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Today is the September to December tiptoe through the archives.The elephant was a card made for Nesta's brother in law. Nesta is house sitting for them at the moment and has told me that the elephant card is still on the mantelpiece.

This card was made in a failed attempt applying for the Creative Expressions DT. I still have a soft spot for this card and still have it as I can't bear to give it away. . . . . .how sad is that?

Ooh, I had so much fun doing the butterfly box. I loved photographing it in the sunlight as it made a fab shadow.

This one was made for a challenge using the gorgeous First Edition Noir et Chic paper.. 

And lastly on this foray into the annuls, Nesta's Christmas card. Still love that SB Tapestry die and Lime Tree Craft's soft gold card.

Thank you for all of your wonderful comments. Its nice to know that those seeing these cards for the first time, are liking them.

Next installment will be January up to date. Thanks again for letting me indulge.

Be good.

TTFN

Ang x

PS . . . . . . . .Well done Jackie D for your Top 5 in the HOC challenge. Well deserved. x

Party in the Pond. . . . .Anniversary Special.

Good morning Duckadees. Hope all is well in your bit of the pond. My head still has a dent but the soreness has subsided. Bumper pillow is staying put, just in case.

Now, as Im belatedly celebrating my one year blogaversary Im going to be a bit indulgent for the next couple of posts. 

John gave me the idea when he did his reprise of his favourite projects for 2013. I thought I would show the projects I loved throughout my blogging year but did try and be good, picking one per month ( though, I have been naughty and included two on occasion).

 I hope you don't mind, especially those who have been paddling for a while and will have seen these creations. I hope those of you who are newbies will like seeing some of my previous bits and bobs.

I had fun making this for my chum David's birthday last June. He still has it on display.

I think we all have created things that make us go "coo, I like what I've done with that" and I've enjoyed looking back at what I've done over the year.

This is one of my favourite, favourites. I made it for Nesta for her birthday last August  and she still has it on display now.

I had to include the anniversary card I made for Mr Duck as he loved it so much.

Well, that's enough reminiscing for now. Next time will be September to December.

Like I said, I hope you don't mind the recap. At the end of it, I shall be doing another draw for a bit of celebratory candy. I shall get Mr D to pull a name from the hat (well, bowl actually).

Once again, thank you from the heart of my bottom for all of your wonderful comments and for clicking on the little duck picture. . . . .its been a wonderful year.

TTFN

Ang x

Hobbycutz Challenge. . . . . . Flora and Fauna (and One Year of Blogging)

Good morning all you beautiful folk that take the time to comment or look at my creations and ramblings. Its a year today since I discovered how to use Blogger after several miserable attempts. As its the DT post for Hobbycutz today, I shall leave my celebrations until the next post but just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you to you all for tuning in, with special mention in dispatches to our Hazel and Patricia, who have been there, virtually from the start (the long service (or suffering) medals are in the post).

Also, a mahoosive welcome to Darnell and Janice. Thanks for joining our merry band ladies and hope you enjoy the ride.

Back to business. Its another fab challenge at Hobbycutz and this time the theme is Flora and Fauna. I hope you can pop along and see what the DT have come up with and even better if you fancy entering. Click here to have a peek.

Now, I was a lucky girlie and managed to pick up a 12x12 First Edition Desert Blooms pad for a mega cheap price at work in a sale last week. I'd better not say how much it was as when I told John how cheap it was, he actually swore, although in fairness, he may have actually said "Duck".

I knew exactly which sheet I was going to chop up from the Desert Blooms pad for this project as I thought the flora bit was represented quite nicely by this piece.

The base is A5 300gsm cream card topped with terracota brown Lidl card, to pick out the browny pink flowers.

I then topped this with the Desert Blooms paper, trimmed to fit nicely.

I had a Hobbycutz butterfly for my fauna, which I inked with Versamark and heat embossed with Stampendous Kaleidoscope embossing powder, which gives a lovely iridescent sheen. The other butterflies were cut from SB Butterfly Circles as were the layers with the sentiment. Dots done with a white gel pen.

I know that this is a relatively simple card but the paper was so beautiful, I was loath to cover it with too much embellishment

You can't see it too well on the main picture but hopefully on the ones below, you can see the iridescence on the butterfly and the lovely glittery twinkle on the flowers and leaves on the paper.

So simple but hopefully pretty and making the most of that fab butterfly embellishment.

Just a few quick messages. . . . 

Welcome back Val. Bet you're glad to be back in the warm.

Lydia, I'm sure the mojo is just taking a nap.

Donna, great news about the foot. You'll be dancing around your craft room in no time.

Jackie, did you catch a strain of Stripletus virus at Excel? Also, great card at HOC. When are you starting a blog then?

Shirley, one day per fortnight?  That's my kinda job!

Kate, the pillow is acting almost like one of them bumper thingys you have in a cot. . . . . next week, the romper suit and dummy (I make no reference to Mr Duck whatsoever) will complete the bedtime ensemble. The head is better thanks. Still have a dent but its not as sore and I'm not having strange moments (well, no more than usual).

Anyhoo, time to leave you alone to prepare for Tool Shed (I have custody of the remote).

Hope you can join me to party on my next post and help me celebrate my one year anniversary.

Meantime, lets be careful out there!

TTFN

Ang x

PS. . .No striplet. . . . . . well, not today anyway lol!

PPS. . .Shirley, Happy 29th Birthday . . . . . . I've just seen your comment on Sue's blog. You're younger than me then so I think you can manage more than one day a fortnight at work now hahaha! Have a great day.

Happy 60th Birthday Penny. . . . . . .Sneaky Striplet

Good morning everyone. Hope everyone is well. I still have a sore dent in my head but still no bruising. I now have an extra pillow propped against the drawers in case of further incident.

I had meant to pop this on yesterday and schedule for this morning but last night, computer say "no".

I'm hoping that I'm not typing this all out for nothing or it will be time for another game of laptop frisbee.

A big splashing welcome to my new followers Sue (Planet Susie, owner of the kaftan wearing cat Blossom) and Sam. Thank you also to Laura and Nancy for popping by too.

Jackie, Lewis did indeed do very well. Just want Jenson Baby to catch up!!! Glad you've had a bash at the challenge. Can't wait to see what you've done.

Patricia, hope that John is on the mend. They never really grow up do they lol!!! 

Karen, PMD is mail order only except for a couple of places in the Lakes that stock some of their card.

Snowqueen, welcome to the Striplet Party. Hope to see your creation soon.

Shirley, how's the job going? Hope its not causing Craftus Interruptus (a terrible affliction)

Annie, the weather hasn't been too bad in my neck of the woods but the past couple of days, we have had high industrial pollution levels wafting in from mainland Europe (I think from

John Next Doors card factory) and also Sahara sand. I have a nice gritty film of it on my car as we speak.

Now, today's card was created for my friend Penny's birthday, which was yesterday so its safe to show. Striplet again I'm afraid and now the virus Stripletus Overusesus has spread. I think John has a quite severe strain of it.

The base card is white 300gsm and A5 in size. I then cut a slightly smaller layer from sky blue pearl card (Penny is a Sky Blues supporter. . . . .that's Coventry City, not any imposters). I turned this layer into a frame by cutting out the centre. I then embossed the frame with a Forever Friends embossing folder and attached it to the card with foam pads.

Using the spare card from the centre, I used the Striplet to cut the edges. I first cut the shorter ends using the end of the Striplet in the centre of each end. I then cut the top and bottom edges using the length of the Striplet. . . . . . . here's a snap of my prototype, which hopefully illustrates this better. . . . . . 

This will also make a nice layer to use as it is.

I stuck the sky blue one flat to the base card, in between the frame and then topped it with 3 layers cut from SB Decorative Labels 28.

White embossed sentiment, John's pearls and blue bling added and all done.

Penny loved it so hopefully you will too.

Off now as baby card and 3 birthday cards need doing pronto as I'm at work later today and over to visit Nesta in Leicester (hey, that rhymes!!!) tomorrow as she's house sitting for her sister.

Be good everyone.

TTFN

Ang x