Happy Birthday David 2014 . . . . . . . .

Good morning Duckadees. Here's wishing you health, wealth and happiness. When I say wealth, I, of course, exclude the lottery as its my turn to win this week lol!

Now, I must apologise for getting some folks hopes up on my last post, by saying I was cutting the waffle. I did mean the waffle as to how I've put the cards together rather than the waffle about everything else.

Bless all of you who were ok with my wittering. You will be relieved to know that the inane jibberish about my life and the universe will continue, its just my long winded card explanations that will be trimmed.

I have had a few days annual leave (my first since I started work nearly 7 months ago) so have been catching up on a few jobs and cards. Was supposed to go for breakfast with Nesta yesterday morning but she couldn't make it (on a mercy mission with a friend of her's with car trouble).

The bottom lip was out for a couple of hours I must admit. Marmite on toast is not a worthy substitute for the bacon and eggs I had been dreaming about for days. There is a local cafe called Get Stuffed (and you do, in the nicest possible way) and they do fabulous breakfasts but I will have to wait until another day, boo hoo!

Soooo, I cut one of the hedges and repaired one of the steps from the decking to the garden and was generally harassed by Mr and Mrs B (not the Mrs B who comments on here, I hasten to add) for grapes as they have brood number 2 on the go. It was so bad, Mr B landed on the piece of wood I was sawing to repair the step, as I was sawing it! Yesterday, there were 10 birds on the bird table staring in at me. It was like the avian version of the Cravendale advert!!!

Anyhoo, moving along (bet you wish you hadn't been so nice about my waffle now hahaha!!!) I am showing a card I made for my pal David whose birthday was 1st June. He was going to be on a plane returning from a holiday to Japan and Mongolia (as you do) so I told him to put his card in his hand luggage and open it on the plane (this was after several assurances that the card did not contain liquids, explosives or obscene material and weighed less than 10kg).

Now, Daveys' a bit of a traveller. He's been to a huge number of counties and has canoed down (or maybe up) the Amazon (and been manhandled by the Junta. . . . . . . makes your eyes water at the thought) and since he's retired, he's generally only at home long enough to change his underpants. So this year, I decided to go with a travel theme on his card (last year was his other love, gardening see here) and when the Docrafts All Aboard 12x12 pad was on sale at work, I had to have it.

Ingredients

A5 cream base card

Map and embellishments from Docrafts All Aboard 12x12 pad

Black marker (faux layer beneath the map layer)

Vintage Photo DI.

There was a flag on the map already but I added two more to the vicinity of Tokyo and Ulaan Bator (or certainly nearer than a Ryanair flight would get you).

Very simple card, I know, but Davey loved it. I've asked for advance notice for next year so I can make sure I have the bit of the map of where he's going (I'm ok if its Greenland, Antarctica or Vladivostok!!!)

Thanks for your lovely comments on our wisteria. It was here when we moved in 14 years ago,and truth be told, one of the reasons I fell for the house. Lis, I do try and prune it as it as it should be done. Mr Cherokee, you did make me laugh. What sacrilege by Brother Cherokee lol!!!

In the interest of fairness, I thought I should show the pics of the white one at the opposite end of the garden. I planted this as a small plant and see how its grown. We did have to wait 7 years for it to flower but it has been glorious since, as you can see.This one doesn't actually get much of a prune.

Imagine the scent!

One of the locals likes it

Well, I have been trying to contain my excitement at John (Johnnextdoor) coming back to the UK. He won't be next door exactly but he will only be about 20 miles away. I feel so sad for Wendy and Val as John is a genuinely fabulous guy (as is Mr Next Door) and Wendy won't be able to raid his stash, or is it the other way round lol? And bang goes my excuse for a crafty holiday in the Sun with John and the girls.

Well, that's me. Bill and June's Diamond Anniversary party tonight and the Canadian GP this weekend. . . . . do we reckon Lewis will get revenge Jackie? Should be interesting!

TTFN

Ang x

Ps

PS. . . . . .has anyone ordered from Once Upon a Stamp before? Would be grateful for any feedback before I take the plunge. Thanks. x