Pink and Puddy Tats. . . . . . . .The Sequel

Good morning my paddling chums. Hope everyone is well.
I'm looking forward to the mini heatwave we're supposed to be getting tomorrow before the arctic conditions next week lol!
I promise that I shall be getting round to your blogs this afternoon when I get home from work. I've been delayed by a combination of new shifts and blogger issues.
I think there's some weird things happening on tinterweb lately. I never used to get much spam but lately I am. Strangers are trying to sell me things to enhance body parts I don't even possess lol!

Now today is a continuation of the previous post and is the gifts and box for Lydia's birthday.

The hair clip is made from beads that I have woven together, using cube and seed beads then stuck onto a barette clip, then popped in a pink organza bag.

The sweeties are pink and cat related (a win win for Lydia, whose favourite things in the whole wide world are pink and cats)

All housed in normal handmade box, decorated to match the card from the last post.

Oh, to have the innocence of youth where pink and cats make everything all right with the world lol!!! 

That's me for today then. I am working on the fuchsia tutorial so it should be appearing at a blog near you sometime next week.

Take care all and be good!

TTFN
Ang x

Pink and Puddy Tats for Lydia. . . . . . . . .And Prize Draw Result.

Good morning one and all. Hope you're well and not flooded out with the rain that's wafting about (not sure that rain does "waft" but you know what I mean) I think its due in these here parts tomorrow. . . . . .lovely!!!

Will have to get myself re-organised as work has decided to change all of my shifts that I have been happily doing for the past 10 months. Sadly, they are making me do a Tuesday, meaning I'm not able to volunteer at the charity shop anymore. I'm not happy as I was volunteering before I started this job and was told it was no problem not working Tuesdays.

I'm also having to do another late shift.

I'm told that the change will hopefully be temporary but I won't hold my breath. Mr D has told me to quit if I want but I do actually enjoy the job itself. Will have to suck it and see for a while. . . . .I suppose its what happens in retail.

Anyhoo, onto happier things. Thank you for your comments on my "oldies". There was mention of my showing how I do the fuchsias and I am very happy to do so, if folk are interested. It will be a step by step thing, if that's ok as I'm not au fait with videoing and You Tube (will have to get John to give me lessons and get Wendy over as a "Magic Hands").

My current Magic Hands, Mr Duck has pulled (steady !!!) a name from PPP (Pond Prize Pot) so the winner is announced at the end of this post. . . . . . .Don't you dare scroll down there yet hahaha!!! 

Now, today's card was for my a friend at work , whose daughter was to celebrate her 8th birthday a couple of weeks ago (sorry if our Lydia Jordan wondered what was going on lol!!!). Little Lydia made me a very lovely card for my birthday, bless her so I thought I would try and return the favour. Her favourite things are pink and cats (can't argue with that!).

Pussy cats bow and nose have been heat embossed so are glossy in real life.

Ingredients

White card

Pink card

SB Labels 20

X Cut Alphabet Die

Crafts Too Stars embossing folder

Docrafts alphabet stamps

Card-io dragonfly stamp

Cat stamp (was in a huge box of wooden stamps I got for a fiver at a car boot)

Water colour pencils

Spun Sugar DI

Pigment ink 

Comic Shimmer clear embossing powder

Pink satin ribbon

Bling

I also made a matching box for some little pressies, so will show you that next time.

To get the stamping of "Happy Birthday" relatively neat (and I say relatively lol!!!) I lined up the letters on the card around the aperture, then pressed my stamping block onto them and inked them up where they were. . . . . . . .

like so and when I say stamping block, its actually a A5 sheet of perspex that was a mini clipboard, that I hacksawed the clip end off (very Blue Peter tee hee!!!)

Well, Lydia loved it and apparently has kept the envelope too as that was stamped with a cat as well. . . . . .Blessssss

Right, here is the prize that will be sent to the worthy Paddler. . . . . . . .

and the lucky person is. . . . . . . . .drum roll. . . . . . . . .another drum roll. . . . . . . . . . . .

Cue, whistles, wild applause and stamping of feet. If you can read my writing, come on down Karenlotty, its you !!! (hopefully you're not thinking "what am I going to do with this pile of tut" lol!!!)

I've asked John for your email address, as I think you have emailed him, so I can get your details (I haven't put my email details on here as I'm in a Duck Protection Program). If not, I'm sure John won't mind you emailing your details to him and he can pass them to me to send out your goodies.

Sorry to everyone else (blame Mr Duck not me lol!!!) but thank you again for your continued support of my little piece of Blogland. Next prize at 100 followers or 300 blog posts (I bet I know which will come first hahaha!!!)

See you all soon.

TTFN

Ang x

Oldie For Friday. . . . . . BOGOF

Good morning Friends, Romans, Bloggers. Hope you are all well.

I have to say a big thank you from the heart of my bottom, for your wonderful comments and to my new followers Sheila, Bridget and Cathie . A big splashing welcome to The Pond.

Hello to Messycrafter too. I am overwhelmed by how many people have come for a paddle.

Now, today's offerings are joining in with Patricia and others with her blogging chum Erica's "Oldie for Friday" where you show an old project (or 2 in my case today).

I decided to re-show these cards as a few folk commented on a recent card, that they had not seen fuchsias done on a card before. Also, my newer followers may not have seen these cards as they were featured in June and August 2013 (sent to my good friends, the infamous Nesta and the lovely David).

This one went to best buddy Nesta (for those who don't know, its not her real name but my nickname for her is Nesta Vipers. . . . .she didn't want her real name on the blog as she's wanted on Crimewatch lol!!!)

My good friend David (real name) was the recipient of this one as he's a very keen gardener.

There's fuchsias galore and roses, carnations, daisies and allsorts all die cut and lovingly rolled, embossed, tweaked and glued.

Hope those of you who saw these first time around don't mind seeing them again.

Now, to answer a few comments from my previous post. . . . . . . . . .

Jackie, the Mrs Duck and John show? Heavens to murgatroyd, I think the Channel would be shut down lol!

Norah, Nesta's nIece is not in the least bit domesticated so I would doubt she would recognise a frying pan or rolling pin lol!

Karenlotty, hope that Mexican weather picks up but there is always tequila!

Sue P, it was actually Mr Duck's thong you found. We thought the local kids had nicked it for a catapult. If it fits Graham, you're welcome to keep it, hahaha!

This little blog has made me some wonderful friends. The first person I met was John and then Christine, Hazel, Patricia, Kate, Sue J and Sue P and its fantastic. Thank you Hazel for being one of the first to click on the duck as its led to many special times. 

In this difficult world its nice to know that there's still some genuine people out there so to my paddling chums, old and new, I salute you all!

Don't forget to leave a comment on my last post (and be a follower) by tomorrow night if you want to be in the Ducky Draw for a pressie.

Enjoy your weekend and be good.

TTFN

Ang x

Thanks Ever So Much. . . . . .200, Not Out!

Good morning everyone. I hope, if you have hatches, they are well and truly battened down. The remnants of Hurricane Gonzo (or whatever its called) have certainly battered my poor garden and launched the top of next doors soil pipe onto their kitchen roof!!!

I did take advantage yesterday with a line of washing, that fortunately didn't blow into another postal code, lol !!!

Nesta's niece has her English wedding on Thursday (the Hindu ceremony was in August. . . . . remember the bangle box I made? (click here for a reminder) in a gazebo in the grounds of a hotel. Could well be a gazebo in the River Avon at this rate!!! 

I am so pleased to welcome two new followers to The Pond, Kim and June. So lovely to have your company ladies. 

This has now taken me to 60 lovely followers. I was going to do a little pressie at 50 followers but it seemed to scoot past quite quickly but as this is also my 200th blog post (and they said, or hoped, it wouldn't last lol!!!) I will get Mr Duck to draw a name from the hat, well bowl, and I will send the lucky person a gift to commemorate the momentous occasion.

All you have to do is be a follower and leave a comment on this post before midnight (GMT) on Saturday 25th October. Good luck and thank you all for your support.

Now, back to the card. Its my final card from my CEDT application and possibly my favourite.

There was a happy accident with this card. After I inked the edges of The Striplet layer, I glued it to the layer underneath and decided to run it through the GC to make sure it stuck properly.

I forgot, that the effect that has, is to push the die cut layer into the layer below in a kinda embossing effect. Half way through the GC, it dawned on me and it was a real, what Mr Duck calls, squeaky bum moment until it had gone all the way through.

Well, I was delighted with the effect (seemed to remember John having a similar thing happen with a patchwork card). You can sort of see the effect on this snap. . . . . .

Ingredients

Cream card

Pink card

The Striplet

SB Bitty Blossoms

SB Botanical Swirls and Accents (centre piece stamped with sentiment)

Sissix Squares

CE sentiment stamp

Victorian Velvet and Spun Sugar DI s

Pink satin ribbon

Pearl

Pink bling

I know I've channel set my roses again but I thought it looked pretty.

As the card says, "Thanks ever so much" and that's to all of you who support my little blogging meanderings and for your lovely encouraging comments. As has been said, there's always next year so onwards and upwards.

So remember all, to be in the draw for a thank you pressie, please ensure that you are a follower and you leave a comment by Saturday night. . . . . . . .this is where I hope I don't suddenly get a new follower from the MIR Space Station; imagine the postage lol!!!

Before I waddle off again, how great to see our John on the box again so soon. I think it was a bit last minute but he has really settled into it and the show with Martyn raised a laugh or two (yes, that was my email that got read out and no I have never met Martyn at the NEC or anywhere, and no, my hair is NOT "reddish" or "strawberry" thank you very much John! lol!)

Right, enough of me. Enjoy the rest of your week and time to behave as our Patricia is back from Drayton Manor.

TTFN

Ang x

Ps. . . . .I,  like others, have been having Blogger issues, mainly a disappearing reading list. So, if I'm late getting to your blog, I humbly apologise. x

Memories of Summer. . . . . .

Good morning all you lovely folk, how's it hanging today? A spring in your step and happiness in your heart, I hope.

Well..............in the words of the great Brucie, didn't he do well (I can hear you all trying to do the impression lol!!!) John was fabulous ont telly and soon got into his crafting stride. So chuffed for him. 

I had to watch on that app thingy and the picture quality isn't great (like watching through vellum lol!) 

I met up with John yesterday morning as Julia Watts was demoing at my local craft shop so we met up for a chat. 

Have to say, Julia seemed very nice as I managed to have a chat with her before the audience arrived. She had some lovely samples.

One of the ladies got all excited when she found out John was coming along (don't worry, no underwear was thrown lol!!!) and another recognised him when he came in so that's 3 of us in the Warwickshire Branch of the JND Fan Club hahaha!!!

Before I forget, hello and thank you Sandy, Kvencel and Marian. Hope you can pop by again soon.

Also, I'm glad my destructions on John's card made sense. I know they were more Blue Peter than Create and Craft hahaha!

And, with regard to my last card the roses don't take too long. I use a lower GSM card so they are not too stiff, which means I can cut 2 or 3 at a time. They then just take me about a minute each to roll, tweak and glue, I have invested in a little glue gun which speeds up the process too.

Now, back to today's offering. Part 4 of my CEDT application. One of the required subjects was "Memories of Summer" and this was my interpretation.

I know in this country, we have to have a good memory to remember Summer lol!, but my first thought was "flowers" so that was what I went with.

Ingredients

White card

Lilac PMD card

Pink PMD card

SB Scalloped Ovals

SB Fancy Lattice

SB Botanical Swirls and Accents (Fuchsia leaves)

HC Delicate Asters 

Britannia Medium Rose die (for fuchsias)

Tonic and Docrafts flower punches

Card-io English Rose and Mum's Garden Majestix stamp sets

CE sentiment stamp

Black archival ink

Distress Inks

Paper twine and seed beads (for stamens and seed pods on fuchsias)

CE white silky crush ribbon 

Bling

Gosh, what a list lol!!!

I just wanted to make it look like a flower adorned trellis with the stamping forming a floral backdrop. The greens are also more sage in real life.

I know it may be a bit of a Marmite card and it won't be everyone's cup of Typhoo (and no, today's post is not being sponsored by Tesco lol!!!) but I really enjoyed making it.

Well, that's me for today. Enjoy your Sunday and as always, be good!

TTFN

Ang x

Ps. . . . . Norah, you've given me a bit of an idea chuck. Thanks for that. Stay tuned!

Pps. . . . Ita dear. Glad I could help with the GC handle but not sure I'm best to advise on your treatment. Best to be guided by your doctor and your family honey.We dont want you back where you were last year.

You're Simply the Best. . . . . . Good name for a song I reckon!

Good morning my dear blogging chums. Hope you're all healthy and happy.

I have another new follower to welcome, Beryl. Thank you for joining our happy paddlers at The Pond. I try to please, so I shall do my best to inspire lol!

Thanks also to Toni and Judy for popping by.

Dear Ita what are you doing to that Grand Caliber? Have you tried contacting Christine Emberson? She is usually a great help with all matters Caliber and is now a Spellbinders International Ambassador. I notice there is a new GC in the pipeline, a grey one that is supposidly stronger.

Now, today is a picture heavy post. . . . . . . .blame Karenlotty lol!!! Your pics on how I did John's birthday card are at the end chuck.

This is another of my CEDT application cards (don't worry, there's only another two to go lol!!!)

The sentiment could so easily apply to all of you!

I love doing these channel set flower cards and decided on this design and the partial embossing to try and add a little interest. The embossing is actually a mask, rather than a folder.

Ingredients

White card

SB Bitty Blossoms

SB Matting Basics A & B

That Special Touch Elegance mask

CE sentiment

Black Archival ink pad

Spun Sugar DI pad

Pink bling

Thought it may actually make a nice sympathy card (with a change of sentiment of course lol!!!)

Hope you like it and as I said, 3 down 2 to go hahaha!!!

Now Karen, I have sort of re-done my steps using some black paper and silver pen to show how I did John's card (here for those who are wondering what I'm wittering about). Hope it makes sense. . . . . . . 

A single piece of card, scored at a third of the way across.

The middle page, cut to size and scored at 5mm along the edge. This will form the "hinge".

I used 3mm red liner tape along the "hinge" and then adhered it to the right of the score line on the base card (do the to the right of the line so that you can still fold the front over)

The real thing again . . . . . . .

Hope the instructions make sense or that I'm not in a Granny and eggs sucking situation lol!!!

Hope you're all going to be watching our lovely John on C&C today. Sadly, I will be at work for both of his shows (curses, drat and double drat!!!) and sadly, they don't class "me mate's on the telly" as an emergency, which is dashed inconvenient!

I will catch up on the app thingy (not the same, as I can't email in and heckle him, lol!!!)

I've got Mr D, Nesta, the girls at the Charity shop and some from work all primed to watch (although Mr D did confess, he may not be able to watch for a whole hour).

Sorry its been a long one (I'm sure there's a bishop and actress joke lurking in there somewhere) but go have a nap to get over it, if you're not asleep already, and then have a great day!

TTFN

Ang x

House of Cards October Challenge. . . . . . . .Use a die or punch

Good afternoon everyone. Hope all is well with you and yours.

An official welcome to The Pond to Norah. Thank you for your lovely comments and for clicking the followers button. I know you have had a lot of sadness recently so thank you for taking time to pop by. Also, a warm welcome to Sandy who has kindly joined our happy band. Thank you also to Sheila and Jackie Trinder for your visits too. Hope you will come for a paddle again soon. The more the merrier!

I want to thank you all for the wonderful and supportive comments you left on my last post. Its heart warming to get such encouragement when you're feeling a bit down and that's why I know how lucky I am to have such fabulous blog chums. You are appreciated, every single one of you!

Now, today's creation is another of the cards I submitted as part of my CEDT application and I thought it just right to show for my DT offering for House of Cards October Challenge. This month, the theme is use a die or punch. I hope that you can all pop along and have a look at what my lovely team mates have come up with and it would be marvellous to see some of you enter. I've seen some of the gorgeous things you do with dies folks, so give it a go!

Sorry its another gold and black number (though it does look more like kraft card on this pic lol!!!) but as you will see from my last post, I swapped that card over from the original one I had planned to show. I promise it will be the last black and gold for a while lol!!!

Its a single piece of soft gold card with an offset fold and The Striplet cut from it 3 times, once at one end and twice at the other (remembering to turn the card over so that the front of the die cut is facing the front on both portions)

Also, if you were thinking that it looks longer than The Striplet, I did extend the pattern so your eyes are not deceiving you lol!!!

There is a piece of black card behind the front page and I cut The Striplet again but in a place where it would form a shadow behind the front gold cut., so essentially, there's a solid black background, a shadowed black background, then see through when the three are lined up together (you can probably see this best on the top picture)

Ingredients

Soft gold card (Lime Tree)

Black PMD card

SB Decorative Labels 28

SB Fancy Tags 2

The Striplet

CE sentiment

Papermania black bling

Black satin ribbon

CE dazzler coloured gold with my Krylon pen

Black archival ink pad

Versamark pad

Clear embossing powder

I was really pleased with how this came out and its one of Mr Duck's favourites (bless him, he did get me a beautiful bouquet to cheer me up last week, he does surprise me at times lol!!! There was also a tub of chocolates, but he ate most of them!. . . . . I would have bet on that outcome lol!!!)

As I said, hope you can join us at House of Cards. Would be great to see some familiar names.

Until next time, take care.

TTFN

Ang x

Ps. . . . Karenlotty, sorry chuck but Blogger is not letting me add extra pics to this post (I had already scheduled these ones before I said I would pop on pics of how I did John's card). I will pop them on at the same time as I do my next post, so hope that's ok. x

Close but no Cigar. . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Well, hasn't it been weather for ducks this last few days? yuk! I'm convinced I was supposed to be born into a warmer climate lol! (got the Malaysian Mum but I get born in the UK, doh!!!)

Thank you for your comments on John's birthday card and hello to Ros. Hope you can pop by again soon.

Karenlotty, I will take a piccy to show how I did the middle page and pop it on my next post (sorry, didnt have time to do it for this post).

Just to clarify as well, John isn't 63. . . . . . .nor are you 36 Mr L but nice try lol! My lips are sealed now (except for a reasonable sum of cash, hahaha!)

Well, confession time and an explanation of the title of this post.

 I took the plunge and entered the Creative Expressions DT call last month. I got through to the last round but sadly fell at the final hurdle. I suppose it was the crafting equivalent of the X Factor judges houses but without the tropical setting or a hug from Simon Cowell (I'm grateful for small mercies lol!!!)

I'm sooooooooooooo massively disappointed but I haven't lost a limb or a loved one so you just have to put these things in perspective don't you. Maybe next year eh?

Now, with that in mind, I shall be boring the gilding flakes off you with my submissions for the the next few posts. Some were emailed in with specific requested themes and some were posted in as an anything goes.

This one was to specifically showcase stamping and I did use CE stamps. 

Its layer on layer and each is edged, on the outer and inner edges, with the Krylon pen and all the stamping was heat embossed. As archival dries very quickly, I first tapped the stamp  on the Versamark pad, then the archival. This bought me enough time to heat emboss it with clear powder.

Ingredients

Cream base card

Black PMD card

Soft gold card

Sissix Squares dies

SB Labels 9

CE Garden Frame stamp

CE Anemone Planter stamp (borrowed from John)

CE sentiment stamp

Kassies Brocade embossing folder

Krylon Gold Leaf pen

Black Archival ink pad

Versamark ink pad

PI Gold embossing powder

Cosmic Shimmer Clear embossing powder

Black satin ribbon

Pearls

I was going to show one of the others first but apparently, I have inspired our John with this one (yes, he was privvy to what I was doing and kindly loaned me one of his stamps so that I could achieve what I was aiming for) and he wants to show his at the weekend (steady !!!) but not before I had put mine on, bless him, so I was happy to swap for him. (John's version is now live here)

So there you go, hope you lovely folk like it.

Will be back soon with the next one in line. Another GP this weekend but with a sad subdued feel after the sad events of last Sunday at the Japanese GP. Tous avec Jules #17!

Be good.

TTFN

Ang x