Happy Easter 2015. . . . . . .Mr Duck!

Good morning Duckadees! Hope everyone is funky fine.

Well, if I have scheduled this correctly, its Monday morning and I'll have sweaty palms and a churning stomach at starting the new job finally.

I'm hoping my palms are the only sweaty bits this morning (steady now!!!) as Mr D has been dreadfully ill for the past few days. He was a bit sniffy and chesty on Wednesday and then worse Thursday. By Friday he looked and felt awful and over the weekend I've been quite concerned. He has been roasting hot one minute then freezing cold the next, physically aching, shivering and shaking, in addition to the sneezing and coughing.

At the time of typing, he has now eaten something and is a bit better. I'm just hoping I haven't woken up with the sniffles and looking like Worzel Gummidge just in time to make a terrific first day impression at work. . . . . . "Good morning Madam. . . . . . Waaaaaahchooooo!!! Please let me wipe that off your glasses" hahaha!!! 

Now, today's card is Mr D's Easter card and its a sad indictment that I know its safe to put this on here, as he doesn't look at my blog lol !!! I know there is a bit of blingery but he did comment recently that the cards I make for him "don't have sparkly stuff on them"

I don't know if he is getting in touch with his feminine side or if he just has bling envy lol !!!

Ingredients

CE Milk card

CE Aqua card

Couture Creations Tied Together embossing folder

SB Labels 20

Hobbycutz laser cut eggs

Wendy's stick pins

CE Dazzler

CE Blue Zircon seam binding

Brown satin ribbon

Blue bling

Hand written sentiment

I have used a fair few Creative Expressions products as I'm entering this into the Creative Expressions Blog Challenge for March (theme is Easter)

Well, that's me done for now as I have to go and re-choose my outfit for the morning (that choice has changed several times lol !!!) and mop Mr D's fevered brow (he is currently wearing pyjamas, a sweatshirt, jogging bottoms, a gilet, his thick fleecy dressing gown and 3 pairs of socks but in half an hour most of it will come off as he gets too hot!!!)

Keep everything crossed for me please folks for a happy job and germ free hopefully lol!

Take care all.

TTFN

Ang x

Oldie for Friday. . . . . . . .

Good morning one and all. Hope you're all superdoopah!!! Hello to Jane who is a new visitor. Hope you can pop by again.

Another Friday has snuck up on me with another week stolen by the Time Bandit lol!! (I'm sending him back up to you Patricia lol!)

On the upside, I am finally starting my new job on Monday, hurrah! Have to say, I believe MI5 or the SAS are easier to get into hahaha! Keep everything crossed for me folks.

Thank you so much for your kind and heartwarming comments on my "Mum" card. Some of them bought a little tear to my eye. . . . . .you're such lovely gals.

As I came across this card when I found last weeks Easter card lurking in an old folder on my laptop, I thought it would qualify for the Oldie for Friday post.

Although I love the First Edition Neroli pads, I don't think I was overly impressed with this card as I only took one photograph of it hahaha!!!

It was a quicky, as I recall, that had to be handed out that day. Not one of my better cards but trust me, I've done worse lol!!!

It would have been my wonderful Mum and Dad's Golden Wedding Anniversary today and I would have so enjoyed making them a card had they been here.

Anyhoo, here's wishing you all a super weekend. First live GP of the year, hurrah and from my Motherland (and one of my favourite places in the World) Malaysia, double hurrah!!!!!!

Have a good one.

TTFN

Ang x

Ps. . . . . . Michele, if you do pop by, hope all goes well at the funeral (well, as well as these things can go)

Mum. . . . . . . . . .

Good morning my lovely blogging chums. Hope everyone is well.

I have been on the hunt for a Nutella and peanut butter blondie recipe to match that divine brownie I had at the NEC. Sue J, you a have a real treat on your doorstep there!

I have had a little play with my new goodies from the show. Lesley, sorry to disappoint chuck but the die is not a Striplet, its one of the new SB dies called Interlocking Love. It does more embossing and de-bossing than cutting. 

I think I'm just getting a bit more fussy about what I buy as I think I am already getting to SABLE (Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy) proportions, hahaha!

Now, I apologise for today's picture heavy post as I wanted to capture all angles lol!!!

I never got to make my darling Mum a Mother's Day card, other than when I was a child, so my close friends have never asked me to make one, as they know it would be difficult (in a sadness way) for me.

However, Janet, one of the ladies I used to volunteer with has been having a particularly bad time recently, with her own health issues and having her parents move into residential care (her Dad has dementia and her Mum, who was her Dad's carer, had a fall and broke her leg)

We have kept in touch and she asked me if I would make her Mum a Mother's Day card.

I hadn't the heart to say no so that was my random act of kindness for that day lol!!!

I asked what card she would like and she said "flowers and blue" a bit odd, blue flowers, but blue is her Mum's favourite colour.

Well, thought I may as well push the boat out and make a matching box too. 

Interestingly, all 4 of the different flower styles are made from the same die set, HC Sunkissed Fleur. How versatile is that!

Ingredients

White card

Blue textured pearl card

HC Sunkissed Fleur (for all of the different shaped flowers)

SB Jewel Flowers and Flourishes (only the flourishes!)

SB Botanical Swirls and Accents (just the foliage)

SB Labels 28

Couture Creations Swiss Dots A4 embossing folder

Papermania "Mum" stamps

CE Dazzler

MeiFlower satin ribbon

Blue curling ribbon

Wendy's Pins

Various blue inks

Bling & pearls

Paper twine (for the flower stamens)

I wasn't sure how this was going to turn out with blue flowers, but I was very pleased with it. It was difficult at times too as I couldn't help wishing I was making one for my own Mum (a few teary moments!!!)

Janet was over the moon and reported that her Mum was thrilled so some good and happiness came from it, which makes me a happy bunny.

Lovely to see you back Norah. You paddle when you can chuck. I'm grateful to everyone who stops by as I know commenting is time consuming.

That's all for me today folks. Have a great day and be good.

TTFN

Ang x

Ps. . . . . . My thoughts are with the families of the lost souls from the German Wings flight. So tragic.

NEC Stash March 2015. . . . . And Getting Pasted!

Good Sunday morning everyone. Hope, as always, this finds you well.

Nice to have Val and Ita back. Val, I hope that your eyesight is now so good that you can see all my mistakes lol!!!

Janice (that's MAWTT Janice before you all shout lol!) you're not a pest but there are now 3 of you who come for a paddle lol!

Well, here's my purchases from the NEC. Not anywhere near as bad as usual. Mr D gave me early birthday money but I came back with half of it.

Hazel(Didos) there wasn't too much squishing. I try and avoid unsolicited bodily contact unless its someone resembling Danny Dyer or Colin Firth hahaha!

The round things at the front are 6 coasters from the MDF Man. You may also notice decopatch papers (Santoro ones) and you can blame John for that lol!!! 

Its not too bright a photo as I decided, like a chimp, to take the photo just as the eclipse was happening so there was a very weird light. 

Sadly, both Sue P and Graham didn't make it as Sue had a poorly toe (I knew that vibrating pedi thing would be her downfall) but I had a lovely catch up over lunch and a later cuppa with Christine (lovely lass)

Also met up with John, who was playing escort to Julia Watts and Sue Wilson. I've met Julia before but it was lovely to meet Sue for the first time. Hilariously, the ladies reckoned John was the first one to get recognised. . . . . . . must get his autograph and ebay it lol!!!

Not as many stalls there and a couple of big names missing but for a £3.00 Tesco ticket and a £2.50 rtn train fare, its all good and I thoroughly enjoyed it (Door to door by train was only 40 mins).

Ohhhh, before I forget, another little something I bought home. . . . . . . . 

This is a Chocolate Tiffin Brownie (chocolate, fruit, nuts and coconut) I bought home for Mr D. I had eaten my Nutella and Peanut Butter Blondie Brownie at the show for breakfast (Is a balanced diet when you have one in each hand???)

I have to say it was the most delish brownie I have ever eaten and Mr D savoured every mouthful of his. I managed to get the photo before he got sight of it. . . . . . . .I won't tell you how many Mr Lockwood bought lol!!!

As you will notice on the bag, there is a website and. . . . . . . . . MAIL ORDER!!!!!!

If anyone is going to the show today, go grab em before they sell out.

Karen, no Thank Crunchie exchanged hands this time. . . . .probably just as well with the brownies lol!

A last couple of snaps. . . . . . . . . . . . . 

These are my first efforts at using texture paste as I mentioned last week. I haven't decided what to do with them yet but watch this space (Don't get too excited Pamellia, this is about as messy as I get hahaha!!!)

A close up of its texturedy glitteryness. I think it was Magenta Chic.

Well, that's me. Hope Patricia and Hazel have had a lovely time in Belfast (haven't seen any debauchery reported on the BBC News lol!!!) and that you all have a smashing Sunday and week ahead.

TTFN 

Ang x

Ps. . . . Michele, hope you do decide to start a blog (its good fun) and so sorry to read about your friend.

Moving Along With the Times Challenge. . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope that all fettles are fine and all ticketys are very boo!!!

Today is another challenge from MAWTT and, as chosen by Janice (well, one of the Janice's lol!!!) this time is tag, you're it!  Basically, you must use a tag on your project. 

Hope you can pootle over to MAWTT to see what the rest of the gals have created and of course, to join in with your own creations.

Now, my DT offering was being pesky to photograph upright so that you could see the edge of the back page of the card so I've photographed it flat so you can see the back edge in its glory.

I know it may be bright for some folk but I love the zingy citrusy colours in this pad.

And here is the tag emerging from its nesting place, behind the front panel.

I mounted the front decorative panel on thin strips of foam tape on each side and on the bottom and the tag slots in the channel in between.

Ingredients

White card

Lime card and yellow card (Lidl)

First Edition Hideaway 6x6 paper

Sue Wilson Ursa Gemini die

SB Decorative Labels 4(just the top section cut on the top of the tag and nipped away)

SB Labels 28

SB Decorative Labels 28

Docrafts sentiment stamp (on tag)

Alys Inky Fingers "Happy Birthday"

Hobbycraft decorative stamps

Mustard Seed DI

Bamboo Leaves Memento Dew Drop

I have friends that still read conventionally (ie real books rather than e-readers) and I have made cards previously incorporating a bookmark and I thought this would work well as a bookmark too.

And, you eyes are not deceiving you, I did cut the SB Labels 28 twice in the lime then cut them to make the length that I wanted and stuck them together (the next size up was ok for length but was too wide). The join is hidden behind the die cuts on top.

Well, by the time you are reading this, I should be getting off the train at the NEC ready to do battle with the marauding hoards. 

I should hopefully be meeting up with Christine, Sue P and Graham for a bit of a crafty catch up. (Sue J and Paul, you will be missed)

Hope you have a wonderful day, whatever you have planned.

TTFN

Ang x

Happy Easter. . . . . . . .

Good morning one and all. Hope you are all well. Happy St Patrick's Day to those who celebrate.

Its taken a nippier turn in the weather here. It had warmed up quite nicely (we had even had the heating off for a couple of days) and had lots of sunshine but the last couple of days have been downright chilly! The Winnie the Pooh Totes Toasties are back on my feet!

Now, with today's card, I'm either too early or too late depending on how you look at it. What I mean is, I actually made this last year but forgot to post it at the time. I came across it whilst sorting my computer files out so decided to post it now, a little early for this year.

Ingredients

White card

Orange and yellow card (Lidl)

SB Labels 25

SB Filigree Delight (the oval centre die)

Inkylicious "Happy Easter" stamp

Card-io Golden Daffodils stamp set

Variety of distress inks

Orange organza ribbon

Orange bling

Spent a lovely morning in John's craft cave on Friday getting down and dirty. . . . . . . . now behave, I mean with texture paste! I don't do messy crafting usually but John let me loose with a mask and some paste (not sure that he will again lol!)

This week is a busy one with the NEC finally here on Thursday. Hopefully meeting up with Christine and Sue P and hubby. . . . . Sue J and Paul, you will be missed.

Fingers crossed, I hopefully shouldn't be too far off a start date for my new job (their recruitment process has had a few hiccups, shall we say)

For now, you all keep warm and be good.

TTFN

Ang x

Oldie For Friday. . . . . . . .

Good morning my paddling chums (yes Patricia, I have left the heating on low for you chuck). Hope all is well with you.

Its been a while since I joined in with the Friday Oldie posting (started by a blogging chum of Patricia, Erika of Snappycrafts ) but as I was going to be making another of these boxes, it dawned on me that perhaps some of the newer visitors to The Pond may not have seen my butterfly box. 

I featured it about 18 months ago so I hope it qualifies under the Oldie heading. I have made other versions since but as they have either just been a different colour or with a different lid, I've not thought to photograph and feature them.

Apologies for the photos as at the time I was, in the main, trying to catch the light at various angles to get the nice shadows (too arty farty for my own good sometimes lol!!!)

I cut all four side panels using the SB Butterfly Magic die and lined each with acetate to make it more sturdy. The top of the lid is decorated with SB Captivating Squares. 

I kept this, the original one and it still casts lovely shadows in my bedroom.

For those of you who have been paddling for a while, I hope you don't mind seeing this again and for any newbies, hope it was worth re-posting.

Have a wonderful weekend folks.

TTFN

Ang x

In the Frame. . . . . . . . . . . . Again!

Good morning Friends, Ducks and countrymen. May you all be happy and well.

Great to know that the lovely Karen has finally started her own blog, hurrah! and can be found here at karenlottycraft showing her super cards and creations. Hope folk can pop and say hello.

Nice to see Mrs B about after computer woes and Elaine back from her travels (thanks for bringing some sunshine back with you)

Now, I did mention a couple of weeks ago that I had made another of my Frame within a Frame (as I have decided to call them lol!!!) gifts for one of the girls at work, who had a baby girl. You may remember I said I was making one with an unusual name.

Well, its more the spelling of the name that's unusual as I would spell the nippers name as ISLA but I guess there's a trend to be different lol!!! Perhaps I should become Mrs Ducque but knowing my luck (or lucque) it means something rude in French lol!!!

I stamped and coloured Tatty and his balloon again and decoupaged them on top of the original stamping (now you can see why I don't do colouring lol!!!)

Ingredients

Pink 8x8 deep box frame (from my old place of employ)

White card

Pink PMD card

SB Captivating Squares

SB Bitty Blossoms

Foliage from various SB Dies

X Cut Alphabet Die

Cheery Lynn Sweet Christine Die

Tonic flower punch

Tatty Teddy stamp, coloured with Royal and Langnickel water colour pencils

Card-io stamps from a mixture of sets

Memento Dew Drop and Distress Inks

Bling

As usual, I foam padded the mini frame so that a photo of little Iylah can be slotted in and I always include a piece of card (under the backboard) that is the size of the photo required to fit, to save people faffing with trying to measure it.

I didn't want to make it too babyish so that it can grow with her.

Still enjoying my time off. Nesta is away with her sister in Eastbourne for a few days so I've not been tempted to skive off from Spring cleaning by the promise of a nice lunch or trip to a garden centre. Mind you, at this rate I won't want to go back to work but I will need to exercise as with not doing all the running around and heavy physical stuff I was used to, the waistband on the jeans is a smidgen tighter lol!!!

Anyhoo, must scoot and make Mr D some dins (yes, I've scheduled) so until next time, be good and let's be careful out there.

TTFN

Ang x

Blue Birthday. . . . . . . . . . .

Good morning everybody. How's it hanging? Fandabidozi I hope?

Have to say, its been lovely to see a couple of the ladies who have been missing from their blogs for some time (Ita and Wilma) back in the crafting saddle again. You have been missed ladies.

Also, a splashy welcome to Amy who has dared to push the followers button. Many thanks and I hope you enjoy the ride. Thank you also for all of the comments that seem to have risen of late. I know that we can all be time poor in our busy lives so I do appreciate them, from the heart of my bottom!!!

I hate to mention this in front of my Scottish chums but the weather here has been glorious the last few days. Yesterday, I managed to get 2 washes out and dried in gorgeous warm sunshine. We also haven't had the heating on for 2 days, hurrah!!!

Now, today's card is one I made for my nephew, who was 14 and doesn't really have any hobbies. He just does a bit of everything lol!!! so, I decided just to do something simple and general in blue. I decided to use a happy birthday embossing folder with a sort of letter pressing technique. Instead of covering the folder in Versamark, I just kinda dabbed it all over to see what would happen and after heat embossing with clear powder and inking over, you can see it achieved this mottledy effect. . . . . . . . . .I think it looks allright and different.

Ingredients

White card

Peacock blue pearl card (Lime Tree crafts)

Silver mirror card

Papermania 5x7 "Happy Birthday" embossing folder

Krylon silver pen

Versamark

Cosmic Shimmer clear embossing powder

Broken China and Tumbled Glass DI

Nothing flash but he's not a flash lad so it suited him. I got a "thank you" but you don't get much more out of teenage lads do you, hahaha!!!

Would be a very easy batch card to do for a stall or charity and you could obviously change the colour to suit.

Well, I saw the disappointing news that Sue J and Paul are not coming to the NEC boooooo hooooo. I'm just beside myself that Christine and I may have to cope with Sue P, her apple catchers (still trying to figure out what they are) and vibrating foot ooojit, unaided lol!!! 

I also wanted to say that I hadn't given up anything for Lent (even housework!!!) but I do try and do, what I call a "random act of kindness" whenever I am out and about even if its just smiling at someone (did think about doing it with some black chewing gum just to spice things up a bit) or reaching up to a high shelf in the supermarket for an elderly person. Seems to be good for the soul as it makes me feel better for doing something like that.

On that note, I shall bid you adieu and all the best.

TTFN

Ang x

Ps. . . . . . T-7 for new F1 season. . . . . . excited girlie!!!

Moving Along With the Times Challenge. . . . . .Show us a Bunny!

Good morning all. Hope this finds everybody's tickety is boo!

We've had a couple of lovely days here with sunshine and wind (the wind is the weather, not me lol!!!).

I am welcoming some more ladies to the The Pond this morning. Thank you to Judy, Derelyn and Cara for following and thank you to some new names I have spied who have kindly left a comment. I have sorted out a Paddle Prize if we can make it to 100!

Also, Izzy, if you're out there, I have adjusted my settings so you can comment. I don't revisit Sue's blog after I've commented but have been told you said you wanted to paddle but couldn't lol! If you're about, feel free to come take a dip (The Pond is heated at this time of year)

June asked if it was ok for her to make a card like my last one. I am more than happy for anyone to take what inspiration they can get from my creations and if you put it on a blog, a little mention would be nice.

Now, today's card is a DT creation for the latest MAWTT challenge, set by Judith, which is . . . . . . . . .Show us a Bunny . I hope that you can pop over and see what creations we have come up with to tickle your crafty tastebuds and hopefully inspire you to join in the challenge.

I didn't think I had any bunny related stash until I remembered a laser cut I still had from Hobbycutz (which sadly appears to be no more).

Ingredients

White card

Papers from Docrafts Spring Chic 12x12 pad 

Hobbycutz Easter Bunny lasercut

Mint organza and satin ribbons

Just Cutz A4 rectangle dies

Alys Inky Fingers "Happy"

Memento Dew Drop Rich Cocoa Ink pad

Green bling

As Mr D has seen this, I shall more than likely give this to Nesta for Easter.

Did anyone give anything up for Lent? I gave up housework, which means that's my Spring clean before starting the new job idea is given the shove, hahaha!!!

I don't know if the enamel dots on my last card are an American thing as we did sell them in my previous place of employment in the various Docrafts ranges (Fun Fair, Tiny Tatty Teddy etc) and there are various sites on Tinterweb that show you how to make your own (which seem to involve trays of smelly melting plastic in your oven, hence why I bought mine lol!!!)

Had a lovely meal out with the girls on Monday. I am going to miss them but hopefully, they will be an equally nice bunch at the charity shop. Will let you know when I get a start date as they are still processing my paperwork but I'm enjoying the time off so there's no rush as far as I'm concerned.

Anyhoo, hope you can visit MAWTT and that you are enjoying good weather and good health.

See you all soon.

TTFN

Ang x