Moving Along With The Times Challenge. . . . . . .Texture

Good morning everyone. Hope you are all well?

I would firstly love to welcome my 2 new followers Deb Curtis and Ирина Инзер. Thank you for jumping in The Pond, especially at a time when there has not been much activity with my being poxed!!! Much appreciated folks and that's me at 99 now (not in age but I bloomin feel like it at the minute!!!)

Now today, its time for another challenge at MAWTT and its my turn to host, so my choice of subject matter is . . . . . . . TEXTURE

So folks, hope you can pop and see what the rest of the gals on the DT have come up with and why not enter one of your fab creations.

Ingredients

Cream card

Plum card

That Special Touch Fanciful Mask

Phill Martin Decadent WIne Sparkle Texture Paste

Sissix Squares dies

Crafters Companion sentiment

Memento Sweet Plum ink

I made the textured panel over at John's a while ago (see here) and had been wondering what I could do with it. Bizarrely, I bought the mask myself afterwards, not realising it was the same one and its that I used to emboss the base card so it all matches.

Hope you get time to join in with us at MAWTT.

Well folks, fortunately the bulk of this was scheduled before my poxation so I have just added a couple of sentences.

Thank you for your concern and advice. I have been having bicarb baths and they are very soothing, Calamine did nothing for me but Eurax is fantastic.

Have been to the doctors Tuesday and am having to take 15 tablets a day for 7 days (anti virals, anti biotics and anti histamines). With all the different spacings required and the empty stomach/non empty stomach stipulations, its been like planning a military operation to create a timetable for the bloomin things.

Enough typing for now folks as I have them on my finger tips too (you would be surprised at what little nooks these nasty spots have erupted in!!!) but I'm quite bothered that I have 53 on my face!

What a way to spend your birthday (today) eh???

TTFN

Ang x

Ps. Mr D should hopefully be ok as he has had Shingles. He has done shopping and has valiantly been on cream applying duty (not in those nooks I mentioned though!!!)

Ducks hate Chickens. . . . . . . . . .

Hello dear chums.

Just a brief update, as I am now smothered in spotty blister things, its the dreaded Chicken Pox. Managed to avoid it all these years too!
Luckily, Mr D has already had it and has a couple of days off, I'm trying to rest and not scratch. I woke up with more spots and a swollen knee this morning so I don't know if that's related.

Mr D out with shopping list, which includes calomine. . . . . . .and to think I was worried about Nesta's castanets!

I have a post that was already scheduled for Thursday but other than that, I'll be quiet for a while (don't all cheer hahaha!)

Thank you for your kind words and wishes.

Take care and be good.

Yours, itchily
 Ang x

Time Out. . . . . . . .

Good morning friends.

Just to let you know, I have been and will be out of circulation for a few days as I have picked up an horrendous virus.
Started Thursday evening with feeling hot and cold and has now developed into all my joints aching and my skin feeling very sentistive and freezing one minute, roasting the next.
Spent most of yesterday in bed with a diet of paracetomol and ibruprofen.

Even balancing the tablet on my leg now hurts.

So, please don't think I am neglecting your blogs folks. I'll hopefully be back fighting fit soon.

And don't worry about commenting on this. I know your time is precious and I just wanted to explain where I've been.

Hope you're all ok and take care.
Ang x

My New Motto. . . . . . . . .

Good morning all you lovely folk. Hope you are well

The wrist is much better but still not quite right so still having to be careful. This has made doing a few tasks rather interesting. Mr D has tried to help as much as possible but there are certain things you just have to do yourself hahaha!!!

I do apologise for delays in commenting on your blogs. This is down to Blogger being a bit of a pain (some of you it will only let me comment from my phone at the moment, which has been a bit tricksy at times with the wrist situation) and obviously trying to hold a tablet and type.

I'm at work today and tomorrow but then have 3 days off, hurrah, so what I don't catch up in the next couple of days, I will when I'm off so I will be with you soon.

Its lucky that I had made these samples for John's shows or I would have probably run out of things to show you by now.

I've had a wedding card to do by this week and was worried that it may result in yet another shop bought card as trying to crank my GC with my other hand was not great. Mr D kindly stepped in and I did the lining up and taping and he did the cranking.

I'm about 95% happy with it so it will do.

Now, today's card is another that was featured on John's C&C stamping show, launching his brilliant new stamps. I love the sentiment on this and I believe it was purloined from Dean Wilson.

Ingredients 

Soft gold card

Black card

John Lockwood Rosebud Elements Stamps

Sissix Square die

Black Archival ink

Cosmic Shimmer clear embossing powder

Black satin ribbon

Black pearls

Score line embossing done on the Hougie Board

I only heat embossed the centre panel; the leaves are just stamped to provide a contrast.

There is only a couple more of the C&C samples left to show now but I had made a couple of other cards with these fabulous stamps and I will carry on using them.

Meeting Nesta on Thursday for lunch as she has returned from her holiday in sunny and very hot Spain. I hope she hasn't sunburnt her castanets because I'm not rubbing calamine on them lol!!!

Hope you all have a great week.

TTFN

Ang x

John's Stamps Part IV. . . . . . . .and MAWTT Challenge

Good morning everyone. Hope you are all in fine fettle?

Thank you for your comments and concern about my wrist. It just kinda buckled when I leaned on it so I think I strained something. Its still not 100% but its better than it was. I'm still trying to rest it when I can and have been careful at work (it certainly would have been more difficult in my old job).

Unfortunately, this has meant I have not been able to do my DT card for MAWTT this week so Hazel(Didos) has kindly given me a sicknote.

I hope that you will still pop over and join in with the challenge as they are getting fruity. . . . . . see, that's got your attention now lol!!!

Please click on the above after 9am to see what my teamies have been up to and to join in the fruity fun.

Now today's creation is card number 4 card from John's stamp shows. Don't worry, I only did 72 samples. . . . . . just joshing folks lol!!!

Of course, I had to try and get my favourite Striplet in on the act so I cut it around the edge of some lilac card but only half the die.

The centrepiece of John's glorious stamps was recessed into the centre of this 8x8 card.

Ingredients 

Ivory Card

Purple card

Lilac card

John Lockwood's Rosebud Elements stamps (frame and sentiment)

Sue Wilson's Embroidered Striplet

Versamark

Purple mica

Memento Dew Drop Sweet Plum ink

I'm hoping to do something similar for a wedding card due a week on Saturday. Hopefully the wrist will improve by this weekend so I can get it done.

I had a sympathy card to send to a friend this week and had to, shamefully . . . . . . . . buy a card (ooooh, that hurt to say). I bought it from work so at least it benefits a charity but apologies to the lady concerned and for my writing which looked like an epileptic spider had done the foxtrot across the card.

Well, thhhhhats all folks, except to say, thank you to some new names for kindly leaving comments. Hope you can visit again soon.

Take care all and be good.

TTFN

Ang x

Weaving With Love. . . . . . .

Good morning my dear blogging chums. Hope you are all ok?

I'm afraid this is going to be short and hopefully sweet as I've a bit of a painful couple of days, with the anniversary of my Dad's passing (never gets any easier), being busy at work, losing my Blogger reading list (grrrrrr) and leaning awkwardly on my wrist and it bloomin aches!!!

Not good when there's typing to be done as well as cleaning windows. . . . . .thank heavens for a left hand too lol!!!

So apologies for being behind with comments and for the how late in the day they have been but it has depended on I can get into my reading list and when the painkillers have kicked in hahaha!!!

Now, today is another card showcasing John's stamps, both as seen on Create and Craft. Would love to say its Sue's weaving dies in the aperture but it was just hand cut strips of card. I staggered the weave to give a different look to the pattern.

Ingredients  

Ivory card

Black card

Striplet outer edge die

John Lockwood Flower Heart Elements Stamps

John Lockwood Cheer Blossom Stamps

That Special Touch Elegance Border Mask (x2)

Black Archival ink pad

Black pearls

This was one of those cards that didn't quite come out as envisioned but I still liked anyway lol!!!

Thank you for your comments on my cards using John's stamps. I am very lucky to get to work with them.

Just before I waddle off, I just wanted to say congratulations to Jackie D and Karen for their wins on Sue's blog. You're lucky girlies!

Also, for those of you have not seen Jacquie's blog, sadly her Mum in Law has passed away so sincere and heartfelt sympathies to Jacquie and her family.

Will waddle now as this has taken an age to type two fingered (steady !!!) and left handed.

Take care all.

TTFN

Ang x

A Taste of the Orient. . . . . . .

Good morning my dear paddling chums. Hope everyone is on top form or as near as they can be. Hello to the new visitors who kindly left a comment on my last post. Hope you can visit again soon. And to my friends who have been missing, I hope you are ok.

A mega thank you to you all for your wonderful comments on my last card and also on my cards being shown on the TV. I started off watching, very excited then at times, I could feel myself going pink and being a bit embarrassed (silly, I know). 

A big thank you to John for his encouragement and for designing these gorgeous stamps as without him creating them, I wouldn't have been able to make these cards. 

As for me appearing on TV, no, not me. I've said before, I've got a great face for radio hahaha!

Now, I know the title of my post makes it look like I'm advertising for the local Chinese takeaway but it relates to the look of today's card. As soon as I saw the Cherry Blossom stamps, my first thought was the beautiful blossom trees in Japan and a sort of Mount Fuji background with the flowers almost silhouetted against it.

This is another of the cards that appeared on the shows and seemed to be very popular, so much so that John demo-ed his take on the technique. I was very surprised as I thought it may look too simple compared to some of John's creations

Lucky John had that fabulous transfer tape to mask off the "mountains" but I'm afraid mine was just low tack masking tape, ripped paper and a die cut circle lol!!!

Ingredients 

White card

Black card

John Lockwood Cherry Blossom Elements Stamps

Spellbinders Classic Oval die (for the sentiment aperture)

Dusty Concord DI

Black Archival Ink

Staedler Triplus Black Fineliner (for colouring in the branches)

I hope you like it and the rest that follow (as there are a few lol!!!). Also I will be using these stamps on many projects as they are a joy to work with and I'm not a stamper lol!!!

I must say thank you to Jackie D for emailing into the show with your lovely comment and Sandra give the bokeh a go. . . . .what's to lose but a piece of card chuck!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

TTFN

Ang x

Newsflash. . . . . . .Duck's Cards on Create and Craft

Good morning my blogging chums. Hope all is well with you and yours.

Well, I'm just going to dive right in as I've been bursting with excitement to tell you all but some of my cards will be on John Lockwood's shows on Create and Craft today.

I was supremely flattered and just downright chuffed to be asked if I would like to do some samples for John using his gorgeous new stamp sets that will be featured on today's shows.

I hope that you can all tune in at 8am and 3pm, obviously to watch John but to also share in my moment of proudness (if that's a real word lol!!!).

These stamps are amazing and I'm not just saying that. . . . .they are an absolute joy to work with.

This means, I that I will be showing the cards over the next week or two, so I will do my bokeh demo after that and answer your bokeh questions then too, if that's ok ?(or you could read Jacquie J's explanation and I'm sure that will clue you up lol!!!)

Ingredients 

Cream card (for the base, inked around the edges with Spun Sugar)

Milk card 

Couture Creations Tied Together embossing folder

Striplet outer edge die (take your pick of the straight edged ones)

Square die

SB Bitty Blossoms (roses)

John Lockwood's Flower Heart Elements stamps

John Lockwood's Heart Striplet stamp

Versamark 

Cosmic Shimmer clear embossing powder

Spun Sugar DI

CE pearls

The Striplet panels were stamped with Versamark on milk card and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I then inked over with the Spun Sugar.

I then taped the 3 panels to my GC cutting plate at the distance that I wanted them apart and then added the 2 square dies to cut the centre and the channel for the roses (if that makes sense?)

The sentiment on my hand cut banners is "Engagement Congratulations". Doesn't show up too well on the pics but hopefully, you may see it ont telly!!!

Hope you can tune in to watch the lovely John in action and see my cards. Fortunately, its my day off so I can watch live.

Thank you to you all for your continued support. Makes this blogging mularky the fun that it is for me and I'm glad that I can give you a chuckle along the way.

TTFN

Ang x

House of Cards May Challenge. . . . . . . Bokeh!!!

Good morning everyone, me again, just as you thought it was safe to come down for a paddle.

Thank you for the comments on my funky frame. Its the closest I get to mixed media lol!!!

Today is the start of another challenge at House of Cards and this month its BOKEH.

I hope that you will pop over and have a look at my team mates creations and it would be great if you have a go as this was good fun to do.

Now, I don't know what bokeh actually means. For all I know, I could be saying something very rude in Turkish. . . . . . Patricia will advise if that's the case as she is our resident expert on Turkish swear words (and a few Scottish ones no doubt lol!!!). 

The general technique seems to involve a sort of faded blurry blobby blending of inks (very technical me!) and originally came from a photographic effect. 

I was a bit daunted by it at first but when I got going, I absolutely loved doing it. Its a bit messy but such good fun (yes Pamellia, I had fun getting messy, whooda thought lol!!!). 

I did mine with a stencil I made from die cutting circles from acetate but there are different tutorials on line.

I'm happy to do some simple destructions if anyone is interested.

Ingredients  

White card

Purple card

Peacock Feathers DI

Dusty Concord DI

Mustard Seed DI

Dovecraft white pigment ink

Inkylicious sentiment stamp

Black Archival ink

Acetate

X Cut Circle dies

So give it a go folks. . . . . . . . . lets all do the Okey Bokeh!!!  (sorry, had to shoehorn that joke in somewhere but no knees bent or arm stretched rarara-ing as I'll probably pull a muscle lol!!!)

There was no brekkie with Nesta yesterday as my alarm (ie a phone call from Mr D) did not materialise and I was an hour late waking up.

When I rolled over and saw the time, I attempted, in my half asleep state of shock, to leap from the bed in my usual gazelle like manner but one of my feet was wrapped in the duvet and I twisted my ankle and nearly collided head first with the window!!!

So, I sounded like a semi comatose gibbering idiot on the phone to Nesta (no change there, I hear you cry) who luckily, was just about to set off to the cafe.

We are going to an NGS open gardens event on Monday so have decided to have brekkie before that instead (and Mr D has kindly offered to pay after his oversight. . . . . yes, he did pay with his ears too when I rang him after Nesta lol!!!)

Well orf to the shop for 1pm (later start on Fridays) so enjoy the rest of your day and have a good weekend.

Be good.

TTFN

Ang x