Aqua Baubles. . . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope all is well with you and yours. Where has January gone? Blink and whoosh, we're nearly into February.

More Christmas, I'm afraid but I promise, Thursday's post for MAWTT will be a birthday card lol!!!

The next post will also be my 400th post so I will be offering a little Paddle Prize. I will get Mr D to pull a name out of the hat so all you need to do is be a follower and leave a comment on that post by the date I will give.

Now, today's festive treat is another aperture card, I know but they give that added dimension whilst being relatively flat. I love the aqua card. A new favourite.

Ingredients

White card

Aqua Foundation card

Silver mirror card

SB 2010 Heirloom Ornament dies

Crafters Companion Christmas Jumper embossing folder

Dovecraft sentiment & snowflake stamps

Cosmic Shimmer Powder Blue gilding polish

Memento Dew Drop Teal Zeal ink

Memento Dew Drop Grey Flannel ink

Silver bling

Short and sweet today as I'm not feeling great still. Don't know if its the condition, new tablets or a combination of the two.

Thank you for your continued well wishes and kind comments.

Hope you can join me Thursday for post 400.

TTFN

Ang x

Purple Snow. . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope this finds you all happy and well. I'm approaching my 400th post so please see below about a little give away to mark the occasion.

Mr D and I did make it to breakfast with John last Sunday. It was lovely catching up, especially over a yummy Harvester breakfast.

He's a busy boy now over at Paper World Trade Show in Frankfurt on the Creative Expressions stand.

A warm hello to stitchingranny. Nice to hear John has been raving about my cards (I pay him handsomely to do that lol!!!) and thank you for your comment. Hope you will continue to visit.

Now, this was another postal card and, if I remember correctly, to Spain so it is another flat-ish one with an aperture.

Ingredients

White card

Dark purple card (from a craft show, make unknown)

Silver mirror card

SB Snowflake Pendant 2013

Sue Wilson Mini Snowflake Striplet

Trimcraft Me to You embossing folder

Dovecraft sentiment

Memento Dew Drop Grape Jelly ink

Teeny silver bling

A bit of detail and dimension but still post friendly.

I must apologise if I am behind on visiting some of your blogs but I will catch up. I've not been well since Monday. The thyroid appointment was ok (just a normal 3 monthly check) but the new tablets the cardiologist put me on have caused another arrhythmia on top of the A/Fib so I have had to stop them and have felt unwell as my pulse has been high again. In the process of trying to sort it all out with the docs, so please bear with me.

As a little heads up, this is my 398th post (and they hoped said it wouldn't last lol!!!). For my 400th post, I will offer a little Paddle Prize as a thank you. To go into the draw, you just need to be a follower and leave a comment on that particular post (I think it will be next Thursday, 2nd Feb's MAWTT DT post). I will remind you on the next post and on the day.

As always, thank you for your kind and concerned comments. I'm not quite at Uhu's gates so onwards and upwards eh lol!!!

TTFN

Ang x

Minty Snowflakes . . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope everyone's tickety is boo.

We've had some nippy days of late but poor Nesta has returned from her Spanish break having been subjected to hailstones and snow . . . . . . on the Costa del Sol for goodness sake! 

I hope she didn't expose her castanets or they will need a warm rub down with a greasy rag.

Davey is on his way back today. I can only hope there hasn't been snow in Bangkok or that would throw Global Warming out of the window.

Anyhoo, you may be relieved to see, not a poinsettia in sight today, just snowflakes (don't look Nesta!!!). Another aperture card that gives a bit of dimension but still flat enough for a normal postage stamp.

Ingredients

White and mint card (the mint is Lidl)

Silver mirror card

SB Snowflake Pendant 2013 dies

Dovecraft Christmas Basics Snowflake embossing folder

Dovecraft sentiment

CS Mint gilding polish

Memento Dewdrop Grey Flannel ink

Teeny bling

I need to have a lighter touch with the gilding polish as it has escaped onto the flat areas but I guess that's a practice thing.

A simple card, but a great way of keeping the post costs down.

Hospital appointment did not go as well as I hoped. More tablets to take, possibly another Cardioversion and more than likely, a more invasive operation in the not too distant future. Still, I won't go on as I'm trying to be positive (Mr D thinks that's better than my usual philosophy of think the worst, and you'll never be disappointed lol!!!) and I don't want you lovely folks going away from your visit without a smile. . . . . . . . perhaps I should have mentioned Nesta's castanets at this point rather than earlier lol!!!

Hope to be meeting Mr Lockwood for breakfast this morning, new tablets and body permitting so it will be nice to have a catch up before he goes into another busy phase.

I'm back at the hospital tomorrow for my thyroid clinic (I know, if I was a horse, I'd be in the queue at the glue factory gates hahaha!!!)

Whatever you have planned, hope you have a great day and also a great week ahead and thanks for popping by.

TTFN

Ang x

More Poinsettias, The Sequel. . . . . .

Good morning guys ans gals. Hope all is well in your patch of the Universe.

Still up and down, sleeping is a particular niggle, but finally, my Cardiology appointment is today following the Cardioversion disappointment last November so I'm apprehensive as to what else they may have planned. 

Anyhoo, strange things again in Flash's garden (no veg involved, that I could see Karen). Crocs, rubber gloves and a yellow fluorescent jacket (a Health and Safety style one). He was just standing in the middle of the path looking up and down and then went indoors. His wife does actually seem normal and when I have had occasion to speak to him out and about, you wouldn't think anything was amiss.

Now, back to the card. The next instalment in the "Ang went mad with poinsettias" saga. This was a nice flat one for the post.

Ingredients

Ivory and burgundy card

Gold mirror card

SB Layered Poinsettias 

Not sure about where sentiment is from

Versamark 

Gold mica

Teeny bling

Even though its flat, you do get some dimension from the flowers.

And talking of flowers, I thought I'd share a pic of my beautiful hibiscus plant that has been in flower since September when I rescued it from a bargain bin in Tesco.

It currently has 3 flowers on it and plenty more buds too. I usually only buy orchid plants (currently have 17 of those lol!!!) but I had been to the cemetery to take flowers for my Mum's birthday in September, then went to Tesco feeling a bit down and saw this poor plant just shoved into a box with reduced items. The hibiscus is the national flower of Malaysia so I took it as a sign that I should rescue it (My lovely Mum was Malaysian for those who didn't know).

What a beauty its been for £2.00.

June, hope you and hubby are feeling better now. 

Mrs A, thanks for the marker details. They did a lovely job on your card.

Fingers crossed for me today and here's hoping that you all have a good day ahead too.

Thank you, as always, for your visits and wonderful comments.

TTFN

Ang x

Peace and Rabbits. . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope you're not too wet or snowed in.

My mate Davey has had the right idea and has gone off on his travels again to Thailand and Laos and no doubt will return looking like a bronzed Adonis.

Nesta is still away, shaking her maracas in Spain and here we are, stuck in the cold and wet, boo hoo!!!

Had a rough couple of days again so no choice but to stay put but at least I can watch the Hochanda Takeover . . . . . every cloud eh???

Now, its another Christmas card today, I'm afraid. In fact, I think we may be into March by the time I'm done showing my festive makes lol!!!

This one was made for a bloggy chum, who loves her wildlife and feeds rabbits, squirrels and birds on her walks so as soon as I saw this paper, I knew I had to use it for her.

Ingredients

Cream card

Gold mirror card

Platinum card

First Edition Gilded Winter 8x8 paper

Sue Wilson Snowflake Border, Corner and Tag (just the corner on this)die

Sue Wilson Peace die

Snowflake stamps (make unknown)

Versamark

Mica powder

Teeny bling

I cut the corner die 4 times and stuck them edge to edge to get the snowflake pattern underneath the "Peace".

Apologies for the photo quality but I hadn't got my daylight bulb at the time this was photographed so it was a case of try and use what daylight there was.

Thank you for your lovely comments on John's card and also on my first attempt at colouring. I did find it quite therapeutic so I will have another bash. 

No more sightings of Flash, thankfully. I'm still wondering why someone would stand in their front garden in there PJs and rubber gloves (they were black rather than marigolds, not that it makes any difference lol!!!)

Anyhoo, that's me for now so I hope that the week ahead is kind to you all.

Be good (and if you can't be good, blame someone else)

TTFN

Ang x

Merry Christmas Lockers . . . . . . .

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

Had a bit of a rough couple of days but nothing new there so chin up (and I have a fine selection of those to chose from at the moment) and onwards. 

Yesterday was a good day so managed a trip to Tesco with Mr D and a bite to eat at the local pub.

Flash was also out and about yesterday morning, cutting a fine figure in his pyjamas, Croc sandals and . . . . . . . . rubber gloves!!! No, I haven't a clue either lol!!!

Now, back to the card. This Christmas creation is actually the card I made for John Lockwood. Always puts me in a cold sweat making him cards as you feel the pressure to perform (in a manner of speaking lol!!!)

Ingredients

White, aqua and platinum card

Silver mirror card

Docrafts X Cut Reindeers Pattern embossing folder

SB Snowflake Pendant 2013 die

Cosmic Shimmer Frosty Aqua PVA Pearls

Dovecraft sentiment

Grey Flannel Memento Dew Drop ink

Apart from cheese and Jelly Babies, Mr L is partial to a bit of aqua and silver and, at Christmas, a prancing reindeer or two so, I knew this embossing folder had to have its maiden voyage for this card. The card measures about 7.5" x 7.5".

It seemed to go down very well (I trust John to tell me if he thinks its naff lol!!!).

Talking of John, he has started to feature cards with a spot of colouring. I recently bought the 4 Spectrum Noir sets of markers (the brights, darks, pastels and lights box sets) for a bargain, with the intention of using them to colour my pearlage or gems and the odd spot here and there, at which John had a chuckle.

So, I thought I'd give a bit of colouring a bash. Its not really something I've been bothered about, though I do admire the skills of some of you colouristas out there.

Here is my first effort with markers (I think I've done a couple of cards using water colour pencils ages ago)

Its an old Kanban stamp and about the only one I have with any colouring potential lol!!

Didn't think it looked too bad as I haven't a clue about shading and all that mularky. 

And here's my home made storage for the pens. . . . . . . 

I needed smelling salts and a lick from a St Bernard when I saw the price of pen storage so I started thinking about what else I could use. In a Heath Robinson moment, I thought of plastic downpipe (as you do) and had a chat to my next door neighbour who is a plumbing and heating engineer. They have bought a new house at the bottom of our road and have been doing major renovations on it and as luck would have it, he had some spare plastic extractor fan ducting, that was better than downpipe, and he even cut it to size for me.

I've stuck them together in twos with red liner tape and stuck some white card on the backs. I did have a few extra pens knocking about that didn't fit so I'm waiting to see if Leo gets any more ducting or if not, apparently its only £5 for a metre (which is roughly what I used in the above) and he will happily cut it for me again.

Anyhoo, that's enough waffle from me. Hope you have a happy Wednesday. If the forecast is right, I shall have some washing dancing in the breeze.

TTFN

Ang x

P.s.  Thank you June for your comment about the card they showed on Hochanda. It has been on the blog here if you wanted more details on it.

Maureen, never had an accident but witnessed hundreds eh? Lol!!!

And, the crispy duck was extremely yummy.x

More Poinsettias . . . . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope this finds you all fine and well.

I escaped the dentist without too much incident on Thursday. He managed to repair the filling without anaesthetic but I did get a dizzy episode when he lowered the chair too quickly lol!!! He did make some joke about me swooning over him, but if you saw him, you'd know that wasn't the case by a long way.

Mind you, they used to have a gorgeous receptionist called Leo from Costa Rica who was climbing on one of the units in the waiting room one day to re-connect the TV aerial and split his trousers . . . . . . . happy memories . . . . . . !!!

The hygienist has given me some special toothpaste to help my gums combat the side effects of my medications so not too bad a visit.

Now, I did mention that I'd gone poinsettia potty this past Christmas so here's another of my poinsettia cards. I've used the larger die in the set to make the apertures.

Ingredients

Burgundy and ivory card

Gold mirror card

SB Layered Poinsettias

CE Frosty Swirls embossing folder

Dovecraft Sentiment

Pearlage

Memento Dew Drop Rhubarb Stalk ink

This was a hand delivered one so no poinsettias were harmed in the process.

Thank you for your comments on my last card. Welcome to Jackie R and thank you for your visit. 

Janice (the Stamping Mad one lol!!!), I'm guessing your comment on the last card had a typing error as I'm sure that a card gracing my "knockers" would be the quickest way to close this blog down or attract entirely the wrong type of clientele hahaha!!!

Great news about the cataracts and bug Maureen. Bit worried as to why Mr K has warned the local supermarket about your driving ......... have you got previous? Lol!!!

Well, I'd better scoot as I'm scheduling and my Chinese takeaway is about due to arrive. Blame Jamie Oliver. He did crispy duck on TV last night and I couldn't get it out of my head all day. Yes, I know its sort of cannibalism with me being Mrs Duck but its no worse than Mr/Mrs Chicken eating a KFC (and yes, before anyone asks, I used to go to school with a Miles and Quentin Chicken, I kid you not!!!)

So be good and sending good wishes to those who are under the weather or whose loved ones are not in the best of health.

TTFN

Ang x

MAWTT January Challenge . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope this finds you fine and funky.

Its time for the first challenge of 2017 on MAWTT and the theme, that has been picked by the lovely Zoe, is . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Something that you see in the sky!

Now, that should give you all plenty of scope to get those creative juices running.

As I still have lots of Christmas cards to share with you all, I chose to run with a snowflake as my thing you would see in the sky (rather than my undies after Storm Brenda hit my washing line lol!!!)

Ingredients

White and navy card

Silver mirror card

SB Intertwined Spirals (Love this die!!!)

SB Snowflake Pendant 2013 

X Cut Circles

Dovecraft sentiment

Memento Dew Drop Paris Dusk ink

Teeny silver bling

Pearlage

I hope that you can all pop across to MAWTT to see what the other gals have come up with and also, I'm sure that you have some wonderful creation that you can enter into the challenge.

Here's another variation of this card, slightly smaller, a lighter blue and different layer in the centre. 

At the dentist for a filling repair today so wish me luck as now I need to have adreneline free anaesthetic,  due to the A/Fib, which doesn't work as well as the normal one.

And before I forget, thank you Marion for clicking the follow button. It's very much appreciated.

Hope you all have a great day.

TTFN

Ang x

Happy New Year 2017 . . . . . .

Love Is . . . . .

Good morning and a very Happy New Year to you all. 

Now, I hope you don't mind me indulging in a little review of some of the cards that I really loved making in 2016. Its difficult as you put a little love into every card so they are all special to me for different reasons but these few were just a little bit more memorable/special to me. Just click on the links underneath if you would like to see the original post. Apologies that half of them are smothered in Bitty Blossom roses but what can I say, I love them lol!

Thank you also to my mate Davey. I know that he reads my blog but he has now clicked the "follow" button so he is officially now a Paddler lol!

Babies, Orchids & Men With Shopping Lists . . . . .

Birthday Roses . . . . .

14 Cards of Lockwood Part 2 . . . . .

Davey's Birthday Card . . . . .

MAWTT September Challenge . . . . . 

Marion, sorry to hear about Hubby's hearing. I know we joke about the fellas not listening but it must be awful for him.

WakeyL, you've got me wondering what John has been saying about me lol! All good, I hope lol!!!

Sandy, gammons are what, I believe, you call hams? And, First Edition paper pads are a brand of beautiful papers that I am addicted to.

Maureen, I hope you have shaken off the bug and are feeling better.

Finally, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support, encouragement and well wishes throughout, what proved to be, a very difficult year and here's hoping that 2017 is a healthy, happy and peaceful year for all of us.

TTFN

Ang x