Box After Boxing Day . . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. How are we all after eating our own weight in sprouts, turkey and chocolate?

Busiest time of year for Weight Watchers, dentists and marriage guidance councillors I would guess.

We had a quiet one, which was what we wanted wearing elasticated waists so we could squeeze that last roastie in.

There is a 20% sale on my website until 5th January using the code DOODAH2 if anyone is after a crafty fix.

Now, its back to John's boxes and here is another sample that I made for the shows.

Its a normal box but the lid is made using the Sandwich Box dies. I used them to cut the large triangles, even though its a solid box lid so that I knew the dimensions would be ok when cutting out the trellis triangles.

Ingredients

White and aqua card

Silver mirror card

John Next Door Sandwich Box dies

John Next Door Mini Tags dies

John Next Door Gerbera die

John Next Door sentiment stamp

Diamante roll 

"Jelly Tot" bling 

2mm teeny weeny bling

Izink Silver Metallic pigment ink

Love this box but think its still "on tour" with John so hope it hasn't gotten too battered lol!!!

On the next post, I will show the card that I made to go in the box.

At hospital yesterday for follow up to getting the CPAP. I explained that I hadn't been able to use it as it felt like I was hanging my head out of a car window at speed and was suffocating but I had successfully been keeping off my back with my plastic air freshener lids shoved down my trollies technique (did raise an eyebrow for some obscure reason).

Apparently, the guy who gave me the machine had got it set too high, basically at level a 6ft 30 stone rugby player would need to have it. Now, I'm not the sveltest of gals but 6ft and 30 stone I ain't (don't do rugby either before anyone, Maureen, asks).

So, I still have the machine but re-set and with a nasal mask rather than a full one so now I look like Dumbo (no comments please) instead of Hannibal Lecter.

Will give it another go as I may need to re-think the air freshener lid thing as Mr D has bashed his elbow on them twice now...........don't ask.

On that note, I will wish you a happy Friday and see you soon.

TTFN

Ang x

Yuletide Felicitations 2017. . . . . . . . . .

Good morning and a very Merry Christmas to you all.

Yes, its that time of year again when, we get intimate with a turkey, ask if our husband's have kept the receipts and Mr D gently roasts his nuts by the fire (not an open fire after a trip to A&E in 2007).

I have to welcome a new follower to The Pond but sadly Blogger is not telling me who you are but thank you anyway. 

Now, in time honoured tradition, Mr D has kindly agreed to share his Christmas card with you all so that it is for all you lovely folk who have supported this little corner of Blogland too. Its 8x8 so big enough for all.

Ingredients

White card

Turquoise and silver mirror card

SW Let it Snow die

SW Snowflake Mini Striplet

Snowflake Die set (As sold on my web store but sold out twice lol!!!)

Double sided sticky sheets (now back in stock)

Turquoise glitter

Shine Dust glitter (available on the website)

Turquoise blingage

This was one of those rare cards that came out exactly as I wanted it to lol!!!

Can I take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and all the very best for 2018.

All I can say for the moment is, I know that I have some challenging times ahead but thank you all for your words of support, encouragement and humour that I appreciate more than you all know.

Have a great day.

TTFN

Ang x

Ps...........don't blame your dog lol!!!

MAWTT challenge 61

Good morning everyone. Hope you are well.

Sorry I've been missing for a few days but I have been busy finishing off the Christmas cards I'd fallen behind with, Mr D's birthday and another hospital appointment. Getting Mr D's birthday cake is a story for another day..............as you all know, I don't do easy and straight forward lol!!!

Welcome to Theresa who has kindly (or accidentely hahaha!!!) clicked "follow". Much appreciated.

Today its time for another challenge over at MAWTT and will be the last challenge this year by both teams.

The theme this time is.....................

Anything But a Card

So, get digging those non card projects out of your photo files and enter in the fun. This time, there are prizes on offer from the team so, come on, give it a go!!!

Now, I thought that this was the ideal opportunity to show you what I made for Mr Lockwood for his birthday this year.........and we all know how he loves his stags!

There is a set of 4 slate coasters and a slate "mat". There were 2 slate mats but just as I was heating the last inch of border on the 2nd, the bloomin thing cracked and split in half!!!

The stag stamp is from Dovecraft and the border one is from a Habico set that is on my website.

I used Versamark and Stampendous detail white embossing powder as with the slate heart I have shown here.

I will advise again, that slate is very temperamental and you have to heat it in stages. The cracking is caused by the moisture coming out of the slate and even though I was careful with the 2nd one, if there is a slight weakness already there, the heat will find it.

I will have to find something else slate to try..........maybe a roof, hahaha!!!

I gave each piece 3 coats of Cosmic Shimmer glaze to protect them but John still won't let anybody use them lol!!!

And, here is the wrapping paper..................

Plain black paper on a roll from Tesco, stamped with the same stag stamp in Black Archival.

Hope this and my fellow DT Teamies creations give you some inspiration for doing non card projects. MAWTT challenges will return in the New Year.

Hope your Christmas plans are going well. Hopefully, there will be a delivery from Amazon today, which will be the last of the pressies.............just Mr D's Christmas card to make and that's it.

Enjoy your Thursday.

TTFN

Ang x

The Purple Box. . . . . . .

Good morning folks. Hope that you are well and that you are not snowed in anywhere.

We had a good dumping of the white stuff but its all gone now bar a couple of slushy chunks.

Now, this is the purple box that seemed a popular sample I made for John's die shows. There are a few photos of this but it was made pretty much as John thought and quickly demoed.

I made the two halves of the sandwich box but only half the depth (you just cut the side panel in half lengthwise).

I then slid the two halves together and glued them together.

Then I made the slide in lid as you would a normal box but with an open bottom (oooh errr Mrs!!!) and acetate top.

The cards drop into this and then this slides into the base, as per next photo.........

I thought this would make a nice box for those who give sets of cards as gifts but John also mentioned it would make a posh box for a wedding invite.

All elements were from the Sandwich Box die set.

Thank you for your comments on the cards that were in the box. 

Jackie, I can promise you that I am taking things steady and there is no "humping" going on (don't go there folks!!!) and I am enjoying doing my bit again.

Thanks for calling me "classy" Wendy. I have been called many things but classy is a new one lol!!!

Maureen, hope that George is better. I'm sure that you mopping his fevered brow and waiting on him hand and foot will hasten his recovery, although the earache he is probably now suffering from, may take a little longer to clear up lol!!!

I did manage to meet up with Nesta on Monday and also yesterday. She is getting there, bless her.

Lunching with Mr L today and our friend Pauline (who made the lovely samples for John's shows yesterday) at a yummy Indian restaurant.

Still haven't made Mr D's birthday card with a couple of days left to go.........I have an idea, just needs to be put to card, and quickly. I may have to do a Maureen and dig out last years as I would bet good money he wouldn't remember it lol!!!

On that note, I may have a tinker now so I will say tarrah and see you soon.

TTFN

Ang x

Triple Purple. . . . . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope you are not buried under several inches of snow. Its been quite bad in the Midlands and I could have done with Sherpa Tensing's assistance to get to the bird table.

Have had a few internet issues too but before the snow so it may be time to dig out the spare router.

Now, here are the 3 cards that were in the purple and gold sample box on John's shows. The box will be on the next blog post.

All were made using the dies from all the die sets and the sentiments stamp set.

Ingredients

Purple and gold mirror card

John Next Door Sandwich Box dies

John Next Door Opera Box dies

John Next Door Mini Tags dies

John Next Door Star Flowers dies

John Next Door Sentiment stamps

I'm still trying to get all of my Christmas cards done. I don't think I have been quite this last minute before.

I have started volunteering again at the first charity shop I worked at. Just a couple of hours per week, nothing strenuous and nice to see my old chums again.

Mr D's birthday is this week too...........and still have to make his birthday card.

Then there is the Christmas food shop, presents, another hospital appointment and not enough days to do it all in.

The website has kept me busy too, thank you, though Kate, I think the nearest I will get to offshore banking is using a cash point on the Isle of Wight lol!!!

Hopefully, snow allowing, I should be seeing Nesta for lunch today. she is still up and down and missing her Dad. 

That's all for today folks. Hope your festive plans are more organised than mine are.

TTFN

Ang x

MAWTT Challenge 60. . . . . . . . .and the Mystery of the Missing Photos

Good morning everyone and welcome to a new challenge over at MAWTT.

This challenge is hosted by Jackie and the theme is,

Twas the Night before Christmas 

The poem is over at MAWTT and you can feature anything from the poem on your card.

Mine features St Nick and the 8 reindeer. Hope you can pop over and enter the challenge.

Now, there is a tale (isn't there always with me lol!!!) about this post.

I had scheduled the post to go live this morning, in line with the challenge blog and had a check before heading out the door to my volunteer work (another story...............) only to find my photos of the card were missing from my blog!

I had a quick shufty through my photo files and could I find the bloomin photos, could I eck!

I had to cancel the blog post to tinker with when I got home.

Well, I'm home and the darned photos have gone AWOL from my laptop. I have checked through every file and nowt!

The card has already been posted so I couldn't re-photograph it.

Fortunately, I had uploaded one of the photos to the challenge blog so that's what you have at the top of the page.................and that's it, one solitary photo lol!!!

Card and image are Hunkydory, cut with SB Labels 20 with a splash of red mirror card and silver and red ribbon.

Hopefully, that's today's only mishap...........

TTFN

Ang

Birthday Banner. . . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Here's hoping you're all well and as happy as possible.

Welcome to Jennifer and Melody. Thank you for pressing "follow". Much appreciated and hope you can visit often.

Sorry I've been missing for a few days but apart from being busy with order packing and blood tests, a Windows 10 update gave me some issues with gmail and blogger, which wasn't helped with our router playing silly beggars too, disrupting our internet access.

Well, didn't he do well, Sir John? Cracking debut dies and sellouts as usual. So exciting.for him.

I always hope that my samples do his products justice as I appreciate the faith that he puts in me, when handing over his "babies" (Not the Jelly variety, its rare he shares those lol!!!)

Now, this is a card sample I made but I don't think it got shown as the concentration seemed to be on the boxes.

Ingredients

White, pink and black card

John Next Door Mini Tags Dies 

John Next Door Star Stream embossing folder

John Next Door Autumn Flowers stamps ("Birthday")

Pink funky foam

Black cord

Spun Sugar DI

Pink teeny bling

I backed each piece of funky foam with double sided sticky sheet before cutting each letter so it was easier to stick each letter to the tag rather than faff with glue.

The Star Stream embossing folder extends beautifully, without leaving a line.

Hope you enjoyed John's shows and many thanks to those of you who have shopped at theducksdoodahs.com...............there is a solitary Jelly Baby Sam left on the shelf.

Before I tootle off, I am concerned that the WPF (Wisty Popular Front) are trying to involve Santa in their shananigans (Wendy, I expected that leading astray behaviour from Mrs Killen not you) which could scar the children of the World forever, if his focus is not fully on his annual task. Do you all want that responsibility on your shoulders???.....do you want mince pies on your hands???

And as for trying to recruit Jayne, she's a fine upstanding citizen who wouldn't involve herself in such insalubrious activity (and she will have physio appointments).

Well that's me for now. An exciting afternoon ahead at the hospital for blood and other liquid tests..........I can only hope my hand is steady and my aim is good.

TTFN

Ang x

Ps......Keep any eye on mine and John's blog side bars for details of the next Ansty Workshop.

Also, John's new sentiment stamps, Star Flower and Leaves dies are currently sold out at the suppliers but I have a few sets left on my website if anyone was after them.x

melody and Jennifer