Last of the Christmas Sparkle. . . . . . . . .

Good morning lovely bloggy folk. Hope you're all well but if not, I send best wishes to you for a speedy recovery.

My last day off before working straight through to Saturday, then Sunday and Monday (I can see Kate and Maureen folding their arms as I type)............. .............Well, I just have to accept, in life, sometimes you're the dog and sometimes you're the lamp post lol!!!

Welcome to Karen and Ginny. Lovely to have you aboard girls and I hope you can visit often.

Before I forget, Maria, the flower border on my last card is a Hobbycraft border punch and Wendy (Yorkshire Butterfly) the flower and leaf dies are Heartfelt Creations Delicate Aster.

Now, I'm fairly sure that this is the last of my Christmas cards from this last Christmas. This one went to our next door neighbours.

Ingredients

Cream card

Red card

CE Frosty Swirls embossing folder

SW Christmas Tree Greetings die

SB Grand Ovals dies

Red funky foam

Red glitter

Teeny red bling

Same as the previous Christmas card, I have cut the Christmas Tree die out of funky foam a couple of times to add depth without having to struggle with teeny bits of foam pad. Plus, I think it adds a more solid depth, if that makes sense.

Once again, I covered the top layer in glue and dunked it (sorry, no biscuits involved again  Elaine) in red glitter.

Simple but stylish, I hope, and very good for batch making.

Better late than never, here's a snap of my NEC purchases last month.........................

Very restrained, wouldn't you say? In fact, I think I spent more on the ticket, *parking and my lunch hahaha!!!

The Justrite background stamps were the big bargain at £2.50 each in Samuel Taylors bargain bin. Not something I was hankering after but at that price, it would have been rude not to.

The floral strip along the bottom, held down with the scissors and quilling tool is actually ribbon.

I saw it on a card on the Mei Flower stall and thought it was a die cut border but then discovered its ribbon. Its going to be a beggar to glue down, no doubt, but I couldn't resist it.

Sorry, that's as exciting as my purchases got. The highlight was my thrice yearly catch up with Mrs H (Christine).

Looks like everyone had a good time at Ally Pally so I'm sorry to have missed a catch up with Karenlotty and meeting some more of you lovely gals.

Val, Wendywoo will have many a tale to tell you when she gets home and John said she was a star.

Anyhoo, this won't get the lady a baby as my dear Mum used to say, so I shall bid you adieu until Thursday when I'm back with my latest MAWTT DT card.

Hope you can join me then.

TTFN

Ang x

Ps.........yes Kate, I know I'm working too hard but until you agree to minimum wage and my own room, I'm not becoming Teallach's groomer lol!!!

Oldie for Friday. . . . . . . .

Good morning one and all. Hope this finds you all fine and dandy.

Thank goodness, a day off for me after being at work since Sunday. Mind you, I say day off, I've got shopping and housework to tackle but you can't have it all eh?

To those of you who asked, sadly I won't be working at Ally Pally this weekend. I was invited but as my manager is on holiday, hence my extra days this week and next, it was not to be.

Wendy (Spanish Crafter) will be there giving a hand on Creative Expressions stand so do pop and say hello to her as she's a lovely lass.

Now, this oldie is one of my favourite makes, so much so, I still have it as I haven't been able to part with it yet, but maybe this year lol!!!

I think I made it for a House of Cards DT piece a couple of years ago.

Well, that's me off for my hot chocolate and an early night (I'm scheduling),

Have a wonderful weekend folks and those who are going to Ally Pally, I'm very jealous but hope you have a great time.

Will be blog visiting today to catch up on my comments to you all.

Be good.

TTFN

Ang x

A Little Christmas Sparkle. . . . . . . . .

Good morning lovely blogging buddies. Hope you are all well?

Its a short and sweet visit today I'm afraid as working full time this week so not much free time.

Now, I discovered a few Christmas cards that I hadn't popped on the blog so I hope you don't mind a bit of festive sparkle in April lol!!! These are ones I made and sent last year rather than advance prep for this year........I'm not that organised lol!

Ingredients

White card

Holographic card

White funky foam

SB 2013 Snowflake Pendant die

Presscut Square dies

A circle die

Docrafts A4  Snowflake embossing folder

Holographic glitter

Iridescent glitter

CE sentiment

I cut the the snowflake out of white funky foam a couple of times and glued them together to give it depth, rather than try and foam pad one cut from card. I covered the top in glue and dunked in the glitter.

I think you can pick up some of the sparkle from the photos.

Flying visit, as I said. I promise I will catch up with blog visits on my next day off.

Take care all and be good.

TTFN

Ang x

Oldie for Friday. . . . . . More Daffs

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

Got a busy time at work coming up after a few days off so thought I would squeeze in an oldie for Friday as some of the other gals do as I haven't shown one for a while.

As you were all so lovely about Nesta's Easter card and it daffodils, I had a look through my files and found the one I made for her a couple of years ago...................to be honest, I like this old one better lol!!!

Ingredients (that I can remember)

Cream card 

Yellow card

Orange card

Green card

HC Sunkissed Fleur die

SB Carnation Creations (leaves)

SB Scalloped Oval 

Card-io daffodil stamps

Variety of inks

Thank you, as always for your kind comments and its lovely to see some new names and also some old friends commenting (Lesley, have you been unwell chuck?)

I know how time can be very scarce and precious so your visits are very much appreciated.

Over to Birmingham with Nesta for lunch with some friends today.............always nice to catch up with chums over a tasty morsel or two..........talking of which (the morsel, rather than tasty) Flash was mowing his front lawn (that's not a euphemism for anything, it was his actual grass lawn in front of his house lol!!!) in Mrs Flash's dressing gown (Elaine, calm yourself, next door still isn't for sale as yet).

I'm guessing, now that the weather has warmed up, we will be seeing more of him out and about (but hopefully not too much of him that's out and about, if you catch my drift)

Always reminds me of when Nesta says "its nippy out" and I reply "well put it back in or you'll get arrested"

On that note, have a great weekend and be good!

TTFN

Ang x

ps.........none of this is an April Fool.

Happy Easter. . . . . . . . . . . .

Good morning.......well, nearly afternoon now I suppose, as I had scheduled this for this morning but hadn't noticed it was actually 29th April I had scheduled for doh! Should have gone to Specsavers. Was out earlier so this is the fist opportunity I've had to put it right.

Now, I was going to use this for the MAWTT in the garden challenge as my DT card but I couldn't download it from my camera at the time as the software was playing up.

Have managed to do it now but there's still some pics it won't..........perhaps my camera is turning into a card critic and refusing to download anything it thinks isn't up to scratch lol!!!

Ingredients

White card

Yellow card

Orange card

HC Sunkissed Fleur die 

Crafters Comp Lazy Daisy embossing folder (only embossed half of the top layer)

Inkylicious sentiment stamp

Mustard Seed DI

Bamboo Leaves Memento Dewdrop ink

I made this card for Nesta as she likes her daffodils and Spring is her favourite season. I know the embossed flowers are called daisy but I did think they looked a little daffodil-esque (if you squint and look through a sheet of vellum lol!!!)

Hope you had a wonderful Easter weekend. I've certainly enjoyed my few days off.

If you haven't visited Kate's blog yet please pop over to see the gorgeous card and cowl that she sent to me (sadly, one of the things I can't download off my camera).

Have a great week and see you soon.

TTFN

Ang x

One of Those Cards. . . . . . . . . .

Good morning dear blogging chums. Hope everyone is well.

Apologies for being AWOL for a few days but extra days at work and Mr D having a hospital appointment for a consultation about some involved dental surgery has zapped my time.

Hasn't helped with the dreaded "software conflict" still playing up between laptop and camera.

Now, sadly a few weeks ago, I had to make one of those cards. My friend Julie's Mum passed away, in a bit of a blur as the poor lady was fine on minute, then suddenly got rushed into hospital, diagnosed with cancer and passed away within a week. All a bit of a shock for poor Julie and family.

Ingredients

Cream card 

Pale pink pearlised card

CE Tapestry embossing folder

TST Elegance border mask

Presscut Square dies

John Lockwood Rosebud Elements stamp

John Lockwood sentiment stamp

Victorian Velvet DI

Versamark

Dusky pink mica powder

I like to keep these cards relatively unfussy (if that's a word lol!). I cut the aperture inside and around the roses with a craft knife, a wing and a prayer.

Right, off to get a slice of cake before Mr D eats it all (I haven't had any tea so that's my excuse) as I'm scheduling this.

Will hopefully get this camera business sorted in my time off at Easter so I can show you my tiny pile of purchases from the NEC...................it was lovely catching up with Christine but I was done by 3pm as it was not very busy.

Meantime, hope the rest of the week is kind to you all.

TTFN

Ang x

MAWTT March 2016 Challenge. . . . . . . .

Good morning all. Hoping all is fine and dandy with you good folk.

Hello and welcome to Aquarius. Thank you for pressing the button and as soon as I get 5 minutes, I shall pop and visit your blog.

A quicky today as I'm typing this at silly o'clock again to schedule for my DT offering for MAWTT and I needed to be in bed early to get some rest before the onslaught of the NEC today.

My original card would not download from my camera as the software is playing up again so I've managed to find a couple of cards lurking in my early days files that would fit with this months theme which is Zoe's pick and is In the Garden.

These were from my pre-die cutting days when I thought decoupage was the ultimate thing to do on a card lol!!!

Well, I think I have moved along with the times with my cards since I made these............

Hope that you don't mind the oldies as I didn't want to let the team down by not showing anything.

Please pop along to the MAWTT Challenge blog to see what the rest of the team have created and hope we've inspired you to enter.

If any of you guys are at the NEC today, I shall be wearing a bright red cardi and top with my lions main let loose. Christine and I are meeting up so it will be great to catch up and hope to possibly bump into the 2 Ann/Annes.

Anyone going to John's workshop in Kettering, sorry I'll miss you this time but give him a few heckles for me lol!

Until next time, be good!

TTFN 

Ang x

A Spot of Jewellery. . . . . . . . . .

Good morning folks. Hope life is treating you well. A busy few days at this end with work, a couple of appointments, popped to visit Mr Lockwood on Friday then to see John again, this time demoing at my local craft store yesterday.

More to come in the busy stakes this week too. Manager off so I'm in extra days, another appointment and Mr D has a hospital appointment and I'm at the NEC on Thursday......phew!

Welcome to another new follower. Blogger is keeping you under cover but thank you for pressing the button, whoever you are.

Now today I'm back to some jewellery. This set was a thank you gift for a kind lady, who had done me a few favours and as I know it is now in her possession, its safe to show here. Tracey likes bright and bold colours so I went with a big splash of colour ready for Summer (I'm an optimist so I'm sure that we'll get one lol!!!)

Apologies for the use of the lampshade again lol!!!

I love fuchsias (as you may have gathered from the other necklace I made here) so I featured one as the focal point.

Matching earrings but with a simpler flower so that they didn't detract from the necklace.

Hope you don't mind the jewellery detour.

At work today but hope that you all have a peaceful Sunday and great week ahead.

May bump into some of you at the NEC.......those who have met me will just need to look for the hair lol!!!

TTFN

Ang x

A-Tissue!!!............Bless You!

Good morning guys and gals. Hope everyone is warm and well.

We had snow the other evening, which did settle but had gone by midway through the following morning. Hopefully, that's our moment of Winter over.

Welcome to Teejay. Thank you so much for joining our merry band.

A quicky today as its 11.30pm as I'm typing this, ready to schedule for the morning. A couple of non working days so watching John, catching up with some friends, bidding Nesta bon voyage and a grocery shop in store for me.

Hazel, if only I could slip into Nesta's case but that would take the term "excess baggage" to a whole new degree lol!!! We'll weep and wave but once that first Pina Colada is down her neck, it'll be "Ang who???" 

Now, talking of Nesta, finally, I remember to show you the tissue box cover I made for her a few weeks ago when she was germ ridden. I had a box of B&M tissues (so that maybe the only brand she can refill with now) and this slots over the top.

Ingredients

Cream card

Lilac card

Sue Wilson Orange Blossom Leaves

SB Butterfly Circles

Tonic flower punch

Various green Distress Inks

Not too fancy but it matches her bedding as she has a set featuring lilac hydrangeas so I've tried to make it look hydrangea-ish.

I'm hoping to pick up a set of the orange blossom leaves stamps to match the dies this week. After seeing John demo them last week, I decided they are a "need" not a "want"

Well, that's me yawning and the hot chocolate is cooling so I will bid you adieu for now.

I will be visiting and catching up with your blogs in the next couple of days as some of you have been busy bods again.

Meantime, be good!

TTFN

Ang x

Ps.......in my half asleepness (yes, that is a real word in my world) I clicked the wrong date for scheduling so let's try again........doh!

Christmas Part 393.................

Good morning lovely folk. Hope you are warm and well.

The weather here has been very indecisive this past week.........we've had all sorts. Lucky Nesta is off to Goa next week (without me, yet calls herself a friend!) I'm guessing it will be a lot warmer there. We're off for lunch today as its probably last chance to meet up before she jets off.

Now, today shows the last of the 3 gift wallets I made for a friend (aren't you glad I hadn't made 20 lol!) and this was made to hold money that was going to her sister and brother in law for Christmas, through the post (risky thing to do imho) so had to be flat.

If it wasn't going through the post, I would have added some pearlage to the flake areas on the word die.

Ingredients

White card

Platinum card

Offcuts of silver & holographic card

Double sided sticky sheet

Docrafts Snowflake embossing folder

Sue Wilson Let it Snow die

Marianne Snowflake dies

Silver glitter

Another Ducky bonus card today with another card I made using my 3ft high Hunkydory stash. I just try and zhuzh em up a bit.

Well, thhhhhhat's all folks. Enjoy your Friday and weekend.

TTFN

Ang x

Ps...Jan and Anne Im at the NEC on 17th so won't see you at CE Towers this time, sadly.

Christmas Part 392...................

Good morning everyone. How's it hanging? I would say that I hope that you were all well hung but I'm guessing that may sound rude (Elaine and Maureen, that is definitely not a subliminal message about Flash)

Crikey...........its March!!!!! Who stole January and February? It doesn't seem 5 minutes since I was getting intimate with a turkey.

A couple of non working days now to catch up on shopping and housework but a more steady pace than last week.

Now today, we're back to Christmas. This is the second of the three ticket/money wallets I made for my friend. This one was to hold panto tickets for her two nieces.........oh no it wasn't........sorry couldn't resist that one (although my chums from foreign climes are probably wondering "what is she on about lol!!!) I'm glad you liked the poinsettia one.

I thought the kids may appreciate a pop up style ticket holder. The pocket for the tickets is behind teddy...........you can just see the notch I cut out to make it easier to get the tickets out.

And of course the beauty of these things is that they fold flat!!!

The components were all from a Hunkydory Christmas kit I chopped up, even the card is Adorable Scoreable from the kit. I'm on a mission to use up these kits as I bought two large ones from C & C as my first foray into card crafting proper, about a month before I saw Sue Wilson do a die cutting show, then they got shoved into a darkened corner.

Just a bit of fun for the ankle biters.............talking of which, I had a "darling" 4 year old on Sunday, in the shop, who just decided to stand there and wet himself.........deep joy!!!

Mum comes up to the counter to tell me and turns to walk away but I say, "just a minute" disappear through the back and reappear with paper towels and antibax spray, which I thrust at her.

I'm guessing by the look on her face, that she was expecting me to be doing the honours but soon realised that I wasn't, so she handed them over to her other half and frog marched her little cherub through the door giving him what for. Sadly, its about the third time its happened in the past 12 months.

On a lighter note, here's a bonus card today in the form of the gold version of the card I showed you all previously here.

Isn't that a fab reflection at the bottom from the gold mirror card? The Christmas tree die cut is cut from a double sided adhesive sheet (a tricksy thing to do) and the front of that is covered in gold gilding flakes.

Would be great for batch making if you just gilded a die cut rather than cutting it out of a sticky sheet.

Well, that's me for today guys and gals.

Hope you have a smashing week ahead.

TTFN

Ang x