Swirly Roses. . . . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope that you are all well.

Its been a funny old week weather wise. Sun, wind, rain and a combination of all 3.

Certainly, The Minxes have decided that they do not like the rain so I will be equipping them with little macs and wellies so that they can still patrol the grounds.

Now, today's card is another that has been lurking on my files since last year. It was one of the samples I made for one of Daisy's Jewels and Crafts Hochanda shows.

Ingredients

Cream and black card

CE Swirling Hearts embossing folder

Daisy's Jewels and Crafts Art Deco Rose stamps

Black Archival Ink 

Gold Sharpie pen (for the leaf veins)

Gold pearlage

Its a pretty stamp and I think you could get away with it for wedding, anniversary or sympathy cards. Another quite CAS card for me.

No Ninja Kitty pics today otherwise you will getting kitty overload lol!!!

Maureen, I don't know who has given you slanderous information about my undergarments but all I shall say is, I am practising my catapult techniques (not literally cat) with diamante thongs.

June S  and Myra, I can imagine John being mildly nervous if you started putting on rubber gloves at one of his workshops..........you didn't used to work for customs, did you?

Jan, would love to see some pics of Dave's pride and joy when the racemes are out.......don't worry, I wont divulge where you live as I don't want WART mounting a two pronged attack.

June F, hope that Mr F had a super birthday and you didn't tease him with the photo.

Had some better blood test results this week so not all of me is falling to pieces. Had a nice evening out with a school chum and off out to lunch today with some old work friends. We are going for a Mexican so I shall be shaking my maracas.

Then a busy afternoon packing parcels of goodies as hopefully, my Crafts Too delivery will be here tomorrow with John's new stamps and media plates.

Have a great weekend.

TTFN

Ang x

Ps......Poundworld has got the clocks back in stock that I used here and here.

Be My Valentine . . . . . . .

Good morning blogging chums. Hope you are all well.

Sorry for the gap in posting and visiting your blogs but not having a great few days. Sadly, these days, Mr D is not the only thing that makes my heart flutter lol! 

Now, I thought I'd better show Mr D's Valentine card before continuing with my Christmas run.

Ingredients

White, red and black card

Sissix Heart dies

Hobbycraft heart punch

Memory Box Alphabet dies

CE Swirling Hearts embossing folder

White pearls

It is 7.5" x 7.5". I usually do this size for an 8 x 8 envelope as sometimes making the card 8 x 8 is a bit of a squeeze if there's a few layers.

Mr D was very happy, especially with the accompanying pile of chocolate lol!!! I got several bags of Roulette Doritos (my favourite snack) as I've already got flowers on the go.

Talking of Mr D, he has performed his pulling duty again and has pulled a name out of the bowl for the 400th blog post Paddle Prize. And the name he pulled out was . . . . . . .drumroll . . . . . . 

Yorks Butterfly !!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations Wendy and thank you for your visits and comments. Now, as part of the prize, I will be sending a Spellbinders die and you can choose which one you would like from these two

Please email me, via John at lockers@live.co.uk with your full name and your address so that I can send you your prize. Please also advise which of the above dies you would like as part of the prize. There will be some other treats too.

Thank you to everyone else for your visits, comments and support and apologies that I can't afford to send you all prizes. For now, just blame Mr D for not pulling your name out lol!!!

Keep warm and well.

TTFN

Ang x

Lilac Doodles . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope everyone is well, warm and happy.

A sunny and breezy day expected so I shall hopefully have some washing out later. The last of the chillies and tomatoes have been plucked from their plants so I guess its really Autumn now.

Bizarrely, I mentioned our old friend Flash on my last visit. He has been fairly quiet of late, or I have missed any mularky but right on cue, he does something strange.

I think it must be Autumn as he appeared outside on Sunday morning sporting a rather fetching pair of burgundy tartan pyjamas (guessing it was the McFlash clan colours???). He took in a deep draught of the fresh morning air, with hands on hips, went back inside for about 5 seconds and re-emerged with what looked like a fish (mackerel sized) dangling between his finger and thumb which he then deposited in his wheely bin.

It takes allsorts eh?

Now, today I have another card from John's shows last week, using the Doodle Rose Wreath die.

Ingredients

Ivory, black, wisteria and amethyst Foundation card

Sue Wilson Doodle Rose Wreath die

CE Swirling Hearts embossing folder

John Lockwood Fern Frame Elements sentiment

Mei Flower black satin ribbon

Pearlage

I made the pattern shape by cutting a square out of the amethyst card and then cutting each corner of the square with part of the Doodle Rose Wreath. I then backed it with ivory card and cut out the extra ivory bits in the corners with the centre die from the set.

Suzzie, I hadn't got this die on my radar until John gave it to me but it is more versatile than you would first think.

I love a bit of lilac/purple action and I know that there's a few of you ladies do too.

Thank you again for your best wishes. The virus hasn't emerged as anything like a cough or sickness etc, just obviously lurked beneath and did its deed on the heart.

Marion, apparantly is very common and affects folk differently so I hope you don't suffer too much with yours. 

Jacquie, always try and keep my chin up but these days its a choice of which one (chin) lol!!!

Jan from Northampton, congratulations on the arrival of your new Granddaughter. . . . . you'll need those baby sets now lol, but I bet there's some beautiful lace that's been made for an outfit?

Anyhoo, that's me for today. I'm scheduling and my dumplings need attention . . . . . .stew, ladies, stew lol!!!

TTFN

Ang x

First Anniversary . . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope you're all fine and dandy?

Thank you for your kind comments. I am starting to feel better now and have started to venture out again in the last couple of days. Hoping to meet Davey for a coffee (decaff mocha chocca doodah of some description) this morning as we are both out at the doctors.

June and Wendy, I would have dearly loved a tot of rum in the blackcurrant but not allowed any alcohol at the moment. . . . . . not a big drinker but you know what its like when you're told you can't have something lol!!! The cold itself was quite tame. It was the effect it had on the rest of me lol!!!

Maureen, Happy Belated Anniversary to you and George. I hope that he didn't have too long a wait in A&E or did the red roses require surgical removal from where you put them???

Now, talking of anniversaries (how's that for a neat segueway into today's card lol!!!) here we have a couple at the opposite end of the spectrum, celebrating their first year as Mr and Mrs (still in that naive flush of happiness. . . . . . . I remember those halcyon days, hahaha!!!)

Nesta's neice and hubby celebrated their anniversary in the Summer and this is the card I made for Nesta to give them.

Ingredients

White and pink card

HC Decorative Lace Border

SB Adorning Squares

SB Dahlia

Presscut Squares

CE Swirling Hearts embossing folder

John Lockwood flower and sentiment stamps

CE Stitched Bunting Numbers stamps

CE Crochet Ribbon

Mei Flower satin ribbon

Dovecraft teeny bling

Pearlage

I tried to keep to a loosely similar theme to the acceptance and wedding cards I made last year (click here and here respectively to see these).

I have managed to spend some time in the craft room whilst on enforced rest (Mr D can be masterful at times, especially when he knows he can run quicker than me at the minute lol!!!).

I'm on a mission to start using some of the beautiful papers I have accumulated as it is a bit of a waste just gazing at them adoringly now and again. 

I'm also determined to get through the Hunkydory Christmas kits I bought about 4 years ago, then abandoned about 3 weeks later after being seduced by Sue Wilson caressing a Grand Calibur (It was like a Nigella licking chocolate off a spoon moment for the fellas).

Anyhoo, better tootle off and feed Mr and Mrs B. They now like tinned peaches as well as grapes and blueberries so must be the most pampered blackbirds in the area.

Mr D has had the odd mutter about them being better fed but being offered a fat ball (Maureen, leave it!!!) and a bowl of mealworms for his tea works wonders at silencing him.

Thanks again for visiting and I hope this week is kind to you all.

TTFN

Ang x

Happy Anniversary 2016 Mr Duck. . . . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope you are all well. I've not had a great week, to be honest, with an A/Fib issue most days but trying to ride out the storm at home rather than going into hospital as long as my pulse stays below 120 (I have a monitor).

I should have my Echo results shortly, as the department has been without a typist for 2 weeks but she is back now and will hopefully send my letter sometime this week (NHS cutbacks I guess that they can't draft another typist from somewhere else)

Mind you, there's lots worse off than me so its naughty of me to grizzle.

Anyhoo, on to happier things. Today is mine and Mr D's Wedding Anniversary. He's not at work but I shall see how I feel before we decide what to do with the day. He would be happy parked in his chair with a bacon sarnie in one hand and a sudoku in the other, watching re-runs of The Bill on Freeview but it would be nice to have a pootle out somewhere for some fresh air for me.

Ingredients

Cream, black and red card

Sue Wilson Cygnus Gemini die

SB Twisted Metal Tags and Accents die (Cut twice for shadow effect)

SB Medallion One die

SB Fancy Tags One (Framed-but without the frame lol!!!)

X Cut Circles die

X Cut Alphabet die

CE Swirling Hearts embossing folder

John Lockwood Flower Hearts Elements Stamps (Sentiment and foliage)

Black and red ribbon

Black PVA pearls

Black Archival ink

PHEW !!!

Now, I know its very ornate for a fella but Mr D has been faithfully by my side these last few weeks, even when he's been completely exhausted trying to work and stay awake all hours when holding my hand at the hospital in the wee small hours, so I felt I needed to inject a bit of grandeur and make it special to show my appreciation (without involving chocolate or Toad in the Hole)

Not easy when the mojo has sent a postcard from Madagascar saying its not due home any time soon so I understand it may look a little OTT or die cut heavy for some of you.

Hopefully, Mr D will like it and bless him, he did agree I could schedule this for 6am still, even though he probably won't have seen it himself by this point (Hopefully, we are both looking at the inside of our eyelids at 6am)

Thank you, as always, for your kind and generous comments. Hope today brings you all happiness, whatever you are doing.

TTFN

Ang x

Ps.......Maureen, I have now amended my last post and put names to the faces on the pictures. Apologies, it was remiss of me not to do it previously...........good luck making out any faces on that blurred snap lol!!!

The 14 Cards of Lockwood. . . . . . . .Part 4

Good morning everybody. How yawl doing?

I'm still waiting for my scan but trying to remain upbeat................probably not the best turn of phrase as it was the upping of beats that got me into this predicament but you know what I mean lol! The Achilles is also doing better with the orthotics.

For those who kindly enquired after Mr D, his mouth has all but healed and he thanks you for asking after him. Its just his hearing and eyesight we need to fix but I sadly fear that they are genetic issues allied to the Y chromosome.

I do wonder if the males are identified as "Y "as that's how most of them respond when you ask them to do something........."can you please close the wardrobe door?"......"Why?"  "Can you please put that box in the bin?"........"Why?"........you catch my drift ladies lol!!! 

Now, after the MAWTT interlude (hope you have all had a peek at the challenge) I'm back to the samples I did for Mr Lockwood and this is number 4. I like trying different things with ribbon as not everyone likes big bows (our Lydia) and I thought this card could do with something less intrusive than a traditional bow.

Ingredients

Bright white card

Wisteria card

CE Swirling Hearts embossing folder

Sue Wilson Ursa Gemini die

SB Fancy Postage Stamps dies

John Lockwood Larkspur Elements stamps 

John Lockwood Nasturtium Everyday Sentiments stamps

Grey Flannel Memento Dewdrop ink

Spun Sugar DI

CS pink mica (sorry, didn't note which one) to colour the flowers on the sentiment

CS Silver PVA pearls

CE silver ribbon

CE jelly tot (my name for them, showing my age lol!!!) dazzler coloured with a pink marker

Only another 10 cards to go folks lol!!!

Well, I shall be having a lie in this morning as I will have been up late watching the Canadian GP Qualifying highlights.

Cara, dont even think about it. I dont think my blood pressure could take seeing Flash trim his hedge, ahem!

Patricia, cant always promise chirpy but certainly cheap cheap! (Showing my age again)

Maria, hope that the leg heals well and its not at an angle awkward for crafting.

Hope you all have a happy Sunday, especially my Highland Chum Kate (Cuilliesocks) as its her 21st birthday today.

TTFN

Ang x

Ps.......Tina E I don't know if you'll see this but thank you for your comment and you're more than welcome. Some blogs I used to comment on require you to sign up to Google+ to comment, which I wont as I feel Google has too much info on folk as it is. Hope your family can feel peace in time.

More Gold. . . . . . . . . .

Good morning guys and gals. Hope all is well in your part of the World.

Thank you for your kind comments and your asking after Mr D. His mouth is a lot better but the odd painkiller is needed now and again.

Our trip to Silverstone is not until the beginning of July so I am certainly hoping to be more mobile by then (wasn't the Spanish GP full of excitement for those petrolheads amongst us lol!!!)

I managed to see John on Monday before he headed off with his gilding polish and PVA pearl embellished Speedos. He has done so well with his diet........skinny boy!!! Poor lamb has got it full throttle when he gets back so I really hope that he can really relax for the week. 

Now, this is the other Golden Anniversary card I made for our celebrating friends to be given by Nesta. As she was hand delivering hers, I could be a bit more extravagant with the design. Sorry Nancy if this one is too deep to send Down Under lol!!!

Ingredients

White card

Gold mirror card

Vintage gold card

Presscut rectangle and Square dies

SB Bitty Blossoms (what else? Lol!!!)

SW Orange Blossom Leaves

CE Swirling Hearts embossing folder

Habico Stamps

CE Detail Gold embossing powder

Versamark

Gold Krylon Pen

Mei Flower teeny gold bling

I didn't want to do the roses in mirror card but did think they looked a little flat in the vintage gold so I ran my gold Krylon pen along the edges to give em a bit more ooomph. 

The happy couple were appreciative of both cards so alls good.

Well, that's me for now folks.

Happy Thursday all and thanks for stopping by.

TTFN

Ang x