You've Been Framed. . . . . . . . . .

Good morning one and all. Hope this finds everyone ticketyboo. Tooth and throat are ok now . They were unrelated as the filling cracked on the tooth and I was straight to the dentist, whereas the throat problems started nearly a month ago. I'm back at the dentist today but just the hygienist. I may get her to shave a bit off as the new filling is slightly high on the bite.

You made me laugh with some of your suggestions for remedies so thank you for that.

Welcome to another new follower Gail. Thank you for coming for a paddle. Will have to start thinking about another paddle prize if I can hit the dizzy heights of 100 lol !!!

For those of you who don't know and asked, I work on the Arts and Crafts (and Gifts and Gallery too) section of a large store (where the deer and the antelope play if that's a clue lol!). Its not too bad in the week but Sunday can be a nightmare when the ankle biters are on the loose!

Now, today's creation is one of a pair. Nesta (for newbies, she is my bezzie mate known as Nesta Vipers. . . . . she prefers to remain anonymous as she's wanted on Crimewatch lol!) went to Goa before Christmas and whilst she was on her hols she visited some friends and their daughters.

She wanted to take pressies for the girls and asked if I could do some box frames like the one I did for her neice Anya (see here). 

This is the one I made for Andrea. I will show the one I made for Alicia next time.

Ingredients 

Box frame 8x8

White card

Pink card in different shades (PMD)

SB Bitty Blossoms

SB Jewel Flowers and Flourishes

SB Filigree Delight

X Cut Alphabet die

Card-io stamps

Variety of distress inks

Glitter

Bling

Once again, the Filigree Delight is foam mounted and is open at the top so that a photograph can be slotted inside. The flowers are glittered on the edges (as requested by Nesta). The background is stamped with my Card-io stamps, mainly the Rose Garden set.

Apologies for any reflections in the glass.

The sisters both loved them so jobs a good un.

Hope you can pop by to see Alicia's next time.

Busy day today, work this morning, then dentist, then cemetery sadly (would've been my late neice's birthday today).

Hope you all have a good day.

See you soon, same duck time, same duck channel !!!

TTFN

Ang x

Ps. . . . . . . Anyone going to the NEC next month ? (Apart from Christine and the 2 Sue's)

Memories of Summer. . . . . .

Good morning all you lovely folk, how's it hanging today? A spring in your step and happiness in your heart, I hope.

Well..............in the words of the great Brucie, didn't he do well (I can hear you all trying to do the impression lol!!!) John was fabulous ont telly and soon got into his crafting stride. So chuffed for him. 

I had to watch on that app thingy and the picture quality isn't great (like watching through vellum lol!) 

I met up with John yesterday morning as Julia Watts was demoing at my local craft shop so we met up for a chat. 

Have to say, Julia seemed very nice as I managed to have a chat with her before the audience arrived. She had some lovely samples.

One of the ladies got all excited when she found out John was coming along (don't worry, no underwear was thrown lol!!!) and another recognised him when he came in so that's 3 of us in the Warwickshire Branch of the JND Fan Club hahaha!!!

Before I forget, hello and thank you Sandy, Kvencel and Marian. Hope you can pop by again soon.

Also, I'm glad my destructions on John's card made sense. I know they were more Blue Peter than Create and Craft hahaha!

And, with regard to my last card the roses don't take too long. I use a lower GSM card so they are not too stiff, which means I can cut 2 or 3 at a time. They then just take me about a minute each to roll, tweak and glue, I have invested in a little glue gun which speeds up the process too.

Now, back to today's offering. Part 4 of my CEDT application. One of the required subjects was "Memories of Summer" and this was my interpretation.

I know in this country, we have to have a good memory to remember Summer lol!, but my first thought was "flowers" so that was what I went with.

Ingredients

White card

Lilac PMD card

Pink PMD card

SB Scalloped Ovals

SB Fancy Lattice

SB Botanical Swirls and Accents (Fuchsia leaves)

HC Delicate Asters 

Britannia Medium Rose die (for fuchsias)

Tonic and Docrafts flower punches

Card-io English Rose and Mum's Garden Majestix stamp sets

CE sentiment stamp

Black archival ink

Distress Inks

Paper twine and seed beads (for stamens and seed pods on fuchsias)

CE white silky crush ribbon 

Bling

Gosh, what a list lol!!!

I just wanted to make it look like a flower adorned trellis with the stamping forming a floral backdrop. The greens are also more sage in real life.

I know it may be a bit of a Marmite card and it won't be everyone's cup of Typhoo (and no, today's post is not being sponsored by Tesco lol!!!) but I really enjoyed making it.

Well, that's me for today. Enjoy your Sunday and as always, be good!

TTFN

Ang x

Ps. . . . . Norah, you've given me a bit of an idea chuck. Thanks for that. Stay tuned!

Pps. . . . Ita dear. Glad I could help with the GC handle but not sure I'm best to advise on your treatment. Best to be guided by your doctor and your family honey.We dont want you back where you were last year.

Nesta's Birthday Button Bag. . . . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope you are all well. Thank you for your comments on my DT cards and also my last post about the craft show.

I was quite restrained (well, for me anyway) and the big pile in the middle of the picture were envelopes of varying sizes.

Firstly, a warm welcome to The Pond to Merethe Arstein. Merethe doesn't seem to have a blog but thank you so much for following. Hope you can pop by for regular paddles.

Now, Mrs B and Jackie asked about the A4 rectangle dies. They are made by Jus Cutz, bought from Once Upon a Stamp (they do have a website and free postage over £6) and were on a show offer of £15 for the set. . . . . . bargain!!! I think the usual price is £21.99, so still not too bad and they seem to cut ok so far.

The Krylon Gold Leaf Pen I have wanted to treat myself to for ages so I used my usual excuse of "there's no pockets in shrouds" to justify buying it lol!!!

Ann O, the plan for the NEC is to go on the Thursday. The Scottish Posse arrive on Thursday afternoon and go to the show Friday so myself and Christine met them for a meal on Thursday evening, after we had been to the show last year. John (John Next Door) is joining us this year too. Would be lovely if you could make the Thursday, for the show and the meal. Don't know if you follow any of the Scottish Girls as I'm sure they would be happy to meet you for a coffee if you can only do Friday.  Also, Janice take the plunge, do both shows, you know you want to lol!!! (and I promise there is no more secret stash)

Now, today's crafty offering is, as promised, Nesta's gift bag. As you know, my bestest chum was 60 two weeks ago and part of her pressie was 60 bags of her favourite sweets, Cadbury Chocolate Buttons. Like a loon, I decided to make a gift bag to match her card (see here).

First one I made was too small (I seriously underestimated how much room 60 bags of buttons need) and luckily I hadn't stamped it so I will save that for something else.

I apologise for the picture quality but I was literally out of the door before it occurred to me that I hadn't photographed the bloomin thing!!! There are the proper creases down each side.

Its not fancy and filigree as it was way too big to fit through my GC as it took 2 sheets of A3 to make. Now, if only I knew someone with a Big Shot Pro. . . . . . . . . . .

The labour of love was the stamping again. You may have noticed on my new stash snap, I bought another Card-io set, Mum's Garden, so I shall be playing with that in future. They are super little stamp sets and I wish that I could do them more justice.

Ingredients

2 sheets A3 300gsm card (Limetree Crafts)

Card-io Rose Garden stamp set

Spun Sugar, Victorian Velvet, Bundled Sage and Pine Needles DIs

Sage green Staedler fineliner

Pink satin ribbon

Last Sunday, one of Nesta's nieces' was having a Hindu wedding blessing (Bangle box to be featured here shortly) so Nesta's sister turned the evening do into a surprise birthday party for Nesta. I had responsibility for the non-family guest list and for keeping it quiet for the past 9 months. 

She was gobsmacked and totally overwhelmed but a lovely time was had by all. No tales of drunken debauchery I'm afraid (Well, her Dad was there, still going strong at 80).

Well, that's all from The Pond today. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend, whatever you're up to. I have work today but never mind. With what's going on in some areas of the world, there's a lot worse places I could be on a Saturday (might think differently after some kid has poured acrylic paint over the floor again, hahaha!!!)

Be good!

TTFN

Ang x

Nesta's 60th Birthday. . . . . . . . . . .

Good morning all you lovely folk. Hope you are all well. Ita, great to read that you are out of hospital. Hope that you will feel better for being at home.

Its been a busy few days at The Pond. Did some extra hours at work last week as the owner was in for a visit, then out for the day with Nesta on Friday for her 60th, then mine and Mr D's wedding anniversary on Saturday. . . . . . . .its all go!!!

By the way, Gail hope you and hubby had a wonderful day on Saturday celebrating your anniversary too.

As for Pokeytoolgate, I did say to Mr Duck "Would you kindly refrain from putting your cotton buds in my bin". . . . . . . . Well, I forget the exact conversation but I think it was something similar lol! I suppose I should be grateful he hadn't been using my pokey tool to clean his ears. One thing did surprise me, for someone with apparently clean ears, he never hears me (unless its "Do you want some pudding? or "whose is that £5 note?")

Now, I must apologise for the very picture heavy post as its Nesta's card and box in various poses (just be grateful that I've saved the gift bag for another day lol!)

Yes, I was sad enough that pattern on the box lined up with the pattern on the card below.

The card packs flat into the box but then is 3D when standing. . . . . .its about 7"x 7"

The centre portion is suspended with jewellery illusion line and has the same "60" panel on all three sides.

Ingredients

White card

The Striplet

SB Fancy Tags Three

SB Classic Ovals

Sissix Square dies

X Cut Circle die

Card-io Rose stamps

Docrafts Number and sentiment stamps

Inkylicious sentiment stamp

Distress Inks

White embossing powder

Sanctuary Beads satin ribbons

Pink bling

Acetate (for lid of box)

Illusion cord

                                                         The inside base of the box.

Once again, apologies for all the pictures. Nesta loved it and I must admit, I was pleased with the way it turned out. 

Nesta has also asked me to thank you all for your kind birthday wishes. The gal may be 60 but she only looks 40. . . . .its sickening lol!!! Wish I could show a snap but she still wants to be anonymous (to protect the innocent).

Next post will be the matching gift bag housing 60 packets of chocolate buttons!!!

Til then, be good.

TTFN

Ang x