MAWTT April 2016 Challenge. . . . . . . . . . .

Good morning everyone and welcome to my creation for the DT for MAWTT.

This month's challenge has been chosen by Gail and is to use Spring Flowers.

Now, that immediately led me back to daffodils, I'm afraid and as they are beginning to look past their best in my garden, I thought I'd make the most of using them on my cards. Hope you don't mind another daffodil shot.

On the above picture, the background paper looks more green than yellow but I photographed it about 10 times standing up as this was as good as it got. The other couple of photos are more representative of the true colour of John Lockwood's gorgeous paper.

Ingredients

Cream Card

Lemon yellow card from John Lockwood's Spring Shades 8x8 pad

Embossalicious Floral Vine A4 embossing folder

SB Lonely Hearts die (cut twice and joined in a cross in the centre)

SB Captivating Squares

HC Sunkissed Fleur (Daffodils)

Presscut Squares

Sentiment from John Lockwoods Cherry Blossom stamp set

Pistachio Memento Dew Drop ink

Pearlage

This snap shows how I double padded the centre of the crossed Lonely Heart die cuts to raise the focal point. The ends of these were then glued flat where they emerged from under the frame (hope that makes sense lol???)

Please pop over to MAWTT to see what the other gals have created and hope you can enter the challenge................go on, get those daffs and tulips out .

Will probably see you all the other side of the weekend noe, so have a good one.

TTFN

Ang x

Last of the Hotjohndas................

Good morning everyone. Hope your hatches were all battened down with this wind...........it doesn't do to have your hatches flapping about in this.................talking of which........

Flash over the road has a skip in front of his house and has taken to putting stuff in it whilst wearing the fluffy dressing gown and Crocs. Its like russian roulette as to which gust of wind may waft the dressing gown northwards.................I know, I know but I can't help but watch.

A big splashy welcome to The Pond to Amanda from Flutterbies and Heffalumps. Thank you for pressing the button.

Thank you for your kind comments on my Christmas cards. I should mention that these are ones that I made and posted for last Christmas rather than being anywhere near organised enough to have started this year's lol!!!

Now today's card is the last of the ones I made for John's last Hotjohnda shows and I decided to go down the narcissus route rather than a traditional yellow daffodil. I have some lovely ones in my garden that are similar called Salome. The Daffodil Burst striplet stamp is stamped 3 times together with Versamark then brushed with the mica.

Ingredients

Cream card

Black card

Apricot card

John Lockwood Daffodil Burst striplet stamp (and sentiment stamp is John's too)

HC Sunkissed Fleur die

SB Scalloped Oval dies 

SB Carnation Creations die (for the leaves)

Versamark 

Yellow and pearl mica (mixed to tone down the yellow)

Black teeny bling

I did enjoy making this as I love my florals. It did pop up on a couple of the shows so I was a proud Momma lol!!!

At the start of a few days off, hurrah, so lunch with Nesta yesterday, a line of washing bobbing in the sunshine today (one of life's simple pleasures lol!!!) and a bit of crafting whilst my hair dries after washing that too (for those of you who have met me, you know that's not a quick process)

Keep yourselves warm and well and see you soon.

TTFN

Ang x

The One That Got Away. . . . . . . . .

Good morning paddling chums. Hope you are all well.

I'm busy at this end working extra days to cover my boss's holiday and its bloomin hard work, especially when a child pees on the shop floor and the Mother just drags it very quickly from the shop, without bothering to tell me. I was somewhat suspicious of the speed of exit so went to investigate at the back of the shop and found the offending puddle.

Accidents happen but to just clear off without telling me is out of order. . . . . . . . mind you, I'm assuming it was the child, perhaps it was the mother lol!!!

Now, today's offering is entitled so, as this was the card that I did as a sample for John's stamp shows but it couldn't go on telly as the die I had used for the flowers was not available on C&C at that time.

I tried to capture the sheen from the mica that I used on the panel. . . . . . . . 

Ingredients

White card

Orange card (Lidl)

Yellow card (Lidl)

John Lockwood's Daffodil Burst stamp 

HC Sunkissed Fleur die (for the daffodils)

SB Carnation Creations (leaf die only)

A Striplet outer edge die (to cut the recess the panel sits in)

TST Elegance mask (embossed under daffodil panel)

White embossing powder

Versamark 

Yellow and orange mica

Sentiment from John's Cherry Blossom set

Orange bling

Sorry that the embossing didn't show up very well on the top photo but you can see it better above.

Its a shame it didn't get its 15 minutes of fame lol!!!

Had a lovely time at CE Towers last Thursday with John and his ladies and was a very naughty girl as I bought 3 of Sue's new Christmas dies (Bad Duck!!!) I also bought a few other things (very bad Duck!!!).

Back there again on Thursday for one of Sue's demo sessions (repeat, I must not spend more, I must not spend more. . . . . .) They were originally 1 hour sessions but have been extended to 2 hours, yippeeeeeee!!! I have met Sue a couple of times socially but never seen her demo live so I'm so excited. Any of you ladies going?

Before I tootle off, I think it was Jane who asked about the difference between commenting and following. If you click on the followers button, my blog will appear on your reading list so when I publish a new post, it will appear on your reading list straightaway. Commenting just means you can leave a comment on anyones blog but you will have to look for updates yourself. Hope that makes sense. Also, when us bloggers have little giveaways for various milestones (like my 100 followers recently) it tends to be for followers only.

Well, that's me off to put my feet up (its Sunday evening and I'm scheduling) as I have done Friday, Saturday and today at work. Got today, as you're reading off then back at it again until Thursday so apologies if I fall behind with any comments again.

Hope you don't mind daffodils in June and that this week treats you kindly.

TTFN

Ang x

Mum. . . . . . . . . .

Good morning my lovely blogging chums. Hope everyone is well.

I have been on the hunt for a Nutella and peanut butter blondie recipe to match that divine brownie I had at the NEC. Sue J, you a have a real treat on your doorstep there!

I have had a little play with my new goodies from the show. Lesley, sorry to disappoint chuck but the die is not a Striplet, its one of the new SB dies called Interlocking Love. It does more embossing and de-bossing than cutting. 

I think I'm just getting a bit more fussy about what I buy as I think I am already getting to SABLE (Stash Acquired Beyond Life Expectancy) proportions, hahaha!

Now, I apologise for today's picture heavy post as I wanted to capture all angles lol!!!

I never got to make my darling Mum a Mother's Day card, other than when I was a child, so my close friends have never asked me to make one, as they know it would be difficult (in a sadness way) for me.

However, Janet, one of the ladies I used to volunteer with has been having a particularly bad time recently, with her own health issues and having her parents move into residential care (her Dad has dementia and her Mum, who was her Dad's carer, had a fall and broke her leg)

We have kept in touch and she asked me if I would make her Mum a Mother's Day card.

I hadn't the heart to say no so that was my random act of kindness for that day lol!!!

I asked what card she would like and she said "flowers and blue" a bit odd, blue flowers, but blue is her Mum's favourite colour.

Well, thought I may as well push the boat out and make a matching box too. 

Interestingly, all 4 of the different flower styles are made from the same die set, HC Sunkissed Fleur. How versatile is that!

Ingredients

White card

Blue textured pearl card

HC Sunkissed Fleur (for all of the different shaped flowers)

SB Jewel Flowers and Flourishes (only the flourishes!)

SB Botanical Swirls and Accents (just the foliage)

SB Labels 28

Couture Creations Swiss Dots A4 embossing folder

Papermania "Mum" stamps

CE Dazzler

MeiFlower satin ribbon

Blue curling ribbon

Wendy's Pins

Various blue inks

Bling & pearls

Paper twine (for the flower stamens)

I wasn't sure how this was going to turn out with blue flowers, but I was very pleased with it. It was difficult at times too as I couldn't help wishing I was making one for my own Mum (a few teary moments!!!)

Janet was over the moon and reported that her Mum was thrilled so some good and happiness came from it, which makes me a happy bunny.

Lovely to see you back Norah. You paddle when you can chuck. I'm grateful to everyone who stops by as I know commenting is time consuming.

That's all for me today folks. Have a great day and be good.

TTFN

Ang x

Ps. . . . . . My thoughts are with the families of the lost souls from the German Wings flight. So tragic.