Gold on Gold. . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope you are all ok.

Thank you so much for all of your lovely supportive comments, especially those who look but don't usually comment. I would say I am touched but I fear that will draw a comment from a certain Mrs Killen lol!!!

But, I do deeply appreciate your kind words and just goes to show, it can be a mean World out there but there are still some caring and lovely folk in it.

Krafty Runner, thank you for your visit and I sincerely hope that your hubby gets some good news regarding his kidney issues. Hopefully he won't need a biopsy.

Now, I'm back to the samples I made for John's box die shows but I used the dies to make a card.

Ingredients

Cream. black and vintage gold card

Gold mirror card

John Next Door Sandwich Box dies - panel die

John Next Door sentiment

Teeny gold bling

I cut the panel out of gold mirror card as well so I could paper piece the centres of the pattern.

A  simple card but I do love the black and gold as a combination.

Well, I'm a bit battered, sore and bruised and its a pain not being able to bend lift or drive for 2 weeks.......... Oh, the things we take for granted eh? 

I thought it was an in, out, cup of tea then off you go so when they said I had to lay still for 6 hours, I thought that would drive me potty but they saved telling me about the no driving until Friday morning.

I had the joy of using a bed pan as I wasn't allowed to get up,,,,,,,,,,,,,another procedure I wouldn't want to repeat. At the mention of bedpan, Mr D shifted quicker than Usain Bolt out of the blocks!!!

Hopefully get the results this week and that fills me with more dread than the biopsy. Trying to be positive but its difficult. As I said to someone, I'm still smiling.......... but it could be wind lol!!!

I'm scheduling my next post for MAWTT now for Thursday so that its sorted in case I'm not in the mood on the day.

Thanks again for all your hugs and support.

TTFN

Ang x

The Matching Card. . . . . . . . .

Happy New Year to everyone. Hope that this finds you all relaxed and happy after the festive break. We are all turkeyed out and if I see another chocolate I will pop!

Mr D could quite happily eat the EU chocolate mountain several times over and still isn't overweight............although he has had two visits to the dentist in two weeks to have fillings repaired after munching on a Mars Bar and a Crunchie respectively (other bars of fat and sugar are available lol!!!)

Now, here is the card sample I made for John to match the box from my previous blog post.

I know its a bit blingy but I was partially in festive mode at the time surrounded by mirror card and gems.

Ingredients

Aqua card

Silver mirror card

JND Sandwich Box dies

JND Star Flower Leaves dies

JND Gerbera die

JND MiniTags dies

JND Sentiment stamps

Izink Silver pigment ink

Bling on a roll

Teeny weeny bling

Jelly Tot gem

I cut the Gerbera die 3 times and then cut 2 of the die cuts again with the circle tag dies to graduate the layers on the flower.

I know its seriously over the top but sometimes the inner embellisher bubbles to the surface lol!!!

That's me for today folks. Got a busy couple of weeks ahead (I'll explain soon but involves the hospital rather than anything nice or exciting unfortunately) so need to get on top of a few things on the home front.

Don't forget, my 20% off sale runs to Friday on the website and we still have some spaces  left on the Ansty workshop with John on 4th February..........see the poster on the side bar for details.

Once again, Happy New Year to everyone and I hope that it will be kind to you and yours.

TTFN

Ang x

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

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

John Does Dies. . . . . . . . . .

Good morning everyone. Hope you're all excited about John's latest range............John Next Door now has dies!!!

I was going to title the post "John Next Door Dies" but thought it would cause public upset and out pourings of grief.

Before I get all excited, I would like to welcome Janine and Marleine to the blog. Thank you for pressing the "follow" button (hopefully not thinking it was the eject button lol!!!)

Now, I was thrilled as usual to be asked to do some samples for John and enjoyed having a play with these. The Sandwich Box is John's most viewed blog post so hopefully the die will prove as popular.

Ingredients

Platinum card

John Next Door Sandwich Box Dies

Marianne Snowflake dies

Double sided sticky sheet

Irridescent and silver glitter

Silver satin ribbon

Hope that you can all watch John's shows today on Hochanda at 8am, 12 and 4pm when he will go into the finer points of how to create these stylish boxes.

I am stocking some of John's new products on the website and they will go live on the website after 8am. 

Anyone subscribed to my website will also receive a newsletter after 8am with details too.

That's me for now folks as I have some website work to do in preparation.

Hope you enjoy the shows.

TTFN

Ang x