Some more cards

Hi, me again.

Looking back at my posts I've not kept up regularly - I've only done a few days of our Australian holiday and put in hardly any of my cards.  So, unfortunately, I'm going to be boring the pants off you all whilst I catch up!

First of all, some of my cards:

This one is from Part 2 of the Jayne Netley CD and is a picture of a beautiful shell.  I printed off the backing paper using a shimmer paper and the brown and white spotted ribbon is from my stash.

Now this one I sort of copied from an idea I saw on Create & Craft.  All the images are from the same Jayne Netley CD and the flowers I think came from the Glitter Girls.  The ribbon again is from my stash.  The only problem with this card was I made it larger than the one I saw so it was more difficult finding an envelope.  I shan't make it quite so large next time.

With the Crafter's Companion Beatrix Potter CD I decided I would make a never-ending card with Mrs Tigglewinkle.  I had made one before having seen it on the TV demonstrated by Lili of the Valley and lots of people commented on.  So I gave it a go.  It really is very easy to do, its the decorating of the pages that takes the time.  I took it to work and my tutor bought it as a birthday card for his wife. 

So this is the front.

Here's the next page:

Here's the third page:

and here's the last one:

I thought it came out quite well but I may do a smaller one next time!

The last card for the moment, you'll be pleased to hear!!, is one from Joanna Sheen's Royal Horticultural Society CD.  Again I think the idea for the card came from Debbi Moore when she was on C & C, with my adaptation.:

I printed the auricula design onto both vellum and also paper and the topper onto card.  I've fixed the page turn up with a gold brad and added a couple of flowers from my own stash and coloured them in with inks.  The card opens up with an insert which I made, using the same background paper again and popped a cream panel with an auricula cut out of the vellum on it so you could write on it.

That's all for now.  Going to make some tea - what to have?  Egg and bacon, sandwich or pizza?  Oh for goodness sake - choices, choices. xx

No surprise ....!

Good afternoon all!

Isn't it a beautiful day again?  How lucky we are and the spring flowers are looking absolutely beautiful.

Well some of you may have heard that Jayne Nesterenko has introduced some more stamps - no surprise then that they seem to have fallen into an envelope and arrived at my house!!  It would be rude to send them back now, wouldn't it?  They are called Patchwork Polly and I think they're gorgeous.  I've made a couple of cards using them - see what you think.

This one is 'Olivia' and doesn't she look cute with her little teddy?

This one is also of 'Olivia' but with the background stamps and a different colour.

This last one is of 'Patchwork Polly' herself sitting on the branch talking to her little patchwork bird and the patchwork butterfly flying about. 

There are six separate friends and they all have different background panels and friends.  

I'm really quite pleased with them.  

So back to have a play. xx 

Bluebell walk part 2

Just a bit extra on my walk.  At the beginning, once you've paid to go in (its only £4 and you can stay as long as you like)  there is a refreshment place with little stalls inside.  There's a plant stall, homemade jams and chutney - all for the local charity together with a used book section which has lots of books to browse round and buy. 

Next door is a barn which has two little piglets, some sheep, lambs and baby chicks under a heat lamp.  I took some pictures but some have not come out so well.

These piglets were very camera shy hence not such a good picture.

Doesn't she look proud?  So she should, look at her little baby:

Not quite new born, but still cute.

Here's the little chicks under their heat lamp.

Aaah bless!  Roast dinner indeed!

I'm off but I will be back! xx

Bluebell Walk

Yesterday I decided to go the Bluebell Walk at Arlington.  Bluebells are one of my all time favourites and those at Arlington are quite breathtaking.  I knew from the website the bluebells weren't out yet because of the cold winter, but its a lovely place anyway and such a lovely day.  So here are a few pictures:

You can see what a beautfiul day it was and I got there quite early so there weren't many people.  I have never seen so many wood anemones all at once - its almost like a carpet of snow.  On closer inspection they are just like little stars, fallen fron the sky.

Getting quite poetic, sorry about that.  Any way last one, I promise:

Well actually I lied!!  Just one more - will you look at the reflections in the lake - how beautful is that?

and it wouldn't be the bluebell wood if there wasn't some bluebells:

 

I swear the only bluebell in the whole wood!! 

And finally the farmhouse at the beginning, which is charming in its own right:

So much for my trip out.  I then came home and made some cards.  Which I'll show in another blog.

See you all later!  xx

Where does the time go ..?

I can't believe its over a week since we went to Debden, Essex.  It was so relaxing - knowing we could do anything we liked (by that I mean crafting, sleeping, eating, walking, nothing!) all weekend with no one to disturb us.  All the others finished lots of layouts and cards;  me? - not so many - but I put in a lot of thinking!!

We were lucky to have the good weather again, so we all did the usual photography walk, Debden is such a lovely place.  I didn't take any pictures of the house itself, some of the others did though.  Me, I took pictures of my favourite stone bench - its so tiny and hidden away - must be very uncomfortable, but I love it.

It's just the right size for children.  Cute. 

We were told they also had some animals in the lower fields so we all trooped off to see.  I got this picture of one of the old sows and also the goat and chickens.  Not brilliant, but not too bad.

Now please believe me, this order is totally coincidental!

Don't you think these are lovely pictures of Jill?  I think she was trying to take photos of Lynn, Linda, Karen and myself but couldn't get the camera to work..  Hence the look of puzzlement!

Debden is a beautfiul place and I can't believe I'm lucky enough to be going again in a few more weeks.  It will be interesting to see how much the flowers and trees have advanced.

We have also booked to go again next year, and I've been allowed to book in too!  I can't have been too bad, can I?

Bye for now.  xx

Another Blog Award

How lovely - I've just been given this Blogger award by my friend Sarah.  Thank you very much Sarah.  I've now got to list 7 crafty things I have done.  Mmmn that's not going to be easy.  Well here goes:

1.    Writing my blog - I'm very proud of this as I set it up all by myself, with no help!!

2.    Making my cards - I love playing around and making different styles.  Unfortunately having     once made one, I lose interest in that shape!

3.    I also do scrapbooking too, although I have to admit that has been put a bit on the back boiler as I don't print off the photos.  I'm a bit daunted by the thousands I have collected.

4.    I am also interested in Family History and have made quite a few pages using my ancesters' photographs.  This is actually how I started into scrapbooking and card making.

5.    Encouraging my grand-daughters to make cards and pictures - unfortuately using my stash!

6.    I have always loved stamps but I'm now I'm getting into decoupage, something I always said was not for me!

7.    I am also quite capable of dressmaking, cross stitching and knitting - all of which I have done but have moved on from.

I am going to pass this award onto some more crafty people:  Lynn and Linda.

Happy Easter to you all

I hope you all have a very Happy Easter.  I can't believe its April already!  Its two months since we were setting off to Australia.  It all seems so far away :o(.   

Well I have bought some more CDs!  I debated and debated on buying them but finally thought, oh what the heck - its only money - I'm sure I'll use them eventually and they will keep!  I've bought the Flower Fairies of the Garden CDs and stamps, Jayne Netley Part 2 and the Royal Horticultural Society set too.  Oh and I've just given in and bought the Glamour and Glitz CDs too!  Listed out like that I have been very bad - but hey, who cares!  So I've made quite a few cards.  Here's one or two:

Now this one was from the Crafter's Companion Fairies of the Garden, Canterbury Bell.  I was quite pleased with the results, especially the flowers which I sort of 'adapted'!!

This one is same set of CDs but using Heliotrope.

and it opens up showing a pretty insert too.

Now here's one I made using the part 2 Jayne Netley Mayhew CD - its an Easter stepper card - typical I got the CD too late to make any Easter cards, but hey they'll keep!!

This whole card came on the CD - I didn't have to but I stuck it onto pink shimmer card, but if I'd thought I could have printed straight onto card.

I coudn't resist this picture from the same CD - isn't he cute?

You can't see very well but I also used one of my Woodware punches and put double sided tape underneath it and then sprinkled glitter into the flowers.  Even though I say so myself, it looks quite cute.

This is the card I couldn't show you earlier because I made it for Anita's birthday - I think she liked it.  This is from the Glitter & Gitz CD by Debbi Moore and it is absolutely brilliant - I certainly shall be making more.

The flower and feathers came from my craft box so I'm not sure where I got them from.

Well I hope you like them.  I'm off to play some more.  Enjoy your day. xx