2017

A clean slate, a chance to change

Dreams and wishes re-arranged

A new job, maybe, is what’s required

Or this year you‘ll become retired!

Give up smoking, drink a bit less

Loose some weight, less excess.

Dancing classes, join a Gym

Have some fun, while getting trim.

Maybe your desires are a little more drastic

Whatever you desire, be enthusiastic.

I hope that this year is your best yet

And whatever you wish for, you go out and get.

May God bless you mightily during 2017

25th December 2016

O Come, let us adore Him....

November Swaps

I have only entered two swaps this month.  I have found a great pattern for the Technique 
card, something a little different for me.

Noobie Swap.
My card was 'borrowed' from Helen in CWS.  A beautiful ribbon bow complements the lace and sentiment on a bright orange card.

I received this absolutely gorgeous card, although it is a Christmas card it is something else.  

The image papers are delightfully shiny and embellished with holographic edging.

Thank you Linda A.

Technique Swap.- Pop up/out

I have had a printout tutorial of a Pivot Twist Pop-up card on my desk for ages and I signed up for this swap so I could make it.  I cut templates out first and it took me ages to work out how it folded but when I managed it - wow!  So simple and so effective.

I used Glenda Cairns easy tutorial - Utube also has pdf  to print out.

After cutting out the templates I chose my papers and stamps for the centre pop out then started measuring and cutting and sticking and stamping and voila!!

I used papers from my book and used a piece of the base card for the diecut - free with this months Diecuts Magazine - stamping across the centre using Versafine Onyx Black ink.

I chose coordinating double sided papers for both the mechanism and the pop outs.

I used some of the stamps that came with the diecuts for three of the pop outs and one from a different set for the fourth. 

Once opened out flat you can see from the back view all the different papers I have used.

I'm very pleased with the final result, hope my partner likes it!!!

I received this beautiful card by return.  

The Butterfly is decoupaged from some gorgeous papers, and the papers inside are the same type.

Thank you Olive.

October Swaps

I am back on the card swapping lists again.  I have reigned in the number of swaps I have signed up to as this is quite a busy month gardening wise, they have to be tidied ready for the winter months - see My Recollections blog.

Noobie Swap
I used images and papers from my files but I am sorry I did not name the creator.  I fussy cut the shoes and the bow before attaching to the base card.

I received this beautiful card by return - love those butterflies.

Thank you Linda A.

Technique Swap - Decoupage




Decoupage is my bag and these images are form my files once again.  

I used 3D tape for the cake to lift the image from the background.






I received the following card ....    
      

Really pretty card with lots of details.
Thank you MaryC.







and the ATC which can be seen on my other blog ATC Wannabee.

Get Well Soon Card

Not usually asked to make this type of card but, as it is for one of the volunteers at the Steam Locomotive Works, this is a personal and extra special card .... and ....... has to have trains!

I diecut some trains and tried to do some inset diecuts ...... with my engine die there are lots of details ......... like doing a mini jigsaw!!!  
I gave up and did some stamping, became distracted by trying to find the cushion mount for some of the stamps ....
Then I found a sheet of decoupage!   Yeah!  I love decoupage!  

Once I had decided on which engine to use, I quickly decoupaged the image and then needed a background and a card.......... more searching ........ getting this new 'studio' straight seems to be taking forever ... or is it that I get distracted?!?

I chose a blue card, slightly shiney and very square.


The background paper was part of a Debbie Moore Art Decor decoupage pack but was just the right colours.



A few peel offs, the right font I thought, for the sentiment.

There you have it, or at least I do for the moment ....... one blue square card, one decoupaged image flat DSS taped to card and one sentiment on 3D Foam pads to raise it off the surface.  
I added a plain white paper insert as most of the Tuesday Volunteers will be signing it.  Then it will be posted off to let John know that we are all hoping his arm heals soon and he can be back with us at Tyseley Loco Works!

Gelli Printing for the first time

Drum roll please!!
I have sorted out my Gelli plate!!!  
This was bought for me for my birthday last year and has stayed in its wrapper ever since.  
Now I have a swap on ATCs For All Group - For this swap create a beautiful Gelli Plate background and then Stamp, Colour, and/or Zentangle on top!  - just have to find where I put the Gelli when I moved rooms!!

Cos I am slightly - in my opinion - pernikety, my Gelli is in one of my mushroom baskets, which has been labelled, and has the stamps to go with it.  
How sad am I?! Don't answer that!  
I have also put a pack of white card in there as well!
PJ bought me this stamp to go with the Gelli Plate, I am so looking forward to using it.
I also purchased some Reverse stamps ............ that made you stop and think!!!  
They can be used on the Gelli Plate and when you print off ..... the words are the right way round ..... not like the stamp opposite!



So here are the afternoon's efforts .....

....... I have had a superb few hours .....

.......... I did manage to print and stamp exactly how I envisioned the final print out.

I also used the reverse stamps .... Love Lives Here ...... but I wasn't really very good with the stamping so I only completed one sheet.

As an afterthought, I used some blue acrylic paint on the XXL stamp and spritzed it with water and printed.  
Can't say as I was impressed.   
After the paper was dry, and while using the stamp with the black Versafine ink,  I ghost printed over the blueprintout.  
Now I am impressed!

I have to choose which printouts to use for my ATCs ............that's maybe tomorrow ...... and the leftovers I can use for cardmaking ......

WOYWW has moved....

I have moved my WOYWW posts to my other Blog - ATC Wannabee - as my postings about cards are getting few and far between.  I spend a lot of my energy creating ATCs so my main posts are on that Blog.

I am sorry to my followers here as you will hardly hear from me BUT you could also follow me on my ATC Blog ** cheeky grin**

Here's a card I made waaaay back in 2012 ...... my first Steampunk card.



For a Biker.....

.....one for a friend ....

WOYWW #376

This is What'sOnYourWorkdeskWednesday - if you want to find out more then checkout the WOYWW tab at the top of the page - and our thanks go to Julia for hosting this weekly meet up.

Ooer!  quick look round  You shouldn't be here ..... another quick look round ..... you can't see this ...... looks round again .... you'll get me into trouble if you tell ......

Do you see those blue pictures on the right .... I am about to make some ATCs for a  ..... THAT'S RIGHT! HOW DID YOU KNOW?!!..... a Blue swap.

I am going to start on the blue butterfly and I know someone who has lots of butterfly stamps and dies ........ see the black box .... I have filched it so I can have a good look through and choose the right Butterfly for my card.

Look ..... lots and lots of Butterflies .... woohoo! .... so long as I keep my craft room door shut .... and you don't tell him .... I shall have a lovely day tomorrow!............ and if PJ sees them before I can get them back onto his shelves .... I  will  know  that  it  was  YOU  who told him!!!!

Have a good week.

May Swaps

Just a couple of swaps this month, I knew I would be busy during this month so restricted my cardmaking.
Noobie swap

I embossed the lavender paper and added it to a grey card,  the butterfly ribbon along the lower edge of the card looked a little bare so I added a tiny silver bow.

I did not receive a swap this month.





Alphabet swap - P

Another Craftee card kit for this month - Pink Pig!

Love this original idea, especially the paper flowers.

Thank you Olive.

June Swaps

Exciting swaps this month.
Noobie

On this orange card I added two pieces of scrapbooking paper  and covered the join with a length of green ribbon.  The sentiment was a rub on from my stash and medallion used up some tiles I have had for ages.  The fold was in my Circle of Crafters file.








Beautiful embossing on this card and a shiny image, printed on glossy paper.  Inside there was a heart shaped doily and an embossed purple strip.
Thank you LindaS.

Style - Floral


I used a card kit which came with a magazine for this swap.  Everything was diecut but the design is my own.  I added a few bits of greenery as it seemed very bare to me.  I also added the filigree diecut butterflies as an afterthought.

I received this gorgeous card by return, purple with some stunning papers and 3D decoupage.

Thank you ChrisF.

Technique - Stamping


I CASed this design from a magazine.  I diecut a mask from plain copier paper, attached to the card with masking tape and then stamped the roses inside the spaces.  I watercoloured the images while the mask was in place.  I cut a small piece of white card and painted it with the same colour as I used on the roses an then stamped & embossed the sentiment.  After removing the mask I added the sentiment with some foam DST.





Love this card, especially the cutout for the sentiment.


Thank you MaryC.

Another July Birthday

This was another 'Special Birthday' and an extra special one for an extra special person - our son in law (SIL).
I managed to find a 'nice' graffiti paper on the web, but could not get it to print to the size I wanted so ended up with several copies, but chose the best printout for this card.  I am sure that the other printouts will be used at a later date!!
I joined the Forum on this site many years ago and saved a couple of the templates for later use and this is now one of those times.

I printed the number onto black card, cut it out and then traced and cut another copy from the graffiti paper.  

It was tricky making sure that the paper covered the card, yet leaving room so that it folded and matched perfectly.
I cut another copy from some white paper but this time cut inside the pencil lines so that I could use this as an insert.

I took the card round to the house when we collected Little Soldier along with his pressie.  Whilst there I found out that his birthday cake had not materialised, so managed to make one at home while Little Soldier slept.
I used my silicone cake tin, making two plain sponges and the numbers.
Once they were cooked, I sandwiched the sponges together with buttercream and jam.  My idea was that I would stand the numbers upright but I just could not get it to happen.  In the end I attached them with some buttercream so that they lay at an angle on the top of the cake. 
I smothered them with icing sugar 'cos I happen to know he likes that!!
When we took Little Soldier back home, we walked in with the cake and singing Happy Birthday - he was surprised and very pleased.

WOYWW #375

This is What'sOnYourWorkdeskWednesday - if you want to find out more then checkout the WOYWW tab at the top of the page - and our thanks go to Julia for hosting this weekly meet up.

Well, this is a sight you won't see very often!!!!

I have finished the ATCs so before I start my next creation (or move to a larger room - here's hoping!) I thought I would sort through the 'box of bits' that is now filled to overflowing ..... how did that little stamp NOT get put away!?!!
Sorry it is such a boring post this week .... next week I will try to give you the links to some of the past projects .... so you can see how well  (or not!) they turned out.

Here's a thought ..... I see Melons are back on the shelves!!!

......... till next week .... take care my friends.

WOYWW #374

This is What'sOnYourWorkdeskWednesday - if you want to find out more then checkout the WOYWW tab at the top of the page - and our thanks go to Julia for hosting this weekly meet up.
Another busy week!  I am so caught up with making Teddies and Baby Blankets that the time just flies by.  I did make time to finish my ATCs and am now moving on to making a card and some ATCs.

I have found one of my Creative Stamping magazines (from last year) so that I can glean some inspiration for my card swap - Summer Holiday Theme.  
The printed photos on the right are for my ATC swap - Bridges Theme.  I joined in a similar swap last year but only used photos of Paris Bridges, this year I thought of using some Birmingham Bridges!

I searched for some photos of bridges in Birmingham and was pleasantly surprised to see such a variety.  The first bridge was built back in the 1800s and still stands in Cannon Hill Park, which is much used for events.  The picture below that was built in 1711 and is known as the ZigZag bridge over in the north of Birmingham.  The viaduct bridge is in the middle of an industrial estate which was being developed when the photo was taken. The top two bridges are over one of the many canals in Birmingham out by the University which was built in the 1800s, one of the first Unis in England.  I just love the photo of the bridge in the centre of Birmingham, such an unusual angle of a great bridge, again built in the 1800s.

This photo shows the bridge as it would normally be seen.

I must admit that I didn't know we had so many interesting bridges here in Birmingham, I spent an interesting couples of hours researching this theme!!!

I hope to spend some time at the weekend turning the ideas in my head into the reality on paper ....... we shall see.....

Off to make some visits now while Little Soldier is asleep, see you soon and if not ...... have a good week.

WOYWW #373

This is What'sOnYourWorkdeskWednesday - if you want to find out more then checkout the WOYWW tab at the top of the page - and our thanks go to Julia for hosting this weekly meet up.

Please excuse the lateness of my joining the party, it's been extra busy this week.... more birthdays .....meeting up with Darnell et al  (super time, short but so very sweet) ...... catching up with the Railway Garden .....excuses, excuses!!

So my desk has the remnants of the work being carried out BEFORE  the birthdays hit in!  
I was making several ATCs for swaps and more importantly .... I was organised!!!  I had a list of designs, indicating which stamps to use ..... I managed to make two, although there are several on the left of my desk, only two are suitable (in my opinion).
Now I have moved onto using the film strip stamp ... I know what I want to do, I know how it is done...... when I do it .....hhmmm.  This one will not be used so I shall have to start again.  
I only hope that I can spend most of my weekend playing.
Until then my friends, I shall be visiting and exclaiming!  Stay safe ......