Not as planned

Hi there. Just a short post to tell you that I'll be out of action for a bit. My operation on the 25th March went okay but then I developed a rare complication with meant I needed emergency surgery on the 26th and a 6 day stay in ICU. What should have been a 4 day stay instead was a 11 day stay. I am so, so glad to be home!!! My recovery period is going to be much longer than anticipated so I won't be making cards for a while :o( . I've just started to have a quick look at what's going on in blog land so will comment when I feel up to it but I'll try to look at what you're all up to.

Thank you for your lovely good luck wishes for my operation. Okay, it didn't go as planned but hey ho it could have been worse.

Hope you're all well and have lots of crafty mojo as I'm looking forward to seeing all your creations.

                                        Debra x

Ruby Wedding

Hi there. A big hello to my new follower Vicky and welcome to my little blog family, I hope you enjoy visiting.

I need to apologize for not commenting on some of your posts only I've had a rotten headache which has been affecting my vision so computing was a bit of a no no. I blame the very restrictive diet I'm on to prepare for an operation next Wednesday so I'll be awol for a few days next week too.

My card today was a quick one made purely with dies as I wasn't up to much else and needed it for my neighbours that day. Hope you like it. 

The colours didn't come out as well as I would've liked in the photo.

This photo shows the little hearts sparkling.

Card Recipe

6x6 Card Blank- Craftwork Cards
White linen Cardstock from stash
Ruby card- Papermania Solid Cardstock
Dies- Tonic Gothic Border Squares, Spellbinders Classic Hearts and Classic Scalloped Hearts, Cheery Lynn Designs B226 Happy and B243 Anniversary, Cuttlebug Olivia Alphabet & Numbers
Little gem hearts from stash

We had a lovely weekend away in Sheffield. The hotel was fab, the weather was really good, we went to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster with Chris and Lexi, had a shop in Meadow Hall and finally on the way home went to Icon UK, which sells lots of dies for really good prices. Good job we went as I bought the happy anniversary dies there which was lucky. So thanks to everyone who wished me a good weekend, the wishes came true!

I'm wishing you all have a great weekend and inspired card making. Thank you visiting me,
                                                   Debra x

Quick card....or not so quick.

Hi there. I hope everything is going well for you all. A big welcome to my new follower Rebecca! Thank you for your company and I hope you enjoy visiting. :)
 
I was going to my craft group (I say craft but most of the people there are artists and only me and another lady do something different) and I hadn't got a card sorted out to make. I got my Lotv art pad, die cut an image and grabbed a few other bits to take with me. I made most of the card quite quickly and then decided to pleat some ribbon on it. Well the ribbon pleating looked ok for the first time trying it but it didn't suit the card one bit. I'd stuck it on with that red sticky tape so when I took it off the paper it ripped it! Not wanting to bin it I've stuck some punched paper over it. So here is my not very quick to make card, I hope you think I saved it ok.

 



And a different shot ....

 

I don't think it turned too bad but it's definitely better without the ribbon.

I'm away for a few days to 'take part in Sheffield activities with my second favourite son and his delightful accomplice'. My eldest son, Chris, and his girlfriend Lexi got me a voucher for a 2 night stay near Sheffield for my birthday in January, so I'm taking Stuart if he's good, lol. Oh and Chris called himself my second favourite son as his brother Kieran always signs my cards 'from your favourite son'. Chris said, with a smile, that he knew his place.

I'd like to enter the follow challenges:

The Ribbon Girl Challenge: Birthdays
The Papertake Weekly Challenge: Anything Goes


Card Recipe

6x6 card- Craftwork Cards
Cardstock- Papermania
Paper- Lotv Always and Forever paper pad
           Forever Friends Kraft Notes paper    
Image- Lotv art pad Set 19 Cute Cottage Garden
Stamp- Lotv sentiment Set 26 Simply Sophisticated
Dies- Spellbinders Labels Eight
          Cheery Lynn Designs DL101 English Tea Party- cut up.
Punch- eksucess  Arch Scallop
Ink pad- Adirondack Pink Sherbet for paper and flowers ( not quite the right colour flowers)
Flowers- Dovecraft paper blossoms in light pink
Other stuff- Glamour Dust in Crystal, flat back pearls from Anita's

 Chris mentioned the other day that I was getting more comments which is nice that he's checking my blog out. So a big Thank You for visiting, leaving me such lovely comments and being great blog friends.
                                  
                                               Lots of hugs, Debra x

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Kitten Cuddles

Hi there.  Today's card is a little different for me but I thought I'd have a go at a more dimensional style of card. I'm always conscious of postal charges so keep my cards reasonably flat but a lot of cards that win in the challenges have flowers etc. so I thought why not try it. The stamp is from Lotv called Kitten Cuddles. I do have stamps from other companies, I promise, but have a lot of Lotv stamps I haven't used yet ( don't tell my hubby that though or he'll never let me buy anymore stamps!) So here's my card I hope you like it.

 

 

 

and a close up shot

 

The little rose on the butterfly was one of the die cuts that came free with my order from Craft Mojo . It's such a good idea to send them as once I rolled it up it looked so pretty I just had to buy the die. So expect more roses! Also Sally, from the site, was so lovely on the phone when I rang to ask which die had been used for it.
I'd like to enter the following Challenges:

Live and Love Crafts Challenge- Love N' Lace

Divas by Design- Rubber Stamps Only

Papertake Weekly Challenge- Lovely Layers

Craft-room Challenge- Color Challenge


Card Recipe

6"x 6" Card blank and stamping card- Craftwork Cards
Papers- Lotv Always and Forever paper pad
Paper for banner and rolled flowers with pearls- lovely present from Lexi!
Stamp- Lotv Kitten Cuddles
Ink-Memento Tuxedo Black, white ink on little rose ColorBox Frost white and Rosebud on doily and round the image
Pens- Copic Ciao
Heart Doily- Dovecraft
Die- Spellbinders Floral Ovals, Bitty Blossoms
        La La Land Heart Banner
Ribbon Organza Trim, Lace, Carnation and Flat Back Pearls- Ribbon Girl
Butterfly- from stash
Other stuff- Stampendous Fran-tag in Shabby Pink. Distressed with Tim Holtz distressing tool

I'm still sorting through my mums craft stuff! She was a prolific crafter to say the least. So far the list is: knitting, crochet, quilted cushions, fur toys, pyrography, china painting, cross stitch, watercolour and acrylic painting, glass painting, patchwork and card-making. I'm making sure I find good homes for everything with charity groups and friends who donate to my mum's charity but we're still surrounded by lots of bags!!
So I'd better go do something or the Secret Hoarder gang will come round, lol.

Thank you for your visit, your kind comments make me very happy. Sending you all a hug

 

Debra x 

James- Big Heart

Hello. I know what you're thinking, I don't post twice in one week or month even, but there were a few challenges on a love theme and one of them ends on Saturday so I thought I'll break my trend and just do it! Brave or what? Lol. I managed to make Stuart a Valentine card which I normally buy ( I know I shouldn't, but I like cards with nice words) but the only decent card shop we had shut down so I had no choice. I'm quite happy with how it came out, I hope you like it too.

And a close-up shot...

No Glamour Dust in sight but I had to add the little hearts to it as a little bit of sparkle!

I'd like to enter the following challenges:

Lotv- Name That Tune -'A Good Heart' by Feargal Sharkey

Crafty Little Fairies- Teddies

Deep Ocean Challenge- Love Is All Around

Ribbon Girl Challenge- 'Lovely Lili' Lotv Challenge

Card Recipe

5"x7" Card Blank- Papermania
Stamping card- Craftwork Cards
Cardstock- Papermania Solid Cardstock
Patterned card- Kanban Harlequin
Stamps- Lotv James Big Heart, Lindsey Mason Designs Everyday Words Sentiments from Hobbycraft
Pens- Copic Ciao
Die- Spellbinders Circle die for red circle
White circle- eksucess circle cutter
Other bits- White Craftwork Cards candy coloured with red Copic pen,  Flat back heart shaped gemstones.    


Just waiting in today for a guy to fix the roof which is fun :( but I should be able to get cracking on another card. I've had a word with myself about trying to do some card-making everyday but you know how other things just get in the way so I couldn't promise myself.
Anyway have a great Valentine's day and equally splendiferous weekend, hopefully with less wild weather!

Thank you for your visit and comments,

Debra x

Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit....

Hi there. I hope you're all safe and well in this awful weather. We lost 6 ridge tiles and 2 fence panels last night in the strong winds! Thanks for the lovely comments for Lexi's card, they made her a happy bunny. Talking of which... today's card is an Easter card. A bit early I hear you shout and you're right as I haven't even made Stuart a Valentine card yet but I needed to take something to do at my craft class and I'd just bought some stamps in the sale at Lotv and this is one of them- Hoppy Easter

and a close-up..

The bottom layer of the butterfly is glitter card but it doesn't look it in the photo.
As I wanted to enter the Lotv challenge,  Name that Tune, I needed a song that fit the card and Stuart came up with 'Rabbit' by Chas and Dave. He said the bit where they sing 'rabbit, rabbit, rabbit, rabbit'.... I think you get the idea! I know it's not actually about rabbits so I'll have to put an alternative song but it did make me smile.

I'd to enter the following Challenge-

Lotv Challenge -Name That Tune- Song 'Rabbit' by Chas and Dave or 'Bright eyes' by Simon and Garfunkel.

Card Recipe

6"x6" Card and stamping card - Craftwork Cards
Background card- Papermania Solid Cardstock.
Glitter card- from stash
Papers- Me to You Spring Chic, Forever Friends Kraft Notes.
Stamps- Lotv Hoppy Easter and Simply Sophisticated sentiments set 22
Ink pad- Memento Black Tuxedo
Pens-Copic Ciao
Dies- Tonic Layering Butterflies.
Other stuff- Ribbon from local shop, Glamour Dust in Crystal, flats back pearls from Anita's pearl wheel and a fine black pen.


I hope you like the card.

I want to say a big Thank You to Lisa from Wishcraft who helped me out with a blog problem. Go visit her blog as it's full of Fabulous cards!

Thank you for visiting and I hope you have a great week.
                                                    Debra x

Lexi's card.

Hi there. Hope the weather isn't bad near you and that you're all healthy.
Today's card hasn't been made by me but by Lexi, my eldest son's lovely girlfriend. Having had two sons who have shown no desire to do any kind of crafts, despite my numerous attempts to interest them in knitting, cross stitch, glass painting, card-making etc. etc. I thought I'd not have anyone to talk about crafts to until Lexi. Much to my son's dismay Lexi started card-making after trying it out at our house and has been making fab cards for a little while now, when her Med School work allows.
This is the card Lexi made for my birthday-

I'm sure you'll all agree that it's a beautiful card. I'm glad Lexi let me share it with you.
I can't give you the card recipe as I don't know what was used but I think the paper is from Lotv and the large stamp is from Inkylicious- Vintage French Rose. With a very small stash of craft goodies Lexi combines them in ways I wouldn't have thought of. Also her truffles and shortbread are to die for, a woman of many talents!
Anyway I better go and do something, not sure what but I need to at least look busy. Thanks for looking in, it always makes me smile to see your comments.

                                                            Debra x