Second Post for today

Hi folks,

Second post from me, it's taken me till now to unpack, do what little laundry there was as a result of our sojourn to foreign parts and to clear a path to my craft desk. If you missed my earlier post and have followed a direct link to this one then (if you have both the time and the inclination) see it here

Of course you would know that whatever I made this afternoon would HAVE to involve some new stash and I selected the Dienamics chevron dies - because I've had them for weeks but have no die cutting capabilities on holiday so ...... using the current trend for neon colours I set to work - check it out!

Materials used:

• White, scallop edged, 300 gsm  13cm square card and matching sized envelope
• 11½cm square panel of lime green card
• 11cm square white Ryman's card
• Magenta image stamped on to white card using Versafine onyx black ink and then cut out before running through my Xyron sticker maker
• Sheets of card in Neon pink/yellow and lime run through my big shot using my Dienamics chevron dies. I've saved the other bits for another project
• Hero Arts sentiment - I picked this one because of the warm colours used

Needless to say, this is my entry for this week's challenge over on the Simply Less Is More challenge blog where their new challenge is "Cats and/or dogs" - hope you all approve - there are some splendid entries already.

Anyhoo - I have about a squillion vacation snaps to sort through and file (electronically, t hanks goodness) so this is just a short post from me - hope you'll all stop by tomorrow to see my challenge project for the pan pastels challenge ... I HAVE missed participating in too many challenges

Enjoy the rest of what is really turning in to a lovely Saturday - our cars started and we've done the mega shop that proved necessary - the only downside has been that hubby has discovered we've had mice in our shed whilst we've been away and they've been chowing down on the "all you can eat buffet" that was a large bag of bird seed!! It's EVERYWHERE! Hmmmmmmm

Saturday chatter .....

Hi there,

You will, by now, probably have realised that I've been in the U.S. for a while but am now back in the U.K. and I can't tell you all how fab it is to be posting "in real time" once more! I love being on holiday but the time difference is always one I struggle with as I'm on-line when many of my crafting buddies are tucked up in their beds!! Ah well!

A fabulous time was had and, as always, I've come home with some lush new stash too - some of which you've already seen in action and some not!

Our flight home was a little late leaving Orlando but more than made this up ..... in fact we landed at Gatwick so early that we had to "park" whilst we waited for a gate to become available. And then we must have arrived at the same time as another large (and full) flight landed as the line at immigration was huge even for those with electronic passports!! Ever used one of those? Whilst waiting in line I was struck by the large number of "rejects", people for whom the electronics simply failed and probably not as a result of anything they had done (or not done). This made me feel much better as two times out of three that's usually me and I simply assumed it was me! However, it worked for me yesterday - bizarre! Cases off the carousel sharpish and we were outta there! Caught the earlier train too ........ but our onward connection ticket is time dependent so we got to sit and people watch at Reading!! Interesting people at railway stations ..... there was plainly both a hen party and a stag party (no idea whether they were two halves of the same wedding) - that's bachelor and bachelorette party for those in the U.S. The bachelors were all dressed in Hawaiian stylee with shorts and shirts (some even had those garlands, what are they? Lei or something) and sporting either inflatable or plush - SHARKS! The lady party were found in the ladies restroom posing for photographs!! You gotta hope it was for a bet!, especially if you've ever used the ladies room at Reading station! Anyway, we sat on the concourse with a bacon bap and a coffee whilst waiting and then headed for our train.

Home in time for a quick nap before showering and heading off to the surrogates for dinner and chat, almost a party atmosphere as it's been a while since we all got together. Zac is now crawling but can support his own weight but isn't quite walking yet - he's eight months! His elder brother, Harry, was assisting with the catering! And ably so. Seafood platter starter and a spicy chicken main course - yummmmm. Strangely, no-one had room for dessert! Thanks surrogates, for a lovely evening which FORCED us to stay up and awake and allowed us to sleep in till 08:30 this morning!!

Now for the unpacking and homing the contents of our cases!! LUCKILY there's very little laundry from our trip as most came home clean too - HUZZAH

Hubby's been out to start the cars!

This is giving me time to look at today's challenges ...... and there are several (see my sidebar for list of challenges I normally like to enter, if I have the time). I've been a little lax with challenges for a number of weeks now and, those I have entered, I've not really had the opportunity to visit fellow entrants blogs. Being on holiday is my excuse and, if I normally visit and haven't, I hope you will forgive me.

I hope to be back later with a second post and maybe even a card or two! but, in case I don't make it (overcome with jetlag perhaps?) then ..... have a FABULOUS weekend!

Welcome to the start of another weekend!

Morning readers,

 

As the weekend starts here can I just say that I hope you all have something lovely planned. I have a pal moving this weekend and would like to wish you both the best of luck and hope it goes smoothly for you, Debs and Dan.

 

 

 

Materials used:

• ATC blank
• Magnolia image cut to ATC size and coloured using alcohol markers - further evidence of my de-stashing of stamped images - YAY!! Only a tupperware container full to go!

 

And now for the Friday Funny .... courtesy of a fellow technophobe - thanks Sandra! ENJOY! 

 

This came to me in e-mail form entitled COMPUTER UPGRADES .....

 

 

 

Have a fab Friday and a GREAT weekend - what are you all up to?

Morning all,

 

Glorious day here and here's hoping that you have some of this weather wherever you are too.

 

Yesterday morning we were wakened by the sound of gas burners used by hot air balloons. Now, historically, this has happened several times a week but we've not heard it of late. It doesn't bother us at all and we normally simply turn over and go back to sleep or (if we're done sleeping) get up and make a cup of tea. Yesterday, we had the excitement of getting up and taking pix because we'd not seem them in so long!! Sad or what?!?!? Anyhoo, there were two of them and they seemed almost close enough to touch (which, of course, they weren't!) but they WERE close enough to wave at - what must they have thought with us on the pool deck in our night attire!!! So, here are a couple of pix .....

 

 

 

Hope you noticed how bright and clear a day it already was ..... at 07:00!!!!

Last evening saw us dining at the Texas Roadhouse. I'm on their mailing list as we eat there a fair bit and, in the last five weeks, have received two offers: one of a free appetiser for being on their mailing list for a year and the other to celebrate my birthday so last night we availed ourselves of their birthday offer of a free appetiser and selected the RATTLESNAKE BITES!!! Now, I SHOULD point out that there is no rattlesnake in them! They are diced jalapeno peppers and cheese fried in to balls and served with a horseradish cream sauce. Intrigued? So were we ...... delish. Would we have them again? OH YEAH ....... but maybe we'd share between four of us as the main course portions are a good size too!

And now, on to some crafting .... still trying to use up offcuts and stamped images ....

 

 

 

Materials used:

• Kraft C5 card blank (approx 230/240 gsm - hence the layers!) and matching envelope
• Black and Kraft card for matting - I used as many offcuts as possible in my attempt at stash reduction!
• Previously stamped image (which has prevented me from carrying my image through to the insert and envelope in this case)
• Alcohol markers to colour image
• Bakers twine in black/white and tan/white, tied in a central knot and then the threads separated
• TPC Studio sentiment stamped using Versafine onyx black ink - which WAS carried across on to the insert and envelope

 

Have a splendid Thursday ...... not forgetting birthday wishes to my nephew, Alex and neighbour, Dawn today

Welcome to What's On Your Work Desk Wednesday

Morning folks,

 

Welcome to Wednesday from sunny Florida - as you might expect, it's starting out to be another lovely day ........... hot too!

 

Part of my crafting this time has been an attempt to use up off cuts, to use uninked images and to cut down on the stamped image pile I have ...... now that my norm is to stamp both the insert and envelope to match I find that I seldom use pre stamped images any more. None of them seem to have ended up on insert sized cards and I've often only stamped one anyway which means I couldn't do the insert, only the card. The best solution (as we crafters hate waste and they're mostly far too cute to throw away) was to turn some in to ATC's! Here are the results of my labours ...... I've mounted these images on ATC blanks because those alcohol markers DO bleed through to the back of the image panel - the more you blend the more it shows too!

 

 

Materials used:

• ATC blank and ATC sized image (acquired so long ago that I'm not sure but I THINK it's LOTV) I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm in error - please
• Alcohol markers to colour and platinum stickles to highlight
• A previously uninked Studiog circle image stamped in a Walmart own brand yellow ink

 

And another ATC ....

 

 

 

Materials used:

• ATC blank and ATC sized image (again I'm thinking LOTV but please correct me if I'm wrong)
• Alcohol markers to colour

 

And finally ... another ATC ....

 

 

 

Materials used:

• ATC blank and ATC sized image (probably LOTV again but ......)
• Alcohol markers to colour

 

Loving these new Spectrum Noirs - not sure if they bleed more (or less) than copics or PM's but I'll take a few home and do a comparison! Not being a painter it doesn't bother me that they have the bullet tips instead of brush tips and I DO LOVE the fact they're both refillable and cheaper too!

 

And now, being Wednesday, here is how my work desk started its day ...

 

 

 

I can promise you that it won't look like that in a day or so!!!

 

 

Have a fab Wednesday all

Tuesday and the sun is shining - I could get used to this!

Morning all,

 

How's your Tuesday so far?

 

I have been busy already this morning - clumsy too, read on! Regular readers will know that I love to use new stash and today uses a fab image recently acquired at the Kissimmee scrap and stamp expo .....

 

 

Materials used:

• 300 gsm white, scallop edged C6 card and matching envelope
• DCWV "Rock Star" card stack for blue matting layer
• Black card for matting
• White card panel, masked off using four post its before blending Distress Inks: weathered wood and faded jeans
• Rubbernecker image stamped using Versafine onyx black
• Clearly Wordsworth frame stamped in Brilliance Mediterranean Blue and sentiment in Versafine onyx black on to white card and distressed with D.I.'s in weathered wood and faded jeans on to white card and cut out before matting on to black card and cut out again.
• Crop-a-dile used in conjunction with four small eyelets set in to sentiment panel

 

Sadly, you  have probably spotted a small blemish on my card. It's entirely my own fault - I almost NEVER attach my image panel to the matting layers OR to the card before I've finished stamping BUT (wouldn't you know it) I did this time and then dropped the ink pad. Now, if it had been worse then I would have had no choice but to trash the card. This accident was so small that I hope the recipient will forgive me as I really like the card otherwise ... I may try to conceal with white ink - will see how brave I feel! This card is for a friend who had cataract surgery yesterday - best wishes for a speedy recovery Don and please forgive my clumsiness.

Yesterday we decided to make the most of the sunshine and headed off ..... to St Augustine. It was dull and grey when we left and looked like rain for the first fifty miles but turned out to be a lovely day in St. Augustine, north Florida ...... here are some photos to share with you. I even managed to find a craft store, run by a lady named (and I'm going out on a limb here .....) Claire, who's 77 and planning to retire so, if you find yourself in St. Augustine this year head north on the A1 and it will be on your left ...... well worth a visit.

Claire's Collectibles - I found one (or more) things to buy!

This greeted us as we pulled up at traffic lights

St Augustine is (I believe) the oldest township in Florida

Quaint, or what?

The Lighthouse we found as we headed south out of St Augustine

And the stash I acquired .....

 

 

Happy Tuesday everyone - hope you enjoyed the photos
 

Monday Monday ......... how is it for you?

Morning all

 

Welcome to the start of another week, how was your weekend? We FINALLY visited the local flea market and hubby bought me a giftie, it's fab ...... AND it's PURPLE (no surprise there then!) but I can't really share it this week ..... promise to share next week though.

 

Wouldn't you know it? The challenge card I made for the Simply Less Is More themed challenge set me thinking about Christmas cards and I made this ..... when I bought this stamp I imagined mostly using it for inserts but ..... I reckon it makes a nice card on its own - don't you?

 

Christmas will be here before you know it!

Materials used:

• C6 white card blank approx 230/24gsm accompanied by matching sized envelope
• Black card for matting along with an off cut of green pearlised card from a DCWV stack
• Rubber Necker tree image stamped on to a white card off cut using Versafine onyx black ink
• Martha Stewart glue pen and crystal glamour dust used to "twinkle it up"
• Hero Arts sentiment stamped on to white card panel
• Black/white and tan/white bakers twine wrapped around base panel layers and tied in to an off centre knot

 

Trying to decide what to do with some of the cards made whilst here and I decided to give some to my neighbour, Sally, as she always seems to appreciate and admire my work - thanks mate!

 

Gift wrap

Materials used:

• Store bag from Violette's (we crafters waste NOTHING!)
• Grey organza ribbon
• Offcuts of white card and Kraft card which just so happened to be tag and image wide!
• Fiskars corner punch
• Distress Ink in weathered wood swiped over the white card panel
• Kaisercraft "Arty" image and Fiskars sentiment  stamped on to distressed panel using Versafine onyx black ink
• Crop-a-dile used to punch a 3/8" hole in my "tag" and to set an eyelet, before threading the ribbon through and tying in to a bow

 

Imagine our surprise to wake up this morning to ........ well, fog! Apparently some major routes (the I75 for one) have also been closed this morning due to fog too! YIKES it must be far worse in some places as this is either heavy mist or light fog!

 

The murky view to the back of the house this morning! who nicked our trees?

And from the front

 

 

Provided the weather forecast doesn't change - we have plans for today ..... and yes, there WILL be photographs I should think! Do check back tomorrow and see what happened!

Hope your work week shapes up if you are working and otherwise - have a great week peeps!

 

I've a pal having surgery today so ...... hope that all goes well Don.

 

Happy Monday

Sunday again and time for another challenge - are you ready?

Well it's Sunday again and time for another challenge on the Hobbycutz blog - this week's challenge, which is number 6 and will run for TWO weeks, is "MORE THAN ONE FOLD". I should point out that you do not have to use a Hobbycutz die in order to enter but that there are additional prizes available to those who do. I immediately thought of tea bag folding but it has been a while so after a quick refresher on youtube I set off with some papers and came up with this ...

Materials used:

• 15 cm square white, 300 gsm scallop edged card blank and matching sized envelope
• 12½ cm square chocolate glitter paper
• 12½cm square orange patterned paper from booklet below and edged using a Martha Stewart PATP set of punches
• 8 x 6cm squares of the yellow paper (from the booklet below) tea bag folded (see link above) and attached to the orange and chocolate layers using a large bronze sugared brad
• Hobbycutz butterfly (S0072) painted with twinkling H2O's in violet and copper penny
• Three iridescent pink faux pearls for the butterfly body
• Quickie glue pen and Crystal glamour dust which I used to "twinkle" up the papers - sadly, it doesn't really show all that well in the photograph - it's twinklier IRL!!!

The papers came from here!

Here's how this project started life .....

8 little paper squares

Now they've become 8 folded little squares

Oh yes, I THINK you can see that it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more than one fold!!!

I was on a bit of a roll with this more than one fold challenge and had in my collection some acrylic gift bubbles (!?!?!) ..... so-

Front of the gift box with the Hobbycutz die and gift of dies

Back of the gift box with the "more than one fold" element

Materials used:

• Acetate bubble pack (Wynneth and I went 50/50 on a dozen from Violettes stamp store in Lakeland, Florida!)
• Hobbycutz small chipboard butterfly covered with glossy accents and liberally sprinkled with iridescent pink confetti
• White gift tag (from a blog candy win - thanks to Brenda Brown)
• Hero Arts sentiment stamped using Versafine onyx black ink
• Strip of double sided paper (blue/striped) edged using a Martha Stewart punch and folded concertina fashion to form the rosette which was then glued to a disc of card to keep it flat.
• One crystal earring (heaven only knows where the other one went!) with the earring piece removed, glued to the centre of the rosette
• Strip of the matching Costco paper 8½ x 11cm
• Blue organza ribbon (won in a challenge - thanks Wynneth) tied in to a bow to "seal" the package

Yesterday saw us heading out for a drive, we didn't really have anywhere in mind so we found ourselves at downtown Kissimmee before we really thought too much about it. As is our usual habit, we head to the lake and admire the scenery and wild life ..... this time we even managed wild life BEFORE reaching the lake .....

A train, a mustang and some ducks!!???

Yes, honestly, ducks!

Looks like they wanted to travel too!

Monument in Kissimmee

The lake and the wildlife ..... think he was fishing!

This little trip was followed up with us dining out with our lovely neighbours, Sally and Roger, and we visited the Texas Roadhouse as I had received an e-mail offering me a free appetiser. We picked their onion blossom - yummmmm - and made our menu choice from their early bird menu, I had the pulled pork dinner, also yummy!! We rolled out of there and I swear that, if it hadn't JUST finished hurling rain down upon us then we would have felt the need to walk round the lake again (see my previous post on  THAT walk here). Instead we headed for home ..... only to discover that we'd had no rain at all!! WEIRD! After a chat over another drink we headed home and guess what? STILL no rain!

Happy Sunday peeps!

Second post of the day from me

Second post from me today, if you missed my earlier post (and have the time) then click here - there are some wildlife photos as well as some cards to see

 

My regular followers will know that I usually try to enter the weekly challenge over on the Simply Less Is More blog and this week is no exception despite being slightly more of a challenge to me in my present location. Never known as a quitter, here's my take ....

 

 

 

Materials used:

• 12.5cm square card blank cut from a piece of 12" x 12" DCWV pearl card in deep green
• Rubbernecker Christmas tree image stamped using Versafine onyx black ink and heat set (because of the card surface) though I had to use a hairdryer as I don't have access to a heat gun here.
• Recollections sentiment stamped using Memento tuxedo black (and I think you can all see why I used the Versafine on the tree!)
• Platinum stickles to highlight the tree

 

And here's perhaps a better view of the colour of the base card ...

On our way out yesterday, as I closed the door, I was greeted by the harsh sound of these two chatting to one another!




A pair of Sandhill Cranes, a protected species around these parts! They DO make a mess of the lawns though!!

Happy Saturday