A couple of ...

... weeks since the last missive and not much has changed.  OH is still in the hospice and he's still in pain. He's had a partial MRI.  Only partial because he couldn't keep still long enough to have the whole spine done.  I don't know, but I'm thinking that they never scanned the bit that would give any clue as to what's going on. I got called away from a workshop as the hospice had nobody free to go with him for the MRI so I went.  I was 'nurse' for the duration, having been given his drugs to dish out. He tells me they're looking at taking him to the pain clinic now.  We'll see.

He's quite funny at the moment.  I've never seen him drunk or really, even tipsy, in the 30+ years we've been together but whatever drugs they've got him on at the moment gives the impression he's permanently in a happy place *ROFL!*  Not only is he having oral drug therapy he also carries a syringe driver around with him (sitting on his lap in the pic) and then there's occasionally 'extra' intravenously.  It can be very difficult getting any sense out of him at times and trying to understand anything he's saying is pretty hard work.  He's speaking quite clearly - just doesn't make any sense - *lol*

He had his birthday a couple of days ago.  We never have a birthday cake but, as he wasn't home, I bought him one.  Apparently they made him one at the hospice as well, although I never got to see it as it had disappeared by the time I got there *lol*

This past weekend I went to see my nephew in his first lead role.  He's a student at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts doing a degree course.  It's his final year so it's all shows and showcases for agents and the like. He's been lucky enough to have already been signed to an agent so he can do open auditions for work.  If he gets work before the course ends, his finals will be assessed from wherever he is, whatever he's doing, otherwise it will be done in college.  Saturday matinee was virtually a full house and the show got an excellent response from the audience.  Apparently the best up to then.

I'm getting confused as to what I need to catch up on and what's been done.  I'm not organised enough to have made a list, checked it twice and then checked things off as done.  Perhaps I need to do that now before I go too far - but first ... 

The workshop I got called away from to escort OH to his MRI was for a shaker card.  I got as far as cutting the first matt and no further.  I asked Clair to stamp the image for me then I cut and ran, thinking I'd be able to finish it at home except ..... I had none of the things Clair used to make card.  I'd decided I wanted to make it for OH's birthday card so I improvised with what I had.  You can see the original card here - and a video on how it was put together here.  This is my version ....

I used Prismacolors, Zest-It (as my blending fluid) and blending stumps to colour LoTV's James with Heart.  The embossing folder was a new one from Crafter's Companion - Sunbeam and the white matt was edged with a Martha Stewart frame punch.  First time of using and I need to practise, or use it in a full light, not half light and then, perhaps, I can see how things are lining up - *lol!*  I used the punch outs in the shaker bit (coloured with Sharpies) and yes, that is a peel off Happy Birthday - stuck to the stripey paper under the acetate - so shoot me!

That's about it for this time.  Off to visit OH and think about making that list *lol*

Thanks for dropping by .....

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Afternoon workshop ...

... with Alex Kamann, 3rd June.  White on White and they were stunning cards!

The first card was a small 4" x 4" one.  The card was embossed with a Sizzix embossing folder.  A strip of white card had a greeting stamped on a lower corner and then stuck to card base and trimmed to size. A plaque was cut from white Bazzill Bling (or similar) using the Spellbinders Labels Eighteen.  The flower was made from several layers of tissue paper cut with the Spellbinders Blossom 3, although any circle die/punch with a bit of shape to the edge would do.  Each layer was joined with a brad through the middle. Every layer was scrunched up then 'fluffed' out to make the flower.  Brad colour doesn't matter as it can't be seen.  A few leaves were punched and the flower and leaves were mounted onto the plaque which was then stuck to the card base.  Stickles glitter glue was dotted over the flower to lift it.

The second card.  This one was a 6" x 6" card.  A square, slightly smaller, was cut and embossed using a Sizzix embossing folder.  The edges were then distressed with Antique Linen from the Distressed Ink range. A plaque was cut using the Labels Eighteen set and the edges distressed as before.  A greeting was stamped in one corner of it, in the same ink so it all tied in.  

Using a slightly larger die from the Blossom 3 set, several layers of tissue paper were cut.  This time, before they were all put together, the edges of the shapes were lightly distressed and then they were all put together and 'scrunched' in the same way as the first flower.  A piece of vellum was stamped with a text background stamp using white Stazon and a couple of Martha Stewart butterflies punched from it.  Another piece of vellum was used to hand cut some leaf shapes and veins were embossed onto them.

The embossed square had a length of ribbon wrapped round it at the point where the embossing folder join was and then it was adhered to the card blank.  The label was attached using foam pads.  A foam pad was also used to attach the flower and then the leaves positioned and stuck with wet glue.  The butterflies were also attached with wet glue and, although the sample card didn't have them, I chose to add diamanté gems to lift them as the butterflies were a bit 'lost' against the textured background without.

I love these white on white cards although they're not the easiest things to photograph to show the detail involved.  I also love this flower.  It's so easy but so effective.

Managed to get instructions printed for the shoebox card and put into packs so they're now all done.  Just got to decide what I'm taking to our weekend and start getting it together.  Kindle, MP3 (perhaps), tools, and .... no idea!

Had a Groupon day yesterday. First I had a facial deal that was an experience!  Never had a facial like it before but for £14 it was exceptional value. Lasted 1½ hours and included a neck, shoulder and face massage - mind you, some of it seemed more of a slap around but it was very therapeutic. A young Chinese lady so think it was all based more on oriental methods than European.  Will I be going back?  You betchya! Even at the full £36 it would be well worth it.Thinking of trying her manicure, pedicure and one of her massages. If they're anywhere near close to what I've had by Balinese ladies she will be getting my repeat business.

The second one was the meal at The Brasserie in the Marina.  Paid £25 for a meal to the value of £52.  What I like about this Italian restaurant is that there's very little pasta on the menu. I had fillet steak medallions cooked with bacon and sliced parmesan with rocket garnish and seasonal veg, not that I had any veg as there was plenty on my plate without it - there being 2 steaks and 2 rashers and enough rocket and other leaf to make a small salad. Paul had veal cooked in some Italian way as his main and calimari as his starter (I had tiramisu for dessert, no starter). I tried his calimari but it's not something I've ever liked, no matter how many times I've tried it however ... this time I've got to say it was lovely. The best I've ever tried.  Beautiful meal and everything cooked to perfection.  We cabbed it there and back so were able to have a bottle of wine to round it all off and bonus, although pretty breezy and hence, chilly, it didn't rain, sleet, hail or snow - *lol* Lovely day all told.

Plans again ...

... down the pan - as ever.  I really will, one day, realise that I get to do what's intended if it's not planned.  Nothing done in kitchen but got paperwork done instead.  No idea why nothing else got done except I had a bad night, fell asleep as it was nearly time to get up and ended up sleeping late ... again!  Really will have to get a handle on that.  I always used to be an early riser but I'm getting later and later.  I'm hoping that today ... *grin*

I've another card to show.  It should be 2 but I've still to make the second one.  It's the card made last Friday, the 18th, at a floral punch craft class with Jane Gill at the Glitterpot.  The workshop was making gerbera and margeurite daisies.  We made the gerbera in the morning and put the card together after lunch.  Once done we made a daisy and bud.  Time ran out so we were given all the elements to make another daisy and all the requirements to make a card with it.  To date, I've still not made the other daisy let alone the other card *lol*

The main punch used was a super duper Woodware daisy punch - the largest one they do.  Other, smaller daisy punches were used for the more central part of the flower.  The black middle was fun flock.  A Tim Holtz Sizzix swirl, Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page set, greeting stamp, ribbon and Bazill card ... 

The Friday of this workshop was also Red Nose Day/Comic Relief.  (Bit blurry but she was other side and down the end of the table from me - *lol*)  It didn't stay on ...

A workshop full of concentration. Note the view in the background ... containers!  Not quite the pond and sheep in the fields we had at Scaynes Hill.

Lunchtime and Jane prepping for the afternoon class ...

UPDATE:  I've remembered why nothing got done yesterday .... I was Googling and comparing prices for anti-malarials, anti-bug spray, bite relief and sunblock!  Successfully, I might add 'cos it's all on order.  Well, there's only just over a month before the off *yessssssssss*!

Thanks for dropping by .....

Foxy Birthday Card.

I wasn't going to post this yet but decided I would.  It's for hubby's birthday which isn't until the 23rd but as he doesn't read the blog I'm safe to post it here.  I've also entered it on the forum's February Inspiration challenge.  I was holding back mainly because of that but then remembered that it is no longer a 'competition' challenge.  It used to be entered anonymously and then the cards are voted by the membership but it was changed this month so I am safe to post it before the challenge closing date.

The challenge was to use something from a CD.  Now, I don't do CD crafting although I do have some.  I've bought some but, other than opening them and looking to see what's on them, I've never used one.  Knowing hubby's birthday was on the horizon I thought that I could kill 2 birds etc. etc.  A quick look through the only CDs I had that I thought might have something suitable and I decided on using an image from Joanna Sheen's Jayne Netley Mayhew CD.

I imported image into PSP9 and added a texture effect.  I then added a border and buttonized it - picking out a colour from the fox to tie it all in.  I then mirrored the image, cropped it down, faded it, added the same border/buttonizing and added text to make a matching greeting plaque.  Images were mounted onto thick, bronze pearlescent paper (bought eons ago from Craftwork Cards at a craft show) with that used for the main image being edged with a border punch.  Everything was then mounted onto gold mirri board.  I printed a blank 'plaque' matching the greeting one and stuck that on the base of the card for signing.  Finished off with a few pearls .... job done!

I decided to make a twisted easel card but a double one however, for one reason or another it ended up as a single.  It is also quite small, only being 4" x 4" when flat.  I'm not into 'big' cards and I love how this one has turned out.

Ingredients:

White card for blank

Gold mirri card

Bronze paper

Joanna Sheen's Jayne Netley Mayhew Collection CD (image)

Staples IQ Smooth 160gsm card for printing

Martha Stewart Modern Garland border punch

Woodware inverted corner punch

Gold/bronze pearls from stash

Enjoy!!

Christmas meet shoebox project #4

... and the next one in my photo album - lol! Another that is simple but very effective. I like simple *grin*

Kim's shoebox kit

Ingredients:

I'm guessing this used all SU products.

The stamps certainly are ... Contempo Christmas set.

Martha Stewart Snowflake and edger punch

Ribbon & pearl

Enjoy!!
 

Blue, Blue Christmas Workshop

Thursday 11th November - Afternoon session with Jane ... yep, that very talented lady ... again!

Hero Arts Clear Design stamp set used for both cards - Tree-Mendous.

The first card was an A5 card base covered, patchwork style, with squares cut from a variety of blue DP.  Nestability Labels 4 were used for the white and navy blue mats.  The tree, which was stamped in dark blue ink, was adhered to the mats using foam pads. The same ink was used for the greeting and to stamp a few of the snowflakes onto white card which were then punched out with different sized circle punches.  The Woodware Big Holly Leaf punch  was used to add detail and, to finish, blue/gold peeloff dots were used for the holly berries and to embellish the tree and the centre of the snowflakes.

The second card, A6 sized, landscape card blank and again used a patchwork design of blue DP but used in a more abstract way.  Martha Stewart Snow Flurry edge punch was used on a strip of DP with the punch outs saved to add extra embellishment once the main card was finished.  The tree was stamped 3 times with dark blue ink and then each cut out with a narrow white border.  This tree is not symmetrical and the border being left helps to disguise the fact that it can't be matched exactly.  Once cut, each tree was scored down the middle and one tree was stuck, both sides, to one of the others so forming a 3d tree. This was stuck over the patchwork on the base card.  Glitter glue, gems and punch outs were used to further embellish.

Ideal cards for using up those oddments again.  I think the monotone theme of these is the eye-catching feature and changes could be rung by changing the main colour.

Enjoy!!
 

Christmas Trees Workshop #2

Saturday 30th October - Afternoon at the Glitterpot with Jane Gill.

More Christmas trees in the afternoon but this time different and based on Jane's Woodware clear stamp set ... Rocket Christmas. It is an extremely versatile set.  You can use as many or as few of the sections that make up the tree as you wish so you have choice as to what size your finished tree is.

With this card the tree, using some of the sections that make up the tree, was stamped with Versafine onto pearlescent cardstock and embossed with silver embossing powder. The inner parts of the tree sections were cut out and the pearlescent card was mounted onto some contrasting card stock.  The base card was covered with DP and the matted tree adhered to card.  A border was made from a piece of card matching the backing of the tree and punched with a Martha Stewart edging punch before being trimmed with a toning ribbon and placed on card.  The rosette was made from a 12 x 1 inch strip of DP matching the base of the card, scored  at regular intervals (approx 1/8inch or 1/2cm), fan folded then joined and flattened, adding a snowflake to cover centre hole.  The sentiment was stamped onto a shrink plastic label and, once shrunk, was tied to the tree with a piece of ribbon matching that used on the border.

The following card was so different but made using the same stamp set.  This card is ideal for using up those scrap oddments we save and then rarely do anything with. 

The base card was a piece of A5 card folded in half lengthways so, where the cards in the previous post were BIG, this one was quite small!  The base card was covered with a piece of Bazzill after having it's edges distressed.  A selection of the shapes were stamped onto the wrong side of Bazzill card in a variety of colours.   The shapes are then cut out, distressed with ink and a tree shape, of sorts, formed.  A couple of the pieces were put on using foam pads and a ribbon knot tied to one of them.  The tree pieces were then decorated - in this instance with glitter peeloffs and gems.  Quick, simple, funky and effective.  This tree could be larger or smaller and is certainly one to keep in mind for that oddment box!

Enjoy!!
 

Christmas Trees Workshop

Saturday 30th October - Morning workshop with Jane Gill

Large cards.  A4 card folded in half lengthways.  Trees were made using templates designed by Jane.    The base card was covered with a DP and the base of the tree was cut out in Bazill.  Further layers were added having been bordered with Martha Stewart border punches, holly and a snowflake.  The snowflake punch outs were kept for further decoration (would be good in shaker cards as well *grin*)  Extra decoration was added with stickles and eyelets, using Cropadile to punch holes and set eyelets.  The 'Christmas' was a stamp and the 'tree' was made using a Crafts Too embossing folder and the letters cut out.

Unfortunately I had to go buy envelopes for this size of card as didn't have any in my stash but don't reckon it was too much of a hardship as I'm sure I'll be making more this size.  I love it!

 Sorry, photos are not good - light bad as we're having such dismal days lately :0(

Enjoy!!
 

Christmas Flowers Workshop.

Wednesday 21st October - with Jane Gill at the Glitterpot

Getting a bit behind with my posting. Life keeps getting in the way! This workshop was an all day one and was based around the Woodware Christmas Flower combination punch (Jane's design). We made one card and matching tag in the morning and the same in the afternoon. I'm unsure of the ingredients of these cards but a selection of designer papers, nesties, Martha Stewart punches and stamps were also used.

Ingredients (as much as I remember)

Woodware super duper Christmas flower combination

Martha Stewart punches - Modern Garland & Lattice (although any would do)

Scallop circle and plain circle nesties.

Stamps - Merry, Merry Christmas from Woodware Rocket Christmas & Penny Black Christmas Text

Papers - Basic Grey

Stickles & Liquid pearls.

Enjoy!!

Kenny K's Krafty Girlz Challenge

Call over to Kenny K's Challenge Blog for their very first challenge ... PASTEL. I'd purchased Kenny's digi images when they first came out and had coloured a couple of them. When I saw what the challenge was I thought - I can do that! I'd already got an image coloured in a way I thought would fit so here is yet another reason why I don't make many cards off my own bat *LOL*. 

Hopefully it's pastel enough for the challenge.  One of my first attempts at colouring with Promarkers.  Must practise more - *LOL*

Ingredients:

White hammered card blank

DCWV mat stack - Neutrals

Papermania Colossal paper pack - Pastel

Nesties, petite ovals - large and small, plain and scalloped.

Martha Stewart Lever Deep Edge Punch - Garden Trellis

Prima E-line flowers (I think)

Gems from stash.
Craftwork cards Card Candy

Image ... Kenny's Download Diva coloured with Promarkers.  No idea what colours used.
         

                                     

Enjoy!!

 

Hubby's 70th Birthday

Hubby celebrated his 70th birthday while I was away on my luxury holiday (fast becoming a distant memory now) but I made sure that I'd made his card before I went and left it with strict instructions not to open it until the day! Because of that I couldn't post it here in case he saw it. Not that he reads either of my blogs and not sure he even knows how to find them but Murphy's Law says that if I had posted earlier he would have found it *LOL*. I guess I could have scheduled a post but time ran away and I never got round to it but .... here it is now! I have to thank a dear friend, Kim, as she cut the letters and numbers for me on her Cricut. She found me searching for diecut numbers and letters while at the Glitterpot recently and offered to do them for me. I would have done them manually but she saved me a fair bit of time so ... Thank you, Kim

Think everything is pretty self explanatory by the pictures alone. Martha Stewart, Kanban and Nestabilities being the main ingredients along with Kim's input. (Click on any image for larger view)

As you may gather, we don't do 'lovey-dovey' *LOL*

Enjoy!!