Good Monday Morning

 

Good Monday Morning Ladies, 

Welcome to the start of a new week,  I hope that it's a good week for all of you.  

The weekend just flew by, the weather was terrible with the storms, so Paul didn't get much done in the garden.   I had a good day yesterday,  I got some journal pages done to post throughout this week, I am hoping to be able to sit and craft at some point this week.   

Today's reminder,  I hope that any clouds in your life soon  pass quickly my lovelies 😘 

I made this journal page today, using Stamperia Flowers & Poems collection,   I used Stamperia coffee ink smooshed onto a piece of cellophane bag and spritzed with water, I tapped the ink over the page, drying between layers.  

Next came stencilling for some texture and interest.   I added a few splatters of ink too.                I took a pretty envelope and clock face and popped some pads on them and added to the background, I used a die cut butterfly as the focal point.  A couple of little flowers and some leaves add a touch of prettiness to the end of the sentiment strip. A few white splatters finish the page. 

I hope that you all have a great start to your week, 

Love and hugs to all,  

Sandra xxx 

A look back at our crafts this week

 

Good Sunday Morning Ladies, 

I hope that you are all safe and dry from this awful weather,  it has literally rained here for 2 days straight, the standing water on the roads is crazy. 

I was planning on getting some crafting done yesterday,  however our 'quick' shopping trip took a lot longer than anticipated.  We didn't get back until 4 45pm!!  So crafting didn't happen!  Fingers crossed I will get time today, although I want to get everything organised,  clean and tidy,  so that it doesn't irritate me when I am 'resting up ' after my surgery.    

I am on my own tomorrow so I will want to keep my mind occupied, so crafting sounds like the perfect solution.  

Karen 

Karen's Description:

A couple of cards for the challenge of friends birthday cards

Old - Le Pashe kit

New - a different sentiment for each

Not great I need to find a better glue for sticking down acetate and only one has all of the layers as I was struggling to cut them out

ScanNCut struggled with the outlines on some of the pieces.  

I remember these from years ago, was it a company called 'Just Inklined' or something,  the lady was quite funny.   I love the images, they are perfect for the occasion you are making them for too. 

Has the glue not dried clear?  That's so frustrating, the only thing I could suggest is cutting a mat to fit around the aperture on the inside.  

Thank you so much for sharing these fabulous cards for the challenge XXX 

Lilian 

Lilian's Description:

Hi, this is my tag for this week.

I made this at about 2am, when I couldn’t sleep as my restless legs were terrible.

I loved the background, I did last week.

I used water colours with a natural sponge.

Then I used a Stamperia stamps but I over did it. 

The top came from one of the 8x8 books , the romantic collection I think.

Such a lovely Tag Lilian,  you are right to love that stunning background,  I think I might get a natural sponge and have a go.  The flowers and butterflies are the perfect topper for that lovely background too.  

I can tell how much you enjoy making tags my lovely,  every one you make is a lovely piece of art 🥰

Thank you so much for creating this lovely tag for the challenge my lovely XXX 

Sonia 

Sonia's Description:

Hi lovely, hope you’re ok 🥰

I’ve made a card for tomorrow 

I’ve used papers and elements from Prima’s Christmas Blush collection, and an old large snowflake die from PinkFresh Studios, and a smaller snowflake from Memory Box. I’ve inked all edges with walnut stain distress ink 😊

Oh Sonia I can tell why you wanted this collection,  it is so pretty 😍.   Those background papers are so pretty and that large snowflake is so pretty and works so well with your composition.  The Santa and snowman are so cute.  That sentiment is lovely too, it blends in with the card and doesn't take over. 

Its great to see you back in your craft room,  thank you so much for creating a card for today XXX

***************

I hope that you all have a lovely Sunday,  

Love and hugs to all, 

Sandra xxx 

Happy Saturday

 

Good Saturday Morning Ladies, 

I hope that you can all relax and enjoy the weekend. 

We have to pop to shops this morning but I need to get crafting when I get back, so I can get ahead for next week, I am hoping it will only be a couple of days before I can sit back at my desk.  

I think I will be having this one repeated to me a lot next week 🤣😂

Soph 

This is the latest update of the huge canvas that Soph is painting for the Head Gardener at the Wildlife Park, its to hang in her office until she retires and then she will take it with her. 

Just look at the pond,  the water looks so real !!  You can spot the fish too. 

This one is a close up of the greenhouse,  its beautiful,  look at the aged terracotta pots !!! 

I think there will be tears of joy when she takes it in.  ❤️

Matt

Matt's hobby has always been setting up events, lighting, special effects etc, he works for a friend when he's not working, they do many different things, his current one is a Halloween Woodland walk at Millets Farm, (which is a big fancy garden centre).  

He has created an electronic mechanism that opens a coffin lid, dry ice then flows out, he has rigged it to be on motion censor. To go in the graveyard around the coffin he wanted tombstones, so he decided to make them from insulation foam (polystyrene). He has added colour with an air brush and tonight he added the written details. I think its absolutely brilliant!!! 

Thats all for today my lovelies, 

I hope that you all have a good day,

Love and hugs 

Sandra 

PS:  Don't forget to put your clocks back tonight! 

Something 'Festive ' for Friday (throw back)

 

Good Friday Morning Ladies, 

I hope that you are all safe and haven't suffered any damage from Storm Austen,  especially you Lilian as you are in the area that's forecast to get the worst of the storm.  

Soph and I had a lovely afternoon out, we went into Cirencester as Soph needed to scratch her charity shop itch 🤣😂 She picked up a lovely fleece that was some fancy brand,  mind you she paid £7 for it, which I personally think is ridiculous from a charity shop,  I used to help run the RAF thrift shop,  if we'd have anything over £4 there would have been a riot or a mutiny!!   

Soph found a new Deli called 'Gilbertine' we both had a delicious Ciabatta, filled with Deli meat, cheese, roasted red peppers & rocket.  It was the nicest sandwich I've ever had!  We will definitely be going back, the only downside is that they only have 2 tables inside,  thankfully the sun was warm enough to sit outside yesterday.   We then popped to Waitrose for a few bits then on to the Garden Centre,  we were very good, we only had our 'free' hot drinks, no cakes !  Soph also didn't buy any plants, which is a miracle in itself.  She had to order the water & Jerry can that she needed for her fish tank, the 'Reverse Osmosis ' or Distilled water was 10p per litre,  which made me question the £27 paid for the Distilled water for my CPAP machine,  so I got ChatGPT to check out the cost,  it confirmed that I was 'robbed' and found me 2 x 5 litres for £17,  I think I was led to the one I bought as it was advertised as medical grade,  when any properly 'Distilled ' water would be the same.   We did have a laugh though as ChatGPT said that I could spend the money he had saved me on craft stash!!! 😂🤣

Such a fun piece of Artwork,  lovely sentiment too 😊 

Today I am sharing three Christmas cards I made with the same SU stamp called 'Ornamental Pine'. 

I will add the description of the red Card as its a fun technique.....

I stamped the background with a wood pattern stamp, it doesn't look like it but its actually stamped in Cheery Cobbler on Cherry Cobbler card, although it looks brown. After making sure the background was dry I stamped the Pine Branch in sticky ink and added white embossing powder and heat set, I did the same with the Pine Cone, the fun /interesting part comes next, the idea is that it looks like a snowy branch, so I took some different shades of green Alcohol pens and added flicks or fine lines of colour over the white embossing, leaving the very tips white. For the pine cone I added a light shade of brown over the white, leaving the edges white, I then added darker brown to the centre of the stamp and stamped it gently, it kind of gives the 3D look, what do you think?? 

To finish I added the sentiment and mounted onto a white card base.  

I hope that you all have a good Friday,  stay safe from the storm my lovelies,  

Love and hugs to all of you, 

Sandra xxx 

Page 4 mini journal

 

Good Morning Ladies,  

I know we need the rain but this weather us getting a little boring now.  I had to return some things to Next yesterday,  so Lucy and I went in to Witney.   We had a bite to eat in M&S for a change,  it was 'ok' but nothing exciting,   you'll probably find this hard to believe but Tesco cafe make the best Toasted Sandwich,  so far no cafe has topped it.   We usually walk from the car park beside Next to M&S but the rain was so heavy we'd have been soaked through,  luckily both shops have decent car parks outside them.  

I was going to have a crafting day today,  to get ahead for next week,  Soph wants me to go out with her to get some specialist water for her fish tank, I don't doubt it will include a garden centre visit of some kind,  she is 100% plantaholic,  her bedroom is like a tropical rainforest 🤣😂

Brenda, it was lovely to hear from you yesterday,  I will be thinking of you on Sunday 😘

I love this reminder,  it is so true and I know I have said before that it's easy to just do 'one little thing' because we feel a bit better one day, only to find that we feel worse for it the next,   I don't just mean out of guilt (which is my issue), I'd be tempted to 'just start dinner' etc.   It is also in situations where your recovery is taking forever.  It can be hard not to feel selfish.  xxx

Today I am sharing the 4th page of my mini Amber Ledger journal.  

I used a piece of paper from the 6x8 paper pad to create a pocket.   I cut it using a rectangle die that was slightly wider than the page I was adding it to, after cutting it I scored a 0.5cm line along 3 sides and then used a punch to cut the circle opening at the top of the pocket.  I adhered this to the bottom of the page,  then I used a 'file card' to insert into the pocket,  I used the reverse of the green paper I used for the pocket to create a mat to add to the file card, to embellish I used a sentiment label from the paper pad and added a piece of ticket and a stamp to the back of it.  I used this for the bottom corner of the file card,  then popped a butterfly 🦋 on the opposite corner.  To finish the pocket I took a label from the paper pad and added a rub on sentiment.  I really enjoyed creating this one x

I hope that you all have a good day,  gentle hugs to those that need one, 

Love to all of you, 

Sandra xxx  

Mini journal page 3

 

Good Wednesday Morning Ladies,  

How can it be midweek already ?!  If it was a holiday I was looking forward to the days would be dragging wouldn't they?! 🤣

Had quite a relaxing day yesterday, Lucy and I popped out to get some shopping as she wanted to make some soup, so we made chicken noodle soup for lunch, it was delicious 😋  Another recipe that she can cook up while I'm off kitchen duties.  

Another great reminder,  pretty artwork too 😘

I hope you aren't getting bored of my mini journal,  (as its a bit samey). 

This page started off like this...

I added stamping,  using Gathered Twigs Distress ink.  I then added touches of green with Rub-ons.  The main focus is the little pocket at the bottom of the page, with the little file sheet and the tag, I added some twine to this tag to tie in with similar coloured decoration on other pages. 

This is the page placed back in the mini journal. 

I hope that you all have a lovely day,  

Love and hugs to all, 

Sandra xxx 

2nd Page of my mini journal

Good Morning Ladies,  

We had a lovely sunny day yesterday,  my goodness it was chilly though.  My mind is a bit preoccupied this week, thinking about surgery,  I know it's a fairly straightforward surgery and I shouldn't be worried about it but I am.  I am more worried about the recovery side,  having to rely even more on Paul & girls etc, although they seem like they are buzzing with all the excitement of who's cooking what and when.  😂

I had a lovely catch-up with Sue yesterday afternoon,  we had a lot to get caught up with,  Sue didn't do any crafting,  I did a bit while listening and chatting.  Thank you for coming over my lovely and thank you for the lovely flowers 💐  

Such fun artwork 😄 I absolutely love the reminder too ❤️ 

While sitting and chatting I created my second page in my little journal.  I am really enjoying how simple the pages need to be as the pages themselves are small.  I used bits from the die cut ephemera and little bits from the 6 x 8 inch paper pad. I have just noticed that I didn't add any white splatters 😮, I will rectify that as soon as I done writing today's post, purely for continuity of course 😉😂

I hope that you all have a good day,  

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra xxx