Happy Saturday 😘

 

Good Saturday Morning Ladies, 

Welcome to the weekend my lovelies,   what are you all up to this weekend?   

Are any of you going to Firework displays,  Karen do your boys like Fireworks?    Sonia do James & Mollie take the children to see fireworks?  

We didn't hear one firework last night. 

They are a huge expense these days,  I remember when I was a child that literally everyone had fireworks in their garden,  my Dad absolutely loved it, he'd be out there in the afternoon setting up things for the Catherine Wheels and buckets of sand for rockets.  The fireworks were all put in a metal biscuit tin from Christmas the previous year. We always had Jacket potatoes & sausages and flapjacks.  Such a lovely memory ♥️

Did you all have traditions like that?

It certainly is, its how we learn after all.  😁

I hope that you all have a lovely weekend,  

My love and hugs to all of you, 

Sandra xxx 

A Wedding Anniversary card

 

Good Friday Morning Ladies, 

Ooh I am so glad its Friday,  I learnt a lesson yesterday,  I mean I had to go out for appointments, but I was excited to go out, get out of the house,  I couldn't have wished for better care from the girls.  I didn't take me long to regret it though.  It didn't help that I'd only had 2 and half hours sleep and was covered in a mystery rash.  Bladder clinic went well,  she was shocked at the severity of my rash but couldn't tell me what it could be.   So next stop was Tesco pharmacy for my flu jab, it was literally 5 minutes from hospital,  so seemed like a good idea at the time.  The pharmacist said he couldn't give me the Flu jab with me having a rash that widespread,  in case it was covid or a flu of some kind.   He also couldn't advise on the rash either, he said that I should make a gp appointment.  🙄 They have no idea though do they? 🤣

I was exhausted and in a lot of pain when I got home,  I think I'll leave it another week before I venture out 🤣

Love this beautiful art work and the sentiment is very true ❤️

Today I am sharing a card that I finished yesterday,  it was requested by a Lady at the girls work,   she wanted some specific things, including lots of bling!! 

So I have added diamantés to every tiny flower on the dress, given the bride a diamond necklace,  then added them around the rest of the card.  Lucy thinks she would want more bling but there is a limit. 😂

I hope that you all have a lovely Friday, 

Love and hugs to all of you, 

Sandra xxx 

 

Good Morning Ladies,  

A busy day here today,  I am a little nervous,  all jokes aside. 

It is my first day leaving the house,  which I am both excited and worried about.  Its bladder clinic day and then flu jab !  Not exactly a fun first day out but it's out, with both girls too 🥰

I have certainly had to do a lot more of this than I am comfortable with.  A great reminder and lovely artwork 😊 

After doing some in depth research,  with my hernia surgery being a larger job than first thought, my scar is a good 6 inches across and between where your bra wire sits and my navel, the wound is healing nicely,  its the muscle repair that's causing most discomfort and issues.  I rely very heavily on my abdominal muscles to move about, it turns out (after seeking some medical advice) that I should have seen either a Physiotherapist or Occupational Health to help with learning how to manage after surgery, so that I don't delay the healing.   For example getting up stairs is something I physically can't do without using my abdominal muscles to hitch my right leg up the steps.  I will get there one way or another 🤣

On a brighter note, I was pleased to see that the American 'Mid Terms' had a positive outcome 🟦

Today is another Journal page,   I was working on an Anniversary card for a lady at girls work all afternoon yesterday,  which I can hopefully share on Friday.  

Today's page has a handmade pocket with a tag, this one has a more autumn feel with the pumpkins. I did some background stamping on the tag and the page too to add interest.  

Then I show it in the journal with its facing page.

I hope that you all have a good Thursday,  

Love and hugs to all, 

Sandra xxx

Another mini journal page....

 

Good Wednesday Morning Ladies,  

I know you'll all join me in wishing our Brenda a speedy recovery,  I hope that you are home by now my lovely 😘  sending you gentle hugs xxx

Such a lovely reminder,  love the illustration too 😁

Today I am sharing another page of my mini journal,  I made another card yesterday but I won't share that until after 8th November 😉

This was quite a simple page, I used a combination of rub-ons and PET Stickers,  I used some Lindys powders mixed with water to add some splatters and a ticket.  

Simple but effective,  it looks better as part of the journal than it does on its own.  

I hope that you all have a lovely Wednesday,

Love and hugs,

Sandra xxx 

A Arden Amber Ledgers Journal page

 

Good Morning Ladies,  

I am happy to report that usual craft activities have resumed 😁

I had a lovely few hours sat at my desk having a play with some new goodies. 

I can't help but think that some of these reminders are aimed at me 🤣😂  

Being patient is proper testing my patience,  that I can confirm! 

I sat and created a 'messy' background with some Lindys Pigment powders over a piece of card that I had stencilled some 'Micro Glaze' on to.  After stencilling I spritzed with water and then sprinkled the Lindys powders over and gave another little spritz,  I set it to drive on the Aga, which took minutes,  I then used the 'Sticker' book from the Amber Ledgers Collection, I used the film strip, leaves and butterflies. 

I created 2 little tags using paper from the 6x8 inch pad and popped a hole in each and added some twine.  I stuck one tag over the other and added foam pads and placed it on the film strip,  to finish I added the  'Thankful' sentiment and then drew some (questionable) scribbled lines around the outside.  I added a complimentary coloured mat and popped it in my journal.  

I hope that you all have a good day, 

Love and hugs to all of you, 

Sandra xxx 

The card I made for Karen

 

Good Monday Morning Ladies,  

Welcome to the start of this first week of November,   have you all got a busy week ahead?? 

I have no plans until Thursday,  then its Bladder Clinic and Flu Jab !   Double wammy on that day 🤣

Such a pretty reminder today,  a good one too.  😘

Today I am sharing the Birthday card that I designed and created in ChatGPT.   I wanted to include Karen's love of Salsa Dancing,  Needle craft and card making.  

I fussy cut and decoupaged some of the elements of the card so that were decoupaged,   the Cute critter (to represent Karen's adorable critters),  I fussy cut the centres of the flowers so that they looked more 3D, the scissors and the centre of the little card were fussy cut and raised too. 

I really enjoyed making this card 😍

I hope that you all have a lovely day,  

Love and hugs to all 

Sandra xxx

A look back at our week

Good Sunday Morning Ladies, 

Let's Welcome November,  I can hardly believe its here,  its a busy month that whizzes by super fast, as we prepare for Christmas 🎄 

I hope that you are all enjoying a lovely relaxed start to your Sunday.  

This is a frustrating lesson to have to learn 🙄, none the less it's a very true reminder 😘

I had a couple of new craft goodies arrive on the day I went for surgery,  I am itching to have a play,  I did plan too yesterday but that was an over ambitions idea!!   Fingers crossed today will be the day,  one thing I am enjoying is that Paul is coming to sit with me to encourage me to stay put,  which means he is getting some relaxation time too. 

Let's look at what you have been making this week...

Karen 

Karen's Description:

I treated myself to JND’s Chocolate Deer die - it creates a “bag” to hold a Lindor chocolate The aim is to make gifts for the ladies at Craftea and thought Charlie might like playing with it

This is a spinner card 

New - JND die

Old - ribbon

I really like this Reindeer Karen,  it actually really looks like a 'Chocolate Reindeer'  I think its how the antlers are shaped,   how great that it's so versatile too,  the fact that it creates a little treat bag perfect for one little Lindor chocolate,  you can create fun little gifts for your craft friends that won't cost a fortune to fill.   It would be great for little gifts for Children to give out too.  I can see you getting a lot of use out of this die. 

Thank you so much for sharing your Chocolate Reindeer with us XXX 

Lilian 

Lilian's Description: 

Here is my challenge piece for this week.

Another tag I’m afraid, trying to get enough done to start making my tag book.

This is another water colour sponged back ground. Using several water colour paints in yellow,orange and a little bit of green.

Then I took Tim Holtz Paris garden stamps, and some little odd ones that I can’t remember where it came from.

I love doing these tags so you will probably see a few more.

Oh Lilian what stunning colours on your tag this week,  the background colours are beautiful too, your sponged watercolour backgrounds are so delicate,  I am going to add a natural sponge to my craft shopping list this week,  so that I can have a play, I tend to get too heavy handed though. 

Do you start out with certain colours and build up? 

Don't apologise for making tags my lovely,  I love seeing your tags,  the fact that I know that you love making them makes them even more enjoyable to look at.  

You making tags isn't any different to making a card each week or me boring you all with my mini journal pages.  

Seeing what you have created is a joy whatever form it takes.  

My only wish is that I might encourage you to do something you enjoy, using stash you have at hand. 

Thank you so much for a lovely,  inspirational tag XXX 

Maria

Maria's Description: 

A very simple card but you know how it is when you have too much stuff to choose from, well my mind goes blank.

I have used very old papers and poinsettia die. New for me is the Christmas tree stamp. It's from an old stamping magazine but new to me.

I have now looked in three stores for some crafting magazines and haven't found anything except for one ! Claire's I think it was but at £ 14.99 , it's a bit much. Must hold on to the pennies as going to the NEC on the 8/11

What has happened to them all . Smiths has closed down too so can't go there any more. 😟

I wanted to ask if you know if you can buy from Pretty little things ? I have seen some lovely cards from them but can't see if they sell their products anywhere 

Such a pretty Christmas card Maria,  I love how you have graduated the colours on the stamped tree.  Your poinsettia finishes the card beautifully.

Like you I struggled to find any Craft Magazines when I was in Cirencester with Soph, we went into many shops,  in TG Jones (formerly WhSmith) they only had 'Chloe's' craft magazine,  which isn't my style really, her cards are pretty but a bit blingy for me.   There were none of the old magazines that we used to buy regularly.  I wanted something to browse through while recuperating,  I'm not bothering to look anymore,   I have plenty of old ones if you want some, (they have stamps and dies with them ). 

Thank you so much for creating a lovely Christmas card for us my lovely XXX 

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I hope that you all have a great Sunday, 

Love and hugs to all, 

Sandra xxx