Sunday 18 January 2015

Sweet Card for Special Friend!

Good Morning Ladies,
Todays cards started with the stamp, its an old Penny Black stamp, it rather reminded me of three crafting friends that get together to craft!, Anyone get the similarities?
I stamped the image and coloured in with mostly water colour pens and pencils but a few bits with promarkers too. I then decided to frame the image, which I did using the Austrian Collection Innsbruck Die set by Creative Expressions, the gate the cows are leaning on has grass and flowers and a hedge at either site of the gate, I decided I would bring that out of the frame using my favourite foliage dies from Impression Obsession, also the tiny flowers are from them too, I wanted it to look like a meadow. I put the stamped and framed centre piece onto the largest die from Californian Collection Decorative Frames set (B) to lift it from the background.
I used an 8 X 8 card base and covered it with light pink dotty card from Anna Marie Designs, I then used some green card to make a border strip, I punched it with a Martha Stewart Heart Border Punch down both sides, I then threaded some green gingham ribbon through the lace and tucked both ends round the back of the pink dotty card. I added some tiny roses at regular intervals along the lace to pick up the floral element of the stamped image, I stamped the 'Sweet Friend' sentiment from Justrite onto some of the pink dotty card and die cut it with Spellbinders Standard Circle and added a green matt using the Spellbinders Scallop Circle that matched the size. I stuck this to the top of the border and topped it with a gingham bow.
I then added a piece of White Tulle, topped that with a bow made from White Silky crush ribbon, fixed together with a matching green pearl brad.  I popped a tiny rose and foliage in the top right corner of the card for balance.
Please let me know your thoughts on this card, along with any comments or questions you may have.
If you are just passing through please stop and say hi, I am lucky to have some very lovely, friendly ladies stop by my blog each day and they would be as pleased to see your comment as I would.
Thanks for all your kind thoughts regarding the party,
I think sense took control on Friday night and I decided it was just going to be too much, as it happened poor Matt has been really unwell today, he hasn't even kept down any water, I am guessing that as he has reduced immunity due to the drugs he takes for his Arthritis, the bug has affected him worse as his body hasn't the strength to fight it off, I certainly wouldn't have gone and left him, he may be 22 but everyone needs someone to care for them when they are poorly, my only no go thing is Vomit, I can't go within feet of it as I would end up doing the same, just hearing the poor lad turned my stomach today! so it looks like we were destined not to go! My friend totally understood, she said she knew how I suffered after a long journey and didn't me doing it twice in 5 hours, there were 90 people going the  party so I don't think we will be missed too much!
Well that's all for me for now, thank you all so much for your lovely comments,
Huge warming hugs,
Sandra xxxxx

30 comments:

  1. Hi Sandra. Lovely card, you always come up with something different yet it's still a "Sandra" card because of your lovely finishing touches and attention to detail.
    Poor Matt, he may be 22 but he'll appreciate his Mum being around. Have so much to do today starting with the usual massive basket of ironing so better make a start! Hope that the bug doesn't spread to anyone else in your family and that Sophie and Matt make speedy recoveries. Sue xxx

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    1. Hi Sue,
      Thanks for your lovely comment. Matt is now much better thank you,
      I don't envy you the ironing basket, my lovely husband does ours, mind you in this house it can be very frustrating as there is one young lady who, when she receives her ironing 'forgets' to put it away and more often than not after a few days it ends up on the floor and before you know it she will have put it back in the laundry basket without even wearing it, so I have instructed Paul to fold her clothes and leave them! Maybe she will learn, but I doubt it, we are too soft!
      Anyway I hope you got some rest after all your chores,
      crafty hugs
      Sandra xxx

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  2. Morning Sandra,
    I have finally found your Blog, I saw your kind message on Sue's Blog and also on Lynda's unfortunately I don't have a Blog I keep meaning to get round to getting one. I Love your Card for today as I Love to Stamp and use my Alchol Pens I find it very satisfying then I encorpate it with my Dies mostly Sue's
    Take Care
    Hugs from Sam xxx

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    1. Hi Sam,
      I am so pleased you found me! welcome, I hope you aren't suffering too much and that Tuesday will give you some answers my lovely!
      thank you for your lovely comment today, you really should start yourself a blog, I would love to see your cards, in the mean time if you have any you want to share you can always email them to me and I will show them for you, you can be my 'Guest Designer' lol, Pat did it the other day, I want this blog to be for everyone to share whatever they like and discuss whatever you like.
      I just love the company to be honest, reading all the comments, really does fill me with happiness.
      I look forward to seeing you here again soon,
      Huge Hugs
      Sandra xxxx

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  3. Good morning Sandra, today's fabulous card brought a smile to my face straight away, it's brilliant, love the image, the layout and the colours you have used. Poor Matt, yes your right you couldn't go away knowing that he was so unwell, I hope Sophie is feeling a bit better? Well woke up to a dusting of snow, nothing bad but enough to make a start if it keeps snowing on and off as it is dry so will lie. Better get dressed and get Harris out, he loves the snow. Have a good day and I hope no other member of your lovely family come down with this bug. Hazel x

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    1. Hi Hazel,
      I a pleased the card made you smile, Penny Black make some lovely stamps, I find it easier to stamp with the old wood mounted stamps,
      I have no idea why, it maybe that I press too hard with these unmounted ones, I am getting better with practise! I mainly make cards with dies, only stamping the sentiment normally, but its a shame to have all these stamps and not use them.
      Did the snow settle? we had it here yesterday morning but it was gone by lunchtime, there were a lot of ice patches around though.
      I hope Harris enjoyed his walk, I bet he enjoyed running about in the snow!
      Crafty Hugs
      Sandra xxx

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  4. Morning Sandra. Now this has really made me smile its absolutly beautiful, playful, colourful, its all so yummy. I agree with Sue that you have your own unique style that we have got to see and recognise as a Sandra card, just like we know our Sue's cards. Im probably sounding like a broken record but photo's dont do cards justice so I just know that in real life this card is so fresh and vibrant. LUSH.
    Happy Birthday for the other day Pat. Hope you had a lovely day xx : )
    Its always nice when friends are understanding concerning your health etc, that journey alone would have knocked you off your feet so would it all have been worth it in the end ? Your poor son, I can cope with anything mostly, but vom... Mine or someone else no matter if they are close to my heart... Nope dont do vom thank you !! So really hope he picks up soon. Not having an immune system stinks, we pick up everything that's going !
    Have a lovely day everyone hope you are all well warm and happy.
    Lancashire Steph xxx

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    1. Hi Steph,
      How has your weekend been? I was going to tell you about my cousin Ingrid she has Reynauds really bad, she has been in hospital this past week as the are going to try and improve the blood flow to her extremities, she suffers terribly like you do, I will keep you updated. Thankfully Becca doesn't have it that bad, but even she has tears at times, mind you her fingers are almost black at times!
      Do you have drugs that reduce your immunity like Matt and Becca?,
      Becca is on Methotrexate and Matt has been through that and is now on Humira, which has been more effective and he doesn't have the horrendous sickness that Becca is suffering as a side effect, we have an appointment Tuesday to hopefully get her changed onto something else. I so wish I could take away their pain and suffering, its heartbreaking as a mum to see your children suffer.
      sorry Steph, that was a bit of a miserable post!
      Huge Hugs
      Sandra xxxx

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  5. Gorgeous card Sandra, love your floral spray under the image that is so beautiful and I love the Pink & Green together, so fresh looking.

    Love & Hugs

    Jacquie J xxx
    http://jewelscardcraft.blogspot.co.uk/

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    1. Hi Jacquie,
      Thanks for lovely comment, its a favourite colour combination of mine, it also makes me think of spring!
      Hugs
      Sandra
      xxxx

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  6. Hi Sandra. Oh you cheeky devil, the three cows reminding you of three crafters indeed : ))
    It is a fantastic card though, I love how you have used this great stamp and added your signature foliage and flowers to look like a field, it's brilliant. A fun but grown up card which can be used for lots of occasions.
    Sorry to hear that Matt has the bug now, poor lad. Is Sophie any better? And how is your knee? Like Pat said, make sure you rest it and let the others that are feeling well do the running around. We know what you are like! It's a good thing that you didn't go to the party isn't it, what with Matt getting ill, Sophie not well and your bad knee and pain with travelling it would have been a nightmare.
    Yesterday ended up being a total loss as I got an awful headache mid morning and spent the rest of the day laid up and sleeping!
    I didn't even send Pat her birthday wishes until today, sorry Pat. I hope you had a good day though and that the pain meds are kicking in for you.
    Wednesday is good for me this week and then I hope to see this and the other cards in the flesh : )
    Stay snug and warm, and make sure you rest that knee my lovely!!!! Take care.

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    1. Hi Sue,
      I think you are the one with the hat! lol, Wednesday is fine with me too, I can't wait!
      Matt is much better today, he had me worried there for a while, but back to eating today! thank goodness!
      I have 'tried' resting, knee still sore, but I will survive!
      It is a good thing we didn't go and when we sat and talked about it, it really didn't make sense, beside the fact that it would have cost us at least £150, as it turned out, Paul went to go to shop and our car wouldn't start, do you think we could find a battery charger, we have at least one if not two, we must have leant them out, so we ended up having to drive Becca's KA to Witney to buy one, that was an experience!
      Look forward to seeing you Wednesday
      Huge Hugs
      Sandra xxxx

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  7. Keep forgetting to say that I remember Spangles, they were lovely-but not the orange or green ones and I loved Bazoka bubble gum. I saved up the tokens and got a Bazoka Joe T shirt which I loved. Who remembers Pink Panther pink chocolate bars,( I still love pink chocolate when I can find it) and also Swisskit, a sort of Snickers type choc bar. My brother loved them but I didn't. Mint Cracknel(?) was another favourite of mine. The penny sweets were great weren't they. Off to the corner shop on a Saturday morning with brother and Dad to spend ages choosing which sweets to get. I remember when the decimal coins came in I was upset because they were smaller and I thought I wouldn't get as many sweets for my money! I was only 4 at the time though. There, that's me showing my age isn't it : ) Sorry for waffling on. Take care x

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  8. Love the card and spring colours. Stamp great reminds me of Les Dawson gossiping over the fence!

    Remember pink panther chocolate. Was the chocolate mint crisp? Gorgeous pieces of crisp mint in chocolate. Don't quite remember decimalisation was in a pram!
    Love to all. Stay warm xxx

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    1. One thing I do remember was getting a huge back of sweets for your ten pence, half pence sweets, black jacks & fruit salads! Also our village shop sold sherbet (I think everyone calls it something else) but essentially different colour and flavoured sugar, I used to love it, It seemed like you got a huge bag for your money, just lick your finger and dip it in, yum! Fry's Chocolate Cream, that was yummy too! Oh I've got the fancies now! Xxx

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    2. We called it rainbow crystals and dipped liquorice in. They also did cream soda more powdery. I loved it used to go on my bike quite a way to get it! Still love it today can get it still in old fashioned sweet shops. A real treat!

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  9. Hi Sandra,
    I thought I'd comment today as you said it was ok to do so. Your cards are always so different and I really enjoy stamping and colouring so today's really appeals. The use of the foliage around the bottom really sets it off.
    I'm trying to decide which of the three of you is which. Is Mrs B in the middle or one of the ends, and which one is you?!! lol..
    Now all these comments about sweets and is upsetting because, being a war baby, sweets were rationed until I was in double digits so we didn't get many at all. My favourite was a packet of Rolo's which mam brought in every Friday morning after she'd been to the Co-op (Co-op number 45291 - you never forget it) for her weekly shop.
    She went to the shop and was back before I went out to school!!!
    Sometimes in the winter her hands were so cold carrying the shopping bags she could hard unbend her fingers. She walked there and back which took about 45 minutes each way - ah yes, the good old days.
    When decimalisation came in in February 1971 I was a mother to Rachel and the bus fare to my mother's house was 9d. After decimalisation it was 4 1/2 new p. Within a year the fare had gone up to 9p - which was nearly 2s in old money or almost 4 times the original fare - ah yes, the Government pulled another fast one in the good old days!
    I hope Sophie is picking up and am sorry to read that Matt is ill. I hope he soon picks up and it's true what you say, they always need you. Rachel is 46 today and she still likes to be comforted when she's poorly, although Eleanor and Zoe do a good job as nursing assistants!!!
    Must go, I can hear some chocolate calling to me xxx

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    1. Oh Maureen you have made my day, thank you so much for stopping by and for your fascinating post, I remember my mums 'dividend' number was 85033 and my Nans was 20306 !
      isn't strange the things that stay in your head! I remember vividly going to my Nans and licking all her Co-op stamps to go in the books,
      it was easier if she had the big 40 stamps, not all the little fiddly ones! oh what a charmed life we led! I wasn't old enough to understand decimalisation, I think I used to get 2 shillings pocket money from my nan and then I changed to 10 'new pence'!
      But it sounds like the government were as corrupt as today! It sounds a bit like the Euro, we noticed the difference with that when holidaying in spain, you got a lot more for pesetas!
      Anyway hope you enjoyed your chocolate!
      please hurry back,
      hugs
      Sandra xxxx

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  10. A really beautiful card Sandra my selection of dottie card has arrived to is so lovely. I too remember Spangles vividly, my teacher loved the acid drop ones and as I went home at lunchtimes she would ask me to get her some each day from the sweet shop opposite our school. When I delivered them to her she would give me one oh they were so sour!
    I wonder why when we were children we could eat any amount of sweets and chocolate and never put an ounce of weight on, and now I only need to think of chocolate and on goes a pound!
    Hope your son is soon feeling better, you made the right decision too.
    Hugs
    Margaret corgi owner

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    1. Hi Margaret,
      Thanks for your lovely comment.
      I think the answer to your question is we were a lot more active as children than children are today. We used to go out after breakfast to build dens in the woods, or over the clay pits, I remember there was a huge dip and we used to slide down it in a huge tin bath!
      Our Parents never seemed to worry how long we were, we were usually home for tea, but there was no sitting in front of the tv in those days, oh to be young and active! haha
      Huge Hugs
      Sandra xxxxx

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  11. Hi Sandra, Gorgeous card, I love to see lots of different stamps used and this one is great. Foliage as always stunning.
    A short one today as my shoulder is excruciating, cant do anything with it.
    Take care Hugs Theresa (TOB)x

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    1. Hi Theresa my love,
      bless you for stopping by and leaving a post even though you are struggling, it means so much Theresa thank you! I hope you manage to get some relief, although being in constant pain myself I understand that relief from pain is not very likely. I hope it gets easier throughout the day.
      Gentle hugs,
      Sandra xxx

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  12. Hi Sandra, Oh wow where should I start ? Your cards over the last week has been a fantastic journey through blue shoe, green buckle, red oh la la etc it's taken most of my afternoon to read through all the comments and admire your beautiful creations, soup making, your daughters driving lessons (hope it went well, son driving up on the 22nd) 4th time lucky? He is driving a forklift at work! Sophies amazing drawing of the dinosaurus (can't draw a stickman myself lol ) Hope she feeling better and now poor Matt have got a bug, really hope they all feeling better soon ! Left for a week in Austria last Saturday for some snow in dry, cold climate and came off the plane to +17deg.c ! Thankfully it got colder and we got the snow midweek, otherwise I had packed way to many jumpers and not many cossies lol. We like walking and eating and the cafe's makes some wonderful cakes, now I understand how Janet feel while being in Burgundy lol. So now we back in Blighty to rain and darkness and tomorrow is the start of healthy eating again and the gym, how boring is that.... Will have to look up that soup book that was mentioned and maybe have a go. Crafting as well is good if getting in the right zone for stop thinking of food all the time, if only the mojo wanted to come back.
    Sorry you missed your friends birthday party but hopefully you can meet up soon and enjoy a day together, is your knee any better ?
    Warm Hugs to you and the family and cuddles to the kittens, Maria x

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    1. Hi Maria,
      your brief summary had me exhausted! thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment. How was Austria? I am glad you got snow eventually, typical you go all that way for snow and we have it over here, you just cant win sometimes! Mind you I remember seeing the Hairy Bikers in Austria and the bakeries were too die for, so I hope you managed to find them and you returned home a few pounds heavier, its the holidays you are allowed!
      I hope you managed to find your Mojo, darn things have a habit of upping sticks an buggering off when you need them most! Maybe looking at the different blogs will inspire it to return, I hope so!
      Warm Hugs to you too,
      Sandra xxx

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  13. Hi Sandra,
    You did make me smile today! What a great card. It's just super. I have a special group of four friends - been friends for 30 years and my husband calls us the Famous 5 ! You don't have one with five cows by any chance?
    I love your dotty card too . The whole card is lovely!
    Now Frys Cream is gorgeous! I had a small baby when decimalisation arrived! Where have all those years gone?
    Must go,
    Love to all,
    So sorry Matt has been so unwell - I don't do sick either - just can't ! As you say I just join in!
    Get well soon, Matt.
    Love Myra xx

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    1. Hi Myra,
      thanks for stopping by, unfortunately no stamp with 5 cows, I have had this one for years, I just looked at it and thought of Sue, Pat and Myself!
      Matt and Sophie both much better today thank goodness!
      Hope you had a good weekend,
      hugs
      Sandra xxx

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  14. Hi My lovely
    Sandra your card is gorgeous,I love the image so cute. The colours are pretty so is your flowers & folage arrangement you do them so well.
    Hope Matt is feeling better & you enjoyed Lucy's Waffles. Also your knee is ok now.
    Love & Big Hugs Lynda xx

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    1. Hi My lovely,
      Lucy's waffles were lovely, Matt even managed one, so he is now back to eating and drinking thankfully, his medication makes him have reduced immunity so he tends to suffer a little worse than normal! I will hopefully have time to pop over to you shortly, although its after midnight I think1
      Huge hugs
      Sandra
      xxxxx

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  15. Hello Sandra,
    Very late had a bad day with computers/iPads tried three times to leave a message on my laptop. Tried iPad and it froze - this is my last ditch attempt for today.
    Beautiful card love it. which one are you? Is it the one with the flowers in her hat? Ha ha.
    I did smile when I saw this card, it reminded me of our granddaughter Ciara when she was in the year two Nativity play, she proudly announced that she was going to be the number one COW. John and I just creased up.

    On the sweetie thame I remember Spangles and I remember Frys chocolate bars, yummy cream inside. Does anyone remember Pontefract cakes. They were Licorice about the size of a 5p coin. I was very very young but can recall licorice sticks ( root) you sort of just sucked it. Very strange!

    So pleased Matt and Sophie are both feeling a little better. Hope no one else in the family gets this bug.
    i am ready for my bed now. Good night sleep well. Love Brenda xx

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    1. Hi Brenda,
      I had internet problems too tonight, I will be calling Virgin tomorrow, they take enough of our money so they can provide a decent service!
      I too remember Pontefract cakes, they were an acquired taste but I love liquorice, we had this 'weird' shop in town that sold liquorice root, it was like a twig thing, very odd, but we had a go all the same, you don't see them around today. I also remember that we used to have to go to the 'off sales' counter at our village pub to buy Dads cigarettes (tut tut) and they used to sell liquorice, it was in a box that had waxed paper over, the chap used to open it up and you could choose which one you wanted, there were pipes and pinwheels, all different shapes, we used to save up Corona bottles to take to pub and they gave you money, which we spent on sweets!
      I think that Sue is the one with the Hat, I reckon I am the one with the earrings and Pat is in the middle!
      Hugs Crafting Mummy,
      Sandra xxxx

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