Happy Saturday

 

 

Good Saturday Morning Ladies, 

I hope that you are all able to enjoy this last day of October,  this year has absolutely whizzed by!!! 

Paul is doing a few garden jobs today, I might venture down and sit at my desk for a while, I am going stir crazy sat doing nothing.  I struggle with stairs daily normally so attempting since surgery has been a no-no,  but I'm done with being confined to barracks!!!  My fingers are itching to craft too.   Although I will have to be conscious of what and how I am moving,   I do go to surgeon with the list of questions that ChatGPT recommended I ask about my particular recovery journey,  however I didn't actually get to speak to the 'Consultant ' and I was just given the same advice as anyone that wanted to cough or sneeze!!   I think we'll manage with good old 'common sense' 

Gina

Gina very kindly shared these beautiful beaded baubles with us today,  I did ask ChatGPT to try and make them a bit clearer to see 

I mean they aren't exact but you get the idea of how pretty they are.  Your tree is going to look exquisite Gina.  I hope you are enjoying Weymouth my lovely XXX 

Maria 

How absolutely gorgeous is this crystal art piece from our Maria ?!  Could they be any happier,  I wouldn't mind a glass of what they are drinking! 😉 You find some absolutely adorable art pieces Maria, what a lovely gift for a friend

Thank you so much for sharing this piece with us, it really made me smile XXX

I Hope that you all have a lovely Halloween Saturday,  

Love and hugs to all,

Sandra xxx 

Mini journal page 6

 

Good Friday Morning Ladies, 

Wow this week has flown by!  I am looking forward to a quiet weekend at home with Paul though. 

Yesterday was a pretty uncomfortable day, probably due to all anesthesia wearing off,  they did say that they put local anesthesia around wound area for comfort after surgery,  it will apparently be more uncomfortable as it was a little larger than they had anticipated. So repair was a bit larger.  But it's all tucked in nicely now which is the main thing. 

Today I am sharing the next page of my mini journal,  it started out as a blank page, I added some background stamping and then added the bits of ephemera from the Arden Amber Ledger collection.  I didn't think I would use the 'good life' piece but it fitted quite well on this page and was a perfect landing spot for the bird and butterfly 🤣

I hope that you all have a good Friday   

Love and hugs to all, 

Sandra xxx 

Happy ACTUAL Birthday Karen

 

Good Morning Ladies,  

Today's post is totally 100% in celebration of Karen's ACTUAL 70TH BIRTHDAY 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 

Make sure you read all the details on the banner above 😉

I hope you have the very best day, week and month, just as you deserve ❤️ 

I will celebrating with you from my bed,  I am in the caring hands of Soph today,  poor lucy will be glad to get to work for a rest.  We had a stressful couple of hours when I broke out in an awful rash that lucy noticed on my arms,  which got worse over an hour, then left my arms and moved to my hands causing them to swell, then back up one arm and around my neck and abdomen, within about 4 hours it had totally gone 🤞🤞 I think it was a hives type rash caused by something in anaesthesia,  Paul remembered it happened after one of my hip surgeries too, but straight after.  I did have incredibly itchy hands in recovery and all of last night. Thankfully its gone now.  These things are sent to try us!! 

Have a lovely day everyone,  

Love to all,

Sandra 

Happy Birthday Karen

Good Morning Ladies,  

 Please join me in wishing our Lovely Karen a Very Happy 70th Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈                                  I hope you have the most amazing celebrating 🍾 my lovely friend ❤️

Today's journal page is from the 'Quiet Days' Stamperia collection. 

The background was made using Washi tape pieces cut up a layered.  I then brayered over a light coat of Ivory paint to blur any harsh joins etc. 

Then I added the frame with the little girl and her cat adhered inside.  

I then added run -ons around the frame to create a 'cluster'.  A simple sentiment and some white splatters finish the page.   

I hope that you all have a good day,

Love and hugs to all 

Sandra xxx

Mini Journal page 5

 

Good Morning Ladies, 

I am very nervous this morning, all sorts of nonsense going through my mind!  So I will keep today's post brief. 

My have to be at hospital for 12.30pm.  

You all matter, more than you'll ever know 😘

Today's journal page started out as a plain page..

For this one I added Rub-ons to create the background detail. 

They add so much detail,  I added it to a piece of decorative paper from the 6 x 8 pad, 

I then used the Gathered Twigs Distress ink to add some stamped detail to the  background.

The main focal point of this page is the the Rub-on and the label with sentiment on,  sometimes you just need 'filler' pages.  

I hope that you all have a good day, 

Love & hugs to all of you, 

Sandra xxx

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 

A Arden Creative 'Amber Ledgers journal page

 

Good Monday Morning Ladies,  

I hope that you have all had a restful weekend and that you are ready for the start of a new week!  

This is so true, healing definitely isn't 'linear', its pretty much very up and down!  It depends on the individual too, how healthy we are plays a strong part too.  I have changed my diet a little to include more protein on the run up to my surgery,  consequently I have lost 5lbs too, which is a bonus!  

I couldn't resist the new Arden Creative 'Amber Ledgers' collection,  part of it was a three hole die and a box of ring binders, which I used a long with the 'bookmakers' collection,  which is a collection of faux book papers and ephemera that you can either fold in half and put together like a signature or cut the pages in half and die cut holes in them and use the binder clip to hold them together.  

I just added 6 pages to start with and I intend to add more as I create them.  

The one I created today was quite quick and simple,   I dry brushed some white paint onto the page and added some stamping and inked around the edges with Ground espresso ink.  I then picked out a selection of die cuts, inked around the edges and arranged them on the page.  I wanted to add some hessian but didn't have any specifically for crafting,  so I cut up a really old 'bag for life' from back in the day when they were hessian rather than plastic!  I know have quite a pile to use on the rest of these pages 🤣

I finished the page with some white splatters.  I can't wait to create more pages! 

I hope that you all have a great week, 

Love and hugs to all,

Sandra xxx