Fabulous Monday



 Good Monday Morning Lovely Friends,
Before I talk about todays card I would like the once again thank Saba (Barbara) for the incredible amount of work she put into producing the photographs and step by step instructions for yesterdays 'Izzy Bag' blog post.  I for one hugely appreciate the effort you went to and reading yesterdays blog posts, pretty much everyone else felt the same, so I hope you can feel the love!
Sheila (Ginger) If you look in today, please read some of the blog posts from yesterday, most of us have some idea of what you are going through and how tough life must feel at the moment.  We are all here to give you the love and support you need to help make the next few weeks and months a little more bearable. Please don't feel any pressure to comment, I just didn't want you to miss reading the lovely messages that have been left for you and Nikki.
Pat, I am so relieved that you are home and now well on the road to recovery, take it easy though, its easy to get carried away. Hopefully Sue and I will see you tomorrow.
Steph, I know you probably won't get to read this but just in case, I hope you are counting down the days until you are back home with Andy, I imagine he has been lost without you,  I hope you felt bright enough to do some more crafting.
I would also like to thank you all for 'Following' me yesterday, I am flying high at 16 followers! woo hoo!  Seriously though, I am just incredibly grateful that you all take the time to call in each day.
Right todays Card........
I wanted to use one of the new Anna Marie Designs Colours, so I went for this soft lilac colour, the new range of colours are gorgeous, sherbert hues of lemon, lilac, lime orange, blue, you name it, the shades are gorgeous.  I started with the Sue Wilson Background Die, cut out in white, I then cut a piece of the Lilac coloured card slightly larger than the background die, I then did a sneaky card save and cut out the middle size of the Californian Dies used for the focal element out of this background piece, I covered it with a double sided sticky sheet and covered that with Cosmic Shimmer Iced Snow for a bit of sparkle.  I put a large piece of double sided foam tape on the back of the white background die cut (as this bit will be covered by topper) I also added a little cosmic shimmer glue onto the adhesive foam as it was being stuck onto iced snow.  I layered the the two pieces together, adding

tiny bits of double sided adhesive to the edges for support.  I then used the Californian Collection Dies collection from Creative Expressions, designed of course by our very dear friend Sue Wilson to cut a series of layers of both the Lilac and White card to form the focal element of the card, ending with a lilac layer which had the Justrite Fabulous Day sentiment on it, stamped with Archival Black Ink and Embossed with Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail Embossing Powder.
I layered these up using double sided adhesive foam tape.
I matted this whole section on to a slightly larger white Matt and then onto a pierced matt, another lilac and then onto a white card base that measured approximately 7 1/2 X 5 1/2 inches.
To finish the card I added a piece of White Tulle, which a cut and knotted, then a bow tied using White Seam Binding from Creative Expressions, I topped this with a flower which I made using the matching Lilac card from AMD but this time it is the Dotty card, the rose was made using the

instructions from that fab booklet I got from Pink Frog Crafts, at the show last weekend. I was quite pleased by how it turned out, I then added a few lilac pearls and two Stick Pins made from the new Creative Expressions range of embellishments and a couple of bits from my stash. However I will add that when I left the card the stick pins were pointing straight up, so I am not sure what happened between me leaving it and Paul photographing it, but use your imagination, I hadn't realised until I sat down to write this post. My thinking with this sentiment is that you could add one of Sue's pierced flag dies with 'Mum' on for Mothers Day, So it would say 'Mum Have a Fabulous Day' then maybe have Happy Mothers Day inside, but having just this sentiment means it is quite versatile.
Let me know what you think below.
How Would you all like to spend your Mother's Day, if you could choose the perfect day?
Well, here's hoping for a Happy, Healthy week ahead, filled with fun and laughter!
Love and Hugs to each and everyone of you!
Sandra
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Special Sunday Tutorial, By Saba....Izzy Bags



Good Sunday Morning Ladies,
We have a special blog post today, for all of us that to have a go at the amazing 'Izzy Bag' !
Saba has been so very kind and has done like a step by step tutorial for us, with pictures to help.
If any of you want to add any hints or tips please feel free.
So here we go.......

First of all the plans and measurements, I have enlarged them to make it easier to read.
I will add that Saba came up with this idea as a way of making it easier for us all to have a go, I am so grateful to you Saba for taking the time to prepare and photograph all of these instructions.

These step by step photos have made it look so much more achievable! The book is a good idea to hold the sides while the glue dries.

Look how fabulous these bags look, you could use them for so many different occasions and



        any age bracket too.

Just one more photo to temp you into having a go, we will have a special Handbag Gallery day, to showcase all of your bags, just think of all the different colours and embellishments you can use.

Saba is going to call in this morning to talk us through all of the steps involved.

I hope you will all join me in thanking Saba for all of her hard work, I think you are amazing Saba,

thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Love and Hugs

Sandra

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Mixed Craft day!!!!

 

Welcome to our first Mixed Craft Saturday,

I am quite excited to see all the different things that you amazingly

talented ladies have achieved.

First up is this gorgeous Little Owl he has been created by our very own

Brenda (littlelamb)

Oh Brenda he is so cute! Please tell us when you made him.

 

 

 

 

Next Up we have Margaret's amazing Blue Skylanders cake that she made

 

for her Grandson's birthday.

I think it is amazing Margaret and I bet it had all the other children wanting one

too, I love how you have used the French Border Die to make a decorative edge

to the cake, it looks almost like an elegant fence.

 

Will You just look at this amazing Cable knitted Bed Cover from the very

multi talented Janet, she has sent me some amazing photos of things to share

with you of the coming weeks!

This must have taken forever, but it is so lovely, one of those things

that never dates.

 

 

Well that's all for this week, I don't want to be spoiling you with too many treats

in one go, you might not come back!

I can promise you that tomorrow we have another special feature all being well!

You will love it.

Brenda (littlelamb) Margaret & Janet

thanks you all so much for sending me your gorgeous things to show.

I hope it has inspired you all to go digging for the things you have made over the

years, I have on or two too!

I will catch up with you all later today, I am off to watch the girls

play football in the morning, so a chilly start for me!

Love and hugs

Sandra

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Janet's Gorgeous card Designed for her Knit and Natter Group

Good Morning Ladies,
Thank you for holding the fort yesterday during my absence, I just didn't seem to stop all day!
Anyway you have my undivided attention today as I have to have a relax day, otherwise my outings and sleepless nights will catch up with me.
Today's card is the amazing card that Janet designed for her Knit and Natter ladies, who then went on to complain about it! WHY!!!!!!!
It is beautiful, I love it Janet, the bow goes so well with the outer part of the die, Sue is a genius isn't she?  I love the focal element too Janet, that rose is stunning!
Hopefully Janet will pop in to enlighten us as to how to recreate this WOJ (wonder of Janet)!
Steph I hope your treatment is well underway and not giving you too many side effects.
Pat, it was so lovely to see you yesterday, at the not so posh, posh hospital, I don't know what I was expecting but that wasn't it!   Although Pat did have afternoon tea delivered while we were there, which included a proper china pot and cup and saucer, not the luke warm muck I had when I was in, when I enquired why it was never hot, I was told it was health and safety, to avoid scalding!
Anyway Pats was hot and she had a lovely chocolate tart accompanying it with a half strawberry in top! Sue and I were drooling a little, we were kind of hoping that we may have been offered a cuppa but no! Anyway as we arrived Sue declared that we needed to look the part and put our hats on, I was puzzled at first but then looked over at Sue as she produced two Christmas Cracker Paper Crowns!
I said I would put it on but only when we got to Pats bedroom door! it was worth it to see the smile on Pats face, I think she secretly thought we were mental! Well .....she isn't that far off the mark really!
I wonder how Sue is enjoying her cruise around Norway, I really do hope that she gets to see the Northern Lights!
Well I must go and get myself a drink as all this talking has left me parched!
Thank you to all of my lovely Café friends, my life is so much richer with you all in it.
Anyone looking in and thinking about joining us, come on, you will love it, its the friendliest place
ever, most of us on here barely knew each other this time last year and I am still amazed every day at how lucky I am to have such a wonderful group of friends around me.
Love and hugs to you all,
Sandra
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Another Beautiful Stamped Card from Sam & Man Card from Cheryl !

Good Morning Ladies

Today's card is the last one I have of Sam's stunning cards'

It is so beautiful, perfect for so many occasions from Get Well to Mother's Day

Such a pretty Image, the flower it looks like a Chrysanthemum to me (but I may very

well be wrong) looks almost 3D to me, you have captured it perfectly with your

colouring Sam, you have chosen the perfect colours to compliment the stamped image

as usual Sam your matting and layering is perfect!

This fabulous man card is another of Cheryl's amazing man cards

This Guitar is amazing and looks so real, it looks like you can actually play

the strings, everything from the fret board to the wood looks so realistic.

I am sure that Drew was very impressed with this card.

I would like to thank both Sam & Cheryl for allowing me to show these cards

today, what would I do without you lovely ladies?!

I still need plenty of photos in for Saturday's mixed craft day and

of course more pictures of all of your cards too, its a great back up for me to have

your photos to share when I have not been able to get a card put together.

Plus I love sharing your cards with everyone too!

Well Sue and I are off to visit Pat today, I hope she is feeling better than she was

today, I think that the morphine was causing her terrible nausea.

So today I hope to see her whizzing around the bed!

Steph I hope you are doing well and that your room mates are nice and friendly.

I hope you also aren't having too many side effects of the drugs, you should

have plenty of cards for your basket by the end of your stay!

Theresa I have everything crossed for a positive outcome from your second opinion.

I would love to see and end to your suffering.

I hope that all of you have a lovely day.

Love and hugs

to each and everyone of you!

Sandra

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Guest Designer Day.........SABA... Beautiful Ballerina + sneak peak!

Good Morning Ladies,

Well todays beautiful card Is one that Barbara (Saba) made for Granddaughter Abi's

4th Birthday, Oh boy if you think the front is pretty wait until you see the inside.

Abi is a little Ballerina herself.

 She must have absolutely loved this card, what little girl wouldn't

The Little Ballerina here is coloured so perfectly too, Saba will

call in later to give you a run down on how she created such a gorgeous

gift.

 Even a little Ballerina to take out and play with, Abi must have had

hours of fun with this, it reminds me of the little cut out dolls that were in

comics when we were little, where you had to cut the clothes out to fit on them

if you were clever enough to not cut the tabs off while you were cutting them out!

I love the sparkle in the Ballerina's skirt Saba!

Thank you so much for letting me share your gorgeous card, if it wasn't for you

lovely ladies there would be no posts somedays, I try to make sure I have a card for every day

but sometime life gets in the way, I also love and I mean genuinely love sharing your

makes too, I want you to have the opportunity of hearing the appreciation from your friends

here in the café !

Right an update.......

I called a couple of times to check on Pat yesterday, both times she was sleeping,

but they said the op went well, I will hopefully chat to her today and then Sue and

I will be putting on our best 'togs' and donning our hats to visit Pat is her Private Wing!

I so wish Steph was enjoying the same luxury, I am imagining her with a bed full of the little

die cut bits that fall out, the backs of sticky pads and the crumbs off of the incredibly dry,cold toast that she has had to chew through for breakfast.

I hope both Steph and Pat can manage to pop in today!

Saba, lets try to keep all your fingers safe today, maybe invest in some of those rounded end

kiddy scissors, or lay off the wine! haha

Wendy, I hope you will trek all the way from Bonnie Scotland to the café today

it was lovely having you join us, see we aren't so scary after all!

If anyone else is out there peaking in through the window, make that step over the threshold

I promise you won't regret it, I am blessed with the best bunch of ladies you could think of,

so don't think of us as strangers, think of us as friends you haven't met yet!

Love and huge hugs to you all,

Sandra

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ps I promised you a sneak peak............................................................

its one of Saba's handbags, she will send us more detailed pictures soon but here it is..........

 How flamin' gorgeous is that!

She's a clever old bird isn't she!

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A Twist of Lime for Tuesday

 

Good Morning Ladies,

This card is inspired by Sue Wilson and I love green, its my very favourite colour!

I started with a white card base, size 7 1/2 x 8 1/4, which I then matted with green card

and then a matt of white card which I pierced around the edge. I then embossed a piece of

green card with an Rose  Embossalisious Embossing Folder, I rounded the corners and matted

it onto a slightly longer piece of white card to the bottom of which added a piece of double sided

adhesive, I peeled the backing off and added  some Iced Snow for a bit of sparkle. The focal element was made by cutting three Union Square die cuts and off set them so that the fleur de lys were evenly spaced. I then cut a circle of green card and then a decorative matt of white. I cut an aperture through the centre of these. I stamped the Creative Expressions sentiment and embossed it with Cosmic Shimmer Detail Clear E. Powder and centred it behind the aperture.       I cut two Spellbinders Fleur de lys borders and placed them across the iced snow covered section an added some green flat back pearls to tie in the colour.  I added pearls to the corners too.  I then tied a ribbon bow and added a green pearl brad to the centre, and then made to stick pin  in complimentary colours to add a bit of sparkle.

Well my thoughts today are with my very dear friend Pat who is undergoing her first ever major operation, I hope everything goes straightforward In surgery and you have a very speedy recovery,

I can wait to get the old Pat back, where you ran rings around Sue and I. We will be along to visit you as soon as your are ready!                       Steph I am sure you are anxious too as it is your turn tomorrow, I know its not surgery but even so its still worrying and very unpleasant.  Can you take your phone or laptop with you so that we can keep in touch. I know that's what Pat is doing. (unless the break from us crazy lot will do you good)!                                                      Janet, how did your internet shopping go? did you manage to find anything to buy?

Sam, I hope you are feeling better, if not you rest up until you are, we will be here waiting when you return. 

Saba... I hope that Val continues to make good progress, you must be counting down the days until you come over to visit her.

Well thanks to Christine E suggesting that I speak to the Tonic representative who was demonstrating on the Samuel Taylor stand on Saturday, my guillotine is now back to cutting perfectly!, The lovely lady suggested that we use an Alan key and undo the blade, Paul did this, removed a piece of jammed paper, then tightened the blade to the correct width!  Paul's thoughts £30 saved, I think £30 to spend on more craft goodies!

Whilst at the show on Saturday, I watched a few demonstrations on various new machines, I think the one that is tipping the scales for me at the moment is the New Sizzix Big Shot Plus, its slightly longer than A4 and seemed to perform very well, the lady cut a very intricate die by putting it in the centre of the plate, it cut perfectly first time! She did it a few times through some very thick coated card.

Anyway I will catch up with you all later on,

Love and hugs

Sandra

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