Gift Cards

Good Morning Ladies,

We are off to Colchester today to see my family, as we didn't get across before Christmas.  I am hoping the roads defrost quickly as our roads are very icy, I'm sure the main roads will have been gritted though.

I made these two 'Gift Cards' to put some money in for my mum and Niece Charlotte, we barely had time to shop for our own let alone extended family, plus my mum always asks for a jumper or cardigan but my sister told me that she has so many she can't fit them in her wardrobe, so I wasn't going to buy another, I then thought about Vouchers but mum doesn't go to town anymore, so I decided on cash, as her friend takes her shopping every week so she can buy something if she sees it. 

Anyway on to cards, I used the 'Year Of Cheer' Designer Series Paper to create these cards, I cut them to 27cm and scored at 9 and 18cm,  to create the tri-fold. I used ribbon as a closure on both cards, to give the look of a 'gift'.  On Mum's card I stamped the word ,'Mum' using my large letter stamps, I used Versamark and added gold Embossing Powder, I heat set and then die cut using the 'Large Letter' thinlits. 

I quite like how they turned out.

Brenda I hope your day in bed has helped you recover from the horrible cold/flu virus, sending huge hugs. XXX

Janet, what a chilly day for a funeral, you were in my thoughts today my lovely, I hope all went well XXX

Lynda, I am so sorry to here about Terry, he must be in agony, I'm glad he listened to Darren otherwise he'd still be suffering, give him a gentle hug from me and wish him a speedy recovery XXX

Sending love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra

xxxxxxx

Bringing in Spring!

Good Morning Ladies,

I thought I'd make a start on the many 'Thank you' cards  need and as I sat at my Craft Room desk looking out of the window at the rain I found myself thinking of Spring, the warmer air, the bursts of colour everywhere from flowers bursting in to life, if the past six months is anything to go by I will be here in no time.

This was the inspiration for today's card, I went straight for the brand new Stampin'Up! 'Petal Palette' suite (stamps with matching dies).  

I then had to choose the colours, my first thoughts of Spring are yellow and green, so that's the colour I went for, 'Crushed Curry' and 'Old Olive' with a hint of 'Peekaboo Peach' added into the centre of the flowers and on the edge of the birds chest, I used the Stampin'Up! Water colour pencils and blended them with the Blender pens, which brings the colours to life. 

I stamped the three rose cluster and coloured then die cut it, I did the same for the bird, the die cut the background strip and the green foliage sprig, and arranged them on my card.

I stamped the 'Thank You' from the 'Petal Palette,' stamp set at the bottom of the card and added a few sparkles.

It certainly brightens your day. 

Paul and I had a totally relaxing day yesterday, I banned him from cooking, cleaning and running around after anyone, I wanted him to really chill out, so that's what he did! 

Today we have Paul's parents and sister coming over, so all hands on deck! 

I hope you have a lovely day ladies,

Love and hugs

Sandra

xxxxxx

Happy Boxing Day

Good Morning Ladies,

Happy Boxing Day,

I hope that you all had a lovely day yesterday, celebrating with your family, we had a lovely family day, playing games, enjoying a lovely lunch together, more games and finishing the day off with chocolates and a movie, if was so lovely and a welcome break from worrying about houses and all things related to it.

I have always been curious about the true meaning of 'Boxing Day', so I did a little research and below are a couple of the descriptions, are these accurate in your opinion??

A 'Christmas Box' in Britain is a name for a Christmas present. Boxing Day was traditionally a day off for servants and the day when they received a 'Christmas Box' from the master. The servants would also go home on Boxing Day to give 'Christmas Boxes' to their families.

It was also traditional that servants got the day off to celebrate Christmas with their families on Boxing Day. Before World War II, it was common for working people (such as milkmen and butchers) to travel round their delivery places and collect their Christmas box or tip.

I guess they are both giving a similar explanation, however we are having our own version this year, we are boxing up every thing in sight, that we don't use 'day to day', so we are ready to move as soon as we get the 'all clear' to go!  So book shelves, DVD's games etc, pots and pans other than those we use daily, can all be boxed, we are trying to make the most of every day we have free, Paul's parents are coming to visit for the day on Wednesday and we are supposed to be travelling to see my Family on Thursday, as we haven't had chance to go before.  We can't really spare the time but we both feel guilty that we haven't been. Which will leave us about 4-5 days of solid packing before Paul returns to work.

How are you all spending your Boxing Day???
I hope you have an amazing day what ever you are up to,

Sending you lots of love and hugs,

Sandra 
xxxxxx

Happy Christmas Everyone

Good Morning Dearest Friends

I hope that you are all waking to the very Happiest Christmas Day, I hope that all of you that are travelling to visit family have a very safe journey.

Our day will be spent eating and playing games, Becca and Josh are coming over for Christmas lunch and she has just informed me that she is staying over too, which is lovely, although quite where she will sleep is another story as our spare room is filled with boxes ready for moving as soon as possible in the New Year.

If all goes to plan in the next week or so this will be our New Home, it's a little bit more than we were hoping to pay but it ticks most of the boxes and more importantly Ito has room for All of our family and furniture. It also has a loveky open fire and a Wet Room, I won't have a Craft Room but there is a room that will work as a Dining Room that can fit one of those 'Storage4crafts' units in too, so I can craft using the storage unit on my own and when Pat and Sue come over I can turn my chair around and craft on the dining table with them, there's also a large under stairs cupboard outside this room to keep my storage trolley and any other craft things that won't fit in craft unit. The Kitchen is a lovely size, it's a little dated but has plenty of space, it has a lovely AGA, which I am quite excited about and also a 'normal' electric oven which is at built in at waist level which means I will be able to get baking again as I don't have to bend down to access our low oven. The thing I am most excited about though is the fact that this house has a huge walk in Pantry, omg, I cannot wait to fill it up, our kitchen now is tiny as it is for a two bed home, so we have two double cabinets and another for cups etc on the wall, so we have never been able to do a monthly shop or even weekly to be honest because we just don't have the space to store boxes, jars and tins etc.                 There is a fair sized 'Drawing Room ' Downstairs which we are going to have as a bedroom, the Set room is also on the ground floor, so that will work perfectly for me too!                                   So fingers crossed that it all goes smoothly.                                     Right that's more than enough from me, I just wanted to share my excitement with all of you..   

 I hope that you all have a fantastic day eating, drinking and making merry!

Sending love and hugs to all of you, 

Sandra

xxxxxxx

Your Challenge Cards

My Challenge cards 

Good Morning Ladies,.                                                                                                                   I would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas Eve, I expect you will all be busy cooking and doing those last minute preparations.                                                             How are you all spending your Christmas Day?, I am delighted that I have all my babies home for Christmas Day, nothing makes me happier I have to admit .             Well you all pulled out all the stops to start cards made for this week's Embossing Folder Challenge, this one is always popular.  You have made some absolutely amazing cards, so I will let you get on and enjoy them.......

 Brenda

A pretty card from Brenda, using a John Lockwood Embossing Folder, Brenda has highlighted the embossed area with some ink, the beautifully coloured roses and ribbon compliment the ink perfectly.

XXX

Pat 

Pat has used the Snowflake Lattice embossing folder to create the background for bauble card, I love that Fir Branch die you have used. Such a lovely card.

XXX

Lynda

Lynda has used the beautiful All Occasion Embossing Folder that we all love to create this amazing card, I love how you have coloured the flowers, embellished beautifully with the pretty flowers you have used. 

XXX

Michele

Michele used a selection of All-Occasion Embossing Folders to create the set of 4 Christmas cards in the first photo, the second card is STUNNING, (Michele you work well under stress)! I absolutely love how you have used 'the' Embossing Folder on this card, I love it ! 

XXX

Margaret

Margaret has also used the All-Occasion Embossing Folder create her challenge card, I love the colours you have used Margaret and the touch of sparkle in the background! A beautiful birthday card.

 XXX

Val

Oh Val I love this Christmas card that you have made for Lynn and Paul, it's so unique and cute and I love everything about it, including your embossed background!

XXX

Janet

Janet has had a super busy week in her craft room, she has made to beautifully embossed foil birthday cards using Crafter's Companion 3D Embossing Folders, simply embellished with butterflies and flowers, the amount of detail in the background means the card needs very little embellishing! The third card Janet made for Gracie-Leigh's second birthday, the pretty embossed background is subtle enough that it lets the cute cheeky monkey and the giraffe take all the limelight, I just know that Gracie-Leigh's face will light up when she opens this card, could we possibly have a little update photo of her Janet?

XXX

Maria

Maria made these two lovely Christmas cards for her neighbours, the first one Maria embossed the background with a snow fall embossing folder, she has then embossed each of the little panels to create the 'checkerboard' pattern, finishing the card with the 'Merry Christmas' die cut.                                                                                                      The second card Maria has made by stamping a beautiful framed winter scene inside a delicate embossed frame, I'm not sure who's Embossing Folder it is but I love it!      I also love the pine cone and fir branch embellishment! 

XXX

Lilian

OMG Lilian, I love the effect you have created by adding colour over the stunning embossed background, can I please ask what 'medium' you used to add the colour, it looks like wax or maybe Mica Powders, either way it has worked beautifully!

XXX

Karen

Karen, I just love this Christmas card that you have designed for this week's Challenge, it is a simple design but every element works. A beautiful embossed background that doubles as the greeting, two pieces of foil edged ribbon with a stunning poinsettia, die cut from Pink Frog Red Velvet card and topped with a perfectly matched Brad, the Tattered Lace Beaded Flourishes add just the right amount of 'fancy' ! 

XXX

I have kept the descriptions brief this week to save a few minutes but I wanted to let you all know how immensely grateful I am to each and every one of you, for making time in your busy lives to take part in these challenges every week.  Receiving the emails or messenger messages containing your cards each week brings such joy to my life, it's so nice to receive 'Happy Mail'!  I am happy to continue the Monday challenges into the New year if you all want to continue continue taking part, I don't ever want to make you feel forced into doing it, though I have to say I made so many Christmas cards throughout the year for the challenges that I only had a few to make to finish my list, so there are other benefits to taking part other than making me smile.  We all need a push to sit down and create sometimes, we are pleased when we have done it though, so I like to think that although I am being a pain, I am keeping your creativity going too! 😉.                                                                                                       

I feel so blessed to have so many lovely hugely talented friends, I love you all dearly.  

I want to wish you all the very Happiest Christmas ! 

Love and hugs 

Sandra

xxxxxx

Mixed up Saturday

Margaret

Good Morning Ladies,

I hope that you aren't all rushing about getting your last minute shopping

getting those last few stocking fillers and food for Christmas , one thing that has been frustrating this year is there are no fresh Walnuts, in  fact there are hardly any, it's so annoying, My favourites are Brazil nuts.

I want to share a piece of Sophie's artwork , I personally think that it's fantastic and she will be setting the 'Bar' so very high for  the other candidates!

The picture was painted with Oil paints, this was her very first oil painting, I have already 'declared' an interest early, I would love this masterpiece on my wall!

The picture was copied from a photograph, the study was all about Photo Realism,

It really is stunning in real day light. I am a very proud Mummy 

Paul and I viewed another house yesterday, this one was very interesting, it was big enough for our furniture etc, the house is lovely, fantastic even, so, we have put our names down, so they will take the house off of the Market, it's £1500  

Margaret

Margaret made the second and third photo this week,  She designed and created the pretty box, those boxes are amazing, I believe it was Janet who sent her the dies cuts, which is so very kind ?! Margaret has turned it into a stunning, tall, octagonal Box, that Margaret has tied a pretty ribbon too, it really doesn't need anything else, the box is beautiful on its own.

Margaret also has a pretty collection of stamped notelets, using different colours of
Ink and a variety of stamps to collections. Those cards are so pretty, bright and cheerful. They would make a great gift for anyone, all bundled up in that beautiful box.
(Photos up above)
Thank you so much Margaret for sharing your new creations.

Janet

Janet made this stunning number card for little Gacie-Leigh's second Birthday,  she has decorated the card with cute images of Piglet and Pooh Bear and Donkey, I love it Janet, thank you so much. XXX

Well ladies that's all for today, I hope you aren't all too busy to pop in tomorrow, If a brief trip into town is planned be prepared for a long wait times, it's ridiculous, so many people were struggling in supermarkets with two huge Shopping trolleys filled to the top with shopping, all because the shops are closed for ONE day!!!

Have a lovely day ladies,

Lots of love

Sandra
xxxxxx

More Christmas cards for Festive Friday

Good Morning Ladies, 

Two more of my gorgeous Christmas cards today, these two were designed and created by Val and Margaret.

The first 'Cute Kitty' card was designed by Our Val, she used a super cute Cat topper which to me looks like a 'Chorus of Kitty Carol Singers', which she framed with an intricate die cut, a piece of matching kitty background paper framed in the same way creates a gorgeous backdrop for the topper.  Val added a pretty border along the bottom of the card and a delicate sentiment framed in the same red card.

We are a house of cat lovers so your card went down very well Val, thank you so much xxx

Margaret used a beautiful die cut Christmas scene to create this fantastic card, She die cut the scene in white and mounted it onto Red card, which highlights all of the intricate details of this gorgeous die. Margaret used a beautiful sentiment to finish my card, stamped in matching red ink and punched with a pretty label punch and then mounted onto a red SU 'Lots of Labels' die cut. 

I absolutely love this card, the die cut image is beautiful Margaret, thank you so much. XXX

Ooh we have a busy day today, we are viewing another house at 9:30 am, it's a rural location but a perfect house layout, I only hope my two dear friends will travel a bit further to visit me each week!!  

We were then having our hair cut but poor Freya is heavily pregnant and suffering so she had to cancel, the girls were a bit gutted but I'm not too worried. 

We then have to measure off to the JR hospital in Oxford where I am seeing a Cardiologist, so hopefully I will get some information about why my heart keeps racing and struggling to maintain its normal rhythm.  

Lilian,  I understand you are seeing your cardiologist too, I'm wishing you the very best of luck for a good outcome, my appointment is at 13:50, what time is yours Lilian ?? 

We also have to pop into bank for Paul to sign some papers, then a bit more Christmas shopping. 

I'm looking forward to spending the day with Paul I have to say, I really miss not seeing through the day. 

Karen, I hope your heating gets fixed before the weekend, we had two weeks in December without heating once, the bought us two tiny fan heaters, it was awful, I have everything crossed that you get your parts quickly XXX

Lilian, all the best for today's appointment, fingers crossed for positive outcome. XXX

I hope you all have a fantastic day my dear friends,

Love and hugs

Sandra

xxxxxx