Happy Saturday!!

 

Good Saturday Morning My lovelies,  

It hardly seems possible that its been a week since we were in Cornwall visiting Eden and our lovely Lilian.  I have to say that even though I have physically only 'met' Lilian twice (in person)  it literally feels like we have been visiting for years and are life long friends.  I am already looking forward to our next visit.  I so wish that Lilian was closer so that she could join us on our Watford meet ups (which we need to organise as I need something to look forward to after my surgery).  

The nurse from surgery messaged me yesterday to let me know that the Bacteria that caused my Uti was E Coli once again 🙄😔  She has given me another 7 day course of Antibiotics to make sure its gone before surgery.  

I will definitely be having one of these today!!  I'm sure some of you will be too. 

I hope that our Sonia is feeling brighter today,  this Covid strain  is really awful,  sending gentle hugs my lovely xxx

Lilian while I was actually surprised at how well you looked and were getting about I know the pain can really get you down, it's also tempting to push yourself a bit too far on the good days.  xxx

Gina

Look at these fabulous Coasters that Gina made for her friend,  they all have beautiful sea views, just what you need to cheer you up on a gloomy day, you can sit and reminisce about the lovely summer. 

Gina your friend will absolutely love this amazing gift,  thank you so much for sharing them with us.   I hope you have a wonderful week in Newquay XXX

I'm off to enjoy my lazy day,   I hope that you all have a lovely day, 

Love and hugs to all, 

Sandra xxx

Arden Garden Chronicles journal page

 

Good Friday Morning Ladies,  

The girls and I had a lovely day out in Cheltenham yesterday,   we visited the usual favourite shops, Sostrene Green included,  then the girls wanted to look in charity shops, there were quite a few!  Not that they found anything they wanted.  (I got a bargain last week in a charity shop, a huge thick book that weighs a ton, I want to try pressing some flowers!)  Oh and a book of a 100 household uses for vinegar, both for £1 !! 

We had lunch at Wagamamas,  which was a first for me but I thoroughly enjoyed what I had,  although I am struggling a bit with my tummy after that antibiotic I had on Tuesday.   We popped into M&S (for the bakery and their Almond Biscuits)  and then we finished up in TK Maxx, I got a great new stainless steel saute pan for the Aga. 

Such a beautiful piece of Artwork,  great sentiment too 😘

Now I am sharing a journal page a made a couple of months back,  it's an inky background with stencilling in white and a thicker area using stencil paste mixed with Gold mica powder.  I added some die cuts and run ons to build the page, finishing with the butterfly and some white splatters.  

I hope that you all have a good Friday,

Love & hugs to all, 

Sandra xxx 

Stampin Up Nature's Symphony card

Good Thursday Morning Ladies,  

Hasn't the weather warmed up from the weekend, I went out with a dress and light cardigan on and I was plenty warm enough the sun 🌞 was lovely.  

This reminder couldn't be more true for all of us, just pootling along at our own pace 😂🤣

The snail is so adorable too 😍 

I used my new Stampin Up Natures Symphony dies to create today's card,  the background is made with a very old embossing folder.  

I have to say that I am impressed by the amount of detail that the dies have embossed into the die cuts,  they look like they have been independently embossed.  

I used the branch stamp to add some detail to the insert.  

I haven't made a totally die cut card in ages,  I am quite pleased with the outcome 😄 

I hope that you all have a good Thursday,  

Love and hugs to all,

Sandra xxx

 

Gina's Crystal Art Card

 

Good Wednesday Morning Ladies,  

I hope you're all having as good a week as possible.

My day took somewhat of a downward spiral yesterday,  that was before my 'Pre-op Assessment'! I have had bladder 'niggles' since bladder clinic last Thursday,  not especially painful but a lot of pressure and a bit of frequency,  I thought it was down to not drinking as much as I would if I was at home, I do take my water bottle everywhere,  its not the same as drinking by the glassful at home though.  Anyway I had a bit more intense pressure on Monday night, needless to say yesterday morning bought me the full UTI symptoms, the Ialuril is a double edged sword really,  I think its been the actual 'instillation' that has started the infection the last two months,  I took my sample with me to drop off at surgery,  the nurse at the Pre-op assessment said she could dip it, however my gp would probably reject it if she did,  anyway she looked at it and said she could tell without dipping it that I had infection,  as it was so cloudy and bitsy!  She said that I needed it clearing up ASAP.      I have to be at hospital at 12.30pm on day if surgery, which is unusual, nothing to eat after 7am, then clear fluids until 11am.  I have to bring my CPAP machine as they will put it on me in recovery. All being well I can go home same day.  I was lucky that I hada phone consult with GP booked in for Uti as I needed to ask for Omeprazole to reduce Acid an anti sickness medication to take on the morning of surgery.  It's all getting a bit serious now, I am kind of terrified.   I asked about my recovery as I use my abdominal muscles to compensate for lack of hip and thigh muscles,  she said that it will complicate it, I just have to prepare to be super aware of every movement that might involve my abdominal muscles.  For instance going up and down stairs , getting on /off bed,  standing from sitting and the reverse.  I'm going to have to be very patient! 🤣

I understand this reminder but still think its a bit of a strange one 🤔 

Today I am sharing a lovely Crystal art card that Gina made for her friend to go along with some beautiful Coasters that I will share with you on Saturday.  

Gina your friend will feel very special when she opens her beautiful card and gift.   Thank you so much for sharing it with us XXX 

Karen, Sostrene Green is Lucy's favourite shop in Cheltenham,  we have found them in a few towns,   they have some lovely little 'bits and pieces ' including craft stuff, paper craft,  crochet & knitting,  jewellery making etc.  Some lovely home decor bits too.  

I hope that you all have a good day,

Love and hugs 

Sandra xxx 

A Stamperia 'Our Way' Journal page

 

Good Morning Ladies, 

Well my body decided it needed a much needed rest day yesterday,  I did very little in the morning,  mostly catching up with Matt & Becca etc.  Then I sat and went through emails and then tried to decide what to create.  I have had the new 'Our way' collection from Stamperia sat on my desk for over a week so I wanted to have a play with that.

I cut a piece of patterned paper down to 5 x 5 inch, grunged up the edges and added some orangey red and very dark brown ink around the edges allowed it to dry,  the paint is meant to look messy as you add itcl with a spatula!  After it dried I inked around the edges and enhanced the rough bits with ink.  To finish the background I added some stamping and added some splatters (from that left over paint.  

I pushed out some of the elements and inked them up and then arranged them over the background,  building up around the camera.  I love the Autumnal colours on this page.  

I hope you all have a good day,   I have my Pre-op Assessment today!  

Sending my love and hugs to all,  

Sandra xxx

Karen's Old/New Card

 

Good Monday Morning Ladies,  

Welcome to the start of a new week,  I hope that you all had a good weekend. 

Sending get well wishes to our Sonia who has Covid, I hope you are feeling a little better today my lovely 😘

I had to do exactly this last night,  we were sat in traffic for about an hour, not long after we set off from Bodmin,  we sat watching our arrival home time get later and later,  added to the fact that we hadn't eaten since breakfast as I am writing this its 21.11pm.  Oh apart from a scone and Lanhydrock National Trust house.  I am so grateful to Karen for coming to my rescue ❤️

Karen's Description:

This card is almost a copy from a magazine I enjoyed following instructions 

Old - dies from a magazine and was/is a “why did I buy that” and a Pixie Powder piece which must be at least 5 years old matted onto mustard and navy card 

New - sentiment from the latest magazine I bought

It is a quirky die, however I really like what you created with it.  Your Pixie powder background is beautiful and you captured the sparkle really nicely in your photo.  

I have quite a few "why did I buy that'  items,  I definitely think it should be a challenge,   after all we must all have atleast one!  

Thank you so much Karen,  I am incredibly grateful,  I managed to get the blog done in the car, so I could go to bed when I got in, as I was exhausted ❤️

I hope that you all have a great start to your week,

Love and hugs to all of you,  

Sandra xxx 

A look back at your lovely makes

 

Good Sunday Morning Ladies, 

I hope that you all had an enjoyable Saturday,   we were lucky with the weather yesterday,  it was perfect for wandering through the gardens at Eden project.  I hired an electric scooter so that Paul could walk beside me, plus there are some pretty steep hills!  But I think it was 'daylight robbery', it was £20 to hire for the day!!  I enjoyed the independence though.  The Mediterranean Biome had much more in this time, so many varieties of chillies and tomatoes,  different variations of herbs.

The day was finished off perfectly spending the evening with Lilian & Roger,  I know you'll be shocked to know that we chatted so much the evening just disappeared,   we got there around 5.15pm,  we had a lovely fish & chip tea,  the fish was incredible, with crispy  light batter😋,  you can tell when the fish is freshly caught.  We sat and chatted after dinner and before I knew it it was after 9pm,  I felt terrible,  as we only planned stay a couple of hours!   I think thats the definite sign that you are with enjoyable company.

Thank you Lilian & Roger for a lovely evening and delicious fish & chips 😘

Karen, did you buy anything at the lovely sewing/fabrics shop you visited yesterday?? 

Let's look back at some of your makes....

Lilian 

Lilian's Description :

Hi, here is my card for tomorrow, sorry it’s late.

Lavinia stamps for the wreath, hobby art for the cottage and stickles for the berries. 

I am sharing a throwback card from November 2023 for Lilian..

A perfect Christmas scene in a beautiful frame Lilian.  I'd rather enjoy Christmas in that little cottage 😄

Thank you for sharing it with us XXX 

Karen 

Karen's Description:

Here’s a challenge card

Lilian inspired me to get my SueW New York dies SueW poinsettia dies Nuvo drops and do you remember the TL dies - the long fronds but can’t remember name

JL leaves (mulberry?)

New latest Merry Christmas stamp heat embossed in old copper powder

I just love clean and simple cards and this one is beautiful, the vellum poinsettia adds to the simplicity,  it makes the poinsettia look so delicate. 

Thank you so much my lovely for a sharing this pretty Christmas card to inspire us XXX

Sonia

I used a card from October 2023 for Sonia for this week....

Sonia's Description:

I used an Amazing Paper Grace die set and Tim Holtz butterfly. The sentiment is from JustRite stamps. The papers were free online ☺️

To me Kraft card is as Autumnal as it gets, I really love that die too. Thank you so much for more Kraft Inspiration XXX

Maria

Marias Description:

Hi  here is my card for this week. 

I used some stamps I hadn't used before so here they are.

The card got a bit dark but hey ho... 🤭😊 All products are from Temu.

Maria what a lovely card, I don't think its too dark either,  its a lovely dark Autumnal red.😍

I love how you have added sparkle/splatters around the dandelions,  it looks like their seeds are dispersing.  

Those are two brilliant stamp sets too,  you should challenge yourself to how many combinations you can make from them. 

Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful card with us XXX 

**************

I hope that you all have a lovely Sunday,  

Love to all,

Sandra xxx