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 

A loom back at this weeks makes

 

Good Sunday Morning Ladies, 

I'm not sure that I had a 'lazy ' day yesterday but it was enjoyable,  I bought new cushions for our dining chairs a month or so back and a tablecloth to match,  I have been intending to change everything over for weeks,  so I did that first, I got a new table protector too, ( like a padded tablecloth), the one that was on it we bought when we bought the table, which was before the girls were born,  probably nearer 30 years, it still had a couple of our dog Gemma's hair on it and she died in 2004!  I guess it proves that it was worth the money we paid for it, although at the time we thought it was ridiculously expensive!!  The table is like new underneath,   I guess we should leave it uncovered, we use it every day though, so I'd feel more comfortable with it covered.  It's our social area,  we made Becca's wedding invitations on it, Soph has spent hours painting on it.  That piece of wood has some lovely memories attached to it, the girls first Christmas dinner was eaten around it for example!   Blimey I'm sorry I waffled on about a flippin table for ages.  After I had done the table and seat cushions I decided to make some soup for our lunch,  Sweet potato, Butternut squash, onion,  garlic,  with cumin, smoked paprika.  It was absolutely delicious 😋. 

 I then spent the rest of the afternoon crafting.  

What a lovely reminder today 😊 🥰😘

Let's look at what you have made...

Karen

Karen's Description:

1 :  Stencilled card made using  Tumbled Glass, Shaded Lilac, Wilted Violet for  flowers and Lucky Clover for the stems on layer 4.  

2 :  Here’s another old and new card

Old = die from magazine with a really old Hunky Dory paper pad called Colour Families in claret

New = sentiment dies I recently treated myself to

3 :  Here’s a variation of the card I made earlier in the week, So...

Old = a piece of acetate and tissue paper with Pixie Powder and gold gilding flakes I think Sue W called it “fire and ice” technique Must be a good 2 years old

New = my new stencil with black texture paste The stencil was very cheap from Hobbycraft 

How are you feeling I am gutted that you have yet another UTI xx

Wow !! Someone's 'Mojo'  has found it's way home! 🤣😂

3 completely different and equally incredible cards,  the 'fire & Ice' background is amazing,  I love the colours 😍 which you have matched perfectly with that background paper. 

Your stencilled cards are always stunning,  this one is no different,   those colours just work perfectly.  

I think that Freebie die is brilliant,  it looks totally different in the almost floral configuration,  the colours in that Hunkydory pad are lovely,   perfect for when you need to do the different layers in coordinating shades. 

Your new Sentiment dies are so versatile and a great investment.  

Thank you so much for supporting the blog and the challenges,  I am as always incredibly grateful XXX

Lilian 

Lilian's Description:

Here is my challenge piece

The old are the stamps from chocolate baroque. ( not available now.)

The background is water coloured with paint from tubes with a natural sponge.

The new is the bird from Stamperia flowers and poems, I think.

Haven’t done a tag for ages but really enjoyed doing this one.

Oh Lilian 😍 your tag is beautiful,   that sponged  watercolour background is just stunning  ..

Your attention to detail is outstanding,  those tiny little white dots on the flowers and branches bring the whole tag to life.   

It makes me so happy to read that you actually enjoyed creating the tag,  you should do a little tag collection for the next few weeks my lovely.

Thank you so very much for supporting the challenge,  I really appreciate your support XXX 

Maria

Maria's Description: 

Now to card making which took a few days to get back to 😊 but I started yesterday and put it all together this afternoon.

I used a very old die to make the candle and the greenery. The new bit was the sentiment and the light blue glitter card.

What a fabulous Christmas card my lovely 😍,  I absolutely love a wreath card,  those bits of greenery are lovely with the extra little leaves included.  Those background elements and border are from your new stamps that you shared last week aren't they?   They finish the card off perfectly,  I might treat myself to a set 😊

Thank you so much for pushing yourself to finish this lovely Christmas card, I appreciate you so very much my lovely friend XXX

Gina 

Gina's Description:  

 

Gina what a brilliant Christmas card, aren't Craft Addiction dies great?!  Good prices too.  I absolutely love the Christmas scene that you have built,  the starry sky is a genius idea!  So was using the snowman button with the shank removed so that it lies flat.  Poor Santa looks well and truly stuck though!  🤣

Thank you so much for supporting our blog  & challenges,  I am very grateful.  XXX

I hope that you have a safe journey to Cornwall today my lovely 😘

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

Ladies can we please pencil in some dates for Watford meet up,  I keep meaning to mention it,  Maria reminded me yesterday xx 

I hope that you all have a lovely Sunday,  

Love and hugs to all of you,  

Sandra xxx 

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