My first "Old /New" Challenge card

 

Good Morning Ladies,  

Well I did finally get around to making a card,  it took me most of the day as I was busy on the phone on and off for an hour or so, trying to find the right department at the right hospital 🙄,  that's the problem with being referred out of your area.  I think they originally referred me to Warwick/Stratford & Coventry because I had been to the surgery in February or March after having that Endoscopy,  the GP I saw confirmed that I had a Hernia but wasn't sure which type.  I left the surgery waiting for a referral and around 8 months later while on a phone consultation with GP about bladder issues I said how disappointed I was that I had heard nothing more about Hernia and told her that the GP I saw actually wrote on my notes that he would update me in 3 weeks.   

She could clearly see that nothing was done so I think she referred me to the hospital with the shortest wait list.   It is totally out of our NHS (Gloucestershire).  Which is ok apart from the fact that they have no access to any of your medical records.   The surgeon I saw was so lovely though, so fingers crossed all will be well,  Surgery is booked for late October. 

This is such an important reminder, if you don't take care of your mental health it will eventually affect your physical health.  It is very hard to manage though.  😘

I finally managed to sit and create something yesterday,  for our new Challenge I picked the papers I got on Friday from Stampin Up and for the old I used Arch dies that I bought in a Spellbinders sale a few years ago and I'm not sure I have ever used them either 🙄,  the Embossing folder is old too, as is that narrow crocheted lace.  

I hope that you all have a good day, 

Love & hugs to all,

Sandra xxx

Welcome to the start of a new week

 

Good Monday Morning Ladies, 

Here we are at the start of the last week of September!   I hope that you all had a lovely weekend.   Ours was quite relaxed,  it was raining yesterday afternoon so no gardening,  so we decided to go looking at Televisions,   we have needed a new one for a while,  my goodness I wasn't prepared for how overwhelming  TV shopping was going to be,  there were so many different options,  the majority of which were enormous!  I don't mind advice etc but the chap who was showing us one particular tv (like he must have more commission on that particular one) turned out to be a pest,  I ended up asking him and then 3 others to let us just have a look at the different options.  

I think its time for a new challenge,  as I explained on our messenger group the other day I asked ChatGPT for some suggestions,  I really liked the 'what was I thinking'  challenge BUT I'd like to wait until everyone is ok to join in.  

So for this next challenge I am going to go with....

Old Meets New – combine one older craft item with something newer.

I know that we all have plenty of 'old' 🤣😂 and I'm pretty sure we all have something relatively new.  

So it could be a project using a new paper collection cut with an old die.  OR the other way round.  

It can be using old stamps on a journal page with your newest stamperia collection.  

I have some Tim Holtz embellishments that I have hoarded for years, ephemera too,  this would be the perfect challenge to use them.  

If you would like anymore suggestions just ask,  I particularly like challenges that encourage us to use our old stash,  after all we all have plenty of it🤣😂. 

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

Love and hugs to all of you , 

Sandra xxx

Let's look at what we made this week..

 

Good Sunday Morning Ladies,  

My contributions are a little disappointing this week,  I just couldn't summone the enthusiasm, forcing it doesn't work either, you end up with something you just aren't happy with.  

Let's have a look at what you have been making...

Karen 

Karen's Description: 

I haven’t done any card making but have been able to crochet with thicker yarn and hook than I’m used to 

I was gifted this yarn and thought it was perfect for autumn colours It has red,green,brown and grey - from Aldi, their rainbow range

So I made this Toft Labrador for the Ukraine charity box. 

Oh my goodness Karen both the yarn and your Labrador are gorgeous,  the colours are just perfect Autumn,  I could sit and look at him all day.   

It doesn't matter that it isn't a card or journal page, what's important is that you made it !!  The title of todays post is 'let's look back at what you have made this week ',  you definitely made it so it qualifies.  

Thank you for sharing your lovely labrador with us XXX 

Lilian 

Lilian's Description:  

Here is my page at last. It’s a simple Stamperia page, using page from the junk journal plus cut out and ephemera. The gold and iridescent are from the little tubes of paste.

Lilian there is beauty in 'simplicity ', your journal page is definitely beautiful,  such an idyllic Christmas scene.  Those cheeky little dogs add a bit of fun to the page too. 

Thank you so much for creating this lovely journal page Lilian, I hope that you didn't make to much mess in your craft room while looking for your junk journal 😊 XXX

Sonia

Sonia's Description:

Here’s a card for Sunday my lovely. Sending it now as I’m not sure what signal we’ll have on our holiday 🙂

I made a Christmas card to add to my stash. I’ve used papers and ephemera from Prima Marketing ‘Christmas Blush’ collection. I inked all edges with Walnut Stain distress ink. 

I’m not 100% sure about it, think it’s too busy! Probably would have been better with a plain background xx

Oh Sonia your card is so beautiful,  that Prima Christmas Blush collection is so pretty and its very 'you' 

Thank you so much for creating this lovely card, especially as you were busy getting ready for your holiday.  

I hope you are having a great time XXX

*********

Thank you all for sharing your makes,  I promise to do better this week 🤣😂

I hope that you have a lovely Sunday,  

Love and hugs to all of you

Sandra xxx 

Our last September Saturday

 

Good Saturday Morning Ladies, 

I love today's craft quote,  if this is true I should be giddy with joy this week 🤣😂😅!! 

What are you all up to this weekend,   I know Sonia and Gina are off on their holidays this week. Gina is off to Bournemouth for the week,  Sonia has booked a lovely little cabin in the beautiful Somerset countryside.  I hope you both have a lovely relaxing week xxx

I did laugh when this was today's reminder,   as I said to Paul this 'exact' statement about this Cpap machine !! 🤣😂  I think we all try our best every day in one way or another 😘

Gina made this adorable sheep Crystal Art piece for Ron's Aunt.  It is such a cheerful little piece Gina, Ron's Aunt will be so delighted ☺️  Thank you for sharing it with us XXX 

These are a few of the bits I got in my 'Box of Joy' 🤣😂  from Stampin Up,   I can't wait to have a play.  I have a few new bits to play with but tiredness has killed my ability to sit and craft this week.  I had a decent night last night though so fingers crossed my creativity will reappear 🤞🤞🤞🤣

I hope that you all have a lovely weekend, 

Love and hugs to all, 

Sandra xxx

Some throwback Autumn bits

 

Good Friday Morning Ladies, 

Phew thank goodness it's Friday!  This week has not been the best for me if I'm being honest,  purely because of this bloody CPAP machine.  At this point I want to send it back but in my mind I know how detrimental Sleep Apnoea can be on your health particularly with dementia etc, so I desperately want it to work, my goodness I am trying,  I had a night off Cpap to sleep last night as I was exhausted.  

Today I am sharing some older Autumn projects with you all.  I hadn't realised how many I had made and these are just a few of them 

Brenda I hope you are on the mend after your recent 'trips' 😉 Are you able to get about easier ?  I think you'll be like me and miss getting to sit out in the garden as it gets cooler,  I think that when you are stuck at home day in day out just getting out in the garden for an hour or two can make a real difference.  Sending you big hugs xxx 

Karen I hope that your eye is recovering nicely,   not long now and it will all be over.  I understand how frustrating it must be though, particularly as you are so active xxx

Lilian I'm sorry to read that you are still struggling with pain,  I know from a friend that knee surgery was more painful that hip replacement.  Hopefully the physiotherapist can suggest something to help you manage the pain,  it must be so hard having this pain on top of everything else.   Sending you hugs my lovely xxx

Maria I hope that you aren't getting too stressed as your visit 'home ' gets nearer.  You will be fine and try and remember its just for a few days,  then you will be back home with Rick, are you staying in a hotel?  Hugs on the way xxx

Gina I hope that you are well my lovely,  have you got any more trips planned before Christmas?  How are those cards coming along?  Sending hugs xxx

Sonia are you all packed and ready?  I hope that you both have a lovely week away together,  you have had a busy few months and definitely deserve a lovely break,  where you are doing nothing other than relaxing.  I can't wait to see the photos of the beautiful countryside.  I do wonder....will you stay off of ChatGPT or will you be creating some more lovely collections? Sending hugs xxx

Sue What a busy week you have had, how is Ros doing?  How is that craft desk etc coming along,  I am looking forward to seeing a photo of it all newly organised (while it is still organised) 🤣😂 I hope you have a more relaxing weekend,  sending hugs xxx

I hope that you all have a great day  

Love and hugs to all  

Sandra xxx 

A 'faux' Eclipse card

 

Good Morning Ladies,  

Yesterday just flew by,  I was busy all day doing bits and bobs,  I just can't sit and relax at the moment,  I want to empty every cupboard and drawer and get rid of everything we don't use,  yesterday I did the little cupboard that we keep tea bags and hot chocolate bits in,  surprisingly there about 10 different teas !!  I got rid of ones we hadn't used in a while,  we had three different types of mint tea bags 🙄!   I bought some lazy susan trays for the pantry but hadn't used them so I checked to see uf they fitted in the cupboard we keep the herbs and spices in,  they did, so I got Lucy to help me get all the jars out, wipe the cupboard out and then arrange the herbs on one and spices on the other on the shelf above.  It looked so much neater and was much easier to pick something that you need.  I bought some herbs last week when we were out with Becca,  so I planted them out in the high troughs we bought earlier this year.  These are little 'niggly' jobs that keep put off!  

It sometimes feels like the most trying things in life seem to go on forever,  however they do pass eventually and those clouds will pass and allow the sun to brighten our days.  🌞 ☀️ 🌤 

Today I am sharing an anniversary card that I made using ChatGPT, I wanted to create a 'faux' Eclipse card, so I found a floral spray that I liked,  I then asked ChatGPT to resize it to use on a square card,  I asked for the letters to look as though they are part of the background but raised, I couldn't work out how to add a drop shadow.  Anyway with many edits I was happy with the image.  I went to print it using the Epson Smart Panel but it kept going to 'fit to page' which was way too big,  so I asked ChatGPT to turn it into a pdf so that I could print it on A4 card and cut it to 5 1/4 inch square.  

I then matted it onto a shade of green that picked out some of the colour of the foliage. Then onto a  6 x 6 inch card base that I made from an A3 piece of card.  

Its great for posting as its flat,  however I do feel that I 'cheated'  somehow,  I wouldn't want to use it all the time as I'd miss the physical crafting.  It is perfect for personalised cards though. 

Soph and I are off out for brunch today,  which I am looking too. 

I hope that you all have a good day, 

Love and hugs to all of you,  

Sandra xxx

An Autumnal Tag

 

Good Wednesday Morning Ladies,  

Just a quickie blog post today,  lets have a look at todays reminder...

I don't remember seeing this one before but I love the sentiment,   I'd say we aren't proud of ourselves often enough. 😘

I started this tag on Monday,  using the Aall&Create #28 Tag, I used the inner part of the die to cut a piece of Stamperia Golden Harmony card,  the outer I used to cut a piece of Kraft card.   I then fussy cut the boot and other bits of ephemera,  edged them with vintage photo ink and built the focal point of the card.  I used a flower die set to cut the flower and coloured it with Mustard Seed, Fired Brick & Vintage Photo ink,  I used my small Gelli plate to put the die cut flowers on to colour them, it was so much easier as I didn't have to hold them down,  the ink blended beautifully on the gel plate too.  I cut leaves from a piece of paper in the collection and inked the edges.  I shaped the flowers and adhered them to the tag.   A piece of crocheted lace and some splatters finish the tag oh and some little cork buttons in the flower centres.  I just need a sentiment or phrase!  

I hope that you all have a good day, 

Love and hugs to all

Sandra xxx