Monochrome Butterfly

Good Morning Ladies,

Today's card was inspired by butterflies!  Don't ask me why, it just came to me this afternoon while I was sorting out my ribbon draws! 

I had a piece of card that I had cut with Sue's (mrs B Sue) Embroidered Striplet Die, I cut without the outside cutting edge 3 times into a piece of Coconut White Card, I then cut a slightly larger Matt of black card and covered all but a thin border of it with an adhesive sheet, I used Ebony Ice to cover the sticky sheet and give a nice sparkly background, boy that stuff makes a mess in your craft room, one of my twin daughters came in to my bedroom after her shower and said she thought she bugs all over her feet! Oops! Anyway back to the card, I mounted the die cut white sheet onto the sparkly 

background with Pinflair Glue Gel for dimension! I then put foam tape onto the back and stuck it to 

two Matt's of white and the black card base. For the focal elements I covered a piece of black card with Double sided adhesive sheet and cut a butterfly, I cut the base of butterfly out of plain back card, added Ebony Ice to the top layer and mounted the two together using a little black wire for tentacles.

(Have to make sure IPad doesn't auto correct that word)!

I used some black Pearl Swirls for the 'trail' of god butterfly.

In the opposite corner I tied a bow from black silky crush ribbon and mounted onto some black tulle arranged in a bow shape to mimic the butterfly, added some black pearl stick pins and a few extra black stones in corners. What do you all think? 

Leave me your comments please it's the highlight of my day reading all of your messages.

Off crafting with Pat&Sue tomorrow, really looking forward to it but really anxious at the same time, it's been a good couple/three weeks since I have been out so will be a bit nervy! So looking forward to catching up and checking out Pat's new teal Calibur and Sue's new machine too.

Then back home to prepare Bella for Thursday, got to be starved from 9pm tonight, poor think she usually gets fed at 6 am, we will feed Milo after Bella has left for vets.

Anyway I must go, will hopefully catch up with you all tomorrow,

Huge Hugs,

Sandra xxxx

Pretty Floral meadow

Good Morning Ladies,
The jury is still out on this card! Is it ok?
I Started by using my lovely Ne floral Meadow Striplet Die from CE, this was a Christmas gift from Santa Pat! (I love it)! I used the inner part of the die to cut into white card 3 times and the trimmed around the die, I used the outer part to cut three panels of aqua card, I put foam pads on the underside of the flowers, added a little Cosmic shimmer glue for security and stuck the two together.  I then used a pretty pink card to cut out 18 small Camelia dies to place over some of the flowers on the striplet die, adding a pearl to the centre of each one.  I then matted and layered an 8 x8 white card, with the same aqua and pink card and added a final Matt of white card, embossed with Sue's Floral Brocade A4 embossing folder.  I wasn't sure what to do to finish the card as I didn't want it to be too busy so I added a double Classic Bow from Creative Expressions in the matching colours, I will add a sentiment as required.  Let me know what you think, please x
A bit of an update, goodness I hate feeling messed around, I ended up ringing the vet to change Bella's appointment to Thursday as Paul was going to be away, I did this at around 9 am, at lunchtime Paul returns to say, 'I'm not going away now, they are thinking of moving it to Thursday' well you cN imagine my response, happy that he wasn't going, but a little frustrated at all the messing about, it's not just the veg appointment, it's my crazy head too, I don't know if I am coming or going! So anyway I decided to wait until he had gone back into work to confirm the change (before I rang vets again), guess what?? He is now going next Monday! Great in some ways, but I will have another weekend of stressing next week ! I know it's daft, but anxiety doesn't necessarily work sensibly as I gave discovered. Thank you all so much for your support, it really does help!
Live and hugs to you all,
Sandra xxxxxx

Wedgewood Heirloom Legacy

Good Monday Morning Ladies,
Well the colour of this card really reminds me of Wedgewood pottery, gorgeous colour.
The die is Spellbinders Heirloom Legacy, I simply cut it twice, I was thinking of one of Sue's buckle cards, but it really didn't turn out like that, I cut the second die cut in half and trimmed the top and bottom fancy bits off, I laid these two halves back to back on top of the first die cut and stuck them with Cosmic Shimmer Glue, I stuck this to a piece of blue cardstock. I cut the centre part of the die set and turned it sideways and used it to thread a piece of the blue cardstock through like a buckle, I had previously stamped the 'sending wishes your way' 'on your special day' on each end of the card strip, passed it through the buckle and fixed it at the back with foam tape. I covered the back of the blue card with foam tape and matted it onto white, then blue and then onto a white card base.
I tied two bows with white silky crush ribbon from Creative Expressions, one slightly bigger than the other, layered them up and fixed them together with a pearl brad, I stuck this onto the card with Pinflair Glue Gel, added three little roses, two stick pins and a few pearls. I got the inspiration from a Spellbinders blog.
I am trying to look back at the some of the many dies I have had for a few years but never really use, it seems a shame, so I will be using some in the coming weeks, make them earn their keep!
It was lovely to hear from you all over past few days,  I love reading your comments.
Hazel, I am so pleased Calum enjoyed his sleepover, your tray bake sounded yummy and a good way to get rid of all those Christmas choccies, we have quite a few left too, so I may borrow your idea.
I hope you had a lovely day with your granddaughters today and their parents of course, I wish I lived close enough to pop to my mums for sunday lunch.
Well everybody's bits and pieces are ready for school and work tomorrow, I will have a wee lie in and then get up and start trying to get the house back to normal, can't do too much but I will make a start, its amazing how everything ends up cluttered in the lounge and dining room, instead of the girls bedrooms, but that's kids for you. Hugs Hazel xxx
Steph, I am sorry, I forget to mention that Bella is our little kitty, she is ten months old, bless her she has really been suffering with 'lady problems' since New Years eve, but she is starting to calm down now, we will get her spayed on Tuesday then she will have to suffer no more!
I have had a look on google and I have the Serif Craft Artist programmes too, but I really am rubbish at technology Steph, I can turn it on but cant do much else, I rely on Paul to take and upload the photos of my cards and then I can add them to my blog. Anyway I had nothing that matched up to Sand or Ice Sculpture so will just go traditional, she said she liked the style of one I did a while back so will go similar.
How did you get on with your adventure with the double-sided sticky sheet?!!!! Hugs Steph xxx
Mrs B, I am so looking forward to Wednesday, wherever we meet, if Bella has her op tomorrow we may have to be at mine so I can watch her, but I am ringing vet tomorrow to try an change appointment as Paul is going away so won't be able to take her or collect her! I will let you know later today, Hugs xxxx
Pam, thanks for visiting my blog, I am so glad I found yours, thanks for the lovely comment too, xx
Brenda, thanks for the lovely advice yesterday, I usually have a tv on wherever I am for background noise, Did John get your boxes out, Ours are all in the hall way, ready for me to pack up and then Paul will return them to the loft, he was stuck up their today as Bella and Milo followed him up the ladder and sat at the top, preventing him from getting down, do you think they would listen to him?!
I was almost crying with laughter listening from my craft room, hugs Brenda xxx
Barbiepinkfairy, Have you noticed that Anna Marie Design has a sale on 30% across the site! hugs xx
Pat, did you spend much a Yarnton (not in the Craft shop) obviously! We keep our Snowman in a mattress topper box, its a perfect fit! Looking forward to Wednesday, hugs xxx
Margaret, Thanks for the heads up on Lily of the Valley, will go and have a look, although I did spend £58 on Anna Marie design goodies! but its good to stock up in the sales right?!!!! that's what I will tell him anyway! haha, Crafty hugs, xxx
Theresa, thanks for stopping by and for the lovely comment, hugs xxxx
Lynda, Thank you for the lovely comment yesterday, give Bambi & Annie cuddles right back from Bella and Milo, she is a lot calmer today, I think the worst is over, thank heavens! I am going to try and keep busy while Paul is away, think it seems worse as he has just been home for two weeks, along with the girls, but I will be ok, I will use the time to try and get some cards made for the blog, just out of interest how many cards do you make in one sitting? it takes me longer to decide what to use than anything else! huge hugs Lynda xxx
Well Ladies, I must go and get organised, craft room is a tip already!
Oh by the way, check out Klassy Kards, I ordered some 'Sue' dies from them and they were 50p cheaper than Icon! p & p free in UK, minimum spend £5 (or they add £1.50) admin fee! But I saved a couple of pounds, every little helps.
Crafty Hugs
Sandra xxxxx
Couple of close ups below........

Spotty Sunday!

Good Morning Craft Friends,
I started this card with the Wee Girl Image from Lilly of the Valley. I mounted the image on to a Spellbinder Captivating Squares die cut. I used some matching dotty card from Anna Marie Designs,
cut out another matt using one of the middle sized dies in the Grand Decorative squares, mounted the topper onto that.  I took and 8 x 8 white card and matted a larger piece of the dotty card onto that, I was amazed how it matched the tea pot and cups in the image. I embossed a piece of coconut white card with Creative Expressions Pin point Checkerboard A4 folder, stuck a piece of matching blue grosgrain ribbon onto it and then added a piece of white ric rac ribbon on top. I used some foam tape to stick this layer t the base and more foam tape to adhere the focal element.
I die cut the smallest of the Spellbinders Nesting Butterflies and added a trail of  Creative Expressions Pearl Swirls to the butterfly.
The opposite corner I added a few paper white roses from my stash on top of the Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish Die cut out of the blue dotty card.
I haven't added a sentiment yet, I can add one to order.
I hope you like the card.
Well I have another new order, this time for a new baby card, the lady did ask if I could use a sand sculpture or ice carving theme, but after searching the internet, I came up blank unless I pay for a Sand Writing Font, which just isn't cost effective, Do I will have to get my thinking cap on, although she saw a blue one I did a year or so ago and said that would be perfect so may just go with that theme.
Well the end of the holidays is almost upon us, I can feel the anxiety creeping in, I so love having the family home, the house noisy (and messy) are almost bearable when they are all here.  Paul told me he may have to go away again on Tuesday too, which really got my anxiety levels racing.  It just throws things into chaos, for instance we have had to book Bella in to be Spayed on Tuesday as she has just had her first 'proper in season experience', my goodness, I would only want to experience that once! Bless her, it was like she had been possessed by a demon, her voice went super deep and super loud, it went on all day and night for the past four days! We hated seeing her suffering, although not in pain, she was clearly frustrated! its clearly not fun being a woman in any species!
Well I hope you are all going to have a peaceful sunday, for us its decorations all down and back in loft and get house back to 'normal', boy its gone quick, it really doesn't seem five minutes since we were putting the tree up!
Love and hugs to you all,
Sandra xxxxxx

Sweet Little Birdcage

 







Good Morning Ladies,

Well here we go the first card of 2015!

I used a sheet of My Minds Eye Lost & Found Blush Card as inspiration,

I decided to go with a birdcage theme, I made me think of Spring!

I cut a Marianne Birdcage Die and some pink card, cut the die and folded the

door of the cage back to open, I then decided too to use lots of foliage, the foliage

is Impression Obsession Leafy Sprig and fern dies, I used some flowers from

my stash and the tiny ones are impression Obsession Tiny Flowers, I cut it from the same

card as I used to matt and layer with to tie the colours in, they also match the swags on the

top of the paper, I added a little more foliage at the top of the cage and another little flower

and a little tag, saying 'With Love' from my stash. I matted and layered on to the two colours

of pink that I used I the cage and flowers, please let me know what you think.

There are two more pictures below, showing a close up of the foliage.

The card size is approx. 7 X 7 inches.

I look forward to hearing your comments.

Love and Hugs,

Sandra

xxxx

 

Craft room prepared for New Year of Crafting!

 Good Morning Friends,
I thought I would show a few pictures of my craft room, it isn't this tidy very often mind.
I like to split my work space into two areas, one for jewellery and one for Card Making.
I think that one problem we all have is storage space, I am very lucky in that when we moved to this bungalow it had a spare room, which I soon put my name on! We have added more storage items as time as gone on, I would welcome any good space saving ideas that anyone wants to share.
I have a big butchers block style table that didn't
fit in the kitchen in this house, its perfect height to work at and sturdy enough for any craft job.
We used an old Ikea storage shelf on top of the desk for added storage area. Someone locally had taken an office suite out of someone's home office and was selling it for £30 yes £30 so all the desk with cupboard underneath came from there.
No matter how much space I have, I always seem to end up so cluttered that I have a one foot square work area, I can't seem to get the habit of putting things away as I go.
I use old large yoghurt buckets to store my craft tools in, very handy.
I would love to see your craft room/space, so if you feel like you would like to share yours you could email the pictures and I will gladly show
them. just for a bit of fun.
Another view of some of the storage areas,
I have an old cassette tape holder on the shelf
its perfect for ink pads, the jars on the middle shelf have buttons in.












the space to the right here is my jewellery making space, the drawers on the window sill contain my gemstones. 
Well I am going to go and mess this once tidy space up to make some cards to share with you all. I have ordered some more of Sue's Dies, the Scandinavian collection, I can't wait for them to arrive. I had money from my Son and Daughter to spend on craft goodies, perfect gift!
Thanks for stopping by my lovely friends, all being well there should be a card for you to see tomorrow! I was going to do one today but for once in I don't know how long I had my four children all home together, just them, it was lovely, so we celebrating with another Christmas dinner, it was perfect, I am always grateful for family days!
Crafty Hugs to all,
Sandra xxxxx

Happy New Year!

Good Morning Friends,
Firstly I want to wish you all the very happiest New Year, I genuinely hope you all have better health, success in all ventures and the love of your family!
I want to thank you from the very depths of of my heart for all of your kindness and support throughout 2014, you gave me the encouragement I needed desperately to get back into card making, writing this blog is so beneficial in many ways, it gives me purpose, I want to make cards to share with you, it also gives me greatly needed confidence from the lovely comments that you take the trouble and time out of your busy lives to write.   I feel I can now tell you that before this my depression was so deep that after Paul left gorgeous work and the children for school etc, I would take enough tablets to knock me out until lunch time, I hate the loneliness, it makes me very insecure, so sleeping through it was a relief, all be it an drug induced sleep that just made me feel lousy!
I now feel more inclined to get up and make a card to share with you so that I can hear what Steph has to say about it, or Sue,Pat,Lynda,Tandy, Brenda, CraftySue, Margaret, Hazel, each and every comment that you leave spurs me on, so thank you, you have changed my life immensely, I can never thank you enough in fact!
So I am asking you all one huge favour, will you please stick with me in 2015, I promise to blog as often as I can, hopefully inspiring you a little along the way, my dream for 2015 is to have my blog grow and grow! I will hopefully introduce some small incentives along the way, I just want each of you to continue to be part of my daily life!
Healthy, Happy New Year, to you all, hugs and huge thanks once again,
Sandra xxxxxxxxxxxxx