John update

I know this is a crafting blog and I try as much as possible to keep it to that, but I just want to thank everyone for your kind thoughts and prayers for John - much appreciated. He had the op this afternoon and when I went to the hospital at 7 this evening he'd just been brought back to the ward. He seemed fine and had something to eat. His foot is heavily bandaged and hopefully tomorrow we'll find out what's what regarding infection etc. There were definitely four toes peeping out of the top of the bandaging, so the offending one has gone!

Two more cards

I'm trying to keep myself occupied while I wait for news of John. I've managed to make a birthday card for mum to send to my brother - with an English Paper Company paper background that also wraps round the entire back of the card, because it seemed a shame not to see all of the jobs depicted. It's a very simple card, but I just felt that the paper and the saying went well together. As with my card for my brother, I printed on the computer, edged with a chalk cat's eye blue ink and then mounted on another piece of DCWV textured:



I've also made a very simple card for John, using some Jolee's embellies - I wanted to make something but can't concentrate to do anything more complicated. (I would quite like to do a more luvvy-duvvy one - perhaps I will in a day or two - one that he doesn't display on his locker):

HS:MS catch up

I knew that I'd missed a few of the HS:MS prompts, but I hadn't realised how many! I feel like a lost sheep with John in hospital so I decided to take my camera in hand and catch up.

First is 'bling' - just some of my cardmaking 'jewels':



Next was 'steam'. I tried getting photos when the kettle was boiling, but no evidence of steam, even though it was there irl. Earlier this morning I had emptied the steam iron and put it away - not thinking about the prompt - so this one is almost a cheat, because it's the box rather than the steaming iron:



Ah, the next prompt was 'thread' - I have plenty of threads, so this one was easily done:



'Colc' - oh, I had to think about this - it is cold out, but no actual frost, so in the end there's just a picture of part of the door of our freezer:



Next is the catch up of SPS which should have been done last Saturday:



And Sunday was SOS day. I've chosen this, not because it's a good photo, because technically it's awful, but because it's one that I love and it's just right for today:



Next is 'CD':



Then 'away' - easy one to choose - John's chair:



'Indulge' - wish I'd got some expensive Hotel Chocolat bar to show - the really dark scrummy stuff, but, alas, this is the only 'indulge' I could find:



And today's prompt is 'number' - I have plenty of them in a box:

Birthday card

John's having his op today and I must admit that I couldn't sleep very well (I never do at the best of times) so I was up very early this morning and have been trying to occupy myself. For a while now I haven't really felt like crafting, but there are quite a few cards that I need to get on and make and one of them is for my brother's 65th birthday on Monday. I'm glad I needed to get this done, because now I've started crafting again I feel more motivated to continue - which is just as well, because I told mum I'd make a card for her to give to my brother.

As it's his 65th - and official retirement, although he will still be doing some work - I thought I'd use some sort of leisure theme and he enjoys his golf, so here is the card:



The background paper is from PDA - I'm not sure of the make of the golf adhesions - either K & Co or Crafty Bitz - and DCWV mat stack card printed on the computer and edged and smudged with archival sepia ink. It's a simple card, but one that came together well, so I'm pleased.

I might be back later to show others if I get motivated enough to do them.

Salt: Encouragement

For this coming fortnight it's my privilege to set the topic for the Salt challenge - here's what I've said:

It's Hazel here; it's my turn to set the challenge this time and I've chosen

'Encouragement'

Here on Salt we have been very encouraged by your comments and by the wonderful creations that you have shown us as together we have combined our faith and our love of crafting.

I love that verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:11: 'Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.' - in fact, there is so much about encouragement in those letters, and indeed, in other letters from Paul. Encouragement is such a blessing to receive and also to give.

We'd love to see your take on this challenge
so please leave us a comment when you are finished your piece,
so that we and others may see your work.

To get you inspired the team on Salt have come up with some beautiful pieces.

Please take a look at Salt

I decided to make a card for a friend who has been a great encourager. The background is a lilac parchment paper (from a pack that I bought by mistake, thinking it was card, although I should have realised why I thought it was cheap!). I stamped the swirly designs (I think the stamp is from HOTP)using Brilliance pearlescent purple (I love that colour) and embossed with pearl plum EP. I printed the 'Thank you for your encouragement' on the printer and then stuck the banner in the right place for it to print and quickly embossed with pearl plum when it came out of the printer. The vellum flowers (their beauty doesn't show up enough on the photo) I've had for ages from a QVC kit - I added a bit of depth to them by rubbing the ink pad over the back of them and embossing with the pearl plum. I finished off with a few Papermania lilac adhesive stones: