HS:MS S for sugar

SuzyB is standing in for Kirsty and Anita for a few days and today has said: 'We’ll start with an easy one, let’s go find ‘S’ shall we?'

I found some 's's in our kitchen:

Firstly, turned into black and white:

HS:MS SOS

I used to do a photo for HS:MS everyday, but somehow recently it's gone by the board.

I took a few photos in the garden this week - some beautiful spider's webs with the sun glinting on them:

CBC challenge 057: sport for all

Continuing on the Olympic theme, here are another two cards, this time for the CBC challenge set by Joanne (Angelnorth): 'Continuing the run up to the Beijing Olympics, today's challenge is to use a sporting theme for your card or other crafty project. You can use any sport you like but if you use one of the official summer Olympic sports (check here for a list) you get an extra entry into the prizedraw!

There are lots of sports illustrated on my cards, including some that are being played at the Olympics.

I used papers from K & Co Donna Ingemanson Rough and tumble and some 3D stickers from a pack I bought from the Works some time ago and have never found a use for until now:

CBC challenge 060: the Olympic rings

It's a while since I did any of the CBC challenges, so I thought it was about time. This is a very simple card for challenge 060 set by Jackie (okey-dokey):

'And the final Olympic themed challenge ...

Your challenge is to make something; card, layout, jewellery or anything else using the Olympic flag as your inspiration. It does NOT have to have anything Chinese, does NOT have to have anything to do with sport, just use the flag for inspiration. '

The background paper is a DCWV one that I got in a pad ages ago and the 3D stickers were from a pack bought a while ago from the Works - just added the 'Just for you' and 'Happy Birthday'. I think it qualifies for this challenge as the balls represent the five rings:

Salt: obedience

It's Salt challenge day again today - how those last two weeks have flown by.

This time, it was Kim's turn to choose the theme and this is what she said:

"Psalm 119:60, “I made haste and did not delay to keep Your commandments.”

Greetings! We continue to be blessed by your participation in our challenges and all of the lovely comments we receive on the SALT blog. We pray that, like us, you will be inspired to create a piece based on our challenges and encouraged to further study the topics discussed.

This week I (being Kim) chose the topic of OBEDIENCE.

We use a phrase with our children, adopted from some close friends; obey right away. Delayed obedience is really disobedience. Thinking that you can obey God’s commands later, maybe when life’s circumstances are different, is dangerous thinking. For this attitude would prove that we have no serious intention of obeying at all. As the saying goes, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

In our text we see that the psalmist “did not delay” to keep God’s commandments. His prompt response shows his love for God, faith in His Word, and wisdom in the application of Scripture to real life. He was not relying on his own feelings, conscience, or advice of family and friends to decide if he was living a life that was pleasing to God.

How was the psalmist able to keep God’s commandments? Is it possible for anyone to perfectly keep God’s law? Not a chance! But this is the good news of the gospel! The more we see how sinful we are, the more we will know our need for God’s grace in Christ, who is the only One who kept the whole law of God.

May we “make haste” to obey God’s commandments, putting away all excuses, repenting of our disobedience, and committing ourselves to a right relationship, gained only through trust in Christ, with our Creator!"

I found this very challenging.

I was drawn to Mark 14 which includes the account of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane and also to Philippians 2. Jesus' obedience stemmed out of unconditional love - for the Father and also for us.

In John 15 Jesus said that if we love him then we will keep his commandments.

Obedience and love go hand in hand.

The background paper for my LO is Be Blessed Glory and the stained glass window depicting Jesus praying in the garden was taken from one of those free photos sites (and I'm sorry I can't say where it is).

This is a very simple LO, but such profound and challenging truths within it:

Please take a look at Salt and the marvellous creations that others have made

JB August challenge 2: summer lovin'

It's a while since I did any challenges on JB, but this afternoon I came across some seaside pictures and acetates that I thought would be OK for this challenge set by Lisa: This challenge is to celebrate our beautiful English Summers !!!! You know me girls.....the ever loving, positive girl that I am - I want anything that makes you think of our English Summers....let your imagination wander.

So, the ideal summer for me involves a visit to the seaside, so I made these three cards - they all have acetate overlays secured to the pictures with brads (unfortunately, there's a bit of reflection on the acetate in the photos):







The last one says: 'does the song of the sea end at the shore or in the hearts of those who listen to it'

I've just realised how dull these look - they are a lot brighter irl!

Commissioned card

I was asked to make a silver wedding card. I used a background script paper by K & Co La Boutique and printed using Lucida Calligraphy font. Just a few little additions and some ribbon around it and a 'Happy Anniversary' insert. A very simple card, which I hope will be acceptable:

Think Pink 6

The project on BF for Think Pink 6 this week is to make a multi-fold card, perhaps a maze book.

I've made a maze book using K & Co Hannah DS papers, tags, etc.

I'm not totally happy with it - I think I've made it too bulky with the pockets and bits and perhaps should have made the gap between the covers bigger. If I get time before sending the stuff off I might try to do another better one.

I've left nearly everything blank so that the recipient can add comments and photos.

I've been featured!

I've been featured on

afaithperspective layout of the week

I'm ao amazed (and just a little chuffed!).

Another pack done!!

Yesterday I received a lovely stamp that I'd won on ebay. It's 'winter trees' by Inkadinkado. I stamped with versamark and embossed with white fine detail. The background paper is a script one that I had left over from last year - think it's English Paper Company. Insert says 'Season's Greetings':

BF Matchbox Christmas swap

On BF forum Leigh kindly arranged a swap - the idea was to fill a large matchbox with Christmas bits.

Nowadays our post doesn't usually come until 1 pm or beyond, so I was surprised this morning when the doorbell went and there was a postman with a few packages, one of which was my matchbox from Nicky (madhousekeeper).

I took out all the fab contents so I could take a picture (a poor flash one because it's raining and dull here atm) - I don't think I'll be able to get them all back into the box - there's so much!

Thank you so much to Nicky and to Leigh for organising the swap.

As you can see, there are all sorts of embellies, plus ribbons, fibres, brads, a snowflakes stamp ...

Christmas Cards

About four weeks ago I prepared some cards with backgrounds using my newly acquired A6 English Paper Company papers. Because I sell cards to give profit to TEAR Fund, I need to make simple ones that will sell at a low cost. I will be making these up, as usual, in packs of 5.

I've now managed to finish off these cards, using various bits, including rub ons and die cuts.

They aren't finished yet, as I need to put inserts in and then bag them up and label them (a job that I don't enjoy, but it has to be done).

I have made 10 each of most of these cards, so I now have a stock of over 100. Some of them have similar variations.

I realised after doing the scans that there seem to be dirty marks on the cards, but this is on the scanner glass, not the cards.

Where gold foiling has been used it doesn't show up well - looks more black than gold.





























I need to make some more of this kind of card before I can make the more elaborate ones that I sell individually.

Think Pink 5

This week's challenge for Think Pink is to make two any occasion cards, using mainly pink and black.

This was no problem, because I had a great choice of stuff, having bought the Pink Think black and pink kit. The papers I used were a mixture of some old DCWV and some BG from Scarlet's Letters:

BF CJ: A day in the life of ...

I'm not having a good day today - back is feeling particularly troublesome.

But I've managed to do my contribution to Di W's (crazydaisy's) CJ for the group on BF forum.

This is an unusual CJ - brilliant idea, I think.

Di said: 'I would like to find out a bit more about your everyday lives so would love you to do a double page LO in the form of a diary page. Please decorate the opposite pockets/envelopes and pop in a piece of ephemera from that day!

My diary page is for yesterday. Since John had his fall I haven't been out. I was meant to be going out for lunch with a friend, but I couldn't leave John for lunch - using the zimmer he can't cope with carrying anything - so we met for morning coffee instead.

The rest of my day is more or less routine.

So I chose to major on the coffee aspect of the day, with the 'Let's get together for coffee', a card about Coolings inside the envelope and a few blooms on the outside of the flap:

Salt: And God saw that it was good

It was my turn this time to choose the topic. This is what I said on the Salt challenge blog:

"We started the Salt faith challenge blog on 2 August last year, so this is our first birthday!!

A big thank you to all our blog visitors throughout the year and those who have taken part in our challenges, including the last one on Patience.

I feel so blessed to be part of such a wonderful group of ladies who are united in their love for our Lord and their creativity used to express their faith.

This time I (Hazel) have chosen the theme of

'And God saw that it was good'

This is a reflection on Genesis 1, which gives an account of God's marvellous work of Creation and His reflection on it was that He 'saw that it was good'.

As we celebrate our first birthday, it seems fitting to reflect upon the beauty of God's Creation.

I marvel at the wonders of God's beautiful world - so much for us to enjoy, whether it's a sunset, the petals of a flower, the intricate design of a seashell ... I could go on to name so many examples, including, of course, the wonderful gift of life itself to us as humans.

This is such a wide topic - you may wish to reflect on one particular aspect of God's Creation or the general scope of it.

We would love you to join in and create something for this topic. Please leave us a comment and a link so that we and others can visit your blog."

My LO is a simple one that lets some of the words from Genesis 1 to speak for themselves. The background paper is Craft Creations Sunset Photo A. The other papers used are from a variety in my stash, including some torn pieces from a favourite Paper Lane Paper 'British Beach'

Please take a look at Salt and the marvellous creations that others have made

Think Pink kits

I've treated myself to these gorgeous Think Pink kits - the good news is that £2 from the sale of every kit goes to Breast Cancer Care UK!!

Each kit contains a mix of 60+ embellishments from big brads, fabric brads, spotty brads, buttons, clips, crystals, and more plus ribbon, felt, gorgeous blooms and an organza bag with chipboard ribbon logo, pink cardboard ribbon logo and embossed ribbon logo.



Why not click on the Think Pink button on the right and find out all the exciting things that are happening for this worthy cause.

This week's Think Pink Project is to make cards using black and pink - I'll be doing these when I can find some motivation and energy for crafting.