Just one card

Just one card to show - over the past couple of days haven't felt like crafting or blogging, but this card is one that I needed to make for a friend's birthday. She loves blooms and loves pink, so I hope it fits the bill. It also fulfilled the criteria for the CAC003 BOB on Carolyn's (a challenge set by Sue), so I submitted it there.

I notice the Rachel (turtletres) has put her latest bloom card on Bumbleberries, so I think I'll also show this on there.

I'm hoping later today to be able to do the dlo on the CJ for the group on Carolyn's - the theme is 'music that moves you' and I'm still undecided as to exactly what to do for it.

And here is one of the ATCs I did last week for the swap on Carolyn's:

Just realised how well the flowery card goes with the colours of my blog!

Get well cards

A quick blog to show two cards I made recently (the cards are white textured, not showing well on scan). Carolyn has asked if anyone knows of any embellishments suitable for a doctor's graduation card. I think the embellies on the top card would be suitable. I wish I could remember the manufacturers of these - I've had them for ages and only used them the other day, otherwise I could have sent the pack to Carolyn.

I remember where I bought them and will be going to the shop in a day or two to pick up my Making Cards magazine, so I'll look to see if they still stock them.

Zebra and 4" x 4" swap (no, I'm not joining the Chelsea set!)

I made this card last night for the 'make a cut' rubber stamp challenge on Carolyn's, using a Rubbadubbado zebra stamp that I've had for a while and not used. The card is cut away on the right (the stripy band is inside).

Today I've been finishing off five 4" x 4" for a swap on UKStampers. We were asked to use at least one of the following on each one: something sheer (I used acetate), metallic, embossing (I used dry) and alcohol inks (which I love playing with).

These are the results (with big apologies for the awful photos - thought I'd get my digi camera out so that results would be better than scans, because of bits sticking up, but, ummmm, maybe I should stick with scanning! Some of them don't even look square on here, but IRL they are!):



This one was using red pepper and pearl alcohol inks and the embossed square has been done with one of the cuttlebug embossing dies.


This one uses a blend of red pepper, mushroom and a hint of butterscotch alcohol inks and the corner pieces are metallic.

This one is an acetate that was already embossed with the silver leaves, to which I then added the various flowers (some are metallic) with brads.

This piece of acetate already had silver flowers embossed on it. I lightly daubed the acetate with wild plum alcohol ink and then mounted on an embossed silver square, adding the brads and various flowers.

And the last one is a piece of silver metal, embossed with a cuttlebug folder, coloured with wild plum alcohol ink and studded here and there with purple jewels.

Cards to send today

Thanks, everyone, who's visited and left encouraging comments.

I've been back to the GP about the osteoporosis and am waiting now for a date for a bone density scan to see how bad things are. I've agreed to try the weekly tablet instead of daily (GP thinks the effects on digestion will be no worse). And the GP has given me stronger pain relief (reluctantly I've agreed - was already on fairly strong ones).

Anyway, enough of me! I've managed over the last few days to finish off my ATCs for the swap on CBC, with the theme of 'gentle giant'. I can't show them here because I forgot to scan them and anyway, we usually wait for them to be revealed after Wendy's got them all in and ready to send out.

Over at Tanda Stamps forum there has been an April ATC paisley swap. I hadn't signed up because at the moment it's hard to know whether I'd be able to meet deadlines, but I've been playing around with various paisley patterns and finished off two ATCs this morning and have got them in the post. I think I can show these here because I know that someone else on Tanda has put hers on her blog.

The scans don't look as good as irl, but I'm quite pleased with them. I used a mixture of alcohol inks: butterscotch, stream and wild plum, with just a hint of pearl dabbed on afterwards. I then ran the card through the big shot, using the paisley embossing plate and then swiped Stazon black over so it picked up on the raised embossed surface. Then I just added the organza ribbon, label and brads.

Sadly today I needed to send two sympathy cards, so these are two very simple ones:

I just used some papermania embossed stickers - it looks as if they're mounted on black, but it's in fact a matt silver with a bit of a sheen.

On a happier note, we heard yesterday of the birth of a baby boy, so I sent this card today (it was already made, so no big effort):



I also sent a silver wedding anniversary card (already made):




The tag background is actually silver, not blue as it looks on the scan.

And finally, I sent one of my square shirt cards for a friend's birthday tomorrow.

Today has been a really new experience for me. Because of my back trouble I haven't been able to give the kitchen and bathroom a really good clean, so we had two lovely ladies in today to do everything, including cleaning two ovens! I've been increasingly finding housework very difficult, so it looks as if we might have some cleaning done on a regular basis.

It seems that I need to get adjusted to a bit of a new phase of life.

By the way, I've been asked about my picture in Hello magazine - when I've got the time and energy (and John's help with boxes) I'll dig out pictures and scan. John and I were in most of the national dailies, the Sunday papers, Hello, OK, Country Life and a few other publications - and we were on TV at the time. That's got you guessing!

Variation on a theme

I made this new home card last night (finished off with the prima today). It's just a variation on the theme of the template of CAC002 on CBC, using one of the lovely Vanessa Arbuthnott papers from The English Paper Company.

I haven't felt too good today, so nothing much else to say, except boring stuff which shouldn't spoil this space!

I've been tagged ...

... by Jukie (http://montysmumscraftretreat.blogspot.com/)

(My first time of being tagged!)

Apparently you have to do seven fact/habits about yourself then tag another seven ( I am sorry but I am only doing what I am told to do!)

So here we go:

1. When I was younger I had driving lessons, but didn't take my test because I was afraid of passing!

2. I had my photo in Hello magazine.

3. I never iron until it's absolutely necessary (I used to love ironing when I was young, but the novelty wore off!)

4. I've lived in eleven different homes.

5. I hate hospitals and doctors, but I love watching Casualty and Holby City.

6. I've been to twenty different countries, but nowhere in the last two years (I think my travelling days might well be over).

7. I've sung a solo in the Royal Albert Hall.

So now I need to tag seven other people - Carol, Carolyn, Bex, Adele, Saffa, Debbie and Rosie - consider yourself tagged!!

A feeble effort ...

... is better than nothing.

On CBC there is a challenge to create a card from a template (or should I say 'SWOT' - Sue W Original Template).

As you know, life is pretty difficult at the mo, but I sat in my armchair last night and started these simple cards and have finished them off today.

Sorry that the scans are terrible - must get my digital camera out some time soon and practise taking photos of my cards (couldn't be worse results than the scans). The scanner doesn't like anything that's raises, like buttons.

Thank you for all the kind, encouraging comments left over the past week or two.

Gosh, it's over a week since I blogged!

Oh gosh - what a week!! By the weekend the pain in my back was a little easier and at least I was able to get out to church Sunday morning. On Monday I was told that the GP wanted to see me because he'd got the xray results back and when I visited on Tuesday morning he gave me the news that I've got osteoporosis and have a fractured vertebra.

This means that I have to make a few changes in life, particularly my commitments within the church leadership - not an easy decision, but a sensible conclusion.

I know that this is a crafting blog, but I just felt that I wanted to say something to explain my absence and I apologise to any reading this who already know all this (not that I'm expecting many people to be reading it!)

I started medication this morning for the osteoporosis, which is a bit of a morning regime that I'm sure I'll get used to and take in my stride in time.

Thank you to all those who are supporting me in so many ways - you know who you are.

As for crafting, it's good to still have an outlet for creativity and I'm developing ways of doing things that will put as little strain on my back as possible. My mum (bless her) has said she'll buy me a proper crafting laptray (I've seen one on the Lakeland site that I'm going to order) to replace the smaller ordinary one that I've got.

Today John was out for a while, so he got some boxes out for me and put little tables around my armchair (oh how I love my Stressless armchair - one of the best decisions we made years ago to buy a Stressless settee and chairs) and the theory was that I would spend the time sorting some of my boxes of offcuts into various colours etc to get a bit more organised. Well I have to confess that I haven't got very far with that!

So, sorry for all the waffle - and no pictures to show you (although in the past week or two I've done a few cards, but nothing special enough to show).

I now have the next CBC CJ to work on - the subject is 'music that moves me' and the standard of what's been done in the journal so far is so high that I really don't know what I'm going to do.

I signed up for the ATC swap on CBC which this month is 'gentle giraffe' - I have an idea of what I'm going to do, but still got plenty of time yet.

One of the things I'm really having to watch with my back is my time at the computer. This has always been a problem because of the top of my back hurting, but now that I know that I have a fracture I really have got to take care. So if anyone sees me spending too long on one of the crafty forums - boot me off!!! - gently, of course, 'cause I don't want any more broken bones!

Herds of good wishes

Well, actually, three elephants' worth!!

I needed to make a card this evening for our daughter-in-law's birthday. There's a challenge on CBC at the moment to use the same rubber stamp three times on a card.

So I decided to use a rubbadubbadoo elephant stamp using a post-it note masking technique (she loves elephants!). I stamped the elephants on acetate and then mounted with brads on to a silvery grey pearl card (which doesn't show up too well on the scan), which was then mounted on to a pale lilac card.

Armchair crafting

My back is still very poorly, so I'm really limited at the moment. Just about managing to get from chair to chair, although, thankfully, yesterday was a better day and so far today isn't too bad.

Anyway, to save me from utter boredom and daytime telly, John helped me get a couple of little tables by my armchair and an array of my crafting boxes. I sat with a laptray and made some cards - quite interesting trying to use only what was to hand (with a few cries to John saying 'Help - I need ...'). I've actually used up quite a few bits and pieces that were hanging around and also done some batches of cards using papers and embellies that I got with 'Let's Make Cards'.

I need to make a card for our daughter-in-law, whose birthday is on Friday. She loves elephants, so I've got out an elephant stamp, but haven't got any further. It's 'sort of' in my head, but isn't yet translating into an actual card.

I also need to do my dlo in the next cj for the CBC group - this is due to be posted next Monday and I don't want (as usual!) to leave it to the last minute, so I might try today to gather everything I need and sit in my armchair and create (with my heatpad on my back - a marvellous present bought by a friend long ago).

This morning I received my inchies swaps from UKStampers - they are great. I only joined recently and so this was the first swap I'd taken part in - very enjoyable.

And my atcs from CBC should be winging their way here soon - I'm looking forward to seeing which ones I get - have looked in the gallery and love them all. I wasn't pleased with my efforts for fabulous foliage - I wrongly kept adding embossing powder - I should have let them be at an earlier stage - nevermind!

I'm trying to decide whether to sign up for the UKS 4 x 4 swap and also the regular atc one on CBC - gentle giraffes. I'm just conscious that at the moment I'm finding it difficult to do anything much, but on the other hand I think a little bit of crafting is good for my sanity! (well, I'm still quite mad really, but I don't think that will ever change!)

No activity

It's not that I'm becoming a bad blogger, it's just that my crafty activity has been very little in the last few days, because of the trouble with my back.

I managed to do a necessary card today, but it was literally one of those 'stick ready-made embellies on' jobs.

I'm hoping things will improve and I'll be able to get back to creativity once more (although I'll probably have to catch up with other things first).

Hope to have something more worthwhile to say soon.

Not much happening on the crafting front

I haven't achieved much in the crafty way in the past few days - so many other things going on, including health challenges for us both.

But today I managed to get my ATCs done for the swap on CBC. They didn't really turn out as I'd hoped - I think I added and added too much - but nevermind, not every effort can be a masterpiece (not that any of mine are!).

I can't show them here (which is probably just as well) because they aren't revealed on CBC until the swap is finalised.

Yesterday I received Jo's fabulous CJ and am already keen to do my pages in it. Her theme is 'All that glitters' and she's done something a little different, which I love. I've picked out my background papers for my dlo, so that's a start. This time I'm really going to try to get it done before the deadline, so that it's not a 'last minute' job (although most of the time I seem to do better then).

My next crafty job must be to have a tidy up and a bit of a sort out (how often I say that!).

Circle Journal is in the post

I'm not sure how, but I managed to get the CBC cj finished and am quite pleased with the result. (No fairy godmother turned up to do the housework, so I think that must be next on the agenda - have been doing necessary church 'stuff' this evening).

So - here is the new cj, which is now in the (hopefully) safe hands of the postie, winging its way to the next person in the group. And I will receive someone else's tomorrow!!!

Journalling hidden in the envelopes above:

Very little crafting time

I'm still beavering away with the church magazine - it's got to be finished this evening - ohhhhh!!!

On Wednesday I managed to do my card for the chinese whispers swap on CBC - I can't show you, because the idea is that you email it to the next person on the list, who copies it and then emails and so on until the last person gets theirs and then everyone can compare how it started out and how it finished up. I was given a specific template to use - and I really enjoyed doing it.

I had a delivery of some lovely English Paper Company papers yesterday and K-ology Scrap Pads to Go (and a few other bits) - I'm itching to use them, but must control the crafting urge!! And I'm expecting another crafty parcel to be delivered tomorrow (I hope Royal Mail delivers - I need some of the contents for my cj). I've done a little preparation for my CBC cj, but most of it will be done tomorrow (perhaps the fairy godmother will come and do the housework!).

Sad times

This is nothing to do with crafting, but have heard this evening that a dear friend has passed away, having been ill with cancer. There is much comfort in knowing that she had a strong Christian faith and that her suffering has now ended. Her husband and family are much in my thoughts and prayers.

Ohhhh - what a fiasco!!!!

Having spent quite a lot of time today on the church magazine (and a few other bits and pieces) I decided I would reward myself with a little bit of crafty time.

At the beginning of the year, I bought a melting pot (seemed a really good idea at the time) - and until today I hadn't used it. So I decided to cut some mountboard letters ready for the front of my CJ for CBC and then dip them in UTEE melted in the pot.

I followed the instructions (that makes a change - I usually more or less ignore them!) - and the experience was a total disaster! Having made a mess of the letters I thought it would be easier to dip a big flower (cut out of mountboard from a sizzix die) - well, all I can say is that it has gone in the bin along with the letters.

I'm now left with a guey mess, not only in the melting pot, but also on the tongs and spoon (special ones - what a laugh) that won't peel off even though it's now cold on those.

I've wasted so much UTEE (not to mention time) and achieved nothing but a mess!

Anyone want to buy a melting pot? (I think in future I'll stick to using a biscuit tin and a heat gun, as demonstrated by the wonderful Sue at Hitchin.)

Time flies

Well, on Thursday morning I managed to do a few cards to replenish gaps in the boxes at the local school - a couple of new home ones and also some more new baby cards (mainly because I like doing those). Yesterday I managed to get together two or three RAKs for people on CBC and ribbons for a swap on UKStampers.

I finished off a mother's day card (or should I say 'Mothering Sunday' card - that's what mum prefers, so that's what I put on it) at about 2.00 am this morning, when I couldn't sleep.

This evening I've managed to get done two commissioned Christening cards - a boy and a girl.

I've got a busy (non-crafting things) week coming up (mainly because it's the time to put together the church magazine) so crafting is going to have to take a further back seat than normal, but I'm sure I'll still find odd slots.

I need to seriously think about my CJ for CBC - the theme I chose is 'What a day!' and I still can't decide which day to pick - it could either be the kind of day that was special and happy, or one that was just the opposite. And, of course, I need to actually put together the cover, the rules, the sign-in pages etc - so that's a lot to do and it needs to go in the post on Monday 26 March.

Meanwhile I must do the 'chinese whispers' card for CBC - I am the first in my group, so have now got under a week to get it done - this must be a priority, because I want to do it sooner rather than later - not leave it till the last minute.

On Thursday afternoon I popped along to the (fairly) local craft shop to pick up my March copy of Making Cards and it so happened that they had just had delivery of the April copy, so I managed to get both at the same time (and a few other bits that I needed!). Yesterday I went to the new-ish Docrafts stockist (which is in the same sort of area as the other craft shop) and bought a few bits - really lovely lady who owns the shop and chats.

Things have really picked up locally - a stationers in Orpington now sells quite a range of craft items, so I paid a quick visit as I had to go into Orpington to get mum's flowers for mother's day.

Just squeezing in a little crafting time ...

I've got 101 other things to do during the rest of the day (well, not quite 101, but it just feels like that!), but have just managed to squeeze a bit of time to finish my inchies. The background was done with a quite watery H2O blend. Most of the inchies have been stamped in some way and either Versamarked and embossed with clear or hologram powder.

I've really enjoyed doing these (more so today, because I could see the finished result emerging), but I'm not really sure that working with such a miniature size is my thing.

Not marvellous, but my first attempt. Now I must get back to some of the other 101 things ...

A thought: I'm wondering in future whether it would be better to photo items like this rather than scanning - the hologram effect is lost in the scan (but don't know whether it would be any better with a photo)

Crafting in miniature

As this is definitely about the crafty side of life I won't bore you with the other things that are happening that take priority over crafting (what a shame, I hear you cry!)

Last night (late) I decided that I should try and finish the inchies I started ages ago when I first became poorly. I'd only really got as far as background and cutting up into the inch squares. I had done one or two bits of stamping, but nothing much.

I've more or less finished them, but trying to decide whether to heat emboss over the top - perhaps using some holographic embossing powder - I can't decide - or perhaps put some glossy accents on top.

Today I've done three spring ATCs for a swap, so that's something else to tick off the list.

I must get on with starting my new cj for CBC - my theme is 'What a day!' and I'm still trying to decide exactly which day to use (another decision - oh, so many of them!) But before I decide that I need to actually set up the journal, design the covers, the rules and the sign-in pages, so a lot to do!

I think though that all these crafty things will have to be on hold for a day or two while I get on with the other (unmentionable) priorities of life.

I also want to make some more cards to replenish some gaps left after my successful sale on Saturday - for instance, I haven't got any 'new home' cards now and I also need to make four commissioned cards.

Still, I'd rather be kept busy ... and it is fun!

Successful day

I'm really grateful to everyone who came along today to buy cards, to help raise money for TEAR Fund.

It has been a tiring time, particularly the last day or two, but worth it.

Now all I have to do is sort and put things away in their right places (what a hoot!).

I then have some crafty tasks to get my head round. These include ATCs, Inchies, starting another circle journal and some cards that I've been asked for.

I think though that crafting will have to take a back seat for a day or two - I also have lots of other things to get done which are taking priority.

It's good to be feeling better and more able to get on with things, although feeling tired this evening and still feeling some pain in the back that I think is coming from the remnants of the pneumonia.

Is it really this time already?

I've made quite a lot of men's cards this evening because I realised that I hadn't really got many at all in my stock, only a few with a football theme. Because I did my stepson's card this evening, I had all the 'It's a Guy Thing' stuff out so it wasn't too much trouble to make a few with the materials. I also did a few fishing ones.

I think I'm going to have to call a halt now and do a last stock take to see just how many cards I've got ready.

I expect someone tomorrow will ask for something I haven't got!

Oh well, it's all in a good cause - I hope I can raise a fair amount for TEAR Fund