Happy Christmas

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Happy Christmas to all my blog friends. 

Wishing you all a warm happy time with friends and family, and a peaceful New Year.

Thank you for all your kind comments over the last year I appreciated everyone single one.

Love, hugs and Best Wishes

 Carol and Mr H XXX 

Winter Wonderland

Hello everyone hope all is well in your world. Today I am showing a vintage card using  a wonderful stamp from  the Crafty Individuals range. CI 399 'Winter Wonderland.

I used Centura Pearl cardstock for the card base in a gold. I then embossed onto cream card using the  Vintage embossing folder from Crafter's Companion range. I added some pearl gilding wax to highlight the Vintage words. Next I stamped the beautiful Winter Wonder CI 399 stamp with black Archival ink, and used a little stickles to highlight the gorgeous little snowflakes.
I cut out a shape from a spellbinder die and backed it with a lovely burgandy colour. I added a further piece of card  in ivory as a mat along with the vintage piece embossed mat and distressed them around all the edges, curled them and added a little  Distress ink in Fired Brick. I  assembled it all and added a bow in gold organza ribbon, along with a few berries and leaves. The final piece was to add a sentiment of Season's Greetings stamped and embossed in gold.

I am entering this into the Crafty Individual Christmas Frenzy competition
Bye for now x

Friendly Hello

Hello again long time no see. Just a quick update from my last post. Still having lots of problems with my shoulder and looking to have a third injection to help. I cannot have any more than three it seems so I am hoping it will have a reasonable effect to help with pain and stiffness. I have eased off crafting for a few weeks now to help it improve, however, its not really made much difference so I am starting to craft again.

My first Christmas card, oh dear, it's getting nearer and the shops are filling up with all the tinsel and toys.
I have made this card out of Co  ordination card stock in a lovely dark blue  Firstly I ran it through Sue Wilson's checkerboard embossing folder then sprayed it over with Crafters Companion Iridescent spray.

I stamped the bauble from the Creative expressions range and coloured it with promarkers. Next I stamped the poinsettia stamp by Sue Wilson several times onto vellum, embossed the edges with silver embossing powder. I added a small stamped image  with the seniments Peace, Love and Joy.
My first Christmas card and my first posting for a while. Take care xxx

Patterned Papers

Would you credit it, now try as I may none of the pictures will up load for me, so here is  my update just to let you know I am still here and not left blog land just yet. When I can sort this out I will be back with pictures, perhaps for another project.


Well blogger friends I am afraid I have been missing for a little while due to a few issues really.
 Mr Mojo decided to do a round the world trip leaving me without a thought. My shoulder is still not very good and I am now having physio and waiting to go on a 6 weeks Shoulder  Course (  wish it was craft workshops instead but they don't do them on the NHS it seems)
Thank goodness I have my  Ebug.

My tablet is driving me nuts this week, first it won't charge, then it charges but drops the charge in a couple of minutes.  Isn't technology a wonderful thing until it goes wrong! Today I can't get out of the front door , no joke,  it  unlocks but it is stuck at the top. I presume the hook at top is not releasing possibly because it has expanded due to the glorious weather we are having. Poor Mr H cannot understand why we have to go out through the back door.

Anyway onto my offering for the lovely Hel's Sunday challenge, Patterned Papers.

I have used 3 MDF shapes and covered them all with paper. The last one is paper pieced with lots of left over bits of paper.


Starting with the top one I added paper with vintage roses on it ,really pretty I stamped the sentiment, added a  wooden flourish, a metal butterfly and the rose. I made the flower from Tim H tattered die, l used a plain paper and added distress ink Victorian velvet around the edges. Then I cut some leaves and put them all in the meltpot. I also added a little gold paste on edges of rose, and a small strip of crochet ribbon along the bottom.


The middle mdf  also has a piece of patterned paper as a base and I have added some rock candy distress to the left corner. I added a strip of card, added some ribbon, and a cameo at top left. Bottom left is a little lock. On the right hand side is some beads , a hessian heart, steamed with the sentiment   'Follow your Heart' . I added a bit of red promarker to high light, added the keys and a crochet rose and leaf.

The last piece is made up of paper piecing . I added the pieces and went round the edges with a fine pencil. I added a few based, a cameo and frame, a butterfly made from kraft card, stamped in black and embossed then cut around. I added the words to the bottom right. I used jute cord to put it all together.

Well a bit of a long post today, take care and I hope you like my project xxx

A bit of Vintage Pink

Hello blogger friends I hope you are doing well and enjoying a little bit of sunshine in your world. Today I am sharing a tag I made from recycled corrugated card. The tag is  primarily pink, and Pink is this weeks Sunday Challenge by the lovely Hel's Sheridan.

I started by cutting the card down to 7 x 5 inches and covered it front and back with Fresco Vintage lace acrylic paint. I used a word stamp to add to the background and Ranger rock candy distress around the edges.

I tore some vellum and a piece of pink paper, curled the top and stuck them onto the tag with Ranger glue and seal.   At the bottom of the tag I added some vintage ribbon I bought from the Ribbon Girl.  This ribbon is gorgeous, it is hessian  and about 2 inches wide with the most beautiful pink roses on it. I die cut a butterfly and added a bit of  Tim H  Victorian Velvet distress ink around the edge. Next I added a postcard and a resin frame with a cameo and a dove. Finally I made some flowers, die cut a leaf, and added a few pearls and a couple of hat pins..

Hope you like it, take care and enjoy the sunny daysxxx

Birthday Wishes

Hello  just a quick blog to share my birthday flowers from my youngest son, daughter in  law and grandchildren. The flowers are so beautiful and pretty , they came hand tied and wrapped in hessian. How did the florist know I needed that for my craft?  I just had to take a picture of them with my cards. I received some lovely presents from friends so all in all not a bad day.

Oh and I would just like to say sorry to Anne for her birthday wishes on my previous post LIFE, she left a lovely comment and birthday wishes and what did I do!!!! Instead of publishing it I deleted it. Sorry Annex

Life

Hello everyone hope you are well and enjoying the odd day of sunshine we are getting at the moment. Unfortunately we are in for a few rainy days so it's umbrella time again

My shoulder is still causing problems although it is not as painful. I have finally got a further appointment for next week, so I am hoping if I have another steroid injection it will help to clear it up.
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 It's Mr H's  birthday today, he has reached double figures bless him, he is 10 years old and I will be well a lot older than that tomorrow as it's my birthday too.

So onto my project which I am entering for Hel's Sunday Challenge called Life.  Life itself is a challenge each and every day, some are easy, some are well so challenging!!!.

For this challenge I have made a hanging from a 8x12 inch piece of mountboard. I wanted to show the pretty side of life,  that when we look around us there's a lot of beautiful things for free. No pressures, no costs, just the beauty of nature.

I started by blending Tim H distress inks shaded lilac, tumbled glass, and worn lipstick over the base . Then I stamped the corner with a sweet pea stamp from Sheena's range , added some words for interest as well as a bit of crackle stamping.  I used texture paste through a stencil to add a bit of dimension to the top left hand corner. . Next I stamped the dandelion,  the sentiment , then I stamped the little bird onto tissue paper and added him with ranger glue and seal. The stamp is the free gift from the latest Craft Stampers magazine and is by Crafty Individuals. I used the computer for the sentiment , stamped some flowers , then used pro markers to add colour , and I stamped some bits of flowers and tree branches at the bottom.

I die cut the butterflies, adding a vintage postcard for interest.  Finally I made holes at the top and put some waxed cord through and added some pearls and crystal from some old jewellery.

I hope you like it. Take care and enjoy your weekend xxx

Flame Colours

Hello  bloggers, I hope you are well and enjoying the few sunny days we have had  over the last few days.
It is lovely not to get wet walking Mr H and he certainly loves the weather at the moment. He is not very keen if it gets too warm, but these days he loves.

 Still trying  with glasses and the shoulder is not good really  I think I will end up with a second steroid injection. Anyway onto my entry for Hel's Sheridan Sunday Challenge This week the challenge is for something orange, or red , or something bright, so I am sharing a canvas with you .

The canvas is 8 x 8  and I used a couple of masks and wild honey with a  touch of spiced marmalade disress ink blended over. I added some embossing paste to the top right hand side, then went over the edges with distress crackle by Tim Holtz. I die cut the heart from orange card ststock, a birdcage from kraft card,  some flourishes , and a key. The heart was put in the melt pot as well as the flourish and bird cage. I cut a flower from tattered flowers die  from orange card and stamped them before shaping and putting together. I stamped out love,  laugh , live words  from a Tim H stamp  and attached them. The birdcage is on a piece of hessian. Finally I added a touch of gold  paste to highlight the edges of the canvas.

I wish you all a lovely Easter weekend and hope the weather stays sunny. Enjoy whatever you get up to. Bye for now and take carexxx

Nature

Hello everyone and I hope you are all well
 Thankfully the weather is improving and there are so many lovely signs of spring and everything coming alive. I love spring, I love the trees, and all the plants and shrubs coming alive for another year. All the birds seem to sing all day long and as the song says What a Wonderful world, nature is wonderful. Mr H likes it as well when the ground is dry, a bit of sun and he loves the wind blowing through his fur, looks a lot like a little sheep bless him.

Today I am sharing a tag I have made and I am entering this into Hel's Sheridan's Sunday Challenge called, guess what Nature.
So Nature can mean be so many different things to so many people. I have decided to go light and fluffy and pretty , with flowers, butterflies, and a sentiment that says it all.

The  tag is from Mdf and I have used tumbled glass,  peacock feathers and a touch of victorian velvet distress ink blended over it. I added some more colour through a mask to add a bit of design. Next I made the flowers from Tim Holtz tattered  dies' scrunched them up, added a spritz of water and a touch of distress ink. Then I added the pearls. I diecut the pretty Heartfelt Creations butterflies, added a bit of distress ink to them and tiny pearls. Nature has so many tiny pearls of wisdom for us. Lastly I stamped my sentiment from a Sheena Douglas set, added brushed  corduroy and blended it with wild honey to remind us of the earthy colours around.

Update on shoulder improving but still being careful, and the glasses well I will have to go back to Opticians as I can't read unless I put them on the end of my nose, fiddle around, and maybe then I can manage a bit. Hard to describe but they ain't working. I have also purchased an Ebosser, Hels was right it is so much easier and I can carry on crafting. Hope you like the tag, take care allxxx

A Fun Week

Hello bloggers I hope you are well. I am having a few problems this week. I have some new glasses, varifocals to be exact. I have only worn reading glasses before and to say I am struggling is an understatement. Seems the optician says I need a bit of help with distance (  news to me) but I now have a stigma in my right eye as well. I can see a little better and a mean a little better wearing them for distance , but I can't see hardly at all for reading. So they are on trial for a few days and we shall see if we can get along.
On top of that I hurt my shoulder a few weeks ago and as it was not improving I had an xray  on it which came back abnormal., so that matches the rest of me then!!! . I blame the problem on my manual die cutting machine, gosh we crafters suffer for our pleasure. Anyway I have had a steroid injection and strict instructions to take it easy for the next three weeks, and not to vac or iron either. Wohooo  less housework. Hopefully by then and a bit of physio I should be on the mend.

So onto my project after all that waffle.  This is for Hel's Sunday Challenge  'Brown'

I started with an mdf shape and covered it with brown patterned paper from my stash, cut it out and sandpapered the edges, then used brushed corduroy distress ink over the edge. Then I die cut a shape ( before the injection) with a spellie out of cream and brown paper and stamped my sentiment on it. The stamp is a creative expressions one, and I sealed it all with glue and seal.
Next I die cut and also stamped out  3 butterflies. The top one is out of brown kraft card. It is stamped in perfect medium and embossed in black and then cut out then  layered over the die cut ones. The flowers are Tim H  tattered flower die, I added stamping and edged with brushed corduroy distress ink and added a pearl. To finish I added pearls in the corners a little flourish, birdie, and gold twine to hang it up with.

I hope you like it and I think I will need to invest in an electric die cutter for the future,  lucky I have die cuts already done,  not sure about the glasses though. Anyway take care  xxx

Destiny and Dreams

Hello my friends I hope you are well. I am sharing a clock with you today and it is my entry to Hel's Sunday Challenge with the theme  'Dream'. Congratulations to Hels for reaching 300 blog challenges and for the fab candy prize for this weeks challenge.

I bought the clock from the local cheapie shop and I was going to just take the clock pieces out and make a frame. As the clock was sold  inside a picture I decided oh what the heck why not just cover it. So that's what I did.

Firstly I took the clock out of the picture and I used card from my stash to cover it. Then I stamped over it with one of Sheena's crackle stamps. Next I used a couple of stencils and inked through with Picked Raspberry, such a gorgeous colour, and used some paste as well. I used some flitter glue around the edge of the shape and added some flake over it. I also sprayed a few drops of golden mint shimmer in parts and inked with a bit of black soot distress ink. I made some flowers from the tattered flowers die and added some gold flakes and Victorian Velvet distress ink on the edges. The sentiment is made  from some personal  words, and edged around with black ink. I added some lace, a few ready made flowers by Hobby House, a few strands of card coloured with Walnut Stain ink and placed onto a piece of hessian. I added a vintage postcard and a little peg with a tiny flower shape on it. I also stamped a small 'Enjoy the Journey' Tim H  stamp at the bottom.

I hope you like it, take care and enjoy your weekend xxx

Happy

Hello bloggers I have made this card for a friend's birthday next month. I am entering it for the Sunday Challenge with the lovely Hels Sheridan theme "Happy". Having thought about what makes me happy I have to say friend's.  Without friend's I wonder where I would have been over the last few years of life changing events. I have come to realise how different friends give different things to us, mine certainly do. I think we all have a handful of true friends we know we can call on when things are not going well, equally, when things are going well it is nice to share the happy times yours and theirs. I feel blessed and happy to have these friends in my life. I also am happy to have all my blog friends who are always willing to help and share inspiration. I have to also mention  my lovely companion Mr H who in his own way keeps me going each day. Here is the card:

This is the inside

You have me in stitches

Hello everyone I hope you are all well and enjoying the wonderful spring sunshine. It is great to get out without all the rain to walk Mt H and he is still clean and dry afterwards.
Today I am sharing a hanging on the sewing theme and I am entering this for Hels Sheriden's Sunday challenge Stitches.
I started with an MDF shape and covered it in paper and edged it in black soot distress ink. I then stamped  over in parts with cradle stamp, hessian stamp , and a couple of small Tim H background stamps. Then I used some card stock with a sewing theme and stamped the edges with different stitches . Next I stamped the dress form and added to base of pattern picture with glue and seal. I used 3d foam to raise it up a bit. I hot glued the wings onto the dress form for a bit of a stream punk theme.

Next I added card strip of a tape measure, some crochet ribbon, a button, pearls and finally some flowers. I  added a wooden treddle scewing machine embellishment,  rolled a little bit of card and wrapped some bakers twine twine to look like a cotton reel. Finally I thread some waxed jute to hang it up with. I hope you like it . Take care xxx

Dogs & Horses

Hello bloggers I hope all is going well with you . Well the first of March is upon us and I hope you all said White Rabbits 3 times to let in the month, not quite sure why or where this superstition came from but hey ho it's good not to tempt fate. At least in my little world it is. Hopefully the weather will continue to improve for all of us, especially for those affected so badly with the recent storms.

Today I am sharing a couple of Birthday cards made especially for two ladies, and as you can guess by the title one loves dogs, the other horses, simples.

I hope you like them, have a good week and take care. XXX

A Little Birdie Told Me

Hello bloggers hope you are all well and safe. The weather is mixed at the moment and we have seen sunshine a few times, and lots of rain. I am sharing a canvas  with you today  I have made.I should have taken the pictures a little earlier in the day as they are a little dark. Note to me to remember that one!!!

 

I started by using frayed burlap and spiced marmalade distress ink, Then added orange , black and yellow sprays in splatters. I used tissue from a ready stamped sheet from Do craft for the bird, and I stamped the little birdie message onto plain tissue. I covered all of it with glue + seal matt. I placed mesh down the left hand side and added the art letters from American Crafts.I stamped text and corners and added gold rub & buff around the edges. The butterfly is a wooden laser cut one and I sprayed it with orange glimmer spray and finished off with gold rub+  buff.

I made the flowers from a drinks can cut out with a Tim Holtz die an, I run it through an embossing folder and then used alchohol inks to colour  them. Sorry about the darkish pictures, but hope you like the canvas. I am entering this in the Sunday Challenge with the lovely Hels. Take care everyone and have a lovely weekend xxx

Happy Valentine's Day

Hello everybody I hope you are all well and were not too affected by the awful high winds on Wednesday. Let's hope the next lot due will not be as severe.
I am sharing the last of my Valentine makes and I hope you like them. A special valentine wish to my great friend Judith, love you to bits, and so does Mr H . Take care everybody x

The best Valentine of all Mr H

Valentine Wishes

Hello bloggers and I hope you are all well and safe. The weather is still causing lots of problems for us, hopefully, spring won't be too long away. I wanted to share a few cards today with the Valentine theme I hope you like them.

That's all for now, take care x

The Colour Orange

Hello everyone I hope you are all well and staying warm. Gosh it certainly is cold today that wind is Arctic. Today I am sharing a canvas with you and I am entering it in Hels Sunday Challenge orange.

I started by using frayed burlap distress ink with cut and dry and blended it , I sprayed it in parts with golden mint ink, and black ink. I stamped the beautiful owl from a Sam Poole stamp, and stamped flowers and cut leaves from a Tim H die. I coloured the flowers with spiced marmalade , and pine needles and burlap on on the leaves. I stamped the sentiments out and cut them up as individuals. Then it was melt pot time for flowers , leaves  and Mr owl. I cut a piece of burlap and used a bit of brushed cordroy to add colour and placed them all on with glue gunI .I used a little wax on owl and l added a little metal butterfly with flowers.Couldn't leave little butterfly out could I. I hope you like it, take care xxx

WOW I Won & Valentine's cards

I am so happy, I have won some blog candy from the lovely Buddy and Kath's Blog. I am so pleased, it seems a long time since any good luck came my way , so thank you Buddy and Kath.

Onto a few Valentine's cards. I made these for a friend who has a cake decorating shop and wanted to put them with some small matching cakes.

I hope you like them. Take carexxx

Purple Feathers

Hello my blogger friends how are you all doing? I hope you are all well and enjoying your crafting. I am not too bad at the moment as my back is allowing me to get about without lots of pain, but we know how fickle they can be. Mr H is fine too and enjoyed a few days of not getting wet on his walks. 

Today I am showing a birthday card for a best friend. Pretty in pink with  purple feathers. I used a cardstock from a Kanban pad I have had a while but it is very pretty. I used radient rectangles  Spellbinder dies for the frame , and stamped my sentiment from a Creative Expressions stamp set. I stamped Best Friend and used diecut for base.

I die cut my favourite butterfly and added pearls,  used  a diecut heart , and added a touch of lace to it. To finish I  made a organza bow, used a pearl stick pin and purple feathers stuck down with glue gun. I am entering this in Hels Sheridan Sunday challenge this week. Take care xxx

Flutterby Wings

Hello bloggers I hope all is well in your world. on this rather dark and dull Saturday morning. Never mind it is weekend  and I hope you all enjoy it.

Pooch is none to happy though he hates the rain and it is forecast for the day. Oh dear .
Today I am sharing a canvas with a beautiful butterfly stamp from Sam Poole. I think it is beautiful. I stamped it onto tissue paper, and the background is also done with stamped tissue. I used glue and seal  ( magic stuff ) to add onto canvas.  I went round edge with a bit of frayed burlap disress ink, then used a tonic die for the birdcage. I used a spellbinder die for the little birdie on top of cage and put him in the melt pot. That's sounds so cruel but honestly he was not hurt, just gained a nice coat really. I added sentiments and a little heart at top.  Then I added pearls to the butterfly to finish. I am entering this into Hel's Sunday challenge of Wings.

 Bye for now and take care xxx Mr H gorgeous pooch  grunts a kiss x

Look who's 18

Hello bloggers I hope you are well. So who can name all the Telitubbies ?  I have now managed to load the birthday card to go with the canvas at long last. This is my grandson around the age of 3 and he does not know I have this picture so hopefully it will be a bit of a surprise!!!  Basically I used an 8x8 card , used a stencil and peacock feathers distress ink  over the top. I scanned the picture in and cropped it, and added computer generated words. I stamped a crown from Tim H stamps onto foil,  and added a key from Heartfelt Creations burnished keys die. At least he won't get another card like this one, then again maybe he won't want one.

Take care, bye for now x

18th Birthday Canvas

Hello blogger friends.   Well blogger is being a real pain. For some reason I can't upload my photo's from my tablet, so I am using my mobile to transfer some. The problem is the camera is not quite as good. Anyway I have done this canvas for my grandson who will be  18 next weekend. I have also made a card but I will try and upload that again for now I will go through the canvas but wish I could show it in one piece but can't seem to get a larger picture. 

I used an 8x8 canvas and the background card is by Tim Holtz. I painted  around the outside in stripes of black and white acrylic paint. 

I used a stencil and white paste , then added black embossing powder and heated it. It actually shaped into a bit of a map shape, which matches the idea of travel,enjoy the journey through life. I splashed some gold mint spray in parts for interest, stamped enjoy the journey, dream and wish sentiments, and used 18 numbers from American Crafts, and of course the key of the door.

My

grandson loves the Beatles and collects a lot of their memorabilia so I used a cd for the rock and roll picture and added a silver guitar charm. I stamped sentiments on tissue from Tim Holtz and fineshed it off with a coat of glue and seal. I am entering this for Hel's Sunday Challenge Dream. I hope you like it and thank you for looking, and for any comments left, I really do love seeing them. Have a lovely weekend all of you x

Hello bloggers I hope you are well  and not too affected by the weather at the moment. I am sharing a card  I was asked to make for a lady who has made it to the grand old age of 100.  Gosh that is some milestone. 

 I used an 8x8 card and started by using a k&co paper for the background. I ran it through the Calibur using a flourish folder to emboss it. I used radiant rectangles spellbinder die using the large die part and then the smaller die for the sentiment. I did use the paper from a cereal packet to make it easier to get the dies out and also ran it through twice.  The flower was made from Tim Holtz tattered flower die, I shaped them and used distress ink on outer part. The sentiments were done on the computer. I added some ribbon and a hatpin to finish. I hope you like it. Take care and thank you so much for looking.