Good afternoon.
We have a little late sunshine here today.  Very nice.
I did a class with Kim last Saturday at Stampcraft in Purley, and we used the 'resist' technique, using Distress inks and glossy cardstock.  So when I got home, I tried it on my own with some Hobby Art stamps - the poppy set.  Kim had a good idea, of using peel offs along the bottom of one of her cards, but here I have stamped a poppy image along the bottom.  The card is still glossy, so it was hard not to smudge the image. I then added a little bleach, to make the poppies white.  I bought a set of dies, which cut out a buckle for ribbon, and have used one of them here.  I will attach a greeting when I decide who's getting the card.

New Home Greetings

A lady asked me to make a card for her daughter and husband, as they are moving home this Friday.  They are going very upmarket.  How do we know this?  The old house had a number - the new one doesn't - just a posh name.  Well, there's Banstead for you.  The rubber stamp is an old PSX one that I use sometimes for a new home.  I also have a large fairy tale castle which often gets an outing.  I have used a Momento ink pad and coloured in the image using Promarkers.   I have decided I don't know how to colour in roofs, paths or houses - so my friend Anna may have to give me a class.  He who knows all things - suggested the house be white next time.  Although I didn't admit it - he was right of course.
The next project dear reader is a 'non too fussy' wedding card ~ to compliment the invitation card. Mmmmm ~ can you hear the cogs turning?  Answers on a postcard please...
Gosh it's getting hot and clammy again isn't it?  I may have to shed the Liberty bodice before I re-enter my loft studio!!

Wedding Season

Hello dear reader!
I am going to two weddings this weekend.  Greedy or what?  Well one is only the church service to see a colleague get wed and the other is the daughter of a friend.  They are marrying at a posh hotel at Heathrow Airport.  Should be very nice.  I will let you know.  This is the card I made for the happy couple. And yes, I actually stitched around the Lily of the Valley topper with white lurex threads.  I added some subtle pink glitter to the roses on the image.
Well the rain seems to have settled in. It's been a while since I had to wash dirty dogs after a walk in the park. My next project is a new home card.  I am off to ponder the design.  More soon.

It's Twins!!

Greetings on this changeable Sunday afternoon.  I have a little washing on the line so may have to run out if the rain comes.  I don't mind one bit ~ as it will save me having to water the garden again tonight.  I was with Kim Reygate yesterday at Davina's in Purley for a class on 'resist'. 

There were two lovely new ladies and we made some lovely toppers using this technique.  But Blimey!!  Was it hot in Davina's conservatory?  The rain did prevail and not a moment too soon.

My friend Nicki has just become a grandma again ~ to two more boys.  That makes 5 altogether.  This is the card I made last night - in the heat of my 'studio' in the loft.  The central topper is made from a Lili of the Valley twins stamp and coloured in using Promarkers and Copix pens for the faces.  I have used four different cutters through the Grand Calibur and a border new punch. I have decorated the card with blue pearly gems to finish it off.  I get a lot of use out of the cutter that makes what looks like a doily.  I use it for wedding cards too.  Which reminds me - I have one to make for next week.  

Mike and I have had five days in Torquay since last I posted here.  The weather was just fabulous and I tried not to worry about my garden getting dry.  I paid the young teenager to water the plants, with the promise of a bonus if nothing died! The tomatoes are doing very well, so I know she was doing it.

Whilst there, we visited a National Trust property ~ Overbecks and had lunch in Salcombe.  It was a super day out. Then we lazed by my sister's pool and enjoyed the hot tub and had such a relaxing time, that we stayed another day.  But it's back to dog walking and the mundane now.  Having said that. I love the dog walking and it keeps me fit.  I wear a 'FitBit Zip' all the time, to help me reach my daily targets - four miles and 10,000 steps.  It's the best bit of kit I have EVER bought.  
So - off into the loft I go - to make the wedding card.  Adios for now

Coffee Kisses

Howdy-do-dah!
I know, I know - but it's been too hot to do anything.  I have now broken up from driving the school bus and have a little more spare time to craft.  I was in my 'studio' in the loft yesterday and today and even with the window open, I was sweltering.  It's a little too hot for my liking I'm afraid.

I have been to IKEA in Croydon today, to buy tea lights and holders for my husband's birthday party.  It was his birthday last week but he's having a 'bit of a do' in August ~ along with his two mates - that he's known for 55 years.  Yes - that long.  We went out for a nice meal with friends on the day in Epsom - to The Canopy - and it was very good.  And last Saturday, I treated him to a live streaming of Andre Rieu's concert in Maastrict, at our local Odeon.  We enjoyed it so much, we are planning to go and see him in December when he comes to Wembley.

I made this card using Hobby Art's Bordered Flower jewel and coloured it using Tim Holtz Distress inks. I could have used coffee ~ a la Kim Reygate ~ but thought what a waste of coffee, so I used the inks instead.  I cut out the border using a square Nestie and although you cannot tell from this lousy photograph, it is all layered using sticky fixers. I stamped the image three more times and cut out the flowers and finished off the whole shebang with card candy.  I was going to put more on but heard Anna saying 'Less is more'  I can still add some now I have posted this. LOL.   (I just won't send it to Anna)

When I was a child, my dear Mum used to bake on a Sunday.  She was no great cook or baker but did her best.  (I take after her incidentally - which is why my dear hubby does all the cooking in our establishment!)  She always made some little brown cakes with a chocolately butter icing in the middle and called them coffee kisses.  And this card just brought back very fond memories - even if the cakes were always rock hard!! But there were never any left by Sunday night in a household of six.  I miss her every day.

Going to pop over to Pinterest now and post this there too.  Bye for now.

One from Anna

Hi folks.
Well I think we seem to have had the best of our summer.  Rain and gales today.  Marvellous!! I wouldn't mind so much but the dog walking becomes a chore when we get home with all the paw cleaning.
This pretty card was literally knocked up by Anna.  All I did was assemble the parts and add the bling (something Anna would have resisted I'm sure.)  The flower was coloured in with chalks. I think the stamp was a freebie on a magazine. I also made holes all around the card and drew in 'stitches'.
Getting back to the dogs - two of my regular walking doggie companions have gone down with kennel cough, so I am hoping my charges have not already contracted this unpleasant illness. 
I am having a very easy week at the school, as the majority of boys are either camping or in France with the teachers.  Last weekend, I went to The Hobby Art craft workshop.  Another great day with like-minded crafters and we made some super cards ~ which I will put here on the blog.  It was all organised so well and we were as usual inundated with fab refreshments. Jenny and Anna's family members made our day very special.  Jenny tutored us in the morning and Helen Meighan had us for the afternoon.  Helen does the Helidot cards, although that's not what we did on the day.
The garden's coming along nicely and looks very pretty ~ thanks for asking!!
More soon.  Gill x

Away with the fairies

Morning!!
And we have a summer's day - at last.  It was quite cool first thing but promises to be a great day - week in fact.  I am going to meet a friend for lunch in Teddington later - so we may sit outside to eat.
I made this card for my sister Marilyn.  I stamped the fairy image onto some hand made background I had made earlier.  I cut an oval into the front of the card and mounted the stamped image inside the card. I made a scalloped frame to put on the front of the card and smothered it with diamonds.
A little distress ink around the edge took away the whiteness.  In fact before I posted it, I put some faux stitching around the front of the card.
I started back at school yesterday after having a nice week off.  But getting up at 6 am is no joke. However, I normally see two of my neighbours leaving at the same time, so that makes me feel a little better.  And the boys make it all worth while.
Mike and I are making some changes to our garden and have been invited to look in someone's back garden later today - with a view to choosing some new plants.  I know this garden to be just wonderful - so I guess we'll be ordering lots of new stuff.  We started our garden 16 years ago and planted everything but over the years, things have spread too much and other shrubs are too close to each other, so many things are coming out and new things going in.  Back then I was a keen flower arranger and some of the shrubs were planted for that purpose but now we want more seasonal colour.  I'll let you know....