An anniversary card for my friends

Evening crafters one and all. This card was made for my friends Jill & John on The Isle of Man - or should I say Lord & Lady Foster?!  Yes I should.  I started this at one of Kim's classes and finished it off at home.  The background was made using chalks and then I randomly tore  a piece of vellum to place over the background.  I then stamped on it.  The flowers were cut out using a Spellbinders machine, as were the leaves.  Or was it the Cuttlebug?  No matter - you get the gist. A little glitter glue and pearls finish it off.
Well I have been a bit poorly.  I suffer from vertigo or labyrinthitis which comes upon me early in the morning, I think when I get up too quickly and it has a very debillitating effect on me.  I couldn't do my driving job and I was somewhat nauseous - but we won't go into that!  Fortunately I had a Dr.s appointment anyway, so he gave me some meds and they seem to have almost done the trick but I still don't feel right.  I will go back to work Monday - as long as it stays away.  You know the feeling after too much alcohol when the world won't stop turning?  You don't?  Well you'll have to trust me.  It's much like that.  Trouble is the tablets make me drowsy, so I keep going to bed.  Enough about me.
What are you up to this weekend?

Peel Offs

Was it really Easter when last I posted?  Goodness - where have I been?  Well for a spell, the ladder was off the loft hatch, so I couldn't go up there.  However, all is good and I should be back to normal.  Let's see! I have been very busy dog walking , sometimes going out twice a day and sometimes as far afield as Old Oxted in Surrey.  I am back at school driving again and life goes on very nicely.
Sadly I have attended a funeral since my last post - in Yorkshire.  A dear aunt passed.

This card was made after seeing the idea at Davina's house. (Stampcraft) I used three sets of peel offs.  One gold, one black and one silver.  I put the gold circle down first and then added bits from the other sets of peel offs.  The corners are peel offs also but the greeting is stamped with a Hobby Art stamp.  Dead easy!!

More soon.  Gilly x

Don't get an iPhone

Happy Easter one and all.  I hope you are enjoying it whatever you are doing.  Mike and I have been out in the garden tidying things up before his sister visits on Wednesday.  Her garden is perfect and ours will be soon!!
Well, you may have been wondering where I have been.  Mike and I went away for a few days and apart from that, I have been learning how to use my new iPhone.  Well, I have downloaded a few games, at the recommendation of my friend Dawn and the boys at school.  The result is, I am hooked like a teenager.  You will never see me without the blessed thing in my hands.  I am addicted to a game called 'Wooords' and also 'Plants and Zombies'.  I am charging the phone twice a day.  So, not much crafting going on.
Until today that is. I bought a lovely stamp at Farnborough show recently and have made a card for a friend whose birthday is next week.

The stamp was from a stand selling stamps called Dimension Fourth and I could have bought hundreds, let alone four.  In the end I bought two.  I cut out the lady and stuck her using silicone glue.

I used the one and only Promarker I own - the red and the skin was the other popular brand of markers - having a senior moment - it'll come to me - or perhaps not!
As usual, I failed to make any Easter cards and bought a pack.  I told myself it was ok, because they were for the RSPCA.
I had a birthday since I last posted and received several beautiful hand-made cards.  I went into London to a hotel with friends and we had a posh champagne and chocolate themed afternoon tea.  The hotel was of The Hilton chain and it was the old Marlborough St. Magistrates Court - where I had worked briefly when still a serving police officer.  They have kept the female cells just as they were - including the toilets!  It didn't work for me, but that was possibly because it didn't bring back particularly great memories. Back to my 'studio' for more crafting.

More poppies

Hi folks!  My feet are killing me.  I have been to The Ideal Home Show today with my sister in law Maggie.  We were lucky enough to have free tickets.  I didn't spend too much but got a couple of nice things.  Now my feet need to be up on the foot stool.
This card was another for Jenny over at Hobby Art.  I used the poppy set again and coloured the stamped flowers using PearlEx. I put holes around the scalloped green circle, which was coloured using the green PearlEx too.  I made the card cardy using left over stamped bits.  The red panel was Cuttlebugged and red ribbon added.
We went to see the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel movie yesterday, which we loved.  Then we had a curry in Jimmy Spice's in Epsom.  When we got out - we delighted to find we had a parking ticket for overstaying!!  £50 if we pay within the week.  Marvellous.  Until next time.

Poppy Power

What a super day we are experiencing in Surrey today.  I have been dog walking with only a T-shirt on.  Bare Arms!! Fancy that! Here comes the summer.
This card was made for Jenny over at  Hobby Art.  This is from the Poppy set which is a real joy to work with. I know the seed heads are not red but call it artistic license. Each flower was coloured in using a Promarker and then embossed with clear embossing powder to make them shine.
Where did the weekend go?
Friday saw me at the Houses of Parliament for a memorial service for a lovely girlfriend of mine who died aged 52. I was privileged to read a poem at the service.  Thankfully, it was at the beginning of the service, so I didn't get too nervous.  It was great to see my old friends and colleagues and it felt like yesterday that I used to go there to work every day.
Saturday we went to a pub in South Wimbledon to support a local band.  We always have a good night and the ladies dance.  Then Sunday we drove to Boreham Wood to have lunch with good friends.  So, a busy but good weekend.  So far today, I have walked four dogs in Limpsfield Chart and it'll be back to work later.  Have to make a card for my nephew though first.  I'm trying to think if I have anything suitable for a 30 year old. Best go check.  That's all for now.

Baby pink

Hello.  What a wet and dreary day we have in Surrey.  I know we need the rain but being a dog walker, it's not a lot of fun wiping all the mud off dirty paws.
A friend of mine has become a grandmother for the first time and I have made the family a cute baby card. The central panel is using a Lili of the Valley topper and the other cut and embossed panels are a Marianne Creatable, that I bought at Farnborough a couple of weeks ago.

They really emboss nice and crisply.  I have put the tiniest bit of glitter on the baby dress. The baby is called Scarlett Rose - isn't that a gorgeous name?
I am now the proud owner of an iPhone 4S.  Still getting to grips with it but it takes up so much time.  I have bought a book to read on it - a Joanna Trollope novel - so I don't have to carry a heavy book around with me all the time.  And I have a few games as 'Apps' - Wooords, Boggle and Freecell.  Loving it.

Watercoloured flowers

Good evening all.  This card was started off at one of Kim's classes recently.  I stamped the image in white.  Can't remember whose stamp this is but perhaps Kim will let us know.  It will be either Hobby Art or Woodware.  It was coloured in using Kaleidacolour inks, using the watercolour method.  I made the little card candy with the left over stamped image after it had been 'Nestie'd'.  Some lace and a Cuttlebug folder complete the card along with the pearls. Oh i forgot to mention the twiddley bit.  That's a Marianne Creatable I think!
I was at Kim's class in Purley on Saturday.  We did resist emboss.  I have done this many times before but we always have different ideas and Kim's samples are so stunning - you are inspired all over again.  She was in fine form, you'll be glad to hear and if you saw Barbara Grey on the TV today - you'll have seen and heard mention Kim's name many times over.  Well done Kim.
I on the other hand, have been out to lunch in Farnborough, where it was snowing. We called in at friends in Molesey and met up with Bow Wow the little Yorkshire Terrier I rehomed.  What a joy he is.  I have not crafted all week at home, so cannot wait to get going.  Having bought stuff at the Farnborough show last week and a few bits at Davina's yesterday - I have some catching up to do. First of all tomorrow, I'm thinking of going into Kingston and upgrading my phone to an iPhone.  Watch this space. Good night!