Evening all! Yesterday I was lucky enough to go to Jenny Mayes workshop.  (Of Hobby Art fame) I went with some lovely ladies, Linda, Pauline and Jocelyn and we joined many, many other ladies at the church hall in Tadworth.  We had four projects to complete during the day - in between refreshments and I think everybody had a great time.
This was the first card of the day. The next photograph shows the inside of the card.  A Pop Up robin.

And this was just part one.  I will share the other projects with you very soon.  There will be another workshop in February and a 'mini' one in November.  So if you live in Surrey - it's a must for your diary.

Top of the morning to you fellow crafters. I thought I would get this card on here before my computer gives up the ghost.  I have had some technical warning messages about the hard drive failing, so I have a man coming later today to look at the pc.  Who knows if he can fix it, or will I have to buy a new tower?  I have just bought myself a new iPad, so at least I can still get on the Web.
One more day at school and then it's half term for two weeks.  I am looking forward to sleeping in in the mornings.
This baby card was made to order for a friend.  the main panel is a LOTV topper The baby feet are made with an embossing folder.  The Baby word and pin are new Nesties or Marianne dyes.  Bye for now - hopefully not for long!!

She's back!

Hello! Fancy seeing you here!  Where has the summer gone? - I asked myself in the pouring rain whilst walking two dogs this morning.  Things are always busy this end and this summer was no exception.  My dear other half fell off a step ladder and fractured his wrist in two places, and also came away with a compression fracture of the spine.  All these were missed by the hospital and after 7 weeks he went back for more X-rays, only to be told about the fractures - as we had suspected.  At the moment he is not having treatment, but must go back in a couple of weeks to see how things are.  Painful is how things are!!
Anyhow, I am back card making and this first one is for a friend of mine, whose birthday it is this week.  Now who could that be?  If it's your birthday - look out for this card.  I made the background with a Kaleidacolour pad and a brayer.  I cut a circle out and turned it up the other way.  The lattice is a new Nestie cutter I bought recently at the Sandown show in Esher.  You'll recognise the circular scalloped frame I'm sure.  The flowers are made with a Hobby Art stamp and it's finished off with peel offs.  Now my friend Sharon is crafting no longer, I can use peel offs with gay abandon.

My home is my castle

What a hot day - seems only days ago that we were all complaining about the month of rain we had to endure.  On the positive side, dirty paws are a thing of the past - for a while at least. I have been to Davina's - Stampcraft' in Purley today.  Kim was holding a class.  It was good to see Monica, Linda, Jenny and Sylvia again. But boy was it hot in Davina's lovely conservatory.
This card was made using a PSX stamp which I often roll out for a new home greeting.  My niece keeps moving houses and I have told her I'm running out of ideas, so she must stay put for a while!!
Today I purchased a fancy Nestie oval.  I am going into my work space shortly to use it.  Motown radio for two hours on the radio - Saturday evening is very special.  I know how to live don't I?
I am feeling a lot better now - thanks for your concern ladies.  I'm going to see an osteopath friend on Tuesday and she has promised she 'll get me right.  Watch this space!  I care for her dogs some times - so she has a vested interest in my good health.  She is also a sports physio at Wimbledon every year.  However, having a 'mole' on the inside is no use.  She never gives anything away.  I can't be paying her enough!! My dear Mike is decorating our conservatory in this heat.  He's a brave man.  AND he's made a meatloaf for our dinner.  What a lucky girl I am.  We have been invited out for a barby tomorrow afternoon - so I'll give him the afternoon off.  I'm good like that.  Enjoy your weekend.  Just had a thought - when can he cut the lawn???????????????????????

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.