Movember is Coming

Hi there,

Wow what a busy few days I have had and not a lot of time to craft....booo hoooo I hate not being able to craft every day.

A few years ago my husband took part in Movember. Even though it was for a good cause I hated him having a mustache and have begged him ever since not to do it again.
With this in mind I used some stamps I have had for ages and some new papers and came up with these two cards

The papers I used were from Craftwork Cards - Suits You Sir - mini paper pad.
I picked the stamps up in a little shop in Cheltenham a few years ago and as you can see they are not the best quality but I kind of like the shaby chic look.
I also used some Die-namics fishtail flags on the first one

I mat and layered the papers and fishtails before adding the stamps and a Little Darlings stamped birthday sentiment

As always I hope you like them. I would love to start entering some blog challenges with my cards but need to learn how........

Enjoy what is left of the weekend

Take Care

Gill x

I'm So Excited

Hi Everyone,

After an awful day being stuck on delayed trains on the way to and from a meeting in York I am so happy to be able to come home and share my exciting news.

I have been chosen to be on the sample making team at Personal Impressions. Here is my introduction . I was asked a few weeks ago but had to keep it under my hat so as you can imagine I have been bursting to tell you all.

I love working with the samples, they are really top quality and the Little Darlings stamps are amazing. I have struggled getting clear images in the past so started using digi stamps, but now I have discovered the Little Darlings I will certainly be adding to my collection the clarity is stunning. You can get the stamps from Personal Impressions

I am going to share another custom made card with you tonight. I was asked to make four cards that would be given at different times but would all fit together as one when the last card was received.

Card one was for Valentines Day

The second was to tell the recipient she was a wonderful mum to her two children

The third was for Mothers Day

The fourth a Birthday Card

Here they are all together

And displayed separately

I hope you like the concept. I can't take the praise for the idea but I was pleased with my interpretation. Hope you like then too

Take care

Gill xx

Nuclear Retirement Card

Hi there,

I am a little late posting tonight as I have been concentrating on some Design Team samples. I will tell you all about that as soon as I can but for now I will have to keep you in suspenders!!

I work in the Office For Nuclear Regulation and am often asked to create retirement cards using all the interests of the recipient, I am therefore sharing one with you tonight using copyright free images from the Net

There is lots of layers to this. The brief was the area in which the inspector worked and his love of the guitar and music. I cut out the nuclear symbol and backed with a bright yellow music sheet, added a picture of the site and of course a guitar.

The cards are usually very random but I am happy to report they always go down well as they relate to the recipient.

Well that's me for tonight it is 10:40 and I am up at 05:30 in the morning so must get my beauty sleep.

Take care

Gill xx

Gypsy Rosalie

Hi there,

I have been out most of the day at Soroptimist International of South Lancashire's new members lunch and awards and before that had a fabulous Saturday evening looking after our two grandsons. They are such a joy and proper little comedians, they are the only thing that stops me crafting.

As there has been no crafting done today I am going to share with you a card I made a couple of months ago for the Personal Impressions Blog. I was so proud to get something published on the world wide web and it was all thanks to the fabulous Linda Simpson who has supported and encouraged me get this blog up and running again.

Together with the stamp and lace borders shown I used a card blank and papers from my stash and coloured the image with my faithful Promarkers. To finish I added a die cut leaf and some pretty organza flowers.

Enjoy your Sunday evening I am going to do a bit of crafting while X Factor is on and then settle down to the new series of Downton Abbey

Take care

Gill xx

Believe in Magic

Hi All,

Another busy weekend here.
The S Factor concert I told you about was last night and if I do say so myself we were one of the best acts. It was a great night and we all had such a laugh. The main point of the night though was to raise money towards rebuilding Napal and over £1000 was raised.

Anyway now my grandsons are in bed I have had a chance to make a card using the free stamps from Inspiration Magazine. Simple but I like it!!

For this card I used:

• Hammered white and plain navy card stock
• Tim Holz inks around the edge of Inkylicious Satin Silk ArtCard in shaded lilac and chipped sapphire 
• The stamps were stamped with StazOn jet black
• I mat and layered with an embossed snowflake card

That's me for today. Enjoy what is left of the weekend

Take care

Gillxx

Bags of Tags

Hi there

After reading Personal Impressions Blog yesterday I was inspired by Kath to have a little play myself and see if I could come up with some tags.

I have used bits and bobs from my stash including Tim Holtz inks, embossing folders, Promarkers for the stamped images and ribbon, flowers and wire.

I hope you like them, I think my favourite is the pink one.

Tonight I am rehearsing for the Soroptimist International of South Lancashire 'S' Factor but am also going to try my freebies from Crafters Inspiration Magazine.

Until tomorrow - Take care

Gill xx

Beaches and Baby Showers

Well it is back to reality today with a pile of washing to do after a fantastic week in Crete with my BFF and our husbands.
We went to celebrate the wedding anniversary of their son and daughter-in-law following our visit there 2 years ago for their wedding. This time we celebrated the impending birth of their son with a baby shower.
It was such a gorgeous day at the Blue Boat Beach Bar with 14 ladies playing games like guess the circumference of the bump and pin the dummy on the baby and of course there were lots of balloons and banners.

Tonight I am going to share some Christmas cards with you made using some Tattered Lace Dies.

I cut the dies from scraps of card

The backing paper is from Debbie Moore on a card blank from my stash

For this one I used the same dies and a square scalloped die

I embossed the smallest layer with a holly embossing folder

I was going white on white but felt the edges of the mat and layers needed highlighting a little so I used Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Weathered Wood

I can't decide whether the traditional Robin or the Contemporary Robin is my favourite. What do you think?

Well that's me for today but I will be back tomorrow

Take care

Gill xx

Tattered Lace Dies

Hi Everyone,

I picked up the dies last night and have sorted them into a Tattered Lace folder but that is about as far as it goes. Fridays are looking after my grandsons day so there is no crafting for me. Do you know what though it is my favourite day of the week, I love having them.

Tonight I am sharing a wedding card I was asked to make for a couple who love hill walking. I really enjoyed making this it took me ages to source a pic but when I did it was perfect.

I am having a girlie afternoon and evening out tomorrow tomorrow so will catch up on Sunday.

Take care and have a great weekend

Love

Gill xx

Holidays Are Coming

No not Christmas although I have made a start on it!

I am off on my jolly's next week so last night after work we went shopping and money changing to Euro's. By the time I got in and had a meal I was bushed and went to bed. My first though this morning "oh no I didn't blog last night"

So whats on tonight in my word. I am picking up 29 dies from a friend. Her Mum was a crafter and like all us crafters she bought and bought and then sadly passed away before getting to use all the dies she had bought. After several months my friend had the strength to have a sort out and asked me if I would like the dies. I only hope that my creations will do her lovely Mum justice. I will of course share all the creations I make with you.

So tonight I am sharing a few pages of a scrap book I made for my friend to give her son and daughter in law on the day of their wedding 3 years ago. We went to Crete for the wedding and enjoyed ourselves so much we are all going back next week to celebrate their third anniversary and the impending birth of their first baby boy.

First baby pictures

They were both Cadets as teenagers (ATC and Army)

They both love their cars.

Although they lived hundreds of miles apart it was fate that they met and fell in love. 

Oh well I am off to get my dies........until tomorrow

Take care

Gill xx

Table Decorations and all things Charity Concert

Hi Everyone.

Hope all is good in your world.

Well I was back at work after the long weekend today but only have three days to do before I am off for two weeks on holiday. These next couple of days will be busy busy busy to ensure everything is up to date. There is nothing worse than leaving loads of work for others to pick up.

So what do the subjects mean in the heading tonight?

The charity concert is something I am rehearsing with my Soroptimist International club friends. We are doing a medley of  WW2 songs with actions and costume changes. I can't say it is going well at the moment but I am sure we will get there before the 18th of September. You never know I may post a video.

Back to crafting, I have mentioned being a member of Soroptimist International well I am always being asked to come up with something creative for table decorations in charity events and dinners. Tonight I am going to share with you some I made for our annual Alternative Grand National Ladies Day. I think these are my favourites of all time.

There were 20 heads in total and each had a different arrangement of silk flowers.

So simple but really effective

Hope you have enjoyed what I have had to share with you tonight.

Take care

Gill xx