A LOVELY TREAT

Morning all. A bit fog-bound here in the rural Lincolnshire, so not going far today. Yesterday there were huge dust clouds cos the farmers were desperately harvesting before today's expected storms, so visibility has been pretty poor recently!! Good excuse for staying in all day and crafting!

Anyway, my very great mate Tracey (check out her blog, cos she makes some amazing cards) has given me this award. I am really chuffed to get it from her because her opinion really counts to me. So thanks, chick!

I got this award sometime ago, so I'm not going to pass it on personally - and I struggled like mad then to find blogs who didn't already have it! So instead, if you don't have it already, please consider it passed on to you. There are so many talented people out there whose blogs are inspirational for a myriad of reasons. Hugs xx

HAPPY 25TH ANNIVERSARY!

Made this for a very special couple - can't tell you who in case they read this - who are celebrating their Silver Wedding next week. I don't know them very well, but they have suffered such awful tragedy in their life and I wanted to make them something a bit different.

So I've decided to move away from my usual formal style for this occasion and go to the shabby chic that I've developed a real passion for!

I really enjoy making this style, with lots of different textures and a bit of bling - gotta love white and green pearls! - and string!

I hope it conveys the message that I wish them all the happiness in the world and good things for their future.

Thanks for looking xxx

A CHRISTENING CARD - A FIRST FOR ME

Made this for a commission. Never made one before and spent ages trying to find images and layouts for inspiration. Eventually a lovely lady on DoCrafts suggested this and I quite like the final version!

I used the trusty X-Cut Shape Cutter doodah for the 'porthole' and a lovely little pin (with guard, before you all shout at me!) stuck through the bow.

Found a sweet verse: "A child to enjoy is a gift from above, to be Christened and cherished and brought up with love", although my personal favourite (but then I do have mental issues!) is "First he's born, grown up and wed, gets a pension, then he's dead". Made me chortle a LOT, but apparently it's not that suitable for a Christening card. TFL xx

ANOTHER SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Blimey, get me, trying lots of new stuff!! My very talented friend Emma tried to explain to me how to get the 'distressed' look - (I mean on the cards, not on me... I have that sorted LOL!) on the edges of paper, etc. So I bought a load of cotton buds and some Versamark and started trashing lots of bits of paper.

Mum asked me to make a card for my aged aunt, a sort of "just to say hi" card, so I thought I'd have a go at being distressed. And believe you me, I am very distressed having spent several hours on this!

I quite like the end result - providing no one looks too closely! - but the ink doesn't come off your fingers for ages! TFL x

IT'S TAKEN ME ALL DAY, BUT IT'S DONE...

Hope everyone is having a jolly Bank Holiday weekend?
I spent the day making this for my best girlfriend's 40th next weekend. We met in 6th form and have been firm friends ever since. She's tall, slim, blonde, pretty (hate her) and a language teacher. She and her hubby own a motorbike shop, so the image inside is quite perfect.

Wish I could say that this was all my own idea, but if I'm honest, it's totally poached from one done by the very talented (if a bit peculiar) Dawny P. So thank you very much, chick.

I did it slightly differently but still made is a card-in-a-card thing.

The papers are from Pink Petticoat and the image is one I got in a swap but I believe is from StampingBella. It's covered in little sayings about being 40 - like "You should by now be able to say 'uranus' without giggling" and so on (I can't, for the record!).

It took me ages to line up the holes on the left and then hunt for the last remaining green eyelet I had which dropped to the floor and disappeared for a while. Then I spent ages choosing the right colours for her bike and leathers.

I think I like it. I do like the papers and I love the idea, but not sure it all fits togther the way I saw it in my head this morning!! We'll see. xx

BIT OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE...

... with this one. Don't usually use this type of paper, but I really like this one. And I had another go and 'edging' the image and papers.

The paper is BasicGrey's Gypsy (I think! I threw away the strip that had that info... duh!), matted onto Bazzill green cardstock.

I stamped the flourish and sentiment and added a couple of pearls for a bit of bling, really.

It's for my niece's 17th birthday next weekend. I think it just about strikes the right tone!

I hope she likes it!! xx

ANOTHER WELSH WEDDING CARD

For the same wedding as the other one, but this one is from the mother of the bride - no pressure!!!

The red/gold card I cut into inchies - well actually 2-inchies - and edged with gold leaf. The letters were done in Word - Romantik font - really big and then coloured in with watercolour pencils and gold ink.

The whole lot was then matted onto matt gold mirri card and I stuck a red ribbon (which does actually match, but it's an appalling photo) and bow to the side.

The wording (which means something really nice in Welsh) was printed in Poor Richard font in gold, straight onto the cardstock, which is cream-ish.

I'm quite chuffed with it, actually. The mother of the bride also pointed out that the B and G, which are actually their intials, could also stand for Bride and Groom, which is a nice if unintentional touch!

I hope they like it! TFL x

A TREAT IN THE POST

Well it's been chucking it down all day and it's bloomin' miserable, so it was a real treat to come home and find a lovely pressie on the doormat!

It's from my very lovely and talented friend Tracey and it's chock full of stamped images and die cuts - yay!!

There's a section for me and a section for Lil G, and how thrilled is she that Tracey sent some just for her???

We love the colours and the flowers. Thank you so much xxxx Oh, and thank you so much for sharing the pics, too, cos my camera is playing up!! x

A RIGHT PAIR!

Just wanted to show off a couple of image wallets I made for my good friends, Tracey and Emma.

Lil G chose the papers and ribbons and helped with the sticking - clever girlie.

I bought a stash of papers the other day, many of them in a sale at my local craft shop - about the only time I shop there cos it's pretty expensive otherwise.

And I got to use my X-Cut Shape Cutter thingies to round all the edges - yay me!

Thank you for the photos, girls, cos I forgot...duh!

TFL x

ALL CHANGE!

Yep, not been happy with the look of me blog, so went back and changed it. Tried a few templates, but I really like this one best. Let me know what you think? Is it easy to read, what with the dots?? xxx

A LOVELY SURPRISE...

Had another wonderful day - NOT! - apart from the brilliant award from Sue, of course - so I was really touched when I found this on the doormat from my very lovely and talented friend, Emma. Then I looked on her blog and found what she'd written there and, for a change, I had happy tears. Thank you, babe. It's beautiful. Lil G was very impressed, particularly cos it's purple!! xxxx

I LOVE YOUR BLOG

This award has been doing the rounds just lately and I think it's a great one to get. So how chuffed am I to get this from one of my many sources of inspiration, the lovely Sue Lesley?!

The rules of this award are:

1. The winner can put the logo on her blog.

2. Link the person you received your award from.

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4. Put links of those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message on the blogs of the girls you have nominated.

There are so many blogs out there that Lil G and I hop around all the time, it's hard to choose, but at least I get to pick 7 ! Most of the blogs I visit already have this, so, as usual, it's hard to find enough who don't. Lil G and I have put our heads together on this one....

1. To Tracey - for making brilliant cards and being a great mate.

2. To Gina - for being an inspiration in every sense of the word.

3. To Vicky - for not only being a good friend, but also because her altered bags are amazing and she needs a bit of confidence to get out there and promote them!

4. To Auntie Piggy Wiggy - for making Lil G howl with laughter and for making excellent cards. Oh, and for being a fellow top nutter.

5. To Debbie - for always having something interesting to read and amazing to look at.

6. To Janet - for being so flippin talented that she now has her own range of fantastic stamps!

7. To Natalie - for always having something on her blog to make you go "ooooh, that's pretty!"

So that's that. And if we didn't include and you don't already have it, please consider this passed onto you as well - and thanks to you all for your inspiration!

xxxx

WHO'S A CLEVER GIRL, THEN?

My very talented God-daughter has just passed her driving test!! 1ST TIME, TOO!!! So I made her this. It's a very simple card using Pink Petticoat's "Dad's Taxi" set, lightly coloured with Whispers and set with a few sparkles. She's a very unfussy type, so I hope she likes it. TFL xx

GOOD FRIENDS ARE PRECIOUS

Isn't that true? I got this beautiful card from my very good friend Vicky, along with some brilliant stamped images to play with! Thank you xxxxx

SPECTACULAR IN SPECTACLES!!

Well, here we are... following on from the "Joke's On Me" post... here is my fabulous baby girl proudly sporting some very fine purple glasses, along with her very purple glasses case. You look "fabulous, darling"!! xxxx

VERY BELATED THANK YOU

I am such a bad blogger at the moment!! Sorry all. And I'm especially sorry to my lovely mate Vicky, to gave me this award ages ago and I did nothing with it..... I will go and sit on the naughty step (and at my age, I may be gone a while!) and think about it. Really sorry, hun, and a great big thank you to you. xxxxx

A WEDDING CARD WITH A DIFFERENCE

If you look carefully, you should be able to spot the difference! Yep, it's my first wedding card for a gay couple. Never had to make one before and I wanted to keep it light-hearted but elegant at the same time.
There were lots of cards about with two grooms, two blue towels, etc, but I wanted something a bit different and I've had these little bow-ties for ages and never had a reason to use them. The paper is from Pink Petticoat and it says lots of things like "Forever", "Gorgeous", etc, which I thought was appropriate. I've used the same paper inside, too, and put a layered panel with the wording in there so it can be written. I hope it's right for the occasion and I really hope they like it!! TFL xx

THE JOKE'S ON ME...

First of all, sorry for being a bad blogger and not posting anything for a few days, but things have been really horrible around here just lately and I'd rather say nothing than post a lot of moans and groans. And I want to say thank you to the three lovely ladies who have emailed me their support and hugs - you have kept me going and lifted my spirits and I promise I'll be in touch as soon as my head is back together - much love to you - you know who you are xxx

ANYWAY, to explain the title of this post.... About a week or so before Lil G broke up for summer hols, one of her friends arrived at school sporting a brand new pair of glasses in funky pink plastic and was the centre of attention.
All of a sudden, Lil G starts telling me that she can't see properly, her eyes are playing tricks on her and she probably needs glasses too..... Yeah, right. Of course you do, darling. This went on and on until the end of the term...
...so, being the really mean parent that I am, I called her bluff and made an appointment at the optician's to get her eyes tested.
I know.
Clever, eh??
So off we went last week, Lil G, Mum and me. She wasn't quite so sure about it all when we got there.... ha ha! My plan succeeded!! That'll show you, I thought.
So he went through all the tests with her - and he was brilliant with her - and put eye patches on her, made her watch a clown and tell him what colour his nose was, etc, etc,.... and that's when it all went very wrong.
The joke is very much on me, because it turns out that she needs glasses.....
Yep.
I know.
You could have knocked me out with a feather. Seems she is slightly long-sighted and has astigmatism, just like me.
How stupid do I feel?
How mean do I feel?
She only has to wear them for reading and writing and should outgrow them by the time her eyes are fully developed at age 7. So it's not too bad.
Anyway, she chose purple frames - of course, is there any other colour?! And I mean PURPLE!! frames - she won't lose them, that's for sure!! We pick them up next week.
So, I'm off to report myself to Social Services and crawl back under my rock...... xxx