Best wishes to all

Thank you all my crafty pals for being so special and giving me support throughout this year, goodness knows how the time has flown by. So much for this retirement malarkey, they forgot to give me the time travel password. Thank you Patricia at http://patricia-summerhousecrafts.blogspot.co.uk/ for passing on pals best wishes, I was very touched.
I don't have a card for you today just my very best wishes to you all  for Christmas and also especially the coming year.
This has certainly been an eventful year, and I expect the next will be equally so with our first grandchild due to make an appearance in six weeks time.
We have had family visiting and at the last moment we now have our Christmas tree up and twinkling lights and even a wreath and an almost tidy table, lol. All food defrosting and enough liquid to make us hiccough. If I have forgotten something I will put it on the list for next year.
Hope you are all still singing and you are all well, and I'm sending hugs with my best wishes. Take care if travelling in this awful weather. xx Flora 
   

Auld Lang Syne

Hello to all my wonderful crafty pals, thank you all for your comments on my card and hope you excuse my absence. We have been kept far too busy with our wee build and as I am not sure if I missed the Christmas makes I have moved onto the New Year, lol. I got lots of bits die cut and even coloured a lovely image but they would not go together to make a card so I started again with a simpler make. I heat embossed my die cuts as I was feeling cold and did not want to put the heating on as I would be trying to heat the world through our temporary doorway. 
This week started so disappointingly as we failed to get tickets for next Glastonbury, I will be even more gutted if the rumors come true and Bowie is there, I have been a fan since my teens, just a few years we may say!! 
Hopefully I will get some blog commenting done soon as I certainly miss you all, Thank You to all who missed me.  I have not managed to visit any craft shows so hopefully you are all supporting the economy without me. In the wee hours of the morning I would get myself off to sleep with some craft shows on TV but now even the sky dish is down from the wall.
Hope this post doesn't sound wingy, I really don't mean it to be so as I am still enjoying my happy little world. Next task is to help design this roof according to what the planners want us to do. Hoping you are all well and sending hugs to all who need a bit of care. 

Ding Dong Merrily (xmas11)

Ooops it is so long since I blogged or commented on your wonderful creations, I almost forgot my password. I have missed being with you all. I lent my camera and had to use my old one today so the photo isn't great as it appears to have developed a fault, also I couldn't remember what I did with my tripod and my old camera is quite heavy (probably isn't really but my hands and arms are totally rubbish and I ache in bits I didn't know I had, lol). I would have had another go but of course the battery was running low and as I had to search for the camera this post has taken some energy to construct. The actual card is a little more rusty colour than my photo shows so please use a little imagination. 
I don't know where the days are going and have been feeling a bit sluggish of late so I really need to get myself going so I wonder whatever happened to "fergusade" and "cremola foam"  !!!! I am sure they would help.
Anyway I will be away now and hope you are all well and hugs to all who need some. Thank you all for taking the time to comment, love hearing from you. 

Paper  and card - card blank is a 7x5 card, 

rusty card is Core'dination,

a LoTV sentiment,

 Dies used :- Spellbinders  Labels 18 ,

Dee's Distinctively Silhouette Bell and

Couture Creations EF New Year Dove.

Twas the Night before (xmas10)

We've has a busy day today and I have spent lots of time mortaring and generally holding/passing things DIYish. So this will be a very quick post thanking you all for commenting on my reindeer card, I was so pleased with your reaction to it. Well onward we go with our sing-song. I hope to visit you all over the next few evenings, know that I enjoy your blogs and hopefully the fingers may even allow a bit of typing. Hugs to anyone who is struggling.

Image - Penny Black Sweet Wishes 1866E coloured with 

polychromos pencils also

a LoTV sentiment,

Paper  and card - card blank is a 6x6 pearly card,

and backing card I won as candy and some stash, 

 Dies used :- Spellbinder  Opulent Ovals & Labels 18 

and Whinsey Corner.

The Holly and the Ivy (xmas9)

Hello to all my crafty pals, been awol for a few days as we had deliveries etc getting in the way and today is a sleepy day. You have all been very busy creating so many wonderful things. Thank you for taking the time to visit and comment on my blog, I do appreciate it very much. 
We have also had a very dusty week here (no I haven't broken my "No HW") but they have been resurfacing our main road, this seemed to consist of putting down a small amount of glue and 100 tons of chippings and dust, which they then went up and down the road attempting to hoover up with an array of contraptions. As the weather was so dry we ended up in a cloud of thick dust with about half an inch of dust left everywhere when they finished. I don't know who came up with this idea but I'm sure there are many people who could tell them it is a rubbish idea. 
The little bit of singing voice I had, has therefore disappeared but I didn't want to deprive you all of my latest suggestion. Have fun crafting and singing of course.

Paper  and card - card blank is an A5 Plaid card,

and card I won as candy, 

 Dies used :- Cheery Lynn  Holly Flourish 

Signature Dies Ivy Flourish, 

 Sizzix Reindeer & Cracked EF.

CAS attempt (xmas8)

Hello to my crafty pals, you will be glad to know that we are having a little break from singing, lol (couldn't find any French hens) . Of course I will still be ever so pleased to have comments to read as I love receiving them. I can only say that I hope I visit you all now and then as my skippity brain is still playing up.  
Today I have spent my time putting preservative on wood, when I ran out of the odorless stuff I started on the smelly stuff which hasn't helped my skippity brain and the photo could certainly be better. I would love to put something else on this card, maybe a few bits of bling. 
Hoping you are all well and hugs to all who need them. 

Paper  and card - card blank is a 7x5 card, 

red card from the Papermill,

 Dies used :- Spellbinders  Labels 18 & Floral Ovals 

Memory Box Glowing Candles  and

Couture Creations EF Tied Together .

Two Turtle Doves (xmas7)

Here we are again my wonderful crafty pals, Thank you all very much for your comments. I struggle with the concept of Less is More so I may start using my Christmas cards to practice this, not there yet of course. 
I did do my weightlifting exercises this morning as I lifted the boxes of dies to get to the box of embossing folders. Also had to move 3 boxes of card to find the one I wanted.  I know I'm not the only one, lol. 
The embossing folder I used was "Happy and Merry Christmas" by Couture Creations, I used a bit of Core'dinations card, embossed, sanded and highlighted with pencils and Sakura pens. I then added brads, a pin and a bit of ribbon from stash and placed it on a 7x5 white card. Of course I fiddled about with it for ages so it wasn't a quick make. 

A different song (xmas6)

Thank you all very much for your comments, reading them made me smile so much. I do hope your therapy is almost complete Heather, lol. I thought I would post my latest make , as I thought you all needed a different song to sing, although I am not too happy with how it turned out. It wasn't quite what I wanted but it was fun to play. Maybe I enjoyed our wee celebration too much last night, you will see from my latest photo on our renovation project, it deserved a celebration. Anyway without further ado -

Image - Penny Black Caroling Hedgehogs 1508K coloured with 

polychromos pencils also

a LoTV sentiment,

Paper  and card - card blank is a 7x5 card, 

red co-ordinations scruffed a bit,

bells left over from a project a couple of years ago. 

Are you all singing! (xmas5)

Thank you all for your wonderful encouragement, you are such special pals. I thought it may be time for a sing-a-long, lol. 
Well this stamp is even older. It is a wood mounted Penny Black and I have again paired it up with a great LoTV sentiment. I am really enjoying my play with my older stash. As this stamp is quite intricate I did use some of my old Marvy pens alongside my pencils. 
Now a Question - has anybody else got Christmas brads in their cupboard? I have used one!!! to attach my ribbon. 
Today I spent some time clearing weeds from the garden, they do like this "bit" of rain. Also moved some plants, while I can recognise them to make way for our next delivery of building materials. After a bit of a break we will soon be starting on the next floor. Do hope we have the roof on before the end of the year. Anyway hugs to all. xx Flora

Image - Penny Black Forest Friends' Xmas Tree  855J coloured with 

polychromos pencils and Marvy & Sakura pens also

a LoTV sentiment,

Paper  and card - card blank is a 7x5 card, 

red card from the Papermill,

backing  from an old Papermania Colossal Pack,

 Dies used :- Lifestyle Nesting Lace Squares and

ribbon from my must use stash. 

xmas4

Good Afternoon to all my crafty pals. It is a funny old day again weather wise here, so I have managed a wee play in the craft box and a bit of sporadic blogging. I know I have missed doing some comments as I am ending up with comment pages open and some not publishing, As soon as the weather changes the fuzzy FM brain returns with a vengeance. Thank you all for your comments and not minding the topic of my cards- you will tell me if you get bored, lol.
This is an old  stamp and one of my favourites, wood mounted in my case but I think it has been released again. I still prefer red rubber stamps but have to acknowledge that the LoTV clear sentiment sets I purchased are very useful. So the title has given you fair warning, and here goes. xx Flora

Image - Penny Black Let it Snow 1524K coloured with 

polychromos pencils & sakura pen and

a LoTV sentiment,

Paper  and card - card blank is a 7x5 card, 

 backing  from old 12x12 paper,

 Dies used :- Spellbinders Marvelous Squares and

ribbon from my must use stash. 

xmas3

A happy hello to all my crafty pals. So pleased that you commented on my fun card, I couldn't resist that sentiment stamp when I saw it. All my cards at the moment are being made using stamps which have been bought in previous years and that is the way I will continue. I have so many I enjoy using that I see no reason to buy any more. I wonder why I cannot use the same logic where dies are concerned, lol. 
I dug out my much ignored "polychromos pencils" and had a wee play, having bought them early last year I then got sidetracked into using something else instead. Never mind, they don't go off - well I hope not anyway.  I have also been known to not use ribbon freely and fully intend to change my ways. Please feel free to prompt me if I slip back. Sending hugs a plenty to anyone feeling a bit lonely or poorly. xx Flora

Image - Stampendous Snow Bird coloured with 

polychromos pencils and a white sakura,

Paper  and card - card blank is a 7x5 card, 

red backing card from the Papermill,

 Dies used :- Sizzix Tags rounded

also some free Papermania vellum stickers and

ribbon from my must use stash. 

xmas2

Hello to all my wonderful crafty pals. Hope you are all well. We have had the most wonderful weather, even today we had a lot of sunshine. Through all the rubble etc in our garden we have had a fantastic display of day lilies. Our out of control Buddleia is covered in such a selection of butterflies. 
My craft room/box is very small and my computer is in there so as today is a little cooler I am in here and my monitor is behaving itself.  As I still have a number of cards in my box this is another December card - well I do have to work up to it gradually. I am lucky as I won such lovely card from Jayne earlier this year at  http://thecraftycavalier.blogspot.co.uk  and it is fun to use. 

Image - Stampendous Get Socks,

Paper  and card - card blank is a 7x5 card

 Dies used :- Spellbinders Marvelous Squares

and Tattered Lace  Christmas Boot. 

Stripey monitor

Just saying a quick Hello and a Thank You all for your comments on my card and photo. Hope you are all well and enjoying the sunshine. My computer monitor has decided that it doesn't like the heat and has gone stripey. It is quite old but as it is a large format monitor I may have to save some pennies to replace it. I have managed to see most of your projects and cards and love your sharings, I  will get back to crafting and commenting soon. Hugs to anyone struggling. 

Doing some .... and we were there

Hello to all my wonderful crafty pals. Was gone way longer than I expected but now saying Thank You for all your great comments. 
I was totally exhausted when we got home but we had a fantastic time. The wellies did get muddy but only for one day, lol. 
I have been sooo close to thinking I must buy a set of cards for December but as I have so many stamps and dies for that occasion I have decided to do some simple cards using my 7 x 5 hammered card blanks which have been in my stash for ages. Hopefully you will all bear with my attempts. This is a large stamp but love the design.
I will wander about in blogland and hopefully comment in between taking advantage of our fantastic weather. 

Image - Stampendous Jumbo Vintage Santa,

Paper  and card - card blank is a 7x5 card 

 red layer card from the Papermill, 

no dies . 

I thought I would also pop a quick photo of this scene at Glastonbury, it was a bit impressive. 

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Hope you are all having a super crafty time. xx Flora

No parasol

Hello to all my crafty pals and collectors of all things craft related. I enjoyed reading all your comments on my last post.  I was looking for a parasol die, both a vintage one which was closed and a pretty open one. I didn't find one I liked so I took bits of memory box dies and created one. To  be honest I would play all day with dies. Please believe how much pleasure I get wandering around your blogs and sorry my commenting is so erratic.  It never ceases to amaze me what fantastic projects you are all creating and enjoying. 
I haven't coloured any images for ages so I should have picked an easier one. Anyway I made it up into a simple card with my made up parasol. Hopefully it will bring the sunshine back. 

Image - Juliet in the field of Nasturtiums,

Paper  and card - card blank is a 7x5 card 

 backing paper was a freebie, 

buttons and bling from stash. 

PS: Bits of dies used were from Memory Box Graceful Silhouette cut it twice in pink dotty paper ,  chopped the stems off, laid one over the other but offset onto some white card and then cut the white card around the shape, touching the edges up in pink ink. The handle is part of Memory Box Whimsical flourish. I have had a look at the Marianne parasol die  Mrs Duck but not quite what I am after but Thank You.

Hoarder

Hello to all my crafty pals and visitors, Thank You all for being such great sports and joining in, having a chuckle and a giggle with me. I had a great time reading your comments. I did mean to post this earlier today but of course camera batteries charge only if you switch the charger on. 
We had the daughters in and out on Sunday and there I was sitting feeling a bit miffed as I had planned a visit to the Taunton show but no way could I manage an 80 mile round trip with a very streaming eye. I had decided to console myself with a bit of online shopping (given the prices looked blurry), but my youngest asked me if I watched "hoarders" on telly after casting an eye over my fab stash, I let the items drop out of the basket. 
True to form my crafty pal Patricia came to my rescue explaining I was not hoarding, just collecting things "I need". 
So to prove a point I dug the bottom-most stamp box from my pile of boxes, I think I picked them up at a carboot and decided that I must use one of those forlorn stamps, I have no idea what make it is. Hope you are all having crafty fun and I will have a wander around blogland now my eyes are behaving themselves.

Image - from an unknown source,

Paper and card - card blank is an A6 Kraft card 

backing paper is brown parcel paper  which I embossed using Sizzix Cracked folder, 

some corrugated card and Nature's Garden paper.

 Dies used :- Whimsy  Dainty Notables 4, 

Spellbinders Wonky Rectangles

and Magnolia Doohickeys Peaky Floral Tag.

WOYWW cheers me up

First of all thank you to my crafty pals for your lovely comments. I loved reading them. Sometimes when I am sitting here and the sun is refusing to shine and mojo is hiding I really enjoy visiting http://stamping-ground.blogspot.co.uk/  partly because I am nosy and partly to know that my workspace is not alone, so thank you Julia. I have no card today but thought I would get a chuckle from a photo of my new wellies, maybe I could use them for a background.  Anyway sending a hug to anyone who needs it and a chuckle to all who agree/disagree that I have lost the plot. xx Flora

Dream

Hello to all my wonderful crafty pals. Thank you for your generous comments on my birdcage card. Tonight is going to be a yakity post so I apologise in advance. 
I am sorry if I brought the rain back, honest all I did was buy some shorts, lol. Our Glastonbury tickets have arrived so all is a bit relaxed (if you want a chuckle click on my photo, on the right, taken at Glastonbury two years ago, yes out of 170,000 people I ended up with my photo in the National press and on television). To balance the shorts I have bought new wellies and waterproof trousers. That means no crafting purchases.
With the attention span of an absent minded goldfish, I am tonight sporting plasters on my left thumb, it is all well and good saying that sharp knives are safer but I could hear you all say "Don't look up when that knife is moving!!!!". I should be kept out of the kitchen.
My gift set of stamps from Sue at http://particraft.blogspot.co.uk/ has arrived, I have used one flower on my card but I know I haven't done them justice. It was great to be pulled out of the hat as it were, especially as I have been such a bad blogger lately. 
Our building work had a little setback in finding a damaged lintel and also uncovering a previously unknown chimney, never mind we are progressing.
Anyway enough yakking here is my card. You know I love hearing from you all and I will try to make it round to everyone's blog, sorry if I miss any of you, it is that attention span thingy again. Have some crafty fun. 

Image - Creative Expressions Whimsical Floral,

Paper and card - card blank is a slightly cut down 8" square 

red card and green handmade paper both direct from mills, 

 Dies used :- Memory Box  Catalina Wreath, 

and Magnolia Doohickeys Cute Corner.

Birdcage

Here we are again, a quick visit to say Thank You to my blogging pals for their kind comments and so pleased you liked what I did with my bridge. A special Thank You to Wilma http://scottish-crafter.blogspot.co.uk/   for being such a great pal. A big welcome to Hazel http://hazelsbasketsofjoy.blogspot.co.uk/ on her arrival in blogland, look forward to you joining us for more after your holidays, please be totally relaxed about being here.
This was one of these cards which I fiddled with too much, still I did also enjoy having a play. I inked the coordination card, put it through the embossing folder and then sanded it and quite like the effect I got. 
I will also be putting a couple of new photos of our build up, as you can see we are a bit like that famous company but we really are getting there, lol.
I should say sorry for hogging the good piece of weather the country is having but believe me we do need it. Hopefully I will get around to a bit of wandering and commenting later but I do have a couple of errands to run today and the sunshine is beckoning. 

Paper and card - card blank is a C5 made from Papermill card 

lilac and flowery backing card from the scrap box, 

 Dies used :- Darice Grass embossing folder, 

Cheery Lynn  Birdcage,

Magnolia Doohickeys Sprawling fern,

Spellbinders Celtic Motifs and

IO birds from the Birdbath die.

New Season

Hello to my wonderful crafty pals, Thank You all for your lovely comments and I hope you are all well. I have no idea which season of the year it is, I am totally confused so I think my card shows it, lol. When I saw this bridge die it was one of those must have, living so close to the city which admires Brunel so much. So I had a wee play with colours and bits of scraps and had great fun. I was also very naughty and added  Grand Decorative Ovals 1 and the Grand Decorative labels 1 to my die collection, well a lass shouldn't get left behind should she, I must say I am impressed with them. The weather has slowed our building work down but come rain or shine we must get on with it. 

Paper and card - card blank is a 6" square 

dark backing card from my old photographic stash, 

 Dies used :- Spellbinders Grand Decorative Labels One, 

Memory Box  Marvelous Bridge, Orchard Tree Frame

and Lamp Post Frame .

Butterfly and bits

Hello to my wonderful blogging pals and thank you for all your lovely comments and kindness. My desk is a mess and not because I have been busy crafting but it is a convenient place to dump things, a bag of buttons, a camera, torch, helpful notes etc etc. I did make a card from some bits and pieces that were lying around from pure playing, so apologies if I get where they came from confused.  
Last week I was posting two cards and one of them was a belated card and I was heading out the door with them and realised I had sealed it in it's envelope and not written my message. I think that says it all - I like my card making to be totally relaxed and at the moment I have a zillion (slight exxageration) things buzzing around in my poor wee brain. 
I have been lurking in the background and enjoying your blog posts so please all know that you are creating wonderful things. My keyboard is refusing to spell the things I would love to type about your works, I think it has to do with numb fingers from chipping render of a stone wall - see what an exciting life I lead. On the brightest of notes we have had the most wonderful weather and it does me so much good being outside. Anyway hope you are all well and enjoying life and hugs to all who need a bit of a lift.

Paper and card - card blank is a C5 made from Papermill card 

dark backing card from the Papermill, 

 Dies used :- Spellbinders 3D basket weave embossing 

highlighted with pink & Resplendant Rectangles die, 

Memory Box  Lace circle, Chloe & Tristan Butterfly and

Die-namics layered rose.

Time Flies

Oh! my goodness, I hope my wonderful crafty pals will forgive me for being absent for so long. I have been trying to keep up with what is happening with our renovation bits and pieces and to help as much as possible. Added to this I took a second tumble within one week in our garden and ended up with a suspected broken nose. I have had my knee replacement operation cancelled twice. I get so cross especially and this time when the doctor asked me if I wanted stronger pain killers I had to ask him if they would stop me falling down, if he doesn't get this sorted out this time he will get his marching orders. 
I think I have forgotten how to make cards so this was a bit of a struggle, I don't think I got the embossing folder to produce what I expected. I will try to get around to some blogging in the next couple of days hopefully and then we start again, we have been so lucky with the weather up to now so fingers crossed that the dry days come back. 

Paper and card - card blank is a C5 made from Papermill card 

co-ordination backing card using the Spellbinders 3D creative Cogs, 

 Dies used :- SCACD Steampunk Wing Set,

Sizzix Tag (shortened) and

X-cut pocket Watch.

More Bodies

Thank you to all my crafty pals for your lovely comments. I did enjoy reading them very much and I was so pleased my Torso gave you a chuckle.  I do enjoy things haberdashery and even own a vintage Chil Daw canvas mannequin. It is adjusted using cogs and was designed for a time when lassies had waists. It will take pride of place when I have a proper craft room.

I really must get back to using some of my stamps before my inks dry out but this die cutting is a bit of an addiction. Before I do so I will make this quick haberdashery card. I am using some very old threaded stash here and a little inked sentiment from House Mouse.

Paper and card - card blank is a 6 inch square 

my backing paper from Prima Nature Garden collection, 

 Dies used :- SCACD Ribbons and Bows Dressform & Torso Charm,

Marianne Vintage Scissors  and

Go Kreate Ornament Frilly #2.

Chocolate Time

Thank you to all my crafty pals for your lovely comments. Well it is officially the coldest March, in Somerset, in the last forty years. I do so feel for my pals who are stuck with worse weather and hope you are all safe. Thinking that it is perhaps always time for chocolate and at the moment hot chocolate I don’t think this waistline is quite correct, lol. I do like this torso die, I think they are fun so as I was doing some die cutting I thought I would play. My background card was for another project, I printed it off and put it to one side, the following morning I needed a piece of  card so picked it up and happily cut into it without checking the reverse – duh – now how did it end up upside down (I expect it is those naughty fairies again). Anyway sometimes I don’t get the result I want !!!!! so here is my too busy card. 

Paper and card - card blank is a 6 inch square 

my backing paper was printed from an old download, 

 Dies used :- Sizzix Framelits Tags Rounded,

Memory Box Winged Swirl and bits of  stems. 

Magnolia Doily Flowers and 

SCACD Alice's Clock Statement Corner & Blank Canvas Torso.