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Monday 27 July 2009

Wedding cake and butterfly tree




Here are the happy couple after the ceremonies have been completed.

The wedding went well, unfortunately it poured with rain but not until after the photos outside, so the rest of the celebrations had to be indoors. Nothing spoiled the day for the newly weds.

Here are some pics, the cup cakes with green butterflies on top, the butterfly wishes tree, and the tree showing the mill wheels that were working behind.

Saturday 25 July 2009

Wedding Card at last



Talk about last minute, the wedding is tomorrow!


Here is the card, and to remind them of the day it has butterflies, the same ribbon used on the invites, and the colours, opal (sort of creamy ivory), mint green and brown. Butterflies are cut with Spellbinders die, punched edge using Kreaxions 5 way punch, letters are Sizzlits Curly Girl.

On the back is the Chinese symbol for double happiness, and this was punched with a large punch I was given ages ago, in fact I found the best way was to cut the circle with the Nesties first then put the shape in the punch and punch the shape out, and finally it was mounted on a red circle. This was the best of a bunch, it is difficult getting it dead centre, and if you punch then cut the circle there is a flat missed bit at the top.

Inside the is a vellum insert in mint green which is printed with a personal message to the happy couple, my daughter in law from tomorrow and my son, and more butterflies.

Friday 24 July 2009

So messy in my craft room!


It is very messy, I can hardly move in here. I have new stash arrive, piled up and not tidied away, and I am trying to make a wedding card for my Son and nearly wife for Sunday, and I am stuck on the wording. Not got a lot of space, do I put their names, one is usually shortened the other is long. Or do I just put "for the Bride and Groom", I have those stamps, or I could cut out letters, the card is too thick for the Robo.

I am using the same materials as the invites etc. which I think will be a good keepsake, but I haven't decided on the inside yet or the back if I carry on to the back.

I made another graduation card, not for anyone but for the basket at work It is very similar to the first one but I do like this stamp by House Mouse.

No Quirky Crafts Challenge this week, we are having a break for the summer, though there could be the odd challenge thrown in and all the existing challenges are open for people to enter for as long as they like.

Monday 20 July 2009

Isn't it just typical...

Spent ages filling out return forms, packing stuff, sealing it up ready to go back to Debenhams, and then found one skirt left out. Opened the package to put it in, lost a few nails getting the staples out only to find it wasn't that package, so had to seal it all up again and open the other big one! Phew, now I have to pack up the ball gown, don't think it will do for the wedding as it is during the afternoon, still looking.....................

Mexican Wave

Isn't this great? I am going to be packing up Debenham's clothes to go back this evening. May not get to crafting. Have a list of things I need to do like order food from Tesco too.

Sunday 19 July 2009

Wedding jitters



Here I am a week to go until I am mother of the groom and I now hate what I chose to wear, and don't think it is good enough.

Here is the story from the top:

1. Bought skirt from M&S that I have liked for ages, they were selling out fast. Tried it on, as only one left and it fitted. Had trouble finding a blouse to go with it, but settled on a pale grey with ruffles and beads round the hem, and flowers all in the same fabric, skirt is silver linen cut out on a net with underskirt. Ladies in M&S said looked O.K. suggested hot pink pashmina and hat which I bought, thought I thought the "one size fits all hat" was too small, also bought back up red fascinator and red pashmina.

2. Tried it on to show nearly DIL, who said it looked alright, but hat looked too small. Feeling glad she agreed with me as I thought it looked silly. She didn't like the red alternatives.

3. Took hat and red accessories back to M&S, then in moment of madness went into posh hat shop and bought a creation in pink, found when I got it home it didn't quite match the pashmina.

4. Bought a hot pink clutch bag from Ebay, didn't match either pashmina or hat, is more like salmon though label says hot pink.

5. Ordered a silver blouse on the phone from Debenehams, thought it would go better with skirt - no it is wrong shade too blue, but might keep it anyway as it is rather nice.

6. Ordered obscene amount of clothes from Debenhams, more blouses in silver as well as some other clothes in the sale, none of the blouses match the skirt but ended up with two new blouses for work/casual, a work suit and some jeans and a crinkle cotton skirt. Also in desperation I ordered a midnight blue ball gown as alternative to grey ensemble, and it fits and is lovely though not washable but is is suitable for an afternoon ceremony in converted water mill with wedding breakfast then later an evening hog roast? Finding mixed advice on this.

7. Pile of clothes sitting here wating for me to sort out and fill in returns forms.

8. Hubby drove me to Bristol to Cribbs Causeway shopping mall, I found a pashmina that matches hat but is much paler than I wanted, not the hot pink effect at all. Hat is now driving choices due to being v. expensive! Looked for completely different outfit and pink clutch bag, ended up buying silver clutch bag with diamates from Dune that I had seen online. JL had a gorgeous all over diamante bag with diamante bow but it was very small and had no handle. Found some dresses that I thought would have been perfect, but none in my size. They were in the sale at over £100, now what do I do?

9. Came home feeling so tired and depressed, still have silver and grey combo, but at least I have a matching pash if I don't ditch the v. expensive hat. I was trying to get it to stay on my head yesterday, wasn't playing so need a pack of hair clips I think to clip on the hair comb and the elastic that goes under the back of the hair, which will show as my hair is grey and the elastic is pink but never mind, just getting it to stay on will be an achievement - when the posh hat lady did it the hat/saucer stayed on fine.

10. Still in pain from slipping on the wet floor while reaching up to clean the tiles which resulted in vertical take off and bouncing off the edge of the bath a couple of times, my collarbone is very painful sitting here typing, and moving and dressing, and moving....should it be better after a week? Had black bruising appear on my chest.

Yesterday the day was spent printing off the menu on vellum and inserting in the C5 gatefold cards which are stamped inside with brown butterflies and outside with "menu". These are the same design as the wedding invites which were C6 size, and the invites were tied with sepia brown sheer ribbon, and there was a butterfly punched out from the back as well as either "Wedding invitation" or Evening invitation" stamped on the front. The butterflies on the invites were stamped slightly differently, and with another set that seems to have gone walkies along with one out of the set of new Nestie lables.

We also made the table plan, Robo helped here with printing and cutting the names onto big butterflies which were attached to mountboard, and finished with small butterflies and the happy couple's names.

I will post photos next week after the wedding.

A horse of course



Quirky Crafts challenge 9, originally uploaded by bluesuedeshoes.

This is my DT card for Quirky Crafts card challenge 9.

Challenge 9 is Animals. I have a lot of animal stamps, so which to choose? I saw this unused Horse of Course stamp and thought it would be perfect for my DT card for Quirky Crafts forum card challenge 9. The horse stamp is Inkadinkado, shapes cut with Nestabilities, and horseshoe cut with Quickutz die.
Horse is coloured with Prismacolour pencils using Sansador to blend.

The good luck stamp is Whiff of Joy.

I love this fun horse. I just uploaded this from my Flickr gallery, just to see how it worked!

Saturday 18 July 2009

Win Whiff of Joy new stamp sets


Over on Katharina's blog you can win the new releases of Whiff of Joy stamps that are also available for preorder from 7th August.


This is a sneak peek of the stamp set:

Monday 13 July 2009

Quirky Crafts Card Challenge 8



Challenge 8 over on Quirky Craft forum is a sketch, and this sketch is really nice to work with. I need to make a birthday card for soon to be DIL so this was ideal, and she loves cows so I used Penny Black Little Moo stamp which is so cute and was a perfect size for the layout. I cut the circle and scalloped circle with Nestabilities dies. The ribbon with printed foil birthday greeting is by Crafty Ribbons.

The papers are by The English Paper Company, and they were perfect to go with little Moo and her two flowers. Large blooms are Bazzil Wings, small blooms are Primas, gem brad is Dovecraft, and zoomz in centers of small flowers are Kirsty Wiseman Patti's Pretties (glue is still a little wet and showing in this shot, which I couldn't seem to shoot straight, must load my photo editing software on).

Little Moo is coloured with Letraset Trias which I am not very good with yet and this is the second attempt (first attempt has been used as the label for the pressy, no waste here).

Sunday 12 July 2009

Indian dreams

This card was commissioned for a birthday tomorrow by my boss.
The brief was that some of the things she loves are purple, India and shiny things - I think this fits don't you?

The elephant was one I bought at a craft show, I loved them and I will be keeping one for me. The fancy corners are a new Cuttlebug combo die sets and the red frame, you can't see that there are paisleys stamped on the paler card with a Woodware stamp from the Indian Dreams set.

The greeting was in some stash I won for having a card published and is nested on shapes cut with Nestie dies, and embossed with Cuttlebug paisley folder. The mirror mosaics were some I got in a sale, red gems by DoCrafts.

Graduation card

My brother graduates Tuesday, congratulations brother! He deserves something good to happen, he has had a rough couple of years.

Stamp is by House Mouse, coloured with Prismacolour pencils, shapes cut with Nestabilities dies, ribbon by Crafty Ribbons, star brads, foiled greeting was part of stash won for having a card published.

Wednesday 8 July 2009

Birthday Thanks

Thanks so much for my birthday greetings on here and elsewhere!

I am very busy, and trying to not stay on here but here is the list:

Finish printing iron on sheets for T Shirts, iron them on (can't say too much now),

Make condolence card,

Make graduation card,

Make commissioned birthday card, purple, India, shiny things.

Order shopping from Tesco

Seal up last blog candy package to go,

......................................................

Sleep maybe...

I did have two new Cuttlebug combo die and embossing sets arrive today from Rugby Crafts, good service, great new products. Want to try them but really don't have time tonight.

For my birthday I had money, more money, bouquet of flowers, beautiful bracelet arrived today, Argos gift card, a Wallace figurine from A Matter of Loaf and Death, book on digital photography, book on smoothies, big box of 100 fat balls for the birds, bag of seed and a bird log book.

4 hand made cards and some shop bought cards too.

Tuesday 7 July 2009

Happy Birthday to me

Today is my birthday, and I had to work but we did go out for a meal to my fav Chinese restuarant this evening. I felt very sad that my boys weren't accompanying us, or their girlfriends but they are very busy right now.

I have finally posted most of the little blog candies this morning and I was up very late addressing them so I am very tired and will not stay up much later tonight!

Monday 6 July 2009

Tomorrow is my birthday

I will be at work on my birthday. I could have volunteered to go to London, but I didn't really want to on my birthday in this heat however I heard a rumour that Alan Sugar may be there, bother, I should have volunteered!

Now I thought something was going on at the weekend, maybe surprise visitors, a meal - nothing so far. Perhaps I shouldn't order my groceries online for tomorrow evening - just in case!

Lovely rain


I just looked out and it is pouring with rain - how wonderful, so I have closed the patio door but opened a few windows as it is refreshing the air beautifully, I have felt so hot today, might get cold in a bit though!


The garden really needs a drink as well.

Lack of challenge card this week

Some of you may be wondering why I haven't posted the Quirky Crafts Challenge card for this week - the answer is that I got carried away and made next week's card by mistake (put it down to senility)! I haven't yet had time to make this week's card, by the time I realised it was the wrong card it was late Sunday and I have been very busy since. In fact I really must get the blog candies addressed and posted tonight which I was trying to do last night but I got caught up in wedding stuff and ended up making numerous phone calls and then relaying the info again by phone back to the bride and groom to be, the final numbers were due in today for food, ceremony and evening do! Not long to go now!

So about the card, obviously I can't show you or I will spoil the surprise of waiting for the next challenge on Sunday.

Friday 3 July 2009

Butter wouldn't melt in their mouths










You just wouldn't believe these are very naughty dogs. Not only in the vet's waiting room, where Alfie (the pepper and salt one) tried to go for every size dog in the vets surgery, having beaten me to it to the car so he couldn't be left behind, and Sooty who had an eye infection managed to pee inside while I was distracted by Alfie escaping from his collar and lead! Then on the second visit Sooty managed to pee on the toy stand and get a toy duck, while I was trying to stop Alfie from menacing a dog several times his size and get to the counter to pay lots (but not for the toy, thought I am sure I paid enough to cover it).

But that is not the worst they have done, last week Alfie was excitedly running up and down outside the greenhouse, and then I realised there was a Wood Pigeon inside, then even worse Sooty was inside too and by the time I got there Sooty was coming out with said bird in his mouth, and the poor youngster just lay there with legs stiff and wings, the dogs with mouth full of feathers were banished indoors but the poor bird expired soon afterwards.

Today I was having a nap after a hard day and not sleeping, and I heard a commotion, barking and noise and I thought it was hubby arriving but no - there was an adult Wood Pigeon in the greenhouse, Alfie went in despite me shouting and came out with mouthful of feathers, I got him indoors but Sooty went in and also came out with feathers, I shouted so much I now have a sore throat but I did get the dogs inside, and managed to catch the Wood Pigeon and set it down on the grass where it wobbled over to the flower border and sat there looking shocked for ages.

The bird eventually flew away, so all is well I hope.

Wednesday 1 July 2009

Sugar Bowl sketch


I hope I get this loaded in time. Photo is a little wonky but I didn't have time to change it, tried once for a better one and just made it to join in the Sugar Bowl challenge.

Who needs a prince?



Here is my next green and red card. I used a Sugar Nellie stamp designed by Diana Dude, they are so good.