My Furry Friends

Hi everyone,

 

To say I am knackered is an understatement! Two Craft Fairs in one week is too much. I sold so much on Good Friday, that I have worked day and night, beavering away in my craft room, making stock for today(Saturday). I sold so much again today, that I now have to replenish again for my next fair, Wednesday week! Fairy clocks - sold, Fairy hangers - sold. Poppy candles - sold. Poppy clocks - sold. Decorated MDF hearts x 6 sold. Teal coloured clock - sold. Teal box (a couple of posts back) - sold. Large butterfly decorated, not had chance to post yet! - sold. Loads of boxes - sold. The list is endless!!!

 

I also have to make a couple of hundred cards, to replenish the outlets I have for my cards! How do people say that retirement is boring! I would love to say one day, that I am bored! :-D

 

This is a quick C&S card. I wish I could say they are quicker to do than my 'normal' cards but they are not. I seem to waste more time, faffing about looking for papers.

 

The stamp is Lili of the Valley, 'My Favourite Friends'. It reminds me of when my Granddaughter was little. I collected Teddy Bears and she loved playing with them. Even now she is eight, she knows where some of them are kept and they have to come out to be cuddled!



 

I have coloured with Distress Inks. The sentiment is a freebie from Annette's blog, where you can download loads of them all for free. Check her blog out and you won't be sorry.

 

I used a Go Create Frilly #8 die to cut out the image, card blank and the Co-Ordinations card for the background. All edged with Stickles. Just have to have a bit of bling, don't you!

 

Well I am now off to bed to dream up more designs. Does anyone else out there, design when you are supposed to be going to sleep?!! Quite often people ask me where I get my ideas from. I generally answer 'My Bed'! I sometimes get very strange looks, so I then explain that, that's the time my brain works overtime.

Well thanks for stopping by and hope you leave me a message, as I love to read them.

I will enter this little card into
                                         Crafty Little Fairies Challenge - Furry Friends
                              A Gem Of A Challenge - Cute and Cuddly

Enjoy the rest of the weekend,

Hugs,
Carol S.xx

A Very Special Wedding

Hi my blogging friends,

 

Firstly I would like to welcome my new followers. Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and to join me, on our journey.

 

Hope you all had a good Easter break. I did a Craft Fair on Friday. I sold so much, that I thought I was going to have a sell out!! Now trying to replace stock for my next Fair, on this coming Saturday!

 

This card I made, was for a very special couple, that had their wedding on Good Friday. Unusual day but with good reason.

 

I won't go into all the details, but it was made for the niece, of the Manager of the charity that I fund raise for. It is a heart wrenching story.

 

When S. (the bride), was a young child, her Daddy sadly passed away from Cancer.  A few years later, her Mother remarried and S. became very close to her new Daddy. They both shared the love of words.

 

When she was in her early teens, her Father became ill with Cancer and sadly, he passed away too. She was devastated, as you can imagine.

 

A few years on and her Mother remarried. S. adored her new Father and they became very close. S. met her husband to be and they made a date for their wedding, for late summer this year. Everything was wonderful.

 

Her Father suddenly felt unwell and was soon diagnosed with terminal cancer. Words cannot describe what effect this news had on S. So, as she was determined to have her Father walk her down the aisle, the wedding was brought forward to last Friday.

 

The words on the front of the card, were written by her (now) Father, for her and her groom. It was shortened, to fit on the card. Inside, I put a quote that was written for her, by her second Father.

 

I had to have a few tissues to hand, when making this card.

 

The embossing was an Anna Griffin folder and the aperture was Opulent Ovals Nestie Die.

 

The butterflies and the hearts, I made with Martha Stewart Paper Clay and coloured with Distress Inks.

 

Flowers, lace and ribbon from my stash. The leaves are a Marianne Die.

 

 

Hopefully, my next posting will not be a sad story, although this was also a happy one too.

 

Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving your lovely messages. I will always return to your blogs too.

 

Hugs,

 

Carol S.xx

 

Dragonfly Box

Hi everyone in blogger land,

 

I had a great day at Ally Pally, where I took a friend of mine, that had never been before. We just got around all 62 stalls in 6 hours!

 

It was so nice to meet Marianne, a follower of my blog and I, of hers'. We had quite a long chat. I bought loads of goodies, as you do. I also saw quite a few friends up there. One lady used to go to the same infant school and dance classes as me! Another 2 ladies that I used to work with, at the Craft Shop where I was a Tutor.

 

I also kept bumping into a lady that I spoke to at the first stall we were looking at. It got really funny, as every time I turned around she was there with her friend. That lasted right to the end. I gave her a card with my blog address on, so will be interested to see if she visits my blog.

 

Today I had a Craft Fair to do. I was there just before 9am and it finished at 3.30pm. I'm absolutely knackered!! I was short of stock before I went and now I have loads more to make before Friday, when I have another Fair to do! Not complaining really but I have put in an order for 28 hour days, just for this week!Lol!

 

This is a box I have made to sell at a market. I fell in love with this paper pad, by Jodie Lee Designs, called Fairy Belle Collection. It is the main piece on the right.

 

The other papers are from my stash, including the tag, which I think was free with a magazine.

 

I have to admit, that I have an addiction for papers. One day I will take a photo of my boxes of papers. I have 19 boxes of 12"x 12" size, 17 boxes of A4 size, 8 boxes of A5 size and various folders A4 size! All of them are full to bursting!

 

I admit I also bought 3 more paper pads at Ally Pally. I will have to buy another box now!

The bow on this box, is from my stash, when I had a fabric addiction! I used to make all my clothes and my children's clothes. Even my sons' shirts and my daughter's winter coats. In fact, when I was made redundant for the first time ( 7 times in 5 years!) I went back to making bridesmaids dresses and flower displays. Had to put food on the table somehow. I did sell loads of fabric and haberdashery items when I moved.

The birdcage is a Memory Box die. I went looking in my Vellum drawer (forgot to put that in my list!) for a piece to make a butterfly with. I found a scrap, that I had already stamped this Kay Carley dragonfly on twice. Perfect! I coloured it from the back with a Copics pen, cut them out and stuck the bodies together.

I added flight dots with Stickles Star Dust and Stickles Cinnamon on his body.

 

 

Well I have made a list of things I have to make this week. How much of it I will get done, who knows!

 

Thank you for stopping and leaving me your treasured messages.

 

Hugs,

 

Carol S.xx

 



 

 



Happy 10th Birthday Lili of the Valley

Hi to all my lovely bloggers,

 

I don't improve with posting a bit more often, do I!! I have made loads of stuff for my market on Sunday and just don't find the time to post the pics!

 

My days never go to plan. I don't know why I bother planning my days at all. Monday was a disaster, from the start to the end of the day.

 

One day that is definitely planned, is Saturday. I am off to Ally Pally for some serious shopping! I have a great long list, as always.

 

I am going to look out for people who follow my blog, that have photos on their blogs. I haven't, as I don't want to scare anyone!Lol!

 

I have made this CAS card for Lili of the Valley's 10th birthday. The stamp is called 'A Lick Of Paint'. I have had it quite a while and this is the first time I have used it.

 

I still find it hard doing CAS cards. They just look unfinished when I do them. Yet cards that Jen and Mary J. make, look lovely!

 

For the Happy Birthday,  I used a die that was free, with Simply Card and Papercraft magazine. I inked a scrap piece of white card with Rusty Hinge Distress Ink and then cut it out. I used Distress Inks to colour the image too. The number was from some white stickers, that my daughter gave me, which I coloured with a Copics pen.

 

 

The papers are from a Papermania Border Pack for men.  I bought it so many years ago, I can't remember when! They have never been used, until this card.

 

I put some Glossy Accents on the paintbrush and the spills.

 

 

Well that's it for tonight. Hope you like my CAS card more than I do!

 

A big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all the staff at Lili of the Valley. Please keep bringing us such wonderful products.

 

                 Challenge - Lili of The Valley - Birthday Card

 

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and for you lovely comments.

 

Hugs,

 

Carol S.xx