Poppy

Firstly, I must thank you all for the lovely messages you left me

on my last post. 

It wasn't an easy thing to do, to step down from WW.

It was a long time on the same team. 

I have been busy making cards for the Care Homes.

I just take in 2 whole racks full of new designs and swap them over, 

for the ones that are leftovers.

I bought this Stamping Bella stamp called Poppy, at the 

Craft Show at Thetford, last February. 

This is the first stamping with it!!

I don't usually like faceless images, but I do like their stamps.

I coloured her with Copics. 

The background was from a paper pad from Hobbycraft.

I ran it through an embossing folder that was free

with a magazine. I have no idea which one!!

I haven't used embossing folders for ages. I am 

determined to use them a bit more. 

I grounded her with a touch of grass, a few flicks with a pen!

Very technical...not!!

I took these 2 photos of an area in my garden at the

end of May. 

I had just dead headed the Cape Daisy, cutting off 154 dead heads!!

Four days later I cut off 241 dead heads!!!

And it is still in full flower and will be, right through the summer.

That is when we get a summer!!

This was another corner and yes that is another Cape Daisy.

I have 3 of them in the border.

They are a but thuggish, but I just cut them back a bit. 

The good thing is that they are evergreen, so less weeding to do!!

Well I am now off to do a bit more dead heading. I find

it quite relaxing and love watching the bees. 

Thanks for taking the time to visit my little blog

and I love to read your lovely messages.

Everyone is appreciated. 

Big hugs,

Carol 

XXXXX

Pretty In Pink

Hope you are all snow free!

Just a quick post of an adorable Stamping Bella stamp,

called Waterlily.

Loving the Flower Girl Stamps.

For a change, I coloured her with my Inktense Pencils.

They give a much softer look.

 The sentiments are Die cut from Funky Foam and I heated them

a little with my heat gun. Just makes them a little smaller.

Have a lovely week, wherever you are and keep warm!!

Don't forget that there are bargains to get

from The Craft Barn Sale.

New products have been added.

Thanks for popping in and hope you have time

to leave a lovely message. 

They are all read and treasured.

Big Hugs,

Carol

xxxxx

Sweet Pea!

Just a bit of Housework first.

No not a duster in sight!!

If any of my visitors would like to join us at the 

Winter Wonderland Challenge Blog,

we are looking for new members to join our Design Teams.

Pop over to the blog HERE

and you will see all the info for you. 

Sorry I haven't posted for a while but I have been sitting

at my desk, making stock for the Craft Fairs that are coming up..

It was brilliant a couple of weeks ago, breaking all records for my

sales, for all the many years I have been doing them. 

But then I have to make more very quickly, at this time of year

as the fairs are very close together.

This card I made in September, for my lovely friend Marianne.

I bought the stamp at Thetford craft fair.

She is so cute and love this Stamping Bella range. 

It has to be a very quick post as it's just passed midnight

and I have a couple of things to finish, before I go to bed.

Another 2am night!!

Thank you for taking time to visit me and leaving

me such lovely messages.

Big hugs

Carol 

xxxx

Cheers!!

I have decided to use not only stamps

that have never seen ink but also products,

that over the years, get forgotten about!

So I have sort of started to keep my promise to myself!!

This image is one on my favourites, so doesn't

come into the first category.

What does, is what I have used to colour the 

gorgeous girls with.

Any one new to crafting, will have possibly not

have heard about them......

LuminArte H2O's!!

Little pots of Mica filled solid paint, that are great

for making backgrounds too.

When they came on the market, around 10ish years ago,

 I had a severe addiction to them! 

I also to used to Demo them,

on a Saturday in The Craft Barn

They have been copied by other companies now.

I just had to add the following pictures of an amazing 

plant in my garden.

I bought it with me when we moved here.

It's called a Dierama.

It also has a few nicknames, I like the one, 

'Angels Fishing Rod'.

The first photo shows it before the flowers open.

I had to make sure that Hubby didn't chop the

heads off, thinking they are dead!!

It wouldn't be the first time!!

In the next photo, you can just see dark tips on the ends 

of a couple of the flower cases. 

Then they begin to open!!

They are a definite 'Wow'!!

The size of each flower and the markings are beautiful.

There are 5 stems waiting to open.

They all have multiple groupings, all down each stem.

I have had the plant around 6 years and last year

 it flowered for the first time.

Probably because it was in the right place!!

It had just one stem of flowers though.

Sadly, house work calls now!!

Boring but hope you have better things to do.

Thanks for visiting and your lovely messages

make me smile. 

Hugs,

Carol

xxxx

Pink and Girly - Crafty Ribbons Challenge No: 161

Pink and Girly, an easy theme for you to join in the 

challenge this week at Crafty Ribbons.

A great prize available as always.

Pop over to see the great prize surprise!!

Oh! Don't forget to add your ribbon!!

 I have used a Stamping Bella image and coloured her with Copics.

The Happy Birthday Ribbon is called

Patchwork Rose Ribbon - Happy Birthday - Hot Pink

Click on the name and you can go straight to the ribbon!

It's brilliant ribbon, so easy to use and available in loads of colours.

I added Stickles on the parcels and her dress.

Pop over to the challenge here.

You can see all the stunning designs from my Teamies.

Sure to inspire you!

Thanks for stopping by and good luck in the challenge.

Thanks for your lovely messages. It's great to know you have stopped by,

so I can then I can return the compliment.

Hugs,

Carol.xxxx

My Bestist Friend Retires!!

I must first thank you all for your lovely 'Get Well' messages.

You are such lovely people and it really means a lot to me.

A heath update. I collected yet another Script for Antibiotics this morning, Monday.

We are going to give it another week and if the pain has not gone by

 the end of this week, or the beginning of next week, he wants to see me.

He then has to figure out what it is!

One of my best, special friends retires today.

She was a Senior Nurse in day surgery, at the famous burns hospital,

The Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead.

We have been friends for over 25 years and she is more like a sister to me.

She is coming up to stay with us for 4 days, at the end of March. 

I am so looking forward to seeing her again. 

We are going to meet up with another ex-nurse, from the same hospital.

She used to live in East Grinstead and moved up here in Suffolk 11 years ago.

She is now only half an hour away.

I used to do their hair for them and they hadn't known for a 

few years, that they had the same hairdresser!!

We are going out for lunch, so should be great fun!

I made this card for her as she very rarely spends time on herself.

I thought this might be a bit of a hint that she must now do so!

I made an easel card with one of my fave Stamping Bella stamps.

Coloured with Distress Inks.

I used Go Create Frilly 10 Square Die to cut out the image and mat.

The main backing paper is actually a Christmas paper pad from Trimcraft,

 called Silent Night. It has a shiny metallic effect to it but of course 

you can't see it!

You can't even see the Stickles on the bath or champagne bubbles.

Thanks to Carole, my new follower for taking the time to join my blog.

Of course I joined your amazing blog too.

Well off to finish cooking dinner, then back crafting later.

Shock....horror... I am going to post this card into 3...YES 3 Challenges!!!

The Ribbon Girls - Anything Goes

Cute Card Thursday - Lace or ribbon

Crafty Calendar - Special Lady

Hugs,

Carol xxxx

Winter Wonderland Challenge

We are just about surviving, surrounded by decorators, boxes 

and nothing where it should be!!! Ohh! and loads of dust!!

The previous occupants of our house, decided to paint ceiling coving with gloss paint! 

Less said about that the better!

My craft room, lounge and dining room are now decorated.

They have started bedroom 2 and will be back in there on Monday.

Then when that is painted, we will move our bed etc into bedroom 2,

so they can then do our bedroom and ensuite.

The hall will be the last thing!

We are also having the loo and basin changed and a new shower 

in the ensuite. 

Then on Thursday, the old fireplace and fire are going to be 

removed from the lounge and replaced with a lovely light oak one.

The electrician is popping in some days also, to put up new lights in all the rooms.

We still can't find door handles we like!

Still trying to decide on curtains or blinds......decisions...decisions!!

That is where we are at with the work at the moment!

And I am still lousy at making tea!!

Now onto this weeks challenge at Winter Wonderland.

This is my card. ok I know it's a bit late on my blog. 

It was only a day late on the WW blog.

I managed to find somewhere to sit and make this card,

but then I couldn't find my lead to connect my camera to my computer!!

Rick eventually found it when we were putting the furniture

back into the lounge.

The computer was disconnected for a few days, when all the wood work

was being done in my craft room. So then I was able to put my card

onto the WW blog.

Our sponsors for this weeks challenge, which has the theme

Sparkle and Shine,

are

The Craft Barn

(Where I used to be a Tutor)

They are giving a whopping £10 voucher for the lucky winner.

That is where I bought the Stamping Bella stamp for my card.

The second Sponsor is

Crafty Sentiments.

Three Digis to the second winner is their generous prize.

I think over the last few weeks, my mojo has been packed in a box 

with all my stash!! 

Now it was time to unpack it, it was nowhere to be seen!

My colouring was rubbish and I really struggled to get in the 'zone'!!

So for much better inspiration, pop over to see all the 

glorious makes from my amazing teamies here.

This card is also for my Granddaughter's 10th birthday on Wednesday.

Thanks for stopping by and listening to my moans!!

I think I am just tired, getting up early every morning.

Also all the stress of the selling  and moving has caught up with me.

Hang on in there as I will be back to myself soon,I promise.

Big hugs,

Carolxxxxxx

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun......!!

Hi everyone,

Thanks for stopping by my blog and I hope you like what you see.

I love this stamp from Stamping Bella. You also get the sentiment.

I bought this one from The Craft Barn.

I am not a lover of faceless images but I do like this one.

These girls were great fun to colour with Distress Inks.

For all the stress I am getting at the moment, with trying to move house,

I think the ink should be De Stress Ink!!Lol!!

I could do with a glass of something myself...........!!

My stress levels are going to go through the roof, 

when my craft room is dismantled. 

Painting images has certainly calmed me down. Ugh!!!!

I have a couple more images in draft but have orders to make and a few

friends with birthdays this month. Three this week!

Thanks again for stopping by. 

I love reading your comments, especially at the moment.

They take my mind off all the things going on at the moment.

So thank you for taking the time to visit.

Hugs,

Carolxx