Winter Blossoms at Winter Wonderland

Christmas is here again!!

Marie is our host for the Winter Wonderland challenge, 

for us, the Snowflakes team this week.

The theme is 

Winter Blossoms.

We have 2 great sponsors this week, so 2 wonderful prizes.

First Sponsor is

The Craft Barn - £10 voucher

Next Sponsor is

Bugaboo - 7 Digis 

How brilliant is that! Very generous sponsors here at WW.

My card is made with an image I have in a program on my computer.

It isn't what I had planned to make but I even struggled with this simple card.

I printed it twice and then cut out bits to 3D.

Actually I was quite pleased with how it turned out.

I am also very pleased to be so far ahead with my stash of Christmas cards

and we are not even at the end of April!

You possibly think, there is no way you want to make them already BUT 

remember that, when later in the year, you will wish you had!

I just enjoy making something different. 

So you know what you need to do to win one of the fab prizes.

Simple....sit and make a Winter Blossom Christmas card!!
Then link it to Winter Wonderland Blog and sit back and feel a bit smug!!
You now have started making your Christmas stash!!
Oh!! And you also have a great chance to win an amazing prize.....

......£10 to spend in an amazing Craft Shop - The Craft Barn
I know it is, as I was a Tutor there!

You could alternatively win 7 Digis of your choice, 
from one of the biggest selections around.....
.......Yes - 7 Digis from - Bugaboo Digi Stamps!

I suggest that you pop over to both sites and see what you would like to have.
That just might encourage you to make even 3 cards.
You can enter 3 different cards, as long as the theme is correct.

What are you waiting for?!!!!
Christmas!!Hee!! Hee!!

For a bag load of inspiration, my Snowflake Teamies have 
made some fab cards to get you going.
So take time out to view them here.

                               Thanks for popping in.                                     

I love reading your messages and get well notes. 
They are much appreciated. 
                                                                                          
I am looking forward to visiting your blogs to see your entries
 and leaving you messages too.

Hugs,

Carolxxxx

On The Mend...... I Think!!!

Sorry I haven't visited you for a few days but this virus really

knocked me over! 

In 48 hours I only slept for just under 2 hours. Just constant coughing.

I managed to phone my sister on Monday to wish her Happy Birthday and 

I had to tell her who it was, as she didn't recognize my voice.

It still sounds the same but I slept for 4 hours last night, so feel a bit 

better at the moment.

So just a quick post to apologise and hopefully will gradually get 

around to you today.

This is another new stamp from Lili Of The Valley, Jasmine-Laptop.

Coloured with Distress Inks, just for a change!!

Sorry about the quality of pics, they look a bit blurry.

Thanks for popping in and will get back to you asap.

Challenges:

Crafty Ribbons - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments - Anything Goes

Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes

Hugs,

Carolxxxx

Happy Birthday Chrissy and Lili Of The Valley New Stamps

Happy Birthday Chrissy, over there in New Zealand!

Have a wonderful day.

I finally managed to not just look at my new stamps from Lili Of The Valley,

but to actually make a card with them. 

So easy to colour and just what is needed to fill a gap in the market.

Jasmine does that perfectly.

I coloured her with my trusty Distress Inks.

Flowers are cut with a Tim Holtz Die.

Short post today as under the weather again. Caught a coughing virus

from my dear husband. It wears you out coughing all day.

I got up at 5am this morning, as I got fed up with coughing and not sleeping!

Before I go and get yet more medicine, please pop over to 

Winter Wonderland Challenge blog.

A new challenge starts today and a great prize for the winner.

Also gets you ahead with making your Christmas cards.

Just had a peek and there are some awesome 

cards there for inspiration.

Thanks for popping in and your kind messages are 

always a treat to read.

I am actually entering my card into a couple of challenges!!

Lili of the Valley April Challenge on Facebook

The Ribbon Girl April Challenge - Anything Goes

Crafty Calendar Challenge - Anything Goes

Hugs,

Carol S.xxxx

Winter Wonderland Challenge - Baubles!

Welcome to our challenge this week at 

Winter Wonderland.

I am hosting the challenge this week on behalf of the Snowflakes Team.

 I chose the theme to be 

Baubles.

To join in the fun, please follow the rules,

 or you will not be entered into the draw for the prize.

It would be sad, if you spend the time making a beautiful Birthday card 

and it would not qualify for the draw!

Simple rules - Christmas Cards only. 

This week, somewhere on your card/project there must be a Bauble, 

or even a Bauble shape card as an idea.

 This is my DT card and I have made myself a Bauble shape  to attach 

my circular die cut image onto.

The image is a Digi, Joy Of Christmas, from our generous sponsor - 

Craft Sentiments.

I adore snowmen but I am very particular how they look.

This one is adorable and passed my test!!

He has a lovely smile and the little bird is so cute.

I printed him twice and 3D his scarf, hat trim, star and carrot nose.

You can find him here

Crafty Sentiments are very generously giving the prize this week,

which is 3 Digi Stamps.

So get making you entries, 3 per person, which increases your chance of winning.

Also, three cards made towards your Christmas stash!!

Then pop over to Winter Wonderland here and post your entries.

If you go there first, you can see the stunning designs from

my fellow Snowflake Teamies. Great inspiration.

Looking forward to visiting your blogs.

Thanks for popping in and just so appreciate your lovely messages

you take the time to leave me.

Big hugs,

Carolxxxx

Have a Heart and Thanks

I am doing a Craft Fair at The Cliff Hotel, in Gorleston, Suffolk tomorrow.

Really looking forward to it, as did very well last month on my first visit there!!

The weather is looking a lot better than we had last month.

Would love to see you if you live near enough to come.

This is a heart I made with weddings in mind.

It's a pretty big piece of MDF. Finished size about 12" x 8".

The paper I bought last year at Ally Pally. From which stall.... Who knows!!!

The Roses and Leaves I made with Artista Paper Clay. Just the same as 

making them with icing, petal by petal to whatever size you want.

Additional embellishments are from Anna Marie and Hobbycraft.

Health update. I am certainly loads better than I was. 

Result of the scan was a small stone lodged it my Kidney and they think that 

another large one has expelled itself.

They recommend that I have an Ultra-sound now, as they 

also saw Cysts on my liver!

Just waiting for an appointment.

So things are looking up and appears to be nothing really nasty. Phew!!

We had a nurse friend of mine come and stay with us from last Thursday

 until yesterday morning.

Was great to see her and we enjoyed showing some of the places 

we have found already. She loved it too.

The weather was amazing every day, so some visits to the beaches.

She had driven here from West Sussex, to also get her hair coloured and cut!!

A lovely lady and a great friend.

She's coming again in June!!

Thank you again for your support over the last weeks.

It helped me so much. You are all so lovely.

 Sending you all

BIG HUGS

Carolxxxx

Winter Wonderland Challenge For A Child

It's the Snowflakes DT challenge this week at Winter Wonderland.

I am quite excited, as I looove these Digis!!!!

They are super cute and a joy to colour.

Distress Inks of course.

Nearly forgot, the theme this week is...

For A Child

Christmas cards only please.

I had to put Glossy Accents on the reindeer hat's nose! 

The gorgeous Digi is from our Sponsor this week...

Dah! Dah! 

All Dressed Up!!

You must take time out and visit their shop. 

'Cos if you win, you will spend hours trawling through the

fabby images and then you will want them all!!

You get 2 Free Digis for being the winner.

Wish I could enter as there are loads I would want!!

Don't forget you can enter up to 3 times. 

ONLY Christmas cards are valid to enter the challenge.

There are some little stunners from the Snowflake DT, on the 

Winter Wonderland blog. We are here to inspire your mojo!!

Oh, and we have some new members on the teams. 

So please stop by their blogs too please.

Good luck and thanks for stopping by.

Love reading your messages and leaving comments on your blogs too.

Hugs,

Carolxxxxx

A Special Day

My health problem got a lot worse over the weekend. 
Saturday morning was spent mostly in bed. I felt nauseous and couldn't eat 
and even struggled drinking. The pain was really bad too.

I managed to get up Sunday but still felt much as the same as Saturday.
I lost 5lbs in those two days. 
I must apologise for not visiting your blogs over the last few days.
I know my plan was to lose a stone this year, but not this way.
Another visit to the Docs on Monday.
He now thinks that I have a stone stuck in my Kidney.
He even called the hospital, spoke to a consultant, who agreed with him.
He also wanted to see if I could get a scan that evening!
No luck with that though.
He said he was going to keep an eye on me!

The hospital called me this morning. They had a cancellation, 
so I have had it done. Now the wait for the results.
**********************
I must welcome my 2 new followers, Lia and Ameera.
Thank you for taking the time to join me.
Would love a message when you visit, so I can return the same to you.

This card I made over the last week. It was a stop and start card!
It's an 8" x 8" card blank and the backing card is a pack I bought at Ally Pally.
It is a beautiful card and I have it in 3 designs and also in gold.
The silver corners are the waste from the mirror board Die Cut.

The stamps are both from Lili Of The Valley, the sentiment and image.

The image was coloured with Distress Inks.  

The sentiment was heat embossed with Silver Detail Embossing Powder,

onto a piece of the backing card.

You can see the shiny design a bit on this photo.

The flowers are a Sue Wilson Die set Delicate Daisies.

The image was stamped onto Langton Water Colour 300gsm paper.

The image and backing are cut with a Craft-Too set of dies.

I used the same die for the sentiment inside.

The table that the card is sitting on was an old garden table that 

nearly ended up at the tip.

Instead, I painted it and then decorated it with Sheena Douglas style painting!

It then ended up on Create and Craft, on Sheena's Show!

Her husband had emailed me, as the table had been seen on my blog

and Sheena wanted to show it on her shows over the next 2 days. So it did.

I have got a couple of the programmes saved on my Sky box!! How sad!!

That was at least 6-7 years ago!!

I won't tell you how long it has taken me to get all this waffle on here!!

I can't sit for too long in one place, as it gets rather uncomfortable.

I promise I will try to start getting around to you all, over the next few days.

Thank you for visiting and leaving you lovely messages.

Big hugs to all,

Carolxxxxx

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

DT Call at Winter Wonderland

Hope you are having a lovely weekend.

Just a quick post to let you know we are having a DT call

at Winter Wonderland.

If you would like to join our very friendly team,
you have until Wednesday 16th March.

Click on the link HERE and it will take you to 
the Winter Wonderland blog.

Just scroll to the post just below the current challenge.

All the details of how you apply are there.

Good luck and hope you join our happy team,

Hugs
Carol xx

Winter Wonderland - Charmed!

Well we are now off and running, getting those Christmas cards made.

Yes.....I did say Christmas cards.

This is the best way to get ahead and a chance to win prizes for doing it!!

How bad is that?!!

Our host at Winter Wonderland this week is Julie.

The theme this week is

Must Have A Charm

I have used a charm, purchased where everything is one price! (£1)

Six or eight charms in a pack!

My image I chose to use is a Tiddly Inks image.

It was a freebie on Crafts Beautiful Magazine last year.

I stamped her onto The Langton Water Colour 300gsm card.

I used Distress Inks to colour her and her friends with.

I really enjoyed colouring her.

The flower is from my stash from many years ago!

On her hat trim, coat trim and the penguins hat, I have used

American 3D white Glue and a mix I made of Flock and 

Iced White Glitter from Creative Expressions.

It gives a sparkly, fluffy appearance. 

Not that you can see it, as it was not very good light when I took the photo.

You can just see a bit of sparkle on the ribbons, that's Stickles.

The papers are from one of our sponsors this week, 
MR Designs.

The prize they are very generously giving the winner is
a E10 Gift voucher.

Our second Sponsor is Live and Love Crafts.
Another generous prize of a £10 voucher

What I suggest you do, is pop over and peruse the fab items in their shops. 
So if you win, you know exactly what you will spend the prize on!!

So now all you have to do is make up to 3 cards and pop them on 
the Winter Wonderland blog and sit back and wait.

While you are waiting, you can pop over to all the amazing Snowflakes 
team blogs. Great inspiration for you too.

Please leave them a message so they know you have been. 
We always leave a message for every entry you make.

Well that's me done.
I am now going to refill my glass........with WATER!!
I have a kidney infection and am drinking a few litres of water a day.
I have had it for 3 weeks now but only found out last week 
what the awful pain was.
The first pills the practice nurse gave me, I had an allergic reaction to.
It was terrible. I got up in the morning, having only taken 2 pills and 
my husband said I was very red faced.
In fact, I was all over and lumps (called hives I was told!) all over too.
It felt like something was crawling all over me and sticking pins in as well.

On my second visit to the surgery, I saw a Doctor I hadn't seen 
before and she gave me pills for the allergy and 
3 days supply of pills for the infection.

After 4 days I still had the pain. So another trip to the Docs 
and this time I saw my Doctor. He said I had been given the wrong
 amount of pills and gave me another weeks supply!!
Hopefully it will go this time!!
I need a good hand cream now, as going to the loo so much,
my hands are sore from all that washing!!!
Is that a side effect?!!

Thanks for popping by and I always love to read your messages.
Big hugs,

Carolxxxx