Birthday Lillies and cards

Good morning folks, sorry no post for a day or so, been back having another op on my mouth. I really thought all that was over last year, but the problem spread so there was no option. Still rather sore with the stitches so not a lot of talking from my end.......what a relief for my whole household I hear them say.

So a bit of a catch up on what I should have posted yesterday along with today's postings so this might be a bit of a long one. First up is this weeks new Polkadoodle's challenge where it's my turn to host the theme and I am going with "Something for a Boy" as it's Birthday time in our house this weekend, today it's my hubby's, myself and Grandson's tomorrow and Monday one of our granddaughters, nothing like cramming them all in together is there.

I have crated a card for my daughter to give to our grandson using the Paper Boutique CD. The template is all designed for you and even coloured, all you have to do is print it off, cut it out and layer it up, easy peasy. I printed a few extra stars, added some eyelets and fibres to the spine and stickles to the stars.

Next a reminder about our new Penny Black at Allsorts challenge which kicks off on Thursday. If you have not already been over and added your name to make sure you don't miss anything what are you waiting for, there will be super prizes from Penny Black themselves and one or two other exciting things lined up as well........I will be doing a post on the challenge blog in the next day or so to tell you a bit more about that.

And finally our brand new weekly challenge at Allsorts where it's the lovely Kirsten's turn to host the theme where she would like us to use "Embossing" on our projects.

I have used Hero Arts K5393 Lily Silhouette as my main image which I stamped with versamark and embossed with detail clear onto a piece of red cardstock which I had stamped with Hero H2364 Old French Writing using Tim Holtz distress ink soot black, then bleached out the image.

The spotty DP is from Cosmo Cricket and the cream panel was run through the Big Shot using a Cuttlebug embossing folder. The swirls are from a Sizzix die and the flower made with punches and the beady leaves are from Magnolia. Finally ribbon threaded down one side........don't ask me why, but whenever I use ribbon like this I think of French Follies.......I think it must be the basque image.

Keeing everything crossed for England

How is everyone today ? I just popped into the village for an appointment and the the place was deserted, I figure everyone is at home preparing for an afternoon of footie, tennis some tinnies and probably a barbie as well as the weather is still lovely.

I'm looking forward to the footie, but with trepidation.........so much hangs on a good win today and I know if we lose and are on the plane home from South Africa tonight, one or two in my household will be like bears with sore heads. So here's to a resounding win !!

I forgot to put my England shirt on for the last two games.........no I did not buy it myself, one of the boys gave it to me for my Birthday two years ago when we were plying in the European championships, seem to remember we lost then as well. So perhaps if I wear it today it might bring us luck, I can but hope.

It's quiet in the offices today as well and the phones have hardly rung this morning, so I feel some crafty stuff coming on shortly. I have a card to share which fits some challenges. The main image is another pretty Sarah Kay coloured with Copics and decoupaged with three layers. The DP is Doodlebug and the borders Martha Stewart doily lace. The sentiment is Penny Black 3851E Blessings. My card fits the following challenges:

Creative Card Crew - Easel Card

Everybody Art Challenges - Green and Pink

ABC Challenge - Extra Dimension

Molly Blooms

Good Afternoon peeps, it's Monday so back to the grindstone but at least the sun is shining and no winter woollies today.

Hope you all had a good weekend, mine was a mixture. Saturday I was busy finishing the samples for yesterdays exclusive launch at Sir Stampalot of the new Molly Blooms stamp range. It was really lovely to met Clare, the very talented artiste of the stamps which are now on line to buy here. Scary or what, I am quite getting a liking for cutsie.

I have used Molly Blooms Strawberry Girl on this card, masking her so she is sitting on the toadstool which is another of the stamps in the range, colouring her with Copics and decoupaging, adding some grass and flowers using Art Impression stamps. The DP is Cosmo Cricket, the border punched with Martha Stewart embossed scallop plus some ribbon and a doily. This card is for this the following challenges:

Cupcake - Strawberries and Cream

Stamptacular Sunday - Cute as a Bug - butterflies plus bees on DP

Stamp Something - Summer

My second card uses Penny Black 2407K Keepsake as the main image inked with Brilliance Mediterranean blue and yellow then spritzed with Glimmer Mist daisy yellow. I stamped the three flowers again to decoupage them after spritzing them with the same GM. The DP is October Afternoon, one of the brand new ones just arrived at Stampalot. The corner stamp is Penny Black 3857H Footnote, the with love sentiment is Art Impression and the left hand wording computer generated. This card is for the following challenges:

Penny Black Saturday - Travel/holidays

Stampin for the weekend - Sketch plus yellow and blue.

And finally I thought I would share a piece of fairy artwork my hubby bought me yesterday.

It's a bit unusual as it is a print glazed onto natural slate and the colour of the slate blends beautifully with Arthur Rackham's wonderful depiction of Ginevra from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Not sure where I am going to hang it yet, but I think my craft room is the most likely as it's very 'me' and I can feel the inspiration coming already.

Bunnies washing day

No idea what happened yesterday and only just realised this scheduled post was not where it should be.......Mr Bloggers fault of course, who else.

Before I tell you about this weeks new challenge at Allsorts, a quick reminder about the new Penny Black at Allsorts Challenge which starts on 1st July. If you have not already signed up what are you waiting for, pop over there now, we have some great themes lined up for you and of course fabby Penny Black stamps as prizes all being donated by Penny Black themselves.

This week at Allsorts, the DT were given images to use by this weeks sponsors Squiggle Stamps and the lovely Emma who is hosting this weeks challenge came up with a really great sketch to use.

I printed my image out several time so I could decoupage elements after colouring with Prismacolor pencils and Sakura pens. The DP is a an old piece from my stash and afraid I have absolutely no idea of the make.

I added a Magnolia flowers, some punched leaves and a beaded pin to embellish.

Meet Molly and George

As promised I am back with more news about Molly and George, a brand new range of stamps from UK artist Clare Rowlands called Molly Blooms Stamps which have their debut launch at Sir Stampalot on Sunday 20th June. The entire range of stamps will also be available from Sir Stampalot.

Before anyone tells me, I know I don't do cutsie, but these really are adorable and are a pleasure to work with. The rubber is deeply etched and the images stamp our really crisply. And I still managed at bit of distressing and resist on the flower pot one, plus all are decoupaged, proving just how versatile the stamps are.

These are just a taster of the first few samples I have made, more to follow, but you can see the whole range in store Sunday and they will all be on the web site shortly for you to order.

I am also working with the new Nitwit DP's which are gorgeous, there are several colourways which all coordinate beautifully and they are a very good weight which means they punch out really nicely. These are also on the web site for you to order.

And here's your invitation for those of you who can make it Sunday, just print off and take it along with you. Free refreshments, great demos and a free Cute Critters stamp as well.

Cummon England

Well I eventually got my blog sorted, bit of a nightmare, but got there in the end and a new look as well.

No post since Monday and I've been a rather bad blogger this week as well, but I have been up to my ears in DT work, a new Polkadoodle CD is being released on Create and Craft TV on 27th June, Stamp Addicts have a new programme coming shortly and some exciting happenings at Sir Stampalot this Sunday as well:

They are having a very special Demo Day from 10am through 4pm when you will be able to meet Molly and George, a very special range of stamps. This will be the debut Summer collection with the artist herself, Clare Rowlands. You can read more here.

So a really quick post to share for this weeks Polkadoodle challenge where my teamie Dee has chosen the theme of a Male or Fathers Day card. Well I could not resist this one using the Just for Men CD although when I made it I did not know we would be playing our second match today. I decoupaged the footballs, printed out an England emblem, some computer generated players and squad numbers and finito.

Not sure about the goalie, but even if I had a direct line to Fabio, I would probably be none the wiser or know if Robert Green is going to get a second chance, I really do hope he does though. But our boy Stevie is there and wearing the armband with pride and with Carra and Johnson in as well it's a team I'm liking the look of, it's a long while since we had three Liverpool players in the England squad. There will certainly be some tense living rooms this evening evening.

Bloggers lost the plot

Oh my goodness, the weekend just disappeared and apart from the footie.......best forget that one and look forward to Friday, for the sake of Robert Green if nobody else....I got very little done.

Yesterday was spent trying to resolve my blogger problems but I'm still no further forward. For the last week or so I have needed to sign in to every blog I visit, that's a pain in itself and then the last few days my dashboard is only showing up the odd new post, so the only way I have been able to visit people is by literally trawling round and that's very much trial and error who I stumble across.

I thought the answer would be to change to the new Blogger layout that's being pushed our way.........was that a nightmare or what and at one point I lost my blog completely and the backup I had stored was not recognised. Somehow I retrieved it, but now I have a problem with my old sidebar which has embedded itself into the html and no longer visible so I can't remove it and it overrides the new layout so new and old merge and look a right mess. So I am back to the old layout and doing everything the hard way still. A glass of something strong in on the cards before I have another bash at it....I know it's only lunchtime, but needs must.

Two cards to share today, the first one above is using one of my new Penny Black slapstick stamps, I so love these little girl images. This one is Penny Black 40-024 rain or shine stamped with versafine black and embossed with detail clear and coloured with copics and decoupaged with three layers. The DP is October Afternoon, the flower and gem leaves are Magnolia and the swirls Marianne Designs. This card is for the following challenges:

Pile It On "Summer Showers
Penny Black Saturday - Sketch
Our Creative Corner - "Gotcha Cornered"
Ooh La La Creations - "Flourishes and pearls"

For my second card I have used another stamp from Penny Black 3932K Japanese maple for the main image and 3857H footnote down the side of the card. The background for the main image was created by masking lines across the card and round the border, then sponging Tim Holtz bundled sage and tumbled glass and liberally spritzing with Glimmer Mist pearl to subdue the colours and blend them.

I removed the diagonal masks but not the border ones before stamping the leaf image using Versafine majestic blue and embossing with iridescent powder. After embossing I removed the border masks to reveal a white border. Eyelets and cord threaded down the side and a sentiment PB 3419D to finish. This card is for the following challenges:

Cupcake - "One for the Boys"
Rosie D's "Blue and or Fish"

Back to the other man in my life now, Mr Blogger and see if I can tame him into submission, otherwise my blog may be heading south quicker than I hoped.

The secret's out

OK, keeping secrets are hard and I've had this one for a few weeks now so have been really good, but the time has come when I just have to tell all.

Lynne's idea of Tim coming to visit would have been good, very good in fact, I've done the book, so that leaves my own range of stamps that one of you suggested, but seeing that I can't draw for toffee that's not very likely, but what I do have to tell you is even more exciting and something you can all share.......you see I would have kept Tim to myself.

So no more mystery, but news of something oh so special which I have been busily working away at since I was asked to organise.........the Official Penny Black at Allsorts Challenge..........I've been pinching myself for ages just to make sure it's for real........it is and launches on 1st July.

I was invited by Penny Black to set it up as a sister challenge to our existing Allsorts challenge, so thank you so much for all your support and giving me such a fabulous opportunity and to Elizabeth at Penny Black for liaising with me to organise things......... your stamp Penny Black 2695J epitomises what it's been like in my craft room the last couple of weeks.

I don't need to tell anyone how much I love Penny Black stamps, so this is like a dream come true for me.........did I mention I was excited ? So are all of my teamies at Allsorts who will be joining me on the Design Team and we can't wait to get started. We have some great themes lined up for you in the coming months and of course some fabby prizes for all you lucky peeps which are of course all being provided by Penny Black.

So all you need to do now is pop over to the the new challenge blog and sign up so you don't miss out on any of the news. You can also register to join Penny Black's club so you get updates of new stamp releases and news.

A touch of lace and butterflies

My teamie Fleur is hosting this weeks challenge at Allsorts and would like us to use 'Lace and/or Buttons' on our projects.

But before I tell you about my card, I just have to tell you something before I expode.........well, the fact is I can't actually tell you quite all today........but I will have an absoltely fabulous piece of news which I will be sharing with you in a day or so - just waiting for a few final bits and pieces from across the pond then all will be revealed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you tell I'm just the teeny tinest bit excited ?

I have used one the the new Hero Arts collage stamps as my main image Hero CG129 Antique Background, which I stamped onto a piece of card which I distressed with Tim Holt honey and rusty hinge and a liberal spritzing of Glimmer Mist dazzling diamonds. I stamped round the edges with Hero F5042 leaf flourish, then roughed up the edges and 'splodged'..........if anyone has a technical term for this please do tell...........with Adirondack Acrylic Dabber copper and heated to make it bubble.

I stamped the butterflies again onto acetate and highlighted with a gold pen, added lace down one side and very tiny buttons for the butterflies thorax's. The sentiment is Hero CG189 Whatever and I stamped down the leading edge of the card with Hero G3316 harlequin.

Mary Had a Little Lamb

What a fun theme Nettie has come up with at Polkadoodles this week "Nursery Rhymes".

In case it's not obvious, mine is Mary Had a Little Lamb, all the right elements on the Back to Nature CD and I couldn't resist adding some cotton wool to the lamb which I decoupaged with three layers. The little girl is Beviboo one of the Fairy Flutterfly stamps, also decoupaged after colouring with Prismacolor pencils. I masked her before adding the layers and created a scene with an assortment of stamps.

A fence border using the Martha Stewart punch, a computer generated verse and flowers re sized from the All Around CD.

Quilled Flowers

Hope everyone is OK..........sorry I've been a bit quiet, still playing catch up at work after a week away for the wedding and craft has had to take a bit of a back seat.

But I have managed to create one card using the brand new Cuttlebug Quilled Daisy Kit newly arrived at Sir Stampalot. The first delivery sold out double quick but more are on their way. I have always fancied having a go at quilling, but never quite got round to buying all the bits and pieces you need, so when I saw this set had to give it a go and so pleased I did because it is super easy. The set contains all the dies to cut the petal, stamens, central spin and leaves, plus has a quilling took and some wire stems.

I randomly stamped a card with Hero Arts F5942 leaf swirl and K5058 friendship writing using Tim Holtz bundled sage and Victorian Velvet. The Crate Paper DP down the side is punched with Martha Steward embossed butterflies and I used the little cut outs to decorate the finished card. I made two flowers with the quilling set using the same DP and created swirly stems with Sizzix dies run through the Big Shot. The little sentiment cut on Nesties is an unmounted one of which I have no idea of the make and I coloured some core with Copics to match.

This card is my entry for this weeks Tuesday Taggers who have the theme "all that Blooms", Everybody Art Challenges who want to see "Things with Wings" and A Spoonful of Sugar whose new theme is "Floral Delights".

Lady's Day at Ascot (my card - not the motley crew)

Good afternoon peeps, hope you all had a good weekend. Mine seems to have gone by all too quickly, but I did have a wonderful day Saturday at Sir Stampalot and above is a picture of myself with some of the girls who joined Chris and I for a day of crafting.......it might be fairer to say a bit of crafting, a lot of talking, some yummy food and a glass of French bubbles as well.........it had to be done.

Unfortunately some girls had left before the cameras came out, it would have been lovely to have everyone included, but another time and judging by the messages I have received it's likely to be repeated. I want to say a huge thanks to all of you, several of you travelled quite a distance to join us and it really was lovely to spend time with you all.

I also have two cards to share with you today. The first using a new stamp that just happened to fall my way at Stampalot at the weekend and when I saw the theme of "Summer" at Stamping for the Weekend I immediately though Ladies Day at Ascot, the highlight of the Summer race calendar which also fits Our Creative Corner which is "Summer Inspiration". I used the sketch from this weeks Secret Crafter plus it is also my entry for Daring Cardmakers, a new one for me, but when I saw on Lyda's blog that the theme was the birthstone for June of "Pearls", I had to enter as I am a June girl.

The image on this card is called Sophia which I stamped with versamark black and embossed with detail clear, added a little watercolour, decoupaged her hat and gave her a pearl necklace and earrings. The PD is Papermania punched with Martha Stewart embossed scallop, some Sizzix swirls and roses and leaves to embellish.

My second card is for this weeks Penny Black challenge which would like to see "Swirls" and also Cupcake challenge which has the theme "Dazzle Us". The main image is Penny Black 4042K daisy fields inked with Tim Holtz barn door and Marvy pens and spritzed with water before stamping. The circle is cut through the Big Shot with a Marianne stencil and the swirls are from the same set. The gorgeous glittered sparkly DP is My Minds Eye, the flower is Magnolia, some pearls, punched leaves and butterflies and gems added to the thorax. The sentiment is from an unmounted set I won and have no idea of the make.

Wedding Day

Leaving the Church of St Gilles Croix da Vie

Well where do I start ? At the beginning I guess and share some pictures.....not the official ones, some taken by my daughter on her i phone, but they will give you a taste of it all.

We ended up doing the whole journey in one day........we had planned an overnight stop half way......... and from the minute we arrived Tuesday night it was a sort of week long party. The French certainly do make the most of weddings and the few days rest we planned did not not come to fruition quite as we anticipated. I am never a late one for bed, but 11.30 ended up the earliest night of the trip and rarely very sober at that !!

Posing outside the Church

The weather was pretty iffy the whole time and on the wedding day itself it rained solidly, but apparently that's good luck in France. None the less it was a wonderful day and all went by so quickly as they always do.

Real rose petal confetti

The Town Hall formality was fairly quick (and confusing for me as according to what I could make out I'm not married as he referred to me by my maiden name) and the Mayoree who did the marriage gave the couple along with the certificate of marriage, a map of the region, a fish cookery book and another book..........I never did fathom out exactly what that was all about.

But the Church service was lovely, even in French, the priest was a happy jovial type with a permanent smile and had an absolutely wonderful singing voice. And yes, tears from me at the end, I found it all so emotional. What with all that has been going on health wise lately I really thought I would never get to see the day and it just got to me. Real rose petal confetti in little bags for all guests and ages outside the Church which is right in the middle of the town square with crowds of locals and tourists watching on........all quite oblivious to the rain.

Mum and Son

(ignore the grey, all my boys went grey in their teens like myself)

The bride looked beautiful and elegant, white strapless dress and train, crystal tiara (my wedding gift to her) roses and orchids. All the men had orchid buttonholes and the floral arrangements everywhere had matching orchids........the largest I have ever set eyes on.

After the service we made our way back to the reception venue, a slow 45 minute journey to travel the 12 miles along the coastal road which in true French tradition all guests followed in convoy behind the bridal car, hooters blasting and ribbons flying - everyone is given ribbons and tulle to decorate their cars.........you are going to love this......I managed to get some craft in spending our first afternoon in France with the bride and Maid of Honor playing with ribbons and tulle making huge bows with flowing ribbons for the cars. By the way, the Missing Maid of Honor dress never did turn up, so she wore a very pretty silk dress and instead of following the bride into Church, assisted the bridesmaids and bride from the 'wings'.

Crutch Problems

(but our girl did brill on just one, well hidden amongst her dress)

The French really embrace weddings to the full and as the convoy drove to the reception, people walking on the streets, cars passing the other way and those in houses all stop and wave and peep their hooters. All quite bizarre but lovely.

The cocktail reception lasted two hours, lost count of glasses, nibbles of oysters (yuk big time, could not bring myself to do it), scallops, foie gras and all sorts. The wedding breakfast started at 7.30 and went on till 11.30, lobster dressed with langoustines, sorbet made from rose champagne with cherries, guinea fowl with veggies, cheeses, chocolate cake, strawberry gateau and caramel profiteroles........you got some of everything as they were all calorie free !!

Speeches were half way through and more tears I'm afraid. Unbeknown to hubby and I, our son had prepared his speech in English and French, having asked someone to help him prepare a French version which he delivered so confidently, despite speaking very limited French. One of the French guests complimented him saying he read it with such clarity that they understood him perfectly and everyone clapped. More tears.

Then the wedding cake which arrived in darkness with flares and fireworks - Crockenbouche which is the traditional French wedding cake - huge stack of caramelised profiteroles and a five tier take on our wedding cakes which the chef had never made before but wanted to have a go. That was on a spiral stand and was a mixture of sponge, chocolate etc.

The cakes

(they were huge, but hard to tell from the photo)

At midnight fireworks on the beach (still raining so watched from inside), then the dancing started until 4am.......are you still with me ? A bit of sleep, champagne breakfast then the Brunch which again was gorgeous and plentiful. And every day both before and after there was something arranged for lunch and evening meals and of course more wine and bubbles.

All smiling except one

(Missing my craft, one too many or just because they are all taller than me now ?)

So all in all a wonderful time. The happy couple are now driving down the French coast and round to Spain and due back next Thursday. The honeymoon proper in Barbados is November - when the surf is at it's best.

Strawberries and Cream

A sweet treat I cooked up for crafty research, calorie free of course

Here in the Cambridgeshire Fens, the arrival of strawberries in late May is always an eagerly awaited event in the produce calendar. Although you can buy them year round in supermarkets, there is nothing to beat the flavour as they come straight off the plant.....I should know I was brought up with them and thought nothing of being in the fileld at 4.30am for the start of the picking day for the six week season.

So I have chosen the theme of Strawberries and Cream for my theme week at Allsorts and have come up with two pictures as inspiration for your projects this week. You don't have to have strawberries on your work, but I would like you to draw your colour combo from the pictures.


I created my first card using purely the colour scheme as my inspiration, however my hubby thought I had totally lost the plot and asked where the strawberries were, so I made a second card with a couple of baskets of shrinky ones - OK Lou - for those of you who don't know, she's the queen of cream shrink plastic and believe me Lou, I needed a magnifying glass for these.

So the card above has a little scene created with Sarah Kay farm girl, masked and decoupaged with a Magnolia fence, Hobby Art tree and Art Impression birds, grass and flowers. The strawberries are also Magnolia and the baskets from Sarah Kay stamps.

The second card which was my first effort used Hero Arts CG185 elegant weeds stamped onto a background distressed with Tim Holtz worn lipstick and stickles added to the flower heads. The resist background was created stamping Inkadinkao 9718 with versamark, embossing with detail clear and distressing with the same TH ink. The sentiment is from Hero Arts CG198 whatever, a piece of corrugated card to add some texture and a punched flower spritzed with Glimmer Mist tattered rose.

Wedding pictures tomorrow !!

Going retro

Morning peeps, Friday means a new challenge at Polkadoodes and Lou is our host again, this week with the theme of "Modern/Retro with some stamping".

Retro is one that always throws me a bit as peoples ideas of it seem to vary, but I have come up with what it means to me. The background pink and black roses paper is from Love and Romance CD and the flowers from All Around CD, simply cut our, distressed round the edges with Tim Holtz black soot and mounted onto a Nestie circle which I ran through the Big Shot using the Cuttlebug roses folder. The spotty label is also from the All Around CD and the stamped sentiment Penny Black 3851E.

Summer Flowers and candy winners

Good evening everyone out there in blogland.

Home at last, seems like we have been away forever and straight back to work today and so no chance yet to catch up on blogging, but have this evening earmarked for a bit of a hop. The wedding was fantastic, the whole week wonderful and so much to tell you but as I don't have any pictures yet because I just did not have the opportunity to take any myself, I am going to save it all for a post on it's own which I will hopefully get done later this week.

So all I have to share is one card.........but taken in the garden close to one of the kolkwitzia bushes (picture above) which matches the colours perfectly..........and my card incredibly fits a number of challenges as there are several of my 'regulars' which have very similar themes and time being in short supply until I get myself back into home mode, I am doubling up a bit, I don't think I have ever managed more than 3/4 before. So the challenges, Penny Black have the theme of "In the Garden" which goes very well with Cupcake challenge of "Summer Delights" and Everybody Art Challenges which is also "Summer", then Creative Card Crew want to see "Pink and Green" typical summer colours, ABC's theme is "V for Vintage" and I have followed a sketch from Inspirational Card Sketches and finally Tuesday Taggers would like to see "Texture".

My main image is Penny Black 4036K Poppy Poem stamped onto a background of Brilliance inks and Glimmer Mists to create a hazy colour. The flower head have been decoupaged after colouring with Marvy pens and spritzed with Glimmer Mist pearl. The DP is My Minds Eye and Basic Grey, all nicely distressed. The swirls and die cuts from Magenta, inked with brilliance and embossed with detail clear. Ribbon and liquid pearls added to finish.

Goodness, almost forgot to announce the winners of my little candy prizes who are:

Julie

The Sparkly Fairy

Well done to both of you, please mail me brenda@ibas.co.uk with your addy and I will get them off in the post to you.

Punch it challenge

Still relying on Mr Blogger to do his stuff, this will hopefully pop up on the first of June to tell you all about the next Stampalot Challenge where we would like you to:

"Punch It"

With so many beautiful punches available and knowing most of us cant refuse the odd one or four here and there, we though our new theme will give you the perfect opportunity to get creative with them. Apart from needing to use at least one punch on your project, the rest is down to you. And of course there is an absolutely brilliant prize on offer again, just tale a look here:

For my DT card I have gone for a fairly simple card using some more the the new Hero Arts releases and of course a bit of Penny Black thrown in for good measure. I started by stamping Hero K5058 Friendship Writing at an angle across a piece of cardstock using Hero soft apricot ink. Next Hero CG185 Elegant Weeds......two stamps in this set, what we call Keksi here in the Fens.......to lots of people Cow Parsley or to give it it's Latin name - Anthriscus Sylvestris and good old common Thistle - Carduus........grief, sounds like a biology lesson, getting a bit carried away here I can see.

I inked the first with Tim Holtz barn door and olive and he second with dusky concord and olive and spritzing both with water to give a watercolour effect. The sentiment is Penny Black 4070F Dreams also stamped with barn door. I punched round the card with Martha Stewart round the page eyelet lace, added some punched butterflies, Swarovski crystals and liquid pearls.

A little candy and Spring blossom

Candy now closed - winners above - post 2/6/10

Hi peeps, by the time you read this we should be motoring through France on our way to the wedding. I have a couple of posts scheduled over the next week or so with DT work, but time has rather rather got the better of me and despite all the best laid plans nothing more than that.

So instead of being able to visit you all or leave you anything interesting to look at, here's a little candy for my blog buddies and followers.........nothing huge, but I am often asked about the beaded pins I use, so I made a collection up and have added some other bits and pieces and will split it into two so there can be a couple of winners.

Feel free to spread the word and leave me a comment and I will pick two winners when we get home next week.

And I just had to share these pictures of the May blossom in the top paddock hedgerow. I adore the beautiful white blossoms tinged with pink and the heady scent in the evenings and look forward to it every year. And if you can imagine the whole hedgerow interspersed with these bushes and trees you can get an idea of the sheer beauty.

Unfortunately by the time we return from France it will probably be over, but at least I have some pictures of it with the beautiful blue sky we have had all weekend.