Roses in the garden

Good evening everyone, still rather lean on the creativity I'm afraid. Feeling more than a little under the weather, no weekend challenges done as yet so sharing another of the Stamp Addicts samples with you (details of stamp were in my post Friday).

And as this is just coming into bloom, a picture of the wonderful Albertine roses which we have scattered around several places in the gardens. There is also a pink honeysuckle mingled amongt it but it's not quite in full bloom so will do some more piccies in a few days.

This is a very old fashioned climbing rose with a wonderful scent, something lots of the modern roses don't have.

It was taken as a grafted cutting from my Dad's garden about ten years ago and as he died at Christmas has a very special meaning to me.

Friday Sketchers 55

It's been like hard labour this week trying to get anything crafty completed ........ you know, one of those weeks when you never seem to get where you want and it all takes forever.

But, I did at least finish one which will fit in with this weeks Friday Sketchers which has a great sketch by Jacque and you know how much I like sketches and this weeks sponsors are Sir Stampalot so I have no option than to enter. Also, a new one that's just off the ground this week is Stamping for the Weekend where the theme is "Dusk to Dawn" - using the colours Purple and Yellow, two colours that I love together, so all in all I enjoyed the task in hand.

My image is a Stampsmith one I've had for years, they do some really unusual stamps and this little girl sitting in the moon fits the bill just right. I have stamped her simply with Brilliance victorian violet and given the moon a bit of glitz with a quickie glue pen and crystal glitter. The DP's are Doodlebug and Basic Grey and the scallops cut with my Fiskars punch ........ yes, still waiting for the Martha Stewart ones. The scallop mount is cut on Cricut Storybook and the oval tag is from a new set of nestie labels and a flowers and pearls added to finish.

Allsorts challenge4

Again we are thrilled that so many of you joined in our challenge last week, a huge thank you everyone.

The theme this week is "Pink and White" and has been set by Lisa. Although I love pink and use it a lot and was pleased when Lisa chose her theme, this card is so not me, yet seems right. My cards are usually nice and symmetrical and defiantly not set at a "jaunty" angle, but the image somehow seems right that way so I went with it.

I had this idea to make a flower by gathered up some lace so the rest of my card was planned around that and I added a flower shaped button to the middle which I had been saving for ages for the right card .........well at least that's a half credible excuse for never using it before. The image is a Penny Black favorite 3817K, stamped with Brilliance orchid, heat embossed with detail clear and lightly painted with the same inkpad and stickles added to the stamens. The DP is Doddlebug designs and the scallops punched with my Fiskars punch. More of the same lace as the flower across the card and some pins and a gem to finish.

Autumn Leaves

Well it seems I can share some of the cards delivered to Stamp Addicts this morning as they are going to be shown at their first ever retreat next weekend. Sarah tells me they have 40 people booked to attend, so sounds like she has a very busy time ahead.

The main stamp I had to work with is Judikins 2784I, a set of four leaves so I was very at home with this botanical theme. Clearly it gave me an Autumnal feeling as I realised after the first ten or so cards there was a distinct theme of oranges and golds going on.

I started by brayering a piece of glossy cardstock with a rainbow inkpad, then stamped over with versafine black and embossed with detail clear and cut each leaf out. The tiny leaves are cut on Cricut Storybook and stippled with Adirondack acrylic dabbers. The DP is Doodlebug designs.

I'd better be honest and tell you the card is actually sidewards on, despite turning the image several times, it just reverts, but as it square figure it will be OK as I don't have the original to do another piccy.

Ooooops

OMG, realised I chose six last night to pass the award on to, clearly I had a numerically bad day yesterday. So to even things up I did say to Lisa she might prefer the flowers, so that would leave five for the cart award !! Is that a credible argument, I do hope so would hate to abuse blogger rules and all that.

Just of to StampAddicts now to deliver a batch of cards for their next TV show which is coming up in a week so's time. Sure Sarah will be posting up the exact dates and times very shortly and sure I will be able to share some of the samples very shortly.

Still a bit dry on the card front, so sharing another picture of this patch of digitalis which are ahead of all the others around the garden, the colours are so wonderful (ignore the shrub behind them, it looks a bit sad as it was caught by a late frost, but beginning to show new growth).

Passing award on

A whole day passed and not a single card made, even my OH's worried about me. Not that I haven't been in my craft room I have, but I spent most of the afternoon labouring over the new laptop trying to transfer my Cricut Design Studio from my desktop and at long last with the help of "Wayne in Utah" it's finally sorted. I also spent an indulgent half hour talking to my best friend Luciana, who you probably guessed by the name is Italian - she lives in Campobasso about 100 miles south of Rome. And guess what ........ she's coming to visit in July, not seen her for about four years ........ I'm so excited. And then in August we go to Italy.

Anyway, enough babble, I need to pass this award on (piccy in the post below) which I'm told is for "For those with Great Attitude and Gratitude" and of course I would love to give it to so many of you, but that's not allowed. It was tough enough picking out ten when I got the last ones and this time it's only five, so please nobody be offended, I'll get round to everyone eventually ........ well of course, that's assuming I ever get another one to pass on. This is my list:

Jackie - http://craftygarden.blogspot.com/- because she really needs some love right now.
Louise - http://justlovetostamp.blogspot.com/ - for her kindness and generosity.
Clare - http://littlebearcrafts.blogspot.com/ - for her support.

Andy and Janice - http://sirstampalot.blogspot.com/ - because they are a lovely couple (hope this counts as one).
Lisa - http://the-craft-garden.blogspot.com/ - because she loves flowers and nature as much as I do (if you'd prefer the honeysuckle please have them instead, I'm sure that must be allowed somewhere in the rules)

And finally number five is Chris - she hasn't got a blog yet, but she's working on it - honest Chris it's easy, just like computers. But she visits me most days, leaves lovely comments and is great fun.

So a cardless day, what is the world coming too, I'll just have to work twice as hard tomorrow I guess.

Another award, wow !

I go out for a few hours and when I get back there's another award waiting for me, two in one week, cool or what ? The lovely lady who has given me this is called Jo and the award is apparently "For those with Great Attitude and Gratitude", gracious, me ........ perhaps I am doing something right after all with my incessant babbling and obsessive crafting.

So thank you so much Jo, I have left a message on your blog as well. Do you know, I've seem this lemonade card on other blogs and always wondered what it was all about, know I know. Wow. I know I need to pass this along, so will be giving it some thought.

And because I've been out all morning ........ yes, before anyone asks, there was a short crafty diversion to Stampalot, but the visit was genuine, I had to pick up a Cricut cartridge for class next week ........ and by sheer coincidence found a stamp I liked, but really I was not looking, it somehow came my direction. As if !