In Sympathy...

Happy Friday, my friends, Happy Friday! I've got a packed day today, plenty to get done by the end of the day. So this will be a quickie, partly because I really am rushed off my feet and partly because I had to make a card that I never wish to make - a sympathy card. I'm a coward that way! My friend's mother passed away a yesterday. At 93, she was a reasonably healthy and active lady, helpful and oh so full of stories of the good ol' days. Always cheerful, I have never heard her complain about anything, not even the weather! Next to her, I'm nothing more than a cantankerous old hag! She lived a full life, happily married to her soul-mate and they celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary last month. No one will miss her more than her husband.

I've chosen the sketch from WMSC #97 and the colours are from The Play Date Cafe #132.

The papers are from Papermania's Capsule Collection "Liquorice Sherbet" .

I matted the layers in black and did some stitching in black too and added some sheer yellow ribbon and tied a bow - my splash of mustard, so to speak!  

The sentiment is from WMS Asian Garden Additions set, stamped on black CS with Versamark and heat-embossed with Stampendous Fine White EP. And finally 3 white pearls complete the card.

Plain and simple on the inside.

That's it for now. Thanks for dropping by and I'll see you tomorrow, maybe!  Have a blessed day!

Beijinhos.

p.s. Drop by Make It Monday #90 - there are some cute stuff on display there!


  Blogged to:
  Hot chocolate and

Great songs from 2004

GOOOAAALLLL !!!

Happy Monday, my friends! I want to show you a card I made for my husband. He is a football / soccer fan freak. He and his amigos are working themselves into a frenzy over a couple of games which will be played this coming weekend. Apparently these matches are so huge, indescribably massive, that only a chosen few can truly appreciate their relevance. Poppycock, I say! Here's the real deal: Next week, a bunch of decent professional men will walk through the front door and and by the time they get to the garden they'll be snorting, grunting neo-cavemen. They'll devour slabs of meat burnt on hot coal, down gallons of beer, sangria and other dubious home-brew. They'll shout at the telly, at each other, hug, laugh, cry and sing songs that are best left unsung before finally passing out. And why do I put up with it? For my silence they are treating me to a fully-loaded weekend at a fancy spa. And I only have 2 conditions: Don't throw up in the koi pond and don't burn down the house!

The sketch is from this week's MojoMonday #241 and the colours are from CR8FN #54.

 

The papers are from Wild Rose Studio's "For Men" 6x6 pack.

The matted each layer in black and distressed the papers before stitching them down .

I fish-tailed a length of green gingham ribbon and attached them down with white brads.  It's supposed to represent the team scarf which the boys wave above their heads. The sentiment is from WMS Compact Sentiments set, stamped on blue CS with Memento Tuxedo Black. I cut it out with a die from Spellbinders Grommet Tags set and attached it to the card base with a couple of  black eyelets.   

 On the inside, I continued with the same colours and layers. 

I've got 4 more cards to make by the end of the week. I sure hope their team wins or there will be no end to their lamentations. My spa experience cannot be diminished by a something as trivial as football. No way! Thanks for dropping by. Next Monday, I'll post some photos of the event. Until next time, take care!

Beijinhos.


   Blogged to:
    Rasberry-Lime Sorbet and

A few football anthem like songs here. 

Get Well ... not

Hello, dear friends. Last time we met it was at the start of the weekend. And now we meet again at the end. Where has the weekend gone? I declare, 2 days just ain't enough to recharge my ageing batteries. 20-odd years ago when I first started working, I didn't care much for weekends. I was an ebullient employee, wide-eyed, eager to please and very very ambitious. Nowadays, I look forward to those two precious days to do as I please. And how do I spend it? Cleaning, groceries, laundry and a never ending list of chores... oh I'm glad it's Monday tomorrow!  Here's my card for today. I'm using the sketch from RetroSketch #11 and colours from Just Add Ink #117 to make a Get Well card for Perfect Sentiments #31, the catch: not use the words "Get Well". Here's what I've come up with:

Just Add Ink #117

   

The papers are from Papermania Capsule Collection - "Sunshine" by Tina Higgins 

 I stitched down the various panels and tucked a paper doily  behind the sentiment.

 The sentiment is from Personal Impression's "Double Sayings" set, stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black. I attached  the piece to the card with a couple of tiny brads. 

 To finish, an oversized bow to obscure the sentiment! My own actions baffle me at times.

 I could bear to throw the remaining half of the doily so here it is on the inside of the card.  

That's it for today, tonight. Thanks for swinging by and I wish you all a dandy week ahead.

Beijinhos!


   Blogged to:
   Irish Coffee, dark chocolate and

Soulful yet folksy. Intimate yet
expansive. Perfect for late nights.

Happy Birthday

Here we are, dear friends, at the start of another weekend in May. A nice sunny start to the day and I'm looking forward to a lazy couple of days. In the meantime, I've got a card to share with you. Made it yesterday, meant to blog it yesterday but ended up sitting on it instead. Nothing figurative about my last action, I literally sat on it. Luckily no lasting damage was done, which only strengthened my belief in miracles! The sketch for the card is from Skipping Stones Designs #127, the colours are from ColorQ #137, the birthday theme is from Dutch Dare Cards #164 and finally I picked a flower from DYSU #71.

SSD #127

The papers are from Papermania Capsule Collection - Verde and Sunshine by Tina Higgins.

For the lace green border I used Spellbinders Floral Doily Accents die. The sentiment is from WMS half Pint Heroes set, stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black and I cut it with Spellbinders Ribbon Banner die, and did some sponging with TH's Wild Honey.  

Here's a close-up of the flower. I cut the CSs with a die from Spellbinders Floral Doily Accents set and attached a green button in the middle.

I carried on the same color and theme on the inside.  

I've off to enjoy the rest of my lazy Saturday in the sun. Have a great weekend, y'all! Thanks for taking peek and I'll see you soon.

Beijinhos!

Blogged to: 

Iced-tea, sunshine and

Great CD/DVD set with remixes of
the band's hits.  For Third Day fans.

Bonny New Baby

Happy Wednesday, dear friends! And what a glorious day it has been so far - blue skies, sun, wonderfully warm day, cool breeze.... o joy! I received more good news today. A colleague and friend delivered a bouncy baby boy. Although he arrived a couple of weeks ahead of schedule, he seems to be doing just fine. The twee li'l nipper is blessed with a tangled mop of fine flaxen fluff. Altogether adorable and oh so squeezable! This card is for Fiona and her bonny blond bairn. The sketch is from Waltzingmouse Challenge #96.

Square card, dry embossed it with Cuttlebug's "Swiss Dots" folder. 

The paper is from Daisy & Dandelion's "Candy Floss and Marshmallow" A4 pack.  

The sentiment is from WMS "Say It Loud" set, I cut it out with Spellbinders Classic Oval die and layered it on pale yellow CS cut with Beaded Oval die. For depth I sponged with TH's Antique Linen. That central piece is not unlike baby Gavin's wee li'l head! 

For embellishment I attached a strip of baby blue gingham ribbon and 2 small buttons. (Is it me or is the sentiment slightly wonky? Oh well, too late now!)

I continued with the blue gingham ribbon on the inside and added 2 teeny tiny blue brads... with plenty of room for me to gush!

I'm also linking this card over at Crop Stop #70 " Emboss It", Divas by Design #34 "One for the Boys" and Make It Monday #88.  You'll find some super creations over at these blogs. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you're having a great day too!

Beijinhos!


Blogged to:
Kahlua, Ice, Dark Chocolate and

Still not bored yet ... 

For my Mum...

Hello there, dear friends. Hope this post finds you in good spirits. We had a wonderfully wicked weekend. All made possible by the excellent weather: sunshine, not too hot, just perfect and no rain. Hearts singing, tails wagging, together we skipped, ran, jumped, even rolled on the grass and managed to stay dry! O joy! And then we have today... don't get me started. Suffice to say, we are not happy. In fact we are manifestly morose, downright despondent ... sigh. Still, chin up, shoulders back I marched over to my craft corner and drowned my anguish in paper and card stock. A couple of hours and an undetermined number of Hershey's kisses later, I walked out with this card for my Mum. The sketch is from MojoMonday #240 ,for the colours I turned to Charizma Cards #17 "Pink & Black" and for inspiration: Just Add Ink #116 "Just Add...Mother".

Here's my take on the sketch: I rotated it and made a few changes to suit Mum's tastes. She's not big on ribbons, bows, bells or whistles. The paper is by Papermania. 

I managed to sneak in a little bow to tie a small bouquet of pink paper roses. I'm hoping Mum won't notice it. But I'm sure she will ...  what is it about Mothers - they see everything! The sentiment is from WaltzingMouse Stamps and I heat embossed it with Stampandous Fine White EP. 

The doily background is made up of a couple of Spellbinders die-cuts: Hearts Circle and Flower Doily Accents. 

I also played with some pink ricrac and teeny tiny pink blings.  For the lace trim I used Woodware's Hearts Lace punch. 

On the inside I have a strip the pretty patterned paper and the hearts lace trim 

I'm going to discreetly dispose of these peculiar wrappers strewn all over my worktop and after that I'll shove my plaything neatly in the toy-box. To this day I can still hear Mum say "Put away your toys!" Then I'll gingerly step on the scales, gasp in horror and blame it all on water retention. Thanks for dropping by.

Beijinhos!




Blogged to:
Lightening, Hershey's kisses, Thunder  and

Great songs with meaningful lyrics.

Hey Dude!

Welcome to May, dear friends. We had a restful May Day break. I got in touch with my inner sloth and now am having trouble sending it back! It's still raining... <sigh> The low temperature we've been having lately is provoking hibernation in the bipeds and quadrupeds at our place. This much rain is positively painful. I'm not the only one whinging and whining; even the dogs are restless (when they're not curled up & snoring). We haven't had a decent walk in quite awhile. Each time we venture out, we come scrambling back home, soaked to the undies. Ok, that's me; the dogs just smell like ... wet dogs. Urgh! Armed with a hair dryer, I ambush the pooches to be forcibly coiffered, usually into spectacularly static and soulful afros, reminiscent of the '70s. So yes, I stand by my ruling: The rain is a pain! With that verdict we have a seamless transition to today's card... didn't see that coming, did ya! I made this for our friend who fancies himself a man's man... a dude! The sketch is from Skipping Stone Designs #126 and I picked the colours from ColorQ #135.

SSD Sketch #126

The patterned papers are by Basic Grey "Life of the Party" 6x6 pack.

It's a simple card, typical of how I tackle my masculine projects.  I've used red eyelets and some red string for embellishment. Basically, that's as fancy as it gets.

I cut the yellow CS with Spellbinders Edgeabilities die. On the background paper, I've attached 4 teeny tiny blue brads. 

White CS for the sentiment, which is a mix n match of a couple of stamps from WMS's Half Pint Heros set. I'm having a blast with this set. It's not just for half pint-ers, there's plenty of fun for dudes as well! The ink is by Versacolor and the die is from Spellbinders Labels 19 set, which coincidentally, seems to match the Edgeabilities border. 

Nothing special on the inside; my usual stuff.

Thanks for hanging out with me today. I'm linking this card over at Paper Playtime #73 for the "Anything Goes" challenge and Cute Card Thursday #215 where it's "One For The Boys" this week  I'll you again soon... in dry undies!

Beijinhos!



Blogged to:
Warm cinnamon bun, cappuccino and:

Perks me up - even on the
gloomiest day!