Wednesday 31 October 2012

Up with the lark

Good Morn ing Blogger Friends
Here I am up with the lark in order to go to work, I've had such a wonderful holiday that I don't want to return to the daily grind. So I haven't much news since I last posted but I thought I would do this one early as I sat and made a card for my son to give to his partner for Christmas, this is it

I've used a Mulberry Wood stamp from Crafters Companion, coloured with promarkers, Papers from Papermania and gold glitter card, Wild Orchid flowers, sentiment from stamp, Memory Box lattice die and corner dies, Spellbinders flourish die, and lots of sparkle.

I hope Damian likes it enough to not have to go out at the last mimute and buy Moreen one as he usually does, and of course I hope Moreen likes it too.

Off to get myself some breakfast now and put my happy face on, have a good day all whatever your doing and be back later,

Kate x

I am entering this card into the I love Promarkers challenge

Tuesday 30 October 2012

Good to be Back

Well here I am again and hello to you all.  It seems ages since I last blogged.  I hope you have all been well. I've tried to keep up with your news and creations over the last few days and have noticed that a few of you lucky people have been to the craft exhibition in Glasgow over the weekend. hope you've still got some pennies in your purse.

We have the house back to ourselves now our guests have gone, but what a blast we had with them, my hubby and Stewart never stopped talking the whole of the time, Dale claims he hardly speaks two words at home. We had so many good laughs and lucky me, they brought gifts too. Dale is a sewer and at the moment is making quilting projects and made a beautiful bag for my knitting, I just love it, what do you think?
She couldn't have chosen a more apt material as strawberries are my favourite fruit.  I now have somewhere to keep my larger projects and it looks so good sitting by the side of my chair.
Alistair got a big tin of Roses chocs which I am finding it hard not to raid, not good for diabetics!!

Anyway with having visitors I've not managed to craft and hope to get back into it later today as I've bought a few new bits and pieces and want to try them out. however I wanted to share a card I made for a little girl called Evie who's birthday coming up soon
It's a LOTV stamp and coloured with promarkers, background paper from one of my CDs LOTV sentiment, xcut scalloped die card and ribbon from my stash and WO flower, silver border peel offs, insrt from Paintshop Poppets CD.

Before I go, I thought I would tell you of my win, yes I've finally won something. Imagine my surprise to open the post from Little Claire to find I was winner of last weeks comments on their nativity stamp, I'm so delighted to have won this lovely stamp. I'm laughing to myself as it seems that my word creations outshine my artistic creations as I've not managed to win any blog challenges yet.

So I'm back to work tomorrow after a lovely two weeks holiday, we have visited dear friends, dear friends have visited us, had some great food and drink, wonderful gifts, great laughter, been entertained at the theatre and won a compitition, it's what life is all about.....roll on the next holiday!!

All for now, Kate x

Friday 26 October 2012

Getting Ready for the Weekend!

Good Afternoon All, finally getting around to blogging, we have been busy this morning getting the house ready for friends Dale and Stewart who are arriving this evening for a few days.  We are so looking forward to their visit, and anticipate a laugh a minute with them; i've just looked out the window and it's snowing!!, hope their train gets up OK. Alistairs' just gone out for a walk to blow the cobwebs away too, he'll come back like a snowman.

Anyway I've known these friends for ever, and unfortunately don't get together very often so it's great they are coming, last time here was for Alistair's 60th and that was 7 years ago.  We've lots of things planned but main one is SNJO concert at Eden Court theatre on Sunday, both boys are great jazz fans. 
I wont get crafting while their here but it's a good opportunity to get on with the knitting. Anyway here is the card I put together for Peter and Jean
I thought they would like the dogs.  I've used the free papers from Making Cards mag and the rest is from my stash.  I can't claim to have really designed the layout, I copied the example in the mag, well I couldn't have done any better.

To all who are going to the craft exhibition in Glasgow this weekend, have a great time and come home with loads of goodies.  I had planned to go, but visitors are here, always next year.

Have a great weekend,  Kate x

Thursday 25 October 2012

Christmas cards again

Good Afternoon Everyone and I hope you are all well and have had a good day whatever you were doing. Thank you to all who left such nice inspiring comments on my last blog, I alway look forward to reading them.

Well I didn't get any blogging done yesterday, but I did get some cards made. I cut out and put together the Giorgdano decoupage images the other night whilst watching TV so they were ready to make a card with yesterday, here they are

They are lovely images and I'm pleased I bought them, however they need a larger card than I am used to doing and the first one I think could have done with a larger card base, not to worry though.
I've embossed the top one with a spellbinders christmas folder and used WO flowers, gems and glitter

Seasons Tweetings uses Anita green card and Papermania Boofle paper, glitter and gems, WO flowers.

Dinner time now and Alistair has just been through asking if he should put on the oven knowing full well that the oven is not needed tonight.   this is a subtle hint to get going with the cooking.

Have a good Evening,  Kate x

Tuesday 23 October 2012

Home bearing gifts

Good Evening All and thank you for all the comments left on my last blog, much appreciated.


Well, we had a lovely time at our friend's it was great to catch up with all their news and the "scandal" of the glen, not that I know who is doing the scandalizing, but Alistair does as he used to live in Corgaff, many years ago.  We were well fed and watered, which isn't easy for our hosts as I have diabetes and don't eat carbohydrates, and of course the Western world revolves around it. However, all our lovely friends try their utmost to make sure that they substitute other foods and that I don't starve, as if I would.

We were sent home today with a wonderful painting from Peter. Its a landscape painted in oils and its of part of the Kintail mountains. The colours are wonderful and it's title is Dawn over Kintail.  His mountain landscapes are fantastic and he gets my hubby to name them as Alistair is a climer/hillwalker and knows the mountains better than he does his own house. We will hang it tomorrow and I know just where it's going.
I also received a lovely gift from jean of Liz Earle skin care products.  I just love them as the products are made with wonderful natural ingredients.  So, it was a great couple of days.

My card this evening I made a couple of days ago here it is
 I was asked to make this for a friend to give to her hubby at Christmas and he loves areoplanes and has his own glider.  I wasn't too sure how this LOTV stamp fitted into a Christmas card  but did my best.
Coloured with promarkers, sentiments are LOTV, Papermanis Papers, papermania glitter card, gems and buttons from my stash.
So I hope Susan likes it.

I came home to two new Spellbinder dies and Joanna Sheen's Giordano Decoupage Sheets, so I'm looking forward to creating something with them.

Hope your day has been good,

Kate x

Monday 22 October 2012

Frosy Monday

Good Morning Everyone, thank you for all the great comments on my last blog and to Wendy for the helpful info regarding challenges.

Well it's quite a frosty morning with a bit of mist, but I think the sun is trying to shine through.  We're off again to visit friends in Strathdon, Aberdeenshire, today.  Haven't see these friends in quite a while so it will be good to catch up.  Their home is also a Gallery as Peter is an artist and not only exhibits his own work but other artists too, with a mixture of mediums, photography, sculpture etc.  I just love to visit Jean and Peter and their wonderful Labradors, I think  there are four of them.
Their house is set in such wonderful scenery and Jean's garden is beautiful with a backdrop of lovely hills.  They also have three beautiful Icelandic ponies, and as I love horses, I'm just in my element.
I love Peter's work, he is such a talented artist and works with in many different styles, now I know nothing about art, I gauge it by "would I hang this on my wall", yes or no. Anyhow if you ever find yourself in this area the gallery is called "The Lost Gallery" and it's a couple of miles up a track but well worth while when you get there.  They  do have a website.

Anyway that's enough advertising, here is my latest creation
This card is for our friend Sean who celebrates his birthday next month, and how I wish I could take photos, I've just noticed the reflection of a painting on the opposite wall is on the mirriboard.

I have used Kanbans Gentleman's Journey card and mirriboard, topper, mounted on brown card.
Spellbinders snowflakes dies as I thought they looked a bit like cogs.
A wooden 60 coloured with promarker in chestnut and gems.

I'm quite pleased with it as I struggle with mens cards a bit.

Thats me off to get myself together and I will catch up sometime tomorrow when we are home.
Have a good day, Kate x

Sunday 21 October 2012

Lazy Sunday

Good Afternoon everyone, and thanks to all who left comments on my last blog.  I love to read them and they encourage me in my cardmaking.

It's been a lovely lazy Sunday so far, Alistair is away for a cycle with a friend,(lycra is not a good look) this always takes a few hours so I have the house to myself, so I've pottered about with housework, nothing serious, given some thought to the dinner, only thought so far.... and watched some really awful Westerns on the telly, well it beats all the political stuff that Alistair watches and comments on when he's here.

I've decided to enter another card into LOTV Little Fairies Challenge, didn't come anywhere near winning with the last one but I'm a trier. The theme is Anything Goes, so I thought I would enter the Christmas card I've made for my son and daughter in law.
 The stamp is of course LOTV and coloured with promarkers, Xcut dies, red glitter card and papers are a selection that I can't remember where from, embelishments from bits and pieces in my box of tricks.

I have no idea how the winners are chosen, if its artistic content or just pulled out of a hat, does anyone know?  I see by other folk's blogs that, it is a very popular thing to do, some people enter loads of challenges, most I've never heard of, I would imagin it is quite time consuming, but fun too.

Having to add a bit on to this post; Wendy thank you for the info on blog challenges and for suggesting that I enter my card into the I love Promarkers challenge, so Iv'e gone ahead and done just that.

Anyway, I'll see how this one does, that's me for today, hope your day is going well

Kate x


Saturday 20 October 2012

A Pleasant Saturday

Hello Fellow bloggers, and how is everyone today? I hope you are having a good weekend. It's been a pleasant day with no rain here in Inverness, although at times it did look as if it would plummet with the wet stuff. Not that rainy weather bothers me that much, but I do like to get the washing out. Oh boring stuff!!
Anyway this is just a quick blog today to show you all this lovely wee cat called Guman, here she is
She is such a wee sweetie, I would loved to have taken her home with me.

I did get around to making a card, which I am entering into the Little Claire monthly Challenge, so here is my entry and the theme is Babies.
I really do wish I could take proper photos, this has come out a bit on the dull side, anyhow I've used
Little Claire Changing Tree Stamp, with the new Baby accessory stamps, coloured with Promarkers, Adorable Scorable coloured card, paper from Nitwits PromisesLOTV, sentiment from Little Claire and Wild Orchid Flowers.

Thats me for today,  Kate x


Friday 19 October 2012

Ahhhh! nice to be back!

Good Evening Everyone,
Back after a couple of days staying with friends in Gairloch, which is for those who don't know is in the west of Scotland.  It's a most beautiful place, the scenery is stunning, fabulous coastline.
We had a lovely time, well fed and watered, and loved the new addition of Guman who is the most adorable cat. Her name is Swedish and means "cat" , I think. Don't know if this is the spelling though.  i took her photo and will put it on tomorrow.
Graeme and Isabelle, our friends have this fab b&b, "Solas" in Big Sands, just a little out of the village and it is a wonderful place to stay, so if anyone is fancying a quiet break look it up.

Anyway, here I am back and catching up on all your creations and news, and it seems a busy time has been had by all.  I have not managed to make a new card as yet, planning to get into it tomorrow but, here is one I made a wee while ago for my friends little Grandson, Kerr who has his birthday in a couple of weeks.  he is in to karate in a big way and has quite a few belts and is only 9, he will be, I hope you like it
LOTV stamp coloured with promarkers, xcut die shape, Papermainia paper, brown card and peel offs
Thats all from me tonight,  Kate x

Tuesday 16 October 2012

Out of the muddle!

Hello fellow bloggers, I'm not sure if we're at afternoon or evening at the moment, anyhow I hope everyone is well.Thank you all for the lovely comments.


Well Alistair and I covered a lot of work getting this spare room into some kind of order over the last couple of days and we managed not to fall out, amazing really as we always do when we have to work at something together. Oh the amount of stuff we had to get rid of, really I don't know where it all came from.  A few trips to the charity shops this morning was called for, and of course I've not managed to get any cards made.  However, the room now has more space, if a hen hutch has space, and looks really quite good with the new storage units, I certainly feel better whilst sitting here typing this.  I had to be quite ruthless though and books I'd kept for years had to go.

I managed to finish a pair of slouchy socks though, another Christmas prezzy, here they are,
They are knitted with Sidar Crofter yarn which in this case is chunky.  I don't really like knitting with chunky yarn, I much prefer 4 ply or even finer, but for these socks it's quite good. I knitted myself a pair the other winter and I wear them when I need my feet to be cosy when I'm in my jimjams. The yarn is self patterning and it looks a little like fairilse when knitted up.

As I said I don't have a new card to post, and I'm away tomorrow for a couple of days so I won't get back to crafting till the weekend, when I can get started with some new LOTV and Little Claire stamps which arrived this morning, but I thought I would share this photo taken while were were in Keswick in the summer, I think it's got the aww factor.  I stood for ages watching there wee beasties and they were quite content to sit there and be admired by all . Hope you like them, so here are Mum & Baby
Thats' all from me today, Keep well everyone and Happy Crafting,

Kate x


Sunday 14 October 2012

In a muddle!

Good Evening to you all, and many thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving all  the lovely messages.

Well today has consisted of trying to sort out the spare bedroom and make it more of a crafty space. We got rid of a huge wall unit as it felt that the walls were folding in on me, but where to put all the stuff collected over the years. It also housed my laptop which isn't wireless. I've had to be quite ruthless about what I'm getting rid of, but so many bits and pieces hold memories it,s difficult.  The dining table and livingroom floor is covered with stuff until I can think of what to do with it all.  We bought a new desk and Alistair put it together so that I could get the computer up and running again, and I did, amazed by myself that I managed to get all the correct cables in the right holes. Tomorrow will see my poor hubby puting together the other storage furniture and hopefully well get it sorted out.  However cardmaking is off at the moment but here is one I made a couple of months ago
The image is a Kanban stamp and colored with promarkers, I think the background papers are freebies downloaded from somewhere and bits from my stash.  The card was made for our friend's son who is having a tough time just now, he has learning difficulties and has been failed by the care system and is now in hospital.  He is such a lovely person, and as I am in the social care business I feel quite angry about it, but he does not live near us, so a card was the best I could do.  I'm told he has it by his bed.

Anyway thats me for tonight, Downton is on soon and I need my weekly fix of beautiful garments.  Goodnight and hope to be back tomorrow,
Kate x

Saturday 13 October 2012

My holiday at last!!

Hello Everyone and thank you for the lovely comments from yesterday.  I hope you are all well.
it's a nasty rainy day again but as it's the first day of my holiday I don't care.  I've go a busy couple of weeks ahead albeit with nice things, visits to friends in Gairloch and Strathdon both lovely places to go for a break. Our friends in Gairloch have a fab house with floor to ceiling windows which look out to sea and if you look one way you can see the Cuillins in Skye and if you look the otherway you see another range of mountains the name of which escapes me just now.  It's a visit I always love making.
Tomorrow however we are attempting to make some space in the spare bedroom to enable all my crafty things a bit of room, I have to say it's a chore I'm not looking forward to doing.  So today is a rest day to wind down after the weeks frantic work.

I have decided to submit another card to LOTV Little Faries Challenge again, here it is
The theme is Classic Christmas, so I thought this would do, It is of course on of LOTV Christmas stamps and coloured with promarkers, and metalic promarkers and glossy accents, Papermania glotter card and background paper.

So we'll see how this one gets on.There is an amazing amount of beautiful cards entered for these challenges, I don't know how the design teams manage to pick winners.

That's me for to day, I hope your weekend is good,
Kate x


Friday 12 October 2012

Brain exhausted and closing down now

Good Evening, a little later than usual, snozed off on the sofa for half an hour, must have needed it, but it hasn't refreshed me, I think it will be bed soon.  It was one of those days at work, made worse beacuse of staff shortage and there is something about Fridays cos everyone seamed quite mad today, but I'm on holiday now for two weeks and so looking forward to it.

I've just been catching up with your creations and what lovely ones they are too. I never cease to be both amazed and enspired by all the creative talen there is.  Anyway, here is a little card  made for a little girl who started school, having not ever seen this little one, I'm told that she looks just like the little girl in the image, so this is" Erin's first day at school"
This is a Sarah Kaye stamp coloured with promarkers, co-ordination card, and bits and pieces from stash.
Oh and by the way, I didn't win at the little Fairies Challenge, but it was fun to do, I might do another one.

That's me for tonight, brain is beginning to close down, bye for now

Kate x

Thursday 11 October 2012

No rain today?

Good Morning All, Just a quick post before I go off to get ready for work to say I had a really good sleep and feel much better today.  It seems to be yet another lovely morning even although heavy rain is forcast, lets hope the weather people got it wrong.  I'm on a countdown till my holiday which will begin at 4.30 on Saturday for two weeks and boy am I needing it. I started a little craft group at work, work is a drop in centre for people with mental health issues, and I am just so delighted to discover that so many of my clients are really talented crafters.  I've introduced card making which none of them have done before and it's taken off like wildfire.  So some weeks its bring your own craft whatever it is and other times I prepare materials and have a card workshop.  I'ts a lot of work on my part as it is'nt easy to get time to prep, we are such a small team and were are all attempting to provide projects for clients at the same time keep the drop in running on  a daily basis.  Oh for the want of funding!!!! Anyway, it's fun and as I'm a firm advocate that crafting is emmensly theraputic and the folk get so much from it, I go the extra mile.  So this week it's bring your own, but there is always someone who wants to be shown how to stamp or colour. anyway here is a card made as an example for one of our groups
I later decided to add the Across the Miles and be able to use it myself to send to friends.
So that is me for today.  Hope everyone has a lovely day whatever you do,

Kate x

Wednesday 10 October 2012

The very early morning shift

Evening All, I hope you are all well and have managed a bit of relaxing therapy today(crafting I mean). Thank you for the lovely comments left on my last post.

Well I was up at 4.30 this morning, couldn't sleep again so decided to be productive.  I was asked to make a 30th birthday card for a man who liked motor bikes and diggers, he drives one apparently.  Couldn't come up with any diggers but here is what I did manage
The friend who requsted really liked it, I hope Gavin does too.

I found the topper at my local craft shop, Howdens and matted and layered it on to black and grey co-ordinations, peel off letters and numbers and gems from papermania.

I also managed to finish my socks and I'm going to wear them tomorrow, here they are what do you think?
So all in all my very early morning was well worth the effort of being awake. However I was almost dozing off whilst at work, I hope I get some good sleep soon as this week I'm working six days on the trot.

I'm off to get some dinner ready for my hubby, he's been out in the hills since early today, so he will need a good feed, He is so energetic, can't sit still for long, complete opposit to me, I don't like climbing stairs let alone hills.

Good Night folks, more tomorrow

kate x


Tuesday 9 October 2012

A few of my commissioned cards

Good evening, and thank you very much for your lovely comments and good wishes for a better nights' sleep.  I thankfully managed to sleep better, but in order to catch up with all the sleep depravation, i would have to sleep like the Sleeping Beauty or Rip Van Winkle.  I sometimes wonder what I would be like if I slept a full 7 or 8 hours sleep. I guess I would be superchaged as even although I don't sleep well I still manage to get through all I have to. Alistair will quite often tell me to sit and relax I do too much, I usually reply with well if I don't do this or that will it get done?, bless him he never has a reply for that one.
Anyway I am rambling.  My friend Linda called over tonight to pick up the Christmas cards she had asked me to make for her and she was delighted with them.  You know what its like fellow crafters, your given specific details of how people want the card to look.Well I had 16 to do and 9 of them were to be with across the miles, all robins and 1 had to be larger than the others, I was heartily sick of robins by the time I was finished them and I really love robins. Here are a couple of them

 The top one is a LOTV stamp and sentiment, and coloured with watercolour pencils, Papermania paper and just bits from my stash.  LC stamp for the other one again with watercolour pencils and LOTV paper and sentiment, I particularily like this image.
 These two card are for Linda's Grandson and Grandaughter, in fact shes has another two Grandaughters, but I'll only show these 2 cards, they were to be all snowman cards.  This one above is from the Crafters Companion kit, so I didn't really creat it, just put it together, the one below, is again Crafters Companion Snowman stamp coloured with promarkers, snowflaked and glittered on a LC card.

So, thats all for tonight from me, I'm away to get a few rounds of knitting  done and a look at the telly, there just might be something decent on, you never know.
Good Night all and I will look forward to seeing more of your creations tomorrow
Kate x

Monday 8 October 2012

It's been a long day

Good evening folks, thank you for your kind comments.
Tonight I need to keep this post short as I feel dead on my feet, I've been up since 2.30 this morning, couldn't sleep for some reason so rather than lie awake letting all the rubbish of the day take over I decided to get up and do something productive.  I got a card made, a good few round of knitting and a couple of chapters of my book read, all before 6am. Then a long weary day at work, and chior rehearsal tonight.  Only stayed for half of it as I kept loosing my place and turning two pages at a time, yes definately time to call it a day. I've not even managed to look at all your blogs but, I will catch up.

here are my latest cards

The top one is a Stampavie stamp I bought and coloured last year but didn't use it so I thought I would this year.  It's coloured with promarker and a LC Fancyful blank card which has been embossed with an embossibilities folder, Wild Orchid flowers and a LOTV sentiment. The little stamp person has a name but for the life of me I can't remember it.

The polar bearsare from last year too and they are decoupaged on adorable scorable card with glittered snowflake velum, glitter card and background paper that came along with the image. I've glittered the snow and used glossy accents on the berries. LOTV sentiment and gems finishes it off.  I really like this image, I like polar bears.

Well thats all for tonight, I hope you all sleep well as do I,  Good Night

Kate x

Sunday 7 October 2012

Hark the Heral Angels Sing!

Hello Folks and it's another lovely day here and I'm just wishing I was staying at home instead of having to go off to work in a wee while, so many more interesting things I could be doing.

Anyway, I've been catching up with peoples blogs and just loving all the wonderful creations that I'm seeing, so many tanented people out there.

Thanks to all you have left comments on my blog xx

I have decided to enter a challenge, never done one before, didn't think my cards came up to the level of creativity and artistry that would be needed, but I say this one on LOTV ideas to inspire Fairy Challenge, and thought I could do that.  Well I've done it and here it is

I really must learn how to photograph.
The challenge was to make christmas card for a boy so I already had LOTV diecut toppers so chose this lovely little image of the Angel Gabriel giving the Good News.  I''ve used the lovely Christmas papers from LOTV and copied a piece of Herr Mendalssohn's very appropriate music to add to the background(hope I don't get done for copyright), Xcut star die Snowflake punch and gold glitter card and gems from Papermania.

All in all I am really pleased with it and no matter if it dosen't make the grade, I enjoyed doing it and I hope you like it.

I am stunned by how near Christmas actually is and although I've got quite a few cards made I'm not really anywhere near finished.  I need to think yo some very simple ones to make quickly.

Well, I had better go now and get ready for the off, face to put on and all that sort of thing, everyone have a good day whatever you do
Kate x


Saturday 6 October 2012

Bella's Presents and Gorgeous Yarn

Good Morning everyone and what a lovely morning it is, here anyway, hope it's good in your neck of the woods too.

Thank you all for the lovely comments left on my last post, I love reading them.

Didn't post anything yesterday, by the time I relised I hadn't I was too tired to do it, but I had been busy making a card with one of the Wildrose Studio stamps, Bella the little elephant here she is
I used Promarkers ssto colour her in and the background paper is Bella paper, LC sentiments and bits from my stash.  I wish I could photograpgh better though as I feel the colours don't show as well as they should cos, the paper and card is really purple, still I hope you like it.

I was looking forward to the arrival of new LOTV Christmas Icon stamps this morning and disappointed when I opened the parcel and found they had sent the wrong set, they sent the Geisha icons instead and I bought them earlier on in the week, oh well mistakes happen!

Well it being Saturday there's lots to do, all the work I don't get paid for, like cleaning, shopping, you know the kind of thing, but if I do have any time I might be able to pop into the local Howdens as there is a demo from Docrafts going on today.

I thought I would show some of the lovely sock yarn that I am going to get started with soon
Two of the skiens are from Laughing Yaffle which is just a little yarn company where they dye their own yarn,s o they only have little amounts at a time, but it is so lovely and they colours are always fab. The other skien is by Five Moons and it is gorgeous as there is silk throught it.  So looking forward to getting started with the next knitting project.

I finished this pair a few weeks ago and they are intended for my Choir Buddy Fiona's christmas

 They are a lovely soft merino yarn in pale pinks and lilacs, I think she'll like them.  Funny thing is that she has asked me to give her a sock pattern as she wants to have a go at knitting them herself, so I'll take one along with me to rehearsal on Monday.

I'm off to do some housework now and get off out and hopefully be back sometime tomorrow, after work, I've had a few days off and instead of recharging my batteries and spirits it makes me realise how much I don't want to have to go to work, it gets in the way of all the nice things I do, and of course Alistair is retired now and has all the time in the world to do his things, moan!, groan!, life just isn't fair.

Have a good day all, Kate x



Thursday 4 October 2012

A crafty day today

Hello Folks hope your day has been good and thank you for all your comments. 
If you read yesterdays post I said I would find out the name of the film my husband watched being made in Skye, well it's called the 47 Ronin and having Googled further found out that Ronin means samuri without a clan as their fudel lord has been defeated making them mercenaries,  they you go some useless info.  Anyway here is the photo of the horse which was Warhorse, he's the darker of the two, but I think they are both beauties, I love horses.
My Little Claire October stamp arrived this morning, great excitement, so I made this one replicating one of the example cards
I'ts my first easle card, not too bad I think for a first attempt.  I'ts a lovely stamp and will have so many possibilities, it also comes with a couple of sentiments.
The other card I completed was Cho from LOTV
Isn't she gorgeous, the image I mean not necessarily my card, thought I hope you will like it.  There were 2 Geisha images I only bought one, now wishing I'd bought the other one.
Both images are coloured with promarkers, and whilst all the card and paper for the LC card came along with the stamp, the papers for Cho is from Nitwits bought from LOTV as is the sentiment,Flowers from Wild Orchid and Papermania, card is Adorable Scorable and doilies from Lakeland, seriously.

I've enjoyed making these cards as I really love both of the images, but I did manage to drag myself away from the craft table for a walk as the weather was so nice, the crisp cold air cleared the cobwebs away. All in all it's been a lovely day.

I'll need to think what to make next, I suppose it's more than likely back to the Christmas cards.
Bye for now, Kate x



Wednesday 3 October 2012

The arrival of my new stamps from LOTV

Good Evening,  well I've had a lovely day today as my new LOTV stamps arrived.  I ordered one of the new Geisha images and the Geisha mini stanps which go along with it.  They are just lovely and all the examples made by LOTV's designers are fabulous.  Anyway, I chose Cho and I've made a card which I will put on tomorrow.

I am delighted to have new followers,so hello to you all and many thanks for the kind comments, it's much appreciated and I plan to be in contact with you all.

Well my husband came back from his few days in  Skye along with is buddies, full of all the stories of the wonderful time they all had, walking, climbing, canoing, canyoning, camping out in the tepee, getting full of whiskey, talking politics, playing their instuments, singing, arguing, and get this.........there was only a film crew making a movie where they were camped, infact they were asked if they could move their tepee as the riders had to ride in that bit.  20 or so Samuri warriors no less, in the full gear, and a helicopter filming it all. Now apparently it is Keanu Reeves new film.  I'm going to google it to find out the name, Alistair couldn't remember it, but fancy that they had a front row seat watching the action and one of the main horses was the horse who was Warhorse.  I'ts such a beautiful creature, Alistair took a photo so I might put it on.  Anyway exciting stuff.  They asked if they could have parts but there wasn't any call for a bunch of hairy, smelly outdoor punters.

Anyway, I got Alistair's birthday card finished so here it is and say Good night.
I

Tuesday 2 October 2012

Tied to the computer most of the day!!

Good evening, well I've spent most of today embellishing my blog and the most amazing thing about that is that I've actually managed to do it.  Having found all sorts of FREE buttons and blinkies sites I just went mad.  I particularily like "Shabby Blogs", I think their designs are great.

I've also spent time making my Husband's birthday card as he is away just now, I thought I would have peace to make it.  Not quite finished yet, but will put it on when I have.

I managed to finish my sock though and have cast on for the other one.

Here is a birthday card made for a friend using free papers from Making Cards magazine

It's for a winter birthday, in December so I thought this image suited well.  I love Art Deco images, the fashions are always so elegant.  The flowers are from Wild Orchid.  Of course the danger of making cards in advance of when they're required is the temptation to go back and do something extra to them, but I won't with this one, think there's enough on it.

Not much news again, I don't really lead all that an exciting life....well I guess I do I'm a BLOGGER!!
Bye x

Monday 1 October 2012

Some of my projects

This is my current project and what a joy knitting with yarn is, it has such a lovely feel to it. It's by Malabrigo Merino Wool, colour 173 Stonechat.  This is the first sock in the pair and I was going to give them a Christmas prezzies but I'm now thinking I'll keep them for me.

This scarf is made from Shilasdair baby camel and silk yarn and is called zig zag.  I finished it earlier on in the summer and not sure who will receive it at Christmas yet.  For some reason it took me ages to knit it and it's only 4 rows of pattern.  This photo doesn't show the colours well but it's a lovely caramel shade with dusky pink.
Shilasdair is a yarn company in Skye and their yarn is beautiful.  They sell ready made garments and kits, this was made from one of their kits.


As I said yeasterday i managed to get some cards made, so here they are:
 This one is made using Spellbinders Snowflakes on a snowflake embossed card and embellished with gems and glitter.  This is the first time Iv'e attempted to use these dies and I found them quite fiddley to tease out, I thinks the more detailed the die is the more difficult it is to cut and remove.  Nevertheless, I'm quite pleased with it and as it's not a commissioned card, I think it will do.
These Christmas Tree cards are made using a Woodware clear stamp which I bought last year and never used.  I had seen card examples in Making Cards and just loved the stamp.  I thought they looked very effective whilst being simple, and they shouldn't cost too much in the post.

I won't get any crafting done tonight as I'm off to do my other stress buster, singing.  I sing with the Inverness Choral Society and at the moment we are rehearsing for our concert in the local theatre, Eden Court, in November.  Vivaldi's Gloria is one of the pieces we are doing and it is one of my favourite pieces of music.
Mendelssohn's Hymn of Praise is the other one which I'm not so keen on, I think he was a bit stuck for lyrics as it's so repetative, still the music will help to destress me.

Hopefully more news tomorrow, bye x