Hollyhocks and butterflies

Hello, hello, hello on this windy morning, but at least the garden is beginning to bear fruit and I have made some Rhubarb and Ginger Jam and the flowers are starting to bud .

I decided this morning to try something new after a busy week and play with my purchase of a few months ago in Dubai of all places (where I've found a couple of craft shops at last!)....a Donna Downey Mask called Hollyhocks. 

Well where does the time go....

I've spent most of this morning 'playing' with the mask using different colouring techniques never having used one before I don't think this will be my last mask and I decided I liked the end result of this one enough to enter it in for this weeks challenge at LiM which is a Colour Challenge - choose TWO opposite colours from the Colour Wheel

 I added a tiny bright orange butterfly (highlighted in glossy accents) to my deep blue hollyhocks which I trimmed to size....my final picture not the mask I hasten to add .......and backed onto card which I printed from the Colour Collection in Boutique Blue by PP.   The verse is one of a series I love and use over and over again they are also from PP 'Simple Sentiments'.

Mr Moustache

 

It's been a while....and I thought I would ease myself back into things using a little inspiration from LiM...week 117 sketch challenge..so here goes....

 

I have used my new purchase from Pink Petticoat to make a plain and simple get well card for my 14yr old niece who is recovering amazingly quickly and so well after a major 10hr spinal op for scoliosis (in her words not mine....Yay.. no longer a wonky donkey!) she has even grown overnight by 4"!!! I'll be off to visit her with this card later this afternoon.

 

...I digress....anyway, she loves moustaches...in the form of necklaces, tops, skirts etc....hence 'the moustache'  get well card in a warm daffodil yellow to bring a bit of sunshine with a hint of black to make it 'pop' a little.  I cut 3 circles in black, plain daffodil, daffodil moustache and layered them with just a hint of each colour showing to make it a little more interesting.  The insert also has a strip of Mr moustache in black running down one side. Laughing makes you better - computer generated and printed on daffodil Mr Moustache, as was the smile which is a PP image.  I cut the V in the banner with a corner of a square punch...easier than scissors and finished with a sparkly.

 

Made with love...

and lots of birthday wishes for our Daughter in Law Sarah....Using stampin'up stamp and Kraft and Kreme colour scheme this fits in nicely I think with this weeks challenge at LiM which I will enter this card into.  The beautiful heart embelishment, ribbon and felt are from my gorgeous Ribbon Girl stash.  Hope Sarah likes it. 
Talking of coffee and cream...In cooking mode today before making a little gift of some thank you and general cards from my gorgeous PP digi's which I have collected over the years.. Perhaps they'll be my next post!

Cooking...Lamb on a bed of butterbean stew and Swedish Bullar Buns, they took a while to make but so delicious and freezable, not difficult but a process that can't be hurried..and so worth it especially when warm straight out of the oven with a cup of coffee mmmhmm!!.

Had to laugh when my daughter sent me a What's App (so brilliant and easy to use especially if like me you have family overseas) to say my 8yr old gradaughter came 3rd in a 3K run (WELL DONE Fay!!) but mummy came last...well she did have to chivvy up the stragglers...or so she says, but she did admit to being lapped when she started out, hey ho at least she ran......

Dreamy White....

Navy Blue (my favourite colourway) with just a touch of gold to define it a bit more...Not a very clear image no matter what I did, but I think you get the gist...I used Stampin'up stamps and inks crumb cake and Sahara to do the stamping and the background and would like to enter this card into LIM sketch week - It's simple and uncomlicated all they ask is that the card stays in the orientation shown ie that the band remains in the horizontal plane, in the lower part of the card and that it takes up no more than 1/3rd of the height of the cardbase. Just a quickie post as the roofer has arrived to sort our leak.....!

All Owled out...

I've been Owling...not the crouching planking type!.....But Birthday owling for my Grandaughter's 6th Birthday and the results were just what she ordered...One Owl Birthday Card with an owl story inside, owl covers for the party bags and owl bunting made from card, also some fabric bunting in her favoutite colours and this cake,...unfortunately, I've had a blip with my camera (this photo was on my phone) so will try to get more pics later in the week... The cake had a chocolate and oreo filling and the top was made from icing (wings embossed with one of my craft folders!) and the eyes from icing and Oreo biscuits  worked well!  Deliciousness personified, Enjoy

Santagrandad....

 Everyone looking skyward for Santa's arrival.....

 He's arrived..After one of the staff had to pick him up from the North Pole, with some help from a bit of Santa magic, in a Jaguar as the Reindeer had partied too hard and were still in bed.....

Just thought I would share what happened on our recent trip to see our grandaughters when Grandad and I were asked to help out at their school...I was asked to help out at school with parties talent shows and lots of fun and Grandad...would he step in as Santa!!!  Hohoho after a shaky nervous start, he soon got into the swing of it and this is now a christmas we shall never forget, what more can one ask than to be part of a child's dreams, so much fun!.  The last photo is one of our grandaughter's, Fay with Santagrandad

Happy New Year to one and all and Christmas......

Better late than never, I didn't know I could be so busy in retirement!!  Anyway just thought I would start off the New Year with a little post about my Christmas cards...which I made mostly back in October...I probably make a lot of work for myself BUT it is enjoyable crafty work in that I usually make ALL my Christmas cards and lots of different cards rather than one style, hoho I love it..here are just a couple of samples made with my gorgeous Christmas Candle stamp from LoTV which everyone has commented on, don't you just love her and so many ways to dress her - I have used glamour dust and a minimum of colour to reflect my beautiful background papers courtesy of PP (my set were purchased a long time ago and used again and again!  I Love them hope you do too..